Laying in bed after returning from her Saturday excursions, Sky thought about her future. She loved power. Political power, that is. Something about being able to order others and have them listen, not because she was strong, but because they respected her came with a strange high. It was why she ran a guild despite all the hardships of it in her previous life. It was also another one of the reasons she never left the Frederiksen estate.
Sky loved her parents and siblings, but she also loved the prospect of inheriting a noble house. She didn’t want to stay on this crappy estate her whole life, but she wouldn’t mind keeping it as her base of operations. The money and power that came with a noble clan, even a lower ranked one, was too much of a temptation.
Oddly, as she laid still, Sky’s thoughts turned and she pictured Ryan’s face as he proposed to her the day before.
Despite her cold words, Sky seriously considered marrying Ryan at that moment—even if just to abuse his name to secure her future as the de-facto leader of her clan. Her instincts stopped her short, and she shivered at the thought of having to do anything ‘romantic’ with him, though. Oddly, those aversions seemed to be growing weaker. A distant part of her puberty-soaked brain screamed in the background, telling her to do unspeakable things. Adolescent hormones were a massive kick in the ass at times. She even thought, for a moment, that having a house-husband to unload all the work of running a clan onto wouldn’t be so bad…
-
Sky leapt from her bed at the first sign of morning. Two maids entered the room and started helping her get ready for the day. They were already used to their lady waking early.
Dressed in training garb, Sky walked to the main family courtyard and began going through the ‘exercises’ her family provided her. She walked through the martial arts carefully, and continually forced her own ‘Martial Arts’ from taking over. Acting weak with her body was far harder than she originally thought it would be seven years ago. Many-a-times had she been ‘rescued’ by her illusion spells at younger ages. In fact, morning training was probably more stressful and difficult for Sky than any other child her age. The others were training to get stronger, but Sky was training to hold herself back. A feat she often failed.
With morning training coming to an end, Sky returned to her room where her maids had already dragged in and filled a wooden bathtub. Sky didn’t have any problems with being bathed or pampered by others. Her past life gave her plenty of experience being taken care of by servants. In fact, she never would have died in the first place if she had called her maid to get the glass of water for her back then... Of course if she had the body she had now she wouldn’t have been injured by such a simple fall, either. In fact, she was certain her current body could take on a nuclear blast point-blank without much trouble.
With the bathing over, the maids pulled out a uniform Sky hadn’t seen before. She tilted her head in confusion for a moment.
“It’s your uniform for the Academy, Miss,” said one of the maids, reading Sky’s questioning glare perfectly.
“Oh, the Academy classes start today?” Sky asked, actually surprised at the lost time.
“No today is just the opening ceremony and an introduction. Your classes don’t actually start until next week, Miss.” The maids were used to their mistress being a bit out of the loop. The clan kept many things from her to allay her troublemaking nature.
Sky nodded her head and was quickly dressed. The uniform consisted of black pants and a dark blue shirt, both made of course rough material. The academy logo of a crane in a martial pose was on the back. The clothes had weight to them, and the weight could be increased by linking to certain arrays and formations within the Academy.
It was an efficient training uniform. Perfect for an Academy dedicated primarily to martial endeavors. The Academy taught martial arts, history, economics, mathematics, social studies, sciences, alchemy, smithing, etc… But the unifying features for everything were Qigong and Martial Arts. Only with sufficient Qi could a person perform alchemy or smithing to a high level. Only with internal power could a person memorize thousands of array points, or perform extremely advanced mathematics in their head.
‘Of course mana could be used for all of these as well’, thought Sky.
It was truly a fantasy school. Sky felt somewhat excited, to be honest. Perhaps she could find some skills or professions her abnormal body hadn’t already mastered. Or she could even find information on the structure of the world as a whole. So far she only knew of the empire she lived in, the Northern Grasslands, the mountainous regions to the west, and the sea to the east. There had to be a whole wide world out there, and she wanted to see all of it. A sense of adventure swelled up inside her. This would be her first step towards her goal. If she graduated with top honors her family wouldn’t be able to guilt-trip her into staying put at the mansion either! She could take Ryan Grento in as her househusband, and then go on adventures while he did all the paperwork back home. She could even bring Talen along too. Talen loved adventures and was, perhaps, the best friend Sky had ever had in two lifetimes.
