— Skill: Message activated. Active Memory Fragment Recording:::
The Messenger Spider shivered. All of its eyes remained fixated in the room it claimed as its station. In reality, it was simply an empty room for it to lay its webs in and rest. This changed today when commotion boomed through the doors and many people entered. The mood was full of panic and chaos. The Messenger Spider liked panic and chaos, but it preferred the previous silence. Among the unwanted guests was Charles Bohun, the master of this human safe haven. A walking armored fortress of a Knight marched behind him, equal in size to Bohun himself. It activated multiple Skills to hide itself more, gaining levels but the Man Who Is Charlotte’s Father ignored it. Unexpectedly, Malcom Willster also arrived with a yawn, but the Prince did not. A signal came from Malcom, telling it to contact the Queen. It was time to stop being lazy, so it activated the Memory Recording.
The room hushed as the black armored Knight stomped. Charles sat down, with Malcom assuming a position behind his comfy chair along with some soldiers. The counts and some countesses ceased their squabbling, but immediately started their uproar again when Bohun raised his hand. Suddenly, a wave of pressure came from the black armored man and silenced everyone. Bohun simply pointed at one of the counts closest to him.
“Your Grace,” the Count started.
“Count of Olivette,” Charles addressed his notes as several scrolls were placed in front of him. “What of your Territory?”
“W-We sent several parties of adventurers to slay all the Spiders invading the lands you granted us,” he sped up his report after an impatient eye glared at him, causing his voice to squeak in pitch. “However, r-rebuilding will take a mere week or three, but the adventurers were lost.”
“Hmph! Lost lives to mere bugs! I would never,” a haughty and fat noble, Count Mos pounded his fist on the desk before crossing his arms. Charles nodded at him. “The Leonreims are encroaching from the North, but in order to conserve our Mana, we are using that… Heretic’s weapons to drive them away.”
“The Heretic’s weapons?” Count Olivette brushed off his blue coat and chuckled. He was emboldened by their victory over mere Worker Spiders, the Messenger Spider noted. If it recalled the General recording that particular fight with the blue nobles, nearly two of the townships Olivette owned were destroyed before the stray Workers were called home. “You’re one to talk so big relying on a creature like that one.”
A wave of chuckles from Olivette’s entourage echoed behind him. The Spider noticed that the Count was the father to the Lady Kiara. She would make the perfect meal for it. Mos shrugged.
“We have the means to wipe those insufferable Leonreim heretics from staining the Light’s glory. But we are keeping our Honor to the Bohuns,” Mos pointed at a scroll. “Perhaps when Your Grace’s little witchling’s buds sprout, she could be given away to the Leonreims as a peace offering. Ha!”
“I hate to say it, but I agree with dear Mos,” Count Olivette laughed. “Get rid of the bastard child and our enemies. For that is exactly what that little rat’s lot is in this life.”
“Enough,” Charles waved the bickering Counts off and nodded to the last Count. Both Mos and Olivette gave him a glare. The red haired man was clearly younger than the rest of his peers, but seemed like he preferred to hide his blade instead of flaunting it. “Go on, Count Aland.”
“Nothing expensive to report here, only that some unsavory rumors are arising in one of my townships — Tiltoast,” Aland shrugged, flipping a red braid over his shoulder. A few inquisitive murmurs spread from both crowds, causing Aland to straighten up in his chair. “There’s speech of a Woman in White, haunting the Forbidden Woods. A Witch, of some kind, according to the local pissants. They believe she heals the sick and is behind destroying many Man Harvester camps.”
“Of White?” Mos stroked his fat chin. “The former Lady donned black, did she not?”
A chuckle came from Olivette, but he grunted in agreement.
“It is true as you say, Master Mos,” Aland continued. “It’s a mere vigilante, however, I’ve taken the liberty to sending… him… to guard Tiltoast to abate their doubts. See if we can’t squash the vigilante’s ill work and get the commoners back on the road.”
The Messenger Spider decided it has heard enough and sent the memory shard to General Blanche and Her Majesty. Surely it can slack off, for now, right? Oh, no! It forgot to turn off its own thoughts. They’ll find out that it wants to be lazy!
— The Recorded Memory Fragment has ended
“Charlotte…” Charles’s voice was stern as usual. I had to wait for him to get back from that meeting, but I cared not! It was time to introduce him to my newest Operation called [I’m Not Interested In Sleezeballs!]. “I am pleased to hear your behavior has been vastly improved since your time in the Tower.”
What!? Vastly… Improved behavior? I wondered. I glanced down at my hands, and the memory of holding Malcom’s fleshy heart wrapped in my secreted webs popped in my mind. That thought brought me back to more recent memories. I poisoned those two prankster maids, one by accident and one on purpose. Finally and of course, I made an example out of that rude guard’s armor a few minutes ago. Should I even tell him Emma’s been missing and I think I failed her sword training class? Still, those servant’s souls improved my Portal Skill’s reach, so I had a good reason towards taking them, I promise!
