> For killing level 78 [Princess] Mirina, you gained 188M Exp. (Base 278,503 x25 Fast-Learner x3,38 Challenge x2 Species x2 Rank)

Mirina's move made me angry. Angry enough to try something I was planning for some time but I was stalling because I knew it would be painful and difficult. But aren't most good things like that?

The number of transformations required to mimic this form was ridiculous. First the limbs. Dire tiger body and rear limbs with dire gorilla hands, arms, and feet, with the claws from eagles, the neck of a giraffe for size before switching it for a snake's cervical vertebrae and muscle structure, head of a wolf with an alligator muzzle and mouth, my pegasus wings shifted into pterodactyl wings and the tail of a snake except for the tip that ends in a lizard's. My unicorn horn, then the forehead of an oryx just around where the horns poke out. And everything was covered by pangolin skin. Dyed red.

But I quite nailed the pseudo-dragon form. Real dragons and connoisseurs alike would know I was a fake, but the common person or even seasoned Adventurers? They would be too busy losing their shit.

It was in pain and stressed from the transformation. On top of that, I was so pissed at the princess that I went for the shock and awe therapy. I was sliding the slippery slope Baron Acton warned us of, that power corrupts. To me, killing was as harmful as punching someone unconscious. I could just bring them back anytime I wanted. The first time every 12 years was free, the other times cost a bargain, only 4 levels. I felt I needed to reflect on it and curb my impulses. Too much utilitarianism led to police states and dystopian governments.

But now it was too late. I killed Mirina in the evilest display of power. To let her know I could kill and bring back the dead as I pleased. It was callous and I regretted it a lot later. The princess' specter floated in front of me. I contracted it so she could act and think on her own.

"I'm dead," she remarked with the usual detachment the dead display.

"You are, Mirina," I got buyer's remorse from killing her but the transformation clouded my reasoning. Maybe this dragon thing is something I should attempt only with the {Pinnacle of} Perks bolstering my mental fortitude. "I will bring you back, but I want to answer a few questions."

"Ask and I shall answer, my liege."

"Tell me everything, Mirina. Who you supported before you pledged yourself to me, what you know about Windemere's internal struggles, everything."

"I served my father, King Marcus Luwens IV of Lonid and no other master. I supported the church of Galbarar and no other god."

She explained what she knew about Windemere's political scenario. Most of it I already did and she shed no new light on Torgo, the wildcard in this whole debacle.

"What Lonid intends to do to Windemere?"

"I was to keep an eye on the situation, and if the Lamia Knights were deployed to defend against an invasion from the west, Lonid would attack from the north to recapture the lands we lost to Locksley."

Lonid wanted invade northern Windemere and recapture the region around Rosebush. That included the fairy and Lierin-occupied virgin forest to the northwest. That alone deserved a purge. Maybe it was due time to let this fucking world be purified by fire. Maybe I should chill the fuck up before doing something I'd regret.

"What about the other two Royals. Isengar and Euric. What do you know about them?"

"Isengar meets Torgo twice a week. I am not aware of the purpose of these meetings. Euric is bait for Sadian but the poor man doesn't know that. He honestly thinks he's here to study. Leondirac and us pressured Ekar to send him. It doesn't mater if he lives or dies so long Sadian attacks."

Torgo and Isengar of all people... damn. I would need to be extra vicious during the duel. Alas, Mirina, most unfortunately for both of us, was a dud. One last question before I brought her back.

"Were you honest in your pledge? To serve me for all eternity?"

"Yes, Haru. I made my vow on Galbarar's name. I'm a faithful follower of his tenets."

I knew from Fat Felix that she used a heavy and relentless hand when delivering justice. Still justice, as far as Galbarar was concerned. Justice wasn't Fairness. One was harsh, the other was kind.

I fixed Mirina's body and clothes before resurrecting her. The [Princess] came back to her senses in my pseudo-draconic arms. She screamed and I held her until she calmed down.

"Are you a real dragon?" She asked.

"Do you want to find out?" I snarled.

"Not at all."

I let her get back on her feet. She touched her chest where she was pierced. "I feel some pain but there's no wound. But the death notification is here. It's an experience most harrowing. Are you a deity?"

"Why does everyone ask me that?" I roared. "No. I'm not a deity. The Gods just don't want people coming back from the dead and they put heavy restrictions on Perks and spells that can bring the dead back to life. I'm not the only one that can do that, but other methods are way more… costly."

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I remembered how the Fulgen elves needed to sacrifice a life to bring Alloralla back from the dead. But they needed a body and so did I. I think I would need an equal amount of effort to restore a ghost's body without anything physical to regrow it from.

"Will you spare Lonid, my Lady?" She asked, demure and innocent as a flower meadow.

"They have to give up their ambitions. Windemere won't fall, not if I have a saying on it. Neither some outsider will take control."

"Would you allow me one question?"

"Ask away. I won't hold information from you if it's not sensitive. You already know the penalty for treason."

She instinctively covered her heart with a hand. Avoiding my eyes, she whispered, "I do, very well. Eternal torment, unyielding. A fate worse than death."

Mirina asked her question, "Are you related to [King] Locksley? A hidden bloodline, perhaps?"

"[Queen] Lorna, Locksley's wife, didn't have any offspring."

"Perhaps a concu--eek!"

"Don't," I breathed down on her neck. "Don't even think about what you were about to suggest. Either Locksley or Lorna didn't have any children."

