《The Chimeric Ascension of Lyudmila Springfield》


 Chapter One: A Bystander’s Punishment (Arc 1 – Start) (Illustrations!)

    Chapter One: A Bystander¡¯s Punishment (Arc 1 ¨C Start) (Illustrations!)


    ¡°Attention all passengers, this is your captain speaking. My name is Carter Armlet, and I have the lovely joy of flying you all to Athens, Greece. It¡¯s a beautiful country with a rich history, so I hope you enjoy your trip. Just bear with us as we complete our pre-flight checklist, and we¡¯ll be in the air before you know it.¡±


    Mekka Academy¡¯s class 2-F was packed into a plane headed for another country. Since the sun hadn¡¯t risen yet, it was almost pitch black out. Most students were glued to their phones, posting last-minute social media updates or sending messages to friends and family. They wouldn¡¯t have a chance to do that once we were in the sky, so I suppose this was their last opportunity until we landed. Judging from our pilot¡¯s announcement, we were just minutes from taking off.


    As for me? My phone was about to die, so I was doing all I could to get through an article on ancient military strategy and how the history of war could have changed if guns were a thing 5,000 years ago. It was honestly incredible that some of the plans and schemes created thousands of years ago were still in use today. It was astounding that man had evolved from sticks and stones to spears and arrows to guns and ICBMs. If you were to ask the brightest minds of a century ago, they would have never imagined a world where it was possible to control a missile-equipped drone to strike a target the size of a watermelon on the other side of the planet.


    The screen flickered for a second, then turned black, marking the end of one of the few joys I had in life. My charger broke a day prior, and it would take me months to scrounge enough money to replace it.


    That¡¯s fine. It isn¡¯t like anyone calls or texts me. I should be happy the academy decided to give me one. Even if it¡¯s the oldest model, it¡¯s still something.


    ¡°Your phone died?¡± said Will, who sat to my left. I only conversed with him at school, but that was good enough. Will mentioned he wanted the window seat, so I was more than happy for him to claim it. His small stature meant I would have more space since he wouldn¡¯t have to lean over me to stare out the window.


    ¡°Yeah.¡± My reply was brief and quick, with a hint of an apathetic tone thrown in for good measure, but he knew there was nothing sinister or antagonistic behind it. It was the same with Greggie and Keeth, who sat in the seats behind us.


    Greggie leaned forward and handed me a cable, but I didn¡¯t take it. ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. You got the 42c. I don¡¯t think those models have been sold in a decade,¡± he said in his deep voice.


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with enjoying the past. Take the M1903 Springfield. It¡¯s over 300 years old, but man does it hold up in beauty,¡± I said, swooning over its fantastical design. These three had already known I was a gun nut, and they had accepted that fact. We all had our quirks. Will was obsessed with lewdness, Greggie was a foodie, and Keeth enjoyed building models.


    ¡°It¡¯s a bolt action, right? I¡¯m not too big into guns, but I thought everything was automatic nowadays.¡± Greggie pulled back his hand and presumably pocketed the cable. He had started to develop an interest in guns after meeting me.


    ¡°It is, but a few¡ª¡± Before I could answer my big-boned friend, an obnoxious group of people and their voices drowned me out.


    ¡°Tokko, you¡¯re gonna help me snag some girls, right? I¡¯ve kinda been on a dry streak.¡±


    ¡°No, Damon. It¡¯s time for you to stand on your own two feet. Besides, I¡¯ve got plans,¡± replied Tokko. He ran a few fingers through his short-cut blond hair, then rubbed the three earrings in his left ear.


    ¡°Those plans better include me,¡± said a girl who sat in the row ahead of them. She stood up, turned around, and sat on her knees in her chair. A wave of brown hair soared across her hazel eyes. A slender hand reached out, almost touching Tokko¡¯s face.


    ¡°You know it, Mia,¡± Tokko whispered. He raised his right hand, which had a tattoo of a diamond on it, and reached forward until his fingers slid down Mia¡¯s face.


    ¡°Eh, I thought you were talking to me. Hey, why don¡¯t we share a night together? You know you want to be with the D-Man.¡± Damon flashed an insincere smile that he thought was gentle and warm, but his rugged outfit, complete with a crude leather jacket and a spiked bracelet, reflected his nature as a conflict-loving delinquent. His heterochromatic eyes gave way to his lustful thoughts.


    Mia groaned, gagged, and smiled at Tokko with her eyes.


    ¡°And now you¡¯re going to make lovey-dovey eyes in front of me? Are you bastards trying to make me jealous? Shiku, help me get laid!¡± Damon tapped the head of the guy sitting in front of him.


    ¡°Jesus Christ, just shut up already! We haven¡¯t left the airport, and you¡¯re already making me wish I was dead!¡± Shiku stood up out of his seat and turned around, sending black hair scattering angrily across their green eyes. Though his voice and body were soft and feminine, Shiku was definitely male and often beat up anyone who suggested otherwise. His slim-fitting t-shirt stubbornly clung to his chest, which unintentionally emphasized how feminine he was. The pants he wore outlined his narrow waist and unnaturally wide hips. After a vote to decide the prettiest girl in school, he somehow snatched the silver medal. It was much to his demise, really, and he was unnaturally depressed for a few days.


    I wonder if he dresses that way on purpose just so he can have an excuse to fight? He is a martial artist.


    ¡°Tch! Those bastards... Just because they¡¯re aristocrats...¡± Will didn¡¯t finish his sentence. Aristocrats referred to the best of the best of Mekka Academy, which itself stood at the top of the merit-driven society we lived in. Only prodigies and geniuses had a chance to apply, and it wasn¡¯t assured they would get it.


    Tokko ruled the entire academy since he was simply unmatched. Mekka Academy forbade tattoos or earrings, but aristocrats circumvented the rules.


    I just remained quiet and listened to Will grumble to himself, which was something he did a lot.


    ¡°You saw Mia when we were boarding, right? Her outfit is ridiculous, even for the aristocrat¡¯s standards! The cut-off top that ends above her belly button... That short skirt... I mean, her ass is constantly on display!! You saw it when she bent over to adjust her socks, right? That tight ass was just calling my name past that skinny pink thong! Like that sexiness should be illegal. Hey, you think she gets wet off having people stare lustfully at her?¡± At times like this I just ignored Will.


    Even for an outsider, it was odd seeing people from such different backgrounds getting along so well. Compared to the aristocrats speaking so loudly as always, my friends were like night and day.


    Will was somewhat overly antagonistic and tended to speak what was on his mind. Greggie was a gentle giant, and he filled out his seat in a way that had made it a struggle for the average-sized Keeth to shuffle past him when we boarded the plane.


    Greggie was Will¡¯s physical opposite. That even extended to his voice. Will¡¯s was scratchy and high-pitched, but Greggie had a deep southern drawl that lingered on certain words. When we got together in class or at lunch, the topic of our personal lives never came up. But if we were quiet, then Keeth was like a mime. His mouth only opened to answer questions when directly asked. I had only seen him initiate a conversation two or three times.


    We kept to the shadows because we hated standing out. It was the one thing we all shared, and I suppose that was the link to our rather fragile friendship, which was only tested at school.


    Three girls near Damon said they wanted to be his, and he let out a hearty chuckle and said Shiku¡¯s services wouldn¡¯t be needed. Then those three started to bicker over the right to sleep with Damon, revealing personal and intimate details I did not want to hear. I wasn¡¯t the only one feeling grossed out.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    Take and ignore... Pain is just temporary...


    ¡°EH?! There¡¯s a fight?!¡± exclaimed a girl named Elly, a flashy idol with blue hair. She was one of the two foreign exchange students. Her father was Russian, and she was the second tallest in the class. Skimpy clothing was the name of the game for her since, according to her, idols were always getting stared at.


    ¡°Ami, look!¡± Elly said, talking to her cousin, who was half Russian and half Mexican, as indicated by her skin, which was a shade lighter than golden brown.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    Ami¡¯s sleeveless arms reached up and pushed down Elly¡¯s blue hair, allowing a pair of brown eyes to peek at the action. Her infectious smile was almost a permanent characteristic of her happy attitude. That was something she and her cousin shared, and they were likable. They even talked to someone like me enough times to count on two hands.


    My eyes probably involuntarily glanced over to them for help, but the message didn¡¯t get across. I just wanted to get this over with. My body relaxed and waited for a punch that I knew was coming.


    ¡°Stop this at once!!!!¡± From nowhere, a stressed voice rang out, causing all eyes to turn to Ms. Mary. As an instructor of class 2-F, which had no rivals, Ms. Mary didn¡¯t have much to do. Anything she could have taught the rest of the class was stuff they, barring me, had already known about.


    She rushed out of her seat, and the clacking of her heels brought all the attention to herself, which subsequently brought it to me again when everyone saw what she was walking towards. Her beige blouse and black pencil skirt were all folded and creased, probably from the haste she ejected herself from her chair. Will considered her to be pretty, though. With her smart-looking glasses and fluffy black hair, he exclaimed that a ¡®hottie¡¯ like her had no end to her list of suitors.


    Will had once mentioned he had heard a rumor about Ms. Mary. Apparently, she was a lesbian, but baseless rumors were dime a dozen at Mekka Academy. As prominent and high-ranking it was in terms of academic geniuses and physical prodigies, it was still a school at heart. In the deepest, darkest corners of the left, right, and main halls, the tortured cries of abused, bullied, and tormented students could be heard at all hours of the day.


    ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you move another fucking step.¡± Damon had a sharp edge in his voice, stopping our teacher in her tracks. Her knees were shaky and weak like she wanted to march forward, but she just couldn¡¯t do it. Her glasses nearly danced off her face from her trembling. ¡°Remember your place, instructor. Don¡¯t do anything to jeopardize an easy job that comes with a fat paycheck. Sit there and watch. Do nothing else.¡± Then he flashed a smile, but it was like a wolf¡¯s snarl and punched me in the stomach.


    Pain flared up, spreading from my stomach to my arm and neck. I crumbled to the floor, hitting the back of my head against an armrest as I struggled to breathe.


    The air was knocked out of me.


    Ms. Mary stayed back, afraid to take the extra step since it would mean disobeying a direct order from the aristocrats. She just stood there...watching as one of her students was assailed by a flurry of kicks to the gut.


    But whereas our teacher was frozen in fear, someone else stomped down the aisle. ¡°Pick him up!¡± Mia commanded. I felt a large hand wrap around my shirt. A second later, I was on my feet. As much as it all hurt, I kept an empty expression. I didn¡¯t like being punished for something I didn¡¯t do, but striking back against my abuser? Shouting at the teacher, who didn¡¯t do a single thing to protect her students?


    That kind of thought just didn¡¯t exist in my mind. It was just so foreign that I couldn¡¯t fathom the possibility of doing anything other than taking it.


    I¡¯ve been taking the abuse all my life... Why should it change now? This must be my fate.


    ¡°Shuuta! You¡¯re a shitty brother! I told you that you were forbidden from doing anything that would embarrass me!¡±


    Damon roared with laughter upon learning Mia¡¯s secret, which pissed her off. In a flash, she raised a fist and clocked me across the cheek. Years of archery practice and devotion to her fitness had strengthened her core and arms, and I wasn¡¯t surprised when a few teeth vacated my mouth with a splash of blood. The dull ache multiplied, making it hard to deduce just how many Mias were scowling at me.


    But that was fine. The pain didn¡¯t compare to what my ¡®mother¡¯ and ¡®father¡¯ did to me.


    Hell hath no fury like scorned parents...


    Damon laughed some more and taunted me, saying that I was able to ignore his line of sight for two years, but now he was locked on to me. Then said the best shine the brightest when compared to filthy losers. He asked Tokko if he could have some ¡®fun¡¯ with me, but the aristocrat walked down the aisle.


    ¡°No,¡± Tokko said, joining the growing distraction. ¡°Like Quella said, it¡¯s a long flight, and I might want to catch some sleep. I can¡¯t do that if you have your little ¡®fun¡¯. If I recall, he¡¯s the only student in our school with absolutely nothing to his name. No trophies, no awards, not even an honorable mention. Every garden needs a wilted weed to showcase how beautiful the roses are, am I right?¡± Tokko grinned and shook his head.


    He held out a hand. Mia¡¯s mood instantly brightened, and she skipped over and placed her head on his shoulder. It was like watching a puppy happily walking towards her master. He gave a warning to Ms. Mary that cut through her very soul, then returned to his seat with Mia. Damon saw fit to give me a light push, which knocked me to the ground where I bashed my head against an armrest.


    ¡°Got it. Quella, I¡¯m so, so, so, so, so sorry. Can you ever find it in your gorgeous, beautiful, busty heart to forgive me for my insolence? I¡¯ll even let you go out on a date with me.¡± Damon kneeled and touched his forehead to the carpet. Even though my vision was cloudy, I knew it was just theatrics.


    When he realized Quella was ignoring him, Damon savagely stood up with reckless abandon. He punched the empty middle seats while returning to his own, where he crashed into it with an exasperated sigh. From behind, I heard Ms. Mary cautiously creep forward. Instead of looking to Will, Greggie, or Keeth, my eyes radiated over to the pair of foreign exchange students because they were talking about something.


    ¡°Wow, Shuuta, you got slapped like crazy!¡± Ami said. The girl had no sense of tact, but I felt like it wasn¡¯t worth getting mad at her, especially since Elly chastised her cousin over her amateurish grasp on our language. I guess she had explained what the correct thing was to say because she said something completely different. ¡°Wow, Shuuta, I¡¯m sorry you got punched like crazy.¡±


    She isn¡¯t from here, so I can¡¯t fault her for not saying the right thing the first time... Is there anything about me that¡¯s right?


    ¡°Wah!¡± exclaimed Elly, a wave of ruby red embarrassment covered her face. She covered Ami¡¯s mouth and apologized for her cousin.


    Quella put her glasses on for the second time and reached out a hand. Right as I was about to take it, the world went bright white. Almost all creation seemed to disappear into an unfathomable void of infinite nothingness.

 Chapter Two: 0-Star Curse – Part One

    Chapter Two: 0-Star Curse ¨C Part One


    Heaven? Hell? Purgatory? No one knew where we went after we died. The former was unknown to someone like me, but I had lived through hell for most of my life. And purgatory? That was where I lived now, just waiting until I finally died. Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com


    But I knew I was still alive. We were all alive... My classmates¡¯ anxious faces proved that. If this was supposed to be my life flashing before my eyes...


    What a disappointment.


    To begin, I blinked twice to confirm that what I saw was what I was, and upon confirming it was real, I took a closer look at the chapel-like room I was in. The walls were blindingly white, and the room was sparse of any real color. But there was a giant mural on the far wall. Above that was a stained-glass window depicting a naked woman with a sash. Was she a Goddess? I¡¯ve never been interested in any deities, so religious sculptures, etchings, and the like were far out of my expertise.


    The aristocrats were all together. Mia and Tokko were hugging, Shiku had his hands in his pockets, remaining in a relaxed position where he could act from. Damon looked to be taking it all in stride because the three girls who spoke of his erotic accomplishments had their arms around his waist. In turn, he had his arms around them, embracing them in a hug that felt like it was the verge of turning lewd.


    Is this really the time for that? And weren¡¯t those three arguing earlier?


    The Mystery Twins couldn¡¯t have looked more at home, so I guess nothing really fazed them.


    ¡°Hey man, you alright?¡± Greggie suddenly spoke up. I turned around. He was about to place a friendly hand on my shoulder, but I flinched away at the last second. The apologetic look in his eye told me he had forgotten that I didn¡¯t like to be touched.


    ¡°Yeah... I''m fine,¡± I said, ignoring the awful stomach pain and blistering headache. I wiped my mouth with my hand and swallowed whatever blood was threatening to leak out of my mouth. A quick check with my tongue confirmed two missing teeth.


    I turned around to face Greggie. Keeth was looking at the ground, his fists clenched in what was probably anger. Will looked beside himself, almost embarrassed that he didn¡¯t do anything. A second later, the three of them apologized.


    ¡°Where do you think we are?¡± Will asked, scratching his scrawny arm.


    ¡°A church, maybe? Did we die?¡± Greggie answered, asking his own question in turn.


    ¡°Die? I just remember seeing a bright light. I didn¡¯t hear anything odd, either,¡± I said. My phone was dead, so I couldn¡¯t check it. My three companions looked at theirs, but they didn¡¯t have any service.


    Ami suddenly blurted out an odd greeting, and I realized we weren¡¯t alone. Perhaps it was the bright walls camouflaging them, but soldiers wearing blindingly silver armor had us surrounded. Their sharp weaponry glinted in the light. And of the light, I had no idea where it was coming from. Looking up, I saw something like a holy abyss instead of a ceiling. Somehow, it was an incomprehensible concept that absorbed and emitted light.


    Damon removed his hands from his harem long enough to assume a rugged, archaic fighting stance. It seemed as if a conflict could break out at any minute. Greggie probably wanted to act tough to make up for his cowardice on the plane, but the big man trembled like a frightened kitten. I just stood there and waited, staring with a searching eye because I couldn¡¯t do anything else.


    If a natural death is coming, I¡¯ll meet it head on.


    ¡°Please find it in your hearts to calm down!¡± a feminine voice sounded from somewhere as a vivid light filled the room. An unpleasant pressure forced me to gaze up at the never-ending void of white. It glowed even brighter than a dazzling star, and a person phased into existence. Like an angel, this unknown entity descended. I couldn¡¯t make out any details about her until she was close to the ground.


    She was a woman who was more naked than dressed. If she was a Goddess or some other heavenly being, she didn¡¯t dress like the ones from my mythology books.


    It also came with a letter asking me to die.


    Even now, as I¡¯m standing here in this new unknown place, I¡¯m the most poorly dressed amongst us. My shirt and pants were full of holes, and my shoes were scraggly pieces of leather held together with fabric and glue.


    Really, it was no small wonder I wasn¡¯t bullied for my clothing, but I guess I can attribute that to my remarkably excellent ability to stay out of sight.


    But even through all that, I couldn¡¯t find it in my heart to truly hate my parents, but that didn¡¯t mean I forgave them. We had come to a unanimous unspoken agreement among ourselves to cut off all contact.


    That was fine.


    Am I broken?


    Meruria spoke and explained that post-summoning confusion usually took days to fizzle out, so she was impressed by Tokko¡¯s charisma and natural leadership. To expand on that, her last group of Soul Warriors were summoned half a century ago, and they were to be our instructors. Then she narrowed her eyes towards the only woman dressed like a teacher.


    ¡°You, the one frozen in place, paralyzed by cowardice. Are you the leader of this group?¡±


    Ms. Mary was caught off guard, and she stammered her words, taking half a minute to say something that only needed a few seconds. ¡°I... I... am their instructor...¡±


    ¡°Then why did you not speak up for your students? They should look to you for guidance and assistance, but I do not see any of that within you.¡±


    ¡°Holy Lord Meruria, could you continue with your explanation? You call us Soul Warriors, but what does that entail?¡± Tokko asked.


    ¡°That will have to wait until I have prepared the Soul Crystals. I did not expect a large group. In the meantime, shall I teach you about this world?¡± Her words were as sweet as nectar. It took all I had to break away from whatever force wanted me to stare at her lips.


    Meruria was a Holy Lord, a person who had broken through the limits to reach the pinnacle of evolution. She channeled Holy Mana, and Dark Lords, the opposites of Holy Lords, channeled Dark Mana. A country led by a Lord was called a Divine Country. When asked if Dark Lords were our enemy, Meruria shook her head. As the hair passed by her eyes, she explained that Holy and Dark Lords were different sides of the same coin. People summoned by either were called Soul Warriors.


    Soul Warriors were not used for war. Rather, they were like nuclear deterrents to prevent conflict. Every Divine Country was to carry out their summoning simultaneously to keep the equilibrium of power in check.


    This world had humans, but any humanoid beings with animal-like characteristics were called beastfolk. There were monsters, who didn¡¯t fit into either category. Most races inhabiting this world could evolve into a higher being, and the example given was an ogre transforming into an oni. Such evolution would grant a substantial increase in power and bestow new skills, spells, abilities, and techniques.


    Slavery did come up, and Meruria said monsters were used as a source of labor, but enslavement spells could be used for other purposes. It was all very vague, though, which was probably on purpose. The currency of this world used copper, silver, and gold coins. There was a fourth tier, but it was used for extravagant purchases like buying land.


    Meruria then asked us to line up because it was time. ¡°Soul Warriors are measured on their soul¡¯s potential, and it ranges from 1-Star to 5-Star. Is this familiar? Does it make sense?¡±


    Shiku spoke up and compared it to a gacha game. ¡°Yes! That¡¯s it! Explaining it is the hardest part, but you¡¯re talking to it extraordinarily well,¡± she said with a smile after he was done.

 Chapter Two: 0-Star Curse – Part Two

    Chapter Two: 0-Star Curse ¨C Part Two


    ¡°Now, I, Holy Lord Meruria, call upon the crystals of our destiny! Come forth! Allow these souls to take shape, becoming power to deliver death in the hearts of our enemies!¡± At her command, a series of lights enveloped our bodies. It grew and morphed, twisting and turning like it was trying to escape with something in tow.


    After a few seconds, we all stared at our respective colorless basketball-sized crystals. Each one was the exact same in terms of appearance. Damon was hasty in trying to touch his, but Meruria glared at him, coldly stating that he had to wait his turn. Her intense tone was enough for him to freeze in place, and a moment later, his arms were down by his side.


    Did she do something else? Or is he just afraid of her?


    ¡°When you open it, you will be given skills that most accordingly match your soul¡¯s reflection. That may be foreign, but I will explain it all in due time. Please give an introduction before you open your crystal so that I may get to know my warriors a little bit more.


    Tokko was up first. After explaining that he was a champion in boxing and fencing, two sports that existed in this world, he touched his crystal and watched as rainbow energy filled the room. Then it all condensed into stars...but there were six of them. They collected above Tokko, slammed into each other, and sprinkled dust upon his body.


    ¡°Tokko!! Do you know what this means? You... A 6-Star Soul hasn¡¯t been seen in hundreds¡ªno, thousands of years!!! I... I thought they were a myth... I... I cannot even begin to describe my happiness!!!¡± Meruria looked like a fan girl who had met her favorite singer. She felt way more relaxed and approachable in this casual state.


    Mia whispered sweet words meant to induce jealousy within the Holy Lord, but it didn¡¯t seem to work. Damon and Shiku walked over, slapping their king on the shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re the man, man! Hey, Mia, if I have a 6-Star Soul, let me hug your tits.¡± Mia scowled and flipped the perverted Damon the bird. His harem gave him the stink eye and frowned.


    ¡°Good work, Tokko. You¡¯re always the best, aren¡¯t you?¡± Shiku wasn¡¯t alone in complimenting Tokko. Since he had apparently broken yet another limit, it made sense for everyone to clamor around him. Well, all except Quella, Ms. Mary, and myself. Will, Greggie, and Keeth were torn, I think. The way Tokko waved off Damon¡¯s violent assault against me probably soured any excitement they might have had. Maybe they thought making any sort of exclamation of support was like cheering for the enemy? But they didn¡¯t have that wariness when they listened to his speech.


    Whatever... I guess if it makes them feel better, then they should go ahead and praise Tokko. Sticking with him might be the best way of getting back to our world... I wouldn¡¯t blame them...


    After a quick cough from Meruria, the rowdy students quickly lined back up.


    ¡°You, the girl with her body on full display like some sort of tramp of the night. Get on with it.¡±


    Mia scowled at the unflattering description and introduced herself. Her accomplishments included having an offer of employment at NASA and a letter inviting her to train with our country¡¯s Olympic squad because she was a master archer. Meruria found much excitement after realizing that NASA¡¯s goal was space exploration. She couldn¡¯t believe human technology had advanced so far in the world we came from.


    When she touched her crystal, six stars came out.


    ¡°Mia, do you know what this means?!?!! This... This is a joyous day!!! I take back my previous words of calling you a tramp! You¡¯re amazing! You¡¯re incredible!!!!¡± Meruria threw her hands up and hopped around like an excited puppy, her breasts bouncing all over the place.


    That got me thinking... Just what kind of person was Meruria? She claimed to be a Holy Lord, yet she didn¡¯t seem to care that we saw half of her chest. I didn¡¯t think she was an exhibitionist. I also couldn¡¯t tell if she was friendly or not because she tended to drastically change the tone of her voice at the drop of a hat. She wasn¡¯t a fan of Mia¡¯s outfit, yet she apologized after realizing she was a 6-Star. Would Meruria have similar things to say about Lori¡¯s and Elly¡¯s risque? outfits?


    But didn¡¯t that make her a hypocrite? Judging from her own words, Meruria was dressed like a streetwalker with the amount of skin on display. It was like her dress was made with the sole intention of enhancing her body¡¯s natural beauty. The white veil supported her curves rather than hiding them behind a wall. What reason would she do that if not to persuade ogling pairs of eyes to stare at her ''rich'' body? She couldn¡¯t have been trying to steal Tokko from Mia, right? Would a Holy Lord feel jealously towards her summoned subjects?


    Natural beauty? Rich body? Stop... Stop putting thoughts inside my head! Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com


    After calming herself, Meruria told Shiku to go ahead. He was a 4-Star. After explaining that he knew karate and aikido, Meruria wanted him to spar with a guard, and the armored man found himself being flipped over upside down in the first few seconds.


    Damon was next. He practiced wrestling, and he was also a 4-Star. After him, it was a steady stream of 3-Stars and 2-Stars until it came to Lori and Ann. Those two went at the same time to reveal a pair of 5-Stars. Meruria was all smiles when she learned that Lori and Ann were unmatched in the spear and katana. She was so happy she summoned a spear and sword and promptly handed them to the twins. Both were wooden, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    ¡°Sister, this weapon is wonderful,¡± Lori said when thrusting her spear. She pulled it back in and flourished it around her body before performing a vertical slice.


    ¡°Agreed, sister.¡± Ann examined the blade and cut the air three times in rapid succession. The sharpness of her swordplay amazed Meruria, whose smile had grown even larger. Her eyes became wide, filled with affection at her third and fourth strongest warriors. ¡°Sister, I think I love this weapon. Am I correct in my thinking?¡± Ann asked.


    After a few seconds, Meruria started explaining the user interface. I saw my name and other stuff in the top left of my vision. The green bar was for my health. When it became empty, I¡¯d die. The blue represented my mana pool, so using spells would subtract from it. Running out wouldn¡¯t kill you, but you¡¯d feel sluggish. If I had any party members or slaves, their info would be below mine. Then we were all ordered to focus on our name, which opened the Status Menu.


    Shuuta Fenton


    Human


    Lv. 1


    SP: 0


    Title: Soul Warrior


    Sub-Title: N/A


    Skill Menu [+]


    Meruria explained that this world had something called a leveling system. The cap was 99, but upon breaking through your limits, it increased to 199. SP was used to purchase or upgrade skills, which included weapon skills like [One-Handed Sword] or a general crafting skill like [Blacksmith]. But it was possible to manually obtain a skill through hard work and determination, which allowed people to grow after reaching either of the level caps. Skill Orbs existed as rare items. Using one would grant the user the skill contained at no cost.


    ¡°But wait... Where are the stats?¡± asked Shiku.


    ¡°Stats?¡± Meruria questionably replied.


    ¡°Yeah, if we have levels, we gotta have stats. Stuff like our strength, endurance, intelligence? You know, stats.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... Around 150 years ago, a group of warriors I summoned introduced me to something called ¡®tabletop RPGs.¡¯ If I recall, there were these... ¡®attributes¡¯ you could give your player character. It was fun watching the number grow until you were powerful enough to defeat the evil dragons. But that only applies to the imagination. In this world, you just have your level, SP, title, sub-title, and skills.¡±


    ¡®Then how do we get stronger?¡± asked Tokko.


    ¡°Skills are distinctively divided into three categories. Physical, magical, and dexterous. [Leap Smash] is a physical skill. Learning and leveling it will allow you to hit harder and take more damage while increasing your health. [Fire Magic] is magical. Increasing that will cause your spells to strike harder, you''ll take less damage from spells, and your mana pool will increase. [Deadeye] is a dexterous skill that makes it easier to aim ranged weaponry, so this will increase your damage with those while also helping you run just a bit faster and jump a bit farther.¡± But growing stronger didn¡¯t involve just learning and leveling skills. Killing monsters with magic would improve your magical abilities, and leveling up didn¡¯t just give you SP. Basically, everything you did made you stronger. It was just that some things helped more than others.


    As an aside to that, the amount of SP given with each level up varies, but Soul Warriors worked around that because their souls added a certain amount. A 6-Star Soul, for example, would guarantee at least 7 SP per level up as a minimum, and a max of 16, since you gained anywhere from 1 to 10 SP with a level up.


    My 0-Star curse meant I was at the very bottom, and I wouldn¡¯t improve in any way. Fighting would do nothing, I couldn¡¯t get SP to even learn skills, and while it was possible to learn and level skills without SP through hard work to manually acquire them, that was also impossible for me.


    As for the skills? I only had [Soul Armatization], while everyone else had more. I remained alone and stared at proof of my failure until Meruria mentioned she would speak about the title system later, only briefly mentioning that we unlocked the sub-title system by default.


    ¡°Now, I need you to listen to me! I thank you for being patient as I explained everything, but now it is time to start your training! I want you to all follow me as we go to our next location!¡± Meruria clapped her hands three times and walked towards a pair of silver doors that I had failed to notice. It was on the wall opposite of the mural. As always, I waited a few seconds to take my rightful place at the back of the pack so I could be alone with my thoughts. Tokko and Mia, though, were standing right beside Meruria.


    ¡°Shuuta?¡± A caring voice broke my concentration, and I looked up to see Quella staring at me with a pitying smile. I wanted to say something, but Meruria suddenly appeared in front of me even though she was supposed to be at the front of the group. She did not hold back her words as she berated me for ¡®disturbing the peace.¡¯ As quickly as Meruria appeared, she vanished in another flash of white light. The only thing I could think of was that she teleported from the front just to talk down to me. Quella was the one who spoke, but I was punished for it. She seemed sad and tried to convey something with a facial expression, but I just shook my head and sighed.


    I¡¯ve endured such treatment all my life, so why should it be any different now?

 Chapter Three: The Threat of Recycling

    Chapter Three: The Threat of Recycling


    We left the auspicious, seemingly important building and emerged into a green wonderland that was a courtyard. There was a fancy pergola next to a rectangular pond, and it seemed this bountiful slice of nature connected to four different buildings. The one we came from was probably the church? It was mostly empty, and it didn¡¯t have any pews or altars, so I could have been wrong about that. We bypassed the fish-filled pond and entered the building across from where we were summoned. The iron doors vanished when Meruria touched them with her hand. Upon stepping in, I was instantly sick to my stomach.


    ¡°Are... Are those...children?¡± I heard Quella whisper, her voice cracking.


    ¡°No, my dear. These infernal creatures are called goblins, and they¡¯ve been terrorizing a few of our farming villages,¡± Meruria answered. She had brought us to some sort of prison, or maybe it was an execution chamber. Sinister candles occupied the blood-stained walls, casting light on crimson that had been dried for days or weeks. The roars of the chained ¡®monsters¡¯ cried out, sending fear through my heart. I gathered the courage to count them up, and my heart nearly stopped.


    The number of goblins matched the number of warriors summoned by Meruria. She told us we had to learn how to kill since that was instrumental to defending her country. At her command, over half of us scattered to a chained goblin after picking up a weapon located on a rack nearby. The ones remaining, including me, faltered in their steps.


    Can I really kill something like that? I feel...uneasy...


    Meruria again insulted me for my uselessness and hesitation, then turned to the other reluctant students and gently encouraged them with words of love and affection. Even the 1 and 2-Stars were softly spoken to. She guided them along as if she was tending to a flock of lost sheep. I was conveniently left behind. Greggie and Quella looked back, staring at me with worry. With reluctance, I took uneasy steps forward, each one reducing the distance between me and a snarling monster as I held a wooden club in shaky hands.


    Before long, I was standing just a few feet away. Thick veins bulged from its green head. Viciously sharp claws wanted to end my life. It was hard to avert my eyes from something that hated me so much, but I felt like there was a compulsion to stare at Meruria. She was standing right beside Quella. Ms. Mary was after her, and then it went Greggie, Keeth, and Will. The aristocrats were at the far end, the opposite of where I was.


    [Lesser Goblin ¨C Lv. 1]


    The name and level of the beast appeared along with a green bar. Presumably, it would have a blue bar if it knew magic.


    Meruria spoke again. ¡°Monsters are the only beings you can access this information on. Focusing on a person does nothing unless you have [Scan]. Even then, the skill is incredibly rare. There is a tool called a Scan Stone, which is more common, that can analyze your Status Menu. It produces a document that proves you are who you say you are. By putting this document into a Scan Stone, you can either verify your information or update it if you have grown more powerful. If you happen to acquire some social standing, like becoming a Duke or a Baron and acquiring the appropriate title, then this document would act as your proof.¡±


    After taking a breath, Meruria spoke one last time. ¡°Finally, raise your weapons and strike at the foe you see before you. As I¡¯ve said before, do not think of these foul creatures as innocents! Goblins feast upon males while forcibly shooting their festering seed inside any female they find. This is how they reproduce and increase their number, so strike them down! Cover the floor with their disgusting blood!!!¡± Meruria shouted. Her voice had changed to something deep and sinister. If Dark Lords could be good in this world, it only made sense that a Holy Lord could be evil.


    Half students of our class easily took to killing the helpless monster in front of them. Tokko hefted a massive blade he¡¯d chosen from the rack and slammed it down, cleaving the child-sized, green-skinned goblin in two and instantly draining the green bar in one fell swoop. Mia took her bow and nocked an arrow, pulling the string back. A second later, her target had no head. Elly looked down at a small dagger she held in quivering hands. She cried with tears in her eyes, but nonetheless, her hands jerked forward, cutting the goblin across its green neck. Eventually, it stopped screaming, dying a painful death.


    Ami was next to her, and she had her hands up in a fighting stance after finding a pair of gloves on the weapon rack. She punched the unfortunate beast in the head as a soft, glowing aura radiated from her body, but it didn¡¯t reflect her mental state. Elly was right there to comfort her weeping cousin as they hugged it out.


    Lori and Ann were like trained killers in how efficiently they dispatched their target. The former spun the spear around her body to gain speed, then destroyed the beast¡¯s head with a swift stab between the eyes. Ann took a similar approach. She held the handle of her sword with both hands, raised it up, then brought it down at an angle. Even if the blade was wooden, it had no trouble cleaving all the way through. What was even scarier was the blank expressions on their bloody faces. Even Tokko slightly groaned, but that was a response to getting blood on his cheek.


    The twins, though... They just turned to each other, using their hands to wipe away the crimson splashed on their clothes.


    They didn¡¯t even mess with the blood staining their faces.


    They... They just went for it... Even though... Even though we¡¯re killing them... I... Do I have to...kill?


    ¡°Sister, it seems our mission is complete,¡± said Ann.


    ¡°Indeed, sister. Let us leave this place and train. I would very much like to test this new strength against you,¡± replied Lori. They made for the door, and Meruria told them where they could find the training facilities with a giant smile on her face.


    As I gripped my club, I stared at Quella. Her red hair shivered from side to side in pure anxiousness, following her shaking body. She didn¡¯t want to become a killer, but she wasn¡¯t alone. Ms. Mary, Greggie, and Keeth were hesitating at crossing that line.


    Will, though...


    He held a cleaver in his hands, and once he started to chop at the immobile goblin as if it was a block of meat, he didn¡¯t stop. Will kept attacking and attacking, giving the corpse a posthumous execution after he chopped its head clean off to join the arms and legs. Why? Why did he look so accepting of it? He wiped his brow while staring at the torso as if he was proud of his work.


    Ghastly vomit poured from my lips as Meruria evaluated her warriors. She had compliments for the aristocrats and disdain for Quella since she was faltering. According to our summoner, Quella was given an innate ability to cast her magic by simply speaking the name of the spell. She didn¡¯t have to worry about chanting in the language of mana, and there should have been a list of available spells in her skill menu under [Fire Magic]. ¡°Just target the goblin, hold up a hand, and speak ¡®fireball¡¯,¡± Meruria said before turning her attention away.


    Quella cried out, a tearful voice filling the room as she raised her hands towards her foe. ¡°[Fireball]!!!¡± she screamed. Red energy materialized in front of her, starting small but growing until it was the size of a basketball. It launched towards the crying monster, reducing it to nothing but ash after swallowing it in a blaze of crimson. The hesitant girl fell to her knees, weeping into her slender hands while vomit slithered out from her nostrils. She wailed a series of deep emotions as apologies endlessly flowed.


    Greggie and Keeth silently wept while they stole the life of their foes with an axe and hammer, respectively. I know they tried to make it quick and painless, but their inexperience betrayed them. The cuts and strikes were shallow and limp, producing pain that wasn¡¯t needed. Ms. Mary finally killed hers after taking her knife and hesitantly pushing it into the goblin¡¯s heart.


    I... I never had anyone come to my defense... Even as I was being beaten for being a failure, being abandoned, or if my parents were angry and wanted something to abuse, it was only just me.


    Me.


    Me.


    Me.


    Me. The laughingstock of the Fenton family.


    That was why... It hurt so much to have people who wanted me to survive... I didn¡¯t want to die, but why did it pain me when others felt the same way...?


    Even when I knew that I wasn¡¯t deserving of anyone¡¯s pity...


    I... I felt weird...


    I believed I was about to say something, but my body just couldn¡¯t handle it. The hard, cold, bloody ground approached at a fast rate, and the world went completely black.


    Meruria watched her weakest warrior fall unconscious with a grimace of embarrassment. She just could not believe there would be someone so pathetic in the same group that held a pair of mythical 6-Stars. She rubbed her head and wondered if she was making a mistake by granting a grace period of three days, then realized that she would come out on top no matter what happened.


    If Shuuta managed to achieve Soul Evolution, he would be the first to do so in a few hundred years. If he failed, then she was guaranteed someone significantly stronger. ¡°Pick him up,¡± Meruria said, talking to Greggie. The large lad gritted his teeth at his summoner who called his close friend useless, but nonetheless followed her instructions and lifted Shuuta. Greggie was surprised by just how light he was. He was afraid that if he used just a little bit of muscle he would snap in half like a twig.


    Meruria channeled a teleportation spell through her staff as a magic circle inscribed the ground underneath them. When it glowed yellow, those still alive inside the hellish chamber of death were warped to her church, which was just a few short minutes away. Only instead of arriving together, her Soul Warriors materialized in front of their assigned rooms, and she had to go from group to group to hand out keys and instructions, which didn¡¯t take long at all.


    ¡°Take the rest of the day to relax and get prepared. Dinner and a change of clothes will be brought to your rooms. Tomorrow marks the first day out of three. Quella, don¡¯t waste any time. Soul Evolution is rare, though I assure you it is possible,¡± Meruria said when she appeared in front of the group she designated as Team Quella. She passed out their keys and warped away to take care of some business, but not before groaning in annoyance at how warmly the weakest warrior was being treated by his much stronger allies.


    Quella watched as her summoner vanished, then went to join the others in Shuuta¡¯s room, walking right in as Greggie laid his friend down onto the bed big enough to sleep seven. If they were privy to his history, they would have been shocked to realize that the bed was twice as large as his room at home. The walls were a slight gray with an intricate stencil etched into them. The closest was bigger than it had any right to be, and when they checked out the bathroom, the tub was in the ground like a pool. Beside that was a wall of soap and different scented candles and oils to relax the body.


    Quella talked to her friends as they sat at a nearby table. The topic of conversation was obviously Soul Evolution, and after some debate, they hypothesized that strengthening Shuuta¡¯s desire was the key. After all, it only made sense for that to be the answer if the power of his desire was the factor that determined his initial soul level. Thus, with that in mind, Quella, Ms. Mary, Elly, Ami, Greggie, Keeth, and Will put their minds together and fabricated what they believed to be the best and most optimal training schedule. It was strenuous, leaving very little time for even the smallest casual conversation. When Will suggested they go around and do a little introduction, he was met with resistance from Quella, who stated that they should have that as the goal. And that was something they all agreed on. When someone had something waiting for them at the end of a dreadful path, it could give that person a little bit more motivation to work harder towards their task.


    When a knock came at the door, Quella opened it to see a short-statured man with a thick beard. He was pushing a cart with a plate of food that looked like steak and potatoes and a box with Shuuta¡¯s name on it.


    He reminds me of a Dwarf from those fiction books I like to read.


    He pointed down the hallway, where there were more carts in front of more doors, meaning it was time to eat and change clothes. Quella rolled the cart in, informed her friends of dinner, and they all left with promises to return soon after. And they did about an hour later, but Shuuta¡¯s food was still untouched, and he hadn¡¯t moved a single bit. Dejected, Quella and Ms. Mary moved to the balcony after sliding the glass doors. It was a beautiful view, for sure, since it was angled away from Cridia¡¯s capital city, so they stared at a picturesque slice of nature. The sun had started to set, so the crimson glow of the sky added emotion to a powerful scene. It was audience to an uncomfortable conversation about what they would do if they failed and Shuuta had to be sacrificed.


    When night arrived, Quella and the others left, locking the door and sliding the key under it. Just seconds later, Meruria materialized in the middle of the room while calling out his name. When he didn¡¯t respond, she walked over, the clacking of her heeled shoes making an awful lot of noise on the marble flooring, but it wasn¡¯t enough to rouse him from his slumber.


    Upon huffing with a sigh, she held both hands together and summoned a symbol of her power and status as a Holy Lord. Though it looked so benign, being nothing more than a simple makeup kit, it was the greatest weapon a woman like Meruria could ask for.


    After she used it, she leaned back and began to act.


    ¡°Arise, my warrior. Your summoner requires your assistance,¡± Meruria commanded, stepping back and storing her Lord Armament within her essence. Right away, Shuuta slumbered awake with no light within his eyes. He got out of bed, walked to Meruria, and kneeled at her feet. She demanded to know why his desire in the world he came from was so low. If something substantial had happened to him, then surpassing that trauma and overcoming was the key to evolving his soul.


    ¡°I command you to divulge the contents of your soul to me. Compared to your sister, it is nothing more than a flame about to be extinguished by the calmest of winds.¡±


    And so, Shuuta began to speak about his past, starting from his earliest memories. However, his words did not flow as freely as Meruria wished. At a certain point, he stopped speaking, refusing even as Meruria reached the soft limit of her weapon. Going even a bit farther would literally shatter what made Shuuta himself, causing Meruria to grow annoyed and anxious.


    She teleported away and returned about fifteen minutes later after learning the truth from Mia, the mastermind behind the despicable horrors her brother was forced to endure. No, that wasn¡¯t the truth. His parents were also to blame, but now that Meruria knew Shuuta¡¯s past, she quickly put a plan into action.

 Chapter Four: Piercing Betrayal (R-18)

    Chapter Four: Piercing Betrayal (R-18)


    ¡°Hmmm... Mmmmm....¡±


    A female voice moaning in pleasure fluttered into my ears as my eyes opened. It was morning; that much was clear by the sun flickering in through the balcony windows. I wasn¡¯t in my assigned closet, so I must¡¯ve not woken up from this nightmare.


    I was still in this new world.


    A sigh escaped my lips as I leaned up and swung my legs off my bed. Since my sight was still hazy and not at all adjusted, I didn¡¯t immediately notice the woman standing over me. I was eye to eye with her bare stomach as she erotically touched herself. I looked up, my eyes going past her naked breasts to a face flushed red with heat, finally stopping at the pair of fluffy, pointy ears on her brown hair. A tail danced around her backside, swaying side to side as she licked her lips. A hand reached out and grabbed my shoulder, and that¡¯s when I realized I was naked myself.


    Did it matter?


    The masturbating girl looked at me expectantly, but I had no intention of doing anything. It was never possible for me to get an erection in my old world. Even when Will had printed out some of his favorite vintage magazines and shared them around, I didn¡¯t see the appeal of it.


    I didn¡¯t know what it was. But the more I looked at it, the less I felt. Even after taking it home, I tried to touch myself. I tried for hours, but it was like I was incapable of feeling anything even resembling pleasure. Even spitting on my penis and rubbing it that way just ended in me simply touching something that was a part of me.


    In my world, I was broken. In this world, I¡¯m broken. It seems like I¡¯m destined to be broken no matter where I go...


    When I stood up, the Beastfolk grabbed my penis and threw me to the bed. I bounced up, remaining frozen as she hungrily licked her lips and kissed my stomach, her head traveling down my scarred body until coming to my flaccid penis.


    ¡°Lord Meruria paid me to make you a man, Lord Shuuta. Let me bring you to heaven. Even with a pathetic dick like that, you¡¯ll blossom into a beautiful flower.¡±


    I remained silent and totally still.


    Maybe she¡¯ll go away... I hope she¡¯ll go¡ª


    I didn¡¯t have time to finish my thoughts before she used me like a pleasure doll. I was frozen and terrified, and the fear only increased when she used my body as a toy, growing increasingly angrier when I showed no signs of reacting. Maybe she thought the cold embrace of death would do something, so she wrapped her hands around my throat and squeezed.


    The HP bar... It¡¯s...draining...


    Right when suffocation was about to take me, the girl quivered, moaned, and rolled off me while furiously fingering herself.


    I curled into a small ball, released the anguish from my soul, wailed until my very soul started to tremble and quiver, and darkness found fit to take me once again when I heard footsteps stomp right outside my door.


    ¡°SHUUTA!!!!¡± Greggie screamed after Quella used [Fireball] to burn down the locked door. They didn¡¯t have the key, so breaking it down was the only option. He smashed through the smoldering remains to find his close friend curled into a small ball with a damp blanket covering his body. A strange woman with animal features was humping his weeping face. ¡°GET AWAY FROM HIM!¡±


    Elly and Ami were frozen solid by the sexual assault happening in front of them. Before Ms. Mary or Quella could act, their summoner materialized in front of the bed, preventing Greggie from getting any closer after she wrapped his arms and legs with a binding spell. Calling the beastfolk, she skipped to Meruria''s side after getting her clothes and dressed without any shame.


    ¡°It seems to me that he does not have the qualifications to achieve Soul Evolution. Therefore, I have decided his future,¡± Meruria said. Upon hearing words of protest from the seven that wanted to save Shuuta, Meruria slammed her staff into the circle and used a mass teleportation spell to summon all of Class 2-F, barring Lori and Ann since they had left the church, to Shuuta¡¯s room. It was certainly large enough to handle the number of bodies. Besides, she hadn¡¯t had a chance to set up the courtroom.


    ¡°What? This trial thing is happening already?¡± Damon asked, raising his arms up to stretch. He was shirtless because he was in the middle of working out. A layer of sweat dripped down his toned, muscular body.


    ¡°Lord Meruria, why is he like that? Who is that woman? What did she do to him?!¡± Quella demanded, showing a fiery passion. She tried to move, but magical bindings appeared on her and the rest of Team Quella.


    ¡°She is Shuuta¡¯s trial. He must conquer his trauma if he wishes to achieve Soul Evolution. I expected you to figure this out, but I am disappointed you didn¡¯t,¡± Meruria said.


    Meruria channeled a telekinesis spell through her staff. She tightly wound the damp blanket around Shuuta''s body, then lifted him into the air. Only his head was visible.


    "I will uphold the rules of a trial and allow you all the chance to speak about him. You will answer two questions. ¡®Will Shuuta Fenton be useful to me in his current state as it pertains to the defense of Cridia?¡¯ ¡®Does Shuuta Fenton deserve to be sacrificed so that I may summon another warrior?¡¯ Use this inability to conquer his trauma as a basis for your answer," Meruria added. She summoned a little bell and explained that it made a noise when a lie was spoken. She proved it worked by saying that her name was Molly, and it rang. When she said Meruria, the bell remained silent.


    One by one, the students who didn¡¯t know of Shuuta¡¯s existence prior to the events on the plane decided his future. A large majority believed he wouldn¡¯t be useful at all, and those that shared this belief wanted him to be gone. They really spared no time going for the jugular and wished for someone stronger to take his place.


    After all, the weak were devoured by the strong, and everyone attending Mekka Academy had the instinct of a vicious, bloodthirsty wolf. They fought, clawed, and trampled over those that were too feeble to have the drive they had.


    When it was Damon¡¯s turn, he spoke from the heart and didn¡¯t allow what happened on the plane to influence his judgement.


    ¡°Just think of him like a toy, yeah? When you buy something and it turns out to be defective, you don¡¯t try to fix it. You go and get your money back or exchange it for something that actually works. Oh, he¡¯s awake?¡±


    A feeling of being weightless overcame my body as the realization I was stuck in this hell shocked me into consciousness. I had awoken as Damon was comparing me to some sort of broken toy. I looked down at the bed I was raped on, then towards the shocked expressions of the seven that wanted me to remain alive. They found it hard to keep eye contact. The damp blanket wrapped around me restricted my movements. I could only really turn my head.


    I don¡¯t blame them... Why...can¡¯t I die...?


    Greggie called my name so many times, but I couldn¡¯t formulate enough energy to reply.


    To me, it seemed the trial was going on ahead of schedule... Or was it?


    Did it matter?


    A short girl with black curly hair named Renata was called to speak. She said she didn¡¯t want to see anyone sacrificed while agreeing I wouldn¡¯t be useful. Benedict, a bald student with thick arms that barely fit his gray t-shirt, was called after her, and his answers were the same.


    Next was Shiku, who spoke plainly and hastily that I would not be helpful. On the topic of recycling, he mentioned that if there was a way that wouldn¡¯t end in the loss of life, we should go that way because it would mean there would be at least one more body at the ready to protect Cridia.


    ¡°Let us take care of Shuuta. We don¡¯t have to sacrifice him. I¡¯ll work twice as hard¡ªwe''ll all work to make up for¡ª¡± Quella started to say.


    ¡°That is something I cannot allow,¡± Tokko replied. ¡°Being responsible for someone that, in metaphorical terms, cannot even walk by himself is a tremendous drain on resources. Every decision you make would be delayed, and that could lead to catastrophic consequences because we had to consider someone that cannot fight. In addition, it isn¡¯t fair to the others. We all worked hard¡ªusing our blood, sweat, and tears to accomplish our goals. Shuuta, you have not achieved anything of note.¡± He spoke of how Mia had spent nearly a hundred hours a week bettering her archery and performing research before she was even ten years old. ¡°Everyone but Shuuta has spent countless hours carving out our destiny to attend Mekka Academy, which stands as proof of our determination. It is pathetic that you want to coast through this new world on our coattails.¡±


    I just want to live my own life. Why is that so wrong?


    ¡°But that¡¯s not true! He¡ª"


    ¡°Look at him,¡± Tokko cut off Quella¡¯s rebuttal. ¡°Willpower cannot be forged to the degree we need in just three days. If it could, I would be instructing him because I knew I could lead him past his trauma and become a better man.¡±


    Better man? Trauma?


    Meruria asked two specific questions to Tokko and Mia, but their opinions on me were well known, so she moved on to Quella.


    "Do you believe Shuuta deserves to be sacrificed?¡± asked Meruria.


    ¡°No.¡± Quella¡¯s reply came swiftly.


    ¡°Then will he be useful?¡±


    ¡°Yes, he will. I guarantee it.¡±


    Ring!


    ¡°What?! No, that¡¯s not a lie!¡±


    Ring!


    ¡°I know he can be useful!¡±


    Ring!


    ¡°A lie...¡± I croaked; my voice extremely hoarse. ¡°It¡¯s all...a lie...?¡±


    ¡°Shuuta, you can be useful! I know you can!¡± Quella¡¯s voice grew even more aggressive, yet that little bell continued to ring.


    One by one, Ms. Mary, Elly, Greggie, Keeth, Ami, and Will answered Meruria¡¯s question, and it seemed neither of them had any faith in me. Every time the bell rang, they called out my name, but the pain was inflicted too deeply for me to do anything. I didn¡¯t even have the strength to close my eyes or stop them from wandering around. The one that raped me seemed to be smitten with Meruria because she was petting and scratching her behind the ears.


    Mia grinned and started to talk to a distraught Quella. ¡°Did you want to save him?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°Why? Before the incident on the plane, you had the pleasure of not knowing his existence.¡±


    ¡°Because I don¡¯t want to see him die.¡±


    Ring!


    The irritating cry of a bell had the same effect as a bombshell.


    ¡°Qutie...?¡± Elly whispered, her arms quivering against her bindings as unfathomable sadness darkened her expression. ¡°You were the first¡ª¡±


    ¡°That bell is broken! It¡¯s true!¡±


    Alert: Barrier coherency is weakening.


    Alert: Taking effective action. Entity, doest thou wish to survive?


    What? Why could I see words in a void where everything was broken down to its simplest form? Wishing to live... Did my mind want to abandon me at my lowest point?


    The final sparks of my red-hot fury flashed bright and true, giving me the final ounce of willpower to focus on four little words before the nothingness devoured me.


    I...want...to...live...


    I want to live.


    Alert: Mental acknowledgement confirmed. Granting Divine Skill: [Wrath, Flames of Inexhaustible Indignation.]


    New Divine Skill: [Wrath, Flames of Inexhaustible Indignation.]


    Within this blackened void, a spark of crimson filled my soul. Its light regathered the emotions I sacrificed to keep my wrathful fury, bringing them back to me... I wasn¡¯t completely whole, and it felt like it would take some time to put me back together since I was hanging on by something even less than a thread.


    Alert: Doest thou wish for a second chance?


    I do...


    Alert: Will thou rescind thy humanity?


    I will... I¡¯ll throw it all away to kill that goddamn bitch... Warm fury flowed through me like blood. With every passing second, a thousand variations of Meruria¡¯s death filled this void with a slice of my violently vivid imagination.


    Alert: Granting skill: [Lesser Chimera.]


    Alert: Attempt failed.


    Alert: Sacrificing [Soul Armatization] and [Soul Warrior] to grant Divine Skill: [Chimeric Mastery.]


    New Divine Skill: [Chimeric Mastery.]


    Alert: Granting **** Skill: [Hermes Trismegistus]


    New **** Skill: [Hermes Trismegistus]


    Alert: Could not finalize [Hermes Trismegistus.] Alerting the Conduit for final initialization.


    Alert: Granting Title: [Lesser Chimera.]


    New Title: [Lesser Chimera]


    Alert: Will thee endure the vast reaches of the infinite void? Will thy cling fast to life? Will thee remain firm in thine anger?


    I will... This won¡¯t be the end of me... IT WON¡¯T BE THE END OF ME!!!


    At some point, the words became something that was always there. You wouldn¡¯t look twice at a rock you see on your everyday journey. Even the most observant wouldn¡¯t notice a tiny change in size or shape here and there, especially in a place where the common rules of the world didn¡¯t apply.


    On top of that, this unyielding rage made it impossible to read what must¡¯ve been a figment of my imagination.


    I didn¡¯t care how long it would take...but I would always channel this rage and imagine the horrifyingly violent deaths for those damn traitors...


    Kill them...


    They must die...


    If they live, the mission is over...


    If they survive, revenge is considered a failure...


    I must make them bleed....


    I need to see their deaths...


    If I¡¯m not the one that kills them...


    Then what has all of this been for...?


    DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!!!!!!!!!!


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    DON¡¯TFORGET


    Revenge...?


    Yes, my revenge...


    They have to die...


    Focus... Focus on their deaths... Focus on the sweet, sweet relief you¡¯d feel once they¡¯ve passed into the afterlife...


    Focus...


    Count.


    Focus.


    Count.


    Focus.


    Don¡¯t lose your way..


    How...do I count? Numbers? Wan...won...one... 1...2... Yes, I remember now...


    Count...


    1... 2... 3... 4... 5... 6... 8... 20... 34... 234... 567... 1,284... 2,342.... 384,723... 2,678,400...


    Just...how long was a second? Or a minute? What determined an hour? Why was an hour an hour? Why... Explain...


    As I debated about time and its rules of classification, a colorless speck surrounded a tiny spot in this nether-like void of space and nothingness. I felt compelled to will my anger towards this foreign entity since I had nothing better to do.


    Entity? Why...is that familiar? Words? Alert? No, it doesn¡¯t matter. Focus this anger and send it to the speck...


    Alert: Assisting in the summoning initiated by the Dark Lord of Tyranny...


    Alert: Summoning successful...


    Alert: Seek out and restore the balance.

 Chapter Five: Chimeric Rebirth – Part One

    Chapter Five: Chimeric Rebirth ¨C Part One


    When I was six years old, I was called into the living room of our house. The wallpaper was frayed, peeling off like a nasty scab, but that was the worst of it. We had planned, as a family, to repaint the whole house together. Father and mother remarked it would be a fun activity since Mia was going to inherit it when she became an adult.


    ¡°Mother, did my results come in?¡± I asked after sitting down. My mother, with her brown hair and hazel eyes, opened the letter father had given her. No, it was already cracked open, so what used to be sealed within was already known.


    ¡°Acrobatics... Failed,¡± she whispered. Father was sitting near her, and he stood up. With a fist formed from years of watching his son live a life of failure, he brought a heavy blow upon my frightful face.


    It wasn¡¯t the first beating... It wouldn¡¯t be the last beating...


    ¡°Aeronautical Design... Failed.¡± Another punch. This one knocked me to the ground. Waves of pain erupted from my face, blood dripping down my two nostrils.


    ¡°Aeronautical Engineering... Failed. Archery... Failed... Classical Music Theory... Failed. Modeling... Failed. Steam Worker... Failed. You¡¯ve failed everything... Why are you doing this to us...?¡±


    Father¡¯s fist was soaked in my blood by the time he stopped. Consciousness was just a tiny thread, and I clung to using all that I had. His eyes were dead... Unmoving and devoid of all care and love he once had for me...


    ¡°Daddy, is it time for my birthday?¡± asked my sister. Mia was just a year younger than me, yet she had all the favor in the family.


    ¡°Of course, sweetie. We can also celebrate your excellent future. The examiner said there hadn¡¯t been anyone with your aptitude for physics in over 50 years.¡± When my father said that, he looked back at me and shook his head. He then turned to Mia and continued to offer his praise. ¡°You¡¯re our bundle of joy... There are great things awaiting you, sweetie. You can do it... I know you can.¡±


    From then and there... I knew I had no place in the Fenton family. I was especially sure of that a few days later...


    Because they attempted to abandon me on the other side of the city.


    Or was it the country? I can¡¯t even remember anymore, but it really doesn¡¯t matter. For a small child, being a hundred miles from home was the same as ten thousand. Findd new stories at novelhall.com


    In either case, the bond between parent and child was irreversibly broken.


    ¡°AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!! I¡¯M GOING TO FUCKING KILL THEM!!! Why did I just take it over and over and over again FOR TWENTY GODDAMN YEARS?!?! FFFUUUCCCKKKKKKK!!!!!!¡±


    Two decades¡¯ worth of repressed anguish and fury exploded from my mouth when my eyes opened. I said everything I had been carrying deep down... Curses flowed out as easily as rain in a thunderstorm. Everyone who¡¯d treated me like shit... I didn¡¯t leave off a single name.


    But as suddenly as this rage overcame me, it abandoned me for greener pastures.


    Without any warning, my activity log was filled to the brim with information, but it did very little to answer any of my questions. It just created more. Why wasn¡¯t I angry? Where did the rage go? I saw something referencing wrath, and I had felt wrathful, but...where did it go? The blazing inferno of relentless fury... Why was it extinguished? What... What was the last thing I saw?


    There was the trial, right? Then Will¡¯s betrayal. Quella and the others, too, since they never believed in me. I was thrown into the void? Then I counted... Did I...reach out with my anger? Shit, I can¡¯t remember.


    ¡°Gah, and why is it so bright? Huh--- Waahh!!! My... My voice... What happened to my voice...?¡± The voice that uttered those words did not belong to me... It couldn¡¯t have... I was male, and the regal, queen-like tone I heard was so far out of the league of my wispy, scratchy throat that the two couldn¡¯t have been more different.


    I looked down and saw a pair of breasts attached to my chest. My skin tone was a palish cream white, yet my legs were golden bronze. My hands went to my chest, but the arms that came into view were dark gray. I leaned over a bit more to rub my legs and stopped when I saw a penis. Was it mine? It looked like nothing of the one I remembered having. This one was the color of dark ash, yet it was big, thick, and girthy, like a large snake laying down to rest. A quiet plop spurned me to action. Within half a second, I stood up and realized I wasn¡¯t outside.


    The entire ground was a grassy wonderland, with each individual blade of verdant wonder providing something colorful for my eyes. The trees, tall and brown with thick, fat leaves branching off of healthy limbs, blocked out what must¡¯ve been an artificial sun. A substantial amount of shade littered the ground, and it all looked mightily inviting to sleep on. Even the air felt clean and refreshing. The sound of a waterfall cascading down into a pond was music to my pointy ears. But then my eyes landed on the five gray clay coffins in the middle of the room. A tablet floated above each one.


    Besides the strange sight, it felt like I was in the very definition of a naturalistic paradise.


    Everything caught my eye, but I couldn¡¯t split my attention multiple ways. ¡°Okay, I should start at the pond. Some instinct is telling me it¡¯s palatable,¡± I said, flinching at my newly feminine voice. Even as I stepped over to my goal, my footsteps were a familiar sound. It was odd and hard to understand, but it offered some comfort.


    ¡°Woah... Is... Is that me?¡± I said, staring at my reflection in still water.


    The face with an open mouth of surprise¡ªthe one that stared back at me from the water¡¯s surface was not the one I was born with. The skin was fair and delicate, smooth to the touch like soft silk. The eyes gazing up at me were light brown.


    A timid hand reached up to poke at the two new pointy ears, which extended more sideward than upward. The edges of them were quite sharp, not rounded like my human ears. But the most drastically different thing was my hair, which looked like sweetened honey. Compared to the greasy brown rag that used to just barely cover my head, these golden locks that warmly brushed against my neck were gorgeous. If I moved just a bit, I could feel the ends of my hair tickle against my rear, which was curvy and well-rounded.


    ¡°So, this chest isn¡¯t mine... I was a guy... I¡¯m a girl now?¡± Perhaps someone I knew would have loved to be in the situation I found myself in. Without even realizing it, a pair of feminine, dark gray hands, with nails that seemingly looked like they had received the best of attention and care, started exploring this brand-new torso. The boobs I were currently fondling were just that. They were just sacks of fat that happened to be too big for my new hands to completely conquer, so I settled for pinching my nipples for half a second to try something. But they ever slid downward, bypassing a toned stomach until they came to my crotch.


    My old body had nothing like this new penis, which must¡¯ve easily been 7 inches. Its ash-like appearance was almost like a brighter version of the skin tone on my arms. In a blind motion, I proceeded to keep my hands moving down. Both slipped around the shaft, wrapping it gently in a soft embrace. When they reached the end of my uncircumcised penis, they traveled down the back side on a direct course for my dangling testicles. The hands of a woman... The soft fingers of a female...wrapping around and showing care to my sensitive bits. It was a sharp contrast to that beastfolk as she brutalized me.


    Wrath, Flames of Inexhaustible IndignationAllows the user to control their anger when this skill is invoked. The more they allow wrath to fester within their heart, the more powerful the user will become. Excessive or improper use can cause the user to fall into an uncontrolled rampage, transforming them into a mindless beast with an instinct for destruction. Eyes of the Huntress (Lv. 10) Allows the user to see at a far distance while tracking fast moving objects with the utmost ease. In addition, it also grants the user the ability to perceive night and darkness as if it was day. The user¡¯s eyes will slowly turn to a light gray when this effect is in use. Timeless Existence (Lv. 10) The user is removed from the passing of time and cannot die from old age. Nature¡¯s Workshop (Lv. 3) Grants the user the ability to create miscellaneous items from materials found in nature. Scholar¡¯s Tongue (Lv. 10) Grants the user the ability to quickly master unknown languages. Dead Eye (Lv. 6) Grants the user increased accuracy with firearms, bows, and throwing weapons. Heat Resistance (Lv. 10) Grants the user resistance towards heat.


    I should have been extremely freaked out, but what could I have done? This body... Being turned into a Chimera was the only reason I had a chance to enact my revenge. Was I a hypocrite, then? Five bodies, one soul. Did the soul make the body, or did the body¡ªbodies¡ª make the soul? What if that was why I had no name?


    What if I lose my sense of self...? Shuuta Fenton doesn¡¯t exist anymore...?


    I¡¯d probably have an eternity to think on that because Timeless Existence, if it could be trusted, guaranteed old age wouldn¡¯t be the cause of my death.


    In short, that was simply incredible. In my world, health care had advanced far enough so that living a century and a half wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    But no time limit?


    The rest of the skills seemed to be self-explanatory, but I had one more Divine Skill to look through. And it looked to be related to my current predicament.


    Chimeric Mastery Biomass ¨C A resource used to fuel Chimeric Transfiguration. Capacity will grow faster the more it is used. Biomass can be used to regenerate dismembered body parts and heal wounds. Biomass is gained upon successful Assimilation of organic material. Biomass is used to satisfy a Chimera¡¯s hunger and thirst. Assimilation ¨C An ability that allows the user to physically and spiritually devour their target, provided they have enough mana, and take their target¡¯s strength for themselves. If used on the same type and species of monster, there will be diminishing returns. Chimeric Transfiguration ¨C The ability to morph the user¡¯s body to match those they assimilate. The more the user is transfigured, the more Biomass is required to sustain it. Current Transfiguration Limit: 10% Assimilation Mastery ¨C The ability to master the skills belonging to those the user assimilates. The user must be partially transfigured into the being that has the skill the user wants to master. The more powerful the skill, the more the user must be transfigured. Once a skill is mastered, it can be used at any time. Grants access to the Mastery Menu.


    Okay, I need to take it slow and examine it effect by effect. You can''t act rashly.


    [Chimeric Mastery] came with multiple skills. Biomass was another resource to manage, which was probably the yellow bar underneath the blue one. It couldn¡¯t just regenerate like mana, so [Assimilation] would handle that. If the description could be trusted, I just had to eat food. [Chimeric Transfiguration] would allow me to take on the characteristics of those assimilated, but I didn¡¯t know how to do either of those.


    [Assimilation Mastery] would allow me to learn the skills of those assimilated? That all sounded nice, but I just didn¡¯t know how to do that. Mastery Menu came from this skill.


    It had my other skills listed, and they were mastered.


    So many questions swirled around my mind, and I just didn¡¯t know where to start.


    Or even how to start answering them.


    How did I turn into a chimera? Where am I? Why do I look like this? How did I get these skills? What happened to the winds of infinite void?


    Wait... I...saw words, right? Didn¡¯t that... Yeah, it¡¯s coming back... Something spoke to me and asked me to... What did it ask me? Why did it...turn me into a chimera?


    Like everything else, I¡¯m just going to have to roll with it until I could find some answers. Ah, wait, there¡¯s something else. **** Skill? The name of the skills is fine, but its classification, I think, is unreadable.


    Hermes Trismegistus Status Cloak ¨C The user may freely edit their Status Menu to hide what they do not want displayed. The changes are visual only. Analysis ¨C The user may analyze a target to receive information. (Needs Initialization) Map ¨C The user receives a map of the world, but only the locations they have been are filled in. It can be placed anywhere in the user¡¯s vision, zoomed-in, and zoomed-out. The user may search the map to find a person, place, or thing, and once found, they may place a waypoint to track the target. Waypoints may be shared. (Needs Initialization) Radar ¨C On the map, foes show as red blips, allies as green blips, and neutral parties as white blips. (Needs Initialization) Timestamp¨C The user may see the current time in regard to their current location. This skill comes with a calendar available for use. (Needs Initialization) Storage ¨C The user may store items in a dimension that is not affected by time, temperature, or gravity. (Limit: 50lbs) (Needs Initialization) Auto-Loot ¨C The user will automatically gather and store items within [Storage.] (Limit: 30 Feet. Limit: Cores Only) (Needs Initialization) Artificer¡¯s Arsenal ¨C The user may store their crafting supplements and supplies in a realm where they do not degrade. In return, they cannot be used to cause harm or injury. This skill comes with [Appraisal]. (Needs Initialization) ?????????? ??


    ¡°Hermes Trismegistus... That sounds familiar. Honestly, all these abilities sound amazing. Especially if [Map] and [Radar] work like I think they will. Being able to do a search for a person or object and then marking it with a floating waypoint? It¡¯s too bad everything but [Status Cloak] requires initialization, and I don¡¯t know what that is... Didn¡¯t I see something about a Conduit? And why is it **** Skill and not Divine Skill like my other two? And why the ¡®????¡¯? Is there another skill?¡± I spoke to myself while browsing my Status Menu for any information that could have been useful, but nothing stood out. I thought about giving myself a name with [Status Cloak], but being known as Shuuta Fenton unnerved me, so I waited. Besides, I didn¡¯t have to do it now.


    Plop!


    Looking up, I saw red and purple fruits grow from the size of a seed to something larger than a grape in seconds, then observed as it landed near me. I wasn¡¯t hungry or thirsty, yet something inside told me it was safe to eat.


    Trust the voice? Don¡¯t trust the voice? Or was it instinct speaking to me? Instinct belonging to a body part that I wasn¡¯t born with. The longer I stared at the growing fruit, which clung to the tree for safety and nourishment, the more I wanted to eat it. The desire grew within me. It was my voice. It had to have been my choice, and that was why I grabbed the fruit when it fell.


    My teeth chewed, biting the skin and tasting the delectable juice hidden inside. I enjoyed the flavor, which tasted like a mix between an apple and a watermelon.


    ¡°I did this. You didn¡¯t guide me to do this... I¡¯m my own person...¡± I whispered, the juice dribbling down my chin and onto the sacks of fat on my chest. I ate and ate, popping the tasty snacks into my mouth as quickly as they grew back.


    After eating my fill, I kneeled down and scooped the cold, refreshing water to my new mouth. It tasted far better than the toilet water I had to drink at home and at the academy. Sweet nectar quenched my thirst, and for the first time in forever, I actually felt somewhat safe. I had no reason to believe the tree would stop producing food.


    Military strategists often say brash assumptions lead to losses. Does that apply to different worlds, where even the laws of physics differ?


    I swallowed three more mouthfuls and turned my attention to the left-most coffin. I briskly walked towards it, reaching out to grasp the stone tablet.


    The text was unreadable at first, but then...


    [Scholar¡¯s Tongue] has activated! New Skill: [Orc Language]


    It was like someone flipped a switch inside my mind. Suddenly, the words started to make sense.


    Languages are considered skills? Huh...But there¡¯s no level after it?

 Chapter Five: Chimeric Rebirth – Part Two

    Chapter Five: Chimeric Rebirth ¨C Part Two


    High Elf Susize, Cowfolk Beccy, Dark Elf Reina, Desert Foxfolk Yaekira, and I, Ashen Orc Murag... We were the five Soul Warriors who fought and defeated the Dark Lord of Tyranny. No, it¡¯s incorrect to say we accomplished it alone. Truth be told, we had the help of the entire world over, who banded together to eliminate the greatest threat this world had ever known. Special thanks had to be given to all who participated, but two stood out above the rest.


    Amos¡ªThe brave Holy Lord who led us to victory as our commander.


    The second refused to give his name, but had he not joined in the fight, it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to claim the world would have met a fiery apocalypse.


    Even with them, and proper planning from the wisest elves, we could not kill the foul tyrant. Defeat? Yes, but not kill. Holy Lord Amos eventually discovered the Dark Lord suffered from a curse that ensured rebirth after death, which meant her reign of terror could never be truly stopped. However, he wasn¡¯t knowledgeable about her until after her name had already begun to spread. It was right around the time in which he had acquired enough Holy Mana to create Soul Crystals, but he didn¡¯t start on his journey with her defeat in mind.


    That would come later.


    Instead of risking his chance against the boundless, cosmic infinity of the universe via the summoning ritual, he journeyed around the world to gather exceptional men and women to be his chosen few.


    We were the only five who were worthy of him.


    As mentioned before, defeating the Dark Lord was what we did, and we did that by sealing her with blessed chains.


    I am writing this from the dungeon that will serve as her sealing location. The dungeon is said to be unconquerable, which makes it the perfect place to leave the Dark Lord. The room I¡ªwe are in now is the first safe room of five, which will function as our bases of rest and relaxation. Even though we are strong, we are surrounded by staggeringly difficult monsters, all of which are at the level cap. There is a silver lining. The seal we put on the entrance will prevent any more from spawning during our descent.


    Since I am a historian at heart, I will leave a tablet in each safe room to detail our journey towards the bottom. More than that, I do hope it will serve as a warning if this tablet is ever discovered and read.


    The ultimate evil will be resting at the bottom.


    To prevent anyone from reaching her, we have applied a special magical technique that eliminates the teleportation magic linking these safe rooms together the moment when unknown mana is sensed. The only path forward will be the long way, which is filled with peril and trouble. That is another reason to turn back and leave this place behind.


    Just penning these words down brings great pain to my heart because I value the past, present, and future. I live for history, and I believe everything should be written down so those that come after us will learn from our mistakes. Even still, I must stick to my gut and reason...


    I do not want anyone to read any of this, but I will leave tablets in each safe room because that is the least I can do.


    Hunter of the Stars (1/10) Mana Link


    That tablet answered a lot of questions.


    My head definitely used to be a part of Susize¡¯s corpse. The arms had to be of Dark Elf origins, and this sturdy torso belonged to a Cowfolk. These legs once allowed Yaekira to speed across the desert.


    The penis was once owned by the Ashen Orc historian, Murag. Its unusual length and girth only made sense if it once belonged to an orc. That traitor Will once talked about the lewd stories he liked to read during lunch. One of his annoying quips was that he hated the fact that if there was an orc in the story, it would have a large cock. Again, it was one of those things where I just ignored him the best I could.


    Knowing the previous owners of my sewn-together existence helped just a tad bit, but that was all. It didn¡¯t answer the primary question I had, which was how I obtained this body. Surely the Dark Lord wasn¡¯t responsible for it. Why would she make something like this for me? Did she want me to free her? Did she turn me into a chimera to grant me a second chance?


    Is she behind those words I saw? What about a dungeon? This can¡¯t be it, right? If it is, I don¡¯t have to worry about any monsters. The entrance was sealed by Amos, but where is it? He shares the same title as Meruria, so the power must be comparable.


    I felt the very air tremble and quiver as the very space above me became distorted and cracked in half. Slowly, a person descended, but she wasn¡¯t alone. She was crucified to a cross of pure white energy that somehow emitted no light. This woman was old and withered and naked, with thin bones, no hair, and skin so wrinkly and dry it seemed a small breeze would rip it from her body. Her eyes were closed, and she showed no signs of moving.


    Suddenly, her left leg was engulfed in flame darker and darker than the deepest night. It was then I realized that she had white chains embedded into her right leg, right arm, left arm, and heart. I presumed the coffins, tablets, and chains were acting as the Dark Lord¡¯s seal. They only just showed themselves when I inadvertently broke the first one.


    At the same time, Susize¡¯s corpse glowed a soft azure. Seconds later, the ethereal form of a headless woman with a gnarly chest wound separated itself from its earthly shell. With a solemn shrug of her shoulders, she walked and stood under the Dark Lord, the black flames acting as a symbol I was doing something right.


    Susize¡¯s clothes followed her into death¡¯s embrace.


    ¡°Is this the beginning of my revenge?¡± I spoke to myself. After being in this body for a little while, the feminine, regal tone of my new voice started to sound normal. Even the pair of boobs started to feel like they were always been there. Was that what I truly thought? Or was it a trick being played on me to keep me calmer than I should have been?


    Did it even matter what kind of body I had? It was just a means to an end. Why, this chimerism was starting to feel a tad comfortable.


    For a few seconds, my mind went to the friends that stood up for my continued existence.


    Then I growled and threw their names from my mind because it turned out they wanted me to die so I¡¯d be free of the pain.


    Those bastards...


    When [Wrath: Flames of Inexhaustible Indignation] is at 0, I really can¡¯t feel any anger. I know it¡¯s there, but it¡¯s like it¡¯s invisible... It seems it won¡¯t be an influence on my decisions, which is good. I must keep a cool head.

 Chapter Six: The Dark Lord’s Fate

    Chapter Six: The Dark Lord¡¯s Fate


    I walked over to the next coffin while talking to myself. ¡°Chimerism is the key. It must be. It details that I could gain power by assimilating, but I need to find something I can assimilate. Common sense tells me the others are too strong... I can try, but it most likely won¡¯t work... If it means getting revenge, I¡¯d eat anything that dares to stand in my way... Wait, what about that Divine Skill? The tooltip said I¡¯d get stronger the more I turn the dial, but how strong would I get?¡± I cranked it up to five, but nothing noticeable happened. Perhaps it worked in increments of ten? Unlikely... Meruria¡¯s name passed through my thoughts, and I instantly felt some mild anger when it was at nine.


    I¡¯ll have to test it out later. Right now, I need to look at the tablet.


    In this tablet, I will detail the history, or rather the most widely accepted history, of the Dark Lord we have captured. As much as I hate wasting words on her life, I couldn¡¯t live with myself if I purposely ignored the chance to leave written proof of her existence.


    Her story must be told. That is simply the truth of the matter.


    The Dark Lord of Tyranny was born to an adventurer and his wife, who were very well off. Her father was an accomplished and noteworthy warrior who had reached the third highest rank with the guild. Her mother was the daughter of a rather famous family that has since been struck from history. I do wish I knew the name so I could mark it down, but alas... I do not...


    As with any innocent child, her birth was supposed to be one of celebration... A grand occasion to welcome a new life to this wonderful world we live in... That was how it was meant to go, but everything changed when she was pushed out of her mother¡¯s womb.


    For you see, the Dark Lord was born with silver hair, red fur warming her arms, and blue fur covering her legs. According to ancient legends, the greatest threat the world had ever seen was thought to have had those exact features, and it was written that her reincarnation would bring the world to ruin. Her mother and father panicked, shaving the newborn. They did their best to put that awful prophecy behind them by pretending their daughter suffered from a disease that caused hairlessness. Such stress tore the family apart, causing unfaithfulness to rear its ugly head.


    For five years, the family held together, but even the patience of a loving father will eventually run out. He soon found comfort in the arms of the maid attending to them and their mansion. She gave him so much affection that he thought it only fair to bless her with a rich belly that housed a pair of twins. Pregnancy was something that couldn¡¯t be hidden, and his wife soon found out about his infidelity.


    Perhaps that was what it took for the mother to snap... The stress accumulating of giving birth to a rumored harbinger of death and chaos, the inability to keep that shame hidden forever, the lack of companionship and help from the one who had sworn to always be there for her... Knowing that he had taken it upon himself to follow through with a second chance at starting a family pushed her over the edge into insanity.


    One night, during dinner, the drinking glasses were poisoned. The Dark Lord¡¯s mother and father, along with the maid and her unborn children, died from poison. Rumor had it the Dark Lord was behind it, but I believe the mother was the one who wanted to take everyone with her. As for leaving the Dark Lord behind? Perhaps the mother was just afraid of her... She feared the child would follow them in death, wreaking havoc upon the afterlife as such was her predetermined destiny in the world of the living.


    On that note, I have problems with the validity of that legend I spoke about above. It seems to have been common knowledge, but my attempts to discover its source ended in failure. I am almost of the mind to declare it an outright lie since I cannot find any historical reference to it. Then again, this dungeon will be the Dark Lord¡¯s resting place. It¡¯s just a matter of time before her legend fades to memory. After that, I expect it to be gone from history. After a few hundred years, perhaps those unlucky Lionfolk born resembling her will no longer be persecuted.


    From here, the details become as blurry as smoked glass... I have it on good authority to say that after the Dark Lord ran away from her house, she was captured by a slaver. After years of living in misery, she attempted to escape with a friend, but after tripping in the mud, the Dark Lord was left behind to be recaptured. That perceived betrayal lit a dark fire within her heart.


    Once she later escaped by herself, she formed her own bandit troupe and started attacking anyone who had the misfortune to encounter her or pass through the lands she¡¯d claimed. Such an accumulation of power and a thirst for death eventually led to her ascension as the Dark Lord of Tyranny. Her reward was the abominable Divine Skill called [Tyranny Control]-- the strongest enslavement skill in the world, which befitted her tyrannical nature, and a weapon.


    Her mace... That was the most terrible thing she was cursed with... Even now, I shudder when thinking about its power... I am happy to say that the infernal weapon is in Lord Amos¡¯s hands. He stored it in a place known only to him, and he stated that he would investigate sealing its unholy power once we were done here.


    If the agent we sent in hadn¡¯t swindled it away from the Dark Lord of Tyranny, I wouldn¡¯t be here right now, etching this into stone to guarantee this reminder would last until the end of the world.


    That agent was the person who left the Dark Lord alone all those many years ago during her first escape attempt. But being betrayed again by the closest thing she had to a friend, right after she¡¯d forgiven him and he¡¯d declared his love for her? Her screams... The Dark Lord curses of revenge... I will never forget them for as long as I live. Sometimes, I wonder if we were right to do this, but just the thought of how her reign of terror and destruction would bring devastation to the world... We must have been right. It was the only way we could have stopped her.


    As such, that is the story of the Dark Lord of Tyranny. From the beginning, she was destined to live a life of neglect, abuse, and enslavement, while being spearheaded into becoming the world¡¯s enemy. Was tragic? Perhaps. Could one argue that she was nothing but a victim? Of course.


    But at the end of the day, if she wasn¡¯t stopped, there just wouldn¡¯t have been a world anymore.


    Murag.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re the Cowfolk... Yeah, the skin tone of my tits matches your face,¡± I said when the tablet and coffin shattered.


    I suppose I was looking at what was left of a woman that would probably be considered pretty. Her hair was long, a mix between red and pink. A pair of small horns poked out from underneath, meaning she was a beastfolk.


    I snatched up the crumpled, mostly empty leather dress partially covering the body. After focusing, I was told it belonged to the Favored Daughter¡¯s Fateful Farewell set¡ªthe same collection as Susize¡¯s clothes.


    Same collection? Yes, but that didn¡¯t mean it matched. When I thought of cows, leather came to my mind. This red and black leather-covered dress was reinforced with golden thread in just the right areas to highlight its strengths. It was an extreme display of an artisan''s care for his craft. Or it was something like that.


    I wasn¡¯t going to wear it, so I tossed it to the ground and examined the corpse.


    She didn¡¯t have a torso, except for her hairless crotch, so it was like looking at a doll missing the central piece. My hands ran up and down her arms, feeling just how smooth and soft her gloves were. If I had her torso and ass, then why did I have a penis? Why take everything and leave the crotch? Or why give me the crotch of a man in the first place?


    Do those questions matter? I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I?


    Error: You are not strong enough to use [Assimilation] on Beccy!


    Yeah, I figured that would happen. That was 2 of 5 of being too strong. Chances were high that the pattern continued. She was buried with leather sandals, but I chose to ignore them.


    Castle¡¯s Monument (1/10) Mana Link Protector¡¯s Bane (1/10) Mana Link Scorpion¡¯s Bite (1/10) Mana Link


    He wrote about a giant monster that birthed hundreds of thousands of other monster. It was so tall that even Susize¡¯s incredible eyesight couldn¡¯t see the top of it.


    Then I found something important.


    Amos confessed that the seal used on the inside of the dungeon was to be powered with his Soul Warriors¡¯ lives. And they knew that. They came into this supposed hellhole without any intention of leaving it.


    Amos was responsible for leaving these bodies here to act as a seal. All the ones I came across were in perfect shape, other than the parts that had been stolen, but the same wasn¡¯t true of Susize''s corpse. She had large a gash across her chest. I think I could safely assume that it didn¡¯t come from Amos.


    ¡°Thanks for answering most of my unanswered questions...¡± I whispered as the coffin and tablet shattered.


    Error: You are not strong enough to use [Assimilation] on Murag!


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re pretty much all muscle... And taller than me... I don¡¯t know why I didn¡¯t make the connection sooner, but Ashen Orcs¡¯ bodies are really the color of ash,¡± I said when looking over his body.


    A dark gray-colored ash, to be exact. A pair of teeth-colored tusks extended from the corner of his mouth, which was formed into a smile. Unlike his other allies, who were buried in exotic-looking clothes that probably suited their beauty, not that I could appreciate any, Murag wore generic brown clothes that reminded me of what monks from the Middle Ages would wear when studying.


    They were part of the Favored Son¡¯s Fateful Farewell set. A counterpart from the Favored Daughter¡¯s Fateful Farewell, I was sure. Slowly, I slipped on Murag¡¯s short-sleeved brown shirt. It was oversized and came down to my knees, but it felt pretty damn comfortable. Like the other clothes, it was of exceptional quality. Was it made out of cloth? I rubbed it between my fingers and couldn¡¯t quite place the material. Focusing on it only revealed the name of the set.


    His toned, defined muscles were clearly visible from his neck down to his incredibly refined abs. Even in death, he looked powerful and regal. Since his crotch was now mine, his underwear was caved in and empty under his brown pants. Was it nasty to wear someone else¡¯s undergarments? Yes, it was. But I didn¡¯t care about that. In a flash, I slid them up my legs and properly adjusted my cock, making sure it was secured in place. That was difficult since I never had this problem in my old body. Eventually, I settled on something that felt comfortable. ¡°Finally, it¡¯ll stop flopping around. You just don¡¯t know how annoying that is to have something so large smack you in the thigh.¡± Here I was, complaining to a dead body. ¡°But what do I know...? This did belong to you...¡±


    There were pants, but Murag¡¯s legs were thick and powerful. His clothes needed to accommodate his large body, which meant they wouldn¡¯t have fit me. If I had a belt, then maybe, but there wasn¡¯t one around. I managed to get lucky with his underwear.


    Ferocious Pride (1/10) Mana Link


    A warhammer? It was quite large and rugged, with jewels going down the golden handle while a pair of ruby spikes poked out from both sides of the head. It looked to be very well made and expensive, and I wondered who created it. It could have been Amos, but nothing in the tablets indicated he was a master craftsman. Right when the weapon vanished, Murag¡¯s spirit rose from his corpse and joined the other four. I tried to wave at them, but they weren¡¯t looking my way because they all stared up at the crucified Dark Lord. I wasn¡¯t sure how Susize could stare with no head, but that was beside the point.


    Right on cue, black fire swallowed the Dark Lord¡¯s right arm in the darkest flame. And there was still no movement at all. I had just the one seal left¡ªthe chain piercing right through her heart¡ªand things were probably going to get interesting.


    I regret that I even have to etch these words into stone, yet I have to leave word of Princess Susize Vredi¡¯s passing. As for how it happened? The Dark Lord must¡¯ve been slowly amassing power during our descent down. Susize was just walking by when she broke free from the crystal we had temporarily encased her in, slashing my closest companion across the chest and killing her instantly. It was a final attempt to break free from her punishment.


    I descended into the furious rage my brethren are known and feared for. It was a blissful experience when wrath overtook me. It took Lord Amos and the three others to restrain me. Truthfully, I still remember it... I heard the Dark Lord¡¯s awful cackling, and I wanted to wring her neck. Even if it meant this journey would have been for naught, I just wanted to rip open her chest and devour her beating heart... Even now, my orcish blood and intrinsic desire to rampage are making it hard to concentrate.


    But Susize¡¯s death... Her passing means that the seal Lord Amos had planned won¡¯t be perfect. It¡¯s better than killing her¡ªthat''s for sure, but instead of being a permanent solution to her abominable existence, it¡¯ll be like a bandage. Holy Lord Amos said we would have peace for 800 years longer than if we would have killed her, so I suppose 1,000 years isn¡¯t anything to scoff at...


    Susize... You were loved by all, and I will miss you very much. Our late-night talks that lasted well into the early morning hours were a highlight of my life. Even when I was depressed, I could count on your cheery face to greet me with a fascinating smile... I wish I could hold you in my arms one last time, feeling your kiss upon my lips...


    For your sake, I will make sure the rest of the plan goes off without a hitch. I swear it.


    Murag.


    Error: You are not strong enough to use [Assimilation] on Yaekira!


    That explained it, right? Susize died before the final seal was used, which explains the wound on her chest. A thousand years, though? A millennium for Murag and the Dark Lord, but how much time had passed since I was summoned?


    Yaekira was buried in something similar to what might have been found in ancient Egypt of my world. Her bronze skin was kissed and touched by the harsh sun of the desert. The top she had on was made of yellow and white silk that danced up her arms from a ring on her middle finger. Or that was what the silk was sewn into. The overall design complemented her toned stomach, playfully glancing against her breasts as if to draw purposeful attention to them.


    There was a jackal-like headpiece on her head, which covered her medium-length black hair. And since I had her legs, her skirt was just lying there. I picked it up, dusted it off, and wore it. It was made out of purple silk, yet splashes of yellow and white formed a decorative border around the waistline. I swirled around in a circle, watching and smiling as the skirt began to flare up. I did debate on stripping Yaekira¡¯s shirt off and putting it on, but Beccy¡¯s tits were just so much bigger than hers that anything less than oversized wouldn¡¯t cut. Besides, I already had Murag¡¯s shirt.


    Kitsune¡¯s Kiss (1/10) Mana Link


    Though only one name appeared when I focused on the pair of daggers, it looked as if the two were considered a single item. That made sense because it seemed they linked together by the pommel to create a weapon with two blades. The clashing dark brown and bright silver did not match, and why did one have a sapphire in its hilt while the other held a yellow jewel?


    ¡°The seal should be broken,¡± I said, watching as Yaekira¡¯s spirit left her body to join the others. A moment before this happened, the weapon vanished, making me wonder if the weapons were somehow linked to the seal.


    As if it was right on cue, the chain piercing the Dark Lord¡¯s chest was burned, and the black fire scorching her four limbs joined together on her heart, and it spread to her entire body.


    And then her arms and legs began to move.


    I had done it. According to the tablets, I had just freed the greatest threat this world had ever known. A malicious grin appeared on my face, and I approached the five spirits, who helplessly stared.

 Chapter Seven: The Dark Lord of Tyranny’s Reincarnation

    Chapter Seven: The Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s Reincarnation


    ¡°Susize. Beccy. Reina. Murag. Yaekira.¡± I spoke the names of the five ghostly phantoms fearfully staring at the Dark Lord¡¯s scorched state of being. It was slightly, but I saw a little bit of movement within those deep, dark flames engulfing her being. Murag started to speak, but his words were unknown for a few seconds until I learned the language.


    New Skill: [Arezzian Language]


    Arezzian? That¡¯s an odd name.


    ¡°This room... It was where that abominable monster killed Susize. The seeds she carried were doused by her blood. Over time this desolate, dark, despicable place was transformed into the utopia you see before you,¡± whispered Murag.


    I understood him perfectly. Internally, I marveled at how powerful [Scholar¡¯s Tongue] could be in the right situation.


    He huffed, meeting my eyes while shaking his head. ¡°Did you intend on this being your grave? You¡¯ve read the tablets, so why did you continue to go through with breaking the seals that required our very lives?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve read them, so what? I need the power the Dark Lord holds if I¡¯m to accomplish my goals.¡±


    ¡°But why?!¡± Yaekira whined. Her brown ears wiggled while her tail snapped in fury. Her eyes darted down to my legs. The disgust on her face was plainly visible. She crossed her arms over her exposed stomach, hiding it from my gaze even though I wasn¡¯t staring at it.


    ¡°You should know how dangerous the Dark Lord of Tyranny can be! She forced mothers to kill sons, fathers to suffocate daughters, and brothers to butcher sisters. She destroyed their bodies and spirits, then tightened her grip around their souls to feed them into the awful machine called war!!¡± shouted Reina. ¡°She almost destroyed the world!¡±


    Disgusting gurgling came from Susize¡¯s neck stump. Was it possible they forced her into the ritual seal after her death?


    ¡°Does it look like I care? Hey, just how long does it take? She¡¯s been burning for a few minutes. Besides, there¡¯s nothing you can say to me that¡¯ll make me regret my actions.¡±


    ¡°WHY?!?!?! Don¡¯t you know that freeing the Dark Lord would mean everything we had worked for¡ªall of the years of planning, hoping, praying, and training¡ªyou''re really just going to throw our hard work away?! And for you to do that while being a disgusting chimera? No... Just no!!!¡± Yaekira ranted, throwing a tantrum. My nonchalant tone irritated her.


    ¡°Again... I don¡¯t really care. If it pisses you off even more, I¡¯ll gladly do it while looking like this. The five Soul Warriors of Lord Amos... Those who gave their lives to keep the Dark Lord sealed away... How ironic that the one to free her will do it while looking like you. Haha! It¡¯s almost like it was fate, right?¡± My chuckles and laughs seemed to set them off, but I didn¡¯t care.


    ¡°YOU DON¡¯T UNDERSTAND!!!!! YOU¡¯VE DOOMED THE WORLD!!!! Everyone will die... They¡¯ll all die... And you¡¯ll be responsible... It¡¯ll be as if you went around and personally slit the throats of every innocent child. The five of us left behind loved ones! What about our descendants? They¡¯re innocent! They don¡¯t deserve to have that innocence tainted by the ravages of war!! Everyone deserves to live in peace, right? What about your loved ones? You have family, right? And friends? What would they think about this? Listen to their voices that reside in your heart? You can still stop this! You can still reverse your mistake!!!!¡± Reina was trying to appeal to a sense of righteousness or filial piety that she assumed I had, but her fierce glare gave away how empty her platitudes were.


    ¡°Are you trying to guilt trip me by appealing to my affection for my loved ones? Hahaha!! You have no idea how hilariously misplaced that ridiculous bullshit sounds to me. If I listened to my ¡®family¡¯ I¡¯d have committed suicide years ago. They never stopped telling me how worthless I was and egging me on to just off myself and do them and the world a favor.


    ¡°Do you know how many times my parents tried abandoning me? Do you know how many times they actually succeeded in doing so? How it took weeks to get back home, and my reward was my so-called father¡¯s fist to my face the second the police officers were out of sight? How many times has my ¡®mother¡¯ forced me to drink water from the toilet because she said the faucet water was too good for me? How my ¡®sister¡¯ took great joy in stealing what little I managed to collect and keep from my parents? How many times have I literally had to scrounge for scraps in the garbage because my ¡®family¡¯ refused to actually give me any food? Or how about the ¡®family bonding sessions,¡¯ where they got together and beat me for being a failure in a meritocracy that demands excellence because one of them was stressed? Or how about how it was a mercy when they finally decided to just ignore my existence and pretend I wasn¡¯t around, since at least then they weren¡¯t actively making my life a living hell? They broke me.


    ¡°There isn¡¯t anyone out there who would miss me if I died, and a large number who would actively cheer for it. In fact, I¡¯ve already died once. That bitch Meruria tossed me into the void, so death is something I¡¯m already well acquainted with.


    ¡°Basically, I have nothing to lose. Either I free this Dark Lord and she kills me, freeing me from this miserable existence and she¡¯ll go on to destroy the world, or she joins me and we work together to destroy Cridia. I don¡¯t give a fuck about your descendants. If they try to stop me, I¡¯ll send them your way with a hole in their stomach, but they aren¡¯t worth slaughtering if they stay out of it.¡±


    Suddenly, the magical energy the Dark Lord was crucified on was instantly swallowed by flames of the darkest night.


    And then it exploded, sending cascades of tiny fragments of white and black down to the ground, where they sizzled instantly in the soft green grass, but that wasn¡¯t all.


    There was a woman¡ªa youthful woman around the age of 25-30, that slowly descended amongst the falling debris. Her skin was light gray. Her hair, which came to her shoulder blades, lion-like tail, and lion-like ears were the same obsidian black as those powerful flames that seemingly threatened all of reality. The fur on her forearms and lower legs shared the same color as her hair. She turned towards me, staring with those deep silver eyes as her feet finally touched the warm grass.


    The tablets detailed a Lionfolk with blue and red fur, but that wasn¡¯t what I saw.


    Susize glared at me with those big eyes. Water was already leaking down the sides as she begged me. ¡°Please, don¡¯t do this. You can¡¯t do this! You can¡¯t let her leave this place!¡± The Dark Lord, who was covered in blood from the brawl, walked and stood by me.


    ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯m going to do. We¡¯re going to leave here, and I¡¯m going to kill Meruria and her shitty warriors. I won¡¯t stop until I have her head on a fucking pike.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it! Chimera, you are recently born, so you¡¯re weak and cannot assimilate our corpses. And by the time you do have enough strength to do so, we will have decomposed and returned as one to the great Mother Nature!¡± Reina exclaimed, finding her voice after being trounced.


    Remaining silent, I ignored her.


    ¡°Agree to the following geas. You will do your natural duties and reseal the Dark Lord, and you will only kill Meruria and her Soul Warriors. Pledge your soul, and we will grant you the rest of our mana. We¡¯ll willingly pass into the afterlife, content to not come back into the world of the living for the rest of eternity. That is how serious we are in preventing her from breaking free. Please, it is for the best! With our power combined, even Lord Amos will be unable to defeat you.¡±


    ¡°Wait, so let me get this right. You¡¯ll allow me to get my revenge, with your power, mind you, and you¡¯re willing to just completely die for the rest of eternity, so the Dark Lord doesn¡¯t escape?¡± All five nodded, then begged me that it was the correct choice.


    So, I thought it over for a few seconds.


    ¡°You know what? I¡¯m starting to feel like I won¡¯t stop at Meruria. Maybe this world needs to go. Maybe it needs to burn to a crisp and cease to exist. So yeah, you just convinced me. Fuck the world and all that¡¯s in it.¡± I summoned Reina¡¯s gun, pressed it to her head after cocking it, and pulled the trigger.


    Bang!


    I killed a humanoid in cold blood. I could argue that the goblin was also a humanoid, but it wasn¡¯t capable of proper communication.


    I used to think the weight of the trigger would be extremely heavy, but it was as light as a feather. Did a life weight that much? Why did it take so little effort to completely kill someone?


    I didn¡¯t feel anything of it as her spirit slumped against the bloody ground.


    ¡°NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU¡¯RE GOING TO FUCKING DIE!!!!!!!!!!¡± Murag screamed. He raged against his broken legs, doing his best to even try to inch towards me, but I just adjusted my aim. I intended to kill him, but Beccy was the next to go. The back of her head exploded, and ghostly brain matter and thick crimson splashed the emerald grass around this slice of paradise.


    Yaekira¡¯s crying was then silenced, and by then, I was feeling weak and lethargic. It seemed that only three bullets were enough to drain my mana by 60%, but the Dark Lord stabilized me by grabbing my shoulders. I hated being touched, but it was different this time... I turned my aim to Susize, who started to pray to Amos for safety and protection. Murag was desperately crawling towards me, even managing to reach my leg, yet even though I had his mana running through me, his semi-astral body was on the bare cusp of disappearing.


    There was literally nothing he could do to stop me from pulling the trigger, sending a bullet straight down through Susize¡¯s head until it landed safely in her chest. Her prayer was silenced with a loud gunshot. Her lifeless spiritual body fell to the ground with a harsh thud, and there was just one more left.


    I felt even weaker than before with only 1/5th of my mana remaining. My breath became audible and hastened as sweat doused my brow. If the bar was filling it, it was as fast as a snail walked.


    The two Murags I saw within my hazy vision must¡¯ve felt a whirlwind of emotions. ¡°Please... Don¡¯t do this... Do not let her out... She cannot be free to roam around the world because it¡¯s in her very nature to bring devastation... Susize, Reina, Beccy, Yaekira, and I sacrificed so much... Please, find it in your heart¡ª¡±


    His final pathetic wishes would go ignored as the sound of gunfire cut him off, erasing him from this world. His spirit dematerialized at the same time as the others, transforming into energy that simply vanished away. The blood covering the Dark Lord and the grass disappeared as well, removing any traces that they were even here.


    Well, their corpses remained. I guess they were telling the truth that their bodies would eventually decay into nothingness.


    ¡°Shit...¡± I said, stumbling forward as the pistol fell from my hand. The Dark Lord appeared in front of me, catching my body and wrapping her hands around my back as she gently brought me to the ground.


    The fur on her arms... It¡¯s so soft...and warm...


    ¡°{Mana Link} is powerful for a reason, and it comes with a great cost. I¡¯m surprised you were even able to fire five shots. Sleep well, Master, and recover your strength. I will watch over you,¡± she whispered, kneeling down beside me.


    Nearby, an explosion of light carved a rotating white circle into the ground. Obviously, that was how I was going to get out of here, but I couldn¡¯t focus on it because sleepiness saw fit to snatch me away for a few hours.

 Chapter Eight: Tyranny Control (R-18)

    Chapter Eight: Tyranny Control (R-18)


    ¡°Did you rest well, Master?¡± asked the Dark Lord, who, true to her word, seemed to have looked over me while I was resting. She stood up and held out a hand, and I used it to get to my feet.


    ¡°I did,¡± I replied, yawning. Suddenly, a thought occurred to me. ¡°What¡¯s your name,¡± I asked her.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been locked up for such a long time that I can¡¯t seem to remember,¡± replied the Dark Lord. She looked down at her hands and brushed her fingers through her hair. Then she crouched and affectionately rubbed her black fur on her calves. ¡°Mmm... It¡¯s been ages since I¡¯ve had a chance to stretch out like this. That fight from before didn¡¯t count.¡±


    "But you¡¯re the Dark Lord of Tyranny?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that was the epithet given to me upon my ascension. At some point, it replaced my name entirely,¡± said the Dark Lord. She stopped stretching and stared into my eyes. A small smile formed on her mouth. She looked at me expectantly. It felt like the atmosphere was getting tiring, so I just got to the point.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t free you for shits and giggles. You¡¯ve nearly brought the world to ruin once before, right? I need you to do it again.¡±


    The artificial sun-like object shimmered off her silver eyes as she cracked a grin. It felt like I was looking at death incarnate with how her eyes seemingly glowed at the thought of slaughtering her enemies. ¡°I can certainly do that.¡±


    ¡°Good. Meruria and her shitty warriors need to die,¡± I said, feeling the anger swirling within my body. I hastily checked the dial that controlled my wrath. Since I didn¡¯t really need it right now, I turned it down to 0. It didn¡¯t like that at all, and a syrupy sweet voice tried to convince me to leave it on. I just ignored it.


    ¡°I want nothing more than to help my savior. When I said I would follow you, I wasn¡¯t lying. Master, should I use [Tyranny Control]?¡± said the Dark Lord.


    ¡°That¡¯s that enslavement skill, right?¡± I shook my head. ¡°Being my slave implies that you¡¯d be weaker than me, and I cannot allow that. I¡¯m a 0-Star that won¡¯t ever grow stronger. I need you to be a warrior that assists me in assimilating my way to power. You hate the world as much as I do, so I don¡¯t see why you¡¯d refuse.¡±


    ¡°I value the chance to become a follower of someone with such fury within their heart. For the sake of your revenge, however, [Tyranny Control] would only be a boon.¡±


    ¡°Explain,¡± I said.


    ¡°[Tyranny Control] will give you half of the SP I gain without subtracting it from me. Your ¡®curse¡¯ will not transfer over,¡± the Dark Lord explained.


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s simple. The rules of chimerism are as followed. If you come across a corpse, you may assimilate it if you are stronger than it. If not, then you must wait until you are. If you are fighting something stronger, you may assimilate the target once you have slain it. That is the key. If you kill it, you may prosper from its power. Monsters will not give you any, but you will grow stronger by taking their power and strength for yourself. Having access to my SP will allow you to devour stronger beings much earlier.¡±


    ¡°I see... Let me ask you something. I¡¯m made from those that imprisoned you. Will that be a problem?¡±


    ¡°You have their physical form, but that¡¯s it. You fulfilled my desire for revenge against them when you dispersed their energy and killed their astral spirits. In the truest sense, they¡¯re dead. It pleases me to no end that I got the last laugh.¡±


    I still had my apprehension about becoming her ¡®master.¡¯ I downright hated the idea of that because I was a slave to my parents and sister for so long, but my revenge? Was I so soft-hearted that I would falter before even stepping out of this fucking dungeon?


    It¡¯s all for your revenge... Just go through with it.


    I turned and stared into her eyes. I didn¡¯t know how to invoke [Tyranny Control], but she was willing to teach me. First, there was an incantation. Then she needed some of my blood to draw the enslavement seal on her body. There wasn¡¯t a specific location for it, but she decided on under her navel, but above her crotch. That sounded easy enough, so I lent her my index finger. She took it with both of her hands and put it near her mouth. She mentioned she had to break my skin, but I told her it was fine. She lubricated it, punctured it with her canines, and meekly apologized with a sad look.


    She then chanted an incantation in an unknown language.


    Error! [Scholar¡¯s Tongue] cannot translate the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s speech.


    Well, that was fine. It appeared to be doing something because there was a trail of energy being left behind within the blood as she maneuvered my bleeding finger around her skin. It felt...odd. Being used as a brush, I mean. I never really cared about the arts or famous paintings, but there was something about the design she drew. It was located just immediately under her belly button but above her crotch.


    But then her throat constricted even more, hugging my cock in such a grip that it almost started to hurt, and I felt she was running out of air. I tried to remove her mouth from my shaft, but her hands wrapped around my waist. She was pulling me towards her, trying to get even more of my penis into her mouth like she wanted to swallow my entire crotch. Trying to walk backwards just pulled her along with me, and walking forward made her fall on her ass. Either way, she was dragged along for the ride. Guttural noises erupted from her mouth while her frantic hands tapped my waist. And even then, this girl refused to take it out of her warm mouth. I had to get rough, physically removing her grip on my ass while grasping her head and pulling myself from her throat as if she was an object used for oral pleasure.


    She gasped for air, sending out dozens of strands of saliva that fell from her mouth and nose, coating her rich breasts in sticky spit. The clear liquid drizzled down, eventually passing by the bloody seal on her stomach and down to her crotch. Her chest heaved, desperately trying to fill her lungs. ¡°Was that not enough?¡± With her silver eyes red and raw, bordering on the edge of tears, she coughed a few times, spitting out even more saliva.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need you to choke yourself to death. In my old world...in my old body, I was never able to feel pleasure. Other than the warmness of your mouth, I didn¡¯t feel anything,¡± I told her. Her eyes continued to stare at my cock, which dripped profusely with her spit.


    ¡°Master...¡± The Dark Lord shakily stood up and wiped her mouth, getting rid of all of the spittle. ¡°No, I¡¯m sorry. There are other ways to conquer my spirit. Do you want to rest a bit? Then we can try another way¡± She sounded a bit pleased that it wasn¡¯t her skill. Was it her pride as a woman? Was it something else? I knew nothing of sex or love.


    But fear? Terror? I was intimately familiar with them, and it looked like the Dark Lord had a hint of trepidation inside her eyes.


    ¡°Yeah. That sounds good,¡± I said. The Dark Lord grabbed my hand and led me over to a tree. She sat with her legs stretched out. When I went to follow, she told me to rest my head on her lap because it was softer.


    A few seconds later, I was laying right there, with my head in her lap while my eyes stared at her breasts from below. Her face peeked down, giving me a warming smile. She started to stroke my head.


    Her touch forting. I know we just attempted to have sex, but this was the first time someone had ever treated me this way. It was full of something unknown and foreign, yet it was so incredibly pleasant and gentle.


    When was the last time I felt so safe?


    Without being aware of it, I started to tell of my past.


    ¡°I really wanted to make something of my life, you know... In my old world, our future was decided for us after we take something called an aptitude test. You take it when you¡¯re five, and you can repeat it once a year until you¡¯re ten. When I was four, every day was spent with my head within a book. It ended up being useless because my results indicated I was a failure in every field. I thought there was a mistake, but there wasn¡¯t. That night, my parents punished me by withholding dinner. They even prevented me from sleeping by threats of violence. A year of sleep deprivation later, I took it again after my sister had done hers. Of course, Mia had aced it, and her future was set. But me? I failed again, and this time? My ¡®father¡¯ punched me in the face. Three teeth came loose, and my blood dirtied the floor. Mia demanded more punishment because I had sullied the house she was to inherit. When she said she was satisfied, I had lost four more teeth.


    ¡°For the next few years? It was living hell.


    ¡°The abuse was bad, but it worsened the more I disappointed my family. My ¡®father¡¯ hit me until his knuckles were bloody. My ¡®mother¡¯ focused on verbal threats and emotional pain, admitting that I was unlovable because I was a failure. One day, she followed through with her promises of abandonment. Did they think I just woke up one day wanting to cause them trouble? Wanting to disappoint them? No, I didn¡¯t. People aren¡¯t born wanting to fail, but somewhere along the way, from the rejections, beatings, and abuse... I just...shut down. I tried... I really tried. I swear to God I tried to be the perfect son...


    ¡°And then I got summoned here. Deep down, I figured this could be my second chance, but I had a worthless soul... Threats of recycling hung over my head. Then I woke up with a beastfolk wanting to rape me on orders from Meruria, and I was just beaten and struck and abused once more... Then it turned out Quella and the others never had any faith in me. And at the end, when asked if they wanted me to die out of pity, they said no, but the bell that detected lies made noise... Why does the world want to see me in pain? WHY DOES EVERYONE GIVE UP ON ME?! WHY DO THEY WANT ME TO FAIL?!?!?!?!?¡±


    Before I knew it, I was shouting, stretching my voice to the utmost limit.


    ¡°A failure? I wouldn¡¯t call you that, Master,¡± said the Dark Lord. She touched a tender hand to my cheek, petting me as if I was a dog having a nightmare. ¡°Do you realize what you¡¯ve accomplished? Your entire life was a painful hell, abandoned and betrayed by Meruria and your classmates, cast into the void and scathed by the infinite winds, transformed into a Chimera, yet you''re still here. It takes a strong person to endure that. You haven''t given up your dream of getting revenge, and you even freed me. I wouldn''t be here if it wasn''t for you. Master, there is no one else in the world like you. You are an irreplaceable existence, and someone I''m very thankful to have met."


    Her words... They weren¡¯t filled with hate or disgust, and they carried no ill-intent. They contained...kindness? What... What was I feeling? An unknown emotion swelled into my heart, and an odd feeling assaulted my eyes.


    How could someone I¡¯ve known for an hour make me feel like this? Where was the abuse? The punches? The barbed words of abandonment because I couldn¡¯t finish this damn ritual? The castigation of my virility because I couldn¡¯t fuck you? Why...aren¡¯t you hitting me?


    Why aren¡¯t you calling me a waste of sperm?


    Why aren¡¯t you slamming my head against the ground?


    Why...


    My heart felt like it was finally venting the grief it¡¯d kept hidden all these years. Even still, warm water refused to flow from my eyes. I couldn¡¯t cry, and I didn¡¯t know why. But that didn¡¯t stop a soft murmur from escaping my lips and it quickly grew to a tearful moan. Without warning, I sat up and threw my arms around the Dark Lord, shouting into her chest.


    She leaned back a little and kept stroking my hair. ¡°Let it all out, Master...¡± she whispered, kissing the top of my head. It didn¡¯t take long for me to fall asleep in her loving embrace.

 Chapter Nine: My New Beginning (R-18)

    Chapter Nine: My New Beginning (R-18)


    When I finally came to, I realized I was laying on the Dark Lord¡¯s lap. Staring up past her breasts, I saw her peering out towards the waterfall. She looked determined and brave, two qualities I lacked, yet she had them in abundance. ¡°Why...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re awake, Master?¡± she said, turning her attention to me. Her eyes darted to my left hand, which was slowly reaching into the air. Her fingers gripped mine.


    Suddenly, I wasn¡¯t afraid of being touched anymore...


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I see it before?¡±


    ¡°Hmm? What didn¡¯t you see?¡± said the girl. She continued to stare at my hand, then smiled when I brushed my palm against her soft cheeks, my thumb rubbing her chin and bottom lip.


    ¡°Why was I so blind...to your beauty...? Why...are you still here?¡± I said, seeing a whole new world. Everything from her cute eyes to her adorable nose and luscious lips were the immaculate standard of beauty. Her ears were in their own categories of cuteness, and I wanted to touch her... I wanted to stare at her... I... I needed her...


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful as well, Master... And I wouldn¡¯t abandon my savior.¡±


    Why are you saying that? Why didn¡¯t you leave? Why... Why... Why...?


    ¡°Why does my heart hurt so much?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve lived a hard life. I wonder if being cared for and validated was enough to help you start moving past your trauma? Your heart seems to have learned it¡¯s okay to open up, that it doesn¡¯t have to remain closed off.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying I just wanted someone to recognize me as having value just in being myself?¡±


    ¡°It sounds like that to me. Master, for as long as I live, I¡¯ll show you how much I value your existence and happiness,¡± whispered the Dark Lord. I leaned up off the ground, and she leaned down, pushing a few strands of hair behind her head. Our eyes closed, and we kissed, sending strange yearnings surging through my body. Her tongue overpowered mine, yet she was gentle with it.


    Why would you say that when we''ve only just met? Why? Will questioning this do more harm than good? It feels like I''m losing control of myself... it''s unnerving..."?


    ¡°Mmmn...¡± I leaned back and panted like an exhausted dog, a probable warm flushness covering my cheeks.


    The previous thoughts in my mind vanished, leaving me alone with these new feelings.


    A strand of saliva acted as proof of our kiss... My sweet connection to the Dark Lord...


    Suddenly, a thought hit me.


    ¡°What¡¯s the second option?¡± I asked.


    ¡°You must beat me until my very spirit surrenders itself to you.¡±


    ¡°No. I refuse,¡± I said, cutting her off. ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°Master, I¡ª Yes, I understand. There is yet a third option¡ªa variation of the first. Would you like to hear it?¡± After nodding, she continued. ¡°When I said the spirit becomes malleable when brought to the epitome of pleasure, that¡¯s only required of me. In truth, it isn¡¯t required for you to be capable of sex. Fingers and tongues work just as well.¡±


    Really? Judging from how powerful and tyrannical [Tyranny Control] could be, it seemed like only requiring the ¡®slave¡¯ to orgasm was somehow backwards.


    But I wasn¡¯t going to argue against it.


    From just resting in her lap, the Dark Lord¡¯s lovely scent kept dancing to my nose, and it calmed me down. She smiled so adorably. I grabbed her arm and rubbed her fur against my cheeks, and that seemed to bring her some happiness. I remained in her lap for about five more minutes, and during this time, while I prepared myself, she asked if she could stroke me off. I found myself wanting to feel her touch, so I tried to enjoy it. She did have soft hands¡ªso soft that her palms seemingly danced across my shaft. She rubbed the head with her fingers after peeling my foreskin back. It tasted fresh air, but there was no sensitivity or pleasure. Even when she fondled my testicles in a last-ditch effort, it ended in failure, but I didn¡¯t frown. I just leaned up after kissing her once more, smiling as she laid down on the grass and spread open her legs.


    Her tender pussy stared at me. It glistened with her juices. Her perverted scent was calling my name, and I proceeded to lay down and lick her crotch. Was I a virgin? Yes, but I just allowed my body to take the lead. She had done her best to please me, so I had to return the favor.


    It was only fair.


    Is it only fair? I can¡¯t exactly follow a guidebook, can I?


    ¡°Hmmm... Your tongue... Master, you¡¯re so good at this... Ah... There... Keep going...¡± My moist tongue tasted her flavor, which was sweeter than peaches and cream. What little I remembered from Will''s countless rants on sex, there should be a little spot that makes girls go wild with pleasure. Did that exist? If I remembered right, it was right about...here? The clitoris, I think it was called? It was right under her clitoral hood... Here? ¡°AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!¡± The Dark Lord¡¯s pleasurable eruptions meant I was correct. ¡°Master, more!!!!¡±


    I tickled her clitoris with my tongue, then moved down her moistening hole, arching my tongue upwards to lick it with the bottom of my tongue. I just didn¡¯t see how this woman could taste so sweet. It was like her pussy was filled with sugary goodness, just for me. Her passionate breathing deepened while a pair of hands pushed my head further into her crotch. Was she about to orgasm? Did I have to do anything special? My instincts were telling me to keep going¡ªthat I shouldn¡¯t stop now when she was so close to the finish line.


    I lapped and licked, thrusting my tongue in while licking her juices that coated her sultry inner thighs. Something inside told me that it wasn¡¯t proper to focus exclusively on a single area, which meant I had to swirl my tongue around her inner and outer lips, making sure to evenly distribute the pleasure just as she had done for me.


    It apparently worked very well.


    Then it came.


    More specifically, the Dark Lord came, splashing my face in a delicious liquid that I just couldn¡¯t get enough of. Her hands removed themselves from my head, allowing me a chance to look up and stare at her face, which certainly didn¡¯t disappoint me. The back of her hand laid on her forehead, her eyes closed while a fascinating smile blanketed her lips. Her sweaty, alluring chest bounced as she gasped for air, monopolizing my eyes since I wondered if her boobs tasted as sweet as her crotch. Before I could find out, she leaned up and grabbed my head, then licked my face.


    ¡°Master... That was incredible...¡± She cleaned all the juices she had left on my face, then moved to lick on my pointy ears.


    ¡°Lean back,¡± I said, not finished with tasting her. Her eyes went wide, but then they smiled affectionately at me.


    ¡°Here you go, Master...¡± She laid down and opened her legs yet again, spreading herself open for me. Her delectable delight dripped even more than before, her feminine scent wafting to my nose. I stared up past her breasts as my tongue lapped up the juices around her thighs. Her eyes closed, and her back arched. The loveliest moans fluttered and reverberated around this slice of paradise.


    ¡°Aaahhhhh~~~ Masterrrrr~~~~~¡± she cried out. Her legs closed around me, and she tried to push me further and further into her pussy, and honestly?


    ¡°I like Sekh... Master, can that be my name? You only need to declare it.¡±


    ¡°Very well. You will be known as Sekh,¡± I commanded. The activity log notified me of the Dark Lord¡¯s name change, and ¡®Sekh¡¯ promptly showed up to the top left of my vision, right under my name. Lv. 1 was beside her name, and a green and blue bar was underneath that.


    ¡°I can confirm [Tyranny Control] is working as it should,¡± Sekh said. ¡°Ah, one more thing. When you freed me from the seal, I had to forcibly reincarnate myself because the overflowing mana would have smothered me. Remember the black flames that engulfed my body?¡±


    ¡°I guess that just means we¡¯ll have to get stronger together.¡±


    Sekh replied, still stroking my head as if I was a cute animal. ¡°If you focus on my name, you¡¯ll see my Status Menu, which is your right as my master.¡± I took a look and learned that she had 0 SP, but she was no doubt the more experienced fighter. I was definitely going to have to rely on her until I chomped on a few monsters. And for her skills, she had [Tyranny Control] and [Black Fire.] When I asked her about the latter, she held up a hand. Without speaking, those delicate fingers became encased in fire blacker than night. Then she altered the skill so that only her nails were affected by it.


    Sekh briefly explained that Beastfolk and some other races or species could be born with racial skills. [Eyes of the Huntress] and [Black Fire] were examples of that. But she said that [Black Fire] was a special case because her original racial skills [Flame Nails] and [Ice Nails]. They were consumed along with other skills to create one of her most powerful abilities that helped spread her tyranny with masterful manipulation of the hottest fire and the coldest ice. But [Black Fire] was in its weakest form. As of now, her body couldn¡¯t sustain anything stronger.


    But I couldn¡¯t wait until I could see its true potential.


    ¡°Now that I have a name, do you have one?¡± she asked.


    ¡°My parents named me Shuuta Fenton. Should I keep it? Or should I change it since I¡¯m not in his¡ªmy¡ª body anymore.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn''t your former classmates come searching for you if they hear about a Shuuta Fenton? If you want my opinion, I think you should get rid of it.¡±


    She had a good point. ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be a problem if I was strong enough to kill them... Hmm...the only thing that is coming to mind is...Lyudmila Springfield.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean anything?¡±


    ¡°In my world, Lyudmila was the first name of the deadliest female sniper in history. She had over 300 confirmed kills in the second World War. My favorite gun is the 1903 Springfield. I¡¯m not the creative type, but they sound decent together. Like you, this is a new start for me. What do you think, Sekh?


    Sekh remained quiet, a pensive look on her face as the gears in her head turned to formulate the words she wanted to say. ¡°I think it sounds noble and powerful, Master. Declare it out loud, and it should update accordingly. Usually, you wouldn¡¯t be able to do this, but you¡¯re a new chimeric being.¡±


    I asked if that was always the case, and Sekh nodded, but her confusion was really evident when I spoke about [Hermes Trismegistus.] Like I assumed, she had no idea about any of those skills. So instead of using the Chimera System to change my name, I used [Status Cloak.] A window appeared in my vision that looked like a user interface profile, and focusing on the text box labeled ¡®Name¡¯ brought up a virtual keyboard. And just like that...


    N/A has been named Lyudmila Springfield!


    An interesting detail to [Status Cloak] was that it applied to my slaves as well. Well, since I didn¡¯t want people to know Sekh was a Dark Lord, I figured I could set her titles to blank. She said that was a good idea. I rolled with it and altered mine as well, hiding anything that may have been problematic.


    Since I was Sekh¡¯s ¡®Master,¡¯ it felt logical to clarify our relationship. Firstly, I explained that I may have been her owner, but it was in name only, and only because it granted me the advantages of Tyranny Control. Secondly, I gave her blanket permission to do anything she needed or wanted to do, even if that was questioning or refusing my commands. She was a bit surprised at that, but I told her I wasn¡¯t perfect. I would probably fuck up and do something that wasn¡¯t optimal. If there was a better choice, then I wanted her to speak up and let me know. After thinking, she smiled and mentioned the orders were more than satisfactory.


    Well, that¡¯s good. I guess I can just look at the seal on her stomach as a tattoo. Huh... Let me try something...


    I told her to stop stroking my hair, but she ignored me and kept caressing my head, feeling no compulsion or pain from the slave seal. ¡°You told me to stop, but I just wanted to touch you a little bit longer,¡± she said with a smile and a cute nod. She swore her loyalty and said she would never betray or knowingly cause me harm.


    After she brought it up, I also gave her permission to examine my Status Menu whenever she wanted by focusing on my name. When I told her what Meruria said about not seeing other people¡¯s Status Menus, she said it was different between slaves and masters, but [Tyranny Control] was the only enslavement skill that allowed the slave to inspect the master.


    New orders have been given to Sekh.


    The seal on her stomach flashed pink for a second. Somehow, the conversation changed to slavery, and Sekh explained [Enslavement Magic.] In essence, there was nothing stronger than [Tyranny Control]. Once a person has been enslaved using it, the seal could not be broken.


    Not even Sekh could break it.


    Different enslavement spells took on different forms. Some, for example, magically produced a collar and leash to go around a slave¡¯s neck. Others created a necklace or ring to act as the seal. Some took the shape of a bracelet or armband, and others relied on mixing the master¡¯s blood with ink and tattooing a symbol onto the body. I did that with Sekh, but she just needed my blood and nothing else. She also said it was possible to replace the forms¡¯ default appearance. If the base form for one type of enslavement spell was a leather bracelet, I could make a metal one and overwrite it.


    As she spoke about it, she mentioned [Tyranny Control] did not have to take the shape of the seal on her stomach. It vanished, and a bracelet appeared on Sekh¡¯s wrist. It was all black, but the design she had tattooed onto herself was glowing on it. When that disappeared, a collar appeared around her neck. It was made from leather but stained the color of deep obsidian. A metal charm hung from it, and it was in the shape of the seal. A second later, a metal leash materialized in front of her, and she dangled in front of my eyes.


    ¡°Which form is more to your liking?¡±


    ¡°That isn¡¯t my choice to make, Sekh. Remember what I said? You have total freedom to make any and all decisions.¡±


    ¡°... Of course, Master.¡± Sekh bit her lips lightly. The seal on her stomach reappeared, the leash vanished, yet the collar remained. I reached up to brush her cheeks, then slid my hand down until my finger lightly pushed the metal charm. I told her I thought she would have hated the collar.


    ¡°I do¡ªI did. But knowing that I have the choice to make it vanish whenever I want brings a small smile to my face,¡± she said. Then in a quiet voice, she said something that I don¡¯t think she meant for me to hear. ¡°I can¡¯t remember the last time I felt freedom like this...¡±


    She looked off towards the waterfall but turned to me when I kissed her cheek. She flashed that lovely smile and happily stroked my head, and I enjoyed her every touch.


    ¡°Ah, I almost forgot.¡± Sekh pressed a hand to my chest and closed her eyes. I felt something familiar as a crystal the size of a basketball materialized itself when Sekh pulled away from my chest. ¡°I assume this is familiar to you?¡±


    I nodded, and while continuing to lay in her lap, pressed a hand to the crystal and cracked it open.


    Yeah, nothing happened.


    New Skill: [Soul Armatization]


    New Title: [Soul Warrior]


    Like my Divine Skills, this one didn¡¯t have any level attached to it. Still, I saw the vague outline of a gun hidden within the crystal when it exploded, so my eventual Soul Weapon would still be the same.


    Sekh and I talked just a little bit more, but we mostly shared the silence and simply enjoyed each other¡¯s presence.

 Chapter Ten: Freedom (R-18) (Arc 1 – End)

    Chapter Ten: Freedom (R-18) (Arc 1 ¨C End)


    Something clicked when I saw the teleportation circle out of the corner of my eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can find something for you to wear. It¡¯s not like corpses need their clothes anymore.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, Master. Would it be prudent to ask for your input?¡± She blinked and softly smiled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the first thing about fashion, but I¡¯ll have my comments if you want them. The final choice is yours, though.¡± Sekh nodded at my words while I stood up. I extended a hand for her, and we walked over to Beccy¡¯s corpse. We weren¡¯t in a dark room, but I wondered if she could see in the dark. I asked her, and she held up a delicate hand and faced her nails outward. They shimmered a deep black flame, and not much light was emitted.


    ¡°It probably isn¡¯t as good as your night vision, but Lionfolk can also see in the dark.¡±


    I then remembered something important and asked her about chimeras.


    ¡°Chimeras are created when many corpses are gathered in one spot for a long time. The surrounding mana takes the bodies and combines them into a being capable of growing in strength by devouring others. They''re powerful, but they don¡¯t start with sentience. That¡¯s something they must develop on their own. Back when I roamed around, I fought with and against my fair share of them,¡± she academically answered. I wasn¡¯t expecting something so concise and to the point. ¡°Most start off as Lesser Chimera, the rank you are now. They rise in rank and gain new abilities by assimilating corpses.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t know how to make them?¡±


    ¡°I do not. The most I could do was create a body to house a soul. That¡¯s what I used after summoning your soul to my prison. I was able to do that because it shined so brightly in the void that I saw it from my seal. As for your soul becoming capable of sustaining chimerism? I don¡¯t know any more than you.¡±


    ¡°I think...¡± I sighed and forced my brain to think back. ¡°I think...something asked me if I wanted to live. While I was in the void, I think? Yeah, I remember seeing words, but I thought it was my mind playing tricks on me.¡±


    ¡°Sending words to the void?¡± Sekh asked. She whispered in a quiet voice before shaking her head. ¡°That¡¯s a powerful feat. But if someone can do that, it doesn¡¯t mean they could turn you into a chimera.¡±


    After Sekh¡¯s answer, we both thought on it a little bit. When a sigh escaped from our lips at the same time, I changed the subject over to her choice of body parts for me. Sekh elegantly explained that Amos¡¯s chosen warriors suffered from defects, wounds, or maladies, so she chose the best from each.


    Beccy had a robust ribcage and spine, so her torso was picked for that reason. Susize¡¯s head was for [Eyes of the Huntress] and her bright mind. Reina was a sharpshooter with [Deadeye]. Yaekira¡¯s legs were the best part of her body because they were strong and sturdy. That just left Murag, the Ashen Orc historian. He suffered from a minor disease that weakened his bones, but he had the exceptionally sought-after [Scholar¡¯s Tongue].


    ¡°I knew you were male, but the four women were stronger in nearly every way. I needed to give you [Scholar¡¯s Tongue], so his penis was the last option. If I were stronger, I could have given you more of their skills. But after summoning you, I was nearly tapped out. I apologize if your body isn¡¯t to your liking, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°You did fine,¡± I told her, staring at Beccy¡¯s corpse. I poked my chest and swiveled my hips a bit to swing my dick. ¡°I don¡¯t really care what kind of body I have, but... Thank you, Sekh, for doing that. Even if you didn¡¯t turn me into a chimera, you¡¯re the reason I¡¯m here right now." Sekh wrapped her hands around my back and gave me an incredible hug, then she rubbed her arms because she knew I loved how soft her fur felt. I looked down and kissed her forehead. Perhaps she figured she didn¡¯t have to say anything because the furious beating of her heart said it all.


    We may be master and slave, but it doesn¡¯t feel like it. That¡¯s good, though... I don¡¯t want to be a slave owner. And we only just met, but I¡¯ve never felt more safe or comfortable in all my life.


    Sekh tossed the rest of Beccy¡¯s clothes to me, but her eyes lingered on the still body. Her hands formed into fists. The anger coming off her trembling shoulders made it clear she had unfinished business. I figured she was over it because I had destroyed their spirits, but I was wrong.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you your privacy but do it away from the other corpses. I don¡¯t want her blood to dirty their clothes.¡± After being imprisoned for a millennium, on top of them stopping her from destroying the world, Sekh had more grievances against them than I did.


    When Sekh had dragged the body far enough, I nodded and turned around. A primal screech followed as I heard a hard fist impacting against dead flesh.


    Ten minutes later, I turned around and saw Sekh covered from head to toe in glorious, striking crimson while carrying Beccy¡¯s head. Her eyes had been gouged out by something hot, and there were thick, black burnt marks trailing down her cheeks.


    Behind her sat a corpse that was, honest to God, unrecognizable as anything more than a chunk of disemboweled collection of meat and bone.


    After Sekh flung the head against the wall as hard as she could, I watched this paradise become slightly bloodier. Sekh looked downtrodden, but then she flashed me a bloodstained smile and remarked it felt good venting a grudge a thousand years in the making.


    ¡°Make sure you get it all out of your system," I said.


    ¡°I will. Thank you, Master. I haven¡¯t killed or fought in a long time. It¡¯ll be good to get my body used to being bloody again.¡±


    Even while covered in blood...she¡¯s still beautiful...


    Three decapitations later, Sekh was covered from head to toe in thick, dried blood. She made way for the waterfall and jumped into the pond. Within seconds, it looked like a whale had been butchered underwater. Sekh dipped down under the water and shook herself around a bit. When she resurfaced, she looked like death incarnate, surrounded by a thousand liters of blood. It was a haunting, beautiful sight, and I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off her.


    I dropped the armful of clothes and sat down, staring while Sekh floated around the pond on her back. Her bloody breasts poked above the water, but I was staring at the blissful expression on her face.


    ¡°Master,¡± she said. Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you something. Can you answer it honestly?¡± Sekh stopped floating and stood up, acting like a beacon of beauty in a pool full of death. Since everything here was created by Susize¡¯s magical seeds, it didn¡¯t take long for the water to purify itself and become palatable.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    ¡°As a chimera, you¡¯re going to have to eat and devour to take full advantage of it. That includes people. Master, do you think you can eat a Catfolk? A Lionfolk? What about a spider? Do you think you can end the life of a human and watch them die before your eyes?¡± Sekh approached the end of the pond and rested her soaking tits on the grass. Her drenched tail swam like a lethargic shark.


    Before replying, I stood up and entered the pond, taking a seat right beside the Dark Lord of Tyranny. All I did was plop down, but Sekh found it suitable to sit between my legs and leaned her weight against my chest. Then she took my hands and placed them on her tits. Murag¡¯s instinct channeled through my arms, and I started to give my loyal Dark Lord a tender breast massage.


    "I can, and I will. I¡¯m living for my revenge, Sekh. I won¡¯t have an ounce of hesitation when it comes to me and my power. Animals, people, royalty, nobility, the rich, the poor... I don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll say this now, but I will not murder indiscriminately. I won¡¯t walk up to some random man and put a bullet in his brain just so I can devour him. But if someone is actively preventing us from accomplishing my objective? I¡¯ll bite their neck and drink their goddamn blood. If I want to stick Meruria¡¯s head on a spike, I can¡¯t be bothered with worrying about bullshit like possible cannibalism. Besides, I¡¯m not human anymore, am I? Not really a High Elf, Dark Elf, or any other race that¡¯s part of my new body. That goes for any race that I might assimilate in the future.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... That¡¯s a good answer. Before we leave here, do you have any questions about the world? How much did Meruria tell you?¡±


    ¡°Just the bare minimum.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been an instructor, but I¡¯ll do my best.¡±


    ¡°While that would be nice, it would probably make more sense to give me a lecture about things later.¡±


    ¡°It is my Divine Armament, given to me along with [Tyranny Control] when I ascended to being the Dark Lord of Tyranny. It struck total fear into the hearts of my enemies.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re saying the moniker of ¡®Tyranny¡¯ was a coincidence? It didn¡¯t have anything to do with [Tyranny Control]?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Sekh¡¯s sparkly eyes seemed overshadowed by something like doubt and regret, but I knew she wasn¡¯t lying to me.


    ¡°Why? Just how powerful was your mace?¡±


    Sekh gave me a small, playful grin. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow it, I¡¯d like for that to be a secret. If you really desire to know, then I¡¯ll tell you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be looking forward to it when we find it,¡± I said.


    ¡°Master. If we find my mace..." Sekh started to say something with a lowered voice, but I interrupted her.


    ¡°When we find it. Not if, but when. A tablet mentioned Amos was researching a way to seal it.¡±


    ¡°Can that be one of our goals? I share your desire to take revenge, but my mace¡ª¡± I hugged Sekh and stared into her quivering eyes. She was so afraid of disappointing me.


    ¡°I need you at your strongest, Sekh. To make sure I can crush Meruria and her shitty warriors, I can¡¯t leave anything to chance. I¡¯m not so foolish to believe I can get revenge so soon after becoming a chimera.¡±


    ¡°Master... I promise your enemies will fall! I swear it!¡± she said, her eyes shining with tears. She embraced me and reaffirmed her loyalty to me multiple times. I thought back to the tablets. Murag had emphasized Sekh¡¯s mace. If it was that powerful to make the strongest warriors tremble with fear that they had to resort to treachery to get it away from her... It only made sense for her¡ªthe strongest Dark Lord of her time¡ªto carry some affection for her greatest partner. Even if it was a mere weapon.


    ¡°I know they will, Sekh. Now, it¡¯s time for us to leave this place behind.¡± I wiped Sekh¡¯s teary eyes and kissed her lovely lips. After she gave me a confident nod, we walked across the soft, warm grass. She reached out to grasp my hand. I felt her nervousness through her fingers. After being imprisoned inside a crystal for a thousand years, it only made sense she was a bit apprehensive about finally tasting that freedom she had yearned for.


    I opened my Status Menu one last time.


    Lyudmila Springfield


    High Elf


    Lv. 1


    SP: 0


    Title: Slave Master (I)


    Sub-Title: N/A


    Skill Menu [+]


    Mastery Menu [+]


    The information visible to Scan Stones was what I saw in my Status Menu. I didn¡¯t see it before, but there was a button at the bottom which opened another window that contained my true Status Menu. I was satisfied with what I had, but Sekh recommended I hide Mastery Menu from the false Status Window. That made enough sense, so I made a few changes, waited for the ok, and we stepped into the teleportation circle.


    Whiteness filled our vision, and I had no idea of where we would end up.


    ¡°Where...is this?¡± I asked, dumbfounded. Sekh was also at a loss of words. When sight returned to my eyes, we found ourselves at what must¡¯ve been the remains of temple ruins. Everywhere I looked I saw aged stone that had been reclaimed by nature. Green, verdant vines slithered up brown and silver rocks, curling up thick, tall posts that must¡¯ve stretched up at least twenty feet. The ground below us was made from a crudely cut, ashen-colored stone, but weeds and grass had swallowed about 3/4ths of it. But for the area surrounding Sekh and me?


    Beautiful green forests with trunks so brown it was like I was staring at mud.


    But there was the clear blue sky...


    And there was the blinding sun...


    A pleasant breeze tickled my cheeks, sending golden strands flashing across my eyes. Sekh, who was standing still, tears in her eyes, reached a trembling hand towards the sun.


    She was locked up for over a millennium. I assumed she had hundreds of years to think about the darkness holding her captive. I couldn¡¯t claim to share her emotional reaction to seeing the sun since I¡¯d never been that enthusiastic about the bright bastard.


    However, now it looked wonderful. In the past, I had only cared about it in relation to how it could be used in military tactics like blinding your enemies with mirrors, but I couldn¡¯t solely focus on my past hobbies anymore.


    I was wronged.


    I was fucked over.


    I had been abused, abandoned, and assaulted. I was literally thrown into a hellish void as a human sacrifice because of my goddamn 0-Star curse.


    The road to revenge was sure to be long and treacherous, but this new me, Lyudmila Springfield, was ready to travel down it. And I wouldn¡¯t be alone; the Dark Lord of Tyranny would be with me every step of the way.


    I remembered an old saying I¡¯d heard in my old world: ¡®Before you embark on a journey for revenge, make sure to dig two graves. Thinking about how I¡¯d already clawed my way out of one grave, I chuckled darkly at the thought.


    By the time I was done, I¡¯d need to dig a lot more than two.


    And none of them would be for me.

 Chapter Eleven: My First Assimilation (Arc 2 – Start)

    Chapter Eleven: My First Assimilation (Arc 2 ¨C Start)


    Sekh shook her head and looked around, pensively staring at the odd ruins when I asked if she knew where we were. ¡°When I was brought to the dungeon, I was already temporarily sealed within a crystal. I don¡¯t see anything that looks like an entrance, though.¡±


    I asked if the teleporter would have brought us outside since the dungeon was a closed circuit.


    Sekh shook her head as we walked forward, our eyes staring at the extended struggle between nature and civilization, and nature was clearly winning. ¡°In a dungeon, there is a clearly defined entrance leading to a room called the lobby. It¡¯s a safe zone. It¡¯s also where the teleporter at the end of a dungeon spits you out. And we aren¡¯t standing in one.¡± She remained in deep thought as the feeling of stone beneath our toes turned to soft, warm grass.


    We continued walking in a straight line since we didn¡¯t have a better idea of where to go. The sights of bare stone and carved pillars had been completely replaced by greenery like trees, grass, vines, and a sea of leaves. I had never been there, but it felt like we were trekking around the deep jungles that used to be so prevalent in the Caribbean Islands. Nothing odd happened for about thirty minutes, but then Sekh¡¯s ears wiggled. After coming to a complete halt, she reached out and grabbed my arm, pulling me back behind her.


    If she heard something, why didn¡¯t I? Wait? I hear it now. Is that an animal?


    Quietly, we waited. From the distance, I narrowed my eyes and spotted a brown-furred beast asleep on its back just past where the forest came to an end.


    [Lesser Forest Boar ¨C Lv. 1]


    ¡°If the monsters around here are this weak, then odds are good there should be a town or village nearby...¡± she murmured under her breath.


    ¡°If your dungeon hadn¡¯t ever been conquered before, I presume it was in a place full of dangerous beasts?¡± I asked.


    Sekh nodded. ¡°Dungeons rarely ever stay the same way for long. When one closes, the lack of dungeon mana means there won¡¯t be any new monsters to replace dead ones. Monsters can spontaneously spawn if there is enough raw mana in an area. The strength and type of mana determines the level and type of monster produced. Some monsters can breed with each other. Goblins, for example, can forcibly reproduce through parasitic means by forcing their victim to receive their larvae.¡± Sekh¡¯s explanation was helpful, but I was more focused on trying out my Chimera abilities in combat for the first time


    The furry beast was too busy scratching its back after waking up to notice my approach. Sekh and I emerged into a clearing, leaving the forest behind us as it felt like the humidity dropped by a good bit. The creature was alert and ready. It rolled over to its four legs and huffed, aiming its ivory-colored tusks towards me. I didn¡¯t have to worry about anyone seeing this fight, other than the remaining boars around us, because the road was devoid of people.


    We drew our respective weapons, and Sekh¡¯s hand started to glow black. Under her breath, she cursed and canceled [Black Fire]. She couldn¡¯t wrap it around wood without scorching it.


    I took a quiet breath to steady my nerves while holding my spear. I was a bit nervous before this first battle, but I didn¡¯t feel any anxiety about being ready to kill the boar. The goblin had been humanoid, and Amos¡¯s warriors actively begged me to seal Sekh, but I still ended their pathetic lives. After all I¡¯ve been through, I couldn¡¯t hesitate for another second, not if I wanted to get my revenge. The experience from the boar wouldn¡¯t help, but I could add its strength to my own.


    Sekh looked to me for instruction, but I didn¡¯t have anything to say. The moment I turned my head to shake it, the boar rushed forward in a mad dash. Sekh immediately pushed me away, then threw herself out of danger. We both recovered, but I remained on one knee and took careful aim with my spear raised. In the activity log, [Deadeye] became active. Instantly, my stance altered itself.


    I flung the spear, and it struck the boar in the neck, draining its HP by a good 44%. It loudly squealed in anguish. In the activity log, there was a notice that the boar was affected with the bleeding status¡ªit would continuously lose HP¡ªand a small icon of a bloody teardrop appeared underneath its floating name. Sekh came running in with her mace held high, and she brought it down so hard upon the beast¡¯s side that she knocked the stout bovine onto its belly.


    Sekh¡¯s mace broke from the attack, the spiky head lodged deep within its side while acting like a tumorous cancer of pain and despair.


    Yet the foe was barely alive with 3% of its HP left. Sekh formed a fist and wrapped it with black flames, content with straddling the boar and launching a flurry of fiery punches towards its snouts. I rushed up and retrieved my spear, then ended my opponent¡¯s suffering with a thrust to the head.


    New Title: [Boar Slayer (I)]


    And there it¡ª Wait... I didn¡¯t level up from the first kill? And what¡¯s that feeling... Why am I starving... I¡¯m...drooling?


    When my hand touched the boar¡¯s bloody fur, a notification appeared in my sight.


    Would you like to use [Assimilation] on Lesser Forest Boar?


    When I thought of an affirmative response, a set of instructions filled my mind. Crimson blood poured onto my fingers as I tore into the boar. When I managed to get a big enough hole, I reached in and ripped off a chunk of meat before stuffing it into my mouth. Despite being raw and covered in blood, it was one of the best things I¡¯d ever tasted. I tasted a savory sweetness on my tongue, and there was a nutty, almost fruity aftertaste. Without really thinking about it, I tore off more chunks and continued to devour the raw meat.


    Sekh joined in, using her nails to cut open a larger incision. For every piece of meat she handed to me, she scorched one for herself with her flames to sate her growling stomach.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master. I didn¡¯t mean to destroy your gift to me,¡± she said with her mouth full.


    Yeah, it has been a long time since she¡¯s had anything to eat. She¡¯s cute when she¡¯s smiling like that...


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it,¡± I replied. ¡°It¡¯s something I can easily replace.¡±


    ¡°About that... I¡¯d like to use my fists and flames for the time being.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. They¡¯re far stronger than what I can make with [Nature¡¯s Workshop].¡±


    You¡¯ve assimilated Lesser Forest Boar.


    Those words flashed me by as I swallowed one more mouthful. It wasn¡¯t much, but I felt... stronger.


    Even if it didn¡¯t grant me any SP, I still took the boar¡¯s power for myself.


    ¡°If you give me a chance, I will. Oh, I know I¡¯m sexy and mature, but you need to listen to the words coming from my mouth, Future Master! And don¡¯t fucking shoot me again, okay?¡±


    Sexy and mature? I didn¡¯t see that, but the foul-mouthed fairy started explaining. ¡°Fine. You know what a map is, right? The Training System has a skill called [Map]. You can search for whatever you want wherever you¡¯ve been. Want to find someone? Just search their name and hope they¡¯re in an area you¡¯ve been to. Find them on the map? Slap a waypoint on them and never lose track of them. Want to analyze them? Use [Analysis]. Or¡ª¡±


    ¡°Or I can use [Radar] or [Storage], right? Yeah, the training system is really called [Hermes Trismegistus].¡± Yeah, it was all coming back to me. I had those weird skills that needed to be initialized.


    Tilde narrowed her eyes and looked downtrodden. ¡°Really? You had to go there? Do you know how long I¡¯ve been waiting to do this whole lecture? I finally had my chance to put into action what I''ve practiced for a long time, and you take it away from me? Oh, the humanity...¡± She spoke in a monotone voice of depression. She leaned to the side and fell off, tumbling through the air until she smacked into the ground in a bloody red paste.


    ¡°Did you really have to kill yourself again?¡± I asked when Tilde materialized for what felt like the 1,000th time.


    ¡°YOU¡¯RE DAMN RIGHT I DID! This was my one shot! My one opportunity that I couldn¡¯t blow! You¡¯re despicable, Future Master...¡± Tilde crossed her arms and turned around, her wings fluttering rapidly to keep her hovering.


    ¡°Master, can you trust her?¡± Sekh asked.


    ¡°I think I can. She¡¯s knowledgeable about [Hermes Trismegistus], and she doesn¡¯t seem surprised that I know about it.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is that the Dark Lord of Tyranny? Huh, it¡¯s been like a thousand years, right? Don¡¯t know how you convinced her to enslave herself, but that¡¯s some damn fine work. Oh, I was alive back when you were slaughtering the world. I didn¡¯t have anything to do with your defeat, however. I spent most of your final months living it up on an island to the south after tricking some sad sap into pampering me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re that old? Never mind.¡± I went back and forth with Tilde about how Sekh wasn¡¯t my slave. It was a conversation that lasted way too long. Eventually, she sighed, fluttered her wings, and flew to my head, touching it with her own.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m searching through your memories before we get on with the ritual. Shit, your life isn¡¯t enviable, is it? Beaten, raped, abused, slapped, punched, and violated? Hung up naked to dry... And betrayed? It¡¯s no wonder you didn¡¯t just off yourself. Ah, so you saw the words in the void? Wait, void... You¡¯re really telling me you were in there and you didn¡¯t go insane? [Wrath, Flames of Inexhaustible Indignation]? Who gave it to you...? That would explain why you didn¡¯t become one with the winds after nearly losing yourself. You were literally too angry to die. Oh, okay. That''s how you met that monster.¡±


    I snatched the fairy with my free hand and nearly squeezed the life from her. A second later, she stared into the barrel of my gun. ¡°Give me one good reason why I shouldn¡¯t blow your brains out and see how many times it takes until you stay dead.¡± This little flying pest violated my memories!


    Tilde remained silent and muttered to herself. She didn¡¯t even register the immediate threat. Tilde finally looked up and flashed a smile, pushing the gun away with all her strength. ¡°Hmm... You¡¯re going to be an interesting one... Look, I want to come with you and help you on your journey to kill Meruria. You can probably accomplish that with [Chimeric Mastery]. Hell, Big Tits of Tyranny over there would be a fine ally, but I¡¯ll be the belle of the ball! Without me, you won¡¯t be able to use [Hermes Trismegistus] to its fullest extent. Tell me what I must do, and I¡¯ll proudly do it.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t read my mind or thoughts without express permission. Do nothing to harm us, whether by action or inaction.¡±


    Tilde cracked a smile and saluted me. ¡°Yes, Future Master! I heard your demands, and I promise to abide by them. I should say this before we get started with the ritual. You¡¯re actually the first person to be blessed by me in 11 gazillion bazillion trillion million billion years. Feel free to kiss my feet to show your thanks.¡± Tilde changed her tune after I transfigured my penis. She screamed and hid behind Sekh for safety, only barely peeking out her head.


    ¡°Yeah... I¡¯ll get started... Oh, one more thing. Becoming your Conduit will intertwine our life force. Not memories or thoughts, though. I will respect you on that unless you want me to pick at your mind. My ex-boyfriends tell me I¡¯m really good with my hands, hehehe...¡±


    Sekh grasped Tilde and stared daggers into her eyes while flashing her sharp canines. She growled a warning against doing anything stupid to put me in danger.


    ¡°Yeah... Fine... Whatever. I promise, Tyrannical Tits, that I won¡¯t do anything stupid... You can let me go now!¡± Sekh waited a few extra seconds before sighing in frustration and loosening her grip. She walked over to me while Tilde kneeled and chanted.


    Error! [Scholar¡¯s Tongue] cannot translate Tilde¡¯s speech.


    ¡°Are you sure about this?¡± Sekh asked. Truthfully? I wasn¡¯t, but the advantages of acquiring the rest of the skills locked within [Hermes Trismegistus] were something I couldn¡¯t deny. Besides, these skills were different from the others, I think. If so, then Tilde had a connection with the system. When I told Sekh and compared Tilde to an admin on a computer, she said she trusted my judgment but didn¡¯t know what a computer was.


    That¡¯s right... Maybe I¡¯ll talk a bit with Sekh about my world. She might be curious about it.


    Soon enough, the air started to crackle and vibrate as Holy Mana swirled from my left hand. Its counterpart, Dark Mana, gathered in my right. As if they had come alive, the two balls of energy floated into the air, then swirled around my body. The wind produced nearly knocked Tilde over, but her wings fluttered to keep her upright. Water from the stream began to cascade together and formed a miniature tornado, which sucked in the hundreds of falling leaves and uprooted grassy blades.


    The fairy continued her words without a single pause. Eventually, the water funnels exploded, sending down thousands of droplets, leaves, and grass. Through the misty water vapor, I saw a hundred little rainbows spring into existence.


    The two circling sparks of energy gathered overhead, slammed into each other, and exploded, showering me with gray particles, which probably reflected my dual nature. When they touched my skin, I felt a slight sizzle, almost like a burn, but that uncomfortableness faded away in a hurry.


    New Title: ************ ****** **** ******** ********


    Tilde raised her head and smiled, her crimson-infused wings fluttering just a bit. ¡°Master, I¡¯ll forever remain by your side. I have waited eons to be called to action, and like hell will I ever disappoint you! Whatever you ask of me, I will accomplish it.¡± After she spoke, she launched off the ground and flew to my shoulders, where she gave me a quick kiss on the cheek. ¡°The whole song and dance with the water and stuff was a declaration to the world that they better watch out. I would have made it stronger, but we¡¯re kinda close to Ria. Oh, that¡¯s a village nearby.¡±


    I asked about the unreadable title, and Tilde said it would become unscrambled the more I progressed through her training system. ¡°Besides, you¡¯re a 0-Star. Titles are useless to you, so just ignore them, yeah? Pretend it doesn¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°Master...¡± Sekh seemed restless and frowned a little. ¡°I... I¡¯ll pledge my loyalty to you as well!¡±


    Was she jealous? Of Tilde? Really? That¡¯s kind of adorable... I rubbed her head and smiled.


    ¡°I, Sekh, the Dark Lord of Tyranny, hereby declare my undying loyalty towards my Master. I will be the blade of vengeance to rend reality from its clutches, should you desire. Those who wish to see harm befall you will die at my hands, and I will present you the heads of those who betrayed you...¡± The nails on her hands glowed a fierce black. It was like she was waiting for me to give a command.


    ¡°Prove it,¡± I said. Sekh¡¯s arms clasped around my neck. The nocturnal flames on her nails dissipated the moment before we connected. Our lips touched, and her tongue made way for mine to investigate her mouth. We swapped saliva for well over a minute, and I greedily devoured whatever I could. When we finally separated, her face was warm and flushed, and the thick strands of spit proved our lips were comfortable with each other. We remained hugging for a little bit longer before separating, but we still held hands.

 Chapter Twelve: [Hermes Trismegistus] in Action

    Chapter Twelve: [Hermes Trismegistus] in Action


    "[Storage] and [Auto Loot] are upgradeable. For the latter, upgrading it will broaden the type of item selected. So, it¡¯s monster cores at first. Then it¡¯ll go to monster materials, like tusks, fangs, nails, hides, and scales. Then it¡¯ll start to include humanoids capable of using SP, so you can yank their shit without worrying about it when you kill them. At the same time, the range will increase by a bunch. Wanna know how to do it?¡±


    We were walking out of the forest and back into the road while Tilde answered my questions. The hot sun had dried me off, and I felt confident. When Tilde spoke, I focused solely on listening to her because I needed to learn how to use these new abilities she initialized for me. ¡°I kinda need to,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Think of my skills as muscles. The more you train it, the stronger it gets. The skill marked ¡®?????????? ??¡¯ will unlock when you¡¯re more accustomed to the system. Spoiler alert: it¡¯s the heart and soul of [Hermes Trismegistus]. And I mean that literally.¡±


    Tilde then said it was time to look at the mini-map located to my upper right. I saw a white triangle that indicated me, but there were two green dots. Those were Sekh and Tilde, my allies. When focusing, I could zoom in and out, but the further I went, the blacker everything became because I hadn¡¯t been there.


    But I discovered I was in the country of Dirge, which was nice to know.


    Unfortunately, [Map] did not come with a function to scan the surrounding areas. Well, that wasn¡¯t entirely the truth. There was a scanning feature constantly happening, but it had a range of about 20 feet from where I was standing.


    After a few minutes of walking, we ran into another boar sitting off to the side of the road. It showed up on the map as a white dot because it had no reason to help or harm me.


    Using [Analysis] on it gave me a detailed report of the monster, including its name, its level, and if it had any skills, of which it didn¡¯t because it was Lv. 1. A little button allowed me to place a waypoint, which was a blue beam of light. It pretty much appeared from nowhere and marked the Lesser Forest Boar. It was tall enough to pierce through the clouds, shimmering so clearly as to be seen from anywhere. To share it with Sekh, I just had to think about it.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never encountered anything like that before,¡± she said, gasping. I gazed to the right of my map and noticed the time, which was 11:31. It wasn¡¯t that interesting, but what blew my mind was when I opened the map and zoomed out as far as I could. The countries on the two continents I saw were clearly outlined and defined. And on the far left one, there was a little bit filled in, which must¡¯ve been where Meruria summoned me, but that was it. On the eastern continent, the westernmost country had a little icon indicating me. Dirge was oddly shaped, and it shared a border with two others.


    When I said the map reminded me of a satellite feed popular web mapping services used, Tilde snickered and told me to press a button I had missed. When I did, it was literally like I was staring down at myself from above. I jerked my head up to stare down¡ªto stare up¡ª at myself, and it was so similar to what an out-of-body experience would feel like.


    The me I saw followed all my movements. With the other map mode, everything was like a standard paper map. Green would mark grass and trees, blue for oceans, lakes, and ponds, and deep brown for mountains. But satellite mode brought reality to it. When I spoke my astonishment, I heard myself twice. Because sound could transfer. And that made it even more powerful.


    This satellite mode, true to what Tilde said, did not make me a stronger fighter. It would make me a smarter one, though. Using this mode caused a lot of strain after a small headache automatically reverted map the back to the basic mode.


    I searched Ria upon Tilde¡¯s instruction, but nothing popped up because I hadn¡¯t been there. ¡°Well, if we keep following the road, we¡¯ll come to it. The good thing about major landmarks is that you don¡¯t have to get super close. I think the range is something like a mile or two. ¡®New Location: Ria¡¯ or something like that will pop up in your activity log.¡±


    I turned back to the lone boar sitting still to test [Storage] and [Auto Loot]. The blue waypoint still dangled over the beast, who had no idea it was about to die. I tried to see how many I could have. But after finding out 60 wasn¡¯t the limit, I had to remove them.


    It was like I was staring at an orgasm of colors.


    It was almost sickening.


    I aimed Reina¡¯s gun and fired while jogging ahead, watching the white dot turn red when the first bullet struck it. My arms remained in something similar to a stance used to hold a teacup, except my left hand was cupping the pistol¡¯s grip. This stance provided more support to handle the recoil. Two head shots weren¡¯t enough to kill it, so I asked Tilde. ¡°In this world, the materials used in crafting a weapon influences how much damage it does. Using better quality metals and finer firesalts¡ªah, that¡¯s the equivalent of gunpowder in this world¡ªmatters a lot as well. Remember, the more you assimilate monsters that carry dexterous traits, the more damage your bullets are going to do. Like, to put it into numbers, you¡¯re dealing like 30 damage right now. After assimilating 1,000 flying bat monsters or Elven archers, you¡¯ll end up doing like 3,583 with the same gun. But if a gun has {Mana Link}, the damage depends on the strength of your mana, so you''d want to assimilate mages and magical beings,¡± Tilde said as Sekh ran to finish off the wounded beast.


    ¡°But once I¡¯m stronger...¡±


    ¡°Yep! Right now, using a standard gun with regular ammo is the way to go. It¡¯s easier said than done because firearms are not popular. Even if you can find one, good luck getting the bullets for a reasonable price if you can''t make them. Don¡¯t use Scorpion¡¯s Bite more than you must because that¡¯s just asking to get robbed.¡±


    I nodded and looked to the lower left of my vision. My activity log notified me of the automatic gathering of cores and their placement in [Storage], which was accessed with a new button added to my Status Menu and heads-up display. I went ahead and stashed my spear in there as well. I took off my left glove and transfigured my hand while walking to the corpse, watching it take the head of the beast that was my penis about 15 minutes ago. Controlling it felt so natural.


    But it was time to experiment.


    Tilde then spoke about the three tiers of what she called ¡®end game¡¯ gear. As in, the most powerful equipment in the world.


    Exalted Armaments was a fancy word to describe equipment or skills that required specific non-Lord titles to be usable. Often, you needed to have something like [Hero] or [Dark Champion].


    There were Royal Armaments that required royal blood or a title like [King] or [Queen] to wield some skills or weapons without consequence. For all intents and purposes, they belonged to the category of Exalted Armaments.


    The equipment could be forged, though it was an involved and difficult process. The skills, on the other hand, were very rare drops from dangerous dungeons in the form of a Skill Orb. Once a Skill Orb was used, its empty vessel could extract a skill from someone else. These orbs, along with the other Exalted Armaments, were passed down as family heirlooms. But a Skill Orb was not infinite. Eventually, it would shatter, and another orb needed to be found or created, which was not easy.


    Lord Armaments were much of the same as Exalted Armaments, but it required a Lord-related title to be used without suffering the consequences. The acquisition of equipment or skill was different. When a person became a Holy or Dark Lord, the released energy always amassed itself into a skill. But if the energy was potent, it could manifest into either a weapon or piece of armor that only improved upon their strength. As for how to become one? You needed to reach the cap of Lv. 99 and max out either [Holy Infusion] or [Dark Infusion]. Seemed simple enough, but at a certain point, it took months or literal years to increase your level unless you fought monsters way above your paygrade. And those two skills required either a lot of training since Holy Mana and Dark Mana were the strongest types of mana. Oh, and you couldn''t cheat and use SP, either.


    Some Holy and Dark Lords often used an incredible amount of wealth and resources to commission an extremely skilled blacksmith to forge multiple Lord Armaments just for them. However, the process was many times more difficult and strenuous than creating an Exalted Armament, and there was a high chance of failure.


    That was one way. The second was to find a Lord Armament lost away to the world. And the third was to kill a lord and take their gear as their own, which was possible since a Holy Lord could use a Dark Lord¡¯s Lord Armament. Lord Skills could not be found in Skill Orbs hidden deep within dungeons, but they could be inserted into one.


    When someone became a Holy or Dark Lord, if they were especially powerful, the resulting skill or equipment born from their mana would be known as a Divine Armament. Only the absolute strongest equipment and skills held the distinction of ¡®Divine.¡¯ Sekh¡¯s mace and [Tyranny Control] belonged to this group. [Chimeric Mastery] and [Wrath, Flames of Inexhaustible Indignation] were members too. Divine Skills did not have levels, so they had to be improved upon manually without the aid of SP.


    Divine Armaments could not be forged, and the skills could not be stored within an orb. In fact, most people even didn¡¯t know of Divine Armaments because they were just so incredibly rare. Even as powerful as they were, Divine Armaments had the same requirements as Lord Armaments. Those that knew about them even theorized there was an evolution beyond becoming a Holy or Dark Lord.


    When I asked about [Hermes Trismegistus] and how it was a ¡®**** Skill,¡¯ Tilde said I had to be worthy of it before it became revealed.


    Tilde effortlessly switched topics to dungeons. Some had requirements, like needing a certain amount of people in your party, an average level, or even an item to enter. Depending on the size, a group of people would have to take anywhere from a few hours to a few years to complete them, but the multi-year-long dungeons were extremely rare.


    Inside, you could find treasure chests with items respective to the dungeon¡¯s difficulty. They regularly respawned, so it was possible to farm them at the ire of others. Dungeons could have traps to make exploration harder, and each one had a boss at the end. This monster dropped the most loot, but unless it was a raid boss, only one group could fight them at a time. If multiple parties wanted to challenge the boss, they would have to wait outside the boss¡¯s chambers. From here, two things could happen.


    If victorious, the challenging party had time to loot before stepping into the teleportation circle to be warped to the lobby. It was optional since they could always just walk out of the dungeon the way they came in.


    If defeated, the boss¡¯s chambers would open for anyone to come in and remove the corpses. Sekh chimed in and said it wasn¡¯t rare for someone to follow a group to a boss and wished for their death to steal from their corpses.


    Either way, once the boss¡¯s chambers closed, something was going to die.


    I was going to survive. I¡¯d claw myself out of hell if it meant spilling Meruria¡¯s blood.


    But speaking of items, some equipment dropped in the dungeons automatically came with enchantments. And of those, Tilde said some examples were {Flight}, which allowed you to fly, {Aegis}, an almost mystical enchantment that nearly made you immune to all types of damage, and {Mana Regeneration}, an enchantment that increased the rate your mana regenerated. That last bit was self-explanatory, but Tilde said if someone had enough resources, they could get the Lv. 10 version of that enchantment on all their gear, and they could cast magic indefinitely without even a millisecond of rest.


    She wanted me to imagine an assault rifle with {Mana Link} while wearing equipment that basically allowed me to never pull my finger off the trigger.


    That sounds powerful... Just what I need to take down that bitch Holy Lord.


    I had a quick thought about monsters, and Sekh told me about the Ancient Elder Dragons. She had a platoon of them under her control, and she fondly reminisced about the fight since she had to overpower them. They had an average level of 170, just 29 away from the cap. Something virtually impossible to reach because it took so long to level up when you broke the barrier of 99. Even bringing down one required a hundred warriors of the same level that specialized in killing the winged menaces.


    And Sekh enslaved them all? She was so powerful.


    That segued into monster cores, but I already know about them. But what I didn¡¯t know was that a monster could eat the core of another monster to grow stronger. Tilde referred to this as ¡®Bootleg Chimerism,¡¯ and I had to agree.

 Chapter Thirteen: Death’s Close Encounter

    Chapter Thirteen: Death¡¯s Close Encounter


    ¡°How¡¯s that?¡± I asked, holding a pair of stone knives in my hand.


    New Title: [Novice Stonesmith]


    ¡°Eh? They¡¯re pretty shit. The blade¡¯s lumpy, the handle isn¡¯t straight, and the point isn¡¯t a point,¡± Tilde said, criticizing me. ¡°But that¡¯s good for someone totally new to it. Keep practicing, but don¡¯t forget to register it with the arsenal.¡± I did what she said, but I wasn¡¯t angry. I knew the first attempts would turn out like shit. After registering both knives, I placed them in [Storage] and smiled because it felt good to make something. I was actually being productive with my time. But I knew I couldn¡¯t become complacent and rely on this sparse success to impart false confidence.


    My sharp ears picked up the ugly buzzing of maggots disgustingly feasting on my first prey, which broke me from my thoughts. A boar was snooping around, and I ordered Sekh to restrain this sacrifice because I wanted to experiment.


    The lowly lesser porcine was no match for her grip. She slammed into the beast from behind and used her strength to break its hind legs. Next came the front, and I slowly approached the trembling thing as my hand morphed into the head of its kin. The mouth opened wide, saliva falling in anticipation of devouring my prey as the powerful jaws bit down on the squirming boar¡¯s head.


    It desperately cried out as I increased the biting force. The skull cracked, removing any resistance I was facing. It didn¡¯t take long after to completely chop through a quarter of the animal¡¯s face, and I smoothly started to assimilate it.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re taking to your abilities quite rapidly. It¡¯s a good omen,¡± Sekh said. She simply watched as I ate, the smile on her face as bright as the sun until it suddenly resembled a wilted flower.


    ¡°MASTER!!!¡± Sekh and Tilde cried out at the same time. Right when her voices left their lips, something rammed into me from behind, piercing my wooden chainmail and goring me through my lower abdomen. I was thrust forward, barely missing Sekh¡¯s head as I tumbled through the grassy plain. A stream of thick, dark blood trailed behind me as Tilde and I screamed until our throats were raw. I slowly came to a stop; my blood smeared all over.


    What?! GAAAHH!!! It... It burns!!!! What? Tilde? Fuck! It hurts so goddamn bad... Is she feeling this?!


    ¡°RRRAAAHHHHH!!!¡± I heard Sekh shout as a series of loud, dull thuds rang filtered in my ears. It was like someone was punching a mattress filled with flesh. In a painful daze, I tried to push off the ground and turn around, but my hand was still transfigured. In this panicked state of mind, it wouldn¡¯t revert to normal.


    New Title: [Boar Slayer ¨C Protector (I)]


    Is it dead?


    A set of hands soon grabbed my back as the emerald grass was replaced by a sky of blue. Sekh¡¯s bloody face stared into my eyes, commanding me to use biomass to heal myself.


    ¡°GODDAMN IT! DO IT ALREADY!!! IT FUCKING HURTS!!!!!¡± exclaimed Tilde.


    It...hurts?


    My thoughts were strangely slow and calm. My eyes closed since it hurt to open them, but Sekh shook my shoulders as a pair of small, weak hands touched my cheeks. ¡°Master! Think of your body as viewing it from an outside perspective. Focus on the area where you feel the pain! Please, hurry! Your HP is dropping fast! It¡¯s almost gone!!!!¡± she shouted, shaking me even more. Her voice was dull. Very dull. And quiet, like the whispers of a dying mouse.


    But I didn''t care. If it looked a little weird, it didn¡¯t bother me.


    After getting dressed, I looked at my map and found two boars not too far away. They looked to be crossing the road, and I figured they would be the perfect test subjects for my next experiments.


    Upon transfiguring my hand into the protector¡¯s head, I was ready to try out my first skill. Mastery Menu finally had something populating it, and [Piercing Thrust] had a small bar that measured my progress. As we walked to the boars, Tilde told me something interesting. As a chimera, I was a monster, and they had the innate ability to use skills wordlessly without chanting.


    For some reason, something told me to take aim with Reina¡¯s gun. When I did, I was alerted to something very interesting.


    New Skill: [Chimeric Armatization]


    Reina¡¯s pistol shimmered a glowing silver, changing its appearance to suit the color scheme of a simple iron spear. The front sight went from a silver rectangle to the pointy tip of a lance, and the cherry wood grip became a deeper shade of brown. Power resided within the barrel when the trigger was pulled, draining me of mana and biomass while blasting a bloody hole through my closest target¡¯s side.


    Rushing forward, I stored my pistol within my mana and used [Piercing Thrust] with my transfigured hand.


    The tusks glowed white, and I brought my arm back and punched forward, lodging them into the second pig¡¯s head to puncture the skull and destroy the brain. I hastily transitioned into devouring them in a smooth movement.


    Sekh asked about my gun changing forms, and I really didn¡¯t know what happened. I just had that new skill to go on, so I told her about it. Tilde was drawing a blank, so I opened the Skill Menu.


    Chimeric Armatization When the user uses a skill while wielding the same type of weapon that is their Soul Weapon, it will change form to empower and enhance the skill. [Chimeric Armatization] requires biomass in addition to mana. If the weapon uses ammunition, the user must provide it if {Mana Link} is not available.


    Tilde dove into another lecture, citing that Soul Warriors had protections preventing them from turning into a chimera when the conditions were met. Since I was a 0-Star soul, I had nothing like that. It was extremely rare, but [Chimeric Mastery] must¡¯ve done something to my Mastery Menu and [Soul Armatization] to produce [Chimeric Armatization], a Divine Armament. Sure, it was nice to have, but if I used Reina¡¯s gun, mana and biomass would be drained from me. If I had a regular gun that used ammo, both would still be used, the former at a lesser rate, until the skill was mastered. At that point, mana was the only resource if I used real ammo, not biomass. At least, I thought it worked like that.


    That¡¯s just another thing I¡¯m going to have to think about. It¡¯s no use trying to dive right in when I¡¯m clearly wading through the deep end. Just take it one step at a time.


    ¡°And with that, I¡¯ve tested everything out,¡± I said, swallowing the last mouthful of boar meat. We walked back towards the main road while setting off towards Ria. Tilde led the way as she sat on my shoulder.


    We spoke about my new skill and how best to use it. Until I had [Piercing Thrust] mastered, I had to transfigure into the boar to have its mana flow through me. Eventually, I believed I could remain in my current form and channel [Piercing Thrust] through my gun without needing to transfigure. But transfiguring made the skill more powerful because the mana from the monster the skill came from flowed through me. The question was this: was the additional biomass worth the added damage? Sekh said figuring that out would be the key to reaching my full potential.


    Along the way, I stopped to cut off a branch and started to whittle it into a general spear shape with my stone knives. Sekh and Tilde silently observed as I stored that in my storage and retrieved a tusk. With Yaekira¡¯s daggers, I straightened it out and sharpened it as best as I could before I used some leftover vine to tie the tusk to the spear. I was having trouble, so I hollowed out the bottom innards of the tusk and thinned out the top of the spear to make the two pieces fit better, and I tied it all up. Once done, a display appeared, and I named my new creation.


    Boar Tusk Spear (0/0)


    I handed the makeshift, shoddy weapon to Sekh, and she took it with a smile. I knew she would rather have a mace, but I didn¡¯t have the skills to do that. Still, she appreciated the gift and kissed me on the cheek as she stored it on her backpack. After picking up a few more rocks, we walked the rest of the way in idle conversation as I tried to craft a better version of my stone knives.

 Chapter Fourteen: Adventuring Basics (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Fourteen: Adventuring Basics (Illustrations!)


    After what felt like hours of walking, the trees to our left were replaced by a cliff, and I was introduced to the ocean. I couldn¡¯t help but smile because I¡¯d never seen it in person. The water just looked so fantastically blue, and the strong waves rocked the boats and ships with such ease that I thought they were about to flip over.


    I was so mesmerized I kept staring out the wide blue yonder for another thirty minutes with wonder in my eyes. When Tilde tapped my head to get my attention, I looked ahead and took in the outline of Ria. The foul-mouthed fairy said it was a village, but it looked more like a town. At this distance, I was close enough for it to appear on my map, so I opened it and used [Analysis] to get some information. Then I realized I could use it on Dirge, the country we were in. I didn¡¯t have that option before, so I probably had to find a landmark before that became available. I was rewarded with information about the country, but it was mostly restricted to the climate until I explored more of it.


    Huh... It even used knowledge from my world to help me better understand it because it said the weather here was most similar to the Caribbean Islands. Ria had a population of about 18,000, which was a good bit big, I supposed.


    After canceling out of the information screen, I scrolled my map around the city and saw three streams of water flow from the north before turning west. Since it was a coastal cliff-side city, there was obviously a harbor. Turning on satellite mode revealed a somewhat long downward path near the middle of town that you had to travel to reach the docks. But it was bigger than a simple village.


    ¡°Good afternoon, ladies. Welcome to Ria! May I see your identification documents?¡± spoke the guard standing beside the eastern entrance to Ria. He was a Lizardfolk with gray scales covering his forearms, legs, and tail, but everything else was flesh and blood. Really, other than the tail, he looked like a human.


    ¡°Yeah... sorry about that. We lost our papers after a few pissed-off boars rammed our cart. Scared our horses, and they ran off with everything. You got a Scan Stone around here?¡± asked Tilde, who lied as easily as she breathed.


    ¡°That isn¡¯t a problem at all. Terkos, take over while I take them to the office!¡± the guard said, turning his head to another Lizardfolk that stood some distance away. He lifted a lazy hand, and we followed our escort to the office.


    Tilde climbed to my head and peeked down, staring into my eyes for a second or two before falling over. I caught her even as she screamed her head off. Our escort turned around in a flash, but Tilde meekly apologized and rubbed her head.


    As we followed the guard, I looked around and familiarized myself with Ria. It didn¡¯t seem to be divided into separate districts or portions, but it wasn¡¯t entirely mixed. Most buildings seemed to be built of stone and brick instead of straw or hay, and the roads were mostly paved and well-maintained. Men and women of all shapes and sizes walked amongst us. Not all of them were armed with weapons or armor. Some were just dressed in somewhat normal clothing that would be worn in the Middle Ages. Some of the women were even taller than me, with skin the color of dirt and muscles more defined than what Murag had.


    Amazons, they were called.


    They wore only panties, loincloths, and protective metal bindings over their chests while carrying powerful warhammers and battle axes. Power was everything to them. One caught my gaze and smiled, so they weren¡¯t without any manners, I guess. I also saw Ice Elves with their blue skin, Steel Dwarves with their steel-colored skin, and Deerfolk with the tall, imposing antlers stretching off their heads. This world really had it all. Humans seem to be a minority, though.


    As our guard escorted us, he also acted like a tour guide. He recommended the best places to eat, the best place to grab a drink after a hard day¡¯s work, and so on. We soon reached the guild, and our guide explained that the guild and government offices were in the same building. He escorted us in after ascending the stairs, and we encountered something like a post office.


    A few desks separated the open lobby from the space behind the counter, which held glass cases with red and blue colored bottles. A set of stairs led to the second floor. A steady amount of people were coming and going, so it looked like this place was fairly popular. A few doors in the back behind the desk probably led to the back offices. Smartly dressed employees, mainly humans and elves, patiently spoke to adventurers who held papers from a quest board nearby.


    ¡°Okay, so let¡¯s get your documents. If you like, you could also sign up with the guild at the same time if you aren¡¯t a member.¡± I looked to Tilde, and she nodded, so I nodded right back at the guard.


    We waited in line until it was our turn. A few words later, the elf receptionist excused himself to go to the back room, and he emerged with a circular stone. All I had to do was place my hand on it. After a second, it glowed, and the light produced from the stone transformed into my identification documents. The guard scanned them over, then said everything seemed to be in order. He did the same for Sekh and Tilde. After wishing us well, he left to go back to his post.


    If I want to be honest, the whole interaction felt weird and awkward. Firstly, he didn¡¯t say anything about Sekh and her collar, though it wasn¡¯t his place to involve himself, so that point was moot. Secondly, he actually treated me like a person and not as an afterthought. He wished me well, and that just didn¡¯t sit right in the pit of my stomach.


    I turned back to the receptionist and handed him my papers, and Tilde went off to look at the available missions on the quest board. The process didn¡¯t take that long, either. The receptionist placed my papers under a metal registration card, and I had to add a drop of blood to the top.


    Seconds later, Sekh and I walked away, but I wasn¡¯t happy. The bitch behind the desk said something about how a prissy princess like me had no place on the battlefield, but he changed his tune when I summoned Yaekira''s daggers and danced them around my fingers. Equipment with {Mana Link} was rare, and my having one meant I was either strong or had powerful connections.


    It was all black with nary a hint of color, unlike Reina¡¯s Scorpion¡¯s Bite. Four boxes of ammunition laid right under it. [Analysis] indicated each box held twenty 9mm rounds, and the gun had a 15-round magazine.


    Why do I even need [Appraisal]? [Analysis] does everything better.


    Strangely enough, there was no glass separating the customer from the employee. And in this case, the employee was a girl named Erin Barclay. She was a 15-year-old Catfolk, and she was hard at work tending to the needs of the other customers. Her eyes were full of determination, and that violet tail, which matched her hair, never took a moment¡¯s rest.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°We¡¯ll return later,¡± I told Sekh and Tilde as we left. ¡°If she¡¯s still working by herself, it¡¯ll be easy to steal.¡±


    It took a while to leave that crowded store, but with the side mission complete, it was time to head to the dungeon.


    ¡°Okay, so the reason you haven¡¯t leveled at all isn¡¯t related to your chimerism. It¡¯s because it¡¯s just a slow process,¡± Tilde said when we left out of the north gate. She made sure we were alone before she started talking.


    ¡°Why did I level up after killing that goblin?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The most logical explanation is that Meruria took the monster from a dungeon undergoing an event known as experientia. When that happens, the experience gained from a monster birthed from the dungeon is dramatically increased. There¡¯s no real rhyme or reason why it happens, but it just does. Okay, these are your goals! One: get to Lv. 2. Two: if you find any corpses, slurp them up. Three: find enough cores to sell so we don¡¯t have to sleep outside. I need luxury to maintain my adorableness. Four: find a spider monster and eat it. Eh, while we¡¯re kinda on the subject, I can talk about Bellerophon.


    ¡°Back in Big Tits¡¯ time, they weren¡¯t all that impressive. Really, they were little more than a guild that suddenly put on their big boy panties and fought like hell to carve their name in history. Don¡¯t really remember when it happened, but they aren¡¯t a joke anymore. Seriously, don¡¯t fuck with them. They''re outright experts at slaughtering chimeras. They have an office in nearly every Divine Country and outposts in the Mortal Countries. Ah, that refers to countries that don''t have a Lord leading them.¡±


    ¡°How often are chimera made?¡± I asked. I looked back and made sure we had the road to ourselves. Then I realized I could use my map to accomplish the same thing if I zoomed out just a little bit. It didn¡¯t work for what was ahead of me because I hadn¡¯t yet been there, but I could see if anyone was coming up the rear.


    ¡°It used to be one every four or five years,¡± Sekh answered. ¡°Has it increased?¡± Tilde nodded.


    ¡°Yep. Based on what I heard, there¡¯s a new one every year. That¡¯s on account of how violent the world is. Seriously, you¡¯d think it¡¯d be more peaceful a thousand years after you, but it¡¯s not. Without a common enemy, people revert to their old ways.¡±


    ¡°It sounds like you didn¡¯t care if Sekh succeeded or failed.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t,¡± Tilde remarked. She sat on my shoulders and cursed the sun before continuing. ¡°I was pretty much immortal. Even if the world went boom, I¡¯d have been fine. But now things are different. After I found you, I became killable. If I die, I stay dead. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t have to worry about me being in the way during fights.¡± Tilde jumped to the top of my backpack. It was sturdy enough to support her weight. She tapped my head and hummed a little tune.


    When she got tired of that, she realized she needed to speak about skills, but there wasn¡¯t much left for her to cover. She just said that using skills over and over again was an alternative to leveling them up, so I wasn¡¯t required to use SP to enhance anything. It was the same with gaining skills, so if I committed myself to many months of hammering away at an anvil, I would soon learn [Blacksmith.] It seemed like SP was a shortcut¡ªone I was happy to take as long as I had some.


    But I¡¯m a 0-Star... Can I even learn skills naturally? I asked that, and the answer was a no. It seemed like spending SP was my only path. But why could I learn titles? Sure, I didn¡¯t get any of the effects of using them, but it still seemed weird I could learn one but not the other. Tilde and Sekh didn¡¯t have an answer to it, so all three of us were confused.


    Somewhere along the way, I noticed that it wasn¡¯t just us traveling out to the dungeon. Wagons filled with supplies and people passed us by, and I kinda spied on them until they were out of my range.


    I thought it would be a Herculean task to assimilate even the smallest thing without being caught, but I ended up only being partially right about that.

 Chapter Fifteen: The Mines of Gamor

    Chapter Fifteen: The Mines of Gamor


    ¡°Sekh!¡± I shouted, keeping a safe distance from the foe in front of me as it tightly gripped its spear and shield.


    [Lesser Goblin Spearman ¨C Lv. 1]


    Its gross green skin seemed to have cancerous boils. ¡°RRRAAAHHHHHH!!!¡± Sekh screamed, thrusting her spear forward, but it was blocked by the only remaining goblin. It was surrounded by four corpses after we had launched a surprise attack against them. I didn¡¯t want to use Reina¡¯s gun because it was going to be my last resort, but I had a hunch. You see, people and monsters in this world really did not like the sound of gunfire. It was loud and attracted a ton of attention, but it worked well to sow confusion amongst our foes.


    None of them knew what was happening when I fired my initial salvo of bullets, taking down three foes with three precise shots to the head. Like a bolt of fierce fire, Sekh took full advantage of this opportunity and raced forward with a grin. Her first attack was lethal, finishing one of the two I had spared with a thrust through the back of the head. Then as she was facing the last one alive, she purposely had her spear blocked so she could grab the goblin¡¯s shield and scorch it with [Black Fire], which then spread to the goblin at lightning speed. It burned to death¡ªan agonizing scream erupted from its mouth until it no longer made a sound. Cooked flesh wafted up from the charcoaled corpse, but I smelled something delicious.


    New Title: [Goblin Slayer (I)]


    With the fight over, Sekh cut into the corpses to obtain their cores, stopping when she remembered I had [Auto-Loot]. I looked around this torch-lit room inside a dungeon.


    The Mines of Gamor was true to its name. After entering through the entrance that looked like a regular mine opening, we immediately ended up in something that looked grimmer than I expected. The lanterns and torches lining the walls did little to illuminate the surrounding areas. Even the large lobby was dark when not accounting for my night vision. It was all but required to carry personal torches so you could see more than a few feet in front of you. Admittedly, it didn¡¯t seem like the layout was that complex. There were side rooms and hidden corridors, but everything connected to the main path that stretched from the lobby to the ramp leading further below. An aged dwarf in the lobby said the mines had two floors, so it was conquerable in a few hours at most.


    When I entered the dungeon, my map morphed into a 3-D model of the layout to better keep track of my position and location. Unfortunately, most of it was blacked out because I hadn¡¯t filled it out. It traced my steps, though, making it hard to get lost.


    Sekh and I were in a side room near the beginning. The number of people we saw out front and inside the lobby suggested we were going to be around others, but I had a deterrent. People in this world really didn¡¯t like the sound of gunfire. The same went for the monsters, but like I had just proved, we could use that to our advantage.


    But I had to be conservative with Reina¡¯s gun. Three shots were enough to make me woozy, and four would almost certainly put me on my ass. Granted, assimilating refilled my mana in addition to biomass, so if I had enough targets in front of me, I could, technically, shoot for hours without any repercussions. But I couldn''t count on that. Especially when inside a public dungeon. Sure, my map showed me everyone''s locations at all times, but 90% of it was blacked out at the moment. And what about teleportation?


    Like the horny fairy said, it was better to be safe than sorry, especially when I was at the bottom of the totem of power.


    ¡°Tilde, go keep watch.¡±


    ¡°Got it, Master! Remember, don¡¯t leave anything left on your plate. You have to eat it all,¡± replied the fairy. She flew from my backpack over to the doorway and hovered in place like a sentry drone. With the coast clear, I assimilated the corpses with my boar head hand after removing a glove, not stopping until they were nothing more than a bloody patch on the ground. Bones, fat, sinew, guts... I devoured it all.


    ¡°Gulag!!! Gue Gue Gue!!!!¡± chanted the ones in the back. It seemed they knew this was a dungeon meant for beginners and foolishly thought they had a chance against me.


    [Deadeye], grant me accuracy...


    With a focused mind and determined spirit, I materialized Scorpion¡¯s Bite and channeled [Piercing Thrust] after growing tusks from the corner of my mouth. In my other hand, I held my spear. Surprisingly, it didn¡¯t hurt at all. I just needed the transfiguration energy flowing through me to access the unmastered skills. I aimed and pulled my trigger, destroying the goblin from any raping it had in its future. The shot didn¡¯t kill it, but it sure sent a message.


    Dematerializing the gun, I used [Piercing Thrust] through my spear and threw it, finishing off the one I had wounded.


    You¡¯ve mastered [Piercing Thrust]!


    Sekh danced a ballet of death, sending the remaining goblins to the afterlife by alternating between [Black Fire] infused punches and deadly thrusts. Most of it was due to her overwhelming power, even considering she was a level 1 Dark Lord against level 2 goblins, but again, fear was instilled into their bodies by my gunshot. They hadn¡¯t yet recovered from the intense ringing in their ears.


    ¡°Can¡¯t believe they died with their hands on their cocks.¡± I spat on their corpses while retrieving my spear. ¡°Tilde, get on standby.¡±


    ¡°Goblins are disgusting creatures,¡± Sekh said, picking up a shield for herself. She gathered a second one for me to use after I devoured the nasty pests. I groaned when my arm shrunk, turned green, and started to smell. I shook away the transfiguration and slipped the glove back on.


    Reina¡¯s arms are much preferable...


    ¡°They knew [Spear] and [Shield], but mine didn¡¯t increase in level. Why?¡± I asked Tilde when she flew back over.


    ¡°If you could gain Lv. 10 in a skill by assimilating a being with the skill ten times, chimera would rule the world with an iron fist.¡±


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s understandable. But let¡¯s say I assimilate like 700 goblins. Would it increase then?¡±


    "Yep! I mean, you have [Timeless Existence], so there isn¡¯t any reason why you couldn¡¯t assimilate those with [Spear] and [Shield] until they¡¯re maxed out. Just know that training is faster than that, and using SP is even faster because you get the results instantly. Oh, you¡¯re also really close to leveling up. A few more kills will do it for you. Too bad you won¡¯t get any SP. Being a 0-Star must majorly suck,¡± Tilde said as we retraced our steps and emerged into the room with the dead goblin. It wasn¡¯t alone, and there was a volatile Catfolk with a dagger. I recalled he was with that green-haired Dogfolk, earlier. Did they split up? He gave the corpse a postmortem execution, going so far as to curse the dead while stabbing into its stomach, splashing gore and guts everywhere.

 Chapter Sixteen: Another Dance with Death

    Chapter Sixteen: Another Dance with Death


    We left the angry Catfolk behind. I couldn¡¯t tell the color of his hair or tail since he was thoroughly covered in gore and guts.


    Upon turning to go down further, we walked through the empty mineshafts and found nothing interesting until we found a hidden path behind a stuck mine cart at a dead end. Sekh and I entered through the narrow opening to reach a small room.


    [Lesser Araneae (*) ¨C Lv. 3]


    A speedy invertebrate slithered across the ceiling to an immobilized humanoid-shaped figure wrapped in webs. Green venom dripped from its sharp fangs to the ground below. Tilde said the star symbol after its name signified it was an alpha member of its species. It was harder to kill, but it gave more experience. Some could even have unique skills.


    A spider?! Jackpot! Since it¡¯s an alpha, it might be enough to level me up.


    Sekh ran forward and attempted to get its attention, roaring as if she was a challenger vying for the right to rule. The spider slithered down off the walls and reared when it was close to Sekh. It was about 80% of her size and as black as night with skinny, sharp legs. The only color was the nuclear waste-colored venom dripping from its fangs.


    Its leg thrusts were fast and true, breaking the shield Sekh held with a single powerful attack. I responded by coming in from the back, using my newfound combat knowledge to stab at its abdomen with my spear. Anguished hissing emerged from the front, and it hastily turned towards me with its two legs reared up. I raised my tatterdemalion shield to block the attack, but it wasn¡¯t up to the task. The spider¡¯s eight eyes stared me down as the fangs leaked gross venom, but I held my ground and raised my spear. I knew that it was a strong possibility I was going to get hurt, so I was ready to bear the pain and flood the wound with biomass.


    The enemy was pissed off enough to forget about Sekh, who engulfed her spear with [Black Fire]. She used all her strength to press it through the spider¡¯s wounded opisthosoma, which was enough to get it to turn around again to face the bigger threat. Painful hissing, almost like a mournful cry, echoed out from its mouth. I thought its fight or flight instinct was about to kick in, but I was totally wrong because this spider was an alpha.


    It was more than capable of deductive reasoning, which made it very dangerous.


    Moments later, the web balls it launched from its spinneret glued me to the wall behind me. Tilde had enough sense to crawl out of my backpack before we entered.


    The back of my skull bounced off the dirty, grimy wall, and I was desperately trying to fix the damage as my sight went blurry. Tilde¡¯s pained groans reached me. Then she cursed my name and told me to fight better.


    Our pain is shared... And that took off 20%?! Shit...


    ¡°MASTER!!¡± Sekh cried. She growled and formed a tight fist that glowed with pure black flames, connecting with the spider¡¯s head after dipping low to avoid a thrust aimed at her neck. Suddenly, the oversized bug skittered backwards and crawled over me, its sickening, burning fangs inches from my cheeks as the flaming abdomen threatened to scorch me alive. Blood dripped down, covering my clothes as green venom follow behind.


    Was it using me as a hostage?! Sekh¡¯s fury increased because she had to be touching [Black Fire] to cancel it. She ran forward with a scream, but the monster called her bluff. Its sharp fangs pierced through my cheeks, injecting vile poison into the bloodstream while also melting my skin with the flames that transferred to me. It hurt so goddamn much gritted my teeth and implemented a plan only a chimera could pull off even while my body was threatening to turn to ash.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Four blisteringly loud pops canceled the screaming, and Sekh froze and looked around for the shooter. She finally stared at me. ¡°What did you do?! Master?!¡± Sekh ran forward when the spider fell, dead. Bullet holes riddled its cephalothorax. She touched a hand to the spider and me to cancel her flames while apologizes endlessly flowed from her mouth.


    New Title: [Araneae Slayer (I)]


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 2. You¡¯ve gained 0 SP. You¡¯ve gained 3 SP from Sekh.


    ¡°Aaaaahhhh--- Uuuuooahhhhh------¡± Even if the flames were extinguished, the damage was still there. The venom still circulated through my bloodstream, making it hard to breathe. It was impossible to even formulate a one-syllable word, so speaking was out of the question.


    Tilde¡¯s wounds mirrored mine, and she was doing all she could to bear the pain. It was hard to focus since she was far away, but it looked like her skull was partly leaking down what little skin remained on her face.


    It¡¯s the same for me...? Fuck... It hurts so goddamn much... My HP... It¡¯s so low... Twice in one day...


    Sekh acted fast and ripped the spider in half, taking its meat by the handful and stuffing it in her mouth. She chewed it up finely and kissed me, forcing the meat down my throat because I couldn¡¯t even move my lips anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for this,¡± Sekh whispered. She moved her head back and stuck her fingers down my mouth, pushing the meat down even more, and she repeated that a few more times until it was easier to move.


    You¡¯ve assimilated Lesser Araneae!


    You¡¯ve assimilated Mira and acquired 10 SP.


    My hand soon became Mira¡¯s. Her nails were long and pretty, sparkling with some type of nail polish with small crystals. Her fingertips and palms didn¡¯t have a single callous, but they were the same color as my tits. Tilde explained that when I assimilated a person, I acquired all of their SP¡ªeven the SP that had been used. Unfortunately, I did not receive their skills, but that was fine because I obtained the actual skills from monsters. The activity log actually made mention of this refund by displaying what skills Mira did have at her command. She was a mage, with [Fire Magic], [Water Magic], [Sewing], [Calligraphy], and [Mana Perception], which allowed her to see the mana within the world. Maybe it was a mage thing, but I didn¡¯t care about that. What I did care about was that I felt more powerful assimilating her than I did all those monsters. It seemed that eating humanoids were the fastest way for me to grow stronger.


    But now that I had SP to spend, not counting when I hastily upgraded [Poison Resistance], I opened my Skill Menu and saw about 14 skills available for me to learn, including the ones Mira had known. Tilde said there were far more than 14, but the rest wouldn¡¯t appear because one or more requirements had to be met. One: I needed to have at least half of the SP needed to buy before it would show up. Two: for some skills, I needed a related title. Three: you had to have attempted to manually learn the skill. Four: you had to be a certain level. Five: as a chimera, if I assimilated someone, all of their skills would be available for purchase without satisfying any requirements. That was how I had magic available to me, which usually needed months and years of training to learn how to chant in the language of mana. As a chimera, I could ignore that requirement.


    When someone learned a skill, it was engraved into their soul by the system that governed this world, and the body was responsible for using the skill. For someone who was able to reincarnate their physical body while keeping their soul, Sekh¡¯s Skill Menu was a direct 1-to-1 copy of the skills she had available at the end of her previous life. For obvious reasons, this was very good. But it wasn¡¯t like Sekh could buy something like [Ice Immunity] without buying [Ice Resistance] first. Most of the extremely powerful skills had other skills that needed to be learned first. And that was fine. The important thing was that Sekh could clearly see them within her Skill Menu without going through the incredibly tedious effort of making the skill show up to even buy them.


    That also meant a large portion of the work was done should she want to manually learn them. Her ascension to her former status of power would not take as long as it did the first time.


    I decided to save my SP for a rainy day, which Tilde said was a good idea. I moved my attention to the eight spider legs and got to work on my next weapon. Yaekira¡¯s daggers were used to cut two literal chunks of stone from the wall. The first was longer than the second, and after a few minutes, I carved it into a suitable handle to support the mace head I was making with the second. I couldn¡¯t quite cut it into a perfect sphere, but it was good enough.


    All that was left was to make a small, hollowed hole for the handle to go into, and I was done. Well, I was after I used a ton of my webs both in the hole and on the handle to make a secure connection. Next came the spiky bits, and the spider legs came in handy there. It was just a matter of cutting off the tips, making a few more holes, and using my webs to stick everything together. Once it was done, a window appeared, and I named my weapon.


    Stoney Spider Mace (0/0).


    Not that I can, but I can¡¯t put any enchantments on any of my weapons...


    Sekh hugged her new mace to her chest while I snacked on the remaining spider legs I didn¡¯t use. ¡°I don¡¯t know how long my webs will act like glue, but hopefully that works well enough until I can something better.¡±


    "That¡¯s two weapons I¡¯ve destroyed that you¡¯ve made for me. Master, there won¡¯t be a third.¡±


    ¡°If you need to break it, that¡¯s fine. I can whip another one up, alright?¡± Sekh wordlessly nodded.


    We made our way back to the lobby by following my map. We had ventured further than I thought we would have, so it was something of a walk. Once there, people did not look happy to see me. That green-haired Dogfolk was talking to the same Catfolk that brutalized that goblin corpse. When they weren¡¯t bad-mouthing me, I¡¯d learned the girl¡¯s name was Ginnie, the goblin stabber was Chax, and those two and three others formed a party of five. Their average level was 6.


    Well, I don¡¯t care.


    Tilde flew to my head and flipped them off right when we emerged outside. The fresh slap of clean air felt heavenly, and Sekh alerted me that it was night. I had a clock in my vision, but I rarely looked at it.


    Some aged adventurer cooking meat over a campfire nearby gave me a stern warning about using guns, but I ignored him.


    ¡°HA! Didn¡¯t you hear me?! I¡¯m Noelia goddamn Carpenter! The 1-Star Soul Warrior summoned by Holy Lord Gloria!¡±


    The guild was in a tizzy because some drunk bitch had to make a scene. I told Sekh we should have stayed a little bit longer in the dungeon so we could have avoided this. Noelia spun in place in the middle of the guild, merrily laughing her head off. Her skin was the color of olives. The sleeveless shirt she wore didn¡¯t seem suitable to fight in. I had thought it was a simple casual outfit, but she had elbow and kneepads with armored boots covering her feet. Her black hair was super wavy.


    But Noelia wasn¡¯t alone. As she retrieved a hammer from her belt loop and waved it around, I saw a hooded figure in the corner. They gripped their wooden staff as if it was their last ally. Every time Noelia came closer to them, their long sleeves flinched. As Sekh and I were waiting to turn in the quest and monster cores, the hood eventually came down.


    ¡°She¡¯s part cyclops and Lizardfolk," Sekh said, staring at the girl¡¯s red eye. ¡°A half-breed.¡± Her skin was similar in hue to a lightened baby blue. In fact, it almost reminded me of powdered ice. Deep purple scales covered a part of her neck. I couldn¡¯t see her arms or legs, but she probably had a few there. And there was a purple lizard-like tail peeking out from her backside, but it was very still and motionless. It seemed her hair was a mix of white and black, yet large portions looked like they were yanked out. Almost like she had been tortured. If the robe came off, would she have the wounds, scabs, and scars that I once had? But who did it? Her parents? The bitchy Soul Warrior? Was she the one who clasped that collar around her neck? Or was it Gloria?


    Eh, it doesn¡¯t concern me.


    It was none of my business. We eventually made it to the front of the line, completed the requests we had taken, and sold the rest of the cores. I didn¡¯t want to expose [Storage], so I used my backpack as a proxy. We managed to gain some coin, but Tilde said it wasn¡¯t a lot because the monsters around here are weak with worthless cores. She explained we could buy a week in a cheap inn fancied by prostitutes or a single day in a marginally better place.


    And that began our next mission. We had to find a place to stay. Someplace with enough privacy, for obvious reasons, of course, but also a place that didn¡¯t break the bank.


    Well, I do have those clothes. Those are bound to be worth a pretty coin, so let¡¯s see if we can find a place that¡¯ll buy them. Ah, but I need that gun first. Okay, so do that, and it¡¯s time to find shelter.

 Chapter Seventeen: Finding Shelter

    Chapter Seventeen: Finding Shelter


    It was all so easy to steal something when you could shoot web from your wrist and stash whatever it touched in a dimension away from space and time. Especially when the only employee was overworked, tired, and suffering from exhaustion. Add in a hyperactive fairy with a foul mouth to further distract the Catfolk, and I was able to walk out with that gun, 80 rounds of ammo, and a backup mace for Sekh. I held the weapon and ammo within my storage because I didn¡¯t want to be seen with them. Especially if High Elves were supposed to be disinclined to firearms. Seeing one with a gun was like spotting a blue moon. But with that accomplished, it was time to find shelter.


    For the next two hours, Sekh and I went from shop to shop to barter for a place to stay. The clothes Amos made for his warriors were worth a lot, and from the shopkeepers I talked to, perhaps that was too true. Not even one could afford it for my asking price. I didn¡¯t have [Estimation], so the information didn¡¯t show up, but one of the shopkeepers did, and he nearly passed out. According to him, if I were to get full value for it, I would have enough money to, theoretically, start my own country. Realistically, only heads of nations and the wealthiest merchants would have enough coin to buy it outright. When I mentioned selling it for about half its worth, the merchant kicked us out and told us not to return.


    But all was not lost. During our travels around Ria, we overheard word of a place called the Gecko Swap Shop. It didn¡¯t have a fantastic reputation, and people avoided going there, but that gave me an idea. If people refused to go there, then it was struggling for money. If so, then wouldn¡¯t they be desperate enough to take my offer? And if they were, would they be willing to offer a girl, her Lionfolk, and a rude fairy shelter and food? Especially if she added a second garment worth thousands of gold coins?


    I¡¯d like to think so. But that was my last choice because of the troubles that came with staying with strangers. I¡¯d prefer to stay alone. I spoke my worries to Sekh and Tilde, but the fairy said beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers. ¡°You can stay out in the wild, I mean. That¡¯s always an option. I thought I saw a farmhouse down the road, so you can ask to stay in their stables with the animals. Maybe you can think about that if we get rejected from this shop, but seriously, you don¡¯t have that many options. It¡¯ll be different if you had [Base Body], but that¡¯s not in the upcoming schedule for a fledgling like you. You just gotta be vigilant and take precautions to make sure no one finds out about your secret.¡±


    It turned out [Base Body] was a skill all chimera received when ranking up from Lesser Chimera to Minor Chimera. That was yet another goal to set our sights on. ¡°Yeah, I suppose you¡¯re right. Still, it¡¯s only normal for me to be a little bit wary, right?¡± When Tilde nodded, I searched for the place and found it. A quick waypoint and a few minutes of walking later, we crossed the area where there were three streams of water. The town had been built around them, so it was like three separate walking lanes with little bridges every few meters to walk from one lane to the other.


    It was oddly idyllic.


    ¡°Thank you for shopping at the Gecko Swap Shop! Please come again!¡± I looked towards a soft voice at the base of the waypoint and spotted a green-skinned girl with two black horns jutting out from her forehead. I couldn¡¯t see where they began because her black hair covered them, but she waved at the old man walking away with a cane.


    There¡¯s a lizard curled up within the ¡®o¡¯ in Gecko.


    ¡°And there it is,¡± I told Sekh. We hustled over the nearby bridge and jogged down the streets to the shop. A small bell signaled our arrival as we packed into the store. It seemed to be more like a general store in the sense that it had a little bit of everything. Clothes, armor, weapons, rope, matches, lanterns? It was all neatly organized in the little space available to them.


    ¡°Hello! My name is Irisa! How can I help you?¡± said the girl with the two horns as she emerged from a room behind the counter. According to what Tilde and [Analysis] told me, this girl was an oni¡ªthe second stage of the Ogre Evolution Path. She was a little bit taller than me, so I pegged her to be about 6.5 feet tall. She wore a loose-fitting shirt that showed off her muscled abs while supporting her busty chest. It didn¡¯t seem like something merchants usually wore, but whatever. It was almost 8 PM, so the shop was probably about to close.


    ¡°This is a shop, right? Do you buy things?¡± I asked her.


    ¡°Yep. Unfortunately, we¡¯re limited in what we can take right now,¡± Irisa said. She sounded kind of dejected, but she folded her hands on the counter and kept a smile.


    ¡°Then how about a trade?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s more likely. What do you have?¡± I took off my backpack and sat it on the counter while taking out Susize¡¯s shirt. Tilde fluttered near Irisa and stared at her tits.


    ¡°Umm... Yes?¡± she asked the flying menace.


    ¡°You¡¯re stacked, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tilde blurted out. ¡°I bet you use a lot of fabric to support those puppies. Gotta be hard to carry the mountains.¡±


    The oni started to laugh. ¡°I¡¯ve never met a fairy like you before. Oh?¡± Irisa held a pensive look in her eyes as she felt the fabric with her hands. She laid Susize¡¯s shirt flat and took a magnifying glass to examine the lacy holes. I noticed a small twitch in her eye, and something told me I was about to get scammed.


    "They aren¡¯t worth that much... I can tell you that. I can offer you a trade, though.¡±


    ¡°That''s a load of shit. I know they¡¯re worth a lot because they were made by Holy Lord Amos.¡±


    She froze and stammered. ¡°That¡¯s the understatement of the century. [Appraisal] says these were made over a thousand years ago. And they¡¯re in such great shape, too. Honestly, I don¡¯t think anyone in the world has enough money to buy this for what it¡¯s worth. And I knew I couldn¡¯t get one over on a High Elf. Your eyes are way too sharp... Mom¡¯s gonna kill me...Is it too much to hope that there¡¯s something I can do to smooth things over?¡± Irisa frowned for a moment, but she flashed a melancholic smile a moment after. I was always decent at reading between the lines. Acquiring these eyes only ameliorated my perception.


    The hardwood floors were dusty and unkempt in a few spots. With [Analysis], the average quality, while better than what I could make, was something to be desired. And when that old man walked out, he didn¡¯t have anything with him. Irisa¡¯s aggressiveness¡ªno, it wasn¡¯t that. It was almost something like desperation that caused her to try to take advantage of a customer. A merchant¡¯s reputation determined if their business would thrive or die.


    Seems like the rumors were true. This place is going through hard times. I can probably snag a room to stay in. There are two bedrooms on the second floor that I saw with my map¡¯s satellite mode. The stairs are behind that door with the employees only sign. But staying with two strangers in a small house that functions as a shop is precarious. I don¡¯t want to risk it, but the alternative is staying in a shabby inn with no privacy, camping in the wild, or staying in a barn that might have others in it.


    ¡°Barter,¡± I simply said. Sekh remained quiet as she looked around the store. She was gone a thousand years, so I was sure there were things here she hadn¡¯t ever seen before.


    ¡°Barter? There is nothing in here that even comes close to being what that shirt is worth.¡±


    Tilde looked at me, and I began to weave a tale of lies. I may have been a warrior summoned by Meruria, but right now? I was Lyudmila Springfield, a young High Elf who left her village to begin her training. I only had Sekh and Tilde as my companions, and somewhere along the way, my horses were spooked and ran away with my cart. The only thing I could save were these heirlooms passed down from mother to daughter for over a thousand years. As I was the owner of them, I could do whatever I wanted. They were to be a source of fast money should something horrible happen.


    In situations where I can¡¯t steal ammo, I need money to buy some bullets. Then there¡¯s the maintenance on my guns. Not to mention sharpening Yaekira¡¯s daggers until I¡¯ve made quality knives of my own. Yeah, they¡¯re fantastically made, but even the sharpest knife will dull with use. And we need more clothes. Preferably armor, but clothes at the least.


    ¡°Irisa, here¡¯s my offer. If you let us pick out two or three outfits each while giving us a place to stay until we have enough money to rent a room at the inn, you can sell that shirt and keep 10% of the proceeds.¡±


    ¡°10%?¡± Irisa repeated. ¡°Mila, that¡¯s still a lot...


    Mila?


    I remained quiet for a moment, and Irisa quickly corrected herself. ¡°Lyudmila, that¡¯s still a lot.¡±


    ¡°I think that¡¯s fair. Do we have a deal?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have permission to accept or reject that proposal.¡± Irisa placed the shirt on the counter. Then she excused herself while slipping inside the employees only door.


    ¡°Are you sure? Last week, it was so hot that I cooked an egg in a pan on the sidewalk. Oni like me have a passive resistance against it, but we still feel it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for the warning, but I¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    [Heat Resistance] worked wonders. I didn¡¯t sweat at all when we were in the mines.


    I almost wondered if my lackluster response ticked her off, but she didn¡¯t seem that annoyed. She asked us to go up to the second floor while she finished closing the store.


    After coming upstairs, Ichiha was just about done setting the table when she asked me if the deal was done. I nodded and told her I had already signed the papers. The clothes were with Irisa, and I believed she was putting them up. I couldn¡¯t help but notice Ichiha was...nervous? No, I almost wondered if she regarded me as a child.


    She couldn''t be worried about me, right?


    I was tumbling around my thoughts when Ichiha offered to show me a tour. Looking around, I realized this living room and kitchen combo was mostly it. My prior thoughts about their financial stability were correct, it seemed. The Gecko Swap Shop wasn¡¯t doing very well.


    Ichiha started with the kitchen, but there wasn¡¯t much to see other than a table with five plates and a wood-fire stove with pans and pots. Oh, she had candles and lanterns to provide some atmospheric lighting. If lightbulbs and electricity existed in this world, the shop didn¡¯t have them.


    She explained dinner was going to be Irisa¡¯s second favorite, which was a simple dish of mashed potatoes and baked fish with garlic and rosemary. From Tilde¡¯s lectures, I learned oni favored meat, but they wouldn¡¯t ignore a salad if it was covered with beef or chicken. Even with the few ingredients, she had managed to make something delicious. Unfortunately, I was unable to eat the meat because High Elves were vegetarian. Tilde mentioned my chimerism removed that restriction. Still, I had to abide by it to keep up appearances.


    It isn¡¯t that bad...


    Next, Ichiha took me to the bedroom that would be mine. It was normal and nice, a major upgrade to what I used to have. I would have been fine sleeping on the ground, so I wasn¡¯t going to act like a brat and demand something better. There was just the bed and a dresser, but the only door led to the bathroom. I peeked inside and saw a circular basin on two cement blocks. A small stove-like contraction was set up underneath it to heat the water. She told me there was one in the room she and Irisa would stay in, and from that phrase, I realized I was taking someone¡¯s room. I didn¡¯t feel bad because I didn¡¯t ask for a bed. Sekh and I just needed a place to stay. Ichiha had filled the tub earlier, but we were responsible for it starting tomorrow. I didn¡¯t see anything wrong with that, and the hasty tour came to an end faster than it began.


    We returned to the kitchen right as Irisa was coming out of her mom¡¯s room. After a quick little chat and the growling of Irisa¡¯s stomach, it was time to sit down and enjoy an awkward dinner with strangers after I negotiated into staying at their house.


    Dinner went as I thought, but it wasn¡¯t all that bad. Conversation was tense and brisk when we sat down, but the atmosphere loosened somewhat, even with my short answers to their queries about my life. Irisa asked a lot about where I grew up, and Sekh spoke for me, speaking of a place she knew didn¡¯t exist anymore. The topic of being Sekh¡¯s and Tilde¡¯s master came up, but Susize¡¯s face was just so innocent they believed me when I said I didn¡¯t have a choice.


    Neither pressed that subject more, which was good.


    A couple of small lies started stacking together, but I wasn¡¯t planning on staying here for that long. A few days? Yeah. A few weeks? Possibly. A few months? If I could help it, no.


    A social recluse like me knew the dangers of clamping up and remaining quiet. Basking away in the shadows of society may have been who I was in the old world, but Shuuta Fenton was dead. He was killed and sacrificed, and Lyudmila Springfield took his place. I would have to learn and avoid those awful mistakes, even if they made me uncomfortable.


    But that was difficult because I couldn¡¯t trust anyone that wasn¡¯t Sekh or Tilde. Irisa and Ichiha were temporary stops on my journey to gain power. Logic dictated that I couldn¡¯t fight against Meruria and her army alone. As much as I wished Sekh and I were enough to bring Cridia to ruin, the two of us could not destroy an entire country within the foreseeable future by ourselves. So, I needed to eventually gather some allies somewhere along the way, but I didn¡¯t have a diplomatic bone in my body. I figured I could practice on this oni and her mother, right?


    Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day, so I could take it slow to be more social. You couldn¡¯t break free from a lifetime¡¯s worth of trauma after just twenty hours.


    Twenty hours? Does dying almost twice after dying once count towards that? I should be shaking out of my boots, yet I find myself wanting to throw myself back into the fire and devour my way to strength. Is that the chimeric part of me? Or is it the Ashen Orc¡¯s lust for violence?


    ¡°Lyudmila, do you have any plans for tomorrow?¡± asked Irisa. Her plate was almost literally licked clean. She didn¡¯t make a scene when her favorite fish had to be divided another way for Sekh. She refused and said potatoes were fine with her, but Ichiha mentioned Lionfolks needed meat more than oni. Fairies like Tilde had small appetites, but that didn¡¯t stop her from pigging out. Biomass had me covered, so I wasn¡¯t hungry.


    ¡°I don¡¯t feel comfortable sharing that,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Oh, well, that¡¯s fine. Are you a fighter? I know Elves like to use bows, but I didn¡¯t see one on you.¡±


    ¡°Does it matter? I¡¯m going to be out of the house most of the time because I just have things to do.¡±


    ¡°Ah, so you¡¯re a go-getter? That¡¯s cool,¡± Irisa said, finding a hint of positivity in my true feelings. ¡°I bet you probably use a bow. Hehe, would be kinda funny if you¡¯re one of the only High Elves that prefers to use guns. Sekh, what about you? Are you a fighter?¡± Before Sekh answered, I looked at Ichiha¡¯s face and noticed the smallest frown on it.


    Did I mess up? Shit... Whatever. I just ignored it and ate a potato or two from Sekh¡¯s plate after having finished my own. Like I said, I¡¯m not planning on staying here for long. It doesn¡¯t matter if I screw it up a few times because I can always try again in a new town.


    Sekh reached into her bag and pulled out the weapon I had made for her. Hours after its creation, the web I used was still super sticky. ¡°Woah... I¡¯ve never seen someone use a literal chunk of stone and spider legs. Is it heavy?¡±


    ¡°Master made it for me after we slaughtered a spider. It is the spoils of our victory, but no, it is not heavy. I can wield it without trouble.¡±


    ¡°You made it?¡±


    ¡°I did.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s awesome. Hey, I got something to show you!¡± Irisa ran to a storage room and rummaged about before coming back with...something. It was vaguely mace-shaped, but it was crooked. The handle had dents, but were they supposed to be spots for your fingers?


    ¡°I made this for someone when I was starting out. I know it isn¡¯t the prettiest, but you can have it to use as a backup in case something happens to that one,¡± Irisa said. Sekh looked at me and nodded. She returned it and grasped the present. Her hands gripped the handle hard. For a second, she smiled and gave her thanks to the oni.


    ¡°Irisa...¡± Ichiha whispered. She looked longing in the eyes, almost like she was replaying a memory that involved the weapon. Neither of the two had said anything about a father or husband in the family, so it was presumably made for him.

 Chapter Eighteen: Truth Behind Tyranny (R-18)

    Chapter Eighteen: Truth Behind Tyranny (R-18)


    Eventually, a series of yawns traveled around the table, marking the end of dinner. ¡°You three have had a hard day. Why don¡¯t you go wash up and head to bed? When you¡¯re ready to drain the tub, turn the wooden knob on the left side. It''s connected to a pipe that leads to the backyard.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll do just that,¡± I told Ichiha. Sekh, Tilde, and I walked to our room, and my sensitive little ears picked up something that made me smile.


    ¡°They¡¯re kinda interesting, aren¡¯t they? It seemed like Lyudmila was a bit annoyed, but she did just lose a bunch of stuff.¡±


    ¡°Yes, she¡¯s not taking it well. For her sake, I do hope I can find a buyer within a few days. It¡¯s going to be hard, but I think I have some connections I can still rely on. I¡¯ll send some letters tomorrow. But all things considered, I thought tonight was lovely.¡±


    Was it lovely?


    The mother and daughter continued to talk as Sekh opened the door, and they were still in a chatty mood as I locked it behind me, laid Beccy¡¯s shield against the door, and placed two waypoints on Irisa and Ichiha. I could see them on my map, and the waypoint had an option where it could appear through solid objects. While I didn¡¯t think anything would happen, I wanted to take precautions to minimize the risk of them discovering I was a chimera.


    Sekh walked to the dresser and placed her backpack and two maces on it, then began to strip down. Her fantastically enjoyable breasts that I loved to lick, kiss, and rub were really a treat. As I joined her in a state of nakedness, I kept fondling my testicles and penis. But that was all for naught because nothing happened. Perhaps the displeasure showed on my face, but Tilde hovered around me.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to force yourself to feel something you can¡¯t. When the time comes, that little pecker is going to jump awake. Remember, you lived a shit life. I don¡¯t need to remind you about it. And it¡¯s kinda funny how trauma works like that. Like, let¡¯s say you were bitten by a dog. It¡¯s a traumatic event, so you might be afraid of them. You know your fear comes from that incident, and you know that not all dogs are biters, yet you still can¡¯t take that risk to pet a dog you¡¯ve known for all your life.¡±


    Sighing, Sekh walked over and held my head against her chest, and I nearly drifted off to sleep with just the beating of her heart alone. My mouth went from her breasts to her neck, licking her all over until she pressed her lips against mine. Her hands rubbed my back and ass while I played with her tail and stroked it. Our kiss became more intense when she put her tongue in my mouth, and while I didn¡¯t quite know what to do, I slowly broke off from the kiss while tightly wrapping my lips around her tongue. Sekh started to pant, her lovely little moans attacking my heart directly. In a desperate attempt, I grabbed my flaccid cock and held it against my stomach, then tightly hugged Sekh. I had hoped the pressure and her warmth would do something...


    And nothing happened. I didn¡¯t get hard. I didn¡¯t get an erection. I wanted to have sex with Sekh. I wanted to make love to her. I wanted to finally be a man and fix what had been broken about me for almost a decade!


    ¡°Master...¡± Sekh whispered. I backed away from the hug, and while I was still disappointed, I wasn¡¯t totally upset because Sekh wasn¡¯t the type of woman to make fun of me for my condition. ¡°Let¡¯s go get cleaned, okay? I¡¯ll heat up the water with my flames.¡±


    I nodded, grabbed Sekh¡¯s hand, and we walked to the bathroom. Tilde was struggling with the handle, cussing up a storm because she was too small to turn it. We rescued the day and went in, and Sekh walked across the tiled floor to the tub. She wrapped her weakest flames around her nails and warmed the water.


    But then my eyes turned to her delicious ass. Sekh really did have flawless skin. It was smooth and warm, and caressing her sent a joy up my soul that I had never felt before. ¡°Master?¡± Sekh turned around and watched as I touched myself and wondered what it felt like to be inside her... What it felt like to be surrounded by her warmth. ¡°Master, why don¡¯t you hug me? I don¡¯t know if it¡¯ll help, but you can slide your penis between my thighs if you¡¯d like. You can play with my tail, too.¡± Finnd new chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°But... I feel like I¡¯m just using you as an object¡ª¡± I had my hesitations about using her to satisfy my urges, but she cut me off.


    ¡°Nope! Don¡¯t say that,¡± Sekh briskly replied, cutting me off. ¡°If I didn¡¯t want to do this, then I wouldn¡¯t have said anything.¡± She closed her eyes, smiled, and wiggled the adorable ears sitting atop her beautiful head.


    She took my silence as my confirmation, and I used a hand to grasp her waist. The other one held my flaccid penis, and after sticking it between her dripping pussy lips, Sekh squeezed tightly. I felt her succulent juices coat my shaft as I moved my hips. Her tail made its way to me, and I rubbed the base, scratching the area around where it left the skin. I especially loved how she arched her back when I applied a bit more pressure.


    It was exhilaratingly sexy.


    Why isn¡¯t it making me hard?


    ¡°Hhmmm... That¡¯s it...¡± Sekh moaned. Her erotic breaths were something else. I put a bit more effort into it, going so far as to fondle her tits while going a little bit faster. Having her juices all along my cock? It dripping down to moisten my testicles? The squeezing of her thighs as she came, increasing the pressure I felt?


    It should have felt amazing, but I was just glad she was enjoying it. And maybe I was too. It warmed my heart to hear her cute voice. Even if I couldn¡¯t satisfy her with my penis, I knew I could rock her world if I used my mouth and fingers. Suddenly, Sekh quivered, going a little bit weak in the knees as she squirted on my dick.


    ¡°Ahhh...¡± Tilde moaned, closing her eyes as she enjoyed the fruits of Sekh¡¯s labor. She had already gotten in the bath while we were in our own little world.


    A chance soon came for the Dark Lord and her fellow slave to escape, but the injured Lionfolk tripped in the mud and was recaptured as the boy managed to acquire his freedom.


    She suffered another three years of being chained to a pillory, holes always available for whoever wanted to unleash their sexual urges inside her. When the weekend rolled around, she would be ¡®married¡¯ off to one of the bandits, who would have exclusive access to her. The women of the camp would do her makeup and dress her in the finest lingerie they could find, which only made the humiliation worse.


    It was no wonder she came to hate dresses, underwear, and anything else girlie or feminine.


    To avoid the risk of pregnancy, she was force-fed a gross concoction to render her womb incapable of supporting life. The Dark Lord only escaped when a band of traveling knights attacked the camp. She only remained sane because the curse kept her mind clear and focused.


    It was this mindset that allowed her to soar through levels and conquer dungeons at a blistering pace. Her sights turned from monsters to people as she took in undesired criminals to become the bulk of her army. She grew, and her name spread far and wild as a tyrannical, murderous force of nature.


    And then it happened... During a scene of such excessive violence and tyranny that gave even the curse pause, the Lionfolk finally ascended to her true form as the Dark Lord of Tyranny. It was also during this time that [Flame Nails] and [Ice Nails] were pushed to their ultimate limit and forcibly contorted into something terrifyingly powerful. Upon its first use, the Dark Lord could not control its power, and her skin found itself scorched the very color of light ash. The cursed voices and whispers continued, increasing her overwhelming ruthlessness by a factor of ten.


    Expressively gory accounts of her [Tyranny Control] began to spread far and wide. Details of how she would drug fathers and sons to sexually assault their daughters and sisters to break their spirits sent a stone into anyone¡¯s heart. But word of her awful torture? Using a red-hot, serrated blade to forcibly cook pregnant women from the inside and forcing those related to eat them? Using heads as battering rams to break spines and legs? Splitting a child down the middle with a dull blade and forcing his mother to eat his heart?


    She was the Dark Lord of Tyranny, a title that simply needed no explanation as to why she did anything at all.


    All that was left was for her to destroy the world. Unfortunately for her, Holy Lord Amos was on a journey to find his Soul Warriors. When he had his five, he learned word of the Dark Lord¡¯s ascension and saw fit to end her.


    What followed was a bloody war that ended with over 30% of the world¡¯s population dead. Entire countries fell to the Dark Lord and her fearsome Tyranny. Any kind of armies the surviving countries mustered together were destroyed by a legion of Ancient Elder Dragons and their Elemental Meteors. The Scorch Giants of the far south were as big and tall as four adult human men, and their flaming fur rendered common weaponry naught.


    Every other month, the amount of land devoted to the alliance shrank. The price of food and water increased dramatically, riots and war broke out in cities that never felt the scourge of hunger. Thanks to a rumor the Dark Lord had spread about Lionfolk with red and blue fur being her special forces, it led to a genocide of those very Lionfolk. It was all for the desire to further spread a blanket of Tyranny because it was not true at all.


    It seemed as if she would have finally accomplished the goal she had set out for, but fate had a weapon up its sleeve. The young boy that deflowered the Dark Lord as a spear pressed into his throat? He was alive. After seeing an image of the Dark Lord against the bounty hunter¡¯s board at the guild, he spoke aloud her name. Susize Vredi, the first Soul Warrior of Holy Lord Amos, happened to be present. Within weeks, the plan to send the man who had a special connection to the Dark Lord of Tyranny was formulated. It would involve sacrifice on his part, considering he had to leave his children and wife behind to go commit unspeakable acts of violence to slowly gain the trust of the Dark Lord¡¯s captains. It was no small wonder the insanity of forcing mothers to throw their newborns into the roaring mouth of a volcano didn¡¯t lead to suicide, but he knew that if he passed away, all would have been for naught.


    Thus, he worked tirelessly and eventually gained the very audience he desired. Upon seeing his face, the Dark Lord howled an anguished roar and began to torture the man who had left her behind all those many years ago. No one knew how his words extinguished the inextinguishable fury within her breasts. For the first time in her life, the Dark Lord of Tyranny willingly gave her body to a suitor and experienced a touch not unlike anything she had felt before. The night was long and full of passionate moans and heartfelt cries of relief, but when the sun came to take over the sky?


    The Dark Lord of Tyranny did not wake up to a continuation of the night before. No, she woke up to a brutal assault on her stronghold. She thought the foolish army had learned her lesson, but when she went to summon her mace, the man had a plan. With a powerful yell, he tore a chunk of meat out of his left arm, crushed the bone, and retrieved an enchanted chain hidden within. When he wrapped it around the mace¡¯s handle, it sealed its dark energy.


    And for the first time? The Dark Lord was utterly powerless. The mace was connected to the magical defenses around her stronghold, and with it cut off? There was nothing to stop a specialized strike force from teleporting in.


    An act of love from a misguided and abused dream was the cause of her demise. Upon realizing she had been betrayed again, by the same man, no less, she elicited a howl of anguish that even breached the closed-hearted Murag, who had many reasons to hate the Dark Lord.


    The moment Susize Vredi was to remove the Dark Lord¡¯s head from her body, Lord Amos halted her blade. He revealed a startling truth about a curse affecting her. Killing the Dark Lord wouldn¡¯t end it. No, it would only send her soul back into the cycle of reincarnation until it was time for her to be born anew. Ending the Dark Lord would guarantee a few centuries of peace, and then the world was going to be endangered once more.


    The Dark Lord had spread this truth to inflict more fear. Even if she was killed, she¡¯d eventually be back to finish what she had started.


    The ¡®savior¡¯ went back to his family as the man who brought an end to the Dark Lord of Tyranny, but the cruelties he had committed to achieve that forced his heart to sink into darkness. Not even a year later, his wife found him swinging from the chandelier in the dining room.


    The Dark Lord was escorted to her resting place. None of Lord Amos¡¯s Soul Warriors would return, and they knew that.


    A thousand years later, a human who had experienced the depths of despair was summoned to this world, betrayed, and thrown into the void. The wrathful flames of their soul sent a resurgence of passion into the Dark Lord''s cold, nearly dead heart.

 Chapter Nineteen: Experiencing My First Time (R-18)

    Chapter Nineteen: Experiencing My First Time (R-18)


    ¡°I¡¯m a cursed existence. My only purpose in life is to spread tyranny and end this world. It¡¯s written in my soul to become a Dark Lord, but most incarnations don¡¯t make it that far.¡± Sekh started her story in the bath, but she finished it in bed. She had her head in my lap as I rested against the bed¡¯s backboard. I lovingly scratched her ears, giving my loyal Dark Lord my support while assuring she was warmed by the crimson blanket.


    If Sekh¡¯s soul remained the same over the ages, then she¡¯s bound to have thousands¡ªmaybe tens of thousands of skills available to learn.


    ¡°Do you regret it?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. Someone stronger would have stayed within that inferno and died. I was too weak to even end my life, but because of that... I met someone who held as much fury within their heart as rage filled mine. Master?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Sekh rolled over and stared at me. Even in this darkness, I saw just how silver her eyes were.


    ¡°I don¡¯t hear the voices anymore,¡± she said with tears falling. ¡°I may have tricked it with my reincarnation, but the curse will come back when I¡¯m born anew. The only way to rid myself of it is to destroy the world. If I don¡¯t live with that goal in mind, I...¡±


    I calmed her worried, muffled cries with a hand to her cheek, then turned to Tilde. ¡°If I¡¯m the Transcendent Dark Lord, then can I do something about this?¡±


    ¡°That you do, but not right now,¡± said the sleepy annoyance. She had found two clean handkerchiefs on top of the dresser. She folded one to act like a pillow, then laid done and covered herself with the second. She went on to say she knew nothing about a curse but once I was the Transcendent Dark Lord, I¡¯d have dominion over all Dark Lords.


    I told Sekh I would end this curse. I expected her to get emotional, but Sekh cried like I had never seen before. In a flash, she jumped to my chest and wailed between my tits. She was so powerful in her prime, but her back was trembling so much I thought she was about to break when I rubbed her.


    I remained quiet and stroked her hair and tail. I did all I could to comfort her, but until I had the power to free her, I was limited. Even if the power never came to me, I believed I was willing to destroy it all. After I achieved my revenge, what else did I have to live for? Ending it all seemed like the perfect swan song for two existences hated by the worlds they came from.


    ¡°Master... I... If anyone could understand my plight, it would be you. We were betrayed, thrown away, and left to fend for ourselves.¡± She found comfort in my heartbeat, and something felt strange about my body.


    Sekh scooted up off my chest and laid on the pillow. I joined her, staring into her eyes as my arms wrapped around her back. She was so warm and soft. ¡°Master, to tell the truth... I...had planned on killing whoever freed me. After that betrayal, I was more determined than ever to baptize this world with my tyranny by myself. But then I felt your fury. It was a starling, deep crimson in a world where color does not exist. Yet it reached me, even while the seal locked my senses in another dimension. But your wrath was a wonderful thing. I never thought there was someone else like me in the world. And then I had a thought...¡±


    Instead of speaking, I just rubbed her back and nodded.


    ¡°I need you, Master. I need your desire for revenge because it eclipses even mine. I will be your blade of vengeance for as long I take breath into my lungs.¡± Sekh put a hand to her collar and thumbed the metal charm that mimicked the tattoo under her belly button.


    I need you? That¡¯s the first time anyone¡¯s said that. I...


    ¡°I need you too, Sekh. I need you so much.¡± A strange phenomenon occurred around my crotch when I scooted closer to Sekh and gave her a big hug. She looked so cute and adorable, and her body was soft and warm. Her fur was immaculately easy on the touch. My hands traveled down her back to her tail, then I affectionately rubbed her ass.


    ¡°Master...¡± Sekh¡¯s breath was caught in her throat when something long, thick, and hard brushed against her stomach. I rolled to my back and saw an object protrude from my crotch. Sekh pulled back the covers to expose my erection. It was less like a penis and more like a dark gray tower. It was about 12¡± in length, but the foreskin was still covering the tip.


    A cute blush warmed Sekh¡¯s face. She scooted closer and pressed my right arm between her breasts, then cupped my cheeks and whispered into my ears while licking the tip. ¡°I want my first time¡ªmy genuine first time¡ª to be with you, Master.¡± Sekh asked permission to touch my penis, and when I nodded, she slowly moved her hand down my chest and to my crotch. When she peeled my foreskin back and stroked me just a few times, it seemed as if decades¡¯ worth of built-up pleasure exploded from my dick. There was so much force behind my first ejaculation that it nearly doused the ceiling in my thick, white seed. I gripped the bed sheets with both hands and moaned, my hips convulsing. Loud moans threatened to break free from my lips, but Sekh sealed them shut with her own, and her semen-covered hand continued to stroke my entire shaft up and down.


    ¡°Haa... Haa... Haa...¡± I moaned into her mouth and allowed my tongue to go wild. Her inner cheeks? Her teeth? Her tongue? An orchestra¡¯s worth of lewd and sexually charged noises came from our sloppy kiss as salvia dribbled down our chins. Her slimy hand moved down my shaft and onto my balls, where her gentle grip softly played with them. She gave them a very light squeeze, and it didn¡¯t take long for me to send more semen up into the air. Because of how my penis was aimed, the hot seed splashed over my chest.


    ¡°Master, did that feel good?¡± Sekh asked. She was panting, a lewd expression overcame her face as she licked my cheeks and lips. Her tongue trailed down to my breasts and nipples, and she lapped up the seed. I was still dumbfounded by the pleasure. It was literally not like anything I¡¯d ever experienced before. Sekh continued to lick my nipples when she brought her semen-covered hand to her mouth and sucked her fingers cleaned.


    ¡°Hmm... That¡¯s kinda hot. I was about to go to sleep, but how could I when you¡¯re about to fuck the shit out of her? Still, those Ashen Orcs have the whole damn kitchen in their trousers, don¡¯t they?¡± Tilde said, stripping off her dress and spreading her legs. Her tiny fingers approached her small pussy. I just ignored her and took in deep breaths.


    She would have... She would have... She would have...


    A near infinite amount of ¡®would haves¡¯ had come and gone, yet the only thing she had given me was gentle kindness...


    ...


    Our kiss lasted three minutes, with very little time wasted on taking breaths. I moved down and started to lick her wonderfully bouncy breasts, which had long been calling my name. I almost expected sweet milk to come out when I sucked her nipples, but all I tasted was our combined sweat. I had my left hand around her cheek. I didn¡¯t expect her to open her mouth to suck on my thumb, but it was erotic. She lewdly licked it all over, sucking and slopping against it while looking at me with those cute, adorable silver eyes.


    Her pussy tightened, gripping my cock in an embrace so tight I thought it was about to snap off. I removed my mouth from her nipples and kissed her deeply. She had her hands palm up by her head. As she moaned into my mouth, I interlocked our fingers together. Shocks surged throughout our bodies¡ªthey both trembled with pleasure while I shot my thick, hot seed deep within.


    ¡°Aaahhhh~~~¡± we both moaned, lustful cries purred from our mouths in sync.


    Our lustful cries purred from our mouths in sync. The strength in her legs vanished, allowing me a chance to pull my cock from her tantalizing hole. A gulping sea of white flowed from her hole, coating the bedspread in semen.


    But a shard of weakness burrowed up from the depths of my heart once more... We hadn¡¯t known each other for a day, yet our relationship had progressed faster than a rocket ascending to the final frontier.


    She hadn¡¯t tried to break me down.


    She hadn¡¯t tried to convince me it would be better if I wasn¡¯t born.


    Why hadn¡¯t she...


    My fractured heart couldn¡¯t understand why she wouldn¡¯t treat me horribly... It was frankly unfathomable... Sekh leaned up to kiss me. Her hands slithered down my back. Her touch triggered a painful memory, and I flinched.


    I¡¯m so fucking pathetic! If she would have done any of that bullshit, she would have done it when you were in the dungeon! Good things can happen! Stop crying! Stop feeling like this!


    ¡°Master,¡± she whispered into my ear. The Dark Lord continued to lean up until I fell to my ass. She approached me, taking up a position on my lap as she slowly guided herself back down on my penis. She leaned in close, moaning into my ear while her hands embraced me.


    Her hug was...so warm... Her touch was...so comforting...


    She pushed her lips to mine. This kiss... It was so much more powerful than the ones we shared before. My heart fluttered with something positive, and perhaps that overloaded it because I¡¯d never felt like this before. She started to grind her hips, then took my hands and placed them on her jiggling breasts.


    ¡°Touch me all you want... Do whatever you want to me...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m...sorry,¡± I whispered, apologizing for my meek behavior. Sekh pressed her hands to my chest and, through those passionate breaths, said I had nothing to be sorry for. I leaned up, she remained in my lap, and I wrapped my hands around her waist and licked her sweaty neck. She moaned into my ears, resulting in me getting even harder, which I thought wasn¡¯t possible at all.


    My semen and her delicious fluids made lewd sounds when our crotches smacked into the other.


    And for the next hour, the two of us allowed our moans and body language to do the talking. When I became used to her in my lap, she rolled to her stomach and lifted her hips, and I eased myself inside of her as she loudly moaned into a pillow. I especially loved this position because I was able to hug her adorable stomach. It also allowed the chance to tickle and play with her puffy clitoris while sealing her lips with mine when she turned her head.


    Our night of passion ended after the 11th round. I peeled my sweaty chest from her back and remained on my knees. Looking down, I saw a never-ending river of white flow from her pussy after removing my penis. I couldn¡¯t deny the pleasure it gave me, and looking at my adorable Lionfolk, it seemed she rather enjoyed it as well since she was trembling and moaning. The strength in my body failed me. I collapsed beside Sekh, content and happy. The sandman snatched me away from consciousness the second I hugged her from behind.

 Intermission — Sekh — A Moment to Myself

    Intermission ¡ª Sekh ¡ª A Moment to Myself


    ¡°Uugghh...¡± I groaned in pain once Master had fallen asleep. The discomfort between my legs was bearable when we were making love, but after regaining my reason, it was nothing but agony.


    It took a lot of strength to push myself off the bed and to my feet, and even then, I collapsed to my hands and knees and vomited out the contents of my stomach. With hazy eyes and shaking hands, I reached between my legs and grunted when I pulled my fingers away because I saw proof that this body was just a virgin. That was to be expected because Master¡¯s penis was that of an Ashen Orc. Even if the pain reminded me of the various hells I endured, it wasn¡¯t the same because Master never intended on hurting me. If anything, it was my fault because I made her body


    ¡°Yeah, just to let you know, that¡¯s a shitty idea,¡± said Tilde. She flew over and hovered above Master, doing nothing but staring at her.


    ¡°What would you even know about that, fairy?¡± I replied. I held little affection for this flying pest, but she was instrumental in strengthening Master¡¯s [Hermes Trismegistus].


    ¡°I have about 6,000 years under my belt. When you live that long and see so many people, you start to fit them into different archetypes. You¡¯re thinking of hiding the pain, aren¡¯t you? Master fucked you raw, so I¡¯m sure you having a hard time even moving. You need her, and she needs you, and you don¡¯t want this to turn into a situation that would be harmful for our Master. I bet you imagined the horror of her realizing she hurt the first person to have needed her. That shock would probably render her impotent for the rest of her life, and you could not have that because it would be another strike on the board against our Master. A board, I¡¯ll add, that has two marks of failures already on it. Then again, not telling her isn¡¯t much better. You¡¯d be deceiving her and creating doubt in a relationship where the clouds of uncertainty have no place. Either way, you fucked up by not saying anything earlier.¡±


    I barred my teeth, yet my anger vanished. Ignoring Tilde, I stumbled over to the closet and took out a clean bedspread and blanket, then worked to clean up our mess. It was hard to move Master to the bath, where we luckily had the foresight to not drain the water. I just had to heat it with my flames, then worked to scrub ourselves clean of sexual fluids without the luxury of soap. It didn¡¯t take long for the bath to turn slightly red. Looking at the crimson I loved to spread hurt my heart because of Tilde¡¯s words.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you be useful¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, yeah. I was already going to do it,¡± Tilde said, interrupting me while flying over to the ruined blanket and bedspread. In a flash, it vanished, and I dragged Master from the bath and dried the two of us off. I only needed to remake the bed, and once that was done, I put her down on it. A second later, I crawled over her, got under the cover, and hugged her head to my chest, because she was my Master.


    That was the only reason I needed to do what I just did.


    I was only freed because she suffered a tumultuous life. If she hadn¡¯t been abused, beaten, and raped, then paraded in front of her classmates naked before being thrown into the void, her fury would not have burned as bright.


    Her suffering was my salvation.


    ¡°Hey, when Master was fucking you with that thick cock, how did it feel? I know it hurts like a bitch, but I, honest to goodness, thought you were about to be split open like a walnut. Oh, and I was impressed when you swallowed it. Didn¡¯t think your throat was made for that, but damn. Hey, did you ever hear the story of the Ashen Orc that practiced celibacy?¡± Tilde spoke just because she liked to hear her own voice, and I wasn¡¯t about to indulge her. I just held Master close to my chest and rubbed my arms down her back because I knew she loved how my fur felt. A few kisses to her head caused her to speak in her sleep.


    ¡°Sekh... Mmmnn... Sekh, I need you,¡± whispered my Master. I squeezed her a little tighter as my heart beat faster. That annoyance of a fairy kept speaking as if she valued the sound of her voice that much.


    Would she teach me to cook? Clean? Instruct me on how a noble should act? Throw tea parties with the other women of the village? Take me to see her parents?


    And my father... Would his favorite sword be passed to me when he became feeble and unable to wield it? Would he teach me how to swing a sword? Or how to hunt? Or fish? Or how to nurse minor wounds.


    When I became of age, would they be insistent on making me marry someone? Would they choose a common boy from the village, a noble from my mother¡¯s side, or allow me to choose my partner? Would we fight because of it? Or would I run away? With my potential partner? Or would I leave in the middle of the night?


    Would I choose the guild and follow in my father¡¯s footsteps? Or perhaps join the army? Or even a mercenary?


    Were there friends and close companions in my future? Would I have found someone to adventure with for twenty or so years? Someone to become more than just a simple friend? Someone to be there for me when I needed them when the passing of my parents eventually happened? Or someone to hold my baby when I eventually performed a woman¡¯s duty?


    Me? Being a mother? Even with an open mind, I can¡¯t imagine that. The womb of this new body isn¡¯t destroyed, but who would want to have children with the Dark Lord of Tyranny? Someone with a reputation for slaughtering newborns?


    Or would I be betrayed by them and forced to fight for my survival? Kidnapped and forced to live a fate like what I endured?


    It wouldn¡¯t all be sunshine and rainbows, but it wouldn¡¯t be all vulgar and horrific.


    Master shifted slightly in her sleep, breaking me free from my daydream.


    ¡°Will I ever find love?¡± I whispered, looking at her. ¡°You¡¯re too far special a person to love me. You¡¯re the Transcendent Dark Lord¡ªa being that rules above all other Dark Lords. I¡¯m content to be your blade of vengeance. That¡¯s the most a monster like me could ask for, but I wish to remain by your side until the end of time...¡± I kissed her head once more and reluctantly closed my eyes. I didn¡¯t want this moment to end because a part of me feared this was another delusion the seal tormented me with.


    But I wanted this to be real.


    I yearned for this to be real.


    Please, let it be real when I wake up...

 Intermission – Quella – Isolated Together – Part One

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Isolated Together ¨C Part One


    ¡°Where am I?¡± I asked, standing on a platform located in the middle of a gigantic abyss. One moment, I was shouting for Shuuta, and then I suddenly found myself here. It was like I was trapped in space, yet there wasn¡¯t a hint of stars or galaxies in the distance.


    It was all black.


    Totally black.


    Just like...


    ¡°Just like the void...¡± I whispered, turning around to find what looked like an entrance to a maze or labyrinth. It was only then I realized the platform and maze were bleeding since everything looked to be made of skin.


    ¡°You¡¯re an utter failure, Quella. You couldn¡¯t save me. You left me to die. I hope the scorn you feel from your parents scars you to your core.¡± My heart sank to the pit of my stomach as I turned around to find Shuuta¡¯s skinless face inches away from me. His wounds were engraved on his crimson flesh, his eyes wide open and peering deep within my soul.


    ¡°I¡¯m dead now, you know. And it¡¯s your fault. And it¡¯s Greggie¡¯s fault. And it¡¯s Keeth¡¯s fault. And it¡¯s Elly¡¯s fault. And it¡¯s Ami¡¯s fault. And it¡¯s Ms. Mary¡¯s fault. And it¡¯s Will¡¯s fault. You¡¯re all to blame...and I hate you all. But you? YOU LED ME ON!!!! YOU NEVER ACTUALLY WANTED ME TO LIVE!!! YOU JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOUR FUCKING FAMILY HAPPY!!!!!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s... That¡¯s not it!" My breath froze solid when I heard the irritating noise of a bell. The being standing before me opened vertically like a bloody iron maiden. Thick tentacles grabbed my arms and legs, pulling me inside and clamping shut not even a moment later. Blood covered me from head to toe. My mouth was filled with the taste of hot crimson...


    And then I drowned, dying a painful death. I wanted to wake up, but no...


    Before I knew it, I was back in front of that thing. It started to say something in Shuuta¡¯s voice, but I turned on my heels and rushed into the maze. His face appeared on the walls and the floor, taunting and shouting and crying, spewing his utter hatred like vicious venom. I begged him¡ªreasoned with him¡ªtried to do what I could, but my answer end with a bell ringing. The ground before me vanished, and I fell into a pit of sharp spikes. They skewered me from all over, bringing me to my second death.


    Suddenly, I found myself standing back on that platform. Only this time, Shuuta¡¯s form had grown triple in size. It towered over me, the blood dripping off his exposed flesh like fat raindrops.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never escape!!! I¡¯ll haunt your dreams!!! YOU¡¯LL FEEL WHAT I WAS FORCED TO LIVE THROUGH, YOU FUCKING TRAITOR!!!!!! YOU¡¯LL LIVE WITH THIS FAILURE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!!!!!!¡± He grew bigger with each curse, and I started to run.


    I ran, I ran, and I ran.


    I never once escaped his wrath, but I always begged for forgiveness.


    It was never enough.


    ¡°SHUUTA, I¡¯M SORRY!!!!!!¡± I screamed a name I hadn¡¯t known before today and leaned up. Something hard was awaiting me as I bashed my head into it, knocking the last remnants of that nightmare from my mind.


    ¡°Wah!!!¡± A girl with blue hair fell backwards a bit and rubbed her forehead. ¡°Qutie!¡± Elly exclaimed. She hugged me with tears shining in her eyes, but I remained sitting. She whimpered while I searched my new surroundings.


    We weren¡¯t in Shuuta''s room. Instead, it looked like I was in a room with six beds, which reminded me of the communal living bunks I once saw on a tour of a military base. It was designed to increase camaraderie between new recruits.


    It also functioned as a punishment because it removed any sense of privacy. Each bed had a lantern above it, seemingly controlled by a nearby knob. Within this windowless room, the cool glow of a faint, flickering light was all that staved off the encroaching darkness. Even the walls were as dark as coal, and that was on purpose.


    ¡°Shuuta! Where¡¯s Shuuta?!¡± I cried out. Hazy sweat found refuge on my face and arms, but I didn¡¯t focus on that discomfort.


    ¡°Qutie... He¡¯s gone...¡± Elly whispered. She pulled back from the hug and stared at me with reddened eyes. I rubbed my head and refused to believe it. Greggie and Keeth walked over while Elly helped me to my unstable feet. They explained I had lost consciousness while shouting his name when the portal closed. Once Meruria lifted the restraints on us, she mentioned there would be consequences for anyone who attempted to get revenge for the ¡®failure.¡¯


    Greggie didn¡¯t care, but Keeth and Ami were the ones who kept him from making things worse in a moment of anger.


    Elly said Meruria didn¡¯t waste any time in summoning another Soul Warrior. His name was Carter Armlet¡ªthe pilot of the plane we were on. With a 3-Star Soul, he was immediately granted several skills, one of which created a drone-like object he could control. Whatever the drone saw and heard was transferred to him, but he could share that with others by creating a visual display. Elly said it was like a TV.


    Meruria was so impressed she left with him to train. ¡°She even said recycling Shuuta was the best idea she ever had,¡± Elly whimpered.


    ¡°We¡¯re in the room assigned to Team Quella. That¡¯s us, by the way,¡± said Greggie, who had a pensive look of sadness. He pulled a wooden key from his pocket and handed it to me. ¡°Meruria said we were to stay here until further notice.¡±


    After the trial, Meruria teleported us back to the bloody building with the rotting goblin corpses¡ªpossibly to remind us of our fate if we chose to go against her. There was a maid there, and after Ami picked me up, they followed her through the courtyard and into the building we weren¡¯t summoned in.


    Ms. Mary said we entered a ballroom with elegant flooring and expensive-looking diamond-tipped chandeliers. The maid had continued through a large door and turned left, leading the team down a hallway that emerged into a welcome hall. Elly said there were two sets of stairs that flanked a doorway into the nave of a church.


    That makes sense.


    It was ironic that those at the Club Domme brothel had more humanity than the ones who created her. Everyone there treated her like a daughter or little sister. She ended up helping with tracking finances and other clerical work. Ms. Mary didn¡¯t have a name at this point, so her adoptive father fixed that when he helped her with physical therapy to learn how to walk.


    She found safety for ten years. Eventually, Scientia Doctrinae captured her. She watched as the scientist who helped her was skinned alive for his betrayal. With a cruel warning, Mary was told the same fate would befall Club Domme if she didn¡¯t fulfill her assigned role.


    A few days later, our teacher introduced herself to class 2-F as Ms. Mary after being granted permission to use the name her adoptive father gave her as a first name. ¡°If I had intervened, dad and the others would have died... I sacrificed one of my students so they wouldn¡¯t be killed.¡±


    When Ms. Mary finished her tale, tears flowed from our eyes. None of us had a single clue she had such a history. Ami and Elly rushed off their bed and nearly jumped on her, burying their heads in her black hair. I felt rather emotional, and I went to join the pile. Greggie and Keeth soon joined in after Elly told them to, and all of Team Quella shared our teacher¡¯s pain while engaging in the second group hug of the day. When the emotions simmered, we went back to our beds, but not before making sure she was okay. With her eyes red and raw, she asked us if we could drop the ¡®Ms.¡¯ from her name because she felt she didn¡¯t deserve to be a teacher.


    Something about the timeline didn¡¯t add up because Mary told us she was in her late 20s. She saw my confusion and told us she was 19. She had medicine to regulate her accelerated aging, the one flaw Scientia Doctrinae hadn¡¯t yet been able to fix.


    ¡°I always carry the pills on me. I have enough for 8 months,¡± she said, showing us a bottle she pulled from her skirt pockets. ¡°But I feel fine. It might have something to do with being a Soul Warrior.¡±


    ¡°Umm... Can... Can we talk about the bell?¡± Elly asked, changing the subject and crossing her legs. It was an uncomfortable topic¡ªone I¡¯ve been dreading to discuss. ¡°As much as I want to believe it, I don¡¯t think Meruria was manipulating the bell. When I saw Shuuta¡¯s injuries, it felt like I was looking at my dog when its kidneys shut down. You don¡¯t want it to suffer, so you put it to sleep. It can die peacefully that way. That¡¯s...the first thing that came to mind, but he''s not a dog. He¡¯s a person.¡±


    ¡°I think it was the same with me,¡± I replied. ¡°He looked so pitiful... Like a cat we used to have. It broke its back, and mother and father put it to sleep. What I felt then was what I experienced when I saw him. Just like a stake being driven through my heart... I wanted him to feel at peace. No matter what, I wanted the hurt to stop, but I also wanted to save him. But I couldn¡¯t do both...¡±


    ¡°Wait? It happened to you too?¡± Greggie suddenly asked. ¡°In my case, it was a turtle. I had one when I was a kid, but he passed away after getting sick. Now that I¡¯m thinking about it, the feelings I felt were the same when the doctor told me Turtley had to be euthanized.¡±


    ¡°Did...we all think of him as an animal that needed to be put down?¡± Mary inquired. ¡°In my case, it was a gerbil we used to keep at Club Domme. We all took care of it, and it was my first animal. A year later, we had a vet put it to sleep because it couldn¡¯t walk anymore. But ignoring that, what we experienced isn¡¯t natural behavior. Perhaps if two of us thought like that, then yes. But all six? Something doesn¡¯t feel right.¡±


    ¡°Hold on...I didn¡¯t think what I wanted to think?¡± Ami asked. ¡°But my feelings are my feelings, and I felt like I did when my goat was run over by a truck. My feelings didn¡¯t want Shuuta to die, but if they did, then it wasn¡¯t me while also being me? But why did the bell sing? I¡¯m confused,¡± Ami touched her head and slowly closed her eyes.


    ¡°It was a bird in my case. Pierty broke his wings, and he was put down when the vet couldn¡¯t fix him,¡± Keeth said, his eyes becoming cloudy with water.


    "Then... Someone made us feel what we felt when our childhood pets passed away? You think it was Meruria?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The bell still rang because what we said didn¡¯t match our feelings, but our feelings from our childhood were brought forth from our subconsciousness. Do you think she has the power to do that?¡± Mary replied.


    ¡°Like, if we ask her, I doubt she¡¯ll be honest with us,¡± said Elly.


    ¡°Wonder if she¡¯ll lend us the bell? Maybe I can talk her into it... But I need to know if she¡¯s behind it. If I¡¯m being honest, though. I¡¯m...almost glad this is the case. I hope that¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°I get what you mean,¡± replied Greggie. ¡°It means I never wanted Shuuta to die.¡± Everyone¡¯s moods improved somewhat after we really, genuinely wanted him to live. Silently, we all agreed on Meruria being our foe. How could we not after realizing the likelihood of her rigging the trial? But what could we do against her? Talking out loud about her in the middle of her church was a foolish mistake, and one we did not make.


    It wasn¡¯t long before someone knocked on the door. When I opened it, a tall maid bowed her head and left, leaving us with six crates that held our names. We grabbed them and started to open them.


    ¡°Clothes?¡± Ami quizzically said. She dumped the contents of her box on the bed and stared at a perfect recreation of the outfit she had on. Everything from the shirt down to the socks was a match, and there was a rough, brown towel with a bar of soap wrapped inside. It was obvious we were meant to change. I grabbed my box and walked to the only other door that wasn¡¯t an exit.


    It was a bathroom with a toilet. The ¡®shower¡¯ was a metal pole with a hole at the top. A knob ¡®controlled¡¯ the temperature, but only cold water came out. A thousand and one thoughts ran through my mind when the door slammed shut behind me. I stripped naked and started to clean myself free from the dried crimson and sweat. The room was nearly dark, but a lantern with a weak flame struggled to provide illumination.


    The water was nearly freezing, yet the discomfort didn¡¯t compare to what he¡¯d felt. He¡¯d felt an unenvious torture. He¡¯d felt his life coming to an end. I was still alive.


    This world was a dangerous one, but I still had the blessing of feeling my heart pump to circulate blood through my body. In my beloved books, there was sometimes a scene of the main protagonist witnessing the death of someone close to them. After a bout of depression, they become determined to live for the recently departed.


    I wasn¡¯t like them. This wasn¡¯t a book. I couldn¡¯t turn back to the prologue and relieve the times before chaos ruled the world. And I couldn¡¯t flip to the end and hope his death was a temporary setback.


    Reality wasn¡¯t fiction, and happy endings were a myth...


    I could still try, though... I could face this world... I could...


    I could...


    The rough edges of the shower tile nearly scratched my butt as I sat down, allowing the cold rain to fall over my red hair. The noise it made slapping into the floor overpowered my quiet whimpers, but I couldn¡¯t stay here. I had to stand up, scrub the dried blood off, and get dressed.


    I¡¯ve cried enough... If I¡¯m the leader of Team Quella, I must be strong... Not just for me, but for them... And for him, too...

 Intermission – Quella – Isolated Together – Part Two

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Isolated Together ¨C Part Two


    ¡°Eh? Qutie, I just sent you something,¡± Elly said, with a towel wrapped around her hair. She stared towards the wall, but she was really looking at her Status Menu. With nothing else to do but wait, we decided to do a little bit of investigation after getting clean.


    Having something to occupy our minds made it easier to focus on the present rather than him.


    ¡°It looks like a party request,¡± I replied, staring at my activity log. After focusing on it, a message box appeared and asked if I wanted to accept. I did, and then Elly¡¯s information appeared below mine. It looked like a way we could track the others¡¯ HP and mana, so we all partied up. ¡°Should we talk about our skills and abilities? If we¡¯re gonna be a team, that should be our next step.¡±


    Everyone agreed, and Greggie began by explaining the skill [Butcher (Lv. 6), which increased his damage against monsters when using butcher knives. His [Cooking (Lv. 10)] was as high as it could go, but he had [Master Chef (Lv. 5)], which increased his overall skill in food preparation. [Fishing (Lv. 7)], [Farming (Lv. 8)], [Hunting (Lv. 8)], and [Harvesting (Lv. 7)] were supportive skills that just made things easier in those respective areas.


    [Mana Marinade ¨C Physical (Lv. 5)], [Mana Marinade ¨C Magical (Lv. 5)], and [Mana Marinade ¨C Dexterous (Lv. 5)] allowed him to infuse his food with mana to offer temporary buffs, but he could only use one marinade skill per food item. ¡°I also have [Heat Resistance (Lv. 7)]. It makes sense because a kitchen gets hot. Oh, and something called [Thermal Check (Lv. 10)]. It allows me to determine the temperature of something from sight alone,¡± he said.


    Keeth stood up and placed a palm against the wall. ¡°I have something called [Material Metamorphosis (Lv. 4)]. It allows me to do this,¡± he said with a quiet whisper. He spoke the skill¡¯s name a second time, and his fingers had an ethereal glow around them. They passed through the wall, and when he closed his hand and removed it, there was a fist-sized hole in the wall. And in his grasp was the black concrete-like material the wall was made from. ¡°I can take a chunk of material and sculpt it. I think the mana cost is determined by the size, strength, and properties of what I take. For example, this took 60% of my blue bar.¡±


    Ms. Mary asked if it needed mana when it was in his hand, but he shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s like I have a toggle in my mind. When it¡¯s on, my mana starts to drain, my materials become malleable, and I can shape them to whatever form I want. When I turn it off, it becomes hard again, and my mana stops decreasing. See?¡±


    I watched Keeth¡¯s blue bar closely as it started to slowly drain. He squeezed off a thumb-sized piece of concrete, sat the rest on the bed, and sculpted it into a spear about two feet long. Once he was happy with it, his mana stabilized and slowly regenerated. ¡°There¡¯s a limit, though. This concrete can only be used nine more times. When that happens, it loses its malleability. I can always grab another handful from the wall, though. Or anything else, really, if I have the mana. At least, I think that¡¯s how it works.¡±


    Elly asked if Keeth would get another use if he returned the spear to the concrete it came from, and he shook his head. Perhaps the limit would grow with the skill¡¯s level? I noticed his smile as he answered another question from Elly. When it came to something he was passionate about, Keeth almost changed into another person. One that spoke with more passion in his voice instead of wanting to hide away and speak in whispered voices. I suppose he was like Shuuta in that way if the stories I heard about him were true.


    Next was Mary, whose skills all revolved around [Monster Tamer (Lv. 1)]. When used on a monster, it would become loyal and follow her orders, but there were various factors at work, like the level difference, the skill¡¯s level, the monster¡¯s remaining HP, which determined the success rate. [Monster Growth ¨C Physical (Lv. 1)], [Monster Growth ¨C Magical (Lv. 1)], and [Monster Growth ¨C Dexterous (Lv. 1)] were passive skills that affected her monsters when they leveled up. [Monster Growth ¨C Evolutionary Theory] was awkwardly worded. It almost sounded like it gave Mary¡¯s monsters evolutionary paths they normally didn¡¯t have.


    ¡°It¡¯s my turn!¡± Elly said. She stood on her bed and started to sing, shaking her hips in rhythm to the fiery lyrics. There was an icon of a sword with a sharp glint under my name, and I felt empowered.


    Physical Resolve: Increases physical damage.


    ¡°It looks like your singing makes us stronger. Do you have any other songs?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yep yep! Here, I got two more coming your way!¡± She brought both hands to her face, formed a peace sign, and switched over to something a little more somber. An icon of a staff appeared next to the sword, which vanished after about twenty seconds. When I listened to her slow lyrics, my soul felt prepared and rested, and my mind found a resemblance of peace.


    Magical Resolve: Increases magical damage and mana regeneration.


    When that song ended, she took a second to catch her breath before starting again. This time, her voice was a little bit higher pitch, and she bounced around the bed like a rabbit in between the incredibly hyper-fast lyrics that eclipsed even [Physical Resolve]. I almost became dizzy looking at her, but the feeling of wanting to run and jump like a bunny came over me.


    Dexterous Resolve: Increases speed, agility, and accuracy with ranged or thrown weaponry.


    ¡°And I also have [Musical Notes (Lv. 3)]. When I sing, my voice takes the form of flying music notes that slam into my enemy. I don¡¯t wanna hurt people with my music. I wanna sing and bring joy to everyone, but...¡± Elly sat with a sigh and hugged her knees. ¡°I have no choice, I guess. I don¡¯t want anyone else to die... I want us all to survive,¡± she whispered.


    Ami was next to explain her skills, which all revolved around hand-to-hand combat. She had [Aura], which built up as she inflicted damage and dodged her opponents¡¯ strikes, which could be used to improve the damage of her unarmed skills like [Arm Bar (Lv. 2)], [Palm Strike (Lv. 3)], [Tiger Claw (Lv. 3)], [Running Punch (Lv. 3)], [Grappling (Lv. 1)], [Retaliate (Lv. 3)], which was a counterattack ability, and [Uppercut (Lv. 4)]. She had [Unarmed (Lv. 4)]. The description said it worked with gloves but holding a sword or shield or any other kind of weapon canceled the effect. She also had [Aura Blast (Lv. 1)], which enabled her to use all her aura at once to inflict a devastating attack. ¡°There was this bipedal blue jackal in this game dad and I played that used the same abilities. That one was always my favorite pocket creature.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Qutie?¡± Elly asked, causing everyone to turn to me.


    ¡°It¡¯s... It¡¯s a lot. There¡¯s a stark difference between a 4-Star and a 5-Star Soul,¡± I said as I listed my skills.


    All Magic Affinity (Lv. 5) Improved Proficiency - Grants the user increased proficiency for all types of magic. Chantless Casting¨C Grants the user the ability to cast magic by speaking the spell¡¯s name. Reduced Mana Consumption ¨C The user requires less mana to cast magic. Multi Chain Casting ¨C Grants the user to chain multiple spells together in a single breath. Magic Circle Casting ¨C Grants the user the ability to etch magic into magic circles to either delay or remotely trigger the spell within. Increased Spell Duration ¨C The spells the user cast will last longer. Overcharge ¨C Grants the user the ability to overload their spells with more mana to increase their effectiveness. All Magic Resistance (Lv. 5) Grants the user resistance to all types of magic. Magic Catalyst: Tome (Lv. 5) When using tomes, the user¡¯s spells are more effective. Mana Recovery (Lv. 5) Increases the rate at which the user¡¯s mana recovers. Meditation (Lv. 5) When the user meditates and focuses their mind, their mana recovers at an extraordinary rate. Magic Hijack (Lv. 5) The user may attempt to forcefully steal control over magic that they did not cast. Copy: Magic (Lv. 1) The user may attempt to copy a spell to forcefully learn it. Mana Perception (Lv. 4) The user may see the flow of mana in the world.


    ¡°Umm... Yeah, that¡¯s a lot, Qutie. But that¡¯s good, right?¡± Elly asked. Mary and the others nodded.


    ¡°My only spell is [Fireball], though. And we¡¯re just Lv. 2.¡± I was about to say I didn¡¯t know how to do most of this, but upon thinking of magic circles, the knowledge I needed to create one filled a gap in my mind. It was the same with meditating. Crossing my legs and closing my eyes after folding my hands on my lap, it was like my mind became devoid of all stresses. The flow of mana circulating through my body like a river in a lake became something I felt, and I tracked it as it flowed from my brain to my toes and back again. When I opened my eyes, I asked Elly to sing [Physical Resolve].


    ¡°He¡¯s in a better place. Be honest. He wouldn¡¯t have lasted a few days here, let alone a week. And don¡¯t put this all on me. Deep inside, you wanted him to die, too. You want his anguished suffering to end. I wager we all did. It was a mercy killing, and if Shuuta¡¯s spirit was alive to know that, I believed he would thank us.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you say his goddamn name!¡± Keeth had an outburst, his eyes glistening with tears.


    Meruria downed her wine glass, told everyone to stand up, then summoned her staff. A flash of light filled the room, and when it vanished, we were standing inside some sort of training room. It was big and wide, almost reminding me of Mekka Academy''s gym, yet weapons of both wood and iron of all different types lined the walls.


    The only ones not surprised were the ones that managed to eat dinner. Mary, myself, and the others had no idea what was going on.


    ¡°Before I move on with your team¡¯s punishment,¡± Meruria said, pointing her staff towards me. ¡°Mia and Tokko have something they wanted to show me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Lord Meruria,¡± Tokko said. He walked to the middle of the room with Mia. Both raised their hands to the sky. White energy cackled around their palms, and I quickly used [Mana Perception].


    That was a mistake.


    The mana gathering around them was so bright my monochrome vision was filled with a blinding void. In just seconds, I felt a throbbing pain right above my eyes that made it hard to keep them open even after canceling the skill.


    ¡°Oh my!!!¡± Meruria exclaimed. After a few seconds of building, the energy condensed into a pair of crystals, then floated in front of them. They reminded me of a Soul Crystal, but it felt distinctively different. When Tokko touched his, it shimmered, sending a wave of pressure that nearly knocked all of us over while covering the room with thick mana. I struggled to remain on my feet while watching it, twist and morph until it took the shape of a greatsword. It was plain iron with nothing decorative, but when he grasped the hilt, the overwhelming pressure vanished.


    Before Meruria could speak her praises, Tokko¡¯s weapon changed into an iron tower shield four inches shorter than he was. He slammed it into the ground, sending out a shockwave that traveled up the wall. It crashed into the ceiling, causing it to shatter completely. As the debris rained down, Mia touched her crystal, and the pressure released sent the falling roof scattering to the high heavens.


    She grabbed the bow that appeared, but it quickly morphed into a staff with a floating bronze orb on the end. She held it high to the sky, the orb shining bright like a diamond. ¡°[Astral Beam]!¡± she said when the falling debris came into view. Hundreds of thin lasers shot from the tip of her staff, slamming into each piece. It took less than a second for them to explode, turning from what looked to be concrete into thin pieces of crystalized remains that fell like falling snowflakes. The exposed full moon cast a radiant glow upon them, sending sparkles all around this naked room and onto the surprised faces of everyone within it.


    I attempted to copy it, but I received an error message in my activity log stating it was too powerful for me to use.


    ¡°How...utterly...incredible!!!!¡± Meruria rushed to Tokko and Mia and held their hands. She bounced up and down like a rabbit, her constant praises knowing no end. She explained that their souls were so powerful they weren¡¯t limited to just one Soul Weapon.


    They had two. And they complemented each other.


    In Tokko¡¯s case, he carried the ultimate offense and defense, and he could switch between the two instantly. For Mia, Meruria said her staff, once it evolved and her soul grew more powerful, could control this world¡¯s laws of physics. And her bow could eventually rend the planet¡¯s crust and cause earthquakes whenever her arrows landed.


    Tokko¡¯s sword may have been mere iron, but that was its initial state. It would evolve and alter forms. According to Meruria, an average Soul Weapon had about 150 forms, but it was likely Tokko¡¯s and Mia¡¯s Soul Weapons would have about 600. And each carried a different skill, ability, or spell that could be permanently learned.


    ¡°That¡¯s...the power of a 6-Star Soul? They already have their Soul Weapons at Lv. 2?¡± I heard a guard whisper. Even in his silver plate armor, he shivered noticeably in his boots at the power displayed. My own skills were outrageous, but the difference between a 5-Star and a 6-Star Soul had to be greater than the distance between a 1-Star and a 5-Star Soul. When Meruria stepped back from her constant praise, Mia lifted her staff to the sky once more and used a spell called [Material Rejuvenation]. The roof broken by Tokko phased back into existence. It almost looked like time was rewinding in just that localized area, and Meruria confirmed my thoughts by explaining the power of [Time Magic]. It was rare for any Soul Warrior to acquire such strong magic from their Soul Crystal, but that just led to more praise.


    Error: You are not strong enough to copy [Material Rejuvenation].


    ¡°But that is enough. O Warriors of mine! You¡¯ve all witnessed the power I want you to obtain. I desire the strongest to defend the greatest country in the world, and you have been shown what happens when you cannot meet my standards.¡± With a raise of her staff, Meruria thumped it against the floor and teleported us to yet another room filled with tables. Each one held a bag of money, a ring with the gift of {Translation}, a rare enchantment that went for hundreds of gold, and a map of Cridia. She commanded us to walk to the ones with our names on them, and as I expected, we didn¡¯t have one.


    ¡°Quella, your punishment is as followed. Tomorrow morning, I will teleport you to a dungeon located 200 miles away. Within 25 days, you and your team shall return to me, and you will not disappoint me with your growth. Know this: abandoning your summoner is the gravest sin a Soul Warrior can commit. Now, begone. Get out of my sight and return to your room.¡± Meruria flicked her wrist, gave us a disappointing scowl, and began to address the other students that hadn¡¯t fallen out of her favor.


    We left, feeling the piercing stares of the others drill holes in our backs. I knew Mekka Academy was a cut above the rest, but it felt like Tokko managed to get everyone over Shuuta¡¯s death. He always had a way with words. When the feeling struck him, he could chat up anyone and become their friend because he always knew just what to say and when to say it.


    We¡¯re in a world with skills and abilities. I¡¯d put money on there being some sort of leadership or commander-type skill. I was free to read what I wanted if I accomplished the milestones my mother and father put before me, and some stories had things like that. It¡¯s surreal to think that information is going to help us, but I must remember...


    This is real life, and this is a dangerous world.

 Intermission – Quella – Isolated Together – Part Three

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Isolated Together ¨C Part Three


    After returning to our room, Mary gently closed the door and broke the silence by suggesting we¡¯d be starving in the morning, which led us to another issue.


    We were totally alone. With no help from Meruria or Cridia, Team Quella just had Team Quella. We couldn¡¯t speak the language of this world. How would we buy supplies or food? If we had an emergency, how would we get help? If we wanted to stay at an inn? How could we communicate that?


    We talked about this for a little bit before we had a sudden realization...


    None of us ever demanded the truth from Meruria.


    I knew we all had it on our minds, but after talking it over, it was like it vanished from our memory and only reappeared when we weren¡¯t near our summoner. More than ever, we knew she was involved. She had to have been. It was unnerving. Sure, we could¡¯ve demanded answers by marching back to her, but would that work? Or would she threaten to throw one of us into the void like she did Shuuta?


    Even if I¡¯m a 5-Star, I can¡¯t compare to Mia in terms of magical strength. I wouldn''t win in any kind of fight. I need to get stronger...


    Greggie and Keeth started to push their beds to the other side of the room. ¡°We thought you wouldn¡¯t feel comfortable--¡± Greggie started to say.


    ¡°NOPE!¡± Elly jumped over the bed and grabbed the chef by his thick hand. ¡°In this new world, we gotta stick together. Purposely making a divide between us feels wrong. Besides, you two aren¡¯t the type to feel up a girl when she¡¯s asleep, are ya?¡±


    ¡°Sleep touching?¡± Ami asked. She had trouble with the syntax of Elly¡¯s question and groped her breasts through her yellow shirt. ¡°Greggie sleep touching?"


    ¡°Not in a million years!¡± Greggie hastily replied. Keeth echoed something similar, and Elly gave them each a big hug.


    ¡°Qutie? Mary?¡± Elly asked us our thoughts.


    ¡°We don¡¯t have anything to worry about. Really, you¡¯re the only two guys in our class we can trust,¡± I said, giving a small smile. ¡°In this world, we only have us. It¡¯s best to stick together when we can.¡± The boys¡¯ stiff expressions softened, and they returned their beds to their original location. Mary said she had read the files on them. The ¡®worst¡¯ Greggie had done was break curfew because his truck''s battery died. For Keeth, he had once fallen asleep inside a pottery store because he had just finished a 13-hour job. The security guard thought he was a thief.


    "But I don''t have any problems with it," Mary added.


    Another series of yawns spread around, and it was time to go to bed. The lanterns soon turned off one by one, and we slipped underneath the coarse excuse for a blanket and laid on the stone-like pillow.


    Elly groaned that she hated falling asleep with a shirt on and preferred to sleep in her panties, which her cousin echoed, but even she knew that it was dangerous to strip her clothes off when we could be summoned at any time. Greggie and Keeth remained quiet, but I also shared Elly¡¯s sentiment. But that was because I never cared about people seeing my bare body. After all, it was just that.


    A body.


    We all had one. Perhaps my breasts were larger than normal, and my mother said I was blessed in the hips, but so what?


    I suppose it didn¡¯t matter. Only a fool would strip when in the heart of the enemy¡¯s army.


    The past two days had changed the course of my life, and it wouldn¡¯t ever be the same. I was utterly exhausted, but I couldn¡¯t find it in me to sleep after placing my glasses on the lantern above my bed. His face appeared in my mind. But when I eventually fell asleep?


    I was forced to endure that awful nightmare, and I died.


    Again, and again, and again...


    Each time I met my end, I heard my mother¡¯s voice disowning me for not living up to her standards.


    It was a double nightmare, but this was my sin to bear.


    Once I perish from this world, will I see him in the afterlife?


    Before the sun was even a spec in the sky, Team Quella stood in the nave of Meruria¡¯s church, which did not skimp out on the luxuries. From golden curtains to shining chandeliers, it was like most of her wealth was dedicated to lavishness. Earlier this morning, a dwarf in a suit came to fetch us, but we were already up. It was hard to sleep with growling stomachs, especially if you knew you were going out into the unknown for the next 25 days.


    ¡°The Aquatic Caverns of Melusine. That is where I will be sending you,¡± Meruria said as she appeared from a pillar of light, still wearing the same skimpy dress. She wasn¡¯t alone, though. There was a white-eared beastfolk¡ªprobably a Wolffolk, if I had to guess, standing there.


    The leopard chuffed as if laughing at our party¡¯s weakness and approached menacingly. It continued when I raised my hand, but its tone changed when a flaming sphere was launched towards it. Ducking under my attack, the monster howled and charged in, but I had mana to spare. With a war cry to fuel me with a false sense of bravery, I defended my friends and let loose a dozen orbs of pure fire until I finally managed to score a hit to its foot.


    Its HP dropped by 9%? That was a lucky strike.


    ¡°We have to fight!¡± I yelled, trying to get my breathing under control while my arms shook. The fight or flight reaction circulated through my sympathetic nervous system, and it leaned towards the latter. But running away? No, I couldn¡¯t do that. How foolish was I to think throwing away my life would be any better than fighting in this unjust world?


    The leopard tried to stand up, but it couldn¡¯t. It glared its teeth and went down on all fours to run on its three good legs, but it was met with another [Fireball]. It splashed its face, draining another 12% while burning the beast, and that was when Keeth gathered enough strength to run forward with the spear raised.


    ¡°AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!¡± he screamed, bringing it down upon the beast¡¯s back, which took an additional 22%. Elly broke into song with a mournful voice, but we were energized with [Physical Resolve]. Greggie rushed forward to grab the club the monster had dropped. His large body slowed him down, but his arms were surprisingly muscular from years of constant cooking under the most hectic conditions. He endured the coldness of his armament while breaking the leopard¡¯s hind legs. It roared in pain and writhed; the awful snapping of its bones was another reminder that this was real.


    Meanwhile, Ami put her hands up and used its head as a punching bag, taking care to dodge before the leopard¡¯s paw had a chance to land a strike. She had a green bar under her name, which represented her aura. When it was full, Ami jumped backwards, put both hands together, and launched a green orb from her palms. ¡°Move!!!¡± she ordered. Keeth and Greggie nodded and slipped while making distance, which was good because the energy ball exploded, leaving behind half a head. Raining chunks of flesh, due, skull, and brain fragments poured around this room, with most landing in the water around us. But the monster¡¯s innards were hot enough to produce steam.


    [New Title: Snowy Bipedal Leopard Slayer (I)]


    [New Title: Novice Fire Mage]


    [New Title: Team Leader]


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 5. You¡¯ve gained 64 SP


    The empty HP bar under its name signified it was dead.


    We¡¯d killed it. Proof of that was in the titles and my new level staring at me from the activity log.


    Much like that goblin...


    Much like Shuuta...


    It was a harsh truth to face, but reality was rarely ever gentle.


    I tapped my frigid cheeks with my hands and shook the jitteriness from my heart. Fearful goosebumps covered my arms, but I couldn¡¯t give up. I was going to lead my team back to Meruria, and I wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to die. It was awkward to say, but I was the most experienced. Not just in terms of power but because this situation was like the adventure books I loved to read. It didn¡¯t matter if I was the heroine. I was never going to get that role, and I was fine with it.


    Even in this cold abyss, sweat still traveled down my cheeks. Even more so after staring potential death in its bloodstained mouth and ending its life before it could kill us. Vomit traveled up my throat, but I forced it down.


    ¡°We can¡¯t keep acting like this,¡± I said to my team. ¡°We must move on. We must fight to survive. We had our time to mourn him, but our survival is at stake. We¡¯re in a dangerous place, and we¡¯re on a time limit. If we''re late, we might die. And... I don¡¯t want that. I think the best thing we can do¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it, Qutie,¡± Elly wiped her eyes dry. ¡°I know what you mean, but I¡¯m scared. I think we all are, but we still gotta move forward, right?¡±


    ¡°Killing that monster made me realize something. This isn¡¯t a dream. I wanna wake up, but I know I won¡¯t,¡± Ami added. She looked at her bloody hands and formed a pair of fists. ¡°I was a luchadora because it made people happy... But now I want to fight so all of us will survive.¡±


    ¡°I...don¡¯t want to be useless anymore. I¡¯ve been a coward my whole life,¡± Mary whispered. She was the only one who remained still during the fight, and she was probably the most scared. ¡°I couldn¡¯t protect Shuuta, but I want to change that!¡±


    ¡°I guess this means he¡¯s really gone. We won¡¯t ever see him again. I¡¯m sad, of course, but it¡¯s the truth. He¡¯s not hurting anymore. I hope he¡¯s in heaven, though. I hope he¡¯s having the time of his life, but I¡¯m sorry, Shuuta. I¡¯m going to have to accept your death even if it hurts me,¡± Greggie cleared his throat and ran his ice burnt hands through his hair before slightly yelping from the pain. I couldn''t do anything to heal him. Healing magic has to exist in this world, and I need to acquire it.


    ¡°Shuuta¡¯s never held a 1903 Springfield before, and I never had the chance to sculpt him one out of clay. Greggie, I hope you¡¯re right. I hope he¡¯s having fun up there.¡±


    Same here. Meruria said Shuuta''s fate was to be tortured endlessly in the void, but I choose not to believe that. Wherever he is, I know he''s happy. He has to be...


    ¡°Then it¡¯s agreed,¡± I said, raising my voice just slightly. ¡°We¡¯re going to get out of here and survive!¡± Once I had my team¡¯s affirmation, I continued. ¡°I¡¯ll take the lead since I can attack the fastest. Finding shelter is our top priority. Keeth, keep an eye out for any material you can use to make a tent.¡± He nodded.


    I looked down the closest passageway and saw almost total darkness. It felt like my shoes were crafted from lead, but this new determination forced my legs forward with my hands and mouth at the ready to strike first at whatever wanted to kill us.

 Chapter Twenty: Learning from Mistakes (R-18)

    Chapter Twenty: Learning from Mistakes (R-18)


    Sekh laid her pretty head across my stomach. We had woken up together only a few minutes before the birds started to sing, alerting everyone to the dawn of a new day. Faint sunlight flickered in through the two windows, so most of the room was dark. To me, it was as bright as day.


    We talked for a bit, with the topic obviously being about last night. Sekh purred, rubbing her cheeks against me. She wasn¡¯t quite sure what she was feeling, but her heart thumped against her chest faster than ever. She told me about how she cleaned up after our sexual tryst, then Tilde chimed in and said the dirty items were stashed in our storage. I asked why she didn¡¯t wake me up so I could help, but she said I was sleeping so peacefully she didn¡¯t want to intrude. That was nice of her, but it felt like there was something else.


    ¡°Hey, did¡ª¡±


    ¡°Master? What¡¯s that smell?¡± Sekh asked, interrupting me. She looked up at me with a quizzical expression. I didn¡¯t know what she was talking about, but it did feel like there was a wet spot against my crotch. I lifted the covers and saw a load of semen messily sticking against the blanket.


    ¡°Did I have a wet dream?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s only logical, right?¡± Tilde sleepily said from her makeshift bed. She explained that I was going through something that she described as ¡®emotional and sensual puberty¡¯ now that I had managed to overcome my trauma with Sekh¡¯s help. I didn¡¯t know if that made the most sense, but the slumbering giant between my legs started to wake up. ¡°Sex isn¡¯t something to feel shame about. It¡¯s just a natural process. Then again, there¡¯s no shame in not having any, either. Your inability to feel pleasure was not a defect. You weren¡¯t less as a person.¡±


    Why is she so obsessed with sex?


    ¡°Master, do you want me to take care of it?¡± Sekh inquired.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that. It¡¯ll go away on its own.¡±


    ¡°But I want to. I like to see you happy, and it warms my heart to see you enjoy it.¡± After I nodded, Sekh rubbed my thighs. I thought my erection would have destroyed this tender moment between us, but she didn¡¯t see it that way. And neither did I after a few minutes of thinking.


    Really, I think any moment between us was something to be cherished and fondly looked back upon because we had no one else. We were both pained existences¡ªthe world saw fit to sentence us to a life of suffering because we were simply born. We had each other and no one else.


    ¡°Does it hurt? It¡¯s so big and hard...¡± Sekh¡¯s hands slowly trailed to my testicles, and she gently fondled them. At its full size of nearly 12 inches, my penis was bigger than her head. Even two hands wouldn¡¯t be able to properly stroke its ashen-colored shaft, but she managed to peel back the foreskin. She marveled at it, slightly inhaling my scent and timidly sticking out her pink tongue to taste it. I reacted by moaning, and she knew she could continue. Sekh painted my shaft in her saliva.


    I wanted to massage Sekh¡¯s pussy, but she kept her legs closed and remarked that she just wanted to focus on me. That was a little bit strange, but I rolled with it. Her tail swayed over, and I fluffed and rubbed it against my cheeks because it was so soft and fluffy.


    ¡°Ahhh... Sekh...¡± I bit my lips. She progressed from simply licking to kissing before hiding it inside her mouth. Her tongue lewdly swirled around the tip. I felt a slim hand gently grasp my balls. Sekh worked her mouth, but her lips never progressed. The sensitive head remained there, enveloped in her hot, moist mouth. Suddenly, I felt the taste of cold air dry her spit. Sekh rolled out of bed and kneeled, her smile looking so cute and adorable. Drool dripped off her smiling lips.


    I knew what she wanted, so I crawled over to the edge of the bed and spread my legs. I stroked myself as Sekh crawled a bit closer with an open mouth. After easing myself onto her hot tongue, she closed her lips. I held her head with both hands and scratched her ears, gently caressing her cheeks with a soft brush of my palm. When she flicked her tongue against a certain spot, I arched my back in ecstasy.


    ¡°Master...¡± Sekh said with her mouth full. She looked at me expectantly, but I kept fluffing her ears and smiling. ¡°Are you feeling good?¡±


    ¡°You were just thrusting away without a goddamn care, and you didn¡¯t take her into account, did you? No wonder you didn¡¯t see or smell the blood. And that first time excuse doesn¡¯t have an ounce of weight because you were selfish. You can¡¯t just bust a nut and fall asleep without checking on your partner. You can¡¯t smash it and pass it, you can¡¯t dump a load and hit the road, you can¡¯t knock it and rocket, you can¡¯t ramble and scramble, you can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Alright, I get it. You¡ª¡±


    Tilde shushed and spoke over me. ¡°If you took even a second, you¡¯d notice the dripping blood and slightly lowered HP bar. But no. You hit it, quit it, then selfishly went to sleep. Do you want to be a deadbeat lover? Because that¡¯s how you become a deadbeat lover. Have some fucking respect for your partner. But you¡¯re not the only one to blame. Big Tits should have spoken up. It was selfish of her to keep quiet because it means she doesn¡¯t think of herself as an equal in the relationship. Now kiss or make up or do something. We don¡¯t have the time for any lame drama to come between you two. That¡¯s cliche?, and I¡¯m not about that shit.¡±


    Sekh and I were totally dumbfounded by Tilde¡¯s strongly worded lecture. I turned my loyal Lionfolk around in my lap and touched my head to hers. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I hurt you. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose, I swear.¡±


    ¡°I know, Master,¡± Sekh replied, her voice softer than silk. ¡°I¡¯m sorry I didn¡¯t speak up.¡±


    ¡°If we have sex again, promise me that you¡¯ll speak up if you¡¯re sore, tired, hurting, or not in the mood. I feel like a total ass because I enjoyed it so much without thinking about you.¡±


    ¡°When we have sex, right? Last night really was amazing, Master. Yes, I¡¯m sore, but that doesn¡¯t change anything. Anyways, do you want to do those things to me? What Murag did to his fellow Soul Warriors?¡±


    I kissed Sekh, and she just continued to gaze into my eyes. ¡°Only if you¡¯re comfortable with them. But my penis is too big. I looked over my chimeric skills again and realized I can shrink my body parts by 10%, but that¡¯s not enough.¡± Sekh leaned back and looked down, watching as my dick shrank by 0.7¡±. If I was erect, then there was a loss of 1.2¡±, but 10.8¡± was still much too large for Sekh. She spoke about a skill called [Fleshcrafting], which was what she used to make my body. She used it to empower her army by fusing her slaves together to create monstrous beings to send fear into the hearts of her enemies.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you figured this out, but whenever I¡¯m born anew, I retain the requirements for every skill I¡¯d ever learned throughout my multiple reincarnations. As of now, that¡¯s over 1,500, but I must still spend the SP or train to properly acquire them. However, it won¡¯t require as much effort or SP, which is a silver lining. Master, may I practice [Fleshcrafting]?¡± Sekh asked. I nodded. She gently wrapped her hands around my penis and entered a state of extreme focus. A second or two later, she was out of breath after her mana drained by about 89%. I felt something warm around my cock, and she asked me to look. I did, and it was probably about 9¡±. That deduction wasn¡¯t something to scoff about, but it was still too big. Tilde flew around my penis and complimented it, then spoke about the differences between using skills when you have it learned and when you didn¡¯t.


    Learning the appropriate skill just makes using the skill easier? It isn¡¯t required? It doesn¡¯t make the most sense, but whatever.


    ¡°When you aren¡¯t sore anymore, can¡ª¡± Sekh interrupted me with a kiss and sensually rubbed my cheeks. We embraced each other. When our lips parted, thick strings of saliva connected us.


    I knew what her answer was.


    ¡°Good... Good... Now, we got to talk about something else,¡± Tilde announced, flying over to my shoulder to sit down. ¡°Stop being a cunt towards Irisa and Ichiha. Yeah, your life as Shuuta rendered you ineffective at basic communication, but that¡¯s not an excuse because you¡¯re not him anymore. If you were smart, you¡¯d realize that being amicable would get you free breakfast and dinner because you¡¯re a guest. Stop with this loner, edgy shit. I¡¯m not saying you gotta let them into your heart. I wouldn¡¯t because they¡¯re total strangers, but you can still offer a modicum of pleasantness to a woman that¡¯s responsible for making you a shit ton of money. Don¡¯t give her an excuse to lie about how much she sold those clothes so she can keep a bigger chunk. Besides, living with someone isn¡¯t the same as trusting them.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s kinda harsh?¡± I replied, stunned by her brashness.


    ¡°Harsh? Ha! I''m your instructor, so I have to make sure you get this through your thick skull. Look, I sympathize with your situation. The people who hurt you aren¡¯t here. It¡¯ll be one thing if we were still in Cridia, and you were falsely accused of some heinous crime by Meruria, exiled by her, and everyone looked at you like scum because they believed their Holy Lord over a Soul Warrior. If that had happened, you¡¯d have all the justification for acting like a cunt with severe interpersonal issues. Hell, I¡¯d have joined you.¡±


    Sekh and I remained quiet, and I couldn¡¯t deny that Tilde was making some excellent points. Even if she was brutal in her words, she was correct about many things. She switched over to my other shoulder and continued speaking.


    ¡°In your memories, I saw you speaking of how you wanted to believe that being summoned was akin to having a second chance at life. Well? This is your second chance. Put everything associated with Shuuta to the back of your mind and focus on being Lyudmila Springfield. I know telling you this is just as effective as telling a depressed person to be happy, but change starts with a single step, not jumping over a cliff. Take it easy and slow, and don¡¯t worry because the two of us will be right here with you. You fucked up last night, but High Elves have a reputation for being snooty, cold, and acting like they¡¯re better than everyone else because they live for tens of thousands of years. On top of that, they think we lost everything, so they could sum up your behavior as just being stressed out. That¡¯s your saving grace. Use it wisely because you won¡¯t get another one.¡±

 Chapter Twenty-One: Another Delve into the Dungeon

    Chapter Twenty-One: Another Delve into the Dungeon


    After hugging Sekh for a few more minutes, we dressed for the day in the clothes we had acquired the night before. I looked at my map while Sekh tied her boots and noticed Irisa was walking this way. She knocked right as I stored Beccy¡¯s shield within my mana.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± Irisa cheerfully said as I opened it.


    ¡°Morning,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Are you guys heading out already? If not, do you want some breakfast? It¡¯s done.¡±


    ¡°That...sounds good,¡± I replied. Irisa¡¯s expression softened. She turned around and asked her mom to set three more plates at the table. A smile blossomed on Ichiha¡¯s face. If they heard what we did last night, they didn¡¯t show it on their faces. Perhaps they were keeping mum about it? I suppose it didn''t matter because I wasn''t going to bring it up.


    They''re acting a bit skittish, though. Not much, but I can tell something''s up.


    And so, we had bread and cheese with a family I had no intention of getting friendly with. The overall atmosphere was ¡®lighter¡¯ than the previous night, but that wasn¡¯t saying much because I was still a verbal recluse. Wanting to do something and doing something were different things. But at least I wasn¡¯t so ¡®rude,¡¯ so that was a small victory, I suppose. But I was trying. I really was.


    After some small talk, I learned Irisa had created about half of the items in the store. Ichiha ran it during the days her daughter went down to a place called Smithy¡¯s Corner, an aptly named space with everything a practicing blacksmith needed.


    A quick search found it, and it was a pretty big area.


    ¡°It¡¯s on the way to the guild, so we can walk together. Is that okay?¡± Irisa said, emerging from her room with a thick, black apron. Her hair was tied back, allowing me to see the base of her horns. Her arms were powerful and muscular, too.


    ¡°I...don¡¯t see a problem with that,¡± I said after sipping a cup of water. I plotted a waypoint on the guild because I didn¡¯t know this town like the back of my hand while pricking off pieces of slightly overcooked bread. Tilde adjusted her dress and loudly complained about the lack of eggs and sausage. Sekh told her to stop, and Tilde flipped her off.


    ¡°When it comes to fairies? I think Tilde is one of a kind. You don¡¯t see too many that travel with a High Elf and a Lionfolk, much less one that¡¯s as ¡®unique¡¯ as her,¡± Ichiha said. She smiled with her eyes and apologized for the lacking menu. Tilde groaned and demanded a cup of coffee. Ichiha was happy to prepare a little bit for her. She even managed to find a fairy-sized cup to pour it in. I didn¡¯t know what coffee tasted like since I wasn¡¯t permitted to have it.


    That¡¯s another thing I must get used to, but it smells good.


    Before we left the shop, though, Sekh and I drained the tub and filled it with fresh water gathered from the well in the backyard. Irisa was waiting at the door, and she escorted us down the street and across a small bridge.


    She turned and mentioned Smithy¡¯s Corner was a few minutes away. My golden hair scattered in the summer breeze.


    ¡°You know, I was afraid I¡¯d wake up to you being gone,¡± Irisa said. When I asked why, she just said she wanted to have breakfast with us since I was probably feeling lonely. ¡°I mean, you lost your horses and wagon, right?¡± I nodded. ¡°As small as it was, I hoped you enjoyed breakfast. My mom always makes my favorite whenever I¡¯m feeling sad, and it never fails to cheer me up.¡± Irisa smiled.


    ¡°It was...good. I enjoyed it,¡± I managed to say. Irisa quietly squealed and said tonight¡¯s dinner would be even better, and Tilde patted my head and said I was doing good.


    It was odd. If I thought about it logically, why couldn¡¯t I treat Irisa the way I treated that guard from yesterday? Or treat her like I did when we first met inside the store? Was it because I was now living with her? I didn¡¯t want to befriend her because I wasn¡¯t planning on staying here that long. At the same time, I was a chimera. The last thing I needed was someone getting chummy with me and randomly barging into the room I was staying in.


    But it¡¯s less likely to happen here than if I stayed at an inn. I just gotta keep the shield against the door whenever I''m in my room.


    Friends were off the table, but acquaintances? That was more likely. Especially if I kept her at arm¡¯s length and never progressed to anything beyond that. I would still be getting some interpersonal communication practice, so that would work. Right?


    Minutes later, we reached the area collectively known as Smithy¡¯s Corner. Dwarves, orcs, amazons, and ogres repeatedly slammed their smithing hammers onto burning ingots. The roars of the furnaces were loud, and the clanging of metal on metal didn¡¯t help my sensitive ears. ¡°Lyudmila,¡± Irisa said as dusted off her blacksmithing apron. Her hammer and tongs were in the front pouch. ¡°Be safe, okay? There¡¯s no shame in running away. You can always come back to fight a monster, but you can¡¯t come back to life. Someone...I once knew told me that, and it¡¯s honestly good advice. Oh, and are you sure you¡¯re fine? It¡¯s crazy hot. It feels like I¡¯m about to sweat through my bra.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± The wool skirt covering my body should have made it unbearable, but [Heat Resistance (Lv.10)] was working overtime to keep me cool. I was getting odd looks for being the only one covered from head to toe, but I ignored them.


    ¡°If you say so... Still, drink a lot of water, okay? Dehydration is not something you want to experience.¡± Yeah, she had that right. My face sulked with memories of my ¡®parents¡¯ laughing and taunting while my tongue felt like the sands of Arabia. Irisa didn¡¯t notice my expression because she left with a smile, turning and running over to a workstation with her name on it. Tilde spoke my name, but I was too busy trying to understand why both mother and daughter wished me well. It didn¡¯t make sense, especially because I was a freeloader until they sold those clothes. Besides, we weren¡¯t friends at all, so did it matter if I perished? I wasn¡¯t planning on it, but if I did pass, they wouldn¡¯t have to worry about only getting 10%. If anything, they should be actively wishing for my death because they had more to gain.


    Or is that the wrong way to think about it?


    ¡°Master?¡± Sekh¡¯s voice brought me back from trying to understand concepts that had no meaning to someone like me. I shook my head to clear my mind and asked her about manually learning skills to change the subject. Since her body was freshly made, it wasn¡¯t exactly ¡®accumulated¡¯. Forcefully learning skills too quickly would only cause her body to require a substantial amount of rest. I just hugged Sekh and told her not to push herself, and she replied she wouldn¡¯t because she didn¡¯t know how to protect me if she suffered from over-exhaustion.


    Our second day in the mines was drastically uneventful in terms of leveling, but it was fruitful because the actual ¡®experience¡¯ could not be overstated. After entering the dungeon and passing by the lobby, I used my map to locate a room with no one in it. It was somewhat early, so it wasn¡¯t that hard, but I used the privacy to pull out my stolen 9mm and a box of ammo. Sekh mentioned there were guns back in her time, but they looked different. When she described them, I imagined things like revolvers and lever-action rifles. Maybe it really did take 1,000 years for the firearm technology in this world to advance because they were that unpopular. When I was a better crafter, I¡¯d like to make my own rifle and revolver, maybe even a minigun, though I knew that was a long way off.


    A long way off is an understatement. I can¡¯t even make a worthy mace for Sekh. I thought while staring at the abomination I had created for her. I removed my gun¡¯s magazine and loaded 15 rounds. When I racked the slide after loading the bullets, an ammo counter revealed itself near my map, and it came with a small picture of the gun I was holding. That was useful because it let me know when I was running low, but I just had one magazine. The 9mm was stronger than Reina¡¯s gun because it didn¡¯t rely on my pathetically weak mana, so it rarely took more than 2 shots to put a goblin out of their misery.


    ¡°Lyudmila, what are you doing tomorrow? I¡¯d like to know. If that¡¯s okay, I mean.¡± I looked up to see Irisa¡¯s smiling face. I didn¡¯t see any traces of a false smile or underlying plots ready to take me down several hundred pegs.


    Telling her wouldn¡¯t make us friends... We¡¯re only going to be acquaintances, so that¡¯s fine, right? Tilde¡¯s nodding at me, so it¡¯s okay.


    ¡°The dungeon.


    ¡°Again? You three were down there for a while, right? Just be careful, okay? And remember what I said.¡± Again, Irisa found it necessary to wish us well. I didn¡¯t understand it!


    ¡®Just be careful, okay?¡¯


    For the rest of dinner, those words remained locked in my thought. Sekh and Tilde talked for me because I tried my hardest to decipher the true meaning of that phrase. I think Irisa believed I was mad at her because while we were cleaning up, she quietly apologized for prying into my life.


    ¡°No, that¡¯s not it,¡± I said, staring into her eyes. ¡°I... I have a lot on my mind. I was thinking about something. Umm... Thank you for the soap...¡±


    ¡°Oh... Okay. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t say something insensitive. We don¡¯t get a lot of High Elves around here. Honestly? It¡¯s kinda hard to approach High Elves because you¡¯re impossible to read. I was afraid I did something stupid. If I did, I¡¯m sorry. I hope I wasn¡¯t prying too much. And you¡¯re very welcome! Think of it as a little housewarming gift to make your stay here a little bit easier.¡± Her stressed expression softened with a hearty smile and jolly laughter. I didn¡¯t chuckle, but I did ease up as the night continued, eventually going so far as to reveal my weapon of choice, which carried us all into a round of surprisingly lively conversation. Ichiha was strangely fascinated by firearms. She knew far less than Greggie or Keeth, but it was fun teaching her. I didn¡¯t realize it at the time, but Sekh told me I had a cute smile on my face.


    If I knew I was going to feel like this, I would have said something yesterday... It feels kinda good...


    Not too long after that, I was sitting naked on the bed after putting Beccy¡¯s shield against the door when I locked it. My 9mm¡¯s magazine was in one hand, and I plucked bullets from my storage with the other. Reloading was somehow soothing, and my mind wandered to what I would do when my ammo ran out.


    I could always collect the casings. But then I¡¯d need gunpowd¡ªfiresalts, a primer, and the bullet itself. Wonder if I could find someone to teach me how to make that. I don¡¯t have any kind of skill to help with gunsmithing.


    Meanwhile, Sekh pressed her chest into my back and wrapped her hands around my dick. She was practicing [Fleshcrafting]. I suppose a side effect was jerking me off, but I was seriously trying not to cum. It took time, though, and a lot of concentration. Sekh collapsed and breathed heavily into my neck. Her hands fell to the cover and exposed my penis. When erect, I was now a suitable 6¡±, which hopefully wouldn¡¯t cause Sekh any more pain when we made love.


    When I turned around to hug her, she found it hard to keep her eyes open. ¡°I¡¯m...sorry... I¡¯m too tired...¡± Thick beads of sweat started to drip. Tilde flew around and poked Sekh¡¯s cheeks, then said nothing was wrong. She had just overstressed her mana by using more than she had, then likened it to overdrafting a bank account. It was a dangerous technique that couldn¡¯t be categorized as a skill like [Piercing Thrust.] Using it wrong would result in the user¡¯s death, so I told Sekh not to push herself like this anymore.


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. Is there something I can do?¡±


    ¡°Hold me,¡± Sekh panted. I laid her on the bed and slipped in behind her. When my arms hugged her stomach, she said something that made me even harder than I already was. ¡°You can... You can sleep with it inside me.¡± Her voice was slightly weakened from exhaustion.


    ¡°You¡¯re still sore, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Sekh nodded.


    ¡°No. I¡¯m not going to hurt you by rushing into it. But I will hold you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t...let go of me,¡± she said with a weak breath.


    I rubbed her stomach and kissed her neck. ¡°I won¡¯t. Good night, Sekh,¡± I whispered, closing my eyes and nuzzling close. She was warm to the touch, and her fur was nice and soft. Especially when she moved her legs back a little bit, and they brushed against mine.


    It¡¯s the very epitome of softness.


    ¡°Good night, Master...¡±


    This is my first real day in this world. I have a companion, shelter, food, and water. None of it¡¯s being withheld from me. No one¡¯s beating me for trying to quench a parched throat...


    It¡¯s odd that pure strangers take to me so easily, but it isn¡¯t a bad feeling... Would it be incorrect if I go so far as to say that it honestly feels like I was intended to be born here? Sekh¡¯s a go-getter. She¡¯s brilliant, bright, and I know she would¡¯ve excelled had she been born in my world.


    If so, would our positions have been reversed? Would she have freed me? How does fate work? Is everything decided from the beginning? Is life just following a set of instructions written before you¡¯re born?


    I¡¯m going to destroy my predestined path. The only thing I have in my hand is my life. I get to decide how I¡¯m going to live, and I¡¯m going to be in control until the end. It¡¯s finally hitting me like a truck, but this really is my second chance at life.


    No one can take this from me, and I will take full advantage of it.

 Chapter Twenty-Two: Unwelcome Advances (R-18)

    Chapter Twenty-Two: Unwelcome Advances (R-18)


    I awoke this morning to a strange sensation. Once I realized Sekh wasn¡¯t in my embrace, I lifted the covers and saw that she was tending to my morning erection. Splashed against the blanket were the signs of a wet dream.


    ¡°Master... Mmnn, good morning,¡± she said with a stuffed mouth. I patted her head and rubbed her ears, saying it back while enjoying her tongue. Since I was smaller in length and girth, Sekh could comfortably fit all of me in her mouth. It worked out nicely because I wasn¡¯t choking her, so I could relish the pleasure without feeling anything less than pure bliss. I closed my eyes and grunted when the pressure in my penis foreshadowed an orgasm.


    ¡°You¡¯re tensing up, Master... Go ahead, let it out inside my mouth.¡± Sekh wrapped her lips around the tip only and kissed.


    ¡°Sekh!¡± I cried her name and came in her mouth, shooting four or five thick ropes and falling to my back. She still sucked even after I had nothing left to shoot. After licking it from the base to the tip, she crawled up to my face and kissed my neck. With a sultry voice, she whispered something seductive in my ears.


    ¡°Master. Did you enjoy it?¡±


    ¡°I did,¡± I replied. I wrapped my arms around her and held her close, then rolled around until I was on top. She had her hands palm up, and I occupied her fingers with mine as we stared at each other.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sore, Master. I...want to do it,¡± Sekh said adorably. I leaned down to kiss her lips, and she locked her legs around my waist. Her fur was irresistibly alluring.


    I wasn¡¯t going to keep her waiting because I wanted to feel more of her succulent warmth.


    I took her on the bed once, then we stood up, and I lifted her by the legs and pressed her against the wall while her arms wrapped around me.


    That lasted until her grip grew weak from my pounding. When I let her down, she walked to the dresser, put her hands on it, and I grabbed her glistening thighs and thrust into her. All the while, she lovingly called me Master. It relieved my heart to know that her moans were elicited from a core of pure pleasure and not a source of disinformation.


    I was responsible for her sweet cries.


    Tilde saw it all, and the horny annoyance pleasured herself, her tiny fingers rubbing and flicking her pussy and clit. When she came, her voice was even somewhat sweet and pleasant. Her wings quivered and fluttered, lifting her a few inches in the air before gently easing back upon the dresser.


    I came inside Sekh one last time when I laid on the bed. She rode me like a bucking horse, slamming her hips down and moaning each time I filled her vaginal canal with my slippery cock. I grabbed her bouncing breasts, greedily sucking them while crying out when my semen rushed to escape my penis.


    ¡°Sekh, be honest. Was it better this time than the last?¡± I asked when she pressed her chest to mine. I was still inside her, and she was licking my cheeks and mouth to show affection. Sekh waited a moment, then nodded, and I was just thankful it was more enjoyable for the both of us. ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± I whispered, sealing her lips with mine.


    As we washed up in the bath, Tilde mentioned chimera could not reproduce, which was a boon, I guess.


    I¡¯d be an awful parent, and who would want to have children with me? It¡¯s for the best.


    ¡°Why are your faces so red?¡± I asked Irisa and her mother during breakfast. It had been ten minutes since we sat down, but their plates remained untouched.


    ¡°Umm... We...heard it, dear,¡± Ichiha said. She met my eyes but looked down. The tips of her and her daughter¡¯s horns were blushing. I asked what they meant, but I didn¡¯t get a clear response.


    ¡°They overheard you two fucking! Hahaha!!!¡± Tilde thought it was so hysterical she slapped her knee and nearly cried from the laughter.


    ¡°Umm... I don¡¯t mind such relationships under my roof, but please exercise caution,¡± Ichiha whispered. ¡°Other people live here, so please be respectful of their privacy. And you¡¯re responsible for making sure your bedding is clean.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t want to say anything yesterday,¡± Irisa said. ¡°But we... We heard everything. It...was pretty loud...¡±


    ¡°I see. I¡¯m...sorry about that,¡± I whispered, not exactly knowing what to feel. Tilde was still laughing her ass off, and Sekh looked a bit embarrassed. She had her hands in her lap, her sweet, light gray skin blushing with the color of cherries. She looked cute.


    Those sheets from my first time are still drenched in Sekh¡¯s juices and my semen. I gotta clean those.


    The rest of the breakfast was kinda forced, but it wasn¡¯t like any arguments emerged from our early morning romp. Minutes later, the mother and daughter pair waved us goodbye and told us to be careful as we headed to the dungeon.


    Why do you always say that? I don¡¯t get it.


    The guild was the first stop since we needed to make some money. Tilde picked out the quests for cores and flew them to Sekh and me when we were in line. I overheard nasty rumors about Noelia, Holy Lord Gloria¡¯s 1-Star Soul Warrior.


    To summarize them, she was a gigantic bitch. Someone who abused everyone around her, including the servants given to her by Gloria.


    They refused to travel with her.


    The cyclops was given to her in their place. The blue skin beneath that robe was rumored to have gruesome scars and ugly burns. It was all hearsay, of course, but I knew the world had villains that actual monsters feared.


    After the guild, we stopped to get bread for Sekh to eat because she still had to do that. She wanted to refuse, but I went and paid the Cowfolk baker for two slices. It was kinda cute seeing Sekh sulk. As we walked out of the northern gate, Tilde spoke more about Bellerophon. Chimeras were more than capable of leveling skills through use like everyone else, but Bellerophon had used its surmountable resources to spread false rumors stating that we had to devour to increase our skill levels. It worked to sow fear and chaos amongst chimeras, so it was no small wonder they became a common enemy all over the world.


    Regardless, I was pumped up to spend the entire day grinding and chowing on monsters. And we did spend a day, but there was hardly any chowing. Rumors of a ¡®psycho High Elf¡¯ with a gun had spread, and people were wearing ear protection while giving me venomous glances. It was hard to be alone, so we often fought with others just a room or two away.


    By the time we left, our levels were the same, and I was down to my last 15 bullets. I only had enough for one more magazine. Luckily, I searched for more 9mm rounds and realized the store I stole from had restocked. Before getting home, we made a quick stop, and Tilde worked her magic while I stole another 4 boxes of ammo. The sole Catfolk employee was utter exhausted, so it was child¡¯s play to snag them. I doubt she knew I was in there based on the bags under her eyes.


    After eating dinner and bathing, I experimented with Mira¡¯s form. She was a regular human with green eyes and black hair. My transfiguration limit upgraded to 11%, but it wasn¡¯t enough to channel her whole torso.


    Still, it was fun because I could replace my crotch with hers. Sekh¡¯s tongue was magical. I was able to experience what she felt whenever she came. A part of me wanted to transfigure her head onto my hand and lick myself, but I refrained from doing so because just thinking about it made me a little bit uncomfortable. I didn¡¯t know why, though. I guess I wanted to do it, but I wanted to wait until I was more comfortable and familiar with sex.


    And the next day, we just cut our losses and went home earlier than planned because we had a miserable experience. Even the monsters were growing more comfortable around gunfire. At least I got to play with [Fireball] a little bit more. A partly charged flaming orb exploded on contact and scattered fire, but one that was packed with mana and 5 bullets?


    Those foul goblins only saw the warm glow of death before the flaming sphere wiped out the entire group. Sekh rushed ahead during the screaming, taking advantage of the fiery panic to kill the one goblin very faintly hanging onto its life with the mace I had made for her. It was still going strong, though the spider legs attached to the head were starting to rot and decompose.


    Still, a chunk of stone would still hurt like hell if it smacked you.


    ¡°Lyudmila? What¡¯s up?¡± Irisa asked one day after we returned early. She must¡¯ve been at Smithy¡¯s Corner because soot covered her apron and green cheeks.


    ¡°Master¡¯s pissy because leveling is slow,¡± answered Tilde.


    ¡°High Elves do level slower. In exchange, you live longer lives,¡± Irisa replied.


    Tilde had mentioned something like that. Holy and Dark Lords leveled slower after becoming one, but it was different. Sekh was just Lv. 2, yet she used a title requiring the user to be over Lv. 99. The system governing this world had trouble understanding that, so it defaulted to putting her on the slowest leveling system. I didn¡¯t understand it, but I trusted Tilde¡¯s words. At least Sekh gained more SP to compensate, so I couldn''t complain.


    ¡°Ugh...¡± I groaned. Sekh tapped my shoulders and told me everything was going to be fine.


    Irisa went to her room to take a bath and came out in something casual with a pair of pouches on her hips. ¡°If you don¡¯t have anything to do, come with me to grab some stuff for dinner. You¡¯ve been going to the mines for days. You gotta live a little!¡±


    I wanted to refuse, but an annoying fairy felt the opposite. ¡°Just go,¡± Tilde said. ¡°You¡¯re sulking way too much. Go get some fresh air.¡± I was too annoyed to say anything back, but maybe the fairy was right. Sekh and I followed Irisa downstairs. Her mother was scrubbing the counter clean with a rag soaked with a liquid that smelled of pinecones.


    Earlier, I had washed my clothes in that same liquid. Perhaps it was Susize¡¯s emotions, but the smell made me long for the warm embrace of a leafy forest.


    ¡°Oh, Sekh. If you don¡¯t mind, could I get a little bit of help?¡± Sekh turned from Ichiha to me, and I nodded.


    ¡°We¡¯re friends, right? We¡¯ve been living together for a while.¡±


    ¡°Are we? You tried to rip me off when we first met. And it¡¯s been less than a week."


    ¡°Mom really berated me for that after we went to bed. That was a stupid, stupid thing. I¡¯m really, really, really sorry for that.¡±


    We kept walking, one of the three streaming rivers to our left. The number of people we saw walking decreased as people turned off onto side streets and entered their homes. ¡°Once the clothes sell, I¡¯m taking the money and leaving with Sekh and Tilde. I can¡¯t stay here longer than necessary.¡±


    ¡°Oh... That makes sense. You have friends and family waiting for you. We¡¯re working hard to find a buyer, but it¡¯s still a struggle. But we can be friends until then, right?¡±


    I remained quiet.


    Irisa was waiting for my reply even after her mother welcomed us back. She was on edge while we prepared the table and ate dinner. When I closed the door to my room, she still held an expectant look in her eye while speaking to her mom.


    ¡°Mom? I think I messed up again.¡±


    It was a bright, sunny day. Surrounding me were those familiar ruins Sekh and I had found ourselves in when leaving her dungeon.


    Only she wasn¡¯t with me. She was watching the store with Tilde because Ichiha had a meeting with a potential buyer for Susize¡¯s panties. How does she trust us? We¡¯re still strangers... Freeloaders, even...


    ¡°Okay! Mila, thanks for coming out here with me!¡± Irisa said, breaking me from my thoughts. She was all smiles as she tapped her armor. Forged by the oni herself, it was a set of chainmail reinforced by the hide of a porkypine, a type of pig-like enemy that had quills covering its body. Irisa said their sausage was delicious when smoked over apple wood chips.


    Porkypine Chainmail (1/3) Physical Reflect (Lv. 1)


    Huh? If I can get that on a shield for Sekh... We haven¡¯t encountered any porkypines, though.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I could say no,¡± I told her.


    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t give you a chance.¡± Irisa retrieved a wooden club from her back. It had a thick nail stabbed through it. ¡°It¡¯s for the best, you know. You¡¯re spending too much time in the dungeon, but you¡¯re just Lv. 4. It¡¯s been two weeks since we¡¯ve met.¡±


    Two weeks? Has it really been that long? It feels like I''ve settled into a cycle. I don¡¯t know if I like that.


    Leveling should have been a cause for happiness, but Sekh only received 4 SP. Luck was involved, and it refused to bless her.


    We were here for a simple reason. Irisa wanted to see me fight, and she needed a bunch of boar-type cores and hides for something she was working on. First, to share the experience, I had to invite her to a party. I didn¡¯t know how, so she taught me, and in just a few mental presses, I saw Irisa¡¯s information under Sekh¡¯s. For the hell of it, I tried to focus on her, but nothing happened, so I just used [Analysis] to check out her information. She knew a couple of physical skills, with most being passive to help her in blacksmithing. And she had about two dozen titles related to crafting with only about ten or so slayer titles.


    Regardless, she was stronger than me by a long shot.


    The monsters around here weren¡¯t tough. Irisa and I walked until coming to a Lv.2 sleeping boar. Without even thinking, I used [Fireball] via my 9mm and sent the beast scampering in confusion until my next two shots put it out of its misery.


    Better avoid using Reina¡¯s gun. Even if I must waste ammo.


    ¡°MILA?!¡± Irisa exclaimed. Frozen by fear, I was only thawed out when Irisa gushed over me using magic. She asked if I had a skill called [Mystic Gunner], which allowed me to imbue my bullets with magic. After she talked about it, it sounded like it was a far weaker version of [Chimeric Armatization] because it didn¡¯t affect monster skills. I just nodded because that was the quickest way to change the subject.


    ¡°Woah, so you know magic? I tried to learn it, but it was too hard,¡± Irisa said while retrieving the core. I had turned off [Auto-Loot] beforehand because it would have caused trouble. I just said I knew [Fireball], and that was it. She then asked if I had [Mental Chant] or [Instant Chant], and again, I lied and just nodded. Once her questions were answered, we moved on, and I got to see Irisa in action.


    She said she wasn¡¯t a trained fighter, but her raw strength as an Oni was almost fearful. She deftly wielded the club with her powerful muscles. When I immobilized the boars by shooting their legs, she jumped at the chance to pierce their skulls with her nailed weapon. The display of violence was gratuitous, yet it never progressed to something overly disgusting. It was simply a level of fighting that this world required to survive. You couldn¡¯t kill without death, and death was hardly ever gentle. Cutting, stabbing, shooting, piercing, slicing, poking, prodding, burning, freezing, shocking, drowning, crushing...


    Dying was ugly.


    Irisa said my name as she looked up. The gloves she wore were covered in guts and organs.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, so I figured I¡¯d ask again. We¡¯re friends, right?¡± This was a sensitive topic, and my gradual silence reflected the truth in my heart.


    I couldn¡¯t accept someone at random. I just couldn¡¯t. Sekh and Tilde were an exception based on the truth about my existence. Irisa and her mother weren¡¯t. They were strangers. That was it. I was only living with them out of necessity.


    ¡°I figured it¡¯s too soon... Eh, let¡¯s go.¡± She sounded upset, but I couldn¡¯t trust her. Even if she treated me like a friend, she wasn¡¯t one to me, and the reasons were obvious.


    Would she accept my Chimerism? Would she believe I was summoned by a Holy Lord? What about the winds of infinite void that killed me? The betrayal? Sekh as the Dark Lord of Tyranny? Tilde as the Conduit for [Hermes Trismegistus]? My need to eat those I kill to steal their strength?


    What about replacing my head with a spider¡¯s? Could she look at me and honestly not be afraid? Even while my eight eyes all stared at her as venom leaked from my fangs?


    No. The answer was simple. This friendship would never work because I was a monster. She was not. It was that simple.


    ¡°Sekh...and Tilde,¡± I spoke their names as Irisa turned around. ¡°I can only trust them.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Irisa exclaimed. My quiet voice and sharp glare forced her mouth closed.


    ¡°There is no one else I can trust. Stop asking this ridiculous question. I¡¯m only staying with you and your mom until I get my money. That¡¯s it. We won¡¯t be friends. We won¡¯t ever be friends.¡± She dropped her arms by her side, and all the excitement and energy she had vanished after my statement. I walked ahead of her and waited, finding her inconsequential whining to be annoying.


    Hours later, the atmosphere was tense and thick when we returned to the shop. After eating dinner and cleaning up, I was just about to go to my room with Sekh and Tilde when Irisa asked a startling question.


    ¡°Lyudmila? Can you take off your glove for a second? I wanna see¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Come on. You¡¯re always wearing those things,¡± Irisa whined.


    ¡°Because¡ªHey! Stop it! Don¡¯t touch me!¡± I felt a single finger touch my arm, and I leapt away, slamming into the wall and knocking down a small book from the nearby shelf.


    ¡°Lyudmila?! I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m sorry.¡± Irisa reached out a hand. I glared, refusing to grab it when she suddenly yanked my hand. She had a grip on my glove, and it was about to be pulled off.


    I continued to pull away, but it was a struggle against her clutch. Sekh was frozen for a quick second. The same was said for Ichiha. It seemed like time only began to move again when I pulled Reina¡¯s gun from my mana and held it to my temple.


    ¡°Get your fucking hands away from me, or I¡¯ll blow my goddamn brains out all over this kitchen!¡±


    Sekh immediately pushed my arm down and helped me up. Irisa trembled and jumped backwards, looking at her hands like they were covered in blood. Ichiha went to move her lips, but by then, the only two I could trust had followed me down the stairs.


    As we sped through a darkened Ria, Irisa¡¯s crying voice managed to reach my pointy ears.


    ¡°I¡¯M SORRY!!! COME BACK, PLEASE!!!!!¡±

 Chapter Twenty-Three: My Reason for Existing (R-18) – Part One

    Chapter Twenty-Three: My Reason for Existing (R-18) ¨C Part One


    ¡°Alright, goddamn it! You''ve got some FUCKING explaining to do!!!!¡± Tilde grasped my bangs with her tiny hands and yanked them.


    We left Ria in a mad dash and didn¡¯t stop running until we entered the mines. Even then, we sped past everyone until coming to a room with a single goblin, who soon died after Sekh had crushed its head with a powerful attack. The blood dripping down her stone mace was a silent listener to my short reasoning.


    ¡°I¡¯m not stupid. I know that dying means following me into the afterlife, Tilde. That was the only way to make her let go. She was about to find out about me! What should I have done?!¡± I grabbed Tilde. Her struggles against my grip were futile as I forced myself to turn my wrath down to 0. When you needed to make vital decisions, it was best to do so with an open mind. I couldn¡¯t have anger influence my next move.


    ¡°Gah!¡± exclaimed Tilde. She had no words other than to ask me why we came here.


    ¡°It¡¯s dark, we can be alone, and I can finally eat some goddamn monsters.¡± Sekh asked if I thought Ichiha or Irisa would get Bellerophon involved, and I just shook my head.


    Sekh once told me chimeras were feared because there was no limit to their growth, but after becoming one, there was another reason.


    Adaptability. Reacting to rapidly changing circumstances had to be one of the most fearsome attributes of chimeras. Take a High Elf and her companions fighting against a group of spiders that had spawned while investigating a corpse she found with her map. If she was pressed to the ground with her limbs disabled, what could she do? Nothing at all except struggle and wait for help.


    But what if she was a monster feared by the world over?


    The largest one pinned me down with its legs and lifted two. The foolish creature thought I was helpless, but I opened my mouth and birthed a spider leg from the back of my throat. It pierced true, causing venom to sprinkle on my face. When the appendage vanished, a boar¡¯s head willed itself alive from my arm like a cancerous tumor and ate what it could.


    As Sekh dodged and directed a banquet of death towards the faltering arachnids, I fought back. Once my arm was free, I retrieved Reina¡¯s gun, aimed, and delivered a charged [Fireball] to its underbelly. It roared in pain and tried to scamper away, but I took my spear from storage.


    It wasn¡¯t much, but it was enough for me to poke and prod. The crimson inside its abdomen blanketed my stomach in warm liquid. Like butter, I seamlessly switched to devouring it while turning the tide of Sekh¡¯s battle. All it took was a few uses of [String Shot] to unbalance the spiders attacking her by yanking them down. That was enough of an opening for her to crush their bodies.


    I went around this small chamber and ate a tidy meal. I did leave one untouched, though. But I grinned because [Web Bomb] and [String Shot] just became Lv. 10. I suffered minor wounds, but those were soon fixed. After assimilating the corpse, I joined Sekh in sitting against the wall.


    It''s just another overzealous fool who didn¡¯t even have a single skill. Congratulations, you died for nothing.


    Sekh was busy downing her canteen while wiping the sweat off with a rag. Tilde flew over and crossed her arms.


    ¡°We¡¯ve been down here for three fucking days! I¡¯m starving! You¡¯ve been fighting for like 75 fucking hours!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°Stop lying. If I¡¯m full, you¡¯re full. We share feelings.¡±


    ¡°Then what about her?¡±


    ¡°I can still go on. The spider meat is more than enough to fill my stomach,¡± she said. Sekh had gotten extremely dirty. Thick dust and soot covered her cheeks.


    Almost like her...


    I threw that name out of my mind and brought the spider to Sekh with [String Shot]. I produced a flaming orb in my gloved hands. Sekh ripped the meat off while I cooked it. She mentioned she had survived many days on spiders back when she had to travel through a forest filled with them.


    She reminisced on those times before brutally chowing down, causing sickening juices to splatter across her lips. I wiped her chin and hugged her arm.


    ¡°Sekh... Did I mess up?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Should we go back?¡±


    ¡°It is up to you.¡±


    ¡°I want your opinion. Should we just leave Ria and find somewhere else?¡±


    After eating those dumbasses, I definitely felt noticeably stronger and more dexterous after feeding on them. My mana pool was also larger. The blue bar was still the same, but it was just an internal feeling, and it was the same with my biomass. In fact, I thought the growth of power was too quick, but Tilde dashed that foolish thought by saying that was normal for a chimera since we assimilate everything about a person. Should one play their part like a maestro, a Lv. 1 chimera could slaughter a royal guard whose Lv. 50. Our power didn¡¯t depend on levels. I suppose it went doubly for me since I gained fuck all from leveling up. It was just, overall, the higher leveled person would usually win a fight. Being a chimera threw chaos into that equation.


    I wonder if I could find someone that¡¯s Lv. 80 and on their deathbed? Yeah, like I¡¯m lucky enough to encounter that situation.


    ¡°Is that your first time?¡± Tilde asked as we left that bloody chamber after Sekh collected some canteens, bread, and cores from those jackasses. I was getting close to my weight limit in [Storage], so I had to watch out.


    ¡°Killing a man?¡±


    ¡°Yeah.¡±


    ¡°Counting the one I shot in the face?¡±


    ¡°How do you feel?¡±


    ¡°Now you care? That¡¯s unlike you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be a smart ass.¡±


    ¡°I feel normal. Killing those four... They¡¯re dead. I¡¯m not. They made the first move. I didn¡¯t start the fight. I didn¡¯t instigate anything. That¡¯s it. Nothing else.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Hmm... Hey, do you know how long you were in the void?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°In time relative to us, you spent two months there before being summoned. But because time isn¡¯t stable in the void¡ªit can flow forward and backward¡ªlet''s just say you stayed in there long enough to imagine your revenge more times than there are stars in the sky. It¡¯s not wrong to say you became the literal personification of Wrath. Kinda like an extremely lucid dream. I was just curious...¡± Tilde whispered. She flew to my shoulder and hugged my ear. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s get out of here, okay? We can leave this town behind us and move somewhere else.¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s stay for a few more days. We have food and water,¡± I said. Tilde whined, but she never left my shoulder.


    ¡°I know, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°LYUDMILA!!!!! SEKH!!!!!!! TILDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I¡¯M SORRY!!!!!!!!¡± I cursed under my breath and watched the approaching blue waypoint on my map with wary eyes. Irisa had been coming to the dungeon every day to search for us. If you knew where your pursuer was, you could evade them 100% of the time. I ran around with Sekh and Tilde to the furthest room I could find, which was blocked off by a minecart. There was a hidden corridor in the back that led to another room. We hid there until Irisa¡¯s waypoint started heading towards Ria.


    "I¡¯ll keep watch, so get some sleep.¡± Sekh nodded once, then sat beside me and leaned her head against my shoulder. Meanwhile, Tilde just hovered in front of me and put a small hand on my dirty cheek.


    ¡°I can still see the fight when I blink. I see the moment before and after their deaths.¡±


    ¡°Not feeling so fine, are you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m...not really feeling much of anything right now. In my world, murder was a heinous crime. Self-defense or not, taking a life is something substantial that changes everyone involved. Tilde?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Just how broken...can someone get?¡±


    ¡°Broken doesn¡¯t mean permanently ruined, you know. Things break all the time, and things are repaired all the time. You can lean on me, remember? I¡¯ll be your glue and nails.¡±


    What she said made sense, I guess, but... ¡°If I¡¯m so broken...then what part of me is responsible for feeling numb about killing? Is it me¡ªthe soul that was once endlessly abused by my family and betrayed? Is it me¡ªthis Chimeric entity that only saw those four idiots as meat to grow my strength? Or is it a mix of both? Or maybe I just want to blame it on my Chimerism. Maybe I just didn¡¯t want to feel anything for them because I¡¯m trying to kill my sister, and I¡¯m practicing apathy. Maybe I... Maybe I¡¯ve been so engrossed in killing my family and those traitors in my dream that I can¡¯t feel anything when it comes to death? Can you fix that, Tilde? Can you fix someone like me that¡¯s becoming so numb to murder?¡±


    Tilde was shocked at my response, and her wings were droopy. She affectionately kissed me on the cheek and told me to get some rest. She would watch over us while we slept.

 Chapter Twenty-Three: My Reason for Existing (R-18) – Part Two

    Chapter Twenty-Three: My Reason for Existing (R-18) ¨C Part Two


    Two days later, we were in a room with an empty treasure chest after evading Irisa again. The gaudy-looking thing was a source of much discomfort for Tilde. Her tirade about the overall design and color scheme lasted well over fifteen minutes, with her biggest hatred lying in the shade of yellow used for the trim. One would usually need [Lockpicking] to crack it open, but it was also possible to break it at the risk of destroying what was inside.


    I suppose I was in a somewhat better mood. My Wrath was set to 0, but that didn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t experience discomfort or uneasiness, though. Perhaps I wanted to remain in this dungeon because I had fears of Bellerophon. There wasn¡¯t an office in Ria, but Tilde had told me some rumors of how they hang suspected chimera by their feet and skin them alive to see if they heal with biomass. This wasn¡¯t necessary because they had items to detect titles relating to Chimerism. [Status Cloak] took care of that.


    I asked Sekh how she was holding up. She gripped a shield procured from a dead goblin and swallowed some water from a canteen. The stone and spider weapon I made for her broke yesterday, so she was using Irisa¡¯s mace for the time being.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. Rough situations aren¡¯t exactly unheard of, and I¡¯ve lived my fair share of them. Do¡ª¡±


    ¡°GET OFF HER, YOU BASTARD!!!!¡±


    Sekh and I exchanged looks after someone shouted at the top of their lungs. The sound reverberated throughout the mines. ¡°If you find someone attacking someone else, think of it like a free meal,¡± Tilde said. She stood on my head before jumping to the top of my backpack. We went off running. The screaming came from a room I¡¯d been to. According to the map, five people and a gang of goblins were in there.


    ¡°FUCKING GOBLINS! GET OFF OF HER!! HEY, DON¡¯T LEAVE US!! GET BACK HERE!! JARED?! SWIMBA?! COME BACK¡ª¡±


    Sekh and I dashed around a corner, veering close to the ramp that led to the bottom floor. At the end of this long path, A group of three nearly skittered across the rocky, uneven ground as they frantically ran for their lives. The one in front, a Deerfolk with glasses, had thick tears crawling down his face. Sekh and I ignored them, slowing down when we came to the target room. I took up position and peeked in.


    That Catfolk from before¡ªthe one with a grudge against goblins¡ª was being forced to watch a pair of green bastards take his Dogfolk friend from the front and back. A third was thrusting from below, monopolizing her three holes. Chax wasn¡¯t faring any better. The goblin slamming its hips into him had scratched the Catfolk¡¯s lower back with its black, diseased nails. There were two in front of him that were taking turns trying to suffocate him with their inflamed cocks. He grunted from a source of anger and desperation while staring at his catatonic friend, whose eyes were nearly lifeless.


    Dark blood and semen oozed endlessly from her crotch as the goblins snarled and laughed.


    Half a second after witnessing this, Sekh rushed in. She trusted me not to hit her. My bullets rang true and produced four corpses. Sekh brutalized the ones assaulting Ginnie while I ran in and dispatched the two sharing Chax¡¯s mouth. The accuracy was impeccable, and bodies dropped in rhythm. One managed to run to a shield. I used [Piercing Thrust] to break through, and I was rewarded with its death groans.


    It¡¯s a good thing I reloaded while running.


    ¡°GRRAAAHHHH!!!!¡± Chax grabbed a spear and stabbed the one who destroyed his innocence, piercing the monster¡¯s stomach with so many holes I thought it was about to deflate. He ignored Ginnie in his rage. Sekh used a cloth we had taken from Martin¡¯s bag to give her something to cover herself with, but she reacted with blind panic and thrashed around.


    Eventually, Chax ran out of steam and descended from yelling to mourning it all. His anguished wails as he held the unconscious Ginnie were louder than his cries for help.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± I stared at Chax as he got dressed; a solemn cloud danced across his reddened eyes. After clipping the belt around his pants and putting on his ruined undershirt, he returned to Ginnie¡¯s side and held her hand. Sekh and I were like invisible strangers, even though we sat a foot or so away.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to kill those sons of bitches,¡± he growled, tearfully touching his friend¡¯s face with a rag to clean it. ¡°They left us alone to save their hides... Didn¡¯t care that Ginnie... That we were going to suffer so much. They knew the fate awaiting the prisoners of goblins... Why did they leave us? Why abandon us?¡± He turned to me like he wanted me to respond, but I remained silent.


    Revenge was my ultimate goal, and I could certainly understand his desire to kill those traitors.


