《Otherworldly - A Burned Heart》


 CH 1 - Point Nemo

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 2


    It was quick, at least. A single whack with a crowbar straight to her temple. She didn¡¯t have to stick around while she bled out. She was just¡­ out.


    It was almost like falling asleep.


    Of course, she wasn¡¯t asleep. She was dead.


    Around her body, pandemonium continued. The man who¡¯d hit her was already dead, brought down with a bullet through his head. Bystanders were screaming ¡ªbut so was her bodyguard. He was grasping her and shouting for backup, an ambulance, anything. But that wasn¡¯t her problem. Not anymore.


    Her soul was quickly lifted from her body and brought up and up and up. There were no pearly gates here. Around her soul was darkness, void, the abyss. Whatever you called it. The nothingness around her soul continued for an immeasurable time. Stars were born, Suns collapsed, and universes were wiped out. All in the time it took her soul to reach a new plane of existence.


    From one universe to another.


    She approached the world she would later learn is called Gargantua. It is the only world on its plane. With two suns and an oversized moon.


    Her soul arrived straight into the hands of a Goddess.


    The Goddess¡¯s hair was a gentle yellow, her eyes entirely white ¡ªpupil and all. Her skin was like white silk, so much so that the gentle white robes she wore looked rough compared to her skin.


    ¡°Oh, poor child, taken too soon,¡± the Goddess cooed. ¡°I am here for you. Awake, and call me Frill.¡±


    Her soul stirred, then. It unfurled in the shape of a young girl. Not the woman who died.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± she said, her voice soft but unafraid.


    The girl''s body was pale white, and when she held up her hand, she could see through it.


    ¡°You are home now, child.¡±


    The girl looked up at Frill.


    ¡°What is my name?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ll allow you to remember this,¡± Frill, the Goddess of Compassion, said. ¡°But I will take some things that may hurt you. The edge of grief will be dulled.¡±


    And then the girl''s body started to fade.


    ¡°Go, Kalina, and become someone new.¡±


    The girl''s body dispersed into the aether.


    And then, for the first time in a new world, Kalina awoke.


    <hr>


    It was a gentle morning, and Kalina dreamt of strange things. A world where she was a child of an important house, where she had three younger siblings who adored her, and an extended family so large she was never alone. Kalina dreamt of a girl running through the fields, climbing bones of trees she could find, and hopping, skipping, and jumping around the Moors. She dreamt of words on a screen saying unfamiliar words ¡ªwords like [System Integrating].


    When she opened her eyes, there was a red screen in front of her. It had bright white script on it, and it looked much like an old-school game screen.


    [System Integrated]


    [Congratulations! You have Awakened! System unlocked.]


    ¡°How interesting,¡± Kalina said, raising her hand up to touch the floating words ¡ªonly for her fingers to slide right through. More notices appeared. She curiously scrolled through them all.


    [Congratulations! You''ve experienced an otherworldly phenomenon! Experience accumulated.]


    [Congratulations! You have memories of another world! You''ve learned the Skill: Otherworldly.]


    [Congratulations! You have shown martial skills any master would be proud of! You¡¯ve learned the Skill: Quick Fight.]


    [Congratulations! Due to integrating the memory of your feats pre-Awakening, you have received the Skill: Fire Step.]


    [Congratulations! Due to integrating the memory of your feats pre-Awakening, you have received the Skill: Running.]


    [Congratulations! Due to integrating the memory of your feats pre-Awakening, you have received the Skill: Bright as a Flickering Flame.]


    [Congratulations! You have discovered knowledge forbidden by the Gods! You''ve learned the skill: Hidden Heart.]


    [Congratulations! You have been noticed by the Goddess of Compassion, Frill! You''ve learned the skill: Regenerate.]


    [Congratulations! Due to being directly influenced by a Goddess you have unlocked the Divinity stat! You currently have 12 Divinity.]


    [Congratulations! Due to the Goddess of Compassion, Frill, you have received an additional 25 Divinity! You currently have 37 Divinity.]


    ¡°Interesting, indeed.¡±


    Kalina looked down at the hand she¡¯d slid through the screen. The red light did not reflect off her. But the morning light coming through her window was enough to see that her skin was much tanner than before, with an ochre undertone. Looking around, the edge of the bed seemed farther away than it should have, but she gently climbed across the mattress and slid off the bed. When she did so, her bare feet met a plush rug, and she looked down. Her legs were much smaller than she thought they should be.


    Across the vast room was a mirrored wall. It reflected the deep browns of the bed, the soft blue of the walls, and several other bits of furniture. None of that was noteworthy.


    What was noteworthy was that Kalina had soft pink hair that made it to her shoulders and striking orange eyes. Orange, not amber.


    Kalina made her way across the room, never breaking eye contact with her reflection. She dodged a coffee table, a footstool, and several dolls scattered about on her way. But as she drew closer to the mirror, a baffled expression crossed her face.


    ¡°I¡¯m not me anymore, am I?¡± she asked of nobody in particular.


    Kalina actually knew the answer, so asking the question felt rather silly. The room she was in matched the room in her dream, not to mention she remembered details about the [System].


    "Who" ¡ªshe laughed lightly¡ª ¡±am I now?¡±


    Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    ¡°[Status]¡±


    [Status Summary]


    [Name: Fredericka Nemo]


    [Race: Human]


    [Age: 8]


    [Unallocated Stat Points: 0]


    [Vitality: 9 Endurance: 7]


    [Strength: 8 Dexterity: 4]


    [Perception: 4 Magic: 2]


    [Luck: 78 Divinity: 37]


    [0th Tier Class: Child of the Gods, Max Level]


    [Boon: Not Selected]


    [1st Tier Class: Not Selected, 0 Level]


    [Skills:


    0th Tier: Running Lv. 1


    1st Tier: Quick Fight Lv. 1, Bright as a Flickering Flame Lv. 1, Fire Step Lv. 1


    2nd Tier: Otherworldly Lv. 1


    Untiered: Hidden Heart Lv. 1, Regenerate Lv. 1


    [Congratulations! You have opened your Status Summary for the first time! You have unlocked a Boon from the System. You¡¯ve acquired the skill: Inspect.]


    [System Notice: As a first time System User, Inspect will be automatically activated for the following items: Vitality, Endurance, Strength, Dexterity, Perception, Magic, Luck, and Divinity.]


    [Vitality: Often known as one¡¯s life blood, the Gods decreed ¡°Be Well. Live Long. Thrive.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. The main effects of Vitality are enhanced general health, enhanced recovery, and reduced aging speed past adolescence.]


    [Endurance: Often known as one¡¯s physical will, the Gods decreed ¡°Continue to Charge. Stand Firm. Endure.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. The main effects of Endurance are enhanced stamina, enhanced stamina regeneration, and the increased chance to withstand catastrophic injuries.]


    [Strength: Often known as one¡¯s capacity for force, the Gods decreed ¡°Enforce. Destroy. Dominate.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. The main effects of Strength are enhanced battle acuity and optimized muscle growth.]


    [Dexterity: Often known as one¡¯s ability to maneuver, the Gods decreed ¡°Be Nimble. Be Graceful. Avoid All.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. The main effects of Dexterity include enhanced agility, enhanced fine motor control, and enhanced speed.]


    [Perception: Often known as one¡¯s ability to absorb information, the Gods decreed ¡°See All. Hear All. Understand all.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. The main effects of Perception include enhanced attention to detail, enhanced reaction speed, and enhanced mental processing.]


    [Magic: The Gods decreed ¡°Bear Your Will, Show Your Intent. Bend Nature As You Please.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. Unlike the five physical attributes, Magic is built off the soul. The main effects of Magic include mana control and mana sight.]


    [Luck: The Gods decreed ¡°Good Luck.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. Unlike the five physical attributes, Luck is built off the soul. It is believed the effects of Luck include enhanced probability sense and higher-order deduction skills.]


    [Divinity: The Gods decreed ¡°Rend the Earth. Steam the Seas. Contort the Very World.¡± upon bestowing the value to mortals. Unlike the five physical attributes, Divinity is built off the soul. The effects of Divinity depend on the Gods whose will the user embodies, as well as the Will and Intent of the user.]


    [Notice: Due to your Divinity level, you are capable of viewing two messages that await you. Would you like to accept them?]


    Ignoring the question at the end, Kalina felt a smile settle on her face.


    ¡°Fredericka. Freddie Nemo. Granddaughter to the Duke of Nemo,¡± Kalina mused aloud, then, ¡°I like it.¡±


    She flicked her eyes back to the red screen.


    ¡°Yes, I suppose I would like to read those messages now.¡±


    [Acceptance recognized. Messages being pulled for display.]


    [Message 1]


    [Welcome, Otherworlder! You have awoken on the planet of Gargantua as a noble child within the Kingdom of Maeve. As a precautionary measure, the Goddess who brought you here bestowed both a boon and a restriction. Use them as best you can. The Goddess hopes to see you thrive in your new world.


    Congratulations! All abilities from your previous world have carried forward! The [System] will integrate them as your experience from your past life is applied.


    May your Eternal Star burn Bright.]


    [Message 2]


    [Kalina,


    I wish you to live your own life. To see this world with beauty and love. And to find your destiny.


    You are meant for so much. Pray and I will hear you, but call to me only in a time of great need.


    Lady of Compassion,


    Frill]


    ¡°So that was real, too, then,¡± Kalina said.


    Then she turned her eyes back to the orange in the mirror, and she laughed.


    ¡°All right, then. A new life, one that¡¯s my own this time.¡±


    Another red box appeared then.


    [System Notice: As a first time System User, Inspect will be automatically activated for all newly acquired skills from the past 24 hours.]


    [Otherworldly: After being ripped from your previous plane, your presence here is a rare occurrence ¡ªthough not unheard of. As an Otherworlder blessed with Divinity, your presence will not go unnoticed. The first to be served, the last to be reprimanded, and the one chosen for destined encounters. Through this Skill, your Aura is passively expanded. With additional Mana infusion, this skill can define your presence further. Range increases per level. Definition increases per level.]


    [Quick Fight: Your base knowledge of martial arts has allowed you to surpass a majority of the world. When you are evaluating another being in a martial situation you will be exponentially faster at predicting their movements. Speed is increased per level. Comprehension is increased per level.]


    [Running: You have practiced the universal method of courier travel. By dedicating time and passion to the craft you will be granted the ability to Run like a legendary Courier. Increased Dexterity while running. Increased speed while running.]


    [Fire Step: Through dedicated practice of your craft, you have been rewarded with the ability to turn fire into a platform to run on. This skill requires mana to maintain. Increased fire affinity per level. Increased durability per level. Decreased cost per level.]


    [Bright as a Flickering Flame: You are present, good or bad. Your presence produces warmth, like a flame in a cave. This skill allows you to produce a calming aura. So long as you do not instigate a negative reaction, it is harder to be found disconcerting. This skill requires mana to maintain. Ability to push out your aura increased per level. Duration limited. Cooldown applies.]


    [Hidden Heart: You have uncovered knowledge forbidden by the Gods of this world. The Goddess who brought you wishes not to take your life from you, so she has instead hidden your memories within you. Your mind cannot be read, but on the opposite side of the coin, should you reveal your past it shall be taken from you. Divine beings are exempt from this Skill. This is a restriction skill.]


    [Regenerate: You have attracted the attention of the Goddess of Compassion, Frill. Out of her concern, Frill has gifted you with the ability to heal your wounds. Whenever you are injured in mundane or magical circumstances, this Skill will begin to repair the damage done. Frill often uses this when Morloch¡¯s ever-bleeding wounds reopen before her. Total effectiveness is increased per level. This Skill speed can be enhanced by infusing mana, otherwise you will passively regenerate. This Skill is dependent on your Divinity attribute being above 0.]


    ¡°The wonders never cease,¡± she hummed, processing the slew of information. Once she¡¯d felt sufficiently informed, Kalina ¡ªno. Freddie, she decided. Freddie grabbed the door on the far end of the mirror wall and began sifting through her closet.


    After a few minutes, she came out in a pale orange shirt with flutter sleeves and a pair of brown shorts adorned with golden chains. A charm hung from around her neck: a four-pointed star made out of a pale pink metal and outlined in gold. She was also wearing a pair of brown slide-on mules.


    Without hesitation, she opened the door to her room and took in the Nemo Estate. It was a vast thing, and as she made her way down the halls, she could see the Moors of Hernel through the windows. No vast forests, no swamps, simply hills with low brush. In the distance, Hernel itself rose high into the sky ¡ªits towers visible from the top of the Nemoan Hill the Nemo family made their home.


    She knew her way, and she was unafraid. Perhaps, if Freddie had much to lose in her last life, this one would have been much different. But as it was, all she had was her reputation. No loving mother coddled her, no father raised her as the apple of his eye, no brother or sisters loved or supported her ¡ªshe hadn¡¯t even had any siblings who hated her. In her past, when Freddie was Kalina, all she had was her fists and a chip on her shoulder.


    But here? She could let it all go. No debt would drag her down. Here, power was what she took for herself. Here, she could do anything.


    It was several minutes of making her way through the halls before Freddie came to the grand staircase. It had two stairwells, one going down the left wall and one going down the right, but they converged in the middle into a single staircase that emptied out at the center of the main hall.


    Down below, Freddie could hear chatter. She gripped the railing with her hands and began sliding down the banister, a grin on her face. She tilted just so, so that when the curve came at the stairwell¡¯s convergence she wouldn¡¯t fall. She landed in the entry way with a thump of her heels hitting hardwood and a laugh.


    It was a remarkably smooth motion for someone who supposedly only just inherited her body.


    Then again, Freddie found this life to be her own. No struggle or turmoil, simply acceptance.


    Freddie stretched her arms above her head and shook her body out. She felt like she was in prime condition. She continued on her way towards the voices coming from deeper on the first floor.


    Within seconds, she was perched in the archway looking into the dining room where a dozen people were talking jovially. It was only a moment before she spoke.


    ¡°Guess what?¡± Freddie said, and the whole group turned to look at her, smiles reaching their eyes.

 CH 2 - Family Ties

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 2


    ¡°Guess what?¡±


    All eyes were on Freddie, and she had a wicked grin on her face.


    ¡°I don¡¯t need to guess,¡± a woman with long pink hair said, her eyes softening as she met Freddie¡¯s.


    Aster Nemo.


    ¡°It¡¯s your birthday, Fredericka.¡± Her smooth voice carried through the room and silenced the rest of Freddie¡¯s family. ¡°How do you feel, my little star?¡±


    Freddie could have paused. She could have wondered if she was really meant to be here. She could have wondered if she should disclose everything. But, of course, she couldn¡¯t say everything. But some things? The things that aren¡¯t put behind [Hidden Heart]? Who else would she tell besides her family?


    ¡°I¡¯m ready. I think I¡¯ll have some good choices.¡± Freddie¡¯s smile didn¡¯t drop, didn¡¯t falter.


    Next to her mother sat a man with blonde hair and familiar orange eyes. Bridian Nemo. The firstborn son of the Duke of Nemo. Freddie¡¯s grandfather was at the head of the table, with a grey beard that reached his chest and a bald head. Like everyone else in the room, he was in one of the loose-fitting outfits of summer ¡ªit didn¡¯t match the winter winds outside.


    He was the first to stand. When he clapped his hands, everyone looked at him¡ªthe Duke''s action silenced all of Freddie¡¯s aunts, uncles, and older cousins.


    ¡°Very well, our star, let us move to my office. We¡¯ll leave the ruffians behind, shall we?¡± He had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he waved for Freddie and her parents to follow.


    ¡°Good luck, Fred,¡± one of her female cousins said.


    ¡°You¡¯ll do great, sweetheart,¡± her aunt cooed.


    ¡°Don¡¯t pick anything lame, or I¡¯ll send you off to work the farms,¡± her uncle said with a wink.


    Freddie laughed and waved, heading out of the room, saying quickly over her shoulder, ¡°I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll pick something so bad you¡¯ll have to send me to the farms!¡±


    Maybe Freddie was taking too kindly to this world. Maybe she should mourn her alcoholic mother or her deadbeat father from her old world. Maybe she should mourn the loss of her undefeated title. But that didn¡¯t change the fact that Freddie was happy to be here. She knew everyone¡¯s faces, knew their history, knew how much she was loved here. Why would she want to go back?


    No. All Freddie wanted was to build a new source of power. In her old world, she¡¯d had the power of Inferno. The runes on her soul had given her resistance, and so she often fought with her fists on fire or even against fire elementals themselves. And if [Fire Step] and [Bright as a Flickering Flame] were indicators, she would have a similar ability here.


    Excitement filled her.


    What could she fight here? Old Freddie knew of monsters, knew of dungeons, knew of it all. New Freddie had the same thought as old Freddie: They¡¯re mine to conquer now.


    All she needed was a [Class] that would help her fight.


    But here, in Nemo, Freddie was the eldest child of the eldest son of the Duke of Nemo. She was second in line for the title of Duchess. Which meant her [Class] was anything but private. That hadn¡¯t bothered Freddie of the before and, probably thanks to the mind meld, didn¡¯t bother the new Freddie either. Although Kalina from elsewhere had been in the limelight, with every choice and power reported on, so she didn¡¯t really mind either.


    To say there were two people inside of Freddie wasn¡¯t accurate. Freddie had been two people, and now she was one. Decidedly, she wouldn¡¯t be treating this life like anything but her own. She was simply Freddie, with some extra memories to help her along.


    Along the way to her grandfather¡¯s office, the adults were talking to Freddie jovially.


    ¡°Happy birthday,¡± her grandfather said. ¡°I hope you¡¯re excited. The Boons this year are so interesting.¡±


    Freddie nodded. ¡°I can¡¯t wait. Marasha hasn¡¯t said anything in class about them, so they¡¯ll be a surprise.¡±


    Marasha was Freddie¡¯s governess, the one who taught her arithmetic, history, etiquette, horse riding, and several other things that weren¡¯t very interesting. Well, not to Freddie, who was often caught running off to lounge in the upper branches of a tree. Recently, Freddie hadn¡¯t been able to escape because of the importance of the topic: the [System].


    The [System] was, by and far, the most mysterious part of life on Gargantua. In elsewhere, there¡¯d been nothing like it. The magic they had lived in soul runes, not in some game-like system that controlled the ability of their Skills. But Marasha had been clear in her teachings and so Freddie knew the [System] was a gift from the Divine. It was everything¡ªthus Freddie had stuck around for the lessons Marasha usually had to track her down for.


    There were many facets of the [System], not the least of which is the Boons. After one Awakens at the age of eight, but before choosing a [Class], you must choose a Boon. To put it simply, every Solar year, there is a Patron Divine that offers a part of their power to every child that is un-Awakened in their year. There are two Lunar years to each Solar year, and the Lunar year is how children¡¯s age is tracked by the [System]. Thus, on their eighth Lunar year, upon Awakening, children are offered a choice of four Boons ¡ªone from each Patron Divine who oversaw their youth.


    This year Freddie knew the Patron Divine was Qwail, the Goddess of Livestock and Familiars, but she was unsure of the other three patrons from previous years. Marasha had said it was a surprise. That her parents and grandfather would know and would help guide her.


    ¡°A good surprise, too,¡± her mother, Aster, chimed in. ¡°No matter which you pick, you¡¯re bound to find a use.¡±


    As they reached her grandfather¡¯s office, a man in brilliant blue livery opened the door for them. The group nodded their heads as they passed in thanks. But once the door closed behind them, the adults grew serious. It was a fitting environment for the change, with the dark wood furnishings and the glowing runes on the doorframe.


    ¡°Fredericka,¡± her father, Bridian, started, leading them to the sitting area. ¡°Despite all the joking, we need you to really think through what you want for the future. You¡¯ll have this [Class] until you¡¯re of age.¡±


    As they sat, Aster nodded in agreement. ¡°At least. We¡¯ll do our best to help you Level whatever [Class] you get, but often it¡¯s up to you. Much like everything to do with the [System], unless you want it, unless you go after it, the Skills, the experience, the power ¡ªit won¡¯t come.¡±


    ¡°Even something as simple as the Boons could change how effectively your [Class] works. If it¡¯s synergistic, it¡¯ll be unendingly helpful.¡± Her grandfather¡¯s gravelly voice was just as serious as the others'', so Freddie decidedly dropped the grin she¡¯d had since leaving her room.


    Instead, she pressed her lips together and nodded seriously. ¡°I know what I want.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Her mother leaned in. ¡°Do tell? Because I don¡¯t believe you¡¯ve ever mentioned it before.¡±


    Freddie met her mother¡¯s eyes, her orange meeting Aster¡¯s blue. ¡°I want something that will let me fight¡ªhands-on.¡±


    ¡°So, you¡¯re looking for a [Class] that can be evolved into some kind of Fighter.¡± Bridian hummed. ¡°That¡¯s not too difficult, but depending on your options, you may have to be meticulous about the Skills you learn. It may take until Tier 2 before you gain a true fighting [Class].¡±


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    ¡°Well, I have to admit, I was expecting something more along the lines of, ¡®I want something exciting!¡¯ rather than that,¡± Aster huffed.


    ¡°As a future heir, I can¡¯t say I disapprove,¡± her grandfather grumbled. ¡°But would it kill you to be more cute about it?¡±


    And, like that, Freddie¡¯s wicked smile was back. ¡°Are we ready then?¡±


    When the adults all nodded, a new notification appeared in Freddie¡¯s vision, as if the System was listening in. The same red box as earlier.


    [System Notice: It is recommended the New User selects the Sun Gods¡¯ Boon and a First Tier Class. Would you like to perform the selection of your Boon?]


    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    [Congratulations on your Awakening! As a celebration of your Awakening, please pick the God whose Boon you wish to select:]


    [Scylla]


    [Morloch]


    [Druigr]


    [Qwail]


    Freddie''s smile dropped, and she looked at her parents with wide eyes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t say what they¡¯ll give me.¡±


    ¡°Do you know who they all are?¡± her mother asked soothingly. ¡°Think it through first, and then we¡¯ll help.¡±


    ¡°Okay. Scylla is the Goddess of Prophecy and Gambling.¡± Freddie hummed. ¡°So something related to that. Maybe a card [Skill] or a Luck increase.¡±


    Her father nodded. ¡°It¡¯s a +2 to Luck this time.¡±


    ¡°Okay, okay. Next is Morloch. He¡¯s Sacrifice and Self-Improvement. So either a flat attribute increase or a Skill related to growth?¡± Freddie asked hesitantly, putting everything Marasha had taught her into her guess.


    ¡°Correct, he gives a +3 to Magic.¡±


    Freddie hummed. ¡°Druigr is the God of the Second Sun¡­ and Anger, I think? So maybe an increase to Vitality?¡±


    ¡°Righteous Anger is his second domain, but he offers a Skill. It¡¯s called [Sparkler]. It basically summons a miniature of Dreya,¡± her grandfather said helpfully.


    Dreya was the Second Sun of Gargantua, and Freddie immediately perked up at hearing about the Skill.


    ¡°Qwail is Livestock and Familiars, so maybe a binding Skill for a small creature?¡± Freddie thought out loud. ¡°Or a general animal handling Skill?¡±


    ¡°Actually, yes. It¡¯s a minor Familiar Skill. It¡¯s called [A Helping Hand]. It summons a creature¡ª¡± Bridian stopped explaining at the look on Freddie¡¯s face, and huffed a laugh, amusement filling his tone. ¡°All right, all right, not the one for you.¡±


    ¡°I know which one I want.¡± Freddie nodded, filling her voice with intent: ¡°Druigr.¡±


    [Congratulations! You have selected Druigr¡¯s Boon! You have gained the Boon [Druigr¡¯s Blessing]! You have received the 0th Tier Skill [Sparkler]!]


    Immediately, Freddie held up her palm and spoke.


    ¡°[Sparkler]¡±


    Inside her, a power welled, and a small warmth formed in her palms. Slowly, a ball of sparks formed inside her open palm, and then all at once, it expanded to be about two inches wide. It was a golden ball of light, giving off multicolored sparks. It was very much like Dreya, the Second Sun.


    ¡°It¡¯s beautiful,¡± Freddie whispered. Around her, her parents smiled and her grandfather nodded his approval.


    It was only a few more seconds before an ache formed in her head, and the Skill broke. The sparks dissipated into nothingness, and Freddie wobbled, supporting herself with the edge of the couch that the adults were lounging on.


    ¡°Woah,¡± she said dizzyily, putting a hand to her head.


    ¡°Fredericka,¡± her mother cooed, getting up and wrapping Freddie in an embrace, brushing her hair away from her face. ¡°How is your Magic stat? Did you run out of mana already?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s two,¡± Freddie said as she leaned into her mother¡¯s touch.


    ¡°Oh dear, we¡¯ll have to see what Class options you¡¯re given. That¡¯ll never do.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s good. I¡¯m good,¡± she said, but it was another minute before the woozy feeling passed through Freddie, and she stood up and away from her mother.


    ¡°Don¡¯t push yourself,¡± her grandfather commanded. ¡°It¡¯ll do no good to select a Class without your wits about you. Take a few more minutes. Then, we¡¯ll continue.¡±


    And they did, it wasn¡¯t until Freddie¡¯s knee was bouncing that she stood up and spoke.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough waiting, I¡¯m ready.¡±


    She¡¯d interrupted a casual remark from Bridian and he sent her an amused look before nodding.


    ¡°Very well, Freddie, pull up the selections.¡±


    Again, a system notification appeared in all its glorious red. As if it was listening in. Freddie didn¡¯t care, though. She was just happy she didn¡¯t have to wait any longer.


    [System Notice: It is recommended the New User selects a First Tier Class. Would you like to perform the selection of your Class? Once started this process cannot be interrupted.]


    ¡°Yes.¡± Freddie commanded the prompt. And then she was bombarded with a series of notifications.


    [System Notice: Now beginning Class Selection! Analyzing current experience and affinities! NOTE: A maximum of eight First Tier Classes will be processed for your selection based on these attributes.]


    [Congratulations! You have spent 8 years as a citizen of Maeve! New Classes unlocked!]


    [Congratulations! You were born a Noble in Maeve! New Classes unlocked!]


    [Congratulations! You have an elemental affinity! New Classes unlocked!]


    [Congratulations! You have two souls! New Classes unlocked!]


    [Congratulations! You have special skills! New Classes unlocked!]


    [Congratulations! You have been blessed by a Goddess! New Classes unlocked!]


    [Please acknowledge completion of Analysis!]


    ¡°Acknowledged,¡± Freddie said, scanning the achievements the System chose to log.


    [Citizen of Maeve (common)]


    [You are a beloved citizen of Maeve! As such, the Queen of Maeve has placed you under her protection. As a citizen of Maeve, you are free to explore all paths to the future. May your life be blessed and your fortune found. Unlocked by being born in Maeve. Unlocked by living in Maeve. Unlocked by having parents who are citizens of Maeve. This provides you with +1 to Strength, +1 to Dexterity, +1 to Endurance, +1 to Vitality, +1 to Perception, and +1 to Magic, per level.]


    [Brawler (common)]


    [You are a fighter, figuratively and literally. As such a person, you can cultivate that into a free-for-all hand-to-hand fighter. As a Brawler, you specialize in impromptu weaponry and fist fights. Unlocked by Awakening. Unlocked by engaging in 5 physical fights. Unlocked by engaging in 5 verbal fights. Unlocked by knocking out an opponent. Unlocked by hitting an enemy with an improvised weapon. Unlocked by possessing the Skill Quick Fight. This provides you with +2 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, +2 to Vitality, per level.]


    [Acolyte of Compassion (uncommon)]


    [You have been touched by a Goddess. By accepting the truth of the Goddess Frill, Lady of Compassion, you will be granted the title of Acolyte. Through your worship and devotion, Frill will speak to you and allow you to enact her will onto the world. Unlocked by being god touched. Unlocked by receiving a skill from Frill, Lady of Compassion. Unlocked by practicing religion. This provides you with +2 to Vitality, +2 to Perception, +4 to Magic, and +4 to Divinity, per level.]


    [Martial Lady (uncommon)]


    [You are a child who loves combat and has prospered in the world of fighting. For a child, you have more than a lifetime¡¯s worth of skills related to martial arts. You seek to master these skills, without regard for if it should be practiced at all. Unlocked by knowing multiple martial arts. Unlocked by being born a noble. Unlocked by willingly fighting to the death. Unlocked by possessing restricted knowledge. This provides you with +1 to Magic, +1 to Endurance, +2 to Perception, +2 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, and +4 to Vitality, per level.]


    [Young Lady of Flame (rare)]


    [You are a being of flame and fury. Your very soul agrees with that. Through your craft, you have found strength in the glory of Fire. A Young Lady of Flame is both controlled and uncontrollable, just as the fire she represents. She is the protector of her lands and the front line of any defense. A Young Lady of Flame has the potential to burn down high society and rebuild it in her image. Unlocked by being a citizen of Maeve. Unlocked by being a Noble. Unlocked by having an inherent affinity to Flame. Unlocked by having the Quick Fight Skill. This provides you with +2 to Endurance, +2 to Perception, +4 to Dexterity, +4 to Magic, +4 to Strength, and +8 to Vitality, per level. ]


    [Young Lady of Dichotomy (rare)]


    [You are a being of multitudes. Going beyond the common expression ¡®two-faced¡¯, you possess two personalities. A Lady of Dichotomy is able to put her best face forward at all times, and is able to pull the appropriate personality forward without any trouble. Such a Lady is able to maintain her two personas independently of each other. Unlocked by remembering your past life. Unlocked by having an alter ego. Unlocked by having successfully completed a mind meld. Unlocked by being a noble. This provides you with +2 to Strength, +2 to Dexterity, +2 to Endurance, +2 to Luck, +4 to Vitality, +6 to Perception, and +6 to Magic, per level.]