It was a solid plan. She was iffy on the ‘marriage’ part, but she was more confident after having some time to think on it. She outright denied Ryan on the spot yesterday, but she was certain he was someone she could always overpower if needed. She couldn't ask for a better 'husband'. Until she was fully comfortable with being a woman, there would be zero romantic stuff happening... And she could experiment as she pleased. It’s not like Ryan could stop her; he could hardly get a word in edgewise whenever they did anything together. He was more like a subordinate than a friend. Sky liked it that way, though. Ryan was a precious friend who would do anything for her, after all.
Sky grinned to herself and laughed under her breath.
Her maids looked on with dejected expressions. Everyone knew about Sky’s habit of evil-laughing whenever she thought up some boneheaded troublemaking scheme. It was too common of an occurance in the Frederkisen estate.
-
Ryan Grento sneezed. He felt, for some reason, that something terrible and ominous just happened somewhere in the world. He shivered as he finished putting on his Academy uniform. He wasn't certain why, but he felt as if his future just became infinitely more bleak.
-
The carriage ride to the Academy was quiet. Sky rode alongside her mother and older brother, both of whom were people she had trouble acting out in front of. Mostly because they were too kind; it hurt Sky’s heart whenever she disappointed them. Her father though? He encouraged her too much. Father and daughter were kindred spirits in troublemaking. The maids must have ratted on her, and told the family she was planning something earlier. That was usually how Sky’s shenanigan making was caught, after all. She decided to punish the maids later. After all, this time she hadn't even been planning any real shenanigans.
Sky’s older brother had little talent in cultivation, but no one dared make fun of him or cause trouble for him at the Frederiksen estate. Especially after Sky raised hell and beat the tar out of the few that did try. He was of average height for a 16 year old and was going into his senior year at the Academy. Bellan Frederiksen was renowned for his talents as a merchant, and he even owned a few caravans that traded with other cities. While most people in his position would be targeted by evildoers, no one ever tried to approach him with malicious intentions… There was also a rumor that those who did usually disappeared. Having the world’s most powerful little sister did have some benefits, even if Bellan never knew about any of them. To him, Sky was someone he had to protect.
Sky’s mother was a rather talented cultivator, having reached the same realm as the current Patriarch: the Golden Core stage. In fact, she was probably the strongest cultivator in the entire Frederiksen estate (barring a few of the ancestors hibernating on their deathbeds). Not many actually knew this because she kept a low profile. In her youth, Natalie Frederiksen had been much more active. Thankfully, starting a family calmed her heart and helped her settle down into a wonderful life. Frankly, Sky wasn't certain how her father managed to land such a catch.
Sky loved her mother a lot in this life, and couldn’t act out in front of her at all. Her mother had a ‘heartbroken stare’ that she could flash to instantly reign in her daughter. It was an odd dynamic, but both loved each other to pieces, and that was all that mattered. Despite having a high cultivation, Sky’s mother was an exceptionally gentle woman.
Sky’s younger brother and her father both remained at the estate and were undergoing special training from Grandfather Patriarch. Sky wished they were here. Without them around, her ability to cause trouble was halved at least. A school to train yourself as a warrior seemed far less appealing to someone already far stronger than any teacher she could ever meet.
-
The streets of Altruce were paved with something similar to cement, a very heavy and smooth brick-like substance native to the mountains around the city. With cultivators being used as a labor force, the three big families (Grentos, the Frederiksens, and the Capillis) maintained the infrastructure and the peace. Tax income coming in from the markets and the guilds funded the three families in return. Of course this income was partitioned based on national standings and strength, meaning the Frederiksens recieved the least while the Grentos took in the most.
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All three families, despite their relentless teasing and fightings, were rather close. They liked to foster competition to improve their younger generations, but all of them were tight knit. Intermarriages were common, but nothing close to having the main families tied together. The biggest reason Ryan and Sky being ‘engaged’ was such a hot topic was due to this. The Capilli family especially didn’t want to see anything like that. If the marriage actually did happen it could throw off the natural order, and pull the Frederiksens into second place. That and it would break their Young Master’s heart.
The ride was smooth and Sky enjoyed talking with her mother and older brother for a bit. Both were gentle people and very encouraging. Her brother, especially, talked about how she didn’t need to marry the ‘Grento Bastard’ if she didn’t want to, and that he could get her much better options. Sky didn’t doubt him. His ties as a merchant were surprisingly deep, to the point he even managed to approach her ‘alternate ego’ Daniela once. Of course, Daniela vanished and gave him the cold shoulder. Sky didn’t trust her magics enough to disguise herself in front of others who knew her that well, especially her family. She enjoyed helping others and got out all her ‘altruistic tendencies’ by using Daniela. If her true identity were ever uncovered, she’d have to run away in shame. She had a reputation as a troublemaker, after all. Daniela, on the other hand, had a reputation as a true Saint.
