Chapter twenty-seven

Harmony's social skills ached as she was dragged from social gathering to social gathering. [Poise and Bearing], [Style and Grace], and even [Beautician] throbbed inside her soul. Felt more like cramps than overworked muscles. She leaned on other skills, [Small Armor] and [High Kick], for balance, footing, and timing. [Renew Spirit] to appear refreshed and relaxed, even [Cold Touch] to ward off any heat and keep unsightly sweat away, careful to keep that skill external and not leak into any social or mental connections.

Worse was mostly inane conversations about past parties, future parties, theater shows, births, deaths, and levelings. Even if Harmony cared about these people, the conversation rarely dipped deeper than shallow pleasantries. If not for the fact that a large chunk was about the visiting royals and the masquerade plans, Harmony knew she would be bored to the point of willingly jumping back into the dungeon. The relevance was the only thing that kept her stable.

They were to host a princess, two ladies, and an authority-less duke, they'd have a wagon train of staff, but as usual, they barely got a mention. Harmony didn't doubt that some of the queen's Helping Hands would be hiding among those. The duke was in charge of the outing. This was supposedly his last chance to stand out and earn royal power. Having the system add on a lord or some other title that granted him the use of authority. You were only so valuable without it. The old biddies chuckled at Duke Darren getting stripped of his title and the position going to someone who already had authority. The Madam even suggested Tyler could be up for the job if it opened. Both banal and vicious in the women's conversations on the topic, like the duke had no friends. At least they loved their makeovers, thanking Madam Coodly for bringing over such talent.

The princess happened to be in the area training. The young thing apparently disliked politics. The nattering about that caused the necromancer to feel great sympathy for the girl while she felt sorry for herself. Yet even as the group was tied to the mission to take away her pet, Harmony struggled to stay interested enough to follow along.

After hours of this, the maid found herself walking like one of the dungeon's shamblers, onward until she collapsed face first into her only moderately padded bunk, where she welcomed not moving and not using skills.

"So, how's the new job?" Ambrosia asked from her corner of the room.

"Hurmthavul," Harmony replied, her voice muffled by the pillow she shoved her face into.

Hyacinth hopped onto the bed and nuzzled his partner while taking up nearly as much space as she did.

"While you were running around, Bates decided to light a fire under everyone about the upcoming party. Both around the chance of increased guests and how this will affect the spring plans. He's choosing to try to open the parlor early rather than delay it. But don't worry, I saved you there too."

Harmony searched inwardly for her pet bond with Adric. While it would alert her if he was injured or dead, it took effort and focusing on her connection stat to pull any current information from the mostly one-way link. He's happy, like giddy happy.

"What. Did. You. Do?"

"If you actually listened to me talk about pets, you would know. They are not meant to be caged. They need to fly free. They'll always come when you call or are in trouble, so we don't need to make their lives miserable. Your idea of a disguise was great, but we all know how perfectionist you can get. Some new clothes, some make-up, and a mask. Prince Adric masks from the funeral are popular again since the audacious theft of his body."

Harmony sat up. Prince Adric, her pet, possibly the stupidest man alive, or not because he chose to pick a profession that killed himself, was on the loose, and she had almost no control over the situation. She knew she could call her pet, but not at the manor now that it was getting busy.

A quick scan of the room revealed they were alone for now. "The royals will be hunting him down, Ambrosia."

"All the more reason to not have him here. We're already picking up guests who will stay through the masquerade. That is actually why I am here. One of our new guests says they know you and wants to meet you socially in the parlor."

Harmony's mind drew a blank for a second until she remembered. "Who?" Tyler's now-defunct team. One favor and what little anonymity she had was now gone.

"Dugan didn't say. All guests are the same to him. I think it irked him that you were asked for by name."

Even if this was off work hours, she knew Bates wouldn't look too kindly on ignoring a manor's guest request. Having every right to say no, didn't mean there were no consequences if she did. "I kind of destroyed my social dress while out. Can I borrow one of yours?"

"I don't think it'll…."

"The short one will look long on me. I'll duet with you at your next concert. I'll owe you another favor, Amb. Free makeovers for a month. My life is yours, but I should not see a guest in my uniform or boy's clothes."

"No need to be so melodramatic, Harm. I'll think of some delicious way you can pay me back. But of all the things you let Jessica leak as gossip, you neglected to mention a destroyed dress. You can tell me while we get you dressed.

Harmony did her best to give the abbreviated run-down on her mistake-fueled creation of Night and its subsequent absorption into her armor.

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"This is going into one of my future songs." The beast trainer chuckled.

At that, Harmony thought about objecting, but she kept her mouth shut between all her friend had done for her and the impossibility of changing the other maid's mind.

"Show me."

Ambrosia squealed with such enthusiasm that the necromancer agreed, swapping into her armor while between outfits to make sure no clothes were damaged.

"Oooooh… sparkly. I can definitely see Tyler's taste in there. You almost look more naked than in the uniforms."

"What!" The armor before was on par with the manors' maid outfits. "Almost all my skin is covered with the dress melded in."

