“I think this is a little pretentious to wear for something like dinner isn’t it?” I asked Zath as she pulled on the strings of my corset, as per request, the bones were light, giving me literal breathing room because my lungs aren’t getting crushed to death by the damn thing.

And in exchange, the sides of my chest weren't thin enough to be mistaken for being malnourished and I didn't look like a normal high-class lady or something.

“You say that all the time,” Zath replied in a drawl.

In the mirror, I could see that her face looked concentrated while she made sure that each string she was knotting didn’t intersect and gave me back problems.

That unfortunately didn't stop her from scolding me for complaining.

"And what’s more, this time this is actually-” I smiled as her expression twisted into one of effort while pulling on a set of strings to tie them together, I cheered her on silently, “- is validated because you have visitors,”

Zath stepped away from me to grab my dress for the night.

“Really?” I asked as I twisted my body around to get a better look at myself.

Despite its relative looseness to my fashion sense, with the corset on, my hourglass figure looked even more pronounced.

My shoulder length silver hair whipped back and forth as I moved my neck for a better view, and me, being the easily distracted smartass that I am, saw my hair move around and decided that it was a good idea to start a small dance by moving my hips in the same manner.

I heard Zath clear her throat from behind me and I stopped, stared at my pink face- which I would never get tired of looking at. Gorgeous. I’d kiss me. - And sighed.

"You know,” I started, “it’s kind of weird that I’m not allowed to act like that,”

“Like what? A common street whore?” Zath said with a good amount of disdain and I had to give her a look of chastisement, she didn’t meet my eyes but she did add her opinion, “mistress, you know that you're above that, please act like it, even when you don't want to,"

"Yeah, yeah,” I waved my maid off, “it's not like I'm actually gonna be a whore or anything like that,”

“I will make sure that you do not end up as such,” Zath retorted and I decided to let it go.

Seeing as this is one of those things that the girl wouldn't budge to no matter how hard I try to convince her that I don’t really care about it. Let alone mean it.

Then again, it's not like her thinking like that is abnormal, she is a high born and was raised in a noble household, much like every other maid working on the castle, because dear old Dad wouldn't have anything less.

Having the late sons and daughters of Nobles acting as our maids and butlers is good for our image so they're here. After all, these guys wouldn't be able to inherit anything, so why not work in the royal castle instead?

Except maybe Zath, since there's a good chance she'll inherit the entire Phagea fortune when the time comes.

“You’re dazing off again,” Zath’s hands clasped both my shoulders and I frowned, “what is it that you are thinking about this time?” She asked as I felt her soft hands trailing down my back, she paused, “wait, were you considering our conversation just now?”

“No?” I replied quickly and her hands resumed moving across my body, I know that she was just taking my measurements and all that but it’s during times like these that I really feel like she’s flirting with me, and the words that come out of her mouth every time she does this don’t help either.

"Zath,” I asked, “aren’t you weirded out by how touchy we get?”

“Of course not,” my personal maid replied, “we used to be more intimate as children remember? We even slept together? I think we already crossed each other's personal boundaries several times in the past Neo.”

Yeah… that sounds like it’s one of those ‘childhood friends’ shit that you can usually see on shonen manga.

What’s next? She’s gonna reveal to me that she was a boy all along? A reverse situation of the ‘my friend was actually a girl?!’ trope that usually happens there?

Because that would be creepy!

I had to make sure, “Zath are you a boy?”

“You’ve seen me naked, mistress,”

“Yeah that counts,” I shrugged and flinched when my maid pinched my neck, “hey!”

“You shouldn’t joke like that,” she scolded, “now raise your hands, I’m putting on your dress,”

I did so and waited for more than a minute before I could pull down my arm because Zath had to re-adjust my dress to match my corset before attaching it to the hooks of my changing room.

Then finally, after what felt like forever, my dress slowly came down from the ceiling and covered me, I took it upon myself to adjust my arms so that they fell into the sleeves but after that, the dress was on my body and I just let Zath work.

The maid adjusted the ribbons on my back, tying them up into a beautiful bow before fixing the rest of the dress, then she made sure that everything was straight by ironing some areas with her hands.

“We should be done,” she said as she patted the sides of the dress.

Zath walked away from me, I was tempted to cover my face with my hands when I saw her playful smirk but I held back and thankfully didn't.

I am now wishing I did.

"And might I say, you look gorgeous, mistress,” she said with a fancy tone.

I rolled my eyes, “stop it,” I couldn't hold myself back from smiling, “okay, so, I trust your words that I look good,” Zath nodded, “but I also need to check for myself,”

“Be my guest, Neo,” my maid took a step back and her black and white uniform disappeared from the mirror so that I could look at myself.

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The dress was colored in a darker shade of yellow with a large black line across the stomach, separating the top and bottom- the actual dress, the bottom, had little white daisies that took up most of the space available.

While my top was filled with tiny frills that covered my chest like a curtain.

In total, there are three lines of these frills running across the front of my chest while my back is open space, showing skin.

“I do look nice,” I said with a fancy voice of my own, “Dahlin, Zath-” I giggled when my maid did, “sorry, too much?”

