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A Soldier's Life - 349 - Large Appetite (minor edit 2-25-25)
🕑 Added 2025-02-21 02:20:04 +0000 UTCChapter 349: Large Appetite
It was evident that the halfling sorcerer had a mischievous streak. Perhaps she had been upset when she found nothing on me to pickpocket. Still, I was where I wanted to be. I would play the fool if I had to deal with the halfling woman again. It was easier to anticipate situations if people thought you were dumber than you were—especially with her kind, who believed they were intellectually superior.
I bowed and addressed him in Elvish, “Master Archivist Dorrel Elalee. It is a pleasure to be allowed into your library. I came to ask your permission to explore the books.”
“Not granted. And you can tell that halfling sneak she is not welcome up here either,” the dark elf spat spitfully.
Maybe I would have to get some revenge on the halfling. I tried another tactic with the ornery elf. “I wanted to explore the origin of the dungeons, and I heard this archive was the best on the continent.”
He sneered a little. “What do you know of the dungeon’s origins?” The other librarians paused their scribing and cataloging. They were anticipating a show.
I didn’t see any harm in sharing what I knew. “The Titans created them to harness aether and journey to other worlds.”
Dorrel’s derision changed to surprise. He seemed to reevaluate me, his head rolling slowly as he studied me anew. I guess he mistook me for a brute like the halfling sorcerer had. My best set of clothes had gotten a little tight since I bought them in Telha, accentuating my physically imposing figure. Maybe it was time for a wardrobe upgrade.
Dorrel nodded, “Only the oldest dungeons were created by the Titans. Many have been destroyed over the millennia." He narrowed his all-white eyes, “What do you know of The Pact?” he said, testing my knowledge.
There was only one thing Namao mentioned that made sense. “It was an agreement between the lesser races and the dungeons to train and equip them to fight the Titans.” The elf cracked a small smile, and I knew I had won him over.
“I teach classes twice a week for a large silver per class. You are invited to come,” he finally said merrily.
“Will I be free to peruse your archives?” I asked.
He cackled a laugh at the apparent absurdity of my request, “No, only if you wish to become one of my curators.”
“What if I could tell you something that you do not know?” I tested his thirst for knowledge.
His face became amiable. “Something concerning dungeons, not another topic,” he replied slyly.
Had he been thinking I was trying to deceive him? “Agreed.” I grinned. “The Titans tried to destroy the dungeons because the demons were invading Desia.”
He lit up. “That's an interesting piece of information, but I can show you a dozen references in the Archive that I have read that support the claim.”
My mind reviewed what I knew. I went for the most obscure thing I could think of. “The first dungeons are the consciousness of Titans who wanted to live forever.”
I could tell Dorrel had been prepared to tell me he already knew whatever I said, but he was flummoxed. He stepped closer and leaned into me. His breath smelled garlicky. “Where did you learn this? Did one of the dungeons converse with you?” I thought about lying and telling him I had learned it from Khrusos, but that would have opened up too many more questions.
“A seer on Stone Mountain Island. She pieced it together from her visions of the past.” I said, and he seemed to be processing my words and weighing their truth. Did the seer tell me this information because she knew I would need it?
He nodded slowly. “We understand that new dungeons require a soul with sentience. Initially, we believed the first dungeons were the same, but we thought they were slaves of the Titans. That’s why they established The Pact to rebel against their oppressors.” His mind seemed to churn, and he was becoming distracted as he contemplated the implications of my words.
“Do I have permission to review the archives on my own?” I asked, interrupting his thoughts.
His focus shifted to me, and his all-white eyes did seem a bit creepy. “Yes. But one of my catalogers will need to shadow you. But you can freely read anything here as long as you don’t misuse the tomes.” Dorrell spent a few more hours trying to worm more information out of me, but I didn’t offer him anything groundbreaking, and I was not going to reveal that I had met Khrusos.
When I left the archives, I noticed Lesna at a table with two humans and an elf. I paused at her table, drawing all eyes to me. “Thank you, Lesna. Dorrel has agreed to let me peruse his library at my leisure.” Her jaw dropped in shock, as did the others at the table. I smiled brightly, patted her on the back, and walked away. She didn’t even realize that one stack of a dozen or so large copper coins had disappeared from in front of her. I wasn’t stealing; I planned to return it to her when I saw her next, with a bit of smugness.
When I returned to the inn late in the evening, Raelia had a large spread of half-eaten plates of food scattered around the room. I could see the appeal of trying new dishes from a different land, but did she really need to order them all at once? “Hungry?” I said loudly in good humor.
