"Fine! But I knew it was coming!" ~Stachie

[Name: Grace Allturia] [Class: Spell Sword (Base 42), Mana Weaver (Base 3)]

[Attributes] [Strength: 6] [Agility: 11 (+5)] [Constitution: 13] [Mana-Affinity: 28] [Focus: 12] [Unallotted: 0]

[New Skills]

Additional Passive Trigger Skill Slot (Spell Sword – 1 Slot)

Sword Dance (Spell Sword – Beginner)

Hidden System Console (Spell Sword)

Upgraded Mana-Edge (Spell Sword – Beginner)

Manaweave Mana-Affinity (Mana Weaver – Beginner)

Shallies nodded at Grace's choice of Skills. The entire selection was standard and was therefore effective enough to ensure smooth progress in the next step, as far as the half-orc's adventuring career was concerned.

For now, there was no need for her to intervene. What she had done already, taking a single Skill Point from each of her students, and requiring it to be invested in a mandatory Skill, was already a lot to ask, in terms of slowing down their otherwise exponential growth.

As such, Shallies instructed both Ren and Tayin to choose an actual Skill from their new Class first, rather than taking Nurture Stellar Mana, despite what they had agreed beforehand. It didn't feel right to hasten their growth, only to then demand that they spend that achievement for something they couldn't utilize yet.

Speaking of which, Shallies turned her attention to their updated profiles. Unlike Grace, who had a bunch of Skill and Attribute Points to allocate, Ren and Tayin only had a few to spend.

The Shield Knight and Disciple dumped all his points on Mana-Affinity, in order to start improving his capabilities with Spells. He might be planning to ascend to Anti Magic, but despite its name, the Class still heavily relied on Mana-Affinity.

For his Disciple Skill, Ren chose Mana-Infusion, which would allow him to infuse any of his armaments with mana, provided he could afford it.

The Chronospark and Star Gazer had an easier time deciding between her options. As a purist, choosing two Spellcasting Classes, it was common sense for Tayin to invest her three extra Attribute Points into Focus. It would help her spellcasting speed, and also allow her to eventually skip some incantation phrases, which could eventually lead to silent casting if she continued down the same path.

For her Skill, the halfling opted to take Shooting Star, an offensive Skill that dealt astral damage, instead of the usual elemental damage that most mage-type Classes would focus on.

Shallies nodded as she read the selections.

At the very least, there was nothing wrong with their choices. Not that there were any wrong choices in the first place. Just tripping hazards, which would make progressing take a tad longer. Sub-optimal choices, so to speak, but not detrimental in any way in the long term.

"Alright, now that everyone's used their points, it's time I start sending you back out there to take on quests and dungeons. We have five more days until Vice-Guildmaster Coraline arrives, give or take a few days. So let's make the most out of the time."

Shallies lifted a finger before anyone could speak. "There is a caveat, though."

"Star Shine," Ren said, answering the Godkiller's quiz.

"Correct. Good job, Ren."

[Congrats! Here's your Good Job Experience Points.]

"How big are these Good Job Experience Points anyway?" Tayin asked.

"Not much, but they add up," Shallies replied. "Anyway, we have two current issues right now. First, there are no nearby dungeons for us to train in. Towers are out of the question, even if there's one. We have two choices to resolve this concern. Either we chance an easy dungeon in Stoneglow City, or…"

Shallies gestured to her side, towards the staircase. From there, Valor'el was making his way down.

"We find a dungeon relatively far away using The Premonition," he said, sitting at the bar beside the Godkiller. "I don't mind."

"Either option, we face the concern of our second problem," Shallies continued.

"Which is?" Grace asked while feeding Chippy some of her mana.

The phoenix had grown significantly since the half-orc acquired her second Class. He was almost four times larger than Apple now. It wouldn't take long for him to be big enough to no longer fit in the tavern.

Which was in line with their second concern.

"I have a tavern to run."

Before anyone could even begin to think of a solution, someone unseen made a sigh. Then, in front of them, a small System Console message appeared.

[This is why you visited me yesterday, isn't it, Shallies?]

The Godkiller simply smiled, not caring much whether Ren or Grace were confused. Tayin had a sudden realization, and Valor'el's expression told of his understanding.

"It's just four days," Shallies said. "Surely you don't mind, right?"

Another sigh came from the console.

[Fine. I'll be right there.]

"What?" Grace asked. "Stachie's an actual person? Not like an artificial intelligence within the System?"

"That's rude," Stachie said, appearing right behind the half-orc. She pushed a finger on Grace's skull as punishment. "I help you all the time, and this is what I get as thanks?"

"Ow!" Grace turned both from the pain and surprise. She jumped out of her seat! "Stachie!"

Grace's attempt at an embrace quickly backfired as Stachie slipped away from the half-orc's arms. She tripped, off balance, but managed to catch herself before colliding with any of the tables or chairs.