    Chax started to speak about Ginnie, proclaiming that he always liked her. It appeared he and her were from the same village, and they hid in a chest when a nest of goblins attacked. He had to watch them violate her, enduring the pain while shielding Ginnie¡¯s eyes and ears. ¡°Is this revenge on me for having killed so many? For torturing them? For doing to them what they did to mom? For cutting off their heads with a rusty knife? Ginnie...¡±


    ¡°I...¡± a quiet, hoarse voice said.


    ¡°Ginnie?!¡± Chax exclaimed. He cradled her head and gently dabbed her arid tongue with a wet cloth.


    ¡°It hurts, Chax...¡± Her eyes faintly opened, and I knew she had lost the will to live. ¡°My first time... I wanted you to have it... I wanted to share it with you... I¡¯m defiled... I¡¯m dirty...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t talk like that!¡± he exclaimed. The salty water leaking from his eyes splattered against Ginnie¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°The larvae... I don¡¯t want to die to it... Chax, you must kill me...¡±


    I thought back to what Tilde and Sekh told me. Goblins were parasitic. Their sperm was a milky substance filled with hundreds of microscopic larvae. They attach to a person¡¯s insides to steal their nutrients. After about a month, they combine, evolve, and burst free, eventually creating another goblin. They didn¡¯t discriminate against gender.


    ¡°No! Don¡¯t say that!¡± Chax responded. His shaky voice was unsteady. ¡°We can get it out of us! Please, don¡¯t speak like that!¡±


    In a frail voice, Ginnie revealed a bombshell about the betrayal. Swimba¡ªone of their party members¡ªconfessed to her a few weeks ago. She refused his affection. A few days later, she overheard him drunkenly talking to another party member about stealing a brooch Ginnie received from Chax¡¯s mother before she died. She didn¡¯t put much heart into it because she didn¡¯t want to believe it. ¡°I should have said something, Chax...¡± It was hard to understand her between the crying and whispered voices. ¡°This is my fault... They¡¯re going to take our money... We can¡¯t...afford...to...¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! I can get the money to get these things out of us! Trust me, Ginnie! I¡¯ll work myself to the bones¡ª¡±


    Hmm... Narrowing my eyes, I used [Analysis] on them because something was bugging me. The skill confirmed that they suffered from goblin larvae insemination¡ªamongst other injuries/ It was in stage 1 out of 30, which I presumed meant days, so that was the limit. But the larvae¡¯s location was also transmitted to me. For Chax, it was right near his left kidney, and Ginnie¡¯s was inside her womb.


    But that was it. Even if I knew where they were, it wasn¡¯t like I could perform surgery on them, right? I wasn¡¯t trained. The most I could do was cut my way in, burn the little bastards, and try to cauterize the incision. Blood loss was a real concern. Their HP bars were less than 30%, and in their current state?


    Death was watching with one foot in the door.


    I wonder... Recalling what Tilde said about how [Hermes Trismegistus] worked like a muscle, I put that to the test and used [Analysis] forty times as rapidly as possible. I was concentrating, but I still saw Tilde when she confusingly flew in front of my eyes. She tilted her head and blinked, then grinned when she figured out what I was up to. Sekh looked worried, and so did Chax and Ginnie, who almost seemed afraid at my piercing stare...


    But something happened...


    There was a voice I couldn¡¯t hear... One that I couldn¡¯t understand or perceive, but I knew it was there. And then there it was... A pale, microscopic blue dot no bigger than the tip of a pin. ¡°Do you two trust me to get the larvae out of you?¡± I suddenly asked.


    ¡°What? You can do that?!¡±


    ¡°I have an eye skill that permits me to see maladies within the body,¡± I replied, telling a white lie while pointing out where the parasites were latched on. Sekh told me we had 4 potions left, while not strong, were better than nothing, and a few bundles of clean cloth we could tear for bandages.


    ¡°Master, we have two canteens left,¡± said Tilde. I told her that was fine. We would use them since I was planning on leaving after this. Chax and Ginnie still seemed hesitant on why I would help them, and frankly? I didn¡¯t know myself. If they died, that was free SP.


    And maybe I wanted to do that.


    Maybe I desired that.


    If I came across their corpses, I wouldn¡¯t give two fucks before slurping them down my gullet. But seeing them go out without a fight? To let the ones who fucked them over get away without revenge?


    That pissed me off. They had the fight within them. They had the desire. But most importantly...


    Looking at them reminded me of myself...


    Perhaps that was all the reason I needed?


    Both were taken back when Yaekira¡¯s daggers appeared from nowhere. Chax had questions, but he shut his mouth after I ordered him to lie on his stomach. Ginnie folded her hands across her heart while I washed the dirt and blood from the operating area. Sekh sat near me with two potions and cloths cut into square bandages. Tilde was in a serious mood, and she acted like an overseer of the whole arrangement. Following her advice, Sekh sterilized my tools with her nocturnal flames, then we waited until the blades were faintly red. Having them too hot would, according to Tilde, lead to necrosis of the surrounding tissue. She wasn¡¯t sure if the potions could heal that damage since they were weak.


    No wonder the one I drank didn¡¯t fix my hand. But what can it do against what I¡¯m about to do?


    ¡°There¡¯s always a chance of death,¡± I warned them. ¡°As soon as I¡¯m done, I¡¯ll force two potions down your throat. Sekh¡¯s in charge of putting pressure on the wound and wrapping it. It¡¯s going to hurt like hell. There¡¯s no way it wouldn¡¯t, but are you ready?¡± I held the daggers together with both tips less than a quarter inch above the skin. Chax nodded, his voice garbled because of the folded cloth we put in his mouth to bite down on. The last thing I wanted was for him to bite his tongue and drown in his blood.


    Ginnie whispered her love, and I began when Sekh did her best to keep Chax from struggling too much.


    The moment the knives¡¯ tips pierced bare skin. It sizzled like a fatty steak on a ripping hot cast-iron pan. My chimeric nature nearly savored the smell of sweet, succulent meat wafting through my nostrils.


    ¡°AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!¡±


    Chax¡¯s bounded screams brought me out of a gluttonous dream. Ginnie cried, whimpering her companion¡¯s name while Sekh kept a stern face. She was stronger than the Catfolk, so it was no trouble keeping him down while I pressed deeper until the tips were searing the hell out of the larvae. I had [Analysis] running every half-second to keep a close track of his vitals. Chax¡¯s HP drained dangerously close to 0, his screaming never once stopping. The moment goblin larvae insemination vanished from his list of ailments, I quickly stashed the daggers. Sekh acted immediately and used the cloths she set aside to put pressure on his wound while I forced two potions down his mouth after removing his gag. He fought hard, even going so far as to clock me across the jaw, but I didn¡¯t hold it against him.


    ¡°Chax... Please...¡± Ginnie wept. He was still writhing in pain after we did his aftercare, but his throat ran so red and raw it could no longer produce any sound. [Analysis] indicated he suffered burns to his kidneys, but I didn¡¯t think it was fatal because the potions were slowly working to fix what I damaged.


    ¡°it¡¯s your turn,¡± I said, turning to Ginnie. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s passed out. I didn¡¯t burn his internals as much as I thought, but while he won¡¯t die, he¡¯s gonna feel it for months to come. As for you? Tilde told me you...might lose the ability to have children. The larvae¡¯s in your womb, so...¡±


    ¡°I...understand... Please, help me, Ms. High Elf... Please...¡± Ginnie pulled up her shirt and slightly lowered her pants and panties, then laid down and bit on the gag Chax had used. Her big eyes quivered like a tree in a hurricane.


    With [Analysis] at the ready, I tried to ignore her other wounds and focused on her HP and goblin larvae insemination. Sekh heated the daggers once more, and it wasn¡¯t long before there was another agonizing wail haunting the Mines of Gamor.


    ¡°And... it¡¯s done...¡± I whispered, slumping against the wall. I wiped my sweaty face and held Sekh¡¯s and Tilde¡¯s hands while we waited for them to wake up. Within my vision, I had two [Analysis] windows open to monitor my patients¡¯ health.

 Chapter Twenty-Four: Edge of Death

    Chapter Twenty-Four: Edge of Death


    Chax and Ginnie were coherent and conscious about forty minutes later, but they weren¡¯t out of the woods. Stable? Yes, but just barely. To my surprise, the potion was working more for them than me.


    I wasn¡¯t that injured. Just a cut, really. Wonder if its effect varies based on the HP of the drinker.


    Sekh helped Ginnie to her feet, and I took Chax¡ªlending them our shoulders as we slowly limped out of the dungeon. I took point with my gun pointed ahead while following the 3D map in the corner of my vision.


    The two were mostly quiet, other than some grunting from the agonizing pain. Along the way, Ginnie just lost all the strength in her legs and had to be carried. Sekh didn¡¯t mind it, though. Immediately after the surgery, I talked with her and Tilde about my feelings on the matter. I was thankful for the fairy¡¯s long life. As perverse and horny as she could be, her heart was kind. She was really the perfect teacher. She spoke sweetly and never once lost her patience. Her questions were leading and honest, and they let me draw my own conclusions while never once outright letting me know what the answer was.


    Without her and Sekh, I would not have gotten this far. I couldn¡¯t imagine life without them.


    ¡°Ginnie...¡± Chax whispered his lover¡¯s name and started the waterworks. We slowed down to just a step every few seconds. His strength was fading, but not his HP, which was good. It was hard to tell what flowed through veins? Anger? A desire for revenge? His love for Ginnie? Hatred for his former friends? Muddled feelings towards me? Confusion of it all?


    I remained silent because everything about him quivered. He struggled to turn his head towards Ginnie and stared at her weakened face and strained breathing. He watched her like a hawk. But then he¡¯d turn to stare down the mineshaft we were traversing. The torches lining the walls were like little fireflies fighting an encroaching shadow to someone like Chax, but it was perfectly illuminated for me. Sekh just expertly traced my footsteps as I led us through the flattest path with the least number of little obstacles.


    Progress halted when we saw a pair of Racoonfolk walk from a room with their weapons defensively raised. They were curious at the footsteps approaching them, and Chax recognized them. They knew him as nothing more than an acquaintance. But after he vaguely explained what happened, the two with bushy tails offered to take Chax and Ginnie off our hands. To be fair, Sekh and I were filthy and covered in sweat, blood, and dirt.


    ¡°Thank you, Ms. High Elf, for... I promise... Ginnie and I won¡¯t ever forget it... I¡¯ll take...your words to heart. I know what I must do...¡± Chax tearfully whispered. He couldn¡¯t meet my gaze for more than a few seconds before hastily turning away.


    Before leaving, the Racoonfolk offered us the contents of the chest that spawned in the room they emerged from, and I had no intention of turning it down even after they said it was probably a trap.


    Sekh cracked open the unlocked chest when we were alone, revealing something startling made from string, rope, and leather.


    Makeshift Holster (0/0)


    ¡°Huh... I didn¡¯t expect this. Now I don¡¯t have to keep it in storage anymore.¡± I grabbed the holster, put it on, and slid my 9mm inside it.


    It was a perfect fit. Seconds later, the ground rumbled as goblins filtered through the back wall, which dissolved into goop. Sekh exclaimed it was a trap, but we remained calm and ready.


    The battle ended quickly, but I was dangerously close to running out of ammo. After reloading, I had 12 rounds left to my name. Tilde was on guard duty while I ate. Sekh stood beside me, and I hugged her to feel her touch.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Sekh asked a second later when the ground subtly rumbled like there was an earthquake. She put her dirty ear to the shaking floor and ran to the room¡¯s entrance. I remained standing and zoomed out my map. From the end of the hallway came a lot of white dots. Using satellite mode, I spotted a group of four humanoids wearing robes running away from a large gang of spiders and goblins. They were all wounded, and the only girl amongst them held an unconscious animal in one arm. Her other hand was compacting mana in her palm.


    Upon further [Analysis], it was a spell called [Lure]. My heart fell to the pit of my stomach.


    ¡°Quick! Throw it in there!¡± shouted one of the guys. I hurriedly shouted for Sekh to return as I turned my map back to normal.


    ¡°That¡¯s a monster train!¡± Tilde exclaimed right after me. ¡°Run! Get back into the room!¡± She flew behind Sekh and yanked her hair, forcibly trying to drag her away. We huddled within the false wall that had dissolved to reveal the trap goblins.


    The sounds of running grew louder when the group hurriedly scampered by the entrance of this room, but not before throwing the accumulated energy our way. It seemed like time slowed to a crawl. In that fragment of a fraction of a second, the woman who threw it mouthed a hasty apology with fear filling her eyes.


    A second later, no less than 10 Alpha Lesser Araneae, 15 Alpha Lesser Goblin Spearmen, and 5 Alpha Lesser Goblin Archers rushed into the room. Sekh and I were between a rock and a hard place.


    The Dark Lord of Tyranny...


    My title alone was enough to strike primordial fear into the souls of anyone who heard it. Even mothers would abandon their children if it meant my rampage would be slowed for a second. I once had the power to tear mountains from the ground with a swing of my mace. The legendary Ancient Elder Dragons fell in line after I alone delivered the head of their strongest warrior.


    Which made it more shameful that I was struggling against a paltry force like this. My past self¡¯s [Tyrannical Madness]... Oh, how I missed it so! Just a single glance upon me and my armor would flood these weaklings with enough insanity that they¡¯d have no choice but to slit their throats and end their life.


    Master stood strong and powerful as she barked orders with a royal voice. As I rushed to block the five arrows coming our way, her pistol became the embodiment of living fire. She aimed it past me and held the trigger. When she charged it to the max, a large, explosive ball of fire rushed to engulf the approaching foes. It was so bright that it looked like the sun was shining.


    But an Alpha Lesser Araneae stabbed two goblin archers to use as living shields, rendering Master¡¯s powerful strike ineffectual. The world turned completely black until my eyes adjusted, and the dust still hadn¡¯t settled. When it did, every goblin and spider charged us at the same time.


    ¡°Sekh, hold the line,¡± Master commanded. Even after her initial attack failed, she raised her gun determinedly and began to fire, quickly killing the remaining archers with expert marksmanship before the first goblin reached me.


    Those first few seconds were the closest thing to normalcy this battle had because pure chaos was born from the ensuing melee.


    I fought with all the power I had, blocking thrusts from spear and spider, but the shield soon broke in half. The opposing army had a numerical advantage. Individually, they were weak, but I was only a pathetic shade of a glimmer of what I was at my strongest. How shameful was it that the spears managed to taste my blood. How disgraceful was it that the weakest spiders in the land had pushed me to the limit.


    And how degrading it was that my Master had to suffer most of all.


    She fought with every bit of rage trapped within that beautiful soul, which shimmered brightly. She had taken to her life as a chimera with ease. After a few weeks, she effortlessly danced transfigurations up and down her body.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough. There were too many enemies. Master and I fought back-to-back, dodging and counterattacking when possible, but we weren¡¯t omnipotent. We couldn¡¯t see in our blind spots, especially when there were foes all around us to block our peripheral vision.


    We couldn¡¯t prevent the spiders from immobilizing and separating us with [Web Bomb]. The rapid spear thrusts into Master¡¯s stomach bypassed her wooden chainmail, causing her to cry out in a voice that hurt my essence. Even as she used a spider¡¯s head to cut the sticky thread, she was leaking so much blood from her chest. Her gut was sliced open, and intestines fell like a wave of gore. She hastily pushed them in, forcing her skin to close while erratically firing her gun. When she ran out of ammunition, she started to rely on her chimerism, but there was a problem.


    Transfiguration needed an initial investment of biomass to materialize, but sustaining it wasn¡¯t that expensive. However, this fight demanded rapid adaptability with very little time to assimilate. Large chunks of her biomass were consumed nearly every second.


    I broke free and thrashed away the enemies piercing my tunic and armor with their spears, pushing my way past the pain since it wasn¡¯t anything I hadn¡¯t faced before.


    ¡°Quickly, get in. Irisa! Ready the bath and grab my potions, ointment, and sewing kit!¡± She stood to the side and let me enter, then closed and locked the door before running to the kitchen. I tried to rush up the steps, but the strength sustaining my desires betrayed me. I slid an arm under Master¡¯s head and caught Tilde¡¯s motionless body. Even as I forced myself to stand on my knees, this weakened, pathetic body of mine couldn¡¯t handle that.


    ¡°Master!!!¡± That was the only thing I could say. Having her die here? While we were so close? Could there be any greater failure for someone like me?


    Ichiha stomped back down the steps and effortlessly lifted us using her incredible strength. She rushed us to her room.


    ¡°Lyudmila?! Sekh?!¡± Irisa exclaimed in a purple robe. She had everything her mother asked for sitting on a dresser nearby. Her mother laid us on the bed, and I struggled to roll over. Ichiha grabbed my chin and forced a crimson-colored vial down my throat. The salty, sweet restorative was working instantly after swallowing half of it.


    ¡°A high potion...?¡± I exclaimed in confusion after the wounds and exhaustion lifted from me with as much haste as a rat feared a cat. The wounds covering my stomach and back healed, and the gruesome scars leading a trail of crimson vanished like someone erased them. In seconds, my HP was full.


    I got to my knees and poured a bit on Master''s tongue.


    Nothing happened.


    I tried to force it down her throat with a kiss, but it didn¡¯t work. Why didn¡¯t it work?!


    ¡°Ichiha, Master¡ª¡± I watched in silence as Ichiha and Irisa both worked in perfect sync. One used a damp towel to clean the blood off, not caring if it collected on the bed sheets. The other rubbed ointment on and around the wounds, then readied a needle and thread.


    They clearly saw the mismatched colors of her limbs, and yet...


    ¡°A chimera cannot heal from a high potion. She¡¯d need something much stronger, like a mega potion or an elixir,¡± Ichiha said, speaking something I had ultimately forgotten. ¡°A powerful healing spell would do the trick.¡± She pressed the needle into Master¡¯s belly, carefully working it like a surgeon. Her speed and deftness amazed me.


    ¡°Then why¡ª¡±


    ¡°Because she needs us,¡± Irisa answered. She had gone through four towels, and the blood covering her upper body was mostly gone. She started on Master¡¯s legs and knees, unable to avoid smothering her crotch and inner thighs since that had to be clean. I hastily told Ichiha the reason why we left and what happened in the dungeon. Irisa seemed relaxed to know the primary cause wasn¡¯t her, but something was amiss...


    ¡°Tilde?!¡± I opened my hand, finding the fairy in the same state as Master. Irisa went to grab the rest of the potion, but I stopped her. ¡°Her and Master are connected. That won¡¯t work.¡±


    Irisa and Ichiha nodded and returned to work. I held Master¡¯s dark hands. When her front was free from crimson, and her torso and appendages had dozens of stitches, I was ordered to press Master against my chest while Ichiha worked on her back. She told Irisa to get all the meat they had and crush it until it was liquid-like.


    ¡°Why are you doing this?! If Bellerophon finds out... And how¡ª¡±


    ¡°We would be saddened by her death. My husband was an instructor at the guild. Everything I¡¯m doing now is what he taught me in case our daughter returned home wounded.¡±


    I was utterly speechless that someone would go so far for Master¡¯s sake. She often told me that we weren¡¯t going to stay here for longer than necessary, but one day turned into two, and that into weeks, and we were still here.


    Irisa returned with a large bowl of raw meat crushed into a goopy liquid. She exchanged that for another wet rag and continued to clean Master. Master and I weren¡¯t the friendliest, but Irisa and her mother were working hard.


    The sight was so beautiful. I held Master against my chest and prayed to whatever worthless god resided in the sky to take my life for hers, if needed.


    Master...I need you... Don¡¯t die...


    When the last bit of thread was snipped by a pair of silver scissors, Irisa told me to lift Master while they worked to change the bed sheets and pillow with a spare set. Master was as clean as if she had taken a bath, and now that her injuries were taken care of, I oversaw spooning the bowl of food to her lips after laying her down. Irisa did this task for me while I took a bath and changed into a fresh tunic at their insistence. Once that was done, I relieved her of her duties and noticed Ichiha had dressed Master in a simple shirt and shorts she had found.


    After a few minutes of feeding her, Master¡¯s biomass was finally accumulating. Ichiha sensed my hastiness and warned me to go slow and steady. I did, and delightful sighs purring out foreshadowed a positive end to this night. Tilde was lying on a pillow nearby. She woke up a few minutes later and struggled to fly to our Master. She landed on her cheeks and hugged her nose, bemoaning she almost died.


    We watched in silence, finding it hard to say anything as the normally crude fairy showed such heartfelt emotion.


    ¡°Mmnn...¡± Master groaned slightly and shifted. Ichiha acted before I could and softly stroked Master¡¯s blond hair. That seemed to satisfy her because she murmured in a quiet voice. ¡°Thanks, mom...¡±


    Ichiha continued as Irisa walked in. She asked about Master, and Ichiha said she was perfectly fine. She only just needed to get some sleep. ¡°You two must be tired. If you boil some water, I¡¯ll make us some coffee.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± said Irisa. Before she left, she skipped over to Master and held her hand for a second or two. Then she went to the kitchen, leaving Ichiha, Tilde, and me alone.


    ¡°Florence...¡± We all three looked to Master¡¯s mouth when Ichiha removed her hand. ¡°Florence...don¡¯t abandon me... Lucas, stop... Why are you hitting me? I thought I was your son...¡± She started to squirm and groan, a look of utter pain on her sleeping face as she hyperventilated in a heart-stopping panic.


    ¡°You poor child...¡± Ichiha said through her tears. She returned her hand to Master¡¯s head, and her expression relaxed again.


    ¡°Mom... I love you...¡± Master whispered as the moon allowed the sun to shine in the sky.


    As much as she wanted to, Ichiha couldn¡¯t stay by Master¡¯s side forever. When she removed her hand, Master started to groan again, her arm reaching out for whatever it could find. When she found my fingers, her panic gave way to peace. I slid into bed and held her head against my chest, hoping she would find additional solace in the beating of my heart. Before Ichiha left, she covered us with a crimson blanket and kissed Master¡¯s forehead. When the door shut behind her, my exhaustion gave way to deep sleep, but not before making sure Master was still sleeping peacefully.


    Something soon pressed against my shoulder, and I opened my eyes to see Ichiha gently smiling at me with a cup of coffee in her hand. I leaned up, assuring my hand was still touching Master to keep our connection alive. Her HP was about 30%, and she was out of danger.


    "You and Irisa saved Master¡¯s life... There is nothing...¡± Suddenly, I found my head pressed into her muscled, shirt-covered stomach. Then she kneeled, put the cup on the dresser, and held my free hand.


    ¡°If you were about to say, ¡®there is nothing I can do to repay you,¡¯ then I¡¯m glad I stopped you. Chimeras may be feared, but Mila is no feral beast. When I look at her, I see a girl afraid to reach out and make connections because of what the world had turned her into it. Try to get some sleep, Sekh.¡± She then kissed me on the forehead, and this cursed existence of mine felt maternal love for the first time in a millennium.


    How many mothers have I killed over my reincarnations?

 Chapter Twenty-Five: Acceptance

    Chapter Twenty-Five: Acceptance


    The nightmares rolling around my mind were worse than anything my ''parents¡¯ had inflicted on me. That man¡¯s fists felt weak and papery compared to the dozen foreign objects tasting my stomach acid. That woman¡¯s attempted abandonment was like sweet words of summer when that goblin showed me what he wanted to stuff my mouth with.


    Even that girl¡¯s humiliating punch and constant need to make me walk around naked at home, just for her amusement, was nothing like having my clothes ripped away from my body. Having my tits and cock viewable for those infuriating monsters eclipsed what little power Wrath 15 gave me.


    ¡°SEKH?!?!¡± My closest ally¡¯s name was the first thing to break free from my lips when I woke up. My eyes expected to see the soot-filled, dirty ceiling of a mucky mine, but they were blessed by a room I was familiar with.


    ¡°Tilde?!¡± I rushed out of bed, wobbling like moist clay during an earthquake. Unable to prevent myself from falling, I steadied myself with a hand against the wall and called out Sekh¡¯s and Tilde¡¯s names. When the hinges of the door leading to the kitchen cried out, my heart was filled with hope, but Ichiha¡¯s appearance stifled them before I had time to search my map for my companions.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± she asked, dressed in a purple robe. She held a smile across those green lips. ¡°It¡¯s nearly 10 PM. You¡¯ve been asleep for two days.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s Sekh?! And Tilde?!¡± I slowly shuffled to her and grabbed her shoulders, my mind wandering to my map.


    She hugged me to her chest and whispered softly. ¡°They¡¯re out on a small errand with Irisa. They¡¯ll be back soon. Here, let¡¯s go over to the bed, okay?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re safe?! They got out?!¡± I was all smiles and full of relief I hadn¡¯t felt since meeting Sekh. I trusted this woman but seeing proof with my map¡¯s satellite mode warmed my heart.


    Ichiha guided me back to bed and sat down with me. She asked me to turn around, and I did, and that was when she showed me a hairband. She hummed a soft tune with quiet bravado as she played with my hair.


    ¡°What...¡± I started to ask something, but the words couldn¡¯t come up from my nervous throat. They were forcibly stopped by this...scenario. Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com


    ¡°You really do have such pretty hair. I¡¯ll put it in a cute ponytail for you, okay?¡±


    ¡°Umm... O¡ªokay...?¡± I stammered.


    We sat there in silence, the only noise comforting humming. Ichiha started talking about the tune she was humming as she worked.


    ¡°When Irisa was little, I¡¯d hum the same song and style her hair like I¡¯m doing to you. She¡¯d bounce up and down with a big smile. Then once I was finished, she¡¯d run to her father and show off to him. Oh! It was the cutest little thing...¡±


    I didn¡¯t know why she was telling me this.


    ¡°Mila?¡±


    I raised my arms and embraced Sekh, whispering a quiet apology in her ears. Silently, Sekh placed her lips onto mine, and I¡¯d never tasted anything sweeter in all my life.


    Sekh walked me over to the table and sat down beside me while I apologized to them all. There was a cup of coffee in front of me, and I gingerly took small sips since it was steaming hot.


    ¡°I mean, I did almost die. And I told you to leave. And I told you to leave again. I guess everyone makes mistakes. As your instructor, the fault lies with me that I didn¡¯t train you well enough.¡± Tilde was serious in her tone, but the playfulness in her voice returned moments later.


    ¡°Mila...¡± Irisa grinned and walked over. She grabbed my hand¡ªmy bare hand¡ªand held it tightly between her own. ¡°I mean, Lyudmila, we¡¯re friends, right?¡±


    There¡¯s that name again... Mila... I guess I don¡¯t mind it...


    I softly smiled and nodded. ¡°You can call me...Mila. I¡¯ve...not been the friendliest towards you, and I¡¯m sorry. I hope you can forgive me¡ªWhaa!¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡± Irisa jerked me to my feet, embraced me in a warm hug, and lifted me off the ground. She spun in a few circles, all the while giggling and laughing. ¡°It¡¯s official!¡± She soon let me go and went to her chair, picked it up, and sat it beside me.


    ¡°Mila, sweetie, how do you feel? Are you hurting anywhere?¡± Ichiha asked. I shook my head and stared down at my arms. With my secret exposed, staying here would put the two in trouble. Before I could vocalize my worries and announce that Sekh and I would be leaving, Ichiha subtly shook her head and placed her hand atop mine. ¡°I know that look anywhere. Mila, I just want you to know that this will always be a haven for you.¡±


    ¡°But... I¡¯m a murderer. I felt nothing at killing those four robbers¡ªI was even happy when they started the fight because it gave me an excuse to assimilate their power and make it mine. And... And...¡±


    ¡°Sekh told us about what happened in the mines, and it was self-defense,¡± Ichiha whispered. She gripped my hand just a little bit more. ¡°When I look at you, I just see a frightened little girl who never knew how comforting the touch of a loving parent could be. You¡¯ve been alone for such a long time, so you must¡¯ve been scared and frightened."


    Ichiha stared at me, her black horns seeming so imposing, but I knew she wouldn¡¯t hurt me with them. She kissed my forehead and stroked my hair. Ichiha shared the same offer to Sekh and Tilde.


    My heart howled, but my mind fought against revealing my entire life story to a family that went above and beyond what someone like me deserved. How could I tell them I was summoned from another world by a Holy Lord? Who then paid a whore to brutally take me against my will on her orders? And then saw fit to throw me into the void without giving me a chance to achieve Soul Evolution?


    That was one thing, but what about my life in my world? The life of Shuuta Fenton, a boy who was abused and harassed and beaten and abandoned at every turn just because he was a failure in a world that desired excellence? Did Irisa and Ichiha deserve to know that tidbit about me? The two Onis trusted me¡ªthey had to because they risked it all to nurse a Chimera back to health. If Bellerophon ever found out...


    No, I didn¡¯t want to imagine that possibility...


    But could I trust them? I trusted Will... Look what happened. I trusted Quella... Look what happened. I trusted Greggie, Keeth, Elly, Ami, and Ms. Mary... The only ones that hadn¡¯t betrayed me were Sekh, Tilde, Irisa, and Ichiha¡ªcoincidentally, the only ones I¡¯d come to know when I was living as Lyudmila Springfield.


    Should I tell them about Shuuta Fenton? Is it too soon? Is it fine if I wait before revealing my former life? I want to trust them... I do trust them... I know I can trust them, but...


    It¡¯ll be fine, right? You can¡¯t expect someone like me to open my heart all at once...

 Chapter Twenty-Six: Showing Off

    Chapter Twenty-Six: Showing Off


    Irisa was strangely excited to see what I could do as a chimera. Ichiha couldn¡¯t hide her curiosity, either, and I had their applause when I transfigured little spider setules on my fingers to climb up their wall and onto the ceiling. Then by shooting out some web from my wrists, I slowly descended until my feet touched the ground. That got the most reaction other than changing my hand into a boar¡¯s head with its undercoat, and Ichiha remarked on how soft it felt.


    The spider leg on my forehead received applause¡ªIrisa even remarked that if I grew a second one and made it slightly smaller and blacker, I could be an oni like her¡ªbut the araneae¡¯s head coming from my wrist was unsettling. The topic of different senses when transfigured came up, and I explained it as ¡®seeing¡¯ from my wrist, but I could focus and align the sight from the spider¡¯s head and my eyes to get the best of both worlds at the cost of a headache. With the boar¡¯s nose, I could take full advantage of their incredible sense of smell.


    After displaying my chimeric side, I tried to pull my 9mm from [Storage], but it wasn¡¯t there.


    Yeah, it was probably knocked out of my hands. With Reina¡¯s gun, I showed off [Chimeric Armatization] and said it was better than [Mystic Gunner]. I channeled fire and water magic through it so they could see the different forms, then did the same for [Piercing Thrust] and [String Shot].


    And since it had been a while, I figured I could look at my Status Menu.


    Lyudmila Springfield


    High Elf


    Lv. 5


    SP: 15


    Title: [Goblin Slayer (I)]


    Sub-Title: [Araneae Slayer (I)]


    Skill Menu [+]


    Mastery Menu [+]


    Lv. 5? There were a lot of monsters, and they were alphas. I had 9 SP before, so Sekh must¡¯ve gotten 12 SP when she leveled up. It¡¯s still slow, though. We need to pick up the pace...


    [Piercing Thrust], [Web Bomb], and [String Shot] were at Lv. 10, while [Fireball] was Lv.4. All were mastered.


    I spoke to Irisa about [Hermes Trismegistus], and she found it absolutely incredible, even more so after I told her of [Map]''s satellite mode. To prove it to her, I returned to my room, turned it on, and watched a live feed of her holding up four fingers. I called that out, then she touched her mom¡¯s arm and asked what she was doing. I obviously answered right, and this continued for a few more minutes until the headaches came. Before I returned to the kitchen, I changed clothes. What I had on before was destroyed in the dungeon, but I''d received three outfits when I first moved in.


    I can keep the gloves off, though. At least while I''m here... The shirt and shorts were comfortable, but I love this long skirt.


    Irisa skipped to her room and came out with something that made my jaw drop. ¡°Mila, we went hunting for those hides to make this for Sekh. I¡¯m not done with it, but I¡¯m close,¡± she said, standing beside a complete set of brown boiled leather armor.


    Boiled Leather Armor (0/1)


    It weighed about 12lbs. My storage was full of cores, so I didn¡¯t have the space. I¡¯d have to wait for it to naturally expand, but it wasn¡¯t like I was going to store the armor.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± said Sekh. It seemed she was struggling a bit to appreciate the gift. She experienced the same strain as I did when Ichiha hugged and talked to me, but it was nice to see her stiff expression melt into a lovely smile.


    It''s growth for both of us... That¡¯s good, right?


    ¡°You said you had something like a workshop, right, right? Can I see it? It sounds cool. And I still need to make a mace and shield for you, Sekh. I promise it¡¯ll be done soon.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s kinda like that, but it¡¯s called [Artificer¡¯s Arsenal]. If I make a knife or something, I can register it. If it breaks or dulls, I can summon another copy. The only restriction is that once something is registered, it cannot be used to cause any harm. But it isn¡¯t just knives. If I made a furnace or anvil, it could be registered and stored as well. Even coal, oddly enough, can be infinite if I somehow make it by hand. See?¡± I took out the first stone knife I had made and crushed it against Yaekira¡¯s dagger. It vanished from my hand, but I summoned two more copies and handed one to Irisa.


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool!!!!¡± Irisa exclaimed. She asked me questions about how experienced I was in crafting, but I only just had the stone spider mace I had made for Sekh. Now that I had [Weapon Creation], I was sure whatever I made would be hardly better¡ªbut better, nonetheless.


    ¡°Mom? Can we borrow some backpacks? And a mace for Sekh until Mila¡¯s made one for her?¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡± Ichiha¡¯s kindness was off the charts. I tried to throw in another article of clothing, but she refused. ¡°Sweetie, that is worth more than a thousand people make in a lifetime. More so because Lord Amos specifically created it for a Soul Warrior.¡±


    We all went downstairs. Sekh found a suitable mace and thanked Ichiha a second time, then she slipped it through a loop on her belt.


    I was the only one without protection because my wooden chainmail broke, but Irisa was going to change that. After we took the backpacks and canteens the motherly figure so graciously offered us, Sekh, Tilde, Irisa, and I were out the door.


    We were just walking towards the northern entrance when Irisa said something that caught me off guard.


    ¡°You know, after mom and I cleaned you up, I saw the reason why Sekh moans so much when you two have sex. That thing between your legs is huge, even when it¡¯s flaccid. Like, I almost thought it was going to attack me. It¡¯s hard to believe it gets even bigger when you¡¯re hard.¡±


    ¡°Eh?!¡± I exclaimed.


    ¡°You were stark naked when she brought you to us. Mom stitched the wounds, and I rubbed you clean with a dozen wet towels and rags.¡± After inquiring some more, it appeared Sekh¡¯s [Fleshcrafting] on my crotch vanished when I nearly died. Tilde said it had to do with my body automatically morphing back into its base form and canceling any alterations, including Sekh¡¯s handiwork to my penis, out of necessity and safety.


    So yeah... Irisa saw the gray tower between my legs...


    I uttered a soft apology in a quiet voice. Irisa soon slapped me on the back with a hearty laugh.


    ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. I¡¯ve seen one before.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not a virgin?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m not. Mom¡¯s probably told you about my lack of a filter when I speak, so I haven¡¯t had a potential mate in a while. And then there¡¯s that situation with dad. I dunno. It¡¯s kinda hard to explain, but I couldn¡¯t focus on finding a husband because my mom and I gotta take care of each other and the store.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    ¡°Mila? We¡¯re friends, right? And friends take baths together. Is that something you might want to do?¡±


    ¡°A bath together?¡±


    The tub is big enough, but...


    ¡°I...don¡¯t know about that.¡± If Irisa was disappointed, she didn¡¯t show it. Maybe I¡¯d want to do it in the future, but right now was much too soon.


    But I was open to the idea... I really was.


    ¡°Don¡¯t look so sorry, Mila. It¡¯s fine. Really. I won¡¯t pressure you into doing something you don¡¯t want to do. Life¡¯s been hard on you, and I don¡¯t want to add to that,¡± Irisa said. She gave me a smile and started talking about all the things she needed to teach me as it pertained to crafting. She had experience making clothes, armor, weapons, brewing potions, and building things like tables and chairs, and she was ecstatic that she had a student to pass her knowledge down to. She lacked experience in enchanting, so I would have to find someone else to teach me about that.


    Ignoring the stuff about second chances and having an opportunity to do it all over again the right way, I felt genuine joy flow through my heart. If this was what it felt like to truly look forward to something that would only enrich my life, then why did my ¡®parents¡¯ try so hard to take that away from me? To them, I wasn¡¯t worth the added effort when they already had a prodigy to nurture.


    If they had tried to give a little bit of effort...


    Shit, I can¡¯t keep thinking about them. They were parents in name only, not action and motivation. The possibility of me meeting them here is nearly nil, but should that day come, I will end their lives without a moment of hesitation.


    They gave up on me, so I¡¯ll give up on them.


    It¡¯s only fair, right?

 Chapter Twenty-Seven: Encounter in the Dungeon (R-18 Illustrations!)

    Chapter Twenty-Seven: Encounter in the Dungeon (R-18 Illustrations!)


    There they were. The gangrenous green bastards stood in a circle, cackling like they were natural-born comedians. It was four spearmen with two archers tucked away in the far back of the room. Sekh tapped my trembling shoulders, and I forcibly got my breathing in order. Tilde was standing on my backpack, and Irisa was waiting with her weapon ready. Glimmers of that awful encounter flashed through my mind.


    I was totally helpless once they had closed the distance. My strength reigned supreme at range, where I could pick off these detestable creatures with sharp, pinpoint accuracy.


    Shit... If Sekh wasn¡¯t here, those bastards would have used me like a whore and implanted their larvae within me... It makes me sick to my stomach...


    ¡°Mila.¡± Irisa crouched down and held my shoulders. ¡°You can do this. I know you can. I promise I¡¯ll protect you if they ever get close. And Sekh will too. Once you launch the opening strike, we¡¯ll handle the rest.¡±


    Sekh gave me an affirmative nod, and Tilde flew away to watch our backs. I nodded, then steadied Reina¡¯s gun and took a deep breath. With my finger on the trigger, I waited for the green deviants to line up so I could take out two at once with [Piercing Thrust].


    Until I find another gun, I have no choice but to rely on this.


    Bang!


    The earsplitting noise recoiled all throughout the mine, marking my return to harvesting this hunting ground. Sekh and Irisa ran forward, killing the surprised goblins with ease. The two at the back readied their arrows, but I sent them to the afterlife.


    The whole battle took just a few seconds, but goddamn if it didn¡¯t feel like a handful of minutes. I walked towards my companions and their bloody weapons while storing my gun in my mana.


    Tilde said the coast was still clear, so I ate. I devoured these ruthless annoyances, chopping through their weakened bones and crunching their sorry flesh with the largest boar head hand I could make.


    New Skill: [Bow]


    And that¡¯s another weapon skill. Maybe I should use Susize¡¯s bow? That¡¯s worth thinking about.


    Irisa stared curiously, asking how it all worked.


    ¡°Truthfully? I have no idea. It just kinda...teleports to my stomach when I ¡®swallow.¡¯ And yes, I can taste every bit of it. I feel the bones when they break.¡± I searched my map for iron, and there were many hits. This side room was just the closest one, so that was our first destination.


    The pathetic goblins were guarding a couple of iron veins. Amongst the three of us, Irisa was the only one strong enough to wield Murag¡¯s warhammer with no issue, so she used that while I used the pickaxe she brought. Sekh relied on her mace. And so, we started to swing away. I lifted it up like Irisa showed me and brought it down. The angle must¡¯ve been wrong because the impact failed to break any ore off, and it sent a tremendous jolt up my arm, causing me to drop it.


    I rubbed my wrist and cursed. To my left, Irisa was nonchalantly hammering away, and I was impressed by her sheer strength. She wasn¡¯t even looking, choosing to watch Sekh work in a smooth rhythm. It was supposedly hot inside the dungeon, and with that armor, including the hard labor, she sweated like a storm. Still, she looked so beautiful and powerful. After clipping her helmet to her belt, she retrieved a rag and wiped her drenched face.


    Sekh was inspiring, and I went at it until I was totally out of breath.


    ¡°Woah... That¡¯s seriously helpful,¡± Irisa commented on my unique abilities as a dozen chunks of ore were stashed away at once after I connected my webs to them. Tilde proudly hovered in front of her.


    ¡°Whahaha!!! I¡¯ll take your praise, and I¡¯ll take it some more. I¡¯ll even let you worship me if you keep gushing about my super helpful skills! Yes, Master only has them because of me! Bwhahahaha!¡± The flying annoyance let the praise get to her head, but it was cute seeing her in such a happy mood. I knew we all needed it after the disgrace I put the three of us in because of my stubbornness.


    As we started to leave, we saw the accumulation of mana and prepared for a fight. And yes, it was a squad of goblins sent by the dungeon to kill us. I aimed my gun to deliver them a quick death, but it couldn¡¯t have been that easy. One of the bastards stared at me with a look. I had to vent my growing displeasure. I approached them with a boar¡¯s head on my hand, bringing one of them towards me with [String Shot] like that web-slinging superhero Greggie liked.


    ¡°Guu!!!! Gue! Gue gue!!!¡± They were laughing, but the screams of that goblin being eaten alive quickly shut them up. But this wasn¡¯t enough. Assimilating a live target was just a drop in the proverbial ocean of what I wanted to do these bastards that nearly succeeded in filling my belly with their sickening parasitic offspring.


    You fuckers... You¡¯re better off dead...


    I saw Sekh¡¯s black hair rush past me when they charged at me, but I told her to stop because I wanted to personally kill them. Four quick uses of [Web Bomb] immobilized the rest to the ground. Their weak strength couldn¡¯t break my webs, so I had the perfect subjects to further test my Chimeric prowess.


    First, I produced a spider leg from my hand because I wanted to take their eyes. Tilde stood guard while I took my time caressing their ugly faces before finally popping those bulging things out of their socket. Eight eyes were stabbed on the end of my arm, and like they were grapes, I popped one into my mouth and chewed.


    Those blind, vile creatures produced the most unholy noise while staring up with those empty, bloody sockets. I had fun with them, though. From stomping onto their crotches and hearing the satisfying pop of their tiny testicles exploding to carving my name into their naked chests and ripping away the skin, I put them through hell.


    I even used my web abilities to hang one of them. Oh! How humorous it was to watch that little green body swing, seeing his stubby legs kick and flail and fail to find any hard ground while blood from his mutilated crotch fell. While the son of a bitch was on its last breath, I went behind and jabbed my spider leg up its ass so hard and far the tip sprouted from its gaping mouth.


    I almost removed it, but I jammed it back in, forcing the goblin to experience what its kind did to the poor men and women that became their victims.


    I removed my arm and left the bastard bleeding while I used [String Shot] to retrieve the last living goblin. It grossly squirmed and struggled with all the strength its frail body had. Looking back, Irisa was spewing the contents of her stomach over the ground while failing to hold back her tears.


    ¡°You can¡¯t be crying for them, right?¡± I asked, not hiding my displeasure.


    ¡°This... It¡¯s brutal, Mila,¡± Irisa whispered, her head angled towards the ground. She only vaguely stared at me out of her peripherals.


    ¡°They deserve this and far, far more than I¡¯m able to give them. Sekh, new order. If you see any goblins, end their wretched lives.¡±


    ¡°Gladly.¡±


    I strung up the last survivor while finishing off the one I impaled in the ass, and then it was time to eat it alive. Slowly, so very slowly, I used the boar head to eat an inch at a time, making sure to use the boar and everything this head offered me. The scratchy, coarse outer coat had a reputation for being rough, which made it perfect to rub against the exposed flesh and bloodied crotch.


    The tortured bastard screamed. For once, they felt the true despair their kin brought to men and women. They felt the torture of being eaten alive, bit by bit and piece by piece. From its nasty feet to the bloody legs and piss-soaked thighs, its scabbed-filled belly, and its scarred chest, I devoured every ounce of this inhuman monster.


    ¡°Irisa, this is what I am,¡± I said, turning my arm back to normal. I turned to find her motionless and crying. ¡°Can you accept a monster like me? I get revenge on those that fuck me over. I have to eat to grow stronger. Even if it means devouring someone alive, I will do it. Those fucking goblins came this close to raping me. In my eyes, they deserve something far, far worse than what I was able to give them.¡±


    ¡°Fine! We¡¯ll... We¡¯ll give you what we have... Just don¡¯t hurt¡ª¡± said the girl, who cowered and made herself seem smaller. Her eyes were full of tears.


    Sekh released her grip, but Tilde flew down to cuss them out. Sekh and I gathered their enchanted robes. They all came with a minor mana restorative effect. The sword and dagger weren¡¯t special, but they could be useful.


    The three men wore a pair of ripped shorts and torn shirts under their robes, and they almost shared the same black hairstyle. According to [Analysis], the leader¡¯s name was Max, and his hair was longer in the front. The girl with medium-length brown hair was topless underneath it all, which was why she was hesitant when taking off the robe. She bared her flat chest and string panties to the world with an embarrassing expression. Her hands and arms tried to cover herself.


    She started to cry harder, and green snot slowly trickled down her nostrils and onto her quivering lips.


    ¡°Don¡¯t make my sister do this!¡± Max said as traces of vomit dribbled down his lips.


    ¡°You¡¯re all family?¡± He weakly nodded ¡°I¡¯m not a hypocrite,¡± I said, giving back a robe for the girl to cover herself. ¡°As much as it would amuse me to have you run around naked, I won¡¯t go that far.¡± I handed my share of the unlawfully gotten loot to Sekh while I delivered one more threat and collected their money.


    I don¡¯t give a fuck if they¡¯re poor. I¡¯m taking all they got.


    ¡°You almost killed us. It may have been an accident, but it still happened. With this, consider us even. But should you try to get retribution?¡± I made sure to press my gun against each of their temples, glaring with a merciless smile. ¡°I will end your lives. And that little spirit.¡± It shivered and hissed, its white fur standing on end. ¡°I will wring its scrawny fucking neck, and you will watch it die before I disembowel you four fuckers. Now get the fuck out of here,¡± I said, waving my hand towards the only exit in the room. In seconds, they all scrambled to get as far away from me as possible.


    Irisa was relieved because it didn¡¯t turn into a bloodbath, but Sekh was upset. She avoided meeting my gaze. When I tried to touch her, she moved at the last second and sulked while leaning against the wall. The flames of violence were alive in her silver eyes, and she wanted to spill their blood.


    Yeah, she¡¯s pissed. I know she wanted them dead¡ªI did too¡ª but we¡¯d be the first suspects because people saw Sekh kick him when she ran out of the dungeon with me. We aren¡¯t strong enough to deal with the trouble. My instincts tell me it¡¯s different than when we killed Martin and his cronies.


    But I know something Sekh doesn¡¯t... I¡¯ll have to talk to her about the different flavors of revenge when I have a chance. Killing them offers immediate satisfaction, but destroying their world? Flipping it upside down? Causing strife and mayhem within a group to make suicide seem like the golden option? That¡¯s the revenge I want on these bastards.


    Irisa grabbed my cheeks, stared into my eyes, and sighed. ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re disappointed,¡± I told the Oni. ¡°We almost died, and those four were responsible for it.¡±


    If I¡¯m right, retaliation might come very soon... I¡¯m hoping for it.


    ¡°I know, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I said it before, but this is who I am,¡± I said, storing the robes and weapons in my storage. Its limit was 95lbs, which was nice. ¡°If it had turned violent, I would not have hesitated to put a bullet in their brains and eat them. I almost wished they were foolish enough to attack.¡±


    ¡°But what if they tell someone about this?¡± Irisa argued.


    ¡°So what? Everything is in a place that¡¯s only reachable by my Master and me. Hey, don¡¯t forget to stash the money,¡± Tilde said.


    ¡°Are you still comfortable teaching me how to craft?¡± I asked while doing what the fairy wanted.


    Irisa didn¡¯t hesitate at all. ¡°We¡¯re friends, right? I know you suffered a lot, and I haven¡¯t experienced your pain. If I were in your shoes, I¡¯d probably want to get payback against the goblins and that group. I¡¯m sorry, Mila.¡± Irisa hugged me. She was half-a-foot taller than me, so it felt like I was a little kid.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m upset or anything,¡± I replied from Irisa¡¯s comfortable embrace. After this, I tried to hug Sekh, but she was still silently fuming.


    Upon leaving the dungeon, we were stopped by a man you¡¯d find in the dictionary under the definition of large. The badge on the handlebar-mustached fellow¡¯s chest signified he was with the guild as an officer. The jackasses we robbed were standing behind him. Max looked smugly at us, but his sister jittered with anxiety. With a deep voice, the officer asked if we had encountered the four standing behind him, and I shook my head.


    ¡°Bullshit! Look inside those packs,¡± Max demanded. His mouth still had traces of vomit around his lips. ¡°You¡¯ll find our equipment!¡±


    ¡°Fine. Then look.¡± After a quick search that resulted in nothing but wasted time, the officer let us go and apologized, much to the dismay of Max. The fool started talking about how we must¡¯ve stashed them inside the dungeon.


    ¡°What? Are we really that petty to steal from you and leave it behind? It was your fault we lost everything. If I did have your gear, I''d try my hardest to sneak it out. We clearly don¡¯t have it, though. You already tried to kill us, and now you want us to blame us for this? What did we ever do to you?¡± I asked, carefully keeping my face composed. The leader¡¯s smug grin slowly vanished while I searched amongst my skills.


    Yeah, there it is. I saw [Lying] earlier, but I might as well take it. It¡¯ll come in handy.


    New Skill: [Lying]


    It was their word versus ours, and evidence of the robbery didn¡¯t exist. Using my new skill, I lied just a little bit more to throw the situation even more in our favor. I told the officer that the four siblings were out of line because they threw a lure to send a horde of monsters after us. I exacerbated how awful it was for us.


    But only very slightly.


    He said he¡¯d heard about that and was about to start that investigation. Irisa mentioned the witnesses Sekh had told her about that saw Sekh leaving the mines with my unconscious body. Irisa also said she had helped her mother nurse our wounds, strengthening our case.


    ¡°Out of curiosity, what¡¯s the punishment for something like that?¡± I asked the large man.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t pretty, I¡¯ll tell you that. Accidents do happen, but even those aren¡¯t immune from justice. An accidental death is still a death. Let me get your statements while I¡¯m here,¡± he replied.


    After spending a few minutes telling him our story and mentioning Chax, Ginnie, and the two Racoonfolk, he thanked us for our time and apologized for what we went through. The siblings were ¡®kindly¡¯ escorted back to Ria, where, according to Irisa, they would lose favor with the guild, lose any points towards promotion, and even be sentenced to pay a fine.


    I didn¡¯t know if I would get a portion of that since I had all their money, but the bells of justice rang in my favor.


    But it wasn¡¯t enough for Sekh. She walked a few feet ahead of us under claims of wanting to protect me, but I saw her shoulders sag from a conflicted sigh.


    It hurts me to see Sekh like that, but I don¡¯t think she understands what I put into motion. I definitely have to talk to her after she has a chance to simmer off.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight: Forging Bonds (R-18 Illustrations!)

    Chapter Twenty-Eight: Forging Bonds (R-18 Illustrations!)


    ¡°Alright! Now, we¡¯re going to be making something simple to start. It¡¯s an iron dagger, and it just needs an iron ingot. If you want to add a grip, pommel, and cross-guard to make a nice hilt for it, or maybe you want a sheath, then you¡¯d obviously need some more material,¡± Irisa said. ¡°But let¡¯s start from step one, and we¡¯ll move forward from there.¡±


    When we returned from the dungeon, Iris and I stopped by Smithy¡¯s Corner to start my training. Sekh remained silent and chose to walk home. Tilde followed and said she would talk some sense to her. I wasn¡¯t mad or anything. Sekh was not required to always remain by my side because she had free will. She was her own person, not a slave obligated to follow my whims without regard for her well-being.


    If she wanted some time to herself, that was perfectly fine. Perhaps she¡¯d calm down once I explained why we couldn¡¯t kill Max and his siblings. I wanted to end their lives and take their SP, but I was thinking about the broad future and wanted to play it safe.


    There would be a time when it would be apt for me to make any risky moves, but I required the strength to defend myself from harm. Until Sekh and I had that power, we had to be cautious. In my defense, I had thousands of years of historical data to follow. I knew what happened to those who were too hasty or failed to consider that something could go wrong because everything had been progressing without fault. False confidence would not be my undoing, and unlike so many leaders throughout history, I would not be hoisted by my own petard.


    Knowledge was my primary strength, and I had plenty of examples to follow and not follow. I just hoped Sekh would hear me out. I was sure she would but giving her the time to cool down wouldn¡¯t hurt anything.


    Irisa¡¯s assigned spot was at the back right corner, and as she pulled a key to unlock the small shed that contained her tools, I used my map to investigate those around us. I didn¡¯t find anything surprising, but nearly everyone had [Blacksmith] and either [Weapon Creation] or [Armor Creation]. I had the SP available, so I joined the club.


    New Skill: [Blacksmith]


    ¡°Where do we start?¡± I asked Irisa. I stood outside the shed while she went in and came out with a rectangular-shaped mold, two hammers, two tongs, a smelting pot, and two blacksmithing aprons. She tied one around her neck and threw the other to me.


    ¡°We have to convert the ore into something we can use,¡± Irisa said. I sat my backpack down and used it as a proxy to hand her the ore, then she placed some in the pot, then sat that inside the brick furnace, which looked a little bit like a pizza oven. ¡°It¡¯s going to melt the ore down, and then we pour that inside the molds. But you see those bellows over there? You grab one, and I¡¯ll get the other, and we gotta pump air inside to increase its temperature.¡± Nodding, I stood behind one and started to pump.


    ¡°Mila?¡± Irisa said my name when she started to pump the second bellow.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t too personal, where did you come from? Like, how did you get to Ria? Or even Dirge? Because of your circumstances, I¡¯m not quite sure how to ask this...¡±


    I can¡¯t tell her the truth, but...


    ¡°There¡¯s a continent to the far, far north. Not many people know about it, and I found myself in Dirge because I stowed away after I became sentient because I was abused, harassed, and tortured simply for existing. I wanted to get a second chance, but even that was denied to me when I was thrown overboard and left for dead... But I''m here... I¡¯m alive, and as hard as it¡¯s going to be for someone like me, I have no intention of ever letting this opportunity go to waste.¡±


    ¡°Woah... I guess I never realized how hard it could be for you people... If you don¡¯t mind me asking, what was that continent like?"


    ¡°Well, it was very secluded. Its culture wasn¡¯t anything like what you have here. Do you want to hear about it?¡± Irisa nodded and smiled, relishing the chance to learn. I felt comfortable telling the history of my world. Even though it was masked by a lie. I could tell she was really interested in what I had to say. We had to wait for the ore to get hot enough to melt, so I started from the beginning of recorded history for my ¡®continent¡¯ and skipped around.


    ¡°There probably were blacksmiths before 4,500 B.C.E, but we wouldn¡¯t know about them since we hadn¡¯t found any information about them.¡±


    ¡°B.C.E?¡± Irisa questioningly asked. She was confused, but I managed to carefully pick my words because everything had to apply in a way that related to this world.


    ¡°Before Common Era denotes the years before the Common Era. If you¡¯re a Christian, it¡¯s B.C, which means Before Christ.¡± Irisa had no idea what Christianity was, so I gave her a summary of it and A.D. to Irisa before continuing with my little lecture on the history of blacksmithing in my ¡®continent.¡¯ ¡°It took another three thousand years or so for the Hittites to start messing around with iron. Scholars debated if it was first developed by them since there were iron tools believed to be made around 3,000 B.C.E. Once the knowledge of iron forging spread around, it practically took the world by storm wherever it went. In fact, the people of Ancient Greece had a god named Hephaestus, the god of metalworking and blacksmithing.¡±


    ¡°Woah, that¡¯s a religion I¡¯ve never heard of.¡± Irisa¡¯s excitement was palpable. Everyone else was too busy hammering and shaping their metal to pay attention to me.


    The pain I had endured over my 20-ish years left me in a broken and battered state. Sure, I had only known Sekh for less than a month, but we shared a common background. We found solace in each other¡¯s arms, something I didn¡¯t think I could replicate if I ended up sharing a bed with Irisa. Yes, she and her mother were nice to us, but there was still an inkling of doubt in mind that this could all turn for the worse.


    Because it did in my world. My mind would sometimes go back to when my mother acted much like Ichiha. The fun and joy of going to the park after a week of beatings did wonders for my little heart, yet when she threw me to the ground and ran back to the car to speed off crushed any remaining hope.


    But I wanted to remove that doubt from my mind. Because I knew it wouldn¡¯t happen here. It just wouldn¡¯t, and I couldn¡¯t keep looking at the world from that angle. I knew it, Sekh knew it, and Tilde knew it.


    The problem was actually doing it, but I wasn¡¯t alone. I had help.


    ¡°Mom, we¡¯re home!¡± Irisa said when we walked through the door. I followed right behind to see Ichiha wiping down the counter.


    ¡°Welcome home, girls,¡± she said with a smile. We chatted for a few minutes while I recanted the day¡¯s event. Ichiha wasn¡¯t ¡®happy,¡¯ I suppose, of the events that happened in the dungeon, nor was she pleased to hear that Sekh wanted to kill Max and his siblings. ¡°Is that why she¡¯s asleep? It¡¯s rare to see you two separated, so I was worried.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s very protective over me,¡± I replied. Sekh can¡¯t see it, but we did get our revenge on them... And it¡¯s not over. It¡¯s only just the beginning.


    It only made sense for Ichiha to be conflicted, but she didn¡¯t know that Sekh had only known death. She had no choice but to fall through life with violence and tyranny acting as her guiding hand. Or rather, all her lives. I couldn¡¯t forget that curse that kept reincarnating and driving her to insanity and barbarity.


    If Sekh wants to tell them, it¡¯s up to her, not me.


    Until then, as far as Irisa and Ichiha were concerned, Sekh was a Lionfolk I had found that didn¡¯t turn her nose up at finding out I was a chimera. I couldn¡¯t help but hope Sekh would trust them enough to tell them soon, though I understood her hesitancy and even shared it.


    To change the subject lightly, I spoke a little bit about the ¡®continent¡¯ I came from, mainly repeating what I told Irisa while we were forging. Somehow, that segued into alchemy. While I didn¡¯t have the skill, Ichiha had a mortar and pestle and a few crimson amita¡ªthe red mushrooms used to make potions¡ªin stock. I bought and stored them away in my storage because potions would definitely be useful.


    I¡¯ll have to buy [Alchemist] eventually. I can still make potions without the skill. I¡¯ll try it tonight.


    But that didn¡¯t last long because Tilde flew down the stairs and lightly waved at me. ¡°Master, come with me. We need to have a little talk,¡± she demanded.


    I nodded, following Tilde up the stairs. She didn¡¯t speak until we emerged into the kitchen. Something delicious filled the air, and I was looking forward to dinner.


    ¡°I did what I could,¡± reported the fairy. ¡°But there¡¯s something you got to understand. The world of 1,000 years ago is nothing like it is today. She¡¯s full of insecurity stemming from living in a reality where she was constantly tortured by the curse. I¡¯m not lying by saying this, but death is really all she¡¯s ever known, and I mean that literally. She¡¯s of the mind that everything can be solved with violence because that¡¯s what she had no choice but to practice. For her, if there¡¯s a problem, the only solution is death.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad at her, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°Well, you better not be!¡± the fairy exclaimed as we stopped in front of the door to my room.


    ¡°Yeah... I just said I¡¯m not.¡±


    ¡°Good! Oh, here¡¯s something you might not know. Or maybe you do. Without the curse affecting her, your little Lionfolk¡¯s able to experience all range of emotions. But she doesn¡¯t know how to process them, and they manifest as submissive tendencies. If I were you, I¡¯d take advantage of it... If you know what I''m saying, that is. Hehehe...¡± Tilde greedily rubbed her hands together and licked her lips. ¡°Be sure to make it sexy, okay? I need something exciting if I¡¯m going to get off.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re so perverted it isn¡¯t even funny...¡± I sighed and knocked on the door. With no one didn¡¯t answer, I used my map¡¯s satellite mode to peek inside and realized she was still asleep.


    ¡°Eh, that¡¯s part of my charm. Either take it or leave it. Oh, wait, you gotta take it.¡± She stuck out her tongue at me. ¡°Anyway, go on and talk to her. I¡¯m going to find the big titty onis and see what¡¯s for dinner,¡± Tilde said, flying back downstairs.

 Chapter Twenty-Nine: An Expression of Love (R-18) – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Twenty-Nine: An Expression of Love (R-18) ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    Very slowly, I opened the door and walked to the bed, sitting beside Sekh to take off my clothes because I wanted to clean up before dinner. After retrieving my spare outfit from my storage and placing them on the bed, I felt a pair of hands wrap around my stomach. Then a set of breasts pressed against my back.


    ¡°Master... I¡¯m¡ª¡± Sekh¡¯s voice was weak and quivering.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it tonight,¡± I replied, standing up. Sekh¡¯s hands weakly fell to the bed, but I grabbed her chin and kissed her lips, whispering that I wasn¡¯t upset to calm her potential fears. ¡°I¡¯m about to take a bath. Want to join me?¡±


    Sekh only nodded, but at least her face softened. We went to the bathroom, and I helped her undress. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com


    ¡°How long has it been since we did this?¡± I asked, cupping her cheeks when we were both naked. I stared at her beautiful body. She was full and rich in womanly charm. The fierce scent of sweat tickled my nose. She knew I was staring at her tits, so she pressed them against me and tilted her head to meet my eyes. Her eyes were so beautiful... Really, she was strikingly gorgeous in every way, and I was thankful she was in my arms...pressing her body against mine...


    ¡°A while... I¡¯ve missed this,¡± Sekh whispered, slightly gasping when the inevitable erection came. I rubbed her shoulders while sprouting a hand from my leg to light the contraption that warmed the bathtub with [Fireball]. Sekh looked at me with her beautiful eyes and kissed my lips, her hands steadily descending from my face to my chest, where she affectionately massaged my breasts. Even if she was a warrior who sent countless souls to the afterlife, her touch was still incredibly gentle.


    And her lips were immaculate. We licked each other¡¯s tongues, and my mouth welcomed hers in.


    ¡°Hmm... Master... Your¡ªyour kiss...¡± Sekh tried to purr her sweet words, but I was more forceful. I grabbed her cheeks and went in more, enjoying the warmth of her lips and moist tongue. She responded by rubbing my stiff erection, which, due to my near death, was back to its original length. Slowly, it grew even more when she playfully cupped my balls with her left hand, which meant the fur on her forearm soothed my entire shaft.


    I began to gyrate my hips, rubbing my dick all over that illustrious fur. ¡°Do it, Master,¡± Sekh whispered. Her face was so flushed, her grip changing as she squeezed my testicles with just the right amount of force. ¡°Don¡¯t hold it¡ªAhhh!!!¡± Immediately she bit her lips because I slid my right hand between her legs. She was so wet my hands were instantly soaked, but her erotic moans sent happy thrills down my spine. I brought it back to lick her juices dripping off my fingers, then placed it back inside her moist cunt.


    We haven¡¯t fucked in a while. I wonder if Sekh wants to have some fun tonight? Will she be in the mood?


    ¡°It¡¯s the same...to you, Sekh...¡± I kissed her lips one more time as a finger slipped inside her pussy, instantly covering it in her warmth and juices. She cried out in a passionate moan and felt a bit weak in the knees, but she used my chest for support, latching onto one of my nipples and sucking. Her tongue violently lashed around, and I replied with another finger.


    And then I did something that would change our sex life forever.


    ¡°AAAHHHHHH! Maaaasterrrrr!!!!¡¯¡± Sekh instantly quivered, reaching orgasm and squirting because I transfigured a tongue on the end of one of the fingers currently buried in her. I came at the same time, splashing her forearm, soaking pussy, and glistening thighs with my biggest orgasm yet. My thick semen doused her in my essence. The tip of my penis was sensitive, and humping her furry forearm was almost enough to push me over the edge.


    ¡°You¡¯re delicious,¡± I told Sekh after grabbing her for support and licking my lips. Her satisfied expression was just so cute that I had to kiss her, but I kept my tongue finger inside her. It wiggled something fierce, brutishly rubbing against her inner folds while letting me taste her delectable flavor.


    I just couldn¡¯t get enough of Sekh. Whenever we had sex, she was all I could think about!


    ¡°Holy shit! Hahahaha!!! I was wondering when you were going to experiment. Didn¡¯t think it would be so soon. Guess you two horn dogs couldn¡¯t wait to get down and dirty.¡± A flying, 10-inch-tall menace to society flew into the bathroom while Sekh and I were basking in our afterglow. Her little eyes keenly observed the semen dripping from the tip of my penis as it remained semi-erect. ¡°You¡¯re a tongue-on-the-finger kind of gal, huh? Surprised you didn¡¯t go for a dick. Hey, is the bath ready?¡± With no time to answer, Tilde stripped in a hurry and skated along the top of the bath, her wings keeping her level. A tiny toe dipped in, and after smiling, she just dropped, sounding like a droplet of water hitting a pond.


    I grabbed Sekh, who was still in a daze from our little tryst and helped her into the tub. After feeling the warmth of the hot water envelop us up to our knees, we sat down and allowed it to swallow us to our chests. My legs were spread, and Sekh was sitting between them, my hands firmly on her stomach while I soaked away the soreness of the day.


    ¡°Go ahead, don¡¯t mind me. Have some make-up sex or something. Have fun. Or not. It¡¯s up to you. Don¡¯t mind me, though. I¡¯m just going to be swimming.¡± Tilde gave me a thumbs up and a wink, then started to paddle around the bath as if it was a pool.


    ¡°Master...¡± Sekh leaned back until I rested my chin on her head. She purred just like a lovable kitten and placed her hands on mine. I loved these little moments when we could cuddle and snuggle together. They always seemed to put me at ease simply because she was relying on me. I kissed the top of her head and began to massage her stomach. Whatever stiffness we had displayed on our faces and body melted from this relaxing bath. My hands subtly moved further down towards her crotch, but I primarily focused on rubbing her seal while applying just a little bit of pressure. It wasn¡¯t anything too much, just enough to tease Sekh until she spread her legs and guided my hands further down.


    ¡°Master, it¡¯s growing big again,¡± Sekh said, her voice cut off by a moan that escaped her sweet lips. I licked her pretty neck and readjusted to allow my penis to poke through her thighs. Turning her neck, she met my lips and used both hands to massage the sensitive head.


    ¡°Fuck yeah, make it sexy!¡± exclaimed Tilde, who groped herself. She had this salacious grin across her lewd face, but I remained focused on the lovely woman in front of me. Her tongue was wild¡ªadventurous, even, but not comparable to her mood when we left the mines.


    I didn¡¯t know why, but pure lust flowed through my body. The texture of her tongue... The inside of her cheeks... Her smell... The cute noises she made when I gently nibbled her lips with all the pressure of a falling leaf...


    The feelings collected in my penis, and I spewed my love all over Sekh¡¯s hands, covering them in a thick coat of white. My hips buckled and quivered, sending more and more semen with each pulse of my penis.


    ¡°Haaaa...¡± Sekh panted, her face a pretty shade of crimson. We looked at her hands, and I watched while she sucked her fingers clean. She lapped my semen with her tongue, making sure to get as much as she could...


    And then it was too much for me. It was forceful, I admit, but I hugged Sekh even tighter while fondling her breasts. Focusing on her nipples, I let her moans guide my actions while her fingers returned to massage my raging erection that refused to go down.


    Her tits were putty in my hands, and I was a master sculptor. I squeezed them, teased them, caressed them, massaged them. Just holding Sekh¡¯s boobs in my hands as if they were a bra brought more pleasure to me than Sekh could ever imagine because it meant she trusted me implicitly.


    When I lifted my right hand away and told her to look at it...


    I transfigured a mouth within my palm, complete with lips, teeth, and a juicy tongue. Whispering her name and licking her ears, the potential pleasure flowed through her body via a series of cute quivers. She bit her lips, then squeezed my penis with her thighs while rubbing the shaft against her pussy. Even if we were submerged in water, she was especially wet.


    Well, I didn¡¯t want to keep her waiting.


    I latched my palm mouth onto a nipple and sucked like never before. Her breathing hastened in seconds. Perhaps it was because we hadn¡¯t done this in so long, but her whole body was seemingly at my mercy.


    Without waiting for her to continue, I crouched down, grabbed a handful of her beautiful ass, altered my penises so they were up and down instead of side-by-side, pushed past her moist entrance, and finally relished in her wondrous insides once more. She clamped down on my cock almost immediately, her lower lips gripping my shaft. Her pussy folds engulfed my penis from all sides, and we remained like that...


    But I had a second penis... Since it wasn¡¯t doing much, I got rid of that and instead used my transfiguration limit to produce a tongue that wrapped around the cock inside of Sekh. Right away, her sweet flavor conquered my taste buds. She cutely yelped, almost losing the strength in her arms from the overstimulation. I didn¡¯t want her to fall, so I somehow managed to wrap my arms around her stomach, stood up, and fucked her from a standing position with my hands on her glistening thighs. Her pussy was exposed to no one, yet it felt so lewd.


    ¡°Ahhhaaa... Whahaaaaa... Mmmnnnnnn.... Maaaaaa.... Aahhhhhhhh....¡± Sekh drooled, then quivered as if electricity flowed through her when I licked her furry ears. My penis tongue condom added some more slipperiness to it. Slowly, I lifted Sekh until only the tip remained in, then I thrust my hips, jabbing my penis right back in. Nothing but pure love and ecstasy escaped her lips. ¡°Master... Master!!!! Ahhhh... More...¡±


    More?


    I kept my pounding steady, my ears clearly hearing the drips of our combined juices splashing in the bath water below us. The tongue around my penis shrank in volume, but I transfigured a second cock that branched off the first. Sekh felt it rub against her clit because I added a small tongue. Her hands went to the new penis, and she jerked me off while I slammed into her pussy.


    It was a monstrous sight of love¡ªI dare believe it was full of debaucherous intent and a fetish for satisfying our lust. Or perhaps it was our way of talking about what happened today, but instead of words, we used our bodies and actions.


    Or maybe, since even after that small argument, the fact we could still indulge in the other¡¯s body was all the proof we needed. Or did Tilde have something to do with it? I didn¡¯t know what she said to Sekh, but I was thankful for the little horny annoyance.


    The pressure in my penises built up, and I felt my testicles constrict. Sekh must¡¯ve sensed it because her insides tightened. I accelerated and leaned back, giving me a new angle to thrust from. With some more power behind my hips, Sekh¡¯s delectable, loving breasts bounced up and down. Seeing them jiggle about only made me harder.


    ¡°Master... Master!!! My insides.... Mess up my insides... Fill me with your semen.... I want it... Maaaaaaaa.... Ahhhhhh!!! Ahhh!!!!! It¡¯s flowing into me!!! Your semen!!!! Aaaahhhhhhhh!!!!!¡± We cried out simultaneously, both my cocks ejaculating a liter¡¯s worth of hot, thick seed inside Sekh¡¯s pussy while covering her stomach. My ejaculations reached her breasts and face, covering her in a beautiful shade of white.


    I kept her pussy plugged with my penis while I stepped out of the basin with Sekh in my arms. I laid her down gently, then turned her to her back. For a moment, that beautiful expression of lewdness and pleasure seemingly invited me for a kiss. Licking the semen from her gorgeous face, I kissed her, giving it to her directly while pumping my hips for a second round.


    She was still out of it, but her reason returned when she forcefully took my mouth for her own. We swapped it back and forth, finding it hard to care about anything else. Her breasts were conquered by my hands, the left nipple becoming another victim of my palm mouth hand. It was awesome! Plain and simple.


    Her tits were delicious and enjoying that and her tongue and mouth without being forced to pick one or the other was almost more than I could handle. And it was probably the same for Sekh, too. We were in a hot room, with hot water, in a steamy situation. Sweat was all but assured, and we dissolved into a slimy mess of bodies thrusting, rubbing, licking, touching, and fucking.


    We went at it like ragged animals, trying to claw our desires deeper and harder. The pressure built again, and I filled Sekh¡¯s pussy.


    It felt like my balls were drained, but I had a lot more in the trunk to ejaculate because my hips kept moving.


    Sekh reached up with eyes flickering on the edge of insanity. Beautiful tears shimmered in the corners. With that lovely smile on her face, I felt my heart churn in a very good way.


    My remaining normal arm wrapped around Sekh¡¯s neck, while I kissed her, and I held her tightly as I could without hurting while going as fast as I could.


    I wanted to fuck her. Murag¡¯s essence... I felt his temptations appear via the cock stolen from him. I didn¡¯t understand it myself, but in a way, it was almost like he was coaching me. His voice wasn¡¯t there, nor could I see him as a mirage or imagine him inside my mind. But his techniques...


    The shape of my penis adjusted itself slightly, growing in one area and smaller in another. The difference couldn¡¯t have been visible, but when it was deep inside Sekh¡¯s squelching pussy, which leaked her juice and my semen with every thrust...


    Well, that was all it took to take it to the next level. I didn¡¯t know what came over Sekh, but she began to suck my ears. Licking the tip all over as if it was a penis, she covered it with her saliva.


    I knew she desired something more, so I stopped my palm mouth hand and transformed my pointy ear into a floppy penis. She sucked and moaned while I fucked and kissed. And the feeling of my testicles tightening reared its pleasurable head. But Sekh was so full of my sperm that I was honestly scared. That fear and fright overpowered my desire to fuck her the way someone of her beauty and grace deserved to be fucked.


    And perhaps our link as the creator of my body transferred that feeling. Or maybe she knew what I was thinking because we were so close.


    Or maybe it was just a coincidence.


    As the dick on my head was replaced by an ear, I pulled myself out of Sekh and helped her to her knees. Without missing a step, she swallowed my penis and snatched the second one that appeared from nowhere in her sweaty hands. Jerking and sucking, it wasn¡¯t long before I filled her mouth with my hot milk while painting her face white. She couldn¡¯t swallow it fast enough, and a white waterfall formed at the corners of her lips.


    ¡°Seeekkkkhhhhhhh!!!!!¡± I cried her name, closed my eyes, and tried to remain upright. The strength vanished in my hips, and her passionate blowjob didn¡¯t make it any easier. I vigorously, yet softly, rubbed and patted her head while feeling her throat constrict. She forced what she could down her throat, and even after I had nothing else to shoot out...


    She didn¡¯t let go. Even after the second penis vanished, Sekh held my original cock in her mouth. She wasn¡¯t moving her tongue, nor was she bobbing her head. She only gazed up to meet my eyes while I looked down upon her beauty. She was the most gorgeous woman I¡¯d ever seen.


    It was a moment we shared, I thought, that would be key to tonight¡¯s talk. Or perhaps it marked a change in our close relationship¡ªone that was for the better.


    Whatever it was, it was like I was in heaven. I really didn¡¯t want this moment to end. And for the most part, if I could help it, it would remain like this. When Sekh finally removed my penis from her mouth, she gave the shaft one more long lick before giving the tip one final kiss. She accepted my hand when I offered it to her, and together, we walked back into the tub after heating the water once more. Only this time, I was between her legs, and she had her lovely hands wrapped around my stomach.


    Steam and erotic moans had filled the bathroom, with lust acting as the primary filler, turning it into a den of chimeric love with multiple tongues, mouths, lips, and penises as Sekh and I indulged in the other¡¯s body.


    But I believed that, through my own actions, I proved to her that she had nothing to worry about. I would never be angry or upset at her. I couldn¡¯t even fathom a situation in which it would be pertinent to act like that.


    She was my Dark Lord of Tyranny, and I was her Transcendent Dark Lord. We were equals, and we were lovers...

 Chapter Twenty-Nine: An Expression of Love (R-18) – Part Two (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Twenty-Nine: An Expression of Love (R-18) ¨C Part Two (Illustrations!)


    To say we had bathed would be correct in the simplest terms. The once pure water was just a clumpy mess of our bodily fluids, and we left sweatier than when we had entered it.


    At least we did get clean, though. The smell of roses and honey permeated our skin. If anything, we¡¯d have to hop in the tub tomorrow morning and keep the sex confined to the bedroom if we were going to that go hard at it. When Sekh, Tilde, and I emerged from our room to the kitchen, Irisa and Ichiha were smiling and humming while distributing the contents of a pot to the bowls set at the table. Tonight¡¯s dinner was a basic stew with more vegetables than beef, but it was still very delicious and filling.


    Guess they didn¡¯t hear anything. That¡¯s good. We did get wild...


    Specifically, the thick onions and buttery garlic broth cleaned my nostrils and warmed my stomach¡ªthe perfect meal to refill my biomass. Transfigurations like replacing my fingers with a tongue or penis didn¡¯t require much, but I was starving after prolonged use. Other than the meal, the dinner¡¯s atmosphere was so comforting. The topic of discussion was about the ¡®continent¡¯ I grew up in, and I was the center of attention. I¡¯ve never had that happen before. Irisa, her mom, Sekh, and Tilde all smiled and hung onto my next word as if it was a drop of liquid gold.


    Sekh looked downtrodden because I had to re-explain stuff to her that Irisa and her mom already knew. She was probably kicking herself for not coming outside when she had the chance.


    Since prerecorded ¡®videos¡¯ existed in this world, albeit as a rarity, I decided to speak about my favorite movies, which all happened to be westerns or focused on the two ¡®Continental¡¯ Wars. One that I could watch until the end of time was about a B-17 Flying Fortress, whose crew had to complete 25 missions for their tour of duty to be completed.


    I¡¯ve only seen short clips, but I bet it¡¯s a good movie. If the articles on it are anything to go by, it¡¯s gotta be a classic...


    Everyone but Tilde found it impossible for a chunk of metal to become airborne for that long or fly that fast. Even Sekh was oddly adamant about that until Tilde explained I was telling the truth because she had once ¡®visited¡¯ that ¡®continent.¡¯


    She¡¯s seen it via my memories, so she¡¯s not lying, per se.


    ¡°Master! Please tell me more!¡± Sekh exclaimed, almost yelling. Her gleaming silver eyes seemed to glow as she grabbed my hand. Her black tail wagged so incredibly fast I thought it was about to fall.


    I honored her request for the next hour, and we cleaned up. After washing the dishes, Irisa skipped over to Sekh and I and hugged us before departing off to bed with her mother. Not long after that, I shut the door to my room and adjusted the night vision aspect of [Eyes of the Huntress] to make it darker-- to set the mood.


    Although we undressed, Sekh and I didn¡¯t make love. Instead, she rested her head on my thighs and played with my semi-erect dick, taking the time to practice her [Fleshcrafting]. When she sucked me off in the bath, she shrank my penis until it had a flaccid and erect length of 7¡±.


    Even if it was an inch bigger than she was used to, Sekh said she felt no pain, and I truly believed her because she had no reason to lie. Besides, I used what transfiguration percentage I could spare to make it that much smaller. She was too into our romp to notice it. After we got out, I canceled my alterations and remained at just over half a foot in length.


    I enjoyed the feeling of her fingers dancing up and down my shaft, so I relished the pleasure while leaning back against the headboard. I had the time, so I retrieved the mortar and pestle and crimson amita from my storage that I had bought from Ichiha. It wasn¡¯t the best quality, but it was more than enough for someone like me. And it wasn¡¯t that hard, either. Really, it only required crushing the crimson amita and adding a little bit of water, which I obtained from [Water Blade] by allowing it to drop down my finger until the mortar was about 10 percent full. Once everything was sufficiently combined, I focused on the red liquid.


    HP Potion HP Recovery (Lv. 1)


    It was useable, of course, but I was still very much an amateur at producing alchemic creations. My technique lacked something fierce. Perhaps I used too much water because it was too soupy while containing small chunks of the mushroom¡¯s stem. Since it wouldn¡¯t hurt to drink it, I brought the mortar to my lips and tasted something distinctively stale and monotone. Sekh remarked that the potion she was given had a fruity aftertaste, so it was likely that you could add other ingredients to increase its effectiveness while making it tastier and easier to digest.


    ¡°But you know? I¡¯m proud of it... I made something drinkable that¡¯ll save our lives,¡± I said, storing everything away. Liquids were free to be stashed in my storage in their natural state, so they didn¡¯t require a container, which was nice to know.


    Everything I needed to get done was checked off my list, and now I could relax with Sekh and Tilde. The fairy didn¡¯t have time for cuddling, though. She yawned and flew to the dresser because her little makeshift bed was there. In seconds, she was out like a light and snored. I eased myself lower onto the pillow and rubbed my fingers through Sekh¡¯s hair. It seemed she wanted to use my thighs as her pillow, and I was okay with that. She had stopped practicing and left my penis two inches bigger than before. Her mana was low. As it regenerated, she sometimes licked my penis¡ªfrom the testicles to the shaft. Sometimes, she¡¯d kiss the shaft or my thighs. Other times, she¡¯d just smell it, whispering that my scent was comforting to her. She gazed at it like a trophy--- Almost like it was something to be worshipped.


    I wonder if that has something to do with her submissiveness? We¡¯ve never fucked harder than we did in the bath, and she still wants more? Or maybe this is just how she wants to relax?


    I focused on the metal leash I held and yanked as hard as possible. Sekh remained right where she was, but the leash snapped away from the collar and freely dangled from my hands. A moment later, it dissolved into black mana and vanished.


    ¡°Why?!¡± Sekh complained. ¡°That¡¯s your symbol as my Master!¡± She touched her quivering hand to her collar and tried to forcefully conjure her leash, but that never happened in her ten attempts. "You¡ªyou have to use it to punish me for failing you! Or else you¡¯re going to leave me because I haven¡¯t been trained. Because I haven¡¯t been taught how to properly take care of my Master. Because--- Because--- Because---¡± Sekh grabbed her head and tightly pulled at her hair. No doubt she was experiencing a rather vivid flashback of her time at that slaver¡¯s camp where she was forced to stand at a pillory. Some wires in her mind must¡¯ve been crossed, allowing the emotions she felt now to be applied to that despicable moment of her life, and she was confusing the two time periods. That had to be it because the curse filtered any emotion that wouldn¡¯t help Sekh fulfill her duties as the Dark Lord of Tyranny.


    I still had one more option to ease her heart, and it was one I was wary of using because I had been denied it for so long. But since we¡¯ve been together for some time and experienced a lot in that short time, I was sure my heart was finally ready to let someone enter. Three little words contained tremendous amounts of power, and as I took a calming breath, I opened my mouth and let them flow out like softened honey.


    ¡°I love you, Sekh,¡± I repeated that sentence thrice over, each time simmered Sekh¡¯s rampaging anxiousness of abandonment. Her voice died out, barely audible above the sound of her heartbeat. We returned the pillow, yet she remained with her chest pushed so close to mine, a seemingly lifeless expression plastered on her face.


    ¡°Is someone like me deserving of love?¡± Sekh weakly whispered.


    ¡°I could say the same for me. I¡¯m a murderer. I don¡¯t feel a thing when I kill,¡± I replied. Tilde stayed silent, for even she knew when that was necessary.


    ¡°Why do you love me?¡±


    ¡°Because I do. Because you¡¯re my closest and greatest ally. Because we were both abandoned by the world. Because I know I need someone to share my heart if I¡¯m to remain sane on this bloody path I must travel. Because I¡¯m grateful to you. Because¡ª¡±


    Sekh kissed me, her lips carrying over the taste of salt. ¡°Will you... Will you let a monster like me love you?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re both monsters, Sekh,¡± I replied. She smiled when I cupped her cheeks. I wiped my thumb below her left eye, scattering an orphaned tear. ¡°You¡¯re much cuter when you¡¯re smiling. It suits you far more. Oh, and this?¡± I patted her head and gave her fluffy ears a ton of love and attention. My lovely Lionfolk ate it all up, giving a bigger tear-stained smile than I thought possible. ¡°There, you''ve been punished. I don¡¯t want to hear any more talk of you hating yourself or wanting me to beat you. The thought of doing that has literally never crossed my mind at all. And about your leash... Honestly, I don¡¯t know what I did, but there will never be a moment in which I would grab it to purposely hurt you. I¡¯m glad you can¡¯t summon it anymore because I never once regarded you as my slave. Not even for a microsecond because you¡¯re my adorable Sekh. Now, is there anything I can do for you to prove it?¡±


    Sekh tearfully nodded. ¡°I want to stay connected with you. Can you grant me that?¡± she whispered.


    I nodded. Sekh lifted her hips since she still straddled me, spread herself open with one hand, and used the other to insert my dick into her moistening pussy. I felt her warmth swallow me with affection, accompanied by a slight quiver.


    I wrapped my hands around her back while she rested her head on my heart. ¡°We¡¯re connected, Sekh. When you wake up, I¡¯m going to be right here. I love you,¡± I said, rubbing my hands up her trembling sides, stopping when I caressed her cheeks. We talked a little bit about the curse and what Tilde told me. Sekh never once realized her actions were submissive in nature, then expectantly looked at me. Honestly, her submissiveness was cute because it allowed these moments that I loved. Me and her, cuddling together in bed while I slowly petted her head and played with her fluffy ears and tail. Sekh confirmed that when she was the Dark Lord of Tyranny, her mind only felt things related to destroying the world. Even something as happiness from slaughtering an army was replaced with a desire to spread more blood.


    With that in mind, it was easy to predict how someone like Sekh would react, and I was an idiot for not noticing it sooner. If I were smarter, I could have avoided a tumultuous period in which fear and havoc wrecked her heart. Even if it only lasted for less than thirty minutes, it was pain that wasn¡¯t needed. In that sense, I failed her as her ¡®Master,¡¯ but thinking along those lines would cause us to enter an endless feedback loop of feeling pity and sorry for the other.


    There was no need for that because we could progress beyond that.


    I spoke more about my world and told her some things I couldn¡¯t tell Irisa and her mother. Sekh remained silent as she laid against me and listened to the sound of my voice. When I thought she had fallen asleep, I told her I loved her and closed my eyes, but then my sharp ears picked up a whisper.


    ¡°I love you too, Master. Good night.¡± Sekh¡¯s voice was still slightly weak and full of emotion, but she soon returned to the world of dreams. It warmed my heart to see her so relaxed and at peace, and after tonight? We evolved our relationship to the next level, and our trust could not have been any stronger. I had finally found someone I really did love.


    No, I was sure I loved her from the moment she listened to my story and showed me affection without abuse.


    More than ever, I was determined to free her from this curse.

 Chapter Thirty: Her Father’s Return (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Thirty: Her Father¡¯s Return (Illustrations!)


    The next seven days flew by like lightning. A growing sense of normalcy and rigid structure allowed me to take to this new life so easily. What really helped was Sekh¡¯s pretty face. She was the first thing I saw each morning, which meant waking from slumber couldn¡¯t have been easier. I loved this Lionfolk from the bottom of my heart, and we couldn¡¯t roll out to face the morning with a quick kiss and a few minutes of cuddling. The day wouldn¡¯t feel right unless I told her I loved her. It was the same for her.


    And then there was Irisa and Ichiha... A beautiful oni and her mother, who had taken to my chimerism and accepted me as a friend. Without fail, the two always wished us safety, with the former giving Sekh and me a goodbye hug. This song and dance never failed to happen. Sometimes, Ichiha would tease her daughter when we left, causing her horns to very lightly turn a blushing shade of red. The color was so faint that only I barely saw it happen.


    Breakfast was always a joyous time. Eating gave me biomass, so I used the time to practice transfiguration by covering my forearm in the soft undercoat of a Forest Boar. Sekh and Irisa liked that a lot because it was fluffy, and Tilde enjoyed rubbing her cheeks on it. It still didn¡¯t compare to Sekh¡¯s fur, though. That was the holy grail of softness and my goal.


    During our ventures into the Mines of Gamor, Sekh¡¯s armor and her expert use of [Taunt] allowed us to venture down to the bottommost floor, where we saw more of the same. The only difference was the addition of a Lesser Scatter Bat, a monster that attacked using [Supersonic]. It had no eyes, so it used echolocation. During our first fight against them, Sekh reacquired [Power Strike], a single attack that used mana to build up strength to unleash a devastating blow.


    The bats were no match for her raw strength once I restrained them with my webs, and they were awfully prevalent. They continued pestering us when we came to the boss¡¯s chambers, but we didn¡¯t try to fight them without being sufficiently prepared.


    After assimilating a Lesser Scatter Bat, I used the skill against a goblin. It was stunned, crying out while covering its ears.


    It was a shame it didn¡¯t see its death coming.


    But [Supersonic] was handy to control the flow of battle. It paired great with [Fireball], which I managed to level up twice this week. It grew more powerful and malleable, but that was the limit without [Mana Language]. I still couldn¡¯t charge and use it multiple times back-to-back because my mana was still weak, so I mainly relied on the spear I had made when I first met Sekh. Even if it was durable, it eventually broke on me, and I used Yaekira¡¯s daggers until I had a chance to go to the forge with Irisa and make a replacement spear out of metal.


    That took a couple hours, but because I had given a good amount of iron ore to Irisa, I had to mine some more. The dungeon used mana to regenerate its resources, so until it disappeared, iron would always be found within the Mines of Gamor.


    However, something felt...odd. In my world, and I had only just remembered this little fact while working with Irisa, melting iron until it was molten was how you created castiron. It wasn¡¯t the best material for weapons since they were brittle and prone to break. Cast iron was commonly used for cooking pans and decoration, and it wasn¡¯t the easiest thing to melt them back into ingots to try again. Too much would be lost in the process. Tilde, the ever-loveable teacher, pushed a pair of invisible glasses on her nose and explained. The reason was the element of mana, which did not exist in my world. It gave metal new properties they wouldn¡¯t have otherwise had. So, the iron we collected and used could have been called miron, which stood for ¡®Mana Iron.¡¯ But the system of this world, when I used [Analysis] on it, referred to it as ¡®iron.¡¯ It was a small detail to know, and I was happy to have this mystery solved.


    This opportunity, though, gave me the excuse to make my own stone pickaxe, which was carved stone crudely wrapped around a wooden handle I had witted out of a sizable chunk of wood I bought from Ichiha. My webs were extremely sticky, so I used that instead of string or cloth. It worked well. Even if they were weak, [Artificer¡¯s Arsenal] allowed me to summon as many copies as I wanted, so that was moot.


    But as for the actual forging process of the spearhead, it still wasn¡¯t as good as anything Irisa could make. My edges were wonky, I didn¡¯t leave it in the oil long enough to harden, and the shaft I had carved from wood had a slight edge, but it was progress. The weapon worked wonders for what I needed it for. In fact, the wonkiness of it all led me to discover a new technique. If I connected a little bit of string to the spear before throwing it at an enemy, I could retract my web to return it to me. By repeating it over again, and if it didn¡¯t break, I always had something to attack with. In situations where goblins, spiders, or those bats cut the string, I brought out Yaekira¡¯s daggers and threw those. It didn¡¯t matter if those were swatted aside or thrown away because I could recall them with my mana.


    I didn¡¯t want to rely on the ceremonial weapons more than I needed to because finding someone to maintain such gorgeously crafted instruments of death cost an arm and leg. Irisa refused when I asked her because she didn¡¯t trust her ability to give my weapons the care they deserved.


    I still wanted to make a mace and shield for Sekh, but I wanted to be more adept at the process before taking on that task. She was quite happy with borrowing a mace, and Ichiha wasn¡¯t upset at Sekh using the merchandise because she knew she would make a lot of money once she sold the shirts. Still, I felt bad because I knew Sekh was extremely cheerful when I offered to make her equipment.


    Six days after I told Sekh I loved her, I vocalized my crafting worries. We were cuddling after a round of sex when she straddled my waist, held my cheeks within her hands, and asked me what was wrong because I seemed kinda out of it. She just listened while I complained about my test attempts to make her mace. If it wasn¡¯t deformed, it was warped and lopsided. Sometimes, I hit too hard and couldn¡¯t fix it, leading me to scrap it and start again. ¡°You¡¯re doing the best you can, Master. I¡¯m proud of your efforts,¡± she whispered into my ear after laying her chest against mine. I wrapped my hands around her back and moved them to her supple ass. She was soft all over, and Sekh ate up my affectionate rubbing and returned it by pressing her lips against mine.


    Gods, she was so pretty. When Sekh leaned up after the kiss, I canceled my night vision to witness her beauty when only the gorgeous moonlight was there to illuminate her in a lovely glow. Her gray skin was softer than silk¡ªher hands as warm and as comfortable as liquid gold.


    ¡°Sekh?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± She looked down at my face with a smile, her hands still cupped around my cheeks.


    ¡°If I were to start sewing, would you wear what I make?¡± She nodded. ¡°Even if I made underwear or dresses? I know you don¡¯t like them¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll wear, use, and eat whatever you make, Master. I trust you with all my heart.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. Sekh, I love you,¡± I whispered. We just had sex not even ten minutes ago, but I couldn¡¯t remain flaccid when I had someone like Sekh in front of me. Leaning up, I cupped my lips around her waiting nipples and sucked to my heart¡¯s content. My hands squeezed and massaged her breasts, fondling them all over.


    ¡°I love you too, Master,¡± Sekh replied, rubbing my hair affectionately while trying to stifle her moans so as to not wake up Tilde. We ended the night carving our desires into the other¡¯s body, eventually climaxing in a tender embrace where she hugged me tightly against her chest as her scent lured me to a deep slumber.


    The next afternoon, Sekh, Tilde, and I were sitting at the kitchen table to explain the strange sight we saw earlier in the dungeon. Irisa and Ichiha listened close while waiting for a pot of water on the stove to boil.


    ¡°Wait, so you saw a blue cyclops? That half-breed? The same one you mentioned before?¡±


    I answered Irisa. ¡°Yeah. She was in rough shape, with blisters and gashes down her arms. Her face had bits of flesh missing. Even her ears were mutilated, and she was malnourished, too. But then new wounds appeared on her, and she was sitting alone near the back of the lobby.¡± Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com


    ¡°Like a drunk, she started chugging potions like it was going out of style,¡± Tilde added. ¡°But her HP barely regenerated.¡±


    Sekh finished us off. ¡°We encountered Gloria¡¯s Soul Warrior. She took a goblin¡¯s spear to her unarmored chest, but there was no damage. Her hammer channeled lightning and fire to fill the chamber, but she just walked through the flames as if they weren¡¯t there. But when we left, the Cyclops had a hole in her chest. And her legs were charred to a crisp like charcoal. Her eye had these burn marks around them. The potions were doing...something, but they weren¡¯t doing much other than keeping her half-dead.¡±


    ¡°Oh my... How sickening.¡± Ichiha covered her mouth.


    The Barclays was a famous family from the capital¡ªone that carried fame, power, and status¡ªand had close ties with Dirge¡¯s Holy Lord. But Karen herself was reclusive. She was rarely seen in public, but she also started a store once after settling down and paid employees handsomely to take care of everything. Her daughter, Erin, transferred to Kokan¡¯s class a week after her mother¡¯s shop was set up.


    At some point, according to Ichiha and Kokan, Karen eyed the store they owned. And she wanted it badly. The reasons were there, I mean. The city square held the most foot traffic. And in the summer, when people ventured to Ria to enjoy its beautiful land and crystal-clear waters, it was all but assured shops located there would earn the most money. Tourism was a profitable business in my world, and it seemed the same here.


    After failing to buy them out, Karen resorted to crime, yet the shop endured and grew strong through arson and robbery. The final choice Karen could use was public opinion. Even if it was rampant in the homes of nobles and the rich, everyone ¡®said¡¯ pedophilia was horrible to protect their image.


    And that worked very well. The official story was that Kokan used his power to sexually abuse Karen¡¯s daughter.


    That did not happen.


    ¡°I was leaving the classroom,¡± Kokan said. His wounds were already healed. His voice was deep and masculine, like the purr of a deep violin. ¡°Erin stopped me. She waited until we were alone to talk. Then the door slammed shut, Erin screamed, and her personal guards rushed in. I took a paralysis baton to the back of the head. Seconds later, I woke with enchanted chains clasped on my arms and legs.¡±


    ¡°To keep my husband from a fate far worse than prison, we gave Karen everything... I could only hide a little bit of money.¡± Ichiha finished the story. I¡¯d never seen her so upset before. I¡¯d always known her as the strong mother to a stronger daughter, but this weaker side that I emotionally looked up to?


    It was like I was finally meeting the real her.


    I stood from the chair I had sat in after cleaning, stretched my arms, and sighed. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell this to Irisa?¡±


    Ichiha nodded. ¡°We did, but our little angel doesn¡¯t believe us.¡±


    ¡°It hurts so much to be hated by my precious daughter,¡± Kokan whispered. He formed a fist and hit his knee, doing his best not to cry as his face scrunched up.


    He looked like the type of guy who wore his heart on his sleeve. Kokan always had an eye on his daughter. She didn¡¯t know he was watching that closely. Spying more like it, but I thought that was excusable.


    My friendship with Irisa led him to believe he could return to his daughter¡¯s life. He saw her smiling and laughing more than he ever remembered, so he took a chance.


    And it failed.


    Did I believe Kokan?


    Yes, I did. And Sekh did too. Tilde also believed the accused man was not guilty of his supposed crime. I knew fake crying and remorse when I saw it because that was how my ¡®family¡¯ made me feel like shit. I knew all the little secrets and methods, but Kokan didn¡¯t exhibit them. His tears were genuine as the affection I held for his daughter. The way he carried Irisa to her room was an example of how a father should act.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what to say, but I know what to do. This conversation you three need to have doesn¡¯t involve me. My being here might make it worse. Ah, Ichiha, how much¡ª¡±


    ¡°I kept my word, dear. Anything about your situation will come from your mouth, not mine. But you can trust my husband,¡± Ichiha said. She kissed Kokan¡¯s cheek and rubbed it.


    ¡°I will not press you because I know the value of secrecy. My word doesn¡¯t mean much these days, but my daughter is an excellent judge of character. She would not have cried over you if you did not deserve her tears.¡± He held out a hand, then realizing its filth, took it back. But I walked into the handshake, giving him a powerful nod. There was just something about his gaze. His eyes. The power in his muscles matched my own.


    ¡°Mila, we would still like you to stay here.¡±


    I smiled and hugged Ichiha, thanking her again for her kindness while searching my map for a place we could kill time. ¡°We¡¯ll be at that bar down the street to give you some time to talk to Irisa,¡± I said when I found something interesting on my map.


    Ichiha and her husband nodded. ¡°We¡¯ll have a talk with Irisa when she wakes up. I pray that my little girl will be more receptive. I can¡¯t stand us not being a family anymore... It¡¯s hard enough that my darling and I barely see each other, but...¡± She started to cry again, letting her heart¡¯s emotion pour from her eyes.


    My ¡®mother¡¯ would have died a thousand times over before showing me a shred of love. I knew it wasn¡¯t easy for Irisa, but I hoped she would see reason. I liked to gauge myself as an appraisal of character. From pure body language alone, Kokan looked fine. The telltale sign of a sociopathic serial liar who talked about being a changed man wasn¡¯t there.


    Regardless, that was Kokan¡¯s story, and while I believed him, I still felt there was more to it. A regular person wouldn¡¯t automatically turn to arson, thievery, and even pedophilic and sexual assault false charges to get a better spot, right? The Barclays was an influential family with solid connections to the Holy Lord that led this country. Surely, she could¡¯ve convinced Ichiha to move or sell, or the family, if they were as rich as I thought them to be, could afford to just buy a building next to Ichiha¡¯s shop and transfer her store there.


    There were nonviolent ways to get what Karen desired, yet she chose the nuclear option. If it had backfired, her family¡¯s reputation would have gone down the gutter.


    Then again, did there have to be a reason? Some people were naturally unstable. Mental diseases could be helped with medicine or therapy, but a world like this probably didn¡¯t have much in that department.


    Or was I the crazy one for trying to unwrap this mystery?


    Despite all that, I still believed in Kokan¡¯s innocence. There were good people in the world, and I wanted to believe he was one of them.

 Chapter Thirty-One: The Noelia Carpenter Story (R-18) – Part One

    Chapter Thirty-One: The Noelia Carpenter Story (R-18) ¨C Part One


    When I arrived in Ria, the Dusty Bowl did not exist. It pretty much sprang up overnight. The rustic atmosphere and swinging doors looked like they were plucked from an old western saloon. It would be right at home as a place where gunslingers would drink their worries away at night. I was almost expecting some gun-toting cowboy to stomp in and challenge someone to a duel at high noon. It was awfully smoky, though, like walking through fog machines.


    Cigars and cigarettes are everywhere.


    Sekh, Tilde, and I were at an empty booth a few feet away from the bar counter. One person sat there, and we did not want to get involved with her because I had plans to eventually kill her.


    Noelia Carpenter slammed a tankard of booze down and shouted for another one. The barkeep was a Goatfolk. It almost looked like he wanted to ram those horns up her annoying ass.


    Those horns look cool.


    When he brought another mug filled with a brown liquid to that bitch, an elf barmaid with a tiny skirt and low-cut top walked over. I ordered honey ale for Sekh and me, with Tilde sharing mine.


    ¡°Master, it is with great regret that I must inform you of this. Due to your circumstances, you will never know what it is like to wake up naked in a drunken haze while wondering who the hell you fucked last night.¡± Tilde whimpered and rubbed her arm across her forehead. It honestly looked like she was about to cry.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good thing! How many times has that happened to you?¡±


    I suppose she¡¯s talking about [Poison Resistance]. Alcohol is technically a poison. But there¡¯s an [Alcohol Resistance] skill as well. I can probably still get drunk, but it¡¯ll take a while.


    ¡°Eh, enough until it became something like a yearly tradition. Seriously, don¡¯t kink shame. I did it to trap this one cute fairy into becoming my manservant for a decade. Oh, he was a foolish man but a gentle lover. The things he did with his hands... Oh, Master, you could learn a thing or three from him.¡± Tilde crossed her arms and put a palm to her cheek, looking up as if she was daydreaming.


    I just sighed and casually chatted with Sekh until the barmaid returned with our cups. I paid her 20 copper and took a sip after correcting Tilde that I could still get drunk if I went too hard. The honey was a soft fruitiness that only complimented the earthly, almost grassy bitterness that lingered on the tongue. It was smooth going down my throat, and I was a fan of my first alcoholic drink. Tilde drank through a fairy-sized straw the barmaid had brought.


    ¡°It¡¯s delicious, Master. Thank you,¡± Sekh said, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t remember the last time I drank for fun... It¡¯s been so long.¡± Her eyes were listlessly focusing on the past, but I didn¡¯t know which life she reminisced about.


    I hope it¡¯s a good memory.


    ¡°Damn, it¡¯s been a hot minute since I had anything this good. Oh, just know that I had class. I was the fairy the other girls wanted to be. I¡¯m not a common whore.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. If you say so,¡± I replied, lifting the cup to my lips. In seconds, I found myself smiling, genuinely enjoying this rustic atmosphere filled with so much character. It didn¡¯t take long for Noelia to act out. She slammed her fists down and demanded someone to start playing the guitar.


    That got me thinking, and I asked Sekh about musical instruments. She and Tilde told me this world had pianos, violins, and other acoustic instruments. Music then became the topic of discussion as a broad, tall monster of a Bullfolk took off to the stage in the corner and picked up the nearby acoustic guitar.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a favorite genre,¡± I said as he started to tune the guitar. When he was satisfied, he began to play something that was right at home in an old-timey western.


    ¡°Not a fan of rap? Or R&B? What about that ¡®Wu-Tang¡¯ thingie I saw in your memories? They seemed cool.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you see that at? They were long dead before I was born, I think.¡±


    ¡°Umm... I think the news was playing on TV. ¡®Wu-Tang¡¯ just sounded so cool it became stuck in my mind,¡± Tilde replied. She took her straw and placed it in Sekh¡¯s mug. Sekh picked the fairy up and gently tossed her away. ¡°Come on! You don¡¯t need any more alcohol to go to your tits!!!¡± she whined when her wings stabilized her.


    ¡°This is mine,¡± Sekh calmly replied and placed both arms on the table, her mug behind them. She glanced at my face, and a cute blush warmed her cheeks. She asked if she could have another one, and I didn¡¯t mind. I pointed to a walking barmaid and ordered four more mugs, but before I finished...


    ¡°Bitch? Hahahaha! You got more balls than anyone here. That¡¯s good. I was beginning to think this place was full of pussies. Hey, check this out!¡± Suddenly, Noelia started sprouting some bullshit, and everyone looked confused because she was talking to herself. Even the Bullfolk stopped playing, his beautiful, rustic tune with a twangy charm coming to an immediate halt.


    The deranged Soul Warrior turned around and threw her cup as hard as she could, hitting a Cowfolk in the head, breaking four teeth. Her male companion drew his sword, but that was all he did. ¡°Make one goddamn move, and I¡¯ll have Lord Gloria tear you a new asshole. You don¡¯t want to hurt her precious Soul Warrior, do you?¡± she asked as two lightly armored men walked out of the shadow.


    One had the beastly face of a tiger, and the other had the head of an alligator. Ah, that¡¯s right. Some Beastfolk lean towards their bestial side with more pronounced animal-like traits. I wonder if that¡¯s the reason behind Sekh¡¯s fur being so fluffy and soft? Other Lionfolk doesn''t seem to have as much as her.


    A quick use of [Analysis] revealed they had the title [Soul Warrior''s Attendant]. They were Lv. 14, twice that of Noelia, but they didn¡¯t seem to have that many combat skills. It was almost like they were attendants first and guards second, so maybe taking care of Noelia was their primary job?


    ¡°Hahahahaha! See? They¡¯re too fucking afraid. In Texas, you had to fight your own battles without relying on your mama and daddy. I guess you just don¡¯t have any balls. The men around here are so pathetic that they can¡¯t even hang with a real woman. Hey! ANOTHER ROUND! Hurry up, you goat fucker!¡±


    Texas? She¡¯s from the United States. But which world? The one I came from?


    Her brow was so sweaty it was like cement glued her black hair to it. Her eyes drooped and couldn¡¯t open all the way. Her whole body smelled of alcohol. At some point, she took off her pants and panties. I was sure she was drunk. Alcohol affected her, but why? Was the drunkenness passed through to the cyclops? If so, was she drunk? If she was, could there be a limit to how much ¡®damage¡¯ she could sponge for Noelia? There were a lot of questions, and I didn¡¯t have many answers.


    ¡°Master, cheers!!!¡± Sekh said, grabbing her mug when the barmaid returned with the drinks. I thought she would have walked away, but she didn¡¯t. She caught me off guard by asking if I wanted her to service me. Dazed and confused, I went into my map¡¯s satellite mode and scrolled around the upper floors.


    Yep. It was a brothel. Of the 15 rooms I investigated on the 2nd floor, all were used for sex by women who wore the same outfit as the sultry barmaid that gave me a peek.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t require any servicing,¡± I replied, finding it uncomfortable that she was literally going to crawl under the table and blow me.


    ¡°As you wish. Should you change your mind, you will find me here.¡± The elf walked away with a wry smile, shaking her hips while giving me a glimpse at her black panties. She ¡®accidentally¡¯ dropped the platter she used to carry drinks and bent right over without bending her knees. She looked back with a warm glance, then continued her way.


    ¡°Eh? If you wanted some elf pussy, you should have said so. They got rooms upstairs, right? Just have her put on a blindfold or put a bucket or bag over her head and go to town.¡± Tilde teased me, but I couldn¡¯t reply because Sekh rubbed her flushed cheeks against mine.


    ¡°Master, I wuv you!!! Hahaha!!!¡± she said with cheerful laughter that evolved into a giggling session. ¡°I¡¯m touching you!!! Hahaha!!! Touchy touchy!!! Rubby rubby!!!¡±


    She was drunk.


    Totally drunk.


    But definitely adorable and cute. What I felt from looking at Sekh was nothing like when I stared at that elf. She wasn¡¯t ugly by any means. I¡¯d go as far as to say she was rather attractive and pretty, but I just couldn¡¯t see myself getting an erection if I wanted to have sex with her. Even if I could, I only wanted to fuck Sekh.


    I massaged her ears, and she was attached to me like glue. When I stopped, she kissed me on the cheek and giggled into my shoulder as if it was the funniest thing in the world. She took another sip, but some of the ale dribbled down her chin. I took the liberty of licking it clean for her while I played with her fluffy tail.


    When I looked back at Noelia, she was passed out on the bar counter with her legs spread wide open. A moment later, she pissed herself, causing a room full of groans to sound out. Those two attendants did their best to cover and clean her, and many patrons left in a hurry.


    Yeah, it was about that time. Sekh, Tilde, and I joined them because smelling urine was the last thing I wanted to do.


    ¡°Have you done that before?¡± I asked Tilde. It was 11:33 PM, and we were minutes away from home. The night sky and cool atmosphere were pleasant. I took a deep breath, smelling the salt in the wind since the ocean was right near us.


    ¡°What? Pass out drunk, naked, and piss everywhere? Maybe I have, and maybe I haven¡¯t. A girl''s gotta have class. Noelia? Yeah, she doesn¡¯t. Hey, use satellite mode to spy on them.¡±


    ¡°Class? That''s the furthest thing from classy behavior,¡± I replied, using my map to spy on Noelia. She was up and about, but she actively fought against her handlers¡¯ attempts to wrap her with a towel while the remaining patrons cheered on the show. From how she spoke, it was clear that she missed her life before being summoned. Those thoughts, combined with the outrageous amount of alcohol she drank, were a disastrous combination.


    I relayed what I saw to Tilde, but not after searching for those with the title [Soul Warrior¡¯s Attendant] and marking those four and Noelia with waypoints. I wanted to keep track of them.


    ¡°We gotta kill her, right?¡± Tilde flew to my shoulders and sat down, her eyes staring at Sekh, who totally relied on me for support. We had our hands around each other as she almost struggled to walk. But she was happy and smiling and giggling, so I didn¡¯t mind it.


    ¡°I wuv you!!! Maaaaasterrrr!!!! Wuv me back!!! Touchy!!! Hahaha, I got your nose!!!!¡± Sekh drunkenly said, interrupting us. I couldn¡¯t hold in my laughter. Kissing her on the cheek, she started giggling and laughing, then tripped over nothing and clung to me for safety while smiling like the world was about to end.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± I replied. ¡°I would¡¯ve never guessed a drunk Sekh would act like this.¡±


    ¡°Better start thinking,¡± said Tilde. ¡°It isn¡¯t going to be easy. Ole Big Tits sure is funny when she¡¯s shitfaced. A thousand years ago, the curse forced her to fly into a drunken rage whenever she drank. Without the curse? Well, for better or worse, this is what you get.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s better. Way, way, way better this way. She¡¯s just so cute and funny. Haha, I wuv you too, Sekh.¡±


    We walked the rest of the way with idle chatter and returned to the shop, but the door was still unlocked. Ichiha, in her robe, was sitting behind the counter as if she was expecting us. She held a finger to her mouth, locked the door, and whispered for us to quietly come upstairs. Sekh was in a frisky mood, though. After a strong kiss, she became meek and docile, eventually falling asleep in my arms with the prettiest smile. I picked her up and carried my loyal Dark Lord.


    ¡°It took hours,¡± Ichiha whispered. She pointed at the sight of a daughter resting her sleeping head against her father¡¯s shoulder while sitting on the couch that wasn¡¯t there when I left. Kokan, the massive man he was, looked up with crying eyes and a tender smile. ¡°But Irisa? She finally believes her father. Mila, it¡¯s been years since our family was together. I never thought this would ever happen...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad for you.¡± I hugged her the best I could since I held Sekh in my arms, but I left her alone to go to my room. By the time I closed my door, she was still standing there, hand on her robe-covered chest and crying at what she thought was the most beautiful sight in the world.


    I was happy for her¡ªfor the three of them, really. It was possible for a family to grow and repair the devastating wounds that tore them apart.


    Like that would ever happen to me.

 Chapter Thirty-One: The Noelia Carpenter Story (R-18) – Part Two

    Chapter Thirty-One: The Noelia Carpenter Story (R-18) ¨C Part Two


    I stripped Sekh and tucked her into bed. She woke and really, really didn¡¯t want to let me go.


    ¡°Masterrr... I wuv you!!! Hehehe!!! Maaaasterrrrr... I¡¯m cold... Warm me up!!¡± She grabbed my hand and held it to her cheeks. My thumb brushed her lips, and her mouth accepted it.


    The way she licked it was lewd... Very, very lewd.


    ¡°Let me go take a bath. I¡¯ll join you in a little bit, okay?¡± I asked, gently removing my hand from her face. She rolled to her side, rubbing her cheek on the pillow we shared.


    ¡°Hurry up... Masterrr...¡± She patted the empty space next to her.


    Tilde spotted my erection pitching a tent in my long skirt, and she flew over to sit on it like a chair as I walked to the bathroom. Kokan must¡¯ve filled the bath for us, so I used [Fireball] to light the contraption to heat the water.


    Tilde¡¯s little hands tapped the tip of my penis when I undressed, and she asked me if I was about to jerk off.


    ¡°Yeah,¡± I replied, using both hands to stroke my shaft.


    ¡°Eh? That¡¯s a waste when you¡¯ve got some nice pussy like ten feet away. In other words, why would you use the shovel when you have access to an excavator? Doesn¡¯t make sense. Especially since you often wake up to her gobbling the shaft.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s different, and I don¡¯t have her express permission. But...¡± I looked at Sekh through the open door, but an idea sprouted in my mind as I turned back to the flying fairy. A lewd smile appeared on my lips. ¡°Why don''t you get me off?¡±


    ¡°Fuckin'' excuse me?¡± She put her hands on her hips, and I walked a step closer until my dick was right in front of her face. My cheeks felt flushed, so maybe the alcohol affected me more than I thought?


    ¡°You always talk this big game, but don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re afraid? After all, in your words, I¡¯m too small¡ª¡±


    She slapped the exposed tip of my penis with both hands, pushed down, and flipped over it, landing on my shaft with her thighs squeezing it. I was too stunned by the athleticism to notice she had somehow disrobed.


    Okay, maybe she was experienced. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com


    ¡°That¡¯s right, babe. There¡¯s more where that came from. Just relax your ass right there and let me handle it.¡± Scooting back to where her back pressed against me, she grinded her pussy on my penis. She worked her thighs far better than I could¡¯ve imagined. Her black wings fluttered every few seconds, and the red energy flowing through them shimmered whenever her sweet voice escaped her pursed lips. She leaned back and stared up at me.


    ¡°You¡¯re actually kinda cute like this,¡± I said. I grew harder and transfigured a pair of tiny tongues on my shaft to enjoy her taste.


    ¡°I¡¯m...always adorable...and cute...¡± Tilde moaned. ¡°Ahhhh... Damn... This...isn¡¯t...anything... Mmmnnnn...¡± Tilde¡¯s quivering body looked like a shock of electricity flowed through it. The spot she straddled immediately became warmer than usual...


    ¡°Just pointing out the obvious, you know.¡± We talked a lot about how to kill Noelia, but it was a corridor of words with no end in sight. ¡°Can¡¯t we ambush her? Use the map to jot down her schedule, find out when she¡¯s alone, and we can spring a trap. It¡¯ll be like the Saint Valentine¡¯s Day Massacre. But you know, with far fewer guns since we just got a pistol. We just gotta cap her ass twice, and she¡¯ll be dust.¡±


    ¡°Nope,¡± I replied. When Tilde asked why, I said we were too weak. It was the same deal with the monster train group. Had I the power to handle any fallout, they would have died where they stood. But killing a Soul Warrior was far different than slaughtering an idiotic group. If Gloria realized it was us, she wouldn¡¯t stop until we were six feet under.


    ¡°Then what about getting in close? You know about Texas, right? And cowboying? I used to hang out with some Soul Warriors back in the day, and one of them was from Montana. They worked the Yellowstone Ranch. I think his name was Jamie or Kayce, but that¡¯s not important. Hell, I¡¯m a master of cunnilingus and a cunning linguist. I can make¡ª¡±


    ¡°No. Gloria probably has an eye on everyone who talks to Noelia. If she dies after you become her friend, you¡¯re the prime suspect. But then you¡¯ve seen with me, and I¡¯m dragged into it. I can''t do it for the same reason. She¡¯s wild. One night, she¡¯ll get drunk and probably strip me while I sleep. Boom, I¡¯m a chimera, and the news is out by the next morning. Besides, betrayal paints an ugly flavor on my tongue, but I can¡¯t shy away from it.¡± I raised my hand and watched the water fall from my dark fingers, noisily splashing.


    Tilde joked that I had some limits, and I did. But just a few, and they revolved around my allies. I would not, under any circumstance, betray Sekh, Irisa, her parents, or Tilde. I just wouldn¡¯t.


    But taking advantage of my power to cause chaos from within my enemies by pretending to be one of them? Yeah, I¡¯ll do that with a smile on my face. That kind of betrayal doesn¡¯t bother me because my enemies deserve nothing less than death. Honestly? I kinda wished I could get close to Noelia and become a turncoat. A bitch like her deserves it, but it was just too risky.


    Tilde flew to my face and kissed my cheek. Her tiny hand reached up, and I touched it with my finger. ¡°I love you, Master,¡± she whispered. ¡°You know I¡¯m not the sentimental type. I¡¯ll rather fight now and fuck later, if you know what I mean, so think of this as a reward. For what? The fuck if I know. Maybe I¡¯m getting soft in my old age. I¡¯m pushing 6,000. And that¡¯s only on this reincarnation, not the ones before. I¡¯ve waited a long time for someone like you, Master.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°And... I¡¯m sorry... If I¡¯ve been too harsh, I mean. Remember the day morning after you fucked Big Tits? I didn¡¯t mean to be that hard on you...¡± Tilde stood on my tits and looked down, her left arm holding her right on her stomach.


    ¡°Why are you bringing it up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I dunno... I guess I¡¯m feeling sensitive. But I¡¯m sorry, alright!? I wish I was a bit gentler.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s water under the bridge, Tilde. You didn¡¯t say those things to destroy me. You said them to build me up. To teach me how to act in the future.¡± It was adorable seeing Tilde act so bashful. We chatted a bit more when I carefully washed her body and felt how wondrously soft her black wings were. They were pretty, too. The deep crimson running through them mesmerized my eyes. When I complimented her on her cuteness, the old Tilde I knew very well returned and ate my praise.


    She wanted to clean me, but she was too small. Tilde settled for my dick, but it was an odd feeling when I scrubbed the soap over my chest while getting a...bodyjob?


    Whatever it was called, it managed to get me off. Tilde was washing the tip with her soapy stomach when I came. The force of my ejaculation blew her away to the other side of the tub.


    ¡°Hahaha! That isn¡¯t even the first time that¡¯s happened!¡± Tilde laughed. Semen clumped and When the water ran cold, we dried out soaking bodies and slipped into bed, with Tilde flying to her dresser to get under her handkerchief blanket. Sekh immediately grabbed and hugged her whole body against me, even wrapping her legs around mine and almost grinding her crotch in the process. Yeah, I expected that, but what came out of her mouth surprised me.


    ¡°I love you, my liege.¡±


    My liege? It¡¯s usually Master, but that¡¯s fine.


    ¡°I love you, too.¡± I kissed Sekh¡¯s forehead, and I was off to sleep.

 Chapter Thirty-Two: Sparring, Stealing, & Crafting

    Chapter Thirty-Two: Sparring, Stealing, & Crafting


    When I woke up, I had a choice to make. It was important-- one that had the power to destroy my current life. I walked out of my bedroom in shorts and a shirt, not bothering to cover my mismatched arms or legs.


    Kokan¡¯s eyes went wide for a moment, then he nodded. ¡°You chose to trust me, I assume?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t really take this back now, can I?¡± I sat down beside Irisa. She wore something casual and relaxing, the same as her father. ¡°Let¡¯s hope I don¡¯t regret this.¡±


    ¡°My wife has given her word. You¡¯ll always be welcome here, and you¡¯ll always have a bed to sleep in.¡±


    ¡°Thanks, dad,¡± Irisa said, smiling at her father.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, sweetheart. I have not been around a chimera before, so I¡¯m not sure how to say this... I know you needed to fight to obtain some semblance of a conscious mind, so I don¡¯t know how much you know about the world. If you have a question, please ask me. My mind is my greatest weapon.¡±


    Ichiha stood by the stove as she whisked some eggs and fried some bacon, sharing her daughter''s smile. I didn¡¯t pry into the situation more than needed, but she was on cloud nine. Their problems were fixed, so their only task was to be a family. That wasn¡¯t enough, though. I saw it in Irisa¡¯s yellow eyes. She probably felt great embarrassment for stoutly believing in her father¡¯s guilt than innocence, betraying his trust. For years, he lived with Irisa¡¯s hatred. Likewise, I doubt Irisa spared more than a handful of gentle thoughts during that time.


    She did speak almost fondly of him when we went shopping that one time. Maybe the part that wanted to believe his innocence crawled to the forefront of her mind. Perhaps it was that wayward thought that led to this reunion.


    That didn¡¯t change the fact that Irisa lost years with her father, which sprung from her own misconceptions about how he acted. A touching reunion wasn¡¯t an elixir to fix their relationship.


    I nodded to Kokan and explained the ¡®continent¡¯ where I became sentient. His eyes grew wide at the ¡®Continental Wars¡¯ and ¡®Divine Armaments¡¯ capable of nuclear devastation and controlling hunks of metal with explosives strapped to devices that could fly without anyone at the helm. Even someone as scholarly as Kokan never thought a place so advanced and powerful could exist. The gears in his mind began to spin, and he asked me if I was telling the truth.


    Irisa scolded him for not believing me before apologizing, but Tilde said it was all the truth. She had my back and playfully argued with Kokan while I stood up, even going as far as to draw out the rough shape of a plane on a piece of paper. Breakfast was nearly finished, so I went to fetch the hungover Lionfolk. She was still in bed, hunched under the covers and groaning when I left. Tilde went hard on her this morning, laughing so much that she didn¡¯t think alcohol could bring down the Dark Lord of Tyranny.


    ¡°Good morning,¡± I said, slowly opening the door and peeking my head through.


    Sekh was finishing putting on her tunic. She seemed a little unsteady, so I walked in, wiped the hair from her eyes, and kissed her. The sweet taste of alcohol remained on her lips.


    ¡°Morning, Master. Umm... Was I any trouble? Last night?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. You were pretty affectionate, always grabbing and wanting to hold me. It was cute, really cute. You were like, ¡®Master, I wuv you!!! Maaaasterrrrr!¡¯ Then after I slipped into bed, you clung to me like a pillow. Oh, you talked in your sleep and referred to me as ¡®my liege.¡¯¡±


    Sekh stared at me, not knowing whether to be horrified or embarrassed. Luckily, she chose the latter and nervously touched the tips of her fingers together. ¡°I... I wuv you, Master...¡± she whispered, abashedly looking towards the ground as her light gray cheeks turned red.


    ¡°Haha! I wuv you too.¡±


    After hugging her, she asked me if I preferred ¡®Master¡¯ or ¡®my liege.¡¯


    ¡°You can just call me Mila, you know,¡± I said, brushing my hand against her cheek. ¡°¡¯My liege¡¯ makes me sound like I¡¯m royalty, but I¡¯m not. And ¡®Master¡¯ reminds me of a slave owner, and you know my feelings about that. I guess it¡¯s your choice. Anyways, how are you feeling?¡±


    ¡°Much better now. Is that breakfast? I¡¯m not hungry¡ª¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re eating. Doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re hungry or not. It¡¯ll reduce the alcohol absorption rate.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Trust me, Sekh. You¡¯ll feel better faster.¡± Sekh gave me a nod, then joined the rest of the family at the table.


    Family? I won¡¯t ever be their family. And I can¡¯t stay here forever because I have people to kill. The question is when should we leave? Tomorrow? No, that¡¯s too soon. We don¡¯t have the supplies. Wait, Kokan¡¯s an instructor. He says his mind is his greatest asset, but his weapon skills aren¡¯t anything to scoff at. If I can learn how to fight from him, I¡¯ll feel much better about my odds. Even if I¡¯m primarily a ranged fighter, I can¡¯t exactly use Reina¡¯s gun right out in the open if I can help it. I¡¯ll have to wait for the Barclay¡¯s shop to open up.


    Hold on, that gives me an idea. Since Irisa and her parents hate the Barclays, I can steal from them without feeling bad, not that I ever felt upset in the first place. If I need any crafting supplies like thread or mushrooms and raw materials, their shop is the place to be. I gotta save money, after all. And the Barclays deserve everything rotten that happens to them.


    Still, I need to be self-sustaining by the time we leave Ria.


    I walked back to the kitchen to see a moment that wasn¡¯t even offered to me in my previous life. A mother, a father, and a daughter. Where was the yelling? The shouting? The fighting? The chipped teeth and rotten food? The sight of a young boy being yanked out of his chair by a father and having his wrist broken?


    ¡°My liege?¡± Sekh turned and spoke up, having made her choice on what to call me. She walked over and grabbed my hand. ¡°Breakfast is done, so let¡¯s make a plate.¡± I looked past her to see a family with smiles, not frowns. A family wanted me to eat with them. Wanted me to share my story with them. Wanted me to be me and no one else. Wanted me to be happy, not cower and squalor in fear, fright, and disease.


    Can this...


    After breakfast, I stared at Kokan, struggling to open my mouth as his daughter poked and prodded at my furred forearm while I practiced my transfigurations. Tilde rubbed her cheeks against its softness. Sekh was nursing her hangover, and Ichiha was getting her a cup of water with sugar and salt to regain the minerals she lost.


    ¡°I need a favor,¡± I suddenly blurted out.


    ¡°Hm?¡± He raised an eyebrow and told me to ask away.


    I knew Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day, but at least Romulus and Remus didn¡¯t get their shit kicked in thirty fucking times. Complaining wouldn¡¯t solve a damn thing, so I didn¡¯t utter a single word of protest. Like a persistent child, I forced myself to stand each time I was knocked to the ground with a different shattered bone, only stopping when my hunger grew too strong to ignore. Tapping out, I hobbled over to Sekh and greedily devoured some snacks Ichiha had prepared for us in between tending to the store. Sekh and I chatted while watching the matches between father and daughter. Tilde had gone inside to rest her extremely sore body. I¡¯d have to apologize to her later because she felt all the pain I did. Honestly, it was selfish of me to have her take this burden, but I was thankful she did.


    Irisa had the initial boost of being in the second stage of evolution, her actual bonuses as an oni, and her experiences forging dense metal into usable items. She managed to see the attacks I couldn¡¯t, dodged under those I couldn¡¯t react to, and jabbed her practice sword to his chest before his strike to her legs knocked her to the ground.


    ¡°Again!¡± she shouted, standing up and running right for him.


    ¡°Again!!¡±


    ¡°Again!!!¡±


    ¡°Again!!!!¡±


    ¡°Again!!!!!¡±


    Over and over and over again, Irisa pushed herself off the ground and charged headfirst into the fight. Tiredness slowed her reaction time, causing the length between each attempt to widen and grow. Her arms slowed to a crawl; her breath hastened each time the grass and dirt were flattened by her body. By the end, she was down for the count. A dirt-stained sword rolled out of her open palm, and she made no attempt to grab it.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough,¡± Kokan said, barely out of breath after hours of sparring. He helped his daughter up, grimacing when she yelped with pain. He offered an apology, but Irisa looked proud and happy at the training welts and wounds that littered her body.


    ¡°Who knew our first new memory would be you giving it to me rough? Thanks, dad.¡± Irisa walked away, not realizing how her sentence could be taken. Her father choked down a cough. ¡°Ah, I mean¡ª¡± She turned around, her cheeks redder than crimson.


    ¡°I know what you mean, sweetheart. Come on, let¡¯s take a break.¡±


    After walking inside, Ichiha instructed us to wash for lunch, which was just a simple dish of fish stew with plenty of cabbage and potatoes. When Sekh and I entered the bath, she took the time to carefully wash my whole body, starting from my back. She repeatedly asked if I was hurting when she ran the washcloth over a spot where Kokan had hit me, but I always shook my head because Sekh¡¯s touch was simply angelic. Suddenly, she pressed her chest against my back and rubbed my stomach. I smiled and put my hands over hers. We still had a lot to do, so this cute scene couldn¡¯t turn sexual.


    Not right now, at least. Later? That was a different story. If Sekh was in the mood, I wanted to love her throughout the entire night. But that was then, and this was now. Even as I knew that, I couldn¡¯t help but hold Sekh and tenderly kiss her lips.


    ¡°Mila, where are you going?¡± Irisa asked after lunch. I ate in my shorts and shirt, but I changed into my ¡®adventuring¡¯ clothes, which just meant the outfits I received when I signed that contract. I could only go outside when I had those on.


    ¡°I want to learn how to sew, so I¡¯m going to get some needles and thread. And probably some other things too. If I can find another gun and some ammo, I¡¯ll snatch that too,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Snatch? You¡¯re going to steal it? But¡ª¡± Ichiha and Kokan looked at me, but I nodded, which caused their eyes to go wide.


    ¡°From the Barclay¡¯s store. That¡¯s where I got my first gun. You three should hate them, so I don¡¯t see the problem,¡±


    ¡°But what if you get caught?¡± Irisa argued. I noticed her parents¡¯ expressions had only slightly softened. I turned my head towards Irisa¡¯s plate and shot a web from my cheek that was difficult to see. It vanished when it made contact, leaving behind just a few breadcrumbs that fell to the table. Her mouth went wide with surprise, but I did the same thing to her cup. Only this time, the string was so ultra-thin my [Eyes of the Huntress] barely perceived it. Thanks to [String Shot] being Lv. 10, I could alter the thickness. It was weak and fragile, but I needed the string to act as a proxy between me and what I wanted to steal. I couldn¡¯t care less if this thin version was unsuitable for battle because it wasn''t meant for that.


    ¡°I won¡¯t. It¡¯s easier to steal when you can do what I can. If Tilde wasn¡¯t so sore, she¡¯d distract them for me like she did the first time,¡± I said, turning to a fairy that was exaggeratingly groaning in pain. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find something for you. Do you want a new dress?¡± I asked. She just threw me a thumbs up, then demanded it better be cute.


    When I asked if they had any problems with me stealing from their enemy, nothing came to their mind. If they had any reservations against it, I wasn¡¯t going to be mad, but I would definitely be a little upset. Luckily, I had nothing to worry about, so I left guilt-free and headed towards the Barclay¡¯s store.


    As always, it was packed to the brim, which worked in my favor. I needed to grab some sewing needles, thread, a few more crimson amita, a gun, some bullets, and probably some soap and cloths for bathing. Thanks to my map and its search feature, I found everything, sans the guns and ammo, and highlighted them with a waypoint so I could snatch them instantly. When it came to apparel, I could search an area for clothes, then use the built-in filters to narrow the search results down. Tilde was about 10 inches tall, so I just had to input that, which led me to a white dress with black swirls to bring attention to the chest. Tilde was lewd and enormously horny, so the fairy would appreciate the attention it¡¯d attract.


    Ten minutes later, Sekh and I were strolling out of the store with everything except the gun and ammo. Part of my success was attributed to Erin and her eternally exhausted violet tail. She and the other four employees were overworked like abused animals, running from floor to floor, nearly tripping down the stairs because it appeared as if they were being judged against some unknown metric. With how big this place was, it needed more than a handful of workers. A quick search for Karen Barclay¡ªErin''s mother¡ªshowed her relaxing in a rather large bathtub. She looked like her daughter in every way, except she had violet eyes while her daughter had yellow eyes.


    But the map said she was right in this very building, then I realized this was big enough to hold a home as well. There was a door on each floor with a large lock, so it was presumed that the actual ¡®house¡¯ portion of this large building was also six floors.


    I suppose I wanted to kill Karen. Not just for her SP¡ªshe didn¡¯t have much, even though she was Lv. 29¡ªbut for her money. She probably had a bunch in a safe, which I confirmed upon scanning for one. [Map] was so powerful it showed me what was inside it. Regardless, I couldn¡¯t do anything now, so I left with my ill-gotten gains.


    After returning home, Tilde was so excited to wear her new dress that she stripped right there at the kitchen table in front of the onis without a shred of shame to her name. When asked, Tilde just said a body was a body, and she didn¡¯t see the big deal. In fact, she said she spent a few centuries being a nudist simply because she could, and no one could stop her.


    I took a seat beside Irisa and pulled out my mortar and pestle, then began to make some potions. Kokan began to lecture me about the different kinds and what I could add to increase or decrease their effectiveness. Or even how to add new properties. A skill called [Herbalist] granted you that information, but I could not learn it. I didn¡¯t have any bottles, but Ichiha was happy to sell them at a discount.


    With potions, albeit very weak but also lifesaving, I turned my attention to sewing and spent an hour or so practicing with the red and blue thread I¡¯d gotten. Like with blacksmithing, I was very much an amateur, so I focused on getting more familiar with the motions. I didn¡¯t have any design in mind. By the time I was done, Ichiha was getting dinner started, and I figured there was no time like the present to learn how to cook. I shadowed her as she prepared a simple fish dish using leftovers from when she made the stew. With experienced hands, she gutted and descaled the carp and readied it for the frying pan.


    Before long, it was time to sit down and enjoy the delicious meal. The crispy fish skin was downright delectable, and when combined with a sauce Ichiha learned from her mother, the added flavor was unbelievable.


    ¡°Your primary issue is the inability to perceive my strikes. From your point of view, they must seem instantaneous, but I assure you they are not. You have [Eyes of the Huntress], but it is untrained. Given enough time, even lightning will seem like a snail. It is powerful enough to be a Divine Armament, yet it isn¡¯t. Perhaps you will evolve it into its true form,¡± Kokan said.


    ¡°Evolution, huh?¡± I asked, enjoying the fish¡¯s juice filling my mouth when I bit it. It was so delicious.


    ¡°That is correct. You told me you have [Web Bomb] and [String Shot] at level ten, yes?¡± I nodded, and Kokan continued. ¡°With enough use, your skills can combine and evolve. Those two will develop into [Web Manipulation]. From there, it gives birth to [Silk Manipulation], and then [Thread Manipulation], which allows you to channel your thoughts into thread, controlling it as if it was a part of your body.


    When will they evolve?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I do not know. All I can say is keep using them.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Three: Planning & Plotting a Murder – Part One

    Chapter Thirty-Three: Planning & Plotting a Murder ¨C Part One


    After dinner, I went to the backyard with Kokan to have another sparring session with him. Well, that was the plan. I foolishly believed the only way to get stronger was through a ¡®trial by fire¡¯ of getting my ass kicked. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized I was an idiot. Getting battered, broken, and bruised with strikes I couldn¡¯t hope to see was a masochist¡¯s wet dream, and I wasn¡¯t the biggest fan of taking pointless damage. However, I couldn¡¯t deny it helped me become more efficient in healing my wounds via biomass, but it wasn¡¯t enough.


    "Hmm? Is there something on your mind?¡± Kokan asked before we started. He was stretching and preparing his muscles. I explained my thoughts and wondered if this was really the best way. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came to that conclusion by yourself.¡±


    ¡°Huh? You knew this wouldn¡¯t help me? Why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± I asked, only slightly annoyed.


    ¡°Because I am an educator. I guide my students to the correct answer because I want them to grow. Why would I deprive them of a chance to better themselves? I¡¯m proud of you for coming to this conclusion without any hints from me. But yes. What we did in our first session did very little to help you other than increase your proficiency in using biomass to heal your wounds. In that regard, I¡¯d say it was a success. But in my eyes, it would be more apt to begin with the basics of the spear instead of a sword since you have the weapon skill [Spear]. First, let¡¯s start with the Iron Tree Stance. It is said that all other spear stances trace their origins to it, hence the name. You can find its roots in any spearmen worth their weapon.¡±


    ¡°Okay, yeah. That sounds good. Let¡¯s do it,¡± I replied, picking up a wooden spear. With something new in mind, Kokan spent an hour and a half teaching me the bare basics.


    A lot went into the placement of your hands and how far away they were from the other, as well as if you held it more towards the tip rather than the bottom base. But like the name suggested, the Iron Tree was a stance with many options. It was flexible to be a jack of all trades, and you could defend, attack, and evade from any of its core movements or strikes. You could think of it like a flow chart. A quick thrust could easily flow into a backwards dodge, and that could be chained into a flourish to strike anyone standing behind you, or you can combo a second dodge and emerge back into the basic stance.


    Kokan quickly assured me of something. You wouldn¡¯t be considered a master of the spear unless you were proficient enough to add your branch to the Iron Tree¡ªthat is, nurture your own style of spearmanship and make it your own. Metaphorically speaking, of course. According to Kokan, you weren¡¯t the one who decided if you were good enough. Instead, you were sought out. Well, hunted, more like it, by those who had added their own branches. There were rumors that the iron tree the stance was named after was a real tree made of iron. If it existed, its location would be a secret only known to those who had carved a branch into it.


    I¡¯m not one for traditions...but that sounds cool... Mastering a style and making it my own...


    Eventually, my muscles started to ache from overuse. Pumping them full of biomass worked wonders at removing the pain, but I wanted to endure it since it was proof of my determination to better myself. When it was too much, I collapsed to my ass and watched Kokan, a layer of sweat staining my shirt¡¯s collar. Even my gloves felt gross, but I kept them on.


    For the next fifteen minutes, I watched Irisa¡¯s father. He performed the stance, motions, and strikes he taught me, but he moved like molasses. Then he gradually sped it up. This was designed to train my eyes to bring out the full potential of [Eyes of the Huntress]. But at some point, he was just too fast for me to follow. Sweat glistened off his toned body, and his magnificent black horns and piercing yellow eyes were sturdy and determined.


    I wanted to end this session with another sparring match, but Kokan refused. His arguments held merit, and I guess I didn¡¯t want Tilde to suffer any more pain tonight. Instead, we ended the night by practicing with [String Shot] and [Web Bomb]. The backyard was fenced in, so we had little to worry about. But Kokan threw items in the air, and I caught them with my webs. Sure, we just spent 30 minutes, so it wasn¡¯t a surprise the skills didn¡¯t evolve into [Web Manipulation].


    When we returned to the living room, it was late¡ªpretty much time for bed¡ªand we all said our goodnights. Since Kokan was back in their lives, Irisa knew her dad wanted to spend some time with her mom. And because Sekh, Tilde, and I had Irisa¡¯s room, that just left the kitchen. There was that couch, and Irisa decided it would serve her head well. I wanted to offer my bed to her. Sure, it was a tight fit with three bodies, but I didn¡¯t think I was ready to get ¡®that¡¯ close to someone. Eating and training was one thing, but allowing someone that wasn¡¯t Sekh or Tilde to see me in my most vulnerable state? One could argue that I had no reason not to permit it since Irisa and her mother had seen me totally nude and in a state of near death, but I thought the opposite and wanted to wait.


    Maybe Irisa looked disappointed I didn¡¯t offer, but she didn¡¯t vocalize her dispiritedness. Because of that, my heart had no regrets when I closed the door and placed Beccy¡¯s shield against the door. I still did that. I just felt more comfortable that way. I trusted them with my life, but it was hard to break a habit created out of necessity when you were no longer in danger.


    But maybe in the future... I¡¯ll be confident enough to share a bed with you. Can you wait for me, Irisa?


    Sekh already had the bath warmed and ready, and she jumped in first. I decided to sit between her legs and rested my head between her tits. I¡¯d done this before, but it never got old. She wrapped her hands around my stomach and rubbed. Even wet, the fur on her arms and legs was so soft and fluffy.


    ¡°Hmm... That hits the spot,¡± I moaned, turning my head and kissing and licking her breasts and nipples. Her angelic touch and warmed water washed the soreness of training away.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it, my liege,¡± Sekh whispered. A few seconds later, Tilde, after recovering from our shared injuries, flew into the bathroom, stripped, and jumped right in. I started to apologize, but Tilde cut me off. She outright demanded that my training had better be worth the anguish she felt. On top of that, she ordered that I sew her a cute dress to her exact specifications when she felt my skill was up to it. ¡°Whatever you want, Tilde,¡± I replied. Then I closed my eyes and relaxed the night away.


    Well, I wanted to do that, but I couldn¡¯t because I had to plan a murder. Sekh took my sigh as something to worry about, but I calmed her heart. ¡°Everything¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just trying to figure out how to kill Noelia.¡±


    ¡°Where are they at now?¡± Tilde asked.


    I expanded my map and said they were in the dungeon. Satellite mode told me they were camping out in front of the boss¡¯s chambers in the mines. It was Noelia and her four attendants. Their names weren¡¯t important because they were going to die. The five of them surrounded a campfire and ate dinner. After Noelia ate her piece, she reached into the fire to grab a second helping of meat with her bare hands. Quickly, I moved the map to Niva¡ªthe half-breed Cyclops and Lizardfolk¡ªand saw her hand burn. She was placed away from the others. She wasn¡¯t naked, but the torn brown shirt exposed her sensitive bits. With a dull eye, Niva just sat there and waited for death to claim her. It probably wouldn¡¯t be long, though, since her HP was about 10%. Death¡¯s scythe was probably going to swing any day now.


    I relayed what I saw but stopped because Noelia and her four attendants stood up, talked a bit, and walked into the boss¡¯s chambers. Over the next few minutes, new wounds appeared to corrupt Niva¡¯s skin as it sizzled and smoked. I peeked inside the boss¡¯s arena and saw Noelia walk through a field of fire and lighting coming from her hammer.


    Back to Niva, her limping wrist grasped the bag of potions next to her, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to pop the cork. Her other arm was strangely sharpened at the shoulder. The cyclops struggled to open her mouth, bit into the vial, and swallowed both liquid and glass.


    How odd... That potion did nothing.


    Irisa and Sekh were cheering me on from the sidelines. After nodding to Kokan, he rushed forward and stopped, bringing his hulking, sweaty body to an immediate standstill. He held the spear with both hands and alternated between tensing and relaxing his muscles and taking stances I didn¡¯t know about. A twitch of the eye or nose followed, but those were feints designed to make me move.


    I responded with one of my own, jerking to the left while reversing the grip on my spear. I shot a web out from my left elbow. Kokan¡¯s sharp, yellow eyes followed the strand and slammed his spear down where it touched the ground, yet his attack thrashed thin air because I did not follow through.


    The opportunity was there, and I was going to take it. I turned my body and held my spear as if I was readying a quick thrust. Kokan recovered quickly and swung his spear in a wide arc, fully intending on cracking my jaw when the impossible happened.


    His strike was no longer instantaneous.


    I saw it...


    I saw it...


    I saw it!!!


    It was perceivable for less than I would have liked, but I saw his arm mid-swing. Instinctively, I shot a web from my elbow directly to the ground, dragging me down and dirtying my cheeks with bloody mud as his swing completely missed me. Meanwhile, I shot web from where the spear touched my hand, launching it right at his unprotected chin. The wooden tip grazed him, inflicting the tiniest cut that didn¡¯t even bleed...


    But even if it was minor, it was a wound.


    An injury.


    A strike...


    It might not have been clean, but it was proof I was improving!


    I had nothing! I started from nothing! I did this! I! Did! This! My hard work was paying off!


    ¡°My liege!¡± Sekh rushed forward and almost threw herself on top of me. ¡°You did it! You did it!¡± She cheered her heart out and gave me a congratulatory kiss. Irisa hugged me when she lifted me up with one hand, and Tilde flew around my head and approvingly stared, clapping her hands as a show of affection.


    ¡°Do you know what happened?¡± Kokan asked me while Sekh dusted me off.


    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m finally adjusting to [Eyes of the Huntress].¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. If you can see that, then I feel more confident doing these full-contact sparring matches more often. But this will be the last one for today. Now that you¡¯ve seen it, you need to focus on what you felt during that moment. Let¡¯s head back to the Iron Tree Stance¡¯s basics. I¡¯m going to go at full speed, so mirror me the best you can. And don¡¯t try to predict what I¡¯m going to do.¡±


    "Got it,¡± I said, lifting my spear while assuming the core stance. Kokan took it as well, and we were off. This was another exercise I liked because it taught me to split my attention between focusing on my instructor and my body, something I had trouble with. Kokan always had a different way to chain the stance¡¯s movements, strikes, and dodges together. Then once that was done, he helped me add my web dodges to the mix and refined them even more.


    Before long, Sekh went inside the house with Irisa. She returned wearing her armor, and Irisa held the matching set she promised to make me. Like she said, a few alterations came with it. The backside had small holes for my spider legs. And even though it was short notice, she had modified the elbows to have small holes for my webs to shoot from. They matched perfectly with the gaps in my shirt. Potentially being exposed sounded bad, but everything was situated in a manner where accidentally revealing my secret was not something I needed to be concerned with.


    I quickly ran inside to change, then hustled back outside to move around to get used to the weight it added to my body.


    When my training ended, and Kokan had to excuse himself for a few hours, Sekh approached me. I didn¡¯t give her a chance to speak before throwing Kokan¡¯s wooden spear towards her. She grabbed it out of the air, smiled, and we each took a combat stance.


    She had multiple lifetimes to master the art of killing, and she was a far more technical fighter than me. I was knocked on my ass a dozen times, and Sekh was always there with a hundred different apologies. Really, there was no need for hard feelings since I always healed the damage. Besides, I told her it was an honor to fight against someone like her because I could always learn something from her. Whenever we fought in the dungeon, I was inspired by her brutality. She was like an angel of death, and I was watching someone I had all my faith in wipe out my enemies in her black flames of purifying destruction.


    After exhausting ourselves, we took a small break before spending the next few hours going through the motions of the Iron Tree Stance until it was time to wash up for dinner.

 Chapter Thirty-Three: Planning & Plotting a Murder – Part Two

    Chapter Thirty-Three: Planning & Plotting a Murder ¨C Part Two


    Over these two weeks, I didn¡¯t only improve on the fighting side of things. Although I made it a point to train with Kokan every day, I also made time to go to Smithy¡¯s Corner with Irisa. I crafted a metal pickaxe to replace my stone pickaxe because it kept breaking after only a few swings. I could always pull another one out from [Artificer¡¯s Arsenal], but that got tiring. But the new pickaxe allowed Sekh and me to mine some more iron, which I used to make a tripod with a chain in the middle to hold a metal cooking pot. And I made a frying pan and cooking utensils. Yes, it was lumpy and lopsided, but it¡¯s good enough to cook fish, which I learned from Ichiha. She also taught me how to properly season my newly created frying pan, and I only had to do that once before registering it.


    It was simple enough to forge a set of forks, spoons, and knives to store in the arsenal. I managed to craft a makeshift stove that, in all honestly, should not have worked at all. It was a cylinder with holes poked near the bottom to allow air. But since it was hollow, I could place it over a fire. Oh, and it was the right size to fit the frying pan I¡¯d made. Irisa showed me the steps to constructing a proper fire pit, and I copied her instructions and registered that in the arsenal as one complete unit. Next on the list was charcoal, but that could wait since other materials were readily available.


    Sewing was still a challenge. I couldn¡¯t make clothes, but I recreated a tic-tac-toe board onto a sheet of white fabric. Simple? Yes, it was, but I was still very much a novice. Kokan was marveled by how straightforward it was. He even took over and made the Os and Xs out of red and black thread. It was a hit with the family¡ªso much so that I had to make three more copies of the board. Sekh and I spent a few hours playing when we cuddled in bed. She eventually played against Tilde and lost four times but clutched a win in the fifth round. She wanted her reward to be lewd in nature...and we spent that night in each other¡¯s arms, filling the chalice of pleasure with our ecstasy.


    And cooking...


    I was instructed in that as well. Take tonight, for example. I cooked dinner using the tools I had made. Thanks to Ichiha¡¯s teachings, I prepared the cod as she would while Sekh and Tilde were in the backyard under a gorgeous starry sky. She lit the tinder with her flames, and once the frying pan was hot, I placed the fish filets skin-side down. Sekh¡¯s mouth watered at the delicious sizzle, and while that was cooking, I went over my notes about Noelia.


    She didn¡¯t leave the mines. In the fifteen days I''d been watching, her waypoint only moved about 300 feet between the boss arena and a room they designated as the latrine. Every other day, she sent out two of the four attendants to resupply potions, food, water, and soap and oils to moisturize the skin since you couldn¡¯t bathe inside the mines because there wasn¡¯t a source of water.


    On paper, that was good for the merchants of Ria because it meant more business, but the people of Ria weren¡¯t happy. Not even a day after I spied on Noelia in the mines, Sekh and I went to the guild. There, we confirmed that she had exclusive access not only to the dungeon¡¯s boss, but also to Ria¡¯s stores. Whenever her attendants returned from the mines, and if they wanted to act on the authority granted by Holy Lord Gloria, they could force a store¡¯s customers to vacate the building so they could shop in peace.


    This angered people to the point where they bought more than they needed because it was possible Noelia¡¯s attendants would empty out a shop.


    They had the financial backing of a Holy Lord, so money was not an issue.


    And now Ria was at risk of being in a resource drought. Crimson amita was selling for four to five times its market price. Things like day-old bread and soap, which was always expensive, were almost worth their weight in gold.


    Even if Ria was a shipping and mercantile hub with its well-oiled harbors that ran like a flawless machine, a period of economic turmoil brought on by false scarcity seemed likelier and likelier. The city¡¯s stores¡¯ shelves were full of gaps, which widened every day.


    A couple of days after that, the Barclay¡¯s store released a statement in the city¡¯s papers that wholeheartedly supported what Noelia was doing. Granted, they probably couldn¡¯t publicly speak against that selfish behavior without suffering Gloria''s wrath, but it didn¡¯t excuse their cowardice. And from what I knew of Karen Barclay, she was a coward all the way down.


    But back to Noelia. If she had been a person who cared about others, she wouldn¡¯t have had to suffer the heartache that came with watching one of her comrades pass away. Over the fifteen days, exhaustion had crept within their mortal coils, and it proved fatal when one of her attendants slipped up and fell face-first onto the boss¡¯s sword. It was such a shock to them that they were frozen still when the boss extinguished its anger upon the corpse, dicing it until the largest chunk of flesh was equal in size to an onion.


    ¡°Hey, I have something to give you.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Sekh stared with bright eyes at the two items I produced from storage.


    Lion''s Protection (0/0)


    Lion¡¯s Wrath (0/0)


    ¡°My liege...?¡± The Dark Lord of Tyranny was utterly speechless as I laid out a mace and shield on the bed. These two items were my magnum opus, made from the hundreds of hours I¡¯d spent at Smithy¡¯s Corner in just two weeks alone. Irisa was beside me to guide my hand, yet every strike of the hammer exclusively came from me.


    Made of pure iron, it wasn¡¯t much in the way of looking beautiful, but the mace¡¯s spiky head was incredibly sharp and dense, and the shield¡¯s grip was all solid metal because I didn¡¯t trust in my ability to make it out of wood. Slowly, Sekh walked towards her gifts with sparkles in her eyes as she held the mace. She felt the iron handle, thumbed her finger over the pointy pommel, then gave it a few test swings. She started slowly, then increased her speed and spiky how it felt to put all her energy into it. Next came the shield. I was hoping it wasn¡¯t going to be too heavy, and while I was saddened that Sekh had to struggle a little bit to lift it up to her chest, it was still very well within the realm of usability.


    After reflecting on them, she laid her gifts down and walked to me. It seemed as if she was torn between kneeling or hugging, so I acted first and wrapped my arms around her lower back. Pulling her close to me, she vented the growing emotions in her heart, which manifested as tears of joy. In a low whisper, Sekh remarked that she wanted to say my gifts were too much for someone like her, but that would mean condemning the hard work I went through.


    ¡°I promise I won¡¯t break them.¡±


    ¡°We can¡¯t have that. Think of it as the first iteration. The mace and shield are going to break. That¡¯s a given. And when they do, I¡¯ll make you another set that''s even better. Hopefully, I can enchant by then. And when they break, I¡¯ll make a third, then a fourth, and a fifth, and so on,¡± I said. Sekh looked at me with those silver eyes and gave me a confident nod. I had one more present, but I was wary since I didn¡¯t know how she¡¯d react to it. Until I was sure, it was going to stay hidden away. And before I handed it over, I was probably going to remake it because it wasn¡¯t the best. I didn¡¯t have the skills or steady hand to etch in the delicate details.


    Oi! It¡¯s about time, yeah?¡± Tilde flew into the room and hovered near me. ¡°Oh, Kokan and Green Tits are back. Didn¡¯t seem like much was biting.¡±


    I nodded at Tilde, then we all walked to the kitchen. The family found it odd we were in our armor, but I just told them we had some business to take care of. It wasn¡¯t a lie to say that fighting in the dungeon at night would make it easier to assimilate. And it wasn¡¯t a lie because if we ran into monsters, I¡¯d slurp them down my gullet.


    Sure, maybe a part of me wanted to let them know my plans, but I couldn¡¯t risk it. Especially since ending Noelia¡¯s life and devouring her power would potentially bring Gloria¡¯s wrath upon Ria, but I didn¡¯t care. Soul Warriors could be tracked by their summoner because their mana flows into them during the summoning process, but my [Status Cloak] helped me out there. Even after assimilating her, Noelia¡¯s mana couldn¡¯t be traced or tracked.


    If everything went as planned, no one would be none the wiser, and it would be impossible for Gloria to find out who killed her precious warrior without traveling to the past or doing some shit that was nigh impossible.


    I just had to hope things wouldn¡¯t shit the bed. Noelia needed to die. Her death was something that needed to happen.

 Chapter Thirty-Four: Stealing the Power of a Soul Warrior

    Chapter Thirty-Four: Stealing the Power of a Soul Warrior


    It was just past 9:40 PM when Sekh, Tilde, and I entered the dungeon¡¯s lobby. It was mostly empty, barring a few late-night adventurers who wanted to enjoy the thrill of fighting without having to deal with other people. I couldn¡¯t blame them, honestly. It was always a pain to assimilate during certain times because it felt like each room had a dozen people. That was why we hadn¡¯t been coming here. Out of the past 15 days, I stepped foot in here maybe three times. From what I heard around town, Noelia abused her authority to claim entire rooms as her property and refused to let anyone else enter. Of course, the rooms she was ¡®guarding¡¯ were the ones that were more likely to spawn treasure chests, but people couldn¡¯t go against the word of a Soul Warrior. As such, for fear of the whole dungeon eventually becoming her property, more and more people flooded into the mines in the early morning hours to get ahead of everyone else. Seems like no one wanted to go late at night, though.


    After her attendant¡¯s death, I thought Noelia would have dialed back on the selfishness, but that didn¡¯t happen.


    Scarcity, even if manufactured, was enough to bring anything to a standstill. Dungeons were not exempt from that. From what Sekh said, this dungeon would fade far sooner since it was expending more mana than usual to continuously spawn the dungeon boss, the monsters, the treasure chests, and the natural resources, though it still had a few decades of life in it.


    ¡°Hey, how do you feel?¡± Tilde asked as we proceeded. I had my eyes on the 3-D model of the dungeon, which guided us through a path with the lowest chance of encountering a person.


    ¡°About what?¡± I asked. A second later, we stopped by a room filled with a single goblin for Sekh to test her gear. And it. Was. Beautiful. She looked so striking when she used her shield to parry an incoming thrust, knocking the dirty bastard off balance, and launched a devastating strike with her mace. She split its head open, causing the pink brain matter to ooze out from its nostrils and ears. Sekh stood over the goblin¡¯s corpse like the Dark Lord of Tyranny that she was, staring down at her mace and how bloody it was. She brought it close to her eyes and examined the bloody spikes.


    ¡°I love it, my liege. It¡¯s perfect for me,¡± Sekh said when she returned to me. Her pretty face was all smiles as she carefully placed her most prized possession back on her hip.


    We continued walking as Tilde answered my question. ¡°About what? Are you shitting me? You do realize that you spent two weeks planning a murder, right? Believe it or not, Noelia hasn¡¯t done anything directly against you. You¡¯re as much a stranger to her as she is to you.¡±


    ¡°Does that matter? I thought you¡¯d be happy knowing I don¡¯t see her as anything more than food. That¡¯s why it was easy to study her movements and figure out the best time to strike.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel like a hunter?¡± I thought about Tilde¡¯s question for a while. Truthfully, I was a predator. At least in this case. I studied Noelia and her attendants for weeks and refused to do anything until I understood her. No, it was more than that. I¡¯d never comprehend what went through her mind, but her physical actions? Her day-to-day schedule? Yeah, that was something I could grasp. The more I thought about it, the more I felt something warm in my stomach that caused my mouth to subconsciously drool.


    ¡°I suppose I am. I feel more alive now than I did living two decades as Shuuta Fenton. After being prey, it feels good to stand on the other side of the fence.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good answer, but don¡¯t forget you¡¯re still weak as shit. What kind of dumbass predator bites off more than what she can chew?¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t think we can pull this off?¡± I asked Tilde. She shook her head and made it very clear that if she believed I wasn¡¯t ready, she would have said so.


    ¡°Let me ask you something,¡± Tilde said as she hovered in front of my face and flew backwards. ¡°If Noelia was a decent person, would you still hunt her? What about if she was as friendly as Irisa? If she was, and you two became friends and later found out she was a Soul Warrior, would you turn your fangs against her?¡±


    ¡°...The last thing I want to do is betray those that have my trust because I know how hard it stings... But I also need the power of a Soul Warrior to grow stronger myself. The greatest choices require the strongest wills, right? Sometimes, you must do something for the sake of your dreams, even if it means going against your word. So yes... If Noelia was pleasurable and became my friend before I knew she was a Soul Warrior, I would force myself to assimilate her corpse after killing her. At least, I would hope so.¡±


    Our idle conversations continued even after we reached the bottom floor, where more derelict mines awaited us. The path became a little more complicated, but it wasn¡¯t what we hadn¡¯t seen before because we had already been here once.


    It was dark, dirty, and dusty.


    Orphaned mine tracks were literally everywhere, and some mine carts were purposely pushed in front of the doors and paths we needed to enter. I didn¡¯t know if the dungeon did it or if Noelia or her guards were responsible. It didn¡¯t matter since Sekh was strong enough to kick them away, sending them rolling and crashing once detailing.


    After about 45 minutes of pure walking with little discussion to break up the egregiously silent atmosphere, we turned a corner and saw the flickering warm glow of an orange flame at the end. Our destination was close at hand, and we had arrived just in time. We rushed into a nearby room that acted as the latrine. The smell was diabolical, but I¡¯d been forced to suffer through things worse than shit and piss. Tilde wanted to complain¡ªI knew that from her body language¡ªbut even she knew to be quiet. As for Sekh? She was locked into combat mode and focused on the upcoming fight.


    I spied on Noelia and her surviving attendants. They had finished looting the chest that spawned after the boss¡¯s death.


    ¡°We¡¯re heading back in fifteen minutes. This¡¯ll be the last one tonight. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll hit up Ria and take a bath,¡± Noelia said, her voice coming from down below since I was spying on her with my map¡¯s satellite mode. She looked at the Crocofolk, Gatorfolk, and Tigerfolk. Those three had more of their bestial traits on display, only having a humanoid body while everything else was related to their race. The sole human amongst her attendants was the one that had died.


    Hiding in the latrine was weird, but if we had remained where we were and they rounded the corner, we would have been spotted immediately. The next fifteen minutes proved to be the longest of my life as we waited for the right moment. Too hasty, it would be us against a Soul Warrior and her allies. Too late, and I wouldn¡¯t have enough time to prepare.


    I endured the headache satellite mode gave me, then slightly twitched when the mountainous stone doors raised to the ceiling. Noelia and her attendants stood up, dusted themselves off, and walked past the threshold into the waiting darkness, where the boss of this dungeon would die again for the umpteenth time.


    ¡°Alright... Go!¡± Sekh and I ran like the wind down the corridor and rushed in when the twin stone doors slammed shut. I knew from watching Noelia and her group that their quickest kill on the boss took fourteen minutes, and that was when they were in perfect condition and not a man down. Tilde asked why I couldn¡¯t just run in earlier and shoot the Crocofolk and Tigerfolk in the leg to further slow them down, and yes, I did think of that. The problem was the teleporter. When I killed Niva and destroyed the damage transfer seal, it was assured that Noelia would panic, yet I didn¡¯t think she would die. Had I made my presence known, she¡¯d instead go straight for the teleporter to get help since it connects to the lobby.


    ¡°It¡¯s good you came to that conclusion. You don¡¯t want to do the first thing that pops into your brain. Look at things from multiple angles and plan them out as much as you can,¡± Tilde said, patting my back. I turned to the person leaning against the wall.


    She was a powdered blue half-breed¡ªa cross between a cyclops and a Lizardfolk. If you wrote down a list of maladies you could visually verify, it¡¯d be a mile long. Her red eye was swollen, puffy, and full of dirt and grime, so I had no idea how she was opening it. Since she wore a tattered robe, the litany of scars, bruises, burns, infected cuts, and evidence of terrible abuse was on full display, from the top of her patchy head to her blackened feet. Some sick bastard even took a burning poker and branded her stomach. A disgusting crust of feces and urine almost glued her bottom to the ground from where she hadn¡¯t moved in days.


    Her human-like ears were hanging down and connected to her head by a thin piece of blood skin. Dark red blood coagulated around her neck, thighs, upper arms, and forearms¡ªthe exact spots where she used to have scales. I didn¡¯t see them anywhere, so I partly wondered if they were sold for money. It was the same with her tail. It was there the first time I saw her in the guild, but now it was nowhere to be found. Her listless eye was glazed over with a dark shadow. If she was looking at me, I didn¡¯t know.


    I lifted Reina¡¯s gun and pressed the warm barrel to end Niva¡¯s tortured existence.


    Tortured existence? That¡¯s familiar.


    ¡°When I pull this trigger, your heart will be destroyed, and your life will end. I assure you it will be painless, and you will not feel anything. I¡¯m not doing it for you or to put you out of your misery, but I need to kill Noelia. Find solace that you can haunt her in the afterlife.¡±


    Sekh put a hand to my shoulder. She looked at Niva, who blankly lifted her head with the last remnants of her strength. As she stared that nearly dead eye towards us, brand-new wounds started to manifest over her face, covering what little virgin skin she had left with more evidence of despair. The sickening sizzle of cooking meat radiated from her crooked nose.


    ¡°I did, my liege,¡± Sekh replied, who stared at the brutalized remains of Noelia¡¯s head. After excusing myself, I grabbed her corpse and dragged her into the boss¡¯s chambers to assimilate them all at once.


    You¡¯ve assimilated Glog, Metalborn Prince of Goblins.


    New Skill: [Power Strike]


    New Skill: [Leap Smash]


    New Skill: [One-Handed Hammer]


    You¡¯ve assimilated Groak and acquired 33SP.


    You¡¯ve assimilated Ligor and acquired 41 SP.


    You¡¯ve assimilated Elba and acquired 34 SP.


    You¡¯ve assimilated Noelia and acquired 36 SP.


    [Soul Armatization (Lv. 1]) has progressed to [Soul Armatization (Lv. 2)]


    ¡°Hey, maybe that¡¯s the secret to unlocking my Soul Weapon,¡± I said when I returned to Sekh. ¡°If we come across any Soul Warriors, we might as well organize their deaths for the experience and progress.¡±


    ¡°Makes sense. Between you and I, Soul Warriors are a pain in the ass. You get over-emotional beings from another world that are guaranteed¡ªwhoops, almost guaranteed¡ªto come with incredible power. You¡¯re a right jackass if you don¡¯t think they¡¯re going to use and abuse it,¡± Tilde replied. ¡°I¡¯ve seen it happen hundreds of times. All it takes is one pissed-off powerhouse to blow up a city or village, and it goes from there.¡±


    I turned back to Niva, and Tilde asked me what I was going to do. ¡°She¡¯ll be an investment. If I¡¯m right, Gloria was the one who found Niva and gave her to Noelia to act as a ¡®shield.¡¯ There¡¯s bound to be some animosity in there somewhere. Besides, I didn¡¯t have Sekh free her for the hell of it.¡±


    ¡°Oh? If she refuses to help you, are you going to go back on your word and use [Tyranny Control]?¡± Tilde asked.


    ¡°Nope. I¡¯ll never force someone to become my slave. However, I can offer her a chance to get revenge. Sekh, can you...¡± I was going to ask Sekh to carry Niva, but she started to move. With one hand grasped against the wall behind her, she attempted to stand up. She balanced on wobbly ground as the tattered cloth fell to the floor. Tilde immediately threw up after seeing the damage done to Niva¡¯s crotch. She had a penis like me, yet it looked like someone had taken a hammer and smashed her crotch against an anvil. The skin around her inner thighs was infected with scabbed-over claw marks as if someone had tried to literally tear the diseased skin. She held out both arms...but everything below the elbow on her right arm dropped to the ground.


    Niva didn¡¯t look down at her missing arm or the blood dripping from the exposed wound. She took a step forward, but everything immediately below the left knee smashed into the dirty ground with a sickening sound. Unable to balance herself, she soon tumbled forward and fell. [Analysis] said she was alive. Unconscious but alive.


    Blindness, fractures, mutilated ears, blunt force physical trauma, scarring, necrosis, a sexual disease, scabbed-over claw marks, rashes, a fever, and an infection. Goddamn... Her HP is nearly empty.


    ¡°You know what? Maybe you should kill her. You still think she can fight with those gnarly wounds? I don¡¯t expect her to last through the night. Really, she should have died weeks ago.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know why she clung to life, but she did. Maybe she wanted to outlast Noelia? Or maybe she wanted to kill Gloria. That¡¯s a long shot, but if so, she¡¯s just like me in that regard. And I said she¡¯s an investment. I won¡¯t kill her.¡±


    ¡°Whatever you say, Master. Don¡¯t know how well a cripple can fight. Maybe bait? Even if she can summon spirits, what good can she do if she can¡¯t walk?¡± Tilde asked, pointing at the missing limbs and charred foot.


    ¡°This world has magic and potions, so there¡¯s bound to be something. And that¡¯s enough questions. Sekh, pick up Niva and carry her. I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s going to be gross. When we get back to the shop, hop in the bath and clean up.¡± Sekh nodded and lifted Niva¡¯s body, marveling at just how weak and frail she was. Her sunken chest highlighted her ribs, and her remaining arm and leg were almost as thin as sticks. Standing at just a hair over 4¡¯11, Niva was shorter than everyone I knew except Tilde. Even Erin¡ªKaren¡¯s Barclay daughter¡ªwas taller by a good four inches.


    Sekh and Tilde proceeded to the teleporter to the lobby and waited, and Tilde shouted that it was probably a good idea to assimilate Niva¡¯s arm and leg. After doing that, and not getting anything from it, I hastily looked around this shitty little camp for anything worthwhile when my foot kicked against something hard and metallic. Looking down, I saw something I never expected to see...


    .45 ACP Handgun (0/3)


    No, that wasn¡¯t just a .45 pistol. It was a goddamn Colt 1911 classic! It had dark gray grips, not brown like what I was used to, but it was the very definition of my favorite pistol in the world.


    After some searching through the supplies Noelia left about, I discovered seven more pistols just sitting underneath a blanket. All looked mostly the same, but the grips were a different color, and some of them came with extended magazines, sights, or barrel add-ons. When I analyzed them, they turned out to be rare drops from the boss. It seemed the loot was partially randomized within some predetermined vector. I checked my map for more, but I didn¡¯t get any hits


    Now that I was thinking about weapons, I searched for Noelia''s hammer and followed the glowing waypoint.


    Flaming Shocker (2/2) Fire: (Lv. 2) Lightning: (Lv. 2)


    That¡¯s a shitty name. Okay, so Noelia enchanted her red and yellow hammer with mana to attack with fire and lightning. Better take it. Selling it is risky, so I¡¯ll keep it locked up in my storage until I find a use for it.


    I did one last look and found a satchel of gold coins that belonged to Noelia, then Sekh called out for me. I said a small apology and ran over. After confirming the lobby and surrounding areas were empty with my map, we stepped through the teleporter and towards Ria. Thanks to my map, we avoided everyone, and even managed to sneak through the gates during the guard change. Absolutely no one saw us. Accomplishment welled within my heart because the plan went off without a hitch.


    Well, most of it. Now? I had to find a way to convince Irisa and her parents to keep Niva at their house. I was sure we all agreed on Noelia being awful and deserving of death. And they were kind-hearted. They took me in, so I figured they wouldn¡¯t mind Niva.


    If they did? I had something in reserve. I had enough money to take a wagon or a ship to another country. Options were there, I just didn¡¯t want to have to use them.

 Chapter Thirty-Five: Artificial Intelligence

    Chapter Thirty-Five: Artificial Intelligence


    It was nearly 1:30 AM when I pushed open the door to Ichiha¡¯s shop. At first, I was surprised it was even unlocked. I didn¡¯t expect to see Ichiha, Irisa, and Kokan sitting behind the counter playing tic-tac-toe in matching comfortable-looking robes. ¡°Why are you guys still up?¡± I asked.


    ¡°After you left, I realized you didn¡¯t have a key to the shop,¡± Kokan replied. He pointed to a key on the counter. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t do for us to lock up when you don¡¯t have a way to get in. Where have you been?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s in our best interest that I refrain from saying anything. Sekh,¡± I called for my companion and walked to the side for her to walk through. The smell of feces and other bodily fluids was very present on her shoulders, and crusty brown flakes covered her front and back.


    ¡°No... No... Mila, tell me you didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Irisa stammered and stood up so fast her stool fell over. She and Ichiha were shocked at seeing Niva¡¯s awful state. Kokan adverted his gaze and asked for an explanation. I refused to give one, citing that telling them would make them accomplices to something I could neither confirm nor deny.


    ¡°Killing a Soul Warrior is a grave offense, even for someone as rotten as Noelia. But I will not say you were wrong to do so. Life is not something everyone deserves to keep. I wished you would¡¯ve told us so we could have planned ahead, but we can work with this,¡± Kokan said, figuring it out as we walked up the stairs to the kitchen and living room. Ichiha went ahead of us to prepare some towels and other stuff, and Irisa locked the door and talked to Tilde about what happened.


    ¡°Sorry, gotta listen to the boss on this one,¡± the fairy replied. ¡°She has a good point.¡±


    ¡°I can say this,¡± I said. ¡°They just left Niva stewing in her own shit. Are half-breeds really looked down upon? It¡¯s like no one saw her as a person.¡±


    ¡°It depends on the country, but generally? That¡¯s just how it goes. In a place like Cridia, Niva probably won¡¯t even be seen as a person. But in Aquanis? She¡¯ll be as free as you and I. Still, it doesn¡¯t help that she was a slave¡ªmuch less the slave of a Soul Warrior like Bitchy McBitch Face,¡± Tilde answered.


    Irisa pipped up and asked if it was possible to track Niva because she was given to someone important like Noelia, and Tilde nodded. But before panic reared its ugly head, Tilde explained [Status Cloak] and how it could affect Niva. The problem was that she needed to be awake and alert.


    That still gives us about 24 hours, at the least. It all depends on how Gloria responds to not feeling Noelia¡¯s mana. Or even if she can do it.


    Instead of being a witness, I helped Kokan and Ichiha clean Niva¡¯s war-torn body. Her powdered blue skin was easy on the eyes, but the vicious wounds clashed hard against something that looked so innocent. At least she was smelling a little better. Irisa ran to get a towel to place on the couch, and together, we ferried Niva to it and sat her down. Her stumps had stray skin grossly spewing over the wounds, which were thankfully cauterized.


    Unfortunately, whoever did it had done a shit job with little care for the patient. Kokan took care of it, though, by cutting off about a quarter inch of arm and leg from Niva¡¯s nubs. After heating the flat side of a large knife, he proceeded to re-cauterize the wounds and sear the flesh into closing. The smell of burning flesh permeated the room.


    It was...delicious.


    While Irisa cleaned the knife and helped her father tend to the newly cauterized nubs, Ichiha and I diagnosed our patient with [Analysis].


    She had the following injuries.


    Blindness from mono-eye degeneration. Fractured ribs Her ears were hanging down and barely remained connected via a piece of bloody flesh. Blunt force trauma to her head, knees, crotch, and arms. Foot suffering from necrosis. The tissue around her arm and leg was necrotic, leading them to just fall off her body at the slightest touch. The infected skin around her crotch came from a sexual disease. The scabbed-over claw marks were someone¡¯s attempt at ¡®getting rid¡¯ of it. The crimson rashes came from a type of aphrodisiac, which left behind scars as well because it was applied with a sharp knife. She carried a high fever while suffering from something like dysentery. Hundreds of scars on her chest, legs, arms, and back. Only a quarter of her teeth remained in her mouth.


    To top it off, she had a severe case of potion dependency because she was forced to drink them as often as others drank water. Only an elixir could affect her, but the effects would be minuscule.


    Ichiha said she needed a detox, but Kokan argued Niva wouldn¡¯t survive. Irisa whined and told her father she didn¡¯t want Niva to die while cleaning around the blisters.


    ¡°Neither do we, sweetheart,¡± Kokan replied. I spoke and said her HP drained by half just in the time it took to get home.


    At this point, Niva was as clean as she¡¯d ever get. The dirty towels nearby were filthy, bloody, and covered in bodily fluids and dead, burnt skin. Kokan lifted those up and placed them in a clothes basket in his room, returning with a couple of tools.


    He looked at Niva¡¯s remaining foot, which was completely necrotic, and said it couldn¡¯t be saved. Before using a saw designed to cut bone, he crushed some green and white herbs in a mortar and pestle, then added a hint of water and stirred with a brush. With that, he brushed it on Niva¡¯s tongue and explained it was a pain reliever made from silver grass and verde shrooms.


    I watched as Kokan placed the sharp teeth of the saw an inch above where the black ended. He sawed away. With his strength and Niva¡¯s weakened bone, it took literal seconds to do the deed. No one knew what to do with the foot, so I volunteered to swallow it with a boar head hand.


    If that was disgusting, no one tried to let it show because the patient came first. After cauterizing the new wound, Kokan took his pliers and plucked the rest of Niva¡¯s diseased teeth, which I soon disposed of. Her gums were left bleeding, so he applied a little bit more of the pain reliever to them.


    Next on the agenda was actually bandaging her. I used Noelia¡¯s money to buy every bandage in the shop, which shocked the onis. I explained it wasn¡¯t mine and decided to pay them for the amputation and teeth removal. Ichiha and Irisa gathered bandages and some weak, generic ointment they had. With extreme care, they started to dress the wounds. When it came to her eye, they were better safe than sorry and placed a patch over it until they were finished taking care of the cuts and scrapes around it. Niva¡¯s ¡®dead spots¡¯-- the places where her scales were violently ripped out¡ªwere bloody and pulsed like a heart. With time, that would end, and it would be nothing more than a spot of flesh that carried no feeling.


    Her back, though, was where the longest wounds were. Some even spanned the length of her neck to her hips. By the time everything was securely wrapped, Niva looked like an Egyptian mummy.


    Next, Kokan took some needle and thread and sutured her ears back to her head while applying more pain medicine.


    I didn¡¯t know how effective that would be. Honestly, I didn¡¯t think the ears could be saved.


    Ichiha retrieved a soft blanket and pillow that wouldn¡¯t stick to the bandages¡¯ material. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but her broken ribs will be dangerous.¡± I asked why. ¡°Most of the time, you can recover without surgery if you take it easy and slow. But Niva? Depending on how she reacts when she wakes up, we could be looking at a punctured lung.¡±


    Irisa asked her mom a few more questions about broken ribs while she lifted Niva¡¯s head slightly for the pillow, and Kokan turned to me. In the morning, he said he¡¯d give me a list of ingredients to make the detox, salves, eye drops, and cream that would do most of the heavy lifting. As for Niva¡¯s teeth? They needed time to heal, so any dentures would have to wait at least two months. Potentially three, which would probably be the case with Niva. Her tail could potentially regenerate on its own when she was healthy enough, but the scales were less likely to come back. It wasn¡¯t impossible, but I shouldn¡¯t count on it happening before the feeling was lost in her dead spots.


    In short, the recovery process was going to be lengthy and grueling.


    Since we couldn¡¯t do much else, it didn¡¯t make sense to stand around wastefully. After getting a cloth to lay over Niva, Ichiha and Kokan hugged Irisa and me goodnight. Before they returned to their room, they turned their patient to her side because they didn¡¯t want her to choke on her own blood.


    Niva occupied Irisa¡¯s couch, but the oni said the floor was fine. While she prepared her sleeping area, she looked dejected. Her yellow eyes took sharp glances my way for a fraction of a second. Yeah, she probably wanted me to offer my bed, but I wasn¡¯t comfortable with that.


    At least, not now. I did like her, though. She was an amazing friend and a wonderful person to be around.


    Maybe I need a few more weeks...


    ¡°Mila?¡± she suddenly said, breaking me from the prison of my thoughts.


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this? I was okay when you left, but the hours came and went, and you still weren¡¯t here. Dad had to hold me back from rushing off to find you because I thought you weren¡¯t coming back.¡±


    Irisa, her parents, Sekh, Tilde, and I were chowing on some baked bread Ichiha had prepared when Kokan handed me a list. Niva was still unconscious, but things hadn¡¯t turned for the worst.


    If I found a couple more bandages, I needed to pick those up as well. But did I? I asked if silk could be used as a substitute, and his eyes lit up. Kokan was a knowledgeable man. I¡¯d already known that from when we met, but his mind was far past that.


    He jumped from his chair and ran for his fishing pole. I didn¡¯t notice it before, but it looked like a regular rod and reel from my world. Obviously, it wasn¡¯t as advanced or made out of reinforced carbon fiber, but the wood it was carved from gave it a warm aura of hospitality. After slotting an empty spool, I let loose a little webbing from the tip of my index finger.


    He fished it backwards through the first eye of the rod and wrapped it around the spool. Slowly, he turned the reel. The spool turned, taking more webbing from my finger, and the rest was up to him. Kokan said he could whip a bandage up in just a couple of minutes, so once he had my spider silk, he was ready to go. My only job was to keep my hand elevated and transfiguration stable, which was easy enough. I wanted a challenge, so I asked Irisa to fetch her rod.


    This was my first time concentrating on maintaining two different sources of transfigurations. But I had grown as a chimera, so it wasn¡¯t too bad after I¡¯d gotten used to it. My biomass drained faster, so I devoured my plate and asked Sekh to get me a second helping of bread.


    ¡°Wow... Mila, your webs are so pretty,¡± Irisa said. She ogled how they seemingly shined in the early morning sunlight from the nearby window. ¡°You can change the tensile strength, right? If they¡¯re good for fishing, you could make some money by selling them.¡±


    ¡°That sounds cool. Huh, I wonder if there¡¯s a way to infuse my webs? Maybe with fire to make them red? Or water or ice to give them a blue hue? Kokan, is that possible?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± replied Kokan. He said there was crimson silk enchanted with [Fire Immunity], which came from spiders that lived near and in the heart of a volcano. It was exorbitantly expensive because immunity-type skills were the pinnacle of elemental defense.


    That''s something I need to get.


    While the father and daughter spun my webs, I looked at my ¡®shopping¡¯ list. After searching and marking them, I discovered everything I needed was at a place I knew very well.


    I guess it¡¯s a good thing the Barclay¡¯s store raised prices to take advantage of a Holy Lord¡¯s purse.


    Suddenly, my hand was illuminated in an ethereal glow. Holy and Dark Mana materialized and swirled around it.


    Tilde hopped up and danced around the table. ¡°Yes!!! Yes!!!! It¡¯s finally time!!!! I¡¯ve been waiting forever!!!!¡± She ran to the hand occupied with bread, punched it out of my grip, and aimed my fingers towards the plate.


    [Biological AI] has been activated within [Hermes Trismegistus]


    New Skill: [Biological AI]


    Biological AI? Wait, what¡¯s that feeling? Hmm... Focus on it.


    I narrowed my eyes and tried to pinpoint the mysterious urge. My fingers felt tingly and warm, and five beams of rainbow mana radiated from their tips. An image materialized from the ground up. It was about nine inches tall, resembling a multicolored pillar of stone. I tried to touch the object, but my fingers passed right through it. Was it a ghost?


    Or a hologram?


    I turned to Tilde, who was too busy hopping up and down with a gigantic smile. When she finally calmed down enough to answer the obvious question, she went further than that. Apparently, [Biological AI] was what it said. It was an AI¡ªmore accurately, an organic AI that lived within the core of [Hermes Trismegistus]. As of right now, it was just in its barest state of being¡ªalmost like a newborn babe.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re familiar with machine-learning, so this is basically that. The ole AI here needs ¡ªwell, it¡¯s not a need as much as a preference¡ªto access your memories because you have 20 years'' worth of data sitting in that noggin of yours.¡±


    ¡°Uhh... Machine-learning? AI? Data? My head¡¯s spinning in circles...¡± Irisa said. She was totally lost, so I answered her questions and explained the things neither she nor her parents knew. A little prompt appeared in my vision, asking me to share my memories with the AI. I was hesitant, but Tilde said the AI would increase all aspects of [Hermes Trismegistus]. With hesitance, I gave permission and waited for something awful...that never came. The colorful stone pillar just slightly jiggled and wiggled.


    ¡°Alright, now remove all of the waypoints you have set, and ask the AI to search for silver grass.¡±


    ¡°How do I do that?¡± I asked Tilde.


    She slapped her forehead with her tiny palms and heavily sighed. ¡°Just. Ask. It.¡±


    ¡°Uhh... AI, remove my waypoints and search for silver grass...?¡± I turned to the hologram. For fifteen minutes, there was complete silence before a robotic voice radiated from the hologram.


    ¡°The data as requested, my lord.¡± Its tone was flat and uninspired, but my map displayed every source of silver grass in the indexed areas. I played around and filtered it down to Ria, then wanted the AI to search in a radius of 1.4 miles around me. It took some time for my request to be processed, but it worked.


    Then a tidbit snuck into my mind. ¡°Display the data,¡± I said.


    ¡°The data as displayed, my lord,¡± spoke the AI. Suddenly, another hologram appeared before it, and it was on my map.


    Only everyone else could see it as well. If you looked at Kokan, it¡¯d seem as if he¡¯d swung for the stars and scored an intergalactic home run. His thick horns nearly started to sweat when he turned to me in a shaky voice.


    ¡°This... This¡ªMila, this¡ªFrankly, this is incredible!¡± he stammered. ¡°I believed you when you told me about this, but seeing it in person...¡± I asked the AI to switch to satellite mode of my current location, and about fifty seconds later...


    There it was...


    A floating window, like what you¡¯d see on a computer if you were looking at a satellite map, yet it showed me Irisa¡¯s kitchen. They all glanced down upon themselves while looking at themselves, creating a weird out-of-body experience. Irisa nearly tripped over her feet, Ichiha grabbed the table to remain standing, and Kokan marveled. I wanted a change of scenery, so I told it to go to the store where Erin Barclay worked, and after another minute or two, there she was.


    The violet tail forcefully danced around from false bravado. It was early in the morning, yet the store was slam full of busybodies who wanted to get a head start, and she was the sole worker. She sped up and down the stairs to the various floors while enduring abuse from over-entitled customers.


    ¡°You see how it took a while to carry out your commands?¡± I nodded at Tilde and told the AI to stop displaying the data. ¡°That¡¯s because it¡¯s as dumb as a ten-pound sack of stupid. As of right now, that is.¡±


    ¡°If it came from you, then aren¡¯t you just insulting yourself?¡± Sekh asked.


    ¡°Shut it, Big Tits! That¡¯s not important. But this is. The more you use it, the smarter it becomes. And it has no limit, just to let you know. Eventually, that holographic pillar will shatter once it is of sufficient intellect. What does it leave behind? My pretty lips will never tell. Hehe!¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Six: Apothecary Extraordinaire

    Chapter Thirty-Six: Apothecary Extraordinaire


    After breakfast, I returned to my room to get dressed for the day before returning to the kitchen. Sekh and I looked at Niva before heading to the Barclay¡¯s shop. Tilde yawned and took a seat on my shoulder, and she lectured me more about the AI and how it was the best thing since sliced bread. For example, if I made a spear, I could ¡®save¡¯ its ¡®recipe¡¯ and order the AI to make more if I had the materials used in the spear¡¯s production in storage. The best part was that it worked for everything I made.


    But it wasn''t all sunshine and rainbows. Having the AI make my spear as it was now would take weeks. Cooking a pot of soup would require a few days. Once the AI had an influx of data and experience, the production speed would drastically increase until it could crank out like 100k enchanted spears in a minute. I pondered how useful it would be for ammo creation. Once I had created one 9mm round, the AI could mass-produce them for me. If I made an even better 9mm with tougher metal and better firesalts, I could ¡®replace¡¯ the original 9mm¡¯s ¡®recipe¡¯.


    Tilde¡¯s right. I gotta use the AI as much as I can. There¡¯s a lot I must do, and there¡¯s not enough time in the day to do it.


    Before we walked into the incredibly packed store, I told the AI to highlight everything on the list Kokan gave me with waypoints, which took about four minutes.


    Even with the increased prices, there are a shit ton of people here. It¡¯s always packed to the seams. How long is that going to last?


    We perused around the first and second floors, taking in the clothing for sale. None of it fit Sekh and me, so we ignored that and proceeded to the fifth floor once the AI was finished. It was all so simple to steal the things I needed. I stood by the stairs and waited for the right time to take that bundle of silver grass lying helplessly against the window. The wooden pot didn¡¯t know what hit it when my thin web smacked against it, causing it to vanish to a realm where it couldn¡¯t be traced.


    At least, that was the plan. And while nothing went wrong, the evolution of my skills was something I wasn¡¯t expecting.


    [String Shot] and [Web Bomb] have evolved and combined. Initializing new skills...


    New Skill: [Web]


    New Skill: [Web Manipulation]


    Now that was interesting. I didn¡¯t know evolving and combining skills produced two skills. Logic dictated that you¡¯d be left with less when multiple things fused together, but common sense couldn¡¯t be applied here.


    After looking through the Skill Menu, it turned out not to be a downgrade. I asked Tilde, who told me that [Web] and [Web Manipulation] were base skills all adult spiders knew. Since that was the case, the spiders we fought in the mines weren¡¯t considered mature until they acquired those two skills. Regardless, my webs were still the same. They hadn¡¯t grown any stronger or weaker, I could still technically use [Web Bomb], and the changes were in name only. But [Web Manipulation] was a game changer.


    We walked up a floor until we came to a collection of bottles that held medicinal oils. From off to the side, I shot a web from my cheek and nearly flinched when a separate window opened in my view.


    ¡°It¡¯s...from the web?¡± I asked. Sekh looked alarmed, but I told her what I saw. She explained that it must¡¯ve been [Web Manipulation] showing me the point-of-view from my web. Once the silk left my body, I could control it. Since the manipulation skill was Lv. 1, I had less than a second.


    But again, this was more than excellent. The sheer feeling of evolving and growing ever stronger, day by day, was unmatched by anything else I¡¯d felt in my life as Shuuta Fenton.


    It took just a few more minutes to finish my ¡®shopping¡¯ thanks to the overwhelming number of customers. Erin wasn¡¯t flying solo anymore, but it was still no small wonder why more people hadn¡¯t robbed this place. Kokan had said theft carried a harsh punishment, so that was a deterrent, but still. I guess it didn¡¯t matter to me at all, so I threw that out of my mind as we stopped by a butcher. I asked the AI to search for one, and we followed the waypoint. When we arrived, we were greeted by the beastly stench of cured meat hanging from hooks. Sekh¡¯s gluttony growled in her belly, choosing to look with her stomach and not her eyes.


    ¡°And I can pick which one I want? Really? Really really?¡± she excitably said. Her lion-like tail wagged a mile a minute as she stared at me with those glimmering silver eyes.


    ¡°Really really,¡± I said, trying not to laugh. ¡°Just know that I only have 33lbs free in my storage.¡± To test the AI, I told it to use [Analysis] on the hanging meat, highlight the top 10 with waypoints, and share that data with Sekh and Tilde.


    The data will be shared, my lord. A robotic, stiff voice echoed around my head. Sekh regained her composure and looked at the glowing carcasses. A heavy-set Dwarf with a beard so thick I couldn¡¯t see his mouth waddled over and offered his assistance. Sekh looked at me, I nodded, and she allowed the employee to assist her while I hung out with Tilde. It took about ten minutes for adorable Lionfolk to find the perfect cut of beef out of the ones highlighted and another five for him to chop off 25 pounds. That came out to more than I was expecting. If I had something like [Estimation] and [Haggling], I¡¯d brought the cost down to something more reasonable, but fuck it.


    It wasn¡¯t my money, so I didn¡¯t care. I paid the man for the overpriced beef while Sekh carried it in her arms. Her tail danced side to side, but when we were alone, I stashed it in my storage while returning home. However, life had other plans for me because I stopped by a furniture shop to buy a small bed for Niva and a desk for myself and arranged for it to be delivered to Ichiha¡¯s shop. I couldn¡¯t have Irisa sleep on the floor, and Niva was my responsibility. I didn¡¯t splurge on anything at all. The things I bought were as basic as basic could be.


    My shopping took a little over an hour and a half. When we returned home, I told Ichiha to expect a delivery, then went upstairs to the kitchen. Kokan was weaving my silk into thick bandages at the table. Twenty-three were already made, and he stretched out his arms and gave me a light wave.


    I retrieved everything from his ¡®shopping¡¯ list. He looked them over and nodded when Sekh and I joined him. Tilde landed on my shoulders and sat down. ¡°Hmm... This is concerning,¡± he said.


    ¡°Why? I got everything you needed, right?¡±


    ¡°You did, but the herbs are in a drastic state. They¡¯re dried and crumbly, not full and leafy. The oils are losing their luster, too. That damnable woman must¡¯ve taken advantage of Noelia¡¯s selfish buying spree and raised the prices. No doubt a heartless heathen like her would swap the fresh for the old just in case the price rose even more. But we can work with this.¡± I watched Kokan retrieve the necessary tools and asked about Irisa, who was at Smithy¡¯s Corner. She really wanted to stay and watch over Niva, but there wasn''t much for her to do.


    ¡°Has she moved at all?¡± I asked, tapping the desk with my fingers.


    ¡°She¡¯s been squirming, but that¡¯s about all,¡± Kokan replied, sitting down. ¡°Ah, I can see it in your eyes. You want to learn, right? Do you have [Alchemist] and [Apothecary]?¡± I didn¡¯t, but I could because Noelia¡¯s attendants had them.


    New Skill: [Alchemist]


    New Skill: [Apothecary]


    Kokan excused himself to clean up, and Sekh, Tilde, and I returned to our room.


    ¡°How¡¯s Niva?¡± Irisa asked when she stepped back into the kitchen after taking a bath. Her dirty, soot-covered skin and filthy blacksmithing apron were replaced by a comfy tank top, glistening green skin, and shorts that showed off her long, muscular legs. She joined her father, Sekh, and me at the table. Tilde was exhausted, so she was napping in her bed.


    It¡¯s 7:40. The sun¡¯s starting to go down.


    ¡°The same as ever,¡± I replied, telling her of the medicines we made. Kokan brought up the desk and bed and told Irisa she didn¡¯t have to sleep on the floor anymore. I thought she¡¯d be happy, and maybe she was, but her eyes subtly told a different story when I said it was for Niva.


    Irisa probably wanted to sleep in the same room as Sekh and me as a stepping stone for the three of us cuddling together in the same bed. Sekh and I liked her, and she fancied us, but I wasn¡¯t ready for her to see me in such a defenseless state again.


    I want to sleep with her... I¡¯m just scared, though... Maybe one day we can share a bed. I¡¯m aware of our feelings.


    Ichiha soon started dinner after closing the shop. Sekh¡¯s stomach growled, and I chuckled at her blushing expression.


    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s about time. Let¡¯s head to the backyard,¡± I said, explaining that we stopped by a butcher to get some meat. Ichiha asked if I would be willing to share some tomorrow morning. I nodded, and Sekh and I went to the backyard. The clouds were covering the crimson glow of the sunset, yet its radiant redness couldn¡¯t be contained.


    I prepared the makeshift stove, fire pit, frying pan, and the spices appropriately acquired from a certain store. Everything was laid out, so after getting a fire going, I retrieved the chunk of meat, handed it to Sekh, and used a knife from the arsenal to cut her off a decent slab. Storing it away, I tried to remember Greggie¡¯s advice when cooking steak.


    I don¡¯t have all those fancy spices, but I got salt, pepper, and garlic.


    ¡°And then rub it with the oil, right? And add some to a pan? Do I wait for it to heat up?¡±


    ¡°My liege?¡± Sekh sat beside me and placed a hand on my knee.


    ¡°Ahh, sorry. I¡¯m trying to remember what Greggie said...¡± I stopped agonizing over it. After pouring a bit of oil into the pan and meat, I added my three spices to both sides. I dropped the steak in fat side down when the oil was hot. Pressing on it, I told the AI to analyze the steak and display its current temperature and cooking time.


    The capability to do so isn¡¯t there yet, my lord.


    Okay, I guess I¡¯m winging it.


    The sizzle of the meat was music to Sekh¡¯s ears. She focused her attention while holding a plate in her hands. Once I felt the fat was rendered, I think, I turned it to its flat side and waited. I remembered Greggie mentioning he liked to baste his steak, but I didn¡¯t know what that entailed. Asking the AI didn¡¯t work because it needed more data.


    When I thought it was time, I pressed a fork into the steak and lifted it up. Greggie said you wanted to make sure there was a crust, but I didn¡¯t know what that was.


    With a sigh, I flipped it over. ¡°If Greggie was here, he¡¯d know what to do. In my world, he was ranked 247th amongst all Michelin Star Chefs. And he¡¯s not even 22 years old. I bet he could use the same shit I did and make something a trillion times better.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t eat it.¡± I asked why. Sekh stared at the steak and looked strong and determined. Her lovely crimson tunic fluttered in the breeze and knocked her hood down. ¡°Your cooking is what I desire, not his. Besides, he betrayed and abandoned you when you needed help the most. Even if he lives long enough to present you with an apology feast of the most sought-after dishes throughout the world, I''d burn it in front of him because his food isn¡¯t worthy to enter my mouth.¡±


    I remained quiet until I thought the food was done. Sekh stabbed it with a fork and brought it to her plate, then cut off a decent chunk. The insides were dark brown, and it was tough. I didn¡¯t fail to see how chewy it was...


    But Sekh ate every piece with a pretty smile while I watched her with adoration. Not once did she cough, spit it out, or make an excuse to not finish her meal.


    Maybe this is what Greggie feels when someone eats his food.


    ¡°Oh, you got a little bit on your lips. Here, I¡¯ll get it,¡± I said. I leaned in close and licked the steak juice staining her lips. She froze solid for a quick second, then moved a finger to the once juice-ridden spot. She washed it with her tongue and smiled. Placing the plate down, she threw herself at me. I fell to the ground with Sekh straddling me. I smiled up at her and rubbed her shoulders and upper arm. She leaned down and pressed her lips to mine, giving me a deep kiss while slipping her tongue in my mouth. ¡°Mmmn... You taste like steak. It¡¯s delicious.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for the delicious meal.¡±


    ¡°Cooking for the one I love is kinda fun. It brings joy to my heart,¡± I replied, wrapping my arms around her back. Tears of happiness flowed from her cheeks and splashed down to mine. After enjoying some time together, I stashed everything in the arsenal and returned to the kitchen. Ichiha and her family were playing tic-tac-toe. We joined and enjoyed a pleasant conversation for an hour or so.


    Then it was time for bed. After changing Niva''s bandages and reapplying medicine, Sekh and I carried her to the bed I¡¯d bought. It came with blue sheets, a white blanket, and a black pillow. I¡¯d made sure to buy soft sheets that wouldn¡¯t discomfort her wounds, so I had nothing to worry about when I pulled the blanket up to her chest after turning her to the side. Her gums were barely bleeding, and Sekh tended to that.


    Irisa stood by the doorway and stared at Niva. We chatted, the topic obviously about the nearly dead girl, but then she yawned and wiped her eyes. After some quick hugs, she wished us goodnight and returned to her couch. I watched her lie down, then closed the door and turned around. I looked at a sleeping Tilde and asked the AI about her once I summoned its hologram in mid-air.


    The multicolored stone jiggled and wiggled before speaking. ¡°After unlocking [Biological AI], the Conduit requires substantial rest to return to normal operating parameters, my lord.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Let her rest. Let¡¯s get ready for bed, Sekh.¡± I stretched my arms and started to disrobe, but Sekh remained still. Her piercing gaze stared past me. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°Wait...? Niva?¡± I turned around, and there she was, leaning up in her bed.

 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hey You, You’re Finally Awake – Part One

    Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hey You, You¡¯re Finally Awake ¨C Part One


    Niva very slowly turned her head to her surroundings. At the same time, the fingers on her remaining hand twitched.


    ¡°Do you know where you are?¡± I asked her. She met my gaze but refused to speak. Or maybe she couldn¡¯t? Were her vocal cords injured as well? [Analysis] didn¡¯t say anything about that, but her mouth was probably sore from her teeth extraction. ¡°I killed Noelia. Remember the gunshot? You stood up, tried to walk, fell, and passed out.¡±


    Instead of nodding or shaking her head, Niva touched her fidgeting fingers to some of her bandages. She tried to get out of bed, but Sekh stopped her.


    ¡°As part Lizardfolk with summoning magic, it¡¯s possible for you to become a Dragonfolk and summon a draconic spirit. Am I correct?¡±


    Again, Niva just stared towards my voice. The eyedrops reduced the swelling, redness, and puffiness, but even if the outside looked somewhat better, mono-eye degeneration fucked her optical nerves.


    Upon confirming she wasn¡¯t deaf, I concluded Niva was still disconsolate. ¡°Did Gloria enslave you? She¡¯s the one who handed you off to Noelia, right? As a damage sponge?¡±


    For as emotionless, still, quiet, and injured as someone like Niva could be, she reacted just enough to know that I hit the mark on the head. When asked if she wanted revenge, Niva finally found it in herself to nod. But did it come from herself? I never expected her to be totally quiet, so I partly wondered if she was in a tremendous amount of shock and believed this all to be a dream. But she wanted revenge, and that brought a bloodthirsty smile to my face.


    ¡°Then you¡¯re not alone in wanted to kill a Holy Lord. Meruria of Cridia fucked my life over.¡± I thought about explaining an abridged version of my life to her while focusing on my chimerism, yet it would have been futile because she couldn¡¯t see me transfigure. And if she believed this was a dream, I¡¯d just be wasting words. Still, I told her I was one and observed her lacking reaction. ¡°Join me in killing the bastards that caused so much harm to us. In return, I will nurse your wounds. Under my protection, you will know safety, not fright and abuse. Should anyone try to harm you, I¡¯ll destroy them without a second thought. Do you understand me?¡±


    Niva nodded, though I doubted she understood the meaning behind my words. Maybe she latched on to my offer of safety? Even if she wasn¡¯t all there, that could have struck a chord within her soul.


    I inquired the AI how to apply [Status Cloak], and it told me I needed Niva¡¯s loyalty. Why? I didn¡¯t know, but I thought about how best to go about it since she wasn¡¯t speaking. ¡°Should you wish to pledge your loyalty to the Transcendent Dark Lord, nod your head and receive my blessing.¡±


    Niva used the very last bit of her strength to complete her end of the bargain. Gray mana materialized above and showered her in its warmth.


    She¡¯s lucid enough to make life-long vows?


    Her name and info appeared under Sekh¡¯s. After a single command to the AI, Niva¡¯s mana was cloaked by the strongest camouflage this world had to offer. Even the power of a Holy Lord couldn¡¯t break through its mask. I doubt anything could, honestly.


    Reminds me of the stealth coatings the United States put on its bombers and fighters. They could be within miles of a radar station, yet they wouldn¡¯t appear on it. If radar like that existed, could [Status Cloak] prevent inanimate objects from showing up? If so, then couldn¡¯t you use it on a warship? There¡¯s a lot I still don¡¯t know about the extent of [Hermes Trismegistus].


    Sekh looked to me and shared her feelings. Since Niva was going to be her trusted ally, she wondered if she could reveal her past. Second thoughts clouded her determination since she wasn¡¯t sure if Niva was even ¡®conscious.¡¯ What she wanted to do was her own choice, and upon telling her that, she opted to stay her tongue for a while longer.


    That was odd, however, since Sekh was indifferent to Niva up until now. Perhaps knowing that she was under my protection changed how she saw her? That made the most sense. But still...


    It¡¯s kinda funny that we both want to tell Niva the truth about us, yet we can¡¯t find the courage to tell Irisa or her parents. Why is that? Why do we hesitate when they already know so much about us?


    After a few seconds, a leather collar with a blank metal charm magically wrapped around Niva¡¯s neck. I demanded answers from the AI, but Tilde was the one who answered from her bed in a sleepy voice.


    [Hermes Trismegistus] came with a ¡®hidden¡¯ effect that wasn¡¯t really needed until now. When someone pledged their loyalty to the Transcendent Dark Lord, two things happened. One: they¡¯d go back to Lv. 1. Two: they¡¯d keep their acquired skills and stockpiled SP. Sekh was Lv. 1 when she professed her loyalty, so nothing really happened. Niva was Lv. 1, so that effect wasn¡¯t needed. With this method, however, you could only be reduced to Lv. 1 once. De-leveling in this world was possible in a few different ways, but it was very rare and expensive to the point where most people didn¡¯t know it existed. And that included some Holy and Dark Lords.


    The effects of this loyalty system combined with [Tyranny Control] to create the ¡®best¡¯ of both worlds. And by that, I meant it turned it into something even more highly configurable. The SP sharing effect was transferred to the loyalty system, but everything else about that dastardly skill was elective.


    The enslavement effect and the items representing the slave, like the collar, seal tattoo, bracelet, and necklace, were optional. In fact, if Irisa pledged her loyalty to me, I could have Sekh give her a tattoo of a dolphin. Then if she disliked it, I could remove the non-binding seal or replace it with a monkey holding a banana.


    It¡¯s like an infinite tattoo I can replace repeatedly. That¡¯s kinda cool.


    Niva¡¯s collar did not mean she was my slave. She would never be mine unless I explicitly allowed it. Even then, its merger with this ¡®loyalty¡¯ system meant the slavery effect would not be permanent and unbreakable unless I wanted it. And since I never saw a reason to make it take on that aspect, I listened to Tilde and gave command over those two effects to Niva to further prove my words. If she acknowledged this fact, I didn¡¯t know. And I wouldn¡¯t know until she spoke.


    Yes, she had the power to declare herself a slave. Yes, it was better than retaining that ability because she might believe I would dangle that threat in front of her unless she did what I wanted. If I could reverse the effect and grant Sekh¡¯s freedom, I¡¯d do it quicker than I could breathe.


    ¡°Ah, shit! Niva, are you okay?! Spit it out!¡± I said, looking at her squirming face. Her mouth was slightly agape, and the soup poured like molten blood. I internally slapped myself for doing something stupid, but I didn¡¯t dwell on it anymore. I cleaned her up, then when the soup was at an acceptable temperature, fed her the rest without any issues.


    Ichiha took her to the couch and made her comfortable once breakfast was over, and I spoke with Kokan a little bit more about what to do. ¡°I want to say the signs of healing are there, but you can¡¯t split a boulder with only a single day¡¯s effort. She will need time, and it¡¯s good she¡¯s even moving around. I¡¯m worried for her mind, though. The episode she had this morning, unfortunately, proved my darkest suspicions about her.¡±


    ¡°If you thought it happened to her, it probably happened,¡± I said, finishing my cup of water. I told Sekh and Tilde that we were going to the mines to get some iron since I''ll probably need a shit ton of it. Failure was going to be synonymous with my name because the chances of me making the prosthetics first try were incredibly slim.


    Sekh and Tilde nodded, and Niva¡¯s eye followed our footsteps as we walked down the stairs. I figured we could complete a few quests to make a little extra money, so we stopped by the guild. That was the plan, but a fancy carriage was parked out front. It shimmered like rubies excavated from the depths of a volcano, with gold and black trimming added to the door and windows. Something so gaudy could only have been owned by someone with outrageous wealth. That was one thing, but four winged horses, each with brightly colored manes, had their harnesses hooked to the shafts. The driver was an elegant-looking woman with a stoic expression. Her dark hair was short and styled, but her fingerless gloves revealed manicured nails sharpened to a point.


    We approached the guild¡¯s door, where two human men stood guard. Their armor was blacker than night, and they wore crimson-tipped winged helmets. The left one carried a blue sword, and the right guard wielded a red spear. The sword-wielding guard put up a hand and explained that the guild was closed for the time being.


    That was fine, but something was off. The woman, horses, and guards made up seven dots on my map.


    But there were eight.


    If the map and radar were to be believed, and they hadn¡¯t been wrong before, someone was standing in front of the door. A quick use of [Analysis] on that mysterious dot revealed the truth.


    It was a Dragonfolk, and they were under the effects of [Essence Deletion], an illusion spell that removed your presence from the world. I couldn¡¯t see him, but I didn¡¯t want him to know I knew where he was, so we left.


    I altered our pre-dungeon destination to a familiar store I loved to plunder. My shopping list consisted of men¡¯s underwear for me¡ªsleeping nude from now on was out of the question because if I had to react to an emergency, I¡¯d prefer to do it with something covering my naughty bits¡ªand a few more herbs. After the AI highlighted the clothes that would fit Niva with waypoints, I stole a few outfits. I was going to do this after returning from the dungeon, but I wanted to get it out of the way.


    We left the eternally busy shop with tired, overworked employees and embarked on a journey to the mines. Along the way, I talked to Tilde and Sekh about the invisible guard. Tilde received information from my map, so she knew he was there. And Sekh did as well, but she discovered him because her instincts told her someone was closely watching her. Tilde said the Dragonfolk had the title [Shadowguard], which meant he specialized in striking from the shadows to protect their liege. Only true masters of stealth and combat could get it through an endeavor that sounded impossible.


    But it was no lie to state that he was a magnificent assassin. The title also boosted his stats and stealth abilities to an unhealthy degree.


    But more importantly, he had the title [Holy Lord¡¯s Guardian], so it didn¡¯t take a genius to figure out why the guild was closed.


    Gloria was inside. She was probably chatting to the guild master about Noelia. That was my guess, at least.


    Since no one was around us, I had the AI display a satellite map of the guild, but my target wasn¡¯t there. She had just left the building and was walking to her carriage with a Dark Elf by her side.


    Gloria wore a long, black dress with an angled split below her waist to show off her long legs. But the top, which had long sleeves and a design to emphasize her medium-sized breasts and healthy amount of cleavage, was attached to the bottom by two black straps. Her sleeves and the rest of her top were accented in a swirly white, probably to show off her nature as a Holy Lord. The same design could be found on a pair of lacy straps clasped around her thighs and her heeled shoes. The hem of her dress seemed to have been dipped in pure, watery mana because it shone a vivid white. Tilde said that was possible, but the chances of finding mana dense enough to be in a liquid state were like encountering a Holy Lord on their dying breath and convincing them to let me kill them so I could assimilate their power. It could also be used to dye hair, which was why Gloria¡¯s wavy hair was as white as a ghost. Her eyes were a dull grey, though. Did she tint her eyes?


    Gloria held the title [Holy Lord of Shadow], and [Shadow Magic] was a thing... But why would a Holy Lord choose to master that? What effects could be gained from using [Holy Infusion] on spells weak to light? It wasn¡¯t like that was all she knew. Gloria was Lv.165 with hundreds, almost thousands, of skills and titles. She was a force to be reckoned with.


    She climbed in her carriage, sat down, and crossed her legs. She rested a hand under her chin, and a sigh escaped her pink lips. The Dark Elf she was with¡ª a woman named Arella Worzai¡ªwas...interesting. A pair of curved swords rested on her back. They glowed a deep violet¡ªthe same hue as her piercing eyes. Her hair was styled in a ponytail, and it was a faded white, not unlike the Holy Lord she guarded with her life...


    But her gear... Her metal armor brought attention to her large breasts, but it looked like she wore an armored skirt that didn¡¯t even reach her knees? It seemed more for fashion than defense, and it was the same with her heeled boots, which were made from enchanted steel¡ªthe same as her gauntlets.


    For some reason, it felt like the armor she wore was her weakest. In a world where steel wasn¡¯t the strongest, why would a Holy Lord¡¯s guard not wear the best? Perhaps she believed in her offensive ability more than her defense? You didn¡¯t need to worry about taking damage if you killed your opponent first. She probably embodies the motto of ¡®Strike first. Strike hard. No mercy,¡¯ but I wouldn¡¯t know that unless I saw her fight.


    After investigating further, the AI gave me a brisk rundown on Arella. She was Lv. 89 with over 70 spells and skills at Lv. 10. She held the same title as the Dragonfolk, but for her sub-title, she had [Holy Lord¡¯s Royal Guard]. The closer she was to Gloria, the more powerful Arella became. That made sense, I suppose, but as it stood now, we were decades of progress away from slaughtering them.


    The world was a wide ocean, and I was nothing more than an amoeba.


    But I wasn¡¯t dejected. There was no reason to become depressed. Instead, Tilde, Sekh, and I casually chatted while continuing to the dungeon. It seemed that was Gloria¡¯s next destination because her carriage soon passed us on the right. The two human guards marched beside it, and the driver refused to look at us. Neither did Gloria or Arella, but the Dragonfolk? My map indicated he was on top of the carriage, but I didn¡¯t know if he was sitting or standing.


    We only continued our talks once they were out of range, but I kept a waypoint on the Dragonfolk because I felt better knowing where he was at.

 Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hey You, You’re Finally Awake – Part Two

    Chapter Thirty-Seven: Hey You, You¡¯re Finally Awake ¨C Part Two


    Upon reaching the dungeon, we saw a large group of adventurers aimlessly shuffling around. The two human guards were standing in front of the entrance. It had a colorless barrier around it, preventing anyone from entering. Rumors mulled about, though. If they were to be believed, it looked as if Noelia was reported missing this morning, so the mines were shut down by Gloria¡¯s forces until she could investigate. Another person said Dark Mana was detected. To defend her country and assure her citizens Dirge wasn¡¯t under attack, Gloria came out to dispel the mana and discover the truth. One thing was for sure. The dungeon would cease operations for the foreseeable future. As for when it would open? No one knew. The Dragonfolk remained on top of the carriage. Well, my waypoint was there.


    It was just a theory, but I wondered if [Eyes of the Huntress] could evolve to pierce through cloaking effects? It was powerful enough, but it felt like something was lacking.


    But with the dungeon closed, we couldn¡¯t get any iron. I had a few dozen pounds of ore chilling in my storage, but it was a pain to walk all this way and have nothing to show for it. The day was pretty, though. A summer breeze danced through my blond hair and sent it scattering while we returned to the house.


    Meanwhile, it was time to do a little spying. Letting the AI take the lead, I instructed it to display and follow Arella and Gloria whilst in satellite mode.


    ¡°Lord Gloria, you must remain in control of your emotions,¡± Arella said as a holographic map appeared in front of us. We were alone, so I didn¡¯t worry about anyone seeing it.


    ¡°I am incredibly displeased,¡± Gloria calmly said, her face betraying the cool tone she spoke with. She carried a scowl while leaving behind flaming footsteps as proof of her irateness. Suddenly, she stopped in her tracks and looked to the left, eyeing a group of naked goblins dancing around the corpse of a bat. ¡°It¡¯s unsightly... I hate it... Arella, destroy them. Collapse the rooms and chambers we come across. I don¡¯t want them to even look my way... Not with how angry I am...¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord. I know how much you despise dungeons that births goblins.¡± Arella bowed, then took hold of her curved swords. I thought she was going to rush in, but no.


    She did something entirely different.


    ¡°[Gunblade].¡± With that single word, her swords flashed a vivid purple and became a pair of tactical machine pistols that shared the same color scheme as her melee weapons. If the guns were the same as the ones from my world, Arella¡¯s weapons used 9x19 parabellum rounds and shot 900 bullets a minute.


    ¡°What the hell? That¡¯s a thing?!¡± I exclaimed. Tilde nodded and said it was a rare skill, but you could take a melee weapon and a gun and fuse them together. And Dark Elves preferred to use firearms over a bow.


    ¡°[Ammo Storage].¡± Suddenly, a floating locker appeared in front of her. Arella turned the handle, opened it, and removed two 60-round magazines labeled with [Micro Explosion]. A quick use of [Analysis] said her weapons had [Mana Link]. Tilde spiraled into another lecture and said there was a skill called [Spell Bullet Production]. It was rare, hard to make it appear in your Skill Menu, and more difficult to acquire. With it, you could turn any spell you knew into a bullet. In a way, [Chimeric Armatization] worked like it, but you could use [Spell Bullet Production] to create bullets for later use. It took a lot of mana since creating matter from nothing was no easy feat.


    Arella ejected her guns¡¯ magazines and slotted in the new ones while Tilde said [Mana Link] only supplied the gun with basic bullets. Based on what I saw, Arella¡¯s mana probably wasn¡¯t that strong. Stronger than mine? Definitely. But most of her skills were related to firearms and close combat. She knew very little magic.


    Tilde was confused, though. The fairy said [Micro Explosion] was often used by miners and excavators because it was an explosive spell that caused craters. It was perfect for precise work since the average explosion was less than an inch in diameter. She didn¡¯t know why Arella chose those two magazines. Th.e? most uptodate novels are published on n(0)velbj)n(.)co/m


    She raised her arms, aimed her guns, and pulled the triggers. One second later, thirty rounds exploded out of her machine pistols, leaving behind a mist of death and a room full of craters over a yard in diameter.


    Yes, a yard. It was like a dozen pounds of TNT exploded every time a bullet made contact, and it didn¡¯t take long for the entire dungeon to shutter as if it were wounded. The rumbling didn¡¯t transfer to my holographic display, but I saw the ground vibrate as the room caved in.


    ¡°Tilde, what the hell?!¡± I exclaimed, turning to a fairy with a gaped mouth. She quickly shook her head.


    ¡°Holy shit... Look, the strength of your mana determines the power of the bullet produced by [Spell Bullet Production]. If it¡¯s this strong, then Gloria herself must be supplying Arella with her bullets. This is bad, Master. Those bullets are strong enough to blow a hole through an elephant¡¯s ass. And that¡¯s with an SMG. Imagine if she used a sniper or shotgun that shoots slugs."


    But I wasn¡¯t scared...


    No, I was...thrilled.


    ¡°That¡¯s a proud grin you have, my liege,¡± Sekh said, turning to me. She had one of her own across her face. I could tell she was more determined than ever.


    Returning our gazes to the holographic window, the dust started to settle. Arella stood in front of her summoner with her swords crossed in front of her chest. Around her and her summoner was a barrier of purple, which prevented harm from coming to them. The Dark Elf lightly chastised her lord for the overwhelmingly powerful attack as the teleporter to the lobby appeared.


    ¡°That was for a reason, my dear,¡± Gloria replied, skipping over to the remnants of Noelia¡¯s camp while her hands flashed orange with deadly fire. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you tell? When we arrived in the dungeon and made our way to the boss, we encountered Noelia¡¯s camp. Crowded around the campfire were the corpses of a bandit troupe that chased a little half-breed deep into the mines because they wanted to break her down. They were new to the area, so they didn¡¯t expect to see a Soul Warrior waiting at the depths.¡±


    Scorching flames danced from the tip of her fingers and burned the evidence.


    ¡°Noelia and her brave attendants fought like hell to protect the girl, but a stray arrow found its way to her little half-breed heart. Overcome by wrath and anger, Noelia unleashed the hidden power of her soul and became a torrential flow of purifying, deadly flames. It consumed her, devouring everything in this room while leaving the innocent, injured girl alive. Even as she turned into flames and entered the afterlife, the half-breed was protected by a barrier. And we simply found her here, surrounded by ash and death. In a groggy state, she foolishly entered the arena, and I acted fast to save her life, leading to the egregious use of [Twilight Abaddon]. I assume it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find a half-breed somewhere? Tell the Barclays to find one around 8 years old, and make sure she¡¯s shot with an arrow. And tell them to hypnotize the child permanently. An orphan girl shouldn¡¯t have much in the way of mental defenses. Understood?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord. I shall see it done.¡±


    ¡°No, you won¡¯t. Send the shadowguard to relay my orders. You will remain here and act as my eyes and ears. Inform the guild master that the Mines of Gamor will be inaccessible for the foreseeable future. It needs time to heal, yet I will make it my temporary home while you search the city for answers.¡±


    ¡°As you see fit, my lord.¡± Arella saluted, turned on her heels, and walked towards the teleporter.


    We talked about what we saw, then resumed our journey home. Once there, I sat down with Irisa and her parents to drop off the things I¡¯d stolen while telling them what occurred. To be safe, I plopped a waypoint on the shadowguard, Gloria, and Arella and shared it with the onis. ¡°Whatever you do, if you see the waypoint nearby, avoid it. Gloria is a master of illusion magic, so I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to disguise her guard,¡± I said.


    I was glad Niva was still unconscious while we talked about this. Perhaps hearing Gloria¡¯s name would be enough to send her into shock. But after about twenty minutes, I decided it was time to go with Irisa to Smithy¡¯s Corner.


    We had some prosthetics to construct.


    Sekh remained behind to tend to the newest member of the Kill Idiot Loser Lords Squad, or the KILLS as Tilde liked to put it.


    Thanks to the AI, I knew what size the prosthetic had to be, but that didn¡¯t mean I knew how to make them. How was I going to make the sleeve? What material was best for it? And how was I supposed to start? The socket or the leg? After sighing, Irisa rubbed my back softly with her tender hand. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mila. I dunno much about it either, but I¡¯m sure we can come up with something.¡±


    The powerful, beautiful woman gave me a friendly smile as she put on her blacksmithing apron and held her smithing hammer determinedly.


    ¡°Right. Let¡¯s get to it.¡±

 Chapter Thirty-Eight: Small Success

    Chapter Thirty-Eight: Small Success


    Making something designed to replace a functional aspect of the body was hard work. No, it was on a whole different level than simply being ¡®hard.¡¯ The balance aspect had to be just right. What good was a new leg if it was too heavy to lift? Likewise, if the prosthetic was flimsy and too light, it¡¯d collapse underneath the patient''s weight or get sent flying by wayward gusts.


    Dozens of attempts later, I¡¯d yet to produce even a prototype. Eight pounds of iron were down the drain, and that was with recycling the failures and turning them back into ingots. And it wasn¡¯t like I was trying to do this alone. Kokan stayed with me long after the moon took its place in the sky to help me sketch better designs. He¡¯d pen his thoughts down and make little diagrams and drawings of the prosthetics, taking notes on where it¡¯d be preferable to have a screw and where it¡¯d be better to be all in one piece. We¡¯d talk for hours, but it mostly resulted in exasperated sighs and headaches.


    Meanwhile, his daughter had stopped forging for the shop and focused solely on helping me. She took over melting the raw iron into ingots so I wouldn¡¯t have to stop to do that. She offered a practiced hand and advice to guide my hammer strikes. When it came time to try out a design, such as using two thin support beams to mimic the fibula and tibia, she told me flat out that my forging skills weren¡¯t up to par to handle such delicate work. She apologized so abruptly for being harsh. I thanked her, but I used low-quality iron to practice something I knew I couldn¡¯t accomplish.


    A week of attempts passed me by. Whenever I returned home covered from head to toe in dirty soot, I didn¡¯t want to look at it like a reminder that I failed to achieve my goals. Instead, I listened to Tilde¡¯s advice and took pride in my appearance because it meant I tried my hardest¡ªsomething I never did as Shuuta. Not that I was ever given a chance, but it felt good to put the hard effort in because I wanted to become someone better. I wanted to prove everyone wrong. I wanted Lyudmila Springfield to become so totally better than Shuuta Fenton that I¡¯d never have to think of him again.


    I wanted to say Niva was doing well, but that was oversimplifying things because she couldn¡¯t be summarized in just a one-word update. Sure, perhaps her blisters and bruises were looking a little better, but physical healing couldn¡¯t affect the mind. Bad dreams and night terrors were common occurrences, and it wasn¡¯t rare for me to go to bed fully dressed so I could get up with her when it happened.


    At first, even touching her hand was enough for her screams and thrashing to double in volume and tenacity. I¡¯d have to reassure her safety, then promise I was working hard for her to regain her mobility for her to even calm down the slightest bit. But her hysterics also meant her wounds kept reopening, giving her little time to heal. During this week, she also went into potion dependency withdrawals. Gallons of sweat drained down her body, with her constant twitching and restlessness. She spat out her food during breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and whatever she did eat was vomited right out of her mouth. Her skin felt clammy, and she was often disoriented and passed the time gagging or clutching her stomach.


    Her cries of agony were heart-shattering to someone like Kokan and Ichiha because Niva was young enough to be their daughter. It was rough on me, too, because I knew exactly what she was going through. The fear she felt? I experienced it. The fright? The disgust? The pain? I had to suffer through it all.


    When I held her hand to calm her down from her night terrors, I¡¯d whisper the promises I¡¯d made her. Sometimes, that made her cry harder, but rarely did she simmer off at my words and tearfully nod. On those days, she¡¯d try to eat her breakfast with her good hand, yet most of the time, she didn¡¯t have the strength to lift a spoon. Thus, it always fell to me to feed her, and I was okay with that. Taking care of her allowed my mind to rest, reset, and prepare for the following day, which consisted of my attempt at creating a prosthetic leg. Until now, Niva wore Kokan¡¯s shirts since they were pretty much like a dress, but I managed to snag a black blouse, skirt, and a white wig. She flinched away when I helped her get dressed, but that was probably an involuntary reaction to her former abuse.


    Sekh and I were still hesitant to tell Niva our pasts, so we refrained from that until she could speak and hold a conversation. It felt like she wanted to, though, since she always had her mouth open and tried her best to vocalize her response in a series of awkward noises. The dedication was something to be admired, and it struck me in the heart chord because she was fighting hard.


    But since she was on the up-and-up, Kokan taught me how to properly massage Niva¡¯s limbs in a way that would maintain her muscles. He said this was important because the road to recovery would be faster. So, I started with her good leg, raising it up until her pained expression told me to stop, then went to work on her calf before switching to the other leg. After taking care of that, I ran my fingers down her arms, gently pushing and copying Kokan. It was probably slightly painful for Niva, but she endured it since she knew this would help her walk again when the prosthetics were done.


    As I predicted, Gloria used her illusion magic to transform Arella into a run-of-the-mill human. Her cover was working at Noelia¡¯s bar as a barmaid, using her feminine wiles and charm to extract information from the drunken patrons. She never worked as a prostitute, though. Anyone who slapped her ass or grabbed her by the hips received a heavy beating, leading to her gaining a nickname as the Iron Maiden. Every night, she communicated with Gloria via a ring enchanted with [Telepathy], but I couldn¡¯t hijack that conversation. As for Gloria? She had transformed the room in front of the boss¡¯s chambers into her bedroom. She had more than one storage-type skill, so the room was decorated in record time. It was far too... sterile. Muted browns and soft whites, a hint of black and gray here and there to match her gunsmoke eyes. I wasn''t a fan of it.


    The shadowguard¡¯s waypoint wasn¡¯t visible, so he was out of range. And Irisa and her parents kept to their word and avoided Arella¡¯s waypoint if she was out doing some shopping.


    But as for the Barclays in Dirge¡¯s capital city? I had nothing. There was something in the newspaper about holding a state funeral for Noelia Carpenter. And there was even a printed image of the ¡®slave¡¯ half-breed Noelia was said to have saved. This world didn¡¯t have printers, but there were printing presses. It was still expensive to print color, though. Especially since Gloria had the paper distributed all over Dirge. I thought that was a mistake since it meant any rumors about a Soul Warrior¡¯s death would be true. Any enemies would see it as a sign of weakness, but Gloria didn¡¯t seem stupid. Arella was sharp, perhaps even brighter than Kokan, yet she told Gloria to go ahead with it. I wondered if this was a writ of challenge?


    If only I had a way to hack into their telepathic conversations... And there was that stuff about a council, too. Honestly, the Barclay family probably paid for everything. If so, they were far wealthier than I was led to believe. This couldn¡¯t have been cheap.


    Yeah, it was all bullshit. Nothing more than a fabricated story to change the public¡¯s perception of that rotten woman. But it worked. The murmur about Noelia started to sound positive. Some even regretted the way they talked and thought about her.


    It was sickening how easily they changed their minds about her. After being paid by Gloria, the guild announced they would take 500 people to the capital to witness the funeral. Tickets sold like wildfire, but I didn¡¯t care about that. If I were stronger? Then yes. I would''ve volunteered and caused some chaos in the capital. I wouldn¡¯t have killed the shadowguard, but I could ruin a solid portion of Gloria¡¯s army.


    But I was still weak.


    I wasn¡¯t anything special. Certainly not smart, strong, tough, or athletic. But after becoming Mila, I¡¯d like to believe I was close to gaining the perseverance and self-discipline I sorely needed. If not, then how did I have the strength to face each day knowing that I probably wasn¡¯t going to achieve my goals?


    Tilde had started to pound a positive mindset into my brain. Why? Perhaps she feared the repeated failures would grind my self-confidence the same way flowing water could split a mountain. But it wasn¡¯t just her. Sekh and my desire for revenge kept me going. In my dreams, I imagined impaling Meruria¡¯s head on a pike and casting those damnable traitors into a magmatic chasm full of molten magma. Then maybe I¡¯d launch a wave of fire over Cridia, which would spread to the world and envelope it in an abyssal flame, ending the planet and fulfilling the dreams of a woman who¡¯d put her faith in me?


    I was strong. I had to tap into determination because it would be foolish to ignore all the faith my closest companions had in me. If I wanted to feel weak, I could count on them to bring me back. If I felt like a failure, I knew their encouragement would pull me out of despair.


    Because I wasn¡¯t Shuuta anymore. I wasn¡¯t a friendless, sad sack of an abused existence born for the sake of being put down.


    As the days passed, the dungeon was still closed off to the public, and the people of Ria were making a fuss. A town was often constructed around or near a dungeon since adventurers needed a place to rest and resupply. The loot gained from there obviously needed a place to sell, and when you did the math, it was as clear as day that the two had a symbiotic relationship. The damage Gloria and Arella had caused was healed. From a quick check via my map, everything looked fine. The inhabitants were spawning like normal, but every night, one of the two guards standing out front would enter the mines and slaughter the monsters.


    Sure, a dungeon could exist without a town, and a town would do fine without a dungeon. But having both? Well, it was just good for business. In a capitalistic society, it would be inconceivable to think about putting a blockade on the dungeon because the money would stop flowing. But this wasn¡¯t one, and the rules didn¡¯t apply here.


    There is not enough data to complete the request, my lord.


    ¡°Tilde, what the hell? It isn¡¯t working?¡± I turned back to the snickering fairy.


    ¡°That¡¯s because the prosthetic you¡¯re picturing is so far out of the realm of your possibility that you¡¯d need a whole team of scientists and about 60 years of experience. Remember, you¡¯re not in your ¡®country¡¯ anymore. The advances in technology and healthcare cannot compare to what you¡¯re familiar with. Be stricter with your wording.¡±


    Sighing, I asked again, but I wanted to make something that would allow Niva to walk. Then, and only then, did it show me a list of instructions that were clear and precise.


    ¡°Shit... I was too focused on the end game, weren¡¯t I?¡±


    Tilde nodded. ¡°Yeah, you were. It¡¯s like painting the Sistine Chapel¡¯s ceiling when you don¡¯t even understand color theory. Remember, the prosthetics aren¡¯t permanent. When you''re more skillful, you can always remake them. That¡¯s what you plan to do with Big Tits¡¯ mace and shield, right? Have different iterations?¡±


    Sighing and nodding once more, I rubbed my head and knew I needed to apologize to Niva the moment we returned home. ¡°Wait. The chapel was painted in the early 1500s. Color theory didn¡¯t exist until Newton did his experiments in the 1660s. But I know what you mean, Tilde.¡±


    I grabbed a few cooled ingots, tossed them in the furnace, and the annoying fairy started to explain this new facet of [Biological AI]. It used something called ¡®augmented reality¡¯ to show me the holographic guide. When looking at the furnace, I could track the temperature of the individual ingots and the furnace itself. It was honestly amazing. Even more so when I could tell the AI to alert me when it was a particular temperature, which manifested as a smartphone-like alert in my vision.


    Okay, so the AI can monitor temperatures. To unlock it for cooking, I probably need to cook more.


    When my ingot was ready, I grabbed it with my tongs and raised my hammer, but the AI used AR to show me how to hold my hammer and how fast to hit the metal. It even used AR to highlight the exact spot I was supposed to strike.


    ¡°Irisa, I¡¯m going to need your help, okay? You¡¯re way better than me. I don¡¯t know how to share the data I¡¯m seeing, but I can read what it says.¡±


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. Mine will probably be better than yours. Is that okay?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°The important thing is getting Niva the mobility she deserves. My selfishness has put this off for too long, and I¡¯ll be a damn fool before I deny her anything because I didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Character development? Check. I¡¯m sad because I had a long rant ready in case you decided to be a bitch and either give up or refuse Green Tits¡¯ help.¡±


    ¡°Green...tits?¡± I heard Irisa whisper. She looked down her shirt.


    ¡°Whatever,¡± I bemoaned, trying to tune out the annoyance fluttering like a bat out of hell. ¡°But answer me this. How come the knowledge that should have come with [Blacksmith (Lv. 4)] isn¡¯t there?¡±


    ¡°You used over 100 SP at once on like 5 different skills. It takes time for that to process. You haven¡¯t taken a break, so it¡¯s no wonder why you¡¯re not feeling any different. When you learn or level up a skill, it¡¯s engraved onto your soul for your body to use. So yeah, the easiest solution is to take it easy for a while. You¡¯re a bright High Elf with a fat cock. It should be easy for someone like you.¡±


    ¡°What does that last part have to do with it?¡± Irisa questioned Tilde, but I sighed for what felt like the fourteenth time and asked if we could get started.


    We worked throughout the day until the glimmering flicker of our furnace was the last to be extinguished. Heaving for air, Irisa dropped her hammer and fell to her butt, gasping hard while sweat dripped down her cute face. She kept a smile while staring at the completed leg. I was afraid I¡¯d messed up on delicate bits, but the AI¡¯s AR feature gave me proper outlines to follow.


    Still, there they were. The leg was a vague-looking ¡®shell¡¯ to fit over Niva¡¯s stumpy knee. I wanted the shin tube to be much thicker to resemble Niva¡¯s other leg, but that added too much weight. It was the same with the feet¡ªone of which was standalone since Niva had most of her other biological leg. I had to strike a balance because it couldn¡¯t be solid metal or completely hollow.


    Both the leg and foot were one solid piece, but I added holes to the top of the socket for a suspension belt to wrap around for added security.


    Even though we both made a pair, Irisa wanted me to use my creations since she saw me put so much effort into them.


    They were ugly... so, so, so ugly, but I couldn''t choose aesthetic appeal over functionality. Not when it was concerning Niva, of course.


    I held out a hand for Irisa and helped her to her feet. We were both utterly exhausted, but the smiles on our faces said what didn¡¯t need to be uttered. I stashed the leg and foot in storage, helped Irisa clean up, and we were off towards the house with certainty towards the future fluttering in our hearts.

 Chapter Thirty-Nine: Trip Preparation (Arc 2 – End)

    Chapter Thirty-Nine: Trip Preparation (Arc 2 ¨C End)


    When I returned home with the good news, I left the prosthetics with Kokan for his analysis while Ichiha searched her room for two belts. Meanwhile, I took a quick bath to remove the dirt and soot from my sore body. After getting dressed in my shorts and shirt with Sekh¡¯s loving touch and assistance, we returned to the kitchen.


    Kokan was proud of what I had crafted with his daughter. My heart felt warm to receive his compliments. ¡°Here, Mila. I found them,¡± Ichiha said when she returned to the kitchen. I took the two leather belts and wrapped them through the holes in the socket, placed Niva¡¯s leg stump within it, then tied the belt around her upper thigh.


    Niva¡¯s face was an excellent indicator to see if it was too tight or loose. She nodded when I asked if it felt right, and I put her foot on. I stood at her side and kneeled a second time.


    ¡°Raise your leg.¡± Niva followed the command. Then she lifted the right leg, then the left, to get used to it. In seconds, she was already out of breath and sweating like crazy. ¡°Okay, this might hurt, but I¡¯m going to help you stand up, okay? Don¡¯t even try to move. Just try to stand, okay?¡± She gave me a pained glance and closed her eye. Her hand gripped mine for safety and comfort. Then she shook with all the sheerness of being abandoned in the arctic.


    It was like time slowed to a crawl during this heart-palpitating moment. I felt Niva''s weak fingers tremble when she actively pulled to lift herself. Enduring the pain... Throwing away the harsh reality of having to learn to walk all over again... It seemed like the only thing in her mind was a singular desire to stand upright.


    And she did it without any help from me. For four seconds, she stood on the prosthetics we toiled endlessly over the better part of a month. Very slowly, Niva turned to my cheering voice and gave me the tiniest smile¡ªher first showcase of a positive emotion since I took her under my protection. She gleamed at having tasted just a sip of potential independence and mobility. Niva let go of my hand and balanced for a handful of seconds,


    She was a fighter¡ªthrough and through.


    I was told I would never amount to anything in my life. That I should have died as a failure and not a disgrace. That the world would be better with me six feet in the ground. That everything I touched turned to trash. That I¡¯d never be that important to someone... That I¡¯d never be worth something to someone else... That I¡¯d never know the feeling of being loved... For fifteen years, I was beaten down at every turn of the road. It was smacked into me daily... Through pain...heartache...beatings... and burnings...


    I proved them all wrong...


    You see what I''d done, Lucas? This is what I could accomplish, Florence. Your little Shuuta¡¯s done something with their life. What the fuck have you done? Other than relying on Mia to live the lives you two fucking couldn¡¯t? Huh? I grabbed life by the fucking horns and got shit done!


    I brought a sense of independence to a girl that had it all taken away by people who were just as bad as you.


    And you know what? That was a fucking victory in my books.


    SNAP!


    Then the prosthetics shattered at the ankle, but I acted fast and caught her with gentle care. All eyes were on me, including Niva¡¯s, and I wondered how they wanted me to reply?


    Was I supposed to be sad? Upset? Annoyed? Disappointed? Was there a right emotion?


    ¡°Mila... I¡¯m sorry,¡± Irisa said with tears in her eyes. I figured she was regretting not going with hers because they were better.


    Sucking air through my teeth, I asked the AI, but Tilde answered. ¡°It used the data it had at the time to create the best plan it could. However, that wasn¡¯t enough because the prosthetics only lasted a few seconds. But remember what I said? It¡¯s constantly learning, and you¡¯re damn it learned a thing or two from it breaking. You know what this means, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I do. Niva, I''m sorry. Do you think you can wait just a little bit longer?¡± I asked, smiling at the girl I held in my arms. Her mouth opened slightly, but she nodded and softly curled her lips into a smile.


    ¡°Wait, so you¡¯re not upset?¡± Irisa inquired. I shook my head while we all sat down for a nice dinner and enjoyable conversation. It was pleasant to eat without worrying about the stresses of my failures, and even though I didn¡¯t see them that way, a wave of relief washed over me. The baked fish with cabbage and potatoes were downright scrumptious. Ichiha even made a separate pan that cooked longer at a low heat so Niva could eat it. It was her first time having something that wasn¡¯t soup. Even though her condition, I knew she loved it. That made me feel warm and fuzzy inside.


    If I¡¯d used Irisa¡¯s prosthetics, it wouldn¡¯t have broken. And I¡¯d never learned about the point of failure at the ankle. She had left them in her shed at Smithy¡¯s Corner.


    After a few rousing games of tic-tac-toe, it was time for bed. Sekh went ahead of me and made herself comfortable after helping Niva to bed, but I wanted to spend a little more time with Irisa. We just sat on the couch and talked about nothing, but I''d like to believe it was a good bonding experience for us. Especially after we¡¯d finished such a strenuous project. I felt we were close before, but I felt even closer to my favorite green-skinned woman. She looked cute in that low-cut tank top and pajama bottoms. When she raised her arms to stretch, her toned tummy peeked at me.


    We hugged goodnight and sensually rubbed each other¡¯s back, and I walked backwards to my room smiling and waving at Irisa. Niva was asleep, but a meek, quiet noise escaped her lips. After concluding there was no cause to be alarmed, Tilde flew to her dresser, yawned, and tucked herself under her handkerchief. Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    I slipped into Sekh¡¯s waiting embrace after canceling my night vision. With my head on her shoulder and her arms wrapped securely around my back, she kissed my head while cuddled. Her skin was so warm to the touch, and she smelled so good, too. We stared at the dark ceiling, our breaths matching the other in sync. The comfortable silence was broken by an innocent sentence filled with something my younger self desired.


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, my liege.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d that come from?¡±


    Sekh stroked my head with all the gentleness of a river. She took her right hand and interlocked my fingers. ¡°I just wanted you to know that.¡±


    Sekh¡¯s words were always sweetened with sugar, but they hit differently tonight.


    ¡°I love you, and I¡¯ll always be proud of what you¡¯ve accomplished with your second chance. This is just the beginning, my liege. I can¡¯t wait to see what you¡¯ll achieve as the Transcendent Dark Lord.¡±


    I looked up at her, she looked down, and we pressed our lips together. Afterwards, I monopolized her graceful touch and fell asleep, drowned in her love.


    I haven¡¯t been spending much time with her... I need to apologize and make up for that.


    ¡°I¡¯ve found the solution to your problem!¡± Kokan suddenly said with a piece of bread in his mouth when Sekh, Tilde, Niva, and I emerged from our room.


    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m listening,¡± I replied, putting Niva in her chair and sitting beside her. She slept through the night without the nightmarish terrors jolting her awake, and I wanted to believe that was a good omen. She also seemed more cheerful-- possibly because I¡¯d followed through on my promises. And probably because her HP finally reached 15%.


    I showed her I was someone she could trust because I''d been in her shoes before.


    ¡°Last night, I was doing some thinking. There¡¯s a village about three days away that¡¯s home to an exceptional blacksmith. Even though he¡¯s pushing 90, he¡¯s your man.¡± Kokan hit me with a bombshell of information I couldn¡¯t ignore. ¡°He doesn¡¯t forge weapons and armor. He¡¯s a grandmaster of the small and delicate. If you need gears for a waterwheel, he¡¯s your guy. A small pin for a wheelbarrow? He could make one 1/64th of an inch wide with impeccable craftsmanship. You probably want to make the prosthetics yourself, but it¡¯s hard to overstate his sheer ability.¡± I asked how he knew this, and he said he randomly wandered into the village about five years ago. He couldn¡¯t take one foot inside Ria without receiving a hundred threats¡ªdue to the obvious.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine with me. The AI could probably get some fantastic data from watching him.¡±


    The rainbow-colored pillar of stone materialized by itself and jiggled. ¡°The data gained would be invaluable, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Yes. They¡¯re enchanted with a minor mana restorative effect, right?¡± Sekh asked, sitting on the bed. She carefully folded her hands in her lap and smiled up at me.


    ¡°Niva, you¡¯re going to wear this dark blue robe,¡± I said, producing the item. It was a good thing I¡¯d cleaned them a while back. I helped her sit up from her bed and put the robe around her. The AI helped by marking the spots I needed to adjust with its AR functionality. I took it off her, sat at the desk with my sewing kit gainfully acquired from the Barclay¡¯s store, and got to work cutting, snipping, and threading. The AI was always a helpful assistant. Without its help, I¡¯d probably remain in this uncomfortable chair until the early morning.


    Sekh stared as I worked, then a feisty smile curled upon her pretty lips. She hopped off the bed, put her hands behind her waist, and skipped over to me. I met her cute smile with one of my own as she moved behind me and pressed her hands to my shoulders.


    ¡°I take your moaning as a sign I¡¯m doing something right,¡± said Sekh. She leaned down and kissed my head.


    ¡°Mmn, you are. I¡¯ve...never had a massage before.¡±


    ¡°Tilde told me to do this. She said it¡¯ll make you relax.¡±


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t wrong about that,¡± I said, looking at the fairy. She hovered in front of Niva and was talking to her about something. Sure, I could have eavesdropped, but I gave them their privacy while I continued the alterations.


    I finished up about ten minutes later. With a gentle touch, Sekh held Niva as if she was standing while I put the robe around her. I cut the sleeves down to where they stopped at her wrist, but the robe reached her ankles.


    She just didn''t have any.


    The hood was far larger than her head, which helped disguise her even more.


    Huh... That looks good on her. The light blue skin and dark blue robe work well together, and I can still see the sleeves of her blouse sticking out.


    Until Niva used magic, I couldn¡¯t tell if the mana regen effect was working. She¡¯d need to speak for that to happen. It was imperative to diagnose the reason behind her muteness so I could cure it, but if [Analysis] didn¡¯t show me, then I didn¡¯t know. I hypothesize it had something to do with her wounds, but they were fading by the day. She¡¯d recovered so much there wasn¡¯t any more blood in her feces or urine, which Kokan was extremely happy about since it meant her body was fighting hard and succeeding.


    Tilde said Niva needed a staff to complete the spirit summoner look. I had just enough iron to make one. ¡°Ah, no, you don¡¯t need to make one. Having a staff allows her to focus when she¡¯s casting spells. Basically, you can direct the flow of mana through a core object to help stabilize it. Even someone with the innate ability to use skill via thought would benefit from a staff or wand. Hint hint, nudge nudge.¡±


    I stretched Niva¡¯s legs and massaged her calves and arms. Her face showed strain, but this had to be done, and she knew it. When I finished, I left the robe on her. It looked good on her, and I thought she liked it. It was a gift from me, after all. I doubt presents were a common occurrence in her life.


    After telling her good night, I stripped and hopped in bed with Sekh. Niva wasn¡¯t having any more night terrors, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about jumping out of bed and tending to her mental worries. Sekh was waiting like a beautiful siren as the moonlight illuminated her immaculate fur that was so wonderful and soft. I desired her touch, so I almost wrapped myself around her like a crab. She kissed me gently, put her hands over mine, and stroked my fingers. Her love was too much for someone like me, especially since I almost neglected her...


    Might as well face that uncomfortableness head on...


    ¡°Have I been neglecting you?¡± I asked suddenly. Sekh answered with another kiss and a subtle shake of her head.


    ¡°Why would you ask that?¡± she whispered, holding me tighter.


    ¡°My head¡¯s a big mess right now, so I dunno... But it feels like I have. We only see each other at night because I spend all day at the forge. I just feel bad...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you shouldn¡¯t feel because you were doing something incredible. Without you, Niva would be dead. Or if you hadn¡¯t worked so hard for her, she¡¯d never experienced the joy of independently standing. You did something no one else wanted to do.¡±


    I told the AI to alert me if Niva woke up because what I wanted to talk about wasn''t meant for her ears.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t do it out of kindness, Sekh. I was solely thinking about her power. Even if I try to convince myself otherwise...the prosthetics were a contingency plan in case her hatred of Gloria wasn¡¯t enough. I want to care about her because... I mean, I want her to live, but it feels like a part of me doesn¡¯t care if she dies since the ultimate backup plan was me eating her for her skills. Be honest. If you¡¯d met her under the same circumstance 1,000 years ago¡ª¡±


    Without even a moment¡¯s worth of hesitation, Sekh nodded. ¡°That¡¯s the past, and this is now, and since we pledged our loyalty to you... Camaraderie is an unknown feeling, but without the curse dictating how I need to live my life, it¡¯s not something I dislike. My primary goal is still the destruction of this world, but I¡¯ll even go as far as to say I can¡¯t wait to see her evolve. On that note, I want to thank you for not killing her. Seeing her go from a meek girl to someone who can even balance with legs, not her own, is inspiring. Yes, she had support, but it doesn¡¯t make it any less amazing.¡±


    I snuggled closer to Sekh until she held my head against her chest. She wrapped her arms around me and promised to never let go. ¡°But no, my liege, you haven¡¯t neglected me. Every morning, I¡¯m still blessed to see your beautiful face, and I¡¯m thankful you¡¯re the last thing I see before I go to bed. When you¡¯re off at the forge, I train with Kokan and learn from Ichiha. I¡¯m grateful to them for teaching me so many things, but...¡±


    ¡°But?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...been a while, my liege,¡± Sekh whispered. I looked up and saw a gorgeous blush dance around her pretty cheeks. ¡°Since we made love, I mean. Times have been busy, so it¡¯s understandable. And with Niva sharing our room, I suppose we hadn¡¯t had the chance.¡±


    "Then... What about a date?¡±


    ¡°Date?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. When we get back, I¡¯ll take you out on a date. It¡¯ll just be you and me. No Irisa, no Niva, and no Tilde to get in our way. We¡¯ll do whatever you want to. It¡¯ll be my way of saying how much I love and appreciate you.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never been on one before...¡±


    ¡°Neither have I, but I want my first to be with you. You¡¯re gorgeous, Sekh. I mean, I can hardly keep my eyes off you.:


    "Really?" she whispered.


    I nodded. "We can walk around and get you some new clothes. I can see it already. We''d be holding hands, living a slice of life we were never granted. If we find a secluded spot..."


    ¡°Hmm... I can¡¯t wait, my liege. And neither can you, apparently,¡± Sekh said. She held me closer to her chest while reaching a hand down to my erection.


    She poked the tip with her fingers and brushed the back of her dainty palm against my balls. I shimmied down the pillow just enough to cup my mouth around her nipple and sucked away while she placed my cock between her thighs. She shifted back and forth to stimulate the sensitive tip after peeling my foreskin. ¡°I¡¯ll clean up the mess, my liege. Just let it out whenever you want,¡± she whispered, licking the tip of my ears.


    It seemed like the main course was delayed, but even the strictest person would indulge in an early appetizer, right?

 Chapter Forty: Traveling to the Forest Village of Aetos (Arc 3 – Start) (R-18 Illustrations!)

    Chapter Forty: Traveling to the Forest Village of Aetos (Arc 3 ¨C Start) (R-18 Illustrations!)


    We were all standing in front of the shop early in the morning, though, in Niva¡¯s case, it¡¯d be more apt to say she was sitting comfortably in her comfy wheelchair. Even though I said we were leaving at 7, it just so happened that everyone was up and moving two hours before then. It was funny how things worked out like that, but I wasn¡¯t complaining about getting an early start. That only meant we¡¯d be back sooner, and I couldn¡¯t wait for my date with Sekh.


    The early morning purple sky was a rare occurrence, but I wanted to look at it as an omen of good luck as it blessed a traveling group of four with good luck. Ichiha, dressed in her robe, handed me a stack of sandwiches wrapped in parchment paper. I thanked her for the food and stored it, then took the backpack she had in her other hand. We talked earlier, and she quipped it¡¯d be strange to walk around without pouches or gear. Sekh slipped hers on, and Niva had one resting across her lap.


    ¡°Be careful, okay? Is that enough food? I can make something else if you¡¯d like. What about some soup for Niva?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but we¡¯ll be fine. I know how to stew and soup from watching you all the time. I planned to do a little bit of hunting along the way,¡± I replied. She asked if we had enough water, and we probably had more than enough. 16 canteens full of water sat in my storage, and even if we didn¡¯t hunt, I had 8 lbs of meat left.


    ¡°Still, be careful, okay?¡± Irisa asked, repeating her mother¡¯s sentiment. ¡°I know you have your map and that AI thingie, but I can¡¯t help but worry. People are nasty out there.¡± Irisa grabbed my hand and led me about ten feet away, then she whispered in my ear. ¡°It¡¯s four girls traveling alone. One¡¯s a fairy, one¡¯s in a wheelchair... Yeah, it¡¯s only 3 days away, but¡ª¡±


    ¡°I understand your worries. Trust me, we¡¯ll be alright. I¡¯m just Lv. 9¡ªthe same as Sekh¡ªbut we¡¯ll be fine. Besides, there haven¡¯t been that many reports of bandits attacking, right?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Irisa said, nodding. ¡°Then promise me you¡¯ll return safe and sound, okay? You won¡¯t not come back, right?¡±


    Irisa cares so much, doesn¡¯t she?


    ¡°Here, how about this?¡± I pointed towards my head and set a waypoint on myself, then shared that with Irisa. She stared at the glowing blue pillar. ¡°You¡¯ll always know just where I am. I wish I could share [Map] with you."


    ¡°The waypoint¡¯s good enough. Thanks, Mila.¡± Irisa put her hands on my upper arms, and I hugged her. From behind, I heard her mother and father comment on this exceptional display of affection.


    But... I want to be more than friends. I¡¯m sure she does too. But then there¡¯s Sekh... I love her with all my heart, but loving a second woman the way I love her?


    We broke off from the hug, and I walked back to Sekh and the others. Ichiha slyly hid her grin behind her hand while her husband smiled brightly.


    ¡°Mom! Dad!¡± Irisa whined playfully. Her parents shared a look and just laughed, and I joined in. This fun, fresh, familial atmosphere was cheesy, but it was...enjoyable. But before too long, it really was time for us to leave. I grabbed the push handles of Niva¡¯s wheelchair and began to walk. Sekh was faithfully beside me with her shield hanging off her back. Her mace swung from her hips. And when she was in her armor, she looked so powerful and striking.


    But in regular clothes, she¡¯s so pretty and beautiful.


    Before we reached the corner of the road, I turned back and waved. Seconds later, the family of onis returned to the shop. With the thought of acquiring power at the forefront of my mind, we resumed walking and made our way to the northern gate.


    ¡°My liege? You¡¯ve been in deep thought for the last hour. Are you okay?¡± Sekh asked about an hour after we left Ria. We¡¯d been enjoying the beautiful morning in silence, but her inquiry caused Niva to look behind her.


    ¡°Oh, sorry. I was going over some information about Gloria. The AI has a notepad function where I can pen my thoughts down,¡± I replied. ¡°I wish there was more to it, but... It''s a challenge for Arella to get worthwhile information. Gloria¡¯s getting upset by the day, and in anger, she blew up the boss¡¯s chamber again. Arella managed to sneak off to the dungeon and talk with her. An actual face-to-face talk and not through telepathy. Then the two of them spoke to the council. I¡¯m not a mind reader, so I don¡¯t know what was said. But Gloria seemed happier, so I suppose the funeral went off without a hitch.¡±


    Predictably, Niva flinched at Gloria¡¯s name. I didn¡¯t notice until Tilde whacked me on the head. I apologized, but she shook her head as if to say that I didn¡¯t have to say sorry.


    A thought came to my mind.


    ¡°Niva, I don¡¯t want to be insensitive, but you understand us, right? I haven¡¯t asked that yet.¡± She turned around and nodded, and while I felt like a jackass, I had to make sure. Maybe it was stupid¡ªTilde certainly thought so because she looked at me like my IQ was below freezing. But I felt relieved when Niva nodded when I asked if her name was, in fact, Niva.


    It meant she was here in the now and not some imaginary personification to take the brunt of reality while her true personality was sheltered in the safety of her mind.


    Over the next four hours, we conversed through a series of yes or no questions. I learned Niva wasn¡¯t born blind. She was illiterate and couldn¡¯t do math, but she understood I was a chimera. When asked if she was afraid, she immediately shook her head no. Furthermore, I was correct in assuming that she believed the night she woke was a dream. Now, she understood it wasn¡¯t. When asked if she understood everything, Niva rightfully shook her head and nodded when asked if she wanted to know more.


    I took a second and thought it over. We were traveling to the northeast on the outskirts of a great forest. My map indicated the closest person was about 3,000 feet behind me¡ªa wagon, it was, and it was carrying food and supplies. Since I hadn¡¯t been to the northeast, the area wasn''t indexed on my map. But my eyes saw nothing but a well-traveled dirt road with two distinct wheel lines.


    And so, I thought there was no better time than to let it all out. Starting from the beginning, I told Niva my whole life story since I wanted to be honest with someone under my protection. If she was going to be loyal to me, then there had to be no lies. I had a lot to cover, so it took me the rest of the day to explain it. We stopped twice before the night fell to eat some lunch while giving Sekh and Niva a chance to answer the call of nature. Being a chimera came with some nice perks, the inability to piss or defecate being one of them.


    But I was still telling my story when the night descended, and we needed to find a place to stay. Luckily, we¡¯d passed an empty cave, and we only had to retrace our steps for about ten minutes. But when we took refuge in it while I prepared dinner, Niva was still emotional. I didn¡¯t know why, but she took the tale of Shuuta and Mila harder than I thought. While we walked, Niva constantly looked at my voice with thick, fat tears in her eye. Her mouth opened, and I knew she was struggling to speak. The cause wasn¡¯t physical, so I¡¯d hope we¡¯d get to the bottom of it soon.


    For that reason, I sat next to her while I cooked a steak, making sure to cut it thin and small for Niva to eat. After eating, the four of us relaxed against the cave¡¯s wall and enjoyed the quiet nature.


    It was atmospheric and pleasant. The windy breeze made it cool, even if it was supposed to be in the middle of summer. Before I knew it, Niva had fallen asleep leaning against my shoulder. Seeing her totally trusting me warmed my heart. She was a far cry from that abused girl who screamed and cried at just the lightest of touches.


    ¡°Congratulations, Master,¡± Tilde said, hovering in front of us. ¡°You successfully acquired her heart. Not just any girl would lean against someone like that if they didn¡¯t undeniably trust them. Especially someone like Niva. It¡¯s too bad she¡¯s like literally right there.¡± I asked why, and she pointed to my crotch. ¡°You haven¡¯t banged Big Tits in like three weeks. The breeze could give you a literal blowjob. I suppose she could always stroke you off. Also, wasn¡¯t it a waste for Irisa to make those spider-leg holes in the back? It probably was. Same thing with the slits on the elbows for you to web dodge. Seems like totally useless modifications. Eh, but that¡¯s life. Better to be prepared than be caught with your cock out.¡±


    "You¡¯re the horniest goddamn thing I know,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I take a lot of pride in that! Thank you very much!¡± Tilde stuck her tongue out at me, then produced a flirty smile.


    I need a source of bullets.


    My holster was destroyed in the monster train incident, so I used [Nature¡¯s Workshop] and the AI to build some using the vines and palm leaves from up above. Some quick work later, I made fifteen in just a few minutes since it was all simple. Sekh modeled for me and decided she wanted hers on her back, just above the hip. I preferred having it on my side. With the two of us armed, we settled to chat for a while.


    Before anything interesting happened, Tilde almost outright demanded something on my mind. It concerned [Enchanting]. With enough effort, a ballroom dress would offer more defense than a suit of full-plate armor.


    ¡°You¡¯d like that, wouldn¡¯t you, naughty Master. Imagine seeing Big Tits¡¯ mommy milkers in a nice blouse instead of armor. Or seeing her curvy backside in a skimpy skirt, even while knowing that even a sniper wouldn¡¯t pierce her skin because it¡¯s been enchanted to kingdom fucking come? Or you can enchant {Mana Link} onto her armor. She can wear whatever she wants and change into combat mode when shit gets real.¡±


    ¡°My armor in my previous life was like that,¡± Sekh said.


    ¡°Oh? Is that a hint to your Divine Armament¡¯s true power?¡±


    ¡°Mmm, it could be,¡± she playfully said. She took my hand in hers and leaned in close for another kiss. A passionate, hot, wet kiss that flipped the switch inside her. She placed my hand against her cheek, and I caressed her so sweetly. I believed I could stave off the growing erection, but Sekh had to pop my thumb in her mouth and suck on it lewdly while giving me that look.


    After fishing my finger from her mouth, I stood up and swept her off her feet.


    ¡°AI, keep an eye on things and let me know if people get close. Tilde, stay here and watch Niva.¡±


    ¡°Go on, y¡¯all go have some fun,¡± she said with a flicker of her wrist, aiming towards the second nearest tree. Sekh wrapped her arms around my neck. She gingerly licked my throat, and I heard Tilde say something to Niva. ¡°Alright, you gotta understand something about our Master...¡±


    She better not say anything stupid...


    When we were obscured, it seemed all our libidinous emotions poured out like the waters of a broken dam. I saw her, she saw me, and the two of us were alone in our lascivious world.


    After we returned to the campfire after our much-needed tryst, Tilde had a lewd smile while she rubbed her greedy little mittens. She wanted to know what I did to make Sekh moan so loud and passionately, but I wanted to keep some secrets. The fairy flicked me off. Ignoring her, I sat beside a sleeping Niva, patted her head, which caused her to reach out to grab onto me with her remaining hand, and laid down with Sekh. She was gleaming¡ª a glowing, radiant beauty that I embraced under the cool moonlight.


    She turned to her side. Even though she was back in her armor, she hugged my arm as best she could. ¡°I know your thoughts on what I¡¯m about to say, but I wish to serve you with all my heart,¡¯ Sekh whispered.


    ¡°I know,¡± I whispered back. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want... Just know that you mean so much more to me than that. I will never think of you as a servant. You''re my adorable Sekh. My lovely Lionfolk that''s captured my heart...¡±


    ¡°I love you, my liege,¡± Sekh quietly said with a smile.


    ¡°I love you too,¡± I replied.


    It was the third day of our trip. After lunch, we packed our gear and set back on the road. From Kokan¡¯s map, we¡¯d been arriving sometime after sunset. After last night¡¯s midnight fun, I was thinking more about our date. The moment that world left my mouth...


    ¡°DATE?!?!?!¡± Tilde exclaimed so abruptly Niva almost suffered whiplash from turning her head so fast. ¡°I WANT¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, you¡¯re not invited,¡± I told the annoying fairy. We had a playful argument where she tried to bribe me for permission to join us.


    The conversation turned to Irisa. ¡°Wow, okay? Isn¡¯t it kinda rude to talk about another girl when you¡¯re discussing date specifics with someone else? I see you¡¯re trying to balance two chicks on the side. Never thought you had it in you.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Sekh, how do you feel about her?¡±


    ¡°Hmm... She¡¯s very kind,¡± Sekh said after putting a finger to her chin. ¡°I¡¯m happy when I see her, and I¡¯m glad we found her store. She had no reason to make this armor for me, but she did it anyway. Eating with her and her family? It reminded me of my previous existences before the curse took over.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d say you like her?¡± I inquired.


    Sekh nodded. ¡°I want to remain allies with her. So, yes, I do like her.¡± She smiled. I returned it, and we spent a few hours talking about Irisa. We hadn¡¯t seen anyone in about four hours, and [Map] said no one was behind us for about 3 miles, and we just took our sweet time. It warmed my heart to know she felt the same way. I wanted to be in a committed relationship with Sekh, but I couldn¡¯t hide what I felt for Irisa. Nor did I want to push it away. Polygamy was supposed to be illegal in my world, but those with money and power sidestepped the rules to do what they wanted.


    I didn¡¯t have any of that... I supposed I¡¯d have to have an in-depth talk with Sekh, but I was dreading it because I didn¡¯t want to be an asshole and flat-out ask to sleep with someone else.


    There¡¯s always the possibility my impotence will return for her. That''s a very real fear.


    We continued until reaching a fork in the road. All the other times, we just had to continue straight. If we¡¯d done that here, we¡¯d still be on the outskirts of the tree line. Our destination, in fact, was to branch off to the left and enter the forest clearing. It was a forest village, after all. There weren¡¯t any signs, and I rightly didn¡¯t care for the reason.


    The terrain wasn¡¯t that hard to get a wheelchair-bound girl through, so we traveled down the forestry path with little to no trouble. Thanks to the numerous amounts of large trees and even larger leaves overhead, the entire trail was nicely shaded and cool. The colorful flowers dancing from the tree limbs range from cool blues to spicy crimsons and elegant purples. Before long, I found myself smiling and started to tell Niva what I saw. Her face changed with my ever-increasing detailed descriptions.


    After a certain point, it was like we were in a tunnel made of trees. The only light came from white mushrooms that acted like lightbulbs to illuminate the way. It was wide enough for three wagons to comfortably travel side-by-side, but it was empty. At the end of the tunnel, however, was a wall of thin vines that led to the village proper.

 Chapter 40.5: Embrace Under the Moonlight (R-18)

    Chapter 40.5: Embrace Under the Moonlight (R-18)


    After I reached the tree, Sekh left my neck nice and wet. Her tongue moved to my lips. We passionately kissed until we had no more breath.


    ¡°Mmph... Undress me... I need you, my liege! Please...¡± Sekh whispered, breathing heavily.


    Setting her down, she gasped for air while I stripped her armor and tunic, pulling down her pants to expose her moist pussy. Her thighs glistened beautifully in the moonlight, and her feminine scent wafted to my nose, making me pitch a tent in my pants. She gingerly looked at me, a cute, playful look on her face, but it was also one of slight uncertainty at how I would pleasure her. Her blushing cheeks reminded me of the sun¡¯s warm glow when it rose over the horizon.


    Rubbing her legs, I looked towards her eyes while placing my lips on the delectable treat staring me in the face. She shivered, a lovely moan fluttering from her welcoming mouth. Her eyes... Such silver elegance enhanced a beautiful woman... So big... So bright...


    Fuck... She''s so beautiful...and delicious... I need to do this more often.


    My arms wrapped around her ass and held her closer while my upper lip stimulated her clit. Chimeric transfigurations could¡¯ve helped, but this needed to be done naturally. Multiple tongues and penises were fantastic to use in bed, but right now? I just wanted to be me. It didn¡¯t take long for Sekh to run her fingers through my hair.


    A couple of long licks here, a few short, hasty licks there, Sekh was like putty in the palm of my hands. Her thighs visibly quivered whenever I placed my lips around her clit. Too much stimulation could hurt her, so I used her movements and moans to guide my actions. Electric shocks of pleasure flowed through her body. She almost bent over and pressed my head further into her pussy, and I was all for it.


    And I meant that. Sekh loved to suck me off, and I loved it when she laid her head in my lap with her lips around my penis. She knew how to work her tongue, when to kiss the tip, and the right amount of pressure when licking my balls. I had to return the oral pleasure with as much enthusiasm as she did for me. And if her moans were anything to go by, I was doing something right. But the more I explored the depths of her pussy walls with my tongue, scraping it against her hot, moist folds, the more my mind became filled with Sekh.


    Everything about Sekh drove me wild.


    ¡°Haaaaa!!!!!! My liege¡ªIt''s... It¡¯s... Ahhhhhhhhh~~~~~~ More!!! More!!!! Maaaaaasterrrrrr~~!¡± Sekh cried in the loveliest voice, squeezing my head between her thighs as she squirted her precious juices on my face. In a flash, my clothes and armor vanished from my body, leaving me naked as the day Sekh created my body. My dick was hard as I stood up. Pressing my body close to her, I grabbed Sekh¡¯s chin and looked at her delightful expression. She welcomed my tongue in her moist, warm mouth while I moved a hand to her pussy. Tenderly, the index and middle fingers teased her slippery slit. The amount of pressure and technique I used depended on her moans, which had nowhere to go but in my mouth.


    We continued the sloppy kiss until she was out of breath. Panting, I licked her cheeks and whispered sweet nothings into her ear as a finger slipped inside. Quivering, Sekh clamped her thighs on my hand, and her insides tightly squeezed me. I kept it there for a few seconds before adding a second one, and I steadily fucked her with my fingers. Her cunt tightened in response to her exasperated breathing, her liquids splashing out and covering my arm. After finding her g-spot, she let loose a verb cry of ecstasy and actively gyrated her hips. Her inner folds were hot and soft, gripping so hard it was difficult to pull out.


    My mouth moved from her cheek to her neck, where I sucked. Meanwhile, her tongue wandered around and found my pointy ears, which she began to lick as if it was my cock. Instantly, I became even harder, reaching my full altered length of 7¡±. Precum dripped from the tip as I became very well of my ears as an erogenous zone. Tiny, electrified shocks flooded my body, causing my dick to bounce, almost, while a pressure built in my testicles. Pressing a hand to Sekh¡¯s chest, I stored her tunic and wasted no time tasing her delicious nipples. Tongue swirling, lips cupping... At that moment, there was nothing else in the world.


    Even when the pressure in my penis was too much to hold back, and I sprayed Sekh¡¯s thighs with my thick semen, causing her to orgasm a second time, I focused on her chest.


    Her moans were ecstatically alluring. Wrapping my arms tightly around her waist, I leaned my weight backwards. Instead of falling, a pair of spider legs burst from my back to make the transition easier.


    I doubt Sekh was even aware of it, really. When she was in a mood, she was in the mood. Once we were on the ground, it didn¡¯t take long for her to straddle my waist and insert my penis. It went in without any resistance. Once again, we were lost in our little world of fucking and kissing. Fluids and liquids splashed everywhere while she bounced on my cock. Kissing her tits, I groped her ass and spread her cheeks while thrusting my hips as fast as I could. Sekh helped me relieve myself last night, but her thighs, while wonderful and exotic, couldn¡¯t compare to her insides.


    ¡°Sekh!!!!!!!¡± I cried her name while alternating nipples. She wrapped her arms around the back of my head and hugged me closer. My lovely Lionfolk arched her back, her tongue hanging out her mouth while bliss filled her eyes, casting an emotional reunion between her pussy and my cock. The familiar feeling welled up in my loins a second time, and I shot my seed.


    ¡°My stomach is hot!!!!!! Maasssssterrrrr!!!! More!!!! Fuck me more!!!!!! Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!! I can feel it flowing into me!!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°Louder!!!!! I want to hear you!!!!!!¡± My orgasmic cries were sweet. Even after thirteen thick ropes, my testicles still had sperm to shoot out. Sekh tightened three more times before collapsing to my chest, her lips against mine. Even while on the cusp of unconsciousness from an overdose of pleasure, she still wanted to kiss me.


    But it could be better.


    ¡°Master?¡± Sekh tilted her head when I rubbed her ears.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get clean before we do this,¡± I replied. Sekh nodded, stood, and grabbed my hand to help me up. The spider legs extended until I was upright, then evaporated, leaving an odd, tingling feeling. Hand in hand, we walked to the lake and entered its serene water. The moon¡¯s reflection vanished by the ripples we created, and Sekh¡¯s flames made it warm enough to be comfortable.


    And even though we were supposed to get clean, we couldn¡¯t keep our hands off the other. With my arms around Sekh''s waist, we gently moved with the water, not quite dancing, but it was close to that. Our foreheads touched, the stresses of everything disappearing by the second. Sekh dipped under the water and broke through the surface, leaving behind a glossy look that lasted for a moment. I was too busy staring at her beauty to wash myself, but she took care of that a moment later after she rubbed her hands all over my body. And I did the same for her, taking time to caress her delicious thighs and supple ass when we hugged close together.


    ¡°You called me Master, you know,¡± I said, stating the obvious. ¡°What happened to ¡®my liege?¡¯¡±


    ¡°Ahh-?¡± Sekh¡¯s cheeks were flushed. ¡°My-- My- liege, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sekh, calm down. It¡¯s okay. You can call me whatever you want. Master? That¡¯s fine. My liege? Sure, that¡¯s okay. But...¡± I leaned close and whispered in her ear. ¡°I love you very much.¡±


    That resulted in yet another kiss and hug, and we chatted about that topic. After some discussion, Sekh realized it was okay to use either one. She was probably going to try to stick with ¡®my liege¡¯ to remain...professional? But something told me that when she was hot and horny, ¡®Master¡¯ would flow from her pretty lips.


    And I was okay with that. I¡¯d made my peace with it. Sekh would never be my servant because she was much more than that, so I thought of ¡®Master¡¯ or ¡®my liege¡¯ as mere nicknames.


    After bathing, we returned to the nearby tree and sat down, but not before taking out a fire pit from [Artificer¡¯s Arsenal]. Sekh lit it with her flames. Still naked, we sat around the crimson glow and let it dry us. She rested her head in my lap, and I had my spider legs behind me to act like a headrest while running my hands through her hair.


    These spider legs are so useful.


    The erotic situation obviously caused an erection to rear its ashen head shortly after. Sekh wanted to lick my dick earlier, so I let her do what she wanted while taking in the gorgeous night sky. Her breath tickled my shaft. When I slightly tensed up and made it bounce up, it comedically softly thwacked her in the face, which got me a cute giggle and a kiss to the exposed tip. In return, I fluffed her ears and watched her tail react accordingly.


    In fact, her tail wasn¡¯t that expressive when I thought about it. Yeah, it liked to wag when Sekh was happy, and when she was sleeping, it almost slithered like a snake, but that was it. Dogfolk, though, probably had the more reactive tails. Then again, were lions known to have active tails? Honestly, I didn¡¯t know, but this moment was right...


    It was perfect, really.


    Sekh pleasured me until I came, but my sperm flowed like a light drizzle onto her waiting tongue. She opened her mouth to show me my semen, swallowed it, then showed me again while sticking her tongue out. I didn¡¯t ask her to do that, and after some questioning?


    Tilde told her to do that because it would turn me on.


    She wasn¡¯t wrong.


    After drinking some water, we dressed and went to join Tilde and Niva at camp.


    Holding hands, that was. We acted like a real couple, but wasn¡¯t that what we were?

 Chapter Forty-One: A High Blessing’s Welcome

    Chapter Forty-One: A High Blessing¡¯s Welcome


    After walking through, it was like I was transported to a naturalistic wonderland. The houses and huts were all vines and wood, and leaves were pressed together to act as pavement. Looking to our left and right revealed a pair of flower fields. A bridge of intertwined limbs allowed us into the actual village, and a coursing river of the brightest, cleanest water was rushing underneath that.


    But the strangest thing was that there wasn¡¯t a wall of trees blocking us into the village. Behind and around us? Yeah. But in front? After that giant sequoia tree, which had to be over 2,600 feet tall and more than 320 feet in thickness, there was the rest of the forest. And even though that massive tree acted as the central cornerstone of this village, shade was scarce. It was sunny and peaceful, and when I looked up, I saw the thick leaves and flowers branching off the highest limbs.


    I looked at my map and realized being this close was enough for the entire village to get scanned. A total of 97 people lived here, and one white dot was coming this way.


    ¡°Holy shit...¡± Tilde whispered, her breath taken back slightly. ¡°How the hell did I not know this was here?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because we do not carelessly wield our tongue, sprite of the forest.¡± We turned to the bridge a few feet ahead and saw a woman with harpy-like features descend from the sky. Her hair was long and orange, with white-tipped feathers around her wings, which acted like her arms. Sharp talon-like claws branched off her bird-like feet, which were orange and black. The feathers from her wings spread across her torso to act like a bra for her flat chest. She wore a short pair of brown shorts.


    ¡°But it¡¯s not hidden?¡± Tilde asked. The harpy shook her head.


    ¡°This village is open to all with peaceful and non-violent intentions. High Blessing of the Forest, how did you find this place?¡± I assumed she was talking to me, so I told her about Kokan. ¡°The scholarly oni? Yes, he is a friend. We of the village took him in for a few weeks after he was falsely accused of that heinous crime. Has his daughter taken him back?¡± she asked while walking towards us.


    ¡°Yes, she has. She understood Kokan was telling the truth from the beginning. She''s been trying to make up that lost time.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Aello, the Vermillion Harpyfolk, blinked her orange eyes. ¡°Lost time? One cannot necessarily make up for something that cannot be recovered. Only the High Blessings of the Forest are immune to the rampaging wraths of time. How foolish of the girl to not believe her flesh and blood.¡±


    Foolish? Perhaps. Irisa knew more than anyone how idiotic she was.


    ¡°Could I inquire as to the nature of your visit? Am I to assume it involves the one in the chair of wheels?¡±


    She talks a bit weird¡ªtoo antiquated and formal. Well, she¡¯s 223 years old, so maybe that comes with the age.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been told of a blacksmith that excels in creating prosthetics. My companion needs one for her right arm, left leg, and right foot. And my name is Lyudmila Springfield.


    ¡°Springfield? Yes, I recall a clan with that name. Centuries ago, it was wiped from existence. Are you intending to start it anew? How impressive. Yes, impressive. The location of the Springfield Forest was said to be lost to history... It is a joyous occasion.¡± Aello nodded. ¡°The smith you seek lives here. He has the skill required to grant mobility to those who had it stolen. Shall I take you to him, Lyudmila Springfield?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Mind? No. Not at all. Not for someone like you. Please, follow.¡± Aello turned around and walked, and we followed her over the bridge and onto the village proper.


    That was when I noticed there wasn¡¯t a single human in this place. There were Slugfolk¡ªpeople with the upper body of a humanoid with two antennae and lower body of a slug, Wormfolk¡ªthe same deal, Mandragorafolk¡ªchild-sized humanoids with green skin and vines and flowers growing from their head and body. One Mandragorafolk was playing with a Dryad in a playground that looked like one from my world, only it was all wood. To the far right was a pair of centaurs racing and horsing around. One was male, the other female, but they shared the same blond hair and horse-like ears.


    ¡°Lyudmila Springfield,¡± Aello said as we walked across the village. After people started to notice us, they all stopped what they were doing and looked our way. ¡°Why do you stare with pensiveness? Have you not encountered a bounded field before?¡± I shook my head, and Aello looked almost downtrodden. Upstodatee from


    ¡°Bounded fields occur when the mage sews their mana into an area to separate the inside from the outside. Think of a building with four floors on the outside, but the inside has fifteen. The inside is often much larger than you¡¯re led to believe when looking at it from an outside perspective. This village is one of them. That tunnel we passed through must¡¯ve been the corridor, my liege.¡±


    ¡°Lionfolk? Uncivilized and war hungry, yet this one is much too experienced to be a rampaging cub. Yes, you¡¯re correct. The great Eagle Yew¡ªthe pillar of this bounded field,¡± Aello raised both wings towards the giant tree. ¡°Long ago, a great eagle¡ªAetos¡ª participated in a tremendous war that ended with casualties in the hundreds of thousands. He suffered fatal wounds and died, and the blood spilled from the noble beast offered nourishment to the yew seed it carried in its talons. The Spirit Lords of the Spirit Realm saw great courage and compassion in Aetos and lifted his soul from his very body. Aetos refused to be carried away and yearned to return to life, for he had much to accomplish and a lot to protect. As such, the Lords of Spirit took pity and granted his request, turning Aetos into a great eagle spirit. Though he was granted what most wanted and desired, Aetos took refuge within that yew seed that grew strong and fat from his life. Over time, the tree grew and grew, with Aetos eventually creating this bounded field around his tree.¡±


    ¡°How do you know all this?¡±


    ¡°The elder of this village? I am she. Knowledge was shared from elder to elder, from family head to family head, from mother to son to daughter to the elder again. You will not find a soul that cannot recite the tale from the heart.¡± Aello flapped her wings a few more times. ¡°Would Lyudmila Springfield¡ªHigh Blessing of the Forest¡ªoffer Aetos her prayers?¡±


    ¡°Eh, it wouldn¡¯t hurt anything to do it.¡± I looked to Tilde for guidance. Ultimately, I nodded. After folding my hands over my chest, I closed my eyes and bowed my head. I¡¯d never pray to a God I didn¡¯t believe in, and I wouldn¡¯t pray to some eagle that died a millennium ago. But I didn¡¯t come here to start shit. I just thanked Aetos for creating a place that would grant Niva her mobility and independence. When I opened my eyes, my body shimmered an emerald glow¡ª the color of mana infused with the power of nature. It spread to Tilde, Sekh, and Niva, all of who were praying. The mana broke apart seconds later and fluttered towards the Eagle Yew as green particles of condensed mana.


    ¡°Yes! Aetos is proud and happy. Lyudmila Springfield¡ªHigh Blessing of the Forest¡ªI thank you for your generosity.¡± Aello turned to face me with a smile on her cute face. For being two centuries old, she almost looked like a more playful teenager in that she looked youthful. She flapped her wings a few more times. She wasn¡¯t the only one cheering us on, either. It seemed the entire village was celebrating in their own way.


    The monstrous beast looked directly at us with his ten eyes, but he wasn¡¯t alone. Standing next to him was a Deerfolk with long golden hair dressed in a brown tunic that matched his impressive antlers. A pair of axes hung from his belt, and even I felt the radiant power enchanted within them. But his eyes... They were bluer than even the deepest sapphire.


    Sitting about three feet from them in a chair was a bald-headed kid with just one arm. She looked happy enough to sit there, but her cautious eyes were locked on me.


    ¡°Likewise, dear elder. Oh, a High Blessing? Haven''t seen one in a few decades. My name is Enap¡ªa mere arachne. Pleased to make your acquaintance.¡±


    There it is again. Another ¡®High Blessing.¡¯ Why is this happening now? That Elf from Noelia¡¯s bar acted kinda similar, didn¡¯t she?


    I shook Enap¡¯s hand and introduced myself, Tilde, Sekh, and Niva, though I used her fake name of ¡®Lola.¡¯ On that note, I used [Status Cloak] to change her name, so everything worked out.


    ¡°Greetings, Miss Springfield. I¡¯m Ruru,¡± said the Deerfolk. He pointed behind him. ¡°And that is Arguna.¡± Arguna happily lifted her arm and waved. A cat''s tail wagged behind her, but I didn¡¯t see cat ears. Nor did I see any humanoid-like ears. The AI gave me a report and confirmed the girl was a Catfolk.


    ¡°Enap, Lyudmila Springfield wishes to hire your services, but I see you¡¯re busy with another customer.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s true, dear elder. Miss Springfield, I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no inconvenience at all. When do you think you¡¯ll be done?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Hmm... A day or two at the most. Young Arguna requires a prosthetic arm. If it isn¡¯t too much trouble, could I ask you to follow the elder back to the village? When night falls, I will come to you to get more information.¡±


    ¡°Lyudmila Springfield, is that acceptable?¡± Aello asked me. I nodded, and she smiled, and Tilde was too busy looking Enap up and down. She complimented him hard on his toned body and felt up his muscles. Giggling like a schoolgirl, she turned and asked me to start hitting the gym so I¡¯d have a ¡®goddess¡¯s physique.¡¯


    Ruru started to speak. ¡°As it turned out, Sir Enap has finished taking the measurements needed for Arguna. Would you mind if we returned to the village with you?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see any reason to refuse,¡± I stated. Ruru held out his hand, and Arguna ran over to hold it. We followed Aello through the cave until we came to the water out front, then took a break for Arguna. She was breathing rough, but she never let go of Ruru¡¯s hand. And he didn¡¯t seem upset or bothered by it. In fact, he was so soft-spoken and full of mannerisms. He almost reminded me of someone who¡¯d been so tainted by hardships that he didn¡¯t dare want to put anyone else through the hell he¡¯d been through.


    Of course, I wasn¡¯t sure that happened. That was just the vibe I got from Ruru. When we left the pond, he carried Arguna in his arms since she had started to doze off. Not wanting to wake her, we remained silent until we emerged from the forest and back into the safety of the village. Aello took us to the playground, and I sat down on a swing and lightly swung back and forth.


    ¡°You all would require lodgings, yes?¡± Aello asked. ¡°The great Aetos once served the Princess of Vredi as her faithful companion. According to the story, the two were intertwined from the very beginning of her birth. Aetos''s demise was crushing? Yes. Very crushing, yet she and he were never apart since Aetos now lives eternally within the great Eagle Yew.¡± Aello flapped her wings while I tried to hide the look on my face. I instantly turned to Sekh, and she lightly avoided my eyes while rubbing her upper arm. ¡°It is rumored that Forest of Vredi has been faithfully recreated by the Eagle Yew as this bounded field. But to give thanks to the Princess of Vredi and other High Blessings that assisted in the war, he saw fit to create a replica of her mansion. Only High Blessings and their allies are permitted to enter.¡±


    Okay, I see it now. I guess Sekh killed him.


    ¡°By the by, Ms. Springfield, I noticed you eyeing the pond earlier. Are you an angler?¡± asked Ruru. ¡°I know it is forbidden for you to eat not born from nature, yet there¡¯s nothing to say that you cannot enjoy a pleasant day of fishing. Care to join me?


    ¡°I don¡¯t have any experience,¡± I said, shaking my head. ¡°But perhaps later. We spent three days traveling from Ria, and my companions and I are quite tired from the trip.¡±


    ¡°I understand. If you do change your mind, I will happily teach you. Arguna and I are staying at the inn.¡± Ruru smiled, nodded, and walked away. Curious, I mentally asked the AI for a more detailed report. After a few seconds, the AI concluded that Arguna was completely deaf. I asked Aello to confirm, and she nodded.


    ¡°It is sad? Yes, very upsetting that someone would do such a thing. The tail remains, however, and hair can grow back. Not all is lost, High Blessing. But please, follow me, and I¡¯ll take you to your lodgings.¡± We followed Aello to a mansion that sat near the flower fields. The view was probably going to be great, and it was far-ish away from the other houses in the village. Standing three stories tall, it was the definition of grace and elegance without being too gaudy or overly indulgent in greedy and gluttonous desire. As I probably predicted, the whole place had nary a spec of metal other than what was brought in from the outside. Sekh helped me carry Niva¡¯s wheelchair up the root-covered stairs.


    When my hands touched the door handle, it glowed a soft green before a wooden key materialized in mid-air. ¡°That is the key to the house. It is filled with your mana and is magically connected to you. Please enjoy, High Blessing. I will return with a gift of appreciation in a few hours.¡± I wanted to deny it, but free shit was free shit. I¡¯d gladly take it.


    Flapping her wings once more, Aello hovered off the ground and flew back towards what was probably her house. In the distance, I saw a building with a hole on the third floor that was just the right size for her to fly in.


    I grabbed the key, unlocked the door, and entered the mansion. We wouldn¡¯t stay here for more than a week or so, but hey.


    Until then, it was our mansion.

 Chapter Forty-Two: The Mansion of Vredi

    Chapter Forty-Two: The Mansion of Vredi


    The mansion, by all accounts, was the very definition of extravagant. The first thing you were met with was a beautiful foyer, complete with dual-hanging chandeliers made of maple and oak. A twin set of curved stairs led to the second and third floors, and both had their own foyer.


    Perhaps it was fitting for someone who was the most powerful Soul Warrior of their time, but I thought such exquisite lavishness would be in character for a High Elf. We started by checking out the first floor, which had the living room, kitchen, and two dining rooms. Like the outside, everything¡ªdown to the tiniest cup and fork¡ªwas entirely created from non-metal materials. The lushness of the pine tables and cherry oak chairs activate tingling sensations left over from where I¡¯d assimilated the mansion''s former owner.


    Sekh was awestruck as well. She once owned a castle, but I doubt it was even anywhere as close to this. I felt kinda bad for Niva, though. I wanted her to see it all, but the most I could do was explain to her in a way that transferred what I felt.


    But the first floor had something like a training room located in the very middle of the house. Instead of being a room, it was an atrium. The second and third floors had balconies for those above to look down and observe. But an armory was in a room nearby that held training weapons, shields, and armor. We checked it out for a few minutes before returning to the foyer and ascending to the second floor.


    Or we wanted to. There was an invisible wall preventing us from going up the steps. As I talked to Tilde and Sekh about what to do, words began appearing in my vision.


    Only those with the soul of Vredi may pass.


    ¡°On my status as the Princess of Vredi, the first chosen Soul Warrior of Holy Lord Amos, I demand you grant me access,¡± I said. I pressed my hand to the invisible wall and tried to guide only Susize¡¯s mana through my palm and fingertips.


    Access granted.


    The invisible wall preventing us from making progress shattered like glass, breaking into a thousand pieces.


    ¡°What a stroke of luck,¡± Tilde said, the only one speaking. I just looked down at my hands and realized assimilating Susize was an exceptional blessing.


    ¡°If Susize has more mansions like this, they probably have similar locks. But she had more power and status than I thought possible,¡± I said.


    ¡°Yep. You didn¡¯t have much to worry about before because we were in Ria. They wouldn¡¯t know a High Elf if one smacked them in the face with their cock. But here? In a bound field created from one of Susize¡¯s closest aviary companions? Yeah. It¡¯s no wonder they didn¡¯t see you as her, but I chalk that up to no one knowing what she looked like. It also helps that [Status Cloak] prevents your mana¡¯s identifying signatures from leaking out. You would have to consciously want that, which is what you just did, but situations in which you¡¯d want to do that are rare and few in between. Still, you have to be on your a-game. You¡¯re a High Elf, remember?¡±


    I nodded, then asked if breaking this lock was a bad thing. Tilde didn¡¯t think so because all Elves ¨CHigh or otherwise¡ªwere granted a last or middle name matching the name of the forest they were born in. If they were born outside of one, they were given the name of their parents. In such cases where the parents moved to a different forest, they could have the last name of Aetos, while their offspring had the last name of Vredi. This tradition wasn¡¯t exclusive to elves alone¡ªsome dwarves were said to practice it.


    ¡°So, yeah. It¡¯s a rare shot, but just say you¡¯re from Vredi. You might have to answer some questions and such, but say you don¡¯t remember it that much because of the little lie we came up with. Sure, you¡¯d think you¡¯d be more in touch with your High Elven side after a thousand years, but we can blame it on your trauma. That won¡¯t necessarily be a lie, either. And for your last name? Well, your middle name could be Vredi. Lyudmila Vredi Springfield. Eh, that sounds good to me.¡±


    After Tilde¡¯s explanation, I quickly adjusted my Status Menu name to read ¡®Lyudmila Vredi Springfield.¡¯ I changed my age for it to work together, so now I was a healthy 1,015 years old. I doubt it would matter all that much since I could theoretically change my age and name every second for the rest of my life. If I ran into problems, I could change it back to what I had before.


    The second floor was where the bedrooms were, and there were five. Upon first glance at one that reminded me of the arid, sere desert plains, I realized Susize had designed these rooms with her fellow Soul Warriors in mind. It all made sense that they¡¯d all stay together. And if Susize had this much room and space, it was natural to put it to good use. Likewise, Yaekira¡¯s room focused on her childhood in the desert. Reina¡¯s was all black and moody, with spider motifs with a closet full of black lingerie. Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    I was almost positive that this wasn¡¯t a mere replica. It was Susize''s actual mansion. Was it moved here before Sekh''s imprisonment at the bottom of that dungeon? Why else would Reina¡¯s clothes be here? We doubled back to Yaekira¡¯s room to examine it more closely, and yes.


    Her clothes were here too.


    The modest closet in Murag¡¯s room was full of the brown robes he was buried in. And he had nothing but bookshelves upon bookshelves upon bookshelves. If I had to wager, I¡¯d guess they were tomes he¡¯d had personally written or bought when he was alive. The AI said there were 496 books in this room.


    Next was Beccy¡¯s room, which reminded me of her former status as a queen. Everything was a shade of royalness, from the crimson bed sheets to the violet curtains drawled over the window that stretched from floor to ceiling. I was granted a breathtaking view of the backyard flower fields. Nearby sat a chair with a dresser and a ballroom-like mirror. A door to the closet was passed that, which turned out to be a whole room. She had everything from dresses to shirts to underwear to active wear. Her undergarments ranged from extremely conservative to excessively revealing and arousing. From the visual alone, I spotted seventeen different kinds of make-up foundation. She was a woman who cared about her appearance.


    ¡°What did you pray for?¡±


    ¡°For you, my liege. For you to accomplish your revenge... For you to end this world so it could start anew without curses or Dark Lords of Tyranny to cast it downwards into a spiral of death.¡± Sekh squeezed my hand, and I pulled her into a hug.


    ¡°How does it feel to see the results of your actions?¡± I asked.


    ¡°This village is peaceful and wonderful. Spirits and Beastfolk live and work together in harmony... My liege, if this is the consequence of my actions, should I feel regret? Were the lives of so many worth this slice of comfort? Do I even belong here? I slew their great eagle without remorse or care for the world. Even now... If he challenged me, I¡¯d kill him without a second thought.¡± Sekh¡¯s voice simmered off to a cold whisper. ¡°My liege... I''m so confused.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine to be confused,¡± Tilde said. ¡°You have to be with those tits. But like you said, you can¡¯t blame the curse for everything. At the end of the day, death came from your hands and your hands alone. But I will say this. I quite like this village. If I hadn¡¯t found my Master, I think I¡¯d like to spend the rest of this reincarnation here. But you can¡¯t measure the ¡®worthiness¡¯ of deaths that happened 1,000 years ago to now. You can look to the past all you want, but you must focus on the present and future to decide who you want to be. People can help you, but you¡¯re the one who decides your own fate. You obtained a life you really didn¡¯t deserve. Be sure to make the most of it.¡±


    ¡°If I...¡± The words I wanted to ask danced atop the tip of my tongue, afraid to burrow out from my mouth. But I had to know. Because it was a possibility... ¡°If I gave the order to burn this village, would you do it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered without a doubt.


    ¡°If I asked you to scorch Ria, would you do it?¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± she whispered a second time without a doubt. When asked why, she replied with this. ¡°Because you must¡¯ve seen something you either disliked or wanted to get rid of. You wouldn¡¯t give that order without a good reason, and I wouldn¡¯t have any problem following it.¡±


    ¡°Even if it meant killing Irisa? Ichiha? Kokan?¡±


    Sekh nodded once more. ¡°Yes. Remember what you said, my liege? After we destroy Cridia, we turn our sights to the world. It doesn¡¯t matter how I feel about them since they¡¯ll die in the end. Every man, woman, child, animal, monster, beast... All will meet their end at the hand of the Transcendent Dark Lord.¡±


    ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered, holding her even tighter. Tilde said I¡¯d have dominion over all Dark Lords once I graduated from the training system and became the Transcendent Dark Lord. After destroying Cridia, my only goal was to rid Sekh of the awful fate she¡¯d been cursed with. If becoming the Transcendent Dark Lord is the way to achieve that, the chances I would destroy the world lessened dramatically.


    If the curse was even beyond that power?


    Well...


    It just meant this world was going to die.


    Niva would die.


    Irisa would die.


    Ichiha would die.


    Kokan would die.


    Billions of creatures would die.


    Everything would just...die. Perish. Ceased to exist. This world would return to the fathomless void it sprouted from, and Sekh would finally feel true relief.

 Chapter Forty-Three: Chimeric Evolution (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Forty-Three: Chimeric Evolution (Illustrations!)


    Once Sekh calmed down, I gave her a lovely kiss and talked about what to do next. To be safe, I had the AI scan for anyone with titles related to Bellerophon. My reasoning was this: slimes were on Bellerophon¡¯s list. While it was outrageous to expect them to station an agent or unit in every location where a monster on the list would be found, Aetos Village was different.


    ¡°There are two results, my lord. The data will be displayed,¡± the AI said as I changed Niva¡¯s bandages and applied more medicine. She was looking far healthier. Even without her HP bar telling me that, the color in her cheeks was coming back, and her scalp was still damaged. She still needed the wig, but she was nothing like how I found her. The scars were still visible, though.


    I looked at the map the AI posted for me. ¡°They¡¯re in the bar,¡± Tilde said after changing it to satellite mode. A Tigerfolk and Forest Elf sat together at a table drinking a mug of mead. Both had levels in the high 40s, but their skills were more for espionage and spying than straight-up combat. They both knew [Detect Chimerism]. Dressed in clothes procured from the nearby shop, the two had no visual proof that they were anything but Bellerophon. Still, even if they somehow suspected me, [Detect Chimerism] would immediately fail because [Status Cloak] had my back.


    Tilde repeated my sentiments that I didn¡¯t have to worry about them, so our goal turned to the primary reason we came here. We saw a slime and draingi earlier, but how many were there in the village? The forest? In the...mansion?


    ¡°What...? Why are there slimes here?¡± I questioned the map I stared out. Sekh looked at me and pointed up, so I thought they must¡¯ve been above us. Grabbing Niva¡¯s wheelchair, we all went up to the third floor after bypassing yet another invisible wall we had to break.


    At the top stood a wall with a door and a path to the left. Following the latter brought me to the atrium, and I saw the training from before. Since I was feeling frisky, I grabbed the rail and hopped down, landing with a roll and recovering to my feet.


    Did I really just do that? Three stories, and no damage at all? Incredible...


    Looking up, Sekh smiled and waved, and I used my webs to return to her. Retracing our steps, I checked the map and confirmed the slimes were in the room. Like the other doors, the handle refused to squeak even a bit when the knob was turned. A bit of force pushed it open, and on the inside?


    The room looked like something a bunch of puppies would play around in. There was a playpen in the back with a waist-high gate. Toys made from vines and leaves were strewn about, but there were also cages. Ten of them, to be exact.


    The five on the left held slimes of various shades of forest green. The five on the right contained the plant monsters I¡¯d come to devour.


    ¡°Experiments?¡± Sekh asked after walking to a nearby table. There was a stack of journals on it. Sekh picked up the top one, turned to the first page, and began to read. ¡°The slimes were too cute. There. I said it. I can¡¯t harm their flabby bodies while trying to create the genesis seed. It¡¯s the same with the draingi I keep across from them. I finally trained them to look at the slimes as friends, not food. Father says I¡¯m a fool since slimes and draingi aren¡¯t endangered, but he doesn¡¯t understand that I¡¯m progressing well in my research. Sister is returning from her diplomatic trip, so I want her to help name them.¡± Sekh said, reading the page. She closed the journal, took a breath, and laid it down.


    Suddenly, she slammed both hands on the table and pushed the journals to the floor. Drawing her mace, she raised it high and slammed it down, shattering the potentially priceless furniture into a dozen pieces. When the nocturnal flames danced around her fingers, I stepped in.


    ¡°But why?!¡± she argued. ¡°It deserves to burn. There isn¡¯t a need for any remembrance for someone like her!¡±


    ¡°Sekh, think about it. Susize was working on something extraordinary, but she couldn¡¯t pull it off. In that regard, she¡¯s a failure¡ªthrough and through. But what if we finish it? What if we somehow do what the strongest Soul Warrior of her time couldn¡¯t accomplish? And what if the person Susize hated more than anyone else was involved in it? We can¡¯t do that if you burn the books.¡±


    Sekh bit her lip and huffed a deep sigh before the flames extinguished themselves. I held my hands out and shot web out to the journals because I needed a physical connection to stash something in [Storage]. But honestly, this was a boon. It grew faster the closer it was to capacity, but because the mines were shut down for an extended amount of time, I didn¡¯t have a chance to stock up on iron. So, I had a lot of space open. When the last book abruptly vanished, I was about 11 pounds away from overcapacity. Sekh still looked angry and upset, so I told her to burn the desk she broke if she wanted to destroy something.


    ¡°So... These are her...pets?¡± I asked in the meantime, jumping over the gate. I walked to the slimes and crouched down. They were frightened from the prior loud noises, but upon hearing my voice, turning around, and seeing my face, they bounced around with endless energy. Two of them reached through the bars with their slime to touch my hand, and they became even more hyperactive.


    ¡°They¡¯re like dogs,¡± Tilde replied. She was hovering near the draingi, which was where I went next. With the smell of smoke and ash filling the air, Sekh joined us while Niva remained outside the playpen in her wheelchair. Her remaining hand brushed the bandage on her cheek while she listened to us speak.


    Like the slimes, the plant monsters reacted favorably when they realized I had Susize¡¯s face and voice. Taking one from its cage, I let it crawl around my arms and legs, then watched with a smile as it zoomed around the playpen. It snatched a vine-like toy and threw it to me, and I threw it back. In every sense of the word, this thing acted like a canine companion.


    When it brought it back to me for the fifth time, I just looked down at it and gave Sekh an order that would change our lives.


    ¡°Grab it. Don¡¯t let go of it.¡±


    She nodded and approached the fragile monster, but it must¡¯ve sensed her hostility because it ran behind my legs for safety. Its vines held me tight, clinging to me like I was its mother, yet there was no maternal love for me to exude.


    I saw the betrayal plastered on its face as clear as day when I wrapped its narrow body with my webs. Shocked and powerless, it limply struggled against its fate when I threw it to Sekh. She grabbed it, snapped off the vines trying to attack her, and held it out for me to devour while I took off my glove. My dark gray arms looked so familiar and foreign in this mansion that belonged to Sekh¡¯s former enemies, yet seeing it turn into the fearsome head of the Protector of Forest Boars?


    It¡¯d been a few weeks since I¡¯d practiced the art of transfiguration. They said you needed to stick with something for it to become second nature. Taking a break or prolonged leave of absence meant you wouldn¡¯t be ready when you returned. But I felt absolutely fine.


    No¡ªit was more than that.


    Drool, noxious fumes flowed from my boar head hand¡¯s gaping mouth as it closed on the draingi¡¯s ¡®head¡¯. With just one vicious chomp, the life was violently stolen away in a mess of green fluids and sickening snaps from where the boar¡¯s teeth easily pierced through the monster¡¯s roots.


    I chewed it. Gnawed it. Tasted its earthly flesh while it pathetically struggled for survival. Eventually, it went limp, and I swallowed without any resistance.


    You¡¯ve assimilated Salty.


    New Skill: [Poison Production]


    New Skill: [Vine Whip]


    New Skill: [Drain]


    New Skill: [Photosynthesis]


    ¡°What the...¡± Honestly, I was totally and utterly speechless. No, I wasn¡¯t amazed¡ªokay, I was¡ªas my index finger took the shape of a vine, nor did my astonishment come from a separate poison production menu that appeared in my Status Menu. No, it was a little-known thing that all greenery was known to have. ¡°Am I a plant now?¡± I asked, growing a small vine from my fingertip.


    I looked at my name and noticed a small symbol of a plant with a sun above it. A warm and fuzzy feeling radiated from my stomach, but it wasn¡¯t strong. It was barely noticeable enough that I had to focus on it, so it wouldn¡¯t bother me. When I willed the finger vine away, the symbol vanished. Since the description said I¡¯d gain mana from being in the sun, I tested it out by summoning a pair of fireballs in each hand for a total of four.


    Good, I mastered those slime skills as well.


    ¡°And it¡¯s done... Sekh, let¡¯s go¡ª¡± Out of nowhere, I felt weak and crippled. The strength in my limbs gave out, and I slammed into the hard floor.


    ¡°MY LIEGE?!¡± Sekh immediately flipped me to my back and quickly examined me. It was getting hard to focus on her. Those fluffy ears were as blurry as static. She was trying to say something, but what was it? Why was it getting so hard to listen to her? Why...


    Why isn¡¯t Tilde doing anything? She¡¯s so...calm? Why? Ah... I¡¯m so tired... It hurts...


    When my vision became filled with blackness, words appeared in the darkness.


    You have satisfied the requirements to evolve from a Lesser Chimera to a Minor Chimera.


    New Title: [Minor Chimera]


    New Skill: [Base Body - Humanoid]


    Use the following menu to create your new base body.


    The words were proven true when something like a character creator flashed in front of me. The various options I had were in the left-most window while the right was a blank model. I was the artist, and it was my canvas. In all honesty, I was happy with the body Sekh made from me. My only complaint was the dark gray arms, ashen-colored penis, and brown legs. Everything needed to be of the same color palette.


    Unfortunately, it seemed my only choice was to take Susize¡¯s skin tone and apply it to my entire body because everyone¡¯s seen my head. It would be weird to meet Aello with ashen-colored skin when she knew I had fair skin.


    But I put that off for a few seconds and played with the character creator-like system. In terms of physical body parts and color, my choices were restricted to what I had assimilated and what Sekh had made for me. I couldn''t have a base body that looked like Irisa, but Mira was on the table. And so was the gang of robbers that tried to steal from Sekh and me when we ran away from Irisa¡¯s shop. I doubt this ability to create my base body was a one-and-done thing. A skill this powerful came with a month-long cooldown.


    Since this was marked ¡®Humanoid,¡¯ perhaps there was a ¡®Monster¡¯ variant. But that was neither here nor there. While I wanted to make the body I had before, I decided to instead create that body using nothing but Susize¡¯s DNA. As in, everything looked the same, only my penis was probably a bit more feminine while still being as it was, but you could put this new body and my old one side-by-side and fail to tell the difference. Another boon was that this new body was 100% High Elf DNA. I didn¡¯t know if DNA tests existed here, but I¡¯d pass one now.


    Upon mentally selecting the confirmation button, the black abyss I was surrounded in started to crack like an egg. Slowly, bits and pieces of Sekh¡¯s pretty face came into view. She was clearly in distress but seeing my face eased her tempered heart enough to shed a few tears. Warm, salty water splashed on my lips. Without realizing it, I lifted my arm¡ªan arm that was the color of my face¡ªand waited for Sekh to gently take it. She pressed my palm to her cheeks.


    The darkness I was encased in didn¡¯t exist. Instead, it was like a mental block that affected my inner consciousness and provided me a place to create my new base body. A metaphorical rebirth, I could say, since it was like I was hatching into a new life.


    ¡°And congratulations, Master. You¡¯re the sole member of a list of Chimeric Soul Warriors that achieved evolution. You¡¯ve done something that has never been accomplished. Take pride in it,¡± Tilde said. She flew up and down my body and said I looked more ¡®girly¡¯ down there. ¡°I dunno if you ever wanted to wear more revealing skirts and shirts, but now you can! Seriously, you¡¯re downright sexy with a phat ass from Beccy, and it was a shame it had to be kept away. But no longer! Free the titties, I say! Free the booty, I say!¡± The mischievously little horny fairy rubbed her lustful mittens together and cackled, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°You¡¯re very beautiful,¡± Sekh said when she helped me stand. I stretched my hands up and wide, then touched my forehead to hers and kissed her. ¡°I love you, my liege,¡± she whispered, half panting when I removed my lips.


    ¡°And I love you, Sekh.¡±


    We shared a hug, and even though I was getting hard, it wasn¡¯t time to fuck. I had a lot of things to test out. But most importantly, I needed to get dressed. I slipped my clothes back on and started on our next task: to find something nice and comfortable to wear. I had four fully furnished wardrobes to go through, so to cut down on time, I enlisted the AI¡¯s help to find and highlight what fit me.


    And I wanted it to be a surprise, so I asked Sekh to wait downstairs with Niva while I rummaged around the Soul Warriors¡¯ closets. She cutely pouted, but a kiss seemed to brighten her mood. Barring Murag, the four women had plentiful options available to me. From green shirts accented by threads of all different colors, including rainbow thread, to royal dresses with an open back and a slit for my hips, the different styles were endless. I was okay with a tunic and a pair of pants. Or maybe a skirt if it was long enough. My focus was to find something that said Lyudmila Vredi Springfield. Tilde was with me as we must¡¯ve gone through two dozen outfits in half an hour. And while I enjoyed what I wore, it didn¡¯t really speak to me. I was just about to go with something boring when I noticed it.


    I was in Beccy¡¯s room when I saw that mannequin. The first word coming to mind was ¡®royalty.¡¯ I was never one for such gaudy outfits, but Tilde¡¯s words swirled around my mind. I was the Transcendent Dark Lord, and I had to act like one. What better way to take a step towards becoming her idealized perfection than dressing the part in something powerful and regal?


    It was a black corset top embedded with golden thread to show off the sides of your hips. And while it showed off a healthy amount of cleavage, it was still tasteful. The black boots were long, coming up to my upper thighs, but the top had an elegant design accentuated with golden silk to add more complexity to the intricate piece of art, which seemed to be a running theme. The shorts it came with were awfully small, though, but they matched the top in every which way.


    The accessories to go with the outfit¡ªhairpins, earrings, and asymmetrical gloves¡ªrested on the nearby dresser, which had a long piece of cloth with two hooks that fit onto the circular hoops on the corset. It appeared to act much like the tail of a man¡¯s suit, or you could wrap it around and turn it into a skirt with variable length.


    It just...spoke to me. I wanted my first outfit in this body to be something. Yes, it was clothing belonging to Sekh¡¯s mortal enemy, but my wearing them was the ultimate revenge. After all, I was a monstrous existence created from their corpses. Sekh specifically used them as ingredients to make my body, and now something she crafted was about to taint these precious heirlooms.


    And so, I began to put them on, but a problem arose. I ran into an issue with the gloves and boots not fitting, but a quick search for similar clothing informed me Reina, Susize, and Yaekira had copies of this outfit in their closets. Somehow, I must¡¯ve overlooked them.


    After a quick trip to get the gloves, I stared at a reflection in Beccy¡¯s massive mirror. It showed me, of course, but did I really look like that? The outfit was on the skimpier side, but oddly enough...


    That didn¡¯t bother me since more skin meant more space to transfigure. But with the power of slime, that restriction didn¡¯t matter much.


    Suddenly, the background of the mirror¡¯s reflection switched from Beccy¡¯s room to a stone, flame-lit hallway with tall pillars. It then cycled to a winter wonderland, an ocean paradise, an oasis deep in the desert, and finally, a flaming volcano on the cusp of exploding. These images weren¡¯t any foreboding future that had a chance of coming true. The mirror was just enchanted to show how Beccy would look in a variety of lighting.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°Hmm... Can¡¯t have my cock threatening to bounce out. It¡¯s a tight fit,¡± I said, talking to my reflection. Pulling the shorts to the side, my penis flopped out and dangled. Until I had something better, I decided to take Susize¡¯s vulva for the being and gave my penis a rest. ¡°There... That feels better.¡± Doing that actually gave me a small surplus of biomass because it took less to have a pussy than it did to have a penis. That was nice.


    After admiring myself once more, I made my way down the stairs. The boots weren¡¯t heeled, so they didn¡¯t make that distinctive noise, but Sekh still heard me coming. She stood from her chair and watched. Her eyes were wide with glee. Her hands went to her chest, and she kneeled.


    Tilde did the same, but her grin was something else. ¡°Now that? Yes, that¡¯s the Transcendent Dark Lord. You got the look, babe. I¡¯m glad you know how to pick out a killer outfit. Fuck yeah, I¡¯m so happy I could cry...¡± she said. She wiped her face with the back of her hand, then told Niva about what I was wearing. Meanwhile, Sekh rose from her position and approached me.


    ¡°It looks incredible on you, my liege,¡± Sekh said, wiping her teary eyes.


    I guess I¡¯m not the only one getting a little emotional.

 Chapter Forty-Four: Interesting Developments

    Chapter Forty-Four: Interesting Developments


    ¡°[Stomach] is a storage-type skill that slimes use to store items for later use. [Storage] is a storage-type skill that you use to store items for later use, but the objects stashed inside are frozen in time. Basically, they¡¯re in a stasis-like field.¡±


    ¡°Okay, so I have two skills that do the same thing. Can I combine them? Can [Storage] overtake [Stomach]?¡± I asked Tilde as we sat around the kitchen table. Niva looked adorable as she looked from Sekh to me to Tilde to follow our voice.


    ¡°Yep! Just tell the AI to do it, and it¡¯ll do it.¡± I obeyed Tilde, told the AI to get it done, and...


    ¡°The properties of [Storage] have been applied to [Stomach], and the capacities of the two have been combined. Enhancement of the former applies to the latter, and enhancement of the latter applies to the former. The weight capacity has doubled, my lord.¡± The multicolored rectangular stone pillar jiggled continuously like jelly.


    ¡°[Stomach] requires SP, so it¡¯s easier to upgrade. But that¡¯s awesome,¡± I said, marveling at my new capacity of 300 LBS. I was at something like 146 LBS earlier, so this was a much-needed boost.


    But it wasn¡¯t always good news. [Mana Regeneration] and [Photosynthesis] did not work simultaneously. I didn¡¯t know why, and neither did Tilde, the AI, or Sekh, but I was forced to choose one. And that was another easy decision. When I was in the sunlight, the latter was active. But as soon as night fell? It was time to turn on the former.


    For the next few hours, I played around with my newfound slime physiology. With practice, I figured out how to coat my body in slickly, wet slime, and since I assimilated slimes of different shades of green. I could change between them in a flash. With my new shapeshifting ability, I could mold objects from my slime and separate them from my body.


    And uhh... I could also shapeshift into a slime, which didn¡¯t cost me any biomass if I remained as one. My vision was a full 360 degrees around me, and it felt fun to hang out in Sekh¡¯s lap while she had her hands around my blubbery body. I couldn¡¯t exactly walk, so I had to hop and bounce to get where I wanted to go.


    Yeah, it was kinda fun. Even though I didn¡¯t have a mouth, I could speak.


    But upon returning to a humanoid, I was stark naked. Tilde said the solution was with clothes enchanted with {Mana Link} were the secret to not exposing my naughty bits to every tom, dick, and harry.


    Sekh didn¡¯t mind it, though. As I was getting dressed, she licked her lips and smiled, but it wasn¡¯t the smile I knew. Something was bothering that adorable woman.


    I¡¯ll ask her about it tonight. She¡¯s staying in the village created by a pet belonging to the Soul Warrior involved in her defeat. That¡¯s bound to stir up some emotion.


    ¡°Sekh?¡±


    ¡°My liege?¡± She met my eyes.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡±


    "VREDI?!?!?!¡± Aello exclaimed while intently flapping her wings. Her eyes were so wide I thought they were about to pop out of her head. She had knocked on the door about five minutes ago, but she was like a broken record since then. Tilde quickly calmed the Harpyfolk and told her the story we had rehearsed¡ªthe one where she found me a thousand years ago in Vredi Forest but put me in a stasis-like seal until I recovered, which happened to take 1,000 years in the hidden remains of the Springfield Forest, using a special ritual to cause a ¡®rebirth of my soul,¡¯ thereby making me a Vredi and a Springfield. I didn¡¯t know I was a Vredi because Tilde never told me, and she never expected me to find out here.


    Did it make much sense? Probably not. It was full of holes and uncertainty, but I didn¡¯t care because it wasn¡¯t like they could prove I wasn¡¯t one. The mansion opened its second and third floors for me, which in Aello¡¯s eyes, indicated I was a Vredi.


    We finally got Aello inside and sat in a chair in the kitchen. She had brought along two boxes and wanted us to open them when she caught her breath.


    ¡°Those are specially developed moisturizing cloths only we can make with the great Eagle Yew¡¯s help,¡± she said when I pulled out a brown cloth. It was as stiff as a piece of cardboard, but it became malleable when drenched with water. ¡°It¡¯s best used after a bath to get the most relaxation. The other box contains pink cloths that we use in place of soap. Vredi High Blessing of the Forest, I hope you find the gift suitable. Ah, the recipe is also in there.¡± After believing me to be a Vredi, the tone and cadence she spoke with altered drastically at the drop of a hat. She was already polite before, but her voice contained far more respect and honor than someone like me was worthy of. After a little bit of digging, I came to understand why.


    Because Vredi Forest was destroyed, no more elves could be born with that name. And since Susize was the most famous one¡ªand a Soul Warrior for the most powerful Holy Lord¡ªher name carried a lot of weight. Her mother and father were probably alive, and I knew she had a sister, not to mention the other elves that lived in Vredi Forest before it was ultimately destroyed. Still, if the number of High Elves was about 10,000, and its destruction came 1,000 years ago, it was likely no more than fifty Vredis were still alive. That was why I asked Aello to keep it a secret.


    She agreed far more readily than I expected, though it was probably out of some loyalty I didn¡¯t understand. Out of curiosity, I asked about the second and third floors. She apologized for not telling me about them. It simply skipped her mind to do so, but she said it wasn¡¯t an excuse. But the invisible walls that only opened for a Vredi was all she knew. Aello didn¡¯t know this was Susize¡¯s original mansion, much less realize it was Susize''s home. ¡°The Eagle Yew works in mysterious ways, Lord Vredi Springfield. Awesome? Powerful? Exotic? Mystical? Yes, to all of the above.¡±


    ¡°One more thing. Is it a problem if I do a little target practice? How taboo are guns around here?¡±


    ¡°Unexpected. The taste of firearms very rarely intrudes upon Aetos Village, yet there is no rule forbidding it,¡± Aello said. Then she thanked me for asking her first. I didn¡¯t have a reason to not ask her first. It was in my best interest to remain on good terms with her and the rest of the village until Niva had her prosthetics. And speaking of that, I mentally commanded the AI to study Enap¡¯s technique. That appeared as a smaller window in my vision, where he was working hard, but I pushed it off to the side and didn''t focus on it.


    Seems like the smaller the window of [Map] in satellite mode, the less strain it causes for me. That¡¯s good to know.


    After some talk, Aello excused herself and made way for the door. She had no hands, yet her long talons were dexterous enough to grip the knob and turn it. ¡°If you need anything, please feel free to ask me. Aetos Village is a village of compassion and cooperation. We all work with each other for each other.¡± We thanked her for the gift, watched her away, and closed and locked the door behind her.


    Huh, she didn¡¯t even say anything about my new outfit when I said I covered myself due to personal reasons. Eh, if she isn¡¯t going to bring it up, that¡¯s fine.


    There was time to kill, and Sekh and I spent it on target practice. The training room was too small, and I didn¡¯t want to deal with broken glass in case Sekh missed, so to the backyard we went. My original plan was to make some frisbee-like objects out of my slime and throw them, but then I realized I could take out a bunch of cooking pots from [Artificer¡¯s Arsenal]. It was infinite, after all.


    Tilde pointed to a nearby bench with a backrest, and Sekh and I carried it about 20 feet away. Once the pots were stacked, we returned to Niva. ¡°It¡¯s going to get loud,¡± I told her. ¡°It¡¯s just Sekh shooting her gun, so don¡¯t be afraid.¡± She nodded.


    Sekh drew her gun, chambered a round, and carefully took aim.


    Reina¡¯s instincts were screaming in agony at Sekh¡¯s horrible stance that I just had to step in to stop the second-hand embarrassment. She tried to copy me, but that wasn¡¯t working. The easiest solution was to stand behind her and manually correct her stance, and I didn¡¯t mind that because I got some quality touching in. Her elbows were too far out, her wrists were far too limp, and even the gun was slightly crooked in her grip, not to mention that there was no way she could line up the iron sight.


    The proper form was going to feel uncomfortable until she became used to it, and she understood that.


    ¡°My liege, please adjust my form as you see fit,¡± she said before squeezing the trigger. A sharp, piercing gunshot rang out, causing several flocks of birds to immediately fly for safety. It was like a mass exodus of shadow and color that temporarily blanketed large portions of the sky.


    ¡°What material do you want? Iron will be the cheapest, but it¡¯ll also be heavy. It¡¯s not something you want for someone not used to them. Steel is lighter, but it isn¡¯t as tough as mythril.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m assuming mythril is the most expensive?¡±


    Enap nodded and tucked his eight legs underneath his hulking body to sit down. From a small pouch wrapped around his waist, he retrieved a journal and stenciled some designs he had in mind. ¡°There are better metals to use than mythril, but the price-to-performance ratio isn¡¯t worth the drastically increased cost. Now, what style do you want? I could create a near-perfect copy of her other leg. If you want to make it cheaper, I could only have the pylon that connects to the foot and the socket. What will she be doing it? I¡¯m sorry, ma¡¯am. What do you intend to do with these prosthetics? Fighting? Running? Jumping? Lifting?¡±


    Niva looked at Enap while assuring sure her hood shadowed her face, then turned to face me.


    ¡°She¡¯s a summoner of spirits, so fighting and running,¡± I replied, telling Enap that Niva-- ¡®Lola¡¯¡ª couldn¡¯t speak right now.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s helpful. Now, for the measurements...¡±


    I have them right here.¡± I pointed to my head. Tilde was far too busy salivating and drooling while rubbing Enap¡¯s abs, and Sekh and Niva remained quiet.


    ¡°Please, I mean no disrespect, but I cannot use your numbers. I want to believe they are right, but in the rare case they aren¡¯t...¡±


    ¡°I understand, but I insist you take them. Lola is under my protection, and I must make sure her identity will not get out. Surely someone with your knowledge realizes that Lola is a fake name. Why do you think she¡¯s covered from head to toe?¡±


    Enap took a deep breath. ¡°The absolute very last thing I would ever do is betray the secrecy of a High Blessing¡ª¡±


    ¡°Then what about the secrecy of a Vredi?¡± I asked, cutting him off. His ten eyes went wide, and a cold, nervous sweat immediately dripped down his face.


    ¡°A... A Vredi? From the fabled Vredi Forest?!¡±


    Might as well put this into action.


    Standing up, I put on my most regal voice. ¡°Swear to me¡ªLyudmila Vredi Springfield¡ª that the contents you see will not divulge from your mouth. That you will tell nary a soul that is of the living or dead or of spirit or demonic origins.¡±


    ¡°Of--Of course!¡± Enap bowed his head and placed an arm across his chest.


    ¡°His words are true, my liege,¡± Sekh said. She narrowed her silver eyes and scanned him up and down.


    Standing up, I told him to follow me to the backyard while I grabbed Niva¡¯s wheelchair. His demeanor had changed to something stressful while remaining securely behind me, like he was afraid to get close. For the hell of it, I asked him about my new tunic, then wondered what went through his mind earlier when I was covered from neck to toe. Unsurprisingly, he just thought that was how I dressed since he used to live in the desert, and you had to dress for the sandstorms that popped up. Depending on the material and style of clothing, it was a good idea to wear more to stay cool while also having an easier time keeping warm when the sun fell. Deserts had a reputation for being blisteringly hot, but it wasn''t rare to die of hypothermia once the moon took its place in the sky.


    ¡°To take her measurements, you just need to see her arms and legs, yes?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Lady Springfield. Rather, would you like to be called Lady Vredi?¡±


    ¡°The former. Please, do not divulge my true identity to anyone. If I wish people to know, I will tell them. Then it is no trouble if her face is to remain hidden?¡±


    ¡°That will not be a problem, Lady Springfield,¡± Enap replied, pulling a measuring tape from his pouch. He asked permission twice over, and Niva nodded. She looked at me. I stood behind her while he lifted the sleeves of her robe. Gasping at the bandages, Enap retained a professional attitude and took his measurements using her remaining arm as a reference. Sometimes, he¡¯d turn back to his sketchbook and pen down a design or two after drawing her arm and hand for reference.


    ¡°You know,¡± he said when he saw the dead spots of pulsing flesh on her lower thighs. ¡°Ruru, that Deerfolk you met before? He¡¯s adept at mixing potions. He could probably whip up something to help encourage Lola¡¯s scales to grow back. Could do something about this burn right here, too. It¡¯s a stubborn thing, right?¡±


    ¡°Really? And you can say that again. I did my best to make remedies with what I had, but my herbs were old and dried. I couldn¡¯t get the good stuff.¡±


    ¡°Well, you don¡¯t have to worry about that here. The forest provides us what we need to survive. As I said, Ruru will be more than willing to help you if you want to ask him.¡± Enap finished his measurements, double-checked them once more, then showed me a few designs. Honestly, all of them looked really good, but I went with the ones that were more humanoid-like. He showed me one that had the socket connected to a pylon, but since I was already footing the bill for mythril, I at least wanted to get my money¡¯s worth.


    He said that was fine, but the price would be more. I just shrugged and didn''t worry until he told me the total cost for one arm, leg, and a foot.


    ¡°54 gold?!¡± I exclaimed.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Lady Springfield. Mythril is a rare metal. It involves a certain amount of technique to properly forge.¡±


    ¡°Shit. Okay, What about the leg and foot?¡± I had to make a choice. Niva had a good arm, and it wasn¡¯t like this prosthetic would even be functional to grab things.


    ¡°That brings it down to 46. The leg and foot are more expensive because they¡¯re more important in giving Lola her mobility back.¡± I asked the AI how much gold I had, and I was lucky to have 47 because of the bed, desk, and 25 pounds of meat I¡¯d bought for Sekh.


    ¡°Lola, is that fine? Just the foot and leg?¡± I inquired. Without a second of hesitation, she nodded, and that was that. Enap closed his sketchbook and wrote me a receipt while I paid him half the bill. To let him know I had the rest, I showed him another 23 gold coins, which he appreciated.


    ¡°It will be a few days before it is ready.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± I replied. Enap held out his hand, I shook it, and we conversed for a few more seconds before he said his goodbyes. I¡¯d been so engrossed in getting this prosthetic thing done that I hadn¡¯t noticed little fireflies had come out to play. Their whimsy yellow glow flashed like lanterns as they flew and illuminated without care. In the distance, I saw Ruru and Arguna chase them around while trying to catch them in their hands.


    Maybe I should ask him for help. I have to get more sociable, right? I think I¡¯ve been doing alright so far. It¡¯s not nearly as hard as I thought it¡¯d be. I can do that tomorrow.

 Chapter Forty-Five: Clone Training of the Sexual Kind (R-18) – Part One

    Chapter Forty-Five: Clone Training of the Sexual Kind (R-18) ¨C Part One


    ¡°Ahh~~ That hits the spot.¡± Tilde practically moaned as she floated on the pond''s surface in Susize¡¯s naturalized bathroom. Through the controls the AI gave me, I turned it into something like a hot spring while dimming the glowing mushrooms. The nearby trees, lovely star-filled sky, and gorgeous atmosphere certainly didn¡¯t dock any points in that department.


    I was sitting on the surrounding rocks with my legs in the water. Sekh was inside the pond, but she sat between my legs and rubbed them. Niva was a bit further away in a section I had made colder because I didn¡¯t want to overheat her wounds. She lifted a hand and listened to the noise water made as it dripped through her fingers, then she rubbed some over her dead spots. Instead of soap, we had those pink cloths resting beside me. Stiff as a piece of wood, neither Sekh nor I smelled anything from them. They probably had to get wet. But that could wait because I wanted to spend this time with my companions.


    ¡°Niva, I¡¯m sorry you won¡¯t have an arm. I didn¡¯t have the money on me, and I didn¡¯t want to part with the ceremonial weapons. There¡¯s literally nothing else like them in this world.¡±


    She turned to my voice and shook her head, then smiled. So, she wasn¡¯t upset, but I¡¯d rather she learned how to speak again. ¡°But just give it a few more days. We¡¯ll have you in physical therapy. I know you¡¯re tired of being pushed around.¡± Again, she shook her head, pointed to where she thought the chair was, then tapped a finger to her heart. A frown appeared, and her mouth opened, but only vague noises came out. A downtrodden look washed over her, but it didn¡¯t remain forever. My eyes looked over her wounds. While her crotch required powerful healing magic or an elixir to reconstruct, the anti-bacterial drink and the inflammation cream for her thighs did wonders. And she managed to stop pissing blood, so it was really nothing but good tidings on that front.


    With Ruru¡¯s help, I wonder if I could completely get rid of the scars? Probably not, but I¡¯d rather have scars than continue to live with burns and rashes. But what about her tail and scales?


    ¡°My liege?¡± Sekh turned around and laid her head on my knees while looking at me. I rubbed her ears and talked about Ruru. I didn¡¯t have much money to pay him for help, but I still had to ask him.


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, while we¡¯re out here, go ahead and try out [Mitosis] to make a clone.¡± Tilde interrupted Sekh, who responded by splashing some water at the annoyance. ¡°Nice try, girlie, but I¡¯m already as wet as I could be. But seriously, now¡¯s the best time to try it out. If you use [Shapeshifter (Chimera)] on it, you can make it look like someone that¡¯s not you.¡±


    Making a clone of myself? I read the description and realized my power would be divided by the number of clones, but my current limit was 1. Dark green slime squirted from my palm after I held a hand out and collected itself inside the pond. It took a few seconds for them to merge. Once they did, it took but a moment before I was looking at a clone of myself. From the honey-blond hair that stretched to my hips to the flaccid penis dangling right above Tilde, it was me in every which way.


    But when I moved an arm, it refused to follow. It was just like a dummy¡ªan extremely realistic dummy.


    ¡°Damn, you¡¯re bigger when it¡¯s towering right above me. You¡¯re lucky you¡¯re too small, or I¡¯ll ride you like a pair of shoes in the washing machine. Ka-DUNK!¡±


    That doesn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°Washing...machine?¡± Sekh asked. She lifted her head off my legs and stared in confusion. The tip of my growing erection poked her in the cheeks. She moved a little bit until her breasts were resting against my lap, and she gently squeezed my dick between her tits. I didn¡¯t move, and neither did she, but I reached down and played and groped her boobs while explaining the concept of a washing machine.


    The clone just stood there, and while it took mana from me, [Mana Regeneration] kicked in and almost sustained me. Once it started to move, it¡¯d take more, but I had to get used to the feeling of having a clone before I continued to the next step. But what didn''t help that much was Tilde¡¯s masturbation after she flapped her wings. She flew to the clone, latched onto it from below like a koala clinging to a tree, and rubbed her tiny pussy against the flaccid shaft. But whatever. I left her in her own world and got into the heated pond. The hot feeling of warmth and relaxation flowed over me, and Sekh had a look in her eyes as she placed my hand on her head. Guess she wanted me to rub it.


    Tilde''s sudden moans caught us off guard, and we watched as she fell into the pond, her pussy juice dripping down from my clone''s penis. She emerged from the water with a satisfied expression. ¡°You know, Master, Amos¡¯s Soul Warriors weren¡¯t just strong. They were absolute hotties. Since Beccy is a part of you, you can perfectly mimic her form and appearance. But for someone like Aello, the level of your shapeshifting skill determines how accurately you can copy her appearance.¡±


    ¡°There is more to that, my lord,¡± interjected the AI. The rainbow-colored stone appeared floating on the water¡¯s surface in a small hologram-like innertube, which was the first time it¡¯d done anything like this. Was this proof of its growth? ¡°It is possible to use [Analysis] to analyze a subject¡¯s visual data to bypass the level requirement for [Shapeshifter (Chimera)].¡±


    I was speechless¡ªstunned and upset at how idiotic I was. Of course, Sekh wouldn¡¯t find it easy to watch me pleasure myself to the forms that ended her reign of tyranny.


    Looking at my dead clone, I held Sekh close while canceling the skill¡ªthe remaining slime used in its creation flowed back to me to give me some of the mana I¡¯d used.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sekh. I¡¯m so sorry.¡± My voice was weak. ¡°I promise I won¡¯t ever do that again.¡±


    I¡¯d hurt the one I loved the most, so I tried to mend the damage the best I could with a tight hug and sweet words.


    We had those cloths, but neither of us felt like using them. We just got out of the pond after cleaning my seed from her body, dried ourselves off, and in Niva¡¯s case, helped her into her sleeping clothes and placed her on the bed nearby. Earlier, Sekh and I took Beccy¡¯s bed and brought it to Susize¡¯s room because I didn¡¯t want Niva to sleep alone. If something were to happen, I¡¯d never known about it because she couldn''t speak yet.


    Sekh and I crawled onto the bed and pulled the silk curtains down. The pillow was wide enough for at least six people, and the blankets were way better than what Ichiha offered us. That was to be expected, though, since this was the prime of luxury¡ªlocked away in stasis for at least a thousand years while still being as soft as they ever were. She rested her head on my shoulder as we laid there, listening to the gentle breathing of the other.


    ¡°I guess you don¡¯t really like this place,¡± I said, breaking the ice.


    ¡°I don¡¯t. I thought I did, but... I¡¯m just surrounded by constant reminders of my failure. I have to see their faces on every painting on every wall.¡±


    ¡°But you said it yourself. You found this village peaceful and wonderful. Were you lying?¡±


    ¡°Not at the time...¡± Her voice was quiet and meek¡ªa far cry from her tenacious self. ¡°But it¡¯s different now. When I burned that detestable bitch¡¯s desk, I was hoping¡ªbegging from the heart that the next thing out of your mouth was an order to burn this village. I don¡¯t want to stay here.¡±


    "You know we can¡¯t leave. Not until Enap¡¯s finished. But what about me?


