CH702

“Oh god, this hurts so much. There really is no kindness in this universe,” Ben complained, feeling a pain deep in his core that was completely separate from any of the nerve endings within his flesh, getting no sympathy from his girlfriend beside him.

“You deserve this,” She said in a singsong voice, not able to muster many feelings for a suffering of his own creation. “You seem bound and determined to damage your soul, you literally knew this could and would happen if you weren’t careful.”

“Ugh, I was hoping I’d just get another level of soul expansion instead of going the opposite direction.”

<I knew hubris was going to be your downfall one day.>

Quiet you.

“So how bad is it then?” Thera sighed, wanting to know the extent of the damage to his soul, even if she couldn’t help but get silence at first. “Ben, tell me already.”

“A ten percent decrease to both my mana and vitality.”

“…Yeah, we’re going to see Yuzu if we can find her.”

“Sure, but later. You know we’ve got our priorities today.”

“I kind of wish you’d treat your soul like it was a priority!”

“Hey, it’s not like I’m taking in any more mana right now and it will heal on its own eventually so there’s nothing to worry about. Besides, you know I’ve been waiting for this, there’s no way I’d cancel.”

“Fine, but when we’re done I’m dragging you out to them. I swear, half of the reason you want me to become a soul mage has to be so you’d have one around.”

“There’s lots of good reasons to want you to become a soul mage, I’m not turning my nose up at any of them. Now come on, this is going to be exciting.”

He tried to keep his complaints to himself from there as he dragged her along through to the gate network. After all, that was a very special day for him and he didn’t want to keep Thera thinking about something that really was due to his own poor planning when it should have been so exciting. The gods’ time to pay up had finally come and they were going to get to see the mythic items of the world.

Tools that were seeing constant use due to the need to slaughter the demons who had made their way into the world along with whatever other uses they might be put towards, he may have only known about a couple already but he was more than prepared to examine them all in whatever detail he could, nearly quivering in anticipation by that point as he just imagined what he’d get to see as they went through their first gate to the dwarven city beyond and made their way to what looked to be a castle.

<Now Ben, it goes without saying but please be polite here.>

Huh? Myriad, I’m literally always polite one hundred percent of the time though?

<…You know what? I don’t even know why I try. Do whatever you’re going to and I guess I’ll just be up here trying to prepare for whatever sort of meeting or international incident you’re going to put me through.>

Genuinely so hurtful that you think so low of me. It will be fine.

While his god despaired, the two made their way up to the castle doors, Ben displaying the relevant details of his card to the castle guards.

“Apostle Ben, here for a pre-arranged meeting,” He told them and was led inside without incident after that, with the ones standing out front expecting him as he was led within, deep into the castle’s heart until they were standing before a throne, the king of that dwarven nation before them.

Baring the slightest consideration for what Myriad had told him, Ben at least gave a small bow, trying to make a decent impression. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, I am the apostle of Myriad, Ben Heph, here to enjoy the honour of viewing your nation’s great treasure along with my companion, Thera Oress, daughter of Anailia’s queen, Pelenia Oress. It is our pleasure to be here.”

“Ha, the pleasure is mine, Apostle Ben,” The dwarf said, giving a nod. “I’ve heard much about you, one of my countrymen was even lucky enough to witness your first awakening and more have benefited from your help to achieve their own.”

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The way he said ‘first awakening’ made Ben wonder how many that king suspected he’d gone through but felt no need to push. He was well within Ben’s range and there was no malice in his mind, a good sign that things would go smoothly.