It had taken a bit of work to get the newest member of her family, but Eve had been willing to gamble as soon as she saw Sara’s incredibly delicate mana layers draped on her body. The amount of mana in use on the young lady and the precision of its application screamed competence.

If there was anything Eve wanted right now, it was someone competent to help fill the gaps in her knowledge of combat in this brave new world. While she didn’t think the wolves would steer her wrong, their information could be extremely outdated. They were also completely amoral, and after dispelling the shadow of her brother’s influence, perhaps not the best moral compass to use for every situation.

Sara sparkled with mana's intricate uses that denoted a noble, wealthy, or extremely competent mage. As such, Eve was willing to take a shot at recruiting her. The promise of leveling was because her business classes had emphasized that people responded far superior to concrete benefits. The contract had actually been something Eve had been working on for the Rin and Ren, except Kudzu had snagged them first for his diabolical experiments. The private deal he had worked out with both sisters kept them quiet about Eve, so she didn’t need anything extra.

The contract with Sara was the first effective use of her Scribeand Enchanter combination. To say it had worked like a dream was cutting the entire affair short. In point of fact, Eve was thrilled. A decade was nothing to her, and with the Dungeon Core experience, farming was a breeze.

Eve took a glance at her Status while Sara and the munchkins chatted for a moment.

Race: Human

Class: Celestial Scholar

Level: 100

Health: 1,460/1,460 (14.6 HPs regen)

Mana: 4,380/4,380 (4,380 MPs regen)

Stats: Str 146, Dex 146, Con 146, Wis 438, Int 438

Free Stats: 380

S/S Slots: 5

Skills:

Paperweight I (5%)

Origami Ascension I (5%)

Celestial’s Five Senses (60%)

Spells:

Domain of Celestial Paper I (80%)

Mental Traits:

Celestial Mind (96%)

Physical Traits:

Ascendant’s Physique (10%)

Celestial Body (96%)

Felix's sheer level of customization could bring to the table to help her boost not only Levels but Skills and Spells were breathtaking. Eve had been forced to pay three Slots to have the System automatically adjust her Stats. It was too much of a pain to keep adjusting them in the middle of a rapid series of experience gains.

“Everybody out of the kitchen please, I need to talk to Sara alone.” Eve said, her voice commanding quiet authority. Once the girls had gone to play with Kudzu in the garden, and the puppies had followed them, while the adult wolves decided to go hunting, Eve marshaled her thoughts.

Paper flew around them, sealing the doorways and shuffling a few mice and vines that attempted to stick around out. Using paper spy eyes and her own Celestial’s Five Senses to ensure they were alone, Eve turned her attention fully on Sara.

“I would like to exchange Status information if you don’t mind?” Eve asked.

“Certainly.” Sara said as she raised one eyebrow artistically, “Who goes first?”

Eve flipped her Status to the public before displaying it for Sara to see. Watching her expression allowed her to see the shock and confusion roll across the young woman’s face. Sara displayed her own information for Eve, which took only a minute to memorize with Celestial Mind.

Name: Sara, Young Mistress of the Snake Clan

Race: Human

Class: Dream Assassin

Level: 53

Health: 340/340 (3.4 HPs regen)

Mana: 1,020/1,020 (11.4 MPs regen)

Stats: Str 34, Dex 34, Con 34, Wis 102, Int 102

Free Stats: 174

S/S Slots: 20

Skills:

Snake’s Bite V

Equivalent Exchange V

Hypnotic Voice V

Enchanting Form V

Spells:

Pleasant Dream V

Succubus’s Touch V

Blink V

Clean V

Mental Traits:

Snake’s Mind (36%)

Physical Traits:

Snake’s Body (36%)

“You don’t have a travel Skill or Spell? This entire Status makes no sense, and you have w-what? Fourteen free points per Level? Impossible!” Sara said, her voice shuddering in fear, “Domain before the Dragon’s Gate, blessed Snake!”

So, it’s even worse than I assumed. Eve thought, her eyes narrowing. This information would likely get me turned into someone’s mind-fucked pet looking at her reaction.

Sara’s hands gripped the table before she said, “Swear. Swear your Status is not false, p-please!”

“I swear by the Contract between us my Status as presented to you is not false, Sara.” Eve said and watched as the young woman’s hands grew slack as her body slumped. Celestial’s Five Senses was de-railed as Eve couldn’t hear anything else as Sara held her head in both hands before starting to giggle madly. Admittedly this was not the reaction she had been expecting of the noble. Shock yes, confusion yes, giggling, and a creepy laugh, well not so much.

“Everything ok?” Eve asked, slightly concerned.

“Fine, f-fine.” Sara said, wiping the tears out of her eyes and grinning with a madcap cheer before saying, “I’m guessing you want to make some improvements? While a Domain's power is immense, there are ways to combat it even if you do not have your own. Even worse, the fact that you have no movement Skill or Spell makes it trivial to move outside your range. Unless you have a way to counter movement or have your own, that would be the easiest way to nullify the Domain advantage.”