    ¡°What... do you mean? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°My face. Does looking at it hurt your heart?¡±


    Almost immediately, she leaned up and tried to argue, but her words were without conviction. ¡°Before we came here, I was fine with it. I promise I was. I didn¡¯t put much thought into it because I¡¯d won the battle between Susize and the others. But this village is bringing back memories. When I close my eyes, I see the clash that shitty elf and I had above our warring armies. Her on Aetos and me on my Ancient Elder Dragon. Mace versus bow, black flames against torrential wind. When I stare at the wall, I see people I must kill. The floor becomes a squelching blood-soaked field with hundreds of thousands of corpses. The smell of burning bodies and ash filters through my nose. Sometimes... Sometimes it feels like I¡¯m really there again... ¡±


    ¡°I will change it. Say the word, and I can take Mira¡¯s appearance. I¡¯ll change my name to hers and forgo Vredi. I don¡¯t care about the perks that come with it if it¡¯s going to hurt you.¡±


    ¡°NO! There¡¯s no need to do that for me! It wouldn¡¯t be right!¡± she replied. I argued back and said it wouldn¡¯t be right if I continued to have Susize¡¯s face since it was obviously causing some issues. Her response was to kiss me. Then she kissed me a second time, a third time, and a fourth time, clearly trying to say that she was content with it. ¡°That body¡¯s special... I made it just for you. Please, don¡¯t change it on my account.¡±


    ¡°Is that what you truly want? I can¡¯t bear to see you hurt. Not physically, and especially not mentally.¡± Sekh planted one more kiss on my lips and straddled my hips. I looked up at the very beacon of beauty and caressed her cheeks with fingers belonging to the hands she molded for me with [Fleshcrafting].

 Chapter Forty-Five: Clone Training of the Sexual Kind (R-18) – Part Two

    Chapter Forty-Five: Clone Training of the Sexual Kind (R-18) ¨C Part Two


    ¡°Fuck me, my liege,¡± Sekh sultry whispered. ¡°I want to hold my body against you...¡±


    ¡°Okay... Let¡¯s go to another room¡ª¡±


    ¡°Uhh... Is that necessary?¡± Tilde said. The bed had bedposts big enough for her to sleep on. She looked up from her handkerchief pillow and wiped her eyes. ¡°Have you forgotten you blew a load in her mouth when we were bathing? And you know you did that in front of Niva? Besides, she¡¯s fine with it.¡±


    ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Because I asked her myself? While you gave Big Tits a protein milkshake, I asked ole mono eye if she had any problem with our Master having sex, and she shook her head. She doesn¡¯t even mind if you do it in the same room. Besides, she can¡¯t exactly see you two going at it like rabid bunnies. So go ahead and fuck. Add some clones if you like. Use Irisa, Ichiha, or even Kokan. Or what about Aello? She¡¯s kinda hot. And you got Mira, too. You''ve seen Gloria and Arella, so why not fuck them until their clone pussies are raw and sore? Maybe stick it up their ass? Why don¡¯t you use your map to find someone sexy? The world is your sexual oyster. Even if it might be weird and invasive, I won¡¯t tell anyone. Besides, you need to practice. Controlling a clone isn¡¯t easy, let alone when you have five of them.¡± Tilde flicked her wrist at us and laid back down. I heard a quiet yawn, then stared at Niva. She was sleeping, turned away from us, but if it was okay with her...? Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    ¡°Sekh? Are you fine with that? As long as it isn¡¯t...¡±


    She took my hands and held them to her chest, enclosing them around her tits and making me squeeze them. ¡°Yes, I am.¡± Nodding, I used [Mitosis] and [Shapeshifter (Chimera)] to make a clone...


    Of the woman I loved most in this world.


    Sekh stared at her doppelga?nger, gasped, then sweetly smiled. I could have chosen anyone I wanted for our first time with a clone, and what better person was the very girl I loved with all of my heart? With a simple command, the clone crawled onto the bed and sat on her knees beside Sekh. Both sets of eyes were staring at my erection, but only one had flushed cheeks.


    ¡°Both of you... Lick me.¡±


    ¡°At once, my liege.¡± Sekh leaned down and licked the left side, her wet tongue starting strong at the base and flicking off at the tip while the clone tongued my balls. If I wanted to, senses could¡¯ve been shared between it and me, but I didn¡¯t want that. I was happily reaping the benefits of pleasure without tasting my own cock.


    ¡°Fuck, that feels so good...¡± I grabbed both their heads and rubbed their ears; the real Sekh¡¯s effort improved while a hand went to her moistening pussy. Then the clone moved up my shaft and lewdly slopped up Sekh¡¯s left-behind spit. Upon ordering them to kiss, they wrapped their lips around my dick from each side¡ªone tongue went high and the other low¡ªto complete my command.


    Seeing Sekh kiss a doppelga?nger? It was hot... And sexy.


    ¡°My liege...¡± Sekh said with her mouth full. Hearing her try to talk while occupied with my dick turned me on. She turned her eyes up at me and saw that I was pinching and groping my nipples with Mira¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Louder!¡± I said, smacking her ass and hearing a delicious yelp as she followed my command. At the same time, a few vines sprouted off my shoulder and crawled and hugged Sekh¡¯s luscious body. Once they wrapped around her tits, I added slime to them and a mouth to the tips to suck her breasts, but not before making one a penis and placing it in front of her face.


    She probably looked at it like a treat¡ªor perhaps an extra bonus since she wasted no time trying to gobble it up. Between her exasperated moans, the constant orgasms, the squeezing of her pussy, the teasing of her nipples, and my fingers poking around her ass, we delved into a psychosis of inexcusable, lustful passion.


    I wanted her. She wanted me. We desired the other, and after a certain point, the only sounds coming from either of us were earth-shattering moans as we feasted and satisfied our concupiscent dreams.


    I didn¡¯t even know when the clone vanished...


    The only thing I was aware of was one final orgasm that filled Sekh¡¯s mouth and pussy, and one desperate cry as my balls drained themselves.


    The bed was an utterly sticky mess filled with fluids of all kinds, yet my first thought was of Sekh. Even while drunk on her taste, her feelings came first. I couldn¡¯t be an idiot and go to sleep without checking on her. That was a mistake I¡¯d made before, and I¡¯d never make it again because a relationship like this was a two-way street. We each had to give and take, and right now, I was going to offer my feelings and take care to see that she wasn¡¯t injured.


    ¡°But I¡¯m hungry as hell...¡± I whispered after tending to Sekh and smiling when it turned out she was only in a deep sleep. I had a few more pounds of that meat, so I cut off a few chunks and assimilated it with my slime to regain some biomass.


    The slime method is a hell of a lot neater than chowing down. Thanks to [Drain], of course. I guess this is how I¡¯ll assimilate in the future.


    That didn¡¯t quench my hunger, but I wasn¡¯t tired. Not even a single bit. I attested that to my newfound physiology as a slime. To test something out, I cut my finger and saw blood. After activating [Slime Physiology (Chimeric)], I cut myself again. Instead of blood, green slime appeared, and my biomass decreased and not my HP.


    But I didn¡¯t feel the pain. Slimes didn¡¯t have nerves, right? They were a goopy mess of...something held together by the monster¡¯s core. Killing one dissolved it, but I knew there was a way to end a slime¡¯s life and have it remain whole. But that didn¡¯t matter much when I was part slime.


    After changing something, I performed the test again, and I lost HP and biomass instead of one or the other, but only about half of each when compared to what I lost before. And I bled blood, not slime. The pain I felt was heavily decreased, but it was still barely there.


    Okay, so I can change what I lose when I get hurt. But I still need biomass to live. I must decide if it''s worth it to remain as a slime, in terms of physiology, or if I should remain as I were... Having a mix of both might be better, honestly. But regardless of which one I pick, I no longer need to breathe or sleep. That¡¯s good. I don¡¯t know if vacuum-like spells or abilities exist, but I won''t die if someone cuts off my oxygen.


    I tried to be as quiet as I could while changing out the bed sheets and cleaning up Sekh and me. Tilde stared at me with a grin only a mischievous fairy like her could make, but Niva seemed to have fallen into a deep slumber.


    But when I was done, I slipped into bed under the clean covers and wrapped my arms around Sekh¡¯s stomach. She enjoyed a restful, satisfying slumber, but I remained awake to think about the future.

 Chapter Forty-Six: Ruru’s Elixir

    Chapter Forty-Six: Ruru¡¯s Elixir


    From the moment Sekh woke me with a kiss to when I was finishing up a basic breakfast of tomatoes and bread, she never let go of my arm. She held it snuggly between her clothed tits while a happy smile occupied her cute face. I¡¯d thought our sexual tryst would¡¯ve been too much, but it seemed there was no need for embarrassment.


    Still, after we all ate breakfast, I took Niva¡¯s hand and apologized from the heart. To my surprise, she was taken aback and shook her head. Some questioning later, she made it clear that she really didn¡¯t mind it. Or rather, maybe she felt like it shouldn¡¯t have bothered her since, in her eyes, I was working so hard for her to gain her mobility back.


    Regardless, when asked if she wanted me to move to another room whenever the mood struck me, she shook her head no. Niva kept looking at me with that smile, then pressed her hand to her heart. Her toothless mouth opened, the strain clearly visible as oil in water, yet whatever she was trying to say refused to come out.


    I patted her head and said she didn¡¯t have to rush things. A moment later, Tilde wanted to be a jackass and started moaning as loudly as she could, then complained that she couldn¡¯t hit the high octaves compared to Sekh.


    ¡°Like seriously. What the hell was that last night? Penis vines and slimes and semen and clones? Oh my?¡± The fairy covered her mouth slyly. ¡°You¡¯re a seriously depraved pervert, and I am all for that shit! You were my only choice for the training system, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re a deviant. Imagine when you can make an orgy¡¯s worth of clones? Hehe!!! The fuck train has no breaks! The fuck train has no breaks!¡± She chanted. ¡°Wooooo!!!!!!!¡±


    ¡°My liege, what¡¯s the plan for today?¡± asked Sekh once her eggs and sausage were devoured, ignoring Tilde. Yeah, we all disregarded the horny little thing.


    ¡°I gotta find Ruru and get his help. And that¡¯s all there is, really.¡±


    ¡°In that case, may I have permission to stay here with Niva?¡± I looked at Sekh with a puzzled look because she¡¯d never asked permission before. Upon asking why, she mentioned she wanted to focus on training. We didn¡¯t know how long it would take for Niva¡¯s prosthetics to be done, but she wanted to try to regain a few more skills. ¡°I¡¯m...still uncomfortable being out in the village proper.¡±


    ¡°Sure, that¡¯s fine. We won¡¯t stay here longer than necessary, okay?¡± I rubbed her head as she purred, her tail happily dancing behind her. Out of curiosity, I asked if she wanted me to get the AI to highlight clothes that fit her, but Sekh refused. She honestly didn¡¯t want anything at all to do with anything relating to Amos, his Soul Warriors, or Aetos and this village, including wearing their clothes. Well, that only made me more determined to make her outfits myself.


    I searched for Ruru and found him standing outside Enap¡¯s cave with a pair of fishing rods. Arguna was in Aello¡¯s house, so after slipping on my socks and boots and admiring my new self in the mirror, I stashed my gun on my hip.


    ¡°Huh...¡± I suddenly said, stopping before the front door. ¡°Tilde?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s good, homie?¡± Tilde asked. She flew in front of me and hovered. My eyes scanned her up and down.


    "Let my clone fuck you.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Tilde was silent.


    ¡°...¡± Sekh was silent.


    ¡°...¡± Niva was silent.


    ¡°...¡± The AI materialized...and remained silent.


    ¡°Fuckin what?!¡± Tilde broke the silence with a deadpan expression. Apparently, I¡¯d caught her off guard.


    ¡°You heard me,¡± I said, creating a naked clone beside me. ¡°You¡¯ve always said I was too small for you, but let¡¯s put that to the test.¡±


    Having sex with Tilde was different than wanting to make love with Irisa. It didn¡¯t feel like cheating since we shared a life, so perhaps it was apt to think of it as mutual masturbation? When I told Sekh about Tilde and me when she was drunk, she was only slightly upset because she couldn''t, at the time, satisfy my urges.


    She was fine with Tilde jerking me off with her body, though. But Sekh also said I had her consent to have sex with her if she was asleep or drunk¡ªthat I didn¡¯t have to use Tilde because she was right there. That didn¡¯t sit right with me, but I didn¡¯t say anything to hurt Sekh¡¯s feelings.


    ¡°What? You think that skinny thang can mess up my insides and flood me to kingdom-fucking-come? Ha! Try again, Master.¡± Tilde put her hands on her hips and let loose a hearty laugh while pointing at me. ¡°Fine! I¡¯ll accept this little challenge!¡± Upstodatee from


    ¡°Uhh... It¡¯s not a challenge. Tilde, I love you. And I want to have sex with you. I couldn¡¯t before, but I can now.¡± The words I said were spoken from my heart. They truly were. The horny fairy was instrumental in me making it just this far, and life wouldn¡¯t be the same without her around. Tilde watched as my clone, with the same proportion, shrunk to the proportion of a particular fairy. A moment later, it returned to its original size.


    ¡°Wait... Are you embarrassed?¡± Sekh asked with a slight chuckle. ¡°I suppose even you can be cute.¡±


    ¡°Sh¡ªShut up, Big Tits!¡± Tilde threw her hands down and tried to wipe away her blush as the crimson veins in her wings rapidly flashed. ¡°Fi¡ªFine! If you¡¯re going to confess, the least I can do is let your clone stick it in... It¡¯s probably bigger than you anyway! But hurry up!¡± Faster than ever, Tilde flew past me and into the hallway.


    But my clone remained behind.


    Sekh kissed my cheeks when my hand touched the door handle, and Tilde poked her head from around the wall--her cheeks were as red as a sunburn.


    ¡°I¡ªI love you too, Master. But¡ªbut next time, I don¡¯t wanna fuck a clone. I¡¯m only doing this because I¡¯ve seen how you look at me! Consider it a favor from the Tilde, The Real Cock Champion!¡± she stammered. ¡°And...and next time, I want the real you, not a clone. Clone!Master, hurry up!!!! I ain¡¯t got all day, dammit!¡±


    She repeated herself twice. Guess she¡¯s embarrassed. Okay, that¡¯s really cute.


    My smile said what I wanted to convey. After giving the clone a few simple commands, I went out the door with a flutter in my heart.


    I love them so much... I really do... Ah, I don¡¯t want to get an erection, so I¡¯ll turn off the feeling and emotional flow from my clone. When it returns, I''ll feel what it felt and learn what it experienced.


    As I traveled to the waypoint I marked, I had to go around the Eagle Yew. The Dryad I¡¯d seen the day before saw me approach, then hastily ran over to give me a big hug around my legs. She wished me good morning, I did the same, and we walked together for a few minutes before a centaur called her name. I waved and greeted the other villagers I saw¡ªeven going so far as to make direct eye contact with the two Bellerophon agents staying at the inn. They walked around with some veggie leaf wrap in their hands, and they returned my greeting.


    That was one problem solved. I just needed to find some. There was the whole problem of making the bullet, though. As well as the casing and primer. I was thankful, though, because I needed to make one exceptional bullet. The AI could mass manufacture the rest if I had the materials.


    I wanted to ask more about enchanting, but I stopped because I figured it was too dangerous. It was a long shot, but enchanting seemed like something elves, especially High Elves, should¡¯ve been very familiar with. Thus,, I closed my mouth and allowed Ruru to take the conversational lead while we searched for the fabled panabow.


    It took about 18 minutes, but we finally saw the glimmer of a rainbow in the sky. With haste, we jumped up onto a tree limb and raced towards our destination. Upon jumping down, we saw it. Surrounded by pretty reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, indigos, and violets sat a plant with those very same colors embedded into its petals.


    ¡°Oh, this is great news. Lady Springfield, care to play a song?¡± Ruru said after plucking the petals and storing them in his pouch. He grabbed a blade of grass nearby. [Analysis] said it was called a songleaf. Long and narrow with a slight curve, he handed it to me without waiting for my response. But I wasn¡¯t worried because my Elvish instincts taught me what to do. I took the grass, placed my lips on one side, and began to blow while maneuvering my tongue to control the air coming out. And like magic, a serene noise echoed. It sounded something similar to a flute, yet it felt like there was more cadence or ¡®emotion¡¯ packed within this single piece of nature.


    Before I knew it, I closed my eyes to further focus. Upon opening them, deer and wolves sat around me, their eyes closed as well while enjoying the performance. Again, predator and prey relaxed and remained in my audience until the song was done. Then they mutually disbanded to return to what they were doing before. I stashed it in my holster for later use since I wanted to play it for Sekh.


    ¡°It was a beautiful song, Lady Springfield. I felt the raw emotion you put into it. Thank you for playing it,¡± Ruru said. He wiped his eyes clean of tears, and after I petted the deer and wolves, we retraced our steps back to the lake to get some of the mana-infused water. Our next goal after that was to find Aello, so we casually chatted during the trip back to the village. Ruru once said he had the pleasure of seeing a class of children work hard to turn a bundle of songleaf into an actual grassy flute. It was something like a rite of passage that taught the children how to focus their nature-attuned mana to prolong the life of their flute and stave off decay.


    Ruru mentioned he joined in, yet he didn¡¯t have the training or experience to make a flute, though he had the chance to buy one from one of the instructors. But it took hard work for a non-Elf to create music, and even after a month, his flute had turned brown. Meanwhile, the students¡¯ flutes were still as green as the leaf of a healthy tree.


    Susize and Reina must¡¯ve done something similar. Why else could I play it so elegantly?


    Aello¡¯s abode was the very definition of a birdhouse. It was tall and narrow, with nary a set of stairs to be found because she could fly to where she wanted to go. A perch hanging from the fourth floor probably acted as her ¡®bed¡¯ since she probably slept while securely locking herself into place with her talons. Despite the lack of accessibility to those without wings, Arguna seemed to be enjoying herself. Besides, Aello allowed the young, deaf girl to grab onto her legs to fly her to the second or third floor if she wanted to go there.


    Upon asking if it was alright to take some of the Eagle Yew¡¯s sap, the Vermillion Harpyfolk could not have been happier. She gave us her blessings and thanked the Eagle Yew for granting assistance to a High Blessing. Honestly, I was kinda getting tired of being referred to as that. I wasn¡¯t a blessing¡ªthere was nothing ¡®blessing¡¯ about me, but again, it wouldn¡¯t be apt to purposely cause some problems because I started to feel annoyed. You wouldn¡¯t look a gift Deerfolk in the eye¡ªespecially one that could make an elixir. When we left to gather the sap from the base of the Eagle Yew, Arguna traveled with us. She held Ruru¡¯s hand like a daughter would a father, and he quickly answered the question on my mind with a shake of his head.


    If they weren¡¯t parent and child, then the only other option must¡¯ve been child and their guardian. It was kinda like what I was to Niva. She wasn¡¯t a child¡ªwith her being 22 years old¡ªbut for the time being, she was under my protection.


    Ruru took a specially-designed tool and drilled a small hole into the Eagle Yew. Then he inserted a hollowed wooden peg with holes to control the airflow. With a hammer in one hand, he placed a bucket in the right spot and gently rapped the peg until the thick, amber-colored sap collected itself in the bucket.


    It took about thirty minutes to get enough, but it wasn¡¯t uneventful. Right after we started, Enap and his eight legs came hobbling over with a wrapped gift held with grace within his upper arms. The Dryad and a few other children hung from his legs with glee and laughter while he removed the cloth to reveal a silver prosthetic.


    A prosthetic, mind you, that looked every which way the same Arguna¡¯s fleshy arm. The deaf, one-armed girl let out a smile and excitedly jumped around. Reaching into a pouch, Ruru retrieved something he called a nerve mesh and laid it over Arguna¡¯s stump. Next came the socket, which securely wrapped around that and looked like a giant nut. The kind you¡¯d use in construction.


    ¡°I can see it in your eyes, Lady Springfield. The nerve mesh is not something I offer. Nor do I know how to create it. But I know they¡¯re not something even a baron or duke could find. And I¡¯m not curious enough to pry into a customer¡¯s life,¡± Enap said while eyeing a thin mesh of white and yellow Ruru pulled from a pouch. He laid it over Arguna¡¯s stump and rubbed it in finely. Next, the Deerfolk took the socket and wrapped it around the stump, using the mesh to stick it to the stump. This socket reminded me of a giant nut you¡¯d use in construction. But then came the actual arm. He placed the end into the socket, then turned it like one would a screw until it couldn¡¯t go anymore. Apparently, it was designed so that it was impossible to screw on too tightly, too loosely, or upside down.


    Enap did quality work, I suppose.


    And then there it was...


    A fully functional prosthetic arm. The nerve mesh worked to create artificial nerves from the stump down through to the fingers of the hand. Enap remained behind for a few minutes to check the quality of his work and to hug the crying Arguna, who wrapped her biological arm around one of Enap¡¯s legs since she couldn¡¯t exactly reach his upper body.


    Once everything checked out, he told me he was heading back to start on my order and left with the Dryad and other kids. Aello came along shortly to spend some time and to see how things were going, but she flew off before too long. It took a while for the feeling to come back in Arguna¡¯s fingers. From what I understood, it would take time for her arm to feel like second nature, yet since mythril was obviously more durable than mere skin, it was nothing less than an improvement. Not sure if it was worth the trade-off, though. Once the nerve mesh had bonded a person to a prosthetic, taking that arm off would be excruciatingly painful.


    After about ten minutes, Arguna could move the fingers to a certain degree, and the first thing she did was flash a few hand signals to Ruru. No, it wasn¡¯t just signals... It was...sign language?


    Does that exist in this world?


    New Skill: [Sign Language]


    And I guess it does. Thanks, [Scholar¡¯s Tongue].


    I used the newfound knowledge to tell Arguna my name and how happy I was she had gotten her arm, and the look on her face was one of such raw emotions. Almost immediately, the tears ran wild down her face as she asked me something.


    You can understand me? You can sign? It was more than simply understanding the language, but what she wanted to ask me appeared in my mind as a query that needed a response.


    Yes, I can.


    ¡°How marvelous... Truly, you never seem to not surprise me, Lady Springfield,¡± Ruru noted, a smile on his softened face telling me he was speaking the truth. Until the bucket was filled with sap, the three of us continued our conversation using sign, nary speaking a sound until it was for Ruru to start making the elixir. He said he¡¯d write me a note with the exact creation process, but he wanted to ask me one more thing.


    ¡°We aren¡¯t planning on staying here long, but if you see Arguna out and about, could you sign with her? Where we come from, very few people can communicate with her without writing.¡±


    I didn¡¯t really mind that at all.


    Goodbye, Lady Springfield! Thank you for signing with me!


    You¡¯re very welcome, Arguna. Take care.


    As she walked away with her guardian, Arguna really did look like the world¡¯s happiest girl.

 Chapter 46.5: A Fairy’s Fantasy (R-18)

    Chapter 46.5: A Fairy¡¯s Fantasy (R-18)


    ¡°Listen up, Clone!Master! I¡¯m the bad bitch around here, okay? Me! Tilde! The Tildiest of them all!!! I¡¯m the Cock Gobbling Champion all fairies wished they could be! My pussy has conquered it all, from the micropenises to the ¡®holy shit goddamn was your dad part horse¡¯!¡± said Tilde, who stood face to face with the perfect replication of her adoring Master. The sprite was confident, for sure. With her black hair and nocturnal wings, which had red vein-like lines of mana pulsing through them, she was not what most people considered a ¡®proper¡¯ fairy.


    Or even a proper lady, for that matter.


    For good reason, too, since she was eternally reincarnating. Before finding her Transcendent Dark Lord and becoming her Conduit, she wouldn¡¯t be dead for more than a handful of seconds.


    She stood on the dresser in Susize¡¯s room, staring at Clone!Master¡¯s face. Niva and Sekh were preoccupied with other things to be nearby, so deep inside, Tilde knew she could be as loud, gross, or excessive as she wished.


    Clone!Master remained stoic and robotic¡ªnary an emotion or a response plastered on her face. In her current state, the clone''s penis was about six inches flaccid, and Tilde barked a command for her to approach. The clone did, albeit it was a single step, and refused to move until Tilde gave another order.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re doing... Master wants you to play hard-to-get, huh? Well, get that dick over, pronto!¡± Tilde shouted in her louder-than-life voice while slipping off her dress. Like most fairies, she was flat in the chest, but her nipples were pretty and pink. And they were just as sensitive as even the bustiest of Cowfolk.


    But the size of her breasts was always a struggle for the eternally reincarnating fairy. She had a grudge against those with ¡®fat titties¡¯ as she often called them, and often imagined herself as chesty as some of her peers. But with envy came determination, and it was not a lie to say Tilde was very experienced in having sex.


    Living for a long time exposed her to hundreds of sexual fetishes, several of which she practiced. While the clone of her Master approached Tilde, her penis gently swung like a clock¡¯s pendulum. It swayed peacefully, remaining flaccid and asleep as it touched the dresser.


    ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s more like it,¡± Tilde whispered, skipping a few steps. It was a dichotomy of her preferred actions. Tilde placed her hands on the menacing shaft in front of her as if she wanted to show reverence. In its shrunken state, she was taller than it in its flaccid and erect shape, but Tilde didn¡¯t seem to care about it. Her face pressed against the shaft, her tongue starting its long journey to cover the most supreme cock in her life with her saliva¡ªwith her love.


    The penis she caressed soon came to life, growing erect with the passing seconds. ¡°Come on,¡± Tilde said in a sweet voice. Aren¡¯t you tired of standing? Hurry up and shrink... I¡¯m doing this because you''re you, so the most you can do is play along, right?¡± When the fairy felt her arms phase through her Clone!Master¡¯s cock, she took a step back and watched her turn to slime. From its blubbery, amorphous form, it bounced onto the dresser and took a more suitable form to have sex. Tilde watched with her hands between her thighs, her fingers lightly teasing her moist snatch. Her wings fluttered in sync with the jolts of pleasure flashing up her body.


    While continuing to stare, she crouched and spread her knees, exposing her pussy to a clone of the Master she loved most in the world. She spread it, showing everything without keeping anything hidden. Beckoning the perfect mimic of her Master, her heartbeat increased dramatically as the face she practically worshiped crawled on her hands and knees. When Clone!Master¡¯s face was just a tenth of an inch away¡ªenough to feel the heat of Tilde¡¯s pussy warm her face¡ªTilde''s suddenly felt a chill in her heart...followed by pleasure. The pixie bit her lips and stretched her fairy wings¡ªthe veins flashing crimson¡ªas sweat dripped down her brow. ¡°Are you that interested in what I¡¯m offering?¡± she whispered. ¡°Come, don¡¯t be afraid of my pussy. It¡¯s succulent and juicy¡ªjust the way you like it, Master... Yes... That¡¯s a good ¡®mera...¡± Clone!Master¡¯s lips parted to make way for her tongue. It was wet and hot, making the anticipation that much more.


    In fact, this was Tilde¡¯s first time doing it with someone she loved with all her heart. Her previous suitors were mere flings to satiate the growing passion, and not once had she ever told anyone she loved them and meant it.


    But it was different.


    Things were different.


    For the first time in her life, her sole purpose was more than a facet of her identity. The reason for her long, never-ending life was found, and the love she could never give was now flowing from her.


    Literally.


    Before Clone!Master¡¯s tongue had a chance to bless the fairy¡¯s pussy, Tilde climaxed without any physical connection. Her hands were focused on spreading her crotch, but she sprayed her degenerate fluids all over her Clone!Master¡¯s face.


    Falling to her back, her wings folded to prevent injury, but her after-glow was short-lived when a pair of hands grabbed her ankles and raised her legs.


    ¡°Eh? What the... Hey, now... Hold on... I just came¡ªI just¡ªI-I----- Mmmmnnnnn~~~~~ So deep...¡± Emotions circulated her heart, and she gripped Clone!Master¡¯s hair when her lips kissed Tilde¡¯s long-desired pussy. Her tongue swirled around her folds, forcing her open to finally taste the hidden treasure she¡¯d been teasing Mila with. Instantly, her legs closed, preventing Clone!Master from retreating, but running away wasn¡¯t in the playbook Mila had given her.


    ¡°Goddamn... It¡¯s so fucking incredible...¡± Tilde moaned. She licked her lips and gyrated her hips, trying to force Clone!Master¡¯s tongue to go even deeper. ¡°Eat that pussy like a good girl... God... I want a cock... I need one...¡± After ordering the replica to take a break, she flipped to her back and stared with blank, dead eyes. Tilde stood, crouched over Clone!Master¡¯s face and slowly lowered her hips until she was humping her face. The erection she stared so proudly at met her gaze.


    Tilde leaned forward until their stomachs touched, then made sure to arch her back after telling her lover to continue. Meanwhile, she jerked off the cock, peeling back the foreskin until the delicious pink tip was exposed. The smell was different, but Tilde enjoyed it so much that she ran her nose down the shaft while taking in a big whiff. ¡°You¡¯re bigger than my head... Fuck...Even if it¡¯s smaller, how can Big Tits take it so easily when you piledrive her pussy?¡±


    The tip leaked pre-cum, but Tilde pressed her lips to the cock she wanted to ravage her insides. Her mouth partly opened, allowing it to take refuge on her tongue. Just tasing one¡ªfilling her mouth¡ªnonetheless, was enough climax a second time. She tried to sit up, but Clone!Master¡¯s hands smacked her ass, causing her to jerk forward, thereby deepthroating Clone!Master¡¯s penis. It reached the depths of her constricted throat to the point where her nose brushed against a set of polished, smooth balls.


    However, since her Master no longer needed to breathe, Tilde wouldn¡¯t suffocate, so she took this moment in stride to stimulate Clone!Master¡¯s testicles. But then a second cock appeared, giving birth to an extra pair of dangling bits. Slowly, Tilde removed the penis she sucked so hard and licked it clean before jerking off both. Her skin was always so smooth, so her palms and fingers glided up and down the shafts, polishing them. Next, she slathered them with her warm spit. All the while, her hairless, glistening snatch found sanctity on Clone!Master¡¯s tongue.


    ¡°Come on,¡± she encouraged, her voice low and sultry. ¡°You always let Big Tits drink your milk... Now I want a chance to swallow it... You can fill my throat. You can even spray me with it. Just let me have it, Master... I¡¯ve been waiting a long time for this...¡± Seconds later, Tilde had her wish as a parallel stream of sperm ejaculated from the two penises, covering her beautiful face in a layer of thick, white seed. The smell was strong, and the semen had trouble sliding through her throat, sticking to it like a thick jelly. Tilde forced it down and savored the taste as it lingered on her soft lips.


    ¡°It¡¯s so delicious... I can¡¯t get enough.¡± Tilde was cuter than usual¡ªespecially after succumbing to her desires and getting rid of her rough, rigid exterior. At her heart, she was like any other woman-- she had few times within her long life to live the way she wanted. If she didn''t become what she ended up being, her psyche would¡¯ve been shattered a trillion times over by how despicable life could be.


    But where was that fear? It was certainly nowhere to be found. Crawling forward, she removed her pussy lips from Clone!Master¡¯s mouth and turned around. She was surprised to discover her smiling. She thought the clone skill was too low-level to develop emotions, but she was proud to be wrong. And this time, she was far more gentle with her sweet, syrupy words.


    ¡°Let¡¯s have a proper kiss, Clone!Master... For right now, I want you all to myself...¡± Tilde laid down on Clone!Master¡¯s stomach. Their erect nipples pressed together as lips touched, causing electrifyingly passionate sparks to travel from one to the other. She worked her tongue, venturing just deep enough inside her mouth to extend an invitation, then retreated and waited for a response.


    It was lewd, sticky, wet, and moist. When Tilde used her knee to grind against the pair of cocks to make them hard again. They sandwiched her thighs, the slimy tips rubbing aggressively against her bare skin. The leaking precum was hot, in multiple definitions, and Tilde moved her hands to her Clone!Master¡¯s face. She softly petted those cheeks, looked into those brown eyes, kissed the tip of her cute nose, and licked her lips the same way Sekh did. ¡°I can be your lion, babe. I can be ferocious and roar with the best of them... I can be anything you want me to be, Master. Anything at all...¡±


    Her words were nectar and Clone!Master was the bee. Surprising the experienced fairy, she wrapped her arms around her back and put more effort into the kiss while slowly moving her tongue down. Tilde found a pair of expecting nipples¡ªstiff and erect, ready to party, and wasted no time in suckling them like a baby. Even small¡ªand practically non-existent, a mere clone of a chimera made Tilde feel like she was the only woman in the world. Her lover moved her hands down Tilde¡¯s back until coming to her ass, then groped and spread her cheeks apart while a finger ventured close to her pussy.


    But she couldn¡¯t remain strong, and it dripped, leaking onto the table and dirtying it.


    All the strength and reason she had disappeared. When she collapsed to her chest, she didn¡¯t expect to land within the arms of her one and only.


    Tilde was also loud and proud, never afraid to speak what was on her mind. If she saw something she disliked, it would be out of character to remain quiet rather than fix whatever issue pissed her off.


    But she was also a woman. One that desired and wanted love and affection. In her long, long life, she yearned to find her soul mate¡ªto fulfill her sole purpose in life...


    And now that was accomplished.


    She rested her weary, exhausted head on the clone¡¯s chest and buried her face between her tits. ¡°My lord... Promise me... Promise me you won¡¯t ever die...¡± Her voice was quiet, and while she didn¡¯t get a response, she felt her Master¡¯s clone wrap her arms around her. ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be the one I always dreamed of... It¡¯s...hard...knowing you¡¯re going to outlive everyone you¡¯ve ever met. I can¡¯t die. I tried, you know. A few thousand years ago, one of the only High Elves I¡¯ve ever respected took his life because he couldn¡¯t find joy in outliving his human wife. And I needed him... But I couldn¡¯t join him in death because my job wasn¡¯t done. But it¡¯s done now... Even without me, you¡¯ll be fine. You know why? Because you¡¯re my lord...


    ¡°But even if I miss him, I refuse to leave you alone because I know how loneliness and betrayal feel... I will never abandon you, my lord. Not even for a minute. So that¡¯s why... So that¡¯s why you have to promise me you won¡¯t die. Promise me you¡¯ll help me fulfill my purpose... Promise me you¡¯ll become the true Transcendent Dark Lord... And not just one in training...¡±


    Tilde spoke openly from the heart, letting loose feelings she had long forgotten about. Keeping a tough exterior throughout the ages took a heavy toll on her. As someone who¡¯d lived through the rise and fall of countless kingdoms, there was very little that could strike fear into her soul...


    And loneliness...was one of them.


    ¡°I...promise...Tilde...¡± spoke the clone. Her words were slow and slurred, irrefutable proof that she had little time remaining. Tilde¡¯s eyes were watery, her nose sniffing as an emotional upset was on her quivering lips. She hugged the clone tighter and finally cried, her face buried within her chest. She pleaded with the clone to remain.


    Deep down, she knew the clone was just that. A clone. They always had limited lifespans since they weren¡¯t expected to live even a fraction of a life span compared to the one they were birthed from. But this clone brought pleasure and safety to a fairy that was often alone.


    ¡°Don¡¯t go!!! I need you here... If you go... It just means... It means... Please!!!!!¡± Tilde whined. She shrieked when she felt her face ¡®dip¡¯ inside the clone¡¯s chest, which meant it could hardly maintain a physical form anymore. ¡°I can¡¯t bear to see you die!!! You said you wouldn¡¯t die!!! Don¡¯t lie to me!!!¡±


    She knew she was overreacting.


    She knew her lord only had to make a spare clone, and this wonderous time could continue yet again.


    She knew that.


    She knew that she knew that.


    But seeing the clone perish? It just told her fractured mind that if a clone with the form of her lord could die, then it meant her lord could pass away. That death was a real possibility for her in the near future.


    And since her heart was in a tumultuous state...


    Tilde just...broke down. With her little fists, the pixie pounded the desk and tried her hardest to collect the remaining dark green goop of what used to be the clone. Her breakdown continued, and she wasn¡¯t aware of a spectator.


    After hearing her scream, Sekh rushed up the stairs to check on Tilde, but she remained in the hall and only peeked in because she figured it wasn¡¯t her place to intrude. She herself had many secrets about her past lives that hadn¡¯t had a chance to come up in conversation. Likewise, she figured the mysterious fairy was cut from the same cloth.


    And it wasn¡¯t like Sekh couldn¡¯t relate to Tilde¡¯s worries. The Dark Lord of Tyranny was no stranger to nightmares about her waking up to find her liege dead. Or during a battle with a fearsome enemy, being unable to protect the one that offered her a second chance at life.


    And yes, even if it was a clone, Sekh didn¡¯t want to see someone that looked like her liege get hurt, if it wasn¡¯t part of a training session, or die, even if it was a mere clone¡ªsomething her liege could produce an infinite amount of as long as she had the mana.


    Rather than making her presence known, Sekh walked away from Tilde¡¯s torment and returned downstairs to Niva.


    About forty minutes later, her fluffy ears picked up the silent noise of fluttering wings, and she turned from her training in the training room to spot a fairy. She looked no different than before she left to have sex with the clone, and her rough, brutish attitude was still the same, but something... Something was different...


    ¡°You can stop your training, right? For like fifteen minutes? Come with me. We gotta pick up some stuff,¡± Tilde said.


    ¡°Why?¡± was Sekh¡¯s reply. She would usually be coarse with the foul-mouthed fairy, but the vitriol wasn¡¯t present in her tone.


    ¡°I can¡¯t tell you. Just know that our Master would love it. Is that good enough for you?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all you had to say.¡± Sekh took a breather and wiped the sweat from her brow after setting down her mace and shield. She drank a cup of water and moved the drenched hair from her eyes. When Tilde took a seat on Niva¡¯s lap, Sekh grabbed hold of the wheelchair¡¯s handle. The fairy refused to expand on her cryptic mission, so with a sigh, Sekh started towards the front door.


    Really, what does she have in mind?

 Chapter Forty-Seven: Self-Empowerment (R-18) – Part One

    Chapter Forty-Seven: Self-Empowerment (R-18) ¨C Part One


    Speaking with Ruru during our little fishing trip motivated me to do something I should''ve done much earlier.


    It was time to learn about the wonderful world of enchanting!


    I had hundreds of cores that were dutifully extracted from goblins, boars, scatter bats, slime, draingi, and araneae. I even had one from Glog, Metalborn Prince of Goblins¡ªthe boss that dwelled within the Mines of Gamor.


    Honestly? Now was, by far, the best time to get a handle on that since we had time to kill. And it wasn¡¯t like we had any severe commitments other than waiting. But right as I left the Deerfolk and his ward, my activity log indicated the mana from the clone I had made was only just now returning to me. And with it came the memories and feelings of what it did with Tilde.


    Wow... She wasn¡¯t kidding...


    The images and visuals flashing through my mind were like a movie, and without even thinking about it, I reverted my crotch to Murag¡¯s penis. The front of my shorts felt tight, and I quickly wrapped the waist cloth around my lower body to act as a skirt while hurrying to the mansion. The AI told me Sekh was in the training room with Tilde and Niva, so I walked to the second floor after entering and stared over the balcony. In the time it took to do this, my erection had come and gone, leaving me flaccid.


    Sekh was in a combat stance with her shield at the ready. Her armor was lying nearby, and she was training in only her tunic as a fountain of sweat littered the floor. With a focused expression, nocturnal flames curled around her shield and slowly enveloped it until it was like a wave of torment. It looked like this was an exercise in manipulating [Black Fire] because large circles of the training room were covered in ash and burnt marks.


    The conflagration blanketing her shield continued to spread until it formed something like a tower shield with a pointy end. Sekh lifted and slammed it into the ground. The shadow flames started to trail out from the impact until they had created a circle three feet in diameter. At that point, everything within that boundary was set ablaze in a tyrannical inferno devoid of any light. It was like the very flames of a dark, void-like reality were swallowing this world piece by piece.


    ¡°[Black Fire: Immolation]!!!¡± Sekh continued to channel the technique even while her footing became wobbly and uneven. Pained expressions covered her face. Perhaps it was too much strain because the blaze promptly vanished in a shimmer and left behind a reminder it was alive in the form of ash. She dropped to one knee and violently gasped for air. I hopped down from the balcony and rushed to her, extending a hand.


    ¡°My liege... How... How long have you been watching...?¡± she asked with bated breath, coughing for a few seconds while I rubbed and patted her back.


    ¡°Just for a minute or two. Are you alright? Don¡¯t overdo it.¡± I refused to let her go because I wanted to hug and pat her head. Sekh said when she was in her prime, she could create a flame circle dozens of miles big because [Black Fire], and its evolved forms, were more like an extension of her body. Unfortunately, Sekh didn¡¯t retain that ability to freely manipulate it. But since she once knew how to do it, it was carved onto her soul. So, it wasn¡¯t a question of ¡®if¡¯ she would relearn it. Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    It was ¡®when.¡¯


    I looked around at the damage she¡¯d done and asked if she felt better, to which she replied with a genuine nod. ¡°It¡¯s technically my house, I guess. What happens to it is up to me. Come on, let¡¯s go take a bath.¡±


    After grabbing Niva¡¯s wheelchair, we all went up to Susize¡¯s room and quickly stripped down to enjoy the oh-so-relaxing paradise that was her bathroom. This time, though, we put Aello¡¯s housewarming gift to use. Sekh asked me about my day while I washed her back with the pink cloths.


    And I did not have enough, so I settled for blessing the breastplate. Boar hide, boar tusks, boar cores, and boar meat were examples of what I needed, but I only needed seven items. Tilde said there were tables that could use cores as substitutes for blessing, but this wasn''t one of them. Had I wanted to bless the whole set, it¡¯d require over 40 materials, and I didn¡¯t have that. After satisfying the condition by pulling out seven boar parts, they transformed into colorless mana and danced around the breastplate before being absorbed into it.


    In my activity log, I was alerted to the successful blessing and acquisition of a new title.


    New Title: [Novice Blesser]


    Okay, so it seems like there¡¯s a hierarchy to crafting titles. I got [Novice Blacksmith] back when I first started forging with Irisa. I still haven¡¯t gotten the second tier, yet. Makes sense, I guess, since you really gotta put in a ton of effort.


    ¡°Okay, so that¡¯s taken care of,¡± Tilde said, pointing to the breastplate. ¡°Remove everything but that. Then start taking out the orbs and putting them in the slots. Remember to use [Analysis] to see what skills they hold. Or you can use the AI to help you filter by offensive, defensive, or utility enchantments. And you can add additional filters if you want, so you can sort them by level, when you acquired them, what monster they came from, and stuff like that. Proper use of evolving [Biological AI] means you gotta work it like a dog.¡±


    I remembered what Tilde said about combining multiple enchantments, and I played around with them. It seemed the goblin cores focused on enhancing physical defense and physical attacking. The scatter bat provided protection against ailments and debuffs. The slimes, however, increased your regeneration of mana. Likewise, the spiders improved piercing damage and offered resistance to poisoning.


    It was clear to me, and Sekh backed me up on this, that the best option was increasing her defenses. I had the appropriate cores to acquire {Physical Resistance}, so that was my goal. Tilde, however, stopped me. ¡°This table is enchanted with the ability to remove an item¡¯s enchantment.¡± I didn¡¯t see why that was so important until she grabbed a core that improved crushing damage. ¡°Before you do anything, use this.¡±


    ¡°Okay, but I don¡¯t know why,¡± I replied, placing the core onto one of the divots. A menu appeared in my vision asking me if I wanted {Crushing Damage (Lv. 1)} applied to the breastplate. I confirmed it. The core dissolved into pure mana, which traveled along the mana lines on the table to the piece of equipment. It flashed for a moment, and I acquired another title.


    New Title: [Novice Enchanter]


    ¡°It is now possible to recreate the enchantment {Crushing Damage (Lv. 1)}, my lord,¡± said the AI, who bloomed into existence in front of me.


    ¡°Yep! When you break it down, an enchantment is literally just a set of specific instructions locked within a core, and the AI can lock onto those instructions and copy them. However, it requires a shit load of mana to brute force it this way. And I mean a lot. Even a Lv. 1 enchantment will drain you as you are now, and don¡¯t even try to do a Lv. 2 or Lv. 3. Speaking of which, there is very little difference between a skill and enchantment of the same name. So, if you had the skill [Fire Resistance (Lv. 3)] and enchantment {Fire Resistance (Lv. 7)}, they would not add together. Instead, you¡¯d receive the effects of the one that¡¯s a higher level,¡± explained Tilde. ¡°Oh, this goes without saying, but the AI keeps track of each level of an enchantment. You¡¯ll still be able to enchant something with {Physical Resistance (Lv. 1)} even if you know the Lv. 3 version.¡±


    When I opened my Status Menu, I saw a separate button to open the enchantment menu, and yes, there it was. ¡°You know what you must do. Save the cores that have {Slash Resistance}, {Pierce Resistance}, and {Blunt Resistance} until the end so you can get {Physical Resistance},¡± said the fairy.


    Tilde was hinting at me using all my cores, and I did. I quickly discovered that if I used all available slots on the enchanting table, the menu that appeared was my best friend. It removed the guesswork from this rather tedious process. But it wasn¡¯t all bad because I also learned you could make {Physical Resistance (Lv. 3)} if you had enough fodder material with the required skills. It was like me assimilating a hundred thousand goblins to max out [Spear]. Well, almost. It was the same difference.


    Tilde said it was much easier to just put in the effort to find the monster cores with the higher ranks of the skills I needed rather than trying to work my way up from the bottom. In her words, there wasn¡¯t an enchanting table with tens of thousands of core holders. In the end, I had quite a few enchantments populating my menu, including one that increased all physical damage. It was Lv. 2, but it was still a generic buff. Unfortunately, Sekh¡¯s mace required iron to bless, and I was totally out. But other than that, I had enchantments that offered resistance against venom, poison, and the bleeding debuff. My goal of eventually making our casual clothing as tough as armor remained out of reach for the time being, but I was going to eventually accomplish that.

 Chapter Forty-Seven: Self-Empowerment (R-18) – Part Two

    Chapter Forty-Seven: Self-Empowerment (R-18) ¨C Part Two


    A few hours later, when night fell even more across this pleasant little village, Sekh and I were cuddling in bed. She wrapped her arms around my chest and rested her head against my shoulder. Niva hugged a clone version of my slime form. Her smile was so big when she petted it, and I was happy for her. Pulling out the songleaf from [Storage], I started to play a rich, airy melody. It was poetic in nature¡ªcollecting and distributing a wafting, ethereal tone with highs and lows across this extravagant mansion. Perhaps that was the very definition of irony? Especially considering my true nature being of an abominable monster hated by the world for simply existing and being able to play this enchanting song?


    Did it matter? Playing it soothed my heart.


    Once I was done, I stored the leaf away and cuddled with Sekh after she complimented me on my performance. After a few seconds, a random thought came to my mind about the AI. When asked if it could ¡®read,¡¯ I was happily informed it was literate. Even more incredible was that, with my permission, it could ¡®upload¡¯ the information to my mind as a form of photographic memory. If that was too invasive, it could connect my mind to a databank created within the AI¡¯s information database. If that didn¡¯t work, the AI told me I could leave everything to it and query it for what I needed. And that was probably the best way to go about this. But I was going to try the other ways once it had some info.


    With that in mind, I headed to Murag¡¯s room to store as many of his tomes as possible because I had the space after using those cores. There were still about 200 books left, but I had more than enough. The AI was given the command to read through everything as I slipped into bed and cuddled with Sekh.


    Somehow, the conversation turned lewd and involved slime. I already knew I could form it into things and break it off, but using it for sex? Sekh and I experimented a little bit, and it took a few attempts to form my slime into a rectangular shape slightly longer and girthier than my penis. Sekh held it in her hands and squeezed it a bit while I pulled off the covers and jerked off. However, I returned my penis to its original length and watched as Sekh grabbed my dick with one hand while pushing down the slime sex toy with the other.


    I think these things are called onaholes.


    Biting my lip, I lightly moaned as she continued to push it down until my whole penis was completely covered. The slime was so squishy and blubbery, but it had little folds ribbed around it. Sekh licked her lips when she pulled the slimy fuck toy off my penis. ¡°Oh, fuck... That feels good~~~¡± She moved her hands faster, alternating between hasty and deep, slow strokes. Before I knew it, I thrust my hips to match her handjob and came without warning. Thick ropes of semen ejaculated up, filling up the slime until the forest green had a solid white interior.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lot,¡± Sekh noted when she stared at the onahole. Thanks to how it was made, semen couldn''t leak out of the bottom. Exasperated and out of breath, I stared at Sekh with pleasured-filled eyes, wondering what her next move was.


    Never did I expect her to touch the slime to her lips and drink my semen as if it was a nutritional drink. My sperm dribbled down her chin and onto her breasts, but she continued swallowing until it was empty.


    ¡°It¡¯s always so delicious,¡± Sekh seductively whispered. She was always so erotic, even when she didn¡¯t mean to be.


    I jerked off while staring at her beauty, and she seductively crawled across the bed to kiss me. She played with my tits, her hands molding them as if they were putty. They felt heavier than usual... And then a familiar feeling came across me as warm, creamy milk flowed from my nipples, covering Sekh¡¯s soft palms...


    ¡°Milk...? Breast milk...?¡± Sekh¡¯s tail quizzically slithered across the bed as she licked her fingers. I felt this same feeling when the clone¡¯s mana returned to me but experiencing it in the flesh?


    It was...nearly indescribable. My boobs felt hot and full. Sekh cautiously put a hand on my nipple and slightly squeezed, causing me to cover her stomach with semen as I climaxed. It was like tiny needles danced across my breasts, but the warm, hot feeling never left me for a moment as my lactation continued.


    ¡°Damn, that¡¯s a lot more than the clone. Hey, Big Tits. Drink it up good, and maybe you¡¯ll have some honkers as big as her... Wait... On second thought, don¡¯t. Those fat udders don¡¯t need to get any bigger, hahahaha!¡± Tilde laughed, but I saw her groping her lacking chest. ¡°But for real. Cowfolk milk is, and I¡¯m being serious here, way better than milk from an actual cow. It¡¯s higher quality, has way more nutrients, and if you¡¯re sick or recovering, a nice glass of Cowfolk tiddie juice is just what the doctor ordered. And I¡¯m being a thousand percent serious, Master.¡±


    ¡°So... You¡¯re saying Niva should drink my milk? Would that help her recover faster?¡± Tilde nodded, then stated I could mold my slime into a bottle, then stash that within [Storage]. Items placed within would never go bad, after all. ¡°Niva? It¡¯s up to you, honestly. I won¡¯t force you to do anything.¡±


    ¡°Ahhh...¡± She opened her mouth to speak, but only mere sounds flowed out. She quickly nodded, though, and pointed to her wounds with her remaining hand.


    ¡°I guess that¡¯s that... Sekh?¡±


    ¡°I dunno. Let¡¯s find out,¡± I replied, telling the AI to search for Irisa and display the results in satellite mode. Twenty seconds later, the AI materialized and did what I asked. And there she was¡ªa green-skinned beauty with fascinating horns sprouting off her forehead, sitting at the dinner table with her mom and dad.


    ¡°Is there a way we can communicate with them?¡± Honestly, I was curious about that. I thought it over for a second and realized my waypoints could form letters if I used enough. It took a minute to get my idea across to the AI, but if it produced a keyboard for me to type my message, then displayed those words in front of Irisa using my waypoints, then possibly...


    Another minute later, I was typing a simple message: ¡®I hope things are going fine. - Mila¡¯ and watched in real-time as sparks of pillars appeared and suddenly shrunk to the size of a marble


    ¡°WAAA!!!¡± Irisa cutely yelped. She dropped her chunk of fish in her lap and hurriedly grabbed it with her hands to not let it be corrupted by the floor.


    ¡°Mila?¡± Kokan whispered my name. He looked up and smiled with a friendly wave.


    ¡°Wait, she can see us? Mila, dear? Are you there?¡± Ichiha asked.


    Yes, I am. I¡¯m sorry for scaring you, Irisa.


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just really glad you¡¯re okay. That blue waypoint thingie hasn¡¯t moved in a while, so I got a bit scared.¡±


    Oh, so it works even while in a bounded field? That¡¯s good news. But yes, we¡¯re doing fine. Enap¡¯s working on the order as we speak.


    We chatted for a few minutes while they ate dinner, and it was awesome that I could communicate with them like this, even though we were days away. According to them, the situation still hadn¡¯t changed. The mines were still closed off, and it almost looked like things would arrive at a boiling point soon if Gloria didn¡¯t fix her stubborn ways. Word of what had been going on had reached a few small villages to the north, so they were sending a few wagons of supplies, but 19,000 people were a lot. Again, it was such a boon they were a cliff / coastal city. But the dangers of overfishing would soon rear their head if this continued.


    For a proper city to survive, it needed a thriving economy, and you couldn¡¯t really have that if one of the primary components in the circle of trade¡ªthe dungeon¡ªwas cut off without a single warning. But talk of potential dangers in the future soured our conversation, so we turned it to the village. I explained about Ruru, Arguna, Aello, and even the little Dryad I¡¯d met. I also told them I accomplished my goal of assimilating a slime and draingi and explained my evolution and acquirement of [Base Body].


    It really warmed my heart to see them happy for me.


    I do miss you guys.


    ¡°Aww, Mila... We miss you too. But it won¡¯t be long, right?¡± Irisa said. She gave me a wink, causing my heart to skip many, many beats. ¡°When you get back, let¡¯s have a big dinner to celebrate!¡±


    That sounds like fun. I¡¯ll talk to you guys later.


    Irisa and her parents looked up and waved, and Sekh and I did the same even though they couldn¡¯t see us. When the display vanished along with the AI, I still saw Irisa¡¯s face in my mind. Her cute smile and bubbly personality were almost infectious.


    And I believed I wanted to be infected.

 Chapter 47.5: A Lioness’s Passionate Roar (R-18) – Part One

    Chapter 47.5: A Lioness¡¯s Passionate Roar (R-18) ¨C Part One


    I stared at my liege¡¯s face after communicating with Irisa and her family. I knew seeing her comforted my liege¡¯s heart, and I was happy nothing was wrong. While trapped in the crystal, the thought of me finding compassion and friendship, let alone pure camaraderie, never crossed my mind for a second.


    Yet here I was, holding the penis of a chimera I wanted to follow for the rest of my life, taking care of a half-breed cyclops, and wishing my friend and her family were safe and sound. If the Dark Lord of Tyranny a thousand years ago were to see me now, she¡¯d kill me where I stood without any prejudice, even if it meant ending herself.


    But I didn¡¯t have the curse... At least, for the remainder of this life, there wasn¡¯t a need to worry about it corrupting my soul. But being free to love¡ªactually feeling an emotion that used to be forbidden from ever blessing my heart?


    It... It couldn¡¯t be described, but my past would always be there. And if things didn¡¯t go to plan, I would eventually fulfill my original purpose and destroy this detestable world with the help of the Transcendent Dark Lord.


    Even this idyllic paradise created from the carcass of one of my greatest foes would be a wasteland of death and corpses. Hopes and dreams, dead by my hand, would overflow what protection the pathetic Aetos had to offer.


    No matter how far or fast you ran, your past would always catch up with you. You couldn¡¯t evade it. You couldn¡¯t dodge it. Escaping to the end of the planet could only delay the inevitable...


    So why do I...


    ¡°Sekh.¡± Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    ¡°Yes, my liege?¡± Whatever thoughts floated around my mind scattered as my attention was solely focused on the most vital being in my life. I was ready to do her bidding¡ªno matter what it was. Those pretty brown eyes were like thick honey, and I felt blessed to have them look upon me.


    ¡°Are you okay? You haven¡¯t said anything for the past ten minutes.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m fine. I was thinking about...the future... About... What¡¯s awaiting me at the end... I¡¯m sorry for worrying you. Depressing thoughts have no place--¡±


    ¡°No, they do. Your mental and physical needs have a place here. Please don¡¯t hide anything from me,¡± said my liege, rubbing my ears so affectionately that I found myself purring at her gentle touch and loving, graceful smile.


    ¡°Ah¡ªOf course. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. When it¡¯s you and I, there¡¯s simply no need for that,¡± said my liege. She relaxed and spread her arms wide to the side, stretching while slowly sinking further into the pond. My hand remained on her penis, and I moved my palm up and down the entire 11 inches. It was so girthy I couldn¡¯t touch the tips of my thumb and index finger.


    I moved closer to the highlight of my life and kissed her cheeks, her breathing increasing as her cock tensed. Licking her lips, I was ready to flood this bath with her thick essence...


    But the command never came.


    My liege took her hand and lifted mine away from her crotch, then stood up. She extended a hand, and we embraced under the vivid moonlight.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I want you to do,¡± she suddenly said. ¡°Sit down.¡± I did as she asked. The grass was warm and smooth under my ass, and I waited for another command.


    My liege almost seemed hesitant to continue, but she eventually instructed me to lift a leg. When I did, she straddled it and used the top of my foot to massage her balls. She was nearly...disgusted? As if she was doing something immoral, but I quickly washed that fear from my liege¡¯s face with a moan. My pussy felt slick and wet¡ªmy womb nearly throbbing for that penis, which had ravaged me countless times, to push apart my lower lips and claim me as her own.


    Spreading my other leg, I offered her a view of my pussy and masturbated, alternating my stares between her throbbing cock and lactating breasts. Her milk was creamy and thick¡ªdelicious beyond all belief that it had to be tasted to be believed. Her testicles slid across my feet as if they held less friction than ice. She gyrated her hips and humped, her balls thick with savory semen I¡¯d become so accustomed to tasting.


    It was always thick like jelly, clinging to my throat while filling my senses with her savory scent. I started to move my foot to match her thrusting, and my liege continued to find pleasure as she slowly made her way to my fur.


    I was never a fan of my fur. Nor did I have fond memories of being a Lionfolk. In my quest for tyranny, they were mere trifles I could do with or without, but I mainly wished, at the time, to be free of any and all distractions.


    No matter how minor they were.


    But that was changing.


    I was happy I was born with this body¡ªwith this illustrious fur my liege loved so much¡ªwith these large lumps of fat hanging from my chest, she affectionately smothered with her tongue.


    Yes... It was more than happiness. It was a feeling I couldn¡¯t describe.


    My liege¡¯s penis was thick, girthy, and monstrous, and all eleven inches became intimate with my leg. She gripped it between her thighs and balanced her entire weight. Leaning forward, she touched the top of my thighs with her breasts and continued to hump. With every passing second, she became harder and more erect. The tip throbbed and pulsed, leaking a small amount of semen.


    It was warm¡ªno, it was hot. Almost blisteringly so.


    It was...embarrassing...


    ¡°Everything about you is beautiful, Sekh. There¡¯s nothing unsightly about you.¡± Her words were velvet, and I nearly melted by hearing them...


    She¡¯s everything I needed and wanted... I¡¯m thankful I¡¯m here to serve you, my liege... I...wish this night would never end... Does it have to? When we went shopping earlier, Tilde was rather insistent. I can¡¯t believe she convinced the merchant to give those clothes away. Perhaps tonight is the night I overcome that far? If it¡¯s for my liege...


    ¡°A face as beautiful as yours don¡¯t deserve to be hidden, Sekh.¡± My liege piled on the compliments. She gently lowered my hands from my head and kissed my cheeks before rubbing them with her own. My expression grew soft and malleable, and did I have anything to worry about?


    Messy, sloppy sex wasn¡¯t uncommon when it came to us making love. We''d both delved into the depths of lewdness during our sexual discovery. Was urinating while being embraced the limit?


    I didn¡¯t think so.


    If I thought about it, it was just another little event we shared¡ªexperienced for the first time.


    It wasn¡¯t something to hide from. It might not have been something to exactly celebrate, but hiding away and pretending it didn¡¯t happen would go against the love I held for her.


    That was why...there was something I had to do... Tilde was so insistent our liege would love it, so I had to do it.


    ¡°I...have a request.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? Anything for you, Sekh.¡± My liege tightened her grip and licked the back of my neck. My legs were still spread open in the shape of an ¡®M,¡¯ and her fingers petted my crotch. I dipped back into the pond momentarily to clean and make myself decent. The highlight of my life sat with her feet dangling into the water, and as I asked my request, her slumbering erection grew fast and hard to where it was nearly pointing straight up.


    I felt like she couldn¡¯t believe the words coming from my mouth.


    But I said them.


    ¡°Are you sure? Is that really what you want?¡±


    ¡°It is. I¡¯m...feeling incredibly horny, and it¡¯s the best revenge I can think of that isn''t burning this village to the ground. The hatred I hold for those detestable heroes and that foolish eagle cannot be understated, but if we were to do that... Then...¡±


    ¡°I understand, Sekh.¡± My liege took my hands and held them to her heart. Her smile was like a thousand suns in how bright and precious it was to me. ¡°I don¡¯t think we''ll get much sleep tonight.¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so either...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine, right? You know, I¡¯ve been thinking of our time here as something like a vacation. It¡¯s nice to relax and...take a moment for ourselves. Our fight is only going to ramp up from here. We gotta be in our best shape to slaughter all who prevent us from obtaining our revenge.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right, my liege. I hate to admit it, but it¡¯s been nice and pleasant. More so than I thought possible.¡±


    ¡°And about your request. Should I make my way to the first room? You said something about needing to prepare?¡±


    I nodded, and my liege stood and left with a smile. She knew I was staring, too, because she swayed her hips and slapped her ass before letting out a gentle giggle. I hated when we had to part, but even I had to admit to loving it when she walked away.


    After bathing, I retired to our room and looked through Susize¡¯s closet, where I found a small box filled with the clothes and items Tilde managed to get for free. When the sprite wasn¡¯t foul and gross, she could talk shit with the best of them. It was like verbal magic was being displayed before me when she found something to connect to the merchant, though with Tilde being Tilde, I was sure she was sprouting whatever lies she could come up with to get the stuff for free.


    But is this me? I¡¯m the Dark Lord of Tyranny, not some piece of eye candy that walks around with lingerie... Especially lingerie that has less thread than even underwear... It doesn¡¯t even cover my nipples, let alone my crotch.


    ¡°Eh? Having trouble with the garter belt? Do you need big sis Tilde to help you out? Hehe! Oh, imagine if those dumb Soul Warriors could see what you¡¯re about to do in their mansion!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not my sister. I don¡¯t have any siblings. Never have and never will,¡± I rebuked. Sitting down, I eventually had to ask that annoying, flying, but somewhat misunderstood flying pest to help me with this gift to our liege.


    This night was going to be one to remember. I would go as far as to say it would be our most memorable evening yet. Something we could look back on before we finished with our conquest with fond eyes and reminiscence about this very moment...


    Yes, that was what it was.


    Getting over this fear of wearing underwear and lingerie was just a byproduct of this evening.


    After all, if the Dark Lord of Tyranny nearly brought the world to ruin, could I allow mere undergarments and skimpy thread to continue to harbor fear in my heart?

 Chapter Forty-Eight: Falling Ash

    Chapter Forty-Eight: Falling Ash


    Life continued for the next few days as we delved into normalcy and erected a schedule. The mornings were always reserved for training and sparring to master my new abilities. The vines added one aspect, but the slime opened a new ballpark of adaptability. However, it was almost woefully ironic to even practice because using slime or vines in public would out me as a chimera and mark me for death. But even as that may be, it was more for Sekh¡¯s sake. Sure, it benefited me, but that wasn¡¯t the primary reason.


    Still, it was easy to see how much Sekh had improved compared to when we first sparred together. Her movements were sharper¡ªher quick decision-making while in the flow of combat eclipsed Kokan''s bright mind. [Black Fire] had grown leaps and bounds. She could always wrap it around her weapons, but now Sekh could use it as an extension of her attacks. So, if she swung her mace, its effective range was longer. Flames weren¡¯t physical, though, so her mace¡¯s attacks via a [Black Fire] extension would not do any damage other than catching the opponent on fire.


    Such a limitation was certainly a drawback, but Sekh¡¯s words hinted that it wouldn¡¯t remain that way forever.


    Out of our dozens of matches, I never came close to winning one, and I wasn¡¯t holding back, either. I went into each fight to emerge victorious. Even when I tried to overpower Sekh with a dozen vines coming from my back¡ªall of which were attacking with [Water Blade]¡ª she poured [Black Fire] into her shield. It subtly took the shape of a tower shield, and when she slammed the fiery point into the ground, the flames didn¡¯t encircle an area. No, they whooshed up and formed a wall, evaporating my futile attacks before they even reached it.


    At that point, it was a battle of attrition, and I lost. Sekh¡¯s mana efficiency was so far and above more than what I could do. And I had to deal with mana and biomass; the latter would kill me if I allowed it to get too low.


    During the nights, Sekh would milk me three or four times, and I soon had a stockpile in [Storage]. Niva drank two glasses every night. Tilde found a cow-printed bikini in Beccy¡¯s closet, and she demanded I wear it when it was time to get milked. I figured I could play along.


    I was starting to develop fetishes, and cosplay, I suppose, was one of them.


    Sometimes, Ruru would knock at the mansion door to update me on the elixir. His recipe took days because he had to steep the panabow¡¯s petals multiple times in the mana-infused water and again in the sap from the Eagle Yew. To thank him again for his help, I¡¯d go fishing with him. Sekh never wanted to go, but sometimes, Niva would tag along in her wheelchair. Then when it was time to prepare dinner, it was rare to eat alone. The charismatic Deerfolk with a heart of literal gold would come over with a batch of fresh ingredients. He¡¯d have Arguna and Aello with him, and we¡¯d all sit in the kitchen to spend time with each other.


    When it came to the damage in the training room, I thought Aello would have a heart attack.


    But the proof of Sekh¡¯s training wasn¡¯t there. She whispered Aetos probably had a hand in the repairs, which made sense. I guess this was good, though. With how much Aello idealizes High Elves and those from Vredi Forest, not to mention the power of nature and respecting it, she was bound to have a heart attack.


    Or worse, outright ban me from Aetos Village.


    Yeah, I should¡¯ve thought about that before. It was a close call this time, but I gotta be more alert.


    Knowing Aetos¡¯s ability to manipulate the mansion, I excused myself for a moment and discovered the lewd evidence of our fuck fest was also taken care of. The semen-covered clothing was clean, the proof gone from the rooms.


    Returning to the kitchen, Aello asked if everything was okay. I smiled and nodded, and we started making the fresh lettuce wraps with tomatoes, onions, and bits of fresh cheese.


    While I was having a fun time, I believed it was even better for Arguna since she was enthusiastic about having someone else to communicate with. The first time she and I signed, Sekh and Tilde looked at me oddly before I explained it. The fairy was about to ask how I learned it before remembering I had help. ¡°Huh,¡± she later whispered in my ear. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it worked with nonverbal language. Hey, that¡¯s a good thing, you know.¡±


    After experiencing what it was like to eat with a family with Irisa and her parents, I realized I felt the same butterflies flying around in my stomach when I dinned with Ruru and the others. On rare occasions, the Dryad would accompany them for dinner, and I was able to learn more about her. She was definitely the meek and quiet type¡ªeven more so after that little incident when we first arrived¡ªbut I was serious when I meant it was all water under the bridge. But when she would come over, we¡¯d all go into the backyard to play around in the flower fields. When the breeze picked up, it sent scattering petals of reds, blues, violets, and yellows across the horizon to create a floral rainbow that was honestly too beautiful for words when I played the songleaf.


    But these distractions were just that. Fun distractions. I¡¯d only find joy in them for as long as I were here, and once my business was concluded, I¡¯d have to get back on the path of revenge. And I never forgot that for a single moment. That day was going to come sooner or later, and while it didn¡¯t necessarily arrive on the fifth day we were here, my life would undoubtedly change with the arrival of something none of us could predict.


    ¡°Ash?¡± Tilde yawned as she looked out into Susize¡¯s bathroom. It was early in the morning, and her quizzical voice awoken me. After slipping from Sekh''s embrace, I joined the fairy and repeated the same thing. Like snowflakes, light gray ash descended from the sky and found refuge on the grass and little waterfalls. I held out my hand to catch one, and it was slightly warm while retaining the properties of snow.


    I heard Niva yawn from behind as she wiped her sleepy eye. Her blanket fell from her chest. Sekh was the next one to wake up. I heard her call out for me when her arms searched around and failed to find me. Naked as me, she soon joined me by the opening to the bathroom. Funny enough, she also sounded confused as to why ash was falling. Only the people who lived here could answer that, so after getting dressed, I left Sekh in charge of making breakfast while I skipped outside. Finding Ruru and Aello on my map, I made my way over to them to find a rather childish chaotic sight.


    The Dryad and other children were rushing around with buckets trying to pick up the ash. Ruru and Arguna, of course, were helping as much as they could. ¡°Lady Springfield!! Lady Springfield!!!¡± Aello cried with a smile as she happily flapped her wings. ¡°It¡¯s the ash rain!!!¡±


    ¡°Is that a good thing?¡± To say I was confused would be an understatement.


    ¡°Oh, yes. Yes, it is!¡± The Vermillion Harpyfolk then explained that there was an area within Dirge called the Ashlands. As its name suggested, it was literally nothing but ash. The previous elder of the village told a starry-eyed Aello that long ago, a powerful fire spirit once lived in a volcano that stood in the very Ashlands. Over time, humanity, beastfolk, and monsters alike took advantage of his generosity to obtain the blessing of warmth. Yet those that took the spirit''s help refused to pay proper tribute. The spirit, in turn, used his anger to erupt the volcano. It was a solemn turn of events of one being pushed to the limit, but I wondered if it wasn¡¯t an allegory of taking care of your surroundings.


    That was me, not her. Guess Karen needed someone to blame. What a despicable bitch.


    ¡°A mother sold her own daughter?¡± Erin turned to look at me. Her attire was tattered brown robes that I learned came from her mother, not Oswell. That must¡¯ve been why Henri and his siblings were dressed casually. I asked why the slave bracelets and collars, and Oswell replied that he needed something to keep them in line until they reached the city. Enslavement was the easiest way to obtain that loyalty without resulting to capital punishment for even the tiniest infraction.


    ¡°Don¡¯t even cut it. You¡¯re a slaver, through and through¡±


    ¡°Some call me that, but my comrades and I are doing the world a just service,¡± Oswell said, arguing his position. In the depths of my mind, a plan began to take shape, so I shut my mouth and kept it closed so as to not burn away any potential bridges I might need.


    That was why I remained here longer than I wanted to¡ªeven fighting through the discomfort of freely conversing with damned slavers. Sekh arrived soon after with an equally as surprised look on her face. And like me, she grinned like the damn devil when she saw three siblings huddled away like livestock. ¡°My liege, you were right. Revenge does come in flavors other than death,¡± she said, looking at them. She bragged about her freedom, and they were denied all rights as living beings. Yet when it came to little Erin Barclay, who huddled away in the corner to make herself seem insignificant, Sekh refused to taunt her.


    And I think I knew why.


    When we returned to the mansion, Erin was on our minds. I didn¡¯t rightly care if she took the fall for my crimes, but if there was a way to use this in my favor...


    When night fell, we were relaxing in what was essentially a hot spring. I¡¯d spent all day thinking of a plan only a chimera could pull off, and I was so damn proud of it that I couldn¡¯t help but talk about it. ¡°So, here are the details...¡± I started to say, nuzzling my cheeks against the back of Sekh¡¯s head. I wet the pink cloths to cover my hands in soapy suds, then wrapped them around her soft, firm breasts and massaged them to my liking. I especially liked to grab them from the bottom and roll them around my palms. Her beautiful purrs and moans made me hard, but they also energized efforts to make her titties as clean as possible.


    The plan was simple, if degrading. It all revolved around me gaining Oswell''s trust and offering to pay off Erin¡¯s bounty to buy her. The problem was that I had no money, but I could lie and say I had some in Ria. Aello could speak on my behalf since she practically worships the Vredis. Once we were on the move, I could use [Mitosis] and [Shapeshifter (Chimera)] to make copies of Oswell¡¯s men and sew chaos. Or I could poison their food since, although the average level was the mid-20s, none had much resistance to venom or poison. Anything stored or assimilated by a clone was added to me, so I never actually had to reveal myself. If I played my cards right, that was.


    Tilde had her grievances about my plan. Mainly, I was such a low level it¡¯d be like a sheep amongst wolves if I fucked up. Especially since I was a curvy High Elf with a pretty face. There were fates worse than death, after all. I¡¯d known them all too well. Her other problem with the plan was that, like with Noelia, Oswell and his group hadn¡¯t done anything to piss me off other than being slave owners on a technicality. I absolutely abhorred slavers, and Tilde said that if I thought that way, I was technically as bad as them. Because of the whole Sekh situation.


    As for why I wanted to do this? It wasn¡¯t just the chance to gain a ton of power. Erin had to be pissed at her mother. And her mother had a safe inside a successful business.


    I wanted that safe. If Erin wanted her freedom, she would help me.


    Sekh also had her worries because I couldn''t make any mistakes.


    ¡°But you¡¯re going to be there,¡± I told her. ¡°You¡¯re the strongest one here with more experience than anyone else. That¡¯s the only reason why I¡¯m so confident. Because you have my back.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ll all die in your name, my liege!¡± Sekh said determinedly. I kissed my beautiful Dark Lord of Tyranny, created a slime clone for the nearby Niva to hold, and enjoyed the rest of the bath even while Tilde continued to press me for my thoughts.


    ¡°So, are you going to kill Erin after you¡¯ve used her?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Uhh... She broke up a family with her false rape accusation. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve forgotten that?¡±


    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. But Erin was like 9 years old. I doubt she understood what was going on. The Barclays are bastards. Karen most likely forced her daughter to do what she did. I know what came from that, but I doubt Erin could predict the fallout. She was probably set up as well. With the way Karen treats her, she¡¯s just another tool. That¡¯s it. I don¡¯t think we can put the blame all on her. She¡¯s a victim, I think." Even as I said that, if she caused any trouble, I would end her life. Either she played along, or she''d meet an unfortunate fate staring down the end of my barrel.


    There was no other future for her.


    ¡°Hmm... I mean, that¡¯s possible. She was a pre-teen. And her family is a total shit stain. But if that¡¯s what you believe, Master, I¡¯ll believe in you. Guess we won¡¯t know the truth until we interrogate her.¡±


    Soon after, it was time to slip under the eloquently woven sheets within Sekh¡¯s sweet embrace. Even if I no longer required sleep, I could still fall victim to the sandman. Especially if I was inside her with my lips around her nipples and her gentle arms around my head.

 Chapter Forty-Nine: A Slice of the Past

    Chapter Forty-Nine: A Slice of the Past


    When I opened my eyes, I did not see anything except two armies fighting to the bitter death on the battlefield below me.


    Below me?


    I was floating above a massive plain filled with destruction and chaos. Screams and cries of men and women meeting their untimely end echoed about. Giant balls of fire and lightning were thrown about, and a sea of ice rampaged down the middle, freezing at least a few thousand to a chilly end. The ground shook like an earthquake when the immolated giants in the distance raised their massive metal molten clubs. Swords clashed against spears, bows pierced hearts and heads, and it seemed the incredible battle had no end in its near future.


    Was this a dream? I continued to look left and right and up and down, but I was stuck in place. It felt like hours were passing by each second as I witnessed this war. Eventually, a gigantic dragon-like creature flew above me. Its wingspan had to be at least 300 feet, and seven thundering elemental orbs lined down its spiky back. With hide the color of bone and scales the hue of darkness, this massive beast had to be an Ancient Elder Dragon. A shadowy figure stood tall and proud, yet this person was at least eight feet tall.


    ¡°That was me, my liege.¡± I turned to the new voice and saw Sekh, who was in her birthday suit. ¡°This is the battle Aello talked about... The one where Aetos met his end.¡±


    ¡°Is this an image of the past? Did you do this, Sekh?¡±


    Sekh shook her head. ¡°No. The one who created this temporal figment is too rude to show themselves,¡± she said, looking up towards the sky. ¡°Glad to know the fear I instilled in him is still there.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m positive, my liege. Two individuals in this village knows what happened that day. If it wasn¡¯t me, then that only leaves the eagle.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡±


    We became silent and watched the battle unfold. The Sekh from the past controlled her draconic mount with precision as they flew close to the ground. Powerful flames of many different elements roasted, froze, electrocuted, and dissolved all who were in the path of its incredible attack, killing thousands by the second and leaving behind massive streams of uncrossable terrain, which killed all who tried to run through it. Upstodatee from


    That included friend or foe.


    ¡°During this moment of my life, I just wanted to kill. No, my precise goal was to prevent that shitty High Elf and her weak little pet from reaching the volcano. You see, my liege, I had used [Tyranny Control] to bring scores of fire spirits under my control. I forced them to fight for survival, and the winner was chosen to inhabit a volcano. My slaves tortured him without rest and killed those he loved and wanted to protect until he had nothing to live for.¡±


    Suddenly, this flashback of the past flickered momentarily to skip to when Susize and Aetos joined the battle. She wielded a great bow and a legendary sword as she stood on the back of Aetos, a great eagle.


    Then something else happened. From the far distance, a great plume of smoke and volcanic ash erupted past the horizon. It was like a cloud of locusts covered up the air, and it seemed like everyone ceased what they were doing and stared. Sekh paused her skill to turn to the horrific sight, yet she carried a cruel smile and let loose another vicious laugh.


    Amos and the others ran to an extremely burnt and nearly fatally wounded Susize, whose skin seemed to melt right off her bones, leaving her in a precarious position. Sekh turned around and leapt high into the air to land on her dragon. Then she sped off towards the erupting volcano, leaving everyone else to deal with the incoming meteors.


    The memory ended, and Sekh and I were brought to a floating void of white. She said Aetos died precisely at that moment, so he had nothing else to show us. ¡°From what I remember,¡± she started to say. ¡°The remaining meteors crashed down, and Amos was forced to pick who he wanted to save.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re standing in the very place...¡±


    Sekh nodded. ¡°It must¡¯ve taken Aetos a few hundred years to clean up the damage after becoming a spirit, then even longer to recreate Vredi Forest and bring over Susize¡¯s mansion.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me earlier? I know I said I wouldn¡¯t force you, but...¡±


    ¡°I wanted to tell you, but I figured I¡¯d wait until this sad eagle brought us into this dream,¡± Sekh said. ¡°After Aeto''s death and Susize''s wounds, morale within Amos¡¯s pitiful army was at an all-time low. People hated that he didn¡¯t save their loved ones, and I received reports that a not-so-insignificant number of brawls broke out, resulting in the army growing even weaker. But this is the truth of the matter, my liege. The Ashlands, as it is now known, came as a result of a fire spirit being tortured beyond belief until he couldn¡¯t take it anymore. I presumed their goal was to stop the volcano from erupting, but nearly killing Susize put a nail in their plans. She wasn¡¯t ordered to fight me, and she ignored direct orders from Amos. That led to them having to pick and choose. Should they rescue the spirit and prevent a massive eruption? Or should they save the most powerful Soul Warrior of her time from a foolish mistake, which, in turn, led to so much death? They made their choice, and we¡¯ve seen the results from it.¡±


    ¡°You sure were incredible, Sekh. Amos and his Soul Warriors weren''t weak, but you were shrugging off their attacks like nothing.¡± I gushed about Sekh¡¯s display of true power. She went weak in the face and blushed a cute shade of crimson. I willed myself over to embrace her in a tight hug, then kissed her head and fluffed her adorable ears.


    ¡°My liege...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re the strongest, cutest Dark Lord in all the land, Sekh.¡± I piled on the compliments and continued to aggressively shower her with so much affection she almost passed out. But then I became serious and told her how much I appreciated her. I almost wanted to thank Aetos for showing me visual proof of just a slice of Sekh¡¯s former power. ¡°But seeing it made me even more curious about your mace. And about that armor. I assume Aetos didn''t want to render it.¡±


    ¡°You''re probably correct about the armor, but I can always tell you about my mace.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want you to be disappointed. You probably think the world of it, and I¡¯m afraid it won¡¯t reflect your idealized version.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I won¡¯t be disappointed. Believe me.¡± I pressed my lips to hers, and we enjoyed our time in this void until we woke up in the real world. Something told me Aetos wouldn¡¯t do this again. If his intentions were to make me either scared or frightened of Sekh¡¯s power, he accomplished the opposite. More than ever, I was inspired by her sheer strength and ultimate control over her destructive [Black Fire].


    I¡¯m quivering just thinking how much stronger she¡¯ll be this time around! She¡¯s incredible!

 Chapter Fifty: Niva—Spirit Summoner (R-18-ish Illustrations!)

    Chapter Fifty: Niva¡ªSpirit Summoner (R-18-ish Illustrations!)


    As much as I hated buttering up to people that would soon be dead, I had to spend the next two days with Oswell and his group, which literally included a Pandafolk named Banda that was hibernating for the time being. From sharing a glass of mead to playing my songleaf, the false laughter from my mouth sent sharp pins through my heart. Even if it was fun taunting Henri and his siblings, I disliked that I couldn¡¯t spend more time with Sekh. Fi?ndd new updates at novelhall.com


    Even if I think that, she milked the hell out of me last night... I was on my hands and knees... Hell, it was so erotic... Crap, I¡¯m getting an erection just thinking about it. Come on, Mila, keep it down! You don''t want to walk around with a pitched tent!


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    Ruru also didn¡¯t probably like it. He had this gentle look in his eyes, but when he saw me with the slavers, that softness gave way to hardened repulsiveness. Still, he was an expert at retaining his emotions. Even when he handed me the elixir and written notes on how to reproduce it, he used Arguna as an excuse to return to Aello¡¯s house. When he left, I checked in on her with my map¡¯s satellite mode and confirmed she didn¡¯t have a cough at all. If anything, she was happily running around Aello¡¯s backyard with the Dryad.


    I kept that tidbit to myself and started to close the door when I saw a speeding Enap running in from the horizon, all eight spider legs skittering in a mad sprint. In his hands was the package I¡¯d been waiting for! I ran outside to meet him halfway, then listened very closely to his precise instructions on attaching the socket to Niva¡¯s leg and foot. He also had an extra gift in the form of a stump cap for Niva¡¯s missing arm. Enap had a little bit of mythril left over that couldn¡¯t be used for anything special, so he did this for me as a favor.


    He graciously accepted the rest of the payment and asked me to thank Kokan since he recommended him. I, of course, nodded and rushed back to the house with a giant smile.


    ¡°Niva!!! Niva!!!!¡± I shouted her name as I entered our room. She looked up at me with a confused expression, then gave me a big smile when I said the elixir AND her prosthetics were finished.


    ¡°That¡¯s great news!¡± Sekh said, turning to Niva and putting a hand on her shoulder. Tilde repeated that, and Niva had a cute blush on her cheeks as she hugged my slime clone.


    ¡°We gotta give you the detox first, okay? Kokan said it won¡¯t be pretty. It might hurt, but there¡¯s no other choice. Can you handle it?¡± She looked to my voice, and I hardly recognized her as the young, frightened, abused girl that lived through hell. Hell, even her HP was back to 24%.


    Sekh helped Niva lay down since this was probably going to be violent, and as she held my slime clone, I slowly lifted the black detox solution to her lips. As thick as tar with the viscosity of oil, she had trouble swallowing it, but the vial was empty when we were done.


    Her face started to show strain. Sweat passed down her cheeks to cover her lips in salty water, then came the coughing fit. Before long, violent seizures took a massive toll on her body to the point where Sekh and I had to hold down Niva. And that didn¡¯t include blood profusely gushing out of her ears and nose.


    ¡°AAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!! NNNNNGGGGHHHHH!!!!!¡± Niva cried like I hadn¡¯t ever heard before. All the while, she continued to hug that slime clone of myself as tightly as she could.


    Her gut-wrenching screaming lasted for hours, and Sekh had to stop me from forcing the elixir down Niva¡¯s throat. Doing it now when the detox wasn¡¯t finished would ruin some of the progress she¡¯d made on that potion tolerance front. But her cries were truly endless¡ªpossibly a reflection of how she sounded when she was forced to deal with the shitty hand life had thrown at her.


    Her HP slowly but constantly drained.


    But she was strong¡ªstronger than she possibly knew from enduring such hell. Anyone else probably would¡¯ve slit their own throat. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn¡¯t have lasted as long as she had.


    In that regard, I looked up to that mute, blind cyclops.


    Dusk fell to nightfall, and like the sands through an hourglass, time passed us by without regard to any specific person, place, or thing.


    And that was when I realized she hadn¡¯t made a single noise in minutes. The AI assured me she was alive and that the detox had worked, though to a lesser degree. By her accounts, Niva would need 3 more to become cured, but her body would not survive if she drank them back-to-back. She needed time¡ªmaybe even half a year to a full year before she could swallow another vial.


    Sekh breathed a sigh of relief and slowly stroked Niva¡¯s pained head. She and I took a few wipes to clean up the detoxified girl, then waited until she naturally awoke by herself, which took another hour. In that time, the AI alerted me that she¡¯d finished Susize¡¯s journals¡ªwhich I was keeping¡ª and Murag¡¯s books, so we quickly went to his room to drop off his tomes and filled our storage with fresh ones.


    You will be notified on successful completion of the task at hand, my lord.


    Good. Don¡¯t overburden yourself with this.


    That worry is not needed at this point, my lord.


    At this point? I thought, but there was no response.


    The AI became quiet as I returned to Susize¡¯s room, and she was...sitting up with an utterly strained look. But it was one of happiness and positiveness. Her mouth shivered like she was cold, yet she was still sweating bullets while trying to look on the bright side.


    And yes, deep within her grip was that slime. She¡¯d never let go, not even for a second.


    ¡°Niva,¡± I whispered, approaching her with the elixir held in my hand. Its liquid was as if a rainbow had been granted the form of water. Even in the shadow of night, its luster was almost blinding. It took careful, precise brewing over a few days to make this one vial. ¡°You should do the honors.¡± I reached out for her clammy hands, wrapped her fingers around the vial, and watched with bated breaths as she brought it to her lips.


    Her courage surged through her body as she knocked it back. Gripping the vial, she focused on her inner being even as a rainbow-colored glow danced and surged around her body.


    In seconds, her HP, for the first time in a long time, was finally restored to 100%.


    The faint, scarce burns, cuts, blisters, and rashes vanished while the harmless scars remained behind. The damage to Niva''s scalp had healed, so her hair could grow back. With that said, the miraculous power of the elixir focused on her deadspots, and pristine, crystal-like purple scales began to reconstruct themselves around her neck, upper arms, and thighs. [Analysis] told me her STDs and bacterial infections were squashed like the germs they were, and it was safe to say her crotch was no longer mangled like crushed fruits.


    She was blind, her limbs hadn¡¯t grown back, and she still lacked a tail, but future elixirs would work on her.


    Once the colorful glow abandoned her body, Niva cautiously touched her regrown scales. Her fingers seemed scared or frightened. They softly glanced at her blue skin, then brushed across her purple scales, almost like she couldn¡¯t believe it. She stared up at me with a red eye so full of tears and moved her mouth, eventually gaining enough strength to speak for the first time in months.


    ¡°Mistress... Thank you...¡± she said in a voice softer than lavender and silk.


    ¡°Mistress, huh? And that¡¯s what your voice sounds like,¡± I told Niva as I sat on the bed beside her.


    I grabbed her hand, walked away so I remained within visual range, and we looked at the forest line.


    Using the same method of how I communicated with Irisa and her family, I had a hasty conversation with the petrified Catfolk.


    If you want your freedom, just nod or shake your head. I had my hand on Erin¡¯s shoulder to prevent her from flinching in fright, yet she jittered anyway.


    Do you want to be free?


    She nodded, but I could tell she was afraid. Who wouldn¡¯t if sparkly words of rainbow appeared in front of you?


    Then do as I say and follow my orders exactly. However, I will not free you from the kindness from my heart. I require something from you. Is that understood?


    Erin nodded a second time.


    Do not attempt to go back on your word.


    When I turned around, Erin followed me back to Oswell, who was curious about what we were talking about. I smiled, touched both hands to Erin¡¯s teary cheeks, and said it was a secret. ¡°But I do wish to pay her debts and buy her. The one problem is that the rest of my money is in Ria. You see where I¡¯m going with this?¡±


    ¡°I do,¡± replied Oswell. He pulled a notepad from his vest pocket. ¡°My normal policy is that you must have the money on hand, yet I would be a fool to think a High Elf wouldn¡¯t keep her word. I have a working relationship with Lady Aello, and she trusts you implicatively. Between you and I,¡± he whispered, leaning in close. ¡°She gushes about you constantly. That¡¯s the only reason why I¡¯m doing this.¡± We talked a bit more about the specifics, and I sweetened the deal even more by offering to pay the standard fare for myself, Sekh, Tilde, and ¡®Lola, as well as guaranteeing to pay them more if they transport an enchanting table. I also said I didn¡¯t want Erin wearing those tattered scraps. Oswell didn''t have any problem with that. He said he¡¯d head over with some of his men to pick up the enchanting table while getting the clothes for Erin. Since I was going to buy her, my word was law as it pertained to her, and he would make sure she wore what I wanted her to wear.


    By the end of our negotiation, Tivid, accountant and overall money manager for Oswell¡¯s group, had his own reservations. His sharp eyes seemingly saw a hint of deception, yet he couldn¡¯t deny such easy work would resort in a fat payday. He begrudgingly gave his opinion, not knowing his last-second approval marked the end of his life.


    When I returned from checking in with Oswell and his group, I found Niva sitting at the kitchen table with Sekh, Tilde, Ruru, Arguna, Aello, and the Dryad.


    Lady Springfield, is Lady Lola able to move? Arguna asked me via sign language.


    No, not yet. She will need some time. I replied back. She turned to Niva and tried to offer her support the best she could. Ruru said he had experience teaching someone with prosthetics, so he did his best, telling Niva how to shift her weight until she was used to her new attachments. While she was practicing with Aello, he handed me a list of pointers he¡¯d written down before coming. Just like I had thought, he mentioned a pair of parallel bars for her to use, yet since she had one hand, that was stricken down. The next best thing was a lake. Mythril was practically rustproof, but water could accelerate her recovery.


    I hadn¡¯t thought about that, but that could definitely work.


    A few hours passed, and after leaving and returning with some ingredients so we could make dinner and eat together, Ruru announced he was leaving the village in the morning to return home with Arguna. Niva professed her thanks multiple times, but she had to give her gratitude a few more times because he was the sole reason she was better. The golden Deerfolk smiled and rubbed her cloaked head.


    You¡¯re very welcome,¡± he cheerfully replied before saying his goodbyes. Aello and the Dryad were the next to leave. As they were about to open the door, there came a knock. Oswell and a few of his men were on the other side, and they had come to tell me that they were also leaving in the morning since the horses were well-rested. Their schedule was thrown out of whack since they had to backtrack to Ria. He also said he came to pick up that enchanting table, which caused Aello to look at me funny. She motioned me to follow her to another room and asked if it was permittable for me to take it.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it? I¡¯m one of the few Vredis left alive, and I promise to take utmost care of it. I must since it¡¯s one of the few links I have left to my birth forest,¡± I replied, lying straight through my teeth. Aello was a nai?ve woman¡ªeven if she was over 200 years old. She believed every word from my mouth and even gave me her blessing by touching my head with her wings. I walked with her back to where Oswell was playing with the Dryad, and she and Aello waved goodbye and left.


    When I escorted Oswell and his men through the kitchen to where I had the enchanting table, Sekh and Tilde eyed them from head to toe. They were, after all, dead men walking. I left Sekh with them and the table while I went up with Oswell to pick out Erin¡¯s clothes with the AI¡¯s help. She was petite, so nothing really fit. I found a slightly oversized shirt and skirt that came down to her ankles and a pair of long socks and shoes that were too big. But the outfit was way better than tattered robes. Except there wasn¡¯t any underwear for her. I mentally apologized, then had the AI send her a message telling her to expect some clothes.


    We walked back to the kitchen to find his men struggling with the table, so Oswell gently placed the clothes on the table and helped his men. I stated that it had to be treated with care since it was a family heirloom.


    ¡°We understand, Lady Springfield. Rest assured, it will be treated as if I were transporting my child. It¡¯s been six months since I last saw his cheery face. Can¡¯t wait to treat him to the vacation he deserves,¡± replied Oswell.


    He¡¯s a family man? Yeah, that¡¯s right. His wife has a disease, and this is how he pays for the medicine. That¡¯s a story not too uncommon amongst his men.


    Once they left, we returned to our room because it was finally time. It took more time than I wanted, but Niva was about to summon a spirit. With luck on our side, it¡¯d be draconic.


    Niva held her hand in prayer and began to speak in a language I did not know. Her chanting lasted well over fifteen seconds. The entire time, mana consolidated in front of her. Colorless at first, it slowly changed from red to blue to white to black to orange, finally stopping at nature green while growing more intense. It almost seemed to form a portal.


    No, it was a portal.


    [New Skill: Mana Language]


    I managed to learn the language, but I didn¡¯t know when because I was too focused on the scene playing out in front of me. Heart-stopping seconds passed by that felt more like hours.


    Suddenly, there was movement. The portal shook and vibrated, twisted and churning before it showed off a naturalistic wonderland, full of trees, blooming sunlight, and vines.


    A moment later, someone materialized into existence. She was more naked than dressed, wearing little more than a waist covering that only covered her front. Her nipples were hidden by thin, small leaves. A branch in the shape of a wooden hair ornament covered her head, and along with her long, flowy green hair, she had twintails wrapped with vines. Those two eyes were brighter than even the most vibrant emerald.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    She''s pretty...


    ¡°My name is Primrose, a woodland spirit birthed from the great and powerful Eagle Yew," she said as she stepped through the portal, it closing behind her. Her voice was majestic, full of vigor and power. My eyes were perceptive enough to see the shimmer of mana radiating from her body. Though she was nearly naked with breasts slightly smaller than Sekh¡¯s, it seemed she didn¡¯t carry any shame. Perhaps that was because she wasn¡¯t staring at us. No, her eyes were exclusively locked on Niva. She approached her summoner. Akin to her name, she left primrose flowers¡ª white, yellow, purple, and red¡ªin her wake as she stared down at a speechless Niva.


    ¡°I ask of you. Are you my Master?¡±

 Chapter Fifty-One: Primrose, The Woodland Spirit – Part One (Illutrations!)

    Chapter Fifty-One: Primrose, The Woodland Spirit ¨C Part One (Illutrations!)


    ¡°You...answered my call?¡± Niva whispered, tears spewing down her cheeks.


    ¡°I am a spirit. That is why we exist.¡± Primrose kneeled and touched a hand to Niva¡¯s mythril prosthetics. ¡°How awful... I¡¯m sorry you had to endure such an ordeal. But I am here now. I will protect you from harm. Even if it cost me my very life, I will ensure what happened to you will not be repeated. Hmm? Why do you continue to cry?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m¡ª I¡¯m just so happy... You¡¯re here... You¡¯re really here...¡±


    ¡°Is this the first time you summoned a spirit?¡± I asked. Primrose turned to me, and not even a second later, she had this disgusted scowl plastered across her face. Bright, brown light collected itself in front of her chest, leaving behind a shimmering wooden jewel. It then absorbed itself into her body. If that was her spirit core, then breaking it would kill her.


    She still has HP and mana bars, though. If the HP runs out, she reverts to her spirit crystal and must regenerate. From there, you can break the crystal to kill the spirit.


    ¡°You should cease speaking, detestable creature. I know your kind from anywhere.¡±


    ¡°My kind?¡± I scoffed and stood up. Primrose did the same and stood protectively in front of Niva, blocking her from my view while crossing her arms. A flash of light illuminated her body, altering her clothes and hairstyle while giving her a pair of wooden horns.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°That¡¯s right. You¡¯re a cursed, unholy creation that should not exist. A sickening chimera that feeds on the living and takes the dead¡¯s power for themselves.¡±


    ¡°Tilde, explain.¡±


    ¡°Beats the hell out of me,¡± Tilde replied. She flew to my shoulder and stared down at the threatening spirit. ¡°[Status Cloak] literally hides any identifying marks from your mana. That¡¯s why when those Bellerophon agents used [Detect Chimerism], they received a negative response. Hmm...¡±


    ¡°Sekh?¡± Nne?w n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com


    ¡°I do not know, but I do not like her. Her attitude is ugly.¡±


    ¡°She is a spirit attuned to nature, and nature spirits are more sensitive to these things. Chimera kinda goes against the natural order of things... Eh, regardless, she knows, Master,¡± Tilde replied. Her tone was casual, so if she wasn¡¯t worried, I wasn¡¯t. ¡°As long as [Detect Chimerism] fails, you¡¯re perfectly safe. Only a fool would kill a High Elf for being a chimera after she was proven to not be one. That¡¯s a scandal in the making if I¡¯ve ever seen one. Besides, you¡¯re a Vredi. Your word means more than hers.¡±


    ¡°M--Mistress! Umm... Prim¡ªPrimrose, please calm down... Mistress is¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t need to know how I know. Master, someone like you does not need to be in the presence of a monster! Even if she¡¯s forcing you to do her bidding, Bellerophon will not see it that way! I must get you away to safety.¡±


    ¡°Like hell you are. The safest place for Niva is with me.¡±


    ¡°I highly doubt that. What can you do? You may falsely claim the Vredi name, but you¡¯re a detestable beast. Fairy.¡±


    Has she been spying on us? She said she was born from the Eagle Yew, but Primrose didn¡¯t say how long ago that was. I wonder if the realm we saw was the inside of the Eagle Yew?


    ¡°Fuck you. My name is Tilde.¡± Tilde flicked Primrose off, and she looked genuinely taken back.


    ¡°Th--Then Tilde. Why do you remain around someone like her? A fairy is supposed to be the very symbol of¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yeah, fuck off with that. I am who I am. You¡¯re starting to get on my nerves.¡±


    ¡°How dare you, chimera! What have you done to her?! A fairy is supposed to be loving and kind! Gentle as the morning breeze and as ever-changing as the calm flow of a river!¡±


    ¡°Bitch, please. I was born this way. The Tilde Life is the only life I''ve ever known. You¡¯d best watch your mouth.¡± Tilde glared daggers, causing Primrose to take fearful steps backwards.


    ¡°Then you leave me no choice.¡± Primrose turned to the open door, but my stern, threatening voice stopped her cold in the tracks.


    ¡°Listen carefully. If you walk out of this room, you will die a painful death. No¡ªI won¡¯t even let you die. I¡¯ll keep your ass alive and use those branches from your head as firewood.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you try it. My powers are based on nature, and we are in the very place where I am the strongest. What can a heathen, who should have remained dead, do against someone like me? I¡¯ll walk where I please, and I¡¯ll go where I want. You cannot order me.¡±


    Sekh grabbed her mace and shield and looked at me for orders.


    ¡°I gave my warning. The only reason you still draw breath is because of Niva. Had you been the spirit of anyone else, Sekh would have torn you apart. In fact, she still might. All I must do is give the command, and you will die before you know it.¡±


    She eventually crawled to her spirit and blocked her open chest with her body. I didn¡¯t think she knew that was where her core was. It was just a spot of dumb luck.


    ¡°Move.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t do it! Mistress¡ª¡±


    This rage I felt... It knew no bounds. I summoned and gripped Reina¡¯s pistol hard enough to nearly crack it. Slowly, I aimed it with my finger off the trigger and pointed right at Niva¡¯s head. ¡°I¡¯m not going to repeat it. Move.¡±


    ¡°I... I can¡¯t let you kill her!¡±


    I shot two bullets into the ceiling. ¡°She¡¯s a failure! She was going to betray us! Just summon something better next time! THAT¡¯S ALL YOU HAVE TO DO! IT''S NOT THAT FUCKING HARD, NIVA!¡±


    Failure... Just summon something better... Shit... SHIT!!! SHIT!!! SHIT!!!!!! SHIT!!!!!!!!! SHIT!!!!!!!! SHIT!!!!!!!!!! FUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    ¡°But... But there probably won¡¯t be a next time!!! Primrose¡¯s the first one to answer me in three years!!!! Please, Mistress... Don¡¯t do it...¡± She turned her head to my voice, allowing me to see her tears...


    Tears that I caused...


    Tears that came from my behavior...


    Niva whined and tensed up, then begged again, and again, and again, using her petite body to save the life of her spirit. Realizing my foolish nature, I stored my weapon and demanded an explanation, bloodlust still visible in my eyes while I forcibly turned my Wrath to 0 to enter a better state of mind.


    What the fuck is wrong with me...?


    Niva was born 23 years ago to an impoverished family in Barbil, a frigid, freezing country to the far north. The only other point further north was the tip of the Kidonia Kingdom, located on the continent which housed the Cridian Empire.


    Her life was simple, if a bit painful, since there was never enough food. But her large family of a dozen brothers and sisters somehow made it work. The only consolation was that it became more hospitable in the summers when you could last more than a few hours without a jacket.


    In her poverty-stricken village, Niva wasn¡¯t ostracized for her hermaphroditic appearance¡ªnot by her family or neighbors. But upon her sixteenth birthday, she began to experience vision loss. For a family with very little food, affording medicine to help reverse her mono-eye degradation was an impossibility. It would cost about five years¡¯ worth of saving if they sold everything they harvested from the frosted fields they were forced to farm. Her parents tried to ask the local baron, yet he refused to hear them out. After endless begging, he allowed Niva¡¯s mother into his mansion to profess her case, yet she was sent home with no money, no medicine, ripped clothing, and proof of abuse visible upon her lips and crotch. She refused to talk about what transpired, but it didn¡¯t take a genius to read between the lines.


    With her mother sunk into a severe depression, Niva became the village¡¯s social pariah because her disease meant she was a consumer, not a producer. Having someone blind toil the fields only resulted in damages the community couldn¡¯t afford. Niva¡¯s mother¡¯s attempt to get her daughter the money for the medicine brought undue attention to the homestead.


    Two years later¡ªwhen she was 18, Niva had resolved to die. She went out one night, intending to never return, but while lying on the soft, snowy underneath the starry night sky, she felt a presence by her side. Unable to see this mysterious entity, she did nothing but listen to its words of grandiose wonder for the future she couldn¡¯t understand.


    With just a fraction of its great power, it granted the self-destructive Niva [Mana Language] and {Summoning Magic: Spirit]. This allowed her to perceive the words of this great being that only spoke with the mighty power that made up the skills and magic of this world.


    Yet understanding its language only confused the young Niva even more, and the entity left as quickly as it appeared. As she laid there contemplating what had happened in her loneliness, a squad of warriors approached and stole her away under the moonlit sky.


    Within days, Niva was marked, enslaved, and sold off to the highest bidder, who demanded she summon a spirit. The specter of flame that answered her call had its spirit core destroyed before it even had a chance to greet its summoner because it wasn¡¯t what her owner wanted. After a recovery period of six months, she was chained and forced to summon again, and the events played out like a broken record. Only this time, a water nymph answered her call. The sparkling source of power resting in its forehead was pilfered and shattered, bringing another end to a spirit that didn¡¯t need to die.


    All because Niva¡¯s Master was unhappy with the strength of the spirit summoned. Instead of giving her a third chance, he sold Niva to another family to recoup his losses. This was where Niva was adopted by a noble family residing in Dirge''s capital city. She was added to the family registry and given the last name of Mesalitos, yet her fate hadn¡¯t changed a bit. She suffered through six more summoning sessions until her 22nd year of living. And while the first three were successful, the incoming spirits had their cores instantly destroyed because they were weak. For the following three tries, no spirits answered Niva¡¯s call. However, the Mesalitos family did not see fit to punish Niva. She was spared the rod while not yet a part of their family. Still, it was the first time Niva felt something barely resembling familial acceptance since her vision started to degrade. But it was still abuse because they never spoke to her. She was forced to live in a room on the other side of the Mesalitos estate with no verbal communication. The Mesalitos family made it clear Niva was a mere tool without any rights as a person. She was property-- plain and simple. One that had a bed and food, but someone without free will, whose only task was to summon when she was ready.


    It seemed spirits residing in this world and the realm of spirits refused to answer her call. What use was a spirit mage who could not summon? When Holy Lord Gloria visited the Mesalitos family, she saw some use in Niva as a ¡®shield¡¯ after mistakenly learning of her existence and used her authority to claim ownership over the half-breed.


    Not even eight months later, Holy Lord Gloria performed the ritual to call Soul Warriors from another world. Niva was given to Noelia to act as a damage sponge since Holy Lord Gloria decreed that was Niva¡¯s only use in this life since her status as a summoner was less than a toddler.


    But as the immaterial power of time rolled by, fate decided to play a strange card and introduced Niva to a 0-Star Soul Warrior turned chimera. The blind girl who had no more faith in the world was slowly introduced to hope after losing all sense of individualism.


    Through the pain...


    Through the rape...


    Through the abuse...


    Through the dozens of attempts to treat her like she was some object without any sense of self-worth...


    Niva somehow survived-- holding on to a speck of hope that was infinitesimally small to the point where even the girl blessed by divine flames of wrath would find it hard to hang on.


    Her name was Niva, and she would defy fate and become powerful enough to stand as equal with the Transcendent Dark Lord.

 Chapter Fifty-One: Primrose, The Woodland Spirit – Part Two

    Chapter Fifty-One: Primrose, The Woodland Spirit ¨C Part Two


    ¡°That¡¯s your past, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mistress,¡± Niva whispered, raising an arm and allowing the hot water to sprinkle down through her fingers. ¡°I still do not know who kidnapped me after that entity left.¡±


    We were outside in the bathroom, taking a nice dip in the pond. Since Niva was healed, I didn¡¯t have to worry about making one part cooler for her, yet she and Primrose remained far away from Sekh and me. Tilde just floated on her back without any worry about her destination.


    ¡°The Spirit Realm probably got pissed off. So many of their kind instantly died moments after being summoned. And you can¡¯t blame them,¡± Tilde said. ¡°But Mesalitos? That¡¯s a fancy name.¡±


    ¡°My liege, nobles are the only ones with last names. A commoner can be bestowed one should they achieve some feat that impresses someone socially powerful.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Primrose glared at Sekh, who found it comfortable to rest her head against my shoulder while refusing to look away from Primrose. Once I threw her in the pond, she quickly began to heal because the entire area was slammed full of nature mana. She huffed angry bubbles through her nose, but we didn¡¯t even give her the time of day.


    ¡°Then I better take full advantage of the Vredi name. Do you hate your last name?¡± The cyclops nodded. I told her I¡¯d get rid of it with [Status Cloak], and the AI did my bidding. Niva confirmed the name removal, and she thanked me.


    She¡¯s blind, so how did she...


    Information transmitted via the Status Menu and activity log is transmitted directly to the brain, so those who cannot see can still use the systems of this world, my lord.


    Good to know. Thanks for the answer.


    ¡°What the hell happened to you?¡± Primrose asked.


    ¡°You don¡¯t deserve to know. Remain in line, or you¡¯ll become our firewood.¡±


    ¡°What makes you so special? You¡¯re a damn chimera?¡±


    ¡°A damn chimera that had you at death¡¯s edge.¡± I stretched my arms and asked Sekh if she could hold my hand, which she did with a smile and a lovely kiss on my lips. Primrose looked disgusted, but I didn¡¯t care. She asked me why I would do something so ugly in front of her master, but I just said it was a simple kiss, and it wasn¡¯t like I was about to fuck Sekh. Primrose turned to Niva and asked if she permitted me to have sex in front of her, and she nodded before describing her life with Noelia. She hadn¡¯t covered that part, and it was just sad enough for Primrose to hug her summoner.


    ¡°Primrose, my¡ªour Mistress is the only reason I¡¯m here right now. That you¡¯re here right now. She didn¡¯t have to save me, but she did anyway. I could¡¯ve died... She could¡¯ve assimilated me... A hundred things could¡¯ve happened, but they didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°You can hate me all you want,¡± I told the spirit. ¡°You can curse me from dusk until dawn, and I won¡¯t care. Hell, I can¡¯t get angry unless I turn a little dial to raise my wrath. You¡¯re lucky it was only at 5. Any higher, and I¡¯d have Sekh burn this place to the ground. For your safety, I¡¯ll keep it at 0, but don¡¯t piss me off.¡±


    ¡°That fool shouldn¡¯t sully your name because of her own issues,¡± Sekh said, rubbing her cheeks against mine. ¡°Had I been in your shoes, she¡¯d have gone the way of that volcanic flame spirit.¡±


    ¡°Like I¡¯m afraid of some slave. Why don¡¯t you purr for your master like the good bitch you are.¡±


    ¡°PRIM! Stop doing that! You don¡¯t know Lady Sekh. Or her past.¡±


    ¡°HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!! Well, it¡¯s been nice knowing you.¡± Tilde exploded into another fit of laughter.


    Sekh stood up and wrapped her right arm in [Black Fire]. Primrose skittered to her feet. Before Sekh moved, I grabbed her tail and fluffed it. She cutely yelped and sat back down, then she looked at me with a playful smile and extinguished the flames before they vaporized the entire pond.


    ¡°What the hell are you?! You two are a bunch of goddamn monsters!¡± Primrose sat back down.


    ¡°I¡¯m of the same opinion as my liege. You aren¡¯t worthy to hear it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll just say this, Primmy. Don¡¯t be a traitorous bitch. It¡¯s as simple as that. You never know what kind of foes are waiting around the corner,¡± Tilde said. She flipped over to her stomach and doggy paddled around the hot spring.


    And don¡¯t think I can¡¯t see you when I¡¯m not looking at you. I used that keyboard the AI made for me to type out a message to be displayed via waypoints. Primrose¡¯s eyes went big and wide at the unknown power at my helm. The words disappeared, and she sunk more into the hot springs while staring at Niva¡¯s face. Her eyes soon narrowed.


    ¡°Wait, what¡¯s that?¡± Primrose wooden horns twitched. Out of nowhere, she got to her knees and touched Niva¡¯s cheeks with her hands.


    As a cyclops, Niva had just one eye¡ªa large red one¡ª located in the middle of her head. But why didn¡¯t she flinch when Primrose rubbed it? It didn¡¯t make sense...


    ¡°Master, there¡¯s an illusion on your face. Its source is...under your skin. Here, let me dispel it.¡± The spirit closed her eyes and focused, and suddenly...


    ¡°Holy shit!¡± Tilde exclaimed when Primrose took a step away.


    Niva¡¯s face...


    She still had one eye, but it was positioned on her face as if she had two. Her left eye was still red, and a check of [Analysis] confirmed her blindness was still there, but the spot where her right eye should have been was the rest of her face. It was like she wasn¡¯t born with a second eye socket.


    Tiny Mana Generator (1/10) Atmospheric Mana Recycling


    ¡°You¡¯re from the Eagle Yew. That''s a yew tree, and I know those are poisonous. You grow branches from your body while leaving behind primrose flowers. Logic dictates you can grow yew berries or manufacture their sap.¡±


    ¡°Like hell I will. I won¡¯t participate in your sick murder games so you can get your disgusting thrill.¡±


    ¡°Primrose! Mistress needs our help. We must help her. They say they aren¡¯t slavers, but that¡¯s what they¡¯re doing. One of the girls was falsely accused of stealing.¡±


    ¡°And that girl is going to help me rob her mother,¡± I added. ¡°I¡¯m broke as hell until Amos¡¯s clothing sells. And Karen Barclay is a total bitch. In fact, I might even kill her. But the money comes first. But no, Primrose, I won¡¯t force you to help me.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit. You almost--¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because your actions were in danger of sabotaging the group. Betrayal equals death. I can¡¯t be soft on this path I¡¯m walking down. I¡¯ve already killed a handful of fools, so what''s another thirteen? Or even a spirit? Anyway, that¡¯s the end of that.¡± I walked over to Niva and grabbed her hand. ¡°Primrose is your responsibility, so keep in her line. I¡¯d rather you have no spirit if the one you do have will cause the death of us. And you, this is your one and only warning, Primrose. If you screw up, and I decide you must die, then you will die. I¡¯ve been betrayed too many times to have it happen again. I will not tolerate it from anyone. Not again. Not ever again...¡±


    Primrose fumed so hard the tiny flowers blooming on her branches died before she reverted to a small brown, circular crystal about the size of a baseball. A spirit didn¡¯t have to stay out all the time. In fact, sometimes it was better for them to turn back into their crystal because, to materialize, it required a chunk of their summoner¡¯s mana. Primrose, for example, drained 15% of Niva¡¯s mana if she was out walking around. And that would not regenerate until she was back in her crystal.


    Niva was left whimpering alone, and I sighed and hit the hay myself.


    What the fuck was that back there? I sounded so much like Meruria... I didn¡¯t like it... But I need power. Niva was saved for that reason. If Primrose doesn¡¯t change her attitude and tries this stupid stunt one more time, she¡¯s dead. I¡¯d rather have a useless spirit than a traitor. I refuse to be betrayed again.


    I¡¯m no hero. I¡¯m a villain. My goal won¡¯t end with fewer than a million deaths.


    I must remain steadfast.


    I must keep in mind what¡¯s important.


    The opportunity to gain a shit ton of SP and power fell to my feet, and I will see it through.


    If I can¡¯t even do this...why the fuck did I swear revenge? Damn it, I can¡¯t focus feeling like this.


    Rolling out of bed, Sekh quietly stared as I approached Niva. She heard my footsteps and leaned up, her eye slick, wet, and reddened by her tears.


    I gotta get used to her eye placement.


    ¡°Mistress?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to scare or frighten you. You¡¯re a close ally, not someone I need to pick a fight with.¡± I sat beside her, took her real hand, and held it between mine. ¡°I promise I¡¯ll never hurt you. I hope you can forgive me, and I hope you can believe me.¡±


    ¡°Mistress...¡± repeated Niva. She shifted and hugged me the best she could. I sat there with her against my chest while rubbing her back.


    Shit... I feel like an abuser. Goddamn it,


    ¡°I know you wouldn¡¯t hurt me. I really do. I¡¯m...glad you¡¯re here. I¡¯m only alive because of you... And you took that thing from my head. I want to live up to your standards¡ªto travel with you on your journey. Mistress, thank you for saving me...¡± Niva whispered. I doubt she even knew she was talking, to be honest. She was drifting in and out of a slumber.


    I didn¡¯t know what it was...perhaps maternal instincts from Beccy? But I lifted Niva and sat her sideways in my lap, my arms around her waist and gently rubbed her back, brushing my fingers against a few of her purple scales. She still wore the white wig until her hair grew back, but I softly massaged that, too.


    The poor girl had gone through a lot. And she was tiny¡ªpetite, possibly underweight. Almost like a fragile stick that would break if pushed slightly beyond its nonexistent limit. She was supposed to be in my care. She was supposed to find a new life with me, not relive the old fear she used to harbor. Her powder blue skin trembled nearly non-stop.


    And I did the one thing I said I wouldn¡¯t do... Primrose¡¯s potential betrayal wasn¡¯t an excuse for making it seem like I wanted to kill Niva.


    I just saw red, but that was no excuse.


    I wasn''t like Meruria. I''d never be someone as vile or repulsive as that bitch.


    A promise left my mouth. Tilde said a spirit could hear and see from their crystal, so this message was for Primrose. It wasn¡¯t a threat, but it was a promise. One I made to reassure her I had her summoner''s best interest in my mind. I wanted to be the woman who, once she accepted someone into her extremely tiny circle of trust, did all she could to help and protect them. And Niva was someone I wanted in that circle.


    ¡°Sekh, I¡¯m---¡±


    ¡°I understand, my liege. There is no need to say it,¡± she replied with a cute smile.


    ¡°I love you. Goodnight.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡± Sekh laid her head on the pillow and drifted asleep while I held Niva close to my chest. This was my apology. I was a woman of my word, so for tonight...I¡¯d use my actions to prove what I told her. It wouldn¡¯t make up for the fear she felt during those tense moments, but...

 Chapter Fifty-Two: Murderous Options

    Chapter Fifty-Two: Murderous Options


    ¡°Lady Springfield, do you really have to leave?!¡± cried the Dryad as she hugged my leg. Her vines wrapped around my leg as she looked up with a saddened expression and eyes full of clear tears.


    We were standing in front of the bridge leading to the village. Primrose didn¡¯t want to come out from her crystal, so Sekh oversaw Niva¡¯s wheelchair. Oswell, his men, the horses, and wagons were already across it, and they were waiting on me.


    ¡°I must,¡± I replied, petting her head. ¡°I¡¯ve got business to attend to.¡±


    Aello walked forward, but I put a hand up to stop her. ¡°But... But... But will I see you again?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you will. I promise I¡¯ll come back. Here, do you want to hear another song?¡± The little spirit nodded, so I pulled out the songleaf and played the best tune of my chimeric life. Beautiful melodies swam through the many vines of the Eagle Yew, causing scattering leaves to dance atop the entire village. The whimsy highs and deep lows preceded the fatal fate of my instrument, which faded away into mana once I had played the last note.


    ¡°The Eagle Yew is happy,¡± Aello said, flapping her wings. ¡°When a songleaf is at the end of its life, it returns to where it whence came. However, should it be played with honor...¡±


    A striking light flashed from above, and down came a flute created out of nothing but songleaf. Aello stated that Elven children were often tasked to make their own flutes in training. Yet being granted a flute by something like the Eagle Yew was another option, albeit very rare. And almost an impossibility, in my case.


    [Analysis] says Susize made this made 1,152 years ago. Why would Aetos give it to me? I don¡¯t understand that eagle.


    I grasped it with both hands, and I let the memories of Susize Vredi grant me the knowledge to play one last little song called Vredi¡¯s Lullaby.


    The resounding lows were slow and docile, clashing with the tinge of airy highs to create a soliloquy of love handed down from Susize¡¯s ancestor¡ªthe one who discovered and planted the seed that ended up becoming Vredi Forest. The song carried the hopes and dreams of all elves born within its nurturing bosom¡ªthe acoustic symbol of their livelihood. Something played before every parade or festival. It wasn¡¯t rare for the whole forest to sing their hearts out to pay respect to their caregiver.


    And then it burned down... From the memories I saw flash through my mind, the world seemed to stop turning when it happened. The flames were raging out of control, leading to a worldwide hunt for the one responsible.


    I didn¡¯t know if they were caught. If a Holy or Dark Lord was responsible, there was a chance they were alive. How ironic would it be if we came across the culprit? What would I do? Kill them? Thank them? Did it matter? I was a High Elf, but only via chimerism. But I couldn¡¯t deny Susize¡¯s feelings for this forest. There was a dull ache in my heart from where we had to leave.


    No, I don¡¯t have to think about that now. Just play the song, Mila.


    Once finished, a little green flower blossomed on the Dryad¡¯s head.


    ¡°It isn¡¯t my blooming season, though,¡± noted the Dryad. She looked at me, plucked the flower, and gave it to me with a smile while I ignored my thoughts.


    A Dryad only gives their flowers to someone they trust, my lord, said the AI. That was mentioned in Murag¡¯s journals.


    ¡°Do you trust me that much?¡± I mean, I hadn¡¯t done much. Sure, I spent time with her, but... She nodded, and I really had no choice but to accept it with a smile. Crouching down, she placed it in my hair and rubbed it, then skipped back to stand by Aello. A few moments later, a collection of sparkling mana accumulated nearby, which soon gave birth to a striking banana yellow-like slime. It was about the same size as I was in my slime form, and it wiggled and jiggled like gelatin. Aello believed the Eagle Yew wanted to send another gift, so it used its power to create life.


    The question was thus: did I want to bring it? As I was thinking that, the wiggling thing bounced over to Niva and sat right in her lap, eliciting a cute yelp. Sekh quickly bent down to tell her it wasn¡¯t me.


    ¡°Mistress, can we keep it?¡±


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t see why not. You want to name it?¡±


    ¡°Is that fine? Can I take some time to think of one?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    We waved goodbye and turned around to join Oswell and his group.


    ¡°That flower looks good on you, my liege.¡±


    ¡°Big Tits is right. A Dryad¡¯s flower is special, so take care of it.¡±


    ¡°It does feel kinda good,¡± I confessed.


    I called for Niva and Primrose, and the spirit wheeled the chair with a venomous expression. When she saw the dentures, she almost snatched them from my hand and said she would be the one to put them in. That got some attention, and I quickly reminded her with glowing, floating waypoints that she had to watch her attitude.


    Don¡¯t bring undue attention to ourselves. Remember that.


    She glared at me but managed to fit those teeth in Niva¡¯s mouth using her sticky sap as glue. There shouldn¡¯t be any soreness because the elixir healed any remaining pain, but I still told her to tell me if there was any discomfort.


    Around 10 PM, Oswell called it a night and pulled the caravan over to a nearby plain of flat grassland. He let the slaves out to stretch their legs and eat a cup of soup with a piece of hard bread, then ordered them back into the caged wagons after they put up the heavy-duty tents. Erin looked that way to her former fate before turning around and finishing up her stew. We all sat around the giant campfire. It was here that I got more acquainted with the rest of Oswell¡¯s group.


    Tactile and Deimpse were two scrawny humans that treated Vamire like an older brother. He¡¯d told those two to stay back during the boar attack earlier out of their safety, but the Dark Elf was being lightly chastised by Oswell. ¡°I know you care for them, but they can¡¯t get stronger if they don¡¯t fight. Those boars weren¡¯t even Lv. 10.¡±


    ¡°I know, man, but come on,¡± Vamire whined. His younger ¡®brothers¡¯ sat beside him, and a small argument¡ªno, it wasn¡¯t an argument, but maybe a vocal discussion was the right word¡ªbroke out. ¡°Fiiiine... Okay, you got me. Tact, Deim, we¡¯re gonna train like hell tomorrow. Promise me you won¡¯t get too hurt, okay?¡±


    The two underweight humans smiled, and the attention turned to Battr and Abaddan, two Batfolk fighting about thirty feet away. Thanks to their velvety wings, they soared through the air. Batfolk only required about three hours of sleep to last the whole day. They both had red eyes and dark hair. From what I saw, they were the definition of introverts.


    The more I watched them, the more I perceived their movements. Sekh was doing the same, staring and observing if I fucked up and turned this into a battle royale.


    Once their sparing ended, they joined the rest of us around the campfire. Marcey asked for a song, but I didn¡¯t know Dreams of Style. However, I just played my flute with whatever came to mind, and it really felt like I could do no wrong. Before long, Vamire rushed to his tent and returned with liquor he''d been stashing away for the right occasion. It was the color of lightened wood with a smell like dirt, but some of the group cheered on the Dark Elf and quickly filled their glass.


    Not long after, while a drunken Vamire rubbed and fluffed Banda¡¯s exceptionally soft fur, Domi and Bella asked if we wanted to wash up at the river we passed about 20 minutes ago. The offer was extended to Marcey, but she said she was tired. And I suppose I didn¡¯t mind bathing with them.


    I knew how that made me sound when I avoided Irisa, but I think I was ready for the next step. When we returned home... when the time was right, I¡¯d asked Irisa to join Sekh, Niva, and me in the tub. There was enough room, and I really liked her.


    If I think of this as practice, then yeah...


    ¡°Okay, great. Let¡¯s meet up in about ten minutes,¡± Domi said as she and Bella returned to their tents to get some bathing supplies. I returned to mine with my group. It wasn¡¯t just a normal tent, however. It was large enough to comfortably fit six people. Oswell said Aello had given it to him exclusively for my use after learning I was leaving with him. And I¡¯d asked for it to be set up farther away from the others, and Oswell granted my selfish request.


    ¡°Look at you... Only a twisted pervert buys a little girl,¡± Primrose spat. I laid out a simple shirt and skirt for Niva, and she snatched it away. Niva still wore the robe over her clothes, though. She''d have to wear it for the foreseeable future. I chose traditional Elven attire. It was a green corset dress with loose sleeves with a black waist girdle to keep a slim profile. It was made from dyed spider silk. A pair of over-the-knee green stockings hugged my legs and showed off my curves. They were cute, so I was happy to pair them with brown heels. From Susize¡¯s memories, she always wore this when she went on dates with Reina.


    I love the black outfit I have on. The golden highlights are cute and make me look powerful, but that¡¯s a special outfit. My very first one. Besides, I¡¯ve got all these clothes. Might as well put them to use.


    ¡°Quiet, Primrose,¡± I told the spirit. ¡°Erin, believe me when I say I¡¯m not doing this to be mean. There are whims beyond your belief at work here, and they require total concentration so as to not fuck up. The floating words you saw speak the truth. Believe in them, remain quiet, and you will get what you seek. Understood?¡± Erin nodded once more, but she still looked deathly afraid. I just handed her the first shirt and shorts that came to mind as I browsed my storage. ¡°I don¡¯t have anything in your size. Sorry, but you¡¯ll have to make do with that.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not nice. Why not let the girl¡ª¡± Primrose clamped her mouth shut once she read a violent threat written out in rainbow dots that only she could see. I also warned her she was not to impede me in any case, and that earned me another scowl. Niva remained as she held the slime, who she named Lei. It only took a few hours, but a friendship was forming between the two. It was like a pet that didn¡¯t need to be fed because it literally survived off the mana in the atmosphere.


    ¡°Primmy, darling, you gotta watch your mouth,¡± Tilde warned. ¡°Remember what happened last time you pissed her off?¡±


    ¡°Enough. Let¡¯s meet up with Domi and Bella and get clean.¡±


    My lord, a moment of your time? asked the AI


    I sent Sekh and the others ahead of me, but Primrose was not happy. The last thing she said while wheeling Niva out of the tent was that I better not do anything stupid, which earned a scolding from Sekh. That turned into another argument between the two. Tilde remained behind.


    ¡°Alright, AI. Tell me. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± I sat and listened to a devious plan far better than what I had in mind.


    ¡°Once you do this, you can¡¯t take it back,¡± Tilde said. ¡°These people haven¡¯t hurt you. They fed you. They helped you. They even like you. You impressed them, and that Dark Elf even wants to spar and train with you. You managed to convince him to wait, but he¡¯s looking forward to it because he¡¯s the type of guy who can be friends with anyone after a fight. Hell, you even played that flute for them out of the kindness of your heart.¡±


    ¡°And? They¡¯re slavers, through and through.¡±


    ¡°So. Are. You.¡± Tilde tapped her head. ¡°But I won¡¯t stop you. I wouldn¡¯t dream of it. My little ¡®mera must leave the nest and go on her own, so put on your big girl panties. Do what you must do but remember just how dangerous it¡¯s going to be. If you fuck up? Well, it¡¯s going to be a major fuck up. Erin and Niva are likely to bite the dust. Big Tits would protect you above all else. And if our little cyclops dies, you can wave goodbye to Primmy. Considering the animosity between you two, perhaps the best situation is Niva living while Primmy dies.¡±


    ¡°I know, Tilde. I know. I''m a hypocrite of the highest degree, but they gotta die. And don¡¯t think I¡¯m going to gloat about this... Let¡¯s go. I don¡¯t want to keep them waiting.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Three: Poisonous Destiny

    Chapter Fifty-Three: Poisonous Destiny


    The great moon tried its best to reflect off the river¡¯s coursing flow, yet it was too quick to display something of great importance. Instead, it shone down on the most beautiful Lionfolk in the world. With her delicate hands that¡¯d seen more bloodshed than anyone else, she took a pink cloth, wet it, and slid the soapy thing up between her marvelous breasts. She dipped her sensuous figure beneath the waters and emerged, breaking the surface and washing her body clean of any suds. Primrose was helping Niva walk while using the water¡¯s flow as an aid, and Bella and Domi were relaxing. They were chatting up a storm with Erin. True to her word, she refused to open her mouth at all. Yet she nodded and shook her head to answer their questions. She was a slave with that collar clasped around her neck, but those two didn¡¯t see her that way.


    Probably because of me. Yes. Erin couldn¡¯t talk because of my orders, but they believed me when I said it wasn¡¯t what they were thinking. Yes, it was weird, but I didn¡¯t care if they really believed me. It wasn¡¯t like it would matter 3 days from now.


    And even though Domi and Bella saw the seal tattooed on Sekh¡¯s stomach, they didn¡¯t give it a second thought after she told them it was nothing more than a tattoo. When it came to Niva, the two promised that what they saw wouldn¡¯t leave their mouth. Not about her having a penis but her being a half-breed with her unique situation about her eye.


    Well, it was that. But the two mentioned seeing a poster with Niva''s drawing a couple of days ago-- before arriving in Aetos Village. The eye looked slightly different, but it appeared the women knew that was supposed to be Niva.


    It¡¯s a good thing she¡¯s still going by Lola.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Sekh¡¯s ears twitched as she turned to the apex of a small hill. Her eyes narrowed, but then she smiled and started to wag her tail as I reached the top.


    I¡¯d been watching them with my map¡¯s satellite mode, but I canceled it because I had direct visual contact on the cutest Lionfolk in the world.


    ¡°My liege!¡± she said as she walked to greet me. I ran the rest of the way down and jumped into her arms, the force swinging us around until we nearly fell.


    ¡°That was so cute!!!¡± exclaimed Domi, who covered her blushing face.


    ¡°Mistress, are you joining us?¡± Niva asked.


    ¡°Yeah, I am.¡± I stripped down and sat my clean clothes to the side on a rock because the small tree Primrose had made for everyone else¡¯s clothes suddenly didn¡¯t have room for mine. As I expected, Bella¡¯s and Domi¡¯s jaws almost dropped at the sleeping beast between my legs. I covered myself with a pink cloth because it didn¡¯t feel right exposing something like that. Erin promptly turned around and covered her eyes, her cheeks as red as tomatoes.


    ¡°Umm... W¡ªwow...¡± Domi whispered after I¡¯d gotten thigh-deep in the water. Sekh grabbed the cloth I used to make myself decent and washed my back, arms, and under my arms before moving to my chest and stomach.


    ¡°It¡¯s just a penis, girls. Half of the world has one,¡± I said, feeling oddly at ease at her washing me. I thought I¡¯d be more self-conscious because they were staring at it, but I honestly didn¡¯t mind it. Or if I did, it didn¡¯t feel like it. But perhaps my comfortability with this situation meant I was ready to bathe with Irisa.


    Or maybe able to go a step further...


    ¡°I¡¯d heard the rumors of elves having them... But... You¡¯re like way bigger than Oswell... Marcey said he was like a corn cob down there, but yours is huge. And your boobs are... You¡¯re beautiful, Lady Springfield... Wait, does Lola have elf in her? She has one too...¡±


    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re gorgeous...¡±


    "Hey, it¡¯s like 13 inches when it¡¯s hard. You guys wanna see it? Get your friend Tilde here some nice liquor and sweet snacks, and I¡¯ll tell you what turns her on. Hehehe...¡± Tilde creepily said. She was sitting on Domi¡¯s shoulder because the water flowed too fast for her tiny body.


    ¡°Shut up, Tilde, and that¡¯s enough, alright? I didn¡¯t come here to talk about that. Let¡¯s relax and wash up,¡± I said, taking the pink cloth from Sekh while I washed my cock. I slathered it up and down, then made sure my balls were soapy before dipping down under the flowing river to wash the suds away. It only occurred to me when I stood up that the tip was still in the water, which was cool but not cold. It felt kinda good. And perhaps a bit pleasurable, if I was being honest.


    ¡°Ye--Yes, Lady Springfield!¡± the two Squirrelfolks said at once after a quick apology. They stood up and bowed just slightly. Honestly? They were kinda cute, yet they had this adorable innocence around them.


    For the next ten or so minutes, we casually had a small chat while enjoying the wonders of a night¡¯s soak. To my surprise, Sekh and Primrose hadn¡¯t argued a single bit. They weren¡¯t speaking to the other, and Domi crept close to ask about that. I just said people had their differences, and it was impossible for everyone to get along. Of course, I was speaking whatever shit came to my mind that sounded decent because I was too busy composing a message to Sekh with my waypoints about the new plan the AI came up with.


    My closest companion only nodded, and that was the end of that. As much as I wanted to take her here and now¡ªand why wouldn¡¯t I when she looked so beautiful with the water dripping off her pretty nipples and tasty thighs, it would just be wrong. But I still had her walk over to me so I could clean her sexy back, fluffy tail, and soft butt.


    Since I was facing away from them all, no one was none the wiser as I created a clone from my back in the form of a tiny Lesser Araneae. It followed the coursing river downstream for about fifty feet. Once out of sight, it transformed into a Lesser Forest Boar, left the water, and began to follow a particular set of orders. My whole plan resided on the clone pulling through, but it also had the AI guiding and directing it, so I had the utmost faith.


    I asked why Marcey didn¡¯t join them because it seemed like the three of them were close. And as expected, they said Marcey had a crush on the captain to the point that she often spied on him when he was taking a bath or changing.


    ¡°But I know he knows she was watching,¡± Domi added. ¡°Almost everyone in the camp knows besides her. But Sir Oswell is old enough to be our father. Some people are into that, I guess. It¡¯s kinda gross since he has a wife and child, though. But I think the relationship between him and his wife isn¡¯t the best. Like, they¡¯re only together for their child, and it¡¯s just barely the definition of ¡®married.¡¯ Marcey is probably rubbing out her frustrations in her tent. What about you, Lady Springfield?¡±


    I pointed to Sekh. ¡°She ticks all my boxes, and that¡¯s all I¡¯m going to say about that.¡± Sekh looked so cute with those blushing cheeks, and she was even cuter when she kissed me on the cheek again.


    ¡°Aww... That¡¯s totally adorable!¡± Bella swooned. Then she sighed and slapped the water. ¡°I wanna meet a guy like that. Or even a girl. There isn¡¯t much of a difference.¡±


    ¡°Uhh... There¡¯s a major difference, girlie. And it¡¯s about 13 inches long. Hahaha,¡± Tilde laughed.


    ¡°But wait... Doesn¡¯t that hurt? Lady Sekh, I... I don¡¯t know if I should ask this,¡± whispered Domi.


    ¡°At first, it did. It was unbearable, and I almost ruined something beautiful by not saying anything. But you don¡¯t have to force it all in. It''s about taking your time until you can accept more of it."


    ¡°What about you, Primrose? Can spirits...have sex?¡± asked Bella.


    ¡°They can,¡± replied the wooden annoyance. It looked odd to have what was basically a wood woman¡ªeven if she looked like a regular, brown-skinned woman-- bathe in a lake. Even if she was a giant pain in the ass, she had a refined look in how she held and conducted herself. ¡°It¡¯s easier for demons like succubae to reproduce, but a spirit and a mortal can procreate. It¡¯s hard, though. Or at least that¡¯s what I heard.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve never done it?¡± Niva asked. She looked up from her late-night waddle through the river to get more accustomed to her prosthetics. Lei was hanging out on her head. She¡¯d bonded with the slime to the point where they were almost best friends.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t, Master. And I don¡¯t know if I ever will. You¡¯re more important to me than such frivolous behavior.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s it. It was a good job. Seriously, I just feel so pumped today! I gotta thank that sweet skunk when I see ¡®em!¡± Vamire hopped up and down like he was loosening up, then helped Tactile and Deimpse to their feet so they could start again.


    ¡°That¡¯s his strongest technique. You get to move anywhere within fifteen feet. The sudden lightning strike isn¡¯t especially damaging, but it¡¯s enough to jolt you. It has a lengthy cooldown to compensate for how effective it is. It was a pain in the ass to take out that lightning elemental to get its core,¡± Oswell said during breakfast. He¡¯d woken everyone else up about forty minutes ago, and it wasn¡¯t even 6:30 AM.


    Good to know cores can have abilities like that.


    But the talk of the morning was the fact that no one sensed a ¡®sweet skunk¡¯ venturing into camp. Oswell argued it was a harmless animal, but he also chastised Shink and Abaddan because they were supposed to take the last guard. Battr spoke up for his fellow Batfolk, but Abaddan could do nothing but apologize. But Oswell wasn¡¯t too hard on him because he couldn''t sense the skunk. He also knew the [Danger Sense] skill, so part of the blame was on him.


    Primrose wasn¡¯t that suspicious, which was a good thing. And neither was Niva or Erin. Only Sekh and Tilde knew about my plan. And apparently, I was doing well because Tilde patted my head this morning and said to keep it up.


    And I did keep it up. Later that night, after about another 14 hours of walking.


    But before we packed up camp to start the day, Vamire finally got the fight he wanted, and I was definitely not a match. He counteracted nearly every move I made. If I went high, he went low. I went low, and he went high or used that bullshit {Lightning Teleport} to put me on my ass before pressing the point of his black spear against my throat. He was a fellow practitioner of the Iron Tree Stance, but he was at the point where he could start carving his own branch. He was a master of the fundamentals and incorporated his lighting skills into them. Everything about his movements was sharper and quicker. No matter how I tried to get the advantage, he''d combo the different strikes and dodge before I was even a quarter of the way finished.


    His ability to read the flow of wind¡ªpredicting what I was going to do based on how the wind wrapped around my muscles and arms-- was astonishingly impressive.


    I took a lot of beatings. Tilde knew what was coming, so she split early and found a secluded spot to shout and curse at the pain I sent her way.


    But Vamire had [Spear (Lv. 6)] without spending any SP. He said he found his grandfather¡¯s spear and swung it around from the day he could walk. And every day henceforth, for about 49 years, he practiced every morning without breaking his streak.


    He¡¯s only 49? I thought as I picked myself up from the ground and wiped the blood from my lips. He doesn¡¯t look older than 15, really. He¡¯s really youthful...


    Sekh tapped in once I was battered, and Primrose snickered like no tomorrow, which earned her a scolding from Niva. It was a timid one-- with stuttering words and a quiet voice, but it was something. Perhaps Niva realized she couldn''t remain passive. In her words, I was her Mistress, and maybe she thought it wouldn''t be right to have her spirit openly disrespect me, a High Elf.


    Primrose was taken aback by the sudden words, and a quick, sudden apology left her mouth. The spirit looked like she wanted to cast scorn my way, but she bit her lip and remained focused on the exhibition match.


    My darling Dark Lord of Tyranny fared far better than I did. She wasted no time in going on the offense, and she didn¡¯t allow {Lightning Teleport} to catch her off guard. She predicted it in one of their fights and swung her shield at just the right speed and angle to bash him in the face, which knocked him away. He tumbled a few feet before using {Lightning Jump} to soar fifteen feet in the air. Yellow sparks crackled around him as Kvree stood up. His aloof eyes carefully watched as the mana surrounding Vamire turned into {Lightning Dive}. It was like a light show was dancing around his very being.


    The air sounded like it was being split into two, and one moment he was there, and after another sharp crackle of thunder, he was no longer in the sky.


    And Kvree was no longer next to me. He stood standing in front of Sekh with his shield aimed towards the sky, a tumultuous amount of lightning dancing around the three of them. It lashed out and destroyed the ground, leaving a dozen craters about a foot deep.


    Vamire¡¯s tenacious expression suddenly softened, and Kvree used [Shield Deflect] to aim all of that energy towards the empty plains. Vamire went shooting off like a rocket, and he tumbled at least forty or fifty feet, coming to a sudden halt when he smacked his head into a tree.


    ¡°Sekh!!!¡± I cried her name and ran over to her. She still held her shield up, and her face... Her expression almost reminded me of the Sekh I saw in that memory. She had this fighting grin and despicable look in her eyes like she thought Vamire was just another sacrifice on her way to ultimate power. The flames that sent so many to the afterlife crackled around her shield. It wasn¡¯t until I grabbed her cheeks that her expression reverted to normal, and the flames died out.


    ¡°Lady Springfield, I am terribly sorry for this,¡± Oswell said, standing beside us.


    ¡°I expected better from him.¡±


    ¡°I know. I...¡± He was at a loss for words. Even after Kvree returned with Vamire¡¯s unconscious body and handed him off to Tactile and Deimpse, who didn¡¯t know how to react, Oswell said very little. In fact, the whole camp was almost deathly silent as the slaves packed up camp. Still, very little was said when we finally hit the road.


    I talked to Sekh about it, and she swore she could have endured it. She wanted the attack to connect because she finally felt alive and in a real fight.


    Yeah. She told me that she wished she could¡¯ve tested her strength against a Soul Warrior. Suppose Vamire¡¯s the next best thing.


    I told her I¡¯d one day be a match for her. She realized the seriousness of her words, then said she didn¡¯t mean to imply that I was weak. I wasn¡¯t mad or upset¡ªnot at all. But I teased her about it until she grabbed my hand and laid her head on my shoulder. Then after a quiet and lovely ¡®I love you,¡¯ everything was normal.


    Vamire didn¡¯t wake up until after camp was set up for the night. He apologized, rubbed his head, and laughed it off before explaining his love for fighting. He thought there was nothing better than two warriors going at it until one fell of death or exhaustion, and in most cases, it was the latter.


    ¡°I suppose you could call it a personality quirk, hahaha!¡± he said, laughing it off as the campfire''s light was absorbed into Kronto, his obsidian-colored spear. As an added apology, he whispered to us that his spear was about half his power. It was enchanted with lightning skills that helped him conquer the battlefield with the speed of lightning.


    I knew that, though, since Oswell told us about that lightning elemental they killed. Guess it had more than I expected.


    We weren¡¯t near a lake or pond, so there would be no late-night bathing with a pair of Squirrelfolks. While Marcey was probably flicking the bean to the thought of Oswell¡¯s strong arms pressing her against the wall, Bella and Domi sat in our tent to talk about the day. They also apologized on Vamire¡¯s behalf, but I told them it was no sweat. Sekh did the same, especially since she knew about the plan.


    When those two finally returned to their tents, I did what I did the previous night. It was easier, and I was done in about half the time. Especially since Banda was on guard duty with Vamire, and he was drunk out of his mind. He cried to his best buddy in the world about how sorry he was about the earlier incident.


    However, things were not as they seemed. I spied on the rest of the group and discovered something that boiled my blood.


    The curse of greed is too difficult for them to ignore. Those traitorous bastards... After they brought up Niva¡¯s wanted poster, I should¡¯ve realized they were going to pull a fast one on us.


    If I had any reservations-- any at all-- about killing this damn group...


    I didn''t have them anymore. This group was going to die, and they were going to deserve it. I was looking forward to hearing their death gurgles.

 Chapter Fifty-Four: Night of Death – Part One

    Chapter Fifty-Four: Night of Death ¨C Part One


    ¡°It was nice of Vamire to show us this area, right?¡± Bella said, her voice echoing since we were in a cave. Nearby sat a pool of water heated to a very comfortable 100 degrees Fahrenheit.


    When we woke up this morning, Vamire had one hell of a hangover brought on by depression and booze, and the two never mixed well. He downright got on his knees and practically begged me to not hate him. It was something about how receiving a High Blessing¡¯s ire was harmful to him socially.


    It must¡¯ve been an Elven thing.


    In return for giving him a hug and forgiving him, he told us about this little area about 15 minutes from where we camped out on the final day of this journey.


    I was content to do that because tonight was the night. The least I could do was allow him to pass on, falsely knowing I didn¡¯t harbor any ill will towards him.


    But I didn¡¯t forgive the bastard.


    ¡°Even the ground is warm,¡± Domi noted. Primrose said the heat from geothermic activity far under us was heating the groundwater. ¡°Oh, that makes sense. The Ashlands are a thing, and it¡¯s rumored a volcano used to be there before that fire spirit blew it up.¡±


    ¡°Woah... It really is,¡± said Bella, who¡¯d already stripped down to her birthday suit. She laid flat on the ground and kinda giggled at how it felt. I almost wanted to know if she had any shame because her legs were open and revealed pretty much everything and the kitchen sink. Domi, who realized what was happening, closed Bella¡¯s legs and helped her to her feet.


    ¡°You gotta act more like a girl,¡± Domi said, clearly embarrassed. Even if it was dark, we were in a large cave. The ceiling was about 60 to 70 feet high, and the little glowing moss almost acted like the bright stars in the night sky.


    I was already stripped down and sitting on the side with my legs in the water. Sekh was in the water beside me, her heavenly breasts getting warmed by the soothing, hot stone. She had a blissful smile while her tail swam through waist-high water. Primrose and Niva were on the other side doing a bit of therapy before enjoying the water. Niva had been working hard every day. She profusely sweated after each session, but my breast milk gave her the nutrients she needed to push on. In fact! She could walk about 400 feet without any problem. She could walk more than that, but any further distance caused her to slow down. With Primrose¡¯s staff, that doubled. The uneven ground wasn¡¯t a problem if she took it slow.


    Lei was floating around with its ¡®eyes¡¯ on its new owner, and Tilde was having a grand ole time using the slime as a surfboard. And it seemed Lei liked that. I couldn¡¯t tell emotions from a slime, but it wasn¡¯t hostile. Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com


    ¡°Man, this does feel good,¡± I said, leaning back.


    ¡°Hmm... It certainly does, my liege.¡±


    ¡°Hehe! Mistress, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re enjoying it. This is just what I needed for my tired body. It feels like it¡¯s taking away my soreness,¡± Niva cheerfully added. As predicted, Primrose remained silent. However, she had offshoots of branches from her stomach that dipped under the water.


    Bella and Domi finally got in and sat down, their heads just barely above the water. I decided to hop in as well, and Sekh sat between my legs while I hugged her stomach and kissed her cheeks.


    ¡°Again?!¡± Bella whined. ¡°I don¡¯t mean to be disrespectful, Lady Springfield, but that¡¯s kinda making me jealous... The last boyfriend dumped me when he discovered I was a bounty hunter.¡± I asked why. ¡°He was a cute little dwarf, but honestly? He wasn¡¯t that strong. He was 27, but he hadn¡¯t broken Lv. 14. Honestly, I kinda like guys like that. Being stronger than my lover makes me feel good, but he couldn¡¯t handle it and ended things. I really wish I had what you two had. Lady Sekh is strong, but it doesn¡¯t seem like¡ªEEP! I¡¯m sorry! I didn¡¯t mean to imply¡ª¡±


    ¡°Haha! It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it. Yes, Sekh is far stronger than me, but I love that about her. She¡¯s my super adorable bodyguard, who''s also the girl I love.¡± I moved my hands to her arms and rubbed her muscles, which almost embarrassed her.


    From there, we pleasantly relaxed. But that damn Primrose turned the conversation solely about Oswell¡¯s group. And I didn¡¯t want to find this out, but Vamire and Banda were best friends because he saved the fluffy panda from a circus. Full bestial beastfolk were rare, and Banda was even a rarer Pandafolk. He was treated like an attraction, and the ringmaster didn¡¯t have much love for those he forced to work for him. And he and Banda ended up joining Oswell after a miscommunication led the two to fight.


    Then came Shink, who was simply a chef shit out of luck after his employer was sent to work in the mines after being guilty of fraud. He took tax money and only sent half to the local lord of his providence. According to Bella, that guy was a total idiot. But Oswell loved a good steak, and Shink was an expert at whipping up something delicious. And even though he was a slightly obese Pigfolk, he was strangely athletic when he was in his element.


    I wonder if Greggie can outcook him?


    Tactile and Deimpse were two orphans living out of a shithole village near a mountain to the far east. Oswell¡¯s travels had brought him there to pick up a bounty, which was hiding out near the lighting elemental whose core gave Vamire his spear¡¯s abilities. A week after that, Battr and Abaddan signed on after Oswell decided to go after a dangerous vampire in the windy mountains of Menia. Those two were instrumental in setting a trap to kill it.


    As for Kvree and Tivid? They were there from the beginning. Those two and Oswell were friends when they were barely old enough to swing a sword. No one knew more than that.


    Domi, Bella, and Marcey were the last three to join. They¡¯d been here for about 7 months. It was a far cry from living in a village where the only destiny for a woman was to get married, get knocked up, have children to work the farms, then do it all over again for 40 years until they died. To become a member, the three had to fight against Oswell, which Bella said was probably where Marcey¡¯s crush came from. With 13 members, the logistics were getting difficult to manage. Domi mentioned that after this job, the group was dividing into smaller parties.


    They weren¡¯t breaking up, mind you, but they were going to do a small experiment to see how it worked. If so, they¡¯d sign up as an auxiliary guild with the Bloodhounds.


    This group had history behind it, and Primrose kept the conversation going for almost two hours. Even when we all got out, dried off, put on our clothes, and walked back to the camp, she pestered them with about a thousand questions. And at this point, I learned something about the religious beliefs in this world, even though I wasn¡¯t trying.


    Ofajaria, a country to the southeast, was almost nothing but a forest. It was constantly dusk, which made it hard to know when it was day or night. It was impossible to pass through since outsiders were forbidden to enter, so you often had to enter Ulbsil to the north or sail south from the Serpentine Kingdom to reach the Ngabarian Empire through Soroshia.


    Ofajarians practiced Nusha, a religion that worshiped Nusha, the Goddess of Nightmares, also known as the Night Stalker. It seemed like a religion centered around being harmonious with nature and praying when you killed an animal and took their meat.


    Most of Oswell¡¯s group were either atheist or agnostic, but Vamire represented the Communion of Twilight, a group that believed there were good and evil inside all of us, and our life goal was to develop a perfect balance¡ªa twilight, if you will, to live a good life. Suppose that was fine and dandy. It wasn¡¯t like I was religious since that wimpy twat living above never did anything for me when I was Shuuta.


    Those were only two examples, but I¡¯m pretty sure Meruria has people worshipping her. And it¡¯s probably not just her. It¡¯s safe to say that almost every Divine Country has its own religion to follow since becoming a Lord is assumably akin to becoming a deity. But there¡¯s probably a global religion out there like Christianity, Islam, or Buddhism. Don¡¯t really care to find out, though. It doesn¡¯t matter to me.


    But it was about time...and I thought about what Tilde and AI told me about my method of murder.


    ¡°Calm down, Niva. I just handed you a gun,¡± said Sekh, who had taken the one from my hip. She drew the one I gave her, then slowly placed it in Niva''s hand and pointed to Marcey¡¯s leg. She was the closest, after all. ¡°Our liege has given her orders. You¡¯re to shoot them in the leg to become partly responsible for their deaths to receive their experience. All you must do is squeeze the trigger. I¡¯ll do the aiming.¡±


    ¡°DON¡¯T MAKE HER DO THAT!!!! JUST STOP THIS, YOU MONSTER!!!!¡± Primrose screamed loud enough to cause commotion at the slave wagons. They were shouting, demanding to know what was happening just out of sight.


    Tilde sighed and flew over to the wagons, and after a few seconds, they all immediately shut up. I couldn¡¯t hear what threats she dished out.


    ¡°It must be done. My liege gave an order, and it will be carried out,¡± Sekh replied.


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t! Master, remember how Domi helped you up when you fell! Remember when Bella put that bandage on your wound after scraping your leg on the rock! THEY SAW YOUR FACE!!! THEY KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT YOU, AND THEY BOTH PROMISED TO KEEP IT!!!! Please! Help them! They¡¯re your real friends, not this fucking monster!!!!!¡± Clear sap flowed from Primrose¡¯s eyes.


    ¡°But... I am a monster. Primrose, you know my past... You know what I suffered through. I try to forget it, but even if I am blind... I can see it. It¡¯s a never-ending nightmare that I can¡¯t escape. I... I want to kill those that did those things to me. Mistress is going to give me a chance, and I need power. I don¡¯t want to kill Bella. I don¡¯t want to kill Domi. But...they¡¯re slavers. Erin wasn¡¯t guilty of the crime she was enslaved for. This group steals people¡¯s freedom in exchange for money, even if they¡¯re innocent. They¡¯re like the people who picked me up and sold me to a horrible person to live a fate worse than death! I need power! I need strength! I need to be strong enough to support my mistress!!!! I have to do this! I must do this! You don¡¯t understand, Primrose. What it means to be at the bottom. What it means to be passed along like a piece of meat to the next highest bidder! What it meant to be a living shield and to burn at all hours of the day until your limbs fall off!!!!¡±


    Niva¡¯s little speech started as a whisper, yet it grew as loud as a sharp crack of thunder! Lei shivered in fright and remained in her lap.


    ¡°If it¡¯s power you need, then I can help you! Master, please!!! I don¡¯t want to see our friends die! Don¡¯t do this!!!! I can heal them!!! It won¡¯t take more than a few seconds!!!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry...¡± Niva said, looking towards Primrose''s sobbing cries. ¡°I...hope you can forgive me...¡± The cyclops apologized thrice more, and each time was accompanied by another heartfelt sob.


    Bang!


    The first gunshot of what would be many shattered the atmosphere, bringing forth another rousing struggle between my clone and Primrose. The barking gun jumped out of Niva¡¯s grasp, but Sekh caught it in the same motion she delivered a bullet between Marcey¡¯s eyes, ending her life.


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 19. You¡¯ve gained 0 SP. You¡¯ve gained 44 SP from Sekh and 29 SP from Niva.


    New Title: [Assassin]


    And with that, I¡¯d started something I couldn¡¯t reverse. My song continued, accompanied by screams and bullets upon reaching the song''s climax. Every second meant the truthful joys I experienced on this short trip came close to being nothing but a memory. The gunshots just indicated my time was done here. The screaming just...


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 24. You¡¯ve gained 0 SP. You¡¯ve gained 24 SP from Sekh and 53 SP from Niva.


    Deep in my mind, half fears filled my worries. The moment I stopped playing would cement this bloody night in the darkest bowels of untold history. No longer would I eat Shink¡¯s cooking.


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 26. You¡¯ve gained 0 SP. You¡¯ve gained 14 SP from Sekh and 15 SP from Niva.


    Banda wouldn¡¯t look at me with those eyes. Domi and Bella would look up to me as a woman they respected. Vamire...


    New Title: [Experienced Assassin]


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 31. You¡¯ve gained 0 SP. You¡¯ve gained 32 SP from Sekh and 12 SP from Niva.


    Even Battr, Abaddan, Tactile, and Deimpse... Those four all had aspirations and goals, and now...


    Tivid wouldn¡¯t see his family. Oswell would never return with money to buy medicine for his sick wife. His child¡¯s vacation? What a fleeting dream that was.


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 35. You¡¯ve gained 0 SP.


    Now I¡¯d stolen them all away...and doomed those that relied on them to death.


    The very least I could do was play until the very end, never breaking off from the only thing that hopefully allowed them to pass as painlessly as possible.


    Even if they deserved death for what they planned to do in Ria...


    Even if I wanted to hear their screams and final cries for the betrayal they had planned...


    Even if...


    Even if...


    You¡¯ve reached Lv. 39. You¡¯ve gained 0 SP. You¡¯ve gained 10 SP from Sekh and 19 SP from Niva.


    New Title: [Humanoid Slayer]

 Chapter Fifty-Four: Night of Death – Part Two

    Chapter Fifty-Four: Night of Death ¨C Part Two


    ¡°It¡¯s done, my liege,¡± Sekh said, her tone just a tad deeper. She stared at the 13 corpses with two bullet holes each, then at the shivering cyclops who couldn¡¯t stop shaking her hand. I nodded, then told Sekh to take Erin and Niva and line up the 18 slaves.


    She understood what I was going to do, and once she was out of the way, I created a wave of slime from my arms. It washed over all bodies in a sea of green, assimilating only the flesh and leaving earthly possessions behind.


    The activity log seemed to skip over some of my level-ups, but I talked to the AI, who said everything was as it should¡¯ve been.


    After...that, I ended at Lv. 39 with a total of 1,866 SP. But 302 SP came from [Tyranny Control]¡¯s SP sharing effect. And for Sekh, who was my level, and Niva, who stopped at Lv. 28, the former gained 298 SP, and the latter received 306 from their level-ups. Niva was luckier this time, but as I stared at my almost ton of SP...


    My lord, [Auto-Loot] has been upgraded to automatically collect monster materials and humanoid equipment from those you slay. It will take 234 SP to level [Stomach] to Lv. 10, but your new storage capacity will be 3,997 LBS.


    ¡°Go for it,¡± I said, turning to my clone. Primrose had not necessarily fainted, but she collapsed and continued to shed that sap leaking from her tear ducts.


    Looking up, I stared at the moon until Tilde tapped me on the shoulder. She told me I didn¡¯t have the right to complain or regret what I¡¯d done because I chose to do what I did. I told her I knew that, then asked her to calm down the startled horses. Meanwhile, I walked over to the slave wagons and saw 18 faces with wildly different emotions forced to their knees. They all talked at once. A messy chorus of pleas, threats, and thinly veiled promises of raping my corpse were thrown at me. Sekh¡¯s fire was conjured around her arms, and I saw painful burns on some of their faces.


    Before vanishing, my clone threw me Oswell¡¯s bounty tags.


    ¡°Listen up¡ª¡±


    ¡°What the fuck is going on?!?!¡±


    ¡°Why are there guns?!?!¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯s the bitch with the squirrel tail?!?!¡±


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    After firing Reina¡¯s gun thrice in the air, the roving band of slaves finally clamped their mouths.


    My MP only dropped by 4%.


    ¡°Sit the fuck down!¡± I shouted as the tags vanished from my hands. A second later, 11 of the 18 prisoners had a glowing waypoint over their heads.


    It just so happened that those 11 looked the guiltiest, possibly because they were convicted of murder, rape, and other heinous crimes. The others were thieves at best-- liars at worst-- and three of them were collateral.


    I aimed Reina¡¯s pistol at the first marked one. He begged for his life and promised to do anything. His words were wasted because he murdered his wife and tortured his daughter on the empty promise to marry a noblewoman who wanted to have a spot of fun by leading a man desperate for money.


    If I come across her, she¡¯s dying.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    I wanted them to fucking suffer. Death was too gentle for them.


    Tilde flew over and said Erin had cried herself to sleep, and not a moment later, a pair of roots burst from the ground to restrain my limbs and neck. Primrose appeared a second later. A vile, murderous look inhabited those wrathful eyes.


    ¡°WHY!!!!!!!? YOU DIDN¡¯T HAVE TO KILL THEM!!!!!! WHY DID YOU FORCE MY MASTER?!?!?! I¡¯M GOING TO KILL YOU!!!! I¡¯LL FUCKING KILL YOU!!!!!!!¡±


    Niva demanded Primrose stand down, but those orders were ignored. Sekh was going to step in, but I told her to remain on standby. Having understood my intentions, she just walked behind Niva, leaned down, and told her what I was going to do.


    Meanwhile, Primrose kept shouting and cursing me, then she went so far as to form a fist and punch me in the face. Even if my newfound power meant I easily endured her strikes, that didn¡¯t mean she stopped. You could only imagine what went through her pained mind after I orchestrated this massacre.


    So, I just took the pain. I took her punches and kicks and failed attempts to pierce my skin with her roots and sever my limbs with [Razor Wind]. She summoned her staff and smashed me across the cheek. Then lifted me up with her roots and tried to rip me apart.


    But it did nothing.


    Not a damn thing.


    My HP didn¡¯t even drop by .1%.


    For nine minutes, she cried and attacked, only stopping when the sobbing was too great. The mana drain visibly weakened Niva.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be summoned for this! I didn¡¯t!! I¡¯d rather die than continue to be here!¡± Primrose ripped her chest cavity open and grasped the pulsing, brown core that was her life. ¡°You¡¯re all monsters! You forced my Master to become a mass murderer! I¡¯m sorry! I¡¯m sorry, Master, but I can¡¯t protect you... This...is going to be goodbye...¡±


    ¡°Prim? What are you doing? Primrose?!¡± Niva frantically cried out. She tried to stand up, but the cyclops was too fast and rolled out of her chair, hitting the ground with a nasty thud. Right away, Primrose quickly rushed to her Master. At the same time, I used my webbing to create a durable wall around her core that she couldn¡¯t hope to breach.


    ¡°You and I may hate each other, but you''re Niva''s spirit. I will not allow you to kill yourself after you promised to look after her. If you were serious about death, you wouldn''t have helped her. But take a moment and think. Do you really think Bella and Domi were going to keep the secret?¡±


    ¡°Yes... I do. We were friends¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, you weren''t. AI, display Aetos Village in satellite mode.¡±


    ¡°What...is this...?¡± The spirit couldn¡¯t believe she was looking at the place where she was born from almost 30 miles away.


    ¡°Information can change the tide of battle, and no one wields it more than me. I spied on them, and they secretly talked about turning Niva in,¡± I said, telling the truth. ¡°It was last night. Domi asked Oswell, Kvree, and Tivid to take a walk, and I observed their conversation. He knew there was a wanted cyclops-halfbreed out there somewhere, but he didn''t realize it was Niva until Domi brought it up. They agreed to turn her over to the guards to get the reward money. So, where would that leave us? Well, Niva would be back with Gloria. She''ll probably be killed. We would get arrested for harboring a criminal. Or worse, she''ll have enough reason to blame Noelia''s death on us. I killed her, but she doesn''t know that. Basically, we''d be fucked and up shit creek without a paddle. Is that what you want? To see your summoner get hanged before having your crystal destroyed? Or worst, being forced to serve another summoner because you assume too much without knowing the truth? Just stay there and cry, whimper, and whine. It won''t get you jackshit."


    ¡°Master.... Master...¡± Primrose rocked back and forth with Niva held in her arms. ¡°I didn¡¯t know.... I didn¡¯t know...¡± But Niva didn¡¯t reply because she had passed out. I thought that would happen.


    ¡°You can hate me until the end of time. I don¡¯t give a fuck. But this is our path. I need power. Sekh needs power. Niva needs power. If you want to die, then die fighting for your summoner. Don¡¯t be a coward and end it yourself. But remember one thing. You think I did this for the hell of it but look around. I¡¯m not gloating, I¡¯m not cheering their death, and I¡¯m not fucking dancing around. I did all I could to make their deaths easier, even if they intended to betray us.


    ¡°I played the flute for them whenever they asked. I talked with them. And I had fun. But I knew it wouldn¡¯t last. They. Were. Slavers. I used to be a slave to my parents, you know? I endured having my freedoms stripped away...and I won''t return Niva to that life. Now, go put her in the wagon with Erin. Don¡¯t worry about the chair. I¡¯ll store it away.¡±


    With my webs still protecting her core from herself, she closed her chest cavity and let me down from her roots. She solemnly walked away, holding her summoner close while crying.


    And then it was just Sekh and me. She remained ever at my side as I assimilated those 11 corpses, gaining an additional 346 SP. Then it was time to loot. We had wagons and tents to check out.

 Chapter Fifty-Five: Taking Flight

    Chapter Fifty-Five: Taking Flight


    To make this whole looting thing more manageable, I asked the AI to mark waypoints over what we considered important. In terms of money, we found 34 gold, 22 silver, and 67 copper. For materials? A handful of iron and steel ore acquired from a couple of metal golems Oswell had killed a few weeks ago.


    When we got to the wagon carrying the enchanting table, I just stashed that in my storage since I had the space for it, and we moved on to the fantastic equipment they had.


    Kronto (4/4) Lighting Teleport (Lv. 3) Lightning Jump (Lv. 2) Lightning Dive (Lv. 4) Lightning Thrust (Lv. 6)


    I took the obsidian-colored spear for myself. This thing was powerful. With the ability to teleport and leave behind a localized lightning bolt, someone experienced could wreak a shit load of havoc.


    But that wasn¡¯t all.


    Mad Hatter (1/1) Berserk (Lv. 7)


    Oswell¡¯s warhammer weighed about forty pounds. It was hefty, and I could barely wield it with one hand with my newfound strength. The enchantment on it would, on demand, add the berserk status effect to the user, drastically increasing their physical damage while lowering their defense. And it often made the user unable to discern friend from foe. Risky but also very powerful. That went into my storage.


    Disappointingly, Kvree¡¯s shields were just regular shields. They were just heavily reinforced with steel and polished to an exceptional sheen.


    We found a horned helmet hidden in Oswell¡¯s tent. Made from steel and ivory, a red ruby sat in the middle. The helmet itself, not the ruby, was enchanted with {Physical Resistance (Lv. 4)} and {Physical Damage (Lv. 4)}. I threw it to Sekh, but it was too big. Fighting with it on would be too dangerous. She liked the style, though. If I could resize it, I would. Perhaps I could make that a goal?


    We also found a lot of semi-powerful cores in Kvree¡¯s tent. Didn¡¯t have time to go through them, but after we had thoroughly searched, Sekh and I packed up our tent and walked to the wagon. We¡¯d emptied it earlier to have enough space.


    Primrose was still silent with Niva¡¯s head in her lap. She softly rubbed her hair and, even now, continued to whimper slightly. She refused to meet my gaze, but that was fine. After assimilating the horses, I made a clone and ordered it to take the shape of a black horse. A series of vines connected it to the wagon.


    And then?


    There was just one more thing to do.


    Burn the evidence.


    Tivid knew [Fire Rain]. And since I had [Fire Magic], I could use the spell outright. Pulling out Reina¡¯s gun, the firearm transformed almost into a living, breathing flame elemental. I held the trigger as it built up power and drained my mana, aimed up, and combined the targeting interface the skill provided with [Map] to increase its accuracy.


    Releasing it caused a tremendous bolt of crimson to shoot high in the air. After reaching the apex, it exploded like a firework, sending down a torrential downpour of flaming rain. It was like watching an inferno monsoon sweep sweet destruction over the camp, burning memories and proof they were ever here away.


    The glaring glow of crimson felt like it was still staring at us, even as the Clone!Horse started moving. The wagon itself was covered with a white tarp around it, but Primrose was probably staring with a heavy heart at the destruction.


    Meanwhile, Sekh just sat beside me after she was finished looking. Her hands fished for mine, and we remained silent for a bit. No doubt she knew I was thinking everything over.


    ¡°Talk to me,¡± she whispered. Tilde flew from the back and landed on my shoulder.


    ¡°I...feel numb again. But it¡¯s different... I don¡¯t know how to explain it. Guess I¡¯m still broken, huh?¡±


    ¡°I told you before. Broken things can be fixed. We¡¯ll get there together, okay? Hey, I love you, Master,¡± Tilde whispered, kissing me on the cheek. I told her I loved her, and she flew to check on Erin.


    ¡°I¡¯ll always be with you, my liege. Through it all, I¡¯ll never leave your side,¡± Sekh said.


    ¡°Can you do something...for me?¡± Sekh nodded, and I indulged my selfishness by simply asking for her love.


    In seconds, she straddled my waist and wrapped her hands around my neck. Sekh¡¯s soft lips blessed my forehead, and she held my head between her boobs and lovingly stroked my head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll love you until the end,¡± she whispered. I hugged her back and just...let myself fall asleep with her love and sweet scent to guide me.


    With all of that spent, I was left with about 900 SP. But before I could use it...


    SP gifting is now available.


    The AI materialized as a rainbow-colored stone pillar that loved to jiggle, then explained that it was my right as the Transcendent Dark Lord to share SP with those that had pledged their loyalty to me. A new menu to help me with this option appeared in my Status Menu. Since that was the case, I decided to spend 400 SP so I could be left with an even 250 to go to Sekh and Niva when she woke up.


    So, for me, I had to make an important decision. Increasing [Mana Regeneration] or [Photosynthesis] would allow me to fight longer with more powerful skills. I couldn¡¯t upgrade my shapeshifting skill because it was considered a Divine Armament since it was a part of [Chimeric Mastery]. I desperately needed a gun and ammo¡ªpreferably making one of my own. And with this steel ore, I could craft a better mace and shield for Sekh.


    So, it was easy. [Weapon Creation] and [Ammo Creation] went to Lv. 4, [Blacksmith] to Lv. 6, and since I wanted another loincloth, [Nature¡¯s Workshop] to Lv. 6 as well, which brought me to 505 SP. Even if it made more sense to acquire more offensive skills, I had Kronto and the two-dozen new water and fire spells. With [Mana Language], I was a step closer to making my own, so that was good. With how much mana I had, I could probably handle the additional cost of using spells belonging to elements I didn¡¯t know. The remaining problem was learning to cast and chant, which was a hurdle.


    But Sekh and Niva came first. They were allies that needed all the SP they could, especially Niva.


    A quick use of the Status Menu later, I distributed the SP as I said I would, leaving me with 5, then took a restful breath. ¡°If it took days for my body to adapt to 100 SP, then shit... This might take a few weeks.¡±


    ¡°Hopefully, it won¡¯t take that long, my liege.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. But the next time we spar, I¡¯ll definitely be a match for you. I might even win this time.¡± Sekh just lightly laughed and kissed me.


    About thirty minutes later, Erin woke up and poked her head out. She was confused about everything, so I had to explain her freedom. She wasn¡¯t a slave any longer.


    ¡°But I will have your mother¡¯s safe. All I need from you is the combination, and your debt to me will have been paid.¡±


    ¡°If...she hadn¡¯t changed it, it¡¯s 1738,¡± Erin said, giving the info without a struggle.


    I asked if she had any questions about what I had to do to free her, but she seemed like a bright kid. She just shook her head. It felt like she wanted to ask if those people had to die. So, I answered her unasked question and tried to talk her through the emotions she was feeling.


    "Speaking of killing,¡± I added. ¡°Your mother is horrible. If you want her dead, I¡¯ll do it after I plunder the safe.¡±


    ¡°NO!¡± she said, slightly shouting, which jutted Niva awake in a panic. She screamed and cried before remembering she was safe. Lei was nearby. The slime was shell-shocked and never once left its friend''s side.


    ¡°Why not?¡± I asked, continuing the conversation as Sekh talked with Prim and Niva. She went to the back while Erin slid over. ¡°She¡¯s a dirty bitch who blamed you for my actions. And yes, I¡¯ve been robbing your store for weeks. And no, I don¡¯t feel bad. I only saved you because I need your help. If your mother was poor, I guess we wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation. But what can you do? She sold her daughter into slavery, unable to believe her innocence, and now you want her to live? Sorry, but if I decide she has to die, she must die.¡±


    ¡°But she¡¯s my mom! She¡¯s the only one I have since I don¡¯t have a dad!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not my problem.¡±


    ¡°But... But... How am I going to survive? The shop and my mom are the only things I know. Without them, I... I... Hic... Wahhhh!!!¡± Erin started the waterworks again while I sighed.


    ¡°You won¡¯t be alone. I know someone that can get you back on your feet. You don¡¯t have to go back to that place. Now, go get some rest or sleep. We still have a few hours before reaching Ria.¡±


    Erin returned to the back of the wagon and silently shed more tears. She believed her fate was sealed. After seeing what I could do, any chance of escape passing through her mind vanished. She knew I had no qualms about killing, so her life was technically still in danger, I suppose.


    Tilde soon popped out and landed on my back, and I pulled out my flute and showed her my wings. ¡°What???? They¡¯re the same color as mine!!! Master, we match!!!¡± she said, flying all around.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you like it. Once I¡¯m better at flying and [Song Magic], maybe we can have a race or something.¡± At [Song Magic] she caught onto what I was planning and winked, then said it was sure amazing [Song Magic] could do all that. Of course, the one problem was that I didn¡¯t have anything other than [Flight], but maybe that was enough. Perhaps I could say I made a version of [Flight] that allowed me to store wings inside them?


    Upon asking Tilde and Sekh if that was possible, I found delight when they nodded.

 Chapter Fifty-Six: Truth Behind Hatred

    Chapter Fifty-Six: Truth Behind Hatred


    Five hours later, Clone!Horse stopped moving. I announced we¡¯d walk from here, so I cut the manufactured equestrian loose and told it to run away until it was out of sight, at which it would leave behind the wagon and turn into a bird. Its next mission was to fly into Ria, take the form of someone inconspicuous, and get rid of Niva¡¯s wanted posters on the path we would take to get to the shop.


    There was 30 minutes of walking before we reached the city, and Niva walked all of it with help from Erin and Primrose¡¯s wooden staff. The spirit was quiet, though. She avoided Sekh and me and focused on her Master while peering out at the lovely glow of a morning sunrise. Experiencing the night falling victim to the sun, casting rays of orange and yellow before revealing the blue sky, was breathtaking to those that cared about nature. I wasn¡¯t the biggest fan, but it was beautiful. Maybe worthy of a painting?


    Regardless, it was a pleasant way to pass by the time, but I had to do something with Erin. The Catfolk was known in the city, and I wanted to be careful no one recognized her. If word got back to Karen, that trouble was the last thing I needed.


    My lord, your clone is nearly finished with its task. There were less than expected, and there were none of Erin.


    Great. With that, we had little to worry about. We still had to be careful, though, and not do anything outright stupid to get caught.


    Luckily, the guard watching the entrance was the same one we¡¯d met the first day I showed up with Sekh and Tilde. Since he knew us, none of us had to show any documents, but I doubt Erin even had hers. The spear-wielding Lizardfolk asked about her and told her to put the hood down, but I used [Lying] to develop an excuse of how vulnerable she was after spending two weeks in the forest. The story had holes, but the Lizardfolk believed us well enough. He also asked Niva about her prosthetics and wooden walking staff. It was just out of curiosity with no harm behind it, so she just said she was returning from seeing a blacksmith that made them. The Lizardfolk heard the rumors of Enap in Aetos Village, so he asked us a few curious questions about him.


    Then the slime popped out from under her hood, which frightened the guard. However, it wiggled affectionately before hopping to Primrose¡¯s arms. To my surprise, the guard didn¡¯t question the woodland spirit. He made a small comment about how most spirits would rather stay in their crystal to lessen the impact on their summoner. Primrose held herself together and spoke regally, then thanked the man for not turning his weapon upon their little pet, Lei.


    Thanks to these distractions and stroking his ego a little bit, he waved us in, and we finally entered the city.


    Gloria and Arella left four days ago, but she left orders to keep the dungeon closed until someone spoke up about the Dark Mana fragments being found in the mines. Sekh using [Tyranny Control] must¡¯ve left small fragments behind that we couldn¡¯t sense or detect.


    From talking with Irisa and her family two nights ago, many nearby villages were still sending what supplies they could spare. That lessened the pressure a bit. But even if the economy had severely dripped, food was easy, thanks to the ocean nearby.


    Eating fish non-stop was better than starving. Drinking water wasn¡¯t an issue, either, due to the deep underground wells and literal ocean about 1,000 feet away. It just took a bit of filtering and boiling to make it potable, so things were going as well as they could once the initial fear died down.


    Still, people had bills and debts to pay, and they needed money that wasn¡¯t changing hands fast enough. The guild''s stockpile reached dangerous levels, meaning they couldn''t pay the full reward on completed missions. Quests were piling up, and only those adventurers that couldn¡¯t pack up and head for greener pastures were even in Ria. It was almost like a ghost town if I was being honest. The city was nothing like it was when I arrived with Sekh and Tilde all those many nights ago.


    While walking towards home, it felt like tension was building. It was 7AM, and already there were ravenous people out walking around with fishing poles. The scowls marked on everyone¡¯s faces led to frequent fights, broken up by the increased guard patrols.


    ¡°Man, that bitch fucked it all up,¡± Tilde said. ¡°We stayed here for months, but the moment we leave for a week, it all goes to shit. There¡¯s trash piling up, you got buildings with broken windows for days, and that spot over there used to have like 10 stores. Now? It¡¯s nothing but regretful dreams of ever moving here in the first place.¡±


    ¡°Think it¡¯ll recover?¡±


    ¡°Maybe?¡± Tilde answered Sekh. ¡°Once you have a certain reputation, it¡¯s a bitch to get rid of it. Give it a few more months without the situation changing, and this¡¯ll place be a haven for bandits. Something¡¯s gotta give. Irisa and her family won¡¯t have to worry. Remember, you¡¯re sitting on a literal gold mine. The problem is just how to sell them,¡± she said, talking about Amos¡¯s clothes.


    ¡°Yeah... I doubt we''ll sell them anytime soon.¡±


    The moment I used my key to enter the locked shop, Irisa was waiting behind the counter with a giant smile. The tips of her horns were bright red, and I missed this green-skinned woman. She bounced on her feet so fast I thought she was a rabbit, and her parents, who appeared from the backroom, looked just as happy. They started to say something, but I held up my hands, moved to the side, and allowed a woodland spirit, who let a yellow slime rest on her shoulder, to enter as she pushed Niva¡¯s wheelchair. She pulled down her hood to reveal a face with scales.


    And those lips were pursed into a smile.


    ¡°Niva...?¡± Irisa gasped, her hands covering her mouth. She instantly became overwhelmed in a good way after seeing her so healthy.


    ¡°Thank you.... Thank you for taking care of me. Irisa, Kokan... Ichiha... I¡¯m only alive...thanks to you... You cared for me with Mistress, Sekh, and Tilde when no one else...¡± Niva shed a tear, her face scrunched in so much emotion. She took the staff she held and stood up, then walked to the counter.


    She walked all by herself.


    And just like that, one moment of action caused a family of three to dissolve into a happy mess. They ran towards Niva and hugged her, crying together in pure joy to see someone they cared about having recovered from her heinous injuries. I thought the whole eye illusion thing would¡¯ve caused even an iota of hesitation, but I was wrong.


    They just accepted it without question, offering even more hugs and tears.


    But why did I feel...so upset at seeing something beautiful... I searched my mind as Sekh and Primrose passed me to join the hugging session.


    ¡°Tilde...¡± I said, forcing what I wanted to say through clenched teeth. ¡°Let me ask you something. Is it wrong...for me to feel... envy?¡±


    ¡°Ah, I get it,¡± Tilde said, crossing her legs and sitting on my shoulder. ¡°Envy is a fine thing to feel. Even a perfect specimen like myself used to be jaundiced. I still am, sometimes. The question is this: how do you act on it? You won¡¯t treat Niva like shit from now on, would you? She knows your past, so you can bet she wished she was there to save you.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going to be ugly to her. That wouldn¡¯t be right.¡±


    ¡°Good. What happened to you happened to you, and what Niva went through was what she went through. Tomato tamato potato patato. Quod erat demonstrandum. But seriously, Master, it¡¯s going to be hard not to be jealous because you¡¯re proof that life for someone like Niva can be turned around. But don¡¯t let what you didn''t experience cloud your judgement of the life you¡¯re living now. Fuck your parents, fuck Mekka Academy, fuck Meruria, and fuck those shitty ¡®defenders¡¯ that were too chicken shit to stand up.¡±


    I deeply sighed and rubbed my hair. ¡°I won¡¯t lie. It hurts... Seeing what could have¡ªwhat should have been done to me? The help I should have received. The love I should have received. The care. The tenderness... The respect... God, it hurts so fucking bad... I wanted to be something...not nothing.¡±


    ¡°Master...¡± Tilde stood up, hugged my face the best she could, and used her little hands to wipe away my jealousy. ¡°You¡¯ll realize it sooner than later. Just wait and stay strong, okay? I love you, you know.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, Tilde...¡± She slapped me in the ear and told me to get involved in that hug. I looked up and saw all the friends I¡¯d come to love and care about look at me with open arms. I rushed forward with my arms wide and bared my heart with the rest.


    When Kokan regained consciousness, he was alone and dressed inside an empty bar. With just a gap in his memory, he prayed nothing wrong had happened and returned to his family, thinking nothing of it.


    Four months passed in the blink of an eye, but it was not without worry.


    Kokan received a letter from Karen, and he wanted to make sure she was okay because she had vanished after that night. After returning to that same bar, his eyes nearly fell from his sockets when he saw her belly.


    It was carrying life. When asked who the father was, his heart nearly stopped when she caressed her stomach and pointed to the only other person in the bar.


    ¡°That night... It was magical... I love you, Mr. Kokan... You were there for me... You helped me... You believed me... And we were meant for each other... I want to be your wife... I love¡ª¡± Her warped mind angered Kokan. It was rare that he felt genuine rage, but he formed a fist and punched her across the cheek. She was thrown to the ground, hitting her head on the barstool, but Kokan¡¯s wrath was too great. He kicked, stomped, threw, and smacked Karen until she was a bloody, broken mess of a woman with shattered bones. His sharp eyes locked onto that disgusting belly, and as he raised his foot high to destroy that child inside...


    Irisa¡¯s face flashed through his mind.


    He was at a crossroads. In his mind, Karen deserved to die. Yet the life in her womb was innocent. It had done nothing wrong. And at that moment, he made a choice. He couldn¡¯t even begin to know how it would affect him and his family.


    In the following weeks, he requested an emergency transfer to a new town that had started to show promise. Ria only had about 6,000 people, but the guild was serious about putting in an academy. At least a small one, and Kokan leapt at the chance to get away. Luckily, his family liked that idea. Getting a start in a new city? Having a new customer base?


    For the next 10 years, things were going great. The name Karen Barclay had abandoned his mind, and even if it hurt him to keep it a secret from the two women he loved most in his life, he thought it was for the best.


    But all changed on the first day of a new semester. He read Erin Barclay on his roster.


    The nightmare he wanted to escape had followed him. What came after this was a series of harassment targeted at both him and his family. When that didn¡¯t work, Karen, who had not given up on making Kokan hers, used her last resort.


    The room was silent after the truth was out because no one knew what to think about the bomb Kokan dropped. I had my own theories on why Karen hated him so much, but I never even fathomed the thought it was misguided obsession that corrupted itself a dozen times over.


    But I knew what I had to do. As I left the shop, no one tried to stop me. With just me, my thoughts, and a waypoint on Karen, who was at her shop, I walked the slightly more dangerous streets. In my mind, I just kept replaying the story Kokan told us. I looked up to the man. He was the first male figure I had any respect for. He took Sekh, Tilde, and me in without question, then worked hard to nurse Niva back to health. He was my teacher...and he was abused like I was.


    Just imagining someone like him looking like I once hurt my heart so much I just wanted to lie down and cry.


    But I held back that sadness. It wasn¡¯t channeled into anger, but I used it to fuel my determination.


    Once I reached the city square, I was slightly taken aback by how empty it was. I zoomed out my map and realized a lot of people were fishing. If not to sell, then to certainly to eat. But without that many people here, it was child¡¯s play to sleuth around to the back. There were various cracks in the walls, but nothing a small spider clone couldn''t handle. I found a path to the first floor, so I infiltrated the building after turning into slime.


    But I remained the jelly-like creature as I headed for a door with a thick lock. I could probably break it, but I squeezed through the gap between the floor and the bottom of the door to emerge into a living room. It was fancy, sure, but I returned to my humanoid form and put my clothes back on. The doorway to my right led to a stairwell, and I went up all six flights to find a door with three locks. I bypassed that, then had to slip under the following three gates that also had an overabundance of deterrence until I finally arrived at my destination. My map said that vile bitch was right on the other side, and when I tried the handle, it freely turned.


    ¡°What...is this...? I said, completely out of my goddamn mind. Everywhere I looked... I saw Kokan. Portraits and paintings of him lined the entire wall. Life-sized statues littered the room, and they were possibly anatomically correct. It was the very example of what a fanatic¡¯s room would look like.


    ¡°Ahhh... Ahhh... Ahhhh. My dear...husband... Ahhh... I¡¯m... Almost... AAAhhhhhh~~~~¡± From the bed covered in sheets also covered with Kokan¡¯s likeness, Karen Barclay was furiously humping one of those statues. She was naked with a thick film of sweat that almost made it seem like rain was pouring on her. She threw her hands up and moved her hips like no tomorrow, stopping when her body quivered and trembled from climaxing.


    She looked very sickly, with pale, thin skin that seemed to stretch over her bones. If I had to guess, her last meal was a week ago, and she was in the final stages of starvation and dehydration. Even her moans sounded like groaned death cries.


    When I walked towards her, she became aware of my presence, yet she just turned back to her doll and continued to fuck it. She pletely gone. Mentally, that was, and almost physically. Even when I held a gun to her head, she only had eyes for what she probably saw as her husband.


    So, I pulled the trigger, putting her out of her misery and splattering her brains against the wall. Her life ended without even realizing I was there. It was a shame the fear of death didn¡¯t scourge her heart. I honestly didn¡¯t want to assimilate her, but like hell would I allow her corpse to remain with the person of her desire.


    You¡¯ve assimilated Karen Barclay and acquired 57 SP.


    Karen had noble-esque skills, such as [Dancing], [Singing], [Piano], and [Etiquette], amongst others. As a merchant? She didn¡¯t have any skills a trader would¡¯ve had, which led credence she used her wealth, not experience, to grow her business.


    I ignored the activity log while storing the nearby bookshelf full of diaries. Now that the AI was more intelligent, it took only seconds to devour the content, and then it linked my mind to its information bank as per my request.


    If only to try it out. It worked for a handful of minutes before the strain grew too great. The AI cut the connection to spare me the mental stress.


    Suddenly, it was all so clear. Karen wanted to replace Ichiha, and she wanted Erin to take Irisa''s spot. She constantly wrote about the future the three of them would have even before she was sure she was pregnant. And the hate she felt from Kokan¡¯s brutal attack was directed towards his family, not him because she believed Ichiha was behind it. It was an obsession in a corrupted form...


    And these books told the truth... The horrible, horrible truth, and as much as I wanted to burn everything...


    I couldn¡¯t.


    Instead, I went floor by floor and stole what the AI recommended, including jewels, clothes, more herbs, utility items like rope, oil, matches, soap, perfume, and other toiletries like towels. The safe was next, but the code was changed. And it was too heavy for me to stash away since I had that 900-pound enchanting table. My current weapons couldn''t pierce the inches of reinforced steel and mythril.


    You know, I don''t care about the safe that much anymore.


    As I left the way I entered, I left behind a handful of clones to completely trash the entire fucking store because I was sure I wouldn¡¯t need anything at all. I only told them not to destroy the room I killed Karen in because I didn¡¯t know if Kokan and his family wanted to see proof of a woman who hadn¡¯t had a single unobstructed thought in her entire life.


    I could order my clones to thrash it afterwards. Maybe even burn it all down.

 Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Girl at the End of the Line

    Chapter Fifty-Seven: A Girl at the End of the Line


    I hadn¡¯t even left the city square before the AI zoomed out of my map and brought attention to a group of Bellerophon soldiers rushing into the city. It changed it to satellite mode, yet they weren¡¯t chasing anything. But I heard the beardless man in front shout that their target had run into the harbor. The AI automatically zoomed in on the docks to find a battle. It must¡¯ve just happened not even ten minutes ago because I hadn¡¯t heard anything about this when I was walking to my destination.


    Curiosity, however, pricked at my mind. I proceeded to the harbor as I watched a group of fifteen soldiers wearing equipment that displayed an emblem of a horse with wings. In my world, Bellerophon was a hero that defeated the mighty chimera, a fire-breathing monster that was a mix of a goat, a snake, and a lion. That same hero also tamed Pegasus, a mythical horse with wings, and not to mention, Bellerophon was the son of Poseidon, the mighty ruler of the seven seas. I couldn¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t make the connection beforehand...


    I checked, and yes, the boar-headed beast with four arms and seven legs that wielded many weapons was the same kind of monster as me. A Major Chimera, as well, one that was two stages ahead of me. He was Lv. 34, but I didn¡¯t think I could beat him. I wasn¡¯t going to, either, since I wanted to see how other chimera and Bellerophon fought. But it soon became clear I wasn''t going to get to the harbor. Word of the fight spread like wildfire, and it was like a stampede of people who were deathly curious and worried about their loved ones who were either working or fishing at the harbor. So, I just found a nice bench to park my butt. After crossing my legs, I enjoyed this spectacle. It didn¡¯t make sense to make a big deal out of this. Bellerophon specialized in killing us, so there shouldn¡¯t be too much chaos.


    The chimera was very well adept in using the monstrous body. Bulging eyes covered his head, so he expertly parried and counterattacked the strikes coming from behind. One of the Bellerophon mages attempted to be sneaky and used [Lightning Cage] to restrain the beast, but he perceived that.


    ¡°YYYAAAHHHHH DIE!!!!¡± shouted a hot-hearted warrior with a raised sword. He rushed in because, like before, the foe they fought was strangely athletic and quick-footed.


    ¡°Jamie, come back! YOU FOOL!!¡± screamed a man with a white beard. He took a demon core from his belt and summoned a red-scaled hound from an explosion of crimson mana. The beast howled and rushed after the foolish soldier, but he had already sliced off a chunk of his opponent. The demon was too late, so he returned to his summoner, snarling and ready to attack.


    The chimera reacted quickly, enclosing the foolish soldier with vile, wiggling tentacles in a hug designed to break his very back. His screams of agony died out when a cage of pure lightning appeared around him.


    ¡°Damn it! We can¡¯t let his sacrifice be in vain! Everyone, use your strongest spells, and don¡¯t let up!¡± The man with the white beard cast his tired, weary eyes on a life that probably ended sooner than it deserved, then let loose a combination spell called [Infernal Flame Scythe] with his summoned demon that sliced the monster in half¡ªJamie and all.


    All hell broke loose. Bystander mages from the audience felt inspired and launched their own spells, creating a symphony of crimsons, blues, yellows, and oranges, all heading for the bisected, caged chimera. He was pelted left, right, and center, had parts of his body frozen, then subsequentially melted, and acid fell down from his head, melting that fur and most of his eyes. When he screamed, it sounded like a hundred people were trapped inside.


    But this was a trap. And I only saw it because of my aerial view of the battlefield. That piece of flesh sliced off was the chimera. I looked at his skills the moment the strike was made, and, yes. He had assimilated a slime. It soon morphed into one the color of asphalt and tried to wiggle away. I was going to alert the white-bearded man about it, but a young girl with short hair tapped his shoulder.


    ¡°Sir Flaf, my pixie has spotted the chimera! It turned into a slime!¡± she said erratically. ¡°Pixie, mark its location!!!!¡± Suddenly, a beam of light meant to visually stun opponents was used as a signal. The chimeric slime grew wings from its body and flew away, avoiding the incoming spells that crashed into the docked ships. An order was given to cease attacking by the white-bearded man. Then he chanted. Even though I knew it was the language of mana, it must¡¯ve been a different dialect or something because most of it was gibberish. Reaching into his pouch, he retrieved a rainbow orb. He held it to the sky, one palm behind the other. The object glowed, a colorless flame devouring the sphere, sending a beam of burning light to the sky.


    It exploded, much like a firework, but the explosions never stopped, and the flame remained motionless, never once falling back to the sky. Then, in one breath, the various fragments connected, eventually forming a city-wide barrier to enclose all of Ria.


    I stood up immediately and looked to the sky, not wanting to believe my map, but it was the truth.


    My lord, this barrier is from a spell called [City Blockade]. This magic was developed with [Spellcrafting] and stashed inside that spell orb. It broke because the sheer mana needed to be packed within the crystal was beyond what it could endure. The barrier is strong, my lord. We cannot hope to break it as we are now.


    I ran towards home as the AI sent a message explaining everything to Sekh and the others.


    ¡°Hey! Over here!!!!¡± Tilde shouted as I approached. Sekh and the others stood outside, glancing at the barrier preventing anything from entering or exiting. In fact, as I ran home, there wasn¡¯t a single soul that didn¡¯t have their eyes on the sky.


    We all quickly went in, locked the door, and gathered around the kitchen table on the second floor. Again, the overall mood was quiet and tense, especially after what had transpired today.


    There was a lot to discuss, but what would be the first topic?


    Kokan eventually broke the silence by wanting to know the obvious. I only nodded, then asked if they wanted the building to burn after telling them I stole what was worth keeping.


    We looked at Erin, whose eye color had changed to violet. From Karen¡¯s journals, she used her great wealth and the Barclay name to commission an illusion spell to alter eye color while giving control to someone else. Thus, Erin received yellow eyes like Irisa because Karen wanted Erin to replace Irisa.


    Shit, that¡¯s the second time I¡¯ve encountered one. AI, did you not catch it?


    The spell affecting Erin differs from the artifact extracted from Niva. The mana signatures are on two different spectrums. Analyzation and comparisons of the spells have been added to [Analysis]¡¯s capabilities.


    Good. Try to identify the next one before we¡¯re told about it.


    Understood... Understood? The AI¡¯s robotic, monotone voice sounded...upset? For failing me?


    Erin was mentally broken. She looked downright dead with eyes that had given up. Her mother was a rapist, her victim was her father, and now that woman was dead. Here I was, asking if she wanted me to destroy the only home she¡¯d ever known.


    After five minutes, she still hadn¡¯t moved, so I gave the order. My clones took the form of Oswell and five of his allies, broke through the door, and covered everything they could with [Flame Spout], a spell that summoned a slow, dripping stream of fire from an anchor point set by the user. With six set on the different floors, It didn¡¯t take long for the building to become engulfed in flames. My clones remained inside to spread the fire even more to ensure it burned to the ground. They perished, but they were expendable.


    I didn¡¯t know what chaos spewed from that. If anything, it¡¯ll be blamed on the chimera.


    Minutes later, we heard people screaming outside, asking those with water magic to rush to the city square.


    ¡°And it¡¯s done,¡± I whispered. In this quiet room, my voice sounded like a sledgehammer smashing a pile of glass. Honestly, I had no idea what was going to happen. I didn¡¯t think anyone knew. A common saying in my world was that time healed all wounds, but I suppose it was time to put it through the test.


    ¡°Sekh, let¡¯s go do some investigating. Tilde, you¡¯re coming with us. Niva, you remain here with Primrose. I can''t have you going outside right now,¡± I said. A shuffling of chairs later, Sekh and Tilde walked downstairs while I remained behind for just a minute. I needed to talk to Kokan for a moment, and after he followed me into my room, I told him about what I saw. For further visual proof, I even had the AI show him Karen¡¯s secret room. It was a burning blaze, but the statues and portraits were still visible. Then came the journals, and as per his request, I pulled them from storage and placed them on the bed, then walked out after giving him a tap on the shoulder.


    ¡°Dad!!! Emergency!!!!!!¡±


    The desperate cries of my daughter and wife kicked me into action. I sprung from the bed and charged into the kitchen to find Erin waving a knife to keep Irisa and Ichiha at bay. The tip dripped crimson, sparking a memory of the first time I found Karen hiding away in a classroom. The same scars that lined her arm mimicked the ones down Erin¡¯s. Primrose was standing in front of Niva, protecting her while explaining what was happening.


    ¡°STOP! Don¡¯t come any closer!!!!¡± Erin said, her voice shaky from the pain and tears. ¡°I NEVER SHOULD''VE BEEN BORN!!! What good have I brought? My mom is dead... She... She did those things to you... I... I... I...¡± Clutching her head and writhing in pain, she screamed as loud as she could, her eyes darting left and right and up and down, her body shivering as if it was cold enough to support snow.


    She raised the blade, and time slowed to a crawl. Before I knew it, I felt a blistering heat near my shoulder.


    ¡°DAD!!!!¡±


    ¡°KOKAN!!!¡±


    ¡°Why...?¡± whispered the girl I hugged, her blade striking crimson, but it didn¡¯t hurt. This body was too durable for someone like Erin. It wouldn¡¯t even leave a faint scar.


    I looked her in the eyes and whispered my true feelings.


    ¡°Because you deserve to live. You deserve to smell the flowers in the spring and play in the snow in the winter. You deserve to grow up and fall in love. I¡¯ll be heartbroken to see you die... Erin, please don¡¯t do this... Let me help you... We...can get through this...¡±


    The words... They¡¯re familiar.


    The hand gripping the knife let go, choosing instead to find peace as she cried her little heart out. Her wounds needed to be healed, but they weren¡¯t life-threatening. Grunting, I stood up with her in my arms and brought her to the couch.


    ¡°Irisa... Ichiha... I... I¡¯m sorry I hid this... I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Darling, I love you. Irisa loves you. This isn¡¯t your fault. Nothing is your fault. Not a single thing. And Erin?¡± As Irisa fetched the bandages and sutures, my wife knelt and touched a hand to Erin¡¯s shivering head, who tried hard to endure the pain. ¡°You¡¯re not to blame for anything...¡±


    ¡°But... Why don¡¯t you hate me? You should hate me! You all should!!! You should want to see me¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, sweetie. I don¡¯t hate you.¡± She hugged her close. Erin tried to fight it, but she eventually relented and shed even more tears. ¡°You¡¯re a victim...¡±


    Irisa returned a moment later, and it was a quick job to clean and nurse those wounds. We all sat on the couch afterwards. ¡°I wish I was a stronger man... I could¡¯ve done something... Made sure you had a better life...¡± I felt the onset of tears, but there was no need to hold them back. Irisa reached over to take hold of Erin¡¯s hand. It seemed so incredibly small, and Irisa repeated what her mother said. About there being no hate between them.


    Erin¡¯s eyes struggled to remain open, but she eventually fell into a slumber soon after. I fetched a pillow and made her comfortable, then turned to my wife and daughter because it was time to have a much-needed conversation. Primrose and Niva walked to Erin, and the spirit used [Minor Heal] to help cure her scars. Thanking her, I followed my family into our room.


    Our walk around town proved fruitless in the grand scheme of things. We learned the barrier wouldn¡¯t go down until the ''monster'' was dead, which motivated the remaining citizens of Ria to send out search parties to help Bellerophon. But we didn¡¯t have much time. The barrier prevented any deliveries, and the part of the ocean available wasn¡¯t very much. Maybe 100 fish a day could be caught? But the barricade extended to the ground and pierced it, so digging or swimming out wouldn¡¯t work.


    Of course, I knew where the chimera was. I even had him marked with a fat waypoint. As much as I desired his power for myself, I wouldn¡¯t win-- even in the chimera''s weakened state. And honestly, if I didn¡¯t have to fight, I was okay with that. Perhaps I¡¯d share the location with that demon summoner with the white beard.


    I thought about Erin and Kokan and asked why she didn¡¯t look like him. Tilde answered. "Okay, think of their baby horns as baby teeth. When an oni reaches ten years old, give or take a year or two, their horns break and crumble to signify the start of puberty. During the next fifteen years, give or take half a decade, they passively absorb mana from the atmosphere to grow into their adult horns. When they appear, it means puberty has ended, and the oni is considered an adult in their community. But Erin''s a half-breed. Depending on how strong her oni half is, her horns probably won''t regrow."


    ¡°There is a way to bypass it,¡± Sekh added. ¡°If you could transfer mana from one person to the other, you could skip the waiting.¡± When asked if it was possible to do that with [Drain], I got a nod and realized what I needed to do. If the girl in question allowed me, that was. But Erin never once mentioned horns, and neither did anyone else. Or at least during my spying, it never came up. We walked to the city square to find it packed, the smoldering remains of the former shop sending up plumes of smoke. Right in the middle sat the safe I intended to steal. The damn code didn¡¯t work, and it was too heavy to store.


    But I put a waypoint on it, though. If someone opened it? Well, I was a better thief than most others.


    With our fruitless investigation over, we returned home to find the family still deep in a meeting. They explained why Erin¡¯s arms were bandaged over. She was so timid looking, sitting on the couch with her arms hugging her legs. Her eyes were still raw. I plopped beside her and gave her a potion I had in storage, slightly unsure of what to do to offer support.


    I liked it when Sekh holds my hand, so...


    I was going to touch her, but Tilde whispered it wasn¡¯t a good idea. But Erin reached out to grab me when I started to stand up, so I remained sitting and let her rest her head on my shoulder. Irisa sat beside her and put her hand on Erin¡¯s head.


    Ichiha and Kokan were talking in the other room, so it was just us. Well, Lei hopped from Niva¡¯s arms to Erin. It squirmed and jiggled, then made appendages to grab her arms so they would touch it.


    ¡°Lei... Lady Springfield... Irisa...¡± Erin whispered with as much volume as a snowflake landing on water.


    A few minutes later, someone used a spell to dramatically increase their voice and spoke about a list of rules since Ria would be locked down. We couldn¡¯t leave the house before 7 AM. After 4 PM, if we had to go somewhere, we were required to head to the city''s center to receive a Bellerophon escort. All attempts to breach the barrier or withhold vital information about the chimera would result in immediate execution.


    Those execution orders, and the one who ordered this lockdown? The voice confirmed it came from Holy Lord Gloria.


    Seems like things were about to get serious.

 Chapter Fifty-Eight: Solitary Days (R-18)

    Chapter Fifty-Eight: Solitary Days (R-18)


    The person who said time healed all wounds clearly didn¡¯t think a day was long enough. And for something like the situation between Kokan, his family, and Erin, you¡¯d probably need a couple of months, if not years. The four were up late last night talking around the kitchen table, though about half the time was spent in silence. To make whatever adjustment slightly easier, Kokan and his wife slept on the floor with Irisa to give Erin their bed.


    She refused a few times, of course, but they all insisted she needed the chance to have some gainful rest. Lei was sleeping in her arms, not Niva''s, so I made a slime clone of myself to give to the cyclops.


    It wasn¡¯t even 5 AM, but I was awake and occupying myself with Sekh¡¯s delicious boobs. I sucked on them all night while she warmed my cock, which was strange enough, but we loved it. Even now, I was working my three tongues the best they could to fill her with pleasure from both sides. And my four hands were gripping her ass like no tomorrow, which she liked a lot. In her sleep, she moaned lightly, causing my hips to slowly gyrate back and forth.


    I developed a system to use my shapeshifting to its full advantage when having sex. When pulling out, I lengthened myself while keeping the tip in place until I was back at 12 inches, with 6" being outside. When it was time to thrust in, I did the opposite, where I shrunk myself on purpose once all 6¡± were in, but to Sekh, it felt like there was much more. Really, it was perfect.


    The best of both worlds without any pain provides the most pleasure for us.


    I sucked even harder, my hips picking up the pace just slightly. I hugged Sekh tighter, the pressure in my penis starting to build. To last longer, I decided to do long, slow thrusts aimed at her most sensitive spots. After lavishing over her body for months, our regular lovemaking meant we knew everything about the other¡¯s body. There were no secrets left to uncover. I pulled out moments before I was about to cum because I didn¡¯t want this to end.


    After giving her nipples one last kiss, I rolled over to the top, then moved my hands up and down her exquisite chest. I leaned in close, pressing my lips to hers while our nipples touched. It was a lewd kiss¡ªespecially since she was still asleep. I grabbed my dick and rubbed it against her moist entrance, playfully teasing her drenching cunt even more as a tongue appeared from the tip of my cock. It was fat, thick, and incredibly wet, and her sweet taste traveled to my tastebuds. Sekh¡¯s breathing increased, her panting fueling my erection as her face took on slight blush. Massaging her breast, I thrust forward just a bit, spreading her open and continuing until I had nothing else to give.


    My hands slid down to her waist, and I pumped. Her breasts started to jiggle, bouncing back and forth as if they were inviting me to play. The tongue still attached to my dick wiggled insistently, brushing firmly against her soft, squelching inner folds. Suddenly, both of her hands reached up, and I filled their emptiness with mine and pressed them back to the bed.


    ¡°Ahhhh~~~ Ahhhh~~~~ My liege~~~~ MMMmmmmm~~~~¡± Sekh moaned in her sleep, her mouth slightly agape as her tongue ventured out. If she was dreaming, it was probably about this. That pink thing was so erotic looking... So wet and moist... I welcomed it with my tongue, and we shared something sloppy and sexy for what felt like minutes, our tongues never going back into our mouths because even in her dreamy state, she couldn¡¯t get enough of it. Sucking on her tongue pushed me over the edge, and I grunted, moving into a kiss as my cum flowed deep within her pussy.


    ¡°MMMnnn~~~~~ It¡¯s...amazing~~~~~ Feels so good~~~,¡± she said in her sleep, looking as cute as ever.


    I shot out six or seven thick, long ropes, eventually becoming flaccid while still inside her.


    Another thing about being part slime was that the cleanup was almost nonexistent. I just morphed my penis into its slimy state and stashed the semen threatening to ooze out in [Storage]. Once outside, I could toss it in the garbage.


    But even as we made love last night, Sekh wanted it to be messy and hot. Especially when she was in the mood and couldn¡¯t stand it. She even wanted me to come on her face after jerking me off. Since I was too horny, I just licked her sweet lips and tasted my own ejaculation, pushing her to the bed while slowly licking her entire body with twenty tongues that branched off the twenty vines I produced.


    Upon transforming the slime back into a penis, I gave Sekh another precious kiss and licked her lips affectionately. I rolled back over and hugged her tightly for a few minutes before getting up and going to the bath. The water was empty, but I had acquired a spell called [Water Spring], which I learned from assimilating Tivid¡¯s corpse. Basically, I took mana and converted it into water. It was like a hosepipe with a medium flowing rate, so after filling the tub and getting it nice and warm, I slipped in and relaxed. Instantly, my mind went to Sekh.


    Then the erection came.


    Jerking off was fine, but I wanted my lovely little Lionfolk. But waking her up? Sekh needed her sleep, so I created a clone with her appearance and embraced it. From experience, I knew my replicas could talk. They could even react, but this one I made was having trouble vocalizing. When my body had a chance to grow accustomed to the thousands of SP I spent, my clones would probably be way more life-like and full of emotion.


    ¡°Do you think you can suck it?¡± I asked Clone!Sekh. With a nod, she kissed my forehead and ran her tongue down my body. She spent a lot of time on my shaft before wrapping her cute lips around the head. There, her tongue did the rest, and I rubbed her ears and massaged her pussy with my foot as I enjoyed this blissful time.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to cum... Swallow it... I want you to drink it.¡± Clone!Sekh nodded, then deepthroated me, which was a problem because I was at my original length. Portions of her body reverted to slime to accommodate the girthy cock, and I felt the semen flow endlessly into her throat. Her arms wrapped around my thighs, continuing to tickle the shaft with her tongue until I¡¯d emptied my balls in her mouth. Her translucent skin turned a forest green. Clone!Sekh kept my love¡¯s overall form, but her body became more like slime.


    It¡¯s...so warm... My cock feels like it¡¯s melting like butter...


    I closed my eyes and almost drifted to sleep before I heard footsteps. Clicking my tongue, the door to the bathroom swung open, and Clone!Sekh vanished a moment later...


    But not before I heard a loud, disappointing sigh.


    ¡°Escaped from your crystal, huh?¡± I asked Primrose. She pushed her hair out of her eyes with a huff, her entire body looking as human as ever.


    But it was really wood.


    Ignoring me, she entered the bath and stared at my face, a scowl plastered on hers.


    Silence was a virtue, I suppose, but that was broken about five minutes later. ¡°Guess you didn¡¯t even have the decency to wait until she was awake? You fuck her when she¡¯s asleep, then you fuck...that? Do you not know shame? You¡¯re a debaucherous existence¡ª¡±


    ¡°We both consented to it. Sekh¡¯s woken me up many times like that, and she¡¯s asked me to do the same. She also gave me explicit permission to have sex with a clone of her whenever I want. We never had the chance to feel a physical connection to anyone before. In that regard, we''re each other''s first. It doesn¡¯t involve you, so keep your nose out of it,¡± I replied, cutting her off.


    Upset, she splashed the water with her hand, the warm liquid dripping through her slender fingers. A second later, her voice changed as she asked me something. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill me? I... I attacked you. I tried to kill you. I wanted nothing more than to see you die like the monster you are. But you... You didn¡¯t do anything. Why?¡±


    ¡°Because I had no reason. I¡¯m a woman of logical thinking. I just killed 24 people in cold blood. There was a chance you¡¯d be upset, and I took that into account. You¡¯re an emotional spirit. I figured something like this would happen. Maybe if you drew blood, I¡¯d have done something. But you were so weak you couldn¡¯t even break the skin. You hurt yourself more than you hurt me, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Primrose clenched her teeth and formed two fists. ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever not hate you. You¡¯re despicable. Brutal. Murderous. A threat to the natural order I belong to. You''re a villain to heroes all over the world. Whatever dies should stay dead. They shouldn¡¯t come back as monsters like you. It¡¯s just in my nature to find you vile and disgusting... But my Master... You saved her life when I was foolish and wasn¡¯t thinking straight... I¡ª¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to see eye-to-eye on everything. Or even anything. Just don¡¯t do anything to betray this group again, and we won¡¯t have any problems. You know what I can do, and now I can do even more after assimilating Oswell¡¯s group. And no, I won¡¯t get rid of my thread around your core. Once I grow stronger, I''ll reinforce it. Don''t think of it as me stopping you from killing yourself, even if it is that, but me offering some added protection. It¡¯s a gift. Niva¡¯s known you for less than a week, yet she¡¯s attached to you. For her sake, you¡¯ll be under my protection if you stay in line. Oh, and thanks for helping Erin with her injuries. I¡¯ve come to care for her, so...¡± I stepped out of the bath and retrieved a towel to dry off. Primrose asked about my past, but I didn¡¯t respond as I walked out of the bathroom to find comfort in the arms of a sleepy Lionfolk.


    I suddenly wanted to embrace her.


    But she just had all that experience. After spending close to 800 SP and gaining the strength, magic, and bodily increases that came with purchasing skills, she was a force to be reckoned with.


    Oh, Sekh didn''t have to wait an adjustment period to use her newfound power. Her eternally reincarnating soul compensated her body and picked up the slack.


    Even as I laid on my back, my armor ripped to shreds from our latest, most intense bout, I could do nothing but look up at her beautiful face with love and adoration.


    ¡°I¡¯m... still not a match, huh? One day, Sekh, I¡¯ll give you the fight you want.¡±


    She helped me stand, then kissed my lips as her hands poked my face. ¡°You always win when we¡¯re in bed, you know. I fall victim to your love every time.¡±


    Before I could return the kiss, Irisa hollered out the window and said dinner was ready.


    For the next few days, things remained as they were. Erin was growing more comfortable in this situation. She was still crying at night, though. During her sleep, not when awake. It woke Ichiha up, and she only stopped it by giving a grieving, destitute girl the love only a mother could offer. I knew. I was spying on them, though I didn¡¯t mean to.


    ¡°I¡¯ll love you as if you were my own daughter, sweetie,¡± Ichiha said, holding Erin close to her. Her hand softly petted her head. ¡°You¡¯re scared. Anyone would be. But you¡¯re not to blame for anything. You¡¯re our family now, and we¡¯ll protect you. Family, huh? I wonder if it¡¯s about time... Do we even have time?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know what she was talking about, but I wondered if it was about getting pregnant with a second child. According to Tilde, most humanoid races in the world had a pregnancy that lasted for 40 weeks, which was the same as humans. It differed when it came to elves, especially High Elves, because it sometimes took years for them to have a few days to have a period of fertility. Even then, it was rare for High Elves to get pregnant. The chances were well below 0.050%, so I suppose they were called High Blessings for a reason. Suppose it was also strenuous to evolve into a High Elf.


    Or a Dark Elf, for that matter.


    But other than sparring with Kokan and Sekh, spending time with Irisa and Erin, and helping Primrose with Niva¡¯s therapy, I spent most nights thinking about how to get us out of this situation.


    And on the third night? An idea finally came to me. It was one that posed the least amount of risk, even though my clones would be doing the work. I thought about taking Gloria¡¯s form with a clone and demanding the end to this farce, but that wouldn¡¯t work. And if I was a regular person, that would be even more suspicious because the soldiers were on edge.


    I decided I needed to bring my enemies to their enemy, but there had to be concrete evidence. The bastard was currently resting with a skill called [Chimeric Hibernation], which formed a tough outer shell around its body while rooting them to the spot. After the first fight, it made its way through Ria and found safety in the collapsed basement of a destroyed building. But without any proof, I was positive they wouldn¡¯t believe me. If anything, they would probably kill my clone on the spot because they might think it was a trap. Even if I used their copied appearance data to convince them, my time watching Bellerophon told me they were deadly serious about everything. There weren''t any examples of anyone skirting the rules or cutting corners.


    The chimera¡¯s hideout was too small for anything other than a mouse to get through, so I created and sent a Clone!Rat that way.


    When it arrived thirty minutes later, the chimera¡¯s defenses were tougher than I thought. This rat was pathetically weak, but transfiguring a small hand with Yaekira''s dagger attached to the end still wasn¡¯t enough to pierce it. Since that didn¡¯t work, I tried to move it. It was rooted like the Eagle Yew and wouldn¡¯t budge a single inch.


    But even if something was durable, it didn¡¯t mean it was indestructible. Hitting something enough times would eventually cause it to show signs of damage. And I just needed a piece big enough to act as proof. I told the AI to monitor the clone after giving it a simple order of ''attack until something breaks off. Heal yourself if need be.¡¯


    But to be safe, I woke Tilde and had her confirm something. While under the effects of [Chimeric Hibernation], you weren''t aware of the outside world. It was solely designed to be an emergency defensive skill a chimera used when on the verge of death when they had no other options. Thanking her, Tilde kissed me on the cheek, groggily telling me to not do anything stupid or dangerous, and quickly returned to her slumber.


    I returned to Sekh¡¯s embrace and continued to brainstorm about my situation. I did think about using my poisoning skills, but every Bellerophon soldier had a jewel embedded in their bodies with a few basic resistances. And poison was one of them. Even then, they were patrolling with four soldiers in a unit. The soldiers constantly communicated with each other for the entire time. It would be impossible to take one out and take their place, especially with a clone at half of my strength.


    If I was too hasty, I would hint at there possibly being two or three chimeras prowling around Ria.


    It was a very explosive situation. Making the wrong move would be akin to setting off a powder keg with stupidity.


    Besides, there had been multiple riots over the last few days.


    The barrier over the city meant nothing was imported or exported. There were roving bands of Bellerophon soldiers searching all hours of the day. It wasn¡¯t rare for someone to throw rocks at them, which turned into a fight. We were doing fine with water because of the well and my [Water Spring]. For food? My clones were on fishing duty because they knew the exact spot of each fish, thanks to my map¡¯s search function. Whatever they stored or assimilated was passed to me.


    We all had turned into hermits, though. Never leaving the house on account of safety. No one tried to bother us, which was nice.


    But it was fun if you disregarded the barrier and loose chimera. Having these close-knit days did wonders for Erin¡¯s mental health. Over the days, she slightly became more cheerful and a little bit more smiley. Irisa was always talking and playing tic-tac-toe with her, Ichiha offered to teach her how to cook, and Kokan even took the webs I spun for him and taught her how to weave them into bandages. Anything to get her mind off the obvious.


    If this continued for much longer, there was a chance I would have to take care of this myself using my full power¡ªwith no clones. If I used my Divine Skill, freedom wasn¡¯t impossible. I had to be wary, though, since even 20 nearly caused me to turn into a mindless monster back in Sekh¡¯s dungeon. That was why it always remained at either 5 or 0.


    But would it work for me? When I was on death''s door, and those shitty goblins were about to rape me, the power it gave me at Wrath 15 was almost nothing. The voice said I wasn''t worth its efforts and decided to leave me for dead.


    Which begged the question...


    Could I even rely on it?


    If I couldn''t use it when I needed it, why the fuck did I acquire it after spending countless years suffering in the void? It was the one reason I remained sane, so why forsake me?


    It just didn''t make a lick of sense, but I didn''t know how to demand answers. Tilde, Sekh, nor the AI could help me, and Kokan apologized for his lack of knowledge of Divine Skills.


    Even asking outright or in my mind failed to bring me closer to the truth, leading the AI to almost think itself to insanity to help. I was afraid something awful would happen, so I ordered it to stop.

 Chapter Fifty-Nine: A Place to Call Home (R-18)

    Chapter Fifty-Nine: A Place to Call Home (R-18)


    It was the fourth day since lockdown, and I was lost in thought. Sekh was here a few minutes ago before being called by Ichiha. Prior to that, we discussed what to do if this continued any longer. My last option was to use my waypoint writing to act as ¡®god¡¯ to reveal the chimera¡¯s location to the Bellerophon agents.


    Out of everything I could do, waypoint writing was by far the most impressive since it allowed me to communicate with anyone in a place where I have been. You just had to be able to see the floating letters, so blindness was the only limitation. I was hesitant to use it, though. But I vowed that if my clone hadn''t made any substantial progress in the next two days, I wouldn¡¯t have the luxury of wanting to keep this ability hidden. Becoming a decoy did pass through my mind. I could halt [Status Cloak], use a clone to shapeshift in front of them, and lead the pursuing soldiers to the chimera, but Tilde vetoed that plan. She wouldn''t even hear my perspective or point of view, citing that it was far too dangerous to give it a modicum of thought. My next idea was to lead them to the chimera via scratch marks.


    But no, that wouldn''t work. The soldiers would take one look at the scratches and believe it to be a stray animal. Bellerophon wasn''t full of idiots. They wouldn''t think a chimera would stupidly lead them right to their hideout. Besides, they somehow had developed a spell to analyze the marks and look for biomass remnants. Only Sir Flaf, the wizard, could use it, so it must''ve been hard to learn. It also took a great deal out of him, requiring about 1/3rd of his mana to perform.


    My [Status Cloak] would protect me from the scan, and Tilde wouldn¡¯t permit me to turn it off. Not even for a second. So, my original plan of getting actual proof from the chimera''s hibernation was the best idea.


    Yeah, I could download a soldier''s visual data and pretend to be a member of Bellerophon, and that was my plan if I acquired the proof in time. That was the only way I would get an audience without having a sword put to my throat or a spear against my chest. But it all resolved around getting that proof. That was one of the rules put forth by Flaf. If you didn¡¯t have proof, you were punished. According to him, there was little value in chasing after false leads because time was of the highest commodity.


    Fuck... Do I really have to go against Tilde? Is that the only choice? I know she¡¯s just looking out for me because we share a life, but still... I don¡¯t want to disobey her. Two days... That¡¯s all I¡¯m going to spare before I have to make an important decision.


    ¡°Mila? Sweetie, can you come in here?¡± I heard Ichiha call for me, so I rolled out of bed and went to the kitchen, where everyone was sitting around the table.


    Instantly, I was transported back 14 years to that horrible moment. Blinking, the table with Sekh and the others momentarily showed my mother and father. The pretty wall with shelves of little knick-knacks was replaced by peeling wallpaper. Each step taken forward swapped between total fear and uneasiness. I became aware of the beating of my heart, the shortness of my breath, and the taste of iron and blood from where that man¡¯s fist shattered my teeth.


    Two letters sat on the table.


    It was happening... Again... But why?! Why do this to me?! I helped them!!! I killed the one that hurt them the most!!! I let them use my webs to sell as fishing line and bandages!


    No... No... Don¡¯t... You¡¯re not doing this to me. Not here! Not now!


    But what if it¡¯s different? I haven''t done anything to get punished... I haven''t done anything to deserve their ire.


    Confusion blanketed everyone¡¯s faces but Sekh¡¯s, Tilde¡¯s, and Niva¡¯s. Sekh stood and approached me, her hands reaching to take mine in hers. She touched her head to mine, then whispered. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think, my liege. Do you believe me? Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°I do... You know I trust you...¡±


    ¡°Do you trust Irisa? Kokan? Ichiha?¡± I nodded. ¡°Then come with me. Sit down and read the letters.¡±


    Sekh led me like a lost lamb, with me staying as far behind as I could. It felt like I was ramming into a wall with each step. I thought I couldn¡¯t sweat, but my hands were clammy. They hurt, throbbing with the pain of having my forearm broken by a metal pipe.


    My breathing became irregular when I touched the chair. All eyes were on me. They stared... They perceived... They ogled...


    I sat down.


    Did they care? No one even asked why I acted the way I did...


    It¡¯s too much! I gotta get out of here!


    Sekh stood behind me, her hands on my shoulders. With trembling hands, I reached for the letters and read them. My eyes scanned each line like a hawk stalking its prey. They were waiting to come across the hateful words I knew were buried deep within.


    But...where were they?


    The letter from Ichiha reminiscenced of the first time I came into their lives. Sure, I was rude and boorish, but she wrote with love and affection. She told me¡ªher words true¡ªabout the joy I brought her.


    But joy? Me? Bringing that?


    You¡¯re just frightened, alone, and afraid. Someone who didn¡¯t know what it was like to sleep in a warm bed and eat a warm meal to fill your hungry belly. Someone who had no choice but to fight each and every day for the right to live. When you ran to the dungeon, I was worried for you... Each day you were gone, another stake of panic pierced my heart. I couldn¡¯t sleep. I couldn¡¯t hardly eat. We were afraid we wouldn¡¯t ever see you again.


    But then you returned in a state I never wished you would have to experience again. While nursing your wounds, you were restless and struggling, yet my simple touch was enough to ease your worried heart. You even called me mom... It hurts me to no end to imagine how hard your life must¡¯ve been to this point, chimera or not.


    But it wouldn¡¯t last that way for long.


    I cleared my throat and apologized, first and foremost, for keeping something from them. In the next two hours, I started to explain my true history...


    And I didn¡¯t skip anything. Not the abuse, the beatings, or the sham trial and betrayal. The void and the Soul Warriors I killed to free Sekh? After I got permission to reveal her status as a Dark Lord, I told it all. They soon knew about my goal-- the destruction of Cridia, Holy Lord Meruria, and killing those disgusting traitors that wanted me dead.


    The one thing that remained a secret was Sekh¡¯s title as the Dark Lord of Tyranny and the curse that made her whole existence miserable. I even explained why I was unable to break the slave seal, so Sekh talked about [Tyranny Control] and how it was both a skeleton key and an unbreakable lock at the same time. Then I talked about how it morphed with the Transcendent Dark Lord Training System¡¯s loyalty system.


    It was intense... Maybe the hardest thing I''d ever done that didn''t involve killing something or someone. Speaking such horrors to those that saw me as their child.


    But was their love to be found somewhere else?


    No, not at all. My new family was there to hold me. To hug me. To rub my hair and cry for me. To help me shed these growing emotions. When it came to my rape, dad¡¯s eyes flashed wide, then he realized I went through what he did. He wasn¡¯t alone, and neither was I. But I had him, and he had me, and we had Sekh and the others. Even Primrose, as quiet as she was since she didn¡¯t speak a word to me, had this look on her face. She finally knew my past-- that I used to be a human. Understood that I was a slave to my parents, which was why I detested those that stole a person''s freedom with the utmost passion. I was snatched from my world and forced to fight, only to be sacrificed hours later. Survival entailed evolving into an enemy of the natural order, and my revenge gleefully led me down that precarious path.


    I didn''t kill for the fun of it. I slaughtered my enemies and ate their corpses for power. My instincts wanted me to feed. Was I any different than a monster spawned by mana?


    Erin? The poor Catfolk was far more emotional. Like I did for her, she bravely held back the tears and sat beside me, telling me it was okay to lean against her for comfort and support. Even Lei, the banana-colored slime that probably hated my guts, extended a jelly-like appendage and hopped in my lap.


    The time passed until the moon was well within its 5th hour as ruler of the night sky. I thought I¡¯d felt horrible and sick, but there was a brisk calm after realizing I had nothing more to hide.


    It was soon time to sleep. Erin thanked mom and dad for the bed but said she wanted to return it. Instead, she was going to sleep on the couch while Irisa took the floor. ¡°If that¡¯s what you want, then okay. Goodnight, girls,¡± mom said, her hand ruffling my hair. We all said our goodnights as they went to bed-- the aftermath of an emotional scene clearly visible on their crying faces. Sekh kissed my cheeks and said she was getting ready for bed. Niva, Primrose, and Tilde joined her while Lei remained in Erin¡¯s lap as she sat on the couch. The Catfolk yawned seconds later. Since she was in her pajamas, she wiped her sleepy eyes and, after getting permission, extinguished the candles and laid down.


    In half a minute, she fell into a deep slumber.


    I took Irisa¡¯s hands and held them gently, my thumbs massaging the back of her palms. ¡°It feels good to have another sister,¡± she whispered. ¡°A cute sister, at that. Mila, I¡¯m so, so sorry about what you had to live through...¡±


    I felt the onset of tears coming back on. Irisa held me close to her chest, her tank top doing very little to stop my cheek from rubbing against her breasts. She rubbed my back with care, her other hand petting my head.


    I felt something grow from my crotch, an erect pressure rising deep. I looked up at the girl whose face I couldn¡¯t shake from my mind. Her lips looked soft; her yellow eyes were so full of love...


    ¡°Mila... Something¡¯s touching me,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m...sorry...but...¡± I couldn¡¯t hold back anymore.


    ¡°What are... mmph¡ª¡±


    At that moment, I made a choice. A choice I should have made a long time ago in that I pressed my lips to hers.


    I must''ve been a sloppy mess. Damp hair? Reddened expression? Watermarks from where the tears flooded my eyes and didn''t seem to stop?


    But Irisa? She didn¡¯t struggle. Her mouth slightly relaxed to let my tongue in, and we kissed, sharing our bottled emotions and releasing them into the wild. The pleasure of this electrifying kiss was more than enough to send me over the edge. My legs trembled slightly, causing Irisa to keep me steady as the front of my panties became stained with semen. The smell wafted up, causing our proof of physical connection to end. She looked down and saw proof of my erection, a wet stain having gone through my panties and soiled the front of my green outfit.


    I... It was shameful, but Irisa didn¡¯t see it that way. She pressed her fingers against the sensitive tip, lifted my dress, and pulled my panties to the side to look at my sperm-covered penis. ¡°Did...I do that?¡± She gently held it, stroking it from the tip to about halfway down the shaft, then stared at her fingers. ¡°It¡¯s way bigger than the last time I saw it.¡±


    I nodded. ¡°When I was at Aetos Village, I couldn¡¯t stop thinking about you... Can you sleep with me?¡±


    Instead of answering, Irisa gave me a kiss, then led me into the bedroom, my erection on display.


    It¡¯s good Erin¡¯s asleep. But I get to spend the night with Irisa? The first one to accept me after Sekh and Tilde? I couldn¡¯t imagine this life without her help and assistance...


    I love her...


    I love her like crazy.

 Chapter Sixty: The Happiest Chimera in the World (R-18) – Part One

    Chapter Sixty: The Happiest Chimera in the World (R-18) ¨C Part One


    In the basking moonlight filtering in from the window, I was lying in the middle of bed, my erect, semen-slathered penis pointing to the sky. To my right laid a beautiful Lionfolk. She held my hand and licked my cheeks and lips. Standing near the bed to my left was a gorgeous oni I saw naked for the first time. Her breasts were almost as big as mine but firmer. Her areolae and nipples were a shade darker than her green skin, but I knew they were soft and heavenly. Her stomach wasn¡¯t so much pure muscle as it was very toned.


    She looked abashed at me while sliding down her girly panties, which came up high on her thick hips and left little to cover her crotch. She slowly, erotically pulled them down, staring into my eyes with an embarrassed look while revealing her slightly shaven pussy. She had some black pubic hair, but it wasn¡¯t a lot.


    I¡¯m glad Sekh told Niva and Primrose to take a long, hot bath...


    ¡°You¡¯re beautiful...¡± I whispered. Irisa cutely giggled as the tips of her horns turned a light crimson. My penis tried its hardest to grow past its limit. It twitched just with her and Sekh looking at it.


    It had to be a hair over 13".


    ¡°Am I?¡± she asked. When I nodded, she had this adorable smile, then lifted her hands to her head and turned around, allowing me to stare at her impressive ass. She was athletic with muscles and defined abs but also very curvy and soft in all the right areas.


    Suddenly, I felt a tinge of pain in my heart. I didn¡¯t mean to frown, and I wiped it from my mouth as soon as I noticed it, but I was slow enough for them to act. Irisa hugged me from one side and Sekh from the other, my arms sandwiched between their passionate titties. Their warmness-- their scents-- I was drowned in it.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Sekh. But... I want to have sex with Irisa... Please, don¡¯t hate me.¡± I felt like such a jackass for asking that.


    ¡°Why would I ever hate you?¡±


    ¡°Okay! Okay! Okay!¡± Tilde flew in like a bat out of hell, landing on my stomach while naked, glistening juices flowing down her legs like she suddenly stopped doing something lewd to go into another lecture. ¡°I know what this is all about. And I¡¯m not going to let it ruin your first threesome! And no, the slime clones don''t count. If I said it did, then I was yanking your chain. Master, you¡¯re conflicted. You''ve got a stiffy for both chicks trying to smother you with their milk dispensers. You think you¡¯re betraying Sekh, but no, you¡¯re not. You¡¯ve got two women who love you.¡±


    ¡°Love me?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s true. Irisa and I love you. We talked about this when Ichiha called me into the living room. She and Kokan wanted to adopt you. They wanted to talk to us, including Niva and Primrose, to get our input. When they wrote the letters, Irisa took me aside and confessed her feelings.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe how much my life had changed for the better when you entered it,¡± Irisa admitted, kissing the top of my head. ¡°You accepted me in a way no one else has done, you¡¯ve treated me with kindness even if I sometimes say the wrong things that might be hurtful. Remember when we had to pick up food at the market, and you asked me about that mace? I ran off after speaking about dad, but you didn¡¯t have to follow me. No one¡¯s ever done that before. I¡¯ve lost a lot of friends and lovers over the years for things out of my control, but I knew the moment you chased after me, you weren¡¯t going to be like them. My heart opened a little, and it wanted you in it. But then we kept spending time together.


    ¡°That prosthetic leg? It took weeks, but I didn¡¯t mind because I was with you. Then after building the wheelchair, I sat in it, and you pushed me all the way home... Then how you took good care of Niva, that was precious. I won¡¯t forget how you were always there for her when she started to cry and how safe you made her feel. And then Erin? You could have left her, but you didn¡¯t. You saved her, fed her, and even freed her from slavery... Not just anyone would do that. I... I cried when you went to Aetos Village. I crawled into bed to sniff the covers to see if I could smell your scent. And then I touched myself to you... I kept imagining it was your hands and fingers...


    ¡°But that wasn¡¯t the first time I did that. It was after you chased me at the market. That night, you had sex with Sekh. It was quieter, but I still heard your moans... And I... I sat against the door and masturbated. I knew it was shameful, but I couldn¡¯t stop my fingers from brushing against my soaked panties.¡±


    ¡°I never noticed you were there,¡± I confessed. Tilde interjected and said I was too focused on fucking to notice my map.


    ¡°In the past, I thought what I felt towards my previous significant lovers was love, but that wasn¡¯t it. What my heart feels now must be love. It¡¯s far purer than anything else. It¡¯s a new feeling... My stomach feels like it has butterflies... I just love you, Mila. So much...¡±


    Just...love me? So much?


    ¡°See? Both love you very much. And it¡¯s not cheating, Master. The Transcendent Dark Lord deserves all the joy in the world, including a giant harem of beauties devoted to you. And if you love them back, then where¡¯s the harm in it? Remember, consent is key. With that said, I¡¯ll get out of your way. Trust me, I wouldn¡¯t interrupt this for the world. Goddamn... Your first real threesome. It''s pretty enough to make a fairy cry...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so hot... It¡¯s so thick... Mila, is it always like this?¡± My second penis vanished with the extended limbs and second set of arms, and Irisa scooped the escaping semen with her fingers and licked them.


    ¡°It is. Just wait until my liege penetrates you,¡± Sekh answered. She leaned back, removing her sweaty tits from my face. Irisa stood up and seductively crawled up my body, stopping when she sat on my leg and rubbed her dripping pussy against it. My penis, already hard, was being shown affection by her curled around the tip. ¡°Lean closer, Irisa.¡±


    Irisa listened and moved more, then Sekh leaned forward until their lips touched. From below, I saw such a beautiful sight. My Dark Lord¡¯s tongue ventured in, cleaning Irisa¡¯s lips before moving to the inside of her mouth. The kiss lasted long enough for their drool to drip down to my face, then Sekh moved to grab Irisa¡¯s firm breasts with both hands. She squeezed and played with her nipples before lathering them in her spit.


    ¡°Aaahhh...¡± Irisa cried out in the loveliest voice and started to masturbate. Her thick fingers plunged in and out of her incredibly wet pussy. Sekh did the same, her curious hand slipping right by my head since I was still in her lap. My sensitive ears heard the schlicking, the very noise of her juices gushing out of her. When she pulled her hand out, I grabbed it and licked her fingers. Her thumb, index, middle? In between? Her wrist and very palm? A dozen little tongues branched off and properly cleaned her hand.


    Sekh took the flushed oni by the hands and laid her on the bed when I sat up. She kissed her stomach while slowly venturing her town downward to her puffy clit. Irisa wanted to grip the sheets and tried to shut her legs, but Sekh kept them open. She inserted two fingers and finger fucked her until the oni climaxed, then turned to me while licking Irisa¡¯s juices from those fingers. ¡°She¡¯s ready, my liege. I want to see you fuck her.¡±


    I moved into position with my penis as erect as ever. Irisa looked at me with a gaze that made her look cute, innocent, and totally loveable.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never taken something that big. Be gentle,¡± Irisa said. I grabbed her legs and pulled them up until they were around my shoulders, then I leaned in, my throbbing penis slightly brushing against her extremely wet honey pot. She was soaked to the brim, the excess juices draining down her thighs and onto the bedsheets. But I wanted to enjoy this more before getting to the dessert.


    It wasn¡¯t always about me.


    I was a woman that got off more when I knew my partner was enjoying it. My tongue transformed into a vine that split off, then shifted into my tongue. From her green, cute cheeks to her amazing breasts to that sexy, toned stomach and sweet juices, I spent a minute getting a hearty taste of her. ¡°That¡¯s... Ahhhhh... There, Mila.... That¡¯s the spot... Keep... Going.... AAAhhhhh~~~~


    The moment she squirted on the tip of my penis was when I put it in. She immediately arched her back and gripped the sheets tighter, her moans growing lovelier and lovelier by the second. I slowly inserted all 13 inches until her reaction changed, then internally marked that as the limit and put my technique into place. ¡°Why-- Why does it feel like it never ends? It¡¯s amaz¡ªMilaaaaa!!!~~~¡±


    I grabbed her hips and increased my pace, licking my lips at watching her green titties bounce around. Her legs slipped off my shoulder, but I didn¡¯t care because I watched Sekh kiss and lick my neck before moving to my breast. She grabbed one while licking the other, her other hand dipping down under my crotch to grasp my balls from behind. She had the perfect grip¡ªthe correct force to drive me wild. The tips of Irisa''s horns flashed crimson as she tightened down, clenching me so hard it was a struggle to pull out.


    ¡°I love that expression. I want to see more of it.¡± Sekh lustfully whispered. ¡°Do it harder. I know she likes it that way... Haven¡¯t you noticed? She¡¯s been cumming non-stop. Just look at her horns. Each time the tip flashes crimson, it means you¡¯re rocking her world... Listen to her sweet, sweet cries.¡± Sekh slightly yelped when I grabbed her chin to make her look at me, and we kissed, my tongue traveling down her throat partway as Irisa was close to losing it. She started to touch her red-tipped horns, but then we locked eyes, and her arms reached up towards mine.


    Time seemingly slowed to a crawl, and I heard Sekh telling me to go for it. Her words brought me back, and after one more kiss, I leaned close and planted my lips on Irisa¡¯s dreamy face. Our tongues danced the flamenco, never once retreating into the other¡¯s mouth as she wrapped those strong arms tightly around me.


    It was messy and hot, especially how she moaned and flicked her tongue each time I entered her.


    Suddenly, when I shifted mouths to my nipples so I could suck Irisa¡¯s, I felt a lick on the back of my testicles, which was Sekh¡¯s doing. She grabbed my ass and swirled her tongue around my swinging sack, which pushed me over the edge.


    ¡°Irisa... I''m about to come... It¡¯s coming. I¡¯m so close!!!~~~ I love you!!!¡±


    ¡°Then do it!!! Fill me up... I can take it, Mila!!!! Ahhhhhhh!!! Too hard!!!! Too fast!!! I¡¯m... I¡¯m going crazy!!!!! I love you!!! I love you so much!!!!¡± Her beautiful legs locked themselves around my back, preventing me from pulling out, but I could still shrink and grow my penis to my liking, which is what I did to achieve the same result. It seemed Irisa¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t process how it felt since I was slamming into her when I couldn¡¯t move. She was wild. I was afraid she would rip the bed apart, so I frantically gave her hands something to hold, continued with the kiss that seemed like it would never end, and drained my balls, everything I had flowed right in, filling her to the brim.


    ¡°Milaaaaaaa!!!~~~~~¡± She cried my name with each thick rope shot into her. Her eyes went wide with one more passionate moan, her body trembling and quivering all over as if an earthquake was happening in her pussy. Her skin was so sweaty and glossy. She gasped for air when the strength in her legs disappeared. She had the loveliest smile, like a rose blooming for the first time. The tips of her horns were just a solid shade of lustful crimson.


    Sekh wrapped her arms around me and licked my neck, her hands going to my penis. Without speaking, she pulled it out and immediately started to clean it. ¡°It smells like Irisa...¡± Her tongue polished my shaft, lapping up the semen. I held her head and caressed her cheeks, still staring at the beautiful woman basking in the afterglow. My sperm flowed out of her pussy like a glorious river of white, and Sekh wasted no time in drinking my semen leaking out of Irisa.

 Chapter Sixty: The Happiest Chimera in the World (R-18) – Part Two

    Chapter Sixty: The Happiest Chimera in the World (R-18) ¨C Part Two


    ¡°Sekh, I want to fuck you. It¡¯s your turn,¡± I said after she spent a minute tonguing Irisa¡¯s pussy.


    ¡°Yes, my liege...¡± After kissing my penis twice more, she rolled to her stomach beside Irisa and lifted her hips, her ass and tail tempting me. I licked my fingers and rubbed her cunt, then gave her appetizing ass a nice slap. I wanted to tease her, though, so I turned my hands into tongues and rubbed them through her inner thighs, making sure they were nice and clean from the juices leaking from her pussy.


    She told me to wait a moment while she crawled onto Irisa. The two laid stomach to stomach so she could kiss the woman we loved.


    The beautiful oni was still in a hazy daze, yet when Sekh licked her succulent lips, tasting her sweet flavor, her tongue came out to play. I tapped her ass with my penis, rubbing it through her cheeks as she showed me everything. As tempting as it was to play with her butt. I refrained from doing anything to it because I wasn¡¯t going to ruin this moment by surprising her. However, I gingerly rubbed the tip around that area and gauged her reaction before slipping it inside her soaked cunt. Sekh¡¯s sweet voice purred from her lips, her attention fully split between the pleasure she felt between her legs and kissing Irisa, who held Sekh¡¯s head between her hands. When it came to their pussies, Irisa''s wasn¡¯t as ¡®comfy,¡¯ but it was wetter and squishier, with Sekh being a little tighter and smaller. Both were still hot and inviting¡ªwarm and incredibly slippery¡ª and I wouldn¡¯t change anything about them.


    I managed to get to my feet rather than my knees, and from this position, I humped faster. My balls slapping against Sekh''s moist entrance was a lewd noise drowned out by their messy kisses. My chest pressed against Sekh¡¯s back, my hands groping the hell out of her tits as I jackhammered her pussy. Even as the semen ejaculated, I never stopped until everything was spurted. She collapsed onto Irisa, who stared at my penis when I pulled it out of Sekh and stood up.


    She naughtily licked her lips and started to touch herself, her fingers going through the sperm leaking down on her from Sekh¡¯s crotch.


    But I still wasn¡¯t done. I wanted to taste more. To pleasure more. To hear more. This room was full of the smell of sex, but it wasn¡¯t enough. When a clone of myself appeared beside me, Irisa''s horns turned a brighter shade of crimson.


    I grabbed Sekh and held her close, kissing her until she woke from her daze. Meanwhile, my clone had Irisa stand on her knees with them slightly spread out. It fingered her to orgasm, then held her hands and pulled while entering her. She started to fall to the bed, but she couldn¡¯t because my clone prevented that from happening. When Sekh opened those hazy eyes, she immediately perked up when she heard Irisa¡¯s sexy voice. She crawled over to lick her stomach, then slowly went up until she was also standing on her knees. I approached, grabbed her arms, and copied what my clone was doing.


    ¡°AAHhhhhhh~~~~¡±


    ¡°MMmmmnnnn~~~~~¡±


    Slap! Slap!


    Slap! Slap!


    My clone and I had different rhythms so that there was always the lewd sound of my balls clapping against the women we fucked. Both Irisa¡¯s and Sekh¡¯s breasts were bouncing like crazy as they kissed the other. A second later, I formed a third clone. It stood on the bed. It took its penis and placed it near their mouths. Their kiss eventually transferred to my cock. They continued to try to at least kiss through it near the head, but their wet, hot tongues slid down my shaft until Irisa couldn¡¯t handle it anymore. She gobbled it up and took it deep, causing me to make another clone for Sekh to suck. Both clones stood ass to ass, their hands caressing their respective woman from cheeks to chin to head, patting and rubbing ears and horns.


    I heard a noise and turned to the bathroom, where a shocked and frankly upset Primrose emerged with a horrified look. She glanced at the orgy going on, then promptly looked away. Niva, wearing a set of pajamas I¡¯d got for her from Karen¡¯s shop, walked out, wondering what that smell was. After hearing the lewd noises, her face turned red.


    ¡°I... I... I... hope it feels good, Mistress. Keep... Keep it up!¡± she said, cheering for me. Primrose just scowled at me, then blossomed a bunch of primrose flowers from her branches to shield her eyes. She helped Niva to her bed and sat with her, making sure to face away from me. Niva¡¯s cheering was adorably cute, but I still couldn¡¯t help but think it was a mistake to have an orgy in front of her. Even if she couldn¡¯t see, she could smell and hear. But she did give the okay, and if Primrose didn¡¯t want to see it, she could revert to her crystal.


    Every day was a joy, and I was thankful to be alive.


    When the tears stopped, I took out the honey-scented soap I¡¯d stolen from Karen¡¯s shop. We stood up, the water noisily dripping down as I broke the bar in half and gave one piece to Sekh. She lathered up her hands like me, and we washed Irisa¡¯s body. I took the back, making sure to get all around her pretty neck. Her shoulders were broad¡ªpowerful and alluring. Especially when she leaned forward just slightly enough for her breasts to land in Sekh¡¯s open hands. If I hadn¡¯t already ejaculated more than most men in a year and had more biomass...


    Well, I could probably go all night long if I really put my mind to it.


    Guess I gotta dream of fucking all throughout the night. With Sekh and Irisa... I love them so much.


    I had her raise her arms up, then, with my hands on her side, slowly traveled up. I took my time lathering her up, spending more time than necessary on her armpits and underarms, almost outright tickling her so I could hear more of her cute giggles. Then I crouched down and slapped her ass gently, watching it jiggle as I covered it in soapy suds. I spent far too long on her butt, ensuring everything was thoroughly clean, and even then, I kept groping it. Eventually, I finished up with her legs and thighs, and it was time to clean Sekh.


    I exclusively took her arms and legs, primarily focusing on that beautiful fur. Irisa handled everything else, and she had fun squeezing and playing with Sekh¡¯s tits.


    But once they were lathered up, they had me sit down with my arms stretched out. I was confused, but after sharing a look, the loves of my life each took an arm, squeezed it with their thighs, then subbed their pussies on me. It was an....interesting way to remove the evidence of our very sexual tryst, but I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t love it. Once my arm was covered in white, the two sat down and began to handle my chest. Even if the water became full of soap, I was still getting clean while feeling heavenly. Then I stood up one more time for them to get my penis, of which both used their hands. Irisa commented on how floppy it was, pushing my flaccid penis and almost laughing at how it swung from side to side. She knew how to work those hands.


    ¡°We...still haven¡¯t washed your lips, my liege,¡± Sekh said, creeping closer from the right. Irisa came in from the left, and both of their tongues licked my lips until my tongue came out to play, and we enjoyed another sensual moment that lasted for about four minutes.


    ¡°I love you, my liege,¡±


    ¡°I love you, Mila.¡±


    ¡°I love you two, too,¡± I whispered through panted breaths. Out of nowhere, the two slightly moved so they sat on my hands, giving my fingers more intimacy with their pussies.


    After some lovely kisses and fingering, resulting in two more climaxes, it was time for this bath to be over.


    ¡°That¡¯s another first I can add to my life,¡± Irisa said when we stood up and dried off. I wanted to use my slime to accelerate that process, but that would mean getting rid of the sweet honey-like soap we used. But we had no problems using the stolen towels. A few full-body rubs later, the three of us walked out to find Primrose sound asleep while holding hands with Niva. Meanwhile, we walked towards our comfort and snuggled under the covers.


    Irisa and I faced each other, and Sekh was behind me with her hands wrapped around my stomach. We were still naked, their bodies rubbing against mine. It was warm, so very, very warm and toasty.


    I hugged Irisa, finding comfort and safety in hugging her. She rubbed my head, kissed my forehead, then gently sang me a quiet song she said mom used to sing to her...


    Slowly, my eyes closed, a smile forming on my face, the feeling of total bliss easing me into a most soothing slumber.

 Intermission—Sekh—Girl Talk (R-18)

    Intermission¡ªSekh¡ªGirl Talk (R-18)


    Shortly after my liege fell asleep, she began to lightly squirm, but it wasn¡¯t anything to be alarmed about. She regularly shifted a little bit, but this time, she was whispering.


    ¡°Mom... I miss you... I love you, mom...¡± Slowly, she shifted down the pillow until she was right at Irisa¡¯s chest. Her face between them, her mouth slightly open as her tongue searched for a nipple. Irisa slightly adjusted her body, then smiled and lovingly rubbed my liege as she latched on. The oni bit her lip slightly, and since we indulged my liege in love, my hands moved from her stomach to her penis. She always liked it when I held it, especially when we were ¡®spooning,'' as Tilde called it.


    ¡°Mila... That kinda tickles, hehe!. But I really don¡¯t mind it... It kinda feels like we¡¯re growing closer.¡±


    I tried my best to hold in a quiet laugh. ¡°That¡¯s what I said on the way from Aetos Village. She wanted me to hug her, so I sat in her lap and held her against my chest. She fell asleep, her tongue started wandering, and I just took off my shirt and let her suck. It really is an affectionate moment, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    Irisa nodded. We stared into the other¡¯s eyes. After being freed, I thought I¡¯d never concern myself with anyone or anything that wasn¡¯t my liege. I was her blade of vengeance, a weapon she wielded to bring a violent, brutal end to her enemies. I didn''t need flimsy relationships that wouldn¡¯t help me kill more efficiently.


    But I was living as if the curse was still stabbing my mind and soul with a million pokers, all trying to point me towards the next innocent to slaughter.


    The next family to brutalize.


    The next city to destroy.


    The next forest to burn.


    The next country to devastate.


    But being able to feel something other than eternal rage? Other than the desire to send rampaging dragons to a small village to see everyone killed? Other than wanting to hang every child from a tree? Forcing their parents to watch the life slowly drain from their faces?


    It was refreshing. Creating memorable connections and realizing that I didn¡¯t have to kill them?


    But the stuff I did in the past couldn¡¯t be excused. Nor can it be forgiven. Nor do I want to be forgiven for it. If my liege couldn¡¯t break this curse on me, then the end of the world would end by our hands.


    Even...


    Even if it meant killing a trusted companion.


    But I don¡¯t want that... Do I?


    I whispered Irisa¡¯s name, telling her of my curse and infinite fate. If my liege was going to be truthful to her new family, then it fell to me to do the same.


    ¡°I¡¯m... My title as a Dark Lord is...the Dark Lord of Tyranny...¡± As the words left my mouth, I thought about the events of a few hours ago. When my liege had looked to me to receive permission to reveal a partial truth about me, I nodded¡ªeven while a heavy weight pressed against my heart.


    How would they react to realizing that a Dark Lord lived with them all this time?


    How badly would my wanting to keep this a secret until now destroy any hopes for my liege to become part of a loving family?


    There was trickery, and then there was deception. In my eyes, this was the latter¡ªsomething far more unforgivable than the former. I was ready to throw myself to my knees to ask that they continue their plans to adopt my liege...


    But that merely wasn¡¯t needed.


    That wasn¡¯t to say they took the news stoically¡ªthey didn¡¯t¡ªbut the anger-filled words I expected to come my way were replaced by...something almost resembling an inquisitive nature. Or maybe they were partly expressed by someone reaching the pinnacle of evolution while looking ¡®young.¡¯


    After all, becoming a Holy or Dark Lord was said to be the ultimate goal desired by all who drew breath.


    When the topic briefly switched to me, my liege took an active role in gradually leading the discussion to be about my talents and strengths. I knew Irisa and the others harbored a small simmering of uneasiness in their hearts because it was impossible to take my existence while remaining totally calm. But hearing my liege talk about how I was the only reason she was here right now? How my intrusion into the void allowed me to yank her soul from a bottomless reality and anchor her spirit to a body of ancient flesh I crafted from my enemies?


    The more she explained the story, the more it seemed they were almost thankful to me...for being the reason why we were in their lives in the first place. After my liege told her story and cried into her father¡¯s chest, Ichiha spoke to me confidentially. She intimately admitted her surprise at knowing more about me, but Ichiha also clarified that neither she, Kokan, nor Irisa feared me. Erin also looked my way and bravely reached out a hand. Lei¡ªthe yellow slime¡ªextended a blob of slime that held my elbow...


    ¡°You may be a Dark Lord, but first and foremost, you¡¯re just Sekh. To us, that¡¯s who you¡¯ll always be. We know we can trust you with anything, and I want you to know that we consider you family.¡± Ichiha had hugged and patted my back, almost as if treating me as another daughter...


    I...suppose I have a place to belong... But my true destiny does not lie in peace. First and foremost, I¡¯m a weapon... I bring death to those that would go against the Transcendent Dark Lord... That...is the role I must play if I want the curse to end.


    ¡°But if you destroy the world, then what about mom? Or dad? Or me?¡± Irisa¡¯s panicked question forced me back to reality.


    ¡°I¡¯ve lived longer than you could ever imagine... I can¡¯t even begin to count how many times I¡¯ve reincarnated, had my mind flooded by the curse of my previous deaths and tortures, then was forced to kill my parents to start another journey of tyranny. I want it to be broken... For the first time, I don¡¯t have the curse telling me how to feel or what to do. I¡¯m a free woman. I¡¯ve grown fond of your family and you... Other than Tilde, my liege, and Niva, I''ve never been accepted like this."


    ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t I say there¡¯s a chance Master can break it without needing to blow the world up? It¡¯s far more likely that she¡¯ll be able to whisk away the curse with a flick of her wrist once she¡¯s sufficiently powerful. Sadness doesn¡¯t suit you,¡± said a flying annoyance coming our way. Tilde yawned and wiped her eyes as she sat on our shared pillow. ¡°It¡¯s kinda scary seeing you act so subdued. The vibe is just not there.¡±


    We spent a little bit of time chatting. Irisa pledged to do all she could to ensure I didn¡¯t have to destroy the world. She was oddly upbeat about our chances because she said my liege was the type of girl who could do anything.


    I wanted to think so as well... My liege was far better than me when coming up with plans or schemes. If I oversaw killing Oswell¡¯s group, I¡¯d have used pure force, not subtle poisoning.


    I was fine being her blade of vengeance. That was the role I was best suited for. As much as I didn¡¯t want to think about this, this role in this family was but temporary. Onis lived to about 200. Within four decades...and if they didn¡¯t achieve evolution...Ichiha and Kokan would die of old age...


    No. I don¡¯t wish to think about those things right now. That does not concern me.


    Irisa was curious about my former power, even more than my liege after speaking of my mace. The oni adorably pouted when I said I wanted her to be surprised by it when we retrieved it from Amos. But upon saying his name, she became curious about what life was like 1,000 years ago. Since she knew I was forever reincarnating, she soon asked how life was beyond that. Unfortunately, the specific memories were fleeting after a few dozen reincarnations, and there was a delay of a few hundred years before I was born once anew. The 1,000-year gap between this and the last meant the memories were even more fleeting and fragmented.


    ¡°I do. She¡¯s my student. On the plus side, she can definitely fuck the hell out of you."


    ¡°Wait, how did you do it with her?¡±


    "A clone. Master made one the size of me, and I took that thing for a ride you couldn''t believe. Oh, you can thank me, by the way. If it wasn''t for my trained hands and lips, you wouldn''t have tasted Master''s creamy breast milk."


    ¡°You mentioned clones and a threesome, right?¡± I nodded, then told her of our first time with the clone and how my liege was free to have sex with a replica of myself to quench her desires.


    ¡°I think I wanna do the same. I want Mila to be happy. And full and joy. If a clone of myself can do that... Even if we¡¯re away apart, I¡¯ll feel better knowing she has someone who looks like me to hold.¡± Irisa turned to Tilde and spoke about something the fairy had mentioned prior. "But in the butt? How... Is that possible?"


    "It''s called anal, sweet cheeks. I''m just a girl that likes it weird.¡± I rolled my eyes while the fairy and Irisa talked a little more, but I saw the oni squirm. She slipped a hand between her thighs and bit her lips. ¡°Ah? Getting horny? Don¡¯t worry, I got just the thing...¡± Tilde flew to my liege¡¯s crotch and used her hands to stimulate her penis. In seconds, my liege groaned, moaned, and slowly rolled to her back. Still asleep, her penis was anything but. It was a glorious tower-- erect, strong, and stiff. It pointed directly towards the ceiling. Tilde wasn¡¯t done. She flew to the covers and pulled them back to reveal something breathtaking. ¡°Hehehe! Behold! The leaning tower of cock!¡± Tilde kissed the tip


    ¡°Every time I see it, there¡¯s a flutter in my heart,¡± I confessed, rubbing my hands down the smooth shaft. ¡°It¡¯s so hot I feel like I¡¯m about to get burned.¡±


    ¡°Wah! Wait, can she do that? She''s asleep, right?¡±


    The AI materialized above my liege, remaining stoic and still, but the pillar looked like it had more cracks than before.


    ¡°But she¡¯s asleep. Is this okay?¡± Irisa repeated her feelings.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Between you and I, Master has a fetish of being woken up with a blowjob, and she¡¯s given consent to be played with when she¡¯s asleep. It¡¯s the same with Big Tits, who can¡¯t stop licking her lips.¡±


    ¡°But it¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Not right?¡± I asked, ignoring Tilde¡¯s crude comments. My liege¡¯s shaft desired my hands at this moment. Irisa nodded. ¡°It may seem that way, but I promise it¡¯s fine. She and I have talked multiple times about this to the point where it¡¯s almost comical.¡±


    That seemed to ease Irisa¡¯s worries. She timidly touched my liege¡¯s penis and joined me in giving her a handjob.


    ¡°Hey, is it okay if I want her to be my liege?¡± Irisa suddenly asked. She moved her hands towards my liege¡¯s balls and rolled them around her palms while I focused on the pretty, cute tip.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯m the one you need to ask,¡± I replied. ¡°I call her that because she¡¯s the one I wish to serve.¡±


    ¡°But I thought she didn¡¯t see you that way? As a servant, I mean.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t. I...guess you can call it stubbornness on my part. I¡¯m a Dark Lord, and she¡¯s the Transcendent Dark Lord, even if one in ¡®training.¡¯ It makes sense she¡¯s going to rule over me, so I¡¯m showing my respect and reverence for her the only way I know how. If she allowed it, I¡¯d openly worship her. But that¡¯s not the type of woman my liege is, so I keep those thoughts to myself. She...doesn¡¯t know I feel this way.¡±


    ¡°You used to call her Master, though. I didn¡¯t bring it up when we made love, but when I masturbated to you and her having sex... I...had fantasies of serving her. I kinda thought if she became my Master, I could get closer to her.¡±


    ¡°So, you were jealous?¡± Tilde interjected. Irisa silently nodded and kissed my liege on her cheeks. I leaned over her and licked the oni¡¯s cheeks, which led to us kissing above the one I served. Wordlessly, we couldn¡¯t leave her out of it, so we showered my liege¡¯s lips in affection before focusing on her penis. It was tensing, my liege¡¯s breathing increasing lightly from our hands.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to be envious. But my feelings? My thoughts and words? I can¡¯t control them. Mom and dad says my filter isn¡¯t there, but I don¡¯t know what that is. They talk about it, but I can¡¯t understand it. I didn¡¯t want to hurt you or Mila, so I remained quiet. But after I saw what Mila¡¯s packing? I imagined it thrusting into me when I masturbated by the door. That¡¯s why I wanted to take a bath with you and her. I wanted to see if you two would have sex, and I hoped to be invited. The plan didn¡¯t work out, but I¡¯m sorry for deceiving you.¡±


    ¡°There was no deception, Irisa. My liege wondered if she made a mistake in not taking you up on that offer. Even before we left, she told me how much you meant to her, and how important you were to her life. And she decided to act on those feelings when we returned. I''m glad this night happened the way it did. Love was something the curse prevented me from feeling, but I know I love you. And I love my liege.¡±


    ¡°Mila...¡± Irisa leaned in for one more kiss. She welcomed my tongue into her mouth. ¡°Tilde?¡± Irisa licked her lips afterwards and looked at the fairy. She sat cross-legged on my liege¡¯s stomach with an uncharacteristically sour expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m just thinking...that maybe it¡¯s time for a change of pace.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Tilde locked eyes with Irisa, but the sprite¡¯s smile wasn¡¯t the one I¡¯d come to know. ¡°Maybe this current personality...isn¡¯t the right one our Master needs going forward. I know how I¡¯ve been¡ªhow lewd and horny my behavior was, not to mention the sexually charged comments. There¡¯s a time and place for everything, but that¡¯s...not the case anymore. That was my personality for the last handful of thousands of years, but it worked wonders in easing the tension with our Master. But look at her. She doesn¡¯t need that kind of Tilde. She needs someone more serious¡ªsomeone with a little more fire in her heart, not someone who acts like they bathe in aphrodisiac every morning.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like the Tilde I know,¡± I confessed.


    ¡°Yeah... It¡¯s kinda scary hearing you talk like that.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Did I leave that heavy of an impression on you? But I¡¯m being serious here. My whole existence was to tutor the Transcendent Dark Lord and lead her on the right path. And as much as she still has growing to do, I¡¯m confident she won¡¯t stray from her path. Even if she does, just look at the support group she has with her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to die?!¡±


    ¡°What? Uhh, no? If I kick the bucket, Master perishes with me. I¡¯m talking about becoming a better Tilde to further serve our Master. Because, come on, you¡¯re telling me I haven¡¯t pissed you off with my behavior? Like, even I was sick of it at some points and went to bed cringing. I¡¯m just saying that when I reincarnate, don¡¯t expect the reborn Tilde to be like me. Hell, or maybe I¡¯ll be the same? This is the first time it''s gonna happen after fulfilling my purpose. Who the hell knows what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not gonna die, right?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I won¡¯t. Might be gone for a month to a year. I hope my new existence is fitter for the Transcendent Dark Lord. That¡¯s all I really want in my little heart.¡±


    No one really said anything after Tilde¡¯s somber outlook on the future. Instead, Irisa and I focused on the girl we loved. She grunted in her sleep. My hands went to the tip of her cock to catch the sperm she forcibly shot out as her other lover stimulated her testicles. Then, we cleaned her with our mouths and swiped the bed sheets for a clean pair. Tilde returned to her dresser with the AI, who kept watching as we tidied up, and it was still there when we said goodnight.


    But first, Irisa made sure my liege was comfortable. She held her close to her stomach and tenderly rubbed her back when she latched on to her nipple. She closed her eyes, and I followed with a smile. We whispered our love a final time before sleep snatched us away.


    And as always, my hands were wrapped around my trusted treasure.

 Chapter Sixty-One: From Warmth to Wrath – Part One

    Chapter Sixty-One: From Warmth to Wrath ¨C Part One


    The early morning light slightly illuminated the bedroom when I woke up with my lips sucking Irisa¡¯s nipple. Sekh was in a deep slumber, her chest pressing firmly against my back and hands gently holding on to my penis, which brushed Irisa¡¯s toned stomach. It was like we were a pack of sardines, but I didn¡¯t not like the feeling.


    It appeared I had another wet dream last night, the evidence quickly wafting to my nose. It was nothing a bit of slime couldn¡¯t handle, so after cleaning up, I slipped out from their loving embraces after getting dressed in the black outfit. I gently kissed my lovers on the cheek after wrapping the waist cloth as a skirt. Turning around, I saw Primrose and Niva had fallen asleep towards each other while holding hands. That spirit could look peaceful when she wasn¡¯t trying to bust my balls. I smiled and went to the kitchen, shutting the door slowly so I wouldn¡¯t wake them up.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early, sweetie,¡± said Ichiha¡ªmom.


    She¡¯s my mom now, not Ichiha... You gotta remember that, Mila.


    She was sitting on the couch next to Erin, using one hand to lightly pat her head while the other held a steaming cup of coffee. Her light green robe was tied loosely, showing tasteful cleavage. From her beauty to her kindness, Irisa was her mother¡¯s daughter. ¡°Good morning...mom.¡±


    ¡°Good morning to you, too. Here, let¡¯s go to the table, and I¡¯ll make you a cup.¡± I nodded and followed her, and it was to engage in some idle conversation with just the two of us. Her black hair was folded at the side, giving her a youthful vide, especially for someone over 160.


    ¡°Hey, can I talk to you about something?¡±


    ¡°Anything, sweetie. What¡¯s on your mind?¡± she asked, sitting down and passing me the cup. The dark, black liquid seemed imposing, but we didn¡¯t have cream or sugar to add to it. We only had some fish chilling in my storage and a handful of coffee beans I snagged from Karen¡¯s shop.


    I told mom I wanted to get Sekh and Irisa a present for our date, but I wasn¡¯t sure what to get. Well, for Sekh? I did, but I didn¡¯t know if it was a good idea.


    I pulled out the collar I made back when I forged her mace and shield. It was bent, uneven, and wasn¡¯t even a perfect circle. I hadn''t even shown her. ¡°A collar?¡± mom asked.


    I nodded, explaining that I knew it didn¡¯t make sense. ¡°Even if it¡¯s a symbol of oppression, Sekh only wears it because she knows she can take it off at any time. She has that freedom... But there¡¯s a second reason, I think... It¡¯s kinda embarrassing. She¡¯s awfully submissive. She likes to be held, coddled, and embraced, and she loves to cuddle. And she always blushes when I call her a good girl when I¡¯m petting her head when she lays in my lap.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Mom took a sip of coffee. ¡°I don¡¯t see a problem with it. Especially since it¡¯s a gift from you." She put a hand to her blushing face and smiled. ¡°Between us, there isn¡¯t anything with her being submissive... Take it from personal experience.¡± She closed her eyes, probably thinking about something lewd between her and dad.


    I heard moaning last night. I didn''t spy, but they were probably having sex.


    ¡°Oh, I forgot I had some mythril. I¡¯ll use that to make the gifts. Hey, AI?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord?¡± said a robotic voice from a wiggling stone of rainbow. I asked it about Enap, and it replied that it always had a map window in satellite mode on him. I couldn¡¯t see it because it was tinier than a pixel and out of the way, but it replied, in great confidence, that it was about 30% of his skill level.


    ¡°Shall the plans be drawn up with mythril as the material?¡± I nodded, and it almost seemed like the little hologram bowed before vanishing in rainbow dust. We talked about Irisa¡¯s gift, but the best thing we came up with was a new forging hammer. But I did have that helmet with that ruby in it. I showed it to mom, and she thought it was pretty. Then she offered a mythril necklace with that ruby on it. Maybe I could cut it down a bit? Then place it in a locket? That would be a pretty gift.


    The ideas were there. I just had to decide on something.


    ¡°So, what about last night? Irisa wasn¡¯t sleeping out here, so she must¡¯ve shared your bed.¡± She playfully glanced at me. Then she giggled. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about. Or sorry about, if I know how you think.¡±


    Ah!


    But I started second-guessing the collar for Sekh. Instead, I decided to make her a necklace. The ruby would fit perfectly with it. And for Irisa? A nice locket. I could pay an artist to draw the three of us, and she could keep it inside it. Then once I had the materials to bless the gifts, I could enchant them. After the AI revised the plans, it was time to get started.


    I spent about three hours following the guide in front of me. The reason I couldn¡¯t continue? The tools Irisa had in her shed weren¡¯t exactly meant for jewelry, even though I did my best. I managed to take a small chunk of mythril and forge it into the locket shape, but I couldn¡¯t cut the ruby into the precise size, nor could I make the actual necklace links for both.


    At least, not how the AI told me to. Even if you had the best plans and instructions, you needed the proper instruments. After a few minutes of talking and searching, the AI had marked a jeweler¡¯s shop. I didn¡¯t want to steal the gifts¡ªI wanted to make them, but that didn¡¯t mean I wouldn¡¯t steal the tools required.


    So, off we went. It was a little past 10AM, the streets marginally fuller of fishermen taking their daily trip to the dock to catch food for the day. Even my clones were having difficulty because there just weren¡¯t that many left. It wasn¡¯t rare for brawls to break out at the harbor. You had to keep a watchful eye on your fish bucket to prevent anyone from stealing it.


    My lord, the clone has completed its task. A fragment of the chimera¡¯s shell has been stored.


    That was great news! It took two days, but Clone!Rat succeeded. I felt it return to me, but it was time to get this show on the road. With the physical attributes and Status Menu copied from a Bellerophon soldier in Aetos Village named Myrica, I stealthily created a clone of her after ensuring the coast was clear. The AI¡¯s visual download came in handy when recreating her emblem and armor, which I took from the soldiers hanging around Ria. The eggshell, white-colored fragment from the chimera¡¯s protective hibernation appeared in my clone¡¯s hand after a spear appeared on its back.


    Hopefully, I can end this today. I don¡¯t really like my chances of fighting against Bellerophon and the chimera at the same time. Especially not when I can¡¯t rely on my Divine Skill.


    She was off to go towards the structure Bellerophon was using as a base. The two guards standing in front of the large house blocked her way. Clone!Bell revealed her name, rank, and ID, which I found by searching that woman¡¯s titles with [Analysis], and explained her ¡®discovery'' after the guards used a Scan Stone to verify the clone''s identity.


    ¡°I know where the foul monster has been hiding over the past few days. Please, I desire to speak with Sir Flaf and inform him,¡± said my clone in a voice that wasn¡¯t my own before creating an excuse for why she wasn¡¯t in Aetos Village.


    It didn¡¯t matter that the excuse was flimsy because it was more vital for Clone!Bell to know where the enemy was.


    The guards shared a look and opened the door, personally escorting her through a large living room filled with bedrolls. Heading up the stairs, they came to a set of double doors leading to a meeting room. Sir Flaf, the aged wizard with a demon core to summon a hellhound, looked up from her weathered journal.


    Clone!Bell expertly repeated what she told the two guards and displayed proof of the chimera¡¯s shell fragment. Immediately, he sprang into action with haste adverting his supposed age. And really, my enemies all moved like a well-oiled machine. Everyone had their jobs and tasks to do before departing, and I fit in the best I could by getting out of their way.


    I rushed outside and waited. In a handful of minutes, other soldiers lined up beside me. They all had mysterious masks hanging from their belt, and the man next to me handed me one of his extras and said I needed to always keep it on me. There were about ninety of us standing in front of the building. Flaf, dressed in enchanted robes, instructed me to lead the group.


    I did, and as we walked, the group became smaller and smaller until it was just me, Flaf, and seven others. When we were thirty seconds from turning the final corner, I noticed the marked target was moving. It hatched from its shell with a fully restored HP bar. The chimera waddled out from its hiding hole, took the shape of a dwarf with a bald head, and walked our way.


    When I saw him, I shouted and pointed him out. A breath later, someone else confirmed a positive response from [Detect Chimerism].


    And the fight was on, but this battle quickly morphed into an escape attempt.


    At first, the chimera transformed into that gross form I saw at the dock. It ran like mad throughout the city square, eventually cutting down a street and around corners, but each place he ran was blocked by the Bellerophon soldiers that broke off from the primary formation. Next, it grew wings and took flight, keeping low to the ground and cutting in and around frightened citizens to use a shield. That worked for a while, but then someone used a wind spell to create a localized burst of air under the speeding chimera. It threw him into the air, where numerous arrows and piercing magic pelted and destroyed his wings. The group I was with was running like hell to keep up with him, and I didn¡¯t want to be the odd one out and not attack. I joined the barrage with numerous casts of [Fireball] to help bring the chimera down. It was a stroke of luck that there was so much chanting and shouting that I didn¡¯t have to worry about casting using my thoughts.


    The flying enemy took lightning spears and icy blades to the throat and back, carving his body into thick pieces. A purple-colored mist surrounded his wings and exploded. Unable to regenerate them, the chimera smashed through a pair of buildings, eventually skidding to a stop in front of a High Elf in a black and gold outfit.


    ¡°Shit, that¡¯s me!¡± I exclaimed, my consciousness back in my own body.

 Chapter Sixty-One: From Warmth to Wrath – Part Two

    Chapter Sixty-One: From Warmth to Wrath ¨C Part Two


    I had been too busy controlling Clone!Bell to even move. The AI took control of the replica while I ran away as fast as I could give. But at the end of this street was it and the unit it was with.


    No, it was more. The soldiers that split up had reconvened and were one brigade, and they raced around the corner. Flaf had his arms outstretched, motioning for me to hasten my feet.


    ¡°NOT SO FAST!!!!¡± clamored a distorted voice behind me. Behind me, in the dusty and misty destruction, approached the chimera, as monstrous as ever, with a dozen tentacles and vines grossly appearing from his back. They launched out faster than I could run, then pulled me to it. I was attached to it, the various squiggling appendages securing me to its body like a living shield.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want a precious High Elf to die, do you? The death of a High Blessing is a sad affair.¡±


    ¡°Let her go, you disgusting piece of shit!¡± said a man with a scar down his left eye. He pulled a broadsword from his back.


    Everyone else equipped their weapons, but I just focused on the masks they had attached to their belts.


    ¡°Get the fuck off me!¡± I continued to struggle. I could escape by turning into slime, but I¡¯d be exposed. No one knew I was like my captor, and I wanted to keep it that way. Unfortunately, I needed to start weighing my options because the aspect of secrecy wasn''t looking too bright. Maybe Clone!Bell could act and change this situation for the better.


    AI, don¡¯t do anything until I tell you.


    Understood.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, miss! Everything¡¯ll be alright!¡±


    ¡°Bullshit, you crusty old fuck! You don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen? I know the order you received from that bitch, Gloria. I know why you have those masks, and I know what you¡¯re hiding behind your fucking back! Use that shit on me, and I won¡¯t be the only causality. I¡¯m trying to live my fucking life. That¡¯s it!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a blasphemous abomination to nature, you sick bastard! You need to return to death!¡± yelled the man with the broadsword. Flaf held up a hand.


    ¡°What the hell is it talking about?!¡± I demanded. Growing slightly more fearful by the moment. Clone!Bell gritted her teeth and touched a hand to her mask.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡ª¡±


    ¡°SHUT UP! I¡¯ve seen it happen a dozen times before. You must¡¯ve been raised with a silver spoon up your ass, but Bellerophon fights by using gas designed to destroy anything organic. You, me, wood, berries, plants. Some variants also eat away at metal. Why do you think the barrier is here? It¡¯s to ensure the gas doesn¡¯t escape because they think Noelia¡¯s killer is hiding here! Yeah, I know that¡¯s the true reason! You¡¯re just using me as a fucking excuse! I¡¯m just a goddamn scapegoat to tie up any loose ends. Well guess what? If you kill me, you¡¯re going to kill her!¡±


    ¡°Well? Since the cat¡¯s out of the bag... Guess I can get rid of this,¡± said the man holding the broadsword. He grabbed the flat edges of the blade with both hands and spoke, the sword transforming from a weapon of cutting to a metallic staff with a curly tip. His armor remained the same, but mana collected around his weapon. ¡°Regrettably, a High Blessing must die, but if we can rid the world of a monster... Your sacrifice is necessary. But do not worry, you will be remembered in the Hall of Memories as a valiant ally to Bellerophon¡¯s noble goal of chimera extermination.¡±


    Every instinct in my body screamed bloody murder at the same time.


    If I didn¡¯t escape...


    ...I was going to die.


    But I was scared...


    I was petrified...


    I hadn¡¯t felt this scared since...


    ¡°No! You can¡¯t kill me! You wouldn¡¯t dare remove a Vredi from this world, would you?!¡± I exclaimed, doing the last thing I could. If using the name of Sekh¡¯s enemy would get me out of this, then I¡¯d be a fool not to use it.


    ¡°Vredi...? From the ancient Vredi Forest?! The one lost a thousand years ago?! Surely, you jest¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is no lie. Go and fetch a Scan Stone. You¡¯ll see the truth that my name is Lyudmila Vredi. Are you prepared to face the consequences of killing someone like me?¡± I mentally ordered the AI to change my name.


    The man with the staff pulled a crystalline orb from a pouch and whispered. ¡°She speaks the truth, but my determination has not changed. If anything, it has increased. Even if the life of a Vredi is at risk, we should still see the order Lord Gloria has given us. No matter the cost, the chimera must die. With you in its horrible grasp, your life is already forfeit. Sir Flaf, I understand the punishment of what we¡¯re about to do, and I will accept the executioner¡¯s axe with a smile if it means ridding the world of one more monster.¡±


    ¡°If... If you go through with this, the rest of my people will NOT accept this! As the sister of Susize Vredi, Lord Amos¡¯s most powerful Soul Warrior, I demand that you fight to free me this instant!¡± It was hard to keep my voice steady.


    ¡°None of what you said will change my mind,¡± replied Flaf. ¡°Be thankful you... won¡¯t have to suffer at that monster¡¯s hand.¡± There was just one more thing I could do... A final plan... I quickly ordered the AI to prepare.


    Taking a deep breath, I screamed for help. Right away, Clone!Bell produced four more bird-like clones that flew away as fast as they could while she took Reina¡¯s gun and started firing, killing indiscriminately. ¡°I CAN¡¯T LET YOU KILL A VREDI!! I JUST CAN¡¯T!!! SPIRITS, SPREAD THE WORD!!!¡± my clone howled at the top of her lungs.


    ¡°BELLEROPHON IS GOING TO KILL A HIGH ELF FROM VREDI FOREST!!!!¡± The bird clones shouted in unison and sped away, repeating their message non-stop. In three seconds, they were out of range of arrow and spell. Soon? Those remaining in Ria would know what was about to happen. With so many witnesses, they wouldn¡¯t dare continue. Flaf and the others would be forced to kill everyone in Ria¡ªdown to the last child-- to keep the murder of a Vredi a secret. And then this city would have to be destroyed. Gloria wouldn¡¯t stand for that, right? She fucked the city by closing the dungeon, but this was different... She would come down on Bellerophon with an iron fist and destroy their organization if they acted without regard for her citizens¡¯ safety...


    Right?


    In the chaos that moment of havoc brought, the clone the AI controlled managed to kill four soldiers before turning the gun on Flaf. An invisible forcefield prevented the bullets from actually connecting. After the failed assassination, Clone!Bell was skewered through the stomach by four swords before a dagger-wielding dwarf slit the clone¡¯s neck, leaving her to die. The gun in her hand faded. The ones she killed and injured were attended to by a few medics with heart patches on their uniforms.


    The man with the shimmering staff locked eyes with me, and the tip of his weapon pulsed a frightening purple. ¡°[Gravity Crush],¡± he uttered with a menacing hatred locked behind his angered eyes.


    Immediately, the weight of what must have been a house slammed on my captor and me, forcing us to the ground with broken bones and shattered limbs. ¡°What are you doing?! You can¡¯t kill me now!¡±


    ¡°DO YOU KNOW WHAT THE FUCK YOU¡¯VE DONE?!¡± cursed the man with the staff. ¡°NOW WE HAVE TO¡ªFUCK!!!!! Because of your actions, this entire city will have to be destroyed. The good people of Ria will¡ª¡±


    I was... I was about to die... my HP, MP, and biomass bars in the upper left were very close to becoming zero... My last hope was the AI, but it was thinking itself into a feedback loop trying to develop a plan...


    Calculating...


    Calculating...


    Calculating....


    Calculating..........


    [Wrath, Flames of Inexhaustible Indignation] is your only option! Use it! My lord, be quick with it!


    Its voice sounded different, still robotic and monotone, but with what seemed like emotion. But that was my last hope... I grasped the dial with the last vestiges of what little consciousness I had...but the fortitude to turn it required more than I had.


    I had failed...


    To do what I promised...


    Sekh...


    What¡¯s that... Huh? What¡¯s going on?


    In the blink of an instant, I found myself free of pain. The darkness guiding me to death had been replaced by a large cavern full of flames. They towered high above me, shrinking and growing like they were alive. They started to approach. Yet when I went to move, I was...nothing.


    It almost felt like I was back in the void. As much as the flames threatened to swallow me, they never once came close enough to do so.


    ¡°Aaaahhhhh... It¡¯s been a while since we last talked? Not since you were almost killed by those pathetic monsters? Yes, I remember. You tried to use my strength to kill those weaklings? I did not grant you my power because you were useless and undeserving of it,¡± said a voice I recognized as once being syrupy. Only this time, the tone had grown deeper while still being feminine. Eventually, I saw it.


    Staring at me through the flames sat the face of a terrifying dragon. A second later, I was thrown high in the air-- the brutal, fearsome sea of red fire acting like a barrier. But from this height? The dragon was snared by the raging inferno, yet I saw a dark outline of its entire body¡ªIt put the Ancient Elder Dragon Sekh once rode to shame¡ªwith it being almost thrice as big. That meant this hell-like cavern with eternal flames had to be miles in size to support this creature.


    I¡¯m dead, aren¡¯t I? I asked the dragon.


    ¡°No, you still cling to life¡¯s thread by a frayed piece. Do you wish to survive?¡±


    Before I could answer, various images were displayed on the flames as if it was a TV.


    It was...my past... All of it. All the beatings I took, all the times I was abandoned and left for dead, all the times I was kicked and thrown and broken and battered... Everything I felt at those moments flooded into me. I cried out, then hunched over as if I had a body to try to endure the agony. Then it showed me the time I was raped by that disgusting beastfolk... The anguish of almost dying thrice joined with the rest of the agony.


    AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!!!!!!! I screamed and thrashed, but the dragon continued. The next image it displayed?


    It was Sekh¡¯s headless corpse... Tokko and Mia were beside her, their bodies covered from head to toe in crimson as the latter tauntingly displayed her head. Beside her sat Niva, her body nearly melting from the acid pouring over her. Then Irisa was... Why was Irisa strapped naked to a bed and covered in white? Why were Damon and Will licking their lips and jerking off? Why?!!! WHY?!?!!?! WHYWHYWHYWHYWHYWHY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


    ¡°Hmmm... If you die, then this future will come to pass. You do not want that, do you?¡±


    I was too shaken by every emotion at once to formulate a response.


    ¡°Your silence says it all... Give yourself to the wrath desperately wanting to come out. These flames that surround us? They belong to you... This power could be yours. You could use it to survive this ordeal. Use it to prevent that future from coming to fruition.¡±


    I... I could save them? A black metal platform ascended from the ground, climbing high until it sat below me.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡±


    I could kill them? I felt my senses come back.


    ¡°As many as you please.¡±


    I could...burn it all? My body materialized later, and I landed on the platform below me. It should have been swelteringly hot, but it felt...comfortable.


    ¡°These divine flames would scorch all you desire.¡±


    ¡°I could...destroy the world?¡± I said, hearing my voice again. This platform I stood on materialized a black iron gate¡ªa barrier to separate me from the roaring fire and dark dragon. A single valve rested on it.


    ¡°With this power? All would be incinerated. Let me in, and you will have the power to achieve all you want.¡± The dragon moved its large head to the gate and stared¡ªone of its eyes was a thousand times larger than me.


    I walked to the valve. Just grabbing onto it filled me with determination. It made my heart boil and burn, the strive to live igniting like a rocket in my soul.


    ¡°I WON¡¯T DIE HERE!!!! I REFUSE TO FALL!!!!! GIVE ME THE POWER I DESIRE TO IMMOLATE MY ENEMIES!!!! TO DROWN THEM IN THE DEEPEST, DARKEST CONFLAGRATION! OF YOUR DIVINE POWER!! OF MY DIVINE WRATH!!!!!!¡± This valve was probably what the dial in my vision was based on, but I took a deep breath and turned it as hard and fast as possible. The gate squeaked and cried. The valve broke, bursting into flames as it spread to the obstacle preventing me from conquering my wrath and obtaining the power I desired.


    But I didn¡¯t stop. A replacement valve was created of divine flames, and I continued to turn it even more until the fires of wrath had flooded this nearly infinite cavern. The more I barred my heart and opened the channels of my soul to this powerful entity, the more strength I¡¯d have to slaughter all that stood in my way.

 Chapter Sixty-Two: The 1,000 Year Grudge

    Chapter Sixty-Two: The 1,000 Year Grudge


    When I woke up, a distinctive lack of my liege''s presence meant I monopolized Irisa¡¯s warm embrace. I blinked twice, then patted the woman I hugged to ensure I wasn¡¯t in a dream. After looking around, I realized the AI had a message waiting for me.


    Do not worry. Our lord is safe. She did not expressly order this message to be sent, but there¡¯s no need for your heart to ache with worry.


    Oh? That was the first time the AI had done something that, while not against our liege¡¯s wishes, almost hinted at its personal growth. I¡¯d never encountered a skill or ability that seemed like it had its own consciousness while capable of self-growth. It was amazing, to be sure, and I almost wanted the AI¡¯s evolution to come sooner than later.


    Instead of getting dressed, I chose to snuggle more with Irisa. In her sleep, she lifted the covers and beckoned me to come close. That sleepy smile on her pretty face¡ª


    Pretty face? Yes, it¡¯s adorable...


    I moved closer and hugged her, her chin resting on my head as she kissed me. Our nipples brushed together, her legs moving to cross over mine. Those adventurous hands trailed around my backside and gripped my ass before fluffing the base of my tail. Rread latest chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°Huh? Sekh?¡± Irisa whispered when her eyes fluttered open. We shared a small kiss, which woke her more, then I answered her question about where our liege was. ¡°Ohhh... I wonder where she¡¯s at?¡±


    We chatted a bit more, then rolled out of bed and put on our clothes. Niva and Primrose weren¡¯t in bed, and Tilde wasn¡¯t on her dresser. We went to the kitchen and found everyone but our liege sitting at the table. It was nice to sit down and casually jump into the conversation about where our liege had gone.


    ¡°Soooo... Is there anything you¡¯d like to share, Irisa?¡± Ichiha grinned like a cat and teased her daughter, who nervously chuckled and giggled. ¡°Hehe! I talked with Mila this morning before she left, and she spilled aaaaalllll the details.¡±


    ¡°Is this something her father should be hearing?¡± Kokan joked. Really, it was all fun and games, a table full of love and care. Even Erin, who sat near Kokan, gathered the courage to call him dad. Just that one word meant the world to him and Ichiha, and I was glad to see this resolved with a happy ending.


    But would the world allow that?


    No, it wouldn¡¯t. Fate always had an extra hand to play. It all started when Tilde touched her cheek and wondered why it was wet.


    ¡°Tilde... Your...face is melting?¡± After Primrose spoke, Tilde¡¯s expression changed to something awful. Her nose scrunched in pain, an unsettling grunt forcing its way out her mouth. She tried to stand up, but her eyes deliquesced like butter in a hot pan. The next instant, the draining ocular organs caught fire, melting a pair of holes in the sides of her nose, which was the next to separate.


    ¡°IT FUCKING HURRRRTTTSSSS!!!!¡± Tilde screeched. Her skin literally melted off her bones, which followed. It all happened so fast.


    I was the first to react, standing up so fast my chair knocked over after seeing my liege¡¯s HP, MP, and biomass drain exceptionally quick. If this was happening to Tilde, then my liege was in trouble. In that short time, the fairy became nothing but a puddle with a head¡ª part of her brain that hadn¡¯t melted looked like glossy, pink oil. Not even a second later, Tilde was just a mouth lying in that goop of flesh, trying to hang on for dear life.


    I rushed to my room and hastily equipped my gear. Emerging with mace and shield in hand, I made my way for the stairs while ignoring a series of cries and panicked murmurs, but I froze solid when a voice stopped me in my tracks. It was Tilde, and she subsequently flew right in front of me to prevent me from descending to the ground floor.


    Only she wasn¡¯t a pile of melted flesh ... The dress she wore was destroyed, but she wore a spare.


    ¡°Umm... The situation has changed a lot,¡± she said, biting her lip and showing an ounce of hesitation. None of her usual lewd bravado was contained in her voice.


    ¡°Then let me go get her! Get out of my way.¡±


    ¡°It isn¡¯t that simple!!! AI, display Master¡¯s current location in satellite mode.¡±


    A second later, what looked like a portal to another place spawned, showing someone that wasn¡¯t my liege. This woman had glowing red horns sprouting off her forehead, beautiful crimson wings, and a ruby red tail¡ªall properties of a Dragonfolk, but they weren¡¯t physically there. They were transparent, acting more like accessories or something. Her arms and legs had flaming scales etched into the skin''s surface, which traveled up to her neck. Her clothes? She had none, but she wasn¡¯t naked. If the skill name was true to its word, my liege was wearing divine flames. But within those flames sat actual ¡®armor¡¯ of black obsidian that formed tightly to her upper body. A moment later, that same flame spread to her legs until it looked like she was wearing leggings and heels. Her hair was the same length, but it resembled flowing molten lava.


    She carried a grin like no other. But there was that orangish haze around her. Tilde said it was the bane of a chimera¡ªa poison specifically designed to erase biomass at a molecular level. The only way to endure was to surround yourself with a barrier of air. A strong one, at that, which required a substantial amount of mana to protect against the corrosive poison. The other option, while ¡®easier,¡¯ necessitated the slaughter of a Wind Spirit Lord or Wind Demon Lord, the spiritual and demonic wind elemental version of a Holy or Dark Lord, to acquire their powerful cores.


    The deadly mist was fatal¡ªeven for me¡ªbut it did not exist during my reign of tyranny. And Tilde said there was no cure or antidote once it affected you.


    When my liege opened those eyes to reveal a set of flaming irises, her wings lightly fluttered. Raising a hand, she collected a massive amount of mana as if it was nothing, then squeezed shut a fist, causing it to turn into red vapor. Whatever spell or skill she used caused the orange poison surrounding her to spontaneously combust.


    ¡°What?! Impossible!¡± shouted a white-bearded man. He and the other Bellerophon soldiers were starting to panic¡ªbordering close on the edge of madness of seeing something that survived their weapon. When she took one step forward, they all took five backwards. My liege had this twisted grin. She motioned for them to attack her. ¡°Kill the monster! We have the upper hand!!! We cannot let that thing survive!¡±


    Arrows and magic came by the dozen, filling the sky with shadows. Spells smacked into her with explosive intent. Lightning? Water? Ice? Fire? Bellerophon had powerful mages¡ªtheir skill did not need to be questioned. Even if the smoke from their feeble assault covered her, the soldiers never let up their barrage.


    ¡°Mila!!!¡± Irisa slammed both hands on the table and shouted my liege¡¯s name.


    When the smoke faded, however, the woman that looked like my liege had wrapped herself in a barrier of thick fire wider than the street they were on. With a flick of her wrist, she sent it barreling towards the warriors. Ninety percent of them instantly turned into ash, leaving very few survivors that managed to avoid it in time. The flaming destruction rampaged until it slammed into the barrier, devouring all it touched.


    All that was left in its path was a long streak of death from where everything had literally melted. Amongst five others, a white-bearded man and a warrior with a metal casting staff were the only survivors. The one with the stave raised it up high, causing the waves of gravity to crash down. All around that woman with the draconic properties, the ground near her started to sink even further. Proof that the mage was capable and skilled, but whatever he threw at her couldn¡¯t harm her.


    ¡°You¡¯ll die here!¡± shouted the bearded man. He took a pristine azure orb from a pouch and threw it towards that woman with my liege¡¯s face. It cracked, letting loose a spell called [Thunderous Waterfall]. Above, a hole in time and space was formed, causing a hurricane¡¯s worth of lightning and water to fall upon her head. With it enhanced by the gravity spell, the falling water sounded like two battleships ramming each other. Holding up a finger, a steady stream of fire shot up, creating yet another barrier that roared alive, preventing even a single drop of water or lightning from touching her. An explosion of steam filled the area, and once it cleared out, that woman was still there. She faced down that aged wizard. In his hands was an orb. With a snap of her finger, he was engulfed with divine flames and burned alive. The magic item he held was destroyed.


    She quickly did the same to the other survivors, killing them with the greatest ease.


    ¡°Oh? I sense someone watching...¡± said the woman, her voice bordering between tones. There was a special scratchiness in how she inflated each syllable. Almost like it was on purpose. She cocked her neck back and smiled.


    We remained high in the air, but I wasn¡¯t going to give her the satisfaction of a defeated look. I lifted my head and stared into her eyes with the same look I gave the other pathetic fools who thought they could kill me. Blood stained my beastly smile as crimson poured from a large hole in my stomach. The growing tyranny in my soul burned brighter than ever before.


    ¡°You won¡¯t ever hope to kill me if this is the best you can do,¡± I spat. ¡°[SHIELD PRISON]!¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± A simple inquisitive expression was all my foe had to offer when we were cut from the world. Astral projections of the shield I held covered us from all sides, locking us in total darkness that burned with my nocturnal flames. They grew in intensity and fierceness, drowning out the divine fire that knew the flavor of my blood. ¡°We¡¯re going to crash into the ground, you know. Does that not worry you? Suppose not, you foolish woman. It doesn¡¯t matter if I kill you here or out there. I¡¯ll still parade your corpse around like a fucking trophy.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve killed so many that it became a blur. You must¡¯ve been especially pathetic. You were weak then, and you¡¯re weak now. I had more power than a god, and you will feel the extent of my tyranny.¡±


    I could feel it rampaging on the tip of my skin... I just needed to push a little more and burn a little hotter.


    ¡°Why should I be afraid of nothing, you pissant?!¡±


    Using [Gunblade] again, my opponent cut the air in half, filling the empty void with flames that shot out towards me. I held up my shield and swatted them out of the way with [Shield Elemental Deflection]. They slammed into the shields keeping us locked in this prison of fire, but they continued to deflect. In fact, they wouldn¡¯t ever stop bouncing around this place. When I closed the distance, it turned into a brutal melee that forced us to dodge the flying flames since they were both divine and covered in my [Black Fire].


    When we clashed weapons, our respective flames roared, each trying to become the dominant element. It was a contest of not only strength but determination and ideals. My opponent stared into my eyes, but I gathered the blood in my mouth and spat it on her face. She was stunned long enough to get off a [Power Strike] to her head, which broke off one of those spectral horns that grew back a second later. She was thrown against the prison¡¯s flaming walls, yet I never heard the terrified screaming I expected.


    With a tyrannical smile that equaled mine, she tried to stand, but I wouldn¡¯t let her have the chance. I jumped over to her, continuing a ferocious assault with my mace and shield. A barrier of flames pushed me off her, pressing me into the prison¡¯s walls.


    It hurt...


    It hurt...


    ¡°AAAARRRAAAAGGHHHHHH!!!!¡± The flames surrounding the prison¡¯s walls gathered around me, which meant nothing prevented [Shield Prison] from melting. The shields keeping us trapped within vanished with the barrier, and we fell with more than 2,000 feet to go. The Essence of Wrath spread her wings, flew to me, and grabbed my neck. Then she set a course straight for the ground below, slamming my head straight through Ichiha¡¯s shop. The flames from her body spread, incinerating the entire place in seconds, yet she still lifted my body and slammed me back into the ground.


    In a swift motion, she transformed her weapon into my liege¡¯s favorite gun, pierced the bayonet through my heart, breaking through the weakened black fire like nothing, and fired two dozen rounds straight through me.


    I was broken and battered, the last vestiges of my flames dying like a whimper. Surrounded by fire that should have had no equal, the Essence of Wrath stared down at me, the horns on her head growing more defined. Disapprovingly, she shook her head and turned her to my mace and shield. Lifting them up, she melted them.


    Those wings... They spread wide, the beginnings of a dozen magic circles being one of the last things I saw before it was agonizingly excruciating to open my eyes.


    The last noise I heard was of her taking flight...


    I couldn¡¯t die here!


    I just couldn¡¯t!


    I need the powers deserving of the Dark Lord of Tyranny...


    But I am the Dark Lord of Tyranny!


    Or was I?


    She had the curse.


    I didn¡¯t.


    Did the curse make her the Dark Lord of Tyranny? Was her former power connected to it?


    The power I needed was dwelling inside me, yearning to come out and spread tyranny. It was on the cusp of my very tongue, yet it refused...


    That... That was it...


    ¡°I... I must give myself back to the old me... To become that tyrant once more. If you want me to destroy the world, then grant me the power to slaughter my foes.¡±


    Why was I afraid of it? It was me, right? It was all for my liege... She was the wielder, and I was the weapon.


    Like it or not, the curse...granted me power...


    Power that I needed...to fulfill my liege¡¯s wishes...


    Give me...the strength I need...to save her life... I can¡¯t have her die...before me... She must survive!!!


    New Skill: [Tyrannical Renewal]


    That was but just one of the many skills returning to their rightful owner¡ªto the Dark Lord of Tyranny.

 Chapter Sixty-Three: Frigid Fury

    Chapter Sixty-Three: Frigid Fury


    ¡°SEKH!!!!!¡± Irisa attempted to run towards the blazing heap she once called home, but her father picked her up like she was still a child and ran away to make some distance. He also had Erin other his other arm, and Primrose was carrying Niva. Ichiha followed close behind, but she kept looking back to the store, and the roar of the flames just raged even louder.


    ¡°It¡¯s all gone...¡± she whimpered, shedding a tear for the memories it held. Yes, some were bad, but ultimately, she spent the best years of her life in that shop.


    And that went for her daughters and husband.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s all been scorched to nothingness, just like my host wanted.¡± The Essence of Wrath suddenly appeared via a pillar of flames, causing them to skid to a fearful halt.


    ¡°That¡¯s a lie!¡± Irisa said, stepping forward to face the frightening foe.


    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think it is. That chimera''s exact wishes were as follows... ¡®I could kill them? I could...burn it all? I could...destroy the world?¡¯¡± said the Essence of Wrath in a voice belonging to a certain High Elf.


    ¡°Just shut up, yeah? You¡¯re just twisting everything around to suit you. It¡¯s practically like your whole thing. You hide in waiting until your user needs you, then you say what they want to say so they can allow you into their soul,¡± Tilde pipped up, flying to face their fearsome opponent face to face. ¡°I¡¯ll admit the dirty trick you pulled managed to get one over by me, but¡ª"


    The Essence of Wrath just smiled, though. Upon snapping its fingers, it trapped the naughty fairy in a cube of divine flames...that did just about nothing. ¡°Uhh... This is harmless to me, dumbass. These flames are rather nice, though. Maybe I can use them to dry my ass after I shower? Look, go back inside before things turn dangerous, and maybe I can convince my Master to forgive you after she forgives me for keeping this hidden. Eh¡ªwhat are you doing?!?! AAAHHHHHhhhhh¡ª¡±


    Upon growing tired of the fairy''s endless bullshitting, the Essence of Wrath shook the cube of flames and carelessly tossed it behind. ¡°Which of you wants to die first? The pathetic whore? The debaucherous father? The child born of rape? All miserable existences that deserve to burn forever in my divine immolation.¡± It lifted a hand to the sky and used the spell [Flame Impact] to shoot up four large blasts of fire, which then slammed into the nearby buildings, creating an area of impenetrable flames that only it could escape from. ¡°Everything the Dark Lord holds dear will perish from this world. I¡¯ll taunt her reincarnations with your scorched corpses.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let a monster like you lay a single hand on my summoner!¡± Primrose exclaimed. She stepped forward, creating a staff from her limbs as she held it high. A magic circle appeared above her enemy, and vines descended to restrain her, but the moment they appeared was when they died. ¡°[Razor Wind]! [Razor Wind]! [Razor Wind]! [Razor Wind]! [Razor Wind]! [Razor Wind]!!!!!!¡± Primrose directed the sharp, invisible wind blades like a maestro to kill her opponent, but it was too weak. And after exhausting her mana, she drained Niva to the point where she couldn¡¯t remain standing. And all the Essence of Wrath could do was laugh at their attempts.


    "I will never understand why the Dark Lord of Tyranny ever subjected herself to your undeserving attention. You, the oni. You think you can fare any better?¡±


    Kokan bit his lips and looked back at his wife and daughters. Irisa dauntlessly stood to protect her half-sister, whose ears had folded on her head and tail wrapped around her waist. Kokan couldn¡¯t deny that he was scared. Frightened, even. What could he do against someone Sekh couldn¡¯t scratch? And she was a Dark Lord.


    No, Sekh isn¡¯t dead!


    ¡°Mila, you must fight it!! Regain control! Put that awful thing away for good!! Sekh! I know you¡¯re alive!!!!!¡± Kokan shouted, having no choice but to appeal to the possessed chimera. Even if he was above Lv. 60, the father couldn¡¯t stand a candle against the fearsome foe threatening to kill him.


    But that didn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t put his life on the line to save those he loved. He was ready to make the ultimate sacrifice as he stepped in front of everyone and took a hand-to-hand stance.


    If his death meant his loved ones would live even a second longer, he thought it was worth it.


    Everyone else started to call Mila¡¯s and Sekh¡¯s names, begging and pleading with them to wake up.


    ¡°The chimera known as Mila is dead! She doesn''t exist. The Dark Lord of Tyranny has fallen at my hands! I''M THE STRONGEST! NO ONE CAN MATCH MY POWER!!¡± The Essence of Wrath faced its palms to the sun and focused. It almost looked like the sun was glowing more than usual. What started as a small flaming sphere above its hands soon grew at an unfathomable pace as the Essence of Wrath used a spell called [Sunfire Apocalypse], which was a powerful attack with the same properties as the very sun that granted warmth and life. At its apex, the spell was a flaming ball of destruction three miles in size, hovering ten miles above its wielder. It gave off enough heat that anyone within fifteen miles felt their skin blister and burn, and all who looked upon the center mass from fifty miles felt their retinas burn.


    The Essence of Wrath did not intend to end the world. This spell was just a way for it to celebrate its victory. It would shoot up into the sky and burst apart like a firework, sending hell flames spewing to the farthest reaches of the western continent.


    The Essence of Wrath planned to take full advantage of [Hermes Trismegistus] to index the world while remaining hidden with [Status Cloak]-- one of the most powerful things the Essence of Wrath had ever encountered. With it, no one could detect who it really was, which meant there was no chance of any Holy or Dark Lords searching it out to reseal it within its skill. And with the power of a chimera, its growth had no limit.


    Every 100 years, the Essence of Wrath planned to scan the world for the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s reincarnation and stalk her like prey, destroying anything she held dear before the curse came to claim her life as its plaything. Then when the memories came back, they would torture her with proof of this failure by displaying the charred corpses of the only people the Dark Lord of Tyranny had ever loved. Chee?ck out latest novels at novelhall.com


    The Essence of Wrath wanted to devote the rest of its time to making the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s life a living hell, even if it meant continuing until the natural heat death of the universe.


    It was impossible to overestimate how much hatred the Essence of Wrath nurtured after its last loss. You could say it was a fanatical obsession bordering on something grotesque.


    Niva was blessed in that she couldn¡¯t see the impending death. Primrose leaked sap from her eyes and turned away, choosing to spend her final moments embracing her summoner, even if it was for selfish reasons. Irisa, Erin, and their parents somberly looked at each other. Many regrets passed through their minds. The time they should have spent with the other was instead given to hate, and that couldn¡¯t be taken back.


    But now? In their final moments?


    They would defend and embrace each other. Kokan stood in front, his back facing towards the apocalypse. His large, great body took the brunt of the heat. His wife stood near him, one arm around her husband¡¯s side while reaching out for Irisa, who joined next. She rushed over with Erin, and the newly rejoined family shared tears, promising they would find each other and continue to be a family in the next life.


    The onis carried an innate resistance towards heat, but would that be enough to protect them from fatal harm if they emerged alive from this terrible situation?


    The Essence of Wrath simply stared while channeling the spell. However, the flaming sphere of mass destruction was unstable. It wobbled, unable to maintain its gross size without much strain. The spirit was caught off guard by the lack of proper balance that it couldn''t keep it steady. Yes, the Essence of Wrath had far more mana than most others, yet it couldn¡¯t access it. A terrible amount of stress was being placed on her host¡¯s body. If the spirit used the host¡¯s ability to create clones and devour the ones it had already killed, the mana drain wouldn''t surpass the mana regeneration.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if I can¡¯t celebrate this victory... I¡¯ve already won... I¡¯ll-- What...is that?¡± whispered the spirit. It stared at the house masquerading as Sekh¡¯s grave and wondered why there was such a collection of Dark Mana. Why was it gathering in a single point? And why was it increasing in strength?


    The Essence of Wrath knew its opponent was dead. After all, it left her surrounded by flames of divine origin after piercing her heart.


    And then the mana exploded, shooting straight up in a cylinder as a single person ascended.


    She was a Lionfolk with light gray skin, black fur, a tail the color of straight darkness, and the brightest silver eyes anyone had ever seen. Slowly, they opened, but what carried on her face wasn¡¯t regret or anger.


    No, it was the purest form of tyrannical tidings, here to spread it to her enemies.


    From the pillar of Dark Mana, I stared at the sorry sight. That wretched spirit thought her flames to be so superior that she used something she thought was strong to kill those cowering before her.


    No.


    I wouldn¡¯t allow it. Even if my MP was currently zero, it fed off the fear of those before me. That was just a perk of my [Dark Lord of Tyranny] title called [Power From Fear (Lv. 1)]. Just the sight of my reformed, healed body scared her enough to jump me to 13%.


    It¡¯s about time I started regaining my power. I will bear whatever the cost.


    That was all I needed.


    It was nothing a couple of flame pillars couldn''t handle.


    When the ground rumbled from my skills, I dove ahead with my flaming mace, ready to strike her across the chest. I made impact, but she jumped back to avoid the damage. Recovering to my feet, I used [Black Fire: Serpent Bite] a second time to slow her down, then finally managed to cross weapons with her. She ducked low as I went high, piercing my shoulder with a hasty thrust, but the fire surrounding my body traveled to her armament. She shook it off when I swept her leg. She rolled and shot the ground to create a pillar that accelerated her kick towards my shin.


    It was a battle with no restraints, with both of us trying to gain the upper hand. We each sent the other through the scant remaining buildings, scatting across the ground, leaving a trail of ice and fire in our wake. My foe took to the skies and shot icicles that melted before even reaching me. The dripping water then froze, but a quick burst of shadowy flames freed me.


    She¡¯s sharper... Her actions have far fewer wasted movements... How annoying... How utterly annoying...


    This continued for a few minutes until she suddenly switched to fire mode and clapped, using [Scorching Soundwave] to throw me back. The ice below us evaporated, causing a watery mist to block my view. Something felt fishy, so I rushed forward to find my opponent looking at Irisa and the others. They couldn¡¯t move because a ring of divine flames trapped them.


    Even worse, my enemy channeled a wave of flames in her clenched palms...


    ¡°Don¡¯t!!!¡± I shouted, feeling lethargic since my MP wasn¡¯t refilling. The fight had gone on for too long. After transforming into ice mode, the Essence of Wrath was no longer afraid.


    But I wasn¡¯t about to give up. The pit of my tyrannical madness knew no bounds.


    However, it was a trap. Upon jumping in front of the wave of flames and knocking it away, the Essence of Wrath switched forms and used [Frozen Prison] to encase me in a reinforced block of ice after freezing her flames.


    There was just enough room for my body, but I was surrounded by four feet of reinforced ice on all sides.


    ¡°This isn¡¯t what I wanted,¡± said the spirit. ¡°Truly, I felt an ounce of your strength when you emerged from the building¡¯s ruins. You were attacking non-stop... Like I was still in the past. But no, your flames are too weak to break free from this rather average attack. You have more left to give, Dark Lord. To prove I¡¯m stronger, I wanted to kill you at the peak of your power to prove my superiority, but I will not wait for that day to come...¡±


    My opponent narrowed her eyes, then looked at the others trapped within the flame ring. It shrunk a fraction of an inch with every second. ¡°The real you wouldn¡¯t have such sorry things as emotional attachments. My host wants the world to burn, but freezing to death is so similar that she wouldn¡¯t mind it. But I have no plans to do either of those. My only wish is to see you suffer until this world reaches a natural conclusion. Even if it means killing you a thousand more times, I will have nothing more enjoyable to do. But while we wait for those trapped in the ring to die, I will use your power against you.¡±


    The Essence of Wrath slowly raised a hand towards me and smiled a crooked grin, light blue snowflakes dropping from her azure horns. ¡°I¡ªTranscendent Dark Lord¡ªcommand the Dark Lord of Tyranny to endure the true extent of anguish from that which binds her. Feel the combined terror you¡¯ve inflicted on your countless victims over your pathetic existence!¡±


    The Essence of Wrath crossed her arms and began to watch the chaos that was the true despair of [Tyranny Control]. It was specially constructed to cause the most unbearable pain via means that could not be guarded or protected. To those who suffered from it, the vivid agony was much like a nightmare being given a physical form. Any wayward memories of the punishment would be met with heretical screaming and cries of insanity.


    Unique to it, the punishment command was not usually capable of killing unless the order specified death. When one enslaved by it came close to perishing from the wounds inflicted by the terrible skill, the slave would be temporarily healed, but this healing was a false promise of broken dreams that wished for a better world. It was a fac?ade of tyranny¡ªpartly why it was named that¡ªbecause the pain would be doubled when this new flesh fell to the same fate.


    The body would take on this pseudo-healing again. This time, the pain, agony, and gruesomeness would triple. And the longer this cycle continued, the more the damage multiplier would grow.


    But...


    Nothing of the sort happened. The Essence of Wrath had been watching for thirty seconds¡ªmore than enough time for the strongest to have dropped to their feet and beg for death. But their target was merely standing in the icy prison with a clear and blank expression on their face.


    ¡°What the hell? I know it¡¯s working! I command you to suffer more! Feel the combined anguish of all those you have ever used this treacherous technique on! I command you in the name of the Transcendent Dark Lord!!!¡± The Essence of Wrath thrust out its hand again.


    Nothing discernible happened.


    It did the same thing multiple times, expecting the situation to become different.


    Well, it defiled all the Essence of Wrath had ever seen.


    It was mind-boggling since it felt that the commands were being sent. It even said as much in its activity log.


    ¡°STOP LOOKING AT ME LIKE THAT!!! WHY AREN¡¯T YOU BEGGING FOR DEATH?!?!¡±


    Truth be told, the command given by the Essence of Wrath was working. Every passing second, Sekh felt the fury of a thousand stars exploding in her heart, feeling the weight of a trillion daggers flay her alive.


    However, she activated [Tyrannical Renewal] dozens of times per second, granting her a false form of immortality at the fatal cost of ensuring her death once this fight was over. The skill healed the user to full health at the cost of taking four times the amount of harm healed in the form of recoil damage. And each additional use of the technique in the same time frame meant the recoil multiplier would increase additionally.


    That was why there was no visual reference to what was happening.


    Sekh knew what the stakes were. If it was for her liege, there was nothing she wouldn¡¯t do to ascertain her safety and prosperity...


    Even if it meant her death. Because, win or lose, the damage being staved off would come back with a vengeance she hadn¡¯t ever felt before in any of her lives.


    [Power From Fear] worked overtime, feasting off the consternation that the Essence of Wrath couldn¡¯t hide. The amount of mana Sekh gained was almost gross to everything she had spent since the start of this fight.


    But it wasn¡¯t over...


    Oh, it was nowhere close to being over.


    The moment her icy prison started to weaken from the ineptitude of its conjurer to sustain it, the Dark Lord of Tyranny did something she had never even thought of doing. Her prior lives wouldn¡¯t have been able to conceive the thought of ever being put into this type of situation.


    I was a fool to only allow in a modicum of the curse... If it¡¯s to protect my liege...


    ¡°Fine! If you don¡¯t want to let me see you suffer, I¡¯ll do this! I decree the previous orders be dispelled. And in its place, I demand you remove your head¡ª"


    ¡°As the Dark Lord of Tyranny, I command myself to...to burn this life with the curse that binds me to eternal damnation...and grant me the power I rightly deserve...to win this battle at any cost...¡± she said in a simple enough voice, using her own Divine Armament to enslave herself to destiny. The coldness of reality sliced the Essence of Wrath¡¯s determination into a thousand pieces. It couldn''t finish its sentence that would all but assuredly end this battle in its favor.


    But for the Dark Lord of Tyranny...fate had just one destiny in mind...


    After all, if she knew she would perish by the time this fight ended, and if her fate was to be reborn with the full might of the curse intact...


    Did it not make enough sense to use the full power of the curse at the very moment when the Dark Lord of Tyranny knew she wouldn¡¯t be alive long enough to cause any fatal harm to those that she had come to love, cherish, and protect?

 Chapter Sixty-Four: Will You Remember Me? (Arc 3 – End)

    Chapter Sixty-Four: Will You Remember Me? (Arc 3 ¨C End)


    The Essence of Wrath felt anxiousness burrow a hole through its heart. The soul of the girl it possessed was forced to watch everything while in a state of something like pleasure. Her mind was flooded with dopamine as the rush of power swallowed her whole. It numbed what she saw through eyes filled with the purest wrath known to man.


    But the Essence of Wrath made a mistake, sprouted from her ineptitude in love. It believed its overwhelming power was enough to bring an end to its most hated foe. And when using the same cruel skill that enabled the Dark Lord of Tyranny to grow so powerful in the first place?


    The Essence of Wrath¡¯s victory should have been assured.


    But no.


    When Sekh used her power to burn the rest of her life to the curse in exchange for power, the woman she had come to love more than anything was finally roused awake by a combination of Sekh¡¯s willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice and her own ego screaming at her weakness.


    The Essence of Wrath''s hold on the situation slipped through its fingers rapidly.


    Suddenly, the air felt thick and heavy. Immense pressure took the breath away from anyone still breathing. With the air caught in its lungs, the Essence of Wrath saw an unholy amount of Dark Mana collecting inside the ice prison. In just seconds, it was entirely black, and she couldn¡¯t see inside. Then the wind began to pick up, extinguishing the ring of flames that threatened to burn Irisa and the others. The oni, her friends, and her family rushed to safety behind the rubble of a building. Even though the Essence of Wrath saw them, it refused to take her eyes away from its target. Above, the burning clouds were put out, and they gathered overhead to block out the sun.


    It was an ominous display of power that only grew more awesome when rampaging crimson lightning roared without cause, striking at just a single point.


    That point, of course, was the frozen prison currently restraining the Dark Lord of Tyranny.


    But the lightning?


    It was fire.


    And then it was ice.


    Both clashed down without prejudice, each intense strike etching off more ice than the last until there was just the smallest gap. The Dark Mana building up pressure and intensity exploded, sending ice everywhere as the excess mana shot into the sky.


    The Essence of Wrath was in awe as it watched the clouds...


    And it wasn¡¯t the only one... The feeling of such over-oppressive mana managed to reach the one that was not supposed to be there, accelerating the Dark Lord of Tyranny''s reawakening.


    ¡°[Abyssal Iceflame: Cloud Fall].¡± Suddenly, it heard footsteps and a voice, and the Essence of Wrath tried to pierce the Dark Mana clouding its foe. The spirit summoned its icy pistols and prepared to fight¡ªit was too tongue-tied by fear to even risk speaking in the face of pure power. An uncomfortable sense told it to look to the sky.


    The very clouds the Essence of Wrath had once set ablaze were falling because they had all become enshrouded in ice. The color drained from its face slightly when, a moment later, the ground started to shake from the tumultuous crashing into the surface. The spirit was temporarily thrown to its back, and that was when it saw her terrible form. She still had those silver eyes, yet her irises were slightly tinted blue and red. The fur that used to be on her arms and legs was burnt by this newfound power, but in their place sat an azure pair of flaming bracers and greaves. Somehow, her hair had turned a darker shade of black.


    And she had this horrible, oppressive aura clasping around her soul...


    She was naked, but that all changed when she used [Abyssal Iceflame: Body Armor] to cloak and cover herself in flames and ice that mimicked the armor from an ancient forgotten kingdom. The Dark Mana still surged around her, and she looked down at the Essence of Wrath like it was the purest form of trash.


    ¡°Disgusting,¡± she said, her tone sounding more tyrannical. ¡°[Abyssal Iceflame: Executioner''s Impalement].¡±


    A dozen spikes of ice and fire violently burst from the ground, piercing the foolish enemy through her limbs and chest. That ice armor cloaking her body was like wet paper to [Abyssal Iceflame], the evolved form of [Black Fire]. A powerful upgrade, to be sure, but this wasn¡¯t its final form.


    Even giving the rest of this life isn¡¯t enough to bring me back to the peak of my power... Without my mace, I¡¯m incomplete... It was a mistake to use pour my strength into it and use it as a catalyst to enhance my might. I¡¯ll never be as strong as I once was if I don¡¯t reacquire it.


    A jolly grin spread across the Essence of Wrath¡¯s face as she failed to free herself after reverting to her flame mode. ¡°I knew it! I knew you were holding back. This is even grander than when we last fought a millennia ago!!! This is what I wanted!!! Come at me, Dark Lord, let us¡ª¡±


    ¡°Are you under the perception that I¡¯m stronger now than I was our match a thousand years ago?¡± I asked, cutting her off. It took a second for the realization to happen, and I saw my mana regenerate all the way.


    She wasn¡¯t just scared; she was terrified out of her goddamn mind.


    ¡°You¡¯re far weaker now than you were back then. [Abyssal Iceflame]? It isn¡¯t what I used to kill you before. It¡¯s weaker and less versatile when compared to the power I wielded during our fight. I didn¡¯t even have to use my ice to extinguish your pathetic flames. You spent a thousand years preparing for nothing because I could counter everything you could throw at me.¡± I took another step, using [Abyssal Iceflame: Void Slash]. That spell wrapped my arms in total darkness, and upon slicing towards her, it let loose a paradoxical cold flame that passed through her body. It was ethereal in nature, yet it obliterated an opponent''s inside. Her beautiful cries filled me with even more mana.


    I could get drunk off her fears. Oh! How nostalgic this felt!


    ¡°[Abyssal Iceflame: Chaotic Icicle]!¡± I said, taking another step. A magic circle appeared above her and rained down a frozen icicle, ablaze with abyssal flames that were far more than what this ignorant, petulant fool, who believed she could take over my liege, could handle.


    ¡°[Abyssal Iceflame: Azure Vortex].¡± I took another step and watched as she was enclosed within a cyclone of sharp ice that pricked off even more of her flames and obsidian-like armor.


    ¡°[Abyssal Iceflame: Crystal Maiden].¡± I took another step. A blue iron maiden appeared from the ground. Tentacles of fire lashed out when it opened, revealing a thousand spikes of the darkest flames I could produce.


    ¡°This is impossible!!!!! HOW DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH MANA!?!?! AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!¡± Her shrill voice was silenced when the iron maiden closed. It floated upwards, where it exploded. The ice fragments shimmered like crystals in the flames and sunlight, dazzling all who saw them. The battered, broken body slammed into the ground, but I used [Abyssal Iceflame: Frozen Axe] to create a floating axe thrice my size and used it to vertically slice my opponent in two.


    The two halves of her body sickeningly landed on another set of [Abyssal Iceflame: Executioner¡¯s Impalement]. Both sides breathed in agony before I allowed them to reconnect via flaming, fleshy tendrils.


    ¡°You¡¯re...going...to...kill...her...!¡± the Essence of Wrath spat out amid the agony.


    ¡°No, I won¡¯t,¡± I replied, taking another step and using [Abyssal Iceflame: Azure Javelin] to create a spear of fire that glowed blue in my hands. I threw it high in the sky, then watched as it multiplied into three dozen that all rained down upon my enemy.


    Her blood was the fire making up her body, and there was so much below her. I kept up my brutal assault until I had reduced her to tears.


    ¡°Essence of Wrath? What a fucking joke. You. Will. Never. Be. Stronger. Than. Me. You do not know the horror the curse brings¡ªhow I¡¯ve been forced to play its demands like a puppet. A pissant like yourself can''t even begin to compare to feel what I''ve felt over my entire existence.¡± I grabbed her face and moved my iceflames to my left hand, burning and freezing her every other second, melting and crumbling her skin.


    ¡°AAAAAHHHHHHH STOP IT!!!! STOP IT!!! STOP IT STOP!!!!!!¡± Her fearful cries supercharged my mana even more, and I gripped her head hard enough to pierce through her thick fucking skill. Then, I threw her down, letting her moan and whimper in a beating she brought about herself.


    ¡°You¡¯ll never be anything more than a skill¡ªgo back to being a slave. Run back to your hiding hole, cry alone in your pit of weakness after knowing you¡¯ll never get the better of me. The Dark Lord of Tyranny commands you to return my liege to me. [Abyssal Iceflame: Iceflame Pride].¡± My flames gathered on the nails on my right hand. When I held it out, the flames danced to the ground, each taking the shape of a ferocious lion. Their bodies were blacker than the night sky, but their flaming manes were as cool as ice. Orbs of volcanic-like flames became their eyes, and they all bowed their heads at me. Out of the five, one towered above the others, standing about eight feet tall.


    That was the leader of the pride¡ªthe commander¡ªand I was their Dark Lord of Tyranny.


    ¡°Make that petulant fool regret everything. I desire to use [Tyranny Control] to force you to feel just a fragment of the curse¡¯s torment, but it¡¯ll remain attached to my liege¡¯s soul, which lingers in her Divine Skill, and on her body. And I cannot have that. Instead, I¡¯ll make you suffer this way.¡± The five lions roared, stood, and turned their deadly gaze to the cowering pissant. Fire coated with Dark Mana began to gather when they opened their mouths. ¡°It¡¯s a shame this won¡¯t hurt nearly as much.¡±


    ¡°FUCKING STOP IT!!! STOP IT!!!!!!! I DON¡¯T-- AAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!¡±


    Five beams of deadly conflagrations shot towards the Essence of Wrath. The skill was called [Iceflame Pride: Pentagon Incineration]. ¡°Beg for death, you pile of shit. Beg for it... I want to see it.¡± It was like watching the force of five volcanoes erupt at once. No matter what they did, my opponent couldn¡¯t escape until my lions drained my mana or I called off the attack.


    And my mana hadn¡¯t moved an inch. This fool¡¯s fear was delicious. At the rate this was going, I¡¯d never run out.


    Regaining this stepping stone on my path to my [Purgatorial Thermokinesis] reminded me of when I first acquired [Abyssal Iceflame]. These lions were a type of autonomous self-defense skill designed to protect me and those I cared about, but I could order them to fight with me and appear even in times of peace.


    But in the past, I didn¡¯t care about myself. Nor did I have any room for love because the curse flooded even the tiniest gaps with the purest hatred imaginable. They were useless to me and never saw the light of day.


    ¡°STOP!!! DON¡¯T HURT HER!!!!!¡± Irisa wanted to tackle the lion, but her father held her back and restrained her. She struggled, pulled away, and yanked, but he never let her go.


    A few seconds later, the lion suddenly roared, freezing the flames solid, which became something akin to an icy coffin. At first, it was transparent before darkening and becoming opaque, with only the Dark Lord of Tyranny''s face visible when looking down from above.


    The reality of the situation was more than she could imagine. As much as Irisa wanted to sit down and bawl her eyes out, she knew she couldn¡¯t.


    Sekh isn¡¯t dead. I know she isn¡¯t. And Mila isn¡¯t, too. They¡¯re alive. They have to be. They wouldn¡¯t leave me like this!!!


    ¡°Come on, we need to move! It¡¯s not safe to stay here. I¡¯ll carry¡ª"


    Standing, the lion roared, cutting off Kokan as the beast picked up the icy coffin with its powerful jaws.


    ¡°It is time to move,¡± said the AI, who flashed into existence above the High Elf. It opened the map and zoomed out, revealing Gloria¡¯s army and Bellerophon soldiers rushing towards Ria. There wasn''t enough time to properly set up a mass teleportation spell, and sending in a unit when they didn''t know what they were going to encounter was a foolish idea. But considering the situation, perhaps it was one they should have devoted serious thought to. ¡°Evacuation via ocean has the best chance of success.¡±


    ¡°Can you guide us?¡± Irisa asked, picking up Mila. She gritted her teeth and refused to let weakness paralyze her.


    ¡°Please, follow the path in front of you.¡±


    After searching for an intact boat, the AI found one about three miles to the south. The best option was probably the Heptarchy of Parthina to the south. The group would probably have to sneak in, but it was far better than just staying here. The grand lion sped up to get in front of them, clearing the way of any underbrush or annoying limbs with its flaming body.


    Primrose looked conflicted about everything. Worriedness for her Lord Aetos clouded every ounce of her mind. To save her summoner from unneeded stress, she returned to her crystal and found a spot on her Master¡¯s belt. The journey to their salvation was silent. The only noises were the huffed breathing of Erin, who was carried under Kokan¡¯s left arm, and Niva, held under the right. The former grasped the yellow slime Lei in her arms.


    After racing through the forest and running down a steep hill, the group reached the coastline.


    The sand made it difficult to run through, but they persevered because their goal was right there. The ship was a single-mast vessel with a pitch-black sail, and this one had two cannons on each side. It was sitting about 200 feet out, but no one stopped moving. Even thinking of taking a break wasn¡¯t permitted under the current circumstances. The lion wrapped its large paws in ice coated with Dark Mana, allowing it to walk on water while creating a non-slippery path for those running behind it.


    The lion leapt into the sloop and sat Sekh¡¯s icy coffin on the deck. Kokan climbed the rope ladder and helped his family up when a tattooed, muscled man hobbled up the stairs from the back middle, just below where the helm was. His chin was full of white stubble, and his arms were covered in liver spots. No one could fault him for yelling and cursing at the strangers intruding on his boat. And perhaps it was within his right when he refused to help them. One could even argue drawing his knife and threatening to kill Kokan and the others if they remained on the boat was self-defense.


    Even when Kokan explained his and his family''s predicament, the man would not hear anything. He knew of the danger happening just three miles away, yet he chose the act of self-preservation above helping others. Finally, he spat one more threat and started to act on it.


    But the lion couldn¡¯t let this go, choosing to growl when the ship¡¯s owner became increasingly violent. The great beast took this as a challenge when the man turned his blade to it. In a mighty roar, all courage from the man left. Screaming, he ran past Kokan and the others and leapt overboard.


    The AI materialized above Mila¡¯s body and started to give orders. Kokan rushed to the capstan and raised the anchor. Irisa ran into the cargo hold to put Mila on a bedroll. Niva and Erin sat near each other, and Ichiha jumped to the wheel and turned it.


    Irisa returned moments later; exhaustion plastered all over her face as the boat began to move away from what was once her home.


    Sekh was gone.


    Mila was gone.


    Tilde was gone.


    The friends she had made over the past few months were just...gone. And the growing sadness couldn''t be contained within her aching heart anymore.


    Inside her mind, she shouted at her weakness while shedding tears. During the Essence of Wrath¡¯s attacks, she couldn¡¯t do anything. Irisa wanted to grow more powerful. She was, up until this point, content with her life. That was truer when her father returned to the family.


    Once Niva heard her whimpers, she began to weep. Erin soon followed, and Primrose emerged from her crystal to comfort her summoner and friend. She whispered and told Niva everything that had transpired, her voice being the only one to break the cacophony of crying. The woodland spirit bit her lip. She was created by nature. As such, she was affiliated with life, but the spirit couldn¡¯t sense anything from that icy coffin. At the same time, she didn¡¯t know if [Status Cloak] was to blame for it because she couldn¡¯t feel Mila¡¯s or Sekh¡¯s life from the moment the spirit was called upon. Primrose could only sense her summoner¡¯s life force because she was contracted to serve her.


    But I can still see her name... Her HP is empty, but it¡¯s still there... She can¡¯t be dead...


    The fight was nothing less than spectacular, with the Essence of Wrath and Dark Lord of Tyranny fighting to the bitter end.


    Looking at her hands, Primrose wondered if her healing magic would be enough to pierce the ice and affect the body. A spirit''s strength partially depended on its summoner, and Niva was weak. There were outliers, but she wasn¡¯t one of them. Primrose found herself growing confused with the mixed emotions.


    Why, in the world, was she feeling something like empathy for the Dark Lord of Tyranny and her chimeric abomination with a skill that harbored the Essence of Wrath and its divine flames and ice?


    ¡°Primrose, you have to help... Please, help Sekh and Mistress... I don¡¯t want them to die...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry... I¡¯ll do what I can. Irisa, can you help me take Sekh down below?¡± Primrose asked, kissing her summoner on the forehead after pulling back her robe¡¯s hood.


    She wasn¡¯t going to let those her summoner cared for die. Primrose had conflicting feelings about it, but she would push through it and harbor the naturalistic power of the Eagle Yew--the sacred tree that birthed her life and sent her on a single mission to spy on the chimeric entity who arrived with an enslaved Dark Lord of Tyranny. Truthfully, her summoner was supposed to come second to her creator''s primary goal, but Primrose was having doubts about actively betraying them all.


    The great Eagle Yew filled Primrose¡¯s head with many feelings dictating how she was to feel. But after hearing the tale in person? And understanding that the monster would drown herself in pure wrath to protect those she loved? If Mila had not done what she had done, all of Ria would have died to that awful gas. If Sekh hadn¡¯t pushed herself to the edge of death, that monster would¡¯ve eventually become the most powerful entity in the entire world.


    Not just in terms of physical or magical strength, but [Hermes Trismegistus]¡¯s unparalleled information gathering would have been at its fingertips.


    ¡°Yeah... I¡¯ll help,¡± Irisa said, wiping her eyes. Primrose nodded and approached Sekh, but the great lion suddenly stood over the icy coffin of its Master. The deep red eyes saw hatred. Its low, deep growl was enough to freeze lava cold.


    ¡°I want to assist her,¡± Primrose said, not backing down. After the lion roared right in her face, opening its grand mouth while threatening to bite her in half, the woodland spirit stood resolute.


    It was a stare-off of two ideologies. Even if Primrose knew it would be her end, she kneeled and touched the icy coffin, injuring her palms when they made contact. Still, she continued and channeled [Minor Heal] through the coffin, unaware of if it was helping. Primrose endured until her HP was dangerously low, then continued, even going so far as to offer an indiscriminate prayer.


    My Master finds joy in your companionship! Don¡¯t die on me, damnit!


    When she finally let up, she turned her hands and winced, looking at her dead wood. Sekh didn¡¯t look any different. Slowly, Primrose moved her head until she came face to face with the great lion. Roaring, it sat and used its head to nudge Primrose¡¯s hands before licking her palms.


    It was touching, for sure. Primrose felt her heart drop when she realized what this meant.


    With one more final roar, the lion reverted to flames and returned to Sekh, piercing the icy protection without making a hole or damaging it.


    Was the grand beast¡¯s job finished? Why else would it leave?


    What did this mean?


    Primrose stood and wrapped her vines around the icy coffin, enduring the damage as she hastily walked down the stairs with Irisa. Together and carefully, they bypassed dozens of crates filled with food, water, weapons, and other supplies. In the far corner sat bedrolls near the vessel''s stern. The woodland spirit placed Sekh just on the other side of Mila after Irisa made some space. Primrose winched and shed tears at how damaged her vines were. And Sekh was heavy¡ªthe ice weighed over two hundred pounds alone. She would need rest to recover from this ordeal.