“You sound like your sisters.” She replied.

“That’s both a compliment and an insult, you know that right?” I playfully responded.

“I am aware, yes," Zath replied without an ounce of shame.

Sadly, we didn’t have any more time for banter so the moment that our conversation started to lull, Zath and I went out of the changing room and back into my bedroom proper, where a wrinkled butler was waiting for us.

The guy- who for the life of me I couldn’t remember the name of, - nodded when he saw me and said, “you look stunning mistress Neophyte,”

I smiled, “thank you,” I curtsied a bow and then turned to Zath, “It’s all thanks to my personal maid, she helped me pick the dress after all,”

The butler nodded, “then I give her my compliments as well,” I shot a smile towards my maid.

“Now, let us be off, your father and his guests are waiting and you are the only one who isn’t present at the table,” he added.

I put on a sheepish smile and rubbed the back of my head in embarrassment, “sorry, I uh, took a while to change,”

“It is fine,” the butler replied.

All three of us moved until we reached a set of double doors after which, the butler opened it and waited right next to the wall, allowing me to pass, he tried to stop my maid from entering the dining hall but I shook my head at him and he bowed.

After that, Zath and I passed through the doors and into the lavishly decorated dining hall.

My maid proceeded to join her fellow servants in serving food while I found myself sitting at a long table, I chose a seat next to Bismuth.

The seating on the table was arranged in a way that valued an individual’s political position and power.

With the King, his wife, and his concubines to our right, my lower ranking, to be married off siblings to our left, and me and the rest of the Pledge Bearers strictly in the middle.

Meanwhile, those who had good political value were sitting a little ways off to our right- next to the king, - and included among them were our guests.

I kept my face straight as I walked and observed the guests with my eyes alone, their red and black clothes and their bright yellow hair told me that they came from house Eruptia, a military house full of Pledge Bearers who mainly use Fire and Light based Techniques.

I pried my eyes away from them and focused on my internal reserve of Light, even though my reserve was already one of if not the largest in Everlast City, it was still growing larger with each passing day.

And that can be chalked up to this body’s prodigious affinity for Light as well as my in-game knowledge on how to utilize it.

I looked around my fellow Pledge Bearers, spotting a few from the Eruptia family, most were guys- no surprise there, - and much like the rest of my peers, none of them really talked to me, or even anyone else for that matter.

All of them, being military trained, kept their back straight and their faces stoic while waiting for the food to arrive.

Eruptia, as always, shows an example of discipline.

All in all though, it didn’t really hurt anyone nor was it rude for us Pledge Bearers to start a conversation with someone during dinner, they just don't.

I will though-

And I wanted to start by talking to Bismuth, I don’t know how well he’s doing since we argued earlier but I hope that his mood is good enough to talk to me.

“Hello,” I greeted with a nod and Bis nodded back.

I took a seat and… we didn’t talk to each other, not one of us continued the conversation.

Welp, guess our argument earlier is still in his mind, sucks to be him, I already moved on from it.

“Neophyte,” The King, Igneous Sear Everlast, also known as my father called my name.

Realizing my mistake, I stood up and bowed to the king before apologizing, “I’m- I am sorry for being late, father,”

“You may take a seat, daughter,”

I did.

Fortunately for me, the awkward atmosphere from that exchange didn’t last, one of the guests- a balding, middle-aged man with a pot belly and trimmed glasses, I think he’s the brother of one of their patriarch’s concubine, - started talking.

"So this is the rumored Redeemer?” He asked, clear curiosity in his voice.

I stared at him and met his eyes, his soft gaze with my glare, was he hinting at something?

People like him would never use that title for anything other than insults or ulterior motives, “I never thought that you’d be able to get a Pledge in all honesty, the Great Goddess sees some Light in you then, that’s a lot of expectation to bear, I am sorry,"

He sounded like a robot with pre-programmed lines.

I wanted to snap at him, to tell him that he sounded like a complete and utter dumbass but bit it back.

I smiled, “don’t be, the Goddess sought to redeem me so I am trying my best to not only reach her expectations but also go beyond them,”

“Everyone knows you already have, sweetie,” I would’ve thought of that as sarcasm if it wasn’t for the speaker; my eldest sister, Amber Lenora Everlast, the kindest of all of us, said with a genuine smile you can't find anyone sitting at the table adopting.

Amber turned to face me, “all the citizens of Everlast see the efforts that you are putting into working towards a better world, from saving our citizens to helping them grow crops with your proficiency and skill in using Light to donating to the poor, don't worry, everyone sees your efforts and I'm sure that they think you've done enough,"

“... Uh, yeah," I replied after a pregnant pause, “thank you for seeing my efforts, Amber,”

“You are welcome, and as I said, what you are doing isn’t in vain, sister.” she smiled.

Someone in front of me cleared their throat and I turned to see one of the guests, this time a fellow Pledge Bearer as well as one of the game’s canon characters, Inferno, looking at me.

I locked eyes with him and he smiled in a way that made him look even more attractive than he already was, “it is nice to finally sit down and talk with you, Neophyte,”

I politely nodded, “I feel the same way, Inferno.” I returned his smile, “it’s a pleasure,”

“The pleasure is all mine, my lady,” he replied smoothly.