    [Devourer of the Forbidden Fruit (epic)]


    [Within this world, the will of the Gods is law. Despite this, you have obtained knowledge forbidden in this world. Researching such things draws the eyes of many -both divine and otherwise. Those who obtain forbidden knowledge have two paths available to them, either continue to collect knowledge that cannot be shared or to defy the will of the Gods. A Devourer of the Forbidden Fruit must prepare themselves to fight the Gods above and below. Unlocked by possessing forbidden knowledge. Unlocked by being not of this world. Unlocked by possessing the Hidden Heart skill. Unlocked by being noticed by the Gods. This provides you with -6 Divinity, +4 Magic, +6 Perception, +6 Luck, +6 Endurance, +8 Strength, +8 Dexterity, +8 Vitality, and +8 Unallocated Stats, per level.]


    [Acolyte of the Flame of Compassion (legendary)]


    [The Goddess Frill has shown her interest in you. Frill desires you to use your power to better the land in which you¡¯ve found yourself, to show your own compassion to the realm. With your affinity to fire, you have great potential in the healing arts and are more than able to follow in the Goddess¡¯ footsteps. You, who possess Skills to protect and heal, represent two sides of a coin. Frill wishes for you to take your first steps toward becoming a Paladin of the Flame of Compassion and allow Frill to have a direct impact on the world around you. Unlocked by being God touched. Unlocked by receiving a Skill from Frill. Unlocked by possessing an offensive Skill. Unlocked by having an elemental affinity. Unlocked by having a healing Skill. Unlocked by being not of this world. This provides +5 Dexterity, +5 Endurance, +5 Perception, +6 Luck, +9 Magic, +18 Strength, +24 Vitality, and +24 Divinity, per level.]


    ¡°Oh,¡± Freddie said, staring intently at the list. ¡°That¡¯s a choice.¡±

 CH 3 - Choices

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 2


    ¡°What?¡± Freddie¡¯s grandfather leaned in. ¡°What are your options?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s¡­ unique, that¡¯s for sure,¡± Freddie responded, distracted. ¡°I got three acolyte Classes, kind of. I also got one pure fighting Class, three noble Classes, and the [Citizen of Maeve] Class.¡±


    ¡°Well, you can cross off anything related to the Gods, that¡¯s for sure,¡± the old man grumbled, and Freddie peeked over at him, questioning. Sensing her curiosity, he continued, ¡°You cannot take a Divine related Class. It requires you to leave to be raised in Oberon with the other young Acolytes. It sounds like you likely have the Class in three different rarities ¨Cdon¡¯t tell us the height of it all. The higher rarity the more confined to the Class description you are. It also means the Divine you serve has more direct control over you. Your Divinity is no longer yours.¡±


    ¡°Go on, tell her the other reason,¡± Bridian said, amused, as he looked at his father. To his credit, the Duke of Nemo looked embarrassed.


    ¡°Well, if you become an Acolyte, you¡¯ll be unable to inherit the Duchy when it¡¯s your time.¡± He coughed into his hand, attempting to cover the next words, but Freddie heard him clearly anyway. ¡°And we¡¯ll miss you too much.¡±


    Freddie let a smile spread. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I actually think I know the three Classes I could want.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Aster said, smiling at her daughter. ¡°Tell us more.¡±


    ¡°I have three levels ¨C [Brawler], [Martial Lady], and [Young Lady of Flame]. They all let me fight.¡±


    Freddie dropped the bomb as if nothing had happened at all. And she sent all three adults reeling. But it was her father who spoke first.


    ¡°Take [Young Lady of Flame], darling. It¡¯s a Rare, I¡¯m assuming?¡±


    ¡°Bridian,¡± Aster said warningly, ¡°Fredericka is capable of choosing her own path.¡±


    Absentmindedly, Freddie nodded and answered her father anyway. ¡°And it seems like it¡¯ll give me a range of stats rather than focusing too hard on one.¡±


    She was too busy thinking of all the ways she could integrate the fires of this world into her style from elsewhere. Would her soul rune carry over? Would the flames she could wield still burn her, or would she be immune? What did it all mean?


    She knew she wasn¡¯t going to take any of the crazier Classes. It just wasn¡¯t what she wanted ¡ªdespite the attributes it would give her. Also, she hardly had enough Divinity to make use of [Devourer of the Forbidden Fruit] before it leveled so high it made her Anathema to the Divines and stripped her Divinity whole.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided,¡± Freddie announced after another second.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to become a [Young Lady of Flame]. It¡¯s the best one out of the three I want, and it gives me the ability to wield flames. I want it.¡±


    Before anyone said anything, Freddie mentally selected the Class, and a red notice appeared, the same shade as her other boxes.


    [System Notice: Please confirm your Class selection of ¡®Young Lady of Flame,¡¯ a Tier 1 - Rare Class.]


    ¡°Confirmed,¡± she said aloud, to the immediate clamor of her parents and grandfather, all rapidly standing and approaching her.


    [System Notice: Class Confirmed!]


    [Congratulations! You have obtained the class ¡®Young Lady of Flame,¡¯ a Tier 1 - Rare Class!]


    [Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]


    [Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Manipulation - Fire]


    [Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Conjuration - Fire]


    [Accumulated experience is being applied!]


    [Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]


    [Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]


    ¡­


    [Congratulations! You have leveled up Young Lady of Flame!]


    [Congratulations! You have obtained the Class Skill: Imbue Flame!]


    ¡°Hey, mom?¡± Freddie glanced at her mother before returning her gaze to the barrage of crimson notices.


    ¡°Yes, dear?¡± Aster said, stilling in her approach as she got within grabbing distance of Freddie.


    ¡°I think you¡¯ll need to¡ª¡± Freddie stumbled, and a new notification flooded her vision.


    [System Notice: Warning! A large amount of experience was applied! The System advises taking a meditative state as soon as possible. It is estimated that your body will acclimate to the new attributes in: 9 Hours 59 Minutes 59 Seconds]


    ¡°¡ªcatch me.¡±


    Freddie fell directly into her father¡¯s arms.


    ¡°How many times did you level, Fred?¡± he asked worriedly.


    As the sensations rushed through Freddie¡¯s body, she felt her muscles spasm and her veins burn. Freddie didn¡¯t have the wherewithal to answer. She was too busy being aware of every cell in her body. Too busy forcing her eyes shut. Too busy feeling her very existence alter.


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    ¡°Son,¡± the Duke said coolly, ¡°worry about that later. For now, set her down. It¡¯s best this doesn¡¯t leave the room.¡±


    Gently, Bridian set Freddie down on the plush couch and propped her head up on a pillow.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, sweetheart. It¡¯ll take time to adjust. You should have a countdown. Use the time to look at your Status and understand what has changed.¡± Bridian kissed Freddie on the forehead, and she could feel it in her bones.


    Too much.


    All Freddie could do was groan in response.


    Soon, though, the sensation passed, and she was left with a sense of uncertainty in her own body. Attempting to lean further into the pillow, Freddie lifted her hand and gripped the fabric. A tearing sound resounded, and the pillow fluff found its way onto Freddie¡¯s face. She sneezed as it tickled her nose and slammed her head into the back of the couch, cracking the wooden frame. Behind her, she heard grumbling coming from her grandfather.


    ¡°I liked that couch,¡± he said under his breath. But still, Freddie could hear it.


    [Status]


    [Name: Fredericka Nemo]


    [Race: Human]


    [Age: 8]


    [Unallocated Stat Points: 0]


    [Vitality: 89 Endurance: 27]


    [Strength: 48 Dexterity: 44]


    [Perception: 24 Magic: 42]


    [Luck: 78 Divinity: 37]


    [0th Tier Class: Child of the Gods, Max Level]


    [Boon: Druigr¡¯s Blessing]


    [1st Tier Class: Young Lady of Flame, Level 10]


    [Skills:


    0th Tier: Inspect Lv. 1, Running Lv. 1, Sparkler Lv. 1


    1st Tier: Quick Fight Lv. 1, Bright as a Flickering Flame Lv. 1, Fire Step Lv. 1


    2nd Tier: Otherworldly Lv. 1, Fire Conjuration Lv. 1, Fire Manipulation Lv. 1


    3rd Tier: Imbue Flame Lv. 1


    Untiered: Hidden Heart Lv. 1, Regenerate Lv. 1]


    Freddie took a deep breath, careful not to move, and then she started whispering.


    ¡°[Inspect][Inspect][Inspect]¡±


    [Fire Conjuration: As a Young Lady of Flame, you are a fighter and a noble. Ruler of the domain of Flame. Whether you wield the flame offensively, defensively, or passively is dependent on your will. With this Skill, you will be able to summon a corporeal Fire that can interact with the world. Total effectiveness is dependent on your Perception, Magic, and Divinity stats. Additional effects unlocked upon level up.]


    [Fire Manipulation: As a Young Lady of Flame, the world of the Heatshiller shall be yours to command. Much like the monster of myth, you are capable of great things. Whether you alter fire to do your bidding, wrap yourself in the warmth only a true flame can bring, or wish to burn your enemies -this Skill will allow you to manipulate Fire according to your will. Total effectiveness is dependent on your Perception, Magic, and Divinity stats. Additional effects unlocked upon level up.]


    [Imbue Flame: As a Young Lady of Flame, you are the producer of warmth, the master of heat, the ruler of Fire. Now, you can imbue a part of your essence into an object to give it immunity to the damage inherent from being embodied by flame. Through your strength of will, your flames will be able to alter the essence of the target. Duration of enchantment increased upon level up. Additional feature unlocked upon level up.]


    As she read, the timer ticked down, and the adults sat in silence ¡ªoccasionally sharing a worried glance. Eventually, Aster left for a moment. When she returned, Freddie had finished reading.


    ¡°They will deliver lunch here, and I¡¯ve requested a soup. I¡¯ve also had our meeting with the Void Captain pushed to tomorrow,¡± Aster said, settling into another chair.


    ¡°Good, good, well, at least we¡¯ll get to spend Freddie¡¯s birthday with her all day,¡± the Duke laughed to himself.


    ¡°Dad,¡± Bridian hissed.


    ¡°What? She¡¯s sitting right there, fine and dandy. It¡¯s just stat sickness. She clearly leveled several times over.¡±


    ¡°Ten,¡± Freddie said carefully, attempting ¡ªunsuccessfully, not to bite her cheek while she spoke. She could taste the copper on her tongue.


    ¡°See, she leveled ten¡ªten?!¡± Her grandfather whipped his head to look at Freddie, peering at her intently before standing. His usual casual stance was nowhere to be found. Now, his back was straight, and his eyes were sharp.


    ¡°Aster, forget canceling the meeting with the Void Captain ¡ªbring Tiltham here. She needs to be briefed on what¡¯s happening next. Bridian, go get Marasha. She¡¯ll need to know as well. Be discreet, both of you. Our plans for a simple Affirmation need to be adjusted.¡±


    His commands were absolute, and Freddie¡¯s parents nodded seriously and left the room.


    Once they were gone, the Duke of Nemo kneeled next to Freddie. Brushing a strand of her pink hair aside, orange eyes met orange eyes, and he sighed.


    ¡°Oh, you¡¯re going to be trouble.¡±


    Freddie released a wicked smile, ¡°It should be my middle name.¡±


    ¡°Yes, well, unfortunately, you¡¯re named after me. Not the headache you¡¯re causing. Now, rest. Your parents and I have to make plans.¡±


    At that, a wave of tiredness overcame Freddie. When she awoke, it was to the slam of a door and hushed voices she could just barely make out.


    ¡°Tiltham, she needs to get everything to Level 5. And she needs to do it before her Affirmation. I can push it a few more weeks, but not much longer.¡± The Duke of Nemo was in commander mode, issuing orders, not suggestions.


    ¡°We can do it, my Lord. But it¡¯ll take Lady Fredericka¡¯s dedication, as well,¡± came a feminine voice that Freddie knew was the Knight Captain of the main contingent of the Void, Nemo¡¯s sworn protectors.


    ¡°That won¡¯t be a problem.¡± His voice was hard, assured, brooking no argument.


    ¡°I¡¯ll keep her brothers away as much as possible. They¡¯re too young to understand the importance of it ¡ªbut maybe I can get Priya to take them on a trip to the lakehouse for a week.¡± That was Marasha, Freddie¡¯s governess. She sounded unsure but determined still.


    ¡°Good. Worst case, Aster or Bridian will talk to them. Agreed?¡±


    ¡°Agreed.¡±


    Freddie slowly, controlling every aspect of her movement with sheer force of will, turned over on the couch to face the group that had come to occupy the area around her grandfather''s desk.


    ¡°What about me?¡±


    All five adults froze and turned to look at Freddie, slowly propping herself up.


    ¡°Come on, you can¡¯t say that and not expect me to want to know.¡± She laughed, and it unsettled the room. She shouldn¡¯t be able to move, let alone speak so clearly. Her timer still had four hours left.


    But still, her body obeyed her. Her careful movement didn¡¯t splinter wood, and her talking no longer tore her mouth apart. Then she was sitting up, peering at the adults with sharp, knowing eyes.


    ¡°So,¡± Freddie spoke slowly, running the conversation back in her mind, ¡°I¡¯ll be locked away to train for the month. I can do that. But I want to train all of my Skills ¡ªnot just my Class Skills.¡±


    Tiltham snorted. ¡°My Lady, that is the plan.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Freddie, a noble should never have to speak a Skill aloud in public.¡± Aster said it softly, reminding her of the way Marasha taught her. Gentle corrections and soft-spoken words.


    Marasha was next to her, fondly shaking her head. ¡°My Lady, we¡¯ll get you there. We¡¯ll protect you.¡±


    Freddie, in response, gave a snort of her own.


    As the adults all had shifting expressions, Freddie focused only on Marasha¡¯s amused look.


    ¡°I don¡¯t want your protection. I want to train so I can protect myself.¡±

 CH 4 - Fights

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 2


    Freddie ate dinner slowly, practicing using her strength in all the right ways. An interesting thing about having so much Vitality was that she didn¡¯t grow as hungry or as sleepy. Her mother had told her she also wouldn¡¯t have to use the bathroom as often anymore ¡ªher body would be more efficient at processing waste and extracting benefit. It was a neat boon.


    Her brothers had not joined the table. In fact, none other than the Duke and Freddie¡¯s parents were there. Even the usual staff that served dinner were gone ¡ªin their place was Marasha. Who was in no way a maid or footman. Tiltham was guarding the door, and Freddie was growing tired of the separation already.


    ¡°When do we start training?¡± She asked to no one in particular.


    ¡°Are you eager to begin?¡± The Duke of Nemo peered down the table at his granddaughter, deciding something.


    ¡°I am.¡± Freddie twirled her fork effortlessly ¡ªas if it hadn¡¯t been a struggle not to crush it just minutes before.


    Her adaptability had been her strength in elsewhere, and it sure wouldn¡¯t be her weakness here. She wanted to start working towards more than mere competency with her Skills. She wanted to master them.


    ¡°I have specific Skills I¡¯m after too.¡± Freddie grinned as she spoke, infusing her intent into every word.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Aster said, leaning in, ¡°Do tell.¡±


    Freddie dropped the fork gently, ¡°I want [Unarmed Combat] and all the adjacent Skills. I want to use my fists, not any blade.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s face grew grim, ¡°You want to be a frontline fighter?¡±


    ¡°I do.¡± Freddie¡¯s response held no hesitation, no fear, no consideration for the position this put her family in.


    That wasn¡¯t to say Freddie didn¡¯t understand their hesitation. Her body was small ¡ªshe was a child, after all. But she wouldn¡¯t be small forever. Freddie would grow, and as she did, so would her Strength. With every Skill Level, every mystery uncovered, every step forward, her power would increase. So long as she was prepared, there was no reason to stop and reconsider.


    Whether Freddie¡¯s face conveyed all this was irrelevant.


    The Duke was displeased.


    ¡°After you reach competency in your current Skills, we¡¯ll work on adding additional Skills. Agreed?¡±


    Freddie¡¯s grin faltered, ¡°Are you telling me as my grandfather or as the Duke?¡±


    That was it. The moment Freddie realized everything had changed. Her freedom wasn¡¯t guaranteed. No, despite the lavish life the Nemos held, they had a patriarch. A commander. A master.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The Duke said, his eyes hard, but his face maintained that same jovial grandfatherly look he always used when talking to his granddaughter.


    ¡°Are you telling me or asking me not to work on fighter Skills?¡± Freddie¡¯s voice was still the high pitch of a young girl, but her undertones were different ¡ªas if this was a test. A test of allegiance for her grandfather. As if she was asking, ¡®can I trust you to guide me.¡¯


    ¡°Does it make a difference?¡± His own voice was hushed, and it was lined with the same uncertainty that captured Freddie.


    Freddie nodded and said softly, ¡°How could it not?¡±


    ¡°Then it¡¯s a suggestion. To wait until after your Affirmation.¡± Her grandfather reached out his hand and gripped Freddie¡¯s, ¡°We¡¯ll work on what you want for your future. Nothing shall be denied to you, my dear. For you are the future Duchess of Nemo, the Lady of the Void.¡±


    Aster and Bridian hummed their agreement as they took their food from Marasha.


    ¡°No one will stop you, darling,¡± her mother smiled gently, ¡°We simply want you to be sure before you denounce a path you¡¯ve never tried.¡±


    ¡°What your mother said, Fred,¡± Bridian laughed, ¡°Some paths are harder than others ¨Csome more deadly. Being a pugilist isn¡¯t a bad path. It¡¯s just a dangerous one.¡±


    Freddie felt warmth bubble up inside of her. It was nothing like elsewhere. In the before, before the two became one inside of her, it was dark. A time of turmoil that never seemed to end in Kalina¡¯s life. And instead of dealing with the root problems, she fought tooth and nail to suppress them. She began in small rings, fighting with her fists against the other destitute of her homeland. Then, slowly, she worked her way up. From underground brawls against sickly men who would beat her black and blue to televised fights in rings the size of stadiums where elementals came at her on all sides. Every blow brought her clarity. Every hit she took helped her heal. Kalina was broken. And Freddie was not Kalina. Not anymore.


    Freddie wouldn¡¯t be easy to hurt ever again.


    ¡°Besides,¡± Freddie said, a smile gracing her face once again, ¡°I¡¯ll be ready for whatever that life throws at me, right? Training and preparation and even more training? I won¡¯t just jump into it by myself.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± her grandfather grunted, ¡°Now, let¡¯s enjoy this meal. It¡¯ll be the last one we can share together for a while. Your aunts and uncles will grow curious, and we need to prepare them for your Affirmation beforehand so that they aren¡¯t blindsided.¡±


    The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.


    Aster and Bridian laughed as if the Duke had made a joke, but Freddie was simply pleased to move on. Any tension that had been in the room drained at those words of finality. So, they dined, and they chatted, and Marasha sat with them as if she were one of the Nemos. As if she was both less and more than a Governess. But no one complained, not when Marasha was trusted so fully.


    Not when Marasha saw so much.


    <hr>


    She couldn¡¯t stop herself. Freddie got back to her room and found her voice immediately.


    ¡°[Fire Conjuration]¡±


    She wanted to start small, a flame meant for a candle¡ªnothing more. So she fueled it with the same power she had given [Sparkler] earlier. The mana burned through her veins as she sent it out. Her intent filled her from her head to her toes, and she focused everything she had on it.


    After a breath, embers began appearing between Freddie¡¯s open palms. Then they alighted in an orange flame. It started small, a pinprick, and then the flame began to whirl in the air, growing bit by bit until it was a ball nearly the size of Freddie¡¯s head.


    ¡°Wait¨C¡± she said, just a smidge too late, as she pulled her hands away from the growing heat.


    The ball of flame didn¡¯t fall, but it also didn¡¯t stop growing.


    Freddie¡¯s veins remained superheated, and she was pressing her palms down on her forearms in an attempt to stop the pain. In her panic, she hadn¡¯t realized her mistake. It only took another moment.


    ¡°[Fire Manipulation]¡±


    Immediately, the fireball shifted away from Freddie¡ªand began to shift in time with Freddie¡¯s thoughts. With a single thought, if shifted back. Its heat no longer licking Freddie¡¯s skin. It didn¡¯t help the burning sensation of the mana, though it did seem to stop the growing of the ball.


    As time passed, the burning in her veins was no longer a shock. It went from magma dripping out of her palms to a gentle warmth trickling out of her pores.


    That was when she took the time to examine the fireball properly. It was flickering and brilliant all at once. It both burned her eyes and warmed her heart. It felt familiar. Much like in elsewhere, when fighting fire with fire, she felt complete.


    Reaching her hand out, Freddie felt the heat of the fire as her fingertips brushed the edge of the flame. Then she grasped it. As if it were hers. As if she were the controller of flame. At that moment, she felt her Class affect her.


    [Young Lady of Flame]


    The fire was hers.


    That was when the burning started. The fire licked her skin, its heat sinking into her. Freddie could feel her nerves exploding in response as her skin grew red and puckered.


    Freddie didn¡¯t stop. She didn¡¯t waver. Instead, a mad grin formed on her face.


    She stared at her hands, burning in the fire she¡¯d claimed as hers.


    ¡°[Imbue Flame]¡±


    More magma filled Freddie¡¯s veins, more pain, more settling into warmth radiating out of her. It fought back against the pain of burning flesh.


    And then the burning stopped. Sure, her hand still stung, ripe and blistering from the previous heat of the flame, but no longer was it actively getting worse. Instead, the flames clung to her hand like a ball-shaped glove. She stretched her quickly blistering fingers, and the fire flexed with her.


    ¡°Beautiful.¡± She whispered.


    It was hardly the worst wound she¡¯d ever had. And really, should she have tried it in opposite? Yes. But that didn¡¯t bother her too much either. Freddie had never been a strategist. She was a fighter, a brawler, a gladiator. Nothing more.


    Then she snapped both Skills and shut them down with a thought.


    ¡°That¡¯s enough for tonight,¡± she sighed, rubbing her neck with her good hand. ¡°Well, actually. There¡¯s another thing I could try.¡±


    The feeling of magma began welling up again, this time in Freddie¡¯s chest. It circled her heart like the world¡¯s worst case of heartburn. Then she spoke a final time.


    ¡°[Regenerate]¡±


    It was ice, it was heat, it was the relief of skin being reformed. It was healing.


    Freddie let out a long, satisfied breath. The pain was gradually disappearing and she was thrilled to learn how well the Skill worked. She figured it was a mix of her Rare Class, her Divinity, and her 42 Magic. Otherwise, she would have exhausted her mana reserves by now¡ªlike the first time she¡¯d used [Sparkler].


    It would take the edge off the more dangerous stunts she was likely to pull ¡ªif her life went anything like she planned.


    As the last blister sunk back into the skin of her hand, Freddie laughed. It was a mad thing, a thing of danger and disaster.


    That was when a knock came from her door.


    It wasn¡¯t late, not really. The suns of Gargantua had barely set on the horizon. When Freddie glanced out the window, she could still see the red light wrapping the world. But it wouldn¡¯t be a maid. Her Grandfather had told her as much. She was basically being sequestered away from the family and staff until she reached competency in all of her unique Skills.


    So who could it be?


    Her mother, perhaps, come to reassure her.


    Her father, maybe, come to give her advice.


    Surely not Marasha or Tiltham. They were likely busy with preparations for tomorrow.


    Her grandfather was the most likely culprit, busybody that he was.


    Deciding it didn¡¯t really matter. Freddie used her freshly healed hand to open the door.


    She looked out into the hallway, peering up at the face of someone nonexistent¡ªliterally. When she looked up, no one was there. A smile spread across her face, a big grin she hadn¡¯t expected, and she looked down.


    Where she found three boys that were exact replicas of each other.


    ¡°Trips,¡± Freddie said adoringly, calling out to the triplets.


    She held her arms open for the blonde-haired, orange-eyed boys, Hubert, Lester, and Eugene tackled their elder sister with everything they had.


    ¡°Freddieeeeee,¡± they cried out of unison.


    ¡°You never came to see us,¡± Hue said, sniffling.


    ¡°We were waiting for you!¡± Les cried, anger permeating his soft voice.


    ¡°We wanted to give you your gift, but you forgot about us as soon as you Awakened,¡± Gene accused, rubbing his face into Freddie¡¯s arm.


    ¡°Trips, please,¡± Freddie pleaded, working overtime to ensure she brushed all of their hair with loving pats. ¡°I¡¯m here now!¡±


    ¡°Now that we¡¯ve trapped you,¡± Hue grumbled.


    Freddie was overwhelmed with their love, it brought tears to her eyes, remembering how lonely elsewhere had been. And she wrapped her arms around the three boys, squeezing tight ¡ªbut not so tight that her increased Strength would hurt them.


    ¡°No, now that¡¯s simply not true. I¡¯ve got you.¡±

 CH 5 - Off the Path

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 3


    It was a short visit, where the boys each gave Freddie something different. Hue gave her a handkerchief with the symbol of Nemo, a star emblazoned in silver on a black fabric. Les gave her a nice pair of leather running shoes. Gene gave her a locket that, when opened, displayed an image of the four siblings in a three-dimensional picture. They had to of talked to their parents for such things, and Freddie¡¯s heart was full as she sent the boys off to bed.


    She slept with the locket around her neck, a firm resolve filling her.


    Freddie wouldn¡¯t be strong enough to just protect herself. She¡¯d have enough power to protect the boys, too.


    When she awoke in the morning, her determination was still there, but some of her edge was dulled ¡ªin the way sleep smoothed the harsh tone of her voice and made her mind hazy.


    Rolling out of bed, Freddie prepared for the day ¡ªbrushing her hair and pulling it back into a simple ponytail and changing into the shoes Les had given her, paired with a set of pastel green overall shorts and a flowing white shirt. She was careful with the locket as she got ready and even tucked the handkerchief into her pocket before she headed out.


    It was time to go see Tiltham.


    It was an easy search ¡ªbecause Tiltham was outside Freddie¡¯s door preparing to knock when Freddie swung it open.


    ¡°My Lady, you¡¯re up,¡± Tiltham recovered smoothly, dropping her hand, ¡°Wonderful. We¡¯ll eat and sleep at the training hall for the foreseeable future. Breakfast should be there for us shortly.¡±


    Freddie, however, had reeled back in shock, not expecting the woman to be at her door.


    ¡°Okay,¡± she said slowly, finding her bearings, ¡°Why not? Let¡¯s go.¡±


    Tiltham¡¯s face was smooth, but Freddie could almost hear her say, ¡®It¡¯s not really like you have a choice.¡¯


    That wasn¡¯t true, of course. Freddie knew she always had a choice ¡ªshe could simply choose to suffer the consequences instead. This wasn¡¯t one of those moments where the illusion of choice made her feel that same suffocating feeling as when her mother sent her to the pits for the first time. Instead, it was a feeling of preparation. It was Freddie¡¯s first step into Maeve, into this new world that was set up for her success. A Rare Class and specialized Skills were all she needed.


    ¡°Lady Fredericka, it¡¯ll be three weeks of grueling Skill grinding. Are you sure you¡¯re ready?¡± Tiltham didn¡¯t seem to mean it negatively, but Freddie still bristled.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Freddie said, a sharp grin on her face, ¡°I¡¯ll be better than fine. I¡¯ll be the best pupil you ever had.¡±


    At that, Tiltham snorted, ¡°We¡¯ll see, my Lady.¡±


    Freddie reminded herself to grin and bear it.


    I¡¯m a child. Freshly turned eight. I have plenty of time to show them the truth. To show them just how capable I can be.


    It didn¡¯t help ease her frustration.


    <hr>


    The training room Tiltham was taking her to wasn¡¯t even, technically, on the estate.


    They¡¯d had to leave the winding hallways of the glorified castle that the family referred to colloquially as the manor, with its dark walls and old portraits. After descending a side stairwell reserved for household staff, the pair had snuck out of the manor ¡ªdodging the prying eyes of other family members. Of course, all they had to do was look out at the rolling hills surrounding the manor and they would be able to see the both of them trekking out to the wall that surrounded the estate.


    ¡°Why couldn¡¯t we take a carriage again?¡± Freddie complained as they climbed a ladder up the wall.


    ¡°Because a carriage requires someone to drive said carriage, and horses, and horse feed, and it¡¯s barely an hour walk. Consider it part of your training.¡± As they crested the top of the wall, Tiltham grabbed Freddie and jumped the ten feet to the ground, landing with a light thump.


    Freddie perked up as Tiltham released her back to the ground. ¡°Do you think we could run there?¡±


    Tiltham looked around at the vast and, more importantly, empty hills past the wall and nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll pace you. Are you going to use a Skill?¡±


    With a flash of a smile, Freddie nodded.


    ¡°[Running]¡±


    A shock of electricity filled her as Freddie took off, her muscles tightening and then rapidly loosening as she left Tiltham behind. The older woman only took a breath to catch up and take the lead, guiding the pair where they needed to go.


    ¡°It¡¯s a marathon, not a sprint, my Lady, be mindful of your stamina exertion,¡± Tiltham said, her breathing steady.


    Freddie didn¡¯t slow, instead she attempted to catch up and pass the knight. Tiltham didn¡¯t speed up as Freddie burst past her, her pink ponytail jumping as she moved. She let out a short puff of air and took a short breath in, her sinuses clearing as they ran. It was minutes before Tiltham took back her place in front and guided Freddie to veer to the side.


    After a few more minutes of running full speed, Freddie was starting to flag. She never slowed, though. Instead, she grit her teeth and pushed harder. Tiltham thought she¡¯d give up, and Freddie wasn¡¯t about to prove the woman right.


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    As Freddie was in her head, hyping herself up to crush Tiltham¡¯s expectations, TIltham suddenly grabbed Freddie¡¯s arm and pulled her close, positioning Freddie behind the woman¡¯s back.


    ¡°Stay still,¡± Tiltham hissed, gripping Freddie¡¯s arm with more force than the girl thought necessary¡ªbut she stilled just as the woman told her.


    As Tiltham scanned their surroundings, she withdrew her sword. It was a beautiful thing that shined silver in the morning light, but the sight of it made Freddie¡¯s heart beat fast in her chest. Looking around, Freddie searched for what was putting Tiltham on edge.


    Too late, she saw it.


