Alone in her bedroom at the Academy, a [Princess] pondered about her life.
To Mirina Luwens, mixed blessings were a staple of life. She was born Royalty but never had the freedom of making a single significant choice in her life, aside from dying. She was engaged to a prestigious noble with a rotten soul and worse ambitions. She was sent to the prestigious Windemere Magical Academy but to spy and help her nation prepare for an invasion. She made a Faustian bargain to keep her family alive but they became prisoners for twenty years.
Now she was under the wing of arguably the most powerful mortal in the world but had no idea what they were. Master-servant? Friends? A betrothed couple? Lovers? They did share a kiss initiated by the other party, however chaste it was. Haru had boldly claimed her betrothal as a trophy in front of everyone. Even before the dream, she had these strange feelings about the redhead. They only intensified. Was it the attraction the moth felt toward the flame? Vain infatuation? Or that thing [Bards] sung about? She wasn't sure.
She still hadn't shaken that feeling she was a songbird in a gilded cage. Mirina jumped out of her bed and rang a bell. Julia came not a minute later.
"You called, Your Highness?" The silk-folk woman asked, sending a glance at the table where the [Princess]'s breakfast was untouched. "Is your meal not to your liking? I can order something more palatable if you tell me what you would like."
She walked in her nightgown to the table, "No, the food is fine. I know it is not proper but join me, Julia. I need to talk."
"As you wish, Your Highness."
Mirina gave up on trying to make the former Auctioneer from six hundred years ago be less formal when they were alone.
"Julia, you knew Haru's previous incarnations, didn't you? How did you meet?"
She was slightly bothered by the question but answered. "I managed the Royal Auction House in Rerin back in the day. The nobles of the time paid very well for slaves, especially beautiful women. Slave traders roamed the continent north and south, obtaining the merchandise and bringing the top-quality products to me."
The [Princess] was appalled by the callousness with which Julia talked about buying and selling people. It must've shown on her face.
"That's how things were back in the day, Your Highness. I've paid for my perceived crimes with my life and centuries of imprisonment. Haru's passion and arguments against slavery make a compelling case and I truly believe the continent is better without slaves."
"Please continue. Don't mind me. I have a lot to think about but I'm listening," She reassured Julia.
"The nobles paid well for the beautiful, exotic, and well-mannered women. I bought them, gave them good accommodations, food, and training. When I deemed them fit for sale, I would auction them to the nobility of several countries. One day, a slave trader brought me an exquisite wolf-kin maiden. I brought her into the auction house and gave her the same treatment as the other girls. She was a previous incarnation of miss Haru in disguise, Lakerta the lamia [Princess]. Once inside, she invaded my office and stole the ledgers to learn which nobles had bought slaves from the auction. With the information she wanted, she struck."
"The purge of Rerin. I know of it," she commented.
"Yes. Lakerta raided the noble houses, the royal palace, and most slave trading companies in Rerin. She killed everyone involved, including me, before leading the slaves back to Windemere. After that, she conducted a campaign all over the continent, fighting against the slave cartels. Her journey led her to Auvani far to the south. There she found that the slave collars were crafted in the church of Bundeus."
The dead God of Humans. The one responsible for the catastrophe known as the Age of Eclipse. Even though they had slightly more than seven hours of sunlight a day, Mirina knew Galbarar needed every prayer in the world to restore the world, as well as Yznera keeping Nature alive despite the lack of life-giving sunlight.
"Bundeus was using the slave collars to harvest Faith from the slaves against their will," Julia's words carried the gravitas of the dead deity's crime. "Without it, he had no choice but to attack. Lakerta killed him twice in what is today known as the Godfall Swamp. She said that all the Gods and Goddesses watched with impartiality except for one. But I dare not speak of it. You should ask her, it's her tale to tell."
"Killed him twice," Mirina mumbled.
"How was your time in captivity? Your, as you said, punishment?"
"She made me into a cloth golem, a tiny bean bag doll. I spent most of the time in stasis, inside her item box but she would take me out whenever she needed my guidance or opinion. She'd offered me several times to enter her service or to let me move on to the afterlife but… Sorry, that time is nebulous to me. I'm slowly losing the memories of the time I spent as a golem. I still remember my past life as the Auctioneer."
