Save Point #1

My mind may be human. But my body is Dragonoid, and realistically, it doesn't care what my mind thinks. Forget reality and…and fiction for just a moment.

Dragonoid instincts overrode my learned human behavior. I wasn't alarmed…bexause I was being calmed by the meal—that's just crazy to even think about. Even now. Still. Not even a gag reflex?

Then…if he noticed. Not if, but when he did. My mana signature is denser, it's already distinct compared to other races. 

Only reason why Bortabelle wouldn't notice is because they are just simply too far weak too. But…if Sultan could tell the difference between me and the beasthumans…does that mean he already had some precognition or previous history?

Has he seen a dragon before me already?

I…I don't know. 

I returned to the inn, it was late in the afternoon. By the time I got back, noticing Vaniti still laid on the bed. Needles plucked into her back still.

"Ryuuzen?" She called out. Twisting her head to see me. She smiled once she had done so.

"It's me," I respond.

She raises her ankle, the one that was hurt, and wiggles her toes. Rotating and moving her right ankle.

"It doesn't feel hurt or bad anymore." She notes. Her voice is coming back—no, it already has. And so has the rest of her body. 

There would be no point in trying to play pretend with her. She's 100%, probably 120%. Spirit Elves recover fast. It took a little around 16 hours for her to recover. 

Other races probably would've taken multiple days to weeks. That's the thing, Spirit Elves just seem like the better race altogether. 

Her emerald and pearl eyes then look at me directly...nope. Just in my general direction again. It can get tricky some times. 

I don't want her to get entangled with Chancellor Sultan, if he was able to find out over dinner that I was a dragon. He'll find out Vaniti's a Spirit Elf in a simple conversation.

But…I can't keep her holed in here. Not far away from me. She would be serving no purpose.

I groan, then speak. "Alright. Fine, recovery finished."

Vaniti's eyes lit up. I slowly began taking each needle plucked out of her back, and once I was done, she slowly got up—

"Woah, woah. Put a shirt on, alright…?!" My hand covered my eyes immediately. Forgot that Vaniti's upper half has to be entirely exposed for the healing to work. The last thing I need to do is be enticed by a Spirit Elf.

My own Consort, mind you.

By the time Vaniti did put a shirt on, she went on to go put her armor on back in that same span. Finally fitting the greaves and boots on. Then, I noticed a familiar ring on her right ring finger.

My tail latched onto her wrist for a closer examination, is that a… an artifact? A ring artifact? What time did she have to get this…?

Vaniti must've noticed my curiosity, because she answered. "O-oh. This? I found it on the corpse of an enemy. Something told me to grab it."

I scoff. And that something quote unquote was your Spirit Magic guiding you. Incredible. She's being built in real time and now she knows which items help her build. 

This was an S-Rank Artifact, which helps a lot with the Nightstalker portion of her build. Better than probably anything I could've got here in Aurea Islands, that's for sure. She's…she's like, auto-building herself like an actual MMO character following a loadout guide.

I recognize it, that was a rare artifact everyone and their mother had for PvP hardcore fights. Often in areas with a permadeath zone. It was much better than I what I would give it credit for. But since Vaniti is seemingly a…Day 1 Spirit Elf, then that would compliment her entire mana kit well. 

But…even the way she says corpse throws me of. Such…interesting, word choice. My tail unlatches from her wrist.

"So, you know which items to get now?"

She shakes her head, "That was only once, I believe. I found it on the third day, but by that time I was too drained to actually use it, haha."

She laughs at it, but I don't. Things could've been worse. 

But now it isn't. She's healed to 100%, casting arms are alright. Bandages are off, and she's looking at me in the next step of the journey. I don't want to make her do anything around me. I can't even have her be with me right now, really.

Not when I still have stuff to do with the Chancellor tomorrow morning.

Agh, what do I do?

I sit at the edge of the bed and watch her quietly for a moment.

Vaniti tilts her head slightly. It's the way she always does when I don't speak fast enough, like she's ready to follow a command I haven't given yet.

"What?" she asks, but there's no pressure in her voice. Just the expectation that she'll be included.

That's the problem. She always assumes she'll be included. I don't blame her. I gave her title of Consort. Regardless, she's like my second-hand now.

"Tomorrow's going to be…political," I finally say. "More talking, less fighting."

"And?" Her smile doesn't waver.

"And I'm not sure you'll like it."

She shrugs. "I like being with you."

It's a simple answer. Too simple. But that's Vaniti.

I groan again and fall back into the mattress beside her. My tail twitches once, then goes still.

"Fine," I mumble. "I'll think about it."

That's a lie. I've already decided I don't want her there. But I also know that's not how this works anymore. I'm not just carrying her through this world, she's walking beside me now. I can't stop her from following. 

I never could.

"Just...stay quiet when the Chancellor talks," I add.

She nods, cheerful as ever. "Of course!"

That's what scares me most. Not the Chancellor. Not the Court.

It's how ready she is—how she's already dressing for war in a room meant for rest.

And how I keep letting her do it.

No, this wasn't a save point. Not really. Just a pause before the next descent.

One where I might not be able to reload.