Excerpt from The Profound and Pretty Princess' Ultimate Guide to Cultivation, Captivation, Cuteness, and Carving Your Way to the Top, English Edition (the worst-selling guide in the history of Putijama)

Note: Yes, everyone has four essence-absorbing cores: physical, magical, Innate Capability, and bloodline. This section is only for the Innate Capability core.

On Innate Capability Core Cultivation and Allocation

Everyone, when they have their core Ignited, receives an Innate Capability.

Some can be tremendous, while others can be real stinkers. Sometimes literally! One poor noble went from being groomed as a future leader of Panla Luska to essentially trapped in his villa, smell reduction enchantments galore just to be tolerable to others.

Anyone can allocate up to 10% of their essence to their Innate Capability core, or Cap core, strengthening the effect of their Innate Capability. There is more nuance around Evens and Odds, but generally, the impact is a 10% increase to the 'effectiveness' of the Innate Capability for every 1% of total essence allocated in a Tier.

Unlike the magical and physical cores – but like the bloodline core – once you Tier up, your ability to allocate essence to your Innate Capability core resets.

That means, if you didn't allocate any essence in Tier 1, you can only allocate up to 10% of your essence in Tier 2 but never make up for lost essence. In that scenario, the person could reach a maximum of 5% of total essence by the end of Tier 2. If they did that, they'd see about a 100% increase in effectiveness because it was 10% of total essence specifically in Tier 2.

And yes, the effectiveness stacking is cumulative. Doubling effectiveness in Tier 1 by allocating 10% of essence and then allocating 10% of Tier 2 essence too would mean the Cap is four times as effective as the base-level Innate Capability was.

General Recommendations

The general recommendation for allocating essence to your Cap core is: don't.

For most cultivators, unless their Innate Capability is crucial to their day-to-day – whether inside of rifts, as part of the military, or just normal jobs/life – it's just not useful to allocate to it.

If you are a baker, being able to make plants under your care grow better or being able to add small disease/poison influence to your skills is not as useful as increasing your mana to pump into the ovens, better fine motor control to make beautiful designs on the pastries, or increased strength to deal with massive amounts of dough.

However, for those with awesome Caps that want to leverage them, like 'You may freely cast [Fly]', or, more commonly things like 'You are more capable with a sword', allocating essence to your Cap core is often warranted.

Because of the way the Cap core's effectiveness increase works (covered in 'On General Core Allocation'), many recommend waiting until sub-Tier 8 or 9 before allocating any essence to the Cap core unless you have very specific reasons.

The short explanation for why is basically, you get way better leverage early in a Tier from allocating essence to your magical and physical cores.

If you don't plan to use your other benefits granted from cultivation – increased mana and/or physical aptitude – that advice is silly. Do what feels right!

Evens and Odds

Of course, everything gets a bit wild when talking about Odds but Evens are pretty simple.

Evens

Most people are 'Evens', where their Innate Capability's effectiveness is increased significantly at each even Tier, at least through Tier 5. Evens do get a small 'add-on' to their Cap at Tier 3 and Tier 5, but Tier 2 and Tier 4 are the big power boosts, at least for their Caps.

The Tier 2 and Tier 4 increases vary but are typically in the 40-60% range. The effect is almost always simply an increase directly to the Cap's effectiveness, no bells or whistles.

An example is an initial Cap of 'Plants under your care are 20% healthier and grow 20% more quickly.' At Tier 2, that might upgrade to 32% for each, which is a 60% increase. At Tier 4, that could typically increase another 50% so the Cap at Tier 4 would be 'Plants under your care are 48% healthier and grow 48% more quickly.'

Boring but also simple to plan for!

Most people – over 90% – are Evens so with a great Innate Capability from the start, they can get a lot of leverage from their Cap core. It's also dead simple since there is only one Cap to put your essence into.

Odds

Odds are… well… odd. Aren't I hilarious?

For Odds, the Tier 2 and Tier 4 increases to their Caps are pretty lackluster. And Tier 4 is a bit random as to which Cap it impacts, though it is more often than not the Tier 3 Cap.

But again, as Odds get a full new Innate Capability at Tier 3 and Tier 5, things get wacky.