"No hugging," said the System Assistant.

"Everyone," Shallies started before the commotion worsened. "Meet Stachie, my System Assistant and simulacrum. She's also the Goddess of Loneliness and Isolation. Avoiding physical contact would be to your best interest."

"Staaaachieee~!" Phey'lan yelled as she raced from the front yard, into the main door, and onto the System Assistant. She embraced her as tightly as she could. "I missed you!"

Shallies cleared her throat as her students passed a look with a singular question. "Of course, if you're at least a Hero Class holder, you won't have any issues making physical contact with the divine."

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"Get off me, Phey!" Stachie said, trying to push the female seraph. "I can't breathe!"

"Does that mean gods can die of suffocation?" Ren asked.

"Morbid!" said the System Assistant. "Why don't you just help me out first!"

Phey'lan did eventually let go. There was a sort of satisfaction on her face. "I can't hug Shallies as tight as I can with you, so you'll have to make up for lost hugs!"

"I swear, I'll put you on the moon one of these days, Phey." Stachie said, catching her breath.

"Oh, I get it now!" Tayin said, clapping her hands. She turned to Stachie, who was still recovering. "Are you here to stand-in for Shallies while we go looking for a dungeon?"

"That's right," Shallies replied. "Since we're basically one and the same, because all System Assistants are technically their master's Soul Confidant as well, and on top of being my simulacrum, Stachie can become me without even a hint of difference."

"But you don't look the same," Grace reasoned. "Sure, your faces do look alike, but the hair and the eyes aren't."

Silently, Shallies gestured for Stachie to stand beside her. Her System Assistant followed and slowly began to transform. Her hair shortened, turning white. Her eyes became blue. And slowly but surely, they became indistinguishable from each other.

Her students, including Arun'dul who just entered the tavern, had various expressions of surprise and amazement. Valor'el and Phey'lan, as veterans within the group, already knew this would happen.

Apple, who had just returned from tending to the animals and trees around Catelyn Road, entered from the kitchen. She saw Stachie in Shallies' form and quickly gave the System Assistant a hug on the face.

Again, Shallies cleared her throat. "Of course, if you're my other Soul Confidant, you can tell us apart."

"That's amazing," Tayin said. The others completely agreed with the halfling.

"Alright," Shallies started, clapping her hands to get everyone's attention. "We're leaving in five hours."

"Get your things ready," Stachie continued, her voice exactly the same as Shallies' now.

Even her expression, her gestures, and intonations were exactly the same. "We're not going extremely far, in case something happens with the Same-Plane Rift. Of course, I'll keep you guys posted."

"Everyone's dismissed," Shallies ended.

But no one left right away. They were too busy looking at both Shallies-es who were expertly finishing each other's sentences. In response, both of them clapped their hands, to get everyone moving.

"Chop, chop!"

"Are we coming too?" Phey'lan asked as the group dispersed.

"I'll have you and Arun'dul stay," the real Shallies replied. "Apple will stay too, in case we really need a Realm Gate."

"I need you both to protect me," the Stachie-Shallies continued. "I'd rather not use any of my Divine Authority outside of my tower. It's not like we'll encounter any issues this far out in the countryside, but just in case, you know? Besides, you owe me for that sleeper hold."

"It was just a hug!"

"More like a bear hug. Or a choke hold."

"How is it, Val?" Shallies asked.

"Shallies doesn't call me Val," Valor'el said. "Stachie doesn't either. Who are you!?"

"I sure do," Shallies insisted. "Get those doppelganger stories out of your head. Are we good to use The Premonition, or not?"

The seraph scratched his head, moving on from his dead joke. "It's been mining mana all this time, Shallies. It'll do. It's not like we're going very far."

"I can just refuel it, you know."

"If we really need to, I'll let you know."

"Fine." Shallies relaxed, sitting comfortably on a sofa. "Did you change where your kitchen is?"

"Still the same," Valor'el replied, fiddling with the System Console for The Premonition's control panel. "I have some lumilettes to help out, but my kitchen is open to you, if you want to cook."

"Great."

Shallies found the stairs leading down to the kitchen. It was odd for such a place to be right underneath the bridge, but that was how Valor'el had designed his Cloud Castle. She wasn't one to judge.

Entering the room, she found three lumilettes currently dormant on a prep table. They looked like a collection of tiny bulbs devoid of power. Shallies fed them a bit of her mana to wake them up.

"Clean up the place, please," she said. Without faltering, the three little living constellations went to work.

Now that she had her own kitchen to regularly work in, Shallies found some similarities and differences from it in The Premonition's cooking facility.

For what was the same, all the work stations and appliances were mana-crafted.

That was about it. Everything else was slightly different. The size of the stations, which were meant for at least three people, the fact that they didn't have any alternative fuel other than mana, and to top it off, there was also a missing grilling station.