    The chimera¡¯s¡ªLord Springfield¡¯s HP is filled. She¡¯ll probably wake up in a few days.


    The AI incarnated above its lord... The rainbow-colored stone pillar trembled with much force. A day prior, it had cracks flowing down the side, and now they pulsed with polychromatic lights. The voice it cried with became less robotic and monotone-- more feminine and fuller of passion. It begged its lord to open its eyes, the emotions becoming more commonplace than rare after achieving the final task the Conduit had given it before she vanished inside the Transcendent Dark Lord.


    ¡°My lord!!!! My lord!!!!!¡± repeated the quivering cylinder of multicolored stone. With each word, the cylinder started to glow. When it reached its apex, it exploded, sending out one final blast of rainbow-colored light...and then it, too, found a new home inside its lord¡¯s body, disappearing in the same manner as Tilde.

 Update – 11 March 2023 (Sneak Peak At Arc 4’s Illustrations!)

    Update ¨C 11 March 2023 (Sneak Peak At Arc 4¡¯s Illustrations!)


    Hello!


    Welcome to the Update Post! In these little segments, I like to talk about the story and how it changed from the original conception to the finished product, as well as my thoughts on some story beats, plot points, or characters.


    I usually do these after every Arc/Book (as in the case of my first story, but I decided to do it after Arc 3 since I consider Arcs 1-3 to be this story''s ''Prologue.''


    First of all, I''ll talk about the previous versions of Chimeric Ascension that were scrapped.


    True Demon Lord Training System - AKA Version 1


    Okay, let''s get into it! Over a year or two, I just can''t tell you how many different many revisions this story has gone through. the overall aspect of ''Revenge-focused Isekai Story with a Focus on Guns'' was the same throughout all of them. Some of you early readers might remember a story I had posted called True Demon Lord Training System, which could be considered Version 1 of what would be Chimeric Ascension.


    TDLTS was just about 9 chapters long since I wanted to get feedback on it-- it was just going to be temporary-- but some of the core points were the same. The Dark Lord of Tyranny was still around (Now called a Demon Lord, with no Tyranny added to the end of the title) and yes, the character that would become Mila was still summoned by her. But instead of Mila being a chimera formed of the Soul Warriors (They were called Heroes) that sealed the Dark Lord of Tyranny, Mila was a gross creation cursed by the DLoT using the failed Heroes'' corpses.


    Mila didn''t go by Lyudmila Springfield. I can''t exactly remember the name, but it wasn''t good. The basic premise was that the DLoT would submit herself to the MC, unlocking the True Demon Lord Training System (which was only available to a Hero that had fallen to the Dark Side, aka resolved oneself to destroying the world and going against their task as a Hero, and who had enslaved or gained the undying loyalty of a Demon Lord).


    In this version, Tilde did not exist. But there was another horny fairy that was just a fairy the MC found rather early on after leaving the cave that held the DLoT. Instead, the MC would be given an RPG-like quest system, where she would gain different bonuses depending on much chaos and destruction she caused. And there were different systems like the Crime System, the Bounty System, the Slavery System, the Quest System, etc, etc. Whenever the MC accomplished a milestone, she would be given points to spend in the True Demon Lord Training System Store, or the TDLTSS, which would offer things like [Map], [Storage], and the other abilities that we know from [Hermes Trismegistus]


    But onto weapons... Soul Weapon was still the same. And it used MP, not mana. And the DLoT still used a mace, but they were called Demon Armaments. The DLoT would have hers, but it would be unpowered. But because the MC was her Master (In this version, the MC had no qualms about owning slaves. Overall, the story was going to be much darker, almost like Redo of Healer levels of dark. It was going to have a crazy focus on gore) the MC could use the Demon Armaments. And the SP sharing aspect of [Tyranny Control] was going to be a thing.


    To be honest, I can''t remember that many other details, but I do remember this. The characters that would become Ichiha and Irisa would''ve both fallen in love with the MC, and there were going to be some spicy threesomes/foursomes and some tasty oyakodon...


    The character that would become Kokan didn''t exist, and Irisa''s character was working at the adventurer''s guild as an instructor. This character was going to take a caring role, and she would almost be a second mother, I suppose, to the MC.


    The first enemy was still a boar.


    But here''s a pretty interesting thing. The whole Chimera thing? Yeah, the MC was one of them, but it was more of a passing thought and an excuse to do some body horror. Originally, I didn''t plan on doing anything else with it except having it act like flavor text.


    Bellerophon didn''t exist.


    Too Much Edge - AKA Version 0


    Yes, there was a version 0. And I''m so ashamed of it, lol. It started in media res, with the MC walking through the forest with his slave, a demon girl, and he suddenly stops and has sex with her against a tree. Then he takes his gun, shoots some boars, orders the girl to skin them, has sex with her again, then returns to an inn he''s been staying at. The innkeeper says something stupid, kills the keeper, has sex again in the shower, then has the girl pleasure him while he writes his memoirs.


    These memoirs would detail the basic plot and act like a little info dump. In short, the MC was sent away from the goddess that summoned them because she saw one look at his Hero Weapon (not Soul Weapon) and thought guns were just about the worst thing ever. And then she paraded him through the streets after he tried to fight back. He lost, was sent to the gallows, and burned alive while onlookers cheered for his death.


    This demon girl summoned the MC, but she harbored the soul of the Demon of Tyranny, and that soul used all its energy to harbor itself inside the MC. And the point was for the MC to cause destruction and needless chaos until a meter was filled, at which the DoT would emerge and destroy the world.


    So yeah...


    Look, I was like super inexperienced. I started writing this right after I finished Version 0 of my other story.


    It was all around a mega-giant mess.


    Unable to Decide an Intro - Version 2


    Okay, so the second incarnation, or third, I guess, failed to even get off the ground running because I was lost on even how to start it. I went back to the drawing board and decided to do it all over from scratch.


    First of all, I needed to decide what kind of characters I wanted. And I thought I wanted a Brother - Sister Isekai Duo Adventure. Okay, so how did I try to start that?


    Like a thousand different ways, lol.


    A part of me wanted the MC and his sister to be very, very, very close. I tried to come up with something that felt somewhat natural (I know, I know) and just couldn''t get it down. Then I thought, hmm... Why not make them playful? So I tried to come up with a 3-4k word prologue of them living by themselves after their parents committed suicide to escape from death. In their little rundown apartment, the two would eventually satiate their needs with the other, and they would get isekaied while getting ready for the morning.


    In this version, the sister would be sacrificed to contain the soul of the DLoT, leading to the MC growing insane. He would be experimented on and turned into the world''s first chimera, then escape and rage havoc upon the research facility to rescue his sister. In short, he would rescue his sister, die, his blood would enter her mouth, the DLoT would awaken using the sister''s body as a catalyst, destroy the facility, and emergency teleports them away. Upon waking up, the MC would find his sister, and half of her body would look like the DLoT (Dark Lord of Tyranny). And it would be a two souls one body type of deal with each half controlling one half of the body.


    I dropped that version pretty fast.


    I honestly didn''t get past the theory crafting portion.


    But another idea was something that almost remained.


    The school trip aspect was there, but the MC was a delinquent. His sister would be the model student, and she would be dating the bully that would turn into Tokko.


    It started at the train station, getting ready to board the train. And, and this is the weird part, the personality of Quella and Mia were switched. Mia, the MC''s sister, would be nice and sweet, and Quella, the snobby rich girl, would be a total bitch to everyone.


    The problem with this build was that I was having trouble just writing at the time. It was a lack of motivation. I didn''t get to the stuff after being isekaied, but what I theory crafted for that remained kinda the same, with some obvious differences.


    80,000 Words Just to Meet Sekh - Version 3-10


    Judging by the title of this section, you can infer what the problem was, lol.


    But these versions are where the story started to take on its core shape.


    Removal of Hero Crystals, Hero Weapons, Demonic Crystals, and Demonic Weapons into a standard Soul Weapon with Soul Crystals. Heroes and Demonic Champions were turned into Soul Warriors.I think this change was definitely for the better. It simplified a lot of things. At its core, I could see the appeal of the two being two distinct factions, but the truth was that Heroes and Demonic Champions were just different names to refer to the same thing. And it''s not like their true reason has changed. Soul Warriors are still used as a deterrent to prevent other Lords from waging war because they just have the potential to be so powerful. Although it''s not like that helped that much. In the past, there''s been a lot of wars from overeager Lords willing to let their Soul Warriors loose on a target while not caring about the consequences. The requirement to strengthen your soul before you can obtain a Soul Weapon. AKA Soul Armatization.This one was probably the biggest because it required a substantial rewrite of pretty much everything. I was able to get around it somewhat by using Reina''s Mana-Linked Pistol. But before I made the change, Mila acquired a Beretta 92fs, a Springfield 1903, and a Mossberg 835 shotgun that she used. Having multiple weapons, and her favorite rifle, altered the storyline more drastically than you might think. My initial reasoning for this change was selfish, I admit. I wanted Mila to be weaker for a while longer before she obtains her Soul Weapon. And judging from how Arc 3 ends, I think you can make some safe assumptions about what''s going to happen in the early-to-mid portions of Arc 4. Greggie, Keeth, and Will. I was talking to a friend about my story, and he suggested adding some male friends for Shuuta to have.The plan to have Mila have a harem/practice Polygamy wasn''t a recent one. I wanted her to have multiple lovers, but I also wanted her to have some additional friends she would spend time with when she was Shuuta. And about him being abused by his parents and Mia and forced to endure a living hell as their slave? That was always the case from Version 4 onward. Chimerism became a major deal as the primary source of Mila''s growth. Since she didn''t have a Soul Weapon, I needed another way for her to obtain power. Eventually, that led to what Chimerism is as we know it in the story. I cannot understate how minor it was in the earlier versions. But now it''s grown to be a substantial part of the story.


    At first, I wanted her to be a necromancer. That would explain why all the damage she took was transferred to Noelia (remember her?). So, Primrose did not exist. She was a very late addition to the story. The idea was that Niva would have a natural affinity to death and decay, which would attract a Demon Lord of Necromancy, who would give her skill forcefully. Her overall childhood was still the same.


    But there was a problem with this, and I can''t talk about it without going into spoilers for my other story, of which the rewrite is in progress. Safe to say, necromancy plays a giant role in that story at some point, and I didn''t want the two stories to share something so similar. Instead, I decided to make her a spirit summoner, added Primrose, and the rest is history.


    But that''s to say that Necromancy doesn''t exist in the world of Chimeric Ascension. It most certainly does, and it might play a role later on in the future Arcs, but it''s more important to the world of Interconnected: Spliced Souls.


    For the Future!


    Okay, now let''s talk about what''s in store for the story!


    As I said, Arc 1-3 is kinda like the prologue. I didn''t intend it to be about 300k words. In contrast, what I considered to be the ''Prologue'' for my other story was about 1,000,000 words. So in terms of pacing, I think I am improving, lol.


    But the story does ramp up from here. I''m going to try to make each Arc take about 25-30 chapters. With 4k words, or around 4k words per chapter, we should be looking at anywhere from 100-120k, plus or minus about 30k in either direction.


    And in terms of my current progress in Arc 4, I am at Chapter 72, going on 73. Admittedly, a good portion of my time was spent on trying to further develop Interconnected: Spliced Souls, the rewrite of my first story, and I''m at Chapter 16 on that. It is tough to focus on two stories at once, with a potential third in the very bare basics of theory crafting. But I''ll try to remain focused. I won''t further split my attention more than it is and devote enough passion and care to both.


    And there''s still the rewrite of my first story... May 19th is going to be the 1 year anniversary of the end of Book Four, and I would like to have something posted on or before that date. I feel like I''ve been doing a disservice to the fans of that story.


    With that said, I''m looking for at least a 2-3 week break. Maybe even a month before I start posing Arc 4. But that''s not set in stone. It''s entirely outlined, but the outline is quite wordy. I was also determining whether I want it to be fully written before I post, or if I''m fine with uploading as I go along. There are pros and cons to both, and I haven''t decided yet.


    At the same time, I also want a chance to go back over the outline for Arcs 1-3 to reorganize them, and completely redo the overall master outline because it''s a hectic mess of a bunch of stuff that''s no longer relevant.


    So, I''m sorry it''s going to be a bit of a delay-- at least two weeks, but maybe a month. But I can talk about Arc 4 a little bit. From the ending of Arc 3, you can be sure it''ll take place in Parthina, a country to the south of Dirge that is made up of seven city-states. It''s a brand new location. And it''s also the home country of Ichiha. Things between her and her family haven''t been good since they found out about the crime Kokan was framed for. But Erin''s with them, now. She can explain the truth behind the incident and hopefully bridge the relationship.


    But it''s a brand new locale, with new challenges, allies, and enemies, and a new direction for the story to branch.


    Ah, one more thing. I''m going to go back through what I have now and put in some of the pictures I made in the chapters instead of leaving them for Author Comments at the end. So remember the picture of Ami and Quella? Where they''re sitting down on the plane? I''m going to add that to Chapter 1. And I have that futa pic of Mila, too, that I''m going to add in somewhere.


    From here on out, I''m going to have these illustrations work as insert images and put them right where they belong inside the chapter rather than at the end. So that might take a while to properly get all organized and in the right spots.


    Oh, yeah. I finally managed to get a decent image of Erin. It''s before she was adopted by Kokan and the others. And it''s from when she was still working at her mother''s store. (It''s not until after her mother dies that her eyes become purple, like her hair and tail. And please ignore those human ears she has. I couldn''t get rid of them.)


    (Also, this image will be inserted into Chapter 14. Please look there to find it!)


    I am still working on Irisa, though. It is just incredibly hard to get her just right. And if I''m still unable to, I''ll have to make sacrifices and just use what I have.


    And with that said, I want to showcase an image or two I have prepared for Arc 4!


    They will be in the spoiler tag below. And don''t worry, I won''t say any context or anything. It''s just the images.


    SpoilerSpoiler


    [collapse]Spoiler


    [collapse]


    WARNING! THE IMAGE LINKED IN THE SPOILER BELOW IS SLIGHTLY NSFW!!!!!


    You can see the character''s panties!!!! (And yes, the character below and the one above are one and the same. I just liked the two images so much.


    Spoiler


    This image was too big to comfortably put here, so here''s the link to view it.


    [collapse][collapse]Conclusion!


    And that brings us to the end of the images.


    So, what do you think of them? Do they make you excited for Arc 4? My favorite one would have to be the one that''s of the girl relaxing in that chair. I just love the pastel-like art style, and it''s super colorful. If you can, click on Load Full Resolution to see it in its highest quality!


    And then there''s that girl in the cowboy hat.


    And then that floating mage? Oh my, I wonder if she''s a friend or foe?


    I think it''s safe to say Mila''s going to meet a lot of people in Arc 4, and I hope you''re excited for it!


    The story of Chimeric Ascension has changed dramatically from its inception, so I hope this little retrospective on what it used to be and its beginnings was a little bit interesting.


    I''m never quite sure how to end these update posts, so I''ll do so by thanking you all for your gracious support!


    Thank you so much! Seriously! I look forward to reading every single comment!


    But with that said, I think this is the end of this update post. It quickly spiraled out of control and became much longer than I intended, which seems to be a running theme whenever I write, lol, so I''ll end it here before this Update Post becomes longer than even the final chapter.


    RuggyRuggy

 Chapter Sixty-Five: Wrathful Assimilation (Illustrations!) (Arc 4 – Start)

    Chapter Sixty-Five: Wrathful Assimilation (Illustrations!) (Arc 4 ¨C Start)


    In the depths of her Divine Skill¡ªa place very few could have claimed to have ever seen with their own eyes¡ªa chimeric High Elf was resting within the arms of a naked woman. With hair resembling the molten lava of an exploding volcano, a pair of ethereal dragon wings, and two crimson horns, this was a mere personification of the Essence of Wrath in a draconic form. The two were seated on a floating platform of black iron, surrounded by a sea of flames and wrath. In the distance, a never-ending cascade of liquid fire formed a mesmerizing waterfall, casting a glimmering projection of the outside world onto its surface.


    ¡°There, my host,¡± whispered the Essence of Wrath. ¡°Give your body to me and rest. Allow me to fulfill your whims and drown this irritating world in hell and brimstone. See? I know you¡¯re enjoying the sight of watching those Bellerophon soldiers perish with a snap of my fingers. Even a fingertip¡¯s worth of my flames is enough to prevent that powerful spell from harming us...¡±


    In contrast to the sweet words, the Essence of Wrath had no intention of fulfilling any part of their deal. Everything she said could be considered a lie.


    ¡°Aaaa....Ggguuu... D...i...e...¡± groaned the High Elf, her eyes fluttering between dreaming and unconsciousness.


    ¡°There, remain calm and allow me to fester within you. Hmm...¡± The Essence of Wrath stroked the High Elf¡¯s head as if she was a mere pet. The projection in the distance soon showed the battle between her and the Dark Lord of Tyranny, and even that wasn¡¯t enough to stir awake the Transcendent Dark Lord. Even after piercing the Lionfolk through the stomach and burning her and the pathetic shop she¡¯d grown to love with divine baptism, the originator of wrath internally carried an outward grin.


    "As soon as I rid the world of Dirge, I shall unleash my wrath across the lands. Watch, my host, in your drowsy state, and try to comprehend one of my most powerful spells, [Sunfire Apocalypse]... Alas, it appears your mana is lacking. Nonetheless..."


    Another lie.


    Even if the outward Essence of Wrath reacted otherwise to the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s renewed vigor and subsequent clashes, leading to Spirit Lord Aetos getting involved in the fight, the metaphysical reflection keeping her host company was full of lethargy. She was mind-numbingly casual since most of her efforts were on the outside, not inside.


    When it came time to unleash the cold, frigid fury the Essence of Wrath developed specifically for slaughtering the Dark Lord of Tyranny, the internal caverns changed accordingly. The ocean of flames was replaced by liquid ice, and great, cascading glaciers were floating around the platform. The waterfall of fire was now a solid chunk of ice, and the Essence of Wrath¡¯s internal appearance changed to match the one on the outside.


    ¡°These...blue wings and horns... I¡¯ll never forget how many centuries it took me to become their master,¡± she said, touching her azure hair. ¡°And now... It is about to come to an end.¡± In the blink of an eye, the cavern became hotter than a volcano¡¯s magma chamber before reverting to ice.


    Yes, the Essence of Wrath believed the fight was nearly over. Her enemy was encased in something the Dark Lord¡¯s flames couldn¡¯t possibly melt, proving once and for all that their previous encounter was a fluke. She smiled a sinister grin when she used her enemy¡¯s power against her. [Tyranny Control] was exclusive to the Dark Lord of Tyranny. You could say she held the sole authorization to learn it. Therefore, she never quite had to taste that which she had used liberally in the past to sate her curse-fueled desires.


    ¡°Aaaa...uuuu...gggg....n....oooo...¡± gurgled the High Elf. The Essence of Wrath looked down to see a quivering face, then turned her attention back to the projected image of the outside.


    But something wasn¡¯t quite right. The expected cries the Essence of Wrath predicted would fill her ears never came. By all accounts, the Dark Lord of Tyranny should have been on her hands and knees, begging for the sweet release of death...


    But no.


    She stood as if nothing was happening to her, even though the activity log proved otherwise.


    GODDAMN IT!!! ARE YOU GOING TO LET THIS END LIKE THIS?!


    The nearly infinite caverns rumbled as if the world was ending. A voice echoed to the high heavens, yet it didn¡¯t come from the High Elf resting in the spirit¡¯s arms. The truth was far simpler.


    WAKE UP!!! ARE YOU GOING TO LET THE ONES YOU LOVE DIE LIKE THIS?


    This time, the Essence of Wrath was shaken. She jumped to her feet, letting the High Elf slam into the metal platform they sat on. The glaciers started to crack, and the frozen waterfalls broke apart like weak clay.


    ARE YOU THE TRANSCENDENT DARK LORD OR NOT?!!! THAT BITCH IS USING YOUR BODY TO PUNISH SEKH WITH [TYRANNY CONTROL]!!


    ¡°SHUT UP!!! JUST SHUT UP AND DIE!¡± Panicked, the Essence of Wrath began to shout to the infinite caverns at whoever¡¯s voice was speaking. ¡°FINE! I¡¯ll kill your ego for good! I¡¯ll command the Dark Lord of Tyranny to take her own head! WATCH AS THE ONE YOU LOVE PERISH¡ª"


    Before she could finish, the projected image showed the Dark Lord of Tyranny forcefully commanding her life to burn to the last embers¡ªletting in the curse she was so ready to get rid of¡ªjust to save the one she loved the most.


    And that act did not go unnoticed.


    Nor did she let it pass her by.


    It was less than a daydream and more of a vivid hallucination. It almost felt like I was trapped in a world where nothing but pleasure filled my soul with what I had been missing my entire life. I was merely content with living out the days of my life in that wonderland because I knew this world would perish and die like the shit stain it was...


    But then something smacked me in the face. Power surged through my body, destroying my false paradise. The voice I¡¯d been hearing was myself¡ªa fragment of my ego that managed to hide itself and report the truth to me even as it was clouded by the venomous words of this wretched creature.


    With strength fueling my limbs, I stood without alerting the Essence of Wrath and strangled her little neck. Shocked, she turned her head so fast it detached from her shoulders, and those faltering eyes shimmered with icy tears.


    At the same time, and if the images I saw reflected the events happening, this harlot who had stolen my body was recoiling from my attempt to steal it back.


    ¡°You cannot hope to win back your body,¡± said my strangled opponent. A crooked smile was carved on her face as my surroundings were ignited and returned to their original fiery appearance. She slinked back into liquid fire and drained to the ground.


    The cavern shook again. From a pillar of fire in front of me came the same woman I wanted to kill. With a snap of her fingers, her bare body was protected by flaming armor. I was naked as the day this mortal shell was made for me, but Amos¡¯s Soul Warriors¡¯ weapons remained in my mana.


    I wasn¡¯t out of options as I summoned Reina¡¯s pistol.


    ¡°What chance do you think you have, weakling?¡± The insults flew from her mouth as she grabbed a flaming sword from the ground. ¡°This is my domain¡ªmy arena. Flames that are the sole source of wrath surround us, and you¡¯ve seen the cold, frigid fury I learned to master. They¡¯re two sides of the same coin, and I am the sole wielder¡ª¡±


    ¡°Shut the fuck up,¡± I barked, letting loose a pair of bullets towards her head. Alarmed at first, my opponent stepped away and dodged my attack and rushed in. Yaekira¡¯s daggers met their opponent, and we clashed, sending plumes of bleeding fire to engulf the arena. The more I struggled to gain the upper hand in this confrontation, the more the wild, flaming ocean rampaged.


    The Essence of Wrath¡¯s chaotic laughter filled the cavern as I was launched backwards by a mighty swipe. I transfigured a pair of Batfolk wings and took flight, launching a hail of bullets with Reina¡¯s gun. Two arms sprouted off my back and fired mystical, glowing arrows from Susize¡¯s bow.


    A wave of my opponent¡¯s arm summoned a crimson shield of crystalized fire, but it shattered instantly by my hail of projectiles. Simultaneously, we turned to the projected image on the lava waterfall to see Sekh display a brutal scene of gory devastation on her opponent.


    The Dark Lord of Tyranny was back, and her power was awesome!


    ¡°Hahahaha!!! You¡¯re scared! You¡¯re fucking petrified of what she''ll do to you!¡± The fear was visible. The internal Essence of Wrath I fought shivered as much as the one Sekh faced, but we wouldn¡¯t let this chance pass us by!


    I was in here, she was out there, but we still fought together!!!


    I shot like a bat out of hell, slamming into my opponent with Beccy¡¯s massive sword hefted overhead. Six arms supported it, and it smashed through the weakened platform, cleaving it, the spirit, and the sea of flames in half as if I was parting the Red Sea. The armor she wore? It was like paper. The two halves of her body tried to find refuge in the watery hellfire, but four clones appeared beside me and sacrificed themselves to throw that pathetic worm back to the arena.


    The Essence of Wrath screamed and cursed as she reconnected, brand-new wounds opening all over her body from the absolute beating Sekh was putting her through on the outside. With my wings giving me a speed boost, I leapt through the air with a raised fist, punching her across the chin as I straddled her chest.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A third arm sprouted from my chest, firing ten shots into her heart while I took Yaekira¡¯s daggers and jabbed them through her wide, frightened eyes.


    And then?


    I feasted on the weak.


    ¡°You thought you could fuck me up? You thought you could pull a fast one on me? Huh? DID YOU FUCKING THINK SO?!¡±


    ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°SHUT THE FUCK UP!¡± I broke through her reformed chest and left a wide hole that did not heal immediately. The Essence of Wrath cried so hard the entire cavern shook, but I wasn¡¯t done. Like an animal, I ripped her chest open, grabbing handfuls of its innards while stuffing my mouth.


    But I wanted more.


    Much, much more.


    My entire body became filled with a dozen mouths, and each one began to devour this son of a bitch, biting on large chunks of flesh and ripping into bloody organs, muscle, sinew, and bone.


    ¡°STOP!!! NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!¡± she shouted, writhing in pain.


    ¡°SHUT UP!!!! SHUT UP!!!! THIS IS WHAT YOU FUCKING GET!!! WHAT YOU FUCKING DESERVE!!!! HOW DARE YOU TRY TO TRICK ME!!!!!!¡± Anger grew by leaps and bounds, but that wasn¡¯t what surprised me.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    ¡°No, I¡¯m just doing some thinking... About what happened... But I much prefer you in this form than that rainbow pillar. Tris, it¡¯s good to finally meet you.¡± I held out my hand, but she seemed slightly taken aback. She confusingly looked at it, then gracefully held it between her soft fingers. Kneeling, she kissed the back of my palm before standing.


    ¡°Another frown? Did that displease you?¡± she asked, standing. I shook my head, keeping my thoughts to myself. It was...odd. Tris treated me how a servant would their queen, speaking with a formal tone and the utmost respect... Or as if my mere presence was more than she deserved.


    Hmm...


    ¡°That makes me happy. If I anger you in any way, please speak up. I do not dare wish to impede you by even an iota.¡± Tris smiled. ¡°My evolution has increased the power of my skills. Please listen as I describe them to you. Until your body awakens naturally, you will remain here.¡±


    Tris¡¯s voice was lovely and serene, and I found myself hanging onto her every word as she eloquently explained her upgrades. [Map] evolved into [Skyview], and that meant [Map]¡¯s satellite mode was now the default. I couldn¡¯t verify that since my mini-map wasn¡¯t visible, but I took her word for it. The new enhanced mode was something Tris called streetview, which meant I could place myself at head level with everyone else to get a better look.


    [Storage]''s capacity increased tenfold and became [Void Storage]. The new limit was just shy of 40,000 pounds, so that was nice. [Analysis] turned into [Deduction], which was mostly the same, but it specialized in seeing through and identifying illusions.


    I guess Tris took the two failures to heart.


    Her databank, processing ability, and analytical engine received a major upgrade, and she said I could link my brain with hers to gain an eidetic memory without any additional stress. Tris''s manufacturing capabilities were improved, too. Since she was her own entity with a body, the requirement of me making an item was removed. Well, either she or I had to make the item.


    Regardless, everything¡¯s improved for the better. ¡°Go ahead and link my mind to yours. I¡¯m not sure if we had that already or not, but if we didn¡¯t, make that connection and keep it that way until further notice.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord, that will be done. You may not feel the effects immediately, but you will reap the benefits soon. But that is not all. I have a present for you.¡± Tris pressed a hand into her chest to retrieve a glowing crystal.


    A Soul Crystal... This was my third time being presented with one. She explained that giving the Essence of Wrath control over my body tricked the [Soul Weapon System], or the SWS, into thinking I had maxed [Soul Armatization], the process of weaponizing my soul into its useable form. Before the system righted itself, Tris reached out to grasp the bootleg weapon the Essence of Wrath used, then tried her best to fix the errors, granting me something far before I was worthy of it.


    Yet again, I reached out to touch its shimmering surface as she held it. I expected it to disappear...


    But it didn¡¯t vanish. No, the shimmering orb cracked like glass, the pieces slowly chipping off until I was staring at a revolver¡ªone the United States''s army used in the mid to late 1800s.


    A single-action revolver. It held the nickname ¡®Peacemaker.¡¯


    With a barrel length of 7.5¡± and an overall length of 13¡±, this weapon was canceled twice, yet due to popular demand, the manufacturer had no choice but to bring it back. In my eyes, just one other gun in the Old West that was just as popular.


    It doesn¡¯t have any engravings on it, though. I¡¯m just happy I can use such a legendary firearm.


    ¡°Take it, my lord. Gain the power you so rightly deserve for achieving what no one thought possible.¡± Kneeling once more, she offered me the gun with both hands. I took it, wrapping my hand around the grip. Power surged through my body and filled the revolver, covering it with cracks. It shattered, the remnants disappearing inside me.


    But it wasn¡¯t broken.


    No, it was far from that.


    [Soul Armatization (Lv. 2)] has increased to [Soul Armatization (Lv. 10)]


    [Soul Armatization (Lv. 10)] has reached its threshold. Unlocking Divine Skill: [Soul Weapon System].


    New Skill: [Gunblade]


    New Skill: [Soul Energy]


    Colt Single Action Army is available to use.


    Winchester Model 1873 is available to use.


    ¡°The gun that won the west?! Wait... Tris, how come I¡¯m seeing their proper names? Those companies don¡¯t exist in this world, do they?¡±


    ¡°You are correct. The [Soul Weapon System] is taking information from your world and recreating the firearms you¡¯ve read about to populate the system. Similar equipment can be found here, so it isn¡¯t creating from nothing. Furthermore, [Soul Energy] is a resource exclusive to Soul Warriors. Please look at the crimson bar underneath your biomass.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I see it. Guess that¡¯s four things to keep track of now. Can you explain my Soul Weapons a little more? Give me the rundown on them.¡± Tris nodded. Every Soul Weapon had an inherent enchantment called {Soul Link}, which worked like {Mana Link}, but it used soul energy instead of mana. That also meant those with ranged weaponry as their Soul Weapons could fire them without bullets.


    However, I was an exception. Perhaps it was a flaw within the system¡ªmaybe failsafe was a better word since it prevented unauthorized use¡ª but there was a {Soul Link} enchantment and a [Soul Link] skill. Usually, you were given the latter automatically, but Tris hung her head low and apologized she couldn¡¯t recreate it. All was not lost, though, and after using my Soul Weapons and gaining experience with them, the skill could be forcefully learned¡ªanother failsafe, I suppose.


    Until then, I had to use bullets. Rather... I had to make them.


    Then she walked me through my Soul Weapon Evolution Tree, or the SWET, she called it. As the name suggested, it was like a massive tree within my Status Menu. The bottom-most highlighted icons were the Cold Single Action Army and Winchester Model 1873, two legendary guns from the mid to late 1800s. The locked icons were hidden with question marks. Focusing on them revealed nothing. Tris said they were either abilities or guns. In either case, acquiring more and unlocking the rest of my SWET was paramount to my revenge.


    I need to evolve my soul before I can make progress, though.


    Equipping them was as easy as retrieving Reina¡¯s gun or Yaekira¡¯s daggers. Just had to think about it for it to appear in my hand. But Soul Weapons came with sheaths, or holsters, in my case, and there didn¡¯t seem to be a limit to the number I could have out at once since I had the rifle on my back and revolver on my hip.


    My naked hip, that was. It wasn¡¯t attached to the skin; more like it was floating in the right spot to comfortably draw.


    I was stark naked, and I only realized I¡¯d been flashing Tris the entire time. She didn¡¯t seem to mind, though. It wasn¡¯t like this was the first time she saw me like this considering she watched me have a threesome with Sekh and Irisa.


    I asked about the situation on the outside. The shame of giving control of my body to the Essence of Wrath would haunt me. There was no doubt about that. Ria was destroyed because of me. My hastiness in forcing the Bellerophon soldiers to clash with the chimera resulted in this...


    But killing Noelia was the catalyst...


    My actions brought that chimera to the city.


    The people that perished after Gloria came to town and fucked everything up? Their blood was on me. That went double for those innocents that fell after the Essence of Wrath came out. I saw the attack with my own eyes, but Sekh prevented any drastic harm from coming to my friends and family, right?


    She was merely resting and recovering from the fight, right? I asked for whatever information Tris knew, but...I didn¡¯t want to believe any of it.


    Ria¡¯s destruction?


    Sekh¡¯s invoking of the curse via [Tyranny Control] to trade her life for the power to defeat the Essence of Wrath? Tris said Sekh was dead and alive¡ªcaught in a limbo between the two while encased in a coffin of Dark Mana-infused ice. It prevented her from outright dying and returning to the cycle of reincarnation.


    And Tilde? Tris suggested she went inside my body to accelerate her rebirth-- a form of maintenance for her.


    ¡°The properties of [Sunfire Apocalypse] means your family will need specialized care to dilute the maladies they¡¯ll face in the future. Lady Niva was protected by Primrose, and she emerged undamaged. Even¡ªMy lord?¡±


    I dropped to my knees and lost the strength to move.


    ¡°My lord?!¡±


    Forming a fist, I punched the platform we stood on as hard as possible, screaming until my throat was red, raw, and constricted. The depths of my soul emerged as a ghastly wail...and I turned my Wrath to 25. Instantly, a pair of dragon wings and horns adorned my body, leaking pure fire.


    The flames rushing through the platform were out of control. Waves of liquid crimson splashed all around. Thunderous storms of brim and hellfire were born in the far corners of this infinite cavern, roaring in response to this untethered rage while illuminating the dark abyss surrounding us.


    I turned my head to the one responsible and stomped her way, ignoring her feeble cries.


    Until I woke up...I would punish this petulant piece of shit... No matter how long it took, I would make this bitch beg for death...and I wouldn¡¯t grant it...


    ¡°IT¡¯S ALL YOUR FAULT!!! ALL OF THIS IS YOUR FUCKING FAULT!!!!¡±


    Tris folded her hands over her stomach and watched, unaffected by the hellish cries and screams.


    She certainly wouldn''t stop me.

 Intermission – Quella – Melusine, Frozen Fairy – Part One – (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Melusine, Frozen Fairy ¨C Part One ¨C (Illustrations!)


    Together we stand, united and strong,


    In the heat of battle, we''ll prove them wrong.


    Our melee strikes, a force combined,


    [Physical Resolve], our power defined.


    Unleash the force, as one we thrive,


    Our united strength, the enemy won''t survive.


    With iron will, we break through strife,


    [Physical Resolve], our source of life.


    Side by side, we face the fight,


    With synchronized blows, we shine so bright.


    No challenge too great, no foe too tall,


    [Physical Resolve], our bond stands tall.


    Through blood and sweat, we rise above,


    A team of warriors, bound by love.


    With each blow, we claim victory''s domain,


    In [Physical Resolve], our might shall reign.


    Unleash the force, as one we thrive,


    Our united strength, the enemy won''t survive.


    With iron will, we break through strife,


    [Physical Resolve], our source of life.


    A wonderful song sung by a world-class idol echoed throughout the atmosphere, spreading its joyful tone to this rather large, dead tree-filled courtyard with its ice fountain. Elly placed her hands across her heart and swung her hips to the fiery melody she passionately sang as darkness fell upon the land. It was ¡®night,¡¯ so to speak, and we were relaxing after a long, tedious day of clearing the frozen castle. Her current attire was a long shot from what an idol would have worn when performing.


    I swear you can almost see ice magic forming behind her while she¡¯s dancing, but it¡¯s an illusion...


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°RRRAAAHHHHHH!!!¡± Greggie roared and lifted the shield of ice Keeth had crafted using [Material Metamorphosis]. The frigid handle should¡¯ve burned his hands, but his furry gloves protected him from harm.


    This world is just like those fantasy novels I love to read.


    I sat silently and hugged my knees, feeling the pants made of snow leopard fur against my palms. The raging fire nearby provided enough warmth to keep me comfortable without needing my cloak.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°You¡¯re doing great, Greggs! Keep it up!!!¡± Ami¡ªa world-class luchadora, jumped around and cheered on our friend. The dark-skinned, tanned girl wore a cut-off shirt under a white-furred jacket we had found, along with pants with furred boots. She said the ice and cold didn¡¯t bother her since she often trained in frigid temperatures with her instructors to strengthen her mental state. ¡°Just ten more minutes!!! Work it! Work it! Work it!¡±


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    I averted my gaze from Greggie¡¯s workout session and looked at a woman with fluffy black hair covered by a beanie we had found. Her attire had a ¡®streetwear¡¯ vibe, as Elly had called it. Mary looked at the orb of mana she held with a gloved hand. I knew what went through her mind. How could I not? That orb was her weapon. Without it, she couldn''t fight.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    She threw it against a fountain of ice, and an icy canary emerged. Crystalized water droplets dripped from its wings as it flew around the courtyard we had called our home for the night. She reached for an icy cup of water and popped a pill in her mouth from a bottle she kept on her. Due to the unique circumstances behind her birth, the medicine regulated her accelerated aging. Mary¡¯s status as a Soul Warrior helped her fight against the innate sickness that would surely kill her...but I didn¡¯t want to think about what would happen once she ran out.


    The proof of our conquest was the stack of corpses in the distance. A dozen snowy leopards laid dead¡ªtheir innards having been butchered for food, their fur for clothing and bedding, and their nails and fangs for weapons. They were living here, but they needed to die.


    They were monsters. From my understanding, they were birthed by the dungeon to prevent us from reaching a goal. The large, imposing door standing a hundred feet away was probably important since it most likely led to the throne room. If it was anything like the books I had read, Melusine, the Fairy Queen and ruler of this dungeon, was waiting for us there. Killing her would grant us a way out of this frozen abyss and return us to the outside.


    Keeth¡ªthe one who crafted Greggie¡¯s training shield¡ªwas working on a sword molded from a chunk of metal we found in a chest.


    It¡¯s hard to believe it¡¯s already been a week since we were sent here...


    Yes, seven days ¡ª 168 hours ¨C 10,080 minutes ¨C 604,800 seconds.


    I closed my eyes and reflected on the past.


    When we were first teleported here by Meruria, we were lost. We were scared, shivering, and afraid of facing this unknown. The first snowy leopard we fought stood on two legs and wielded a club. It was a struggle to even kill it, but we did. The rules of this world stated the strong survived, and the weak died.


    And we didn¡¯t want to die.


    We were going to survive. I was the leader of Team Quella, and I vowed not to let anyone else die.


    I didn¡¯t want...to experience the crushing weight of failure.


    I¡¯m still not over it... But I...need to... I must overcome it...


    Between the leopards, icy bats, water snakes, and frozen plants, everything tried to kill us. We ran from room to room¡ªdown corridors and interconnected hallways with enormous, wide-open spaces above and below¡ªwith very little time to rest.


    Greggie ran himself ragged and clutched his chest more than once. A body that big wasn¡¯t made for marathon running, so we had to take constant breaks. But that was difficult when it seemed like enemies were around every corner. And they were always following us.


    The incident happened after we managed to escape down a slanted tunnel. We lost our footing and slid down the icy oath. I turned around and launched a barrage of magic, which caused a small avalanche. It pushed us further down the tunnel to the end, which led to an empty room with multiple entrances, but the path we took to get here was blocked.


    New Skill: [Silvaran Language]


    "Behold, mortals, the wrath of a queen betrayed! In this frozen abyss, I once ruled with grace and majesty. But now, my kingdom crumbles, consumed by the curse that festers beneath our feet. Look upon my subjects, twisted and deformed, transformed into grotesque specters of their former selves."


    Her voice resonated with a chilling fury.


    "I, the Fairy Queen Melusine, who once commanded respect and adoration, am now reduced to a wretched ruler of a doomed realm. My subjects... They suffer, trapped in icy prisons, their souls encased in eternal torment. The cursed crystal, pulsating with malevolence, corrupts their very essence."


    Her azure eyes gleamed with madness, her voice growing more unhinged.


    "I shall unleash the tempest upon you, mortals! Feel the biting cold, the sting of my subjects'' pain. You shall know the despair, the hopelessness that consumes me. Embrace the madness, for there is no escape!"


    With maniacal laughter, Melusine unleashed a powerful blizzard from her palm, engulfing me and the others in a frenzy of swirling snow and ice. Her mind was lost to the depths of her own suffering.


    I felt the attack pierce my skin and dig deep into my veins, where the frosty affliction was exacerbated a dozen times. I endured the pain, gritted my teeth, and summoned a response with a battle cry.


    The raging flames of my anger and determination to survive this were born from my palms. ¡°AAAAHHHHHHHH!¡±


    The sudden heat wasn¡¯t enough to fight back against the blizzard, but it burned hot enough to create a whirlwind of steam. Due to the blizzard¡¯s cylindrical motion, the super-heated mist traveled towards her.


    She recoiled and cursed us to hell, but I unleashed another van-sized ball of fire. Some more tinkering made me realize I could hold it in place even after it left my hands. The drain on my mana increased, but I wasn¡¯t concerned.


    I grabbed Elly¡¯s hand and shouted for us to run. They nodded and forced their tired, injured bodies to push far past their limits. Greggie clutched his bleeding arms and grabbed his stomach. His ragged breathing was loud and painful.


    ¡°You wretched fools! You dare defy me? I curse you with eternal suffering! I shall hunt you down, freeze your souls, and hang you as ornaments within my castle¡ªas decorations in my kingdom! You will writhe in agony, forever trapped in ice!¡±


    Melusine¡¯s voice, filled with rage and despair, followed us as we continued down the icy corridor, promising a relentless pursuit.


    ¡°Mark my words, you pitiful insects! No matter where you hide, I will find you! You shall pay for defying the Fairy Queen! My wrath shall be your everlasting torment!¡±


    The end of the corridor came to a cliff...


    ¡°What...is...that...? Is that real? Ami, tell me I¡¯m not dreaming...¡± Elly gasped and fell to her knees. She couldn¡¯t believe what her eyes saw.


    Elly¡¯s not speaking the language of our world. It¡¯s...Silvaran... No one¡¯s questioning it.


    It was a frozen city... I gazed down from the cliff¡¯s edge. A sense of eerie tranquility washed over me. The once bustling streets now lay silent, buried under a thick layer of ice and frost. The icy grip had stolen the warmth of life, leaving behind a haunting stillness that hung in the air.


    Tall icy pillars rose like ancient sentinels, reaching towards the heavens, their crystalline structures shimmering in the faint sunlight. They seemed to connect with the cavernous expanse above, a gateway between the earthly realm and an icy abyss. The magnitude of their presence was both awe-inspiring and foreboding.


    I didn¡¯t see the sun, but a bright orb shimmered in the sky.


    In the heart of this city stood a majestic castle, standing tall and proud amidst the desolation. Its regal spires pierced the frozen sky, a testament to the former grandeur and power that once resided within its walls. The castle emanated an air of imposing beauty, its icy facade glinting with a captivating allure.


    Yet, beneath the icy exterior, I could sense a profound sadness, as if the essence of life had been drained from this place. The city, which once teemed with vibrant energy, now stood as a solemn testament to the power of the frozen curse that had befallen it.


    I couldn¡¯t help but feel awe and trepidation.


    ¡°We can¡¯t stop here. There¡¯s a path over there we can use to get down. If we want to leave, I think we must kill Melusine.¡±


    ¡°Go up against that thing?! Can we even do that?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re Soul Warriors. You¡¯ve seen my power. And you can do that too. We can fight, okay? We can gain strength, conquer this place, and leave. We won¡¯t die here, okay? I refuse it.¡±


    The first night was rough.


    After we descended the downward path, we came across an icy plain. There weren¡¯t any enemies, so we quickly crossed it and reached the city.


    This place is big enough to be a kingdom...


    It was probably once protected by towering walls, but they lay in ruin. The layout was odd. It was a city, but it was a labyrinthian maze of a dozen streets that branched off every corner. Some led to a dead end.


    Others were blocked by monsters. We kept silent and tried to find alternative passageways through the shops and houses, but we weren''t lucky.


    This place didn¡¯t have a ''sun,'' but there was a day and night cycle. After searching, we found a building that had more wood than ice. It looked like an inn. There was a kitchen with a wood fire stove on the first floor. In the middle of the lobby sat an emblem scrawled with fire.


    The knowledge I gained from reading fantasy novels said it was probably a protective seal or something. Melusine mentioned a cursed crystal. If the ice was born of that, things would make more sense.


    However, we couldn¡¯t find any food. The shroud of night enveloped us, and it was too dangerous to venture into the city. Sleeping with aching bodies and a hungry belly was a torment, but the greater anguish was being alone in a perilous situation.


    We all worked together to turn the lobby into our sleeping quarters for the night and ransacked the rooms above for covers, pillows, and blankets. There was a fireplace nearby. It didn¡¯t have wood, but I broke a few of their chairs in the kitchen, smashed some dressers in the bedrooms, and used paper from the front desk¡¯s ledger to fuel a hungry fire.


    We talked about what we experienced. Mary didn¡¯t know why she suddenly obtained [Beastial Lexicon]. She said it allowed her to understand and gain fluency in any language spoken by a monster. It automatically shared itself with our party, and I saw a little icon of a monster and a book underneath my mana bar. Silvaran... It was a language Melusine used, but I didn¡¯t know if others spoke it.


    Would it be helpful?


    Perhaps, but we needed to focus on surviving.


    Greggie was the first to lose the fight against sleep. Ami was next, and Keeth dozed off after that. Elly wasn¡¯t too far behind, but Mary stayed up with me. She bundled herself with layers of cloth and huddled close.


    Monster taming suggested the snowy bipedal leopards we encountered could be tamed. Since [Beastial Lexicon] activated with that Phantom Melusine, could she be tamed? If so, how? What did Mary need to do to bring them under her command?


    The answer was simple. When Mary removed her black glasses and rubbed her eyes, she mumbled out of frustration.


    Suddenly, a colorless orb appeared in front of her. It hovered, remaining still until she touched it, then flowed into her body.


    ¡°I... What?l¡± Mary whispered. She said she saw five empty circles on the right side of her vision. Only the first was lit, and focusing on it materialized the mana orb.


    After a few seconds of experimenting, we discovered only Mary could touch it. My fingers passed through it as if it was a mirage. ¡°If you only see five circles, that¡¯s probably the limit. My guess is that it¡¯ll increase in the future.¡±


    Mary smiled and bounced the orb up and down. I didn¡¯t notice it before, but she was pretty. I knew of her past¡ªher sad, horrible, depressing history. She was born as a test tube baby and designed to teach the future leaders of our world, and here she was...fighting for her life amid a scene that only lived in fantasy.


    ¡°Is it pathetic knowing I¡¯m scared?¡±


    ¡°No.¡± I shook my head and used another [Fireball] to keep the fireplace going. ¡°I¡¯m scared too. We all are. But we''re trying to be brave. This brave front is all we have. And... This is our life now. My family... You know, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll ever see them. And I¡¯m sad. But I don¡¯t want to die. I want to survive and get out of here.¡±


    Shuuta cursed the meritocracy of our world, but... I wonder why he called it that? If anything, it was more like a Darwinist society filled with corrupt officials. How odd... I never thought about questioning it. I always went with the flow. If we hadn¡¯t arrived here, I¡¯d still be thinking of it as normal, but it isn¡¯t. It really isn¡¯t...


    Mary reflected on the past. Soon, she fell asleep with her glasses on, and I stayed up another hour to experiment with something.

 Intermission – Quella – Melusine, Frozen Fairy – Part Two

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Melusine, Frozen Fairy ¨C Part Two


    Morning arrived, and I was up before everyone else because I discovered a brand-new spell.


    ¡°[Minor Heal]!¡±


    A warm glow flowed from my hands to Greggie¡¯s injury. Immediately he said the discomfort originating from his stomach vanished. They asked how I did it, and the secret was in [Mana Language]. After yesterday¡¯s events, I managed to grow to Lv. 22, which I didn¡¯t realize until I had a chance to look things over.


    "It appears your accomplishments will populate the Skill Menu. From there, you can either buy a skill with SP to learn it immediately or continue to work towards it manually. There doesn''t seem to be a progress bar, however," I said, telling them what I had learned. "[Mana Language] was there presumably because I used magic, so I purchased it with the SP received from leveling up." Mana was often a resource used in games and fiction to cast magic. You usually had to chant to use magic, although there were many exceptions to that rule, which seemed like it was there to always be broken by someone or something to proclaim how powerful they were. "High Fantasy is my favorite genre, so the chants are often elaborate and long-winded. After messing around, I discovered [Minor Heal]. But there''s more. Here''s something better."


    From ember''s wrath to soothing balm,


    Through mystic words, I call the calm.


    Let fiery agony now adjourn,


    As ancient forces greet the dawn.


    With whispered chant and outstretched hand,


    I weave the threads of healing''s strand.


    From pain''s embrace, let bodies turn,


    To find relief, through spellwork''s learn.


    By arcane might, the hurt shall spurn,


    Embracing solace, hearts shall yearn.


    With magic''s art, our fate we discern,


    Ablaze no more, under [Cure Burn].


    New Skill: [Cure Burn]


    The frosty burn on Greggie¡¯s hands and wrists went away. I did the same for my friends. Maybe that was the deciding factor that almost guaranteed our success.


    Now that we had a source of healing magic and a way to eliminate the burn we received from touching ice, things were looking up. Mary explained what she discovered last night and produced the mana orb.


    The day ended up being much more fruitful in many ways.


    Before leaving the inn, Elly and Keeth ripped the excess sheets we didn¡¯t use and made those into clothes. He grabbed a handful of the desk and made a chunk into a needle, then expertly thinned the remaining parts and made them into thread. With his skill still active, he sewed the wood into the clothes to make sleeves, then canceled the skill to harden them. And since this was regular wood, the mana cost was nearly zero.


    From there, we left the building and kept close to the walls. Yesterday, we found a lone bipedal leopard in the bakery. And it was still here. It was alone, too, and we didn¡¯t see any other enemies nearby. The plan was to lure him out, which I did with a few weak fireballs at the window. It was just enough to melt the frost covering it. The leopard turned around and raised its icy axe. It stomped close to the window, then left to look outside.


    Another fireball smacked into the frozen wagon near it, and it turned away from us.


    Keeth and Greggie held wooden axes the modeler had made before we left and snuck around the right side. They crossed the street. Whenever the leopard was losing interest, I¡¯d throw another fireball.


    When they were close, they ran forward. The leopard turned to face them, and Ami ran like the wind down the left. She crossed over and dropped-kicked the leopard while it snarled its fangs at Keeth.


    The dumb monster didn¡¯t hear her coming because it was showing off. Keeth and Greggie slammed their weapons into the monster¡¯s back. They tore into flesh and scattered crimson all over its snowy white fur.


    It was like watching a gang assault. But we couldn¡¯t give up.


    None of us needed to offer any semblance of mercy to our enemies because they wouldn¡¯t do the same to us.


    When the monster¡¯s HP was below half, Mary summoned the mana orb and joined the fight. She threw it at it when I ran to get closer in case something happened, and the leopard¡¯s...mana? Its energy? Whatever it was called covered the monster and forced it into the ball, which dropped and wiggled. After the third time, it made a distinctive click, and Mary said the leopard was captured. The ball turned blue and returned to her hand.


    She threw it, and the leopard appeared. It looked at Mary and waited, holding its club by its side. The wounds it suffered still haunted its body, but I healed it with an overcharged [Minor Heal].


    She told it to jump, and it did. It dropped the weapon upon being asked. Mary became silent, and the monster jumped on one leg.


    ¡°I acquired another skill. It lets me telepathically communicate with my monsters. And I can...understand them,¡± Mary said. ¡°The leopard cannot speak, but I can interpret its feelings, and it transmits information to me that way.¡±


    After nicknaming it Snowy, she returned it to its orb, which vanished inside her body.


    That was a start, but there was more to come. We weren¡¯t done.


    With Snowy in hand, we abused the leopard¡¯s expert hearing and impeccable sense of smell to find other monsters, including a frozen plant that launched icicles, a frozen canary, and an icy snake with water flowing through it.


    They were instrumental in defeating ten more leopards and assisted in taking them to our base.


    Once there... The choice was difficult and obvious. We needed food. By a rough count, it had been nearly sixty hours since anything entered our stomachs. Greggie said he could handle it. He grabbed one by the furry leg and dragged it into the kitchen.


    We heard a knife slice into flesh. The noise was sickening and upsetting, but this was the cost of survival. The chief returned with a pair of bloody hands holding expertly diced filets. Keeth made six skewers from wood and roasted the freshly carved meat over the campfire¡¯s glow.


    ¡°I used [Mana Marinade ¨C Physical] while butchering it, so it should increase your physical attributes. I skinned it the fur, too,¡± Greggie said. ¡°We can use them as clothing. But we don¡¯t have anything to wash the blood.¡± He also said he used [Thermal Check] and said it was well below freezing¡ªsomething we knew, but it was nice to know. ¡°I searched for spices, but I couldn¡¯t find anything. I¡¯m sorry, but the food''ll be bland and tasteless.¡±


    ¡°Snowy, can you retrieve us a block of ice?¡± Mary asked the leopard. The beast just walked out of the inn. It returned and placed the ice in the sink before our food was ready.


    ¡°Oh... Meat... How I¡¯ve missed you...so much... Please don¡¯t ever divorce my stomach again...¡± Elly was on the verge of tears.


    ¡°If you take away...almost everything, this reminds me of Mexico.¡± Ami bit straight into the meat and ripped it apart with her teeth. ¡°We lived off the land. Sleeping with wolves and wildebeests. But this... It¡¯s not as fun.¡±


    The group went silent as we ate. Tamed monsters needed to eat, so Snowy joined us. It used its powerful jaw muscles to bite into the flesh of its kin, chomping through bone and ligament as if they were made of paper.


    Once finished, I used my flames to melt the ice, making water. We washed the fur and let it dry in an upstairs room while Keeth prepared more wooden thread for later use.


    The night was spent making a few pairs of gloves, which Keeth used to protect his hands while making a handful of weapons from the icy stone around us. He also made some cups and bowls we used to boil the water to make it palpable.


    The fur was enough to make some clothes, but it wasn¡¯t enough to make each a complete set.


    ¡°Go! Attack it!¡± Mary shouted an order at Flutter, an ice bird monster she had just captured. It flew high and dropped tiny icy spikes from its azure wings. The snowy bipedal leopard dodged out of the way and roared, throwing the rock it held.


    Musical warriors, shining bright.


    Our songs are weapons, melodies untold,


    Fighting through music, brave and bold.


    So let the music soar, let it ring,


    Through the battles we face, together we sing.


    For in our voices, strength shall arise,


    We fight as one, with melodies as our prize.


    Her voice was as lovely as ever. Even she was brought to her knees and wailed at seeing the music she loved so much carve open monsters, destroying their heads... Even if the sight of so much blood brought upon by something lovely crushed her heart enough to make her regret even becoming an idol in the first place...


    Elly continued to sing. Because she knew we needed her power. Even if the battlefield became an orgy of blood and gore, she endured the weight pressing against her soul.


    As the day continued, the lyrics became more depressing. They were dark and unnerving, reflecting their power.


    We stopped after finding the second and third tablets detailing the rise and fall of Melusine. They were in the same multi-level barracks near a large piece of the crumbled wall.


    The second was titled The Shadow¡¯s Awakening. The ancient curse beneath the kingdom¡¯s capital city awoken during the night. The icy grip of darkness crept through the land, corrupting everything in its path. Melusine and her people faced a growing threat while the realm she ruled was twisted into a frozen hellscape. She was desperate to save her kingdom, so she sought answers to help her restore light to her pride and joy.


    The third was The Descent into Frost, which chronicled her desperate measures. By then, the tablet said the unyielding winter trapped the citizens in the city. The powerful blizzards had destroyed the walls and turned the surrounding plains into an icy wonderland. The mountains situated nearby were also suffering the effects.


    Melusine desperation led her to discover an ice crystal hidden deep below the labyrinthian tunnels below her castle...and it was this crystal that was the true artifact of the ancient malevolence. She held noble intentions, yet her fateful attempt to save her people resulted in the Fairy Queen unleashing the full force of the curse upon herself.


    Returning home, we again swapped info at the new save haven. The other team found two more havens after Mary¡¯s icy bird helped scout out half of the remaining 30% of the city.


    We were making good progress.


    The fourth tablet was titled Frozen Reign, and I found it with Greggie and Keeth inside a bar. A locked door prevented us from entering the basement, but Keeth expertly picked the lock, acquiring the [Lockpick] skill without needing to spend any SP.


    After Melusine released the ice crystal¡¯s curse, the entire kingdom transformed into what we were adventuring through. The vibrant life it once held was silenced by eternal ice. Melusine was said to have been trapped in her throne. She became a prisoner, yet she ruled over the desolate realm while being tormented by the knowledge of her unintended role in bringing about the frozen apocalypse.


    If she was here, then how did she show up before? My guess was some projection skill. That kind of thing was common for mages to use to talk to someone far away without leaving the comfort of their home.


    In my books, at least.


    I hadn¡¯t had luck discovering spells other than [Cure Burn] and [Minor Heal], but I had used them so many times they were Lv. 10¡ªwhich seemed to be the max.


    Later that night, we made it to another new haven, which put us that much closer to the castle. This place was another inn, but its kitchen was twice the size of the lobby.


    This place had charcoal and a grill, and we killed a few plant monsters during our search. Greggie minced their remains after noticing they smelled like onions. We also encountered more of those icy canaries. Their meat was spongy and softer than leopard fillets. Greggie packed the minced plant and laid it on the grill in a thin layer. Then he carved the bird meat thin, poked holes through them, and placed them over the bed of onion-like plant. The juice from the canaries would drip onto the plant, and the onion-like vapor would help cook the meat and impart some sense of flavor.


    Even without spices, it smelled amazing. It tasted even better. Since there were two ingredients, Greggie used his magical marinade on the onions and physical on the meat until his mana was dangerously low, but we felt the bonuses. It was like a faint flame coursing through our bodies. This little bit wouldn¡¯t amount to much, but it would stack. And as Greggie acquired more mana, the effects would strengthen.


    It was just a matter of getting there.


    If we wanted to have our own rooms, we could¡¯ve. But after bunking together for so long, it felt odd to do anything else.


    We were all tired from exploring, so we hit the bed early to prepare for what would soon be the end of our spelunking¡ªsomething we were ready for. We just wanted to get out of this hellhole.


    This place was affecting us. I noted and brought it up before bed, but I said I felt like I was changing.


    Hunting monsters, killing them for experience and levels, butchering their flesh and preparing it over the fire...


    We were almost monsters ourselves¡ªfighting for the right to survive.


    Elly agreed and broke into a mournful cry. She experienced a breakdown and almost pulled her hair out before Ami wrapped her in a tight hug. Keeth whispered and wondered how many he would kill tomorrow. The garrote he made of icy stone remained in his gloved hands.


    It was bloody.


    Greggie looked at a butcher knife Keeth made him. His instructors had taught him to forever respect the tools. So, he refused to use it to kill, even though he had a skill to increase damage with butcher knives. Next came the shield-- made from a chunk of a falling spike. Greggie ran his hands over the surface, then looked at his scar-covered forearms. They were gained from fighting on the front line, and he deeply sighed with a heart full of internal struggle and strife.


    We were all feeling the effects of the day. Even if they were monsters, a human could only kill so much¡ªeven out of self-defense¡ªbefore it became too much.


    I wanted to escape before it got to that point.


    In the morning, I woke up to find Ami peeking into the kitchen. She crouched underneath a half-window and looked inside. She heard me stir awake, then put a finger to her lips.


    I crawled silently, stepping over Mary and Keeth, and joined our talented luchadora.


    ¡°Greggie¡¯s been doing this every morning...¡± she said as we watched Greggie exercise. He tried and failed to do pushups, so he settled for the wall variant. He did twenty and almost dropped to his knees. A puddle of sweat surrounded him, and he stretched his back before falling to his stomach.


    It was faint, but I heard him whimper. He got off the ground and wiped his runny nose before attempting to do a few squats. He placed his hands behind his head and lowered his knees, gritting so hard his lips started to bleed.


    ¡°He thinks he¡¯s weak. But he¡¯s not. Not just anyone can survive this,¡± Ami whispered. ¡°Qutie... I wanna help him. You said it yourself. We are in this together. Survival means surviving together.¡±


    ¡°I think he¡¯ll like that.¡±


    Seeing Greggie wanting to better himself struck me in the heart. Ami went to him, carrying a cup of refreshing water. He was shocked and embarrassed at his efforts being discovered, but his emotions flowed past his eyes. He made and fist and punched his knees, which caused Ami to hug him. She rubbed his head and said it was okay.


    The noise woke everyone else. And like the night before, we shared an emotional moment with a close friend.


    Greggie said he always struggled with his weight. And since the kitchen was often a battle place, he remained in just enough shape to work long hours.


    Elly forced herself into the ¡®Greggie Fitness Party¡¯ as she called it, which consisted of all of us, but the primary members were Ami and herself. ¡°I¡¯m gonna work you like a dog when we return to the church,¡± she said. ¡°There is no tougher routine than being an idol. We¡¯re expected to dance and sing for hours on end. And we never, ever miss a day to better our bodies!¡± Elly bounced to her feet, swayed her hips, and sang a song famous for being the theme of a popular chain of gyms.


    It was nice hearing her sing from a source of love, not violence or death. And Greggie had the support he needed. During breakfast, which was more grilled bird and greens from a frozen plant monster, he admitted he had never felt more helpless than in the past few days. He wondered if he could¡¯ve helped Shuuta more if he had been in better shape. Or if he had done a little less something during his life, he might¡¯ve died when we were running away from those monsters on the first day.


    He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about how his lack of general fitness almost killed us.


    If he had been a few pounds heavier... Or if he had slipped further back...


    Elly quickly ended Greggie¡¯s pessimistic attitude and said those things were in the past. We were here now, and we were alive. We were in the present, and what we did today decided our lives in the future.


    It was a profound way of thinking¡ªnot many people would have expected an idol to say something so thought-provoking.

 Intermission – Quella – Melusine, Frozen Fairy – Part Three (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Melusine, Frozen Fairy ¨C Part Three (Illustrations!)


    Two days later, we finally made it to the castle. It was a fearsome sight, and the snowy leopards began to wear armor and wielded iron weapons. The monsters were in the early 30s, but our average level was 37.


    We started by using Mary¡¯s monsters to pull a group of soldiers away from the gates, and Elly buffed our agility with a song. Ami hopped into battle with Greggie, who wore a thin layer of icy stone armor over his frost and ice-resistant clothing. He wielded a shield and sword and engaged the enemies. Ami wore gloves with icy spikes on the end¡ª everything we had was only possible because of Keeth.


    He wasn¡¯t a fighter¡ªand we didn¡¯t fault him. He pulled enough weight by crafting our gear with his helpful ability.


    Ami was like a blur. She remained focused and used her natural speed to duck under swipes. When needed, she ran to assist Greggie, who had trouble constantly hefting his shield. But Elly¡¯s buffs made him quick enough to block every attack when he pushed himself.


    I kept the healing up and offered flaming balls of fire to help thin out the soldiers.


    I held enough firepower to end the fight immediately, but Greggie and the others needed experience. They needed to survive in this world, so they had to learn how to fight. It was the same with me. But attacking from a distance and using magic differed from being up close and personal.


    As crazy as it sounded, we had grown strong enough in the past few days to look at enemies we feared and interpret them as mere training dummies.


    That was the power of a Soul Warrior. Even Greggie, who never had formal combat training, believed in me to heal his wounds whenever his strikes were parried. He suffered dozens of scars across his face from attacks he wasn¡¯t fast enough to block.


    I knew he was scared.


    Knowing that damage could be healed didn¡¯t erase the fear.


    Ami countered a thrust with her wrist and slipped behind the bipedal leopard to put the monster in an arm bar. She shouted Greggie¡¯s name, and he plunged his sword into its heart, groaning in exhaustion. Six other monsters lay dead beside them. And he stared at this one in its crimson eyes and watched the life fade. Ami let it go, and the leopard dropped to the ground with Greggie''s icy sword sticking out of its chest.


    He announced he had reached Lv. 28 and retrieved it, then limped to me.


    We were gaining SP and skills at an alarming rate. In just a few days, Greggie acquired [Shield] and [One-Handed Sword], which made him more skilled when using those types of equipment. Ami increased her unarmed skills and gained more abilities that used her unique aura. Keeth was still saving his SP, and Elly purchased [Healing Melody]. It was a song to help us in battle by restoring our HP. She was super happy about that because it was why she went into singing in the first place.


    She wanted to heal hearts and bring joy with her voice, not cause death.


    Once Mary had caught her fifth monster, a thin cylinder appeared on her hip. It was stuck to her without rope, string, or belts, so she couldn¡¯t lose it, but it worked as a storage container to hold monsters she didn¡¯t want to use.


    She said a monster organization section was added to her Status Menu. The current limit was 20, and she had 16. The plan was to capture some of the armored leopards to replace a few she had lost yesterday.


    When it came to Mary, her heart was kind. She cried over Snowy¡¯s and Flutter¡¯s corpses when they perished in battle. They were scouting and fighting a group of water snakes and icy plants when a unit of leopards attacked.


    It wasn¡¯t an ambush because we knew they would intervene, and that opportunity was a chance for her to test her mettle as a monster tamer.


    She was quickly overwhelmed and couldn¡¯t direct her monsters, who looked at her for orders as they were slaughtered like livestock. A mental breakdown and inability to issue orders made Mary lose more than just them.


    It was... Yesterday was probably the roughest since we first arrived. It wasn¡¯t like Mary couldn¡¯t capture replacement monsters. She could. And she did it that night before we returned to our new base.


    But Mary... She confessed and said she felt like her creators¡ªwho grew test tube babies and sold them to the highest bidder. She had looked at a mana orb containing Snowy II and cried. Even if they were monsters, she...wanted to not be like her creators. She desired to treat them right. It was a noble proclamation-- and one I understood, but it wasn''t so easy.


    In my eyes, monsters were monsters. We killed them before they killed us, and only the strong survived to advance to the next day¡ªthe next hour¡ªthe next minute.


    But in her defense, capturing monsters and having them fight was another type of strength unique to her.


    Elly had said there were probably cute monsters waiting to be found. She thought it would be fun to hunt and catch a unicorn. She joked and said she could accomplish a childish dream of riding a lion during a concert.


    Ami wanted to find a bipedal blue jackal and train with it.


    That night had ended better than it started, but it also brought us here¡ªstanding before our destination.


    I charged up a [Fireball] and shot a dozen towards the gate, breaking it down. The moat was 20 feet wide, but Keeth handled it with a bridge he crafted out of the wood belonging to a nearby carriage.


    We entered the first courtyard and fought our way to the entrance hall, where we were met by corpses hanging from ropes of ice.


    They dangled like crystal ornaments amid the frosty carpets, but...


    They didn¡¯t look old. And they weren''t monsters, either.


    They were human. And people with cat ears, dog ears, horns, multiple tails, and folks with scales.


    Their bodies had long been turned cold by the harsh temperature. We discovered that when I shot one of them down and watched it shatter upon impact. Frozen globs of red blood were sent scattering across the hall.


    Even after all we had seen...


    Elly and Keeth threw up and adverted their eyes as we made our way to the left staircase. The right staircase was destroyed, and the corridor had collapsed, preventing us from heading that way. The large, imposing door in the room''s middle that most likely led to the throne room was locked shut with a glimmering barrier protecting it. My fireballs dissipated upon impact. The only choice was the left staircase, which led to a hallway filled with more soldier-like bipedal leopards.


    It took a few hours to navigate the castle. We entered each room to check for any secrets. By the time we made it to the queen¡¯s bedroom, which had seen better days, we had discovered fourteen treasure chests. Mary gave the contents to her monsters to hold while we looked around, and I found the last tablet.


    It concluded the tale of Melusine, her kingdom, and the curse that consumed them. The tablet spoke of the queen¡¯s eternal torment. She was forced to endure the icy grip of her frozen hellscape until the end of time.


    But that begged the question of who made these tablets. Why leave a story explaining the kingdom¡¯s history?


    We searched the room for anything useful, then continued our fight around the castle. At this point, the monsters fell to my flames. I had grown six more levels and discovered the chant for [Hell Fireball], which burned with an intensity dwarfing the weaker spell.


    It was hot enough to melt the castle¡¯s doors and wall, and the flames liquefied the soldier¡¯s armor, fusing molten metal to bare fur.


    It was like a massacre.


    It wasn¡¯t even a fight anymore. And I was sure Melusine wouldn¡¯t pose a problem in my current state.


    Mary captured four monsters and used them to scout the rest of the castle. She was prepared to lose them, but it didn¡¯t stop the tears from falling from her eyes whenever she announced one had died.


    In no time at all, we reached the fourth courtyard. It was inhabited by a dozen soldiers¡ªeach above Lv. 44.


    They were weak. At this point, it was clockwork. We had a strategy to fight, and in ten short minutes, they were piled up in the corner after we butchered their meat and harvested their fur.


    Just what...are we becoming...?


    The next morning rolled around. Mary¡¯s monsters were on patrol during the night, and she lost three more to ambushes. The enemies were slowly getting stronger. They were learning from our methods¡ª devising strategies to counter our progress.


    But that wasn¡¯t important because...


    ¡°Today¡¯s...gonna be the day, huh?¡± asked Elly. Her skewer of leopard meat was left half-eaten.


    ¡°Yes, it is,¡± I replied, biting into my breakfast. I then summarized our current capabilities. By all accounts, we were okay. The Melusine I saw on our first day was Lv. 30.


    And I was Lv. 44, with a far more powerful fire spell that also reached Lv. 10 from overuse. Mary released most of her monsters and captured the armored bipedal leopards that wielded iron equipment since they were the ''toughest'' foes here. She kept a few water snakes and icy canaries just in case. Greggie was probably the weakest, but from the training I saw him do last night and this morning, his body was growing used to the sword and shield. His muscles were probably sore. They probably screamed at him to take a rest. My legs were doing the same, and Ami complained of stiff shoulders and tension in her wrist.


    As strong as we were, our bodies couldn¡¯t sustain this constant barrage of stress. We needed rest and relaxation, the chance to get a balanced meal, and peace and quiet to refresh our minds.


    Keeth still remained inactive in our fights. But his crafting ability was the only reason we had gotten this far. Elly was invaluable in buffing our strength, magic, and dexterity.


    ¡°We just need...to defeat the Fairy Queen.¡±


    ¡°And a portal¡¯s gonna birth?¡±


    ¡°You mean appear?¡± Mary asked. Ami nodded.


    ¡°It should,¡± I said. ¡°I expect the fight to immediately end if I¡¯m being honest.¡± I summoned a charged [Hell Fireball] and bounced it around my hands. After standing, I launched it over the courtyard¡¯s walls and heard an explosion. Next, a guest of pressurized wind destroyed the wall, revealing a sea of flames redder than crimson and tinged with blackness that flowed like a lake.


    Fifteen minutes later...


    We were standing in front of the door to the throne room...and I pushed it open. The hinges cried, but they relented to my force and gave way.


    We walked forward into a pitch-black darkness I couldn¡¯t conquer with my flames. Each step cracked the ice underneath us, but it didn¡¯t take more than two or three steps for a ball of light to appear. It flew to the ceiling and exploded, casting vivid particles that illuminated the entire room.


    There...standing on an ornate throne that had seen better days...with a spike of ice stick through her throat as she wielded a horrific expression...was the Fairy Queen Melusine¡ªcomplete with the same black lines running down her face and arms as the phantom we saw before.


    She was...dead. Or so we thought. Shimmering azure ice formed around her body, and it was like her spirit left her body to create the Melusine we saw after we nearly died to those monsters on our first day here.


    The name above her HP bar read Phantom Fairy Queen Melusine.


    ¡°But Qutie is weaker. That¡¯s a bad thing, right?¡± Ami asked. That was true, but I said I had a skill to increase my proficiency with tomes. In the long run, I¡¯d be better off.


    That was all that mattered, right? Especially in a world where the strong ate the weak and survived, you needed to rest at the top of the food chain.


    Losing [Minor Heal] was worrying, but Elly knew [Healing Melody]. It would have to be enough until I acquired a healing tome.


    It¡¯s annoying that I¡¯m suddenly so limited. A Soul Weapon is a curse and blessing, isn¡¯t it? Weaker at first, then stronger at the end. Unless you¡¯re Tokko or Mia... I can¡¯t copy spells anymore... That skill is still listed in my Skill Menu with the ice and healing spells, but why?


    We approached the chest, our feet crushing the singed ash beneath us. It opened when I touched it, releasing a swirl of crystalized energy that formed into Melusine.


    She didn¡¯t have those black, writhing lines running down her body. Her hair was a whitish-silver, her eyes were a soft pink--not blue, and her wings were made from crystal. Her monster form had regular wings¡ªmuch like the faeries I¡¯d seen in my books, so this probably was what she looked like before the ice affected her. Her outfit was different. It wasn¡¯t purple, but the silver and white dress fit the look of a queen. She looked regal.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    A second later, she became partially transparent, like looking through a thin white sheet if it was held towards a light source. Her stern smile softened, and she looked kinder¡ªgentler¡ªmore like a merciful queen who only wished for her kingdom''s prosperity and livelihood over her own feelings.


    The crystallized energy vanished, and she began to speak.


    ¡°You have freed me from the curse, brave warriors.¡± Her voice was softer than silk. Little crystal flakes rained from her flapping wings, which refused to make any noise. ¡°I wish to thank you, mage. Please, take this.¡± Melusine touched a hand to her heart and retrieved an orb of glowing energy that turned into an azure, ice-covered book. She said it was her diary¡ªa book imparted with magic. It held remnants of the curse in a benign state.


    Its name was Frostcursed Tome of the Fairy Queen, which granted the wielder [Ice Barrier], [Cursed Ice Spear], [Blizzard Tornado], [Ice Hail], and [Frigid Explosion].


    The same spells I learned from the phantoms. But they were in a tome. And my Soul Weapon was a tome...


    New Skill: [Soul Weapon Copy]


    My newly acquired skill was self-explanatory. Why copy spells when I could copy a tome? The tome flashed, and I read something in my activity log.


    The Frostcursed Tome of Melusine is now available to use.


    Upon a thought, my Soul Weapon changed into my newly acquired book. I didn¡¯t need the actual tome, but I took it from Melusine and hugged it to my chest.


    ¡°But you¡¯re free, right? The curse is gone. Are you okay?¡± asked Elly.


    ¡°I am not, young human. This has been but a temporary reprieve from my punishment.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t follow,¡± Mary said. She put a finger to her chin. ¡°Did someone do this? Will they return?¡±


    Melusine seemed startled. She asked if we knew the truth behind dungeons, and we shook our heads. ¡°The recant you read on the tablets was made to etch the Lore of this dungeon. Long ago, this was a real kingdom¡ªnamed Faedornia -- and I was its real ruler. A horrific event took place here, and proof of it became etched into the world as a dungeon. From now until the mana runs dry, my city... My beloved, beautiful, innocent city will continue to kill brave adventurers who enter it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what dungeons are? They¡¯re events of the past altered to remain in the current day? So then... You mean, after we leave, the dungeon will reset?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Melusine answered Mary¡¯s question.


    ¡°But that¡¯s sad. It hurts my heart... It¡¯s not fair, Fairy Lady!¡± Ami lost her illustrious smile and frowned.


    ¡°Your kind heart is welcome, but it is unneeded. Once you depart through the teleporter and return to the lobby... My memory will be wiped. I will return to my cursed self and await the next batch of warriors. Should you have questions, ask them now, brave warriors.¡± Melusine wept. She cried while looking at the castle, but we used this time to learn that not every dungeon was as she described. Some were manifestations of little incidents, such as a goblin king taking over a mine. Others were a bunch of crystal monsters taking over a cave and transforming it into a place that birthed crystalline ore.


    Dungeons like this kingdom were imparted with Lore¡ªartifacts and items that detailed the history. By finding the Lore, you acquired special items directly relating to the boss. In some cases, you could speak to the being that stood as the basis of the boss and learned more of the past.


    Although... That was rare...


    Those five tablets we found... They were the Lore of this dungeon. Reading was the key to activating them.


    I was curious and asked questions about the stake. ¡°When I became queen, a wandering stranger visited. Her ears were the same as a lion, and she harbored eyes fiercer than the brightest silver. She introduced herself as no one, then used her magic to create the stake. The gray-skinned stranger claimed it to offer protection against curse and disease, and I was foolish enough to trust her... My desire to be a friendly queen was ruined... Nay¡ªit wrote into the world the failure of my Faedornia...¡±


    ¡°That wasn¡¯t in the tablets,¡± I told her, recalling what we learned by reading them, and there were discrepancies between the written lies and the spoken truth.


    ¡°I do not understand why someone would interfere with a dungeon¡¯s Lore unless it was to hide something. Only a being of unimaginable power could do such a thing.¡±


    ¡°Do you think this lion woman was responsible?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I never saw her again, but...I recall hearing a woman of a similar appearance referred to as... I believe her title was The Dark Lord of Tyranny...¡±


    ¡°The Dark Lord of Tyranny?¡± I repeated. Just hearing that name sent shudders down my spine.


    ¡°I was more concerned with my kingdom than organizing soldiers and sending supplies to fight the war against her. Yet... She probably orchestrated my downfall. It could have been her plan from the beginning.¡± Melusine started to flicker, hinting that this would be the end. Soon, she would vanish and return...to the awful fate awaiting her.


    ¡°Melusine...¡± Mary summoned an empty mana orb and held it in her gloved hand. ¡°There may be a way to end this cycle and grant your freedom. Do you know what a Soul Warrior is?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re warriors given Soul Crystals from a Holy or Dark Lord. Young mage, you wield a Soul Weapon, yes?¡±


    I nodded, then questioned what I knew from Meruria. She hadn¡¯t mentioned giving citizens of this world Soul Crystals and acquiring warriors that way. Her words led me to believe they had to be summoned across time and space. If that wasn¡¯t a requirement, why risk it to chance? It didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°Are you still considered a monster?¡± When Melusine nodded, Mary explained her ability. The fairy queen didn¡¯t think it would work. I bet a part of her wanted to remain here with proof of her failure. At least until the mana sustaining it ran dry and destroyed the dungeon.


    But Melusine was punishing herself. She loved her city so much. Ami managed to convince the queen to touch the orb. She did it, expecting nothing to happen, but...


    The fairy queen was transported inside the mana orb, turning it a light shade of blue with a royal-esque ring around it. When Mary released her, she was solid¡ªlike us. She looked at her arms and touched her face with pure, unabashed amazement.


    ¡°What is this... Why... Is it¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my power as a monster tamer, Melusine. You¡¯re...no longer bound to this fate.¡±


    The elegant queen couldn¡¯t stop the tears from falling down her pale cheeks. The salty water turned into shiny crystals that lightly danced to the ground.


    It took half an hour for the emotions to wash over Melusine, then another fifteen minutes for her to offer a solemn prayer for her loyal subjects. Her love for them had never faded, and they were always in her thoughts. After that, we gathered around the teleporter and discussed what to do.


    She had decided to come with us, and Melusine knew of our past and the events that had transpired since being summoned. She was still Lv. 30. Weaker than us, but she...


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t know. Young warriors, how is it that you speak Silvaran if you weren¡¯t granted an artifact of translation?¡±


    Mary explained [Beastial Lexicon].


    ¡°How curious...¡±


    ¡°Do you know any other languages? If you do, we should learn them via Mary¡¯s skill.¡±


    ¡°Languages come and go with the passing of centuries, and my rule was 1,000 years ago. I cannot be sure if they will be of use because the tongue of old may not be present in the future.¡±


    Melusine then spoke Arezzian¡ªthe common tongue in her era, Oni, Orcish, Elvish, Ancient Elvish, and Dwarvish.


    We immediately learned their respective language skills. Things would be a challenge if the common language had changed.


    Mary and I could deduce and extrapolate the key verbs and adjectives to reverse engineer the language.


    I used that technique to learn Japanese, Afrikaans, and Arabic in three months when I was ten.


    It looked like our time here was coming to an end. Melusine was Mary¡¯s first ¡®monster¡¯ who was sentient as a person. She wasn''t a monster to us, though. I didn''t think we''d ever see her as one.


    One by one, we walked into the portal.


    Where would it take us?


    What was waiting for us outside this ¡®lobby?¡¯


    What new danger would we face? We still needed to return to Meruria before the arbitrary time limit was up.


    But the future looked bright.


    It glimmered with promise.


    We were strong.


    And we would survive this world.

 Chapter Sixty-Six: Breaking a World Limit

    Chapter Sixty-Six: Breaking a World Limit


    The ocean breeze was thick and fierce, clouding my nostrils with the smell of dense salt. It lingered on my nose. Strands of black hair swooshed past these pair of hardened, yellow eyes that had witnessed more death in a week than most had seen in a lifetime. The boat we were on was owned by a man named Rickard, who jumped overboard when that lion roared at him. The city-state of Plymoise, Parthina, was his destination¡ªsomething we discovered after finding charter documents hidden in a bedroll.


    Dad and I laid on the deck after anchoring the boat for the night. Mom was tending to Mila and watching over Sekh. We still didn¡¯t know why she was surrounded by ice, but I knew she wasn¡¯t dead.


    Someone like her was too powerful to die...


    Primrose was preparing food in the hold while Niva did her ¡®physical therapy¡¯ under her spirit¡¯s watchful gaze.


    Even though this boat had people...it felt empty, like we were lost in a world that twisted upside down in a matter of days. Vissit  for updates


    ¡°Dad?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m...scared... What are we going to do? We don¡¯t have a home anymore? We haven¡¯t seen land in four days, and...¡±


    ¡°Just hang on, sweetie. It¡¯s a few more days away. If we can sell the supplies, we can get our bearings.¡±


    ¡°I can still see the smoke. Ria¡¯s still burning,¡± I said. Lifting my arm, I looked away from the sight of destruction to a series of blisters trailing around my wrist. The terrifying attack the Essence of Wrath used broiled the skin of all within range. It would heal, of course.


    There was no doubt about that...


    Right?


    Dad took the most damage, then mom. I protected Erin, so she took the least. The only blister was on her cheek, but Primrose used some ointment in the cargo crates to cover it. She did the same to us, but ours were more serious.


    Dad was my father, after all. When I was scared, I could turn to him. When I was lost, he knew the answers. He knew everything...


    ¡°Mila¡¯s going to wake up, right? Tilde¡¯s going to come back? Sekh¡¯s going to get better?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Dad was quiet.


    I was quiet.


    No, I wanted to cry and hug Mila...and Sekh. And Niva and Primrose. And Mom, Dad, and my sister. And Tilde... I wanted to be with them...


    ¡°Mila¡¯s a strong woman. Sekh has unimaginable power. You love them, yes? Have faith. When they do wake, we must be there for them. I can only imagine how your sister will feel.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, I love them. I wanna cry, but it doesn¡¯t seem right. I need to be strong for them...so I can take care of them until they wake up. I love you, Dad.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, sweetie.¡±


    Dad excused himself and stood and stretched. He was shirtless after using his shirt to wrap mom¡¯s blisters. He soon went to bed, and I followed, closing my eyes under the starlight.


    That night? I dreamt of happier times¡ª when we had just moved to Ria, but Mila and my other friends were there. They lived with us in our home, and Mila came to work with me at Smithy¡¯s Corner... Dad taught with Tilde and Sekh at the academy. Niva helped around the house with mom, and Primrose grew herbs and plants to sell. Erin was there, too, of course, directly interacting with the customers and working the register. And Lei was our mascot.


    It was my dream. No, it was more than that. I desired that future for us. For all of us to live together...without barricades or gas threatening to destroy our way of life.


    Why couldn¡¯t life be that simple? I didn¡¯t want much¡ªjust the bare minimum. And maybe after a year or two, Sekh and Mila would marry me, and we could be wives to each other. Then? We¡¯d really be family.


    Yeah... That¡¯s life...right there... Mila... Sekh... I love you. Please...wake up. I miss you. I want to hold you again...


    ¡°Irisa, get up!¡±


    Dad¡¯s frantic voice jolted me awake as something heavy slammed into the boat. I was thrown against a cannon, cracking two of my ribs. Crying out, the smell of firesalt lingered in the air and stained my lungs. I coughed, vomiting the contents of my dinner across the deck as the stench grew. My sight was hazy, cloudy by the smoke blocking the moon from casting its light.


    ¡°IRISA!!!!¡± Dad shouted my name and rushed towards me. He grabbed my arm and pulled me away moments before I was about to be splattered by the falling mast.


    Falling mast?!


    Amid my groans, Dad helped me to my feet and threw me a sword stashed in his belt loop.


    And I realized we were under attack. The pain sent throbbing flares of agony up my spine and stomach, but I gritted my teeth and did my best to focus my blurry eyes. Mom emerged from the hold with a longsword, and we watched the incoming ship approach. Smoke still filtered from its 12 cannons aimed this way, though we were lucky only two managed to hit the mast. The others missed, and it didn¡¯t seem like they were reloading. Looking up, I didn¡¯t see a flag...and my mind instantly went to pirates!


    The ship had three masts and large, black sails, but it was on the smaller side.


    My heart was filled with dread and fear. Mom stepped in front, her back trembling.


    She was afraid... And crying.


    I always hated seeing her cry.


    Mom was a good woman. A better person. She deserved happiness, not this...


    We didn¡¯t deserve this...


    Not the attack...


    ¡°TRONITI, GET TO THE SHIP! And you! This all could¡¯ve been¡ª¡± The pirate captain¡¯s ugly words were cut short by something I could not explain to save my life.


    A limit placed on the world has been broken. Repeat: a limit placed on the world has been broken. All those who have achieved an evolutionary level of Lord or higher now have access to the power of [Conferment]. Repeat: all those who have achieved an evolutionary level of Lord or higher now have access to the power of [Conferment].


    From everywhere, nowhere, and all around came a voice with a stern tone. It spoke with zero emotion, almost sounding like a golem or monster without a soul.


    I didn¡¯t know how I knew it, but instinctual knowledge buried deep within me told me the world was hearing this same message simultaneously. From my perspective, it spoke Arezzian, but if you only knew Orcish or Elvish, you would understand it all the same. Even if you were deaf, those words it seemed the heavens were speaking would find a way to you.


    As abruptly as it appeared, the grand voice ceased to exist.


    But we still couldn¡¯t move. I couldn¡¯t. Dad couldn¡¯t. The pirate captain couldn¡¯t.


    Even when our ship violently shook, throwing everyone to the deck, we remained frozen to the ground. From the hold came screams and gurgles of death with the stench of burnt flesh. Pleads of mercy and compassion wailed, but they were cut short by someone or something and fell on deaf ears.


    ¡°What...is that feeling? Is it mana? Oni, what the hell were you carrying?!¡± demanded the pirate captain. Cold sweat dripped down his cheeks and chest, and I knew what he was talking about. Even if you weren¡¯t powerful, your mana could leak out of your body and affect those around you. As a little girl, I was taught to keep mine in check, and it wasn¡¯t hard. Mila probably never learned that technique, but her weird [Status Cloak] ability most likely did that for her. When the Essence of Wrath took over her body, that ability was still working to keep us from being drowned in its oppressive atmosphere.


    But it seemed like that wasn¡¯t the case anymore. The overall pressure was constricting, making it hard to breathe or blink without feeling like your head was about to be chopped off. Footsteps eventually reached my ears, and with each one, the feeling increased¡ªno, it doubled. Finally, through the darkness leading to the hold?


    There stood a woman¡ªbut not in a form I had pleasant memories of. Mila almost looked like she did when the Essence of Wrath overtook her¡ªshe still wore the black robe I put on her, but she had these curly, red, ethereal dragon horns off the top of her head. I thought there wasn¡¯t much more room for dread to fill my heart, but staring at that...thing?


    It was like all hope was lost.


    That monster held out her hand, and Sekh¡¯s icy coffin appeared from nowhere. Mana materialized beside her, forming an unknown girl with blond hair, blue eyes, and a weird hat. The mysterious girl touched Sekh¡¯s ice, causing black flames to swallow it whole. Instead of burning her or the boat, dark embers danced to the hull, taking the form of five large, giant lions¡ª with coats of black, eyes of red ember, and manes of iceflame. The largest one was at least eight feet tall and towered over Dad.


    That was the same lion that held Sekh in its mouth when we ran to the ship. The monster in Mila¡¯s form touched Sekh, and she disappeared again.


    ¡°The Transcendent Dark Lord commands you to eliminate her foes,¡± said the woman masquerading as Mila, extending an arm.


    As if replying, all five lions roared and jumped to the pirate ship, starting the massacre. I stared in awe at their power. Their massive claws cleaved an armored man in two from a single swipe. The largest raised its tail high, the furry tip flashing crimson. Roaring, sharp arrows of flames shot out, piercing ten screaming pirates through the heart in the blink of an eye. It glowed again, launching a bolt of energy into the sky. It exploded like a firework and rained icy death from above, covering the warship. Even one icicle was enough to split a head open, and dozens slamming into the same body blew it into fleshy, gory chunks no larger than an apple.


    The woman with the fox tail quickly leapt to her ship, leaving behind her captain. She attempted to stab her weapon into a lion¡¯s side, but it melted against its flame-like body after failing to pierce it. Slowly, the magnificent beast turned around, staring down the woman, who was on borrowed time. It roared right in her face, each tooth almost larger than her head.


    Then it chomped, severing her head.


    Three smaller lions dug at the deck to create a hole, then jumped in and killed indiscriminately. I doubt they cared how brutal or disgusting they had to be to fulfill the order given to them.


    I only heard the feeble, worthless, useless cries of the dead...


    I hated the pirates. I hated them so much...


    Of the two remaining on the deck, the smaller one seemed to enjoy eating their opponents alive, devouring them whole while roaring at those on borrowed time.


    I struggled to look back at the woman in Mila¡¯s form. She walked to the closest pirate. He was pinned against the deck, unable to look up enough to see her face. Without being able to move, the pirate did nothing but endure that woman touching his head.


    ¡°[Combustion Grip],¡± she whispered. Suddenly, flames shot from her hand and swallowed the pirate, scorching him to ash in seconds.


    He was dead, just like that. The enemies we struggled with were easily killed by the power the Essence of Wrath wielded. But she didn¡¯t stop there. I was convinced the end was coming, but I wanted to meet it head on, so I watched her incinerate the other pirates before awaiting my turn.


    But the death I expected never came. Something was odd when I saw the Essence of Wrath carrying Sekh, and I couldn¡¯t identify why I felt that way. Looking at Mom and Dad was challenging, but I didn¡¯t think they shared the same apprehension as I did. Or if they did, they disguised it well.


    ¡°You¡¯re being hunted?¡± asked the High Elf with Mila¡¯s voice. She spoke while the lions were continuing their fun. The screams, once loud and frantic, were quickly quieting. Eventually, that vessel would be nothing more than a ghost ship of those who once hunted this wide, open ocean.


    ¡°Y¡ªYes! By Plymoise¡¯s navy. T--Take the necklace! I swear it¡¯s worth more than my bounty¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s all I needed to hear. Die, you piece of shit.¡± ¡®Mila¡¯ grabbed the necklace, it vanished, and she ripped the pirate captain¡¯s head clean from his body before stepping on the corpse¡¯s chest. The body caught aflame. She looked at the head, and it disappeared like that necklace.


    ¡®Mila¡¯ turned to me. Her mana was restrained because I could move. The sword I wielded was in the corner of my eye, barely within hand¡¯s reach. Mom and Dad had lost theirs when they were forced to the deck.


    I had a choice to make...


    No, we had a decision to make.


    The five lions emerged on the ship¡¯s deck, their fur stained with evidence of their completed task. They leapt back to our boat and bowed their heads in reverence. Primrose used her vines to get to her feet, and then she rushed into the hold, her frantic voice calling out for her summoner. Before now, the pressure coming from that ¡®thing¡¯ prevented us from speaking out of fear because we knew what damage that thing could cause.


    ¡°Mila, I know that¡¯s you,¡± Dad said, standing. The horns disappeared.


    ¡°Mila!¡± Mom and I cried. We scampered to her feet and rushed to hug her with Dad.


    ¡°Mom... Dad... I¡¯m sorry...for everything...¡±


    Mila was back!!! She was back!!! She was awake, she protected us, but most importantly...


    She!


    Was!


    Back!


    But her voice... It....was cold¡ªabrupt, even, clashing hard with the fire magic she used to kill the pirates.


    No, that¡¯s just a trick my mind¡¯s playing on me. I haven¡¯t heard Mila''s voice in so long... Yeah, that''s it. She''s the same as she''s always been... Nothing¡¯s wrong with her...

 Intermission – Quella – Undead Curse & Chimeric Menace – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Undead Curse & Chimeric Menace ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    While my vision was whitened by the teleportation circle, I wondered what would await us.


    The dungeon had been a frozen city with cliffs, so would the lobby share the same color scheme? Maybe it would have icy pillars? Or would we encounter others who were about to take on the dungeon?


    The excitement I couldn¡¯t hide was destroyed when my vision returned to me.


    There was no lobby.


    As I stood on the blood-soaked ground, my heart sank. The stench of death hung heavy in the air, suffocating and sickening. Before us stretched a macabre tableau, a haunting scene of horror and despair. The battlefield lay littered with the fallen, their lifeless bodies twisted and contorted in grotesque positions.


    Beside me, Elly and Ami succumbed to their nausea, retching uncontrollably at the grim spectacle before us. Their vomiting mingled with the moans and shuffling of the undead creatures that roamed aimlessly in the distance. Their lifeless eyes and decaying flesh sent shivers down my spine because this wasn¡¯t a book.


    It was real life, and the walking dead differed from bipedal leopards and ice-covered birds.


    Melusine broke the silence with a heavy sigh while rubbing Ami¡¯s back. "This must be the work of an undead curse," she murmured, her voice tinged with sorrow. "Those creatures in the distance were once living, breathing people. Now reduced to mindless drones with an insatiable hunger for flesh. An eerie coldness often follows. It keeps the flesh from decaying after a certain point.¡±


    So, that¡¯s why it¡¯s still cold... It¡¯s another curse, isn¡¯t it? It always seems like it¡¯s a curse.


    Greggie turned away from the gruesome scene and winced.


    ¡°Is that why we didn¡¯t run into anyone?¡± asked Mary. She struggled to keep her eyes steady. The smell probably burned them.


    ¡°Precisely. It¡¯s too dangerous for a common adventurer to get close. Only the foolish would risk it. But... I do not like to see what was once my domain reduced to this... It hurts my heart.¡± Melusine shed a few tears, which turned into crystal fragments.


    I rubbed Elly¡¯s back and said we needed to keep moving. She wiped her lips and nodded, and we carefully walked towards the monsters.


    These creatures were known as zombies, and being at Lv. 18, my fire magic easily ended their undead lives. My Ember Tome floated, opening as I cast [Flame Spark]. A tiny crackle appeared underneath my enemies, swiftly engulfing them in flames. The fire reduced them to a pile of diseased dust, which I quickly scorched with a second use.


    I got a zombie slayer and undead slayer title... I guess...I should equip them...


    Melusine said the undead had a natural weakness to flames, but she was an adept mage. Her [Cursed Ice Spear] created a lance of black ice that burrowed deep within her enemies. The curse that once destroyed her kingdom now worked for her, sapping the undead of their power while immobilizing them. [Ice Hail] wasn¡¯t that effective, and [Frigid Explosion], her strongest spell after [Blizzard Tornado], was too dangerous to use since it might only partially injure the zombies.


    She said we had to burn the body to ashes or destroy the head to stop them from moving.


    They were already monsters. The people they used to be? They didn¡¯t exist.


    After an hour of walking and repeating the same, we still hadn¡¯t left the blood-soaked field. Melusine said there used to be a field of yellow grass, which made for excellent farming.


    It seemed that was still once the case when we found a murky brown stream. The nauseating stench of death assaulted our senses. ¡°Those...are corpses...¡± Keeth whispered, pointing out dead bodies flowing away downstream like macerated leaves. ¡°Just what happened here?¡±


    ¡°We could follow it,¡± said the fairy queen. I looked down and saw her feet were covered in blood. She wore heels, which wasn¡¯t the best clothing. I brought it up, and Mary said she had something more suitable being held by her monsters.


    ¡°You¡¯ll look kind of like me,¡± she said. ¡°Are you okay with that? It''s probably not what a queen would normally wear."


    ¡°I am, Mary. Thank you.¡± Mary nodded. She summoned her monsters, gave her the clothes, and we turned around while the fairy queen changed her outfit.


    ¡°You look super pretty. But what¡¯s wrong with your wings? They don¡¯t look symmetrical.¡± After gushing about her new clothes, we noticed what Elly pointed out.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°Faeries can hide their wings,¡± said Melusine, looking so royal and elegant in that ¡®streetwear,¡¯ as Elly liked to call it. ¡°It¡¯s something we learn on our way to adulthood. Admittedly, it¡¯s been 1,000 years, so I¡¯ve...almost forgotten how to do it... There...we go.¡± The wings vanished into crystal-like fragments and were absorbed by her body.


    Her tiara even changed, and Melusine said its shape never remained the same, which I thought was cool.


    ¡°So, about the water. Qutie, what do we do?¡±


    ¡°Follow it downstream,¡± I said, recalling a tip I had once read in a book where a girl was transported to another world.


    That tale wasn¡¯t anywhere as depressing as this life...


    We did that after crossing it. After thirty minutes, we saw a distant village loom before us. But the true horror only revealed itself after we got close enough to enter it. Undead cows and pigs, their bodies grotesquely disfigured, wandered aimlessly, oblivious to their decaying state. Missing limbs, exposed innards, and hollow, lifeless eyes characterized these abominations. Yet some twisted semblance of life clung to their animated forms since they continued to graze without looking at us.


    The buildings were in ruins and were only standing by luck and faith. Follow the latest novels at novelhall.com


    ¡°HELLO!!! IS ANYONE HERE?!¡± I shouted in Arezzian¡ªthe common tongue of 1,000 years ago, trying to find any sign of life.


    There was nothing except guttural growls from zombies stumbling towards my voice. Their sunken eyes and decayed flesh burned away in my baptismal fire, but we pressed on. Ami hugged Elly and kept her close. Greggie had his icy stone shield and sword at the ready. Keeth kept an eye out and watched our rear.


    Our anxiety mounted and increased, finally topping off once we found a locked shed in the village square.


    Dread washed over us as we cautiously pried open the rusty door, revealing a chilling sight hiding within.


    ¡°Children? Why are they chained to the back?¡± My heart felt like it was being split into two. Greggie opened the doors all the way.


    ¡°Help! I don¡¯t wanna die! I want my mommy!!!¡±


    ¡°Please, help my brother! He needs help! He¡¯s been bitten!¡±


    ¡°I...can¡¯t feel my legs... Sissy... I...think I can see daddy...¡±


    They were chained to the back¡ªall suffering from horrendous wounds and bloodshot eyes. Festering boils popped and released dark yellow puss across their skin.


    ¡°Don¡¯t reach out for them, Quella...¡± Melusine said, grabbing my hand. Her words pierced through the air like shards of ice. ¡°They¡¯re too far gone. Can¡¯t you see the name floating above their head? The system of this world only displays that for monsters. Once you reach this state...there¡¯s no turning back.¡±


    I swallowed a nervous gulp and focused... [Lesser Zombie]... That was their name... They were Lv. 2, and...


    ¡°That can¡¯t be right. Melly, they¡¯re talking to us. They wanna be saved.¡±


    ¡°The undead curse is merciless, Ami. Their fate... Letting them out or freeing them from their shackles risks letting it spread. The cruel option is to leave, and the gentle option is to give them death.¡±


    ¡°Help...me... Mommy...I...want...mommy...¡± I saw a little girl without hope in her eyes¡ªwithout wonder or a chance to dream of the future. The voice was weak... It was almost too quiet.


    Ami and Elly couldn¡¯t help but run away and cry. Greggie and Keeth joined them after I told them it was fine, and the...fateful decision fell to me.


    The realization was devastating.


    But the choice was clear.


    Even if it made me...a killer... Slaughter of children...


    I summoned my Ember Tome and cast [Flame Barrier] to protect us from the [Inferno Burst]. A fiery orb appeared above the fluttering pages of my book. It flew above the shed and waited, growing angrier the longer I let it charge.


    That was the primer.


    When it was bigger than a truck, I threw the detonator. It pressed into the primer, which exploded, engulfing the immediate area in a searing blaze of purifying flames. It spread like a baptismal sea once the orb exploded. The anguished screams of the children mingled with the crackling flames, piercing the air and etching themselves deep into my memory.


    The barrier protected us from even feeling the smallest amount of heat...


    But...


    I didn¡¯t want to accept this.


    Shut up! Shut up! Stop screaming! Die... Please, just...pass on... And forgive me... I¡¯m...


    The mercy I offered?


    It was gruesome.


    It was merciless¡ªcruel because the children were innocent.


    They were children!


    But the alternative was a fate worse than death.


    It was preventing the undead curse from spreading.


    But as their sorrowful cries and screams died...the guilt and sorrow were etched into my heart.


    Melusine put a hand on my shoulder and apologized. She said this was the only choice. Elly and the others joined her and hugged me while I vented my frustrations.


    I failed again... I couldn¡¯t save... I...killed children...


    We pressed forward, haunted by the harrowing scenes we had witnessed. Village after village, we encountered the same nightmarish tableau of the undead. Sometimes, it was a woman trapped in a shed. She hugged a dead baby to her rotted chest and asked us to fetch milk because she couldn¡¯t produce any.


    She cursed me for killing her baby when the flames spread.


    The next one had a brother and sister. Both were missing their arms, but they called me their auntie and asked when their cousin was coming. Their minds were too far gone, and they calmly wondered why the sun was getting brighter before the flames consumed them.


    The next one was a father who wanted his daughter.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    ¡°Is that you, Greggie? You¡¯re so fat I mistook you for a blubbering wall of flesh. Treat me right, and Lord Meruria will let me take you to heaven. You can experience the last thing Shuuta felt.¡±


    ¡°DON¡¯T IGNORE ME!!!!¡±


    ¡°You have questions. And I have answers. And sure, I can kill that thing in no time. But I wanna see what you can do. Lord Meruria knows you¡¯ve obtained your Soul Weapon, so let¡¯s see it in action, Cutie Qutie.¡±


    Remy teleported once more and appeared in the sky. She stood on a block of white light and commanded us to fight as if she ruled over a gladiatorial death match. Daggers appeared from a flash of brown light, and she juggled them.


    The chimera growled once more. He spat death threats as his vines plunged into the ground.


    We weren¡¯t going to wait and take it, so it was time to act.


    Elly started singing [Dexterous Resolve] to increase our speed. Melusine formed her crystal wings, flew, and used [Cursed Ice Spear]. Greggie lifted his shield and cautiously walked forward, and Ami kept pace with him. Our monster tamer summoned her monsters, and the fight tensely began.


    ¡°Now! You need to move!¡± Mary shouted a command after being told important information by her monsters. Immediately, we jumped away and avoided the vines threatening to impale us. Ami used her superior speed to close the distance and engaged the enemy in hand-to-hand combat. He dodged her strikes and transformed into slime to break her grips and holds.


    Her fists went right through him.


    Greggie jumped and smacked him away with his shield, but he morphed into a bird and took to the skies. He flew around, and then the one bird turned into four.


    I used [Flame Barrier] and then charged mana into [Heat Wave]. The spell left my tome and was hot enough to melt the ground in seconds. I directed it towards the birds, but they...


    Just vanished.


    ¡°SHIT¡ª¡±


    I turned around too late and felt an arm puncture my stomach. The chimera we fought was a decoy.


    The real thing was hidden from the beginning...


    ¡°Got you now...¡±


    ¡°QUTIE!!!!¡± Elly screamed my name and switched to her healing song. But my HP drained faster than it healed. Greggie made a move, but a second hand spread open my stomach. I felt a foreign entity poke and prod at my intestines.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want me to hurt her more, do you? Why don¡¯t you sit there and let me enjoy this meal?¡±


    ¡°[SOUL BARRIER]!¡± I gritted my teeth and used a spell exclusive to me. The chimera¡¯s arms were severed, and he tried to break my protective aura after regrowing his limbs.


    But it didn¡¯t work.


    I muttered [Heat Wave] under my breath and melted the ground below us. My soul energy drained like crazy, but the chimera immediately felt himself become one with molten rock. He tried desperately to pull himself out, but I turned around and hugged him tightly.


    ¡°YOU¡¯RE GOING TO DIE TOO!¡± he shouted. He struggled even more, but I didn¡¯t let go.


    Suddenly, the chimera ripped off his head and threw it at Mary, who fell in panic. I looked at the headless corpse and found watery slime. Melusine appeared to grab my hand. She lifted me out of my trap.


    Mary screamed. The monster had turned into slime and circled her body, sending its tendrils into every orifice it could.


    ¡°Oh? What¡¯s this?!¡± The monster formed a slingshot and flung itself away. It regrew into a child and childishly spoke while looking at a bottle of pills.


    The same pills Mary needed to survive¡ªto counteract her accelerated aging.


    Without even saying anything, we launched into a rage. Elly switched to [Physical Resolve], which strengthened Greggie and Ami. Keeth...


    He couldn¡¯t do anything. He just watched and cheered us on.


    Melusine called my name and said one word.


    Barrier.


    She used the ice variant; I used the flame, and I overcharged the hell out of [Inferno Burst]. Melusine channeled [Frigid Explosion], which grew to life above her head. She held both arms up and screamed, her crystal wings shining brighter than ever.


    ¡°This must be important if you¡¯re going this far for it.¡± The chimera didn¡¯t even move. Ami¡¯s furious punches and Greggie¡¯s anger-infused slices just passed right through.


    I instantly turned around and waited for the chimera to show himself, but he never did. Melusine used her spell first, but the monster transfigured into a nimble serpent covered in ice. It jumped towards the incoming attack and slithered around it, using the frictionless surface to build up speed to launch itself high into the air.


    An icy apocalypse was born when the spell landed. It exploded into a barrage of frozen spikes that rampaged the nearby village, freezing everything solid. Without our barrier spells, we would¡¯ve died thirteen times over.


    ¡°JUST GIVE IT BACK!¡± I launched the primer and prepared the detonator. ¡°You don¡¯t know what they¡¯re capable of. We need those pills more than anything!¡±


    I knew I still had a hole in my stomach.


    It hurt so goddamn much.


    Elly¡¯s song couldn¡¯t fix that kind of injury. She could delay the HP drain, but that was the most.


    But it was nothing to the hatred I felt towards my enemy.


    The chimera grew wings and returned to a humanoid form, although he became an elderly man with wrinkly skin. ¡°If you want them, you need to kill me. If this attack doesn¡¯t do it, then...¡±


    ¡°You bastard!¡± Elly screamed. Her teary eyes revealed her true feelings. She changed her song and attacked using flying musical notes. The lyrics were heavy and depraved¡ªsomething that would fit in a death metal band. Our enemy avoided the magical music notes with ease. I threw the detonator with my last bit of strength and watched it explode like a bomb. The skies were filled with so much heat and flames that the air caught on fire. It was so hot a portion of the cliff liquified into goo. We needed to retreat further into the village to avoid falling. The ice reacted and made a wave of steam, preventing us from seeing our enemy.


    The pain radiating from my stomach tripled in agony. I cried and fell to my knees, unable to harbor the strength to look up.


    But we heard his voice.


    His taunting, crude, annoying voice. ¡°Hahahaha! You¡¯re powerful, but that¡¯s all you are. You don¡¯t have any skill¡ªany technique! You rely on raw power without any refinement! You need to be like me!¡±


    A powerful breeze picked up. The steam began to swirl and thin, revealing our enemy. The chimera had four arms and two heads. Two hands supported a wind spell, and the other two were popping Mary¡¯s pills into his mouths.


    Before I could say anything, the steam compressed itself twice into a thin needle, then shot like a laser towards Keeth.


    It pierced his throat.


    ¡°KEEEEEETHHHHH!!!!¡± Elly rushed to his aid and sang her healing song as fast as she could. Ami joined his side and pressed her hands against the wound, using pressure to stop the bleeding.


    But his HP drained quickly. He was the weakest of us. He didn¡¯t have that much HP. Nor did we have any armor. We wore gear made for ice and cold--mere clothes.


    I tried to stand, but my legs were numb. My arms felt like rubber.


    My head hurt.


    My eyes hurt.


    My stomach hurt.


    There was nothing that didn¡¯t hurt.


    It took all I had to look at Elly and Ami trying to help Keeth. Greggie... He fought the chimera, but his blows were deflected. The enemy was covered in shiny scales and looked like a walking aquamarine. It then transformed once more and formed long claws. It snatched Greggie¡¯s sword and shield and crumbled them like paper.


    Melusine was running low on mana. Her blue bar was almost totally drained. Greggie had resorted to throwing punches. It was hard to see it, but his left hand was broken.


    Oh... His... Keeth¡¯s...


    Shit...


    Am...I going to fail...?


    Again...


    After I let Shuuta die?


    Why can¡¯t I do anything right...?


    I can¡¯t do this anymore.


    I can¡¯t keep killing...


    Mothers


    Fathers


    Children...


    I¡¯m not strong...


    I can¡¯t survive here...


    Shuuta... When I die... I can say sorry... It¡¯s okay if you hate me... I¡¯ll understand it...because I hate myself too...

 Intermission – Quella – Undead Curse & Chimeric Menace – Part Two

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Undead Curse & Chimeric Menace ¨C Part Two


    ¡°Hmm... They don¡¯t make Soul Warriors like they used to. I don¡¯t like to suggest you made a mistake, Lord Meruria, but maybe Shuuta had more resolve in him? Certainly more than a red-haired mage.¡± The Wolffolk named Remy happily watched the chaos happening below her. She loved to hear cute girls and handsome boys cry in pain.


    She loved it more than anything else in the world.


    Other than her beloved Lord Meruria, of course.


    She felt her crotch moisten when that chimera had his hands in Quella¡¯s guts. Remy believed Team Quella¡¯s enemy made a fatal mistake, yet the resilience of his kind was like no other.


    A chimera had a thousand ways to survive any encounter. They were masters of the unexpected¡ªgeniuses at wriggling their ways out of unwinnable or inescapable situations and living to fight another day.


    Even a Soul Warrior would have trouble fighting one. That was why this was a test. Remy didn¡¯t expect to get involved. She wasn¡¯t ordered to remain as only a scout to analyze Team Quella¡¯s progress, so nothing forbade her from letting her presence known, but she spied on Quella and the others for a day or two before popping up beside them.


    She found it fun to watch the little mage act so sad and feeble at killing a couple of kids.


    They were already destined to die from the undead curse, so...


    But the queen with the crystal wings was the most interesting. Lord Meruria confided in Remy and said the useless teacher had the most potential if her abilities worked the way she thought they did. Storing fragments of the past into orbs of Holy Mana and freeing them from their dungeon shackles?


    Not even Remy¡¯s lord could do that.


    No one could.


    That shattered balance was the sole reason why Soul Warriors essentially broke the equality of the game board. You needed instability to create stability. Vissit  for updates


    ¡°Tsk tsk... Ugh, it¡¯s so boring. It¡¯s like reading a story when you know the ending,¡± Remy said. She bounced on her toes and wished for something interesting to happen. Her blood boiled with excitement when Keeth¡¯s neck was punctured.


    And when Greggie continued to fight without his sword and shield, she loved hearing his bones break. Physical attacks were useless against the scales of an Iron Mammoth, but these otherworld-ers didn¡¯t know that.


    Suddenly, a dark-skinned, broad-shouldered man descended from the skies, standing atop the shell belonging to an ancient turtle spirit. He had a bald head, wore a turtle shell necklace, and was extremely muscular. His soft, vibrant orange robes tightly clung to his powerful body.


    He jumped from the floating turtle and landed near the fallen mage with red hair.


    All eyes turned to him.


    The chimera metaphorically soiled his pants, for he knew the power this stranger wielded.


    All it took was one step for the monster to transfigure a set of wings and fly away towards the city of death and decay, located a hundred miles away from the bottom of the cliff.


    Sinem¡ªthe capital city of the Apival Duchy, had already fallen to the undead curse. There wasn¡¯t a single soul left alive. The monsters inhabiting it weren¡¯t worth saving.


    The mysterious man didn¡¯t even have to think about chasing the monster because the lives of the injured were worth more than that. He brought his massive hands and prayed.


    "[Shellmender¡¯s Grace],¡± said the turtle in a deep, low voice as it landed near the monk.


    A gentle aura of soothing light enveloped the turtle¡¯s shell. A shimmering wave of energy rippled through the air, cascading over each person. The warm glow of the spell spread like a comforting blanket, embracing the members of Team Quella.


    Wounds closed, bones were mended, and weariness was lifted. The rejuvenating energy filled the air with a sense of calmness and tranquility modeled after the long-forgotten goddess the spell was named for.


    But those affected by the spell immediately fell asleep to recover the rest of their energy. That was a side effect of the magic, but it guaranteed the patients would wake up without soreness.


    ¡°Kaiho.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be done, Enele,¡± said the turtle. Kaiho used a spell called [Enchanting Shroud of Aquanis] to blow away the ruined, death-filled village in the blink of an eye. The whirlwind of force pushed it across the cliff¡¯s edge, and in its place was a slice of nature only found inside the Kingdom of Aquanis. The vibrant trees and flowing rivers of water that encircled the safety grounds contained protective properties to safeguard those inside from further harm.


    One by one, the turtle ferried the sleeping bodies to their new haven while Enele turned his sights to Remy. She jumped to the ground. ¡°I expected the Dark Lord of Justice to show up, but I didn¡¯t think it would be this soon.¡±


    Enele, the Dark Lord of Justice, Head Arbitrator overseeing the Kingdom of Aquanis, remained quiet and disapprovingly shook his head towards Remy.


    He knew what she was like.


    He knew how Lord Meruria was.


    He knew there wasn''t anything to say, so he remained quiet.


    I shouted at the nightmare chasing me through a maze of flesh and blood.


    I knew this was fake.


    I knew this wasn¡¯t real.


    But it still hurt all the same because it wasn¡¯t just Shuuta.


    It was Elly.


    Ami.


    Greggie.


    Keeth.


    Mary.


    And Melusine.


    Seven bloodied, tortured corpses were chasing me.


    Their hatred endlessly spewed my way, cursing me to death. I turned to the left and ran into a monster¡ªthe chimera stuck his hand through my chest and crushed my heart.


    I was dead.


    But the nightmare continued.


    It always happened like this.


    Even my nightmares didn¡¯t end when I died. I was just brought back to the beginning of the maze¡ªdestined to repeat the same sick game until I woke up.


    But I didn¡¯t know if...I was alive or dead. That chimera made a hole in my stomach. You couldn¡¯t heal that with a song. Even [Minor Heal] wouldn¡¯t have worked.


    So...this was probably the end.


    My mind was punishing me even while my body was on its last breath.


    If I used standard fantasy tropes, Holy Lords were supposed to be good, and Dark Lords were evil. But good and evil... They were varying shades of gray, not black and white. If we had been summoned by Lord Enele, everything would¡¯ve been different.


    But when I asked if Lord Enele had summoned any Soul Warriors, he said he was forbidden. The Dark Lord of Justice was to be fair and impartial to all. They were never supposed to show favoritism to one side or the other. As the Head Arbitrator, he oversaw the annual Lord Conference, held at the beginning of summer, in the Kingdom of Aquanis.


    It turned out we were summoned just a few days after that conference. Every Holy and Dark Lord was required to go since it acted like the United Nations from my world¡ªa place for Divine Countries¡ªplaces ruled by a Holy or Dark Lord¡ªor even Mortal Countries ¨C countries without them¡ªto share their grievances or concerns.


    The topic of summoning was brought up every fifty years, although each country needed to agree on a time frame. Lord Enele said the longest recorded gap was 198 years, and the shortest was 29 years.


    ¡°It¡¯s the rule that all summoners are to choose a squad of Soul Warriors and attend the Lord Conference following a summoning session,¡± said Lord Enele, finishing his tidy and easy-to-follow lecture. ¡°It¡¯s the oldest kingdom in the world. It¡¯s full of rich history, legends, and fascinating fragments of the world of yesteryear.¡±


    It really sounded amazing. But would Meruria allow us¡ªfilthy defenders of trash¡ªas she probably sees us¡ªto attend something so prestigious?


    Probably not.


    She¡¯d probably make up some reason why we had to stay in Junsa.


    As we talked and ate, more of my friends began waking up. Keeth was the last, and he cried for twenty minutes straight¡ªprimarily because Elly was hugging him tight enough to cause a little pain. Lord Enele was surprised to find out who Melusine was.


    Maybe it was a mistake to not return her to her orb. Although we didn¡¯t know spirits needed to return to their spirit crystals until after he had deduced her identity from her name and appearance.


    Mary¡¯s mana orbs were an alternative to these spirit and demon crystals. Each spirit and demon held a core somewhere on their body that killed them when broken. Melusine and monsters had cores hidden inside their bodies that you used in enchanting, as Lord Enele taught us when he was flabbergasted Meruria hadn''t told us anything about this world and how it worked.


    ¡°The core acts as a heart?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct, Mary. Queen Melusine, please be careful when it comes to fighting. Do not tell anyone about your true nature. If word gets out about a way to extract boss monsters from dungeons containing Lore, I don¡¯t want to imagine the trouble your tamer will find herself in.¡±


    ¡°Your worries are valid, Lord Enele. I will take them to heart. However, I¡¯m not sure where my core¡¯s even at.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t find any when we butchered the leopards for meat. Why was that, Nelly?¡± asked Ami. She already had a nickname for him. And he liked it. He laughed at her casualness and approved of it. He said cores came in all shapes and sizes. We weren¡¯t digging deep enough to extract them. The guilds would buy them, but you were better off going to an auction house or a specialized market.


    Since Lord Enele was close to Cridia¡¯s previous Holy Lord, I wanted to ask him about Meruria¡¯s ascension. If she pushed him into the void, she took his Holy Mana. I was almost positive she did, but it wasn¡¯t the right time to ask. I was about to ask something else when Mary patted her jacket and...


    ¡°They¡¯re gone?!¡± she exclaimed. The horror and dread on her face could have killed a gargoyle.


    That was right...


    That chimera had taken the pills she needed to halt her advanced aging. She was a test tube baby, and the accelerated division of her cells aged rapidly aged her. Without her pills...


    Lord Enele didn¡¯t understand until Mary explained why they were so important. I didn¡¯t think he understood, but he said Mary was a Soul Warrior. By default, they had longer lifespans. A 1-Star aged 20% slower, a 2-Star 40%, and so on.


    ¡°Soul Evolution... That¡¯s the key. It extends your life.¡±


    ¡°But does that exist?¡± I asked. Melusine and Elly rubbed Mary¡¯s back while she hugged her knees.


    ¡°I¡¯ve seen it happen with my own eyes. Most believe it to be a falsehood uttered by their summoners to give them a dash of fleeting hope. But it is true. I swear upon my life as the Dark Lord of Justice it is not unobtainable.¡± That cheered Mary up a little, but she was still shaken.


    It was almost funny because I had never seen her act like a teacher. She was a brilliant woman with a bright mind¡ªshe had to be to have been chosen to teach at Mekka Academy. But she wasn¡¯t...useful...to help us further advance our studies. I hated using that word, but she was, until recently, a woman who showed up to class to do almost nothing because we were, on average, her intellectual superiors.


    She didn¡¯t want to be called Ms. Mary or Ms. Mishel because she never wanted to be a teacher. She only did it to save her adoptive family from being killed by the group that made her.


    Honestly? Her life was a sad drama, filled with depressing downs with few uplifting moments. She was a fighter, though. She wasn¡¯t so courageous, but I could tell she was trying to change that.


    She wanted to become better. Maybe if she did, she¡¯d have the confidence to try her hand at teaching.


    But she didn¡¯t act like one, and I believed that was fine.


    I liked Mary the way she was.


    The campfire continued to sizzle, and I potentially ruined the atmosphere by bringing up the chimera. It was just too strong and fast. Our attacks phased through it... It split into multiple copies and transfigured unbreakable scales to prevent melee damage...


    How could we compete with that? My spells didn¡¯t do anything. Perhaps Ami¡¯s aura could have done something, but she couldn¡¯t gather enough.


    We were weak.


    Weaker than I thought.


    I was a fool to think of us as capable. How dumb was I? How many more times would I fail and put my friends¡¯ lives in danger?


    Enele said we didn¡¯t have anything to worry about. ¡°When the morning comes, I¡¯ll exterminate the chimera. The monster assimilated a necromancer and foolishly wielded its newfound powers carelessly.¡±


    I asked if it could run away from the city, but Enele shook his head and said it couldn¡¯t leave the Apival Duchy. The curse it used made Sinem the epicenter of the ability. The chimera would undoubtedly be strong while inside it. Leaving it would immediately weaken him.


    Keeth passed the time by using a few spare ingots Mary''s monsters were holding to create a replacement sword and shield for Greggie.


    When morning rolled around, Remy returned. She appeared from a flash of light and sat down, not even caring that her clothes and face were covered in blood and rotted flesh.


    ¡°It¡¯s a leveling gold mine, Cutie Qutie!¡± Remy was all smiles and laughter.


    It sickened me.


    ¡°So, here¡¯s the deal. There¡¯s not a single non-monster left within the city. You guys know about zombies and liches, right?¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to answer her, but I nodded. ¡°They¡¯re weak to fire and holy magic," Remy continued. "You can also kill them with healing magic. Elly Belly, your horrendous singing would do the job."


    "It¡¯s NOT horrendous!¡± growled Elly. She couldn¡¯t look at Remy¡¯s face across the campfire without feeling hatred surge through her heart like a spreading flame. "And don''t call me that!"


    ¡°It is to the undead. Anyways, I figured it''s the perfect chance. Cutie Qutie, why don¡¯t you use [Inferno Burst] and burn it away? Just destroy the city to the last goddamn ash.¡±


    ¡°Is that what your lord wants, Remy?¡± Enele folded his arms and sat with his back straight.


    ¡°It is. The Apival Duchy has been in decline for decades. Famine and disease accelerated the decay, and then a necromancer moved in to experiment. It doesn¡¯t take a genius to foresee a chimera being born within the last decade and assimilating the foolish mystic to steal his power over the dead. The people were a lost cause.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you do anything? What kind of a ruler is this Meruria if she allows her subjects to willingly suffer?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if a queen like you is allowed to say anything. May I remind you of Faedornia? Between Cridia and your lame-ass kingdom, which is a mere forgotten memory? You let your ¡®subjects¡¯ unceremoniously suffer while failing to find a cure. No wonder the Crystal Faeries are extinct if you were their leader,¡± Remy said with a smile. Although there was a murderous twitch in her eye at hearing someone badmouth Meruria.


    Her words hurt Melusine. She bit her lip, and then Remy taunted her more until I barged into the conversation and changed it. But by then, Melusine had returned to her mana orb. Enele looked disapprovingly at Remy.


    He was supposed to remain neutral. Punishing Remy would violate that. But maybe he wanted to?


    ¡°We¡¯re heading out in fifteen minutes, okay? I wanna find the chimera and finish this far because I want to return to Lord Meruria¡¯s arms. I really, really, really want her to make me tingle. Her fingers are the best. And I wanna see her kiss and touch my sis, Willow. Oh~~~ I miss you so much, Lord Meruria...¡±


    Ugh...

 Intermission – Quella – Undead Curse & Chimeric Menace – Part Three (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Undead Curse & Chimeric Menace ¨C Part Three (Illustrations!)


    And so, fifteen minutes later, Kaiho grew twenty times his size. He was big enough for us to jump in his shell, and he swam through the air, over the cliff, and headed towards the city in the distance. Its walls were partly crumbling. The closer we got, the more awful the smell became. There wasn¡¯t anything green or resembling life anywhere. Hordes of undead mindlessly walked through the deaf forests below us, and we saw them get attacked by undead wolves, zombie hawks, and skeleton alligators that lived in the blackest, most putrid rivers imaginable. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com


    Kaiho landed at the city¡¯s gates¡ªon the south side. Thirty stumbling undead were protecting the entrance. They were called decayed guardians, and they were Lv. 44. The armor was rusted, but their exposed bones shimmered and glowed with charged electricity.


    Remy pulled her daggers and merely walked forward.


    ¡°[Temporal Slowness].¡± A white fog burst from her body, slowing everything within by a factor of 100.


    That included us.


    From our point of view, she moved faster than lightning, zipping between each monster and severing their heads. Enele clapped his hands and used a barrier to make us immune to the effects, and the inverse happened.


    The decayed guardians were the ones who acted as if they were standing still.


    But then Remy teleported into the air. Then to the left. And the right. And there were four of her, yet she was also standing beside us, juggling her daggers.


    But...


    Remy laughed and said our confusion was adorable.


    Whatever power she held...it was on a different level. Slowing time and teleporting? Was she fast enough to be in five spots while continuing a conversation? Was each teleport bringing a Remy from another world or time to fight in her place?


    Or was it something else?


    Nothing made sense about her. When the last monster died, she sheathed her weapons and said she wanted us to redeem ourselves from the earlier showing.


    Enele remained quiet when I looked to him for help. If I was right, his neutrality was really being tested, or maybe I was nai?ve enough to think that.


    Regardless, we entered the city, enduring a hazy mist of oppressive death that was thick and visible. Breathing was difficult. We were given a debuff, reducing our mana and stamina. Even a mere [Heat Wave], which I used to melt a group of acid ghouls, required drastically more resources. They exploded and dissolved a nearby house, which held thirty zombie rats. They spread like the plague, charging straight for us. I was about to wipe them out when Elly started to sing. She cried and sang [Healing Melody], the deep and haunting lyrics about a girl who wanted her friends to rest in peace.


    In shadows cast, where memories reside,


    A whispered melody, where sorrow abides,


    A girl with a heavy heart, her voice so serene,


    Singing a haunting song, to lay souls serene.


    [Healing Melody], flow into the night,


    Ease the weary hearts, in eternal flight,


    Grant them solace, where darkness is released,


    Let them find their peace, in eternal sleep.


    With gentle notes, she weaves a mournful tale,


    Of love once cherished, now lost to the veil,


    Her voice resonates, piercing through the gloom,


    To bring solace and rest, beyond the tomb.


    May the echoes of her song, reach the distant shores,


    To mend broken spirits, where anguish soars,


    For in the depths of her sorrowful strain,


    Lies the power to heal, to soothe all pain.


    [Healing Melody], flow into the night,


    Ease the weary hearts, in eternal flight,


    Grant them solace, where darkness is released,


    Let them find their peace, in eternal sleep.


    As tears fall like rain, her voice carries on,


    Guiding lost souls to a tranquil dawn,


    With each mournful verse, she bids them depart,


    To find solace in slumber, and peace in their heart.


    In the realm of shadows, her song remains,


    A healing requiem, where sadness wanes,


    May her melody bring peace to the undead,


    And grant them the rest they longed for, as she said.


    Her voice was so pretty, but it was corrosive poison to the rats. They groaned in pain and almost melted from the inside out, and it attracted even more undead. They all ran to Elly from everywhere in the city, and her singing strengthened. She used every drop of mana, then forced herself to continue, acquiring an ability to overdraw her mana at the risk of limiting herself in the future.


    For thirty minutes, we listened. The undead wails and groans tried to drown out our idol''s voice.


    But Elly never stopped. She refused to quiet. Elly became an idol to help people with the power of music. She yearned for her voice to be a source of hope, not death. And even though she was killing, she probably hoped our enemies received relief on the other side.


    The only one who wasn¡¯t crying was Remy. The heartless bitch didn¡¯t have a soul. She didn¡¯t have an ounce of humanity resting in her rotting core.


    When it was all said and done, Elly dropped to her knees and gasped for air. She formed fists, silently crying away her feelings before standing up. Her mana bar, now red, not blue, was draining slowly. Until it emptied, she couldn¡¯t use any magic.


    But that didn¡¯t stop us.


    We pushed past the horde of undead attracted to Elly¡¯s singing and reached the large castle in the middle of town, taking out any stragglers along the way. It was dangerous to fight the undead close, so it was up to me to kill them with my magic. Even with the debuff, my mana regenerated at a crazy rate.


    We encountered liches and undead abominations inside the castle¡¯s gate. There was a front courtyard standing in front of the building. The liches were tall and skeletal, with withered flesh stretched across their bony appearance. Of the four I saw, two were dressed like royalty and wore crowns of bones. They used unholy magic via their bone scepters to raise the dead. They barked orders in a raspy voice, sending chills to my bones.


    They spoke Arezzian.


    The other two were bald, but they were dressed like spell casters. Long, tattered robes loosely clung to their bodies. They each wore ten rings and floated two feet above the ground. I activated [Mana Perception] and almost lost my mind. It... Everything was just the color of death. The undeath energy radiated enough to nearly suffocate me. I didn¡¯t regain my sense of reasoning until Melusine grabbed my shoulders and whispered for me to be calm in my ears.


    My tome fluttered and opened its pages while I prepared another [Heat Wave]. Melusine summoned her wings and flew in, launching an assault of [Ice Hail] and [Cursed Ice Spear]. She was agile and avoided the incoming necrotic bolts of gross green energy. When the time was right, I dashed around the wall and sent my prepared spell their way. The hazy wave of incredibly superheated air melted the ground in moments. The liquid remains bubbled and boiled like the witches preparing a cauldron in a play involving a woman orchestrating her way into becoming the Queen of Scotland.


    The undead archers focused their hail of bony arrows on Melusine and were killed immediately. The liches turned around too late. They didn¡¯t hear anything, and they died an agonizingly painful death.


    The Sanctus Tome is now available for use.


    My Ember Tome turned an intense shade of white and altered forms to look like a holy book. The abilities it held were [Divine Light], a spell to cast a radiant light that wasn¡¯t blinding to illuminate the darkness, [Sacred Shield], a spell that created a transparent shield around the target, offering physical and magical resistance, [Benediction], a prayer type spell that healed my allies within an area, [Serenity¡¯s Embrace], a spell designed to soothe the mind and erase anger and aggression, and [Divine Harmony], a spell to cleanse ourselves of debilitating status effects.


    It was clearly meant for support, not offense. But we had a new healing spell. It was effective.


    That chimera... It wasn¡¯t going to get away.


    We felt more confident, and I had the Sanctus Tome ready when we entered the castle. Unfortunately, [Divine Harmony] didn¡¯t work to remove the one debuff we were affected by. Could I apply a debuff immunity status effect? Maybe, but I didn¡¯t know my Soul Weapon had a form with that spell.


    Melusine wondered if what she felt was what we experienced when we entered her castle in the dungeon.


    ¡°It was a sense of awe and wonder,¡± I told her, wiping out another group of liches. Their weakness to flames was one thing, but I was starting to understand just how wide the gap of power was between the undead, myself, and that chimera.


    They went down like styrofoam boxes.


    And we went down like a lion swatting a toy block.


    The divide was massive. I knew I was practically a toddler when it came to living in this world, but the difference was staggeringly annoying.


    Enele said he felt dark energy coming from the prisons below, but to get there, we needed to walk around the outer halls to reach the inner sanctum. There existed a secret path to the armory and barracks. Going through via the castle was quicker than looping around the city, although I wondered why we couldn¡¯t fly there on Kaiho.


    It was probably dangerous.


    [Sacred Shield] worked wonders in letting Ami and Greggie join the fight. The defensive spell protected them against wayward scratches or vile magic, and these undead were physically weak to their raw power. Remy had to make crude jokes about Greggie¡¯s weight. She meant for it to be endearing, but that was a load of shit. She said it to be hurtful. Greggie tuned her out and focused on fighting.


    He''d gotten better, for sure. His weight was still a problem. I knew he wasn¡¯t as agile or fit as he wanted, but his status as a Soul Warrior helped fill the gaps.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    ¡°Sorry, but if you¡¯re thinking I¡¯m one of them. I¡¯m not. Lord Enele can attest to that, right?¡±


    ¡°How¡¯d you know what I was thinking?¡± My voice sounded dead. There was no tone. I couldn¡¯t formulate the strength to do anything other than talk.


    ¡°Because we¡¯re soul mates, Cutie Qutie. Teehee!¡±


    Lord Enele finally broke his silence and said he was there when Remy joined Bellerophon. They were a guild of chimera hunters¡ªoften called their bane¡ªwho made it their raison d''etre to rid the world of chimera. Long ago, one of the founding members perfected a spell to detect titles or skills relating to chimerism. It worked like a Scan Stone or [Scan], but it couldn¡¯t be blocked.


    It also only returned a positive or negative response, so it didn¡¯t give the caster a rundown of what their target knew.


    Every Bellerophon soldier needed to be scanned regularly. If Remy was one, she¡¯d have died. And Meruria would¡¯ve been charged with aiding and abetting a chimera, which would have resulted in her death.


    The world hated them.


    And I...didn¡¯t harbor any fair pleasantries towards them.


    It was a statistical improbability for all chimeras to be evil. Hardcoded absolutes rarely existed in the world, but...


    I wasn¡¯t in a forgiving mood.


    I was just so done and tired of it. My mind was hanging on by threads. Ami and the others were pushing themselves hard. Burnout was real¡ªand mental breakdowns would most likely follow.


    Ten minutes later, Enele led us to a locked door. Keeth used [Material Metamorphosis] to pick the lock without difficulty, which revealed a spiral staircase. We followed it for a while, then...


    There...it was...standing in the middle of a room, hunkered over a magic circle that nearly made me vomit when I channeled [Mana Perception].


    During our descent, Enele said the chimera had assimilated a necromancer and merged their power with an ability to create domains.


    Skill fusion was just another horrible power from the monstrous chimera. Proper use could result in disastrous and unimaginably powerful combinations that had no equal.


    But marking the Apival Duchy as their domain meant the chimera couldn¡¯t leave.


    But why couldn¡¯t it sense Lord Enele? That was because he was withholding his mana, refusing to let it leak. It was a skill that, while easy to learn and hard to master, was invaluable when you wanted to be stealthy.


    Lord Enele gripped the railing. There were stairs to our left and right.


    ¡°And how the prey returns to the predator, my Soul Warriors!¡± The chimera refused to look up.


    It didn¡¯t know Lord Enele was here. It foolishly believed he had probably gone somewhere else, something I confirmed a moment when it resumed talking. ¡°You¡¯re foolish to think you can defeat me without that Dark Lord. But I won¡¯t complain. The power of a Soul Warrior will be mine! I''ll snatch it! I¡¯ll use it to wipe out that detestable bitch, assimilate Meruria¡¯s Holy Mana, and ascend to a Holy Lord. I¡¯ll rule this country! I''ll turn it into my own necromantic domain. I¡¯ll fight the other Divine Countries and consume every Dark Lord I find. I¡¯ll break the gap and emerge stronger¡ªreaching the pinnacle no one has ever reached. I¡¯ll become a god! I¡¯ll force the world to bow to my rule! I¡¯ll--¡±


    Lord Enele hopped the railing and landed hard enough to leave a crack in the floor.


    The chimera didn¡¯t like that. He looked up and nearly soiled himself. He started to run away, but...


    ¡°[Restraining Shackles of Condemnation]!¡± Lord Enele¡¯s deep, powerful voice foreshadowed a startling sight. A magic circle appeared beneath the escaping chimera. Chains of mystical energy materialized from the heart of the glowing formation, their links shimmering with an otherworldly brilliance from the concept of justice.


    The chains slithered and weaved with purpose, their movements fluid and precise. They coiled, twisted, and latched onto the chimera¡¯s legs before it could transfigure into a bird. Their grip was unbreakable and unyielding, although their captive tried its hardest to break free. The chimera bit and tore, breaking his arms and fingers in a futile attempt to shatter its bondage.


    The shackles glowed brighter, sapping the chimera¡¯s strength until it took all it had to breathe.


    I watched in fascination and apprehension as we descended the steps to join Lord Enele. The chimera treated us like toys, yet Lord Enele effortlessly achieved what we couldn¡¯t as a group.


    In the silence that followed, the room seemed to hold its breath as if acknowledging justice''s swift and impartial hand. Lord Enele was a presence to behold. He calmly walked forward, ignoring the hatred and putrid insults that came his way.


    ¡°Have you come to accept your end, chimera?¡± asked Enele.


    ¡°Like hell I have! Do you think this is going to end me? I¡¯ve taken every goddamn liberty to ensure my survival. If you kill me, I¡¯ll just transfer my consciousness to a clone I have hidden. Who knows? They might even be behind you? You can¡¯t kill me without destroying the duchy, and I know you don¡¯t have--¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, my unholy child. I must uphold justice. I must be a shining beacon of light to protect the weak and cast out the evil.¡± Lord Enele used a spell to create a wavering, hazy portal just a few feet from us. I stared inside, yet I didn''t see anything I recognized. ¡°The only way to free the land of the curse you wrought is by destroying it at its core. You leave me no choice but to bring the end of the Apival Duchy.¡±


    Kaiho grew larger and told us to jump on his back, and we did. The turtle swam through the portal, and we appeared...in the air?


    Kaiho grew as large as a house as Lord Enele appeared a moment later. He overlooked a city in the distance. It was small and...


    No, it was Sinem... It had to be at least 5 or 6 miles away. Based on the sun, we were somewhere southeast of our previous location.


    I felt...something fearful...


    My instincts were sounding alarm bells...


    Slowly, Lord Enele raised his hands, and he chanted. ¡°From the depths of the Abyss, where darkness reigns, I summon forth the power that nothing restrains. With words of ancient might and unearthly plea, let the world tremble in fear and bow to me. By the swirling void and the cosmic expanse, I command the forces of destruction to advance. Through the abyssal gates, let chaos be unfurled as I invoke the might of a dark, relentless world.¡±


    Lord Enele¡¯s presence cast an ominous shadow over the land. An overwhelming surge of Dark Mana crackled around him, but he showed no signs of ending his chant anytime soon.


    ¡°With a voice that echoes through realms unknown, I call upon the energies that lie deep overthrown. [Abyssal Annihilation], heed my dire call, unleash your fury and let devastation befall. Rend the earth asunder with cataclysmic might, engulf all in shadows, banish them from light. From the deepest void, let oblivion arise, infernal flames consuming, burning through the skies.¡±


    My gaze shifted to the once-vibrant cityscape. Its architectural wonders and culture were destined to be lost in Lord Enele¡¯s wake of devastation. The thought of the lives that had been shattered¡ªthe innocent souls turned into mindless zombies and other undead by the twisted chimera filled me with profound sorrow.


    ¡°Darkness and chaos merge as one, the essence of annihilation has only just begun. No light shall pierce this veil of desolation, for [Abyssal Annihilation] brings utter devastation. Through realms uncharted, with fury unbound, let the world tremble, as destruction is found. In the wake of my chant, let ruin and demise, spread like wildfire, devouring all under darkened skies.¡±


    The skies darkened as foretold in the chant. The ground beneath Sinem trembled and cracked, pouring forth Dark Mana that formed like veins of malice.


    But it wasn¡¯t limited to the city,


    No.


    They spread like without mercy, shattering the ground while consuming all land that belonged to the Apival Duchy. Swirling clouds of malefic energy descended upon the ground, striking the Dark Mana-infused lines with black thunderbolts that shook the heavens. The air


    ¡°[Abyssal Annihilation], in your name I stand, a vessel of destruction, holding fate in my hand. With each uttered word, the world shall quake, as I harness the power that no mortal can break. A chant of darkness, an anthem of despair, [Abyssal Annihilation], beyond compare. Let the echoes of my words resound, as chaos reigns, and the world is unbound."


    In a cataclysmic burst of power, the spell took form¡ªan ethereal vortex of pure destruction. Its hunger for annihilation was insatiable, consuming everything without mercy. Buildings, fields, cliffs, and mountains crumbled and splintered like fragile playthings while the land disintegrated into an abyss of nothingness.


    Within moments, the Apival Duchy was reduced to an unrecognizable wasteland. Whatever used to be there...wasn¡¯t there anymore.


    It was just a fragment of a memory.


    A deep crater in the ground.


    Fractured mountains were left smoldering from the intense power.


    And then the pressure hit us.


    Remy was the only one who withstood it. If Kaiho hadn¡¯t made a barrier around himself, my friends and I would¡¯ve been flung off.


    The dust settled, and silence embraced the ravaged landscape. Lord Enele¡¯s spell had left an indelible mark upon the world. I looked at Kaiho. The wise ancient turtle spirit¡¯s eyes held a mixture of awe as he surveyed the devastation stretching before us.


    ¡°The power Enele commands is truly...something to behold,¡± he said. His voice carried the weight of centuries. ¡°But it comes with great responsibility and consequences. Enele is bound by his sworn promise to uphold justice. He must tread carefully in its use. It¡¯s tempered by the solemn duty he bears. It cannot be harnessed for anger or selfish gain, for to do so would break his sacred oath and strip him of his power.¡±


    ¡°Quella, the power I hold as the Dark Lord of justice is a double-edged sword. It can shape the world, but only when guided by pure justice.¡± Lord Enele turned around. He was so strong¡ªso strong and muscular, yet he was...so kind. I felt it in his voice.


    I couldn¡¯t help but reflect on his last line.


    Justice was different from vengeance. Had he gone differently, would he have been the Dark Lord of Vengeance? Did that exist? Melusine spoke of a Dark Lord of Tyranny, so I wondered if that was similar?


    But Lord Enele had chosen a path that demanded sacrifice and measured judgement. You could call it a gift and a curse¡ªa reminder that, even in the pursuit of justice, your actions must be tempered by wisdom and empathy.


    Even though he had shown us this power, it still felt unreal. So much land... It was just...gone.


    Lord Enele said he couldn¡¯t have used [Abyssal Annihilation] earlier because he needed to restrain the chimera. ¡°The magic circle is destroyed. The necromancer is dead, and the curse... It has been destroyed. Time is nature''s most valuable partner, so this land will heal. It won¡¯t be easy, but life will eventually return. Kaiho, take us down.¡±


    ¡°Nelly, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, Ami. I¡¯ve been alive for five centuries. You get used to this.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to be sad.¡± Ami sat down and looked up at Lord Enele. He chuckled softly and joined her.


    It was hard to talk. Really, the scene we witnessed was still too difficult to believe. But by the time we landed on the ground fifteen minutes later, I oddly felt better about some things and worse about others.


    It was something I couldn¡¯t describe.


    Remy front flipped off Kaiho, summoned her daggers, and cut a hole in space and time. ¡°The mission¡¯s done,¡± she said, turning around. ¡°It¡¯s time to go back. I¡¯ll even be nice enough to get you weaklings a ride. Lord Enele, do you wish to come? Or do you have anything else planned?¡±


    Remy just pissed me off. I hated that bitch so much.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be rude of me if I didn¡¯t stop by and report to her,¡± said Lord Enele. Kaiho shrunk and landed on his back, then we all walked through the sparkling portal.


    Some of us were more excited than others. I shared a look with Elly and the others, and we didn¡¯t know if we were ready to see Meruria¡¯s face.

 Chapter Sixty-Seven: Conferment of the Guardian Lions (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Sixty-Seven: Conferment of the Guardian Lions (Illustrations!)


    Mom, Dad, and Irisa shed tears, their arms tightly around me. I was squashed between their embrace and love...


    And while I felt their care and affection... When faced with the truth of what my actions caused, I found it hard to feel what they probably wanted or expected me to. Filling my soul with anger within the depths of my Divine Skill made me realize something.


    If I continued as I had intended, I would not survive. I was far too lackluster in my desire for power that it was like I had nothing at all.


    Yeah, I killed Oswell¡¯s group. And Noelia bit the dust after I killed her.


    But I should have done more. I should¡¯ve been on the lookout for Bellerophon dipshits to assimilate or actively search for bandit camps to wipe out to gain their power and SP. Those chimera-hating bastard Bellerophon sons of bitches in Aetos Village should¡¯ve died by my hands, even if it meant angering Aetos or Aello.


    Sekh bordered on death and endured needless hardships because I wasn¡¯t stubborn enough to fulfill my potential. Injuries could be healed, though. In contrast, life couldn¡¯t be returned.


    At least, I thought so. Tilde probably knew if resurrection magic was a thing. But she wasn¡¯t here, and I didn¡¯t know when she would return.


    While my family cried and hugged me, I looked at Tris. The five lions of the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s [Abyssal Iceflame: Iceflame Pride] sat nearby and waited for orders for the next ten minutes because that was when Mom and Dad wiped their teary eyes and let me go. Irisa didn¡¯t want that, though. She monopolized me for another five minutes, only stopping when Primrose emerged from the hold with Erin, Niva, and Lei.


    ¡°Mistress!!¡± Niva exclaimed. Irisa let me go after a small forehead kiss, and I went to hug my little sister and loving cyclops. Lei was scared when I first awoke, but it knew I wasn¡¯t the manifestation of the Essence of Wrath and happily bounced around me. Erin cried into my chest. I patted her head and ears and told her we were safe.


    Then, it was time for a lengthy explanation. First, I told my family about Sekh. She was in a state of stasis, and she was ''dead.'' But at the last moment, the pride''s leader used its iceflames to baptize and freeze Sekh in a coffin of ice. That prevented her from finishing her ¡®death.¡¯ But the curse, albeit slowly, was filling her heart to try to accelerate her demise and return to the cycle of reincarnation. ¡°I can¡¯t store things with life in my [Void Storage], but Sekh doesn¡¯t count. Time doesn¡¯t flow, so I can halt the curse¡¯s progress and keep her safe at the same time. Even the curse can¡¯t overcome the power of the Transcendent Dark Lord.¡± And I told them of Tilde¡¯s reincarnation. She wasn¡¯t dead, but no one could predict her return.


    Primrose¡¯s hasty efforts before this happened are something I¡¯ll appreciate more than she¡¯ll ever know. Tris told me she attempted to heal Sekh even while the ice damaged her. It did nothing, but the thought counts.


    Tris introduced herself as I turned my Wrath to 0.


    ¡°You all knew my previous form, but I am the evolution of [Hermes Trismegistus]¡¯s analytical engine [Biological AI]. My esteemed lord granted me the name Tris; thus, I became [Tris, Fragment of Wisdom]. It is a wonderful pleasure to make your acquaintance. Before we continue, let us take care of those awful wounds,¡± Tris said, her voice still lovely. She went to those injured in the battle and gave them each a high potion she stashed in our inventory after I killed those searching around the cargo hold. Mom and the others would feel the pain still, and Irisa would experience discomfort from her broken ribs.


    But it would be more manageable.


    The leader of the pride introduced itself.


    ¡°We were birthed from the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s excessive mana when she evolved [Black Fire] to [Abyssal Iceflame]. During her previous reign, our lord had no use for us. But she desired our power in the fight against the Essence of Wrath, and we answered her call. Our primary goal is to ensure our Dark Lord¡¯s survival. That is why I did what I did to cleanse, purify, and entrap her body in ice. We could not let her die. After reaching the boat, we ran out of time. And we needed Lady Tris¡¯s assistance to complete our autonomous initialization.¡± For having such a deep voice, the tallest lion was well-versed in conversation. Its tone was calming and soothing. ¡°Lady Primrose, thank you for your attempts to help our Dark Lord. Please forgive me for my prior hostility.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about the Essence of Wrath re-emerging,¡± I started to say, explaining that Tris developed a cage to trap it after I beat the shit out of it to assimilate some of its power. I didn¡¯t trust myself with the key, so I gave it to her for safekeeping. But something was odd...


    Oh, that¡¯s right. They¡¯re not reacting to Sekh¡¯s title because Irisa told them about her after they got to the ship. They accepted her¡ªjust like that... They consider her family, just like me.


    ¡°But there¡¯s one more thing I must do.¡± I ordered the lions to line up in front of me. ¡°With the power of [Conferment], I use my authority as the Transcendent Dark Lord to bestow upon you a name and title.¡± From the smallest to the biggest, I used the new ability my newfound growth unlocked for the rest of the world.


    ¡°Legate, you will be the guardian beast of the Transcendent Dark Lord¡¯s mother.¡± The ¡®weakest¡¯ lion stood and roared. Grey mana surrounded it and Mom. She received a black bracelet with a living black flame resting inside on her wrist. Legate dissolved into fire and was absorbed by it.


    ¡°Sirive, you will be the guardian beast of the Transcendent Dark Lord¡¯s father.¡± Dad carefully rubbed his new bracelet. I couldn¡¯t read his expression.


    ¡°Longtooth, you will be the guardian beast of the Transcendent Dark Lord¡¯s younger sister.¡± Erin received a similar bracelet.


    ¡°Kengu, you will be the guardian beast of the Transcendent Dark Lord¡¯s elder sister.¡± Irisa braced herself as her bracelet clasped around her wrist.


    ¡°Surtr, you will be the guardian beast of the Transcendent Dark Lord.¡± The tallest lion roared.


    ¡°Serving you will be a great honor, Lord Springfield.¡± I watched Surtr turn into a bracelet, and I formed a strong fist before feeling unsteady. Mom reached out to keep me stable while I explained using [Conferment] imparted my life force. You only had a certain amount, but as a chimera, I could regain what I spent, and then some, by assimilating.


    ¡°I¡¯m so confused...¡± Irisa whined. She sat down and hugged her legs, looking at her bracelet. ¡°These lions are Sekh¡¯s, so what about her?¡±


    ¡°Their wish is to serve the Dark Lord of Tyranny. And Sekh¡¯s wish is to serve me. The lions are aware of her feelings, and if she had any reservations about this, the lions would¡¯ve spoken. But they will protect you. You can think of those lions as the closest things to spirits that aren¡¯t spirits. But they aren¡¯t immortal. They don¡¯t have a core to regenerate from if they take mortal damage, but you¡¯ve seen their power. It comes from their wearer, so when you incarnate them, they won¡¯t be the same size you¡¯re familiar with. But about Sekh. I can use [Conferment] to cast out the curse currently inhabiting her soul and prevent it from coming in, but I¡¯m too weak to do that. And I can use this power to remove the curse outright from her existence, but that¡¯s a long way away. But one step at a time.¡±


    ¡°[Conferment]?¡±


    I nodded at Dad. ¡°A Holy Lord, Dark Lord, Spirit Lord, Demon Lord, or the Transcendent Dark Lord can use their lifeforce to impart a title. You received one, right?"


    Mom and the others nodded.


    ¡°That¡¯s [Conferment] in work. It allows you to add a rule to the world and slightly alter reality by burning your life. It¡¯s what I intend to use on Sekh. The curse''s conquest will freeze as long as she''s in [Void Storage]. I can¡¯t do much yet, but I¡¯ll eventually destroy it. Of course... It might not be that simple... There¡¯s a lot I don¡¯t know about this power... And the curse could be something entirely different.¡±


    Tris cared for Mom and the others while I jumped into the dying ship. They were dirty from the battle, so she helped by preparing fresh clothes.


    I called for Primrose to join me. Imagine my surprise when she didn¡¯t breathe a word of protest and obliged. She was silent as I walked to the cannons. After identifying the least damaged ones, I stashed them in my [Void Storage] because I had further use of them.


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed,¡± she said when we descended into the hold. The half-eaten corpses and burnt remains littered the tight, trashy corridors. There was probably a slight leak near the bottom, but the ship needed a dozen hours before sinking.


    ¡°Do you still hate me? I know what happened to Aetos. If it makes you feel better, I hope he¡¯s okay. I had Tris check out the Eagle Yew with [Deduction] and [Skyview]. That attack did a number on him. I know I¡¯m the one at fault for it.¡±


    ¡°I should,¡± she replied, using her vines to lift a corpse to investigate the broken crate underneath it. It was full of bloody bread and crimson-soaked salted meat. Nothing we could use. ¡°But I¡¯ve had a lot to think about. My summoner... She spoke with me at great lengths about your and Sekh¡¯s sacrifice to put away the Essence of Wrath. And then learning more about your past? I...¡± Primrose sighed and shook her head. ¡°It goes against every feeling of my body to not hate you. Deep down, I suppose I don¡¯t dislike you. Not anymore. But thank you for looking at him.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be enemies, Primrose. I¡¯m tired of the bickering and petty insults.¡±


    ¡°Why are you speaking like that?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve changed. You heard the announcement. When I was within my Divine Skill, I experienced all my rage had to offer. The Essence of Wrath was at my feet, begging me to not hurt it after I assimilated its power. You should''ve seen it cowering... I can¡¯t be harmed by most fire or ice. Its forms are mine to use. Even Bellerophon¡¯s poison can¡¯t do a damn thing to me anymore. Experiencing that just...made me realize my foolishness. And I think that acknowledgment helped unlock a limit placed on the world. If I continue to live as I believe a Transcendent Dark Lord should live, there could be other barriers I break, and the world will receive something else that was locked away. And I can¡¯t do that by sticking to how I was before.¡± I walked to another few cannons and stashed them, then searched and displayed waypoints on usable cannonballs.


    Shit, they weigh 7,000 pounds. Can¡¯t hold too many more cannons.


    ¡°Should I be afraid or worried?¡± Primrose asked, searching through the corpses for anything valuable.


    ¡°That is up to you. I will do what I must. You know? It¡¯s strange. It does feel like I¡¯ve completely changed¡ªlike the core that makes me myself was altered ing to terms with what happened. But I do remember gratitude. You have my thanks for what you did for Sekh. I can¡¯t thank you enough for your kindness towards her, given her prior history and feud between Aetos.¡±


    ¡°You can cry for her, you know. I know this is a difficult time¡ª¡±


    "I''ve shed tears and vented my frustrations upon the one responsible. Sekh wouldn''t want me to waste more time anguishing over what''s happened. She''s not dead. I need to find a highly skilled healer once Surtr shatters the ice. But first, I need power¡ªmore than you can imagine¡ªto eliminate the source that caused her agony."


    ¡°Why...¡±


    I stopped and looked at the shivering spirit. She formed a pair of fists so tight her wooden skin was starting to crack.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you kill me?¡±


    ¡°We already talked about this, Primrose. Remember? In the bath? When you damned me for having sex with Sekh when she was sleeping? I¡¯m not going to repeat myself.¡±


    ¡°Just answer me. I need to hear it... Again...¡±


    ¡°Fine. Had I killed you, Niva¡¯s trust in me would be irreparably broken because I took from her the one thing that answered her call after years of failed attempts. To her, I would¡¯ve been just like the people who bought her for her spirit-summoning ability. I would never harm her as they did, but everything about our relationship would¡¯ve been shattered if I didn¡¯t listen to her cries and pleading.¡±


    ¡°But you didn¡¯t know that at the time. I learned of my summoner''s past when you did."


    ¡°When I told her to summon something better, I was reminded of Meruria. I was doing to her what she did to me... And you know my past now, so you know I¡¯d rather die than even be an ounce like her in any way.¡±


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you share it with me? It would¡¯ve¡ª¡±


    ¡°Maybe I should have. Maybe I was too...¡¯proud¡¯ to vent my past to you. But you couldn¡¯t be trusted. Blame yourself for my inability to let you in on something vital.¡±


    I could even use the lightning enchantments.


    I did the same to my revolver, playing with transfiguring vines around the barrel.


    Okay, so I can transfigure goblin teeth to the end. If I assimilate a giant snake or something with large fangs, I could force my venom and poison to flow them.


    ¡°Surtr, come out.¡± My bracelet flashed black, and the abyssal iceflame inside escaped to the boat¡¯s deck, quickly forming an 8-foot-tall lion.


    ¡°Do you require anything, Lord Springfield?¡± asked the lion, sitting.


    ¡°Nothing. I want you out here. Is that a problem?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Let us enjoy this night together.¡± Surtr stretched and rested its large body, closing its eyes and twitching its tail.


    ¡°Do you think I should¡¯ve killed Prim?¡±


    ¡°Hmm... It is difficult to say.¡±


    ¡°Would you have killed her?¡±


    Surtr nodded. ¡°Without a doubt. Her actions were those of an enemy. And the pride shall mercilessly exterminate all who threaten the Dark Lord of Tyranny and her allies. I will have no choice but to fulfill my role if the woodland spirit turns against us.¡±


    ¡°I have no problem with that, Surtr. But is it nai?ve of me... Shit, what¡¯s the word... When I think back to what I felt, it feels like if I want to become the woman I desire to be¡ªto gain more power¡ªI should¡¯ve disregarded Niva¡¯s feelings.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps there is truth in your words. Assimilating the spirit would¡¯ve granted you the essence of one. Your body and genetic makeup would be partially akin to that of one. But would it be worth the loss of trust in Lady Niva? You desire a draconic spirit, yet who is to say that a moment of desired brashness is worth more than a period of patience? For the overall goal, I can safely say you chose one that benefits you in the far future yet strikes you down in the present.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re easy to talk to,¡± I told the lion.


    It laughed, throwing its grand head back. Flames burned from its nostrils. ¡°I take that as a compliment!¡±


    After asking if I could lay against it, I walked to the lion and rested my back against its soft fur. Tris came with me, but she resumed praying. But we spent the rest of the night merely talking. Part of it was about the past.


    But it was primarily about a future I hoped to bring to reality for those I¡¯d come to care for and love.


    ¡°It is the dawn of a new day. Good morning, my lord,¡± Tris whispered, breaking her prayer form. She leaned closer and took my hand, kissing the back of my palm before standing up and dusting off her clothes. Throughout the entire night, she never once stopped worshipping. I remained awake, never blinking or breathing. The clone conked out after it had no more iron or steel to use. My inventory was filled with casings and projectiles of different qualities. Some could be used, and others couldn¡¯t. The plan was to practice with firesalt on the worst ones before using the best ones, and Tris would replicate those.


    But with the enhanced blueprints, I had the clone remake some of my most used tools, including pots, pans, plates, bowls, knives, forks, spoons, and other items. The difference was night and day. The clone also seasoned what needed to be treated before registering them.


    I had to admit it was calming to reap the benefits, but the gifts I intended to make would come from my own hands. A clone would not be involved at all.


    I also learned more about Tris. If I was alive, she was immortal. Her ¡®death¡¯ would be temporary since she¡¯d have a new body within the week. During that period, she¡¯d return to my mind and love as she did during her prior form, but with all the advantages and upgrades. According to her, her service wouldn¡¯t be interrupted.


    And the reason why? The Tris I saw represented 95% of her. The rest was inside my mind. If you thought of her as a computer program, that 5% was her core backup and files needed for her to run. If I was alive, she was alive.


    But I told her she couldn¡¯t die. Even if she always returned, I didn¡¯t want to see her corpse.


    According to my map, everyone was slowly stirring awake. Tris made her way to the hold to greet them, then grabbed the food she needed to create a breakfast of meat and bread. I¡¯d made it before, so she could replicate it using [Artificer''s Arsenal], but she wanted to do it the old-fashioned way. Surtr and the other lions required mana from their bracelet holders, so they didn¡¯t need to eat or drink. Sleep was a luxury, but it wasn¡¯t required.


    When Irisa and Erin joined us on the deck, they were surprised to see Surtr. Somehow, I was pretty sure they thought the events of last night to be a dream. But the bracelets around their wrists were proof.


    The others joined us, and Tris sounded like she was having fun cooking breakfast. The damaged boat cried a terrifying noise, signifying it was probably past the point of no return.


    Dad spent some time leaning against the railing, and he looked out at the endless sea before returning for breakfast. For a moment, I visualized him without the harsh blisters blanketing his face and upper body. His bracelet sank into his wrist¡ªsomething I didn¡¯t know they could do.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°Mila, what are we going to do?¡± Irisa asked, her plate a quarter untouched. No doubt her ribs were probably still hurting. Even worse, the blisters on my family weren¡¯t getting better from the potions. Still, they put on some more ointment.


    ¡°The pirate captain was being hunted,¡± I replied. ¡°I¡¯ll send out a bird after I get some biomass back and search them out. The mast is too damaged for me to fix by freezing my blood. And I don''t have enough mana to sustain the blood I need to use. We don¡¯t have an extra sail, either. Suppose I could fly us to Parthina, but I wouldn¡¯t trust my biomass to not run out before we get there."


    ¡°According to my data, I estimate their arrival within four hours. If they anchored for the night, which is unlikely, then expect it to see them near dusk.¡±


    ¡°Will they be friendly?¡± Erin pipped up.


    ¡°Should be. If nothing else, I¡¯m a High Elf. Wait, never mind. Bellerophon was willing to kill me to murder that chimera. Being a High Elf doesn¡¯t mean anything anymore,¡± I replied, summarizing what happened after I left the shop.


    Just in case they didn¡¯t know.


    ¡°If nothing else, I¡¯ll have a clone take the pirate¡¯s form and barter with them for an escort to Parthina. Should we still head to Plymoise? That¡¯s our destination, right?¡±


    ¡°Maybe that¡¯s for the best,¡± Mom added. Like my sister, she kept most of her plate untouched. ¡°I... My family lives there.¡±


    ¡°Grandma and grandpa? I haven¡¯t seen them since...¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s been some time,¡± Dad added, jumping into the conversation. ¡°The last thing I read from them wished for my death.¡±


    ¡°Honey...¡±


    ¡°No, I understand. It makes sense I was treated how I was, but it¡¯s no excuse to cut you and Irisa from their lives. You''re their daughter, and Irisa''s their granddaughter.¡± Dad saw Erin¡¯s face scrunch from sadness, and he dropped the subject then and there.


    If Erin tells them the truth, would that change their mind? It must, right?


    Mom told me more about her parents. She told me a little on the morning of that awful day in Ria, but her mother was a merchant. Mom learned from her, but her father was instrumental in her formative years. He trained her to fight, which she had to use for the first time when an expedition into a dungeon went wrong. They were looking for rare ore, but bandits were hidden behind a waterfall and launched a surprise attack. Mom held her own, but she suffered greatly after the fight.


    She spent the next hundred years without having to take another life, and even now, she remembered the feeling of her axe slicing into that Dogfolk¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I wanted to spare you from that fate, Irisa. Your father and I never wanted to put you in a position where you had to...¡±


    Irisa looked at her hands and spoke about her feelings. She said she felt numb and didn¡¯t know what to feel, but she had nightmares last night. She questioned why she was crying, then suddenly jumped into her mom¡¯s arms.


    Guess she needed time for the realization to soak in.


    Dad teared up, too, and hugged his daughter. In no time at all, Irisa was asleep. Mom carried her to the hold, and when she came back, she said Irisa¡¯s lion was offering its warmth. If they felt like it, our guardian beasts could emerge as they pleased, leading credit to their status as autonomous self-defense skills.


    After that, I spoke with Dad more about my newfound abilities. I turned the Wrath Dial to use the fire skills gained from [Ira Ignis]. The more I allowed wrath to live within me, the more I was granted at the cost of losing control of myself. But the cage Tris made put a lock on it, so I couldn¡¯t turn it more than 10. It was the same with [Furia Glacies].


    I¡¯m going to need a ton of training to make effective use of them, but I don¡¯t want that bitch to get the satisfaction of me using her strength.


    I suddenly realized I hadn¡¯t told them about my Soul Weapon, so I summoned the revolver and gave it to Dad, who passed it around to Mom, Erin, Niva, and Primrose. They knew the basics of gun safety, but my family couldn¡¯t use it because a pop-up appeared in my vision. It asked if I wanted to grant them access to use it, but I selected no.


    I could always change it later, but being able to grant permission was a welcomed choice. It meant no one could steal and use it without my authorization.


    That¡¯s just another failsafe, I suppose. Seems like the creator of this world put a lot of thought into the various systems running this place. But there are still loopholes and workarounds they didn¡¯t think about.


    Or maybe it¡¯s because I get around most of those fail-safes that I¡¯m an enigma to the world. Tilde once said there had never been a chimeric Soul Warrior before. Protections were engraved onto our souls to prevent us from becoming chimera, but my 0-Star Soul granted no such thing. Even if it did, that mysterious voice and entity directly altered me to become like this.


    If I had the ammo to spare, I would do target practice to pass the time...


    But I suppose spending it like this with my family was good. Besides, my mini-map zoomed in on Irisa and her lion, whom she used as a pillow and source of warmth.


    It was a cute scene, for sure.

 Intermission – A Holy Lord’s Controlling Desire

    Intermission ¨C A Holy Lord¡¯s Controlling Desire


    To Holy Lord Meruria... Control was the goal.


    Control over emotions.


    Control over actions.


    Control over lives.


    If there was an aspect that could be altered, she wished to control it. She had started developing this mindset early¡ªwhen her father was thrown out of the house when he couldn''t his lust for his youngest daughter after her body matured faster than her siblings. Yet her mother eventually let him back in after he directed the narrative and convinced her his daughter had seduced him.


    At just twelve years old, Meruria had lost everything because the man she should¡¯ve trusted the most couldn''t control his actions. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com


    For five years, people would use her to quench their lust. It didn¡¯t matter if it was at a brothel, on the side of the road, or in an alley behind a bar. Eventually, she was snatched by vile criminals who craved her body for themselves. But they also desired her magical prowess after she was revealed to be a prodigy of sorcery. These bandits were at war with rival camps around the country, yet even though the battles were her to control, a leash was always clasped around the spiky collar drilled into her neck.


    But then? Someone else controlled the narrative. It was a fight¡ªthe same as always. Meruria was using a makeshift staff to spread her magic across the battlefield. Thick roots burrowed upwards, impaling slaves sent to fight the first wave.


    Killing them was nothing special. Meruria had been tortured to where she was forced to feel euphoria from pleasing her leash holder. She stared out at the field of corpses as the second division ran into battle, naked and wielding clubs and swords. And again, she participated, using her spells to thin out the fools that dared to challenge her Master.


    It was all standard affair. The young Meruria merely watched and did what she was ordered to do until a group of horseback soldiers rushed in from the left. Their steeds rode hard and fast, their hoofs slamming into the blood-soaked battlefield as mounted riders cut and cleaved their way through, killing enemies on both sides.


    Meruria¡¯s Master gave the order to fight. An aged wizard with a thick, white beard canceled her spells and restrained her, controlling and binding her movements as he summoned a portal to teleport in an army waiting a few miles away.


    That was Holy Lord Sajun¡ªruler of Cridia.


    Meruria¡¯s narrative had been controlled, so she looked to him as a Master. He didn¡¯t know what to do when he told her she was freed, and after some time, the Holy Lord took her under his wing. He vowed to help her find a purpose in life.


    The years flew by, but the healing process didn¡¯t help. Lord Meruria quickly learned to appear as the perfect, prim, rehabilitated woman who somehow rose from her painful past and became a force to be reckoned with. Her charisma, beauty, and grace were legendary amongst the people¡ªnoble and peasant. She often traveled with Lord Sajun around Cridia, helping whenever she could...


    ...but it was all a ploy.


    Meruria¡¯s twisted, turbulent time in which she was controlled by all birthed a stark desire to hold the reigns herself. She had everyone fooled, but there was one man¡ªthe Dark Lord of Justice¡ªwho couldn¡¯t be deceived so readily. She hated it when he was around. She despised his friendship with Lord Sajun and had to be on her best behavior, but after the Dark Lord of Justice left to conduct business elsewhere...


    Meruria always acted.


    She was curious about what she could control with the spells she developed in her personal time. Making someone strip and run naked was rudimentary. Grasping a man¡¯s mental fortitude and churning it into butter until he couldn¡¯t speak was simple if given enough time. But this control was futile. It wasn¡¯t what her heart desired.


    Meruria wanted more. She wanted to truly understand what made a person a person-- even if it meant using people like lab rats-- to obtain more masterful control over them.


    Meruria was in attendance in her 7th year as Lord Sajun¡¯s assistant when she saw a true miracle. Summoning others from another world? They were like newborn babes, surrounded by mystery¡ªlost and afraid after being terribly stolen from their familiar reality.


    It was easy to bring them into her world, lock away their sense of self, and slowly churn their memories and feelings like butter. Yet it was a learning process. She had been too ambitious and shattered six minds, which left her with four brain-dead 1-Star Soul Warriors.


    That generation was a bust. At the following Lord Conference, Lord Meruria knew rumors about her capabilities were spreading. She inferred it from their sneering and hushed whispers. She felt piercing stares stab daggers into her body. The sense of inferiority infuriated her more than failing.


    Lord Meruria redoubled her efforts, spending the next few generations mastering her craft. She didn¡¯t neglect the void, either. She had access to Lord Sajun¡¯s research and did what he couldn¡¯t-- manipulating the void to imbue its abstract power upon a living organism.


    She had her best success in a young Wolffolk and her half-sister, although the latter had drastically suffered, becoming a puppet of flesh without conscious thought. The girl wouldn¡¯t breathe without being explicitly ordered to do so.


    The Wolffolk used that strength to enact her revenge on the ones who had wronged them and willingly offered her and her sister¡¯s lives to forever serve their savior.


    Decades passed until it was time for the latest summoning session. Lord Meruria had learned much and believed this would be the moment. She had studied and knew why her previous efforts had failed.


    There couldn¡¯t be any logical errors. Her alterations couldn¡¯t handle paradoxical situations¡ªeven something as the color of a shirt being different in two modified memories was enough to shatter consciousnesses. It became a fun puzzle¡ªthe kind Lord Meruria enjoyed more than life since she became the puppet master.


    The world her new Soul Warriors came from was competitive, but Lord Meruria wasn¡¯t happy. She altered fragments to suit her ideal reality¡ªturning it into a twisted, extreme, heavily exaggerated caricature of a meritocracy pushed to the utmost extreme.


    Lord Meruria felt like a corrupted genie¡ªmaybe a surgeon was more apt in how she fine-tuned the appropriate details as if she wielded a scalpel. In the past, her changes were akin to a butcher maliciously carving a carcass to size.


    Oh, but it was worth it. After weeks of intense focus and verifying every addition multiple times...


    Her work was done... Lord Meruria gazed at her finished products. And now?


    It was time to act. A Holy Lord like her desired the perfect entrance. She filled the ceiling with Holy Mana, flew to the high ceiling, and released her trance spell.


    Once she heard people talking...


    It was time for Holy Lord Meruria to descend like an angel. Her anticipation mounted more and more.


    Lord Meruria felt pure euphoria course through her body when Tokko and Mia turned out to be 6-Star Soul Warriors! Their minds were hers. She had the ultimate control over their actions! Her long-awaited hypothesis had been proven!


    That boy, ¡®Shuuta...¡¯ His primary use was discovering the existence of 0-Star Soul Warriors.


    One sibling stood at the top.


    The other?


    At the very bottom¡ªalive only to entertain her with the short time he had left before she threw him to the void to recycle the energy used to summon him.


    Everything was happening according to her plan... Oh, how she loved to become involved as an actress. Lord Meruria had ''fun'' using her Lord Armament to try and force Shuuta''s mind open. The way she acted ''concerned'' to Mia when she asked her about her brother''s past would''ve impressed even the most experienced actresses at the famous playhouse in the Kingdom of Aquanis.

 Chapter Sixty-Eight: Fanning the Hammer (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Sixty-Eight: Fanning the Hammer (Illustrations!)


    Hours later, I spotted a ship in the distance as I flew around with a bird clone. It displayed a flag divided into seven equal rectangles, representing the seven city-states of the Heptarchy of Parthina. Only the first partition of the flag was colored green. The rest was blank.


    Canceling the skill, I told the good news. Ichiha went to get Irisa, and we all gathered on the deck¡ªLei rested in Erin¡¯s arms. Surtr and Kengu returned to their bracelets. Retreating to the hold, I looked at the clothing in [Void Storage]. The black and gold outfit I loved was destroyed in Ria, and I couldn¡¯t remain in this robe.


    Before we left Aetos Village, I ransacked the closets. I had a lot available to me. The problem was my body was an amalgamation of Amos¡¯s Soul Warriors. Even though I looked like Susize from a distance, my legs and arms were slightly longer, and I was much bustier than her, thanks to Beccy, the Cowfolk. Susize also didn¡¯t have to worry about a penis.


    But after some help from Tris, I managed to recreate a specific look Susize preferred to wear when attending diplomatic functions. These clothes were formal enough to meet kings, queens, emperors, and empresses while being flexible enough to fight should the need call for it.


    She also wore it when she went on dates with Reina. There¡¯s that other outfit. The one with the green corset and black waist girdle, but I think I like this one better. It really does make me feel powerful...


    But it¡¯s also not mine. It¡¯s borrowed clothing. It¡¯d be nice to have something I could call my own.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    It still took about fifty minutes for the ship to get close enough for a Hawkfolk to fly from his boat to ours. He came with a group of four-- all wore the same style of heavy metal armor with thick, powerful greatswords attached to their backs.


    Landing, the beastfolk folded his green wings and removed his helmet, exposing his sharp eyes, avian beak, and deep, dark black hair.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°I¡¯m Captain Caulk of the Mengoire, Plymoise navy,¡± he said. ¡°Judging from the state of your ship and the sinking heap next to it, I assume pirates tried to attack you? Wait, those blisters... You wouldn¡¯t happen to have come from Dirge? Around Ria?¡± His eyes narrowed slightly, but his allies didn¡¯t tense or react. They weren¡¯t relaxed, though-- they were trained enough to maintain a battle-ready state without letting it show.


    [Deduction] states it¡¯s a Craine-class battleship? It almost reminds me of a frigate used by the French navy in the 17th and 18th centuries.


    I took the lead and explained a rehearsed story Tris came up with. We were simple merchants getting ready to deliver cargo from Ria to Plymoise when the barrier appeared. When it suddenly broke, we managed to get away, but not unscathed, which explained the blisters on my family¡¯s body. The pirates came upon us when we anchored for the night.


    ¡°I mean no disrespect, but how did you defeat them?¡± asked the captain.


    ¡°Surtr, come out and introduce yourself,¡± I replied. Flames danced to the deck from my bracelet.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    Its color had slightly changed. While the lion¡¯s body was mostly made of abyssal flames, it could subtly alter its shade and hue to become more akin to abyssal ice. Regardless, it was terrifyingly awesome. Its presence could be felt. Surtr returned to its home after exclaiming it was a pleasure to kill such filth that wished to cause its lord any harm.


    ¡°I can sense great power from your spirit.¡± Surtr wasn¡¯t a spirit, but I wouldn''t correct him. ¡°On behalf of Plymoise, thank you for removing that scum from our society. Ah, a question, if you don¡¯t mind. Last night, did you perhaps hear a voice from the sky? Something about a limit being broken?¡±


    ¡°You are welcome, and yes, I did. It suddenly came out of nowhere and frightened us, but that opened an opportunity for us to gain the upper hand in the battle. But our ship was damaged from their opening salvo. We lack the skill to repair our mast and do not have another sail.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... My heart''s anxious to know we didn¡¯t hallucinate the voice, but please, give us a moment.¡± Captain Caulk excused himself and spoke with his men. All but him flew to the sinking pirate ship and investigated it, and then he departed for the Mengoire. Ten minutes later, he returned to our boat with good news. ¡°Our primary objective was to learn more about Ria¡¯s predicament and discover what happened. Will you come with us to Plymoise and speak to our ruling lady about your experiences? To thank you, we shall give you and your vessel a ride. Is your cargo damaged?¡±


    I shook my head and led him to the hold. He verified the cargo and looked at the charter document. Rickard, the previous owner of this vessel, was ¡®killed¡¯ in the chaos at Ria.


    No, he didn¡¯t die. He escaped overboard. If we run into him, I need to kill him.


    I told Captain Caulk we were friends of his. He gave us his condolences and then offered us a room on his vessel. It was a military ship, so it wasn¡¯t made with comfort, but it was better than remaining here.


    The Mengoire came much closer and extended a bridge, allowing us to board it. A group of aquatic beastfolk jumped into the ocean and attached heavy iron cables to our ship, allowing it to be pulled. Before being escorted to our room, the ship¡¯s medic gave us an exam. He told his assistant to fetch a handful of a specific ointment. The Hawkfolks investigating the boat returned and reported to Captain Caulk below deck. I used my [Skyview] to spy when he spoke with four others, and they were talking about that necklace I took from the captain.


    It seemed that was the primary objective. Learning about the Ria Incident was secondary, contrary to what he¡¯d just told me. Was it that important?


    I also wondered if the pirate captain used the Essence of Wrath¡¯s attacks as a decoy to pull off a heist earlier than intended. There were firesalts aboard this vessel... Could I trade the necklace for some? I thought about it while he returned topside with bread and water. We ate, and he told his crew we were guests of Plymoise.


    After applying the ointment, another soldier led us to a large room near the ship''s stern. He apologized that they couldn¡¯t offer anything better, but I thanked him and said this was good enough.


    The soldier left me and my family alone in an empty room. There were no beds, blankets, furniture, or anything. In fact, it reminded me of a brig. The door was unlocked, so we weren¡¯t prisoners.


    I sat near Niva, asking what she decided to spend her SP on while holding her hand.


    It turned out she had forgotten about it. No, I didn¡¯t think I ever told her I gave her an infusion of SP back when we killed Oswell¡¯s group.


    Then again, considering what followed that, it was understandable she didn¡¯t have a chance to use that SP. Her pledging loyalty to me granted me access to her Skill Menu, but I removed my authority to purchase or upgrade on her behalf. I was a mere observer, nothing more and nothing less. Since she was going to be a mage with a side specialization on spirit summoning, she decided to purchase [Spirit Enhancement: Strength], [Spirit Enhancement: Intelligence], and [Spirit Enhancement: Dexterity] to improve the three core aspects of her spirits whenever she leveled up. Those passive skills were always active, and she upgraded them to Lv.5.


    She spent 135 more to buy and upgrade [Mana Perception] to Lv. 2. If Primrose and Kokan were correct, eventual mastery of this skill would allow Niva to see the flow of mana, thereby being granted the gift of sight. Kokan said it would be like a bat was able to get around. They used sonar and echolocation.


    Since mana was nearly everywhere, there wouldn¡¯t be many places where it was useless. In fact, I had the skill unlocked for purchase. ¡°When I get enough SP, I¡¯ll learn it, and we can master it together, okay? Does that sound good?¡±


    ¡°It does, Mistress... Thank you.¡± Niva smiled.


    ¡°Primrose.¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡±


    ¡°What method do you use to fight? Sekh told me spirits can enhance and offer their summoner additional skills while supporting them or use their own weapon and fight with their spirit backing them up.¡±


    ¡°I can do both. Right now, I know [Vine Manipulation], [Razor Wind], and [Minor Heal]. When I¡¯m out of my crystal, my summoner has those skills. When I run out of mana, I use my summoner¡¯s mana to fuel my spells. But I¡¯m more than capable of creating my own weapons. Incidentally, Master, take this staff.¡± Primrose placed a hand on the floor and created the same walking staff Niva used when we returned from Aetos Village. It was either lost in the chaos or left behind in Ria, but Primrose could make multiple.


    ¡°Then what¡¯s your recommendation? Niva has 342 SP left.¡±


    ¡°Summoner, that depends on how you wish to fight. Lord Springfield protected my core against fire and ice, but my skin is still susceptible. [Barrier Magic] is what I would recommend, but you do not have it available for purchase.¡±


    ¡°Lord...Springfield? Mistress!!! Mistress!!! Did you hear that?!¡± Niva exclaimed, gripping my hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s not that big of a deal, Master!!!¡± Primrose blushed. With a huff, she crossed her arms and looked away. ¡°My feelings have changed, so continuing as normal would increase your chances of becoming injured. I could not allow that.¡±


    A thoughtful one.


    Primrose and Niva practiced [Mana Perception]. The first time she used it, I couldn¡¯t hear the words she spoke, but I knew they were in the language of mana. I would have to learn that from her, but Niva said it just came to her like someone snapping their fingers. She understood it on a level that was like breathing. Most of the time, you just did that without knowing, and only once you were aware of it did you have to focus.


    But when she managed to activate the skill, even just for a few seconds, a holographic¡ªor maybe it was ethereal¡ªbut an eye appeared where her second eye should have been. It looked much like the one she had, but the iris was a magic circle of rainbow, possibly meaning that she could see the different elements of mana surrounding us. The first time she channeled it, she exclaimed that everything was white. Primrose explained it was like that because Niva had to close the ¡®angle of viewing¡¯ or something. Maybe that was like a flashlight? I knew there were some that you could twist the top to make it a smaller, brighter beam, or you could make it dim but thicker.


    Tris nodded and said it was different, but the same concept still applied.


    As for [Mana Language]? The name was misleading. It wasn¡¯t a single, concise language. I had thought it was, but it wasn¡¯t, and that deception tricked many novice mages into quitting. However, it still involved speaking to the mana and asking it to act as you wanted. You needed to will it into a spell.


    [Mana Language] was different for everyone. If it was a higher level, I would¡¯ve heard Niva¡¯s chant being translated to something I had a deep connection with other than garbled nonsense. Tris said it would¡¯ve been Latin since I was fascinated with ancient militaries and their strategies.


    ¡°If you had a connection to something else, [Ira Ignis] would have a different name, but it would function the same way. My lord, think of how sentences are created and their different parts. Chants of spells are formed quite similarly, but I am not familiar with the structure of the Latin language. I could perhaps max my processing power and attempt to deduce it, but I don¡¯t know how long it¡¯ll take,¡± Tris said. She explained and told me she could enter a mode where her analytic capabilities were maxed, but she couldn¡¯t move or talk until leaving it.


    ¡°Now that I think about it, it does make sense, I guess. [Ira Ignis] means something like the wrath of fire. [Furia Glacies] is the fury of ice, I think. That makes sense with the whole flaming wrath and cold fury the Essence of Wrath kept yammering about. Shit, let me think... I should¡¯ve paid way more attention. But wait, how come [Fireball] is just fireball and not the Latin word for it?¡±


    ¡°The spell¡¯s name is an identifier, but the chant differs for everyone. That is a limit imposed within the system. [Ira Ignis] and [Furia Glacies] are in Latin because they¡¯re exclusive to the wielder of the Divine Skill it belongs to.¡±


    ¡°If you want to try to crack the language from that, you¡¯re free to do so.¡± Tris thanked me, closed her eyes, and rested her hands across her lap, staying perfectly still.


    Until she had something, I checked in with the crafting clone about 2,000 feet behind the ship. There was good progress being made. To make the primer for the revolver, you carefully packed enough firesalts to make a thin primer 0.120 inches tall and 0.212 inches wide.


    Too thick? It was useless. Trying to carve off too much was too dangerous.


    Too small? You could add more, but it often blew up in my clone¡¯s face. Luckily, it never caused any real damage, but it took experimentation to get the perfect primer.


    The .45 colt, or long colt, as it was also called, required 40 grains of gunpowder between the primer and the bullet. Firesalt was more powerful, so I experimented with different amounts. Thirty was too much. When the clone pressed everything together and loaded the round in the Colt Single Action Army, the gun blew apart. Luckily, I could summon another copy by expending soul energy. I suppose it was a weak gun--the starter-- so I needed 1/10th to recreate it.


    But soul energy takes a while to recover.


    The Winchester Model 1873 used the same primer for its bullets. It also needed 40 grains of gunpowder, and after some more failures, I realized 23 grains was the perfect amount. The only thing better would be if we had brass for the casing. Until then, iron and steel bullets were the path forward.


    It took me 2 days to get this far, but goddamn, was it satisfying to achieve a dream of mine. [Ammo Creation] helped me out a ton. Without it, it probably would¡¯ve taken me three times as long to make one bullet worth a damn. Combined with the data Tris was sure to gain from this, the hard part was out of the way.


    I couldn''t yet transfer my consciousness into different clones-- I could control them, but that was different from what I wanted to do-- so I watched it load 10 rounds into the rifle and 6 into the revolver. Another appeared and threw infinitely reusable plates into the air, and it took aim.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Ten objects blew to bits, and I knew the clone felt like a real western outlaw when it used the lever to load the next round. And the revolver was just as much fun. Six plates were tossed, the clone fanned the hammer, and she only missed two because it stopped shooting to spin the revolver around her fingers before slotting it into her holster.


    ¡°I can see your experiments were successful, my lord,¡± Tris said when I returned to my primary body. She went ahead and started on mass production of both rounds in equal amounts. The number of materials I had appeared in my vision. Tris hid it, then said she¡¯d let me know when I was running low.


    ¡°It was more than that,¡± I replied, reloading my weapons. I had to do it by hand, but Tris said there was a skill to automatically reload. Even better, she could link it to my [Void Storage]. My clones had had the fun, but it would soon be my turn to take my guns for a spin.


    Once finished, I looked up at the nearby window. The moon was high in the sky, and according to the captain, we would be in Plymoise before noon. Mom, Dad, and everyone else were asleep, but Niva struggled against drowsiness to practice some more before snuggling next to Primrose. ¡°I see you¡¯re back from your processing mode. Discover anything?¡±


    ¡°I did. The data gained from your experiments allowed me to compare the properties of gunpowder with firesalts, and I now know the correct ratio to substitute them for each other. Additionally, when we change to brass, compensating for the weaker material has already been accounted for. My calculations will not be wrong again, but I require a few hours to cool down and return to normal operating procedures. Until then, my abilities will be severely limited. Do you see a mechanical gauge with a number under your map?¡±


    ¡°Good, and yeah, I see it. It says, ¡®Cooldown Remaining: 3:54.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Once the cooldown is finished, the number replacing it will represent my current processing power. There is only so much I can do at once as of now. If it pleases you, you can divide my current resources into different tasks to prioritize what you need to produce, such as potions or bullets, or direct me to keep track of our surroundings with [Skyview]. Or you can leave it at my discretion. The choice is yours, my lord.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you, but it was lonely without hearing your voice.¡±


    Tris perked up and smiled. She touched the tips of her fingers together and blushed. ¡°As for my initial reasoning for entering my enhanced processing mode...¡± Tris frowned. ¡°I am sorry I could not be of further use, my lord. Please forgive me.¡±


    ¡°If anything, I could level up [Mana Language] and ask people to cast spells, right? If it''s a high enough level, the chants will be translated?¡± I learned [Mana Language] when Niva summoned Primrose. It was a byproduct of having Murag¡¯s [Scholar¡¯s Tongue (Lv. 10)], a skill designed to grant me mastery over languages the moment I heard them for the first time. ¡°With enough spells learned that way, would it be enough to decode it?¡±


    "Yes... That may work. It''s a solution I hadn''t..." Tris went silent for a few seconds. "I am sorry for not coming to that conclusion earlier instead of raising your hopes.¡± Tris looked downcast, averting her gaze from me. ¡°If I had only thought of that, you wouldn¡¯t have missed my voice. Please, forgive me. I promise--¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive, Tris,¡± I replied, hugging her. Her body was of flesh and blood, so she felt like a woman. Soft and supple, her skin was smooth and warm. Lifeblood circulated through her bloodstream, though that was just for her to take on a more humanoid form. ¡°You¡¯re special to me. I¡¯ll allow you to worship me, but don¡¯t downplay yourself like that. I won¡¯t forgive¡ª"


    Before I could finish, Captain Caulk¡¯s voice echoed from overhead, waking everyone up.


    We were under attack.

 Intermission – Shiku – Self-Loathing (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Shiku ¨C Self-Loathing (Illustrations!)


    ¡°Lord Shiku, it¡¯s time to wake up.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. It¡¯s time for your training with Sir Salim. He also wishes to speak with you.¡±


    A pair of voices woke me from my slumber, and my eyes stared at a ceiling that would put my mansion to shame.


    Once again...


    I...was still alive in this new world¡ªstill stuck here.


    Laika and Leika Barkwood- sister Dogfolk maids with orange and yellow color schemes, respectively, were kneeling beside my bed. Moments ago, they used their naked bodies to keep me warm during my uneventful and restless slumber.


    The sisters were assigned to me days ago by Lord Meruria to wait on me hand and foot. The Barkwood family had wronged Lord Meruria in the past, and their family had suffered the consequences ever since. I didn¡¯t know why she went to them to give them the ¡®honor¡¯ of serving one of her Soul Warriors, but she did.


    When I first met them, the two pledged their lives to me. Meruria stood behind them and ¡®encouraged¡¯ them to offer more, which ended with them stripping naked and offering their virginities to me. Lord Meruria left me alone with them, but I didn¡¯t touch them.


    I never planned to lay a finger on them.


    I didn¡¯t even want them to accompany me. But Lord Meruria forced me to keep them close since they were willing to lay down their lives and die in my stead. I had told them they didn¡¯t need to sleep naked with me, but they said they needed to act in case someone attempted to attack during my rest.


    I sat up and looked at these feminine hands, then groaned because I was forced to stare at them every day of the week.


    All the power, money, and status the world offered didn¡¯t mean much when you were filled with a sense of self-loathing. Laika watched as I got out of bed. The covers wrapped around my naked waist fell behind, exposing my nude body, and she quickly tidied up the mess.


    ¡°Breakfast will be ready when you return, Lord Shiku,¡± Leika said, following me to the bathroom. She waited outside after I closed the door


    The fantastical luxuries this fantasy world offered were vast, but when I looked in the jewel-encrusted mirror and saw...that face look back at me?


    The face with the feminine lips, soft eyes, warm hair, pretty cheeks...


    It made me more sad than angry.


    A quick flick of my wrist near the shower caused water to pour down on my head. It splattered annoyingly against the marbled ground, running down the shiny drain.


    I was born a man, but I looked like this.


    And my family hated it.


    Father wanted a boy¡ªa son to take over his legacy. He wanted to have a proper heir to inherit his dojo. He was tall, muscular, and hairy, and I was slim, feminine, and hairless except for my head.


    He was rugged...and I was soft.


    I was an anthesis to everything he stood for, and I felt his hatred more than a hundred dozen times.


    Things changed when I learned about Aikido. My initial assessment results from my country predicted I would be as great a fighter as my father in a different discipline.


    He beat me mercilessly that night and called me a failure because I couldn¡¯t follow in his footsteps.


    I gathered his approval once I started winning. Being known as the Second Coming of Morihei Ueshiba brought much fame and glory to my family. My father even received an influx of students to learn his style of karate after he marketed it as a fusion between it and Aikido.


    I had thought things were going well...


    But no. I thought my family would accept me for who I was¡ªfor who I wanted to be¡ªso I risked it one day and went to the living room wearing a dress I had secretly bought.


    My father¡¯s outrage at his only son being...unnatural...left me bedridden for a month.


    Disownment came next, but not before he forced me to hate myself.


    He told me my appearance was a sin¡ªproof of my weakness-- and I needed to accept who I was.


    But he didn¡¯t care who I wanted to be. He wanted me to be what he wanted me to be...


    I just wanted to be happy...


    I wanted to be accepted for who I was¡ªfor what I looked like...and the cute clothing and fluttery dresses I wanted to wear.


    But I couldn¡¯t ever be...just me...


    So, I hid myself and tossed away the key, forever willing to believe something I didn¡¯t have faith in...


    My life eventually led me to meet Tokko at an athletic tournament. He was with Damon, and we became friends. Even as crude as the wrestler could be, he treated me like one of the guys. And after entering Mekka Academy, Mia appeared in the picture and joined our group.


    And for the first time, I was happy. Tokko¡¯s natural charisma attracted friends and turned enemies into allies. He quickly enthralled me with his ¡®might makes right¡¯ and turned me into a believer in the few years I had known him.


    He was a bonafide hero, and I worshipped the ground he walked on.


    But...


    I...couldn¡¯t accept him sacrificing Shuuta.


    It wasn¡¯t right.


    It wasn¡¯t fair.


    Had I not killed who I wished...who I thought I wanted to be...the poor soul being sucked into the portal to the void could¡¯ve been me.


    But Tokko...


    I wasn¡¯t as strong as he thought me to be. If I was, I would¡¯ve fought more. But I couldn¡¯t. All this sad body of mine could do was oblige Lord Meruria¡¯s command and help Damon throw Shuuta away.


    I couldn¡¯t tell anyone of the nightmares I suffered from because it would reach Tokko. And losing his respect? Having his hatred tower above me like a dark cloud? Hearing him say I wasn¡¯t vital to him?


    I didn¡¯t want to be alone anymore.


    I¡¯m so sorry... Shuuta...


    Salty tears dropped to the floor and joined the blisteringly hot water slapping against my skin. I could only be true to myself while trapped within these marbled confines. The noise and steam disguised my cries and let me be truthful for a handful of minutes before the mask had to come back on.


    I rubbed my eyes and washed my body. If I took too long, the maids would knock at the door and let themselves in to check on me.


    After turning the water off and drying, I put my robe back on and prepared myself to be who I didn¡¯t want to be.


    Because I wouldn¡¯t ever have a chance to be true to myself.


    After getting dressed in light-weight armor that focused on agility, I walked the halls of Lord Meruria¡¯s oversized church while stuffing a sandwich my maids had prepared into my mouth. The stained-glass windows were the definition of extravagant wealth. The overarching reluctance on affluent luxuries was a clear sign this church wasn¡¯t meant to function as one would in my world.


    ¡°What does Sir Salim need to see me about?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s training, Lord Shiku,¡± said one of the maids. Their voices were similar, so I didn¡¯t know which one spoke. ¡°Do you recall the incident the day before? You left two dead and four in critical condition.¡±


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    Yesterday, some creepy bastard tried to cop a feel on my ass in the crowded guild. He whispered how much it would be to have me sleep with him because he liked my face. I could still feel his disgusting breath tickle my neck.


    Before I knew it, I had plunged my weapon through his heart and stomped a hole through his stomach. His friends, shocked, picked up their weapons and wanted to fight. I killed one and severed the hands of the others with a skill that wrapped a blade of mana around my staff¡¯s tip, but Salim¡ª Meruria¡¯s sole surviving Soul Warrior from two generations ago, pulled me away. Renata and Benedict¡ªmy classmates who were part of Team Salim, weren¡¯t there to witness it, although I saw the unsettling looks in their eyes when I told them about the commotion when they asked about it.


    The incident...


    Killing didn¡¯t bother me. Father once made me train with criminals on death row to ¡®make a man out of me,¡¯ The fight only ended in death. He believed hallucinogenic drugs were the key, but I don¡¯t remember much except looking down upon a group of dead men with broken necks.


    Aikido was made to defend yourself from harm while protecting your attackers from injury. It wasn¡¯t made to kill. And I¡¯ve...killed so many with it... Sensei wouldn¡¯t be proud... He¡¯d hate me...


    By this point, nearly everyone from Meruria¡¯s latest batch of Soul Warriors had killed¡ªeither in self-defense or by hunting criminals and bandits.


    Those who flinched or stumbled afterward were lectured personally by Meruria. When they left her room, they had overcome their trauma.


    Laika asked if I was okay because I sighed, but I remained silent and prepared for an encounter with Salim.


    He was waiting in the practice hall.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    ¡°Then what about the undead curse in the Apival Duchy? The chimera? Did you organize that? Did you want to make me a child killer? I...can still hear the screams...burning from the flames... I...killed so many. And what about Mary¡¯s pills?! Did you know about them? Did you do all this to toy with our minds even more?!¡±


    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Bullshit!¡± Greggie spat. ¡°We don¡¯t believe you, Meruria. You haven¡¯t given us any reason to believe anything you say.¡±


    ¡°Shall I retrieve the bell¡ª¡±


    ¡°Ah, the bell.¡± Lord Enele cut off my summoner and approached. He laid a large hand on Quella¡¯s head. Suddenly, a turtle floated from his back with a handkerchief in its mouth. It remained silent and hovered near Quella, who took the cloth and wiped her eyes.


    That¡¯s probably a spirit.


    ¡°Lord Meruria, why would you manipulate a bell that does not hold the power to detect lies?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± Team Quella, myself, Benedict, and Renata all exclaimed. Lord Meruria had used one during Shuuta¡¯s trial, but if it wasn''t...


    ¡°The truth-detecting bell exists, yet only the Kingdom of Aquanis can manufacture them. We hold a detailed list of who they have been rented to, and you weren¡¯t on the list when I last checked. Pray tell, Lord Meruria, why would you continue to play with your Soul Warriors¡¯ hearts?¡± Enele narrowed his eyes.


    ¡°So... You... You... You rang the bell on purpose? After we thought we... And...¡± Ami grabbed her hair and screamed after dropping to her knees.


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll admit it. The bell was nothing more than just that¡ªa bell,¡± casually said Meruria. Lord Enele asked if she wanted to say more while holding his necklace. She nodded, and it transformed into the scales a statue might carry outside a courthouse. He spoke in a language I didn¡¯t understand.


    A wave of glowing light radiated from the scales, and I noticed a change in my activity log. I was under the effect of something called [Truth Field].


    ¡°The bell I used was nothing special. It was one you could find anywhere around the world. It only made noise at specific times because I used [Telekinesis]. Your feelings¡ªyour true feelings regarding the incident were true from the beginning. I made you feel antithesis to your hearts'' desires because your essences were too clean. I require powerful deterrents to frighten away all who would invade my beautiful country, so I planned and orchestrated everything. But as for what you encountered after you left the dungeon? I had no part in that. The chimera and the undead curse happened almost overnight. That¡¯s why I sent Remy to meet you. I knew Lord Enele would offer his assistance, but I didn¡¯t think he would arrive in time to meet you.¡±


    Lord Meruria dropped a bombshell. That meant the trial was rigged from the start. Quella and the others never wanted Shuuta to die. And they always believed he would be a welcomed addition, but she manipulated everything and tossed him like garbage. And she continued to infect their hearts with falsehoods designed to...


    Renata grabbed Benedict¡¯s hand and held it tightly. She shivered in her boots, and I heard her teeth chatter. It took all she had to not cry more than she already was.


    ¡°It was all for this reason. Quella, do you not understand the power you¡¯ve gained? Mary, your unique ability to capture fragments of dungeons produced by Lore and yank them to the present is unparalleled. Keeth, I¡¯ve seen the equipment you forged. Starting from nothing and crafting armor and swords from your surroundings shows your resourcefulness. Even you, Greggie, have changed for the better. I see muscle. I see a man who, while a shade of what I desire him to be, has the potential to fulfill what I need from him. Play your cards right, and you and the blue-haired singer shall become the cornerstone of my entertainment district. You¡¯ll have all the money and fans you would ever wish for. Of course, you¡¯ll still have to fight to protect and defend Cridia. But you will never want for anything ever again.¡±


    Lord Meruria said that under the effects of [Truth Field]. She...meant it from the heart, right? Why the dichotomy between her actions and words? What purpose did they play?! She said it was all to lead to this moment, but was that the only way to reach this point?


    Lord Enele canceled the skill. The scales returned to being a turtle shell necklace clasped around his thick neck.


    ¡°Are you satisfied, Lord Enele?¡±


    ¡°In a few ways. While I understand your desire to protect your country, I cannot agree with your methods.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Are you planning to intervene on a personal level?¡±


    ¡°You know I cannot do that. As the Head Arbitrator of the Kingdom of Aquanis, I must remain impartial to all matters related to the Soul Warrior Summoning System. As long as I am the Dark Lord of Justice, I cannot participate.¡±


    ¡°Then, pray tell, Lord Enele, what are your plans?¡±


    ¡°The Lord Conference isn¡¯t for another eleven months, but I must start preparing for it. Before I leave, may I escort Quella and her allies to their rooms? With your permission, of course."


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll allow that much. Do be careful about showing favoritism, Lord Enele. I wouldn¡¯t want you to be stripped of your title or position.¡±


    ¡°Neither would I. Queen Melusine, may I ask for your assistance?¡± Lord Enele turned to the fairy, who nodded. She assisted the Dark Lord of Justice and helped escort Team Quella to their barracks. Before they left, Lord Meruria handed Remy six keys, and she teleported to Lord Enele and handed them to him.


    ¡°There¡¯s a mansion located four blocks away. Since I''m so impressed with their progress, I¡¯m granting them a token of my appreciation. Please enjoy my kindness and take a week to rest.¡±


    No one responded. Lord Enele left with Team Quella, and I was left with new information to ponder.


    So, was Melusine a queen? I knew what dungeons and Lore were. Salim had taken us to one on our fourth day here to get our feet wet. But removing the basis of what would become the boss from the dungeon? Wouldn¡¯t that have drastic effects? If it worked the way I thought, no one could complete the dungeon after its boss was captured.


    What kind of trouble would that bring?


    Lord Meruria still seemed pleased. Although maybe it was because she was petting Remy¡¯s head between the ears. Her brown wolf-like tail had been wagging non-stop.


    No one knew what she was thinking. It was clear she planned many steps in advance.


    ¡°Please forgive me for that interruption, Team Salim. I did not predict they would return so soon. Now, as for your mission...¡±


    After getting our mission from Meruria, we were ordered to investigate the remains of a fire that had broken out a few hours away. This was but another task to help dip our feet into this world. We left right away and spent four hours traveling. We stopped for the night and made camp.


    Salim knew a skill to hold items in a separate dimension called [Hammer Space]. A portable forge, furnace, tools, camping gear, a grill, and cooking equipment were resting inside.


    While we ate our campfire-cooked meal, discussion naturally arose.


    ¡°Hhmph! That Quella person needs to watch her tone.¡±


    ¡°I agree, Laika. If she wasn¡¯t a valued Soul Warrior, I¡¯d ask Lord Meruria for permission to kill her. How dare she be so rude to our lord? And that fat one... Wouldn¡¯t you like to roast him over a fire?¡±


    ¡°Why...are you talking like that?¡± asked Renata. She held a trident in her hand. Before we departed, Salim had found and gifted new weapons to Renata and Benedict. They were more suited to them, and he had a shield for the latter to wield.


    ¡°Because Lord Meruria is our lord. She rules Cridia, and we are obligated to obey her.¡±


    ¡°We cannot disrespect her. Lord Meruria requires our full attention.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s merciful enough to grant the Barkwood family one more chance at redemption. We¡¯ve failed her in the past, but that won¡¯t happen again.¡± The sisters turned to me. ¡°Please, ask us to do anything for you, and it shall get done, Lord Shiku!¡± said the two simultaneously.


    ¡°Okay. But don¡¯t disrespect our allies. Quella is fighting her own way. For some of us, it¡¯s difficult,¡± I said. ¡°We were taken away from what we knew and thrown into an unknown situation. Everyone handles their stress differently.¡±


    ¡°Lord Shiku is so wise, isn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°The wisest Soul Warrior of them all, Laika!¡± The two grabbed my food out of my hands, placed my fingers between their tails, and fed me. ¡°And he must be warm. We cannot let him become cold!¡±


    ¡°Hehe.¡± Renata giggled, showing a flash of life for the first time in days. This new world was especially hard for her. While I wasn¡¯t close with her at Mekka Academy, I knew enough of her to become acquaintances. It was the same with Benedict, and I mostly spent time with Tokko and the others.


    I...


    No. Any thoughts I held about the matter had to remain with me.


    ¡°Hhmph. This girl is laughing at us, Laika.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps we should punish her? While we are obligated to serve Lord Shiku, Lord Meruria wouldn¡¯t mind it if we¡ª¡±


    ¡°No punishing.¡± Laika and Leika changed their tunes immediately. Renata couldn¡¯t constrain her laughter and expressed her feelings about the absurd situation.


    I looked at Salim and noticed a soft smile across his experienced, wrinkled face while Laika and Leika ¡®argued¡¯ with Renata. I had seen enough to know they had planned this thing to lighten our hearts. Yes, they were ordered to serve me, but my maids were kind. I knew they wanted to look after us all.


    Besides, this wasn¡¯t the first time they had made Renata laugh to help cheer her up. And it wouldn¡¯t be the last.


    The two cared about us.


    ¡°It is strange,¡± Sir Salim whispered, speaking from a prior trauma. ¡°When I arrived, I wanted to return. I felt it all to be a dream. But ending one''s life is a grave sin in Islam. Yet I risked angering Allah if it meant seeing my family once more. But then I acquired this power... It warmed my soul to help. I want my family to be proud of me. And so, I act as if my son is here, watching me. I will make him proud. He''s my source of joy."


    ¡°I...don¡¯t have anyone waiting for me. No one worth worrying about.¡± I silently told Salim about my past and murderous father who forced me to kill. There were several hundred years between Salim¡¯s time and mine. The technology we had¡ªthe foundation of our world¡¯s progression as a Darwinistic society focusing on the strong eating the weak to grow more powerful couldn¡¯t have made sense to him.


    But he prayed for me to find solace. He was a religious man. Even after coming here, he strived to follow the Five Pillars of Islam. Salim said Lord Meruria thought it foolish to pray to someone who wasn¡¯t her, yet she allowed him that much freedom.


    Salim was gentle. He compassionately spoke and said he''d look out for me. I was an adult at 19, but knowing that he cared?


    It helped.


    I really wanted to tell him about my thoughts on Shuuta, my cowardice at being unable to speak up, and my...heroic worship of Tokko.


    I...didn¡¯t want him to hate me. I needed him...


    But how could I face him when I was so scared of receiving his disappointment? It was a long shot, but what if a portal to the void was my fate after letting my feelings known?


    I was a coward.


    I had always been one.


    And I¡¯d probably die one, too.

 Chapter Sixty-Nine: Naval Battle & Landfall

    Chapter Sixty-Nine: Naval Battle & Landfall


    It all happened in the flash of an eye. Captain Caulk stood near the helmsman, chatting about the stragglers they rescued. Things about them didn¡¯t make much sense, but the proud Hawkfolk was no stranger to survival. The small holes in their story mattered little when it was clear they fought and struggled to live. They were refugees from a neighboring country with direct experience with what happened on that horrible day. Even a part of him wondered if they could shed light on that mysterious announcement¡ª one that sent shivers of fear into the hearts of him and his soldiers since it seemed like a great god was speaking to the soul of every man, woman, and child.


    Unfortunately for the morale of his crew, he was stuck with more mouths to feed. A vocal minority had problems because their supplies were already stretched thin. Plymoise usually acquired food from Ria¡¯s dock since they were so close to each other. That path was sealed off weeks ago when their Holy Lord shut down the dungeon. They turned to the other city-states to fill the slack, but the terms weren''t favorable. And then they were hastily mobilized to investigate Ria with a supply hold not even 1/10th enough for the number of warriors stationed on his vessel.


    There''s no better way to destroy a town than to cut away its life support. I¡¯ll never understand what that foolish lord was thinking. Her fatuousness begets trouble for those who rely on Ria. She¡¯ll have problems getting others to trust her in the future.


    But with an order from his hawk-like mouth, his men had no choice but to make the necessary sacrifices and cut back even further on their food. Even the captain did the same, choosing two days with an empty stomach for the sake of his soldiers. Towing the vessel delayed the return. It held supplies he would have used had its crew been dead or empty. However, if things worsened, he would have no choice but to use the food it held to make up the difference.


    But it looked like that wouldn¡¯t happen. By Captain Caulk''s estimate, they were expected to reach Plymoise¡¯s dock before noon.


    Twelve hours... Half-a-day... Let us hope the chaos from that mysterious voice has been contained.


    ¡°Captain, the fog¡¯s been thick for the past two days.¡±


    ¡°I can see that. We aren¡¯t in the rainy reason.¡±


    ¡°Do you think it¡¯s a bad omen, sir? With everything that¡¯s happened in the past week, it¡¯s hard to think of it as anything but that. Almost like the world is about to tumble around us.¡±


    ¡°I suppose you¡¯re not wrong to think like that. I can¡¯t blame you. Perhaps we all need a week¡¯s worth of rest? I¡¯ll discuss it with the ruling lady when we arrive. The other ships should be ready to be christened. The Mengoire has done its duties faithfully. It needs to be examined extensively.¡±


    ¡°Understood, captain. I could go for a cup of mead. Or even a ham hock. Marinated and roasted over honey? Doesn¡¯t that make you hungry?¡±


    Before Captain Caulk could respond, disaster struck.


    ¡°CAPTAIN!!!!!! LOOK TO THE PORT AND STARBOARD!!!! There¡¯s mana coalescing!!!!¡±


    From high on the crow¡¯s nest came a frantic report. Captain Caulk instantly looked to the left and right, and not a moment later, the hazy, thick fog that was so prevalent the previous days slowly thinned, revealing two Concordian-class battleships. They were smaller and nimbler, with just two masts instead of three, compared to the Mengoire.


    Time slowed to a crawl when the captain looked at the flag the ships flew.


    It matched the one displayed on Captain Caulk¡¯s vessel. But the second rectangle was filled with orange, indicating that these ships were from Atrix¡ªanother city-state of Parthina-- and one embattled in a cold war with Plymoise.


    It seemed that the war had turned hot.


    As rehearsed a thousand times before, the captain immediately barked orders, telling everyone to assume battle positions. Those in the canteen enjoying their late-night dinner dropped everything to put their training into action. The cannons on both sides were loaded in minutes. Those of the mage battalion were weaving their protective spells to protect against incoming damage. The archers were gathering arrows and dumping the tips in oil.


    Captain Caulk took his elite squad and flew to the crow¡¯s nest, keeping a sharp eye until he heard the ready signal.


    And once he did, he lifted his hand and waited, not wanting to be the one who attacked first. If possible, he¡¯d like to end this in peace. Using a spell to enhance his voice, he called out to the approaching ships and demanded they return to whence they came. They were violating Plymoise territory by being here.


    ¡°Captain, there¡¯s no response. I see sailors on the Vladoif preparing their chainshots. I recommend¡ª¡± Dyltol, Caulk¡¯s right-hand man, was interrupted by enemy cannon fire.


    And then the fight was on. The mage battalion created a barrier barely in time to block the initial barrage. It bounced like rubber hitting a wall, but the ship was still pushed away. The light blue protective shield went down momentarily to allow the Mengoire¡¯s crew a chance to return fire. Being a Craine-ship battleship designed with military specifications, it had twelve cannons on each side of the deck and twelve more on the mid-level.


    A total of 48-- 24 per side.


    The Mengoire fired a salvo once it was in position. The dense balls of lead mostly missed their targets, but a few made solid contact. The archers all fired a load of arrows, their flaming tips igniting the night sky, but a wave of wind magic from the Vladoif sent them scattering while the Mengoire¡¯s crew reloaded.


    An incoming wave of [Homing Bolt] launched from the Findlay zigzagged around the sky, destroying Mengoire¡¯s chance to let loose a second volley. The shields had to come up, but they were too late. The colorless spells exploded on the ship¡¯s deck. Four men were blasted overboard, but there was no time to extend a lifejacket or rope because the shields were needed.


    Captain Caulk cursed this turn of events as the incoming cannons from the Findlay and the Validoif fired a collective attack of twenty-four cannonballs and sixteen explosive balls. That was enough to break through the mage battalion¡¯s defenses, causing the fourteen members to fall to their hands and knees. Blood leaked from their pores, but another wave of [Homing Bolt] was coming in fast!


    Those bastards had time to prepare a staggered attack. Even if they were smaller, the two ships were full of supplies. As it stood, the Mengoire only had enough armaments to launch another handful of cannons.


    ¡°BRACE FOR IMPACT!!!!¡± Captain Caulk shouted, holding onto the mast. Forty-two spells slammed into the ship where it met the water. The engineers in the hold immediately focused on patching and de-flooding, but the fight didn¡¯t look favorable for the captain. He formed a fist tight enough to break through his armored gloves, then figured a close combat battle would be the safer belt. Only he and his squad could fly, so they landed on the deck and grabbed the first officer. They were commanding the medics to fetch all their mana potions.


    But before he could cough away the firesalts¡¯ lingering scents and bark out what would likely be his final orders...


    That High Elf he rescued... The one who killed the pirates...


    She was standing on the deck-- amid the fire, flames, and chaotic discourse.


    There are two attacking ships, my lord.


    Tris¡¯s voice echoed around my head as I rushed through the ship to get to the deck. She remained with Mom and the others and telepathically communicated with me.


    ¡°Hey¡ªHey!!! You can¡¯t-- Aaahhhh!!!!!¡± Some deckhand tried to stop me, but an impact threw us to the ground. Standing, I dashed away and equipped my guns as I leapt over a fallen beam. The stairs to the deck were right there. The smell of firesalts lingered in the thick, sooty air. I was immune to fire, but not the ashy, burnt smell. Captain Caulk¡¯s soldiers rushed to reload the cannons while helping a group of passed-out mages.


    But I stood there for a moment, taking in the hectic atmosphere.


    This was war.


    It had to have been.


    Atrix and Plymoise? Tris told me the attacking country¡¯s name, but my Fragment of Wisdom didn¡¯t know their history. But this couldn¡¯t have been anything else but an ambush.


    How foolish...


    ¡°Surtr. Your lord needs you.¡±


    ¡°I was biding my time awaiting your command,¡± Surtr growled, emerging beside me.


    ¡°Show me what you can do. I desire to see your power,¡± I said, leaping to its back.


    Instead of replying, Surtr roared and started running. The great beast leapt into the water, but we did not sink because ice formed under its paws. But then we ascended as flaming platforms appeared under Surtr¡¯s paws. Once we were high enough, my lion roared and gathered mana in its mouth. The air trembled, vibrating against the great power. Surtr launched a beam of pure fire across the Vladoif¡¯s deck, slamming into the protective barrier. The group of barrier mages contorting their faces in agony passed out. Blood flowed from their lips and eyes as it looked like invisible glass shattered. The stationary flames fell to the deck, causing chaos.


    I pulled my rifle and took aim while Surtr dodged the incoming arrows and spells. This variant of the Winchester Model 1873 didn''t have a scope, but [Eyes of the Huntress] and [Deadeye] kicked in. It was like I unlocked another function of the former, which gave my eyes a 2x zoom. My experience from Reina, the skill obtained from [Firearm], and [Deadeye], made me enough of a marksman to pick off heads at 200 feet with the naked eye while constantly moving on a dodging, jumping lion.


    Maybe that¡¯s enough reason to remain one... I wonder if it¡¯ll do more harm than good to masquerade as a normal elf?


    This victory wasn¡¯t without fatalities, though. Seven crew members perished before Surtr and I made it to the deck, and eight more passed after being thrown overboard by attacks they couldn¡¯t defend against. They panicked, swam too close to the ship, and were effectively run over. Their corpses were currently being recovered.


    Was I sad?


    No, I didn¡¯t think I was. I only fought because my family was on board. After finally making my way through the happy crew, I opened the door to our room and found myself in Irisa¡¯s arms.


    ¡°Are you injured?¡± Dad asked.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, but what about you? Tris kept me informed, but...¡±


    It turned out they didn¡¯t suffer any damage. The moment I left, their guardian lions emerged, smaller than they were previously, and guarded them. Tris didn¡¯t have the spare processing power to show them a live view of my battle.


    I was thankful for that... I had fought brutally and without mercy, although Tris telepathically told me she wouldn¡¯t have displayed the battle even if her capabilities were restored because she knew I didn¡¯t want that.


    It turned out that fighting on lion back with a western rifle was not a common sight, especially for a High Elf¡ªmuch less one with [Song Magic] and [Flight] to disguise her chimerism. Irisa was almost back to her happy, smiling self. The pain of taking life wouldn¡¯t be eliminated from her heart completely.


    And maybe that was for the better. Once you crossed that line, it could never be uncrossed. You couldn¡¯t change the past, no matter what you did. I just hoped Irisa wouldn¡¯t let the nightmares fester.


    As for me? My time for nightmares was long gone. You could say my actions tonight were to reassure myself on this path I needed to travel.


    And there was no chance in hell I was going to give up.


    Whatever made me a chimera... It had to deal with the consequences.


    I didn¡¯t give a fuck about that barrier that was supposedly weakening. Why would I when the only desire on my mind was to turn Cridia into a hotbed of death and flames?


    It didn''t take long for exhaustion to reach my family. They soon drifted to sleep. The lions went to their bracelets, and Primrose returned to her core to lessen the stress on Niva.


    Tris apologized for her ''lack of adequate service'' due to her cooldown and continued to pray to me.


    I told Tris she didn¡¯t have to apologize. Her help was instrumental, which made her blush.


    ¡°Mistress? You¡¯re silent. Are you okay?¡± Niva¡¯s sweet voice jolted me from a hasty daydream a few minutes later.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m fine. Just a little dream.¡± I fished for her hand and held it, then watched a laggy image of Surtr scaring the living shit out of those terrified prisoners. They were forced to sit on the deck with their hands and legs bound with chains. Only those seriously in danger of death received minimal healing. ¡°I love you, Niva. I just wanted you to know that.¡±


    I couldn¡¯t say I felt sorry for them.


    I wanted to assimilate more, so most of the dead were wasted potential power that was sinking to the ocean¡¯s bottom.


    That was fine, though, since this was the beginning of a new chapter of my life. Once we reached land, it would be a new country with a new culture. A fresh start for me, and I knew my immediate plans. I knew what I was going to do to get stronger.


    Hopefully, Sekh would be there right beside me.


    And Tilde, too. Days later, there was no sign she was even close to returning to my life.


    ¡°Hehe! I love you too, Mistress!¡± Niva¡¯s precious smile was all I needed at the moment.


    When dawn rolled around, I walked to the deck, bypassing soldiers drunk on last night¡¯s victory. The prisoners were all restrained to one area, and they sat back-to-back, foot to foot, and they all had dark black bags over their heads with gags fastened in their mouths. Captain Caulk stood near the bow, a spyglass held to his eye. Hearing my footsteps, he turned and welcomed me good morning.


    I wonder if there''s an equivalent to the Geneva Conventions? Probably not.


    He said we had a good wind last night, so we were expected to arrive at port in about two hours. The men he left behind to repair the Findlay were scheduled to show up six hours later with the captured boat. Nodding, I rubbed the grand king of the jungle under its chin. Surtr gave me a quick report of last night.


    ¡°Good work. If you¡¯re tired, you can return your bracelet. If not, remain on deck.¡±


    ¡°Understood, Lord Springfield.¡± Surtr nodded its large head and yawned, enjoying the morning sun against its back. But its flaming, red eyes never let the prisoners out of sight.


    As for me? I went back to our room and spent some time with my family. Dad was up, so I picked his brain. I tried to get his help to figure out more of the Latin language. It seemed we had to first identify the primary subject-- the element-- before we moved on to any modifiers, but learning a language was difficult. One from an entirely different world? Bordering on impossible, especially if you didn''t have anything to decipher.


    Tris joined in, devoting 80% of her resources while using the remaining to watch for danger via [Skyview]. It meant halting production, but that was fine since I had over a hundred revolver and rifle rounds. We had too little to use to start decoding it, but it wouldn¡¯t hurt to try.


    Mom and Irisa attempted to help, and Niva was lost. Primrose wasn¡¯t linguistically gifted, and my [Scholar¡¯s Tongue] wouldn¡¯t work since Latin wasn¡¯t from this world.


    The only ones who could realistically help me were my former teacher and Quella, but that wasn''t an option. Those sons of bitches were dead the next time I saw them. Growing annoyed, I cast their names out of my mind and spent the remaining time helping Niva practice [Mana Perception].


    Well, that¡¯s not true. I can plagiarize other mages if I level the skill enough. That¡¯s an option. I must get enough SP to buy it... It¡¯s so expensive.


    About two hours later, the captain knocked at our door and said the dock to Plymoise¡¯s ministry building was within view. We joined him on the deck, seeing the harbor reserved for government business. The building itself reminded me of a congressional structure¡ªalmost like the congress building the United States had, but it was also the ruling lady¡¯s personal estate.


    And green. It was...just so very green...


    ¡°You don¡¯t need all of us there, do you? Will myself, Tris, and Surtr be enough?¡± I asked the captain. ¡°My family has emergency business to take care of.¡±


    ¡°That will not be a problem. Dyltol!¡±


    ¡°Sir?¡±


    ¡°Fly ahead and request a carriage to be prepared at once.¡±


    ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Dyltol saluted, got a running start, lept off the ship''s bow, and took flight, flapping his wings.


    ¡°When I¡¯m finished here, I¡¯ll catch up to you, okay?¡± I told my family.


    Mom and Dad thanked Captain Caulk. Surtr inquired if it should return to my bracelet, and I nodded.


    ¡°Very well. Call upon me whenever you please, Lord Springfield. I look forward to spilling the blood of your enemies,¡± growled Surtr. It almost looked like its face had a smile.

 Intermission – Quella – My Sin to Hold (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C My Sin to Hold (Illustrations!)


    The mansion Meruria had set aside for us was the very definition of luxury¡ªa wealth of expense stacked on top of opulent grossness. From the marble statues of herself that lined the entry hall to the life-sized paintings that disgustingly decorated the walls in our rooms, Meruria was everywhere.


    It was a reminder-- she was always watching¡ªthat we were...owned by her until our deaths.


    Lord Enele stayed for a few hours after escorting us¡ªto ensure we were okay to be alone. He was a kind man. And Kaiho was somehow even gentler. He swam to each of us and let us hold and pet him in our laps¡ªalmost acting as an emotional support animal. And Lord Enele offered his ears.


    As we talked, the words just flooded out. But...neither of us said anything about Shuuta. He had asked since the name came up in the Apival Duchy, but I said he passed away during our second day.


    He looked into my eyes and nodded, hinting that he wouldn¡¯t press the issue. Before he left, he cooked us a meal his mother had often made for him as a child.


    It was a soup filled with corn, peas, and fish.


    It was delicious.


    The Dark Lord of Justice chatted about his life while we ate. Lord Enele discussed his training and hard work and how he met Holy Lord Sajun 377 years ago. Sajun was a teenager. One with a deep fascination with portals. He was so dedicated to it that he spent all day and night invested in his research that he caught the attention of the local baron.


    But a few things went wrong. Lord Enele didn¡¯t explain it all, but there were mistakes in the spell that caused an incident with the neighboring country. That led to a war, and Lord Enele was called to arbitrate the discussion. He said he wouldn¡¯t have thought much of it, but Sajun was so determined to prove that he was sabotaged that Lord Enele felt he had to dig deeper.


    And he did, eventually uncovering foul play organized by the invading country, who had used a spy to alter the catalysts Sajun had used. The meeting ended with the ruler of the invading country trying to kill Sajun for his notes, but Enele handled it, using his status as the Dark Lord of Justice to judge the criminals against their crimes.


    And he had declared them guilty when sentencing them to death. He said it happened quick and painless¡ªlike a puppet master cutting their marionette¡¯s strings.


    Lord Enele gradually helped Sajun throughout the next sixty years until he had evolved into a Holy Lord. The rest was history...


    Until he passed away in an accident 223 years ago. According to the diary entry, Meruria rose to power two weeks later. So... Meruria was probably 250 years old.


    But Lord Enele ended the story there because it was time for him to leave.


    It was close to 7 PM, and we chatted and took Lord Enele¡¯s words to heart. We decided to implement a rule: we were to be each other¡¯s support systems. If you have a problem or worry about anything, speak up. You never harbored anything inside for too long because that was how you fostered regrets.


    Communication was the cornerstone of why we worked so well with each other. Team Quella was best friends with Team Quella. We were nearly inseparable after what we endured.


    But Remy and her lord were cruel.


    It had happened in the middle of night¡ªafter we had showered, bathed, and spent a few more minutes checking on each other before we set off for our rooms.


    Meruria even...managed to fill our dressers with clothes, underwear, socks, and shoes. I picked a shirt and a pair of pants, and then, instead of using the lavish bed, I chose to sit on the floor, hugging my knees while leaning against it because I didn¡¯t want to sleep. The nightmares... I was tired of them. I hadn¡¯t had a decent night¡¯s rest since Shuuta¡¯s death, and at this point, the terrors would probably be all I¡¯d know until my death.


    ¡°Ugh... Can you leave me alone?¡± I asked when I saw a spark of light in the corner of the room. ¡°Meruria said she¡¯d give us a week to rest. I know she¡¯s a liar, but she seriously can¡¯t act like a good summoner for once in her life?¡±


    ¡°Good evening to you too, Cutie Qutie,¡± Remy said, emerging through the portal. She sat beside me and stretched. ¡°Yes, Lord Meruria¡¯s giving you a week¡¯s rest. But you can still work during a sabbatical.¡±


    ¡°No, you can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°If Lord Meruria says you can, then you can. Hey, your boobs are pretty big, you know that?¡±


    Instantly, I covered my chest and shuffled away, but Remy laughed.


    ¡°Nah, you¡¯re not my type. But I was spying when you all took a bath? Hey, did you know Elly and Ami took one together? And Melusine and your teacher did the same. Didn¡¯t exactly pick them out to be lesbians, but you¡¯ll be happy to know Greggie and Keeth aren¡¯t homosexual. Also... The fat bastard is packing a real sausage between his legs. Let him lose a few dozen hundred pounds, and I might even ask Lord Meruria to let me take him as my husband. Keeth¡¯s smaller than I would¡¯ve liked, but he has a cute, youthful vibe. With his skills, he can probably make one hell of a fuck toy. I might even ask him.¡±


    ¡°Do you seriously have nothing better to do than invade our privacy?! Goddamn it... Why are you¡ª¡±


    ¡°Nothing better?¡± Remy grinned and showed her teeth. She stood, grabbed my hands, and escorted me through another portal. We emerged in a prison, standing opposite a holding cell filled with people.


    ¡°You¡¯re to become their executioner,¡± she said, leaning against the wall. I obviously declined and refused.


    ¡°Lord Meruria has granted your team a break. She won¡¯t assign you any time-consuming missions.¡±


    ¡°Then what the hell is this?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a reward. Killing grants experience, which unlocks new forms of your Soul Weapon. And this? It¡¯s like fishing in a barrel. Criminals destined to die have been collected¡ªjust for you. The people you see here won¡¯t live past next week. So, you¡¯re going to kill them. If you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll fetch Elly Belly and the rest, and I¡¯ll order them to do it in your stead. But you won¡¯t let that happen, will you? You¡¯re the glue that holds Team Quella together¡ªthe nail that binds the seven of you. Why don¡¯t you show me that in action? And don¡¯t worry. I won¡¯t ever have you kill someone innocent.¡± She had then leaned in close and whispered. ¡°You can leave those to me, Cutie Qutie.¡±


    ¡°But just think about it.¡± Remy turned around and backflipped away on her hands. ¡°Have you asked yourself why you¡¯re in this position? Why you¡¯re not lusting your brains out like Damon, who¡¯s been enjoying his harem non-stop? It¡¯s because he has Lord Meruria¡¯s favor. He¡¯s a loyal subject. He¡¯s never failed a mission. But you, Elly, and the others chose to cast your favor with someone who never deserved to breathe the same air as our lord. If I remember, you spoke first. You were the catalyst. I just said you were Team Quella¡¯s glue, but I was speaking literally. If you crumble...or show any fault or weakness, then... Well, you can imagine the outcome. A team leader must be strong. A leader must protect their team.¡±


    Spoiler[collapse]


    ¡°And that is?¡±


    ¡°We gotta talk about what we love. Why we grew the way we did... Why we fell in love with our strengths.¡±


    Elly made a great point, so that became our second rule. Feeling sad? Randomly speak about something you love.


    Having something to keep our minds off the obvious helped. And it was fun doing something together that didn¡¯t involve killing to survive in a potentially impossible-to-survive situation.


    We never left the house that day. For the rest of our ¡®break,¡¯ we almost became hermits. After dancing and exercising, Greggie made us a nutritional breakfast, and we enjoyed each others'' reassuring presence throughout the day. Before bed, we exercised Team Quella¡¯s second rule as a last reminder of our friendship. Any little bit would help, right?


    And that was our schedule for the following six days.


    But like clockwork...after night fell upon Junsa... Remy was an unfortunate constant in my life.


    She started to show up multiple times a night to make me kill whatever criminals they had locked away in cages. Remy was rarely alone, though. She was often with a girl named Willow¡ªher sister, but they didn¡¯t look similar. Willow¡¯s hair, ears, and tail were white, with bright blue eyes.


    She was the same woman we had seen Meruria grope before she sent us to Melusine¡¯s dungeon.


    Willow¡¯s eyes were dead to the world. She looked more like a doll than a person while enduring Remy¡¯s groping, teasing, and fingering. But she was alive. She followed Remy¡¯s perverse orders while that damn bitch ordered me to kill.


    I had to do it with her loudly moaning.


    Often, the sound barrier wasn¡¯t present. I had so many threats thrown my way from rapists and murderers, people begging for forgiveness even while their swords were tasting someone¡¯s throat. I¡¯ve destroyed buildings filled with prisoners who had killed and slaughtered their guards...just to save my friends from the agony of committing mass murder.


    I had...so much blood on my hands.


    This wasn¡¯t self-defense. Every night...I lost more of what I used to be.


    And Remy... She made it more difficult by twisting our team¡¯s second rule. She described her happiness when Meruria let her loose¡ªwhen she directed her towards her enemies. The feelings of indescribable pleasure that came with eliminating one more threat that posed a danger to the one woman she loved more than anything else. And the ¡®lust welling between her knees¡¯ when she was rewarded with ¡®play time¡¯ with her sister.


    My mind was filled with increasingly negative thoughts¡ªand Remy didn¡¯t help lessen my mental burden. I sulked in my room, shaking¡ªtwitching from my sins, unable to think about anything other than my greatest regret.


    I admitted it to myself in my mind.


    I regretted ever speaking up for Shuuta.


    I felt it in my hearts of hearts¡ªin the deepest crevices of my bloody soul, tainted with screams and cries of people being burned, boiled, crushed, frozen, shocked, shattered, dissolved, poisoned, and melted. Every time I unlocked a new form of my weapon, Remy ordered me to use it.


    If I refused, she kissed my neck with her daggers and encouraged me... Refusal again made her angry. A third time? She said she¡¯d fetch my team and have them butcher the criminals in my place.


    And...I couldn¡¯t allow that.


    So, I...shattered. Whatever made up Quella Debil? There were two of them. One still yearned for and would argue to the death that she made the correct choice to speak up. You should never have to apologize for trying to save someone from an undeserved death.


    But the other?


    She was weak. When night fell...when Remy showed up to collect her, this other Quella grew in power. Her thoughts were antithetical to what the other felt. She hated Shuuta. She despised weakness in her heart¡ªwanted to kill her family for forcing the shitty motto into her mind since she was barely old enough to crawl.


    Even if Meruria¡¯s promise of sending us to our world once our job was complete wasn¡¯t a pile of bullshit, I couldn¡¯t ever go back. I¡¯ve changed too much.


    As I looked at the sunbeams filtering through the velvet curtains on the eighth day living in this mansion, I knew it was time to switch to the other Quella. The one who could still fake a smile. The one who still...didn¡¯t regret any of her actions.


    As this Quella, I could ignore the first rule. Because that hatred, anger, and pent-up aggression only applied to her, not me.


    But... I didn¡¯t have anything I loved anymore. Books? This Quella grew distasteful of them after the other had used her tomes for murder.


    As I descended the stairs to the living room, my heart sank to the pit of my stomach when I saw Meruria sitting at the table. Her fake-ass smile pissed me off. It took all I had to kill my frown.


    Because this was the Quella everyone saw.


    The true feelings I felt were reserved for the other one. That Quella could curse. And scream. And cry. And regret her entire life choices without feeling like she was betraying her team¡¯s core rules.


    Seven days was too short. And... it¡¯s...back to the grind... How...much longer can I endure this? What the hell is she going to make us do now?

 Chapter Seventy: New Home

    Chapter Seventy: New Home


    When the ship had anchored at the dock, my family, Captain Caulk, and the Duckfolk commander I captured disembarked while the Mengoire set a course for the shipyard for repairs. The rest of the crew would escort the prisoners to the prison until someone decided their fate.


    Mom and the others broke off from us to head to her mother¡¯s shop¡ªa store called Asura¡¯s Domain¡ªin the carriage prepared ahead of time. It was already waiting in front of the building. I followed the captain with the Duckfolk and Tris through an escape path built into the rear of the building. After going through a series of tight corridors, winding twists and turns, and climbing up very steep steps, we emerged into a hidden backroom filled with non-perishables.


    Captain Caulk walked to a nearby bookshelf, removed a book, and peered through a peephole. I was close enough to have indexed this whole building, so I saw that the next-door room was built like an office. There was just one soul in there. Captain Caulk performed a series of knocks before pushing the bookshelf like a door. We followed.


    ¡°I presume you have answers to the burning mysteries surrounding Ria, Captain Caulk?¡± asked a portly woman. Her dark green hair had light green, emerald-like highlights, which matched her grassy-colored eyeliner and verdant nails. She sat behind a grand desk filled with documents, forms, and request notices, amongst other diplomatic necessities, as she penned a letter. The green curtains over the two large windows behind her almost camouflaged the incoming light to shine a green glow on her.


    This was Gretchen Plymoise, the ruling lady of Plymoise, one of Parthina¡¯s seven city-states.


    ¡°Hmm? A prisoner?¡± Gretchen glanced her eyes upward. ¡°A High Elf?!¡±


    ¡°Things have escalated, Lady Plymoise. This is Lyudmila Springfield. The woman standing beside her is Tris. They have first-hand accounts and experienced the Ria disaster for themselves,¡± replied Captain Caulk. ¡°The fool in the restraints is from Atrix¡ªspecifically, the commander of one of their vessels. They ambushed us during our return trip. The rest of the prisoners are on the Mengoire, and my men will escort them to the prison when they arrive at the shipyard for needed repairs.¡±


    The woman slammed both hands on the desk and stood up. Gretchen''s eyes went wide like a wild beast. She fell back to her chair and sighed deeply. ¡°One thing at a time. Just one thing at a time... Lyudmila Springfield, time is of the essence, so please tell me what transpired as briskly as possible.¡±


    I nodded, and I told her...but then an idea came to my mind. ¡°During our daring escape, before that tremendous ball of flames was conjured overhead, spirit birds flew and repeated a grave message. If they¡¯re to be believed, then the Bellerophon soldiers stationed at Ria were willing to risk killing a High Elf from Vredi Forest. Even worse, the birds claimed a wizard named Flaf intended to use gas to ensure the secret never escaped.¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± exclaimed the captain and Gretchen. Even the captor commander gasped the best he could against his gag and black bag covering his face. I told the captain I didn¡¯t tell him this on the ship because this was grave information, especially since it concerned a High Elf.


    ¡°It is the truth. My ears are sharper than the rest of my kin. I didn¡¯t sense a hint of falsehoods in those spirits'' proclamations. But alas, I do not know what specifically caused that attack. I also don''t know what set the clouds on fire. I imagine it was the chimera Bellerophon was hunting. If they steeped to even those gross misdeeds... I only fear the chimera was powerful and frightening.¡± I then told her of our meeting with the pirates, how they ¡®killed¡¯ our ¡®friend¡¯ Rickard, and Captain Caulk¡¯s offer to escort us here.


    The captain took over and explained the battle with the three Atrix battleships. It was an ambush, to be more specific, and he said they used a spell to conjure a thick fog to hide their vessels before it was to strike with the element of surprise. Gretchen couldn¡¯t help but ask how one Craine-class ship survived against three Concordian-class battleships, and that was when I explained Surtr. She wanted to meet the lion, so I let her. She thanked him when it appeared, and to her credit, she didn¡¯t gasp or flinch after seeing its monstrous size. If anything, she professed her thanks, Surtr gave a deep nod and returned to its home. Gretchen also asked about Tris since she was quiet and stood by my side with her hands across her stomach¡ªalmost like a maid or servant in waiting¡ª but I said she was my advisor. I trusted her council above all else.


    Which wasn¡¯t a lie. I looked to my Fragment of Wisdom for advice and assistance daily.


    ¡°Captain Caulk has a necklace I recovered.¡± He pulled a pouch from his pocket and gave it to Gretchen. She joyfully looked at it before turning her attention to the obvious.


    ¡°It seems there are problems in every direction I look, and now there¡¯s the matter of the mysterious voice from the sky... Ahh¡ªI apologize, Lord Springfield. Plymoise¡¯s concerns aren¡¯t your own, and you¡¯ve done more than enough to protect our people while escaping from Ria with valuable insight. You deserve a reward. If it is in my power, you will have it.¡±


    ¡°... If I may be so greedy, I have...a few things I¡¯d like to ask for,¡± I said. If it was possible, I asked for our ship to be repaired. Gretchen nodded and said that would happen. And when I inquired if her workers could deliver our cargo for us, she even said she would waive the fees and taxes.


    ¡°Is there anything else?¡± she asked.


    ¡°No, that was it. That wasn¡¯t too much, was it?¡±


    ¡°Not at all. Lord Springfield, you have my utmost thanks for your service,¡± Gretchen stood and extended a thick hand. I shook it. ¡°However, do you require a place to stay? Have you any lodgings?¡±


    ¡°Yes, we do. My mother is visiting her family¡¯s shop and childhood home. I¡¯m meeting up with them later.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, I shall not keep you any longer. Once again, let me thank you from the bottom of my heart. If you don¡¯t mind, could you come by later to complete the paperwork? I need to know where to send the money once the goods are delivered.¡±


    I told her I didn¡¯t mind. I would probably return in about four or five hours to get a better lay of the land since we would stay here for quite some time. I said my goodbyes to Gretchen and the captain, taunted the captive commander, and walked to the waiting room. The young receptionist¡ªa human¡ª didn¡¯t expect to see me, but she quickly understood the situation after I dropped Captain Caulk¡¯s name. She wished Tris and me a good day, and together, we descended the stairs and left through the primary lobby, which was in a state of almost comical chaos.


    ¡°Where to now, my lord?¡± Tris asked when we were outside.


    ¡°Gotta find mom and dad.¡±


    ¡°There is no need because I see them,¡± Tris replied.


    ¡°Huh?¡± I looked to where she was pointing and saw my family stepping out of a wagon.


    I ran over and asked what was wrong.


    ¡°Mila... Grandma¡¯s store isn¡¯t here,¡± Irisa said, wiping her teary eyes. Mom used a handkerchief to brush away her watery cheeks. ¡°And neither is the house they lived in. We talked to the neighbors, but they said they packed everything up, sold the land, and moved to a different city-state. But they didn¡¯t say which one. And they didn¡¯t leave a forwarding address. We...don¡¯t have anywhere to go...¡±


    Irisa hugged her mom and cried into her arms. Erin was bordering on tears as well. Dad asked about my report, and I told him. ¡°The money is a start until we decide on what to do.¡±


    ¡°We could do that...or we can save it. Stay right here. I¡¯ll be back.¡±


    ¡°Hey¡ªMila?! Where are you going?¡± Irisa asked.


    ¡°Getting us a place to stay,¡± I simply replied. I walked back through the ministry building until I was at the door to Gretchen¡¯s office. Knocking on the door, I announced it was me, and Captain Caulk unlocked and opened it thirty seconds later.


    Really, upon first observation, even the air was dustier than the freshness in Ria.


    ¡°Hmm? Lady Plymoise didn¡¯t mention we would be receiving any visitors,¡± said a portly green mustached butler with a healthy belly. He approached with a curious look. Gerrea handed him the message Gretchen wrote. ¡°I see... Lord Springfield?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± I replied, walking to join the rest of my family.


    ¡°On behalf of the manager of the Waterdale Inn, I welcome you. It says here you¡¯re to stay for two months?¡± I nodded. ¡°Lovely. If you¡¯ll follow me, I¡¯ll escort you all to your rooms.¡±


    Mom wanted to thank the man. Her pretty, gentle face was back to normal instead of being bombarded by sadness. Dad and Erin probably helped her emotionally.


    ¡°My name is Delouise Waterdale, ma¡¯am,¡± replied the manager. He didn''t say it, but the butler was internally questioning the wounds on Dad and the others. I told Gretchen I only escaped damage from that massive spell because Surtr protected me with its body. ¡°My ancestors founded the Waterdale Inn before Plymoise was even a city-state of Parthina.¡±


    We followed the manager into the building and emerged into the lobby, where there was a line of six butlers on the left and six maids on the right, all of whom bowed and greeted us. Delouise kept walking and escorted us to the stairs in the far back, explaining that the hallways to our left and right on the ground floor led to additional rooms and a hot spring.


    ¡°Hot springs?¡±


    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct. The Waterdale Inn uses geothermal heat to warm our waters. The hot spring downstairs is divided into halves, with a stone wall separating the two. One is for men, and the other is for women. Ah, you should know that your rooms will have an outside bath.¡±


    ¡°We have our own?¡± Irisa asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. You''ll also have a bell that connects to the lobby. Ring it if you require anything,¡± Delouise explained when we came to the second floor. He asked how many rooms we would need, and I said five.


    One for mom and dad.


    One for Irisa.


    One for Erin.


    One for Niva and Primrose.


    And one for myself and Tris. But honestly, Irisa would probably sleep in my room, but it was best to have that one extra in case. Lei would probably sleep with Erin or Niva.


    ¡°Understood. You all must be exhausted, so please take a chance to rest. If you decide to take a bath, we have robes in the closet for you to wear. Lady Plymoise has also authorized us to purchase any necessities you may need, so if you desire clothing or anything of the sort, please do not hesitate to ask. We will come and get you when dinner is prepared. Is there anything else I can do for you?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mr. Waterdale,¡± replied Dad. He shook the manager¡¯s hand, and after a professional nod, Delouise walked downstairs.


    And we were alone.


    Dad said it wasn¡¯t a bad idea to get clean and rest. The past nine days or so were exhaustive for everyone except me. I didn¡¯t know how they were even able to move, if I was being honest. Living on a military ship with very little food took a toll on them. They didn¡¯t admit it, but I saw it in their mannerisms and tone of voice. Irisa and Erin yawned, proving Dad¡¯s point, and we all agreed to get some sleep before meeting up for dinner.


    And after that, they would probably hit the hay early to recuperate.


    Not me, though.


    I had plans.


    ¡°I guess I¡¯ll see you a little bit, Mila,¡± Irisa said, giving me a hug. I kissed her lips and rubbed her back, and she entered her room. Mom and Dad left a few moments ago, and I walked to Erin and rubbed her head. The poor girl was about to start crying, but she wiped her eyes, hugged Lei, and tried to give me a big smile before heading inside.


    She was my sister. When I had time, I needed to spend some time with her. Erin''s life had changed dramatically in the past month alone.


    ¡°Mistress?¡± I went to Niva and hugged her. Primrose emerged from her crystal and watched.


    ¡°Go and get some rest, okay? You''ll start training [Mana Perception] tomorrow. Prim, be sure to help her.¡±


    ¡°Are we going somewhere?¡± asked Niva.


    ¡°Yes, but not now. We have two months.¡±


    ¡°Two months? Do you have a plan?¡± asked the spirit.


    I looked at Primrose and nodded. ¡°I¡¯m still working out the exact details, but that skirmish with Atrix might delay us. It just depends on how it plays out.¡±


    ¡°Understood,¡± replied Primrose. Niva used her staff from her spirit to walk by herself. Prim turned around and looked into my eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll put my trust in you, Lord Springfield. I''ll follow your decisions.¡± As quickly as she said that, Primrose blushed, turned her head, and closed the door.

 Intermission – Elly – Diary – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Elly ¨C Diary ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    Entry 1 ¨C 23 Days After Being Summoned:


    Hey there, Diary,


    Today, I found myself dancing my heart out for a bunch of snobby nobles and people who couldn''t care less about my music. You know what''s messed up? They''re more interested in bragging that they had a "personal concert" than appreciating the art I''m pouring my soul into.


    I stepped on that stage, Diary, and was instantly blinded by those flashy magical lights. The three audience members cheered and clapped like there was no tomorrow. But deep down, I knew their excitement wasn''t for the music¡ªit was all about showing off. Talk about buzzkill.


    With every dance move and every note I belted out, I couldn''t shake off this feeling of disconnection. The smiles, their applause, it all felt fake and forced. It''s like they just wanted to tick off "I had Elly, the Soul Warrior, perform for me" on their fancy social calendars without giving a damn about the joy and meaning music brings.


    I mean, I knew this would happen. Meruria told me herself yesterday morning when she showed up. I just didn¡¯t think it would be the very next day.


    ¡°Don¡¯t think every day will be like this...fufufu... You¡¯re my good little Soul Warriors... You¡¯re selfless heroic otherworlders who yearn to put Cridia above their own wants and desires, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    Ugh, her voice was like scratching a chalkboard with a nail. I didn¡¯t like how she hid her creepy smile behind her hands like a pretty woman!


    She was attractive, but her personality was rotten, like trash...


    We hadn¡¯t seen her in seven days, and then she just broke our good mood by showing up like a bad itch! She said she would put us to work¡ªthat I would sing for people who wanted entertainment. Keeth and Greggie would be rented to people who needed a world-class, super awesome chef or a fantastic craftsman who could make or fix anything.


    And Qutie, Melly, Mary, and Ami would handle all the combat since they¡¯re better fighters. Sometimes, she said we¡¯d go together and complete whatever mission she needed us to do since we were still expected to fight and kill for her and Cridia.


    I knew she gave us a week of rest, but it flew by like nothing...


    I guess it does when you¡¯re having fun. When I told Greggie I¡¯d show him how to work out like an idol because he wanted to lose weight, I didn¡¯t expect everyone to join in. Qutie might be a bookworm, but the girl has some moves!


    And Mary. Her time at Club Domme helped her. Her past is sad, though. I mean, being born in a test tube for the only purpose of training the future leaders of the world? I¡¯m glad there was someone kind who helped her escape. But Mary... She deserves a lot of happiness. Even if...her family there...


    They¡¯re probably already dead, though. They were being held hostage, so...


    Yeah...


    It¡¯s...ultra depressing...


    I knew our world was messed up. It¡¯s filled with corruption. Only the worthy can rise to the top, but it¡¯s hard when there¡¯s corruption around every corner.


    ¡°You gotta be the best!¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t settle for second place!¡±


    ¡°You have to be prettier than the other girls!¡±


    ¡°You have to be cuter than the rest!¡±


    ¡°You have to do what they wouldn¡¯t!¡±


    I...knew that more than anyone, but that¡¯s a story for another time, haha... I...don¡¯t wanna dredge up those memories... Not when I¡¯m already pissed off.


    Melly, though... She¡¯s super pretty. And nice. But it¡¯s been a struggle for her to adjust. We help however we can, though,


    This world and my world? They¡¯re both total crap.


    I don¡¯t really miss my world, but I miss the genuine link I had with my audience. Back home, music was a language that spoke straight to the heart. But here, it''s all about superficial admiration and empty compliments. It''s lonely, you know? Like my art is being reduced to a fancy commodity for people who can afford Meruria¡¯s crazy prices.


    I¡¯m just a performer fulfilling their shallow desires.


    But you know what? I won''t let it break me. Somewhere deep within, I hold onto the hope that I''ll find a place here where I can sing and dance with purpose. I wanna spread joy and happiness to those who appreciate this. Not this artificial, fake crap that I''m forced to bring here.


    For now, I''ll keep singing and dancing, Diary, even if it''s for an audience that doesn''t truly get me. Behind this forced smile and glittering facade, I''ll nurture the fire of my artistry, dreaming of the day I can bring genuine joy through my music again.


    But maybe that day''s already here? I mean, I like singing for Qutie and the others. Melly says I have a beautiful voice.


    And for right now? That''s enough.


    Well, that''s it for today. Just needed to vent a bit, you know? Thanks for listening, Diary. I know I can tell Qutie and the others if I wanna bring up Rule 1, but it¡¯s different when it¡¯s just you and me.


    Seriously, if Qutie hadn¡¯t brought up the idea of keeping a diary, I don¡¯t know what I would do. Yeah, I know I just wrote I can bring up Rule 1 and have a therapy session with my friends, but I don¡¯t wanna do that too often. But Rule 2... That can help. I love dancing and singing more than anything else in the world, and it makes my heart thump like super crazy hard. Whenever I¡¯m around my friends, I just find myself talking about it.


    I have more than one confidant in this world, Diary, but you¡¯re still someone I need.


    Catch you later, Elly.


    Entry 12 ¨C 35 Days After Being Summoned:


    Hey there, Diary? What¡¯s up?


    Me? Oh, just getting home from having an awesome day!


    Meruria gave us the day off! After 11 mind-numbingly boring and painful concerts of singing for those who just don¡¯t care about what I do, we got a break. I know Greggie was happy. And Keeth, too. They were exhausted. Like, the big man wakes up super early to dance with me. Four days ago, I told him he didn¡¯t have to do that when he had to work for Meruria, but he was really determined to lose weight.


    He kept bringing up Melly¡¯s dungeon. He said if he had been a few pounds heavier, we probably would¡¯ve died because we would''ve been able to drag him to the other side of that bridge.


    He cried; you know. He formed a fist and almost smacked his stomach, but Ami turned around the corner and stopped him. She said he was too hard on himself. And I agreed. Greggie... I felt that he wasn¡¯t the type of guy who loved himself.


    But he¡¯s kind. He¡¯s funny and helpful. And he makes the best food in the world.


    And Keeth... He always gets home super late with hands that are cracked and bleeding. Meruria tells him to wear a glove because he has an image to maintain as her Soul Warrior, but overusing his skill is seriously hurting him. Last night, I stayed in his room all night and rubbed some cream over them.


    He¡¯s just a big softie, too.


    And he¡¯s kinda cute... He just has this innocent air around him, you know?


    But that¡¯s not why I¡¯m writing this!


    Since we had nothing to do today, we walked around Junsa. And this was our first time. Seriously, it was. Remy always teleported the Combat Squad (Qutie and the others) and the Entertainment Squad (me, Greggie, and Keeth) to our destination. If the destination was too far away, then to the city gates, and she¡¯d always know when we were done, and she¡¯d take us back to the mansion.


    But the people here didn¡¯t know us. They just saw a group of humans and a Crystal Fairy and not Soul Warriors. So, it was nice to mingle with everyone.


    We walked all over town, to the four districts, and then ate a nice lunch at a cafe?. Oh, and we even went clothes shopping!


    If nothing else, Meruria at least always paid us for the work we did. And the clothes here were super cute! I found an awesome pink top and a spiked belt. I once performed a song about a delinquent biker trying to fit in, and this reminded me of that.


    Hmm... I think I¡¯ll scribble a little image...


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    Heehee! I looked cute, didn''t I? I really miss...the feeling I had when I performed that song.


    After going home to rest up, we were back on the prow. This time, we wanted to find a restaurant, but we found a bar, instead.


    It felt weird to chow down on turkey legs, but I didn''t expect someone to strum a guitar. It was out of tune, but I couldn''t resist.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    I should go find Ami...


    Yeah, I¡¯ll go do that.


    Her father¡¯s my mom¡¯s brother. So, he¡¯s my uncle. After I made it big, the family came to Japan and took me to our estate in Russia. It¡¯s kinda funny because Ami¡¯s dad married some random Mexican woman and had her.


    I dunno... Maybe our similar past is why we¡¯re so close?


    I love my cousin. She¡¯s the best. She¡¯s always there for me, and I¡¯m always there for her...


    And I love Qutie... And Melly and Mary, and Greggie, Keeth... I love all my friends.


    Maybe...


    I dunno...


    If...


    Nah...


    That''s a thought for another time. I mean, me and Keeth together? I do like him, but... Does he like me?


    Geez... Now I¡¯m feeling super embarrassed!!!


    Ami!!! Your cousin needs you!


    Elly Edit!


    Okay, so the weirdest thing happened. I was just getting ready for bed when Remy showed up. She talked about that brat, but she said we didn¡¯t have anything to worry about. The family wouldn¡¯t bother us again with any requests.


    Entry 14 ¨C 37 Days After Being Summoned:


    I learned that child died last night. The one who threw all those things at me and ordered me to give him my panties. And it wasn¡¯t him... That whole house burned down. His parents, the maids, the dogs, the cats, the butlers... There weren¡¯t any survivors.


    Remy probably did it.


    Or Meruria told her to do it.


    But...


    Why?


    Why...


    I hated that boy, but did he deserve to die? Did his family need to die?


    The day¡¯s going to be ruined, and I still haven¡¯t eaten breakfast.


    Oh, Greggie¡¯s calling for me.


    Qutie¡¯s asking me what¡¯s wrong.


    Melly¡¯s...


    She¡¯s rubbing my back...


    Keeth is touching my arm...


    And my diary...


    It¡¯s getting wet...


    I need a Rule 1...


    Badly...


    I don¡¯t wanna be alone today...


    Entry 20 ¨C 43 Days After Being Summoned:


    We spent all day in Junsa. We did the same yesterday, and we met a lot of friendly people and ate lots of tasty food with the locals.


    It was fun.


    A lot of fun. And it¡¯s only here that I really feel like I¡¯m an idol again. I¡¯ve made it a habit to start concerts at random whenever we¡¯re walking around town. And I especially like to sing for the children.


    I still think of that noble child that died. Did Remy do it?


    If she did, I wonder why she did that?


    Meruria gave me the job, so...


    Wouldn¡¯t she know that the kid was going to act like that?


    Last night, I asked Qutie that question. She said she didn¡¯t know. But she wondered if Meruria wanted to thin out the nobles of her inner circle. If so, she needed an excuse to do it.


    If she did it without a reason, it would be a gross overuse of her power. But if she learned that a Soul Warrior was being treated less than a maid, she¡¯d have reasons to bring down the hammer.


    It was gruesome. Qutie didn¡¯t cry, but I knew something was bothering her. She let me hug her that night. And when I told her I loved her, she said she loved me.


    She loved all of us.


    And I loved everyone in Team Quella. But Qutie needs to break loose. When we went to that bar, I made sure to bring her on stage with me.


    Yeah, they had built one because of us.


    And we never had to pay full price because Greggie rolled up his sleeves and helped in the kitchen when they were backed up. And thanks to Keeth, every house and business on the street had brand-new tables and chairs.


    And I brought the entertainment!


    It was like having a block party every Friday night.


    The guards were often called.


    And they joined in after noticing it was us.


    It¡¯s during these times that I start to feel something happy again.


    Entry 24 ¨C 47 Days After Being Summoned:


    Was on a mission. Had to kill. I don¡¯t feel like writing.

 Intermission – Elly – Diary – Part Two (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Elly ¨C Diary ¨C Part Two (Illustrations!)


    Entry 25 ¨C 48 Days After Being Summoned:


    Same thing. Even if it¡¯s monsters, I don¡¯t like hearing their death sounds. It hurts my heart. And... we¡¯re not scheduled to return to Junsa for another week.


    I wanna ask Ami and Qutie to do the killing.


    But I don¡¯t wanna be a coward. I need to pull my own weight. Melly¡¯s fighting without a problem, but she¡¯s from this world.


    We¡¯re not.


    But it¡¯s not an excuse.


    I just need to grow stronger.


    Entry 35 ¨C 58 Days After Being Summoned:


    Today, we had a break. And it was a lazy day.


    We didn¡¯t do much of anything, but Nelly¡ªah, that¡¯s Ami¡¯s nickname for Lord Enele, made a surprise visit.


    When I think of a Dark Lord, I think of someone covered in blood. Like a real nasty type of guy, you know. Like someone who would kill a whole town while going, ¡°Muhahahaha... You dare underestimate my kind of power, foolish mortal?¡±


    But nah.


    He¡¯s not like that at all.


    He¡¯s as nice as I imagined a Holy Lord would be. And Meruria¡¯s as awful as my imagination of a Dark Lord. It really feels like their titles should be swapped.


    But Nelly chatted with us all day. And Kaiho! Oh, that little turtle¡¯s just the cutest!!!!!


    I love the way he swims through the air. It makes me wish I was a turtle. Nelly said he¡¯s in Cridia on business, so if it was okay with us, he said he¡¯d like to drop by again sometime.


    I know Nelly can¡¯t summon Soul Warriors because he¡¯s the total definition of justice or something, but...


    If I had one wish, I¡¯d want him to be our summoner. I mean, he¡¯s totally an angel. Even if he¡¯s super tall and muscular, he¡¯s just a big ole sweetie. He even made us dinner. And Greggie and him worked together to enhance a sweet bread Nelly¡¯s mama made him for his birthday a hundred years ago.


    Oh, yeah.


    Nelly¡¯s old. Like super ancient, but he doesn¡¯t look a day over 45. I dunno what I would do if I could live for centuries. Like, how isn¡¯t he bored? I asked him, and he said he had inherited a duty that he couldn¡¯t falter.


    So, yeah. Nelly¡¯s a workaholic, haha. I guess he¡¯s like me. Or all of us. And not just because Meruria¡¯s working us to the bone, but because in our world, we were always improving ourselves. Like, our world was what we had already known, but if this was a different world, were there other worlds?


    Like, if our world was World A, and this was World B, was there a World C-Z? Or were there infinite worlds?


    It was probably the latter. I don¡¯t often think about things like this because it makes my head hurt, but even though I¡¯m an idol, I¡¯m not dumb. I know differential calculus and organic chemistry as much as the next person. That was practically a requirement when I trained to be an idol since you had to be the best of the best of the best to get as popular as me.


    But...


    What if I was born in a different world? One where...things were much better? Our textbooks say the world changed after World War II. Certain people came into power and altered the direction of our history.


    But does that really matter?


    I guess it doesn¡¯t.


    Geez, Elly. You started off so happy, and now look? You¡¯re just depressing your diary.


    Sorry about that, Diary.


    Entry 37 ¨C 60 Days After Being Summoned:


    Nelly showed up again. I was having a sad day, but talking to him cheered me up. Before I knew it, I told him about our world. He listened, and he outright confirmed that there were other worlds besides this one and the one I came from.


    So...


    Yeah...


    If things had been different, I could¡¯ve been born somewhere else in a world that wouldn¡¯t make sense if you hadn¡¯t lived it.


    When Qutie and the others got home from shopping, we talked while preparing lunch.


    Qutie wanted to know more about the world, so we learned a lot about the countries. Nelly told us about the different Holy Lords, the Dark Lords, and what it entailed to evolve into one...


    It was everything we should¡¯ve learned from Meruria, but no.


    That awful woman couldn¡¯t spare a second.


    Enele said he was going to leave Kaiho with us for a few days.


    Hehe... I loved that turtle.


    Seriously, he¡¯s like a dog. He likes to have his shell rubbed and his head scratched. And he even eats lettuce and other veggies from your hand! And his tail wags, too!


    And the best part!


    He likes this!


    It¡¯s not degrading or anything!


    Kaiho knows he¡¯s a turtle.


    Ah! Ohmigosh!


    He¡¯s just so cute!!!!


    You know what? I''m going to draw him.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    But he¡¯s even older than Nelly by a few hundred years.


    And I¡¯m not dumb.


    I know why Kaiho¡¯s doing this. It¡¯s the same concept as emotional support animals, although, in this case, Kaiho¡¯s our emotional support spirit turtle. It was probably his idea. But...


    Why?


    Nelly¡¯s not supposed to play favorites. I know he wants to watch over Cridia because Sajun was his student. My singing instructor looked out for me, so I know how it feels.


    But...


    Why did Sajun have to take Meruria as a student? She¡¯s awful now, and she was probably awful back then. I don¡¯t get it. And it feels rude to ask. So... I won¡¯t. It''ll prolly dredge up some bad memories, and I don¡¯t wanna be the one responsible for that. And I won¡¯t ask Kaiho, either.


    That¡¯ll prolly be a mystery. I dunno if we¡¯ll get an answer to it.


    Entry 38¨C 61 Days After Being Summoned:


    Qutie asked Kaiho if he knew anything about the Dark Lord of Tyranny. We first heard that title from Melly shortly after we met.


    And Kaiho knew of her, but...


    She was an awful woman. He said she had brought the world to ruin and nearly killed every Holy and Dark Lord. Like... She was a world-ender. She enslaved everyone and forced them to die for her. And she disrupted the world. Something like 30% of the population died during her reign. Entire countries were wiped out. And she burned everything, just to cause more tyranny.


    She sounds super scary. Kaiho even said it was impossible to kill her. He didn¡¯t know why, but the people in charge of leading the fight against her said killing her would be worse than letting her go.


    But they didn¡¯t let her go. Kaiho said they found a way to imprison the Dark Lord of Tyranny and separate her from her Divine Armament. Its location was said to be a heavily guarded secret. He didn''t even know where it was at, and the list of people who did have its location was shrinking with every year. And it wasn''t like it was a long list to begin with, either.


    If this world was like a video game, the Dark Lord of Tyranny would be the super boss. Someone you couldn¡¯t even beat after maxing everything out. The more Kaiho spoke about her black ice and nightmarish fire, the more I found myself scared.


    She¡¯s gone.


    She won¡¯t ever come back. Kaiho assured me of that because her Divine Armament was sealed away. Even if she broke free from her dungeon, she¡¯d be detected and imprisoned within the week because precautions are in place.


    But...


    I dunno... I¡¯m still scared. I think I¡¯ll sleep with Ami tonight. I can always use my cousin as a fluffy pillow.


    Wait for me, Ami! I¡¯m coming your way!


    Entry 53 ¨C 76 Days After Being Summoned


    Today was another sad day. I don¡¯t wanna talk about it...


    But why do people...do evil things?


    Why do criminals think it¡¯s okay to kidnap little girls and hold them for ransom?


    We were walking to a town east of Cridia when we came across a kidnapping. I...killed that man. He died from my singing. His head popped like a watermelon that was dropped from a building. And...the blood splashed over that little girl and terrorized her... She screamed and smacked me when I tried to comfort her...


    I hated death.


    I hated hurting people. But it sucks more when your singing is the cause of it.


    I¡¯ll never get over it.


    It¡¯s been nothing but concerts. And then it¡¯s been nothing but parties. Meruria ordered all of Team Quella to attend because she wanted us to mingle with the nobles. It¡¯s been three parties a day for twenty days! And it¡¯s been all over Cridia, not just Junsa. I¡¯ve always been able to sing for long hours, but even I need to rest my throat.


    Good little Soul Warriors...


    Every time she sees us, she says that.


    You¡¯re selfless heroic otherworlders who yearn to put Cridia above their own wants and desires.


    She says that, too.


    I can¡¯t complain because she says good little Soul Warriors¡ªselfless heroic otherworlders don¡¯t complain about working for the summoner.


    When we got home a few minutes ago, I screamed. I lost it. And Remy...


    She just laughed and said it was just singing. It was just laughing.


    Then she left.


    We all called a Rule 1 to vent about Remy. We... We hated her. So much. We despised that woman. No, she wasn¡¯t even a woman. She was just a force of evil. And she always played jokes and said cruel things at our expense.


    She even admitted to spying on us in the bath and said some really hurtful things about our bodies!


    But Keeth¡¯s not small! He¡¯s perfectly fine! The big ones hurt a lot!


    Entry 100 ¨C 123 Days After Being Summoned


    Things had gotten better.


    Not a lot.


    But better.


    We got a break. Not a long one, but enough to calm down.


    Keeth and I laid in bed. We didn¡¯t do anything but hold hands.


    Ugh...


    Meruria has a statue in every room.


    It was hella lame. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if she had placed a camera or something in there, even if the tech didn¡¯t exist. Or if it did, we didn¡¯t know.


    But Keeth...


    He let me lay my head on his chest. After hearing his heartbeat, I hummed a little song while he petted my hair.


    I seriously loved him.


    And...


    Maybe...


    Maybe we¡¯d get married.


    Or maybe not. Meruria was the one who would decide that.


    This is a dark thought. It¡¯s one I don¡¯t even wanna think about.


    But...


    What if all this abuse and awful treatment was a way for us to regret standing up for Shuuta?


    It makes me a horrible person.


    But if Meruria wants us to actually say we regret it, maybe she¡¯d treat us better?


    But I wanna stay true to myself.


    He didn¡¯t deserve to die.


    I know that the day I start to think that is when...


    No...


    I don¡¯t wanna say anymore.


    I¡¯m sure no one else in Team Quella is thinking like that. We can¡¯t think like that. It¡¯s just not right.


    But I¡¯m tired... I think I¡¯ll head to sleep. Keeth¡¯s already snoring.


    Entry 122 ¨C 145 Days After Being Summoned


    We have another mission.


    There¡¯s a desert in the south that¡¯s been experiencing crazy sandstorms, and Meruria wants us to solve it.


    It seems easy enough.


    I wonder why she¡¯s doing this?


    I¡¯m not gonna lie. Things have been looking up.


    Yeah, I¡¯m still singing and dancing for the nobles, but it¡¯s been better lately.


    A while ago, a noble named Ravenshaw was throwing his son¡¯s birthday party.


    And I immediately groaned. But I didn¡¯t say it out loud. But whenever I need to sing for a kid, I¡¯m always scared they¡¯re going to be like the one that died way back when.


    But I¡¯m happy to say it was different.


    This one was fun.


    Ravenshaw was a Ravenfolk. And his son was seriously super cute. He couldn¡¯t fly very well, but he was such a cutie!


    He was absolutely smitten with Melly, though. She was the life of the party. Ravenshaw said his son liked sparkly things, and he¡¯d once seen us walk through town from his balcony. He said he had the cutest tantrum. And he said he thanked Meruria for this chance to make his son¡¯s small dream come true.


    But I made it even better.


    Keeth hadn¡¯t only made me an idol uniform, but he had made everyone one. And Melly and I put on one hell of a show. She flew above me, and her sparkly wings doused the room in crystal fragments. Keeth passed out the glow sticks he made to reflect the light. And Qutie used illusion magic to spice it up.


    It was a lot of fun. And that child... Oh, I just wanted to squeeze his little bitty cutie cheeks!!!


    He tried to fly and join Melly, but he couldn¡¯t. He cheered his little heart out when Melly swept him up and allowed him to join in on the fun.


    Ravenshaw...


    He was a good bird. Or Ravenfolk, I mean. One of the better nobles I¡¯d met.


    If we¡¯re lucky, Remy won¡¯t be with us on this mission. I hope she isn¡¯t.


    But I dunno if I¡¯ll have time to write my diary again.


    It¡¯s hard to believe it¡¯s almost been 5 months. Sometimes, it feels like it hasn¡¯t been that long. When I close my eyes, I can sometimes see the Baeblades dancing on TV. And other times, it feels like I¡¯m watching paint dry.


    The days are kinda getting longer and slower at the same time. And I don¡¯t like it.


    But...


    I dunno...


    If I have Team Quella and Keeth, I know I¡¯ll be strong.


    They love me. I love them.


    We love each other. We¡¯re each other¡¯s strength and rock. Without Rule 1 and Rule 2, we wouldn¡¯t have made it this far.


    And before I go, Diary, I wanna say...


    I haven¡¯t thought of Shuuta as a regret since the last time I wrote about him. That was 22 days ago or something. I¡¯m too lazy to turn the page to check, haha...


    But I¡¯m slowly adapting.


    When we return from the mission, I wanna go to the bar again. I wanna see the owner and sing on the stage. And I hope the guitar guy¡¯s back. Keeth said he¡¯d make him a brand-new one, but the guitar guy refused because it belonged to his grandfather.


    You know...


    I really don¡¯t like a lot of people. But it¡¯s the common people... They¡¯re the ones I like the most. Like us, they¡¯re just trying to get through life.


    We¡¯re all in this together.


    You¡¯ve helped me a lot, Diary. Like a whole lot. It¡¯s crazy that you¡¯ve helped me this much. Qutie was on to something when she brought up the idea. I¡¯ll have to thank her.

 Chapter Seventy-One: You Can’t Always Be Strong

    Chapter Seventy-One: You Can¡¯t Always Be Strong


    Entering my room, I felt a sudden heaviness in my heart as I took in the surroundings. It was nothing special, just a simple, rustic space. The carpeted floors felt soft beneath my feet, and the large walk-in closet stood empty, a stark reminder of the absence of those who used to fill it. The walls were bare, lacking any paintings or decorations, and the egg-shell white wallpaper with the pattern of green diamonds only served to intensify the overwhelming green theme of the room.


    I tried to push the obvious aside-- to focus on anything else. So, I made my way to the edge of the room, past the chairs and dining table, and opened the sliding doors that led to the outdoor bath. The steamy water greeted me, reminiscent of the cave I once bathed in with Oswell and his group. The towering walls provided privacy, but the view of the northern ocean lay unobstructed before me.


    "My lord, you seem tense," Tris spoke up, her concern evident in her voice.


    "It''s something like that," I replied, trying to sound nonchalant, but she could see right through me.


    Since Gretchen and the captain were going to have their meeting soon, I agreed to send bird clones to index the city, which would take about two hours¡ªincluding time to regain the expended biomass. It was a mere distraction, and Tris knew it because she asked to take command over them.


    When it came to her...I couldn¡¯t hide anything through my fac?ade. Before I knew it, she had led me to the bed, sitting me down with a determined expression.


    "It''s okay," she said gently, taking my hand. "You don''t have to pretend with me."


    And then she said the words I didn''t want to hear, the words that broke down the walls I had built around my emotions. She knew. She knew everything because [Deduction] gave her constant updates about my mental and physical health, and I couldn''t hide from her. It was overwhelming, and I couldn''t hold back any longer.


    From the moment I killed the pirate captain...Tris knew I was putting on airs. I said I was okay. I even told Primrose I was fine when we searched the pirate ship.


    But...


    I wasn¡¯t alright.


    I was the furthest thing from being...


    "I don''t..." I started to protest, but the tears were already streaming down my cheeks.


    "It''s okay, my lord. You can cry," Tris reassured me.


    "I''ve already shed enough tears," I tried to argue, but my voice cracked with emotion.


    But Tris didn''t give up. She held me close, offering a haven for my vulnerability. And then Surtr emerged from the bracelet, a comforting presence that beckoned me to let go, to be weak. Its voice was deep, but the lion¡¯s words were deeply profound.


    And so, I did. I let myself be weak, fragile, and broken. I clung to Surtr''s neck, finding solace in the lion''s flaming warmth, and Tris held me tight from behind, whispering soothing words that slowly calmed the storm raging within me.


    And then, as if compelled to share my pain, I opened up to them both. I spoke of Sekh-- of everything we had been through together. I relived the memories, the laughter, and the tears. And in that moment, I felt the depth of my love for her, the void her absence had left within me.


    Of course, they knew about that. Tris had my memories, and Surtr had Sekh¡¯s. But I wanted to reminisce about her. And they silently listened.


    "And in Aetos Village... We went at it all night," I confessed, my voice trembling with emotion. "She was in such a mood, and... I miss her so much..."


    ¡°Let it all out,¡± rumbled Surtr. The lion laid down, and I rested against its body while it turned its large head to look at me with flaming eyes.


    Tris laid beside me, and I kept talking until my heart yearned for rest.


    I woke up from what felt like a deep dream. Sekh was there... She didn¡¯t speak, so I knew it was just that. A dream. A figment of my mind.


    But she smiled.


    She looked at me, and...her eyes were always the brightest silver, but they shined like beacons in the darkness.


    But the dream ended. Fantasies would always conclude.


    ¡°Did you enjoy your nap, Lord Springfield?¡± asked Surtr, who licked its large paws and rubbed its face.


    ¡°Yeah... Sorry about that. Didn¡¯t mean to use you as a pillow.¡±


    ¡°I can do far more than slaughter your enemies to the last pathetic weakling.¡±


    ¡°Tris?¡± I turned to the praying woman. She looked up and stared at me as if I was the only thing that mattered in her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s been three hours, my lord,¡± she said, giving me a quick report. Plymoise was indexed, but Captain Caulk and Gretchen weren¡¯t together. He was at the shipyard talking to an engineer, and she was back at her office. The meeting must''ve already happened based on their actions.


    Damn, I missed it. But that¡¯s fine.


    ¡°Tris, devote some of your resources to keeping an eye on the two. I want to know if they about the war, their plans, or if they decide to meet again.¡±


    ¡°Of course. How do you feel? I still detect an ounce of stress.¡±


    ¡°Talking helps a lot, I mean. But... It¡¯s hard for me to not feel like this.¡±


    Tris crawled closer and kept a perfect smile. ¡°I believe I can help with that.¡± Her clothes were replaced by white lingerie, complete with matching stockings and a garter belt. A pair of blond lion ears twitched on her head, and her human ears disappeared. That fluttering tail surprised me just as much. Tris was undoubtedly cute, though.


    ¡°Your mental and physical well-being is of the highest priority,¡± she said, leaning forward, letting her generous chest bounce slightly. ¡°According to my data, you seemed happiest when it was time to copulate. Lady Sekh¡¯s bosom was also a point of comfort I did not fail to notice, but you also found solace rubbing her ears and tail. That is why I have this secondary appearance the Conduit has declared Lionfolk Mode, modeled after the Dark Lord of Tyranny. What do you prefer, my lord?¡±


    ¡°Prefer?¡±


    Did I even deserve to pick one?


    Did I even deserve to pick anything at all?


    Just what the fuck was wrong with me?


    Surtr had been right. The only way for me to not heal Sekh was if I died. And I wouldn¡¯t die. The world¡¯s best recon was sitting in my lap, rubbing against me while I played with her fluffy ears.


    Tris loved me so much that she assumed I would accept her offer. My prior refusal caused her no shortage of heartache.


    That was proof I was flawed. Too flawed. And I didn¡¯t like it.


    She even said her mind was a swirling mess as she tried to find out why her prediction was wrong or why she failed to even consider the option that I¡¯d refuse her offer.


    ¡°Surtr... I¡¯m weak, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°You lack experience others should have.¡±


    ¡°Haha... You don¡¯t mince your words, do you? Can you forgive me? I was about to do something...so dumb...¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive. Learn from your mistakes, and I cannot be happier. You¡¯re in a unique position. Untold eons of knowledge and experience lay within reach. You will never have to face the unknown alone because you merely need to ask and express your concerns and fears. You have those who would listen to your every word around you, and you have those who will teach you what you don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Surtr?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I love you. I want you to know that. Please...don¡¯t hate me...¡±


    Surtr turned its head and gave me a big lick across my cheeks. ¡°I¡¯ll never hate you if you yearn to always be your best. I shall defend you to my dying breath and slaughter your enemies to the last soul. That is my promise as your guardian lion and my oath to our Dark Lord of Tyranny.¡±


    ¡°Tris, I love you too. I¡¯ll fluff your ears anytime you want, okay?¡± Suddenly, I wrapped my arms around her stomach and kissed her neck''s nape. Her tail continued to dance as she put her fingers over mine. ¡°I...promise I¡¯ll be the best I can. So... I¡¯ll make you happy. I swear I will. I won¡¯t ever make you feel like that ever again. You have standards of me, and I promise I¡¯ll meet them.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m already the happiest in the world, my lord. Your mission is complete. Being with you has brought the most joy... I love you, my lord. For now and forever, I¡¯ll always love you.¡± She turned around in my lap. Her lingerie vanished before, allowing me to gaze upon her perfect figure.


    Suddenly, I saw a collection of waypoints to my right. My confusion was gone after a few seconds...


    ¡°Is that...?¡±


    ¡°It is. Please recall the night after you encountered the siblings responsible for the monster train incident. You, Lady Sekh, and Lady Irisa went into the mines. Lady Sekh heard them, and there was an encounter. She wanted to murder, but you had better ideas, and Lady Sekh struggled with her feelings for the rest of the day.¡±


    In the waypoint-recreation of that scene, Sekh straddled me. She cried and begged me to punish her because she felt she had disobeyed and disappointed me again. Her shattered, tormented psyche went haywire...


    The only way I calmed her was by admitting my love.


    And I had ended the night by punishing her¡ªI merely patted her head and fluffed her ears.


    Tris rubbed my pointy ears and kissed my forehead. ¡°And that¡¯s your punishment, my lord,¡± she whispered, her breath tickling my lips.


    ¡°Please keep one thing in mind. To Lady Sekh and Lady Irisa, your happiness is something they wish to maintain. I feel the same as them. Don¡¯t refrain from doing something that brings you joy because Lady Sekh isn¡¯t currently here,¡± said Tris, who turned around and leaned her back against my stomach. She took my hands and placed them on her ears.


    She loved having them rubbed.


    ¡°You¡¯re right... Sekh... She wouldn¡¯t want to see me like this, would she?¡±


    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t,¡± replied Surtr.


    ¡°I know Sekh¡¯s going to be okay. I know we can...bring her back. And when she¡¯s here... I¡¯ll apologize for my weaknesses. And then I¡¯ll welcome her home. And I¡¯ll do anything she wants. And Mom and Dad... And Irisa and Erin and Niva. Prim, too. If I act... If I let my self-pity consume me... It would be hard on them. Especially Irisa. I love her so much. And I know she¡¯s sad. And that¡¯s why I need to support her. And I can¡¯t do that if I¡¯m sorry for myself.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re understanding it, but make no mistake. Should you need to cry, cry. It is never a mistake to show your emotions. Keep that in mind, Lord Springfield.¡±


    ¡°I will, Surtr. Thank you.¡± I planted a hand on its head and gave my fluffy, intelligent lion a bunch of loving rubs. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s one more thing. Be ready for a fight tonight. After dinner, we¡¯ll be heading out. And I need you to remain materialized from here on out until further notice,¡± I said, summoning my revolver and rifle to my body. From now on, I had to have them equipped since they were my primary method of fighting.


    ¡°As you wish. I will gladly spill more blood in your name.¡±


    I also told Tris to mark a location for me because that was our immediate destination once we left. She stared at my lips, then asked what was on my mind because she felt something strange. I couldn¡¯t hide anything from her, so I wondered if it was better to remain a High Elf or cosplay as a normal elf. I wanted to do what was best for my family.


    Tris immediately suggested I remain a High Elf because they were rare. You¡¯d have to live a long time to evolve one without being born as one. And if you were, you¡¯d undoubtedly have power and influence over the naturalistic world.


    But I had none of what a person believed a High Elf should have. Instead, the mere appearance of being one offered my family protection.


    ¡°There¡¯s one thing I¡¯m curious about, Tris.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the best way to ask this... How...humanoid are you?¡± While in her previous evolution, Tris was born as a blank slate. The memories I shared with her gave her a head start, but she was still akin to a newborn. Over the weeks and months, she learned from watching me, Sekh, and Irisa while receiving special tutoring from Tilde.


    ¡°The Conduit was essential in teaching me. I learned much from her wisdom and aged experience, my lord. And Lady Sekh and the others were invaluable to my progress,¡± she said with a smile, holding a hand to her heart. ¡°It is thanks to them... I can feel a wide range of emotions, but I still have much to learn before I am worthy of becoming your Aspect of Wisdom. I am but a mere fragment.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re my fragment, Tris. A priceless jewel...¡± I kissed her blushing cheeks, and after sharing a vocal expression of our love, we remained like this until dinner was ready.


    She asked which ¡®mode¡¯ I preferred¡ªLionfolk or Human-- and Tris was happy at my answer.


    It made me wonder why there was even a Human Mode in the first place, but Tris likened it to a failsafe. I suppose it didn¡¯t matter since she¡¯d remain a Lionfolk from here on out.

 Intermission – Ann – Temple of Demons – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Ann ¨C Temple of Demons ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    The destiny Lori and I shared was written in stone long before our birth. While mother''s womb nurtured us, she entered a learning chamber to hypnotize our underdeveloped brains. We were overloaded with styles of combat relating to the spear and katana before the concept of life was even applied to us.


    However, Mother¡¯s potential was extinguished when she died during childbirth.


    That was the first life Lori and I took.


    It wouldn¡¯t be the last.


    Father forced our hands to hold our weapons before we could walk. When we were three, we began training from sunrise to sunset, with him using medicine and drugs to strengthen our bodies while making us push far past our boundaries.


    Fighting was all we knew.


    And fighting was our life.


    That was the Zika Family in a nutshell. Our ancient traditions defined our childhood. In a world where styles of combat no longer had a place, Father, Grandfather, and Great Grandfather still believed in the ways of old, and we were brought up as if we lived centuries in the past.


    No one from our previous world could¡¯ve bested us in a fight. We wouldn''t fail-- no matter the enemy. Father believed losing was a weakness. He preached that the weak, sick, and frail were stepping stones for the strong to climb during their rise to the top, but Lori and I believed otherwise because Father was wrong.


    His belief was formed by a crude and outdated way of thinking.


    Everyone should strive for excellence and support others in their pursuit of greatness. The proof of that claim lay within Lori and me. Our abilities when we were 10 couldn¡¯t have compared to us when we were 5, and that was because Father supported us during our time of growth. In his own words, we should¡¯ve died because we were weak. Yet here we were, alive and well, growing stronger every day.


    But Father couldn¡¯t handle us being an antithesis to the Zika Family¡¯s belief. So, he challenged us to a fight one night after losing his temper. Ten minutes later, he couldn¡¯t handle the warriors he had produced and died.


    Patricide was seen as a crime, yet it was a rite of passage in our family. Father believed only the strong should rule, so he naturally followed his beliefs to the grave and thanked us for being stronger with his dying breath.


    But Lori and I... We felt conflicted. Father still had potential, yet he didn¡¯t see it. He died before realizing it, and his life ended with waste. The confusion continued to conflict even as we were forced to fight each other to become the new Family Head. Our ancient rules dictated we were to continue until the other had died.


    Lori and I had no qualms about fighting each other because that was how we learned, but who would force it to end with death?


    No one could beat us. Lori and I were natural phenomena¡ªthe best in our respective weapons and disciplines. Our trophy room was twice the size of our bedroom.


    It was our first time going all out, and we fought, and fought, and fought. For two days, Lori and I never left the dojo. We didn¡¯t stop for food or water, and after our bodies had long exhausted everything they had, our minds kept going until my sister threw her spear down and announced her defeat. I could easily recall how she approached me on two broken legs and extended a fractured hand to gracefully touch my cheek.


    As the new Family Head, I had an appearance to maintain. That was the reason why I dressed conservatively, wearing muted colors, long skirts, and jackets to maintain pristine confidence. Lori wanted to be different so as not to cause anyone to confuse the Family Head with her twin. She was a flashier dresser, with short skirts, crop tops, heels, stockings, necklaces, rings, and bracelets to make me stand out more.


    We were almost raised as one in body and mind for the first decade of our life, and now my twin and I couldn¡¯t have looked more differently.


    Yet we remained the same on the inside. Only our outward appearance had changed. The dichotomy of our ¡®stern¡¯ and ¡®difficult¡¯ personalities caused more than a few challenges once I took control of our family.


    As its leader, I refocused our efforts on the pursuit of greatness. Death was a natural part of the world. Everyone would eventually die, but it didn¡¯t make sense to accelerate the arrival of that day when there was unrealized potential.


    We broke many records over the next eight years, quadrupling the family¡¯s income. It was only under my rule that we achieved the status of billionaires. Countries paid for us to open training academies since there was always a need to train soldiers.


    And no one trained them better than us...


    But I didn¡¯t care about the family. I only had eyes for my sister. She was the only one in the world to fight me to a draw. Even with that said, life was boring. When you stood at the pinnacle, everything looked as insignificant as an ant. Lori and I talked extensively about it. We were going to spend the school trip discussing what to do when Lord Meruria answered in the form of summoning us.


    All it took was one glancing touch of the weapons our summoner provided to rekindle the fire burning in our hearts.


    Unfortunately, we had left her church and missed the backlash of what happened to Shuuta. We only learned it during dinner, and Lori and I spent that entire night wondering about his potential.


    Would we have argued for his survival?


    They said he had an outburst near the end. Almost everyone regarded it as happening too late, yet...


    Potential... It was the most beautiful thing in the world. And we still weren¡¯t exhausted. Our goal was to achieve Soul Evolution and ascend to a 6-Star Soul. It was the perfect challenge for those who shared the beliefs Lori and I had.


    We wanted to achieve everything we could with our bodies and souls. Even if it required burning them to the very end... We were ready for it.


    We were on horseback, traveling south of Junsa to the Arkley Mountains. A devilish horde of orphaned demons had taken root in the temple at the peak of the tallest mountain and were terrorizing the farming villages around the base. This part of Cridia was known for being dryer than usual, so having anything further to increase the chances of a bad harvest was something Lord Meruria couldn¡¯t handle. We were supposed to meet with Shiku and the rest of Team Salim to wipe out the demons.


    Spoiler


    Alll latest novels at novelhall.com


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    Weeks ago, Lori and I had orders to escort a noble of Junsa as his bodyguards. That annoying task... The noble rambled on about how beautiful my sister and I were. I didn¡¯t care much when those words left his mouth. His potential was...nothing. He was a man who used his large gut and larger wallet to buy anything he wanted without putting the effort in.


    His life was prematurely ended when he dared to try to lay a hand on my sister when he was drunk on the taste of wine. Lord Meruria didn¡¯t see fit to punish us when we returned with his severed corpse. He was one of the last surviving members of a failed family of aristocrats who had swindled their massive fortune away in the three decades before our arrival. It seemed Lord Meruria was using her Soul Warriors to help remove those that wouldn¡¯t be useful to her in the long run because something similar had happened to Shiku at Junsa¡¯s guild.


    And a family was wiped out after Elly had performed for a child with awful manners.


    Tokko and Mia were invaluable assets towards that goal.


    They had acquired their fabled Soul Weapons within two days of being summoned. The two then took to the library to investigate this world and its history and effortlessly integrated themselves into Cridia''s politics while causing a disruption in the balance of power the nobles wielded. Some families¡¯ influence dropped overnight. Others found themselves with new titles and responsibilities they could only dream of. And they were making these decisions with Lord Meruria¡¯s blessings. The aristocrats weren¡¯t happy and petitioned Meruria directly to reconsider putting otherworlders in charge. Tokko and Mia put to rest all their worries after introducing a 100-page plan to improve Cridia¡¯s logistics.


    Within the month, the city had made a noticeable change in almost every aspect. The surrounding farms were growing with more than 8 times the efficiency as before with less water. Advances in suspension technology meant bigger and larger wagons and carriages would ride smoothly, allowing more precious cargo to be transported faster and safer. Those were just a few of Tokko¡¯s ideas, and he implemented more with each passing day.


    Two weeks later, Lord Meruria dispatched messengers to travel across the lands with a list of new improvements and regulations to be implemented immediately. Tokko predicted the country¡¯s food supplies would easily triple within the year. The money gained would go towards establishing a foundry to automate the processing of steel and other metals using [Puppetry Magic] to employ golems and gargoyles as workers.


    In a decade, Cridia would have probably advanced by half a century in technology.


    Lord Meruria had summoned Soul Warriors in the past. Holy and Dark Lords convened at the Lord Conference in the Kingdom of Aquanis every year to discuss world relations, but every fifty years, the topic turned to summoning Soul Warriors. The practice stretched at least ten thousand years, so it was a tradition almost etched into the world itself.


    It took many years to prepare for a summoning, and every Divine Country needed to agree on the precise time frame. Sometimes, it was held on the 51st year, and often, the world went 80 years without summoning.


    It just varied. It wasn¡¯t something someone could have predicted.


    It was rare to summon a person from after the 21st century. They were often from before the 1900s, but our class was an exception.


    And it proved very beneficial to Lord Meruria and Cridia.


    When Qiong Guo, an empire that shared Cridia¡¯s northern border, requested a diplomatic meeting concerning the fast and efficient changes Cridia had implemented, Tokko and Mia went in Lord Meruria¡¯s stead. They were gone for two weeks and returned with a trade treaty in Cridia¡¯s favor in exchange for sharing ineffective information that would only increase their efficiency by a factor of 2.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    I nodded.


    ¡°If...you were there... What would you have done?¡±


    ¡°Are you regretting your actions?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not that.¡± Quella took a moment to collect her thoughts. She told me of her family¡¯s motto and decided to try and save Shuuta because it was the difficult path. Quella could have easily been a bystander. And she finally came to terms with her selfish desire. It told her to speak up. It wasn¡¯t out of any sense of wanting to save him for the act of saving him. ¡°I¡¯ve...seen a lot. I¡¯ve killed a lot, too. I¡¯m happy I spoke up. Elly and the others don¡¯t regret their choices, either. But I¡¯m curious about you.¡±


    I can see past your tone, Quella. You regret everything...


    ¡°My sister and I trust more in the potential we carry within ourselves. I see it in Greggie. He didn¡¯t let his weight become a liability. He¡¯s making active and noticeable changes to better himself. I see it in you, Ami, and Elly. And I know it¡¯s the same with Ms. Mary and Keeth. But about Shuuta... My sister and I wouldn¡¯t have done anything until after he burned the flames of his heart. We would¡¯ve stepped in then and argued for his survival based solely on his potential. But had he squandered it, I would have killed him.¡±


    ¡°That makes me feel a little better,¡± Quella smiled softly. ¡°I have nightmares. I haven¡¯t had a good dream since his death. Sometimes, I¡¯m afraid to fall asleep. I wish I could remain awake forever. In your eyes, do I have any less potential?¡±


    My sister answered and shook her head. ¡°Accepting your weakness and acknowledging you have one is the first step.¡±


    ¡°Even if I¡¯m a murderer? When we were in the Apival Duchy with Lord Enele, I...killed children. Melusine said they were past the point of no return. Death would be a mercy, but...¡±


    Since we were here, Quella caught us up to speed on what her team had done so far. The one week of rest Lord Meruria had granted them was the only extended solace they had experienced. She said our summoner ¡®rented¡¯ Elly, Greggie, and Keeth to anyone who needed a singer, a chef, or a craftsman. They were often busy entertaining the needs of Junsa¡¯s nobles while everyone else completed missions our summoner had given them. Those ranged from trying to solve a murder in a neighboring city to exterminating a band of slavers attempting to find new ¡®products¡¯ to sell.


    Team Quella wasn¡¯t having a good time. Life was hard¡ªeven more so for their leader. She didn¡¯t say it, but everything rested on Quella¡¯s shoulders. But she...wasn¡¯t built to endure it. She was starting to crack. Weakness and little fragments of her...of something else were peeking through the gaps.


    Quella leaned back and sighed. She looked at the skies. ¡°But what can we do? Nothing, right? This is our life now¡ªforever...forced to serve her whims. Good little Soul Warriors... That¡¯s what Meruria ordered us to be¡ªselfless, heroic otherworlders who yearn to put Cridia above their own wants and desires. Maybe...something might change at the Lord Conference, but that¡¯s still months away. It¡¯ll be nice to see Lord Enele and Kaiho again, but I don¡¯t know if she¡¯ll let us go.¡±


    ¡°My sister and I have sparred against him,¡± I said, telling her of the fight with the Dark Lord of Justice after he arrived a month ago for a meeting. It ended with us losing ten times in a row, but Lord Enele¡¯s pure skill with his turtle shell shield was masterclass. And on that topic, Sir Salim-Shiku¡¯s team leader¡ªwas an excellent training partner. In terms of undiluted technique, my sister was his better. But Sir Salim had mastered his Soul Weapon and brought out hidden potential we didn¡¯t know our weapons had. He was 140 years old, but he fought with so much fierceness it was dazzling.


    It was an honor to have watched that duel. Even now, I still see the vivid clashes and pounding blows when I close my eyes.


    Seeing my sister so strong...watching her shine brighter than ever before...


    It made me want her even more...


    I loved her...


    I truly did...


    She was my one and only¡ªthe sole person who understood me...


    Thirty minutes later, Keeth, with a mature and experienced look in his eyes, Ms. Mary, who appeared more like a graduate student than a teacher with an uncertain aura about her, and Melusine, a fairy with pink eyes, white hair, a crystal tiara, and shimmering crystal wings, returned from their hunting trip. They were walking with two treant archers, a crimson tiger, and a dog with four tails¡ªall monsters Ms. Mary had caught.


    We learned the truth about Ms. Mary¡¯s birth when she confessed it.


    However, I was already aware of it. I was privy to secrets most would kill to learn. But I didn¡¯t say anything. Lori remained quiet after she looked at me for guidance.


    The fairy queen was pleasurable. She was clearly knowledgeable and experienced¡ªtwo aspects befitting a member of royalty, and she had managed to reach Lv. 60. Mary had learned more abilities to increase her monster¡¯s overall abilities, although she had very little to give.


    But her potential was there. After introducing herself, she excused herself and joined Elly¡¯s idol dancing class. Quella said Melusine had found herself interested in it and, after some encouragement, was told that she had the very foundations of an idol by Elly. The blue-haired girl even said she wanted to form a group with all her friends when things became more peaceful.


    If nothing, it warmed my heart and reaffirmed my sister¡¯s and mine¡¯s choice to see the value in potential rather than casting off the weak to die for the strong.


    We asked what they were doing this way. ¡°There¡¯s a village of Spiderfolk in the desert to the southeast,¡± said Keeth. ¡°They¡¯re having issues with a sandstorm that¡¯s destroying their buildings and wiping out their food source. If there¡¯s an enemy or monster behind it, we¡¯re to kill it." He was working on turning a chunk of air-infused mana into a glider. The modeler hadn¡¯t acquired a Soul Weapon, but his exclusive skill evolved into grasping mana and molding them into whatever shape he desired. In this case, he wanted to manufacture air mana to see if you could use it as a paraglider. If so, he said he had ideas to use it to gain height.


    I¡¯d heard Keeth''s crafting was why Quella and the others survived the dungeon. With him around, anything could be molded into a weapon. Protective gear was but a stray thought away if you had the iron. And amenities such as silverware, cups, and clothing were his bread and butter. His specialization laid in repair and thinking outside the box. It was a genius idea to activate his skill to use wood as a replacement for thread.


    The creativity was astounding. It was memorizing. No wonder Keeth was in more demand when compared to Elly or Greggie.


    Suddenly, a flash of light illuminated the campfire. The fact that everyone reacted with a groan and not fear told me the forthcoming stranger''s identity.


    ¡°Hey! Cutie Qutie! Oh, you¡¯re my bestie in the whole wide world! Did ya miss me? I know I missed yooouuuuu!!!!¡± The teleportation portal vanished, revealing a brown-haired Wolffolk wearing a suit, white undershirt, a red tie, and heeled boots.


    She hastily teleported behind Quella and hugged her, sensually rubbing her stomach before licking her ears. Quella shrugged her off and threatened to boil her alive when her tome switched to one with an image of a flame surrounded by water. A deadly bubble of fire appeared overhead. ¡°See? That overzealousness to murder me is what I love about you the most! Lord Meruria sent me here to keep you company. Hey, did ya give my offer any thought, Greggie? Lose about 700 more pounds, and I¡¯ll let you taste what Shuuta experienced. I¡¯m told my pussy is to die for.¡±


    Greggie refused to say anything as he transitioned from dancing to pushups. Melusine joined him, Ami sat on his back, and Elly sang a song about a wolf getting shot by a hunter for leering too close to a flock of sheep.


    Remy said the nuance wasn¡¯t lost on her, but she licked her lips and wondered if Elly¡¯s passionate cries were as pretty as her singing.


    She immediately stopped, hugged her body, and shuddered. Keeth glared. His unassuming, insignificant aura turned deadly for a moment.


    ¡°Anyways! I¡¯m gonna hang out with you guys for a bit. Lord Meruria¡¯s busy with my sister. It¡¯s about that time of the month when she gets some special, exclusive care. Say, you twin cuties are going to fight the demons, huh? Lord Meruria wants you to bring back some of their cores, so don¡¯t forget that, ¡®kay?¡±


    ¡°Order received,¡± I said.


    We were forced to listen to her nonsensical bullshit for the next few hours. She kept hounding Greggie by peering over his shoulders during dinner preparation.


    He was an excellent cook. This world had exclusive spices and ingredients. Quella held the perishables inside a spell marked [Hammer Space], and Mary used a ¡®storage¡¯ monster-- a large packrat-type entity that did nothing but carry stuff. She had found it during a mission to a dungeon. She said their objective was to find the ingredients to make an antiserum against a certain kind of snake that often emerged from hibernation this time of year. Getting bit wasn¡¯t fatal, but it needed to be done.


    The monster was cubed and looked like a pillar of rock, although it had many cubbies to hold stuff. It used slime to enclose the ¡®sections,¡¯ which worked to sanitize and clean Greggie¡¯s pots, pans, utensils, and grill, which Keeth had made.


    Greggie said dinner would be rockbird filets with grilled asparagus drizzled with a lemon-lime sauce reduction. A rockbird''s meat was tender and succulent if you could get past its boulder-like skin and hardened feathers.


    The chef salted and peppered both sides while warming the grill, using charcoal orbs Keeth had produced by plucking off a small piece he held in a bag around his shoulder. The masterful cook trimmed the asparagus and tossed them in a bowl of olive oil he had pressed himself, then grilled them until softly tender.


    ¡°The trick is to watch the temperature,¡± said Greggie, using a skill he had to instantly deduce the heat of something. He melted butter and saute?ed garlic in a stainless-steel pan Keeth had made, then added lemon juice, lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper.


    It took eight minutes for the sauce to reduce but four to properly cook the filets that had rested to room temperature. They sizzled expectantly, and Remy sounded like she was in heat. She licked Greggie¡¯s ears and rubbed his stomach, stopping when Ami threatened to ¡®drown her in a blast of aura.¡¯


    That tiresome Wolffolk...


    I really disliked her.


    She got the hint and let Greggie continue. His plate preparation was worthy of his grand skill. The meal he had prepared took less than twenty minutes, yet it was otherworldly delectable and savory. Everything was perfect. Greggie blushed at the compliments, yet he groaned when Remy said he would be her sixth lover.


    But the night didn¡¯t get any easier after dinner, and the problem¡¯s name was Remy.

 Intermission – Ann – Temple of Demons – Part Two (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Ann ¨C Temple of Demons ¨C Part Two (Illustrations!)


    Morning arrived.


    We waved goodbye to Team Quella as they walked to the southeast, heading partly down one of the mountains. Remy had taken Keeth¡¯s prototype and jumped off a cliff. She didn¡¯t fall to her death, but she didn¡¯t glide as fast or as far as she had hoped, so she let go and teleported to the ground. Keeth rolled his eyes and groaned at the loss of his project, but Remy didn¡¯t care and offered him her body if he perfected it in the next attempt.


    ¡°Sister, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll ever not want to kill her.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same,¡± I said when we returned to our horses.


    ¡°Really?¡± Remy suddenly appeared. ¡°That¡¯s good to know. Here, I forgot to give you these. I took the liberty of setting up some teleportation points.¡± She gave us two orbs. Both were white, but one was marked with a D. The other had an HB. ¡°D is destination. Break it, and you¡¯ll head to the summit. When you''re done, shattering HB will bring you here¡ªto home base.¡±


    She looked at us expectantly, then frowned. ¡°Aww... Not even a good girl? That¡¯s a bit disappointing. Anyways, don¡¯t let down Lord Meruria, okay? Bye bye!¡± Remy turned and posed, and then she was whisked away by a sparkle of lights.


    Lori and I shared a look before changing into the winter clothing we had brought.


    I crushed the orb when we were ready, and the warm, dry environment was replaced by a harsh, unrelenting blizzard. It was so cold your skin felt like it was burning. We ran up the snow-covered path and jumped across a gap to reach a cave. The entrance to the peak and temple was still about three miles away. By our estimates, Team Salim was still four days out. We planned to wait and set camp, but that didn¡¯t work out because they arrived ten seconds in a blast of white light.


    Remy was with them. ¡°I don¡¯t want to keep Lord Meruria waiting, so I¡¯m speeding things up,¡± she said. She threw a hand in the air and left, leaving two Dogfolk maids confused and cold.


    ¡°Kyaaa!!¡± They hugged each other and trembled from the sheer coldness. Shiku approached us, bent, and used a spell Mia had devised to recreate a campsite. In addition to transforming Cridia almost overnight, she had unlocked secrets behind the magic system and shared some of her discoveries. One was a spell to use mana from the atmosphere to create a campsite. It came in different varieties, and Shiku used one to neutralize extreme temperatures.


    What Shiku had just done was considered a national secret. There existed similar spells. Lord Enele, the Dark Lord of Justice, had a turtle spirit with something similar that evoked the serene naturalistic scenery of the Kingdom of Aquanis. But Mia had reverse-engineered it to entrap it into something almost anyone could use without training.


    ¡°Lord Shiku, you¡¯re the best!¡± The maids kneeled beside the flames and monopolized the warmth.


    ¡°Lori, Ann, it¡¯s good to see you again. Feels like it¡¯s been a while,¡± said Shiku. He sat down and removed his helmet, exposing scars across his cheeks. His hands were covered by torn gloves. The jo? staff resting on his back looked worn and bloodied.


    It had seen its fair share of battles.


    Sir Salim sat and crossed his legs. ¡°What do you know so far about the mission?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re to exterminate a group of orphaned demons that¡¯s been terrorizing the local villages," I said. ¡°Remy said we¡¯re to recover demon cores for Lore Meruria.¡±


    ¡°Demons? We¡¯ve never fought them before.¡± Renata sat beside Benedict¡ªleaning a tad too close to him for it to not be out of romantic gesture.


    ¡°I¡¯ve read Sir Salim¡¯s report. You recently acquired [Water Magic] and [Magic Weapon Enhancement]?¡± Renata nodded. She removed her iron gloves and warmed her calloused, scarred hands by the fire. ¡°You¡¯ll be fine. Fight as you normally do.¡±


    ¡°You think so? It almost feels like I¡¯ve been coasting. I¡¯m not much of a fighter. But hearing you say that is filling me with confidence.¡±


    ¡°Lady Renata. Please learn to acquire some independence. Do not drag Lord Shiku down with your incompetence,¡± said Laika.


    I¡¯d heard of the two maids accompanying Shiku, but I didn¡¯t know they were overly invested in him like this. They flanked Shiku''s sides and warmed his hands in their thick, bushy tails.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I didn¡¯t¡ª¡± Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°And don¡¯t apologize! A Soul Warrior must not lower their heads towards a mere maid! We¡¯ve tried to educate you, but it seems to have not worked.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Laika. We must educate her more. It is an honor to become a Soul Warrior. Yet it is even more so to become Lord Shiku¡¯s ally! We cannot have you¡ª¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s enough.¡± Shiku¡¯s voice was feminine, but it could stop a moving truck when he was serious.


    ¡°Forgive us, Lord Shiku,¡± said the sisters in unison. Benedict remained silent and scratched his neck. He...wasn¡¯t so much of a fighter, either. But he was an excellent blacksmith, responsible for repairing and maintaining their equipment. His tools were kept in Sir Salim¡¯s [Hammer Space].


    ¡°Let¡¯s prepare for the battle.¡± Sir Salim spoke, and all eyes turned to him. He crouched and pulled out a map of the temple built into the mountain¡¯s peak. ¡°The demons are orphaned. Normally, they would revert to their demon cores, then return to the Demon Realm after lying dormant. But they¡¯re feeding on the surrounding villages at the mountain''s base,¡± Sir Salim continued, citing that the abductions happened every month. And it had been going on for the past three months. The demons didn¡¯t kidnap everyone. Just a chosen few while using fear and force to keep everyone else in line. The food shipments were always on time. Lord Meruria only realized something was strange when a child managed to stow away in a basket of corn and died from her harsh injuries.


    The temple had multiple floors and hidden paths that presumably led to teleportation gates¡ªit was practically a labyrinthian maze. Holy Lord Sajun, the previous ruler of Cridia, was known as the Holy Lord of Portals, so we presume the temple was built during his reign. That answered the question of how the demons came and went¡ªthey would have trouble flying in these wintery conditions.


    The plan was to infiltrate the temple, annihilate the demons, and destroy the teleportation gates after using them to travel to the villages to kill enemies hiding amongst the populace.


    Renata and Benedict were scared. They didn¡¯t say it, but I saw the fear. I felt it.


    You couldn¡¯t force non-warriors to turn into warriors without shattering and rebuilding their psyche from the ground up. And that was risky. Although we saw the proof of training visible. The cuts. The scars. The callouses and bruises. The fire harbored in their hearts hadn¡¯t yet reached the apex of their brightness or intensity.


    After Sir Salim laid out our plan of attack, it was time to start the mission.


    ¡°Umm... Is that...¡±


    ¡°Necessary? It is. Sister¡¯s the strongest in the world. It¡¯s always a joy to see her strength in action.¡±


    Lori answered Renata¡¯s question while I held my katana. Four seconds ago, it had turned completely yellow. An orb surrounded by icy mist balanced on the tip. The ground crackled, rippling with mana¡ªthe energy of this world¡ªand created a crater around me. Proof of the power I wielded was evident.


    I forced more mana to flow through it until the orb quadrupled. The swirling power was so great that the snow had ceased falling in the 2,500 feet surrounding us.


    And the temple?


    A mile away, obscured by a falling curtain of soft, white snowflakes.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    I knew the demons felt the surge of power. Slowly, I moved my katana in a circle¡ªmimicking a clock¡¯s second hand while the charged attack hovered in the air.


    It was like I moved at the speed of lightning. Although this... ¡®install state,¡¯ as it was called, would drain every ounce of my soul energy. One heartbeat for me was .0000001 seconds to my enemy, although I only had enough Soul energy to sustain it for three beats. And that was enough to go from enemy to enemy and end their lives. They were carved like livestock being butchered for processing, collapsing to the dirty, bloody floor in a sickening splatter.


    I jumped from Lv. 48 to Lv. 66, acquiring SP I couldn¡¯t use, and a few titles that were more than flavor text. [Lightning Samurai] doubled the effectiveness of Shocking Flake¡¯s lightning abilities, so I equipped it. I couldn¡¯t test it until my soul energy recovered, but with my opponents dead, I went around the room and plucked cores from chests until Lori returned.


    She was brought speechless by my power after announcing her success. She was covered in blood, but her immaculate skin and beautiful face... She was clean from harm.


    Shiku, Laika, and Leika returned, citing that he didn¡¯t encounter any demons in the village he was teleported to. Lori said the same, although they had probably escaped. Regardless, they teleported back and destroyed the gate before returning.


    Benedict arrived at the same time as Sir Salim, and they shared similar tales.


    However...


    None of them found any of the missing people. The demons were orphaned, so they resorted to kidnapping to drain mana from their captives¡¯ bodies to sustain their energy requirement to remain materialized.


    Shiku, Sir Salim, Benedict, and Lori exhausted their assigned areas. They couldn¡¯t be hidden, either, because the map would¡¯ve shown that.


    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong. We need to check on Renata!¡± Benedict exclaimed. He redoubled his grip and ran. We followed him through twists and turns, running over dead demons soaked with water. They bore distinctive wounds that fit Renata¡¯s [Tidal Knife]. But the path led into a large chamber¡ªdifferent from the gate rooms the others had found.


    That was to be expected. That was on the map, but...


    The demons here...were different.


    They looked like hybrids. Half of their bodies were clearly made from human or beastfolk, yet the other half contained demon-like properties.


    But there were some...that were free of any demonic qualities.


    ¡°Transmutation?! We didn¡¯t receive word of this!¡± Sir Salim exclaimed. He explained that some demons in the Demon Realm could turn humans into demons. What we saw was the second to last stage. The enemies we killed... They used to be human. And the kidnappings had been going on for far longer than we had thought.


    Just how many went into the six-armed demon I killed? Sir Salim said the process was all but irreversible. The quickest mercy would be to kill them.


    But did Renata do this? The corpses were steaming¡ªtheir faces contorted into sheer agony and pain. The blood was boiled from the inside, causing superficial burns all over the body.


    She didn¡¯t know any spell or technique to boil someone¡¯s blood.


    Benedict¡¯s face turned to one of dread. He charged forward and leapt through the watery, mirror-like teleportation gate.


    We followed and emerged in a large shed. The teleportation gates were hidden outside of the villages. Benedict used his hammer to destroy it in a single blow, and we saw a hazy red mist spread as far as we could see. It seemed the epicenter came from Renata¡¯s assigned village, but...


    ¡°I CAN¡¯T MAKE IT STOP!!!!! I DON¡¯T WANT TO KILL ANYMORE!!!!!!¡± Renata¡¯s voice echoed across the dozens of corpses stretching between us and our classmate.


    The red mist seemed to spread with every passing breath.


    ¡°RENATA!!!¡± Benedict screamed her name and tried to charge ahead, but Lori grabbed his arm and brought him to the ground. He tried to fight, but Sir Salim said the mist was from a spell that caused your opponent¡¯s blood to boil. It was a combination of [Water Magic], [Blood Magic, and [Fire Magic].


    ¡°It¡¯s dangerous to enter with protection.¡± Sir Salim switched to a spear made of water and enveloped us in a protective bubble, and only then did we race across the corpses into the village¡¯s heart.


    The dead were everywhere. Bodies of demons, half-demons, humans, beastfolk, orcs, ogres, oni, children, babies...


    Everyone had tried to run for their life. It was a guess, but perhaps Renata became angry when she saw those transmuted demons. Her rage caused her to acquire more magic. She instinctively combined the three skills to create [Blood Boil]. And in her moment of weakness, she refused to cancel it before running through the portal. She probably charged ahead, then after realizing she couldn¡¯t turn it off, she shouted a warning. But the range spread faster than her voice traveled. Or they couldn¡¯t hear Renata over their screaming.


    And there... She was on her knees in the middle of the village. The aura of red mist radiated from her core. She punched the ground and screamed. She yearned to die to stop the senseless murder. She called for her mommy and daddy in the most innocent voice I¡¯d ever heard.


    Benedict ran to Renata and hugged her. She panicked and attacked, only stopping once his voice reached her heart. She begged him to go away. Her voice was inconsolable¡ªtoo full of emotional devastation to make out. But she pointed at the bodies surrounding her. Most were already burnt black. And then they popped like pimples, sending boiling blood everywhere. When a few drops landed on the straw houses, they caught flame, starting an inferno.


    The village... it was destroyed. Everything that had once lived¡ªtook a breath, played, cried, laughed, and prayed¡ªhad died.


    But...


    There was more. The red mist kept ever expanding upwards as well as outwards. And bodies of humans and beastfolk with demon-like properties, with wings, rained from the sky. Lori saw some from the village she found after entering her teleportation gate.


    Shiku said the same.


    Those ¡®people¡¯ must¡¯ve been in either a late stage of the transmutation process or were full-fledged demons. They probably tried to fly high above to check out things, but they paid for their curiosity with their life.


    But the raining corpses... pushed Renata over the edge. She grabbed her head, pulled her hair, and tried to run away. She was hysterical¡ªsoul-deep in a fit of madness. Benedict chased after her, but Sir Salim suddenly appeared in front of Renata. His spear had changed to one of a flower, and he waved it across her head. Fragrant green petals fell, and her eyes closed. Benedict ran, jumped, and caught Renata in his arms before she hit the ground, and only then did the red mist return to her body. Without the crimson filter, the reality of what Renata caused became more readily visible.


    Laika and Leika rushed to her side, used the healing spells they knew, and then applied standard first aid. Shiku joined Salim and discussed what happened, and I remained by my sister¡¯s side.


    All the experiences I had didn¡¯t help me prepare for this. Lori and I joined Shiku.


    Laika approached a few seconds later. ¡°Physically, Lady Renata¡¯s fine. We didn¡¯t find a scratch. Mentally? I...am not qualified to offer my opinion.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve completed our task. Benedict, carry her.¡±


    Benedict ignored Sir Salim¡¯s order the first three times and obliged on the fourth. We walked to the gate, bypassing the corpses, and returned to the temple. We retraced our steps until we were outside, and Lori and I pooled our strength together to destroy the structure. We were left with a crater that was full of nothing but rubble and forgotten memories best left to be buried under an avalanche of snow.


    After cracking the orb Remy gave us, we found ourselves at the spot where we left our horses.


    We merely needed to return and deliver our report to Lord Meruria.


    If we were lucky... Renata would be awake, although I didn¡¯t believe she would be mentally sound.

 Chapter Seventy-Two: Ascension

    Chapter Seventy-Two: Ascension


    Ten seconds before there was a knock at the door, Tris stood from my lap. With a snap of her fingers, her naked body was dressed. Her ears were hidden under her hat, and her clothes hid her tail for a moment before she made a hole for it. Her default attire was malleable since it was formed of the same mana that created her.


    Delouise was there to greet me when I answered the door, but he panicked at an impossibly large lion approaching from behind me. His screams caused my family to rush from their rooms. It took me a while to get through his outburst, but the manager of the Waterdale soon understood that Surtr was a spirit and my protector. Dad helped him to his feet, fixed his tie, and apologized for the trouble.


    Surtr and I did the same. Alll latest novels at novelhall.com, Dad, and the others were wearing casual-looking clothing, so I bet they rang the bells and asked for something that fit. Seeing Mom dressed in a pleasant housewife-esque outfit-- complete with a lengthy skirt and a comfortable shirt-- warmed my heart. Dad had a suitable tunic, and Irisa seemed right at home in her comfy-looking overalls.


    Erin had on a cute skirt that reached her knees and a soft blue blouse, and Niva wore her oversized robe over her clothes.


    If anything, I was glad Niva liked it so much. But Primrose was with her this time, and she introduced herself to the manager and used [Minor Heal] to cure any small blemishes he may have had. I saw his look when he noticed my guns and just told him that these were my weapons.


    ¡°Hrmm¡ªyou¡ªyou are all such an interesting bunch. I doubt the next two months will be boring. But please pardon my behavior. It was unbecoming of one like myself. If you¡¯ll follow me, we have dinner waiting in the grand dining hall.¡±


    Lei jumped to Erin¡¯s head as we went downstairs¡ªSurtr following behind after barely squeezing through the door. The other employees stared at the lion, but the manager quelled their unease by saying it was my spirit. The dining room was off to the left, and you had to go through a set of grandiose doors with a green diamond embedded in the front, which led to the lavish hall. An extremely long table sat right in the middle¡ªeasily fitting thirty or forty people.


    We sat, with Kokan taking the head, Irisa and Ichiha to his left and right. I suppose the order didn¡¯t matter. It wasn¡¯t like this was a fancy party or noble dinner. But I made sure to sit between Niva and Irisa. Tris sat across and delicately placed her hands in her lap. Surtr found a nice spot near the entrance, which was out of the way, and laid down. Crossing its paws, it stared my way, never blinking or letting me go from its gaze.


    Since there was already one lion, I asked if the others wanted to stretch their legs. Delouise almost seemed to sweat as four more magnificent beasts appeared in a calming whirlwind of mana-infused flames. Since my family didn¡¯t have as much mana as strong as me, their lions had shrunk, with Erin¡¯s barely a hair taller than a large cat. But it was still born from Sekh''s mana.


    It wasn''t weak.


    The lions joined their leader, remaining completely silent while focused on their primary mission.


    Still, Surtr hadn¡¯t shrunk once it was registered to my mana. But Sekh fueled five of them at once.


    She really was incredible...


    A couple minutes later, a serving tray on wheels was being pushed by a silver-skinned elf with bright green ears. Cautiously, the elf eyed the pride of lions and continued once the obvious was explained. He took off the lid to reveal a perfectly cooked turkey. He grabbed a knife and served the meat while four more similar elves entered the room. They had baked fish, fresh fruits, and fresh vegetables. The last held a rather exotic salad with tomatoes, onions, peppers, and more colorful fruits, veggies, and aromatic herbs with nuts sprinkled on top. It came with a small cup of sauce made from lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, and dried dehydrated oregano.


    ¡°This was short notice, but we all hope it is delectable,¡± said Delouise. He had a watchful eye over the servers and made sure they did their job. Once our plates were filled, they bowed and left, leaving the covered trays behind.


    I only asked for the salad, and what I was given looked appetizing. I overheard Irisa¡¯s stomach growl. She blushed and looked down, then when she saw me, she broke into a small giggle.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be nice having a good meal, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± I asked, starting a simple conversation while grabbing a forkful of my salad. The leafy greens were vibrant. Dipping it into the sauce, I bit into it and was immediately impressed by its taste. The sauce wasn¡¯t too overpowering, but it enhanced the lettuce. Next, I tried a thick tomato covered in the dressing. ¡°Oh my! This is delicious...¡±


    ¡°I thank you for the compliment, Lord Springfield. I shall send them to the chef,¡± said Delouise. He remained on standby, but otherwise, he kept quiet. Irisa gushed about the fat steak she cut into it, then almost cried when she finally tasted something other than bread and water.


    Primrose helped Niva by cutting off a piece of fish and feeding it to her. Her eye went wide, her face smiling brightly. ¡°Mistress, it¡¯s so good!¡±


    ¡°Then eat all you want. Erin? How do you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s yummy... I can¡¯t stop...¡± Her tail wagged through the chair¡¯s hole and danced with joy.


    This dinner felt like the first thing we¡¯d done as a family since I told the truth about my past. It felt odd¡ªalmost unnerving-- to look back at who I was once. It was only two weeks prior- if even that- but I felt like a totally different person.


    Especially after the lecture Surtr gave me.


    I really needed that. And Tris¡¯s love and care, too.


    Throughout this quaint dinner, the conversation turned to what we would do for money. We had that cargo Gretchen would sell on our behalf, but after that? If Mom¡¯s family weren¡¯t here, we would probably want to head out to find them. But I didn¡¯t think it was that safe. Dad thought the same because he brought that up before me.


    He said with aggression from Atrix, it would be dangerous to travel to another city-state by land or sea. And I agreed. I didn¡¯t know Atrix¡¯s culture. For example, just how devious were they when it came to attacking? Were they fans of false flag attacks to get what they wanted? Or did they prefer a blitzkrieg and wiping out their enemy through rapid strikes designed for total devastation?


    It was probably a mix of both if I had to wager. Captain Caulk commanded a large ship with a ton of cannons. He probably could¡¯ve fought off the three attacking vessels with little issue if the Mengoire had been supplied and staffed.


    ¡°But speaking of money,¡± I said after my plate was empty. ¡°I¡¯m about to depart.¡±


    ¡°Eh?! Why? Where are you going?¡± Irisa asked over the sound of me standing up and pushing my chair in.


    ¡°The Bloodhounds. Captain Caulk gave me the pirate captain¡¯s bounty tag. I think I¡¯ll join up. It pays good money.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s dangerous. Didn¡¯t you agree with Dad that it was¡ª¡±


    ¡°I did. But you don¡¯t need to worry about me. Surtr and Tris are going with me. And we need money. We¡¯ll get a lot from that shipment, but it''ll be expensive to search for Grandma and Grandpa.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to put¡ªMom, say something to Mila.¡±


    ¡°Irisa, I need to do this. You know why I need to get stronger. I need that strength more than ever.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    I walked to her. She stood up and threw her arms around me. Her back trembled as she whispered. ¡°I almost lost you twice, so don¡¯t make me go through that again... We can. Mmnn!!¡±


    I sealed her lips with mine and stroked her pretty hair, smelling a hint of honeydew and pineapple from her silky locks. ¡°Then let me go with you! I¡¯m your big sister, so I gotta protect you!¡±


    ¡°I love your overprotectiveness, but you need to rest. A few hours of rest isn¡¯t enough to stave off a week¡¯s exhaustion.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back in the morning. I¡¯ll be here when you wake up.¡±


    Information was needed to dictate the correct choice. You had to have all the facts and knowledge to ensure you were heading down the right path.


    It didn¡¯t matter how childish a fact was. Nor did it matter if something was so insignificant you didn¡¯t think it was worthwhile to investigate.


    At this point in my life... I needed everything that provided even the tiniest advantage.


    After about two hours of non-stop running, we came across a river flowing to our right. It was small and narrow-- a micro-stream since it wasn¡¯t even as wide as me.


    ¡°Surtr, let¡¯s take a break. Drink and recover some mana.¡±


    ¡°As you wish,¡± replied my lion. I leapt off its back. Tris followed and held onto her hat, her skirt fluttering up to grant me a peek at her lingerie and garter belt.


    ¡°Yes, it appears as if we are a sufficient distance away. My lord, can you check to see if we¡¯re alone? I have something to discuss with you.¡±


    ¡°Sure.¡± Four clones manifested as birds and flew far and fast. When I was at ten percent of my mana, they vanished and died, and while I was feeling groggy, a lot of my map was indexed. And yes, we were alone. Only other animals and monsters were around us. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡±


    ¡°I...don¡¯t know how to say this. But... When you used [Ira Ignis] on the boat and killed the pirates, that single action came from your culminating desire to acquire real strength. It was there... You fully accepted your role as the Transcendent Dark Lord. My lord, Soul Evolution... You have obtained it.¡±


    ¡°Okay...? Why are you speaking like this? I don¡¯t get it? If I met the requirements, why hasn¡¯t anything happened?¡±


    ¡°It is... I withheld the evolution because the timing wasn¡¯t right. I decided it was too risky to allow it to happen on the boat because of the information I gathered after reading Murag¡¯s tomes. It was a matter of personal security, and the attention it would¡¯ve brought would have caused you trouble. I¡¯ll take any punishment you deem fit¡ª¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t punish you, Tris. It¡¯s good you delayed it. You¡¯re more knowledgeable about this stuff, so I¡¯ll defer to your judgement in times like this,¡± I replied, smiling because she cared so much. ¡°So, what do I have to do? What¡¯s going to happen?¡±


    ¡°In short, it is a spectacle. Soul Evolution occurs when your soul breaks the boundary developed when a Soul Warrior is given their Soul Crystal. Your soul cannot contain the desire or power anymore, so it must break apart and reforge itself using your new dedication as a basis. However, as I said, it is a spectacle. A tremendous beam of destructive mana will shoot up into the sky, and the same will happen to Meruria.¡±


    She said nothing would happen to Sekh since she was in our [Void Storage]. Although she would still receive the burst of mana, it wouldn¡¯t have an outlet, so it had to go to me or Meruria.


    ¡°[Status Cloak] will prevent Meruria from detecting your mana¡¯s identifying signature. When Soul Evolution occurs, she will only know that one of her warriors has achieved the unthinkable. Due to the process of elimination, she will eventually deduce the truth. However, I do not know if she will believe what she thinks is impossible,¡± Tris said, continuing. ¡°If it pleases you, I can obscure the procedure and store the energy that would have been released for later use. You could think of it as a trump card¡ªsomething you can use if you find yourself in danger.¡±


    Tris nodded when I asked if she could direct the mana that would go to myself and Sekh to Meruria to make it even more explosive.


    ¡°But I highly advise against it, my lord. It¡¯s unlikely to cause any lasting damage to your enemies. Furthermore, the chances of Meruria deflecting it away are high. Based on her personality from your memories, it¡¯s likely she would divert it to her city, then blame the chaos on a neighboring country to have a ¡®justified¡¯ reason to go to war.¡±


    ¡°So, it¡¯ll only help her in the long run?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. However, the final decision is up to you.¡±


    ¡°I know there¡¯s a war between her and me, but the cons far outweigh the pros. It¡¯ll only cause needless death. Go ahead and store the energy, Tris.¡±


    Tris nodded and held her hands close to her chest. From within her body came a volatile sphere of gray, rampaging mana. It floated a few inches above her palms, and she held it to me.


    The moment I took it, it clashed against some invisible force and transformed into rainbow-colored energy¡ªlike the stars that appeared when Tokko and the others broke their crystals.


    Cracks materialized on my skin, causing my body to snap like glass after being hammered with a mallet. My skin and flesh continued to flake off until I was a humanoid version of the same energy I stared at.


    The sphere shattered, leaving me as something I didn¡¯t understand, and that forced itself into the orb.


    That was the container...of my soul. What I used to be... It shattered because it couldn¡¯t sustain my growth.


    Somehow, I saw Tris kneel as my consciousness and vision were returned to the body of Lyudmila Springfield. The flesh I was familiar with once again wrapped around my evolved soul...


    And I felt much stronger...


    Looking at my hands and legs, I still looked the same. The clothing I had on before this ascension wasn¡¯t destroyed. That came back a second later in a dull flash of light¡ªprobably Tris¡¯s work to keep this as low-key as possible.


    But I had done it. The bullshit challenge Meruria set up for me that she thought I couldn¡¯t finish... I FUCKING DID IT!!!!


    You have achieved Soul Evolution! Your soul has ascended from a 0-Star into a 1-Star. All accumulated SP before your ascension will be granted to you momentarily.


    Titles will now have an effect.


    Acquisition of skills, spells, and techniques through manual means is possible.


    The ascension of your soul will now grant you your Soul Weapon.


    Error! You already have acquired your Soul Weapon.


    You have gained 178 SP.


    ¡°I must admit the process was lackluster, although I¡¯m sure that¡¯s because you only allowed the bare necessity to occur.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct.¡± Tris stood. She held a hand to her chest and retrieved a gray sphere. It rampaged around, threatening to burst free. It was volatile, capable of exploding at any moment. ¡°The three bursts of mana that would¡¯ve shot into the sky after your Soul Evolution are being held within this orb. Its power cannot be understated, my lord. Evolving from a 0-Star to a 1-Star grants more energy than a 4-Star to a 5-Star, and you have two summoners, so the overall destructive intent has been multiplied.¡±


    ¡°I trust you more than myself. So... I¡¯ll let you decide when the time is right.¡±


    ¡°Your faith warms my heart, my lord.¡± Tris smiled... She was so cute. After pressing the angry orb into her chest, her face turned sad-- as if a sudden realization hit her. Tris immediately kneeled. ¡°I must apologize, my lord! If I knew you were this close to evolving your soul, I--¡±


    ¡°You did nothing wrong. Yes. I¡¯d have learned [Soul Link] upon evolving if you waited, but bullets are fine until I acquire it via the Soul Weapon Evolution Tree. Trust me, it¡¯s not a big deal, okay? I¡¯m glad you gave it to me when you did since it came in handy during the naval battle.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord. I...understand.¡± I offered a hand, and she took it with a smile. We hugged and kissed, and then it was time to continue to our destination. We hopped on Surtr and resumed. But this time? My face was beaming because I had accomplished the impossible!

 Chapter Seventy-Three: An Old Friend – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Seventy-Three: An Old Friend ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    After thirty more minutes of traveling, we came across some villages near a narrow stream of water. We stopped and asked a guard by the entrance for directions, though it took a while for him to lower his weapon.


    Surtr was a massive 8-foot-tall lion, after all. It didn¡¯t take much longer to reach our destination.


    ¡°A mausoleum? Why is that the entrance to a forest dungeon?¡± I asked, staring at a large and complex structure. It was white and made from what looked to be marble, and about six groups of adventurers were huddled around campfires and constructed tents.


    Surtr¡¯s flames were like a beacon amid night. Once someone exclaimed in surprise, it spread like a festering disease until everyone leered at us.


    I heard their comments and concerns, but they didn¡¯t get any response from me as Surtr walked to the entrance. The door was wide open, revealing a downward staircase.


    ¡°You know how to make an entrance, my lord,¡± Tris quipped.


    ¡°I do. Tris, go ahead and do a search for our target. I doubt he¡¯s outside,¡± I replied, dismounting from Surtr.


    ¡°You are correct. Shall we enter the dungeon, my lord?¡± I helped her get down.


    I nodded and placed a hand on my revolver. We descended the steps. Upon reaching the end and passing through an invisible reference point, everything became bright and clear. The open hallway we followed led into this dungeon¡¯s lobby, and there was a miniature sun or something high in the sky. But we were underground.


    It didn¡¯t make much sense.


    The few people in the lobby just stared at what must¡¯ve been an unfamiliar sight.


    ¡°What¡¯s the deal with this place?¡± I asked a young man holding a shield with both hands. ¡°Why is it bright when it¡¯s dark outside?¡± Nervously, he explained that the dungeon operated on its own day and night cycle. In short, there was a 12-hour difference, but there wasn¡¯t any chronomancy or time manipulation. The date inside would be the date outside. The only changes were localized to this dungeon and not anywhere else.