Before hitting Tier 3, an Odd allocating essence to their Cap core is exactly the same as an Even. Odds only have one Innate Capability at that point, so it's simple.

After that, you can mostly direct essence to whichever Innate Capability you want. It's not perfect so the strengthening ratios get a bit unreliable. And you do have to pick one; anything not directed into one of the Caps just sits in the Cap core doing nothing.

The standard math is for every 1% of total Tier essence, the effectiveness of whichever Cap you allocate essence to increases about 8%. Any other Caps in the Cap core share about a 4% increase. So, as you can guess, if you have three Caps you want to strengthen at Tier 5, being an Odd can provide a lot of leverage as it is 12% total increase per 1% of total essence. But if you don't like the other Caps, it feels like a waste of essence.

So, as you can see, you should really develop a plan for allocating to your Cap core early in Tier 1. And for most, you simply shouldn't do it at all. And it's viable – often recommended – to wait until you are a Tier 1.8 at the earliest to start allocating any significant amount of essence to your Cap core. Do what you feel is right!

What the hell does she mean by 'hot date'?

Tiesa chuckled, then helped me up off the floor, my confusion clearly visible. In my family, 'hot date' was always our joke phrase for going out with friends or family but I wasn't sure here.

"You set me up on a date? With Jasna?" I asked somewhat slack-jawed.

With her arm around me, Tiesa stuck her hip into mine, "Nope. You'll see. She's way hotter, has perfect hair, can punch through a building with ease, is—"

"Ah, so it's you," I said rolling my eyes.

She laughed with abandon and I could see she was trying to cheer me up. I still couldn't help but feel like Armen's death was my fault somehow.

Logically, it wasn't sound thinking. He tried to kill me. I kept coming back to it was my decisions that put him in that place. Except, he made the decision to be there.

Feelings are rarely as logical as anyone would like.

My friend steered me into a café. It was quite busy for mid-afternoon, most of the tables filled with groups of two to four. But it was nearly silent.

Tiesa leaned over. "Perfect spot for our chat." She pointed to a board that explained each table had its own enchantment to prevent noise from coming or going. That also explained why the prices were about ten times the normal; it couldn't be cheap to maintain the mana expenditure.

With the promise of pastries and hot drinks, Tiesa's essentially a cappuccino and mine close to a hot chocolate, we sat at an open table.

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Tiesa looked at me. "Can you guess why we're here?"

"To make out in public, make a big spectacle?" I said, sarcasm dripping from my words.

"I wish… Though not with you. No offense, you're hot, just it would be weird. Honestly, being so head-over-heels for that man is annoying sometimes."

The awkward silence extended before she made a gesture for me to guess again. It wasn't demanding but more pleading in a way. I could tell she really did want to talk about something.

I said, "We won't be overheard so I can be honest but we're still in public. It could be you don't want me to break down because I will be embarrassed…" Her disappointment was evident. "No, it's probably more so I don't feel alone, I guess?"

"Nope, it's because they have the best pastries," she said jokingly. Then her face turned serious. "So, let's talk. I really need to know… about those clothes you're wearing and why you thought they were a good idea. That outfit is… just no…"

We spent the next hour chatting about nothing, letting my mood settle. I vented a bit but she expertly steered me away from anything heavy, which I let her do. It was the perfect palate cleanser after being so hustle-and-bustle for multiple days and my emotions constantly being in a jumble most of that time.

As we headed back to the hotel, I leaned into Tiesa this time. "Thanks for such a hot date, it was needed."

"Oh no, our date is later. That was the appetizer!"

***

"Wait, tell me again why you think Jasna and Vana are dating?" I asked, chuckling slightly. It was nice having one over on Tiesa for once.

I knew the two women were still working with our sentient dungeon pal Gabby to figure out where to deploy her so it made sense they were meeting regularly. Vana's cryptic AAI messages – she and I agreed Jasna's straightforward communication wasn't the best way to talk about a secret that might be considered treason – told me Jasna had scouted a few areas to the southwest of Velez that might work and they were going to visit together soon.