    It lurched for Freddie so fast she barely had time to consider what it could be. Its green scales were all she could see as Tiltham twitched and lunged between Freddie and the monster ¡ªa serpent that had sprouted out of the ground. Its body was adorned with vine-like appendages and on its head sat several leaves that protruded like antennae. Tiltham was growling at the thing like a rabid dog and slamming the hilt of her sword against her metal chest piece to make a loud clanking noise. It was grating on Freddie¡¯s ears ¡ªbut it was also clearly affecting the serpent as well.


    Not enough, though, because Freddie was being pushed back by Tiltham as the woman began her offense against the oversized snake. However, if Tiltham struck its side, the serpent bolted away just in time. If Tiltham struck out for its face, the serpent opened its mouth and used its fangs to deflect. It wasn¡¯t until Freddie felt something change in the air that she sensed the heat of mana coming off of Tiltham ¨Cand then the serpent¡¯s body was pierced by Tiltham¡¯s sword.


    A deep white goo began to ooze out of the cut, but Tiltham didn¡¯t pause, didn¡¯t hesitate; she simply continued her onslaught of blows. Slowly, dozens of small cuts were decorating the serpent''s scales. They oozed white blood and smeared the gunk across the monster¡¯s body.


    Another wave of heat came from Tiltham, and this time, her sword began to radiate a black miasma. The woman braced herself and then lunged, aiming for one of the already open wounds. Hitting her mark, she dug her sword into the body of the serpent and it released a hiss so viscous Freddie was surprised that it hadn¡¯t spit venom at Tiltham.


    Right as Tiltham pulled her sword free, the serpent shifted. It angled itself to lunge over the woman¡¯s shoulder, but Tiltham was too fast¡ªtoo ready for it. She blocked the lunge, but her block met empty air as the serpent feinted to the other side.


    The creature wasn¡¯t aiming for Tiltham at all.


    No.


    It was going for Freddie, who had been watching from just a few feet back. Her fists clenched.


    Before the beast had lunged toward her, she¡¯d whispered, ¡°[Inspect].¡±


    [Clematis Serpent, Tier 2, Level 12]


    [A serpent forged in nature mana, it has integrated with a nature elemental and forged its own mana core.]


    She was regretting knowing, but instead of panicking Freddie took a centering breath. Then the thing was headed straight for her.


    She didn¡¯t even have time to swear, just threw her hands up and hissed, ¡°[Fire Conjur¡ª¡±


    It took too long. It. Took. Too. Long.


    She was cut off by the sight of fangs aimed right for her face.


    And then Freddie brought her hands up to her face, blocking the bite with the flesh of her arm. Whether that was better, she hadn¡¯t decided.


    Speaking frankly, it hurt.


    The clematis serpent¡¯s fangs had breached her skin, drawing blood. It was clinging to her arm, its leaf antennae brushing against Freddie¡¯s mouth as she dragged the thing down.


    Freddie couldn¡¯t explain it if someone asked, couldn¡¯t say why she was possessed to do it, but it didn¡¯t change the fact that she did it anyway.


    She bit down on the closest antenna and ripped. The fibrous appendage tasted grainy in her mouth, and as she pulled, she thought of all the things she hated. Losing was tantamount among all else.


    This thing had wounded her, taken its own piece of flesh. Freddie would do the same.


    The antenna came off with a sickening sound, and the clematis serpent whirled away from Freddie, releasing her arm. And it wailed. It wailed so loud that a nearby bush shook. Freddie spat out the antenna. It had bought her the time she needed.


    ¡°[Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]¡±


    Magma coursed through her vein, and a bright orange fireball encased the body of the serpent, consuming it like fuel. And then Tiltham turned and swiped her sword across the clematis serpent¡¯s head, severing the beast¡¯s skull from its body.


    Freddie cut off the Skill almost immediately and stared at the body of the beast.


    ¡°Oh my god,¡± she sighed, then, slowly, a manic grin began to form, ¡°Oh my god.¡±


    ¡°My Lady¡ª¡± Tiltham rushed to her, pulling out something from the bag at her hip, but Freddie wasn¡¯t paying attention.


    She was too busy laughing.


    ¡°That was awesome.¡±


    And then the notifications came in.


    [System Notice: For defeating a hostile with 50% contribution you have unlocked the command [Combat Report]. This will give you details regarding your actions, experience, and achievements. This report condenses all notifications from combat into a single notification. Once the command is utilized the [Combat Report] will become the default notification for combat encounters.]


    Before even glancing at the other notifications, Freddie commanded the System to use [Combat Report].


    [Combat Report]


    [Skills Used in Combat:


    Inspect Lv. 1


    Fire Manipulation Lv. 1


    Fire Conjuration Lv. 1]


    [Hostiles Defeated:


    1 Level 32 Adult Clematis Serpent - Killed]


    [Contribution: 50%]


    [Level Discrepancy: 22 Levels]


    [Overall Experience Modifier Adjusted for:


    50% Contribution against Hostile


    20+ Level below Hostile]


    [Achievements:


    Utilized Inspect to Identify a Monster for the first time. Extra experience applied.


    Sustained Fire Conjuration in combat for the first time. Extra experience applied.


    Sustained Fire Manipulation in combat for the first time. Extra experience applied.


    Survived first Team Combat against a higher-tier monster. Extra experience applied.]


    [Post-Combat Results:


    Skill Level Up! Inspect is now Level 2!


    Skill Level Up! Fire Manipulation is now Level 2!


    Skill Level Up! Fire Conjuration is now Level 2!


    Class Experience Applied.


    Class Level is now Level 11]


    Freddie felt the world grow bright, her body changing once again. This time, instead of collapsing, Freddie took the leveling in stride. Flexing her body and taking a deep breath, she had a wide grin on her face, even as Tiltham was trying to forcibly hold her arm still.


    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t worry about that,¡± Freddie said casually, ¡°[Regenerate].¡±


    As the puncture wound on her arm began swirling closed, Freddie felt the heat of mana in her well up once again.


    The only thought the rest of the way to the training hall repeated in Freddie¡¯s head.


    This is gonna be fun.

 CH 6 - Training Hall

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 3


    Tiltham was not happy when Freddie and she arrived at the training hall. It wasn¡¯t much more than an oversized barn, but Freddie didn¡¯t really mind. She did mind, however, when she realized what they¡¯d be eating. To clarify, Tiltham was unhappy with Freddie, and Freddie was unhappy with the food.


    ¡°It¡¯s jerky. And water.¡± As Freddie looked through the sacks on the floor of the room, she frowned. ¡°Just jerky and water. That can¡¯t be real.¡±


    ¡°My Lady,¡± Tiltham started before glowering, ¡°We really should discuss what happened.¡±


    ¡°Tiltham,¡± Freddie interrupted, ¡°Is this for real?¡±


    ¡°The jerky? Yes, it¡¯s standard rations.¡± Tiltham was doing her best to stay collected, but the woman was hardly used to the new Freddie ¡ªhow could she be? It¡¯d been less than a day.


    ¡°But¨C¡± Freddie paused, shaking her head, ¡°No. Nevermind. It¡¯s fine.¡±


    ¡°You cannot do what you¡¯ve just done,¡± Tiltham continued as if the food were of no consequence whatsoever. ¡°You cannot allow yourself to be injured. I saw you try to fight first¡ªbefore jumping out of the way or guarding.¡±


    At that, Freddie turned to Tiltham, a harsh look on her face, ¡°Actually, I can do that. I can do whatever I please. That¡¯s the joy of being Awakened.¡±


    Tiltham recoiled at the tone in Freddie¡¯s voice, then recollected herself, ¡°We¡¯ll see if you have the power to back that desire up, my Lady. You¡¯ll need to train for that, though. So grab some jerky, and let¡¯s get started.¡±


    Freddie huffed and grabbed a bag of the dried meat. Ripping a piece off, she ate quickly ¡ªwith irritation and determination both swirling inside of her. It was a terrible breakfast, and Freddie found herself wishing, for the first time, that she was back in elsewhere. At least when she trained there, it was hot food that kept her going.


    Soon enough, the pair were standing at the center of the training hall.


    ¡°We¡¯ll start with [Running] and [Fire Step],¡± Tiltham read off a clipboard, and Freddie frowned and then broke out into a smile upon realization.


    ¡°Both at the same time?¡± Freddie asked with a sparkle in her eye.


    ¡°You¡¯re quick. Yes. Both. At the same time.¡± Tiltham gave a sharp nod.


    ¡°Why?¡± Freddie¡¯s voice was edged with excitement. She was ready to grow, to increase her power step by brutal step.


    Tiltham smiled a predatory grin, ¡°To increase the difficulty, of course. Let¡¯s see if you can jump on top of one of your platforms from a run¡ªonce you¡¯ve got it down at a faster speed, slower should be a piece of cake, my Lady¡±


    After a breath of them just standing together, Tiltham walked to the edge of the training hall.


    ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± She called. ¡°Start [Running] and summon [Fire Step].¡±


    Freddie backed up and headed toward the back wall, not needing to be told twice.


    She closed her eyes and felt it. The magma in her veins coming to the surface, her muscles stretching and shifting.


    ¡°[Running]¡±


    Freddie took off at her top speed, her heels thudding against the ground.


    ¡°[Fire Step]¡±


    Magma rushed out of the soles of her feet. Freddie could feel the mana pooling and sparking and forming a platform. She could feel it. She knew exactly where it would be. So she jumped.


    Pushing off the ground at a speed higher than any child had a right to run, she lunged for the flickering spark in the air¡ªthe spark that became a flame¡ªthe flame that grew into something more¡ªsomething solid.


    Freddie knew she could do it. Her first try. It was right there. She took a sharp breath.


    And then she was falling ¡ªthe tip of her toe caught on the edge of the fiery platform. The unexpected meeting of her face to flame caused her to close her eyes and roll away from the fire. The heat of the flame licked her skin, and Freddie heard a shattering sound as her body hit the platform. Under her weight, the platform collapsed. Freddie found herself hitting her head on the dirt floor on her first try.


    ¡°Are you all right, Lady Fredericka?¡± Tiltham called, a grin in her voice that Freddie decided she didn¡¯t like very much.


    Sitting upright, Freddie climbed back up to standing.


    And then she tried again.


    ¡°[Running]¡±


    Her body energized, the pace not so bad, and this time Freddie waited until she was halfway through the hall to call out another Skill.


    ¡°[Fire Step],¡± She grit out.


    This time, she jumped as she spoke and the fiery platform formed underneath her feet ¡ªleaving Freddie¡¯s heels sliding off the edge of the back of the platform, just missing landing. Stumbling on her landing, she at least did not fall again.


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    ¡°Closer.¡± She hissed to herself.


    She tried again. Missing the platform entirely.


    Again. She landed on top of the platform and shattered it when she stumbled, falling to the ground.


    Again. She tripped.


    Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again. Again.


    [Congratulations! Running is now Level 2!]


    [Congratulations! Fire Step is now Level 2!]


    Still, she had not successfully run across [Fire Step]. Tripped, stumbled, slid? Yes. Run? Far from it.


    ¡°Level 2!¡± Freddie shouted, not even bothering to look at Tiltham.


    If Freddie had looked at Tiltham, she would have seen the knight''s look of shock. It had, after all, barely been two hours.


    ¡°Stop!¡± Tiltham shouted, just as Freddie screamed, ¡°[Fire Step]!¡±


    Freddie heard Tiltham, sure, but she didn¡¯t stop. Didn¡¯t falter. Magma left her and she jumped into the air, stepping solidly onto a flaming platform and running across just in time for the platform to shatter.


    ¡°Yes!¡± Freddie shouted, coming to a halt and clapping her hands together, her breathing labored, ¡°Proof of concept!¡±


    ¡°My Lady¡ª¡± Freddie turned to look at Tiltham just to find the woman up close and personal, looking at Freddie with a furrowed brow and pressed lips, ¡°Can you see your Divinity?¡±


    Shocked, Freddie nodded.


    ¡°What is it?¡±


    ¡°Uhm,¡± Freddie, taken aback by the knight¡¯s sudden appearance and the seriousness of her voice, stumbled backward, falling to the ground. ¡°Why?¡±


    ¡°No, stop,¡± Tiltham held up her hand, ¡°Don¡¯t give me specifics. Just nod yes or no ¡ªis your Divinity higher than 10? It matters for your training.¡±


    After a moment, Freddie nodded, and Tiltham swore. The knight took a deep breath and stepped back, away from Freddie. Turning her back to the girl, Tiltham held up her clipboard and made rough scratches and sweeping marks across the paper it held.


    ¡°Give me a moment,¡± TIltham said sharply, still furiously writing something down. Freddie could hear the rhythmic tapping of the pen on the paper.


    After a long minute, during which Freddie felt bone-deep exhaustion, she sat down. Stretching out, she extended her legs and began reaching for her toes, easily grasping the bottom of her shoes with her hands. Running through several other stretches, she waited for Tiltham to stop furiously writing, but she never did.


    White Tiltham was preoccupied with writing a novel, Freddie stood back up. She filled her mind with the thought of a single platform just a few inches off the ground.


    ¡°[Fire Step],¡± She whispered, and a new, smaller, fiery form appeared.


    Freddie stepped up gingerly, standing atop the platform easily.


    ¡°Wait, then why did it keep breaking?¡± She muttered, slamming her heel down ¡ªpromptly shattering the platform and forcing Freddie to catch herself in the sudden fall.


    Her heels slammed into the floor, and Freddie laughed.


    ¡°I wonder if I can do more than one?¡± She asked herself, then pulled the magma from her veins.


    ¡°[Fire Step].¡± Freddie stepped atop the summoned platform and, without missing a beat, spoke again. ¡°[Fire Step].¡±


    Another platform appeared just at the edge of the first thin platform. Freddie took another step, climbing another few inches into the air.


    Freddie had a mad grin on her face as she went to summon a third platform, ¡°[Fire St¡ªoh, crap!¡±


    The magma in her veins froze painfully, catching Freddie off guard and causing the platform that was holding her up to sizzle out of existence. This time, when Freddie fell through the platform, she bent her knees and rolled forward, tumbling away from where she¡¯d just been hovering above the ground.


    Freddie laid out flat, staring at the beams in the ceiling.


    I¡¯m out of mana, she decided. The exhaustion that plagued her was refusing to leave, but she reveled in it. She¡¯d been running and summoning fiery platforms for ages. Freddie was owed a break to recover herself.


    Tiltham took enough time that Freddie found herself dozing off just as Tiltham leaned over the girl. ¡°My Lady, I¡¯ve adjusted the schedule and sent word to the Duke about the changes. Marasha will not be pleased, but she¡¯s not the one out here.¡±


    Groggily, Freddie cleared the gunk out of her eyes. She¡¯d been going in and out of wakefulness for the better part of an hour, but at least she could feel a bit of mana back in her veins. Freddie brought herself to sit upright and looked up at the knight hovering above her.


    ¡°What¡¯s the plan?¡± She asked, a ghost of a smile gracing her lips.


    ¡°Originally, we needed to push all your Skills to their limit with dual usage, but at the pace you are leveling, with a mere two hours compared to the average eighteen, you should be able to get each Skill to Level 5 in a little over two days of training. You have eleven Skills we need to train, so we should be finished in 24 days¡ªjust in time for your Affirmation without pushing you to the brink each day.¡±


    Tiltham had a softer smile on her face, then, her relief showing through her voice. ¡°That means you¡¯ll be able to take it a bit easier than we started.¡±


    Freddie nodded, ¡°But we can do it?¡±


    ¡°Can we ever,¡± Tiltham laughed.


    ¡°What do we do when I run out of mana?¡± Freddie sighed, wrapping her arms around her knees and forcing her eyes open. It had only been two and a half hours. How was she supposed to make it through twelve every day? She simply didn¡¯t have the magic for it.


    ¡°Ah, ah,¡± Tiltham said, taking a vial of blue liquid out of her bag, ¡°Never forget ¡ªyou are the Daughter of Nemo. And Nemo is a treasure trove of [Alchemists].¡±


    Tiltham gently handed Freddie the vial, ¡°Once every two hours, up to eight times a day, you can take a regenerative Mana Potion.¡±


    Freddie took the vial, popping the wax top off with a flick of her finger, and tipped her head back, ¡°Cheers, then.¡±


    As Freddie downed the potion, Tiltham was once again frowning. But Freddie paid her no mind, instead focusing on the feeling of ice melting in her veins, overcome with heat. Between one breath and the next, Freddie¡¯s veins of magma returned, swelling with energy. The potion itself was pleasant enough, tasting of citrus and berries.


    Freddie stood up, stretching her arms over her head, nodding to herself.


    This will do. This will do amazing, she thought to herself, another wicked grin forming on her face.


    ¡°One at a time, then, right?¡± Freddie said, turning to Tiltham for confirmation. Once the older woman nodded severely, Freddie was speaking.


    ¡°[Fire Step]¡±


    Stepping atop the platform, Freddie spoke again, ¡°[Fire Step].¡±


    Another fiery platform appeared, and Freddie began to climb. Turning fully away from TIltham, she attempted to summon a third platform, ¡°[Fire Step]¡±


    As the sparks formed for the third platform, the first set of flames disbursed into the aether. Still, Freddie climbed, saying to Tiltham as she went, ¡°Catch me if I fall?¡±


    ¡°Always, Lady Fredericka.¡±


    ¡°[Fire Step]¡±


    She climbed up and up and up until she was so high her hands could touch the beams at the top of the barn, so overcome with pride was she that she simply stood there. Looking over the training hall.


    Somehow, the twenty-foot drop made her want to climb higher. Higher than the heavens.


    But what else was new?


    ¡°[Fire Step]¡±

 CH 6.5 - Interlude 1

    <h2>Divine Tales 1</h2>


    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 3


    A woman stood, towering over a realm that was all her own. Waves struck her legs and caused the pale blue of her dress to become translucent, revealing the sapphire tone of her skin for all to see. If anyone else had been allowed in her realm. But the Tydes of Fate were closed to outsiders, and they had been so for over a season.


    Ever since that thing had intruded on her Tydes predictions.


    Turning her head to the side, the woman watched as another disruptive wave crashed against her.


    Her whirlpool eyes glowed white as she screamed. Every crash elicited a new screech, a new wail of agony, of rage.


    ¡°Not again!¡± She howled across the ocean at her feet, the near-black water receding just to form a new wave.


    The woman braced herself, digging her heels into the white beach she ruled and throwing her arms out. As if to catch the wave in an embrace.


    This time, when the wave crashed, it hit a barrier. The water swelled and whirled and grew angry, but the woman did not allow it to pass. Her long navy hair whipped around her with the force of her magic. Unbound by Skills, controlled only by her own Divinity.


    ¡°Who? Who dares to bring a soul into this world?¡± The woman hissed, ¡°Who messes with fate, yet again?¡±


    The oceanic divine realm churned with her rage, but the waves did not abate. Not for an hour. Nor for a day. Nor, even, a week.


    The woman fought the disruptions, the ripples turned tsunamis that threatened the peace of her realm. The realm she called home. Against her were past, present, and futures yet to come true. Only, the Tydes had already read the proper futures. These ones were new. Some terrible, some beautiful, all chaotic. The woman, no¡ª the Goddess, tried to absorb the waves. Tried to take it all in.


    She used every ounce of will her Divinity gave her, forced every bit of Control and Observance and Luck she could wield into action.


    It was not enough.


    Images berated her mind. Pictures of a girl, pink haired and manic, flooded her vision. Trapped her mind in an inescapable torrent of Possibilities. Some saw the girl dead, impaled, eaten, drowned, poisoned. Some saw the girl triumphant, standing atop the new dead. Some saw her aflame, self-immolated yet unburned. Some saw her burned to ash. In some, she screamed. In others, she laughed. Ever more Possibilities flowed.


    All the Goddess could do was take in what she could ¡ªdecreasing the force of the Tydes. Attempting to spare the other Divine Realms from the flood. Attempting to protect her title as Keeper of the Tydes, Mistress of Fate.


    Time passed, and the barrage of futures never slowed, never dimmed, never weakened in its fury at being held back in the Goddess¡¯ realm. Still, she never wavered, either.


    The Goddess knew how long it had been, knew three weeks had passed. She knew the ins and outs of time better than most. It was, after all, part of her Domain. That, and Gambling. And though she could continue on, she knew she could not withstand the flood alone.


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    So, she separated her mind from her body, just for a fraction of a second. Just enough to force a blast of meaning through her realm and across the Great Divide that separated her and the other Divines.


    She needed Peace and Patience and Perseverance.


    So, she called for Mace and Greta and Mera.


    Her soul shattered into four, three shards streamed through the bright white sky, away from her body. The final piece sunk back into where it felt most at home. Within herself.


    ¡°You will not fell me, you blasted fiend!¡± The Goddess snarled at the all-consuming wave.


    She closed her eyes, just for a moment, just to recollect herself. And when she reopened them, there were three figures behind her, within her protection.


    The first to speak was a woman surrounded by floating swords, her skin and eyes a vibrant shade of pink. Her hair a deep magenta. Mera, Goddess of Perseverance.


    ¡°You called, Scylla?¡± Her voice was jovial, and her smile feral. She could no doubt feel the need to go beyond themselves to face this threat.


    The Goddess, Scylla, need not turn to perceive such things within her Domain. Even distracted as she was.


    ¡°You will name your price, Sisters and Brother, and you will help me to contain the Tydes of Fate.¡± Scylla¡¯s voice was clipped, strain slowly filling her.


    ¡°I will help, free of charge, Darling Youngest,¡± came a man¡¯s voice. The middle figure was simply light, the whiteness of his skin and clothes so bright there were no features to be seen. Not in a way any mortal could comprehend. This was Mace, God of Peace. A flare of light separated from his body and shot through Scylla¡¯s back, but rather than pain, it felt like coming home. ¡°Take your soul shard back. You will be needing it.¡±


    Scylla did not question Mace, for he knew all ways of Peace ¡ªeven fighting to maintain it. Despite his name, he was the Lord of True War. For one cannot be a peacekeeper without holding the power to maintain it.


    The third figure simply sighed.


    ¡°Oh, Sister, I will help, but my price will depend on how long I must stand as the bulwark.¡±


    Greta was shades of gray, and was the Goddess of Patience. The Lady of Attrition. Another war god.


    ¡°Oh, Youngest, you know I never shy away from a fight.¡± Mera¡¯s smile never wavered, never stalled. The sword halo around her proclaimed her a martial Goddess that was rivaled by so few. ¡°But I do not come free. We shall discuss your Prophecy in depth.¡±


    As they spoke, both Greta and Mera sent out their own bright lights into Scylla¡¯s back. Scylla happily took back the shattered remains of her soul, strengthening her hold on her Domain.


    ¡°A deal has been brokered, Sisters. Now, help.¡± Scylla forcefully agreed.


    ¡°Mera, to the midline, destroy the waves that I cannot stop from approaching shore,¡± Scylla commanded, power lacing her voice. The pink Goddess simply jumped backward. Thousands of swords appeared and glowed with a rosy hue.


    ¡°Brother, to the frontline with me. You will hold the Tydes while I absorb them.¡± Mace darted forward, taking the space next to Scylla.


    ¡°Greta, you will hold the realm together. Your power will outlast the flood should we all fall.¡±


    Greta simply nodded grimly, levitating into the air and summoning a dull barrier to encompass the oceanic realm.


    And so, they fought the Tydes of Fate.


    The Divines stood their ground. Mace created a barrier of light, Scylla took in the waves of possibilities, Mera destroyed the remnants that made it through, and Greta stood sentinel with her barrier.


    Their Domains flared and they became More. More of who they were meant to be, yes. But, more importantly, they transcended. Much like they had to become the Gods they were now.

 CH 7 - Perfect Practice...

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 3


    ¡°[Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation],¡± Freddie said, her wild grin spreading even further. Across the training room, Tiltham grimaced.


    Freddie, however, wasn¡¯t paying attention to the knight captain. Instead, she was focused on the flickering orb that was slowly growing a foot in front of her. The flames whipped around the air, wild and untamed. Freddie could feel the heat on her face, feel the magma flooding her veins and bursting out ¨Cfueling the orb of fire.


    It drained her mana sharply when the fire erupted into existence, but its maintenance was barely drawing on her reserves. The magma had cooled to a warm drain on her veins.


    As the orange flame flickered in front of her, controlled by her own power, Freddie was reminded of all the times she¡¯d fought fire with the pure strength of her fist. Well, the strength of her fist and a fire immunity soul rune. It was a lovely twist of fate that the System recognized her affinity to Fire rather than the opposite. As Kalina, she¡¯d never managed to add a second rune to her soul, but her original rune had been so powerful it allowed her to go up against elementals that were ranked as high as Emperor status in elsewhere. In a ring, what could beasts of fire do against her? Her, who was the natural enemy of their flame.


    The answer was often a resounding: nothing. The elementals had no choice but to succumb to Kalina¡¯s power. It will be the same here, in Gargantua, in Maeve. Monsters will bend to Freddie¡¯s flames. She¡¯d charr their flesh and consume their cores. She¡¯d overcome and prove her strength to all who dared to contest her ability.


    For now, she knew she was far from the elite of the world. But Freddie also knew she was above her agemates. Perhaps there were a few who could contend with her Class, but even they are limited to the experience a short life gives. A life limited to the experiences of a child. No other freshly Awakened eight-year-old could contend with her Level. Not even that freak of a Dawn that had Awakened in Autumn with an obscene Light of Divinity.


    It was as a manic grin continued spreading, so wide Freddie¡¯s cheeks hurt with the pressure of it, that she checked back into the present. That she let the flame hover before using every hint of her will to push.


    And the fire flung itself a dozen feet away as if Freddie had thrown it herself.


    It was only a moment, a moment of heat and licking flame and deep orange turned to black smoke, before Tiltham appeared by the growing fire on the ground, stomping it out.


    The flames didn¡¯t eat even a shred of Tiltham¡¯s skin despite the way the woman was simply covering the fire with her body to smother it. Freddie could tell that it had nothing to do with TIltham¡¯s armor ¨Cno, it was a mix of the older woman¡¯s Level and the weakness in Freddie¡¯s flames.


    They were still so new.


    ¡°My Lady,¡± Tiltham called. ¡°I will pull out some target dummies, enchanted to not be as easily destroyed as the hall. Give me just a moment.¡±


    Freddie sighed and leaned against a wall while Tiltham did just that. It was barely three minutes, but Freddie could feel the magma in her veins wanting to ignite. To set the world alight. Perhaps being a [Young Lady of Flame] had changed Freddie, she wondered. Then, she laughed.


    Nothing has changed between then and now except the body I¡¯m in.


    The knowledge that this world was not her original world didn¡¯t weigh her down, didn¡¯t make her miss elsewhere. No. Elsewhere was simply a stage. Maeve was another.


    As soon as the knight captain finished setting up the three dummies, Freddie set to work.


    ¡°[Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]¡±


    This time, three flaming orbs appeared, the orange flickering light launching themselves at the training dummies.


    None hit the target, though.


    Freddie swore under her breath as she watched the flames singe the floorboards. As Tiltham started heading the way, Freddie waved her off. Instead, she looked deep within herself, through her skin into her mana veins, where she still felt the threads of heat connecting her to the fire a dozen feet away.


    Just in case, she spoke, reaffirming her control over the fire.


    ¡°[Fire Manipulation]¡±


    The flames were whisked away from the sensitive wooden ground and brought back to Freddie, the power in her veins calling to the warmth of the fires.


    And then she launched the flames back across the hall.


    Again.


    And again.


    And again.


    For hours.


    [Congratulations! Fire Conjuration is now Level 3!]


    [Congratulations! Fire Manipulation is now Level 3!]


    If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Freddie didn¡¯t stop, even when she felt the red screens attempt to fill her vision. Instead, she shoved them to the side and launched balls of fire at the target dummies. After hitting Level 3, the flames grew hotter and began glowing a paler orange than when she first summoned them. In addition, Freddie could feel the efficiency in her mana veins increasing. With every launched orb, her aim was growing better.


    Still, it wasn¡¯t until a snap resounded from within her and her mana abruptly cut off that Freddie paused. It was as if stones were passing in her veins, and Freddie stumbled.


    ¡°I think I need a break,¡± she said through nauseous breaths.


    Between one second and the next, Tiltham was supporting Freddie and guiding her to the edge of the training hall ¡ªwhere two bedrolls, a sack of jerky, and several canteens of water were waiting. Gently, the Captain of the Void lowered Freddie down to the more luxurious of the two bedrolls. Despite her sudden exhaustion, Freddie still clocked that any compliments to the bedrolls were gratuitous. The fabric Tiltham lowered her on was soft but stiff and filled with thick down.


    ¡°It¡¯s late anyway, Lady Fredericka,¡± Tiltham half-frowned. ¡°Eat, drink, and rest. Because of your Divinity, we are no longer on such a time crunch that you must sacrifice your sleep.¡±


    ¡°Mmmm,¡± Freddie agreed, grabbing some dried meat and a canteen. After a while, she blearily asked, ¡°Did we pack any clothes for me to change into? I¡¯m gross.¡±


    Tiltham snorted, ¡°If only. I¡¯ve packed enough Quick Clean and True Wash potions to get us through our time here.¡±


    ¡°Ugh, gross,¡± Freddie complained, her voice coming out in a mumble. ¡°I can¡¯t even bathe?¡±


    As Freddie began drifting off to sleep, she felt a cool mist coat her. She could feel the grime her sweat left to evaporate into nothingness. Exhausted, Freddie burrowed her way further into the bedroll. Without her flames or the magma of her mana, the barn was too cold, and the bedroll was the only thing keeping the chill at bay.


    Winter had truly come.


    <hr>


    -


    Freddie woke to a nip at her nose and her face halfway to freezing. She nuzzled her bedroll with a groan as Tiltham lightly shook her shoulder.


    ¡°Up, my Lady. Dawn has arrived, and so too has the time to train.¡±


    The pink-haired girl blinked the sleep out of her eyes and peered at the door to the training hall ¡ªpropped open and putting the light dusting of snow outside on display.


    That would explain why I can¡¯t feel my face.


    ¡°I think I¡¯d rather die.¡±


    Tiltham didn¡¯t look amused, ¡°Then you¡¯ll disappoint the Duke.¡±


    Freddie rolled her eyes and propped herself up to grab the jerky that had rested by the bedroll overnight.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t there a Void Captain with a personality?¡± Freddie grumbled.


