After a quick stop at a couple of bandit dens, I was back on the road with a new horse I, tragically, named Veilleuse-02. I had acquired new furnishings, like a satchel to replace my old backpack, and a little fortune that made raiding those bandit villages quite worth the struggle. So, now, furnished anew, I was headed towards the glorious city of Auroravia.

  The rhythmic clopping of Veilleuse-02's hooves against the well-trodden earth setting a steady pace, I, staring at the interface floating above me, pondered my gains and investments.

  ---

  [ Arianna’s Interface ]Name: Arianna

  Level: 20

  Race: Highbreed

  Class: Hexcaster

  Title: Frostbinder Master, Blessed of Sorcery, Dread Seer

  Experience: 37685 / 101022

  [Status]- H.P: 272 / 272

  - M.P: 3410 / 3610 (+1317)

  - S.P: 137 / 141

  - Fatigue: 13%

  - Defense: 113

  - Offense: 879

  [Skills]- Hydroblast: Level 4

  - Identification: Level 7

  - Ice Magic: Level 5

  - Frost Shards: Level 6

  - Eye of Nullification: Level 1

  - Eye of Petrification: Level 1

  - Eye of Desillusion: Level 1

  - Eye of Syphoning: Level 1

  - Eye of Horror: Level 1

  - Unbound Sorcery: Level 1

  - Frost Burst Detonation: Level 5

  - Eagle Eye: Level 4

  - Glacial Eclipse: Level 4

  - Frostbound Stride: Level 5

  - Lowered Temperature: Level 6

  - Mana Reservoir: Level 4

  - Winter Clutch: Level 7

  - Frost Glide: Level 7

  - Amplified Frostbite: Level 7

  - Inflict Frostbite: Level 7

  - Cryognize: Level 5

  - Hexed Frost Lance Conjuration: Level 5

  - Hexed Frost Sword Conjuration: Level 5

  - Hexed Frost Dagger Conjuration: Level 4

  [Abilities]- Elemental Affinity (Ice): Unlocked

  - Eye of Perdition: Unlocked

  - Debilitating Surge: Unlocked

  - Negative Resonance: Unlocked

  - Legacy of Agony: Locked

  - Ice Lesser Immunity: Unlocked

  - Ice Milder Immunity: Unlocked

  - Ice Greater Immunity: Locked

  - Mana Storage (Impotence)

  - Hexcaster Weaponry: Unlocked

  - Magic Amplification (Impotence)

  - Elemental Affinity (Ice-Water-Wind, Impotence)

  ---

  Despite the undeniably unpleasant time I’d spent trying to make it past the Yelling Peak alive, it couldn’t be argued that I had made quite the gain. I entered that place as a level 13 and came out as a level 20. Seven whopping levels for less than five days. It makes one tempted to say it was an easy level-up, but clearly, there was nothing easy about those level ups.

  These level ups were a fair reward for managing to defeat a creature much stronger than myself.

  Just the mere thought of it made me sigh, recalling how close it came to the end of my adventure as Arianna.

  All it would have taken for it to have truly been the end was that creature not behaving as I’d expected. Another sigh escaped me again.

  While I don’t regret the journey through the Pass, the levels I gained making the suffering worth it, if faced with a decision involving the same risk, I would rather turn around. I am not fond of being bullied. If anything, I’d rather be the one doing the bullying. My focus now being on safety and making it to my ultimate destination ideally alive.

  ***

  Soon enough, the landscape began to change. The rolling hills gave way to more cultivated terrain. In the distance, bathed in the golden glow of the late afternoon sun, stood the Ducal city of Auroravia.

  From this vantage point, the city looked like a gem set against the backdrop of towering mountains. The walls of Auroravia were high and formidable, constructed from ancient stones that had weathered countless storms. Turrets and spires reached towards the sky, and I could see the faint glint of banners fluttering in the breeze.

  Up close, the walls were truly massive, an imposing barrier that had undoubtedly stood the test of time. Each stone seemed to whisper tales of old battles and ancient glory.

  At the city entrance, I encountered the city guards. They halted me, their expressions stern and questioning. However, the moment I mentioned I had come from Wexlow on my own, their demeanor changed instantly. Not an additional question was asked, nor an entrance fee demanded. They simply let me pass.

  The interior of the city was even more breathtaking than I had imagined. Most of the structures were adorned with striking red tiles, creating a vibrant tapestry of color that stood out against the stone buildings. The architecture was far from flat; it was as if the entire city had been built on a mountain. Streets and buildings climbed and descended in a chaotic yet beautiful harmony.

  Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

  Auroravia buzzed with activity. Market stalls lined the streets, their vendors calling out to potential customers, while townsfolk went about their daily routines. The air was filled with the sounds of commerce, chatter, and the occasional laughter of children playing nearby. The city was alive, every corner brimming with energy and life.

