Break of Autumn, Week 1, Day 6

The church house of Wig was a simple thing. Yes, it still had statues of several Divines –but they were made of wood, as was much of the church itself.

It was a short walk from the inn, and the church was so unassuming I nearly kept walking. If it had not been for the guiding hands of Dame Arella and Sir Limrick, I surely would have. The priest that met us was a short man dressed in all white –a follower of Yllium, the Goddess of Faith. After Sir Limrick handed me another hefty bag of coins, the priest led me to a more modest prayer room than in Juvel.

All that was in here was a bench and an alcove. Within the alcove sat a two-foot-tall wooden statue with no identifying features and a bowl. While Wig was less prosperous than Juvel, their iconography still had strong enchantments.

As I prayed, I settled into the bench –leaning my head back against the hardwood walls.

“Morloch, God of Sacrifice and Self-Improvement, hear my prayer,” I whispered, my eyes closed and my voice earnest, “Keep the streams from drying, keep the wheat from wilting, keep the Gods from smiting the world to smithereens, keep the suns shining. Keep the crisp autumn weather coming. Keep the coming winter cold. Keep the spring after that filled with life. But do not give me strength.”

“Keep the world spinning so that, one day, I can take what is owed to me.”

Morloch had said he would ignore me, and he kept that promise. When his avatar overlaid the wooden statue, no rip in reality appeared. No Divine aura permeated the air. No words were spoken to make or break me. No guidance was given.

There was simple, unadulterated, blissful silence.

I could have cried.

I blinked back the tears of my relief and stood to leave.

“Thank you, Morloch,” I said to the Divine-free room, “For giving me this peace.”

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Leaving Wig was quick and unceremonious. We simply loaded up the carriage and went through a different gate than we entered. From Wig, there were six more planned stops –none so far apart as Juvel and Wig. The longest stretch would be the first stop: seven days to Ugar.

The days began to blend together. And for the first three days in the wilderness, I was still too terrified to [Weave] with [Shadow Manipulation] for an extended period. So I made my granny squares by hand –quickly making enough for a jacket. I sewed them together after getting my general measurements by snipping a piece of yarn into the size I wanted.

I knew if this were elsewhere, such a thing would be impossible. Magic was never permanent in my home. It was fleeting and small –but here I could create exactly what was in my mind’s eye with a Skill.

[Congratulations! Weaving is now Level 6!]

A Skill that grew whenever I created something new, something challenging, something beautiful.

I looked at my new jacket and smiled, a sense of accomplishment filling me –even as my hand ached from where I’d cut it open in Wig. It was healing well, but it didn’t help that I was using my hands continuously throughout the day to crochet. I was constantly pulling on the fresh wound. It was quickly becoming a scar, which gave Dame Arella a shock when she saw the cut. She swore that at the next stop, we’d get a tonic to keep my skin clear.

I almost laughed at the serious look on her face but thought better of it at the last moment and swallowed my amusement.

What good is preserving a body like a noble? I’d rather be littered with scars and strong than pristine and weak.

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There was another attack on the way to Ugar, but the knights swore that this time, it was not anything I had done. Mana leakage isn’t the only reason for monsters to attack a caravan –that there have been reports from the locals regarding aggressive blights on the way to Fellan. I asked if they were sure it was my mana leakage at all.

Sir Limrick gave me a pitying look before he said, “Feral monsters feed off mana. Mana leakage attracts them like nectar attracts butterflies.”

I groaned and went back to practicing [Mana Manipulation] –the next chapter of the spellbook was locked behind another level cap.

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The carriage was suffocating. Despite dinner and camp, spending the daytime alone was growing boring. At first, it was what I wanted. But after so much travel, my legs were beginning to get stiff, and my mind was growing lethargic.

It was like I was stuck back in that room. Cut off from the world and anything meaningful. Stuck with nothing but my Skills.

Now, I could talk to my animations, but I’d grown fond of watching Arlen and Klein bicker. Of watching Dame Arella fluster Sir Neil. Of Sir Limrick’s subtle way of showing he’s there if I need him. I found I rather liked the knights.

They were the warmth of a summer sun, and I was a cold winter’s day. I was growing to need them. It was unsettling and centering both, but on the road to Ugar, I chose to break for lunch each time Arlen asked.

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It was hours of shifting, moving, melting the ice in my veins before–

[Congratulations! Mana Manipulation is now Level 2!]

I smiled and went back to it.

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[Congratulations! Shadow Animation is now Level 6!]

I let a sense of accomplishment fill me. Noir, Haze, and Shade were gradually growing more capable. Able to share more, experience more, be more. Just like me.

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I stared at the System notification.

[Congratulations! Inspect is now Level 5! New features unlocked!]

My diligence was paying off. I was scanning the brush, the rock, the forest line. I was looking at everything and activating the Skill. It didn’t pull on my mana, so I was able to practice for longer –able to throw myself into it over the course of a day.

I was sure my new botanical knowledge was useless to a noble, but one day, I’d live a different life. A life of freedom. And who knew what I’d need for that.

