"Finally, Gasok," Lysander sighed.
At the cobblestone road that led deep into the city of Gasok stood Aurelian and Lysander. Lysander was panting, but relieved that he had managed to reach the city.
Aurelian, on the other hand, looked at the city with a sense of genuine relief. It had been four and a half days of constant travel, a significant delay from the three days he had originally anticipated. The journey had been derailed two days in, when the Gasoian Bat had attacked their carriage. The skirmish had left their transport in splinters and forced them to complete the rest of the journey on foot.
'I'm behind schedule,' Aurelian thought, his eyes scanning the darkening streets beyond. 'I need to buy the marriage gifts for Thaleia's father, finalize the trade, and get back to Athens on time. But still, I would try and get as much information on magic and Magis while am on it.'
Despite the urgency, the late hour worked against them. As they walked through the main thoroughfare, the shutters of the high-end boutiques and artifact shops were already being bolted shut. The city was winding down, and with that there would be no business conducted tonight.
Aurelian and Lysander navigated the cobblestone streets until they found a modest inn near the merchant district. After a brief negotiation with the innkeeper, they agreed to share a single room with two separate beds to save on costs. The total price was four silver coins. Aurelian pulled two silver coins from the pouch he had recovered from the wreckage of the carriage, and Lysander reluctantly produced two of his own.
Once they reached the room, Lysander immediately stripped off his travel-worn clothes and disappeared into the small washroom, eager to scrub the dirt of the road from his skin.
Aurelian sat on the edge of his bed. The room was quiet, save for the splashing of water behind the wooden door. He then took a deep breath and closed his eyes. After a cool second of recollection, he flicked his arm and materlized the blue translucent panel that only he could see.
**************
[Reincarnator System]
Name: Aurelian Knox
Level: 7 (230/700)
Class: Legendary Paladin
Title: None
HP: 180/180
Aether: 120/120
Strength: 20↠22
Increases physical attack power
Stamina: 12↠16
Increases endurance and recovery
Agility: 11↠13
Increases attack speed and movement speed
Intelligence: 12↠16
Increases magical damage and aether capacity
Constitution: 15↠17
Increases HP, defense, and resistance
Charisma: 18
Affects leadership, persuasion, divine favor
Luck: 11↠15
Affects encounters, and chance-based outcomes
Attribute Points Available: 15
[Class Skills]
• Silent Spell-casting [Grade: Mythical]
Allows the use of arcane arts directly without incantations, catalysts, or materials.
• Divine Touch [Grade: Mythical]
Upon activation, allows for the channeling of divine powers into any weapon touched. Would be of great advantage when facing divine monsters.
• Lay on Hands [Grade: Mythical]
Upon activation, the ability to restore greater injuries with a touch.
• Celestial Avatar [Grade: Mythical]
A once-per-day transformation into a being of pure Aether, granting unparalleled strength and radiant damage.
• Aura of Sovereignty [Grade: Mythical]
Upon activation, Allies within 30 feet gain a massive battle prowess boost and cannot be charmed or frightened.
• Assimilate (Locked. Reach LVL. 10 to unlock) [Grade: Cataclysmic]
Upon activation, allows for the assimilation of the aspect of anything touched.
[Traits]
• Pseudo-Celestial Physique
An immersive physique that grants total immunity to low-level corruption and significantly enhances vitality.
• Legendary-Grade Swordsmanship
Your skills with the sword are exceptional.
[Arcane Arts Learned]
• None
**************
Aurelian stared at the 15 Attribute Points. He had earned these during the slaughter of the Gasoian Bats. While the creature was a nuisance for most, his Pseudo-Celestial Physique and swordsmanship had allowed him to cut through it with relative ease, reaping a significant amount of experience.
'I have fifteen points,' he mused. 'I have to be smart about this.'
He then looked at his Intelligence stat. Usually, a Paladin would focus on Strength or Constitution to bolster their frontline presence. But Aurelian's situation was unique, as he would be heading out tomorrow, and among his plans was meeting the person Lysander said possessed various top-quality magical codices.
'If I want to master magic to boost my combat options, I can't just rely on raw power,' he thought. 'The codices will probably be complex. If my Intelligence is too low, I'll spend months, maybe years, just trying to decipher the first tier of spells. High Intelligence won't just increase my Aether capacity; it will heighten my comprehension and my ability to manipulate the flow of mana. If I can't understand the world's laws, I can't use them.'