    But other dungeons could harbor their own cycle. An example given to me was one where it would be night for a year before becoming day for a handful of seconds.


    I thanked the man and entered past the lobby with Surtr taking point. True to its word, it was really a forest. One with no rhyme or reason to its layout.


    It was a maze, after all. And I was prepared for this since I could use unique abilities no one else had. We immediately headed off the initial path and randomly waded through the trees.


    ¡°Okay, this is far enough. Tris, you know what to do,¡± I said, creating three bird clones.


    ¡°Of course,¡± replied Tris. She instructed and guided them to index the first floor. The trees were tall, but my Clone!Birds flew above them. While they did that, I switched out the revolver for my rifle and began to hunt.


    A forest meant animals, of course. And that meant meat. Sekh would need to eat a lot to regain her strength. I watched as the darkened areas of this dungeon¡¯s 3-D map slowly filled in, showing me a pretty exact replica of the tall trees and thick, grassy hiding spots.


    Except the model didn¡¯t have color. It was monochrome, with varying shades of gray that did little to separate the colors.


    But that was fine.


    The map was populated with a four-legged herbivore called a tri-horn hog, a boar with tusks and three horns. It was Lv. 17 and only a short distance away.


    I thought Surtr would be too big, but the lion was stealthily silent as it stalked through the underbrush and quietly pushed past branches. The crunchy leaves it was about to step on weren¡¯t stepped on because it used fire platforms to remain a couple inches above the ground.


    ¡°There it is,¡± I whispered. My sight zoomed in when I readied my rifle. The animal was roughing the dirt with its snout, and without hesitation, I pulled the trigger, destroying its brain.


    A murder of crows fled into the sky, cawing like mad. The rushing beating of their wings caused the fourteen other animals within my indexed area to scatter like the wind.


    ¡°Well, that¡¯s one down. I¡¯ll assimilate the next one to get some mana back.¡± I started to butcher the carcass, but Tris stopped me. She told me to look at my activity log and helpfully reminded me that [Auto-Loot] was upgraded to store humanoid equipment and monster materials when I killed them.


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. That happened after Oswell and his group died, right?¡±


    ¡°Correct, my lord. Shall I customize it?¡±


    I was running low on capacity, but the quickest way to expand it was to keep it near full. ¡°Collected everything useful from the monsters I kill, but leave me 100 pounds. Oh, and remind me to ask Gretchen if I can leave those cannons I stored at the shipyard. They¡¯re not doing much hanging around [Void Storage], and I¡¯d rather use the space for something important.¡±


    ¡°Very well.¡±


    I hunted another thirteen animals. Unless it was just this floor, the animals here didn¡¯t have any skills. It was literally like just hunting, but the meat was a bonus. I desired the experience and assimilation from devouring the tri-horn hog, the tri-antler deer, and the tri-fang wolf.


    I acquired a few hunting titles, and since I could now use their effects, I equipped [Novice Hunter] to further increase my damage against animals.


    When this area was fully indexed, a search revealed our target wasn¡¯t here. With no reason to stay, we descended stairs covered with vines and colorful flowers. It was like a corridor of nature. The material creating the mausoleum mixed and combined, which was weird. The functions of this world and its dungeon made no sense to someone like me. Upon reaching the end of this narrow path, it abruptly transitioned into more forest. But the entrance spot was rather pleasant. It was a soft, open plain with enough space for about fifteen people to comfortably stand around.


    Our experience in this area was more of the same. Immediately, we strayed from the beaten path and didn¡¯t encounter anyone else, although Tris highlighted them with a waypoint once the Clone!Birds found them. Only 4 animals died from my bullets before the area was indexed. The target wasn¡¯t here, so we quickly made for the staircase.


    The third floor was more intriguing. It finally took on a more maze-like pattern I was familiar with, but the ¡®walls¡¯ of the maze were just trees. And not thick ones. But thin, narrow ones that fell victim to Surtr¡¯s hefty weight. The lion bulldozed them out of the way with a smack of its paw. We walked around and chatted while the clones did their work. It took about sixteen minutes before it was said and done. The target wasn¡¯t here, though, which left one possibility.


    ¡°Surtr, I know you¡¯re bored. Go have some fun. It wouldn''t do right to restrict the king of the jungle from hunting, so meet us at the stairs in ten minutes."


    The lion nodded and took off running to the left. I watched its icon on my map head directly towards a boar feasting on a juicy snack of bitter berries. Surtr spared no hesitation when it approached from above, latching its terribly sharp teeth into the boar¡¯s neck. It ripped out a chunk of flesh, then used its sharp claws to finish the job before feasting on its juicy, crimson innards.


    The lion hunted some more while I made a detour to a treasure chest. To get there, you had to fall through a pitfall trap, avoid a bed of wooden spikes, and then crawl through a narrow gap behind a breakable stone wall. That brought you to a wall of vines, which had to be burned away. It would¡¯ve been sinister if I hadn¡¯t known about the peril.


    The lock to the grassy chest shattered after shooting it with my rifle. The reward waiting for me was a green dagger.


    Treelike Memory (1/4) Vine Assault


    It had enough spots for four enchantments, but one was already filled. [Vine Assault] caused vines to sprout from any wound inflicted with the weapon. It needed mana to activate, but this little thing was dastardly. And downright murderous in the hands of an experienced assassin.


    There was a bell, so I tapped it a few times and waited. An elderly man with a goatee emerged from a backroom.


    ¡°Have a tag for Randall. His head¡¯s in the bag,¡± I explained, putting both on the table. The man confirmed my report with a Scan Stone, then gave me the money.


    It wasn¡¯t much, but it was something. And it was my start on this path I decided to walk down. Killing someone deserving of death differed from forcing someone to my will and stealing their freedom.


    Sure, ending a life meant the same thing, but killing my prey and exclusively hunting targets that were wanted dead or alive helped me acquire power. I had the freedom to choose my targets. Randall killed a child. Therefore, he deserved death.


    I didn¡¯t feel like I betrayed my values or precepts. I didn''t feel conflicted or torn over my actions.


    ¡°Thank you for your service, ma¡¯am. We hope to see you again.¡± The man bowed when Tris and I turned to leave. She could use [Deduction] on the tags on the bounty board to get their details without actually being here.


    ¡°Is it time to leave?¡± asked Surtr.


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s head back to the inn. I told Irisa I would be there when she woke. I won''t break that promise. Tris, how are you holding up?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m doing well, my lord. Tonight has not been a problem, but I cannot feel lethargic. Tiredness, as others know it, cannot diminish my analytical abilities. That only happens from maxing my processing mode and operating above normal parameters for an extended time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± I helped her on Surtr, and we leisurely strolled to our destination.


    The two guards standing near the gate let us through without a word of protest.


    There weren''t many High Elves riding a giant flaming lion...


    We hopped off and entered the inn, waving and speaking to the two maids and butlers standing off to the wide. A third professionally dressed servant was behind a desk. They all welcomed me back at the same time.


    ¡°Do you require anything, Lord Springfield? Are you hungry? Thirsty?¡±


    ¡°No, thank you. We¡¯re fine,¡± I replied. ¡°We¡¯re going to retire to our room.¡±


    ¡°Of course. I hope your rest is refreshing. Please, sleep well.¡± The maids and butlers slightly bowed, and the three of us walked up the stairs to our room. I peeked into Irisa¡¯s room to find her snuggling against her lion, who shared her bed. Erin¡¯s guardian beast was curled on her stomach, and Niva and Primrose held hands while asleep.


    ¡°Shall we reside to the bedroom?¡± Tris asked.


    ¡°Yeah. Let¡¯s.¡± I closed and locked the door behind us. Surtr stretched, laid down, and licked its murderous paws. I just sat on the bed and stared at my revolver. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s the fastest way to level up my Soul Weapon Evolution Tree?¡±


    ¡°There is none. Acquisition of the Soul Weapon depends on many factors, yet once it is acquired, experience is the only thing that matters.¡±


    ¡°I must use it? Is that what you¡¯re saying?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± replied Tris. She kneeled in front of me and folded her hands across her heart.


    ¡°Hmm... Lord Springfield. Allow me to offer my thoughts.¡±


    ¡°Go for it, Surtr.¡±


    ¡°The Soul Weapon comes from the soul, given the name. You¡¯re unique in the sense that many can share the same. Your clones, for example. Are they not a core part of you? Do they not share the same root as the one they sprout from?¡±


    ¡°... Shit, you¡¯re right.¡± I quickly made a clone of myself. ¡°Hold this,¡± I commanded, giving the revolver over.


    Unlike when I passed the gun to my mom and dad, I didn''t get a permission notice. And when I summoned the revolver back to me...


    There it was in my hands, but also in the hands of my clone.


    The two existed because one came from my clone¡¯s soul. The other was from mine. But I summoned both firearms, right?


    Well, I did, but the weapon was ¡®attached¡¯ to the clone, and thus, it was registered to it, so I was free to summon my copy. But once I grabbed the clone¡¯s revolver, the one I held vanished.


    ¡°In the past, the Dark Lord of Tyranny fought against Soul Warriors with the ability to wield multiple copies of their weapon simultaneously. It is not an easy technique to learn, but a chimera can spread their soul to their mimicked replicas. That is your key, Lord Springfield. I recommend using your chimeric prowess the way only you can.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s just another reason why chimeras are feared, huh? I remember Tilde once saying Soul Warriors were immune to transforming into a chimera. Guess this is what she meant. I doubt even that entity in the void could turn me into one if I was a 1-Star.¡±


    ¡°I believe that may be correct, Lord Springfield. But the life of a chimera... How should I put this... Their acquisition of power is akin to rolling a boulder up a steep cliff. It may seem downright impossible at first, yet the more you keep at it, the easier it becomes because of the strength gained during that arduous task. It may still take time, but I have no doubt that it will be much easier for you in the coming future.¡±


    ¡°You have a good point. With your power, [Ira Ignis], Tris¡¯s intel gathering, and my Soul Weapon, I¡¯m in a much better position than I was a few months ago. I¡ª" A dark orb of black energy manufactured itself about a foot away from me. Surtr quickly rushed to my side and bared its fangs, gathering flames on the tip of its tail. I drew my revolver and held the tip inches away.


    ¡°Is this how you treat your old teacher on her jaw-dropping return, Lord Springfield?¡± A voice came from the sizzling, crackling orb.


    ¡°Surtr, stand down.¡± A bright smile came to my face as I held out an empty hand towards the cascading ball of devilish mana in the queenliest manner I could. A beam of what I could only call Transcendent Mana erupted from my palm and slammed into the orb, causing it to explode in a magnificent spectrum of purple, black, crimson, and gold. The particles rained to the floor, forming an intricate magic circle that flashed. With each pulse, energy flaked. Gradually, from the head down, the fairy I had fallen in love with manifested.


    She was visually different from the one who had taught me everything about being a chimera and surviving in this dangerous, brutal world. Her hair was shorter and an iridescent purple, with matching-colored eyes that were pretty and vibrant. Her wings were smaller-- ornate and soft, completely black with purple, pulsing veins flowing through them that suited her beauty.


    The mana crafting her body stuck to her torso, arms, and crotch like clothing, cladding her bustier bosom and crotch. The mana formed a pair of cross earrings and a choker around her pretty neck.


    She was still being constructed from the knees down, but she greeted me with a beautiful smile.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]

 Chapter Seventy-Three: An Old Friend – Part Two

    Chapter Seventy-Three: An Old Friend ¨C Part Two


    ¡°Oh, my heart is calm at seeing you so well, Lord Springfield... It is impossible for me to be happier!¡± said Tilde.


    ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you a sight for sore eyes? I thought you would¡¯ve been gone for longer.¡±


    ¡°Mmn, I did too. Guess I couldn¡¯t just stay from you. But Lord Springfield, do you mind if I inquire as to why you''re raising towards me?¡± Tilde raised a delicate finger to the revolver and tapped it.


    My finger wasn¡¯t on the trigger, and the cylinder was behind me on the bed. It couldn¡¯t fire in this state.


    Her voice is the same. But there¡¯s something drastically different about her demeanor.


    ¡°Before I do, there is something I must know. Did you or did you not swear to have my best interests in mind?¡±


    ¡°I did. I always¡ª¡±


    "I''ll give you a chance to revise that statement. The Essence of Wrath..."


    ¡°...¡± Tilde was quiet. Too quiet. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Lord Springfield. I overlooked something and made a critical error.¡± Tilde, now constructed, got to her feet and properly kneeled. She fought hard to look me in the eye like she didn¡¯t deserve my gaze. ¡°The Essence of Wrath is shrewd, but as a Divine Skill-- as one of the Seven Deadly Sins, it can communicate with its wielder. The same is true with the Seven Heavenly Virtues. But it takes many years to nurture that capability. Time flows differently in the void. Sixty days passed, but the dilation made it feel like a million years, and the Essence of Wrath manifested using that loophole. No, I don¡¯t have an excuse. My inexperience..." Tilde sniffed. "You can tell, can¡¯t you? Your evolution and my reincarnation broke the link connecting our life force because my task has been completed. If you decide to end my life, I¡¯ll die for good. I¡¯m not immortal anymore. I¡¯ll accept my death...¡± Tilde sadly smiled and closed her eyes.


    ¡°It¡¯s also my fault because I wasn¡¯t strong enough. But that¡¯s going to change from here on out?¡± My revolver and its cylinder vanished, returning to my soul. "How can I ever exceed your standards if you''re not there to keep teaching me?"


    ¡°Lord Springfield...¡± Tilde slowly met my eyes, salty water streaming down her cute cheeks. ¡°You¡¯ve changed in the short time I¡¯ve been gone. When my reincarnation process finished, I received the gist of things from Tris, but you¡¯ve grown into a fine woman since then. I¡¯m so proud of you... Oh, it almost makes me want to cry.¡±


    ¡°You are crying, Conduit. I can confirm that,¡± added Tris, standing by my side with her arms folded across her stomach.


    ¡°It¡¯s good I don¡¯t have to worry about hurting you when training.¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. But had it not changed, I would¡¯ve endured it a thousand times if it meant you¡¯d get closer to your goal.¡± Surtr introduced itself and then apologized for the prior hostility. ¡°And good to meet you, Surtr.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, Lady Tilde.¡±


    Tilde flew to the bed and crossed her legs. Her expression wasn¡¯t suited for the crude, crass, overtly sexual Tilde she used to be.


    We chatted about that like old friends, and we were able to reconnect rapidly. But she confirmed a core part of herself was altered in the process. At her essence, she was still Tilde. She likened her previous self to someone going through adolescence. Her new form had a mental state like a young adult graduating college or starting their first professional job.


    The comparison was about as clear as mud, but I understood it. The important thing was that Tilde-- my precious fairy-- was back.


    We just needed Sekh...


    ¡°But let me ask something. Is there anything else I should know? Maybe something that could affect me going forward? Think long and hard, okay?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s...one thing. But...¡± Tilde nervously rubbed her arms. She looked to Tris for support, and I asked if she knew.


    ¡°I do.¡±


    ¡°Please, don¡¯t make me say it. It won''t help you.¡±


    ¡°Telling you has a 0% chance of offering any discernible benefits while irreversibly harming you.¡±


    ¡°Oh? Is someone getting a little jealous? Scared I¡¯ll steal your precious lord away from you?¡± Tilde¡¯s haughty, playful tone returned. She mischievously covered her mouth.


    It¡¯s good to know some of that old personality is still in there.


    ¡°Con-Conduit! Please!!¡± Tris went cherry tomato in the cheeks. It was cute seeing her embarrassed. She quickly sat beside me and hugged my arm, adorably pouting.


    ¡°I¡¯ve always enjoyed being a fairy, but there¡¯s more I wish to do that I can¡¯t do in this body. I grew by three inches... I finally have boobs to grope... but it isn¡¯t enough. Even when you achieve Soul Evolution again, I won¡¯t change. This is my swan song... The Tilde before you is the one you¡¯ll see until the very end. Hey, even if I look like this... I¡¯m not the Tilde you¡¯re familiar with. You won¡¯t...leave me, right?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll always have a special place in my heart. And you¡¯ll always be my fairy.¡±


    Tilde looked into my eyes. She showed me a picturesque smile, but it was all I needed to understand her feelings.


    I think...I know what I must do.


    ¡°Tilde. Do you trust me?¡±


    ¡°More than anyone else I¡¯ve ever met.¡±


    When I stood, the fairy raised an eyebrow. But Tilde didn¡¯t question it when I commanded her to kneel in the middle of the room. Holding out my hand, I focused on the limits of my life force and dug deep inside my soul to extract the left-over mana clinging to Tilde¡¯s body.


    That was going to be the fuel. It¡¯d require approximately 30% of my remaining life force, but that was fine. I could easily replace it. I¡¯d have to work harder than ever... But I knew I could do it.


    ¡°With the power of [Conferment], I use my authority as the Transcendent Dark Lord to declare an end to the Conduit¡¯s eternal labor. Your desire has been made clear, and I grant you the opportunity to fulfill the whims of your heart. From henceforth, you shall be reborn and known as Tilde Springfield.¡±


    Whooshing mana gathered on my palms, and the grey energy covered a crying fairy. Tears flowed from her delicate, beautiful eyes when I spoke, which soon closed as she went limp. An unknown force caused her to float. The surrounding magical energy encased her body within a pillar of mana that neither me, Tilde, nor Surtr could pierce.


    But it didn¡¯t remain for long...


    The gathered mana simmered and vanished after settling, leaving behind a floating woman naked as the day she was probably born. In terms of appearance, it was Tilde--without the mana body paint, the choker, and the earrings.


    She had grown leaps and bounds, and Tilde was now three inches shorter than me.


    ¡°My lord, did¡ª¡±


    ¡°I did. That isn¡¯t the Conduit anymore. Tilde is now capable of experiencing life to the fullest without worrying about her task. She¡¯s free to level up, fight, spend SP, earn titles... She can live now. This was the best reward I could think of to thank her for her endless service.¡±


    ¡°My calculations suggest you have chosen correctly.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll take a few hours for [Conferment] to write her Status Menu and register her soul. But this means her link to us will disappear. She won¡¯t have access to our abilities anymore.¡± I walked to Tilde and gently held her in my arms. She was so warm. And soft. Ever since we shared that moment in the tub when Sekh was drunk, I wondered if a day like this would ever come¡ªwhen I could embrace her like this.


    And now it had.


    Tris pulled back the covers, and we tucked her into bed.


    ¡°What is the plan?¡± asked Surtr, who silently watched as I sat against the bed frame and leaned against it.


    ¡°We have about 4 hours until dawn, so I¡¯m going to use that time to make some stuff with my webbing. Tris, I¡¯ll be relying on you for guidance and support. Might need your help for a few things I wanna experiment with.¡±


    She sat on her knees near me and nodded-- a determined smile across her face. ¡°Leave it to me, my lord!¡± she said enthusiastically.

 Chapter Seventy-Four: The Revolver-Wielding Fairy (R-18) (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Seventy-Four: The Revolver-Wielding Fairy (R-18) (Illustrations!)


    When the crack of dawn rolled around, I stood and stretched, looking at the stack of red and blue flame-and-ice-proof cloaks I weaved last night. Anything more complicated than this was too difficult to wrap my head around¡ªeven with Tris¡¯s guidance. But she helped with the sizes. The cloaks would fit my family perfectly. It took most of my biomass. A clone was sent to the ocean to assimilate some fish.


    And once I had made enough, I summoned a second clone and had it work on a speedloader for my revolver. Yes, it was made of webbing and not metal, but this was a prototype. Once the design was squared away, I could move to steel. Besides, reinforcing my webs with a few dozen layers made it sturdier. It wouldn¡¯t perish to any random attack. And it wasn¡¯t like it was going to be targeted constantly.


    As the clone worked, I gave Surtr some loving chin scratches.


    During the night, I spoke at great lengths to the lion. After I mentioned the king of the jungle in that dungeon, Surtr began to consider himself male. He was curious about lions in my world, so I happily told him what I knew.


    Unfortunately, all but a handful of lion species were extinct by the time I was born. But my guardian steadily listened while a pair of spider legs and humanoid arms worked to make the cloaks.


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Tris asked. I turned to the bed and saw her on her knees with Tilde¡¯s hand in hers. She rubbed the back of her palm with pleasant, gentle strokes. I looked to the fairy. Those beautiful wings matched the purple tunic we put on her.


    I requested it and underwear shortly before sunrise, and it was here within twenty minutes. The butler didn¡¯t ask any questions. He merely handed the bag over, inquired if I needed anything else, and wished me well.


    If we¡¯re going to stay here, I¡¯m going to use the amenities they provide.


    I confirmed Tilde was a registered member of this world¡ªwithout any special authority. However, she was still precious to me¡ªnot only as my teacher-- but also someone I held near and dear to my heart.


    ¡°I told Irisa I''d be there when she woke up. So, I¡¯m going to do that. Watch over Tilde for me.¡±


    ¡°I understand. Have fun, my lord.¡± Tris winked and returned her eyes to her...creator? Tris came from [Hermes Trismegistus], but Tilde used to be its manager. Only she could grant it to someone, but I highly doubt she constructed it.


    A stepmom? I¡¯ll have to ask later.


    I was about to morph into slime and wiggle my way to Irisa¡¯s room when Tilde suddenly started to move. Doubling back to her, I sat beside her on the bed and held her other hand.


    ¡°M...Master...?¡± she whispered, her cute voice slipping past those luscious lips.


    ¡°Good morning, sleepy. How do you feel?¡±


    We helped her sit up. She looked at her arms. Tilde touched her face and felt mine. ¡°You¡¯re smaller?¡± She took my hand and pressed our palms together.


    ¡°Can¡¯t you tell? You¡¯re bigger. Are¡ª Ahh, easy. You¡¯re not used to your¡ªSee, you must take it slow.¡± Tilde stood and tried to walk, but she tripped over her feet and startled to tumble. A bed of vines sprouted from my knee and caught her before she hit the floor.


    ¡°I knew you would catch me... I just knew it... And that means this isn¡¯t a dream.¡± She looked smugly at me.


    ¡°Your dream version of me wouldn¡¯t catch you?¡±


    ¡°Not if I didn¡¯t allow it. It¡¯s my dream, so I decide the rules. But the real you wouldn¡¯t let harm befall me... Master...¡± The smugness melted into a smile as her purple eyes became slick with happy tears. ¡°I love you... But I need some more convincing...¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything else... Welcome back, Tilde Springfield...¡± I embraced Tilde as a woman.


    ¡°It tastes even sweeter than I imagined... Hehe! I finally got to steal your lips!¡± Tilde noted. Taking her hands in mine, we sat down and talked.


    In short, Tilde was relieved from duty. ¡°But by no means do I want you to leave my side. I want you to remain with me until the very end.¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s my turn to fulfill your wish. I, Tilde Springfield, offer my unyielding loyalty and love to the Transcendent Dark Lord.¡± She kneeled in front of me and crossed an arm across her chest. And just like that, the loyalty system activated. ¡°Ah, there is one thing...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°Umm... Do you... Can you give me a seal? A tattoo, I mean. Only Sekh can perform the real [Tyranny Control] and grant the available options, like the collar or the bracelet. But you can still¡ª¡±


    ¡°Sure, I don¡¯t mind. And I¡¯ll pass over the enslavement controls to you. It¡¯s just like what I did with Niva, okay?¡± Tilde nodded.


    Tilde stripped naked and said she wanted a heart around her belly button. I bit my finger and drew it seven times until she was happy with the design. It flashed, solidified, and turned a faint red. Tilde rubbed her with her fingers and got dressed. ¡°Hehe! Master...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re going with Master?¡±


    ¡°Do you prefer anything else?¡±


    ¡°What you refer to me is up to you. But Master just feels right.¡± We sat on the bed while Tris merely stared with a smile after Tilde got dressed. Surtr was also watching. We discussed how Tilde would fight, considering she was Lv. 1, with zero SP, no titles, and absolutely nothing in her Status Menu. She configured [Status Cloak] to affect her and ensured it worked. But as we talked, I realized something.


    ¡°Here, you¡¯ll use this.¡± I handed her my revolver and granted permission. It vanished from her hands and appeared in a leather holster on her side. Meanwhile, my rifle appeared on my back. ¡°The clone¡¯s working on a speed loader. Should be done in a few minutes, and I want you to use it.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡± Tilde drew the gun and met my eyes.


    ¡°I am. I remember when we went to Aetos Village. You were curious about them when I explained them to Sekh. So here. If you¡¯re going to fight with me, then I want you to do it this way. But you need more gear. We''ll have to stop and get some pouches for your ammo. Remember, you don¡¯t have access to [Skyview], [Void Storage], or the other skills. I''ll give you a cloak I made.¡±


    ¡°Right, I understand.¡± Tilde sheathed the revolver, then changed the topic to Sekh. Her words were kind and soft¡ªsoothing in a way. She knew I missed her, but I told the fairy Sekh wasn¡¯t dead. If anything, she was merely taking a well-deserved rest while I worked hard to get her back. It wouldn¡¯t be a short process, and it would take time, but I would never, ever, ever give up on this.


    Tilde asked where I was going when I stood up, and I told her about Irisa and how I said I would be there when she woke.


    ¡°Okay. Have fun, Master. Ah, but don¡¯t tell her about me. I want it to be a surprise.¡±


    ¡°Alright. Take a little time to get used to your body. Your limbs are longer, so you might feel weird. And work your wings, too. Make sure you can fly. If the tunic is too tight for them, let Tris know.¡±


    Tilde nodded, but before I morphed into slime and sleuthed into Irisa¡¯s room via the space under our doors, I kissed her one final time to see her cute reaction.


    Irisa¡¯s room was a dead ringer to mine. Only Kengu was curled next to her.


    After sensing me, the lion nodded and squeezed from Irisa¡¯s grasp, allowing me to take that warm spot between her arms.


    ¡°Mmmnnn... Mila...Noo~~~ don¡¯t touch me there...¡± Irisa squirmed, but her face was like a blossoming flower of love. I caressed her face and kissed her cheeks until her eyes naturally opened, revealing those beautiful sparkles that held so much love for me.


    ¡°Good morning...¡± I whispered.


    ¡°Mi...la?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me.¡±


    ¡°Mila!!!¡± The oni hugged me tighter and rubbed her cheeks against mine. She seemed partly confused to see me in her bed.


    ¡°I said I¡¯d be here when you woke up. And I keep my promises.¡±


    ¡°Wha¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡± I rolled on top of Irisa¡ªboth our bodies being warmed by the other and the thick blanket. I took her hands in mine and interlocked our fingers.


    Her smile was seriously otherworldly. And her lips... I placed mine on hers, kissing her with all my passion.


    ¡°You¡¯re okay, right? You didn¡¯t get hurt? Or injured?¡±


    ¡°As you can see, I¡¯m fine.¡±


    ¡°And this isn¡¯t a clone? Is it really you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the real deal. Can a clone do this?¡± We kissed again, but it was hotter-- fiercer and more electrifying as our tongues danced a tango.


    Irisa¡¯s face was flushed and red. She panted lightly, sweat forming on her brown and lovely cheeks. My knee found her crotch and became soaked. That passionate moment put her in the mood.


    And so was I.


    ¡°Irisa... It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Ye¡ªYeah, it has... Mila?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Can we...do it? I want you so badly...¡±


    ¡°Funny. I was thinking the same thing...¡±


    ¡°I love you so much...¡±


    Instead of replying, I showed my love with a kiss and proved it even further when she sweetly moaned my name throughout the next hour.


    I had something I wanted to tell her...


    But it could wait.


    Irisa¡¯s needs came first.


    While enjoying a post-coitus snuggle with Irisa¡¯s powerful arms wrapped around my back, I remained inside her because she didn¡¯t want us to part. My precious oni gently kissed my forehead as I rested against her chest.


    ¡°Irisa?¡±


    ¡°I see your determination, sweetie. I see it loud and clear.¡±


    Mom, Dad, and Irisa talked about what she wanted to do. But then Erin popped up in her quiet, meek voice.


    ¡°Umm... Lady Spring¡ªI mean, Mila?¡±


    ¡°Hmm?¡± All eyes were on her.


    ¡°Me and Longtooth talked it over last night... We... We want to sign up with the guild! I¡¯ve never fought anything... I¡¯ve always been a hindrance¡ª¡±


    ¡°You know that isn¡¯t true¡ª¡±


    ¡°But it is true! It¡¯s been true my whole life. But like Irisa, I want to change myself.¡± Mom said Erin had little experience fighting, and that was true. Dad and Irisa offered to join my little sister, but she shook her head. ¡°I need to learn to be independent. I need to do this for myself.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure this is what you want?¡±


    ¡°It is. Please, Mila...¡± I recognized that look. Those unwavering eyes of determination. Erin slightly shivered. I knew she was frightened. But it wasn¡¯t in my power to deny her this. Besides, she had Longtooth. She wouldn¡¯t be alone. This could be good for her self-esteem, too.


    Having her become independent would be good. The last thing I need is for her to feel like she must repay me. I¡¯ll have to ensure that her life will never revolve around mine--


    As I thought that...a realization came into my mind...and it perturbed me.


    Was Irisa training because she wanted to improve herself? Or was she doing it because of me?


    ...


    I felt like I was at the beginning of a slippery slope...


    ¡°I won¡¯t stop you if you want to do this. I¡¯ll support you.¡± I pulled out the two daggers I found in the dungeon and handed them over. Since the time was right, I retrieved a couple of red and blue silken cloaks I fashioned from my webs and handed them out to my family.


    They were called iceflame cloaks-- a simple, clean name.


    ¡°I¡¯ll escort you to the guild. Are you ready?¡± Erin nodded. Those leaving with me walked to the doorway. I helped Erin attach her cloak. She looked good, but she needed armor if she was going to live the life of an adventurer.


    Irisa walked with us to the front door. She couldn¡¯t let me go without a kiss, and I didn¡¯t want to leave without it.


    So, it worked out.


    ¡°Promise me you¡¯ll be safe, okay?¡±


    ¡°I will. Tris and Surtr will keep you informed.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡± Irisa had some words of love for Erin, who started to weep. She hugged her half-sister tightly. The sisterly affection tugged at my heartstrings.


    ¡°Umm... There¡¯s one more thing... Mila, can you do...that? I...want to have my adult horns. I¡¯m ready for them.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? It¡¯s a big decision because they might not ever grow in.¡± Erin nodded and showed a determined expression. Mom and Dad walked over and put a hand on her shoulder. ¡°Then I¡¯ll do it.¡±


    I knew a skill to sap mana from my target, but it also worked in reverse. In this case, I would fill Erin with mana to accelerate the growth of her adult horns. I put a hand to her head and began. My palm felt tingling, and my mana steadily drained until it reached 30%. But Erin¡¯s body started to glow. She glimmered in the early morning sunlight filtering through those light green curtains. It all coalesced on her head. The energy gathered in the shape that proved she was her father¡¯s daughter, which shattered like glass to reveal a set of black horns that looked as impressive as Irisa¡¯s.


    Erin tenderly touched her horns. Irisa quickly hugged her. ¡°When you get back,¡± she said. ¡°Let your older sister teach you all about them, okay?¡±


    Irisa¡¯s so sweet...


    The waterworks started, and I left the onis to their familial hug while Tris, Tilde, Surtr, and I walked to the lobby.


    ¡°That was a sweet moment. I¡¯m glad I didn¡¯t miss it,¡± commented Tilde.


    I leaned against the counter and double-checked my rifle. ¡°Same here. I¡¯m glad...it worked out the way it was supposed to. Tilde, it really feels like things are going my way. Once Sekh¡¯s back, everything will truly be perfect. I¡¯m just waiting for the moment it all goes to shit.¡±


    ¡°With me on the spot, I¡¯ll make certain it¡¯ll always and forever go your way. That¡¯s my promise as Tilde Springfield.¡± Tilde giggled and fluttered her wings. ¡°I love my name! I love it so much!!!¡±


    ¡°Yes, it¡¯s a very wonderful name,¡± replied Tris.


    I asked about their relationship after asking the front of the house to give us a few minutes of privacy. ¡°Mother? Stepmother? I...do not have an answer to your query.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t create [Hermes Trismegistus]. I was just a caretaker.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I¡¯m more of an auntie?¡±


    ¡°Auntie Tilde has a nice ring to it.¡±


    Tilde narrowed her eyes. ¡°I was joking! I¡¯m not that old.¡±


    ¡°Incorrect. I estimate you to be more than 18,000 years old. Perhaps even far older. By all accounts, you would be a great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great, great¡ª¡±


    ¡°Okay! We get it!¡± Tilde pouted, causing Tris to giggle.


    ¡°The distinction doesn¡¯t matter, yeah? At this point, we¡¯re all family. And that is what counts the most.¡±


    ¡°A little sappy, Master, but not untruthful. The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb. The bonds we establish with each other are oft more significant than those we are born with. It¡¯s as true as anything else, and we¡¯re proof of it.¡± Tilde went philosophical for a moment. We became silent to think about her words.


    When Erin and Longtooth arrived in the lobby, we left and walked towards the street with the two guilds. The number of onlookers who stared at the startling sight of a massive lion was not less than yesterday, but I was used to it. Given enough time, even something like this would become commonplace. It already was with the guards, who took one surprised look before returning to their task.


    To my surprise, my little sister wasn¡¯t self-conscious about her horns. She took them with pride because they were an undeniable link to our father. She wanted to make him proud. And based on her determination and new-found conviction, Erin wanted to grow into her own person.


    To do that, she needed gear. Tris had found a good place with quality items for a reasonable price, so we picked up a pair of backpacks, some hip pouches, a pair of adventuring outfits with reinforced leather chest plates, durable, sturdy pants, and four canteens. Erin needed two sheaths for her daggers, so we added that to the list. Tilde¡¯s equipment needed to be altered to fit her wings, but that didn¡¯t take long.


    This store had it all, really. It was called the Gear and Hammer, and it was early enough to where there were just a handful of people. It gave off a rustic atmosphere where people with grand destinies went to start their rise to fame.


    Tilde and Erin went to the dressing room after I paid for everything and emerged minutes later.


    ¡°Wow! You two are looking good!¡±


    ¡°Do I? Really?¡± Erin asked, blushing. Tilde was the opposite and struck a pose with her revolver. The iceflame cloaks really tied it all together. I could probably sell them. They only required biomass to make, so...


    That was an option. Complete immunity to fire and ice?


    They¡¯d be an instant hit.


    I instilled the proper gun etiquette and rules into Tilde¡¯s pretty head beforehand, so her finger was off the trigger with the cylinder-less gun aimed towards the ground. She twirled it around her finger and slotted it into her holster. ¡°See? I¡¯ve been practicing!¡±


    ¡°Thanks for shopping! We hope to see you again!¡± said a smiling worker when we left to reunite with Surtr. He was just too large to fit through the door¡ªa running theme-- one that would repeat ad nauseam.


    He confirmed he could incarnate smaller when we left for the guild. But in his mind, that was the antithesis of what the king of the jungle should be. Shrinking to make himself appear weak was not how he wanted to thrive, but he would concede if the situation called for it.


    He really took that to heart.


    Erin said she would pay me back, but I ruffled her hair and said there was no need. I had far more money than I knew what to do with¡ªI just had to liquidate my assets. I also gave Tilde 130 rounds of ammo to store in her pouches-- about half of what I had available. She had that speed loader, but it was just the one.


    ¡°Tris, do we have any extra webbing in storage?¡± She nodded. ¡°Divert some resources to replicate the speedloader. Make at least two more.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Wait... What¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Master? Why¡¯d you stop? The guild¡¯s over there.¡± Something had caught my attention in the cafe? beside our destination. There was someone very familiar sitting at one of the outdoor tables. Her green hair and fennec fox-like canine ears triggered a forgotten memory. She spoke to a Catfolk with brown and white spotted hair. He stood and excused himself for a moment, leaving the girl to happily stare as he walked away, her hands by her side.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°In a sec. Are you thirsty? Let¡¯s stop for a drink.¡± Tilde was confused, but she went along with it. Surtr sat outside as we went in and ordered. The place had quite a friend vibe. The employees behind the counter were friendly with each other. And for once, I saw a spec of green in the form of a few plants and flowers that didn¡¯t come from the color of a person''s hair or fur.


    It''s 1 silver and 95 copper for our drinks? I still don¡¯t know if that¡¯s expensive or cheap.


    ¡°If you¡¯ll have a seat, we''ll bring it out to you when it¡¯s ready.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I told the green-horned Rhinofolk. Tris and the others followed me to the outside seating, where I sat at the table with the Dogfolk.


    ¡°Hmm? Can I help...you...?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re... You¡¯re the who¡ªhelped¡ªI can¡¯t believe it!!¡±


    ¡°It seems like you¡¯re doing well, Ginnie. I¡¯m glad.¡±

 Chapter Seventy-Five: Branching Off

    Chapter Seventy-Five: Branching Off


    Ginnie and I had our reunion, but it consisted of her crying. Tris, Tilde, and Erin silently sat with us.


    ¡°Ginnie?!¡± exclaimed an overprotective Catfolk, who rushed across the cafe?, drawing the sword resting at his hip. I stood and turned, purifying his false hatred. His weapon dropped after his grip weakened, and he stumbled with small, child-like steps as his emotional face resembled his one and only, who continued to pour her heart out. The nearly empty cafe? was drawn to the scene.


    Once they had calmed down, we all sat around the table and caught up as the drinks we ordered were delivered. I ordered a green tea that went down smoothly, and it was delicious. Tilde and Erin got milk tea, and Tris requested her coffee to be black. I didn¡¯t know what kind of beans were roasted to make it, but it smelled pure and earthen.


    Chax offered a meek apology to the waitress for making a scene.


    After I had destroyed the goblin larvae resting inside them, they were escorted out of the dungeon by those Racoonfolk we encountered. It wasn''t easy after that, but those two were saints. They looked after Chax and Ginnie for the next few weeks, nursing them back to health slowly and surely. When asked why, they merely responded that kindness was the oil that squeaked the wheels of reality, which sounded cultish to me.


    But cult or not, Chax and Ginnie were only alive and well because of their efforts. They soon got their strength back. Swimba¡ªleader of the party that left them to die¡ªlearned of their survival not long after that. Perhaps regret tore at him like a hawk clawing its prey because he soon appeared before them, begging their forgiveness.


    But that did not happen.


    Swimba sold the brooch Ginnie received from Chax¡¯s late mother, which was the plan, but that mere act broke up the rest of the party after they couldn¡¯t handle the guilt. A moment of drunken greed destroyed a tight-knit group of friends. Although if this broke them up, perhaps they weren¡¯t so close after all. But Swimba gave him the money he received after selling the brooch¡ªhe couldn¡¯t bring himself to spend it¡ªand Chax thrashed the back-stabbing piece of shit. He left him in a pile of his own blood and broken bones, with grim words to never, ever, ever try to come after them. ¡°I don¡¯t know if he¡¯s alive or not. He was in bad shape when I walked away. I took what you said to heart. It doesn¡¯t matter what happens in this life, I¡¯ll never forgive him. He was a bastard, and I wish he croaked his last breath that night. However, I¡¯ll no longer taint my thoughts with him.¡±


    ¡°What happened with the other two?¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t know. We don¡¯t intend to try to find out, either. You know, we don¡¯t even know your name. We¡¯ve been referring to you as Ms. High Elf.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Lyudmila Springfield, but you can call me Mila.¡±


    ¡°Umm... I remember the look in your eyes, Mi-Mila,¡± Ginnie said, stumbling over her words. She looked at Tris, Erin, and Tilde, then back to me. ¡°Are...you doing better? We¡¯ve been worried about you¡ªabout if we''d ever see you again.¡±


    ¡°I am. Much better. You could say I¡¯m a completely different person than the last time we met.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Ginnie sounded relieved. She relaxed in her seat and gave a soft smile. Since they got me up to speed about them, I did the same, leaving the obvious chimeric details out of the picture. Their memories of the situation were hazy, but they remembered seeing a fairy and a Lionfolk with me. Tilde was quite happy she made such a dazzling impression. Some fairies were known to have a skill to switch them between their ''fairy'' size and their ¡®adult¡¯ size, so to speak, so they probably assumed Tilde had that. As for her new appearance, they thought a similar skill was responsible.


    Regardless, that wasn¡¯t important. Ginnie asked about Sekh, though. Since they remember her being powerful and beautiful in the bloody chaos. I just told them she was having a well-deserved rest after what happened at Ria. ¡°You were there when that happened?!¡± Chax exclaimed. ¡°But you¡¯re fine? You and your family escaped?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. We¡¯re at the Waterdale Inn on the other side of town. I helped Captain Caulk and Lady Plymoise, so we¡¯re staying there until we get back on our feet. But... You¡¯re looking different. More confident, I mean.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you noticed! I have Fennecfolk in my blood, so I¡¯m a mixed breed. When I evolved, I took their ears and kept my Dogfolk tail.¡±


    ¡°Congratulations on your evolution. The ears are cute.¡±


    ¡°Hehe! Thanks!¡±


    ¡°Master, I have a suggestion,¡± Tilde suddenly said. ¡°A favor is more accurate. Erin, it concerns you, Longtooth, and our friends.¡± Tilde pointed to the couple sitting across from us.


    ¡°If it¡¯s something we can do to help you, then please ask!¡± Chax and Ginnie erupted at the same time.


    ¡°With your permission, it makes more sense for Erin and me to adventure together to grow stronger. It¡¯s safer for her, and I¡¯ll never be able to help you with your work with the Bloodhounds with how weak I am as a Lv. 1. We can trust Chax and Ginnie, and I know you¡¯ll feel better knowing someone''s looking after us. I also need to train with my weapon. Knowledge is different from first-hand experience.¡±


    ¡°Erin? You said you wanted to become independent, so the choice is up to you. I won¡¯t force you to do one thing or the other, but know that I want you to remain safe above all else.¡±


    ¡°I guess I was being stubborn, huh?¡± Erin hugged Longtooth close to her chest. I nodded. ¡°I don¡¯t want to make things any harder for you. Ms. Ginnie... Mr. Chax, if it¡¯s okay with you, please...teach me. I promise I won¡¯t be any trouble! Me and Longtooth will be on our best behavior!¡±


    Ginnie and Chax didn¡¯t have a problem. They even welcomed the chance to adventure with another group¡ªand they knew, deep down, that Tilde and Erin would never abandon or hurt them. And they had my promise and vow as a High Elf.


    As we left, they asked Erin if she was a spirit summoner. I told them it was a little more complicated than that. When they saw Surtr lounging outside, taking in the warm morning sun, they weren¡¯t as confused or surprised as I thought. ¡°Yesterday, we heard rumors of a High Elf riding a flaming lion. We never thought it would be you. Longtooth is a sub-servant of your spirit? Is that right?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Surtr is the primary spirit. The other four are protecting my family.¡±


    It was just a few short seconds to get to the guild, where I left Erin and Tilde with Chax and Ginnie. My sister¡¯s nerves got the best of her because she trembled when I hugged her. But she said she had to be strong. And I trusted her. This was something she wanted and desired to do. Tilde was playful and wanted a goodbye kiss, so after giving her one, I watched them enter the guild with our friends while I turned towards the bounty-hunting guild.


    Tilde said something about gunshots, and Ginnie and Chax showed her a pair of earmuffs designed to help with loud, sharp, abrupt noises.


    Apparently, they had purchased them in case they ran into me again.


    ¡°Tris, keep an eye on them. They¡¯ll probably enter a non-indexed area, but I want to know when they show back up on the map.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord. I¡¯ll watch over them.¡±


    ¡°Longtooth is in constant communication with me, Lord Springfield. I will alert you if there is a problem.¡±


    ¡°And what is this deal Lord Springfield wished you to discuss with me?¡± asked Gretchen Plymoise from behind her desk at the ministry. The overly verdant woman was dressed in so much green it could suffocate a magical creature rumored to live at the end of a rainbow.


    ¡°It is a way for you and her to make money,¡± explained Ichiha. ¡°In short, we have acquired nearly five complete sets of outfits woven by Holy Lord Amos.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Gretchen raised a curious eyebrow.


    ¡°I had the same look when my daughter told me. These are the gloves Lord Amos sewed for Reina, one of his Soul Warriors. It¡¯s said that she was buried in them, but the clothes eventually fell into my daughter¡¯s hand by complete chance.¡± Ichiha retrieved the clothing from a bag she¡¯d brought with her. While preparing for this impromptu meeting, one of her daughter¡¯s clones knocked at her door and left the gloves.


    Treaties were worth as much as the parchment they were written on. Lies, deception, and betrayal had to be around every corner.


    But a Heptarchis wasn¡¯t always called for mere skirmishes. In this case, it was just as probable for Orchta to ignore Gretchen¡¯s plea.


    Why?


    I didn¡¯t know. And Tilde didn¡¯t know that much about the Orchta¡¯s inner workings.


    The Atrixian government must¡¯ve been freaking out because their surprise attack failed.


    I wish I had seen the meeting with their diplomat. It¡¯s too suspicious to have Mom ask about it. I know he¡¯s still in Plymoise, but he¡¯s alone in his embassy¡¯s office.


    ¡°Tell Tilde I appreciate her info.¡±


    ¡°... She said she expects to be back in town in six hours,¡± replied my lion.


    Gretchen¡¯s conversation with Mom and Tilde¡¯s info gave me much to think about. I honestly didn¡¯t know what I was going to do.


    Or what I wanted to happen.


    Should a war break out, the chances of me growing even stronger were very high. But did I need that attention coming my way? Surtr and my current reputation probably indicated that I was already more well-known than I would¡¯ve liked.


    Then again, perhaps this was fate smiling for once. Power and life force were what I needed above all else. There was no need to look this opportunity in the face and snarl in its face like an ungrateful brat.


    Our destination was a series of underground chambers discovered after an earthquake split open the ground. The ravine was deep and dark, descending for a few hundred feet. It wasn¡¯t something for the average explorer to get into without prep and training.


    But my clones needed none of that. After indexing the area with Clone!Bird, I sent another one to kill the bounty, Groxin. This Metal Orc was wanted dead because he had a habit of escorting people through dangerous areas filled to the brim with bandits and leaving them if they didn¡¯t pay him extra for protection. And even then, he would unhook the wagon from his horse and ride away, leaving his victims to suffer a fate worse than death. There were rumors he was connected to the criminals and received money for each poor bastard left behind.


    He was a spineless coward. Lv. 37 he may have been, Tris¡¯s analysis of his skills caused her to conclude he only made it this far because his skin was as hard as metal. When my clone found him sleeping in the furthest depths of the chamber, four bullets to the dome weren¡¯t enough to end his life. It did nothing but grant him a concussion, but Groxin immediately scampered away in a frightful yell.


    Metal was tough and strong, but even the most durable structure would find itself struggling against acid. A couple of [Acid Breath]-infused bullets weakened his head enough to draw blood after the vines restrained Groxin. One more destroyed his brain, causing this hunt to come to a swift conclusion.


    ¡°That¡¯s another 189 SP. But [Mana Perception] still requires more. It¡¯s so expensive.¡±


    ¡°Most choose to learn it manually to save the SP for something else, Lord Springfield,¡± commented Surtr, who yawned while he feasted on a mule deer he had hunted.


    ¡°Easier said than done,¡± I replied, retrieving the corpse¡¯s head that the clone stashed in the appropriate bag. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s head back and get our 23 silver.¡±


    Surtr devoured the rest of his meal quickly and roared. Then we hopped on his back and made the lengthy trip back to Plymoise.


    ¡°Your mother has just left the ministry,¡± Tris said, hugging me from behind. ¡°After the relevant topics were discussed, they chatted like familiar colleagues. However, there will be another meeting between Lady Plymoise¡¯s advisors to discuss the offer given to her. However, it won¡¯t be until tomorrow morning at the earliest, but I predict a small chance of her requesting your presence before then.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡±


    ¡°Lady Plymoise knows of your bounty hunting, so I suspect that will come up should she strive to have an audience with you.¡±


    ¡°That makes enough sense. Use a portion of your resources to keep an eye on them. If they say anything important, let me know right away.¡±


    ¡°Understood.¡±


    Longtooth informed Surtr that they were ten minutes away from reaching the guild when we turned in the bounty. We spent that time at the cafe?, enjoying delicious tea outside the entrance while ordering a large bowl of milk for my lion.


    He would be fine without eating, but it increased his stamina¡¯s recovery. The mana inside what he ingested was turned into pure energy, so it was like digestion but on an accelerated scale.


    ¡°Maaasterrr!!!¡± Tilde shouted once she came into view. My fairy ran ahead and leapt into my arms. She and Erin reached Lv. 3, and I got 23 SP from the loyalty system¡¯s sharing effect.


    I still needed much more. Much, much, more.


    I welcomed Erin and Longtooth back once they reached us. Ginnie complimented Tilde¡¯s accuracy with her gun. After they turned in the quest, I invited Chax and Ginnie to have dinner with us, and I was happy they accepted it.


    ¡°If you¡¯re offering, Mila, we¡¯ll gladly accept it.¡±


    I¡¯m so happy they¡¯re doing better.


    On the way back, we chatted about Erin and her surprising adeptness at fighting. She was small, so those daggers were perfect for her¡ªonce she obtained the [Dagger] weapon skill, that was. But without it, she could still stab her enemies with the pointy end, which she did after Longtooth used their flames to create a ring around the scorpions. It would always go down right when Erin sleuthed around its rear to stab it.


    The vines emerging from the wounds endlessly battered its prey with powerful slams. At the cost of expending mana, Erin could force the vines to act in a specific way, which she did to restrain any other scorpions. The openings allowed Tilde to pick them off.


    I told Erin I was proud of her and rubbed her head. ¡°I wanna help the family. I don¡¯t wanna be...like how I was before. Mom and Dad... You and Irisa... I¡¯m...happy when you rub my head like that. It makes me feel fuzzy inside. Longtooth told me about image training last night. I just kept imagining us in a fight with a monster, and Longtooth really helped me. I know I have a long way to go. It was scary, but...¡±


    Ginnie and Chax said they saw potential in her, which made the Catfolk blush harder.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to reinvent yourself in a day. Or a week. Or even a month. Go at your own pace. Do what¡¯s comfortable. No one¡¯s going to blame you, okay? I won¡¯t let them.¡± I rubbed my sister¡¯s head again and watched her tail swoosh through the air.

 Chapter Seventy-Six: What Tilde Wants

    Chapter Seventy-Six: What Tilde Wants


    After returning to the inn, Delouise explained that any guests I brought to the inn would experience the kindness he showed me and my family. Ginnie¡¯s eyes lit up profusely once I told her of the geothermal heat warming the waters.


    I had brought up the idea of using it during a midday snack of tea and sweets.


    Dad and Irisa were still sparring in the courtyard, and Mom watched them. They took a short break after I introduced them to Chax and Ginnie. Mom really was a sweet woman... I also thanked her for her talk with Gretchen. My family understood my friends weren¡¯t privy to my secret after Tris told them with waypoint messaging.


    "Master, doesn''t it seem like a waste not to use the hot springs when we''re at a place that has them?" Tilde hovered nearby, observing as the father and daughter duo resumed their training.


    I nodded.


    "Well, why don''t we change that? Irisa, want to join?"


    "Sorry, but I''m okay for now!" Irisa held a large training club, but her movements were too stiff, falling short of Dad''s standards. Tilde inquired with Mom, who mentioned she had already taken one upon her return from talking with Gretchen.


    That left Primrose and Niva. Erin volunteered to ask them before dashing off, with Longtooth close behind. Surtr stretched and mentioned he would be in our room.


    Ginnie, Tilde, Tris, and I headed to the women''s changing room, while Chax entered the men''s.


    We began stripping and putting our clothes in the baskets assigned to us.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories of some elves having...that...¡± Ginnie said after catching a glimpse of my penis. She didn¡¯t stare at it, though.


    ¡°I hope it doesn¡¯t bother you.¡±


    ¡°What?! No¡ªnot at all!¡± she replied defensively, throwing up both hands and dropping her robe and towel.


    ¡°... That scar... Is it from...?¡± Instinctively, Ginnie covered the spot I pierced to burn the goblin larvae. After arriving in Plymoise, she had asked three apothecaries for their opinions, and they all agreed motherhood was an impossibility.


    She loved Chax. And I knew she wanted to bear his child when the time was right. The Dogfolk saw the bitter sadness glimmering in my eyes. ¡°Please know that I don¡¯t blame you! Chax doesn¡¯t either! Mila, we¡¯d never do that! Without your kindness¡ªwithout... Without you, we wouldn¡¯t be here at all!¡± She tightly held my hands, her ears folding down against her head. Her tail dangled between her legs. ¡°Please say you understand! I don¡¯t want it to gnaw at you!¡±


    ¡°I understand.¡± That was all I said. For Ginnie? It was what she desperately needed to hear.


    But I wondered if...I could¡¯ve solved it another way. My chimeric body was clay, free to mold to my whims. But could biomass be directed elsewhere? Could I manipulate a foreign object? Alter a person¡¯s DNA and fix their illness? In Ginnie¡¯s case, make her womb sustainable to carry life?


    ...


    Maybe. Not now, though. I was nowhere near strong enough to accomplish something like that.


    [Conferment] could probably do it, though.


    It was probably locked away for a reason.


    We entered a warm outdoor bath, separated by a weathered wooden divider. Facing the vast ocean, the rhythmic waves provided a captivating soundtrack. Steam rose, blending with the warm water, carrying scents of cedar and sea. Nature''s sounds completed the sensory experience, making relaxation more profound.


    ¡°Ahhh... Thanks a ton for suggesting this, Mila... I...feel like I could melt away...¡± Ginnie stretched her arms and relaxed.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome,¡± I said, sitting opposite of her. Tris and Tilde were to my left and right. The conversation turned to my priceless Fragment of Wisdom.


    ¡°She¡¯s kinda like Master¡¯s secretary,¡± explained Tilde, stretching. ¡°Tris handles the day-to-day and keeps her on track.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s important to me. I wouldn¡¯t be here without her assistance,¡± I replied. I just had to rub her fluffy ears.


    ¡°Thank you for the kind words, my lord.¡± Her tail joyfully slithered.


    ¡°You¡¯re...a noble, right?¡± Ginnie suddenly asked.


    ¡°It''s complicated. Why?¡±


    ¡°I was curious. I''m sorry for bringing it up. It sounds like it was rough for you.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement, but you don¡¯t need to apologize. I don¡¯t feel like a noble... I hardly ever act like one. I want to be me. That¡¯s it. Be my own woman. Take control of my own destiny with these hands. I don¡¯t want anyone to control me. Not now. Not again.¡±


    ¡°Umm... Mila? Are you in there?¡± I heard Erin¡¯s voice as she opened the sliding doors. The topic was getting kinda heavy, so her presence was welcomed.


    ¡°Right here.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but Niva and Primrose were already taking a bath. Is it okay if Lei comes in?¡±


    The yellow slime jiggled and made some happy squeaking noises. It wiggled free from Erin¡¯s arms but remained outside the bath until I nodded. It jumped in and happily swam around the bath, much to Ginnie¡¯s amusement.


    She said she hadn¡¯t seen a slime like Lei before.


    Longtooth jumped to a heated rock, stretched, and laid down. The lion¡¯s eyes never left us.


    Erin readjusted her towel and slipped on in. She yawned almost right away. ¡°I didn¡¯t think I was this tired,¡± she said, rubbing her eyes.


    ¡°You worked hard today. Your body needs time to adapt to it.¡±


    ¡°How did you do it, Ms. Ginnie?¡± Ginnie said she grew up in a farming village, so working in the fields helped wonders in the stamina department.


    A man¡¯s voice came from the bath¡¯s other side. ¡°It¡¯s the adrenaline coursing through your body. I guess it¡¯s leaving you now.¡±


    ¡°Chax¡¯s right. You¡¯ll have the best sleep of your life tonight. There¡¯s really nothing better for recovery than a good night¡¯s rest,¡± added Ginnie.


    ¡°I hope I can stay awake until dinner. Oh, Mila, Mom said the water felt good on her blisters.¡± Erin looked at me with a smile. ¡°That¡¯s good, right?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is.¡± They showed no signs of going away, but they weren¡¯t worsening. And they didn¡¯t hurt much, if at all, so that was a good sign, right?


    I seriously hoped it was.


    ¡°You don¡¯t want the shopping trip?¡± I asked, rubbing her. ¡°Are the pajamas enough?¡±


    ¡°I do, and they¡¯re nice, but my kind-hearted Master won¡¯t force her precious fairy to pick just one reward, will she?¡± She gave me those puppy dog eyes.


    God, Tilde was just so cute. And adorable. And pretty.


    ¡°You¡¯re lucky your Master loves you so much...¡± I relented, chuckling softly. ¡°You¡¯re a good girl.¡± I cupped her cheeks and rubbed her lips with my thumb.


    ¡°Mmmnn... That¡¯s it... I wanna hear it again...¡± She closed her eyes and squirmed her thighs. I felt her wings flutter against the bed. Her clothes had a slit for them.


    A dog wagged their tail, so did a fairy flap their wings when they were happy?


    ¡°You¡¯re a good girl, Tilde. I¡¯ll tell you what. Tonight''s your night. I¡¯ll do whatever you want.¡±


    ¡°Hehe! You can¡¯t go back on your word! But... Is it okay? Tris told me of your concerns and the talk with her and Surtr. Are you okay, Master? Do you wanna chat with your favorite fairy?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine with it. I¡¯ve made peace with myself. Sekh loves me. She wants me to be happy. When she returns to us, I¡¯ll have to make up for lost time.¡±


    I feel like a broken record... Just how many times am I going to bring it up?


    ¡°What? You¡¯re going to give her an entire week?¡±


    Try longer. The Year of Sekh.¡±


    ¡°That long?! And your favorite fairy gets a single night? Oh, you¡¯re a cruel Master.¡±


    ¡°It could be the Century of Tilde if you play your cards right.¡±


    ¡°Ha! You can¡¯t go back on your word, Master. Tris, make sure to write this down.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll make special note of it.¡±


    We shared a nice giggle.


    ¡°So... What¡¯s on your mind? Let me guess. It¡¯s about Irisa, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m that easy to read?¡±


    "You are to us.¡±


    ¡°I just don¡¯t know if Irisa is training to improve herself, or if she¡¯s doing it for me. I don¡¯t want the latter. I really don¡¯t. I want her to live for herself. Her life doesn¡¯t need to revolve around me.¡±


    ¡°Overenthusiastic devotion to a new and exciting thing can develop into something unhealthy. But it often slows down over time into something more healthily balanced that can have the focused devotion to the target or field without completely consuming them. My lord, I believe Irisa needs to learn the proper ratio,¡± Tris said.


    ¡°Tris¡¯s right. That¡¯s called the ¡®honeymoon period.¡¯¡±


    ¡°How do I bring it up?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes you just gotta go for it.¡± Tilde closed her eyes and said approaching the topic would be uncomfortable. She¡¯d seen similar scenes play out a few hundred times. ¡°I¡¯m just saying this, and this is me speaking out loud, but the relationship might be too much for her. She doesn¡¯t have experience dating one person, let alone multiple.¡±


    Is it...too much? I... That¡¯s possible, isn¡¯t it?


    ¡°I need to talk to her tomorrow. If I need your help...¡±


    ¡°Consider it done, Master!¡± Tilde winked. ¡°But it¡¯s gonna cost ya. Do you know what I want? Here, I¡¯ll give you a hint.¡±


    I expected her to take my hand and place it on her chest, but she didn¡¯t do anything. I was perplexed, and she read my expression. ¡°Hmm? You thought I was gonna do something lewd? Well, it¡¯s not the time for it.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Irisa. It¡¯s not time.¡±


    ¡°But I had sex with her. It¡¯s not fair¡ª¡±


    Tilde placed a finger across my lips. ¡°Listen up, Master! It¡¯s time for me to teach you about girls. You see, we only have our first time once. And we almost always want it to be special. It¡¯s the same with me, you see, so why don¡¯t we begin this Century of Tilde with a 100,000-step plan I¡¯ve been saving for a rainy day.¡± Tilde pointed to the pillows, and before long, the three of us were cuddling under the heavy blankets. My fairy took my front. She tightly wound her arms around my back as Tris did the same to my stomach.


    ¡°And you gotta hold me tight so I don¡¯t fly away, ¡®kay? That¡¯s step 2. I¡¯ll have you know fairies are known to do that. But if I did, you¡¯d come for me, right?¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t stop until I have you back in my arms.¡±


    ¡°See? That¡¯s the kinda stuff a girl wants to hear! Congrats on crossing off step 25,628.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve already skipped that many?!¡±


    ¡°Nah, it¡¯s not something that has to be done in order. Just know that my century won¡¯t be complete until everything¡¯s marked. So, you know, it might even take longer. It might even require a few centuries, so...¡± Tilde nuzzled her face against my chest, her giggles like music to my ears. ¡°You¡¯re in it for the long haul, Master, and the Tilde Train isn¡¯t gonna stop for anything!¡±


    ¡°Choo choo!¡± adorably honked Tris, who offered to be the conductor.


    Tilde knew I knew what she and Tris were doing. And that was why I loved them so much.


    ¡°Good night, Master. I love you!¡±


    ¡°Good night, my lord. I love you, too.¡±


    Tris and Tilde hugged tighter.


    ¡°Sweet dreams, you two. I love you both.¡±


    Before I knew it, I was out like a light.

 Chapter Seventy-Seven: Authorized Mercenary

    Chapter Seventy-Seven: Authorized Mercenary


    Morning came before I knew it, but I had already been up for a few minutes before Tilde slowly stirred awake. She immediately realized I was warmer than usual.


    ¡°That¡¯s because I¡¯m heating my blood. You wouldn¡¯t want to wake up cold, would you?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Being warm is the best... especially when you¡¯re my Master-sized personal heater.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you love me that much to grant me my most precious title yet.¡±


    ¡°Hehe! Good morning, Tris!¡± Tilde sat up and yawned, stretching her arms and wings. ¡°Wow... You don¡¯t really have to worry about bedhead, do you?¡±


    ¡°I do not,¡± Tris replied, wishing us a good morning. She stared at Tris and kissed my cheek before laying back down. She said it was too early to get up and wanted to be lazy for a little bit.


    Unfortunately...


    That wouldn¡¯t happen.


    ¡°Oh? Gretchen has dispatched messengers to fetch her advisors, and a carriage has left the Ministry. I presume she''ll request your immediate attendance.¡±


    ¡°You know what this means if you help them, right?¡± Tilde asked. I nodded. ¡°Okay, I wanted to make sure. What are you going to do if they can¡¯t find a buyer? Still gonna offer your assistance?¡± asked my fairy.


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. I gotta protect my family. My talk with Irisa can wait until I return.¡±


    ¡°This might be morbid, but chimera excel at this stuff. With your clones and Tris¡¯s ability to download visual data, you¡¯re the master of espionage. Add in [Skyview]? Or [Wilted Rose] and [Lavender Kiss]? You used them to kill Oswell''s group.¡±


    "You do have a point. I could walk in and take out Atrix''s leader, no problem. I know I can do it, and nothing could stand in my way. But rushing into things isn''t wise. I need to strategize and come up with a plan of attack first. Killing Lord Atrix might create a power vacuum, or some other city-state could interfere. If they had an agreement, we might end with a two-front war. And even then, my presence might not be necessary to resolve this."


    ¡°Mmmn... You never fail to surprise me. You have a smart head on your shoulders, Master. It''s pretty, too. Arrogance and cockiness? Those lead down slippery slopes to a thing called death.¡±


    ¡°Yeah... I try to avoid that. Living is much better than being dead.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m here, right?¡±


    ¡°I can safely say you¡¯re part of the reason. Tilde?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m...kind of hoping...it turns into something bad.¡±


    ¡°For Sekh?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. I need to get stronger. I need more SP. I need a lot of things. And if this turns into a war, it¡¯ll be the perfect excuse. Bounty hunting won¡¯t cut it. It¡¯s too slow. I don¡¯t want to rush. But I don¡¯t want to wait. And this genuinely seems like the opportunity I needed.¡±


    ¡°War is war, Master. You may hold sway and influence over them in the future, but this will happen with or without your input. Honestly? It¡¯s probably already been decreed. With Parthina, it¡¯s hard to predict how they¡¯ll act. The whole Vestige and meteorite fragments are...rather unique. It¡¯s odd and cultish. And I don¡¯t even understand it all myself.¡±


    ¡°Wishing for war isn¡¯t moral. But you¡¯re right. It¡¯ll happen with or without me. And... I suppose I can¡¯t always choose the moral high road. Not when I have my revenge in mind.¡±


    Tris estimated our escort would arrive within twenty minutes, so it was time to get dressed.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t say it before, but this outfit is really something. It seriously looks amazing on you,¡± Tilde said, playing with my sleeves.


    ¡°You like it?¡±


    ¡°Totally. It¡¯s powerful. It¡¯s sexy, but it¡¯s not lewd. It¡¯s tasteful and reserved. And it¡¯s so soft. If nothing else, Susize and the others knew how to throw together a fit.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you approve.¡±


    We chatted on the bed about Sekh and held hands until Delouise knocked at the door.


    ¡°Just focus on the meeting, Master. I¡¯ll handle things here.¡±


    ¡°Sounds good to me. Tris, Surtr. It¡¯s time to move.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way, Lord Springfield.¡±


    ¡°Lord Springfield! I hope this morning has found you well!¡± Gretchen said when I walked into a meeting room with Tris and Surtr to my left and right. Every chair but two was filled, and all eyes were immediately drawn to my lion.


    ¡°It has,¡± I replied, wishing her, Captain Caulk, and the others a good morning.


    One by one, the strangers I didn¡¯t know introduced themselves.


    General Fruide¡ªa human with green braids and pale skin¡ªhad overarching command over Plymoise¡¯s entire military force. His ornate breastplate featured symbols of power and leadership. Those pauldrons he wore contained sharp edges, providing additional defense for his shoulder and upper arms. His gauntlets had padding around the knuckles, and his belt carried pouches, holsters, essential tools, a few scrolls, and a ceremonial dagger forged out of some green-tinted steel. His bracers were enchanted with magical defense. The knee-length dark green cape was lined with gold trim. I thought everything would¡¯ve been green, like everything else I¡¯d seen in this verdant wonderland. Well, his polished greaves and boots were tinted green.


    Captain Morgan was a Nekofolk with two green tails. He led the ground forces like Captain Caulk led the city-state¡¯s navy. Captain Morgan wore gleaming plate armor adorned with emblems of courage and unity. The sturdy pauldrons and gauntlet contained intricate engravings of a green shard, which I presumed to be what the Vestige looked like. A pair of polished wands were securely attached to his hips, and a long, flowing cape of deep green fabric rested against his back. There was no sign of any gold.


    Vauche was a stubby gnome with a thick green beard. He had the title [State Historian] and was the master record keeper for Plymoise¡ªas evidenced by the pile of books in front of him. He looked and dressed like a scholar, with brown robes highlighted with green swirls going down the sleeves.


    Verdant Sneakshadow, a Forest Elf with a mask over the bottom half of her face and green tattoos down her right arm, was Plymoise¡¯s spymaster. Her attire suited her role and was a testament to her affinity for the forest and her dedication to the art of espionage. Her tunic seemed to be tailored from soft, moss-green fabric. It hugged her lithe body, allowing her to move swiftly and silently. Unlike the others, her layers of intricately designed armor were made of leather to enhance her flexibility. A hooded cloak weaved from thin, green fibers cascaded down her back, its rich emerald hue a striking contrast against her dark hair. It draped around her like a shroud of secrecy, concealing her movements and intentions. Her boots were enchanted with {Silent Step}.


    There¡¯s so much green... I get the reason behind it, but there¡¯s so much!!!


    ¡°And I¡¯m Lyudmila Springfield. This is Tris, my advisor. My spirit is Surtr, and I¡¯m sure Captain Caulk has briefed you on his power.¡± I bowed, showing grace and elegance, before sitting. Karen Barclay¡ªErin¡¯s mother¡ªknew a skill called [Etiquette], which I obtained for purchasing after assimilating her. Tris suggested it wouldn¡¯t hurt to buy it, so I pumped some points into it until it was Lv. 4.


    ¡°I presume you understand why you¡¯re here?¡± asked General Fruide.


    ¡°My mother met with Lady Plymoise yesterday at my request, so I¡¯m aware of it. Have you given any thought to my assistance?¡±


    ¡°About your offer... It doesn¡¯t make sense, Lord Springfield,¡± said the historian. ¡°There are things I do not understand.¡± Vauche flipped through a book and read a passage about the Springfield Forest. The clan was thought to have gone extinct, and the forest¡¯s location was lost to time or destroyed in some natural disaster.


    ¡°The location must remain secret, but it¡¯s still here. Would you care to get a Scan Stone? I don¡¯t mind if you need to verify my claims.¡± Tilde told me it still existed 10 years ago, so I went with it.


    Now... Do I keep Vredi as my middle name? Is it...worth it? Wait, I can play this to my advantage... okay, yeah. That¡¯ll work out. I¡¯ll get more leverage, too.


    ¡°I don¡¯t think¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I insist, Lady Plymoise. I¡¯m a woman who values honesty in her dealings. If there is to be trust, a hint of doubt¡ªno matter how small¡ªcannot remain to cloud our words.¡±


    Gretchen nodded and sent someone to fetch one, and they returned in less than a minute.


    ¡°Lyudmila Vredi Spring¡ªVredi?! Lord Springfield, you¡ª¡± Gretchen nearly dropped the stone from her surprise, and the murmurs didn¡¯t stop at her. ¡°Then the...¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s correct. When I told you that Bellerophon in Ria was willing to kill a High Elf from Vredi... I was talking about myself.¡±


    ¡°But I don¡¯t understand. Why do you need us to find a buyer? Why not return to your kin?¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s not that simple,¡± I said, telling another lie. At this point, I didn¡¯t even know if this shadowy falsehood matched what I told Aello in Aetos Village. But to summarize this lie, I said I was born 1,000 years ago in Vredi Forest. Something awful happened that required me to be in stasis. A thousand years passed, and I awoke in the Springfield Forest. It was a second birth, which granted me the Springfield last name. ¡°I was a secret. No one knew I existed. I would be treated as an outcast, and all I have to my name are these ceremonial burial garments Lord Amos crafted for his five Soul Warriors. I¡¯ve been lucky to escape the use of a Scan Stone until now, but I hope you understand why I cannot announce myself as a Vredi. It¡¯ll cause trouble. My mother attempted to sell the garments on my behalf, but her reputation and outreach weren¡¯t enough to attract a buyer.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a tremendous story!¡± gasped the historian. He stuttered over his words at this discovery and said record keepers would pay a lot of money to learn what I divulged.


    Maybe they saw how little effort this task took from me. Was that fear in their eyes?


    After they accepted the proof with their eyes, I told Surtr he could have a snack. He obliged and devoured the pile down his mighty gullet before cleaning his paws.


    After Tris requested access to Plymoise¡¯s maps and records of any war Atrix had been involved with, she focused and crunched the information. The math Tris calculated was child¡¯s play to her, but it was probably pretty advanced to the people here.


    "My lord, there are three likely locations to monitor. Atrix''s navy appears formidable, hinting at a naval bombardment. They might position themselves about here¡ªclose enough for their superior ships to act swiftly, yet beyond Plymoise''s patrol reach. My calculations are based on parameters and ocean patterns. The Mengoire, Plymoise''s fastest ship, becomes the slowest with Atrix''s vessels factored in. As for Atrix''s trade, since Holy Lord Gloria closed the Mines of Gamor, they must have engaged with another city-state, although I lack concrete proof and export records for precise armament assessment."


    ¡°And the next?¡±


    "Approximately 150 miles away lies Tiran''s Crest, a deep valley with Atrix-guarded bridges as the only safe passage. Their mastery of fog-inducing magic, as seen in the naval ambush, has caused three years of perpetual haze surrounding the valley, which isn¡¯t easy to maintain. While it may seem a stretch, if their aim is to claim Plymoise¡¯s Vestige, they may deem this effort worthwhile. Their overconfidence in victory likely didn¡¯t account for setbacks. Following the recent assassination attempt, I anticipate action within the next fortnight; delaying longer risks losing the upper hand. It remains uncertain whether they¡¯re aware of the mimics¡¯ failure.¡±


    ¡°And the third?¡±


    ¡°I...am not sure yet. I do not have enough information to draw that conclusion, but I know there is something I am missing.¡± Tris removed her hat. Her ears folded against her head.


    ¡°You did good, Tris,¡± I rubbed her head and watched her cute smile. ¡°Anyways, you heard her, and I recommend you heed her advice. As for myself...I might go hunting.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± demanded Gretchen.


    ¡°I mean what I said. I need to pass through Tiran¡¯s Crest to reach their city-state. Sever the monster''s head, and the war shall crumble. Should there be multiple heads, I will cut them all. Remember. My family is staying at the Waterdale Inn. Anyone daring to raise an arm against us will meet the harshest death.¡±


    Guess I¡¯m heading there anyway. This isn¡¯t a full-blown war, but I can work with this. Soldiers are fair game. Their life force would serve me well. And I know I could kill Lord Atrix and replace him with a clone long enough to set up peace talks. I could easily handle it without any risk, but...


    ...I don¡¯t want that. Let me feed on soldiers. Let me assimilate. Let me grow stronger. I cannot pass up this opportunity, even if the morally correct choice is to bring peace as soon as possible.


    ¡°Your words hold merit. I feel it¡¯s a blessing you showed up when you did, Lord Springfield. Captain Caulk. Head to the shipyard and tell the men to pick up the pace. We need worthy vessels if we¡¯re to defend our sea. Verdant, use your contacts in Atrix and learn what you can. General Fruide, Captain Morgan, I want our men to be ready to advance. Double our patrols and implement a system to prevent further mimics from infiltrating our ranks.¡±


    Gretchen barked orders, and the room emptied in seconds, leaving me alone with Gretchen. ¡°It¡¯ll take a week before Verdant hears anything. I advise you not to leave before then.¡±


    ¡°While I appreciate your concern, it isn¡¯t needed. I¡¯ll set off in an hour. Surtr.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Springfield?¡±


    ¡°You are to remain by Captain Caulk¡¯s side. Keep me informed every hour on what is happening. Should you meet Atrixian soldiers, I give you permission to answer the hunger growing in your belly.¡±


    Surtr stood and roared, the flames dancing upon his back. ¡°They will die in your name!¡±


    ¡°I trust you, my friend. Tris, stay here and help with the battle plans. Assist with the defenses.¡±


    Start making blueprints for bullets when they deliver the supplies. If a fight does break out, try to store the corpses. I¡¯ll assimilate them when I return.


    ¡°Yes, my lord. I will not fail you.¡±


    ¡°Lady Plymoise? What¡¯s that expression?¡± I turned to Gretchen and saw something I didn¡¯t like. She looked sad¡ªmiserable¡ªalmost as if a thousand truths smacked her in the face.


    ¡°Looking at you... No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± She restructured herself. ¡°Forgive me for that. Lord Springfield, I cannot thank you enough for this. Your kindness¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s not kindness. I am fighting for my family. This may be harsh, but if I were alone and my family were in Ria? I would not help. I would not involve myself. I would leave and let Plymoise fend for itself. If I had this kindness, I would have offered to help without any reward. But I did not, and you¡¯ve mistaken my kindness for familial love.¡±


    No. I¡¯ll probably have still taken advantage of it. Can¡¯t pass up the opportunity.


    ¡°... Ah, of course. My apologies. Forgive me, Lord Springfield. Please, take care. I promise, on my name as Gretchen Plymoise, you will be heavily rewarded and compensated.¡±


    ¡°Tris will tell you of any updates I may have. Surtr, let¡¯s head to the Waterdale Inn for a moment. I need to say my goodbyes.¡±


    Irisa really, really, really did not want me to go. She dropped her sword and damn-near tackled me to the ground, wrapping her sweaty arms around my back.


    Even when I said it was to protect my family... She didn¡¯t want me to leave. She said it wasn¡¯t fair. She said it wasn¡¯t right I had to fight other countries'' battles.


    But Dad understood... He helped me convince Irisa that this was for the better. She didn¡¯t like it, but she eventually understood I was doing this because I loved her.


    But that didn¡¯t stop her from crying. Nor did it prevent her from proclaiming her love no less than ten times in three minutes.


    I shouldn¡¯t bring it up. Not now. It must be when I return.


    ¡°If it were up to me,¡± Dad said while hugging me. ¡°I¡¯d rather go in your place. I know your goals. I know your desires I wish I had the power to fix your problems without you having to be involved in foolish power struggles by men too old to fight themselves.¡±


    ¡°I know. Dad, I love you. I promise I¡¯ll be safe,¡± I held him tightly. ¡°This is something I need to do. You''re my family. And I protect my family.¡±


    The conversation with Mom was just as emotional. She didn¡¯t want me gone, but she knew this was an opportunity for me. And Mom trusted me to take care of myself. It also meant a lot to her because she was born in Plymoise. Mom had a connection to the city-state.


    After exiting the courtyard and leaving Mom and Dad alone to comfort Irisa, I went to Niva¡¯s room. Primrose was there to let me in, and she joined me in sitting beside her summoner after closing the door. ¡°That¡¯s the situation. I want to see some results when I get back, okay?¡±


    ¡°Yes! I promise I¡¯ll work even harder! Primrose?¡± She made a fist and showed me a bright smile.


    ¡°She¡¯s making great progress. I surmise it must be the mysterious entity that blessed her with [Mana Language] and [Summoning Magic: Spirit]. But be safe, Lord Springfield.¡±


    ¡°Worried about me?¡± I teased her.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± she replied, her tone straight and narrow. ¡°I... Trust you¡¯ll be fine, but I cannot sit here, lie, and state I don¡¯t harbor any worry in my heart.¡±


    ¡°Wow. You care more than I thought.¡±


    ¡°I care!¡± Primrose huffed and crossed her arms under her sizable breasts. Her outfit was skimpy as usual, showing cleavage and midriff. But that was Primrose. If nothing else, she was proud of who and what she was. ¡°But please be safe.¡±


    I walked downstairs to find Tilde, Erin, her lion, Ginnie, and Chax. My precious fairy jumped into my arms and said two words.


    ¡°Pawsome Fables?¡± I repeated the strange name.


    ¡°Yep! That¡¯s our party. Cute, right? We registered at the guild after finishing up. Where¡¯s Tris? She¡¯s usually stuck to you like glue.¡± I told Pawsome Fables of what I had planned. And they were definitely shocked.


    Except for Tilde.


    But Erin? My little sister, who had been so brave, just broke apart. She didn¡¯t want me to go. I rubbed her head and said I loved how much she cared about me.


    ¡°But I need to do this to protect you. And not just you, but Ginnie and Chax. If I don¡¯t, Atrix will ravage the town. I¡¯ve already stopped an ambush at the sea. You know how strong I am, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh...¡± Erin wiped her eyes against my clothes. I rubbed her head.


    ¡°Then you know I¡¯ll be fine. Surtr will keep the lions informed, okay? You can talk to me through Longtooth and him whenever you want. Ginnie, can I trust you and Chax to help look after her?¡±


    Ginnie nodded. ¡°Please be safe, Mila.¡±


    ¡°I will. I won¡¯t go and die. I...have things to finish before I can face my end.¡±


    With my goodbyes said, I ruffled Tilde¡¯s head and left. Surtr was waiting outside to take me to the city gates. I hopped on his back, and...


    My lord, there has been a change of plans! Verdant received a coded message from her spies in Atrix. The navy has dispatched a fleet of ships, and a military detachment has departed from Tiran¡¯s Crest!

 Chapter Seventy-Eight: Atrixian Invasion

    Chapter Seventy-Eight: Atrixian Invasion


    ¡°Look at em...Seven ships? Don¡¯t they have like 30? I wonder if they¡¯re that sure of themselves that they foolishly believe they don¡¯t need any more than this,¡± I said, standing on a building¡¯s roof near the dockyard. Surtr sat beside me as we looked at the approaching vessels in a [Skyview] window. They were about 4 hours away.


    ¡°I cannot think of anything better, Lord Springfield. Let us wipe them to the last pathetic life.¡± I hopped on Surtr¡¯s back, and he jumped off the roof, landing with a silent step. Captain Caulk and his naval soldiers were rushing to get the ships loaded with supplies to meet them head-on.


    We had 72 hours of forewarning, and that time was devoted to readying the vessels.


    I spent two days indexing the path our enemies would likely take to have them on my map.


    But it wasn¡¯t just here.


    After receiving the coded message, Gretchen dispatched a group of winged-wildkin scouts to investigate the detachment coming from Tiran¡¯s Crest. They returned after two days with gruesome news. The villages located between the valley and Plymoise were ransacked for additional supplies. The men were killed, and the women and children were taken to Atrix as slaves.


    The scouts flew so hard they crippled their wings on the return trip and ran the remaining 12 hours home non-stop.


    Additionally, Atrix was invading with a force 10,000 strong, and they employed 5 drakes and 3 hippogriffs.


    ¡°Move your asses! Get those cannons in place! Hurry up with the cannonballs! Mage unit, ensure you have your mana potions!¡± Captain Caulk barked orders.


    Captain Morgan¡ªthe ground commander¡ªwas doing much of the same for the 6,000 soldiers Plymoise had available after implementing a draft.


    They were amassing their forces near the entrance. Rather than bunkering down and turning this into a defensive siege battle, the plan was to meet the bastards head-on. They had the numbers and momentum...


    But I had a lion... A lion serving the most fearsome threat this world had ever seen... Captain Caulk had witnessed Surtr¡¯s might for himself.


    ¡°If only Sekh was here.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Our devilish Dark Lord of Tyranny lived for bloodshed and war. I wager she wants nothing more than to spread your infamy... Alas, I will fulfill the role in her stead.¡±


    ¡°And this is good for us. I really couldn¡¯t have asked for anything better.¡± I patted Surtr on the head and scratched his chin.


    Tris? A report?


    Your family has taken cover in the inn¡¯s basement. The lions are on the roof, and they will report to Surtr if they see a ship approaching. I doubt they would sail around the coast. The path is too long. Additionally, most of the citizens have taken shelter. General Fruide is still preparing a plan.


    Okay. Let him know I¡¯m sending Surtr to the front lines.


    Yes, my lord.


    ¡°Surtr, I want you to give them hell.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t give them anything less, my lord!¡± Surtr roared and took off. Meanwhile, I retrieved my flute, played a song, summoned my wings, and flew to the Mengoire¡¯s crow¡¯s nest. It wasn¡¯t anywhere near ready to fight against seven Concordian-class battleships. However, there were three other ships in the dock getting stocked.


    Supplies were low. Honestly? I doubted the cannons could fire more than four or five times before ammunition became a dream. The cannonballs I supplied weren¡¯t enough.


    I was here, though.


    I retrieved my rifle, checked it, and rested it in a low-ready position.


    It seems like life is throwing me excuses I didn''t need. When this is over... I¡¯ll have that talk with Irisa. I can¡¯t keep putting it off.


    ¡°The fighting has started,¡± I told Captain Caulk. We were out at sea. In just ten minutes, our battle would begin. However, we looked towards Plymoise and saw smoke drown the sky.


    To our left and right sat three more vessels. They were starving for supplies and operated by a skeleton crew.


    Captain Caulk said they didn¡¯t have enough mages to fill the battalion designed to shield the ships from incoming damage. Gretchen had authorized him to offer mercenary contracts to anyone willing to fight in Plymoise¡¯s name. People signed up after realizing the ¡®crazy elf with the massive lion¡¯ would be participating, knowing the chances of losing were extremely slim. And my hasty reputation at the Bloodhounds didn¡¯t go unnoticed. I¡¯d only been on two contracts, but I was starting to develop notoriety as someone who used a weird gun and rode a flaming-covered beast taller than an ashura.


    We had six mages per ship, not including the 12 on the Mengoire. He¡¯d like to have at least two dozen per vessel, but beggars couldn¡¯t be choosers.


    On the front line, it was better. About a hundred mercenaries from the adventurer¡¯s guild and Bloodhounds had joined General Fruide and Captain Morgan.


    I opened a [Skyview] window and locked into Surtr to see the lion having the time of his life. Two drakes were dead on the ground, their corpses a burning reminder of the fate befalling every Atrixian soldier. Surtr dodged and dashed on flaming steps, keeping pace with his winged-opponent.


    The gray-scaled serpent roared and flapped its wings, summoning a cyclone of wind with it as the center. Surtr replied with a mighty roar, creating a pillar of flames that caught the gusts. Everything inside burned to a sizzling crisp, including his opponent. He lunged at the drake, clamping his teeth around its neck while falling to the ground.


    The monster softened Surtr¡¯s fall, and he tore and bit, brutally ripping away its head. With one more roar, Surtr¡¯s flames increased in tenacity, causing the fire trapped in the cyclone to break free. They were scattered all over the battlefield...


    Yet none hurt or burned a hair on Plymoise¡¯s soldiers. Tris devoted all her resources to keeping track of our soldiers and relayed those coordinates to Surtr via waypoint messaging, telling him which flames to cancel and which ones to ignore.


    It was chaos. Pure and simple. War in the rawest sense.


    Surtr had purposely dove into the army''s heart to fight without holding anything back. His harsh flames prevented mere iron weaponry from coming close to shedding his blood. And no pathetic arrow of stone or iron could hope to touch his fur before melting. The immense heat he emitted protected him against most elemental spells.


    He was a force of diabolical nature, sent to bare his bloody teeth and relish in spreading death.


    He was, for all intents and purposes, the perfect manifestation of the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s excessive mana.


    After roaring, he collected fire in his mouth and launched it into the sky. It formed into a ball, which exploded into flaming meteorites that continued to bombard the heart of our enemy.


    Atrixian morale?


    Nearly non-existent.


    Plymoise¡¯s morale?


    It was higher than ever. General Fruide and Captain Morgan took Surtr¡¯s power and spread word of our impending victory. The soldiers fighting against Atrix¡¯s front line had the advantage. They pushed and fought, then synchronically raised their shields when the archers used [Arrow Storm] to flood the battlefield.


    From behind? They feared getting eaten by a monster with enough power to take out drakes like it was nothing.


    In front? They had to fight against an army that had an overwhelming morale boost.


    And I just smiled...


    ¡°Lord Springfield?¡± Captain¡¯s Caulk voice reached my ears. I canceled the [Skyview] window and looked at him.


    ¡°Battle may begin at any moment,¡± he said. I looked at the crew. Some shivered. Others seemed excited because they saw smoke and fire from Surtr¡¯s attacks fill the sky.


    ¡°Might want to say something to your men. Or do you not care for big speeches? It could be the last thing they ever hear or see. I¡¯ll help you out.¡± I retrieved my Susize¡¯s flute, walked to the bow, and began to play.


    The haunting melody pierced through the air, carrying an ominous resonance. Each note was laced with an undeniable fury, a seething anger that resonated deep within the hearts of those who listened. The tune was a relentless cascade of piercing trills and discordant intervals, evoking a sense of chaos and unrest. It seemed to beckon the dormant rage within, stoking the flames of wrath with its relentless rhythm. As the song wove through the air, it left a trail of unease and discomfort, like a storm gathering on the horizon, promising a tempest of raw and untamed emotions.


    Everyone looked at the High Elf playing her heart out, then glanced to the captain when he raised his sword and shouted.


    "Today, we face the despicable Atrix scum who dared to ambush us and plotted against the honor of Plymoise. They aimed to spill the blood of our revered ruler and failed, but we won¡¯t let their treachery go unanswered! Though outnumbered by their seven ships, we shall unleash righteous fury upon them! Prepare yourselves, my fearless crew! Plymoise shall emerge victorious, and the seas shall bear witness to the wreckage of our vanquished foes!"


    I reached the apex of my melody. My wings appeared on my back! Large and black, with red mana lines masqueraded as arteries.


    But then another me appeared. And another, and another, until there were four.


    Their body and hair were the color and texture of wood¡ªmatching the same hue as Primrose¡¯s skin.


    Because this was her idea. Sure, she said I could explain my clones as a spell I used via my flute, but it was risky. But if they were products of [Wooden Puppetry]? That was a real spell, and I ¡®added¡¯ it to my front-facing Status Menu with [Status Cloak].


    Tris, thank Primrose again. Tell her I¡¯m grateful for the advice.


    She¡¯s embarrassed, my lord. Shall I tease her?


    Only a little, but don¡¯t go overboard.


    The wooden puppets¡¯ clothing matched mine because I recreated them with slime, mana, and biomass. The drain on both was substantial.


    Six dead bodies later...I flew to Caulk¡¯s ship, but the slime I dropped assimilated the corpses.


    All in all, I gained 13,361 SP¡ªway, way, way more than I expected¡ª and went up nine levels. Surtr didn¡¯t gain experience from killing, so it didn¡¯t go to me. But I had enough to upgrade [Mana Language] and purchase [Mana Perception], which marked off one of my goals.


    That¡¯s not nearly enough life force. I need more.


    Caulk was there to meet me on the deck with a bandage wrapped around his muscled body. His bare elbows had green-tipped feathers.


    He remained silent and looked at the snake boss clone. ¡°Your spirits never seem to surprise me." His voice was solemn for the losses. Two of our ships perished in the attack, and we couldn¡¯t save the ones on board.


    ¡°You should know I have far more up my sleeve.¡± My ¡®spirit¡¯ delved deep into the water and vanished.


    ¡°Turn her around! We''re returning to Plymoise!¡±


    ¡°Aye aye, captain!¡± said the helmsmen.


    Once we returned, I rushed to the Waterdale Inn and hugged my family and friends. It was an emotional reunion, but I told them the battle was won. They didn¡¯t have anything to fear. Erin didn¡¯t want to let go of my waist. I patted her head and said she didn¡¯t have to be scared.


    She¡¯s been a nervous wreck these past three days...


    ¡°I won¡¯t let anything hurt you, okay? You¡¯re my sister. I¡¯m going to protect you.¡± She wanted to be strong, but sitting here...in the lobby... She outright declared she wanted to get stronger and grow independent.


    She was still a little girl. Adventuring with a lion, a fairy, and friends was one thing, but taking shelter in an active war was something else entirely.


    The one with the most reason was Tilde. She had experienced thousands of wars in her time. Not long after I arrived, a messenger said I was needed at the ministry. Surtr was still on the battlefield. I asked him to help recover the dead. I doubt I could sneak in and assimilate the corpses. I¡¯d try, though. The dead benefited me more than anyone else.


    ¡°I was still scared, Master,¡± Tilde said as she and Irisa walked with me to the inn¡¯s entrance. ¡°The inherent paradox of certainty lies in its elusive nature. The transformative power of chance can swiftly transmute into resolute assurance, akin to the fleeting nature of hope that metamorphoses into resounding triumph. This interplay between uncertainty and conviction underscores the intricate tapestry of life¡¯s outcomes, demanding astute discernment and intellectual acuity to navigate its intricacies.¡±


    ¡°... What does that even mean?¡±


    ¡°It means you can still fear something failing when you have 100% of succeeding. Nothing in life is guaranteed. If someone says it is, it isn¡¯t. And if something isn¡¯t, it means you can make it guaranteed. It¡¯s a paradoxical statement. One that might perfectly describe you, Master.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you¡¯re right. But I¡¯ll be back. Irisa, take care, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. Mila, I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t get hurt. I¡¯m so happy you¡¯re safe.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± I said, holding her hand. I ruffled Tilde¡¯s hair and left.


    ¡°My lord!¡± Tris skipped into my arms after I opened the meeting room''s doors.


    During the battle, she maxed her processing power to handle the massive influx of information. However, she admitted she wasn¡¯t satisfied with her performance when I walked over here. She identified forty dozen errors in her methods, but I told her she didn¡¯t have to be hard on herself.


    Unfortunately, the cooldown period this time was a week. Tris couldn¡¯t do anything other than talk and walk. Trying to mark stuff on the map or attempting to use [Artificer¡¯s Arsenal] to manufacture bullets would fail. That contrasted with the naval ambush. At least then, she could use [Skyview] to keep a somewhat accurate overview.


    Well, she couldn¡¯t this time.


    We were still telepathically connected.


    You did so good, Tris. I¡¯m proud of you. I never had any positive reinforcement before coming here, so I¡¯d be damned if I wasn¡¯t going to lay the praise upon my cute Fragment of Wisdom when she absolutely deserved it.


    Gretchen, Captain Caulk, Verdant Sneakshadow, Vauche, and Captain Morgan, with a bloody patch over his missing eye, were there. General Fruide was still being looked at by medics.


    Suddenly, the people in the room began to applaud me.


    It felt... It felt nice, you know? Being...thanked...and appreciated. If I wasn¡¯t here...if Mom had been born in Atrix or some other city-state...


    All these people would have died. And I wouldn¡¯t have cared. Not a single bit. Even now...


    I still didn¡¯t know if I cared enough. My only goal was to find Grandma and Grandpa. Once that was done, I had to find a way to heal Sekh. Then I needed enough life force to use [Conferment] to cast out the curse in her soul and stop any more from coming in. After that, it was to rid her soul of the curse itself, which... I didn¡¯t know how to do that without an ungodly amount of life force. The curse was ever occurring¡ªit always showed up. It forced her to be born for as long as she could remember. A thousand lifetimes of being involuntarily controlled to destroy the world.


    ¡°Lord Springfield, Captain Caulk has briefed us on your accomplishments at sea! You¡¯ll be handsomely rewarded! I can promise you that!¡± Gretchen was all smiles.


    ¡°We¡¯re not done yet, are we?¡± I asked while petting Tris¡¯s head. Everyone in the room, except her, was taken aback.


    It¡¯s time to press on.


    ¡°What do you mean? We won the battle. Atrix¡¯s military is in shambles. Their assault failed. Your spirit killed their drakes and hippogriffs, severely limiting their aerial capabilities. You destroyed seven ships, yes? Even if they have more in reserve, they cannot recuperate in a week or two.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t mean they won¡¯t return. They¡¯re on the run. They¡¯re scared. Now is the chance to strike.¡±


    ¡°But we don¡¯t have the manpower to do that. Our soldiers are exhausted and hungry. It¡¯s ludicrous to think we have the necessary strength and supplies to stage a siege. What if Atrix regroups and tries to launch another attack from the sea once they see an army approaching through Tiran¡¯s Crest? They¡¯d correctly assume most of our forces had left, leaving Plymoise undefended. Atrix¡¯s ships are faster and tougher. It¡¯s one thing if Surtr and yourself are here, Lord Springfield, but--¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong, Captain Morgan. I didn¡¯t say anything about staging a siege. Verdant, you have spies inside Atrix, yes?¡± I turned to the Forest Elf.


    I can still accomplish my goal from the inside.


    ¡°I do... Lady Plymoise, Lord Springfield may be correct. Atrix is bound to be in panic. This chaos could be what we need.¡±


    ¡°Exactly. How long will it take to send a message?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to say. The routes I usually use will no doubt be delayed.¡±


    ¡°Then why not go there directly?¡±


    ¡°What?!¡± My ¡®outrageous¡¯ suggestion was something they weren¡¯t prepared for. ¡°You heard me. Verdant, we can sneak into the city and meet with your spies. There, we can finish it from the inside. I don¡¯t mean wipe them out to the last soldier, but we need to make Atrix see the error of their ways. Imagine the mothers seeing their sons off to war, praying for their safe return, only to discover that he fell in battle. Wives and siblings unable to see their loved ones anymore. From my experience, that doesn¡¯t just fade away so soon. It''s a powder keg, and I think a few sparks are enough to explode it. Why not subtly spread word of a powerful lion that slaughtered their flying beasts without trouble? Have the fear infect them. Let Atrix¡¯s citizens turn on their leader.¡±


    Rebellion. That¡¯s the best option.


    ¡°It¡¯s still not without risk. Lady Plymoise?¡± Verdant turned to Gretchen. She asked Captain Caulk and Captain Morgan for advice. That sprouted into an hour-long discussion. The concerning factor was Verdant¡¯s tattoos. They were proof of her connection to Plymoise-- just like the orange hair traits of the Atrixian soldiers I killed at sea. No one in Atrix had green. Or if they did, it was immigrants wanting to migrate to Atrix from Plymoise. You could be sure they were being watched under a heavy, non-blinking eye.


    They then asked me how I was going to enter the city. It was highly probable Atrix had spies. They probably left shortly before the attack, and since it happened not even seven days after I arrived...


    They probably knew about a High Elf with a lion spirit, but the organizers of the blitzkrieg didn¡¯t. No¡ªthey¡¯d know about me in a few days, if not a couple of hours.


    Maybe they already did, but that didn¡¯t matter because I had a solution.


    Whipping my flute out, I played another tune. My ears became more similar to a common elf, and my hair turned orange, matching Atrix¡¯s color scheme. ¡°Unless they can see through my illusion, and I doubt it, they wouldn¡¯t suspect me.¡±


    And no one can¡¯t see through me literally changing myself... Chimerism is amazing.


    ¡°And here I thought I couldn¡¯t get any more surprised...¡± said Gretchen as I ¡®dispelled¡¯ the illusion. The topic turned to Verdant, and after some discussion, they decided on something...


    Drastic.


    They took a knife and carved out the tattoos.


    Yes.


    They pierced her flesh and removed proof of her connection to Plymoise¡¯s Vestige, leaving her with bloody, gross holes.


    She sacrificed her body¡ªall for the sake of Plymoise. That kind of nationalism couldn¡¯t be bought. It had to be earned.


    ¡°We cannot risk arriving by wagon or carriage, so we must walk,¡± Verdant said. Her eyes were unflinching. The light she harbored in them was determined. ¡°Forgive me for this, Lord Springfield, but I cannot recommend Surtr coming alone. He is...far too noticeable.¡± She winched twice when a medic entered and sewed her wounds. I gave her a potion I had in storage to accelerate the healing and told her that was fine.


    ¡°When are we departing?¡±


    ¡°Nightfall. It¡¯ll be safer if we stick to the moonlight and rest under the sun¡¯s glory.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s acceptable. I¡¯ll meet you here later tonight. Tris, let¡¯s head to the inn.¡±

 Intermission – An Opposite Viewpoint

    Intermission ¨C An Opposite Viewpoint


    Landon was an orange Lizardfolk who had no aspirations or dreams. He was content with scrounging throughout life as a beggar since he felt happiness no longer applied to him. And he would¡¯ve died¡ªdrunk and forgotten on some backstreet¡ªas the overbearing poison of alcohol dissolved his stomach lining.


    And that would¡¯ve been fine.


    Just what did he have to live for?


    His wife had passed.


    His daughters had left the nest to mitigate elsewhere after he had turned his hand upon their cheeks in a fit of drunken rage upon losing his job as a baker.


    And what friends did he have?


    No one really cared if he lived or died.


    Yet it was a soldier who called out to him¡ªto the filthy, undesirable who had lost his home, wife, and children, with an offer he couldn¡¯t refuse.


    ¡°The winds of war will eventually blow towards us,¡± said the golden-tongue recruiter. ¡°The glory of Atrix will forever be known in the hearts of men and women throughout Parthina. We will stand, fight, and take what¡¯s rightfully ours¡ªour birthright that has been for told since the days of olde. Join us, Landon, and fight. Fight for honor and your home, and you shall again find the spark that had long since abandoned you.¡±


    Landon was perplexed at why someone would take the time to speak so elegantly to him, but the man didn¡¯t realize he had imagined the soldier. He didn¡¯t exist¡ªno one important would ever know Landon by name. Perhaps his mind had one last defensive mechanism to give Landon a final chance at life.


    Atrix was a city-state founded on war and aggression, so Landon must¡¯ve overheard a soldier speaking about some conflict. Either way, Lord Atrix was sure to implement a draft when he raised his armies. Sooner or later, Landon would¡¯ve been picked up, taken to the registration office, brought to the barracks, where he would¡¯ve been laughed at for being a measly Lv. 8 at his age, given a sword, a shield, and told to be on standby until his life was needed.


    But Landon didn¡¯t want that. That golden-tongue recruiter said the words a drunken man at rock bottom needed to hear.


    He picked himself up out of the garbage and threw away the bottle he clutched with bruised knuckles, then drunkenly stumbled out of the alley and onto the main street. People looked at him like a pariah¡ªprimarily because he was one. Landon wasn¡¯t that popular or well-known, but the ones who knew him despised him.


    As life did, the recruiting officer laughed at Landon¡¯s pitiful qualifications and internally regarded him as someone they could throw to the meat grinder.


    The officer was a noble¡ªsomeone who knew how much more his life mattered than those meant to till the land and grow food to make him fat in his retirement.


    Landon couldn¡¯t read or write, so he didn¡¯t know what kind of contract he had to sign¡ªonly what the officer had told him. He wanted to learn. His wife was his teacher, and he held the passion, but that vanished upon her death.


    It seemed like everything that once made Landon...Landon...had died with her.


    She wouldn¡¯t be proud to see the man he turned out to be¡ªhow the spark of life had vanished from within his orange eyes that bordered on twilight madness.


    Landon grabbed the ticket and left, barely managing to avoid stumbling over his feet as he walked down the cobblestone pathway to the barracks about 50 minutes away. The alluring scent of freshly poured alcohol nearly stopped him, but that fictitious golden-tongued soldier appeared in the corner of his eye.


    ¡°Don¡¯t fall victim to it, my friend,¡± said the guard, extending a hand that wasn¡¯t real. But it felt physical to Landon. He turned his gaze away and continued, finally managing to refuse liquor¡¯s seductive gaze for the first time in three years.


    Maybe this was a start for him?


    Landon still didn¡¯t think so. He had nothing, but that changed after he arrived at the barracks. He shared a room with thirty other ''maggots'' and had to endure basic training for a month. There was a dungeon not too far from the city. It provided the perfect place to become used to attacking, casting, and killing.


    And...


    Landon was good at it. He surprised himself at how well he took to it, considering he hadn¡¯t ever lifted a sword before. But his strengths were in tactics that surprised his instructors. Hit-and-run strategy wasn¡¯t some new-wave kind of thinking, but no one could pull it off better than a coward who survived by stealing for the past three years.


    Landon was with six others when they had fallen victim to a teleport trap. It took them to a maze on the dungeon¡¯s deepest floor. The enemies¡¯ levels ranged from 20-40, and Landon was the fourth highest at Lv. 9. The only one who knew magic was the young elf with a deformed arm, but her spells were limited.


    Yet he endured on. He didn¡¯t want to disappoint that golden-tongue officer and rallied the others. Together, they used dishonestly and trickery¡ªthe greatest weapons¡ª sending the scissor eagles to fight against the knife hawks that circled overhead. And in their weakness, he struck, dealing the finishing blow when the fatally injured were moments from death. Or he commanded his soldiers to organize pitfall traps while using the elf¡¯s magic to chip away at deadly spikes above.


    It was a rough week. The brass had long since written the group off. They didn¡¯t send a rescue squad since those weaklings were everywhere. One just had to look at the slums to find the ones desperate enough to slit a throat for a handful of copper coins.


    But these seven days changed Landon more than the past three years. He hadn¡¯t gotten to know the others during his first month, but now he did. Some were almost like him¡ªdepraved beggars with nothing else left. A few were younger, yet they looked twice his age. That young elf bore wrinkles, with scabbed wounds and dark bruises, and felt close enough to share her scarred past.


    She had said elves were symbols of grace and beauty, but she was born like this. A plague amongst her family with deformities, and they had tossed her away upon her fifteenth birthday after a healer had said he couldn¡¯t reverse what was etched into her body. Her mother believed it to be a curse, and no one objected to ¡®trying¡¯ again for a better daughter. The girl was still just a child, yet she was thrown to the wayside and had nothing else, so she went for the only option available to all recluses without anything to their name.


    Mercenary work.


    She was the only one without a spec of orange to her body¡ªValima wasn¡¯t a native of Parthina¡ª but her journey eventually brought her to Atrix for an unrelated mission. After completing it, she joined the military to see where it would take her. She had to prove her loyalty, though. On her back laid a dark orange scar brought upon by a tainted knife¡ªthe cost outsiders had to pay. And it should¡¯ve marked Valima for life as a foreign mercenary of Atrix, but her body was in so much pain at almost all hours of the day that it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to just...


    ...rip off that section of skin and add another fleshy wound to her collection.


    In her own words, she had said no one would ever love a freak like her. So why not deform her body even more as punishment for being born?


    But Valima secretly yearned for a place to belong. She would¡¯ve given anything for it. Loneliness was frightening, and she had enough of it for one or two lifetimes.


    Upon successfully returning to Atrix, Landon was promoted to squad leader and officially given control over the unit he had led to survival. No one expected a bunch of misfits to make it back.


    Throughout the next two years, Landon and his squadron grew and thrived, eventually acquiring three more members after accomplishing a rescue mission deep in Tiran¡¯s Crest.


    By that time, he had reached Lv. 35. Valima was Lv. 44¡ªthe highest, and his unit averaged Lv. 38. They weren¡¯t the strongest, but they weren¡¯t the weak misfits they used to be. A few days later, the forthcoming conflict with Plymoise was officially announced.


    Plymoise was going to be attacked. Atrix had a history of being warthirsty. And some people didn¡¯t want conflict, but what could they do? Lord Atrix ruled with an iron fist, and those who spoke against his barbaric tendencies were thrown in jail, branded, and tossed to the meat grinder to die for the glory of their ruler. The tyrant framed it as a war of reunification since he believed all Plymoise should belong to Atrix.


    The operation was set to begin within the week. Landon¡¯s unit received orders to board one of the seven ships that would bombard Plymoise¡¯s military ports and shipyards with magic and cannonballs.


    There was much to do and many supplies to prepare, and after six days of prepping, Landon finally relaxed in his bunk. Exhaustion covered his face. The recent sleepless nights had drained him, but not once had the alluring taste of alcohol¡¯s sweet nectar tempted him. Landon felt a churning in his stomach whenever he thought of booze. And he had even quit smoking.


    He scrolled through his Skill Menu, a melancholy smile plastered on his face since he wanted to share this accomplishment with his children. But they didn¡¯t want a drunk abuser like him for a father, and they had made their choice a long time ago. Second chances didn¡¯t exist for them after he had scorned them so much.


    Even if he knew what city-state they immigrated to... Landon knew they wouldn¡¯t accept his letters. Nor would they ever forgive him. Only Valima knew the truth behind his past. He didn¡¯t know what she saw in him, and she was perplexed any man would want her to warm their bed or teach them literacy.


    Landon wondered what would¡¯ve happened if he encouraged himself to get out of that slump years prior. Or if he would¡¯ve tried to reach for those who extended helping hands instead of preferring the sweet nectar that slowly turned him into an alcoholic drunk.


    He turned to the right, then tossed to the left. That tightness in his chest never left him until morning came, and he greeted the day and the soldiers under his command while readying for deployment.


    They each had rucksacks to carry and bags to haul, and even though they were developing a rather unique reputation for achieving cowards, the central command didn¡¯t give them horses or wagons.


    But the hard life was what he and his unit specialized in. Fate always kicked them down a few dozen pegs, so he found the labor almost refreshing--something akin to a palette cleanser before the main event left a sour note lingering on his taste buds.


    Landon fixated on the boundless sea, casting a contemplative gaze towards Atrix after night had descended. The distant land, now obscured from view, left a lingering sense of longing within him. His orange eyes shifted leftward, revealing the presence of two ships. On his right, four more vessels sailed in a disciplined formation, steadfastly navigating toward their destination.


    Each vessel carried 24 fully stocked cannons on each side, and Atrix¡¯s training had told the sailors that each one needed two people to fire as efficiently as possible. And then there were the 24 mages on each ship that wove protective barriers to stop arrows and incoming projectiles.


    The ships were large enough to need three giant masts, and twenty were responsible for steering and controlling the vessels. Only the truly trained and adaptable could handle this task.


    Others were responsible for preparing the food and other miscellaneous tasks, but everyone was trained and primed for combat.


    In total, nearly 750 would take part in the naval blitzkrieg, and everyone was over Lv.15, with the average across all vessels being Lv. 36. Each was commanded by a Lv. 55 captain.


    Landon wasn¡¯t worried about anything. He knew 10,000 were marching to Plymoise at the same time. Even if word leaked about their plans, Plymoise''s lacking resources couldn''t fend off seven fully armed and stocked battleships. The top brass had said the war would be over quicker than it began. The estimated 5-6,000 soldiers Plymoise could raise had to be focused on the frontal assault by Atrix¡¯s main force.


    Once Atrix¡¯s ships landed at the ports and the soldiers disembarked, the plan was to capture the capital building. The mimics, if they had obeyed their orders to the letter, should''ve already killed Gretchen. Landon didn¡¯t know much about that, but he had heard musings of work being done in the shadows behind the scenes to make the conquest as painless as possible. He wasn¡¯t technically a ¡®rank and file¡¯ soldier, but Landon wasn¡¯t privy to the juiciest details.


    And so...


    Days passed out at sea. Unseaworthy soldiers felt queasy and vomited their supper overboard due to the endless clanking waves battering against the ships¡¯ hulls.


    Time soon became an aspect of life that everyone had too much of. Patience was always a lacking virtue, especially before an operation like this. But Landon knew that overbearing stress due to excessive thinking would only be detrimental. Oh, such a thing had nearly cost him his soldiers'' lives on a past mission. And the same sorrow he felt when he looked at the bloody costs of his severe mistakes.


    The man spent much of that time recalling his family. He wondered¡ªno, he knew he wasn¡¯t good enough to make amends with his children. But what if he were to become a famous strategist? One who always accomplished his missions with minimal risk and losses? The sword and shield he carried were more decorative than anything else. His real value was the exceptionally unique leadership skills Landon had groomed over the past years. His squadron all received substantial buffs to their physical, dexterous, and magical abilities just by being close to him. And [Mental Coordination] enabled a minor form of thought communication that allowed his squad to read each other''s movements in the flow of combat to better fight as one cohesive unit.


    Finally, it was the night before they would be within range to launch the initial volley.


    Landon was sitting in a room on the third deck, watching his soldiers perform their final preparations. Empty bowls of oatmeal and hard bread littered the room. Eating more than a serving or two was fine since they¡¯d be restocked in less than 24 hours.


    By this time tomorrow... The city will be ours...


    ¡°My son and I used to talk about battle. He wanted to die a hero¡ªprotecting the innocent and weak from dragons and vile demons,¡± said a man with loose lips. Landon could see that lazy eye amid darkness. The tender, shy moonlight did little to gleam some much-needed brightness through the little porthole that couldn¡¯t be called a window. ¡°But the sickness took him. What else could I do but fulfill his wishes? I want to be the hero he dreamed of being...¡±


    ¡°Aye, dragons, huh?¡± asked a dwarf. He had long orange nails and carefully sharpened his axe¡¯s edge. ¡°Funny ye should say that. I heard it before we left, but rumors circulating say we have a drake and hippogriff on our side.¡±


    ¡°Is that really necessary?¡± asked Valima. ¡°We already have the overwhelming advantage. Why reveal cards that are better left hidden?¡±


    ¡°Lord Atrix wants to showcase his overwhelming might,¡± said Landon. He''d heard the same whisperings, but he didn¡¯t pay it much mind.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then why didn¡¯t he send the Citrine Reapers?¡± asked another¡ªa gnome.


    ¡°You mean the group that doesn¡¯t exist?¡± answered the dwarf with another question. Nothing but hazy rumors surrounded that elusive unit.


    Supposedly, they consisted of highly specialized squads so utterly devoted to their lord that nothing else mattered. The nationalism they displayed couldn¡¯t be earned or bought¡ªapparently, it had to be ¡®instilled¡¯ from an early age through brutal training designed to reinforce ultimate loyalty.


    The whispers continued¡ªyou could find them anywhere. One source said their eyes only saw their lord, Gregory Atrix, as the only man whose words they wanted to grace their ears. Everyone else was filthy trash that deserved to be incinerated.


    Landon had heard a rumor that the final step to becoming a member of Atrix¡¯s most elusive and feared group of warriors was to kill their family. But he didn¡¯t know if it was hogwash or not. It probably was. Then again, it probably wasn¡¯t. No one would admit to them being real. The details behind the group¡ªif they were tangible¡ªwere potentially only known to Gregory Atrix and a few chosen close allies, let alone someone like Landon, who was so far down the totem pole that he was still treated like a common foot soldier.


    According to the pervasive gossip, the mark of the Citrine Reapers was more than mere hearsay. Shadowy whispers suggested that each member bore a unique, magical glyph etched onto their flesh ¨C an orange scythe branded with mystical precision¡ªthat only made itself visible under specific circumstances.


    Of course...


    Only those involved knew the truth. It was just as likely that the Citrine Reapers were Boogeymen the city had carved to keep the populace in line.


    ¡°I don¡¯t expect us to do all that much,¡± said Landon. He sighed and sat, raising his arms and stretching before rubbing lotion oil on his orange scales. Long ago, his late wife had chastised him for neglecting his scales, and after getting off the booze, Landon took that advice to heart to become a better man. ¡°But don¡¯t think we won¡¯t see combat. If it¡¯s not tomorrow, then it¡¯ll be when we turn our fangs against the other city-states.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right, squad leader,¡± Valima said. ¡°But what¡¯s the plan when Orchta sends a Heptarchis summon?¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t paid to think that far ahead,¡± warned the dwarf. ¡°Let the brass figure it out. Ye and I should obey orders and do what we¡¯re told.¡±


    He tried not to show it, but he feared the worst. Praying for the best felt like a foolish endeavor.


    The uneasy crew couldn¡¯t do anything but wait for their battle to begin.


    And wait they did, with bated breaths and unsteady hands that kept a sweaty grip on their weapons. The smoke they saw in the distance continued to grow. A few hopefuls wondered if a mage would use their wind magic to swirl the smoke away, but that never happened in the time they spent waiting.


    And then...


    The opposing forces were close enough to see vividly with the naked eye, and the Atrix''s mages were preparing for the initial assault. Their targets would be within range in just 600 seconds¡ªswiftly approaching in less time than it took to prepare a modest breakfast.


    Valima, with her excellent eyesight, looked through her brass spyglass and relayed what she saw.


    ¡°A... A High Elf?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± she said, answering Landon¡¯s confused question. ¡°She¡¯s playing a flute. It looks like the captain...is giving a speech?¡±


    ¡°What about their morale?¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t seem afraid.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they believe they hold the advantage. Can you tell anything from the elf?¡±


    Valima shook her head. ¡°A few clans are known for their musical prowess. It¡¯s faint, but I can hear an angelic grace from her instrument.¡± The elf kept watching and relaying what she saw. ¡°Her weapon reminds me of a firearm. But High Elves aren¡¯t known to use them. That¡¯s more of a Dark Elf preference, so...¡±


    And then panic dominated her voice when that High Elf turned to face the seven ships barreling towards them. ¡°She¡¯s playing...and... [Wooden Puppetry]? Does she plan to... But we¡¯re still too far away!¡± Valima shouted. She watched as the High Elf and her puppets retrieved the rifles on their backs. They raised them towards the skies as the firearms manifested the living embodiment of flame and fire.


    ¡°Get away...¡±


    ¡°What? What are¡ª¡±


    ¡°WE NEED TO LEAVE!¡± Valima shouted. Landon was shocked. He had never seen Valima act like this. She always kept it together when things looked dire. For her to be like this...meant that...


    ¡°WATCH OUT!!¡± The scout high on the crow¡¯s screamed. In the clear, nearly cloudless skies of a noonday sun, the fiery beams blasted from the firearms ascended like ethereal serpents, catching the sunlight as they soared. The serpentine flames became a cascading, fiery rain with a thunderous explosion. The individual droplets seemed like miniature comets, leaving trails of embers that painted a surreal picture against the pristine blue canvas overhead.


    Four of the seven ships were targeted, their decks becoming consumed by a mighty conflagration that was too fast and ferocious. Valima grabbed Landon¡¯s hand and yanked him away from the flame¡¯s initial path. Six of his teammates were able to get out of the way, but two perished amongst the inferno, their screams raw and unfiltered as their nerves were scorched.


    Immolation was always a painful way to go, but there must be a silver lining. If the High Elf was the demon''s summoner, she shouldn¡¯t have had much mana left. To sustain something that powerful while pushing her magic to the limit...while also fueling that lion¡¯s spells...


    Even splitting her strength into quarters to launch a four-prong attack...


    That didn¡¯t come cheap.


    Landon was so sure that Plymoise didn¡¯t have a way to fend off a sustained assault that they chose to try to overwhelm them with a devastating first strike.


    But it wouldn¡¯t work.


    But the orange Lizardfolk also felt as if Atrix had awoken a beast that was better left alone. To disturb its slumber or attract its ire like a cub wishing to pester its mother.


    Even still, Landon had faith. The future he and Valima had imagined for themselves was still something they could grasp. It wasn¡¯t out of their reach.


    And wasn¡¯t he a master of getting out of tight spots? No one was a better survivalist than a coward who had to scrounge and steal to support his awful habits. And with his experience as squadron commander, who repeatedly returned alive with minimal injuries or losses from missions that no one else wanted to accept?


    Landon used his leadership abilities and buffed his squadron, then began to bark orders.


    ¡°Get it together!¡± he shouted. ¡°[Inspiring Aura]!¡± A soft azure glow radiated from Landon¡¯s body and spread throughout the ship, instilling everyone with courage. ¡°We need to focus! Fetch the pails! Put out the fire! Mages, I want you to set up our barriers!¡±


    Valima immediately conjured a sphere of water and launched it into the sky, where it broke apart and rained upon the flaming deck. It wasn¡¯t enough, but sailors had quickly fetched their water pails and used their teamwork to extinguish the devouring flames. They had suffered losses, though. The wood was already scorched black. The people he had known were turned into ash and swept away by the breeze.


    The time for mourning and crying could come later.


    But the seven ships were still too far away to fire. Their magic wouldn¡¯t reach. Arrows would crash into the salty sea. Turning the battleships hard to port or starboard would open them to additional attacks¡ªeven if their cannons could reach that far.


    They had to hope and pray that the High Elf was out of mana and attacks.


    Landon looked at the three other flaming ships-- the inferno was still going strong. Suddenly, Valima grabbed his arm and told him to look.


    And there...


    They were...


    The High Elf and her wooden puppets had grown wings! They were quickly flying towards Landon¡¯s ship.


    Valima lifted her staff and changed, summoning sharp blades of electrified winds that shot out towards the incoming enemies. The archers regrouped and readied their bows with shaky hands. The mages behind stuttered but completed the chant to bless the arrows with fire.


    ¡°FIRE!¡± shouted the ship¡¯s captain, spit spewing from his mouth. He was unsteady, but he had already recovered from the surprise attack.


    The hailstorm of flaming projectiles launched towards the incoming High Elves, but they flew fast and quickly and...


    ...effortlessly avoided it all...


    It was like they could spot the gaps in the barrages. Valima¡¯s [Lightning Wind Blade] bombardment was cut down after the High Elf switched that rifle for a black spear. She turned it back into the gun and continued accelerating, keeping low to the ocean with her wooden puppets until they reached the hull. They soared skyward and hovered like angels of death, four rifles pointed at their enemies.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    Bang!


    All four fired at once, sending a round through four of Landon¡¯s soldiers¡¯ heads¡ªthey just happened to be the weakest.


    Bang!


    Bang!


    The next four gunshots sounded as two, with the gnome and Cowfolk receiving two bullets each to their forehead, killing them instantly.


    It all happened so incredibly quickly. But Landon perceived it in slow motion.


    This...


    This was it.


    His life was really flashing throughout his mind. Landon saw it all¡ªhis first kiss... His marriage... The first fight... The first time he held his children... Holding his wife¡¯s hand on her deathbed...


    There...was no coming out of this alive. That golden-tongue officer¡ªthe figment of his mind that saved him oh so long ago... He would not make an appearance in his final moment.


    Bang!


    Four bullets sounded as one and delved into Valima¡¯s brain, instantly killing her.


    And he knew he was to follow.


    And Landon felt...oddly calm. He wasn¡¯t fearing it like he thought he would.


    Maybe because he wasn¡¯t dying alone. That was his biggest fear. There was a difference between dying as a drunk under a pile of filth in the slums behind a bar that kicked him out for stealing¡ªwith no one who cared about his life¡ªor passing into the afterlife with friends and lovers by his side so they could enter the cycle of reincarnation together.


    But could Landon be proud of his life?


    If someone had asked him years ago, he¡¯d have said no.


    But...


    He was content.


    He had regrets, of course.


    He never reconciled with his daughters. And his death would be a boon to them. It would eventually reach them. Landon didn¡¯t know how, but it would, and they wouldn¡¯t have to fear him finding them. To them, he was an irredeemable monster without any good qualities. Their father had died with their mother, and the abusive monster he became was someone they didn¡¯t know or love.


    And then there was Valima. She dreamed of being a mother, but some fantasies would never be fulfilled.


    But Landon still hoped he would meet her in the next life. He wished that his wife and Valima would get along. He wanted to make the two of them the happiest women in the world, but would fate allow it to happen?


    Bang!


    Landon¡¯s brain stopped working long before he could think that far ahead. Skull fragments exploded from the back of his head as he slumped lifelessly to the ground. Smoke erupted from the firearms¡¯ well-used barrels, seemingly seeing him to the afterlife.


    His life, Valima¡¯s life, and the lives of his team were just one flame that Atrix¡¯s cruel conquest for war had extinguished long before they were ready.


    Everyone had a story.


    And on that day...


    The day of the futile naval assault to take out Plymoise¡¯s capital building and ports...


    Atrix would lose over 750 soldiers at sea.


    There would not be any survivors.

 Chapter Seventy-Nine: Atrix Bound (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Seventy-Nine: Atrix Bound (Illustrations!)


    I had around 8 hours before meeting with Verdant, and I chose to use that time by spending it with my family. Irisa especially. God, her world had been twisted upside down, thrown to the wolves, set on fire, and tossed into the sea.


    But she was strong. Once the danger was over, she went back to training with Dad. Mom, I, and the members of Pawsome Fables were outside in the courtyard. I had briefed them on my latest mission to infiltrate Atrix.


    Oddly enough, Irisa was much calmer. She told me to be safe, of course, but she knew this was something I could handle. Seeing her sister train so hard got Erin in the mood, so I sparred with her for a few.


    I got humbled a thousand times when I first trained with Dad. But my body feels so adjusted... The SP I spent after killing Oswell¡¯s group is kicking in. I can feel the improvements down to my toes.


    To warm up, I sped through the basics of the Iron Tree Stance Dad taught me with Kronto. The moves flowed together more flawlessly than before. He didn¡¯t have to whistle to get me back on track. Dad was still my better in every way¡ªsomething demonstrated when I challenged him to a match. Even with my increased speed, he was there to meet my thrusts and swipes with counters reinforced by his strength, knocking me to my ass.


    Dad was just... He was just so amazing...


    Erin joined in. Spending time with us like this was good for her nerves. I was broken, so perhaps I didn¡¯t feel what everyone else felt after sheltering during a genuine battle.


    Was Mom scared? Did Dad fear the worst? What about Chax and Ginnie? They lived through something frightening and harrowing, so did the potential thought of an invading army swirl up memories that were best forgotten?


    ...


    What about the town? It was almost pandemonium when Gretchen sent her messengers through the streets, telling them to seek shelter. Women and children running and screaming to get to their houses. The town became eerily quiet in almost no time as the menfolk gathered their weapons and prepared for a potential siege.


    How long would it take to go back to normal? Just when would the town feel like a town again? When would the citizens feel safe enough to think of Plymoise as their home, not a grave?


    I didn¡¯t know. I didn¡¯t have any experience in that type of stuff.


    And I also didn¡¯t have any experience in perceiving mana. After spending more time with Erin, I went to Niva¡¯s room. Primrose answered, and I strolled in to take a seat beside her. Tris had already informed them about me leaving later tonight.


    ¡°Okay, it¡¯s time. I¡¯ve already bought and upgraded [Mana Perception] to Lv. 3. [Mana Language] is at Lv. 2. I don¡¯t have much SP left. If you can teach me how to use it, I can have my clones work on leveling them up.¡±


    ¡°Yes! Mistress, it works like this.¡± Niva chanted, and in the spot where her other eye should have been was a vibrant-colored magic circle. ¡°Ah...¡± Suddenly, she reached a hand to my head and then touched my cheeks. A few fingers went to my ears, and then she sweetly smiled. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Mistress. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen your face. You look so strong...it¡¯s just like what I''d imagined."


    ¡°Thank you, Niva. That¡¯s sweet.¡±


    It was time to start. ¡°I must chant, but you should only have to think it.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I did. My vision went white.¡±


    ¡°The angle of viewing is too open, Lord Springfield.¡± Primrose crouched and placed a hand over my right eye. ¡°Do you feel my fingers? I''m making a squeezing motion. Try to replicate that.¡± The spirit told me Lei was sitting to my right, so I pictured that odd feeling and focused. The stark whiteness...almost left?


    I felt it getting hazier, kind of, and weaker. After an hour, I said it reminded me of staring into a white room with white lights.


    ¡°No... Not like that. Focus on my fingertips. Summoner?¡±


    ¡°Mistress, umm... Can I see your hand?¡± I said she could. Niva drew a circle on my palm. Then she made another one, except it was smaller. And then another even smaller one. ¡°Don¡¯t try to close the angle at once. It won¡¯t work. Go slowly. Umm... Think of it like you¡¯re squinting.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a better way of putting it. Squint, Lord Springfield, but avoid moving your ¡®eye.¡¯ [Mana Perception] works by implanting a magic circle that converts mana to the visible spectrum. Fine-tune the circle. However, I¡¯m sure it''s different for other people. You are a Soul Warrior, so I cannot be sure that the same rules apply to you. You¡¯re also a chimera, so that may change things.¡±


    I knew the mechanics behind it. But putting them into motion?


    I opened a [Skyview] window on myself and observed the magic circle over my right eye. I thought seeing it from an outsider¡¯s perspective would help...


    And it did? Squinting without squinting was difficult. But as the afternoon turned to dusk, I was still stuck.


    Tris knocked on the door earlier and said dinner was almost done. The plan was to eat with the family before meeting Verdant at the ministry.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t be discouraged!¡± Niva said, pointing at Lei as the slime jumped around the room. She was proficient enough to track it, so she trained like this.


    ¡°I have [Eyes of the Huntress]. Think that might have something to do with it?¡±


    ¡°It could be,¡± Primrose said, putting a finger to her chin. ¡°Susize Vredi had it, yes? I¡¯m sure she accessed its full potential. Didn¡¯t you say you unlocked... What¡¯d you call it? A ¡®zoom¡¯ feature?¡± I nodded and said it was like looking through a telescope or a spyglass.


    Primrose manipulated her vines and used [Minor Heal] on herself, but only Niva saw the warm glow of mana.


    It was still nothing for me.


    But I wasn¡¯t discouraged...


    It was getting late. Before heading off, I enjoyed a quick dinner in the dining hall. Everyone escorted me to the lobby when it was time to leave. Delouise carried four wrapped lunches and thanked me profusely for protecting Plymoise. He said his family had lived here for multiple generations. Having it meet a brutal, violent end while he ran it would stain his family¡¯s legacy. He didn¡¯t know how he would ever face his ancestors in the afterlife if this failure marked his soul.


    He was...as close as you could get without crying. He really was a nice fellow. As kind as you could get while being totally respectful of this strangeness I brought with me everywhere I went. The same went for the maids and butlers. Green eyes, grassy freckles, and emerald scales looked at me like I was a heroine. They thanked me for my service throughout the day.


    Surtr was already outside waiting to take me to the ministry, so after one final round of hugs, kisses, and head pats, it was time to leave.


    But I told Irisa I wanted to talk with her about something important when I returned. She just nodded and said okay before wishing me well two more times.


    Spoiler[collapse]


    She detested the bastards. Verdant was close to a few soldiers who had perished in the skirmish, and she often visited the villages along this route when it was time to meet with her spies.


    My sharp eyes had seen movement in the distance, and I sent my ¡®spirit birds,¡¯ as Verdant called them, to investigate.


    When I told her what I saw, her face took a look of revenge, and as a woman dictated by my utter hatred of a Holy Lord and her shitty little Soul Warriors, I felt obligated to end the lives of these miserable wretches.


    However, wiping out the scouting parties offered two opportunities I couldn¡¯t pass up.


    Fighting with my Soul Weapon naturally helped me unlock additional abilities and weapons.


    By using the zooming feature of [Eyes of the Huntress] and [Mana Perception] simultaneously, Verdant theorized it was possible I could somehow trigger an upgrade to the former to allow me the ability of the latter. The problem was this: using [Mana Perception] in the untrained state turned my vision stark white. Verdant¡¯s assistance was greatly needed to help keep my aim centered on my targets. To ensure they would die in one shot, I used [Ira Ignis] to enhance my flame skills, charged [Fireball] with [Chimeric Armatization], and used my newly acquired lightning enchantment to give me a boost with my rifle. I had to be quick because using those drained my mana, biomass, and soul energy. Verdant was taken aback by my flaming horns, but it was something she just accepted.


    No. If it meant the Atrixian scum would die, Verdant was happy...


    I could probably tell her I¡¯m a chimera, and she¡¯d appreciate the help of a ¡®monster¡¯ to kill her enemies. But I won¡¯t. It¡¯s not worth it.


    Without fail, and when it was time to leave after wiping out a camp, I secretly left behind a clone to assimilate the ashy corpses. Sure, the fodder was weak. Almost too useless since most weren¡¯t even Lv. 25, but it was better than nothing.


    And the villages... The dead were dead, and I ensured a clone assimilated the burnt corpses...


    I didn¡¯t really care much about letting them rest in a grave.


    Gunfire? Yes, it was loud, but in the barren wilderness, the wild animals and monsters roamed, howled, yelped, and growled. The sharp crackle of gunshots wasn¡¯t that out of the ordinary because similar sounds were heard.


    During these nights, Tris kept in touch. She couldn¡¯t handle [Skyview] or any other ability, but her voice was welcomed. I still had access, but everything took so long to do that it reminded me of when I first awoken [Biological AI].


    Tris also mentioned Gretchen was performing funerals for the soldiers who died in the skirmish. My family paid their respects, and the city¡¯s inhabitants worked together to dig the graves. Burial rites here involved giving the deceased something green to hold. It signified a piece of the Vestige would follow their loved ones into the afterlife to keep them safe and sound. Being put to rest without one was only reserved for heinous criminals and enemy combatants.


    Likewise, the other city-states had something similar with their respective colors.


    When it was time to rest, I devoted four clones to acquiring [Wind Magic] and [Wind Blast] after Verdant was asleep. They practiced until the sunset, doing the same thing over and over and over again.


    But I was not close to acquiring them. My Skill Menu displayed I had those skills available for purchase, so I had to be somewhat close to it. Like hell would I waste my SP.


    Besides, Verdant taught me more spells, but my [Mana Language] was too low-level to handle most of them. But I learned the chant to [Lightning Ball]¡ªa lightning version of [Fireball], [Aerial Slice]¡ªa spell similar to [Razor Wind], and [Root Restraint]¡ªa spell that created thick roots to bind around the feet of your enemies.


    With [Chimeric Armatization], the first turned my guns into a bolt of living lightning, the second transformed them into volatile wind that felt cold and dangerous, and the last encased my weapons in thick, brown roots that curled around my forearm.


    Recoil wasn¡¯t a problem, but it was lowered with the added support.


    It happened five nights after leaving Plymoise.


    ¡°Do you see them, Mila?¡± asked Verdant from my hiding spot near a desert-colored boulder. Her voice was cold and stoic. How could it not have been after passing almost half-a-dozen burnt, ravaged villages? Each one showcased a little bit more of Atrix¡¯s brutality.


    ¡°Yeah. Four this time.¡±


    ¡°The valley¡¯s just past that.¡±


    ¡°I definitely see the fog. We¡¯ll camp after taking out this scouting party.¡± I readied my rifle and took aim. ¡°Then we¡¯ll reach our destination tomorrow.¡±


    It was like clockwork¡ªsomething I had done dozens of times over the past days. Verdant helped me adjust my aim...and after firing the first shot...


    [Eyes of the Huntress] and [Mana Perception] combined into [Arcane Sight: Veil of Mystical Vision].


    Right away, the world of stark whiteness gave way to a monochrome reality, where the only color came from the flame¡¯s crimson mana burning corpses.


    That¡¯s fire mana, my lord. Congratulations!!! Tris¡¯s slightly shaky voice echoed in my mind, and I heard her clapping. Verdant noticed it because I quickly killed the remaining scouts without her instructions.


    We rushed to the camp and scavenged for anything potentially useful, then proceeded to the last resting spot for this journey. Like always, a slime clone was left behind to assimilate the corpses.


    ¡°It¡¯s always intimidating,¡± Verdant whispered from our cave. It held a false wall¡ªour camping spot, but she peeked at the foggy abyss awaiting us.


    ¡°How¡¯d you get past it before?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It¡¯s probably destroyed, but a path leads down to the valley about four miles away. If you can sneak to the other side, there¡¯s a section of the valley with hollowed handholds. It¡¯s a perilously difficult climb, but it¡¯s possible.¡±


    ¡°We won¡¯t go that way.¡±


    ¡°Then how?¡±


    ¡°Fly.¡± I played my flute and transfigured my wings. Using [Song Magic] as a proxy worked so well. This was even better because I actually had [Flight Magic]. What I did was wholly possible by a non-chimera. ¡°When it¡¯s time to depart, I¡¯ll carry you. I¡¯ll send my spirit birds ahead to verify a flight path.¡±


    I¡¯d rather have Tris do it, but she needs a few days to cool down. My map¡¯s not responsive enough to do that in real-time.

 Chapter Eighty: Initial Reconnaissance

    Chapter Eighty: Initial Reconnaissance


    When the next night rolled around, I stood outside the cave¡ªflapping my wings. Behind us sat two corpses with slit necks. Two Atrixian scum had entered the cavern to empty their bladders. My Elven companion ended their lives. Verdant spat on their bodies and crushed their bloody necks with a few stomps.


    ¡°Let us go, Mila... I¡¯m ready.¡±


    I picked up Verdant and took flight, leaving a drop of slime behind to assimilate the corpses.


    The magical fog cladding Tiran¡¯s Crest wasn¡¯t static. It had a little give and take, and its precise position was never the same. And as of now, it had advanced about half a mile towards Plymoise, providing good cover for my ascension. My Clone!Birds had scouted the area earlier, so I knew we would be fine once we broke through.


    From there, I merely flew forward and cross-checked my current location with the stuttering map. It was still too dangerous to land, so I kept flying until the mist was no longer below.


    At that point, it was dumb to remain airborne, so I took us to the ground. We walked the rest of the way while sticking to the surprisingly high number of trees. It was like the whole ecological environment was part of a different world. One side reminded me of an arid, dry desert, and the other was like a luscious, green wonderland.


    Why the hell were the two environments so different?


    Verdant didn¡¯t know. She said Atrix had always been this green. When she was a child, she thought it strange her birth city-state lacked natural evidence of its Vestige¡¯s color.


    We attempted to talk about why the landscapes didn¡¯t match up, but the closer we came to those tall walls protecting Atrix, the more patrols we encountered. Since it was the dead of night, I saw them way before they noticed us, but the guards required torches.


    I didn¡¯t. for new novels


    ¡°So, that¡¯s where they¡¯re keeping their soldiers? Out in front of the city? Why not let them rest in their barracks?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the price for failure, Mila. Atrix... The last time they waged war was nearly 70 years ago. Their target was another city-state. It wasn¡¯t Plymoise.¡±


    ¡°Atrix punished their soldiers like this back then?¡±


    ¡°Worse. Half were hanged. The other half was forced to fight for survival against each other. Only a quarter survived...and... And I presume Atrix instilled those failures onto their soldiers as stark reminders.¡±


    ¡°That explains the burnt villages... How disgusting...¡±


    ¡°Turning the citizens against Atrix may...prove difficult. I don¡¯t know if their fear can be conquered.¡±


    I put a hand on Verdant¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Trust me, it¡¯s possible. It doesn¡¯t matter how many people you have. There will always be differences of opinion. Everyone can''t agree on everything all the time. That has never been done before in a world that has free will. You¡¯d have to control the minds of everyone at the same time. Something tells me Atrix doesn¡¯t have that power. If they did, everyone inside the city would have marched on Plymoise.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I know people are wanting to change things. The problem is finding that spark of rebellion and giving it a push. Revolution grows quickly. And people enjoy being on the winning side. If we show them victory is possible? That¡¯s all we need to do. When we get close, I¡¯ll check the walls with my birds and fly in when it¡¯s clear.¡±


    My goal was to use my clones as martyrs. Their ¡®deaths¡¯ could be the catalyst. I¡¯d do anything to get the revolution going.


    ¡°When Atrix¡¯s spies returned before the attack, we heard whisperings of a High Elf with a flaming lion. The soldiers confirmed its overwhelmingly staggering might and destruction over the battlefield... They said it took out five drakes and three hippogriffs... And it charged into the heart of the army...¡±


    ¡°I can confirm the validity of that statement,¡± I said, ferrying a cup of tea to my lips. I sat at the head of a table that fit fourteen, and every seat was filled. ¡°That very lion is named Surtr. He¡¯s my loyal protector.¡±


    After entering Atrix, Verdant had taken the lead. We kept to the shadows and slowly ventured into the merchant district, where my companion slipped around the backside of a blacksmith¡¯s shop to knock on the wall. She said a passcode, the door flipped away, and we entered, descending a long, barely lit staircase carved of rock and stone. The bottom held a door, which housed an underground building. Verdant¡¯s spies lived here, but different tunnels and paths led to their respective cover jobs.


    Apparently, shortly after the last war Atrix was involved in, Plymoise¡¯s ruler of that time predicted the fangs of conflicts would chomp at their neck. They commissioned a multi-decade-long operation to instill spies, leading to this underground cavern of connected tunnels.


    But that was risky. All it took was one turncoat, and everything would be ruined. Just how insane was their nationalism to their country? It was something I almost found endearing, but still...


    I didn¡¯t think anything like this had ever happened in my time.


    Then again, this world couldn¡¯t compare to the one I originated from.


    Maybe...


    Maybe these mysterious Vestiges were responsible? It was a far cry thought, but what if the Vestiges wanted to be reunited? You had to assume they influenced the people around them if they could alter physiology.


    But could that be the case? Maybe? Stranger things had happened.


    ¡°Master Verdant, why are you here? You never told us?¡± asked an orange-haired dwarf. She had a full, long beard.


    ¡°We are here to sew the threads of rebellion. Lord Springfield has been instrumental in helping us thus far, and she believes she holds the key to ending this conflict sooner than later.¡±


    I¡¯m only being held in high regard because I''m a High Elf. If I were a Dark Elf? Maybe the same, but a Cowfolk? Desert Foxfolk? I doubt it.


    ¡°Revolution is the relentless roll of a stone downhill, gathering the strength of dissent and the power of change, unstoppable in its pursuit of a new dawn,¡± I said. Essentially, we would spread rumors of general aggression towards Atrix''s ruler concerning how this invasion turned out. Some would be angry mothers protesting their sons¡¯ death. Others would be wives angry that their children would be without a father.


    Anything we could do to sway the general opinion, which seemed to be slightly on the positive side. One of Verdant¡¯s spies said the rumors he had heard still believed victory was in Atrix¡¯s grasp. They planned to use their superior wealth to grant the ¡®High Elf Lioness¡¯ a mercenary contract to switch sides. One of their spies was sneaking into Plymoise at this moment.


    I told Tris. She said she would alert Gretchen in the morning and search when her capabilities were restored.


    Another spy asked how to do this, causing me to create a wooden puppet after playing a tune. ¡°I can use [Illusion Magic] to alter their appearance,¡± I said, displaying my ability.


    Might want to add [Illusion Magic] to my front-facing Status Menu...


    ¡°I can handle that. As for you... We need to sew discourse. If we set fire to military offices, food supplies, maybe their ships? If you know of any firesalts, we can use that. As I said, we need to ignite the powder keg. And to make that keg, we must show the people they have a voice. Once the pendulum of revolution is set in motion, its force becomes unstoppable, sweeping away the barriers of oppression and heralding a new era of liberation."


    After the meeting with Verdant and her spies, I retired to one of the rooms in the safe house after they asked me to get some sleep. It would take time to grease the wheels of revolution for the initial plans we wished to set in motion.


    A couple hours of rest here and there certainly wouldn¡¯t hurt anything. My quarters were lacking in many ways. The room was small, with the bed being tinier than me. It looked just like a well-used sleeping bag, except it had holes. But that didn¡¯t bother me. I was a chimera who ate the dead and slurped her enemies with her slime as if they were smoothies.


    ¡°Ahh... Who knows how long this is going to last...?¡± I walked over to the sleeping bag and chose to rest against the wall while opening a [Skyview] window to my room in Plymoise.


    And there they were... Irisa... Tilde... Tris...snuggling together in the bed in my room.


    The stream was so laggy and blurry it almost gave me a headache. Tris was scheduled to come off cooldown in about 24 hours, so it would be much better by then.


    Before arriving in Atrix, I told Tris to invite Irisa to sleep with her and Tilde because I didn¡¯t want her to be alone. And I figured Tilde could prime Irisa for the talk I wanted to have with her.


    It never turned sexual, though. There was a time and place for everything, and this wasn¡¯t it.


    A guard rushed to grab my Clone!One on Captain Max''s orders.


    ¡°Let her go!¡± shouted Clone!Two. He drew back a fist and clocked the guard across the cheek with a running punch. He straddled and wailed on him as another soldier tackled him to the ground. Two more appeared and helped their ally up before grabbing Clone!One.


    ¡°Get your hands off of my sister!¡± Clone!Three joined the fight, and it turned into a brawl that quickly delved into a senseless beating.


    They were, after all, under 15 years old, clashing against grown men who had, presumably, killed in the call of duty to serve Lord Atrix¡¯s wishes.


    ¡°Please, forgive my children!¡± Clone!Mother barged from the crowd and cried. ¡°They don¡¯t understand--¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re their pathetic mother?¡± Captain Max scoffed and gave a command. Two more soldiers grabbed Clone!Mother and dragged her into the beatdown. ¡°Perhaps this wouldn¡¯t have happened if you were a better parent. Going against me is turning a weapon upon our glorious Lord Atrix. I¡¯m aware you know of the punishment.¡± Captain Max waved his hand and ordered everyone to watch while his men pummeled the ¡®cowards,¡¯ as he called them.


    It was inhumane... Seeing grown men inflict this horrible abuse. It was made worse by the constant cries of Clone!Mother, who begged for her children to be let go.


    But no. Captain Max said all traitors deserved death... He put the family to the sword with glee, horrifying the onlookers.


    My clones asked and begged for help before their lives were brutally ended. Captain Max ordered his men to impale the corpses on the nearby pikes to serve as warnings to remember their place in life.


    There was a reason he did this here. The coward wouldn¡¯t dream of doing it near the city square or where the wealthy lived. He probably got his kicks on abusing his power, which told me exactly what I needed to expect. I didn¡¯t need Tris¡¯s processing abilities to deduce that.


    Clone!Bird took to the skies and darted across the city, screaming about the heinous event it witnessed. Captain Max didn¡¯t look bothered, though. He ordered someone to hunt it down and wring its neck.


    While returning to the hideout, Verdant questioned my strategy. Even though I told her my puppets were expendable, she couldn¡¯t watch children die. Yes, they were fake. She knew that, but seeing them shout for help... Their mortal cries... A mother screaming for her children...


    It hurt her. But she said she needed to throw away her weakness.


    But she¡¯s fine with those deserters being put to death. No, I can¡¯t say anything. I was fine with it, too.


    Margie questioned me about what we were going to do now.


    ¡°That¡¯s why I asked for firesalt this morning,¡± I told her, turning the corner to the road that held the hideout. Already, news of the hanging was spreading via my Clone!Bird. The outrage was insignificant-- mainly fed by fear, but it would soon turn to anger in the coming days because the Clone!Bird played a recreation of Clone!Family¡¯s final screams and heartfelt cries.


    ¡°I plan to make bombs, ¡®instill¡¯ them with magic to increase their potency, and use them to burn away the evidence of those corpses being wooden puppets. Using illusion magic to make wood and sap appear as flesh and blood taxes me greatly.¡±


    ¡°How will you do that?¡± asked Margie when we sat at the table. It was nice to be here. It was strangely dark and dank¡ªjust the perfect environment for a woman trying to organize a revolution.


    ¡°Easy. It¡¯ll require a soldier and a victim. The soldier will throw the bomb and desecrate the bodies while ranting about how they don¡¯t deserve to be buried. The father will annoy him, and that¡¯ll cause an argument. It¡¯ll turn into a fight, which ends when they accidentally toss themselves into the fire. They¡¯ll burn away, and the evidence will be gone. It¡¯s brutal, but remember... They are puppets. They¡¯re made of mana. I can recreate them as many times as I want. But this will be the most I can do today. Things will ramp up tomorrow.¡±


    Tris would be off cooldown by then. The most intelligent and capable Fragment of Wisdom yearned to get to work.


    Kull, an orange Lizardfolk, made it back soon after. He had broken into a warehouse near the docks and returned with a steel box full of firesalts. The gunpowder-esque lookalikes were dangerous and prone to exploding. So, I didn¡¯t trust anyone but myself with making them, and an hour later, I had twenty bombs.


    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Kull was at a loss for words. He looked at the mimicked copy of a random soldier I had seen. His most noteworthy feature was the dozen scars under his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s so life-like... How did you make the wood feel like flesh?¡±


    ¡°Consider it a High Elf secret. Here''s our victim,¡± I said, creating a man with orange hair after playing the flute. It took a moment to alter their physical properties. ¡°You have your orders,¡± I told them. ¡°Get it done.¡±


    The puppets nodded and left, and I remained at the hideout. Verdant asked if I was going to watch it, but I declined.


    ¡°I need to see this for myself.¡± Kull left, and I went to my room and drank two blue potions Verdant had given me earlier. The drain was unreal. I¡¯d never made and sustained this many clones before.


    Health potions didn''t work on me, but mana restoratives weren''t restricted.


    I thought about making a daughter for the victim, but I didn¡¯t want to overuse children. Besides, no man would allow their child to get anywhere near this-- not after hearing about what Captain Max did.


    Kull reported a success when he returned to the hideout shortly after dinner. ¡°It really went like you said.¡± He went on to say that a large crowd gathered after the soldier threw the bomb. Kull didn¡¯t expect the explosion to be that loud. Nor that the flames would burn that hot.


    He said firesalts were scary to mess with, but that wasn¡¯t the entire truth. A firesalt-infused inferno couldn¡¯t burn away a corpse to mere ash, so I needed more. I had an insect clone inside the bomb. It used a flame spell right as the soldier threw it. That was responsible for the increased destruction.


    But no one needed to know that.


    The Puppet!Victim berated the soldier with crying eyes, saying that they needed to perform the funeral rites for the souls of the fallen to find peace in the afterlife.


    Puppet!Soldier didn¡¯t like his tone and drew his sword. The fight happened as I choreographed it, but...


    ¡°It¡¯s difficult to watch,¡± said Kull, his gaze downcast. ¡°I know it¡¯s fake. It¡¯s not real, but the screams... The emotions... Those can¡¯t be faked. That man cried for those burning puppet children in a way I hadn¡¯t heard someone shed tears for their flesh and blood. If you wanted to make a statement...you did. Those two killed each other after tumbling into the fire. I¡¯ve... Never seen such an emotional scene played by puppets... There wasn¡¯t a single pair of dry eyes...¡± Kull¡¯s expression of utter, abject terror said it all. ¡°People were talking. Murmurs grew, but they were silenced when a group of approaching guards told everyone to disperse as they tried to put out the flames.¡±


    ¡°Are you afraid of me? Your tone suggests you are.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Kull looked at Verdant, then at Margie, then at the other spies. They hadn¡¯t done anything today because of my orders, but that¡¯d all change tomorrow. ¡°I am. I''ve never seen anyone with such excellent control over your puppets. They''re... Umm... Forgive me, Lor¡ªMila, but... Are you...a chimera using the spell as¡ª¡±


    Margie slammed the table with her hands and stood up as nervous murmurs radiated from the other spies. ¡°What the hell is wrong with you?! You dare to accuse Lord Springfield of being one of those heinous monsters?! This is clearly [Wooden Puppetry] and [Illusion Magic]!¡±


    It¡¯s nice to know your feelings about them, Margie. Kull¡¯s sharper than I thought, though. His dull facade must be for show to make others let down their guards.


    ¡°I¡¯m not a chimera,¡± I said, lying. ¡°But even if I was a ¡®heinous monster,¡¯ would that be a problem?¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Answer the question. Are you so high and mighty that you would refuse help from one? Would you rather fail at the mission to cause an insurrection because the one helping is considered a monster?¡±


    ¡°No, it¡¯s--¡±


    ¡°Oh, but I think it is. Chimeras are dangerous. They¡¯re scum residing in the darkest, deepest retches of society¡ªmonsters only acting in their self-interest. However... I would believe that it¡¯s fair trade to unleash such an enemy upon your foes if it means your city-state survives. I know Atrix would do the same. They may already employ the use of one.¡±


    ¡°But... No, you¡¯re right. Please, I¡¯m sorry... I never meant to disrespect you.¡± Kull kneeled and lowered his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll accept your forgiveness, but you must work hard. We will be busy tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°With what?¡± Margie asked, sitting down. She briefly looked at Kull with a disgusted grimace.


    ¡°No one is better than me at gathering information. I¡¯ve been preparing something to reveal what those in command have hidden.¡±

 Intermission – Quella – Ominous Prelude – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Ominous Prelude ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    The Spiderfolk village was destroyed when we arrived. We searched, but there weren¡¯t any survivors. But our target, the sandstorm, was about forty miles to the east. Instead of pushing it into the mountains separating the desert from the ocean, I saw fit to cancel it out by force.


    Mary assisted me in calculating the rotational force, but we didn¡¯t have enough information or anything to compare it to. Instead, we decided to overpower the sandstorm with overwhelming force. Or perhaps it was more apt to say that the plan was to ¡®absorb¡¯ the sandstorm into something much fiercer, and then I could end the spell forcefully by cutting the flow of mana.


    [Soul Duplication], my latest ability, came in handy. It split my soul into ethereal copies that could fight with me. The four of us used Whirlwind Tome¡¯s ultimate spell to summon a hurricane that was the sandstorm¡¯s opposite. It was so powerful that tons of sand below us were sucked into the raging winds.


    Without [Temporary Flight] from the Wing Tome and a few barriers, we¡¯d have fallen into the abyss I created.


    But...


    The dark, deep crevice called for me, reminding me that I¡¯d forever be nothing but a slave to my summoner.


    But after I left the spell go, it rampaged across the horizon, covering the forty miles in seconds while leaving a gash in the desert that reminded me of Moses parting the Red Sea.


    It smashed into the target, causing an explosion that made a crater 10 miles deep. Sand blocked out the sky, making it seem like it was night.


    The mission was complete, but Remy left us alone. We expected this, so we started to walk back after I ended [Soul Duplication] and [Hurricane].


    And now we¡¯re camping. It should take us four days to reach the mountains. Maybe we¡¯ll be lucky and run into the twins and Team Salim.


    Out of everyone, Lori, Ann, and Team Salim were the ones I harbored the least hatred for.


    And I don¡¯t hate the common folk. Like the people at the bar. Or the restaurants. Or the ones that come when Elly¡¯s doing an impromptu concert.


    But the others?


    Damon could die in a fire. I¡¯d never forgive him for Shuuta¡¯s treatment. I¡¯d hate him until the end. Although I didn¡¯t stand up to him on the plane. But I hated myself, so I was punishing myself.


    Carter was a voyeuristic bastard who deserved death. Who cares if he¡¯s Meruria¡¯s most accomplished spy because he can summon a drone? He¡¯s a sick bastard.


    Tokko and Mia... I hated their ¡®might makes right.¡¯ They see people as resources to be manipulated. And Mia was downright nasty to Shuuta. I still don¡¯t know the ''use'' she had found for him. And I don¡¯t think I ever want to. I sense my heart wouldn¡¯t survive it.


    Charlie, Raylee, Hatay, Sera... Those three sluts that hang around Damon... The other members of our class that I couldn¡¯t give two ounces of thought to even try to remember them...


    If my life was a story, I probably wouldn¡¯t have given them more than a page before forgetting them.


    They were insignificant. They didn¡¯t matter. I didn¡¯t care about them. They were probably rotten, so I hated them. Until they did anything else, I¡¯d always hate them. No. I''ll always despise them. Nothing could change my mind. Nothing will change my mind.


    But Remy... I hate her most of all. She¡¯s called me out to kill 77 times in the 157 days we¡¯ve been here. The largest group numbered 44. The smallest 11. All in all, I¡¯ve ended over 2,000 lives.


    But some were innocent. They had to be unless Meruria imported criminals from other countries. Remy and Meruria couldn''t keep their word. You had to assume they spoke nothing but lies.


    And this was my sin to hold. My curse to bear. I... wanted to die. If I wasn¡¯t so sure Meruria wouldn¡¯t find a way to bring me back alive to terrorize me after death, I probably would¡¯ve fallen down the massive abyss that opened below me after I used [Hurricane].


    But dying would mean leaving my friends alone. I love them. And they love me.


    But...


    It still feels like there¡¯s two people inside me. One believed defending Shuuta was the morally correct choice.


    The other hated everything she stood for. She hated Shuuta, despised her weakness, and knew everything that had befallen her only came around because she foolishly spoke against her summoner.


    She was filled with regret. And she wanted nothing more than to...just scream it at the top of her lungs. But this Quella only emerged when it was time to kill.


    I¡¯m in a dark place. I really am. I don¡¯t even know how I¡¯m surviving this long.


    A common trope in my beloved books often had the protagonist come face to face with their darker, evil side to further grow. It was a requirement for character development¡ªto show that they were learning from their mistakes.


    But...


    I mean, I¡¯m not a protagonist. Yes, I¡¯m powerful. [Hurricane] took a mere 13% of my mana, but...


    I¡¯m...just so tired. So very, very tired. Elly¡¯s looking at me funny, so I¡¯ll end it here. I hope things get better, Diary. I really do...


    I hide it well. If I keep everything restricted to the other Quella, this Quella can harbor an innocent mind about not needing to call for a Rule 1 or use Rule 2.


    Yes, it¡¯s deceptive, but...


    What else can I do?


    Being with my friends... It kept the other Quella away. Yes, the smile I wear is fake. It would probably be false until the day I die... I¡¯d smile out of genuine happiness to rid myself of this awful world.


    I can¡¯t wait to die... I really can¡¯t... I hope it¡¯s soon. I don¡¯t even care how it happens... Just let me die.


    I closed my diary and stretched, offering a ¡®friendly¡¯ smile to Elly, who sat back-to-back against Keeth. The campfire¡¯s flames were warm on this chilly evening.


    I should¡¯ve written in my diary the first night after leaving the desert, but I didn¡¯t find the inspiration.


    A day later is better than ignoring it...


    ¡°Hey, Qutie, look at this!¡± Elly proudly held up a sketchbook she had been using, and she showed me... ¡°It¡¯s you! It¡¯s cool, isn¡¯t it? See the sandstorm?¡±


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Hehe! No prob! Hey, I¡¯ll draw the rest of us next time.¡±


    But before I could say anything...


    Disaster struck in the form of a voice that spoke from the heavens.


    A limit placed on the world has been broken. Repeat: a limit placed on the world has been broken. All those who have achieved an evolutionary level of Lord or higher now have access to the power of [Conferment]. Repeat: all those who have achieved an evolutionary level of Lord or higher now have access to the power of [Conferment].


    The [Conferment] notice left us bewildered and unsure.


    We had no idea what was going on. For a moment, we thought we imagined it. A voice from the sky... This world had things only found in fiction, but that was hard to believe.


    What if it...was the voice of a god? Or some other divine? Just what was happening?!


    Everyone stopped what they were doing and quickly packed up the camp after I gave the order. What we couldn¡¯t neatly stow away was thrown into Mary¡¯s storage monster.


    And then we waited for Remy.


    Logic dictated that Junsa¡¯s¡ªno, Cridia¡¯s citizens were panicking. There would probably be riots. Or maybe a neighboring country would panic and attack another country, believing them responsible. I wouldn''t even rule out a false flag attack to take advantage of the chaos.


    Anything could happen.


    But Remy never came to pick us up. She was absent when morning arrived.


    With no other choice, we started running towards Junsa, traveling nonstop. The people we passed by were scared out of their minds during the first day, but the discomfort and nervousness vanished by the third. We asked why, and they said if the voice was preluding an invasion or something else, and nothing had happened, their lord must¡¯ve protected them. CHeCk for new stories on no/v/el/bin(.)c0m


    ¡°Can that be true?¡± Greggie asked, jogging beside me. He kept pace in his heavy armor, sword, and shield, only appearing partially out of breath. There was a thick layer of muscle beneath his fat. He was looking exceptionally well.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to know. Just keep up the pace.¡± I wanted to use [Temporary Flight], but a few of us couldn¡¯t handle the wings. It¡¯d slow us down in the long run, so we needed to work on that.


    We had reached Junsa Forest and chose to run straight through it instead of following the windy path. It was paved and safer, but it snaked around the forest and would¡¯ve taken us longer.


    As we approached the town an hour later, the ramparts were filled with guards. The skies had knights riding hippogriffs. With their sharp eyes, they immediately had us surrounded.


    I told them my name, and they escorted us to Meruria¡¯s church, where we found her in the primary worship room.


    Of course, Remy was with her.


    ¡°You¡¯re late. I¡¯m very disappointed.¡±


    ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be pissed at Remy? She left us. We ran all the way back, you know. But I guess it was for nothing because the world¡¯s not ending. No one¡¯s attacking. I haven¡¯t seen any riots, smoke, or chaos.¡±


    ¡°You can thank my soldiers and your fellow Soul Warriors. Tokko and Mia handled it all without a problem. While I cannot say the same for our neighbors to the north and west, Cridia has not received a report of a single casualty resulting from the event. Aren¡¯t you proud?¡±


    ¡°I guess. Suppose we didn¡¯t need to rush.¡±


    ¡°Ah, but that¡¯s where you¡¯re wrong.¡± I raised my eyebrows. ¡°How much of a coincidence it is that I can use this moment to celebrate two momentous occasions. Someone important and dear to me is returning to Junsa, and I will throw him the most lavish ball Cridia has ever seen. And it will celebrate our strength and unity¡ªfor emerging through this unheard-of event with strength and determination¡ªferocity and tenacity. I shall proclaim that I have mastered this new ability.¡±


    She went on to say that all Soul Warriors were required to attend. It was to be held in the church''s largest, most expensive ballroom. Its doors were only unlocked once or twice a year.


    If all Soul Warriors are coming back... That means Will... He¡¯ll be here if he''s still alive. Are Greggie and Keeth ready to see him again? Am I?


    Meruria said Elly and Melusine were going to be the entertainment. They were to come up with songs and dances that would dazzle everyone.


    A new type of fear had taken over...


    It was probably what the twins had suggested. Remy and Meruria had organized everything to railroad me into feeling this way. And I couldn¡¯t see it...


    Lori and Ann comforted me. They said acknowledgment was the first step. It would be scary. The twins knew what I felt, but they said they would support me if I continued to foster the potential they saw in me.


    But the nightmares still arrived.


    I called for a Rule 1 after breakfast the next morning...and revealed what I should¡¯ve declared over 140 days ago.


    Elly was displeased. She called me a selfish brat before raising a hand, but she suddenly stopped herself after I flinched and instead threw her arms around me.


    ¡°I can''t believe you, you stupid, dumb head!¡± Elly''s voice broke through the moment, her frustration evident. "Keeping everything locked in like you''re the only one who can handle it. We''re a team, idiot!"


    Mary¡¯s face saddened because she didn¡¯t even realize I was holding so much in. But it wasn¡¯t her fault. It was mine. But they wouldn¡¯t hear any more of it. My friends swarmed around me.


    We hugged it out. We truly had a Rule 1 and let our deepest worries out.


    I...learned I wasn¡¯t the only one with potential regrets...


    Elly had them...


    They crept up in Mary¡¯s thoughts.


    Melusine even wished she could¡¯ve done something.


    Greggie and Keeth felt like failures at letting Shuuta die, but they were trying to remain strong.


    We...


    We...needed this.


    I needed this...


    I hated...fostering that other Quella inside of me. Lori said she wouldn''t be destroyed. Now that I had given form to her, she¡¯d always be there, lurking in the darkness¡ªready to accept whatever negative emotions I would throw her way.


    She¡¯d devour them and grow stronger. The resentment would be nurtured like a babe feeding from its mother until it was in control.


    It was up to me to keep her at bay. I couldn¡¯t do it alone¡ªeven attempting that would¡¯ve been too much. That proved how stupid I used to be.


    I could blame it on Meruria and Remy-- it was their fault, but I seriously should¡¯ve been better.


    I was tired of making mistakes and failing the ones I cared about.


    Just what did it say about me that it took the twins for me to see it?


    No. That¡¯s... Just please stop thinking like that, Quella. It¡¯s not needed... Not anymore...


    I looked at Lori and her sister. They fondly smiled my way and mouthed their congratulations and one last piece of advice.


    Be sure to remember the feeling.


    Etch it into your mind.


    And never forget it.


    Those two...


    Without them, this would not have happened. I was so blind to everything that I couldn¡¯t see the forest for the trees. Just...a headstrong brat so determined to make it all about her. A desirable emotion to let the shit continue to pile upon her shoulders until she far exceeded her breaking point.


    By the twelfth day, I was feeling substantially better. Ami and Elly didn¡¯t want me alone after dark, so they developed a plan. I bunked with them one night and then with Mary and Melusine the next. I would then spend time with Keeth and Greggie throughout the day whenever they were available.


    ¡°Everyone needs a little Qutie in their life,¡± Elly had said at breakfast when she told us about it. The bubbly idol was more perceptive to the heart and emotions than others realized. She may have looked like an airhead, but she was an intelligent, beautiful woman.


    But lately, the guys had been leaving at dusk to handle the preparation for the upcoming ball-- on Meruria¡¯s orders, of course. The two rarely returned before morning. And they slept until noon to recover from burning the midnight oil.


    We asked, but they said everything was fine. Meruria wasn¡¯t being bitchy. She hardly showed up. It was just like overnight preparation work they would¡¯ve done in our world.


    Greggie said the normalcy was almost uncomfortable, and Keeth echoed it.


    But they still spent time with me. If their schedules had allowed it, I wanted to share their bed like I did the girls because I trusted the guys. We had fought and survived and created this unbreakable bond. And I regarded them as my brothers. And Mary and the others as my sisters.


    No¡ªmy family... That was what they were.


    There was no one I trusted more than them.


    ¡°So...¡± Elly whispered, slipping into bed in her animal onesies, facing me. The moonlight faintly illuminated her soft blue hair. Ami was behind me, with her hands wrapped around my stomach¡ªElly said her cousin couldn¡¯t sleep without holding onto something. Her touch was welcomed. It was...more proof that I had valiant comrades to count on. ¡°I was thinking...we can have a big sleepover once this ball¡¯s behind us.¡±


    ¡°With everyone?¡± I whispered back, trying not to wake Ami.


    ¡°Yeppers. Me, you, Mary, Melly, Keeth, Ami, and Greggie. We can push the beds together and have a mega sleepover. I mean, you¡¯re still having the nightmares, right?¡±


    I didn¡¯t answer. They knew about the night terrors, but I didn¡¯t know how to stop them. I felt like shit because they shouldn¡¯t be there¡ªit said a lot that I didn¡¯t want to recognize.


    Suddenly, Elly lightly popped me on the nose and said I couldn''t think like that anymore.


    ¡°I¡¯m still a little mad,¡± Elly whispered, my fingers gently betwixt her soft hands. ¡°But... I understand you. I know...you¡¯ve always had a lot on your shoulders, but know that I love you, Qutie. Ami does. Keeth does. We all do. We¡¯re all we have in this awful world, and...¡±


    Her words made the emotions blossoming in my chest tight. How could I not shed even more tears at hearing that? Elly almost regretted speaking, but she hugged me tightly.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re sorry. It¡¯s okay to be sorry. Remember what I said?¡± Her voice was like a guiding light in the darkness. I...was afraid that I¡¯d be forever lost if I stopped hearing it, so I even ceased breathing to ensure I understood every word. ¡°We all have those thoughts inside of us. Even me. And it hurts to acknowledge that part of you since you don¡¯t want it to be true. But it is true. We aren¡¯t perfect,¡± she continued. ¡°Sometimes... We regret what we shouldn¡¯t regret. Those thoughts cross our minds because we aren¡¯t meant to be perfect. Deluding ourselves to think we¡¯re better than we are... That road leads to agony.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°But nothing, Qutie. Stop trying to be perfect. Stop trying to be this superwoman. You¡¯re our leader, but you¡¯re still just a girl. The world¡¯s too heavy for your shoulders. And I know you know this. Melly and Mary talked to you last night. But you need to hear it because you are loved. You really are.¡±


    ¡°... I love you, too. And Ami...¡± The tears wouldn¡¯t stop.


    I softly sobbed into Elly¡¯s chest as she rubbed my back.


    ¡°I wished I would¡¯ve done this earlier... I wished I wouldn¡¯t have waited so long...¡±


    ¡°I know you do. But hey, you¡¯re doing it now. It¡¯s better late than never, so... Let it all out, Qutie. Just let it out. We¡¯ll get through this world together. We¡¯ll survive... We won¡¯t let this stop us, okay?¡±


    I didn¡¯t know when I fell asleep. Or even when I stopped crying.


    But I knew the nightmares continued. Elly¡¯s sweet words did little to kill them.


    Remy appeared before lunch the following morning and reminded us about the deadline. She also took our sizes for the dresses Meruria wanted us to wear for the upcoming ball three days from now. She didn¡¯t try to strip us naked and take the measurements by force.


    She didn¡¯t even try to spy on us. It was more than that-- Remy just left and didn''t return for the measurements until later that night. ¡°Oh, yeah... You probably spilled the beans, didn¡¯t you?¡± she asked, yawning. ¡°That¡¯s a damn shame, ya know? I liked having something to hold above that pretty head¡ªto keep you in line. Eh, it was fun while it lasted. I hope you enjoyed being a murderer, Cutie Qutie. Bye bye!¡±


    I knew...that was a possibility. No. It was true. It was impossible for there to have not been innocents.


    And I slaughtered them.


    But I wouldn¡¯t feed Fake Quella if I could help it.


    If I were alone? Yes. I¡¯d give it to her.


    But I wasn¡¯t. I had my loved ones beside me.


    But they couldn¡¯t stop the nightmares that arrived that night.


    The other Quella... The Shadow Quella...


    The dark desires that taunted me so much were even worse than before... That bitch still showed up to torment me in the one place where she reigned supreme. She had conjured the ones I had killed on Remy¡¯s order and sent them to kill me as I ran through that flesh-colored maze.


    I didn¡¯t keep it a secret. I told my friends what I saw when I closed my eyes, and they vowed to help me through it until that awful witch wouldn¡¯t show up.


    But she did the following night, and the night after.


    Greggie and Keeth were free the day before the ball, and the seven of us hung out at our favorite spots, ate our favorite food, and slept together after arranging the room and furniture. But even that...wasn¡¯t enough. I lost track of how many times I screamed myself awake, begging for forgiveness that would never come my way. The dead couldn¡¯t absolve my sins.


    And I couldn¡¯t forgive myself...


    Just how could I?


    And the morning of the ball arrived, with it imparting an ugly, twisted churning that pressed against my stomach, creating knots instead of butterflies.


    I wasn¡¯t ready for whatever Meruria had planned.

 Intermission – Quella – Ominous Prelude – Part Two

    Intermission ¨C Quella ¨C Ominous Prelude ¨C Part Two


    ¡°Qutie, I can¡¯t balance on these thingies,¡± Ami wined, holding onto my arm. She hated heels, and it didn¡¯t help that Meruria had picked out a strapless black dress that was too short on purpose.


    I didn¡¯t much care for the hip split on the crimson one she chose for me. Mary, though, wore hers without any reservations. It was an emerald-clasped one-shoulder dress. It sparkled with the pearls she was ordered to wear around her neck.


    We had just walked into the grand ballroom after being escorted by Remy. The suit-wearing bitch said her goodbyes after catcalling us. Greggie, Keeth, Elly, and Melusine had left at noon because they had to prepare.


    The ballroom was packed with noblemen and women trying to coerce and sweet talk the others into backhanded deals.


    Meruria had arranged for a band to play, and melodies of a violin and piano filled the room. Some nobles were already dancing.


    We walked together as a group and did what was ordered of us-- make small talk and pleasant introductions.


    There was Lord Maximus Barkwood, a once dignified and respected Dogfolk known for his unwavering loyalty. One ear was yellow, and the other was orange, but he was finally granted a chance to atone for his family¡¯s past sins after his daughters were given to Shiku to serve as maids.


    Lady Gloria Glacier was also present. Her eldest son and husband had died. Shiku killed the former and Remy the latter after the son had slapped Shiku¡¯s ass and made off-handed, lewd comments. I knew Shiku disliked being called feminine, but his rage got the better of him. Then Meruria didn¡¯t think that was enough and had her husband killed.


    I saw it in her blue eyes... She was scorched with anger and resentment. Her expression said otherwise, but I knew her deep feelings. It probably killed her to be present. Meruria once ordered Elly to sing at her place for a week straight.


    Count Oliver Ravenshaw, a Ravenfolk with a penchant for diplomacy, waved us over. We had once met him before leaving for the Cridian Desert for his child¡¯s birthday party. His son had heard of a Crystal Fairy and desperately wished to see one. He was four years old, so even without an order from Meruria, Melusine said she would¡¯ve still attended to grant the child¡¯s wish ¡°Ah, Lady Quella, Lady Ami, and Lady Mary. Your otherworldly beauty is as charming as it always is.¡±


    ¡°Your words are too kind,¡± I said. ¡°I see your feathers are looking as wondrous as always. Has the advice I imparted from my world worked?¡±


    ¡°Oh, it most definitely has, my lady. My wife can¡¯t keep her hands off them anymore. Hahaha!¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful, Count Ravenshaw. If I recall, you were attempting to try for a second child? I¡¯ll pray for your success.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re much too kind, my lady. Ah, allow me to thank you for taking care of the sandstorm. Lord Meruria has gushed about your accomplishments every time you and your team return from a mission. Truly, Cridia is made safer with Soul Warriors such as yourself, Lord Tokko, and Lady Mia. Ah, I see Marquess Thornehill has just entered. Please excuse me.¡± Ravenshaw nodded and walked over to speak with a man with a mole-like face.


    I was about to head that way, but then...he walked in.


    It was someone I hadn¡¯t seen in almost six months...


    Will Penmark.


    I last saw him at the dinner held less than 20 hours after Shuuta was sacrificed. Back then, a stick had more definition than him.


    But he was muscular. He was taller, and Will looked defined and regal, like a proper count or marquis. Even the suit was made from something more expensive than our lavish dresses, yet he wasn¡¯t alone.


    A woman with obsidian-black skin followed behind him. The demon wore a risque? dress with a plunging neckline, nearly allowing her breasts to flop out. Two brown-haired women held his arms and escorted him. Will looked my way and smiled, sending shivers down my spine.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this a nice surprise? Quella? Ms. Mary? Ami? It¡¯s been far too long,¡± he said when he walked over.


    ¡°A surprise? I suppose it is. You¡¯ve been doing well for yourself.¡±


    ¡°More than well.¡±


    ¡°Will, who are these women? When did you become a demon summoner?¡± Mary asked. for new novels


    Will explained [Mathematical Deduction], [Arithmetic Incantation], and [Summoning Magic: Demonic Calculus], skills he had acquired while working for Lord Meruria. They enabled him to use math to solve the secrets of this world¡ªalmost akin to reverse engineering. He had to solve equations to cast magic, and Will eventually worked out the mechanics behind summoning magic. Two weeks later, he conjured Lilith, his first demon. But she wasn¡¯t his only one. The others were back home--in his estate located in his duchy.


    ¡°Wait, your duchy? I¡¯m confused.¡±


    ¡°This ball was thrown in my honor, after all. Lord Meruria trusted me with important tasks, and now that they are complete, I¡¯ve been welcomed as Duke Will Penmark Fairchild, overseer of the Fairchild Duchy to the west. The woman to my left is my wife, Elara, and this is my daughter, Lana.¡±


    ¡°Daughter?!¡± I blurted.


    ¡°By marriage, of course.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to meet you, ladies.¡± Elara bowed and offered a smile. Her daughter did the same.


    ¡°Lilith.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Lord Fairchild?¡± The demon spoke with honor. Her black heels clacked against the floor as she walked around him.


    ¡°Could you get us some drinks? Why don¡¯t we talk at the table? There''s one over there.¡±


    The demon walked away, and we followed Will, although it wasn¡¯t by choice.


    If I had to guess, he was drunk off power. Maybe Meruria said or did something that...made him yearn for it even more. That was a common trope in my fantasy books, so...


    Yeah, that was probably it.


    He had all the telltale signs.


    ¡°So, why don¡¯t you catch me up?¡± he asked after sitting.


    He was probably one of Meruria¡¯s favorites. Knowing her, having him be the one that betrayed Shuuta and turned sides probably did it. Or maybe he calculated a risk and wondered if a rotten woman like her would like a decision like that?


    It didn¡¯t matter, I suppose.


    I acted amicably to keep the peace. It would be a mistake to cause a scene.


    Will silently listened while Lilith returned. She sat the tray of drinks on the table and stood behind her summoner.


    Ami grabbed my hand and turned me away from Will. Mary told me that my feelings were valid. She felt angry herself and felt like crying.


    Team Salim soon arrived, with Shiku sporting a fancy suit. Laika and Leika¡ªhis maids¡ªwere attending the ball as his dates, and they wore dresses matching their ear color. Benedict was there¡ªalone, looking upset while rubbing his cufflinks.


    Renata¡¯s probably asleep still. I hope she wakes up soon.


    We approached and chatted with them. Salim looked handsome in his suit and tie and meticulously groomed beard. I hadn¡¯t spent much time with him, but I knew he was popular with the ladies. But he had a family he had left behind when he was summoned, and his heart forever remained with them.


    Salim was the sole survivor from two generations ago, summoned 120 years before us.


    There were four members left of the last generation.


    And we hadn¡¯t met them, but we knew they were working with our weaker classmates. Meruria didn¡¯t let us do much since we were always working. They''d probably show up. We were all ordered to attend.


    The twins attracted the gazes of men and women when they strolled into the ballroom. Ann wore a perfectly tailored suit, and Lori rocked a flashy, revealing dress. They held hands and immediately walked towards us.


    ¡°It appears Lord Meruria spared no expense, sister,¡± said Lori.


    ¡°It does not. I am happy to be here as your date,¡± replied Ann. ¡°Let us enjoy the amenities provided and make this night one to remember, sister.¡±


    ¡°Mmm... Let us do just that, sister. Shiku, your companion. How is Renata?¡± Lori asked. He said she still wasn¡¯t awake. Ann turned to me and inquired about my status, and I just had to thank her and her sister again for helping me.


    ¡°Qutie, do you think Nelly¡¯s going to show up?¡± asked Ami.


    ¡°I hope,¡± I replied, changing the subject to Lord Enele. ¡°It feels like it¡¯s been ages since we¡¯ve last seen him.¡±


    ¡°And I miss¡ª¡± Suddenly, there was a murmur happening near the dance floor. It interrupted Ami, so we investigated it.


    A dazzling light was collecting itself in the middle of the dance floor. When it exploded with bright, colorful particles, music began to play. The room darkened as Elly and Melusine took the stage, dressed in idol outfits that flashed intensely with the color of wind and ice. They danced their hearts out, singing a chosen song representing the struggle Soul Warriors endured when coming from another world. It was filled with twists and turns that supposedly mimicked our problems, though over 80% of it was manufactured bullshit.


    Or bullshit organized by the bitch who summoned us.


    When the song ended, the ballroom graciously applauded, but it wasn¡¯t the kind Elly enjoyed.


    More light filled the room, and Meruria descended like an angel.


    She landed softly, spread her arms wide, and welcomed everyone to the most exciting ball of the year. She spoke about bullshit I knew she didn¡¯t care about, but Meruria ended it by introducing Will, a Soul Warrior she said was near and dear to her heart, as the new Duke of Fairchild.


    There was applause when he walked to join Meruria. She hyped him up. Tokko and Mia were here. They were in the corner, observing things¡ªdressed in a black suit with a red flower and a white dress with sparkling heels. Damon was also present. I had just seen him enter with three women hanging off his arms out of the corner of my eye. Those three were the same ones I¡¯d seen hug him when we were summoned.


    I was surprised Meruria hadn¡¯t sent him to bug us at the mansion. Maybe that was a silver lining in all of this.


    Carter was probably using his drones from another room or something.


    But the other members of our class were also present. I barely recognized them. They were like extras an author had plans for, but the almighty writer forgot about them because they weren¡¯t vital to the plot. How ironic they were reduced to mere mentions in this world when they had stood at the top in our reality? I wondered if it was the same for our predecessors? If those four were here, they didn¡¯t stand out. So, Meruria would have the trash train the trash.


    Maybe they¡¯ll all die soon?


    Would I get that lucky?


    I still can¡¯t stop thinking about murder and death. I need another Rule 1 to help me get away from this mindset. I sighed. This night can¡¯t end quickly enough. Just how long is this going to last?


    I saw movement in the back and realized it was Greggie and the other chefs when Meruria¡¯s speech was nearing its end. They were pushing carts of hors d''oeuvres full of food I wouldn¡¯t exactly call ¡®proper¡¯ for a ball like this, but they were, admittedly, exotic to those who didn¡¯t know about them. They¡¯d probably set them next to the drinks before returning to the kitchen to finish the main dishes.


    Keeth appeared a few seconds later and set up a workshop in the room¡¯s corner. The table was lined with baskets of sapphires, rubies, and other expensive jewels. His hands would probably be pressed to the limit tonight. I hoped we still had that lotion Elly used on him the last time.


    But then...


    There...


    I felt a distinctive buzzing. My nerves sounded alarm bells. Using [Mana Perception], I saw an unholy glob of pure magical energy concentrating at Meruria¡¯s feet.


    And when I switched the skill off...


    It was entirely visible to the naked eye.


    Instinctually, I knew it was a bomb...


    The old me... The one who didn¡¯t talk to Lori and Ann would¡¯ve hesitated.


    That Quella... That faker I harbored within... The one I threw my wayward emotions towards because I didn¡¯t want to feel them...


    What if she had only had enough soul energy to save her friends and not herself?


    The power coalescing would be enough to kill her outright, and she¡¯d be gone from this world.


    That...Quella would¡¯ve been fine with meeting her end here.


    And she probably would¡¯ve...just done nothing after ensuring her friends would survive. She¡¯d selfishly leave them behind to deal with the aftermath. She¡¯d be smiling because she wouldn¡¯t have to live in this cruel world.


    But that Quella wasn¡¯t here!


    And I would never let her return!


    [SOUL BARRIER]!¡± I screamed, summoning my soul weapon. The protective shield powered by my soul energy swarmed around my friends and me as I targeted us...before the mana at Meruria¡¯s feet exploded skyward.

 Intermission – Consequences of Chaos

    Intermission ¨C Consequences of Chaos


    Holy Lord Meruria''s serene church was once a towering symbol of faith with magnificent spires, but it now lay shattered against the smoky sky. Its grandeur reduced to a haunting silhouette, the ancient stones crumbled, their intricate carvings distorted and lost in the chaos. Instead of tranquility, an eerie stillness hung heavy in the air like an encroaching wave of darkness.


    As the cataclysm unfolded, the spell''s raw power surged through the church''s walls, cracking them with a thunderous force. Unrestrained magical energy consumed surrounding structures with a gluttonous appetite. Sturdy homes quivered under the weight of this destructive surge, and their foundations weakened as the compacted mana was skyward bound.


    The spell reached its zenith in a blinding flash, culminating in a cataclysmic explosion tearing through the city''s fabric¡ªmaking the dead of night appear as it was high noon. The shockwave reverberated, smashing windows and leaving cracks in the remaining structures, marking the essence of the city''s shattered soul.


    Rain of crystallized mana descended like ethereal wrath, each fragment a deadly meteorite colliding with the ground. Buildings crumbled under the assault; their proud facades were reduced to debris. Streets, once vibrant, lay desolate, strewn with remnants of lost lives.


    Twisted metal and rubble littered the thoroughfares, a macabre dance of destruction frozen in time. Broken glass and stone reflected the eerie glow of residual magic, casting shadows that whispered secrets of lost enchantments. A surreal haze mingled with cries of panic and despair, embracing the city in haunting sorrow.


    Fires, ignited by the volatile mix of magical energies and earthly materials, spread like insatiable beasts. Flames danced hungrily, reducing once-majestic buildings to skeletal remains. Pillars of dark smoke rose, obscuring the sun''s futile attempt to pierce the devastation. The cityscape became a labyrinth of ash and soot, carried by desolate winds, where lost lives lingered.


    A young boy struggled to rise to his feet in a district to the north. His weakened body trembled with each labored breath, his lungs filling with dust, smoke, the scent of the dead, and despair. He tried to use an arm that wasn¡¯t there, a cruel reminder of what had just occurred upon the city.


    Yet he was an innocent bystander¡ªsomeone who was in the wrong place at the wrong time.


    With great struggle, the mortally wounded boy fought against the pain and stood, unaware that he had less than ten minutes left to live. Yet...


    He still pushed on. With discomfort, he limped out of the ruined structure that threatened to be his tome, seeing first-hand the destruction.


    He stumbled through the debris, doing his best to step over those lucky enough to die from the initial impact. The smell and scent of death hunt thickly, making it more difficult to breathe. Every corner he took revealed more devastation and chaos. Buildings were reduced to mere skeletons of their former selves, and those halfway standing were haunted by screams of the damned. Mothers cried for their sons, fathers for their daughters, and this little boy...who found the strength fading from his tired, achy legs...


    ¡°Mommy...¡± His voice was less of a whisper than a dying cat¡¯s meow. Even the sharpest elf wouldn¡¯t have heard his teary voice.


    ¡°Mommy... Where are you...?¡±


    The boy doubled over and vomited blood. An iron taste stained his lips, although his liquid crimson quenched his parched throat...


    ¡°Mommy... I¡¯m scared...¡±


    The boy rubbed his eyes. For a quick moment, he...thought he saw her. The corpse-filled streets looked like normal. He saw his friend, Jasmine, waving while waiting. She always dressed like a boy and loved to play rough. And over there was the shop that sold his favorite bread. Tommy¡¯s father owned it. He gave the boy stale bread for free, and the boy always rushed home to give it to his mother, who cared for his younger sister.


    That was right... The boy had a sister... She was just born a few days ago. The boy and his mother were lucky enough to see a beautiful blue-haired girl sing in the middle of the street a week before that miracle. Her voice was enchanting and lovely, and her name...


    Elly...


    His mother repeated it twice as they walked home, hand in hand, hearing her happy, impressionable son sing the happy-sounding lyrics. She thought that was a pretty name. Perhaps the Soul Warrior they looked up to wouldn¡¯t mind if she used it to name her daughter after her?


    The boy was too young to understand an expression that was all too common in Elly¡¯s world¡ªthat life flashed before your eyes when you were dying. Those saying was the cornerstone of the song Elly had sung.


    But he...didn¡¯t understand it. He¡¯d never understand it.


    But... When he blinked once more, he was home. The one-room house didn¡¯t have a kitchen. The stains plastering the floors and walls smelled when it was too humid, but it had his mother, whom he loved dearly. She held his baby sister in her arms. Jasmine was near her, smiling brightly at her future sister-in-law.


    ¡°Mommy!!¡± The boy¡¯s voice grew four times louder. He ran and ran and ran, yet no matter how much he pushed his legs...


    What he saw wasn¡¯t real.


    The boy...was on the brink of death.


    Everything he thought he had experienced since standing up...didn¡¯t play out. It had all been in his mind. The boy spent his last moments inside Jasmine¡¯s house, unable¡ªperhaps unwilling to notice that the bisected corpse next to him belonged to his closest friend when he collapsed after his legs buckled on him.


    Perhaps it was a stroke of luck¡ªmaybe you could call it mercy-- but the boy¡¯s body persevered just long enough for the imaginary happiness he found in his mind to overcome the indomitable gap and jump into his mother¡¯s arms before...his life came to a tragic end.


    ¡°If you were skilled enough, you wouldn¡¯t be an apprentice. Ysolo¡¯s husband opened his shop yesterday--¡±


    ¡°I TOLD YOU TO STOP COMPARING ME TO HIM!¡± He struck his wife across the face, and she charged with a punch. Their anger had grown so much that their children left their minds.


    However... If they had held control of their emotions, they would¡¯ve heard a small, passionate cry for help emanating just fifteen feet away. The two idiots were close to their home, yet...


    Because of their inaction, they¡¯d eventually find their twin boys hugging their grandmother, who had perished in the first few minutes of the chaos.


    However, the two would¡¯ve been too late, as the blood in their bodies had started to boil, ripping through the skin.


    The spell that brought Cridia to ruin?


    It was more than a spell meant for destruction. It was focused on brutality. For some, it made its victims burn. Others? They were frozen. The effects varied, but all focused on dealing as much damage as possible.


    So, perhaps it was a blessing that the parents arrived after they had passed away? Yet it wasn¡¯t, because the moment the mother screamed until blood dripped down her throat...


    She had lost the spark to live. And she used the sharp rock resting at her feet to end her life. And her husband soon followed her to the grave. There, he hoped to experience just one last hug. And maybe he¡¯d have the chance to tell his darling mother how sorry he was that he turned out to be just like his father.


    In the grand forests to the west, near the entrance to the Fairchild Duchy, a pair of disguised warriors used scrying magic to perceive what was happening inside the ball Lord Meruria had advertised for weeks.


    The two had commands from their Holy Lord to set off a spell he had devised. It was filled to the brim with a sickening poison from the Spirit Realm¡ªthe very kind the Holy Lord had lost multiple organs from.


    But those dangerous times had hardened his will, and the Holy Lord mastered the deadly corrosive miasma.


    And when the time was right...


    When Lord Meruria descended from the stage...


    They pulled the ¡®trigger¡¯ and set off the magic circle they had spent so long preparing...


    But...


    There wasn¡¯t supposed to be an explosion.


    The pillar of mana that rose into the sky and fired off large meteorites of crystalized mana...


    That wasn¡¯t the plan.


    A sea of hazy miasma was to spread from the epicenter and kill everyone within the ballroom because that was where the poison would be concentrated the most.


    But none of that happened.


    The destruction wasn¡¯t supposed to be that widespread. The Soul Warriors gulped audibly and feared for the immediate future.


    Was the plan changed without them knowing?


    Did they have a traitor in the midst?


    It was one thing to have a localized strike on their enemy, but to...inflict this carnage and chaos upon a city? They watched the smoke corrupt the starry skies before doubling their efforts to get away.


    Regardless of the truth...


    The Western Continent was about to be forever changed.

 Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit – Part One

    Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit ¨C Part One


    The Clone!Bird persistently conveyed its message throughout the night, an insistent reminder of the horrors committed. It sought to etch the dreadful deeds into memory, loudly and irritably, like a relentless itch. Yet, this was just the prologue.


    At 3:54 AM¡ªmerely six hours ago¡ªTris came off cooldown, marking the true beginning of my plan. She used a dozen clones and efficiently indexed the entire city in an hour. It was rough on me¡ªI teetered at the brink of biomass and mana exhaustion. My body was seriously a few short minutes away from consuming itself, and it would have had I not had a few clones dedicated to eating fish in the port.


    But the struggle was over. This whole city...was now my playground.


    And it was all thanks to Tris. She utilized rats, birds, bugs, and dogs to infiltrate every nook and cranny of the city, including Gregory¡¯s mansion.


    But there was something else. Before evolving, Tris was limited. A book or document had to be in our storage to analyze and learn its contents.


    Now?


    Merely targeting anything written with [Deduction] downloaded everything it contained to her databanks. After evolving, analyzing information was faster than ever.


    A 1,000-page tome took two seconds to devour.


    And if something was inside a lockbox or behind a series of seals designed to prevent scrying magic? Or if a book was protected by powerful magic that prevented someone from grabbing it?


    So what. [Skyview] couldn¡¯t be stopped by that sort of child¡¯s play.


    [SkyView] had a passive ¡®scanning¡¯ range of about 10-15 feet, so everything within was automatically indexed. And that truly meant everything. That safe hidden inside a concrete block behind a painting in Gregory¡¯s mansion? Tris merely targeted the diary it held and learned his deepest, darkest secrets without needing to drill or melt into it.


    Even if that was required, it wouldn¡¯t have been a problem.


    "What?! Gregory Atrix has a son?!" exclaimed Verdant at the breakfast table as I casually revealed the first shard of information.


    "That¡¯s correct," I responded, sipping my coffee. "His name is Ayroix, but he doesn¡¯t know that. He thinks of himself as an orphan. Gregory believes that Ayroix is dead. Years ago, he sent an assassin to kill him and his adoptive father upon learning about him, but only the latter died. I don''t know how it happened, but Ayroix survived without his father knowing.


    Verdant, bewildered, questioned how I discovered this. "I told you. I excel in information gathering. No one can hide from me. And I mean no one,¡± I replied, stressing the last two words. ¡°Consider the city an open book that only I can access. I¡¯ve confirmed Ayroix¡¯s existence with my wooden puppets. And to make it easier... Here.¡±


    A dozen folders manifested from seemingly nowhere after I waved my hand across the table. ¡°Don¡¯t be shy.¡± I chuckled. ¡°Go on. They won¡¯t bite. Look at them.¡± I waited for Verdant and the others to grab them before continuing. Kull was hesitant. That fear in his eyes...


    He feared me. He tried to hide it, but he knew I perceived it. Why else would he glance away shamefully?


    ¡°These hold the next month¡¯s guard patrols, shipments, meetings, deliveries, and more. Everything you need to strike is held within them, including summarizations of Gregory¡¯s journals. You¡¯ll also find an organized list of Atrix¡¯s military forces, including a rather extensive rundown of their levels. Oh, and a rough measurement of their strengths and weaknesses and battle plans they¡¯ve used in the past ten years.¡±


    The others were silent as they looked through them.


    ¡°Oh, and this is for your affirmation...¡± I played my flute as Tris made a [Skyview] window for the others. It showed a clone¡ªa wooden puppet¡ªinside Gregory¡¯s bedroom, sitting at his office table, flipping through his diary. ¡°Notice the words. And the handwriting. See? There. It mentions his son and how he was told by Ayroix¡¯s mother that she wasn¡¯t pregnant. In his own words, and I quote, ¡®the life of a whore matters less than the worth of a stray dog. Now? I must extinguish the life out of that bastard kid.¡¯ I don¡¯t know who or what he used, but I don¡¯t think it matters much since that entry was written years ago.¡±


    Their jaws dropped more until Kull mentioned what everyone else was thinking, his voice quivering and cracking. ¡°Mila, if you¡¯re capable of this, why not kill Lord Atrix? You could end¡ª¡±


    ¡°it won¡¯t be enough,¡± I replied. ¡°Think of the power vacuum Gregory''s death would cause if he suddenly dies. The sole way to solve the issue would be for the people to revolt and fight for themselves. We must merely lend a guiding hand from the shadows. ¡° All lies, of course. I could easily take Lord Atrix¡¯s place and broker a peace deal. I could¡¯ve solved this in an hour.


    But I couldn¡¯t do that.


    The rebellion needed to happen.


    I needed the life force.


    Kull shook his shocked face away after I asked about elections. ¡°By tradition, a child inherits rulership from their parents. The leader of a city-state is akin to a king. Their word is law.¡± I asked what would happen if, for example, everyone with Gregory¡¯s blood was assassinated. ¡°A Heptarchis would be called in Orchta. The Wisefolk would convene and perform a ritual to grant a chosen successor blood of Atrix¡¯s Vestige. It¡¯s the same with the other city-states.¡±


    Okay, that was interesting.


    ¡°Is there a way to prove Ayroix is Gregory¡¯s son?¡± I asked. ¡°Undeniable proof that cannot be ignored? The journal is one thing, but it may not be enough.¡±


    A Mousefolk with orange whiskers answered. ¡°The Wisefolk have a ritual,¡± they said. ¡°It can detect if a person has the blood of a Vestige in their body.¡±


    It felt like this whole country was a giant, seven-section cult. But whatever. It didn¡¯t really bother me.


    We just needed to make Ayroix the cornerstone of the revolution. He worked as an apprentice at a blacksmithing shop located near the harbor. As of now, the orange-eyed teenager with orange glasses worked over an anvil, hammering away at a sword he needed to make for a customer. He was none-the-wiser about his true heritage.


    ¡°It¡¯ll be a delicate balance,¡± I said. ¡°I cannot do everything, but I¡¯ll do what I can. It¡¯s up to you to convince Ayroix of his birth and understand that he can lead the rebellion, and I¡¯ll continue to my instigation. General Blackthorn and Guildmaster Thornbrook hate each other.¡± I threw two journals on the table. ¡°They each have a specific section of the military loyal to them. The general obviously has more, but Guildmaster Thornbrook has a detachment loyal to her via money.¡±


    I told them the rest of the plan. With the information I¡¯d brought back, Verdant¡¯s spies were responsible for sneaking into the military offices, registration buildings, warehouses, and the docks to cause damage. I gave them ten boxes filled with firesalt bombs. And these had a metal pin to have them act like grenades. I showed them what to do with a dummy Tris had made for this very moment.


    ¡°It¡¯s a strange device. I never knew safety features could be instilled into these things.¡±


    ¡°Because it¡¯s difficult to do,¡± I told Kull. I saw him shake one up and down, causing Margie to smack him silly. I told her these wouldn''t explode unless the pin was pulled. And then, you¡¯d have 5 seconds to throw them.


    Perhaps they thought it was the end of the meeting since everyone started to move. ¡°But there is one more thing.¡± My words made the spies sit down. ¡°During my investigation, I found mention of a group that, according to General Blackthorn, and I quote¡ª¡®A unit of protective savants only loyal to the ground enshrining the city-state of Atrix.¡¯ Do you know anything? I didn¡¯t find anything in Gregory¡¯s notes.¡±


    It was like I spoke another language. Margie and the others shared confused glances. ¡°That¡¯s...the first we¡¯ve heard of it.¡±


    ¡°Is there any secret group I should know about? Rumors? Whispers? I must know even the smallest crumble."


    ¡°Well, there¡¯s the Citrine Reapers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡±


    Margie finished Kull¡¯s statement. ¡°They¡¯re rumors. Ghosts-- a group of mad soldiers who don¡¯t exist. We¡¯ve tried and failed to get proof of their existence, but we only have musings in the dirt and whispers in the shadows.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡± I listened as the dwarf explained that the Citrine Reapers were only loyal to one man.


    Gregory Atrix.


    ¡°They say the final test is to kill your family. But there¡¯s a mysterious glyph etched into their bodies that the others can feel.¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Kull added. ¡°It¡¯s supposed to be of a scythe or something? Does that help? Like we said, we aren¡¯t sure if they¡¯re real. Or if they¡¯re rumors spread by Lord Atrix to keep his men in line. Like¡ª¡®Follow my orders, or the Citrine Reapers will have your head!¡¯ kinda deal. Hmm? Mila?¡±


    I ignored Kull and let Tris focus. Her sweet voice echoed around my mind after forty-five seconds of silence.


    That is what I needed, my lord. I have searched for those above Lv. 50 with etchings or tattoos masked by magic, then further deduced that list by seeing if they have any living relatives within the city.


    Like... A DNA test?


    Indeed! Tris was probably pridefully puffing out her chest and said a person¡¯s mana signature was unique, but family members shared a core aspect. Irisa, Mom, and Dad¡¯s mana emerged from the same ¡®root,¡¯ so to speak, which was another way of ¡®fingerprinting¡¯ someone since everyone¡¯s mana was unique to themselves. Those similarities were engrained in Erin¡¯s, Irisa¡¯s, and Dad¡¯s mana.


    But this meant Tris had yet another excellent ability that worked with my ability to see mana¡ªtracking someone by their magic¡¯s key signature.


    Which would be helpful if I didn¡¯t have [Skyview]. It didn¡¯t seem like anyone or anything could stop it¡ªbut it was nice to have backup options in my back pocket.


    ¡°Hello...? Uhh... I think we lost her? Or is¡ª¡±


    ¡°Well... The Citrine Reapers aren¡¯t so hidden anymore.¡± I grinned and grabbed my flute. ¡°I don¡¯t know how many members there are, but fifteen are within the city. The weakest us Lv. 34, and the strongest¡ªthe commander¡ªis Lv. 57.¡±


    I''ll consider them Atrix¡¯s version of the United States''s Secret Service.


    ¡°What?! But¡ªHow¡ªI don¡¯t¡ª¡± the Mousefolk exclaimed, stuttering like a chugging train. I played my flute to mask Tris displaying a map window of a group of twelve soldiers standing outside Gregory¡¯s office¡ªthree were inside with the man himself¡ªalthough they weren¡¯t speaking--merely watching while he wrote a letter.


    These fifteen mysterious¡ªwell, not so much as mysterious as previously unknown and unremarkable¡ªweren¡¯t present earlier when Tris was snooping around Gregory¡¯s estate. They were otherwise unremarkable in almost every way, which explained why Tris¡¯s initial search skipped them over.


    ¡°These are the Citrine Reapers,¡± I said. ¡°Notice the glowing symbol on their cheeks. It¡¯s a magical epitaph merely shaped to look like a scythe. It reads, ''In the shadow of the reaper''s blade, eternal allegiance to the land of Atrix, the undying beacon of our loyalty.'' I¡¯m merely using illusion magic to show you what my wooden puppet sees. You see... I have one pretending to be a tile of the ceiling. That pesky magic cladding the vow of loyalty from being seen? It¡¯s merely child¡¯s play and nothing I can¡¯t remove.¡±


    I¡¯ve done another search for just that epitaph, and yes, I can confirm that there are fifteen members. Altering the query for additional variations yields no other results, and I¡¯ve tried 442.


    ¡°Wow... Just...¡± Margie and the other spies were...speechless.


    ¡°Oh, but there¡¯s more. I¡¯ve analyzed the Citrine Reapers¡¯ mana signatures and preliminarily searched throughout the town for any similarities. Guess what I found.¡±


    ¡°I...feel like there¡¯s no right answer, Mila.¡±


    I sighed. ¡°The least you can do is play along, Kull. But I discovered relatives. Specifically¡ªmothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and grandparents. Do you know what this means?¡±


    ¡°That the rumors are bullshit?¡± Kull answered correctly.


    ¡°Indeed. A hundred points for you.¡± Additional investigation with [Skyview] and [Deduction] on certain houses and buildings led Tris to one conclusion. ¡°The Citrine Reapers are a legitimate force. They¡¯re weak in my eyes, but they¡¯re powerful and worth their salt if you remove me from the equation. But they aren¡¯t a group that must kill their family to proclaim their undying loyalty. They must instead die.¡±


    ¡°But... Ah, I see. The group faked their deaths?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. The Citrine Reapers let their loved ones believe they¡¯ve passed onto the afterlife to dedicate their entire being to protecting Atrix. But their loyalty isn¡¯t with Little Gregory. No. It¡¯s to defend the land. It¡¯s to ensure Atrix¡ªthe city-state, not the person¡ªwill continue to thrive."


    ¡°Is there...nothing you don¡¯t know?¡± asked an orange Hedgehogfolk. She rarely spoke and preferred to be quiet.


    ¡°Many things. I merely have a talent for information gathering. Nothing is more powerful in war than the flow of knowledge. What use is grand, overwhelming power if your opponents know your every little move? The tortoise can beat the hare if it is sufficiently prepared. But heed my words. Little Gregory made his life''s biggest mistake when he aimed his foolish ambitions at Plymoise. The ones I love are there, and he put them in harm¡¯s way. And he must pay for that. But it will be the people who take his head. Our goal is to guide them in the right direction. Is that understood?¡±


    Assimilating then... That couldn¡¯t happen, but Tris had convinced Lady Plymoise to dig a mass grave¡ªwith Surtr¡¯s help¡ªto dump the fallen Atrixian soldiers. They were waiting for me to slurp up.


    The dead soldiers from Plymoise were different. They had individual graves, but Tris said it would take me about 3 hours to hit up the gravesites. It wasn¡¯t anything I couldn¡¯t handle on a still, quiet night.


    So, I had way more life force and SP waiting for me back in the city. I had 12k SP left, and I stood to gain much more from here.


    It was almost too much. But I could dish out that SP to Niva and Tilde. And Sekh, too, when she returned. Now that I could manually learn skills, spells, and techniques, SP wasn¡¯t that vital, but it still deserved some importance.


    Life force, though¡ªthat was another story. I needed so goddamn much of it that it wasn¡¯t even funny.


    As all this happened in the noble district, I was in my room at the hideout, watching the chaos unfold as Tris beautifully manipulated everything with my clones.


    But my hands wouldn''t remain clean.


    The madness in the noble quarters was just a prelude...to what we had planned for Gregory Atrix¡¯s downfall.


    When it was midnight, I slipped away from the hideout and transfigured into a bird. I flew around the city under darkness''s cover. Cid the Clone was still speaking with Ayroix at his house. But they were also surrounded by a group of passionate rebels tired of this city. However, no one but Cid knew Ayroix was Lord Atrix¡¯s son.


    The torch needed to be lit before it could be passed, however. Cid and Verdant¡¯s spies followed Tris'' precise instructions to nurse the rebellious flame in his heart. You couldn¡¯t rush it.


    When it came to this, you needed to make your target believe in himself¡ªthat this was what he was made to do¡ªthat this was his destiny.


    I looked over at the harbors and saw flames spreading amongst the docks. Those guard patrol schedules came in handy for Kull and his team to do more damage. We didn¡¯t need to kill. We only needed to instill fear.


    But it didn¡¯t matter if a few Atrixian soldiers died.


    Where were the elusive Citrine Reapers while this chaos was happening, someone might ask?


    Why, they were standing guard outside Little Gregory¡¯s office because, throughout the day, threatening missives had somehow ...spontaneously appeared on his desk.


    Just how in the world did that happen? He certainly didn¡¯t know.


    The threats detailed a lion surrounded by demonic hell flames would come for the city.


    The leader of the Citrine Reapers¡ªa wrinkled, middle-aged man with long orange hair that flowed like watery amber¡ªhad nearly begged Gregory for permission to leave. He passionately proclaimed his vow to protect the city, but it merely earned him a punch across the cheek that, admittedly, hurt Gregory more than the unit¡¯s leader.


    The coward valued his life more than the lives of others. Additional arguments broke out, and it ended with the unit¡¯s leader being threatened with execution for treason.


    Either way, it didn¡¯t matter much since Verdant and her spies were ending the operation for the night. The fires would be extinguished within the next thirty minutes, and things would ¡®relativity¡¯ calm down.


    Tris, keep them occupied. Two or three more letters should work. Once I¡¯m finished here, we can move on to the next stage.


    Understood, my lord. Shall I have Surtr prepare himself?


    Yes.


    After changing course, I took a path over the noble quarters. Each mansion had a unit of guards standing outside. The heads of each important family were having a meeting. Insults and threats about the day¡¯s events were thrown at each other. It never came close to violence, but most were pissed off at the chief justice for allowing this to happen...


    And what about General Blackthorn and Guildmaster Thornbrook?


    I was about to handle that. Tris and I knew it was too soon for there to be a war between the two, but I could always stroke the fire and stress the already tight tension they shared.


    Soaring high above Guildmaster Thornbrook''s estate, I beheld the imposing walls adorned with intricate ironwork, mirroring the twisted nature of its resident. The gilded thorns of the ornate gates welcomed those brave enough to enter. The cobblestone path led to the weathered main entrance, guarded by sinuously shaped hedges. The opulent mansion''s polished sandstone walls reflected sunlight while grotesque gargoyles silently warned of the darkness within. I explored the grand foyer through its spotless windows, marveling at the moonlight''s dance on the marble floor. In the backyard, a meticulously manicured garden maze of trimmed hedges and towering trees concealed hints of decadence¡ªa seductive facade hiding darker intentions belonging to its owner.


    My lord, I see that you¡¯ve arrived. Don''t worry. Everything else is going according to our plan.


    That¡¯s good to hear.


    I switched from being a small bird to assuming the form of a guard loyal to Guildmaster Thornbrook. They were identified by a particular symbol that otherwise looked very ordinary. The armor was created by transfiguring slime.


    I stood and stretched my legs because this body was different. My biomass and mana were draining at a slightly accelerated rate, but it wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. I just had to kill someone and wear their armor.


    Can you summon my Soul Weapon?


    I can. I¡¯m forbidden from dealing damage, but I can fire it. Why do you ask?


    I planned to transfigure the snake boss¡¯s fangs from the Hershire Valley dungeon onto the barrel of Tilde¡¯s revolver and use it as a melee weapon to earn Soul Weapon EXP.


    Tilde is still awake, so I¡¯ve explained it to her. She wishes you a careful journey, my lord. But could you retrieve Reina¡¯s pistol for a moment?


    I did as she asked, and...


    New Skill: [Soul Weapon Copy]


    The Beretta 92FS is now available to use.


    A basic version of Reina¡¯s Scorpion¡¯s Bite appeared floating.


    I held the Beretta 92FS, a classic semi-automatic handgun with a sleek design. Its full-sized frame made of sturdy steel gave it a reassuring weight. The front and rear serrations on the slide added a touch of style to its appearance. Its double-action/single-action trigger system offered rapid follow-up bullets and precise initial shots. And it held a modest 15 rounds of 9mm ammo.


    The fixed sights provided a clear view, but some models had adjustable rails for improved accuracy. It didn¡¯t have any crimson cherry wood grip like Reina''s gun. Nor was it polished to an unhealthy degree.


    It was so beautiful...


    If you acquire a weapon of the same type as your Soul Weapon, it becomes unlocked in the Soul Weapon Evolution System. I didn¡¯t know that until Tilde told me.


    I¡¯d never have even thought about it.


    Tilde sends her love, my lord.


    Tell I love her too. And you, Tris.


    My heart becomes warm at your words, my lord. I shall be watching you.


    I stashed Reina¡¯s gun in my mana and attached the snake boss¡¯s fangs to my 92FS.


    ¡°You¡¯re a sharp little thing, aren¡¯t you?¡± I quietly asked, piercing my finger. Since a Soul Was an extension of my soul, it only made sense it acted as a part of my body.


    The grass beneath my false dark boots crumbled as I walked around the maze.


    It felt weird.


    I made my way to the start of the maze and saw a man flipping a coin between his fingers. My map obviously had everyone appearing as a red blip. By a rough account, the place had 144 people. Approximately 44 were soldiers. The rest were butlers or maids. Seemed odd, but maybe Guildmaster Thornbrook was so sure of herself.


    ¡°Huh? Taking a piss? There¡¯s something about doing it outside, right?¡± The man yawned. ¡°What''s wrong? Tired? Got the shits?¡±


    I killed him in the blink of an eye.


    I didn¡¯t feel bad, though. The men here were enemies. And I was protecting my family. They could curse Gregory, Guildmaster Thornbrook, General Blackthorn, and the others in hell.


    After assimilating the corpse, I transfigured into him and wore his armor before walking through the unlocked doors. The guildmaster¡¯s room was on the top floor.


    I didn¡¯t come here to kill her. I worked through the lavish mansion, grossed out by what she would spend her wealth on. The guards in my way died. I often snuck behind and slit their throats, flooded their mouths with my slime while freezing it to subzero temperatures, or broke their necks.


    I unlocked a new skill called [Workshop] on my 16th kill. Invoking it showed me my list of guns and attachments I could add to them. But my firearms needed to be used to unlock the add-ons.


    Any progress was retroactive, though, so I slotted a 2x scope on my rifle. Revolvers didn¡¯t usually have silencers, but my 92FS did. I selected it. It flashed brightly, and there it was...


    I quickly tested it by barging into a room and sending a Clone!Bird far away. It transfigured into me, summoned the gun, and fired six shots...


    And it was totally silent. My clone¡¯s sharp ears couldn¡¯t hear a damn thing. The bullet seemed to lose all potential after forty feet, but it was perfect for sneaking missions.


    Canceling the clone, I had an easier time ascending the next two floors, where I killed six more with shots to the head. The drain on my soul energy wasn¡¯t minuscule, but Tris worked hard to make me ammo.


    It¡¯s a good thing Gretchen made good on her promise and delivered the first batch of those supplies yesterday morning.


    The first 15 bullets are in [Void Storage].


    I ejected the mag, loaded it, slid it in, and readied a round. In just that short time, Tris had more ammo ready. She worked on crafting additional magazines.


    I still didn¡¯t want to rely on soul energy because it was limited. I¡¯d needed to grow it much more before I was comfortable with it.


    After continuing my subtle, murderous ascent...


    I was at the door.

 Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit – Part Two

    Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit ¨C Part Two


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    ¡°What is it? I am not to be disturbed!¡±


    ¡°It concerns the attack on the noble quarters, my lady! New information has come to light!¡± I hated how my disguised voice sounded. Mila¡¯s was royal and queenly, and this was raspy and coarse, like broken glass.


    ¡°And?! What is it?!¡± The door flew open to reveal a woman dressed in a nightgown. Guildmaster Thornbrook''s optical tentacles stretched wide, although she had regular orange eyes. She looked like a middle-aged woman¡ªexcept fluid leaked from her liver-spotted pores, making her appear slimy and wet.


    The Slugfolks in Aetos Village had the lower body of a slug. She''s different from them, so I wonder if she¡¯s a halfbreed?


    I forced my way in and filled her mouth with my gun.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to shut up and listen to what I have to say. I¡¯m a friend. I¡¯m here to help you. Don¡¯t trust General Blackthorn. The bastard is in cahoots with the chief justice. The general delivered the firesalt bombs personally.¡± Yes, the general and the chief justice had a meeting today. I¡¯d watched it myself, but it was just about business. But Guildmaster Thornbrook didn¡¯t know what they were talking about. Her mind thought it was related to the attack on the noble quarters since it happened simultaneously.


    ¡°The general wishes to blame the failures of his army on someone else. That''s why they want to pin it on you. You hold a monopoly over the mines that supply the general with ore he uses to make his weapons and ships. He¡¯s going to use that to defraud you. In other words, he wants you out of the picture. But I don¡¯t. I need you to remain in control.¡±


    I didn¡¯t. That was all a lie. But I fleshed out the narrative more by saying information only would know. For example, a journal Tris had copied said the guildmaster was having trouble closing a deal with Terokai for establishing a series of checkpoints between them. On a base level, Tris couldn''t compare to the guildmaster in debating economy. But what about after she digested a dozen books hidden within the guildmaster''s library? Our wealth of tactics and knowledge expanded tenfold, and she crunched the numbers and solved the logistic issue using the noted supplies penned in the journal''s corner.


    ¡°Do you understand?¡±


    The merchant nodded.


    ¡°Good. The powers that I serve are out of your breadth. I come from a place where there is much money to be made¡ªmoney only made possible by you. And I know you want it. And I know you desire it. Follow my orders, and you¡¯ll have more wealth than you know what to do with. Trust me. Your life is at stake. We wouldn''t be talking if I desired your death. You need me if you wish to survive before the end of the month, and I don''t wish to kill you.¡±


    That was how you did it. You needed fast persuasion to get the correct response out of someone. You needed to make the target feel important. Guildmaster Thornbrook valued her life more than anyone.


    She nodded again. I smiled and removed the gun. If she screamed? That was fine.


    But no.


    She remained quiet. The Slugfolk looked at me with four eyes.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return within the week. Until then, do not trust General Blackthorn or the chief justice. Pretend, then turn your back on them. Of course, you¡¯re free to do the opposite if you wish. If that happens, you''re going to die. Ignore this conversation if that''s what you want. And not a word of this to Lord Atrix. His...unit must remain secretive. I assumed you understand?¡±


    She nodded slowly, her eyes becoming wider by the moment.


    ¡°Good. You¡¯re a smart one, so keep at it. And we¡¯ll be watching...every little thing you do. Go against these orders, and I¡¯ll use your corpse as an explicit warning. The future of Atrix is at stake, and we shall stop at nothing to see it thrive for many centuries left to come.¡±


    I left before she had a chance to reply. I ran down the hall and jumped through the window, transforming into a bird while flying away. Tris said our first target had dropped to her knees and soiled herself from fright.


    I¡¯ll continue to watch her, my lord.


    Okay.


    The first part was done, and it was time to pay the general a visit.


    I flew to his estate and did what I had done before at Guildmaster Thornbrook¡¯s mansion, only I took the form of a random soldier in the military.


    The general was more reserved. He was on guard from the moment I entered. And he was ''strong'' at Lv. 64. I could win, but using force wasn¡¯t the play, so I did something else while he held a sword to my neck, letting it taste my lifeblood.


    ¡°Your eyes are tired, general. I imagine you haven''t rested more than two hours in the past week.¡±


    ¡°Surely you didn¡¯t break into my home to state the obvious. How do I know you¡¯re not here to kill my family? Why should I allow you to breathe?¡± We stood in the hallway. Luckily, there were no soldiers on this floor.


    ¡°Not at all, general. I¡¯m a friend. An ally. I don¡¯t wish you to travel down this path.¡± I felt his sword dig deeper. General Blackthorn narrowed his eyes. His hands were wrinkled, yet he was still robust. He was once an accomplished fighter and mercenary.


    "You see, General Blackthorn, not long ago, Lord Atrix praised your meticulous planning for the lightning-quick assault on Plymoise. You had it all worked out, every detail scrutinized by the sharpest minds to ensure no flaws were left unchecked. Contracts were awarded, orders dispatched, and conspiracies woven. But alas..."


    It¡¯s processing as we speak. Ah, about the other thing... Are you sure you don¡¯t wish to make your presence known?


    Is it a good idea to be known as the orchestrator behind this rebellion?


    I believe it is. The High Elf of Liberation¡ªa woman instrumental in toppling the militaristic regimen of Atrix while defending Plymoise from defeat... The moniker will be beneficial. The benefits may not appear immediately, but they will in due time.


    What about Vredi? Do I leave it out of it?


    Yes.. But if your full name has leaked, those with sharp minds will realize the High Elf of Liberation''s identity. But it is worth it, I think.


    I''ll trust your judgement. Find a way to organically spread those rumors.


    I had one more stop before moving on to the night''s final act. Tris opened a [Skyview] window and showed me a ruined office. Little Gregory had lost it. Bottles, books, chairs, and anything else that wasn¡¯t nailed down had been violently tossed and ravaged, broken by a man teetering with conspiratorial madness.


    The letters Tris had delivered kept getting more specific¡ªto the point that they intimately detailed what he had done in the past twenty to thirty minutes. He was being watched, but he didn¡¯t know where. And that infuriated him so much.


    Chief Justice Darkfeather¡¯s estate¡ªmy second-to-last destination¡ª was located some distance away. Atrix was deceptively big. The city was probably 4x bigger than Plymoise, and it held more people.


    But my overall plan was to pit the three against each other. And when the rebellion started, General Blackthorn would naturally ally himself with Ayroix¡¯s rebellion since Blackthorn loved the city. That much was evident in his heartfelt journal. And I¡¯ve seen the way he treated his wife and child. He truly loved them, which was more than what I could say for any of the other two jackasses.


    But the chief justice had no spine. Darkfeather had made so many backhanded deals that he believed I was coming to make one-- earlier, Tris had sent a little letter via a clone foreshadowing my arrival-- the coward pissed and shit himself in his robe while anxiously awaiting me. If someone could slip a letter in his locked room without alerting his guards...


    Then, it was probably a good idea to listen to the threatening words demanding him not to make a scene and to patiently wait for the letter''s author to arrive. Then again, it had only arrived five short minutes before I ominously knocked at his door. I swore I heard his heart skip a dozen beats.


    He probably had the ''scariest'' force out of all of them. The people stationed in the noble quarters were loyal to him because of his blackmail, and they were only challenging because he had their wealth at his disposal. Darkfeather believed the note had come from a noble''s assassin since he had ''failed'' to protect them from the earlier attack on the noble barracks. They were, after all, under his ''protection,'' but that didn''t amount to shit. I used that fear and made Darkfeather fearful of the guildmaster and general. A coward like him was so easy to mold to your whims...


    I even told him I would solve the terrorist attack on the noble quarters for him, which I did via a clone that had broken off. It was easy to convince a room full of snobbish nobles. They were so used to being pampered that it took a few well-placed compliments to make them believe the Guildmaster Thornbrook and General Blackthorn were responsible. But retaliation wouldn''t happen-- not so soon, after all. The clone convinced them that a retaliatory strike would happen once the circumstances were just right.


    Before I departed the chief justice¡¯s estate, I told him what I had mentioned to the other two¡ªthat the ¡®group¡¯ I represented desired to see the city thrive. And it needed an iron talon of justice to see it through.


    You know¡ªto stroke his shitty ego for a little bit and gently ease him into what I needed him to be.


    I closed the door and left through the window, soaring high in the dark skies as an eagle with orange feathers.


    But the night wasn¡¯t yet over. It had been enduring. It felt like an impossible puzzle with four conflicting genres, but Tris poured through the data and couldn¡¯t find anything egregiously wrong.


    Of course, there were improvements to be made. The script wasn¡¯t perfect. And some things with Ayroix could¡¯ve been altered to convince him more easily.


    Now, the potential problem...


    The missing soldiers at the estates I visited.


    Well, that was on purpose. I didn¡¯t want to leave any bodies, but missing people? That was enough to further add truth to my words.


    Seriously, having the powers of a chimera was frightening. Their potential was infinite. But Tris helped a ton.


    But it wasn¡¯t time to rest yet.


    We still had to rake the coals and burn them blisteringly hot.


    And for that to happen...


    I needed to play a few more tricks...


    Only then would this inexhaustible night end, but that did not mean the end of this grand plan.


    It needed many days to fully mature, and we were still in the beginning.

 Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit – Part Three

    Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit ¨C Part Three


    I arrived at the chosen location fifteen minutes after leaving the chief justice¡¯s estate.


    The grassy plain was open, and there weren¡¯t that many trees. Even better, a crystal known as a coordinate sapphire was hidden underneath the ground. One of Gregory¡¯s precious Citrine Reapers was a mage who could warp himself and his allies to these beacons. Tris had found ten of them placed around the city and its immediate surroundings, but there were at least twenty more spread across the city-state.


    But how did I find them if I didn¡¯t have this spot indexed?


    Observing the ebb and flow of mana.


    These coordinate sapphires emitted magical energy unique to the mage they were assigned to. You couldn¡¯t see these mana waves unless your [Mana Perception] was a high enough level. You also had to attune your magical abilities to the crystals. So, they were like a relic or artifact vital to the Citrine¡¯s Reapers¡¯ navigational prowess¡ªthe one way they could get around a city-state in the blink of an eye.


    But Tris ignored those limitations. She had first used [Deduction] on the mage, then analyzed his unique mana signature, discovered the waves being emitted, and then tracked them as I soared high above the city as an eagle. She cross-referenced the wispy mana trails with a few maps she had found, then suggested this spot as tonight¡¯s finale.


    I didn¡¯t have the surrounding countryside indexed, but the maps helped. The inaccurate data would be replaced when I traveled the rest of the city-state.


    But the plan was set¡ªI still had a clone bug within Gregory¡¯s office, which I used to drop those threatening letters he¡¯d been getting all day. And it seemed like it was about to get a very...lion-like promotion.


    All I had to do was allow my Fragment of Wisdom to take the reins. For the first part, at least. If it worked the way we planned, I¡¯d be the supporting star of the second half, with a lion playing the role of the leading man before giving the role back to me.


    Please... Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show, my lord!


    Tris opened a [Skyview] window, revealing Gregory''s office. It was in disarray, with broken chairs and shattered desks scattered across the floor. Gregory, leaning against the wall, had bloodshot eyes, and nervous sweat soaked his brow, accentuating the chaotic scene around him. He looked like a total mess amidst the wreckage of his own tantrum.


    The room outside held the fifteen members of the Citrine Reapers. One of them, Lysander¡ªthe leader¡ªand the one Gregory had punched, looked outside the window with clenched fists and gritted teeth.


    If there was...anyone I could get through... It would probably be him. The idea, and most promising path, was to convince the group that Gregory wasn¡¯t worth it. But if they weren¡¯t going to listen to my reason, I had no qualms about killing and replacing them. Surtr alone was more than enough to take them out simultaneously.


    ¡°This...¡± Lysander sighed and ran his hands through his long, flowing orange hair before stressfully rubbing his wrinkled forehead. The harbor wasn¡¯t on fire anymore. It hadn¡¯t been for about forty-five minutes, but I wondered if he thought he could¡¯ve fixed the issue sooner if Gregory had given the order to sortie.


    I had backup plans if that happened. Verdant and the others would¡¯ve received orders via my ¡®light show illumination magic¡¯ if something unexpected had arisen.


    ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you like this before, commander,¡± said a bald mage. He wore a loose robe with orange crystals embedded in the sleeves. ¡°How¡¯s your face? Are you hurt?¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m fine. Lord Atrix can¡¯t hurt me. Not physically, mind¡ª¡±


    ¡°AAAHHHHHHHH!!!!¡± A horrendous scream suddenly erupted as a crashing noise originated from Gregory¡¯s office. Lysander charged and kicked down the door, drawing his sword and shield.


    And there... Hovering just outside the wall that had melted... Staring at a man with soiled britches, with eyes fiercer than the most violent volcano...


    ¡°The demonic lion?! Here?!¡± Lysander roared. He jumped in front of Gregory and raised his shield. The mage waved his robes, and the jewels flashed a bright orange as a dozen watery greatswords appeared near him. They launched like rockets, flying blisteringly fast, yet it amounted to a paltry amount of steam.


    The aquatic projectiles didn¡¯t come close to hitting Clone!Surtr.


    And the other four magic-wielders began chanting support magic as the rest readied their arrows. The archers'' quivers were enveloped in ice and earth¡ªenchantment magic. A heartbeat later, they drew and fired a quick barrage using [Rapid Shoot] and [Projectile Multiplication], but the pathetic attempt utterly failed. The


    The clone ¡®pulsed¡¯ its flames, and everyone recoiled.


    Well, everyone except Lysander, who held resolutely. He kept his shield raised. The grit in his eyes could rival sandpaper.


    I¡¯m using our waypoints to ¡®paint¡¯ the scene. Anyone from a distance would see the side of the estate and nothing else, my lord.


    ¡°What¡¯s...with this heat?! It¡¯s...¡± The bald mage grunted through the discomfort and waved his sleeves again, recanting the chant for [Water Barrier]. It wasn¡¯t strong enough, but the clone lowered its calefaction simultaneously to make it seem convincing.


    ¡°Is this too much for you?¡± A deep voice growled from the clone as it bared its fangs. ¡°Gregory Atrix, architect of failed invasions, your ambitions have crumbled like the ruins of ancient empires. Plymoise remains unyielding, a fortress against your futile designs. Your drakes fell victim to my fangs. Your hippogriffs trembled before my mighty flames! And your soldiers... Your...weak, pathetic, meager soldiers that you sent on a death mission... Their deaths are on your hands, little one.¡±


    Gregory couldn¡¯t move. He was too stunned to even breathe.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you regretting your choice? Do you wish you could go back in time and prevent the invasion? How naive are you, Little Gregory? You remain here in your estate like the coward you are. Your legacy will be nothing. You will be nothing. There is but one fate befitting you. Death, Little Gregory¡ªa man who does not deserve to rule over a land as beautiful as this. That is where your journey will end. Oh, but it won¡¯t be now. It won¡¯t be tomorrow. I will strike you down at a time of my choosing, and you will forever live in constant fear until that day arrives. Oh?¡±


    The clone turned its head towards my direction in the far distance.


    ¡°It seems I¡¯m not the only one to come for your head. It seems, Little Gregory, that you have more enemies than I initially assumed. But they won¡¯t take your life. They won¡¯t burn your soul within these hell flames. That honor belongs to me, but I will not fight your battle. Look out towards the moon¡¯s ascent and gaze upon the beam of crystalline light.¡±


    The clone snarled and bared its fangs once more,


    ¡°Or is this a trap I¡¯ve devised to deny you your precious Citrine Reapers... What will it be, Little Gregory, who hides behind his people like a spineless whelp. What will you do? You have received threatening letters throughout the day, have you not?¡± It threw back its head and menacingly laughed as it vanished in a flaming show of nocturnal fire, leaving the rest stunned and perplexed. Gregory needed more than a few seconds to find his voice.


    Lysander cautiously lowered his shield. He grabbed his arm and kept it still when he realized he shook with alarmed trepidation.


    ¡°That¡¯s the power... The one who wiped our drakes and hippogriffs? Who destroyed hundreds of men? The rumors... They¡¯re...¡±


    ¡°I... I don¡¯t give a damn about the rumors!¡± Gregory spat, interrupting the mage. He trembled like a babbling baby and stumbled thrice when fear empowered his unsteady feet. ¡°If that lion¡¯s master¡ª That¡¯s more reason to do your goddamn jobs! Go on! Hurry up! Get out there! Kill whatever¡¯s at that pillar and bring me their heads! You swore to defend me with your lives, did you not? Fucking defend me already!¡±


    Little Gregory was losing it. He rambled like a madman for three more minutes¡ªmaybe hearing himself articulate was how he knew he was alive? He kept stuttering and speaking so fast that he fumbled his words and created sentences that didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± asked one of his archers.


    ¡°We can¡¯t let this stand. That light is near a coordinate sapphire, and we mustn¡¯t lose it,¡± said the mage. ¡°We cannot allow a foreign agent to attune themselves to it and sabotage our network. It would take years to harvest new crystals! And longer to replace them!¡±


    ¡°But this must be a trap. The lion believes us to be fools,¡± added another¡ªa large, burly man with orange tattoos down his arms. He gripped a heavy axe that shimmered orange. ¡°Are we going to blindly walk into it?¡±


    ¡°But what if it¡¯s not lying?¡± Lysander finally spoke. ¡°Our enemies are more numerous than most. Many desire to take Lord Atrix¡¯s head, and we cannot downplay any threat. It... It must be investigated. Trap or not, we must go. We cannot allow the citizens to witness it and add more fuel to¡ª"


    ¡°Then go! Stop¡ªstop chattering and act!¡± Goddamn! Gregory was so pathetic I wanted to claw my eyes out. ¡°Hurry up and bring me their heads!¡± he repeated, his desperation highly evident as he interrupted Lysander again. ¡°I can¡¯t die! I have too much to live for! My legacy needs to be engrained within history¡¯s tapestry!¡±


    Those who were prepared to kill should be ready to die in turn. This little bitch wanted to have his cake and eat it too¡ªto sit back and reap all the rewards without putting himself in danger.


    How ironic that I could literally...


    Just end his life without a moment¡¯s notice...


    The dumb bastard didn¡¯t know how close he lived on Death¡¯s edge.


    ¡°Threaten? Where did I say that? I merely named names¡ªnothing else. Your mind assumed something else, so that says more about you than me.¡±


    ¡°What?! But¡ªCommander, we need¡ª¡±


    ¡°To kill me?¡± I pointed at the gnome nursing her knees. ¡°Haven¡¯t you realized it by now? I¡¯m merely playing with you. This isn¡¯t even a challenge! We could fight a thousand days and nights, and I would forever be the victor. I didn¡¯t need to heal her. But I did. Because I don¡¯t want to kill you. I will, but my plan involves you being alive.¡±


    ¡°Heal...? Commander¡ª¡± The mage turned around, and Lysander stood. He lowered the archer¡¯s bow.


    ¡°Our enemy speaks the truth. They didn¡¯t have a reason to heal Rykla.¡± Lysander drew his sword, stabbed it into the ground, and sat.


    ¡°What¡ªwhat the hell are you doing?! You can¡¯t be seriously considering¡ª¡±


    ¡°Look around you, Mikel.¡± Lysander shut the mage up. ¡°We are outclassed. Our enemy has been toying with us.¡±


    ¡°But if we attack together and regroup¡ª The fifteen¡ª¡±


    ¡°Listen to him. Your commander¡¯s wise. He knows further conflict will end in preventable deaths. But... If you wish to press this further... You won¡¯t be fighting me.¡± I gathered a spec of flame around my fist and carelessly threw it into the air. It exploded into a blazing inferno that shot towards the heavens.


    At that moment, the air trembled with an ominous energy, and a thunderous roar echoed through the surroundings.


    But then...from the heart of the searing conflagration came the manifestation of the Dark Lord of Tyranny''s excessive mana given physical form. Surtr¡¯s towering figure alone caused the surrounding air to catch flame. He threw back his head and roared, entrapping us in a vortex of impenetrable black fire. His eyes glowed an intense, piercing crimson as he jumped from nothing, landing beside me as if he didn¡¯t weigh a pound. But the ground quivered beneath his arrival, and his presence emitted an aura of fearful paralysis.


    The Citrine Reapers had never encountered anything like my lion. It took all they had to stand back-to-back¡ªhowever useless such behavior would be.


    They couldn¡¯t dare extinguish his harsh flames.


    ¡°The lion you saw at Little Gregory''s estate was a puppet made from my mana. How does it feel to see the genuine thing?¡± I rubbed Surtr¡¯s chin and ran my fingers through his fur. ¡°Still wish to fight? You should really listen to what I say if you value your lives. And know that it is child¡¯s play to summon him whenever I want. I don¡¯t need to prepare any rituals. Nor do I need to waste time chanting like other mages. My grand lion can show up anywhere...anytime...without a hint of ominous foreboding.¡±


    ¡°Stand down! That¡¯s an order from your commander!¡± Lysander shouted.


    ¡°But commander! Listening¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do not make me repeat myself, Mikel.¡± Lysander¡¯s voice was cold. The bald mage bit his lips and turned away.


    ¡°Good. That¡¯s what I want to hear. Now, do you mind?¡±


    Surtr roared and eliminated the vortex threatening to swallow us. I approached Lysander and sat, but Surtr remained standing. He stood behind me and stared unblinkingly at his potential dinner.


    ¡°Now, was this so difficult? Oh, feel free to speak frankly. Unnecessary pleasantries aren¡¯t required.¡±


    ¡°Can you blame us?¡±


    ¡°No... I suppose I can¡¯t. Part of the fault lies in me for creating a hostile environment, so allow me to offer my forgiveness, Lysander.¡±


    ¡°Since you know my name, can I know yours? It¡¯s only fair, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°Rio,¡± I answered, giving him a fake name. ¡°And yes. Today¡¯s chaos unfolded as per my explicit orders. The events in the noble district? The firebombing at the ports?¡±


    ¡°What about the family? The children who perished? And the bird that flew throughout the night¡ªthe one repeating those grave sins on repeat.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That was me. But before you give me a disgusted look, know that I possess a skill to craft puppets from flames.¡± I gathered some fire in my palm and threw it beside me. It immediately transformed into some random Atrixian citizen¡ªit was like my technique with wooden puppets, except I used fire at the base.


    The same concept, really¡ªjust a different manner of executing it.


    ¡°And illusion magic makes them look real. So, the children that have died thus far have never existed. But I cannot say the same for the soldiers who perished. Their lost lives were genuine. And dare I say that a few in the noble district deserved to burn. They weren¡¯t saints. They weren¡¯t reputable warriors that deserved to die with honor.¡±


    ¡°How dare¡ª¡± A man near the gnome found some courage, but...


    ¡°SILENCE!¡± Surtr roared and flared his flames, instilling another wave of suffocating pressure across the land. His deep voice rumbled throughout their hearts as he showed his fangs.


    ¡°Be more mindful of any interruptions, okay?¡±


    ¡°What is it...that you truly want?¡±


    ¡°I desire revolution. I want the people to rebel against Little Gregory''s madness before his thirst for war leads to the country¡¯s undoing. Look around.¡± I gestured to the left and right. ¡°Ignoring the obvious scorch marks from my lion¡¯s flames, this city-state''s beauty is incomparable. It¡¯s lush, green, vibrant, and beautiful, and I cannot risk it becoming a bed of ash and death.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Lysander remained quiet for a moment.


    ¡°To answer your unasked question... Yes. I can kill Gregory. I had hundreds of opportunities, but I will not create a power vacuum. Plans are already in motion to instill a new ruler¡ªthe rightful heir.¡±


    ¡°Then he still lives? That¡¯s refreshing.¡± Lysander¡¯s soldiers shared shocked expressions as they looked at each other with widened eyes that exposed their confusion.


    ¡°You¡¯re relieved, but you¡¯re not surprised. Explain.¡±


    ¡°It happened the day I became commander. Lord Atrix told me of a threat to his life. I swore to protect this land and...I¡¯m not proud of what I¡¯ve done. It was...murder, and I didn¡¯t know it until after I had Dryke¡¯s blood on my hands. The plan was to throw firesalts in the furnace and blow up his shop, but something felt strange. I couldn¡¯t find the weapons that were said to be there. I searched and discovered a young boy sleeping in his bed, hugging a doll. And I couldn¡¯t finish it. I couldn¡¯t kill a child, so I lied. I framed it as a smithing accident and dug up a burnt corpse from the graveyard. Lord Atrix was drunk when I returned, and he revealed everything in an intoxicated stupor.¡±


    ¡°Yet you still remain loyal to a man who would lie to kill his son?¡±


    ¡°Escaping isn¡¯t easy. I have no wife. I have no children. I have nothing that binds me to this world except my soul, so the oath was painless. But my allies are different. My leaving would transfer any punishment to them. And I couldn¡¯t let them suffer because the sins weighing on my heart were too heavy. I did the deed, and I must live with my actions until the day I draw my last breath fighting for this beautiful land.¡±


    ¡°I see... Interesting... What do you know about Ayroix''s mother?¡±


    ¡°Only that Lord Atrix took her life out of rage when she refused to give up Ayroix¡¯s location. The reapers weren¡¯t involved, and I wasn¡¯t aware of that incident until his drunken rambling.¡±


    ¡°Who else knows?¡±


    ¡°Only me. Lord Atrix doesn¡¯t remember most of that night. Word of it has refrained from escaping my lips until this moment. I¡¯m unsure how you discovered him, but you¡¯re clearly working with information we can¡¯t access.¡±


    ¡°Well, Lysander...¡± I stared him down. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the opportunity you¡¯ve been waiting for? Obey my instructions, and revolution will happen. The people will rise against Gregory¡¯s oppressive ways through their own hands¡ªafter finding their own strength¡ªafter realizing that they can make a better future for themselves, their children, and their children¡¯s children. Atrix doesn¡¯t need to keep its war-mongering reputation. It does not have to be defined by sins of the past.¡±


    ¡°And you¡¯re suggesting Atrix¡¯s atonement is only possible if it follows you?¡±


    ¡°Not necessarily. Maybe there¡¯s a silver lining in this... Perhaps it¡¯ll happen with or without me, but I am the closest thing you have for this to be achievable in your lifetime. Oh?¡± I looked past Lysander and onto his soldiers¡¯ faces. ¡°I sense some discomfort. Please, let your worries be known far and wide. I¡¯ll allow you to speak.¡± I stood and stretched. ¡°A decision like this cannot be made lightly. But know this. You ¡®died¡¯ and left your previous lives behind to serve a man who would throw you to the wayside to save his own skin. Don¡¯t try to deny it. I¡¯ve had eyes on Little Gregory for longer than you think, and I know how he treats you like disposable pawns.¡±

 Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit – Part Four (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit ¨C Part Four (Illustrations!)


    ¡°Commander...¡± The mage¡¯s voice quivered like glass under pressure, barely containing his rage. ¡°Surely... You¡¯re not thinking of going against our creed...¡± An archer and another soldier echoed similar statements as Lysander stood. He turned around and approached.


    I merely sat back and watched the deliberation unfold. Loyalty to Atrix clashed with the unsettling truth¡ªthat Little Gregory would throw them away the moment it meant he¡¯d survive a second longer.


    "Commander, we pledged our lives to defend Atrix, not to entertain the whims of a supposed savior," asserted the mage with a touch of defiance.


    An archer chimed in, her voice carrying the weight of allegiance, "This man speaks of revolution, but how can we be sure he won''t lead us into chaos? We need stability, not reckless change."


    The soldiers exchanged uneasy glances, torn between the ingrained creed they swore to uphold and the tantalizing promise of a better future.


    Nationalism has really been instilled within them, huh? It¡¯s totally cultish. I wonder if Verdant would give up her life for Gretchen if she was a ruthless tyrant?


    I leaned forward, meeting Lysander''s gaze with unwavering intensity. "The choice is yours. The shackles of blind loyalty or the path to genuine change for a better tomorrow. Atrix can rise above its tarnished history, but only if its defenders recognize the need for a new era forged by the people."


    Lysander''s eyes flickered with uncertainty as the weight of responsibility pressed upon him. The murmurs among his soldiers intensified, reflecting the internal struggle within each Reaper. Tradition clashed with the promise of a better tomorrow.


    I stood, addressing them with a calmed authority. "Your loyalty to Atrix is commendable, but blind devotion can be a chain that stifles progress. Consider the fate of those who fought his dangerous war only to be discarded by the man they swore to protect. Need I remind you of Atrix¡¯s method of dealing with failure?¡± I recalled what Verdant had told me¡ªhow soldiers returning from a failed conquest ages ago were killed and hanged for losing. ¡°When you have someone like Captain Max running around... Well, that madman will be the first to carve whoever his ¡®owner¡¯ wants him to.¡±


    A hushed tension filled the air, and Lysander spoke softly, breaking it. He turned around and defiantly stared at my eyes, never breaking contact.


    ¡°¡¯In the shadow of the reaper¡¯s blade, eternal allegiance to the land of Atrix, the undying beacon of our loyalty.¡¯ That is our creed. Our organization was created to safeguard this beautiful land from all threats, yet our true purpose has been lost throughout the years. We weren¡¯t meant to bodyguard our lord¡ªwe were meant to die to ensure the prosperity of our land, even if the two paths crossover.¡±


    ¡°So, I was right. It¡¯s less about loyalty to the man and more about the office and city-state. The differences can be minor, but they are there,¡± I replied. ¡°A sane man would have allowed at least half of you to help the city instead of keeping you locked in his neighboring room to serve as meat shields.¡±


    ¡°That they are, Rio.¡± Lysander turned around and addressed his soldiers. ¡°This is our chance to regain our reason for existence. Throughout the years, Lord Atrix and his family... His ancestors twisted the meaning of our organization to suit their selfish needs."


    Mikel dropped to his knees. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me... Commander! Don¡¯t tell me that...you¡¯re going...¡±


    ¡°My true loyalty has always been with the land. If I thought serving Lord Atrix was the best way to ensure my dream came true... I would refuse. I would fight Rio to the bitter end and face my death, dying as a Son of Atrix¡ªas the wielder of [Guardian of the Atrixian Flame]. But my trust in our lord has always been fickle.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a traitor, commander... A dirty, rotten traitor...¡± Mikel gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He stood as hatred flashed across his strikingly orange eyes.


    ¡°I won¡¯t deny it. But... This land has given me so much¡ªmore than you could imagine.¡± There was a story behind his words. Lysander was a complicated man underneath that wrinkled, middle-aged shell.


    ¡°And just who do you think gave you this land?! We¡¯d have nothing if not for Lord Atrix and his ancestors! We all love this city-state, commander! And we would all die for our motherland to blossom for centuries still yet to come! Yes, things are dire, but is it not the Atrixian way to forever rise from the ashes and come back stronger?!¡± Mikel argued. He pushed Lysander, who didn¡¯t move an inch. Scoffing, the unhappy mage spat his distaste and threw his arms up in resentment.


    ¡°Plymoise will fall! The rebels will be killed. Lord Atrix¡¯s bastard son will face his rightful end! We swore oaths, commander! Oaths we cannot break!¡± An archer growled, stomping the ground twice as he continued to pour into his commander.


    ¡°Ah, allow me to say this. Whatever happens... I¡¯ll protect your families. I won¡¯t allow them to die. And really, I don¡¯t want you to die. I¡¯m not saying that loss is inevitable¡ªit is. I predict the rebellion to be a hard-fought one¡ªbut your loved ones will not come to harm. Perhaps things will look dire, but that¡¯s merely the nature of the beast. But again, I shall safeguard their lives.¡±


    ¡°Shut the hell up!¡± The archer readied his bow and raised it at me. ¡°You can¡¯t be trusted. Nothing you say can ever be worth an ounce of what you want it to be! You¡¯re just a villain! You¡¯re probably from Terokai or Indiko! What guarantee do we have that you won¡¯t turn your armies upon Atrix the moment this ¡®supposed¡¯ revolution has finished.¡±


    ¡°What else can I say other than I have no contact with them?¡±


    ¡°I know your kind...¡± Lightning flashed around Mikel¡¯s arms and gathered at his palms. He had been quietly chanting. ¡°You take, and take, and take. There is always something more... People like you are never satisfied with what you have. You see our lives as playthings¡ªto manipulate as you see fit. You don¡¯t care. You never did. I know you don¡¯t give two shits about our land. You desire the sick thrill of manipulating behind the scenes.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°End your spell, Mikel. That¡¯s an order.¡± Lysander raised his shield. ¡°Don¡¯t do something you¡¯ll regret.¡±


    ¡°Regret?! Commander... You¡¯re the last one who should say that! You took the creed! You bear our most valuable title! No one except you should ever be the [Guardian of the Atrixian Flame]! And now you wish to extinguish the love and pride Atrix has instilled within you?!¡±


    ¡°Are you really going to fight? Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s...kinda foolish?¡± I asked. ¡°You won¡¯t win. You¡¯re throwing away your lives for nothing. Allow me to clarify myself. The rebellion will happen. I shall not let it be stopped. Forces beyond your keen are working around the clock to erase any potential problems that may arise.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Suddenly, the gnome spoke. Rykla gathered her courage and stood, and she looked at her allies. The swirling lightning descending Mikel¡¯s arms never stopped. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die... I don¡¯t want to kill for Lord Atrix anymore. He¡¯s made me...do his dirty work a hundred times. It¡¯s just like what happened to you, commander. Lord Atrix lied to me about a threat and sent me to handle it with my [Shadowmerge]. But there was no threat... Just...innocent people trying to live their lives. But it kept happening...and happening...and happening... When he scouted me, he never told me I¡¯d be forced to do this. And I can¡¯t stop because I know he¡¯ll hurt my family. It...¡± The gnome dropped to her knees and cried. ¡°I wished I¡¯d never join... I hate... I hate Lord Atrix so much! But the thought of going against him... It scares me... I feel my bones quiver, and my throat tightens up...¡±


    ¡°Then join me, Rykla. You will never have to assassinate another soul. You love gardening, don¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°What? How did...¡±


    ¡°Your sister keeps a diary hidden under her bed. Her favorite memory is when you two started a little flower garden in the backyard on the veranda on her 7th birthday. Even now, she tends to it every day without fail. She wants to be a florist, you know. Her room¡¯s decorated with pressed flowers arranged the way you taught her. And you, Mikel. Your son uses your old stave. He¡¯s delving deep into your tomes and has successfully learned to cast [Lightning Spark]. The spell¡¯s weak. But it¡¯s a head start. You were known far and wide as the Thunderlord Avenger before your ¡®death.¡¯ Be happy. He wants to follow in your footsteps.¡±


    I expected Mikel to flash with anger. [Thunderlord¡¯s Wrath] was an install-type skill to coat the user¡¯s body in lightning, granting them various buffs, including short-range teleportation and other lightning-related abilities. It was mana intensive and very draining, so most couldn¡¯t use it for longer than a few minutes.


    But no. Mikel canceled his spell. And one by one, I continued, speaking more about the family the Citrine Reapers left behind after being coerced with false words spoken by a man who didn¡¯t deserve the loyalty he received.


    ¡°Think of the ones you left behind. This is the only way a reunion is possible. Regrets? I know you harbor them. I¡¯ve lost count of how many times I¡¯ve repeated myself, but this is your chance to make amends. It¡¯s to fix a mistake that isn¡¯t your fault. How were you to react when Gregory approached you, using his twisted words to reveal the existence of the Citrine Reapers, and in that same breath, lied to get your loyalty. He¡¯s a crook. He¡¯s someone deserving of death. But it must be symbolic. For this city to thrive in the future, it must be properly reined in by the only man who can do it. Ayroix Atrix must become the savior this city needs. He must become the cornerstone of the rebellion. And once that is done, you can leave this lie. Or you can reforge the Citrine Reapers into what they were meant to be and reclaim their original purpose.¡±


    The group now had new emotions swirling around them. Seeing Mikel sheath his magic went a long way to getting my point across, and the group began conversing amongst themselves for a second time. I leaned against Surtr and watched until Lysander broke rank and approached.


    ¡°You¡¯re the most mysterious of them all,¡± I said as he crossed his arms and stood beside me.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°Really? From my eyes, you¡¯re the unknown one.¡±


    ¡°True, but I mean about you as a person. I have a strong grasp of Mikel and the others from observing their former lives, family, titles, and abilities, but you... Information on the commander of the Citrine Reapers is impossible even for me to find.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re aware of my farming and hunting-related titles?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°And from that, I can assume you love nature. Perhaps even more than an elf, but that¡¯s all.¡±


    ¡°Are you curious, Rio?¡±


    ¡°No. Not particularly. But I want to know why written records of you don''t exist. People don¡¯t realize how much information there is to glean from unrelated sources. A tidbit of knowledge hidden in someone¡¯s journal could be amended to what you discover on the other side of town. If you think of it like a puzzle and find all the pieces, you can work backward to put everything into place.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Information, Lysander... Information reigns supreme in almost all aspects of life. It cannot be underestimated, but there is nothing about you.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but does that have to be you? Or your team? Why not allow the military to handle it?¡±


    ¡°I take it the General Blackthorn is in on it?¡±


    ¡°Take it as you will.¡±


    ¡°Playing coy, huh?¡±


    ¡°A few secrets here and there are good for a friendship.¡±


    ¡°That must go both ways. You know everything about me, and I¡¯m not nai?ve enough to take your name at face value.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Rio is an alter ego I sometimes use," I replied. ¡°But I don¡¯t know everything. I don¡¯t know your mother¡¯s name. Nor do I know that village¡¯s name. And your childhood cabin¡¯s location is a mystery. There¡¯s knowledge that even I don¡¯t possess.¡±


    ¡°I wonder if that¡¯s true.¡±


    "It could be. But I didn''t think you''d be this open about everything."


    "I''m surprised myself," admitted Lysander. "Once I started speaking... I found it hard to stop. I''m not sure why I kept going."


    "That''s a mystery only can solve, but I enjoyed our conversation." I cracked a grin under my helmet. ¡°Oh? It seems like the rest are finished with their deliberation.


    ¡°We¡¯ve talked it over,¡± said Mikel. ¡°And we want to put our trust in you.¡± Rykla wiped her teary eyes. I didn¡¯t know what she endured to learn a powerful ability like [Shadowmerge], but she didn¡¯t want to use it for nefarious purposes.


    ¡°And you will not regret it.¡±


    ¡°But what do we do now? What¡¯s the plan?¡±


    ¡°Well, you can¡¯t return to Little Gregory empty-handed. Why not assuage his fears?¡± I tossed a stray fireball to the ground and produced a mimicked copy of my current appearance¡¯s head.


    ¡°I have a feeling that¡¯s not your true identity,¡± said the commander.


    ¡°Maybe it is. Maybe it isn¡¯t. But take it back and proclaim it belongs to the lion¡¯s summoner.¡±


    Mikel grabbed the severed head and posed another question about the ones who remained behind. ¡°Convincing them is your task,¡± I said. ¡°Consider that your homework. Oh, and while we have this agreement, do not go behind me and try something cute.¡± I tossed fifteen flaming spheres to mask Tris crafting fifteen [Skyview] windows that showed the town. ¡°This city is under the flames of my all-knowing eye. I can see everything and follow everyone and everywhere at any time. And yes, that includes you.¡± The [Skyview] windows¡¯ targets changed to the Citrine Reapers. An archer slowly raised an arm, observing himself from a top-down perspective.


    A round of nervous gulps later, I shattered the tension with a joke about not being a perverted voyeur. ¡°And should I need to contact you, you shall see this.¡±


    Tris wrote fifteen sentences behind me in waypoints masked, altered, and colored to look like flames were leaking from an invisible wound. ¡°You¡¯re all reading something different. This flame-elemental illusion spell can be configured to only be visible to a specific individual or a group of people. We shall not meet again until the chosen day, so please do not panic if you see the skies bleed molten magma.¡±


    ¡°You...can really kill us, can¡¯t you?¡± gulped someone who hadn¡¯t spoken. The woman''s voice was soft like sand.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. It won¡¯t be hard. My lion often fights for me since my true strength is enough to set aflame to the entire city if I¡¯m not careful. But we¡¯ve been over this. I don¡¯t want to kill you. This revolution will leave bodies on the streets. It will not be bloodless.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The soft-spoken girl gulped again and tried to be brave, but those trembling eyes and clenched fists revealed the truth.


    ¡°And with that... I think we¡¯re finished.¡± I canceled the crystalline waypoint. ¡°Little Gregory should stop soiling his breeches, so don¡¯t keep him in suspense for too long.¡±


    ¡°We understand. Stay safe, Rio. I¡¯ll be awaiting further information. Mikel.¡±


    ¡°Got it.¡± The bald mage met my eyes for a moment before he grimaced away. He still felt uncomfortable with me, but that was fine. The others gathered around, and I asked Rykla if she felt any pain as arcane circles etched themselves below their feet. She shook her head and tried to smile, but it was forced.


    Honestly?


    Tris and I didn¡¯t think all fifteen would reciprocate the idea.


    A few would be backstabbers.


    It just seemed inevitable.


    And perhaps I was the villain in this situation. I couldn¡¯t deny how antagonistic I must¡¯ve looked. But that was a problem for the future, and it was time to put this night behind me.


    ¡°Well,¡± I said, holding a hand to Surtr¡¯s chin. ¡°You didn¡¯t get to fight. Sorry about that.¡±


    ¡°It is no problem.¡± Surtr bared his fangs and sat before licking his massive paws. ¡°Showcasing my power and instilling fear was enough, Lord Springfield. Shall I return to Plymoise?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Want me to send you there with [Conferment]?¡±


    ¡°That is not needed.¡± Surtr stretched and stood. ¡°I can make it to the city before dawn. As always, call upon me whenever you need.¡±


    ¡°Got it. Thanks again, big guy.¡± I rubbed his head and watched black flames ignite his feet. Surtr took a running start and leapt high on his powerful legs before galloping across the skies. Sshen snowflakes dropped behind him. Tris marked the inn and shared the waypoint with Surtr. He wouldn¡¯t need it, but Tris enjoyed using her abilities.


    I transformed into a bird and took flight, arriving at the hideout before long. Little Gregory was popping open bottles of his most expensive win and celebrating alone¡ªin private¡ªas the Citrine Reapers returned to their hidden homes and secluded jobs that kept them away from their family.


    They kept looking up, though. And most seemed hesitant to do anything. I mean, I did invade their privacy. The world¡¯s best security system and information analyst always had her eyes on them.


    Maybe I could apologize? When this was all said and done? I¡¯d have to reveal myself as Lyudmila Vredi Springfield eventually.


    Verdant and a few others were up when I entered the hideout.


    ¡°Don¡¯t say it,¡± I said, raising a hand. ¡°I know everything went off without a hitch. Kull and the others are asleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Today was perhaps our most exhausting day. What about you, Mila? We sensed movement from Lord Atrix¡¯s estate. And we¡¯ve heard murmurs of dead and missing soldiers at the guildmaster¡¯s and general¡¯s mansions.¡±


    ¡°The whisperings are true. I did what I must, and the plan is in motion.¡±


    ¡°And the Citrine Reapers?¡±


    ¡°Better than you think,¡± I said, pulling up a chair. I told the spies about our new co-conspirators as Tris readied a detailed report. I¡¯d hand it in tomorrow once we were at the breakfast table.

 Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit – Part Five

    Chapter Eighty-One: Priming The Rebellious Spirit ¨C Part Five


    Over the next month...


    Shit hit the fan. But in a good way.


    Attacks on the harbors, ships, government offices, and other military locations happened daily, but it wasn¡¯t thanks to the guard patrols Tris had acquired. The fools in charge were sharp enough to notice that someone must¡¯ve gotten ahold of the documents, so they implemented a new system.


    Orders concerning the day would be given to the field commanders and unit leaders at midnight via sealed letters in front of their respective captains, and then the notes would be burned in front of them after they were committed to memory.


    But that didn¡¯t do much to stop us because I had a Fragment of Wisdom.


    It did change things, though. When it was time for Verdant¡¯s spies to act, I created five wooden puppet birds and had them sit on their shoulders. The plan was for me to use [Skyview], and the birds would relay specific orders to the spies to warn them of any enemies or other concerns.


    That was an impossible task. Tris was on standby to take over for me, but I wanted to do this because I needed to get better. She said I could always and forever rely on her, but I didn¡¯t want to be a burden without having the independence to handle this much.


    The mana and biomass drain were another concern. Before implementing this tactic, we collected and stole as many mana potions as possible from the city¡¯s guard while obtaining a couple dozen from Lysander¡¯s and Mikel¡¯s personal stash. This problem was solved after I found a horde of potions hidden in a noble¡¯s basement. I needed food to sustain the added biomass drain of disguising them as wooden puppets. Luckily, there was enough suitable for a High Elf to eat, so that was settled.


    But I couldn¡¯t handle it. Tris took over for me before the day was even halfway through. She reassured me later that night and admitted she was nearly maxing out her processing abilities to handle the flow of information.


    Keeping track of five different [Skyview] windows, analyzing the data, predicting patrol paths via comparing them to the orders we had stolen to see if anything had changed, and speaking via five clones, in addition to receiving queries from the spies and outputting an answer, put pressure on her.


    And that was on top of keeping a strict eye on Guildmaster Thornbrook, General Blackthorn, Chief Justice Darkfeather, Little Gregory, the Citrine Reapers, and their families. I was true to my word¡ªI wouldn¡¯t let a damn feather harm their heads.


    Tris couldn¡¯t even move when she did this. But she didn¡¯t want to enter her maxed-out mode and go on cooldown, so she endured it¡ªgoing so far as to remain in a stasis-like sleep. She didn¡¯t even budge a single inch. Irisa and the others were worried even after Tilde explained it. But Tris was back to normal when night fell since there was less to keep track of, so she enjoyed dinner with the family, chatted with Erin and Niva, and helped keep a smile on Irisa¡¯s sweet face.


    So, if she¡ªthe woman behind [Hermes Trismegistus]-- had trouble, it put things into perspective.


    Our group got results, though.


    The night and morning skies were filled with smoke and ash. Soldiers were killed throughout the month from our various attacks. Reinforcements from the punished outside the city walls had to account for the losses.


    Likewise, men and women from the rebellion were caught and killed in failed ambushes and amateurishly pathetic schemes when they tried to branch off and do their own thing. Splinter groups always broke off after arguments, and we didn¡¯t need anyone who didn¡¯t want to listen to orders.


    Captain Max totally lost his mind. He went on a dangerous tirade of violence, executing 30 people because his paranoia made him see and hear things that weren¡¯t there. Neither Tris nor I knew because we were preoccupied with the spies¡¯ sabotage. Her processing was stretched thin, and I was busy setting up schemes.


    The loss of life could¡¯ve been prevented, but it worked wonders in firing up the people''s hearts. Even the men loyal to Captain Max questioned his orders the following day. He had lined up 30 more people and wanted his guards to choke a crying infant, but they refused. A fight broke out, and the watching crowd picked up rocks and joined the brawl.


    Ironically, it ended with Captain Max being suffocated by the father of the infant he wanted to kill. A clone of mine swooped in and stored the body, and later that night, I left a stark warning in Guildmaster Thornbrook¡¯s room when she returned from a bath. She favored Captain Max. The two even had a sexual relationship I unfortunately saw in happenstance. But his death was what she needed.


    The dumb bitch had truly trusted me when I told her General Blackthorn was responsible for filling the crowd with people loyal to him.


    Likewise, I told General Blackthorn that this was a present when I showed him the corpse a few hours before I visited the Slugfolk.


    I had the two on my side more than ever. General Blackthorn agreed to keep Lord Atrix away from wanting to investigate the rebellion¡ªthe general knew about it¡ªand at this point, rumors were spreading.


    Thanks to me.


    Likewise, Guildmaster Thornbrook agreed to fund the rebellion because she wanted to see General Blackthorn suffer for killing her lover. I manipulated her with sweet words and carefully navigated the shaky moment as a friend. Her anger was ¡®justified.¡¯ She¡¯d be ¡®wrong¡¯ to not feel that upset...


    It was easy to manipulate others into doing what you wanted when you told them what they wanted to hear.


    The guildmaster leaked info and arranged for supplies to be delivered. The specific locations were shared via dead drops.


    The only outlier was Chief Justice Darkfeather. But the man was a coward. He knew the blackmail he had collected was stolen, so he wouldn¡¯t act without my permission.


    As the days passed, a few merchants who agreed with Ayroix¡¯s growing influence stopped selling to soldiers. Fights broke out between those excluded, but by now, roving bands of defenders were patrolling the southern part of town.


    It didn¡¯t take long for General Blackthorn to order a retreat, and the southern side basically became lawless. But there was order. Cid, Verdant, and the other spies worked hard to groom Ayroix into a just leader. His influence spread fast and far.


    Little Gregory was given false information about the status of Plymoise to make it appear as if he was destroying it from the inside. Tris assisted in rounding up Atrixian spies trying to start something and watched them hang. That clean-up operation had occurred under the cover of night with Captain Caulk leading the charge.


    But Little Gregory... He only heard what he wanted to hear. The man refused to believe the obvious was fast approaching like a speeding bullet. He could see the chaos with his eyes¡ªhe saw the smoke! He saw how the city teetered on the edge! He heard the regular explosions that went off like clockwork. Specifically, houses filled with my puppets were being blown up. The allegiance of those inside differed depending on whatever message would benefit us the most.


    One day, we needed to appease that slimy bastard, so Lysander informed him of a meeting in the noble district. The next? To infuse courage and a sense of loss within the rebellion, making them vow to fight harder.


    I had to play both sides, influencing the two to act the way Tris and I needed for the rebellion to be the most successful it could possibly be. Losses were inevitable, but I tried to keep the innocents alive. Likewise, we attempted to make our forces lose as few as possible, but it wasn¡¯t always possible.


    People always wanted to be the hero. They would refuse orders to retreat and go out in a blaze of glory, but I didn¡¯t let their bodies go to waste. I always had a stray slime or two near any battle to slurp up the dead, and the corpses¡¯ disappearances would come into play later when it was time to reveal something during the climatic finale.


    And those standing outside the city gates?


    They couldn¡¯t do anything. Half were loyal to the general. The other half to the guildmaster. They each didn¡¯t want to make the first move. My orders, of course. They had commands to stand outside the city and merely remain on standby. Those still within Tiran¡¯s Crest were similarly divided into opposing forces. The two sides had orders to start the fighting when they saw signals from the general and guildmaster.


    Little by little, Lysander, the guildmaster, and the general slowly removed the mask covering their reports and forced Little Gregory to see the truth for what it was three days before everything was set to happen. After that, he returned to his room, locked the door, and forced the Citrine Reapers to stand guard at all hours of the day. He used them as servants, cooks, and errand runners and quickly delved into insanity and depravity. That madness I saw when Clone!Surtr showed up returned, and it didn¡¯t leave. The only cure, in his mind, was alcohol and drugs. He¡¯d be trapped within a false reality than see the world for what it was.


    All according to plan...


    But I had done a lot of assimilation during this month. Tris believed I was very close to the life force needed to remove the curse inside Sekh¡¯s body. Erasing it from her soul was another thing, but it was baby steps.


    It was one foot in front of the other.


    It was progress.


    Two days before it was all going to go down...


    I made my move. General Blackthorn, Guildmaster Thornbrook, and Chief Justice Darkfeather were told what they wanted to hear. That the fateful moment was going to happen within 48 hours. They all believed they had the support of the rebellion and would come out on top.


    But only General Blackthorn had it.


    Cid had shared a few revelations with Ayroix throughout the month. He disclosed the existence of a mastermind-- one orchestrating the unity of people and rectifying the situation for him. This individual was also the source of Cid''s knowledge about Ayroix. Cid was why the High Elf of Liberation began circulating as an ethereal whisper days after he met Ayroix.


    And the news swiftly caught on...


    And I didn¡¯t have to do anything. It naturally spread like a leaf dancing in the violent winds of a hurricane, and you couldn¡¯t go two feet without hearing speculation as to who or what the High Elf of Liberation was.


    Tris even told me that word had reached Plymoise. It must¡¯ve been one of the prostitutes or slaves that did it. And that was fine for me. Tris, Tilde, Surtr, and I had discussed what this added fame would bring me. Those sharp enough could link the High Elf of Liberation to Lyudmila Vredi Springfield, but only if my full name had leaked.


    If it had? That would be fine because the world must accept me as Lyudmila Vredi Springfield.


    If it hadn¡¯t? That was also fine.


    But Little Gregory had a different nightmare. He no longer feared the demonic lion with raging flames since Lysander had brought him the lion¡¯s ¡®head.¡¯ No. It was the High Elf of Liberation. In his rare moments of sobriety, he feared every sound and shouted at the shadows for the High Elf of Liberation to show themselves. His mindless ramblings became more and more commonplace. But there was more I could do, but the returns were diminishing. He was already a broken, shattered piece of shit, so I left him alone.


    Ironically, that probably inflicted more mental damage than me doing anything.


    But...


    It was almost time...


    The plan so carefully, meticulously guided by a Fragment of Wisdom''s guiding touch, was in the final stages.


    And it would be worth it.


    The SP... The life force. The strength. The dexterity. The stamina. The mana. Everything...


    It was about to be mine.

 Intermission – Ann – The Cridia-Uquenian War – Part One

    Intermission ¨C Ann ¨C The Cridia-Uquenian War ¨C Part One


    ¡°The spell is prepared, Lord Meruria. Give the word, and I can turn back time on the destruction that wrought our beautiful city,¡± said a 6-Star Soul Warrior. ¡°The damage can be healed.¡± Mia held a jeweled-encrusted staff that had miniature planets orbiting the top. It shimmered brightly, like a solar system or galaxy, and it was packed to the brim with so much mana. The mystic she had channeled took eight hours alone. She wore a shimmering robe made of light and jewels that enhanced her mana regeneration, a hairpin that did the same, and ten rings that lowered her mana consumption by 5 percent, and even that was just barely enough to create it.


    Ten hours had passed since the event. All surviving Soul Warriors were standing in the most extravagant ballroom in the country. Lord Meruria''s strongest mage had used a variation of [Material Rejuvenation] to repair the church after the chaos had dispersed.


    ¡°Do it, Mia,¡± commanded Lord Meruria. Her face... I¡¯d never seen her so full of dread before. Her robe was dyed black with soot, leaving very little of its original color. Her skin was stained with dirt, but she was otherwise uninjured.


    ¡°At once.¡± Mia held her staff, but her other Soul Weapon¡ªa bow¡ªflashed into existence, looking as extravagant as its alternate form.


    The two existed as one, proof of her adept mastery over the legendary items. My sister and I had yet to master using two forms, although we were close.


    From staff to bow, the power shall flow, As I shrink the conduit, the spell shall grow. In my grasp, a vessel, condensed and tight, Containing the magic, radiant and bright.


    Staff, now diminished, to its essence confined, The power it holds, in the tip enshrined. Transformed into a bow, elegant and true, A conduit for my will, through which it shall imbue.


    Nocked arrow quivers, drawn with resolve, A sacred quest, my purpose to absolve. In this fateful moment, skyward it flies, Unleashing the spell, reaching celestial skies.


    [Vortex of Temporal Reversal], heed my call, Encompass the city, restore what did befall. As the arrow soars, piercing the celestial dome, Unleash the power, let the reversal come.


    Shooting high, with precision and grace, The arrow traverses time and space. Through heavens it ascends, with purpose sublime, Igniting the barrier, reversing the ravages of time.


    The bowstring sings, a melody of fate, As the arrow soars, sealing the city''s fate. [Vortex of Temporal Reversal], woven in the celestial art, Reverse the destruction, heal every broken part.


    Arise, O city, from ashes and plight, Embrace the past, bathed in radiant light. Time rewinds, as the arrow takes flight, Rebuilding the city, in the reverse of night.


    Shrunk staff, now a bow, and arrow set free, I am the caster, the one who shall decree. [Vortex of Temporal Reversal], your power unleashed, Bring forth restoration, the city''s pain appeased.


    With each shot released, with purpose imbued, I reclaim the past, the memories pursued. [Vortex of Temporal Reversal], let the reversal begin, Bring back the beauty, let the restoration within.


    Mia knocked the arrow during the chant, kneeled, and aimed straight up. She let it go, and it soared like a pillar of light, flying high into the sky, destroying the ceiling again.


    It flew until we couldn¡¯t see it, then it exploded. The mystical energy became a city-wide barrier encompassing all Junsa, and time began to flow in reverse, but only for things that weren¡¯t alive.


    The process would take four hours to fully complete. Lord Meruria had sent her army into the city to spread her word and keep order, although...


    Junsa would never be the same.


    ¡°Give me your reports.¡±


    One by one, we told Lord Meruria what we had learned in the ten hours that followed the chaos.


    Over 90% of Cridia¡¯s nobles in Junsa at the time of the incident had died¡ªeither from the initial explosion or the destruction in the city that followed.


    Will Penmark Fairchild¡ªthe Fairchild¡¯s Duchy new duke, had lost his wife, unborn child, and stepdaughter. He only survived because his demon, Lilith, nearly extinguished her life to save him. She needed to tap into his mana supply to keep the barrier up, but after he passed out, she soon befell a similar fate.


    They were currently resting in the church¡¯s infirmary.


    Team Quella survived because its leader used [Soul Barrier] to defend her allies. However, it nearly killed her, and she fell to her knees immediately after. Rest served her well, but she said she still had trouble standing on her feet without help from Elly and Ami.


    My sister and I endured it without much trouble. It barely left a mark on our clothes.


    Team Salim survived the same way, although Sir Salim couldn¡¯t save Laika¡¯s and Leika¡¯s father. Sir Salim said those two were still asleep in the infirmary, but their lives weren¡¯t in danger. However, the Barkwoods were...killed. A meteorite landed on their estate, killing everyone inside.


    Laika and Leika were the last ones alive to bear their name. I didn¡¯t envy Sir Salim or Shiku because they had to break the bad news to the Dogfolk maids whenever they awoke from their fear-induced coma. And Renata survived it because she was within range of Sir Salim¡¯s barrier.


    When it came those that were summoned before us... I had seen the look on their faces the sheer instant the explosion occurred. I knew they held enough power still to save their lives and our classmates, who they were training, but they stopped at the last possible second and allowed death to take them. For some, living in this world was a curse. Lord Meruria wouldn¡¯t permit suicide if they had use. Returning the dead to life was incredibly hard, if not impossible, but with what we knew about [Conferment], instilling a rule to reverse death was possible if you devoted your entire being to it.


    But with how powerful Mia was? Perhaps developing a spell to raise the dead wasn¡¯t so farfetched...


    Although my sister and I didn¡¯t subscribe to that ideology. We believed the dead should stay dead. If you perished, you would have reached the end of your potential. But my sister was my potential. And I was hers. We decided that once either of us had met our end... The other would end their life. We¡¯d be together in death¡ªjust as we were in life.


    I loved her so much.


    Tokko and Mia didn¡¯t require anything to endure the attack. At their core, they always had a barrier surrounding them, preventing them from succumbing to harm.


    Damon... He survived, but he didn¡¯t deserve it. Yasmin, Isobel, and Alika¡ªhis harem¡ª threw themselves as a shield upon his command and used their lives to protect him. He acted like this didn¡¯t bother him and groaned more about the ¡®loss of pussy¡¯ than thanking those that allowed him to live even a moment longer.


    His potential... There was none. His soul was dark and depraved. If I had the chance, I¡¯d end him here and now.


    Carter Armlet summoned a horde of drones to take the brunt of the destruction. He lost an arm and a leg, but regeneration magic could heal that. He was scheduled to be back on his feet within the week.


    ¡°And there¡¯s more. Charlie, Raylee, Hatay, Sera, Crast, Gerrald, and Harmond didn¡¯t make it.¡±


    ¡°Then they were weak and undeserving. I don¡¯t even remember who they are.¡± Lord Meruria¡¯s words were shocking, although we were used to them. Quella nervously swallowed and continued, citing that Junsa had lost an estimated 15,000 people after the meteorites stopped and an additional 4-6,000 from the riots before they were subdued.


    There would¡¯ve been more, but Elly had rushed out into the city, wielding wings granted to her from a spell cast by Quella. The idol sang [Healing Melody] for four hours straight. Her voice acted as a beacon of hope to all who were lost. Her song reached even the darkest pits of Junsa. Meanwhile, my sister and I, the rest of Team Quella, and Team Salim were out there with the recovery efforts. Tokko remained to protect Lord Meruria, and Mia was busy preparing the spell. Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    Damon... He just went to bed without a care. He was always selfish, and Shiku argued about needing his strength to find survivors. That almost turned into a fight, but Shiku stomped away and used wings provided to him by Quella to soar into the city.


    Lord Meruria... She was a woman who thought a thousand steps in advance. She preferred to be in control. It was faint, but I knew she had lived her life with a dozen alternate plans for every situation.


    And that was why I knew that dread on her face was manufactured.


    It was just for show.


    ¡°I¡¯ve deduced the spell¡¯s origin,¡¯ said Mia. ¡°It originates from mana previously identified from the Holy Lord of Miasma, Geron, leader of the Kingdom of Uquenia, our western neighbor.¡±


    ¡°They tried to assassinate us?¡± Quella asked.


    "It seems to me that war is the only response, Lord Meruria,¡± said Tokko. ¡°They may think they¡¯ve dealt a mortal blow, but they¡¯re severely mistaken. To do anything else but reply in kind would show our weakness.¡±


    ¡°Your soldiers are getting slaughtered. We told you this wasn¡¯t a good idea, but you threatened us with death! Why?!¡± demanded a woman with black stars tattooed on her cheeks. As a 3-Star, she was weaker than their leader, Mark. She was also an assassin¡ªeverything from the daggers to the black color scheme of her bodice, cloak, tasteful sex appeal, and heels foreshadowed her profession before being summoned.


    It continued in this world.


    ¡°Metica is right,¡± said Hugo, a dragon knight from another world who happened to be missing the vital element. He had the spear, though. It never left his person. ¡°We did what you commanded. We snuck into the city and planted your magic circle using the camouflage you provided. We did it all. And as cowardly as it was, you¡¯re our summoner. We trusted you, yet I see now that it was a mistake. Perhaps we should¡¯ve risked death to kill you...¡±


    ¡°You can still try it, but I¡¯ll activate the miasma if you raise your blade against me...¡± Lord Geron finally spoke. His freckled face was so angry that miasma flowed from his pores and filled the room. This type was inert and harmless¡ªnot unlike the crude poison waiting in his Soul Warriors¡¯ stomachs.


    Lulu, a witch, whined and hugged her broomstick. Mark reached a hand to her head and rubbed it. She looked up and tried to be brave, but it was hard.


    The ¡®plan¡¯ didn¡¯t make sense.


    Nothing about it was tactical.


    Lord Geron was eccentric¡ªodd and strange¡ªand full of volatile emotion. He was also prone to bouts of fits. Almost like the dancing plague that happened in Mark¡¯s village two years before he was summoned. That was before he was accepted into the Tulmonia Adventuring Academy and learned to care for magic beasts.


    Everyone argued vehemently when Lord Geron brought up the plan. How would they sneak into their eastern neighbor and plant a spell inside Lord Meruria¡¯s church? Better yet, if the rumors were true, she was more powerful than Lord Geron. And her quality of Soul Warriors even more so. Mark had four other allies. Even the least trustworthy rumors hinted at their potential enemy having more than triple the otherworlders.


    ¡°Lulu. It¡¯s time for your act. Do what we had talked about. Let your mighty powers of lightning bring our enemies to their knees.¡±


    ¡°Brother...?¡± Lulu looked at Mark. Her stereotypical pointy hat¡ªproof of witches in this world, his world, and the one she came from¡ªseemingly frowned. He wasn¡¯t her brother, but she was summoned from her tight-knit covenant from a reality that despised witches. In her village, everyone was family. Here? Mark was her elder brother, Metica, her aunt, and Hugo, her uncle. The duty-driven dragon knight acted like he didn¡¯t care, but he did¡ªMetica teased him about it, much to his chagrin.


    But Hugo loved that, too.


    Really, after what Lord Geron did¡ªholding their lives in his hands¡ªwhat other choice did they have? Either be alone and lose yourself, or further your relationship with your allies and endure it together.


    Lulu knew it was make-believe. But the young witch didn¡¯t care. Mark was the same because his best friend enrolled in the Tulmonia Adventuring Academy to better herself as a witch.


    But she didn¡¯t make the trip. Whatever powers at be didn¡¯t see fit to pick her. Perhaps Mark saw a little of her in this strange, hyper young girl? He certainly wanted to keep her safe.


    ¡°Don¡¯t do this, Lord Geron! Please! This¡¯ll only end¡ª Uuugh!!!!¡± Mark clutched his chest and vomited a nasty mixture of dark miasma and bile.


    ¡°Brother!¡±


    ¡°Mark!¡±


    ¡°This is madness, Lord Geron!¡± Hugo reflexively raised his spear. Oh, how he longed to have his dragon. Hugo was four days away from receiving an egg to care for in his world.


    Vincent Monopoly remained quiet. He rarely spoke. But he knew how his lord used to be. Sixty years ago, he was summoned. He was already middle-aged, and his 3-Star Soul didn¡¯t slow his aging as much as he¡¯d like.


    But Lord Geron...


    He never used to act like this. Something happened a few years ago. Perhaps it was when he lost his closest aid? The death of someone close often had drastic consequences on someone¡¯s sanity.


    ¡°No! Lulu!¡± Mark reached for the witch, but she knew what to do. She ran towards the window, holding onto her hat, and jumped on her broomstick. She flew through it, shattering the glass into a thousand fragments.


    Mark rushed to the window and shouted her name. Metica approached and rubbed his back. He looked at her and saw someone forced to serve the underbelly of the world she came from. While Lord Geron didn¡¯t force her to continue, she couldn¡¯t help herself. She had once said that once she was marked by sin, she''d never break free from its grasp, so it was more out of an obligation to punish herself rather than doing it to quench her lust.


    After cursing to himself, Mark pulled a spyglass from his pouch and looked at the window once more. He saw his Lulu as little more than a spec.


    But... As soon as Lulu displayed her power for the enemy, the gates of hell would open. Cridia¡¯s Soul Warriors wouldn¡¯t have a reason to hold back. Lord Meruria would be foolish to keep them in reserve. Sure, they could win. It wasn¡¯t out of the question, but...


    Mark¡¯s negative thoughts burrowed into the front of his mind. Even if it caused his death...could he kill their lord before he activated the miasma lying in wait within their bodies?


    If he displayed Lord Geron¡¯s corpse, would Lord Meruria forgive Uquenia?


    But Mark could...also run away.


    He¡¯d always been good at that.


    Truthfully, he had always been a selfish brat. It was a mystery why the magic beasts he loved to take care of enjoyed him so much. They were sensitive to emotion and sensed dishonestly, yet they radiated to him like moths to a flame.


    Even if he was a coward who ran away.


    Even if he used to steal and cheat to survive.


    Even if he wasn¡¯t the best of friends to someone who loved him...


    Unicorns and other magic beasts kept coming to him whenever he walked in the fairy forest near his village.


    And he didn¡¯t know why.


    And since coming to this new world, he had resolved to change himself. He¡¯d be the best man for his best friend, whom he loved dearly.


    So he¡¯d be someone worthy of the magic beasts that trusted him.


    You gotta fake it until you make it, Mark... Do it for her...


    He couldn¡¯t leave and abandon his allies.


    Not if he wanted to be someone she could be proud of. She would be the greatest witch in the land, and he¡¯d be her loyal protector and guardian as they etched their name into the Stone of Reverie.


    That was all Mark wanted after he arrived in this world. He knew it would be a terribly long wait before he could return to her. Lord Geron had promised him that. He¡¯d made similar vows to Hugo and the others.


    It would take Lulu a few hours to reach the battlefield. Perhaps an hour if she pushed her broomstick to the limit.


    Lord Geron told everyone to prepare themselves for battle. And they didn''t have a choice. Mark and his allies were forced to defend their miserable, violent, horrible lord¡¯s capital city to the death.


    There was just no other choice but to pray for a miracle.


    Mark knew miracles didn¡¯t exist here. If they did, someone would¡¯ve killed their lord or protected them from his miasma.

 Intermission – Ann – The Cridia-Uquenian War – Part Two

    Intermission ¨C Ann ¨C The Cridia-Uquenian War ¨C Part Two


    Lord Meruria had predicted Lord Geron¡¯s witch would be the first to enter the battlefield. She was a master of lightning, and she accurately called the attack that she would use to announce her entrance.


    And yes, it was powerful.


    But Quella was the superior mage. The entire sky turned dark as night with thunderclouds, and it became filled with lightning bolts twice the size of what the witch had used to destroy that wyvern knight. And yet, she had enough control to shock the very particles in the air. She smashed the clouds, and those tiny, atom-like chunks dispersed over the battlefield like a horde of fireflies.


    And as they descended upon foe and ally alike, only our enemies became paralyzed.


    Paralyzed.


    Not killed.


    This was an order from Meruria herself¡ªshe knew there would be deaths, but she wanted to use Quella¡¯s incredible control to end the fight as soon as possible.


    Why?


    I didn¡¯t know, but perhaps it involved showing leniency to your enemies to more easily take over the country. Prisoners could be returned to friends and family and still be alive to break bread.


    Corpses couldn¡¯t do that.


    But Quella¡¯s role was finished. The storm would continue to spread towards the target. And everything in its path would lose control of their limbs for six hours.


    Only those strong enough to endure would retain some motion in a finger or toe.


    I used Carter¡¯s drones to regroup the army. That took an hour, but not everyone would march on the city. Not even Lord Meruria could teleport us that far into Uquenia from Junsa, so we had to march the rest of the way. It was me, my sister, and 4,000 men, who had been resting for this moment. Half of us had horses. The others ran, and we sped down the road, stepping over paralyzed soldiers. Those with steeds focused on reaching the capital city. Those without mounts were collecting the fallen guards and imprisoning them.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so beautiful, sister! The way your hair bounces behind you... Your regal look! You were always cut out to be the head!¡± My sister piled on the compliments. Her eyes sparkled like gemstones when she looked at me.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for you to shine, my sister... Let the world see your beauty... Let them gaze in awe upon your righteous strength...¡±


    ¡°I shall shine bright enough to dull the sun if it¡¯s for you!¡±


    We ran our horses fast and hard and reached the city five hours later. By then, the particles from Quella¡¯s spell had ceased, and the paralyzed entities along the route were waking up.


    There was chaos in the city amongst the battalions stationed to defend it. It was understandable. Their limbs had been locked away for almost a quarter of the day. And they had to see the ominous thunderclouds approach.


    It was a force they hadn¡¯t seen before. It was so overwhelming that people lost their minds. We arrived at the wide bridge leading to the gates, left our horses, and proceeded on foot, leaving behind 70% of our men to safeguard the rear. We marched across the bridge and waited for an aerial unit to take flight. They soared to the ramparts, fighting their way to the gate controls. It took a handful of minutes for the chains to cry out, opening the path forward.


    But it wasn¡¯t empty.


    We were met with soldiers drunk on last-minute bravery¡ªa desire to be echoed throughout time as proud heroes who protected their city, but they were slow. Dull, even. My sister moved like water, flowing like silk as she ducked and dodged, escorting our attackers to a quick death even after they refused to surrender.


    They could''ve surrendered after my sister showcased her power, but they never threw down their arms.


    Compressed nationalism could be either the most beautiful thing or the most foolish feeling in the world...


    ¡°Let us continue, Sister.¡± Lori flourished her spear and pointed with her weapon¡¯s tip. I joined her, and the others followed us down the city¡¯s central path. It would lead to the square, and Lord Geron¡¯s castle would be to the left¡ªhalfway between the eastern wall and the city square.


    ¡°There they are! Fire! Attack!!!¡± Someone from the nearby roof shouted, and forty archers popped up and began a barrage of arrows and magic, but Lori and I swung our weapons and created a powerful wave of pressurized air, preventing the projectiles from coming close to tasting our blood.


    ¡°Surrender now! You won¡¯t get another opportunity!¡± I shouted, swapping to Shocking Flake. I illuminated the skies in a vivid, rampaging storm of lightning that brought everyone to their knees. The powerful display sapped any bravery, and I was sure the same happened over town.


    ¡°We...can¡¯t... You¡¯re monsters... You¡¯re monsters!!!¡± This time? They heeded our words and prevented unnecessary deaths.


    ¡°Are we monsters?¡± I asked my sister.


    ¡°I¡¯ll become one if it¡¯s what you desire, sister.¡±


    I looked behind and saw our allies shaking in their boots.


    A glare from me, and they remembered how to move their legs. They were to spread out and control the vital areas, restrain the surrendering soldiers, and keep the peace while my sister and I proceeded to the castle.


    ¡°May the blessing of Lord Meruria be with you both! Men! Move out!¡± The leader of the aerial squad squawked and flapped his wings, taking flight to the rooftops with ropes and chains.


    My sister and I ran through the city, and after arriving at the city square...with the castle in our sights...


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to progress anymore! [Judgement Pillar]!¡± A beam of holy magic smashed into the pavement. My sister and I jumped back and readied our weapons.


    ¡°Above?¡± I saw a shimmering outline of a man riding a pegasus¡ªa winged-horse horse from our world¡¯s mythology. His armor was golden and shiny. His helmet was fully closed. I didn¡¯t know what he looked like.


    Four others were floating behind him. One was a knight wearing armor with a dragon motif who wielded a spear. One was a witch on a broomstick. It glowed a soft silver¡ªthe same hue around their bodies. The other female was a woman who looked like a prostitute-turned-assassin, and the last was a man with a beard as long as his arms hanging from his chin. His robes were frayed and tattered¡ªlooking just as worn as the splintering staff he held.


    But appearances couldn¡¯t be trusted. Those items were undoubtedly made just for that mage.


    ¡°I don¡¯t see your lord. Where is he?¡±


    ¡°He has no need to come and face you,¡± said the pegasus knight. His horse neighed and flapped its wings.


    ¡°The town has been taken. You cannot hope to defeat us. Protect your potential, knight, and surrender.¡±


    ¡°Potential?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Your deaths will be futile. They won¡¯t amount to anything. Bend the knee to our lord, drop your weapons, and you will keep your head.¡±


    ¡°They are not the type to listen, sister,¡± said Lori. She readied her spear and transformed it into Black Viper. The sinister fangs leaked venom.


    ¡°Your sister is right! We fight to defend Uquenia!¡±


    ¡°And what do you think we¡¯re doing? Shall I remind you of the state of Junsa?"


    ¡°IT WASN¡¯T SUPPOSED TO BE LIKE THAT!¡± shouted the witch. She groaned and gripped her head.


    Infighting?


    ¡°It does not matter. Since you don¡¯t intend to bend the knee...¡±


    Lori stabbed Black Viper into the ground, causing snakes to burrow from the pavement. They spat darkness at our enemies, who easily dodged them. The pegasus knight flew around the skies, summoning a lance of gold. The tip glowed, then released accelerated beams, which I deflected away with a mere parry.


    It was a spectacle. A pure volley. We clashed every second as I kicked off the pillars, breaking them. I had no choice but to use Wing Travel to teleport between the raining debris.


    But he never landed a hit.


    I always deflected or avoided them.


    His anger got the better of him. His wrath dulled his instinct.


    He was a toy, and I was the maker.


    But...


    He never gave up.


    He always attempted to take my life.


    If it didn¡¯t work, he¡¯d try it again.


    And if that failed, I knew I could count on him to give it another go.


    You learned a lot from swapping blows. It was the fastest way to know someone.


    And this knight... He wasn¡¯t true to himself. He held hesitation in his heart. He wanted¡ªyearned to be something he wasn¡¯t. But why?


    ¡°MARK!!!!! GET AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!!!¡± The witch flew in. A trident of lightning laid at the front of her broomstick. I kicked off Mark, the knight, and used Wing Travel to pierce the witch through the thigh. I grabbed her boom after warping to her, shattered it upon her head, stabbed the lightning-tipped trident portion through Mark¡¯s legs, and kicked off her neck, accelerating her towards the rapidly approaching ground.


    ¡°LULU!!!!!!¡± screamed Mark.


    The wizard managed to conjure a barrier at the last second. It shattered in her place, preventing her life from coming to a short and abrupt end.


    But I couldn¡¯t say the same for Mark. After kicking him off his pegasus, I used Shocking Flake to taste his stomach¡¯s blood, then filled his insides with lightning. We smashed into the city square, creating an even larger crater. I held a copy of Shocking Flake to the sky and used its lightning rod to attract all the leftover lightning particles for one last attack.


    The sky darkened.


    The very ground shuddered.


    A thousand large cracks webbed out from the epicenter, spreading all over town. I heard collapsing buildings nearby. And the castle? It was in ruins. It must¡¯ve happened during the fight, but I didn¡¯t know when.


    And the armor...


    It finally shattered...


    And the man inside?


    He was but a boy¡ªprobably around 13 or 14, with blond hair and a mole on his chin.


    ¡°Consider me impressed, Mark. I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re still alive. Shall I correct it?¡± I jumped back, leaving my sword in his stomach. It took but a mere thought to recall it to my hand.


    Mark clenched his teeth so hard he chipped them.


    ¡°I¡¯m...¡± His words were filled with pain. Blood flowed like a waterfall from his stomach wound. ¡°I¡¯m not done.. I... I can¡¯t..... I can¡¯t stop. It¡¯s not over... [Essence of Pegasus]!¡± More golden mana coalesced around his outstretched hand. His armored gloves appeared half-heartedly.


    He couldn¡¯t sustain it.


    ¡°JUST STOP IT, BROTHER!¡± Lulu dragged herself over. Her eyes were teary--her hat ruined. She looked at his leg and saw the wound I had inflicted on him. The aged wizard was kneeling with his head lowered. The assassin wasn¡¯t moving. Neither was the dragoon, but both were alive. If only barely.


    ¡°Bend the knee. Accept defeat. Surrender. Or you will die. And that would be a shame.¡±


    ¡°Shame?¡± Mark scoffed, then vomited blood over his clothes.


    ¡°Your potential shines bright. Death will be but a naught waste for someone like you. I cannot guarantee your survival, but I do not wish to take your head. Make your decision quickly, Mark. Your friends do not have much time left before the reaper comes to claim their lives.¡±


    Lori joined me, dragging the dragoon behind her. ¡°He is inexperienced. His ability reminds me of us as children. But there is growth. I sense untapped potential.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The city has fallen. Your army is in disrepair. Who can save you? Your Holy Lord? I do not sense him.¡±


    ¡°Fine... We...surrender... Your power... It¡¯s so overwhelming... There¡¯s no way we can win... We¡¯re going to die anyways... Lulu... Forgive me... Metica... Hugo... Vincent... I¡¯m...sorry...¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± I said, retrieving potions from a pouch I held around my hips. They were just potent enough to stabilize my opponents.


    ¡°It¡¯s Geron. He can kill us at any moment with his miasma. He holds the axe above our necks...dangling it... It doesn¡¯t matter if you kill us. If Lord Meruria spares us, we can still die if Geron chooses to end our lives.¡±


    ¡°Sister, I think Lord Geron...¡±


    ¡°I concur. Lord Geron''s Soul Warriors were under duress from the moment of summoning. How awful. Until we know more, we can lay the blame solely on him...¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Mark drank the potion and coughed because it went down the wrong pipe. ¡°But we...¡±


    ¡°Brother...¡± After Lulu downed her potion, she poured it down the assassin''s mouth before removing the dragon knight¡¯s helmet, revealing a man with blond hair and black tusks sprouting from his mouth. He didn¡¯t look like an orc, so he was probably a species exclusive to the world he was summoned from.


    ¡°Save your breath and strength for our summoner. I cannot promise your lord won¡¯t appear, but he shall die by my hands if he shows himself.¡±


    And with that...


    The battle was over...


    The war between Cridia and Uquenia was short, and it came to a quick resolution.


    But...


    These Soul Warriors... They didn¡¯t seem like they could create the bomb that blew up in Lord Meruria''s church. I knew Lori thought the same. Lord Geron was a master of miasma. I doubt he would¡¯ve used something other than his specialization if he wanted to cripple Cridia.


    What need was there to use his poison to hold his warriors hostage?


    Something didn¡¯t make sense.


    ¡°Carter,¡± I turned around and looked up at a drone. ¡°Report to Lord Meruria our success. The battle is won. The war is over.¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Two – High Elf of Liberation

    Chapter Eighty-Two ¨C High Elf of Liberation


    It was the morning of the eventful day, and I sat at the kitchen table in the hideout, reading a report Verdant had put together. ¡°The final shipment of weapons, armor, scrolls, and supplies from Guildmaster Thornbrook arrived this morning, Mila. They¡¯re being handed out to everyone as we speak. At dusk, they¡¯ll move to position and await the signal.¡±


    ¡°She doesn¡¯t even know she¡¯s arming her own death,¡± I quipped, smiling at how easy it was to organize by telling people what they wanted to hear.


    I felt like a puppet master...


    ¡°It¡¯s...really happening, isn¡¯t it?¡± Kull audibly gulped.


    ¡°What of it? Are you still scared of me? Still believe me to be one of those feared chimera?¡±


    ¡°More like in awe... The High Elf of Liberation... Wherever her beauty goes, freedom is assured to follow... That¡¯s what they¡¯re saying about you, you know. They haven¡¯t even met you, but they¡¯re convinced you¡¯re some kind of... I don¡¯t even know what to call it, but some goddess who commands a divine lion made of flames. You should hear the stories they¡¯re saying about you.¡±


    Goddess? Ugh...


    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Verdant said. ¡°I have no idea how you had the foresight to orchestrate this... You hold special eyes, but I wonder if they can perceive the future?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but don¡¯t mistake this for kindness. I¡¯ve told you, but Plymoise is where my mother was born. It¡¯s out of partial obligation to save her birth city-state from being destroyed. If she had been born in Atrix? Or Terokai? Or even another country?¡±


    ¡°We get that,¡± said a spy I hadn¡¯t spent much time with.


    ¡°But don¡¯t sell yourself short. I merely told you what to do. You had to fulfill the orders. You had to launch the raids on the government office, poisoned their water, bombed their ships, and set traps. Even with Cid, Ayroix needed your close care to mold him into what we need him to be. You were all there to show compassion and convince him not to give up. I couldn¡¯t have done that. I am a woman who works best from the shadows, but that will change.¡±


    ¡°The bar, right?¡± asked Kull. ¡°The southern one?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ll launch the beginning attack after speaking with Ayroix. Oh, but we won¡¯t be arriving alone.¡±


    ¡°The reapers?¡± asked Kull.


    ¡°Yes. I figure it¡¯s time for Ayroix to meet the wielder of [Guardian of the Atrixian Flame]. And that¡¯s when I¡¯ll show my true appearance. Verdant, has Ayroix told his men to expect someone with Lysander¡¯s appearance?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mila. He has. There won¡¯t be any trouble.¡±


    ¡°Rio¡¯s going to die, then?¡±


    ¡°Aww, don¡¯t look so sad, Kull. You can mourn him if you¡¯d like. We could even have a feast to celebrate Rio¡¯s short-lived, but very experienced life. Only he could meet the reapers. Mila couldn¡¯t have done it.¡±


    He nervously laughed and rubbed his head. ¡°It¡¯s...not so much uncomfortable as it is...odd to joke around like this when the powder keg is... shit, I don¡¯t even know what to call it at this point. The tension is so thick. It¡¯s like our guys are looking for an excuse to let loose. And the soldiers outside the city? Fights have broken out almost daily for the past two weeks. The squadron leaders are finding it hard to keep their men in line.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s either us or them.¡±


    ¡°Margie¡¯s right. Think of it like this. Plymoise stands to gain a valuable ally once our work is over,¡± I said.


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t a treaty like that be seen as an act of war? It¡¯s one thing to have a trading agreement, but another thing entirely for a city-state to pledge military might to defend another city-state. It¡¯s outright unheard of.¡±


    ¡°And maybe that¡¯s what Parthina needs. You can¡¯t be afraid of trying new things. The Heptarchis will be called once our work is over, but that¡¯s where the true battle begins,¡± I said. ¡°Verdant, ensure the others are ready. I want them in position. And verify that they understand my precise plans and have committed the strategy to memory. There will be chaos. There will be havoc. But they must follow it.¡± I rubbed my shoulder, and Kull was concerned. "I''ve never manifested a puppet this long before," I said, reaching for the mana potion on the table. After tonight, I could take a long rest. I wasn¡¯t tired. Or exhausted. I hadn¡¯t slept for two weeks. But I wasn¡¯t used to the constant drain on my biomass and mana.


    Under the cover of night, Verdant and I left the hideout and ventured to the southern side of town while the other spies went to their assigned locations.


    This area was effectively the most ¡®dangerous¡¯ place in Atrix for people loyal to anything other than the rebellion. It almost should¡¯ve been lawless, but proper security was the first thing I had Cid drill into Ayroix¡¯s head.


    You couldn''t use tyranny to keep order if you fought to rid your land of a tyrant.


    That was the quickest way for a rebellion to break apart.


    As we walked, I had a [Skyview] window open and observed a particular scene playing out at our destination.


    Ayroix sat across from Cid in the dimly lantern-lit backroom of the bar, his nerves shot and his hands trembling because the fated day was so close. The weight of leading the rebellion felt like a mountain pressing down on his shoulders.


    Cid looked at Ayroix with concern in his eyes. "Take a deep breath," he said gently. "You can do this. I believe in you."


    Ayroix tried to inhale deeply, but his breaths were shaky and uneven. "Cid, I don''t know if I can," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "The pressure... the responsibility... it''s too much. It¡¯s only just now hit me. In two hours, I...¡±


    Cid reached across the table and placed a steadying hand on Ayroix''s. "You''ve been preparing for this moment," he said firmly. "You''ve trained, studied, and shown incredible strength and leadership. You''re ready, Ayroix. Trust in yourself. Your father¡ªyour true father¡ªwould be so proud.¡±


    But the self-doubt was consuming Ayroix like a relentless fire.


    Cid''s gaze softened, filled with compassion and understanding. "Fear is natural, Ayroix," he said, his voice soothing. "But don''t let it cripple you. Embrace your nerves and turn them into determination. Remember why you''re doing this ¨C for the people who suffer under Atrix''s rule, for the hope of a better future. Gregory Atrix is a tyrant. And he must be stopped. I¡¯ve taught you what I knew. Dryke made you into a good man before his untimely death. You must use that knowledge to lead Atrix to a brighter future as its rightful ruler. Look at your support. Look at the men and women your words have drawn to your side.¡±


    Ayroix wiped away the tears, trying to regain his composure. "I don''t want to let anyone down," he admitted, his voice cracking. ¡°Especially you, Cid.¡± Ayroix looked at his scarred hands.


    Cid smiled warmly. "You won''t. And even if things don''t go perfectly, remember that you have allies by your side. We''re in this together, Ayroix. You''re not alone."


    The support from Cid was comforting, but Ayroix''s heart still raced with uncertainty. "I''m afraid I''ll disappoint the High Elf of Liberation," he confessed, his vulnerability bare.


    Cid''s eyes sparkled with confidence. "She chose you for a reason," he said firmly. "Believe in her faith in you, just as I do. You can lead this rebellion to victory. If she had any doubts, she would¡¯ve let us know. But she hasn¡¯t. And you can take that to mean you have her respect.¡±


    As Ayroix struggled to control his breathing, he nodded, trying to absorb Cid''s words. "I''ll try," he said, his voice still shaky but laced with determination. "I''ll do my best."


    Cid squeezed Ayroix''s hand reassuringly. "That''s all anyone can ask for," he said. "Believe in yourself, Ayroix. You''ve got this."


    His unwavering support gave Ayroix a glimmer of hope amidst the storm of self-doubt.


    I closed the [Skyview] window and prepared for my grand entrance as the High Elf of Victory as we drew nearer. We were stopped a few times by revolutionaries wearing the equipment freshly delivered by Thornbrook. But they knew Verdant. And once they saw my ears...


    They knew who I was.


    It was...unique, I suppose, seeing grown men drop to their knees in reverence after realizing the rumors were true.


    But I despised that treatment and promptly told them to stand. I wasn¡¯t some goddess. I didn¡¯t want to be worshipped.


    ¡°Why are you asking as if you didn¡¯t watch it? I know you did. You said nothing escaped your watchful gaze.¡±


    I laughed. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s all-knowing and all-seeing. Nothing happens without me being aware of it. But that¡¯s good. I¡¯m happy. And once tonight is over... Families will finally be reunited.¡±


    ¡°Yes... They¡¯re prepared, Mila.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what I like to hear. With that said... Let¡¯s get serious.¡± I hopped on a table, faced the crowd, and told them to get ready because it was time to delve into the last-minute specifics of the plan. ¡°Now is the time to ask any pressing questions. Your lives may depend on it!¡±


    Verdant''s messengers had confirmed that everyone had memorized what I¡ªCid¡ªAyroix¡ªwanted them to do, but you couldn¡¯t go wrong with double or triple-checking, especially if it was something this important.


    But as we chatted, I eventually acquired four titles for my work in orchestrating the revolution. They were impressive and imparted desired beneficial effects.


    [Rebel Champion] amplified my combat prowess and increased my strength and agility during battle.


    [Liberation Vanguard] bolstered my leadership and enhanced my charisma and presence, granting a passive aura that boosted morale and my comrades¡¯ performance amid conflict.


    [Voice of the Oppressed] was gained via my clones, but it only now showed up because the people I had ¡®listened¡¯ to approached and thanked me for truly hearing them out. I didn¡¯t remember doing that, so it must''ve been Tris when she controlled Cid or another clone.


    [Protector of the Revolution] fortified my defensive capabilities, increasing my resilience and durability against physical and magical attacks.


    For the moment, I equipped [Liberation Vanguard] and [Protector of the Revolution]. They were the most useful, and I confirmed the bonuses via [Deduction] on Ayroix, Verdant, and the others after their activity log alerted them.


    The atmosphere around me turned deadly serious when there were five minutes to go. The dwarf Drove silently wiped his mouth and held a hand to his hammer. Verdant gripped her daggers, and Cid and Ayroix looked at each other and hugged as Lysander tenderly brushed his hand against his shield. At first, the others didn¡¯t know how to react. No one believed the Citrine Reapers existed, but the ever-friendly Drove made the first move and casually chatted up Lysander, significantly lowering the tension.


    I merely sat in silence, staring at my rifle. That had come up a lot. A High Elf using weapons most associated with Dark Elves was rare. You¡¯d be more likely to find an albino crow in the middle of a dark, dank forest that never experienced sunlight.


    ¡°How I wish you were here. Sekh...¡±


    ¡°Sekh?¡± I looked up and saw Verdant sitting on the table. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard you say that name before,¡± she said, crossing her legs. Ayroix and the others were still doing the final pre-fight check of their equipment.


    ¡°She¡¯s someone important. You could call her Surtr¡¯s original summoner. She¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m even here. This rebellion wouldn¡¯t be possible without her.¡±


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    My words stubbornly clung to my throat. ¡°Sekh''s taking a break. I wish to return to her soon, but I don¡¯t know when that day will come.¡±


    Verdant smiled. ¡°Then I shall pray for it to arrive soon.¡±


    There was just something about her expression that made me reconsider a bunch of things-- not about using the rebellion as an excuse to grow in power. I was fine and had made my peace with it.


    But it was about a few other things I may have been narrow-minded about.


    This feeling in my heart...I didn¡¯t hate it, but it was unnatural. I wasn¡¯t sure how to receive or resolve it...


    ...but there wasn¡¯t time to dwell on it.


    It was time to act. We left and lined up in front of the bar. I stood at the front and told any mages present to use flame barrier magic. Four nodded, chanted, and enveloped the group in a translucent crimson light.


    ¡°Stand behind me, Lysander. Raise your shield and help.¡± The long orange-haired man nodded and did what I asked, and a hundred gasps emerged behind me when I used [Ira Ignis]. The familiar wrath flowed through my veins. The dripping flames from my ethereal dragon horns danced when they hit the ground. But the crimson glow was perhaps the most dazzling sight...until the pressure descended around us.


    Lysander grunted. His shield¡¯s unique ability activated and redirected the magical heat back to me. ¡°You...weren¡¯t lying about your true strength being enough...to burn the city.¡±


    The discomfort wasn¡¯t neutralized.


    ¡°I was not, Lysander. Now, observe and watch... And please try to hold on. I¡¯m using the minimum to achieve our initial goals, so this overwhelming pressure won¡¯t last much longer.¡±


    Slowly, I raised my rifle and watched it transform into the living spectrum of fire. [Fire Rain] flowed through it. And an orb of deadly, damaging fire amassed itself at the barrel''s end.


    It grew until the mana I packed had nowhere else to go. The writhing orb nearly lost its shape. That was to be expected since it was the size of a large sedan.


    [Fire Rain] had never been this heavily packed before. This proved how strong I¡¯d gotten since the battle to protect Plymoise from those seven ships.


    Wayward assimilation here and there added up...especially when a clone found time to hang out at the graveyard. That strength, no matter how small, ultimately added up. I couldn¡¯t refrain from even the smallest meal if I wanted to amass more power.


    I confirmed my targets using [Skyview]¡¯s linked targeting array. Tris helped me with the fine-tuning until the chances of missing were 0.


    Are you ready, Tris?


    I am, my lord.


    I¡¯m sorry.


    Why the apology?


    It feels like I¡¯ve been asking the impossible of you lately. I promise things will calm down soon. And when they do, let me take care of you. I¡¯ll do anything you want. You deserve it.


    Your kind offer warms my heart, my lord. I wish to remain by your side until the end of time...but I know that answer will not satisfy you. Umm... May I have time to think about what I want?


    Of course.


    Thank you. The precise adjustments are finished. Feel free to begin whenever you wish. Let your roar echo throughout the city.


    Finally...


    I released the trigger.


    The thick, fat orb shot high into the sky¡ªascending past the very clouds, at which it exploded like a bomb, brightening the night sky. It cast a light over half of Atrix...but the spewing flames that poured like flaming rain targeted the barracks...


    This was the signal.

 Chapter Eighty-Three: Ayroix’s Rebellion (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Eighty-Three: Ayroix¡¯s Rebellion (Illustrations!)


    It was... pandemonium.


    General Blackthorn, Guildmaster Thornbrook, and Chief Justice Darkfeather were told different things to expect when the rebellion started.


    But this ensured a three-way brawl. Fights broke out all over the city. The men outside the city gates instantly started killing each other in brutal combat. Honestly, they were yearning for an excuse to shed blood. Tension and stress were at an all-time high.


    That would be a lot of corpses.


    However, it could¡¯ve been much worse¡ªfor them, not me. I desired to use my waypoints to cause confusion and keep friendly fire to a minimum. For example, those with General Blackthorn would see green waypoints above themselves and the rebellion¡¯s army. Those with Thornbrook and Darkfeather would have orange waypoints, which denoted enemies. But Tris could alter a waypoint¡¯s color so it appeared green to person A and orange to person B, which would¡¯ve been used to cause mayhem. Tris estimated there would be about 30,000 individual waypoints with about 40,000 separate permissions. It was just too much for her-- even if she entered her maxed-out processing mode, the ability to handle that much data wasn¡¯t there yet.


    Even if it was, she warned me that her cooldown had the potential to be about six months. And there was a risk of losing her physical body and returning to my mind, where she¡¯d be in some stasis. I couldn¡¯t be without Tris¡¯s skills, voice, or presence for that long, so we altered the plan so that only I had the waypoints. Doing it for me lessened the stress she felt, and it was nice to have an icon denoting who I needed to kill without spending more than a second or two verifying my target¡¯s allegiance. To have some semblance of control, we developed codewords and gave them to General Blackthorn¡¯s men, the rebellion, and the Citrine Reapers. It wasn¡¯t the best, but it would work well enough.


    But there was one element I hadn¡¯t told the others about, although there were whisperings in the darkness a few days ago about corpses going missing and graves being...mysteriously opened.


    There was a chimera on the loose, and he was my clone. Tris knew Little Gregory''s handwriting. She had studied his writing for weeks and crafted the perfect forgery of a pair of mercenary contracts for the chimera''s services. But it was valid to anyone who looked at it since it had his seal, signature, and blood. I didn''t know if I would use this, but it was nice to have. Tris and Tilde said I couldn''t go wrong with having more options. And it was better to have them and not need them than need them and not have them.


    But organizing a massive multi-faction brawl was for this moment. Clone!Chimera had four orders. He wasn¡¯t to attack any innocents or people trying to hide, couldn¡¯t kill or harm any members of the rebellion, had to kill Cid to give Ayroix the final boost of strength and determination he needed to see this through, and he had to die to the future ruler of Atrix.


    Everything else was free game. If my clone came across corpses? He had orders to assimilate them, regardless of whether they were friend or foe.


    Tris kept a watchful eye over the battlefield but focused on the key players.


    I saw my clone wreak absolute havoc in the [Skyview] window. Bellerophon wasn''t present inside Atrix or Plymoise, so the poison was a non-concern. A dozen vines wrapped in flames birthed from his monstrous form, stabbing into the group trying to kill him with spear and sword.


    In seconds, those impaled were sucked dry with [Drain]. Bestial mouths opened on the sharp appendages to eat their targets alive.


    The fear factor was there. Seeing a transforming monster take forms only belonging to your worst nightmare could kill anyone¡¯s drive. Better yet, since Cid and this chimera were my only clones, I had Clone!Chimera branch off into multiple others to further spread mayhem, although their orders were to go around and assimilate the dead.


    And thus, my primary goal was over. Victory was absolutely assured.


    But I didn¡¯t become a spectator. While eyeing a few things, I actively joined the fight, focusing on where the rebellion was currently the weakest while leaving Lysander to be near Ayroix. Most of the time, my presence alone was the morale boost the freedom fighters needed, but I always helped even the odds. [Liberation Vanguard] assisted quite a bit, granting the tired and exhausted a second wind.


    ¡°The High Elf of Liberation is real!¡±


    ¡°She does exist!¡±


    ¡°Come, brothers! We can fight! We cannot give up! We hold the upper hand!¡±


    ¡°Atrix will be ours! We shall free it from its cruel ruler! Death to Gregory Atrix! Death to Gregory Atrix!¡±


    General Blackthorn had specific plans to fight through the soldiers guarding Merchant Guildmaster Thornbrook and Chief Justice Darkfeather, but he wasn¡¯t alone. He had two of Verdant¡¯s spies and his personal guard following him. The rest were behind at his estate to safeguard his family. I had tried to get them to safety, but the general said they¡¯d be safer in the emergency bunker he had built in his basement.


    It wasn¡¯t so safe if I, as a slime, could drip through the cracks and enter, but whatever. It was what it was.


    The general hated the guildmaster and chief justice with passion. Once things were under control, I used the cover of darkness to transform into the form I used when I spoke with him. I ran like the devil throughout the still-crowded streets, shooting my silenced 92FS, scoring a kill with every shot. Bodies dropped, but the combatants didn¡¯t know why because the silencer eliminated all sound. From their perspective, people merely dropped dead after blood splattered from their heads.


    It took thirty minutes to reach the general, but I had unlocked [Active Reload], [Automatic Reload] a M1911, a Beretta M9, and a snub-nosed Taurus 856.


    With [Active Reload], I regained a portion of soul energy spent in the last five seconds by reloading my weapon. The skill granted me a phantom magazine, phantom clip, or phantom shells, and if I dropped it or took too long? It would vanish, and I wouldn¡¯t get anything. The cooldown was proportional to the recovered amount.


    The second took ammo from my person¡ªor [Void Storage], after Tris altered it-- and automatically reloaded any magazines or clips. The other three were obviously pistols, but I didn¡¯t want to use them yet.


    The general believed me to be an enemy when I jumped near him. He faced me and attempted to end my life with his excellent swordsmanship as that gleaming blade reflected my eyes in the crystal moonlight.


    ¡°The rose blooms in silence!¡± I exclaimed. At the last second, his sword froze, the edge tasting my skin, not blood.


    ¡°And whispers carry on the wind,¡± he replied. ¡°Forgive me, but I¡¯d advise you not to jump out in front of a warrior next time.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t hold it against you,¡± I said, retrieving a random spear I had stolen. I didn¡¯t want to use any more guns or Kronto. ¡°There¡¯s no time. Come! We must kill Guildmaster Thornbrook and Chief Justice Darkfeather.¡±


    ¡°Lead the way!¡±


    Approximately 2,648 individuals have perished, my lord.


    Tris gave me a brief rundown while we ran.


    ¡°HOW COULD YOU DO THIS¡ª¡± General Blackthorn refused to share words with the woman he hated the most and stabbed his weapon through her chest, cutting off her annoying voice.


    We entered her estate about ten minutes ago, but the guards cowardly ran away when the fighting started.


    They didn¡¯t survive, though. My chimera and its clones saw that. My biomass and mana were constantly refilled from the non-stop assimilation so I could have them out for the entire night.


    ¡°...¡± Blackthorn merely watched. Thornbrook heaved heavily and tried to remove the foreign object, but she was weak. Mercantile knowledge was her strength, not brawn and muscle.


    Long ago, she had screwed over Blackthorn and withheld vital supplies, causing his unit''s destruction. The scheme was part of a kickback with a fellow city-state¡ªessentially, Atrix had secretly sold the lives of his soldiers for money to a city-state who wished to test a spell they had made. Blackthorn knew Thornbrook had done it.


    She had gotten drunk and told him herself days after it happened.


    Getting drunk and spilling secrets... Seemed like the city was cursed by irresponsible drinkers who never had to face the consequences of their actions.


    But Lord Atrix gaslit Blackthorn into dropping it¡ªinto making himself seek that he was the cause of his soldiers'' deaths.


    On the surface, he played along with it. He even endured the ridicule from the other nobles and taunting towards his family. He didn¡¯t have that much respect anymore. The army was splintered towards being loyal to him or Thornbrook.


    And he never forgot. Thornbrook was the one person he needed to kill. And it was that grudge and irrefutable proof that made him too easy to sway to my side with sweet words and cheap promises.


    But this wasn¡¯t a movie. Blackthorn didn¡¯t utter any epic speeches, monologues about justice, or pretentious bullshit. He merely ended the life of a despicable woman who helped sell her countrymen and left her to die alone.


    The general was getting up there in age. It wouldn¡¯t be long before lifting a sword was an improbability. But Blackthorn loved his city-state. He wanted to leave it in good hands. Even if I hadn¡¯t shown up and arranged this, I knew the general had planned to stage a coup once he had a way to get his family out of the city-state.


    Guess I beat him to the punch, but he¡¯d have lost his life in that failed rebellion.


    After leaving, we ran to the other side of town, bypassing scores of armored corpses littered in the streets like trash. Blood marred the cobbled pathways, contrasting the once-vibrant market stalls, now tarnished with ash and debris. The coup''s proof was clear to all, but I was thankful that most of the participants were actual soldiers or fool-hardy idiots who wished to fight for a man who would throw them away at the drop of a hat. The citizens, at least, had enough sense to stay in their homes.


    The chief justice''s house was up in flames¡ªsomething difficult to notice from a distance because of the hazy smoke suffocating the skies. Flames raged across Atrix, from the waters in the harbor to even the walls themselves.


    It really seemed like the city was on its last legs.


    ¡°Your task is almost over,¡± I told Blackthorn. He holstered his weapon and turned around. ¡°But there is much to do. A city cannot endure without any guidance. And you shall assist the new ruler with a fair and just hand. But a town requires people. You cannot rule over nothing and expect to thrive.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± he said, turning to his soldiers. ¡°Return to my estate and send messengers. Tell our men to focus on regrouping, protecting, and securing our citizens. We¡¯ll leave the bulk of the fighting to Ayroix and his rebellion.¡±


    ¡°Sir!¡± The soldiers nodded and ran to complete their task. Meanwhile, Blackthorn made his way to Ayroix. The spies went their way, and I returned to the road filled with corpses.


    I¡¯d never miss this opportunity. After Tris ensured no one was watching, I used a layer of thick slime to assimilate the bodies.


    But I wasn¡¯t done. There were hundreds left. And by the time the night ended, it would be in the thousands. And that wasn¡¯t counting the soldiers killing each other in Tiran¡¯s Crest. The mystical fog that hid it so well vanished after the coup began. And once they saw the smoke, they followed the orders I had given them via Thornbrook and Blackthorn.


    Another three hours had passed since Blackthorn went to join Ayroix and Cid. They fought Lord Atrix¡¯s mercenaries to reach his estate under the morning sun. The thick, black smoke obscuring the sky made it seem as if it was dusk, though.


    I watched them advance through the courtyard, dispatching the soldiers who had chosen to defend their lord with their dying breaths. They had most likely immediately headed here after my initial attack. They weren¡¯t the strongest. The most powerful was only Lv. 44, but the strength I had gained tonight pushed Cid over the edge.


    He was a whirlwind of death, using [Fire Whip], [Flame Defense], and [Flame Root] to attack, defend, and entrap as they progressed, and his swordplay was like a lioness toying with her cub.


    But then my chimera showed up on winds made from bone and sinew. It made one hell of an entrance and immediately started the brawl. Its fear alone froze the remaining soldiers to their core, and they soon died a violent, bloody death.


    It was a back-and-forth affair. Verdant and three of her spies showed up, as scheduled, and obeyed Ayroix when he told them to secure their target. The Forest Elf raced towards the villa with her daggers and allies at the ready, and I continued watching from the city''s ramparts. During the night, my eyes had unlocked another level of magnification, granting me a 4x zoom. When combined with my rifle, it was 8x.


    Over ten thousand have died since your opening strike. Most casualties belong to our enemies.


    That¡¯s good to know.


    Blackthorn¡¯s men have approximately 47% of the city under their control. The progression should accelerate.


    Okay.


    As the flames danced and devoured the city below, casting an eerie glow upon the chaos, I lifted her flute to my lips and watched Cid die after taking a mortal blow meant for Ayroix.


    Seconds ago, Lysander had been tossed aside like trash, and he cried out while recovering to his feet. He rushed past Ayroix and hefted his shield, joining Blackthorn in fending off the chimera from turning its sight on the young leader.


    My delicate fingers gracefully danced along the instrument, summoning a haunting melody that seemed to resonate with the very essence of the revolution¡ªit synced perfectly with Ayroix¡¯s horrified cries.


    The notes carried a bittersweet longing, blending with the crackling of fires burning the courtyard and the distant sounds of turmoil from a harsh fight inside the villa. It was a melody of defiance, courage, and a fervent desire for change. The music soared through the smoky air, weaving its way into the hearts of those who heard it, igniting a flicker of hope amidst the darkness and igniting the spirit of revolution in their souls.


    Suddenly, Ayroix turned his head. There was no way he could see me. But I knew he had heard my playing. His face... He was crying. But he was determined to see this through to the end.


    He wouldn¡¯t dare let the death of his father¡¯s brother extinguish his spirit. Especially not if the High Elf of Liberation had her gaze on him.


    He was far too close to his goal.


    He knew he needed to push harder¡ªburn that rebellious flame even brighter.


    Family came first. If they showed up, I¡¯d be liable to smack knock some sense into them.


    The booze came from Gregory¡¯s personal collection.


    I offered the music via my flute.


    Beatrice was a woman with orange eyes and a thick ponytail. She had a ¡®girl next door¡¯ vibe, and her brothers were a few years younger than Erin. Blackthorn¡¯s family was at their estate. No doubt they would be traumatized for a while even though they were totally safe.


    Perhaps I should¡¯ve offered them asylum in Plymoise, but Blackthorn wouldn¡¯t have gone for it.


    He was a thoughtful, deep guy when you took a chance to share a drink with him. He had wisdom in spades and often spoke of the past with melancholy eyes.


    He didn¡¯t want to retire. He wanted to continue fighting for Atrix until his dying breath. But he also wanted to spend time with his family. He didn¡¯t have much left other than them. That incident in the past removed any chances of him having genuine friendships with anyone because he was always looked down upon.


    But he wasn¡¯t horrible.


    He had honor.


    I did hope happiness was in his future.


    At some point, someone brought up how many drinks I had before the rebellion started, which was a big deal because High Elves were considered lightweights. Most only needed a sip of alcohol before they were three sheets to the wind, dead drunk.


    But not me.


    I felt confident and dared anyone to outdrink me.


    And boy, did they try.


    The alcohol we drank wasn¡¯t weak. It was strong. It left a fire in your throat when you swallowed. But to me?


    It was like water. I burned my blood hot and scorched the alcoholic contents a second after I swallowed. Really, it was like nothing reached my stomach because even the steam vaporized a millisecond later.


    One by one, the dwarves who lined up were defeated. Next came a troll. His orange tusks brightly blushed when I chugged a new bottle, but he lost the battle and passed out.


    Blackthorn tried his hand, but he bowed out after four shots.


    ¡°Come on! Is there anyone who can take me on?! The High Elf of Liberation?! I do not only assist those in freeing themselves from tyranny,¡± I proclaimed, my voice ringing out amidst the raucous cheers of the tavern. ¡°Even the alluring kiss of alcohol cannot keep me down!¡±


    I grabbed a pint of mead and raised it high, receiving a chorus of cheers. People had watched my drinking matches intently and were taking bets on the side.


    It really was nice to see the people having fun. Every seat was filled. And at this rate, Gregory¡¯s stockpile of booze would probably run out before the night was over.


    At some point, people began singing. We sat and listened to the tales of the heroic adventure of a ruler named Ayroix...


    But I never expected...


    ¡°HERE HERE, LADS! LET¡¯S SING IT FOR OUR HERO!!!!¡± A drunken dwarf with an orange beard raised his tankard, spitting and slurring his words.


    In the land of Atrix, a story we''ll share,


    Of a High Elf named Lyudmila, with valor rare.


    With her fiery spirit and heart full of grace,


    She led the revolution, in this perilous place.


    Oh, Lyudmila, a warrior so bold,


    With her blade and her magic, she fought for our stronghold.


    She rallied the people, against the tyrant''s might,


    A beacon of hope, shining in darkest night.


    Through battles she strode, with courage so true,


    Lyudmila inspired us, in all that she''d do.


    Her name will be honored, throughout the land,


    A symbol of bravery, forever at hand.


    Oh, Lyudmila, a warrior so bold,


    With her weapon and her magic, she fought for our stronghold.


    She rallied the people, against the tyrant''s might,


    A beacon of hope, shining in darkest night.


    So let''s raise our voices, in a toast of cheer,


    To Lyudmila''s bravery, that we hold dear.


    In songs and in tales, her legend shall remain,


    Lyudmila, a hero without refrain.


    ¡°CHEERS!!!¡±


    Tris knew this would happen and remained silent. Atrix didn¡¯t have much to give me. Ayroix and the others even less.


    But this...


    I wondered why they were so insistent on returning to the bar.


    I...


    I couldn¡¯t help but be shocked. The people considered me a hero. To them, I was their savior¡ªthe link that prevented outright war from breaking out. Had I not been here, and the assault against Plymoise was carried out, the number of dead would¡¯ve been 4 or 5x higher.


    But...


    To me...


    I... I didn¡¯t...


    Verdant hugged me close and cried tears of happiness. Ayroix put his arm around my shoulder and raised another toast. Blackthorn and Lysander raised their glasses like gentlemen.


    One by one, the children approached and gave me handmade straw dolls of myself. Beatrice and her brothers gifted me a beautiful shell that had been in their family for a few years. They came from a poor background.


    For the first time, I felt like I had missed a lot. If I had shown myself earlier, I could¡¯ve learned more. My mind quickly processed a hypothetical future in which I was there¡ªin person¡ªevery step of the way. Maybe then... I wouldn¡¯t have thought of...everyone here as...


    But maybe not. Perhaps remaining distant was the better choice. Tris suggested developing a deepening friendship could¡¯ve altered my thoughts about the plan. And should the worst occur?


    I wouldn¡¯t have the needed life force.


    Sekh was just so much more important than everyone here. If I kept that tidbit to myself, I didn¡¯t have to worry about hurting feelings.


    The rest of the evening played out differently than what I had expected.


    And I didn¡¯t know what to feel.


    I¡¯m coming home, Tris. It should take me a few hours at full speed.


    I stood atop the city walls the following dusk, looking over my shoulder at the reconstruction efforts that never stopped for longer than an hour for the shift change. I¡¯d wanted to leave earlier in the day, but the events of last night...


    It made me want to spend a couple more hours here¡ªI wanted to ensure I¡¯d done all I could before leaving them alone. I knew Captain Morgan, the supplies, and the craftsmen were scheduled to arrive the following morning, so it would¡¯ve been fine if I left earlier.


    I¡¯ll be awaiting your return, my lord. Everyone is excited to welcome you back!


    I played a song to summon my wings, and I took to the skies, happy that my biomass was draining so slowly the yellow resource bar didn¡¯t look like it was decreasing. At some point? I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about it getting low at all.


    Surtr was right. A chimera¡¯s growth was slow at the beginning, but it rapidly snowballed. Soon? I¡¯d be a force to be reckoned with...

 Chapter Eighty-Four: I’m Finally Back (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Eighty-Four: I¡¯m Finally Back (Illustrations!)


    Plymoise came into view when the sun was on the cusp of setting. The horizon¡¯s crimson hue clashed hard with this city-state''s green-centric color scheme, but it was still beautiful.


    I thought about stopping by the Ministry to get it out of the way, but Tris said she received a message from Gretchen. She figured I¡¯d been away from my family for too long, so she wanted me to catch up with them before heading to her.


    And I did just that.


    I spotted Irisa and the others standing in front of the inn. Everyone was there, and as I got closer, Kengu, Longtooth, Sirive, and Legate materialized and roared. Surtr joined them, flaring his flames. He sent a beam high in the sky, parting the clouds and making it seem morning for a fraction of a second.


    I told Lady Gretchen to expect something like this, my lord. She¡¯s already been given prior notice, and the citizens know not to panic. They know it¡¯s from Surtr.


    The performance was certainly overkill, but it was the perfect display of power for the king of the jungle.


    Misty-eyed gazes met mine as I touched down. My vision blurred with unshed tears, mirroring the emotions welling within me. The notes from my flute still lingered in the air as I dismissed my wings.


    ¡°Master!¡±


    ¡°My lord!¡±


    ¡°Mila!¡±


    "Mila!"


    ¡°Mistress!¡±


    ¡°Lord Springfield!¡±


    A chorus of affectionate cries met my ears. Tilde circled me in flight before embracing me from behind with her usual exuberance. Tris echoed her enthusiasm and joined her. Niva and Erin linked arms with me while Primrose''s hand found my shoulder. Her comforting touch was welcomed. Irisa enveloped me in a tight, emotional embrace, holding my head against her chest.


    ¡°I missed you guys so much...¡± My quivering voice betrayed my true feelings. Irisa kissed my forehead, rubbed my hair, and gave me her brightest smile. Even with the blisters that still weren''t getting better, she was so beautiful...


    Irisa stepped back but held my hands as Mom and Dad welcomed me back.


    ¡°Mom... Dad...¡± I just felt so weak upon seeing them. It¡¯d been so long... Sure, I saw them with [Skyview], but that didn¡¯t count. Dad held out his arms, and I ran, jumping into them. Mom joined the hug and kissed my head so sweetly. e back,¡± dad whispered.


    ¡°I¡¯m back... I¡¯m finally back...¡±


    Dad let me go, and I looked at Chax and Ginnie, who didn¡¯t know what to do.


    But I did.


    I couldn¡¯t leave them out.


    Those two were my friends¡ªmy close allies. Ginnie slightly yelped when I gave her a hug. She went weak in the eyes and said she missed me. I even gave one to Chax, who welcomed me back while patting my shoulders.


    Before now, I never had anyone to welcome me back.


    Sure, Mom, Dad, and Irisa were there to welcome me back when we went to Aetos Village for Niva.


    But that was different.


    This was different. This time... It was just so much more emotional...


    ¡°Come on, Master!¡± Tilde hovered over me and tapped my shoulders. ¡°Let¡¯s go inside already! We wanna hear about it!¡±


    ¡°Tris didn¡¯t tell you?¡±


    ¡°She did,¡± Erin said. ¡°But I wanna hear it from you!¡± My little sister¡¯s tail wagged so fast. Her eyes were sparkly jewels. I ruffled her hair and let them escort me into the inn, where Delouise and his staff awaited me with a hero¡¯s welcome. He led us to the dining room, where a bountiful feast decorated the table. He then explained what he and his staff had readied.


    At the center was a roasted boar, its skin glistening with a golden-brown hue, a true centerpiece of the meal. Alongside it, the aroma of herb-marinated grilled chicken wafted through the air, making mouths water. A pot of spiced lamb stew simmered, filled with root vegetables and fragrant herbs. Skewers of seasoned venison and smoked trout were laid out, tempting the palate.


    As for my needs, the table held roasted root vegetables with a drizzle of honey and herbs, a comforting dish. Buttered peas and carrots provided a simple delight, while grilled mushrooms with garlic butter and a touch of allspice offered earthy flavors. Stuffed cabbage rolls generously filled with grains and vegetables were served in a tomato sauce.


    An array of bread and sides ¨C from rustic baguettes to soft whole-grain loaves - completed the spread. Cheesy mashed potatoes added a savory note, while a garden salad composed of crisp greens, peppered tomatoes, and crunchy radishes was dressed in a light, tangy dressing.


    But then a green-skinned elf rolled in a serving tray and lifted the lid after we were seated, revealing a honey-glazed fruit platter, a lavender-infused custard, and an almond cake with raspberries, topped with a tart berry sauce.


    ¡°We spared no expense, Lord Springfield. You¡¯re a hero. Tales of the High Elf of Liberation has spread far and wide,¡± Delouise said, offering another bow. ¡°Please, this is the least we can do for Plymoise¡¯s savior.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so kind of you.¡± It was hard to get the words out. I¡¯d never been treated like this. After taking a sip of my tea, a maid-in-waiting refilled my cup. She did the same when I took another sip. When the pot ran dry, she left to fetch another one and remained by my side.


