Chapter 407 - Cadria VIII
A moment of silence followed Virillius’ declaration. Claire narrowed her eyes beneath her helmet, but completely oblivious, Allegra began to speak as she adjusted her glasses.
“I know that you probably don’t want to give up your freedom, Claire, and while the homunculus’ disappearance will mean that you’ll need to return to your duties, we really should get you fixed as soon as we can. I know decommissioning a sentient homunculus might seem a bit wasteful, but like your father said earlier, its soul will serve as the main ingredient,” she said. “Now it’s probably worth noting that this probably won’t work again no matter how many homunculi we make, so you can’t repeat whatever it was that damaged your circuits in the first place. This one was pretty much a miraculous coincidence. The soul fragments that we used to make it were regrown with no deviation, despite only maybe a percent of the matter being yours.”
The rabbit continued to rant until she had to dodge a bonk. The rapid tail strike landed square on the reinforced floor instead and sent a booming echo throughout the throne room.
“Oh, come on! That was barely a lecture! And I was already done!”
Despite her protests, Claire refused to let up. She elongated her tail and continued to attack.
“Touch her and I’ll kill you.” She didn’t stop to speak until the rabbit was completely out of range.
“Huh?” Allegra blinked. “Where is this coming from?” Thoroughly confused, she looked at Virillius, whose face was unchanged as ever.
“She has the same ability as Constantius and Ferdinand.”
Allegra blinked. “She does?”
“Do you have any other way to explain her reaction?” He gestured towards his daughter, who had positioned herself between the witch and the fake. She was hugging Rubia protectively while the homunculus was all smiles. Sylvia had likewise joined them. She had hopped on Claire’s head and struck a pose with her ruffled tail raised high in the air. Her teeth were bared as well, but frankly, she was more adorable than fearsome or ferocious.
“She didn’t show any signs of it when she was younger,” said Allegra.
“Neither did Constantius.”
“What are you talking about?” asked Claire.
“The trick that you used to possess the homunculus’ body,” said Virillius.
“Oh. That.”
“Yes, that,” said Allegra. “When did you learn to do that?”
“I don’t know.” It wasn’t exactly a lie. She had started to see through Rubia’s eyes during her time in Llystletein, but she was fairly certain that it worked the same way as visiting the strange man. Like Shoudlersnake and Shoulderhorse, both of whom had been missing since her ascension, the man had been there for as long as she could remember. “I might’ve always known how.”
Allegra sighed and brought a hand to her face. “You should really tell us these things.”
Claire paused for a moment to think. “I did when I was a child. You told me to stop sleep-talking and pay attention.”
“I don’t remember that at all,” said Allegra.
“Yes, but it does sound like something that you would say,” said Virillius. “Especially if you were trying to give a lecture.”
The rabbit grimaced. “So anyway, moving on, I take it you don’t want to sacrifice the homunculus?”
Claire shook her head, but her opinion was hardly the only one given.
“I don’t mind,” said Rubia, quietly. It took a moment for everyone to process her claim. Neither Virillius nor Allegra were accustomed to her voice, while Claire was left at a loss for words.
“H-huh? What’s that supposed to mean?” Only Sylvia, who had been silent throughout the exchange, was left to question her intentions.
“Homunculi are born to serve our masters,” said Rubia. She leaned back into the original’s embrace, even though the armour made for a less-than-comfortable hug. “And I love Claire. I would be happy to die if it means that she can be healed.”
“Well, I wouldn’t,” said Claire.
Rubia tilted her head. “But you’re always in pain. I can feel it.”
“I don’t mind.”
“You can feel it?” Allegra furrowed her brow and toyed with her glasses. “Are you sure she has Ferdinand’s ability, Virillius? He never mentioned anything about sharing pain. How do you know it’s not different?”
The king shrugged. “I don’t. It’s not like he ever told us the details.”
“Either way, the message is clear, I guess.” The rabbit frowned. “We’ll have to look for some other way to fix her.”
“Do we?” Virillius brought a hand to his chin. “The way I see it, she’s already on track to fixing herself.”