    ¡°Not one that can keep their mouth shut,¡± Tiltham shot back without hesitation.


    ¡°You¡¯re the worst, Tilly,¡± Freddie said with a smile before taking an aggressive bite of jerky and downing some water.


    ¡°Respectfully, please refrain from calling me as such, my Lady.¡± Tiltham¡¯s face was pinched as she spoke, and Freddie couldn¡¯t help but laugh.


    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think I will.¡±


    They fell into silence as they ate. Freddie, finally eating with her wits about her, couldn¡¯t help but appreciate the tenderness of the meat.


    At least it¡¯s not field rations, I guess. She sighed to herself before standing.


    She bent forward, held, bent backward, held, leaned to the left, then to the right. She pushed her arms above her head with her shoulders and leaned into a lunge with one leg and then the other. She stood on her toes and stretched out her calf.


    ¡°[Running]¡±


    Freddie took off. No one had to tell her how important this was, even if she resented the time of day. So, Freddie ignored the world around her, listening only to the Skill. To the way it had her stretch her leg just right, the way it called her to breathe in through her nose and out her mouth, the way it shifted her balance ever so slightly.


    It wasn¡¯t the most glamorous Skill she had, Freddie thought, but she knew it would be the foundation of something greater. Simple Skills always were. Heroes of legend could evolve their generic Awakening Skills into powerhouses. Supposedly, upon evolution, sub-Skills were revealed with specializations based on the user. That was neither here nor there, and Marasha had only touched on it because Freddie had insisted that she wanted to learn how the Heros of old got so strong ¡ªstrong enough to Ascend.


    Freddie ran until sweat coated her. She ran until her breath eluded her. She ran until her form was held together by sheer force of will. She only stopped for water, never to complain, never to break. She ran until the red notice appeared.


    [Congratulations! Running is now Level 3!]


    Freddie collapsed to the ground, her sweat-coated body refusing to cool.


    ¡°Level 3 of [Running]!¡± She shouted to Tiltham.


    Tiltham slid her pen across her clipboard, ¡°Recorded.¡±


    Freddie held up her fist in acknowledgment, then laid on the floor for another moment before skimming her Skills with a smile.


    ¡°Let¡¯s give it a shot,¡± she mumbled to herself, ¡°[Regenerate].¡±


    Instead of magma, the soft warmth of sunlight filled Freddie¡¯s veins. Within seconds, the muscles in her calf loosened, and the dull ache of Freddie¡¯s core settled down. She let out a sigh of relief and gingerly sat up.


    ¡°I need one of those Quick Wash potions, Tilly!¡± She shouted.


    Tiltham tutted, ¡°They¡¯re Quick Clean and True Wash, my Lady.¡±


    Despite her correction, Tiltham still cracked two vials above Freddie¡¯s head and sent a mist over her body. Freddie, awake enough to feel the full effects of the potions, let out a startled laugh at the feeling of cleanliness they gave her.


    ¡°Oh, this is a game changer.¡± Freddie said, ¡°I almost don¡¯t even miss bathing¡­ I still have to use the bathroom, though.¡±


    ¡°My Lady, please,¡± Tiltham sighed, gesturing off to a doorway. ¡°The bathroom is that way.¡±


    Freddie huffed and took off. When she was back out, it was time for a snack and to attempt using [Sparkler] until it leveled.


    ¡°[Sparkler]¡±


    A chill spread through her palm, and a small ball of light formed with multi-colored sparks shooting off. Freddie stared at it until the Skill dissipated into nothingness. It was only a few more casts before Freddie got the first message.


    [Congratulations! Sparkler is now Level 2!]


    Taking a deep breath, Freddie acknowledged this would be a feat of patience. Simply casting and recasting the Skill until it fizzled out would be the best training she could do for [Sparkler]. She tried to mold it, but the only thing she could do was shrink it a sliver and shift the hue to a more golden glow than the white radiance it originally gave off.


    Settling onto the ground, Freddie steeled herself into an hour of repetition. No, a day. No, a week. Actually, it would be repetition for everything until she hit Level 5 in every Skill she could ¡ªsave for the aura Skills that she could tell needed subjects other than Tiltham.


    So, she used [Sparkler].


    Again.


    And again.


    And again.

 CH 8 - ... Makes Perfect

    Rise of Winter, Week 1, Day 5


    Freddie took a deep breath, letting the hot air fill her lungs. She felt the heat lick her face, and it wasn¡¯t until Tiltham once again extinguished her flames that Freddie pulled back.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to try something, and I just want you to watch,¡± Freddie said as she stretched her arms above her head.


    ¡°Oh? And will it involve you once again ignoring me and getting too close to the fire?¡± Tiltham¡¯s voice was dull, lifeless, as if Freddie had exhausted her last nerve. Which wasn¡¯t impossible, as Freddie had found out Tiltham was not a bastion of patience.


    ¡°Yes, actually.¡± Freddie laughed lightly, giving Tiltham a serious look. ¡°You¡¯ll hate it, but only put out the fire if I say so.¡±


    Tiltham, to her credit, simply looked resigned, ¡°Your will be done, Lady Fredericka.¡±


    ¡°Great.¡±


    Freddie¡¯s mouth widened into one of her signature grins¡ªthe one that was a bit too wide to be anything but feral, especially with the way her eyes almost shone with exhilaration.


    ¡°[Imbue Flame]¡±


    Molten lava spread through her veins, focusing on her balled-up fist in front of her. The feeling of overheating settled into the bones of Freddie¡¯s dominant hand.


    ¡°[Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]¡±


    The same feeling of lava spread from her mana veins, guided out of her fingertips. In the end, it resulted in a single ball of flame wrapping Freddie¡¯s fist.


    For a glorious moment, Freddie¡¯s grin widened.


    I did it, I¡¯ve gotten it back¡ª


    ¡°Ahhhhhh, not quite then,¡± she hissed and accidentally released control of the flames.


    The fire did not cease and instead continued digging through her flesh. Yet she did not scream, did not beg for Tiltham to put it out. No. She simply continued to speak.


    ¡°[Fire Manipulation]¡±


    Swiping the ball of flames from her fist, she cast it away ¡ªoff to one of the targets to the side. In the wake of the fire, her hand was a mess. The flesh was browned and liquified, already slick from the heat, and underneath was a bright pink. Freddie stared at the wound for a half-second, fascinated at the way the pain felt distant, almost dissociative. But the pain was still there, if not at the forefront, so she continued on.


    ¡°[Regenerate]¡±


    Using as much of her mana as she could, Freddie funneled her intent and power into the Divine Skill, watching the skin knit back together. It took several minutes, but soon enough, the skin looked fresh, and it was clearly new¡ªthe shade of the skin was significantly paler than the deep tan of the rest of her arm. Not ghostly pale, because her base pigment was still darker than that, but it was sickly in comparison to her body.


    Okay, so it''s a last resort if I don¡¯t want scars.


    Freddie glanced at Tiltham, who was pursing her lips.


    ¡°As we are currently training your Skills, I will not say anything, but I will insist you use a Scar Reducer potion.¡±


    Freddie nodded, holding out her hand, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not going to complain. I¡¯d rather not be riddled with scars just yet.¡±


    The silence between them stretched, and Freddie wouldn¡¯t meet Tiltham¡¯s gaze.


    ¡°My Lady,¡± she said.


    ¡°Tilly,¡± Freddie whined.


    ¡°Lady Fredericka.¡±


    ¡°Void Captain TIltham.¡±


    ¡°Take care of yourself,¡± Tiltham said severely. ¡°If you insist on being scarred like a common adventurer, try to keep it where the Duke cannot see.¡±


    Freddie crossed her unscarred arm across her body and shook her newly pale hand, ¡°Fine, fine, just lather me up so I can get on with training.¡±


    ¡°Are you finished destroying your hand for the day?¡± Was Tiltham¡¯s response.


    Freddie blinked, ¡°Uh, probably not.¡±


    With a heavy sigh, Tltham leaned back against the wall. ¡°Then we¡¯ll not waste a potion until you¡¯ve accomplished what you¡¯re hoping for.¡±


    Rolling her eyes, Freddie began thinking about what had gone wrong.


    It took her some time, and often, her thoughts went in circles. Freddie had a mind for combat itself, not the theory behind why it worked. It was more instinct than it was anything else. So, it was with a gasp and several more failed attempts that she realized she had only felt [Imbue Flame] work on her bones.


    It needs to either encompass my whole hand, skin to muscle to bone, or just the skin. Let¡¯s give it another shot.


    ¡°[Imbue Flame]¡±


    The magma in her veins was called forth, shifting under her skin before it seeped out of the pores of her dominant hand. She could feel the Skill settle swiftly.


    ¡°[Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]¡±


    Another ball of flame appeared¡ªthis time without the accompanying smell of burning flesh. The Skill had worked as promised. There was still a discomfort under the skin, but Freddie could ignore it, and so she did.


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    Striding up to a practice dummy, she took her boxer¡¯s stance and launched a right jab ¡ªsending her flaming fist out to impact the dummy¡¯s shoulder.


    Unfortunately, upon impact, there was an unpleasant ¡®squish¡¯ noise. And unlike the resounding sound of a landed hit, it was a moment filled with the sounds of Freddie releasing an agonizing howl.


    ¡°Oh my Gods!¡± She growled, looking at her hand.


    Freddie had been correct; [Imbue Flame] had protected her skin this time ¡ªit did not, however, protect her muscles or the soft sinew within her hand or even the smaller bones. So, the flame¡¯s heat had damaged them in such a way that upon impact, her hand simply collapsed, which left the sight looking a bit grotesque.


    Within a moment of her initial howl, Tiltham was next to her, holding out a glowing yellow potion with the top uncorked. But Freddie was staring at her hand, uncaring about the knight looking to pour some concoction or another onto her injury.


    ¡°I¡¯ve got it, Tilly,¡± Freddie half-gasped, ¡°But be a dear and step closer, anyway¡­ Just in case.¡±


    ¡°[Regenerate]¡±


    The warmth of her mana flooded her hand, but, as she suspected, it wasn¡¯t enough. Even though Freddie could feel the muscles rebuilding, the shattered bones were barely moving.


    ¡°Potion, Tilly,¡± Freddie said coolly. ¡°Potion!¡±


    [Congratulations! Imbue Flame is now Level 2!]


    [Congratulations! Regenerate is now Level 2!]


    ¡°Hold still, my Lady.¡± Tiltham gripped Freddie¡¯s wrist firmly and immediately began splashing the glowing yellow potion onto her skin. ¡°Take a deep breath, clench your teeth, whatever it takes. Just hold still.¡±


    Freddie, horrified and intrigued both, did none of those things as Tltham began massaging the liquid into her knuckles. Instead, she grit her teeth and tensed her muscles to keep herself from moving. It was far from the worst injury she¡¯d ever gone through ¡ªand it definitely wouldn¡¯t be the last. Elsewhere was dangerous due to the nature of her professions, but Maeve was dangerous by virtue of the world it was built in.


    She could feel her bones regrowing through the fresh muscle, could feel them rearrange themselves into the right positions, could feel her wrong hand become right again.


    With a labored breath, Freddie took her hand back and gave a shaky smile, ¡°Thanks, that one was a bit worse than expected. But I think I know what to do next time to fix it.¡±


    Tiltham harrumphed and corked the potion bottle, looking down her nose at Freddie, ¡°Be careful, my Lady, I won¡¯t always be here.¡±


    ¡°Tilly,¡± Freddie said, her voice pitched higher than normal, ¡°Don¡¯t you think I dream of that?¡±


    With a snort, Freddie stepped back and shook out her hand.


    ¡°Here goes nothing ¡ª[Imbue Flame].¡± She grumbled.


    Magma filled her veins, shifting her very existence. The heat wrapped the entirety of her hand up to her wrist and settled into the very being of herself.


    ¡°[Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]¡±


    Another ball of flame. Freddie stretched her fingers, testing the feeling of the fiery fist. And then she went right back to the training dummy.


    With a single movement, she lunged at the dummy and launched her fist into the thing¡¯s side with a right hook. When Freddie pulled her hand back, there was no stinging, no burning, no flesh made liquid. It was simply a hand lit aflame.


    Dismissing her fire, she smiled, ¡°Perfect. This time, it was perfect.¡±


    Tiltham watched on, examining Freddie¡¯s state after her latest series of tests.


    Now, Freddie thought to herself, with level 2 of [Imbue Flame], let¡¯s try for both fists.


    A wild grin filled her face, and she began focusing her intent and shifting the magma of her mana through her veins.


    ¡°[Imbue Flame] [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]¡±


    It was an easy thing¡ªfor Freddie to hold her flames against her skin. It took up a minuscule amount of mana, and the amount of fire was just as negligible. The real tax was using [Imbue Flame] twice. Perhaps, when the Skill grew stronger, it would be more than an active infusion of flame. Maybe it would last on its own.


    As Freddie stood in a boxer¡¯s stance, both fists guarding her face, the flames flickered, and the heat radiated onto her unprotected skin. But she didn¡¯t mind it. It felt like her mana. It felt like the ring. It felt like home.


    Then she moved.


    Jab, jab, right hook, pivot, jab, left hook, pivot.


    After a half-turn around the dummy, Freddie was manic, and she hissed, ¡°[Quick Fight].¡±


    Her speed increased, and the practice dummy came into sole focus. Her tunnel vision stopped her from worrying about Tiltham, or her limits, or holding back.


    It wasn¡¯t in Freddie¡¯s nature to do any of those things anyway.


    Despite all this, Freddie had a single thought.


    [Quick Fight] is wasted on a training dummy.


    It was simultaneous with her head swiveling around to see TIltham approaching.


    ¡°Hey, Tilly,¡± Freddie half-shouted as she headed for the knight, her fists by her side, ¡°Guard up!¡±


    And then she brought her fists in front of her face and lunged, her first hit landing on TIltham¡¯s palm and redirected in a single move. The next hit, aimed for Tiltham¡¯s abdomen, was parried with the woman¡¯s forearm.


    Freddie maintained the maximum distance her small body allowed, but it wasn¡¯t enough. She needed to be faster. To become a blur.


    ¡°[Running]¡±


    She felt her thighs and calves burn, and she began running in place ¡ªplanning, plotting, deciding her next move.


    Her fists were faster than they had any right to be at eight years old. Her body moved sluggish still, compared to elsewhere. It lacked the muscle memory. So, Freddie opted for simple jabs. She¡¯d punch until her arms couldn¡¯t move ¡ªshe¡¯d move around Tltham and find an opening. She¡¯d continue until she threw up.


    Freddie knew she must have looked feral, but Tiltham was unphased. And so Freddie attacked.


    Five punches. Ten. Twenty. Forty-five. One hundred and twelve.


    A minute. Fifteen. Half an hour. An Hour. Two. Three.


    She ignored everything. Time and pain and attempts. She ignored it all¡ªuntil the stinging in her arms grew unbearable, and her final punch missed its mark.


    Practice makes perfect, but only if it¡¯s perfect practice.


    ¡°Stop,¡± Freddie gasped through her exhaustion, and Tiltham stilled, her arms mid-air, ready to redirect Freddie¡¯s latest attack.


    ¡°Ah, I¡¯m finished being a pin cushion, then?¡± Tiltham said drolly.


    A tired smile graced Freddie¡¯s face, and she stepped further away from the knight ¡ªwho had a bead of sweat rolling down her forehead.


    ¡°Just for today. I am so, so tired,¡± Freddie said. ¡°Tomorrow, will you hit back? Not enough to break my bones or too fast for me to see, but just enough to train?¡±


    Freddie watched as TIltham¡¯s face scrunched, her nose crinkling.


    ¡°My Lady, that is, of course, within my job description for this assignment.¡±


    Freddie huffed, ¡°Yes, well, I knew that.¡±


    And then they settled in for yet another night of jerky, water, and cleaning potions. As a True Wash potion misted across her, Freddie ran her tongue across her newly cleaned teeth.


    ¡°Ugh,¡± she whined, ¡°It¡¯s so thorough.¡±


    Tiltham, for the first time, laughed.


    ¡°Why do you say that like it¡¯s a bad thing?¡±

 CH 9 - Godspeed and Growth

    Rise of Winter, Week 3, Day 6


    [Congratulations! Running is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Quick Fight is now Level 2!]


    [Congratulations! Quick Fight is now Level 3!]


    [Congratulations! Imbue Flame is now Level 3!]


    [Congratulations! Fire Step is now Level 3!]


    [Congratulations! Sparkler is now Level 3!]


    [Congratulations! Sparkler is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Regenerate is now Level 3!]


    [Congratulations! Inspect is now Level 3!]


    [Congratulations! Fire Conjuration is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Fire Manipulation is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Quick Fight is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Imbue Flame is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Regenerate is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Fire Step is now Level 4!]


    [Congratulations! Fire Conjuration is now Level 5! New features unlocked.]


    [Congratulations! Fire Manipulation is now Level 5! New features unlocked.]


    [Congratulations! Quick Fight is now Level 5! New features unlocked.]


    [Congratulations! Imbue Flame is now Level 5! New features unlocked.]


    [Congratulations! Sparkler is now Level 5! New features unlocked.]


    [Congratulations! Regenerate is now Level 5! New features unlocked.]


    [Congratulations! Running is now Level 5! New features unlocked.]


    As the final notification came in, Freddie collapsed onto the ground, gasping for air.


    ¡°Finally!¡± She shouted, her voice hoarse. The force of her exclamation caused her to start wheezing and then coughing.


    ¡°Tilly!! That¡¯s all but [Inspect] and [Bright as a Flickering Flame]!¡±


    And my two otherworld Skills, Freddie thought to herself but did not say aloud.


    [Status], she commanded.


    [Name: Fredericka Nemo]


    [Race: Human]


    [Age: 8]


    [Unallocated Stat Points: 0]


    [Vitality: 97 Endurance: 29]


    [Strength: 52 Dexterity: 48]


    [Perception: 26 Magic: 46]


    [Luck: 78 Divinity: 37]


    [0th Tier Class: Child of the Gods, Max Level]


    [Boon: Druigr¡¯s Blessing]


    [1st Tier Class: Young Lady of Flame, Level 11, 12.6%]


    [Skills:


    0th Tier: Inspect Lv. 3, Running Lv. 5, Sparkler Lv. 5


    1st Tier: Quick Fight Lv. 5, Bright as a Flickering Flame Lv. 1, Fire Step Lv. 5


    2nd Tier: Otherworldly Lv. 1, Fire Conjuration Lv. 5, Fire Manipulation Lv. 5


    3rd Tier: Imbue Flame Lv. 5


    Untiered: Hidden Heart Lv. 1, Regenerate Lv. 5]


    ¡°Yes,¡± she hissed to herself, pride lining her voice. Sitting back up, she dismissed the crimson screen.


    ¡°Lady Fredericka,¡± TIltham said coolly, ¡°Decorum, please.¡±


    Freddie waved her off.


    ¡°Save that grievance for Marasha.¡±


    I¡¯ll have to examine all the new features, Freddie half shouted in her own head, excitement causing her to buzz.


    [Regenerate]


    Magma flooded her veins and seeped into her muscles, healing her soreness. As the aches faded, Freddie felt the mist of Quick Clean and True Wash potions come over her, and she was spotless¡ªno hint of the hours of sweat she¡¯d accumulated in order to hit the final level of [Running].


    She was as good as new, bouncing lightly on the balls of her feet and punching the air jovially in a mock battle with an invisible opponent.


    ¡°Does this mean we can head back to the manor?¡± She asked as she landed a side kick on her non-existent target.


    Tiltham, who usually held a single expression of nonchalance, had a wide grin on her face, ¡°Indeed it does, my lady. We¡¯ve done all we can here. Your Affirmation is just days away now.¡±


    Freddie, choosing to ignore the unsettling smile, simply stopped her shadowboxing and jumped for joy.


    ¡°Oh, thank the Gods¡ªno offense, Tilly, but I could use company that isn¡¯t you.¡±


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    Pulling her ponytail down and letting her pink hair flow around her, Freddie made for the dwindling bags of jerky and jugs of water, ¡°Not to mention real food. I am so tired of jerky.¡±


    ¡°So you¡¯ve made abundantly clear, my Lady. Often. And loudly.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ve got jokes, now? You must really be excited to get out of here,¡± Freddie snorted, ripping off a bite of jerky.


    Tiltham ignored the jab and stood by the door waiting.


    ¡°If you finish that, we can head out now and be back to the manor before sunset.¡±


    Before Tltham finished speaking, Freddie shoved the remaining jerky into her mouth and chewed rapidly. A few quick gulps and steps later, she was standing next to the knight.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready. Let¡¯s blow this popsicle stand.¡±


    Tiltham shot Freddie a bewildered look but still handed Freddie a thick, lined cloak that made Freddie feel suffocated. Less so when Tiltham opened the barn door and revealed a world dusted in white. Snow coated the Moors of Hernel several inches thick. Dead bushes were lumps of pale cold, and trees were brown and white. A strong gust passed through the open doorway, and the cold nipped at Freddie¡¯s nose.


    She had, momentarily, forgotten Nemo was in the North.


    Tiltham stepped out first, and Freddie followed closely behind.


    ¡°Can we run back?¡± She asked.


    ¡°Not in this weather. We have to be careful. We saw the Clematis Serpent last time, but now we¡¯ll see snow beasts if we make too much noise.¡± Tiltham looked back at Freddie briefly. ¡°And they¡¯ll be hungry.¡±


    ¡°Them and me both, then,¡± Freddie grumbled, kicking a bit of snow out of her way.


    Tiltham ignored her and continued on. Overall, it was a quiet hour heading back to the manor. The snow chilled Freddie, but she dared not use mana and attract a beast ¡ªbecause Tiltham had told her if she did, Tiltham would leave her. They both knew it was a lie, but Freddie didn¡¯t want to attract more than she could handle.


    As they approached the stone manor, Freddie could see movement in the windows. This time, they didn¡¯t use a side stairwell and instead made their way to the main entryway. It was late afternoon, with the suns hanging low on the horizon.


    When they began climbing the stair to get to the front door, it was pushed open viciously, and several bodies rushed out.


    ¡°Fred!¡± Came a deep voice.


    ¡°Freddie!¡± Was another, more feminine and high-pitched.


    ¡°Frederika, you left us.¡± Was a final woman¡¯s voice, coming from Freddie¡¯s aunt.


    Behind the three people¡ªher aunt, uncle, and cousin¡ªwas Freddie¡¯s mother, her arms crossed and an amused look on her face.


    Freddie was already grinning by the time her uncle¡¯s arms wrapped around her and brought her to his hip.


    ¡°Darling, you won¡¯t be able to work the farms,¡± He said sadly. ¡°I¡¯ve heard your class is not suited to it.¡±


    ¡°Bah, I bet it¡¯d be fine,¡± Freddie laughed. ¡°But I¡¯m planning to move on to greener pastures than your run-down dung heap.¡±


    ¡°Tch, I knew it! Betrayer!¡± He said, spinning Freddie around to face the others, her cloak whipping around them. He brought her inside on his hip, but set her down once they¡¯d crossed the threshold.


    Inside, there was a crowd of family. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and¡ªyes, brothers. Both of Freddie¡¯s parents had moved to the back when she wasn¡¯t looking, but her grandfather was waiting at the center of it all, circled by his children and grandchildren.


    Pandemonium promptly ensued, with cousins bombarding her with questions and aunts and uncles looking on knowingly. It was the boys that were the real kicker, offended and pleased both to not know her Class name but to know it was important.


    Freddie was filled with a warmth she had never felt in elsewhere. Rather than the magma of mana, this heat originated from her chest. She knew what it was, even if she was unaccustomed to it. It was love.


    She loved these crazy people with their intrusive questions and probing jokes.


    ¡°Okay, okay, can we please wait to have this conversation until dinner? I¡¯m desperate for a real bath and a change of clothes!¡± Freddie said after several long, jovial minutes.


    The questions ended as her grandfather placed his hand on her shoulder and shot the family a look. Tiltham had noticeably disappeared in the chaos, and Freddie regretted that she didn¡¯t have a chance to call her Tilly one last time. Alas.


    In the far corner was Marasha, patiently waiting for the family to disperse. Her black and silver uniform was pristine and neatly pressed, and her hands were gently placed in front of her. She looked every bit the perfect Governess, and Freddie didn¡¯t quite run to her. No, she maintained a respectable speed and posture as she went to Marasha.


    ¡°I have loads of questions,¡± Freddie started, only to be silenced by the exasperated look on Marasha¡¯s face.


    ¡°My Lady, please. It has only been three weeks. Use the proper greeting.¡±


    Freddie¡¯s groaned, ¡°But I¡¯ve already started. Can¡¯t I just do it next time?¡±


    ¡°Practice only makes perfect if¨C?¡± Marasha prompted.


    ¡°If it¡¯s practiced perfectly,¡± Freddie grumbled, then stepped back and plastered a broad smile on her face.


    ¡°Marasha, good day,¡± she said over-enthusiastically before dropping her smile. ¡±I have loads of questions.¡±


    Marasha huffed a laugh and relaxed her posture, ¡°And we¡¯ll go over them after you¡¯ve had a proper chance to rest.¡±


    ¡°Perfect,¡± Freddie started off, heading up the main staircase to her room. Marasha followed closely behind.


    It was a quick process, finding her room. She knew well where it was, after all. Marasha made swift work of setting up a bath and laying out clothes for Freddie to change into. As Freddie sank into the warm water she explored the options that Level 5 had given her Skills.


    [Sparkler] was the simplest, as it now created both Troya, the red sun, and Dreya, the yellow sun. [Running] helped to control body movements and added an active Sprint function. [Quick Fight] helped with footwork and added an active Enhanced Speed function. [Regenerate] added a passive regeneration rate. [Fire Step] could now be split into two at once. [Fire Conjuration] gave several color options for flames unrelated to their heat, whereas [Fire Manipulation] now allowed adjustment to the heat of the flames. [Imbue Flame] allowed multiple activations at once without having to use the Skill twice.


    Overall, Freddie was pleased with the haul of new abilities. It would be easy to adjust her fighting style to accommodate her new capabilities and she was looking forward to the grueling training that would lead to many Skills and skills. She couldn¡¯t wait to have her muscle memory back.


    Using her new ability to alter the heat of her flames, she lowered the temperature of her flames using [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]. Setting the color to a deep red that matched her System notifications, she dried off. Freddie ran the flames over her body, just hot enough to evaporate the droplets of water off her skin but not so hot as to melt the insides of her body. She¡¯d had quite enough of that over the past few weeks. Her Skill [Imbue Flame] had required much testing, after all.


    Once she was finished drying, she brushed her hair and allowed it to flow around her. She simply tucked the front pieces behind her ears to get them out of her face. Sliding into the outfit that Marasha had laid out was easy to do by herself and so she popped on her shoes and headed back downstairs.


    It was time for dinner, and nothing would keep Freddie away from real food. Real, true not-jerky food.


    Freddie was salivating at the very thought. It was as she was passing by the window before the main staircase that she caught a glimpse of color in the snow with her Perception. Someone was out there. And they were bleeding. The red painted the snow around them.


    Without hesitating, Freddie stopped and snapped open the window. Her [Inspect] wouldn¡¯t work this far, but it didn¡¯t matter anyway. There was someone out there, and they were in danger, and Freddie was ready and willing to help.


    With the window pushed open. Freddie launched over the side, landing gracefully on the balls of her feet and ducking to catch her momentum.


    [Running] was activated before she consciously thought about it, and [Imbue Flame] and [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation] created dancing orange flames across her fists.


    It was time to test her limits once again, it seemed.


    Freddie grinned as she ran through the snow.

 CH 10 - The Love of the Game

    Rise of Winter, Week 3, Day 6


    Freddie didn¡¯t think herself a good person. Not in the way some people were. She wasn¡¯t selfless¡ªdidn¡¯t go out of her way to be kind. And even when she jumped out of a window to run to aid someone injured in the snow, she didn¡¯t think she was doing it for altruistic reasons.


    No, she was doing it for the same reason she fought in elsewhere. It was what she knew how to do. And it was what she loved doing. Whether the figure in the snow was friend or foe, there was something hunting them. Something close to the manor. Something deadly.


    Freddie¡¯s grin persisted even as she arrived at the scene.


    She slid to a stop, the heat of her knuckles brushing her thighs before she held up her fists and took a fighting stance.


    The figure, dressed in all black, turned to face her. The swaths of blood surrounding him in the snow painting a grotesque picture.


    ¡°N¨C¡± they started before leaning too far forward and collapsing.


    Freddie didn¡¯t spare it a thought and instead began scanning the plains of snow and ice. She turned on her back heel, looking for movement. Circling the collapsed figure, Freddie was facing out. She could hear the labored breathing coming from the heap of dark cloth, but her focus was on what had attacked them.


    It was just as Freddie was getting ready to lower her guard and help the figure to the manor¡ªwhere there were healing potions and doctors and other people to deal with the consequences¡ª that a giant mass of scales jumped forward, lunging straight for Freddie¡¯s face.


    [Quick Fight]


    ¡°[Inspect]¡±


    Freddie was barely able to speak the command before she was forced to step back and duck down as a false memory showed the mass of scales striking her. It was a near thing, avoiding the hit.


    [Winterdeep Grassroot Serpent, Tier 2 Level 2]


    [A Grassroot Serpent that has absorbed excess nature mana during its hibernation. Its essence has been shifted to be cold. This is a mature specimen.]


    As the serpent was suspended in mid-air, its mouth open to bare its fangs, Freddie jumped forward and knocked the serpent to the side. A sizzling sound resounded in the clearing, and a deep hisssss came from the serpent.


    This is dangerous. I¡¯m alone, with no one to pull me to safety.


    Freddie¡¯s thoughts were matter-of-fact, and when she struck again, she used [Fire Manipulation] to increase the heat of her flames as much as possible. Freddie felt the adrenaline pumping through her veins alongside the magma of her mana, and instead of letting it control her, she used it to dodge another lunge by the serpent. Launching from where she stood, Freddie wrapped her hand around the serpent''s body. Its pale scales darkened as her flames licked them, and Freddie squeezed.


