Dragon's Tale 103

Xia’s reaction to my mana was enough to temporarily stop my ponderings over the reason for their strategic decision-making. 

After all, her awakening would resolve a much more significant amount of problems. 

I was lucky that my increased senses allowed me to assess the way her body was reacting to my mana, as with my current control, any attempt to actually cast a healing spell would have been a disaster. 

Killing her directly would have been easier. The end result would have been the same, but at least she wouldn’t suffer. 

And, without my senses, allowing me to carefully trace the path and the impact of my mana, I would have pulled my hand back in fear, afraid that, in its chaotic state, it would have a similar impact to a deliberate spell. 

Yet, it worked much differently. My mana danced along her body with great smoothness. While it was not as smooth as the flow of her own mana, it was still considerably more obedient than any external source. 

Which included the way the mana was provided by Dragon Hearts, which had been one of the best sources in terms of mana adaptability. That, combined with its near-limitless ability to provide mana, ensured Dragon Hearts were one the greatest wonders of the world. 

The kind that not only made people fight, but also made the countries go to war. 

And, currently, I was watching my own mana acting as a superior version of a Dragon Heart, my mana slowly filling her body, far faster and much less destructively than a dragon heart would. 

A great contrast to my own struggles to cast any spell. 

“There goes my plan of cooperation,” I murmured, instantly adjusting my plans in light of my latest unwelcome discovery. 

I thought that cooperating with the Empire was a reasonable strategy, because I didn’t have enough to tempt them for a reckless hunt — though that was a close calculation, and required me to keep the possession of two of the three weapons in my possession hidden. 

A Patrician Weapon was sufficiently tempting. 

… three was madness-inducing. 

Yet, the latest discovery of the way my mana had been reacting was enough for me to shelve my plans of cooperation. Because, after I had displayed a certain level of ability, it was obvious that the Empire would start paying attention to me as well. 

While I had enough dangerous secrets, none of it could be compared to functioning as a better version of Dragon Hearts, not that it represented raising an impressive number of Sorcerers. 

Of course, it was entirely likely that I had been grossly misreading the impact of that mana, and it was something that was special to Xia’s constitution, but I didn’t want to take the risk. 

Especially since others might have similar concerns. 

It was time for experimentation, I thought as I put my finger on Xia’s mouth, gathering the smallest amount of mana I could control to the tip of my finger without forming it into a spell. 

Of course, with my control ruined, the smallest amount of mana I could gather was considerable — more than my peak output before I had the misfortune of facing a sea serpent and made the reckless decision to absorb my first dragon heart. 

The fact that I had to specify which dragon heart I had absorbed was just another sign of just how ridiculous my life had become. 

Amusingly, the only reason I was able to control that ‘little’ amount of mana was that I didn’t try to push it out, but let it dance on my skin, while Xia absorbed it slowly. 

I watched carefully as her body accepted my mana, slowly showing the signs of awakening. She slowly absorbed my mana for several minutes, and luckily, in that time, no one visited the secret deck once more, allowing us to stay undetected by relying on the isolation wards. 

My magical presence was much stronger during the process of transfer. 

Luckily, they were sufficiently busy upstairs as they tried to maintain the ship while it moved with the greatest possible speed while still under the complicated illusion ward. 

Xia’s eyes opened. 

“Where are we?” was her first words as she looked around, the panic in her gaze unmistakable. 

Not entirely unjustified, as her last memory was us trying desperately hide from the gaze of an Archmagus after we had created a level of discord in Rome that hadn’t been seen in centuries.  

“We managed to arrive at the ship we are aiming for,” I started, and she relaxed in my hold, a process that immediately reversed with my next words. “Unfortunately, it’s not as smooth as I expected.” 

“How-“ she tried to ask, but only for me to put my finger on her mouth to her face, and silence her with it. 

Her eyes widened in shock, and this time, it was not about the complicated situation she found herself in. 

I had pushed my mana to my finger once again, and her body absorbed it.

“How!” she repeated, almost catatonic with the impossibility of the situation. 

