Lady Yssir raised an eyebrow at Hudson's blatant flattery but seemed to be considering his proposal. After a few moments of silence, she nodded. "Very well. I will trust your judgment, but remember that I expect these changes to be subtle and tasteful. I am not some newly wealthy merchant's daughter eager to flaunt herself in a garish manner."
"Of course. If you have no other specifications, then we can begin straight away," Hudson said eagerly. He could feel that he was rather close to increasing his level and was hopeful that he would be able to do so in this session. "It would be best if I begin with your scales and move on from there."
Lady Yssir agreed, but not before warning him about the consequences if he did anything improper while working on her. Given that he wasn't suicidal, Hudson quickly reassured her of his professionalism. Moments later, the naga woman placed the end of her serpentine tail in his lap and he began preparing to begin the procedure. Hudson gently laid his hand on her scales and used [Flesh Perception] to get a thorough understanding of her body composition.
Aside from being slightly more muscular than he would have expected, Hudson didn't find anything unusual so he activated [Flesh Manipulation] and got to work. It was perhaps a few minutes after he had started that Lady Yssir broke the silence. "You are quite a bit better than I had expected, human. Have you been doing this for long?"
"I acquired the Skills necessary for this about a year ago, Lady Yssir. That's when I began," said Hudson, indulging the woman's curiosity as he smoothed the scales beneath his hands and infused them with a subtle sheen. "Before that, I focused more on tending to minor wounds for those who didn't wish to spend the coin on someone with a specialized healing Class."
"Hmm, I see," Lady Yssir mused, her voice betraying a hint of intrigue. "I must admit, I was skeptical when I heard about your services. In a city like Tal'Qamar, most [Cultists] are not quite so open about their Classes, especially not ones who serve gods as… unique as your own. I have never heard of Cerebon. How did you come to serve such a deity?"
Hudson continued his work as he considered his response. Nothing about his Class or business was explicitly illegal, but his situation was delicate enough that he needed to be cautious with the information he shared. "I received instruction on how to earn the [Cultist] Class when I was younger from a traveler. He told me about Cerebon and the Skills he offered, so I felt like it was a path worth pursuing."
From Hudson's perspective, one of the strangest things about this world was how transactional the relationship between gods and their worshippers could become. There were certainly many who followed their chosen deity out of genuine faith or devotion, but it was also common for people to simply pursue the benefits.
A traveler had somehow noticed Hudson's unusual maturity and intelligence, so decided he would make a good worshiper for his god. Cerebon's Skills and Boon had offered him the chance to be something more than a Thief or a Street Rat, so the decision had been an easy one.
Lady Yssir seemed to accept his explanation, nodding thoughtfully. "Interesting. I'm surprised that the Conclave of Sarqalim has allowed you to operate unmolested."
I wish. My life would be much easier if I didn't have to pay those bastards bribes constantly, Hudson thought bitterly.
The Conclave of Sarqalim was an organization formed of the most popular religious groups in the region and held an oversized degree of power in the city. Tal'Qamar was ostensibly ruled by a powerful [Merchant Lord], but the Conclave had been gradually accumulating influence for as long as Hudson could remember.
"The Conclave has seen fit to ignore me so long as I don't preach against the System or seek any followers for Cerebon," said Hudson, choosing to omit the part about the bribes. "Although, that varies between different clergies. The temple of Suhail has been particularly hostile toward me when they have the chance."
Lady Yssir scoffed disdainfully before responding. "Typical. The Conclave has long since forgotten that it is not their place to enforce this city's laws. If the [Merchant Lord] doesn't rein them in soon, then someone else will do it for him…"
Hudson wasn't sure how to respond to that. It was surprising to him that she felt so comfortable voicing these opinions to a stranger, but the politics of Tal'Qamar's upper class had always been opaque to outsiders. Instead of saying something that might get him in trouble, Hudson merely hummed noncommittally and continued his work.
Lady Yssir didn't seem interested in continuing the conversation either, and he was allowed to focus entirely on the task at hand. It was only when Hudson was close to finishing the last of Lady Yssir's scales that something unexpected happened to break the silence.
Cultist has reached Level 19! Skill Point Gained!
Hudson couldn't help but laugh and cheer with excitement, which Lady Yssir immediately reprimanded him for. "What is so funny, human? I hired you to work, not act like a fool in my presence."
"I apologize for the outburst, Lady Yssir," Hudson said quickly, trying to suppress his excitement. "I've been trying to increase my Level for nearly a year now, and I just received the notification that I've finally succeeded. It caught me a bit off-guard. It won't happen again."
Contrary to his expectations, Lady Yssir's glare immediately softened considerably and she even offered him an approving smile. "I see. Then I apologize for my words, human. There are few endeavors in this world more sacrosanct than personal growth and the acquisition of power. What Level have you achieved?"
Caught off guard by her sudden change in demeanor, Hudson hesitated for a moment before responding. There were some people who refused to share these kinds of details, but he wasn't important enough for it to really matter. "I've just reached Level 19, Lady Yssir. Thank you for your understanding."