    ¡°Get back, you overgrown garden snake!¡± She yelled, a grin on her face.


    The creature¡¯s head whipped back around wildly, and though Freddie saw the bite coming, she was unable to dodge it fully. She sank her shoulder down, and the serpent¡¯s fangs opened a wide cut across Freddie¡¯s skin¡ªbut did not grasp onto her.


    She counted that as a win.


    Again, the snake went for a bite, but Freddie was prepared, and so she reached her hands out where the serpent was aiming and felt the beast bite into her flesh. A single hand. She gripped the creature¡¯s mouth, dragging its head closer to her face, and she laughed.


    ¡°Oh, get roasted.¡± She growled.


    Using her left hand, she pressed her palm against the side of the serpent¡¯s head. Then, she maneuvered her fingers up just enough, as the wriggling serpent fought her, to press into its eye. It¡¯s beautiful, vibrant green eye. Freddie dug her nails into the fleshy bits and pulled.


    The serpent widened its mouth and hissed loudly, flailing out of Freddie¡¯s grip. There was a horrible snap, and Freddie was holding a mound of quickly evaporating goop.


    A wailing sound filled the air, and the serpent backed away from Freddie ¡ªnot far, just enough for it to coil and prepare itself for another attack. Freddie didn¡¯t give it the chance.


    [Fire Step]


    And Freddie ran, airborne above the serpent¡¯s head. As she reached the apex of the snake¡¯s body, she broke her Skill and felt a new round of magma flood her veins.


    [Imbue Flame]


    Fire erupted around her shoe, melting the leather, but Freddie was too preoccupied dropping downward to care. Her heel landed between the serpent¡¯s eyes, burrowing deep into its skull and lighting the beast aflame. The edges of its scales erupted in flickering orange flames that seemed to sink underneath the outer layer, causing the beast¡¯s head to glow.


    As Freddie jumped off of the serpent¡¯s head, she landed in the snow, back by the cloaked figure.


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    Whoever it was was sitting up then.


    ¡°Hey¨C¡± Freddie started but was forced to cut herself off as a burning sensation began seeping through her. Gripping her shoulder, where the pain originated, Freddie whipped around to glare at the wounded serpent.


    ¡°Oh my Gods, the thing has poison,¡± she spat out.


    Releasing her shoulder, she shook out her arms, fighting back the sensation of pain that was now radiating through the entirety of her arm. As she did so, the serpent seemed to turn away from Freddie.


    ¡°No,¡± Freddie said, a feral grin spreading across her face, ¡°That just won¡¯t do.¡±


    And then she was on top of the beast again, washing it in fists and flames. Freddie took another bite from the serpent, this time on her calf, but in exchange, she ripped out the beast''s other eye and slammed it into its own mouth. So she called it even as it wailed and flailed and finally collapsed.


    [Regenerate]


    Freddie felt the warmth of her mana radiate through her shoulder and calf, and while it knit the flesh back together, the pain from the serpent¡¯s poison still remained. She needed to get back to the manor, where there was bound to be an antidote¡ªor maybe she could sleep it off.


    But first, she had to see about the bloodied figure.


    Up close, Freddie could see underneath the hood¡ªit was clearly a man. No, a boy. He couldn¡¯t be much older than fifteen. He had vibrant green eyes that Freddie recognized from when she¡¯d ripped them out of the serpent.


    ¡°Hello?¡± Freddie said, bending down to get closer to the dazed teenager, ¡°You up again?¡±


    As she spoke, a System notification tried to fill her vision ¡ªa [Combat Report], but she waved it away and focused on dismissing all her Skills. After snapping her fingers to try and get the boy to speak to her, she heaved a sigh and went about getting the boy¡¯s arm over her shoulder. He was totally out of it, with his eyes unfocused. She would have to figure out what the coloring was about later.


    ¡°This was so much easier when Tiltham was here,¡± Freddie complained as she trekked through the snowy plains, dragging along the barely conscious teenager.


    What had taken a minute to run had taken fifteen to traverse with the dead weight. Not to mention that she had to wrap around to the front of the manor.


    Placing the bloodied boy down at the top of the steps as gently as she could, she pulled open the front door.


    ¡°Hey,¡± Freddie said harshly, looking at a knight hanging out by the grand staircase.


    ¡°My Lady!¡± They said, jumping up and rushing forward.


    ¡°I need your help ¡ªthere¡¯s someone passed out on our front steps.¡± She said simply, her nose scrunching as she looked over the gangly member of the Void. He didn¡¯t look particularly strong, but looks weren¡¯t always accurate, so she chose to ignore it.


    ¡°Of-of course,¡± he turned his head and hit the star emblazoned on his chest before following Freddie.


    She rolled her eyes at the obvious call for backup but still led him out without commenting.


    ¡°I found him in the moors,¡± Freddie started. ¡°A Winterdeep Grassroot Serpent had attacked him.¡±


    The knight knelt down but was looking at Freddie as he spoke. ¡°That¡¯s odd, usually, it takes more than a month''s worth of cold mana to mutate them. Did you fight it?¡±


    Freddie snorted and gestured to her torn shoulder and pant leg ¡ªand the unfortunate melting of her shoe.


    ¡°No,¡± she said sarcastically.


    ¡°Right,¡± the knight said, his face going red. Avoiding Freddie¡¯s gaze, he began propping up the teenager when he stilled.


    A gasp escaped his lips, and then he was shaking the limp body, ¡°Argon?! Argon, wake up!¡±


    Freddie looked on quizzically and was just about to ask who exactly Argon was when three more knights appeared and rushed past. They all grew worried once they heard the fourth knight identify this Argon.


    Freddie¡¯s stomach grumbled in the midst of the chaos, and she promptly decided it really wasn¡¯t her problem. She had a dinner to get to ¡ªafter she changed. Again.


    ¡°Ugh, this sucks,¡± she complained as she climbed the stairs back to her room.


    Quickly changing, she winced as she was forced to walk on her poisoned leg and lift with her poisoned arm.


    At least it hasn¡¯t spread anymore. Freddie acknowledged. Still hurts, though.


    She tried another [Regenerate] only to find nothing changed. Freddie was in the midst of trying again when she got to the dining room.


    Face to face with the entirety of her family, her pain fell to the back of her mind, and she smiled.


    ¡°I¡¯m here, and I¡¯m ready to devour this entire table!¡± She proclaimed as she shoved the door closed behind her.


    At the head of the table, the Duke of Nemo laughed, ¡°It¡¯s all your favorites. Come, Freddie, enjoy.¡±


    The table was full of dishes Freddie recognized¡ªfrom Grag rinds to jumping Polax beans. The dessert wasn¡¯t out yet but she expected it to be an enchanted tea and honey pistachio ice cream. Even if it wasn¡¯t, she wouldn¡¯t be disappointed. Freddie had been eating jerky and water for over three weeks and was ready to eat whatever was put in front of her.


    Taking her seat next to her father, Freddie could feel her brothers¡¯ eyes on her, and she shot them a smile. Hue, Les, and Gene all seemed to think she was specifically smiling at them individually and not the group of them as a whole ¡ªbut Freddie wasn¡¯t about to correct them.


    ¡°Fredddddd,¡± Hue whined from next to her. ¡°We missed you. You haven¡¯t played with us in so long!¡±


    ¡°Yeah! You even missed heading to the city. You never miss going out,¡± Les pouted.


    Gene just looked up at her with watery eyes for a long moment before starting to cry.


    Freddie¡¯s smile dropped, and she started shushing Gene from her seat, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Genie! I¡¯m here! We can play together tomorrow ¡ªI¡¯ll ditch Marasha if I have to!¡±


    Freddie was frantically trying to calm her brothers as another round of laughter came from her grandfather.


    ¡°Boys, boys, give your sister some grace ¡ªshe¡¯s been working hard. Or so I¡¯ve heard.¡±


    Freddie perked up at that, ¡°Did Tilly tell you that?¡±


    ¡°Void Captain Tiltham did brief me on your progress.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes,¡± one of Freddie¡¯s uncles interrupted. ¡°We know, you have some secret Class. Blah blah blah. Show us your Boon!¡±


    After a brief moment of contemplation, the room quieted, and Freddie stood up again.


    ¡°Just for you, Uncle Charro,¡± Freddie said indulgently.


    [Sparkler]


    She held her hands out in a grand gesture as both suns formed in the palm of her hands. First came Dreya, the yellow sun, shining with her golden light. Second came Troya, the red sun, the smaller of the two but no less beautiful. Both suns sparked in their respective colors. They were much larger than the single Dreya had been when she gained the Skill, and Freddie could feel their gentle warmth.


    The room was silent as Freddie¡¯s family looked upon her Boon. Until everyone erupted into cheers, and Freddie broke out into a grin.

 CH 11 - Pain Is For The Weak

    Rise of Winter, Week 3, Day 7


    ¡°Poison, as it turns out, does not just go away,¡± Freddie said glumly to herself as she tried stretching out her arm¡ªonly to be met with pain and a tightness so intense she simply gave up and laid back down.


    The morning light was shining in her room, reflecting off the pale pink metal trinkets that decorated the mantle of her fireplace. The shade was remarkably similar to her hair, which Freddie presumed was why her grandfather and parents always gifted her with small items made of the metal.


    After roughly two minutes of wallowing in the fact that her limbs had, arguably, gotten worse over time and not better, Freddie heaved a put-upon sigh and got back out of bed.


    Hoping that maybe it just needed some more time, Freddie went about her day getting dressed and brushing her hair. Her leg was stiff as well, so she had to shimmy and shake her pants on. Rather than picking shoes with ties, she slid on a pair of mules and headed out.


    Unlike usual, breakfast was a quiet affair as no one else seemed to be up as early as Freddie. So, she pulled up the [Combat Report] while she ate.


    [Combat Report]


    [Skills Used in Combat:


    Inspect Lv. 3


    Fire Manipulation Lv. 5


    Fire Conjuration Lv. 5


    Imbue Flame Lv. 5


    Fire Step Lv. 5


    Quick Fight Lv. 5


    Running Lv. 5


    Regenerate Lv. 5]


    [Hostiles Defeated:


    1 Level 22 Adult Winterdeep Grassroot Serpent - Killed]


    [Contribution: 95%]


    [Level Discrepancy: 12 Levels]


    [Overall Experience Modifier Adjusted for:


    90%+ Contribution against Hostile


    10+ Level below Hostile]


    [Achievements:


    Sustained Imbue Flame in combat for the first time. Extra experience applied.


    Sustained Fire Step in combat for the first time. Extra experience applied.


    Sustained Quick Fight in combat for the first time. Extra experience applied.


    Sustained Running in combat for the first time. Extra experience applied.


    Survived first Solo Combat against a higher-tier monster. Extra experience applied.]


    [Post-Combat Results:


    Skill Level Up! Inspect is now Level 4!!


    Class Experience Applied.


    Class Level is now Level 12.]


    ¡°Not bad,¡± Freddie said, a smile on her face as she dismissed the crimson notice, though her satisfaction did not stop her from grumbling, ¡°Can¡¯t believe I didn¡¯t get 100% contribution.¡±


    As the stat points hit her, her skin grew itchy, and her eyesight sharpened, but she didn¡¯t feel otherwise encumbered.


    [Status]


    [Name: Fredericka Nemo]


    [Race: Human]


    [Age: 8]


    [Unallocated Stat Points: 0]


    [Vitality: 105 Endurance: 31]


    [Strength: 56 Dexterity: 52]


    [Perception: 28 Magic: 50]


    [Luck: 78 Divinity: 37]


    [0th Tier Class: Child of the Gods, Max Level]


    [Boon: Druigr¡¯s Blessing]


    [1st Tier Class: Young Lady of Flame, Level 12, 2.3%]


    [Skills:


    0th Tier: Inspect Lv. 4, Running Lv. 5, Sparkler Lv. 5


    1st Tier: Quick Fight Lv. 5, Bright as a Flickering Flame Lv. 1, Fire Step Lv. 5


    2nd Tier: Otherworldly Lv. 1, Fire Conjuration Lv. 5, Fire Manipulation Lv. 5


    3rd Tier: Imbue Flame Lv. 5


    Untiered: Hidden Heart Lv. 1, Regenerate Lv. 5]


    ¡°Ahhhh,¡± she sighed. ¡°That explains the itchy skin.¡±


    Freddie eyed the 105 Vitality and understood the empowerment of her skin was a lasting change that would affect her less and less as she leveled up.


    As she finished her food, Freddie tried stretching her arms and legs again. This time, they budged a smidge, but not much. She decided that was a win ¡ªand proof she didn¡¯t need a doctor, so she went off in search of the knights.


    Freddie wanted to know what was up with Argon and his weird eyes. The Void Knights knew who he was, so he could be a squire, but why would a squire be stuck all alone in the plains? Where was his Knight Guardian? Freddie felt a headache coming on at the thought of the trouble this was bound to cause. All because she stuck her nose in it and wrecked the serpent.


    Freddie laughed at the thought. The serpent, despite being in Tier 2 and a sum total of 12 levels higher than her, had barely stood a chance. That was the difference between Common and Rare Classes. Sure, it had landed a couple of hits, but its Vitality was no match for Freddie¡¯s Strength or Magic. Especially not her Magic.


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    Heading out to the barracks was a simple affair. It was right by the back of the manor, separated by a stone-lined walkway kept clear of snow via Gran, a fire rune that, when embedded in objects, heats them a minuscule amount¡ªnot enough to burn, but enough to melt the snow. Despite the chill in the air, Freddie was unbothered by the cold. The reason was simple.


    She was walking around with a pale red flame keeping her warm.


    [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation] had many uses outside of combat, and Freddie would be dedicated in figuring out all the best ways to utilize the Skills. Unlike in elsewhere, Freddie was not restricted by the soul rune she was born with. Instead, she was of the opinion that the ability to gain Skills of all kinds was invaluable in her quest for freedom. Even if her capabilities weren''t compatible with every Skill, she was bound to be capable of a great many things.


    As Freddie strode through the entryway to the barracks, she didn¡¯t pause for the knights who were mulling about. She wanted one knight and one knight only. Tiltham was bound to know what was up. The memory of visiting the knight captain¡¯s office was still fresh in Freddie¡¯s mind ¡ªthough it had been mere months in this life, it was distanced by the memories of elsewhere, so Freddie was rather pleased with how easily she could pull it.


    The door was open when Freddie arrived, so rather than knock, she just slipped in. Tiltham was writing furiously in a book, looking thoroughly put upon.


    ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Freddie asked, hoping Tiltham would jump at her voice.


    Instead, the knight captain simply stopped writing and looked up at Freddie.


    ¡°How can I help you, Lady Fredericka?¡±


    Freddie had a Chesire grin when she said, ¡°Oh, I¡¯m so glad you asked!¡±


    Tiltham looked blankly at the girl.


    ¡°Right, right, well, Tilly, you see, I¡¯ve found myself in a situation,¡± Freddie began, only for Tiltham to fill the brief pause.


    ¡°Could it be why you¡¯re limping, my Lady?¡± Tiltham asked dryly.


    Freddie blinked, then huffed a laugh, ¡°Yeah. Your knight picked up a cloaked teenager last night? Argon?¡±


    Tiltham straightened up at the question, narrowing her eyes at Freddie. ¡°What about him?¡±


    ¡°First¨C¡± Freddie held up a single finger, ¡°Is he still kicking? Second¨C¡± Freddie held up a second finger, ¡°Why was he alone, in the plains, in all black?¡±


    The knight captain rubbed her eyes.


    ¡°Argon is recovering. We transported him to the city last night for treatment by a priestess of Frill. As for why he was alone ¡ªhe wasn¡¯t supposed to be. He was traveling with his Knight Guardian.¡±


    ¡°Oh?¡± Freddie asked, leaning in toward Tiltham.


    ¡°Yes. They ran into some trouble on the outskirts of the basin, and Argon¡¯s Knight Guardian was lost. It was a miracle Argon made it back to the manor in time to be treated.¡±


    Freddie nodded her head, ¡°Yeah.¡±


    Tiltham looked Freddie over once again before clearing her throat.


    ¡°Yes, well, the knights on guard mentioned you had something to do with that miracle.¡±


    ¡°I killed a Winterdeep Grassroots Serpent if that¡¯s what they¡¯re talking about. I didn¡¯t do much else.¡± Freddie didn¡¯t look uncomfortable or bashful, but she did look serious.


    Tiltham gave her a genuine smile, which softened her usually harsh expression. ¡°That was enough to bring him home. That¡¯s more than was expected from a bystander.¡±


    Freddie hummed her acceptance.


    ¡°I¡¯m not just a bystander, though, am I?¡±


    Tiltham looked at her curiously, ¡°My Lady?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m the Heir of Nemo. A Child of the Void. The future ruler of the Duchy and commander of the Void Knights.¡± Freddie said it simply as if it were fact. ¡°So, not a bystander.¡±


    And Tiltham knew there was no way to reject the truth. This child was to be her commander. Not today, or next year, not even within the next decade, but someday. By virtue of her birth, yes. Bridian Nemo is the eldest of the Duke¡¯s children, but he had long ago forsaken his inheritance. He had chosen a simple Class ¡ªone meant to work alongside the Divine and not against it. Fredericka was different. But she was the heir apparent, and she had chosen a Class that was powerful right off the bat. And though she was bloodthirsty, that was not a bad thing. The Queendom was only fifty years out of its warring era, after all. And who knew how long the Dawns would hold the border.


    ¡°You¡¯re right, my Lady.¡± TIltham swallowed thickly. ¡°I apologize.¡±


    Freddie looked at Tiltham seriously for a long moment, then broke into a wide smile, ¡°No apologies necessary, Tilly. Just tell me what they found at the edge of the basin if you please.¡±


    Tiltham leaned back in her chair, spinning her pen in her hand, before slamming it down on the desk.


    ¡°All right. You were there, you saw the state of him. I¡¯ll tell you.¡± She declared solemnly. ¡°Argon and Sir Yllwood were doing a routine trip between the contingents of the Void along the border of the Duchy. While they were out, Sir Yllwood sent a distress signal ¡ªthey found something out there. A corrupted mana source.¡±


    Freddie tilted her head, ¡°Like the kind that mutates beasts into monsters?¡±


    ¡°Exactly.¡± Tiltham nodded, ¡°However, it was evolved.¡±


    Freddie took a moment to process that, to run through everything Marasha had taught her about the basin and the plains.


    ¡°Are you talking about¡­?¡± Freddie trailed off.


    ¡°I am.¡± Tiltham nodded.


    ¡°Does grandfather know?¡± Freddie was no longer smiling. Instead, her mouth was pressed into a thin line.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be briefing him on it once I finish writing up a report for submittal later this morning.¡±


    Freddie stood in silence, rubbing her hand along her chin for a long moment. Releasing a long, steady breath, her nostrils flared.


    ¡°All right. I want to be there when you tell him. I want all the details. I want to know what he knows. If this is¡­ Well, it¡¯s not just a matter for Grandfather. It¡¯s a matter for Father and I, too.¡±


    It was another long moment, in a conversation filled with them, before Tiltham agreed.


    ¡°Very well, sit down. It¡¯ll be a while before I¡¯m done.¡±


    ¡°No thanks,¡± Freddie said, turning on her heel, ¡°I¡¯ll be at the training grounds ¡ªif anyone else is up I want to test my aura Skill. See if it makes them underestimate me, then, BOOM. Hit ¡®em with all the fire my fists can handle.¡±


    Tiltham, now free of the watchful eyes of the Heir of Nemo, rolled her eyes.


    ¡°Go, then. I¡¯ll come fetch you when I¡¯m finished.¡±


    Freddie snapped her fingers in realization, then turned back to face the knight captain, ¡°Oh, one more question.¡±


    Tiltham looked at Freddie skeptically but waved her to continue on with her question.


    ¡°What was up with his eyes? Argon¡¯s, that is.¡±


    Tiltham leaned back in her chair, looking over Freddie for a long moment before, ¡°He was bonded to that serpent. Even though it went wild from absorbing excess mana, he had raised it.¡±


    ¡°Note to self, stay away from Argon,¡± Freddie said casually, waving as she went back toward the door.


    That could get awkward.


    She headed deeper into the barracks until she rounded a corner and came upon the indoor training room. She knew, in the warmer months, they did training outside. However, now, in the early stages of Winter, they often utilized the outdoors for calisthenics then returned inside for weapons training. There were only two knights training within the hall when Freddie got there. So, she schooled her expression into one of innocence and activated one of her aura Skills.


    [Bright as a Flickering Flame]


    The two knights paused as Freddie approached them. They were using wooden swords to spar.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± Freddie asked lightly, her voice gentle. It didn¡¯t quite seem to fit with the glint in her eyes. ¡°Would either of you be willing to spar with me?¡±


    The younger-looking of the knights returned her smile, ¡°Of course, Lady Fredericka. I¡¯d be more than happy to give you some pointers.¡±


    The other knight eyed her briefly but nodded his head after a moment, ¡°I¡¯ll wait to the side. Have a nice spar, my Lady.¡±


    ¡°Thank you,¡± she said happily, then turned to the knight who was willing to spar and put on a sheepish expression. ¡°Do you mind if we do unarmed? I haven¡¯t got any weapon Skills yet.¡±


    The knight tossed his wooden sword to the other before looking back to Freddie, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll be sure to pull my punches.¡±


    ¡°Oh,¡± Freddie laughed, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be necessary.¡±

 CH 12 - Underhanded Attacks

    Rise of Winter, Week 3, Day 7


    [Quick Fight]


    And Freddie was off and ready to go.


    It was easy, at first, to land a jab here and a jab there because, despite the tightness in her body caused by the poison, she was still able to utilize her Skills to move smoothly. And the knight wasn¡¯t holding up his guard.


    A fresh grin spread across Freddie¡¯s face.


    He was letting her land her punches, unphased. He thought that was all she had.


    It was with a feral animosity that she picked up her speed, pushing harder on the ground as she launched forward and threw another punch. He was still wide open. He didn¡¯t even bother to dodge.


    Freddie went straight for his kidney. And as her fist landed with extreme prejudice, Freddie took in the way the knight¡¯s eyes widened in recognition. The way he moved his arm to guard. The way he was too slow. And she savored the way it made her feel. Her fist sinking into soft flesh, the way she pressed into a bone with the edge of her forearm. It was just as she remembered it.


    Invigorating.


    She stepped back from the knight, whose face was scrunched in pain. She shook her arms out with a smile.


    ¡°Sorry, I forgot to pull my punch.¡±


    Her eyes flicked to the other knight on the sidelines. His mouth was slightly open, but his eyes were wide. Freddie winked at him. Meanwhile, the knight she¡¯d hit was bent over and grasping his side. Turning back to him, she didn¡¯t huff, but it was a near thing.


    Standing back up, the knight¡¯s cheeks were tinted pink.


    Freddie knew, then, that landing punches would grow more difficult¡ªand she was right. After [Bright as a Flickering Flame]¡¯s aura broke, the knight was no longer calmed by her presence, no longer inclined to hold back. Briefly, Freddie wondered if it was an underhanded thing to do.


    There is no right and wrong in a fight. Everything is fair game. She decided. Every advantage needs to be utilized¡ªevery chance to win taken. Because what else will I do when my freedom is threatened? When it¡¯s my life? Practice is meant to prepare you. In a real fight, there are no rules.


    Freddie felt her mind fall away as she went back on the offense. She threw a punch just to be met with a solid guard. A hook met with a dodge. A kick thrown and deflected.


    [Running]


    She empowered her legs, trying to find a gap in the knight¡¯s guard. After several more test strikes, she upped her Strength, bit by bit, careful to moderate it so that she was within the realm of an Uncommon Class.


    It was as she hit a third of her Strength that she began to overwhelm him. First, it was a too-heavy push. Then it was a too-strong uppercut. Finally, it was another hook that broke through his guard, landing a firm hit on his abdomen. Freddie heard the knight gasp in pain, but she ignored it.


    And then there was a kick aimed for her shin.


    Stepping back, Freddie leaned into the foreshadows of [Quick Fight], letting the Skill integrate into her mind fully. The kick didn¡¯t land, but it was a close thing. The knight stumbled as his leg overextended, and Freddie snapped out her arm to grab his leg. Then, she shoved, and the man toppled backward.


    It was a cheap shot, but I deserved it. And it didn¡¯t even land. Freddie thought to herself.


    ¡°You went in too strong,¡± Freddie supplied, holding out her hand to help him up.


    The knight just looked a mix of frustrated and bewildered.


    ¡°With the kick¡ªyou forgot to bend your knee too, and so it overextended and let me grip it.¡± She continued, still holding out her hand. ¡°If you try that in the future, moderate how much force you put into it so that you can snap back your leg.¡±


    After another moment of bewildered silence, the knight grunted and stood up without taking Freddie¡¯s hand. But his face had lost some of its harsh edges.


    ¡°Lady Fredericka,¡± he said calmly, ¡°That wasn¡¯t very sporting.¡±


    Freddie shrugged, ¡°Sorry, but¡ª¡±


    The knight cut her off, ¡°I apologize. I shouldn¡¯t have aimed so low.¡±


    Now, it was Freddie¡¯s turn to be bewildered.


    ¡°Excuse me?¡±


    ¡°I apologize. It was underhanded to go for your weak leg.¡±


    Freddie blinked, then realized what he was talking about. She still had a mild limp from the poison. It had begun diminishing because she used [Running] to empower her legs, but it was still there. She¡¯d simply continued on pretending it wasn¡¯t. Freddie tilted her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s not like it¡¯s weakened. It¡¯s just a mild injury. Besides¨C¡± Freddie smiled at the knight¨C¡± all¡¯s fair in love and war, yeah? And what is a spar if not a war game?¡±


    He looked displeased by the implication.


    ¡°My Lady, a knight ought to be chivalrous.¡±


    This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Freddie scoffed, ¡°Are you for real? I specifically asked you to spar with me! You didn¡¯t even try to hit me until that kick! And it was underhanded¡ªbut who cares? I wasn¡¯t sporting either. I punched your kidney!¡±


    The more she spoke, the more frustrated Freddie became with the very thought that the Knights of the Void wouldn¡¯t be willing to take a shot offered to them if they found the execution of it distasteful.


    That¡¯s how you die! She shouted internally.


    ¡°Are you saying I should apologize?¡± Freddie demanded.


    ¡°Of course not, Lady Fredericka¡ª¡± the knight backpedaled, his hands flailing in the air, ¡°I would never presume to¡ª¡±


    ¡°Oh, shut up,¡± Freddie snapped, irritated. ¡°It doesn¡¯t really matter.¡±


    Turning on her heel, she stomped back toward Tiltham¡¯s office, calling over her shoulder, ¡°Thanks for the pointers, I guess.¡±


    When she got back to the office, Tiltham was already looking at Freddie.


    ¡°I see you aren¡¯t pleased.¡± She said.


    Freddie huffed, ¡°I¡¯ll just wait here.¡±


    ¡°Very well, it¡¯ll take me a bit longer. Take a seat.¡±


    Freddie did, swinging her legs off the chair across from Tiltham¡¯s desk. It wound up taking the knight captain another half an hour before she put down her pen. In the meantime, she¡¯d barely sent Freddie a cursory glance ¡ªand Freddie spent the time in thought. Mostly thinking the same thing in different variations.


    That knight was young enough that he¡¯s probably never seen real combat. He doesn¡¯t know what it means to get a limb ripped off and have to be reattached. Arbitrary rules of chivalry have no place on the battlefield, where it¡¯s life or death. He doesn¡¯t understand that death is a permanent affair that lurks around every corner¡ªwhether it man or beast. Chivalry only matters if you¡¯ve got the power to withstand the repercussions.


    ¡°Lady Fredericka,¡± Tiltham said, pulling Freddie out of her head, ¡°I am ready.¡±


    Freddie got up immediately, ¡°Good, let¡¯s head for Grandfather''s office.¡±


    Tiltham gathered several small stacks of papers into a leather folder and stood up. She was not in her usual full armor, instead she was in a set of black leather armor with a silver insignia of a star.


    It reminded Freddie of the starless night sky. How did they come up with a star if there are no stars in the sky? Is it meant to be a mote of mana? They still call it a star, though. But Freddie was more preoccupied with following Tiltham than she was thinking about the origins of symbols in this new world, so the train of thought evaporated as Tiltham lead Freddie back through the manor.


    ¡°Tilly, you miss me yet?¡± Freddie chirped once they were out of the barracks.


    Tiltham refrained from answering, and Freddie huffed a laugh, ¡°Fair enough, but I missed you. So don¡¯t hide away from me forever.¡±


    The knight''s eyes reached the sky, but Freddie wasn¡¯t watching. Instead, she was busy lighting a fire.


    [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]


    A bright crimson flame melted the snow as it fell around Freddie, causing a bubble of humidity to surround her as she walked. It mattered not to the girl. She¡¯d gladly sweat the day away if it meant she was never cold.


    ¡°You¡¯re getting better at that,¡± Tiltham commented, giving the flame a side-eye.


    ¡°I¡¯m trying to moderate how much mana I feed it. My biggest problem is that a little mana goes a long way. I want to feed it more than necessary¡ªand that had me nearly burning off my eyebrows.¡±


    ¡°An atrocity.¡± Tiltham delivered the line in her usual droll voice, but Freddie took the words for what they were: a joke.


    ¡°Tilly, did you just joke?¡± Freddie mimed a gasp.


    ¡°Please, my Lady, call me Tiltham,¡± was the only response Freddie got before they entered the manor, and Freddie dropped her flames.


    As the fire evaporated into nothingness, Tiltham held open the door, waving Freddie inside. With a chill encroaching on her already, Freddie wasted no time hustling into the building.


    The rest of the walk was filled with Freddie chattering, from complaining about the cold to saying ¡®Tilly¡¯ in as many sentences as she could make it fit. Tiltham seemed to be ignoring her for most of it.


    Arriving at her grandfather¡¯s office was a formal affair, with Tiltham announcing herself to the guards.