Sara paused before carefully asking, “How much of the Class Skill and Spell Lists can you see? Most noble linages can see more than a commoner, but it really depends on a variety of factors.”

Sara is totally worth her weight in gold. Eve thought as the young lady continued to break down gaps in her combat knowledge. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to tell her I can see everything in the Lists.

“I can see everything in my Class Skill and Spell Lists, including all non-Class specific things.” Eve said, shrugging.

Sara stared for a long moment before throwing her hands up in the air and saying, “Admit it! You’re a Dragon!”

Eve’s look of utter confusion resulted in even more face-palming, giggles, and soft laughter.

“Not a Dragon then, perhaps a Mythic Beast accidentally left in the wild, eh? Who knows! Who cares! Not me.” Sara said, finally managing to get herself back under control. With a lightning-fast movement, the tip of her right-hand index finger lit up, and she moved to tap it on Eve’s forehead.

The Spell of Clean V has been taught to you by Sara.

The Spell of Blink V has been taught to you by Sara.

Sara has recommended the purchase of Heighten Taste, Touch, Smell, Hearing, and Sight. Purchase?

Eve agreed to the purchase, curious where this was going.

Celestial’s Five Senses has consumed the Skills of Heighten Taste.

Celestial’s Five Senses has consumed the Skills of Heighten Touch.

Celestial’s Five Senses has consumed the Skills of Heighten Smell.

Celestial’s Five Senses has consumed the Skills of Heighten Hearing.

Celestial’s Five Senses has consumed the Skills of Heighten Sight.

You have formed the Skill a Cube of Perception V!

Eve gasped as the sense of information flowed seamlessly into her mind. Celestial’s Five Senses was passive. The new Cube of Perception V was an overwhelming knowledge of everything inside the Skill boundaries. Celestial Mind took over instantly, removing the load and integrating it into her normal view of the world seamlessly.

”Alright, bring out your Map.” Sara said.

Eve pulled her Map from inventory, a bit bemused at the rapid changes.

Sara pulled her own map from a ring before tapping Eve’s with a piece of small glimmering flash information passed between them. Opening her newly updated Map, the height and breadth of the young woman’s value were further shown.

Where once there was boundless fog, now detail-filled Eve’s entire Map. It was clear that Sara’s own Map was something those in power would be desperate to add to their own. The complexity alone told Eve it had been the work of generations to achieve.

Sara smirked at the expression Eve had on and said, “Hah! I’m gambling on you. You are either a heaven-sent prodigy, a Dragon, a Myth, or someone from the stars above! Either way, I’m sticking with you like glue until you kick me to the curb Eve Smith!”

Ah, there goes my sense of admiration. Eve thought, grinning right back.

“Do you have a normal method of fighting?” Sara asked, crossing her arms and raising one eyebrow in challenge. In response, Eve pulled a paper bullet from her inventory and passed it over. She could tell the young woman was examining it with clinical eyes.

“I’ll be frank. This isn’t a new concept. While the design is new, the idea of throwing small things at high speed is not. What makes your method work better than others is probably a combination of several factors. First, a Domain would let you attack from any angle and accelerate to higher speeds than most normal Spells could do independently. Second, this Rune likely has some debilitating effects. Third and final, cost. These paper bullets probably take almost nothing to create, right?”

Eve nodded, impressed.

“There are several problems I see right now. Anyone with a decent Protective Ward V or something along those lines will be a nightmare to fight. Next, your attack is physical only, which, while dangerous, doesn’t really affect an enemy if they are non-physical. Last, this is an abysmal use of your Domain.” Sara said, pronouncing judgment.

Eve leaned forward, “What would you recommend?”

Laying the bullet on the table, Sara tapped it before saying, “The concept is good. I’d even call it rather novel, an old application, with a lethal new purpose. To make it better, however…”

A devious light seemed to light up in Sara’s snake pupil emerald eyes before she said, “Have you considered Curses?”

The next several hours before dinner resulted in a massive redevelopment of Eve’s bullet strategy. With Scribe and Enchanter's proper use, she added a few twists to the small paper orbs that resembled many-sided dice. The form was a contribution from Sara that would allow a Rune on each tiny slice of the die’s face.

The result was a brutal redesign that gave a plethora of new effects. Now her one-use weapons were reusable, Cursed, and could harm both physical and non-physical entities. All in all, it was a very satisfactory redesign of her current method to attack. Sara had also explained that learning some close combat could help fight certain types of enemies.

Eve had close combat knowledge and training from the military and decided to implement it into her normal training. After taking down the paper, dinner was a short affair filled with children laughing, puppies practicing food relocation, and mice nibbling.

Sleeping arrangements were easy as one of the few remaining rooms was dedicated to Sara. Eve spent the night resting before waking early the next morning. A short consultation with Sara in the morning allowed her to shift her disguise, effectively mimicking a short, elderly, almost-blind grandmother figure. Once breakfast was served, Eve split from her house, which Kudzu disguised until it was no longer visible.