In the corner of my eye, I caught Zath glaring at something near me and I gave her a small wave, she waved back before continuing her duties.

I focused on Inferno again, I like hearing his compliments honestly, mostly because he's handsome.

And he really was.

Calling him ‘good-looking’ would be an understatement because by all means, the guy sitting in front of me can be an actor and a model with his looks alone, hell, his face will probably carry him to stardom even when he doesn’t know how to act.

Then there’s the three-piece suit on his person that made him look even better and the way it wrapped around his muscular body just feels right.

He wore a red tux with golden edges on the collar and a pair of black and white undershirts, emblazoned on the right side of the tux's chest was their family crest- a volcano spewing lava.

“You’re staring awfully long at him, Neo,” I heard Amber say and I held back a scoff.

Can't I just admire him without it being romantic?

Like, yeah right, as if I'd fall for him.

Inferno is just a kid in my eyes, also, I’d rather not compete for his love with the rest of his rabid fangirls, or the other noble girls for that matter, they can keep him.

“I think I find him fascinating,” But since this is all politics, I needed to play along and “admit” to her observations, “especially since I’ve heard stories of his exploits," I put on a strained smile, "would you care for a fight?"

A small smile tugged on his lips, “is it the usual bet? My dear Neo?”

To my left, where my other siblings are, I heard the sound of something stomping the ground and a yelp of pain- hm. Guess my sisters were messing with each other again.

I ignored the sound- as did everyone else really, - and continued playing along, theatrics, that was oddly important in noble society.

"I suppose so,” I narrowed my eyes, that has been a thing ever since I decided to fight back against my first suitor hasn’t it? People fighting me for my hand in marriage.

My would be opponent fixed his bright orange hair and locked his red eyes with mine, “Then I would want to fight you later on the ball so that everyone may know that I have finally taken your hand and conquered your heart,”

“You won’t,” I replied bluntly out of reflex.

“Then, that is a bet, my gem,” he glossed over my clear denial, most likely thinking it was just banter.

I eyed him with a narrowed gaze, god, why is it so cheesy?! It took every ounce of my will to not furrow my eyebrows at what he just said.

Then I caught someone talking and I took that lifeline for what it is and turned away from Inferno to address them.

“Ah?” I turned to my father.

“Let me repeat myself, Neophyte,” Igneous stared me down, “you should find a man suitable for marriage and engagement,”

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at the clear implication.

What man? I’m technically thirty years old! I’m not some pedo old man! Do you think I like these children?!

“I have played along with your little games up until now but it is best that you geAcrossried and sire a powerful child to continue the fight against the Demons, you have such a big responsibility, and you cannot continue to neglect it in favor of your own feelings.”

I huffed and my “father” narrowed his eyes.

"No.” I replied, “if you wish for me to continue the fight, then I will do so, personally.”

“Neophyte-” now it was “mom’s” turn but I cut her off.

“No.” I repeated simply, “I will either go to Pledge Academy and train there-” and hopefully find the second Player character, assuming that they exist, “- or I don’t marry at all, you wish for me to fight the Demons? Then I will do it! Not some non-existent child!”

Igneous sighed, “where did I go wrong? Falya?” He asked his wife who merely shrugged, “very well,” he said, “but I expect you to be at the top of the Academy or else I’m gonna cut everything off and force you to marry.”

Welp, I've already made a scene anyway so how about I double down?

Holding back a sigh, I violently pushed myself off the table and smirked when everyone winced at the sound of my chair scraping against the floor.

I called my Pledge and after a moment of hesitation, arched my blade towards my neck-

“What is wrong with you, sister?” Bismuth said with shaking hands, the hilt of his Pledge was between his fingers while his blade was directly above my neck, drawing blood, courtesy of his sword being double edged.

“I would rather die.” I ignored Bismuth and continued with my act. I still silently thanked him though.

Laughter broke the ensuing silence and we all turned to Inferno, “you would perfectly fit the role of the wife of Eruptia’s future patriarch, Neophyte,”

“Bold words,” I said, keeping up my anger, though a bit of it was genuine, what an arrogant little shit, “you’re still young and a lot of your peers and competition are as talented as you, you aren’t the future head of your house.”

“Yet.” Inferno argued with a confident smirk, “but genuinely I would love to duel you later at the Ball.”

Right. The Ball. I need to wear a dress again, don’t I?

I sighed and recalled my Pledge and took my seat again at the table, grabbing a napkin, I wiped the blood off my neck and closed my eyes.

I was a bit aggressive just now, I can admit that much, and antagonizing a large, influential house probably isn’t a good idea after that.

"Inferno, truth be told, I don't think you're a bad person," I started, "I did work with you in quenching wildfires in the forests below Everlast after all,” I opened my eyes again and saw the boy staring at me with an unreadable expression, “but I’m just not interested, sorry.”

“Don’t be,” he said, “I just hope that I’d get your attention through our fight, and… acknowledge the bet,” He sounded formal at least.

"Sure," I nodded.