I fired off a silent [Inspect] and was thrilled at reaching the competency threshold.

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[Congratulations! Quick Calculations is now Level 3!]

I worked through another workbook that filled the book compartment. It wasn’t just books –there were plenty of challenges and tests on arithmetic, language, history, etiquette, and logic. There were even some workbooks asking about the simple facets of the System.

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[Congratulations! Eternal Communion is now Level 2!]

I grit my teeth. I couldn’t escape her judgment. I only returned her vitriol when I was in a particularly foul mood –and she just had a way of ruining my mornings.

So, it was unsurprising that I received another notification the same day.

[Contgratulations! Mental Fortitude is now Level 12!]

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Then we were at Ugar, and I realized what Dame Arella had meant about small towns and not having the resources of Wig.

It was different from elsewhere, where the Domes were mega-cities grown for the purpose of protecting civilization. I couldn’t tell you the last time a Dome had fallen. Here, towns could rise and fall within decades. Ugar, specifically, was barely fifty years old –but it looked it. The palisade surrounding the town was clearly put up ages ago and had seen many a monster.

Even I could tell the wall was in a constant state of disrepair.

When we rolled into the town center, it wasn’t an inn that greeted us –it was an old man leaning shakily on a cane. He had a well-groomed beard and tan, wrinkly skin. I watched as Sir Rellar approached while the rest of the knights lined up to the side of the carriage. The knight captain and the old man chatted seriously before the old man broke out into uproarious laughter and patted Sir Rellar on his arm.

Sir Limrick opened the door to the carriage and motioned for me to come out. I grabbed Noir and my bag and climbed out of the carriage.

“My Lady, this village does not have an inn. You and Dame Arella will be with the Village Head and his family for the night.” There was an unreadable undertone to his voice.

I nodded in response, “Where will the rest of the knights be?”

“Sir Neil and I will be standing guard in shifts, and the rest of the squad will set up camp right outside.”

I waved off the hand Sir Limrick offered to me, “It’s okay. I’ll greet him myself. Sir Rellar is there.”

I felt a deep well of anxiety bubble up, and I tried to push away little Eunora –only to realize this was all me. I had been interacting with the knights for weeks now, and they’d given me the security I’d desperately needed. But now I was back to the unknown.

All I could do was my best, I told myself.

“Sir Limrick, is there a church here?”

“There is. It’s small –but no less holy. The Gods smile even amongst the most destitute.”

I tried not to gag at that, but I couldn’t keep my distaste entirely off my face.

“After I greet the head, let’s go straight there. The donation will likely make more of a difference here.”

Sir Limrick nodded, his signature tight-lipped smile making an appearance, “Your will be done, my Lady.”

I made a face, “Knock it off.”

Beside me, Sir Limrick released a huff of amusement, “Just this once, my Lady.”

The Village Head was older than I thought. The closer we got, the more wrinkles popped up on his face. His crow's feet and smile lines grew deeper, but he looked like a happy man. He was still chatting with Sir Rellar, but the conversation came to a halt when Sir Limrick and I reached them.

“My Lady,” Sir Rellar nodded down at me, his mouth pressed in a firm line, “This is Philip Ugar, the Village Head of Ugar.”

The old man smiled down at me, “It’s a pleasure to meet a child of the Dawn. I haven’t had the pleasure before.”

I swallowed my anxiety and gave a small curtsy.

“The pleasure is mine, Village Head. Thank you for your service in protecting the citizens of the Duchy. My name is Eunora.”

Both men blinked down at me, and I felt my nervousness grow.

The book said nobles should be humble! It said VIllage Heads, Mayors, and Elders deserved respect. Why are they looking at me like–

“What a pleasant greeting, my Lady!” The old man laughed, “I must say, this old man is humbled by your respect, but there is no need for such formalities with me. I just hope you will look fondly on the village of Ugar during your time here.”

I felt a blush creep across my face, “Yes –I, um, I look forward to exploring Ugar. It is small, but it looks well-loved by its people.”

And it was true. There was no trash on the roads. The grass was not overgrown. The houses were old but not in disrepair. Few people were milling about, but those that were were smiling.

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I sat in Ugar's modest church house, and there were no private prayer rooms, just an offering table and a series of blank paintings off to the side of the pews.

I kneeled below the one farthest from where the priestess was sitting —a woman dressed in pale yellow. A priestess of Frill, no doubt.

I looked up at the blank canvas and kept my voice low as I spoke.

“Morloch, I beseech you,” I smiled as his avatar began painting itself within the frame, “Keep the world spinning. Keep the harvests fruitful and the people living. Keep this town of Ugar continuing in the wheel of civilization.”

Clapping my hands together in a final prayer, I nodded and dropped the bag of coins into the offering bowl. The good twenty gold could do here was immense in comparison to what it would do in Juvel and Wig. Here, people would get the help they needed —and based on the amount, several church projects could be instated.

With a final goodbye to the Priestess of Frill, I left for the Village Head’s house —Sir Limrick and Arlen on my heels.