Copied

After Ivan had agreed, Carl led him and Lara to her office and told them to sit in front of each other.

"Alright, now touch your hands.", he then continued to lead them through the process of sharing the skill.

After they had finished, Ivan let out a sigh of relieve. Although the pain was still manageable for him since he had developed a high threshold, because of experiencing much pain before, it was still nothing to laugh at. In fact, if possible he really didn't want to do it again anytime soon.

"Alright, now share the description.", he then eagerly asked Lara. What a disaster it would be if this hadn't worked as expected.

<< Skill: Reincarnation (Copy) (F)

Cooldown: 64 h

Effect: After death, you will change into soul-form, where you are indestructible but are unable to do anything besides using the interface. You can then come back to life at a spot you have set before. If the skill is on cooldown, you have to remain in soul-form until it has recharged.

You will also lose 15 - 20 random stat points.

Remark: You won't lose shadow stats. Since this skill has been copied by someone with inferior skill, it's efficiency has decreased a lot and its grade can only be increased in accordance with the source.

>>

There were a few differences but the main use was still there, so all of them were satisfied. Especially Lara, who hadn't known beforehand, what kind of skill it was, they were copying.

"Wow, this is awesome.", she exclaimed.

"Yes, it is. But keep in mind that there are some weaknesses. Such as the long cooldown as well as the fact that the soul-form, while indestructible can still be caught and tortured. And even if that doesn't happen, if you yourself happen to be caught, then as long as you don't die, you can be tortured too. And last but not least, the pain while dying is sometimes really terrifying. So try not to die."

When Lara heard his warning, she felt like he had experience in the last part. This was the feeling his tone of voice evoked in her. The other parts were just information.

"I will.", she assured him.

"Then you will go on this exploration?"

Lara gritted her teeth and nodded. "Yes, this is the best opportunity."

"That's good."

They then went back to the others and chatted a bit more.

When Carl and Jenny left, Jenny reminded Lara that she would fetch her this Monday for their exploration.

It was already midday, so they ate and after that, it was time for them to meet the other concubine candidates.

During these meetings, everything went well and they soon signed their contracts.

"Check the progress on the quest.", Lara prompted Ivan, which he promptly did.

<< Stabilizing the Bloodline (Grade S)

Current Strength: 1.2/100

Time Limit: ~10y

>>

"Damn, there isn't much change.", Lara cursed. She had hoped for a bit more than a measly 0.2 percent.

"Hm? The time limit has changed.", Ivan voiced his observation. Before there was written exactly 10 years, while now it was only around 10 years.

"Is this good or bad?", Lara asked with a worried voice.

"I don't know. But it should be a good sign.", Ivan answered. He didn't know why, but he just had the feeling that the time limit had increased slightly. Maybe the sessions with Celine had influenced it.

"Well, it is ten years anyway, so there should hopefully still be enough time. It is just disappointing how little the strength changed."

"Mmm. I really hope that the change through Celine's ritual will be a bit higher."

"Do you have anything planned for the rest of the day?", Lara asked then with a careful tone.

"Yeah. I have planned to go to the Heb Dungeon." This was what Ivan had decided after he had heard that the sharing of his reincarnation skill would damage his soul. There he would be able to use 'Soul Absorb', to increase the healing speed the damage his soul had taken during the process.

"Oh.", Lara seemed disappointed when she heard that he already had something planned.

Sensing her mood, Ivan hurriedly followed up with, "But it isn't urgent so it wouldn't be a problem to change the plan."

"No, just do what you have planned."

"Well, too late. The plan is already changed.", Ivan voiced in a domineering tone.

Seeing him act like this, Lara had to laugh. "You are such a child."

Ivan ignored her laugher. "Then why are you asking?"

Lara blushed faintly, in fact, it was so faint, that one could only see it if one looked at her very closely. "I thought we could go on a date."

"A date?", Ivan was surprised. This really wasn't what he had expected.

"Yes, just you and me.", she then felt the need to explain, "It would be a great way for us to get closer and make Jane happier." The last part was just an excuse to hide her true plan, which was to use the opportunity to get over some of her fears.

This invitation wasn't something Ivan would reject, so he hurriedly accepted. "Sure, let's go. Do you already have anything planned?", he then repeated her sentence back at her.

"Yeah, I already have something planned.", she answered him while holding her head high and giving him a proud look. As if to show that unlike him, who had changed his plan on the fly, which showed that they weren't important, her's were well thought out.

"Great, then I won't have to do anything but follow your lead.", he said happily.

"You are correct. You just have to follow me.", she said and then turned around and walked towards his room.

"Where are you going?"

"You will have to change into something else first before we can go out and I will have to as well.", she told him in response.

When they entered his room, she went straight towards one of the cabinets he had only looked in once. It was filled with clothes, but he was unwilling to use them since they weren't his.

"I really don't understand why you don't wear them."

"Because they aren't mine.", he explained.

Lara turned towards him with a blank face, "So you differentiate between us this much?"

"Shouldn't I? How could I just use your stuff? It is already enough that I can live her so carefree.", Ivan voiced out his honest opinion. He felt that there should be a clear line, between what was his and what was hers.

After she had heard this, Lara's blank face crumbled. Instead, she now sported a wide smile. "You really are something else. Do you know how many men would directly take everything their wife owns as theirs? Although it isn't that extreme here, in the upper realms, the wife doesn't have any rights to own anything and everything will belong to the husband."

"Wow, that sounds unfair."

"It is, but the society up there is very unfair. There is nothing more dangerous than being beautiful and not strong enough to protect oneself or be of use. If that happens, then one can only resign oneself to a life in misery."

"But isn't it different here?"

"It is. But certain things are the same, such as that what the wife own, the husband owns too. Of course, what the husband owns, the wife owns too. This is the law of this country. So don't feel bad if you use my things."

After saying her part, she turned back around and opened the cabinet. She only looked through it for a short moment, before pulling out a suit. "Here, try this on."

Ivan hadn't worn a suit before, but it wasn't that hard. The only thing weird was the tie. Why the hell would anyone put something like this around one's neck.

When he came out of the bathroom, where he had changed, Lara was waiting for him, while sitting relaxedly on the bed. When she saw him coming out her eyes opened a bit wider.

"You look quite handsome."

He couldn't really be called that handsome but wasn't bad looking either. The dark suit perfectly brought out his well-toned body and the contrast with his blond hair and lighter skin, it looked great on him.

"What is with this thing?", Ivan asked while holding up the tie.

"Just forget about it. It isn't that official of a situation, so there is no real need to wear it if you don't want to. Now get downstairs and wait for me. I have to change as well."

He followed her order and went downstairs. When he went down the stairs, he found the others staring at him. Jane, Celine and even Lucia, who had always more or less ignored him. Now all of them were staring at him, making him feel slightly uncomfortable.

"Do I look weird?", he asked, unsure of himself.