Both Raelia and Baldo seemed to be in a food coma. When I entered, Baldo barely shifted to ensure I wasn’t a threat before lying down. Raelia was sprawled out and didn’t open her eyes. Tiredly, she said, “I wanted red meat but wasn’t sure what kind of seasoning I wanted.” I chuckled, as it really looked like every plate had some meat on it at one point.
I bit into what looked like a French fry. It was over-fried and crispy—by the taste, I was guessing it was fried in bacon fat. I finished all the fries before I sat on the bed. It didn’t look like I would be getting much attention tonight. Our intimacy had been awfully sporadic recently; maybe she was getting sick of me.
“I am going to stay in Godok for a few months. I have gotten us a room at the Adventurer’s Hall?” I said, rubbing her shoulders.
She opened her eyes in a flash, gazing up into mine, slight panic reflected in them. “Why? How many months?”
“I convinced the Archivist at the Adventurer’s Hall to give me access to the dungeon research there. It might take three months to go through the ten thousand some-odd books,” I said as I tried to work the tension out of her shoulders. Raelia’s eyes darted back-and-forth, as if she were deep in thought.
“What about Castile?” she said.
“Konstantin and Gilda can take the essences to her. I’m sure he’ll get them there safely.” At my words, Raelia sat up, pulling away from me.
“If you’re going to spend a few months here, I can go back to see my brother and mother to explain myself. Yes,” she nodded to herself. “I’ve been putting it off for too long. I have only sent them one message in the last three months. I can meet you in Gramney in a year,” she said softly, her eyes lost in thought. I knew she missed her family, but she had never mentioned returning to them. I just assumed that time apart was viewed differently because of the longevity of elves.
“If you wait, I can go with you,” I said supportively.
“No,” she said a bit too abruptly. “I mean, I don’t want to wait.” She missed the pain in my face as that stung me. It was clear she didn’t want to take me to her brother or mother. “It is just a year apart. I can spend a few months socializing and working Baldo with the tame griffins.”
Seeing my despair, she misread it. “Don’t worry, they will not conscript me as a griffin rider again. Even if the war continues, Bartiradia only takes volunteers.” She swung out of bed, holding her overfull stomach. Pulling on her boots, she said, “I will see what ships are sailing to Esenhem and Bartiradia. Keep an eye on Baldo while I am gone.”
She was out the door quickly, and Baldo looked at me from his prone position. His eyes drifted to the multitude of plates, but he eventually just lay down again, surprisingly too full to request more. As I was picking at the plates, Konstantin knocked at the door. I moved aside to let him in, “Help yourself. Raelia decided to try the entire menu,” It was good he was here so I could also tell him my plans.
Konstantin moved across the room before settling on something that looked like chicken legs roasted with a dozen different herbs. The skin gave a pleasant crunch as he bit into it. In between bites, he announced, “I found a large merchant ship sailing soon. Four gold and ten silver for three of their best cabins. They have three experienced weather mages, so it should be a smooth journey.”
“I’m not going,” I said. The drumstick froze in his mouth. “I’m going to study dungeons at the Adventurer’s Hall here for a few months before returning to Gramney.” A manticore sack of essences appeared in my hand, and I offered it to Konstantin. He didn’t take it and chewed much more slowly.
“I guess Castile can wait a few more months. Several of the sects in the city claim to have the best swordsman in the world. I wouldn’t mind testing myself against them.” He turned his back to me and started loading his plate from the other dishes.
“I can take care of myself,” I stated clearly. Konstantin just grunted, filled his plate to an impressive pyramid, and left the room without another word. I already knew that if he stayed, he would drag me to test my sword skills and ask me to use the dreamscape amulet to practice. I wondered what Gilda thought of all this.
I loaded three plates myself and sent them to my dimensional space. Then, I called the innkeeper to clear the rest from the room. The woman who collected them moved precariously around Baldo’s sleeping form but didn’t even notice the three missing plates from some twenty-five platters and plates.
I waited anxiously for Raelia’s return. Maybe she would have changed her mind and invited me to meet her family. I wouldn’t pressure her as this was her decision. Since the dungeon, our relationship had cooled some, but our playful teasing of each other hadn’t waned. We still liked being in each other’s company.
Entering, she looked relieved, and it was late. Baldo rose happily to greet her, nuzzling his head and beak into her open arms and pressing her against the door tenderly. “Did it go well?” I asked.
