BONUS CHAPTER C28:Poison, Jewelry, Date with a Poet
Word count = 2840 on 1/27/2024
Here is the bonus chapter, It was barely half the word count when I published the chapter for today which is why It took so long to get here…that and work.
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Over the course of the next two days, Kaoruko had him primarily focus on the chant to the point where it became more instinctual. After that Axel's lessons in magic were properly restarted as Kaoruko commented that,
"Your negative aura has been diminished and I'm happy for you. Many are enveloped in the darkness to the point of mutating in monsters of their own creation." Her tone was sad as if experiencing a flashback to someone close to her becoming a 'demon' to their desires for whatever reason they had.
Kaoruko had Axel showcase his proficiency in his spells as well as their new potency due to his rapidly elevated stats. She helps him regain his control through some simple energy exercises before setting down a bottle with a green liquid inside. Axel asks what it is.
"This is poison, it has already been heavily diluted. As you are level 3 now, we must hurry and allow you to get used to poisons lest the dungeon succeed in it first. The optimal situation would be that you gain a poison resistance skill. I had planned to introduce this much later but your speed is too fast" She states with a worrying tone and explains what the bottle is and how his new training would work.
The key function would be to simply live about one's life without being influenced by the poison. Axel looks a bit nervous as he observes the poison before finally opening the cork, blocking his nose and swallowing the vile tincture. His body shudders as through his parasitic body, he can manipulate it so that his body can adjust to the poison faster and create antidotes much faster than a regular human would if given this lowest grade poison.
He shares this revelation with Kaoruko who nods in understanding and tells him to deal with the poison. She also takes out the antidote in case something happens. The duo sit in silence for an hour as Axel breaks down the poison within himself. Once he does he informs Kaoruko who hands over the antidote as insurance and how it could also be broken down and strengthen his own new poison antibodies.
The lesson soon ends for the day but before Axel leaves he asks,
"My lady, might you know where I can find a local jewelry store? Preferably one that isn't too well off" he then begins to explain about how he is confident in creating magic artifacts, essentially spell holding rings attuned to one spell. He plans to create a ton of cleanse and flame wave rings for the start.
Kaoruko is shaken by the revelation as she realizes that a magical revolution might be underway in Orario as the cleanse spell is the easiest spell to use with low mind requirements too. Regardless, she directs him to a nice little shop that suits his needs.
With the lessons done, he heads over there but not before quickly dropping home and saying he is going out for a bit to a jewelry store. He had already made mention of becoming a jewelry smith [1]. Raikou nods and waves him off as she continues her classes. She doesnt need to as Axel possesses more than enough money from dungeon diving but she doesnt want to feel lazy which is why she keeps the classes, so to keep herself busy.
Axel soon travels around looking for the jewelry store in question. It takes him a moment before he finds a simple little store that is showing off various glass style ornaments and jewelry. He had been warned that all the jewelry inside is personally made by the owner and thus not quite high end which makes it hard to do business. Not to mention that is is on the border of the immortal district which means that the standard here would already be higher due to so many hundred years old entities living nearby which means that it gets small business, just enough to keep running but not much else.
'It's perfect', Axel thinks as he knocks before entering the store with a chime ringing. Two individuals make their appearance known from behind the counter. One is a bit dirty with dull brown hair and amber eyes. She wears a blacksmithing apron with a small bit of heat emitting from her. She looks as if she just was at a forge or something similar creating more art pieces.(image here).
The other is a short purple haired beauty with a sensual figure but she appears a bit shy as he can only see half her body which is sticking out from behind the entrance where the other just came from. She also has a bit of heat emitting from her but it could have been from just the proximity of whatever forge they are using.
"Welcome to Adelaide's Trinket Store, I am the owner Adelaide, how may I be of assistance" The store owner says in an excited but obviously rehearsed tone which makes it a bit mechanical. Axel raises his hands before lowering them towards her.
"Calm down miss, I'm here for business. Unfortunately I'm not here to buy anything. In fact, I'm here to offer your store a deal." Adelaide undergoes a series of expressions from starting as excited which is heightened before coming crashing down when he said he didn't want to buy anything. She now looks at him skeptically because the store is not all that well off before, so she has no clue what he could do and what demands he might have.