"Both you and her speak of your past life as just 'Rerin's Auctioneer'. Did you forget your name?"
Julia lowered her head, "No. But that name is buried in the past. As I said before, she showed me how the slavers treated their merchandise. How many they murdered for each one they enslaved. And I also saw the fate of the girls I sold at my auction. Let the Auctioneer from Rerin remain nameless, Your Highness. I'm Julia Silkworth now."
She reached across the table and touched the woman's silky hand. "That's fine, Julia. Would you listen to a foolish girl's worries?"
"As you wish, Your Highness," Julia replied with a smirk.
After rolling her eyes, Mirina explained her concerns. Julia nodded and smiled at the end.
"Ask Haru. She won't be angry even if you break your oaths. Despite what it might seem, she has a different mentality from us. You've listened to her ideas for Windemere. They sounded insane but she assured us it worked in her world. I must confess I am curious about the other forms of government she hinted about."
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
"I will," Mirina's eyes sparkled. "Thank you, Julia. Please, eat with me."
"As you wish, Your Highness."
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Rosebush, the church of Zacheia
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A girl, dressed in clerical robes knelt before the altar under the watchful gaze of the [Saintess].
After working hard and spending one precious species Perk, Marisol felt her heart attempt to escape through her throat as she saw the System message.
> Are you sure you want to select [Acolyte of Zacheia] as your third path?
"Hell yes!" Her shout echoed in the empty chapel. Wisteria chuckled. The witnesses in Academy robes sitting in the back giggled.
> You became an Acolyte of Zacheia (rare).
>
> You have unlocked the Faith Attribute.
>
> Your progression is:
>
> +1 Faith every level.
>
> +1 Magic every even level.
>
> +1 Dexterity every odd level.
>
> +1 Mind, Willpower, Endurance, Charisma, alternating every level.
>
> 1 Class perk every 3 levels, plus one at level 20.
>
> You gained the Perk, Faith Magic (rare): Add your Faith Attribute to Magic to determine your MP pool. You must always respect your deity's Ethos when casting spells or risk losing Faith points. This perk is not [Transient] and cannot be turned off.
>
> You gained the Perk, Plastic Artist (very rare): You gain [Plastic Artist] as a proficiency. This proficiency levels only with your [Acolyte] levels. This perk is not [Transient] and cannot be turned off.
Marisol spent the fifty-two million Exp required to go all the way to the next rank.
> You ranked up into Priestess of Zacheia (rare).
>
> Your progression is:
>
> +1 Faith every level.
>
> +1 Magic, Charisma every even level.
>
> +1 Dexterity, Willpower every odd level.
>
> +1 Mind, nothing, Endurance, nothing, alternating every level.
>
> 1 Class perk every 3 levels, plus one at level 20.
Then leveled up her ranked-up Class to level 12 with the leftover Exp. Changing Paths had this advantage, the rush of easy levels. She spent her Perks and picked her [Plastic Artist] Abilities. Then reality called her back from her level-up reverie.
"Arise, acolyte," Wisteria's voice carried her smile. "Zacheia smiled upon you. Receive her blessings and rejoice with your friends. Know that your Class is not a gift but a reward for your hard work."
Somehow the chapel space in the new cathedral expanded and became more than what Marisol intended. She wanted at first just a quiet place to spend quality time and mingle with male company but it ballooned into a full-blown art gallery, atelier space, and accommodations for traveling artists. The Headmaster overdid and she sensed someone's meddling finger on the whole deal.
Wiping her happy tears, Marisol nodded. "Thanks, [Saintess]!"
"Wisteria!" The older woman protested. "Go, your friends want your company. Zacheia is the Goddess of Love, remember that. Love your friends and be understanding of their needs."
"I got it!" She started to skip away from the altar when Wisteria grabbed her arm.
"Marisol," the elder priestess's gaze was now stern. "I mean it. Now that you are an [Acolyte], you'll be tested soon. Don't let your assumptions cloud your judgment."
'Wasn't it obvious? 'What did Wisteria mean with that?' Marisol thought. "I got it. Don't worry. I'll lend an ear to my friends."