He made his decision. He dumped ten points into Intelligence, then distributed the remaining five points into Strength, Stamina, Agility, Constitution, and Luck to keep his growth balanced.
The system flickered, and a warm sensation flooded his brain. It was as if a fog he hadn't known was there suddenly cleared. His thoughts felt sharper and faster.
Now, looking at his updated system interface, he was pleased with the current state of things. He was level 7, just three levels away from unlocking the [Assimilate] skill that the system classified as his golden finger in this world. His Strength now stood at 23, up from 22, and his Stamina had increased to 17 from 16. The rest of his attributes had progressed in the same steady manner, until it came to his Intelligence, which now stood at 26—a significant leap from 16.
********
[Reincarnator System]
Name: Aurelian Knox
Level: 7 (230/700)
Class: Legendary Paladin
Title: None
HP: 190/190
Aether: 240/240
Strength: 23 (+1)
Stamina: 17 (+1)
Agility: 14 (+1)
Intelligence: 26 (+10)
Constitution: 18 (+1)
Charisma: 18
Luck: 16 (+1)
Attribute Points Available: 0
[Class Skills]
• Silent Spell-casting [Grade: Mythical]
• Divine Touch [Grade: Mythical]
• Lay on Hands [Grade: Mythical]
• Celestial Avatar [Grade: Mythical]
• Aura of Sovereignty [Grade: Mythical]
• Assimilate (Locked. Reach LVL. 10 to unlock) [Grade: Cataclysmic]
[Traits]
• Pseudo-Celestial Physique
• Legendary-Grade Swordsmanship
[Arcane Arts Learned]
• None
********
'The Aether pool doubled,' Aurelian noted, a small smile touching his lips. 'Good. That should be enough to support the high-tier spells I plan to learn once I get that codex. And my Luck is increasing... maybe I'll find that gift for her father easier than expected tomorrow.'
He closed the system window as the sound of splashing water stopped. Lysander emerged from the washroom, wrapped in a thin towel, looking very clean.
Lysander eyed him from head to toe, arms crossed, towel slung loosely over one shoulder.
"You're not going to wash?" he asked. "After four days on the road?"
Aurelian stood up and stretched his shoulders. "I will. Just not yet. I'm refreshing my thoughts."
Lysander snorted. "Refreshing your thoughts, huh?" A grin crept onto his face. "Let me guess. Still thinking about that harem discussion from earlier?"
Lysander then waved a dismissive hand, "Relax. If you feel like you can't handle a harem, that's fine. Not every man has the skill it takes to please many women at the same time in bed." He paused, then added with a smug smile, "Don't worry. I won't see you as a cultureless buffoon. I already do."
Aurelian let out a low chuckle, shook his head, and walked past him. "You truly need some sleep if you think I can't handle more than one woman."
With that, Aurelian then stepped into the washroom and closed the door behind him.
The small bathing space was lit by a single oil lamp. A clay basin sat beneath a narrow spout, already filled with lukewarm water. Aurelian stripped, poured water over himself, and began scrubbing with the rough cloth and ash-based cleanser common in this era. It worked well enough on sweat and dust, but when he bent down to clean his leg, he frowned.
There was a patch of grime caked stubbornly into his skin.
He scrubbed harder.
Nothing.
He tried again, slower this time, then faster. The dirt refused to come off, clinging like its life depended on it.
Aurelian stared at it for a long second. "…Fuck it."
Straightening up, he let out a quiet breath. With his boosted Intelligence, the solution came easily, almost annoyingly so. Ash and water were crude. Ancient Greece had oils, fats, alkaline residues. The method was there. The people just hadn't refined it yet.
"I'll make soap," he muttered to himself. "Proper soap."
The thought settled in his mind with satisfying clarity. Not just for cleanliness, but for convenience, trade, maybe even leverage later. Another small advantage carved out.
He rinsed off as best he could, stepped out, and grabbed a cloth to dry himself. Tomorrow, he'd handle codices, magi, and gifts for Thaleia's father.
And soon enough, he'd introduce Gasok to something revolutionary.
Real soap.