Mirina was about to kneel but I held her by the elbow. "I'm sorry."

"Asking questions and telling the truth is fine. Probing or speculating isn't. Cast away your old skin, Mirina. You'll be a [Princess] forever, but you're now playing on another game board."

"A pawn," she concluded.

I shook my head, "If that's all you're good for. Is it?"

My challenge lit some fire in her, "No. I can do better than a pawn."

"A good thing you stopped being one for your homeland, then. You have a more lofty goal now. Instead of being the canary that will warn them of danger in Windemere, you are a shield, protecting Lonid."

"From you."

"Exactly. Here's what will happen now, Mirina. Can you come up with some excuse that allows both of us to save face? Something like you tried to recruit me but I refused in a way that wouldn't make you pursue me any further either to insist or to punish. Actually, scratch that. You can keep trying to recruit Marisol and me. It will allow us to talk without raising too much suspicion."

"I understand. That's the better path. No way I would give up a talent like Haru," She grinned mirthlessly.

I returned to my normal form, using {Light Elemental} to hide my modesty like those magic girl animes for a second while I used {Summon Arms & Armor} to don my gown back.

"When the time comes to communicate with Lonid, you'll convince them that they should give up on any dreams of conquering the Eleon territories back. You can hint that an ancient Windemerian guardian has awoken. Lonid's strategy should be one of supporting Windemere sovereignty and countermeasures against the other outsider factions that want a piece of the cake inside the walls."

"That will be hard. They won't believe it unless I show them some proof."

I brought the tea table back and placed a crown on it. "Is this proof enough?" It was King Bernard's crown, from the Lonid Purge.

Mirina shied away from the crown. "Galbarar's kindness, it was true. I know that crown from some paintings that survived the destruction of Old Perenneth."

In a way, it was good Mirina was the first one of the three I met. I had more leverage on Lonid than the other nations.

"Is it true that you trained with Archmagister Marlowe?"

"Yes. He taught me enough to pick the {Wizardry} Perk before the System changed from Skills to Proficiencies."

"I see. You brought Marlowe back to life, then."

I snorted, "No. The cantankerous fool of an [Archmage] chose to remain dead, leeching my Exp, instead of starting over. He disintegrated his own body, so I couldn't resurrect him. He's not undead, at least. I had enough liches until the heat death of the universe."

"What?" She interjected at the last statement.

"Nevermind. So, how are we getting out of here? People will get suspicious."

"I know how, leave it to me!" Mirina said with a devilish smirk. "I must slap your cheek, though. It will hurt."

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We walked down the stairs. With a throbbing cheek came also the knowledge about one of the dark traits of Mirina's personality. She was a Sadist, capital S.

The ladies and bodyguards approached to interrogate or harass me, but Mirina came right behind me. "Leave her alone. I already punished this commoner for her impudence. It would be bad to harass the commoner students beyond her due punishment. Remember we are all members of the same institution and the Academy Headmaster preaches equal rights for students. Haru, you're dismissed but don't think we're finished."

I bowed, "I thank Your Highness for her magnanimity." and left taking Marisol with me.

We fled to her dorm room to change out of these expensive gowns. Nobody challenged us.

"Zacheia's marvelous slit, I couldn't say a word!" She shouted once we ewere back.

"You didn't commit any faux pas, Marisol. Congratulations. And who wants to talk to those bitches anyway?"

"You, apparently, Miss one-on-one with Mirina. Remind me to never again hang out with the boorish noble ladies, please?" The sultry tease playfully begged.

My finger guns were lost on her, "You got it, girl. Does it includes Mirina?"

Marisol leaned forward and grabbed my arm, preventing me from escaping, "Speaking of the devil, what happened between the [Princess] and you?"

"She tried to pressure me into accepting her offer. I didn't, she got angry, we discussed, she slapped me and decided to not push any further today. I don't think this will be the last time we see her. She's quite adamant about getting us on her team but she's trouble."

I started to undo the straps on Marisol's dress. Stupid lack of zippers. I bet the gnomes can make them.

"Why not join her? She can pay well. I can't do it, though."

"What good is it to have a pile of gold and no freedom to spend it however you want? Service to a Royal is a lifelong commitment, one where you are expected to die at their convenience. Worse, there's no glamour, everyone will be suspicious of you or trying to get some advantage from you. It's a terrible and heart-grinding experience."

The dress' back opened and I could unhook it from the corset. Seriously, I now knew where Clive Barker got his inspiration from. Hugging a lady with a ballroom corset only was a task reserved only for the most ascetic of fakirs. I untied the corset and Marisol walked out of the circus tent of a gown wearing only a camisole.

"Zacheia's tits, mine hurt a lot. Oh, I can finally breathe," she threw herself on the bed.

"Forgetting something over here, aren't you?" I pointed at my own back. I needed less than two seconds to swap this gown for my uniform but Marisol didn't need to know that.

She helped me undress and we changed into our uniforms. Outside of special events, students were required to wear their uniforms at all times while on campus.

"Haru, do you want to hit the bath with me? They're awesome," Marisol offered.

"Sorry, maybe another day, Marisol. I have to go home. Helger… my father is worried about me attending this tea party. He almost grounded me so I couldn't come. I should go ease his worries."

She picked a spare uniform and her bath supplies and we left her room. She turned to go down the hallway into the baths but stopped to give me these parting words, "Suit yourself. I'll make sure to ogle all the naked girls in there for you."

I replied with a wry chuckle and went home.