Sky didn’t want Daniela to ever meet a member of her immediate family. She wanted to use Daniela as her ‘mysterious master’ should the need ever arise. It was another one of the reasons she started going out and helping others: to build a good reputation. There weren’t many healers or doctors in this world, it seemed. Qigong could be channeled to heal others, but it was extremely taxing and not that good at dealing with anything more serious. Not many cultivators would go out of their way to help others. All the piled up injuries, broken bones, and broken spirits gave the city a depressing feel… This world was a harsh one to live in. Sky didn’t like that. She liked money more than most things, but she liked having a nice hometown more. Altruce was hers. She would never let it fall to ruin, because she planned on running it one day.
Daniela never charged a single dime for her healings.
-
The carriage rolled to a stop in front of the Academy gates, and Sky jumped off laughing. Her expressions and brusque movements drew the ire from some onlookers, but most stopped staring when they saw the Frederiksen crest.
“Come along, sis, I’ll show you around. We still have an hour until orientation,” said Sky’s brother as he stepped off the carriage in a more graceful manner. If Sky’s energetic movements drew stares, then Bellan’s calm and stoic nature attracted a ferver. Whispers shot through the courtyards by the gate about the ‘Talentless Trash’ of the Frederiksens.
Sky’s eyes jumped from face to face, memorizing the visage of every person that dared insult her older brother. Sky knew for a fact that revenge must be swift and ruthless.
-
Sky and Bellan walked through the gates together. Their mother decided to wait in the carriage for a while until it was time for the orientation. She claimed to be tired, but Sky knew that was bullshit. A golden-core staged cultivator wouldn't get tired from a carriage ride. Her mom was drawing up talismens and other arrays instead, making small tools and accessories for her children to protect them.
"She's too good for this world," Sky mumbled under her breath, holding a hand over her heart.
"Did you say something?" Bellan asked.
"Nope!"
-
One by one Bellan introduced the buildings and their functions. The campus for the Academy was large, filled with sweeping courtyards and snake-like paths. Most of the buildings were brick or stone, but a few were made of other materials like spirit-woods or even the bones of wild beasts.
“This building, shaped like the letter ‘T’, is where most of the science and alchemy experiments are done…”
Bellan’s voice droned off in the background. Sky didn’t really care too much about these things. Instead she focused on sensing the most powerful auras on the campus. There were four distinct, powerful people here. Each would probably be equivalent to a level 50 or higher character. While they were a far cry from herself, these people over level 50 were definitely the cream of the crop in this country. Even Elron Grento, the strongest man Sky had met since coming to this world, was only level 32. The cultivation equivalent would be Nascent Soul or even the next step up, Dao Soul. They were strong. Much stronger than the three families (at least on the surface)… And one of them was approaching.
“Ah!” Bellan cried, as he grabbed Sky’s hand and pulled her towards a gray-haired old woman. Sky could feel the woman’s strength. Her Qigong method made her soul glow with a frightening light. “Sky, this is Mistress Yan, the head of the Alchemy and Array schools.”
Mistress Yan smiled, the corners of her eyes crinkled. “Hello there, little Bellan. This must be your sister,” she said, offering a hand for Sky to shake.
Sky could see the magic of ‘appraisal’ on Mistress Yan’s hand. This woman was crafty, but she didn’t have any killing-intent at all. The appraisal seemed purely for scouting talent, and Sky was trying to pretend to be a talent at the moment.
Harnessing her Oracle Class, Sky forcibly modified the information her body would show on an appraisal. She changed her stats to match a 7th Rung cultivator, and she added in both low ranked professions for alchemy and array master, as well as a few others related to the Academy curriculum to pad out her skillset. She decided on only using 7 basic professions, since they were the easiest to understand. She assumed seven wouldn’t be too little. After all, her account for GoldFist back then had around 12 professions, even, and she considered that to be pretty normal for high ranking characters. Demoness Sky went by far too different of a standard to measure. Limiting her professions to these seven might be a bit overkill, but Sky didn’t want to show off too much. These were also the seven primary skills she planned on using in public with her real identity, eventually. Everything else would stay hidden.