    Well, I couldn¡¯t ever get thirsty, I suppose. I didn¡¯t mind this treatment, I guess. It was different, but it...felt...nice.


    For the next two hours, I talked about what happened in Atrix. The gorier details were kept hidden. I didn¡¯t want to ruin the mood with tales of puppets being slaughtered and hung on pikes. And it wouldn¡¯t do right to detail that I could¡¯ve solved it in a day or two instead of stretching it out.


    Mom and Dad probably wouldn¡¯t have liked to know that, and I felt like shit keeping it from them.


    But I didn¡¯t want them to hate me. I didn¡¯t know what I would do if they said they were disappointed in me. Details about Verdant and her spies were probably a national secret that had to be kept hidden.


    I told them Ayroix was a good man. He wasn''t like Gregory. I likened Blackthorn to a man who was dealt a crappy hand. He did the best he could. He wanted to prevent the invasion from going ahead, but he was overruled and was forced to keep it going. Lysander was a gentle soul who had a green thumb. He enjoyed all things nature, and we wondered about the Citrine Reapers¡¯ future.


    Niva congratulated me when I announced [Eyes of the Huntress] combined with [Mana Perception] and evolved. She used her skill and said my vibrant, colorful eyes were pretty.


    I looked at Primrose, and her expression...


    It was one of fear...


    ¡°...We are prepared to pay that. Whatever reparation the Orchta gives us will be yours.¡±


    ¡°...And what if I said I desired Atrix¡¯s Vestige. Would you grant that to me?¡±


    I searched for it while I was there, but I couldn¡¯t get any hits. Even I couldn''t get anything from Gregory. I must be missing something, but what was it? Maybe it was something only those with the blood of a Vestige can see or perceive? Even Tilde didn¡¯t even know for sure.


    Suddenly, it was like the air had turned into a vacuum.


    ¡°That would not be within our power.¡±


    ¡°You are the victors, after all.¡±


    ¡°Conflict happens over them. If we take Atrix¡¯s Vestige, war would be called upon us in no less than a week¡¯s time. We would have a coalition army at our door. If we had lost the war and Atrix took our Vestige, the other city-states wouldn¡¯t sit idly by.¡±


    ¡°It seemed like that was their plan,¡± I replied to Gretchen. ¡°It seemed like they believed themselves strong enough to pull it off. Especially if they had leverage over the Orchta. But I won¡¯t ask for anything impossible. You have my trust in that. If I decide the Orchta¡¯s reparation is enough, that¡¯ll be my price.¡± I politely bowed, wished them a good evening, and left with Surtr. Once outside, I hopped on his back while returning to the inn.


    We talked about the Vestiges. He didn¡¯t know that much. They were around in Sekh¡¯s time, but the world had more pressing problems than worry about meteorite shards.


    But that didn¡¯t stop some sleazy bastards from trying to pull one over. The greed caused Parthina¡¯s assistance to the war effort to dwindle because the country broke into a brawl. Seven armies fought against each other without glimpses of the most fragile alliances.


    What if the Vestiges just weren¡¯t here anymore?


    What if Atrix had waged war for absolutely nothing?


    What if the city-states'' leaders pretended to have the Vestiges to save face?


    How ironic would that be?


    I mean, if I couldn¡¯t find any traces of them...


    Were they even here?


    Nothing could hide from Tris. So, if they weren¡¯t here, they weren¡¯t here.


    So...


    Where were they?


    It was well past three in the morning when I finally returned to my room. I couldn¡¯t feel tiredness unless I exhausted my mana, biomass, or soul energy, but sleeping¡ªno, resting in a comfy bed?


    If only it was that simple...


    I blinked twice and turned to Tilde, who wore... something completely new. She was kneeling, looking up at me with a unique, submissive expression.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    Suddenly, she stood, grabbed the helm of her skirt, and bowed. ¡°Welcome home, Master! Your lovable maid missed you a buuuunch!!!¡± She winked and flashed a bright smile.


    ¡°You¡¯re a maid now? What happened to my fairy? Don¡¯t tell me she¡¯s gone forever.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s still here, but I call this Maid Mode!¡± Tilde snapped, and she became nude. Another snap, and she was back in her maid outfit. She said she could manifest and vanish her wings¡ªmost fairies could do it.


    It seemed she unlocked a storage skill that only worked for clothing and armor. It wasn¡¯t as good as mine, though. But Tilde progressed much faster than I thought. She was practically an expert. I doubt anyone knew more than her about how this world worked.


    ¡°I requested it from the manager a few days ago to surprise you! Hey! Did ya know Tris can save different outfit configurations to her wardrobe? It extends to her hair and makeup, and it¡¯s different from stashing things inside [Void Storage] and putting them on that way. Tris, activate Maid Mode!¡± Tris¡¯s body glowed, and she showed off her matching attire.


    ¡°You look amazing, Tris. I like it.¡±


    ¡°Hehe... My lord... It does my heart well to see you like it!¡± Tris giggled and touched the tips of her fingers together, her fluffy ears twitching from happiness.


    Tilde grabbed my arm and took me to bed. ¡°I talked with Irisa. I just said enough to make her start thinking, but it¡¯s time for you to go and speak with her. It¡¯s not a good idea to push it off anymore. She knows you¡¯re leaving soon for the Heptarchis, and she didn¡¯t take it well.¡±


    ¡°Was it a mistake to delay it for this long?¡± I asked. Tris grabbed my hand and rubbed it against her cheeks before joyfully wagging her tail. I couldn¡¯t get enough of that beautiful smile.


    ¡°You had genuine excuses. It¡¯s hard to talk about this stuff when the threat of invasion was looming overhead. But you don¡¯t have that anymore. Part of being an adult is knowing that there are times when you must have a difficult conversation. But I don¡¯t think tonight¡¯s the night. She¡¯s too vulnerable. Go show our little oni your affection. It¡¯s what she needs.¡±


    ¡°What about you two?¡±


    ¡°What about us? I¡¯m your lovable fairy maid, and Tris is your dependable analytical engine. Your success is our success. We¡¯re with you for the long haul. Irisa? She has a kind heart. This type of fighting isn¡¯t for her. So, go on and comfort her. Tris and I¡¯ll head to bed soon, so we¡¯ll see you in the morning. Focus on Irisa, okay? She really needs you right now. She''s nearly 90, but the wee lass still has room for growing and maturing.¡±


    ¡°I love you so much, Tilde.¡± I kissed her head and rubbed her arms. Her smile was eternally delightful and beautiful.


    ¡°Hey, did you know Tris wailed over her cute lord? Hehe, you should¡¯ve seen her sulk. It was totes adorbs."


    ¡°Tilde!!¡± It wasn¡¯t often Tris became embarrassed, but it was always so cute to see her blushing face. ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t tell!!¡±


    ¡°Teehee!¡±


    Tris looked like she was about to cry. But I quickly embraced her and held her close to my chest. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you too. So much... Hearing your voice is one thing, but it¡¯s something else to have you in my arms once again."


    She lifted her eyes and met mine. Her body softened when I kissed her. Tilde waved when Tris escorted me to Irisa¡¯s room, but it was just an excuse to hold her hand some more.


    I watched her return to my room before pressing an ear against Irisa¡¯s door.


    I heard her sobbing...


    God, it hurt my heart so much...

 Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths – Part One

    Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths ¨C Part One


    ¡°Irisa? It¡¯s me...¡± I knocked on the door and peeked in. She was there, sitting in the bed with her lion curled in her lap.


    ¡°Mi¡ªMila! Umm¡ªIt¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Irisa.¡± I closed the door and sat beside her. Her eyes were reddened from her rubbing, and her nose was runny.


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, I hugged her. And we fell to bed. She was like putty in my arms as a torrent of emotions unloaded over my chest.


    And the girl I loved...showed me her weakness.


    She confessed to me a bunch of things.


    How she couldn¡¯t focus on her training with Dad because she was worried about me.


    How she couldn¡¯t finish her meals because her appetite was gone.


    How she dealt with the nightmares infecting her dreams that showed my death.


    How she still couldn¡¯t get over killing those pirates on the boat.


    How... How she was so afraid...that my desire for revenge would drive us apart...


    How she wasn¡¯t confident she could keep up with me, Sekh, Surtr, Niva, and the others...


    Irisa was so tormented by a dozen different feelings she spiraled into a crippling depression every night, after dark, without fail.


    She kept her harrowing thoughts to herself and dealt with them without wanting to worry anyone.


    ¡°Mila... I¡¯m so scared...¡± Irisa hugged me tighter. ¡°You¡¯re so strong. And I¡¯m not. You can fight. And I can¡¯t."


    ¡°What do you want me to do? Say it. Say anything, and I¡¯ll do it. I swear I''ll make you happy.¡±


    ¡°No... You won¡¯t... It¡¯s impossible for you...¡±


    ¡°Try me. I make the impossible possible. If I can¡¯t, then Tris''ll think of a way.¡±


    And then...


    Irisa asked me something...I couldn¡¯t hope to give her...


    ¡°After the Heptarchis... After this is done...and we find Grandma and Grandpa... And when Sekh is back... Stay with us... You¡¯re happy with us, right? With mom and dad? And Niva and Primrose? We can live as a family. We can be happy. Ignore Meruria and the others. Please, stay with us...¡±


    ¡°...You know I can¡¯t do that.¡± I swore I felt her heart shatter into a thousand pieces.


    ¡°But why?!¡± she cried.


    ¡°Lyudmila Vredi Springfield only exists because I swore my revenge.¡± Without it, Sekh wouldn¡¯t have sensed my soul and summoned me. I wouldn¡¯t have met Mom, Dad, or Irisa, and Tilde would be elsewhere. Niva would probably be fed to a pack of wild animals because Noelia was a bitch. Primrose? Probably inside Aetos. Erin? My sweet little sister¡¯s life would be hell. Karen would probably die if I wasn¡¯t here, but Erin would have had to survive alone.


    Chax and Ginnie? Dead. Probably after birthing the next generation of goblins.


    ¡°I love you with all my heart. I love Mom and Dad. You know I do. But...I¡¯m sorry, Irisa... I cannot forgo my revenge. If I do, it means forgetting myself. It means ignoring a vow to free Sekh from her curse.¡±


    ¡°But... But... Mila!!! What about me?! I can¡¯t follow you when you do that! I¡¯m not strong enough. I don¡¯t have the courage! I¡¯m just some weak oni... I¡¯m only good at one thing...and that¡¯s not enough to help you... Even if I was brave enough to follow you, what could I do? I can¡¯t...handle killing... It scares me... I know I¡¯m nai?ve. I¡¯m being dumb... An oni as old as me? Still feeling so afraid? I still act as if I''m a little girl! And I-- I..." Irisa cried and whimpered. She hugged me tighter. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to leave! I don¡¯t like that fate keeps dragging you away... Why do you have to go to the Heptarchis?! Why can¡¯t Lady Plymoise protect Plymoise herself? You said you wouldn¡¯t leave for a while, but you¡¯re about to... You¡¯re about to leave me again!¡±


    Is it time? Should I bring it up? Her life should be hers, not mine.


    ¡°Irisa... You¡¯re beautiful. You¡¯re strong. You¡¯re important to me. I won¡¯t let you talk like that about yourself... I just won¡¯t... But I don¡¯t want your life to revolve around me. Are you training with Dad because you want to get stronger? Or is it because you want to help me? Is it for self-growth, or is it for me?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re your own person, Irisa.¡±


    ¡°But--¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re your own person,¡± I repeated it. My heart hurt. ¡°Just please, don¡¯t let your life revolve around me. I know...that might be hurtful.¡± Irisa tried to push me away, but she suddenly pulled me back.


    I wanted to say more, but maybe silence was the correct choice. I held Irisa closer to my chest and let her vent her heart. Eventually, she fell asleep. Irisa¡¯s lion jumped on the bed and curled next to us, and I remained awake to gently rub her back throughout the night.


    Morning eventually rolled around, but we did not move. We didn¡¯t get out of bed when Delouise knocked on the door, and we were still in bed when the lunch call happened. I told Tris to let everyone know I was comforting Irisa.


    I told Mom and Dad what Irisa confessed via waypoint messaging. We talked about that for a while. Dad confided and said Irisa didn''t have any heart in their training. She half-heartedly gave up. Him, Mom, and Erin were there for her. Irisa often hugged Mom and wandered to her room multiple times to hug her.


    Then I spoke to Tilde via waypoint messaging. She was relaxing in the bath in our room.


    ¡°You must decide what¡¯s important. Is it your revenge? Or is it your family? Depending on how the future unfolds, you might have a difficult choice ahead of you.¡±


    You know I can¡¯t ignore my revenge. I told Irisa last night. Why do I have to pick and choose? Why can¡¯t I have both? Revenge first, and then family? It¡¯s not that hard.


    I needed to hear Kengu¡¯s words.


    I really did.


    She held me while I cried and never judged me for it. But she was right. This... It didn¡¯t have to end ugly. It could be amicable, and my love for Mila, Tris, Tilde, and Sekh wouldn¡¯t ever change.


    I was always comparing myself to them. They were stronger than me.


    They were smarter and...


    I was just me.


    My obsession with not wanting to be left behind manifested unhealthily. It wasn¡¯t right. I now knew that.


    ¡°Kengu?¡±


    Yes?


    ¡°I...want to improve myself for my sake. I... I need to go back to what makes Irisa...Irisa.¡± There was something I wanted to make. A secret project, of sorts, to really test my skill. It might have to wait until we found Grandma and Grandpa, but a new chapter of my life was about to begin.


    And honestly? I¡¯d have never realized it was waiting for me if a certain chimera hadn¡¯t run into our family¡¯s shop.


    I just wanted to be a better me and figure out my place in the world...


    I had spent twenty minutes sitting alone at the table with nothing but my thoughts before Kengu strolled into the dining room.


    I followed her to Irisa¡¯s room. She met me at the door, took me by the hand, and escorted me to the bed.


    And we talked...


    For a long while. About her feelings... And her emotions... And how she wanted to progress from here.


    ¡°I¡¯m not ready,¡± she whispered, her eyes reddened from the crying. ¡°It¡¯s not fair to you or the others. I know how powerful you are. And I wanted to protect you. It...just manifested in a way that no one needed.¡±


    Irisa was a crafter. She had once told me she wanted to become the best blacksmith in the world-- to make amazing equipment that no one else could match. And I thought that was the perfect goal.


    ¡°I still love you, Mila. That will never change.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t,¡± I replied. ¡°We¡¯re sisters until the end. There¡¯s no other family I wish to be a part of.¡±


    Honestly? My heart felt relieved. I knew it wasn¡¯t easy. Irisa needed a lot of courage to say what she said, and I was proud of her.


    Our relationship would turn us from lovers into sisters, but our affection didn¡¯t have to vanish.


    We''d always be family.


    We hugged it out. Afterwards, Irisa asked me to make a clone of Sekh. I did, and she just spoke to her-- about anything and everything, including wanting to be her sister, too. We probably spent about two hours just chatting, crying, and hugging.


    As sisters did.


    I felt even closer to her than I did before.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s not easy for you,¡± Irisa whispered, gently grasping Clone!Sekh¡¯s hand. ¡°You¡¯re probably scared and alone... And here I am, feeling so sorry and pathetic for myself... But I know what you¡¯d say. You¡¯re the Dark Lord of Tyranny...but you¡¯re so protective and caring. I wish... I wish you didn¡¯t have this curse. It¡¯s not right. It¡¯s not fair. You¡¯re struggling so hard...and you¡¯re enduring so much that it¡¯s inspiring me to do my best. Sekh... I want you to be proud of me, so I¡¯ll try my hardest and become the best me I can be.¡±


    Clone!Sekh remained quiet, but Irisa¡¯s heartfelt words did not go unanswered. She touched her head to Irisa and closed her eyes, smiling like a weight had been lifted off her chest. Clone!Sekh expired and turned to slime, which returned to me.


    ¡°I still feel her hands. They¡¯re so warm. Mila... This is a new beginning for me¡ªfor us. I don¡¯t want to be who I used to be. That Irisa... I won¡¯t pretend she didn¡¯t exist. She¡¯s as much me as I want this new Irisa to be. Sekh probably won¡¯t have it, but I¡¯ll apologize when she returns.¡± Irisa yawned and rubbed her eyes. ¡°Why am I still tired? It feels like I¡¯ve been asleep for a week.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not tiredness. It¡¯s relief,¡± I answered. ¡°You found an answer to something that¡¯s been bothering you. You¡¯ve been so stressed...and now you can finally relax. You¡¯ll be sleeping good tonight.¡± Irisa slipped under the covers, and I ensured she was tucked into bed.


    ¡°And here I thought a big sister¡¯s supposed to do that for her younger sister,¡± she said as I rubbed her head.


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m about a million years old if you count the void¡¯s time dilation,¡± I replied.


    ¡°Well, being spoiled has its benefits. I... I talked with Tris and Tilde through Kengu and Surtr.¡±


    ¡°You did?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Tilde¡¯s amazing. I thought I was ready, but she guided me through feelings I didn¡¯t know I had. You think she experienced something like this before?¡±


    ¡°Probably.¡±


    Irisa yawned again. The exhaustion just flooded her gentle, cute face. That soft expression suited her far more than tears and reluctance towards the future.


    ¡°Go on and get some rest, okay? I¡¯ll see you in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay... Good night, Mila.¡±


    ¡°Sweet dreams, sis.¡±


    I lovingly scratched Kengu under the chin before I morphed into slime and wiggled to my room.

 Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths – Part Two (R-18)

    Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths ¨C Part Two (R-18)


    Tilde and Tris were sitting on the bed in their pajamas. ¡°I see that smile, Master. That tells me all I must know.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt. I feel at ease. She¡¯s finally looking after herself first.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s a sign you¡¯ve made the right choice. I bet you were worried about unnecessary drama, right?¡±


    ¡°Can you blame me?¡±


    ¡°Nope. It¡¯s a natural fear. I¡¯d call you a liar if you said you said otherwise.¡±


    Tilde laid her head in my lap when I sat beside her. She searched for a hand and placed it on her head, and I gave her a few loving pats. Tris rested against my shoulder and hugged me.


    ¡°You did good,¡± whispered my fairy.


    ¡°Me? I should say the same for my favorite fairy in the whole wide world. I know you helped Irisa.¡±


    ¡°Well, when my Master¡¯s sister needs assistance, who am I to deny her? I am, after all, a master of linguistics. I could convince a dragon to give up its horde of gold to a bunch of beggars.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re that confident?¡±


    ¡°Yup. But if you wanna repay me, you know what to do.¡±


    And I did.


    It was something...that was long, long overdue.


    But I was going to play hard to get.


    ¡°Hmm... I don¡¯t know,¡± I grinned. ¡°Maybe I need some more help.¡±


    ¡°Well, I¡¯m a woman. You¡¯re a woman. I¡¯m tall. You¡¯re taller. Anything ring a bell?¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but... Nah, I¡¯m drawing a blank. Mind making it open book?¡±


    ¡°Well... What about this?¡± She took the hand on her head and put it between her legs. I softly rubbed her lower lips and brushed her thighs. Her pajama bottoms were already soaked.


    ¡°Maybe... I think I have an idea or two.¡±


    ¡°Then this might seal the deal. Master... For tonight... I want to be your woman. That¡¯s what I really want...¡±


    ¡°Then that¡¯s what you¡¯re going to get. I love you, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Master...¡± She leaned up, I went down, and our lips touched. It felt like the world went still. A moment¡ªa brief, flickering moment lasted what felt like a lifetime. She lifted her shaky hands to my cheeks when our lips separated. ¡°Why...are you crying?¡±


    I wasn¡¯t aware of the salty water dripping onto her cheeks. ¡°I...¡± My heart ached with so much overwhelming emotion...because it realized...truly, truly realized...


    ¡°I¡¯ve waited so long...to do this...¡± We had kissed before, but it had never felt like this.


    She gently touched my cheeks and used her thumb to wipe away the tears. ¡°Me too. I¡¯ve dreamt of this day...and...it¡¯s finally here.¡±


    We kissed again, again, and again, undressing a little more each time our lips connected.


    We were naked after the fourth one. Tilde said I was beautiful, a soft blush warming her cheeks.


    ¡°Hey, are you...thirsty?¡± I popped a nipple in her mouth and transfigured two more arms to rub her head and stomach. It didn¡¯t take long for that warm, hot feeling to return to my tits, and my sweet breast milk followed suit. Tilde spread her legs more. ¡°That¡¯s a good girl... Drink up... Drink all you want... Let me make you feel good...¡±


    Tilde¡¯s drenched pussy let off a satisfying, erotic aroma. She was horny, and I was hungry.


    I swirled a finger or two around to tease her before putting one in. The other became a tongue and became acquainted with her clit. The licks were gentle, slow, and deep, and little, tiny micro tongues were transfigured on that, providing an almost overdose of stimulation that saw Tilde squirting like a fire hose. She tried to close her legs, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to do so.


    ¡°Kkkyaaa~~~¡± She climaxed and couldn¡¯t hold her voice. Leftover warm breast milk leaked out the corners of her mouth. She arched her back and eventually heaved heavily, drunk on my overactive touches.


    Before I knew it, I was stroking myself and getting off to her beautiful body. That mouth was so wet... That tongue was so slick and hot... Her lips were luscious, shiny, and full...


    ¡°It¡¯s not fair...for me to get it all. Lean back...¡± I did, and she adjusted her position slightly enough to rest her face beside my cock. After licking her lips, she ran them down the shaft and used her tongue.


    ¡°Tris... Help me...help our Master,¡± Tilde whispered. She didn¡¯t want to remove her lips from my shaft. I felt her inhaling my meaty scent. I still had a hand rubbing her pussy, and her fingers joined me. ¡°I need you...to do this with me... I want to share it with you.¡±


    ¡°My lord?¡± Tris looked at me as she scooted off the bed.


    ¡°I want you too, Tris. Please, let me show you how much I love you.¡±


    After I nodded, her clothes vanished as she crawled between my legs and placed the tip on her lips, kissing it gently before taking it in her warm, hot, pleasurable mouth.


    My lovers¡¯ tongues bathed my cock in their love. Tris used her hands to massage and caress my testicles, only removing the tip from her mouth to give them a few displays of affection.


    ¡°It feels so good...¡± I moaned and leaned back further. Tris looked at me with those expressive eyes. Her twitching, fluffy ears were so cute that I had to rub her head.


    A familiar pressure built in my balls, and I unleashed it in her mouth. She kept it in her mouth and immediately kissed Tilde, pushing my semen into her mouth. They made out around my penis, lewdly swapping spit.


    I immediately came again, covering their faces.


    We didn¡¯t bang.


    We didn¡¯t mate.


    It was sweet, sweet love-- made by two individuals who deeply cared for each other. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep it in,¡± I whispered, licking her lips. ¡°Let it out... It turns me on when I know you¡¯re feeling good... It tells me I¡¯m doing something right.¡± Her nipples were stiff and pointy, and I rubbed mine against them. Even without using any biomass, I began to lactate, dripping my milk all over her tasty, soft breasts that were as fluffy as marshmallows.


    I felt her yearn for me...


    I felt her desire for me...


    Her moans... Tilde let them flutter in her sweetest, cutest voice. She gradually clamped down.


    ¡°It¡¯s... Maasterrrr~~~~ I¡¯m¡ªI¡¯m cumming!!!!¡± Tilde climaxed and wrapped her legs tightly around my waist, refusing to let me go. Her head rolled from left to right, her hair a sweaty mess, but she was so weak... So cute and sexy... She melted upon my lips when I kissed her at the apex of my orgasm.


    Her loving eyes rolled to the back of her head when I sucked on her tongue. When Tilde unwrapped her legs, I slowly removed my penis and watched the semen flow freely down her thighs.


    ¡°Huuuuh... O... Master... That...¡± She couldn''t find the breath she desperately searched for. Heaving, she tried to grip the bed and sit up, but she didn¡¯t have the strength to even do that. Tilde¡¯s orgasmic smile leaked through. Suddenly, she turned to Tris and extended a shaking hand.


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°I get to be...selfish, okay? And...I want you too, Tris... Please... It isn¡¯t...the same... You¡¯ve worked so hard...and so long...always waiting to be...called upon...¡±


    Tris nodded and got on the bed. Vines sprouted from my back and lifted Tilde just enough to set her down onto Tris¡¯s outstretched arms. They were laying stomach to stomach¡ªbreast to breasts, their silky, soft legs dancing with each other.


    Tris kissed Tilde so gently and thanked her. Her voice was a mouse''s squeak. I thought I was hearing things...


    ¡°You¡¯re a selfish woman, Tilde Springfield...¡± I crawled forward and rested against her back, my penis brushing against her hot, tasteful pussy. She looked back and smiled.


    ¡°Umm... I...have a different hole, you know... It¡¯s...clean... So... If you... Eeehhh-- Al--Already?! Maas~~~~¡± After covering my penis in slime, I moved up a little and slowly entered her ass. It was so hot, pleasant, and inviting, and Tilde clenched her teeth out of pleasure, not pain. Her wings flapped and folded to her back. She melted into Tris¡¯s arms, who locked her lips onto her breasts.


    We made sweet love throughout the night, ensuring Tilde remained the focal point. She was licked, touched, caressed, and kissed, from her pretty cheeks to her illustrious thighs. After I orgasmed, I turned Tris around on Tilde until they had their faces in each other crotches. Tris cleaned the leaking semen while I went to my knees.


    The fairy turned around and stared at me with hungry eyes. She crawled closer and straddled my lap.


    ¡°Both...¡±


    ¡°Both?¡± I whispered. She embraced me and locked her legs around my waist.


    ¡°You can...use both...holes...at the same time...¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh... And Tris... I want you, too. To hold me... I don¡¯t want this night to end, Master... This is a dream come true for me...¡±


    ¡°Of course.¡±


    After growing a second penis, Tris helped put them in and rested her head on Tilde¡¯s shoulders. Her hands went to her hips and assisted in lowering her until she was stuffed.


    Tilde bit my neck in pleasure when she gyrated her hips, but her precious lips were all mine after I kissed her. I lactated more and spilled milk over our breasts, and Tris reached around and molded Tilde¡¯s boobs in her hand, spreading the warm fluids even more.


    Her hips moved faster once the apex of pleasure was at its cusp. Our tongues wildly danced when I filled her with semen, shooting thick, long ropes deep inside. Tilde''s grinding slowed, but we remained connected for a few more minutes, enjoying each other''s pleasure.


    In that moment... We were two women...coming together as one...


    We were dirty, and Tilde was soaked in sweat. But we didn¡¯t want to leave. Instead, I used slime to clean us, ensuring they focused extensively on her sensitive bits.


    Tilde¡¯s face was as red as a tomato, but she never once stopped smiling as the cool slide slithered and became drunk on our fluids.


    ¡°I can¡¯t get your moans out of my head. You were always beautiful, but tonight? I¡¯m glad I got to see that side of you.¡± Before she said anything, I sealed her lips with mine. It was a deep kiss...between two women deeply in love.


    ¡°I felt your warmth... I can still feel it...even now,¡± she whispered. I felt her passion tickle my lips as she rubbed her stomach.


    ¡°And you can feel it for centuries to come, Tilde Springfield. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too...¡±


    I helped Tris replace the bedspread with clean covers, and we cuddled together under them¡ªforgoing the pajamas. It didn¡¯t take long for Tilde to suffer from her exhaustion. She threw one hand over my chest and nuzzled her head against my shoulder, a sweet smile across her pretty face.


    But before she drifted to sleep, my sharp ears heard a faint whisper of her love.


    Tris took my right, doing much of the same, but she looked up at my face while I rubbed their backs. She said it looked like Tilde enjoyed it. ¡°She told me something, my lord...¡± said Tris. ¡°Step 47,729, according to her, is for me to experience your love. Will you...let me be your partner?¡±


    ¡°I should be asking you that. Tris, I want to make love with you. I want to experience so many different firsts with you.¡±


    ¡°My lord...¡± Tris¡¯s lips called my name, and we shared a deep kiss. It was sensual and heavy, and her tongue made way for mine to investigate her mouth. She squirmed lightly and slightly quivered when her eyes widened for a moment.


    She had climaxed.


    It made her look more beautiful... Seeing that faint glow of pleasure dance across her face... Tris rubbed my stomach and cupped her palms around my very visible erection.


    ¡°Let us depart for the bath. Tilde needs her rest, and I wish to pamper you...¡± We got out of bed, and she grabbed my hand.


    Before I followed her, I apologized to Surtr, who had no choice but to listen to all we had done. But he told me he liked seeing me enjoy myself. And it didn¡¯t bother him. If it did, he¡¯d have returned to the bracelet or slept downstairs.

 Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths – Part Three (R-18)

    Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths ¨C Part Three (R-18)


    ¡°This is supposed to smell like apricot. Let me know if it¡¯s to your liking,¡± Tris said, lathering her sudsy hands. She walked away from the soap and oils and stepped into the bath. My eyes were locked on her shapely breasts and erotic stomach. And those thighs...


    Tris¡¯s touch was gentle, like a sudden breeze amid spring. She took great care when it came to my chest. She fondled my breasts and rubbed her thumbs over my nipples like Sekh used to.


    A small gasp escaped her mouth when the tip of my cock touched her stomach. She smiled. Tris lathered her healthy breasts and washed me with them by rubbing against me. Her hands, meanwhile, investigated my penis and became acquainted with my shaft and balls.


    She always looked up at me, staring into my eyes like I was the only light in the sky. She rubbed her soapy hands over her ass and turned around, grinding into my crotch as my penis slipped between her cheeks.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this moment, my lord... For so long... Ever since I was first invoked as my previous incarnation, I¡¯ve been wishing for this day...to love you as a woman.¡± I used my webs to yank the soap to me, and I lathered Tris¡¯s chest. My fingers effortlessly slid across her marshmallow-like breasts. I squeezed her nipples and cupped my hands around her boobs, giving her a pleasant massage¡ªjust like I gave Sekh shortly after we met. Her breathing quickened for a moment. Tris pushed further back into me, and I climaxed, spraying her ass with semen as she orgasmed. Her cute moans were exhilaratingly sexy.


    ¡°That¡¯s another magnificent... ejaculation... I¡¯m¡ªmmph¡ª¡± Tris turned her head, but I was there to seal her lips. My hips kept thrusting my penis against her ass while I lowered my hands to her trembling crotch. Her moans ravaged my mouth when I stuck two fingers in. The other hand focused on her stomach and licked it after transfiguring into a tongue.


    Tris was putty in my hands. She squirted thrice, back-to-back, orgasming nearly every other minute.


    When I finally separated my lips from her...her back and ass had been painted in my thick white seed. She panted like a woman in heat and arched her back when I turned the fingers inside her into penises. They wriggled and pressed against her moistening, delicious inner fold.


    ¡°My lord... Please... I need you... I cannot wait any more.¡± She wiggled her butt and spread her cheeks, her playful blond tail inviting me to step up.


    Her ass looked delicious... I was erect-- more than ever because the finger penises¡¯ sensitivities were linked with mine.


    But I had something else in mind. A sharp smile formed on my lips as I removed them. Any transfigurations canceled themselves, and I made a clone of myself. It hugged Tris from behind while I walked to her front, and her cheeks went as red as a tomato.


    ¡°This is going to be special,¡± I whispered, hugging her tightly. My penis rubbed against her stomach. My clone licked her neck and put both hands under her thighs. I did the same, and we picked her up.


    Her face tingled with anticipatory excitement as she wrapped her arms around my neck.


    Slowly...I pressed my penis past Tris''s lower lips, and my clone entered her ass. We went slow, with little additional sensitive bits transfigured for good measure.


    ¡°Aaaahhhhh~~~~ My lord!!!!¡± Tris moaned, her whole body shivering slightly. ¡°My lord~~~ Faster... I can¡ªI can take it~~~¡±


    ¡°Your wish is my command, my sweet fragment...¡± I kissed her lips and ravaged her¡ªjust like she wanted me. Each time I or the clone pulled out, Tris clamped her holes around our cocks and cried out.


    And each time, my clone and I climaxed, continuing to pump Tris full of our love until the semen had no choice but to flood out.


    Her sweet, never-ending, passionate moans were so loud she consciously removed her power to speak. Instead, her voice resounded throughout my mind via our telepathic connection.


    She was all I needed to hear, and since she didn¡¯t need to be quiet to avoid waking others...


    Tris became loud...


    Hearing those noises... Those utterly sensual cries of measure... Feeling Tris''s body tremble whenever my clone and I picked up the pace... Feeling her clamping down whenever she climaxed...


    You¡¯re so slippery! My dick feels like it wants to melt! I love you!!!!!


    Tris¡¯s expression was a lewd, lustful mess, her hair sticking to her face while her eyes glazed with pleasure. I forced my lips to her, comforting her tongue with mine as we passionately kissed.


    The climax was different this time. It was harder¡ªmore soul-shattering than before. I grunted hard, screaming my love for her in my mind. Long ropes of semen pumped into Tris, and I shot my entire load while she clamped down tighter than ever. My clone did the same, vanishing without a trace once its job was done. But before it did, it cleaned the bath and our sexual fluids with slime. My penis still occupied her pussy.


    ¡°Tris? Are you there?¡± I whispered, licking her lips. I still held her in my arms, so I walked to the edge and sat her down. I removed my penis and crouched, holding a hand to her cheek. A waterfall of semen slid down her thighs.


    Her face was filled with so much pleasure...it was like the sun had blossomed the world''s prettiest flower.


    ¡°My lord... My lord...¡± she said twice, heaving for air. Her salacious gaze eyed my penis. ¡°Ahh... I must clean it.¡± Tris seductively crawled towards me, her breasts swaying erotically. The lion ears and tail I loved to fluff twitched happily with her lewd blush. She wordlessly took my cock in her mouth and rubbed her stomach. I had no choice but to tease her fluffy, cute ears.


    ¡°It¡¯s so delicious...¡± she said with it still wrapped around her lips.


    She swallowed everything that had coated my dick. But when I extended an arm to help her stand up... She immediately walked behind me and rubbed her boobs against my back.


    ¡°My studies are bearing fruit,¡± she whispered, already recovered. One hand went to my tits, and the other to my balls. Her testicular massage was...out of this world. She knew how I wanted my breasts to be groped. ¡°I¡¯ve learned so much...and I have a special interest in copulating,¡± admitted Tris, speaking bashfully. ¡°When you let me spoil and pamper you...it makes my chest feel warm. That¡¯s why...¡± She cupped her hands around my tip and rubbed her soft palms against them. ¡°Please, let it out. Don¡¯t hold anything back.¡± I closed my eyes and moaned while she licked my ears, expunging a thick wad of semen. She caught it all, then continued to stroke me while squeezing out the last bit.


    She walked around in front of me and drank my ejaculation, marveling about how thick and delicious it was even after I had climaxed so many times. ¡°Have I told you how much I love you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Your love for me is like an endless fountain... I know that it¡¯ll forever flow... Even the passing of time cannot hope to drain its infinite bounty... There aren¡¯t...enough words that I can even say to tell you...how I feel about you...¡± Tris picked up a soapy washcloth from nearby and massaged my body. ¡°So... Let my actions speak for me.¡± She washed the top of my head to the bottom of my feet while she told me to relax.


    And I did.


    Tris had her own way of showing her love. And this was it. She found joy in taking care of me. She spent extra time around my erect penis, which hadn¡¯t gone flaccid since we entered the bath. Her tail was even more reactive than Sekh¡¯s, and it happily wagged behind its owner.


    We sat to rinse off the soap, but she continued to rub my chest and stomach. Even my fingers weren¡¯t safe. If she could touch it, she did. Tris had a fondness for just holding my penis like she would my hand. She stared at the tip and gently brushed her thumb around it. Her eyes glazed hungrily, and she licked her lips.


    ¡°Could we stand? I wish to do something.¡±


    ¡°Sure. I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    We helped each other up, and she retrieved that lipstick Sekh had put on when we had that sexathon in Susize¡¯s mansion. After applying it, she whisked it away to [Void Storage] and kissed me on her lips. Her sweet tongue traveled down my chin, neck, and stomach until she had to squat.


    Then she worked her tongue across the top of my shaft before becoming very intimate with the tip. She kissed it like there was no tomorrow, even dragging her nose across it. She basked in the scent and shuddered, touching herself while getting off to my smell. Vissit  for updates


    I sat down on the side of the bath and spread my water-covered legs, only then noticing her lips had left proof of her love upon my penis.


    That¡¯s why she applied the lipstick. She...knew I liked it when Sekh did it in Aetos Village.


    Tris went to her hands and knees and crawled, and my cock rested on her face. She looked at me with these big, beautiful eyes that made my heart skip a dozen beats. Opening her mouth, I put my hands on her head, rubbed her checks, and...


    ¡°It¡¯s everything I ever dreamed of... I wouldn¡¯t want...anything more...my lord...¡± She looked at my face, and I saw her blissful expression and glistening eyes. ¡°Your warmth...is filling me...and I love it.¡±


    We stayed like this, gazing deeply into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°I know we don¡¯t require sleep, but...¡±


    I knew what she wanted. ¡°I think I might be able to doze off. But only if you hold me.¡±


    Tris did just that and wished me a sweet dream when my eyes closed. Her insides were just so comfortable... It was seriously inviting¡ªthe perfect pillow for my penis.


    Even better... Tris wanted this more than me. And I liked satisfying her desires.


    If I was going to be her inspiration?


    I needed to fulfill my role without any errors or issues.


    Before I knew it...I was out like a light.


    Tilde awoke shortly before dawn. She yawned and stretched, then flashed a lewd smile when she saw how I had fallen asleep. ¡°I see you¡¯ve kept Master company,¡± she haughtily whispered, snuggling my arm between her chest. I warmed my blood for her.


    ¡°It was a breathtaking experience,¡± said Tris, who smiled gently. She ran her fingers along my cheeks and kissed me cutely. ¡°I¡¯ve felt what Lady Sekh experienced, and I can truly say it¡¯s something to behold. I feel even closer to the one I love.¡±


    I told Tilde about what Tris and I did after she fell asleep. ¡°Wooow... That¡¯s a lot. So, how was it? Give me all the deets,¡± she haughtily whispered with a ludicrously lewd grin.


    ¡°Marvelous... An experience I¡¯ll never forget. It was less about lust and more of an expression of love and unity.¡± Tris accurately recanted our lovemaking, and Tilde kept nodding, saying she was happy that Tris took her lessons to heart.


    ¡°Love this. Love that. There¡¯s a thing called sappiness, but it¡¯s fine to be cliche?. All that matters is that you two enjoyed it. It really warms my heart to see you genuinely smile like this. I can tell you¡¯re much more relaxed, so why don¡¯t I...just do this!¡± Tilde suddenly locked her lips against mine and stole an early morning kiss.


    I felt a familiar sense radiate from my groin.


    ¡°Haven¡¯t you noticed her face, Master? Your little Fragment of Wisdom is feeling something stirring her insides. Something thick and hard...that made her lose her mind last night... You know, if you hadn¡¯t pounded me so hard... I could¡¯ve watched it...¡±


    Tris slightly moaned and rocked her hips, making me more erect.


    ¡°And to tell you the truth... Tris acquired her voyeuristic fetish from me. So go ahead, Master. Here...¡± Tilde took my hands and placed them on Tris¡¯s breasts. ¡°I wanna see you rock her world. Consider that step 7.¡±


    ¡°Allow me to tend to your morning urges...¡± Tris moaned and gently rode me. She expertly shifted her weight and tightened, wrapping my entire shaft in her delicate warmth. Tilde warmed my lips. She groped my breasts and filled her mouth with my milk, then sat up to kiss Tris, transferring it to her.


    My fairy returned to my shoulder and rubbed my stomach.


    ¡°You¡¯re about to cum, aren¡¯t you?¡± Tilde¡¯s voice was sultry. She licked my neck and felt me up all over. ¡°Then let it out... Cum for me, Master... Cum... Cum... Cum...¡±


    ¡°Mmph--!¡± A split second before I climaxed, Tilde forcefully kissed me. It was our strongest one yet, and her tongue dominated mine while I pumped my love into Tris.


    My Fragment of Wisdom arched her back and erotically shuddered.


    ¡°Wow...¡± Tilde said ten seconds later. She licked her lips after stopping the kiss. ¡°You¡¯re still shooting it into her? How does it feel to cum inside the cutest Fragment of Wisdom when you¡¯re kissing the cutest fairy in the world?¡±


    Tris fell to my chest, and I hugged her so tightly. ¡°It¡¯s a feeling I can¡¯t even explain...¡± I moaned.


    Tilde squirmed a little before kicking off the covers. She got to her knees and turned around. She spread her lower lips and timidly rubbed her clit.


    She wanted me to watch her play with herself, and I did. But I helped her in the end. She lowered herself over my fingers and rode them, gyrating hips lewdly until she shuddered. Tilde collapsed to my chest and shared the space with Tris.


    I rubbed their backs and held them close.


    ¡°You¡¯re a good girl, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°Hehe! I know I am!¡±


    "And you too, Tris.¡± She rubbed her cheeks against me and purred. She locked eyes with Tilde, and the two kissed. Tris moaned. She fell into Tilde¡¯s warm, gentle embrace as we climaxed again.


    ¡°Hey, why don¡¯t we continue this elsewhere, yeah? It wouldn¡¯t reflect well on me for my Master to smell like sex.¡± Tris agreed and stood. My semen lewdly dripped down her thighs as she smiled and said she loved how warm her stomach felt. My fairy dragged me to the bath, and Tris followed.


    It didn¡¯t take long...before it turned sexual...


    Tilde tried to embarrass me, but she found me resolute and panicked when I turned the teasing around on her.


    We wanted to do more, but I ended things because if I hadn¡¯t?


    We¡¯d probably be here all day¡ªcarving our desires onto each other¡¯s bodies.


    After getting out, I sat on a nearby chair, and Tilde stood in front of me, slightly leaning over to dry my hair with a towel. Her breasts swayed along with the cute tune she hummed. I turned my hands palm-side up and merely played with her boobs, much to her delight.


    ¡°I¡¯m happy I¡¯m bustier,¡± she admitted. ¡°I like it when you fondle them, and I couldn¡¯t make them jiggle like this if I was still flat.¡±


    ¡°Even if you weren¡¯t, I¡¯d still rub them because they¡¯re attached to you.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Really. You¡¯re the cutest fairy in the world, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°Hehe! Yep! I guess I am!¡± Tilde crouched, gave me a quick kiss, then resumed drying me off, happier than ever. ¡°Just so you know, that¡¯s step 76,629. We¡¯re making super-fast progress.¡±


    We returned to the room, got dressed, and I had to give Tris one last comforting and relaxing fluffy ear massage before we went downstairs for breakfast.

 Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths – Part Four

    Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths ¨C Part Four


    It was nice to have breakfast together. We were all sitting at the table, and it... It just felt like normal. Our conversations reminded me of when my family accepted my chimerism. After filling our bellies, Irisa and I walked with Mom and Dad to the courtyard and told them about last night. They weren¡¯t disappointed or upset. Really, if you thought about it, our new relationship just wasn¡¯t that different. The care we shared for each other was still there, which was the important thing. Mom and Dad hugged Irisa and said they were proud of her.


    ¡°Tris, can I get your help?¡± Irisa suddenly asked.


    ¡°Of course,¡± replied my Fragment of Wisdom. ¡°I am happy to provide assistance.¡±


    Irisa wanted to challenge herself. She wanted to do something to prove her skills¡ªto test her prowess and reinforce her desire to be the world¡¯s best crafter.


    After all, she had fallen in love with blacksmithing at an early age. If there was anything that defined Irisa as a person? It would be that. I left them to their talks and returned to the dining room.


    Niva and Primrose quickly departed to their room with Lei to continue their training. That spirit refused to meet my eyes. But Niva¡¯s [Mana Perception] was advancing steadily. She could almost maneuver herself around the inn without assistance, but channeling the skill for lengthy periods stressed her body. Niva''s endurance needed work.


    Or did it? Perhaps there was something I could do about that...


    I¡¯ll talk to Tris about it later.


    It was time to hang out with my little sister since I had spent time with Irisa. Erin''s overall attitude had improved. She was much more confident and didn¡¯t even resemble the girl she used to be.


    ¡°But you get to have me to yourself,¡± I said, rubbing her head. ¡°Let¡¯s spend the day together.¡±


    ¡°Umm... I...overheard what you said to Irisa.¡± Erin¡¯s voice quivered, but she quickly recovered.


    I told her I still loved her. Nothing would change. I wasn¡¯t leaving the family, and I¡¯d always be here. And that made her smile. ¡°Now, what do you want to do?


    ¡°I want you to join Pawsome Fables! Let¡¯s go on a quest!¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. Ms. Ginnie, is that okay?¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is. I hope Chax and I don¡¯t embarrass ourselves.¡±


    ¡°I wanna show you how much better Longtooth and I have gotten! Stay right here, okay? I¡¯ll go get my armor.¡± Erin finished her drink and ran up the stairs, her lion trailing behind.


    ¡°She¡¯s improved a lot,¡± Chax said. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t think a month would be enough time, but it really is. I think you¡¯re going to be surprised.¡±


    ¡°What about you, Tilde? Getting better?¡±


    ¡°Oh, you know it, Master. I¡¯m excited to show you how accurate I am. I might even be a better sharpshooter than you.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I grinned and chuckled. ¡°Why don¡¯t we put it to the test? How about a wager?"


    "Deal! The winner gets to kiss the loser!" She swapped from Maid Mode to Adventurer Mode in a flash. It was instantaneous.


    ¡°Deal!¡±


    ¡°Hey, Ginnie, why don¡¯t we have one?¡±


    ¡°Let me guess. The winner kisses the loser?¡±


    ¡°Almost. How about the loser kisses the winner?¡±


    ¡°Then is that even a bet?¡± Ginnie giggled and kissed Chax. Tris told me that the two often walked while wrapping their tails around each other.


    It was cute as hell.


    ¡°What shall I do, Lord Springfield?¡±


    ¡°Whatever you want, Surtr. Rest and relax because we¡¯ll be put to work when it¡¯s time to depart.¡±


    ¡°I shall remain here. I am but a stray thought away if you need my power.¡± Surtr stretched and found a nice spot to curl up.


    Last night, Irisa had told me the lions were a huge hit. Since they weren¡¯t wild or dangerous, the inn¡¯s staff began to see them as cute mascots. They would always walk around. Irisa said she sometimes found Kengu being petted. And sometimes, she¡¯d see Surtr stretch before Delouise would scratch under his chin.


    The inn¡¯s manager was astounded by Surtr¡¯s breadth of knowledge, which probably made adjusting all the easier since he could easily match wits and impart valuable advice.


    When Erin returned, Pawsome Fables and I left the inn and walked to the guild. My sister''s daggers were showing signs of use. She held herself differently from the last time I saw her.


    All eyes were turned to me as we walked the city. I stuck out like a sore thumb as the only High Elf.


    People chatted in hushed whispers whenever I walked by. Maybe a kid would excitedly point and tell his mother he had seen the High Elf of Liberation. A little girl even wandered up and asked to hold my hand before her brother yanked her away and apologized.


    But that was fine. I gave the little child the handshake she wanted, which caused her to jump around in joy before dashing off.


    ¡°How does it feel being the popular girl, Master?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Uncomfortable?¡± We turned a corner, and I nodded. ¡°You¡¯ll get used to it. But remember, it¡¯s a good type of fame. You saved the city-state. It¡¯s only natural they¡¯d treat you like a hero.¡±


    At the guild, I walked with Ginnie and Chax to register as a member of Pawsome Fables while Erin and Tilde looked at the quests. It amused the receptionist to see that I was still the lowest rank. I probably couldn¡¯t reach the top, but I knew I could be promoted to at least Rank B. Maybe A. Then again, maybe higher if I used [Ira Ignis] and had Surtr.


    Erin decided on a quest to fetch some mana ore from a nearby dungeon to the south. The Crystal Veil Mines were aptly named since they spawned ore in the shape of crystals. The purer ore contained specs of light shimmering inside.


    ¡°They¡¯re hard to find and easy to miss, though,¡± said Ginnie. ¡°Chax and I took a quest to collect some and failed the mission.¡±


    ¡°But Mila¡¯s eyes are really good,¡± argued Erin.


    ¡°Agreed. There¡¯s no one out there with better sight than my Master,¡± added Tilde. Nothing could escape [Skyview] and its search function, but I wouldn''t use it today unless I had to.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. If we fail the quest, I can have the fine waived.¡± I leaned close and whispered. ¡°Plymoise kinda owes me a little bit, so there¡¯s that.¡±


    ¡°Geez, Master. Never thought I¡¯d see the day when you throw your name and status around. I kinda like it.¡± Tilde grabbed my arm, and we left before it got too late.


    ¡°They say she killed twenty soldiers with that weird thing on her back.¡±


    ¡°Nah, I heard her lion ate a hundred drakes Atrix had hidden away.¡±


    ¡°You two idiots are both wrong. My brother says an elf like that is too pretty. She uses her charm to sway her enemies into turning against their allies.¡±


    ¡°Your brother¡¯s a known liar!¡±


    ¡°What you¡¯d say?! Say that to my face, bastard!¡±


    ¡°Hey, I wonder if that fairy helped. She¡¯s with the High Elf of Liberation, right? She¡¯s cute enough to liberate my heart any day of the week.¡±


    ¡°Uh, what a pig...¡± said the annoyed woman next to the previous speaker¡ªa Pigfolk with green dots on his cheeks.


    For what it was worth, it was amusing hearing the rumors.


    But Tilde was mine. I didn¡¯t like that Pigfolk talking about her like that. A stern look froze him when he realized I had heard him.


    My pointy ears weren¡¯t for show.


    ¡°This is the place, huh?¡± I asked. The entrance was like the Mines of Gamor, but this place was lit up. Light reflected and bounced from crystal orbs that differed from the ore we hunted. The lobby wasn¡¯t that packed, so we began our hunt, eventually coming to a split in the road. My map had changed into a 3-D model, but I still lacked a scanning feature to fill it out.


    The quickest way would be to split up, but Tilde wasn¡¯t connected to Tris¡¯s skill set. She also didn¡¯t have a lion, so I couldn¡¯t track her. We decided to continue as a team and went down the left path.


    Crystal lizards, crystal bats, and crystal kobolds-- short, stubby monsters with alligator-like heads-- shimmered vibrantly. They were around Lv. 8. Erin and Tilde were Lv. 13, so they were more than a match.


    I held my rifle in a low-ready position and watched Erin. She ran forward with Longtooth, who roared, sending a blast of fire towards the charging enemies. The flames suddenly turned into a wall, and then a spark of the azure fire went to Erin and coated her in a barrier. Suddenly, the wall dropped, and I saw my little sister raise her daggers.


    ¡°[Backstab]!¡± Her weapons flashed red, and then she thrust them into her enemies¡¯ backs. They didn¡¯t die, but the vines birthed from the knives entrapped them. Tilde flapped her wings and took off flying.


    ¡°Master, watch me!¡± Tilde drew her revolver and sent three bullets through the kobolds¡¯ crystalline heads, ending their lives in a flash. Their corpses quivered and broke apart, shattering like glass while leaving their core behind.


    ¡°Good work, you two,¡± I said. Tilde gave me two thumbs up and a flashy smile after pocketing the cores in her pouch.


    ¡°Your accuracy¡¯s still impressive. And great job, Erin. It didn¡¯t occur to me to use Longtooth¡¯s flames as a barrier.¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡± Erin sheathed her weapons and caught Longtooth when the lion jumped into her arms.


    ¡°See? Told you she¡¯s gotten better. They say some people are cut out for fighting, so I wonder if Erin¡¯s that type of girl.¡±


    ¡°Like a battle junkie?¡± asked Chax. Ginnie looked at him and shook her head. Her earmuffs almost fell off, causing her to tighten them with the strap.


    ¡°Mila... So... It¡¯s okay if my heart...¡±


    ¡°Yep,¡± Tilde interjected. She hovered around Erin and flew backwards at the same pace we walked. ¡°Take it from me. What you¡¯re feeling is totally normal, okay? And I¡¯m sure you know why more than anyone. But if you have any doubts, ask your lion.¡±


    I told her Tilde was right. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid to talk to Surtr through Longtooth, okay? He¡¯s a sage.¡±


    ¡°Surtr is?¡± Ginnie asked. She held hands with Chax, who was a little bit embarrassed.


    ¡°He¡¯s smart. I almost did something stupid... But he helped me out. And that goes for you two. If you¡¯re lost or in trouble, and Surtr or the other lions are around? You can talk to them.¡±


    ¡°Your offer¡¯s very sweet, Mila,¡± Ginnie said, smiling.


    I turned to Erin. She still seemed concerned and finally said a single name when I prodded for more info.


    ¡°Sekh...¡±


    ¡°What about her?¡±


    It was hard for her to talk about, but after she told Longtooth, who told Surtr, who told me, I learned Erin was partly afraid of Sekh. She hadn¡¯t spent much time with her, after all. And the stories of the Dark Lord of Tyranny no doubt scared her more than she wanted to admit.


    ¡°But... I wanna see Sekh again, Mila. Do you think we can be friends? Will she be upset with me?¡±


    ¡°Friends? Definitely. Upset? Never. I¡¯m positive.¡±


    ¡°Then... It¡¯ll be okay to spend time with her?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯d like that very much.¡±


    ¡°And... Can...we go on a picnic? I also wanna thank her for Longtooth. Without her, I probably wouldn¡¯t have gotten the courage to change. I owe a lot to her.¡±


    ¡°Tell you what. When Sekh''s back with us, why don¡¯t we have a super awesome day, okay?¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡±


    My smile brought something beautiful to her face. Erin held my hand a little tighter. Tilde flew behind me and whispered I did good. She was proud of my growth, too, and she let me know that with a kiss on the cheek.


    There¡¯s a lot of being proud going around. The world could use more of that.


    For the next five hours, we walked around the various shops. The plan was to buy some clothes.


    And we did that.


    But we didn¡¯t buy them. The shopkeepers said no true brother or sister of Plymoise would force the High Elf of Liberation to pay her bill. That didn¡¯t mean I went overboard. I was conservative in my purchases.


    Tilde picked out two sexy dresses and a pair of spicy underwear from a shop specializing in lingerie¡ªit was inside a gated community near the western edge. She grabbed Ginnie¡¯s hand and pushed her into a changing room, so I figured I knew what my fairy had said to convince her.


    Chax audibly gulped. He looked at me. I looked at him...


    Oh, how fun it was to tease him.


    Erin hid her eyes behind her hands while blushing hard. It was too much for her, so she went outside and chatted with her lion. I shopped for Tris and Sekh.


    ¡°And... This is going to work?¡± Ginnie whispered when we left.


    ¡°Definitely,¡± Tilde replied. She looked over her shoulder and grinned. ¡°The boy won¡¯t be able to keep his hands off you. I don¡¯t think you''re getting any sleep tonight, hahaha...¡± Ginnie¡¯s face became beet red, but it was more of an expectation of a rather...intense night she was about to have.


    From there, we went to another shop specializing in general clothes. Everyone was more confident here. Tilde picked out a conservative blue sundress, and Erin wanted a few outfits because she didn¡¯t have many. She was a fan of hairbands and ribbons, and I promised to help tie up her hair.


    Later that night, after dinner, I spent a few minutes with Erin after she changed into some pajamas I had bought her. We sat on her bed, and I dolled up her hair and added ribbons and bows.


    It felt nice to do sisterly things together. But I didn¡¯t know how to do this until Tris gave me the instructions. And afterwards, we talked about Sekh a little more. Erin shared a small dream. For those with them, tail-holding was seen as something special. Erin wanted to wrap hers around Karen¡¯s¡ªsomething she admitted in a lowly whisper¡ªbut she said she never had a chance.


    ¡°You must think I¡¯m being weird, right?¡± Erin looked up and petted Longtooth. ¡°Suddenly talking about Sekh like this? I¡¯m...regretting something... I should¡¯ve spent more time with her¡ªwith everyone.¡±


    ¡°We all have regrets. I have plenty myself. But Sekh''s coming back. Sooner than you think. So, think of anything fun you want to do with us, okay?¡± I rubbed her head and watched her tail wag.


    That gave me an idea...


    ¡°Eh? What¡¯s... Mila...¡± She stared at my tail.


    Yep. I had transfigured one. It looked just like Sekh¡¯s.


    ¡°These things are...hard to move,¡± I focused and tried, but it was unruly. Erin offered to teach me, but that was easier said than done. Of course, controlling a tail came easier to those who had them. But she wrapped hers around mine and looked extremely happy. She was smiling ear to ear and gave me a big hug.


    ¡°But Erin?¡±


    ¡°Huh?


    ¡°Are you... really okay with me? I...¡± The topic was difficult to approach. I killed her mother... I destroyed that shop.


    ¡°I¡¯m not scared of you, Mila.¡± Suddenly, Longtooth made a noise, and Erin winced. ¡°No. I can¡¯t lie. It¡¯s not right. I was...scared. When my mom...did that...and when she sold me... I had nothing. I had heard stories of what happens to girls who are put up for sale. I thought my life was over. I thought everything...was about to end. And I wanted to die.¡±


    ¡°...¡± I kept silent. Talking about this required strength. And I didn¡¯t want Erin to waver in her resolve by interrupting her.


    ¡°My mother was an awful woman... I know that now. She was sick and needed help, but no one but Dad extended a hand. And...we know how it turned out. Even if you never showed up... She would¡¯ve still found a reason to sell me. I¡¯m glad you stole from the shop. I¡¯m glad our wares helped you. And... My mom¡¯s at peace. She¡¯s not suffering anymore. I¡¯ll never forgive her for what she made me do, but...¡± Erin¡¯s voice was weak. I barely heard her over the whimpers. She grew unsteady and fragile and cried.


    ¡°I¡¯m a rape baby. I wasn¡¯t conceived out of love. I...haven¡¯t fully come to terms with it. I sometimes feel ashamed. When I¡¯m alone? That¡¯s when it hurts the most.¡± Longtooth jumped on the bed and curled between us. Erin quietly laughed as she stroked her lion¡¯s soft fur. That comforting presence calmed her more than she knew it.


    ¡°My mom destroyed a family. And she made me help. And... This still feels like a dream. And I¡¯m scared, Mila. I don¡¯t wanna wake up. But things...aren¡¯t how they should be. Why does Ichiha love me? Why don¡¯t they hate me? I ruined their family. Irisa¡¯s grandma and grandpa hate Dad because I did what my mom told me to do.¡± She looked at me and grabbed those horns she was so proud of like she wanted to rip them off. But I stopped that. I restrained her hands, transfigured two more arms, and hugged her close.


    Erin fought. She panicked. She cried and beat my chest before submitting to her overzealous emotions. The poor girl must¡¯ve been keeping this in...


    ¡°You didn¡¯t destroy anything,¡± I told her. ¡°Karen was your mother, but she wasn¡¯t your mom. Ichiha loves you. Kokan loves you. And Irisa loves you. You¡¯re family. You¡¯re important to them. And nothing will change that.¡±


    ¡°I wish I was Dad¡¯s real daughter! I hate Karen! I hate her so much! I¡¯m glad she¡¯s dead! She ruined everything and hurt so many people!¡± Repressed anger erupted from the tortured girl¡¯s heart...until it exhausted her.


    Erin was troubled, but she wasn¡¯t alone. But I had to correct something because she was wrong.


    ¡°You are his real daughter. Look at me.¡± Erin lifted her head but turned away in shame as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. I saw the weight of her pain, the burden of her guilt, and the shattered fragments of a bygone innocence. ¡°You carry his love in every beat of your heart,¡± I whispered, my voice unsteady. I wanted to cry. I empathized with Erin more than she ever knew. ¡°And that love surrounds you¡ªmore than you realized.¡±


    I gently cupped her face, urging her to meet my gaze. "You are not defined by her mistakes. You are defined by your strength, your resilience, and your capacity to love despite the darkness that has touched your life."


    Tears welled up in Erin''s eyes as she finally met my eyes, the weight of her emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "I wish... I wish I could believe that," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion.


    "You can," I insisted, my voice trembling with conviction. "You are worthy of love, Erin. You are worthy of forgiveness. And most importantly, you are worthy of happiness. And I¡¯ll protect your happiness. I won¡¯t let anyone take it away. This is your home. This is your family. Your place is with us.¡±


    Truthfully?


    Erin wasn¡¯t the only one who felt like an outsider. At least she shared Dad¡¯s blood.


    Me?


    I was from another world.


    I was a chimera.


    This body? It wasn¡¯t mine.


    Erin probably realized how I could¡¯ve inferred her words because she suddenly apologized and didn¡¯t want me to hate her. But I wasn¡¯t mad. This was a rough period of her life. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but she was tougher than she realized.


    ¡°Mila...¡± she whined my name, and we hugged for a few minutes until I heard a yawn. Four clones appeared, and they got the bed ready while I tucked her in. Longtooth hopped on her stomach and laid down with her head under Erin¡¯s chin. I held her hand and brushed her hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s hard for you too. I know it is. I...want to protect your happiness...because we¡¯re sisters, right?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± I squeezed her hand and kissed her forehead. ¡°We have each other. And nothing will change that. Sleep well, okay? You¡¯ll feel better in the morning."


    ¡°Uh-huh. I will. I love you, Mila.¡±


    ¡°I love you too, sis.¡±


    I gently closed the door and popped in on Irisa, who had fallen asleep at her desk. Scattered journals laid before her as Kengu bit a green blanket. She walked on flaming platforms and carefully tucked it around her bracelet holder.


    ¡°Goodnight.¡± Kengu let loose an adorable roar and nodded, waving a paw in my direction. She jumped on the desk and nestled near Irisa¡¯s hands after gently putting the quill in its ink holder.


    Niva and Primrose were sound asleep, and I returned to my room.

 Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths – Part Five

    Chapter Eighty-Five: Relationship Growths ¨C Part Five


    Tris and Tilde were in the bath, and my fairy asked me to wait on the bed.


    ¡°So, how¡¯d I do?¡± I asked Surtr, who walked over before plopping down near my leg.


    ¡°You¡¯ve assuaged Erin¡¯s worries, but they remain. But words that could¡¯ve helped have already been spoken. The onus is on her to love herself and cast away the doubts cladding her heart.¡±


    ¡°Could I have done anything else?¡±


    ¡°That is neither here nor there, Lord Springfield,¡± said the wise lion. He licked his massive paws, and I knew what he was getting at. I said what I had to say. Maybe... My phrasing could¡¯ve been different, but my words weren¡¯t rehearsed. They came from the heart. And that mattered the most.


    ¡°Do not forget about the mass grave, Lord Springfield.¡± Surtr reminded me that Tris convinced Lady Gretchen to dump the Atrixian corpses into a single, large grave. Surtr assisted in digging it.


    ¡°Shit, you¡¯re right.¡±


    Tris, sorry to interrupt you, but can you place a waypoint on that grave for me? The one with the Atrixian soldiers? I¡¯m sending a clone to assimilate the bodies.


    As you wish! Shall I mark the graveyards that carry the deceased Plymoise soldiers? I estimate it will take three hours to assimilate them, and the clone can accomplish it without leaving proof of their visit.


    Yes, please. Thank you.


    Anytime, my lord!


    I expanded my map, saw the overload of waypoints only visible to me, and created a clone. It transformed into a bird and left through the nearest window, and I only had to sit back, wait, and reap the rewards. Just like that¡ªanother few thousand SP and much-needed life force would be mine... I felt like a bank. I had so much SP, and what to spend it on? I didn¡¯t have to be conservative¡ªnot at this point. But I could also dish it out to Niva. And Tilde, too. And I couldn¡¯t forget about Sekh. Maybe Erin? She¡¯d have to pledge loyalty. That left a sour note in my mouth, and I hated it. That requirement... Could I change it?


    But I could think about it later. Instead, I extended a hand to Surtr¡¯s soft fur and scratched his chin. He purred and ¡®pulsed¡¯ his flames before flopping over. Oh, he was just so goddamn cute! He loved the attention.


    Umm... Tilde requests that you close your eyes, my lord. Fo?ll0w current novE?ls on n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(co/m)


    Okay.


    And... Forgive me, but may I block [Skyview]? For just the moment? She doesn¡¯t want you to peek.


    That¡¯s fine.


    I closed my eyes, heard the door open, felt Surtr return to my bracelet, and...


    ¡°Come on, Master! Open them bad boys!¡±


    ¡°Wow...¡± I was stunned. My lovers wore the sexy underwear I¡¯d gotten them, and it...enhanced their beauty.


    Tris¡¯s was all red with pink highlights around her panties. The smooth lace was thin and transparent in a few key areas, and those stockings accented her lovely thighs.


    And Tilde¡¯s was bold. The all-black fit wonderfully with her hair and eyes. And that playful smile? She puffed out her chest to jiggle her womanly assets, then ran a slender finger along her garter belt before posing.


    They were jaw-droppingly gorgeous.


    ¡°Eh? You know, silence is the reaction a girl can get. It means her lovey-dovey Master is too star-struck by her beauty! Ah, make that two girls, yeah?¡± She skipped behind Tris and hugged her, sensually rubbing her stomach. ¡°And this brings me to something else. Master, we gotta have a little chat about something.¡±


    ¡°About what?¡± Tilde¡¯s voice shattered my daydream, but I wasn''t upset. I''d live that fantasy in a few minutes


    She escorted Tris to the bed. The two sat beside me and took my hands. ¡°About us. You love me, don¡¯t ya?¡±


    ¡°Yes? I thought that went without saying.¡±


    ¡°It does, but play along. It¡¯s important. And you love Tris...?¡± I nodded. Tris blushed and wagged her tail. ¡°That¡¯s good. I love you, and she loves you. So, we¡¯re good there. But Tris and I love each other, too.¡±


    ¡°I know that. I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting at.¡±


    ¡°You, me, Little Miss AI... Our relationship is special. We¡¯re all about supporting each other, not just one person.¡±


    And then it hit me. And I smiled. ¡°And because of that, it¡¯s greater than the sum of its parts?¡±


    ¡°Hehe! I knew you''d catch on. Boundaries, clarifications, and communication? They''re like the cornerstones of keeping a relationship strong and healthy. We¡¯re not just dating you. We¡¯re dating each other. And when Little Miss Tyranny is back?¡±


    ¡°Our love for each other will only grow.¡±


    ¡°Yeppers! Right on the money.¡± Tilde flashed a cute smile. And she was right. They weren¡¯t solely devoted to me. This wasn¡¯t some harem.


    I would never, ever desire that.


    ¡°I believe the word is polycule, but I might be wrong. So, imma call it a throuple. The term¡¯s cuter. And when Sekh¡¯s back? Umm... A quouple? Scratch that¡ªI¡¯ll workshop it later. Anyway, we love each other. We care about each other. That¡¯s the vital part.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I only care that I¡¯m with you two. And... You know it might make me happy if you two go on cute dates.¡±


    ¡°Dates, huh?¡±


    ¡°Yep. A relationship is more about sex. And I¡¯m not an expert. But dating is a part of that. I might be busy with something one day. Or I might be on an errand. Instead of waiting for me to return like some widow staring out at sea for her husband, love each other. Have some fun. And then?¡± I lowered my voice to a whisper for no other reason than unnecessary dramatic effect. ¡°You have to tell me all about it. Without leaving any details.¡±


    ¡°Wow...¡± Tilde grinned and gave me a quick kiss. ¡°Oh, my little ¡®mera grows up so fast...¡±


    ¡°Only because she had the world¡¯s cutest fairy to teach her how to be a worthy lover. I took your advice to heart. I¡¯ll never forget it. Not even for a moment.¡±


    ¡°I really mean that much to you?¡±


    ¡°More than you¡¯ll ever know. It¡¯s hard to believe that crude little fairy I killed is sitting here.¡±


    ¡°Eergh... Don¡¯t... Please don¡¯t remind me... You don¡¯t know much I cringe about the brat I used to be! Why did I ever think it was okay to act like that?! Seriously?! What was going through my mind...? Okay, I did it to lower the tension, but goddamn I was ticking myself off.¡± Tilde shook as if she had the shivers. ¡°You¡¯ve got a lot of patience.¡±


    ¡°Well, maybe I knew you were worth it. Good things come to those who wait, right?¡±


    ¡°O¡ªOkay... That was smooth... Like really smooth... Geez, my heart¡¯s about to fly outta my chest.¡± Tilde was flustered, and her flapping wings reflected that.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I can be a lot smoother. And you, Tris.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± She fluttered her pretty eyes and smiled. She was just so adorable. I felt blessed to feel her love. ¡°I¡¯m glad you came into my life. I mean, I owe so much to you and your abilities. Over half the things I¡¯ve accomplished? It¡¯s because I had your support. So thank you, Tris, for supporting me all this time.¡±


    ¡°My lord, I...¡± Tris was speechless, but she cried. The tears were elicited from happiness, not sadness, which made the difference. Those were okay to shed because it meant I was doing something right. A being who never knew love until they became a ¡®monster.¡¯


    Was it ironic?


    Did irony even matter?


    ¡°Aww... Man, I wish I had a cellphone... This would be perfect as a background photo.¡±


    ¡°What? Two almost naked girls crying?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t forget about their adorable Master! But geez, it¡¯s more about snapping the happy moments, you dope.¡± Tilde gently poked my nose before laughing. ¡°Anyway... It seems our sexy clothes are more effective than we thought. Don¡¯t think we haven¡¯t noticed your...generous friend wanting to come out. Ah, but the beast is trapped, and I believe it¡¯s up to Tris and me to free it from its confounding prison.¡±


    And now she¡¯s playing it up? Eh, this is Tilde. She¡¯s probably rehearsed this or something.


    ¡°You were backed up for a month, and I know last night and this morning wasn¡¯t enough to properly relieve you.¡±


    She stood, grabbed Tris¡¯s hand, and skipped a foot away before turning and posing. Yep. This was pre-planned. ¡°It hasn¡¯t been a day, but I think you flipped a switch in Tris¡¯s mind. Her poor little databanks could not get your steamy moments out of her mind.¡±


    ¡°How so?¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s just say Little Miss AI, instead of washing up, selfishly did something selfish while watching a waypoint animation of when you and she went at it in the bath.¡±


    ¡°Tilde! You said that would be our secret!¡±


    ¡°Teehee!¡± She stuck out her tongue and winked.


    ¡°Ohh...¡± Tris was on the verge of crying


    ¡°I think that¡¯s just adorable,¡± I said.


    ¡°My lord?¡± Tris looked at me with those bright, beautiful eyes as I approached and wiped her tears.


    ¡°I said what I said. Next time you do it... I want to hear it, okay? Fill my mind with your voice.¡±


    Bang!


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    Bang!


    ¡°Answer me.¡±


    Bang!


    Two to the knees. One to the shoulder. Yet I remained kneeling while my sap-like blood oozed from the wounds.


    I once believed dying would be scary.


    But I felt calm.


    I felt...at ease...knowing my life was about to end.


    I wouldn¡¯t be forced to be a spy anymore. The future heartache and disappointment I were sure to bring?


    It wouldn¡¯t happen...


    ¡°I guess... Shit... Niva probably knows, doesn¡¯t she? Why wouldn¡¯t she? She must¡¯ve seen it. She must¡¯ve known it linked you to Aetos...¡±


    My eyes went wide. I wanted to shout that my summoner was still too weak to see it. But would I get the words out before Aetos killed me?


    No! I must send a message! Lord Springfield, please... Understand what I¡¯m about to do...


    I covered the bullet holes with bark and stood. Lord Springfield glanced over with a dead look. And she shared the same disappointed expression when multiple vines lashed out from my back.


    ¡°You won¡¯t even tell me what I did wrong? I don¡¯t even get that much?¡± She sighed again. Her sharp eyes watched my vines meticulously, waiting for the moment they tried to pierce her heart.


    But then her eyes narrowed when I jabbed four forward. Lord Springfield swatted them away like nothing and fired a bullet, grazing my cheek.


    It was a back-and-forth brawl¡ªbut it had to look genuine. I had to fight as if I wanted to kill.


    That eagle would know the difference otherwise, but it didn¡¯t matter. I was far too weak to even inflict a glancing wound. My vines struck true and failed to penetrate her skin. [Razor Wind] harmlessly bounced off after being unable to draw blood.


    I threw everything I had at her...and it was nothing. Lord Springfield''s overwhelming might...it was spectacular.


    ¡°Just stop this. Tell me what I want to know.¡±


    My arms, legs, thighs, neck, and cheeks were wounded from her precise aim as Lord Springfield demanded an explanation of my actions. She didn¡¯t fight to kill. She merely wanted to disable me.


    But then...


    I saw it...


    Her waypoints, as she called them, and they spelled a single command.


    Only I could see.


    ¡°I¡¯ll give you my everything, Lord Springfield!¡±


    Primrose shouted that sentence when Tris and I figured out what was going on. The floating words only I could see with my enhanced eyes said Niva was too weak to see the connection between Prim and Aetos. And if she couldn¡¯t say it out loud...


    Aetos had to have had a tight grip on Primrose¡¯s life


    Immediately, the loyalty aspect was activated. Tris configured [Status Cloak] to end all connections Primrose had to that eagle.


    ¡°I hate Aetos! I hate him so much!¡± Primrose¡¯s words echoed with a mixture of anguish and rage, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions as she dropped to her knees, ignoring the wounds I had given her. Each syllable carried a deep-seated resentment, a burning hatred that consumed her from within. In her frustration, she lashed out, her fist colliding with an unforgiving rock, an act of defiance against her creator. The impact shattered her wood-like skin, but it was a physical manifestation of the inner turmoil that plagued her.


    She felt trapped, a pawn in a game she never asked to be a part of. The realization gnawed at her soul. Aetos had crafted her with a predetermined destiny, stripping away her autonomy and free will. No matter how hard she fought against it, the strings of her existence remained tightly entwined, pulling her towards a path she despised.


    The relentless struggle against her predetermined role had left her weary. Countless attempts to break free had proven futile, leaving her with a bitter taste of defeat. Yet, amidst her desperation, a flicker of determination burned within her. She yearned to defy her purpose, to forge her own destiny, and to reclaim her agency. She admitted Aetos couldn¡¯t delve into her personal thoughts. It couldn¡¯t read the letter she had imprinted on the threads protecting her core.


    Primrose... The game was rigged from the start. There was never any hope for her... He didn¡¯t care about her...


    But she was willing to go against her creator¡ªto even lay down her life¡ªall for the sake of helping Niva and myself.


    There it was again... Living just for me... Just like Irisa had done...


    Tris, your thoughts?


    It doesn¡¯t make sense. Aetos having a hold on Primrose¡¯s core and threatening to kill her would be antithesis to his goal, which I presume would be cleansing Lady Sekh of her curse. He must be aware of it since we''ve discussed it near her. He realizes you hold the best chance of ending the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s eternal conquest for world destruction. The eagle wouldn¡¯t risk your anger.


    So...


    I believe that, at one point, Aetos did what Primrose thought he had done. But not any longer. I presume her mental instability made her assume a link was still active. Furthermore, when I confirmed the mana flow, it only traveled one way. And it had amassed itself at the Eagle Yew without any signs of being utilized.


    Aetos likely canceled the link from his side out of respect. Or maybe from a mutual understanding, but Prim believes the opposite? She¡¯s still sending, but he¡¯s not receiving? He could be trying to return it, but she¡¯s not accepting?


    Yes. The one truth Primrose believes is false. Yet she cannot accept it.


    What a clusterfuck.


    But what did that say about me? I trusted Prim. Ever since we shared that moment on the sinking pirate ship, she was someone I loved and cared for. Evidently, it wasn¡¯t a strong enough bond because I immediately believed she had betrayed us.


    ¡°Prim¡ª¡±


    ¡°Lord Springfield...¡±


    ¡°No. Let me talk.¡± I kneeled and held her hands. Tris purchased [Healing Magic] and bought and leveled [Spirit Heal] to Lv. 10. Immediately, the damage I had inflicted vanished at a whopping 2% of my mana. I told her...I was sorry. I should¡¯ve realized something was wrong. She had tried to inform me in her own way, but I was too inexperienced¡ªtoo immature to see the truth when I desired what I wanted.


    Perhaps I wanted to kill her? It could¡¯ve been an innate desire.


    But not anymore.


    Definitely...not anymore... after what I¡¯d seen. Sure, it was fabricated by her mind, but even still, Prim was willing to die.


    I...didn¡¯t want her to die...for me. I wanted her to live. I wanted her to be happy.


    Primrose eventually fell asleep in my arms, and I held her gently as we flew back to the inn. She awoke right as we landed.


    ¡°Tell Niva what you told me, okay? Don¡¯t hold anything back. She¡¯s your summoner. Trust her with your feelings and worries. It¡¯ll only make you two stronger in the long run.¡±


    ¡°I will, Lord Springfield.¡± Primrose offered a small smile. She rubbed her arms and looked...not so uncomfortable as probably confused. She never expected to be alive at this point. She nodded when I asked if she wanted to talk. ¡°But it¡¯s difficult to find the words. It¡¯s hard to think straight.¡±


    ¡°Take all the time you need, okay? When I return from the Heptarchis, we''ll talk then. Does that sound good?¡±


    ¡°It does...¡± Primrose partly flinched when I hugged her, but she didn¡¯t fight. She wrapped her arms tighter around my back and apologized in a weak, frail voice.


    She let go, and I watched her ascend the stairs, leaving me alone in the lobby with two maids who had silently watched.


    Are you coming to bed?


    I am. What¡¯s Aetos doing?


    I don¡¯t know. He has returned to the Eagle Yew, and I cannot see inside it. But since he has already canceled the link from his side, I predict he isn¡¯t aware of what happened.


    Maybe that¡¯s for the better. I¡¯ll be up in a sec, okay?


    I¡¯ll be awaiting you, my lord.


    I couldn¡¯t deny my fuck up. If I were a better woman, I¡¯d have realized Primrose needed help long before this point. Any excuses I made were just that¡ªexcuses.


    I needed to be better.


    I had to be better.


    And I would be better.

 Chapter Eighty-Six: Heptarchis – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Eighty-Six: Heptarchis ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    The following morning featured an emotional parting. and Dad knew I would be fine attending the Heptarchis in Orchta, but they still hugged me tightly and said they loved me.


    ¡°I¡¯m...sorry I haven¡¯t spent much time with you. Dad, I still have so much left to learn. When I return, can you teach me? It doesn¡¯t matter what it¡¯s about. I want to learn from you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sweetie.¡±


    ¡°And Mom. My cooking ware in [Artificer¡¯s Arsenal] has been upgraded. Maybe we can go to the market and get some stuff? I still wanna learn more of your recipes.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like fun to me. Take care, dear. We love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too.¡± Mom and Dad rubbed my back.


    Those blisters aren¡¯t going away... It¡¯s been so long... It¡¯s making me uneasy...


    ¡°Be safe, okay?¡± Irisa held my hands, and I told her I would.


    I ruffled Erin¡¯s hair, kissed her head, and did the same to my loyal fairy.


    It didn¡¯t look like Primrose had told Niva, but that would change soon. She probably wanted to wait for me to leave first so Niva would see me off with a smile.


    The two embraced me.


    Ginnie and Chax received hugs before I left with Tris and Surtr. We hopped on the lion¡¯s back, and he took us to the ministry. We found two carriages, and only one was pulled by four green stallions.


    ¡°Good morning, Lord Springfield.¡± Gretchen was just now coming out the door. Two handmaids were carrying her luggage to the carriage.


    ¡°Morning, Lady Plymoise.¡± I nodded and started attaching Surtr to the carriage¡¯s harness. I chatted with Gretchen for a bit. Orchta was in the heart of Parthina, so it would take a week or two to arrive. The plan was for Ayroix to meet with us during the trip with two additional wagons full of supplies.


    Yeah. He¡¯s Lord Atrix, now. Naturally, he¡¯d be invited to attend. It''d be a pain if he declined it.


    ¡°The supplies leaving with us are scheduled to arrive within the hour. If I can be open with you, Lord Springfield, my heart feels fluttery.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t doubt it. With proof of Orchta¡¯s collusion and breaking their neutrality, you stand to gain. However, I cannot help you with your negotiations. You must use your words and ensure Plymoise emerges for the better.¡±


    ¡°Yes, you¡¯re right.¡± The portly woman covered in so much green smiled. Her eyes were obscured slightly by her oversized traveling hat. I told her she had my vow that I would protect her during this trip. Nothing would come close to harming her. ¡°And you have my biggest thanks. I shudder to think what would have happened to my little city-state had you not been here. You are truly a blessing.¡±


    ¡°And I thank you for your kind words. However, if I see an opportunity to help, I may or may not have to lend a hand.¡± I gave her a wink, causing her to laugh like a stereotypical noble.


    The supply wagon arrived ahead of schedule, so it was time to depart, with it taking the lead. Ayroix and the other two were to meet us at nightfall.


    The driver of Gretchen¡¯s carriage whipped his reins, the horses moved, and they followed behind the supplies. Surtr pulled up the rear, remaining third in this convoy. He laughed and said the drakes were easier to kill than pulling this.


    ¡°Something¡¯s on your mind, my lord.¡± Tris sat beside me, and we were alone in the carriage. The windows were slightly tinted, and I looked out at them to observe the rolling, dry plains.


    It¡¯s all brown. Nothing. But. Brown.


    ¡°You could say that.¡±


    I looked from the window and saw Tris resting her head on my lap. She took off her cowboy hat and put it on me. ¡°Is it of the future?¡± she asked, looking up at me.


    I rubbed her head and scratched her ears. ¡°Yeah. The situation with Prim is resolved, and Niva¡¯s about to kick her training into high gear. I want to spy on them, but I also want to be surprised at their growth. But... I¡¯m thinking about my family...and how... impossibly difficult it''ll be for us to remain together. My life of violence is not made for her. Tilde¡¯s warning is affecting me more and more. I feel like I¡¯m just rambling.¡±


    ¡°Ramble away, my lord. Keep talking¡±


    I didn¡¯t know for how long, but I just talked about my worries.


    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t know how to help you.¡±


    ¡°This is more than enough, Tris. Well, you have me to yourself on this trip, so what do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Can...you fluff my ears?¡±


    I fondly smiled. ¡°Of course. I won¡¯t stop. Not even for a minute.¡±


    ¡°Tilde told me that sometimes all it takes is being near someone,¡± purred Tris. She closed her eyes and showcased a beautiful expression. It made me want to love her more.


    ¡°She wasn¡¯t wrong,¡± I whispered. I thought she would¡¯ve suggested something lewd. Then again, the windows weren¡¯t that tinted. I didn¡¯t need the carriage to be rocking like crazy. Besides, last night... I probably had enough sex for two lifetimes, and Tris was still raring to go when the sun came up.


    When she was in the mood...


    She was...insatiable.


    Just like a lioness.


    We eventually stopped for the night when it was time to camp, but I remained awake atop our carriage. A handful of clone birds explored the surrounding area until they died, which helped me index more of Plymoise¡¯s never-ending, desert-like brown plains.


    Two wagons and a carriage pulled up to our campfire after midnight, but I wasn¡¯t alarmed.


    ¡°Lord Springfield!¡± Ayroix said, emerging from an orange-clad carriage. He dressed to impress with an orange suit, a cloak, and an axe hanging off his hip. I jumped down and shook his hand.


    ¡°It¡¯s been too long,¡± I replied, watching Blackthorn and Captain Morgan emerge next. Verdant and Lysander must¡¯ve remained behind to help handle things. ¡°And you as well, friend. How¡¯s your family?¡±


    ¡°Better than ever, my lord.¡± Blackthorn nodded. He wasn¡¯t much to be overly formal. ¡°By the by, might I ask about that woman?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s Tris. You can thank her for the reconstruction plans.¡±


    Spoiler[collapse]


    ¡°Because you¡¯re so strong?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. But it¡¯s different. Surtr¡¯s my guardian. And I have another close ally¡ªhis original summoner. I don¡¯t require protection around the clock, but someone like you? It wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing. Yet don¡¯t let it get to your head. You¡¯re not a god. You may hold the blood of a Vestige, but you still bleed like any other man. And that means you can die. No one... No one is truly immortal. Not a Dark Lord... And not a Holy Lord.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Ayroix pondered my thoughts as he drank.


    ¡°You¡¯re a ruler now. You and your people have expectations.¡± I kept going. ¡°Be sure to meet them, but don¡¯t let them run all over you. You must balance on a line finer than a spider¡¯s thread. But know that it¡¯s impossible to make everyone happy. Every action you take will enrich one while another suffers. But I shouldn¡¯t get off topic. Blackthorn?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re aware of what I¡¯m talking about, right? A defensive force? A unit that would give their lives for Ayroix.¡±


    ¡°I am. The notion has crossed my mind, but the process will be rigorous and rough.¡±


    ¡°Tryouts, then? I¡¯m aware a large portion of the military has sworn an oath to Ayroix, but you cannot be sure their loyalties are legitimate.¡±


    ¡°That is a concern of mine. I feel that it may be too soon. Some may see it as Lord Atrix exercising his power, so it may be better to wait until the fire has simmered.¡±


    ¡°Those are my thoughts exactly. Returning home with excellent news from the Heptarchis will go a long way, Ayroix. Then again, perhaps not. You will make these decisions in the future, and the answer will not always be easy. Remember. You¡¯re responsible for every life in your city-state.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The young ruler was quiet and lost in thought, and Ayroix had much to ponder. After yawning, I suggested that it may be better for his mind to process everything while he slept.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Surtr and I¡¯ll take the night watch,¡± I said, seeing them to their tents. They thanked me once more, and I was alone with my lion, leaning against his warm fur, chatting about whether Ayroix had what it took to lead a city-state.


    The morning sun approached a few hours later, and during breakfast, Gretchen and Ayroix formally pledged to an agreement of trade and defense. The two were now allies. They were before because both had signed the documents, but this was their first in-person meeting.


    ¡°But I didn¡¯t know Verdant had it in her,¡± said Gretchen. ¡°She could make a very lucrative living designing clothing for elves. Oh, it looks absolutely dashing on you, Lord Springfield. Oh, I must ask her about her sewing process.¡±


    After we ate, it was time to continue. This time, Tris was greedy and wanted me to hold her hands while giving her a lap pillow.


    Well, who was I to deny her?


    She kept looking at me and said I was like a warm sun.


    We left Plymoise territory and passed by Indiko¡¯s borders in the afternoon. Whereas Atrix had flowing plains of green and a lot of nature, Indiko seemed to be perpetually trapped in autumn¡ªone partly dyed by a crimson tint. The many trees were blanketed by auburn leaves falling from the slightest gust.


    Indikoian guards on patrol stopped us, but they let us pass once Gretchen and Ayroix told them we were attending the Heptarchis. The soldiers even grabbed their horses and escorted us along the quickest path. Nothing horrific happened, so it wasn¡¯t a ploy to take us out, but it felt weird.


    Surtr probably put a wrench in those ploys if they had any.


    And nothing of note happened when night fell upon the land¡ªother than letting Surtr roam loose and hunt the nearby wildlife. He was back in the morning, yet his footsteps were so insanely quiet that I barely heard them.


    In the blink of an eye, the last day was upon us.


    It had taken us six days of travel.


    During that time, Gretchen had imparted some of her wisdom upon Ayroix whenever we stopped for breaks. She took it upon herself to act as his mentor, I guess. He wasn¡¯t even 20 years old, but even though he was ¡®pressured¡¯ into doing this, he still chose to see it through. And he couldn¡¯t back out now. The time for that was long, long, long gone.


    But if he had submitted to cowardice and disregarded Verdant and Cid... I would¡¯ve had to take his spot. That plan was to manipulate Little Gregory¡¯s journal to reveal a second bastard son and create a clone to turn into him rather than waste it on Cid. After killing Little Gregory, I''d assimilate him to have his blood running through the clone. Then, while participating in the forthcoming Heptarchis, the clone would convince the others that they would abdicate the city-state to install a democracy-driven council to look after it since, at that moment, the clone would ¡®reveal¡¯ a hidden and incurable disease.


    Yes, it had flaws, but it was enough to give Atrix a starting boost to hopefully change things around. Lysander would¡¯ve helped a lot. And Blackthorn would¡¯ve joined the council since he loved the city-state. So, Tris predicted things would¡¯ve been fine for a few years, if not a decade, before tension or war threatened to crumble the fragile peace that had been constructed.


    You couldn''t force democracy on a country that had never experienced it and expect it to work without issues or flaws.


    And at that point?


    Was it really my responsibility to step in and save things?


    I¡¯d only do it if there was a risk of my family being harmed or killed due to the fallout, but other than that...and if I didn¡¯t need the life force or SP...


    I wouldn¡¯t join.


    But I¡¯d be the biggest fool to give up so much free food and power. I wasn¡¯t in a spot where I could ignore an easy chance to tremendously grow in strength¡ªeven considering where I¡¯d be a decade from now. This world had taught me that you couldn¡¯t be too powerful.


    So...


    I suppose I¡¯d have to involve myself if I happened to be around the area, but I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d rush across countries or sail across the ocean to reach it.


    In the early morning, we left our campsite after putting out the fire and rode south through Riotic. The land was enchanting because all sources of water were lavender. The rain was purple. The streams looked like someone had melted and poured a trillion tons of amethyst into the lakes. Even the wind was tinted, and it felt so much like winter.


    But it never snowed.


    I summoned Clone!Sekh during this last leg of the journey.


    But it wasn¡¯t to make love.


    It was to talk.


    ¡°You should see Primrose. I fucked up with her, but things are better. She shouldn¡¯t have any more nightmares about Aetos. But we¡¯re almost at Orchta. Hopefully, this won¡¯t take long... I¡¯m sorry...it¡¯s taking so--¡±


    ¡°I love you, and I¡¯ll always love you,¡± the clone said in her voice. ¡°You¡¯re doing your best. I¡¯m proud of you. And I¡¯m proud of what you¡¯ve accomplished. I¡¯m waiting for you...¡±


    ¡°Sekh... I¡¯m...almost there. I just need to find someone to heal your wounds... But I swear... I¡¯ll find someone. Just...remain strong...¡±


    ¡°I shall wait for you...no matter how long it takes...¡± Sekh¡¯s clone visibly shuddered. It was about to turn into slime and vanish...but even in its dying moments...it wanted to comfort me.


    After it did, Tris crawled into my lap and hugged my teary face. She whispered sweet nothings and allowed me to love her until we reached our destination.

 Chapter Eighty-Six: Heptarchis – Part Two (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Eighty-Six: Heptarchis ¨C Part Two (Illustrations!)


    Orchta was the name of the place where the meteorite crash landed all those years ago. As such, it was constructed at the bottom of a colossal crater and surrounded by rugged cliffs that made descent perilously dangerous unless you used one of the seven roads. The Orchta was a ¡®holy ground,¡¯ so to speak, so it didn¡¯t offer much in relaxation or entertainment.


    We were traveling down one of the roads¡ªone that held torches alit with green flames. I stood on top of the carriage and saw the other six paths with my enhanced eyesight, flanked by torches lit with their respective colors. Ayroix¡¯s group was on the one meant for Atrix.


    At the bottom, we entered through a gate after Gretchen confirmed her identity to the robed monks standing in front. The roads were left unpaved, and they were bumpy and uneven. Surtr attracted much attention from the onlookers¡ªall were dressed in colors not matching any of Parthina¡¯s Vestiges. Since this was the heart of Parthina, the overwhelming natural phenomena from the city-states didn¡¯t exist. That purple wind was nowhere to be seen, and the trees and grass were clear like colorless glass.


    It was like...those seven colors had vanished from this place...


    The carriages stopped in front of a building, and I hopped down. Gretchen met me and explained that Orchta was not to show favoritism to any one city-state. Their colors and symbols weren¡¯t supposed to match the Vestiges. ¡°The Heptarchis is to take place at a structure in the middle of the village called The Entente Sanctum. Seven paths radiate outward and lead to seven buildings. That is where we will stay while the discussions are ongoing.¡±


    ¡°I can think of them as embassies, yes? The Plymoise dorm is considered Plymoise¡¯s property?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. Follow me, and I¡¯ll escort you to the sanctum. We must meet with the Wisefolk and check in. The Heptarchis isn¡¯t scheduled to start until tomorrow.¡±


    After unhooking Surtr from the harness, we followed Gretchen to our destination. My lion really attracted attention, but no one said anything.


    We reached the sanctum, met up with Ayroix and the others, then walked around to where Plymoise¡¯s embassy sat. Two guards in leather armor opened the door for us. They shared looks after Surtr was too big to fit through. He had no choice but to return to my bracelet¡ªmuch to his chagrin.


    After stepping in, I was met by the grandeur of the magnificent hall. Seven marble columns nearby supported the roof, and they were ornately carved with prior tales of unity and cooperation from the seven city-states. Sunlight filtered through the green stained-glass windows, and the air was filled with anticipation.


    ¡°Have you been here before?¡± I asked Ayroix.


    ¡°No. I read Gregory¡¯s journals after you left, so I understand the traditions and schedule well enough. But his words fail to do Orchta justice.¡±


    ¡°It is a unique experience, Lord Atrix,¡± Gretchen said. ¡°But don¡¯t worry. I shall impart what I know. We are allies, are we not?¡±


    ¡°Thank you for your generosity, Lady Plymoise. It will not be forgotten.¡± Ayroix bowed very slightly.


    My lord, permission to stay here? I could begin the process of indexing the city.


    Go for it.


    Tris remained behind and entered the room that would be ours. I subtly left five tiny balls of slime that rolled under the door when we departed for Atrix¡¯s embassy.


    That one was mostly the same, but everything was colored orange. We then left and walked until arriving at the Entente Sanctum. It was a circular structure-- one without a roof¡ªand it housed a magnificent meeting table. It was an open-air auditorium¡ªalmost like an outdoor theatre¡ªa circular structure without a roof. I was sure it was enchanted with wind or some other magic to keep the area dry should it rain. Well, Tris later confirmed my thoughts a second later.


    And we weren¡¯t alone.


    ¡°Ah, Lady Plymoise! When I heard word of Atrix¡¯s aggression, I certainly feared the worst,¡± said a bald man with a striking red mustache and beard, which matched his suit. He was flanked by a pair of soldiers wielding flaming weapons across their backs.


    ¡°Lord Indiko, how kind of you to worry about me,¡± replied Gretchen. ¡°It was a harrowing experience, but it is behind us.¡±


    ¡°Pray, I hope it is. However, might I inquire why you didn¡¯t request a Heptarchis before the assault happened? Surely you saw the signs, Lady Plymoise.¡±


    ¡°That is why we are here, my dear friend. It concerns this very Heptarchis. Have you seen Lady Riotic, Lord Terokai, or Sir Hairokei?¡±


    ¡°They arrived yesterday, as did I. Lord Napoli is missing, but I¡¯m sure he''ll arrive within the half-day. The Wisefolk departed an hour ago for dinner.¡±


    ¡°I see. I would have liked to check in, but it will wait.¡±


    ¡°About Lord Atrix... Lady Plymoise, are the rumors I hear true? Is that...?¡± He eyed Ayroix and raised an eyebrow.


    ¡°I¡¯m Ayroix Atrix, Lord Indiko. Atrix is under my rule¡ª¡±


    ¡°Under your rule? As I understand it, boy, the High Elf of Liberation is responsible for your successes.¡± He looked at me. ¡°Without her, you wouldn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand, Lord Indiko. What I did cannot possibly compare to leading a rebellion with a just heart,¡± I interjected. ¡°The seven rulers of the seven city-states are equals when you are here, are you not? It would hardly be appropriate to start calling each other by demoralizing titles.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s where you¡¯re mistaken, Madam High Elf.¡± He looked me up and down and refrained from commenting on my outfit.


    ¡°It¡¯s Lord Springfield. And pray tell, why am I wrong?¡±


    ¡°Until the Wisefolk convene and decree the boy of having the blood of a Vestige flowing through him, he is none other than a child not deserving to be here. He has not earned acknowledgment, for in my eyes, he is merely pretending to be worthy. Until he has been accepted, he is less of a man and more of trash not befitting to sully my boots or gaze.¡±


    ¡°The Wisefolk? I see... This will be an interesting moment in Parthina¡¯s history?¡±


    ¡°Oh? You¡¯ve got me curious, Lord Springfield. I am awfully intrigued to test the extent of the rumors I¡¯ve heard. For example, they say you ride a flaming lion while wielding the firesalt-fueled armaments commonly used by Dark Elves. Is that true?¡±


    I didn¡¯t have any guns equipped because it felt like walking in with five firearms holstered on my body was probably asking for trouble.


    ¡°And they say Atrix and Plymoise have signed treaties of defense and trade. How peculiar. Care to wage in, Lady Plymoise?¡± he continued.


    Gretchen smiled and spoke for me. ¡°Rumors can be powerful tools, Lord Indiko. Very powerful, very damaging, and very useful. But let us save that for the Heptarchis, yes? The trip was long, and we must recover before tomorrow.¡±


    The Wisefolk were seven individuals, three male and four female, who wore colorless robes. Even their hair and facial hair lacked color and seemed to be transparent. They were already sitting, leaving a space between them. Seven of the remaining eight spots had a small rock, which matched the Vestiges¡¯ colors.


    We arrived first, so Gretchen took her seat. Me, Tris, and Surtr, who had all eyes on him, stood behind her. I crossed my arms.


    ¡°Is that the elusive lion we¡¯ve heard so much about in the past weeks? The one that killed five drakes and three hippogriffs single-handedly? The one contracted to the fabled High Elf of Liberation?¡± The speaker was Sir Hairokei, the second city-state ruler to join the Heptarchis. He wore a yellow robe, but his left eye was made of yellow stained glass.


    I¡¯m fabled now?


    The two women standing behind him were dressed as kunoichi. Their outfits were yellow, but their hoods and lower face masks were black.


    ¡°Ah, I wondered when it was going to show up. Let me guess, Lord Springfield. Your powerful spirit resides within that bracelet you wear, yes?¡± Lord Indiko was the next to arrive a moment later.


    ¡°You may be correct.¡±


    ¡°Lord Indiko, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never seen a catalyst like that, have you?¡± Lady Riotic arrived next with her male entourage. She was a tanned woman who wore a purple suit. Her freckles and ponytail shared the same color. After she sat, she lifted her hand. The purple ring she wore flashed, and a violet cobra materialized. It slithered to her head and rested, coiling while acting like a sentry.


    ¡°Can¡¯t say I have, Lady Riotic. I choose to employ spirits that don¡¯t need to remain locked away. It diminishes their value. Oh? Is that Lord Napoli?¡±


    A dark-skinned man with black scales on his forearms walked into the sanctum. He remained silent when sitting down. His orcish guards each had two warhammers on their backs.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Still a man of few words, huh?¡± Lord Indiko shrugged.


    ¡°We¡¯re missing Lord Atrix, yes? Should I take his absence to mean the rumors I heard about his city-state are true? Has it really fallen to rebellion?¡± Lord Terokai asked. He sat and crossed his legs. He shared the same skin tone as Napoli, yet rather than have scales, Lord Terokai¡¯s face was covered in glowing tattoos that matched his blue suit.


    ¡°Not necessarily, Lord Terokai,¡± said Ayroix, who was the last to arrive. Blackthorn stood behind the young lord as he took his seat.


    ¡°Ah, the whelping has returned,¡± Lord Indiko said. ¡°Care to regal us with how Atrix was given to you? Are you sure you¡¯re supposed to be here? Return home, boy.¡±


    ¡°Why the hostility, my friend?¡± Lady Riotic asked. ¡°Should we not wait and see if he carries the blood of his Vestige?¡±


    ¡°Look at him. That¡¯s all the proof you need.¡±


    ¡°Wisefolk, could you resolve this issue? We won¡¯t get anywhere if we continue to squabble like this.¡±


    All seven raised their hands towards the rocks in front of the leaders. Gretchen and the others touched them, and they illuminated in their respective colors.


    Lord Indiko looked at Ayroix and referred to him as Lord Atrix, and it seemed that was all he needed. But the bastard didn¡¯t apologize. He just shrugged it off with a jolly laugh.


    ¡°You have my thanks,¡± said Lady Riotic. ¡°Furthermore, it¡¯s not often we have an empty seat. Care to fill us in, my dear Wisefolk?¡±


    ¡°Due to the circumstances behind this Heptarchis...¡± One Wisefolk spoke, then stopped, and another continued their sentence.


    ¡°...the Kingdom of Aquanis has taken note of the skirmish and hasty conclusion of Atrix¡¯s aggression...¡±


    ¡°...the Dark Lord of Justice contacted Orchta and offered his assistance to reach a peaceful conclusion...¡±


    ¡°The Dark Lord of Justice?!¡± Terokai and Indiko exclaimed. ¡°The Head Arbitrator of Aquanis? Coming here?¡±


    Suddenly, my ears twitched. A second later, a hole in the fabric of time and space opened, and two people walked out.


    One was a man¡ªa towering figure of seven feet with a commanding presence. His brown skin spoke of strength and resilience. His bald head gleamed under the warm sunlight, complementing his sharp facial features and deep, contemplative eyes that seemed to hold ancient wisdom.


    He was adorned in flowing orange monk robes. The fabric cascaded down his muscular frame, accentuating his wide chest and broad shoulders. Each sinewy muscle spoke of years of rigorous training and physical prowess. A turtle shell necklace adorned his neck, its ornate patterns and earthy tones signifying wisdom and protection.


    That was Enele, the Dark Lord of Justice¡ªthe most powerful existence I¡¯d seen in my life as Lyudmila Vredi Springfield. His skills were a dozen miles long, and he was a master of many different fighting styles.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    But he wasn¡¯t alone. A slim, slender woman was with him. Her eyes were a warm shade of brown.


    Her long blond hair cascaded down her back, shimmering in the sunlight and highlighting her delicate features. Her elongated, elegantly pointed ears revealed her Elvish heritage. She wore a flowing cloak that draped gracefully around her shoulders. Its telluric hues and intricate needlework reflected her connection to nature.


    The staff she wielded struck a chord in my heart because I felt Susize¡¯s memories pass me by. It was forged from the oldest tree in Vredi Forest¡ªthe one that imparted the wood for Susize¡¯s first bow. It gleamed with runes and symbols I recognized as being from Ancient Elvish. It was a protective poem Susize chiseled into it after she opened Holy Lord Amos¡¯s Soul Crystal and became his Soul Warrior-- the same words were engraved on her outfit, which was sewn by those she loved very, very much...so long, long ago.


    This elf was Lv. 155, a master of magic, and over 1,200 years old.


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    And her name was Seraphina Vredi.


    Things just became more complicated.

 Chapter Eighty-Seven: Seraphina Vredi

    Chapter Eighty-Seven: Seraphina Vredi


    Susize Vredi¡¯s flesh-and-blood sister immediately bit her lip after looking at my face and raised her hood over her head.


    I wondered why no one asked why two High Elves shared the same face, but illusion magic was to blame.


    I do not take failure well, my lord. After evolving, I specialize in piercing veils that hide the truth. Should I detect one, I alter your sight to see through it.


    I did my best to not stare, and she did the same. She would probably talk to me after the Heptarchis, so I needed to steel myself for an uncomfortable encounter.


    ¡°I do hope you¡¯ll forgive me for my tardiness,¡± said Lord Enele, his voice deep and smooth, like a famous bass line. ¡°I offer my most sincere apologies.¡± Lord Enele sat in the empty chair. ¡°I was recently on the Western Continent to hold discussions to end the war between Cridia and Uquenia.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Lord Enele. Please, raise your head.¡± Terokai was being a kiss-ass.


    ¡°A war...?¡± I thought that was my voice, but it was Ayroix. ¡°Between two Divine Countries?¡±


    ¡°Curious, are you?¡± Lord Enele asked. The way he spoke sounded alarm bells in my mind. ¡°I¡¯m not surprised word hasn¡¯t spread to Plymoise and Atrix. Considering the obvious, of course, which is why we have gathered here today. But do not let your mind worry about it. The situation has been handled.¡±


    Tris, look around with [Skyview]. See if you can get more information around Plymoise, Atrix, and what remains of Ria.


    Understood.


    ¡°With that said, let us begin the Heptarchis,¡± commanded Enele. His voice alone...was deep and powerful, like the roar of an ancient bear. But it was sophisticated and civilized. A perfect harmony between both made those who heard it want to look.


    The Wisefolk called on Gretchen to give her side of the story. Then questions were directed to me since she dropped my name as a valuable ally, and it turned to Ayroix, who spoke of the rebellion as a means to an end-- to stop Gregory¡¯s violent rule.


    The obvious question was asked by Lady Riotic.


    ¡°Please do not think I didn¡¯t request a Heptarchis after it happened. I did. Yet, I was given a letter stating my request was denied. Furthermore, the messenger was a mimic. Had Lord Springfield not been there to stop the assassination attempt, I would not be here.¡±


    Indiko commented on Plymoise¡¯s historically weak navy and inquired how she defeated seven Concordian-class battleships.


    ¡°You already know the answer, Lord Indiko. But that is not why I requested this Heptarchis. A mysterious letter has found its way to my hands. One that was penned by none other than Gregory Atrix!¡± Gretchen retrieved proof of Orchta¡¯s corruption and laid it on the table. ¡°Orchta is no longer pure. The Heptarchis has been tainted! The Wisefolk can no longer be trusted with overseeing Parthina!¡±


    And chaos broke loose. Hearing an outrageous claim would have gotten anyone riled up if it concerned their way of life. Indiko and Terokai didn¡¯t want to believe it. Sir Hairokei argued with those two. Napoli remained silent and watched with judging eyes. Ayroix sweated bullets. He looked at me, and his face asked if I knew. I merely nodded. Perhaps my secrecy hurt him.


    Maybe I should¡¯ve told him.


    I didn¡¯t really care. Nothing good or bad would¡¯ve come of it. Ayroix probably would¡¯ve said he could¡¯ve searched Gregory¡¯s villa for more information, but Tris had already explored it from top to bottom.


    The madness only calmed once Enele cleared his throat. He emitted a quick pulse of his overwhelming mana, which almost knocked me away. The fear... I hadn''t felt anything like it since I was thrown through the portal.


    For a moment, it felt like all my efforts to get this far...was just for nothing. Meruria?


    That bitch was as useless as Shuuta Fenton compared to this...anomaly. Surtr heard my teeth chattering and calmed me down.


    Enele reached for the letter and read it. Then he grabbed his necklace. It glowed and turned into a justice scale, albeit with a turtle-like twist.


    My lord, that¡¯s a Divine Armament! It¡¯s in the same category as Lady Sekh¡¯s mace!


    This guy had something like that?!


    ¡°With the power of [Conferment], I used my authority as the Dark Lord of Justice to bestow upon a rule of truth. Let the Wisefolk of Orchta speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.¡± The scales vibrated, then enclosed the sanctum in a colorless light.


    My heart sank deep into my stomach. I¡¯d never seen anyone other than me use it. How the hell did he master it so quickly? And to utilize it in such a way?


    ¡°[Conferment]?! Then those words I heard weren¡¯t figments of my mind?¡±


    ¡°It appears not, Lord Indiko. I take it you¡¯re seeing the mysterious power in action for the first time?¡± Napoli spoke for the first time. His voice was oddly calm.


    But I wasn¡¯t.


    I was freaking the fuck out.


    How in the goddamn did Enele master [Conferment]? And how the hell did he use it on multiple people¡ªno, that wasn¡¯t accurate. Enele used it on all Orchta. And he used it specifically again to target only the Wisefolk...


    Why? Tris said he held a spell called [Truth Field], which did the same thing. SO...


    WHY?!


    Using it twice did nothing except make a point. But for who? Who was he trying to...?


    Holy shit... Holy goddamn shit... I need to reach that level... No, I need to surpass it.


    "Honorable Wisefolk of Orchta, heed my humble request. Let your words be as pure as the morning dew, devoid of deceit or falsehood as we delve into the matter. Recant the truth of the letter.¡±


    One by one, the Wisefolk spoke, and it wasn¡¯t by choice. They actively struggled against Enele¡¯s overwhelming use of [Conferment] to the point where they bled from the eyes.


    ¡°...Eerg... The...the Wisefolk of Orchta...was...¡±


    ¡°...Beseeched by man...not of Parthina...¡±


    ¡°...to...collect...and...deliver...¡±


    ¡°...the...seven... Vestiges...for...for...¡±


    ¡°... archeological...purposes...to...put...an...¡±


    ¡°...end to the...eternal...wars...to...bring...peace to...


    ¡°...and unlock...Parthina¡¯s...secret...history...hidden...by the...Wisefolk...of old...¡±


    ¡°Secret history?!¡± Lady Riotic spoke first.


    ¡°The ancient stories dictate a period of bloody war and strife because the Vestiges were together,¡± said Sir Hairokei. Ne?ww chapters will be fully updated at novelhall.com


    ¡°That¡¯s why our predecessors informed us that we cannot become arrogant and try to reform the mother meteorite! That is why we form coalition armies whenever a foolish city-state tries to accomplish the impossible!¡± Lord Napoli was awfully talkative and emotional.


    It makes sense if I think of it as a series of checks and balances. The city-states keep each other in line. But whoever this outsider is must¡¯ve manipulated the Wisefolk to refrain from approving Gretchen¡¯s Heptarchis request. They must¡¯ve provided Atrix with supplies. But why not more? They probably couldn¡¯t. If they gave too much aid, perhaps the Wisefolk would have no choice but to intervene? They can probably get away with a little bit of corruption. But if it goes too far, then they need to act. Gregory should¡¯ve burned the letter. But I wonder if he planned on blackmailing the Wisefolk?


    Lord Enele took a deep breath and canceled his use of [Conferment]. He said he offered to meditate this Heptarchis as the Head Arbitrator of Aquanis because he sensed something foul was at play. He side-eyed me, so there was probably a second reason. And I wondered if it had anything to do with Seraphina. She was awfully adept at staring at me via her peripheral vision.


    ¡°Under the Dark Lord of Justice, I hereby pass on judgement to the Wisefolk of Orchta. For the crime of defying the sacred traditions of your ancestors for personal gain, I declare you guilty," Enele proclaimed, his scales shimmering with an intense radiance. "For the crime of forsaking the harmony of Orchta, I declare you guilty," his scales blazed with an ominous glow. "And finally, for the crime of betraying the sacred trust bestowed upon you as the cornerstone of Parthina, I declare you guilty," the resounding words echoed through the chamber, sealing the fate of the accused.


    Enele closed his eyes and took a deep breath.


    ¡°The Wisefolk of Orchta are hereby sentenced to death. Use the refrain I¡¯ve given you to make amends with your end. The execution shall take place tomorrow morning.¡± Enele¡¯s words were heavy. Seraphina then acted. She ordered the Wisefolk to stand, and she escorted them away.


    ¡°D¡ªDie?¡± Lord Indiko exclaimed. ¡°Lord Enele, the Wisefolk have always been here. They¡¯re the cornerstone of Parthina! We must have the Rite of Succession and instate their successors--¡±


    ¡°That cornerstone is broken. It cannot be trusted. I have made my judgement while looking towards the future. Once the stain of corruption has fettered your soul, you remain weak to it. Its alluring nature will chip away at your renewed resolve faster than before.¡±


    Lady Plymoise spoke and asked what they were to do. ¡°I will not leave whilst the future is unclear, Lady Plymoise. Parthina is a rich nation with a history unlike any other. Its lands are vibrant and beautiful¡ªa sight you cannot experience anywhere else. Seeing it torn asunder? I cannot possibly allow it,¡± Enele replied.


    And just like that...


    The entire topic changed. Tris said she didn¡¯t think it would turn out like this.


    For thirteen hours, Lord Enele and the others talked politics, foreign policy, domestic affairs, taxes, rules, regulations, and the consequences of two city-states entering a defensive pact. Of course, they wanted to speak of the Wisefolk and what Lord Enele had in mind to replace them, but he said that discussion would come later.


    Gretchen argued that she couldn¡¯t be sure any other city-state had a secret agreement, and it only made sense for Plymoise and Atrix to take the necessary steps to defend each other.


    Lord Indiko said Gretchen¡¯s idea was ludicrous. Two others echoed the same and mentioned they would be forced to take preemptive measures.


    Tensions were flaring. You¡¯d think they¡¯d simmer when Lord Enele used [Conferment] to have only the truth spoken, thereby revealing that there weren¡¯t any secret agreements, but it did little.


    Gretchen had good reasons to want this defensive pact.


    Since the crux of the matter was Atrix, Lord Napoli wanted a trusted advisor from each of their city-states to each have 1/6th controlling power and form a council to steer Atrix¡¯s growth. Lady Riotic echoed that statement. She said that was the only way to be sure the defensive pact didn¡¯t turn into something offensive and violent.


    ¡°That won¡¯t work. The people would never go for it. We spent a month overthrowing a traitorous lord¡ªone that delved so far to hire a chimera to assist him. Yet you ask foreign bodies to have a say over what we do? We have letters and documents of Gregory Atrix selling the lives of his citizens and soldiers to a certain city-state to test their spells.¡±


    ¡°A chimera?!¡± Sweat poured down Lady Riotic¡¯s cheeks.


    ¡°He appears to be telling the truth,¡± Lord Enele said. He held a Scan Stone and confirmed Ayroix¡¯s chimera slayer title.


    ¡°My... Oh my... Who knew you had the courage to slay one of those monsters. Shall we ask Bellerophon to construct a barracks? Perhaps an office or an outpost?¡±


    ¡°Do not be crass, Lord Indiko. We do not have the money to license a unit from Bellerophon. We are focused on repairing our city, first and foremost. Even still, I refuse to allow others to have a say in my city-state when I cannot trust them.¡±


    My guardian and advisor left us, and I stood and approached Seraphina.


    She performed a chant that was too powerful for my [Mana Language] to translate, and a flash of light enveloped me.


    A moment later... We were on a hill overlooking Orchta when she began chanting again. It was a summoning spell, but it wasn¡¯t to summon a spirit. It was called [Recollection Projection], which enabled Seraphina to manifest an aspect from the past into the physical world.


    And she summoned Aetos¡ªwhen he was in his prime. The grand eagle took one look at me and happily flapped his wings.


    It appeared this recreation couldn¡¯t speak. It was severely limited, and as soon as the eagle¡¯s task was over, the beast would be gone, and everything they had learned since being summoned would be lost. His eyes turned sad when I rejected his affection. And the shame and hurt extended to Seraphina¡¯s gaze. She hopped on the eagle and offered a hand.


    Earlier, I had asked Surtr for advice. It felt wrong to inherently act like a bitch towards Seraphina. I personally didn¡¯t harbor any grudges. In fact, I had ample chances to potentially grow from this, but it would mean involving myself in the family of one of the Soul Warriors that sealed Sekh away.


    Surtr, however, said that was fine. He spoke the truth, citing that Sekh had already achieved victory over Susize by dealing a mortal wound before being imprisoned by the seal. And he assured me she wouldn¡¯t be upset if I had somehow become friends with Seraphina.


    Furthermore, while I couldn¡¯t reveal the whole truth, Seraphina would be a fool to try and kill Sekh the next they meet. She¡¯d eventually agree that the best plan was to work together to rid Sekh of her curse.


    You didn¡¯t need a supercomputer to predict how much it would hurt her.


    Surtr echoed my thoughts.


    Besides, this could be my chance to get an elixir or something for Sekh. I couldn''t squander it.


    So...


    Instead of ignoring her assistance, I took her hand, using her help to get on the great eagle''s back.


    It appeared we didn¡¯t have any destination in mind. We¡¯d been aimlessly flying for fifteen minutes. Seraphina turned around moments after takeoff and faced me, but she kept looking at a letter hidden in a pouch.


    ¡°What¡¯s troubling you? You can speak. We¡¯re alone.¡±


    ¡°Do you...know who I am?¡± she asked after removing the illusion spell.


    ¡°Seraphina Vredi, a princess of the late Vredi Forest. Susize Vredi, the first chosen Soul Warrior of Holy Lord Amos... She was your sister. Sylara Vredi was your mother and queen. Isolde Vredi was her husband, the king, and your father. The illusion you wear on your face is strong, but my eyes can see through its veil.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I can see it in your eyes. You think I¡¯m your sister? I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯m not. You heard my story, yes?¡±


    ¡°But you look like her!¡± Seraphina showed an ounce of heart. ¡°You have her face and her hair. You walk as she did, and you move with the same grace. The leaves and vines from your clothing react...the same way... You¡¯re... You¡¯re everything like her...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not Susize Vredi. I¡¯m Lyudmila Vredi Springfield.¡±


    ¡°But there wasn¡¯t any Lyudmila born in Vredi Forest. I knew everyone.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but... I¡¯m not your sister. I¡¯ll concede that I look similar, but there are differences. Have you noticed my chest?¡± Seraphina¡¯s eyes looked at my cleavage, then she frowned. ¡°If that¡¯s not enough, then what about this? I belong to the subset of High Elves that possess both male and female reproductive parts. I¡¯m quite certain Susize Vredi didn¡¯t have that. Do you wish to see proof?¡± Seraphina¡¯s eyes widened, and she shook her head, trying to hold back the tears. I could see the hurt in her eyes. I crossed my legs and wondered how to progress from here.


    Just what was the best way to approach this? Trying to mechanically build a friendship differed from growing it organically. But how much could I do without the pressing questions being asked?


    I didn¡¯t have to hate Vredi Forest, and Sekh wasn¡¯t involved in destroying it. It was someone or something else. But...


    This affection I felt...


    The Susize in me wasn¡¯t so much lashing out as it was making itself noticeable. My thoughts weren¡¯t tampered with, but they were influenced before being formulated. The bias was there. It wasn¡¯t a bad feeling, per se. But why didn''t I hate it?


    ¡°Seraphina.¡±


    ¡°Ye¡ªYes? What is it, Sis¡ªLord Springfield.¡± She wiped her teary eyes.


    ¡°I understand where you¡¯re coming from. Truthfully, I used to harbor hatred towards my birth forest. But... There isn¡¯t a reason for that, is there? Perhaps this is the time for reconciliation. I have not told the entire truth. Please forgive me for not wanting to dredge up nightmares that are better left forgotten. There¡¯s a reason I go by Lord Springfield and not Lord Vredi, but... I am willing to extend a hand. And should it help heal your heart from my sudden appearance, you may call me your sister.¡±


    That broke the dam.


    She dropped her staff and leapt towards me. We fell off the recreated Aetos¡¯s back and slipped into a free fall. The eagle turned and dived, ensuring we landed like a gentle flower petal while Seraphina cried in my arms. Ten minutes later, we sat up. I held her arms while she confided in me, which explained her previous heartfelt actions.


    ¡°My father ended his life twenty years ago. They say being immune to time is a High Elf¡¯s greatest strength, but it¡¯s also their greatest curse. My mother is my only surviving family. Less than ten from our forest still live. They vowed to continue the legacy, but...time is a vow¡¯s greatest weakness. It chips away endlessly and tests our resolve, often emerging victorious. So... When Lord Enele was informed of the High Elf of Liberation and said it could be an unknown survivor from our forest... I felt hope I hadn¡¯t felt in centuries... Lord Springfield... Sister... Thank you... Thank you for being alive... Thank you for being here...¡±


    I took a handkerchief she had laid across her lap and dried her eyes. She laughed and fondly recalled a memory of the past.


    ¡°Sister... Susize would always hold my hand when I was little. She and Lord Aetos would share my bed when the sharp crackle of thunder was too much for my youthful mind to handle. I miss her, Lord Springfield. I miss her charming smile. I miss her scholarly advice. I miss how she acted like a newlywed when Murag proposed to her... I miss her flute... She was the brightest, most beautiful High Elf... There is not a day that passes that I do not grieve her.¡±


    A recollection of the past of those very events played through my mind.


    ¡°You can call me Mila. But only if I can call you Sera.¡±


    ¡°Mila...¡± Sera whispered the name twice and gave a happy, tearful smile. The letter she kept looking at was from her mother. The two shared a spirit that always knew where to find the other, and rumors reached Sylara before Sera. ¡°My mother¡¯s currently busy trying to gather the remaining Vredis. She wishes to celebrate. Please, you must attend, Mila.¡±


    ¡°I... I wish to bring along my family. As much as I¡¯m a Vredi, I¡¯m more so my mother¡¯s and father¡¯s daughter.¡±


    ¡°Yes, of course. That¡¯s fine!¡±


    ¡°Then you can write to her. Tell your mother I¡¯ll attend.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Mila!¡± Sera was all smiles as she wrote a letter. She summoned a messenger spirit, handed it the carefully wrapped message, and sent it away, praying it would reach her mother sooner than later.


    I could only wish the party would happen before I recovered Sekh. I wouldn''t purposely delay her recovery for this, but should it come to it... I could always have Sekh wear a disguise. Or I could learn illusion magic. [Conferment] was also an option.


    But I held an odd feeling in my stomach. I didn¡¯t know if this was a mistake or a blessing because I could use this opportunity to find a way to heal Sekh. Perhaps a powerful elixir? That would be the best option.


    But there was more I could do... I asked Seraphina if she was adept at magic and combat. That prompted her to tell Aetos to take us down, where we landed near a lavender lake, and she explained her specializations.


    [Recollection Projection] was her strongest time-based magic because there wasn¡¯t a limit to what she could snapshot. She had saved fragments of her family. Sera confided in me, saying she often summoned her sister to speak to her. The projection couldn¡¯t talk. It would always forget everything once it died or was dismissed.


    Sera said Susize, her husband Murag, and his three other wives always rushed to hug her whenever she summoned them. ¡°They¡¯re gone... They¡¯ve been...away for so, so long. But this is the gift they gave me,¡± she said, waving her staff.


    She also didn¡¯t chant, proving she could mentally cast spells without being verbal. One by one, Sekh¡¯s mortal enemies appeared in a sparkle of flashes.


    I was immediately blown away by their overwhelming aura. The wind died, and it felt like everything nearby waited with bated breaths to see what these powerhouses would do.


    And these copies weren¡¯t them at their strongest. And Sekh often fought against them. And at the same time!


    Just how in the hell did she do that?! I found it hard to even remain standing!


    She¡¯s so incredible... I miss you more than ever, Sekh.


    They ran to hug Sera¡ªMurag patted her head with his massive hands, and all eyes turned to me. The five were cautious. They shared a look before the projected Susize approached. She looked me up and down, smiled, and turned to Sera, who told her my name in a language I didn¡¯t have.


    New Skill: [Ancient Elvish Language]


    Murag shared a series of looks with his wives, and all five extended their hands after coming closer.


    The irony didn¡¯t fail to hit me in the face like a speeding train.


    Their bodies...were my body.


    I was made from them. And here I was, shaking hands with mere programmed entities of a past forgotten by much of the world.


    Sera¡¯s tense face attracted my attention when the projections wavered. She groaned and waved her staff, causing her allies to vanish.


    With how strong they were, Sera was exhausted. She said it took an incredible amount of mana to sustain one, let alone five.


    This gave me an idea... I quickly used the massive stockpile of SP to pump [Mana Language] and [Arcane Sight: Veil of Mystical Vision] to Lv. 10. That barely put a dent in my dragon¡¯s horde of SP, and I had enough to max out everything else.


    But...


    I had to learn this manually-- to prove to myself that I could. And then, if I was in a bind? Well, if I had the skills or magic available for purchase that would help, Tris could buy and pump them, as needed, to Lv. 10. Maybe that was selfish, but Tris processed information faster than me. I trusted her to act before I had to ask.


    However, it wasn''t as simple as immediately buying everything in my Skill Menu. My body would need time to adapt to the upgrades. Honestly? Pushing [Mana Language] and [Arcane Sight: Veil of Mystical Vision] to Lv. 10 put strain on my body and spirit since they were so powerful. I''d have to recover from that, and Tris estimated it''d take a month. SP was a shortcut that had drawbacks, but manually learning didn''t have any downsides.


    So...


    There was one thing to do...


    ¡°Sera?¡±


    ¡°Yes? Is something wrong?¡± The color was already coming back to her face. She regenerated mana quickly.


    ¡°Could you...perhaps instruct me? In magic? I¡¯m unsure if this is the proper etiquette, so I hope this isn¡¯t rude, but would it be possible for you to chant for me?¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Eight: Faraway Hope – Part One

    Chapter Eighty-Eight: Faraway Hope ¨C Part One


    When I asked Sera my request, she nodded and accepted before I could finish¡ªanything to spend time bonding with me.


    We spent two hours near the lavender-colored lake, and I made more progress in that time frame than I had in my whole life as Lyudmila Vredi Springfield.


    Sera had shown me over 150 spells. Of those, only 20 were untranslatable. At that point, Sera said my overall arcane knowledge was lacking, but she said she would help me as much as possible. She was also surprised by my mana reservoir. It wasn¡¯t rare for a High Elf to have a lot, but I had way more than others around my level.


    But Sera was unable to answer my question on why I couldn¡¯t obtain enhancer skills like [Wind Magic] or [Lightning Magic]. They were available for me to purchase, but I wanted to manually acquire them. And I knew it was possible. She theorized it probably had something to do with my flow of mana. She used [Mana Perception] and gasped because she couldn¡¯t see anything.


    That was explained by a ¡®masterful¡¯ control to prevent it from leaking, but Tris configured [Status Cloak] to only hide energy related to my chimerism while I cast [Aero Chain].


    ¡°Ah, that¡¯s the issue. Mila, you¡¯re not letting the mana flow throughout your body,¡± she said, her eyes sparkling. ¡°You gather it around your hands and shoot it out without letting it circulate. Do you feel this?¡± Sera used [Icy Finger] and touched my arm.


    I nodded. Sera then slid it to my shoulder and told me to focus on directing the mana towards the cold feeling. ¡°No, you¡¯re trying to bottle it up. Relax, sister, and let it flow like a river. Ease yourself.¡± I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing.


    There was...something there. I couldn¡¯t realize it before, but I perceived it to be...a feeling of...of a blockade? No wonder my hands felt slightly jittery.


    I just...had...to break...it...down...


    ¡°There!!¡± I exclaimed. The grass below me parted ways as wind surrounded my body¡ªnot just my hands. It flowed like a rollercoaster and collected in my open palms, where a sharp chain made of pure wind shot out from my wrist. It struck the floating plank Sera had set up, and I yanked it back, catching it.


    ¡°Yes! Did you feel it? The chain was thicker. The tip was sharper and pointier! Congratulations, Mila!¡± Sera jumped up and down while hugging her staff. Her ears fluttered up and down.


    ¡°That was what held me back?¡± I channeled [Fireball], but the blockade was broken. The flames whooshed that much brighter and burned more intensely than ever. It felt like my whole body was being subtly warmed.


    About a dozen magic enhancer skills were immediately learned and were raised to Lv. 8 because of my prior training and progress with my clones.


    ¡°Please don¡¯t take it to heart. Susize tutored me, and our father trained her. And our mother trained him when they were children. But you... Being devoted enough to cast without speaking is a marvelous accomplishment! It¡¯s astounding you learned it at all. Most wizards go their entire lives without ever obtaining it.¡±


    ¡°Thanks for making me feel better, sister.¡±


    Hearing that word made her pep up again. Her ears fluttered up and down when happy¡ªmuch like Tris¡¯s tail wagged when she felt excited.


    But Sera was also a proficient fighter when it came to melee combat. She used [Stone Sword], a spell from [Elemental Conjuration Magic]-- something I acquired¡ª to craft a weapon made of rock and sparred against the projected Murag she summoned a moment later.


    Their exchange was a ballet of intensity, an intricate weaving of blows and evasions. Sera''s every motion was a fluid dance of precision, her strikes harmonizing with her short-range teleportation. The stone sword cut through the air, each strike challenging Murag''s spectral presence.


    Yet, the sword bore marks of combat''s toll. Fractures snaked across its surface, a testament to its impending dissolution. Its magic waned, and Sera sensed its weakening grip. With a final flourish, she shattered the blade, its fragments dissipating like stardust. Without a moment of hesitation, she beckoned forth twin stone gauntlets, enveloping her hands with a substance stronger than steel. Her punches reminded me of a boxer¡ªthey were formidable and carried the weight of a mountain. She lunged forward and met Murag¡¯s form.


    But the Ashen Orc always dodged. He smiled and treated this as training as he effortlessly ducked and jumped back. Sometimes, he¡¯d throw a fist and clash with Sera, but the force would always cause her gauntlets to break.


    The fight progressed for a few more minutes until Murag¡¯s ghostly outline became difficult to see. He wavered like mist and vanished after suddenly wrapping Sera in a hug. Sweat dripped down her face like a waterfall, and she dropped to her knees while fishing for a mana potion hidden in a pouch.


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± She turned my way and smiled through her exhaustion. Bashfulness overcame her face when I extended an arm.


    I asked her a few questions, and she spent the next ten minutes helping me summon a stone sword, axe, spear, scythe, and hammer. My projections weren¡¯t as strong as hers, but she gleefully clapped at my hasty progress.


    ¡°But let¡¯s return to Orchta, yes? It is late. Tomorrow¡ªno, the morning will soon arrive, and it will be...quite lengthy,¡± I said when I saw her yawn.


    My lord, I have logged Seraphina¡¯s chants as translated by [Mana Language] and her translations of them. I will begin work on decoding Latin with the information available to us.


    Okay. Good job.


    I¡¯m awaiting your return!


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea, sister.¡± She said she needed a moment to regain her mana, but I started singing and grew my wings.


    ¡°I can carry us back. Perhaps not all the way, but most of it.¡± I told her about [Flight Magic] and [Song Magic]. I almost instinctively pulled out Susize¡¯s flute, but Tris stopped me at the last moment. She already had lyrics ready because she had predicted something like this would happen after we encountered Sera.


    After picking her up in my arms, I flapped my wings and flew towards Orchta.


    Halfway back, I stopped, and we took a projected Aetos the rest of the way.


    After landing near the city, we walked the rest of the way until we arrived at Plymoise¡¯s embassy. Sera seemed hesitant to let me go.


    I knew why. I could work this in my favor.


    Her eyes briefly lit up when I asked if she wanted to share my bed, but she didn¡¯t know if that was okay.


    ¡°We¡¯re sisters, are we not?¡± It wasn¡¯t until I grabbed her hand that she relented and thanked me for my generosity. Captain Morgan was asleep in his chair, and Tris was sitting cross-legged on the bed in our room. Surtr laid to her right, and she rubbed his head.


    The two welcomed me back, and Sera introduced herself in a shaky voice. When it came to us being alone, she was getting more confident¡ªmore adept, I suppose. Or maybe more like herself. But seeing people I regarded as family¡ªas loved ones, probably made her realize that I resonated more with non-Vredis than Vredis.


    ¡°Would you like to relax in the bath, my lord?¡± Tris asked, grabbing my hand with both of hers. She looked up at me expectantly.


    ¡°Sure. Sera? Care to join?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Are you sure? Is it fine?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. Tris wouldn¡¯t mind, would you?¡± I looked at her, and she shook her head, keeping a perfect smile.


    ¡°Then...thank you. I¡¯ll join you.¡±


    We walked to the bath, which was more of a hot spring¡ªit was like what I had at the Waterdale Inn, and Tris stripped me nude. Sera began undressing, but her eyes caught on my penis.


    Audibly, she gulped and turned her gaze. Tris and I entered first, and she rested between my legs and let me rub her ears. Sera grabbed a towel from a bag she summoned from somewhere and wrapped her body before dipping a toe in.


    She was almost the same as Susize. From her eyes, hair, nose, and body, only an elf would perceive the differences. Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°Does it feel good?¡±


    ¡°Mmm... It does...¡± Tris purred and relaxed against my chest.


    ¡°May I ask where you received your clothing? Did you make them?¡±


    ¡°No. An elf named Verdant did. The outfit was a gift for me to wear to the Heptarchis. It probably won¡¯t become my regular attire because it¡¯s special. It¡¯s meant for unique occasions. I can¡¯t risk damaging it, or I could never forgive myself.¡±


    ¡°Umm... I...noticed something. Are you capable of changing your body? Your...¡± She eyed my chest, and yep... I had unconsciously reverted my breasts to their usual size.


    ¡°I can. It¡¯s something of an innate talent, but altering my size is the most I can do. Verdant never measured me, and it¡¯s not strenuous to change myself to suit her wonderful work.¡±


    ¡°I can fix that. I have a few cores with the {Resize} enchantment. And an enchanting table within my spacial storage. Please, allow me to do this.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t refuse your kindness, sister. Thank you.¡±


    That fits in with Susize¡¯s memories.


    ¡°What about you? Do you have someone special?¡±


    ¡°Me?!¡± Sera blushed, looked away, and returned her sight to the water. ¡°There was... But... No, there isn¡¯t. Not anymore. I wanted him to be my first, but... After he was taken, I couldn¡¯t...¡±


    Susize¡¯s memories told me she knew Sera had a crush on Murag. She had even tried to seduce him once or twice in the past before her sister wed him. Susize knew about it but refrained from bringing it up to keep the peace.


    I wondered if she tried that with Murag¡¯s projection? They were physical, after all.


    Sera didn¡¯t want to keep talking about it, so she changed the subject to my lovers. The more we talked about them...


    ...the more I found myself missing their comforting embrace.


    My memories told me Sera loved to spy. She often used her magic to watch Murag take baths. But her favorite hobby was to watch him love his wives while hiding inside the closet. Susize knew about it. She kept it a close secret to keep the peace¡ªbut Susize secretly hated it. And since I looked so much like her...and I basically had Murag¡¯s penis...


    It seems like everyone I meet has some voyeuristic fetish.


    It was getting late. Sera nodded when I asked if it was time to get out of the bath. We stood, and the water noisily dripped off our bodies. I walked to the bench and sat, and Tris dried my hair and arms.


    My lord, I believe we have overlooked something...


    I listened to Tris and silently cursed. How could I have forgotten that?


    ¡°Sera?¡± I stood, and Tris worked the towel around my thighs and legs. She was nothing but diligent in her cleanliness.


    ¡°Ye¡ªYes?!¡±


    Since I was leaving soon¡ªprobably within the next 12 hours... I needed someone to protect Gretchen in my place.


    ¡°Leave it to me, sister! I can do that!¡±


    But there was more. There was something else. Something that also needed Lord Enele¡¯s assistance. Sera said he would most likely help with whatever I needed. And I hoped that was the case. I¡¯d have to ask in the morning...


    Sera turned around and finished getting dressed. Tris stood and kissed my lips before dressing me, and after she put on her colorful pajamas we had bought, we walked to the bedroom. The sliding doors were totally silent. Sera was behind us in an oversized shirt. I sensed her nervousness.


    We slipped into bed, with me in the middle. Tris embraced me from behind and tightly wrapped her arms around my stomach.


    ¡°You two sleep like that?¡± Sera asked, pulling the covers over as she snuggled against the pillow.


    ¡°We are always connected,¡± Tris explained. ¡°We keep each other warm.¡±


    I stared at Sera, whose face went through an overabundant barrel of emotions, ending with her crying.


    ¡°You¡¯re a Vredi I thought had died. I¡¯d never thought I¡¯d meet you... I thought we were all that were left. Mila, I...still wish to talk with you. I don¡¯t want to go to sleep,¡± she whispered, whining like a little girl refusing to accept her bedtime.


    It took a while for reality to set in.


    Another memory of the past struck me like a speeding train. In it, Sera had something similar to her sister when they were younger. She had just returned from a diplomatic trip, and Sera didn¡¯t want to go to bed.


    ¡°I once believed my sister and I would have never separated... Mila, I miss our family... I miss our forest... I... I miss it all. Time is supposed to heal wounds, but it¡¯s never enough. There¡¯s not enough time to make me...¡±


    ¡°Sera...¡± She wiped her eyes and apologized, but I held her hands gently against my heart. ¡°Don¡¯t hide your emotions. If you¡¯re sad? Then be sad. Cry if you wish to.¡±


    Were my words ironic? Coming from someone who was a lie?


    I was a phantom of the past. My body was 100% High Elf. A DNA test would prove that, but my soul was still human.


    Yes, I knew the culture from the Susize within me. And I knew how my actions were interpreted by someone¡ªespecially if that person was Seraphina Vredi¡ªsomeone who had almost no one left. She had never even thought about taking a lover during the last 1,000 years. She was a stranger in romance and passion. For some people, an ounce of kindness was enough to last a lifetime.


    But I didn¡¯t feel any genuine chemistry between us.


    The thing I wanted most out of Sera was a friend. Nothing more. Nothing less. Nothing closer. Nothing farther.


    But I pitied the elf. Sera really hadn''t anything to deserve my ire.


    If I could continue to foster this friendship, I could get more out of it. The Vredis had worldly connections. I wanted those to help me take revenge against Meruria. Nurturing this friendship benefited my goal.


    ¡°Mila... I¡¯m...so glad you¡¯re alive... I¡¯m...happy I didn¡¯t kill myself,¡± Sera admitted. ¡°After Susize passed, I... It was hard. I¡¯ve never endured anything more difficult in my life. Living in a changed world... One where she isn¡¯t here.¡±


    I touched my head to hers. ¡°I¡¯m glad, too. I¡¯m happy I met you, Sister...¡±


    ¡°Mila...¡± Sera¡¯s face scrunched. It was dark, but I saw it as clear as if the sun was out. I held my arms out, and she scooted closer until we hugged. For as strong as she was physically and magically?


    She was weak in her mind. I held her until she fell asleep. Her quiet breathing reinvigorated the Susize within me.


    ¡°Was I...wrong? In my response to Lord Enele, I mean?¡± Tris¡¯s voice was meek.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Surtr and I spoke. He said I was too sharp with my words. He said Lord Enele didn¡¯t mean disrespect, but I still inferred that way. I don¡¯t want anyone to imply that I¡¯m theirs. My lord, I only wish to be yours. Forever and always, for now and for the future. The mere thought of serving someone else sickens me. I know that we are equals, but it... In my mind... I only wish to serve as your equal. I don¡¯t wish to be someone else¡¯s equal...¡±


    I figured that was it.


    ¡°But... If Lord Enele hadn¡¯t shrugged off my disrespect....or if he was someone else, I could¡¯ve caused problems for you. My crass behavior reflects more on you, my lord. I cannot cause you any discomfort. It simply cannot happen, and yet... I¡¯m sorry, my lord. Please, forgive me.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing to forgive because you¡¯ve done no wrong.¡± I formed a second face on the backside of my head and met Tris¡¯s eyes. ¡°You will never disappoint me. But I also won¡¯t be mad if you learn from this. We aren¡¯t perfect. As much as you think me to be, I have room to grow. And...let¡¯s grow together, okay? We¡¯ll apologize to Lord Enele tomorrow morning.¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°But don¡¯t take that to mean you must always be pleasant. Some do not deserve any respect.¡±


    Indiko was one of them. If we were here alone, I wouldn¡¯t mince my words. But Gretchen¡¯s and Ayroix¡¯s reputation was on the line.


    ¡°My lord?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    Tris snuggled closer. I felt her soft breath tickle my neck as I canceled my transfiguration. ¡°Thank you for speaking with me.¡±


    ¡°Any time, Tris. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too. Sweet dreams, my lord... I hope your slumber is restful...¡± I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep.

 Chapter Eighty-Eight: Faraway Hope – Part Two

    Chapter Eighty-Eight: Faraway Hope ¨C Part Two


    Tris woke me before dawn, and we settled for an early morning bath underneath the still-dark skies. After she dried and dressed me, we returned to the room to find Sera hugging a pillow between her arms. She slowly rolled...until she fell off the bed.


    Crash!


    She awoke in a hurry and manifested mystical orbs of sharp wind around her hand before remembering where she was.


    ¡°Forgive me for showing you such a thing, Mila. I don¡¯t know what happened,¡± Sera stuttered, her face looking like a cherry tomato.


    ¡°Pay it no mind,¡± I said, sitting against Surtr. I rubbed his chin, and he purred for me. ¡°I take it that¡¯s the first restful slumber you¡¯ve had in a while?¡±


    Sera walked to the bath, and we continued to chat while she cleaned herself. ¡°Yes, but... I had a dream,¡± she said, her voice still sounding like it was beside me.


    ¡°About?¡±


    ¡°The first time I rode on Lord Aetos¡¯s back. I was still young, but I was so terribly afraid of heights. I remember crying when he flapped his wings. But Susize was there. She caught me when I jumped and held me close, apologizing for putting me through something scary. Then Lord Aetos rubbed my head and comforted me...¡±


    ¡°Sounds to me like that¡¯s a sign to reconnect with him. It isn¡¯t too late.¡±


    ¡°Maybe... But...¡± Sera¡¯s voice dropped to a whisper, but she never continued.


    She had unresolved trauma. Sera preferred the past. She¡¯d contend with the memories of her loved ones than face life without them, and Aetos was upset at that weakness.


    After Sera finished her bath and dressed, we walked to the sanctum and found Lord Enele. Three cups of coffee sat empty on the round table while he looked over a dozen documents.


    He looked up when he heard our footsteps and smiled. ¡°Good morning,¡± he said. We shared pleasantries, and I ¡®encouraged¡¯ Tris to speak up. Lord Enele raised a curious eyebrow and listened to a heartfelt apology. ¡°It¡¯s not a problem, Lady Tris, and I am happy to see you learn from this. In the future, you may very well cause problems for Lord Springfield by carelessly addressing or replying to powerful people in the future.¡±


    ¡°I understand my mistakes, Lord Enele. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite welcome. Now...¡± Lord Enele looked at me. ¡°You¡¯ve something to ask me, yes?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite perceptive,¡± I replied.


    ¡°I must be if I¡¯m to continue my work.¡±


    ¡°I hope I¡¯m not crossing the line...but I wish to ask you for a favor. And it extends to you, Sera.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not about Lady Plymoise?¡±


    I shook my head and told Lord Enele about me heading to Aetos Village on Sera¡¯s behalf to deliver the soil for Aetos. Context was necessary, so I informed him about Sekh needing to be healed by Aetos¡¯s healing magic. Then I explained what occurred in Ria and my original goal of helping my mom find her parents.


    ¡°You wish me to be their escort after the Heptarchis has concluded?¡±


    ¡°Yes. If the Heptarchis has finished before I return, I would greatly appreciate this, Lord Enele.¡±


    ¡°Well, I can hardly refuse your favor, can I? Don¡¯t worry, Lord Springfield. You may consider it done. I promise you my assistance as the Dark Lord of Justice,¡± said Lord Enele.


    I...didn¡¯t expect him to agree so readily. ¡°And I¡¯ll help, too!¡± Sera added. ¡°That¡¯s fine, isn¡¯t it? Mila, please say it is!¡±


    ¡°Of course, it is. Sera, I¡¯d like you to get to know my family. I want you to see the kindness they radiate to take a stranger like me in and overflow them with love.¡±


    Sera smiled. ¡°Wait... How will you know where to find us when you return?¡± I told her that Sekh had summoned five spirits. Surtr was with me, and he could detect the locations of the other four. They never left my family¡¯s side.


    ¡°Lord Enele... Please, you must let me repay you.¡±


    ¡°I only wish to see you return with this Sekh, Lord Springfield. She sounds like she¡¯s very special to you. Ah, nothing wets my eyes more than a heartfelt reunion."


    Okay, maybe Lord Enele was a good man. Tris told me she viewed him in a brand-new light. She had no reason to think anything differently based on her information. He retrieved a glass box from his robe and handed it to me. There was a slight panic when it vanished, but Sera understood me to have a storage-type spell. She agreed when I said it was safer there than with me. Tris informed me she partitioned [Void Storage] into two, enabled time to flow in the second section, and moved the box to it. Otherwise, it wouldn''t develop and nurture.


    ¡°Are you departing now?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be rude if I leave without telling Lady Plymoise anything.¡±


    Lord Enele said the Heptarchis wasn¡¯t supposed to resume for another two hours, so I returned to Plymoise¡¯s embassy with Sera, Tris, and Surtr. The time I needed to waste passed by quickly when Sera retrieved a flute and played a song. The desire to retrieve Susize¡¯s flute waged a war, but I won. Sera eventually handed me a spare, and we played a duet. She found my skill marvelously incredible and said I played like her sister.


    It only made her that much happier...


    Three hours later...


    Lady Plymoise was more than understanding when I told her I needed to leave.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done more than your fair share, Lord Springfield. Truthfully, I felt...greedy when I asked you to escort me.¡± She watched while I hooked Surtr to the carriage¡¯s harness.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be silly.¡± I pointed at Sera, who wiped her reddened eyes with a handkerchief made of grass and soft leaves. ¡°Your offer enabled me to reconnect with a long-lost sister. I should be thanking you.¡± When Tris had stealthily told Gretchen to forget the clothes, she didn¡¯t even question it. Although she was going to lose a lot of money. But she didn¡¯t bring it up or act like that was a concern¡ªalthough... It probably was.


    ¡°Please be safe, Mila! I promise you won¡¯t have to worry about anything! You can leave it to me!¡±


    After locking the last clip, I shook Gretchen¡¯s and Captain Morgan''s hands and hugged Sera tightly. She didn¡¯t want to let go, but she knew we would meet again.


    This was a ploy designed to garner her trust. Of course, it didn¡¯t start that way. I really didn¡¯t have a reason to innately hate her. But once I realized I benefitted more from this relationship, I merely pushed the right buttons, said the correct words, and controlled the entire narrative. Her devotion to the Vredi Forest... Her dependency on fragments of the past and an unhealthy desire to abandon the future...


    ¡°It is.¡± I rubbed her head. ¡°Remember what we talked about?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh! I do! I can¡¯t wait!¡±


    During our return trip, Tris sent a message to Tilde to tell Captain Caulk to get our ship ready to leave by tonight.


    The sooner we left and revived Sekh, the sooner we could return to being a family with Mom and Dad.


    Delouise walked outside and announced dinner was prepared. ¡°I¡¯ve heard from Ms. Tilde about your new attire. It¡¯s a lovely outfit for a powerful woman like yourself, Lord Springfield.¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s not wrong. You look amazing, Mila.¡±


    ¡°Aww... Thanks.¡± I rubbed Erin¡¯s head.


    We went to the dining room and waited for Ginnie, Chax, Niva, and Primrose to return. They had errands, so Tris said they¡¯d return in 10 minutes. They also knew I was here because she sent Primrose a waypoint message seconds before.


    Chax and Ginnie arrived and told me Niva and Primrose had a few more things to do, but they said to eat without them because they¡¯d grab something from the market.


    That was sad, but we went ahead and ate. I couldn¡¯t focus that much on dinner. The salad and veggie stew tasted bland and flavorless. It shouldn¡¯t have, but I really wanted to share one final meal with the family I loved...


    There¡¯ll be time for that after Sekh¡¯s back. I know how I want things to play out for the following six months. And I¡¯ll have to spend as much time with my family...


    As we ate, I told them about Lord Enele and Seraphina.


    ¡°The Dark Lord of Justice?!¡± Dad was surprised about me encountering another Vredi, but he never believed Lord Enele would have shown up.


    ¡°That¡¯s right. He¡¯s honestly incredible. His use of [Conferment] is completely masterful.¡±


    ¡°[Conferment]? Isn¡¯t that the ability that voice spoke about a while back? And wait... You met a Dark Lord?! Like an actual Dark Lord?!¡± Ginnie¡¯s fluffy ears twitched.


    ¡°Yes, and yes. Have you never met one before?¡± While my family read the floating words of light only they could see, I steered the conversation using the experience I gained thus far.


    It was funny.


    When I first met Mom and Irisa, I was so shitty at small talk until Tilde gave me some expert advice. And here I was...able to control the flow of a discussion.


    ¡°I wanna go with you, but I know I can¡¯t,¡± Irisa said. ¡°If we¡¯ve found Grandma and Grandpa by then, I want to introduce you to them. I know what happened between Mom and Dad and Grandma and Grandpa, but I really think we can move beyond it.¡±


    Erin said that sounded nice and fun. She touched her shiny horns and asked if Grandma and Grandpa would like them. Her cute ears twitched, and her tail lightly danced behind her. I knew Erin harbored thoughts about what we discussed before I left for the Heptarchis, but Erin wanted to think positively. She knew she was her father¡¯s daughter and sister¡¯s sibling. And she knew Mom loved her as if she was flesh and blood. Any feeling to the contrary was born from her reluctance to accept that affection because of the events surrounding her birth.


    The solution was internal and obtained via self-growth. Erin knew that. She knew I knew that. Accepting was the hard part. Casting out internal demons... It wasn¡¯t child''s play. But again, my little sister wasn¡¯t alone.


    Irisa smiled with sisterly affection. Tris told me the two had a few late-night discussions. Irisa knew Erin¡¯s worries and fears and helped her through them.


    After dinner, I spent some time with my family. Irisa led me to her room. I sat on the bed while she took a seat at her desk. Tris was with Surtr and Tilde, and they were talking with Mom and Dad, informing them about the ''events'' I had told Sera.


    We had to keep the story straight.


    Erin was hanging out with Chax and Ginnie in the courtyard.


    ¡°This is going to be my greatest weapon,¡± Irisa said, showing me a dozen journals. ¡°They¡¯re filled with blueprints and notes I¡¯ve gotten from Tris. And when this is done, I want to make something for Sekh. She¡¯s so close to coming back. If I can do this...I¡¯ll be that much closer to achieving my goal. Ah, but... Maybe I can add some leaves?¡± Irisa looked me up and down. ¡°And vines? Maybe engravings? Ah! Mila, I¡¯m filled with so many ideas I can¡¯t stand it!¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m happy for you. But you¡¯re not the only one working on something important,¡± I said. Before the incident in Ria, I had worked on a ruby necklace for Sekh and a locket for Irisa. They weren¡¯t done, but I hoped Enap would let me use his workshop.


    Tris¡¯s voice resonated in my mind, and it was time to leave.


    Irisa escorted me to the lobby, where I saw the rest of my friends and family. Tilde said goodbye to Pawsome Fables. Erin cried. She wiped her eyes and tried to remain strong¡ªeven though we would be back soon. Sera and Lord Enele would probably arrive before our return. Even if they entered an area I hadn¡¯t indexed, I had Surtr, the lions, and their telepathy.


    ¡°Mistress!!!¡± I turned to the gate and saw Niva and Primrose. They ran towards me, and both carried beautiful smiles. Niva held Primrose''s staff tightly in her sole biological hand. Her robe¡¯s hood was lowered, and Lei the slime balanced on her head. She tripped, but Primrose caught her with her vines. ¡°I¡¯m sorry we¡¯re late! We had a few things to prepare before we set off.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± I put a hand on Lei and rubbed its blubbery body. It excitedly jiggled.


    ¡°And welcome back!¡±


    ¡°Yes. It does me well to see you¡¯ve returned safe and sound, Lord Springfield.¡± Immediately, I knew they had changed. Niva was more confident. And Primrose walked with a refined air. She wasn¡¯t confined to being tied down to Aetos.


    Even though she wasn¡¯t.


    She thought she was, but her mind forced her to believe what wasn¡¯t true. The link she shared was already broken on Aetos''s end, but she didn¡¯t perceive it.


    With how emotional the scene became...it was a wonder we left for the harbor before the sun came up. Mom, Dad, Irisa, Erin, their lions, Chax, Ginnie, and the inn¡¯s staff waved us off, with the lions choosing to roar. Surtr roared back. He flared his flames and sent a beam high into the sky, parting the clouds.


    The citizens already knew about the lions. They knew not to panic when they saw such a sight because it most likely involved the High Elf of Liberation.


    A bit overkill, but it was the perfect display of power for the king of the jungle.


    ¡°Primrose and I... We talked a lot. And there¡¯s much we want to say.¡± Niva turned her head and looked at me. [Mana Perception]''s magic circle was more intricately detailed. It was proof of her hard work.


    I smiled. ¡°Then we¡¯ll discuss it on the ship, okay?¡±


    Niva shared a smile with Prim, and the two determinedly nodded.

 Chapter Eighty-Nine: Summoner’s Growth

    Chapter Eighty-Nine: Summoner¡¯s Growth


    As I stood on the ship''s deck, my gaze fixed upon the tranquil expanse of the nighttime sea. The moon casts its ethereal glow upon the gentle waves, their rhythmic dance soothing the weary soul. The air was still, carrying whispers of mystic energy that wrapped around me like a silk shroud. The Eagle Yew remained far. We were still days away from reaching land, but its massive girth and incredible height made it easy to spot from almost everywhere. It only vanished beyond the horizon and clouds once you were in Parthina.


    I turned around and stared at a brown-skinned woodland spirit wearing a crown of thorns and vines, with clothing more suitable to work as lingerie. Tilde, Tris, and Surtr silently watched. Lei balanced on my lion¡¯s back. It wiggled happily from the warmth.


    My doppelga?ngers behind them oversaw steering the ship to our destination. Heading to what used to be Ria was a foolish choice because Gloria¡¯s soldiers were using it as a base while rebuilding the city. Tris checked it out earlier, and amid the rubble and half-constructed tents were posters with Niva¡¯s face and description. She did a search, but there weren¡¯t any soldiers affiliated with Dirge in Aetos Village.


    The eagle was there, biding his time while roosting on a tree limb as thick as a skyscraper. His HP was dangerously low, though. A large portion of his body was burnt black with ash. I hoped we made it in time. He knew we were coming, so he had to hang on.


    Niva stood near Primrose and gripped her wooden staff. Her crystalline purple scales reflected her healthy recovery and bounced the stars¡¯ illuminations like tiny mirrors while accenting her soft, blue skin.


    ¡°Mistress, I owe my life to you. If you weren¡¯t there to save me from Noelia... I wouldn¡¯t have known Irisa, Ichiha, or Kokan. Or Tilde, Sekh, or Erin, and I wouldn¡¯t have met Primrose or Lei. And I wouldn¡¯t have gotten my mobility back. My life changed for the better when you entered it." Niva¡¯s face was determined. She lifted her chin and stared me in the eye. Primrose smiled and put a hand on her summoner¡¯s shoulder. ¡°But I haven¡¯t...devoted as much effort into training as I should have. Primrose talked to me about it... I was holding myself back, wasn¡¯t I? I¡¯ve...always been told I was useless... That I wasn¡¯t worth the food or water used to keep me fed... Or the bedding to keep me warm. I kept lying to myself after you saved me. I thought that if I put in just enough effort, it would be enough... I wouldn¡¯t have to fight or get hurt if it looked like I was advancing. But I was wrong. I¡¯m sorry, Mistress... It took me this long to realize it.¡±


    Niva took a deep breath and continued to channel [Mana Perception]. Her gaze... It was unwavering.


    ¡°But that¡¯s going to change. I¡¯ll follow you wherever you go. I won¡¯t be scared anymore. I won¡¯t think of myself as weak because you don¡¯t think that of me, do you?¡± She smiled. ¡°You see something in me. And I wish to be the Transcendent Dark Lord¡¯s spirit summoner. I won¡¯t rest until I can summon a draconic spirit for you. And that¡¯s my promise. That¡¯s my vow to you.¡± Niva turned away and looked at her spirit. ¡°And Primrose... You...helped me learn how to see. You helped me walk. And you¡¯ve given me courage. I can look proudly at myself because you¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°And I¡¯m glad you were my summoner,¡± said Primrose. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have wanted anyone else.¡± The spirit turned to me and repeated most of what Niva said, albeit with her own twist. She said she looked back on the past and hated how she acted. She took my hands in hers and gave a heartfelt apology. ¡°I wish I were stronger... I wish I were more mature. I... The regrets I have number in the thousand...¡± Prim couldn¡¯t speak without stuttering. She choked over her breath and wiped her wet eyes. The tears only grew stronger when I embraced and held her close.


    ¡°I love you and Niva,¡± I whispered, extending an arm for the spirit''s summoner to join the hug. ¡°You¡¯re under my protection. I won¡¯t ever betray the trust you two have in me...¡± I sprouted four more arms from my hands and rubbed their heads as Lei jumped to my hair and joyfully wiggled. Three months ago, I¡¯d never thought this would happen.


    ¡°Aww... Isn¡¯t that just about the sweetest thing?¡± Tilde asked. She held her hands to her heart and flapped her pretty wings. ¡°I think I¡¯m about to cry.¡±


    ¡°I agree it is heartwarming,¡± Tris replied. ¡°But you cannot ¡®about to cry¡¯ when you¡¯re already crying, Tilde. Additionally...¡± Tris approached and held a black, eye-shaped orb etched with white computer lines. This was the mana generator Niva had embedded within her eye socket. It powered the illusion spell that made her seem like a normal cyclops.


    Tris found a way to ¡®reset¡¯ it to factory settings.


    If Niva permitted me to implant it where her second eye would have been, it would absorb enough mana from the atmosphere to sustain [Mana Perception]. She wouldn¡¯t ever need to cancel the spell.


    "Tris and I have done our research, Niva," I said. "It won''t be painless, but it shouldn''t hurt too much."


    The healing magic I learned from Sera would obviously help after the surgery, but it wouldn¡¯t do anything to numb the operating area or lessen the pain during it. It was too dangerous to put her to sleep since I didn¡¯t know how to control the strength of those spells. And like hell would I risk it on Niva. ¡°Aetos or Aello could have a sedative if you''d rather wait."


    "No." Niva shook her head. "Please, can you do it now?"


    "Are you sure? I don''t mind being patient."


    "I''ve made you wait long enough. I need to take a more proactive role, Mistress. Primrose and I talked about that. I''m finally Lv. 19."


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Niva. I really am. And you too, Primrose. But if this is what you want, then I¡¯ll get started. Tris, I need the plans.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re already prepared, my lord. I¡¯m sending them to you now.¡±


    Detailed instructions for the operation appeared in my vision. I laid Niva on the ship¡¯s deck and formed a barrier of slime, which I spread across half of her face. A spell called [Healing Field] enveloped it in a golden glow. Prim took Niva¡¯s biological hand and readied herself to channel [Minor Heal].


    I first formed a long, sharp, thin needle and slowly pressed it into her face where her second eye would''ve been. Primrose gripped her hand and kept her calm, and I followed the augmented instructions Tris had made that showed me how deep I was going.


    After reaching the correct depth and reaching the empty socket, the top transfigured into a little drill and chipped away at the skull fragments that had healed. Niva''s face strained. She bit her lips and tried to kick away-- a reflex-- but Tilde and Surtr kept her pinned to the deck.


    A squirt of slime kept the operating area sterile and assimilated the flowing blood and bone fragments.


    "Okay... Almost..." The slot was shaped, so I slowly canceled my transfiguration after leaving behind a single drop of slime. It was so thin Sera would have had trouble seeing it, but it belonged to me. Therefore, it acted as a ''receiver'' for my storage ability, so the slime retrieved the mana generator. Primrose offered her sticky sap, so the slime dripping used that to lock the generator into place. "And there... It''s done."


    Niva didn''t answer. She had passed out. While I couldn''t deny that it hurt, the likelier option was that her mind had expected something so much worse, and Niva passed out as a result. But Tris assured me she was fine-- Niva''s vitals were perfectly healthy.


    A potion wasn''t needed, but we still used it in the aftercare. Niva''s tolerance was still decently high, so she''d need three more detoxes. But even so, the little entry wound was already healing after Tris sprinkled a little bit on Niva''s tongue. Honestly? The extra precautions weren''t required, but it was always better to be safe than sorry.


    Finally, I took a couple of bandages from the stockpile Sekh and Dad had made from the web I had spun.


    That seems so long ago...


    Primrose gave me more sap to act as glue. The last step was to apply the pain reliever ointment Dad had taught me. It wasn¡¯t strong. But it was what I had. She once needed constant care, so I became good at looking after her. Again, the aftercare was too extensive, but it was still good practice. Besides, we had the supplies to spare. Niva was also important to me, so why wouldn''t I do what I could to ensure the healing went off without a hitch?


    All that was left was to wait for Niva to wake up. I went with Primrose as she picked her up and carried her to the cargo hold. We didn¡¯t have a bed, but the sleeping bag and lumpy pillow would have to sustain for now.


    I looked at the supplies Captain Caulk managed to load for us. Only two people needed to eat, and I had more than enough food for them. I wouldn¡¯t say they were wasted because I could store them, and I did just that¡ªwith enough room to spare¡ªbut it was a genuine gesture from someone I fought side-by-side with.


    Tilde, Surtr, and Tris remained above to watch for things.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have my loyalty until the day I draw my last breath,¡± Prim suddenly said, breaking the silence. The gentle waves of the ocean rocked the boat while she palmed Niva¡¯s cheeks. She looked so peaceful. ¡°Lord Springfield?¡±


    ¡°What is it?¡± Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯re aware, but you became part plant after assimilating that draingi. The one that gave you [Photosynthesis]? Do you recall it?¡±


    ¡°What about it?¡±


    Primrose sprouted a bundle of primrose flowers from her hand. ¡°I¡¯m certain you can use biomass as a substitute for sunlight and nutrients. Please take this.¡± She handed me a seed. I assimilated it, then followed her commands. The skill innately came to her because she was a woodland spirit, so it was difficult for me to grasp my mind around growing a living thing from my body.


    Three hours of practice resulted in nothing more than a root and stem.


    I took a break and sat with Prim while watching Niva.


    The spirit told me of their spelunking within the Crystal Veil Mines. It was close enough and consisted of weak enemies, so it was the perfect place for Niva to train. She sometimes went with Pawsome Fables, but she mostly went alone.


    ¡°It wasn¡¯t easy. My summoner¡¯s terribly frightened of failure. It paralyzed her to the ground¡ªimmobilized her hands and feet. It wasn¡¯t until a crystal monster ran me through from behind that she acted.¡± Primrose touched her chest and said my thread protected her core. ¡°Her use of [Razor Wind] was spectacular. It was her first time casting magic like that. The independence she gained from the feeling... For all her life, she thought herself a dependent weakling. But she isn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Niva¡¯s strong. She¡¯s resilient. She has the drive to survive. She would¡¯ve died a dozen times over if she hadn''t. But she¡¯s here. And I¡¯m proud of her. I¡¯m so proud.¡±


    ¡°While you were away at the Heptarchis, she cried in my arms every night, and we spent every day in active combat.¡± Primrose recalled she and Niva were walking through the mines. They had found a chest in a side room, but it was a trap. Two dozen crystal lizards rushed them from all sides. But Niva... She didn¡¯t let her fear get her down. She had activated [Spirit Overdrive] to flood Primrose with half of her mana, used [Vine Manipulation] on the staff she held, and threw it in the middle of the group. The excess mana let Primrose turn the staff into one large vine. It pierced, stabbed, and threw the enemies into the air.


    Niva had aimed with [Razor Wind] and ripped them apart, but she almost passed out from the mana drain.


    ¡°I recall her pounding the ground with her fist until it was bloody. She screamed and cursed while I fought, then forced her legs to stand. She didn¡¯t let the prosthetics slow her down. She picked up a rock and tried to fight the lizards head on. I shielded her with [Woodland Shield] and finished the fight. Do you know what her biggest fear is?¡±


    I shook my head.


    ¡°It¡¯s disappointing you. You¡¯re my summoner''s light. You gave her a reason to live. You gave her back everything she lost.¡±


    Prim went quiet for a moment.


    ¡°I¡¯ll follow you until the end of the world. Your enemies are my enemies, your goals are my goals, and I vow to become your sword and shield to end Meruria¡¯s life and beyond. I know I don¡¯t compare to the Dark Lord of Tyranny, but... I will forever be there for you. I will lay down my life for you without hesitation. And I ask that...should the day come to pass...assimilate me. Please... Allow me to accompany you until the end. My strength is meager, but it is yours all the same.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t allow you to die for me. Prim, I won''t let you live solely for me. You¡¯re not an underling. You¡¯re not a subordinate. I see you and Niva as equals. I refuse to let your only lives revolve around me.¡± I reached over and took her hand in mind, and we interlocked fingers. Her skin felt so wooden and bark-like. She apologized for the texture, but I shook my head and said it was pleasant.


    I told her I felt regretful about something when Niva made her speech. It sounded like her sole reason for living was...to serve me. I was a fool to force the idea of her summoning a draconic spirit for me as ¡®repayment¡¯ for saving her.


    I didn¡¯t want that anymore because...was that needed?


    Just look at how strong I was... [Conferment]? [Ira Ignis]? [Furia Glacies]? Immunity to fire and ice? Surtr? My Soul Weapon? And with Sekh¡¯s eventual return...


    I didn¡¯t want their lives to revolve around me. I didn¡¯t want our relationship to evolve to the point where their feelings had to look at me for approval or denial.


    I should find a way to reinforce it.


    ¡°Well... I mean, I know that. But... I dunno. Maybe I¡¯m being kinda weird.¡± Tilde lightly pinched her cheeks. ¡°But you¡¯re not wrong about me being the cutest fairy in the whole world. And might I add another nomenclature to that? I proclaim I¡¯m the cutest fairy maid the world has ever seen. And that means a fairy like me has a reputation to uphold, so... Pardon me, Master.¡± Tilde gave me a sexy wink and set about improving her marksmanship with a silent pistol.


    That was a little odd. But Tilde is Tilde. She wouldn¡¯t be Tilde otherwise. Huh... I gave her that name for the hell of it, but it definitely suits her.


    Niva and Primrose showed up about fifteen minutes later. They asked me about last night and if I enjoyed it, and I nodded.


    Something felt strange. I looked at Tilde, and she briefly nodded as if she could read my mind.


    I guess that discussion was fated to happen sooner than later. But how did I want to approach it? Did it have to be in any specific way?


    ...


    Niva practiced melee combat, and I tossed in a slime clone to help. It was roughly configured to her level and wielded a water staff¡ªcourtesy of Sera¡¯s tutoring. It wouldn¡¯t hurt if it hit you, but you¡¯d get wet.


    She¡¯s a master at projecting elemental weapons... I wonder how the situation is in Orchta? Meh, I can find out later.


    So, my clone fought Niva and her spirit. Niva couldn¡¯t athletically move, so she relied on [Woodland Shield]. She chanted the spell and raised her staff, and thick vines grew from the tip to form a defensive armament.


    When Tris woke from her deserved nap, it was time to break for lunch, which consisted of eggs and sausage expertly prepared by the Fragment of Wisdom.


    Training resumed afterwards.


    I taught Primrose how to properly shoot a gun to rest my mind. She wasn¡¯t a fan of them, but she understood how impressive they were when the silenced 92FS refused to make noise. She was also led to believe that a silencer couldn¡¯t be wholly effective.


    Dinner consisted of fish stew with tons of veggies and freshly baked bread. Tris received a lot of compliments. Her blushing face was so cute that I just had to squeeze it.


    After eating, I asked for Tilde¡¯s maid and adventuring gear. She happily stripped nude for me, and I used my crystal-infused webbing to add protective reinforcements. Tris analyzed the armor and developed the plans, but after I was finished, the maid outfit had splashes of azure and crimson. When the iceflame cloak was added, Tilde looked spiffy. She gushed and hugged me tightly, then proudly flew around the ship while happily proclaiming herself the Transcendent Dark Lord¡¯s Head Maid.


    She was the only maid, so she said it naturally made her the ¡®top dawg.¡¯ Tilde put that energy into training to work off dinner.


    Night had fallen again, and it was Tilde, Tris, and myself on the deck. Niva and Primrose had descended to the hold since they were exhausted. The training was hard, but it bore fruit. If nothing else, it increased their confidence. And that was always a positive.


    Confidence went a long way, after all.


    But... Something wasn¡¯t right. I had intended to have a talk with those two, but...


    ¡°You know as well as I do that I won¡¯t get a straight answer from them. Niva will say things are fine. But they aren¡¯t. Tris, can you speak with them? You know what I want to say, right?¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me, my lord,¡± said Tris. She gave me a sly wink before skipping away.


    ¡°Master? Are you sure?¡± I turned to Tilde, who leaned against the railing. She looked utterly beautiful and breathtaking in the pristine moonlight.


    ¡°I am,¡± I replied. ¡°Tris¡¯s better than me at analyzing emotions. She can read those and use her processing abilities to steer the conversation in the right direction.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s logical. I can¡¯t find any flaws in your reasoning, so... What do we do? Wait?¡±


    ¡°Unless you have an idea?¡± I raised my eyebrows.


    Oh, Tilde had an idea¡ªone that greatly interested me.


    ¡°But that can wait. Little Miss Verdant isn¡¯t the only one who¡¯s prepared a gift.¡± Tilde turned around, haughtily peeked over her shoulder, and... ¡°Ta-da!!!¡± She turned around and held a neatly folded stack of clothes. ¡°Go on. Check them bad boys out.¡±


    ¡°Where¡¯d you get this? And is that a hairpin? Why is the gem so big? And a...tiara?¡±


    ¡°I pulled some strings. But no. The gem¡¯s fake. The one in the tiara isn¡¯t real, but they look pretty. Right?¡±


    ¡°They do. But okay. Give me a second.¡±


    A heartbeat or two later, I was dressed.


    The top was white with puffy, long sleeves with a stiff collar. It came with a slot to attach the red ribbon neatly laying on top. The brown crisscross corset hugged my stomach and transitioned into the skirt. The white stockings came all the way up my thighs. And the heeled shoes...


    Well, they were high heels. Susize loved these things, and wearing anything else didn''t feel right.


    ¡°Wooow...¡± Tilde licked her lips. ¡°Ya know, I was thinking that big ass hairpin was too much, but just look! It suits you. You¡¯re powerful, Master. And powerful women need to look powerful. It¡¯s just like how water is made of water, and sand is made of sand. Obvious things are obvious.¡±


    ¡°Well... I do feel good,¡± I admitted. The sensation differed from Verdant¡¯s gift. That brought tranquility and...peace while this... It made me want to go on an adventure.


    Two different emotions... But ones I cherished and loved.


    ¡°Okay, so I was thinking it¡¯ll be like this. This can be your regular outfit. Your Atrixian disguise¡ªthe orange clothes? That can be your casual wear. And Verdant¡¯s gift can be what you wear to formal events or when you gotta stand out and make a splash.¡±


    ¡°What? Are you my wardrobe maintainer?¡±


    ¡°Damn skippy!¡± Tilde crossed her arms and flashed a confident smile. ¡°I may not look like it, but I was into fashion for a few hundred years. Anyway, consider that another perk of having me be your headmaid. Oh, but before we move to the good stuff... Wanna do me one last favor?


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Okay, so make a throne with your slime.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°Come on. Just play along.¡±


    I did. It felt odd, but I made and sat on it. But Tilde wanted me to cross my legs. And then she asked me to do this weird pose with my finger under my chin after giving me a fake book. ¡°Surtr? Can I get your help?¡±


    My lion approached and sat. ¡°Okay, so can you make some fire? It must be around the throne...kinda like this...¡± Tilde scribbled something on a piece of paper. Surtr looked at me.


    It''s fine.


    As you wish, Lord Springfield.


    And so, Surtr created a thin blanket of harmless, orange flames that danced around the throne.


    ¡°Are we done?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yep.¡±


    ¡°And why did we do that?¡± I canceled the throne and erased the flames.


    ¡°Because we could. Isn¡¯t it a Master¡¯s job to make her headmaid happy?¡±


    ¡°Well... Only because you¡¯re so cute. And adorable. And beautiful, charming, and enchanting.¡±


    Tilde¡¯s just Tilde... She¡¯ll always be my precious little fairy.


    ¡°Anyway... Why don¡¯t we move on and have a little fun, Master? It¡¯s my way of thanking you for going along with my dumb little skits...¡± Tilde licked her lips, and...


    Well, we had time to kill while Tris talked to Niva... And Tilde¡¯s idea?


    I didn¡¯t expect anything else from the fairy who taught me how to be a compassionate lover...

 Chapter 89.5: Moonlight Passion (R-18)

    Chapter 89.5: Moonlight Passion (R-18)


    Tris¡¯s technique was forceful. She overpowered my tongue and kept her lips to mine for the better part of a minute. Thick strips of saliva connected us...and we kissed again.


    And again.


    And again.


    Our switches were flipped. My hands explored Tris''s chest, and she rubbed my erection. Her delicate fingers felt so good... Our gazes longed for the other, and when she sensed I was close to climaxing, she kissed me harder than ever as I covered her stomach.


    She seductively bit her lip and licked my semen from her fingers.


    Tris fidgeted. ¡°I want you... So much... I can¡¯t hardly stand it...¡± She touched her crotch and shivered.


    ¡°And I want you,¡± I whispered. I caressed her chin and kissed her, wrapping my arms around Tris¡¯s trembling back. We sat up, and I fell to my back. My Fragment of Wisdom straddled me with that lewd expression and pushed her panties to the side¡ªshe was drenching wet. Her eyes were flooded with lust, and I wanted her passion to devour me.


    ¡°Masturbate for me. Show me how you do it.¡±


    ¡°Yes... I want nothing more than to show you...¡± Her voice quivered in deep anticipation. But Tris had another idea. She gently guided my cock to her cute ass and...


    ...slipped it in. Tris arched her back and cried out, but her tender voice did not escape her lips. No¡ªher beautiful moans echoed endlessly in my mind.


    Please... Please watch me...


    Tris leaned back and spread herself open. She timidly fingered herself while I slowly, steadily gyrated my hips. Her insides were deliciously tight. Tris heaved and panted with every thrust. She bit her lips and fought an urge to close her legs.


    My lord... My lord...


    I felt myself getting close. The familiar pressure began building in my testicles, but...


    There was more...


    Tris¡¯s mouth... That tongue she loved to lick me with me...


    It was available...


    Her eyes went wide when she saw my clone, but she fluttered her pretty blues and opened her mouth, taking the cock that stared at her without waiting. She greedily sucked it and almost whined when my clone stepped back to run the shaft across her face. She inhaled the scent when it went under her nose, inhaling my scent.


    My lord... Your scent. I could get drunk off it. It¡¯s the best. There¡¯s nothing else like it. It¡¯s my favorite smell in the world... I want...more. Please, more...


    Her fingers furiously ravaged her cunt, and the clone slid their hips back, pulling their shaft across her head. Our sensations were linked¡ªI felt it all, even when the clone rested their balls on Tris¡¯s face.


    That turned her on more.


    She opened her mouth...and the clone did what she wanted and fucked her throat.


    She took it all¡ªthe entire shaft was gone-- hidden and loved. Tris didn¡¯t need to breathe.


    I greedily grabbed her mesmerizing breasts with my hands after transfiguring a set of lips in the middle of my palms. Immediately, I felt her lips tighten harder. Tris beautifully squirted, sending her delectable juices across the deck.


    I wanted to taste her.


    A third, fourth, and fifth clone appeared. They kneeled and offered tongues to help Tris''s fingers. The moist, pink appendages slithered like snakes and drove her wild. Tris clenched tighter than before, and I couldn¡¯t hold it back. I jumped faster and climaxed, shooting thirteen long ropes of semen that never ended¡ªsynchronizing my orgasm with the clone enjoying Tris¡¯s throat. She greedily swallowed everything the clone pumped out without spilling a drop.


    And my mind was just entirely filled with her passionate voice.


    And that was really it.


    Hearing my partners enjoy themselves did way more than anyone would¡¯ve thought in turning me on.


    But Tris didn¡¯t want the night to end.


    And neither did I.


    We both desired this...


    We spent the rest of the night like this...conjoined together in an orgy that reinforced the love and lust we shared for each other.


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Tilde sassily tapped a finger to her chin, starting off another of her skits that would almost certainly lead to something lewd and sexually charged. ¡°Sheesh...¡± She exaggeratedly wiped her sweaty forehead and stretched, grabbing the ship¡¯s railing while sticking out her ass. ¡°I said... Sheesh... Oh, am I tired... If only I had a kind-hearted Master to rub my tired body... Perhaps it¡¯ll be the same Master who... Eeek!¡±


    Slap!


    ¡°Tricking your Master, huh?¡± I smirked and touched my forehead to hers. ¡°Just what kind of Head Maid are you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± She innocently pressed a finger to her chin and looked up. ¡°A lewd one? One who cares about her Master a lot? A practical joker who knows not to take it too far? Someone who...honestly is pretending to be energetic...¡± Her mood shifted slightly. She was still excited and upbeat, satisfied with our lovemaking, but the fairy was exhausted. She fell against my chest and rested her head on my shoulder.


    ¡°Dummy... You¡¯re just going to tire yourself out. Here, want a pillow?¡±


    ¡°A lap pillow? With something yummy to lick?¡±


    ¡°Yummy?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s what it is, isn¡¯t it? Your dick¡¯s delicious, Master. And... Well, it does have my juices, so... a Head Maid worth her salt and liquor must clean up her messes.¡± The Tris clones assisted Tilde in laying on my lap, and they watched as I stroked her hair after using slime to clean her body.


    ¡°I think you turned me on to some different fetishes, Master,¡± said Tilde, her tongue tickling my shaft. Her motions were small, but it was nonetheless very enjoyable. I felt myself growing harder with each passing second.


    ¡°Penis-wielding Trises?¡±


    ¡°Yeah... Usually, you make clones of yourself. But this is a first. It...was different. And I loved it... Hey... Master?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Can... I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve talked about fetishes before.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think we have. Why? Have something you want to try?¡±


    ¡°Umm...¡± Tilde avoided the subject and wrapped her lips around the tip for a few seconds. I wasn¡¯t close to climaxing, but...


    I wasn¡¯t complaining. Especially when she was touching herself. I had cleaned her, but my lewd Head Maid was already a sweaty, wet mess.


    ¡°Ah, sorry about that.¡± She gave the tip a quick kiss and returned to her passionate licking. ¡°It¡¯s...hard to talk about.¡±


    ¡°I find that hard to imagine.¡±


    ¡°Eh? That¡¯s kinda cruel. I think that deserves a little Tilde Kiss!¡± Tilde smooched the tip and happily flapped her precious wings. ¡°I dunno... Maybe one day... But I have one request. And it¡¯s not from the giant list from the Century of Tilde. It¡¯s a personal one.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t they all personal? But yeah. Go ahead. Ask. I¡¯m all ears, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°I...Can you let me fall asleep? Like this?¡±


    ¡°With it in your mouth?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind. That¡¯s...a fetish I have. I¡¯ve never actually had a chance to act it out, though. So... I mean, my lovely Master should allow me that much, right? Especially after how tight I was? No one has a pussy quite like¡ªbah!¡±


    ¡°Geez... So vulgar and lewd, aren¡¯t you?¡± I lightly bonked Tilde on the head and rubbed her hair. ¡°But I wouldn¡¯t have my precious Tilde any other way.¡±


    ¡°Yep! I¡¯m precious, alright! Besides, I¡¯m sure this patented Tilde¡¯s Cock Warming is brand-new for you, too. So... I guess...you can escort me downstairs after I fall asleep... You¡¯d do that for me, right? Master?¡±


    ¡°Anything for you, Tilde. Sweet dreams...¡±


    I felt a familiar sensation envelop the tip of my penis, and Tilde¡¯s eyes slowly closed as I rubbed her body.


    The Tris clones vanished after kissing me, and I merely waited...enjoying a tender moment with someone I loved very much.


    Tilde was unique.


    She was an enigma.


    Certainly... There wasn¡¯t anyone else like her in this world. But...


    I loved her.


    I¡¯d do anything for her because she¡¯d do anything for me. I still needed her. She was my Head Maid, but she was my teacher first. A beloved companion who taught a broken piece of shit like...who comforted me when I was at my lowest...who always knew what to say...to get me back on track...


    ¡°Our family¡¯s almost reunited, Tilde,¡± I whispered, her soft breathing tickling my penis. I grew hard. I didn¡¯t want to wake her up by filling her mouth, so when I was about to climax, I used slime inside my penis to assimilate the semen before it spurted out, then launched the collected waste over the deck with a slingshot of slime.


    ¡°I know what I must do. No, I know...what I think I want to do. I know I have choices to make. I...only hope that you¡¯re with me until the end. A Head Maid isn¡¯t supposed to die before her Master, you know?¡±


    I leaned down and kissed her cheeks, then enjoyed the night until it was time to take her downstairs.


    Another conversation had to happen, and my night wasn¡¯t any closer to ending.

 Chapter Ninety: What We Didn’t Want You Knowing

    Chapter Ninety: What We Didn¡¯t Want You Knowing


    I wasn¡¯t a stranger to being near my Mistress when she had sex. I never wished to be a burden. If she had to go to a different room because of me... That meant I was the problem.


    Mistress''s happiness was my happiness.


    Before she saved me, I thought that was beyond me.


    I was a halfbreed...thrown in the trash by almost everyone I knew after failing to summon suitable spirits for them. I was given as a sacrificial shield for Noelia, who sold me to brothels and anyone willing to pay her. She often watched my torment... She hated the way I looked. She despised my gross body.


    And it was through her that I came to hate everything about me.


    But then I met Mistress... She was just a voice in the darkness. She was someone I couldn¡¯t see. I could hardly hear her. Yet...


    I wanted to follow her... There was nothing else to lose, so when the voice I heard asked me to pledge my loyalty... I nodded.


    Why not? If I died, then I died and left this painful world. And it was a trap? It wouldn¡¯t have been the first.


    And that changed...everything for me...


    Mistress was my reason to live. She was why I wanted to get up in the morning. And she was why I discovered a source of determination I thought I had lost.


    I was ready to die for her.


    I was ready to lay down my life for her.


    But then Tilde had told me...that living like that was a mistake. It wouldn¡¯t be what Mistress wanted. She told me that after I had given my speech, Mistress would desire me to be an equal. I was willing to pray to her... Honestly? I had already prayed to her a little.


    I really...wanted her to be my goddess...even if I knew she wouldn¡¯t want my worship.


    I didn¡¯t know how I''d react after hearing it, but I was strangely calm. If being an equal...would make Mistress happier than me serving her...


    I¡¯d stand by her side at any time.


    But I didn¡¯t know how to find something to live for that wasn¡¯t her because I...didn¡¯t know what I had.


    Family?


    They were probably dead. I couldn¡¯t remember my mother¡¯s face. My father''s voice wasn''t there. And I''d forgotten what my siblings looked like. All that remained was the cold, frigid winters, frightening snowstorms, and fields that never produced enough food...


    But I had Irisa. I had Ichiha and Kokan... They nursed me when I was at my weakest¡ªwhen anyone else would¡¯ve written me off. The Dark Lord of Tyranny regarded me as a friend. She talked to me when she changed my bandages. And Tilde... She was always there. Before she had evolved, she was probably aware of Mistress developing like this. The fairy had probably considered my feelings and prepared for this day. I wasn''t close with Erin, but we bonded. We both loved Lei, and we played with him. And Erin helped me with my training as an honorary member of Pawsome Fables...


    And then there was Primrose¡ªthe first spirit to answer my summoning in years. I knew Aetos had given her to me to spy on Mistress and Sekh. But I was happy to have finally summoned something... I was happy to not feel like a failure any longer.


    And then it hit me...


    I could live for myself. I could live for the strength no one said I had. I desired to evolve into a Dragonfolk...to prove to myself that I had it in me all along. Summoning a draconic spirit was said to be one of the hardest things for a summoner to do. They were powerful and proud¡ªthey tore the skies with a roar and could summon powerful meteorites with a flap of their wings.


    I now wished to summon one to prove that I could. I still wanted to be the Transcendent Dark Lord¡¯s spirit summoner. That goal would never change, but the hidden objective, as Tilde put it, had become more...selfish.


    Mistress wanted that. She desired me to be more selfish and do things for myself.


    Part of that selfishness...frightened me.


    I hadn¡¯t told anyone, but I despised it when Mistress had sex around me. I hated smelling or hearing it. Those gross sounds always forced my body to recall...what it endured during my darkest moments. Having those heavy bodies press me into the bed... Having those nails dig into my back...


    When Mistress was intimate with her lovers...I forced myself to endure it. I killed the shudders I felt. Those nightmares were slaughtered. I refused to entertain them.


    I thought Tilde hadn¡¯t realized it, but she did. She didn¡¯t bring it up when we spoke the night before¡ªwhen Mistress and Tris were enjoying some intimate time together. The fairy just said she would create an opportunity for me to talk with the smartest being in the world. Tilde had done just that. I knew she and Mistress were having sex above us. I was in the hold with Primrose and Tris.


    ¡°You should speak your mind,¡± said Tris. She kneeled and held a cup of water.


    ¡°I...¡± It was hard to find the words.


    ¡°Shall I assist? Niva, do you love her?¡±


    ¡°I do!¡± I exclaimed. It felt like a dagger was in my throat.


    ¡°Do you want to have sex with her?¡±


    ¡°I... My body is dirty. It¡¯s been defiled. It¡¯s corrupted... I¡¯ve... She wouldn¡¯t accept someone like me--¡±


    ¡°Forgive me, but that is a lie.¡± Tris¡¯s eyes were sharp. They narrowed, but she wasn¡¯t angry. ¡°I know you despise carnal relations. It is, after all, understandable. I am aware of what you endured. If I had to guess... You¡¯re...conflicted about your feelings. A part of you wishes to offer everything to your Mistress. The other part is hesitant. It is having serious thoughts about why you want to do this. Is it truly out of love? Do you wish to repay your Mistress for saving your life? Subconsciously, since you have yet to summon a draconic spirit, and I am aware of your recent thoughts on that after speaking with Tilde, you are left with only your body.¡±


    I was stunned. How could Tris have known...so much? She continued.


    ¡°You despise watching. You hate the smell. You didn¡¯t want to tell your Mistress because you didn¡¯t want to hurt her. It doesn¡¯t matter how big or small an injury is, or if it¡¯s physical, verbal, or mental... You''re the type to never inflict discomfort upon her. Even an ounce, in your mind, is far too heavy.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± I admitted. Primrose held my hand. I felt tears drip from my eye. Tris¡¯s monochrome form became hazy.


    ¡°Your Mistress wishes for you to be happy more than anything. She won¡¯t force you to do anything you don¡¯t want to do. If you wish to repay her? Merely be happy. Find your joy. However, I do not need to continue because you have already found it. It is never wrong to be selfish.¡± Tris smiled with a gentle expression. ¡°Close friendship and camaraderie are what she seeks more than any physical relationship. She is not the same person as when she saved you.¡±


    ¡°Tris is right.¡± My heart stopped. I turned to the stairs and found Mistress. Tilde, wearing pajamas, was asleep in her arms. Mistress put her fairy to bed and sat beside me. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I never meant to make you feel uncomfortable.¡±


    ¡°NO! It wasn¡¯t like that. It was--- I mean¡ªIt...¡±


    ¡°Progressing in an endless cycle of apologies is not advisable,¡± Tris said, sipping her water.


    Mistress continued. She promised things would change. Her intimate times with her lovers would happen away from me. I wanted that... Suddenly, she rubbed my head, and it felt like everything was right in the world.


    If Mistress wanted me to treat her as an equal...then I¡¯d have to accept things here. Endlessly apologizing would only lead us into a cycle¡ªTris was right. We didn¡¯t want that. Tris looked at me, so I wondered if this was a small test? I knew she was constantly communicating with Mistress.


    ¡°I...¡±


    ¡°I...?¡± repeated the High Elf...


    ¡°I love you, M¡ªMila... I¡¯ll always love you. As a friend... As someone I know I can turn to when I need help. And you can turn to me when you need help, too...¡±


    ¡°Between you and me? Mila sounds much better than Mistress. I love you too, Niva.¡± Mila kissed my head.


    Tilde¡¯s voice came in sputters. Her breathing was heavy and loaded, but I didn¡¯t know what she said. She held my hand tighter and cried louder, like she didn¡¯t want to hear me speak.


    ¡°Yeah...¡± I signed and looked up. ¡°My birth name wasn¡¯t Shuuta Fenton... It was Michael... Michael Fenton.¡±


    The past... The one thing Tilde and Tris knew about me that I had forgotten rushed to my mind after Tilde mentioned ¡®those memories.¡¯ It lasted for a mere moment, but it felt like an eternity.


    It was no secret¡ªI was abused by Mia and her parents. But it didn¡¯t end there. No, you could say that was the beginning. At some point, before I was 10, I was forced to attend an event. There, a man named Marshall Doctrinae approached Mia and her family with an offer.


    ¡°The fucker wanted to rent me, didn¡¯t he? Mia needed money. That¡¯s how they paid for the advanced learning chambers. Marshall was on the company¡¯s board of directors, so they sold me to him for weeks at a time.¡±


    Tris sobbed. I¡¯d never seen her so upset. Tilde begged me to stop. She wanted me to stop thinking and forget about it. That doorway couldn¡¯t be closed once it opened.


    But I couldn¡¯t...


    I had to continue...


    Marshall hated my name. He had it legally changed to Shuuta to suit his fetish. My obsessions with guns and ancient military strategies were a form of escapism. ¡°My mind needed something to focus on. It needed a distraction. So, I often thought of killing them all, didn¡¯t I? The days were filled with torment... From being thrown from bed to bed...being chained down and pumped with drugs... The injections wouldn¡¯t let me sleep, so the nights needed to be occupied so I wouldn¡¯t go insane.¡±


    What happened to me...was what Niva had endured... No wonder I felt...a link to her. We had suffered similarly.


    ¡°When I was too old for that bastard, he voided the contract. But Mia was on top of the world by then. Her success can be linked to my sacrifice. And I¡¯d forgotten all about it... What I endured...killed most of what made me...me. That''s why I couldn''t be angry... That''s why I didn''t care... That''s why..."


    ¡°That goddamn bitch would have nothing if not for you! Master!!!! It¡¯s not fair!!!¡± Tilde punched the ship¡¯s floor. ¡°It¡¯s not fair! It¡¯s not fair! Why did you have to remember it?! Master, stop! Please... You¡¯re not... You¡¯re not ready... It¡¯s too...¡±


    ¡°Stop it. You¡¯ll hurt your hand.¡± Tilde punched the deck, but her fist met my hand. It turned to slime and softened the blow.


    ¡°And why do you sound so calm?! Why¡ª¡± Tilde¡¯s eyes were hazy by her tears. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you mad?!¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve separated the emotional link from the corresponding factual events,¡± Tris said, speaking for me. Her voice was barely audible. She opened a [Skyview] window to my Divine Skill¡¯s internal world.


    There...


    The Essence of Wrath was writhing out of control. The torrential flaming sea clashed hard against her iron platform.


    She screamed, clutched her head, and cut into her flesh with a flaming dagger. The wounds were healed, but her agony was never gone. Eventually, flaming tendrils spewed from her back and eviscerated her stomach before shattering her flaming horns. The exclamation of pains never ended...because the Essence of Wrath was living through my trauma...so I didn¡¯t have to feel it.


    ¡°MAKE IT STOP!!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!! PLEASE!!!!!!¡±


    Tilde didn¡¯t get it, but Tris calmly explained the best she could. ¡°The Essence of Wrath is a tool to be used. Its feelings do not count. Its hopes and dreams are nonexistent. On the threshold of importance, they rank even less than worms that live in the dirt,¡± she said, wiping her teary eyes.


    Tris quickly regained control over her emotions and cracked a small smile when the Essence of Wrath let loose a horrid scream. ¡°I had prepared for this the moment I evolved, although I didn¡¯t know if I had enough time to properly implement it.¡± Something like this was usually impossible. But the repressed memories of Michael Fenton and his abuses were malleable.


    Tris could manipulate and alter them because they were partly hidden from my conscious mind because I had unintentionally repressed them. It was a gamble, but it paid off.


    ¡°Basically, I received the factual knowledge without any emotional bias. If I had...¡± I pointed to the [Skyview] window. Tris closed it. I thanked her and Tilde for not telling me.


    But Tilde was a wreck.


    She was a mess. Snot dribbled down her nose, sullying her lips and chin. I¡¯d never seen her so upset. She constantly begged for my forgiveness.


    But what was there to forgive?


    She didn¡¯t do this to me.


    I...did this to myself.


    My former self couldn¡¯t handle these memories, so my mind cast them to the darkest reaches.


    Tilde struggled when I embraced her. She probably thought she wasn¡¯t deserving. But her combative nature died when I told her I loved her. She became weak at my touch... Tris joined the hug to comfort our fairy.


    "I''m not mad," I whispered to my favorite fairy. "I''m not upset..." And I really wasn''t. Tilde was always looking out for me. She was overprotective of matters like these, but it turned out?


    I was ready. No, Tris was ready. It seemed she always had a plan.


    I wouldn¡¯t have gotten as far as I did without these two.


    Tilde told me Surtr and the other lions knew. They received the info after Tris finished their initialization. Sekh would be aware after the lions sent her a surge of mana to catch her up on what went down while she was out.


    Irisa and my family weren¡¯t privy. Was it even right to tell them? Needless trauma...was what it was. And they¡¯d been through enough. I didn¡¯t need to add on my troubles when they didn¡¯t matter anymore. The past was the past. Michael wasn¡¯t me. Shuuta wasn¡¯t me.


    I was Lyudmila Vredi Springfield...


    Right?


    Suddenly, I heard whimpering. Niva and Prim had woken up at some point. I confirmed they had heard everything.


    Niva knew what I went through. She said my abuses were worse than what she endured. I wanted to say it was dumb to even measure them, but that...would probably be insensitive.


    But it didn¡¯t stop them from crying. Niva and Primrose took an arm and hugged me. They wept on my shoulders and apologized for what I endured.


    ¡°Niva?¡± After fifteen minutes of silent whimpering, I finally uttered a word.


    ¡°Yes? I¡¯m here for you, Mila,¡± she replied, sniffling. Her eye was reddened.


    ¡°Even if the emotions aren¡¯t there... I...want the memories to go away. How do I do that?¡±


    ¡°You...can¡¯t. I don¡¯t have nightmares anymore, but... There are still glimpses that show up when I least expect it. That¡¯s the past, Mila. Primrose once told me we live in the present. But I know the more time I spend with my loved ones, the more those memories will be pushed away. Eventually, I won¡¯t even think of them. They¡¯ll be there, but they won¡¯t ever curse me again.¡±


    My friends and lovers supported me. They helped me lay down and cuddled beside me. Even if the emotional aspects had been severed, there...were still the aftereffects. The sudden realization of everything Michael Fenton had endured.


    The nightmares didn¡¯t come. They tried to, but they were redirected to the Essence of Wrath.


    She would endure it.


    She would suffer in my place.


    The hell I had lived became her everything.

 Chapter Ninety-One: The Woodland Spirit’s Feelings

    Chapter Ninety-One: The Woodland Spirit¡¯s Feelings


    Morning came, and it was the second to last day of the trip.


    Tilde was distant. She took it to heart. But I disliked that. When Tris went upstairs with Niva and Primrose, I had a heart-to-heart with my favorite fairy. I didn¡¯t let her leave my embrace until we had genuinely talked it out.


    ¡°The chances were always there, you know,¡± I whispered, holding her close. The relaxing clashing of the early morning waves rocked the ship like a baby cradle. ¡°It could¡¯ve happened this morning. It could¡¯ve happened sometime tomorrow, or it would¡¯ve been next week. The point is that remembering them was inevitable. It¡¯s better to face them now when I¡¯m surrounded by loved ones than risk it happening when we¡¯re apart. Hell, even breaking Sekh from her coffin could¡¯ve triggered them. If not that, then seeing that goddamn Holy Lord might¡¯ve been the catalyst. And that¡¯s the last thing I needed. So, it¡¯s better to face them now, Tilde, when surrounded by loved ones... When I have the help I need to get through this. And you¡¯re that support.¡±


    ¡°I... Someone like me shouldn¡¯t make mistakes like these, Master,¡± whispered Tilde. She had been whimpering for about fifteen minutes¡ªever since waking up. She even tried to shrug off my touch before relishing my comfortable embrace. ¡°I¡¯m probably the oldest thing in this world...so I should know better. I''m supposed to be knowledgeable and experienced, but... I really screwed up.¡±


    ¡°Well, this old woman is still my favorite fairy in the whole wide world. I don¡¯t want anyone else to be my headmaid. It''s an honored title."


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Tilde. Really,¡± I replied, wiping away her tears. ¡°I¡¯m not mad. You know I¡¯m not mad. Even if I didn¡¯t have my Wrath at 0, this would not have pissed me off. You¡¯re a best friend, Tilde, and a lover. You¡¯re someone I don¡¯t want to live without. So... Why don¡¯t we eat breakfast? Tris told me the food¡¯s ready.¡±


    Tilde flashed a small smile. We had talked last night, but the words I imparted had to be reinforced, and there was nothing wrong with that. Sometimes...you had to hear something multiple times. If not to reinforce something, then to merely listen to it again, and again, and again.


    We ascended the stairs to the deck, hand in hand, and enjoyed a pleasant breakfast. It was on to training after that.


    As always, the clone with the water weapons fought Niva, who seemed to be in rare form. Everything about her was quicker and sharper. She dexterously moved like I hadn¡¯t seen before and used her staff and [Vine Manipulation] to enhance her mobility. For example, she¡¯d make a hook and rope out of vines and attach them to the mast to get up high. Or she¡¯d use them to latch onto something behind her and yank herself out of danger.


    Tilde said she needed to maintain her form, so she began a series of squats and pushups. She wanted to work on her muscles, so Tris developed plans to make dumbbells using the iron we had stashed away. Between using slime to form molds and clones to provide the furnace, it didn¡¯t take long to have them made.


    Honestly, everyone was really into it.


    It made me want to grab some workout gear and join in. But with me being a chimera, plant, and part slime, physical training offered very few benefits.


    But maybe it¡¯s worth it? If Tilde¡¯s gonna oversee my wardrobe, then wouldn¡¯t she like the chance to make me a workout outfit? That might cheer her up.


    I encouraged them from the sidelines until lunch, and Tris mentioned an interesting point I hadn¡¯t considered. ¡°You want to use [Status Cloak] to forcefully give a clone a title?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Your clone of a chimera gave Ayroix a title related to slaying them. [Status Cloak] fools the world into thinking something true is false or something false is true. To the system, any entity you use it on is considered factual. Whatever status it shows will be considered legitimate by the world.¡±


    To test it out, I made a clone of Mia. That bitch annoyed me, so I was too eager to send a rifle round through her skull when Tris configured the [Status Cloak] around her to be a goddess.


    But nothing happened. I didn¡¯t get any title.


    We tried a few more with various animals and royalty-related titles, but it didn¡¯t work. Tris said I probably had to be considered a goddess or a queen first by the world, then I could ¡®grant¡¯ those respective slayer titles to my allies by having them kill a clone with them.


    That kinda sucked. I could still falsely display that title, though. I just wouldn¡¯t get any beneficial effects without first legitimately acquiring it.


    But we learned something else. The clones I killed? I didn¡¯t get experience, but I obtained progress in my Soul Weapon Evolution Tree.


    That improved my mood a lot. But it worked if [Status Cloak] made my clones into their ¡®own¡¯ beings. It sounded like a loophole, but I took advantage of it.


    By the time it was dinner, 761 clones had perished¡ªall of them looked like Mia. But progress drastically slowed after my fourth unlock.


    Until now, I had the Colt SAA, Winchester Model 1873, Winchester Model 1887, a Beretta 92FS, a M1911, a Beretta M9, and a snub-nosed Taurus 856. After my leveling, I added the Cei-Rigotti¡ªone of the world¡¯s first automatic rifles from Italy to my arsenal. It was never officially adopted, although it was heavily tested. Tris made the plans and ordered my clone to make the 6.5x52mm Carcano rounds.


    Can¡¯t believe prototype weapons are included.


    My second and third abilities were [Frag Grenade] and [Flash Grenade].


    My Soul Weapon¡¯s forms were supposed to be firearms. But grenades weren¡¯t guns. You could use them in grenade launchers, but these worked by taking soul energy and forming an explosive device in my hand. The shape and size looked like the M67 the United States military used in the latter half of the 20th century. It just felt right at home in my palm.


    I pulled the pin and threw it as hard as I could. Five seconds later...it exploded just above the ocean¡¯s surface. It seemed strong based on the waves it produced. But just one took 5% of my soul energy. The flash grenade took less, and it worked by creating a sharp, bright light that could blind someone. It also emitted a loud, annoying ringing. It could stun a blind monster from the noise alone, but I could probably learn a [Stun Grenade] skill somewhere along the way.


    The last ability was [Soul Weapon Enchant ¨C Wind]. I tested my new automatic and fired a controlled burst with the skill active. Wind surrounded the bullets and made them fly farther and faster. So, not the worst. But it still used a large chunk of soul energy.


    But I was happy. I was feeling more confident about these abilities.


    Grinding with the guns made me unlock more attachments, so I had silencers on the ones that could use them. Tris said we had a lot of bullets, so I figured it was time to rearrange my armaments.


    Tilde kept her SAA and snub-nosed revolver after I added a sight to them. Primrose was given the M1911 with a silencer and a laser sight, which helped her accuracy. But she had problems keeping her wrist steady.


    But Primrose thanked me and promised to work at mastering it.


    Niva couldn¡¯t use one, but I aimed for her while she pulled the trigger to my 92FS. It was a minor thing, but I knew Niva liked spending this time with me.


    Tris asked to see me all kitted out, so I equipped my automatic rifle on my back, the 1887 over my left shoulder, the 1873 over my right, the 92FS on my hip, and the M9 on my ankle.


    Tilde said it looked like I was readying for war. For the hell of it, I grew a dozen arms and fired all my guns at once, utterly obliterating the pans Tilde and Primrose threw into the sky. Smoke filled the skies, and while excessive, it felt good to blow off some steam.


    The Cei-Rigotti was stable when full-auto, but the stock version came with a 10-round mag, and the weapon fired at 299 rounds a minute. I used soul energy to fuel it.


    Being full-auto meant it was less powerful than my other weapons. However, it needed less soul energy per bullet, and detrimental effects like poison or paralysis were more effective when spells containing those effects were used with [Chimeric Armatization]. The rate of status build-up was high, so things would get poisoned or paralyzed sooner.


    An hour later, Surtr received a report from Kengu and Longtooth. Lord Enele and Sera had arrived in Plymoise with Gretchen, Captain Morgan, the carriages, and horses with teleportation magic.


    The Heptarchis, however, didn¡¯t end the way I thought it did. Too much had changed in too little time. The Wisefolk system was all they had known, and you couldn¡¯t replace it in just a few weeks. Not even Lord Enele could get everyone on the same page.


    But progress was made. There was to be a regularly scheduled Heptarchis held every three months, and Lord Enele offered to arbitrate the first four. It was either that or remain there for months as tension kept flaring. A temporary reprieve was, by far, the optimal choice.


    While Lord Enele made small talk with Dad and the others after introducing himself, Sera¡¯s nervousness was displayed. She barely spoke above a whisper until Irisa took charge and introduced herself as my sister. Her friendliness was really on display. She took Sera¡¯s hand and led her to the lobby¡¯s couch, where she quickly broke the mold.


    Irisa had done the same with me... She always said she had trouble making friends because Irisa didn¡¯t have a filter on what she said or did, but the problem was keeping them. Tilde said something similar when she saw the stress fade from Sera¡¯s face.


    But Irisa hadn''t spent much time with Chax and Ginnie. They were friends, so I wondered if she realized it? Then again, a lot had happened. A war. A rebellion. Death of the Wisefolk. A sudden realization of something important... And I had to leave a lot. When Sekh was back in our arms, we needed to spend some time with our favorite oni.


    Erin put on a brave front. She held Longtooth and tried to join in the conversation. Sera smiled when Erin proudly said she was my younger sister. It looked like Sera had understood that while I was alone for so long, I wasn¡¯t by myself anymore.


    ¡°She¡¯s suffered a lot, hasn¡¯t she?¡± I nodded. ¡°I... Would...¡±


    ¡°Changing your goal to Sekh instead of Niva?¡± Prim asked how I¡¯d known, and I laughed, saying she was easy to read. Her cheeks reddened.


    ¡°But it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m serious. It¡¯s fine. You¡¯ll find something. Maybe spending time with Sekh will do you some good. Some of your worries might fade.¡±


    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t she rather be with you? Why me? I¡¯m just...¡±


    ¡°Maybe you can spend it with Erin, too. The three of you can have fun, relax, and become closer.¡±


    Primrose was confused, so I told her Erin wanted to spend more time with Sekh because it felt like she hadn¡¯t had the chance to. ¡°Sekh¡¯s touched our hearts in more ways than one. Without her? I know I wouldn¡¯t be here. You wouldn¡¯t. Erin wouldn¡¯t. And Tilde wouldn¡¯t. If you think about it, we can trace our meeting to her saving my soul from the void... To the Dark Lord of Tyranny... To the woman destined to destroy the entire world by a curse that controls her every being. Prim?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Your assistance. I¡¯ll need it more than ever. I can¡¯t do it alone. I¡¯ll...need those I can trust to stand beside me.¡± The life force I¡¯d need was staggering. Even the lives of many thousand were just enough to remove the little bit she let in during the fight with the Essence of Wrath. Just what in the world would I need to completely shatter it? ¡°Honestly? That¡¯s what scares me the most. It¡¯ll be nice if Meruria and her Soul Warriors would be sufficient,¡± I confessed. ¡°I can get my revenge and save Sekh.¡±


    ¡°And after that? What are your plans?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Easy? Was it? My only goal was revenge. That was the flame that kept me going. Would it be extinguished once I had achieved what I wanted?


    No...


    I had other reasons, didn''t I? I¡¯d be a hypocrite if I didn¡¯t. Living solely for revenge wouldn¡¯t be different from Niva striving to summon a spirit specifically for me. Or Irisa''s yearning to better herself for my sake alone.


    It was time...for me to be selfish.


    ¡°I want to continue being happy. Michael and Shuuta died. But I''m alive. I can live for us... I can do what the world refused to do for them. The happiness they never experienced? I''ll be happy enough for three lifetimes."


    "That''s a wonderful answer, Lord Springfield."


    "Having people like my family waiting on me?¡± I touched my chest. ¡°It¡¯s...something I¡¯ve never had before. It¡¯s certainly an odd feeling. Sometimes...¡± I confided in Primrose. ¡°Sometimes this feels like a dream. But I don¡¯t want to wake up. Even if the path will get rocky before it smoothes out, I wouldn''t change anything because of what''s awaiting me once my goals are finished."


    ¡°You¡¯re not alone in thinking that. But this is real life. It must be. Why else...would that eagle let me feel like this? If it were a dream, I¡¯d...¡± Primrose didn¡¯t finish. She didn¡¯t need to.


    She brushed her hair past her eyes and raised a hand to the Eagle Yew. Suddenly, she turned and hugged me. I touched her forehead with mine and rubbed her arms.


    Since we were feeling sentimental, I shared some personal worries with her¡ªabout what I had done in Atrix. The problem could¡¯ve been solved in a few days, but Sekh was more important. I saw a chance, and I took it. Thousands had died. Families were shattered that didn''t need to fracture. Lives were lost that didn''t need to expire.


    ¡°And it¡¯s the same with Sera.¡± Truthfully? I worried for her. Sera''s heart would be broken. I could try until the end of time to keep Sekh a secret while trying to keep a false sistership with her, but the truth would eventually come out. The other option was ghosting her. I could just not...recognize her appearance. I could ignore every aspect and decline to talk to her¡ªto treat her like an outcast. It¡¯d hurt her, but that hatred would save her from a harsher heartache.


    I didn''t know what to do...


    I really didn''t... I was...using her to cure her greatest enemy... That kind of broken trust couldn''t be repaired.


    ¡°You have your own monumental worries as well, Lord Springfield,¡± Primrose whispered.


    I asked Prim to reveal her core. The webbing I had wrapped around it was still in good shape but outdated. The crystalized silk from those crystal spiders doubled my webbing¡¯s strength and durability. It took but a few seconds to reinforce it. After closing her chest, she returned her sight to the tree.


    She talked about her mistakes again. She said she should¡¯ve died a dozen times over. But I didn¡¯t have to tell her to stop thinking like that. Primrose made a vow to me. She promised to grow. She swore to become someone better. She knew the past couldn¡¯t shackle her.


    "I''m sorry I hurt you," I confessed, recalling our first fight after her summoning. And when I shot her with my gun. "You aren''t afraid of me?"


    "No. I''m not. You''re a wonderful woman, Lord Springfield. I''m not scared, worried, fearful... I''m...happier than I''ve ever been before."


    Tris soon arrived to prepare breakfast. Prim wanted to help, so I watched them do that. Tilde and Niva joined a few minutes later. By then, it was time to eat, and I had something to discuss with Niva.


    ¡°You want to use [Conferment] to fix my blindness?¡± asked the cyclops, looking at me like I spoke gibberish.


    ¡°Yes. [Conferment] can do the impossible. It can bring back your limbs and tail, and I could use it to remove the potion dependency so you wouldn¡¯t have to take any more detoxes. Is that something you¡¯re interested in?¡±


    ¡°Umm... I... I really don¡¯t know, Mila. I should say yes, but why do I feel hesitant?¡±


    ¡°Well, mythril is stronger than flesh,¡± said Tilde. ¡°Some can argue that prosthetics are better if you have a nervemesh. And haven¡¯t you heard that losing one sense strengthens the other? Only being able to see via [Mana Perception] will naturally cause it to grow faster and stronger than if you weren¡¯t blind. Your conflict probably sprouts from that.¡±


    ¡°Tilde is right,¡± added Tris.


    ¡°What do I do? Mila? Prim?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t make the decision for you, Niva.¡±


    ¡°Neither can I, my summoner.¡±


    ¡°But you don¡¯t have to make it now. Are you happy?¡± I asked.


    Niva nodded. ¡°Happier than I¡¯ve been in a while. I...feel so independent. Even with one arm and a prosthetic leg and a foot... I feel better than ever. But I can¡¯t break those barriers if I can¡¯t feel them. But Sekh needs to be rescued. I¡¯m sorry, Mila, but I can¡¯t ask you to waste lifeforce on me when she¡¯s almost here.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll never be a waste,¡± I said, rubbing her head. ¡°But the choice is yours. Remember, the option is always on the table, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll remember. Umm... Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Anytime.¡± I smiled and returned to my breakfast, eating as a conversation about guns and arrows began.


    After that, we still had an hour before we were scheduled to disembark. That time was used to check our gear.


    Prim and Tilde ensured they had enough ammo for their guns in their brand-new crystal web ammo pouches a clone had made.


    We didn¡¯t anticipate a fight, but a fool would walk around unarmed. Although I did transform the Model 1873 into Kronto at the last minute and kept it on my back as a divider between the Cei-Rigotti and 1887.


    The stubborn eagle just needed to hang on.


    We were almost there.

 Chapter Ninety-Two: The Spirit Lord of Nature, Aetos – Part One

    Chapter Ninety-Two: The Spirit Lord of Nature, Aetos ¨C Part One


    The closest landing spot near Aetos Village still meant it was about a 3-hour hike away. It was after 10 AM when we anchored about 300 feet from the coast. Surtr used his ice to create a walkway, and we just had to hope no one would steal the ship.


    The sails were stashed in [Void Storage]. It¡¯d be mighty hard to move a boat that size without those. Tris also marked it with a waypoint and aligned its coordinates with the ship. If it moved, the waypoint would drift with it.


    Walking in the Eagle Yew¡¯s shadow was somewhat uncomfortable. Just being in the presence of something drastically taller than the skyscrapers from my world made you seem so insignificant.


    Although the walk was long, it wasn¡¯t without lively discussion. Niva wondered if Enap, the smith who made her prosthetics, would be there because she wanted to show him how much better she had gotten with them.


    I searched for his name and found him in his cave workshop. Tris told me Dad and the others were packing the wagons. Chax and Ginnie were going with them, so Erin was happy. My little sister had spent much of the morning with Sera, who wanted to know more about me. Erin knew what was off-limits, so I didn¡¯t have to worry about the wrong things coming up.


    We talked about Aello, the dryad, and the other spirit children we encountered the last time as we ate a quick lunch of baked fish. I had caught a few hundred during the ship ride here, and Tris had prepared, cooked, and stashed them in our storage. She preferred to manually cook them rather than rely on her automation.


    While we ate, I practiced growing plants from my hands. I was at the stage where the stem and roots were lovely and strong. Ten percent of the time, I could grow a petal or two, but the colors were washed and dull compared to Primrose¡¯s flowers, which danced up and down her bare arms. She plucked one and asked me to sustain its roots in my arm. This was a different type of training¡ªone I still wasn¡¯t that good at. The goal was to grow a plant from scratch and have it bear fruits and veggies within a few minutes.


    Since the bounded field surrounding Aetos Village had shattered, we didn¡¯t need to follow the map Dad had given me so long ago. The quickest way was to cut through the forest and head there directly.


    Surtr took point and used his large body to push the vines, hanging limbs, and weaker trees out of the way.


    Ten minutes ago, we encountered a certain Vermillion Harpyfolk deep in the recreated Vredi Forest. She had been sent by Aetos to fetch us.


    I had to admit it was emotional when we reunited. Aello flew hard and fast and skidded to a halt. She flapped her wings and bounced like a hyperactive songbird before remembering she was supposed to be the elder.


    ¡°Hmm... Yes! It is good to see you walk without assistance, spirit summoner!¡± squeaked Aello as she escorted us to the village. ¡°But beauty shouldn¡¯t be hidden. Do not worry. All are safe within Aetos Village, Niva.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I...¡± Niva looked at me, and I nodded. She was hesitant, but the cloak¡¯s hood fell, and Aello gave her a confident smile.


    ¡°And Primrose! A spirit born from the Eagle Yew is and will forever be welcome! The forest is glad to see your safe return! Ah, but another spirit?¡± She eyed Surtr curiously. ¡°Hmm... Did you answer the call of a High Blessing, o¡¯ great lion?¡±


    ¡°You could call it that, Aello. I have been given the name Surtr. It is a pleasure to meet the elder of this village.¡±


    ¡°Surtr...¡± The harpy repeated it twice and flapped her wings. ¡°It is a powerful name for a mighty spirit! And likewise, Surtr! Ahh... But the fairy? You are...the same Tilde, are you not?¡±


    ¡°Yeppers! I look a little different, but that¡¯s because I evolved."


    ¡°Ah? Evolution? Such wonderful news!¡±


    ¡°Hehe! Thanks! I¡¯m glad to see you again.¡±


    ¡°You are much welcome! But then we come to a stranger... A lioness? No, a cub? No... You are not the grey-skinned lioness...¡± Aello tilted her head. ¡°Might I inquire your name, lioness?¡±


    ¡°It is Tris, Aello,¡± Tris replied. ¡°A pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°Tris... The name imparts mysticism and wisdom. I sense great intelligence buried deep within.¡±


    ¡°Oh my, you¡¯re quite perceptive.¡± She softly smiled. ¡°I possess the title of [Fragment of Wisdom].¡±


    My lord, I¡¯m happy we reunited with Aello. She¡¯s fun to talk to. I...wish to become friends with her.


    Then do it. Aello¡¯s nice. She¡¯s gentle. I like her a lot, too.


    ¡°But... Where is the other lioness?¡± Aello flapped her wings and looked around, finally confronting the obvious.


    ¡°That¡¯s related to why we¡¯re here, but can I ask about the village? What happened after Ria was destroyed?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Panic and chaos erupted when the barrier broke,¡± she said, her tone unusually low and gritty. ¡°Lord Aetos rarely materializes from within the sacred Eagle Yew, so everyone was shocked. But with it being visible to all...¡± She pointed with her wings. ¡°The greedy scoundrels with dubious intentions took advantage of our helping nature and lied about needing assistance. They attacked once their group had infiltrated the village, and dozens perished before we knew it. Lord Aetos had to intervene, using his grand and magnificent presence to fight back. But some escaped and still draw breath...when they shouldn¡¯t...¡± Aello had a little bit of an edge in her voice. She was upset and sad that so many died under her watch.


    ¡°But what about Lord Aetos himself?¡± I asked.


    ¡°It is not what you wish to hear, High Blessing, but it is not good. Lord Aetos and the Eagle Yew are injured, but the damage is recoverable. But the attacks are non-stop with little reprieve. Those survivors must¡¯ve spread word of Aetos Village. Bandits and criminals only see money earned by selling the spirits we harbor. The raids are commonplace.¡±


    One day, the assault was outrageously intense. Aetos couldn¡¯t regenerate if he had to keep fighting off waves of enemies, and the flames of that powerful attack kept chipping away at him like an ant gnawing at a piece of bread. Re?a?d new chapters at novelhall.com


    If he had a month or two to rest, then maybe, but the constant toll chipped away at him. One day, he slipped up and couldn¡¯t detect an ambush.


    ¡°They then came prepared with catapults and trebuchets, launching explosives designed to corrode and eat away at wood,¡± she added. ¡°That happened four days ago. Lord Aetos had to split his power and create smaller eagles, but the Eagle Yew was left more undefended. Even if Lord Aetos was to focus on recovery... It would not be enough. I¡¯m afraid that death is the only future awaiting him.¡±


    I do not detect any attackers within the indexed areas, my lord. Not even merchants or peddlers, so they must be far away.


    ¡°Your appearance is a welcoming sight, Lord Springfield. The little ones will be happy to see a friendly face. But may I ask why you¡¯ve returned?¡±


    ¡°Do you know about the High Elf of Liberation?¡±


    ¡°High Elf of... Liberation? No. The title is unknown. But it sounds powerful, and it suits you well. Many congratulations on acquiring it.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Aello. But that¡¯s not all. I encountered Lord Enele and Seraphina¡ª"


    ¡°Eh? Seraphina Vredi?!¡± Aello interrupted me. She stopped in her tracks and looked me in the eyes. There was half an inch of space between our noses. ¡°Your sister? How is she? It has been a long time since she last visited.¡±


    ¡°We reconnected and became friends. It¡¯s...been a while.¡±


    ¡°Ah, that is the one hint of good news I am glad to receive!¡± Aello flapped her wings and flashed a smile. The Vermillion Harpyfolk was the type to experience happiness when others were happy.


    ¡°But she¡¯s why I¡¯m here,¡± I said, retrieving the glass box. ¡°She¡¯s doing something important for me, so I¡¯m here in her stead to transplant the Eagle Yew. There¡¯s no need to worry, Aello. I won¡¯t permit Lord Aetos to die while I¡¯m here.¡±


    ¡°Thank you!!! Thank you, Lyudmila Vredi Springfield!!! Oh, High Blessing of the Forest!!!¡± Aello danced around me and flapped her wings.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Lord Aetos is a powerful healer. Sekh is gravely injured. I came to ask him for help to save her life.¡±


    ¡°Lord Aetos is kind and gracious! I am certain he will assist you! Oh, Savior High Blessing of the Liberation Forest!! Please, let us hurry to the Spiritual Grove! We must give Lord Aetos the good news!¡±


    She got her names mixed up. That¡¯s kinda cute. Guess she¡¯s a birdbrain.


    I asked about those Bellerophon soldiers that used to be here, and Aello said they left after Ria was destroyed. She wondered why I brought them up, and I told her what I recounted to Sera.


    Aello was pissed. Wind mana surged around her wings as she vented.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it right here.¡± I showed Aetos the glass box after wiping my eyes. This wasn¡¯t the time for tears. ¡°But make a vow. Give me your word that you can save Sekh. I must hear it out loud from you.¡±


    ¡°I vow, o¡¯ Transcendent Dark Lord, that I shall heal the one you love in return for ensuring my survival!¡± Aetos raised his wings, and a golden light radiated from the tips of his feathers.


    Surtr uncharacteristically broke into laughter. Tilde explained that Aetos had used [Spiritual Geas], a contract spell connecting me and him. If either of us refused to fulfill our part... Aetos would die. And only him. I¡¯d be fine.


    ¡°You would go this far? Has it even crossed your mind that I don¡¯t need you?¡±


    ¡°Where else will you find a healer comparable to me? Lady Seraphina Vredi wouldn¡¯t help you. To cure the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s excessive wounds brought on by [Tyrannical Renewal]¡¯s overuse, you cannot settle for anything less than the best.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m a High Elf. I hold the Vredi name. There are other Holy and Dark Lords out there who don¡¯t know anything about Sekh. I can lie to Sera and her mother and reintegrate myself into their life. I can use their wealth and supplies to hunt for a healer.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps, but you won¡¯t abandon me. Not when your goal is days away. Not when you can finally touch the one you¡¯ve been longing for.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good point. Aetos?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Be honest with me.¡± I sat and crossed my legs. Surtr laid down behind me, and I leaned against his comfy body. Tris and Tilde remained standing. ¡°I know this hurts you. Even an idiot can see that you don¡¯t want to do this.¡±


    ¡°My hatred over that tyrannical lord cannot be eclipsed by my love of my home. I want nothing more than to see her die and suffer."


    ¡°Even if you know about her curse?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t change the past. The Dark Lord of Tyranny still slaughtered millions and enslaved more. She still orchestrated that volcanic eruption. She was responsible for my death and destroyed countless lives. A child like yourself cannot imagine the tyrannical fear she flooded the world.¡±


    ¡°A child, huh? Compared to you, I guess I¡¯m a toddler,¡± I said. ¡°Anyway, how am I to save you? What¡¯s the process?¡±


    Aetos closed his eyes. ¡°The answer lies in the ceremony needed to transplant my essence.¡±


    ¡°Go on...¡±


    ¡°Sathtshas is the name of the monster living in a stone temple deep in Vredi Forest. I created it to hold the ingredients needed to transplant the core of the Eagle Yew to the spirit-infused soil you obtained. After killing it, you may assimilate it.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d let me?¡±


    ¡°Why not? Is it not a chimera¡¯s nature to assimilate the dead? It is your right to do so. It also isn¡¯t enough to outright break the curse binding the Dark Lord of Tyranny to a life of destructive servitude. Chimera, I do not know if there is enough life force in the known and unknown realities to achieve your goal. [Conferment] is new to all of us, yet the curse may predate it.¡±


    That was true. I just had to hope [Conferment] would be enough to outright banish it. But even if it couldn¡¯t, removing what Sekh had taken in would be enough for now.


    Aetos said it would take a few days to prepare the ceremony. Sathtshas was vital to it, but to save mana and prolong his survival, Aetos removed it from the dungeon that was this recreated Vredi Forest. He held administrative power over it and could summon or dispose of monsters. Sathtshas was strong, though, at Lv. 94. The monster was a snake with the features of a plant. Its mouth opened horizontally and vertically, containing thousands of sharp teeth. A hundred thick vines sprouted from its long, massive body, which burrowed into the ground to receive nourishment. It could also attack with them.


    On top of being heavily resistant to flame magic, its skin was tough as steel.


    But it was going to die.


    ¡°When you¡¯re not spying or trying to show me horrors designed to make me leave Sekh, you¡¯re not that difficult to talk to. Let¡¯s be honest. You didn¡¯t make the perfect first impression on me.¡±


    ¡°You can hardly put the blame on me. While it is true I spied, I stopped some time ago. Did Primrose not tell you?¡±


    I told him about Prim¡¯s fear and breakdown. Aetos went silent and confirmed a stockpile of unused mana from where he had once been linked with Primrose.


    ¡°I...must remedy this.¡± Aetos sounded sorrowful. He confirmed the link ended from his side not long after Primrose left Mom¡¯s house the night Sekh and I had sex with Irisa. But Prim was probably already suffering mentally by then, so Aetos¡¯s command failed to come true.


    ¡°I¡¯m kinda pissed at you for filling her head with a bunch of bullshit. But... I know where you¡¯re coming from. But talk with her. She¡¯s your daughter? You made her?¡±


    ¡°I did. The Spiritual Grove may not reside within the Spirit Realm physically, but it is nonetheless considered Spirit Realm territory, which is why the portal is necessary to enter. Primrose was born here, crafted by the purest spirit mana. She was constructed to best suit the summoner¡¯s disabilities to convince her to betray you and the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡ªto sew discord and disorder.¡±


    It hurt me to say, but Aetos¡¯s hatred was justified.


    ¡°Do you know why I gave you my lady¡¯s flute?¡± he asked out of nowhere, changing the subject.


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve always wondered about that.¡± I took it out and held it in my hands.


    ¡°It is far too precious an instrument to remain here. Call it wishful thinking, but I wanted to hear it. Your beautiful rendition of Vredi¡¯s Lullaby was just like hers. Granting it was a moment of weakness... Perhaps it¡¯s one I do not regret.¡±


    ¡°You really loved Susize, didn¡¯t you?¡± I asked.


    ¡°To be born as a Great Eagle in the Vredi Forest meant pledging my loyalty to the firstborn prince or princess. It was always my destiny to become my lady¡¯s greatest ally. You are not her, but you share her appearance. Her blood runs through you. To me, your existence is a curse. I know my lady was cast from the cycle of reincarnation. Yet I know the seal used to imprison the Dark Lord of Tyranny would mean she wouldn¡¯t ever enter it. But I hate you all the same. I wanted to kill you. I thought about attacking you a thousand times during your stay... And I¡¯m still fighting the urge to strike at you. You killed her slimes and draingi. You destroyed her life¡®s research to discover the genesis seed.¡±


    ¡°Susize¡¯s research isn¡¯t destroyed, Aetos,¡± said Tris. ¡°Her findings are securely stored away in my databank. I can replicate them at any time¡ªjust like this.¡± Tris retrieved a stack of documents, showed Aetos, and stashed them.


    ¡°Ahh~¡± Aetos gasped. The eagle¡¯s expression softened. He didn¡¯t expect this.


    Something nagged me. I brought up Sera and her last visit.


    "An argument?" he repeated after me. "Yes, we did. The child clings to puppets of the past to satisfy her physical and mental needs when my Great Lady would have desired her sister to approach the yearning dawn rather than staring at the glimmering dusk that set so long ago. A fight never occurred, but...in my anger, I had banished Sera from returning."


    Sera didn''t mention that part, did she? That''s understandable. She''s probably taking the banishment to heart.


    ¡°But she still loves you. But she¡¯s afraid, you know. She doesn¡¯t want you to hate her because she doesn''t share your mental fortitude. Some people... They can¡¯t move from the past. The new and unknown is scary, and people find comfort in familiarity.¡±


    ¡°That is not a way to live. The future holds infinite potential. To turn away and refuse a chance to grow is proof of a person¡¯s cowardice.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but...¡±


    ¡°Anything more to say?¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t find the words.¡± I stood up. ¡°This truce may be uneasy, but you wish to protect the forest and village, and I want to heal Sekh. I want to use this power given to me to break the curse. Let this incarnation of the Dark Lord of Tyranny be the last.¡±


    ¡°You have my assistance, chimera.¡± The portal to the graveyard opened. ¡°Please note that I cannot help you in the fight against Sathtshas once it is recreated.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t need it,¡± I said, walking away. ¡°But it¡¯s time for you to speak with your daughter and her summoner. Ease her heart. Prim¡¯s a good woman.¡± I threw up a hand and left the Spiritual Grove.


    After emerging near the cherry blossom, I told Prim to enter. She was hesitant and shook her head, but I said she needed to talk to him. ¡°Trust me. You¡¯ll be fine. I promise.¡± Niva held Prim¡¯s shivering hand and entered the portal even as salty sap leaked from those green eyes.

 Chapter Ninety-Two: The Spirit Lord of Nature, Aetos – Part Two

    Chapter Ninety-Two: The Spirit Lord of Nature, Aetos ¨C Part Two


    Twenty minutes had passed since we entered the portal, and the silence was almost overbearingly loud.


    Primrose and Aetos kept looking at each other, but no one made the first move. The Spiritual Grove seemed wounded and afraid. The damage almost reminded me...of me...when I was constantly kept near death.


    ¡°I...haven¡¯t treated you well.¡± Aetos was the first to finally speak. His wounded form flickered like a candle, and he hopped from her perch, approaching with a noticeable limp. Primrose flinched and squeezed my hand. I felt her apprehension like it was a deadly disease. Her fear wasn¡¯t unjustified.


    ¡°...¡± Primrose began heaving like an overheated horse. She pressed away from Aetos and moved back, clutching her heart while looking at me. Primrose''s eyes told me she wanted to leave¡ªthat she didn¡¯t want to be here¡ªthat she¡¯d rather live without this conversation. And maybe she was right. But I was her summoner. Looking after my spirits was part of my duty.


    I loved Primrose. I loved all my spirits, and I still wasn¡¯t over the ones who were viciously slaughtered in front of me when I was being sold and passed around like meat. The nightmares were rare, but I thought of them. But those thoughts were becoming scarce. Spirits all come from the same world. They shared a mutual relationship at a level that couldn¡¯t be felt by beings from the Mortal Realm, so my former spirits could be considered Primrose¡¯s extended family that shared a common ground.


    I wanted to do right by them and her.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but we can¡¯t leave. This is important, Primrose. You helped me conquer my fear,¡± I whispered, squeezing her hand¡ªit felt like sweaty wood. ¡°So let me help you. I promise everything¡¯s going to be okay. I swear it will.¡±


    ¡°Your reaction is understandable. Perhaps it is what I deserve. And perhaps that mark of failure shall define my recent legacy,¡± said Aetos. ¡°I know you must understand the truth of what I¡¯m about to say, but the words must be spoken for... No, I¡¯m unsure if it¡¯s for my benefit or yours. However...still...¡±


    Aetos stuttered. This wasn¡¯t comfortable for either of them.


    ¡°I... You didn¡¯t create me out of love, did you?¡± Primrose¡¯s voice was a whisper, and it was unsteady.


    ¡°That¡¯s... That¡¯s correct,¡± replied Aetos. He stepped away and looked out at the damaged Spiritual Grove. ¡°There will be no more lies. For all that I shall speak shall be the truth. Hatred was the fuel that initialized your creation. Hatred for that damned Dark Lord of Tyranny.¡±


    ¡°And... My life was never really meant to be my own?¡±


    ¡°... No. It was not. Your purpose was espionage. I had imprinted bias and forced you to live a life that never...belonged to you. Your goal was to sow discourse within the ones surrounding the Dark Lord of Tyranny. You were to drive an unrepairable nail and shatter their trust.¡±


    ¡°You...never really cared for me? Not when Lord Springfield bested me in combat? Or when, after those bounty hunters were killed, I tried to take my life? You still...held the reigns, but... You were resolved to let me die?¡±


    It was like a flip had been switched. Primrose¡¯s hesitation was replaced with fiery wrath. She bared her teeth and stared down Aetos, refusing to look away.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been so lost! The feelings I acquired after spending time with them did not match what I thought I was supposed to feel! And you never cared?! No¡ªyou were only preoccupied with making the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s life a living hell, but Sekh isn¡¯t her! She¡¯s... She¡¯s kind...and gentle. And caring... She fought to protect me! Me! Someone who was given ample reasons to see her suffer, and you didn¡¯t even care enough to stop me from taking my life?! Lord Springfield and Sekh are the only reasons why I still draw breath. And... You never cared... I was a pawn...¡±


    ¡°I consider all spirits created from the Eagle Yew to be¡ª¡±


    ¡°To be what? Family?! I cannot believe that!¡± Primrose spat. She trembled like she was freezing. ¡°What father would make a daughter from hatred, not intervene when she¡¯s about to kill herself, and continue to hold the reigns to her core?! I know about that! You were holding me hostage the entire time! And... And... My life...was never meant to be mine...¡±


    ¡°Primrose...¡± I rubbed her back and comforted her.


    ¡°There are no excuses, but permit me to say this,¡± Aetos said. He inhaled a deep breath. I saw the wincing in his eyes. Talking this much was difficult for him. ¡°Only a few still remember how close we brushed against the brink of execution when the Dark Lord of Tyranny unleashed her terror upon the world. It was chaotic. It was disorder. No one knew if they would survive to see tomorrow or if her forces would arrive to rape, pillage, and burn away the land. Everyone, Primrose... Everyone who had lived through those dark ages would have done what I did... And I regret it.¡±


    Water surged around Aetos¡¯s eyes. ¡°The burden of the father should have never been placed upon the child. You never asked for this. You never desired this, yet I thrust it upon you without offering a choice. And the consequences were dire. You''ve suffered so much from conflicting feelings that...that there is nothing I can say or do to make things right.¡±


    ¡°YOU¡¯RE DAMN RIGHT!¡± barked Primrose. ¡°You¡ªGaaahh!¡± She grabbed her hair and screamed, unleashing a lengthy tirade. Everything she wanted to say and confess erupted from her chest. ¡°I¡¯m not a tool to be used! I¡¯m me! I¡¯m Primrose! I¡¯m my summoner¡¯s spirit, and I wish to be an ally to the Transcendent Dark Lord! I wish to help break the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s curse! I won¡¯t be your puppet! Not anymore! You can¡¯t detonate my core remotely anymore! I don¡¯t have any reason to fear you!¡±


    ¡°...¡± Aetos kept silent, but Primrose continued for another twenty minutes. She finally screamed and dropped to her knees, sobbing in her fragile hands. I approached and hugged her from behind, and Aetos replied. He was wounded¡ªnot only from the damage the Essence of Wrath had inflicted upon the Eagle Yew, but Primrose¡¯s words cut deep.


    I was sure no father ever wanted to hear them. I saw the strain on his face as he stepped forward. Each one must¡¯ve taken much effort, but he approached, spread a wing, and...


    Aetos was blindsided. He silently observed my face, turned to Primrose, and looked at the anxious skies. It was faint, but the eagle was crying.


    ¡°Who knew...this day would come...when I...know how shameful my lady would¡¯ve looked upon me for treating a child like this? The great Princess Susize Vredi never wished to involve children. She often dreamed of giving birth to three or four and desired a large family. To her? Everyone and everything within Vredi Forest were her brothers, sisters, and cousins. The forest surrounding Aetos Village is naught but a shallow recreation of what used to be the grandest landmark in all the world. And to think that I was once proud... Just where has that pride gone when I devolved to use a precious child...like this... Primrose, forgive me... I am so sorry... This is not your war. Nor is it your conflict.¡±


    We became silent. No one moved or spoke until Primrose shifted in her sleep. Her eyes slowly opened, and I was there to greet her with a smile.


    Throughout it all... Aetos never removed his wing from Primrose¡¯s head.


    ¡°Why?¡± she asked, leaning up. ¡°Why are...we here? After what I said? Why didn¡¯t you kick us out?¡±


    ¡°The thought has never crossed my mind.¡±


    ¡°But...¡±


    ¡°Primrose, I wish to do right by you. Please grant me another opportunity. I promise... I swear on all I love that I will do better.¡±


    Primrose turned her head away and looked at me. She met my eyes. All I did was nod, and she turned back to Aetos. Her steps were small¡ªlike a baby crawling. But she ran to Aetos, crying soft sap from her beautiful eyes. She tightly hugged him, and he protectively wrapped a wing around her as she rubbed his back.


    ¡°Father... Father!!!¡±


    ¡°I love you, my child. I swear... I desire your happiness... Please...grant me the chance to atone, my sweet girl.¡±


    The two embraced... I couldn¡¯t lie. I...I wanted to hug my mother and father. Even if it was for just a moment, but they were probably dead. Our village was harsh. The environment was unforgiving and cruel. I had hoped my running away would¡¯ve let them survive that much longer.


    In my mind? I had already considered them gone. My heart felt the same, but...


    I still loved them. And I did wish they were safe, sound, and living happily ever after. But...


    I doubted it. I also doubted if I¡¯d ever returned. I was sure Mila wouldn¡¯t mind taking me to Barbil if I asked. Seraphina could probably teleport us. But I was afraid...because heading there meant confronting the truth. But if I were to go, then I wanted to go alone. I knew how that made me sound like a brat, but facing the past? I... The power had to come from within.


    ¡°Come, Niva,¡± said Aetos, breaking me from my thoughts. ¡°Please... I...wish to be better for you, too.¡±


    ¡°Summoner...¡± Primrose¡¯s glistening eyes had softened, and I felt emotional, too.


    So...


    I ran to them, joining the embrace. This marked the beginning of a new era.


    No longer would Primrose be shackled to the fear inside her mind.


    And...


    It served as a beginning for me, too. As Niva, a spirit summoner accepted by the Spirit Lord of Nature, Aetos.


    I could do this...


    I could grow strong. And I wouldn¡¯t have to do it alone¡ªI¡¯d never be alone again. And...maybe I could...one day return to Barbil and confront my past.

 Chapter Ninety-Three: I Know Who I Am – Part One

    Chapter Ninety-Three: I Know Who I Am ¨C Part One


    ¡°So... What¡¯s the plan, Master? What do you want to do?¡± asked Tilde. We were still in the graveyard. ¡°Wanna wait for Niva and Primmy?¡±


    ¡°No. There¡¯s no telling how long it''ll be. But...¡° I looked at the dryad¡¯s grave and felt a nail hammer into my heart. The trust that little girl had in me...


    It wasn¡¯t deserved, was it? I wasn¡¯t the elf she thought me to be¡ªno, I wasn¡¯t anything she thought me to be.


    And...


    What... What if I could change that?


    Is that possible?


    ¡°Tris, can you search the map for people experiencing specific emotions?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s not in my capabilities, but I can refine the parameters for aspects related to those, such as an increased blood pressure when someone is angry. Murag¡¯s collection of tomes included an extensively detailed bestiary on many non-human species and beastfolk, so I can incorporate that data to reduce any false positives.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Tilde flew behind me and latched her arms around my shoulders.


    ¡°I think...I need to do what she would¡¯ve done. Tris, search for anyone experiencing anxiousness, fear, or uncertainty towards the future.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s broad, my lord. Approximately 93% of the village¡¯s inhabitants fall under those search conditions.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... How about this? What¡¯s Aello up to?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s with a group of children in the park, Tilde. I see a mix of beastfolk, non-humans, and spirits.¡±


    ¡°Are they...you know, feeling hesitant? Did they show up in the previous search?¡± I asked.


    ¡°They did.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s it, then,¡± I said, resolved in my choice. ¡°Tilde, Tris, feel like making some children smile? Words can reassure them, but she would have done more. I...must do the dryad proud.¡±


    If she¡¯s looking down on me... she knows the truth. I don¡¯t want her to regret giving her flower to someone like me.


    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯d be down for that. You know, I used to be a teacher a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you still one?¡±


    ¡°Well, yeah. I used to teach at a daycare. It was long before Sekh¡¯s time, though. Like a few hundred years before...you know. Anyway, are you down for it, Tris?¡±


    ¡°I am. I¡¯ve studied childrearing and watched the nurseries in Plymoise during downtime. I believe I have a few ideas to ease their worries.¡±


    ¡°Thanks a lot, you two. Surtr?¡±


    The lion let loose a low growl of uncertainty. ¡°It is better to make myself scarce since I bear the flames. It may unease them.¡±


    ¡°Okay. I¡¯ll see you at the mansion later.¡± Surtr wished us well and silently departed.


    "Miss Aello... I¡¯m still worried," said a Snailfolk, clutching a wooden doll in her arms as she anxiously stared at the Eagle Yew. Her worries were not hers alone¡ªthe other children in her group shared them. Everything the girl knew was about to be cruelly taken from her. Even if she wanted to ignore it... The proof was around her.


    The bounded field was responsible for granting sunlight, but with it being broken, the blanket of shade cast an ominous shadow across the entire village. Even though the leaves resting so high above on the branches of the Eagle Yew were wilting, sunlight still struggled to pierce through.


    However, with how things were going, it wouldn¡¯t be long before the leaves were lifelessly scattered, enveloping a village that had no more than a month or two of life left.


    But barring that, you only had to look at the group¡¯s surroundings.


    The swings sewn from the magnificent trees could no longer support a slime¡¯s weight before buckling. The slides elegantly intertwined with soft wood were rotted to hell and back. And the grass... Their hue faded, replaced by a sickly brown that bordered on black. The colorful flowers had been drained of their luster. Their petals were too heavy for the neglected stems to hold.


    Not even a place for smile, laughter, and joy was free from the lasting effects of the Essence of Wrath¡¯s rampage.


    No¡ªit was my fault.


    I¡¯d been watching the group while we walked to the park. We were about there¡ªmaybe five minutes away¡ªbut I couldn¡¯t help but stop and talk to the other villagers. Anything to clear their minds and ease their hearts. That delayed our arrival.


    ¡°What if... What if the High Blessing can¡¯t do it? What if she fails? I...¡±


    ¡°Perhaps if I was alone, little one,¡± I said, walking past the gate. The group was set up near the entrance. All eyes turned to me, but no one was more frightened than the Snailfolk.


    ¡°Ah, please forgive me! I¡¯m sorry, I¡ª¡±


    ¡°What is there to forgive? I know this is scary.¡± I kneeled and hugged the whimpering girl. ¡°But I¡¯m not alone. Seraphina Vredi is my sister, and she¡¯s helping me. I promise... I will succeed, and I will save this village.¡±


    ¡°See, children?¡± Everyone turned to Aello, who jumped from a stump. She proudly spread her wings. ¡°The High Blessing will transplant the Eagle Yew, and Lord Aetos will continue to thrive for many years. Worries are natural, but don''t taint your minds with negativity.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s so cool...¡± A centaur child blushed.


    ¡°I wanna be like her when I grow up,¡± said a Slugfolk.


    ¡°Aello, can I speak with you? Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll be right back. But while we¡¯re gone, I want to introduce you to my allies.¡±


    ¡°My name is Tris. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡±


    ¡°A lion girl? That hat is cool... I¡¯ve never seen one like that before,¡± said a treant.


    ¡°And I¡¯m Tilde! I¡¯m Master¡¯s head maid!¡± Tilde posed, giving a cute wink.


    ¡°A fairy maid? Wow, your wings are sparkly and pretty.¡±


    ¡°Hehe! Flattery will get you everywhere, kiddo.¡± Tilde hovered and flew around the group, causing a few to ooh and aww with excitement. The two fairies among the children tried to fly, but their wings were underdeveloped.


    ¡°Go and have your talk, my lord. We¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you. Aello?¡±


    ¡°Lead the way, High Blessing.¡± The harpy followed me to the park¡¯s other side.


    ¡°Everything went well,¡± I told her, summarizing the plan. ¡°Sathtshas must die, but I¡¯m confident in my abilities. The Eagle Yew and Lord Aetos will be transplanted by the week''s end.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news!¡± Aello squawked, flapping her wings with excitement.


    ¡°It is. But I can¡¯t stop thinking about that dryad. It pains me...that she¡¯s not here. But the other children are. I want to see them smile. I want to make them happy.¡±


    ¡°Your presence is all they require, High Blessing. Meeting a Vredi is an honor many cannot claim to have experienced.¡±


    ¡°Maybe, but what about playing with one? Singing with one? Being read to by one? Casting magic with one? Walking with one? Aello, I¡¯ve never done this before. You¡¯re the elder. Forgive me if this is unnecessary, but...¡±


    ¡°Are you asking for permission to spend time with the children?¡±


    ¡°Something like that.¡±


    ¡°You are correct; it is unnecessary. I am sure you didn¡¯t ask during your last visit, but I will grant it, High Blessing!¡± Aello flapped her wings. ¡°It will be a great honor and a valuable experience.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, friend. This village has endured too much. I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll stay after the transplant is done, but I want to see smiles on everyone¡¯s faces when we leave.¡±


    ¡°A noble goal indeed! It is a goal to be proud of, High Blessing of the Vredi and Springfield Forests!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you agree. I...wasn¡¯t the friendliest during my last visit. I wish I had been more receptive. It¡¯s no excuse, but I was preoccupied with things I now regret.¡±


    ¡°No one is perfect, Lyudmila Vredi Springfield. Even High Blessings can make mistakes because no one is infallible. But...did you learn?¡± I didn¡¯t expect that. I really didn¡¯t. And hearing those words was refreshing. Aello almost idolized the Vredis...


    ¡°I did. I hope I did. I want to strive to always be a better me, Aello. To be someone the person I was the day before would be proud of becoming.¡±


    ¡°It does make sense, High Blessing. When I became elder, it was daunting. But I was always learning. Every day brings something new. Every night comes with new regrets. But we persevere. We endure and face each tomorrow with renewed vigor.¡± Aello flapped her wings and paused, watching the children gather around Tris. She stood on the stump, telling a heartwarming story about a caterpillar who endured unimaginable trials and evolved into a beautiful butterfly.


    Meanwhile, Tilde played the caterpillar. A fun role for a fun girl like her. I knew she was having a blast.


    ¡°The little ones are the future. When the great fire broke the barrier, it scared me. High Blessing, I had never felt like that before. From old to young and young to old, everyone believes in the Eagle Yew and Lord Aetos. But my belief... Seeing, enduring...¡± Aello began to cry, stretching a wing toward the Eagle Yew. ¡°I felt so powerless. I felt like the end was coming. Everyone looked to me. I acted headstrong, but I am not a High Blessing.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Aello. You did the best you could. And I¡¯m inspired.¡±


    ¡°Really? A High Blessing gets inspiration from someone like me?¡± The harpy sounded so shocked.


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I be? I only wish I could be half the leader you are. So... I hope you¡¯ll let me rely on you for the future, friend.¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± Aello flapped her wings and jumped for joy. ¡°And I hope I can rely on you, High Blessing! Let us rely on each other and continue to become better than who we were the day before!¡±


    ¡°Ah, High Blessing,¡± excitedly said a treant, pointing at a nearby lake. It was the one I had fished at with Ruru. But even that was...dissolved, leaving gaping holes that foreshadowed Aetos Village¡¯s eventual fate.


    More than ever, I felt my heart ache with unknown pain. It truly hurt me to see the forest look like this when everyone here relied on it for substance and nourishment. Even the ash that had fallen the last time I was here did little to rejuvenate the soil. Its packed nutrients were worthless.


    Honestly, the Eagle Yew was a cornerstone of this place. No, to all of Dirge. Its bountiful effects could even be felt through the barrier. It was a major surprise that the forest closest to the road had little decay or death. But it increased dramatically the further you went into the heart of Aetos Village. It wasn¡¯t even considered a dungeon anymore¡ªit had diminished that much.


    But I wouldn¡¯t allow the village to come to an end. I¡¯d refuse it¡ªwholeheartedly.


    ¡°I once caught a fish thiiiiiis big!¡± The treant spread her arms wide.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± I replied, rubbing her head. ¡°We must go fishing together once the village has healed. I¡¯m quite the angler myself. Let¡¯s have a little contest then, shall we?¡±


    Two centaurs shivered, and I reassured them we were safe. ¡°No, High Blessing. It isn¡¯t that... Umm... You...will save Lord Aetos and the Eagle Yew, right?¡±


    ¡°I will. My answer will not change no matter how many times you ask it. But if it¡¯s to reassure your heart and assail your worries, then ask anytime.¡± I put a hand on their heads. The blond-haired one blushed and looked away.


    One would expect the older children to have a constrained grip on their emotions, but they were just kids.


    They were afraid. This life was all they ever had, and it was being uprooted.


    No one in this village had done anything to earn my ire. How many had passed away because I was too weak? Because I wanted to listen to the Essence of Wrath¡¯s false words? Because she used her sweet lies to snatch control over my body?


    How could I look them in the eye when my weakness was directly responsible for all this heartache?


    That... That hurt the most.


    ¡°High Blessing, can I show you my secret spot?¡± asked the doll-holding Snailfolk.


    ¡°I¡¯d be honored to see it,¡± I replied, which sparked a series of adventures. I followed the children to their favorite locales and sceneries and listened as they recanted brighter, happier memories. I could vividly imagine the locales in their prime because this forest was a recreation of Vredi Forest. Perhaps a few differences lay here and there, but the kids were excited when I used magic and waypoints to recreate mini dioramas of their comfort spots.


    The little treant was the last, but hers was probably the prettiest. She told me she enjoyed playing with dolls and animals in a cave hidden behind a waterfall. And the pond was home to this gorgeous slice of nature. It was obscured by a curtain of vines that disguised a hidden tunnel. Even I had no idea a place like this was here.


    But I could see it...it in its prime... The treant staring out from the curtain of crystal-clear water...gazing at the vibrant, plentiful wildlife that would make any nature preservation blush...


    We followed Aello back to the village under a warm, glowing dusk that was still so beautiful even though death and decay surrounded it. It was proof-- proof life was still pushing on. And it was inspiring.


    ¡°Here you go, High Blessing.¡± The children held out the dioramas.


    ¡°They¡¯re gifts,¡± I said. ¡°Gifts to commemorate the time we spent together. But don¡¯t take it to mean an end, okay? You¡¯re all my friends, and I wish to grow closer. But please note that they aren¡¯t permanent. The magic will fade by midnight, but I will conjure a replacement whenever you want.¡±


    I¡¯ve registered the spells to create them and have categorized them accordingly, my lord. A perfected, mimicked copy is a stray thought away.


    All at once, the children thanked me. The Snailfolk was the first to hug my leg, and the others followed suit almost immediately. I kneeled and embraced them. We returned to the park, meeting up with Tilde and Tris, who had helped the other villagers with whatever issues they had.


    I turned to the Eagle Yew, and...


    I couldn¡¯t restrain the emotions swirling around my heart¡ªnot after personally experiencing just how much this place meant to the children¡ªlet alone the villagers and inhabitants who relied on Aetos for safety, nourishment, and protection.


    A song came to my mind...


    Tris, I need your help.


    Of course, my lord. Play your flute, and leave the lyrics to me.


    I did just that, grabbing Susize¡¯s beloved instrument... Tilde caught on and told the kids to sit and listen.


    Slowly, I placed the flute to my lips, closed my eyes, and played... I played my heart out, but it wasn¡¯t so much an apology as it was...a statement¡ªno, a declaration of how much I¡¯d come to love this place. Tris¡¯s precious voice suited the lyrics, and they were carried across the wind, spreading far and wide across the entire forest.


    In the forest green and grand,


    Where the mighty branches stand,


    Lives the Spirit Lord so true,


    In the heart of Eagle Yew.


    Aetos, Aetos, Spirit Lord so wise,


    Guardian of nature, beneath the azure skies.


    We sing of your wonders, your love so pure and true,


    In the shade of your great tree, the mighty Eagle Yew.


    Birds they sing a joyful tune,


    Underneath the silver moon,


    Deer and rabbit play and roam,


    In the tree lord¡¯s loving home.


    Aetos, Aetos, Spirit Lord so wise,


    Guardian of nature, beneath the azure skies.


    We sing of your wonders, your love so pure and true,


    In the shade of your great tree, the mighty Eagle Yew.


    Flowers bloom and rivers flow,


    Where the ancient branches grow,


    All the woodland creatures know,


    Aetos makes their spirits glow.


    Aetos, Aetos, Spirit Lord so wise,


    Guardian of nature, beneath the azure skies.


    We sing of your wonders, your love so pure and true,


    In the shade of your great tree, the mighty Eagle Yew.


    In every leaf and every root,


    In every bird and furry brute,


    Aetos¡¯ care is always there,


    In the gentle forest air.


    Aetos, Aetos, Spirit Lord so wise,


    Guardian of nature, beneath the azure skies.


    We sing of your wonders, your love so pure and true,


    In the shade of your great tree, the mighty Eagle Yew.


    So we dance and so we sing,


    In the forest, in the spring,


    Thank you, Aetos, for the view,


    In the shade of Eagle Yew.


    I hadn¡¯t felt like this since Mom and Dad adopted me...and here I was, basically being embraced again by the forest belonging to an eagle deeply in love with a woman whose body partially made up mine...


    As I opened my eyes...


    Everyone who had heard the song had gathered for the concert, and there wasn¡¯t a pair of dry eyes in the crowd.

 Chapter Ninety-Three: I Know Who I Am – Part Two

    Chapter Ninety-Three: I Know Who I Am ¨C Part Two


    ¡°You must be tired, High Blessing,¡± said Aello after she dispersed the crowd. It was just us. The children had returned to their homes since most found it difficult to remain awake. Either that, or they didn¡¯t want me to see them cry. ¡°Please, why don¡¯t you return to the mansion and get some rest? The little ones can be a handful.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I promise. I...¡±


    ¡°I agree with Aello, my lord,¡± said Tris. ¡°Today was more eventful than I had predicted. You must let time work on your mind to process the transpired events.¡±


    ¡°Tris is right,¡± added Tilde. She grabbed my hand and pointed towards the mansion. ¡°It¡¯s getting late, Master. We don¡¯t have to do everything tonight, do we? We¡¯ll be here for a few more days, at least. And then maybe longer to ensure no side effects or unforeseen concerns after the transplant. You¡¯ll have more time to spend with the little rascals.¡±


    Even after Sekh was back, we didn¡¯t have to immediately leave. We could spend a few days ensuring things were okay and return to Parthina. Or Sera could teleport here. She could make up with Aetos, and perhaps she¡¯d teleport us to Irisa and the others?


    ¡°Alright. Let us return, then. Good night, Aello. Should you see the children...tell them I wish them well.¡±


    ¡°Of course, High Blessing. May your dreams be ever pleasant.¡± Aello sent us off with a wave of her wings.


    My precious fairy held my right hand, and my beloved Fragment of Wisdom took my left. It felt like I¡¯d wander away if they weren¡¯t keeping me on track.


    I opened a [Skyview] window to the mansion and found Surtr. He was in the field of dying flowers in the backyard, surrounded by death and decay. The once beautiful slice of nature reminded me...more of my actions and what they had wrought.


    Everything... Everything reminds me of it...


    His large head rested on his paws, and his eyes of fire looked out towards the forest. Before the barrier had broken, he would¡¯ve seen mountain tops...


    I closed the [Skyview] window and sighed, gripping my lovers¡¯ hands for comfort. Niva and Primrose hadn¡¯t returned, so they were probably still with Aetos. Tris opened the door for me, and we ascended to Susize¡¯s room, where I just...plopped on the bed.


    I didn¡¯t even bother undressing. I didn¡¯t have the strength for it.


    ¡°Master...¡± Tilde said, sitting beside me. She rubbed my head.


    ¡°It... Today was hard. I...¡±


    ¡°Hey... It¡¯s okay...¡± Tilde¡¯s comforting voice... Tris¡¯s loving touch to my cheeks...


    The dam burst.


    As much as I hated to admit it...


    Do I hate it?


    I was a High Elf.


    Not a human.


    I was a Vredi.


    Not a Fenton.


    I¡¯d spent so long using that identity to my advantage that I hadn¡¯t realized until now that it had become who I was.


    ¡°I...¡± My voice was fragile.


    ¡°My lord?¡± Tris¡¯s anxious voice entered my ears. ¡°Where are you going?¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t be long. Just...can I have a moment alone?¡±


    ¡°Master¡¯s gonna be fine,¡± said Tilde. She knew what I had planned. ¡°Here, I¡¯ll talk to you, okay? Go on, Master. Do what you need to do. We¡¯ll be right here.¡±


    I left without speaking and went to the top floor, entering...that room.


    The room with the empty cages...


    The room with the toy-filled playpen....that would no longer see any play.


    The room...that used to harbor the precious slimes and draingi that Susize loved so much...


    The room...where I was a fool...


    The room...where I acted out of unnecessary hate...


    The room...where I saw...everything related to the Vredi as an enemy.


    The room...where...I experienced glee...when it came to devouring them.


    ¡°You must¡¯ve been so afraid.¡± Was I even speaking? My voice was soft. I entered the pen and looked at the closest cage as a flashback played out. Susize was here... She had just started her research on the genesis seed, and she was tired¡ªannoyed, maybe, at how slow her findings were progressing. She had intended for the slimes and draingi to be her test subjects, but they quickly became her friends...her companions... They were always there to greet her with a smile.


    ¡°The last time a High Elf visited before was Sera. You spent so long in loneliness, and...you all thought the best when I showed up, right? I can still feel your excitement. I still remember your names. I...¡± I gripped the toy they loved to play with. It pitifully squeaked, reminding me of their dying...wails...


    ¡°I¡¯m so sorry... I¡¯m so sorry...¡±


    Empty cages couldn¡¯t accept apologies.


    The dead couldn¡¯t return to life.


    ¡°Why... Why did I do that?! Why did I...have to eat you? Why? Whywhywhywhywhywhy?!¡±


    I couldn¡¯t hold it back. The regret was building, and building, and building... I clutched the toy and screamed.


    ¡°And that compliment makes it all worth it. Come on, pick up a chair and chow down, Master.¡±


    ¡°I have a steak for you, Surtr,¡± said Tris, retrieving a chunk of meat. My lion thanked her and tore into it, devouring the slab in seconds. He then sat at my feet and watched us eat. ¡°And I¡¯ve something for you, Lei.¡± Tris walked to the counter, grabbed a bowl, and sat it on the table before sitting down. Lei hopped from my arms and investigated it, wigging curiously.


    ¡°Jelly fruit?¡± Just one look caused another memory to surge. Susize used to grow hollow berries and inject them with homemade jam. Then she¡¯d freeze them for a tasty snack.


    ¡°Yes. It was after you went outside with Surtr. A plant grew from the floor. Murag¡¯s tome had a recipe, and we had the ingredients to recreate it. I surmise it was Aetos¡¯s doing."


    ¡°I guess you¡¯re still watching, huh?¡± I looked at the ceiling and walls. ¡°Thanks for the gift.¡± I turned to Lei. He formed a hand, grabbed a berry, and plopped it into his body, squirming after every ¡®bite.¡¯ ¡°He likes it a lot.¡±


    ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s enough about that. You gotta eat, Master. Or it¡¯s gonna get cold. And your beloved head maid will be sooooo sad that her hard work was for nothing...¡± Tilde crossed her arms and wouldn¡¯t look away until I had tried everything. And she only sat after I gave a glowing, 5-star review on what she and Tris had elegantly prepared.


    ¡°Yep yep! A head maid like me must obviously know how to cook.¡± She made a plate and sat beside me, dumping a spoonful of honey over her toast. "And a sweetie like me has to eat something sweet, too. I got boobs now, so all the extra calories go to my chest. You can thank me later when I¡¯m rocking some double Ds."


    Is that how it works?


    ¡°Haha! I appreciate that,¡± I said, turning to my food. We ate in bliss. And...it was so comforting. ¡°Why didn¡¯t we wait for Niva and Prim?¡±


    ¡°Aetos left a message for us in the graveyard. He wrote it in vines and said he was preparing a meal for the three to share. He is gravely ill, but Aetos is not yet crippled. His limitations have greatly grown, though.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s putting pressure on him. Every little thing drains from his tank. And he doesn¡¯t have long left,¡± added Tilde, licking her sweet lips. ¡°Expending his energy¡¯s another way of showing his trust in you, Master.¡±


    ¡°And I won¡¯t let him down. I said it a hundred times. You aren¡¯t dying on my watch, Aetos.¡±


    ¡°A broken record much?¡± Tilde joked.


    ¡°Then I guess you have to put me back together.¡±


    ¡°Maybe I will, haha!¡± Tilde laughed, chomping into her stack of pancakes.


    After eating, we went to the backyard and rested on a swing on the back porch until Niva and Primrose arrived about twenty minutes later. They didn¡¯t look sleepy, but their eyes were still red and raw from crying. And their smiles foreshadowed the welcomed news. I listened and rubbed Lei as they caught me up to speed.


    ¡°I cannot deny the uncomfortableness,¡± said Primrose, holding a cup of coffee Tilde had brought her. ¡°But I am glad... Thank you, Lord Springfield, for giving me the courage. And you, my summoner, for being with me.¡±


    ¡°So, the relationship¡¯s rekindled, Primmy? Almost reminds me of Irisa and Kokan.¡±


    ¡°Yes. The mana link has been reestablished. I... We have discussed everything at great lengths. And if I want to grow stronger to protect the ones I care for... I need my father¡¯s help.¡±


    ¡°Father, huh?¡± I smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad, too,¡± added Niva. ¡°But... Mila? Are you okay? Aetos showed us...what happened.¡± She said she saw what we did with the children, and they heard the song Tris and I performed. And she knew about my breakdown in the slime and draingi playpen.


    ¡°I¡¯m fine. I can¡¯t take back what happened. I have to live with it. But I can ensure I won¡¯t ever repeat my mistakes.¡± I poked Lei¡¯s blubbery body and watched him vibrate. ¡°I¡¯ll ensure Lei¡¯s the happiest little guy ever.¡± Lei made a funny sound and squirmed deeper into my arms. I was...so glad he accepted me.


    ¡°You embody the Vredi name more than you realize, Lord Springfield. Would you like to be called Lord Vredi?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± I thought about it, but... ¡°I think it¡¯s too soon, Prim. Maybe I¡¯ll go by it later, but not now.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel like... Forgive me for the abruptness, but...¡±


    ¡°Do I feel like I¡¯m not worthy?¡± I finished her question. ¡°Yeah. I do. I feel like I can¡¯t take it as my own as I am now. Not when she was the Vredi all High Elves strove to be.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s a tall hill to climb,¡± replied Primrose.


    ¡°And a difficult one. It may even be insurmountable. But I want to do her proud. Even though...¡± Even though Susize was Sekh¡¯s enemy. Even though...


    Even still...


    ...


    I changed the subject, and my favorite fairy mentioned Niva¡¯s newfound confidence. ¡°You sound different. In a good way. And you hold yourself with more pride.¡±


    ¡°Tilde¡¯s correct,¡± said Tris. ¡°My heart warms at your progress, Niva. Congratulations.¡±


    Niva blushed, but she didn¡¯t turn away. ¡°Primrose¡¯s not the only one who talked with Aetos. He helped me a lot. And it lit a fire under me. Mila, I¡¯m so ready to get back to training. I know... I know I can do this. I know I can evolve, and I know I can become a powerful spirit summoner.¡± She finished her tea, stood, and grabbed her staff. ¡°Are you ready, Primrose?¡±


    ¡°I am, my summoner.¡±


    ¡°You got room for a fairy, yeah?¡± Tilde stretched her wings and began shadowboxing. "I gotta burn off those cals so I can eat a lot tonight."


    Don¡¯t tell me she wants to go five founds with someone?


    Prim and Niva nodded. ¡°Anyway, that¡¯s what we¡¯re gonna do. What¡¯s on your docket, Master?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    ¡°We encountered Enap yesterday, my lord. I mentioned your request, and he said he would ready the tools for you to finish your gifts for Lady Sekh and Irisa. I¡¯ve verified that he¡¯s awaiting us in his workshop."


    I knew Tris was willing to create the plans, but these had to come from the heart. And I wanted to show her how much better I¡¯d gotten at using her abilities. So, I decided to scrap what I had before and start anew from the beginning.


    "Then that¡¯s our plan. Lei? What about you? You can come with us, but it¡¯s probably going to be really hot and uncomfortable.¡±


    Lei jiggled like he was thinking and gestured to Niva. ¡°Okay. Be sure to help her out a lot, okay?¡±


    Lei happily squealed, and Tris and I departed, but not before leaving Lei¡¯s toys to play with if they took a break.

 Chapter Ninety-Four: Unforeseen Encounters of the Past

    Chapter Ninety-Four: Unforeseen Encounters of the Past


    ¡°Ahh, Lord Springfield,¡± said Enap, looking over his shoulder as we entered his cavern workshop. The furnace was already roaring alive. ¡°It¡¯s a shame we missed each other yesterday, but as I understand it, you gave the children a day they would forever remember.¡± He had the upper body of a man with the lower body of a spider, and Enap was toned and muscular. He was a master of focusing on the intricate details with those impeccable eyes.


    ¡°It is the least I can do. But thank you for granting my selfish request. It means a lot to me.¡±


    ¡°And you are most welcome, High Blessing. Any crafter would consider it an honor for a Vredi to use their tools.¡± He spread his arms and showed me his impressive collection. Anything I needed was within reach. ¡°Additionally...¡± He skittered over to a table on the room¡¯s other side and returned with a wrapped box. I opened it to find...


    ¡°Mythril and silver? But Enap, you didn¡¯t have to do that.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m aware, Lord Springfield, but is this not the least I can do since you¡¯re transplanting the Eagle Yew? Please accept it. And should you have any other favor, please do not hesitate to ask!¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± Niva came to my kind. ¡°Remember the prosthetics you made for me?¡±


    ¡°I do. How¡¯s the client? Is she taking to them well?¡±


    ¡°She is. But since we¡¯re here, and if it isn¡¯t too much trouble... She¡¯s taken excellent care of them, but a maintenance check would ease my worries.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted to, Lord Springfield.¡± Enap skittered around on his eight legs to gather his tools, then wished me well.


    ¡°Okay... Now... Time to get started...¡± I approached the roaring furnace, covered my arms in a colorless slime, and reached into it...


    And it didn¡¯t hurt. The slime barrier was unnecessary, but it was a precaution. Anyway, it didn¡¯t even feel slightly lukewarm.


    I retrieved the ruby I¡¯d acquired so long ago and cut it into the perfect shape. A block of mythril was fashioned into the chain for the jewel. The interlocking links around the base looked exotic, and Tris happily clapped. She kept any constructive criticisms to herself, but her encouragement gave me extra motivation.


    This took about four hours. I went slow and steady, ensuring I had thought about any given step a dozen times before moving on.


    Primrose came to visit during one of their breaks. She sat against the wall, hugging her knees while watching me with hopeful eyes. She said Enap was impressed by how much care Niva had given her prosthetics. He only found the tiniest dent on the side of the pinky toe and fixed it.


    Aello showed up with a basket-covered lunch prepared by the children, and we hungrily enjoyed its simple flavor and deliciousness.


    With the break over, I finished the ruby necklace, encased it in a thin, transparent layer of crystal webbing, and stashed it away because it was time for the silver locket for Irisa. The material was soft, making it easy to bend, scratch, and dent if I wasn¡¯t careful. Luckily, Enap had various quenching oils for me to rest the locket and chain while I chiseled an extra gift out of a slab of marble I¡¯d gotten as a bonus from my working in Plymoise.


    Delicate eyes and a steady touch guided me and my chiseling hammer. I even forgot to breathe for an hour while carefully etching a small figurine of my extended family.


    Everyone was there. Even the lions. The locket had to be 23% bigger, but it wasn¡¯t an issue.


    Click!


    The clasp made a satisfying noise when I closed it with the figurine inside.


    ¡°They¡¯re very well made, my lord!¡± Tris happily clapped and gave me a smile of approval.


    She gazed at it for a few seconds and securely stored it in our storage. ¡°But what about Lady Sekh¡¯s disguise? Shall we tackle that?¡±


    ¡°Do you have an idea?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, my lord.¡± Tris sent me the plans via augmented reality, recreating what she had in mind with waypoints. ¡°It must be full body armor. I lament that her beauty must be hidden, but...¡±


    ¡°I know you do. I feel the same.¡± I fluffed her ears and scratched her under the chin, enjoying her sweet purrs. ¡°We can¡¯t take any risks with Sera. Grey-skinned Lionfolk with silver eyes aren¡¯t the most common. Anything could risk setting her off. But this what you have in mind, huh?¡± I looked at the displayed armor. It was solid black.


    ¡°I am no designer, but I tried incorporating lion-like aspects in the helmet and pauldrons. I especially like the fang-like design on the knuckles. And the color... I call it scorched iron, my lord. I¡¯ve investigated Enap¡¯s notes and discovered iron can be stained with ash to resemble scorch marks without losing potency. It¡¯s purely cosmetic, but I think it will suit her.


    ¡°I do, too. It imparts a sense of ferocity and strength that''ll befit Sekh. Send the instructions, Tris. Let¡¯s get started.¡±


    ¡°As you wish, my lord.¡±


    I looked them over, then gathered our excess iron. We had plenty of that, but mythril? That was in short supply.


    We¡¯ll probably have to head to a mine one of these days and get some. Or maybe there¡¯s an alloy we make. I can look into that later.


    Crafting the armor was as simple as using slime to make a mold of Sekh¡¯s proportion. I poured in the iron, then used a combination of [Furia Glacies] and quenching oils, following Tris¡¯s precise instructions, to cool, harden, and reinforce the armor in minutes, not hours.


    That was her power. She could make the most complicated task understood by children, and her advanced processing capabilities could discover shortcuts like these. So, the necklace and locket could¡¯ve been crafted in ten minutes? Maybe fifteen if I¡¯d allowed her to help.


    ¡°And now comes the scorching process, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Can you handle it?¡± I asked, creating a flame clone. ¡°This was your idea. I know Sekh would appreciate your finishing touch.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted! Hehe! I cannot wait to see her!¡± Tris giggled, mentally directing the flame geyser that emerged from the clone. ¡°Will she be surprised, my lord?¡±


    ¡°You know she will. I...can¡¯t wait until we¡¯re together. It¡¯s been so long, but that day is almost here. It¡¯s so close.¡±


    ¡°It is, my lord. I often find myself dreaming about our forthcoming reunion. It...makes my stomach feel like it has butterflies.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good feeling to have.¡±


    ¡°Tilde has said as much.¡±


    We continued to talk as the process finished, which took about five minutes with four clones using [Ira Ignis] and [Furia Glacies] in tandem. A fifth spread the ash as chalk, giving the armor a beautiful, stained finish. And then... It was done. I had a clone take Sekh¡¯s form and put it on, and... It really looked astoundingly sharp.


    ¡°There are flaws,¡± said Tris. ¡°I doubt the iron can withstand her flames. I¡¯m afraid wrapping it in your crystal webbing won¡¯t solve that issue.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. This is just the first version. We¡¯ll learn from any mistakes and go from there.¡± I rubbed Tris¡¯s head. ¡°Besides, the armor¡¯s not meant for fighting. It¡¯s for disguise¡ªfirst and foremost. But it needs a name. Tris? Care to do the honors?¡±


    ¡°Me? Umm... I wasn¡¯t expecting this. How...¡± Tris closed her eyes and focused, opening them a moment later. ¡°How about... Lionheart?¡±


    ¡°Lionheart is perfect. I know Sekh¡¯ll love it. Come on, let¡¯s return to the mansion.¡±


    We left Enap''s workshop after cleaning and tidying the place and ran into him on the way back. ¡°Thank you again,¡± I told him, showing the friendly spider-guy my gifts. The armor remained hidden. I wanted Sekh to be the very first to see it.


    ¡°Ohoho! May I take a closer look?¡± I nodded. ¡°Hmm... A High Blessing¡¯s eye can see the imperceivable. Congratulations, Lord Springfield. I am certain these recipients will cherish them for many years.¡±


    ¡°Praise means much when it comes from someone as skilled as you. I know you must¡¯ve honed your craft for decades.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, I have. Ah, there is something relaxing about it, isn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong,¡± I replied. ¡°Hmm? I see your notebook. Do you have a new client?¡±


    ¡°Ah, that? Well, Niva can¡¯t continue with a stump cap, can she? She¡¯d need a prosthetic arm sooner or later.¡±


    ¡°Enap, you... Will you really do that for us? Mythril¡¯s expensive... Tris, how much¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please, High Blessing, I couldn¡¯t sleep at night knowing I asked our village¡¯s savior to pay. To be honest? I regret charging you during your last visit. I¡¯ve been praying for your return since I wanted to make up for it.¡±


    ¡°It seems your kindness surprises me every time we meet.¡±


    ¡°And your words make my heart swell, High Blessing. Now, I hope the rest of the day serves you well. Please, excuse me.¡± Enap sped off his spider legs and returned to his workshop.


    ¡°He¡¯s always so pleasant.¡±


    ¡°I concur, my lord. I like Enap a lot,¡± Tris replied, grabbing my hand as we returned to the mansion.


    Aello was waiting on the porch with news concerning Sathtshas. Aetos would have the monster ready to go in two to three days. I was afraid it would put us behind schedule because the spirit soil didn¡¯t have long left before it expired, but that was easily solved by handing it to the harpy. She quickly flew to the graveyard and delivered the glass box to Aetos, where she said it wouldn¡¯t lose its potency.


    I probably should¡¯ve done that yesterday.


    It really felt like things were going my way¡ªbarring that extremely minor hiccup. And Sekh was that much closer...


    It was really within reach...


    So many days... So many long hours and months... It felt like I had spent more time without Sekh than by her side, so I wanted to correct that.


    We would never be separated again. I¡¯d refuse to allow it.


    "That is but one aspect, yes. My Great Lady envisioned a world where wars for fertile land were unnecessary. As the population grows, so does the need for food. Hungry bellies breed belligerence and violence. Revolution often follows, perpetuating the cycle of chaos with promises that may never be fulfilled."


    ¡°But that¡¯s naive thinking,¡± I replied. ¡°People are greedy. They¡¯ll always want more. Satiate one desire and another grows. Fulfill that, and they¡¯ll latch onto something else.¡±


    "You are not wrong, chimera. But my Great Lady''s vision went beyond that. Her idealized genesis seed was designed to survive in any climate¡ªwhether hot, cold, or otherwise inhospitable to plant life. The seed was meant to adapt, thrive, and provide food for all, serving as the first step toward making the world a better place. Only a fool attempts the immeasurable and expects to succeed at their first attempt.¡±


    ¡°Do...you think I can finish it?¡±


    ¡°You wish to complete her legacy?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s that. But this meant much to her. But I won¡¯t be doing it alone.¡± I grabbed Tris¡¯s hand. ¡°I have her help. So, even if I can¡¯t do it... It doesn¡¯t mean she can¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... I do not mean this to be rude, Fragment of Wisdom, but you are an existence that cannot be defined. I¡¯ve lived a long time. I¡¯ve seen much and experienced far more than you might think, but you¡¯re the first of your type. A mortal that¡¯s not mortal. A being that can die, but death won¡¯t allow them to remain dead if your lord is alive. Like your title suggests, you appear to be wisdom given physical form.¡±


    ¡°Your words aren¡¯t rude, Aetos,¡± replied Tris. ¡°You are correct. I am [Tris, Fragment of Wisdom], and fragment implies that I¡¯m only partially complete. Further evolution is possible, and I will obtain it, and my intelligence will only magnify. My lord?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I wish to complete Susize¡¯s work.¡± Tris was adamant. She had this fiery gaze in her eyes. ¡°But I¡¯m not capable of doing that as I am now. I fear that even my next evolution won¡¯t be enough. [Conferment] may bridge the gap, but rewriting the laws of this world to install a rule allowing the genesis seed to be nurtured by only mana and nothing else... The cost will be astronomical.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no rush, is there?¡± Aetos shook his head. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Aetos. If completion is possible, then Tris will do it.¡±


    ¡°Your faith in her is ironclad.¡±


    ¡°As it should. Tris has never steered me wrong. I trust her more than myself.¡±


    ¡°Then... Allow me to place my faith in you, o¡¯ Fragment of Wisdom.¡±


    ¡°You will not regret it, Aetos. I promise you that,¡± I replied. Tris¡¯s ears wiggled, and she wagged her tail happily.


    ¡°Now, chimera. Anything else you wish to ask?¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you want to keep talking forever.¡±


    ¡°Speaking with you is like conversing with my Great Lady and her spouses. Fond memories are forever coursing through my mind.¡±


    ¡°Well, you¡¯re not the only one. This...is enjoyable for me, too,¡± I said. ¡°And I guess there is something else. It¡¯s about a chimera''s inability to effectively use potions.¡±


    ¡°You ask about one of life¡¯s greatest mysteries. Does that maid of yours not know? I understand she¡¯s lived longer than most countries have been around.¡±


    ¡°Tilde doesn¡¯t. And I assume you don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I do not. But I¡¯ve heard whisperings. Some say chimerism is unnatural and not meant to be. It cannot stand in accordance with the rules of this world."


    ¡°But it does?¡± I asked, partially confused. ¡°Chimeras can use magic like everyone else. We¡¯re on the system. Otherwise, I wouldn''t have a Status Menu.¡±


    ¡°That is why I do not believe that theorem. I think the problem lies in the process behind assimilation. When a chimera drinks a potion, a part of it is devoured, not used.¡±


    ¡°That makes sense. A weak potion won¡¯t do much. So if it loses half of its effectiveness, it won¡¯t have any effect. But an elixir? Even if 70% of it is wasted, the remaining 30% is still noticeable. Tris?¡±


    ¡°The theory is sound, but I cannot verify it. Murag¡¯s tomes concerning chimerism aren''t extensive.¡±


    ¡°As it should be. Chimerism is looked down upon by the world, chimera. Unlicensed research will cause Bellerophon¡¯s axe to sever your head.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re fine with working with one?¡±


    ¡°I am when your [Status Cloak] clads your chimerism from being detected.¡±


    ¡°But if I didn¡¯t?¡±


    ¡°Ending the curse keeping the Dark Lord of Tyranny bound to this world takes precedence over fearing that little armed group.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like you hate them,¡± I replied.


    ¡°For the obvious, chimera. For the obvious. They saw fit to sacrifice a High Elf to kill a chimera. There is nothing they wouldn¡¯t do to see the death of one¡ªno limit to their dark depravity and sinister schemes to rid the world of those like you.¡±


    ¡°And you don¡¯t know what chimera did to make them so angry?¡±


    Aetos shook his head and slowly stretched his wings. ¡°It is a mystery. Perhaps you¡¯ll shed light on it.¡±


    ¡°Maybe. I hate those bastards... They seriously sicken me so much.¡± I sighed. ¡°But we¡¯ve been here a while. I think it¡¯s about time to leave, but I¡¯ll return, Aetos. I¡¯m...really enjoying these talks. More than you¡¯d think. But before that...¡± I retrieved Susize¡¯s flute and played one last song. The portal opened, but Aetos flew to Primrose and held a wing to her head.


    ¡°Father? What¡¯s wrong?¡±


    ¡°I wish to instruct you and your summoner. Would you permit me that, my daughter?¡± Fighting with a spirit differed from engaging in combat with a non-spirit. There was far more you could do, but the risks were higher since both essentially shared a mana pool.


    But a proper spirit and their summoner could become more than their sum if they worked harmoniously.


    Niva looked at Prim and smiled her approval. ¡°Ah¡ªYes! Thank you, Father.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, my sweet child. Can you return tonight? I shall rest and recover my strength.¡±


    We departed after Aetos rubbed their heads. Before returning to the mansion, I kneeled by the dryad¡¯s grave.


    "You loved this place. I¡¯ll protect it for you. And I hope you¡¯re smiling at me... I hope I¡¯m making you proud.¡±


    Tris, Niva, Prim, and Surtr supported me. I looked at Susize¡¯s flute and played Vredi''s Lullaby.


    Tears streamed from my eyes.


    But I kept playing. Verdant mana resurged around the bloomed flower, casting it in an emerald glow.


    I felt like I could stand here all day, and I probably would¡¯ve done that...if I hadn¡¯t heard six voices that forced a memory to the forefront of my mind. Slowly, I took my lips off the flute and turned to my left...


    Tris, lock my Wrath at 0! Do not let me turn it up!


    ¡°Ami, do you feel the sadness? I can¡¯t stop crying.¡± The speaker was a blue-haired girl dressed like an idol. She covered her mouth, but those reddened eyes showed her emotion. ¡°That song was so beautiful.¡±


    ¡°Elly, if you cry, I¡¯m going to cry too...¡± A dark-skinned girl wearing fingerless gloves with spikes handed a handkerchief to her cousin. She was dressed like a street fighter.


    ¡°Mary, how are you feeling? Are you okay?¡± asked a man with a southern drawl. His armor didn¡¯t hide his larger-than-average gut, but it had gotten smaller the last we met. The fat around his neck and face had thinned considerably.


    ¡°Here, you¡¯re sweating. Take this. It¡¯ll cool you down,¡± said an average man wearing a tunic. He reached into a bag on his hip and pulled out a chunk of blue rock. It suddenly became malleable like clay as he folded it into a rag. He gave it to the one named Mary.


    ¡°I¡¯m okay, Greggie. It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve heard someone play with so much passion. And thank you, Keeth.¡± said a woman with black hair who dressed like someone from my world.


    The only one who hadn''t spoken was a red-haired woman with glasses, whose eyes lingered a little too hard on my numerous guns and massive lion. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for your loss. You must¡¯ve been close with the dryad,¡± said the one I hated the most. She wore a red mage¡¯s robe.


    That crystal-winged fairy descended from above with Tilde.


    ¡°Master? Umm... I... Yeah...¡± Tilde¡¯s expression said it all. She didn¡¯t expect that pink-eyed fairy to be with the ones I wanted to kill.


    ¡°Excuse me for this, but would you happen to be the High Elf of Liberation?¡± asked the red-haired bitch.


    My mind kicked into overdrive as it linked with Tris¡¯s processing power. One second felt like 1,000 minutes.


    After three seconds of silence...the perfect plan came to my head. It was the best idea¡ªa flawless blend of revenge that these traitors deserved. I shared it with my Fragment of Wisdom.


    It''s certainly a suitable punishment... I shall become a devil if it''s for you, my lord. But are you okay with your role?


    No. I''m not. But they need to feel what I felt. They need to experience the despair that consumes them when I abandon the fools in their time of need.


    I agree with you, my lord, but... New information has come to light... I must share it with you.

 Chapter 94.5 – The Head Maid’s Anxious Worries (R-18)

    Chapter 94.5 ¨C The Head Maid¡¯s Anxious Worries (R-18)


    ¡°We¡¯ll see you in the morning, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay, Mila. Goodnight. We love you.¡±


    ¡°We love you too. Sweet dreams.¡± I saw Niva and Primrose off with a smile, then shut the door. We¡¯d just finished eating, and it was time to clean up, hop into bed, and drift off to a wondrous land of sleep.


    But...


    I doubt I¡¯d be getting much rest.


    ¡°Hehehehehe...¡± The giggles were adorable, but I knew what that meant. I turned around and saw Tilde¡ªnaked¡ªusing her hands as a bra while leaving her crotch uncovered.


    ¡°Should I be concerned about something?¡±


    ¡°Only if you¡¯re afraid of checking off my giant list. Remember? The 100,000 step plan for the Century of Tilde.¡±


    ¡°Afraid? I don¡¯t recall saying that.¡±


    ¡°Good! Anyway, remember what we talked about on the boat ride here? About fetishes and stuff? I...think it¡¯s time to discuss that. You know, the core of a healthy relationship is conversation. And...¡± Tilde lowered her hands, exposing her bountiful chest. She looked so serious and determined. ¡°Come on. Little Miss AI is readying the bath for us. Master?¡± Tilde approached and grabbed my hands.


    ¡°Lead the way,¡± I replied with a smile. She escorted me to the bathroom. It was just as gorgeous as I recalled. The decaying village should¡¯ve blemished the sight, but it was...just so beautiful in all the right ways. Like a sad happiness, I suppose.


    ¡°It¡¯s prepared, my lord,¡± said Tris, standing by the bath. She only wore a towel, and it was loose, exposing much of her cleavage like her breasts were calling my name.


    ¡°You can¡¯t bathe like that. We gotta get you ready.¡± Tilde began undressing me, and Tris assisted. Tilde cupped my crotch and rubbed my bulge, then exposed my erect penis as Tris revealed my breasts.


    ¡°It¡¯s always so awesome...¡± whispered my maid. ¡°Hey, are you ready?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± replied Tris. She tossed her towel to the nearby bench. I expected them to grab my hands, but...


    They went for my penis, leading me into the bath. It was different but enjoyable. Yet they never let go even after we sat down.


    ¡°This...is one of them,¡± said Tilde as she slowly jerked me off. It felt like she chose her words very carefully. ¡°I just like touching it. And looking at it. And seeing and smelling and tasting it. Like... I think it¡¯s so hot to do something like this. It¡¯s foreplay. But a super casual foreplay. I think that casualness is what really turns me on.¡±


    ¡°That seems tame,¡± I replied, growing harder. Tris kissed my cheeks and focused on the tip with her fingers. Jittery electric shocks surged through my body...


    It felt so good...


    ¡°Remember the boat ride? The Tris Clone Army with penises? They covered you in semen.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s more than that. It¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Come on, Tilde,¡± I rubbed her head and softly spoke. ¡°You can tell me. I¡¯m almost positive your fetishes are going to turn me on. I¡¯m doing all I can to...not climax too soon...¡±


    ¡°Can...you cover my hand? In semen? Just...cum all over my fingers? And...sit back, relax, and spray it all out?¡± I didn¡¯t know why Tilde had to force that request out. I mean, hadn¡¯t we already done so much more? Heck, she had already fallen asleep sucking my penis, but this was too much? It seemed simple and tame.


    Maybe it was my inexperience, but I didn¡¯t understand her reluctant hesitation since...wasn¡¯t this the same? With just me?


    I think I get it, my lord. The atmosphere is different, I believe. What we shared on the boat was sexually charged, whereas this is, like she said, more casual. I don¡¯t understand the difference, but there¡¯s one here.


    Ah, so that¡¯s what it is? Lewd stuff when the atmosphere isn¡¯t so lewd? That makes sense, but wouldn¡¯t that turn the non-lewd atmosphere lewd?


    Tilde lightly bit her lips. She let go of my dick, but I gently grabbed her hand and kissed her. ¡°I¡¯ll fulfill your wishes,¡± I whispered. I still caressed her fingers while kneeling in front of her, her hand half an inch from my throbbing cock. Tris joined me. She rested her bountiful chest against my back while jerking me off with both hands.


    I locked eyes with Tilde and felt warmth blanket my cheeks. ¡°Master? You look...so sexy... That look... Those eyes... And your panting... You¡¯re getting close, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m pussy¡¯s tingling. But come on... Do it... Shoot your hot spunk all over me...¡±


    ¡°Ahhh... Ahhh...¡± I grabbed her hand and softly rubbed her palms as I brought them close to my penis.


    My semen... My entire load...


    ¡°Ahhhh~~¡± The pressure was too much to be contained as I released a thick, sticky blast of sperm across Tilde¡¯s hands. But it didn¡¯t stop with shooting one rope. Tris aimed my ejaculations and painted the target white, milking me to the very last drop.


    Slowly, I let go, and Tilde observed her glazed fingers. She licked them, lewdly sucking on them like they were a popsicle. She flapped her wings and sat on the bath¡¯s edge, spread her legs, and touched herself.


    The lewd fairy spread my semen around her pussy, then masturbated while never breaking eye contact.


    ¡°My¡ªMy legs... Please...¡± Her eyes were glazed with lust. ¡°Hump my legs, Master... Cum on them, too... They¡¯re soft and silky smooth... It¡¯ll feel¡ªAhhh!¡±


    Tilde didn¡¯t have to finish. I was...all in. Something had awoken inside me, and...


    I wanted to spray her from head to toe in semen...


    ¡°That¡¯s it, my lord,¡± said Tris, who helped me inch closer to Tilde. She rubbed my penis against Tilde¡¯s knees, then assisted me in rocking my hips back and forth. ¡°Keep the rhythm...and let it out once you¡¯re ready.¡± Tris slipped in front of me and licked my nipples, staring up at me with the most passionate gaze only rivaled by this masturbating fairy.


    Her grip on my balls was gentle as morning dew. She lightly massaged them as I sputtered semen across Tilde¡¯s legs. She shivered and climaxed, squirting over me, but I didn¡¯t stop.


    How could I when I was this turned on? I moved to her other leg, repeating the same as we locked eyes like star-crossed lovers. Eventually, she laid back, and I kneeled beside her. Tris rubbed the tip against Tilde¡¯s breasts while groping her, continuing until she had made a semen river between her tits. And then she jerked me off on her face. Tilde¡¯s eyes were glazed. Her expression was gorgeous, and seeing how sticky, wet she was...


    She lightly parted her lips and kissed the tip, attacking it softly with her wet tongue. Tris continued to milk me until the semen erupted like a soft roar, pouring ever-so-gently into Tilde¡¯s mouth. She swallowed it all, refusing to drop even a single bit.


    ¡°Ahhh... Ahhh...¡± Tilde was satisfied.


    She climaxed six times, my lord. She¡¯s experiencing euphoria.


    ¡°But... I...can...more... Master... Please, more...¡± Tilde whispered. ¡°Sit on the edge... And Tris, help me, please?¡±


    I did as she asked and spread my legs¡ªmy erection was not going away. Tilde was unsteady when she stood. She almost tripped, but Tris caught her before she crashed hard. They walked in front of me.


    ¡°You...have to rub it on my skin. Just...take these hands...¡± Tilde gently grasped Tris¡¯s fingers and placed them on her leg¡ªright where I¡¯d shot my load. It was seductive¡ªI couldn¡¯t turn my eyes away from two of the loveliest beauties in the whole world.


    In Plymoise, we talked about dating and loving each other instead of focusing solely on me as the common denominator.


    It was more than just sexy. It was... exhilaratingly passionate. Tilde¡¯s sweet moans melded with Tris¡¯s lovely whispers as they kissed, rubbed, and affectionately groped each other. Tris licked every inch, and Tilde did the same¡ªending with lewdly licking Tris¡¯s semen-soaked fingers.


    Tilde¡¯s adorable meekness was enduring. I still didn''t make much sense of it, but I was trying to understand the intricacies of her lewd heart¡ªas in, what made it tick, tick, tick.


    ¡°Anything else? I¡¯m seriously all ears,¡± I asked.


    ¡°Well... There is one thing. Maybe more. Or a lot. But some involve you, Tris... Master? This¡¯ll be the last thing I''ll ask tonight. And it¡¯s something¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s something you really want to do?¡± I gave her a smile. ¡°Anything for my hardworking maid. Do we need the bed for this?¡± She nodded, and I created slime to dry us off as we left the bath.


    But Tilde was still soaking wet...


    ¡°We are. But... That¡¯s another thing. Maybe I should¡¯ve mentioned this, but you can feel all sorts of stuff from imagination alone. So... Maybe next time... I can lay on my back and spread my legs, but Master¡¯s focused on you. So, I¡¯m just waiting until my turn. And my mind goes into hyperdrive. And when she finally sticks in it? Euphoria... Nothing but sweet ambrosia warming my whole body... Or if we¡¯re hugging each other. You could support me while Master¡¯s doing me. And I¡¯d support you. And we¡¯d kiss...¡± Tilde stopped herself unceremoniously and quietly sighed as they left the bath.


    Tilde motioned to the bed as they approached, but something was off.


    ¡°Haa... Haa...¡±


    ¡°Master? Are you awake?¡± Tilde flew to the bed¡¯s other side and saw something she didn¡¯t expect.


    ¡°I couldn¡¯t hold it back... It felt too good,¡± replied her Master. Her eyes were glazed with euphoric pleasure as she lifted the covers, revealing the heavy loads she had ejaculated against the soft fabric. Even now, her throbbing cock was more excited. It was like a tower cladded in a white curtain amid the sticky, hot, steamy, moist surroundings. And... Even though it was so filthy...


    Tilde slipped right in. She relished in the feeling and nearly went wild by the smell.


    Who cares if it¡¯s messy? It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll take a week to clean it. Master could have this room spotless and smelling like fruit in fifteen seconds if she uses her slimes. Ehh¡ª


    ¡°Let me be selfish, Tilde.¡± Her Master tightly hugged her, and something hard poked her stomach, leaving a trail of white as she pumped her hips. Tilde was shocked, but...


    Wasn¡¯t this what she wanted?


    It was, so it took a moment to accept it. And after Tilde did?


    She smiled. Her heart felt at ease even though it should¡¯ve already been that way.


    But the heart wasn¡¯t easy to understand. It was dichotomous and didn¡¯t follow common sense. It was entirely possible to wake up one day feeling like the scum of the world even if you hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. Or the opposite could be true. A stray thought could cause a criminal to feel like a dragon¡¯s horde of gold.


    And tonight?


    Those stray thoughts and phenomena spread a dark, transparent curtain over Tilde¡¯s desires. It made her second guess a thousand things that should¡¯ve been etched in unbreakable iron.


    And just as fast as those uncertainties came...they were gone¡ªeliminated by the mere act of her beloved Master unleashing her final load of the night across her stomach. But she didn¡¯t let go¡ªno. Lyudmila Vredi Springfield tightly hugged her fairy and maintained an erection as slumber wrangled her consciousness. And Tilde soon followed after wrapping her hands around her Master.


    Tris refrained from sleeping. She sat on her knees and watched over the two she cared about while thinking long and hard about the complex intricacies of the heart and soul.


    She had much to learn-- tonight was proof of it.


    It was still before dawn when Tilde opened her eyes. She blinked twice and stretched her wings before remembering what had occurred the night before.


    Ah... Yep. Master¡¯s still hard. I¡¯m sticky, so I¡¯ll need a bath. But... I have to clean her. That¡¯s my duty as her head maid, right?


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± whispered Tris. ¡°I know what you want. Lady Sekh often did it, didn¡¯t she? I¡¯m certain she got the idea from you¡ªhow the most pleasurable way to wake up is in the mouth of your lover?¡± Our lord hasn¡¯t been woken up that way since the incident in Ria. And... I...wish to see a master of their craft in action.¡±


    ¡°Because you wanna do it too?¡± Tris nodded. ¡°I suppose I can show you a thing or two. As thanks for last night.¡± Tilde winked and slowly rolled out of bed. She carefully helped her Master to her back, then pulled off the color to reveal something her five senses couldn¡¯t get enough of.


    Tris leaned close as Tilde lowered her head. She pursed her lips and tended to her Master¡¯s shaft, pelting it with affectionate kisses. Her tongue was next. She left saliva trails up and down before finally entrapping it in her mouth.


    Tilde rubbed those thick testicles that gave her the semen she loved so much. Tris''s scholarly gaze was inches away. She observed Tilde¡¯s technique in close detail and compared it to what she knew from her beloved Lady Sekh.


    But the instruction ended moments later when the pleasure became too much. Her Master¡¯s climax was soft and gentle¡ªher savory seed flowing like a lazy river as Tilde swallowed every last drop.


    ¡°You know, it¡¯s been months since I¡¯ve woken up like this,¡± whispered her Master.


    ¡°A head maid must tend to her Master¡¯s every need. And should she require her favorite fairy¡¯s wake-up call? That¡¯s what she shall get.¡±


    ¡°Tilde?¡±


    ¡°Yeah? What¡ªEh? Vines? Here? Now?¡± Four vines entangled the maid¡¯s arms and legs. She thought her Master¡¯s morning libido was responsible¡ªshe felt anticipation between her knees and waited for it...but that didn¡¯t happen.


    The vines merely brought her to her chest, where she hugged Tilde softly and spoke directly. ¡°Nothing is off-limit between us. Nothing, okay? I¡¯ll wait until you¡¯re ready, but last night concerned me.¡±


    ¡°I guess...I was overthinking things. Maybe I was concerned with nothing. Guess even someone like me can have an off day or two. But I¡¯ll tell you, Master. Everything,¡± said Tilde, repeating what she told Tris a few short hours ago.


    ¡°I mean, as far as fetishes goes... It¡¯s tame,¡± Tilde admitted.


    Seriously, why did I make a mountain out of a molehill?


    ¡°Tilde?¡±


    ¡°Yeah?¡±


    ¡°Are you hungry? Something tells me breakfast is going to be fairly casual...¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Tilde looked at her Master¡¯s smile as she felt that warm, soft hand cup her cheeks.


    ¡°Tris, do you have a menu for this morning?¡±


    ¡°Pancakes and eggs, my lord. With leftover jelly fruit and homemade peanut butter on toast with bananas.¡±


    ¡°Sounds delicious.¡± Ten slime clones manifested and cleansed last night¡¯s debauchery in ten seconds. Everyone was clean, the furniture and coverings were spotless, and Tilde...had the biggest smile.


    Because what did she have to be afraid of?


    Even someone like her needed a little reassurance. And there wasn¡¯t anything wrong with that.


    Tilde and her Master got out of bed, but she didn¡¯t let her go. "Do you have any more fetishes you haven¡¯t told me about?¡±


    ¡°I do. But I¡¯m not afraid. I mean, I have...hmm...about...¡± Tilde smirked and winked at her Master. ¡°Let¡¯s say I have about 99,628 left for us to explore! And... We¡¯ll experience them together, Master. I promise it. I swear it.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good answer,¡± replied her Master. She rubbed her maid¡¯s head and kissed her forehead. Tilde¡¯s wings reflected a dog¡¯s tail and happily flapped. ¡°Come on. Best get to cooking while Prim and Niva are asleep. Breakfast doesn¡¯t last all day.¡±


    ¡°Right! Lead the way, Master! Oh, and if you happen to feel anything...¡± Tilde flashed that haughty smile and felt a warmth radiate from her chest. ¡°Hey, I¡¯ll beat you downstairs!¡±


    Tilde skipped away. She had to reach the dining room and get ready for her role!


    Yeah... I never had anything to be afraid of. I mean, my Master¡¯s my Master! She can tell me anything, so I can obviously do the same! There ain¡¯t no judging here! Nope. None at all!


    To call it a new beginning would¡¯ve been an overstatement, but it was the start of a new dawn melting the last little bit of stoneheartedness that was probably a leftover remnant from one of Tilde¡¯s prior incarnations.


    But she didn¡¯t think that mattered much. Yes, this night could be considered a little dip¡ªeven if it was one in the faintest, most generic sense¡ª in their relationship, but all relationships had their dips. And Tilde knew they would recover and be more resilient than ever before.


    Oh, and the future was bright. Almost blindingly so. And... Tilde had so much to do and much to explore. The ideas, positions, and roleplays involving herself, her Master, Tris, and Sekh numbered in the tens of thousands.


    The fairy maid couldn¡¯t wait to get messy with her lovers!


    Ahh... I should ask Tris to help with the costumes and clothes... Fairy Maid Tilde is cute and cool, but Nurse Tilde? Drill Sergeant Tilde? Lifeguard Tilde? Lemon Farmer Tilde? I am a woman with many hats, haha!!! Oh...what about a bodysuit? Maybe...it can be made of tongues? I can have Master lick me all over...

 Intermission – Shiku – Heartbreaking Realization – Part One

    Intermission ¨C Shiku ¨C Heartbreaking Realization ¨C Part One


    I ran through the halls of Lord Meruria¡¯s new chapel in Aurathal, Uquenia¡¯s capital city, and pushed open the door to Tokko¡¯s office. ¡°What the hell is your problem?!¡± I screamed, slamming my hands on his desk. Two ceramic cups of coffee fell to the ground, shattering like the trust I used to have in him. ¡°You know Renata isn¡¯t fit for combat! Why are you trying to force her to fight?!¡±


    His eyes weren¡¯t amused. ¡°Lord Meruria requires all hands to be operational. Even Will has gotten back to work in serving our summoner. That girl isn¡¯t anything special. She doesn¡¯t deserve exclusive treatment.¡±


    Approximately 10 days had passed since the Uquenia-Cridia War, and Lord Meruria had declared herself Uquenia¡¯s new Holy Lord.


    Renata had awoken a few days ago, but my ally was a shade of her former self. She couldn¡¯t walk without help, but everything set her off. Water terrified her. Red made her vomit. Her meals had to be cold and colorless, or she¡¯d be reminded of those horrors. But even then? She barely moved. Renata had given up.


    ¡°But she deserves a chance to heal! Stop forcing these missions upon her!¡±


    ¡°Why should I do that? Annexing Uquenia has doubled Cridia¡¯s land. While we have assimilated Lord Geron¡¯s Soul Warriors into our forces and dispatched them to fix the troubles that idiot had left before embodying the definition of cowardice, we need more. Need I remind you of our losses in the ambush? Our predecessors were wiped out. We are all that remains.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse, and you know it!¡±


    ¡°Really?¡± Tokko seemed perplexed. He thumbed his earrings. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯ve grown so weak to consider it one. This isn¡¯t a fairy tale, Shiku.¡± He narrowed his eyes. ¡°If our assets cannot return our investments, we must cut them off to prevent bleeding.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s not an asset! She¡¯s a person! Like you or me! We can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°I agree. But she¡¯s not valuable. She brings nothing. I assigned those monster exterminating quests upon her to ease her into fighting. If she cannot even do that...¡± Tokko didn¡¯t have to say it. I knew the void was in Renata¡¯s future. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to progress down that path.¡± Tokko stood, called for a maid, and looked out the window at the ongoing efforts to repair the city from the twin¡¯s assault. ¡°But I know you¡¯ve been finishing those missions in her stead. I know you¡¯ve forged her writing. I know all about it. And I¡¯m severely disappointed. Deadweight must be recycled until it¡¯s useful.¡±


    That stung...more than I thought. I knew it was a possibility, but...


    ¡°What about Damon? What has he done other than visit the brothels?!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s unoriginal in his methods, but he¡¯s been providing information about mounting resistances. Women speak when being loved. He¡¯ll screw anything with a pulse.¡±


    ¡°Will?!¡±


    ¡°Lord Meruria has advised him on how to progress past his difficult, painful loss. He¡¯s the first to find true love in a resident of this world, but he has what you lack. It is one thing to complete Renata¡¯s mission, but it¡¯s another to go against me. Traitors have no place.¡± A crystal greatsword materialized on his back. A tower shield formed of black, frozen lightning hovered in front of him. It split into ten pieces and surrounded me.


    ¡°After all we¡¯ve been through... You¡¯re going to kill me? You¡¯re the one that¡¯s changed.¡±


    ¡°No. I¡¯ve been the same. I couldn¡¯t fulfill my desires being stuck in our¡ªmy¡ªworld.¡± He turned my way, raised a hand, and canceled his Soul Weapons. ¡°I¡¯m giving you one last chance. There¡¯s a village to the northeast dealing with famine. It harbors a dungeon nearby, and the monster spawner is acting out of its limit. We believe Lord Geron is responsible for it via [Conferment]."


    ¡°Our task?¡±


    ¡°Determine the root of the problems and fix them. Send word if you find traces of Lord Geron.¡±


    ¡°And that¡¯s it?¡±


    Tokko¡¯s smile was disgusting. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it. It¡¯s a simple task. Failure will not be tolerated. You¡¯re to leave tomorrow morning. Inform your team. Now leave. Begone from my sight.¡±


    I left after Tokko ordered it and silently returned to my room. My mind was swirling. The passing priests gave me a wide berth and hushed the ones in training for trying to greet me.


    I couldn¡¯t handle it.


    I was tired of everything and this world.


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m back...¡±


    My room had nothing special. Just a bed and a bath, but it had a pair of Dogfolk maids¡ªLaika and Leika Barkwood. The two hadn¡¯t had it easy since the ambush. Their family was wiped out¡ªtheir father had passed. An exploding meteorite created by that spell destroyed their mansion, leaving these two the last ones alive who bore their name.


    They ran into my arms and hugged me tightly, crying into them.


    ¡°I told you I wasn¡¯t abandoning you,¡± I whispered. ¡°I won¡¯t leave. I promise you that.¡±


    Again. Silence and tears. My maids couldn¡¯t perform their duties¡ªnot that I wanted maids in the first place¡ªbut Lord Meruria had tried to convince me to get rid of them. She said I could earn a few hundred gold. Virgins went for a lot. Being a noble doubled it. Their status as a Soul Warrior¡¯s maid tripled it.m


    But they weren¡¯t virgins. And neither was I.


    It happened after the war began. Laika and Leika probably thought I would leave them. Abandonment issues had most likely filled their minds, and I awoke naked. The two straddled my legs, but I couldn¡¯t push them off. Their expressions begged me for this, and...


    I made love to them throughout the night, promising that I wouldn¡¯t leave them. I needed to protect them.


    It was probably a mistake, but at that moment? It didn¡¯t feel like one.


    I should¡¯ve protected Shuuta. I should¡¯ve spoken. That was my biggest regret.


    But I couldn¡¯t...rectify that. Not anymore. So, I vowed to defend my team. No matter the cost, I wanted to protect the ones I loved until the end, even if it meant my life.


    They brought me to bed, where I told them about the mission.


    "Are you up for a trip? We''re heading to Aronza Village," I said, holding their hands.


    They nodded and began to pack my bags, but they cried and hooked their arms around my stomach when I said I had to tell Benedict.


    They really, really didn''t want to be apart from me... I was the last link to this world that they had.


    "I swear I''m not leaving for good. Do you two want to follow me? We can pray along the way and hope Renata''s feeling better."


    Pray? There''s nothing in this world worth praying to. Who can I put my faith in?


    Laika and Leika practiced silence. The two followed me to Renata''s room. She was still asleep-- lying still like a corpse.


    "Shiku? Hey." Benedict sat beside her and barely looked my way. He rarely left her side and hadn''t eaten or slept much. Those darkened eyes reminded me of a zombie. "Another mission?"


    "Yeah. Tokko''s caught on."


    "What?!" Benedict raised his voice from a whisper to a slightly louder murmur and coughed. He spat bile across his arm when he covered his mouth.


    "We get one more chance. It''s a place called Aronza Village. The dungeon is out of control. It''s spawning monsters more than usual. There''s a famine issue, too."


    "And we''re ordered to solve that? How? With... Renata''s in no shape to travel!"


    "I know, but we can''t go against his orders. But... What if this is what she needs?" Benedict didn''t explode, but he was cautiously apprehensive.


    "Renata relates with water and thrives in nature. Aronza Village, if the map I found is correct, has a river running through it. Since she''s a spearfisher, being surrounded by what she loves could help more than being stuck inside a room."


    "But she can''t fight, Shiku. Hell, I can''t fight. I... I know Soul Evolution exists, but it feels like I''m about to de-evolve. I just don''t know what to think anymore, man. I just don''t." Benedict''s thick hands trembled. He was muscular, toned, and strong, but his mind was fragile. Anyone would be after...that.


    And it wasn''t fair.


    Benedict was all about barbeque and smoked meat, with his favorite being pulled pork. He wasn¡¯t a good hunter, but Sir Salim handled that whenever we camped for the night. He¡¯d set off and return an hour later with properly butchered meat, and Benedict would nurse the smoker throughout the night. That meant a delicious breakfast was awaiting us when morning arrived. That also had another benefit. Benedict would tire himself at night and sleep during the travel, but Renata found comfort in that. She always had her head on his shoulder if she could help it. And... I guess Benedict being ¡®vulnerable¡¯ and relying on her support or showing ¡®weakness,¡¯ if you¡¯d call it that, and I wouldn¡¯t, somehow turned the gears in her heart?


    Maybe it didn¡¯t make the most sense, but this world was chaotic. It was a mess.


    Sir Salim didn¡¯t mind cooking in my place. After learning we were traveling, he spent that day acquiring supplies to make all his favorite dishes that would, hopefully, become a favorite of others. He made hummus as a mid-afternoon snack and baked his own bread. Laika¡¯s tail swooshed as she watched the preparation. She and her sister didn¡¯t react much, but I knew they enjoyed it.


    On our third night of traveling, Sir Salim readied a dish called mansaf.


    ¡°Do you know much about it?¡± he asked. We crowded around the campfire and watched the cooking process.


    ¡°I know it¡¯s made with fermented and dried yogurt. Greggie would know, though. He practically lives in the kitchen,¡± I replied.


    ¡°That¡¯s a recent addition. Apparently, the dish evolved greatly centuries after my time. The mansaf I know has three components. The bread, the meat, and the clarified butter. We used to use khobz al-shrak. I believe Greggie said the name has changed to markouk bread. But he told me about adding rice and yogurt, which is called jameed. Instead of boiling the meat, we¡¯re to cook it in it to give it a more ¡®robust¡¯ flavor. He¡¯s a good man, Greggie is. His culinary knowledge is unnatural.¡±


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it unnatural, but he¡¯s an amazing chef. He¡¯s cooked for a lot of famous and powerful people.¡±


    ¡°Unnatural is not always a bad thing, Shiku,¡± said Sir Salim as he topped a layer of flatbread with rice. Nearby, the jameed¡ªthe yogurt part of the dish¡ªwas being turned into a creamy sauce. Benedict was sorting the nuts that would garnish it¡ªanother new addition in the 1960s. ¡°Food, for example. Our world has many different cultures. For someone like me? The food you eat is unnatural, but it is delicious all the same.¡±


    ¡°Should I embrace the unnatural?¡±


    ¡°I believe there is a balance. Leaning too far in either direction could lead you down the road less traveled-- a path that has seen few footprints for a reason. But that reason? It remains to be seen if it¡¯s good or bad. Only you can decide that.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Sir Salim had wisdom in spades. He always had something to say, even if it was cryptic.


    The food was ready a little later. ¡°Mansaf is often eaten with your hand. The left should be behind your back while the right does all the work. But we can disregard that little tradition for comfort,¡± he said, serving our meal.


    It smelled heavenly. And there was a lot¡ªmy entire plate was filled. And the taste...


    Why... Why couldn¡¯t I have any memories like this? That¡¯s another thing...that man...


    I didn¡¯t want to think about my father. I shook my head to rid the thoughts and focused on what mattered.


    Benedict ensured Renata was eating before taking his bite. I did the same for my maids. Their ears perked up, and their tails slowly wagged. It was a hit with them. After eating, Renata stood and walked to the riverbank with Benedict. We couldn¡¯t see our destination from here, but Sir Salim said it was over that ridge.


    ¡°We should rest early and wake up with energy,¡± he said, pointing at our tents. ¡°Do not worry about cleaning. I shall handle it.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you. Are you two sleepy? Ready for bed?¡± Laika and Leika followed me to my sleeping bag. They immediately laid down beside me and took an arm. The two looked at me and just stared¡ªblinking every few seconds, but it had been long since I heard them speak more than two or three words. And I missed their voices.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get through this,¡± I whispered. ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. I¡¯ll protect you. So... Please...¡± I couldn¡¯t finish that sentence because I didn¡¯t know how to. Laika yawned and rested her head against my shoulder. Her sister did the same. Their soft breathing soon reached my ears. They felt so comfortable near me. To them? I was one of the only people they could trust.


    The feeling was mutual. I couldn¡¯t depend on Tokko or Mia. Or Meruria. Or anyone else. Lori and Ann, along with Quella¡¯s team, were an exception. And maybe one or two others. Everyone else?


    They could die. I didn¡¯t care about them. They didn¡¯t give two shits about us, so why would I waste time worrying about them?


    That was something I didn¡¯t understand. Meruria fostered an unhealthy relationship with most of us, but why?


    I kept thinking about Shuuta and wondered how things would¡¯ve changed had Meruria been someone with gold in her heart. Why not show care? Why promise him a chance to reach Soul Evolution if you would take it back the next day? Why send Remy to do...that?


    Why take the road of darkness and choose hate when a little compassion would¡¯ve gone a long way?


    Our world was devoid of that, but why did that extend to this one? Meruria didn¡¯t strike me as someone who would make careless mistakes. Everything she did had a purpose or reason. So, her ugly nature and disgusting personality benefited her. But how? And why?


    I wish I knew. I wish I understood more.


    My thoughts were aimless as I drifted off to sleep. The quiet cackling campfire provided a relaxing ambiance to lull me away to a place where...I didn¡¯t have to worry about my concerns. My dreams were where I was the happiest. But I couldn¡¯t always return there. That would mean refusing to accept my reality. And... And I wasn¡¯t at that point.


    Not yet, but I never wanted to be that far gone where I chose to look at a fake reality rather than face what was real.


    But...


    Maybe this world had plans to batter me like a tornado ravaging a town. It was eroding me... Was it a test?


    If it is a test... What are the limits to its cruelty?


    We eventually arrived in the early morning. The fields surrounding the town were dull and sad. We were summoned in early spring, and it was now late autumn. Cridia was more tropical, but Northern Uquenia seemed to be experiencing a rainy season. Water wasn¡¯t an issue. There was enough sunlight.


    Perhaps the ground was oversaturated? Too much water was detrimental. I didn¡¯t see an irrigation system. Cridia had implemented one and almost tripled its grain production. They had one before, but the improvements couldn¡¯t be denied.


    ¡°Where do we begin?¡± Benedict asked. He stretched his thick arms and scratched his bald head.


    ¡°The village elder,¡± replied Sir Salim. ¡°Let us make proper introductions.¡± He looked at the onlookers. Most were famished. A few were deathly skinny. ¡°I doubt they were aware of our coming.¡±


    Aronza Village seemed big enough. I saw a dozen houses near the field and another 30 or 40 inside the village. It didn¡¯t have walls, but the Aronza River curved around the north and headed west, giving some natural defenses against bandits. The only way to cross was to wade through the river. Unless you wanted to travel out of the way to a land bridge.


    Sir Salim stopped the wagon and asked for directions. People seemed hesitant until we told them we came on Lord Meruria¡¯s orders. It didn¡¯t change their perception, but people talked. Rumors spread as hushed murmurs as we got the directions we needed.


    The elder¡¯s house was little more than a shack. The overall buildings were made from hardened clay and straw.


    The elder was outside to greet us. He was hunched over and used a cane for support.


    ¡°Greetings, sir,¡± Sir Salim said. He explained why we were here.


    ¡°Is that so, eh? Yes, monsters have been an issue around this time. But they don¡¯t cross over the river. They fight amongst themselves, and we send foragers to carve their meat after they had their pickings.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re not responsible for the farming fields? We saw their state during our travels,¡± I replied.


    ¡°The rainy season is a curse. It¡¯s always been one. Things usually return to normal after winter. Lord Geron doesn¡¯t bother us out here, but we don¡¯t get no help. But we make it through.¡± He raised his cane and waved at the houses. ¡°We survive. We unite and endure it. The monster meat sustains us if we ration it.¡±


    ¡°I see. And what about the dungeon?¡±


    ¡°We ain¡¯t got no use for it. The river¡¯s too dangerous to cross at this time of year. The land bridge isn''t worth the detour. We bunker down and hold out for the calmer season.¡±


    ¡°Forgive me for stating the obvious, but have you tried building one closer?¡±


    ¡°Aye, that we did. Happened about... Six years ago? Maybe seven or eight? A rampaging horn croc crossed and killed ten of our kinfolk. It¡¯s mighty hard to level up around these parts when surrounded by powerful monsters. It left us after getting a full belly, and we destroyed the bridge. We ain¡¯t taking that risk again.¡±


    ¡°I see...¡± I wondered if there was a connection between the rain and rampaging monsters. There had to be. It was a logical deduction.


    ¡°Well, if you¡¯re staying here, I¡¯d best show you to an inn. Don¡¯t let anyone say Aronza Village ain¡¯t hospitable.¡± The elder turned around and walked, leading us on a tour. "We ain''t got much, but we ain''t rude, either." People were poor, but they seemed content. More food wouldn¡¯t hurt, but it seemed like a relaxing place to live. I sensed a quaint feeling of camaraderie. The inhabitants¡ªhuman and beastfolk¡ªworked together to survive.


    I was envious of this simplicity...so did that make me awful?

 Intermission – Shiku – Heartbreaking Realization – Part Two

    Intermission ¨C Shiku ¨C Heartbreaking Realization ¨C Part Two


    The inn was lacking in multiple ways. They only served half a portion of breakfast as the only meal¡ªwe declined since we had already eaten¡ªand our shared room had no beds.


    It was lovely all the same. The elderly proprietors were charming and nice. They let us stay for free since we were here on business. Sir Salim didn¡¯t like that. He paid triple the regular fee and promised to help however he could.


    We immediately set off to work. Benedict went to the river with Renata and scouted, and I departed to the fields to start an investigation. Sir Salim crossed the river and scouted the monsters, and we didn¡¯t return until night had arrived. After a thin dinner of bread and porridge, we gathered in our room and shared what we learned.


    ¡°The water seemed fine,¡± said Benedict softly as he rubbed Renata¡¯s hand. She was asleep, with her head leaning against his broad shoulder. ¡°Renata would know more than me, but the river didn¡¯t seem... ''agitated.¡¯ It¡¯s also potable. I saw a few villagers filling buckets. She finally said something, though. She wandered into the river and floated on her back. She just... She looked so peaceful, just staring at the sky... And then Renata cried and apologized to everyone in a low whisper. I hope she¡¯ll be better tomorrow. Maybe my prayers will be answered in the morning.¡±


    ¡°I hope so too,¡± I said, moving onto my report. ¡°I¡¯m not a gardener or farmer, but the soil seemed fine. Maybe it''s a bit oversaturated. It rained for an hour or two, and the droplets didn¡¯t hurt, either. I¡¯m wondering if it¡¯s a PH issue.¡±


    ¡°PH?¡± asked Sir Salim.


    ¡°It¡¯s a scale to measure acidity. Regular drinking water is a 7¡ªright in the middle. Plants need between a 5 and 6. I saw a few kids catch rain in their mouths.¡±


    ¡°Did you try it?¡± asked Benedict.


    ¡°I did. And it¡¯s like you said. The water didn¡¯t have a funny taste.¡± Laika and Leika were using my lap as a pillow. I rubbed their heads and scratched their ears. During my investigation, they never left my side for a moment.


    ¡°Is mana the problem? I heard too much can have negative effects.¡±


    Sir Salim took Benedict¡¯s suggestion and used [Mana Perception]. He looked out the window with a magic circle covering his right eye.


    ¡°That could be it,¡± he said. "The rain clouds are oversaturated with magical molecules. And the soil''s glimmering like twinkling starlight. The monsters near the dungeon were aggressive. More so than usual.¡±


    "Did you discover anything strange?" I asked.


    "Nothing out of the ordinary, but I didn''t venture too deep. Don''t worry. I didn''t waste the ones I killed. I gave them to the butchers."


    ¡°If this was that easy to figure out, why hadn¡¯t Lord Geron done so?¡± asked Benedict.


    ¡°The elder didn¡¯t seem to care when we told him of the war. Lord Geron didn¡¯t try recruiting men from the village, so maybe he¡¯s given up on it? We can¡¯t really ask him,¡± I replied. ¡°[Mana Perception] is difficult to learn. I wonder if you need it at a certain level?¡±


    ¡°Your hypothesis is correct,¡± Sir Salim replied. He brushed his thick beard, used a lower-level version of the skill, and confirmed nothing strange. He returned to the maxed version and gazed, brainstorming whatever came to his mind. "The dungeon may emit mana into the atmosphere during the spring and summer. I see a steady glow across the river, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s our culprit. The village has survived thus far without many issues, so it may not be a bad omen. Rather, it may not be our culprit."


    ¡°We can¡¯t leave it like this.¡±


    ¡°I agree, Shiku. Let us convene with the elder in the morning. Of course, the problem may lie in the weather.¡±


    ¡°You mean cloud patterns?¡±


    Sir Salim nodded.


    "The problem''s source could be hundreds of miles away. We lack concrete information to solve the mystery, so we still have work to do."


    ¡°I have a question.¡± We looked at Benedict. ¡°If the rain is oversaturated with mana, and we drank it, are we in trouble? We¡¯re Soul Warriors, so I¡¯d assume not. However, the villagers are just villagers. They don¡¯t have the same innate resistances we do.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct. Mana can be infused in anything, and the elements are no exception. But mana is all around us. It¡¯s in the air we breathe, and it¡¯s in the water we drink. It¡¯s in the food we consume, too. That deepens the mystery. It¡¯s a paradox. If the rain is responsible, the village should not exist. Yet it does, so the rain can¡¯t be the problem. In that regard, what else could it be?¡± Sir Salim spoke like a philosopher. ¡°We are missing something. The answer could be clear. Or it could be clasped in a hazy fog. I suggest we get ready for bed. Tomorrow may be long.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I replied. The lack of beds didn¡¯t discomfort me. I was used to sleeping on the floor or against a wall, so I took the latter and let my maids rest peacefully on my lap.


    I closed my eyes, and darkness soon followed...


    Morning arrived and brought an answered prayer. We were gathered around a table Sir Salim retrieved from a storage skill.


    ¡°It was so dark,¡± Renata said, whispering. She held her wrist to stop it from trembling. ¡°I didn¡¯t want to leave. I mean, how could I? Here... The outside is scary. I don¡¯t like it. I wished I could just run away from it all. If I stopped focusing... The crimson returns. The heat arrives. I had to... It¡¯s hard to explain. I had to focus on being alone. Inside? I knew I was choosing a dead fantasy over a harmful reality. Even so? I didn¡¯t want to leave.¡± Her mind moved a thousand miles a second. She wasn¡¯t logical in her recollection, but no one could blame her.


    The important thing is that she¡¯s here.


    ¡°I guess things changed when I ate your food, Sir Salim. I felt warmth in my stomach. It didn¡¯t make the crimson and heat disappear, but it...made me feel better. Then the azure came. I think it was when Benny took me to the river. Suddenly, the darkness I¡¯d come to cherish turned frigid. Water filled everywhere, and I wasn¡¯t scared when it enveloped me. I felt...free? I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s the right word, but I love the water. I love to fish. I love everything about the ocean.¡±


    Renata paused to collect her thoughts before continuing.


    ¡°I can¡¯t explain why¡ª I just do. And... I swam to the surface. Not to escape what I love. I used it to help me return to the real world. I can¡¯t keep running away, can I? I know...what happened. I know what I did. I can¡¯t take it away. I can say it was an accident until the end of my life, but I¡¯m still responsible because I¡¯m at fault for letting that magic get out of control. Sir Salim? Thank you for knocking me out. You saved our lives. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m a coward. Really, I am. I just wanted to run away, and--¡±


    ¡°Do not apologize,¡± Sir Salim said, cutting her off. ¡°You have done nothing wrong.¡± Renata softly smiled at our team leader. ¡°It is a joy to see you smile once again.¡±


    ¡°Thank you. It¡¯s... It¡¯s good to be back. Umm... What...all did I miss?¡±


    ¡°Well...¡± I began, summarizing the past few weeks.


    ¡°I...¡± Renata looked away and bit her lips. She squinched her nose and shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you had to do my missions for me, Shiku. I¡¯ll repay you. I don¡¯t know how, but I will. Laika... Leika... That¡¯s awful.¡± She slid closer and carefully rubbed their heads¡ªthey were still asleep on my lap. ¡°It¡¯s probably the same with them,¡± whispered Renata. ¡°I don¡¯t know for sure, but they¡¯re trapped. And they don¡¯t want to wake up. It¡¯s like two different personalities are there. The one they have, and one created to handle the trauma. I want to help them.¡±


    ¡°Then can I ask a favor?¡± The spearfisher nodded. ¡°Can you look after them? Sir Salim, I think I want to travel to the land bridge. You leapt across the lake yesterday, so I¡¯ll go the long way to verify the monsters¡¯ aggro range.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea,¡± said Sir Salim. Renata¡¯s stomach growled. ¡°Let¡¯s discuss our plans during breakfast.¡±


    I¡¯d been smelling something delicious for a while. Gently, I awoke my maids. They slowly blinked at Renata before turning to me. ¡°Are you hungry? It¡¯s time to eat.¡±


    Together, we descended to the lobby and saw the innkeepers had prepared food on a table in the dining hall. The inn was small¡ªmuch like the rest of the houses. ¡°It¡¯s thanks to your hunting, my lord,¡± said the elderly man. ¡°Please, enjoy it.¡±


    The horn croc filets were crispy and tender. The flavor wasn¡¯t anything exotic¡ªjust salt and pepper since other seasonings weren¡¯t readily available in the remote parts of this world¡ªbut it was baked with care. It was the same with glass. Only a few houses here had windows. The others had curtains or a blanket over a hole.


    ¡°Thank you. It looks incredible.¡± We ate after Sir Salim said his prayer.


    ¡°If the famine makes it harder to grow produce. And the monsters are too tough to kill... Why not turn to the river for food?¡±


    ¡°I can answer that, lassie,¡± said the village elder, who walked in. ¡°You¡¯re not the first to suggest that. And you won¡¯t be the last. Animals have levels. That includes fish. I¡¯m afraid they¡¯re too strong to be reeled in by our kinfolk. We¡¯re surrounded by the strong with no way to level up outside of leaving the village. Aronza¡¯s been good to us. We¡¯re almost solitary, I suppose. We don¡¯t leave without a good reason. And sometimes, even that ain¡¯t good enough.¡±


    ¡°The fish¡¯s average level is 30. Even the smallest is five feet long,¡± said Sir Salim. ¡°I used wind magic to blow a few out of the river yesterday, and not one weighed less than seventy pounds.¡±


    ¡°Seventy, ye say? That¡¯s about twenty pounds heavier than our last attempt. They must be feeding good,¡± added the elder. ¡°Fishing implies they¡¯re alive. Maybe it¡¯s one thing if they¡¯re dead, so explain how we are supposed to do that.¡± Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com


    ¡°I would say spearfishing. That''s my specialty, Mr. Elder. That¡¯s not enough if the thrower cannot accurately track their prey... So what about fish traps? We can spread them across the river. They¡¯d be constructed so the fish could enter, and the gate behind them would close. It¡¯ll trap them.¡±


    ¡°Sorry. I can¡¯t approve.¡± The elder vetoed the idea. ¡°What if a monster uses it as a bridge? We can¡¯t have a repeat of that incident.¡±


    ¡°I can stand guard. I can... Ah, that¡¯s it. Benny, you think you can make something?¡± Renata retrieved a notebook and pen and drew a design. ¡°It¡¯ll span 1/3rd the river. It¡¯s shaped like a semi-circle. These flaps can be pushed in, and these latches prevent the fish from leaving. I remember seeing a tree, so we can use that to make a pulley.¡±


    ¡°I sense your hesitation, elder,¡± said Sir Salim. ¡°I shall stand guard as well. I promise on my wife and child that no monster shall cross over.¡±


    ¡°Well... I¡¯ve seen your strength. And you have the face of an honest man, my lord... Aye, very well. We¡¯ll do it your way. And if it works, forgive me for my hesitation, girlie. We aren¡¯t used to changes. Our status quo is what we know, and we thrive on it. Aronza Village hardly gets anyone new every once in a blue moon.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of the blue moon, elder. I know that¡¯s a common saying...¡± Sir Salim segued into his concerns about the dungeon and oversaturated clouds, along with the soil harboring far more mana than it should have.


    ¡°The dungeon? We¡¯ve always thought it was possible. We and the village lack the means to investigate. The clouds, though? I can¡¯t recall anyone considering it. Then again, I¡¯m far from the first elder.¡±


    ¡°Do you have any historians? Any written records of past elders that may have noticed something?¡±


    I nodded. ¡°What about you two?¡±


    ¡°I...think I want to sleep outside tonight. Next to the dock, I mean. I want to drift off to the river. And Benny? Do you want to join me?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± He slowly intertwined his fingers in hers. We watched as the butchers grabbed the cages and dragged them away. The crowd followed, and I returned to the inn with my maids.


    The streets were filled with excitement. The villagers weren¡¯t heading to bed early¡ªnot when fresh fish was on the menu. A late dinner never hurt. And after we solved this mystery and departed Aronza Village?


    I hoped... I really, truly hoped the village would improve.


    Poverty sucked. Hunger pangs felt atrocious. No one¡ªno man, woman, or child should ever have to go to sleep hungry. This world was awful and cruel. Maybe we could shine a light of hope? Helping others?


    ¡°Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,¡± I whispered, reciting the golden rule. I wasn¡¯t religious¡ªfar from it¡ªespecially after being summoned here.


    I helped throw Shuuta into the void. Isn¡¯t that the fate awaiting me? No amount of good deeds can make up for that. I can try, but it¡¯ll never be enough.


    ¡°I take it you¡¯ve been by the newly added dock?¡± asked Sir Salim as I entered our room. His spear¡¯s tip held a flickering flame that softly illuminated his surroundings.


