And yet, Erin had leveled up four times from that one night! Ceria couldn’t believe it. And her skills! [Wondrous Fare] and [Inn’s Aura]? Ceria knew that some [Chefs] earned [Magical Cooking], but she’d never heard of Erin’s skill.
“Obviously the [Wondrous Fare] skill has to do with you making food for the faeries. I’m not sure about [Inn’s Aura], but it might just make your inn more attractive or something.”
It was an illusion, but it still frightened Lyonette. And she wasn’t the target. The [Inn’s Aura] Skill sent Safry and Maran running screaming towards the door. They vanished into Octavia’s shop with a crash of broken glass and the [Alchemist] shouting and the air of menace faded.
For a second Erin thought about using her [Inn’s Aura] skill to scare them, but then she spotted someone walking in the front door. She waved him over and then pointed to Pisces as he went back for a sixth egg.
She felt a flicker in her chest, a…feeling. It was like when she’d used her own [Inn’s Aura] Skill, or resisted Magnolia’s charmed voice. Erin reached inside herself and pushed back. It was very hard, but she began to move her feet. Ilvriss gaped at her as Erin laboriously began to walk again.
[Crowd Control]. And [Inn’s Aura]. They stayed back, murmuring amongst themselves. Erin looked around as familiar faces appeared. A Hobgoblin pushed towards Erin. The little Gnoll cub was still there. Mrsha had hid behind Erin. Now, Lyonette swept her up.
Also, Erin hadn’t wanted them to know. She didn’t know if it was [Crowd Control], or the [Inn’s Aura], or just luck. But neither had noticed a tiny detail. The door was slightly ajar.
Erin could feel their presences. It was part of her new power as an [Innkeeper]. Perhaps—[Crowd Control]? [Inn’s Aura]? Or was this just her class? She couldn’t tell what they were doing, just their general area.
It didn’t seem to occur to her that chasing Mrsha was enabling the little Gnoll’s fun. Lyonette sighed. The real move was to calmly tell Mrsha to come back inside and offer her escalating punishments. Erin could have used her [Inn’s Aura], offered Mrsha a bribe, or done any number of things.
“Of course. But you need a specific aura. [Knights] have more…combat focused ones. Like a Thronebearer [Knight] from Calanfer. They can concentrate their auras, coat their blades in magical light to attack Ghosts. But that’s because their auras are tied to light and such. Yours? You have an [Inn’s Aura]. Hard to manifest that.”
A chair might be a poor weapon against daggers—but it was longer. And the [Assassin] was leaping sideways when something kicked her in the chest. That something was called the [Inn’s Aura]. She stumbled, and a huge Gnoll [Paragon] stepped through the garden door.
[Crowd Control]. [Loud Voice]. [Inn’s Aura]. Erin didn’t even think; the Skills activated naturally, and the Fraerlings lined up suddenly and respectfully. Gollesume panicked.