This is the final hurdle. Eve thought. Once we pass through, the target village is only a short distance away at our fastest speed.

Eve used her control of the paper to disguise everyone as they moved on foot to the checkpoint. From her knowledge of the information given on Sara’s map, it was clear that several roads would intersect at the entry to the next layer of the Endless Forest.

As they moved towards the checkpoint, Eve could clearly see the road's end in the far distance. There were several military structures of a permanent nature and a large number of wagons, caravans, and foot traffic. Their own road had slowly accumulated travelers both behind and ahead of them as they moved forward.

“When we get there, you are certain that you can get us past?” Eve asked Sara.

“Without a doubt. Make sure that none of you say anything to the guards.” Eve said, including Ren and Rin with her eyes. “They will doubtless have some form of lie detection, truth-telling, or another method. As long as you do not speak, it cannot work against us.”

Eve nodded, gathering the small children against her robe to keep them close and allowing them to float slightly to reduce the pain of walking. She ended the floating once they were within a mile of the guard station.

Upon reaching the line's start for their road, there was a little conversation by anyone in Eve’s group. Instead, everyone paid attention to the chatter of muted conversations around them.

“Increase in the guards for some reason.”

“Haven’t you heard that dungeon town got attacked by human scum!”

“Shit! How bad?”

“Heard it was something vicious, the entire town melted, Core stolen!

“Damn! Empire’s going to retaliate in kind for sure, and I might need to invest in weapons now instead of salt.”

Once they reached the line's head and moved to be processed, Eve witnessed Sara effortlessly enchant their guards. A short conversation later, a much more senior guardsman was called to take care of her. Eve and the children were directed respectfully off to the side to wait.

Almost two hours later, Sara returned with a wide smile. Showing a document to the guards, Eve and the children could easily pass through the checkpoint. Once they were on the other side, Sara handed her several documents. There was a travel pass, a business license, an adoption letter, and a few more.

Eve raised one eyebrow as she placed them all into inventory.

Sara tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear and grinned before saying, “Men stationed on guard duty rarely get the proper exercise. A few smiles, a few kind words, and a little bit of relaxation here and there is all it takes. After that, those high up in the chain of command are willing to do anything to help.”

“Will there be problems later?” Eve asked.

“Certainly not. Clean V will ensure there are no traces of me, while a few tricks will prevent mana tracking. Besides, I left a few light post-hypnotic commands to ensure they don’t cause problems later.” Sara said with a smirk.

Eve decided to let the matter lie. The current situation was fine, they had entered the new layer, and the sense of mana was thicker and far more impressive. Reaching the town was only a short trip, and since the sun was bare, past noon Eve gave the girls prepared snacks to hold them over until dinner.

Entering the village was an easy affair after finding the path that branched off the road into the forest depths. Making their way past the wall that guarded the inner village, Sara handled presenting the document that allowed them to stay for the night. Relaxing in the inn and eating thick stew with bread caused the two girls to get sleepy with great speed. Eve had to tell herself that not everyone had the same physical stats as she carried the two girls up to bed for the night.

Once they left the first village, travel through the forest was brisk as Eve sealed everyone into diamond shield-forms. Moving under the power of the Domain of Paper was faster than walking by several magnitudes. The distance covered to the target village would have taken two weeks of walking, at a minimum. That was easily compressed into almost nothing using flight.

After arriving at the outskirts of the road into the village, Eve dispelled the diamond shield-forms. The two girls were giggling endlessly as they walked slowly into the village. Dogs barked to mark their arrival, and Eve easily dropped into the slow hobble of an older woman, as shown by Sara earlier.

Reaching the village headman’s house, Sara spent a few hours enthralling both of them. Documents were shown, stamps procured, living space allotted, favorable business deals cut, and taxes for the year paid upfront.

As they walked to the location their house would take up, Sara said, “He was rather loyal to his wife, which is why it took so long to break his willpower down. However, like any man, once his mind is distracted and he’s inside me, resistance melts away. After that, it is only a matter of time. I’ve left a few keyword triggers in his mind to ensure I’m always able to reach him when needed. Once I manage to get his wife alone, it will not be hard to do the same to her as well.”

I can see why brother thought Charm would be a path worth pursuing. Eve thought as she created a paper house. The sheer ease with which we got through all the red tape would entice even the most rule-abiding individual.

“And the children of the house?” Eve asked, placing the finishing touches on the temporary home.

“A very light touch is all that is required for them. I don’t enjoy doing it, but safety is supreme for you.” Sara said, with a shadow of distaste. Eve noted it and nodded. Apparently, there were boundaries even the nobility disliked crossing for expedience.

Moving forward to the door, Eve opened it before turning to the three behind her to say, “Welcome to our new home for the next several years. Kudzu and the wolves should be along shortly. For now, let’s have dinner and get a good night’s sleep!”