=====Chapter 24=====

T’was a tasty meal

If I were to describe it, 5 stars wouldn’t be enough (not that I tasted actual ‘5 star’ meals).

Right now we are on our way to the city, with Rain and Dean clearing the way.

As for me, I was testing ‘Plant Manipulation’ while walking, since I was in the most ideal environment.

Moving the tree branches, hardening, growing, I tried everything that came to mind, which thankfully worked.

While being lost in thought, I was woken up with Rain’s comely face.

“How did I do?” She asked, with a cute grin.

“Let’s see… I guess you need a better greatsword, specifically a ‘Soulbound’ one.”

“Soulbound?”

I started explaining what a soulbound weapon is.

As the name implies, it is ‘Bound’ to the person’s ‘Soul’, but for a soul mage like me, I could probably change any ‘Soulbound’ weapon’s ownership to me, as long as I possess the owner’s soul, that is.

No, I don’t need to kill him, just be able to see the soul, otherwise the old heroes’ weapons are just a normal weapon now.

Just a tad bit stronger.

What is the advantage of them, you ask.

Due to them being connected to the soul, the stronger the person is, the stronger it becomes, however, personalities also affect it.

A person with dissolute morals will have a ‘Cursed’ weapon, while still bound, it will shine in crimson red, and ‘Curse’ its owner, sometimes to the point of mind control.

Since Rain’s morals are alright, and mine (I hope), we could probably get our very own ‘Soulbound’ weapons.

The only downside is that if it is destroyed, the master will have an extremely powerful backlash, with a high possibility of crippling them.

However, once the weapon reaches a point, whatever material it is made of will become the ultimate metal, Corromium.

Possessing higher magic potential than mythril and stronger than adamantine while being light, it is something not to be made light of.

Noticing that I’ve been explaining for too long since we reached the city, it looked like Rain was listening to me intently, giving me a heartwarming feeling.

Once we entered, I noticed that something was obviously wrong.

Many people were running in horror, as the guards seemed to be capturing everyone, be it elder or young, all of them were caught.

Noticing us, 4 of them went towards us, and one of them said…

“You are under arrest by the order of Prince Rowell!”

….

“The frog jumps while croaking, the cat women’s ears shake from the sound, and I stare into the sky that is falling.. Ahahahahaha!”

Sitting in the prison for 3 hours, I started acting like a drunken man.

Rather, there are instances where I act drunk due to boredom.

“Hooray hooray, let me fly away… ugh..”

My inmates were looking at me in confusion, but I did not care.

“I dooonnttt caaaareee…”

I said that while looking at them.

“Heyyyy, d’ya know why the prince imprisoned us?”

I asked them while in my “Semi-drunk” state.

“Some people laughed at the Prince when he tripped over a pebble, and once he tried to shut them up, he was shut up instead, then after the ones that shut him up left, in a fit of rage, he ordered for anyone on the streets to be arrested.”

“Preetty unreasonable, eh?”

“Yeah… It also seems that the underground auction was raided for thieves as well, further agitating the prince who wanted to participate.”

“I see, I see…”

Buzzzzzzzzz..

“I hear a fly!”

My eyes darted around in the ill-lit room, until I found the fly.

Stopping on one of the bars, I took the chance and squashed it quickly.

Unfortunately, the bar flew away from the impact, making a gap big enough for a person to slither through.

“Hehehe, sorry ‘bout that.. -Hiccup-”

They all looked at me with eyes of disbelief, as they kept switching their gazes to the gap and onto me.

“No one going out?”

They stayed silent.

“Alrighty, I’ll wait with you.”

Just as I finished that sentence, I could hear the hall gates open and the jingling of keys.

All the other cells around us got silent, as they saw who was there.

Prince Rowald.

Walking with arrogance, he approached every cell with women in it, until he reached the one where Rain resides, and stopped.

By the way, the cells are on two sides of the wall, and we are on the right side from the door.

“Oh, what a beauty… You, get a slave collar on her.”

“Yes milord.”

The jailkeeper opened the cell, and went inside then pulled on a certain woman.

“I’m not going.”

Said the woman with familiar voice in a strong tone.

While feeling happy that the Prince also sees Rain as a beauty, I couldn’t stomach him making her a slave, so I stood up and blasted away another rod so I could get outside without having to squeeze myself.

The Prince, looking surprised at the destruction of the enchanted prison bars stared at me.

I walked towards him while emitting a bit of pressure, making him shake in place.

