Chapter Thirty- Six

Being a full service, The Dragonfly Inn had a room dedicated to using skill stones or evolution. Private with enough space for friends and family to support you if you want. Sir Maxwell stood nervously at the center [Chaos Seed] in hand. This was him, taking a step on his own path, away from his family.

“You've got this!” Harmony shouted from the corner with an encouraging smile.

Ambrosia and Bates acted as support staff. Waiting with supplies. Potions for healing and refreshments.

Using a skill stone among some was a family affair. Combined with or a cause of creating reunions, parties, and feasts a day of progress greater than any birthday. With family came drama and expectations to accept or fight. The least Harmony could do was cheer him on while he rebelled against his family. And maybe there would be something to learn from watching someone else do it.

When the glowing skill stone disappeared her knight's hand. Harmony was ready and watching, [Analyze], blending with [Mana Rotation] and the sight it provided.

She nearly missed it. A little bit of a flicker inside him. Like the birth of new life. Part of her wanted to kill it, an impulse she'd avoided since she gazed at Naewauld from the road. Less avoided and more satiated with the killing in the dungeon. Max is a friend. One doesn't kill parts of friends. Unlady-like urges indeed. That lack of stability was why her turn was next.

That beat grew. [Chaos Seed] radiated out and rippled inside his being. Every skill was touched. Peculiarly Max's pink hair changed, emitting light, not unlike Night could do. Broken bones, if this kept up, it would be another thing he'd show to all his girls. Look it glows! Focus.

The growth was a slow and uninteresting process. It wasn't that Harmony learned nothing, but she could only see what her limited abilities allowed her to. Plenty of experience waiting politely while nothing much was going on to be leaned on as a maid. A little fleck of energy would float toward an established skill and then drift back to the forming [Chaos Seed]. Even his oath to her wasn't left untouched, and that tickled.

Two hours later Sir Maxwell stumbled forward out of his trance. “Wow, that had a kick to it.”

“Mmm.. hmmm,” Harmony answered with a polite nod. A kick as quick as honey. “So what does [Chaos Seed] do?” Not the most polite thing to inquire about new skills, but it had been one of her options. What had she missed out on?

“I grow chaos in me. I'm not quite sure how. There will be another visit to the abbess. Once I get enough I can bloom into a skill changing it permanently, unexpectedly. It's perfect. There are a couple of skills I have to change before I evolve.”

That sounded unpleasant. It explained what she saw when the new skill seemed to touch all his other skills. Chaos inside an already stressed system, [Poise and Bearing] suppressed a shudder at the results of if she'd taken in the [Chaos Seed]. “Good for you.”

The knight rushed over, fumbling with his pocket and pulling out a skill stone. “You sure you don't want to wait until we get Adric back? Maybe we can find you better options.”

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None of them knew about the queen. The rising tide of authority from that direction. Dying, crushed under that new weight left a memory of weakness under pressure. What would he do if she told him, sworn to her as he was, probably something extra stupid?

“It's best if I do this now.” She took the stone from his fingers.

It was only days ago that she got [Final Silence]. Everything was high enough level that there shouldn't be excessive issues, but to progress so fast? Life and death will leave you with no other choices. So she walked to the center of the room. It was their turn to cheer.

Ambrosia let out an encouraging whistle. Max, still a little unstable from his gain, gave a hand signal saying she got this. Bates's slight nod was a lot from the mostly stoic servant.

Do you wish to learn [Keen Investigative Awareness]?

Yes. Harmony opened herself to the skill, and it fit. More to say that it aligned well with who she was. Strong synergies with [Recall], [Poise and Bearing], and [Analyze] but fit in with them all on some level.

Rather than focus on new information and experiences like [High Kick] provided [Keen Investigative Awareness ] showed her things she'd done. Social cues and hints she'd Missed. Key passages she'd skimmed in texts. How she might have moved better in a fight. It wasn't shaming. It was more isn't this a neat thing you missed. Often it confirmed when she made a good choice, but clarified little things that led up to those choices.

Organizing, analyzing, and critiquing information as you got it with bursts of inspiration. Supportive of her training journal. [Keen Investigative Awareness] felt overly flattering to choices that now in hindsight she doubted. It told her to fight doubt and fear as they threatened a calm mind.

Flexible, valuable, and deceptively skillful it wouldn't heighten senses, but give you the impression of what is important and a surety to beliefs based on fact. You'd always hear of skill stones that fit just right but Harmony never thought she'd experience it. As for noticing important facts, her foundations felt more solid than they had in a long time. The little naggings from her class, profession, and skills were nearly silent. The pressure of everyone's beliefs and expectations that formed authority felt, not light, but more manageable.

“Harm, you okay? You've been standing there with a slight smile for an hour.” Ambrosia asked.

That was almost too pleasantly introspective. This better not be how this skill acts up. Drifting off even pleasantly was too risky if it happened at a dangerous time.

“I'm fine. It feels good to be complete. How's today's schedule looking?”

“Dinner is in an hour. But there has been an update to the guest list. Guild mistress Thorne will be taking a seat this time and she’s invited the other guests."

A touch of anxiety rose, but her new skill, even as a baby helped remind her Thorne has been a valuable resource more than a problem. "Who are the other guests?"

"Sir Maxwell got his guild invitation to attend, The other names are Princess Rosaline, Len Atticus, and Lord Tyler.”

Harmony’s new skill was already helping piece things together not in a new way but quicker. Same answer, quicker processing time. Thorne disliked Hemlock but was committed to the Ascendant Games. She’d dumped resources on Harmony. That should have been the end of it unless she reached out for more. There was no reason to call all the adventures that joined her on that one dungeon run. The reason to call them together now felt obvious.

“Delving bloody weeding ashes.“ Haz’el Ri’s odd invites Hemlock had mentioned.

“Looks like the band is getting back together,” Ambrosia announced.

Not even [Poise and Bearing] could halt Harmony from rolling her eyes at that.