Book 1: Chapter 48 - Homecoming [Part 1]

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“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.

- Judy Blume.

It was called the Beast Lore Amulet, a rare treasure crafted from the crystallized essence of a Wyvern’s heart—a product not formed by any mortal hands, human or otherwise. In essence, it was a piece of the raw magic of the world condensed into physical form.

In the game, wearing this amulet once, even briefly, would grant the wearer a permanent plus one to Monster Taming. More significantly, if the user continued to wear it in the necklace slot, they would gain a plus three bonus. The item’s value was such that it could have purchased a small county.

What the game failed to explain, however, was the voice Seraphina now heard.

“Hungry,” the voice insisted once again.

She paused, the voice resonating with an odd familiarity. A soft thump against her breastbone drew her gaze downward, revealing Cornelia butting against her chest.

Could it be…? the young noblewoman wondered.

“Cornelia,” Seraphina admonished sternly, a slight furrow forming on her brow, “I just fed you a little while ago.”

“Still hungry,” the voice replied, sounding quite put out.

Seraphina took a measured breath to center herself. She was in a realm saturated with magic, so it only made sense to keep an open mind. “Alright then, Cornelia. I’ll feed you again—but first, would you wrap yourself around this arm?” she asked, tapping her left forearm.

Dutifully, the white snake slithered across the bedspread and coiled around Seraphina’s arm. With that, Seraphina realized the truth: she could now speak to animals.

“Where’s food?” Cornelia demanded, an edge of impatience lacing her mental voice.

“In just a moment, you greedy thing,” Seraphina chastised lightly, though there was no real sting in her words. She recalled a tin of leftover biscuits—likely left by Miriam for her lady’s late-night snack.

She sat at the table and fed the biscuits to her snake, watching with curiosity. This development was certainly unusual. If Seraphina truly possessed the power to communicate with creatures, it might simplify many of her grand plans.

Experimenting a little, she closed her eyes and tried to sense other mental voices around her, but it felt like pushing through thick fog. The amulet seemed to have a limited range, dashing her brief fantasy of commanding an army of animal spies. Still, it would at least help her deal with Cornelia or any mounts she encountered. There had to be more applications for this new magic, and Seraphina intended to explore them.

“Milly!” she called out, raising her voice.

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A faint knock came at the door before her maid, Miriam, entered, looking around nervously.

“Come closer, Milly,” Seraphina commanded.

Miriam glanced left and right, hesitant, then inched forward.

“Closer,” Seraphina repeated sharply, pointing to the floor near her.

Then, speaking silently through the bond of her amulet, Seraphina sent a command: “Sit on the floor!”

Like a puppet on a string, Miriam plopped down almost instantly. The sight made it clear that Seraphina had the maid under her thrall, with or without the necklace’s assistance. Still, it was good to know that Milly had been thoroughly tamed.

“Now, Milly,” Seraphina said, “try to say something to me with your mind.”

“But, milady—” the maid began, only to be cut off by a warning glance.

“Don’t make me repeat myself.”

A moment later, Seraphina heard Miriam’s uncertain, Why is she doing this? echoed in her head. A cruel twist curved Seraphina’s lips.

“Why am I doing this?” she asked aloud, answering Miriam’s internal complaint. “Because I am testing my new necklace, of course.” She placed a hand over the polished jade amulet.

Miriam’s eyes grew comically wide.

“With this, we have a private means of communication,” Seraphina explained mentally.

“Eeep!” Miriam squeaked.

“What now?” Seraphina asked with a sigh. “It’s only a bit of magic.” Internally, though, she exulted. If she could control her “pets”—including Miriam—as though they were extensions of herself, her hold on power would be all the more secure. Certainly, her Palisa Slug of a maid would not be able to betray her now.

“Milady, look!” Miriam suddenly cried out, pointing at the table.

To Seraphina’s surprise, Cornelia had not only polished off the biscuits but was happily munching on the tin itself. The thin metal cracked under the snake’s jaws.

“Cornelia, you can’t eat that! Won’t it upset your stomach?” Seraphina asked, genuine concern in her tone as the snake continued gnawing on the tin with fervent gusto.

“It’s very yummy,” Cornelia replied, mental voice sounding amused, if a bit lazy. “Feel sleepy now.”

The snake abandoned the half-eaten tin and slithered back into Seraphina’s lap, seeking warmth. She had the distinct impression that Cornelia was heavier than before. The gluttonous creature could be so adorable, yet so odd.

“I don’t think snakes are supposed to do that, Lady Seraphina,” Miriam muttered, clutching at her apron.

“For once, I find myself in agreement with you,” Seraphina answered. She sat back down on the bed, absentmindedly stroking Cornelia’s smooth coils as they wrapped around her midsection.

It was all very strange indeed. Seraphina had always suspected Cornelia was no ordinary snake, but the creature’s ability to devour metal of all things left her mind spinning. She tried to recall any in-game references to peculiar pets or special tameable creatures, but nothing came immediately to mind.

Egg… Seraphina thought. It started with an egg from a strange trader. Greedy. Cornelia was greedy. Very greedy. The words tugged at her memory, summoning an image from years ago. Back then, the studio heads had debated how best to monetize the game. Seraphina, seeking a neat solution, had wanted a simple one-time fee of a million won—an “affordable” price, in her eyes. The executives balked, pointing out it was nearly six times the going rate for games in their market. Instead, they had suggested micro-transactions and a gacha system, assuring Seraphina it would reel in even more profit. Naturally, she had agreed. Who wouldn’t, when more money was on the line?

Now, watching Cornelia doze off, Seraphina could not help but marvel at how her own greedy creation had come to life in the strangest of ways. She was, in essence, a product of Seraphina’s greed, and she knew now exactly what she was.

She covered her mouth with her hand as she let out an evil laugh. Her maid looked at her with ever-growing, suspicious horror.