Highschool DxD: Dragon's Ascent

Chapter 14: Level Up

Nothing much more of note happened after that. We mostly fleshed out the deal and I have to say, it is certainly a lucrative one.

Basically, it boiled down to:

Rias will support me with materials such as spell books and materials from the underworld like herbs and stuff. In addition, I would be under the protection of Rias Gremory. So that no one would harass me.

Well, I obviously know that won't mean Jack shit for the fallen. But it didn't have to. In fact, it was better if it didn't.

Because it would be another surprise card in my sleeve.

Politics is a tool like any other as long as you know how to use it.

Anyway, my part of the deal was that I would lend my magical expertise to the Gremory peerage as it is needed. Basically a contracted handyman. I could give things to them in exchange for getting things from them.

And Rias is one generous gal, I don't know if this is to butter me up or she is just that good but she gave me an advance gift.

A book on basic magic theory and a book on basic spells.

Very, very useful for me. I finally had access to the basic and usual form of magic and after reading those books I finally got a feel for magic that wasn't a part of my alchemy.

It was quite simple really. You just need to memorize the magic circle, its composition, and the meaning behind the factors that go into the circle, and then be able to visualise the result while also calculating inputs.

There was a decent bit of basic spells in the books that I would memorise all of it later but for now, applying the basic magic theory I had learnt and I bit of meditation I cracked the method to conceal my magic power which was great.

Being enigmatic really helps your case more often than not. They won't know unless I want them to. Did my mana increase? Did it double? Did it triple? Did it gain another property like a draconic smell? Was I hiding my magic power all along?

They won't know which gives me a lot of wiggle to pull out bullshit surprises without garnering too much suspicion.

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You have learned the skill: [Conceal Magic Power Lv. 1]

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But for now, learning traditional magic wasn't my focus at all, after all, it did not get a bonus from my alchemy speciality. My main focus right now was improving on Alkahestry and with the basic magic theory I had learned about. And I was making a good amount of progress.

Essentially, Alkahestry circles would work by channelling the natural mana and lifeforce of the world into the magic circle and would imbue whatever was on the end of the circle.