“Very well. I found an ambassador's ship from Esenhem. My aunt’s name carries weight this far abroad. After a lively dinner, he agreed to return with his ship a week early. We sail tomorrow evening.” She was beaming happily, but I didn’t know if it had been a good idea to use Maeralya Glavien’s name. Raelia had ditched her aunt in favor of helping Maveith and then traveling with us to Stone Mountain Island. From our one meeting, I didn’t get the impression she was a forgiving woman.
“Is that a good idea? Using an Esenhem vessel?” I asked cautiously.
“He is just moving up his schedule to return to Esenhem for the coming year. His replacement is already in the city. He will bring me to the port of Cambal in Bartiradia. I can reach my mother and brother from there,” she said dismissively. I nodded and waited, but she didn’t add anything.
The next day, we spent in private baths and shared our final moment of intimacy for the coming year. I sensed something unusual about it but couldn’t quite pinpoint why. Raelia kept teasing me that it was only a year until we would be together again, so there was no reason for me to act as if this were our last time together.
When she boarded the sleek elven warship in the late afternoon, she waved from the deck, with Baldo sitting obediently beside her. I could tell the poor griffin was confused about why I wasn’t with them. Or maybe it was because the human with an endless supply of treats was being left behind. I watched as the ship sailed out of the harbor.
“If you’re done pining for her, I got us a lesson at a sect that specializes in the spear,” Konstantin’s voice said over my shoulder. I shouldn’t have been surprised that he appeared without warning. “Come on, Eryk; it will take your mind off her.” I took one last look at the ship and turned to follow the old veteran. He was right. I needed to burn off some frustration—first, I lost Maveith, and now Raelia.
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Comments
Adam V
Konstantin is a real one, sticking with Eryk like that. Meanwhile Raelia voluntarily turns 3 months apart into a year apart, hides him from her family (understandable, but still hurtful), and probably still plans to marry someone else politically for her family.
Steve B
Great story... glad the elf girl will be out of the picture for a bit...wish mavith was still traveling with him.
Erick Thiemke
I delete the comments with vulgarity, but boks 5 and 6 are still drafts and I am upfront about that. I read the comments and make edits to enhance the plot and improve story readability. I rely on Patreon comments as I cannot read everything on RR any longer - just too many comments. You will see when I start editing book 5 in two weeks—I will open a new collection called Book 5 - Final Edit. That will be the final plot edit and shift chapters there as I go. I know there are problems that I hope to address
Andrew G.
I’ve only been catching up a couple of days but it is mind boggling how many people feel so free to heavily criticize your story. I mean they’re here because they like the way you write presumably. I, for one, trust the chef and want to watch you cook. A child is a big wrench, and I’m interested to see how it plays out.
Michael Richter
How is he too dumb to realize she's pregnant
SilverbladeTE
People in real life, do not come with a "User's Manual" ;) So II've seen people do all kinds of dumb, crazy, hurtful, brave, self sacrificing, chaotic, loyal, noble, wise, kind, spiteful or downright evil stuff So it's not wrong at all for fictional characters to do things that aren't what we'd do or would like, and it spices up a story a bit Family & home are what are TRULY important in life, those can be used for many reasons in a fiction
Medhanie Kidane
I was afraid to say it, but I think a mini Erik is coming. No need for him to search, a way to return back to earth. Home is Dasia now. 🤷🏾♂️
Andrew Crews
“Not granted. And you can tell that halfling sneak she is not welcome up here either,” the dark elf spat [spitfully → spitefully]. Dorrel nodded[,“ → ,”] “Only the oldest dungeons were created by the Titans. Many have been destroyed over the millennia.” He narrowed his all-white eyes[,“ → ,”] “What do you know of The Pact?” he said, testing my knowledge. I bit into what looked like a French fry. It was over-fried and crispy—by the taste, I was guessing it was fried in bacon fat. I finished all the fries before I sat on the bed. It didn’t look like I would be getting much attention tonight. Our intimacy had been awfully sporadic recently[; → ,] maybe she was getting sick of me. ⸻ Raelia’s eyes darted [back-and-forth → back and forth], as if she were deep in thought. The next day, we spent [in → time at the] private baths and shared our final moment of intimacy for the coming year.
Apophixas
I agree that him having a kid at this point in the story is a bad idea. Children are for people who want to settle down. Using children as plot devices in stories for drama is just stupid. Either they became the main focus of that character and the story revolves around them, or they're a background thing that often sheds some negativity on the MC for not being with them.