"Melded is the right word. The black looks painted onto your skin which almost makes it worse."

Harmony promptly returned it to the space inside her skill, which left her naked and glaring at her friend. "Better?"

"Yes!"

Ambrosia pounced and started tickling Harmony until she raised a hand in defeat.

The necromancer hoped her friend's playfulness meant she'd been kidding about how the armor looked. She donned the borrowed dress and set to make her way to the parlor. Hyacinth ambled along with, having spent the day catching up on sleep.

The beast tamer's short red dress ended up settling below Harmony's knees. If the red dress had sleeves, she knew she'd have needed to roll them up. She knew all she could do was take a dress that looked scandalous on her friend and make it tame. But considering she didn't know who would be waiting for her, it was for the best. Len, Rose, and Max were all options. She knew who this would most likely be.

She stepped inside, her familiar at her side, and watched Max inhale a deep breath at the sight of her. The cousin, she couldn't imagine lord Tyler was happy about him staying here. His bright pink hair was starting to show at the roots.

"Sir Maxwell." She said frostily. Her social skills still felt strained from the day, and after the farewell party, she didn't feel like filtering herself.

The knight stood up from his seat at the bar, leaving the glass of liquor where it lay, and bowed low with the perfection of a skill-influenced act.

"Harmony, I didn't know the guild master would use his skill. We were all overcome by it. All except you. He'd promised no harm would come to you, that he only wanted to reward you for your experience in the dungeon. Not all of us are well off or have the authority from nobility or can ignore the potential favors granted by a man like Hemlock."

The guild master's name did not bring a smile to the maid's face, nor did Max's role in their introduction. Deals and arrangements shouldn't involve uninformed parties.

"I don't know why you requested to meet."

"Wait. Hear me out." The knight stroked his beard in frustration.

Harmony's skin tingled as she felt targeted. The man had the temerity to use a skill on her. As if she hadn't had enough of that happen in her life. "Hey!"

"I swear on my honor as a knight to speak with you honestly and work towards your best interest."

The perception of time slowed as chronostasis kicked in. She'd expected a persuasion-type skill. Oaths were rare, the kind desperate people picked up to offer for a chance of employment or gain. Through her connection stat, she watched as the skill tried to commit to her. It would be easy to break or weaken such a thread. No. If sir Maxwell was going to do such a thing, he'd better mean it.

Harmony not so delicately accepted the connection, grasping it and strengthening the one-sided bond. She pumped her will into the act, catching the link, then twisted it into her with a rush of [Mana Rotation].

Time snapped back to normal speed.

The knight grunted. "That kicked." He muttered.

"Honestly, tell me why you wanted to meet me here?" The maid demanded.

"To ingratiate myself with someone who is ascendent," Max answered. His hand went to his mouth, covering it.

Now a smile crept up the corners of the necromancer's lips. Max gave away his power here, and she was going to squeeze.

"Who is the ascendent person you are trying to please?"

She pictured him groveling at Hemlock's feet.

"Why, you. I've always been jealous of Tyler. But he doesn't have you, does he? The money, the gifts, the employment, but if I'm reading this right, he doesn't have you. You're talented enough to earn a lifetime guild membership status from someone who never gives out his allotment. Those who are rising always carry up those beside them."

Harmony stopped herself from asking him if he was an idiot. With him oathed to speak the truth, he'd probably blurt out yes, and she doubted the man's confidence could take that uncontrolled admission.

"While it is flattering that you think that. I'm afraid you'll be severely disappointed."

"Grrupt. Grrupt. Grrupt." Hyacinth interrupted with his version of giggles.

Harmony shot a glare at her familiar.

The shadow toad continued. "Grrupt. Grrupt. Grrupt." it wiggled onto his side and started to roll onto his back.

"Stop it."

"Grrupt. Grrupt." Hyacinth continued, and Harmony could feel the waves of amusement through their bond.

"Is there something wrong with your pet?" Max asked.

"Familiar. And Hyacinth here is finding my life way too amusing. I should introduce him to some female shadow toads and give him a taste of his own drama.”

The knight paused and pondered this. "Are you comparing me to a toad?"

"Yes. Yes, I am." It wasn't accurate, but it felt good of her to tell him.

The man's spine straightened. "I see my lady is tired and taken to flights of fancy. Allow me to bid you farewell as we shall meet again at a better time." Max responded in an almost practiced manner.

To Harmony, it stank of his use of the knight's social skill [Chivalry]. This meant that the man wasn't too stupid, as he used the skill to override aspects of his oath to leave. And leave he did, letting his long legs take full strides as he swept past and out of the parlor.

He did leave his drink, so the maid slinked over to the bar, lifted the half-full glass, and downed it herself while her Toad's rolling croaks eased into tired wheezes on the floor.

"Are you going to explain that behavior?" She asked.

No. Hyacinth projected through their bond.

The necromancer decided she was too tired to decide if she would forgive the familiar or get revenge later.

"Fine. Take me back to my room. I'm not going to walk all the way back."

Together they entered the shadows.