“I am?” said Claire, with a blink.
“You might’ve needed a hand if you were still as damaged as you were the last time I saw you. But in your current state, it’s beginning to look like your body may very well adapt if you keep gaining levels,” he said. “There’s a fair chance of a complete restoration in the case you manage to mutate your racial class.”
Claire paused for a moment before catching on. And then, whispering under her breath, she thanked the goddess of order.
“Uhmmmm… are you sure?” asked Sylvia. “Not even ascending fixed her, so I dunno if a regular old mutation will do it.”
“It might,” said Allegra. “Mutations are supposed to be the body’s response to stress, and I don’t really see a better way to describe what she’s going through.”
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
“It’s not that bad,” said Claire.
“It’s at least worse than living near a volcano. Still, inducing a mutation is fairly difficult without more time than we have, so I wouldn’t count on it happening,” said Allegra.
“Mmmnnn… I dunno if it’s actually gonna be that easy. My great grandpa is super good at this kinda stuff, and even he said that she was so busted it’d take him at least a couple months to fix her,” said Sylvia. “Oh yeah, that reminds me! We’re supposed to visit soon.”
“Either way, if the homunculus is a no-go, then I’ll have to give it another think and see if I can figure anything out,” said Allegra. “You might as well try Virillius’ suggestion in the meantime. It’s not like you’ll even have to go out of your way.”
Claire nodded.
“Despite what I said to Vel’khan’s queen earlier, I suggest you get to it sooner rather than later,” said Virillius. “Some of the soldiers are already beginning to suspect that your party is either hiding its power or simply disappointing.” He glanced at Sylvia. “She is the only reason that most are believing the former.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Of course not,” said Virillius, as he brought a hand to his nose. “Why did I ever think that you would?” As he stood up from his throne and wandered down the carpet, the king of Cadria began to think of the drink he would drown himself in that night. For while he was glad to see his daughter, even if she wasn’t in quite the best of health, he knew better than anyone that any single conversation with her was as tiresome as a full day’s work.
___
Elsewhere in Cadria, Lucius enjoyed a moment of tranquility. He sat by a stream with his arms and legs crossed, his ears focused on nothing but the flow of water. He was one with nature, one with the environment. Birds landed on his head, deer nipped at the grass by his heels, and even the ever-shy pangolins ventured from the bushes to join him in his silence.
Or at least, that would have been the case had he not won the grand prize during his time in Brinsidia. Instead, he found his morning routine denied. The woman he had reluctantly bedded—it would be more accurate to say that she forced him—was kicking up a racket as she drove her weapon into the river and “fished” up their morning meal.
Her presence made it almost impossible to focus on the water, and none of the local wildlife dared to consider approaching. Agrippina was a ravenous beast, and there was hardly such a thing as a critter with any intention of becoming feed for a rabid reindeer. Still, Lucius was grateful. She served as a test of his abilities, and he knew that if he could be tranquil in her presence, then he was sure to maintain his calm no matter the trials ahead.
Or at least that was what he told himself as he continued with his morning training. After all, she was a part of his god’s guidance, one of the many unavoidable events that he had been foretold. And in spite of his initial impression, it wasn’t like it was all bad. Agrippina’s lackadaisical attitude was one of the only reasons that she had agreed to the path that he intended to follow.
“Breakfast is ready.” The cervitaur in question walked over from the fireplace and handed him a half-stripped branch with three fish on the end.
“Thank you,” said Lucius. He had already given up on reminding her not to bother him during his training. The lesson simply never stuck in her mind, and it wasn’t like he had been all too focused to begin with.
Most convincing of all, however, were the fish themselves. They were surprisingly well cooked; they were perfectly gutted and all of the inedible bones had somehow been removed without compromising their structural integrity. The seasoning was especially wonderful for something so impromptu. Agrippina had found some wild herbs, and most notably some wild garlic at just the right age to be harvested.
“And one for you too.” A second skewer was handed to the tiger that sat beneath the thoraen fighter.
