This time, the AI's answer was prompt. [576.]
…
If that wasn't a hint to avoid the guy, I don't know what was. Definitely going to put my utmost effort to never be caught by him.
Once I was out of the Studium Generale buildings, I headed in the general direction of the Library but slipped away instead of returning to my old haunt. Mister Shaman was going to be there for awhile from what I gathered via the Advanced Wards Professor and that meant I was on a voluntary exile from the Library during the day.
Living in this city for a few weeks, places were considered as a temporary Site B. Obviously, nowhere too high-traffic or boisterous.
The Garden of Naiads was a thought but I dismissed it as not being isolated enough. It was a quiet place but one always felt watched there—probably from the hulder.
I decided to fly toward the walls while in the middle "spike" of the crown, since that area had a smaller population due to the wyverns that found themselves home there. Glancing around, not feeling it necessary to stay low with so much air traffic in the area, I picked out one of the high bell towers in the area.
Slowing down when I saw a nest and a roosting wyvern with eggs, I hovered and cocked my head to one side.
"You don't mind if I become your neighbor for a bit, right?" I asked.
This was not the first time I've interacted with the local fauna. I mean, I was in a fantasy world now. Of course I would take a peek when I heard there were wyverns around.
Like the descriptions I've read and seen pictures of, wyverns had winged forelimbs like bats. They had draconic features with hawk-like beaks and two hind legs. Their tails varied depending on the subspecies but it was commonly a long, whip-like appendage with a fin like a rudder.
They also ranged from the size of a parrot to an Irish wolfhound when fully grown.
It bark-crooned at me.
I pulled some smoked fish from my Inventory. "Bribery," I stuck my tongue out playfully before tossing the large kipper at the nesting mother.
Finally looking away when the wyvern (a larger one) accepted my peace offering, I landed on the other side from her and sat down with my legs over the edge.
Watching some wyverns play tag in the sky and the sheer numbers I saw from my high vantage point, I couldn't help but chuckle a bit. "I feel like Batman."
After a moment of peace, I hopped back up so I was standing; it was long past time to test out my physical limits.
Taking my time to stretch, I ran over what I needed to get an idea for. Strength, speed, and endurance were easy to calculate but healing speeds would be a little more difficult. I had to make sure to test for raw power and speed too since I haven't pushed myself to the limit the past few weeks--I've just been doing enough daily to maintain my form.
I glanced around again and then smirked.
"Well, I never did freerunning to my heart's content since I've arrived…"
Spreading my arms open, I leaned forward and tipped over the edge.
Applying and removing
And it turned out I was a bit faster when 37 told me the speeds I was running. I could reach 100km/h while full-out running, which I was doing since it was pretty hard to measure my physical endurance without pushing my body to its limits (I'd be liable to run all night considering my escape from Aure Forest).
I started doing riskier and riskier maneuvers before finally stopping after I climbed the bell tower starting point with my bare hands.
Placing my hands on my waist, I made sure I stood straight as I caught my breath. If I had to distribute my stats by scale, I was still better in INT, END, and DEX rather than SPD or STR. In fact, I think my raw strength had increased the least.
'What is it, Thirty-Seven?' I prompted when I felt him squirming oddly in our shared connection.
[I am happy that Nori is being serious about improving. But… I am feeling… a little uneasy. Since it seems like Nori feels trouble is coming from my 'brethren.']
Oh.
A part of me wanted to reassure my partner but that would be doing him a disservice, I think. The truth was, I didn't know enough so I could not draw any conclusions either way. I was just preparing myself in the event of a worst-case scenario since my only other option was to sit down and twiddle my thumbs while waiting for something to happen.
While I can hole up with books for ages, that still had my mind actively being utilized. I was the type of person that didn't know what to do when there was nothing to do. I always kept myself busy even if I may not be productive.
'Well, do you know what Gaellia needs saving from?'
[I do not.]
Meh. All this preparation was just making sure I knew if I could run away or not under various circumstances.
[I heard that.] The AI's tone was wry.
Mentally sticking my tongue out at my partner, I took to the air now that it was night and headed back to the Library.
I still avoided the obvious ways to the magical sections as I returned to my cot.
The Library was quieter at night, with the lights in the halls and passageways dimmed. I walked to my empty little section and grabbed a book about the sewer systems of Crown City before reclining on the cot.
Nothing would help me fall asleep as quickly as trying to read about the sewer systems which were so haphazard I was surprised there was clean running water at all.
Let's see, where did I stop… right, filtration process and cleaning requirements.
As I settled down to be bored to sleep, I thought to ask 37 to remind me to buy some healing ointments. Just in case.