Of course, not all kitchens would be the same. This one had been specifically designed for the purpose of making Avel Paradise cuisine. Which then made the decision easy for Shallies.

"Some Cottage Pie, then."

She went to work.

Grace had never seen a Cloud Castle before.

She was so preoccupied by the excitement of finally seeing one that the prospect of flying to the clouds barely even had space in her mind to be frightening this time around.

All the more so since it was Arun'dul who was carrying her. He had done it twice before, and even acted as her vanguard for the only quest that she had considered to be a success. It wasn't difficult for her to trust this young seraph with her life, especially if it was just something as simple as flying.

I wonder if Chippy will be able to carry me when he gets bigger?

Grace had only a moment to entertain the thought, observing the phoenix fly alongside them, before the vision of a giant airship, nestled above the clouds, took her breath away.

"Woah…"

"Welcome to The Premonition, Grace," Arun'dul said as he slowly descended on the deck. "Stay away from the ledges. There's nothing implemented at all to prevent you from falling."

"Why's that?" she asked, shifting closer towards him. Just in case, because he could fly, of course. She gestured, letting Chippy land on her shoulder.

"Well, anyone who's ever set foot in this place has been able to fly in one way or another," Arun'dul said. He didn't seem bothered by how close she was to him. In fact, he seemed to be more relieved that he wouldn't need to run around, making sure she was safe.

Unlike a certain halfling.

"Woah! This is amazing!" Tayin said as she literally hopped off Phey'lan's hold. She started running around.

The female seraph was clearly worried, shouting the same reminder Arun'dul had given them earlier. Just in case, she didn't fully retract her wings, relaxing them on her back instead.

"Thanks, Valor'el," said Ren as they both landed on the deck. Out of the three, his was the most calm reaction. "I was expecting an actual shape of a ship, when you said it's like an airship."

"Technically, that's because this isn't really classified as an airship," Valor'el clarified. "That's why it's called a Cloud Castle. Because it looks more like a castle than a ship."

"Makes sense."

"Come, follow me. We'll have some early dinner, and then take off." The owner of the Cloud Castle gestured towards the largest building.

They entered a residency area of sorts. A narrow street, with small houses on either side neatly spaced from one another. They were, however, completely empty, Grace noticed.

"Are we the only people around here?" she asked.

"That's right," Phey'lan replied. "Val usually only summons it during a Divine War, when Shallies needs to transport an army."

"Or when I have to cater to gods, or to Shallies, like now," Valor'el added. "We only use the main building, in those cases."

"They don't look that abandoned," Tayin commented.

"My lumilettes take care of them."

"Lumilettes!" Grace exclaimed. "I've heard of those before. They're also called god-helpers! I heard they're also cute!"

"More like chore caretakers," Valor'el commented. "Cute, yes. In a way. You can meet one, if you like."

"Can I keep one?" Tayin asked.

"If you can convince one. They are fiercely loyal and have standards that only mostly gods can meet." Valor'el gestured casually, asking the people to step onto a platform that was hovering above the ground. "It's not without precedent, however, that a lumilette would change allegiance. They're pretty hefty on the mana side of things, though, so be aware of that."

"I uh…" Tayin scratched her head. "I was mostly joking."

"You were? I was desperate to have one when I was your age."

With everyone aboard, Valor'el navigated the platform towards the main building of the Cloud Castle. This one, fortunately, had hand railings that emerged, enclosing all around them at the edges.

Grace held on to one as her eyes took in the entirety of her surroundings. Above were the clear skies. Beside them were more clouds. And underneath, she could see glimpses of land where the clouds didn't block the view.

She was still trying to comprehend that she was genuinely above a flying infrastructure. The entire trip, she had been smiling, ear to ear.

She found Shallies waiting for them by the entrance of the main building. Three twinkling creatures perched on either of her shoulders and on top of her head. Grace quickly concluded that they were lumilettes.

So sparkly!

"Having fun?" she asked them.

"Yes!" Grace and her fellow mentees agreed unanimously.

"Good." The Godkiller gestured into the building. "Stairs to the left, into the dining area. After you eat, go to the fourth floor. We start training right away."

"Aren't we supposed to be relaxing, so we can enter a dungeon right away?" Ren asked.

"We can use Mana Energy," Grace said, remembering how much she had used the Skill before.

"Oh…" Both Ren and Tayin said at the same time.

"That's actually perfect!" the Shield Knight added.

"You three need to get used to it soon," Shallies said, smiling. "From today, until you get back to The Adventurer's Beginning, your only long breaks are when you're sleeping."

Grace was excited, realizing the amount of progress that they were about to make. With both Mana Energy and Enhanced Mana Regeneration, they were sure to end up with some really efficient advancements.

"I wonder how many Levels we are going to get in those four days?" she asked.

"Your record to beat, would be thirty Advanced Class Levels," Shallies replied.

"Thirty!?" all the mentees exclaimed at once.

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