"Sir, I don't know how to tell you this but I am not going to sell my store." She says as this is the only reason she could think why anyone would come to offer 'business deals'. Axel shakes his head before he begins to explain.
"I am an adventurer who is hoping to create magic artifacts, I already possess the skills to make them but I require a workshop to make them and a store to sell them. I can handle the material cost myself and we can discuss payment once you start selling them. Cleanse" He explains the business proposal before using the spell to clean up Adelaide's dirty clothing. Axel hears some heavy clinking from the back as well as deadly intent directed at him as Adelaide begins to glow a bit before dying down. Her appearance gets cleaned up and slightly more refined due to not being soot covered. The intent dies down quickly as they can tell the store owner is safe.
"The spell you just witnessed would be part of one of the many artifacts I would be selling. This one is the spell called cleanse, typically used by the 'immortal' group for simple cleanings that is quite versatile as it works on counters, clothing and people. It is also a very light mind intensive spell which makes it possible for anyone that likely isn't a child to use it once or twice before experiencing mind down" he explains the first spell in more detail. To say that Adelaide is in shock is an understatement. She can clearly see the potential in his words and while she is still a bit suspicious of his motives, but looking at his handsome appearance she struggles to deny him, yet she can't very well decline it as this could be the rise of her store. The completion of her own dream.
Axel can see the process of emotions once again before her face seems to get stuck in a state of unfiltered joy. She quickly begins to ask, "What do you need? What will you be making? What materials do you need?" She keeps going on and on before Axel has to set his hand down on her shoulder to calm her down.
"If possible I'd like to examine your forge first. To start off, I'll need to make myself a few tools such as a specialized hammer, an engraving tool, and possibly my own anvil too as I'm not working on anything complicated. It's just going to be a series of magically engraved rings. For materials, we can start with iron and see how well it holds up. For premier products I can get some orichalcum myself which should be the most durable for the magic items." Axel and Adelaide begin to further discuss what would be needed for him to set up, the practical time he could come into work and what types of tests would be needed to be set up to test all the artifacts he plans to make.
With the limits of the artifacts he can make whatever spells he has mastered. As such, the more he knows, the more types of artifacts he can make.
On the other hand, Axel also got to meet the other person in the store who is revealed to actually be another immortal. One who holds the grand title of Guardian. He hasn't really seen her around but Axel can't be said to be all knowing about immortals because he lives with them. Adelaide excitedly introduces her 'best friend', Mash Kyrielight, who Axel sees hovering about a giant shield in the forge room which was the metallic sound he heard earlier when he cast the cleansing spell. As he spent more time there, she warmed up a bit to him and stopped effectively hiding behind her shield near him.
Axel got to learn that she is friends with his goddess, Raikou. This surprises him as they have somewhat contrasting personalities but he can tell that Mash changes a bit once she warms up to people. What Axel doesnt yet know is that the risque clothing that Raikou had worn for him were recommended or lended out by Mash, though that is a situation for him to deal with in the future.
Days pass and while Axel has learned at least one new spell, more time was focused on his well being and magic control. At the end of the one week of 'rest', Kaoruko brought up a strange request.
"I wish for you to accompany me on my little walks around the city. It's a great source of motivation for my poems. Perhaps you could also draw inspiration from this." She suggests and Axel decides to accept. He quickly runs home to get his wallet as he is unsure how long this could take and they might stop by a stand for some food.
While he is at it, he dresses up a bit nicer as he is accompanying a beauty around the city. He isn't clueless about such matters. He soon returns and finds that nothing has really changed about Kaoruko since he left a few minutes ago. Not that anything had to change as her standard attire is already making her attractive enough. Especially with how it hugs her body quite well.
The duo take their leave and first head down south, Axel is surprised that the first visit is to Daedalus street. It's not a place he expected to ever really visit. It's supposedly a place that is quite dangerous but nobody seems to trouble them. They are eyed by the people through their windows but after taking a glance at them, they are primarily ignored. At one point they were somewhat blocked in by a group of gang members but then a second group arrived and headlocked them and dragged them away. Axel is confused so he tries to enhance his hearing which reveals something to him.