He cleared his throat and I snapped back to attention. He must have detected I was getting sidetracked!
“Y-Yes, I’m being a good girl, for now,” I stammered. “I swear!”
I fought against my knees from quaking under pressure from his Witch Slayer Title. Does he like being a menace? I threw that thought aside. Of course he likes being a menace, like I do when I equip my Human Killer Title. Tch. What was I doing? I was going to explain to Father my lack of interest in that prince but how when he’s looking at me like that!? Why is he moving back to his desk?
“Well it’s settled then,” he opened a drawer and pulled out an ornate wooden box. Wait, My eyes widened. That is…! “I have purchased something to reward you for your good behavior. On one condition.”
“Father, I—“ I stammered. “I said I wasn’t interested in that thing any—“
He lifted the box’s lid and revealed a shining blue star shaped gem for a new Wand. This was the Pure Sapphire Star! Did Charlotte like it because it was shiny? Or did she recognize its true power? It was bursting with mana! The box snapped back shut, making me feel like the rug was pulled out from me. This man is truly a menace!
The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.
— Crafting: Pure Sapphire Star [Tier 7]: A gem that shines blue, no matter how dark or light it gets. It got its shape from the Abyss and enhances Dark, Light and Divine magic.
“You will tell me of your meeting with the Prince,” Charles held the box behind his back. “Did you make a good impression on him?”
“I think I made a impression on him,” I smiled. Charles’s face fell as I raised my bloodstained hand. “You can ask his guard and hear all about how I am not interested in him.”
“You speak as if you are stronger than him,” Charles chuckled at my defiant glare. His expression grew stern. “However, you have proved you still have some use for me, partner or not. I still warn you, having the Prince on your side will allow more resources for you should you succeed in the Royal Academy.”
Royal what? I nearly blurted, but Father slid the box towards me.
“Take this and protect it,” he warned me. “For if you are as strong as you say you are, I shall have more use for you in that territory. You may even get to wear it, should your mother approve of you for your debut.”
“Mother?” I scoffed. That Elara is a pretender, the original Charlotte despised her and I agree! She was weak as far as I was concerned! “As if she is my true mother.”
“Do not disappoint me then,” Charles dismissed me, while I scooped up the box with the jewel in it.
I was glad he did not get upset for being bitter against her, but she and her children were pretenders in the Bohun Mansion. According to Charlotte. Well, I countered against that thought. Maybe Elaine was not a pretender. A T7 Wand will definitely come in handy when the time comes and we fight. It was no Oblivion Stone, but it could cleave this place in two just as easily if I found Tier 7 Magic Wood somewhere. Not that I’m ready to do that! There was something else I needed to do. I strolled a little ways down the hallway and found my target. That inactive Teleporter bothered me as I watched it through a Messenger Spider with the Queen’s Eye Skill.
The only way to unlock its secret is by going in there! The grainy wood left a coat of dust on my palm as it swung lazily open. Not a soul has made any effort towards this room’s upkeep. If that’s the case, I wondered if its Portal capabilities were not disrupted by any of the Starfalls. If his intention is to hand me over to some Human enemy, I could probably make an easy getaway by using this teleporter. Or I could kill all of those so-called Leonreims in the name of the Bohuns, and no one would suspect me! Still, Human infighting was fascinating to me. Were they like Demon infighting? Slaughtering and carnage? Human battles was something I would love to see! Stay focused, me! I stared at the inactive stone altar. Magical runes were etched in the rocks, but they did not seem to glow. Maybe I could craft one?
— Wisdom’s Intervention activated. The Runes on the Teleportation Device appear to have been recorded inaccurately. Analyze corrective measures via Mage Link.
Eh? Mage Link did reveal the parallel magical world that surrounded us, I suppose. Thanks, Wisdom! I set the wooden box down, activated the Skill and found myself in the swirls of mana runes. There were many kinds, matching the room’s atmosphere. The light breeze I felt on my skin was made up of bright green and white Air runes. The wooden floor was covered with green and golden Nature runes, leading up to the grey Stone runes dancing in a circle along the Device’s round platform. So, what were these rune carvings? I traced my fingers along the marks, but as I did the symbols glowed red. Eh? They did not line up perfectly with the drawings like the other manas? So these were recorded inaccurately… Did the Humans really write the wrong runes?
Is that possible? Such an error meant that the humans could not see Manas as well as my Forbidden Skill allowed me to.
— Wisdom’s Intervention activated. Analysis of the runes completed. The runes have been composed by a Profane Skill, according to an Entity called the One.
The Runes are similar to the User’s Skill: Light, which upon activation conjures a beam of Light in order to pierce the One’s Manas beneath it.
The what? I scratched my head, but then I noticed black mana runes bubbling in a mass like a tangled corpse beneath the stone teleporter. What is that thing? The One’s Mana, huh? I stared at the blob of darkness through the Nature runes, but the pull was too strong! My vision struggled, but Mage Link ran out and I was back to seeing the normal world around me.