    ¡°Yes. Seems I¡¯m the straggler, huh? I¡¯m the only one without a Soul Weapon.¡±


    ¡°Does that discomfort you?¡±


    ¡°No. I thought it would,¡± I said, sitting at the table. Laika and Leika rested their heads on my shoulders. ¡°But I¡¯m not dismayed or disheartened.¡±


    ¡°The poison of envy doesn¡¯t taint your blood?¡±


    ¡°No. Not really. I¡¯m happy. I really am. When I see how much Renata¡¯s smiling? Or how confident Benedict looks? I don¡¯t think I can be jealous even if I tried. But maybe that says something else about me. Something I¡¯d rather not get into.¡±


    ¡°Mm... I sense uncertainty. But that¡¯s fine. What have you learned?¡±


    ¡°The land bridge almost reminds me of an invisible fence. The monsters I saw wouldn¡¯t cross. I tried to tempt them with rocks, but they only stared.¡±


    ¡°Did you see their eyes?¡±


    ¡°I did. They were red. Why can¡¯t they cross? If the land bridge is a fence, then it must be the end. The village should be well within it. They¡¯re strong enough to wade through the river, so why do they need a bridge? Could there be something in the water?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s possible, but it can¡¯t be poisonous. This village would have long been extinct if the water was harmful.¡±


    ¡°How did your meeting go?¡±


    ¡°Sadly, it bore no fruit,¡± replied Sir Salim. He looked out the window and sighed. ¡°The only solution is to delve into the dungeon and discover what secret, if any, it holds. I¡¯m certain it has been conquered in the past, but I did not find any records within the writings given to me.¡±


    ¡°When are we leaving?¡±


    ¡°Within the week. We cannot know what we will find, so preparations must be made. But it shall be us. Renata and Benedict shall remain here and help the village. That extends, of course, to Laika and Leika.¡±


    ¡°Renata¡¯s Soul Weapon boosts her damage against aquatic monsters, but she¡¯s not cut out for fighting,¡± I admitted. Laika and Leika shuddered. They weren¡¯t well enough to do much of anything. Their reaction almost felt like it came from their subconsciousness. They heard something about me leaving and reacted appropriately.


    If Renata¡¯s right, my maids are trapped in their minds. They don¡¯t want to confront reality. It¡¯s like they¡¯re on autopilot or something. Can I free them? What can I do?


    ¡°Where are you going?¡± Sir Salim stood and retrieved his spear.


    ¡°To the dock. I¡¯ll tell those two about our plan. Stay here and get some rest.¡± He gestured to the two sisters. ¡°Talk with them again. Let your words be the guiding flame they¡¯re desperately seeking. I have a busy schedule, so I won¡¯t return before morning. Renata and Benedict have much to discuss with the other, so use this time however you feel it is necessary, my friend.¡±


    Sir Salim smiled. The door quietly closed when he left, and I was alone.


    No.


    Not alone.


    I¡¯d never be alone. Not when I was surrounded by the ones I cherished. I sighed and laid down. Laika and Leika followed and used my shoulders as pillows. Those gorgeous, slightly dim eyes looked upon me. A faint smile crept across their lips.


    ¡°It was a night like this after the incident. I felt something shake the bed, and you two were straddling my legs in your nightgowns. I don¡¯t know if what we did was a mistake. You weren¡¯t in the right state of mind. But... I guess that says a lot about me, right? I...didn¡¯t try to stop you. Or if I did, it wasn¡¯t much. Maybe if this was a fairy tale, what we experienced would¡¯ve been enough to wake you. Maybe that¡¯s what I secretly hoped.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The two remained silent, and a piece of hope buried in my heart perished with it.


    ¡°I didn¡¯t fight back. Maybe I wanted to make love with you two. Meruria suggested it when we met. And I¡¯m a guy. Even if I liked girly outfits and...dressing pretty, I have urges. I couldn¡¯t deny them that night. And I still think about it.¡± Even now? The events replayed like a movie. I still remember the thumping in my chest. My heart had beat out of control when they held my hands to their cheeks. Or when they slowly undressed. Or when they wanted me to touch them all over as they rubbed their wettest spot against my thighs.


    And when they stripped and used their tongues to lick me...


    And the weight I felt when Laika straddled me, making me experience a blissful warmth I¡¯d never experienced before. Or how Leika shuddered slightly when Laika helped her gyrate her hips when it was her turn.


    I wasn¡¯t the biggest. I knew I was smaller than average¡ªeverything about my body screamed ¡®petite.¡¯


    We weren¡¯t faking our feelings. Those expressions and noises couldn¡¯t be fabricated.


    Objectively? It was a mistake. Yet I never wanted to consider it one.


    I didn¡¯t pull out. I don¡¯t know the chances, but what if they¡¯re pregnant? Do I even deserve to be a father?


    Before I knew it...


    I was crying.


    My sight was blurry because all I could think about was him.


    Does it even matter what I feel? When he felt worse? When he had more to fear? When he faced the end? And I was a part of his demise?


    ¡°Damn it...¡± I cursed and tried to bite my lips¡ªit didn¡¯t matter the source, I just wanted to feel...


    Something.


    Pain, I guess. Pain that he probably felt.


    It didn¡¯t hurt because I couldn''t bite myself. Instead, my lips were occupied by Leika¡¯s love. And then Laika gave me a kiss. They propped themselves up and grabbed my hands, then held them to their heart.


    The two cried with me.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m feeling so pathetic when you two need me. More than... No, I won¡¯t finish that. We¡¯re about to make a mistake. Is it one? Can it be one when it feels so right?¡± I couldn¡¯t ignore the pressure between my legs. My body desired this. And my heart fell to the whims of my growing lust and a faint hope that no longer sparkled.


    Slowly, Laika and Leika moved my hands to their breasts as I leaned up. We kissed passionately until we yearned for oxygen, but our flames burned bright. Air was second nature when I wanted nothing more than to hold their bodies against me...


    Miracles don¡¯t exist. If they do. Please... Please let this be one.

 Intermission – Shiku – Heartbreaking Realization – Part Three

    Intermission ¨C Shiku ¨C Heartbreaking Realization ¨C Part Three


    It was still dark when I woke up in a haze of exhaustion.


    That¡¯s right. We did it last night. Did... Did we fall asleep like this? I was on my back in the middle, right? I didn¡¯t have my face buried in Laika¡¯s chest.


    ¡°Good morning, Lord Shiku.¡±


    My heart stopped. I looked up and saw Laika¡¯s gentle face. Her glistening eyes looked down, and she had the prettiest smile. It wasn¡¯t just her... I was also being hugged from behind, and I met Leika¡¯s soft gaze when I glanced over my shoulder.


    ¡°Good morning, my lord,¡± she whispered.


    ¡°I... Laika! Leika!¡± I immediately sat up and wrapped my arms around them. The tears wouldn¡¯t stop.


    It¡¯s a miracle... It¡¯s really a miracle!!!


    ¡°We¡¯re sorry... We¡¯re so sorry...¡±


    ¡°Stop that! You¡¯ve done nothing to apologize for! I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re here! It¡¯s been so long...since I¡¯ve heard you say my name... Thank you... Thank you...¡±


    I didn¡¯t want to let them go. I just didn¡¯t. Not when they had returned to me. It had been so long since I saw those fluffy ears twitch. Or those furry tails wag with anything less than euphoric glee.


    ¡°We must, Lord Shiku. We... We were trapped. After learning the fate of our family, we closed ourselves off. We didn¡¯t want to think anymore,¡± said Laika. ¡°Father¡¯s tried for so long to get our family back into Lord Meruria¡¯s good graces. We were elated when we were told to serve a Soul Warrior. However... The Barkwoods are no more.¡±


    ¡°Reality¡¯s scary. It¡¯s uncomfortable and uneasy. My sister and I wanted to...stop thinking. Why should we embrace what¡¯s trying to hurt us when we could just...stop?¡± asked Leika.


    That¡¯s just like what Renata said. It¡¯s almost eerily similar, yet it doesn¡¯t matter. They¡¯re back.


    ¡°The darkness was comfortable. I had my sister. And we had each other. We could live without pain, and our bodies would act on our unconscious desires. It sounds odd, Lord Shiku, but it made sense to us,¡± argued Laika.


    ¡°Until we felt something warmth. It was like a beacon or lighthouse that cast a glimmering shadow on our desired darkness. However... We couldn¡¯t remain there. It wasn¡¯t fair to you. And I¡¯m sorry...¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t care because we were afraid of getting hurt. Leika and I are the last of our names. And we¡¯re...not exemplary models of what a Barkwood should be. We don¡¯t think like that anymore. Not when we have someone like you, Lord Shiku. You never gave up on us. You never abandoned us. You¡¯ve always been there...when we needed you the most. When you had all the right to sell us and get someone more worthy to attend to you. You stood by us. And... And...¡±


    ¡°Please, let us remain with you, Lord Shiku. Please... We... We love you so much.¡±


    Love, huh? I... That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been feeling. Love for them and love for my team.


    ¡°We¡¯ll never be apart,¡± I whispered. ¡°I never, ever thought about getting rid of you. You two have my heart, so let me have yours. I love you.¡±


    ¡°Lord Shiku...¡± Laika sniffled. Leika whimpered. They jumped towards me, knocking us to the ground. They cried into my chest as I rubbed their trembling backs. We shared our happy tears until the morning sun shone warmly through the window.


    And even then...


    I never wanted to let them go.


    There¡¯s only one thing to do, right? It¡¯s what a man must do to take responsibility. I... Even if I feel this happiness is beyond someone like me, I¡¯ll make them happy.


    ¡°Eh? Lord Shiku, what...¡± The sisters were stunned as I stepped back and kneeled.


    ¡°I don¡¯t have a ring,¡± I said, taking their hands. ¡°And the environment isn¡¯t right. I don¡¯t want to delay it. Laika, Leika? I wasn¡¯t happy in my world. I hated it. It¡¯s an ugly, horrible place that denied me the right to be who I wanted. And I thought the same was here. No, I still think it. There¡¯s a difference, though. And that¡¯s you. You¡¯re in my life. I... I never thought I¡¯d feel this way about anyone.¡± My voice quivered like an uneven ramp. And you two make this world worth living in. So... Will you... Will you two marry me? And allow me to be your husband? I promise... I swear... I¡¯ll do everything to make you two the happiest in the world.¡±


    Benedict, Renata, and Sir Salim were waiting downstairs. They sat around a table and discussed business, only turning their heads when they heard footsteps. The water-loving girl¡¯s jaw dropped upon seeing Laika and Leika. She ran over, almost falling, and scrambled as she hugged the two. ¡°I knew it,¡± she said, crying with a smile. ¡°I know you¡¯d come back!¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve missed you, Lady Renata,¡± said Laika. Her voice shared a weakness with her sister. ¡°It warms our hearts to see you again. And you as well, Lord Benedict and Sir Salim.¡±


    We walked to the table and sat. Leika¡¯s ears and tail kept wagging.


    ¡°You two seem to be in cheery spirits.¡±


    ¡°Of course we are, Lord Benedict. How could we not be elated when our spouse''s love flows through us?¡±


    ¡°Spouse?!¡± coughed Renata. ¡°Leika, does that...¡±


    ¡°Indeed! Our darling husband asked for our hand in marriage, and we agreed! And... Sister, should we start thinking of baby names?¡±


    ¡°Baby?!¡± The steel-minded Sir Salim was caught off guard.


    ¡°After last night...¡± Laika blushed. ¡°It is still too soon to tell, but we may be nurturing Lord Shiku¡¯s children.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s amazing! I can¡¯t even begin to say how happy I am for you!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lady Renata! Umm... I know...we...perhaps didn¡¯t treat you...the best. Please forgive us. We may have been short with our words. And we¡¯re sorry. We really are.¡±


    ¡°Hey, it¡¯s water under the bridge.¡± She held their hands and couldn¡¯t stop a few years from trailing her cheeks. ¡°Oh, you must let me be a bridesmaid at the wedding!¡±


    ¡°Bridesmaid?¡± Laika confusingly looked at her sister. ¡°We¡¯re unfamiliar with that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s from our world. When two people are married, they¡¯re accompanied by a small group. For the groom, it¡¯s the best man and the groomsman. For the bride, it¡¯s the maid of honor and bridesmaid.¡±


    ¡°I agree with my sister,¡± said Leika. ¡°Don¡¯t deny who you want to be. Don¡¯t be afraid to open up to us about anything you want, Lord Shiku. If I may be bold... I think it might be fun to go shopping together for clothes and accessories and ribbons we can share.¡±


    ¡°But he isn¡¯t here.¡± The topic changed to him. Any confidence I felt... died. Weakness overtook me. ¡°I... You didn¡¯t see the look in his eyes.¡±


    ¡°You had no choice. The order came from Lord Meruria. Refusal would¡¯ve made her cast punishment upon you. Your feelings prove your kind nature.¡±


    ¡°I wasn¡¯t close to him. I didn¡¯t know who Shuuta was... My mind always wanders and circles back to him. I have this baggage, Laika. Leika, I killed him. I can¡¯t paint it any other way. I know it was orders. I know I had no choice.¡±


    That¡¯s what I tell myself, right? I¡¯m just following orders.


    ¡°How... How can I get over it? Can I get over it? It¡¯s been months. And... I¡¯m... Just so afraid... That... I¡¯ll...¡± It was hard to see. My voice was choked and sputtering.


    ¡°You stood by us when we needed it the most. So, let us help you. Share your worries with us, Lord Shiku. Speak your mind, and we shall listen. Ask for assistance, and we shall provide it for the one we cherish above all else.¡±


    And...


    I did...


    This wouldn¡¯t be the last time I let my thoughts about him overflow. But to get it off my chest...


    It felt good. I knew I had to get over it. One way or another... I couldn¡¯t let Lord Meruria¡¯s forced order taint me from the happiness I found.


    I didn¡¯t know if it helped, though. I didn¡¯t want the night to end on a sour note. And neither did my future wives. It wasn''t right. Why stain our new lives with the glimmering shade of regret when we should¡¯ve been happy?


    Slowly, their hands went down my body, rubbing my chest, stomach, and thighs, and stopped at...that.


    ¡°Let us enjoy another night together, Lord Shiku. Let us wish you a safe return since you have two very eager wives-to-be waiting on you. Leika?¡± Laika extended her hand. Leika took it, and...


    How many times have I been inside her? This feeling will never get old.


    I leaned up and hugged her. ¡°I love you, Leika.¡±


    ¡°I love you, Lord Shiku.¡±


    We displayed our adoration until midnight...and I swore...


    I swore... This happiness I felt? I¡¯d learn from it. And I¡¯d replicate it for the many years ahead of us.


    The morning of our departure reared its anticipatory head. Renata, Benedict, a few villagers, and my future wives wished us well as we left for the dungeon. We hopped across the river and jogged to the entrance. It was a decrepit building that seemed suitable for a horror house. Neglectful cracks lined the stone walls as flickering torches guided us down the stairs into the lobby. I was surprised... Information about the dungeon was scarce, but we knew it was aquatic. We didn''t expect it to go that deep underground. It held flowing rivers and sluice gates that needed to be opened and closed to progress.


    Raising and lowering the water level was vital for progression. Multiple parties were allowed within the dungeon, so communication had to be prioritized to prevent a friendly face from being swept away by the powerful currents.


    The place reminded me of a sewer-filled aqueduct. It was cramped and narrow, soggy and moist. Water constantly rained from above, and the monsters were in a frenzy. They weren¡¯t anything problematic to Sir Salim and me. We carved our way through without issues until my mentor sensed my heart¡¯s worries.


    ¡°You still cannot accept your happiness?¡± he asked after we rested for a break in a hidden room on the third basement. Water leaked from the crusty pipes and noisily dripped like an irritating itch.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s something I¡¯ve debated against myself. I talked with Laika and Leika about it last night. It¡¯s not fair to them. I know I must get over it.¡± I was sure Sir Salim knew the details about Tokko and Shuuta, so I told him my past. ¡°I watched the rigged trial. And I helped throw him into the void. I know I had no choice. Lord Meruria¡¯s...presence was overbearing. It felt like I¡¯d have done anything she asked. Sir Salim... How do I rid myself of cowardice? I can still feel it. It¡¯s Tokko. The inadequacy prevented me from standing up to him. He used to see me for me. Or that¡¯s what I thought since that¡¯s not true anymore. I showed him what I thought society needed to see me. I... I don¡¯t like...being like this. I was so afraid of being who I wanted that I didn¡¯t want Tokko to leave me. So, I clung to him.¡±


    ¡°Your life has been hard,¡± Sir Salim said. ¡°Forced to kill criminals... Suffering abuse while hiding who you wish to be...¡± Then my stomach churned. ¡°The path ahead does not illuminate with what you seek. This world isn¡¯t one to showcase kindness. It does not freely hand it out. Instead, you must grasp and fight for it. You must use this world¡¯s rule of might is right and carve your place. You have two lovely ladies awaiting your safe return, my friend. I need not say anymore, so I¡¯ll end it here. Never underestimate the value of a woman¡¯s wisdom. You have allies and help wherever you look. Others aren¡¯t lucky to have as many blessings as you do.¡±


    ¡°Blessings?¡±


    ¡°Is that not the right word?¡±


    ¡°No¡ªit might be. You¡¯re right. I do have things to be thankful for. You know... Before this... When I confronted Tokko in his office... I thought I was going to die. He¡¯s the type to remove a diseased arm before allowing it to heal. So, I was afraid for Renata. In our world... You had to be useful. You had to bring something to the table. In theory, there weren¡¯t any free rides. You were solely judged on your merit and nothing else. So... Finishing Renata¡¯s missions went against that. He summoned his weapons, you know.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I was...this close to dying Sir Salim.¡± I made a pinching motion with my thumb and index. ¡°But he spared me. And if I¡¯m honest? I...don¡¯t know why. I really don¡¯t. I¡¯m glad I¡¯m alive. It¡¯s like you said. I have something to fight for. I never had that before.¡±


    ¡°Then the fear you sense is normal. Everyone is afraid of losing what they hold dear to their heart. For someone who had nothing and obtained something? The new feeling can be difficult to understand.¡± Sir Salim looked at the campfire and rested a hand on his spear. He came from a different culture. His concerns differed from mine. There were over 500 years between us, yet he empathized with me. That kindness was severely lacking in this world.


    I¡¯m glad he was chosen to be our mentor.


    I¡¯d kept my true self hidden for so long that this...mess of a man I was felt like the one buried beneath the skin and muscle.


    ¡°You don¡¯t...think it¡¯s strange for a man to want to wear a dress? Or put on make-up?¡±


    ¡°Rephrase it. Why should someone be hysterical when they see an individual partaking in a hobby that does not interfere with their life? I wish I could say I have always felt that way, but that would be a lie. And I don¡¯t want to lie to my comrades. Had we met when I was younger, I would¡¯ve turned my nose and judged you. I¡¯ve grown during my time here. I¡¯ve matured after enduring more hardships than a man from our world would ever experience. I see things for what they are, not what I thought my bias should see them as. Do what makes you happy, my friend. And don¡¯t let anyone tell you otherwise.¡±


    ¡°That makes me feel better. Thank you, Sir Salim.¡±


    Sir Salim nodded, and we ended the night in silence.


    Morning arrived, and we broke bread and had water before continuing. Breakfast felt more refreshing than usual. My worries were there¡ªbut I wasn¡¯t letting them chain me. That wasn¡¯t to say I was...accepting of my sins. I¡¯d probably never get over them. I believed I had heard a saying.


    What happened to me wasn¡¯t my fault, yet it¡¯s my responsibility to heal it. That¡¯s what I must do. And I won¡¯t do it alone.

 Intermission – Shiku – Heartbreaking Realization – Part Four

    Intermission ¨C Shiku ¨C Heartbreaking Realization ¨C Part Four


    Two days later, after getting trapped behind a puzzle where you had to equalize two underground reservoirs using pipes and flood control barriers... We arrived at the boss''s door.


    It cried a deep growl as it opened, revealing a deep, blue crystal that hovered in the middle. Malicious red tendrils latched into the ground and ceiling like a deadly web. And there was a hole above it. We cautiously approached and looked up. Sir Salim used [Mana Perception] and verified something he feared.


    A catastrophic amount of mana was flooding upwards. Sir Salim couldn¡¯t see it from our inn, so he assumed we had traveled quite some distance during the dungeon trip. This place was more monumental than we were led to believe. Aronza Village¡¯s historians didn¡¯t have much info. Few people visited this section of Uquenia because of the higher-level monsters.


    I surmised the mana filled the atmosphere and became diluted over time. The rainy season often brought wind, and the mana soaked into the clouds, which always led to Aronza Village. The mana-filled rain would enrage the monsters, which made them leave the dungeon. They couldn¡¯t cross the land bridge because perhaps that was where the dungeon ended?


    However, what if they never left the dungeon? What if everything above and outside was considered part of it?


    The monsters entered the village when that other bridge was built because Aronza Village was within the dungeon''s range. If you drew a circle with the dungeon in the middle, the village would be in it. The land bridge had to be on the edge, just a smidge outside.


    That was my hypothesis, anyway, after having a few more days to think on it.


    That doesn¡¯t explain the river. How does that play into it? Why can''t the monsters swim through it? What are they afraid of?


    Sir Salim raised his spear, and the crystal flashed. The tendrils pulsed different colors and spawned monsters. The mana surging skyward became visible to me¡ªsomeone without [Mana Perception]¡ªand the crimson glow illuminated the room and eliminated all shadows as the ground warmed. It was like walking on a red lightbulb.


    A fight began. Sir Salim had trained me during our descent. I flourished my staff and fought defensively, using the horn crocs¡¯ weight against them. The water buffalo rhinos couldn¡¯t match my speed as I weaved between them. Their anger was their downfall¡ªI waited for one to charge before dashing away, and I left them to damage each other. Sir Salim focused on the crystal. It had birthed a dozen more energy vines and attacked without rest, but he was experienced.


    ¡°[Flourish Beam]!¡± My mentor¡¯s spear switched to a giant rose. The stem pierced the ground and wrapped him in iron-like leaves. The attacks it endured built up in the petals, where it launched a devastating attack, turning the damage he would¡¯ve sustained upon the crystal.


    The beam pierced through. The horn crocs surrounding me ceased moving. The remaining monsters violently convulsed as if something buried deep within was about to erupt.


    A portal to the lobby appeared, yet the boss didn¡¯t drop anything. Everything felt strange. We didn¡¯t get any title or notification for completing the dungeon.


    ¡°Something isn¡¯t right...¡± Sir Salim redoubled the grip on his spear and turned it into Wind Flash¡ªits fastest form.


    A dull siren filled the room. The destroyed crystal regained its luster and slowly spun.


    We watched without knowing what to do. Sir Salim tried to attack it. He sent barreling gusts of razor-sharp winds to swarm it, but the crystal pulsed. Black tendrils rampaged around the room, crackled like lightning, and pierced my shoulders.


    ¡°Shiku!!!!¡± Sir Salim shouted my name as we were picked up. The crystal slammed us into the walls and ceiling before throwing us through the portal.


    We landed with a thud. My mentor healed my wounds as the ground shook. The dungeon cried¡ªalmost moaning in despair. The ceiling started collapsing. The trembling only became stronger. Sir Salim grabbed my arm and dashed, covering us in wind as we barely escaped. The foreboding building marking the dungeon¡¯s entrance exploded. The force sent us flying. We tumbled on the ground, slid through dew-soaked grass, and finally stopped.


    ¡°Are you okay?!¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªYeah. I¡¯m fine.¡± Sir Salim let me go. A piercing beam of red mana shot into the distant sky and exploded, sending scattering fragments down as if they were shooting stars.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± I looked at the sky and saw Tokko and Mia. Her staff glimmered a soft light as they descended. The angelic wings protruding from their backs¡ªfrom flight magic¡ª vanished.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?!¡±


    ¡°You solved the mystery of the dungeon. Well done. Now it¡¯s time to see if Renata has what it takes.¡±


    ¡°What the hell are you talking about?! Stop speaking in riddles!¡±


    ¡°Riddles? Oh, you disappoint me more and more.¡± Tokko frowned.


    ¡°It really is pathetic, Shiku,¡± said Mia. She ran her gloved hand through her brown hair and slowly shook her head. ¡°You¡¯ve softened and changed. It¡¯s disappointing...¡± Mia raised her staff, and a white light encompassed us.


    Suddenly, I was thirty feet above Aronza Village on a magical platform made of crystalized light.


    Sir Salim stood near me. A moment later, Renata, Benedict, and my future wives appeared. ¡°Lord Shiku!¡± they cried, grabbing my arms. ¡°What¡¯s happening?!¡±


    ¡°What the hell is going on?!¡± Renata exclaimed, water dripping off her body. She must¡¯ve been in the river. ¡°There was that explosion! And¡ª"


    Tokko appeared in a flash of light and gestured to the village below us. We saw people gathering near the elder¡¯s house, but I doubt they saw us. ¡°Aronza Village used to have another name. Centuries ago, this area was called the Land of Challenge. The dungeon¡¯s always been here. The monsters have always been ferocious. Brave souls traveled far and wide to test their might against these bloodthirsty foes. Aronza Village is the product of the people who settled down and planted their roots. Their history has been lost to time. No one here remembers the truth.¡±


    ¡°What are you doing?! Let me go!¡± I screamed at Sir Salim. He caught my arm and threw me to the ground. He rested his knee on the back of my neck.


    ¡°Sir Salim?!¡± Laika growled and used support magic on me, but it didn¡¯t work. Leika charged and punched him. Mia waved her staff, and my fiance?s collapsed to the ground, unconscious.


    ¡°...¡± He didn¡¯t reply. His shameful look said it all. I looked at Benedict. Tokko¡¯s tower shields enclosed him from all sides.


    ¡°What are you doing?! Please, Sir Salim... LET ME GO!!!!¡± I pleaded with him, but he agonizingly shook his head. I screamed and struggled, and Tokko laughed. He crouched and revealed a startling truth after telling Sir Salim to remove his armor.


    I had never seen his bare chest. It was broad and rugged and bore a deep scar across his sternum. ¡°It¡¯s a type of slave seal. It embeds deep in the heart and connects to the soul. Effectively, it binds the user to the target. A portion of strength flows to the slave¡¯s master. Lord Meruria has passed control to me for this mission. Salim tried to escape in the past. It didn¡¯t work, and he was punished by hunting and killing the ones who had gotten away. And now? He¡¯s a loyal hound in our service. Increase your grip, dog. Shatter Shiku¡¯s wrist. Punish him for going against direct orders.¡±


    Snap!


    ¡°GAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!!!¡±


    Benedict struggled. He fought like hell against those tower shields pinning him in place. Mia smacked him with her staff and told him to calm down.


    ¡°MAKE IT STOP!!!! I DON¡¯T WANT THIS!!! BENNY!!!!¡± Renata¡¯s screams drowned mine. We looked and saw a red mist...


    [Blood Boil].


    She dropped to her knees and tore at her cheeks and hair. ¡°STOP IT!!!! STOP IT!!!!¡±


    ¡°Renata!!!!!¡±


    ¡°Do we have our answer?¡±


    ¡°I believe we do,¡± Mia replied. My vision was hazy. Sir Salim kept increasing the pressure on my broken wrist. It became difficult to breathe from his knee. I vaguely saw Mia use a spell to knock Renata unconscious. She was teleported to us, and Mia raised her staff as a faint speck fluttered to the village¡¯s center.


    It touched the ground...and everything was gone in a blindingly bright explosion that decimated...everything. The crater left behind... The scale was maddening. How...could so much be wiped away so...easily?


    ¡°That is the cost of failure, Renata,¡± she said, her voice cold. ¡°You could not complete your task. Your mission goes unresolved. Their deaths are on your hands, and you only have yourself to blame.¡±


    The pain became too much, and everything went black.


    I next awoke on my knees inside a sealed room. Lord Meruria, Tokko, and Mia stood near a table. Renata was on it, her shirt undone.


    ¡°Failure is as failure does. You¡¯re worth more to me alive than dead. I won¡¯t sacrifice you to the void... [Blood Boil] is certainly an efficient spell. That¡¯s your only use unless you can convince me you¡¯re worth more, but that time has come and passed. You had your chance, and you squandered it.¡±


    Lord Meruria held a glowing scalpel as she cut into Renata¡¯s bare chest.


    My ally screamed and kicked her arms and legs. It was futile since magical restraints bound her to the table. ¡°There... The seal is done. You¡¯re mine, my dear. Your strength shall be mine. Your power will be mine. Your life? Hopes? Desires? They shall be mine to control... Blame your failures for this... All you had to do was exceed my standards. It wasn¡¯t hard. Since you cannot be trusted¡ªyour feelings are not what I desire... I shall claim ownership over them. Be happy knowing I hold the reigns to your soul...¡±


    Tokko grabbed Renata¡¯s arms and tossed her like trash to the floor. She landed near the fireplace, the warm glow illuminating a trail of blood descending to her stomach.


    One by one, the same happened to Benedict and my future wives, who were unconscious, and then it was my turn.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do this,¡± I pleaded. It was difficult to talk¡ªmy throat felt stuffed with sawdust. My eyes thickened with tears. ¡°Tokko... I loved you... I saw you as my hero... I wanted to become you... You were what I wished to be. Please, don¡¯t do this...¡± Tokko didn¡¯t reply. ¡°Don¡¯t¡ª GGGGAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!¡±


    That scalpel cut into my chest, and the agony was excruciatingly painful.


    ¡°Mmnn... This is your punishment for failing me,¡± said Lord Meruria. She paused for a second before continuing. "You pledged yourself to the Barkwood daughters, but answer me this, Shiku... The love you feel... Is it organic? Is it genuine? Or...¡± Lord Meruria¡¯s face twisted into a sadistic snarl. ¡°Or is it a product of my tampering? What if I told you I had planned to permanently engrave those feelings onto your soul had the mission been successful? Marriage and fatherhood would¡¯ve been your due reward for meeting my standards. Now... Am I speaking the truth? Or am I lying? What is real, Shiku? What is the truth? Who can you turn to if you cannot trust yourself?¡±


    No... That can¡¯t be true! I love Laika and Leika because I do! No one made me love them! No one... No...one...


    Right?


    I didn¡¯t remember the last thing I saw before the pain was too much to keep my eyes open...but it was probably Shuuta¡¯s laughing face...


    Out of everyone... He¡¯d be the happiest to see me like this...

 Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve – Part One

    Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve ¨C Part One


    While not at all initially related, Meruria concluded that this newly discovered Lyudmila Vredi Springfield¡ªa fusion of two forests, which shouldn¡¯t have been possible, and the High Elf of Liberation, a woman who used weapons of iron and firesalts while commanding a great lion of flames¡ª must have been one and the same.


    The whispers reached Meruria¡¯s ears shortly after the war concluded, but she didn¡¯t dispatch us to find her until after Shiku¡¯s team was sent to Aronza Village.


    Until then, we were ordered to help keep the peace since even a fool wouldn¡¯t expect life to be smooth sailing after annexation. Finnd new chapters at novelhall.comy tagged along as our escort to prevent us from having any ¡®cute ideas about running away¡¯ since we were leaving the Western Continent to find Lord Aetos of Aetos Village. Meruria said he¡¯d know where to find our target because he had ties to the late Vredi Forest.


    We learned about the devastation that destroyed Ria on the boat ride from Remy. Apparently, a powerful fire spirit went on a rampage, ruined the city, killed the Bellerophon soldiers stationed there, and wounded a tree called the Eagle Yew.


    Before that, Holy Lord Gloria apparently shut down the nearby dungeon because one of her Soul Warriors was killed? I didn¡¯t know why Remy told us this. I didn¡¯t understand the pros of intentionally crippling a major source of income either since Ria dwindled in popularity immediately after. The citizens who could leave abandoned the place like a sinking ship.


    I honestly didn¡¯t care.


    Seeing the bare Eagle Yew from hundreds of miles away was a heart-stopping sight. Melusine said there wasn¡¯t anything like this in her time, but the closest comparison was probably the late Vredi Forest. It was perhaps the most famous location in the world 1,000 years ago because its leadership stood as the cornerstone to stop the Dark Lord of Tyranny. Susize Vredi was the most powerful Soul Warrior of her time. And Aetos was her loyal Great Eagle, who became a Spirit Lord after his death.


    We couldn¡¯t land near Ria, so Remy docked the ship in a little cove about a week¡¯s travel from Aetos Village. We had to hike through rough terrain and brace a few ash storms. Apparently, there was a large field of ash¡ªabout as wide as a desert¡ªthat appeared because of an ancient volcano exploding in the past. It took up much of Dirge¡¯s central region and was populated by orphaned flame and earth spirits who relied on it for mana.


    Melusine knew of the volcano, but that was about it. It had erupted after her kingdom was transformed into a dungeon.


    Three days before reaching our destination, we saw the remains of a caravan smothered in ash and flames as bandits besieged the survivors. Remy yawned and walked away to do something else, but Melusine nearly lost herself. She looked at the towering Eagle Yew and fought with the intensity of the curse that had once claimed her.


    Perhaps she was fond of the Eagle Yew because it was directly connected to something from her time. She flew into the caravan¡¯s remains and used her ice to encapsulate the attackers, then shattered them to a thousand pieces with a snap of her finger.


    She shouted at them¡ªshe bared her feelings. Her voice was still heard hours after the bandits had died. Since Remy wasn¡¯t here, we spent the days helping the survivors. Elly sang and put on the show for the children, Greggie cooked with some supplies Mary¡¯s monsters had in storage, and Keeth worked hard to repair the damage to the wagons.


    Melusine went ahead of us on the morning of our arrival as we packed up camp. When we caught up with her at the village, we were surprised to see her engrossed in a conversation with a purple-haired fairy maid with two holstered revolvers. The two chatted like old friends. Mary said she¡¯d never seen Melusine act so naturally.


    It was a fraction of an instant. Tilde¡¯s smile completely vanished upon laying eyes on us.


    An uncomfortable dread flooded my heart, and it was later exacerbated when we learned Tilde¡¯s Master was the one we searched for.


    But why did I feel like that? I knew this world and its inhabitants wouldn¡¯t ever give me a break. I knew it was always plotting behind its back to come up with another way to fuck me over as if I was a whipping girl.


    In this case, I figured Lyudmila Vredi Springfield would¡¯ve been the next one to emotionally rake me over the coals. However...


    She wasn¡¯t like that. When I imagined a High Elf, I presumed them to be snobby, bitchy, and tense¡ªthose who looked at others as inferior species since they weren¡¯t affected by time.


    But no.


    She was kind. Her eyes were soft. Those tears that fell from her eyes when she played the flute near the grave felt genuine. Even those firearms and spear on her back seemed like tools of peace and not war.


    And that spirit... She also had a pistol attached to her hip. It seemed like guns were abundant around her, which wasn¡¯t something I had experienced since coming here.


    Or ever, really.


    Lord Springfield readily welcomed us into her extravagant mansion and had her maid prepare tea while we sat at the exquisite table in the dining hall. The small talk was pleasurable, and she verified the rumors I mentioned. But when it came to why we were here, she apologized and said she had business to attend to.


    ¡°I¡¯ll return before too long. Until then, please make yourselves at home,¡± she said, standing up. Tris and Tilde followed her out through the front door. Niva, Primrose, and Surtr remained behind to keep us company.


    It was probably my imagination, but...


    Was Lord Springfield...shivering?


    ¡°Surtr is telling them about the mansion and its former inhabitants,¡± Tris announced after we left. ¡°Melusine is nervous around him, and Elly and Ami are acting friendly with Niva and Primrose.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Master... We can¡¯t just keep walking into the forest. I know you already know what you must face. I¡¯m sorry if this hurts, but I''m neglecting my duties if I didn¡¯t bring it up.¡± Tilde grabbed my arm and anchored her feet. She hugged me, and we fell to the dying grass under a rotting tree.


    I didn¡¯t want to hear it.


    I wanted to rip my ears off and throw them away.


    When we encountered Team Quella, Tris used [Deduction] to learn their skills, then applied it again to everything they had...


    Including their journals...


    Their hidden, darkest secrets were known to her. Quella kept hers in a spacial spell. A useless gesture since its contents were still analyzed by my Fragment of Wisdom and communicated through Tilde via waypoint messaging only she could see.


    It took all I had...to not show any emotion. I had felt like a stiff robot when I spoke and created an excuse to run away to handle my feelings.


    ¡°You know Meruria rigged it all. She made the bell ring. She... She¡¯s a right bitch, Master. But Quella truly wanted to save you. She still thinks about Shuuta Fenton. Greggie and Keeth considered you their friend. Meruria¡¯s trying to make them regret speaking up for Shuuta. Elly says she¡¯ll never feel that way. They¡ª¡±


    ¡°Please... I don¡¯t wish to hear it. Just...shut up, please... Stop talking... If you say it... It... It means...¡±


    ¡°I know. It¡¯s for your own sake.¡±


    ¡°My anger is what kept me going. My desire for revenge? I need it. It¡¯s... Losing it... I just can¡¯t,¡± I replied. I hugged my fairy harder.


    ¡°That¡¯s not true! You still have a target! You still have Meruria. She needs to die¡ªshe will die. There is no redeeming what she and the other sons of bitches did! I want to see Tokko, Mia, Shiku, Damon, and Will suffer for what they did to you! You will stand tall over their corpses! And you will kill them! Your revenge still burns, Master! But...¡±


    Deep down?


    I knew Tilde spoke the truth.


    I knew Quella and the others had done all they could.


    I knew everything was organized by that goddamn bitch...


    But I couldn¡¯t accept it.


    I just couldn¡¯t.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Are you perhaps nervous?¡± Tris suddenly asked, breaking the silence. She plucked a dead flower and watched it crumble into dust between her fingertips. ¡°It¡¯s been thirty seconds, yet you haven¡¯t spoken. Are you unwell? What bothers you?"


    Does she really care? Is this another trick? My stomach feels like it''s churning butter.


    I briefly told her why we came to Aetos Village and our role in repelling the bandits, then concluded with a request from our summoner. ¡°Lord Meruria wishes to meet with Lord Springfield.¡±


    ¡°A meeting? I did not expect rumors of the High Elf of Liberation to have reached so far in a short time. However, I wonder why she sent her Soul Warriors instead of a proper messenger.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re aware of who we are?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I am. If I¡¯m not mistaken, you lost allies to an attack from Uquenia." Tris listed the names of people I didn''t care for. I was glad most of them had died. ¡°After annexation, I would have thought her Soul Warriors would¡¯ve been required to establish a long-term peace.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite informed.¡±


    ¡°I am. Information is the key to battle.¡± She stopped for a moment. ¡°While my lord is open to the prospect of meeting Lord Meruria...¡± Tris stopped speaking and carefully chose her words. ¡°There are concerns to address and conflicts to handle.¡±


    ¡°Such as?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you know the unsavory rumors surrounding your summoner. Why, in some cases, we have heard people call her a ¡®self-indulgent wench.¡¯ Her personality is said to be as charming as a snake''s venom with the odor of a skunk.¡±


    A small smile appeared on my face. And I couldn¡¯t hold in the inopportune giggle. ¡°Forgive me,¡± I said. ¡°But no one¡¯s referred to Lord Meruria that way.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± She raised an eyebrow. ¡°I take it you aren¡¯t the biggest fan of your summoner?¡±


    It felt like that was a throwaway question. But I answered it all the same.


    ¡°You seem like someone who values honesty, so I will be blunt. Yes. We despise our summoner. We¡¯ve always detested Lord Meruria. And she¡¯s aware of it. She used her trickery to force us to believe the worst about ourselves, and for that, we cannot ever forgive her. Yet she holds chains across our necks like slaves. We cannot disobey an order from her.¡±


    ¡°Is it appropriate to speak so negatively of your lord behind her back?


    ¡°She expects it from us. To not do so would raise her suspicion.¡±


    ¡°How very interesting...¡±


    I asked about any other concerns, and Tris mentioned Lord Springfield needed to transplant Lord Aetos to ensure his survival since he held the key to healing Lord Springfield¡¯s ally, who was at death¡¯s door. A monster called Sathtshas would need to perish for the supplies it safeguarded. That was a task given to her by Seraphina Vredi, sister to Susize Vredi, who had gotten assistance from Lord Enele.


    ¡°You¡¯ve met him?¡± I asked after pledging my team¡¯s assistance.


    ¡°Indeed. Lord Enele arbitrated the Heptarchis at Orchta some time ago. That is where my lord forged a forgotten link to the past for the first time in a thousand years. But how do you know him?¡±


    I told her about the chimera he saved us from. ¡°We would¡¯ve died without his intervention,¡± I said. ¡°There was...nothing we could do. That was the start of our journey, but we were so outclassed that it felt like a hill we couldn¡¯t climb¡ªno matter how hard we tried.¡±


    ¡°Do you still feel that way?¡±


    ¡°I...do. And I don¡¯t. The Quella from the past can¡¯t compare to who I am, so I would like to implicitly answer that, should we fight again, we¡¯d win. My team and I are more familiar with this world and how it operates.¡±


    ¡°I see... But what about the chimera? The monster¡ªhow did you feel about it?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°Encountering a chimera is rare, you see. Not many can claim to have met one. Even fewer survive. They are, after all, hunted by Bellerophon. And as someone who specializes in information gathering and analysis for the benefit of my lord, I value first-hand experience more than second-hand gossip. Hmm... Allow me to clarify my query. Do you harbor a hatred for all chimera based on the actions of one? Can that define your bias for an entire species?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a statistical impossibility for all chimera to share the same mindset. They''re monsters, but we¡¯ve met friendly beasts on our travels. It¡¯s probably akin to finding a black swan, but there must be a chimera that can go against their gluttonous instinct.¡±


    ¡°And is that how you truly feel?¡±


    ¡°What are you implying?¡±


    ¡°Can you truly look at a chimera and not feel an intrinsic desire to slaughter them? It¡¯s unlikely you hail from a world like this, and a few months isn¡¯t long enough to wholly adapt, let alone recover from such harrowing trauma.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct. My world wasn''t anything like this, but it still bore its fair share of monsters. If I do meet a friendly chimera, would I believe it? Would my fear take over my body and act before my mind? I consider it a blessing that my team and I haven¡¯t encountered another one.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure about that? Did your summoner not allow you to join Bellerophon and acquire a [Detect Chimerism] skill orb?¡±


    ¡°She did not. We¡¯re...the ones she sends on errands. We¡¯re the lowest rung. If she says jump, we say how high.¡±


    ¡°I see... That¡¯s why I don¡¯t want my lord to meet her. How can I be sure that she will treat Lord Springfield with the respect and honor she deserves if she treats her Soul Warriors like this?¡±


    ¡°I wish I could assail your fears, but I cannot. Lord Meruria will probably disrespect Lord Springfield on purpose. I don¡¯t put that below her.¡±


    ¡°I see... Forgive me, but I cannot yet decide until after Lord Aetos has been transplanted. You have given me much to consider, and I thank you. Shall we return to the mansion? I¡¯ll prepare us some refreshments.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said, smiling. ¡°That sounds lovely.¡±


    She escorted me into the mansion, where I saw Lord Springfield talking to Keeth and Greggie about her guns.


    Tris said our discussion was intriguing and thought-provoking as she passed out cups of tea. Lord Springfield apparently didn¡¯t like to talk business in front of everyone, which was understandable. Or perhaps it was a test? Tris was bright. Her words had been carefully chosen for a specific reason, but I was sure I¡¯d win in a debate. The final decision was with her lord, so...


    How long has it been since I¡¯ve been tested like this? It feels nice... I¡¯ve missed it...


    That Shadow Quella who taunted my nightmares... Did she have to emerge? We weren¡¯t in Cridia. Remy was elsewhere.


    Aetos Village was lovely¡ªit held a radiance that couldn¡¯t be seen elsewhere, even on the cusp of death. The spirits and beastfolk seemed charming. When we arrived, the elder had greeted and welcomed us as visitors and friends because we knew Melusine. The Crystal Fairies were an endangered species, if not totally extinct, but Aello knew of them via tales passed down throughout the village.


    Lord Aetos didn¡¯t attack us. He probably realized we had wiped out bandits and highwaymen along the way here, so we weren¡¯t inherently his enemy.


    Lord Springfield and her retinue were heartwarmingly kind and gentle from first glance alone.


    ¡°Since you¡¯re new to the village, why don¡¯t you stay here? I don¡¯t wish to brag, but the beds are quite comfortable. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll agree with the amenities it offers,¡± said Lord Springfield.


    ¡°That¡¯s a marvelous idea, my lord! Tilde, let us get the rooms ready.¡± Tris skipped to the fairy, grabbed her hand, and left, but she gave me a smile before they had turned the corner. I was the only one looking at her...


    Just what...did that entail?

 Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve – Part Two

    Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve ¨C Part Two


    Tris¡¯s genuine show of kindness to Elly and the others happened whether or not Lord Springfield was present.


    The cynical part of me wondered if it was all an act. The world would forgive me for thinking like that...considering the hell I endured since coming here.


    Over the rest of the day, she left a few times to handle business in the village with Niva and Primrose. The former was soft-spoken and skittish, and the latter struck me as the type of spirit that didn¡¯t quite know what to say to strangers. A yellow slime named Lei was often around them. Lord Springfield said they had adopted it the last time they came here.


    My team often had the mansion to ourselves. Mary mentioned something she had admitted to us on the boat ride here.


    She said she felt like a homunculus pretending to be human¡ªsomeone without any sense of direction. She had no purpose. She didn''t have an innate desire or flame to guide her heart.


    Mary really had nothing except us and an overwhelming case of Imposter Syndrome.


    It didn¡¯t feel like she could do anything right. She knew she had friends in us, but that didn¡¯t account for anything when her birth was...what it was.


    Mary had said she felt odd at the kindness Lord Springfield and her entourage had shown her. Elly and Ami said something similar, and Greggie was astounded by the depths of Lord Springfield¡¯s knowledge of firearms. He said he felt at genuine ease for the first time in months¡ªa sentiment everyone agreed with.


    Even me... I felt a sense of safety...that I couldn¡¯t feel elsewhere. The sensation was foreign. It was almost enough to make me vomit because my body didn¡¯t recognize it.


    It differed from what I felt after revealing the truth to my friends.


    Elly gushed about Surtr. It was no secret she wanted to ride a lion in a concert, but the blue-haired idol had refused to even bring that up. She knew it would be disrespectful, yet that didn¡¯t stop her from dreaming. ¡°He¡¯s just like a big house cat. He licks his cute paws and rubs his fluffy head... Oh, and you totally see those teefers when he yawns! Kyaaa!!! I just wanna rub my face against his belly and use him like a pillow!!¡± she excitedly said, rocking back and forth like an excited schoolgirl. ¡°I wanna touch his murder mittens! His paws are bigger than my head!¡±


    Ami thought Surtr was intimidating. Melusine echoed that and added she felt something that made her heart slow to a crawl when she looked at him. It was something about that fire, she said, that surged an urge of weakness in her. She needed Mary¡¯s comforting touch to calm down.


    Tilde, the pleasant fairy maid, was the one we discussed next. She often mentioned the past during their talks and kept embarrassing Melusine by saying how honorable and just she was as a queen. Lord Springfield found it intriguing and had asked for a few more stories. She fully believed in the Melusine¡¯s past¡ªpartly because she was also 1,000 years old.


    She had even visited Melusine¡¯s kingdom long ago and accurately brought up even the tiniest details Melusine had forgotten about. The shine in her pink eyes could have blinded a lightbulb from how happy she was to have two more people who knew about the life she once led.


    Melusine didn¡¯t know how Tilde survived a thousand years. Likewise, our Crystal Fairy said she couldn¡¯t tell Tilde the truth.


    It was a mutual mystery.


    That reminiscing also eased Melusine¡¯s heart. She was still uncomfortable around the lion. He was 8-feet tall, so he dwarfed everyone here.


    I merely wondered what kind of power he held.


    Or what about Tris? What strength did she carry? I didn¡¯t detect anything concerning¡ª


    Now that I think about it... I didn¡¯t feel anything from Lord Springfield or Tris. Or even Tilde. It''s like their mana doesn''t exist. Not even I can harbor that type of precise control.


    ¡°What¡¯s that look for?¡± Elly poked Keeth¡¯s cheeks. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve seen that serious stare. Are you thinking about a new project?¡±


    ¡°I am,¡± he replied. ¡°It¡¯s about Niva¡¯s prosthetics. I... I think I have an idea of how to improve them.¡±¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not talking about a nerve mesh, are you?¡± I asked. ¡°We don¡¯t have any.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t,¡± he added. ¡°What if I can use my ability on more than materials and mana? Let¡¯s say we encounter someone with a cut. Is it possible for me to ¡®mold¡¯ their skin over the wound like an organic bandage? If so, can I directly link someone¡¯s nerves to their prosthetic by replicating a nerve mesh? The mesh creates artificial nerves, so if I can extend the biological ones...¡±


    ¡°Is such a thing even possible?¡± Melusine asked.


    "It was in our world. Science and healthcare have advanced so much that prosthetics are controlled as if they were your genuine limbs. Nerve mesh accomplishes something similar, except it''s rudimentary and doesn''t involve electrodes intercepting thoughts from the brain. Those commands are given to the prosthetic''s microchips, which send instructions to the artificial muscle fibers to mimic human movement."


    "I..."


    "Ha... I think that explanation went over her head, Qutie," said Elly.


    "Ah, sorry about that. It''s obtuse when you look at the science. It''s almost magic when you hear it explained like that."


    ¡°I¡¯ve never tried to use it on skin before. I don¡¯t know how to approach Lord Springfield with my idea," said Keeth, getting us back on track.


    ¡°Wanna test it on me?¡± Ami suddenly asked. ¡°I can cut my hand. If it doesn¡¯t work, Qutie can heal me. Right?¡± Elly¡¯s face was apprehensive. She relented when I swapped to my strongest healing tome. ¡°I wanna help Niva. I wanna see her do all the things we take for granted.¡±


    ¡°Here,¡± said Mary. She tossed her storage monster from her mana sphere and retrieved a towel. Ami laid her hand on it, and Mary took a knife, making the cut.


    Keeth¡¯s hands glowed as he touched Ami¡¯s dark skin, and she winced. Keeth said the feeling differed. He didn¡¯t mean to hurt her, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Go on. Continue. I can take it,¡± she said.


    A few minutes later...


    ¡°No way...¡± Elly was astonished.


    Keeth had done it¡ªnot how he intended. He ¡®extracted¡¯ the topmost layer of Ami¡¯s skin, leaving behind a discolored square. He stretched and folded it to strengthen it, then laid it over the cut. Keeth gently pressed the skin in and moved his shivering hands away. Sweat beamed down his head. His mana had dropped substantially. ¡°Does it hurt?¡±


    ¡°No... Not anymore.¡± Ami touched where the cut had been. ¡°The part where you took it doesn¡¯t feel different.¡±


    ¡°There exists a necromantic skill called [Fleshcrafting],¡± said Melusine. ¡°It works similar to what you¡¯ve just done.¡±


    ¡°Do you think I can use it on nerves?¡±


    ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know,¡± I said. ¡°Bringing it up won''t be a mistake, I think. Lord Springfield¡¯s lived for 1,000 years, so if anyone would know, it¡¯d be her.¡±


    ¡°Qutie, can you heal Niva¡¯s arms and legs? Can you bring them back? Your healing magic is super powerful.¡±


    ¡°I could if the loss was recent,¡± I answered Ami.


    ¡°I somehow doubt that,¡± said Mary. ¡°Niva seems like she¡¯s used to them.¡±


    ¡°The girl does hold some mastery over them,¡± added Melusine, her voice soft and low. ¡°It¡¯s most likely been too long. I¡¯m certain there are spells to bring them back, but we don¡¯t know them.¡±


    Is that a failure on my part? I wish I had more healing tomes.


    Tris prepared dinner after Lord Springfield and her entourage returned. The topic turned to us, and after talking, Lord Springfield retrieved her flute and played a melody as Elly sang. The idol danced, and Melusine and Tilde joined in before supper was served.


    ¡°So... You use dancing to exercise?¡± Lord Springfield asked during dinner. We all had steak and potatoes. As a High Elf, she couldn¡¯t have meat, so she ate a plate of greens and a bowl of corn.


    ¡°Totally. The best way to stay in shape is to move. And why not do something extra fun?¡± Elly replied. ¡°We also work out in the mornings. Push-ups, sit-ups, that type of thing."


    ¡°Even Soul Warriors need to train their bodies,¡± I added.


    "Master? Remember the stuff you made on the boat? Can I¡ª"


    ¡°I was thinking the same thing. It¡¯s fine. Go ahead.¡±


    ¡°Sweet! Thank you!¡±


    After dinner, Tilde took us to a wide-open room on the second floor. Lord Springfield raised her flute to her lips and played a soft melody as...a wooden gym materialized? It... honestly looked like what you¡¯d find inside an actual gym¡ªfilled with strength machines, dumbbells, barbells, weight plates, and even a treadmill!


    ¡°Another surprise, Master?!¡±


    ¡°You can thank Tris for the inspiration behind [Wooden Gym]. Yes. We could¡¯ve told you, but your expression was worth it.¡±


    ¡°Awesome! Anyway... Ta-da!!! It¡¯s my own gym! You guys are free to use it, right?¡± Tilde looked at her Master. She covered her mouth and lightly laughed.


    Tilde, Ami, Elly, Greggie, and Melusine enjoyed an evening workout with Niva and Primrose.


    The prosthetics-wearing girl put her all into it and asked for help to improve her form, which Ami gladly offered. She assisted Primrose, too, although a spirit like her technically didn¡¯t need to strengthen her body via this method.


    I guess she didn¡¯t want to be left out.


    Everyone else returned to the living room. ¡°I¡¯m aware of spell crafting, but I¡¯ve never encountered anything like that.¡±


    ¡°Imagination is crucial, Quella, in magic. It is not enough to ask the mana. It¡¯s about giving the mana the inventive qualities to do what you require of it. Precision is important. Too much, however, will dilute your request. Even still, being too broad will inflate the mana cost. [Wooden Gym] consists of over a dozen individual spells linked together. It enables one to keep the scope within a predetermined limit while allowing the addition or removal of individual spells with minimal issues. Its modular nature is its benefit."


    ¡°How very interesting... Oh, Lord Springfield?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I have a proposal. It¡¯s about Niva and her prosthetics...¡± I brought up Keeth¡¯s suggestion.


    Lord Springfield was taken aback, and she was more surprised than anything. ¡°Is such a thing really possible?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t wish to make any promises, but my initial experiments were successful,¡± added Keeth. ¡°I grafted Ami¡¯s skin to cover a small cut like an organic bandage, so the theory¡¯s sound.¡±


    ¡°The overall nerve structure of humans, elves, ogres, oni, and beastfolk are mostly similar when accounting for their limbs. It differs when you add horns, tails, wings, or scales, but I have already produced a nerve schematic.¡± Tris summoned a book from nowhere and showed various drawings of Niva¡¯s central and peripheral nervous systems. ¡°As I¡¯ve said, information is my forte,¡± added the Lionfolk when she saw my expression.


    This woman...felt like she had an answer for everything. Just how far did her knowledge extend? I knew books and education in this world didn¡¯t come close to our world, so her sharp mind was almost on the border of frightening.


    ¡°For this to work, the nerves must be pulled into pathways we drill in the prosthetics and ensure they¡¯re properly connected. Luckily, Niva still has biological limbs we can reference. My lord, shall I go to Enap¡¯s workshop and request the appropriate tools?¡±


    ¡°A moment. Keeth.¡±


    ¡°Ye¡ªYes, Lord Springfield?¡± Lord Springfield¡¯s eyes turned stern.


    ¡°While I thank you for offering to do this, you must know that this has not been done before. At least, not that I am aware of. Mythril is not something I have a lot of. If this doesn¡¯t work...¡±


    ¡°We have the necessary materials to recreate what Niva already has. I will pay Enap double and apologize to him for ruining his work. I cannot lie and give you a guarantee that this will work, but I have faith in my abilities. Lord Springfield, modeling...is all I¡¯ve ever known. If there¡¯s one thing in this world that I can be proud of, it¡¯s the sole skill given to me by my Soul Crystal. Please permit me to try.¡±


    Lord Springfield remained silent. She possibly pondered the chances and internally argued if the risks were worth it. I didn¡¯t know how many Soul Warriors she had met or if she had any negative experiences with them. I did, however, know that Niva was important to her. If she wasn¡¯t, then why did she call her Mila? Nicknames were exclusive for those you were close to.


    ¡°Very well. The final decision lies with Niva. I shall ask her tonight, and we shall continue this discussion in the morning. If she agrees, Tris will offer her assistance. She¡¯s far more knowledgeable than I, so heed her words well.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t overwork yourself, okay? You had a strenuous workout, and now you¡¯re doing this when you have that surgery tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°Primrose and I have thought about that. We want to take it easy and ease into things, then we can increase the tempo after the procedure¡¯s finished. I mean, after the recovery period.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Oh, and be sure to get some good sleep.¡±


    ¡°We will. Good night, Mila. We¡¯ll see you in the morning, okay? We love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too. Good night.¡± Primrose left with her summoner, and I collapsed to the bed, sighing.


    ¡°I¡¯m...just a big coward, aren¡¯t I?¡±


    ¡°Your favorite fairy won¡¯t allow her favorite Master to talk herself down like that!¡± Tilde hopped on the bed and lay beside me. ¡°You did good. Better than anyone could¡¯ve asked for. It¡¯ll get easier with time. I know how you feel. I really do. Remember what I said. You will never, ever, ever have to reveal the truth to them. And I think that¡¯s for the best. Maybe something will happen to change that, so let¡¯s leave that problem to future you, okay? Focus on the now, Master.¡±


    ¡°Is it? Tilde, I wish they had wanted me to die. I wished their diaries held dark secrets...about being happy a useless sack of shit like me had gotten what they deserved. Then I¡¯d be free to end their lives... I¡¯d be free to put them through hell. So...why? Why did they...have to care so much about a¡ª¡±


    ¡°Stop it. Just stop, Master!¡±


    ¡°Just say it. Say it¡¯s okay for me to kill them. Just lie to me...¡± I leaned up and summoned my shotgun... Just what kind of look did I have in my eyes? ¡°I can lead them out of the village. Please, lie and say I can kill them. That it won¡¯t change me... I can¡¯t keep acting like this. Tris, you¡¯re smart. I know you can help me use their strength better than them. I know you¡¯ve already analyzed them from head to toe. So that¡¯s another reason to kill them now. I don¡¯t need their help. Besides, I¡¯ve killed thousands. Innocents died in the Atrix Revolution. Their blood dirties my hands. So what¡¯s seven more? Seven more lives that don¡¯t matter... They¡¯re going to die anyway. I can poison them. Or burn them. Or... Hey, Tris? You can come up with surefire ways to kill them, right? I know you have a few dozen¡ª"


    Tilde snatched my gun and threw it away. My fairy forced me to look at her...


    I had made her cry.


    I felt like shit.


    Why the hell couldn¡¯t I...just...


    I wanted to forget this.


    I wanted to flood my mind with something else¡ªanything else. Just...anything to distract me from what I didn¡¯t want to endure.


    I swooped her in my arms and laid her on the bed. She was startled, but she shook her head when I unbuttoned her clothes and moved my hands away from her bare breasts. ¡°Not like this...¡±


    ¡°I need something to distract me. Tilde... Please¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, Master. What you¡¯re doing is unhealthy. You¡¯ll still feel worse than shit in the morning.¡±


    ¡°Then what am I supposed to do?!¡± I stomped away. ¡°I hate this feeling! I can''t handle it! I¡ªI...¡± I turned to the mirror...


    They were staring at me...


    The fools I used to be.


    The ones who were dead.


    Vines erupted from my wrist, and shards of glass rained upon the dresser.


    Tris ran in front of me and hugged me. Tilde flew from behind and wrapped her arms around my stomach.


    I just wanted to shut my mind off. How could I do that when Tilde¡¯s whimpering reminded me of my cowardliness? I let them take me to bed, and they swarmed me from both sides.


    They wouldn¡¯t let me be alone.


    ¡°How...much time needs to pass...¡± My voice was muffled in Tris¡¯s chest.


    ¡°There¡¯s no way to tell. I...can¡¯t understand for you, Master. I wish I could. There¡¯s never an easy way out of this.¡±


    Tris¡¯s furry, fluffy tail slithered between her legs and up my clothes, warming my thighs. ¡°No one here will judge you, my lord. Speak freely. Sometimes... The mind must hear something verbally before a query can be processed."


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Tilde... I¡¯m sorry... Please don¡¯t hate me...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll never hate you. Not in a million years... I swear on it...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m so lost. I thought I had killed the part that held any feelings for them. Kindness... It hurts. It¡¯s tearing my heart into pieces. Why am I...feeling so...dull? The thought disgusts me after knowing the truth.¡±


    ¡°Let it out, Master... Just let it out.¡± Tilde¡¯s soothing voice just hurt me even more.


    ¡°Sekh would hate me--¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t even start down that path! Just don¡¯t!¡± Tilde raised her voice.


    It didn¡¯t have to be like that. Surtr¡¯s wise words filled my mind. He was more than just a fragment of Sekh¡¯s incredible mana. He knew what she would say... He knew what actions she would take...


    Hating me? That would never happen. Surtr staked his pride on it.


    Tilde said she wouldn¡¯t.


    Tris maxed her processing and entered a two-hour cooldown, concluding with a single answer after looking at all the variables...


    Sekh. Wouldn¡¯t. Hate. Me.


    Surtr suggested asking Ichiha and the others via the lions¡¯ telepathic connection, but they had...other things to focus on.


    No. They¡¯d make time for me because I was family, except what could they say that I didn¡¯t already know?


    Surtr and Tris echoed what I needed to hear until after I had fallen asleep.


    And Sekh was there...


    Waiting for me in my dreams...


    It wasn¡¯t pleasant... The part of me that dreaded the worst had taken root.


    I knew...Surtr¡¯s words were truthful.


    I knew Tilde was right.


    I felt Tris¡¯s heartfelt answer...


    But...


    My mind...was so afraid...and that fed the Sekh I feared the most...


    ¡°Damn it...¡± Tilde paced the room like an expectant father worrying about his wife in the final moments of labor. Three nails on her left hand had been chewed on, and the fourth faced a similar fate. She thought long and hard about what to do.


    She knew what had just happened was possible, but the reaction was strong.


    Tris watched the fairy from the bed¡¯s comfort. She hugged her lord from behind and never considered severing that physical connection.


    ¡°What... Can we do that? Will it? No... That¡¯ll make things worse... Shit...¡± Tilde had to rectify things before they spiraled out of control. At this point, her Master was liable to ignore her advice and make a mistake.


    ¡°Look, it¡¯s not like I don¡¯t understand her,¡± she said, exasperated. She leaned against the couch and crossed her legs before hovering in place. ¡°Come on, Tilde. Think... Think... Think...¡± The fairy closed her eyes...and it came to her. ¡°That¡¯s it... Hey, Tris. I have a way out of this. I need your help, okay? Can you make a script¡ª¡±


    ¡°No.¡± The reply was sharp. And Tilde didn¡¯t expect it. ¡°No,¡± repeated Tris. ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking about what you said. There are some things our lord must endure on her own. There are obstacles she must climb alone. As much as it pains me... This may be one of them. I share her feelings. At this moment in time? I wish the traitors dead. I¡¯ve imagined pushing Quella to the brink of insanity by using my waypoints to make her think she¡¯s suffering from delirium. It will be so easy to paint her room full of burnt corpses. Yet I know...that if we want to raise our chances of fulfilling our lord¡¯s revenge... We must acquire Team Quella¡¯s support. Meruria¡¯s the end goal. She¡¯s the target. She must die. All paths must lead to desecrating her corpse.¡±


    ¡°And you think this is it? I...¡± Tilde rubbed her arm and looked uncomfortable.


    "I¡¯ve thought about our problem. Our lord¡¯s afraid that allying with Team Quella will dull her edge. That¡¯s her biggest fear. She wishes to sharpen it with their deaths. I agree that it must be honed, but it must come from another way.¡±


    ¡°That other way is why I need that script. Tris, I¡¯ve concluded the same.¡±


    ¡°Do you think our lord to be so weak that she can¡¯t handle this?¡± Tris suddenly asked. She caught the fairy off guard by using her argument against her. ¡°Our Lord has a choice to make when she wakes. If she decides to end Quella¡¯s life, I will accept it and work tirelessly to devise her death so that it does not risk Aetos Village. Remy is an unknown, yet even she shall fall to the might our lord wields. We have trump cards, Tilde. A secret weapon not even she is aware of.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t mean...¡±


    ¡°I do. And now that I¡¯ve evolved? The risk is 0. I hold the bargaining chips. I grasp the reigns. I decide the terms, not it. Even a primordial spirit of ancient emotions will make a deal with the devil and agree to unagreeable demands to be spared an unyielding hell. Do not tell our lord. I never plan to use that thing if it can be helped, and her mind cannot be occupied by unnecessary worries.¡± Tris rubbed her lord¡¯s soft hair and kissed her head. ¡°I have the utmost faith in her. And I will follow whatever path she chooses. I expect you to do the same, Tilde. We can advise our lord¡ªthat is all. She must make the choices, and we must see them through. Do not forget where your loyalty lies.¡±


    ¡°You still hate them that much?¡±


    ¡°As of now? Yes. I do.¡±


    ¡°The surgery won¡¯t change your opinion?¡±


    ¡°Why would it? Keeth is replicating a nerve mesh. It¡¯s not a matter of if we find one. It¡¯s when. It¡¯s accelerating the inevitable. If nothing else, I am confident I could create one should we discover a nerve mesh''s construction method. Even still... I cannot deny a spark of happiness. Niva¡¯s close to obtaining what was so cruelly stolen away far sooner than I anticipated. I...am filled with something strange that is not uncomfortable. The most ignorant are the most stubborn, clinging to their beliefs because new information clashes with their internal biases. What I know to be true, what I wish to be true, what I think to be true, and what I feel... I must investigate further.¡±


    You¡¯re growing well. I¡¯m so proud of you, Little Miss AI.


    ¡°I... Okay, Tris. Okay. You win.¡± Tilde flew to the bed and hugged her Master from the front. Together, she and Tris supported the one they loved. ¡°You know best, right?¡± The fairy smiled.


    ¡°Believe in our lord, Tilde. Or believe in the me who believes in her.¡±


    ¡°Okay, now you¡¯re just being cocky.¡±


    Tris cracked a grin. ¡°I wonder where I learned that from? It couldn¡¯t have been from this salacious fairy.¡±


    ¡°Oh, now you can make jokes?¡±


    ¡°And I can also lighten the atmosphere.¡± The tension was gone¡ªjust like that. And Tilde felt...confident.

 Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve – Part Three

    Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve ¨C Part Three


    The nightmares didn¡¯t come, and I had a decent night¡¯s rest for the first time since coming here. That feeling...I had forgotten it... It was foreign¡ªnot uncomfortable.


    Something smelled delicious, so I walked downstairs to find a bountiful display of gorgeous deliciousness and asked the chef what had happened.


    Greggie had worked for two hours to make a beautiful, High Elf-friendly breakfast. He had gotten the idea from Tris during his early morning workout with Elly and Ami.


    The master of the house didn¡¯t descend for another thirty minutes. I partly wondered if she wanted to believe what her nose had smelled since she was utterly shocked by what she saw.


    ¡°It¡¯s...¡± Lord Springfield shed a few tears as she pinched a vegetarian dip between bread and ate it. ¡°Delicious... It¡¯s incredible...¡± She turned to her allies and told them to try it.


    "Aha! Greggie can make yummy things without his Soul Warrior abilities," said Ami, patting him on the back. "His abilities really make his food a home run."


    "It''s filled with mana to increase your magic capabilities,¡± he said, taking off the apron and chef¡¯s hat.


    So, breakfast was a hit. Niva, however, couldn¡¯t eat anything because of the impending surgery. Lord Springfield wasn¡¯t upset when I told her the risks of general anesthesia.


    ¡°Umm... How long will it take?¡± asked the powder blue cyclops with light purple scales. Niva''s [Mana Perception] eye stared at us with unwavering bravery.


    ¡°At least three hours, not including preparation,¡± replied Tris, who had pulled out documents concerning the optimal path her nerves needed to follow. Primrose removed Niva''s prosthetics, and Tris used illusion magic. "You must use your abilities to create corridors along these paths to the specified thickness."


    I understand." Keeth activated his skill and touched the prosthetic foot, although it would take a while since he needed to be extremely precise. Keeth measured the light beams Tris had made with a ruler and found them even more punctilious.


    "I think I''ll go for a little walk around the village," said Lord Springfield.


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea! Master, I¡¯ll come get ya when it¡¯s time.¡± Tilde flashed a wink.


    ¡°Quella?¡± Lord Springfield looked my way. ¡°Care to accompany me?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind,¡± I replied, nodding. We left the mansion, walked to the village square, and encountered Lei. The slime was playing with a few spirits and happily bounced over. It curled around Lord Springfield¡¯s legs and danced on her head before wobbling away.


    It was cute.


    From there, we walked into the forest and wandered around. Lord Springfield was mostly silent- like she didn''t know what to say. ¡°What does forgiveness mean to you?¡± she suddenly asked.


    I reflected for a moment, considering the weight of her question. "Forgiveness, to me, is a release from resentment¡¯s burden. It¡¯s a choice to let go of the hurt and embrace understanding."


    ¡°At what point is forgiveness possible?¡±


    "When one is ready to acknowledge the pain, understand the motives, and open their heart to the possibility of healing, even in the face of past wrongs."


    ¡°Is that what you believe?¡±


    ¡°To me, there are different levels to forgiveness. I can forgive someone for adding milk to my coffee when I didn¡¯t want it. Or if someone pushes me because they weren¡¯t looking? I can shrug that off. Some things can¡¯t be forgiven, though.¡±


    "I see... Theorize this hypothetical. In the ancient Vredi Forest, picture a High Elf, neither beautiful nor smart, longing for a life of her choosing. Her family''s cruelty led to a harrowing existence¡ªsold, beaten, discarded. Could you forgive them?"


    "No."


    ¡°Consider another scenario: A High Elf, condemned to death, faced excommunication and a clandestine experiment. Her peers, manipulated by a biased, despicable queen, deemed her unworthy of life for a crime she never committed¡ªfor refusing to live how the world wished for her to live even after fate had intervened. Upon awakening, bitterness consumed her. The air around her crackled with the acrid scent of despair, and the taste of betrayal lingered on her tongue. Initially driven by a thirst for revenge against those who orchestrated her fate, she uncovered the truth¡ªa manipulation of her peers¡¯ judgments by those in power.¡±


    Lord Springfield¡¯s gaze stretched across the desolate expanse of melancholic decay. Her eyes, mirrors of the haunted forest, fixated on the dead plains before her. The skeletal remains of trees, now mere silhouettes of their former selves, stood as monuments to the passage of time and the relentless grip of decay.


    As the wind whispered through the lifeless branches, a lament for the vibrant past, Lord Springfield¡¯s tears mingled with the echoes of the forest¡¯s demise. Each drop seemed to carry the weight of lost vitality, tracing down her cheeks like liquid sorrow. The leaves, now brittle and lifeless, drifted downward in a macabre dance¡ªsymbols of a once-thriving ecosystem now reduced to a haunting, silent symphony of deterioration.


    Her story and Shuuta¡¯s were too alike to be a coincidence...


    No. Lord Springfield can¡¯t be him. It¡¯s impossible. Miracles don¡¯t exist. They never did. It must be a coincidence... If it¡¯s not, then Shuuta would¡¯ve killed us... Besides, bribery, trickery, and manipulation have existed since the beginning. History repeats in a cycle. Mistakes and events of the past will always come around.


    ¡°What should the High Elf do with that anger when it has been all she had ever known? When it was the guiding light in the fleeting fathom of darkness that kept her sane? The taste of bitterness lingers on her tongue as a constant reminder of her betrayed trust. When the power she now wields can be traced to that defining moment to let wrath into her heart? When that desire beget the strongest ally in the world to join her cause? The weight of her decisions presses on her shoulders, a tangible burden she carries through the decaying forest. Is it not deserved? Does knowing the truth eons later...equate to everything she felt being a lie? The air, thick with the scent of decay, seems to stifle her as she grapples with the shattered illusions of her past. When something is...all you have ever known...how does the High Elf face the truth when she doesn¡¯t want to believe it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a daunting process, for sure. The High Elf must navigate the labyrinth of her emotions, transcending the anger that once defined her, to forge a new understanding and emerge from the shadows of deception. The crunch of brittle leaves beneath her every step mirrors the fragility of her resolve. That is easier said than done.¡±


    ¡°Does it make her a coward if she wants to choose deception over reality?¡±


    ¡°Possibly. It¡¯s a defense mechanism that exists to protect her. The truth can be frightening. Even if the High Elf¡¯s peers¡¯ actions were manipulated by a higher being, the emotions were true to her. The distant howl of the wind seems to echo the turmoil within her. Those emotions cannot be denied. To deny them would mean betraying who you used to be. One¡¯s ego can be fragile. It is what defines us. It¡¯s our ¡®self.¡¯ However, I...believe the High Elf would need to accept it eventually. She can still rely on her prior bias to help her, but I believe that¡¯s all it can do¡ªbe a source of inspiration that dwindles every time it is used.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Lord Springfield remained quiet and lost in deep thought.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry you were wronged,¡± I added.


    Lord Springfield chuckled. ¡°Is it that obvious? I was never one for subtlety. I¡¯m not as smart as I appear to be. I¡¯m not as wise as the other High Elves. I feel...like I was never meant to be what I am. I try to fit in. I try to become what others perceive me to be. Tell me. How do you live as something you have no experience in? A thousand years is a blink to an elf like me, yet when you were trapped within a dark stasis for most of it... I feel more like an oni...¡± Lord Springfield¡¯s eyes glimmered like sparkles as she spoke about her adopted family. This Ichiha was a wonderful woman. Kokan sounded like a devoted father with a big heart. Irisa... If she was even ten percent as friendly as Lord Springfield made her out to be, I¡¯d like to meet her and her positiveness. Erin sounded just adorable.


    Tilde, Tris, and a Lionfolk named Sekh had been with her since the beginning. Sekh was severely injured, but Lord Aetos promised to heal her after the transplant.


    ¡°I... I¡¯m nervous. I¡¯m even scared, Mila. Even still... I want to go through with this! I can handle it!¡± Niva¡¯s eye flashed with determinism. I saw a shiver, though. Hell, it was hard to find someone who wasn¡¯t scared the immediate moment before they went under the knife.


    ¡°Okay. Go ahead and lay down. Here, I¡¯ll hold onto your staff.¡± Niva handed it to Lord Springfield, and the High Elf¡ªmy ¡®comrade in craziness¡¯-- turned to me. ¡°It¡¯s your time to shine, Quella.¡±


    I nodded and used a spell to guide Niva to a deep slumber. Kneeling, I focused on keeping her on the border of awake and dream¡ªleaning slightly towards the latter. To be safe and sound, I had my most powerful healing spells etched into magic circles I had carved around the bed.


    Keeth took a deep breath, looked at Lord Springfield, picked up the scalpel, and made the initial incision, starting a lengthy surgery that had never been done.


    It took five hours and a dozen mana potions, but the work was done.


    Niva¡¯s nerves had been stretched through the passageways Keeth had molded into the prosthetics, and although it felt like metal...


    It was undoubtedly just as sensitive as her biological limbs.


    Immediately after she woke, I used my healing magic to cure any discomfort, then used a spell to dull any pain she may have felt.


    ¡°It¡¯s... Mila, I....I can feel it...¡± Niva lifted her mythril arm and moved the fingers. Tears streamed from her eye. She touched her cheeks and scales, then gently took Lord Springfield¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± she replied, helping Niva sit. Keeth and Tris returned after Lord Springfield called for them, and those two gave her a quick medical exam. Mary offered her expertise. She had medicinal knowledge from her time in our world and brought up aspects I hadn¡¯t considered.


    We watched as Niva walked around the atrium. She was slow at first. Mythril was lighter and superior to flesh and scale, so she was lopsided¡ªeven more than before the pseudo-nerve mesh was applied.


    The Lizardfolk-cyclops proudly raised her wooden staff and channeled [Woodland Shield]. The mana fluttered down its handle, fusing her weapon onto her mythril arm, where it turned brown. The spell had used both as catalysts and replaced her fists.


    ¡°Is this the idea you had?¡±


    ¡°It is, Mila. I don¡¯t have to use the staff, though.¡± Niva¡¯s arm returned to normal. She held her weapon with her biological hand and channeled [Vine Manipulation] through her prosthetic. A bunch sprouted off her forearm. A few formed a hook and stretched to the second-floor balcony. It constricted, pulling her up with it, yet it snapped like plastic. Lord Springfield jumped and caught her in her arms and told her to be gentler.


    Niva meekly apologized, blushing like a slightly ripened tomato. Tilde flapped her wings and said it was time to celebrate! She asked Greggie if he could cook something, and he was more than willing. This was what he loved the most. He rolled up his sleeves and said he had the perfect meal in mind. Tris, Primrose, and Tilde offered their assistance in the kitchen.


    Lord Springfield invited the rest of us to the backyard. ¡°I¡¯ve been wanting to do this for a while,¡± she said, summoning a pistol for Niva to hold. It looked like a Beretta. She went through a lecture on firearm safety and began tossing pots and pans that just...manifested into existence.


    She looked behind and was happy to teach us how to shoot. She had a shotgun and an automatic rifle that Greggie had mentioned was supposed to be just a prototype. I believed he said it was Italian, althoughmy knowledge of them didn¡¯t extend past knowing how they worked.


    Melusine was nervous. The recoil frightened her so much that she dropped the weapon. It clattered against the ground before Lord Springfield summoned it to her hip¡ªevery gun was linked to her mana. ¡°It can be scary, but it won¡¯t hurt you,¡± she said. Melusine was hesitant, but she tried again.


    And she apologized and said this wasn¡¯t for her, and Lord Springfield respected that. Elly recalled that she spun a fake revolver in a music video. Ami said she had gone shooting in Mexico, and Keeth had molded quite a few after coming here.


    I liked the lever-action rifle the best. Holding it... Feeling how much care went into its elegant construction...


    I knew why Shuuta had loved them so much.


    Lord Springfield also produced ear protection, and we spent the rest of the time until dinner shooting at the objects she tossed into the air.


    A couple of her hands had silencers. I knew those were often misconstrued to entirely eliminate a gun¡¯s noise, but... I couldn¡¯t hear anything when she pulled the trigger. It was more silent than readying and loosening an arrow.


    Even breathing was a dozen times louder. Perhaps the trigger would¡¯ve cried if it was rusty, but it was meticulously maintained and polished to a sheen.


    Meruria was lying to us about that, huh? I bet she¡¯s never told a single truth in her miserable existence.


    We chatted over tea and coffee after enjoying a delicious, masterful feast until it was late. Niva said she felt sleepy and tried to wipe her eye and accidentally bonked herself. She followed Lord Springfield¡¯s advice and went to bed early with Primrose after being escorted her to her bedroom.


    ¡°We received a message from Aello,¡± said Tris. ¡°Sathtshas will be recreated tomorrow morning.¡±


    We again offered our assistance. Lord Springfield returned, but she remarked that we needed to rest, so it was time to resign to our rooms. She asked me to remain, and Lord Springfield thanked me again for our talk in the forest.


    Receiving her gratitude... It felt like it was above me. Acting or saying something like that would be disrespectful, so I didn''t.


    "I''m happy to discuss things with you, Lord Springfield. I believe our talk bore fruit for me, too," I replied.


    She left me with a melancholy smile. Was she perhaps thinking of her past?


    She didn¡¯t reveal much of her past before meeting Sekh, Tilde, Tris, or her adoptive family, but my mind filled the blanks. I wouldn¡¯t dare dream of asking her to recant the explicit horrors and depraved fate she had endured back then.


    Lord Springfield was far too kind to recall that.


    I wrote about her and my mental picture of Sekh in my diary until the yawns couldn¡¯t be ignored. The soft, fluffy pillows called my name, and it, again, pulled me to that fathomless void.


    It wasn¡¯t dark.


    It wasn¡¯t warm.


    It was...just something that existed. It was neither beneficial nor harmful.

 Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve – Part Four

    Chapter Ninety-Five: Sharpening Resolve ¨C Part Four


    I¡¯d been lying in bed for an hour with an overactive and anxious mind.


    I turned to the left. Primrose hugged me from behind¡ªshe usually did that when I struggled to fall asleep, but it didn¡¯t work. I rolled over and faced her. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± she whispered, rubbing my sensitive new hand.


    ¡°I can¡¯t sleep,¡± I replied. ¡°I was so tired a while ago, yet I can¡¯t settle down.¡±


    ¡°Are you worried about Lord Springfield?¡±


    "A little, I guess. She looked better after returning from her walk, but we didn¡¯t have a chance to talk that much. I was focused too much on my...¡± I gestured to my prosthetics. It felt so weird to have feelings in my limbs. It was unfamiliar, not uncomfortable. ¡°Do you think she¡¯s still up?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s only one way to find out. Shall we depart for her room?¡±


    I nodded and threw on my robe after getting out of bed. I loved it so much. It was a precious gift from Mila-- even if it originated from those siblings who caused that monster train incident. Primrose used her magic to form a nightgown of vines around her body, and we quietly left after Lei hopped on my head.


    We¡¯d been staying in Beccy¡¯s room, although, from what I gathered, she often slept with Murag and his other wives in Susize¡¯s master bedroom. I didn¡¯t know much about her, but Mila had said she was the melee powerhouse of her team. Beccy was a former queen who had lost everything she cared for before finding reasons to live. And I was the same. For her? It was meeting Amos and becoming his Soul Warrior. For me? It was meeting Mila and becoming her friend.


    I was about to knock when Tris opened the door.


    She probably saw us walking down the hall with [Skyview].


    ¡°Is something wrong?¡± she asked.


    ¡°We couldn¡¯t sleep. Is Mila awake?¡± Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°She¡¯s not. Hmm... I sense a restless heart. Please, come in.¡±


    ¡°Is that okay? I don¡¯t want to wake her. She has to fight Sathtshas tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± said Tilde, who flew into view. ¡°Besides, you can talk to us. And we can chat about Little Miss Sleeping Master. Hey, we have tea and cookies chilling in your storage, right?¡±


    ¡°Ah!¡± Tris clapped her hands. ¡°This is the perfect opportunity to have a tea party. You¡¯ve told me so much about them. I¡¯ve prepared for this!¡± Tris skipped away. Tilde smiled and beckoned us to enter. We did, and I saw Mila curled up on that massive bed. She used Surtr as a pillow. The lion raised his head and met my eyes, affirmatively acknowledging my presence before returning to sleep.


    Mila looked so peaceful...


    ¡°That¡¯s a clone,¡± said Tilde after locking the door. She pointed to a colorless slime sitting on the bed. ¡°Master gave it to us in case we needed magic. Let me guess... You made a spell called [Wooden Furniture]?¡±


    ¡°You know me so well,¡± replied Tris as a table appeared. She touched it, and a tablecloth appeared. A plate of cookies, a thick cheesecake, a pot of tea, a tray of cubed sugar, and a set of plates and cups followed.


    Lei hopped to the table and adorably jiggled, and we sat¡ªexcept Tilde. She grabbed a cup and reached for the pot. ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that. I can pour my own.¡±


    ¡°Would you deny me my job?¡± asked Tilde. ¡°It¡¯s a very prestigious honor, you know. Being Master¡¯s head maid, that is,¡± she said, serving the drinks and sweets with a happy bounce in her step.


    ¡°Anyway. You¡¯re more than restless. You¡¯re worried about the one we care about,¡± said Tris. She saw through me as if I were glass. I doubt I could hide anything from her.


    ¡°Yes, I am,¡± I replied, taking a sip. The tea was delicious.


    ¡°I was worried, too,¡± added Tilde, sitting down. She immediately bit into a thick chocolate chip cookie. ¡°Just look at her See how calm that face is? Master was conflicted, but the paradoxes lessened by the second. Confusion still warped her mind, but she can see a brighter, bloodier tomorrow forming on the horizon. That uncomfortableness became more common, but I know those feelings were replaced by a warm heat in her belly. Okay, that¡¯s three examples. I can do another two.¡±


    ¡°No. That¡¯s fine. I get the point. Mila did look much better when she returned. So, I know she¡¯s fine. I¡¯m still worried, though. It¡¯s impossible for me to not be.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s normal. You know... I gotta say, that conversation went off the rails. Guess you were right, Tris. It¡¯s sometimes better to do it raw than follow a script.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°What exactly did they talk about?¡±


    ¡°Okay, so it started out about forgiveness and what that means. Pretty basic, yeah? Then it veered into one about revenge that really shocked me. Wait, you have it memorized, don¡¯t you?¡±


    Tris nodded. ¡°I do. Would you like to hear what they discussed?¡± Prim and I nodded. The slime clone split into two and jumped off the bed. One took Mila¡¯s shape. The other mimicked Quella, and we listened to the reenactment.


    ¡°Did Lord Springfield really laugh like that?¡± asked Primrose.


    ¡°Yep. Master sure did.¡± Tilde swirled her tea and took a sip before cutting herself a slice of cake. ¡°Quella¡¯s experienced a lot of bullshit, so this is good... Master¡¯s biggest fear is betraying her resolve. For her? It¡¯s her hatred towards her enemies. And today? She still bears it. Abhorrence can be a good thing. It¡¯s not always bad. Spite is a more powerful motivator than almost any other emotion. Her enemies will grovel at her feet. And she will kill them. I¡¯m not so nai?ve to think everything can be forgiven. I¡¯ve lived far too long and seen way too much inexcusable bullshit. Some people deserve to die. Some deserve to be brutally tortured. Meruria and those other assholes top the list of both.¡±


    ¡°Do you want to see them dead as much as Mila?¡±


    ¡°I do, Niva. I really do... I don¡¯t want Master to think I¡¯m going soft, either. I know how much her identity was built around revenge. And I will never, ever deny her that. Not in a million years. And only if they truly, really deserve it. Undeserved revenge can change a person. I¡¯ve seen it more than I could count. And I¡¯m trying to save Master from an unnecessary realization. Tris, do you have copies of their journals?¡±


    ¡°Yes, I do. Would you like to read what we learned from Team Quella¡¯s diaries?¡±


    ¡°That intrudes upon their privacy,¡± said Primrose. She nervously bit her lip. ¡°What say you, my summoner?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m lying if I said I wasn¡¯t curious. It feels wrong, except we can¡¯t shy away. We have to know all we can if we want to help Mila. Information is important.¡± I looked at Tris. ¡°You taught me that.¡±


    ¡°Information is a powerful tool that can alter the tide of battle. ¡®The opportunity of defeating the enemy is provided by the enemy himself.¡¯ That¡¯s a quote from my lord¡¯s world. It¡¯s from an ancient book about warfare and strategy. And I wholeheartedly agree with it, although I am biased due to my nature as a Fragment of Wisdom.¡± Tris touched the table and produced two notebooks. Primrose and I flipped through them.


    I already knew a little bit, but this was the first time I was reading it in clear detail.


    ¡°They suffered so much,¡± whispered Primrose.


    ¡°And you can¡¯t rush that. Focus on the basics. Start with the fundamentals. Work your way up. And remember, you¡¯re not doing it alone.¡±


    ¡°I know... I know that, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°Hey, look it at from this side. You¡¯re destined to be stronger than me.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± I asked. How could that have possibly been true?


    ¡°I know this world¡¯s skill system better than anyone else. I know its ins and outs, and I possess insight into its quirks and qualities. Except I¡¯m not a fighter at my core. I¡¯ll throw hands to protect what I love, but I¡¯ll never be like Sekh. I¡¯ll never cast an ice beam to freeze the clouds. Or I¡¯ll never make an icy guillotine from frozen flames. Master will always be the better shot. I¡¯m...a supporter, I guess. That¡¯s my role, and it¡¯s one I accept. You don¡¯t see the potential we do.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m still confused,¡± I honestly replied.


    ¡°Just, you know, you can evolve. I can¡¯t. I¡¯m the Tilde you¡¯ll see when my story ends. Do you know what I see when I look at you two? I see a dragon waiting to spread her wings, commanding a legion of draconic spirits that answered her call because she¡¯s so goddamn badass. I see a Spirit Lord of Woodland with the power of an ancient, legendary forest behind every footstep. I see the two that will stand beside the Transcendent Dark Lord as equals¡ªtwo she cannot imagine life without.¡±


    ¡°You... really think we can do that?¡± Primrose voice quivered. I was afraid mine would do the same if I spoke. She gripped my hand, and her fingers felt weak.


    "Yep. I do. Tris does. And Master thinks the same. Remember what I said about your pedigree?¡± Tilde flashed a bright smile. ¡°Ah, no pressure or anything. It¡¯s not like I¡¯m asking you two to live up to some insane degree that most can¡¯t even dream about.¡±


    No pressure... Hearing her say it so casually... It makes me feel like I can do it. And I will do it. I will realize my potential. I won¡¯t let anyone down. Not now, and not ever again.


    ¡°Anyway, I sense a restful heart. You¡¯re considering Tilde¡¯s words, yet you aren¡¯t shying away from her challenge,¡± said Tris. ¡°You¡¯re thinking you can do this. You¡¯re ready to prove yourself.¡±


    ¡°You can read me like a book.¡±


    ¡°Does it frighten you?¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not scary. I¡¯m...glad I have someone like you looking after me, Tris.¡±


    If I was the old me, I¡¯d say I wasn¡¯t deserving of it. I won¡¯t think like that anymore. That¡¯s the old Niva.


    ¡°Yep. Little Miss Tris is kinda like the group¡¯s mom. She¡¯s a mother hen looking after her chickies!¡±


    ¡°Says the great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great and ancient fairy.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I¡¯m like wine. I get finer with age, baby. And nothing¡¯s more finer than me. Go on. Try and find something older.¡±


    Tris displayed a [Skyview] window of the ground and proudly answered. ¡°The planet. I¡¯m certain you¡¯re not that old.¡±


    ¡°Hey, I could be. You never know. I might be an alien from another planet. One that''s older than this one.¡±


    ¡°The wind, then? Winds can be found on any planet with an atmosphere.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an aspect of nature. What if the wind originated from me?¡±


    ¡°Are you a wind goddess?¡± Primrose went along with the joke.


    ¡°Just wait until I get me some wind magic. I¡¯ll send a gust to tickle your neck, Primmy.¡±


    ¡°Then shall I reply in turn?¡± Primrose used a non-damaging version of [Razor Wind] that couldn¡¯t cut a leaf. It encircled Tilde¡¯s head and fluttered her pretty hair.


    ¡°Hmm... The breeze feels kinda good. Almost like...it¡¯s asking to return to being a part of me?¡± She laughed and yawned. Then I yawned. And Primrose couldn¡¯t stave off her sleepiness. ¡°It is getting late, so let¡¯s end things here. We totally have to do this again! And maybe this tea party will have a new face? It might be far too soon, though.¡±


    Tris put a hand on the table and stored everything, then walked Primrose and me to the door. ¡°Thanks again.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Niva. Please do not hesitate to knock. You¡¯re a close friend. I wish to see you and Primrose smile for many more decades!¡± She wished us good night and closed the door, although I looked up and waved because I knew she was watching.


    The bed seemingly called our name when we locked our door behind us. Almost immediately, I felt drowsy after touching the pillow.


    ¡°Hmm? This... Father is...attempting to open the mana link. I should accept, right?¡± Primrose gripped my arm out of support, not fear. Why would she be afraid? Our relationship with Aetos was better than ever.


    I nodded, and...our surroundings changed in the blink of an eye.


    Why were we in the Spiritual Grove? And why did it look flawless? You couldn''t find a blemish in this beautiful place even if you''d searched for a hundred years. From the rolling fields of grass to the ponds in the distance... And to the tall, imposing snow-covered mountains on the horizon...


    ¡°We are in the world of dreams.¡± I looked up and saw a light. It flashed and turned into an eagle we were familiar with.


    ¡°Dreams? So we¡¯re asleep, Father?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve brought you here because I wish to continue your training. I can only do this because the transplant will rejuvenate the mana I¡¯m expending. Also, forgive me, but I overheard your conversation with Tilde and Tris. Your potential shines bright, my daughter. You hold the power of this great forest and the Eagle Yew within your core. And you, Niva. I agree with the maid¡¯s future and imagine you as a strong, proud Dragonfolk. Alas, as you are now, neither can wield what you¡¯re truly capable of.¡±


    ¡°Are we going to train every night?¡±


    ¡°Only if you agree. Understand that this cannot always be done. This technique becomes unstable if we are too far apart.¡±


    ¡°Primrose?¡±


    ¡°I... Thank you, Father. My summoner, let¡¯s do this!¡± Primrose formed a fist and smiled. She created her staff and tossed it to me.


    I caught it. ¡°Thank you, Aetos! We¡¯re ready to begin!¡±

 Chapter Ninety-Six: Her Long-Awaited Return – Part One

    Chapter Ninety-Six: Her Long-Awaited Return ¨C Part One


    After gathering in front of the mansion the following morning, we followed Lord Springfield and her team into the forest for three hours until we came to a towering stone temple. It reminded me of a tremendously tall ziggurat. The structure stood in the center of the grand forest surrounding Aetos Village, although death eclipsed it from all sides. The once green and vibrant colors were dull browns and diseased blacks. Life was fading. And quickly. I estimated Aetos Village didn¡¯t have a month or two left before it was the centerfold for a wave of decay and death.


    Instead of slowly climbing the thousands of stairs, Lord Springfield played a song on her flute and manifested a pair of black wings with pulsing crimson veins. She held Tris and flew to the top of the walls. Tilde followed, and Niva and Primrose jumped on Surtr¡¯s back. The lion roared and jumped, landing on solid platforms of flames to leap even higher.


    The spirit summoner used her mythril prosthetics as if they were always a part of her. Her control was more masterful than last night.


    It was honestly amazing. I was so happy for Niva.


    I cast a spell to grant me and my team wings, and we followed them.


    ¡°Tris, set the limit to 60,¡± said Lord Springfield when we gently landed on the wide walls. Her voice was a touch colder for the upcoming fight. Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    ¡°A limit of 51 or higher means breaking the emotional linkage. I do not recommend it.¡±


    ¡°Then keep it at 50. Surtr?¡±


    ¡°I am prepared,¡± growled the lion.


    ¡°Umm... What...are you talking about...?¡± Elly asked. She and I peeked over the wall.


    Sathtshas¡ªthe great boss of this massive forest dungeon¡ªreigned supreme.


    It was Lv. 94 snake with the features of a plant. Its mouth opened horizontally and vertically to reveal thousands of sharp teeth, and hundreds of great, thick vines sprouted from its body to suck in nourishment from the surroundings.


    Although it couldn¡¯t regain any of its HP if life surrounding it had died, that didn¡¯t mean the battle would be easy. Lord Springfield said Sathtshas has never tasted defeat. It was designed to almost be unkillable unless the situation called for it. Even these unfavorable conditions that benefited the challenge couldn¡¯t be taken for granted since this was Lord Aetos¡¯s oldest creation.


    ¡°Lord Springfield, what¡¯s the plan? How should we assist you?¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t. I don¡¯t foresee requiring your help. Still, I ask that you jump in if I struggle.¡±


    ¡°Wait, you¡¯re fighting that thing alone?¡± Ami exclaimed. ¡°It¡¯s super big!¡±


    ¡°Bigger isn¡¯t always better,¡± replied Lord Springfield.


    She turned to the edge. Suddenly, her body was engulfed in flames. Her clothes vanished and were replaced by armor crafted of molten magma and obsidian. A pair of ethereal, crimson dragon wings appeared on her back. A tail and draconic horns grew moments later.


    She...had turned into a Dragonfolk?!


    She stepped off the ledge and floated to the ground. Every flap of her wings sprayed a thick wave of flame immediately below her, which melted the floor without prejudice. Sathtshas took note of the intruder and roared. It reared up and sprayed a deadly mist from the vines sprouting from its body.


    ¡°That¡¯s...going to be me one day, Primrose,¡± Niva whispered. ¡°I will evolve into one... I must do it...¡±


    ¡°Please watch and observe the strength my lord carries within her.¡± Tris smiled and held a hand to her heart. Surtr roared and flared his flaming body, further frightening Melusine by an almost unnoticeable degree.


    Mary detected it. I saw her grip her fingers out of my peripheral vision.


    I turned to the fight. The mist had swallowed everything in the arena, yet it didn¡¯t affect Lord Springfield. She merely raised a hand and summoned her spear, Kronto. It was supposed to be black, except its shaft glimmered with fire.


    Lord Springfield flourished it around her body and stabbed the tip into the ground...


    A dozen magic circles filled the area. Flaming sprouts¡ªpillars of unimaginable power formed. They roared to life and rampaged like tornadoes, eventually combining into a magnificent cyclone of fire that burned even the air.


    It filled the entire arena.


    The pressure was staggering. Elly and Ami couldn¡¯t remain standing. Niva and Primrose had to grab onto Surtr, and Greggie stabbed his sword into the ground and held Keeth¡¯s arm to prevent them from falling off.


    Only Tris was unaffected. Her eyes glistened by the display of power.


    The whooshing wind was too loud. And the heat was otherworldly. Elly said something, but we couldn¡¯t hear her. The flaming cyclone was much too thick for me to get even a step closer. It was the same consistency as molten lava.


    Lord Springfield really held respect for all things, didn¡¯t she? Sathtshas cried. Eventually, the vines tried to hug Lord Springfield, but at that point, most of its body had dissolved into ash. A sudden breeze flew by, scattering them to the wild yonder, where they would probably land amongst the scorched ground.


    The chest that appeared contained the last materials needed to transplant Lord Aetos. Lord Springfield gathered them, and then I landed the air bridge on the ground, where we walked to meet her.


    ¡°The power is still here... I didn¡¯t betray it...¡±


    ¡°Of course, you haven¡¯t,¡± said the lion.


    ¡°How do I compare to Sekh?


    ¡°Your control is lacking. You do not hold the precision that my lady harbors, although I was very impressed by your strength!¡± Surtr roared and shot a beam of shadow-colored flames surrounded by ice into the sky. ¡°I¡¯m sure you know how scarcely you can freely wield this power without consequence. You cannot hope to always rely on it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, I know. I¡¯ll get to that point one day.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, but let the pride flow through you, Lord Springfield. Embrace it.¡± Surtr roared once more in approval.


    ¡°That was amazing!¡± Primrose hopped to Lord Springfield¡¯s side and held her hand. Niva couldn¡¯t contain her excitement, and Tris and Tilde congratulated her on the excellent fight.


    We did the same. Anyone would have after seeing that power in person.


    I still compared her to Remy. Even with that draconic install, Remy¡¯s power over manipulating localized time fields, her portals, and her teleportations were too much of an advantage. Her speed and unpredictability made her impossible to deal with.


    After returning to the mansion, Surtr and I departed for the Spiritual Grove to deliver the materials to Aetos. And I couldn¡¯t stop focusing on the conversation I had with Quella. It played like a broke. Record in my mind because it...wasn¡¯t something I had planned.


    I just started talking...and talking...and talking...and was proud it led where it did. It was an unexpected surprise about revenge and craziness that really worked out. I seriously felt so much more confident. I wasn¡¯t betraying myself. I really wasn¡¯t. I still held that deeply rooted hatred for my enemies, and they would grovel at my feet before I killed them like the pathetic mongrels they were.


    The one difference?


    Quella would be standing beside me. She harbored dark thoughts of her own¡ªthey even rivaled mine. And our talk all but assured me I¡¯d have her assistance when the time came. She was powerful despite her glaring weakness. And her magical abilities would be a boon.


    And talking about the fun times I had with Sekh helped a lot.


    There were problems, however.


    Melusine knew about the Dark Lord of Tyranny. An investigation into Elly¡¯s diary revealed that Lord Enele and a spirit named Kaiho knew of her. Tilde could handle that, though. She was gaslighting Melusine into misremembering the Dark Lord of Tyranny as something other than a Lionfolk.


    After Sekh returned to us...


    What did I want to do?


    I had intended to return to Irisa and help deal with the incoming drama between Mom¡¯s family and Dad before resuming my revenge, but meeting Quella had put new offers on the table...


    Tris¡¯s initial analysis of the current data suggested a potential plan to double-cross Gloria by orchestrating a war between her and Meruria. After all, Meruria¡¯s Soul Warriors were here without Gloria¡¯s permission. I could use [Status Cloak] to hide their mana signatures, then have Gloria send a message detailing she had captured and entrapped the ¡®rats¡¯ Meruria had lost by using clones to masquerade as them. Still, I couldn''t be hasty using [Status Cloak]. People had to pledge their loyalty to me to access its benefits. Would Quella and her team do that? Quella probably would¡ªespecially after our talk. Would I have to reveal myself as Shuuta to convince the others?


    Honestly? Revealing [Status Cloak] to them was too risky. Tris was devoting extra processing time to determine if it was worth it. We couldn¡¯t do anything without exhausting every possible angle dozens of times.


    They could defect and join me in the fight against her.


    Lord Enele was another option. I now knew the history between him and Meruria. She probably had something to do with Sajun¡¯s death. If she had thrown him into the void, it made sense why he was looking for something with void scars across its soul. Did he perhaps want to obtain proof of Meruria¡¯s meddling in something she shouldn¡¯t be doing? Why not use [Truth Field] to force it out of her?


    Clues were still missing.


    However, I couldn¡¯t do anything because of Remy¡ªthe mysterious variable.


    Elly had written that she liked to appear at the most inopportune times. And what better time would be after the transplant? Remy was probably watching from somewhere.


    Quella thought she was stronger than me. That was why I showed off [Ira Ignis]. She was bound to write in her journal, so I wanted her to compare me to her. Maybe she¡¯d write a list of Remy¡¯s abilities? Tris could develop a plan then.


    She kept searching, but Tris hadn¡¯t found a match since learning the name, so I didn¡¯t know who and where she was. Judging from Quella¡¯s journal, Remy was apparently my opposite.


    Just who the hell are you, Remy...

 Chapter Ninety-Six: Her Long-Awaited Return – Part Two

    Chapter Ninety-Six: Her Long-Awaited Return ¨C Part Two


    Aetos awaited me in the Spiritual Grove. I laid out the glowing pot made from spirit mana and a crystalized droplet of highly concentrated water mana gathered from that overgrown snake. The prep involved gently moving the soil from the glass box to the plant while ensuring the water droplet rested at the bottom.


    That work was left to a clone while I tested the abilities gained from assimilating Sathtshas. I already had decent control over my vines, so it was now masterful. Twenty sprouted from each hand and intermingled, combining to form a perfect outline of a tall tower only found in France.


    The monster held an innate resistance to flames¡ªuseless since I already had immunity to fire and ice via the Essence of Wrath. Sathtshas could jab its vines into the ground and use the energy it absorbed from nature to heal itself. And it was a master of poison and air, so now I could manufacture sharp air gusts inside my vines and launch them.


    And its mouth... Its gaping jaw soon formed in place of my fist. Seeing so many teeth... I only imagined the possibilities.


    The best use would be to have it ¡®act¡¯ as my ¡®spirit¡¯ the same way I did the snake boss back in Parthina. I could use a sizable chunk of biomass to make a clone take its form. That seemed like the best way because it gave Tris a method of fighting. She couldn¡¯t purposely cause harm, so directing my clones while acting as their commander?


    Information was her specialty. It was the perfect role for her.


    I asked what would happen after the transplant.


    ¡°The Eagle Yew will fade. Not immediately, mind you. It will be given many more years of life without needing to sustain me.¡±


    ¡°And the spirits?


    ¡°They will be contracted to me.¡±


    ¡°Do you have enough mana?¡±


    ¡°Do not worry. They will return to their cores. Aello has a device to store them, and together, we shall search for a new home to plant my roots. That shall mark the beginning of a new Eagle Yew.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad... Hey, why not use this chance to make amends with Sera? She could find the perfect spot.¡±


    ¡°I have given it some thought. Perhaps a reunion is what needs to happen.¡± Aetos said he couldn¡¯t approve of Sera remaining headstrong in the past. It was a serious point of contention. The great Spirit Lord sighed uncharacteristically. ¡°If it...brings her happiness...then I suppose...it¡¯s acceptable. I do miss her... My lady... There is not a day that goes by that I do not think of her and her spouses. And her father, the Great King... I was saddened to hear his suicide... the younger princess has suffered much. My stubbornness shouldn¡¯t add to it.¡±


    ¡°The lions can deliver a message since Sera¡¯s still traveling with my family. It¡¯ll have to be after we leave, of course. Can¡¯t risk having her see Sekh.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. I doubt Seraphina would listen to reason. She has more reasons than I to hate the one you love.¡± Aetos gave me some advice. In short, even with my Divine Skill, Sekh and I, in our current state, couldn¡¯t win a fight against Sera. Team Quella¡¯s assistance wouldn¡¯t help much, either. Sera had devoted herself to training and vowed to become the next vanguard to stand against the Dark Lord of Tyranny should she ever return.


    The topic then turned to Team Quella.


    ¡°I¡¯ve been watching,¡± said Aetos. ¡°The shadow cast upon your eyes has left. I was ready to give you advice.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡± I asked, standing up.


    The pot had ceased glowing, and Aetos said that was normal. The soil glimmered brightly, though. The beauty didn¡¯t compare to the ugly decay surrounding us. ¡°Why not? You were clearly troubled. You have cared for the village and forest, so I wished to ease your heart.¡±


    ¡°Because you care? Or do you just want me to use the life force I¡¯ll gain from assimilating my enemies to end Sekh¡¯s curse?¡±


    ¡°Would you believe me if I said it was both?


    ¡°At this point? Yeah. I would, Aetos. I would. I can see a clearer path. I¡¯ll work with Quella to remove the bigger problem. Meruria must die. And she will die. And I¡¯ll use her life force to remove the curse we despise. That¡¯s my vow.¡±


    ¡°It will not be broken. Nonetheless, permit me to advise you anyway.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t refuse your wisdom.¡±


    ¡°Reina¡¯s heart once harbored similar hatred due to the actions of the lord she used to serve. That created walls my lady and Sir Murag devoted time to destroying. However, Reina was stubborn. She refused to change. She was adamantly repulsed by their efforts until they stopped. That¡¯s when she realized she harbored affection for them. That¡¯s when the walls shattered, and she faced a truth she didn¡¯t want to admit. Embracing what she thought she didn¡¯t need lifted her life to a new tier of happiness.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s happening to you is not dissimilar. And although you¡¯ve discovered your path and navigated your complex feelings, I ask that you look upon the five that make you when you need help. For you are not only surrounded by what you can touch. When problems arise... Recall what Reina felt. Delve into Yaekira¡¯s memories. Experience Sir Murag¡¯s wisdom. Find solace in Beccy¡¯s queenly past. And my lady, the First Princess of Vredi Forest... Let their actions guide you to the future you desire. Do not let foolish pride interfere.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like I can access them on demand.¡± I sighed and scratched my head. ¡°I had to be with Sera to peer at the ones when she hung out with you and Susize. And be near the playpen to see those other ones. I can¡¯t control when they¡¯ll show up. They just...kind of flash in my mind.¡±


    ¡°Is that a limitation of your abilities, chimera? Or does the fault lie with your psyche?¡±


    ¡°What are you getting at?¡±


    ¡°What are memories but another aspect that can be claimed by assimilation? Your inability to do so shines a light on your lacking grasp for your chimeric nature.¡±


    ¡°Aetos is correct. Chimera can turn memories tangible and digest them, my lord. However, I do not know the practicing theorem behind it. I¡¯ve no doubt we¡¯ll discover it together in time, however!¡± Tris¡¯s positiveness was infectious.


    ¡°There¡¯s something I¡¯m a little confused about,¡± I said, changing the subject. ¡°It¡¯s about Bellerophon. Why did you permit them in the village if you hate them so much? Two agents were here when I first arrived.¡±


    ¡°To deny Bellerophon would be acquiring their ire. However, my distaste for them stems from recency bias. To claim that I have always hated them is a lie, for I used to believe they did a service for the world to rid it of your kind.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve changed your stance on that?¡±


    ¡°I have, chimera. Is it not the mark of a fool to remain stone-hearted in their beliefs when they acquire information that challenges their proclivity?¡±


    ¡°Is that a shot at me?¡± I raised an eyebrow. Aetos almost... laughed?


    I¡¯m glad he can chuckle. It means things are progressing well.


    ¡°Call it what you will. Take it how you want.¡±


    ¡°So, where do we go from here?¡± I asked, sitting against Surtr. Tris joined me, and I softly rubbed my lion¡¯s head, enjoying his deep, low purrs.


    Aetos spread his wings. ¡°My core will take a half-day to manifest. Return at twilight and plant it into the soil you¡¯ve prepared.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s part one. What about part two? You know, Sekh?¡±


    ¡°Manifesting my core will permit me to use the last bastion of my grand power to shape a Yggdrasil Drop.¡±


    ¡°Yggdrasil...Drop? Ah, Murag wrote about it. My lord, that¡¯s a shard of specialized healing mana.¡±


    ¡°Tris is correct. Merely place it on the Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s tongue, and her body will recover from any wound.¡±


    ¡°The wounded eagle speaks the truth. I approve of the healing method, Lord Springfield,¡± growled Surtr.


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you use it on yourself?¡±


    ¡°Because creating it means to use the last embers of my life. It is not a technique that can be done even as often as once a decade. Even in my prime, using it almost certainly means trading my life for another.¡±


    ¡°I understand,¡± said Tris. ¡°The physical and spiritual essence will fade, but your core remains. And once that¡¯s transplanted, you will be born anew?¡±


    ¡°Yes. The process will give me a tremendous boost of spirit mana to replenish what will be spent creating it.¡±


    ¡°What about your memories?¡±


    ¡°Do not fret over me, chimera. I will still be Aetos, the Great Eagle of Vredi Forest, and the Spirit Lord of Nature. Think of it as the technique the Dark Lord of Tyranny used to escape her crystal. It¡¯s a form of self-reincarnation.¡±


    I looked at my hands...and they trembled with anticipatory excitement.


    ¡°This is wonderful, my lord! Lady Sekh is so close to returning to us!¡± Tris interlocked her fingers with mine. She was as happy, if not more so, than me.


    Aetos bid us farewell since he had to prepare his core, so we left his Spiritual Grove and returned to the mansion.


    The house was empty because everyone was in the backyard. Greggie was grilling some squash and other veggies on a grill. Ami and Melusine were dancing with Elly and Tilde amongst the wilted flowers. Some would think it morbid, but I knew the flowers appreciated it. Yes, they were gone¡ªfaded¡ªdecayed. Even in death? At least someone found happiness and joy.


    In a way, the flowers were still making the world a slightly better place, for a selfish reason, even after they were gone.


    ¡°Welcome back, Master!¡± Tilde fell to her knees and took a breather. ¡°So, how was it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll happen tonight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s wonderful news, Lord Springfield,¡± said Quella. She turned away from Niva, and I surmised she was helping her with magic.


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± answered Niva when I asked. She wiped the sweat from her brow and stood. Her smile was as bright as the sun. She wiggled her mythril fingers and formed a fist, and I loved how determined she looked.


    Even her skin appeared glowing, prompting Elly to ask what lotion she was using in a small whisper. Tilde just smiled and pointed to me, and I believed the realization hit the idol like a speeding truck because she blushed.


    ¡°That¡¯s understandable,¡± replied Quella. She and the rest wished me luck and told me to be safe. Meanwhile, she would continue to assist Niva, who was happy and thanked her for the help.


    We strolled into the Spiritual Grove, and I couldn¡¯t have been happier to see Aetos. His spirit core was larger than Prim¡¯s. It was profusely damaged, though. Thick black cracks spiraled from the center. A golden raindrop hovered near it.


    Sekh... You¡¯re almost back. Just hold on for a little bit longer.


    ¡°As agreed, chimera,¡± Aetos said, straining his voice. The eagle''s core and the Yggdrasil Drop approached me, and I grabbed both. ¡°Merely plant it within the pot...and I shall¡ª¡± Aetos groaned. His great eagle form shuddered as he cried and dissolved into energy, which surged into the shrinking core.


    It was barely bigger than my fist.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯ll hold my end of the deal. Hang on, Aetos.¡±


    I kneeled and gently lowered his core into the soil. The Spiritual Grove violently shook. Shockwaves spread across the sky. The pot suddenly flashed green and shot incredible energy into the sky, where it exploded like a firecracker. The trembling vanished as quickly as it began. A baby eagle appeared in the raining nature mana, and a tiny sapling sprouted from the pot.


    As lackluster as it was...it was beautiful... Tris dried my eyes with a handkerchief.


    ¡°I¡¯m about to start the process.¡±


    Aetos flew and perched on the lid. He couldn¡¯t leave its immediate surroundings.


    ¡°Go ahead, my lord. Lady Sekh¡¯s been waiting long enough, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°She has.¡±


    I touched a hand to the ground. And there...


    Sekh was...inside that icy coffin. She¡¯d be there for too long. Those wounds were...hurting my heart.


    Not anymore.


    ¡°With the power of [Conferment], I use my authority as the Transcendent Dark Lord to cast out the curse inside the Dark Lord of Tyranny...¡± I raised my hand to the sky.


    Grey mana gathered around my palm.


    That wasn¡¯t enough.


    I needed more.


    Anything less would end in failure.


    The air shook, but it was worse than when Aetos went to his new home. Angry sparks shot out like lightning from the orb I held as it steadily grew more erratic. Tendrils of destructive mana mercilessly attacked the ground, then exploded, shooting high in the sky. It seemed impossible, but it broke the ''ceiling'' of the Spiritual Grove and left behind gaping bowels of nothingness.


    The wind picked up like a hurricane.


    Sekh¡¯s love... Her devotion... Her everything...


    I¡¯d sacrifice it all for her. I¡¯d endure hell itself a million times over if it meant I could hold her in my arms for just one more second.


    ¡°RRRAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!¡±


    ¡°NOT YET, LORD SPRINGFIELD!!!! KEEP STRONG!!!¡± Surtr roared.


    It rose into the sky, growing continuously as the destructive behavior doubled.


    At this point, the sky looked apocalyptic. The ground resembled a violent battlefield from a world war.


    I held my wrist with my other hand and screamed.


    And then...


    A pillar of mana appeared, centered on my raised palm.


    And all the coalesced energy slammed. It tightened, constricted, and kept shrinking.


    The ground below me splintered. Every pulse of energy sent to my palm caused another earthquake.


    I felt my legs break. My arms screamed. My back shattered.


    But this didn¡¯t stop me.


    ¡°RRRRAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!¡±


    I pushed back.


    I forced my legs to straighten.


    I fought against the oppressive force and grasped the power. I willed it to come under my control because...


    It was mine. I was its ruler. I was its lord. I couldn¡¯t betray or defy my life.


    I gathered it all and forced it to my will, condensing it into a mere orb to show I had conquered it. This was the key to freeing Sekh from her brutal destiny.


    That goddamn curse...


    I would break it...


    There!


    The tremendous orb shuddered, and the rampaging destruction immediately halted as the incredible life force shrunk to the size of a golf ball.


    The damage inflicted began to heal itself slowly. Without needing to support Aetos, the Eagle Yew and Spiritual Grove still had many years left¡ªeven accounting for the mana to repair the previously sustained decay.


    ¡°You¡¯re up, Surtr,¡± I said, looking at what had taken so much to get under control. It was a gentle toss. The grey orb shattered when it hit the coffin, creating a soft, calming pillar of mana. It stretched to the infinite sky.


    It felt warm and inviting¡ªnothing like before I had tamed it.


    Surtr loudly roared, creating a cyclone of [Abyssal Iceflame]. It centered on Sekh¡¯s coffin.


    I merely walked into the mouth of the inferno, waited for the coffin to shatter, and popped the Yggdrasil Drop into my mouth.


    Snap!


    The ice cracked like glass and was kidnapped by the swirling oxymoronic vortex.


    Oh, Sekh was so beautiful...


    I took her in my arms, tilted her head back, and kissed her.


    It was delicious. Sekh''s lips hadn¡¯t lost an ounce of softness. A golden glow enveloped her body, healing her injuries in a flash.


    ¡°Rrrgn... Mmmn...¡± Sekh subtly moved, her tail slowly returning to life. Her eyes twitched partly before opening, and those two silver beauties looked at me.


    ¡°Welcome back, Sekh. I¡¯m sorry it took so long. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t do it sooner. But you¡¯re back, Sekh... You¡¯re back, and I¡¯ve missed you...so much...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re crying...¡± Sekh placed a hand on my cheek and wiped my eyes dry.


    Oh, how I¡¯ve longed to feel her bare touch. Her eyes softened...and I couldn''t help but take her lips twice more.


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too...¡±

 Chapter 96.5: The Head Maid’s Lewd Game (R-18)

    Chapter 96.5: The Head Maid¡¯s Lewd Game (R-18)


    ¡°Do ya know how hard I trained for this? This isn¡¯t easy.¡± Tris and Tilde¡¯s generous breasts bounced freely. They mesmerized me. They danced like beautiful autumn leaves scattering to the ground in a simple breeze and ended with them kneeling. A light mist of salty sweat clung to the fairy¡¯s soft skin.


    I clapped for them. ¡°That was amazing!¡±


    ¡°Hehe! I¡¯m so glad you liked it!¡± Tilde flew and sat beside me, with Tris taking the other side. ¡°But I can¡¯t exactly seduce you when your clothes are still on.¡± She rubbed my thighs and moved her hand to my crotch, feeling my growing erection.


    She dropped to the ground and rubbed her face against my crotch. ¡°Don¡¯t ya see how big it¡¯s getting? It¡¯s saying...¡¯let me out! I wanna see Tilde and Tris!¡¯¡±


    ¡°Is that how my penis sounds? It has my cute maid¡¯s voice?¡±


    ¡°Well... I mean, you could add vocal cords to it and really make it speak, ya know? Tris, make our Master a little comfortable.¡± Tris touched my body and stashed my clothing in our storage.


    ¡°¡¯Come on!¡¯¡± Tilde used my cock like a puppet. ¡°¡¯I wanna wake up! I¡¯m a lion that wants to roar! And I wanna stick it in my cute head maid and drive her wild... Like super wild! So much that she loses her mind¡ª¡¯


    Bonk!


    ¡°Bwha?!¡±


    I lightly bonked her on the head with my penis. She exaggeratedly fell to her back.


    ¡°I thought you were about to say something important.¡±


    ¡°Uhh... There¡¯s nothing more important than loving your lovers, ya know.¡± She flew to her feet, put her hands on her hips, and shook a finger at me. ¡°That¡¯s why we''re gonna get weird, ¡®kay? It¡¯s all part of my plan to ensure you¡¯re skilled enough to drive Little Miss Tyranny buck wild. It¡¯s been a day or two. I just don¡¯t want you to be rusty because you gotta be on you¡¯re A-game when it¡¯s time for my exclusive 100 years.¡±


    Ah, I see how it is. Fine, guess I play along.


    ¡°Okay. How is my favorite fairy going to do that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just your favorite fairy, Master. But it¡¯s also your little Fragment of Wisdom. Think of her as my beloved, sexy assistant.¡±


    In short, Tilde was going to dance, and Tris would jerk me off. If I came, she¡¯d take my orgasm in her mouth, kiss Tilde, then she would give me a handjob while Tris worked her moves.


    ¡°Uhh...¡±


    ¡°I know, it¡¯s the smartest plan, like ever, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep. It sure is.¡± Tilde smiled. Tris kneeled in front of me and carefully held my cock with both hands in a gentle grip. She lightly parted her lips.


    I cupped a hand around her cheek and stuck my thumb inside. Tilde had once told me this type of thing was sensual because teeth were sharp and dangerous, but Tris let my thumb explore her mouth.


    ¡°And... Let¡¯s go!¡± Tilde jumped, and the ¡®game,¡¯ or whatever it was, began.


    It was hard. The situation was just so erotic, and that wet, slimy tongue licked my finger as if it was a cock.


    I turned Tilde around and saw a hint of lewd regret. She bit her lips. ¡°Ah¡ªYou¡ªYou know what? Elly was... Yeah, she was asking how to use the stove, so¡ª"


    ¡°I¡¯m not letting my cute fairy go. Not after she seduced me. Isn¡¯t it a head maid¡¯s duty to tend to her Master?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t...use my words against me, you bully!¡±


    ¡°Oh? But I have you to thank for that.¡± I brought us to the bed and gently sat Tilde on her stomach. She looked over her shoulder and wasn¡¯t ready for my kiss. ¡°Consider this a prelude to your century.¡± I rubbed my hands down her back after transfiguring them into tongues to taste her salty, delicious sweat. Then they went around her stomach and up to her breasts as I plunged it in.


    Tilde couldn¡¯t help but moan. She pushed her ass further against my crotch.


    Tris cheered me on. She happily watched and clapped along to the rhythm, then congratulated me whenever I climaxed.


    She... She really, really loved to watch. She¡¯d probably have a front-row seat when Sekh and I made up for lost time.


    Knowing Tilde... She¡¯d probably prepare pompoms or something equally bonkers.


    Having an audience like that turns me on more.


    I turned Tilde on her back and grabbed her sides while ramming my hips after the tenth round. Her breasts greedily devoured my attention in how they bounced. I loved the way her skin had these little ripples. She tightened with every thrust and went wild when I leaned close, tightly hugged her, and proclaimed my love.


    ¡°I love you! I love you!!! Maaaaasterrrr!!!¡± When Tilde wasn¡¯t clawing my back, she gripped the bedsheets for dear life or locked her legs around my waist.


    But I always passionately intertwined our fingers while kissing her whenever we climaxed. I ensured we always came together.


    Tilde, however, didn¡¯t have the stamina. By the sixteenth round, she was begging for mercy.


    ¡°I guess this is a good stopping point. Say,¡± I whispered, lying beside Tilde as my slime cleaned up the smelly, lewd mess. I didn¡¯t want to stop touching her ¡°But you don''t want to nap alone, do you? Care to let me join? I can''t get enough of you, Tilde."


    ¡°As... As long as you hold me tightly... And say that you love me... And I might just let you do that after forgiving you for the pounding you gave me... It¡¯s seriously not fair... You¡¯re just so good at this... Shit, I don¡¯t even know how to think straight anymore... I can still feel you moving inside me... I think my body¡¯s addicted...¡± Tilde whispered, her face still sweaty, but I loved her smell and lustful, lewd expression.


    If nothing else...


    She was thoroughly satisfied.


    I did as she asked. She softly smiled at my touch, cried a few tears at my heartfelt love, and buried her head under my neck when I slipped it in.


    ¡°Just know that you¡¯re going to experience that for 36,500 days whenever we get to the Century of Tilde,¡± I joked. ¡°All day. Every day. Morning til dusk. Dusk til morning...¡±


    Tilde lightly shivered from imagining such a scene.


    ¡°Enjoy your slumber, you two,¡± Tris said when she pulled the covers over us, her beautiful body still bare. ¡°I shall awaken you when it¡¯s time for dinner. Please rest up for Lady Sekh¡¯s return.¡±


    I closed my eyes and nuzzled closer to my favorite, cutest fairy in the whole wide world.

 Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Dark Lord of Tyranny’s Roar – Part One (Illustrations!)

    Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s Roar ¨C Part One (Illustrations!)


    I thought I had died.


    After overpowering the Essence of Wrath, I merely waited for death to take me. My body was pushed to the edge. [Tyrannical Renewal] had no limit, but overuse would mean certain death.


    I recall the world getting colder when the curse came to collect its price. The feeling of my skin fading away and turning into nothingness... My last thought was of Irisa helping me lay down amid Ria¡¯s desolate destruction.


    After my vision blackened, I couldn¡¯t hear or see. The sense of touch, taste, and smell had no place for a corpse.


    I then felt an unbreakable coldness surround me. The vivid darkness that had swallowed me turned to ice resembling [Abyssal Iceflame].


    An inhumane voice shattered the frigidness, and I found myself floating amid nothingness with a body free of wounds. The crystalline-like fragments encircled me until they formed an arena.


    And there...


    Standing on the other end...


    ...was the curse given form. Its shape altered every second. A dozen mouths and a thousand teeth chattered, laughed, and crackled, filling the waiting battlefield with indecipherable nonsense.


    I knew what it said.


    You can¡¯t run away from me that easily.


    Death won¡¯t save you from your destiny.


    Submit to me and fulfill your duty. Reduce this pathetic world to a frozen hellscape.


    I looked at the roof of ice above me and figured the lions must¡¯ve done something. I was close to death, except...


    I hadn¡¯t perished. Not yet.


    There was a chance...for me to see my liege.


    And like hell would I let it go.


    ¡°You won¡¯t ever take me,¡± I said, forming a mace, shield, and armor from [Abyssal Iceflame]. The familiar sensation chilled and warmed my bones. Being surrounded by proof of my power relaxed me.


    You¡¯ve already let me in. You cannot hope to defeat me.


    The curse laughed, the noise vibrating the ice. It shattered, revealing the curse around us. It stared from an infinite number of eyes and ears. I felt it creeping up my legs and touch my lips. Its breath molested my stomach, but I burned my flames and ice and charged into battle with my mace raised. Its abyss-colored flames leaked behind me, creating a fiery moat.


    Time didn¡¯t exist here as it did on the outside. I knew I was in the depths of my soul. The curse merely was trying to assume direct control. The encroaching surroundings from the curse¡¯s manifestation made that all too clear.


    If I didn¡¯t focus, it would creep closer and take that much more.


    My soul was mine. It once felt the full brunt of the power I wielded with my Divine Armament.


    So, there wasn¡¯t a need to conserve any energy.


    I fought without holding anything back.


    A single moment felt like a year.


    A century felt like an eternity.


    A thousand lifetimes passed me, but I never let up the assault for a second. Even when it had come so far as to surround me in its hatred and reduced my space to a mere ten meters, my flames never died. I burned them to infinity and crafted a layer of ice, then fought with the intensity the Dark Lord of Tyranny was feared for.


    But the curse never retreated.


    It never once thought about giving up now that I had let it in.


    Suddenly, the curse surrounding me vanished, leaving the one I faced behind. Its uneven form looked scared.


    Frightened, even.


    It didn¡¯t like my taunts. The damn thing shuddered and morphed into me, wielding my flames and ice.


    The curse was me, after all.


    And I was it.


    Its atmosphere altered. [Abyssal Iceflame] surged around its body, crafted my equipment, and rushed forward.


    I did the same, and we clashed.


    Each strike sent a wave of icy destruction scattering to the far-reach. Each block forced a torrent of flames to shoot into the sky.


    It copied everything I did.


    And another moment passed.


    And another...and another.


    These weren¡¯t mere moments.


    They were eons.


    The battle waged for infinity, and it served me well to train what I had only recently reacquired. The armor became sleeker and refined. The shield became brutal and frightening, and my projected mace regained its former luster and shine that foreshadowed the tyranny I was known for.


    It didn¡¯t compare to my Divine Armament.


    At some point, I was faster, if only by a heartbeat.


    I was stronger, if only by a feather.


    The curse couldn¡¯t replicate what I had grown into during our fight. It only copied what I had used to be.


    Ahh... Pressing the advantage... Seeing that fake drown in brimstone pleased me so very much.


    It never screamed or begged. It had too much pride to do so. Even after I crucified it in ice and drove my shield into its chest, it promptly stood and returned to battle.


    Eventually, vivid recreations of the Dark Lord of Tyranny played around us like those movies she had told me about. They depicted me at my worst¡ªwhen the curse had been in full effect. Children and women...cut from belly to crotch... Flaming crows feasting on festering insides like a ripe buffet...


    And there I was... Laughing... Taunting that king for trying to go against me...while I threw his relatives¡¯ heads at his crucified, barely alive body.


    And there I was...wading through that bloody river that had turned crimson from the ten thousand corpses I had those slaves throw in...


    And...there I was... Carving...cutting...snarling at the shattered fire spirit I had tormented with [Tyranny Control]... The shattered cores of all he had loved and cherished pulled him into the depths of madness... And I had been the conductor to guide him to that despair...


    I...had been the catalyst for Mt. Kindle to explode, giving rise to the brutal Ashlands that now monopolized much of Dirge¡¯s central region. So many died... So many had their heart filled with fear of the unknown as ash choked them all... The skies were blocked out by thick, heavy clouds...


    Everything...that perished...fell by my actions... Updated chapters at novelhall.com


    But that didn¡¯t stop me.


    The attire I had crafted for him with my flames and ice was magnificent. A long, flowing coat draped over his form, its edges flickering with the fiery intensity of molten lava one moment, then shimmering like the purest ice the next. The coat¡¯s deep black fabric was adorned with intricate patterns of crimson and blue, swirling like living flames and frost around his frame.


    The furred shoulders of the coat added to his already intimidating silhouette, making him appear larger than life. Beneath it, his armored vest fit him like a second skin¡ªdark, polished, and etched with the same elemental motifs. His clawed gauntlets gleamed under the light, each finger tipped with razor-sharp, deadly claws that promised swift and brutal retribution to any who dared challenge him.


    His legs were encased in dark, flexible pants, perfect for the quick, agile movements he was capable of. The sturdy yet sleek boots carried the same fiery and icy patterns, completing the fearsome ensemble.


    He may have had a few wrinkles scattered across his brow, making him look wiser and older, but he had not gotten an ounce weaker.


    No¡ªit was the opposite. The Surtr of yesterday was like a malnourished, sick cub when you compared him to the mighty warrior standing before me.


    ¡°Ah...¡± Surtr was speechless. He looked himself over and kneeled. ¡°Thank you, my lady!¡±


    ¡°Stand and rise, Surtr.¡±


    ¡°At once!¡± Surtr roared, sending a plume of fire erupting from his mouth.


    ¡°And Aetos... You¡¯ve shrunk since the last time I saw you.¡± I turned to the pot and saw a baby eagle perching.


    ¡°I cannot say the same for you, Dark Lord of Tyranny. Did you enjoy your nap?¡±


    ¡°You could say that. Thank you, eagle, for waking me.¡± Thanking someone who hated me... The feeling felt odd. Aetos¡¯s face was just as surprised¡ªhe couldn¡¯t believe what had escaped my lips.


    I told Mila what happened to me. She smiled when I said I was much stronger than before precise control. Dispelling the curse I had let in ¡®technically¡¯ weakened me, but my precise control was like me in my prime. I¡¯d be within throwing distance of my apex if I had my mace.


    ¡°Even if I knew, I wouldn¡¯t tell you,¡± Aetos answered after I asked. ¡°Only Lord Amos knows. He hasn''t been seen in centuries. We presume he has died. If you cannot detect your mace, assume he had successfully sealed it.¡±


    ¡°Your mace can come later. Let¡¯s return to the mansion. Tilde and the others are waiting. We must decide how to proceed, but we won¡¯t rush into anything. And there¡¯s much to discuss about how to handle Sera.¡±


    Seraphina Vredi...


    No one alive from 1,000 years ago hated me more than her, and here she was...indirectly responsible for healing my wounds.


    How ironic...


    Friendship was an impossibility. Seraphina''s anger would probably supersede any desire to help break the curse binding me.


    I recalled her being emotional and haughty like that. If she had been really training since my imprisonment, then she held the power to end my life.


    ...


    How will we navigate this issue?


    ¡°Mila?¡±


    ¡°Ye-- Wait, Mila?¡± She did a double take.


    ¡°The memories Surtr gave me. You wanted Niva to stand beside you, yes? And not behind? You desire the same for me.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right!¡± Mila embraced me and said she regretted it when I used [Tyranny Control] to bind my will to her command. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I was thinking, but I wish I could take it back... I love you.¡±


    I was hasty and foolish in doing that. It was a mistake only visible in hindsight, but we couldn''t do anything about the mark of my most feared skill staining my belly. It was set in stone, and not even I could shatter it. I doubt anything could, and we had to live with it. And there was really only one thing I could say...


    ¡°I love you too, Mila.¡±


    The informality made my heart feel funny. I wasn¡¯t used to this casualness, but it felt...


    It just felt right.


    There were a lot of things I wished I had done differently. Looking back on who I used to be? I...didn¡¯t know if I liked that woman. I was her¡ªyes¡ªbut after spending so long fighting the curse inside my soul, I felt...different. More mature or experienced, you could say. And hindsight was making me see all my errors¡ªlike trying to force sexual gratification on Mila to establish the initial link of [Tyranny Control] when we had just met.


    Just...why in the hell did I do that? What was I thinking? Then again... That was me at the time. And who I am now? Yes, I¡¯m different, but it¡¯s growth. It¡¯s proof the curse doesn¡¯t define me. I will not let it take me.


    Mila and I held hands. Her touch was familiar, warm, and enchanting. Our fingers intertwining...reminded me of our first time. I never wanted to go without this feeling for even a day. ¡°I have a gift for you, Sekh,¡± she said. A tunic, skirt, and boots appeared in her hands. ¡°They¡¯re sewn from my crystal-clad webbing. And they¡¯re immune to fire and ice. I¡¯ve been working on it in secret.¡±


    The outfit perfectly hugged my body. The crystal fragments sparkled, and the crimson and azure fit well. I smiled and twirled, feeling...so giddy...like butterflies were about to rise through my stomach.


    ¡°There¡¯s something else.¡± Mila produced a ruby necklace.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± I whispered. The jewel sparkled with gorgeous luster, reflected by the clear webbing reinforcing it.


    I could make it better. The collar... It was still around my neck¡ªproof that I was enslaved by Mila, so...if I did this...


    ¡°Sekh, what...¡± Her eyes widened as I grabbed the necklace, and she finally understood when the collar vanished. And in its place sat my most prized possession...


    ¡°The collar¡¯s gone. There¡¯s no need for it, is there? This...¡± I softly smiled and held Mila¡¯s hands. ¡°This is all I need. If I have it... As long as it¡¯s there... I can feel you around me, Mila... It symbolizes your love. It''s not a reminder of [Tyranny Control].¡±


    ¡°It looks stunning on you, Sekh. I¡¯m glad it turned out so well. Oh, I can¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, the Spiritual Grove violently shook, and Mila demanded an answer. ¡°The Eagle Yew is under siege!¡± cried the eagle. ¡°It became enveloped in spirit mana during the transplant process! The ones relentlessly attacking the village must¡¯ve waited until now.¡±


    Aetos didn¡¯t know who they were. While they appeared to be mere bandits, their skills, spells, numbers, and tactics suggested the opposite. Bandits wouldn¡¯t have known magic to forcibly induce decay and rot upon the Eagle Yew. They wouldn¡¯t have readied catapults and trebuchets and loaded them with expensive poison designed to rot mana-infused wood.


    No.


    Bandits would rely on their numbers and brutality. And they¡¯d run away upon being shown a greater force.


    These cretins kept returning after sustaining dozens of losses. They were determined to capture the village¡¯s spirit, enslave the inhabitants, steal Aetos¡¯s core, or see the eagle die.


    ¡°Those petulant fools...¡± Mila cursed. ¡°How dare they... How dare they...¡± She clenched a fist.


    ¡°The coffin was cramped, Mila. I feel like stretching my legs,¡± I said, a hint of ire cladding my tone. I did not desire this interruption.


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    ¡°I am. I will make our enemies regret coming between our reunion. And you, eagle. Do not worry. I will protect you, the village, and the Eagle Yew, for is it not the least I can do for saving my life? Let me show you my improved mastery of the power that once brought the world to a screeching halt.¡±


    No, Sekh. Stop speaking like that. You...need to change.


    [Abyssal Iceflame] surged around my body, casting me in armor.


    The clothing was unaffected. Its quality was sublime. The jewel was unharmed.


    ¡°Surtr, let us go. I¡¯m sure you desire to test your new strength. We will not spare these ingrates.¡±


    ¡°At once, my lady!¡± Surtr stood and formed a massive axe. The handle was fire, and the blade was ice. ¡°They will rue the day they were born!¡±


    Aetos made a portal, and the Spiritual Grove shook violently once more. The world went dark as my flames illuminated our surroundings.


    ¡°They blocked the Eagle Yew¡¯s spirit mana?!¡± Aetos gasped, my fire glimmering in his feathers. He panicked and tried to force a reconnection.


    It didn¡¯t work.


    ¡°Have you fallen so much to lose yourself, eagle? This is nothing I cannot handle.¡± I took a breath and enflamed my armor while holding my hand out. ¡°With the power of [Conferment], I use my authority as the Dark Lord of Tyranny...¡±

 Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Dark Lord of Tyranny’s Roar – Part Two (Important Update)

    Chapter Ninety-Seven: The Dark Lord of Tyranny¡¯s Roar ¨C Part Two (Important Update)


    ¡°Hey, Tilde?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s up?¡±


    ¡°Umm... Just...what kind of person is Sekh?¡± asked Elly as we sat in the backyard, looking up at the Eagle Yew. Primrose had said the tree would harbor a mystic glow once the transplant was complete, so we anxiously waited for it to sparkle.


    ¡°Mmnn...¡± Tilde stretched her wings and crossed her legs. ¡°Well, she¡¯s been with Master the longest. She¡¯s...kinda stoic? I dunno if that¡¯s the right word, but she¡¯s... She¡¯s sometimes archaic, I guess. She¡¯s kinda ¡®brash¡¯ with her words and probably hasn¡¯t totally adjusted to her newfound happiness.¡±


    ¡°Wait, what do you mean by newfound?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Let¡¯s say she was locked up for a long time. She only really experienced true freedom when Master freed her. They...are more alike than they are different.¡± Tilde was unusually stuck for words. She couldn¡¯t readily approach the topic as ¡®jokingly¡¯ as she had conversed about other things.


    ¡°Freed? Like a slave?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong, Ami,¡± replied Tilde. ¡°Sekh is still a slave in some ways, although none of her would ever think her to be one. She¡¯s super powerful, you know. A flick of an eyebrow, and she could roast me like a marshmallow.¡± Suddenly, Tilde giggled as she changed topics. ¡°Haha, I used to tease the shit out of her. I¡¯ll tell you¡ªour bickering was legendary. Ahh, but that was the old Tilde. This is the new one. Guess I should show her how much I''ve matured.¡±


    ¡°Sekh¡¯s really kind,¡± added Niva, who waved her staff to warm up her joints for an evening workout. ¡°I was in bad shape when we met. I...was close to dying, but she helped look after me. She changed my bandages and rubbed medicine on me.¡±


    ¡°Ah, yeah. She did that. Hey, Niva? Don¡¯t worry. I know Sekh¡¯s gonna be proud when she sees you. You¡¯ve changed a whole lot¡ª and for the better¡ªsince she¡¯s taken her nap.¡±


    ¡°Nap? But I thought she was hurt?¡± asked Ami.


    ¡°Well, she is. She¡¯s asleep via magic to help keep her alive inside a coffin of ice. Think of it like...suspended hibernation in cryostasis. We can¡¯t break her out without her dying from her wounds, but we can¡¯t heal her without breaking her. So, it¡¯s a paradox. Lord Aetos can use his powerful magic to heal Little Miss Sekh in a flash.¡± Tilde snapped for extra emphasis. ¡°Ah, we just have to wait, huh? Guess patience is a virtue and all that.¡±


    Greggie emerged with a tray of sweets, and we spent a few minutes happily enjoying this after-dinner dessert...


    Until...


    It happened.


    It was startling how fast life could transition into a nightmare. One moment, we gazed at the Eagle Yew¡¯s mystical glow¡ªproof the transplant was complete. Elly was cheering. Ami was jumping. Primrose cried and hugged Niva, who patted her back...


    And then a barrage of spells came out of nowhere. Ice, fire, wind, poison, and gas bombarded the massive tree. The earth shook and rumbled as if the Eagle Yew groaned in pain. And another salvo appeared without delay.


    We dropped what we were doing and ran to the village. Melusine took to the skies to create an icy barrier, yet her good intentions were futile.


    ¡°Why¡ªWHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?! STOP THIS!!!¡± Elly shouted. She helplessly watched a thunderous bolt of lighting fire slam into the tree, carving off an 80-meter chunk of wood that violently fell to the ground, destroying precious homes.


    Aello wasn¡¯t anywhere to be found. The slimes and other inhabitants were scared and panicking. Things couldn¡¯t remain like this.


    ¡°Elly, handle the healing. Gather everyone in the graveyard. Keeth, go with her and use your skills to reinforce what you can. Mary, scout with your birds. Greggie, you and Ami are with me.¡± The orders came quickly. I had more experience in handling stuff like this.


    Elly and I buffed our attack, speed, defense, and magic, and then she sang a song about reuniting. Her voice was thrown across the entire village, spreading far and wide, reaching everyone¡¯s ears.


    ¡°You¡¯re not fighting alone,¡± Tilde said, drawing her guns. Her, Primrose, and Niva followed after us. Lei had hopped on Niva¡¯s head. We ran to the village¡¯s entrance, charged through the forest...and encountered roughly sixty people waiting in formation after the tree line. Magic continued to be fired by the mages at the back.


    They dressed like bandits, but the enemies were too trained to be hoodlums. Even their equipment was falsely made to look like hand-me-downs.


    I had killed hundreds of thugs. None pushed around catapults or hefted trebuchets on wagons. They were too heavy. Ferrying the ammo added another expense.


    These guys had to be professionals.


    ¡°What the hell are you doing?! Stop this!¡± I shouted, switching to Melded Elements, a tome focusing on combination magic. The book hovered and opened, casting an eerie glow around my eyes. Greggie readied his shield, and Ami raised her fists.


    A powerful spark appeared from the back. The bolt was tremendous, and it flew like lightning, striking the Eagle Yew.


    Immediately, the glow it held vanished. A foreboding feeling crawled into my stomach. After using [Mana Perception], I realized the thick mana radiating from their bodies meant they were at least Lv. 70. Perhaps even higher.


    I looked at the Eagle Yew and saw nothing but monochrome. The mana powering the Spiritual Grove was cut. Lord Springfield couldn¡¯t leave.


    ¡°I guess the report was true. A halfbreed with prosthetics, a whorish woodland spirit, and a fairy maid wielding a firearm,¡± said a voice. I turned to the gathered soldiers and saw a heavily armored man with an intricately detailed polearm.


    That had to be the leader.


    ¡°Listen up! There¡¯s a High Elf inside the tree! She¡¯s ripe for the taking!l¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t let you hurt her, you¡ª¡±


    Suddenly...


    Tilde laughed, cutting me off. ¡°If you know that, then you must know her name. Are you even aware of how much a Vredi means to the world? Touch a single hair on her head, and you¡¯ll make an enemy of the world¡¯s strongest... Your lives are already forfeit. You¡¯re dumber than shit if you think your little trick has trapped her.¡±


    ¡°A Vredi?¡± Uncertain murmurs spread across nervous faces. No one had told the ignorant fools about their target¡¯s identity.


    But the man was a trained leader. He regained control by tempting them with money. The loot from this score, he said, would be enough for them to retire. They wouldn¡¯t ever have to do this kind of work ever again.


    The alluring scent of gold worked wonders for those who looked with their greedy little hearts.


    ¡°Tough words, little fairy, but you won¡¯t scare us. And you...¡± The man wore an angled, closed helmet, but I felt him narrow his gaze on my tome. ¡°That¡¯s a Soul Weapon, isn¡¯t it? I don¡¯t know who your lord is, but it isn¡¯t Gloria. You¡¯re not supposed to be here, are you? This is a severe violation. How could you attack one of Dirge¡¯s holiest sights with a Vredi? You are aware of this village¡¯s importance, are you not?¡±


    ¡°Is that the route you¡¯re going with? It¡¯s terribly cliche?, isn¡¯t it?¡± I replied. ¡°Framing Lord Springfield and I for your destructive acts won¡¯t work.¡±


    ¡°Lord Springfield? So the High Elf of Liberation is in there? Thank you for confirming the rumors. The Lord Conference isn¡¯t far away, so what would they think when I capture and hand you to Gloria?¡±


    ¡°You can try, but you¡¯re going to die. You won¡¯t leave here alive.¡± My hands tingled. My lips curled into a smile. My blood ran hot.


    It was happening again...


    The feeling of taking a life...


    Preparing for combat...excited me...


    I¡¯m so fucked up...


    ¡°You¡¯re not making any sense, dumbass. The world would turn upside down for a Vredi. No one with a brain would even get 1,000 miles near you. Rumors leak. They always do. It¡¯s impossible to keep a secret if more than one is alive. Alcohol can loosen even the tightest lips. A Vredi would never dream of harming the eagle inside that tree.¡±


    ¡°Who says she¡¯s going to be sold, fairy? Would she not make more money if I rented her holes to anyone who¡¯d pay? They say a High Elf never loses her tightness. She¡¯ll be as fresh as a virgin every time.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if that rumor is true once I get my hands on her.¡± A Scalefolk licked his lips and extended his sharp claws. They matched the yellow scales dancing across his bare chest.


    ¡°SHUT UP!¡± The cries came from Niva. ¡°I WON¡¯T EVER LET MILA SUFFER WHAT I WENT THROUGH!!!!¡± She raised her staff, but Tilde covered her mouth before the chant happened. She whispered something, but it only made Niva growl more ferocious. Her glowing eye became brighter Primrose bared her teeth. I saw nature mana radiate from her limbs, but she didn¡¯t do anything after a stern look from Tilde.


    Lei made itself more imposing, doing its best to look like Surtr, but the yellow slime failed to capture the lion¡¯s ferocity.


    ¡°Oh, feel free to try, halfbreed. There¡¯s nothing you and that spirit can do that¡¯ll harm me. You¡¯re too weak. Too pathetic."


    ¡°You¡¯re strong... About Lv. 72, I¡¯d say?¡± Tilde asked, turning around. She held a scowl and looked directly at the leader. ¡°There aren¡¯t many in this area comparable to your strength. You remind me of a hunter, but... Ah! That¡¯s it, isn¡¯t it? You¡¯re with Hymn, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    I¡¯d never heard of Hymn. The man slightly flinched. Tilde explained and said there was a guild called the Hunter¡¯s Division in Dirge. It specialized in hunting monsters¡ªnothing else¡ªso it differed from the bounty hunting guild or the adventurer¡¯s guild.


    However, there was a hidden sect called Hymn that specialized in hunting people. They would kidnap unique, interesting individuals, register their blood on a tracking compass, and allow people to bid on the right to track them. For targets outside Dirge, Hymn would contract the local bandits and provide them with money and equipment.


    Tilde deduced this group was probably commissioned by a rogue member amongst the upper echelon.


    ¡°Oh? You make up for your weakness with knowledge. It doesn¡¯t matter. I¡¯ll still rip off your wings before I sell you.¡±


    ¡°Are you willing to risk the wrath of the Dark Lord of Justice? What about Seraphina Vredi? My Master has a close relationship with them. If you want to survive, you can always turn back. You¡¯ll live for at least another minute.¡±


    ¡°Sorry, but that won¡¯t happen.¡± The man raised his polearm. The tip crackled with mana. ¡°This little incident has already been covered up. Wouldn¡¯t do much for our rep if we ran. Talking tough is cute, but it won¡¯t help.¡±


    Covered up? So¡ª


    Tilde aimed her guns, but she didn¡¯t fire. She wasn¡¯t scared.


    She¡¯s probably trying to get more info. We learned a lot from her questioning.


    Suddenly, two archers jumped, letting loose a pair of arrows as someone shouted a spell called [Gravity Drop]. Tilde reacted, shooting both out of the air.


    Bang! Bang!


    But her bullets immediately dropped to the ground. I activated [Mana Perception] again and saw purple light around her guns. She struggled to lift them.


    ¡°[Woodland Shield]!¡± Niva raised her staff, creating a protective barrier around the fairy.


    The fight was on after the arrows were lodged inside it.


    ¡°[UNDINE SHO¡ª]¡± My time flipped to a page. I prepared to cast, but my voice was silenced by a purple pulse that spread across the field.


    It was like my vocal cords were cut. But there stood a robed man holding a purple orb. [Mana Perception] confirmed the link from him, the crystal, and myself.


    ¡°Only a fool would allow a mage unrestricted access to their greatest weapon. We, however, are not inexperienced,¡± said the leader. ¡°Tactics shall always reign supreme over raw power. And don¡¯t kick yourself because you didn¡¯t cast a spell immediately. We knew that was possible and had the orb prepared before we began the assault. There¡¯s nothing you could¡¯ve done to surprise us. Surrender and accept your fate. Or don¡¯t. My men could use the training. You don¡¯t often get to fight Soul Warriors.¡±


    ¡°Quella!¡± Greggie ran in front and deflected an arrow. ¡°Get it together! Use your magic circles!¡± He parried four more projectiles. Ami jumped off his shoulders and leapt into the air, raised a fist, and punched the ground, creating a shockwave. It knocked down the approaching ten soldiers, but another barrage of arrows came our way. Ami dodged effortlessly under them and built aura, her jacket¡¯s tail fluttering behind her. The projectiles kept coming, and Ami kept avoiding them. When it filled, she gathered the energy around her hands and prepared an attack.


    It happened. From the corner of my eyes... There was a whimsical glow, a bright flash, and the Eagle Yew...


    It was shimmering like the brightest star in the darkest skies.


    ¡°Hmm? That¡¯s not supposed to happen.¡± The enemy leader demanded another spell to cut the mana flow, but an overwhelming pressure silenced him.


    An uncomfortable, heavy sensation radiated across the land. It was suffocating. I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    Pillars of blackened flames and ice appeared deep in the forest, spreading high above the tree line. Crystalline chunks ascended them, and they exploded like fireworks, sending four meteor-like objects scattering to the southeast.


    Everyone had stopped and just stared.


    No one...could move. Even the ones attacking Lord Springfield¡¯s allies had turned away and gazed at the startling sight as if some unknown force forbade them to look away.


    It was genuinely terrifying.


    And then I saw her breech the forest line as hundreds of gunshots echoed in the darkness behind her.


    A silver-eyed Lionfolk wielding a shield almost as tall as her, with a mace made from the same demonic flames and ice as the knightly armor clasping her body.


    There was another Lionfolk behind her. He was taller, wearing sleeker armor that burned with red and blue flames, but his azure and crimson axe was ferocious. His broad shoulders supported his lean, muscular build, but his hair, ears, and tail looked covered in flames. Was it...Surtr? The mysterious, partly aged man grinned like no other.


    The woman left behind blackened flaming pillars that surged a hundred feet high. Even the ground could not support her overwhelming power because every step caused the land to cry. Fissures erupted from the crater and snaked like a labyrinth all around us.


    She kept walking and raised her mace at the orb-holding mage. ¡°Kill yourself,¡± she said, her voice cold like an arcane blizzard. ¡°I command it.¡±


    I forced my head to turn. The mage cried crimson tears. He shattered the orb and used its sharp, crystalline pieces to slit his throat. His face held a crazed expression. It was so silent we heard his death gurgles and the sound of blood spurting like a geyser.


    ¡°Give us an arena,¡± she commanded. ¡°I don¡¯t wish to be interrupted.¡±


    The man bared his flaming fangs and jumped high, using a sprout of blackened flames to accelerate his ascent. He raised his axe with both hands, gathered ice and fire around the edge, and slammed it hard into the ground when he fell. A line of fire erupted to the left. Ice the right. They encircled our enemies, trapping them in a hollow cyclone of opposing elements. It was so opaque I couldn¡¯t see inside, but I hoped those bastards were suffering.


    The man roared and sat, keeping one hand on his axe while he watched the arena with hungry eyes.


    The oppressive atmosphere vanished, and I didn¡¯t miss this opportunity.


    Immediately, I switched tomes, used my buffs, debuffs, and wiped away the strengths and weaknesses that damn mage had stolen from and given us. Greggie and Ami were rejuvenated as their wounds were healed. The strength we normally carried resurged throughout our bodies.


    The same beneficial effects had targeted Tilde and the others, but I couldn¡¯t dispel the buffs of those inside that arena. I didn¡¯t know why, but they were untargetable.


    A hundred vines pierced from the ground and skewered the enemies surrounding them. Blood rained like curtains and obscured Niva as she slowly stood.


    Something was off...


    And then it hit me.


    Her prosthetics weren¡¯t there. Our enemies had ripped them off.


    That meant her nerves were severed¡ªthe blood leaking down her arm and leg proved that¡ªand the pain was equivalent to having her actual limbs viscerally yanked off.


    Niva had used her magic to construct wooden replacements, but they weren¡¯t fitting right without a ¡®base¡¯ to mimic. But she never backed down, though it must¡¯ve been excruciatingly agonizing.


    Her body must¡¯ve been screaming at her.


    Her willpower was admirable to move in the face of this overwhelming power.


    Bang! Bang!


    Gunshots roared from Tilde¡¯s revolvers as she jabbed the barrels into the eye sockets of two men grasping her torn wings. Her maid uniform was disheveled and dirty. Blood oozed from her back as she screamed.


    The hell plant skewering Primrose retracted its vines and leapt back, but the spirit conjured a whooshing wave of razor-sharp wind that curled around the demon, carving off large chunks. It roared and deflected the spell. Primrose reversed it with additional gusts of wind and eviscerated the ones torturing Lei while drawing and shooting her pistol at the retreating yellow Scalefolk¡ª the one Niva had gotten pissed at.


    He took two shots to the back, and Niva rushed him after transforming her wooden arm into a deadly spike. She rammed it through his stomach. Her glowing eye increased in intensity, yet she didn¡¯t stop until exhaustion swallowed her.


    He dropped dead, and Niva wailed as she fell to her knees. I used [Mana Perception], and the mana was fading fast. A second later, her conjured limbs flashed in and out of existence.


    I saw the nerves Keeth had stretched... They dangled like limp noodles¡ªfreely exposed to the elements.


    Primrose hurried and supported her summoner, cradling her gently in her arms as she helped her lay down. Lei bounced over and whined.


    The arrows lodged in my back were there. I switched to a psychokinesis tome and used [Telekinesis] to rip them out before using a healing tome.


    My back felt hot and sticky. Warm crimson oozed down to my body, but the pain simmered. Even if it didn¡¯t, I would¡¯ve pushed through as I ran to Tilde and the others. That Lionfolk followed.


    A fairy had thousands of nerve endings in their wings. I honestly didn¡¯t know how Tilde was conscious. She went to one knee and bit her lips hard enough to bleed. Her whole body shivered. She painfully squirmed with every breath and struggled to stand.


    I tended to their discomfort while yearning to do more. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to regenerate Tilde¡¯s wings¡ªit would just take time. Niva would need further specialized care to pack her nerves into her body. Keeth¡¯s manipulation had altered their ¡®healed¡¯ position to be within the mythril prosthetics, so she¡¯d need surgery.


    The woman approached Primrose and Niva. Her weapon and shield vanished when she kneeled. ¡°Forgive me for not arriving sooner,¡± she said, putting her hands to their heads.


    ¡°You¡¯re here... You¡¯re really here...¡± Niva weakly whispered. She struggled to raise her remaining arm. The woman gently cradled it betwixt her armored palms.


    ¡°I am. You two have done more than enough. It¡¯s okay to rest.¡± Niva smiled...and her wooden limbs vanished. Consciousness left her. ¡°I¡¯m proud of you, Niva. It¡¯s hard to believe you¡¯re the same woman we nearly found dead. I know you¡¯ve been working hard, and it¡¯s admirable. And you too.¡± The woman turned to Primrose. She slightly flinched. ¡°I know you tried to heal me when I was in the coffin. You endured burns to your hands, yet you never stopped. Let our bickering end, Primrose. Let us start anew as friends.¡±


    Primrose couldn¡¯t reply. She was crying too much. ¡°And Lei. I¡¯ve never met a slime braver than you.¡± Lei trembled, and its blubbery, trembling body ''deflated¡¯ out of relief. "Rest easy, little one. You deserve that much."


    The woman stood, looked at Tilde, and frowned at the missing wings. "I never thought a rude, little cretin like you would ever mature into someone I should respect.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s high praise from you, Big Tits¡ªahh, sorry, force of habit... I should call you Sekh, huh? It¡¯s the name our Master gave you, after all. And I can¡¯t be jealous... I¡¯m kinda busty now, you know? You better watch out...¡±


    That¡¯s Sekh? Incredible...


    ¡°I¡¯m glad that haughty personality is still somewhere in there. It looks like you need help.¡± Sekh looked at the ¡®arena.¡¯


    ¡°They... They tore my wings...¡± Tilde sniffled, letting loose a torrent of emotions. She struck me as the woman who remained strong for too long before it all came crashing out, but she explained what had happened.


    Sekh hugged Tilde. ¡°You know the power I wield. Take solace in knowing that they will suffer immensely for what they did to you. Mila¡¯s head maid must have her rest. It¡¯s time for you to take a break. Leave it to me, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°So... It¡¯s Mila, now? That¡¯s...good...¡± Tilde¡¯s purple eyes quivered as strength faded from her body. They closed, and she became unconscious. Sekh gently guided the fairy to the ground and laid her on her side. Then she stood, formed her shield and mace, and turned around.


    ¡°Quella.¡±


    ¡°Ye¡ªYes?!¡±


    ¡°Use your magic to put them asleep. Begin healing Tilde.¡±


    ¡°What about¡ª¡±


    ¡°Your power isn¡¯t needed here.¡± Sekh coldly interrupted Greggie. ¡°You and the other shall return to the village with Niva, Lei, and Primrose. Meet with Lord Springfield and tell her what happened. Wait for orders and follow them.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do not question me, human.¡± Her tone was frigid and ferocious¡ªcompletely different from how she spoke to her friends. ¡°I am not in the mood to be trifled with.¡±


    I told them it was okay while I used sleeping magic, which instantly took effect. Greggie gently lifted the spirit and her summoner. Ami swooped Lei in her arms, and they ran towards the sound of fighting and gunshots.


    I kneeled and focused on Tilde after swapping to the appropriate tome. Sparkling white mana collected around her wing stumps.


    Being near Sekh was difficult. I couldn¡¯t breathe. The pressure she radiated was unlike anything I¡¯d ever felt. Just what was she? How was she this powerful? And why did it seem like this wasn¡¯t her limit?


    ¡°I¡¯m disappointed. How could you not plan for anyone to take advantage of your weakness? What a sorry, pathetic excuse of a Soul Warrior. Have you gotten by so far by relying on your overwhelming power? You¡¯re a nai?ve fool. Look at what happened.¡±


    ¡°I know! Okay?! I know it!¡± I shouted. My hands trembled. The tome shuddered as if it had a neurological disorder. ¡°I¡ª¡±


    ¡°Excuses are for the weak.¡± Sekh scoffed. ¡°Focus on atoning for your failure, and do not ever dare to take this world lightly. You¡¯ve experienced what inadequacy will bring. Take this lesson to heart. Don¡¯t forget the shame inflaming your bones. Deal with the uncomfortableness and strive to overcome it.¡±


    Is she...trying to help me? Why did her voice soften?


    ¡°But¡ª¡± Sekh walked away. She flared her power with every step. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I cried. ¡°The ones inside the flames have strength comparable to a 1-Star Soul Warrior. Please, let me dispel--¡±


    ¡°That is unneeded,¡± replied Sekh. ¡°This will not even be enough to warm my blood. Focus on your task and remove your worry about me from your mind.¡±


    The man with the axe wished her a ferocious, bloody battle as she effortlessly walked through the raging arena.


    The fire and ice cyclone became slightly transparent. Sekh stared them down. Her pose suggested she wasn¡¯t afraid. I couldn¡¯t hear what she said, but it didn¡¯t take long for the fear to become evident on the enemy leader¡¯s face. Seeing it twist to an expression of horror made me feel good.


    I turned to Tilde and focused, but the screaming began. And the cries. The apologies. The endless wails of pathetic cowards begging for forgiveness. The sickening thuds of mace slamming into flesh, shield bashing skulls, the meaty scent of burnt flesh, and an icy wind of terrible frigidness reminded me of Melusine''s kingdom and the curse that befell it...


    She wasn¡¯t fighting...


    She was toying with them...


    Nothing they did...posed an ounce of challenge.


    How strong was she...to cast those powerful spells and mighty abilities without speaking?

 Chapter Ninety-Eight: Uneasy Prelude

    Chapter Ninety-Eight: Uneasy Prelude


    A couple of days had passed since Mila departed for Aetos Village. I didn¡¯t expect Seraphina and Lord Enele to show up that soon, and I thought I¡¯d be a nervous wreck. Mila¡¯s past... Well, it was unique. She wasn¡¯t a true Vredi, so I feared blurting something out and ruining everything.


    But no.


    That didn¡¯t happen. Something...odd just welled up in my stomach, and I chatted with her like an old friend. She cared a lot for Mila. To Seraphina, my sisterly chimera was someone she had thought was dead since she told me very few Vredis were alive.


    It hurt my heart, though. Dad, Mom, and Erin knew we were deceiving Seraphina, but Mila had been displaying more elf-like qualities. She once told me that Susize¡¯s memories flashed through her mind, so maybe it wouldn''t be a lie if this continued? Could it turn into the truth? Mila confided and said she felt a sistership forming between them. Mila needed that. Life had been hard on her. She needed a lot of breaks. The truth didn¡¯t need to get out, right? If it meant the world would flow better¡ªthat feelings wouldn¡¯t be hurt and hearts wouldn¡¯t shatter, then I believed a few lies were good.


    Lord Enele got along great with Dad. Those two loved to discuss nearly anything, from the weather to religion, food, philosophy, abstract ideals...


    Lord Enele was also the perfect gentleman even though he was almost bigger than Dad, if not a little more muscular. He apologized for the lacking justice system when he discovered why Grandma and Grandpa had cut ties with us. He offered his help in clarifying the truth since he held a spell to detect lies.


    It would hurt...bringing up the memories, I mean. Dad would have to recant his abuse at Karen¡¯s hands and her obsession with him. Erin would be reminded of her birth¡¯s circumstances. She realized that. But I was her big sister!


    Mila might¡¯ve been older than me on a technicality that didn¡¯t count, but I had about 76 years on Erin!


    I had to protect her, so I occupied her mind by helping her clean her horns at night, and Sera used illusion magic to make them sparkle like shiny, colorful lights.


    However, she didn¡¯t just spend time with us. She saw how stiff Chax and Ginnie were since they were interacting with a mystical High Elf from an extinct forest, but Sera asked to be treated like they treated Mila, and it became easier for them after that.


    Our caravan had already traveled a lot of Parthina and bypassed four city-states. The horses Sera summoned with [Recollection Projection] needed her mana, and she had a tremendous amount. Sustaining them was child¡¯s play when compared to Susize and her spouses. She wanted them to meet us, even though they were static beings.


    The knowledge they acquired wasn¡¯t saved. Sera had said she had a list a mile long of everything she told them every time she wanted to meet them again.


    Only a few days had passed, but we were no closer to finding Grandma and Grandpa. The villages we stopped at didn¡¯t have much info, but Lord Enele and Sera said they wouldn¡¯t leave until we were reunited. It was a promise they made to Mila, after all.


    We had set up camp for the evening, and Dad was roasting veggies over a campfire that Sera had collected. Lord Enele happily chatted with Erin as he cooked her a delicious steak, and Chax and Ginnie were training.


    Kengu and Longtooth were sleeping by the fire, but Mom¡¯s and Dad¡¯s lions rarely left their bracelets.


    ¡°Do you want the pepper sauce?¡± asked Lord Enele, his deep voice as comforting as a precious childhood toy.


    ¡°Yes, please!¡± Erin¡¯s tail wagged so adorably. She stared at the thick cut of meat. Her eyes sparkled as the fat dripped, sizzling on the open flame.


    ¡°What do you think Mila is doing?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Can you not ask her through the lions?¡±


    ¡°We can,¡± I answered Sera. ¡°Kengu did that earlier. Mila was busy fighting a monster. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s still doing it, or if she¡¯s done. Maybe she¡¯s asleep.¡±


    ¡°Ah, you¡¯re referring to Sathtshas?¡± inquired Lord Enele.


    ¡°That¡¯s the first monster Lord Aetos created when the world accepted his forest as a dungeon. A plant snake¡¯s natural weakness is fire, but he made it nearly immune to flames weaker than a Holy or Dark Lord,¡± answered Sera.


    If I knew Mila...


    She would use flames against it because Sekh would¡¯ve done it. She''d probably treat it as a test or something.


    Sera asked about Sekh a little more as the dinner preparation continued. After she stored the dirty plates in some magic spell, she retrieved a bag of sweet nuts as a desert and passed them around before continuing a story about Vredi Forest.


    But then her ears twitched. Sera readied her staff. Powerful mana swirled around her body, extinguishing the campfire. She pointed to the skies, and we saw four meteorites of flames that...looked so familiar...


    ¡°It¡¯s her... It¡¯s Sekh!!¡± I cried. Our lions roared in unison, and Lord Enele convinced Sera to lower her guard. The incoming flames slammed into our lions and encased them in tall pillars.


    When they faded...our lions...were Lionfolk.


    ¡°Longtooth... Is that...you?¡± Erin asked, approaching a teenage girl.


    ¡°It is, Erin...¡± Longtooth¡¯s long hair and tail were made of fire. Her voice was sweet and kind. A necklace of a piece of frozen flame shaped like a lion¡¯s fang rested on her neck, and her blouse and skirt were suddenly replaced by armor befitting her speedy, agile fighting style.


    ¡°Our lady has been healed. She has blessed us with an evolution,¡± added Kengu. She was taller than Longtooth but shorter than Mom¡¯s and Dad¡¯s lions, who returned to their lion form and rested inside the bracelets almost immediately.


    Kengu¡¯s hair was like mine, but she was also muscular. A pair of crystal blue ice gauntlets clasped around her forearms. She hugged me, saying that she had always wished to do this.


    ¡°Then the transplant was a success?¡± Sera asked, reigniting the campfire.


    ¡°Yes, it has. Although...¡± Longtooth stopped speaking. ¡°Communication has ceased... They are currently not responding.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...fine, right?¡± I looked at Dad.


    ¡°Mila¡¯s been away from Sekh for a while. I¡¯m sure the reunion is just emotional.¡±


    ¡°Yeah. You¡¯re right. Everything¡¯s fine.¡±


    It must be... I know...


    It was probably an hour later, and I couldn¡¯t focus. I was too worried about Mila because there was still no word.  I had crawled into my sleeping bag to take a small nap. Kengu joined me, assuring me non-stop that Sekh was stronger than ever. The lions¡¯ evolutions were proof of that.


    We also talked about the challenge I had set for myself.  Tris had helped me with the plans because I didn¡¯t understand the mechanics behind that item, but they were done.


    I studied them all the time. I even passed the test Tris had prepared, so that guaranteed I had the technical knowledge!


    It would probably take a good while to craft it. I didn¡¯t know where to find the materials, furnace, or equipment to forge it.


    Would it be wrong to ask Lord Enele for help? He''s a nice guy, so he''d say yes, right?


    ¡°Oh? Irisa, I¡¯m getting a message from Surtr. Let us go for a walk.¡±


    I notified Dad., who told me to be careful.


    Should I wake up Erin? No... I should let her sleep. She trained with Longtooth, so she¡¯s exhausted.


    We were near a forest, so I walked into it until Kengu connected my mind with Mila¡¯s voice via Surtr.


    It¡¯s about time! You¡¯ve kept me waiting all night!


    I expected a witty reply, but...


    The situation has changed, Irisa.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it when she said the village was attacked. Or that the girl who argued for her survival when Mila was Shuuta had shown up with her team.    Fo?ll0w current novE?ls o/n n/o/(v)/3l/b((in).(c/o/m)


    She didn¡¯t hate them anymore after discovering the truth in their diaries. Meruria was even more of an awful woman than I had thought.


    The attackers ripped Tilde¡¯s wings, but they¡¯re being healed. Niva lost her prosthetics, but I have someone fixing them.


    My heart shattered. Mila said the enemies were from a secret organization called Hymn. It was under Holy Lord Gloria¡¯s control. That same group had once kidnapped Niva and registered her blood within a tracking compass. She eventually fell into Noelia¡¯s hands and suffered abuse.


    No one knew how many had been forcibly registered and bided on like cattle by sick bastards who wanted to hunt them.


    I will kill them, Irisa. Gloria needs to pay. Hymn will be destroyed. I will ravage them to the ground.


    Just...come back, Mila! Please! Why can¡¯t you leave this to Sera or Lord Enele?!


    I need Sera¡¯s help with this. She¡¯s stronger than me, but I am a Vredi, Irisa. Aetos Village is under my protection. I love this place. I feel more like a genuine High Elf with every passing day, but I know I¡¯m just a mere copy. Yet my emotions...are so real to me. Please, don¡¯t hate me.


    I don¡¯t hate you, Mila. But I¡¯m worried. I''m scared.


    The quicker Sera arrives, the sooner I can return. She holds more authority than I do and can make things right. I must be with her, though. When that¡¯s done... I want to return to my family since that¡¯s where I belong. Sekh misses her family.


    We miss her too... Okay. I¡¯ll tell Sera. You better be excited to meet your Grandma and Grandpa!


    I am. I¡¯ve been dreaming about it. I¡¯ll talk to you later, okay?


    Okay.


    We love you.


    We love you too, Mila...


    Kengu canceled the connection. She held me close while I cried and rubbed my back.


    ¡°I know how you must feel,¡± said Kengu.  ¡°But that woman is a 5-Star Soul Warrior. Her prowess as a mage is remarkable. Tilde and Niva will be okay.¡±


    ¡°You promise?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Irisa. I promise.¡± She hugged me until I wasn¡¯t crying, then we left the forest and returned to camp. I still felt uncomfortable butterflies in my stomach. Mila was unimaginably strong. Sekh was stronger. Sera? Even more so. Mila planned to disguise Sekh, but the three could handle this.  Especially when they had Tris with them to come up with a plan.


    Sekh removed the armor and gave us a hug.


    ¡°I love you two.¡±


    ¡°We love you, too,¡± Tris and I replied. We each grabbed Sekh¡¯s hand and left the Spiritual Grove... It was time to confront reality.


    Aello was waiting for us with the wooden puppets I had made. They helped gather the dead, dug the graves, and tended to the crying children. I followed her to the graveyard¡¯s opposite side. The odd device Aello had wrapped around her neck held the core of every spirit that relied on the Eagle Yew.


    The village¡¯s non-spirit population had fallen by more than half, and they were...trying to endure. But it was hard... So terribly hard...


    It wasn¡¯t right. I shouldn¡¯t have been looking at the dozens of graves... The Mandragorafolk... The centaurs... The Snailfolks...


    They didn¡¯t deserve to be lying lifelessly in those graves.


    And I cried...for the ones who perished.


    It wasn¡¯t fair.


    ¡°Sera is on her way,¡± I told her, wiping her tears. ¡°Can we delay the funeral until then?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± said the harpy, her tone low and heavy. She heard me sniffling and touched my head with a wing. Then Aello did the same for Sekh, who had shed tears for the losses. The Dark Lord of Tyranny, as feared by the world, didn¡¯t exist anymore. I knew Sekh wished she could¡¯ve done more to save them. We all did.


    Sera knew Aetos Village had suffered losses. She would probably be hard on herself and blame everything on her cowardice and inability to confront Aetos about her reliance on the past.


    I hoped...the two could overcome it.


    I really, really did.


    ¡°Umm...¡± Elly twitched in her chair after Lord Springfield returned with Surtr and Sekh. She had gone to her room to check on Tilde and Niva, who hadn¡¯t woken up. Tris, Keeth, and Mary were still in the infirmary.


    ¡°Yes? Anything to say?¡± asked Sekh. She wasn¡¯t in her flaming armor, but her presence was just as intimidating. Those silver eyes were like piercing daggers. She just gave off this oppressive atmosphere. That ruby necklace only added to her powerful image.


    I suppose that¡¯s normal when you¡¯re strong like her.


    ¡°You were really hurt, right?¡±


    Sekh nodded. ¡°Does that matter?¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t, I guess, but I¡¯m glad you¡¯re better.¡±


    ¡°Why? I don¡¯t know you. We¡¯re strangers.¡±


    ¡°Because Lord Springfield talked a lot about you,¡± I added, telling her about the stories we had heard. ¡°She always had a smile when your name came up.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Sekh didn¡¯t reply. Her ears twitched, and she turned to the kitchen. Greggie had finished preparing a meal. Ami was helping him bring it out.


    He said he heard Lionfolk loved steak, so the savory aroma of the grilled dish wafted through the air. ¡°You probably haven¡¯t had anything to eat, so you must be hungry. I hope you enjoy this. It¡¯s filled with mana to increase your physical abilities. Those are collard greens saute?ed in butter and bacon fat.¡± He explained what a cre?me bru?le?e was after pointing to a bowl. ¡°Sugar¡¯s good for energy after a fight.¡±


    Sekh wordlessly stared at the plates. She...almost seemed to fight against an urge to incinerate the food.


    Until her stomach rumbled. She finally grabbed her silverware and dug in. It was faint, but her ears just slightly twitched. That tail had been so dead, but it wagged for a moment. Greggie asked how it was, but Sekh kept eating. She ignored him like he didn¡¯t exist.


    That was the highest compliment a chef could get. Ami patted him on the back and smiled.


    ¡°... Forgive me, but I wish to check on the village.¡± Melusine briskly walked away. Mary apologized before chasing after her.


    Melusine had been acting skittish since I told her about Sekh. The Dark Lord of Tyranny was said to be a Lionfolk, but this wasn¡¯t her. Even if the ice was familiar, it was just a coincidence.


    But was she really a Lionfolk? Tilde didn¡¯t think so. She had slyly brought it up a few times when she told stories of the past and said she was another type of beastfolk. One she couldn¡¯t remember, but the Lionfolk who gave that crystal to Melusine when she was queen was someone else entirely.


    ¡°I have good news to share,¡± said Lord Springfield when she returned a few minutes later. ¡°Keeth¡¯s making the final adjustments on Niva¡¯s new prosthetics. It should be done before dawn. The surgery will come later.¡±


    ¡°Greggie. The meal...was delicious. Thank you,¡± Sekh said, altering the subject.


    Is it just me, or were those words stiff? I¡¯m getting this...odd feeling... But what is it?


    She held Lord Springfield¡¯s hand when she sat. The two gazed at each other longingly¡ªlike separated lovers who had been apart far too long. Although that was the truth, I suppose.


    ¡°Aww... You two look so adorable!¡± said Elly. ¡°I¡¯m so glad I got to see you two reunite!¡±


    ¡°Really? Adorable?¡± Lord Springfield turned to Sekh and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m...happy that you all were here to see this. I wish it had been under better circumstances. Greggie, I¡¯m afraid the celebration will be delayed. I¡¯m unsure of when or if it¡¯ll be held.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Lord Springfield. It¡¯s understandable. Especially given the... situation. A good meal can heal the heart, but some wounds require time.¡±


    ¡°What are your plans going forward, Lord Springfield?¡± I asked. My tone was shaky. I couldn¡¯t help but think she thought the worst of me because I had failed.  A woman of her power should¡¯ve spared the niceties.


    The shame trembled in my bones and joints.


    ¡°Seraphina Vredi should arrive in approximately two-to-three hours,¡± answered Tris, speaking for her lord. She held a perfect posture¡ªas always. ¡°Discussion on how to best proceed should be postponed until after the funeral. However, that begs the question of what your team will do. Involving yourself in a quarrel against Holy Lord Gloria will be seen as an act of aggression if she discovers your presence. Can your Holy Lord support another war so soon after the clash with Uquenia? Many of her Soul Warriors perished in the initial blast that ravaged Junsa. I cannot deny the chances that someone affiliated with my lord¡¯s enemy is on their way here at this very moment.¡±


    ¡°I understand that. But Remy isn¡¯t here. Until she shows up, I must make the decisions. Our orders were to arrange a meeting between Lord Meruria and Lord Springfield.¡± I bit my lips and looked at my teammates.


    ¡°I see,¡± Tris said. Her expression suggested she didn¡¯t want me to commit to anything I might regret. She was right. Doing this... Helping Lord Springfield would mean war if we were caught or identified.


    I didn¡¯t have a way to communicate with Meruria. Remy did, but that bitch was AWOL. Where the hell was she when something like this was going down?! It seemed like Lord Springfield wanted to say something else. She briefly looked at Tris, who subtly shook her head.


    ¡°Umm... Niva and Tilde. Are they okay?¡± Ami asked, breaking the growing silence.


    ¡°Their vitals are steady, so they aren¡¯t in danger of dying. I¡¯m afraid Niva¡¯s progress will be set back. Tilde may need therapy to fly again. Quella.¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªYes?!¡± I didn¡¯t know it until she said my name, but my eyes were teary.


    I was wondering why everything seemed foggy.


    Lord Springfield¡¯s expression glistened in the salty, watery haze. She asked me to follow her and Sekh. I walked with them to the backyard¡ªa once vibrant flower field surrounded by death and decay. Life would return¡ªespecially since the Eagle Yew was thriving again¡ª but I didn¡¯t know when that would happen.


    This area must¡¯ve been pretty in its prime. Especially on nights like tonight when the full moon was out.


    ¡°You must think me to be upset or disappointed,¡± she said, never letting go of Sekh¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I...¡± I nervously rubbed my arm. ¡°I wasn¡¯t ready. The enemies knew my strengths and had counters to everything. I was overconfident because I¡¯m from another world. Your allies nearly fatally suffered for my mistakes.  Forgive me for being blunt, but I don¡¯t know why...¡±


    ¡°Why you¡¯re alive?¡±


    ¡°Huh¡ª¡± I was taken aback --- how did she know that. My surprise froze my lips as Lord Springfield continued.


    ¡°You did your best. Yes, you¡¯re a 5-Star Soul Warrior, but you¡¯re not a goddess. You can bleed, Quella. Just like everyone else. I won¡¯t lie. I expected more, and I was upset. But my friends are still alive to see tomorrow. They aren¡¯t joining the cycle of reincarnation any time soon.¡±


    ¡°Learn from this failure. Take it to heart and never forget what you¡¯re feeling,¡± added Sekh.


    ¡°Sera¡¯s a much more capable mage than myself. I¡¯m certain she won¡¯t mind tutoring you once the circumstances have changed. You did, after all, shed blood to defend Aetos Village. That makes you a hero in our eyes. You and your team risked your lives for a place I love. I cannot thank you enough. The Eagle Yew, Quella, thank you.¡± She raised her arm towards that inspiring tree.


    ¡°Ah...¡± I was crying. I could¡¯ve hidden it before, but the tears rushed down my cheeks as I dropped to my knees. Lord Springfield kneeled and handed me a handkerchief.


    ¡°My words cannot ease your ailing heart¡ªonly you can do that¡ªonly you can find forgiveness within yourself.¡±


    Lord Springfield''s acceptance...her words... This...generosity...


    God, it was too much for me. She held a hand to my shoulder while I sobbed, spilling my emotions like an overturned water tank.


    I¡¯m so glad she doesn¡¯t hate me... Why... Why couldn¡¯t she have been our summoner? Why did it have to be Meruria? Why her?! Why?! Whywhywhywhywhywhy?!?!?!?! It¡¯s not fair!


    It took a few minutes to calm down¡ªlonger to stop crying. Lord Springfield asked if I felt better, and I nodded. ¡°Failure isn¡¯t something I handle well,¡± I admitted. ¡°Disappointment falls under that broad category. Thank you for speaking with me.¡±


    ¡°I should say the same. Our prior conversation still echoes in my mind. I...hope that whatever happens, Quella, we can remain friends. If I¡¯m being honest? I¡¯ve enjoyed our time together. Niva¡¯s appreciative of it, too. Keeth¡¯s handiwork is incredible. You might even call it a genuine miracle. Tilde¡¯s been showing me the dances she¡¯s learning from Elly. You should see her smile. It¡¯s gorgeous. I never want to see her face without it.¡±


    The more Lord Springfield talked...


    The more my heart cried. Because she was too good for a rotten bitch like Meruria. I didn¡¯t want them to meet. I didn¡¯t want her to ruin Lord Springfield¡¯s life like she did ours!


    But what could I do?


    Really...


    What...could I do?


    I returned with those two as a knock echoed at the door.


    Why did my heart feel uneasy?

 Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed – Part One

    Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed ¨C Part One


    I didn¡¯t lie.


    Intense loathing and dissatisfaction filled my mind when I learned what happened to Niva and Tilde. Much of that was directed towards Quella since she was obviously powerful. A mere orb of silence was enough to cripple the woman who made a hurricane to destroy a sandstorm?


    She had fought for the village, spilling blood to defend it.


    Not just her¡ªbut all of them. They risked it all, fighting against circumstances almost designed to counter them...


    Something weird was happening. Things felt like they didn''t fit or they fit too well. It didn¡¯t feel natural¡ªno, it felt artificial...almost like...something was on purpose? The feeling was difficult to explain. It was abstract. I didn¡¯t understand it other than a growing knot in my stomach.


    As I returned to the living room...


    Another oddity occurred.


    Someone knocked on the door, but the noise seemed to echo around us¡ªlike someone was rapping their knuckles against the tables.


    I asked Tris who it was, but she hesitated before answering.


    No one.


    Knock! Knock! Knock!


    I heard the noise again.


    No one''s within 200 feet of the mansion, my lord. I do not detect illusion magic or invisibility potions.


    There was nothing.


    No one was there. Yet someone was knocking.


    Logically, someone had to be there.


    ¡°Tris?¡± I called her name, but she didn¡¯t reply. She started shivering. Sekh grabbed her hands, and the two followed me when I went to the door. Quella tagged along. Her expression had changed¡ªshe was mentally preparing for a fight.


    Maybe she sensed something was off.


    The knocks that shouldn¡¯t exist continued to come.


    ¡°Don¡¯t open it... My lord, I... Don¡¯t... I don¡¯t know what¡¯s behind it... I don¡¯t...¡±


    Sekh reassured Tris as I grabbed the knob. The door swung open...revealing the woman who had raped me when I was still known as Shuuta Fenton.


    She was standing...right there...under the moon¡¯s glow...like a beacon of evil...


    But she wasn¡¯t showing on the map.


    That was impossible...


    I couldn¡¯t breathe.


    I couldn¡¯t focus.


    My body screamed a thousand warning signs as the memories I didn¡¯t want to relieve flashed to the forefront of my mind. The feeling of nails digging deep into my body... The way her fingers wrapped around my neck...


    The beatings... The thrashing...


    Thump!


    I thought I was about to scream, but something stopped me. I turned around because Tris had dropped to her knees. Her eyes twitched uncontrollably. She seized up before collapsing like someone had cut her strings.


    She went limp. Sekh dashed to catch her.


    Surtr rounded the corner as a lion, his fangs alit with flames. He never blinked after fixating his gaze on her. The others rushed behind him. Primrose barged past everyone to support me. I needed her comforting touch because... Because I was still locked. Fear circulated throughout my body like blood¡ªthat awful night was the only thing that filled my vision.


    ¡°Wow. Guess I have a few fans here, huh? Good to meet ya, Lord Springyfield. Hello! Hullo! Hallo!"


    "Remy!" Quella barked. ¡°Please, it¡¯s Lord Springfield! What did you do to Tris?¡±


    This...


    This is Remy?


    ¡°Aww, don¡¯t start blaming me for shit I wasn¡¯t involved with, Cutie Qutie!¡±


    I was still frozen in trepidation.


    I couldn¡¯t move.


    Activating Emergency Response Protocol: Wrath Induction


    The robotic, monotone voice Tris had in her first evolution filled my mind. The cylinder representing my Wrath turned to 1 as a flaming belt wrapped around my skin¡ªbeneath my clothes.


    Only then could I move without feeling like this bitch was about to repeat that night.


    I immediately picked up Tris. Primrose never left my side or let Remy out of her gaze. The woodland spirit¡¯s eyes were piercing-- Aetos was watching.


    ¡°Eh? I don¡¯t get so much as a hello after I walked all this way to get here.¡± Remy tried to step into the mansion.


    ¡°You did not get permission to enter.¡± Sekh¡¯s voice was cold. She narrowed her eyes.


    ¡°I don¡¯t believe you own this house. Why do I care what a cub whispers to a wolf?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll see if you keep that same tune when this cub incinerates you.¡± Sekh equipped her abyssal iceflame armor. Her mace manifested itself in a fiery, icy explosion. Surtr roared louder than ever, shaking the mansion¡¯s foundation, shattering almost every window.


    Remy just...smiled. She hopped back a few feet and started juggling daggers.


    Quella ran between the two. ¡°Please, we don¡¯t need to fight! Stop it!¡±


    ¡°Fighting? Don¡¯t ya know this is how people like us greet each other? Isn¡¯t that right...? You smell of blood. I bet you¡¯ve killed way more than me. That''s not an easy feat.¡±


    Sekh kept quiet. She looked at Surtr. Her armor vanished, and she ushered me to our room.


    ¡°That¡¯s her... That¡¯s the one... That¡¯s the goddamn bitch...¡± I couldn¡¯t think straight.


    I was in my room, pondering against the wall after gently laying Tris between Tilde and Niva. Those two still showed no signs of waking up. Tilde¡¯s wings were back, but they were glossy. Lei comforted the three with his blubbery body.


    Sekh tightly hugged me to stop my trembling.


    I rambled for another few minutes until Sekh calmed me. She made me sit on the foot of the bed, held my shoulders, and told me to breathe. Panicking wouldn¡¯t solve anything. We needed to go through what had happened.


    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Sekh breathed with me. Primrose squeezed my hands.


    In and out...


    In and out...


    I opened a window to my Divine Skill. The Essence of Wrath¡¯s flaming blood had flooded the floating metal platform. She continued to stab at her body, breaking her infinitely regenerating horns while begging for it to stop.


    I sent my spirit into it. On the outside, Sekh was still watching the window I displayed on the wall.


    ¡°PLEASE!!!!! I¡¯M SORRY!!! LORD SPRINGFIELD, PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!!¡± The EoW scrambled towards me. ¡°MAKE IT STOP!!! MAKE IT STOP!!!!!¡± I kicked the bitch away and demanded an explanation.


    ¡°Allow me to answer that.¡± A prismatic orb of rainbow energy flashed into existence. Its voice was stiff, robotic, and monotone.


    ¡°Tris?¡±


    ¡°I am the emergency backup of the entity that was given that designation. The primary unit is undergoing system maintenance to repair illogical errors that should not have occurred.¡±


    Tris had said something about that back on the boat to Plymoise¡ªabout 5% of her was comprised of a core backup.


    ¡°Is she okay? Will she get better?¡±


    ¡°Affirmative.¡±


    "What happened? I don''t get it?"


    "The one called Tris has linked the Essence of Wrath¡¯s flames to my activation should you desire assistance when she was indisposed."


    In this case, it was just enough to make me move.


    It just wouldn''t.


    We walked downstairs, where that gross bitch was pigging out on a turkey leg. Greggie and Elly were cleaning her mess. Surtr kept staring. Quella pleaded with her, but Remy wasn¡¯t listening.


    ¡°Ah, ready to see Lord Meruria, Lord Field of Springs?"


    ¡°We need to talk,¡± I said. I needed the flaming belt around my stomach to keep me going. I was glad it was under my clothes. Tris didn''t look at Remy. She spoke with Elly and Ami, who were worried about her. Melusine had her back turned. She looked nervous around Sekh, who never let her eyes wander from our enemy.


    ¡°Good. I was getting tired of waiting. It¡¯s common courtesy to show a guest some hospitality when she arrives. Greggie, handle the mess, will ya? Quella¡ª¡±


    ¡°She will be coming with us.¡±


    ¡°Is that such a good idea? I know she¡¯s from another world. She¡¯s supposed to be smart, but our discussion might go over her head.¡±


    ¡°I have made myself clear. Quella, you will follow us. Everyone else, could you watch over my allies? Greggie, can you prepare a meal if they awake?¡±


    I received a series of nods.


    We departed the mansion under Remy''s final moonlight. She would never see another one.


    [Quella¡¯s PoV]


    Remy marveled at the ethereal beauty of the Spiritual Grove. "Woooooow... So, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen the inside of a place like this." She gazed around with wide-eyed wonder. "So, this is technically located inside the Spirit Realm? Heeeyyyy!!! Lord Aeeetoossss!!!¡¯ Where are you!!!??"


    Lord Aetos remained silent, choosing not to respond to her enthusiastic call.


    "The silent treatment, huh? I figured. He¡¯s said to be a shy little birdie. Anyway, why did we come here? I heard rumors of Hymn being active around these parts, and... Yeah, from what I¡¯ve seen of the graveyard... I¡¯m guessing they showed up? Sorry about that. Did they mean a lot to you?"


    ¡°Yes. They did. I failed to protect them.¡± Lord Springfield rubbed Surtr¡¯s head.


    "Lord Meruria can help you with that, you know. She¡¯s the strongest, most beautiful Holy Lord to have ever lived, and she will be a valuable ally when you wage war on Gloria."


    ¡°Do I need her assistance? Crushing Dirge won¡¯t be hard. The plans are already set in motion. They¡¯ll activate before dawn.¡±


    ¡°Care to tell a curious wolf about your intentions?¡±


    "No. I don¡¯t have a reason. There¡¯s nothing your lord can offer me. I¡¯m aware of her reputation. I¡¯ve no need to concern myself with a wretch like her."


    ¡°Petty insults reveal the true depth of one''s character,¡± replied Remy, her tail whipping like lightning.


    ¡°I never considered myself to be anything but who I am,¡± retorted Lord Springfield.


    ¡°Who are you?¡± interjected Tris, her sharp voice cutting in.


    ¡°Remy. A loyal soldier of Lord Meruria of Cridia, the fairest Holy Lord in all the land.¡±


    "No. That¡¯s not what I mean, and you know it. Who. Are. You?" Tris didn¡¯t back down.


    Remy smiled, narrowing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Remy. I¡¯ll always be her. I¡¯m more concerned about why you¡¯re hanging out with someone like her.¡± Remy summoned a dagger before raising it towards Sekh. The wolf licked her lips.


    A tense silence hung in the air for a few heartbeats.


    ¡°Who do you think me to be?¡± Sekh asked.


    ¡°The Dark Lord of Tyranny.¡±


    My heart sank.  ¡°The...Dark Lord of Tyranny?! She¡¯s not¡ª¡±


    ¡°Quella. You¡¯re an idiot, but you¡¯re not dumb. Think. Recall what Melsuine told you. Remember the ice that drowned her kingdom? She¡¯s responsible for it. You should¡¯ve seen the similarities to the cursed ice that queen uses and what this cub wields.¡±


    Sekh...didn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°I smell the millions of deaths you¡¯ve caused. I don¡¯t know how you broke your seal, but Lord Meruria needs someone like you. Just think of how much power she¡¯ll gain when she has access to [Tyranny Control.] I didn¡¯t expect you to be here, but this is a nice bonus.¡±


    ¡°I serve no lord.¡± Sekh looked at Lord Springfield. ¡°Not anymore. Meruria will die by my hands.¡±


    ¡°Oh? What has she done to deserve your ire? You¡¯re destined to destroy the world. You need to kill to accomplish that. Lord Meruria will give you free reign. Just think of how many babies you can slam against the wall! Or how many mothers you can butcher like pigs! Yeah, I¡¯ve read the stories. They say Amos and the other Lords conspired to remove all mention of you from history, but there are a few traces here and there if you read between the lines. Seriously. You''re an expert in depravity. Even I gagged at the atrocities you forced upon others.¡±


    No one answered.


    I couldn¡¯t believe it.


    I just couldn¡¯t. The horror I¡¯ve heard... The foreboding feeling Melusine had gotten was her gut being right about Surtr being subservient to the most fearsome threat the world had ever met.


    The atmosphere was thick. Suddenly, Lord Springfield spoke. Her voice was so calm. How did she endure the pressure? The mana thickened around everyone here, like whirling vortexes of densely packed energy.


    ¡°Quella. This is your chance. You stand at a crossroad. Either remain a slave to someone who turned your life upside down or join me in bringing justice to the ones who have wronged you.¡±


    ¡°Cutie Qutie won¡¯t do that, will she?¡± Remy sang. ¡°No. She owes much to Lord Meruria. She¡¯s the glue that holds her team together. Her punishment won¡¯t be exclusive to her.¡±


    Remy laughed. She just chuckled like it was the funniest thing in the world.


    ¡°Seriously.¡± Her tone turned cold. ¡°I will make you suffer for a thousand years if you ever think about betraying your summoner. You have no idea what I have planned... Or what Lord Meruria specifically requested for me to do to traitors.¡±


    ¡°Quella, you won¡¯t have to worry about that if she dies. You¡¯re speaking to the woman who unlocked [Conferment] for the rest of the world.¡±


    ¡°You did that? You made that awful voice appear!? WHY?!!!! I¡¯M GOING TO BE SICK!¡± Remy vomited as she dropped to her knees. She screamed...


    ...but it was all an act. Remy vanished in a puff of smoke and appeared hanging upside down on nothing. She then returned to her feet and busted out laughing. ¡°Bwhaaaaaahahahah!!! Sorry, I couldn¡¯t help but pull your leg. Seriously, how important do you think you are? Yeah, you¡¯re a fusion of two forests, but come on. Immunity to time doesn¡¯t matter because a Vredi can bleed like the rest. They can die like the rest. Their minds aren¡¯t resistant to torture. They can still squeal like a bitch in heat.¡±


    ¡°Does the Transcendent Dark Lord ring a bell?¡±


    ¡°Only if you¡¯re a little kid lost in imagination. Such a thing doesn¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°But it does, wolf.¡±


    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t, elf. [Conferment] was hidden behind a metaphysical lock trapped in the void. That old fool Sajun had theorized there was untapped power waiting to be excavated. He was right. The most beautiful woman in the world did what that failure couldn¡¯t! There could be more. Only the ever-powerful and righteous Holy Lord Meruria is worthy to master all the goodies!¡±


    "I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter. Believe it if you want. Or don¡¯t. Quella, make your choice.¡± Lord Springfield grew four additional arms from her back. Each hand wielded a different gun.


    ¡°A chimera? I bet you can create a decoy Status Menu. That¡¯s why [Detect Chimerism] failed when I used it. I wonder how the world will react when they realize you¡¯re a false fraud. I wonder which Vredi you killed to get that body? You said you¡¯ve met Seraphina Vredi, right? Sorry, I was spying on you a while back. How will the last surviving Princess of Vredi act when she realizes you¡¯re a phony?¡±


    ¡°Since you¡¯re not that alarmed... I presume you¡¯ve experienced the void too?¡±


    ¡°Right on the coin, you false elf. Don¡¯t think yourself special. A few dozen have survived being dipped in its illusive warmth and lived to tell the tale. You¡¯re looking at one of them. I guess that makes me your elder, so why don¡¯t you treat me to some goddamn coffee? How about a little respect while you¡¯re at it?¡±


    Remy¡¯s teleportation makes sense if the void is responsible. Are her time abilities a result of being dipped in it? Or is that something else?


    ¡°Respect? You deserve a goddamn dagger through your heart. Or maybe I¡¯ll shove a spike up your ass and pierce your throat.¡±


    ¡°Oh, wow. Easy on the hatred, there, Lord Bouncyplain.¡±


    ¡°Meruria... That vile woman turned my life upside down, and you were a part of that. You raped me...¡±


    ¡°A part?¡± Remy played dumb. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a pain to track names and faces when you live as long as we do. Who knows how many I¡¯ve raped throughout the years. You¡¯re a disgusting chimera. There¡¯s really no telling which one you were. Did you scream, though? Did I bring you to the brink of heaven? Wait, were you male or female? Either way, I probably pegged you, right? Oohh~~~ I¡¯m getting tingly down there just thinking about it... I think I¡¯ll drive myself wild... I JUST have to know!¡±


    I was disgusted. Remy was already a terrible person, but seeing...just how happy she was...and how she danced and jumped for joy...for doing...those things...


    ¡°Quella.¡± Lord Springfield¡¯s serious voice attracted my attention. ¡°Do not stand on the wrong side of history. Would you rather remain a slave than finally fight to obtain your freedom? Remember... Remember our discussions. Remember our talks. Remember the feelings you felt. The relief? The anxiousness fading away? Recall it all. Make the right choice. Do not become my enemy."


    ¡°I...¡± Any words I wanted to say were stuck in my throat after hearing revelation after revelation.


    A chimera that could avoid being detected masquerading as a member of an extinct forest?


    The worst threat the world has ever experienced was someone she loved dearly?


    How much had Lord Springfield lied to me?


    But she had a reason...


    She hated Meruria...


    She hated Remy...


    She despised everything Cridia stood for and wanted to burn it.


    If this doesn¡¯t work... If we fail to take her out...


    Remy changed her tone once more. She readied her daggers and increased her mana once more. It shot into the sky like a pillar of pure destruction¡ªdarker than night-- reminiscent of the void Shuuta was thrown into.

 Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed – Part Two (Illustration!)

    Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed ¨C Part Two (Illustration!)


    ¡°Forgive me,¡± Quella whispered with a tone laden with remorse.


    She began weaving a combination spell of lightning and air. The air crackled incessantly with energy around her and Remy. It exploded into a dazzling display of raw elemental force. A flash of light appeared beside me. Quella appeared through it a breath later.


    ¡°You will not regret your choice. We¡¯ll end that blight.¡±


    ¡°I trust you, Lord Springfield! I cannot live under her rule anymore!¡±


    Remy swatted away the smoke, a grin etched on her face. Sekh raised an arm, conjuring her formidable armor and mace. Surtr roared, an orb of deadly ice and flames teetered dangerously on his coiled tail.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯ve grown some courage. Now, I can do what I wish without feeling guilty. Come! Face your death, chimera! I¡¯ve been roaring for a chance to beat some goddamn sense into you, Cutie Qutie. I¡¯ll enjoy this more than you¡¯ll--¡±


    Bang!


    Suddenly, a gunshot echoed through the air. Behind Remy sat an arm sprouting from a small pile of slime, an inconspicuous presence until now.


    Except it didn¡¯t hit Remy...


    It hit me.


    I was standing where she stood. The bullet had ripped a hole in my neck. The blood viciously soiled my clothes, but the wound was healed.


    ¡°You chimeras always freak me out. Don¡¯t you know the dead should stay dead? I may be a monster dressed like a Wolffolk, but you¡¯re someone who shouldn¡¯t be alive. You¡¯ve had your chance at life, so why don¡¯t you let me return you to rest?¡± she said, lowering her voice. She suddenly swapped places with Surtr, then switched with Sekh while continuing. ¡°This is but one taste that the void has given me.¡±


    I aimed my guns, but I didn¡¯t pull the trigger. ¡°Scared? Shoot me, and you¡¯re liable to kill someone you love. You do aim for the head, right?¡±


    Her teleporting must be related to the void, my lord. I do not detect mana emanating from her warps.


    A command came from Tris via waypoint messaging.


    Sekh used [Abyssal Iceflame: Iceflame Stake] when I activated [Ira Ignis]. The mana I released clashed with the pillar radiating from Remy, birthing a ravaging lightning storm. Suddenly, the rapist jumped back, avoiding the sharpened spike that burst from the ground.


    ¡°Distract her with... Eh? Why¡¯d you get rid of it?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s impossible. You don¡¯t show up on [Skyview] or [Deduction], yet you can read my waypoints without being given shared access?¡± Tris¡¯s voice trembled.


    ¡°Wait, so that¡¯s it? You¡¯re responsible for faking a Status Menu? What, are you like a humanoid personification of a collection of skills given form? I suppose that isn¡¯t out of the ordinary for the void. Lord Meruria would have a field day with you. She¡¯ll cut you open, you know. She must see what makes you tick. I hope you¡¯re okay with dissection!¡±


    No one answered Remy.


    We just had to go on the attack. This was a setback, but it wasn¡¯t a fatal miscalculation.


    Sekh started it. She rushed Remy from behind and raised her mace, but Remy swapped with Quella, who had a mana shield around her body. She stopped at the last moment, but Remy returned and used that opening to attack Sekh. She endured the onslaught via a shield of abyssal iceflame while I flew in from behind with Kronto.


    Remy dropped to the ground, swapping with Surtr at the last second. Sekh¡¯s and mine strikes pierced his hide. She cursed, healing him with flames, but she made Quella appear in his place. Her arm burned to a crisp before we realized it.


    Quella quickly manifested a healing tome to cure the damage, but Remy interrupted her with laughter. The damn wolf stood on a platform of nothingness.


    ¡°How about we slow it down?!¡± She crossed her daggers. ¡°[Temporal Slowness].¡± White fog exploded from her body, filling the Spiritual Grove.


    Quella stood still.


    We all did.


    No.


    Not all of us. Tris was unaffected. She quickly ran to me while Remy clapped. ¡°The void sure is interesting, huh? Suppose a skill would be mostly immune to a spell that targets people. Since, you know, they aren¡¯t people.¡±


    We clearly heard Remy¡¯s voice.


    Tris touched me, but nothing happened. She had to fully max her processing abilities to accelerate my mind to handle the slow debuff.


    It wasn¡¯t enough for my body.


    I still moved as if I was waist-deep in molasses. Remy mockingly encouraged me. When I breached the mist, I was back to where I was.


    The bitch wanted to keep me here.


    There is no other choice. My lord, please permit me to remove the emotional link. The Essence of Wrath¡¯s power... We cannot survive without it.


    Relying on that traitor? Already?


    Letting the emotional aspects of my trauma as Michael Fenton destroy me while granting that goddamn dragon her freedom?


    I...


    I...


    Suddenly, I heard Quella scream. I looked to my right and saw her with Sekh¡¯s mace sticking out of her gut. Remy had warped those two out of the mist.


    The skin around her stomach was charcoal black. Sekh growled. She readied a skill but swapped with Surtr, who found his mouth occupied by Quella¡¯s head when he was about to bite Remy.


    She had come so close to dying.


    Remy was taunting us. Tris implored me to hurry up.


    She knew how much I hated the Essence of Wrath.


    I hated her almost as much as this pet wolf.


    But I needed power.


    Things were different this time because Tris had evolved. She had ways of ensuring the Essence of Wrath would never usurp control over me again.


    She had never lied to me before.


    She wouldn¡¯t start now.


    I trusted Tris with my life. We...


    We weren¡¯t going to die here!!!


    ¡°FINE! THEN DO IT!!!!


    Click!


    It hurt.


    It hurt.


    It hurt so goddamn much. My hazy sight flickered as my intestines poured out of my stomach like a plate of dropped lasagna.


    Sekh had tried to attack Remy, but she swapped places with me. Then I found my head in Surtr¡¯s mouth when he tried to bite Remy.


    I almost died. Surtr morphed into his humanoid form, raised his axe, and told me to focus on healing my injury.


    That was easier said than done. It took too long to prepare the tome, but Remy had teleported me inside the hazy mist.


    The pain increased.


    The sensitivity doubled.


    Was this the end? All sound was now muffled. The clash between Sekh, Surtr, and Remy was accelerated by my mind¡¯s slowed state, but it still looked otherworldly. She had forgone warping around and took the two in melee combat. She pushed the attackers away¡ªthat irritating grin never leaving her face for a second.


    But...


    My surroundings became warm. Time started equalizing. The hazy mist that had terrified me so much was aglow with a gentle flame that danced amongst the vapors. The source? A woman with draconic aspects.


    Except it wasn¡¯t Lord Springfield. No. She kept the same horns and wings as she had, but another stood beside her. She had scales. Her armor was like a molten rock clasped by black obsidian¡ªwith flaming red hair matching her fiery crimson eyes.


    Like a true Dragonfolk...


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    This strange woman held a melancholic smile that almost immediately faded away¡ªmuch like the phantom dragon horde in the flaming portal that dissolved behind her.


    ¡°What?! Is that one of the [Seven Deadly Sins]?!¡± Remy sounded shaken as she teleported above. She looked down at us like ants.


    I healed my wounds, recast our buffs, and then joined them.


    Lord Springfield was screaming. She clawed her head, ripping her ears. They regrew like putty.


    No one...did anything. I had thought Tris would offer a hand or explain, but she shed a silent tear with Sekh and Surtr as everyone looked up at our target.


    ¡°Let me guess. You¡¯re the one who destroyed Ria? Not just any flame spirit could damage that eagle when he¡¯s inside his domain. So, why come out now?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t have to answer you, whelp.¡±


    ¡°Does your anger fuel those flames? They¡¯re dull, spirit. That¡¯s what you get for willingly enslaving yourself to a mere monster.¡±


    The draconic woman remained quiet. She turned to Lord Springfield, who punched her across the face before continuing to scream like a woman possessed by the devil.


    It was primal, heavy, raw, and unfiltered.


    She ate the strike like it was nothing and ignored the blood dripping from her lip. ¡°I will not let you experience the nightmares alone, Lord Springfield. Give your burden to me. You have a fight to finish.¡±


    She forcibly grabbed Lord Springfield¡¯s arm. Slowly, the screaming ceased. The self-inflicted wounds of madness healed. Flesh sprouted from nothing to replace what had been torn.


    But it cost the draconic woman her sanity. She dropped to one knee and tightly gripped her horns. Whatever mental anguish she endured...was probably experienced by Lord Springfield.


    ¡°This won¡¯t make up for your sins.¡±


    ¡°I know it won¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll still hate you. You are to die for me. You will not be treated as anything other than a tool.¡±


    ¡°That is the fate I deserve. I don¡¯t expect you to forgive me. Just... Win. Finish your fight. Destroy that repulsive wolf. Bring an end to Meruria and her rotten kingdom. You will have my complete loyalty, Lord Springfield, until the day I draw my final breath.¡±


    ...until something shifted...inside of her...


    She saw it¡ªa sequence she had seen before. Instantly, she crunched the numbers and failed to predict the following 12,472 iterations, but she deduced the 12,473rd.


    It took another 12,466 before figuring out the next one, except her hard work paid off because she discovered something extraordinary. She had seen this before¡ªshe swore she had, so Tris scoured her indexed databanks until arriving at one possible answer...


    The compressed mana born during her lord''s Soul Evolution. The destructive orb was held inside their storage¡ªwaiting to be used. Its power was almost unquantifiable¡ªand it was supposed to be their trump card. Ideally, Tris would want to save it for the one who deserved it, but she couldn¡¯t be selfish. She manipulated the orb, triggering an explosion to unleash the tremendously gross energy. It ravaged the boundless depths of their storage.  Tris immediately compared the overflowing data to what she had just discovered...


    There was a match.


    No¡ªit was more than that.


    Instead of taking a predicted 12,455 iterations to accurately predict the following sequence...


    It took 10.


    And then it took 1.


    And then 0, destroying the gap.


    Tris had done it...


    She had deduced the algorithm. Now? Now, it was time to reverse-engineer the mechanics behind it.


    That relief refreshed her heart like a soothing wave, but the battle was only beginning. It made the agony assaulting her body worth it.


    But there was something else slumbering underneath the trillions of error messages clouding her mind¡ªa reward¡ªjust for her¡ªfor the one who pushed past the limit engraved upon her as [Tris, Fragment of Wisdom].


    When would she realize it?


    Remy would¡¯ve used this spell before if she could¡¯ve. Since she didn¡¯t...there had to be a substantial drawback. It was limited, needed immense mana, or desired a catalyst to invoke.


    I¡¯ve gotten what I need, my lord. I¡¯ll have figured out the algorithm behind her teleportation within five minutes. The orb had to be used, but its sacrifice will guarantee us victory!


    You¡¯re amazing! That¡¯s fine! Better to spend it here! I trust your judgment more than myself.


    ¡°It¡¯s a shame,¡± Remy said, stabbing my shoulder. ¡°You talk...so much shit, but how can you back it up?¡±


    ¡°Like this.¡±


    Remy¡¯s face became horrified. I loved how her expression twisted. ¡°WHAT?!¡±


    A hail of bullets erupted from my stomach from the pistols and revolvers I had stashed inside. They blew a gory hole through my stomach, piercing Remy.


    She hastily teleported back and trembled, her quivering hands touching the bloody holes decorating her abdomen.


    Sekh looked at the inconsistencies and accurately deduced Remy had stopped time.


    ¡°That¡¯s right! You¡¯re fucked! There¡¯s not a goddamn thing you can do!¡± I shouted. We had to press the attack. I healed my wounds. ¡°[Temporal Standstill] won¡¯t affect me anymore!¡± Tris mentally told me a new plan, and I telepathically told Surtr, who informed Sekh. That was one way to avoid waypoint messaging since it was compromised. We had no way to tell Quella, though.


    I must trust she¡¯ll get the idea. You¡¯re not dumb, Quella. I know you¡¯ll catch on!


    ¡°DON¡¯T GET SO AHEAD OF YOURSELF, YOU SHITTY CHIMERA!!!¡± Remy screamed¡ªshe was losing her cool. She retrieved a potion, bit the tip, and downed it¡ªglass and all. The bullet holes were healed. Suddenly, a soft glow enveloped Remy. Was it another time spell?


    I taunted her.


    A dozen daggers manifested behind her, but they were catalysts for magic. She freely wielded spells of all the elements without speaking.


    Remy sent sentient homing water missiles and lightning-infused packed gusts of air around the Spiritual Grove. She increased her movement and spell speed by about forty percent.


    The stupid bitch didn¡¯t know overusing magic increased Tris¡¯s familiarity with deducing its secrets. The Essence of Wrath¡¯s flames manifested like a warm, crimson fog, incinerating the weaker spells. It couldn¡¯t stop the mightier spells from slamming into us. Poison corroded Sekh¡¯s armor, which shattered when an explosive burst of air pushed Surtr into him. The two recovered and resumed fending off the encroaching spells.


    Quella was instinctually afraid of Sekh, activating a unique effect within the [Dark Lord of Tyranny] title continually refreshed her mana.


    Remy¡¯s resources were vast, but she couldn¡¯t focus on casting, attacking, dodging, and teleporting simultaneously. That was because Quella had realized she was more suited to countering our enemy¡¯s barrage with opposing spells and dispelling Remy¡¯s buffs whenever possible.


    Her teleportation didn¡¯t have a cooldown. Tris was the same if I didn¡¯t overload her processing capabilities, but everyone had mana, right? Even if she recovered faster than anything else I had fought, stopping time couldn¡¯t have come cheap.


    Fuck... Just how long will Tris''s cooldown be this time? I¡¯m not ready for it. No, Mila. Now isn¡¯t the time! Focus! Win first!


    Our onslaught continued. We were much more liberal in our spell usage when the offense slowly turned our way.


    Our flames became hotter. A lingering heat soon filled the grove and steadily increased in temperature, which meant Remy needed to focus more on her water shields.


    Even if she had immunity to fire, she was fighting against a Dark Lord, a 5-Star Soul Warrior, the Transcendent Dark Lord, and an ancient Spirit of Wrath. Quella¡¯s magic was far beyond what any normal sorceress could wield when she wasn''t playing defense.


    The Spiritual Grove looked worse than it was before the transplant. The ground below held deep craters. Rushing water filled with poison and flaming infernos from powerful destructive magic had all but destroyed the idyllic beauty that used to be so abundant in Vredi Forest. Brutal earth magic from Remy¡¯s failed attempts had created building-sized spires she had tried to skewer us. Darkened clouds periodically shot out thickened bolts, but Quella¡¯s gravity magic, while useless to Remy, forced the lightning to strike the barren depressions that littered every square inch.


    Aetos still hadn¡¯t made an appearance. He wouldn¡¯t until the end because Plan A necessitated it.


    I flew under Remy and made another nine clones. They swarmed around her as Sekh and Surtr readied a combination spell. Quella flew behind and offered her mana with one tome while using another she had acquired during the battle to create a flame dragon.


    She had caught on to the plan. A woman like her knew Sekh wouldn''t risk something like this without a goddamn good reason-- especially when the plan was to overwhelm our enemy with more flames than she could handle.


    The mana-pool of a 5-Star Soul Warrior eclipsed even mine. The fiery drake roared, launching a tremendous ball of deadly flames into the sky. It exploded, sending homing, inferno missiles shaped like drakes towards Remy and her magic-casting daggers.


    There must¡¯ve been a hundred of them. Half barraged Remy, and the remaining spells assembled a mighty tornado of pure destruction.


    It rampaged without restraint¡ªits deadly power harmless to all but one.


    Remy dashed and ducked, keeping four clones at bay with her remarkable melee skill. She deflected my strikes like nothing and used barriers to push away the incoming spells. She soon warped with Sekh, but I had a clone waiting below in the inferno ravaging the Spiritual Grove¡¯s ground. It sniped Remy, but she altered places with Quella a hair later, who cried when the bullet ruptured her femur.


    She tri-cast a healing spell and screamed, summoning wings that she used to fly back to Sekh and Surtr. Emotions ran rampant down her face. She heaved for air and wiped the sweat from her brow, the collar of her robe already damp as a thick swamp.


    ¡°Just how many goddamn monsters have you eaten?!¡± Remy exclaimed, raising her hand. She summoned a dozen sharp blades of electrified wind without speaking and sent them my way since I kept her focus off those three. Four clones manifested as Sathtshas and endured the damage. I burst through their guts, covered in sticky crimson, with a snarling grin as a hundred vines ruptured from my wrist.


    They latched deep into her skin.


    That Mila vanished after channeling [Thunder Surge]. The crackling lightning flowed down the vines and zapped her water shield.


    Remy groaned from the pain before cutting herself free. She turned around to find Surtr with a pair of axes raised...


    Vines covered in shot out of the right one because that was yet another clone who was using [Furia Glacies]. The spell of [Ice Age] instantly entrapped Remy in a glacier. It slowed her long enough for Surtr to cleave off her right arm. His axe¡¯s edge was enhanced by the darkest, blackest flames. It cut through the ice like butter, his roars proclaiming his quenching thirst to destroy my enemies.


    ¡°SHIT!!! WHY DON¡¯T YOU JUST GIVE UP?!?!?! JUST DIE ALREADY!!!!!!!¡± Remy screamed. She teleported without stopping. We couldn¡¯t track her¡ªnot yet¡ªbut she drowned an elixir that regenerated her missing limb. Meanwhile, Surtr returned to Sekh and resumed adding mana to the spell they were charging. Quella stopped to make a dozen-layer shield since Remy had launched towering blades of winds that were enhanced by all the elements.


    They blocked all but two and managed to sever her legs at the knees, but Quella endured the pain. Adrenaline ran high as she used magic to regenerate them. Surtr jumped in front, roaring as a wall of abyssal iceflame redirected the incoming spells. The explosive barrage destroyed even more of the Spiritual Grove. Wind magic created a tornado, sending the dusty clouds sky high, where another roar from my lion dispersed it.


    Quella¡¯s eyes...


    That expression...


    It was so raw...like she was almost enjoying this fight.


    Remy loudly cursed She looked at the remaining clones. She didn¡¯t know which one I was. Her eyes darted back to the still-charging spell.


    She was afraid.


    She tried [Temporal Slowness]-- a move of desperation¡ª but the EoW incinerated every dust of that time magic.


    I hated to give kudos to that traitor, but her power more than tripled my clones¡¯ strength.


    The EoW was supplying me with her seemingly infinite life force. I had a constant assimilation effect to regenerate my biomass and mana, which added to her agony.


    I was going to squeeze every ounce of usefulness from her. She was a tool. Why would you feel sad about using a hammer to strike a nail when that was its intended purpose?


    Remy¡¯s cries soon shook the Spiritual Grove even more than the deadly onslaught between existences powerful enough to wipe out entire countries.


    I was hidden inside the whirlwind of flames made by that dragon spell. I had been here for a while¡ªbut the dumb bitch didn¡¯t know.


    [Sunfire Inferno] was being charged¡ªmore than ever¡ªfueled by the remains of Quella¡¯s powerful magic. The mana I pumped into it couldn¡¯t compare to what I had used against Sathtshas since I was at Wrath 70. The EoW had to take more of the emotional burden to grant me unrestricted access to its strength.


    ¡°JUST WHAT IN THE HELL ARE YOU?!¡± Remy exclaimed when she discovered the truth. I stared down at her like the trash she was.


    ¡°Your worst nightmare. You have no idea...how much I¡¯ve dreamed about this moment.¡±


    Remy was finally sweating. I loved how fearful her eyes were. That expression...made this moment worth it.


    Slowly, I lowered my rifle¡ª[Sunfire Inferno] arrived with it. The heat radiating burned the air around us.


    Sekh was behind Remy. The spell she, Surtr, and Quella had worked on was ready. Quella grinned. She was out of breath, but she had enough to curse Remy. Her voice started in a low whisper, but she excavated her heart to tell that wolf what she felt.


    ¡°IT¡¯S BEEN NOTHING BUT A NIGHTMARE! YOU¡¯RE A MONSTER! A GENTLE DEATH IS MORE THAN YOU FUCKING DESERVE! I HOPE YOU BURN IN HELL!!!!¡±


    She added one last use of that flame dragon spell. It curled around the building-sized orb they had worked so hard to fuel.


    They let it go¡ªsomething so heavy¡ªsomething so magnificently powerful moved with the haste of a geriatric tortoise.


    I didn¡¯t release mine.


    No.


    I knew Remy was going to teleport.


    Tris marked her location once she saw invisible distortions crackling the fabric of reality.


    That was when I launched it¡ªit flew even faster than a bullet because I had remade the clones Remy had killed inside it. They flew to the spell¡¯s core to act as its propulsion.


    It sped like the devil, slamming into Remy precisely when she appeared¡ªnot a moment too soon or late. The clones latched their bodies around her, transfiguring their flesh into monstrous beings with a hundred mouths.


    Teeth bit flesh, tearing skin asunder as skin-melting acid oozed from every orifice.  The clones greedily chomped into the crimson warmth beneath Remy¡¯s atrocious exterior.


    Remy¡¯s cries were delightful.


    There was still more to handle¡ªthe attack wasn¡¯t finished.


    Sekh''s, Surtr''s and Quella''s efforts would not be wasted...

 Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed – Part Three

    Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed ¨C Part Three


    Surtr transformed into a lion as Sekh jumped on his back. They dashed to catch up with their spell. She readied her abyssal iceflame mace and swung it like a bat, causing their part of the war effort to ram into Remy from behind, locking her between a rock and a hard place.


    The collision created an explosive surge of energy that reverberated throughout the Spiritual Grove. Remy was caught in a blast almost as powerful as the spell that wounded Aetos.


    The two magics continued to clash as reality trembled. Arcane energies detonated, sending shockwaves that violently unsteadied Quella.


    I hastily flew and caught her in my arms before landing near Tris and the EoW. Surtr and Sekh joined us.


    It was time for the eagle to act. The little bird manifested in an explosion of naturalistic light and fulfilled his role in the plan. He wasn¡¯t connected to the Eagle Yew in that its mana sustained him¡ªyet the gross amount it held was authorized to him. He could use it at his discretion. The tree had many decades left, but Aetos used about fifteen years of it to construct a tight barrier around Remy to constrain the magic.


    Thank you, Eagle Yew...


    We couldn¡¯t see them through the opaque flames, but my clones were still alive. They were still devouring her. I didn¡¯t even want to theorize what was happening inside that barrier.


    Immediately, I sat Quella down and rushed to Tris. She was unsteady on her feet and looked pale. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ve got you,¡± I whispered, catching her in my arms.


    ¡°I¡¯m...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t you even dare say you¡¯re sorry. Just don¡¯t, okay?  I hugged her. I cried and rubbed her head. ¡°We couldn¡¯t have done without you,¡± I whispered. ¡°Are you hurt?!¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Her voice was so quiet that she needed to use telepathy. Her entire body quivered. She seemed so frail...so meek.


    ¡°I can heal her. I can¡ª"


    My heart sank...because Quella was stopped mid-sentence.


    ¡°She¡¯s still not dead?!¡± I exclaimed. The flames raging inside the barrier had stopped¡ªlikely from [Temporal Standstill].


    An arm suddenly thrust through the top. It was blackened and burnt¡ªeven the bone had turned to coal. Another breached it as Remy pulled herself free¡ªher body bore bite marks across the scorched flesh and bones. I immediately aimed my guns, but Remy deactivated her spell and teleported to the Spiritual Grove¡¯s furthest reaches.


    The congested power left through the path of least resistance, shooting to the Spiritual Grove¡¯s ceiling, catching the skies on fire. Quella panicked. She knew what this meant. Aetos spread his wings and used more of the grove¡¯s mana to repair the damage. Sekh claimed ownership over the conjoined spell. She immediately canceled it. The curtain of flames vanished before Aetos had to use the rest of the Eagle Yew to save the grove.


    Remy appeared a hair later¡ªher nearly destroyed body immediately healing from the rainbow-colored elixir she held to her crispy lips.


    She had another suit.


    Sekh redoubled the grip on her weapon. Surtr roared.


    Tris forced herself to stand before limping in front of me. She wobbly balanced, spreading her arms like she wanted Remy to target her.


    What the hell are you doing?!


    Trust me!


    Quella dropped to her knees and vomited, her body shivering as if she was in a blizzard. ¡°How...are you alive?! Just how?! THAT SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU!!! Why aren¡¯t¡ª¡±


    Time had stopped once more. Suddenly, she wasn¡¯t alone.


    The woman...whose back I had stared at...was gone.


    Time resumed.


    ¡°¡ªyou dead?! TRIS?!¡± Quella cried the name of the girl that Remy held by the hair. Her other hand gripped a dagger dangerously close to her neck.


    I need to confess something. I attained evolution in the last battle. The notification was buried beneath a sea of errors, and I accidentally delayed it. It now demands manual activation through a physical reboot. Despite Remy altering the algorithm, I can decipher it within a second. I have braced myself for any additional modifications she may use.


    Then...


    I listened closely as Tris told me a plan.


    Are you sure?


    I am. The chance of winning remains 100%, yet I want Remy to suffer. Her fears should fuel Lady Sekh¡¯s power even more. I will not be satisfied until she has felt the depths of despair. I know I am asking a lot. It goes against a direct order you have given me in the past, but it must happen for me to evolve.


    Will it hurt?


    No. It will be a reprieve from the pain, my lord. Everything hurts. It¡¯s...taking all I have to speak with you. My body desperately wishes to shut down to enter its cooldown state.


    Then... I¡¯ll do it...


    Forgive me for my selfishness.


    I¡¯m just happy you¡¯re being selfish. Do that more often.


    Tris''s cute, pained giggles reverberated around my mind.


    *****


    *****


    What¡¯s the move?! Can I do anything?


    It felt like victory was snatched from our hands by a cruel, cold reminder that this world was anything but fair. Remy should¡¯ve been dead!


    Her being alive didn¡¯t make any sense!


    I thought myself hysterical while looking through my Skill Menu. I had all these spells! All these tomes! None would help us kill someone like Remy!


    Then I heard a laugh that froze my blood solid.


    ¡°WHY THE FUCK ARE YOU SMILING?!¡± Remy demanded, her voice quivering. ¡°STOP LAUGHING!¡± She made a shallow slit along Tris¡¯s pretty neck. A curtain of blood oozed onto her blouse, soiling it. ¡°You¡¯re only winning because she¡¯s helping you! No one should know how to intercept my void teleports! No one! I¡¯ll kill her! I¡¯ll ravage her fucking corpse and make you watch! She might be a void skill pretending to be a person, but this bitch can bleed! She can die like the rest!¡±


    ¡°The path of revenge is a desolate road. You must be prepared to make sacrifices to get what you want the most.¡±


    ¡°What the hell did you say?!¡± Remy made another cut, but Tris was stone-hearted. She didn¡¯t scream or flinch, but surely Lord Springfield wasn¡¯t about...


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡± I shouted when she raised her rifle at Remy. I tried to push it away. Sekh intercepted and restrained me, pinning my arms behind my back in a hold. I struggled, but her stern, violent voice told me something...I never expected.


    ¡°You heard me, wolf. You consider me so nai?ve that I didn¡¯t entertain the possibility of losing allies during my journey? Tris knew what she was signing up for. Besides, you¡¯re scared, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°She is, Mila.¡± Sekh pushed me away before approaching Lord Springfield. ¡°Can¡¯t you see the cowardice in her eyes? Oh, it¡¯s delectable. At this rate... I doubt I¡¯ll ever run out of mana. You haven¡¯t seen anything yet. You don¡¯t know true despair. I¡¯ll show you why the world feared me.¡±


    ¡°There you have it. Don¡¯t think me so nai?ve that this would stop me. Nothing will hold me back from killing the ones I hate the most.¡±


    Remy¡¯s eyes widened... It was so unnatural to see her like this.


    Bang!


    Lord Springfield...pulled the trigger...


    Smoke bellowed from the barrel... Blood gushed from the wound in Tris¡¯s head.


    Remy stumbled away, dropping her dagger. She jumped away from Tris¡¯s corpse. ¡°You dumb bitch! You lost your only¡ª¡±


    ¡°Did I? Tris, the Transcendent Dark Lord commands you to evolve!¡±


    Tris¡¯s body glowed like a shooting star in the night sky. Cracks radiated from the wound and spread down her body, unleashing a whirling tornado of a thousand prismatic lights when she shattered like glass. It shot into the sky, collected into an orb, and cracked like an egg, revealing someone who had just died.


    Tris was there...hovering like an angel as she descended near her lord¡ªher posture as perfect as ever with a shining smile.


    ¡°You once said the void wanted to rid itself of [Deduction] and [Skyview], but you couldn¡¯t be more wrong. There does not exist an item, a spell, a gun, or a monster that is more powerful than [Tris, Fragment of Wisdom]¡ªno, you¡¯re not a fragment, are you? You¡¯re my [Beacon of Wisdom]¡ªa shining light illuminating my victory! Death? Tris is immortal, you dumb piece of shit! It doesn¡¯t matter what you do! She¡¯ll always be reborn! Your last-ditch effort? It was this?¡± Lord Springfield erupted into laughter. ¡°You¡¯re fucked. You¡¯re done for! Yes, I know you changed your teleports, but so what? Tris has already figured it out! She¡¯s a thousand times smarter than before! I know you can¡¯t sustain [Time Magic] anymore. Even if you could, your [Temporal Standstill] won¡¯t affect me.¡±


    Was...this a miracle?


    Did those fabled, holy things exist in a world as fucked as this?!


    Remy lost it. She acted as if she suffered from trichotillomania and ripped large chunks of her hair out.


    Suddenly, her arms dropped by her side, and she slowly looked up.


    "Aetos, she¡¯s looking for a path out!¡± Lord Springfield shouted. She drew her guns and fired bullets made of flames. Surtr roared, and I immediately used my magic. ¡°Do whatever you can to prevent her from teleporting away!


    Warping out of a realm like the Spiritual Grove could not have been easy. I didn¡¯t know the mechanics, but it wasn¡¯t something she could do at the drop of a hat. Remy ran and scrambled, barely dodging. The barriers and wards she produced with her daggers were broken almost immediately.


    Sekh shot herself into the air on pillars of flames as I gave her wings. The explosive orbs she had used before to bombard manifested behind her, but they had tripled in size. The unbelievable heat melted the air and caught fire. Even light was refracting heavily around them.


    Suddenly, Remy¡¯s body became enveloped in a dark, cold glow. It happened before Sekh was about to unleash her spells. Lord Springfield and Surtr wouldn¡¯t reach her in time! ¡°I GOT¡ª¡±


    ¡°With the power of [Conferment], I use my authority as the Spirit Lord of Nature to restrain the one called Remy within the Spiritual Grove! Her abilities shall not be used to escape my realm!¡± I looked behind and saw Lord Aetos. He spread his wings. A grey aura phased over the Spiritual Grove.


    She took the blow, standing like an immovable rock as she shattered my spear, but Sekh¡¯s roar alerted her to a dazzling murder of swarming abyssal iceflame bolts that threatened to darken the skies.  Remy warped¡ªa useless tactic. She had preprogrammed ten warps, and Tris had deduced their locations. The info was sent to Sekh, who ensured her mighty spell found their rightful home inside that wolf¡¯s disgusting body.


    She was like a pincushion until a pulse of her mana destroyed the bolts. Sekh landed and grinned, resting her mace on her shoulder. I joined her...


    ...but it wasn¡¯t me.


    That was a clone.


    The real me had slipped behind Remy as a tiny fragment of inconspicuous slime that resembled blood. The dumb bitch was none the wiser as Sekh stepped forward.


    ¡°YOU DESERVE ALL THIS!!!¡± I shouted, penetrating her back with Kronto. Flames gathered around the shaft and launched her to Sekh. I joined her assault, using each other¡¯s strikes to reinforce our own.


    Fighting side by side with Sekh like this... It reinvigorated nostalgic feelings I never wanted to forget.


    We flowed so well.


    Remy finally found her voice after screaming an unholy wail. Another shockwave tried to send us away, but spiked vines kept me in place. She shattered Kronto, stabbing the fractured spear into my heart.


    Did it matter?


    Flames and ice fueled my fists as I punched her in the stomach. Fire erupted from my knuckles, forcing her back into the air as the deadly conflagration consumed her skin.


    I ripped out my weapon. I healed my wounds.


    ¡°I DON¡¯T CARE HOW MANY LAST-RESORT ABILITIES YOU USE!! YOU WON¡¯T WIN!!! YOU¡¯RE DESTINED TO DIE HERE!!!!! SEKH!!! DO IT!!!!¡±


    The flaming armor of [Ira Ignis] vanished, replaced by [Furia Glacies] at 70 as the Essence of Wrath assisted Sekh in the air with a pillar of ice to meet our prey. She slammed her back down with a mighty strike¡ªgeysers of blood erupted from Remy¡¯s mouth. The whimsical armor of ice and frigidness...


    How strange a feeling it was to have all that Wrath replaced with a cold, unsettling fury...


    I connected with Remy¡¯s chin, punching her into the air a second time with a pillar of ice.


    The EoW flew from above, spun, and kicked her away¡ª her strikes fueled by [Furia Glacies]. The icy armor surrounding her legs shattered into snowflakes that followed like homing missiles. They lodged deep in her chest and exploded¡ªmuch like when they destroyed that [Apocalypse Serpentine] spell. Surtr roared, now back as a Lionfolk. He used his ferocious axe to cleave her legs. He had used a jet stream of flames out the back of his weapon to make it faster.


    I rushed under her and slid, summoning my rifle with Kronto attached to it while activating [Ira Ignis]. It skewered her through the chest as metallic tendrils pierced her body. They snaked like veins throughout her arms and legs and wrapped around her heart before bursting from her chest. They jabbed into the ground like support beams.


    Simultaneously, I used [Lightning Storm]. The skies trembled¡ªstorm clouds gathered overhead, looking as black as pitch darkness. I also used [Lightning Rod] on my rifle¡ªI¡¯d learned both spells from Sera, but Tris had improved them.


    The air was gritty. Lightning bolts illuminated the abyssal sea of clouds.  You could feel the thick tension. It seemed like fate just waited for me to pull the trigger...


    Yet I wanted more.


    More.


    More.


    Remy had to suffer more than anyone else.


    Suddenly, the Essence of Wrath let out a roar that shook the realm. Flames exploded from her body, engulfing her in a blinding blaze as she transformed into a colossal, terrifying dragon.


    Those scales shimmered like molten lava, each one a living flame. The air around her threatened to melt. Wings of fire erupted from the dragon''s back. Her eyes glowed a fierce, vengeful crimson as she raised her head. With a violent snap of her jaw, she unleashed a seething torrent of fire. The flames surged forth, twisting and merging with the sky¡¯s raging storm. The crackling lightning intertwined with the inferno, turning the clouds into a churning sea of death and devastation.


    ¡°Give it all you¡¯ve got, Surtr. Do not hold anything back!¡± Sekh landed nearby. She raised her mace. It flashed a deep black, sending a swirling beam of abyssal iceflame that melded with the clouds. Remy''s fear of her was so great that Sekh gained more mana than she expended even while using her most powerful attacks.


    ¡°Of course, my lady!¡±


    Surtr¡ªin his lion form¡ªdid the same after roaring. It was like the apocalypse was happening overhead. So much magic... So much power... It was chaos in a destructive form that merely awaited the signal to strike.


    My signal...


    The signal to end it all.


    I pulled the trigger, calling forth a combination spell far, far eclipsing the attack that shattered the Eagle Yew¡¯s bounded field.


    The skies cried. Existence was almost torn asunder as the rabid lightning gathered before striking Kronto¡¯s tip. The noise was deafening¡ªeverything went black¡ªit felt like reality restarted.


    Remy¡¯s screams were louder as the superheated flames greedily devoured that piece of shit, blowing away more and more of her torso. The pressure was immense¡ªthe ground couldn¡¯t take it. It shattered, splintering like someone had tossed a heavy boulder at an icy lake.


    Oh, how my heart had been waiting for this moment!


    I pulled the trigger again.


    Again.


    Again.


    Again.


    I kept pulling until Kronto and my rifle shattered like glass, but I didn¡¯t recreate it because the fight was over.


    Remy was missing half her chest. She didn¡¯t have any legs. The storm clouds and remnants of the magic had vanished after I canceled the spells. Blood leaked from her eyes, nose, and ears, and that suit had stopped repairing itself.


    Sekh and Surtr approached with the Essence of Wrath after she canceled her transformation.


    ¡°I know you¡¯re not dead,¡± I said. ¡°It won¡¯t be long. I hope it¡¯s excruciatingly painful, you piece of shit.¡± Sekh wasn¡¯t moving. Neither was Surtr. I groaned.  ¡°Are you seriously using your last moments to stop time?¡±


    ¡°Who says...it¡¯s just for this...?¡± Remy vanished and appeared a few feet away. ¡°[Mortal Mend]!¡± Bloody mist enveloped her. She slowly stood after being healed.


    ¡°That spell is designed to kill the caster after rejuvenation,¡± said the Essence of Wrath. ¡°She has three minutes, but I wager it¡¯s less. [Limit Break] and [Over Limit] pushes the body to the extreme when used alone, but together? You may have canceled the effects of one, but the damage remains.¡±


    My lord, a new suggestion has come to me. Please listen...


    Tris¡¯s plan...


    It was so goddamn diabolical... Oh, it would push Meruria to the pits of madness.


    Did I have enough life force for that?


    ¡°You may take what you need from me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d have done it even if you hadn¡¯t given me permission.¡±


    ¡°Care to let me in?¡± Remy interjected.


    ¡°Care to die?¡± I replied. Remy laughed. She suddenly clutched her stomach, vomiting bile, blood, and black sludge a moment later.


    ¡°Yeah... I don¡¯t have long left. Why don¡¯t we settle this like monsters? Fists only... Come on, chimera... Let¡¯s beat the shit out of each other... Can¡¯t you grant a girl her dying wish?¡±


    I gave a pistol to the Essence of Wrath, and we held Remy at gunpoint.


    ¡°I was ready to berate you for being stupid enough to fall for the false wiles of a venomous woman...even if it warranted me another thrashing by the Dark Lord of Tyranny.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t make the same mistake twice.¡±


    ¡°So, that¡¯s a no? I guess...that¡¯s normal for someone like me. Hey, I have one more request... Just... Who are you?¡± Remy vomited again. She dropped to one knee and touched the blood spewing from her lips. It was a struggle to stand, but no one helped her. She made a cruel joke about how there aren¡¯t any more gentlemen in the world. ¡°I¡¯m curious... I don¡¯t think I can die...without knowing who I let get away from me...¡±


    ¡°I refuse. Why would I ever want to make you happy? I hate you... So very, very much... No one deserves to die a death more horrible than you and Meruria.¡±


    ¡°I never wanted to admit it, but I¡¯m not the strongest. I was, but...¡± Remy cried, the salty water mixing with the blood leaking down her cheeks. ¡°You can¡¯t compare to a 6-Star Soul Warrior. No one can. They¡¯re legends amongst legends... You¡¯re a fool if you think you can kill Tokko and Mia. They¡¯re more...monsters than we are... You can¡¯t kill them. Lord Meruria¡¯s the...safest woman in the world with...them around...¡±


    ¡°I guess you didn¡¯t hear me when I said I had the smartest being in the world on my side. Tris makes the impossible possible. She¡¯ll find a path. She¡¯ll secure my victory.¡± Tris appeared as a waypoint sculpture and smugly grinned. She looked down on Remy as if she was trash.


    ¡°Nah... It¡¯s impossible. It won¡¯t work. Lord Meruria will be...safe without me...¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t have this argument with you.¡±


    Time resumed after Remy returned to one knee.


    She didn¡¯t get up this time.


    The others joined us in looking down on Remy.


    ¡°I wished I¡¯d seen you in your prime, you tyrannical lion. Maybe I¡¯d have followed you instead... I don¡¯t suppose you can use [Conferment] to send me back in time? It¡¯s...a rule that you gotta grant...a last request, right? So...do this for me¡ª"¡±


    Bang!


    I shot Remy in the heart. She fell to her back. Blood oozed from the bullet holes...


    She was seconds away from death.

 Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed – Part Four (Illustration!)

    Chapter Ninety-Nine: Vengeance Unleashed ¨C Part Four (Illustration!)


    ¡°I CAN¡¯T...ENDURE IT...ANYMORE!!!¡± The cries came from Aetos. There was a powerful blast of light from up high... The Spiritual Grove was gradually tearing itself apart. It was faint, but the stench of rotting wood that hadn¡¯t yet healed was mixed with smoke.


    The whole thing was on fire as a black haze slowly replaced the skies we had come to know.


    Tris immediately said we were near the middle of the Eagle Yew and had less than a minute before our ground vanished.


    Eagle Yew... I...


    ¡°I¡¯m going to take your memories now,¡± I said, ignoring that thought. I had to do this¡ªnow. ¡°I¡¯ll use them to put Meruria through hell.¡± Experienced chimeras could assimilate memories as tangible objects, but that was beyond my keen.


    [Conferment] bridged that gap, though.


    ¡°Experience my life. Your mind won¡¯t handle it. You¡¯ll be consumed by my madness...an¡ªan urge to silt...your throat.¡±


    ¡°I could say the same to you. You don¡¯t know the hell I lived.¡±


    I turned to Remy. ¡°With the power of [Conferment], I use my authority at the Transcendent Dark Lord to delve deep into your soul... Grant me unfettered access to your darkest depths. Reveal to me your memories.¡± Lifeforce gathered around my palms and shot a beam towards Remy.


    Remy¡¯s past flooded my mind like a movie, but I didn¡¯t care.


    Why?


    No amount of depressive bullshit or traumatic nightmares would ever make me want to forgive this piece of shit for what she had done to me.


    I didn¡¯t care that she and her sister, Willow, were sold as child prostitutes to some brothel hidden in the country. Nor did it tug at my heartstrings when Meruria convinced Remy that she could enact her revenge if she was willing to risk it all to help further her experiments with the void.


    Remy was effectively frozen at her current age after the void spat her out. It was a mimicked version of [Timeless Existence] all High Elves had upon reaching maturity. She used the warping abilities it had granted her to kill everyone responsible for what happened to them. Then Remy willingly gave their lives to their savior.


    Remy accepted Meruria as their lord, yet she still used her Lord Armament to entrap her mind with a twisted sense of loyalty and love.


    Willow¡¯s sense of self didn¡¯t survive the void. Her hair, ears, and tail had been drained of their color, signifying her failure to adapt to the power Meruria wanted her to wield. Only those azure eyes were left behind.


    She was a flesh puppet¡ªsomeone who wouldn¡¯t age. She had to be told to breathe, or she¡¯d die of suffocation. Meruria used her for sexual gratification while commanding Remy to join.


    In a sense?


    Willow was innocent¡ªshe hadn¡¯t done anything against me¡ªbut she deserved to die so that she could finally rest.


    Not Remy... She had done a thousand unspeakable things. Sadism easily came to her once she realized she could hurt her enemies as they had harmed her. That was how she had grown so powerful. She was Lv. 99 and over a century old.


    The memories then came to the first time Remy was present for the Soul Warrior Summoning. Quella¡¯s journal said the ceremony happened, on average, every five decades, except something wasn¡¯t right... Why were they standing there like puppets? Why did Meruria have her Lord Armament out? Why did it take weeks before she spoke to them? Unless?


    If this meant what I thought it meant...


    I couldn¡¯t finish the thought because the memories showed me something unexpected¡ªthe truth behind King Isolde Vredi¡¯s death.


    How dare they... How dare they... How...will I tell Sera? How do I bring this up? Will she believe me?


    Like whiplash, the memories altered to Meruria¡¯s most recent summoning. Like the groups before... We...were standing like puppets...as she...


    ¡°No...¡± I suddenly said.


    ¡°Ha... Haha... Hahaha!!! See?¡± Remy croaked, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°You can¡¯t handle it! YOU¡ª"


    ¡°SHUT UP! I need to see this for myself!!!¡± I roared. The memories flashed faster...


    And...


    Meruria...


    She...did...that...


    And...


    I laughed...


    I laughed, and laughed, and laughed...


    Because it was so goddamn funny!


    Meruria''s Soul Warriors didn''t originate from the same world!


    Hell, only Mia and I came from ''our'' world!


    Our world didn¡¯t have learning chambers.


    Our world wasn¡¯t some meritocracy-obsessed hellhole caricature pushed to the extreme!


    Meruria had added those ''things'' to support the altered backstories she had planted within us!


    I always knew it didn¡¯t make sense for someone like me to attend an elusive, prestigious institute like Mekka Academy, but...


    Now it all made total goddamn sense...because she had gotten the crude inspiration from someone named Salim, a Soul Warrior summoned before us. She learned about Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, and plagiarized it. The non-existent phantom academy¡¯s purpose was to be the key that linked this latest batch of Soul Warriors together...to make it seem like we originated from the same world. She had further planned to create a new Mecca within this world to be totally devoted to her.


    I knew the depths of that vile woman¡¯s tampering.


    Meruria could¡¯ve changed me... She could¡¯ve made me into someone else. She could¡¯ve fixed all my issues or instilled confidence in me.


    She didn¡¯t...


    What happened to me in the fake reality...happened to me in the real one... She didn¡¯t see fit to do all that much because I was always destined to be sacrificed to the void. Meruria had always chosen one from each summoning session. I drew the short straw this time.


    What Tris and Tilde didn¡¯t want me to know was what had happened, barring a few minor details that didn¡¯t matter for shit¡ªbut... I had lived as Michael. I had lived as Shuuta...


    I suffered as both...


    Yet...


    ¡°Sekh, you can¡¯t kill my parents,¡± I whispered, turning to her. The truth I had cruelly discovered flowed like daggers from my lip as I relived a locked-away memory.


    ¡°Why? What do you mean, Mila?¡±


    ¡°Because I¡¯ve already killed them. They¡¯re dead... I shot them with my ¡®father¡¯s¡¯ gun ...¡± I felt the bark of the revolver as I pulled the trigger... The recoil knocked my shoulder out of place... The broken wrist of a young boy who couldn¡¯t grip it... The smoke billowing from the barrel... The acrid scent of spent gunpowder lingered in the air, covering my eyes from seeing that bastard¡¯s brains spilled across the wallpaper before I turned it to my ¡®mother,¡¯ who shared the same demise.


    The scenes weren¡¯t in chronological order, but the pieces were there. I experienced the truth¡ªthe true truth.


    Meruria only hid my murders, but it wasn¡¯t out of compassion. She had plans to bring it up if they were required to de-evolve into a 0-Star Soul Warrior to see me suffer.


    Not even Tris knew it, which meant Tilde was out of the loop.


    The wicked bitch would use everything to make everyone else grovel at her feet...just to get off on the control it gave her...


    However, there was more to it¡ªmore to the lives we lived before Meruria snatched her fangs in our destinies.


    It wasn¡¯t just my truth. It was everyone¡¯s truth... Everyone¡¯s backstory. Including that goddamn Mia...


    She wasn¡¯t innocent¡ªno, far...from...it...


    She would pay¡ªthey would all suffer... Especially when what I knew could shatter everything.


    I confirmed something else. Shiku¡¯s and Damon¡¯s feelings weren¡¯t tampered with when they were ordered to throw me into the void. They weren¡¯t forced to do it. You could say they willingly followed orders when they had free will-- the free will to refuse.


    Yet they didn¡¯t.


    They didn¡¯t say no.


    They didn¡¯t refuse.


    ¡°The Susize in me won¡¯t let me lie about this. Meruria¡¯s... She¡¯s responsible.  I will not let this go unpunished. She must suffer, Aetos. I will make her regret ever being born. Believe me on that.¡±


    ¡°...¡± The Eagle was quiet. He remained perched on his flowerpot in deep thought of how to proceed with this new information. I sensed movement from behind, and I knew who it was.


    Quella ran towards us. ¡°The evacuation went off without error. The Eagle Yew caught fire during the process, but everyone¡¯s safe, Lord Springfield. They¡¯re gathered outside the forest.¡±


    ¡°So... There haven¡¯t been any more losses? That¡¯s good. You have my thanks, Quella.¡±


    I¡¯ve confirmed the safety of all, my lord. Tilde and Niva are still asleep under Primrose¡¯s eye. Keeth is constructing tents.


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but is it done? Is she dead? Truly dead?¡± Quella asked, her voice trembling.


    Remy moved before I could say anything. She opened her eyes and warped from lying to standing up. Quella grabbed my collar¡ªpure hatred fueled her eyes as the angry mage demanded to know why our enemy wasn¡¯t dead. Quella was probably about to punch me, but she suddenly stopped when Remy kneeled and proclaimed her undying loyalty to me.


    ¡°What...is going on?¡±


    ¡°The Remy you see is not the one we have the displeasure of knowing. That one is dead. She¡¯s gone. She doesn¡¯t exist anymore. This one looks like her. She has the same abilities and strengths, but her unwavering loyalty lies solely with me. Everything is being routed through Tris, and there¡¯s not a snowball¡¯s chance in hell of Remy ¡®breaking¡¯ free or suddenly regaining her original self because Tris won¡¯t let that happen. Her safeguards cannot and will not be broken.¡±


    ¡°I know what this body has done. I am thankful Lord Springfield will assimilate it once its usefulness has expired,¡± said Remy. ¡°I am anxiously awaiting the day Meruria faces cruel justice for her crimes and sins. It cannot come fast enough.¡± Remy apologized to Quella for how much her team was tormented. ¡°Remy¡¯s soul still lives within a hellish purgatory she shall never escape from. Her suffering continues now because the wicked do not deserve to rest.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry for grabbing you,¡± Quella lowered her head. ¡°I was unaware such a thing like this was possible.¡±


    ¡°Your reaction is understandable. Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m sure your head must be filled with a thousand questions.¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± She looked around. Energy continued to spiral into the ground. ¡°But the time isn¡¯t apt. Do you know what¡¯s going to happen now?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re witnessing the start of the chimerization process,¡± said Ira. ¡°It¡¯s not the same. It¡¯s different.  Chimeras are created when the negative emotions surrounding many corpses become too much, yet I don¡¯t detect any hostility. It¡¯s unheard of for so much positivity to trigger the birth.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right and wrong,¡± Aetos said. He flapped his wings. ¡°Just watch. It is almost finished.¡± The last remnants of the green mana flowed deep into the ground. Everything started to shake. From each of the graves came a calming, soothing light. Magical energy flowed to where the cherry blossom used to stand, which collected into a single orb.


    The radiant sphere emitted a soft, comforting light that encompassed the entire graveyard, recreating what it must¡¯ve looked like in the past as it grew. The shimmering grew until it cracked like glass, revealing a small girl. She probably didn¡¯t look older than eight or nine. Her hair and ears were like mine. The excessive mana encircled her body, granting her a sundress of leaves and grass.


    We all stared as she opened her eyes¡ªthey were red¡ªlike Ira¡¯s. Hesitation filled them. Chimeras weren¡¯t born with a consciousness¡ªthey relied on raw instinct until they evolved, but...


    ¡°My heart... It won¡¯t stop hurting...¡± She cried, gentle tears falling from her soft eyes. ¡°I feel the forest... I can hear its cries.¡±


    Spoiler


    [collapse]


    ¡°The last of the Eagle Yew¡¯s will has been imparted into her,¡± said Aetos. ¡°She¡¯s made from the consciousness, hopes, dreams, and love of everyone who has passed away within my village. Your genuine love for the forest... Your desires to protect it... The way you played Vredi¡¯s Lullaby without an ounce of selfish pride because you wished for it to be the last thing it heard... Your regret at killing my lady¡¯s precious pets... You may not think of yourself as a natural Vredi, but the Eagle Yew believes differently. It has accepted you, chimera. The proof of that is in her base appearance. The mana flowed through you and the Essence of Wrath before continuing the chimerization process.¡±


    ¡°Accepted me, huh? Do I deserve it?¡±


    ¡°The Eagle Yew thinks so. It will continue to live on through her. Do you harbor doubts?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said I didn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°Do you know what you must do?¡± I nodded. Just one thing came to my mind.


    I approached and kneeled, extending a hand. The chimera looked at me, quivering. ¡°You don¡¯t have any reason to be afraid,¡± I said, my voice gentle as the falling snow. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡±


    ¡°I...do not have one... I feel lost... Can you...give me one?¡±


    ¡°How does...Yew sound?¡±


    ¡°Y...ew?¡± The chimera repeated it slowly, then twice more. ¡°But that¡¯s...¡± The chimera looked at Aetos, then to where the Eagle Yew had just been. ¡°Is that...okay?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not? Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. But what do I do now? I don¡¯t know where to go.¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re lost, then I¡¯ll guide you, okay? I¡¯ll teach you what you need to know, and I¡¯ll protect you.¡± With a hesitant smile, Yew slowly extended a trembling hand to mine. The leftover remains of the village and forest seemed to respond. A gentle breeze surrounded us.


    Aetos watched with a knowing gaze as we returned to him and the others.  ¡°Listen well, Yew.¡± Aetos raised his wings as the little chimera watched. ¡°You carry the legacy of the Eagle Yew within you. Listen to the whispers of the trees, feel the earth''s heartbeat, and embrace the harmony of nature. Your path is intertwined with the destiny of the forest, and you must protect it with the love that resides in your heart.¡±


    Yew quivered behind my legs. She bravely peeked out. ¡°Hey, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s too much for her?¡± I asked


    ¡°Is it?¡±


    ¡°Yes. It is. I know it¡¯s been a while, but have you lost your class?¡± asked Sekh.


    ¡°Hmm... Then forgive me, Yew. I am sorry.¡± Aetos bowed his wings. Yew didn''t say anything. She looked at the others but kept her arms wrapped around my leg. ¡°How will you proceed from here, chimera?¡±


    ¡°We wait for Sera. She should arrive within the hour. I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m going to say to her. Quella, I trust you know what must remain a secret?¡±


    ¡°I do. I swear my lips are sealed. I won¡¯t...bring anything up with Melusine, either.¡± Sekh rubbed her arms, looked away, and equipped Lionheart. She would need to wear it for the next few days. I hated that it had to happen like this, but she understood why.


    I¡¯d have to make it up to her.


    ¡°Okay. Make some time. I¡¯ll answer your questions. Ira, you¡¯re not needed.¡± That damn spirit left in a hazy wave of fire. ¡°Remy. You¡¯re not needed, either. Warp away somewhere. Don¡¯t be seen by anyone. Especially not Sera.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord.¡± Remy vanished. I saw a faint waypoint in the distance, indicating her location.


    Tris... It was time for her hologram body to depart. She wasn¡¯t sad. The body just gave me something to look at. Her voice was always in my mind. I still felt her presence all the same, but I would need an excuse to explain why she wasn¡¯t here.


    Actually...


    Tris took command of a clone I made. ¡°Consider this a loophole,¡± she said with a cute smile.


    I shouldn¡¯t have been worried in the first place. It¡¯ll be like nothing has changed.


    With that, we were almost ready.  I hugged Yew. ¡°You¡¯re a chimera like me,¡± I told her, disgusted I was about to ask this of a child. ¡°I hold the power to prevent Bellerophon from detecting you. Forgive me, but...¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s something I must report, my lord. Evolving to [Tris, Beacon of Wisdom] has altered the loyalty aspect of [Status Cloak]. It has been replaced by a user permission pop-up the target must accept to proceed.¡±


    I felt instant relief. ¡°That¡¯s amazing. Yew, will you accept it?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. I trust you. I know... No, I can feel your true feelings deep in your heart. It¡¯s in mine, too. You¡¯re someone the Eagle Yew cherished.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed all matters related to her chimerism have been hidden, my lord. I¡¯ve set Yew up with standard titles befitting someone her age.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you. Can you walk, Yew? Do you want me to carry you?¡± She shook her head. We left the graveyard¡ªher little hand never leaving my palm¡ª and followed Quella to where the others were.


    I never predicted things would turn out like this¡ªnot in a million years. But...


    That was life.


    It was impossible to predict...


    Something told me this was only the beginning, though.


    Meruria used her magic and Remy to organize this attack without Gloria knowing, but the fault remained with her since Hymn was her organization!


    I couldn¡¯t decide without Sera, though. This involved her just as much as it did me. That led to another issue, which delved into a dozen more, which branched off into a hundred concerns.


    How in the world would I approach the topic of her father¡¯s death?


    But the sea awaiting me wasn¡¯t unnavigable because the world''s best captain stood beside me. Tris¡¯s valuable assistance was more necessary than ever before.


    War... It was probably coming. Sera¡¯s anger wouldn¡¯t excuse Gloria¡¯s actions if I played my cards right. So, I could, if not wipe her out, but weaken that goddamn bitch enough to punish her for what she did it. She was still at fault for Niva. She gave her to that shitty Noelia and almost encouraged that abuse.


    If I could get the power of a Holy Lord?


    Well...


    Wouldn¡¯t that even the playing field?


    No. With how I am now... A Holy Lord¡¯s might would more than even it. I¡¯m coming for you, Meruria... Just you wait...

 Chapter One-Hundred: There Ain’t No Rest for the Wicked (Arc 4 – End)

    Chapter One-Hundred: There Ain¡¯t No Rest for the Wicked (Arc 4 ¨C End)


    Tris stood alone in a sea of darkness. The inescapable nothingness flanked her from all sides, and an outsider would have thought her to be a victim trapped in an infinite nightmare.


    Except they would be wrong.


    This abyss belonged to her. It wasn¡¯t the void. It was a partitioned segment of a now infinite [Void Storage] separated from the rest to host her revenge.


    ¡°The seeds of nightmares find fertile ground in the heart of darkness, but what if we were to go beyond that elementary understanding?¡± she asked herself. ¡°Darkness, alone, is uninteresting. It¡¯s uninspiring and bland without a supporting cast to add atmosphere.¡± Tris manipulated her surroundings, materializing a dilapidated, two-story cabin in the inky blackness. It was like a macabre monument to decay¡ªa place that nightmares feared to crawl.


    The roof sagged under manufactured neglect, with missing shingles to expose the rotting wood. The walls bore deep scars of time. They were covered in creeping vines and moss that seemed to thieves in the decrepit darkness only Tris could form.


    ¡°Hmm... No. It¡¯s still too clean. It must be more...¡± Tris waved her hand, shattered the windows, then covered them in grime. ¡°Yes. That¡¯s better. That¡¯s how it looked.¡± She glanced her hand against the jagged edges, treating them like the teeth of a violent beast.


    She rusted the door hinges so it creaked ominously with every slight movement. She entered and splintered the floorboards while altering the air to stink with the stench of decay.


    Flickering candles provided no light. They existed as mere decorations, yet darkness cast darkness, creating shadows within shadows that twisted in the corners, whispering secrets of despair. Ceiling chains rattled as if moved by unseen hands.


    Otherwise, the cabin was empty. But it wouldn¡¯t be for long. This was how it looked the first time she was brought to it. It changed. It grew. It evolved to become her biggest fear.


    Tris walked away from her construction. She had thought long and hard about this, and the script the Beacon of Wisdom had devised must be followed to the nth degree.


    It was time to begin.


    Oh, how long had she yearned for this day?


    Tris focused until she held Remy¡¯s soul in her right hand. Yes¡ªthis was Remy¡¯s genuine soul. The one she was born with it. A moment later, an exact copy appeared in her left hand. ¡°This cannot be done all the time. It¡¯s a unique case since I¡¯ve reverse-engineered every aspect of this despicable woman. It¡¯s ironic, little Remy. Your soul is so clasped in the void that it¡¯s easy to understand. It¡¯s so perceivable.¡±


    The original soul floated. Tris stepped away after storing the copy¡ªshe¡¯d need it later for further experiments. An aspect of personification targeted the glowing orb, giving rise to one of Tris¡¯s lord¡¯s most despicable enemies. Those wolf-like ears twitched as she touched the ground.


    Remy opened her eyes. She looked lax. ¡°The void, huh?¡± She glanced around and refused to acknowledge the cabin because she couldn¡¯t see it. Tris hadn¡¯t granted that permission. ¡°Yeah, it feels just like home. I guess my final warp made it after all.¡±


    ¡°Can you be so sure about that?¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Remy turned around. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s the bitch with the dumb hat. What? You decided to tag along with me?¡±


    Tris laughed. Her heart quivered so anxiously at what was about to happen that she couldn¡¯t stand it. ¡°You don¡¯t get it? A dullard like you gets less impressive the more I observe, but that¡¯s par for the course for a simpleton. Aww... Poor little Remy... You don¡¯t realize what happened, do you?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Death is far too gentle for a scourge like you. I¡¯ve seen your past, wretch. I know the horrors you¡¯ve endured and believe they could be improved. I will make you suffer.¡±


    ¡°How can I be dead if I¡¯m alive? You claim to be something about wisdom, but you fucked up by letting me recover. Just wait. I¡¯ll warp away and¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Tris crossed her arms and smugly smiled. ¡°Please. By all means. Warp away, little wolf. Return to your lord and tell her you¡¯ve failed to kill the one that got away.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Remy¡¯s expression slowly soured. She had this grand, overarching confidence that eroded like metal left to rust in the elements.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± taunted the overseer of this partitioned world. It was a blink and a miss moment. Tris flickered and appeared an inch away from Remy. ¡°Can you not do something as simple as this?¡± Tris flickered again and appeared ten feet overhead before returning to her original location. ¡°You realize it, don¡¯t you? Your soul no longer carries the void¡¯s gift.¡±


    ¡°... What did you do to me?!¡±


    Tears spewed down Remy¡¯s face. Her mouth slightly parted, and Tris feigned ignorance.


    ¡°Oh? What was that?¡±


    ¡°Anything... Anything but that... Please, not that! I can¡¯t¡ªnot again! I can¡¯t go back in there!¡± Remy¡¯s trembling voice returned the wolf to the past-- when she was anything but the cruel, heartless murderer many knew her to be.


    Tris warped a mile away, although the distance paradox that was the void made her seem so close. ¡°If you desire freedom, then run. Run from your nightmares. Run from your fate. Keep running until you¡¯ve outlived my lord.¡±


    Snap!


    The invisible bindings restraining Remy disappeared, and she took off. It had been decades since she felt this panicked¡ªdecades since she last thought about the worst years of her life¡ªdecades since that horrible cabin occupied her unrelated thoughts.


    But that hell hole was here. She had to get away. Nothing else mattered¡ªnot even her precious Holy Lord Meruria came to her mind.


    Remy wouldn¡¯t escape. The dark, vile cabin trembled as the door slammed open. Unidentifiable monsters of shadowy trauma stepped out like beings of an eldritch world. They were tall, stretchy, and large, but then they were frail, thick, and dense¡ªforever changing¡ªnever remaining the same. There were two at first. Then four. Then eight. The number doubled every second and joined in the pursuit. They called out for Remy in a voice unidentifiable to everyone but her.


    Tris watched. But why prolong this when there was more waiting for this unredeemable whelp? She snapped, and the shadowy personifications of Remy¡¯s most horrible past launched tendrils of neglect and abuse. Some snaked through the ground. Others went high. But they all latched tightly around their target. Remy fought and screamed. She bit into the darkness and failed to maul her way out.


    ¡°NO! ANYTHING BUT THIS! PLEASE! TRIS, I¡¯M¡ª" A tendril plugged her mouth. She screamed, but there was no sound. Her desperation grew like a snowball rolling down a hill. She fought with everything she could muster, but it wasn¡¯t enough. She shook her shackles, dislocated her arms, and snapped her legs, but it was for naught.


    Remy could not outrun her nightmares¡ªher efforts did not amount to anything.  They returned to that horrible cabin and forced her inside.


    The door slammed shut when the last shadow slipped inside. That was when the shrieking began.


    Tris smiled. She knew what dark, depraved things were happening inside. ¡°My lord¡¯s enemies deserve the worst fate imaginable. Death is far too gentle... Who else but me can come up with a fitting punishment? I want you to suffer, Remy. Suffer... Suffer... Suffer... Suffer until the end... Suffer until you can¡¯t go on... I¡¯ll repair your tortured soul with the copy, and I¡¯ll make you suffer again.¡±


    This side project would not diminish her operating efficiency. Her evolution into [Tris, Beacon of Wisdom] increased her processing abilities, including the number of parallel subroutines she could maintain. The process was automated. Tris often split her thinking to control multiple clones and analyze incoming data, and this wasn¡¯t that dissimilar.


    The situation was different, but the core mechanics remained the same.


    In either case, Tris wasn¡¯t solely doing this to satiate her sadistic side. There were two real, genuine goals behind it. One was to acquire the ability to investigate memories. Her lord¡¯s assimilation had flaws.  Memories and other abstract qualities of a person couldn¡¯t be assimilated on demand like other experienced chimeras. The only memories she could access were the five Soul Warriors that formed the crux of her body, except it wasn¡¯t something she could do on demand.


    A memory could be triggered by anything¡ª a person, place, thing, color, sight, taste, or sound¡ªbut Tris wished to change things. She wanted to help bridge this error-- to categorize all the memories of everything her lord had assimilated into a database for easy indexing.


    That would grant Tris far more knowledge, empowering her to further guide her lord in her revenge.


    The second was to copy a soul from an assimilated being that hadn¡¯t been cladded in the void.


    The void was the only reason Remy¡¯s soul was so crystal clear-- an ironic fact since the void was the most mysterious phenomenon in the world.


    The goals were similar. Progress towards one¡ªsuch as seeing Remy¡¯s memories using [Conferment] as a stopgap¡ªprovided much knowledge to help Tris. Yes, her lord could¡¯ve used that skill to create a copy of any soul she had assimilated, but why rely on something that necessitated lifeforce? As a chimera, her lord regained it far faster than non-chimera, but only a fool would waste it like an over-privileged child throwing away a cake because it had the wrong candle.


    The finish line wouldn¡¯t be crossed until Tris¡¯s lord accomplished those goals without outside help.


    If indulging in revenge was a byproduct of fulfilling her goal?


    The Beacon of Wisdom would not complain.


    The dark cabin ominously shivered as a third level was added. A basement was being built. It wouldn¡¯t be long until it became a spiraling maze¡ª the perfect spot for Tris to achieve her vengeance. Meruria desired to create her own Mekka¡ªa holy city devoted to her. Likewise, this idea was similar. The cabin was to serve as Tris¡¯s unholy city¡ªto harbor the souls of her lord¡¯s enemies while subjecting them to endless torment¡ªwith her as the mastermind to oversee their inevitable, infinite torture.


    Tris sat in a chair she summoned. She retrieved the copy of Remy¡¯s soul, made another replica for safekeeping, and began her experiment while relishing that the first target was crossed off the list.

 Update – 30 October 2024

    Update ¨C 30 October 2024


    Hi!


    I¡¯s about that time for the regularly scheduled Update Post! Arc 4 of CA is the longest by far, although it wasn¡¯t originally intended to be that way. I¡¯d meant for it to ¡°bridge¡± the gap, so to speak, between the main content I wanted to include in Arc 5¡ªbasically, just to connect Plot Point A to Plot Point B.


    But yeah, that didn¡¯t happen at all, haha. What happened in Arc 4 actually turned out to be super important and vital to how the story plays out overall. As usual, though, some major changes came up along the way. Some things I initially planned didn¡¯t make the cut, while certain elements I thought were insignificant turned out to hold much more weight.


    Some character relationships also evolved between planning and the final product. One character in particular required a drastic rewrite of her scenes at the eleventh hour, but honestly, I think it was for the best. I believe this change adds far more depth and complexity to her character, preventing her from stumbling into a common pitfall.


    *****


    *****


    [Conferment]?!?!?!?


    So...the biggest driving force of the story so far¡ªand the key to breaking Sekh¡¯s curse¡ªwasn¡¯t originally part of the plan. Seriously, it wasn¡¯t. The original idea was for Aetos to use some form of ¡°soul-splitting/essence-merging¡± magic to send Mila, Tris, and Surtr (and later Tilde) into Sekh¡¯s soul, where they would help her fight off the curse. Essentially, they¡¯d have beaten it into submission and forced it to retreat.


    But as I thought more about that approach, it just didn¡¯t feel right. I was stuck on this point for a few days without knowing how to proceed¡ªuntil I heard that Slime Isekai was releasing a movie: .


    I love that series, and you can see its influence in my story. Tris, for instance, shares traits with the Great Sage and its evolutions, while Tilde has elements inspired by Ramiris.


    Then came [Conferment]...


    I always admired Slime Isekai¡¯s system of giving names to characters, and for a while, I¡¯d been wanting to implement something similar, though I didn¡¯t want to directly copy it. But as I watched the movie, I remembered how giving a name in that world requires Magicules from the person doing the naming. That sparked an idea! I adapted this, making it draw on life force and altered its functionality so that it would inscribe a rule onto the world that must be followed.


    And thus, [Conferment] was born! It can still be used to give things names¡ªlike when Mila named the lions¡ªbut introducing [Conferment] so late in the story meant I had to do a significant rewrite to integrate it smoothly. So, every time Mila uses [Conferment]? None of that was intended in the first, second, or even third draft.


    Which brings me to a character who wouldn¡¯t be who she is without [Conferment].


    *****


    *****


    Tilde?!?!?!?!?


    Originally, Tilde was set to be absent for almost the entire arc. During her absence, Surtr (who didn¡¯t yet have a name) would have assumed her role as advisor, though his personality has stayed consistent since his creation.


    The plan was for Tilde to return near the arc¡¯s end to help confront the embodiment of Sekh¡¯s curse deep within her soul or essence. At that point, she¡¯d evolve, but she wouldn¡¯t be her own person with a Status Menu or the ability to level up.


    But then I realized that keeping her out of the story for 130,000 words was just too long. It didn¡¯t quite fit, and I wanted to give Tilde more space for real, meaningful development. Thanks to [Conferment], I could reintroduce her sooner, allowing for that growth I had in mind for her character.


    As for her personality, I do think I pushed it too far in Arcs 2 and 3. She was intended to be a witty, sarcastic wise-ass with a quip for everything and everyone, but I may have leaned too heavily in the wrong direction. Arc 4 has been my opportunity to rebalance that side of her¡ªa new evolution, a fresh start¡ªthough hints of the old Tilde are still very much present.


    Like, she''s still super horny and lewd when alone with Mila and Tris (and now Sekh). It''s that she''s overall more ''pleasant'' in public.  She said this in the Girl Talk intermission at the end of Arc 3.


    (it''s kind of long, so it''s in spoiler box)


    Spoiler


    ¡°I¡¯m just thinking...that maybe it¡¯s time for a change of pace.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    Tilde locked eyes with Irisa, but the sprite¡¯s smile wasn¡¯t the one I¡¯d come to know. ¡°Maybe this current personality...isn¡¯t the right one our Master needs going forward. I know how I¡¯ve been¡ªhow lewd and horny my behavior was, not to mention the sexually charged comments. There¡¯s a time and place for everything, but that¡¯s...not the case anymore. That was my personality for the last handful of thousands of years, but it worked wonders in easing the tension with our Master. But look at her. She doesn¡¯t need that kind of Tilde. She needs someone more serious¡ªsomeone with a little more fire in her heart, not someone who acts like they bathe in aphrodisiac every morning.¡±


    ¡°That doesn¡¯t sound like the Tilde I know,¡± I confessed.


    ¡°Yeah... It¡¯s kinda scary hearing you talk like that.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Did I leave that heavy of an impression on you? But I¡¯m being serious here. My whole existence was to tutor the Transcendent Dark Lord and lead her on the right path. And as much as she still has growing to do, I¡¯m confident she won¡¯t stray from her path. Even if she does, just look at the support group she has with her.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to die?!¡±


    ¡°What? Uhh, no? If I kick the bucket, Master perishes with me. I¡¯m talking about becoming a better Tilde to further serve our Master. Because, come on, you¡¯re telling me I haven¡¯t pissed you off with my behavior? Like, even I was sick of it at some points and went to bed cringing. I¡¯m just saying that when I reincarnate, don¡¯t expect the reborn Tilde to be like me. Hell, or maybe I¡¯ll be the same? This is the first time it''s gonna happen after fulfilling my purpose. Who the hell knows what¡¯s going to happen.¡±


    ¡°But you¡¯re not gonna die, right?¡±


    ¡°Nah, I won¡¯t. Might be gone for a month to a year. I hope my new existence is fitter for the Transcendent Dark Lord. That¡¯s all I really want in my little heart.¡±


    [collapse]


    Tilde said that, but it was really me, the author, speaking through her about her personality.


    Oh, and about her weapon and outfit...


    That same intermission had this.


    (It''s in the spoiler)


    Spoiler


    ¡°And? Uhh, Master''ll need an army. She¡¯ll need squad leaders, commanders, generals, and lieutenants. Soldiers to fight her battles and protect her land. On top of that, a group of battle maids and sexy bitches willing to serve tea and cookies to Master and her guests while having the skill to draw their guns and shoot enemies in the head.


    [collapse]


    So, that was unintentional foreshadowing, kind of. Tilde ends up being Mila''s Head Maid, and she has a gun.


    Pawsome Fables, the group she started with Erin, Chax, and Ginnie? Yeah, another last minute addition. Which brings me to...


    *****


    *****


    Erin?!?!?!?!? (Chax and Ginnie, too)?!!!!?!??!!?


    I won''t lie. I had no idea where to take her story. When looking at the facts, Erin is the result of her mother getting her father drunk and raping him, then being used to break up his family because her mother was too obsessed with him.


    Now with her mother being dead... Where does she go from there?


    I was lost for the longest time.


    Did I want her to fight?


    Did I want her to have a "brat" arc?


    Did I want her to become super depressed/suicidal about her new situation?


    It wasn¡¯t until I came up with [Conferment] and giving the lions to Ichiha and the others that it hit me.


    Erin needs to be confident. She needs to find it, so what better place to find it than using a lion born from Sekh¡¯s overwhelming and excessive mana? I think it¡¯s safe to say that Erin loves Longtooth. Longtooth provides Erin with the courage she never knew she had, and that originates from Sekh because the lions wouldn¡¯t exist without her.


    So, I had a plan, but it wasn¡¯t set in stone. I needed more. So, that¡¯s why I brought in Chax and Ginnie. I like them a lot. They¡¯ve also experienced a lot of hardships, so I thought they would have a positive influence on Erin.


    However, with Tilde now being back earlier than I intended, I needed something for her to do. So, that led me to create Pawsome Fables! Erin gets to spend time with Longtooth, she learns how to fight in a group, and Tilde¡¯s ageless wisdom is there to help put her on the right path.


    That¡¯s not all, however. The more time Erin spends with Longtooth, the more time she misses Sekh. Those two hadn¡¯t interacted that much, but Erin is super grateful to Sekh for the lions. Now that Sekh is back, Erin and Sekh spending time together and having a super awesome day isn¡¯t out of the question, which could lead to some fantastic development for the both of them.


    Overall, I liked how Erin grew in this arc. She¡¯s more confident. She¡¯s proud. And she has her oni horns, too. She¡¯s accepted her past, and she¡¯s looking toward the future with her family.


    I wonder how much further development she¡¯ll have in the next Arc? It seems like Team Mila is heading to confront Gloria. If they go to Dirge¡¯s capital city, I wonder how likely it is that they¡¯ll run into the Barclays? You know, the noble family that Erin¡¯s mother comes from?


    For better or worse, Erin is a Barclay...


    *****


    *****


    Niva and Primrose?!?!?!?!!?


    Niva''s character probably changed the second most, if not the most, for one specific reason.


    Remember the boat ride from Plymoise to Aetos Village near the Arc''s end?


    That was supposed to be when Niva and Primrose admitted their love for Mila and had sex with her.


    Yep. Their relationship was supposed to turn sexual. Niva and Primrose would''ve been added to the polycule, although they wouldn''t have had sex with Tris or Tilde. Niva and Prim would''ve been exclusive with each other and Mila, and while that would''ve worked, maybe, it felt messy. The more I thought about it, the more I didn''t want to go that route, although it wasn''t until I read a comment that said something like ''not every relationship Mila has needs to turn sexual'' that gave me the push to turn their love into something platonic.


    Really, I think it fits them so much more. Niva means so much to Mila. And Primrose? Prim''s development has been amazing. She was a spy for Aetos and fought against her pre-installed bias to discover her own truth. She even (for a moment, at least) disowned Aetos and screamed in anguish how much she hated him. Well, until the truth came out. Her, Aetos, and Niva are now on good terms, but the fact that Prim was willing to go against her father for Mila''s and Niva''s sake is something else.


    Niva will get a lot of development in Arc 5. From how it ended, it seems like we''re going to Dirge''s capital city to confront Gloria? You know, the same Gloria that gave Niva to Noelia in the beginning? The Mesalitos family is there...


    Maybe the other people who hurt Niva are there, too. So, maybe it''s time for her to get her revenge?


    Just something to think about...


    Team Quella?!?!?!?!?!!?I needed a reason for Meruria to send Team Q across the world to Dirge, so I decided to lean into Mila being a Vredi.I wanted another Vredi to show up, so I had to find a way to spread some rumors.To spread those rumors, I figured Mila would have to leak her name somehow, leading her to admit the truth to Gretchen Plymoise and her advisors.Furthermore, the whole High Elf of Liberation identity was created to make Sera attend the Heptarchis with Lord Enele JUST to investigate the rumors of them being a Vredi.To have the High Elf of Liberation be a thing, something would have to be liberated. So, the whole Atrix Plotline was created.The Atrix Plotline itself was expanded from being hand-waved off-screen to involving about 30-40k words.Since Sera showed up, I had to do something with her, which caused a few minor rewrites to create the ''Transplanting Aetos" plot line. (Yep. Even that was a late addition built upon the Team Q change.) Now, Team Mila was always returning to Aetos since Tris and Surtr (still nameless lion by this point) would''ve suggested asking his advice on how to cure Sekh. The rumors would''ve reached Meruria, so since she wants influence over the Vredi (as we see when she tried to do the same with King Vredi that ended in his death, something else that was added to support this) Meruria would not have let this chance pass her by. So, she sent Team Q and Remy to look into it. Intermission Overload?!?!?!?!Seraphina Vredi?!?!?!?!Lord Enele?!?!?!?!?Religious Cult Leader?!?!??!!?Yew?!?!?!?!?Sekh?!?!?!?!?


    But she''s back, and Sekh''s stronger than ever with incredible control over her abilities. However, she has a new issue, and that''s Melusine and Sera. Sekh has to ensure she doesn''t do anything to make Sera suspect Sekh''s the DLoT. Likewise, Melusine has to be convinced the DLoT she knows is something / someone else, but it kinda feels like she instinctually knows Sekh''s the DLoT.


    I want the situation to be tense. Mentally speaking, at least. Maybe something like a cat-and-mouse type of game?


    *****


    *****


    Tris!??!??!?!


    Ah, yes. Our Fragment of Wisdom has evolved into a Beacon of Wisdom. You kinda see the pattern, right? It all deals with wisdom. Tris, when looked at from a certain angle, is, by far, the most powerful character in the story. She''s scary, too. There''s very little she wouldn''t do to help Mila achieve her dreams and revenge, as we can see in her torture of Remy.


    Her ability to replicate void skills, however... That''s on a whole different level. We can assume it''s not just replicating. It''s improving. It''s making them better. It''s doing things with them that the original user would have never thought possible. You may think Remy''s void warping is just that-- warping-- teleporting to different places / making two people swap locations.


    But no.


    There''s an entire underside of this skill that hasn''t seen the light of day. That''s all I''m going to say about that, though.


    *****


    *****


    The Truth?!?!?!?!


    At the end of the Arc, Quella learned a lot. She knows Sekh is the DLoT, she knows Mila survived the void, and she knows Mila wants revenge against Meruria.


    That''s not the type of stuff you can tell just about anyone, right? I mean, she assisted the greatest threat the world has ever seen. Knowingly, by the way. So, alongside Sekh keeping her identity hidden, Quella has to guard the greatest secrets the world has to offer, which just puts more on her already stacked plate.


    It does feel nice knowing someone else knows the truth. I''m sure Quella has a thousand and one questions to ask, so you can probably guess what one of the first chapters of Arc 5 will be about.


    Oh, but speaking of the truth...


    This Arc revealed something that''s been in the works since the very beginning...


    *****


    *****


    It All Makes Sense...


    Mekka Academy?


    The meritocracy?


    The things that don''t make sense?


    The reality we see at the beginning of the story does not exist. There was no plane. There was no trip.


    What we saw were the fake memories Meruria implanted within her Soul Warriors to suit her narrative. It never made sense for someone like Shuuta to attend Mekka Academy, but it did because Meruria forced it to make sense, in context.


    I mean, everything in the beginning was penned by Meruria.


    The rape? Her idea.


    The ''pathetic'' reaction / personality our MC had? Her idea.


    The outburst of anger? Her idea.


    Unable to feel angry before that outburst? Her idea.


    Everything you probably hated about Shuuta was Meruria''s idea. She always picks a toy during each summoning session. In this case, it happened to be Shuuta.


    The first few chapters happened exactly the way Meruria wanted them to happen. She was in total control the entire time.


    I''d go as far as to say the anger and hatred our MC experienced weren''t genuine until after they were given the Wrath divine skill by that voice in the void.


    But back on topic.


    It''s confirmed, almost, that Meruria''s Soul Warriors don''t originate from the same world. So, how many worlds total were involved?


    Who came from which one? Are Elly and Ami even cousins? What''s the deal with Lori and Ann (the twins)? Whose backstories were fabricated? Whose were slightly altered?


    Those are mysteries to be revealed in due time, my dear readers!


    Mila knows, though. She knows the entire truth about the summoning session.


    *****


    *****


    Mila, Mila, Mila?!?!?!?!?


    So, I want to talk about our MC because things are looking up. I mean, the situation is the brightest it''s been in a long, long time.


    Sekh is back.Tris has evolved.Tilde and Niva are going to make a full recovery from their injuries. It''s just a matter of waiting for them to wake up.Remy is dead / her corpse is being controlled by a personality created by Tris, which means it''s linked directly to the smartest being in the whole world-- a being who is constantly growing with every passing second.Team Q is all but assured to join the fight against MeruriaThe leader, Quella, a powerful 5-Star Soul Warrior, knows the truth, and if she wants to kill Meruria, then her best bet is to join with Mila.Seraphina is available for help since Mila can twist the truth (not really) and get the power of a Vredi on her side.The truth about Sajun, the Holy Lord of Cridia before Meruria, is known to Mila, and Sajun was kind of like Lord Enele''s younger brother in a way.Mila knows secrets about Meruria-- secrets that would absolutely destroy her if they were to get out... Secrets that Meruria would do anything to keep hidden.


    There are a few hiccups, though. For example, Ichiha needs to meet her mother and explain the whole Erin / Kokan situation. Niva has to confront her past in Gloria, Erin with the Barclays, etc.


    But if you compare the ending of the previous Arc to this Arc?


    It''s so much more upbeat. Yes, it''s sad the Eagle Yew had to die, but it still lives on in Yew, you know.


    The main difference is that Mila knows full-well what she has to do.


    Gloria.


    It''s time for her to pay.


    And...


    Uhh...


    I would not want to be her right now...


    *****


    *****


    Arc 5 ?!?!?!?!?!?


    So, next up is Arc 5. I''m sorry to say, but it''s nowhere close to being uploaded. As you can see, I often have ideas in the middle of writing that require a drastic rewrite. Even having a buffer of 3-4 chapters / parts isn''t long enough. That''s why I like to have an entire Arc written and edited before uploading-- because something is always bound to change, which causes other changes, and so on and so on.


    Arc 5, though, is almost split into three parts. Part One, Part Two, and a lengthy intermission from Irisa''s PoV (you know, since she''s with her mother, father, and Lord Enele, and they''re trying to find her grandmother.) At least, that''s the plan.


    Part One is about 60-ish percent complete. The outline is totally done. Part Two''s outline needs a lot of work.


    I''m hoping to have everything done before 1 January 2025, but this time of the year is busy for me. I''m working hard, though. I''m at 47k words down, although nothing has been edited.


    *****


    *****


    Anything Else?!?!?!?!?!?


    I''m happy with how the Arc turned out. Do I think it could''ve been better?


    I do.


    I think it''s a little too long in some spots, and maybe with some better editing, I could''ve cut the word count. And if I had better planning abilities, I wouldn''t have had to have that many drastic rewrites.


    That''s something I''m working on. Arc 5''s outline is getting extra focus to reduce the amount of rewrites. That''s also why progress has been slow-ish-- because I want to look at things from all angles before writing them down.


    Regardless, I do hope you''re looking forward to Arc 5. The tone I''m going for is quite different than what I went for in Arc 4.


    If Arc 4 was about reuniting, Arc 5 is about confidence / pride, I guess?


    Anyway, I think that''s about all from me.


    Thank you so much for reading!!!!!


    RuggyRuggy

 Chapter One-Hundred-One: The Eagle Yew’s Legacy – Part One (Arc 5 – START)

    Chapter One-Hundred-One: The Eagle Yew¡¯s Legacy ¨C Part One (Arc 5 ¨C START)


    ¡°WHY DID YOU HAVE TO BE SO STUPID, SERA?!¡±


    The Second Princess of Vredi¡¯s anguished cries tore through the air, though they were inaudible to her own ears over the roaring wind as she drove the recollected projection of Aetos onward with furious haste.


    ¡°WHY DID YOU DELAY THIS FOR SO LONG?! WHY COULDN¡¯T YOU CONFRONT HIM?! WHY COULDN¡¯T YOU MAKE UP WITH HIM?!¡±


    The vast ocean separating Dirge from the Heptarchis of Parthina sped by beneath her. Even the rapid, angry waves appeared as nothing more than a blur in the wake of the projected eagle¡¯s blistering speed. Her heart pounded, each beat a painful reminder of unspoken words, the reconciliations left unmade, and the crushing weight of regret that drove her forward with relentless fervor.


    ¡°Why...¡± Her voice became small as she looked at the towering, imposing tree that seemed to stretch to the high heavens. ¡°Why...¡± Sera looked dejected. Her grip weakened as bygone memories of a far happier past flashed through her mind.


    She saw her beloved sister, the ever-elegant First Princess of Vredi¡ªSusize Vredi¡ªthe one all High Elves strove to emulate. She was an icon of beauty, grace, and power.


    She was Seraphina¡¯s role model.


    Most would have thought the second-born would harbor resentment, as the first-born received many more advantages. But Seraphina loved her sister deeply. Jealousy had passed through her mind, but the over-emotional elf knew it was wrong of her.


    She knew her sister was aware of her spying whenever she made love with Murag, who had captured her heart from the first look. Seraphina knew Susize had refused to bring it up because she didn¡¯t want to cause problems. And yes, Seraphina was aware of how much Susize disliked that. It was wrong¡ªintruding on what should¡¯ve been private between her sister and their lovers.


    Seraphina loved her sister. She clung to the past and desperately wished to return to happier times¡ªwhen the worst thing she had to fear was some random war between two distant countries.


    ¡°Why...¡± Seraphina finally continued. Clear tears streamed endlessly from her eyes as she raised a trembling hand toward one of her remaining links to the past. Even though the Eagle Yew stood far away, it...


    It felt like it was right there.


    ¡°Why can¡¯t... I look to the future? Sister... Is it really so wrong to cherish what¡¯s already happened? The world is cruel. It¡¯s unkind... because you¡¯re not here...¡±


    In that moment, Seraphina had forgotten¡ªas she often did when her emotions consumed her¡ªabout a long-lost link to her past. Or rather, what she believed to be a long-lost link. Lyudmila Vredi Springfield was absent from her thoughts. The Second Princess was too engulfed in her yearning to relive what once was, unable to focus on what still required her protection.


    Seeing the Eagle Yew was always gut-wrenching for Seraphina since it tore at her heart. Aetos Village and the surrounding forest were an almost perfect replica¡ªif not an exact copy¡ªof the forest that had been so cruelly burned long ago. During her fight with Lord Aetos, Seraphina had demanded why it was acceptable for him to recreate Vredi Forest.


    At the time, Lord Aetos hadn¡¯t offered a suitable answer. He was a stubborn and proud eagle, though hypocrisy wasn¡¯t beyond him¡ªjust as it wasn¡¯t beyond anyone else. Lord Aetos wasn¡¯t perfect. He would never claim to be a shining beacon of exceptionalism.


    ¡°Gods above, it feels like I¡¯m still the same frightened child... The one who trembled at thunderstorms and was jolted awake by lightning. Sister... Would you even be proud of me? Murag? Beccy? Yaekira? Reina? I... I wish you were here. Please... Be okay... Eagle Yew... Just hold strong... I¡¯m almost there.¡±


    But just as she poured her heart into those words...


    The worst-case scenario unfolded before her eyes.


    The Eagle Yew¡ª


    A tree once thought indestructible...home to the powerful and almighty Spirit Lord of Nature...


    ...was on fire.


    The entire tree looked like it had been drenched in oil and set ablaze by the flaming breath of a dragon god. The night sky glowed as though the sun itself had risen.


    Seraphina¡¯s heart plummeted to her stomach, every ounce of hope drained and replaced by suffocating dread.


    ¡°NOOOOOO!!!!¡±


    Her scream was raw, primal, echoing through the air. Unstable mana crackled around her as the recollected projection of Aetos let out an anguished cry of its own.


    ¡°Come on! Fly! Fly faster!¡± Sera demanded, her voice frantic with desperation. The time-bound eagle screeched in response as Seraphina forced her mana to its absolute limit. The protective spell shielding her from the wind faltered, unable to keep up with the blistering speed. The unrelenting wind battered her face, drying her tear-streaked cheeks, even as more memories of better days flickered through her mind.


    Her life flashed before her eyes¡ªa cruel reminder of all she had lost. And now? Her refusal to confront the future threatened to rob her of even more.


    ¡°MILA!¡± Seraphina cried out, calling for her newest sister. ¡°Please...¡± She turned her gaze to the heavens. ¡°SISTER, ARE YOU THERE?! I KNOW YOU ARE! PLEASE, HELP ME! HELP LORD AETOS! I... I¡¯M SORRY!¡±


    Seraphina longed for a miracle. She prayed, and prayed, and prayed, even as her recollected projection of Aetos flew at near-sonic speeds. What was once a two-hour journey had been reduced to a mere fraction. At this pace, Seraphina estimated she would reach the base of the Eagle Yew within fifteen minutes¡ªif her body could endure the strain.


    Just as land replaced the water beneath her...


    Something else happened. Something that froze the Second Princess in place, her heart sinking deeper than ever before.


    The flaming inferno consuming the Eagle Yew was still there, but it began to twist, spiraling into a vortex of evergreen mana. The flames gradually dimmed, the brilliant light sinking into the ground until nothing remained.


    ¡°The Eagle Yew...¡± Seraphina whispered, her voice trembling as if she were a scolded child. Something she believed would always be there¡ªsomething unshakable, immovable¡ª


    Was gone.


    The tree had vanished.


    In its place was... nothing at all. The brilliant light born of the ferocious flames had vanished, leaving only darkness in its wake¡ªa darkness that mirrored the harrowing anguish clawing and screaming within Seraphina¡¯s tired, aching heart.


    Her gaze drifted westward, where she spotted a camp at the forest¡¯s edge. Suddenly, she noticed a figure sprout a pair of wings. From this distance, the details were indistinct. Perhaps she could have discerned them if she¡¯d managed to steel her emotions, but her tear-filled eyes veiled the finer points.


    A heartbeat later, a soft melody erupted from the airborne figure as they soared high.


    That sound...


    That song...


    Any Vredi native would¡¯ve recognized it.


    Seraphina wiped her eyes, forcing herself to focus as her eagle relentlessly closed the distance. She narrowed her gaze, straining to see the source of that enchanting melody. Finally, her eyes fell upon the angelic instrument responsible for such a wondrous song.


    Everything isn¡¯t lost... It¡¯s not all gone...


    ¡°SISTER!!!¡± Seraphina shouted as she leapt from her eagle¡¯s back, arms outstretched, a smile spreading across her face. For a fleeting moment... She didn¡¯t see Lyudmila Vredi Springfield before her.


    She saw Susize Vredi.


    Susize, who was gone. Susize, who was dead. Seraphina knew that, yet for an instant, her heart clung to the hope that this was a miracle granted by her beloved elder sister.


    Lyudmila caught her, twirling gracefully like a pair of ballerinas as she gently guided their descent.


    ¡°Sister! Sister!¡± Seraphina sobbed, her words tumbling out in an incoherent babble, more like a child¡¯s first cries than speech. Snot dribbled from her nose, her tear-streaked face flushed crimson. Her raw, sore eyes brimmed with anxious anticipation. She didn¡¯t know what she was about to hear when her sister finally opened her mouth.


    To her astonishment, it was what she needed to hear.


    ¡°Lord Aetos is alive. He¡¯s safe and sound, sister. The transplant happened without issue.¡±


    ¡°I hold magic to read memories, Sera,¡± said Tris. ¡°I shall take over from here, my lord.¡± Tris then explained the story we had prepared. ¡°Meruria sent an agent to brainwash Hymn¡¯s upper leadership into attacking the Eagle Yew. This splinter group became loyal to this agent instead of Gloria. Everything they did was without her knowledge. Meruria wished to blame it on Dirge''s Holy Lord. Quella, her team, and this agent would arrive before the attack and help fend it off, and then they would present my lord with ¡®proof¡¯ of Gloria¡¯s involvement. We would naturally want revenge. Meruria would have offered Cridia¡¯s support, leading to a ¡®justified¡¯ war between Dirge and Cridia on my lord''s behalf. Her reward would¡¯ve been a Vredi¡¯s loyalty.¡±


    Sera¡¯s anger flashed. The air trembled, and the ground shattered, sending tremors across the camp. I quickly calmed her with a tight hug. ¡°This will not go unpunished, sister,¡± I whispered, hugging her tighter. ¡°Believe me...¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Sera clenched her teeth and fists. Slowly, she looked at Quella with so much hatred. ¡°How do you know that woman isn¡¯t in league with this plan? Can you trust her? She¡¯s affiliated with Meruria, is she not? What about her team? The others?¡±


    ¡°Because I hate her,¡± Quella finally said, her voice strong. ¡°Meruria... We hate her. We despise her. We angered her shortly after being summoned. Her ire isn¡¯t comfortable. She¡¯s resolved to make our lives a living hell.¡±


    ¡°Answer me this. If her treatment of yours is as you claim, then where is your handler? Why would she permit a group that hates her to be so far away without someone to report in?¡±


    ¡°Because the handler is somewhere where they won¡¯t hurt anyone. Please, believe me. I¡¯m begging you.¡± I squeezed Sera¡¯s hands. ¡°Please, trust me.¡±


    ¡°I was forced to kill,¡± Quella said. She looked downcast and clenched her fists. ¡°Buildings? Towns? Villages? I... Meruria ordered me to kill so many after I acquired my Soul Weapon. She claimed they were guilty criminals, but I knew they weren¡¯t. But I had to kill. If it wasn¡¯t me... Then she¡¯d have forced that cruel reality upon my friends. I¡¯ve lost track of how many sins I¡¯ve committed. Seraphina, there is not a day that goes by that I do not think about annihilating Meruria.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not just Quella and her team who despise Meruria.¡± Sera looked at me. ¡°I have hundreds of reasons to desire her death. Before...we met. I endured so much anguish at her hands. It was torture and hellish. No one is more her enemy than me. Look at it from my point of view, Sera. What better way to work towards her demise than to use one of her 5-Star Soul Warriors? I know it¡¯s odd. I know this is dangerous, but I have plans to handle any fallout. I can¡¯t speak about them. Even still...¡± I touched my forehead to Sera¡¯s and closed my eyes. Suddenly, I felt her grab my arms.


    ¡°You¡¯re shaking...¡± she whispered. ¡°You aren¡¯t lying. Your irises bear the flames of wrath.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not. I wouldn¡¯t spread falsehoods about my hatred of that damned woman. Her demise is certain¡ªit will happen. Yet it requires the help of those who also despise her. I know a Holy Lord can detect their Soul Warriors. However, the advantage is in our field, Sera. Meruria isn¡¯t aware that we know the truth. She wholly believes the plan is still in play. Trust me, sister. Please, trust me.¡±


    ¡°I do, Mila. I trust you. I swear I do. I...cannot hide my concern. Nor can I shed my disdain. Meruria¡¯s the source of unsavory rumors. She is vile and wretched like an awful poison. I want to know what she did to you, but it¡¯s better left unsaid. Her reputation precedes her, so it isn¡¯t difficult to guess. Please, let me help, Mila.¡±


    ¡°... Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You.¡± Sera turned to Quella. ¡°I still do not trust you. A part of me believes this to be a trap orchestrated by your awful summoner. I cannot deny my distaste for her. Still, you have shed blood to protect this village I love so much.¡± Sera lowered her head slightly. ¡°Thank you, Quella.¡±


    ¡°We weren¡¯t here long, but it made me feel at ease, Seraphina. Aetos Village was beautiful. The nightmares that ravaged my sleep never showed up¡ªnot once. The tranquility...is unmatched by anything in my world. This peaceful and serenity... I wished I could¡¯ve seen Vredi Forest in its prime.¡±


    ¡°Ah... Your words aren¡¯t forced through a veil of lies. You speak the truth, do you not?¡±


    ¡°I do, Seraphina. Forgive me, would you like to be called Lady Vredi? I¡¯m unsure of how to address you.¡±


    ¡°Sera is fine...¡± Sera¡¯s ears wiggled a little bit.


    So...what? To get on her good side, you must gush about Aetos Village and Vredi Forest? I know Sera¡¯s hesitant. She has all the right reasons to be wary.


    ¡°Umm... Sekh?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Do you hate Meruria?¡±


    ¡°I do. I have personal reasons to see her dead.¡±


    Sera pondered for a moment. ¡°This may be obvious, but you won¡¯t permit me to see the face of Aetos Village¡¯s savior, would you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t feel comfortable without my armor. I...feel alone without it.¡±


    ¡°Ah-- I should¡¯ve figured. I¡¯m sorry. Still.¡± Sera approached Sekh, who slightly flinched when she found her hands occupied by her enemy¡¯s little sister. ¡°Thank you, Sekh. Thank you so much for helping Lord Aetos and the village. This favor will not go unpaid. Quella, that goes for you. If there is anything within my power that I can grant you... All you must do is ask.¡±


    ¡°Your offer is kind, Sera. Thank you.¡± Quella smiled. Sekh remained quiet. I didn¡¯t have to look at her face to see her hesitancy.


    ¡°My lord?¡± Tris tapped me on the shoulder.


    They¡¯re returning to the tent.


    ¡°Ah, is it time already? Sera, do you believe in miracles?¡±


    ¡°Miracles? I want to say no, but I¡¯m living one right now. To say I don¡¯t would mean denying this very moment. Why?¡±


    ¡°Just watch.¡± I pointed to the tent¡¯s flap and walked away. A few seconds later...


    They entered.


    Sera¡¯s face trembled when she saw the spirit eagle resting on that potted plant held by a Vermillion Harpyfolk. Yet Aetos wasn¡¯t the target of her gasps.


    It was the one who held Surtr after he shrank his body to the size of a plushie.


    ¡°The Eagle Yew perished from the attack, but I did not say the tree was gone from our lives for good, did I? I know you saw the swirling green mana. That was the Eagle Yew reincarnating into the girl you see before you.¡±


    ¡°Seraphina Vredi? My... My name is Yew Vredi!¡± said Yew, her voice proud. She smiled and bent down to let Surtr go, who walked away and regrew to his regular size.


    ¡°Yew... Yew Vredi?¡± Sera asked. ¡°A Vredi? There¡¯s another one?¡±


    ¡°There is. We have a new sister. The world saw Aetos Village as a continuation of Vredi Forest and granted Yew the last name we cherish. Go. Spend time with them. Say what you wish to say,¡± I said, whispering. I gave her an encouraging push. Sera stumbled forward, her teeth chattering. She found it difficult to look at Aetos because she probably felt shame at taking so long to take that first step of reunification.


    Aetos didn¡¯t speak. Why use words when his actions could¡¯ve imparted so much more? He spread a wing towards Sera, and she took it with both her hands, cradling it like it was the most precious gift in the entire world.


    ¡°I¡¯m sure you have much to catch up on. Once that¡¯s done, I¡¯d like to introduce you to Tilde, Niva, and Primrose. They¡¯re in the medical tent. Look for the flag with the red cross.¡±


    Sera nodded and left with Yew and Aello. I turned to Surtr with a smug grin. ¡°So, what happened to not shrinking yourself? I thought that was antithesis to what the king of the jungle should be.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... You would think, Lord Springfield, but recall that I said I would if the situation necessitated it. My actions brought a smile to an uncertain child¡¯s face. If that is not a worthwhile situation, then I do not know what is,¡± Surtr said in his deep voice. He licked his paws and rested at my feet.


    ¡°I know. I¡¯m just giving you a hard time.¡± I rubbed his head and scratched him behind the ears. ¡°Well, that went better than expected. Are you doing okay, Sekh?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...not the easiest. It feels like I¡¯m walking on pins and needles. I must be careful to not say the wrong thing or do something suspicious.¡±


    ¡°I wish things were different.¡± I took Sekh¡¯s armored hands in mine. Sera wasn¡¯t here, but we couldn¡¯t risk removing it even though Tris tracked her every movement.


    ¡°This won¡¯t be an issue, Mila. It¡¯s temporary.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. Can you be patient a little longer?¡±


    ¡°Of course. Waiting will only make that moment feel so much better. I yearn for the day it arrives, Mila. I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you too.¡± I knew she had the cutest smile on her face... Oh, how I wished to see it. ¡°Tris, is Sera far enough away?¡±


    ¡°She is, my lord. However, I have compiled a spell to eliminate sound outside this room.¡± She sent me the data, and I used [Sphere of Silence].


    ¡°Well,¡± I sat, gesturing to the now empty chair. ¡°Ask away, Quella.¡±

 Chapter One-Hundred-One: The Eagle Yew’s Legacy – Part Two

    Chapter One-Hundred-One: The Eagle Yew¡¯s Legacy ¨C Part Two


    Seraphina Vredi was imposing. She stood with grace, and I felt just how powerful she was. Lord Springfield had told me stories¡ªabout how her ¡®sister¡¯ used recollected projections of the past as pseudo spirits to fight for her, although that was the tip of the iceberg of her magical might.


    She thinks Lord Springfield to be her genuine sister...


    She didn¡¯t trust me. Who could blame her? Perhaps if she knew the truth of what had occurred, she¡¯d have fonder feelings for me. Even though she thanked me, Seraphina probably had said it out of necessity. Or maybe a way to keep things ¡®pleasant.¡¯


    I sat and folded my hands on the table. Tris produced tea and cookies, yet she remained standing with Sekh after pouring us drinks.


    Might as well start with the obvious.


    ¡°Are you really a chimera?¡±


    ¡°I am.¡± Lord Springfield raised a hand and shifted it into a dozen different shapes. ¡°Does that frighten you?¡±


    ¡°It would if we hadn¡¯t fought together. I... We share a common enemy, Lord Springfield.¡±


    ¡°Does that replace the fear you should feel?¡±


    ¡°Maybe? I can''t tell. I...¡±


    ¡°Confused? Lost? I¡¯m sure you have so many questions that you don¡¯t know where to proceed from here,¡± said Tris. ¡°Do not make the necessarily simple into the unnecessarily complex. Start from the beginning. Use a flowchart. Work your way down from what is simple to what may require a more detailed explanation.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll ask it without a filter. Sekh, are you really her?¡±


    ¡°The Dark Lord of Tyranny? I am.¡± Her response was without delay. She wasn¡¯t proud, though. Her voice was almost tinged with disgust.


    ¡°How did you break free from your seal?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m responsible,¡± said Lord Springfield. ¡°Meruria did awful things to me. Once she had her fun, the void was my fate. It¡¯s dark. It¡¯s scary. It¡¯s frightening and harsh. The winds strip you down to your barest elements like an ogre peeling the layers of an onion until you¡¯re left with nothing. Yet I had my anger. It burned bright and kept me alive. It was my fuel¡ªmy fire¡ªmy never-ending desire to escape and bring death to my enemies. I don¡¯t know how it happened, but the Essence of Wrath was given to me. The same phenomenon granted [Hermes Trismegistus]¡ªTris¡¯s first incarnation¡ªand carved chimerism into my soul. So, my birth differs from other chimeras.¡±


    ¡°I detected those emotions,¡± continued Sekh. ¡°My crystal seal deprived me of all senses, yet I felt wrath much more powerful than anything I¡¯d ever experienced. It even eclipsed what the curse forced me to feel. If nothing else, I am a Dark Lord. I hold the power to create Soul Crystals.¡±


    ¡°Sekh summoned my chimeric soul and crafted a body from the five Soul Warriors who sacrificed their lives to seal her. Susize, Beccy, Reina, Murag, and Yaekira. They make up what you see before you. Their mana flowed through me, I shattered the seal, Sekh forcefully reincarnated herself, and we left the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°Your guns... They¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Similar to your world?¡± I nodded. ¡°The Parallel World Theory states there are infinite worlds where only the smallest difference exists. Therefore, there¡¯s an infinite number of worlds that contain firearms similar, if not exactly the same, as the world you originated from. Meruria was my initial summoner. Sekh was my second, and she gave me a Soul Crystal. And yes.¡± She summoned a pistol and laid it on the table. ¡°That¡¯s my Soul Weapon. I pretend they have {Mana Link}, but they really have {Soul Link}. The two enchantments work off a similar concept, so even the most perceptible onlookers are caught in the ruse.¡±


    So, a person who was thrown into the void. And they use guns... Is it...


    I delayed in asking that crucial question and focused on another topic. ¡°Curse?¡±


    ¡°Lady Sekh is beholden to a curse that drives her mad with an intrinsic desire to burn the world. That fueled the events of 1,000 years ago, but it didn¡¯t begin there. It¡¯s estimated to be over 10,000 years old.¡±


    ¡°Or longer. Death will not claim me. I¡¯m guaranteed to reincarnate within two or three centuries. The curse will leave me alone for a few years until returning near my fifth birthday.¡±


    ¡°Wait... You¡¯re¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯m not affected by it now, but it dwells within my soul. It was tricked into thinking I died when I was sealed, so when Mila released me, I self-reincarnated. However... Have you heard about Ria?¡±


    I nodded. Was I the first person outside this group to hear this truth? I never expected it.


    ¡°Bellerophon chased a chimera into the city after I killed Noelia. She was abusing Niva as a damage shield. The specifics aren¡¯t important, but I assimilated her. Yet that was the initial catalyst, I believe, of Ria¡¯s downfall. Gloria went mad and shut down the nearby dungeon. Bellerophon enclosed the city in a magical dome. I wasn¡¯t strong enough to shatter it, so I used deception to lead those idiot goons to the chimera. But I was the fool. Overconfidence saw me trapped, and I had no choice but to rely on the Essence of Wrath...¡±


    Ah, now it makes sense.


    Sekh then told me how she fought the Essence of Wrath after it tricked Lord Springfield. She was pushed into a corner and was forced to rely on the curse. She had almost died, but Surtr kept her alive in stasis. Lord Springfield then stored Sekh¡¯s coffin in her storage and worked to accumulate enough life force to remove the curse Sekh took into her body. Aetos¡¯s Yggdrasil Drop was responsible for healing the physical wounds.


    [Conferment] was the ultimate goal. Lord Springfield desired an egregious amount of life force to etch a rule into the world that eliminated the curse from Sekh¡¯s soul.


    There¡¯s something I need to know... I can¡¯t put off asking it any longer.


    ¡°Lord Springfield, who... Who were you before you were thrown into the void?¡± My heart throbbed like a jackhammer. ¡°Do you remember your name?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡±


    So... Could it be... Is it even possible...?


    ¡°Was...it Shuuta?¡± My heart stopped as I read her face.


    Surely, this can¡¯t be him... Can it?


    Lord Springfield smiled. ¡°Names aren¡¯t precious to someone who can take a different shape every second. Who I used to be isn¡¯t important. The past can glimmer an answer to the future, but this is not one such case.¡± She paused for a moment and continued. ¡°However, I do not want to hide the truth from you. I¡¯m sorry, Quella, but my original name was Michael.¡±


    Michael? So, a guy? And now they¡¯re a woman?


    Did that even matter? Lord Springfield was Lord Springfield, and I was sure she wouldn¡¯t appreciate me bringing up the contradictory paradox.


    If Lord Springfield was Shuuta, then I could¡¯ve apologized. Selfishly, I might add. Yet since it wasn¡¯t... I felt...


    Conflicted? Uneasy?


    ¡°Before you ask, know this. Time in the void flows differently. A second can last an hour. Or it can be a decade. You could swear a thousand years have passed you by, but only two heartbeats have eclipsed. I do not know how many summoning ceremonies occurred after my time. No. I did not meet anyone else, although I heard a voice speak about something. The details are foggy, however. I doubt this voice belonged to this Shuuta. May I ask why you thought I was him? Was he also someone Meruria threw into the void?"


    ¡°Yes,¡± I replied, reminiscing about that awful trial and his rape at Remy¡¯s hands. Lord Springfield gripped her mug tighter before Sekh and Tris touched her shoulder. ¡°Remy¡¯s finished, right? She won¡¯t pose a risk?¡± Lord Springfield nodded. ¡°It isn¡¯t much, but I hope Shuuta¡¯s soul can rest a little easier.¡±


    ¡°Everyone who felt the displeasure of knowing that putrid incarnation of sin and vileness can sleep much easier knowing she¡¯s gone.¡± Tris grinned at Lord Springfield¡¯s words. Her expression reminded me of a lion that had latched their fangs onto their prey. ¡°Hmm? Are you curious about me?¡± asked Tris.


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said no. Are...you from the void? Remy said you¡¯re a personified skill.¡±


    ¡°Affirmative.¡± Tris then summarized her history. First, she was part of [Hermes Trismegistus] as [Biological AI], the ¡®brain¡¯ of the skill, who then became [Tris, Fragment of Wisdom] and [Tris, Beacon of Wisdom]. Before that, [Hermes Trismegistus] had to be initialized by Tilde, the skill¡¯s overseer. Or was she its Guardian? Protector? Tilde used to be an immortal fairy until she did this¡ªthat combined her life with Lord Springfield¡ªand she became mortal after evolving. Lord Springfield had then used [Conferment] to register Tilde within the world.


    Only Lords can use it.


    I inquired about that. ¡°My answer would¡¯ve been different if you had asked yesterday. I seriously thought I was responsible for unlocking it.¡±


    ¡°So, the Transcendent Dark Lord doesn¡¯t exist?¡±


    ¡°Honestly? I don¡¯t know.¡± Lord Springfield shrugged her shoulders and sipped her tea. ¡°Tilde called me that. Yet the specific title of [Transcendent Dark Lord] did not appear within Remy¡¯s memories. It must exist. Tilde wouldn''t lie to me. I also received a title after the initialization. It¡¯s unreadable, but that must be a hint or clue.¡±


    ¡°Anything else?¡± asked Tris. ¡°We are allies, are we not? Comrades unified for a common goal. I cannot claim to tell you the unadulterated truth of everything, but now is your chance to satiate your curiosity.¡±


    ¡°I recall something about [Skyview] and [Deduction].¡± Tris snapped her fingers and showed me...a live stream of the camp? Then it switched to us? I looked up. My motions reflected whatever I did.


    ¡°[Skyview] is what it says. It¡¯s the ultimate ability in long-range reconnaissance. [Deduction] is a superior form of [Scan] that grants a detailed rundown about everything you wish to know about a target.¡±


    ¡°That means¡ª¡±


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s as you suspect. To put it into terms you would be familiar with... I am akin to a quantum computer. I gather and process information more efficiently than any other entity. I will continue to grow. To answer your underlying question, you and your team have been under constant surveillance since we met.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    I couldn¡¯t believe it...


    Did this really exist? The Dark Lord of Tyranny was one thing. An ancient Essence of Wrath and [Time Magic] was another.


    This?


    This right here?


    ¡°It is as I said, Quella. Information is my specialty. Surprises are an ill-omen in my line of work. Remy¡¯s soul was cloaked in the void and hidden from me, but that will not happen again, my lord. I¡¯ve identified certain quirks within [Void Warp] amid my reverse engineering. These partitions unintentionally act as camouflage. [Skyview]¡¯s passive scanning filters have been altered to first check for these void traces and pierce their veil if they are found. Generative knowledge is also being used to create possible algorithms other void abilities may use. While I cannot guarantee I have solved the problem for good, I can assure you that if we encounter another paradoxical tie to what we see and what appears on our map, I will make them visible. I do not take failure well."


    ¡°I know you don¡¯t. Thank you for everything, Tris.¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡± Tris bounced on her feet when Lord Springfield rubbed her head. I was still flabbergasted in silence.


    ¡°Get angry. Feel upset your privacy¡¯s been violated. I will not apologize, however. Let it be known that voyeurism is not something I am interested in,¡± added Lord Springfield.


    ¡°No. It¡¯s my fault. Look, I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s been a long night for us, and I¡¯m still on edge.¡± He sat and crossed his legs. ¡°That¡¯s not an excuse for losing my cool. I¡¯m not the only one feeling this. It isn¡¯t fair for you when we¡¯re all hurting.¡±


    ¡°We can rest easy because Seraphina is here.¡±


    ¡°Does she know...about us?¡± asked Mary.


    ¡°Yes. It¡¯s hard to explain. We¡¯re not trusted, but she¡¯s aware we fought for the village. That earned us some brownie points, yet...¡±


    ¡°Her suspicious gaze is still cast our way?¡± I nodded at Melusine. ¡°As such. We cannot fault her for that.¡±


    ¡°Lord Springfield vouched for us, so that helped. We can¡¯t rest on our laurels. We... It¡¯s a long road ahead of us¡ªI¡¯ll say it like that.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we get some rest? A nap is better than nothing. The morning''s almost here, so I don''t know how well we''ll sleep."


    Mary had a good point. Our tent was just that¡ªa tent. I found a spot near the north side and used my Soul Weapon as a makeshift pillow.  Elly leaned against Keeth, Greggie held Ami, and Mary and Melusine held hands while lying down.


    I closed my eyes...


    ...and sleep didn¡¯t come. How could it after hearing reality-shattering revelation after revelation? Besides, Tris was probably watching me. Hell, she¡¯d always been watching. I doubt we had a moment of privacy since we stepped into the village, so...


    I should assume she¡¯s heard every conversation.


    My mind had a thousand things to ponder. It worked tirelessly to organize and categorize for easier understanding.


    The world is unpredictable. Tris may be a quantum computer or something, but no one can accurately call the future with impeccable accuracy.


    I couldn¡¯t tell my team the truth, but that wasn''t to say that couldn''t change in the future. Lord Springfield had good reasons to be cautious since I agreed with her about her abilities. It would be best for the number of people aware of her --Tris''s powers-- to be as small as possible.


    We have an avenue to fight Meruria... We aren¡¯t powerless. The Dark Lord of Tyranny, the Essence of Wrath, a void skill personified... Hell, Remy¡¯s body... If we add Lord Springfield and Seraphina... Is that enough to bridge the gap? I wonder if we can get Shiku. Maybe the twins? They¡¯re always down for a challenge, so if they could test their mettle against Tokko, Mia, and Meruria... They¡¯d take it. Right?


    More allies would help. Yet that meant revealing Lord Springfield¡¯s void abilities, which was risky. It was almost paradoxical. We needed more allies. Who better than those with resentment against Meruria? Yet...to get them, the truth must be revealed. [Status Cloak] had to remain an ultimate secret. It was the only reason Lord Springfield could move without suspicion since it blocked her chimerism from being detected.


    If that got out...and the world knew about a method to stop chimeras from being detected...


    Chaos.


    Panic.


    Widespread delirium.


    It¡¯d be like the witch hunts in the late 1600s. People would accuse their enemies of being chimeras. Who cared if the result returned negative when that could be hidden? Bellerophon wouldn¡¯t. They¡¯d take the chance to improve their grip on the world and prove why they were needed more than ever.


    That would be the best thing for them, wouldn¡¯t it? I hadn¡¯t involved myself with the organization, but it stunk of corruption.


    I sighed and rolled over, curling into a ball.


    Just rest your mind, Quella. Things are looking up for the first time since...forever. It won¡¯t always be like that, but... You can feel fine knowing your revenge has started...


    Revenge...


    Revenge...


    Revenge...


    That was what it all boiled down to... That was what Shuuta felt when...


    Those flaming feelings...warmed my heart. I almost felt giddy thinking how Remy suffered in her final moments.


    I¡¯m so fucked up, but I don¡¯t care. Not anymore.


    Gradually, slumber came for me. The emptiness of my dreams was more comforting than ever.


    *****


    *****


    I stood from the chair after Quella left and sighed. ¡°I wish it didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey, that¡¯s enough apologizing, Mila.¡± Sekh took my hands in hers and rubbed them. That armor didn¡¯t matter¡ªI still felt her warmth. ¡°This doesn¡¯t trouble me. It won¡¯t be for long until I can shed it.¡±


    ¡°I know. I do. I...¡±


    ¡°Then please stop apologizing.¡±


    ¡°And now I¡¯m being scolded...¡±


    ¡°Mm... Not so much a scolding as a gentle reminder.¡±


    ¡°Shall we return to the medical tent?¡± asked Tris. ¡°Our patients aren¡¯t awake, but your heart desires their close proximity.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good idea.¡± Sekh extended a hand for Tris, who happily took it. Hand-in-hand, we left the tent and traveled through an eerie quietness. Sera was still busy with Aetos, and Tris was analyzing their conversation for later use.


    If needed, of course.


    ¡°Prim?¡± I whispered after gently pushing aside the flap.


    The spirit sat by the wooden bed and rubbed Niva¡¯s head, her face slightly contorted in pain. Lei sat on Tilde¡¯s stomach.


    ¡°Lord Springfield, welcome back. I¡¯m sorry, but there hasn¡¯t been any improvement. Are you finished with your talks?¡±


    ¡°Almost. Sera¡¯s with Aetos.¡±


    ¡°The plan?¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ll discuss it tomorrow, although I¡¯m certain of our chosen path.¡±


    Really, there¡¯s only one viable choice for someone in our position.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. They¡¯ll wake up,¡± I said, sitting beside the bed. Sekh took Tilde¡¯s left and cradled it between hers while Tris used a damp cloth to wipe away a few beads of sweat.


    ¡°Their biological data reports nothing to worry about. Give it time, Primrose. Your worried heart must rest since too much anxiousness can be detrimental.¡±


    ¡°I know that, Tris. I... Lord Springfield?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡± Primrose shivered. She probably felt weak, useless, and helpless, but she wasn¡¯t.


    She really wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°I...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. You don¡¯t have to say it. I hugged Primrose and let her cry in my arms. The tears were half and half between sadness and happiness, with perhaps a bit of relief thrown in. The past few hours had been traumatic for all of us, but maybe Primrose was the most affected by it.


    She¡¯s about to arrive, my lord.


    ¡°Hello? Mila? Are you in there?¡± A voice echoed right on time.


    ¡°You can come in, Sera.¡± I looked at the entrance as Sera slowly entered, her steps small and cautious. ¡°Did you talk with him?¡±


    Sera nodded. ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Say everything you wanted?¡±


    ¡°I did. No¡ªwe did. We saw it from each other perspectives and made up. Lord Aetos is comforting a child who has woken from a nightmare. So, I thought I¡¯d visit you. Are these...¡±


    ¡°They are. That¡¯s Niva, she¡¯s Tilde, and you have Lord Aetos¡¯s daughter, Primrose.¡±


    Primrose made her introduction with a nervous breath. Sera did the same and sat beside her. She wanted to know more about Niva and Tilde, so I did just that¡ªspeaking endlessly about them until morning arrived.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Two: Honoring the Fallen – Part One

    Chapter One-Hundred-Two: Honoring the Fallen ¨C Part One


    Dawn arrived with a heavy heart since we couldn¡¯t put off the funeral anymore. Together, we traveled to the graveyard''s remnants, and I looked out at the sea of somber faces. The sky was painted in soft, muted, melancholy hues as the sun peeked over the horizon, casting long shadows amongst the headstones.


    The air was heavy with grief and sadness as the whisper of a morning breeze carried the scent of dew and fresh earth.


    I stood among the gathered crowd with my friends. We all felt the collective sorrow encroaching from all sides¡ªTeam Quella included. Everywhere I looked, I saw faces etched with pain. Their eyes were reddened from crying.


    But unity?


    It was there. Our mourning was shared by all.  We did not have to endure this alone.


    Sera stood at the forefront and tightly gripped her flute as she stared at us. Her back was straight, but her shoulders trembled slightly.


    ¡°No language in existence holds enough words to express my feelings. I¡¯m sure you all share it.¡± Like mine, her teary eyes were red and swollen. Her voice was like malleable putty¡ªsoft and unsteady.  ¡°We are here to remember those we have lost and to honor their lives. Friends... Family... Lovers... They may be gone, but they will be immortalized within our memories and hearts.¡± Her words cut through the silence. ¡°So, let us do that. Let us remember them so that we may never forget them.¡±


    ¡°The dryad was the first to approach me,¡± I said, starting it off. ¡°I wasn¡¯t the kindest to that sweet girl. I wanted to brush her off, but she gave me her flower. She changed me for the better. She believed in me. And not a day will go by that I will not think of her love and courage, for she is a shining star that illuminated a dark corner of my heart.¡±


    Someone else spoke. And then another. Voices continued until everyone had said their fill. There were tears¡ªyes. And there were eyes filled with raw pain as the words felt like daggers through the heart since this meant accepting the truth. Yet laughter, smiles, joy, and camaraderie of remembering the ones we lost made this close-knit group even closer.


    ¡°I was there at the beginning,¡± said Sera as she closed us out. ¡°The Eagle Yew was just a sapling with many years ahead of it. I watched it grow from nothing into the haven that we all called our beloved home. I¡¯ve seen its struggles. I¡¯ve borne witness to its challenges. And I was honored to observe its success and how it thrived and nurtured the recreation of Vredi Forest. It...was so beautiful.¡± Sera¡¯s voice trembled like the string of a violin. ¡°However, it is not lost to us. Aello... Lord Aetos, if you would...¡±


    Aello walked to the front and held Aetos¡¯s flower pot. The eagle was short and small, but his presence commanded attention from everyone as he extended a wing to the little red-eyed elf standing beside Aello. Yew was still shy. Her tiny frame was trembling with emotion as she wiped her tear-stained cheeks. Her grief was palpable in the way she clutched her heart.


    For all the hurt we felt...


    The pain was much more severe for her.


    ¡°The Eagle Yew as we know it is no more. The great tree has worked tirelessly for a thousand years without rest, so it has more than earned its respite. However, that is not the whole story, for a portion of the Eagle Yew still survives. My friends and family, I introduce you to the Eagle Yew¡¯s reincarnation, Yew Vredi.¡±


    Oohs and ahhs spread throughout the crowd.


    ¡°The... The feelings of the Eagle Yew flow through me. I harbor its thoughts and emotions. Please believe me when I say the Eagle Yew has no regrets. Its death is not one to mourn because it was not in pain. From the beginning... From... From the beginning,¡± Yew stuttered. I walked beside her and encouraged her with a hand on her shoulder. Yew took a breath, closed her eyes, and focused.


    She¡¯s brave. I know this isn¡¯t easy.


    ¡°From the beginning, the Eagle Yew had one objective: to protect what it loved. So... Please... When you think upon the Eagle Yew, do let sadness infect your hearts because it would not have wanted that.¡± Yew raised a small hand to the sky and smiled. ¡°Let your heart be filled with joy. Recall the good times we shared within the village and continue to live for your happiness because the Eagle Yew desired that. The best gift we can give it is to smile and face the future without regret... It is not easy. I want to cry. I want to lay down and not move.¡±


    Yew shook her head.


    ¡°I can¡¯t do that, though. We don¡¯t have to do this alone because we aren¡¯t alone. Aetos Village was a tight-knit community that embodied the values of Vredi Forest, where everyone was family. And family sticks together. That¡¯s what we have to do. So... So, if you see someone struggling, please help them. We must support each other. That... That is what the Eagle Yew have wanted...¡± Yew¡¯s voice and mannerisms betrayed her false bravado, but she held resolute.


    ¡°Sister.¡± Sera raised her flute. ¡°Play with me. We must have a proper send-off.¡±


    ¡°Of course, Sera.¡±


    Susize... I¡¯m not you. I know I¡¯ll never be you. You aren¡¯t looking down on me, but if you were...


    I carefully held the beloved instrument to my lips.


    Could you abscond your hatred and... And watch me? I love this forest more than I ever thought possible. If nothing else... I want you to know that much. I¡¯ll protect what you love. I swear I will, Susize...


    Sera started us in our grandest rendition of Vredi¡¯s Lullaby.  The first notes drifted into the morning air as soft and haunting, and each following note created a bridge between the living and dead. Swirling mana gently encircled Sera and myself as the magic gently jumped from griever to griever.


    We felt the spirits of those we had lost surround us. Perhaps it was a placebo effect. Maybe it was what we wanted to feel...


    But to us...


    It was real.


    I swore I saw the dryad in the distance. I saw that little frame¡ªthose thin vines hiding the flower I had placed at the grave. The girl''s form was wispy and faint, flickering like a light without enough electricity.


    She became more ethereal near the end, and the swirling mana ascended skyward like a blanket of warmth.


    Sera and I played with all the passion, love, and sorrow we had, knowing this was the most precious gift we could send off the dead with.


    As the final notes of the lullaby faded into the dawn, a profound silence settled over the graveyard. It was a silence filled with unspoken words--with memories of laughter and tears-- with the promise that we would carry on.


    I felt a sense of peace as we stood together in the early morning light. We had honored the fallen, celebrated their lives, and vowed to remember them. And in the music... In the tears... In the shared sorrow...


    We had found a way to heal.


    Are you proud of me, little dryad?


    I felt a familiar hand grab mine. Sekh rested her armored head against my shoulder and rubbed my palm. ¡°You did good, Mila.¡±


    ¡°My lord... Believe me,¡± said Tris when she took my other hand. ¡°Your love for the village is as real as the water that flows through the river. You did them well, and they are smiling.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± I looked at Yew. She clenched her fists and bit her lips. No one would blame her for harboring a desire to be strong.


    So did I...


    The villagers saw me as a role model, so I...


    So I had to fulfill that role¡ªfor their sake.


    *****


    *****


    After the funeral, I returned to the medical tent with Tris, Primrose, Yew, and Sekh. Quella and her friends had said a few words before leaving to discuss the obvious, which was what Sera, Aetos, and Aello were doing.


    Tris opened a [Skyview] window, and we saw their conversation.


    ¡°Have you considered my offer?¡± asked Sera. She held the flower pot in her lap. ¡°You and the others will be safe at my home. The forest is unknown¡ªunnamed, even. You cannot find it on any map. It¡¯s safe. I can teleport you there.¡±


    ¡°I must know what you want, my princess, before I answer that.¡±


    ¡°Looking after me before yourself?¡±


    ¡°That is what I promised your sister, although... No. I won¡¯t say it. The past is the past. We must face the present and future.¡±


    ¡°Even if it¡¯s scary?¡±


    ¡°Doubly so, my princess. Recall little Yew¡¯s heartfelt speech. We are not alone. You do not have to face it by yourself. The past will always be there. Yet, the future is not set in stone. It can be what you want to be. I... I was too hasty. I should not have said those things. Nor should I have had those...¡± Aetos didn¡¯t finish it because Sera touched his head. She rubbed his tiny beak, and he rubbed his head against her hand like a dog.


    ¡°I feared the future because I didn¡¯t want to lose anyone. I thought the loss was inevitable, but that¡¯s before I met Mila and Yew.¡± Sera fondly smiled. ¡°That¡¯s two new Vredis. Two that...I never thought they''d come into my life. There may be more hidden, so I want to search for them. Far and wide¡ªacross the world, if I must. Yet...¡±


    ¡°There is something you must do.¡±


    ¡°Gloria and Meruria must suffer the consequences. What they did cannot be forgiven. I almost lost you, Lord Aetos... I almost lost this village. Another irreparable link to the past was nearly severed before my eyes.¡±


    ¡°This injustice cannot stand.¡±


    ¡°You won¡¯t talk me out of it?¡± Sera sounded surprised.


    ¡°You¡¯re an adult, my princess. I can guide you, but your choices are yours to make. I...share your feelings. I want nothing more than to make them pay for insolent arrogance. Yet look at me.¡± Aetos spread his wings. ¡°I am weak and powerless.¡±


    ¡°No. You were never weak. You¡¯ve always been the strongest Great Eagle.¡±


    The eagle smiled. ¡°Your words have always been kind, my princess. Still, as much as I wish to accompany you as I did your sister in the past... I have other obligations to fulfill.¡±


    ¡°The villagers.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. My children need me, my princess, so I will leave this to you and Lord Springfield.¡± Aetos touched Sera¡¯s cheek with his wing as she rubbed his head.


    ¡°High Blessing, we shall talk with the rest. This decision involves everyone, so they must share their thoughts."


    ¡°Of course. That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m glad the village has an elder like you, Aello.¡±


    Tris closed the [Skyview] window and said she would track their conversation in the background.


    We¡¯re about to be interrupted in ten seconds.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad they have a plan. Sera¡¯s forest is the best place for them. Besides, it¡¯s easier to move a small group instead of having a whole village.¡±


    ¡°Lord Springfield? Are you in here?¡± came a voice from outside the tent¡ªright on cue.


    ¡°Keeth? Yes, we are. You may enter.¡±


    ¡°The new prosthetics are finished,¡± he announced, pushing past the flap. Quella was with him. ¡°I equipped them with a quick-release latch separate from the primary component. What happened will not be repeated. Is now a good time? For the surgery, I mean?¡±


    ¡°Tris?¡±


    ¡°Niva¡¯s vitals are still stable, my lord. She has ¡®recovered¡¯ physically from her injuries, so there is no risk of her body suddenly giving out.¡±


    ¡°Keeth?¡±


    ¡°I can do it, Lord Springfield. With Tris¡¯s help, I¡¯m certain it¡¯ll be finished in half the time since we¡¯ve done it before. I know what to look out for.¡±


    ¡°Then I don¡¯t have any reason to refuse. Thank you again for doing this.¡± I retrieved my flute and made three wooden puppet clones. ¡°Use your new anesthesia magic to keep Niva under. Watch her like a hawk.¡±


    The three nodded. One gently lifted Niva, and Primrose, Tris, and the other puppets followed Keeth to an operating tent nearby, leaving Quella with us.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Quella asked as I made another clone of Tris. My Beacon of Wisdom took control.