    ¡°Void Captain of the 1st Contingent, Inez Tiltham, is here to speak with the Duke of Nemo, Commander of the Void.¡±


    Tiltham¡¯s face gave nothing away when Freddie slid her gaze to the woman, but she did mouth to herself, ¡°Tiltham is your last name?¡±


    The guards then turned to Freddie, who waved her hand and said, ¡°Tell him Freddie is here too.¡±


    They nodded, and one of them slid their hand into a bit of the wall that apparently was not a wall at all and opened a door. The guard disappeared behind said door, and when it closed, it melded back into the pattern of the wallpaper.


    ¡°Why are we doing this? I can just walk in.¡± Freddie complained.


    ¡°Because I am not the Duke¡¯s heir, nor am I one of his beloved grandchildren.¡±


    Freddie blinked, ¡°Fair enough, I guess.¡±


    They didn¡¯t have to wait long, within a minute, the main doors were opening and the Duke of Nemo was smiling down at Freddie.


    ¡°Little star, you¡¯ve never waited before?¡± He asked questioningly.


    Freddie shook her head and looked to Tiltham, who cleared her throat, ¡°My Liege, I come bearing a report of a failed excursion. Is Lord Bridian here as well?¡±


    ¡°Fortunately, yes, you¡¯ve caught us just in time.¡± The Duke of Nemo was eyeing his granddaughter questioningly but led them back into his office without issue.


    Freddie followed by her grandfather¡¯s side, but Tiltham stayed several paces behind. Within the Duke¡¯s office were three people: Bridian, Freddie¡¯s father, and two aides that Freddie recognized but could not name. She nodded at the aides and waved at her father.


    As the Duke settled in behind his desk, Bridian directed Freddie to sit beside him. The Duke sat behind his massive desk, and Freddie and her father sat off to the side in plush armchairs.


    Tiltham was already kneeling down, ¡°I greet my Liege and Lord, Duke Frederick Nemo.¡±


    ¡°Stand, Captain Tiltham, and enlighten me as to why you are briefing me with my granddaughter in tow.¡± The Duke¡¯s voice was hard, which caused Freddie to smile.


    Standing, TIltham nodded sharply, ¡°Of course, my Lord. Lady Fredericka aided a squire of the Void, young Argon, in his time of need. She saved his life, and when she came to me with questions, my honor dictated that I answer them. She requested to be present for the briefing on the incident.¡±


    The Duke looked to Freddie, who shifted uncomfortably under his assessing gaze, ¡°Very well. I will not undermine your sense of duty by saying it was the wrong choice. Tell me exactly what happened, start to finish.¡±


    ¡°Of course, sire,¡± TIltham said, her voice back to the same monotone she often used with Freddie, ¡°It all began with a report from one of our Void Knights, Sir Yllwood. We received his report identifying an issue at the southwest edge of the basin near the town of Kral. They had found a corrupted mana source. Upon further investigation, it was evolved.¡±


    The Duke¡¯s eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward.


    ¡°Sir Yllwood then sent a follow-up report that was received post-mortem. He confirmed our fears.¡±


    ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­¡± The Duke trailed off.


    ¡°Yes, it is a Dungeon.¡± Tiltham finished for him.

 CH 12.5 - Interlude 2

    <h2>A Collection of Essays on Dungeons</h2>


    <hr>


    On Dungeons, Anathema, and the Divine


    By Hollan Signallia


    ¡°It has been widely recorded, from ages past to lives present, that whence mana is collected in great volumes, whether naturally or otherwise, the overseer of such collection must maintain a careful watch upon the mana. Mana, when dense enough, can sour and become corrupted by the energies of the world.


    One would think that the energy of the world is pure and thus should not corrupt the mana. However, I posit that mana is not of the world but is of the Gods and, thus, is corrupted by the very existence of the world itself. This is why mana fights corruption by expelling it out via forming a core. Colloquially known as a Dungeon Core, these cores materialize monsters and treasure as a way to purge the corruption from the mana source.


    While it has been extensively proven that such treasures are not corrupted themselves, I believe the anathemic nature of Dungeons inherently means that such objects should be utilized only in the most dire of circumstances.


    This belief stems from the information passed down by Evali, the God of Ground, Lord of Knowledge. See Polar¡¯s examination of Evali¡¯s prophets for more further details. He has shown us the Origin of the System, that the aether of space has been condensed and forced into such a shape by the Gods themselves. He does not explicitly condemn the existence of Dungeon Cores, but it is well-known, following the theory of Ascension, that certain Gods and Goddesses ascended via their destruction.


    The children of the Great Goddess Maeve, the namesake of our Queendom, are such examples. Oberon and Kite challenged Dungeons to increase their Divinity until they were qualified to Ascend. Born mortal, the two sons of Maeve had no great advantage when it came to their progression. Until they were blessed by their mother.


    Oberon is best known for his demise, as is Kite, but the two brothers were famous in millennia past for their deeds while mortal. It is recorded that Oberon cleared over three hundred Dungeons by his lonesome, whereas Kite cleared over a hundred. Together they cleared nearly a thousand Dungeons. It is, of course, relevant to note that this occurred in the Age of Confusion. Long before history was reliable, before society was fully formed, before it was truly known the cost of progression.¡±


    <hr>


    The Great Plague of Umbra: The End of the Oceanic Dungeon


    By Rhiannon Klinger


    ¡°Three hundred seventy-two years ago, the late Queen Lorelei ordered the clearing and destruction of the Oceanic Dungeon that nearly claimed the lives of several noble families in the Duchy of Umbra. The Oceanic Dungeon, known to the citizens of the Umbra territory commonly as Ossy, was well known for its unique treasure with mystical properties. From pearls that could grant the Skill [Water Breathing] to gems that could enhance one¡¯s attributes, the Dungeon was revered as an asset rather than a liability.


    Umbra cleared the dungeon several times a year to acquire these treasures ¡ªas well as to prevent a dungeon break. However, after centuries of symbiosis, the Dungeon altered its floors. This unprecedented change fundamentally altered the nature of the Dungeon. No longer did it produce treasures sought far and wide. It began producing esoteric treasures, one such treasure was the named dagger Kekai.


    This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.


    Upon use of a generic [Inspect] Skill, Kekai was a simple dagger that when thrust out would produce flower petals. The petals were permanent constructs, much like the luckiest of artisans can produce with their Skills. However, once Kekai was presented to the University of Nadine as a unique existence, a Tier 4 [Inspect] was utilized. The petals were not as innocuous as one would expect. They carried a magical plague that spread through the region.


    Previously, the magical plague had no known causes or cures, and Umbra¡¯s population was growing more and more ill by the day. It was under these circumstances that the late Queen Lorelei ordered the eradication of the Dungeon. It is said she was of the belief that upon the destruction of the Dungeon, the ultimate treasure would be the antidote to the plague.


    This was not the case, of course, as we know now that the final treasure that presented itself was the Sword of Many Forms, Hirsha. Hirsha was a simple sword made up of a mystical metal, Lystallan Alloy, that was well regarded for its pink hues and its ability to absorb properties. Usually, the properties it absorbed depended on the area the veins were found, however, as Hirsha was a Dungeon creation, it had a unique property. It could shift its form.


    Upon a Tier 4 [Inspect], it was revealed that the Sword of Many Forms could even shift its color and density, so long as its mass remained the same.


    This, of course, did not solve the issue of the magical plague. Not directly. But it was Hirsha that the late Queen Lorelei used to threaten the scholars of various universities into finding a cure.¡±


    <hr>


    Economics of the Argyle Dungeon, A Study on the Strength of the Callistan Empire


    By Jolene Asha


    ¡°The Argyle Dungeon of the Callistan Empire is a meticulously curated Dungeon that the Empire has possessed for over a thousand years. What has prevented the Dungeon from mutating, one author wonders. The answer? Nothing. The Argyle is well known for mutating once every hundred years, as if on a schedule. And the Empire adjusts its exports as such.


    The sheer volume of Dungeon treasures that the Argyle provides is incomparable to any other dungeon in the region, as it is by far the oldest and most convoluted in layout. The Dungeon itself is known to possess over twenty floors, each more dangerous than the last. The Argyle¡¯s first floor has grown into a theme over the years.


    As of writing this essay, in 1132 SY, the theme of the first floor of the Argyle remains fire and ice. In fact, the five floors are all contrasting elemental themes.


    The Empire has, since the latest mutation, utilized the treasures of the dungeon to equip their military with elemental weapons, as well as exporting elemental stones and gems to the Queendom and other trade partners. It is unknown exactly how often the Empire dives the dungeon to its peak, but the first floors are perpetually producing enough items to give the Empire¡¯s economy a boost.


    Thus, the Class options for citizens of the Empire are known to be varied and dangerous. There are many uncontracted elementalists who are able to reach such levels prior to Tiering up their Class. Though the overall number is still a small percentage, often centered on their noble class, it is a much higher percentage than in the Queendom, which eradicates all Dungeons when they are young to prevent such tragedies as the Great Plague of Umbra from occurring. That is not to say that the Queendom pales in comparison to the Empire.


    The Queendom of Maeve is often granted with a much higher concentration of Divinity and the populace is generally more educated. However, it is undeniable that the Argyle Dungeon is integral to the power of the Callistan Empire.¡±


    <hr>


    On Curating Dungeons


    A Missive Written by the late Queen Lorelei


    ¡°Don¡¯t.¡±

 CH 13 - Dungeons and Opportunites

    Rise of Winter, Week 3, Day 7


    ¡°Do we know how old it is? How many floors? What it produces?¡± The questions were rapid fire as the Duke spoke.


    Tiltham glanced down at Freddie, thinking, before she looked back at the Duke.


    ¡°Based on the escaped creature¡¯s ability, we expect it to be at least ten years old ¡ªmaybe twenty. Sir Yllwood wasn¡¯t the best of us, but he was far from the worst. At that age, it¡¯s likely gone through its boost for the first five floors and has breached during an expansion into its sixth or seventh. We have not found its source yet, so there is no way to know what treasures it holds.¡±


    No one was watching Freddie at that point, so consumed by the implications were they. But she was fighting back a smile. Her face screamed excitement better than anything she could have said.


    The Duke rubbed his eyes, ¡°Seven potential floors¡ªthat¡¯s into Tier 3 for [Common] monsters.¡±


    Freddie blinked, then looked up to her grandfather, ¡°Do monsters on each floor conform to specific levels?¡±


    She kept her voice neutral, but still, her father shot her a look.


    ¡°Yes, my star, seven floors mean up to seventy levels: twenty for Tier 1, forty for Tier 2, and ten out of eighty for Tier 3. Though that doesn¡¯t account for the occasional [Uncommon] monster that appears.¡± His voice was thin, and the Duke narrowed his eyes at the sparkle in Freddie¡¯s eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡±


    Freddie finally released her grin, ¡°But¨C¡±


    The Duke held up his hand, and Freddie shut her mouth, a frown quickly forming.


    ¡°Hanlon, Jedni, out, both of you,¡± was all the Duke said, and Freddie¡¯s frown lightened slightly. Not entirely. But she waited until both aides fled the office to speak up any further.


    ¡°I want to go.¡± It was out of her mouth before the door was fully shut.


    ¡°No.¡± Duke Frederick said harshly. Harsher than Freddie ever remembers him being.


    So, she stood up, facing the towering old man.


    ¡°I have a [Rare] Class. I can keep up with [Common] monsters mid-Tier 2,¡± Freddie said, her tone pointed, ¡°That¡¯s several floors to clear with ease and for practice ¡ªand several more with challenge and training. It¡¯s perfectly timed.¡±


    ¡°There is nothing easy or safe in a Dungeon.¡± He grit his teeth. ¡° And we need to clear it before the Queen gets wind of it. Or before it really breaks.¡±


    ¡°Send me with a contingent of knights, then,¡± she pushed, ¡°It¡¯ll be perfect. They¡¯ll keep me safe, and I¡¯ll have time to grow. And then there¡¯s a Nemo who can take credit for clearing it.¡±


    At that, her father stood, grabbing her shoulder, ¡°Fred, you do not even have any fighter Skills. Not to mention you¡¯ve just hit competence in the Skills you do have. It¡¯s not safe.¡±


    Freddie turned around, pulling Bridian¡¯s hand off of her with ease, ¡°I don¡¯t care if it¡¯s safe. It¡¯ll help me grow. And that¡¯s what I need.¡±


    Bridian looked down at his wrist, gripped tightly in his daughter¡¯s hand, and defeat filled him, and his shoulders slumped.


    ¡°My star, please¡ª¡±


    ¡°Enough, Bridian,¡± the Duke said sharply, then peered down his nose at Freddie. ¡°If she wants to go, she¡¯s made her point. I will permit her to go down the first four floors. If she hits Tier 2, she may go to the fifth floor. No further.¡±


    Freddie clapped her hands, ¡°Thank you.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet,¡± her grandfather stated, crossing his arms. ¡°You¡¯re not going until after your Affirmation and the accompanying party in five days'' time.¡±


    It was Freddie¡¯s turn for her shoulders to slump, ¡°But¨C¡±


    ¡°No buts. We¡¯re in a hurry, yes, but not such a hurry that we would scorn your mother ¡ªwho has spent the past several months planning a party to celebrate your Affirmation. We have already pushed it back far enough.¡±


    Freddie simply nodded. I¡¯m not strong enough to fight it yet¡­ Besides, I don¡¯t want to make mother sad.


    Looking over, Freddie¡¯s eyes met TIltham¡¯s. The Knight Captain had a pinched expression on her face.


    ¡°My Lord,¡± she started, her curt voice breaking the silence that had permeated. ¡°If I may continue?¡±


    Duke Frederick waved the woman onward. ¡°Yes, of course. Continue, Tiltham.¡±


    Thus, after calling back in the Duke¡¯s aides, they discussed the logistics of a dungeon dive. The funding required, the supplies needed, and the amount of knights they should allocate. The discussion was rather droll for Freddie, who only cared that she was going along with the knights. Thus, when she found herself alone with her father and grandfather, she barely noticed. Freddie was just relieved that the discussion was over and she was free.


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    ¡°Stop,¡± the Duke commanded as Freddie started for the door.


    Pausing, Freddie turned on her heel and looked back at her grandfather expectantly.


    ¡°There are going to be rules about how you spend the next five days, Freddie.¡± He looked older than she¡¯d ever seen her, and she felt responsible.


    That didn¡¯t stop her from sniping, ¡°Always so many rules.¡±


    But the fire in her dimmed as she watched her grandfather shake his head, exhausted. Freddie shook out her shoulders and plastered a smile on her face, ¡°What do you want me to do?¡±


    ¡°Freddie,¡± her father gasped, ¡°What has gotten into you?¡±


    Freddie wondered, then, if she was really so different than the old Freddie. The Freddie before Kalina. She wondered why she couldn¡¯t be calm and malleable. Perhaps it was that in elsewhere, malleable meant she was taken advantage of ¡ªthere was no one she could trust with her future, after all. She only had herself. It meant bruised skin and burned hearts. It meant pain and betrayal.


    But the before, who had that Freddie been? Wild, sure. But hateful? Never. She grew up loved and spoiled, filled with warmth and entitlement. It was the warmth that Freddie was having a problem with. She wasn¡¯t used to it. Her shoulders had been heavy with the burden of her survival, scraping together her winnings until she was the highest-paid gladiator in the ring.


    Freddie closed her eyes and took a deep, slow breath, dropping her smile and voicing the truth, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯m still on edge from last night. My body hurts, and I¡¯m in a foul mood from my spar with a Knight of the Void earlier.¡±


    Bridian placed his hand on Freddie¡¯s shoulder, giving a gentle squeeze.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right, we can take a foul mood. What really matters is if you¡¯re okay.¡±


    Freddie opened her eyes, orange eyes meeting orange eyes, and she felt tears prick, ¡°It¡¯s been a really long few weeks.¡±


    The Duke and Bridian were kneeling down at once, getting on Freddie¡¯s level. Arms wrapped around her, and soothing hands ran through her hair.


    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Fred, it¡¯s okay to not be okay all the time.¡± Was her father.


    ¡°My star, you¡¯re not just the heir. You¡¯re my beloved granddaughter. Nothing I would do would be to hurt you.¡±


    It was several moments before the Duke let go, looking down at Freddie with a small, shaking smile, ¡°Now, what do you mean your body hurts?¡±


    Freddie swallowed thickly, wiping a stray tear from her face, mumbling, ¡°I think I was poisoned by the serpent. My arm and leg hurt so bad.¡±


    Both men blinked at Freddie before Bridian was a flurry of movement, ¡°Keep her company, dad. I¡¯ll be back with a [Healer] soon. Freddie¡ªjust. Just stay.¡±


    And then Bridian was running out the door, frantic worry written across his face.


    To his credit, Freddie¡¯s grandfather was much more collected.


    ¡°My star,¡± he said calmly. ¡°Tell me, why are we only hearing about poison the next day?¡±


    Freddie rubbed her injured arm, feeling the tightness under her fingers, then decided the truth was the best.


    ¡°I figured it would go away, but it just¡­ settled in. I thought it was getting better until I went for the knight¡¯s kidney earlier, and I couldn¡¯t put my full power behind it ¡ªmy leg just didn¡¯t push off as much as I wanted.¡±


    By the end of it, Freddie was speaking fast and waving her hands in frustration.


    If I¡¯m honest, who cares about that dude¡¯s chivalry? I wanted to send him to his knees with my punch and all I got was him bending over.


    The Duke blinked slowly, processing, ¡°You went for the kidney?¡±


    Freddie was too in her own head to censor her thoughts, so instead of picking up on the disconcerting look in Duke Frederick¡¯s eyes, she grumbled, ¡°Yeah, I had [Bright as a Flickering Flame] active to see if it¡¯d make him underestimate me. It did, but when I went for the finishing blow, he recovered so fast.¡±


    ¡°Fredericka,¡± the Duke gasped.


    At that, Freddie stopped in her tracks and looked back to her grandfather, ¡°What?¡±


    He just looked at her, bewilderment written in the way his brows were pressed together and the way his mouth was hanging slightly open.


    ¡°What?¡± Freddie repeated, playing back what she said to herself.


    ¡°That¡¯s underhanded, and cruel, and¡ªand¡ª¡± the Duke threw up his hands, ¡°And I didn¡¯t think you had it in you!¡±


    ¡°I definitely do,¡± Freddie said slowly, unsure at the enthusiasm in her grandfather¡¯s voice.


    That was when she found herself wrapped up in a tight embrace once again.


    This time, when the Duke released her, he had a smile on his face.


    ¡°Oh, that puts me at ease,¡± he said lightly. ¡°I was worried you were too soft for a dungeon.¡±


    Freddie couldn¡¯t help it. She cracked a smile and then burst out in laughter.


    ¡°That¡¯s not something you ever need to worry about¡ªnot ever,¡± she said through her fit. As she sobered up, her smile had a hint of the battle madness Freddie knew herself capable of.


    It was a few more minutes before Bridian burst back into the Duke¡¯s office, a woman quick on his heels, ¡°She¡¯s here. And she said it hurts.¡±


    Freddie waved her hand, the one that wasn¡¯t attached to her actively poisoned arm, ¡°Hello.¡±


    She actually recognized the [Healer]. Her name was Georgia and she¡¯d been at the service of the Nemo¡¯s since before Freddie could remember. One of her earliest memories is falling down, getting a terrible scrape, and Georgia healing it over without so much as a scar.


    ¡°Lady Fredericka,¡± Georgia nodded her head, then kneeled down to get eye level with Freddie. ¡°What has happened? Tell me where it hurts.¡±


    Freddie held herself back from rolling her eyes at the soft tone, ¡°It¡¯s not that bad, really, I just feel a tightness in one arm and one leg.¡±


    Gesturing from her shoulder to her elbow, she said, ¡°From here to here and from here¡ª¡± she pointed at her upper thigh to her calf, ¡°To here.¡±


    As she pointed it out, Freddie attempted to stretch both limbs and winced. The woman tutted, ¡°Stop that. Do you know what beast did this?¡±


    Freddie did not remember the serpent''s actual name, so she had to pull up her past notifications and look over the combat report to find it.


    ¡°It was a Level 22 Adult Winterdeep Grassroot Serpent.¡±


    Georgia nodded and peered over the injured limbs for a moment, ¡°I see four circular scars that look fresh. Did someone else heal you? Whoever it was must have been inexperienced, not only to leave the scars ¡ªbut also to ignore the poison? Amateur.¡±


    Prodding the scars for a moment, Georgia looked back up to Freddie expectantly when the girl did not answer, ¡°Well? Who was it?¡±


    The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence, and Freddie shuffled on her feet. The Duke was eyeing her skeptically, and her father¡¯s face was a bit red.


    ¡°Georgia, maybe we could let it be,¡± the Duke said gently, his hand splayed out before him in a comforting motion.


    ¡°Absolutely not,¡± she shot back. ¡°This was shoddy work, and I¡¯ll not have someone endangering the family I serve under my watch.¡±


    The silence began to grow again just as Freddie spoke.


    ¡°It was me.¡±

 CH 14 - Healing the Poison Within

    Rise of Winter, Week 3, Day 7


    Freddie watched as Georgia¡¯s face went pale.


    ¡°It¡¯s all right!¡± Freddie rushed out, catching the frantic way that the woman¡¯s eyes began darting from her to the Duke. ¡°It¡¯s okay. The Skill is barely Level 5. You¡¯re right. I¡¯m neither Skilled nor skilled with its use.¡±


    The Duke shot Freddie a look, then shook his head, ¡°It¡¯s fine, really.¡±


    What followed was an extremely awkward exam, with Freddie silent and Georgia giving stilted commands.


    ¡°All right, usually, I would produce the antidote and let it handle the poison. But because it¡¯s been several hours, and Lady Fredericka is still freshly Awakened, I would like leave to use a Skill on her.¡±


    Georgia¡¯s words were directed at Bridian and the Duke, not Freddie. But Freddie was the one who responded.


    ¡°Go for it. Will it get rid of the poison all at once?¡±


    ¡°It will, my Lady,¡± Georgia said nervously, looking from Freddie to the Duke, who gave a fond sigh and waved her onward. ¡°It will only take a moment, and it should feel like a sweeping warmth. Not quite gentle, but not painful either. All right?¡±


    Freddie nodded, ¡°Sounds like a plan.¡±


    And then Georgia was running her hand over the tightness in Freddie¡¯s arm, her hand glowing a pale yellow. The light shifted and moved from Georgia¡¯s hand into Freddie¡¯s shoulder, sinking below the skin.


    Georgia was right, the warmth that seeped into her was too much to be called gentle, but it was nothing compared to the magma of her mana. Freddie didn¡¯t even shiver as the foreign mana flooded her veins and wip[ed through her arm. Then Georgia was running her hand over Freddie¡¯s leg, and the sensation doubled.


    It was only present for a minute, and when the warmth died down, Freddie could already feel how the tightness was lifted.


    ¡°Thank you, Georgia,¡± Freddie said, relief filling her.


    ¡°Any time, my Lady.¡± Georgia¡¯s smile was soft, and she patted Freddie on the head.


    ¡°Thank you,¡± Bridian parroted. ¡°I expect we can trust you to keep Freddie¡¯s Skill to yourself?¡±


    ¡°Of course, my Lord.¡± Georgia bowed her head seriously, ¡°I would never betray Nemo.¡±


    Freddie tuned out the rest of the conversation as she stretched her arms and legs. They were back to perfect condition.


    ¡°I bet I could take that guy down now,¡± she mumbled to herself as the adults talked.


    It was a short few minutes later when Georgia left, and Bridian sat back down.


    ¡°Rules,¡± the Duke said simply.


    Freddie leaned back into the chair she¡¯d settled into and nodded reluctantly.


    ¡°One: you will keep [Bright as a Flickering Flame] active as often as you¡¯re able, with mana regeneration potions if you run out.¡±


    ¡°I can do that,¡± she said leadingly, waiting for her grandfather to continue.


    ¡°Two: you will spend the next few days relaxing. Outside of casual Skill use and [Bright as a Flickering Flame], I don¡¯t want you pushing yourself. It wouldn¡¯t do for you to show up exhausted to your Affirmation.¡±


    ¡°Does that mean¡ª¡±


    ¡°You are not allowed to spar with the knights. I know you and Tiltham trained [Quick Fight] together, so you¡¯ve got some experience, but I do not want any more injuries. You need to leave in top shape, am I understood?¡±


    Freddie¡¯s mouth was pressed into a frown but still she nodded. ¡°Is that all?¡±


    ¡°It is. Now, go ¡ªget!¡± The Duke waved his hands mockingly, ¡°I have other work to do.¡±


    A smile bloomed on Freddie¡¯s face, ¡°All right, all right. [Bright as a Flickering Flame]¡±


    She brought her Skill to bear and the room shifted around her. The magma from her veins flowed out from every pore in her body and suffused the air. Freddie watched as the looks on her family¡¯s face lightened.


    ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s a good thing that you can calm me, so, my star,¡± Bridian sighed but waved Freddie off as well.


    <hr>


    Marasha caught Freddie sneaking into the triplet''s class time easily, as the woman was already looking for her. It was obvious in the way she perfectly intercepted Freddie down the very hall where the girl¡¯s brothers were known to be stuck in the daytime.


    Maybe it¡¯s a coincidence, Freddie mused before snorting. Unlikely. She has that glint in her eye, the one that says I¡¯m about to be dressed down with a smile.


    ¡°Ah, Lady Fredericka, there you are,¡± Marasha cooed, a soft smile decorating her face. She was so gentle with Freddie, even when she was about to¡ª ¡°You weren¡¯t in your room when I called, and it was time for your Affirmation lessons.¡±


    Freddie tried to backpedal, tried to escape, but the woman¡¯s smile kept her plastered where she was.


    ¡°Oh, hello, Marasha, I was just¡ª¡± Freddie started.


    ¡°Running away to play with your brothers?¡± Marasha finished for her.


    You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that, I was just checking¡ª¡± Freddie was trying to come up with a story, a reason, something that would make Marasha ease off. It nearly worked if the woman hadn¡¯t interrupted once again.


    ¡°In on their progress? I believe Grisham is monitoring that himself, my Lady.¡± Marasha¡¯s voice maintained the gentle teasing she always had, but it didn¡¯t ease the sting of the pointed remark.


    Defeated, Freddie held up her hands in front of her, pretending to be chained, ¡°You caught me. Take me away, Marasha. I¡¯m ready for the gallows.¡±


    Marasha covered her mouth and laughed lightly, ¡°Now, now, it¡¯ll only take a bit of your time. I promise.¡±


    <hr>


    Marasha was a liar.


    After dragging Freddie back to her room and seating her at the table, the governess gave her an entire book on The Etiquette of the Noblesse that Freddie knew would take her at least a day to get through.


    ¡°Do I have to read this?¡± Freddie pleaded, ¡°Can¡¯t you just give me the basics?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not, Lady Fredericka,¡± Marasha said. ¡°You are the heir to the House of Nemo, a Child of the Void.¡±


    Ugh, Freddie groaned internally, flipping through the pages. At least there are some pictures.


    It had been over a decade since Kalina had touched a book in elsewhere, meanwhile, Freddie of the before had been reading etiquette and arithmetic books for a while. They were boring, and so Freddie, before, would run to the plains and climb trees to escape the torture. Freddie of now wanted very much to do the same.


    Unfortunately for Freddie, Marasha was guarding the door. And, sure, maybe Freddie could brute force her way out, but it was Marasha. The actual sweetest lady Freddie had ever known. There was a reason Freddie of before liked her so much, despite reading being the bane of her existence.


    ¡°Marashaaaa,¡± Freddie whined, sliding the book away from herself while giving the woman pleading eyes.


    ¡°Lady Frederickaaaaa,¡± Marasha mimicked, ¡°You need to know the details, the purpose, the reason behind the actions of your Affirmation. It¡¯s not just the motions. It¡¯s the intention.¡±


    ¡°You can tell me those, right?¡± Freddie asked hopefully.


    ¡°I can only add context.¡± Marasha quickly shut her down.


    ¡°You¡¯re going to make me read the whole thing?¡± Freddie sagged in her seat.


    ¡°I am, and then we¡¯ll go over it, chapter by chapter.¡±


    ¡°Grandpa told me to relax.¡± She tried one last time.


    ¡°This will only take a few hours of your day.¡± Marasha¡¯s sweet smile had an edge, then. ¡°Each day until your Affirmation.¡±


    The governess slid the book back into Freddie¡¯s hands and tapped the cover, ¡°Now. Begin.¡±


    <hr>


    The Etiquette of the Noblesse


    Chapter One: The Affirmation of Noble Heritage


    The Affirmation is to establish one¡¯s presence before the Gods of this realm. It is to verify the Noble in question is not Anathema to the Gods. In addition, it will establish a baseline of Divinity. It is the only way to verify that a Noble is of true birth and that the Noble line remains blessed by the Gods.


    A newly Awakened Noble with call upon one of the Divine, either by name or indirectly, and a God will answer in their capacity. This can vary from a flash of light to a full Descent. The presence of the Divine, shown to the witnessing Priest of Abelia, the Goddess of Truth, will allow the priest to verify that the Noble in question has met the sole requirement of Nobility: a Divinity score above zero.


    The Noble shall Commune with the Divine, either in the presence of an audience of one, the Priest of Abelia, or more.


    When interacting with the Priest of Abelia one must¡­


    <hr>


    ¡°Don¡¯t lie outright, don¡¯t tell half-truths, don¡¯t lie by omission,¡± Freddie went down the list, one by one, before eventually releasing a guttural noise. ¡°This is ridiculous! You can¡¯t lie by omission? That doesn¡¯t even make sense.¡±


    ¡°They are old rules, my Lady. As long as you stick to ¡®I¡¯ statements, such as ¡®I believe¡¯ or ¡®I feel,¡¯ there are hardly any problems.¡± Marasha was reading her own book but set it down as Freddie stared at her open-mouthed.


    ¡°I mean this sincerely: this is so stupid,¡± Freddie stated roughly.


    ¡°Yes, well, stupid or not, you must read through it.¡±


    And then Marasha went back to reading.


    Freddie stared at a single page until lunchtime, at which point Marasha exasperatedly sent her away to eat downstairs.