  The first thing I did was search for a nice place to stay. Having gathered a little fortune from raiding bandits, I had no reason to hold back. When I demanded directions, I specifically asked for the best hotel in town.

  Following the directions given, I found myself standing before a building nestled in the middle of the city, perched at a high elevation that allowed it to overlook half of the city, with only the castle looming above. It didn’t really look like a hotel from the outside. In fact, it looked more like a penitentiary. The only redeeming quality of the exterior was the well-maintained verdant yard.

  Stepping inside, I was pleasantly surprised. The interior was much more fancy-looking than the outside, though it still didn’t quite look like a hotel. Instead, it resembled a noble house that had been renovated into a hotel. This was particularly the case for the reception room, where I booked a suite, the best, with all the extra services for four days.

  The bellhop led me to my room, opening the door to reveal a lavishly decorated space. The room was adorned with rich, sumptuous fabrics and elegant furnishings. It looked like something out of a noble's residence rather than a typical hotel room.

  A crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, inviting glow over the room. Plush chairs and a sofa arranged around a low table created a cozy sitting area. The windows were draped with heavy, ornate curtains that framed a view of the city below.

  My gaze finally landed on the bed, a grand, canopied affair with rich, burgundy linens and intricate gold embroidery. The sight of it was simply irresistible.

  I stared at the bed, unable to hold back the impulse any longer. I ran and threw myself onto the bed, bouncing and rolling around like a child. The sensation was nothing short of orgasmic. After all I had been through since beginning my journey, this was the most comfortable bed I had ever had the pleasure of sleeping on. Though I felt there could always be improvements, it was a significant upgrade.

  Laying there, I checked my interface.

  Again. The sight of my stats and skills brought a smile to my face. I had lived many lives since the day I used Greed and Resurgence to reincarnate myself for the first time in Fiendfell, seven lives, to be exact. Thus far, this reincarnation was the one in which I had reached the highest level I had ever been. To be fair, it had been a while since that was already the case, since the highest I had ever reached, as sad as it was to admit, was level 11. This meant that at level 12, I had already hit my record. But strength-wise, when only factoring in offense and defense, my class being Hexcaster, a class with low defense value, it was only now that I bested my own record.

  I sighed, a self-deprecating chuckle escaping my lips. "It took me damn too long," I muttered. Staring at the name that used to not be Arianna, I mumbled, "I wonder how the others are doing? Most likely better than me." Another sigh followed. "Well, I'm doing my best."

  I lowered my glance from my name to the title, then to the skill section of the interface. With the improvements I gained from defeating the Frostfang, I was granted a skill that not only did I acquire but also unlocked an ability granting me access to five different skills, all with debilitating effects.

  "Hehehe, I'm getting more like a proper Hexcaster than an actual cryomancer," I giggled. "Though I still haven't unlocked any of those jinxes I was promised and only got one actual curse."

  As a special class, Hexcaster is a Sorcerer subclass that focuses on casting three main types of spells: Hexes, Curses, and Jinxes.

  Hexes are debilitating spells with temporary effects. While not all Debuffs are Hexes, all Hexes are Debuffs.

  Curses are similar to Hexes but with permanent effects. Once cast on a target, the effects of a curse remain active indefinitely, unless the spell is intentionally or unintentionally reversed, which might occur through the demise of either the caster or the cursed.

  Jinxes, on the other hand, are very different from Hexes and Curses. They aren't offensive spells; instead, they are supportive and can sometimes be indirectly offensive. These spells aren't used on living targets but rather on the environment. This either enhances existing Hexes or introduces new ones into the area. In much simpler words, a field buff for debuff.

  "So far, I have no such thing," I mused, despite it being what apparently being a Hexcaster is all about. But I wasn't stressing it, for I knew that as long as I didn't put myself into a dangerous situation like in the past and didn't get myself killed for yet another stupid reason like I did in my past incarnations, I knew I'd eventually get these jinxes.

  ***

  The day I arrived in the city of Auroravia, I didn't leave the hotel anymore. In fact, I didn't even leave my room. As expected of a room in a respectable hotel, it came with its own toilet, ceramic bathtub, and I had requested that food be brought directly to my room. I didn't feel like descending to the restaurant section of the hotel, so I had no reason to consider leaving my room. I completely holed myself in. It was only the next day, after breakfast, that I finally made my way out of the hotel.

  I had three objectives:

  First, I needed to find furniture to smoothen my journey. I had already acquired some in Wexlow, but everything was lost because of the snake. Sure I managed to find some furniture raiding the bandits den, but still I was still missing most of the essentials.

  Second, I needed to find a healing artifact to purchase. I had a vague idea of where I might find that, and it wasn't in the market. Yet, I still headed first for the market as it was where I was most likely to find the last thing I was looking for, that being someone who might be able to repair Misfortune, my now broken wand.