They trooped downstairs, still arguing. The inn was far from crowded; and it was the only one in the entire town. Few travellers needed to use it, so it was mostly townsfolk enjoying the inn as a social gathering, or villagers coming to town for a bit. Cara seated herself and sighed.

The point was that she now had two new Skills. And if Idelt and Violetta treating her to a lavish meal at the inn that the [Innkeeper] had in fact given them for free was any indication, it was a big deal.

“If you were home, I’m sure your family would throw you a huge party, Miss. On the house.”

The [Innkeeper] was a friendly, social sort, rare in Noelictus. He had prepared a huge spread of food and Cara was tucking in with the kind of hunger you got after being trapped in a tomb and eating rats.

Veil Tomatoes now. They had a tough, chewy skin, almost like a potato’s. But they were deliciously juicy, and of course, everything even in town was fresh. Dark bread, Gloomwren egg—you might die of undead mice nibbling out your eyes, but you wouldn’t die of starvation here! Cara ate with good humor, restoring her mood as Violetta badgered her.

“Cara, you must try your new Skills! Please? And the—spell?”

Violetta lowered her voice so only her father and Cara could hear. Skills were a private matter, as were levels. It had been like Cara taking off her shirt—not her underwear, just her shirt—when she’d revealed her exact level and Skills to Violetta. A sign of trust.

“Well, sure. We can try it out.”

That was exciting, at least. Cara realized there was no instruction manual with her Skills, so she could only figure out what they did by activating them—or in the case of [Flawless Vocalization]—figuring out what it did.

——

What it did was stunning and sort of eerie. Maybe not to someone of this world, but to Cara? She performed a flawless do-re-mi while jumping up and down, and then while sprinting. Even as she was gasping for air, whenever she managed to force out words—they were clearly audible.

Oh—you could tell she was out of breath, but there was no annoying panting, no movement of air in the diaphragm, anything to interfere. Cara always sounded as if she were standing with perfect posture and intoning each word with syllabic care.

“That’s amazing.”

“It’s okay. I think it’s because you’re Level 10 that it’s weak. Well—a free spell is more than enough to make up for it being weaker.”

Violetta was dubious. Cara gave her an incredulous look. Every performer would kill…someone else for this kind of ability! But then she tried her spell and realized Violetta was right.

“How does it work? I just say [Bound Spell – Lesser Illusion] and—holy god.”