Tiesa explained how they'd been spending a lot of time together and Jasna seemed flushed or a bit tired when she came by to visit afterwards. That was, at least from what I knew, from either the scouting or some experiments; Jasna was trying to channel her mana into Gabby – though it had led to nothing that any of the three could tell.

Then again, who knows? Maybe they are dating.

When Tiesa showed me pictures of the bizarre disguises Gabor was working on to get me into Zalano, it made us both laugh but also gave me a twinge of regret. "I was going to ask Inga to help me get into Zalano. With the [Transform Self] wand, it should be easy. Will that crush your poor hubby?"

After thinking about it for a bit, she nodded. "Yes, but he's like a puppy. He will be devastated until you give him a new toy. You're still bringing him though, right?" There was an edge to her voice that held danger if I said no.

"I haven't thought about that part. Using the wand is a new idea so I hadn't planned beyond that. Still, no matter what, I have to do what's best for me on this one."

Tiesa looked frustrated for a second before smiling. "At least you might've learned one lesson."

We caught up on other Velez business, though it was obviously far too early for the shit of Nina Asani's actions in Chazin Mark to have hit the fan before Tiesa left.

She joked, "You aren't the center of the universe, or even a city as small as Velez. Just because you left for a few days, that doesn't mean it started unraveling."

We whiled away another hour before deciding to head to an early dinner. Tiesa helped me pick out a simple outfit and then we made an elaborate disguise, mostly from clothing accessories she had in her storage sack, adding more and more things. To say there was a hat on a hat was not incorrect.

I considered grabbing Steve but thought better of it. Tiesa wanted just the two of us to talk and not be distracted by my little monster. He could surely feel my roiling emotions anyways but it was always stronger the closer we were; I didn't want to subject him to an even worse time, as I suspected the dinner would be emotionally charged.

In a quiet, private backroom at a restaurant that focused on curries, Tiesa fixed me with her best stare.

Before I could ask what was up, she said, "Terry, I know how and what you're feeling. Trust me, I do. I have been in a lot of… tough situations and when it was me or them, I chose me. Me and mine. Because that's the best choice."

"But it wasn't a choice between me and them. It was potentially helpful to me versus sure death for them. For him. This wasn't like the assassins that attacked us in the woods."

"First, yes it was. They were there to kill you. Second, these people were your enemies. Or, at least you are their enemy. Leaving that naked knife at your back would be stupid. I don't think you're stupid but man do you have some stupid ideas about morals."

That pissed me off, so my retort was both loud and not well thought out. "So if it's potentially better for me to let someone die, I should do it? Should I just go around killing everyone in case they might be a threat at some point?"

Tiesa maintained her cool, which made me all the madder. "Don't be a dipshit Terry. If you said 'I'll let the waiter die to make me a bit safer', sure, probably that's bad. I'd still do it if I thought it would make Jasna or Gabor safer; in a heartbeat. Rather a stranger than mine. For you, probably two to three heartbeats." Her joke didn't land.

"Terry, I protect what's mine. But that's not the point. These assholes. They. Were. Trying. To Kill. You. Stop being such an arrogant asshole that thinks your morals are so important rather than your safety. Are you stealing from people, putting them at risk for your benefit without their consent, or are you protecting yourself? Remove your fucking head from your ass, bub."

It was like she had signaled the waiter to enter at exactly that moment.

And maybe she had.

My Earth-based sensitivity to being a dick to people in the service industry – and probably my embarrassment at making a scene – held my tongue the entire time he was taking our orders.

Tiesa asked at least fifteen questions; I knew she was stalling, trying to let my rage peter out.

But I focused on not letting it.

I'm in the right here. I'm not the main character. This isn't all about me. Putting others at risk needlessly and without their consent is the path to becoming a monster. And that's something I'll never allow.

…but is it really monstrous to let others fall into a trap? If they are innocent, yes, probably if I could easily prevent it. I can't save everyone though…

And if they aren't innocent… If the bad guys throw themselves on my sword…

I just don't want to be the one always out seeking vengeance for the smallest slight. This feels like a slippery slope. Right? Or is being this beat up about it all exactly the right sign I won't fall into that power hungry, amoral, murderhobo mode?