Kaoruko seems to be a regular in Daedalus street and that she is a guest of Circe and that if they wished to die without knowing how then it would be a good reason to go after her. The first group of gang members promptly takes the hint and scatters to find some other prey.
Axel deactivates the enhancement as he ponders on who is Circe but as he keeps pondering, they soon arrive at an orphanage.
Kaoruko knocks on the door and a few moments later a tired looking old matron soon opens the door. She smiles upon seeing them… or more specifically Kaoruko.
"Ah, my lady, you have come back to us once again. As always, your continued patronage is appreciated." The matron says in a gentle tone but Kaoruko simply shakes her head whilst saying, "The children are the ones gracing me with their presence, I just hope the little I do can motivate them to go further in life than just gangs."
The next few hours casually pass as the matron guides the duo to the gathered children of the orphanage. Some of the older ones have their eyes glow upon seeing Kaoruko. After a few minutes they all settle down and Murasaki Shikibu begins to recite poetry for the children. Axel himself falls under a strange illusion as he is surrounded by the woods before his gaze focuses on a cassowary, it is walking around scavenging for some tasty fruit to eat in the various bushes around it before an arrow goes flying over it which makes it speed off into the distance.
The scene follows the cassowary as it zooms through the forest and into an open plains that has a wind blowing through it that tickles the nose with the scent of flowers and grass. The scene follows the flightless bird further as it finds a small pond to drink from, the sensation of wind, feel of water, sounds of nature all seem to simply flow through Axel and the other kids who are listening to Kaoruko's poetry. This is what takes up most of the time as Kaoruko smoothly transitions from one poem to another, providing various viewpoints and sensations. Her gentle voice echoed in their hearts.
She has to clear her throat to knock the illusion away and everyone realizes that they are still in the orphanage. On one hand, the kids are sad that they have to live here but on the other, they gain an appreciation for nature and desire to strive for more to eventually leave Orario. It is simply up to them to set the goals and survive long enough to fulfill them.
Axel escorts Kaoruko to the front door as the matron follows. Kaoruko brings out a thick bag and hands it over to the matron. The matron once again gives her thanks for Kaoruko's continued help in trying to change the children's lives. The two talk a bit more, reminiscing about the past such as when they first met and the matron wasnt the matron just yet but an understudy of the matron of that time who had passed away due to illness once the current matron had reached her 30s.
"My my, an eternal beauty walking around with such a handsome young man. Be careful to not be eaten my lady" The matron teases Kaoruko for being so beautiful and for daring to be near Axel when from the very start it was she that approached him. From an outsider's perspective it turns into a scenario of where he is the hunter here or actually prey.
Axel and Kaoruko soon take their leave and with it being evening, the duo stop by for some late dinner before they head home. They enter a nice and simple restaurant where they order food and some drinks. The duo sit across from each other as they simply enjoy each other's presence.
A bit of time passes as the two are lost in the atmosphere of the restaurant. Many guests come and go when Kaoruko asks Axel, "What did you think of my poetry?"
Axel takes a moment to formulate his thoughts as he was given some alcohol and while he is handling it fine, he is starting to get tipsy. "I think, hic, that it was wonderful. A beautiful scenery which only compliments, hic, you Kaoruko." he is slightly lost in her appearance as he reminisces the poetry. Kaoruko herself blushes as well.
The romantic atmosphere is interrupted by an unknown voice speaking out, "well well well, if it isn't the brawler, I didn't know scamming people was such a lucrative business, yet here you are." (bonus points for whoever guesses the idiot that said this line. I can't offer rewards at the moment unless said person is in my personal channel so I could tell them what the 2nd and possibly new 3rd ability I have planned in the future as their reward.)
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[1] There is a reason why I didn't do solo Talion (from Shadow of war end) but the merged state of Talion and Celebrimbor. The knowledge of elven smithing to create artifacts is the 2nd greatest facet of this soul fragment.