Wisteria released her. Marisol ran to embrace her friends. The girls made a fuss as they took turns hugging and congratulating the new Acolyte. They left the church and went to a nearby tavern to celebrate.
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All four of them were beyond a bit tipsy when the subject came to the fore. Phyllis couldn't come as she had to report to the lamia fortress.
"Haru should be back by now, shouldn't she?" Melania wondered.
"Yes, their trip to Lonid should've taken only two weeks! I bet she's eager to see Jocelin again!" Camilla teased and bumped her shoulder against her silk-folk classmate. Jocelin blushed. The cat-kin's ears flicked and she licked her lips, "And someone is eager to see Haru too!"
Melania threw an arm over Camilla's shoulder and pulled her away from the troubled Jocelin. "Aren't we all? I can't wait to smell her again!"
The wolf-kin chortled and playfully smelled Camilla's temple. Jocelin giggled with a hand covering her mouth.
Marisol's inebriated heart felt a pang of envy. Haru was with her since the two were babies! Why did this bunch of drunk women think they were closer to Haru than she was?
"Haru this, Haru that!" She protested. "What do you guys see in her, anyway?"
The three stopped their antics to stare at the half-Eleon priestess.
"No idea," Melania slurred. "Haru is Haru, you know? I feel so at ease with her, as if she had always been my packmate or someone I always looked up to but never knew before I met her."
"She makes me want to play with her. Tease her to see how she reacts," Camilla added then grabbed Jocelin's arm. "Or tease people about her and see how they react."
"Her attention doesn't make me uncomfortable at all," Jocelin admitted. "I used to think I liked boys as much as Marisol does but Haru…"
"Haru is the best," Melania interjected and cut Jocelin off.
A dark cloud covered Marisol's heart and mind. Envy, jealousy. Haru this, haru that. The Haru that gifts rare artifacts like wood carving souvenirs from the bazaar. The Haru that mingles with Royalty like they were equals. Haru that duels mages and werebear princes like they're children with sticks. The Haru that wields magic beyond what a normal person can. Haru, Haru, Haru, Haru, Haru, Haru, Haru, Haru.
"I'm sick," She stood up. "I'm going back to the church to sleep. You guys take care."
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They returned to the Academy the next morning before the sun rose, the quartet nursing their early morning hangover rocked by the carriage. The number of stops made where one of them left breakfast behind was more than one.
They quickly learned from Phyllis that Haru and [Princess] Mirina were back, a few days later than expected but still an acceptable delay. Overland trips were ripe with trouble and beyond Windemere's walls the roads were worse and the bandits active. After changing into clean uniforms and collectively deciding to burn the ones they came in with never to speak of them again, they made it to class barely in time.
Haru was there, a smile of pearly white teeth, gleaming viridian eyes, and a round face framed by crimson hair. Her fox ears and tails seemed happy to see the quartet arrive.
The sight of the Headmaster appearing from the bend in the corridor was all the incentive they needed to hurry up to their seats. Marisol's heart clenched when she sat next to Haru and a notification popped up.
> Your MP is being drained. You are losing 45 (Faith) MP per minute.
She could feel her divine power fading and leaching into Haru. The feeling was as if her own life was sapped away. Her gut reaction was to shy away from that monster. That…
"Enemy of the Gods!"
Marisol gasped as her thoughts leaked through her mouth and startled the whole class. She jumped out of her chair and stared at Haru with horror. What she saw was not her fellow childhood orphan, not her talented classmate, but a destroyer, a monster sent into this world to destroy everything. It all became clear.
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"Enemy of the Gods!"
Marisol jumped away from me, staring like I was garbage. Worse, she was completely petrified from terror. A quick evaluation told me she was leaking divinity. I {Appraised her}.
> Level 64 female half-human-Eleon [Priestess].
Damn. When did this happen? I stood up and acted quickly. "Marlowe!" I shouted and got a nod back. It also made everyone look away from us and at the [Archmage], who quickly cast a showy spell to keep their attention away from me.
I did three things at the same time. I wove an illusion of the two of us, became invisible, and jumped to grapple Marisol and drag her to the Ethereal.