"Sir," the waiter said loudly. It was clearly not the first time.

Tiesa had on a self-satisfied smirk but it quickly transformed into something I couldn't interpret.

"Just bring me something tasty. Savory over sweet. No seafood. And no soup."

He nodded and left the room.

Tiesa took in a deep breath. "Terry, I'm sorry for being a dick but—"

I held up my hand. "Nope, my turn to be a rude jackass." She smiled devilishly. "I get your point but… my morals are important. Like seriously important. I worked with too many amoral people and, even though they weren't dealing with literal lives, they were dealing with people's livelihoods. Hell, half of them, I think it would be the same if they were literal lives…" Tiesa gave me a hopeful look like I could get back to the point.

"Right. So, they simply didn't care about anyone but themselves. They would do whatever they needed to get ahead. If they had to hire a team for a project, only being able to entice them with a full-time job, and then fire them six weeks later, they absolutely would. No hesitation, no worries or sleep lost. Basically 'who cares if those people ever find another job?' They got what was best for them, damn the consequences. Poaching the best person from another department just to hurt that other team, even if it was terrible for the person poached? Seen it dozens of times.

"If I try to lure people that might be a risk into a trap, it's not the same… but it doesn't feel that far off, you know? Like, it's the first 'well, this time is okay' and that's… I'm afraid. A few of the people I was close with, just coming out of college at my first few jobs, they became like that… One gray decision after another until everything was pretty black. I wouldn't be surprised that if they were in my situation, they'd be trying to take over as much as possible, having killed at least ten, fifteen people. And most of whom didn't deserve it. I want to be safe but I want a life worth living far more. And alive as a monster is worse than dead but with morals. Does that make sense?"

"Quite the monologue there," she said with a smile.

Then she let the silence fill the room. Surprisingly, it wasn't awkward, just two friends who enjoyed each other's company enough to not force a conversation when we'd both said our piece. We'd each been pushy but didn't hold it against each other.

That felt nice. It was something I hadn't had often on Earth. Some of the people I was closest to had become what I was afraid of: those who didn't see collateral damage of their actions, only stepping stones.

Our food was brought in shortly thereafter; the magic of cooking with mana meant preparation time was often reduced. However, it took considerable skill to not let that decreased time hurt the final product. At that point, I didn't care about quality, I just wanted to focus on something else.

"Terry, I'm sorry if I pressed too hard. But you need to understand that you'll cause more deaths. It's what happens to people like you. You have a target on your back. Many probably. And when it's them or you, I want you to always pick you. You matter. More than those other people, at least to me. And I hope to you. If it comes down to it, I want you to save you, not them. Does that make sense?"

I nodded solemnly. It did make sense. I just had to accept it.

Rather than acknowledging that, I asked, "So is this how you deal with Gabor? Be an absolute asshole to try to get him to realize he might see things a little differently? It was effective but I'm still kinda pissed at you."

"Nah, my hubby isn't as logical as you. Forcing you to really consider the options? That's going to get you to the right answer if you strip away the emotions. You're smart. I trust you to get there. Sometimes you just have to punch someone in the mouth. This time it was only verbally. Glad it didn't backfire too bad," she laughed. "I should tell you about Gabor's cousin sometime, threw an axe at me before hugging me. Then threw another axe <ten minutes> later."

Then, she smiled, and I knew it was from thinking about her husband. "For Gabor, I usually let him pull the information out of me instead of push and push. He excitedly analyzes what I say and then usually agrees. It's not perfect but it works."

Chuckling, as it sounded like a good way to deal with my friend, I asked my other burning question. "What about him to you?"

"Gives me those puppy dog eyes. Can't resist him and his heart of gold. He's clever and kind so he keeps me from going too far. At the end of the day, he's my moral compass. When I think I'm right but not sure, I usually ask what he'd do. He would not have been okay with what I said to you, but I stick by it."

As dessert rolled in, Tiesa asked, "So again, when it's them or you, you're going to pick you? Even if it isn't perfectly aligned with your morals?"

I nodded. "Do what's necessary. Focus on doing what's right, but always default to necessary."

"I might steal that line," she said with a laugh.

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