    ¡°Be gone, and enjoy a break,¡± Marasha waved her off, and Freddie was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, so she all but ran out of her room.


    ¡°Ok, bye!¡± Freddie shouted as she hustled out the door and worked her way down to the dining room.


    When she got there, the triplets were sitting primly in their usual seats ¡ªHue next to their mother, then Les, and finally Gene halfway down the small table meant for small family meals. This was not the dining room used for estate dinners, where upwards of twenty Nemos were known to gather. Despite the presence of Freddie¡¯s aunts and uncles on the estate, only the main branch of the family lived in the manor. The aunts and uncles often had work with the Duke for their individual projects for the Duchy though, so they milled about here and there.


    ¡°Mom,¡± Freddie said, smiling.


    ¡°My star,¡± came Aster¡¯s harmonious voice, ¡°You¡¯re got quite the nerve showing your face here.¡±


    Immediately, Freddie froze, her eyes searching her mother¡¯s facial expression to see what she was talking about. It looked, well, normal ¡ªwhich is to say: loving, adoring, calm. Not accusing or harsh as the words would have one believe.


    ¡°I do?¡± Freddie furrowed her brows as she took an empty seat near the head of the table and glanced at the triplets, eating happily.


    ¡°Your father,¡± Aster said slowly, holding a bit of food up, inspecting it casually, ¡°Told me about your upcoming excursion.¡±


    Freddie¡¯s mother ate the bite of food daintily, as a Lady Nemo ought to. It turned Freddie¡¯s stomach, and not with nerves.


    ¡°You¡¯re mad?¡± Freddie said testily, ¡°That I want to gain experience?¡±


    Aster shot Freddie a look, ¡°Do you think it¡¯s because of you wanting to gain experience?¡±


    Grabbing a fork and digging into her lunch, Freddie ignored her mother. Instead, she focused on her plate.


    ¡°What are you planning on doing once you gain experience?¡± Aster continued conversationally. ¡°When will it stop? You spent three weeks gaining competence, does that make you invincible? Obviously not after this morning with Georgia.¡±


    Freddie took another bite, chewing viciously. Aster continued eyeing her daughter. The Heir of Nemo. A Child of the Void. Fredericka Nemo. Named for the Star in the Dark. The Lord of the Void.


    ¡°Hmm? Well? Have you thought about it? Have you considered when your bid for strength will come to an end?¡±


    Freddie continued to inhale her lunch for a silent few minutes, the only conversation between the triplets, until she stood up and looked her mother in the eye.


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°What?¡± Aster asked, confusion written across her face.


    ¡°My bid for strength. It¡¯ll never end. You should get used to it.¡±

 CH 15 - Target Practice

    Rise of Winter, Week 3, Day 8


    ¡°[Bright as a Flickering Flame]¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°[Bright as a Flickering Flame]¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°[Bright as a Flickering Flame]¡±


    ¡­


    ¡°[Bright as a Flickering Flame]¡±


    ¡­


    [Congratulations! Bright as a Flickering Flame is now Level 3!]


    ¡°Ugh!¡± Freddie shouted, ¡°This is so boring. I want to light something on fire!¡±


    Marasha sighed from across the room, where she was set up in a chair by the door to prevent another incident of Freddie bolting and not coming back. The governess stood, grabbed a stack of blank worksheets from the table Freddie was seated at, and began crumpling them up.


    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Freddie asked skeptically, but before Marasha answered, she pulled open a window ¡ªrevealing the snow-covered plains surrounding the estate.


    ¡°How good is your aim?¡± She asked casually. When Freddie just stared at her confused, Marahsa pointed from the window to the crumpled balls of paper she was holding, ¡°Your aim, Lady Fredericka?¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s okay? It can always be better?¡± Freddie tried as if there was a correct answer.


    Marasha simply nodded and said, ¡°I¡¯ll throw, you¡¯ll fire.¡±


    Getting it all at once, a grin spread across Freddie¡¯s face.


    ¡°That, I can do.¡±


    Marasha began slowly, gently throwing a paper ball out the window.


    [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation] saw Freddie levitating a ball of flames and chucking it out the window. The flames flew towards the falling paper ball but were too slow and, thus, missed. Abyssmally. The fire, as it left Freddie¡¯s range of control, fizzled out mid-air.


    So, Freddie stepped closer to the window for fear that she would light the house on fire if she continued to aim from within the room, and Marasha threw more paper balls for her to light aflame.


    It took Freddie several more tries before she lit one of the balls on fire successfully. It exploded in a burst of flame and drifted to the ground, where it fizzled out in the snow. A mad giggle made its way out of her and she got a new determination for improving her aim.


    Over the next fifteen minutes, she caught another twelve papers on fire and missed eleven. So her ratio was at least leaning towards success.


    ¡°Okay, okay,¡± Marasha said after running out of papers, ¡°That¡¯s enough of that. You¡¯ve gotten to light something on fire. Let¡¯s get back to getting ready for your Affirmation, my Lady.¡±


    Reluctantly, Freddie sat back down, pulling the book back to her, ¡°Fine. But when I finish, can we do more of that?¡±


    ¡°Only if you finish the entire book and can answer all my questions.¡± Marasha¡¯s voice was serious and yet still indulging.


    ¡°Deal.¡±


    Freddie forced her way through the remainder of the book with speed unheard of for the girl.


    <hr>


    ¡°All right, the [Seamstress] is here for you, Freddie, darling,¡± Aster called as she entered Freddie¡¯s room.


    The woman¡¯s steps came unevenly as she took in the sight before her: a manically grinning Freddie with a fireball hovering above her hands, a sighing Marasha standing next to an obscenely large pile of crumpled paper balls, and several of said crumpled-up paper balls being flung out the window at once.


    And then the flame in Freddie¡¯s hands chased them down.


    Aster, to her credit, waited to be acknowledged. However, after another two rounds of paper balls being thrown out the window and set aflame, she cleared her throat and said, ¡°Freddie, sweetheart?¡±


    Quickly pulling her hands from the window, Freddie looked back to her mother, a sheepish smile on her face, ¡°Hey, mom, we were just taking a break.¡±


    Aster held out her arms, gesturing for her daughter to come to her ¡ªwhich Freddie did without hesitation. Her mother wrapped her arms around her, pulling Freddie close.


    ¡°It¡¯s time for the fitting for your Affirmation dress. The [Seamstress] has arrived and is getting set up.¡± Aster pushed a strand of hair out of Freddie¡¯s face and tucked it behind Freddie¡¯s ear.


    Freddie scrunched her nose, ¡°Does it have to be a dress?¡±


    Aster blinked, and then a radiant smile filled her face, one of amusement and love, ¡°Of course not, my star. You can wear whatever you desire.¡±


    ¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Freddie said, a matching grin on her face. This one spoke of acceptance, of treasure.


    It was so different from elsewhere, where her old mother would push and push and push, trying to force Kalina into dresses and makeup and frills. It wasn¡¯t the frills that were the problem, though, Freddie thought, looking at her current outfit ¨Can exceptionally frilly top and shorts. The problem was the lack of choice.


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    Aster had Freddie follow her to a sitting room on the first floor, and when they walked in, Freddie was taken aback by what she saw. The [Seamstress] had set up what looked like a makeshift shop in the room, with racks of clothes ¡ªblouses, skirts, dresses, and, to Freddie''s excitement, pants. Going up to one of the racks, Freddie let her mother handle the greeting, and she flipped through the tops. Each one was of a different style, with different adornments, and they were of all different colors.


    ¡°Fredericka,¡± came Aster¡¯s voice, and Freddie looked over her shoulder at her mother¡¯s pinched expression, ¡°I believe you forgot something.¡±


    Giving a sheepish smile, Freddie headed back to where her mother was standing next to an overly tall woman built like a waif. The woman, who must be the [Seamstress], looked as if she would blow away with a stiff wind and had her light hair pulled back in a tight bun. She had pointed glasses in a brilliant teal color, and her dress was dip-dyed into a pink and white ombre.


    Freddie stood straight, holding her hands out to her sides, and slightly tilted her head forward.


    ¡°Hello, ma¡¯am, I am Lady Fredericka Nemo. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Her voice was smooth, with no stuttering. Marasha¡¯s practice was perfect, even if Freddie hated using it.


    ¡°Oh my! Lady Aster, Lady Fredericka is so darling,¡± the [Seamstress] said, smiling at Aster. When she spoke next, she was leaning down just enough to be on Freddie¡¯s level. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure, Lady Fredericka. I am Ilona Pinellas. You can call me Ilona if you please.¡±


    Freddie glanced at her mother, who was beaming, and released an internal sigh. This is going to be rough.


    ¡°Thank you, Miss Ilona.¡± Freddie relaxed her posture a bit before lightly gesturing to the racks of clothes: ¡°I won¡¯t need any dresses or skirts; I want to wear pants to my Affirmation.¡±


    ¡°That is a simple request, my Lady,¡± Ilona nodded sharply, then snapped her fingers.


    Two women in matching uniforms appeared from behind a far rack of clothes and began rolling any rack that held skirts or dresses out of the room. As they did so, Aster and Freddie sat on a couch while Ilona brought out several books containing sketched-out designs, fabric samples, and dye possibilities. Aster and Freddie each were given thick books.


    Freddie flipped through the book quickly, getting to the end before the helpers were done moving the racks of dresses out of the room. When she finished, Aster looked at her questioningly. Freddie shook her head, and Ilona brought another book.


    That was the one where she found the top she wanted. It was an off-the-shoulder silk top dyed in an orange-to-red ombre with metal accents.


    ¡°Can you change the metal?¡± Freddie asked.


    ¡°To anything, my Lady,¡± Ilona was quick to respond.


    Freddie grinned, gesturing at the pale pink star necklace she loved to wear, it matched her hair perfectly, ¡°Can you make it this?¡±


    Ilona looked unsure, glancing at Aster, but when Aster nodded stiffly, Ilona did so as well, ¡°We can.¡±


    ¡°My star, now that you¡¯ve found your top, why don¡¯t you rummage through the pants ¡ªbut try to pick something warm. It¡¯s winter, after all,¡± Aster said, switching the books in her and Freddie¡¯s hands.


    This one only took Freddie a few pages, ¡°This one.¡±


    It was a pair of fur-lined shorts. The deep brown would be darker than her skin tone, and the fur wouldn¡¯t be visible¡ªinstead, the lining would match the top, with both having white lace edging.


    ¡°Can the metal adornments here be the same metal at the top?¡± Freddie asked.


    ¡°Of course, my star,¡± Aster said before Ilona could get in a word.


    It was as they were the style of shoe that Freddie¡¯s Perception picked up the whispering.


    ¡°Can you believe it?¡±


    ¡°Lystallan Alloy! That¡¯s worth¡ªwell, more than my mother¡¯s house!¡±


    Freddie tuned into the unfamiliar voice, letting her mother pick out the shoes and simply nodding lightly.


    ¡°They¡¯ll have to put the outfit in a museum after her Affirmation.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯ll deserve it. Do you think Ilona will let us work on it?¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not!¡±


    Oops, Freddie thought, not quite regretting the decision. I didn¡¯t know. The necklace was just a birthday present from the old man when I turned seven.


    Aster must have understood the look on her face because she leaned in conspiratorily and said, ¡°You only have one Affirmation, dear, no need to skimp.¡±


    Freddie smiled at her mother and went back to choosing shoes.


    <hr>


    Freddie was dressed for bed, standing on her balcony, overlooking the sprawling Nemo estate¡ªas well as the plains that surrounded it. Snow had fallen earlier in the day once again, so the only tracks were the footsteps of the patrolmen. The chill in the air couldn¡¯t get to her, though, not through the flames that floated to her left and right.


    Earlier in the day, a welcome notice had arrived, and Freddie was looking over it now.


    [Congratulations! Bright as a Flickering Flame is now Level 5! New Features Unlocked.]


    [Bright as a Flickering Flame: You are present, good or bad. Your presence produces warmth, like a flame in a cave. This skill allows you to produce a calming aura. So long as you do not instigate a negative reaction, it is harder to be found disconcerting. This skill requires mana to maintain it¡¯s Active ability. This skill allows for a minor Passive ability. Ability to push out your aura increased per level. Duration limited. Cooldown applies.]


    It seemed all that had changed was that now she would passively produce a minor aura. What did that mean, practically? Freddie was unsure. Would the Skill passively level? Would it grow on its own slowly, but more quickly if she used the Active Skill ¡ªor would it only grow if she used the Active side?


    She would have to ask Marasha.


    As Freddie dismissed the crimson notice, she looked above her¡ªto the starless sky dominated by the green moon and its rings. Revel. It was a beautiful sight but disorienting all the same. There were no stars in Gargantua, no constellations to track or twinkling to light up the night. Just Revel, lighting up the world in hues of aquamarine.


    As Freddie went back inside for the night, she extinguished her flames.


    Before she went to sleep, she did her routine. The same routine she¡¯d always done in elsewhere.


    It began with stretching, a slow process that left her feeling limber. Then Freddie went through a half-dozen exercises. Burpees, push-ups, squats, sit-ups, lunges, and Russian twists. She did them each to failure, then moved on the the next. She did them all to failure ten times. Enough to coat her in a sheen of sweat and leave her muscles burning. When her arms and legs felt like lead, she did some shadow boxing¡ªfighting imaginary opponents, kicking and dodging and punching them.


    Like that, the days passed. Slowly in the daytime, with etiquette training, reading, and socializing, and quicker overnight, when Freddie was free to exercise her Skills and her body, where she was free to grow without the watchful eyes of her family. Occasionally, when she could escape Marasha, she would hang out with the triplets, play fighting and showing off her not-so-dangerous Skills.


    Tiltham and the Duke found her several times to let her know that they¡¯d be leaving the day after her Affirmation and what the plans were. It was over a week¡¯s travel to the Dungeon, so she shouldn¡¯t expect to be comfortable. They would be pressing on fast.


    That was how Freddie found herself in a carriage with both her parents, headed to the city of Hernel, the capital of the Duchy of Nemo, dressed in a platinum coins worth of Lystallan alloy.

 CH 16 - What It Means To Be A Nemo

    Rise of Winter, Week 4, Day 4


    ¡°Are you ready?¡± Bridian asked softly, gripping Freddie¡¯s hand in a comforting gesture.


    They were at the main church of Hernel, already having passed through the winding streets of the city, navigating around the towers that were nearly as tall as the sky itself. As the black carriage with white metallic accents made its way through the city, people had stopped to stare. Freddie was eyeing a family waving at the carriage, her hand raised to wave back when she turned to her father.


    ¡°As I¡¯ll ever be,¡± Freddie said, smiling at her father to give him the reassurance he clearly needed.


    Freddie herself didn¡¯t care much one way or another how her Affirmation went ¡ªmostly due to the fact that she could see her Divinity was positive. Thus, was spared the usual anxiety that went along with an Affirmation. That fact had eased most of her parents¡¯ nerves as well, but some fear still remained in her father.


    ¡°Stop needling her, dear. You¡¯re stressing yourself out,¡± Freddie¡¯s mother said, poking Bridian in the shoulder ¡ªafter which she began gathering the fabric of her dress and standing. ¡°Now, it is time to go.¡±


    ¡°Yes, mother,¡± Freddie laughed, waiting for both of her parents to leave the carriage.


    It was as Bridian stepped out and looked back at her that Freddie took a deep breath, steadying herself. Then she stood, taking her father¡¯s hand and descending into the controlled chaos around her.


    There were crowds on either side of the carriage, filled with people of all ages watching from behind a black velvet rope. Ahead of Freddie and her parents was the Duke, decked all out in a sleek black suit with silver and white accents, including several medals. Bridian was in a similar, if less decorated, outfit, and Aster was in a black dress that had embroidered silver stars across the seams. Freddie was the only one in color, and it made warmth spread through her stomach.


    They didn¡¯t force me to fall in line¡ªthey didn¡¯t even bring up that there was a line.


    Past the Nemos, there were the Knights of the Void lining the way to the steps of the church. However, as soon as the stairs began, the path became lined with priests and priestesses dressed in all different shades of the rainbow. Each had body chains wrapped around their robes, denoting them as servants of the Divine. Some had circlets adorning their heads, others shackles around their wrists, some body chains were dainty and form-fitting, others large and loose.


    The Duke held out his arm for Freddie to take, and so she stepped away from her parents and took the lead with her grandfather to approach the towering church.


    The building itself was a block wide and several stories tall. It was made of a brilliant white stone that was polished so thoroughly it shone in the mid-morning light. At the face of the building, there were several columns that had been carved to be members of the Divine reaching up to support the edge of the roof. As Freddie ascended the stairs, she caught sight of a woman in pale yellow robes and golden chains.


    A priestess of Frill.


    Freddie met her gaze and nodded.


    The woman smiled back gently before her eyes flashed white for a millisecond, and her grin widened.


    Freddie was already moving on, though, and did not see it.


    The further up the steps the family walked, the quieter the crowd became until, finally, they were at the entryway of the church ¡ªwhere a man in all grey met them. His robes were tapered at the edges, clinging to his wrists, ankles, and waist, but flowed freely at his elbows, knees, and chest. Chains of silver and gold circled the man, weighing down his clothes.


    Freddie had already felt it, but suddenly, the man¡¯s aura became overwhelming with proximity. It was a struggle for her to remain upright, but the Duke remained steadfast and supportive next to her. His aura pulled forward thoughts of lies being pierced by arrows and truths being held up in righteous flames. It was an interesting sensation, and so Freddie pushed her own aura out.


    [Bright as a Flickering Flame]


    The effect of Freddie¡¯s Skill was nothing compared to the priest¡¯s. But the Skill was not squashed. Instead, the severe look of the man softened partially. As Freddie looked closer at him, it almost seemed as if his mouth had twitched in amusement.


    Pausing for a beat, she squeezed the Duke¡¯s arm and looked up at him. He was smiling down at her fondly, giving her a short nod. Freddie¡¯s gaze was unwavering, and she straightened her back as she unwrapped her arm from her grandfather¡¯s.


    Showtime, baby, Freddie laughed in her head.


    Turning back to the priest before her, she stepped forward.


    Bowing her head, she began the performance of her life.


    ¡°The Awakened meets the Master of Day. May Her heart shine on the Truth of my Sleep.¡±


    This time, the man did smile, bowing slightly back, ¡°In Her stead, I, Horace the Veritous, High Priest of Abelia, Lady of High Noon, Goddess of Truth, meet the newest Light in the Void.¡±


    Freddie¡¯s eyes sharpened as the man began to glow was a pale silver light, but her voice remained strong as she spoke, determination to not be intimidated filling her, ¡°I hereby invoke the rites of Affirmation.¡±


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    Power filled Freddie¡¯s voice and flowed into the air before the church, and behind her came a rhythmic beating as priests began hitting their chests with their fists and stepping forward to close the gap that the Nemos had used to approach the church.


    ¡°Enter, Light of the Void,¡± Father Horace¡¯s voice was no longer masculine. Instead, it was overlaid with the light voice of a woman, ¡°And may your Truth be Attested to.¡±


    ¡°May my Divinity be True as is my birthright,¡± Freddie spoke the ritualistic response, ignoring the oppressive feeling of Divine energy.


    It was so unlike in the in-between when Frill had held her so gently, guiding her into a new world. This Divinity was sharp, searching, waiting for Freddie to make a misstep. Father Horace took Freddie¡¯s arm into his own, turning them to face the inside of the church.


    The room they faced was filled with fancily dressed men, women, and children, all staring at Freddie and Father Horace as they walked up between the pews and toward the pulpit. As they walked towards the stage Freddie could see that rather than a chorus, or seats, there were twelve statues decorating the stage at the front of the room.


    She recognized each statue on sight. Marasha would be proud. Beginning at the far left, there were two statues, Frill, the Goddess of Compassion, with her hands wrapping a bandage around Morloch¡¯s ever-bleeding wounds. Morloch, the God of Sacrifice and Self-Improvement, was sat cross-legged, a cowl covering his head. Then came Greta, the Goddess of Patience, wielding her battle axe, and Abelia, the Goddess of Truth, holding her hands over her own eyes to block out the untruths of the world. Next came Zanth, the God of Music, wielding his lyre and staring at Nivienne, the Goddess of Art, lovingly. Nivienne was in the process of sculpting her own body. The next three Gods were huddled together, there was Tritanne, the Goddess of Herbalism, holding a fern out to Jino, the God of Alchemy, and Kroston, the God of Nature. Finally came the ancients, separated from the other nine. Oberon, petrified in eternal pain, Maeve, his mother, wailing for her loss, and Kite, the God who formed the mountains to protect the suffering Oberon.


    In front of the statues was a lower platform a half step up to the figures. It was wide enough for a lectern to go on it during Seventh Day¡¯s sermon, but as Freddie looked on all she saw was a bowl of water and a dust-colored rug that Father Horace led her to.


    Turning his head to Freddie, he spoke in that two-toned voice once more.


    ¡°Kneel and Pray. For your Truth must be Affirmed.¡±


    Freddie nodded and untangled her arm from Father Horace¡¯s. The man stepped back, and Freddie surveyed the statues briefly before kneeling down on the rug. It was soft, and her knees sunk into it. A wry grin spread across her face as she clasped her hands together.


    She wondered, then, what it would mean to pray to Frill. To the Goddess that had saved her soul. Would she appear? Frill had sent that notice, had said that she would come if Freddie called¡ªbut she should only call in dire need. That implied she would only appear once. That if Freddie wasted her shot so early, she may never get another. So she ran back to what Marasha had taught her. She ran through the names of dozens of Gods and Goddesses and even more general Domains whose Gods she didn¡¯t know of. She thought of what mattered to her.


    Power.


    Freedom,


    Fire.


    Family.


    The first three were normal. They were goals she¡¯d had in elsewhere. Goals that Kalina had never achieved. But the final one. Family. That was new. It was fresh. It felt right. She didn¡¯t just want the power to be free. No. She wanted the power to protect her family. Maybe it was old Freddie talking. Maybe it was a ghost enacting its final will. But that wasn¡¯t quite right. Because Freddie didn¡¯t truly feel like the old Freddie was anything but her.


    Freddie felt warmth from the Nemos, not because of a ghost. But because they were there. No matter what Freddie chose, they stayed beside her. Even then, during her Affirmation, her parents and grandfather were waiting just inside the door ¡ªwatching with the same loving eyes they¡¯d always had.


    Even when her dreams had had her cling to danger. When she had been poisoned. Injured. Thrown herself into training. Had demanded entry into a dungeon. There was so little pushback ¡ªnot out of recklessness but out of respect.


    What is my Truth? Freddie wondered, and then a wicked grin spread across her face. That¡¯s easy.


    Freddie clenched her hands together further, using the entirety of her strength.


    I pray to be Affirmed, not for me or for my family line to be Blessed.


    I pray to be Affirmed, not because the Queen requires it.


    I pray to be Affirmed, not because the Divine wish it.


    I pray to be Affirmed because it will bring a smile to my grandfather¡¯s face.


    I pray to be Affirmed because it will ease my father¡¯s worries.


    I pray to be Affirmed because my mother worked hard planning a party just for the occasion.


    Freddie laughed manically, and several people startled.


    Father Horace peered down at Freddie, staring viciously at the statues before her. No, staring above the statues ¡ªwhere there was an empty alcove in the wall with a blank statue without any defining features.


    As she prayed, the statue shifted and turned, taking a new pose, one reaching down to Freddie, arms outstretched. Then clothes began to sprout: a long flowing dress with an apron. Next came a pulled-back ponytail and soft facial features.


    Then a vibrant red light appeared before the statue ¡ªno, the icon. A rip in reality tore through the church. Freddie could feel the air still, she could feel the pews and the people seated in them fall away, and suddenly she was no longer in the church at all.


    ¡°Welcome,¡± said a soothing voice, ¡°To my Domain.¡±


    Freddie looked at the only consistent thing in the swirling red light ¡ªthe rip in reality.


    As she watched, a woman manifested. Thrice as tall as any statue in the church, she stepped from the tear and shrank with the shift of her hips.


    ¡°Do you know my name?¡± She asked.


    Freddie¡¯s wild grin hadn¡¯t faded. It¡¯d only grown wider. Only grown more insane.


    ¡°I do.¡± She said.


    Then she stood, looking up at the Divine being before her.


    ¡°I called you, after all. You are Minare.¡±

 CH 17 - A Goddess Descends

    Rise of Winter, Week 4, Day 4


    ¡°I called you, after all. You are Minare.¡±


    The Divine before Freddie looked aged. Not old, no, she lacked the wrinkles for such a thing. But her salt and pepper hair pulled back atop her head, and her world-weary eyes ¡ªa deep blue like the ocean depths, said otherwise. It was in the way she wore an outfit of ages past, of rough brown fabric and a dirty white apron. It was in the way she was barefoot, and her pale skin was caked with dirt.


    Minare. She was not someone one could just call.


    ¡°I am not someone you can simply call, Godtouched.¡± Even Minare¡¯s voice was rough, scratched with time and disuse.


    ¡°Yet, here you are,¡± Freddie challenged.


    Minare tsked, then snapped her fingers, and the swirling red light stilled around them, settling into the shades of sunset.


    ¡°Yet, here I am.¡± Minare stepped to Freddie¡¯s side, eyeing the girl up and down, ¡°Your Affirmation is a time to establish yourself, yet you would do it for your family alone. You did not ask for a boon, nor did you seek my strength. You asked that your family be satisfied. Tell me who you are, Light of the Void. Child of Frill.¡±


    Freddie took a bow, feeling the power of [Hidden Heart] swelling as Divine energy swept through her mind. The energy was rebuffed, but Freddie was unperturbed by the intrusion.


    ¡°I am formerly Kalina Kastronova, a fighter, a woman of elsewhere,¡± she began. ¡°But you asked who I am. I am Fredericka Asterian Nemo, daughter of Bridian Frederick Nemo and Aster Lariette Nemo. Granddaughter to Duke Frederick Printel Nemo. I am not just a Light of the Void. I¡¯m the Light of the Void. Heir to the House of Nemo. A [Young Lady of Flame].¡±


    Minare stood before Freddie, her soft facial features inscrutable. And then she smiled a chill thing.


    ¡°As you have stood before me, strong as an oak, and told me who you are, I shall do the same.¡±


    Minare raised her hands up above her head, and the sunset around them shifted once again. Walls raised from nothingness, a table and chairs summoned from the aether, and a hearth with a vibrant fire appeared. Above them was a sky filled with stars. Twinkling lights that Freddie had not seen since arriving in Gargantua. Her attention was pulled away by Minare¡¯s voice.


    ¡°I am Minare. Once the Child of Creation, Troya raised me. I am Minare, Goddess, yes, but Ancient first. I am the Lady of Death, the Daughter of Life. You would know me as I am, my Domain unchanged from ages past. I am the Goddess of Family Ties. I am the one who maintains the Crypt that is Maeve. The custodian of deceased Divines. I am the caretaker of my sister¡¯s Heart, of my nephew¡¯s Body, and my other nephew''s Mountains.¡±


    Freddie knew the story, the truth of Minare¡¯s words. Minare was an Ancient Goddess, one who has been missing from modern lore due to one simple fact. She is the protector of the land that Maeve rests on. Maeve, the original Goddess whose name was stolen for the Queendom. Oberon, the original God whose death gave way to the birth of the Captial of the Queendom. Kite, the God who birthed the mountains of protection that circled the Queendom. Minare ensured the land itself is not destroyed, as it is a land built on the bones of her family.


    ¡°Well met, Minare,¡± Freddie nodded.


    ¡°Well met, Godtouched.¡± Minare¡¯s smile vanished, then, and she held up a hand for Freddie to take.


    Freddie gripped her hand firmly, unwavering.


    ¡°I will give you a boon and a curse,¡± Minare said, tightening her hold on Freddie¡¯s palm until a searing pain pulsed out and caused Freddie to scream.


    ¡°I grant you two Skills and a portion of my Divinity to protect you from the others, Fredericka Asterian Nemo. Beware, there are those that yearn for your demise.¡± Releasing Freddie¡¯s hand, Minare turned and approached the still visible tear in reality. Before she went, she said one simple command,  ¡°Do not call me again.¡±


    And then the world warped. Between one breath and the next, Freddie was back at the church¡ªsurrounded by a blinding red light and gasping as she kneeled before the statues.


    All she could do was grit her teeth and endure the pain in her hand. Looking down, she saw a vicious burn mark on the inside of her palm. It was as if Minare had marked her. It was clearly recognizable. Two X¡¯s. XX.


    There was a saying in elsewhere.


    Three strikes, and you¡¯re out.


    This was a warning.


    Freddie stood, careful not to reveal her palm or her pain. She did not turn to face the crowd. Not yet. Instead, she was staring at the crimson System Notices consuming her vision.


    [Congratulations! You have been noticed by the Goddess of Family Ties, Minare! You''ve learned the skill: Nemoan Protectorate.]


    [Congratulations! You have been noticed by the Goddess of Family Ties, Minare! You''ve learned the skill: Nemoan Martyr.]


    [Congratulations! Due to the Goddess of Family Ties, Minare, you have received an additional 75 Divinity! You currently have 112 Divinity.]


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    [Congratulations! You have reached the first threshold of Divinity! Skill capabilities re-calibrated.]


    Freddie dismissed the notices, determined to examine them later. Then she turned to face the crowd ¡ªbut, more importantly, to face her family.


    The Duke had a wide grin and was staring at Freddie. Meanwhile, Aster and Bridian were looking at each other in shock. None looked displeased. The crowd was silent for a moment before the first person began clapping. Then another. Until the church was filled with cheers.


    Freddie waved her good hand at the crowd before focusing her attention back on Father Horace. Her Affirmation was not yet over.


    ¡°I Affirm your Divinity, Fredericka Asterian Nemo. You are a True Light of the Void.¡± His dual voice filled the hall, shushing the crowd, but Freddie felt her stomach churn.


    She bent over and emptied the contents of her stomach at the priest''s feet.


    God, that was stressful, she swore to herself.