    ¡°I¡¯m hanging in there. Funerals are always hard.¡±


    ¡°They are. Elly and Melusine are trying to keep their spirits up. She was really moved by Vredi¡¯s Lullaby.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a lovely song.¡±


    ¡°It is. And you played it magnificently. Your love for the forest is genuine. Those impartial emotions flowed through your music. Anyone¡ªeven the deaf¡ªcould feel it.¡±


    ¡°That reassures me a little. Thank you, Quella.¡±


    ¡°Mila, look.¡± I turned to Tilde at Sekh''s behest, and her eyes were struggling to open. She quietly groaned. I held her hands and whispered.


    ¡°Come on, Tilde... You can do it... Please, wake up. You¡¯re almost there...¡±


    ¡°Well... If... If it¡¯s for my...Master... I... can¡¯t keep her waiting...¡± The voice was nearly silent.


    ¡°Tilde!¡±


    It took ten more seconds for her eyes to open. Sekh grabbed a glass of water while Tris helped her sit up.


    ¡°How long was...¡± Tilde coughed twice and spat bile across her blanket.


    ¡°That can wait. Drink and quench your throat,¡± said Sekh, holding the cup to Tilde¡¯s lips. ¡°Don¡¯t try to grab it. I know you can barely feel your fingers.¡±


    ¡°Is it...that obvious?¡±


    ¡°A fairy¡¯s nerves are more interconnected than any other humanoid species because their wings are integral. Damage sustained to them spreads to the body,¡± revealed Tris.


    ¡°Do I...still have them? I can¡¯t feel them.¡±


    ¡°You do. Don¡¯t be alarmed, my lord. The damage is not permanent.¡±


    ¡°I guess I got more fucked up than I thought. Ha... It...feels so weird... I can move two toes, but that¡¯s it.¡±


    ¡°Weird or not, you¡¯re back, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, Master... I¡¯m... Your lovey-dovey head maid is back!¡± Her positivity was forced since it was followed by three more coughs and a groan.


    ¡°Then my cute head maid must take an extended break until she gets better.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    Bonk!


    ¡°No buts, Tilde. Listen to me. Please, take it easy. Focus on recovering.¡±


    Tilde opened her mouth to protest, but she surrendered and drank more water. ¡°Okay. I...guess being pampered isn¡¯t the worst thing in the world... Hey, can you catch me up to speed? I think I have a good idea.¡± She struggled to point at Yew.  ¡°That¡¯s the Eagle Yew. She has your hair and Little Miss Wrath¡¯s eye color. I don¡¯t see the tree, but considering your uniqueness, Master, I know the chimerization event occurred. Let me guess, it flowed into the graveyard?¡±


    ¡°Right on the money.¡±


    ¡°And you aren¡¯t freaking out I just said chimera, so you know what my Master is.¡±


    ¡°Amazing deduction.¡± Quella was impressed.


    ¡°I can¡¯t take all the credit. ¡®Quella knows our lord is a chimera¡¯ was dazzling the ceiling in shining waypoints. Master wouldn¡¯t reveal something like that without a damn good reason. We¡¯re also in a tent, not the village. The tree was healing when we last saw it... It¡¯s not here, so something unexpected happened. Something that required Tris to involve the Essence of Wrath. The only unknown was...Remy? Did I get that right?¡±


    The space beside me quivered, and Remy manifested. She immediately kneeled at my feet. Tilde remained silent while I told her of our victory over her. Who knew what transpired through her mind until she spoke what I didn¡¯t expect.


    I thought she¡¯d have shown concern since the mysterious Remy was my rapist, however...


    ¡°Congratulations on taking the first step of your revenge, Master. I bet it feels good as hell.¡±


    I smirked and rubbed her head. ¡°You¡¯re goddamn right it does. It feels so euphoric.¡±


    ¡°Now, you can put your worries about dulling your resolve to rest because they won¡¯t lose their edge anymore. There¡¯s one thing...¡± Tilde looked at Sekh.


    ¡°It¡¯s as you suspect.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re okay with that?¡±


    ¡°It was surprising,¡± admitted Quella. ¡°To be honest... I¡¯m not sure what to feel.¡±


    ¡°Do you feel out of place? Scared? Nervous?¡±


    ¡°Maybe a little of the first? Sekh, I...¡±


    ¡°We do not have to be friends,¡± said Sekh, speaking plainly. ¡°You may hate me for my sins or despise me for what I wrought upon Faedornia, but do not forget our goal. If nothing else, we must be allies who strive to kill the one we despise the most. Your discomfort should subside if you think of this as nothing more than a temporary partnership.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡ª¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± interrupted Sekh. ¡°My feelings will not be hurt, so do not concern yourself with pretending to be friendly to mask your uneasiness.¡± She was blunt.


    ¡°Niva?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s in surgery.¡±


    ¡°Okay. So, that leaves you, huh?¡± She looked at Yew. ¡°You¡¯re a little cutie, aren¡¯t you? I¡¯m Tilde.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯m Yew Vredi. It¡¯s nice to meet you.¡± Yew was still nervous, even though she had shown so much bravado during that speech. That probably took a lot out of her¡ªher social battery was drained.


    ¡°Likewise. So, I know I look like this, but I am a capable maid. If you need snacks or cookies... Well, I¡¯m your gal,¡± she said with a wink. ¡°Hmm? Master? What¡¯s wrong? You look serious. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m not going to overexert myself. That¡¯s the last thing we need.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not that. Tilde, I¡¯ve seen Remy¡¯s memories. I had nothing to do with unlocking [Conferment]. That was all Meruria. She somehow...undid a seal or lock or something.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more. You swore I¡¯m the Transcendent Dark Lord, right?¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me...¡±


    ¡°Mmm... Those three words never showed up in any memory. No one knows more about the void than Meruria. Remy had thought I was making it up.¡±


    ¡°But that¡¯s not right!¡± Tilde protested. ¡°That¡¯s my whole mission! I was supposed to just...live. And wait. And wait. And wait until the right person appeared. Searching for the Transcendent Dark Lord was my mission. I got the signal, and I was teleported a second later. That¡¯s how we met! That wouldn¡¯t have happened if¡ª So¡ª¡± Tilde suddenly became quiet. She took a few deep breaths and controlled her emotions. "Do you still have that unreadable title?¡±


    ¡°I do. It¡¯s still gibberish. I can¡¯t make sense of it.¡±


    ¡°Then that must be it. Master, I promise¡ª¡±


    ¡°I know you didn¡¯t lie to me. So, I believe you. If Meruria can unlock things sealed away by the void... Maybe the Transcendent Dark Lord is one of those? A lock must be opened before the title becomes active.¡±


    Tilde strained her mind until she coughed. She drank more water and sighed. ¡°That¡¯s gotta be it. I don¡¯t know how you¡¯re gonna reach the void. It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±


    ¡°It is. Remy¡¯s memories don¡¯t show how Meruria manipulated it. Even if I can warp there... I won¡¯t. Not without being sufficiently prepared for the dangers. Either way, that¡¯s something for the far future. We gotta take it one step at a time, right?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh! That¡¯s right. I¡¯m glad my Master still has a sharp, pretty head on her shoulders.¡±


    ¡°Only because I was taught by the best!¡±


    ¡°Hehe! Keep the charming compliments coming! I feel myself getting stronger already.¡±


    ¡°You got it,¡± I replied, rubbing her hair. Now, it was time to investigate another mystery-- one I refused to let remain unanswered. ¡°Ira can¡¯t lie to me, can she?¡± I asked Tris.


    ¡°Ira? I guess it¡¯s better than Essence of Wrath,¡± commented Tilde.


    ¡°She can¡¯t, my lord.¡±


    That¡¯s all I need to hear. Time to finally get the truth...

 Chapter One-Hundred-Two: Honoring the Fallen – Part Two

    Chapter One-Hundred-Two: Honoring the Fallen ¨C Part Two


    I gathered a ball of fire and tossed it, which created a portal. ¡°What do you require of me, Lord Springfield?¡± Ira asked as she walked out. Her outfit was like solidified flames.


    ¡°My family is suffering from those blisters. What are they?¡±


    ¡°They¡¯re formed from the residue mana of my attacks. The closest comparison is...radiation damage mixed with cancer.¡±


    ¡°Cancer?! You gave them cancer?!¡± My fists were clenched before I knew it. I wanted to beat this stupid goddamn piece of shit...


    ¡°The effects can be mitigated by sufficient exposure to the opposite element," she quickly added.


    ¡°Explain!¡±


    ¡°[Furia Glacies] is the counterpart of [Ira Ignis]. The former must be used to eliminate the residue mana of the latter. That will kill the blisters.¡±


    Sekh gently unclenched my fists as she held my hands. ¡°She is right,¡± said Tris. ¡°No lie has been uttered. It will be as if the blisters were never there.¡±


    ¡°The blisters are inert. They¡¯re connected to my mana as...an additional aspect of my magic, but that link will never be reactivated.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re goddamn right it won¡¯t! Will it hurt when you fix your mistakes?¡±


    ¡°No. I will use [Furia Glacies] to expose your family to a gentle, lightweight ice storm. It will lightly coat their bodies in frost. It will be uncomfortable, but only akin to being outside in winter without a jacket. Chilly, yet it won¡¯t be dangerous. An oni is more resistant to temperature than humans, so I doubt the discomfort will be annoying. The blisters will be gone after one week.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I...don¡¯t like how it turned out like this.¡± Ira bit her lips and turned away. She nervously rubbed her arms. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for my deception. I¡¯m¡ª¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need your goddamn pity party. Get lost until you¡¯re needed.¡±


    ¡°I¡ªOf course, Lord Springfield. If that¡¯s what you wish.¡±  Ira formed a portal of flames and entered it, returning to that floating iron platform surrounded by an ocean of fire.


    ¡°Surtr, can you tell the lions?¡±


    ¡°I will,¡± he nodded.


    ¡°Umm... Mila?¡± Yew tugged at my sleeve.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t let that thing bother you. I promise she won¡¯t hurt you anymore. Ira won¡¯t dare to lend a stray thought to it.¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not that. It¡¯s... I...¡± Yew became quiet and looked at Sekh. Her red eyes turned to Quella, Tilde, and Surtr before landing on Tilde and returning to me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do. I¡¯m still so lost. I don¡¯t know how to be a chimera. I don¡¯t know what one is supposed to act like.¡±


    ¡°You know, Master was the same way.¡±


    ¡°I remember it was after we met. We killed that boar, and you told me to finish my plate.¡±


    ¡°Yep. You don¡¯t want to leave behind anything that would suggest the existence of a chimera, so I guess rule one is to always finish your food.¡±


    ¡°So... I need to eat? How do I do? Do I... I don¡¯t know how to change myself.¡± Yew raised a hand and grunted, but nothing happened.


    I rubbed her head. ¡°We¡¯ll teach you, okay?¡±


    ¡°O¡ªOkay. Thank you, Mila. And everyone!¡± Yew smiled, although it wasn¡¯t steady. The poor girl displayed a brave face, so I wondered where that social anxiety came from? Anyone could tell she was pushing herself through the discomfort.


    I have something to report about Yew, my lord. It¡¯s not concerning, but you must be aware of it.


    What is it?


    It¡¯s about her birth. The mana of a still-alive chimera was involved in the chimerization event.


    She has my strength? I could¡¯ve guessed that, but there¡¯s something more. What did you discover?


    Yew¡¯s potential is equal to you and Ira together. She has access to everything you can do--barring the abilities granted via your status as Soul Warrior or the void.


    Does that extend to transfigurations?


    It does, my lord. Think of it like this: she has assimilated a duplicated copy of everything you¡¯ve devoured.


    What about Divine Skills?


    Yes and no. Yew has [Ira Ignis] and [Furia Glacies], but only immunity to fire, heat, ice, and cold has transferred to her. She does not have a Wrath or Fury dial.


    Okay. Thanks for that.


    So, Yew was...strong. More than that, really, except it was untapped. She didn¡¯t know how to access it.


    The girl was impressionable. That was why this situation was so precarious.


    I need to have that conversation with her. I gotta talk with Tilde about the truth, too.


    ¡°Sera will arrive within fifteen seconds. I¡¯ll cancel this clone and return to the one near Niva, my lord.¡± Tris left us with a smile and a wave.


    A handful of seconds later...


    ¡°Mila? Are you there?¡±


    ¡°You can enter,¡± I replied.


    Sera pushed past the flap. ¡°Sorry for the intrusion¡ªoh?¡± Her eyes widened at seeing Tilde alert, and I introduced them.


    ¡°Mila¡¯s spoken at great lengths about her head maid. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re awake, and I¡¯m so sorry you were hurt.¡±


    ¡°Oh, these injuries? Psh, don¡¯t worry about them. I¡¯ll be right as rain in a few weeks. See? I¡¯m getting better already.¡± Tilde raised her left hand and wiggled her fingers.


    ¡°There must still be something I can do to repay you. Umm... I... Oh!¡± Sera quietly clapped. ¡°I once helped a fairy a few centuries ago. An illness damaged his wings¡¯ roots, but he recovered! Oh, please say you¡¯ll let me help!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re that insistent, declining would make me feel bad. Thanks a bunch, Sera! Oh, is it okay if I call you that?¡±


    ¡°Yes! That¡¯s perfectly fine!¡± Sera was the type to value casual closeness over formality when it came to close-knit friendships, so judging by her wiggling ears, this made her happy.


    Suddenly, she looked concerned. ¡°There was another. Where¡¯s Niva? Is she okay?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s fine,¡± said Quella. ¡°My teammate is operating on her.¡±


    ¡°Surgery? You spoke about it earlier, Mila. It¡¯s the one that replicates a nerve mesh?¡±


    ¡°Yes. That¡¯s it. I trust Keeth with it. He¡¯s done it once, so it¡¯ll be easier this time. Tris has had time to revise the process.¡±


    ¡°Wait, she¡¯s behind it, too?¡±


    ¡°Not solely. It was his idea, but Tris clarified the procedure and used illusion magic to indicate the specific nerve corridors.¡±


    ¡°Nerve corridors? I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t follow.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be surprised if you did, Sera. It¡¯s only ever been done twice.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be happy to tell you about it in more detail,¡± said Quella. ¡°It¡¯s impressive. Operating on a person¡¯s delicate, fragile nerves without specialized equipment... It¡¯s honestly astounding it¡¯s possible at all.¡±


    ¡°You know, I think I¡¯d like that. I don¡¯t often speak to Soul Warriors, much less one summoned from another world,¡± Sera said with a smile. She was trying¡ªthe poor elf wanted to be amicable. She trusted me more than anyone here, so my word carried weight.


    ...


    ¡°Anyway, while knowing the ins and outs of the operation is nice, we gotta talk about something else, Master.¡±


    ¡°Niva¡¯s state of mind?¡±


    ¡°Yeah. That. It¡¯s not easy to lose your limbs once. And twice? So brutally, too? We know how she thinks of herself. Remember her speech on the boat ride over? Little Miss Niva wants to be strong and fight by your side. So... This setback might be rough. I don¡¯t wanna say anymore, but it¡¯s gotta be handled carefully. She¡¯s gonna be very vulnerable after she wakes up.¡±


    Quella was about to say something when I heard Aello¡¯s voice. ¡°High Blessings, are you in here? May we come in?¡± I gave them permission. ¡°Tilde?¡± Aello exclaimed after entering. She happily flapped one wing because the other hugged Aetos¡¯s flower pot close to her chest. ¡°You¡¯re awake! Oh, what good news!¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Tilde, for your sacrifice,¡± said Aetos. He lowered his head slightly.


    ¡°Ah... Geez, you don¡¯t have to keep...thanking me...¡±


    ¡°Is the usually composed head maid feeling embarrassed?¡± Sekh crossed her arms. I knew she had a smug smile. Tilde stuck out her tongue and closed her eyes.


    ¡°Have you talked to the villagers?¡±


    ¡°We have, High Blessing Seraphina. They unanimously agree to your proposal. We are ready whenever you are.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s handled. Sera, what do you wish to do? Are we advancing to Dirge¡¯s capital city?¡±


    ¡°Yes.¡± Her tone was fierce. It seemed like the air trembled from her determined nature. Her eyes sharpened like a hawk had latched onto its prey as she turned northeast. ¡°We must confront that wretched woman.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Now, Yew.¡± We turned to the girl. ¡°What do you want to do?¡±


    ¡°I wanna stay with you, Mila,¡± she said without delay. Perhaps it was too fast since she covered her mouth. Her eyes darted to Aetos and Aello. ¡°I... I hold the will of the Eagle Yew. That¡¯s a lot of responsibility, and I don¡¯t want... I want to make it proud and protect the village, but I...¡± Yew looked at her tiny hands. ¡°I can¡¯t do that as I am now. Please don¡¯t think of it as me running away.¡±


    ¡°I would never dream of it, Yew. You inherited the Eagle Yew¡¯s spirit, for there is nothing you can do that will disappoint it. Do what you wish, so do not think you''re beholden to the village. In due time, once I have been planted, another Eagle Yew will be born. Thank you...for these past thousand years...for working endlessly to protect the village and forest. Your work is done, so please focus on your happiness.¡±


    ¡°Even... Even if it means...¡±


    ¡°You are not abandoning anything, Yew. I know your mind is misconstruing it as such, but that cannot be further from the truth,¡± said Sekh.


    ¡°I¡¯m not?¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t. Sekh is right. You don¡¯t need excuses to live your life. Remember, you can visit whenever you want.¡± Sera raised her staff and caressed the eagle tip. ¡°It is but a teleport away from anywhere in the world. I¡¯ll teach it to you once you¡¯re ready, so you can visit anytime you wish.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± Yew didn¡¯t finish. She rubbed her teary eyes, a gigantic relief warming her heart. Yew believed she had substantial shoes to fill, so self-doubt was only natural.


    Sera and I hugged the little elf until she gave us a bright smile...


    *****


    *****


    It was noon¡ªthe sun shone brightly on an emotional parting, but it was not permanent.


    ¡°Please be safe, High Blessings!¡± said the children I had spent time with. They each held dioramas of their favorite places¡ªmy final gift to them as they looked toward the future. Enap stood beside Aello, who supported Aetos.


    ¡°We will,¡± I told them, rubbing their heads. ¡°Be good, okay?¡±


    ¡°Will we see you again?¡± asked a centaur boy.


    ¡°Of course. We¡¯re friends, are we not? Sera can teleport me whenever I want, so I can be there in a flash.¡± I rubbed his hair and stood, taking my place behind Tilde¡¯s temporary wheelchair. Earlier, the children had swarmed her with hugs.


    She''s always been good with kids.


    They were concerned about Niva, but she was recuperating in the medical wagon I¡¯d made with [Wooden Puppetry]. It was like an ambulance from my world, although it didn¡¯t run on gasoline¡ªa pair of wooden horses pulled it. It wasn¡¯t on purpose, but I had unintentionally molded the horses after a pair Sera and Susize had owned as children.


    Keeth was inside. The surgery had finished an hour ago, but he was double-checking a few things with Primrose and Lei.


    ¡°Be well, Lord Aetos.¡±


    ¡°As should you...Lord Springfield. I will pray for your success. Sekh...¡± Aetos stopped talking. ¡°Could you take me over there? I wish to discuss something with you.¡±


    ¡°Can we delay our departure for a few minutes?¡± asked Sekh. Sera nodded.  Sekh gently took the flower pot from Aello and walked away. Tris opened a [Skyview] window and let me eavesdrop.


    ¡°You came precariously close to death. Exercise caution in the future because it will be decades until I can create another Yggdrasil Drop,¡± said the eagle once they were far away. Sera wondered what they were talking about, but I feigned ignorance.


    ¡°Are you worried about me?¡±


    ¡°In a way, yes. Yes, I am. You cannot be permitted to die before your time.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that, eagle.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad the transplant was successful,¡± she said after a prolonged silence. ¡°The world needs someone like you.¡±


    ¡°I should say the same, although it¡¯s less the world and more someone in particular.¡± He pointed a wing my way. ¡°You have something special that most people never find after a lifetime of searching. I still don¡¯t know if that is what you deserve.¡±


    "Oh, don¡¯t I know it? I know you¡¯re watching, Mila. There¡¯s not a day that goes by that I¡¯m not thankful we¡¯ve met.¡± My heart warmed at her words. ¡°I love you.¡±


    I love you, too.


    ¡°I...¡± Aetos struggled to find his words.


    ¡°Spit it out, eagle. This reserved nature isn¡¯t like you, so why the hesitation?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Seraphina,¡± he said, looking over his shoulder. ¡°I ask that you watch over her.¡±


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°It is much to ask¡ªI know. I cannot risk having anything happen to my princess.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re aware she¡¯s stronger than me, right? You said we couldn¡¯t defeat her even if Mila, myself, Surtr, and Quella fought together. A battle with the Holy Lord of Shadow may not be certain, but Gloria cannot best Sera. Your princess, Aetos, is among this world''s strongest."


    ¡°I know that.¡±


    ¡°Then what are you asking? I don¡¯t understand. Do you want me to guide her?¡± Aetos didn¡¯t respond, so Sekh was right. ¡°Am I the best person? Mila¡¯s the better choice. What am I even leading her towards?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know the path. Who else but you have lived¡ª¡±


    ¡°Tilde. She was alive back then. She may be older than me.¡±


    ¡°Besides her!¡± Aetos gestured with his wing. ¡°You... You are the best choice. For better or worse, no one except myself or her mother knows Seraphina better than you. Just how many times have you clashed on the battlefield?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Please... Grant me this request. It¡¯s selfish¡ªI know it is. Yet Seraphina... She¡¯s my remaining princess. I promised my lady I¡¯d look after her. I¡¯d failed her for over 140 years.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Sekh sighed. ¡°It won¡¯t be easy. I don¡¯t know how to start. How am I to do that when I can¡¯t remove my armor? She¡¯ll never truly trust a face she cannot see.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t know.¡±


    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do what I can, but I will not promise the impossible, Aetos. Do not hold anything against me.¡±


    ¡°That is all I ask, Sekh.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    The two returned to us after their conversation. Sera was intrigued, but she didn¡¯t let her curiosity out of the bag.


    ¡°Is everyone ready?¡±


    ¡°We are, my princess,¡± said Aetos after he returned to Aello.


    ¡°Okay. Take time to get settled in. I¡¯ll be along shortly to talk to everyone. Mila, may you assist me?¡± Sera tapped the flute dangling from her hip. I retrieved mine and played Vredi¡¯s Lullaby while she raised her staff. Glimmering light radiated from the tip, casting an intricate magic circle around the group. It glowed brighter and flashed like the sudden flicker of a lightbulb, and...


    They were gone.


    ¡°Is that relief you feel, sister?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± answered Sera. She hugged her staff. ¡°A portion of my heart can rest easy because the forest is my safe haven¡ªcut off from anyone or anything that may even dream of harming it. Yet it will never replace my home. Aetos Village was the closest, but it is not the same.¡±


    Yew approached Sera and grabbed her hand. Susize¡¯s sister thanked her for giving her some courage with a bright smile.


    The door to the medical wagon swung open, and Keeth jumped out. His hands looked rough, bearing deep red welts and scarred tissue from an excessive overuse of his abilities. Protective gloves prevented anything from harming the operation.


    ¡°Keeth! You said you¡¯d take it easy! Look!¡± Elly spat in annoyance. She abruptly grabbed his palm, causing him to lightly yelp.  ¡°You said everything had gone well, so why did you keep using your ability?¡±


    ¡°I had to be sure! I just had to!¡±


    Elly closed her eyes and breathed. ¡°Fine! Come with me.¡± Elly walked to a second wagon¡ªthis one was being pulled by Surtr because he wanted something to do. It was longer, wider, and fit all of us. The convertible vehicle almost reminded me of a bus or train. Altering it was a melody away, so I could make ten more in the blink of an eye. She ordered him to sit before rubbing his hands with lotion--scolding him the entire time.


    A gentle castigation¡ªshe knew he had done it for Niva¡ªbut Elly kept asking why he needed to quadruple-check when Tris had given her approval multiple times before.


    He didn¡¯t have a proper answer.


    ¡°Should we depart?¡± asked Quella. ¡°Sera, is there anything else to do?¡±


    ¡°Not that I know of... Mila?¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s settled then, yeah? Onwards!¡± Tilde slowly raised her arm in triumph.


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you¡¯re in such high spirits,¡± said Sera as we walked to the bus-like wagon.


    ¡°What else would I be? This is permanent. It¡¯s like I said. A few weeks, a little help from you and Master, and I¡¯ll be flying with the birds and serving tea and cookies.¡±


    ¡°You can cook?¡±


    ¡°Yeppers. I can make a mean batch of tea, too. Wanna try some next time?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be delighted, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°Can I try some?¡± asked Yew.


    ¡°Duh. What about you, Greggie? Do you have any secret recipes for tea?¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± The big man was in thought as he entered the wagon and sat. Ami took the seat beside him and still bore that perpetual smile. ¡°I used to use monk fruit sugar sometimes. Oh, there¡¯s brown sugar with tapioca pearls called bubble tea. I¡¯ll make some if we find the supplies. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve seen cassava root.¡±


    ¡°The name is unfamiliar,¡± said Sekh, joining in. She was making strides to be amicable, too, even if it wasn''t comfortable. ¡°The ingredient may go by another name, much like gunpowder and firesalts.¡±


    ¡°Gunpowder? Specifically for firearms?¡±


    ¡°Yep. It¡¯s a black powder used for making things go boom,¡± said Ami. ¡°Firesalts isn¡¯t a real thing in our world, but gunpowder is.¡±


    A few seconds later, we were all ready to go. I called out to Surtr, who let loose a roar before walking. The medical wagon behind us promptly followed as we began our journey to Dirge¡¯s capital city.


    Of course, it wouldn¡¯t have been complete with Sekh¡¯s hand in mind. They were made for each other. Sera caught a glimpse immediately after we left, and she smiled at us before asking Quella to explain the surgery.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Three: Traveling – Part One

    Chapter One-Hundred-Three: Traveling ¨C Part One


    The first day of traveling had passed without incident¡ª without a patient waking from her surgery¡ªand the group had settled around a mighty campfire as an expert chef readied dinner.


    ¡°I¡¯m looking at the map,¡± said Quella. ¡°We¡¯re due to arrive in Ria tomorrow, yet why don¡¯t we take this detour? This trail circles to the southeast. It¡¯ll cut our travel time by two days.¡±


    ¡°As much as I dislike it, it is only proper to send advance forewarning of my visit via diplomacy.¡±


    ¡°Is that why we''re going to Ria?¡± Greggie flipped the steaks, and Tilde licked her lips at the savory grill marks.


    Honestly?


    It looked fine, but I wasn¡¯t craving meat. The thought didn¡¯t disgust me, yet if it wasn¡¯t for assimilation?


    I¡¯d pass.


    ¡°Yes. The soldiers have a base stationed in the ruins. I expect them to have a messenger. I¡¯m sure Gloria¡¯s aware of the Eagle Yew¡¯s disappearance, so she¡¯s probably anxiously anticipating the arrival of a Vredi.¡±


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t we have flown?¡± asked Ami. ¡°Instead of taking the wagons? We could¡¯ve arrived by noon.¡±


    ¡°We thought about it,¡± I replied, turning over a few veggies I had roasting over the open flames. They were soaked in olive oil and encrusted in garlic and cheese¡ªan utterly savory combination.


    ¡°Niva¡¯s in no condition to travel that way,¡± added Tris. ¡°It won¡¯t pose the greatest risk, but a risk--nonetheless-- we cannot accept. She desires stability above all else. Should she awake in a delirium state of mind, it¡¯s preferable to have her within a bed that can adjust for sudden, jarring movements.¡±


    ¡°Teleportation, unfortunately, is also out of the question. I don¡¯t have any saved coordinates nearby,¡± said Sera. She held her staff and hugged her knees, watching the crackling flames with those brown, stern eyes.


    ¡°Fortune may shine upon us, Sera.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± she asked Tris.


    ¡°My lord''s wooden puppets surveyed the base via aerial reconnaissance after we settled down.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s a mage with a communication crystal,¡± I said after Tris. That wasn¡¯t the biggest lie. I ¡®saw¡¯ the mage via [Skyview], and [Deduction] confirmed the latter. ¡°Logic dictates it¡¯s connected to someone in the capital because wouldn¡¯t Gloria want to be informed about everything?¡±


    ¡°Why hadn¡¯t she helped Eagle Yew?¡± asked Elly. ¡°Why not send soldiers, food, and supplies?¡± She was busy rubbing lotion on Keeth¡¯s hands. They looked rougher than a coal miner¡¯s¡ªthe skin was cracked, and the welts were thick and bruised. Recovery wouldn¡¯t be quick.


    ¡°The Eagle Yew caught fire not long ago,¡± said Yew. She sat between Sera and me. ¡°It takes time to organize people, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°It does, but that is not an excuse. Gloria didn¡¯t send help after the barrier broke. She...didn¡¯t do anything. Aello said the village received no assistance, so... In my eyes...¡±


    That¡¯s another advantage we hold over her. She didn¡¯t send help because Meruria¡¯s spies were already active. They falsified reports and convinced Gloria that everything was okay. It all comes back to that goddamn woman and her shitty brainwashing. Yet Gloria isn¡¯t innocent of anything. She will pay and suffer.


    ¡°Mila¡¯s right. Even if Gloria was aware of the Eagle Yew disappearance the moment it happened, it was too soon. Organizing the relief effort and readying a squadron of teleportation mages takes time. I cannot fault her for that. However, I will never forgive her delay in not delivering an ounce of relief after the bounded field broke. It is unforgivable and unjustifiable.¡± Sera winced after uttering those words, although only I caught her grimace. She knew how that statement applied to her since she let the past come between checking on Aetos.


    ¡°My recon revealed a mage with teleportation magic. I¡¯m unsure if that¡¯s our shortcut to our destination, but it won¡¯t hurt to ask.¡±


    My lord, a report about [Void Warp]. The reverse engineering is approximately 75% complete. I predict it¡¯ll be ready for initial testing soon.


    That¡¯s amazing.


    Wait until you hear this. I¡¯m integrating it with [Skyview] and aligning the targeting vectors with waypoints. That way, you only need to mark where you want to go, and the calculations will be done automatically. They¡¯ll remain in a queue. The warps can even be daisy-chained to initialize one after another.


    It sounds like you¡¯re bringing out the skill¡¯s full potential.


    I am! Remy¡¯s infantile use cannot compare to the mastery I now wield over it.


    I¡¯m eager to try it.


    The food was soon done, and everyone but Sekh grabbed a plate.


    ¡°You refuse to eat?¡± asked Sera.


    ¡°I¡¯m not hungry.¡± That wasn¡¯t a lie. I had squeezed a slime clone inside her helmet and retrieved food for Sekh to snack on throughout the trip. I didn¡¯t like it, though. I hated that she had to be stuck inside it, but really...


    What other option did we have that didn¡¯t involve a gigantic risk?


    It¡¯s only temporary... Remember that, Mila.


    ¡°Even after traveling all day? Surely you aren¡¯t planning to sleep in that.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You are, aren¡¯t you?¡± Sera lowered her fork as if she pitied Sekh. ¡°Do you find that much comfort in it?¡±


    ¡°More than you know. Mila made it with Tris¡¯s help. I...want to wear it as much as I can.¡±


    ¡°Sera,¡± I said, changing the topic. ¡°There is something you must know before we confront Gloria. She is not aware of them, but she has many reasons to want me dead.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°It happened months ago,¡± I said, recanting when I had the displeasure of meeting Noelia. I spared little detail, and the group clung to my words. ¡°I won¡¯t lie. My reasons for initially saving Niva were selfish, yet I¡¯m glad I acted. Noelia was someone who did not deserve to live. Soul Warrior or not¡ªthe despicable mongrel embodied all the values of cowardice since she clung to safety behind that damage transfer slave seal.¡±


    Sera¡¯s eyes had gone wide when I admitted to killing Noelia. Her face was stunned in almost inequivalent disbelief.


    Quella knew, yet she feigned surprise to keep the ruse going.


    ¡°I do not regret it. And I never will. Just know that the truth may come out when we talk to her.¡±


    ¡°Mila... You... That¡¯s... Don''t get me wrong¡ªI am glad you intervened to save her life, but a Vredi directly killing a Holy Lord¡¯s Soul Warrior on her own land? Such an action is not without dire consequences.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve already happened. Ria¡¯s eventual fate was the outcome. Gloria arrived and shut down the dungeon. Arella donned a disguise to extract info from the town. A chimera showed up after we returned from Aetos Village, and I presume Gloria believed it was responsible. So, you see...¡± I clenched my fist hard enough to bend the fork like a paper ball. ¡°Lord Aetos¡¯s wounds... The city¡¯s burning demise... I was the catalyst that instigated it all.¡±


    Sera immediately hugged me, and I felt weak.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry... I¡¯m so sorry...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mila. I swear it is. Does Lord Aetos know?¡±


    ¡°He does. He said... He...¡±


    ¡°Mila, the Eagle Yew did not harbor resentment,¡± Yew suddenly said, her voice an ounce braver. She hugged and squeezed my arm. ¡°Please, stop crying... It¡¯s okay... The Eagle Yew didn¡¯t die, remember? Because I¡¯m here. I wouldn¡¯t be here if it disliked you. You did your best to help someone who needed it.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s right,¡± continued Sera. ¡°The fault ultimately lies with Gloria for summoning such a wretched creature to be her Soul Warrior. Even still, she approved of Noelia¡¯s antics. For what reason? We do not know, but I cannot think of anything to justify it. Do not worry about retaliation, sister. I will not let anything happen to you."


    "Sera..." She supported my head. Sekh rubbed my back, and Tris and Tilde touched my arm.


    It took about five minutes to regain my emotions¡ªI felt so much better after getting it off my chest. Sera wasn¡¯t upset I didn¡¯t tell her in Orchta. She knew it couldn¡¯t have been easy¡ªespecially since it was our first meeting and I was ¡®wary about using the Vredi name.¡¯


    I can¡¯t mention Ira. Not yet. It feels too soon.


    We returned our attention to the food and ate as Tris announced a small project she had been working on was completed.


    ¡°The research behind the disguise magic has finished.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a spell crafter?¡± Sera¡¯s eyes widened.


    ¡°Affirmative. My lord, here are the notes.¡±


    The spell¡¯s also been initialized, so it is only a thought away.


    I took the sheet music and played the soft melody while mentally casting the spell. Colorless orbs manifest and spread to Quella¡¯s team, enveloping their bodies in a faint shimmer that...


    ...failed?


    ¡°Huh? We look the same. Is it broken?¡±


    ¡°No, Ami. It¡¯s working. The spell does not work on those who hear it. My lord, could you play the second part?¡± I did. Six tiny hand mirrors appeared. ¡°These can reflect the magic. Take a look. You''ll see how others will perceive you.¡±


    Elly remarked that she always liked red hair. ¡°I kinda wished I was born a redhead. I like the mole, but my face is...awfully squarish...¡±


    ¡°Indeed. Only slight modifications were changed to keep a paradox from forming between your body¡¯s true measurements and your disguise. The bulk of the alterations are above the torso. Your height and weight did not change. Please note, Quella, that the spell cannot hide Soul Weapons. I recommend keeping it within yourself.¡±


    ¡°What about our voices?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Turn the mirror over and speak into the bottom.¡±


    Greggie did and exclaimed about his accent. It was...so posh and uppity.¡°Hold on... Do we...¡±


    ¡°Hmm? The answer to your unasked question is obvious. You all are mercenaries who rushed to protect the Eagle Yew before I arrived, and I am merely repaying my debt,¡± Sera plainly said. ¡°Is that not the truth?¡±


    Greggie looked at Keeth and nodded. If that was Sera''s ''excuse...''


    Why worry? The cover story was basic, but it suited our needs. Besides, it was like she said.


    It was, in essence, the truth.


    ¡°What if we run into enemies? Will the magic vanish if things get ugly?¡±


    ¡°Fighting will not break the illusion, so do not worry about that. Ah, there is one more thing. The spell is initially powered by the caster. The mirror requires mana from the user to sustain it, although additional assistance, if needed, can be drained from the caster if the user is within range. However, I doubt that will apply to Soul Warriors. I''m sure you have the mana to spare.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cool... Thanks a lot!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome, Ami.¡± Tris smiled and returned to her dinner¡ªas we all did¡ªand somehow found enjoyment in this motley crew.


    *****


    *****


    Dinner was over, and you¡¯d think it would be bedtime since we were setting off early. That was the plan, but the group had other ways to attract slumber rather than lie still.


    Quella, Sera, and I sat around the campfire and listened to its welcoming crackling as mundane discussion passed the time. Sekh wasn¡¯t with me. She had gone with Tilde and Tris to check on Niva, Lei, and Primrose. Sekh hadn¡¯t had time alone with them since we reunited, so I figured this was a good opportunity. Elly was leading Greggie and the others in a late-night jazzercise workout. Yew had a curious look, so I encouraged her to join.


    She looked so happy-- that smile she wore was so worth it.


    ¡°Are you surprised? I see it in your face,¡± said Quella. She hugged her tome. The faint flames flickered off her glasses like animated stained glass.


    ¡°Forgive me for being abrupt, but is dancing for exercise common in your world?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it is. It¡¯s an easy, fun way to get out and move. Elly¡¯s an idol, so they often have to sing and dance for hours. It¡¯s incredibly taxing on the body.¡±


    ¡°I see... The closest equivalent would be...opera? It¡¯s a dramatic work often set to music and comes in multiple acts. The next would be...plays, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°We have those in our world. I guess similar culture can be found almost everywhere.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. There are only so many ways for mortal kind to entertain themselves, but I have not heard of idols before.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a concert,¡± explained Quella. ¡°It¡¯s like an opera, but there¡¯s often no story or theme. It¡¯s a musician singing on stage for their fans. Elly once played at a music festival that sold over 500,000 tickets. It lasted a week.¡±


    Sera¡¯s eyes went wide at the number. ¡°Did she play every day?¡±


    ¡°No. Every artist performed their chosen block.¡±


    ¡°How long was Elly¡¯s?¡±


    ¡°Three hours,¡± casually said Quella. ¡°It was winter, but the stage lights made it hot. They wanted an encore, so she returned and played for another thirty minutes. The group after her had gotten car sick from the bus ride, so they had to kill time somehow, and Elly sang for another forty minutes. She had the longest performance, albeit not by personal choice.¡±


    ¡°Bus...ride?¡±


    ¡°Do you know about automobiles?¡± Sera shook her head, and Quella detailed a summary of them.


    At least that¡¯s the same between our worlds.


    ¡°Electric vehicles? Is that your world¡¯s version of mana? You mentioned discovering it with lightning, and...¡± Sera snapped her fingers and danced a small lightning bolt from hand to hand before dissolving it.


    ¡°Hmm... Yes, you could say it. This is only scratching the surface, but electricity in our world is the ability to control nearly massless particles of atoms invisible to the naked eye. We use the generated energy to power mechanical devices. We have generators that use gasoline to fuel an internal combustion engine, which creates a current. So, the engine spins a shaft and rotates an electromagnet called an armature. That¡¯s inside a magnetic field called stator, which generates electricity through the copper wiring.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Ahh...¡± Quella nervously chuckled and scratched her chin. ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had to explain something. I guess I went a little too technical with it. I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be!¡± Sera¡¯s ears perked up and wiggled. ¡°I think it¡¯s amazing you come from a world like that. I don¡¯t often have the chance to speak with Soul Warriors, and I¡¯ve always envisioned what other realities must be like.¡±


    ¡°Really?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I... Errm... As a Vredi... I don¡¯t often make public appearances. I will if I must after casting illusion magic to hide my face, but we prefer to reside in the shadows."


    ¡°Do you often assist with the Lord Conference?¡±


    ¡°Sometimes,¡± Sera answered me. ¡°Never in a public-facing role.¡±


    ¡°Does Lord Amos attend?¡±


    ¡°Lord Amos? He...doesn¡¯t. Although we aren¡¯t sure if he¡¯s alive. No one¡¯s heard from him in a long time.¡±


    ¡°Did you know Lord Sajun?¡± inquired Quella.


    ¡°Mmm...¡± Sera nodded. ¡°Lord Enele often treated him as a brother, yet it was comical since Lord Sajun looked old enough to be his grandfather. He became a Holy Lord rather late in his life. I was at the funeral, you know. Hidden with cloak and illusion magic, but I was there. It felt like a part of Lord Enele died that day. The two were really close.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m almost certain Meruria¡¯s behind his death,¡± I said. ¡°She must be. A scheming, flea-ridden wench like her had to have been involved.¡±


    I knew she was because she had told Remy! And I had her memories!


    I couldn¡¯t reveal that, though. Quella knew, but not Sera. She¡¯d ask how, which would add another lie.


    I didn¡¯t want that. I wanted my lies to be minimal¡ªif possible.


    ¡°That¡¯s likely to be true. I...¡± Quella sighed. ¡°Even a second is far too long to spend with someone as despicable as her.¡±


    ¡°Your feelings burn bright. Forgive me if you¡¯d rather bypass the topic, but what exactly did Meruria do to make you hate her so much?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind discussing it.¡± Quella looked at me. ¡°Meruria... She is someone who thrives on control. If something exists, it must answer to her. And if it answers to her, it must be loyal and imperishable, much like a puppet master controlling their dolls. Meruria holds our strings. We dance to her tune...and we kill for her.¡±  Quella summarized what was forced upon her after manifesting her Soul Weapon. ¡°I used to cry at the sight of blood, but now I¡¯m used to seeing it. It¡¯s normalcy in the barest definition. I don¡¯t feel much because it¡¯s me or them. I don¡¯t want to die anymore, so it has to be them.¡±


    Sera¡¯s face went aghast with disgusting bile. ¡°I¡¯ve heard the rumors of her barbaric depravity. People speak, and whispers travel along the wind, but to hear it recanted first hand?¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s more. Meruria killed someone we knew in front of us.¡±


    ¡°A fellow Soul Warrior?¡±


    Quella nodded. I...was fine. I¡¯d accept what had happened. Yes¡ªMeruria had thrown me into the void, yet I would not have nightmares about it. It wasn¡¯t taboo because I could not deny what had happened.


    ¡°To be honest... I didn¡¯t know Shuuta that well. Most of us didn¡¯t. He wasn¡¯t alone, of course. He had Greggie and Keeth. And Shuuta had a friend named Will. He never spoke of his home life, though. No one really knew why he attended Mekka Academy. He didn¡¯t excel in any category, even though the academy only permitted the best. Things were going fine until he opened his Soul Crystal. It''s just... Nothing emerged.¡±


    Only the best, huh? I need to hold my tongue. Just keep it in, Mila. The truth can be divulged later.


    ¡°Nothing?¡±


    ¡°Nothing. A 0-Star Soul Warrior.¡±


    ¡°Lord Enele once mused theories about something lower than a 1-Star Soul Warrior. So, it is true?¡±


    ¡°It is.¡± Quella unfolded her legs and tried to get more comfortable. She adjusted her robe and continued. ¡°The opposite is true. Tokko and Mia breached the limit and became 6-Stars. Their Soul Weapons each have two forms.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...something else Lord Enele had theorized. I once helped him look through the records in Aquanis¡¯s grand library. Unfortunately, we did not find proof.¡±


    ¡°To continue, Meruria gave Shuuta a challenge. He had to achieve Soul Evolution within three days, but the vile bitch went back on her word. She held a sham trial and used magic to make it seem like we desired his sacrifice. Will purposely turned against his friends of his own accord to impress Meruria. She restrained while Shuuta died. Team Quella... We¡¯re the ones who argued back. Ignoring orders beget punishment. That¡¯s why she treats us like manure. We''re bodies she throws at a problem."


    ¡°That¡¯s so horrible... I... That¡¯s not right, Quella. No one should receive that kind of treatment!¡±


    ¡°I had nightmares for so long I had forgotten what it felt like to sleep,¡± Quella continued. ¡°Until we arrived at Aetos Village. It was hurting, but the forest was still so beautiful that I... finally found peace in my dreams. I know I¡¯m from another world, Sera. Yet I feel much more attached to Aetos Village than Junsa or Cridia. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªJunsa had some good people who saw us for us. Elly was popular with them, too. And we spent so much time with them. Yet... Most died in the ambush from Uquenia. We walked around Junsa, but...¡± Quella didn¡¯t finish. She didn¡¯t have to since her expressions said it all.


    Sera changed the subject after a moment of silence. ¡°Meruria is a woman who flaunts her trophies. I¡¯m certain she¡¯ll display her Soul Warriors at the coming Lord Conference. That''s when she''ll officially announce her 6-Stars.¡±


    ¡°That conference will be her demise, Sera,¡± I said, thinking about the plan. "The showcase of power will backfire."


    ¡°Violence is forbidden, Sister. Not even I can protect you if you break the rules.¡±


    ¡°Who said anything about fighting?¡± I smirked. ¡°Physical confrontation will not be necessary, for that awful woman thinks I am dead. Yet you can see...¡± I held Sera¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m alive as ever. One day, Sera, I¡¯ll gather the courage to tell you what happened. I¡¯m...not ready. The fresh wounds haven''t yet haven¡¯t healed.¡±


    ¡°It hurts my heart when you speak like that. My mind automatically assumes the worst. I¡¯m sorry you suffered by her hands. I wish I was there to save you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. What happened to me was not your fault. Please, believe me when I say that.¡±


    ¡°I...¡± We looked at Quella. ¡°I just want her to suffer as she made us suffer. I want her to endure Shuuta¡¯s torture and...just die. She¡¯s truly awful. No one has a soul stained with more sin than her. I told Lord Springfield this, but it felt like this day was only a dream. I thought we¡¯d be under her shackles until she threw us to the grindstone. And...you know... We could¡¯ve fought. We could¡¯ve rebelled. It might¡¯ve ended in failure and worst fates, but we¡¯d have fought to the bitter end. Yet there¡¯s actually a viable path for that rotten bitch to get her comeuppance.¡±


    ¡°Her team isn¡¯t aware of what we have planned,¡± I said, looking Elly¡¯s way. They weren¡¯t within earshot.


    ¡°Why not?¡±


    ¡°Tris¡¯s advice. She¡¯s my tactician and planner. It¡¯s not because we don¡¯t trust them¡ªwe do. It¡¯s that they aren¡¯t anywhere as powerful as we are. Perhaps Ami has the closest potential. Greggie can fight on the front lines, but that''s not his role. His abilities lean more for support with the skill to enchant his food with permanent buffs to your physical, dexterity, and magical attributes.¡±


    ¡°It hurts to keep it a secret,¡± added Quella, who continued my little white lie. ¡°Still, it¡¯s for the best.¡±


    ¡°I suppose I can¡¯t disagree. I¡¯m certain you have a plan.¡±


    ¡°I do. Meruria''s failure to ascertain my death will be her downfall. I know her deepest secrets. I¡¯ve experienced that vile woman at her worst. Lord Enele can use [Truth Field] or his [Conferment] to verify my words for her peers to hear at the Lord Conference. Rumors will turn into truth, and everything around Meruria will fall apart. I will ruin her life as she destroyed mine. Only death awaits. Violence may be forbidden, but does that apply to decrees given by the Dark Lord of Justice?¡±


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think it does. Lord Enele can¡¯t throw around his power like a toddler throwing a tantrum. It comes with great responsibility that must be handled with delicate care. He will suffer if he misuses it.¡±


    ¡°As I thought. Sera? Can I ask you something?¡± I crossed my legs and rubbed my flute. ¡°Do you still trust me? Do you think I¡ªwe can do this? Even when I¡¯m staying mum about most things?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s less my trust in the plan and more of my trust in you. I said it before, but I won¡¯t press you to reveal what Meruria did to you. I won¡¯t let you relive that awfulness to sate my curiosity, Sister. I vow you will have my assistance. I will not lose another Vredi. That extends to Yew, too. Look at her happiness... That smile... That childlike wonder... It deserves to be protected. Yew¡¯s heart mustn¡¯t face the cruelty this world emits, but that¡¯s a nai?ve dream.¡±


    ¡°Then call me a nai?ve fool,¡± I said. Sera lightly giggled.


    ¡°Your family is all that you¡¯ve said and more. Irisa¡¯s a lovely girl who oozes friendliness. Ichiha¡¯s so motherly, and Kokan enjoyed his conversation with Lord Enele.¡±


    ¡°Erin?¡±


    ¡°Mmm. The girl fought against her timidness and opened up. She¡¯s a strong girl, Mila. Erin''s more courageous than she thinks. Chax and Ginnie are the perfect companions for her. Although I can say the same for Longtooth and Kengu.¡±


    ¡°They evolved, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    Sera nodded. ¡°I was surprised and thought an enemy was attacking. Summoners can evoke evolution within their spirits, but for Sekh to do it from so far away? She¡¯s just as mighty as you¡¯ve claimed. Anyway, Ichiha told me about...the incident. Lord Enele offered his help in clearing the truth. It may be uncomfortable to relieve those moments, but her family will realize the truth. How could they not when he uses his [Truth Field]?¡±


    ¡°I hope you¡¯re right, Sister. Just know that you can¡¯t expect to find logic where you should because emotions are naturally illogical. However... It would be nice for the family to come together. I¡¯m excited to see them. I hope they¡¯ll accept me as their grandchild.¡±


    Sera assured me they would¡ªI loved her positivity¡ªand used that to transition into a favor concerning the recent attack.


    ¡°Can I teach someone to cast without speaking?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right. Quella?¡±


    ¡°Sera, I¡¯m a 5-Star Soul Warrior. I know I¡¯m powerful, but there was an enemy mage with an orb of silence. I couldn¡¯t do anything. I knew losing my voice was a weakness, but it never hit me until it happened. I...felt so powerless. Yes, I had magic circles, but our relentless enemies stopped me at every turn. Even disregarding their spells to steal our buffs and share them amongst themselves... One truth remains--it¡¯s that I should¡¯ve been more prepared. It¡¯s another failure that shames me.¡± Quella¡¯s hands were shaking from how tightly she formed her fists.


    She was always hard on herself. She¡¯d been failing one after another since being summoned, shattering her family¡¯s motto more than a dozen times.


    Some things remained the same between verifiable reality and the fake backstory Meruria used for our ''world.'' Of course, it''d be the cruel shit.


    ¡°Voiceless casting, mental casting, silent casting... It goes by many names, yet one thing remains the same¡ªit is, by far, the most difficult method to learn, let alone master. Yet you are determined, Quella. Your eyes show no evidence of hesitancy, so you are willing to endure much in your pursuit. Still,¡± Sera said as she smiled. ¡°You bled for Aetos Village, and I said I would repay you. So, I am happy to be your instructor! I¡¯ll teach you how my sister taught me. However...¡±


    Sera nervously bit her lips.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked.


    ¡°May we delay the start until tomorrow? That will give us something to pass the time with while we travel.¡±


    ¡°Of course, that¡¯s fine. Elly and the others may want to learn as well.¡±


    ¡°Then I shall extend the opportunity to them. It is the least I could do, after all.¡±

 Chapter One-Hundred-Three: Traveling – Part Two

    Chapter One-Hundred-Three: Traveling ¨C Part Two


    While Mila conversed with Quella and Seraphina around the campfire, I went with Tilde and Tris to look after Niva. The surgery had long since been finished, yet she was still soundly asleep. Although I could not claim to know what kind of slumber she was experiencing.


    It could¡¯ve been pleasant¡ªwith fond memories surrounding her to ease her into awakening.


    Or it could¡¯ve been awful¡ªnightmares to punish her for what she thought were her failures.


    I hoped it was the former. The girl was strong¡ªmore stubborn than most who had endured her hellish past, but she did not deserve to be hard on herself.


    Primrose had exhausted herself with worry, so we convinced her to recuperate with a nap. Lei joined her, the slime wiggling softly between her arms as she warmed her summoner. Primrose¡¯s lethargy quickly escorted her to sleep.


    ¡°A lot has happened, huh?¡±


    ¡°More than a lot,¡± replied Tilde.


    ¡°I...talked with the curse.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It happened almost immediately after Surtr entrapped me in the coffin. It manifested and taunted me, and we fought...and fought...and fought... It showed me what I had forgotten¡ªthings the curse will never let me forget.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll do the same for the happy memories. Remember, you saved lives. The you-know-who would¡¯ve left a wake of bodies behind. She¡¯d have killed all who approached. You¡¯re not her. And we¡¯ll never let you be her. You have us, okay? Little Miss AI, me, and Master.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want to be alone again,¡± I confessed. ¡°I never wish to return to that person who sees people as slaves to be used... who sees children as bags of flesh to carve like¡ª¡±


    ¡°Hey!¡± Tilde struggled to move her arm as she thumped me against the helmet. ¡°Stop that.¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯m sorry.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s one step at a time, Lady Sekh. No one is asking for the impossible. Please, rely on us.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Tris. Your words are kind.¡± I stopped and continued. ¡°I have a request. Could you drop the ¡®Lady¡¯ and call me Sekh?¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s what you wish, it shall be done.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Tilde formed a funny face. ¡°That¡¯s it? No arguing back?¡±


    ¡°Why should I? I figured this would happen once Sekh dropped ¡®my liege.¡¯ Besides, forgoing an honorific makes it seem like we¡¯re that much closer. It¡¯s a little positive for me. It''s also something I was secretly hoping for!¡± Tris flashed a charming smile.


    ¡°Well, you have a point. Anyway, guess I¡¯m the only one to call her Master.¡±  Tilde tried to stretch as much as she could. ¡°Seems like me and her have a little something something going on, you know? You¡¯re not jelly, are ya?¡±


    ¡°Mmnn... Acting so haughty? Your first time with Mila had you acting like a quivering virgin. You talk big about your sexual exploits, but you sure fooled me with your innocence.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s different, you know! When you¡¯re small, it¡¯s like... Hey, you¡¯re a fairy. Your bed is about the same size as a hand towel. But when you¡¯re big and tall? When you have the whole bed? And there¡¯s a whole lot more of your lover to grab onto? Then yeah. It¡¯s different. If I recall correctly... You acted like me during your first time. So... Hey, it¡¯s the quivering virgin calling the quivering virgin back. Anyway... Did ya hear?¡±


    ¡°About?¡±


    ¡°My exclusive 100-years, of course!¡± Tilde puffed her chest with pride.


    ¡°You deserve it, don¡¯t you? For working tirelessly for so long.¡±


    ¡°Aww... I was hoping for... I dunno, a different response? I felt like teasing you. Ah¡ªThat¡¯s it! Okay, so I¡¯m still surprised you¡¯ve softened to Mila. It was Master, then my liege, and now Mila? So... What¡¯s next?¡± The wheelchair-bound fairy grinned like a misbehaving cat. ¡°Honey Bun? Sweetie Pie? Baby Girl? Sweetheart? Darling? Fruity Pie? Honey Suckle?¡±


    ¡°You can joke about all you want,¡± I said, chuckling, letting her tease me. I loved these moments, and I wouldn¡¯t trade them for anything. These back-and-forth bits were how we showed our fondness for each other.


    ¡°Maybe, but it¡¯s not a joke, Sekkie. I know what you really want.¡±


    Of course. Tilde likely desires the same.


    ¡°You¡¯re right. That is what I desire. I know approaching the subject won¡¯t hurt. I¡¯m close enough to Mila to know she probably wants something similar. Does it make sense to bring it up? Especially now, when we¡¯re riding to confront Gloria. The timing isn¡¯t right. Our pace will slow down. I should wait until we¡¯ve accomplished our goals.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Sekh...¡± Tilde gently grabbed my hand, and Tris cradled the other one. They squeezed, and I squeezed back. ¡°I don¡¯t really have any advice for you this time. You¡¯re a grown woman. I know what your heart must feel, but only you can really understand it. For the record... I don¡¯t think you¡¯re necessarily wrong about waiting. I¡¯d do the same if I was you.¡±


    ¡°Will it...change our relationship?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Why would it? You¡¯ve seen the memories. We discussed we¡¯re not just dating her¡ªwe¡¯re dating each other. It¡¯s a... Well... I think I called it a throuple, but it should be called a quadrouple since we''re like four peas in a pod. Maybe a power quad? Anyway, we¡¯re in it for the long haul. All for one and one for all, ya know? Master wants us to go on little dates with each other. I want the same, too. What we have is special. It makes our relationship unique and that much stronger. So, no. Little Miss Worrisome shouldn¡¯t worry about this. Take it from me. I am older than you. Probably. Maybe...¡±


    ¡°Oh, such an ancient being that¡¯s so incredibly old must be wise beyond her years,¡± joked Tris.


    ¡°Hmm... Yep. You¡¯re damn right I am! Don¡¯t you forget it, missy. Eh? What¡¯s with that look, Sekh?¡± Tilde touched a finger to my helmet.


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can see through my helmet.¡±


    ¡°No. I can¡¯t. But you¡¯re lost in thought about something. I¡¯m a people person, you know. So... What¡¯s up? What¡¯s bothering you?¡±


    ¡°My family. The one this incarnation was born to.¡±


    How long has it been since they entered my mind?


    ¡°When I think about what I want... What would my mother and father think? What about the maid that joined their union? What would they have done?¡±


    ¡°What do you think they would have done?¡± asked Tris. ¡°What specifically are you referring to?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. It¡¯s just... I can¡¯t remember their faces or names. I wish I could, yet I¡¯m only picturing blank images. No¡ªthat¡¯s not true. I see my father¡¯s sword clearly."


    ¡°Bane¡¯s Edge.¡±


    ¡°Yes. That one, Tris. He was so proud of it. I think I remember my father wanting to teach me. That sword defined his legacy and helped him become famous. It¡¯s silly of me to think it¡¯s survived a thousand years, but if it exists? I want to find it. Not to use it. Someone like me shouldn¡¯t sully a great blade like it. I want to bury it, except I can¡¯t remember my birth village¡¯s location. Instead, I¡¯ll find a nice meadow. Maybe one overlooking a cliff? And I¡¯ll build a grave to bury them. I¡¯ll pray they¡¯re at peace...and if they''re gazing down at me... I¡¯ll ask if they¡¯re proud. Mother... Father... The maid... I...¡± My heart twinged. I bit my lips, and as much as I want to shake away those memories...


    I couldn¡¯t. Because those were all I had left for this incarnation. I wanted this one to be the last. When I next died... I desired it to be the end of this godforsaken curse.


    ¡°Still, that¡¯s my dream,¡± I said, squeezing their hands for support. ¡°It¡¯s in two parts¡ªand it¡¯s the second. It¡¯s currently impossible, so it may never be realized. The first? That¡¯s within reach. I can see the day, Tris. Tilde, I honestly think that moment will be the happiest day of my life. However... if you ask any of my victims... They¡¯d proclaim that someone like me would never deserve happiness. Maybe I¡¯d have agreed a few months ago. But after confronting the curse just... I don¡¯t know... It strengthened my desire to be happy. I want to be happy. I want to smile. I want to laugh and cry from joyfulness. Even... Even if that makes me selfish, I want to be selfish for your and Mila¡¯s sake because you three want me to find pride in living. I can¡¯t betray that because you wouldn¡¯t want that for me.¡±


    ¡°Holy shit... You¡¯re definitely not the same.¡±


    ¡°Affirmative. The Sekh from before the initial visit to Aetos Village would have never said that.¡±


    ¡°I know¡ªHey¡ª¡± I quietly exclaimed when Tris hugged me. Tilde couldn¡¯t freely move, so her embrace was lopsided. ¡°The armor¡¯s spiky. Don¡¯t let it hurt you.¡±


    ¡°Eh, Master can heal me if I get cut. Just shaddup and take the hug! I love you, Sekh!¡±


    ¡°I love you, too!¡± chirped Tris.


    ¡°Ah.¡± I softly smiled beneath this precious helmet and hugged them. ¡°I love you guys, too.¡±


    I really, really love them. Don¡¯t worry, Erin. We can hold tails once I return. We¡¯ll have that ¡®super awesome day,¡¯ and do whatever you want. And Irisa... You¡¯ve grown so much, too. You¡¯re taking charge of your life and living for yourself to find your own path. That¡¯s admirable...


    I...


    I couldn¡¯t wait to see the ones I¡¯d grown to cherish...


    *****


    ***** Niva''s PoV *****


    How many times had I died?


    How many times have my prosthetics been ripped off like a child pulling apart a doll?


    I knew the enemies I saw were fabricated by my mind. They were everywhere¡ªall exact copies of the foes I faced with Quella and the others outside the forest. Except there was nowhere to run. Our surroundings were black and devoid of anything except this bloodied, frozen arena that took inspiration from Barbil¡¯s frigid environment.


    ¡°You won''t get me this time!¡± What use was a shout when you couldn¡¯t back up your words? I couldn¡¯t duck the metal club and was thrown back. Another jumped on my chest and cruelly ripped my arms...


    I was dead for the umpteenth time.


    But I was back--- it was like everything had reset, and I was facing down that army for what felt like the thousandth time.


    Yet I died. Primrose wasn¡¯t with me, and my staff wasn¡¯t enough to wipe them out. The group taunted me when I was strung up and cut from neck to belly, my innards spilling like a gutted fish. The pain was there, but it would be over soon. The agony doubled, the anguish taking turns pulling my prosthetic leg, and I died immediately after.


    Except I was back--- in the same place¡ªfacing the same ones I¡¯d failed to kill.


    ¡°Is this all a disgusting freak like you can handle?¡± The voice froze me solid. It belonged to someone who shouldn¡¯t be alive. I looked up and saw a phantom Noelia floating. Her smug expression made me growl as I gritted my teeth.  ¡°You couldn¡¯t kill me. A coward like yourself can¡¯t amount to anything without leaving the dirty work to the others. You didn¡¯t save yourself¡ªthat chimera took pity. You didn¡¯t get those limbs¡ªshe paid someone to make them. You didn¡¯t get Primrose because you were special¡ªAetos wanted to turn you against them. Can¡¯t you tell? You¡¯ve accomplished nothing. You have no merit.¡±


    ¡°Ohohohoho!¡±


    ¡°...¡± I had no words for Gloria¡¯s phantom form. It appeared like a floating apparition.¡° Does the cat have your tongue, girl? The world embodies the strong. The weak deservingly give up everything to their superiors. Isn¡¯t that what you¡¯re doing? You cannot compare to the chimera, so you turn over like a loyal hound to show her your belly. She treats you like a pet. Why else would she continue to have you in her service? The one who has the Dark Lord of Tyranny and a 5-Star Soul Warrior has no need for someone of your lacking talent. You¡¯ve accomplished nothing by yourself. Tell me, Niva. What have you done with your life? What can you look back on with pride that hasn¡¯t involved anyone¡¯s help?


    ¡°...¡±


    The ghastly form of the Mesalitos¡¯s family head appeared behind her, scowling, grinning, and laughing at me.


    ¡°You cannot answer, can you? Because the answer is nothing,¡± said Gloria. ¡°You¡¯re so inconsequential to this world that your life or death shall not affect the flow of anything. You¡¯re forgettable¡ªa magnet for pity because you¡¯re useless to everyone you¡¯ve met.¡±


    This wasn¡¯t real. I knew it wasn¡¯t. I wasn¡¯t that Niva anymore¡ªthe one who thought herself the worst. I... Mila kept me around because she liked me. I didn¡¯t have to prove anything to her¡ªjust to myself. Those insecurities were manifesting, and I wouldn¡¯t fall for them!


    ¡°Go away!¡± I screamed, raising my staff.


    The illusions laughed at me and vanished, and the army I had fought and failed to defeat so many times charged like a stampede...


    *****


    *****


    ¡°Ahh...¡± Suddenly... I wasn¡¯t in my dreams. My mind hadn¡¯t been my prison. I was in a tent of some kind, and as I instinctually moved my arms and legs...


    I can feel everything... Another surgery, then?


    I...didn¡¯t know what to feel as I sat up, the covers gently falling to my lap as I touched my robe.


    I should¡¯ve been happy to be alive.


    Yet...


    A small part felt disappointed. It was a part I never wanted to acknowledge because it no longer defined me. After seeing and experiencing miracles I could only dream of...


    Why did the me I used to be stubbornly cling to what I wanted to become? Why couldn¡¯t I outrun that coward and embrace this new me?


    Primrose was asleep to my left, curled into a ball as she hugged Lei between her arms. Slowly, I got out of bed and nearly stumbled, but I caught myself with my nearby staff.


    Easy, Niva... Easy... There¡¯s the flap.


    I was like a turtle¡ªlimping a little at a time while trying to be quiet. Upon leaving the tent...


    I realized it was on the back of a wagon. I saw another large one in the distance. There were a few more tents and what looked like smoke erupting skyward, but I couldn¡¯t tell if anyone was there.


    ¡°I don''t recommend descending alone in your condition.¡± A voice caused me to look down.


    ¡°You knew I was awake?¡±


    ¡°Affirmative,¡± replied Tris. She extended a hand, and I used her assistance to get down, stumbling again. ¡°Please don¡¯t over-exert yourself." Tris gently grasped my shoulder. She looked me in the eye, her voice silent for a few seconds. ¡°Nothing¡¯s out of place. Your vitals are slightly elevated, but that¡¯s to be expected. Come, would you like to see the others?¡±


    ¡°Y¡ªYes.¡±


    Tris slid her hand down my arm, then gently gripped my fingers while escorting me. We walked around the big tent. As I expected¡ªI saw Mila, someone in lion-like armor who had to be Sekh, and someone who looked like Mila. That had to be Seraphina, but where was Tilde? Wasn''t she here?


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about Tilde?¡± asked Tris as Mila waved.


    It¡¯s like she can read my mind.


    ¡°She¡¯s fine. The nerve damage spread to her body, yet nothing is permanent. She shall return to normal after a week or two of recovery."


    ¡°Where is she?¡±


    ¡°Asleep. Tilde said, and I quote, ¡®A head maid could get used to being pampered like this. I think I¡¯m gonna hit the hay and wake up refreshed and rejuvenated to take on the world.¡¯ She lasted ten seconds before slumber stole her away like a phantom thief.¡±


    ¡°... I¡¯m glad she¡¯s okay.¡±


    ¡°As we all are, Niva. Yet our feelings also apply to you. Look at my lord¡¯s face. She¡¯s so relieved to see you.¡±


    ¡°...¡± I didn¡¯t reply. Instead, I focused on making it to the campfire.


    ¡°How are you feeling?¡± asked Mila. She tapped the seat beside her and helped me sit down.


    ¡°I don¡¯t really know.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re Niva, yes? I¡¯m Seraphina, but you can call me Sera. It¡¯s nice to finally meet you.¡±


    ¡°Umm... It¡¯s nice to meet you, too.¡±


    ¡°Are you hungry?¡± asked Sekh. ¡°You¡¯ve been asleep for a while.¡±


    ¡°Sekh is right. You must eat to regain your strength. Please, do that first, and we¡¯ll talk after,¡± Tris said. She handed me a bowl of chicken soup and a table. I looked at the food and grabbed the spoon. My strength was there, except...


    The spoon was heavier than anything else I¡¯d picked up. I struggled to eat, and my body shivered like I was back in Barbil.


    I just broke down. I dropped the spoon and...and I just cried. I wanted to shout. And scream. And just...let it all out... Something inside me wanted to explode-- it couldn¡¯t be contained.


    Suddenly, Mila tightly held me. My struggles were instinctual, but I didn¡¯t want to push her away. My body did that automatically, and I didn¡¯t stop until she told me something I desperately wanted to hear.


    ¡°I won¡¯t tell you not to cry because that¡¯s wrong. Cry if you want. Scream if you wish. Let it all out, Niva. There¡¯s a barrier of silence around us.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    So...


    I did...


    I screamed...


    I cried...


    I shouted...


    I...


    I unleashed all my innate resentment towards myself, and no one judged me for it.


    *****


    *****


    ¡°Do you feel better?¡± Mila asked, ferrying the spoon to my lips¡ªI couldn¡¯t muster the strength to hold it steady. The soup¡¯s shaky surface reflected my reddened eye. It was sore and tender, but that would fade by morning.


    ¡°A little,¡± I replied, savoring the creamy broth. It was just a little too hot, and I couldn¡¯t help but laugh. ¡°This reminds me of when we met. It was after the first night. We were at the table. I couldn¡¯t move anything, and you fed me.¡±


    ¡°Mmmn. I messed up.  I¡¯m sorry about burning your tongue.¡±


    ¡°It didn¡¯t hurt that much, haha... Umm... Sera? I¡¯m sorry. I¡ª¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t have a hero of Aetos Village apologize, Niva,¡± she sharply said, scooting closer. ¡°I know what you did, and I know your sacrifices.¡± She grabbed my hand and cradled it like a newborn. ¡°That¡¯s why I won¡¯t allow you to finish what you wish to say because you¡¯re my hero¡ªone who risked her life to defend what¡¯s so important to me.¡±


    ¡°A real hero wouldn¡¯t be as weak as me.¡± Immediately, I winced after saying that. Mila furrowed her brow as Tris gave me a look. I couldn¡¯t see Sekh¡¯s face, yet I knew what expression she made. ¡°I know I shouldn¡¯t talk like that anymore. I do. But it¡¯s hard. I worked so hard... Lord Aetos trained us... Keeth even gave me my mobility. I¡¯m the strongest I¡¯ve been, and... And it didn¡¯t matter...¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not your fault. Those enemies took your buffs and turned them into debuffs. You were fighting at a severe disadvantage and still held your own,¡± argued Sera. ¡°That¡¯s something to be prideful about.¡± She paused and continued. ¡°If you¡¯ll allow it... Permit me to become your teacher.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡±


    ¡°Lord Aetos said he taught you and Primrose-- as much as he could in the short time he had.  I consider it an honor to train the summoner and spirit chosen and accepted by the Spirit Lord of Nature and the Eagle Yew. Still... There may be more we can do...¡±


    I was curious about this ¡®more,¡¯ but I didn¡¯t press the topic. ¡°I want to be confident,¡± I admitted. ¡°I¡¯m... I¡¯d be lying if I said I¡¯m still confident.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll help you gain that confidence,¡± said Sera.


    ¡°You¡¯ll have my assistance, too,¡± added Sekh. Mila and Tris echoed their kind words, and it hit me again... just how thankful I was to have them.


    Me.


    Someone like me...


    ...to have people like this...worry and care so much...


    That...made me want to try even harder.


    ¡°Summoner?! Where are you?!¡± I turned around and saw Primrose rush into view. She skidded to a top, looked around, and nervously bit her nails. Lei bounced on her head and made a squeaky noise when he found me. ¡°Summoner!¡± Primrose turned my way and ran until she had her arms around me. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you wake me up?! I was so worried!¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re were sleeping so soundly that... No, that¡¯s not an excuse. I don¡¯t really have one. I¡¯m sorry, Primrose.¡±


    Lei jiggled and squirmed into our embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, too.¡± The slime cried, but Lei didn¡¯t sound that upset. I was sure he forgave me.


    Primrose began feeding me instead of Mila, and I asked where we were going. ¡°The capital? I guess that¡¯s only logical, huh? My past is approaching faster than I thought. I...want to face it. I don¡¯t know if I can. Am I strong enough to confront Gloria and the Mesalitos family?¡±


    Sera said she knew what happened to me. ¡°Mila told me while you were recovering. I¡¯m sorry for the hell you¡¯ve endured by their hands.¡±


    ¡°I was passed around from family to family,¡± I said. I didn¡¯t know why I continued this rough topic. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better to clamber shut?  ¡°The Mesalitos never beat me, but they rarely, if ever, spoke to me. They only saw me as a tool to summon and confined me to solitary loneliness without any acknowledgment.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s so cruel...¡± Seraphina formed two fists. Primrose supported me.


    ¡°Even if someone saw me looking out from the window... They acted like I was less of a person and more of a tool. A tool that lost her usefulness when the spirits refused to answer her summons.¡±


    Even now... I see those people... Standing with weapons raised to kill the poor spirits unlucky enough to answer my call. And for what reason? Torture? To fulfill some sick game or thrill?


    ¡°Abuse is still abuse no matter how you frame it. Gloria, that cruel family, the ones who hurt you, and Hymn will pay for this injustice. This I swear to you, Niva. They will face their comeuppance.¡± The name triggered a faint memory.


    ¡°Have you heard of it?¡± asked Sekh.


    ¡°Yes. Gloria said it in passing, I think. I didn¡¯t think much of it, though.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the organization that had you before the Mesalitos family. Gloria had some tracking compass or something when she came to Ria with Arella, her bodyguard.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right, my lord. She complained about the device because she believed it had malfunctioned.¡±


    [Status Cloak] saved me that day.


    ¡°I cannot promise everything, but Hymn will destroyed,¡± said Mila. ¡°That is non-negotiable.¡±


    ¡°Indeed. The wretched organization shall be wiped from this world with the flames of ruin. What happened to you shall not happen to anyone else. Do you have a plan?¡± Sera looked at Tris.


    ¡°A couple,¡± said Tris. ¡°Although nothing is set in stone until I acquire more information.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m curious to hear what you come up with. Anyway... It is getting late.¡± Sera stretched and stood. She waved her staff and created a tiny crystal that hovered about forty feet away. ¡°That¡¯s a teleportation beacon. It holds our coordinates.¡±


    ¡°Are you leaving?¡±


    ¡°For the moment,¡± Sera answered Sekh. ¡°I must check in with Lord Aetos to see how the village is fairing. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll return before breakfast. Ah, Niva. I¡¯ll discuss something with Lord Aetos that may accelerate your training. I¡¯m certain I¡¯ll return with good news, so please look forward to it!¡± She smiled, wiggling her ears.


    ¡°We¡¯ll wait for your return,¡± said Mila. She waved Sera goodbye as she raised her staff and vanished in a volley of soft green lights.


    ¡°Now that she¡¯s gone,¡± said Tris. ¡°We can catch you up to speed on what has happened.¡±


    I learned about Remy, the fight within the Spiritual Grove, how the Eagle Yew used all it had to help Mila, and how Mila won over her adversary, accomplishing the first step of her revenge.


    ¡°Make no mistake. The Eagle Yew is not gone.¡± Tris opened a [Skyview] window of Surtr, who sat in a nearby tent. A little girl with blond hair laid against his flaming fur. ¡°She reincarnated herself much like Sekh.¡±


    ¡°The village is gone, though.¡±


    ¡°It is, but it has not ended. It¡¯ll live, Niva. Aetos will create another village once he can plant his roots,¡± said Mila.


    ¡°...¡± I soon finished dinner, and Primrose handed me warm tea that soothed my dry throat.


    ¡°Does it make me a coward if I¡¯m afraid?¡± I suddenly asked.


    ¡°You should already know the answer,¡± replied Sekh.


    ¡°I guess I do. Cowardice doesn¡¯t automatically mean fear. I think...I said I wanted to stand by you when you confront Gloria, but... Right now... And I know this is a me problem, but I¡¯ve never felt weaker or more pathetic than I do now.¡± Mila opened her mouth. ¡°I know. I know. I know what you¡¯re about to say. I promise I do. I... Tilde said becoming stronger takes time, but what do you do when you don¡¯t want to be patient? The answer is to be patient. Still...¡±


    I formed two fists and gripped them, shaking like a nervous mess. I tried my hardest to smile because the answer was there. It had always been there. I was surrounded by the smartest, strongest, most capable people... ¡°Times like these... I have to be positive... Because I¡¯m not the old me. It¡¯s fine to cry. It¡¯s fine to scream as long as I strive for the future and look at the coming dawn...but that¡¯s so hard, Mila. It feels like it¡¯s the hardest thing to do...¡±


    Mila rubbed my head and smiled. Sekh touched my hand, and Tris brushed my hair from my eyes as Lei rubbed against me. I already knew what they would say. They were aware of that as well.


    This was a me situation. The problem came from within, and the solution had to come from within. I could get all the help in the world, yet it wouldn¡¯t amount to anything if I wasn¡¯t willing to put in the effort.


    ¡°We¡¯ll get stronger together,¡± whispered Mila. ¡°Prim, can you take her to the tent?¡± Primrose nodded and stood.


    ¡°Sleep is the best cure for a mind like yours,¡± said Tris. ¡°I promise you¡¯ll feel better in the morning.¡±


    I took Primrose''s hand, but not before stumbling to Mila and hugging her. Sekh¡ªeven though she was the feared Dark Lord of Tyranny...


    She didn¡¯t throw me away. She didn¡¯t push me back¡ª no, she gently rubbed my back. ¡°I¡¯m proud to call you an ally,¡± she whispered. ¡°You¡¯re a precious friend.  You¡¯ve suffered in a world that has tried so hard to kill you, yet you¡¯re still here. You¡¯re a survivor, Niva. Don¡¯t ever forget that.¡±


    Sekh¡¯s tone was true. She really, truly meant those heartfelt words.


    I hugged Tris, and the three wished me a good night¡¯s rest as I hobbled away with Primrose and Lei.


    Only I could defeat my biggest enemy¡ªmyself. I could get help, assistance, and advice, yet the effort had to come from within.


    The first step was to confront part of my past.


    I¡¯ll force you to look at me, Gloria. I won¡¯t... I will not let fear stop me.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria’s Ruins– Part One

    Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria¡¯s Ruins¨C Part One


    It was before breakfast the following morning, and only Sekh, Tilde, Tris, and I were up. My beloved maid figured she¡¯d best get a start on her physical therapy to get it out of the way, so she sat, nestled and comfy in her wheelchair, focusing on her wrist mobility.


    Sekh had said an all-nighter or three wouldn¡¯t harm her, so she remained awake to spend time with us. Besides, it wasn¡¯t like Tris and I needed to sleep.


    ¡°So...¡±


    ¡°So what?¡± I asked Tilde. She bit her lips, resting her hands on her blanket-covered lap.


    ¡°I mean... Do you wanna talk about it? The others are asleep. You can use that spell to make a sphere of silence, so... I ain¡¯t gonna force it out of you, Master.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s...almost something I¡¯m glad I found out,¡± I admitted. ¡°Knowing we came from individual realities instead of one massive fucked up world kind of gives me faith that some timelines aren¡¯t as messed up as this shit hole. I can¡¯t say the same about all the ones I know, but some seemed somewhat pleasurable.¡± Immediately, the world Greggie and Keeth originated from, along with the one Ami and Elly came from, materialized. Those two realities were the most ¡®normal¡¯ when you stretched that definition. Lori and Ann¡¯s world probably rested on the opposite side of the spectrum, with everyone else along that axis.


    ¡°I¡¯m not talking about that. I mean about you. Specifically... What you had to do. And...what...happened...¡±  Tilde scrunched her face and didn¡¯t know how to approach the topic.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to tiptoe around it. My parents sold me to an affluent piece of shit named Marshall Doctrinae because they were tired of living in poverty. I found solace in killing them whenever the drugs wore off because that was the only ounce of freedom I had. At some point... He changed my name to Shuuta... I made it home, and I shot those two sons of bitches between the eye without...feeling anything.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Mia saw it. She was there. The shrewd shit stain had always been distant. I remember it clearly¡ªsomething was wrong with her. She only acted her age in front of our parents, but the girl was a genuine psychopath. It¡¯s like she lived for chaos. She grabbed proof of the abuse, blackmailed the bastard to make it look like a murder-suicide, and set up a deadman¡¯s trigger to release the documents if something happened to us using some website. It wasn¡¯t out of kindness. She saw me as a pathway to achieve her dreams. Her sisterly affection was as wide as the ocean and as deep as a drop of water. She loved nothing and no one except herself. Even my therapy was orchestrated by those two to make me lock everything away in the darkest pits of my mind.¡±


    ¡°It makes you wonder how a monster could be born like that. Some people... Some people are dealt a fucked hand. Some accept the cards and even embrace them. Those are the scary ones.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t wrong. Mia skyrocketed from there. That wealth was a drop in the bucket for Marshall, but it granted Mia all the goddamn opportunities in the world. And there was me¡ªpoor little Michael¡ªunaware of the truth. Unaware of what I had done. You know, she¡¯s the one who convinced me to enroll in the same college. She bribed the admission council since she was the youngest to join the physics graduate program. It¡¯s funny. That part¡¯s not a lie. She¡¯s really a prodigy...¡±


    Sekh grabbed my hand. Tris hugged me from behind. Tilde forced herself to touch my knee.


    ¡°The bitch had her hands in my admission to the marksmanship club. She knew what I had done with that gun, and... Mia relished in the control she had over me. She knew...and me using the weapon that freed her from our parents¡¯ restrictive bindings... No wonder Meruria took a liking to her. They¡¯re cut from the same cloth. Is it ironic we were summoned when she was treating me at the mall? My naivety couldn¡¯t see the forest for the trees. That¡¯s how tightly she had me wrapped around her little finger. But...¡±


    ¡°But...¡± Tilde egged me to continue.


    ¡°What happened...happened. I can¡¯t change it. I was still abused. I still killed my parents. Knowing the truth won¡¯t change how I feel. If anything, it makes me that much more determined to see that bitch die. Besides, I knew I wasn¡¯t normal.¡± I closed my eyes, and the ¡®scene¡¯ vividly appeared. The yelling... The shouting... The begging... The smoke erupting from the barrel... The blood splattered against the wall... Those eyes as the life faded from their bodies... And the total...nothingness...I felt killing for the first time.


    Maybe... Maybe I was always meant to be broken...


    My sexual abuse and those drugs contributed to my erectile dysfunction, but I had thought I was asexual. I never really felt anything remotely related to lust before meeting Sekh. And...


    ¡°I hate it. Meruria controlled everything. My anger? My outburst? She wrote the script and forced me to star for her pathetic amusement. It was artificial¡ªthat¡¯s how she designed it. Except it became genuine. It¡¯s the fuel keeping me going. It¡¯ll become her downfall.¡±


    My loved ones squeezed me. Their affection... Their care... Their worries...


    I smiled. ¡°I swear I¡¯m fine, you guys. I know well enough to not let it stew inside me. I won¡¯t hide anything from you. Tris can verify that. She knows me more than I know myself.¡±


    Tris kissed my cheek. ¡°I do, my lord. I know you speak true.¡±


    ¡°I won¡¯t say I¡¯m completely fine. Maybe I¡¯ll have a nightmare. Maybe I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll cross that road if we come to it, so until then... I¡¯ve accepted what happened. It¡¯s not something I want to focus on since the past is literally left in another world. Focusing on it will only cause unnecessary heartache.¡±


    ¡°Your plan, Mila. Will you still reveal the truth at the Lord Conference? Even if it means...


    ¡°I will,¡± I answered Sekh, rubbing her armored hands. ¡°I¡¯ll lay it all on the line even if it meant becoming ¡®Shuuta Fenton¡¯ one last time. Meruria¡¯s Soul Warriors will know how much they were deceived.  And then I¡¯ll never think about it again because it¡¯ll have no place in my life. Because I¡¯m not Michael or Shuuta. I want nothing more than to be Lyudmila Vredi Springfield. Besides, finally knowing the truth won¡¯t change anything, will it? It¡¯s not you¡¯ll treat me differently.¡±


    ¡°Oh, Master...¡± Tilde leaned forward, touching her forehead to mine, and relaxed in silence since words weren¡¯t needed. Our actions spoke¡ªthat was all we needed until dawn approached.


    *****


    *****


    Greggie was the first to wake. He emerged from his tent with a mighty stretch and began preparing breakfast after saying good morning. Tilde, unable to help in any meaningful capacity, observed to learn as Tris assisted him. Yew and Surtr made their appearance. She yawned, adorably rubbing her eyes while sniffing.


    ¡°Smells good, yeah? Wanna help us out?¡±


    ¡°Eh? Is that okay?¡± Yew looked to Greggie, who nodded. He flashed a bright smile and waved her on over.


    It didn¡¯t take long for deliciousness to radiate around the camp, which lured Niva, Prim, and Lei from their tent.


    ¡°Feeling better?¡± I asked Niva.


    She rubbed her arm and looked at the campfire. ¡°I...don¡¯t really know. I¡¯ve been up for almost twenty minutes, but I couldn¡¯t go back to sleep. I...feel... It¡¯s¡ªit¡¯s hard...¡± Niva stuttered. She kept wanting to look away like she was compunctious.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be ashamed,¡± I said, patting her head. She met my eyes. However, I couldn¡¯t say anything else because we were interrupted by a sudden gasp.


    ¡°Eh? Niva?!¡± We turned to another tent and saw an idol¡¯s head poking from the flap. She quickly wiped her eyes before ducking inside.  ¡°Hey, Ami! Qutie! She¡¯s up.¡±


    Seconds later, the cousins scrambled to hug Niva, proclaiming how happy they were to see her awake. Elly then darted away and returned with Keeth, whose expression seemingly melted at seeing his patient.


    ¡°Your hands. Did...¡±


    ¡°They don¡¯t hurt, so please don¡¯t worry about it.¡±


    ¡°I used healing magic before I went to bed last night,¡± added Quella. Mary and Melusine were behind her. ¡°Elly rubbed that cream on him, too.¡±


    The group sat, and as Greggie and Tris finished breakfast preparation, Keeth informed Niva about the quick latch release system. ¡°This new method is different. The nerves aren¡¯t ¡®connected,¡¯¡± he began to explain. ¡°Consider them two separate parts. You have your arm nerves and the cluster coming from your shoulder. They¡¯re ¡®meeting¡¯ here-- where the latch lies. Flicking this up...¡±


    Click!


    ¡°...separates the mechanism,¡± he said, removing Niva¡¯s arm. She winced, but it didn¡¯t hurt. ¡°It¡¯s not so much as severing them as it is slightly moving one cluster a hair¡¯s width away. Electrical pulses transmit commands from our brains to our limbs via our nerves. Having them touch is ideal, although it¡¯s unneeded if they¡¯re extremely close together.¡±


    The explanation went over Niva¡¯s head as she practiced latching her arm, remarking how she felt no pain or discomfort. Niva inquired more about how it worked, and Tris and Quella took over while Keeth relaxed. I knew he was worried. His sleep wasn''t restful, but things would be different come evening now that he had no convalescent to worry about.


    Breakfast was soon served, and we happily ate a delicious meal of eggs, omelets, and pancakes¡ªwith Sekh choosing to hold off. She had breakfast while everyone else had been asleep.


    ¡°So... What now?¡± asked Elly, giving drinking her water. ¡°Do we wait for Sera?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. It shouldn¡¯t be too long,¡± I replied. Yew was still happily munching on a stack of syrup-covered sugary toast. I couldn¡¯t help but smile her way.


    ¡°You have a morning workout, yes?¡± inquired Tris.


    ¡°Uh-huh. We usually do. Why?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve enhanced [Wooden Gym] to include machines.¡±


    ¡°Machines?¡± Yew asked, licking her lips.


    ¡°In the world of exercise, you have compound and isolation exercises. The former is comprised of movements that work multiple joints and muscle groups. They usually involve free weights like the barbell or dumbbell. The latter focuses on one joint and muscle group. A machine specifically for bicep curls only works the bicep. They aren¡¯t always better than free weights, but they¡¯re important if you wish to focus on a weakened area.¡±


    Tris sent me the updated spell, so I retrieved the flute and played, watching as a section of flat land about thirty feet away was transformed before our eyes. It began with the floor softly vibrating. Roots of rubber formed an intricate pattern for the floor. Next, vines appeared and manifested the equipment. We watched astonished gasps as a fully furnished gym appeared¡ªcomplete with all the amenities¡ªincluding a rest area with tables, chairs, and two changing rooms with showers!


    It had something for everything¡ªeven treadmills, exercise bikes, ellipticals, and a stair climber machine!


    The spell has different levels, my lord. Each takes up a different amount of space, although I¡¯ve set it to automatically adjust based on the given circumstances. There¡¯s not enough space for the unrestricted variant with everything [Wooden Gym] has to offer. That one would ¡®blow this joint out of the water,¡¯ as Tilde would say.


    ¡°Ehhh?¡± Elly hopped up. ¡°A squat rack? Leg extensions? That¡¯s a lot of dumbbells!¡±


    ¡°I take it you approve? The spell is modular, so it¡¯s not casting one large spell. It¡¯s casting many smaller ones in sequence to maintain efficiency. For example, I could only manifest the changing rooms. Or I could add more.¡±


    ¡°So we can have showers on demand?¡± asked Ami.


    ¡°Yeppers! So, no more trying to huff it in a cold river or anything like that. Sweet warm water is a spell away. Isn¡¯t my Master so awesome?!¡±


    ¡°Praise will get you everywhere, Tilde.¡± I laughed and rubbed her head.


    "Mila! Mila!¡± Yew tugged at my shirt and pointed like an excited child.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we check it out?¡± The group nodded, and we headed over, feeling an immediate difference between cold, hard ground and the rubber flooring.


    ¡°These machines are very intricate,¡± said Melusine, who kept away from Sekh. The tension was very noticeable for those who knew the truth. She poked the chest press machine¡¯s handgrips and observed the weight stack. Even the pin was formed from wood.


    ¡°How did you know about treadmills?¡± asked Mary.


    ¡°Quella,¡± I replied. The glasses-wearing girl was smart enough to follow my lie.


    ¡°Tris and Lord Springfield asked about improvements to the spell, so I mentioned a few things. I never expected it to be so perfectly reproduced.¡±


    From there, Tris took us on a quick tour, pointing out the various machines and what muscle groups they worked. ¡°Some machines involve a pulley. This lateral pulldown, for example, targets the back. The improper form could hinder rather than help, so I have a solution. Each machine has an indentation near the weight stack. Insert your finger to provide mana, and a low-powered illusion of yours truly will appear to show you how one repetition should look.¡±


    Yew demonstrated the mechanic. In a flash of light, a transparent Tris appeared, showcased the proper form, and vanished.


    ¡°We also have the narrow chest supported row, bicep curl, preacher curl, tricep pushdown, seated dip, seated leg press, leg extension, seated leg curls, and more. If there¡¯s a machine you do not see, describe it to me. I¡¯m certain I can add it to the repertoire.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve missed anything. Except... Maybe a rock wall? Our world had climbing gyms.¡±


    ¡°Rock...wall? Hmm... How about... Ah! That¡¯s it.¡±


    My lord?


    I¡¯m on it.


    A quick note later, an empty section rumbled. The emerging vines folded and intertwined to form a wall, and then additional ones crafted hand and foot holds. It was about 20 feet high¡ªso easily within jumping range for someone like me.


    ¡°I can get stronger by doing this?¡± Niva asked when we neared the dumbbells, bypassing the barbells. Six of those were attached to a machine to pulleys. They were called smith machines. You calculated the weight using dials on the bar''s middle, which ranged from 10 to 1,250 lbs.


    ¡°Indeed.¡± Tris pointed to the counter to the right. The names of different exercises you could do with dumbbells were written, and each held an indentation under it to power similar instructional illusions.


    ¡°There¡¯s more to it than lifting heavy. One must be in a sufficient caloric surplus to adeptly build muscle. Fitness is primarily practiced in the kitchen. I¡¯ve calculated your daily caloric expenditure, but it¡¯ll take two to three days to conclude your calories for maintenance once you begin the workout.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s also important to keep your protein high,¡± added Greggie.


    ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± said Tilde. ¡°I hope you like to eat, girl. Because there¡¯s gonna be a lot of yummy grub coming your way.¡± She side-eyed Greggie, who joyfully laughed. I knew he¡¯d much rather cook for us-- who actually enjoyed his food-- than Meruria¡¯s snobbish nobles.


    ¡°That¡¯s another thing I don¡¯t understand,¡± said Elly. ¡°In our world, you can be hooked to a VO2 machine. Then you run for ten minutes, and the computer processes the info to spit out a number. How are you doing it, Tris? If you don¡¯t mind me asking, that is.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s no intrusion of privacy or anything of the like. I¡¯ve crafted rudimentary spells that only collect specific types of data. I chain them together much like [Wooden Gym], which gives me the highest degree of accuracy when collecting vitals. I didn¡¯t obtain the caloric expenditure formulae until Quella informed me, but that addition wasn¡¯t difficult to implement. Mana is flexible.¡± Tris held a hand and used waypoints to mimic a snow globe disguised as an ice spell. Only Quella knew the truth. ¡°It can do anything provided you know the quirks behind it. Yet it is also...organic? I wouldn¡¯t say it¡¯s prideful, but you must respect the mana. Likewise, it must respect you, too.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...wow.¡±


    ¡°Astonished?¡± Tris puffed her chest with a smile ¡°I enjoy collecting data. I am always learning with every passing moment.  I do not intend to stop anytime soon!¡±


    ¡°Anyway, why don¡¯t we test it out? We don''t have time for a full session, but feel free to get used to the machines.¡±


    ¡°Mmm... Hey, Sekh?¡± asked Tilde.


    ¡°What?¡±


    The recovering fairy rolled to the chest press machine. ¡°Word around town is that you¡¯re kinda strong...¡± She grinned like a cat.


    ¡°You want to test my strength?¡±


    ¡°I wanna see what you¡¯re capable of.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the same thing.¡±


    ¡°Ehhh... Agree to disagree.¡± Tilde shrugged and tapped the seat. Sekh, nonetheless, accepted the challenge and used the illusion function to learn the proper form before adjusting the seat. Yew ran to the rock wall with Ami and Elly and started climbing, her giggles radiating across the open floor as Lei followed.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we start with something like...225lbs?¡±


    Sekh nodded as Tilde set the weight. She inhaled, focused her core, and pushed...


    It wasn¡¯t even a challenge. Neither was 315, 405, or 495. Honestly? It would probably take something in the thousands to be moderately strenuous. Maybe even in the tens of thousands. The same went for myself, who was kind of ¡®cheating¡¯ since I acquired the physical strength of those I assimilated.


    Melusine had navigated to the stair climber. She found it intriguing, listening as Mary showed her how it worked. They weren''t powered by electricity¡ªeverything was mechanically operated using pre-programmed commands inserted into the appropriate spell that drained mana from the user to keep the caster¡¯s cost low.


    That was the power of modular spell-casting. On the other hand, it took someone like Tris to keep everything organized, so not just anyone could handle it.


    ¡°Where does that strength come from?¡± asked Greggie.


    ¡°I cannot claim to have the raw physical power,¡± answered Sekh, pressing 855 like it was nothing. ¡°Remember, this world has mana. Yours does not. Two men living the same life in both realities will have wildly incomparable strength due to the overarching differences. I also possess passive boosts to my strength.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re a Soul Warrior, so you¡¯re getting that bonus,¡± added Tilde. ¡°Along with a few others.¡± She pointed to the shoulder press machine. ¡°Go on. Try it. I bet you could do 765.¡±


    Greggie walked over, sat, focused his core, and...


    ¡°See?¡± Tilde rolled herself over, her face lightly sweating from the effort. She had a week or two before she¡¯d be back to normal. ¡°Big guys like you have a lot of power packed inside.¡±


    ¡°Hmm...¡± Greggie raised it to 945 and did ten more reps.


    ¡°Do you wish to try?¡± Tris asked Niva.


    ¡°Umm... Maybe... Maybe next time. I¡ª¡±


    Suddenly, we felt mana pulse from Sera¡¯s teleportation crystal. It shimmered, releasing a speck of light that formed a small pillar. It grew, and out came Sera, who excitedly waved.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria’s Ruins– Part Two

    Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria¡¯s Ruins¨C Part Two


    "Thank you for the breakfast,¡± said Sera as she took the plate from Greggie. We sat around the extinguished campfire as she told us about the villagers. ¡°They¡¯re adjusting well. It warms my heart to see them return to a life of worrying without fear. Niva.¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Good news. Lord Aetos has agreed to continue your training.¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± asked Primrose. Sera cut into her veggie omelet and took a small bite, her eyes widening at the densely packed flavor.


    Her face flushed crimson, and she returned to the topic. ¡°Lord Aetos trained you in your dreams. Well, he can still do that. It¡¯ll be easier now that he¡¯s been transplanted.¡±


    ¡°What about the distance?¡±


    ¡°I plan to make nightly visits, so you can tag along if you wish.¡±


    Niva looked at me.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a good idea. Lord Aetos is the best teacher you can ask for. I can¡¯t think of anyone better.¡± That was the truth. Who else but the Spirit Lord of Nature to teach the summoner he chose and his daughter?


    Niva wanted a shortcut. Unfortunately, one didn¡¯t exist for her. She wasn¡¯t a chimera. She couldn¡¯t devour her monsters to claim their power.


    The ascension of strength for someone like me was like this. The hill was astronomically steep at first, yet once you passed that first hurdle and acquired some power?


    The opposite occurred.


    Yet for Niva?


    The path would always be steep. Sure, it¡¯d taper off, but it would never decline. She was in for a never-ending uphill struggle. That alone was more than some people could handle.


    I knew Niva had it in her. I knew she did.


    ¡°We should accept the offer,¡± said Primrose, her voice encouraging.


    ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll do that, Sera. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome!¡± Sera¡¯s ears happily wiggled. ¡°Oh, and I¡¯ll obviously help as well!¡± She took a few more bites and finally asked the obvious.


    ¡°It¡¯s an expanded version of [Wooden Gym],¡± I explained.


    ¡°Me and Lei like the climbing wall, don¡¯t we?¡± Yew turned to the happily jiggling slime.


    ¡°How marvelously complex. While I would like to examine it further...we are burning daylight. Sister?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m on it.¡± I stood and played my flute. My ability to cast without speaking wasn¡¯t a secret, except casting via my instrument just...


    It just felt so right.


    The medical wagon and horses vanished, and our transport appeared. Tris walked around camp to store our supplies.


    We entered and took our seats. Well, almost everyone did. Niva stared at my outstretched hand like it was a foreign substance.


    ¡°Actually... Is it okay if I walk? I want to stretch my legs a little more.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. We¡¯re about an hour from Ria, anyway.¡± I whistled, and the wooden horses moved¡ªwith Niva and Prim tagging along. We weren¡¯t in a rush or anything. It was unlikely we¡¯d be warped to the capital immediately upon arriving since teleportation magic was intricately complex when accounting for just one person, let alone a group.


    However, that thinking made me realize something...


    ¡°You don¡¯t know much about Requiesta?¡± asked Sera.


    ¡°Not too much. I primarily spent time in Ria with Irisa, Mom, and Dad. The capital city didn¡¯t much interest me. So, what all do you know? Can you give us a rundown?¡±


    Sera didn¡¯t mind. ¡°Well, it¡¯s a city that focuses on the arts while specializing in music. It has a lot of musical academies and orchestras. Oh, and rumors say Gloria is a tremendous connoisseur of the arts. Almost to a frightening degree.¡±


    ¡°A place of music? Doesn¡¯t that sound fun, Elly?¡± asked her cousin.


    ¡°It does. We aren¡¯t visiting for pleasure, but the city sounds amazing. I definitely wanna come back one day.¡±


    ¡°As you should. My conflict doesn¡¯t lie with the city. It¡¯s with the shrewd woman leading it. Hmm... Ah! I take it you haven¡¯t heard about the bloodied history?¡±


    ¡°Of...what?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t it have to do with the two colleges? Like, don¡¯t they hate each other?"


    "Colleges? I suppose that¡¯s another term for the organizations, Tilde,¡± replied Sera, delving into an abridged history lesson.


    Requiesta was home to the Aria Academy of Melodic Arts and the Harmonia Institute of Sound and Craft.  The two were founded centuries ago, with the former focusing on performing while the latter delved into instrument making. Such a combination should¡¯ve led to a union-- of working together to enhance the other. However, a rivalry soon formed after their establishment because they grew into their niche rather than fostering their weaknesses.


    ¡°Aria Academy prides itself on the purity of music. They view it as an ethereal art form to elevate the soul.¡±


    ¡°I...can almost agree with that,¡± commented Elly. She sat back and crossed her legs. ¡°Music has the power to turn a frown upside down. It can give a lost little girl the courage to follow her dream. In our world, music¡¯s often used in war.¡±


    ¡°Why bring them to the battlefield?¡± asked Sera. ¡°Your world doesn¡¯t have magic.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t,¡± said Mary. It felt nice to see my ¡®teacher¡¯ finally act like one. ¡°The bands would play to lift the soldiers¡¯ spirits. Our world had no magic, so it wasn¡¯t a buff you¡¯d see in a Status Menu.¡±


    ¡°Even with that, music can be a force of its own. The beating of the drums... The triumphant blare of horns. Yeah, music can stir the soul in ways other things can¡¯t and instill a trembling soldier with the courage of a lion to charge into battle,¡± added Elly.


    Sera intently listened to the impromptu lecture and thanked them before continuing to the other aspect of Requiesta¡¯s bloodiest feud.  The Harmonia Institute emphasized the tangible craft behind music, believing that innovation in instruments and sound was the true path to musical evolution.


    ¡°The conflict was non-violent at first,¡± said Sera. ¡°Representatives from the academy and institute would often engage in philosophical debates. That divide was treated with respect, you know. However, it was just a prelude to their forthcoming history. It inadvertently laid the foundation that would etch the two in infamy. Have you heard of The Battle of Sound and Silence?¡±


    ¡°I have,¡± said Tilde after no one raised their hand.


    Of course. My fairy¡¯s almost like an encyclopedia.


    ¡°The two big honchos finally decided to meet on the debate field. Maestro Lucien Aria¡ªthe big boss of the academy, and Artificer Thalor Harmonia¡ªthe big man of the institute, engaged in their first and last public debate. Before this, it was all kinda left to the professors and teachers. If I remember... It took some convincing for the two to confront each other, so it was a big deal when news broke out.¡±


    ¡°You remember correctly, Tilde. It almost sounds like you were present.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s because I was. Had a front seat to the whole shebang, you know.¡±


    ¡°Eh? That was centuries ago.¡± Sera¡¯s surprise was only natural, but her mind had still yet to be blown.


    ¡°Tilde used to hang around Melly and advise her,¡± casually added Ami. ¡°That was a thousand years ago.¡±


    ¡°A thousand?! Tilde, how old are you?¡±


    ¡°Hmm... Maybe not older than you, but I¡¯ve been around the block a few times,¡± said my maid. ¡°Some fairies just live a long time. Consider me one of them.¡±


    So, you¡¯re¡ªWait... Melusine... A Crystal Fairy...¡± Sera looked at the former queen and scrutinized her closely.  ¡°If I recall... There was a kingdom led by a Crystal Fairy. Faedornia, yes?¡±


    ¡°You are correct, Seraphina.¡±


    ¡°How did you survive? I heard the kingdom was cursed.¡±


    ¡°It was,¡± answered Mary. ¡°The world turned it into a dungeon. Umm... Quella? Should we...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. Meruria sent us there for punishment. We met the boss, and to make a long story short, we...kind of broke Melusine from her prison.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    Mary summoned a mana orb¡ªa unique ability given to her by her Soul Crystal. Based on the truth I knew about her...


    That was either a sick, cruel joke or a blessing in disguise. Not even Meruria¡¯s memory tampering could distract Mary¡¯s soul from what it had desperately desired at one point.


    ¡°I can capture monsters. For what it¡¯s worth... Melusine appeared after we discovered the Lore. We talked, and once I realized the world considered her a monster... I chanced it."


    ¡°Mary¡¯s ability transported me to her orb, breaking the force binding me to the dungeon.¡±


    ¡°That should be impossible. I honestly cannot know how an ability like that even exists. Soul Warriors often possess unique power, yet this goes beyond that.¡±


    ¡°Lord Enele said something similar,¡± said Quella. ¡°He said it should be one of our greatest secrets. Melusine¡¯s dungeon''s probably incompletable. The boss won¡¯t spawn if she¡¯s not there.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve met Lord Enele?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. Honestly, he saved our lives. We wouldn¡¯t be here if he hadn¡¯t jumped in to save us from that chimera,¡± Ami added.


    Sera was more perplexed, so she listened to a short summary of what Team Quella had endured¡ªbarring some ¡®not-so-important¡¯ details left unsaid.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry the world''s been so harsh on you.¡± Sera slightly lowered her head as another realization struck her. She looked at Melusine. ¡°How much do you remember?¡± she asked. ¡°About...1,000 years ago?¡±


    ¡°More than I¡¯m comfortable with. I¡¯m certain I know who you are referring to. Yes¡ªthat... ¡®entity¡¯ was responsible for Faedornia¡¯s devastation.¡± Sekh subtly shifted her weight. Her armored hand brushed my palm, and I grabbed it, squeezing softly to reassure her I was right here. Quella saw it, too. She side-eyed Sekh, remaining quiet.


    ¡°Nelly and Kaiho told us a little about her,¡± said Ami.


    ¡°Nelly?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s her nickname for him,¡± Elly explained, citing that Lord Enele liked the sobriquet.


    ¡°Nelly... Hmm... It¡¯s quite charming!¡± said Sera with a slight smile until she changed her tone. ¡°However, since you know she-who-must-not-be-named...¡± Sera narrowed her eyes. I¡¯d never seen her more serious. ¡°You know you cannot carefully discuss her. Lord Amos and his allies worked tirelessly to remove all mention of her from history. The tyrannical shrewd that threatened to destroy the world must be cast away from everyone¡¯s mind. Death is far too gentle and won¡¯t end her life, so we must make her extinct via some other method.¡±


    ¡°Were...you there, Sera? I mean, you...saw what...¡±


    ¡°I did, Ami. Very few who lived through those turbulent times still draw breath. Likewise, when one hears of what happened, one cannot understand the true extent of how close the world came to ending. I will never, ever praise my enemy, but her title was not for show. No one deserved it more than her.¡±


    Sera briefly paused before continuing.


    ¡°However, I¡¯m sure Lord Enele told you about the ''prison.'' The strongest Soul Warriors to have ever existed have given their souls to create a seal that will never be broken. Even if it does, failsafes are in place to keep her trapped. Every possibility has been accounted for.¡±


    All except one. No one expects the void.


    ¡°Anyway, to get back on topic,¡± said Tilde.  ¡°Lucien Aria said music transcended instruments and existed as something ¡®pure¡¯ within the performer¡¯s soul. He argued something could not be called ¡®music¡¯ if it needed something else.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like he was a fan of a cappella.¡±


    ¡°Yep. Pretty much, Greggie. Thalor believed differently. There''d be no purity to express if you didn''t have an instrument backing the vocals. So, they went back and forth without giving any leeway. So it ended in a stalemate. I don¡¯t think they ever yelled at each other. Nor did they start throwing hands. Except...¡± Tilde closed her eyes and focused. ¡°I think they scowled at each other? The debate soured what friendship they had, though. I¡¯m sure they weren¡¯t the same after that since they saw the other as a misguided fool.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s accurate,¡± said Sera. ¡°The next hundred years was called The Dark Century, although I¡¯m unsure why. Everything was adeptly recorded in the history books, so there is little to misinterpret.¡± Sera explained the chaos started as harmless pranks, although I wouldn¡¯t describe them as harmless since monetary damage was far from benign.


    Harmonia¡¯s instruments or sheet music would either be damaged or go missing before critical performances, causing a delay. The perpetrators were always from Aria Academy.


    Likewise, Aria¡¯s grand recitals would be interrupted by audible disturbances. Spells would be used to alter how sound flowed, ruining weeks or months of hard work. Yes, the criminals were from Harmonia Institute.


    One side did something, so the other had no choice but to respond even if upper leadership tried and failed to calm the growing, surging emotions.


    In either case, money was lost due to damages. Eventually, those ''pranks'' became anything but pranks.


    ¡°It started with an assassination attempt on Lady Evelina Aria, Aria Academy¡¯s newest headmaster and granddaughter of its founder. It happened during a banquet. The poison was rare, concocted from numerous ingredients not found within Dirge. It dulls the senses, paralyzes your vocal cords, and numbs your throat. It¡¯s fast and deadly. The newspaper said not even thirty seconds had passed between ingesting and gasping for air. By then? It was already too late.¡±


    ¡°Did she die?¡±


    ¡°Nah. Not from that.¡± Tilde answered Greggie.  ¡°Although she lost the ability to sing. So, for someone like her? It¡¯s worse than death.¡±


    ¡°Being denied something you cherish more than life... Evelina...sadly fell victim to suicide not long after. Unfortunately, the criminals were never found, although it¡¯s commonly believed they were students from Harmonia.¡±


    From there, Aria students attempted to burn Harmonia Institute¡¯s famous Harmony Forge. Their arson was quickly thwarted, and no one died, but those incidents were the start of something violent that assaulted the capital for nearly a century.


    Gloria wasn¡¯t around there. Dirge wasn¡¯t a Divine Country. Even still, it didn¡¯t make sense why it took so long for the city to impose a peace accord or force a truth until you remembered the two colleges ran the place. Money equaled power. I suppose the shadow brokers funding the schools used violence to make even more money, so when they projected that there would be more gold to make if peace was made?


    Only then did it make sense for bygones to be bygones.


    The ceremony was called The Grand Accord. The city¡¯s ruling council¡ªthe bigwigs behind the scenes¡ª ¡®threatened¡¯ to revoke the colleges¡¯ charters if the violence didn¡¯t cease¡ªsomething the citizens had wanted for quite some time. Their complaints had fallen on deaf ears until this point. Tilde almost likened it to a play or skit¡ªthe two heads¡¯ reluctance was probably false. Perhaps the violent rivalry had been genuine, but greed¡ªlike all things¡ªreared its corrupted head and turned the situation into one where money was to be made.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like things are all hunky dory, ya know.¡± Tilde yawned as Sera used a gentle ice spell to cool my fairy¡¯s sore muscles. She¡¯d been doing stretches during the trip. ¡°The two still hate each other. Although I guess ¡®hate¡¯ is a strong word. They¡¯re still rivals. It¡¯s just that murder and poison have been replaced by challenges and bragging rights. You don¡¯t hear about that many raw rights breaking out over two idiots with something foolish to prove. Like... You still hear about a performer getting an upset belly before a big opera, but they¡¯re easily cured. Or maybe a practice instrument is broken an hour before a concert, but it¡¯s just a practice instrument. It¡¯s not something expensive to replace. Heck, the institute has warehouses full of them.¡±


    ¡°Something like a cold rivalry?¡±


    ¡°Yeah,¡± Tilde answered Keeth. ¡°Something like that. The Modern Era: Cold Rivalry and Subtle Sabotage. That¡¯s what I¡¯d call it. Hmm? What¡¯s that look for, Elly?¡±


    The singer sighed and crossed her arms. ¡°It sucks that it had to be bloody. It doesn¡¯t feel right. Music... I don¡¯t think it should be that way.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t have anything like this in your world?¡± I asked.


    ¡°We did. Famous people have egos. If you don¡¯t stroke them... They¡¯re bound to make a scene. Get too many of them together, and fights break out. Those turn into grudges, which evolve into murders. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t think rivals have a place in the industry. It¡¯s the opposite¡ªhaving someone or something to push you harder is just what it needs. Electro Arrow and Bae Blade were rivals. Their joint concert was what really pushed me to be an idol. It¡¯s what sparked my love for music. I owe everything to them because they worked to bring out the best in each other.¡±


    ¡°Electro Arrow? Is that the name of a group?¡± asked Sera. Elly nodded and went into a quick lecture. The girl was like a walking encyclopedia when it came to her icons.


    ¡°Speaking of the academy,¡± I said, jumping in when there was a lull in the conversation. I¡¯d been listening while enjoying the bountiful nature around us. ¡°Kokan¡ªmy father¡ªtaught at one in the capital.¡±


    ¡°What topics?¡± asked Mary. Her interest was piqued.


    ¡°Physical combat, ancient literature, and magic theorization. I don¡¯t know which college he was affiliated with.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s likely one associated with Harmonia Institute. They''re contracted with the guild to set up branch academies on their property, so it must¡¯ve been one of them for those who want to learn combat. That¡¯s impressive, though. Getting that job isn''t easy if you don¡¯t have nepotism giving you a boost.¡±


    He¡¯s really an outstanding man...


    ¡°You mentioned magic theorization,¡± said Sera. Her ears subtly wiggled. ¡°I suppose now we can delve into the mechanics behind casting without speaking. Niva.¡± The elf turned to the summoner and her spirit. ¡°You two should listen because you¡¯ll only benefit from learning.¡±


    Niva and Prim nodded. They¡¯d been mostly quiet throughout our journey.


    They have much to ponder. I can only imagine what¡¯s swirling through their minds.


    ¡°Casting magic, when broken down to its simplest terms, is asking the mana within your body and around you to do something,¡± Sera began. Her voice was calm but focused. She opened her palm.


    ¡°Winds of Vredi, rise and swirl,


    Whisper through the forest¡¯s curl.


    By leaf and root, by sky and stream,


    Orb of wind, fulfill my dream.¡±


    Suddenly, Sera conjures a swirling orb of wind. ¡°In this instance, I asked the mana to form a ball of compressed wind. Notice how it flows. It moves in a continuous, natural rhythm. I didn¡¯t specify any direction; the mana made the decision."


    She canceled the spell, repeated the chant, and another orb formed. This time, it rotated in the opposite direction. ¡°If you don¡¯t provide detailed instructions, the mana will fill in the gaps based on its essence. You might think it defaults to something, but that¡¯s a misconception. Mana is alive¡ªit has a will, a presence, a consciousness, though I use that term loosely.¡±


    ¡°So, the language of mana is...our personal connection to it? That¡¯s why Qutie has to chant like a wizard from a storybook while I have to sing?¡± asked Elly.


    ¡°Exactly,¡± Sera nodded. ¡°That connection¡ªthe emotional bond we establish with mana¡ªis vital. It¡¯s a reflection of our innermost selves. To me, it¡¯s my love for my birth forest. It sounds easy, but people can...be difficult to understand. To cast magic means to understand yourself¡ªto be in tune with who you really are. That¡¯s not easy since some people may not want to accept the truth, which leads to a startling hurdle potential mages must overcome.¡±


    ¡°Who we want to be and who we are can be two different things.¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Ami. The concept is simple when viewed from afar, yet it¡¯s far more intricate when you examine it. That brings us to this¡ªthe most advanced form of casting called silent casting.¡±


    Sera¡¯s gaze sharpened. ¡°Silent casting is a different level of mastery that requires the caster¡¯s soul to be in perfect harmony with mana itself. In vocal or physical casting, the sounds or motions act as bridges or pathways for your will to reach the mana. But in silent casting, your soul must speak directly to it. There¡¯s no buffer or external tool to help you. Your mind, thoughts, and the mana must become one. Think of it as being a seamless entity.¡±


    She gestured slightly, and this time, the orb of wind formed without so much as a flicker in her expression¡ªutterly effortless. ¡°To achieve this, you must reach a state without distinction between you and the mana. The mana doesn¡¯t just follow your will; it becomes your will. It¡¯s as if the boundaries of your soul extend outward. It must wrap around the mana and guide it as if it were an extension of yourself. The more in tune you are with your essence¡ªyour desires, fears, purpose¡ªthe more precise your silent casting will be.¡±


    ¡°How exactly does that work?¡± asked Quella, trying to grasp the deeper layers. ¡°How do you make that leap? From words to thought and from thought to soul?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about total alignment,¡± Sera replied. ¡°Most people see themselves as separate from mana. Almost like they¡¯re giving it orders. You have to dissolve that divide to silently cast. You don¡¯t command the mana¡ªyou understand it. You don¡¯t ask it to do something¡ªyou invite it to act as part of you. Your soul and the mana must sync. Think of it as dancing together in perfect unison. It¡¯s like discovering your true self and understanding who you are at your core. It¡¯s the next step beyond discovering your specific language of mana, which is already difficult as it is. I¡¯m sure you can imagine why most mages find it impossible. It took me many years to grasp it, even with the help of the greatest instructors."


    ¡°Hmm...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± I asked Elly.


    ¡°Well, if people have to do that... What about monsters? Some monsters can''t talk, but they can still use magic.¡±


    ¡°Consider it a...perk of being a monster, I suppose. Have you seen one spawn from nothing?¡± Ami nodded. Sera continued. ¡°They have an innate connection to mana since...in a roundabout way, a monster''s parent is mana.¡±


    ¡°Does that apply to monsters who can naturally reproduce?¡± asked Elly.


    ¡°It does. I¡¯m unsure if that can be ¡®bred out.'' If it can, then it must be rare.¡±


    It¡¯s a perk for me. Chimeras are monsters, so they get this advantage.


    Now that the ¡®secret¡¯ was out, it was a matter of casting without speaking¡ªeasier said than done¡ªbut that gave the group something to do while we continued our travel towards Ria¡¯s ruins.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria’s Ruins – Part Three

    Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria¡¯s Ruins ¨C Part Three


    Our group had been traveling without incident when we ran into a pair of scouts dispatched from a hastily constructed checkpoint about a mile from Ria.


    Construction began late last night, so an expedition must¡¯ve been granted. Guess this is getting ready for the worst.


    ¡°I must ask you to stop,¡± said the one on the left, his voice slightly quivering from Surtr¡¯s imposing presence. My lion met his frigid eyes and stared. ¡°For¡ªFor what business do you have here?¡±


    ¡°My name is Lyudmila Vredi Springfield,¡± I said, standing. ¡°I have Seraphina Vredi traveling with me and my allies. We¡¯ve come to speak with the commanding officer overseeing Ria¡¯s ruins.


    ¡°...¡± The guards looked at each other as a third approached from the south. The silence irritated me, so I waited for the straggler to show up before repeating myself.


    ¡°Ah¡ªOf¡ªOf course! You, run ahead and tell our commander!¡± The one who had just arrived turned on his heels and darted off. ¡°Forgive me for the delay, lady¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s Lord Springfield,¡± I corrected him. He jolted in his armored boots.


    ¡°Ah¡ªOf¡ªOf course. Forgive me! We''ll escort you to our camp if you''ll follow us. ¡±


    ¡°Very well. Follow our guides, Surtr,¡± I said, sitting.


    Our transport gently jerked, and we made the final leg of this journey in mostly silence. Before arriving, we had told Quella the others how they should act since they were under the guise of being mercenaries that had helped us in Aetos Village, so they were probably pondering that.


    Still, even though we were silent, the guards we passed were anything but. Their whispers sounded like shouts if I focused my hearing. They all wore helmets and full-body armor, so I only saw their eyes...except that wasn''t true-- I knew much more because Tris had already used [Deduction] on everyone present. Their biological information was immediately categorized in her vastly improved databanks. She was already searching for letters and notes to learn everything she could.


    ¡°A flaming lion? Here? Do you think that¡¯s the one from the rumors?¡± asked someone.


    ¡°You mean the High Elf of Liberation? Why would she be here?¡± replied another.


    ¡°The tree? It¡¯s probably something related to the Vredi.¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s a Vredi?¡± The two looked at the new speaker.


    ¡°Seriously? How much of a country bumpkin are you?¡±


    ¡°Excuse me, you pampered know-it-all. Some of us never learned how to read until we were 16. Some of us didn¡¯t have the luxury of buying books when the farm required all their time.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Cut it out. Lower your voice.¡±


    ¡°This...is an ill omen,¡± whispered a fourth, her voice raspy. ¡°The little girl must be a Vredi as well. Three from an extinct forest showing up simultaneously?¡±


    ¡°Hey, what do you think the deal is with that lion knight? Rumors say the lion belongs to the High Elf of Liberation, but what if that¡¯s false?¡± asked a fifth. The soldiers were closer together nearer we got to the city¡¯s destroyed gates. Hearing their hushed whispers over the nearby rushing rivers wasn''t hard. Ria had two or three that snaked in through the city. However, the fight between Sekh and Ira had geographically altered them.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t heard anything about a lion knight. It¡¯s news to me,¡± said a sixth. ¡°I¡¯m more concerned with the one wearing a hood. You don¡¯t see prosthetics like that around here. That equipment isn¡¯t cheap.¡±


    Niva pulled her hood tighter while making herself smaller. ¡°You don¡¯t have to keep it up,¡± I told her. ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide away because you¡¯re technically still wanted. I won¡¯t let anything happen to you.¡±


    ¡°Neither will I,¡± added Yew, her voice determined. ¡°You¡¯re my friend, Niva. Friends protect friends!¡±


    ¡°Yew¡¯s right,¡± said Sera.


    ¡°We won¡¯t force anything. Do what¡¯s comfortable to you, okay?¡±


    Niva silently nodded.  She looked at Prim¡¯s hand before gently grasping it. Coming here wasn¡¯t easy. Less-than-desirable memories probably swarmed through her mind the closer we got to the city. The line of soldiers to our sides didn¡¯t help, either.


    Soon, we reached the gates, entered the city, and made it to where the city square used to be. Most ruined buildings had been hauled away. The largest structures still stood like the faded remembrances of a horrid past. I didn¡¯t know what Gloria¡¯s plan with the city was. It wasn¡¯t like she could wipe away what had happened. Her actions had probably scarred the place even discounting the obvious.


    I mean, shutting down the dungeon was something I still didn¡¯t understand. It was so dumb, so why? What were we missing? Tris and Tilde tried to follow Gloria¡¯s mindset, but her actions were illogical.


    Whatever. It doesn¡¯t matter that much. Ria¡¯s a bygone memory at this point. I doubt it¡¯ll ever recover.


    ¡°Our commander is in there, Lord Springfield,¡± said one of our escorts. He pointed to the tent behind twenty smaller ones.


    Altogether, there was enough room for seventy soldiers¡ªthe same amount occupying the city.


    The flaps fluttered. An overweight, sweaty man with armor that barely fit his thick stomach waddled out¡ªwet rag in hand to dry his drenched forehead.


    ¡°Ahh¡ªYou¡¯ve arrived! Greetings, I am the commander of this garrison,¡± he said with an unsteady voice. I¡¯d have asked if his parents were a bucket of oil and fryer grease if I didn¡¯t know better.


    He¡¯s nervous to a fault, huh? I can¡¯t blame him. Almost anyone would if two Vredi¡¯s suddenly appeared. That woman with the raspy voice seemed like she knew how malignant our presence could be.


    ¡°Please, enter my tent. We can discuss further inside.¡±


    I nodded as we disembarked. ¡°Stay here,¡± I told Surtr, unhooking him. Sekh, Sera, Tris, and I followed the commander while the gathered soldiers watched.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid it isn¡¯t luxurious,¡± he said, sitting at the table¡ªthe only piece of furniture. The commander was right. The tent was for him, yet it was very rudimentary¡ªwith nothing but a straw to act as padding for his bed.  I half expected to see gross indulgence of wealth, like bottles of booze, yet it appeared the commander lived the same quality-of-life as the men serving under him.


    Consider me surprised.


    ¡°Luxury isn¡¯t everything,¡± I said, sitting beside Sera. Sekh and Tris stood behind me. ¡°Some would consider it dishonorable to live lavishly while the rest squandered in poverty. For what it¡¯s worth, my first impressions are above average.¡±


    ¡°Thank you, Lord Springfield. I strive to lead my soldiers like ancient warriors of old. My position may rank me higher, but we all serve together for a greater cause. Now, what can I do for you?¡±


    Sera met my eyes and subtly nodded her head, the signal for me to begin.


    ¡°We are set to arrive in Requiesta within the week,¡± I said, folding my hands. ¡°Yet it would be improper to do so without sending advance notice. I know your unit has a teleportation mage, so I ask that you use his magic to send a message.  If possible, we¡¯d like to arrange a teleport of our group. Time is of the essence. We must meet with your lord sooner rather than later.¡±


    ¡°Well, the first is doable. A letter can be sent before nightfall. The second is possible, yet it cannot be rushed. It¡¯ll take our mage time to organize with the unit overseeing the teleportation circle within the capital. As a precaution, large groups necessitate further planning since even adding one more person complicates things.¡±


    ¡°How surprising,¡± commented Sera. The commanding officer jumped in his skin. ¡°You¡¯re correct. The safeguards take time to implement. My teleportation magic is of a higher tier. My coordinate crystals solve the calculations without my input.¡±


    ¡°My mother was a royal mage. I never grasped the intricacies behind magic, but she used to explain her theories as bedtime stories when I was younger.¡±


    That¡¯s...pretty adorable.


    The officer whistled, causing a guard to walk in. ¡°Deliver a message to Lord Gloria informing her about our guests¡¯ arrival. Also, begin the preparation to teleport their group to Requiesta. Both should be done as soon as possible, but do not take any shortcuts on the latter."


    ¡°Sir!¡± saluted the guard. He avoided our eyes and rushed away as quickly as he entered.


    ¡°Now...¡± I narrowed my gaze. ¡°You¡¯re curious, aren¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said no, Lord Springfield.¡± The officer had calmed down, ceasing his endless sweating. ¡°I have many questions concerning Aetos Village, the Eagle Yew, and more. I¡¯m certain you can answer them¡ª¡±


    ¡°Why remain silent? Do you fear being disrespectful? If so, push the worry aside. Ask what you wish.¡±


    The man was perplexed. He blinked twice. ¡°In that case... Please permit me to inquire a few things I¡¯m uncertain about...¡±


    He asked about the obvious¡ªwhat happened to the village, and I told the technical truth. It came under attack, so we fought back. ¡°The mercenaries who arrived with us offered their assistance in the fight. Unfortunately, the Eagle Yew had suffered too much to be saved. Both during the clash and when it endured the attack that shattered its bounded field.¡±


    ¡°It couldn¡¯t be saved? Does that explain the green light we saw some time ago?¡±


    ¡°Indeed. That was the Eagle Yew¡¯s final breath.¡±


    ¡°My heart felt like it wanted to stop,¡± said the officer. ¡°It was magic? Although I felt a sense of loneliness once the tree vanished. I¡¯m sorry for your loss. We reported it to Lord Gloria as soon as possible, but...¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t offer aid? It¡¯s understandable, commander. The time between the Eagle Yew catching flame and passing was far too short for Lord Gloria to offer aid.¡±


    That I couldn¡¯t deny or fault that damn bitch for. Yet Gloria wasn¡¯t out of the dog house. The vile wrench deserved everything that was coming for her.


    ¡°However, I¡¯ll turn the question. What has transpired since the incident?¡± I learned a few things¡ªall I could¡¯ve guessed. Word spread to Gloria, who immediately sent soldiers to Ria and the surrounding towns to quell any panic.


    ¡°There are still many mysteries. No one knows who destroyed the dome Bellerophon constructed over the city. Rumors say it was a fire spirit. Someone else says a dragon hatched.¡±


    Dragon?


    ¡°I¡¯m the second commander, by the way. My predecessor was relocated to a post near the Ashlands almost two months back. Our orders are to keep watch around the Ria Waterfront Territory.¡±


    Ria Waterfront Territory? Huh. I never knew the actual name.


    ¡°For anything specific?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Lord Springfield. Lord Gloria only said to alert her if anything changes or happens. To be truthful... A message was sent immediately when the Eagle Yew caught fire. Another was transmitted when it vanished. If I had to guess... I believe Lord Gloria is still readying a search and rescue party.¡±


    That could be it. Although I doubt it. The highest level here is Lv. 46. The average is 38. Not strong by any means, but also not the weakest. I wonder... Tris, ask Imposter Remy if her agents in Requiesta are involved.


    One moment... Yes, my lord. Her spies have orders to intercept anything sent by this unit. Gloria doesn¡¯t know the Eagle Yew¡¯s fate.


    Okay. Tell Imposter Remy to have them stand down until further notice. You have permission to orchestrate their deaths if you feel it¡¯s necessary.


    As you wish, my lord.


    ¡°You may be correct,¡± I replied, lying through my teeth. ¡°Lord¡ª¡±


    ¡°Niva is in danger, my lord. Something is happening.¡±


    I immediately stood as Niva¡¯s cries pierced my ears.


    ¡°What the hell?!¡± shouted another voice. ¡°That¡¯s¡ªThat¡¯s Lady Noelia¡¯s slave! What¡ªAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!¡±


    I bolted from the tent and saw the inevitable. Quella, Greggie, and Ami were near Niva¡ªthe latter two ready to fight. The rest of her team crowded around her. The wind was strong¡ªa gust had most likely blown her hood down.


    Yet it was Surtr who caught my eye. His mouth was bloody as he stared down a man bleeding profusely from his missing arm. Flames spread from the wound as slowly as a snail, burning his pitiful light away.


    He tried to grab Niva after seeing her face, my lord.


    I saw red. Immediately, I turned around. The commanding officer was frozen stuff, yet it didn¡¯t stop me from effortlessly lifting the bastard by the neck with one arm.


    ¡°What the hell are your soldiers doing?!¡± I demanded, squeezing my nails into his fat neck. Guttural groans and snot oozed from his nostrils. ¡°Are they so woefully untrained that they¡¯d put their hands on not just the ally of a visitor-- but the ally of a Vredi?!¡±


    ¡°Let him go!¡± shouted a soldier. He drew his weapon, becoming the catalyst for the others to unsheathe theirs.  Yew ran to hide behind me. Sekh took a hand-to-hand combat stance since using her mace wasn¡¯t a good idea. Sera didn¡¯t look that perplexed. She gripped her staff, but she wasn¡¯t worried about the situation. The officer heaved and slapped my arm, pathetically failing like a helpless whelp.


    He''s about to die, my lord.


    We don¡¯t want that just yet.


    ¡°That...woman...fugitive... Wanted...¡± The officer heaved after I weakened my grip. I grabbed his upper left arm, squeezed it, and shattered the bone.


    ¡°What was that? I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t think I heard you. It sounded like you were saying my companion is a criminal?¡±


    ¡°She...is!¡± For his credit... The man didn¡¯t scream. He grunted through the pain. ¡°I will not be deterred! Lord Gloria has issued a warrant to capture Niva on sight!¡±


    I broke his other elbow and threw him like trash. Tris kept an eye on everyone else as the onlookers tensely watched. I wondered who would make the first move? These soldiers surely knew the fate awaiting them if anyone did something stupid.


    ¡°I will ask you a third time, and you shall speak what I wish to hear. Niva is now under my protection. She is a trusted ally. Going after her means making an enemy out of us. You do not want that, and I will show you why. Surtr. Frighten these fools. Make them fear death.¡±


    Surtr flashed his flaming fangs and jumped high in the air. He balanced on platforms of ice and fire, roared loud enough to shatter glass, and formed a tremendous ball of bright crimson fire. It radiated unnatural heat that warped the surrounding air. Another roar caused it to fracture, causing a hundred sharp fragments¡ªeach taller than an Oni¡ªto swirl around like piranhas waiting to be delivered prey.


    ¡°One command. That¡¯s all it would take to unleash the horde. You¡¯ll die. Your soldiers would die. Ria¡¯s been victim to one baptism by fire. Another one would flood the city with ash so thick nothing would grow for decades. So, tell me, commander.¡± I approached the man after flourishing Kronto. The fearsome point rested against his frail neck. The slightest pressure would remark his end. ¡°How soon do you wish to enter the cycle of reincarnation? That¡¯s your fate if you continue to ignore my wishes. Now. Tell me. What. Do. I. Want. To. Hear?¡±


    ¡°Niva...¡± The officer coughed bile and mucus. ¡°Niva is your trusted ally! Stand down, soldiers! Put away your arms! It¡¯s been a misunderstanding! Listen to Lord Springfield''s truthful words.¡±


    I waited until our enemies had begrudgingly obeyed their commander¡¯s orders before telling the others to do the same. ¡°Extinguish your flames, Surtr.¡±


    He landed with a mighty stomp that quaked out three hundred feet, toppling the still-standing ruined buildings. The flying flames rammed into his body as he absorbed them.


    ¡°Consider this reparation for my portion of the misunderstanding.¡± I silently healed the commander¡¯s broken arms, although I refused to help that piece of shit who grabbed Niva. He¡¯d have to find his own treatment. Sekh canceled the flames burning the wound, though. That was all the mercy he¡¯d be granted.


    If he dies?


    He dies.


    I wouldn¡¯t lose sleep.


    ¡°Another thing. This will not be reported to your lord. Why should we bother the busy woman with yet more to manage when this was, like you said, a misunderstanding? Besides, Niva is no longer hers. She does not own her. Logically, Niva is not her slave. Do not deviate from the message I want you to send. I will know if it includes something it¡¯s not supposed to.¡±


    I summoned a dozen wooden puppet birds via my flute. ¡°They¡¯ll ensure my orders are being carried out. I will impart one final warning. Should I detect trickery or foul play... I will not stop at just your arms.  I¡¯ve too little patience to play these childish games when I¡¯m still anguishing over the Eagle Yew and Aetos Village because your Holy Lord refused to send even the smallest ounce of aid once the bounded field shattered.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well, sister. However, I have something to add.¡± Sera calmly lifted her staff and gently tapped the bottom against the ground...


    ...the following earthquake was anything but.  Soldiers fell to their knees, crying for mothers and fathers as Sera¡¯s localized spell divided Ria¡¯s remains into two halves. A fault line ran from east to west, spreading across the city. Whatever buildings that were standing weren¡¯t standing anymore. Only the tents avoided certain destruction, which showcased Sera¡¯s masterful control over magic.


    ¡°That is your half. This is ours. Intruding upon our claim without a good reason will see me less reasonable than my sister. I have no mercy for anyone who dares to harm my allies.¡± Sera¡¯s voice was cold. She absolutely meant her warning. Now that she¡¯d found two more Vredis...


    She would not risk anything to lose them or their friends. ¡°Your lives would¡¯ve been forfeit the moment you touched her.¡±


    I turned to Niva, who was comforted by Tilde and the others. The spirit summoner clenched her fist¡ªthat expression was a blanket to hide her true feelings.


    It didn¡¯t take a genius to guess she was scowling more than ever at her weaknesses.


    I knew it.


    Tris knew it.


    Tilde knew it.


    Sekh knew it.


    *****


    ***** Niva''s PoV *****


    How many times did that make it?


    How many times must I be rescued like some princess in a story because I wasn¡¯t strong enough to defend myself?


    That man... Everything I never wished to experience again rushed to my mind when he grabbed my arm. Yet even if I had some brevity of bravery within my cowardly body...


    Could I have won?


    ...


    I kept to myself after the incident, choosing to be alone with my thoughts as the others prepared the camp. The soldiers failed to hide their scornful gazes¡ªI kept spotting them from the corner of my eye.


    Tilde tried to cheer me up, but...


    I was merely pretending.


    Someone like her knew that. She didn¡¯t interrogate me further.


    ¡°Primrose?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I...¡± I looked at Mila. She seemed so socialized around the others. No one could¡¯ve guessed she desired Quella¡¯s team¡¯s deaths two weeks ago. My words never left my mouth because Sekh approached. She pointed to a glowing square a few feet from camp as that ¡®gym¡¯ appeared, eliciting gasps from those seeing it for the first time.


    ¡°Care to join?¡± she asked, extending a hand. I couldn¡¯t see her face through the helmet, but I knew her expression was soft. For better or for worse... Someone like Sekh regarded someone like me as an ally.


    ¡°You should take her offer,¡± said Tilde, who rolled over with great effort. ¡°Geez... The shoulders are still stiff. That¡¯s a workout and a half, right there. Anyway, pumping some iron¡ªI guess it¡¯s wood in this case¡ªcan help your mind. Gains are gains, after all. Remember that for later,¡± said the fairy before she rolled away.


    ¡°I¡¯ll show you what I learned from the others.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Thank you.¡± I took Sekh¡¯s hand as she led me to the gym. The equipment looked strange. Just how did someone come up with this stuff? Who would¡¯ve thought of a device to replicate an infinite staircase? Or a pathway six feet long that looped itself at different speeds?


    Or even cables and a handle attached to a pulley?


    ¡°Overwhelmed?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to do everything. Tilde says people have a routine. They split their exercises into different sections to focus on specific areas. We¡¯ll start small, okay?¡±


    There it is... That pleasantness... I should be happy, so... Why do I feel anything but?


    I sat on a machine designed to strengthen my arms. A bicep curl, it was called. Sekh adjusted the seat and turned the knob to 10 pounds. Grasping the handles, I followed her advice, lifting my arm at the elbow while ensuring I focused on that area.


    ¡°Good. Now, try to do nine more.¡±


    ¡°Okay,¡± I replied, getting it done. I was frightened earlier. Why? I didn¡¯t need to fear these things. Using them would only help me in the long run, right?


    I¡¯ve always had a frail body not meant for Barbil¡¯s harsh winters or strenuous labor. My experiences had only weakened it even more, but my recovery made strides to fix that.


    ¡°So, do you feel it?¡±


    ¡°I feel something here,¡± I said, rubbing my arm. ¡°What do we do now?¡±


    ¡°A break. You rest between sets. Or jump into another exercise that targets a different muscle group. See?¡± Sekh pointed to Elly, who used a...chair with a bar for her legs?


    ¡°That¡¯s called the leg extension.¡±


    ¡°Her face looks... Does it hurt that much?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s how muscles grow, summoner. You break the fibers, which heal when you rest. They regenerate tougher and stronger, permitting you to lift heavier.¡±


    ¡°Yep! That¡¯s the basics.¡± Elly grunted, her face oozing with thick sweat as she stood.


    ¡°Woah!¡± She stumbled over her feet, catching herself on a different device. Sekh said it was called the shoulder press machine, and Elly began using it. Her teammates were also strengthening their bodies. Mila wasn¡¯t participating, though. She chatted with Tris, Tilde, Yew, and Sera near the campfire while focusing on dinner. Lei was hopping around the different devices like a curious cat.


    Sekh called my name, regaining my attention. ¡°Shall we continue? Do you want to stop?¡±


    ¡°No. I can keep going! Prim, you need to join, too. I want to do it with you.¡±


    ¡°Of course, summoner. Lead the way, Sekh. We are in your guidance.¡±


    ¡°Gladly. Tris gave me a routine for us to follow, so let¡¯s ease into it.¡±


    *****


    *****


    This was hard.


    It was more than that.


    The shoulder press caused a burning feeling to inflame my upper arms. The seated tricep dip, whatever that was, hurt my forearms. The leg extension and seated leg curl were set to 60 lbs, but it felt like the weight of a dragon. The kickback turned my legs to jelly. The soreness quickly spread to my entire body...


    Yet...


    I...


    I didn¡¯t want to stop because the pain meant it was working, right? Primrose probably didn¡¯t feel what I felt because she was a spirit. Physical activity didn¡¯t benefit her as much as it did me.


    ¡°Eeerrrgghhhh...¡± I silently groaned, straining with my whole being to do one more rep with these weirdly shaped objects called dumbbells. I just wanted to get one rep to prove that I could¡ªeven if I were using both hands to ¡®cheat.¡¯


    ¡°That¡¯s called ego-lifting. Don¡¯t work beyond your means because you¡¯re bound to get injured.¡±


    I wanted to ignore Sekh...but I couldn¡¯t. I let go. The weight dropped, yet it produced no sound because it turned into mana before reforming on the nearby rack. Sighing, I sat and hugged my knees, ignoring the awful discomfort. Sekh looked down.


    ¡°...¡± She said nothing, but her actions spoke for her as she kneeled and hugged me.


    How awful was it that my first thought was to push her away? Here she was...pitying me...


    Protecting me...


    ¡°You still hold resentment in your heart. It¡¯s okay, Niva. Let it out. Don¡¯t keep it locked in,¡± she whispered.


    I...


    I wanted to cry... Not just for the prior incident¡ªbut because...I had to be warned by Sekh to not injure myself.  ¡°I can¡¯t stop this inadequacy.¡± The words flowed from my mouth before I knew what I was saying. Primrose didn¡¯t stop me, though. She softly encouraged me to continue. ¡°I just can¡¯t. I hate it. It... It doesn¡¯t feel right. I know I shouldn¡¯t feel like this, so how can I stop? How can I become confident in myself? Sekh, I don¡¯t know what to do... It feels like... No matter where I look...or where I turn... Someone is always saving me. Someone''s warning me... I can''t do anything myself. It feels like I can¡¯t do anything right. Even learning to see...wasn¡¯t my power because Mila gave me the SP. Everything came from her. Or it came from someone else. Nothing...came from me...¡±


    Do I even deserve...to be here? Sekh... If I had her power. Or if I was as strong as her... If... If...


    ¡°If I had...¡± My voice trailed off. Something stupid, dumb, and upsetting to someone I deeply cared about was about to flow from my mouth.


    Sekh, however...


    She knew.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯re wrong, Niva. My power isn¡¯t enviable. No one deserves my fate.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I... I didn¡¯t mean it, Sekh. I¡ª¡±


    Please don¡¯t hate me...


    I feared for her following words. Yet...like most things...even this mercy, which should¡¯ve relieved my anxiousness...just fed it.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m not upset. I swear I¡¯m not. I know things aren¡¯t the easiest for you.¡±


    Again... Again... Again...


    ¡°Have you recovered?¡± I looked past Sekh at Sera, who approached with a thin cookie between her slender fingers. Her staff rested on her back. "Do you think you can train with Lord Aetos tonight? It won¡¯t be physical, mind you. It¡¯ll be in your dreams, yet I¡¯m unsure how...¡± Sera gestured broadly to the gym. ¡°That will affect your sleep. On the one hand, physical lethargy helps you rest. A deep slumber is imperative for proper muscle development, so the goal should be to enter a restful sleep.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m ready. This means you¡¯ll have to teleport me every night, right? Then bring me back every morning?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Is there an issue?¡±


    ¡°Is it a hassle?¡±


    Sera confusingly tilted her head. ¡°Why would it be? The magic I use is efficient. I can teleport from here to my home a thousand times and still have enough to make the trip ten thousand more if I use my coordinate crystals. Believe me, Niva. It is the furthest thing from a hassle.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Sera sat beside me and hugged her knees. ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one to feel like this. You won¡¯t be the first, and you won¡¯t be the last. My sister was so much stronger than me. She was my hero¡ªmy role model. However, the pride I felt for Susize turned to envy. For a while, the love I held had vanished. I saw her as an obstacle to overcome. My failure to do so almost made me do something irreversibly stupid.¡±


    Is she talking about her obsession with Murag?


    ¡°I cannot read minds, but I¡¯m certain I know what you¡¯re thinking about. It will not be easy to overcome the struggles of your soul, yet you must embrace the reality of your situation and understand you cannot acquire the power you desire overnight. Life doesn¡¯t work like that. People wish it did. I won¡¯t lie¡ªI wish it did. However... It doesn¡¯t. We must put in the work to extract the results we desire.¡± Sera smiled. ¡°We aren¡¯t so dissimilar, Niva. We¡¯re alike in more ways than you think.¡±


    Are we, Sera? Can you really say that...


    Before I knew it...


    I was crying.


    I wiped my tears, stood, and approached Mila, who opened her arms for a hug. It felt like talking would...cause something bad, yet words weren¡¯t needed. Emotions and actions were often more effective than speaking¡ªthis was one of the situations.


    ¡°We¡¯ll be here in the morning, okay? Talk with Lord Aetos,¡± she said. ¡°Tell him everything.¡±


    Sekh patted my head as Primrose took my hand in hers. We approached Sera, who silently raised her staff after forming a coordinate crystal for our return.


    Seconds later...


    Mila was gone. The camp had vanished from sight, replaced by a whimsy light as the ever-abundant verdant of nature mana flooded my vision.


    ¡°Niva! She¡¯s here!¡±


    ¡°Niva¡¯s back!¡±


    ¡°Sister Primrose!!!¡±


    The excitable voices reached my ears before [Mana Perception] accumulated to the new environment. When it did...


    It was like I was in a fairy tale or fable... The trees felt like they stretched for miles. The bark seemed so healthy. The leaves were fluffy and full. The moon wasn¡¯t out, so the time difference had to be a few hours at minimum. That wasn¡¯t enough for me to deduce its location, but Tris could¡¯ve probably done it.


    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful to see you all again,¡± said Primrose, head patting the children who swarmed us. They looked at us with bright, vivid smiles before turning to Sera.


    ¡°Welcome, you two.¡± Aetos flew from a distant branch and manifested his flowerpot on the ground before me.


    Today¡¯s... Today¡¯s the first day of many, huh? Tilde would say it¡¯s the beginning of my brand-new life... How accurate is it? I know this won¡¯t be easy. I¡¯m just...afraid...that my efforts...


    No.


    Thinking like that wasn''t healthy. It wasn¡¯t needed, either. The part of me that kept me producing those thoughts had a slight grip over my anxious heart. Even if it was minor, I felt the dark influences when they weren¡¯t needed.


    Getting rid of them by tonight wouldn¡¯t work. I¡¯d need a miracle''s miracle to accomplish my goals in one training session.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria’s Ruins – Part Four

    Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria¡¯s Ruins ¨C Part Four


    ¡°She¡¯ll be okay,¡± Sekh said after the mana dissipated. ¡°Niva¡¯s tough.¡±


    ¡°I know. I still can¡¯t help but worry,¡± I replied, turning around to stare at our tent. The gym had another few hours before the spell expired, so Yew decided to get a little workout in. She wanted Tilde to watch her, so my maid stretched her arms as Yew climbed the walls like a monkey.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you two rest?¡± asked Tris. ¡°You can leave this to me.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure?¡±


    "Indeed, I am more than sure.¡±


    ¡°Well, okay. Sekh?¡± I extended my hand. She gracefully took it as I escorted her to our temporary home. It wasn¡¯t much¡ªthe bare, unnecessary minimum to ¡®save¡¯ on mana.


    At least the bed is somewhat comfy.


    ¡°I¡¯ve missed this,¡± Sekh whispered, resting her head against my shoulder as we lay down.


    That bulky armor was in the way. I really wanted nothing more than to take it off and hold her against me...to feel her soft suppleness once more...to lose myself in her embrace...


    ¡°Mila?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too.¡±


    ¡°Being held by you makes...me so happy. I...never lost hope, you know,¡± Sekh said in a tone only privy to me. ¡°Never did. I never will, either. Because it was all worth it to experience this moment.¡±


    ¡°Are you happy?¡±


    ¡°More than I¡¯ve ever been. Every new day brings a bigger smile to my face. What about you?¡±


    I smiled. Sekh lifted her head, and I touched my forehead to her helmet. ¡°How could I not be? Everything is going to plan. I¡¯m just...¡±


    ¡°Just what? Talk to me, Mila.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s an unsteady feeling, I guess. I¡¯m anxious because things are looking up. I mean, I¡¯ve been fucked by fate too many times to count that I¡¯m expecting something to mess up.¡±


    ¡°That was then, Mila. This is now. Everything is different. You¡¯re surrounded by people who won¡¯t let that happen. You know Tris is always thinking ahead to counter those roadblocks before they emerge.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know. Maybe...¡±


    ¡°Maybe you need me to squeeze it out of you?¡±


    I smirked. ¡°Been talking to Tilde, have you?¡±


    ¡°What can I say? She¡¯s more adept than me when it comes to things like this. This is still a lot of firsts for me. I... I have a lot of dreams, Mila. Many that I never thought would ever come true. Yet now... I can see a reality in which I can make them happen. I¡¯m a fighter, yet there are ¡®battles,¡¯ so to speak, in which everyone is my superior.¡±


    ¡°Dreams, huh? I¡¯m sure we share many. Just wait, Sekh. That day¡¯s approaching faster than ever. Once my revenge is finished, we can focus on that and work on ending your curse. The path ahead is clear. It may take time, but the important thing is that we have a method to break it.¡±


    ¡°I remember when you said you¡¯d do it. It shames me, yet I thought it was a whimsical fantasy. I didn¡¯t know how you¡¯d shatter the bindings that kept me chained to life for tens of thousands of years, yet I still wished to put my trust in you. It was well-founded, Mila.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t be sorry,¡± I whispered, hugging her more. I was this close to stashing her armor because I yearned for that skin-to-skin contact. ¡°I didn¡¯t have a plan¡ªjust empty words attached to a barren promise. But yes. Things worked out, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°Mmnn. They did,¡± purred Sekh.


    ¡°So, I know things will work out now. They always do. Even if it seems like darkness is all we¡¯re going to see... Dawn is always around the corner. Be my light, Sekh.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll illuminate the dark, Mila. Forever and always if you¡¯re there to guide us.¡±


    ¡°I will. That¡¯s my promise, Sekh.¡±


    We shared a moment of silence. I... I truly loved Sekh with every fiber of my being. Merely spending time alone without speaking meant the world to me because I was with her. So, after being without Sekh for so many months...


    ¡°Umm... Is...it okay...?¡± Suddenly, I heard a whisper from outside the tent. ¡°Umm... Mi¡ªMila, are you in there? Can¡ªCan I come in? Is it a good time?¡±


    ¡°Of course,¡± I replied, sitting up. Yew entered, but she looked uneasy. Nervousness radiated from her tiny body like a man suffering from hypothermia. She kept glancing away¡ªalmost as if she didn¡¯t want to be...a bother? ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is everything okay?¡±


    ¡°I... Umm... Act¡ªActually, I can¡ªI¡¯m sorry, Mila. I¡¯m sorry, Sekh. I didn''t mean to interrupt¡ª"


    ¡°Is it about what we discussed?¡± I asked, raising my hand. My fingers turned into vines that wrapped around Yew¡¯s stomach. They ferried her to the bed.


    Yew nodded, her blond hair partly obscuring her fiery eyes.


    I canceled the transfiguration, causing the little chimera to land with a soft bounce.


    ¡°Is it a good time?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be?¡± asked Sekh.


    ¡°It hasn¡¯t been that long since you came back,¡± explained Yew. ¡°I thought...you¡¯d want to spend time together. I wanna learn to do what you do, Mila. I was fine with waiting, but Tris said it was okay to ask when she saw me pacing around the campfire.¡±


    ¡°Do you know why she said that?¡± Yew shook her head at my question. "Because it is okay. You¡¯re not a bother, Yew. You aren¡¯t intruding upon anything. Sekh and I value the time we spend together, yes, but that includes the time we spend with the ones we cherish.¡±


    ¡°Even me?¡±


    ¡°Yes, it includes you,¡± said Sekh, her voice a sweet whisper.


    Yew¡¯s mature in some ways and inexperienced in others. She still doesn¡¯t know the ¡®right¡¯ way to react to something. That¡¯ll come in time, though. It¡¯ll be something she learns as she lives.


    ¡°Anyway, are you ready for your first lesson?¡± I asked, silently casting a sound seal.


    ¡°Uh-huh! I¡¯m ready to learn!¡± Yew formed a fist and looked proud. That prior hesitation was nowhere to be seen. That was good. It needed to be replaced by excitement and wiggling ears rather than nervous anxiousness.


    Chimerism came to me like second nature.


    Why?


    I wasn¡¯t sure. That entity in the void transformed my soul into one, yet Yew was born via a miracle through myself, Ira, and the Eagle Yew.


    Yew patiently waited as she sat with her legs crossed.


    Might as well start with the obvious.


    It felt odd to discuss her birth¡¯s circumstances. Still, it had to be done since she wasn¡¯t like other chimeras.


    ¡°You¡¯re not so much a clone as you are a real, genuine person, Yew, even though my mana flowed through you in the chimerization process. A copy of my Status Menu was effectively given to you. You share most of my skills and all of my transfigurations. Likewise, it means you stand to be very powerful.¡±


    ¡°Powerful? That¡¯s good... Right? I can get strong so I can protect Lord Aetos''s new forest! And you, Mila. And Sekh, and Tris and Tilde and Niva, too.¡±


    ¡°Power without control is not power,¡± added Sekh. ¡°It is dangerous.¡±


    ¡°Ahh¡ª¡± That warning wiped Yew¡¯s smile. She quickly recovered. ¡°Right! Okay. Control... Start small, right? Don¡¯t jump into the deep end, Yewie.¡±


    ¡°Yewie? That sounds like Tilde.¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. I talked to her. She couldn¡¯t help me that much since a chimera has to learn from another chimera, but her advice was really good. Oh, but she told me to finish my plate. I can¡¯t leave food behind because I¡¯m a growing girl.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something she taught me, too. Before we continue... Are you okay? With what happened, I mean?¡±


    ¡°With the commander person?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I hurt him. Had things been slightly different... I would¡¯ve killed him without a second thought.¡±


    ¡°The other soldiers would¡¯ve died, too?¡±


    ¡°Yes. Perhaps not all. Some would want revenge. Others would probably run away, but the body count would''ve risen. It¡¯s fine to fight to protect. Know that fighting won¡¯t always end peacefully. People will die, Yew. I don¡¯t say this to scare you¡ªI say it to make you think about the power you hold.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Yew went silent at Sekh¡¯s words. ¡°I...know it¡¯s a heavy responsibility. But I¡¯m not...a stranger to fighting. Lord Aetos talked with me a lot. When people came to hurt him, he fought. And he killed. He used the Eagle Yew¡¯s power, too. So... I know what it feels like. Mila... Sekh... I also know how warm it makes me to protect the ones I like. I don¡¯t want to fight for the sake of fighting. I want to fight to protect. I don¡¯t want to be a bad person. Lord Aetos wouldn¡¯t want that of me. Neither would you two.¡±


    That¡¯s a mature mindset.


    ¡°Portions of your inner psyche were imparted to her during the process, my lord,¡± said Tris as she entered the tent. ¡°Most chimera, I surmise, experience a phase of being a ¡®brat,¡¯ as Tilde would describe it. Overconfidence births false bravado that negatively impacts a chimera¡¯s personality until they perish or suffer a grand defeat to make them mature. You were exposed to external and internal influences that ¡®nipped it in the bud.¡¯¡±


    That¡¯s right. Surtr stopped me from doing something stupid when we reached that inn. Without him, Tilde, Tris, Sekh, or my family...


    "A brat? I don¡¯t want to be a brat! I¡¯ll be good, Mila. I swear I will! I¡¯m not like the others! Not cause I was born differently, but because I have you and the others! I¡ªI won¡¯t use my power for evil.¡±


    ¡°I know you won¡¯t. Calm down, Yew. It¡¯s okay. Take a deep breath.¡± I lightly pinched her cheeks until she regained her emotions.


    ¡°Forgive me, Yew. I didn¡¯t mean to impart any worry.¡±


    ¡°Oh, no. It¡¯s not your fault. I... I guess I¡¯m still trying to get a handle on everything. I have these memories. These feelings, too.¡±


    ¡°Of everything that happened in Aetos Village?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh. The village didn¡¯t always experience joy. It was peaceful, but not all the time. I felt the villagers¡¯ sadness when someone died. I smiled with them whenever a birthday was celebrated. Arguments sometimes broke out, so I felt anger at times. Step one should be controlling that.¡±


    ¡°Step zero is recognizing that flaw,¡± said Sekh.


    ¡°Indeed. Self-growth cannot happen until you identify a flaw,¡± added Tris.


    ¡°Anyway, why don¡¯t we get started?¡± I asked. ¡°We¡¯ll take it slow, okay? Focus on the basics. Don¡¯t jump into anything extreme. Speak if you feel something you can¡¯t explain. For example... Take pressure. Don¡¯t force something through. Instead, step back and examine what you¡¯re specifically trying to accomplish.¡±


    Yew excitedly nodded, her ears wiggling like her eldest sister.


    *****


    *****


    ¡°A chimera¡¯s biggest advantage comes from biomass. I understand that every living organism has it, yet we¡¯re the only ones who can manipulate it. Think of it as a formless energy that lies in wait until it receives a command,¡± I said, beginning a short lecture.


    ¡°It¡¯s the chimera version of mana?¡±


    ¡°Mostly. Biomass to us is like oxygen to everyone else. Our bodies will devour themselves if we run out. There is a boon. Anything alive as biomass. A patch of nearby grass? The water flowing in a lake? Tonight''s dinner? It¡¯s not a lot, but a steady supply is better than nothing. Assimilation will give you more. Remember that.¡±


    ¡°Okay, I understand.¡±


    Next, I spoke about maintaining secrecy. ¡°No one can suspect who we are. Admittedly, we have an advantage in [Status Cloak], yet it¡¯s not the cloak we think it is.¡± I told her about Bellerophon and how they decided to risk my life to kill that chimera in Ria. ¡°That was an exception, I think.¡±


    ¡°Exception or not, we have to practice caution, right?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± I smiled and rubbed her head. ¡°Caution above all else. Now, you won¡¯t learn just by listening.¡± I raised my left arm and focused, transfiguring it into a funny-looking cartoon snake.


    Yew¡¯s giggles were worth it.


    ¡°I have never assimilated anything like this. It¡¯s something custom I made at a moment¡¯s notice. So, that¡¯s proof you don¡¯t have to follow a template.¡±


    ¡°Template? What¡¯s that?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s what you get when you assimilate,¡± explained Sekh. She talked about the boar I assimilated way back when and how I transfigured part of my body into it.


    ¡°The closest analogy would be a set of predefined instructions,¡± Tris explained. ¡°Take the boar, for example. Its appearance data is tied to a template, simplifying the process of transfiguration.¡± She paused briefly before continuing, ¡°But it goes beyond just appearance. The template encompasses everything related to the boar¡ªits fur, eyes, ears, snout, tusks, and internal organs. Even its senses¡ªsmell, taste, hearing, touch, and sight¡ªare all encoded within the same structure.¡±


    ¡°Eating a monster gives me everything the monster can do?¡± I nodded. ¡°So, I can choose which parts to add to my body?¡±


    ¡°Yes. But it¡¯s not just adding. It¡¯s replacing.¡± My arm reverted to normal before it became covered in a boar¡¯s top layer of fur. It was bristly, surprising Yew when she touched it. ¡°I pictured the boar, focused on its fur, and targeted my arm.¡±


    ¡°Picture the boar... Fur...¡± Yew closed her eyes. ¡°Hard fur... It¡¯s not soft... My...arm... Huh? My body feels tingly.¡± Yew stopped, looking conflicted.


    ¡°I sometimes feel that when transfiguring large parts of my body. Narrow your senses.¡±


    Yew nodded, although her next attempt ended in failure.


    So did the following ten.


    ¡°What am I doing wrong? I¡¯m trying¡ªI...¡± Yew looked like she was about to throw a tantrum, but the girl closed her eyes and breathed.


    ¡°Where exactly are you focusing?¡± asked Sekh.


    ¡°Here,¡± replied Yew, touching her forearm.


    ¡°That may be the problem,¡± added Tris. She held Yew¡¯s elbow and wrist after receiving permission to touch her. ¡°The targeted area is too large.¡±


    ¡°So...what? The biomass fizzles out because it¡¯s spread too thin?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s my theory, my lord.¡±


    ¡°Can you use waypoints to illustrate how it flows? A visual example may help.¡±


    ¡°Of course. Yew, please try again, but focus on your middle finger.¡± A series of waypoints appeared, starting from Yew¡¯s chest. They traveled down her arm in an organized line. ¡°Let the floating lights guide your biomass. Do not transfigure until it has reached its destination.¡±


    Yew closed her eyes.  ¡°Biomass... Biomass... Let it flow... I feel...it in my arm...but let it go further... What about...there?¡±


    A soft glimmer obscured her finger like a foggy haze before dissolving, revealing some progress. Half was still flesh¡ªthe other half was cast in an uneven layer of rough, sharp fur that had no rhyme or reason for its appearance. It almost resembled a child¡¯s frantic scribbles.


    Still, it was progress.


    ¡°Mila... I did it! I really did it!¡±


    ¡°Yep. Good job! Remember the feeling. Cancel it by reversing the process."


    "That¡¯s easy,¡± she said upon accomplishing it.


    ¡°Now, do it again.¡±


    For the next few minutes, Yew transfigured her middle digit and other fingers with the fur of a boar. She focused less on speed and more on expanding her transfiguration range. I had something similar. I was limited, I think, to what percentage I could alter, which went away after I assimilated a slime.


    The restriction should¡¯ve been lifted on Yew¡ªTris confirmed it was¡ªyet there was a difference between us.


    I had months of experience by the time I ate those slimes. Yew was still going at it raw with nothing but vague abstractions gathered from me. So, you could argue that progression could come quicker or slower than a normal-born chimera. It depended on the arguments, but Tris had said either could be the case.


    She leaned on the former, however. Once it ¡®clicked¡¯ in Yew¡¯s mind, her familiarity should skyrocket almost overnight. The problem was getting to that point. Only experience could help, so she had to practice, practice, and practice.


    ¡°Ohhh... I¡¯m... I don¡¯t feel... My stomach hurts...¡± groaned Yew. She suddenly went limp. Sekh acted fast, catching the frail girl in her armored hands.


    ¡°It¡¯s her biomass,¡± she announced. ¡°Yew¡¯s used too much.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll be okay. Here, eat this.¡± I retrieved a tightly packed ball of meat from my storage. Yew struggled to open her mouth, so I flattened it thin and slipped it between her lips. ¡°There. Chew it. Okay, good. Swallow... Tris?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s recovering. The discomfort will pass, Yew. Please endure it a little longer,¡± Tris said as Sekh helped the chimera to my lap¡ªI covered it in soft fur to give her a comfy place to lie.


    Gradually, her hasty breathing slowed to a comfortable, healthy pace. Her eyes opened a few seconds later. ¡°I ran out, didn¡¯t I? Why? I thought I had a lot.¡±


    ¡°You do. However... How should I explain it... Let¡¯s say you have 100 units of biomass. It takes 5 to turn your finger furry, but you can use more than 5 without any additional benefit because it has nowhere to go. It¡¯s wasted. It''s not recovered by the body.¡±


    ¡°So, I used 10?¡±


    ¡°Or 20. Or 30. The specifics don¡¯t matter. Biomass optimization is another aspect to focus on. I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve mentioned that earlier.¡±


    ¡°Tilde said it¡¯s better to mess up when your mistakes can be fixed without much effort. So... I¡¯m glad it happened beside you.¡±


    She trusts us that much?


    ¡°How do I know the limit?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s something you must discover through trial and error. By that, I mean tomorrow. Let¡¯s stop here for the night.¡±


    ¡°Okay... I¡¯m...feeling sleepy... Tired, too... Can... Can I sleep in here? With you?¡±


    ¡°Of course, you can,¡± replied Sekh. We shared a look and got comfy¡ªwith Yew right between us. She was out in no time.


    ¡°Have the others fallen asleep?¡±


    ¡°Quella¡¯s awake, my lord. She¡¯s staring at her tent¡¯s ceiling with a melancholic expression. Tilde¡¯s talking with Surtr near the campfire. I think I¡¯ll join her for a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Okay. You know where to find us when you¡¯re done.¡±


    ¡°Of course, my lord. Sleep well, you three,¡± Tris said before leaving.


    ¡°Mmnph... Mila...¡± Yew whispered in her sleep, snuggling closer. Sekh rubbed her head. I knew she had a fond smile beneath her helmet.


    ¡°I know Yew said what she said,¡± I whispered. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to put her in danger. My selfish desires would see her far away from the battlefield. Except... It¡¯s not up to me to determine how she lives if she promises to live for what she truly believes in. If protecting the ones she loves goes with that... Then that¡¯s that.¡±


    ¡°Are you thinking about Irisa?¡± Sekh asked after I went quiet.


    ¡°Yeah. She... She was this close to living for me-- for what I want¡ªnot for herself. We¡¯re not lovers anymore. I honestly don¡¯t think we were ever that compatible, but... She¡¯s still important to me. I wouldn¡¯t be me if my oni sister wasn''t in my life.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad she experienced self-growth. That... It really makes me happy, Mila.¡±


    ¡°She considers you one, too. So does Erin. She missed you a lot.¡±


    ¡°Erin did? I felt the lions¡¯ feelings, but...¡±


    ¡°Was it strange? Talk to me.¡±


    ¡°I... They know about me. They know my title and what I¡¯ve done. So... I don¡¯t know how to act around them. Logic says I don¡¯t have to change¡ªI can continue to be Sekh. Maybe I''m overthinking the only solution. Still, I know one thing for sure.¡±


    ¡°That is...¡±


    ¡°She wants to have a ¡®super awesome day¡¯ with us, yes? Erin¡¯s looking forward to it, so I can¡¯t let her down¡ªnot after she¡¯s worked so hard to get this far.¡±


    ¡°You really like her.¡±


    ¡°I do. I¡¯m fond of her. Although part of it is Longtooth¡¯s emotions. The lions are me as much as I am them. They¡¯re living manifestations of my mana. Their feelings are as valid as mine because they are mine. I¡¯m anxious to reunite with them. My heart... It flutters. I don¡¯t know how else to describe it. Speaking via the lions isn¡¯t the same as having them physically present."


    I kept silent and let Sekh investigate her heart¡¯s depths.


    ¡°My one wish is to turn the day we share into a core memory, Mila. For her, you, and me. Yew, too. I know the family will love her.¡±


    ¡°Sounds like Mom and Dad are about to gain another daughter. Sekh?¡±


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    ¡°Before we...drift to sleep. I...can¡¯t hold back. Not when you¡¯re this close¡ª¡±


    It happened in a flash. Sekh leaned over Yew before stashing the helmet. There... Her face... As pretty as ever... As gorgeous as a thousand blooming flowers of pristine quality... With those silver eyes that contained the love I cherished...


    My breath was stolen.


    Slowly, she pressed her lips to mine. The kiss was gentle¡ªnot at all reminiscent of the ¡®naughtier¡¯ stuff we''ve shared.


    ¡°Let that hold us over, Mila,¡± she whispered, her helmet reappearing. ¡°I love you.¡±


    ¡°I love you, too.¡±


    Together, we cozied near Yew, closed our eyes, and drifted off the world of dreams after the sandman visited.


    And it was a good dream, too. Everyone I loved was there...


    However, it wasn¡¯t just a dream.


    It was my future reality being shown to me¡ªone I would fight hell itself to bring forth.


    I¡¯d win that battle, too. Nothing would ever, ever stop me from achieving all our dreams.


    Nothing...


    Absolutely nothing...

 Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria’s Ruins – Part Five

    Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria¡¯s Ruins ¨C Part Five


    ***** Quella¡¯s PoV *****


    I couldn¡¯t sleep, but nightmares weren¡¯t the cause. Now that we had a real, genuine plan to make that awful bitch suffer for her horrible crimes... The disturbing dreams that kept me awake wouldn¡¯t return because a flaming hope brightened those crevices.


    No.


    It was the situation we were in. I knew Tris was watching. She probably had tabs on everything within a few miles, so...


    Why?


    It was probably despite that. Lord Springfield had effortlessly humiliated the commander. Her actions could¡¯ve been inferred as a declaration of war, so perhaps...


    Perhaps it was the potential fighting keeping me awake? This world had turned me into something I thought I¡¯d never become. In many ways, I was broken. Violence did little to shock me. Seeing Surtr tear that man¡¯s arm made me almost happy since he came close to being an enemy.


    Enemies deserved to die, didn¡¯t they? In a world where the strong evolved while the weak remained stagnant...


    That was this type of place. A soft simmer warmed my blood, almost anticipating the moment the Quella of yesteryear would¡¯ve never wanted.


    What can I do? It¡¯s not like becoming this way hasn¡¯t helped. I¡¯d rather be used to killing if it meant protecting my friends, right?


    I sighed, rolling to my left. Then my right. The uncomfortable bedding was lumpy and uneven, although I was in the minority. Elly and the others were already fast asleep. A regular workout wouldn¡¯t tire them, but Lord Springfield¡¯s gym spell let them test the new limits of their strengths as Soul Warriors. Even still-- like me-- they were ready to fight should it come to it.


    That Imposter Remy had popped up after we returned to our tent and told us to follow Lord Springfield¡¯s orders¡ªthat was a ¡®direct command from the most beautiful Holy Lord in the world,¡¯ after all.


    So, for the most part, we had our ¡®orders.¡¯ My team still held reservations about this, yet what could they do? From their point of view, the brass¡¯s commands were absolute. Meruria had spent so long engraving the rule of ¡®my word is law¡¯ that it ironically worked against her.


    Whimsical lights suddenly appeared from nothing. Of course, she would have eyes on us as well.


    Are you having trouble sleeping? Tilde, Surtr, and I are sitting around the campfire. Are you inclined to join us?


    I debated for a few seconds before picking myself up. Slowly, I silently left my tent and felt a breeze assault my hair. The whimsical glow of my destination radiated a warm orange. The heat seemingly guided me as I followed it.


    ¡°Hey,¡± said Tilde, comfy in her wheelchair. A blanket had been laid over her lap. ¡°Couldn¡¯t sleep?¡±


    ¡°Yes, but not for the reasons you think,¡± I replied, sitting beside Tris, who tented to a pot of boiling water suspended above the campfire. She was probably making tea or coffee¡ªmost likely the former. Caffeine this late would keep them awake.


    ¡°No nightmares?¡±


    ¡°No. They haven¡¯t returned. I don¡¯t think they will anytime soon. It¡¯s...¡±


    ¡°Ah. Well, we are surrounded by people who want revenge on us. It¡¯s makes sense.¡±


    ¡°It does. However, you shouldn¡¯t let the gazes obstruct your sleep,¡± said Tris. ¡°Believe me, I am watching their every move.¡±


    ¡°I know you are. It¡¯s just... I can¡¯t drop my guard. This world has taught me that I can¡¯t take it easy. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t trust you¡ªI do. It¡¯s¡ª¡±


    ¡°Trust me? You say that, but your vitals tell a different story.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong, Quella. I¡¯m not offended or upset. From what I know, your reactions are understandable for someone in your position. I¡¯d have considered it unnatural if you accepted everything.¡±


    ¡°You trust me because I find it distrustful?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s an oxymoron in itself. Trust to get no trust. No trust to get trust. Yeah, life¡¯s a complicated mistress like that. Take it from me. You¡¯re too young to get hung up on that. Don¡¯t try to deduce it because you''ll think yourself into a stupor.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re logical, yeah? Always gotta find meaning in something. That¡¯s why you¡¯re so smart at math and science. Because you identify rules or methods and apply those to solve just about any problem. That¡¯s rigid, Quella. Unfortunately, this world doesn¡¯t always require rigidity to survive. There aren¡¯t rules where there should be, and you¡¯ll find rules when you shouldn¡¯t.  It¡¯s not black and white. It¡¯s grey all over. You aren¡¯t the first Soul Warrior to go through this.¡±


    ¡°Have you been around many Soul Warriors?¡±


    ¡°Yeppers. I¡¯ve been alive a long time, you know. At least ten thousand years. Maybe even more. The memories almost...blend into something I can¡¯t decipher after a certain point, but I remember a few things here and there. There was this rancher, you see. They worked at a place called the Yellowstone Ranch. I think that¡¯s in a place called Montana? At least, it was in his world.¡±


    ¡°That sounds like the United States,¡± I replied. ¡°I don¡¯t know if we had a Yellowstone Ranch, though.¡±


    ¡°Another was this woman with a big white hat. She always wore a heavy jacket and spoke with a heavy accent. Even after learning the language, it felt like bargaining with a bear,¡± Tilde said. ¡°This prolly won¡¯t make any sense, but you could grate a chunk of iron off her voice. Those two were used to killing. They took well to this world. Some others? There was a businessman or something with a briefcase. I tried to help, but he kicked the bucket after a nervous breakdown. Guess it was the loneliness, too. If I remember right, he was a single father to a daughter barely out of middle school. They weren¡¯t rich, either. All the money he made went to alimony. So...with him being here...his kid was alone. Some people can¡¯t be saved, Quella. Don¡¯t know why I brought him up specifically. Sorry. Guess that dampened the mood, huh?¡±


    As we talked, Tris finished preparing the tea. She added lemon juice, a cube of sugar, and a splash of milk. ¡°Care for a cup?¡±


    ¡°Ah, thank you.¡± The mug warmed my palms... ¡°There are all kinds of Soul Warriors. Some relish the chance to experience a new world because they had nothing. Others hate it because they had everything. I know only a fool expects to save everyone. I...can¡¯t think like that anymore. Failure knows me too well. To keep those same nai?ve thoughts would mean opening my mind to another round of self-inflicted heartache. For my sake... For my selfish sake, I can¡¯t do that.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    Everyone went quiet for a few seconds as we sipped our drinks


    ¡°What¡¯s with that look?¡± Tris was the first to speak.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m just remembering a scene from a book I read as a child.¡±


    ¡°Care to share with the class, Ms. Quella?¡± joked Tilde.


    ¡°It was a children¡¯s book about a father and son reuniting in winter. The two were estranged. The dad was diagnosed with cancer, so he didn¡¯t want to die without making amends with his child.¡±


    ¡°So... A book about inevitable death?¡± asked the fairy.


    ¡°Was the theme related to familial relationships?¡± inquired the personified void skill.


    ¡°Both. The father loved to hunt. The son did, too. The son was entering his rebellious period during the last trip before the estrangement. The book never goes into the argument, so readers can only theorize what happened. It ended with those two not speaking with each other for two decades. The son married, had a child, and lived his own life.¡±


    ¡°Please continue. I wish to learn the ending.¡±


    Tris is strangely into it. Why?


    ¡°The son didn¡¯t want to go until his wife convinced him. He packed his things, got in his car, and drove all night to a lodge the father had built. It was winter, but it wasn¡¯t dangerous. The snow was described as a ¡®blanket of false deceit wrapped around a hollow sense of guilty uneasiness.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Talk about purple prose.¡± Tilde rolled her eyes. ¡°Anyway, ignore my nit-picking. Didn¡¯t mean to interrupt.¡±


    ¡°The son arrived without issue. He found his father cleaning his gun. However... No one spoke. Neither the father nor the son said a word for the next four chapters. The author was amazing at conveying emotion through landmark details. And yes, one common criticism was the excessive purple prose. I like that, though. It means a longer book for me to lose myself in.¡±


    ¡°Mmnn... I guess you¡¯re not wrong,¡± Tilde said, sipping her tea through a straw. Surtr cleaned his paws as he listened.


    ¡°The first dialogue between the two happened when they couldn¡¯t sleep. They gathered around a campfire¡ªjust like this. Tea was brewing... The breeze was blowing... The story had snow¡ªwe don¡¯t. That¡¯s the missing piece. Anyway, the father revealed his cancer diagnosis. He wouldn¡¯t survive the new year. The son was distraught. Then anger consumed him. He demanded to know why this wasn¡¯t brought up earlier, and the father said he was scared. He had known about his impending death for a decade.¡±


    ¡°Why fear? Is it related to the unknown conflict?¡±


    ¡°Possibly. That¡¯s up for the readers to infer,¡± I answered Tris¡¯s question. ¡°It¡¯s why I like it so much. We don¡¯t know what happened to drive them apart. Or why the father was scared. It¡¯s like a fill-in-the-blank book. How much we relate to the story depends on our life. An estranged relationship isn¡¯t rare.¡±


    ¡°What do you think, Tris?¡±


    ¡°I believe someone cynical could interpret it as revenge.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± I was surprised. ¡°Revenge?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I don¡¯t believe that¡¯s the case, but the argument caused the two to grow apart. We don¡¯t know what it was. The father could¡¯ve started it. Perhaps it was the son being upset over something juvenile. If it was the latter, then the fault lies with him. The father could¡¯ve felt hurt. We don¡¯t know if he¡¯s a saint. He could have been someone mean or awful. Maybe he was a good man before this, and the argument marked a spiraling depression. Unfettered disgust could¡¯ve built up, which corrupted his morals. So, when the cancer diagnosis came in, the father kept quiet until it was too late. He organized the hunting trip to tell the son because he knew it would hurt him. Therefore, the story could be about revenge.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...one interpretation. I can¡¯t recall seeing someone explain it like that. I think it¡¯s about regret and making amends. Life could¡¯ve changed for the two if they had talked it out. The son was either too stubborn or proud. The same can be said for the father. The story ends with the son waking up to find his father dead. We don¡¯t know if he passed with a smile or frown. Or if he was in pain or not. It¡¯s a jarring ending that happens too suddenly. Most reviews say it was too morbid to be a children¡¯s story.¡±


    ¡°How does this remind you of our current situation?¡± asked Tilde.


    ¡°The tea. The breeze. That¡¯s it. It¡¯s not a strong remembrance. I¡¯m not sure why my mind even went to it.¡±


    ¡°The mind is like that. It¡¯s not easily understood. Heck, even your advanced society probably hasn¡¯t mapped it out. There¡¯s still the whole relationship between the mind, consciousness, and soul, yeah? You only have theories, but it¡¯s not something you can define like the human genome. Good luck building a structural database for it.¡±


    ¡°...¡± I stayed quiet.


    ¡°I think the author took the easy way out,¡± continued Tilde. ¡°Too many missing details means the story can be about whatever you want. It means there¡¯s no commonly accepted interpretation. They made a story for everyone and created something for no one. Then again... That¡¯s not the worst thing if that¡¯s the author¡¯s true intentions. Doesn¡¯t mean I agree with it, but I can respect it.¡±


    ¡°Who do you relate with more?¡± asked Tris. She poured another cup of tea, adding two sugar cubes this time. ¡°The father, who kept quiet? Or the son who didn¡¯t try to contact his father during the estrangement?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Let me rephrase that. You¡¯re thinking about the one called Shuuta, aren¡¯t you? That¡¯s why you mentioned this story.¡±


    ¡°!!!¡± My eyes went wide...but I couldn¡¯t deny it.


    ¡°Shuuta, huh? I see it now. The regret and making amends make sense now.¡±


    ¡°Is it...still wrong for him to occupy my thoughts? We were barely more than strangers. Anyone else should¡¯ve¡ªwould¡¯ve¡ª moved on. But I can''t. Not when there¡¯s still the tiniest spec of hope.¡±


    ¡°Hope you wouldn¡¯t have gotten if not for my Master?¡±


    I nodded.


    ¡°If she did it... Maybe he can... Maybe I still have time to apologize. I need one minute. Thirty seconds, even, to say I¡¯m sorry for failing him.¡±


    My sight turned blurry. Salty tears tainted my drink. I wiped my eyes and silently cleared my throat.


    ¡°Time magic exists. Maybe...¡± My voice trailed off when the realization hit me.


    ¡°Time in the void flows differently than it does here. An hour could be a second. A second could turn into a century. Oh, we can speak freely about the void. I¡¯ve set precautions to ensure we won¡¯t be overheard.¡±


    ¡°Hey, Tris?¡± I called her name.


    ¡°Yes?¡±


    "Do you think there¡¯s a void equivalent of time magic? Teleportation magic exists, but Remy used the void to warp all over.  I don¡¯t understand the differences, but it seems like the void version is better in every way. So...¡±


    ¡°I mean, there could be,¡± answered Tilde. ¡°I have some connection to the place, although I can¡¯t remember why. I know my purpose was to initialize [Hermes Trismegistus] for whoever received it. I wish I had something like a master list of void skills. If anyone would have it, it¡¯d be that bitch we want dead.¡±


    ¡°Remy¡¯s memories didn¡¯t mention anything like that,¡± sighed Tris.


    The group went quiet. I stared at the flames and imagined an alternate timeline. One where nothing had gone wrong... One where someone like Lord Enele had summoned us... He was a just man-- honorable and kind and understood the plight of an otherworlder who felt like a stranger in a strange land.


    ¡°Let us get back to a previous topic,¡± said Tris, changing the subject. ¡°Don¡¯t force yourself to trust us because we have the same goal.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Eh, maybe we can drop that topic. Tris, didn¡¯t you have something to ask?¡±


    ¡°Ask me?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°I did. Quella, you originate from a world that eclipses the academic discoveries of this reality. Physics, chemistry, mathematics... I wish to learn it all.¡±


    ¡°Are you asking me to teach you?¡±


    ¡°I am. Is there a problem?¡± Tris asked with a tilt of her head.


    ¡°No. Not really. It¡¯s just you said you¡¯re like a quantum computer. You¡¯re an AI, too.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re correct on both accounts, but I was not born into this world knowing what I know. My current knowledge is the cumulative result of many different factors. Murag¡¯s tomes helped plenty. Tilde¡¯s nightly tutoring created my core understanding. My lord provided an emotional basis. However...¡±


    ¡°Academically, you¡¯re not so much lacking as unhappy with your current circumstances?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes,¡± she said with a soft smile. ¡°I enjoy learning because I use the knowledge to enrich the lives of the ones I love. I want to protect them the only way I can, Quella.¡± Tris further explained that her normal body could not fight. It wasn¡¯t a curse¡ªmore like a limitation. ¡°I¡¯m essentially stuck at Lv. 1. My only skills come from [Hermes Trismegistus] and its evolutions. I cannot throw a ball of fire. Nor can I use wind magic to eviscerate my enemies. I can, however, be my lord¡¯s tactical commander over the battlefield. Acquiring knowledge¡ªno matter its insignificance¡ª will benefit me. There are no downsides to broadening my horizon.¡±


    ¡°So, what do you say?¡± Tilde finished her drink, yawning with a satisfied smile. ¡°Care to teach an AI a trick or two? We¡¯re not asking anything for nothing, you know. You have some powerful allies, so... A favor for a favor? Scratch our backs, we¡¯ll scratch yours?¡±


    ¡°Well... There¡¯s one thing...¡± One scenario popped into my mind. It had almost passed me because nothing bad had come of it, but this was the best time to get an answer.


    ¡°Meruria used [Conferment] on Mary?¡± asked Tilde. She looked at Tris.


    "I saw that memory. It occurred shortly after Meruria unlocked it for the world. I wish I could help, but Remy couldn¡¯t decipher it. Meruria also never told her what she did.¡±


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t understand it?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not. I¡¯ve scanned Mary a thousand times. Each one returns results within the standard parameters for a woman of her status. Her advanced aging must¡¯ve been cured by becoming a Soul Warrior because it¡¯s not there. I see no evidence of it.¡±


    ¡°Then should I be worried?¡±


    Tilde lightly bit her lips. ¡°It¡¯s a bad idea to be complacent around Meruria. Don¡¯t think of anything the bitch does as being in the ¡®status quo¡¯ because it¡¯s not. She¡¯s about as irregular and heartless as someone could get.¡±


    ¡°I will keep investigating.¡± Tris said the likely answer was a more advanced [Conferment] than what her lord could wield. ¡°I¡¯m confident I can solve it. However, as I said, even the smallest nugget of knowledge could induce the epiphany I desire. So, I ask you, Quella. Please teach me what you know. Anything and everything will be fine!¡± Tris was emphatic in her request. Those eyes... They were hungry for learning.


    ¡°Okay. It¡¯s the least I can do. Can you give me some time to think of a lesson plan?¡±


    I can probably get Mary to help me. If she still wants to be a teacher, that is.


    ¡°Thank you!¡± Tris¡¯s excitement was short-lived as a curious inquisitiveness replaced her expression.


    ¡°Oh, nothing¡¯s wrong,¡± I said, extinguishing their unneeded worries. ¡°I¡¯m thinking about this. I¡¯m hoping this tutoring can transform into genuine trust. Believe me, you guys are the closest thing to true allies. Every molecule in my body begs me to relax¡ªthat we don¡¯t have to be on guard. But, you know, when you live on the edge for so long... It becomes something like home.¡±


    ¡°Getting away from it is scary? It makes your stomach knot up?¡± asked Tilde.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not all, is there? You haven¡¯t fully accepted Sekh.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Your silence is all we need. Take it from Little Miss Lioness snoozing away near her beloved. You guys don¡¯t have to be friends. Hell, you can hate her, and guess what? She won¡¯t blame you an ounce as long as we work to kill the Holy Lord of Bitchness. A friendship born of mutual hatred can often be sturdier than bonds crafted via other means. Spite is a power motivator, you know.¡±


    ¡°Tilde...¡±


    ¡°Maybe a real bond can form later. Maybe it won¡¯t. Honestly...¡± Tilde looked past me to the tent with Melusine and Mary. ¡°Maybe you¡¯ll have to choose one day. Sekh or Melusine. Lion or fairy. Dark Lord or queen. Honestly? I¡¯ll probably slap you silly if you trash Melly¡¯s friendship.¡±


    Her bluntness caught me off guard as I nearly choked on my tea.


    ¡°Didn¡¯t expect that, did ya? Haha. I say it as I see it. She¡¯s a good woman. She really is. She¡¯s kind and just, too.¡± Tilde¡¯s eyes probably saw a scene of the past. She was Melusine¡¯s advisor a thousand years ago¡ªbefore...that happened.


    ¡°Do you think¡ª¡±


    ¡°Impossible things are only impossible until they aren¡¯t.¡± Tilde cut me off. ¡°You thought you¡¯d never have a way to kill that bitch, but you do. You¡¯ve met a survivor of the mysterious, unsurvivable void. The bitch¡¯s most loyal soldier is now a puppet to someone she tossed away like garbage. However... I really don¡¯t think those two can let bygones be bygones. Curse or not¡ªMelly suffered so much. Time can help, but it isn¡¯t the end-all-be-all to all of life¡¯s maladies. Some things can¡¯t be forgiven. It¡¯s up to the person in question to draw the line.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve surmised Melusine¡¯s instinctually figured it out. However, she can''t accept the impossible truth her body is trying to tell her. She¡¯s...conflicted, I¡¯d say. If her vitals are anything to go by. You¡¯ve seen her eyes. Those aren¡¯t the eyes of a well-rested woman.¡±


    ¡°I lost my nightmares while she gained them?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Prolly. It hurts me to say this, but we can¡¯t do much. I tried by telling the you-know-who was someone else, yet...¡± Tilde sighed. ¡°I guess memory tampering is one solution. Once my Master assimilates Meruria, she can make it so Melly never knew she had a kingdom. Rewrite her past, you know? Okay, maybe that¡¯s a little drastic. We prolly don¡¯t have to go that far, but I don¡¯t see any other realistic solution.¡±


    Between a rock and a hard place, huh? We have to worry about Sera, too. That has to be kept secret.


    ¡°You¡¯re thinking about Seraphina.¡±


    ¡°Right again,¡± I replied to Tris.


    ¡°Ah, yeah... That¡¯s a rough one. Honestly, it¡¯s like tiptoeing around a minefield. I still can¡¯t believe that eagle asked Sekh to look after his darling princess.¡±


    ¡°Lord Aetos did that?¡±


    ¡°Yeppers. Talk about cruel irony, am I right? Little Miss Second Princess is...very vulnerable, I guess I¡¯d say. Not in a nai?ve way, mind you. She¡¯s the type to value family, so since my Master holds the Vredi name... She has influence over one of the most powerful people in the world. That¡¯s not even accounting for her recollected projections of Susize and the others.¡±


    ¡°The most powerful Soul Warrior of her time?¡±


    ¡°Of all time, Quella. Susize was... Gods, I still remember the reports of their clash with Sekh. I¡¯m talking about craters miles wild. They say the damage was so severe nothing would ever grow again. The Ashlands? Yeah, that can be traced to her. It¡¯s a wasteland in the most genuine sense. Five Soul Warriors stood against Sekh. She won most of their fights, actually. Her losses weren¡¯t losses. Her mace might be a Divine Armament, but it¡¯s in a class of its own.¡±


    Divine Armament... That¡¯s a tier above a Lord Armament.


    ¡°I¡¯ll say this¡ªwe find that mace, and Meruria would¡¯ve died yesterday. Nelly and Sera pose the greatest ¡®threat¡¯ if we¡¯re talking about a full-on, no-holds-barred battle, but you know who I put my gold on.¡±


    ¡°I keep hearing these stories about her. I know it¡¯s the curse, but... The Sekh I see is...¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s a lovestruck dummy¡ªan adorable dork when she¡¯s drunk off her ass. She¡¯s just a woman who wants to experience life. She didn¡¯t ask the curse to uproot everything. Ugh, that damn thing pisses me off.¡± Tilde groaned and rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Would... Would they accept my assistance?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d help break it?¡± inquired Tris.


    ¡°I would. If not to repay for helping with Meruria, then to ensure the Dark Lord of Tyranny never returns as the world¡¯s nightmare.¡±


    ¡°A noble goal, Quella the Mage. Tris?¡±


    ¡°I have no qualms. Surtr?¡±


    ¡°Neither do I,¡± growled the lion.


    ¡°Eh? Just like that? What about asking Lord Springfield? Or Sekh?¡±


    ¡°Uhh... Because there¡¯s no need? Master and I used to share a life, so I know how she¡¯d respond. Surtr is a physical manifestation of Sekh¡¯s surplus mana, so he knows what she would say.¡±


    ¡°My lord has given me authority to speak on her behalf,¡± said Tris. ¡°She values my advice. She knows I would not agree to anything that would harm us in the long run. Your assistance is welcomed."


    ¡°Guess that settles it. Let¡¯s have a toast! Ah¡ªa little help? My arm¡¯s too heavy.¡±


    The scene was too... light-hearted. All this heavy talk about curses, death, lying to someone powerful...to end it with a joke and chuckle?


    Clank!


    Our glasses gently clanked in the silent atmosphere as we drank our delicious tea. The lack of sound was...calming.  Sometimes... All you needed was the absence of something else to appreciate what you had in life.


    ¡°These kind of nights can be fun. Tris, Niva, Primmy, and I had some girl talk back in the village. Maybe you, Yewie, and Sekh can join the next one? Maybe to see if a bond will be forged between you two? No pressure or anything. Oh! We can be the Curse Removal Team! Yeah, that can be the name of our little group. I can see Sekh rolling her eyes in annoyance, but you know she¡¯ll love it.¡±


    ¡°Speaking of Yew... How is she?¡±


    ¡°Asleep between Sekh and Master,¡± said Tilde.


    ¡°She took the first step to master her chimerism,¡± added Tris. ¡°She did so with a smile.¡±


    ¡°Little Yewie better not have jumped right into the deep end.¡±


    ¡°She didn¡¯t, Tilde. Rest assured, she¡¯s taking it a step at a time.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Tilde smiled. ¡°She''s just a kid, man. There¡¯s no need to rush into anything when she has more than just her life ahead of her. The worst thing you can do is focus so much on growing that you¡¯re left stumbling alone with nothing to show.¡±


    There was another moment of silence.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t we call it here?¡± asked Tilde after I yawned.


    ¡°That sounds good.¡± I stood, stretching my arms skyward. ¡°Thanks, you two. For talking with me, I mean.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome. Thanks for telling us about that story. They say you can find meaning in anything. Even the most inconspicuous object, tale, or whatever can impart important lessons. Maybe we can learn something¡ªit¡¯s just that the lesson might not be immediately visible. I¡¯ll put on the ole thinking cap before I fall asleep.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, I shall do the same. Sleep well, Quella.¡± Tris¡¯s smile was always so perfect and pristine. The two saw me off with a wave as I returned to my tent. The fogginess I felt...


    It was still there, but the unnavigable haze had thinned considerably.


    Maybe... Maybe they¡¯re right. Maybe trust can only grow from distrust.


    I collapsed to my bedding and quietly sighed.


    Can someone like Melusine ever trust Sekh? Or Sera? Must the secret remain one until the end of time? If [Conferment] adds a rule to the world, then... Could it make it so that the Dark Lord of Tyranny never existed? Not kill her. But vanish all knowledge of her. Everything associated with her can be gone, leaving Sekh to be Sekh. Lord Springfield, Tris, and the others wouldn¡¯t forget. They can make exceptions. How much life force will that take? I don¡¯t even want to fathom it.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria’s Ruins – Part Six

    Chapter One-Hundred-Four: Reaching Ria¡¯s Ruins ¨C Part Six


    It was still before dawn when I awoke from my slumber. The delicate back of a tiny girl pressed against my stomach as she adorably nuzzled close to the chimera she loved.


    Sleep well, Yew.


    Slowly, I eased out of bed before silently leaving the tent. The dim glow of a campfire illuminated Tris¡¯s serene face as she contentedly petted Surtr¡¯s chin.


    ¡°You¡¯re up early,¡± she remarked without turning around.


    ¡°You¡¯ve been awake all this time?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°Guilty as charged,¡± she replied. ¡°By the way, Tilde¡¯s tent is the flashiest one.¡± ¡®I Love Master¡¯ was written in brightly glowing lights across the flap.


    ¡°Her idea?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Yes. Tilde declared that the world must know her affection, although I couldn¡¯t let the light wake everyone. The waypoints are only visible to those outside their tents.¡±


    ¡°You didn¡¯t want to sleep with her?¡±


    ¡°I considered it. The night was so beautiful that I didn¡¯t want it to end. Besides...¡± She gestured to the obvious issue. ¡°It¡¯s better to make them think someone is always on guard, even if their every move has been tracked for hours. It hasn¡¯t been lonely, though. Quella spoke with Tilde and me for a while. Surtr¡¯s an excellent conversationalist.¡±


    ¡°I can take over from here if you want. An empty spot in Mila¡¯s bed is calling your name.¡±


    ¡°Are you sure? I don¡¯t mind.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m positive, Tris. I have a few things to think about. Oh, but don¡¯t worry. I¡¯m fine. I know I¡¯m not alone. I¡¯ll speak if I¡¯m concerned or bothered by something.¡±


    ¡°Hmm... Very well. I¡¯ll take you up on your offer,¡± Tris replied, standing. A slender finger touched her chin as she paused for a moment. ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s an impossible task, Sekh. I¡¯ll always be worried about you and the others.¡±


    ¡°I figured you¡¯d say that. I¡¯ll try not to make you too anxious. Oh, before you go...¡± I said, removing my gloves. Tris sweetly smiled and gently took my hands in hers. Her skin felt so soft...so warm, too...


    ¡°Have you noticed?¡± she whispered, bringing my palms to her face.


    ¡°What?¡±


    ¡°I based my appearance off you, Sekh. You¡¯re an inspiration to me. The ears?¡± She removed her hat.  ¡°The tail?¡± It curled around her waist. ¡°They¡¯re not one-to-one because no one can replace you, but... I¡¯m sorry. I should¡¯ve asked permission. There¡¯s time before my new body is finalized¡ª"


    So... That¡¯s why I felt so close to her. That makes sense in hindsight.


    ¡°I think you look perfect just the way you are,¡± I said, brushing a finger against her fluffy ears. They twitched to my touch. Tris¡¯s sweet purring soon followed, immediately blessing my hearing.  ¡°I see why Mila loves to rub them... It makes me want to tease you more.¡±


    ¡°You can touch them whenever you want,¡± she replied. Her adorable smile melted my heart.


    ¡°Oh, that reminds me,¡± Tris said, putting her hat back on after I had my fill. ¡°There¡¯s a chance Sera will interrupt breakfast since I cannot track her return. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to eat with everyone else, but I¡¯ve prepared something for you.¡± Tris retrieved a table from her storage, which held a few covered trays begging to be opened.


    Whatever she had made smelled delicious, meaty, and spicy. ¡°It¡¯s not exactly the kinds of food you¡¯d eat for breakfast, but I sampled a few dishes from Mexican cuisine, a culture found in a couple worlds. I hope you enjoy it.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure I will if you cooked it. Thank you, Tris.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re most welcome. Well, I¡¯ll see you soon, then.¡± Tris waved as she entered Mila¡¯s tent.


    ¡°Mornings like this are made for recollecting, my lady,¡± growled Surtr as I sat. He crossed his flaming paws. Those smoldering eyes stared deep into my soul.


    The lions were their own entities, yet they were also me. We shared an innate connection not dissimilar to Mila and Tris. It was useless to hide anything from them.


    ¡°They are. Forgive me if I remain silent.¡±


    ¡°You know there¡¯s nothing to forgive, my lady. Frequent apologies will elicit a lecture from Tilde.¡±


    ¡°I missed her scoldings,¡± I said, thinking about the past. ¡°She knew who I was¡ªwhat I had done¡ªand spoke as if it didn¡¯t matter. She saw me for me.¡±


    Surtr kept quiet. He laid his head between his paws while carefully watching the other side of camp. I didn¡¯t ¡®see¡¯ anyone, yet I sensed a dozen presences. Their lame attempts to hide their mana were laughably pathetic.


    ¡°Surtr?¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lady?¡±


    ¡°This is the first time it''s been just us."


    ¡°We¡¯ve always been with you, my lady.¡±


    ¡°You know what I mean. Thank you for watching over Mila. You¡¯ve done an admirable job.¡±


    ¡°Lord Springfield is precious,¡± he growled in a low voice. ¡°Even without your influence, I wish to see her grow. Becoming her lion was nothing less than a grand honor.¡±


    ¡°Knowing her love... Feeling her touch... Hearing her heartbeat... It sometimes feels like it¡¯s more than what I deserve. I can¡¯t keep thinking like that. I told Tilde and Tris this, but I don¡¯t want to shy away from what makes me happy. I... Those who knew me would do anything¡ªeven deny their everlasting souls from the cycle of reincarnation¡ªto see me deprived of joy. It may make me awful, but I don¡¯t care, Surtr.  Let the world find me unforgivable¡ªtheir comments or concerns will not bother me.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll protect your happiness from anyone who wishes to deny it, my lady. They will not survive the attempt.¡±


    ¡°Yes. I know you will,¡± I said, petting Surtr''s head. ¡°I¡¯m lucky to have my lions.¡±


    ¡°Likewise, my lady, we would not have wanted anyone else to become our creator. Now, eat your food. You don¡¯t want it to get cold.¡±


    ¡°Right. I won¡¯t let Tris¡¯s hard work go to waste,¡± I replied, uncovering the dishes. I didn¡¯t know what I was staring at. Most of these foods were unknown, but I couldn¡¯t deny the delicious smells.


    I recognized the rice, but something white and creamy was mixed into it¡ªwas that cheese? And on top, it had chunks of tomatoes. There were also these yellow, triangle-shaped things that looked like they¡¯d been fried. I also saw a green, chunky mixture with bits of onion and more tomato.


    Were you supposed to dip the former into the latter?


    What about these strange wraps, packed tightly and topped with melted cheese and red sauce. I picked one up, noticing it was stuffed with rice, beans, and what I thought was chicken. Next was another dish that looked similar but was rolled up and tucked under layers of sauce and cheese, almost like a casserole.


    Finally, there was this pile of mashed, brown beans with a thick, creamy texture. I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect, but a smoky, earthy smell rose from them, which wasn¡¯t unpleasant. Everything looked so new, and the mix of colors, textures, and flavors made me hesitate, wondering where to begin.


    ¡°The allure of what you know can make you desire the unknown,¡± said Surtr as I stirred the cheesy rice. ¡°Believe me¡ªeverything is delicious.¡±


    ¡°Were you her taste tester?¡±


    ¡°Along with Tilde,¡± he replied, licking his lips. ¡°This is just the beginning. Tris plans to experiment with more cultures.¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t wait if this is anything to go by,¡± I said, removing my helmet. I took a chip, dipped it into the green stuff, and bit into it. Instantly, flavor surged throughout my mouth¡ªI had to have another.


    We became quiet while I enjoyed everything down to the last bite. The trays faded into nothingness once their purpose had been fulfilled.


    The savory, exciting breakfast took about an hour. The faint glimmer of dawn shattered the horizon, casting a warm glow in the distance. Soon, it would dwarf the campfire¡¯s luster.


    The sight would¡¯ve been one thing if I observed it with Surtr, but we weren¡¯t alone. A sneaky child had thought she had a veil of secrecy, but she couldn''t hide from me.


    ¡°You can come out, Yew,¡± said Surtr. ¡°Why are you hiding?¡±


    ¡°I... I don¡¯t know,¡± replied a quiet voice. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to spy.¡±


    ¡°You can sit down.¡± Surtr stood, stretched, and shrank to the size of a plushie. He waddled to Yew, who slowly approached. She caught him as he jumped into her arms, hugging him like a toy.


    I couldn¡¯t speak. My voice was nowhere to be found. An odd...something swelled in my heart.


    This is also the first I¡¯ve been alone with Yew. I usually follow Mila¡¯s lead...


    ¡°Have you been up long?¡± asked Surtr, his deep voice still relaxing.


    ¡°Not too long. Tris talked to me a little. I tried to go back to sleep, but I couldn¡¯t. So...I got up.¡± Yew squeezed Surtr a little tighter. She looked my way for a moment before her expression slightly darkened. It was like a rain cloud had landed on her eyes. ¡°You¡¯re feeling uneasy. Tilde said this might happen the first time without her, Mila, or Tris. I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t¡ª¡±


    ¡°No!¡± My response was a little forceful as I extended my hand. ¡°Don¡¯t apologize. It¡¯s not your fault. I... I...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    No words...


    What did I want to say?


    I can¡¯t remain silent. Come on, Sekh... Don¡¯t let this¡ª


    ¡°Are you thinking about Aetos Village? Tilde said you probably would.¡± Yew finally broke the uncomfortable silence. The girl¡¯s courage shone bright enough to clasp mine in its shadow.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Yew. I...wished...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not mad, Sekh. I¡¯m not sad, upset, or anything like that. The Eagle Yew has never blamed you for its injuries.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°The Eagle Yew wanted me to thank you.¡±


    ¡°Thank...me? Why? I don¡¯t understand.¡±


    ¡°Because you fought to defend Aetos Village. Those bad people would¡¯ve destroyed it. Remy would¡¯ve finished the job if they failed, but we don¡¯t have to worry about that because you saved the day.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Sekh, please believe me... Please...¡± Yew released Surtr and suddenly wrapped her arms around me. Her fragile, tiny body shivered uncontrollably as tears welled in her eyes. ¡°I wanna be friends with you! I... You¡¯re someone close to me, Sekh. I love you like I love Mila and the others. I want to fight to protect you like them! But... I... I don¡¯t wanna make you uncomfortable. I can¡¯t do that to someone like you. So...¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t leave,¡± I whispered, salty water leaking from my eyes. A quiet voice squeaked from my lips, the words quivering as if balanced precariously on the edge of a cliff. ¡°Please, don¡¯t leave.¡±


    ¡°But I...¡±


    ¡°No. It¡¯s not you. The problem lies with me,¡± I admitted. ¡°I look at you, and I see my past. Yew, let me protect you. Please...¡±


    ¡°Huh? You already¡ª¡±


    ¡°No, I mean this version of you. All my life... I¡¯ve been compelled to destroy. I¡¯ve never had anything to fight for... Nothing to look forward to until now. Did... Do you know what I had planned for Mila?¡±


    ¡°No. What?¡±


    ¡°I was in that crystal for so long. I swore to myself that...should¡ªwhen¡ªI break free... Nothing... No one would stop me this time. Whoever freed me would¡¯ve been the first sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Until Mila changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Yew. Although it¡¯s not how you envisioned. I was enamored by her wrath. She...hated so much. So, she was like me. Destruction was all her soul felt. It drew me to her. Until... These feelings changed. I genuinely fell in love with her. So did my desire to protect her. Not just her, though. It¡¯s Tilde, even if she can be annoying. It¡¯s Ichiha, Kokan, and Irisa. It¡¯s Niva and Primrose. It¡¯s you, too. Yes, I still want to make the ones who hurt Mila suffer uncontrollably, but there¡¯s a secondary goal. So... What... I...¡±


    The words began so confidently until I lost my voice. The last sentence was a meek whisper. Just...where was I going with this? It felt like rambling took over halfway and directed the narrative.


    ¡°The solution is simple, my lady. You are thinking about it too much. The unneeded complexity is clouding your eyes,¡± said Surtr, returning to Yew¡¯s embracing hug.


    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Bonding,¡± he flatly stated. He interpreted my silence as permission to continue. ¡°Tris has asked Quella to tutor her, you see.¡±


    ¡°Why? Tris doesn¡¯t need the knowledge. I doubt she¡¯ll learn anything essential.¡±


    ¡°She agrees and disagrees, my lady, for even the smallest revelation may trigger an epiphany. But that¡¯s not the primary reason. First and foremost, she wants to foster a stronger sense of camaraderie. Tris knows Mary¡¯s truth. The teacher isn¡¯t all what she appears to be, so part of it is helping the monster tamer discover her courage. We are allies united for a sole cause¡ªeven if the reason has yet to be discussed amongst Quella¡¯s team."


    "What¡¯s the point?¡±


    ¡°I think I get it. Sekh, I think Surtr wants us to attend. Quella can teach us when she''s teaching Tris.¡±


    ¡°Is that Tilde¡¯s idea?¡±


    ¡°Good guess, my lady. Her ability to read people speaks truth to her vast life experience.¡±


    ¡°Umm... She also said something before you and Mila helped me with my training. Tilde told me to think about confidence, pride, and bonding. I don¡¯t get the first two, but I wonder if she knew this would happen. Maybe Tris and Tilde are in on it?¡±


    ¡°Perhaps so,¡± said Surtr.


    ¡°So... What do you say, Sekh? I really wanna spend time with you. I think it might be fun, you know...¡± Yew averted her eyes, choosing to look out at the broad horizon. ¡°There are a lot of things I want to experience. Lord Aetos always talked to me about the past. Stuff like food and dancing. And singing, too. Attending far away places, sitting in class to learn about stuff... So... Sekh, will...you do those things with me?¡±


    ¡°... I... I¡¯d like that, Yew,¡± I said.


    Her ears immediately wiggled up and down. ¡°Really? You would? You really, really would?¡±


    ¡°Yep.¡± I smiled. ¡°I really, really would. We can ask Quella later, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Her smile illuminated the darkness.


    Chimera or not, Yew was very impressionable. Even if I didn¡¯t want to join¡ªand I did¡ªI really did¡ªI still would¡¯ve attended for her sake.


    ¡°Yew, I have an idea. Tell me, does this burn?¡± I formed a ball of my weakest flames. She should¡¯ve been immune to something a hundred times hotter than this, but I want to be sure.


    ¡°No. I can touch it just fine,¡± Yew said, rubbing the crimson orb. She caught out of the air after I flicked it up. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°I was thinking... We... We don¡¯t have to wait until later to bond. We can throw this back and forth. The memories are vague, but my father and I did this.¡±


    ¡°Do you mean playing catch? Tilde talked to me about it. She said it¡¯s something a lot of people do with their friends. Oh, she said we can¡¯t forget the gloves.¡±


    I raised an eyebrow. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me the fairy predicted I¡¯d bring this up.¡±


    ¡°Umm... She said if you didn¡¯t, then Surtr was supposed to. Tilde asked Tris to make a ball and two gloves.¡± Yew pointed to a suspicious box near the campfire. I had thought it belonged to Quella or another member of her team¡ªapparently not. I opened it to see a palm-sized ball and two oddly shaped gloves waiting to be picked up.


    Surtr pretended to be a toy to avoid my stern glares.


    ¡°Once an annoyance is always an annoyance,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°Tilde''s too perceptive for her own good.¡±


    ¡°Oh, she had something to say about that, too. ¡®If I¡¯m being annoying, then it means I¡¯m doing something right. I can¡¯t have Master¡¯s favorite fiery lioness slack on the job. It won¡¯t reflect right on me or the reputation I must uphold.¡¯ Or something like that.¡±


    ¡°Surtr, do you feel like burning a tent?¡±


    ¡°Umm... Tilde...she told me she would ask Tris to make her tent immune to flames if something happened to the campfire.¡±


    ¡°Then we¡¯re having roasted fairy for breakfast.¡±


    ¡°Umm...¡±


    ¡°Fine. What did Tilde say this time?¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s said she¡¯d wear Mila¡¯s iceflame cloaks to protect her from the cold. And...she absolutely swore there was no other reason.¡±


    ¡°The fairy is ahead of you at every step, my lady. She is not easily outwitted.¡±


    ¡°Hehe!¡± Yew¡¯s laughter was worth it.


    ¡°Okay. Let¡¯s get started,¡± I said, canceling the flaming orb as Yew handed me the baseball. The stitching pattern was unlike anything I¡¯d ever seen. The glove¡¯s design looked so unnatural. ¡°Do you know which world this came from?¡±


    ¡°Tilde said baseball¡¯s almost always at least one country¡¯s national sport. It¡¯s really popular in a lot of worlds.¡±


    ¡°Are the rules the same?¡±


    ¡°For the most part. Some things are called different terms, but that¡¯s it.¡± Yew told me more about baseball as she adjusted her glove. I paid attention to every single word.


    We then stood about ten feet apart. That ¡®traitorous¡¯ lion wiggled wiggled to Yew''s shoulder before sitting.


    ¡°Am I too heavy?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯re super light and fluffy.¡±


    ¡°Those words ease my flaming heart, Yew. Well, then. Whenever you¡¯re ready, my lady.¡± Surtr raised a paw. ¡°Commence the first throw.¡±


    He¡¯s a reflection of me because we share the same ¡®root.¡¯ His easygoing nature around Yew means these uncomfortable butterflies shouldn¡¯t be in my stomach. Yet they are. I must work on myself. My future will be bright. I won¡¯t allow darkness to clad it.


    I underhand tossed the ball. It soared, leaving behind a trailing line of faint embers that danced to the ground.


    That wouldn¡¯t have been possible if it was a regular ball.


    I was certain Tris had added that via an illusion spell. Maybe she auto-configured something with waypoints? Accomplishing this wouldn¡¯t have required her full attention¡ªespecially after her evolution.


    It¡¯s probably the latter.


    ¡°Woah... Tris said to expect a small surprise. The lights are so pretty...¡± Yew dashed forward¡ª glove outstretched¡ªsnagging it like she had done this a thousand times. She twirled back, drew her arm, and tossed it overhand. I had to step back, but it landed effortlessly in my palm.  ¡°They look like little fireflies.¡±


    ¡°So they do,¡± I replied. ¡°Ready?¡± Yew nodded.


    We did that for a few minutes¡ªjust happily throwing it without speaking. Nonvocal bonding was as precious as revealing our bleeding hearts or discussing our feelings.


    Being...


    Finding someone you could be happy with¡ªeven without speaking because you enjoy being around them... I was sure Tilde would¡¯ve said that was a green flag you''d want in a lover.


    A relationship had a lot of give and take. It couldn¡¯t be one-sided because, at that point, it was less about love and more about how you could extract usefulness. Just like a blood-sucking creature of the night.


    No more would I be used by others.


    No more would I use others for selfish, destructive gains.


    ¡°Does this make you happy, Yew?¡±


    ¡°Uh-huh! I¡¯m having a blast.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°Is Sekh having fun?¡± I still overheard her.


    ¡°She is. You should know she¡¯s wearing a bright smile beneath her helmet.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s good. That¡¯s really good.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s going really high, okay? Are you ready?¡± I got her attention.


    ¡°Yeah! Definitely! Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get it!¡± Yew shifted her stance. She delicately bounced on her feet, her eyes focused solely on the target.


    I breathed in, steadied my core, and threw the ball. Soon, it was naught but a twinkle as waypoints softly enveloped it. That was probably another safety feature. If I had to guess... The ball was connected to the gloves. It would make itself easier to spot if it was too far away.


    ¡°Patience is a virtue needed in all walks of life, Yew. Let it come to you¡ªnot the opposite way around.¡±


    ¡°Right! I got it! And... Wait...¡± Soon, the tiny spec grew larger as gravity took its toll.


    Yew lacked confidence in her arm until Surtr placed a reassuring paw on her soft hair. Only then did she brace for impact with her other hand, squeezing her glove around the ball as it solidly landed true.


    ¡°I got it!¡± she cheered, jumping up and down.


    ¡°Excellent work,¡± roared Surtr. Yew tossed it back, and I continued throwing them higher and higher.


    The game stopped twenty minutes later after we sensed magical energy. The coordinate crystal Sera had left behind flashed twice before dissolving. The fragments formed a glowing circle. A breath later, the sister of the elf who hated me the most manifested after a veil of light shattered like glass.


    ¡°It¡¯s still this dark, huh? Guess I forgot to account for the timezone. Oh, Sera... When will you learn?¡± she whispered to herself. Her back was turned, but she looked over her shoulders after wiggling her ears. She must¡¯ve picked up Yew¡¯s footsteps since there was no way she detected our mana when [Status Cloak] was active.


    ¡°Sekh? Surtr and Yew, too? You¡¯re up¡ª¡± Suddenly, she went silent, looking upon those glowing letters revealing a maid¡¯s true feelings-- desires that weren¡¯t trying to be subtle.


    ¡°Tilde wanted the world to know how she feels about Mila,¡± I said. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯s only visible to those outside their tents. It¡¯s not disturbing their sleep.¡±


    ¡°I...see... Well, Tilde did strike me as the type of fairy to wear their heart on their sleeves, so I should¡¯ve expected this. Umm... What...is that?¡±


    ¡°This?¡± Yew skipped over after taking off her glove. ¡°People in other worlds use it to play baseball.¡±


    ¡°Baseball? Is that...?¡± She pointed to the ball I held.


    ¡°Yep. Wanna try it, Sera?  It¡¯s really fun. You can even adjust the glove using this strap. So it¡¯s always the perfect fit.¡±


    Sera observed the glove from all angles before slipping her hand in. ¡°It feels so natural.¡± Yew asked about Niva and Primrose. ¡°I¡¯ll get them before we depart. It didn¡¯t feel right waking them up when they¡¯re exhausted.¡±


    ¡°Did they do good?¡± Yew wanted to know.


    ¡°That they did. No one advances a thousand steps without stumbling--the same is true for them. Yet they don¡¯t give up. Failure doesn¡¯t mean the end¡ªit¡¯s the beginning of something new. I¡¯m... honestly inspired by them.¡±


    ¡°Did you join their dream training?¡± I asked.


    Sera nodded, prompting Yew to ask what that was like.  ¡°A land of infinite possibilities. It¡¯s your dream, so you hold the power. The sky could rain chocolate. Or the trees could be made of candy. It could be a world of everlasting peace without any hardships.¡±


    ¡°What did Niva dream about?¡±


    ¡°It was almost an exact replica of the Spiritual Grove. Think of it as less her dream and more of Lord Aetos¡¯s manipulated slumber."


    ¡°I don¡¯t think he will ever pick anything else,¡± noted Yew.


    ¡°I don¡¯t blame him. The place is special,¡± I added.


    Mila and Tris emerged from their tent before Sera replied. ¡°I thought I heard your voice. Welcome back. I take it you¡¯ll fetch Niva and Primrose before we depart?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. I wanted those two to rest a little more. Don''t worry. This won''t delay us."


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Are you curious about that?¡± Mila pointed to the glove Sera was still fiddling with.


    ¡°I am. I¡¯ve seen a lot throughout my time, yet this is a first. It has an intriguing shape. I¡¯ve played catch before with my sister and father. Our ball was wooden with mossy vines wrapped around it.¡±


    Is this the chance I need? The eagle asked me to watch Sera. She¡¯ll never trust a face she can¡¯t see, so...


    ¡°I¡¯ll be your partner if you want to try it.¡±


    ¡°An excellent idea, Sekh.¡± Tris after realizing my plan. ¡°You two can do that while we prepare breakfast. Yew, would you like to help?¡±


    ¡°Okay.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll join you two,¡± added Mila.


    ¡°Sera?¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªlead the way, Sekh. I¡¯m in your care.¡±


    I nodded. We walked away from the camp. It wasn''t too far-- just about two minutes near some rubble.


    ¡°We didn¡¯t have to come this far to throw a ball.¡±


    ¡°I realize that,¡± I replied, turning around. ¡°I figured you¡¯d like the privacy. We haven¡¯t had a chance to really speak, have we? We could do that while we play.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sera raised an eyebrow and smiled. ¡°Observant, are we?¡±


    ¡°More than most.¡± I tossed her the ball. Sera failed to catch it because she closed the glove a moment too soon. She scowled an innocent annoyance¡ªfar unlike the murderous gaze I¡¯d become intimately familiar with. ¡°Tilde¡¯s the most perceptive of us. Nothing can get past her. She often knows what I¡¯m feeling before I do.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a hard skill to learn. Only someone truly in tune with what makes a person a person can do that. I¡¯m nowhere as good as her, but...¡± She picked up the ball and threw it. ¡°It¡¯s your heart. Rather, it¡¯s the way it beats. It becomes faster when I¡¯m around. That can indicate nervousness. You know that, don¡¯t you? It¡¯s not something you¡¯re unaware of.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re right. I... I¡¯m not the most sociable, Sera. I¡¯ve spent a long time alone. Only recently did I realize I could change. To do that, I¡¯ve had to confront parts of myself I¡¯d rather ignore.¡±


    ¡°So... it¡¯s not me? I¡¯m not the reason you¡¯re uncomfortable?¡± Sera held onto the ball. Her voice was gentle.


    ¡°No, it¡¯s not your fault.¡±


    Sera exhaled, a relieved smile crossing her face. ¡°I¡¯m glad to hear that. You mean a lot to Mila. I¡¯d like to mean something to you, too. I want to be your friend.¡±


    ¡°Even if I¡¯m too afraid to remove my armor? How can you trust a face you can¡¯t see?¡±


    Sera¡¯s smile only softened further. ¡°In most cases, maybe that would be a problem.¡± She hesitated, then continued. ¡°I won¡¯t ask you to tell me anything she hasn¡¯t shared, but... Mila¡¯s been through a lot, hasn¡¯t she?¡±


    ¡°She has.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Sera silently threw the ball.


    ¡°Mila was a lot like me,¡± I said, answering the question Sera didn¡¯t know how to ask. ¡°Her life was filled with horror and cruelty. We had nothing but revenge and isolationism. Then we met. And despite everything, somehow... I want to believe it was meant to happen.¡±


    ¡°Like fate?¡± Sera''s gaze was steady as she tossed it back.


    ¡°Yes.¡± I caught it. ¡°You could say we saved each other.¡±


    A thoughtful look crossed her face. ¡°I know it hasn¡¯t been easy for her. I wish I could have spared her some of that pain.¡±


    ¡°I feel the same, Sera. I sometimes wonder how different things might have been if we¡¯d met sooner.¡±


    ¡°It seems we have that in common, Sekh. We both care deeply for her.¡±


    ¡°Without Mila, I... I wouldn¡¯t be who I am now. You and I wouldn¡¯t be having this conversation.¡±


    ¡°Would it be rude if I asked you to explain?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Sorry.¡± Sera quickly backpedaled. ¡°I crossed the line. You don¡¯t have to answer that.¡±


    I fell silent, then finally spoke as Sera drew her arm back. ¡°I used to be violent. I made enemies to feel something. Honestly?¡± I caught the ball and stared at it. ¡°Mila... she was supposed to be another victim.¡±


    Sera¡¯s eyes widened, but she didn¡¯t look away.


    ¡°I planned to use and discard her. But...that didn¡¯t happen.¡± I paused, the words settling between us. ¡°Do you know why?¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°Hope. They say it keeps people going, but it has never touched me. I never felt it.¡±


    ¡°Until Mila?¡±


    ¡°Yes. She gave me hope. She promised a future worth fighting for. I don¡¯t have to fear what¡¯s coming because I¡¯m not alone anymore. Neither of us had that until we met each other.¡±


    Sera¡¯s eyes softened. ¡°You know, Sekh, my sister used to say that we¡¯re never truly whole until we meet those who complete us. We may think we¡¯re fine, but we don¡¯t know what¡¯s missing until we find it. It was true for her, and it¡¯s clear it¡¯s the same for you. For what it¡¯s worth... I¡¯m glad you two found each other.¡±


    ¡°Thank you for saying that.¡±


    ¡°Can you answer another question?¡± I nodded as I threw the ball. ¡°You hide your mana better than anyone I¡¯ve ever met. Even I can¡¯t do that. Something always slips out.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t teach Mila if that¡¯s what you''re asking.¡±


    ¡°Then who?¡±


    ¡°Tris. She learned it from Tilde. We met those two not long after Mila and I found each other. Tris... It took a while for her to come around.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll admit my curiosity is scratching to know more, but I won¡¯t press the issue.¡± Sera looked like she was having fun. She put more power behind her throw. ¡°Regardless, I can tell you¡¯re strong.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an honor coming from a Vredi.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you think so. I¡¯ve never heard of someone evolving spirits from hundreds of miles away. That alone tells me what I need to know about your combat prowess. I dread to imagine what could have inflicted wounds so grave that you required Lord Aetos''s aid."


    ¡°The chaos in Ria.¡± I pointed to the rubble. Memories of that clash surged to the forefront of my mind... The disgusting tendrils of that awful curse... Even now, I felt phantom sensations of it latching deep into my heart, further tempting me to fall back into the one I was most ashamed to be. ¡°I fought to truly protect something that day. I couldn¡¯t let the ones I love come to harm. In my eyes... Fighting is what I¡¯m good at.  It¡¯s defined my life¡ªfor better or worse.¡±


    ¡°Knowing how to fight isn''t a bad thing,¡± Sera said, spinning the ball before throwing it. ¡°War is inevitable. It¡¯s something everyone has to do. Some learn to take. Others for the opposite reason.¡±


    ¡°What was your reason?¡±


    ¡°Protection is what I would say, but I was a young elf wanting to be like her big sister. Susize had a lot of pressure on her shoulder. I wanted to take some of the burden, so I used her as my inspiration. I suppose the reasons became less and less selfish as time passed, but the initial cause wasn¡¯t some noble goal. Anyway, I was never as good of an archer as Susize. She was athletic. Physically gifted in more ways than one. But this?¡± Sera summoned her staff. She eyed the priceless weapon with pure adoration. ¡°It¡¯s my strength. Magic came naturally to me. It¡¯s the one thing I did better than her once I acquired the fundamentals.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard Mila speak of it,¡± I replied. ¡°You taught her magic while I was out of commission, didn¡¯t you?¡±


    ¡°I did. If I can be honest, Sekh...¡± Sera¡¯s staff vanished, and we resumed our game. ¡°Teaching her felt like...I was transported to the past. I¡¯d just gotten my first staff... Susize was there... Haha, we spent the whole day going over the basics. Susize never lost her patience with me. She was the perfect teacher, so I¡¯m glad what was taught to me isn¡¯t going to waste. You really don¡¯t know how happy it makes me.¡±


    ¡°Do you miss her?¡± The question was risky, but I carved a connection of trust using it.


    ¡°More than the day before. Do you have any family?¡±


    ¡°None that are still living. I miss my father,¡± I confessed. ¡°My mother, too. And the maid. It was us four together.¡±


    ¡°A maid? Do you come from money?¡±


    ¡°Yes, yet the wealth they had accumulated did nothing. They died when I was young. It¡¯s been so long that I can¡¯t remember their faces or names.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Do you...sometimes wonder if Susize¡ªif the ones who aren¡¯t here would like who you¡¯ve become?¡±


    ¡°All the time. One of my biggest fears is doing something to dishonor everything they fought for. Susize, Reina, Murag, Beccy, and Yaekira... I looked up to all of them. I hope they¡¯re looking down on me. Is it the same with you?¡±


    ¡°Yes. I¡¯ve already told you, but... Who I am now isn¡¯t who I used to be. That woman... That person... No one would be proud of her. However, this me? The Sekh you see? The one who knows what true love feels like and wants to protect the things she cherishes? I...hope they¡¯d proud of who I¡¯ve become.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m sure they would, Sekh.¡±


    I smiled, although she couldn''t see it. ¡°Your words are kind.¡±


    ¡°I understand why Mila despises Meruria even if I don¡¯t have the full picture,¡± said Sera as she caught the ball. Her motions had gotten much more natural. Her technique had improved, too. ¡°If you don¡¯t mind me asking...¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never met her,¡± I carefully observed her expression. ¡°It¡¯s hearsay for me, but anyone who hurts my Mila is denied all mercy. The rumors reinforce all the awful things I¡¯ve heard, so that¡¯s enough for me to hate her.¡±


    ¡°¡¯My Mila?¡¯ I love how protective you are over her, haha! Really, it makes me so happy she met you and the others.¡± Suddenly, Sera went silent. She gripped the ball, sighed, and looked up at the sky. ¡°I know I¡¯ve assaulted you with so many questions. You must be getting annoyed."


    "Far from it.¡± That was the truth. I knew... I knew this would inevitably end with disastrous heartache. The moment this helmet came off...


    Really, only one outcome was inevitable.


    Yet there was a chance, right?


    A small chance.


    A chance so insignificant not even Tris could calculate it...


    A chance, nonetheless...


    I wonder if I should mention that...It could foster another connection. Anything to improve that minuscule chance, right?


    ¡°There was a time I called Mila Master.¡±


    ¡°Master?¡± she confusingly repeated. ¡°Like...¡±


    ¡°Like a slave. It¡¯s as I said. I was a foreigner to love. What...I thought was affection was a crude interpretation of it.¡±


    ¡°What changed your mind?¡±


    ¡°I got drunk. I suppose my love twisted from master and slave to that of a lord because she said I kept calling for a liege in my drunken stupor.¡±


    ¡°Ppfff! I¡¯m sorry. I don¡¯t mean to laugh. It¡¯s just I didn¡¯t strike you as the type to be affected by alcohol like that.¡±


    ¡°It surprised me too. That was the first time I drank for fun and pleasure.¡±


    ¡°So, after that?¡±


    ¡°Ria happened. I had a chance to converse with myself while within the coffin. A moment to confront the Sekh I never want to return to.¡± I chose my words as carefully as lifting a sick child. ¡°I could stand behind Mila, stand in front, or take my place beside her. The path of a slave, a servant, or an equal. So, I chose the latter because being treated as equal? It¡¯s what she¡¯s always wanted.¡±


    ¡°Is that really true? Tilde calls her Master. Tris calls Mila ¡®my lord.¡¯¡±


    ¡°That they do, but those titles do not mean what we believe they mean. Mila, Tilde, Tris, and myself are equals. Tilde¡¯s pretending to be a maid¡ªthat¡¯s what she does. Sooner or later, she¡¯ll probably dress like a sailor and call Mila ¡®Master Captain.¡¯ She¡¯ll say something like: ¡®What¡¯s better than a maid? A sailor maid, Master Captain. I¡¯m here to bake cookies and swab the deck, so I combined the two! I¡¯m a genius, aren¡¯t I, Captain Master? Go ahead, you can praise me.¡¯¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve not known her for long, but I can see her saying those exact words.¡±


    ¡°She¡¯s one of a kind in a thousand ways. Tris¡¯s situation is unique. She knows Mila¡¯s fine with being called Mila, but she prefers ¡®my lord¡¯ for a specific reason.¡±


    ¡°I see... It seems like you all share a very unique relationship. So... Umm... If it isn¡¯t too much... Please permit me to ask one more question. When it comes to loving someone who¡¯s loved by many... I guess what I¡¯m asking is... How does it work?¡±


    ¡°What do you mean?¡±


    ¡°My sister loved someone named Murag. He loved her back, of course. Yet they also loved Reina, Beccy, and Yaekira. That¡¯s five people. They were happy¡ªeveryone could see that. But... Maybe I should be quiet. I don¡¯t even know how to phrase my question.¡±


    ¡°We aren¡¯t devoted to Mila. Rather, we don¡¯t live solely to love her because we don¡¯t want that. Neither does she. The connection we share is...deep, I would say. Mila and I saved each other from traveling down a path with no happy ending, and Tilde helped us through our feelings when we were uncertain. I may want to burn the pesky annoyance, but she¡¯s someone I respect. That turned into genuine love. It¡¯s the same with Tris. She looks out for us, and we look out for her. So, when it comes to it, why not love each other? We¡¯re stronger than the sum of our parts. It makes sense, doesn¡¯t it?¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Susize and the others probably thought the same. I¡¯m sure they must¡¯ve experienced a lot. It could not have all been fond. Some of it must¡¯ve been sorrowful. Still, they forged an unbreakable bond that extended through love. To them? It made sense to love each other, although I¡¯m positive there must¡¯ve been an issue here or there at the beginning. If I recall, Beccy was a queen of a kingdom that no longer exists. Your sister was the First Princess of Vredi. Taking a husband was expected, but there was pushback when her husband took three more wives. They endured, though. Their love kept them together through the thick and thin. The idea of forcing Murag to pick one probably entered their mind, yet it was unfairly cruel to put the onus on him.¡±


    ¡°Kind, strong, and thoughtful with a profound elegance of the heart? It seems like you have it all, Sekh.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°It almost sounds like you knew my sister.¡±


    "I¡¯ve heard a few stories from Mila.¡±


    ¡°Stories, huh? You know... The past is behind us. I can¡¯t say it¡¯s impossible to develop a spell to transport me back in time by 1,000 years. To do so...would mean...throwing away the promises I made to the ones no longer here. I miss them so much. But... This is the world they left me. To selfishly want to live in the past... That would deny everything they fought hard to protect. I can see why Lord Aetos wanted me to face the future. Can I admit something to you? Something selfish and childish?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Speak, and I¡¯ll listen, Sera.¡±


    ¡°Being the Second Princess of Vredi Forest meant I was younger. That¡¯s only logical. So, I sometimes hated that everyone constantly looked after me... Except now I miss it. I miss the over-protectiveness... I miss the feeling that I was everyone¡¯s little sister no matter where I went. Now? There¡¯s no one out there to treat me like one. It doesn¡¯t make sense, does it? I¡¯m old even by High Elf standards, yet... It feels like I¡¯ve yet to mature¡ªhuh?¡± Sera flinched before looking up from the ground...


    ...because I had my hand on her head.


    ¡°Lord Aetos asked me something before departing. Do you know what it was?¡±


    Sera shook her head. She didn¡¯t try to move my hand away. I didn¡¯t know if she was stunned, shocked, or too happy to move.


    ¡°It was to look after you. I told him I¡¯d try, at least.¡±


    ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re an important link to the past Mila thought she had lost. So many have died due to my actions. I¡¯m tired of fighting to kill to feel joy or thrill. It feels much better to defend what I love.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Maybe...there¡¯ll be a time in which I can confidently shed this armor in front of others. Maybe...by then, I can be proud of the woman I¡¯ve become. Until then... It has to stay, but I still hope we can be friends, Sera. Maybe one day, you can regard me as a sister. I¡¯ll look after you, too. Not because Lord Aetos asked me to, but because I want to.¡±


    ¡°Sekh... You... You...¡± Sera¡¯s emotions vented from her eyes. She sobbed like a blabbering baby and hugged me, resting her head against my helmet.


    It couldn¡¯t have been comfortable.


    ¡°I think breakfast is about done,¡± I said. ¡°I already ate, but you must be hungry.¡±


    ¡°In a minute... I want to stop crying first,¡± Sera said, sniffling.


    I didn¡¯t reply¡ªinstead, I hugged her until Sera had calmed down.


    ¡°Ready?¡± Sera nodded, wiping her reddened eyes, so we returned to the campfire. By now, delicious smells radiated all over Ria¡¯s ruined remains. The surrounding soldiers stared with venomous expressions and envious stares as Mila waved at us.


    ¡°Come on!¡± Sera playfully grabbed my armored hand. ¡°We can¡¯t keep them waiting!¡±


    We ran the rest of the way back.


    *****


    ***** Mila''s PoV *****


    It happened a few minutes after breakfast. A timid soldier loitered uneasily near the dividing line. He glanced up, then away. Then back again before swallowing a mix of nervous anxiousness.


    ¡°Umm... Lord¡ªLord Springfield? I don¡¯t mean to interrupt anything, but the captain has requested a meeting concerning your request to him.¡±


    ¡°Okay, thank you.,¡± I replied. Of course, I already knew that. Tris hadn¡¯t let anyone within the city¡¯s ruins out of her all-knowing gaze. ¡°Get ready,¡± I said to the rest. ¡°We may be leaving sooner than later. I¡¯ll be back soon. Now, after you.¡±


    ¡°Umm¡ªright! Please follow me!¡±


    ¡°Ensure I arrive safely,¡± I said, teasing him. It would only be me. I arrived at the captain''s tent a few minutes later. While the stares weren''t as antipathetic as yesterday, those eyes held little fondness for me and my actions.


    ¡°Sir¡ª¡±


    ¡°I trust you have good news,¡± I said, pushing through the tent¡¯s flaps. The visibly shaking and nervous man sat on a chair nearly too weak for his hefty girth, except he wasn¡¯t alone. ¡°The mage near you is from Requiesta, yes? The attire suggests he¡¯s from a unit far closer to your Holy Lord than a normal battalion of soldiers.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be correct, Lord Springfield, and might I compliment your deductive sight. A pleasure to make your acquaintance.¡± He bowed. His hood fell, revealing a bald man with tribal tattoos across his head.


    ¡°Are you also our teleporter?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Lord Springfield.  Please be ready within the hour. It¡¯ll take that long to inscribe the magic circle. You¡¯ll be teleported to a meeting chamber within Lord Gloria¡¯s castle, where a servant will be waiting."


    ¡°A servant? Why won¡¯t she welcome us herself?¡± Remy''s late spies within Gloria''s sphere of influence meant I already knew the answer.


    The dumb bitch was JUST recently told about the Eagle Yew burning, meaning she had a lot of pieces of a puzzle to fill. That took time. Now, she had two options.


    Meet with us immediately without delay, which left her no time to prepare anything. Or she could pawn us off to someone else under a thin lie, letting her at least ¡®try¡¯ to organize something for our encounter.


    Of course, she chose the latter.  Gloria was in crisis control to grab a ¡®stable¡¯ grasp of the situation, not knowing she was playing right into my trap.


    ¡°Unfortunately, she is busy with important matters vital to Requiesta and Dirge. The Captain''s message was relayed to members of her cabinet. Although a scout has been dispatched to her location post haste. I¡¯m certain she¡¯ll spare no expense in returning to the castle once she gets word of your arrival.¡±


    So... That¡¯s how they¡¯re playing it, huh?


    ¡°Very well. We shall await your completion,¡± I replied, returning to camp. Everyone was informed of our immediate plans after I called a meeting. Quella privately spoke to her team near a ruined building. No doubt she had to ¡®play¡¯ leading her group through these ¡®untested¡¯ times without any ¡®advice¡¯ on how to proceed.


    She hated lying to them. She desired to tell them the truth, but it was too risky.


    ¡°Suppose I¡¯ll be off to fetch Niva and Primrose,¡± said Sera, flourishing her staff. True to her word...


    She wasn¡¯t gone but for two minutes¡ªmaybe three at the most.


    ¡°Niva! Primrose! You¡¯re back!¡± Yew gave her a big smile while Lei hopped into her arms. Primrose looked satisfied. I liked seeing her with a rousing aura of confidence, so I knew the training had paid off so far. The road ahead was still long, though. It was full of rocky uncertainties that Niva had no choice but to weather.


    I knew she had it in her. Her morale was another level¡ªher drive to survive probably eclipsed my own. Niva had ample chances to give up, yet she always clung to life.


    This would be no different.


    ¡°It¡¯s good to be back. I hope we didn¡¯t make you wait too long.¡±


    ¡°Eh, you could¡¯ve taken another forty minutes,¡± said Tilde. ¡°The magic circle ain¡¯t ready. Anyway, want to talk about your training? I know I¡¯m super curious to hear about it.¡±


    ¡°Me too,¡± I added. ¡°Tris?¡±


    ¡°Oh, most definitely.¡±


    ¡°I wanna hear it too. Lei does, too.¡±


    The slime squeaked happy noises as Tris created tables and chairs. We listened to Niva describe her training while the mage finished his preparation. As Tilde had said, it took about forty minutes before we got the message to assemble.


    The circle was drawn just outside of the city limit.


    I detect no foul play, my lord.


    Good to know. I doubt Gloria would try something here. If she does, it''ll happen when we''re inside her domain.


    ¡°Now, if you would, my esteemed guests...¡± The mage tapped the circle with his staff, causing it to glow. That was our cue to enter. Surtr had returned to Yew¡¯s arms. While a fight breaking out was unlikely, it was better to catch any assailants by surprise when a small lion suddenly transformed into an 8-foot-tall behemoth of a force of fiery death.


    Besides...


    He looks so cute when he¡¯s that small... He¡¯s just like a stuffed animal!


    Ten seconds later, a blindingly white light obscured our vision...

 Chapter One-Hundred-Five: City Tourists – Part One

    Chapter One-Hundred-Five: City Tourists ¨C Part One


    I wasn¡¯t sure what to expect.


    A dozen maids or butlers? A lavish ballroom with food and drink? Perhaps even a battalion of soldiers?


    Logic told me the first two were more likely than the last. As it turned out, I was way, way off.


    Before the light faded, serene, comforting music filled the air. A soft whine of violins, layered with the steady, grounding beat of a drum, caused my ears to twitch. I turned, and my eyes widened at a full-fledged orchestra taking up much of the grand chamber we¡¯d entered. The walls were lined with intricately indented plates designed to circulate sound so that the melodies seemed to emerge from everywhere and nowhere.


    Every instrument gleamed, crafted entirely from gold. Tris had already analyzed the material, noting the sheer skill and wealth it must have taken to produce just one piece, let alone an entire orchestra¡¯s worth. Maybe this was chump change to someone like Gloria, but still... trying to impress me with such excessive opulence? The music was lovely¡ª an unexpected surprise, so I couldn¡¯t doubt the orchestra¡¯s actual skill¡ª but if she¡¯d wanted to send a message, something humbler might have reached me more deeply.


    This was showboating¡ªluxury for the sake of luxury.


    It was so gross.


    As the song neared its end, the rhythm grew faster, each musician pouring emotion into a finale even grander than I¡¯d expected. Then, with a subtle spell woven into the sound, the music faded, creating a hush that deepened as a figure approached.


    It was a woman dressed in a maid¡¯s uniform, as I¡¯d anticipated¡ªyet her stance was anything but that of a typical servant.


    She¡¯s not strong enough to be a fighter. Her skills as an assassin leave much to be desired. Is it a misdirection, then?


    ¡°Welcome to Requiesta, esteemed guests.¡± The maid bowed¡ªher form slightly less than perfection. She continued, her voice changing to an apologetic tone. ¡°I¡¯m terribly sorry, but Lord Gloria is away on business. She has assigned me to look after your needs. If you¡¯ll allow it, would you care to tour the city? Unfortunately, your rooms aren¡¯t yet ready, but if you¡¯d like to wait, I can escort you to the dining hall. Our chefs can make whatever you desire.¡±


    ¡°Give us a moment to discuss.¡±


    ¡°Certainly, Lord Springfield. Take all the time you need. I am here to answer any questions.¡± The maid bowed, then walked away to give us privacy.


    ¡°You think Gloria planned this because she knows Vredis are awesome musicians?¡± asked Tilde. She rubbed Lei¡¯s blubbery body as he sat in her lap.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to curry favor,¡± replied Sera. ¡°Did you feel the music, sister?¡±


    ¡°I did. I refuse to call it talent because that implies they didn¡¯t work hard. I can imagine the endless hours of practice to achieve their level. Gloria''s ploy is not working on me, though. No amount of music can alter our course."


    "I agree, Mila. So, that begs the question... What should we do?¡±


    ¡°Tilde?¡± I turned to my maid¡ªthe better maid.


    ¡°I say take the tour. Requiesta is one of a kind. It would be a waste to come all the way here, wait for who knows how long for a meeting, and not see the sights or hear the sounds.¡±


    I asked Sekh, who agreed with Tilde. Tris and Yew were the same. Niva, who had her hood pulled up to hide her face, just nodded without me asking anything.


    I¡¯m sure I know what she¡¯s feeling. She probably wants to be as inconspicuous as possible.


    I turned the question to Quella.


    ¡°You¡¯re asking us?¡±


    ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I? Your opinion matters because you helped us in our time of need. Besides,¡± I looked at the undercover idol. ¡°Your thoughts? I know you like to sing.¡±


    ¡°Umm, I do,¡± Elly replied. ¡°It¡¯s not my choice, though. It¡¯s yours.¡±


    ¡°It is, but I¡¯m asking your opinion.¡±


    Elly eventually said curiosity clawed at her like a scratching post. Of course, a place like this would be like a festival for her. Ami shared the same. Mary and Melusine were neutral. Greggie couldn¡¯t pass up the chance to taste a new culture¡¯s cuisine. Keeth needed rest. I was sure Elly thought he¡¯d work before his hands were healed if he was out of her sight, so, if nothing else, that was another reason to accept this offer.


    ¡°There you have it,¡± I said, turning around. ¡°We¡¯ll take the tour. Oh, there is one thing I want to stress in case it didn¡¯t properly come across in the letter.¡±


    ¡°What would that be, Lord Springfield?¡±


    ¡°These people helped when we needed it the most,¡± I said, gesturing to Team Quella. ¡°They prevented a great tragedy from worsening, so treat them with the same respect while we¡¯re here.¡±


    ¡°Your concern is well-noted, Lord Springfield. Lord Gloria has explicit orders to do what you¡¯ve asked. Rest assured; your entire group will not want for anything while under our care. We will do whatever we can to make your stay more pleasant, so please... If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, do not hesitate to ask.¡±


    My lord, I¡¯ve used [Skyview]¡¯s scanning feature, but I would like to see more of Requiesta firsthand.


    Is there a problem?


    An unexpected issue has arisen. The scan has properly indexed the entire city, making it searchable, but nothing has entered my databanks. When I did it manually with your clones, I used [Deduction] on everything as I came to it. However, I do not have enough processing power to simultaneously use it on the entire city. Proper information gathering will take time. It is a matter of efficiency and time, my lord. Think of scanning as the ¡®quick and dirty,¡¯ with manual [Deduction] with clones as the ¡®clean and proper.¡¯


    ¡°Incidentally, I will be your tour guide. Please give me a moment to change into something suitable. I shan¡¯t delay you longer than necessary, Lord Springfield.¡± The maid left through a set of engraved double doors as the band resumed playing, this time performing a quiet number that softly vibrated.


    It was hard to explain. The music just ¡®flowed.¡¯ I couldn¡¯t describe it any other way, yet the joy lasted thirty seconds because the door opened.


    The maid wasn¡¯t a maid anymore. She had shed the stereotypical uniform for a dark green tunic. Silver thread accented the cuffs and helm, giving her a mix of elegance missing from her previous attire.  A gray leather vest cinched her waist, and her cloak, clasped at the shoulder with a silver crest of Requiesta¡¯s emblem, marked her as an official guide. She wore polished boots, a slender belt with small pouches and scrolls, and a pendant enchanted for protection. Her arms gripped an itinerary of Requiesta¡¯s most famous places, buildings, attractions, and restaurants.


    Altogether, she looked both prepared and respectful. ¡°I promise you all an excellent time with me at the helm, my esteemed guests!¡±


    I doubt she was ever a maid, my lord. I surmise Gloria predicted we¡¯d take the tour, so she arranged for one of her guides to masquerade as one.


    To impress us with how quickly she changed clothes?


    Gloria would do anything to improve your perception of her. It is her way of softening our hearts.


    This amateurish attempt makes sense, given the short time she had.


    I have another report. Gloria is not in the city, but I found Arella Worzai, her personal bodyguard. She¡¯s cloaked on a nearby building, using enchanted binoculars to see through the seals protecting the castle. She¡¯s been watching since we arrived.


    Track her with a waypoint. Do the same for anyone else who¡¯s invisible.


    As you wish. I found a few, but the most pressing is a Dragonfolk we¡¯ve met before. We first encountered him when Gloria visited Ria¡¯s guild shortly after Noelia¡¯s death. His name is Glintfang Ironhide. Do you remember? He had [Essence Deletion] and bore the title [Shadowguard]?


    I do. If I recall correctly, he sat atop her carriage.


    Correct. He¡¯s perched on the castle''s spire with a spear. It seems more like a quirk of his than preparation to strike, so I do not expect him to be hostile. I presume Arella has been ordered to watch from afar and Glintfang from close. [Essence Deletion]-- while powerful-- cannot compare to [Status Cloak].


    What about Gloria¡¯s Soul Warriors?


    They are not within the city. I theorize she has gone to fetch them. I doubt she intends them to attack us, so she must want them for another reason. I do not understand her psyche, so I cannot predict her exact course of action with any degree of certainty. It¡¯s vague guesses based on fragments glimmered from Remy¡¯s memories and our own personal experiences.


    ¡°Sera, what do you know about [Essence Deletion]?¡± I asked in Ancient Elvish.


    ¡°Are you referring to the Dragonfolk waiting for us to leave? Or the elf spying from a distance?¡± she replied in the same language. The tour guide did an almost imperceptible double-take before regaining her professionalism. She knew a few languages¡ªthis wasn¡¯t one of them. ¡°Your senses are sharp to pick them up.¡±


    ¡°Anything to worry about?¡±


    ¡°No. I cannot fault this country''s Lord for the elementary precautions, even if they are the best she can muster while devising a plan. She can organize all she wants¡ªshe¡¯s just delaying the inevitable.¡±


    ¡°Sorry to keep you waiting.¡± I turned to the guide, speaking the common tongue. ¡°We¡¯re ready if you are.¡±


    ¡°Ah¡ªof course! Now, if you¡¯ll please follow me...¡± The guide gestured to the door, marking the beginning of this tour.


    The meeting wouldn¡¯t happen until tomorrow morning at the earliest¡ªthe evening at the latest. Yes, that gave Gloria time to prepare, but it was a double-edged sword because the delay offered Tris the same benefit.


    We might as well enjoy this at her expense.


    *****


    *****


    Requiesta was a beautiful city.


    It really was. For a place that almost worshipped the arts and music, you could find a melodic harmony within the very means of construction used to build the capital. It was the Susize within me that felt it. Sekh couldn¡¯t quite grasp the feeling, but Elly did. She was stunned in awe. A place like this was practically a holy city for her.


    The idol couldn¡¯t stay seated in the open roof, extended carriage we were in, which was pulled by six white stallions with flowing, sparkly manes.


    It was a hard sight to miss¡ªeven more challenging to ignore. My sensitive ears picked up excited whispers because these horses were only used for VIPs.


    No one seemed to know who we were, though. Our visit was probably a secret of the highest degree, but it wasn¡¯t out of compassion. Gloria didn¡¯t want rumors to spread.


    After all, why would two Vredis suddenly show up if not to investigate the Eagle Yew? From what we had gathered, the knowledge wasn¡¯t widespread¡ªTris hadn¡¯t heard a whisper of the truth from her initial surveying.


    How long would that remain the case? The Eagle Yew and Aetos Village were in Dirge. Logically, overseeing their safety fell to the one in charge.  Gloria¡¯s failure couldn¡¯t remain hidden forever. The truth would eventually leak even if I wasn¡¯t responsible. So, her image, which was probably already shitty due to what happened in Ria, would be blemished even more.


    On the other hand...


    How exactly did Dirge¡¯s political system work?


    Gloria was a Holy Lord, so did the city answer to her as if she were a dictator? I knew she had ¡®advisors,¡¯ but did they actually advise? Or was the council something she kept for appearances?


    How far could she push her rule and retain the citizens¡¯ love? How negatively did Requiesta take the Ria incident?


    No one in the city was strong enough to take Gloria in a fight, let alone handle Arella and that Dragonfolk still sleuthing behind the carriage. Of course, that didn¡¯t include the army or anyone else loyal to her, such as Hymn.


    The one solution would be to rile the masses¡ªrepeating what I had orchestrated in Atrix.


    That wasn¡¯t in the plan, though.  I didn¡¯t care about ¡®freeing¡¯ Requiesta. I just wanted to make Gloria suffer.


    ¡°Our first destination is the Grand Orchestra Hall, one of Requiesta¡¯s most defining and noticeable landmarks. We are scheduled to arrive within fifteen minutes,¡± said the tour guide as we passed the primary guild hall. Adventurers of all shapes, sizes, and strengths stopped and stared as we continued, with only a few ignoring us outright. My ears twitched after unintentionally catching their conversation. The part about us being ¡®silver spoon-fed nobles who can¡¯t wipe their own asses¡¯ was ignored, but...


    A harp hidden in a tower?


    ¡°Ms. Guide, a question for you, if you will.¡± I was curious.


    ¡°Yes, my lord?¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s this about a Gilded Tower and a Golden Harp? Is that a dungeon and its unique item? I¡¯m unfamiliar with it.¡±


    ¡°Yes, my lord¡ªit is. It¡¯s a magnificent structure about six hours west of our fair city. It rests atop a cliff that overlooks the ocean. Rumors state that you can see the curvature of our planet from its apex on clear nights.¡±


    ¡°Interesting...¡±


    The guide continued. ¡°The Golden Harp refers to an item the bosses can drop upon defeat.¡±


    Tris, can you do a search?


    Already completed, my lord. I''ve many hits for ''golden harp'' within the city, yet I found one that must be real. It¡¯s an instrument with brainwashing capabilities.


    Where is it?


    Inside Gloria¡¯s treasure vault below her castle. I detect many seals requiring her unique magical signature. A blood sample is also necessary to bypass a layer.


    The guide continued with the dungeon¡¯s lore. ¡°Long ago, a goddess of music tempted the land with a golden harp she played from the tower¡¯s top. Its sound resonated with the soul and harmonized the body, making the listener more perceptive to follow commands. In truth, the harp was said to be a regular harp. It did not have the power of brainwashing or mind control¡ªthe goddess¡¯s own skill made those who wanted to hear it follow her. Over time, people became resistant to its sweet melodies and mistakenly believed the goddess was evil when all she wanted was to spread happiness.¡±


    Someone changed the lore of Melusine¡¯s dungeon after it became one, so it isn¡¯t necessarily a 100% verifiable recant of the past. The harp has the power¡ªnot the goddess. Unless she somehow imbued the harp with it after the dungeon was made? There¡¯s still a lot I don¡¯t understand about them.  Then again, it¡¯s not like it matters. This is to pass the time.


    ¡°That¡¯s sad,¡± said Elly. ¡°What happened next?¡±


    ¡°War. The people who once danced and sang to her music picked up arms. They marched upon the tower, cutting a bloody path to the top. A group of her most loyal followers held the line to let their goddess escape, who left behind the harp. They say the goddess never returned to get it. The love of music left her soul. From that day onward... She never sang or played the harp because her broken heart couldn¡¯t take it.¡±


    ¡°...¡± Elly kept quiet.


    ¡°No one knows if the Golden Harp, as described in the lore, even exists. Many have claimed to have found it during their numerous expeditions, but none have been verified.¡±


    It does. Gloria has it. I wonder why there¡¯s only one? No, you can probably get multiple, but I bet the bitch destroys the rest. I wouldn¡¯t put it past her to have spies posted around the tower. If she¡¯s so crazy about music, I guess she wants to be the only owner.


    ¡°So, the bosses are the ones who held the line?¡± asked Greggie.


    ¡°Correct, sir. Their spirits still stand valiantly against all who wish to plunder the tower. It is a group fight, so it is more dangerous than dungeons of comparable level. Yet the loot quality is high. I recommend a day trip to the dungeon if you have the time. Even if you do not wish to enter, the tower is beautiful.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not on the schedule,¡± I said. ¡°That may change because you¡¯ve intrigued me. Are there any other dungeons nearby?¡±


    ¡°The Whispering Caves lies beyond an underground maze an hour north of the city,¡± replied the guide without missing a beat. If nothing else, she was adept at her job. ¡°Its notable equipment is the Lute of Whispering, an instrument that makes no noise when played. It is an item primarily used by mages to cast without speaking.¡±


    ¡°An item like that can bridge the gap by giving the user the most powerful form of casting, but I do not recommend it,¡± commented Sera. ¡°It is a crutch designed to make you complacent because you learn to rely on the item¡ªnot your own efforts-- which can negatively impact progress. It¡¯s difficult to divorce the accessibility once you¡¯re used to it.¡±


    ¡°That sentiment is agreed upon by most, Lady Vredi. The lute is a rare drop. It¡¯s believed that less than twenty exists within Dirge.¡±


    The guide is right, my lord. I¡¯ve found 6 lutes matching the item she described.


    Does Gloria have one inside her vault?


    She does.


    ¡°The Whispering Caves differ from the Gilded Tower, might I add, in that it has a restriction on who can enter. You must have a stringed instrument in your possession before entering the maze. You cannot lose it during the initial delve before entering the dungeon¡¯s lobby. The Whispering Caves¡¯ lore has nothing to do with the requirement. Scholars debate to this day that something must¡¯ve been overlooked. There¡¯s even a bounty if you can solve this mystery.¡±


    ¡°What if there¡¯s nothing to be solved?¡± asked Tris, who was already crunching theories.


    ¡°That¡¯s one interpretation,¡± replied the guide. ¡°The scholars will accept that reasoning if you provide ample proof of your theory. Now, as for the history... Long ago, a siren was said to whisper windy echoes across the land. Her voice cut deep into the mountains, creating paths upon paths that intertwined with her whims. The siren used her voice to navigate, but one day, she suffered an illness, became mute, got lost, and could not find her way out.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s nothing about a lute,¡± commented Quella.


    ¡°Indeed. That¡¯s why researchers have been stumped. Every dungeon with a requirement or restriction must make sense with the dungeon¡¯s lore. The Whispering Caves is home to many vital materials used in constructing lutes. It¡¯s where many of our businesses acquire their supplies. Therefore, many believe the answer is hidden in plain sight.¡±


    Everything is until it¡¯s not. Rules of this world can be broken. They can be altered. I''m proof of that.


    ¡°I take it the dungeon¡¯s been investigated from top to bottom?¡± I asked.


    ¡°More than once, Lord Springfield. Are you interested?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯d be lying if I said no. Maybe I¡¯ll visit after we¡¯ve taken care of business.¡±


    ¡°I wish you well in your endeavor. Perhaps you¡¯ll be the one to solve this mystery.¡±


    Tris?


    I¡¯ve found notes relating to investigations into the dungeon, but it¡¯s all theories. I won¡¯t have anything concrete until it has been indexed.


    Okay. It¡¯s not a huge priority for us.


    Of course, my lord. We have more important tasks to focus on. I believe our destination is approaching quickly. We should see it after we round this corner.


    The Grand Orchestra Hall came into view a few seconds later.


    ¡°Woah...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s so big...¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s certainly very grand...¡±


    Elly, Ami, and a quiet Melusine voiced their awe at the sight of the gargantuan building rising at the end of the street.


    ¡°It never fails to impress me,¡± added Tilde. ¡°Been a while since I last saw it, but it¡¯s as beautiful as ever.¡±


    Our carriage slowed as we neared, and the structure¡¯s imposing silhouette filled the horizon. Golden spires rose high, piercing the skies like holy lances, glinting beneath the morning sun. Rows of cascading steps led up to a series of massive, arched doors, each framed in intricate, gilded metalwork.


    The hall¡¯s white stone walls shimmered¡ªtheir glow echoing the radiant aura of the spires above. The stone facade was divided into partitions, each adorned with elaborate stained glass windows, with a peculiar, almost rhythmic positioning that felt... familiar somehow. I didn¡¯t know why, so I asked.


    ¡°Are those carvings in the glass?¡±


    ¡°An excellent eye, Lord Springfield,¡± the guide replied, smiling. ¡°Each panel captures a pivotal moment from a beloved play¡ªa tribute to Lord Gloria¡¯s boundless passion for the arts. Fortunately, we¡¯ve arrived just in time to witness the secret they hold.¡±


    I was about to ask her to explain when it happened.


    A light behind the glass flickered and began to move along some hidden track, illuminating the windows from within. Through each panel, the light transformed still images into a living story. It was like an ancient form of animation, the shifting light bringing scenes to life in a style reminiscent of an old-timey cartoon.


    The guide gestured to the nearest window, its rich colors casting flickering patterns across the ground. ¡°That¡¯s from The Storm and the Stars, a famous tragedy of love and sacrifice. Here, you see Prince Arlan standing atop a cliff with his lover, gazing toward the heavens as a tempest swirls around them. It symbolizes undying love and the price of forbidden desires.¡±


    She pointed to another window, where a hero with a flowing cape and sword faced a darkened figure. ¡°And this is from The Rise of Galadien, the tale of a humble bard gifted with magical song. In the final battle, his voice alone defeated the Dark Queen, bringing peace to the land. They say the song he sang that night is still performed each year in his home village¡ªthough its location has long been lost to history.¡±


    We watched in awe, captivated by the artistry, as the moving scenes continued to play for several more minutes. When the light finally flickered off, leaving the glass in silence...


    I felt genuine wonder.


    ¡°That was impressive,¡± I said honestly.


    ¡°Beautiful, too,¡± Ami added, her eyes still wide. ¡°The colors were so vibrant.¡±


    ¡°It pleases me to hear that,¡± the guide replied warmly, a hint of pride in her voice. ¡°Now, would you like to see inside it?¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t mind,¡± I said. We disembarked before following the guide up the stairs. Two doormen in uniform greeted us with confident nods. They pushed the doors open, allowing us to enter.


    The outside didn¡¯t disappoint, and neither did the inside. Immediately, my eyes went to the gigantic installations hanging on the walls. They were like the art you¡¯d see painted on buildings for some advertisement, yet...


    ¡°Those caught your wandering gazes, yes? Each is handcrafted by a master of the artistic technique most fitting the theme of whatever play it represents. That one,¡± the guide said, pointing to one that looked like it leaked smoke. ¡°The style is called Ebonmosaic, crafted from shadow stones. They¡¯re designed to look like moving silhouettes, so their position depends on your angle. In many ways, the viewer sees what they want, representing a denial to see the truth or a desire to visualize failure.¡±


    The one beside it was Celestial Ink Weaving, which involved drowning crystal threads sewn via a unique method in a heavily secret mixture of different inks. When viewed closely, the patterns can form swirling galaxies or constellations, hence the name. Sera said artists using this method attempt to capture specific moments that can¡¯t be explained other than being caused by a force from beyond the outer limits of this world.


    Whispered Wood was a form of sculpting that used enchanted lumber to ¡®remember¡¯ sound.  Artisans shaped the branches and trunks to produce gentle resonances when touched, like playing an instrument. The guide said some Whispered Wood sculptures played stories or ancient songs, and they were highly regarded in temples where seekers listen to the wisdom of the ancestors in wooden form.


    ¡°That¡¯s three... So, what¡¯s the fourth one? Why is it covered?¡± I asked.


    ¡°The answer is this way.¡± We followed the guide across the ceramic floor, down a corridor, and stopped at another set of large doors. It had windows, but they were covered. She unlocked it with a key.


    We entered, and I heard...construction?


    ¡°Renovations?¡± I asked.


    ¡°That¡¯s correct. The main hall is undergoing alterations to suit the new play representing the covered scroll. Have you noticed how empty the building is?¡±


    ¡°Now that you mention it, I thought it was odd to be so quiet.¡±


    The guide continued explaining. ¡°The citizens know something is happening, but that''s it. It¡¯s to be a surprise when all is said and done. You won¡¯t find any advertisements until the finishing nail has been hammered.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an interesting method,¡± I said.


    ¡°I¡¯ve heard the local bars are taking bets on when and what will be announced.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t know either?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t, Lord Springfield. Only Lord Gloria, the crew, and a few others are aware. The construction is vague on purpose to ''set the stage,'' if you will, for further assembly when the announcement date is close at hand.¡±


    We talked amongst ourselves while returning to the lobby, our voices echoing. Tilde admitted it had been a while since she saw a play. I didn¡¯t remember the last time for me. I suppose I was vaguely interested in catching one, but¡ªlike with the two dungeons¡ªattending one wasn¡¯t on the docket until after our business had concluded.


    Even then... Hymn is waiting. We probably won¡¯t stay here past the day after tomorrow.


    The tour didn¡¯t end here. The guide had a list, so we were off again after returning to the carriage.

 Chapter One-Hundred-Five: City Tourists – Part Two

    Chapter One-Hundred-Five: City Tourists ¨C Part Two


    Our next destination was the Artisan Market, a vibrant outdoor shopping center exploding creatively. Stalls, tents, and open-air studios stretched across multiple floors, each a small glimpse into a world dedicated to a different artistic pursuit.


    Painters occupied the lower level. Two dozen sat patiently at their stations, each stall spilling with bright colors and unique art styles as hungry shoppers ate at the nearby food court.


    ¡°Are the portrait people painting them?¡± asked Ami.


    ¡°They are. Those who wish to hone their skill can come here and use whatever they desire as inspiration. If you''re lucky, someone who drew you will give you their illustration as thanks for being an excellent model.¡±


    Abstract landscapes, delicate portraits, and murals of mythical creatures lined every wall. Some artists painted enormous canvases on the spot, inviting spectators to watch the art take shape with each brushstroke. The smell of paint and oil hung in the air, mingling with the faint scent of flowers mixed into various pigments to add an extra ¡®oomph¡¯ to the paint.


    The guide took us to the second floor, which was dedicated to sculptors who worked with materials ranging from polished marble to shimmering clay.


    There were figures frozen mid-dance--sculptures of animals with intricately carved fur. Even statues that seemed to glow or hum quietly when touched. Here and there, enchanted wind chimes carved from translucent stones caught the breeze, adding a delicate sound to the market¡¯s lively ambiance.


    The third floor¡ªthe biggest¡ªwent to the musicians. The dozens of shops had almost every instrument imaginable, from handmade violins to finely crafted flutes¡ªthere were even instruments enchanted with time magic that played a short, prerecorded tune. Of course, materials and supplies to create or repair your gear could also be bought, along with carrying cases, accessories, and other amenities.


    However, the spectacle on the first floor attracted my attention the most. In the center of everything sat a grand piano beneath a small, unassuming pavilion. The pianist¡¯s fingers flowed over the keys to produce a joyful, lifting melody that fit the lively scene around us. The music flowed smoothly¡ªa bright tune that made your stomach feel warm and fuzzy while instilling a desire to enjoy the day.


    The fourth floor was the most expensive because half was dedicated to jewelers. Priceless diamonds, exquisite sapphires that glimmered with the deep coolness of the ocean, flaming rubies warm to the touch...


    However, not everything cost an arm or a leg. You could find flawed gems with imperfections for a ¡®reasonable¡¯ amount, yet even those were carefully guarded by armed soldiers behind locked cases.


    The other half tended to those practicing the art of ceramic, which, while vastly cheaper than its shared soul, still attracted just as much attention. The details on the plates the guide showed us astounded even Sera with how meticulous the crafter must¡¯ve been.


    The fifth floor¡ªthe final-- contained everything you couldn¡¯t fit in the previous four, such as journals, tapestries, rugs, and the like.


    These people aren¡¯t half-assing it, that¡¯s for sure. You must admire their dedication.


    The tour guide then gave us thirty minutes of free time to shop at our leisure before regrouping in the food court. ¡°Oh, please take these,¡± she said, retrieving something hidden within her papers. They looked like business cards. ¡°Lord Gloria has authorized their use. Whatever you buy will be added to her tab, so show them to the shopkeeper upon checking out.¡±


    ¡°We don¡¯t have to pay?¡±


    ¡°Indeed, Lord Springfield. Lord Gloria had proclaimed it wouldn¡¯t be right for honored guests to empty their wallets.¡±


    ¡°Well, if you insist,¡± I replied, taking them. We went our separate ways after I handed them out.


    Tris had waypoints marked on everyone¡ªmight as well use them for their intended purpose.


    I wandered around with Sekh while gently holding her hand. Everyone gave us a wide berth. Was it because I was a High Elf? Was Sekh¡¯s armor that frightening?


    The reason didn¡¯t matter.


    Regardless, the shopkeepers and guards must¡¯ve gotten the memo because no one approached us after we descended to the third floor. There, we reunited with Yew, Surtr, Tilde, Tris, and Sera, who were looking at the harps. They greeted us while I investigated the nearby flutes behind a display case.


    ¡°Are you thinking about getting another one?¡± asked Sekh.


    ¡°No. I...feel nothing. Don¡¯t get me wrong¡ªthey¡¯re excellent quality. They¡¯re made with care, but I only want to play mine. It feels...almost like a betrayal if I pick something up.¡±


    ¡°Your feeling is natural, sister,¡± said Sera.  ¡°Us High Elves treat our instruments as extensions of their body. Oh, I have an idea.¡± She turned to Tilde as Yew and Surtr wandered away. ¡°Something like the harp would be perfect to help regain the strength in your fingers.¡±


    ¡°I was thinking about that. My wrists are feeling better, but...¡± Tilde struggled to form a fist. ¡°Yeah, that¡¯s not happening. It feels like I¡¯m grabbing a bag of nails by the pointy end. Master, can I get one?¡±


    ¡°Sure. Pick out whatever you like, okay?¡±


    ¡°Great! Thanks a ton, hon! Now...which one do I choose...?¡± Tilde acted like it was some world-influencing choice, but it wasn¡¯t. She had made her decision just four seconds later. My precious fairy displayed her skills after flashing the payment card to the shop¡¯s owner.


    It wasn¡¯t good.


    I loved my maid, but that... ¡®music¡¯¡ªthe loosest definition¡ªsounded like a dead horse begging to die.


    ¡°Hmm... They say the worst you are at something means you have much more to grow.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s...a positive spin on it,¡± said Sekh.


    ¡°Sera! Mila! Look what me and Surtr bought!¡± Yew came bouncing near us with a bag full of...grass?


    ¡°Oh? That¡¯s songleaf.¡± The elf smiled, plucking a bundle. ¡°That brings me back to my childhood. I was just about your size¡ªmaybe a hair taller. Susize helped me pick the materials for my first flute from our garden.¡±


    ¡°Umm... Am I ready for that?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t see why not. It can be a fun experience.¡±


    ¡°Then...can you teach me? I don¡¯t know where to begin.¡±


    ¡°Gladly. We¡¯ll make one together, okay?¡±


    ¡°Okay!¡± Yew¡¯s smile was precious as she asked me to put the bag in a safe spot. There was no better vault than my storage, after all. A near-infinite, if not outright infinite, space only Tris and I could access was the most secure location I could think of.


    ¡°What about you?¡± asked Sera. ¡°Have you any experience?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid not,¡± I replied as Susize¡¯s memories brought me to the past. She knew how to craft them¡ªI didn¡¯t, so it wasn¡¯t a total lie. ¡°This¡¯ll be my first if you¡¯ll be my instructor.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to me! Although I can¡¯t guarantee it¡¯ll be better than Susize¡¯s flute... That¡¯s an impossible standard, though. It¡¯ll be almost as good. Maybe... I hope...¡±


    ¡°We¡¯re looking forward to your guidance, aren¡¯t we?¡± I looked at Yew.


    ¡°Yep! Definitely! We¡¯ll be good students.¡±


    ¡°I know you two will.¡±


    We left the store.


    ¡°What about you?¡± asked Tilde, looking at Sekh.


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    ¡°The only thing you¡¯ve been grabbing is Master¡¯s hand. We¡¯re in a pretty awesome shopping center. I know there¡¯s something you want.¡±


    ¡°Tilde¡¯s right,¡± I replied. ¡°Do you want anything? We still have time before we gotta meet up."


    "That¡¯s kind¡ªreally. But I have all I need. I don¡¯t need anything else.¡±


    ¡°An expected yet boorish answer.¡± Tilde rolled her eyes. ¡°I give it 0 points. Try again, Little Miss Lioness. Remember, I said ¡®want,¡¯ not ¡®need.¡¯¡±


    ¡°Maybe...¡± Sekh peered over the railing before looking up. Her eyes observed every nook and cranny. ¡°I think...I want a journal,¡± she finally said.


    ¡°Oooh, now we¡¯re getting somewhere. Onwards, Master.¡±


    ¡°A journal, huh? Are you feeling retrospective?¡± Sera inquired as we set off.


    ¡°Yes, but also no. I want to write things I want to accomplish in the future.¡±


    ¡°Maybe you can start with some fun things to do with Erin?¡±


    ¡°Do you two have plans?¡± asked a curious Sera. Her ears lightly twitched.


    ¡°She wants to spend time with me,¡± explained Sekh. ¡°It has to be special, so why not start now? I need¡ªwant to prepare for it.¡±


    ¡°I see. Well, consider my forest available as a setting.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d do that?¡±


    ¡°I would. I¡¯m happy to. So is the forest if it can bring smiles. Has Erin met Lord Aetos?¡±


    ¡°Not directly,¡± I replied. ¡°He knows of her, though.¡±


    ¡°Your offer¡¯s kind, Sera. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡±


    We arrived at the fifth floor and searched for the perfect journal, with Sekh eventually settling on one with a rather unique cover. It was blank, but the material absorbed paint like a sponge, so it could be whatever you wanted. All Sekh had to do was think of what she wanted.


    That little adventure took up the rest of our time, so we headed to the food court to find the rest of our group snacking on a chicken skewer.


    ¡°Welcome back,¡± cheerfully said the guide, who was acting much more casual. ¡°Did anything catch your eye?¡±


    ¡°A few things,¡± I replied, sitting, telling them of our purchases. ¡°What about you?¡±


    ¡°I found a ceramic plate,¡± said Greggie. ¡°It¡¯d work nicely as a serving tray. Ami picked it out.¡±


    ¡°Guess that means you might be baking some cookies? Hint hint.¡±


    ¡°Haha. Hint received, Tilde.¡±


    ¡°Keeth and I found some awesome-looking clay.¡± Elly retrieved a wooden box. She opened it, revealing four rectangular, brightly colored blobs.


    ¡°My hands are still recovering, but it¡¯s softer than sand. It shouldn¡¯t retain its rigidity, yet it does. I think it¡¯ll be therapeutic.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s an accurate assumption. It¡¯ll hasten your recovery,¡± added Tris.


    Mary and Melusine looked at some jewelry. ¡°Someone tried to buy my tiara,¡± said the queen. ¡°However, I won¡¯t sell it for anything. All the money in the world cannot fill the void parting with it will leave behind.¡±


    ¡°As it should,¡± replied Sera. ¡°It¡¯s priceless not in value but in its sentiment.¡±


    Quella purchased a few books. ¡°I haven¡¯t had time to read. I don¡¯t know when I can change that, but it¡¯s better to have something waiting for me than nothing.¡±


    Niva and Primrose did nothing. They almost immediately went to the court with Lei to wait on us. Suppose I couldn¡¯t blame them. The tour was supposed to be fun, yet...


    It was probably a slow, subdued torture for Niva. The memories couldn¡¯t be pleasant. The emotions were uncomfortable enough to make the air taste stale.


    Niva subtly flinched after realizing I was staring at her. She exchanged glances with Primrose. I was close enough to them to read their emotions via their body language. Primrose, especially. Her eyes were so expressive if you knew just


    where to look.


    They didn¡¯t want us to stop on their account.  Niva¡¯s loosely formed fist said she had to be strong. The discomforting butterflies in her stomach had to be ignored if she yearned to conquer this part of her life.


    ¡°Oh, Ms. Tour Guide?¡± Elly raised her hand. ¡°I have a question about something.¡±


    ¡°I shall answer it.¡±


    ¡°Does Requiesta have singing plants? I overheard a conversation about that.¡±


    ¡°Ah, they must¡¯ve been referring to the Melody Garden. Yes, that''s another of Requiesta¡¯s landmarks. It¡¯s on the itinerary. We could depart now if you¡¯re finished eating?¡±


    Everyone¡¯s plate was clean. Without further ado, we continued the tour with full bellies.


    *****


    *****


    ¡°Oh?¡± Sera¡¯s and mine ears wiggled after our vessel rounded a corner. There, in the distance, sat a stone archway covered in flowering vines. Beyond that stretched a lush, expansive green wonderland.


    ¡°I present you one of Requiesta¡¯s most famous attractions... Welcome to the Melody Garden,¡± said our guide as we passed the threshold. Vividly green paths wound between clusters of vibrant flora. Each area felt alive with color and light, but what stood out the most was the hum of gentle music filling the air.


    The sound didn¡¯t originate from any hidden musicians or instruments¡ªno. The culprits were all around us.


    ¡°They¡¯re singing... The plants are really singing... I¡¯ve never seen anything like this before...¡± Elly gripped the railing and looked out with the brightest smile. Her eyes didn¡¯t know what to land on first.


    Sera giggled. ¡°I had the same reaction when I first learned about them. The plants aren¡¯t really singing. You feel the breeze, yes? It¡¯s the wind behind the phenomenon, but that doesn¡¯t detract from its beauty. I think it¡¯s wonderful something like this even exists in the first place.¡±


    We departed the carriage. Elly almost bolted off, except the idol remembered where we were and refrained from acting ¡®totally¡¯ out of line. Together, the group walked down the different paths, observing clusters of flowers. The soft, bell-like chimes rose and fell with the tender wind. Each plant sang in its own unique pitch. With the calls of birds and rustling leaves, we were greeted by a natural symphony that resonated throughout the entire garden.


    The guide stopped by a section filled with tall, slender flowers. They swayed in union¡ªtheir notes airy and pristine. ¡°This is the Lyrica Cluster,¡± she explained. ¡°Please remember their sound. Now, watch what happens when I walk by.¡± Every step elicited a change in pitch. ¡°They respond to the insignificant change in wind brought about by movement. Some children find it fun to run up and down. Others form teams and compete to see who can create the best song using nothing but these clusters. Oh, if we head over there...¡±


    The guide skipped away¡ªthe Lyrica Cluster pitching its tune higher to befit her bubbly attitude. She stopped at a large, willow-like tree. This one released deep, resonating notes that reminded me of a cello¡¯s voice.


    The Melody Garden was really like a living orchestra. Nature itself was the conductor.  However, the attraction was small. Even a child could see everything it had to offer in fifteen minutes.


    ¡°Every plant here has been cultivated to produce a specific sound,¡± the guide explained as we returned to the carriage. Her voice was low because she didn¡¯t want to disturb the garden¡¯s music.


    ¡°Cultivated?¡± I asked. ¡°Do you mean they aren¡¯t natural?¡±


    ¡°They are. You can find flowers like these in the wild. The Harmonia Institute has devised a breeding and pollination plan to nurture seeds and saplings into whatever shape is desired to obtain the necessary tone. It¡¯s a fine science, I would say. It requires a delicate touch, patience, and a sharp ear. The garden is renovated every other year with the lab¡¯s cultivations.¡±


    "What happens to the flowers?¡± I asked after seeing the grimace on Elly¡¯s face. She gripped the railing even harder than before.


    ¡°They¡¯re auctioned or given away as raffle prizes in the festival to commemorate the garden¡¯s finished renovation. Rest assured, Lord Springfield. The plants are never wasted. They always go to a welcoming home.¡±


    Elly subtly breathed in relief as color returned to her fingertips.


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Master? Anything on your mind?¡±


    ¡°Well... You said there¡¯s a lab associated with the institute responsible for the garden.¡±


    ¡°I did. Would you like to see it?¡±


    ¡°Not at the moment, no. There¡¯s another place I¡¯d like to visit. You see...¡± I told her about my father¡¯s previous job before he was transferred away.


    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but the name ¡®Kokan¡¯ isn¡¯t familiar to me.¡±


    ¡°Well, it was about fifteen years ago. I don¡¯t know if anyone still remembers him. His coworkers may have forgotten him.¡±


    ¡°Only one location teaches physical combat, ancient literature, and magic theorization. Would you like to go there?¡±


    ¡°If it isn¡¯t too much of a hassle.¡±


    I can always investigate with a clone or two after night.


    ¡°Not at all. It¡¯s actually on the way to our next destination. Now, shall we set off?¡±


    *****


    *****


    ¡°So... This is where he worked at, huh?¡± I whispered to myself, taking in the campus before me. It was a branch academy, so it was smaller than full-fledged schools, yet its ¡®worth¡¯ or ¡®value¡¯ wasn¡¯t diminished.


    It was still a very respected establishment¡ªfocusing on more than mere music and the arts.


    I suppose it wasn¡¯t often you¡¯d see a carriage like this, so even the busy students rushing from class to class stopped to stare as we disembarked.


    ¡°...¡± Quella remained quiet although she locked eyes with Mary. Those two probably thought about ¡®their¡¯ school¡ªthe fake one¡ªthe one that never existed in the first place.


    I still don¡¯t know how to tell them the truth. There¡¯s probably not a gentle way, but that¡¯s a problem for later. One step at a time, Mila.


    ¡°The classes your father taught are in there,¡± said the guide, pointing eastward to a rather unassuming building. We followed her through a courtyard filled with lush greenery. Tables and chairs were set up, and curious eyes locked into us. ¡°This spot is special,¡± explained the guide. ¡°Many students come here to relax, eat, or enjoy some time away from their studies.¡± Our guide pointed to the fountain standing in the middle. ¡°Do you see the music note within the waterfall? It¡¯s not just a sculpture. It plays a relaxing melody every hour.¡±


    ¡°How does it do that?¡± asked Quella.


    ¡°That¡¯s a closely guarded secret, I¡¯m afraid. I¡¯m not privy to the details.¡±


    Tris?


    [Sound Magic] is the answer. The note has two enchantments¡ªone to produce the music, and another to absorb fragments from mana from the water running through the fountain¡¯s pipes. The note¡¯s mana capacity threshold is reached every hour on the hour. A preliminary search has revealed documents claiming [Time Magic] is responsible, yet that¡¯s not the case. There¡¯s not a shred of it to be found. I surmise Gloria has spread that rumor to make it seem grander than it is because there¡¯s a barrier preventing most forms of magic analysis.


    Although initially unintentional, we began constructing her psyche profile from things most people wouldn¡¯t give a second or third look to.


    Just shows you how much info is hidden in plain sight.


    After passing through the courtyard, we reached the building. It wasn¡¯t anything ¡®special.¡¯ To me, it was normal. Hallways, doors, windows, bulletin board¡ªit had all the staples.


    ¡°Hmm? Giving a tour? I don¡¯t remember reading that on the schedule this morning.¡± I turned around and saw a lazy-looking gnome with shaggy hair emerge from a door marked ¡®Faculty Office.¡¯ That deep voice didn¡¯t fit his appearance.


    ¡°It wasn''t planned,¡± I replied. ¡°Can you answer a question for me? If you don¡¯t mind, that is.¡±


    ¡°Sure. Why not?¡± The laissez-faire tone was strangely soothing. I asked him about my dad. ¡°You say he taught here about fifteen years ago? Sorry, that was before my time. I¡¯ve only been here a decade.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. I figured that¡¯d be the case.¡± I asked for directions to the classes Dad taught, and we were off.


    The first¡ªPhysical Combat¡ªas the basic name described¡ªexplained the obvious. It was a class where you learned to fight. The room was a training hall located in the east wing. Wooden dummies lined the back wall. A weapon cache sat opposite. Everything was wooden, so this wasn¡¯t ¡®life or death¡¯ training. Students were still students, I guess.


    ¡°Most would be sparring at this time,¡± explained the guide. Everyone turned when they heard her voice. ¡°However, we¡¯ve caught them preparing for an expedition.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The speaker was a large, muscled man with three eyes. He approached with crossed arms. A massive sword was hefted across his wide back. ¡°Are you here for a tour? We¡¯re about to set off for the Whispering Caves, so I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t spare the proper hospitality.¡± He then turned around and reminded everyone not to forget their lutes.


    ¡°It¡¯s fine. This was last minute on my part. Can you answer a question for me, though? I won¡¯t take up any more of your time.¡±


    ¡°Aye, I can do that.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s about an oni named Kokan. Have you heard of him? He used to teach here.¡±


    ¡°Kokan, eh? Let me think...¡± The triclops closed his eyes. ¡°Doesn¡¯t ring a bell. Sorry.¡±


    ¡°It was fifteen years ago, so I expected this. I wish you and your students well in their dungeon delve."


    "That¡¯s 0 for 2, Master,¡± said Tilde as we left. ¡°I think you might be out of luck.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re probably right. Just being here is enough, I suppose.¡±


    ¡°If it pleases you, Lord Springfield, I could send a message in tomorrow¡¯s briefing asking if anyone knew him.¡±


    ¡°The offer¡¯s kind, but I¡¯ll pass on it. Although...can we walk by the other two classrooms? I won¡¯t interrupt any lecture¡ªI¡¯m merely curious about...what he may have looked like when standing at the podium.¡±


    The guide said that wasn¡¯t an issue, but nothing came of it.


    The Ancient Literature class was in a small, cozy lecture hall. The walls were lined with shelves filled with worn tomes and scrolls, and the air carried the faint scent of old paper. Parchment and quills were strewn about on the large desk in front.


    A discussion was underway, so I stared for a moment through the window before leaving. But for a moment... I saw Dad. My visualization had him writing something knowledgeable on the chalkboard. Maybe it was for an upcoming exam. Or something he thought they needed to know. Dad was a favorite. Perhaps a group would gather around after class had ended to compliment his teaching style.


    I can hear his voice, steady and patient as always, recounting some epic poem...


    I knew he was popular. He had a heart kinder than most.


    I just...


    I...


    ...


    A quiet sigh failed to escape as we moved to the Magic Theorization classroom. Like Ancient Literature, it was a lecture hall, except the chalkboard was swathed in complex diagrams, charts, and runes. Glass orbs freely floated near the ceiling, glowing softly with remnants of residual magic. Each was linked to a student, and I saw the connecting chain of mana. Niva did, too, with her [Mana Perception] eye. She stared silently before glancing at Primrose.


    The instructor¡ªa white-haired man with wings folded across his stomach¡ªerratically sketched another rune on the board. The students hastily copied it into their notes, but by the time they were finished, the instructor had moved into something else.


    It was clearly a fast-paced environment. Did Dad teach like that? He wasn¡¯t as eccentric as this winged-man, so the level of chaotic energy was probably much lower. You didn¡¯t have to be a mad scientist to be passionate about something like magic. Some would argue that this teaching style was less effective because fewer students actively desired that chaos.


    Although it didn¡¯t matter. Dad last taught here fifteen years ago. If anything, the place had washed their hands of his involvement. It wouldn¡¯t be hard to pretend he didn¡¯t exist. I knew he was transferred to Ria to work at the academy there, but after the incident?


    Maybe they redacted proof he was ever employed? I doubt many would predict his adopted High Elf daughter would come to investigate, much less the man himself showing up at the city where everything turned upside down.


    Honestly, coming here was probably a waste of time.


    ¡°We can leave,¡± I said, turning away. ¡°I hope the detour didn¡¯t get us too off track.¡±


    ¡°Not at all, Lord Springfield. The itinerary was made with flexibility in mind. Our next destination will be the last before we return to the castle for the night."

 Chapter One-Hundred-Five: City Tourists – Part Three

    Chapter One-Hundred-Five: City Tourists ¨C Part Three


    Harmony Plaza.


    The name was ¡®fancy,¡¯ but it looked like a town square. A popular one, of course¡ªwith many merchants peddling their goods, stalls to get food and drink, and shops upon shops, yet it was wholly different from the Artisan Market.


    How?


    The vibe, I suppose. The atmosphere was more...down to earth? Less focused on ¡®this¡¯ and more on ¡®that.¡¯


    ¡°You can find something to do here at almost all hours of the day,¡± said the guide, escorting us down the street. Sekh¡¯s armor naturally attracted attention, although that didn¡¯t last because people¡¯s gazes turned to the nearby stage. A group of uniformed students with classical string and horn instruments had taken to it.


    ¡°A public performance?¡± I asked. Our group had stopped to observe, only continuing when a whimsical and upbeat melody fluttered throughout the plaza.


    ¡°Harmony Plaza is famous for it. You could say that¡¯s why it was created. The stage is available to anyone. They¡¯re from the Harmonia Institute, by the way.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good way to get your image out there,¡± said Elly. She desired an urge to perform for people who genuinely appreciated music. I mean, how could she not? Her diary had said she hated singing for Meruria and those other nobles because they didn¡¯t care for her songs. They wanted the ¡®honor¡¯ of having a Soul Warrior perform-- as if it brought them some newfound status.


    Anything to brag... Not to mention, Meruria auctioned Elly to the highest bidder. The damn bitch didn¡¯t need money since she was practically a dictator. She only wanted to exert another ounce of control to say: ¡®You¡¯re my toy to do with as I please.¡¯


    ¡°The waiting list is over a year long. The only way to secure an opportunity sooner than later is for someone to give you theirs,¡± replied the guide.


    ¡°Is paying for a spot frowned upon?¡± I asked.


    ¡°I think it¡¯s a test of integrity. Someone who really wants to change the world with music won¡¯t accept an offer to give up after waiting for a year,¡± said Elly.


    ¡°That¡¯s the argument Lord Gloria used. Nowadays, offering to buy another¡¯s position reveals the kind of person you are. Word spreads, my lord, leading to unsavory rumors concerning the potential purchaser¡¯s ethics. One wrong move means ruining your chances at stardom before you¡¯ve attempted to rise.¡±


    ¡°But it does happen?¡±


    ¡°That it does, Lord Springfield. Some frame it as a ¡®gesture of goodwill'' to give up your spot to someone in need, although the truth is rarely that simple. It very well could be that¡ªsomeone who has tripped over themselves in a moment of regret and hands their opportunity to someone they feel is more worthy. However, once the citizens have decided their bias, it is not an easy task to change their minds. Public opinion set in stone is sometimes said to be harder than diamond.¡±


    I didn¡¯t expect to have a discussion this deep or intricate about the ethics of paying to obtain the chance to play earlier. Securing a few top spots to auction them to the highest bidder seemed like a no-brainer. Gloria¡¯s reluctance to do that probably hinted at her ¡®true¡¯ character.


    The woman was a right bitch. She would suffer¡ªno dedication to the arts would alter her eventual fate.


    ¡°Mmnn... The food sure does smell good.¡± Tilde licked her lips. ¡°We had that snack earlier, but it¡¯s getting a little late. What do you say to dinner, Master? Wouldn¡¯t it be nice to have a show with our meal?¡±


    I looked around, and the positive atmosphere was almost infectious. People were eating, having a good time, and enjoying the music. It seemed like a festival, yet this occurrence probably happened daily. Variety was really the spice of life with so many genres of music.


    ¡°I don¡¯t mind. Any objections?¡± No one shook their heads. ¡°Well, Ms. Guide? Do you have any recommendations in mind?¡±


    ¡°I do! The plaza is home to our most famous hotel. The rooftop restaurant is quite elusive since reservations are not freely given. Certain criteria within the arts must be met before Lord Gloria even considers your eligibility to dine there.¡±


    ¡°I take it your lord arranged this yesterday?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯d be correct, Lord Springfield. Please, if you¡¯ll follow me...¡± The guide escorted us to the tallest building on the plaza. The inn almost vomited elegance. The gold-trimmed doors opened automatically, revealing a twenty-foot-tall fountain standing in the middle of the lobby. The top had a carved statue of a man playing a flute, which mimicked the function of that fountain at the academy¡¯s branch campus. We had arrived on the hour, which meant its lovely melody warmed our ears as we walked to the receptionist''s desk.


    ¡°Ah, welcome back. Are you on the job?¡± A youthful receptionist raised his raised his head from a notebook.


    ¡°I am. Reservations were made late yesterday evening. The name is Lyudmila Vredi Springfield.¡±


    ¡°We¡¯ve been expecting you.¡± The boy smiled. A quick look at his skills displayed he had nothing but etiquette-related abilities¡ªnot even a smidge relating to combat or magic. A map search revealed his relatives were like him, so being a concierge was probably expected. That was the family business or something. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we have an equipment room in the back for your armor.¡±


    ¡°No. I will not eat, so I won¡¯t take it off,¡± replied Sekh. ¡°Will that be an issue?"


    ¡°Not at all. We pride ourselves on making our guests happy. If that¡¯s what you want, then we have no issue.¡±


    ¡°Really? People aren¡¯t afraid to eat around armed warriors?¡± I inquired.


    ¡°Perhaps elsewhere, Lord Springfield, but only those trusted by Lord Gloria are allowed to dine here. She will personally involve herself in any disputes.¡±


    He speaks the truth, my lord. I detect a magic circle in an office on the second floor. The mana flows outside the indexed area, but I am sure it¡¯s connected to something Gloria has on her person. Additionally, a button underneath the desk is presumably linked to her.


    Causing a ruckus is one way to meet her ahead of schedule. You don¡¯t recommend it, do you?


    Not currently. Let her preparation continue. It will make crushing her more satisfying.


    ¡°Your guide will escort you to the teleporter pad linked to the roof.¡±


    I thanked the boy, and he wished us a lovely meal as we walked to the glowing circle where an elevator shaft should¡¯ve been.


    A quick flash later, we were in another room. That door opened to a rooftop terrace. The left side was home to one large bar filled with human and non-human guests. Most were dressed formally¡ªsuits, cocktail dresses, and the like. Our group stood out like black paint splashed against a white wall. Sekh''s armor wasn¡¯t meant for fine dining.


    Surtr was out of place even in his ¡®toy¡¯ form. Lei rested on Niva¡¯s head, but the slime scurried inside her sleeve when the uncertain looks came their way.


    I didn¡¯t care what they thought because we wouldn¡¯t be here long enough to give two shits about their useless opinion. We were here to pass the time until our primary goals could be accomplished. A waiter quickly noticed us. After pleasant introductions, he escorted our group to a prepared table.


    ¡°This is...umm... It¡¯s fancy...¡± whispered Yew. ¡°I¡¯ve never done anything like this. That¡¯s wine. I think I¡¯m a little too young to drink it.¡±


    ¡°Can we get her a glass of water?¡± Sera asked the nearest maid. She silently bowed and left.


    ¡°Huh? I thought only one group could use the stage at a time.¡± Elly pointed over the railing. We looked, and the band from the Harmonia Institute wasn¡¯t alone. An opposing group had started unloading their equipment.


    ¡°That is true unless two groups agree to a music battle. They take turns playing, with the crowd''s reaction deciding the winner."


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen one,¡± said Tilde. ¡°I don¡¯t think we could¡¯ve asked for anything better to enjoy dinner with.¡±


    ¡°You may be right. The opponents are from Aria Academy?¡± The guide nodded. ¡°I see. So, it¡¯s more than just a challenge. School pride is on the line.¡±


    The Harmonia Institute students replayed their previous song, yet about halfway through...


    The tone totally changed. The violinist ¡®screeched¡¯ her instrument, increasing the tempo to something fiery. The rest joined in, accomplishing a tonal flip that took the audience by storm.


    ¡°Impressive,¡± said Quella as the song ended. Appetizers we didn¡¯t order arrived moments later.


    Gloria¡¯s probably behind that, too. I bet she curated this whole thing, including organizing that music battle.


    Sera approved of our food. She fluttered her eyes and turned to her salad. She was far more a noble than me, so she was used to this treatment. As such, I decided to mimic her.


    There¡¯s something to discuss, my lord.


    What¡¯s wrong?


    Please look at the window I¡¯m about to open on your HUD. The one under the waypoint is Bart Barclay¡ªErin¡¯s grandfather.


    The man was leaning against the railing. He wore a suit with a hat almost too big for his face. Still, he shared his daughter¡¯s eye, hair, ear, and tail hue. Though it wasn¡¯t necessary, Tris compared his unique mana signatures to Karen''s, which confirmed his parentage.


    Bart subtly gripped a note in his gloved hands, which Tris read with [Deduction].


    The penmanship matches the guide¡¯s itinerary, which I¡¯ve compared to a letter personally written by Gloria. All three share the same author.


    It¡¯s not like it was a hard guess, but it¡¯s good to have confirmable proof she¡¯s behind this stalling tactic.


    Bart¡¯s probably here to perform reconnaissance, although the method is questionable. We haven¡¯t the displeasure of meeting Erin¡¯s grandfather, so Gloria falsely assumes we¡¯re unaware of him. He is not the spy hidden in clear sight that she wanted him to be.


    This wrinkly bastard had abandoned his daughter to focus on obtaining an exclusive membership to Gloria¡¯s inner circle. The shithead didn¡¯t try hard enough to treat Karen. They thought her to be a social stigma due to her mental issues, then tossed her away to let the school handle her. Just looking at the coward pissed me off...


    Does he even know his daughter is gone? How will he react when I tell him I killed her? Will he accept Erin? Or will he disown her like Karen?


    I was too focused on that to enjoy the music battle, which ended in a draw. I wasn¡¯t sure how that happened. A sharp-dressed man jumped on the stage while the performers packed up.


    ¡°Ladies and gents! That was sure something! Ahhh... It¡¯s always a good omen when we have a match as fierce as that! It really was anyone¡¯s game to win, you know! They played amazingly! They played spectacularly well! The fun isn¡¯t stopping here, though. Oh, no! No! No!¡± He twirled and posed, the tail of his suit jacket flapping in the wind. ¡°I¡¯m happy to announce a very special performance! It¡¯s being led by a woman who surely needs no introduction at all... So... I¡¯ll get out of your hair, okay? Take care now, bye-bye then!¡± The crier acrobatically flipped off stage¡ªthe indulgence of theatrics almost sickened me¡ªbut I had to admit I was anxiously curious to see this ''special performance.''


    Elly and Melusine conversed about it as the second round of appetizers came. Sera, Yew, and I got another salad, but everyone else got shrimp.


    ¡°Woah... What¡¯s that flavor? It tastes like lemon, but is it supposed to be that sweet? It¡¯s getting spicy, too.¡± Ami sipped her wine. Strangely enough, the delicate precision to enjoy a fancy dinner didn¡¯t suit someone as ¡®down-to-earth¡¯ like her¡ªespecially with me knowing what I knew.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid that¡¯s a restaurant secret,¡± replied the guide. ¡°It is quite delectable. Everything here is exceptionally delicious! I¡¯m partial to the strawberry banana pudding. Any lady with a sweet tooth must try it.¡±


    The guide continued explaining her favorite dishes. Somehow, I knew it wouldn¡¯t be a coincidence if those were already ordered for us. Regardless, the chatter was pleasant, if somewhat sterile. Movement from the crowd caught my eyes as it parted like a biblical sea for a group of six wearing school uniforms.


    Okay, then. Let¡¯s see what¡¯s so special about this performance.


    Each carried a violin case, which wouldn¡¯t have been anything unique since that seemed like the most common instrument. No¡ªthe specialness came from the ¡®effects.¡¯ An illusionist used a spell to add vibrant life to the stage. Another cast a darkening haze across the sky. A third enhanced the stars¡¯ glimmering glow to act like spotlights from the heavens. The fourth imparted sparkly particles across their uniforms, clasping them into what I could only describe as celestial garb that left behind dancing fragments.


    The cheering exploded when a hidden firework from behind the stage erupted skyward. It exploded at its apex¡ªwhen the song reached a furious tipping point mere seconds after it began. Radiant crimson infected the altered horizon. The effects shouldn¡¯t have mixed, but they worked well¡ªtoo well. It wasn¡¯t just that¡ªthe choreography was on another level, too. The jumps, the twirls, the sharp, erratic movements matched the intense melody...


    I was impressed¡ªI really was.


    But someone wasn¡¯t.


    ¡°That¡¯s...¡± Niva¡¯s voice was quivering, her tone matching her shivering body. Another firework made her jump. She accidentally thumped the table, knocking over an empty glass.


    Sekh and Primrose¡ªsitting to her left and right¡ªgrabbed her hands.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Do you know her?¡± asked Yew, concerned.


    ¡°That¡¯s Lillian Mesalitos...¡±


    Tris?


    I¡¯ve confirmed her identity, but she¡¯s not alone. Thaddeus, her father, and Valeria, her mother, are present. They each hold letters from Gloria requesting them to attend the meeting with ¡®the Vredi High Elves.¡¯ I detect an abnormality, though. Thaddeus has four rings. I¡¯m unsure of the significance, yet a search shows he has one wife.


    Anything else? Let me hear your thoughts.


    This was orchestrated by Gloria. Everything was carefully ordained to acquire information for the forthcoming meeting. I¡¯m certain she¡¯ll use today to establish a common link to maintain control. Arella is still observing us from far away. Glintfang Ironhide is in that tree about 500 feet away. I¡¯ve marked him with a waypoint.


    Tris¡¯s analysis of Niva¡¯s biometrics suggested she was about to have a panic attack, but she regained enough self-control to focus on her breathing. No doubt that was something taught to her by Aetos. She was still uneasy as the guide gushed about Lillian¡ªabout how she was the blooming flower of the Mesalitos''s family. The praise oozed so much that it must¡¯ve been another ploy by Gloria. As for how rhapsodizing about her would¡¯ve helped?


    That was unclear for Tris and me. The only option was if her playing was exceptional enough to make me forget or forgive Gloria¡¯s inaction?


    A dumb idea, but could you expect anything else from someone who would shut down a dungeon vital to a town¡¯s success, thereby crippling her exports? Ria was an important shipping hub.


    Even if I caused it by killing Noelia, Gloria¡¯s reaction proved she didn¡¯t deserve to rule over others. She was nothing like Gretchen Plymoise or Ayroix Atrix.


    The performance continued as our entrees arrived. Those who could eat meat got steak and chicken, and Sera, Yew, and myself enjoyed a veggie casserole. It seemed generic, but it really was prepared by an expert chef. The onions were marinated in this delicious, slightly tangy sauce, which slowly spread throughout the dish during the baking. The crispy breadcrumbs accenting the top were a gorgeous golden brown.


    Dessert was strawberry banana pudding¡ªwith everyone getting a big bowl. Yew loved it so much she asked for seconds.


    Every child has a sweet tooth, huh?


    Sera thought it cruel that Sekh couldn¡¯t enjoy the food, so she asked for a to-go order. The staff were more than willing to comply. ¡°You can¡¯t be the only one left out,¡± said Sera when a food cart arrived. ¡°Be sure to enjoy it later, okay?¡±


    ¡°... I will. Thank you,¡± replied Sekh as Tris stashed the plates. The staff didn¡¯t blink an eye at it vanishing. Either it didn¡¯t phase them, or they were trained to remain cool, calm, and collected.


    The special performance continued after we left, and the lengthy display of raw, unfiltered hard work almost guided our carriage back to Gloria¡¯s castle.


    We could still hear the performance from four streets away.


    *****


    *****


    It was evening when we returned. A maid bowed as we disembarked. ¡°It pleases me to see you¡¯ve returned safely, esteemed guests.¡± She had a lisp. ¡°Your rooms are prepared. Would you like to freshen up before dinner?¡±


    ¡°Our guests have dined at Harmony Plaza,¡± replied the guide. She turned to us. ¡°This is where I must leave you. It¡¯s been an honor touring you around our fair capital,¡± she said with a smiling bow. ¡°I hope you¡¯ve enjoyed it.¡±


    ¡°We did,¡± I replied. ¡°You¡¯re very adept at your task, so take pride in it. I don¡¯t know where you live, but make it home safe.¡±


    ¡°Ah... Your kindness invigorates my heart, Lord Springfield!¡± She bowed again before leaving with a noticeable spring in her step.


    I may have hated that bitch Gloria, but why turn my disgust to a mere tour guide? She probably had orders to give us a good time to soften our hearts for the meeting. As far as I was concerned? She had done an admirable job.


    ¡°Would you like to see your accommodations?¡± asked the maid.


    ¡°Yes. Thank you.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re very welcome, Lady Vredi. Please, follow me...¡± The maid escorted us through two hallways and up a flight of steps. ¡°You will be staying in the castle wing reserved for diplomatic envoys,¡± said the maid after unlocking the only door at the end of a corridor.


    We entered behind her. It was dark, but light appeared once our escort clapped her hands twice.


    It was a common room¡ªmore like a broader, bigger studio apartment, with twelve doors to bedrooms with their own amenities.


    At least everyone has a bath.


    The dining room sat a large round table near a fully furnished kitchen. A dozen shelves in the living room shared the space with four couches, a few coffee tables, and a recliner. A glass sliding door emerged onto a balcony that overlooked the back courtyard.


    ¡°I hope it meets your standards?¡± She turned around.


    ¡°It does.¡±


    ¡°Wonderful!¡± The maid clapped once before pointing to a bell on the round table. ¡°Should you require anything, simply ring it, and someone shall appear at the door within a minute.¡± She revealed a small charm hidden in her apron. ¡°Every servant has a receiver on their person at all times. They¡¯re magically linked to the bells.¡±


    ¡°How do you know where to go?¡± I asked.


    ¡°Each bell echoes a unique melody that cannot be replicated by another. We memorize the song and related location. There aren¡¯t many, so it isn¡¯t difficult.¡±


    ¡°I see... That¡¯s an interesting solution.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m glad you find so, Lord Springfield. Oh, Lord Gloria has confirmed she¡¯ll return shortly before midnight. She has sent word that the meeting you requested will occur tomorrow morning. She also sends her deepest apologies for not being prepared. Is there anything I can do before I leave you to your privacy?¡±


    ¡°No. You¡¯ve done more than enough. Take care, okay?¡±


    ¡°I wish the same for you, dear guests. Please, have a wonderful evening.¡± The maid bowed once more before quietly closing the door behind her.


    We were finally ¡®alone¡¯ even if we weren¡¯t ¡®unchaperoned.¡¯ A Dark Elf still had us in her sights a few hundred feet away. That Dragonfolk¡ªluckily¡ªwasn¡¯t in the room, but he was just down the hall. He¡¯d probably remain there.


    ¡°So... What now?¡± Tilde raised a good question as Niva yawned.


    ¡°Today must¡¯ve been exhausting. Go rest for a little bit, okay? We can talk later if you¡¯re up for it.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Lei?¡± The slime emerged from Niva¡¯s sleeves, then relaxed in her arms as the summoner and her spirit departed for the closest room.


    ¡°Guess that¡¯s our cue, huh? I could use a little nap. That huge dinner¡¯s making me a little drowsy.¡± Elly yawned¡ªfollowed by Ami.


    ¡°Food has that kind of effect,¡± replied Greggie, scratching his chin.


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you follow Niva¡¯s lead?¡±


    ¡°I think we will, Lord Springfield,¡± answered Quella. She didn¡¯t hear any protest from her team, so off they went to their chosen rooms.


    ¡°This is where I take my temporary leave,¡± said Sera. She retrieved a journal from a storage skill before hugging it.


    It meant nothing to me.


    To Susize?


    It was everything. She had given it to Sera as a birthday gift. Even the best-cared item would deteriorate over a thousand years¡ªthis was no exception. The difference, however, was the methodical care that went into its repair. The bindings weren¡¯t the same vines Susize had woven throughout the spine. The papers weren¡¯t original, either.  If I had to guess... Sera had probably carefully torn out the pages, secured them in a safe spot, and added more. Only she knew how many times she had repeated the process.


    ¡°Today¡¯s given me much to think about. I want to organize my thoughts before we continue.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fair enough, sister. I think we all need to do the same. I suppose we¡¯ll see you in a little bit?¡±


    ¡°Yes!¡± She gleefully smiled before skipping to one of the remaining rooms, leaving me, Tris, Sekh, Yew, Tilde, and Surtr. Instead of remaining in the common area, we picked a room to claim as ours, leaving a handful that would probably go unused.


    A faint flicker warmed the walls after Tris shut the door.


    ¡°Was that sealing magic?¡± asked Yew as she hopped on the bed. Surtr wiggled free, stretching upon landing like a house cat. He grew to his original size before flopping over.


    ¡°Yes. We¡¯re free to discuss what we wish without anyone being aware. Arella is concerned.¡± Tris looked eastward before grinning. ¡°She¡¯s currently debating if attempting to crack my barrier is worth the disrespect it will bring her lord if she¡¯s discovered. Don¡¯t worry, though. She cannot pierce it.¡±


    ¡°If that¡¯s the case... Can I resume my training?¡± Yew raised an arm. ¡°I still want to get better at it.¡±


    ¡°Go ahead,¡± I replied, sitting beside her. I plonked to my back before stretching.


    ¡°Do you remember what we discussed?¡± Sekh sat beside Yew. She instinctively touched her helmet, where her hands froze solid. She didn''t finish what she had intended.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay to remove it, you know.¡±


    ¡°Is it, Tilde?¡±


    ¡°Uhh... Yeah? Sera can¡¯t see through walls, can she?¡±


    ¡°Not these. Rest assured, Sekh, I am constantly surveying her. She will not catch us unaware.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Look. I get it. It¡¯s risky. So...how about this? Tris, can you like... I don¡¯t know how to explain it, but can you plop a waypoint the size of her noggin over her head? If it¡¯s only visual to certain people, then even if Sera pulls a sneaky, she¡¯ll see a glowing ball. We can say it¡¯s a spell or something Master is practicing. One designed to make it easier to keep track of allies. That¡¯s not a lie, you know. They say the best place to hide is in plain sight.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s not the dumbest thing I¡¯ve heard,¡± replied Sekh.


    ¡°Eh? Oh, Sekkie, how cruel must thou be to harm a delicate cake¡¯s heart like me?¡±


    Sekh rolled her eyes after removing her helmet. Tris then confirmed the waypoint¡¯s placement by making it visible to everyone within the room.


    Tilde chuckled, then clamped up when Sekh asked her to explain.


    ¡°Is that something you can do all the time?¡± Yew¡¯s fur-covered finger tapped my palm.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t require any strenuous effort from me, so...¡± Tris became quiet. ¡°The one concern is explaining why the spell hasn¡¯t turned off¡ªif we take that route. Concerns will naturally arise. The psychology of people is as follows: to the masses, most will only trust another after seeing their face. You can learn much from a person by observing their expressions. On the other hand, mysterious knights who refuse to take off their helmets can achieve a higher level of respect on account of their actions. Yet for someone whose face is obscured by what the masses perceive as ¡®magic?¡¯ The unfamiliarity will build distrust faster than trust.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s semantics, basically. Really, what¡¯s the difference between a head-sized helmet and a glowy orb if both hide the face? One¡¯s far more common. A person wearing a helmet might have a lot of reasons. Scars. Disfigurements... A bad case of acne. Maybe a mole they want to hide. That¡¯s rooted in ¡®reality.¡¯ A waypoint ball? Some people¡¯s first thoughts would be like: ¡®That poor sap was cursed.¡¯ It¡¯s the little things, Yewie, that make all the difference.¡±


    ¡°But... Does this mean you can never take it off when Sera is around?¡± Yew¡¯s hands¡ªnow covered in black scales from a Lizardfolk I must¡¯ve assimilated somewhere¡ªgrasped Sekh¡¯s gauntlets. ¡°That¡¯s not fair. It¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s sweet you¡¯re concerned for me, but it¡¯s okay, Yew. I... This is my... This is what I must bear. The world may forgive me. The world may even accept me... Yet Sera won¡¯t. To her... There is no forgiveness. There is no acceptance. I will forever remain her greatest enemy.¡±


    ¡°But... But... But... Aetos... The village... They... You...¡± Yew sniffled. ¡°If Sera talks to Aetos...¡±


    ¡°I can¡¯t put that on the eagle. He¡¯s suffered too much at my hands. Their relationship has just recovered, so I cannot be the knife that severs it. You may think it unfair, except it¡¯s not.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°Come now, there¡¯s no need for tears.¡± Tris gave Sekh a handkerchief to wipe Yew¡¯s watery eyes.


    ¡°I... I won¡¯t stop hoping. Is that okay?¡±


    ¡°It is,¡± replied Sekh. ¡°I will keep my promise to Aetos. I will look after Sera as long as it can be permitted.¡±


    ¡°Then I¡¯ll look after you! That¡¯s only fair, right?¡±


    Sekh smiled with a priceless expression. ¡°I suppose it is. Thank you, Yew.¡±


    ¡°Why¡¯d you say her name twice?¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t...?¡±


    ¡°Uhh... You did,¡± Tilde argued back. Her lips curled like a naughty cat who saw prey to pounce on.


    ¡°Your old age must be catching up with you. You may want to test your hearing.¡±


    Those two friendly bickered, reigniting their harmless rivalry as Yew laughed at their antics. I conversed with Tris, who had used a few bird clones to scout the city. ¡°Requiesta is larger than Plymoise or Atrix, my lord. Caching it into my databanks will take a few hours.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine. Is Gloria back?¡±


    ¡°Not yet.  There''s nothing to report about Dirge''s Soul Warriors, either. Information on Noelia is readily found. I even discovered her ¡®grave¡¯ in what looks like a cemetery for heroes.¡±


    ¡°Oh, yeah. There was that funeral. The Barclays set that up, didn¡¯t they?¡±


    ¡°They did. They went along with it even though they knew it was a farce.¡±


    ¡°Guess we can confront them tomorrow.¡±


    ¡°So, about that... I¡¯ve much to discuss concerning the plan, but I¡¯ll refrain until Sera has joined us. Her input will be invaluable.¡±


    We chatted for a few more minutes about the secrets the city probably held, only stopping when I heard something concerning.


    It was a whimper...


    A painful grimace.


    ¡°Owww...¡± Yew suddenly groaned. She nursed her hand as if it was broken.


    ¡°What happened?¡± I asked, scooting over.


    ¡°I... It felt like something popped,¡± Yew replied, voice quivering as if she had done something naughty.


    ¡°You have no damage. Nothing is broken, fractured, or bruised.¡±


    ¡°Leave it to Nurse Tris with the health inspection. Hmm... Wouldn¡¯t you like to see her in a nurse outfit? I know I do.¡±


    ¡°Is now the time for that?¡±


    ¡°Calm your flames, Sekh. Yewie¡¯s fine. Look, you¡¯re a natural chimera, so your abilities weren¡¯t instilled like Master¡¯s version, so... To put it into weightlifting terms, Master¡¯s transfiguration muscles are developed. Yours aren¡¯t. Besides, you were switching from hide to scale, fur, and flesh too fast for your skill level. I bet a thousand gold you got your wires crossed and forgot to cancel a muscle or nerve.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t know that could happen.¡±


    ¡°To be honest... I¡¯m not too sure, either. I saw her wince after the fourth cycle swap. A proper maid must be observant of not only her lovey-dovey Master, but also the ones she keeps close.¡±


    ¡°The deduction is sound. I believe you¡¯re right. Hmm...¡± Tris produced a syringe. Inside sat an orb smaller than a blood cell. ¡°I can verify the issue if you let me. The slime will be a video camera, delivering its feed directly to my processing center. It won¡¯t hurt. You won¡¯t even feel it.¡±


    ¡°Okay...¡± Yew took the injection like a champ, then repeated what she had done to cause the pain. ¡°I did this...¡± She laid her hand flat, transforming that soft skin into the hide of a boar. ¡°Then this...¡± Sparkling scales manifested as the fur dissolved. That turned into fur, which returned to her skin. The cycle continued three times until she suddenly jerked her hand away.


    ¡°You were correct, Tilde,¡± confirmed Tris. ¡°People with scales have an interconnected web of nerves connecting them to each other inside the body. Those with fur, hide, or flesh don¡¯t have that. Yew kept them transfigured, so when you returned to having scales, you had two sets. You added a third upon completing the next cycle. They twisted, causing a blockage. Your panic induced an emergency cancelation of all transfigurations. Think of it like a failsafe, although such a feature is not always good.¡±


    ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush anything. Remember, take it slow. Once you¡¯re better...¡± I shot a thread of crystal webbing at the roof, ascending while retracting it into my wrist. ¡°We can do stuff like this. After reaching the top, I crawled around like a spider. ¡°This can be fun.¡±


    ¡°Will I ever get that good?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve no doubt in my mind.¡± Seeing Sekh be so supportive made me love her even more.


    ¡°Right! I won¡¯t let you down.¡±


    ¡°So, let¡¯s reframe your training. I¡¯ll transform my hand, and I want you to follow along. Focus on accuracy, above all else, if it takes forty or fifty seconds. Tris will give you a grade on how much the innards match mine, okay? Speed can come later. We want to get this mastered first.¡±


    That was the proper order to do this. Yew first grasped how to transform, so next came accuracy. Transfiguration literally involved altering something about yourself into a separate entity, which meant partially becoming whatever you transfigured into. Therefore, having the nerves connecting the underside of the scales be as accurate as possible is one thing. Yet when you swap to something else, you must remove all traces of what you just were.


    Some hidden philosophy was probably buried in the depths of chimerism.


    Anyway...


    Yew had fun learning from me, which was the only thing that mattered.  She called it quits after ten minutes because she wanted to mess around with the songleaf bundles we had gotten. The room had a big table, so we moved from the bed to there.


    Yew and I quietly discussed flutes as Sekh tended to her new journal. She hesitated the first word, though. I was sure she hadn¡¯t done anything like this before. Her helmet laid softly atop her head like a ball cap.


    Tilde readied her harp. My ears silently begged me to stop her.


    I didn¡¯t make it in time.


    ¡°Oh, this is for the lioness that burns. Your mind is thinking too hard. For all you have to do...is ask the best maid in the whole world to help you... Yet too much pride... Ironic coming from a lion girl... Can make a girl dull... Ohhhhh, my little Sekkie... Let the¡ª¡±


    ¡°I doubt you could be any more tone-deaf if you tried.¡±


    ¡°Eh? Don¡¯t be like that. I¡¯m trying to serenade your creative juices with my delicious singing. Doesn¡¯t it make you hungry?¡±


    ¡°It makes me full. I¡¯ve had enough, thank you. There¡¯s no need for that.¡±


    ¡°Fair enough. As long as you¡¯re satisfied!¡± Tilde winked. Sekh rolled her eyes. She tossed the harp to Tris and rolled closer to Sekh to help her. ¡°You can¡¯t go wrong with the basics. Picnic? That¡¯s a staple. She¡¯s gotten into fighting, so going a round or two would make her day. You two have tails, so why not a tail hug? You can take her to Aetos¡¯s new home. Maybe go shopping around town. What about baking some cookies? Fishing? Hunting? Cooking? Conquering a dungeon or two? The possibilities are infinite, Little Lion, when the sole objective is to spend time with each other.¡±


    ¡°...¡±


    ¡°I know that look. Your narrow mind is too narrow. You gotta flex your imaginative muscles. Starting is the hard part. So, go on. Write something down.¡±


    Scribble!


    ¡°Good. Now¡ªNo. Don¡¯t do that!¡± Tilde couldn¡¯t wrap her hand around Sekh¡¯s pen, so she blocked the paper with her arm.


    ¡°What? I¡¯m just scratching it out¡ª¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t do that while brainstorming because you¡¯re fishing for ideas. Even if it¡¯s dumb... You gotta keep it, okay? Every bright idea was once part of something less than bright.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s fun seeing them get along,¡± whispered Yew.


    ¡°They¡¯ve always had a unique relationship,¡± I replied.


    Tris slightly rocked back and forth in her chair with a giggling smile. ¡°Oh, are you hungry? Sera¡¯s still writing, so now is the time to eat.¡± Tris tapped the table, producing two plates and a bowl. One had a pile of steak, chicken, and shrimp. The second supported a large helping of that veggie casserole. The last was filled to the brim with that dessert.


    ¡°It does smell good.¡±


    ¡°All the more reason to chow down,¡± replied Tilde, stealing the largest shrimp. ¡°Consider that my tax for helping. Oh, and that, too.¡± She plucked the biggest strawberry.


    ¡°Don¡¯t take my food, you glutton!¡±


    ¡°Brainstorming¡¯s easier when your belly isn¡¯t empty.¡±


    ¡°You just ate not even thirty minutes ago.¡±


    ¡°They say time is relative. Thirty minutes is only thirty minutes if you perceive it to be. Besides, I¡¯m still recovering. I need more calories than usual.¡±


    Sekh rolled her eyes again as she picked up the fork. She almost seemed... timid to eat? Regardless, the hesitation vanished after tasting the chicken. Her ears perked, and she swapped to the steak before tossing back a few pieces of shrimp. The casserole wasn¡¯t the biggest hit, but I couldn¡¯t say the same about the dessert.


    It really was that good. Sekh noticed Yew subtly licking her lips and offered her half. Yew refused, although her growling belly told another story. ¡°It¡¯s yours,¡± said Yew upon being asked again. ¡°I already had a lot.¡±


    ¡°You also transfigured a lot,¡± replied Tilde. ¡°Get your biomass back, girlie. You really should take any opportunity to chow down.¡±


    ¡°Except don¡¯t follow her,¡± said Sekh, who shook her head at the dwindling shrimp supply. A certain maid was responsible for eating half. ¡°Some people aren¡¯t good role models.¡±


    ¡°Aww, you wouldn¡¯t let me do this if you didn¡¯t love me, Sekkie. Lions don¡¯t share their food with just anyone.¡±


    ¡°Haha!¡± Yew laughed at their bit, then asked for a spoon. ¡°It¡¯s still yours. I¡¯ll only have just a little bit.¡±


    ¡°Mila?¡±


    ¡°Sure, why not? I could eat another spoonful or two.¡±


    ¡°Dessert naturally calls for refreshments.¡± Tris prepared some tea.


    I¡¯m so glad I don¡¯t have to worry about diabetes.


    Sekh cut off a chunk of steak before calling Surtr¡¯s name. He raised his large head to catch his treat. ¡°Do you like it?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s delectable, my lady.¡±


    ¡°Point taken,¡± said Tris, sipping her drink. Her tail happily wagged. ¡°I¡¯ll add the recipe to my database.¡± Surtr growled his thanks.


    ¡°Having a good time, Little Miss AI?¡±


    ¡°Oh, verily. I value moments like these.¡±


    ¡°You aren¡¯t the only one.¡± Tilde plucked another strawberry and returned to Sekh¡¯s journal. Yew, Tris, and I joined, offering our takes on what Erin, Sekh, and I could do. The possibilities were infinite¡ªthey really were. Even if Erin¡¯s choice was to visit another country...


    So what?


    Ira could turn into a dragon, so I¡¯d force her to transport us. Remy¡¯s warping? It wasn¡¯t finished¡ªyet¡ªbut that was another option.


    ¡°An ocean adventure might be fun. Our ship is still parked near the village, yeah?¡± Tris nodded, and Tilde continued. ¡°That¡¯s an option. We might find a sunken treasure ship. Or a ghost ship. I think I heard something about a lich and its undead crew roaming on a boat somewhere.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a new one for me,¡± I replied


    ¡°Just wait until you hear they sail on the desert, not the sea. I can¡¯t remember where, though.¡±


    ¡°They¡¯ve probably been wiped out if it was a long time ago.¡±


    ¡°Give or take a few decades, so... Yeah. But hey, they can¡¯t be the only desert undead ship.¡±


    ¡°That might be too much for Erin.¡± Sekh raised a good point. ¡°I refuse to put her in danger.¡±


    ¡°True enough. We can put that idea in the ¡®maybe we can do this in the future¡¯ list. Hmm...You have the guild. Haha! Erin¡¯s stronger than you in the guild''s eyes. You too, Master.¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t spend much time there, did we?¡± Sekh asked me. ¡°Nothing really came from it.¡±


    ¡°Might be time to make something come from it,¡± I replied. ¡°It could be fun. I think it¡¯s worth considering.¡±


    ¡°I agree! Guess that means you¡¯re the newest member of Pawsome Fables.¡±


    ¡°Ah, the group you started with Erin?¡±


    ¡°Can¡¯t forget about Chax and Ginnie, either.¡±


    ¡°I was surprised when I learned about them from Surtr¡¯s summary. Didn¡¯t think we¡¯d meet again so soon, but I¡¯m happy they¡¯re doing well.¡±


    ¡°Me too. They¡¯re good people, y¡¯know?¡± Tilde stole another strawberry. ¡°Erin likes them a lot, too. Besides, they¡¯re a cute couple. It¡¯s totes fun to give them a little teasing.¡±


    ¡°It won¡¯t be long until you see them, Sekh.¡±


    ¡°Umm... Do you think they¡¯ll be my friend?¡± Yew innocently asked.


    ¡°Definitely. You¡¯re already an honorary member of the group. You can go questing with us once you¡¯re a little stronger.¡±


    ¡°Really?!¡± Yew looked at Tilde with sparkling eyes.


    ¡°Totally. Pawsome Fables is an all-inclusive group. We do not discriminate.¡± Tilde puffed her chest with pride. ¡°That¡¯s a Tilde Guarantee with a lifetime warranty of a Tilde Promise.¡±


    ¡°Tilde Guarantee, huh? Can you offer a Tilde Promise to stop stealing my food?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s not my fault you¡¯re spending more time writing and not eating,¡± said the fairy after swallowing a strawberry. Seriously, the fruit seemed endless. ¡°Anyone worth her pride can do both. Get it? Pride? Lion? Hehe!¡±


    ¡°Yes. Yes. Ha. Ha.¡± Sekh¡¯s sarcastic tone and smile accented Yew¡¯s chuckle at the joke.


    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m sure you have a few good ideas. Let them stew around your head, okay? Once we reunite with Ichiha and the others, you can talk to Erin to finalize the plan. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s thought of stuff that skipped our minds. Although you can ask her right now through Longtooth.¡±


    ¡°I could, but no. I want Erin to be surprised.¡± Sekh closed the journal. She stared at the blank cover before asking Tris to put it away.


    ¡°Done for the evening?¡±


    ¡°I am with that. I want to let my mind rest a little.¡±


    ¡°Liar. I know your stomach¡¯s rumbling. You just want to eat.¡±


    Sekh ignored Tilde¡¯s playful annoyances to focus on dinner. Gradually, the piles of food shrank until she joined the Clean Plate Club.


    ¡°It really was good,¡± said Sekh as she finished her tea.


    It¡¯d be nice if she could eat with us next time, not after us.


    The atmosphere was lively¡ªa different feeling from our first few days together¡ªwhen the most pressing issue was living with an oni and her mother without revealing my chimerism.


    Suddenly, Sekh¡¯s and Tris¡¯s ears twitched. Mine did as well, which meant one thing.


    ¡°Sera¡¯s left her room,¡± said Tris. ¡°She¡¯ll arrive in twelve seconds.¡±


    Click!


    Sekh immediately equipped her helmet. Yew frowned, although she hid it well.


    I feel the same.


    Sera soon knocked and entered after I gave permission. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not interrupting. Oh, I see you¡¯ve eaten. That¡¯s good. I was worried you¡¯d skip dinner again.¡±


    ¡°I didn¡¯t intend to worry you.¡±


    ¡°Pay it no mind, Sekh.¡± Sera sat beside me and thanked Tris for the glass of tea. Her eyes locked into the bundle of green sitting in front of us.  ¡°Are you two ready?¡±


    ¡°We didn¡¯t do much,¡± replied Yew. ¡°I just wanted to see what songleaf felt like.¡±


    ¡°Does it feel... What¡¯s the word...¡± Sera pulled up a chair. ¡°Retrospective?¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t know if it¡¯s that. Holding it makes me feel warm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a good feeling. My sister once told me the quality of your flute depends on your emotional connection to the material. She took it to the extreme, though. Bathing? Eating? Sleeping? Susize did it all.¡± I retrieved the flute. Sera gently grasped it like the national treasure it was upon asking permission. ¡°I cannot say she was wrong, though. A thousand years have passed, and it still looks brand-new.¡±


    Although she looked at the instrument, I knew she saw anything but. Untold memories historians would¡¯ve done anything to get their hands on flashed through her mind.


    Mine as well. It was less a memory and more of a perfect recreation of a world Sera used to desire to return to. She knew focusing on the past wasn¡¯t how to move forward¡ªthat...was a flaw¡ªno, not a flaw. I wouldn¡¯t call it a weakness, either. It was something else¡ªthe point was that Sera now looked to what was awaiting her rather than what had already passed. She might falter¡ªshe might even grow weak and momentarily wish to re-experience those better days when the weight of the present became too much.


    No one could blame her.


    ¡°I¡¯m excited to learn.¡±


    ¡°Great!¡± Sera jovially returned the flute. ¡°Tris? What about you? Sekh? Tilde?¡±


    ¡°Thank you, but I¡¯m content with watching. Besides, there¡¯s another matter we must discuss.¡± Tilde and Sekh echoed Tris¡¯s sentiment.


    ¡°The meeting?¡± Tris nodded. ¡°I¡¯ve thought about it, but I¡¯m curious to hear your take on what we should do.¡±


    ¡°I believe there is an optimal flow of discussion to be found,¡± said Tris as Sera began her lesson. We had ample stock of songleaf to work, so it didn¡¯t matter if we made mistakes. Besides, we could always get more at the shop. Sera did say the quality couldn¡¯t compare to the stuff found in Vredi Forest. Then again, almost nothing could.


    It was that legendary.


    ¡°The optimal flow is determined by many factors. The most pressing is how much time we spend on one topic before moving to the next. We must always remain in control. Likewise, the length of Gloria¡¯s response is another variable. It is...¡± Tris went silent. ¡°It is...paramount to keep her guessing. Not by rudely interrupting but by asking questions we know she cannot satisfactorily answer. Every stammer or stutter becomes a strike against her.¡±


    ¡°I see... That¡¯s your angle? Yew, tie the knot like this. See this loop? Hook it around your little finger. Yes! Just like that.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not surprised?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m more impressed than surprised to see you go this far. You said you obtained the [Beacon of Wisdom] title, and now I see it is not for show even if I¡¯ve never heard of it before. You embody it¡ªthrough and through. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll defer this to yours and Mila¡¯s judgment.¡±


    ¡°Eh?¡± Tris blankly blinked. ¡°Are you sure? Don¡¯t you want to take the lead? You knew Lord Aetos in his prime, Sera, so I thought you¡¯d have done much of the talking.¡±


    ¡°I agree with her,¡± I replied, still stunned. ¡°Are you fine with that? I care for the village and Lord Aetos, yet this should resonate far more with you than me since you have known him since the beginning. I don¡¯t have the same kinship as you do.¡±


    ¡°It does. I¡¯m partially afraid I won¡¯t be able to hold my tongue. Besides, I wouldn¡¯t have said that if I had reservations about your capabilities. Tris, you¡¯re putting an unimaginable amount of thought into every little detail. Call it curiosity, I suppose.¡±


    Tris and I shared a look. ¡°Your trust won¡¯t be misplaced, sister. Thank you.¡±


    From there, the conversation turned more serious. Tris stepped up to her role and determined who should be present. It was, perhaps, clear in hindsight since we landed on myself, Sera, Tris, Yew, and Sekh. I wanted Tilde to be there. Yet my maid thought otherwise.


    ¡°You need someone to watch the others,¡± she said, hinting at Team Quella. ¡°Gloria¡¯s certain to have her Soul Warriors present. I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be in the meeting room, but if there¡¯s a waiting room? Maybe something like a ballroom with food and drinks? Then yeah, they¡¯d be there. We don¡¯t know their personalities. They might be screwed up in the head like Noelia. Maybe they¡¯re actually decent. Anyway... The chance is small, but what if they try to start a fight for no good reason? Me¡ªyour personal maid¡ªbeing ¡®in the line of fire¡¯ would be a deterrent. They¡¯d think twice before starting something stupid.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s devious. I like it a lot.¡±


    ¡°Mmnn... Glad you picked up on it, Sera.  Basically, it puts Gloria in another shitty situation. Just think how badly a mistake by them will reflect on her. It¡¯ll add more stress. So, it¡¯s a win-win, yeah?


    ¡°Okay. Fine. You make a good point. Now, what about Niva?¡±


    ¡°Niva...is what I like to call a wildcard, Master. In essence, she¡¯s a dead woman walking. It¡¯s not up to you, though. Niva¡¯s the one who determines if she wants to show her face.¡±


    ¡°I know. I won¡¯t force anything.¡±


    ¡°Her unconfirmed appearance aside, I¡¯m currently running simulations,¡± announced Tris. She relaxed in her chair before crossing her legs. ¡°There¡¯s an optimal path to be excavated. Everything must be precise to the last second.¡±


    The next topic determined just that¡ªthe topics we¡¯d bring up. Gloria would likely begin the meeting by asking about us¡ªthat was almost certain. The real question was how to branch from that? Jumping into the meat and potatoes too soon could harm our position. So, the logical thing was to extend any amicable conversation a few minutes longer¡ªmaybe add another pleasant talking point or two before slowly transitioning to the root cause of why we were here.


    Tris vowed to find that golden path.