The Thief and Assassin classes being at level 100 was the greatest boon for Sky. With their powers she was able to hide any spiritual fluctuations and keep up her facade. She didn’t want to startle this world. She just wanted to live a fun life, and maybe become a high ranking aristocrat. Maybe go on a few adventures—Defeat some mythical monsters—Topple a few evil demon lords along the way—Get her house husband to raise some kids... You know, girl things.
For that she wanted to build up her ‘legend’ step by step. After all, she wanted normal relationships with people, and if she revealed her true powers to the world, she had no doubt her relationships would be a bit strained. Her family would probably still love her, but they would definitely look at her differently. Sky's heart shook at the thought.
Sky lived her first 5 years in this world without any powers at all, and she grew to truly love her family and friends in that time. Just because her classes, skills, and stats were activated on her fifth birthday didn’t mean Sky became a different person. In fact, such an overwhelmingly loved early life had a tremendous impact on Sky’s mentality. It was something she never experienced in her past, where her parents never bothered much.
If it came down to it, Sky would literally die for her current family's peace. So she planned on being a truly talented and wonderful daughter.
Sky took Mistress Yan’s hand with a rough grip and rudely greeted her, “Hello there, Miss Yan!”
One thing Sky learned from the last few years of hiding her strengths was to avoid lying whenever possible. That included lying by pretending to be something she wasn’t. Sky didn’t like etiquette, or being fancy. If she wasn’t obligated to do it, she wouldn’t. And an informal meeting with a woman who would soon be her ‘teacher’ was definitely a good time to let her true self shine. By showing a more raw side to her emotion, she added another layer to her oracle deception in fooling the appraisal.
“Ah! Sky that’s not how you greet a respected elder,” her brother chimed in, and Sky froze.
“I’m very sorry!” Sky bowed her head. She couldn't handle her brother’s disappointed stare. She loved him too much. With proper form, Sky reintroduced herself to Mistress Yan. Of course, she made certain to keep up her counterfeit status for the appraisal spell.
“You are quite an interesting one,” said Mistress Yan, her smile spreading wider and wider, as if it were to cut her face in half. “You have a lot of talent. I’ll go to the principle and have you assigned to my direct classes.”
“That’s very kind of you,” said Sky with a proper curtsy.
The three talked for a moment, and then Mistress Yan walked away. Bellan seemed particularly excited that his sister made a good impression with a proper master. He had set this meeting up in the first place, after all. Though he was definitely going to tell their mother about Sky's rude attitude with the first greeting. Such poor manners needed to be hammered out early.
-
Mistress Yan walked into a wide room filled with auburn colored furniture. Maps covered the walls, some so old they were disintegrating in their displays. Flags from numerous empires and countries could be seen folded in the corners. Replica weapons and real weapons were strewn about like detritus. In the room three people were waiting, the three other strongest people on the campus.
Mistress Yan smiled and spoke, “She’s even better than we thought.”
“Is that so,” replied an old voice, belonging to the current headmaster, Old Senn. He stroked his long beard in thought.
“Yes,” replied Yan, “She’s already at the 7th rung and close to breaking through to the 8th.”
The three men in the room stood from their seats. One with dark hair nearly jumped.
“That’s not all,” Mistress Yan continued, “She has several inborn divine talents. One for Alchemy, Arrays, Smithing, Swordsmanship, two for Stealth, and even one for Healing.”
In that room, the sound of a pin drop could be heard. All four of the school heads couldn’t breathe.
The principal cleared his throat, “We’ll set up a special education course for her. I’ll teach her swordsmanship, Yan will teach her alchemy and arrays, Enkidu will show her smithing and Jamisen will give her instructions in stealth and assassination.”
The man named Enkidu stepped forward with a dark look in his eyes, “Sir, what do you intend to do here? Are you trying to…”
“I intend to raise a little monster. If that old codger Frederiksen wasn’t lying, this girl is a bit of a hellion, but a very loyal one. Wouldn’t it be fun, to raise a cultivator stronger than any sect master, one who only has allegiance to the city of Altruce?”
The Headmaster laughed with a dark look in his eyes.
“My friends, perhaps it’s not long until Altruce can declare independence from the empire..."
"What about healing," interjected the dark-haired Jamisen. "I've never heard of anyone in the city able to teach that..."
"Well," said Mistress Yan, "If rumors are true there may actually be someone capable."
"You mean the Saintess? The timid healer who runs away at the first signs of any trouble? How could we even approach her?"
"I'll do it," said the principal. "I have an idea."