Erick Thiemke
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Erick Thiemke
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Erick Thiemke
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Karnnie
I really enjoyed this chapter, masterfully done. I think Raelia might be pregnant.
Erick Thiemke
yes the chapter tonight is her POV and her reasoning
Eddie
does she not know she's pregnant? it would be amusing if she comes to the realization she's pregnant in the pov chapter, otherwise it just seems like an asshole move to not tell him and run away.
Robert Jacobs
I agree it will not be hidden for too long and is likely just a way to let the character keep growing in power and might set up a love triangle but still ruined the character for me. Hiding a kid from a parent is a real crap thing to do
Mina She
I really hope Raelia is not pregnant . I think parenthood is even harder to do well in progression fantasy than relationships, especially when it comes to the MC unless the book is about to end. Main idea is growth and power. It’s very easy for characters to come out as bad parents. Looking at Eryk and Raelia’s relationship there is not a lot of communication and if they are going to have a child then there has to be some serious considerations which won’t be the focus in a progression fantasy story and to be honest will be pretty boring to explore. But at the same time a guy who sees his child once a year because he is busy trying to be stronger is not really likable . Or a woman who finds out she is pregnant and plans to run away for a year. I enjoy the story but in my personal opinion Eryk’s and Raelia’s relationship didn’t really help their characters. It just highlighted their selfishness and immaturity. My worry is a baby will just make they more unlikable
glare31337
Clearly she is not planning on hiding it long term (thus the plans to meet in a year's time). I don't see a rational reason for her to keep it from him though. I think this is less a mark on her character and more a contrivance by the author to get her out of the way for some other woman (maybe setting up a quest to save Renna).
Prinny Knight
I'm thinking she might be pregnant, as well as realize such. With that view point, she's just worried and wants to head home to give birth? I have no idea how long it takes for elves.
Aiden Wilker
Agreed. It will be interesting to see how he would handle that news. Has the author mentioned how long it takes for elves to give birth? Because if it’s longer than a year he will be in for a shock when she shows back up. I do wonder how her family will react to the news.
Robert Jacobs
Went from rooting for Raelia to really disliking her after this chapter. I hope Eryk finds out about his kid at some point.
Robert Jacobs
I really dont understand why she didnt just tell him. Now we get to watch her get into trouble or do something with the kid that will really blindside Eryk. All she had to do was talk to the guy about it.
Chachi
YOOOOOOOO ok maybe i do like the drama🤣
Erick Thiemke
Not it is not mentioned in this story but I hinted that the dungeon was being intrusive. Generally it is not a thing in soldier but the particular dungeon they were in took interest…
Erick Thiemke
Next chapter is the raelia pov…
Aiden Wilker
Raelia better comeback, I have enjoyed her character throughout the series. Doing great work as always!
Jordan A
Is this story similar to World Sphere in that members of different races can have kids together if they have sex in a dungeon? I don’t think that’s been specifically established earlier in the story, but I could be wrong.
Jordan A
Agreed! I’m really curious especially as he made a comment about not absorbing all the shaping essence (if I recall correctly) and so I’m curious about how his core is generally doing
Chachi
is that confirmed
glare31337
Has Eryk not done a tablet reading since exiting the Manticore dungeon? I was looking forward to seeing his new shaping affinity.
Erick Thiemke
to be fair to the MC & Raelia the odds of it happening were extremely small...too bad for them they did the nasty in the dungeon
Erick Thiemke
that is Konstantin's plan....oh you meant the MC
Erick Thiemke
yeah probably not. just arrogant masters....drop the young
Erick Thiemke
story needs some drama without having the drama. it is part of the overall plot/MC motivations
Erick Thiemke
For Zyna...I would suspect low to mid 80s. The Emperor mid to upper 90s. Renna had 72 in multiple affinities
Erick Thiemke
i dont know if I mentioned it anywhere. 40-60 would be the average mage. anything under 40 is kind of ehh. 70 would be a strong mage and 80 would be extremely powerful...not many approach 90
NovaZero
I think Eryk hiding his slowed aging in conjunction with telling her how his Time affinity is his minor should get her to be more upfront. But hiding shit comes with consequences so eh
NovaZero
From what I remember 80 was considered ridiculously high. So yeah I wonder what's considered high by the Empire's standards - especially since it required a few apex essences to make their potential budge.
BubblyGhost
That's definitely my biggest confusion here. Why would she *want* a kid with Eryk? I'd say they're in a dating stage and having a child is one hell of a responsibility to neglect to ever discuss.