“I don’t know, sweetie, you’re the expert,” I said. “That’s how you managed to wake up this easily. Why don’t you make sure that there’s no side effect before we continue with the more important parts of our discussion.” 

She threw an angry glare at me as she realized the risk I had taken with her life, but ultimately, she said nothing. 

It wasn’t like we had the luxury of playing safe. 

As she cast an impressive range of diagnostic spells on herself — most of them looking similar enough for me to lose any sense of distinction despite my sensitivity giving me a more accurate analysis of the situation. 

To anyone else, I wouldn’t have dared to reveal the way my mana had worked — with the exception of two sexy ladies that had accompanied me for the better part of the year in the lost city — but after everything that we had gone through, our lives had already been intertwined enough to make a betrayal unlikely. 

Moreover, the biggest leverage she had over me was her ability to help me diagnose what the hell happened in the depths of Junia estate. 

Assuming she wouldn’t discover my newest ability — or affliction, depending on the perspective — was not exactly reasonable. 

I listened carefully as she cast her diagnostic spells, ready to stop her if I noticed anyone that wanted to visit the secret hold. 

Only after a chain of spells that lasted five minutes, she calmed down sufficiently to listen to my explanation about our current situation. 

Though an annoyed expression stayed stuck on her beautiful face. 

Not undeserved, I had to admit. 

I gave her a quick breakdown of the status, including the possible allegiance and status of the ship we found ourselves stowed in, the direction we were moving toward, and the other challenges.

Though I avoided mentioning Theodora’s name or her true identity. It was irrelevant to the situation, and it was not a simple secret to be brandished in any case. 

“What would happen if they come down?” she asked in panic after managing to process my explanation. “Wouldn’t we just got captured?” 

“Remember what we did back at the estate,” I said, then smirked. “Or our little adventure at Rome. A sorcerer and a bunch of mages are not exactly a threat to us.” 

She sighed relaxedly. “Then, we’re safe.” 

“Not entirely,” I answered, responding with a sigh of my own, still shocked by her lack of strategic understanding as far as the combat was concerned. Maybe it was a cultural distinction, but there was no high-ranking Roman, whether a mage, noble, or politician, that didn’t have a rudimentary grasp of martial matters. 

Seeing a sorceress actually unaware of those details to such an impressive degree was certainly shocking. 

“What do you mean?” she asked. 

“The ship,” I reminded her. “It’s a well-made ship, I admit, but no ship could survive a deathmatch of two sorcerers, at least none I had seen,” I answered. Though, as I explained, I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her closer. 

Distracted by the situation, and the nature of the cramped place we found ourselves in, it took a while for her to realize the excessive nature of our closeness. 

Or the way she was dressed, if a large fabric that they used to keep arrows bundled counted as clothing. Lost in the more important matters, it took a while for her to realize the changes in her clothing.  

“L-let me go,” she stammered as she pushed. Her sudden movement had an excellent impact on the fabric wrapped around her, slipping it down enough to reveal her beautiful breasts. She fixed hurriedly after creating some distance — which was measured in inches considering the small side of our hiding spot. 

“As you wish,” I chuckled as I watched her desperate attempt to put some distance. 

“W-what happened to my clothes,” she said, and I gestured to the small pile behind me, still wet. 

“I had to change them to prevent you from freezing,” I answered with a smirk.

“Y-you could have just used a spell to dry me,” she stammered, forgetting my current state of casting ability in her shocked state. 

If I had slightly more control, I would have cast a spell to dry them, which would have burned them completely. 

Pity  I was afraid of sinking the ship as well. And, despite the amusement potential, it was a touch excessive as a prank. 

“R-right,” she stammered as she looked at my raised eyebrow, realizing the absurdity of her request. “P-pass them to me, p-please,” she added, and I passed them to her. 

“I need to change,” she said after casting a spell to dry it, which, unlike me, she could risk without wholesale destruction. 

“Go ahead,” I said with a smirk, and added another thing just as she was about to finish her statement. “Oh, you don’t expect me to leave, right? What if I get discovered,” I said, which was, amusingly, a justified rebuttal. 

Her blush was beautiful. 

I might have just found a way to entertain myself while waiting for an opportunity…