Chapter 82a: Daily Dallying

Chapter 82a: Daily Dallying

Sleeping was wonderful. Not just the action, but the Skill, too. Even though his dreams had been tumultuous and vaguely nightmarish, as Watchful Rest ensured that even unconsciousness wasnt enough to entirely disconnect from reality, by the time Edwin returned to full awareness, he just felt refreshed on a fundamental level.

His senses no longer warred against his mind, and the emotional load of the previous day felt so light, as though it had been weeks or months prior. He still generally dreaded seeing people after the previous days utter fiasco, but it wasnt utterly unpalatable either.

He rolled over in his bed, making a vague attempt to snag his blanket from wherever it may have landed, only to fail. Cracking his eyes open eventually had him see the cloth on the far side of the room, and he fell back, his eyes closing once more to try and shut out the brightness of the room.

Edwins stomach rumbled, and he ignored it. He could skip food today and it wouldnt hurt. Today, he just wanted to do nothing and recover. When was the last time he genuinely just had a day off, he wondered? Not counting days of recovery after a fight, anyway. He genuinely didnt know. Then again, this probably didnt count as a non-recovery day anyway. He may not have been physically injured, but that didnt mean he didnt need healing.

Mental health was important, after all!

Now shoo, loneliness. Get back in your box.

He idly wondered if he could develop an emotional healing potion. What he wouldnt give to dab some salve on his forehead or down an elixir and make the pain of last night vanish.

...That was just alcohol, wasnt it?

Except not, because alcohol was just a poison which targeted the brain above the body, inhibiting its functions. At best it was a painkiller. Except it was a painkiller that worked by damaging the nerves of the area being treated how did painkillers work? Wasnt it by inhibiting nerve signals? Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

He should try some experiments with sinbalyne now that hed all but tiered up. What sort of interactions would it have with his new Skills?

He was just distracting himself now, and he wasnt sure if he wanted to. Hed check his notifications, that was the first step to being productive, right?

Level Up!

Skill Points 444 477

Adaptive Defense Level 1124

Feys Caress Level 3536

Memory Level 5759

Numeracy Level 1415

Outsiders Almanac Level 127128

Polyglot Level 5960

Prototyping Level 1213

Ritual Intuition Level 1620

Skillful Assessment Level 1929

Watchful Rest Level 910

Congratulations! For withstanding an overwhelming mental force, you have unlocked the Unbowed path!

Congratulations! By experiencing your mental defenses being obliterated yet not losing yourself utterly to a mental Skill, you have unlocked the Canny path!

Congratulations! For balancing your mind under the effects of multiple mental Skills simultaneously, you have unlocked the Steady Mind path!

Congratulations! For meeting in person The High Sovereign of the Guiding Winds Which Span the World, you have unlocked the Brushed by Power path!

Congratulations! For meeting the emperor of the Lirasian Empire, you have unlocked the Lirasian Citizen path!

Congratulations! For reaching level 60 in a literary Skill, you have unlocked the Scholar path!

Who says youd have to? Inion teased him, and he shook his head.

At least do that thing where you make your own clothes or whatever.

Hmmm nah!

You know, youll need to get dressed to enter Vinstead, he reminded her, hopeful that she wouldnt ask

Ooh! Did you figure out how to get me in, then? Of course shed ask. Fey practically invented misleading statements.

No, he admitted, and responded to her beaming smile with a glare, That doesnt mean you shouldnt put clothes on!

She didnt acknowledge his admonishment, and Edwin sighed, Whatever. I do hope you kept your tunic, though.

So? What happened? Tell me all the details.

Why would I have anything that would require details?

You have that look on your face. Something fuuun happened, didnt it? Ooh! Did you find a girl last night? she teased. Honestly, sometimes Edwin wasnt sure how much of her incomprehensibility came from being a fey and which parts she intentionally played up to annoy him.

Edwin responded with a baleful glance and rolled his eyes, Ha. I would have taken that in a heartbeat instead of what actually happened.

.

Inion let out a low whistle as he finally completed his story, Wow. Thats quite the eventful night.

Tell me about it, Edwin muttered, I thought I was dead at least three times over.

I know! I wish I could have seen it!

Wait see it?

You mortals are so adorable when you do your little spats. I mean, I would have killed miss sassy-beak if she had lain so much as a feather on you-

No surprise there.

But you standing up to her? Oh, so great! I dont regret missing out on seeing little Liras. He sounds like quite the force to reckon with. Maybe youll get there someday, eh? she elbowed Edwin in the side, and he shifted to avoid it.

Please. Hes got at least two millennia of experience on me and an entire empire of resources.

You have me!

I dont think the power of friendship is going to help out here.

No, no! I meant the-

Yeah, yeah. I was just messing with you. I know you mean the muse token. He paused to allow Inion to nod in agreement before continuing, I still dont think thatll make enough of a difference, unless its way more powerful than you told me.

You never know, Inion pushed, trying to be mysterious, Maybe it is that strong.

Is it? he leveled.

Well, no, but Inion fell silent at Edwins skeptical glance, Fine. Youre hopeless and can never improve. Is that better?

Much, he teased, dodging a kick. He attempted to grab her foot, but Inion let the limb turn to water momentarily, letting it slip through his grasping fingers and sticking her tongue out at him as she did so.

After that, the conversation quieted down and the two of them spent a bit more time together, reclining next to the bank of the river and chatting. Eventually, Edwin noted how low in the sky the sun had gotten and figured he should get back into the city before sundown.