— Wisdom’s Intervention activated. Entity “the One’s” Mana analysis complete. The Mana Body is similar in composition to that of a Dungeon Core or even a celestial construct like a Star.
That must be what is charging the Teleporter, I guessed. Those black mana runes, pierced by Light, were not alive like the Air and Nature runes, despite their sluggish movements. How macabre, that the Light is piercing the squishy blob in order to create a Portal. There were tentacles, limb-like extremities writhing from it— like prey calling for help before being eaten. By what? There were too many runes covering over that lump of dead mana for me to see the whole picture. Come to think about it, souls played an important role when it came to Portal Creation but I still did not know why yet. Light magic was so confusing!
— Skill: Portal: Leveling up this Skill increases the distance between Portals and Entity Size.
Right, I guessed that’s why I needed to round up a bunch of humans and take their souls. Whatever dead thing lying beneath the teleporter was probably also linked to one at my Tower, so I could get Blanche to dig it up for me! It might even have a Soul for me to steal! If I correct or activate those runes etched on the stone, maybe I can activate the Portal, even if stabbing the dead One’s Manas sounded like a bad thing. I recalled a mage used a staff to activate it the last time I was thrown through it.
“I see, a Staff must be the key to this thing’s Profane Runes,” I muttered to myself as I scooped the box back up and tossed it into my bag. “Surely a Wand can do the trick?”
“Your Majesty,” a voice said behind me. Waah! I whirled around, only to see Malcom standing there. Since when was he here watching me? My shadow was wriggling, so hopefully he wasn’t here for too long! “Forgive me, but I have finished this body’s former host’s Human duties.”
“Eh? Duties?”
“Forgive me, I did not mean to miss out on my report to you, Your Majesty!” He protested. “One thing came to another while I was Warding the Library, and suddenly Bohun pulled me into that meeting.”
“It’s alright, Malcom,” I told him. “Now, can you not call me ‘Your Majesty?’ You’re going to blow my cover!”
“F-Forgive me, Your, uh, ah,” Malcom’s arms began to snap and break as the Body Spider began to malfunction. Jeez, these guys did not know how to relax, did they? “Boss! I’ll call you boss!”
“I think you should fix your arms…” I shrugged. “Hang on, I could try something on you.”
I snapped Malcom’s broken arms back where I thought they should be and activated Mage Link.
“Skill: Healing Hands!” I cast the spell as I laid my hands on them. Shining light bubbles of runes burst all around my arms in a spiral, dancing along my fingertips to Malcom’s arms. The popping and snapping stopped and the body’s health went back to 100%, so I released my Mage Link and observed my work. “There.”
“Thanks, Boss!” Malcom moved his arms to what I presumed was a satisfactory position. They were no longer bleeding or snapping, so that must mean I did a good job! Boss seemed like an odd choice to call me, but who was I to say no to such a cute Body Spider? Even if he was inside an ugly man!
“Now then, I should teleport back to my room,” I decided, casting the Portal runes. It would mean the last of my mana for today, but I decided to take it easy anyways! I looked around for my room with Mage Link and launched the Portals! It crackled and buzzed before us, while my hands shook with a tingling sensation spiking my skin. Beyond it, the view of my broken bed frame rested. I looked to him expectantly.
“On it, Boss!” Malcom hopped through the Portal and reached a hand out to me. It seemed like the Portal did not kill him, as I initially expected, so I took it. He gently guided me through and gave a disgusted look at the mess before him. “This won’t do for someone as Great as you, boss. I’ll send for a worker to patch this up! Oh, yes, and over here can use renovations. These miserable humans giving you such little space to work in! Don’t they know who they’re hosting? Ugh!”
A small laugh escaped my lips, eventually bursting into a cackle. Malcom stood there and looked at me oddly. Yes, this was the type of loyalty I needed. I was reminded of my former Generals back in Hell. This will do, indeed!
“True, very true,” I cackled. “They will soon learn who they’re—“
— Wisdom’s Intervention activated. Divine Element has been developed and integrated into the Forbidden Skill. Warning: Additional fulfillment still required. Information is currently not available.
“What?” I coughed and spat. You can’t just interrupt my cackling with crazy notifications like that! What is the Divine Element doing in me? A sudden explosion of notifications burned within my chest.
— Divinity Seed: Level 1. Additional information is needed in order to level up this function.
— Dungeon: The Spider Dungeon has transformed into a Spider Labyrinth! Congratulations!
— No Divine Status or Skills have been successfully integrated to the Forbidden Skill. Level up the Divinity Seed in order to unlock Divine Skills.
Wait, wait, wait! Did my Divine element come from the fact that the Spider Dungeon is now a Labyrinth? I looked at Malcom. He was too busy talking about room improvements and didn’t notice my own problems here! If I were to get anything out of these notifications — it was that I needed to get out of this mansion!