“Guard, leave her be and take care of this boy!”

Finishing his sentence, I decided to dash at him and hold his neck in a choking position, with one hand.

“Khuk… you… who.. are you?”

Not bothering to answer, I used my free hand to start humiliating him.

Hehehee.. so many valuables!

Stripping him away of all his clothes and jewellery, I left him with underwear only.

His pathetic display was enough to make me crack up and start my hysterical laughter.

“Ahahahaha.. What a joke of a prince.. ahahahaha…”

Although the guard tried to reach me, Rain subdued him and took away his keys.

You might ask, why didn’t you break through at the beginning, or even resist.

Well… I thought it would have a better chance of letting me meet with the prince, or possibly just wanting a new experience, of jail.

Feeling sober from that laugh, I started unlocking the cells, then threw the keys on the jailkeeper once again.

Dean stepped out of his cell, and soon others followed suit.

Yawn..

The always sleeping Inka has awoken once again, and the reason they never discovered it is by using illusion magic.

Anyhow, I went and took Rain’s hand, then ordered Dean to go ahead and clear the path, if possible.

Why am I making Dean do lots of work?

Two reasons to be exact, the first is that he levels up individually, and the second reason is that I gain a percentage of the experience that he gets, so a win-win situation for both of us.

I stood with Rain at the door, perking my ears up to allow me to hear the ongoing battles.

Mhm, he has met resistance.

We started walking slowly towards the outside, guided by the ‘Map’ with the other escapees behind us.

After a few minutes of weaving through old-looking halls, we finally reached the exit.

Outside, I saw Dean standing while surrounded by many unconscious guards.

Finally… that was a boring experience.

Suddenly, 4 people appeared in front of us, rather than people, they are the ‘Bodies’.

Why Bob isn’t here, I don-

Here he is, just a tad bit late to the party.

Having gathered all of the group, I tried to leave, until my clothes were pulled by someone.

I looked behind me to find a red, short haired bunny-eared woman with large breasts standing in front of me.

“I’d like to express my gratitude, whenever you need anything, the ‘Hopper’ tribe will always be glad to help, sir…?”

“Archillies Duane.”

“Once again, you have my utmost gratitude…”

She said with a red face as she bowed.

“By the way, who are you?”

“Please forgive me, I am Rosabella Drakh, the daughter of the ‘Hopper’ tribe elder, Svenn Drakh.”

Oh-oh.

Something doesn’t feel right, and my instincts had never betrayed me.

“Umm, how did you get here?”

“I came for a visit, however, we were captured just when we were seen.”

“I see, well, good luck on retur-”

“I’m extremely sorry, but could I have you accompany me to my home?”

I knew it!

If I say yes, I’m at least 98% she will fall in love with me, but if I said no, I’d look like a scumbag.

I gave a tired sigh, then looked at Rain.

“Yes or No?”

I asked her, since I’m not traveling alone.

“Why not?”

“Thank you… Thank you very much…”

Rosabella’s voice started to crack, and tears started to slide down her face.

This is unbecoming of a princess, I thought.

“Please give us two days to get ready, will that be fine?”

“-sob- yes, Yes of course, since I will have to request for a carriage to get us.”

“Okay, when you are ready, ask for us at the fancy inn, all right?”

She nodded, and with that, we finally got away from her.

I’m not going to escape, it is just that she reeks of trouble.

Walking to the inn, I had the Bodies ‘tell’ me i detail what they did when I was away, which got me surprised, then started laughing.

Those Bodies… they really are one-of-a-kind, huh.

Bob, without permission, bet 20 more golds than what I allowed him, but at the end, he won back a hundred, so I had no problem.

Larry and Henry got me lots of rare objects, most importantly the Elixirs.

If my hypothesis is correct, then channeling mana into the liquid will complete it just like Spirit Elixir.

But that is for another time..

As for John and James, they discovered a gambling den, and with their telekinesis, they nearly won every game.

Well, I said nearly since they also know self-restraint, if they won all the time, suspicious people will stalk them, and no one wants that.

But what made me laugh was the fact that they were the main cause of this incident.

I had suspicions, but I never thought that they were true.

Leaving Dean and the Bodies to do whatever they want since it is night, I got to bed, cast multiple barriers, and got to sleep while cuddling with Rain, and Inka being sandwiched between us.

With that, I let drowsiness take over, and sleep like I never slept before.

….

=====Chap 24 end=====