Theo Tomss
I always wondered what would be the aether shaping and prime affinity of the strongest mage like Zyna or the emperor, will it be said in the future or not ?
P3t1
I really don’t get why she would want to hide it though. I’m sure there is magical Plan B so if she didn’t want to get a kid, she wouldn’t have gotten one. Now she’s running off to her elvish family, who probably hate half-elves. Either hormones made her stupid or I’m missing something.
seth dauer
Even though she has his baby?
Roxanne
My thoughts as well.
Chachi
man i cant wait for the duels eryk has with the so called master swordmens of the city. i never really was a fan of raelia and the cheesy comedy imo i hope she gets married off im a bit of a reena fan myself lol. maybe even konstantin levels up some in these upcoming chapters
Shandlar
No way. She's hiding how pregnant she is. The moment she saw a way to get away before he noticed she jumped on it and found a way to leave within 24 hours. Then tried to act all casual. There was no reason to pick a year when he said he'd only be staying a few months other than to give herself time to have the child and hide it's existence if she wishes to do so.
Salvo
I would guess there is a master ledger than logs missions and payments. So each time an adventurer checks in, that gets recorded, like a forwarding address. They store payments, so you ‘pay’ the guild to render payments and messages if needed. It’s a dead end for hounds cause the book is basically Fort Knox of info. Maybe each day a courier mission to each guild happens and queries like mission done, missing person, and urgent summons are a part of it. They then can sell ‘news’ if possible to pay for their efforts.
Steve
Hopefully he learns the ageless spellform so at least the old man will not leave him for a while
Erick Thiemke
I suppose it is a buisness. Thre have been a number of messages sent in the story so far. the further te distance the more aether required
Erick Thiemke
the Empire and Adventurer's Guild do not get along
Tamati Mccallum
Morning sickness, sensitive to smells, and odd food options. If elvish pregnancy is anything like human id say youre right.
Mark P
Can you leave/send a message with the adventurers guild that would be available at any branch Eryk checks in rather than a specific one? Sounds like a way the empire could find out he's alive.
Salvo
Thank you for the chapter. Okay, let’s be clear here. Magical sending is possible, the hounds had books to do it. Does the adventure guild handle messages? Is there a guild for such a thing like magical message? The necro Orc story had a message adventure quest, but that was paper.
Ivan Kanewske
The woman who collected them moved precariously around Baldo’s sleeping but didn’t even notice the three missing Add form, after sleeping
Ivan Kanewske
Even if there is a war is still hot, I know this is wrong, too tired to muddle through fixing it
Salvo
Poor Eryk, should have taken the reasoning essence instead. You know, I feel bad for Raelia’s brother. He’s a general and lost his sister to telhain war, she comes back to life, disappears AGAIN. The family shuttles her off to be married and she wanders off to Ork lands, all kinds of diplomatic damage… and now she has a half-human bun in the oven!
Ivan Kanewske
could tell Dorrel had been prepared to tell me he already knew what I had said, but he paused. He stepped closer and learned. Learned ro leaned
Ivan Kanewske
“What is I could tell you something that you do not know?” I tested his thirst for knowledge. Is with if
InfernalDrake
She’s an elf that will live for a millennium. I don’t think she thinks all that much about time the same way a human does. A year is really nothing to her.
Joel
Let the man sleep lol
NovaZero
Fuck I should have started a betting pool....
BubblyGhost
Well it's a good introduction to how Eryk's likely long life will go. He's going to see many people exit his life as the years roll by
Jordan A
I didn’t get the impression she was gone for good. I certainly hope not. That’s a cruel thing to do and I don’t see an action like that being some thing her character would do.
Andrew
Thank you!
Gwalmeich
The term "sect" reminds me xanxia web-novels. I wonder if Eric will be angering "arrogant young masters" in the near future.
Gwalmeich
The weakest pull-out game in Desia: Eric Marco.
Silver Beard
Gone for good most likely. Best he can hope for now is a letter; though he didn't tell her where to find him. I suppose the Adventure Guild would be a wise choice.
kaalveiten
Lol yeah she totally preggers.
Nick Nicholson
He should train with the best sword masters and add them to the amulet
Mike Stewart
So we can expect another at 1 am?
P3t1
Uh-oh, morning sickness and now a sudden yearning for a specific type of food? Weirdness in the intimacy? I see what you’re doing.
Erick Thiemke
4th of 4 I believe and a chapter not posted a 1:00am in the morning. I am going to edit a book 4 chapter and then return to the chapter of World Sphere I have been working on.