Roumalou accepted the meal with a happy “aroo” and swallowed it in one breath before raising his chin and allowing Agrippina to give him a scritch. Like his master, he hadn’t been quite so keen on her recruitment at first, but he soon warmed up after they spent some time together. In fact, he was almost finding it difficult to decide where exactly his loyalties lay. Lucius had been the one to defeat and subdue him, certainly, but Agrippina’s fingers were heavenly. She was so good at scratching that he couldn’t stop himself from bugging her whenever he happened to need one. Perhaps that too stemmed from the dexterity that was a sword dancer’s forte.
“So, any news?” she asked. “You said your god was going to tell you soon, right?”
The group had camped by the river for three days after eliminating a group of highwaymen. The bandits in question were part of an up-and-coming cult that Lucius had been tasked with exterminating. The task wasn’t one that would earn him much fame, as the cultists had yet to spread very far, but the dark idol they worshipped was on the verge of breaking its way into reality. The army would ultimately step in and eliminate the false deity even if he failed his mission, but without his aid, the citizens were sure to suffer the consequences.
“He told me everything we needed in a revelation last night,” said Lucius. “We’ll find the cultists if we follow the river, but we aren’t supposed to attack them just yet.”
“Why not?”
“We’re supposed to wait until the dark god manifests.”
“You sure you heard him right?” Agrippina scratched the back of her head.
“Aroo,” said Roumalou.
“What did he say?” asked Agrippina. Though Roumalou was a beast acknowledged by the god of the hunt, he was ultimately unable to speak. It was only through telepathy that he could convey his thoughts to his master.
“He said that he was given the same instructions,” said Lucius. “We’re to approach the dark god with the utmost sincerity.”
“Are you sure? That just seems like a waste of time.”
“The false idol they worship is Olethra, one of the few true fallen gods,” said Lucius. “The only reason she lies dormant is because she’s always bored. She’ll join us if we can convince her that we’ll be able to keep her entertained.”
“That part’ll be easy,” a fierce grin spread its way across Agrippina’s lips, “seeing as how we’re trying to kill ourselves a princess.”
“Please don’t say that out loud,” said Lucius. “You never know who’s listening.”
“Don’t be silly. We’re in the middle of a forest,” said Agrippina.
“That’s not the point. I just think it’s better to stay in the habit of keeping your mouth shut.”
“Aroo,” agreed Roumalou.
“You’re worrying too much,” said Agrippina. Having already polished off her own skewer and fed Roumalou his seconds, she climbed onto the tiger's back and threw her arms around Lucius’ shoulders. “Besides, none of the idiots listening in have more than a minute to live.”
She kicked off the massive tiger’s back, leaving him to aroo sadly at the mess that her hooves created before landing in the river’s shallows. With her weapon still undrawn, Agrippina danced alongside the falling leaves, almost blending into them with her skirt aflutter.
It was hardly the sort of graceful display that one would expect from a high level sword dancer, but a set of simple twirls, innocent as that of a fawn amidst her first river. The impression was only strengthened by her laughter, pure as the clear water that splashed with each spin.
Her eyes were full of joy. Beneath the morning light, each was as bright as a lapis. Or at least that was how they appeared before her enemies were caught in her sights.
They turned a bright, unnatural gold as she vanished from her targets’ perception. She next appeared in front of the strongest-looking man in the group, a gruff cottontail with a beard as long as his body. He reached for the blades on his waist, but he was dead by the time he drew them.
One by one, she cut them down, stopping only as one survivor remained. The man stumbled forward, his mouth agape in horror as he confirmed the state of his companions. All of them were level 850. With their numbers bolstered by the might of their dark god, they should have been able to overpower anyone that fell short of an aspect.
And yet, they lay defeated, their breasts ripped open and their faces stabbed through.
“Tell me.” Their murderer flicked their blood and gore off her weapon with a terrifying, innocent smile. “Where do you keep your base?”
Though certainly glad to have her as an ally—she was much more frightening than she had proven herself in the arena—Lucius was stuck cradling his head.
He already knew where the cultists were located, and the last thing he needed was for her to kill them. The fewer of them there were, the longer it would take for their god to awaken.