    Aloud, she looked up at Father Horace, whose eyes were wide as saucers. Freddie couldn¡¯t find it in her to feel too bad. She¡¯d just met with a Divine, after all.


    ¡°Sorry, Father Horace.¡± She whispered, then standing back upright, she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and smiled. ¡°May the Void be Forever Blessed by the Gods.¡±


    ¡°May the Void remain in its Divinity.¡± Father Horace got out, his shock fading and being replaced with a look of disgust as he glanced at the vomit on his shoes.


    The following performance was done surprisingly well for both someone who had just retched and someone who had just been retched on. Freddie looked around, but there were no priests or priestesses of Minare. She was an all-consuming presence. To worship in Maeve was to worship Minare. One does not need to say her name for a prayer to reach her ears.


    It was as the Divinity dried out of Father Horace¡¯s voice that he held out his arm once more. Freddie took it gingerly, staying relatively distanced from the man. It may have been her vomit, but it was gross nonetheless.


    ¡°Congratulations, Lady Fredericka,¡± Father Horace said tightly before turning them back to the crowd.


    ¡°I am honored by your ability to Identify the Truth of my Soul, Father Horace,¡± Freddie replied, the phrase a relic of ages past.


    Father Horace¡¯s voice regained its strength as he held Freddie''s arm above her, displaying her before the church.


    ¡°The Void will Prevail, even as the Darkness rises,¡± Father Horace started. ¡°And the newest Light of the Void shines brighter for the Dark.¡±


    Once again, the crowd erupted in cheers, but this time Freddie¡¯s family approached her. Behind her, several young priests were bustling about, and as Freddie glanced, she saw the contents of her stomach disappear into nothingness. Same with the contents on Father Horace¡¯s outfit.


    Ah, a Quick Clean potion. Freddie realized, nearly laughing.


    ¡°Congratulations, my star,¡± Aster said, enveloping her in a warm hug.


    ¡°You did almost perfect, my darling,¡± Bridian laughed next to them. Freddie laughed too.


    The Duke patted her back, ¡°Splendid. I haven¡¯t had this much fun at the Church since the last Divine Revolution.¡±


    Freddie looked at her grandfather to see if he was joking, but when she caught sight of his earnest expression, she snorted.


    ¡°Thank you, I did my best,¡± Freddie said carefully.


    ¡°My Lady,¡± Father Horace said, clearing his throat, ¡°Would you mind if we hand a word in my office?¡±


    The Duke turned to the priest, his jovial attitude immediately suspended, ¡°Explain yourself.¡±


    ¡°Ah,¡± Father Horace backed up. ¡°You remember your own Affirmation, my Lord. It¡¯s simply a recollection and recording of how the Divine Affirmed the noble. You and the other Lord and Lady are, of course, welcome. But I only have two seats.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s fine.¡± Aster smiled icily over her daughter¡¯s head.


    <hr>


    It was as such that the Duke of Nemo and Freddie were seated across from Father Horace, with Aster and Bridian standing menacingly behind them. Father Horace did not look nearly as comfortable as one would expect to in ones own office.


    ¡°Lady Fredericka.¡± Father Horace nodded. ¡°Would you mind telling me in what form you received your Affirmation?¡±


    Freddie glanced around, her gaze settling on Father Horace, and she crossed her arms.


    ¡°Yes.¡±


    ¡°Excuse me?¡± The priest said meekly.


    ¡°I mind.¡±


    Freddie¡¯s voice was flat, and she did not look away from Father Horace.


    ¡°Ah, well. Would you be willing to tell me, anyway?¡± He pushed.


    ¡°No.¡± She said, staring the man down. He flinched first.


    ¡°Very well,¡± the Duke said, standing from the uncomfortable wooden chair and brushing off nonexistent dust from his pants. ¡°I believe that¡¯s that then, High Priest.¡±


    ¡°But¡ª¡±


    ¡°Do you have something additional to mention to Fredericka?¡± Bridian interrupted, boredom filling his voice.


    ¡°Ah, yes!¡± Father Horace rushed, ¡°I wish to congratulate her on her Affirmation and her ability to take her rightful place in the succession of House Nemo.¡±


    ¡°Is that all?¡± Aster asked, unamused. ¡°Fredericka already knew that.¡±


    I did? Freddie thought to herself before nodding seriously outwardly.


    ¡°I did.¡± She said aloud.


    ¡°Oh,¡± Father Horace deflated, ¡°Very well then. That is all I had to say.¡±


    ¡°Good day, then.¡± The Duke gestured for Freddie to stand, and she did so immediately, following her grandfather out of the room. Her parents followed after her protectively.


    It was a short walk back to the main hall of the church, where the Duke paused once more, surveying the crowd.


    Clearing his throat, all chatter stopped around him, and the silence spread slowly until the entire room was quiet enough that you could hear a pin drop.


    ¡°As a thank you for attending my granddaughter¡¯s Affirmation and donating to the Church on her behalf, you are all invited to attend the Ball of Affirmation to be hosted at Nemo Manor this night.¡±


    Aster smiled behind him, and Freddie nodded along.


    ¡°Bring your Awakened children and be merry, friends. For a new Light has come to fight the Dark!¡± The Duke finished grandly, and Freddie couldn¡¯t help but laugh lightly at the mischievous glint in his eyes.


    But she seemed to be the only one to see it as the rest of the room looked on in awe.


    Their faces screamed respect and adoration. It spoke of her grandfather¡¯s competence and trustworthiness. Freddie loved it. Knowing that others adored her family as much as she did. In the crowd, she spotted her uncles and aunts, her cousins and their friends. Everyone was there.


    She felt warm, and not in the way her mana would run through her veins.


    No.


    She felt warm in the way that one who is loved feels. With the radiating heat coming from her chest, Freddie could say what she had been holding on to since Awakening.


    When she spoke, it was hushed, but the three adults surrounding Freddie heard her clearly.


    ¡°I love you. Thank you.¡±

 CH 18 - Determination

    Rise of Winter, Week 4, Day 4


    Freddie¡¯s grandfather had insisted that she ride in his carriage on the way back to the estate, which Freddie was confused by ¡ªat first. It was cleared up almost immediately, as his jovial expression dropped once the door to the carriage was closed and they were alone. His eyes spoke of a concern so deep it bordered on dangerous.


    ¡°Who was it?¡± He asked.


    Freddie leaned back into the cushions and crossed her arms. Her gaze drifted out the window, away from her overprotective grandfather.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you mean,¡± she said to the window.


    Duke Frederick gave an unamused huff, ¡°I¡¯m sure. It¡¯s not as if I am well versed in the study of Divinity and how one acquires it.¡±


    Freddie hummed noncommittally.


    ¡°A Divine descended, Fredericka,¡± he said, leaning forward and clasping his hands together. ¡°I need to know the damage.¡±


    Freddie sighed, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want you to know? Will you command me to obey anyway? Just as you commanded me to sleep? Will you force my hand?¡±


    As she spoke, her voice grew fierce. Gone was the soft girl who¡¯d proclaimed her love. Now she was the fighter she¡¯d suddenly become after Awakening. Freddie¡¯s grandfather did not seem displeased by the accusation¡ªrather, he looked bashful.


    ¡°That was for your own comfort, Freddie,¡± he started. ¡°I would never do that to you now that you are adjusted and Awakened. Not unless you were a danger to yourself or others. It would be an abuse of my Divinity.¡±


    Freddie turned back to her grandfather, orange eyes meeting orange eyes. She studied him, looking at the way his shoulders were straight, despite the way he was so clearly asking for her forgiveness. The way his eyes were hard, even when he asked for her understanding. This was the Duke of Nemo. Strong, yet caring. Steadfast, even in the face of what he feared ¡ªlosing Freddie¡¯s heart.


    Thus, Freddie decided to trust in her grandfather. Against Kalina¡¯s better judgment.


    ¡°It was Minare,¡± she admitted.


    ¡°Surely she didn¡¯t¡­¡± Her grandfather¡¯s brow furrowed, and he leaned forward intently.


    ¡°She gave me two Skills and more than enough Divinity to pass the First Threshold,¡± Freddie continued.


    ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± Once again, he trailed off, rubbing his chin roughly. ¡°That¡¯s dangerous. What are the Skills called?¡±


    Freddie pulled up the two Skills. ¡°[Nemoan Protectorate] and [Nemoan Martyr].¡±


    The Duke froze, and when he spoke his voice was measured, careful, forcefully calm, ¡°I will not be asking their descriptions. But I am assuming you have yet to look at them. Please do so now.¡±


    Shrugging, Freddie pulled up the Skills.


    ¡°[Inspect] [Inspect]¡±


    [Nemoan Protectorate: You have attracted the attention of the Goddess of Family Ties, Minare. Due to your pleas, Minare has gifted you with the ability to identify where your immediate family members are, up to the second generation, within a vicinity equal to your Divinity times 10 kilometers. Minare uses this to ensure her family is still entombed where they were laid to rest. Distance increases per level. This Skill is Active. This Skill is dependent on your Divinity attribute being above 100.]


    [Nemoan Martyr: You have attracted the attention of the Goddess of Family Ties, Minare. Due to your pleas, Minare has gifted you with the ability to take wounds upon yourself instead of an immediate family member, up to the second generation, within a vicinity equal to your Divinity times 10 kilometers. Minare attempted to use this Skill when Oberon fell, but, alas, he was out of range. She hopes that is not your fate. Distance increases per level. This Skill is Passive and cannot be disrupted by mortal means. Skill Level is directly tied to the Level of Nemoan Protectorate. This Skill is dependent on the existence of Minare persisting.]


    ¡°Are you finished?¡± The Duke¡¯s voice maintained that careful neutrality that itched Freddie¡¯s hindbrain.


    ¡°I am,¡± Freddie responded slowly, her mouth dry.


    ¡°Does [Nemoan Martyr] do what I think it does?¡± Her grandfather¡¯s gaze was desperate, asking her to lie. To say it was benign.


    ¡°It¡­ she called it a curse. And at my current level, she is correct.¡± Freddie said carefully.


    ¡°Then I will give Tiltham a new directive.¡±


    The Duke paused, closing his eyes and thinking. When he re-opened his eyes, his gaze met Freddie¡¯s once more.


    ¡°You will dive into the dungeon until she is no longer able to protect you. Forget stopping at the 5th Floor. You will run each floor until its challenges are no match for you. You will eradicate every monster twice ¡ªno, thrice. If the Queen challenges me over it, I will use my pardon. You will leave the dungeon so strong, no Skill granted by a mere Goddess will threaten you.¡±


    Freddie''s mouth widened into a feral grin, ¡°Deal.¡±


    <hr>


    Arriving back at the estate found them in contemplative silence. For Freddie, that meant brainstorming ways to integrate her previous fighting style in with her flames ¡ªbeing a ranged mage was never in the cards for her, so it¡¯ll be about learning Unarmed Fighting Skills and short distance Weapon Skills. The Duke, however, had a look of deep consternation on his face. Freddie chose to ignore it.


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    They arrived before Bridian and Aster, but only just. As they disembarked, the Duke remained silent, and Freddie remained shadowboxing in her head. Plotting and planning for any attack.


    Not that there was any. It had been an anomaly that Argon wasn¡¯t found by the guards first. An unfortunate accident caused by new patrol schedules that, well, weren¡¯t working. That, mixed with new guards, did not protection make. Freddie didn¡¯t really mind, though, as there were plenty of guards within the manor proper should something have reached the doors.


    Yet another fluke that no one had looked out the window at that given time.


    It was probably [Otherworldly] that allowed such a coincidence to occur when the Void Knights are usually so cautious. Freddie found herself thinking, running through the possibilities, but in the end, she decided to simply write it off as her Skill.


    It was a Passive that could be empowered. It would level slowly on its own, or she could actively run to fateful encounters.


    It was something to think about. But Freddie wasn¡¯t really one for strategy. Instead, she was a bull-headed fighter¡ªand she was okay with that. If all her strategy was was the best way to punch, she had no issue with that part of her.


    She¡¯d decided to randomly activate it throughout the day to see where it brought her.


    An amused huff escaped her, and her grandfather looked at her with an arched brow, but she shook her head.


    ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a funny thought,¡± Freddie said.


    ¡°Yes, well, go, eat lunch and freshen up. The party starts in a few short hours.¡± Her grandfather ordered, and Freddie mock-saluted in response.


    ¡°And, Fred,¡± he called after her as she was headed to the dining room, ¡°Do something about that burn on your hand, please.¡±


    Oh. She thought, looking down at the angry red mark that touching Minare had left. It had barely faded in the hour since the injury occurred. I forgot to hide it.


    [Regenerate]


    Perhaps it was the Divine nature of the wound that caused it to resist the Skill. And, perhaps, it was the Divine nature of the Skill that allowed Freddie to continue to push through that resistance. Not entirely, of course, because a wound caused by an ancient Goddess was not truly healable by a First Tier child.


    But the angry red color did settle down into a pale gold. It stuck out on Freddie¡¯s tan, the scar glittering unnaturally.


    ¡°Is this caused by the First Threshold?¡± She wondered aloud, holding her hand up and examining the new scar.


    Across the hall, a knight in full black plate armor shook his head quickly and turned on his heel. Freddie heard him whisper under his breath as he went.


    ¡°I¡¯m not supposed to know that!¡±


    Freddie watched him speed away and huffed a laugh, crossing her arms. ¡°Oops?¡±


    She decided it didn¡¯t really matter, and the knight would probably keep it to himself¡­


    She¡¯d tell her grandfather about it later.


    When she arrived at the dining room, she found the door propped open. Before she looked in, she decided to use one of her new Skills.


    ¡°[Nemoan Protectorate],¡± Freddie said under her breath.


    At once, she knew what she could not have known. She felt what she should not feel. And the location of her family sprouted in her mind¡¯s eye. Hue, Les, and Gene were in the dining room, huddled up next to one another. The Duke was headed behind her and to the right, in the direction of his office. Her parents were diagonal, in the direction of the main entrance.


    Freddie jumped into the room with a screeched, ¡°GAH!!¡±


    And she watched all three of her brothers tumble in fright, which caused her to wince.


    Not because she was worried about them¡­ quite the opposite, actually. She felt her knee grow tender, and one of her fingers ached.


    [Nemoan Martyr] was going to be difficult.


    But these wounds were superficial at best, so she empowered [Regenerate] with a burst of magma and felt the pain melt away.


    ¡°Triplets,¡± Freddie said seriously as if she had not just shouted for all the manor to hear, her arms crossed as she looked down at the pile of limbs that was quickly becoming her brothers once more.


    ¡°Sissy!¡± They called, out of sync, as the righted themselves and sat back at the table.


    ¡°How¡¯d it go?¡± Hue asked excitedly.


    ¡°Did you Affirm?¡± Les followed up quickly.


    ¡°Or are you secretly not our sister at all, and mother took you in as a baby?¡± Gene rushed out.


    Freddie covered her heart with her palm and backed up dramatically, gasping, ¡°Genie! You wound me so! I¡¯ll have you know I did perfectly. Your sister is the official Heir of House Nemo, now!¡±


    Gene laughed, and that was when Freddie clocked Grisham, the triplets¡¯ Governor, sitting at the table looking at the boys fondly. Freddie settled in next to him with a smile.


    ¡°Hey, Grish.¡±


    ¡°Lady Fredericka,¡± Grisham nodded, unperturbed at the nickname. Likely from having dealt with the triplets'' antics for so long.


    Idle chatter and some good food later, Freddie was headed back to her room when she saw Tiltham passing by the main entrance.


    ¡°Tilly!¡± Freddie called, causing the woman to pause in her tracks and turn to Freddie was a blank look.


    ¡°My Lady,¡± she said after a prolonged pause, nodding in Freddie¡¯s direction.


    ¡°Warm as always, Knight Captain Tiltham,¡± Freddie laughed, and Tiltham almost seemed to preen.


    Then, her countenance shifted back to dull and serious.


    ¡°Could you explain to me why one of my knights is hiding from the main house?¡± She said, peering down her nose at Freddie.


    Freddie, to her credit, did not lose her jovial smile as she lied, ¡°Not a clue. Anyway, I¡¯m off to prepare for the party tonight. You¡¯ll be there, yeah?¡±


    Tiltham sighed, ¡°Indeed. It is, unfortunately, my job.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s the spirit!¡± Freddie said, bounding up the stairs, ¡°I¡¯ll see you there!¡±


    ¡°Does she even listen to the tone or what?¡±


    Freddie laughed her way back to her room.


    ¡°Your misery is my joy, Tilly,¡± she said aloud as she opened the door to her room and began straightening herself up for the party celebrating her successful Affirmation.


    The triplets would be unable to attend as they were not yet Awakened. But the rest of her family would be there, and loads of nobles her age that had already Awakened and had their own Affirmations. It was effectively a debut ball to show off the Heir of Nemo. If Freddie had been the second born, she likely would not have even had a party to celebrate. It simply wasn¡¯t the way.


    Not that Freddie would allow the triplets to go through their Affirmation without a big to-do, she thought to herself.

 CH 18.5 - Interlude 3 - From The Outside In

    Rise of Winter, Week 4, Day 4


    The Nemo estate, a sprawling sight, was bustling with activity. Carriages and horses formed a line, dropping off the attendees. Some would stay in the stables or a nearby field designated for carriages, while others would leave and return in the morning. A few would not return at all, choosing to walk home or hitch a ride in another¡¯s carriage.


    Most of the attendees had arrived by the two-hour mark, many of which were nobles, or merchants, or knights. Some were wealthy commoners, last name or no. Most of the adult attendees had brought their eldest child ¡ªif they did not have an Awakened child close enough in age to Lady Fredericka to be believable as a friend.


    They were all gathered and escorted as families from the main entrance to the Grand Ballroom, a separate wing of the manor that was familiar to most of the attendees, as it was where most festivals began and ended in Hernel. Some, who were new to their wealth or station, looked on in awe. This was most common with the freshly Awakened children, noble or otherwise.


    For Lady Fredericka¡¯s Affirmation, many nobles had been notified weeks in advance should they decide to travel to the Capital of the North, thus, it was busier than an average ball. Some of the farther nobles, the ones on the outskirts, had already been in town prior to Lady Fredericka¡¯s Awakening in anticipation of her Affirmation and accompanying celebration. Thus, they were eager for the ball to commence.


    It was with that anticipation that the grand staircase at the far end of the grand ballroom was circled, the attendees hoping to be in the vicinity when the lord rulers of Nemo decided to descend.


    At the two-hour fifteen-minute mark, two footmen appeared, one on each side of the ornate black doors at the top of the grand staircase.


    ¡°Now presenting Lord Bridian Nemo and Lady Aster Nemo, the Marquis and Marchioness of Hernel, Rulers of the Moors.¡±


    The oversized doors opened, revealing a beautiful pink-haired woman with intricate braids creating a crown atop her head with delicate curls that cascaded over her shoulders and an overly tall man with blonde hair and shining orange eyes. They were each in silver with black stars adorning their outfits.


    The doors swung closed with a heavy thud behind them. The couple was smiling gently at one another before stepping down the stairs arm in arm.


    A slow descent later found the couple taking their seats atop a stage set up with four seats. Two oversized chairs, one slightly smaller and more delicate than the other, and two plush chairs roughly half the size of the smallest of the other two chairs. The smaller set was to the left, and the larger set to the right, all equidistant from each other. Lord Bridian and Lady Aster took the smaller seats.


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    With a loud clearing of his throat, one of the footmen stepped forward from the door with a silver staff with a star adorning the top of it.


    ¡°Now presenting the Lord Regent of Nemo, Descendant of Gregror Nemo, Overseer of Nemo as proclaimed by the First Queen of Maeve, Priya, Holder of the Dark, Lord of the Great Avoidance, Duke Frederick Nemo.¡±


    As the great doors opened, men bowed, and women curtsied. Children mimicked their parents, or they looked on in awe as the Duke of Nemo entered alone. These children, who couldn''t help but stare, were the only ones to see a head of pink hair appear at the edge of the door, a smile on the girl¡¯s face as she surveyed the room. Then she disappeared as quickly as she¡¯d appeared, and all the children looked around as if to convince themselves it was real.


    The Duke was presented with the silver staff with the four-pointed star that often was used to represent Nemo and looked around the room with a smile. He caught the eye of one of the staring children and winked. Then he was descending the stairs. In his prime, the Duke was a handsome man, and in his age, he grew even more so. His silver hair was slicked back, and he was in a pitch-black suit with silver accents. Around his shoulders was a silver cloak that billowed as he walked.


    The hall was silent as he made his way to the stage. Once he was standing before the oversized seat, he spoke.


    ¡°Stand, and behold the Heir to Nemo.¡±


    Then he took his seat and looked at the closed doors. No one had noticed them slam shut behind the man, not when his aura alone kept the attendees standing, empowering them to maintain their bows and curtsies. With his words, though, everyone in the room stood and looked up at the grand staircase once more.


    ¡°Now presenting the Heir to the Dukedom of Nemo, Descendant of Gregor Nemo, the Future Overseer of Nemo as proclaimed by the First Queen of Maeve, Priya, Holder of Blazing Light, Lady Fredericka Nemo.¡±


    As the black doors opened, a small girl appeared. She was dressed in brown, tapered slacks and a billowing multi-colored top that ranged from orange to red that cinched at her waist. She was a stark contrast to the blacks and silvers of her family. Even the way her hair hung loose around her shoulders showed her nonchalance.


    As Lady Fredericka entered, two feelings persisted. One of awe swept over the room, and the other of warmth. The awe was simple to explain, for this was the next Heir to Nemo. Their future ruler. The warmth was a subtle thing, though, and it eased many of the attendees'' nerves ¡ªespecially those of the children. The two conflicting auras made her seem both more and less.


    It was almost enough for the merchants and nobles to ignore the pink metal accents, which had the unique shine of opulence and matched Lady Fredericka¡¯s hair.


    As Lady Fredericka approached the railing of the top of the staircase, a grin formed on her face and she waved down at the room.


    And then she was atop the banister and jumping from the top of the staircase to the floor.


    No.


    Not the floor.


    Everyone had the same realization at once.


    Lady Fredericka had not descended the left or right side of the stairs. Instead, she had made her own set of fiery steps.

 CH 19 - Chips that Fall

    Rise of Winter, Week 4, Day 4


    [Fire Step]


    ¡­


    [Fire Step]


    ¡­


    [Fire Step]


    It took Freddie three full casts of [Fire Step] to get to the floor of the ballroom, and she could see the twitching of her grandfather¡¯s lips ¡ªas well as the way her mother¡¯s brow furrowed. Marasha would be disappointed, but, alas, it was already done.


    With a gentle step down from the final platform the entirety of the fiery staircase dispersed.


    Freddie looked over the crowd, it was a mix of ballgowns and suits. The children were more varied, some were in full suits, others in shorts, and the girls were all in different styles of dresses. Freddie was unique in comparison. She was a mix of ostentatious wealth and casual attire. She was in a duplicate of the shirt she wore to her Affirmation, with it¡¯s Lystallan Alloy accents and all. Her pants were actually meant for her Affirmation, as she would have been going outside in them, but Freddie had forgotten which one she was supposed to wear when and decided it didn¡¯t really matter anyway.


    No one had mentioned it to her, so she decided it was fine.


    After her moment¡¯s pause, Freddie made her way around the crowd and up to the stage, taking her rightful place beside her grandfather. The place of the Heir of Nemo.


    Her grandfather had not yet sat down, so he had to reach down to pat Freddie¡¯s head.


    ¡°Good show, darling,¡± he whispered.


    Then, he turned to the attendees, and slammed the base of his scepter on stage, ¡°It is time. Citizens of Maeve, Residents of Nemo, be merry.¡±


    At his command, several of the nobles laughed, and turned away from the stage, the merchants stood for another moment before forming groups.


    ¡°My star,¡± Aster said in the tight way Freddie knew meant she was displeased, ¡°Care to tell me why you couldn¡¯t use the stairs?¡±


    ¡°Well¡ª¡± Freddie started, but was interrupted by her father.


    ¡°Oh, how Marasha will feel! She¡¯ll be so disappointed!¡± Bridian said glumly.


    Freddie shuffled, unsure of how to respond. She began gesturing lamely with her hands at the staircase and was just about to defend herself when they both broke out into smiles.


    ¡°Calm down, calm down, it¡¯s quite all right,¡± Aster laughed.


    ¡°We¡¯re just giving you a hard time, sweetie.¡± Bridian grinned and gripped Freddie¡¯s hand. ¡°Today is your day, and your Skills are yours to display as you please.¡±


    ¡°Even if Marasha would prefer you to use the stairs.¡± Aster chirped.


    ¡°Well,¡± Freddie said, unsure, ¡°I did use stairs, just not wooden ones.¡±


    Beside her, the Duke of Nemo laughed heartily, and several eyes turned to them.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry too much about it. All it will require is rereading an etiquette book or two.¡±


    Freddie looked stricken at her grandfather¡¯s words, which just made him laugh even harder.


    ¡°You have fifteen minutes to sit and prepare yourself, Fred, then I¡¯m making the rounds, and you¡¯re going to the children¡¯s room,¡± the Duke said through his laughter.


    Freddie gagged lightly.


    <hr>


    As it turned out, the children¡¯s room was simply a smaller ballroom directly off the main ballroom that was staffed with gentle-looking maids rather than stiff waiters. It also had a vastly larger amount of sweets. Freddie was content with just that. However, life is never so simple.


    The Duke and her parents had abandoned her to go socialize with other adults, leaving Freddie surrounded by dozens of children ranging in ages from eight and freshly Awakened to twelve and wishing they were in the main ballroom.


    Freddie was by far the youngest physically, but mentally she was dreading dealing with noble children mixed with merchants. The nobles were likely to be like the elite of elsewhere, ignorant and rude, and the children of merchants? They¡¯d probably been told to make connections.


    Thus, when a group of well-dressed children broke off from the main group to approach Freddie at the dessert table, Freddie did not flinch. Much.


    Upon approaching, they curtsied and bowed, and it was a brunette girl who spoke for the group, ¡°We greet the Heir of Nemo, Lady Fredericka.¡±


    Freddie, who nodded her assent, forgot that they were not looking at her and allowed them to remain bowing for a beat too long.


    ¡°Stand,¡± Freddie said, clearing her throat and pretending she didn¡¯t forget one of the key rules of etiquette. ¡°Be relaxed and introduce yourselves.¡±


    She sat back down the piece of cake she¡¯d grabbed and focused on the children before her.


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    ¡°I am Marcella Herberfore,¡± the brunette said lightly, her composure unbroken despite the extended time she¡¯d spent curtsying. She turned to glance over her shoulder at the other three children and introduced them as well, ¡°This is Percival Jovan, Deirdra Wesley, and Nolan Hershel.¡±


    Freddie knew their families. The Herbefores hold the title of Marquis, Jovan and Wesley are Counties, and the Hershels owned half the farmland surrounding Hernel.


    ¡°I am Fredericka Nemo,¡± Freddie said curtly and watched as the Herbefore girl¡¯s smile twitched.


    This is kind of fun, Freddie thought to herself, surprised.


    ¡°May I be the first to congratulate you on your Affirmation, my Lady,¡± Marcella powered onward, despite the slight. ¡°Your Light was brilliant!¡±


    ¡°Agreed, my Lady,¡± came from the boy behind her, Percival. ¡°It nearly blinded me and Father!¡±


    ¡°Same here, of course!¡± Deirdra said softly, almost forced out, ¡°My own light was nothing in comparison.¡±


    It was the Hershel boy that caught her attention, though. Freddie noticed Nolan was already half smiling before he spoke.


    ¡°My favorite part was when you unloaded on Father Horace.¡±


    The other three children froze, staring wide-eyed at Nolan then whipped their heads to Freddie. Who blinked slowly.


    Then she released a grin so wide, it was nearly feral, ¡°Mine too.¡±


    She decided then and there that she liked Nolan. Freddie eyed him with his slicked-back black hair and striking green eyes. It reminded her, briefly, of Argon and his bond, but they were not bright enough to truly be the same. He was in a dark blue suit with a white ruffled shirt and a deep green bowtie. It was cute.


    ¡°Nolan,¡± Freddie said slowly, ¡°Would you like some dessert?¡±


    Nolan, who was preening at the invitation, stepped forward with a smile.


    ¡°Of course, Lady Fredericka.¡± He nodded to the others and stepped away from them, a clear divide forming between Freddie and Marcella.


    ¡°Well.¡± Freddie turned away from the other three nobles, saying over her shoulder dismissively, ¡°It was nice to meet you. May the Void protect your Houses.¡±


    And then Freddie absconded with a plate of dessert in each hand and gestured with her chin for Nolan to follow suit. Dutifully, he did so with his own plate of desserts taken from the table.


    That was the moment Freddie remembered she¡¯d forgotten to renew [Bright as a Flickering Flame].


    Crap, they probably hate me now. Freddie grumbled mentally. Marasha is gonna kill me.


    ¡°Nolan, keep up,¡± Freddie whispered, then picked up the pace as she sped through the ballroom.


    Though it was smaller than the grand ballroom, that did not make it small. And there were easily a hundred children of various ages scattered about. Which was nothing compared to the four hundred adults in the main ballroom. Still, Freddie kept to the edge of the room, darting from window to window until she found what she was looking for.


    A doorway with glass panes and black curtains demarking it as a balcony.


    Freddie paused just long enough for a pink-faced Nolan to catch up and gestured with one of the dessert plates for him to open the door.


    He did so without question, holding the door open just enough for Freddie and him to sneak through.


    It was as the door closed behind them that Nolan released a loud sigh. Freddie didn¡¯t even look at him. Instead, she found a corner of the covered balcony that had escaped the snow and plopped down, carefully maneuvering her two dessert plates and situating herself. That was when she glanced at the still-standing Nolan, who looked a bit taken aback.


    He stood there, just looking at Freddie. She let it go on for a beat. Two. Three.


    ¡°What?¡± Freddie asked.


    That seemed to shake Nolan out of his shock, and he looked briefly at the door behind him, then back to his plate. Finally, he lowered himself next to Freddie.


    ¡°Aren¡¯t you cold, Lady Fredericka?¡±


    Freddie looked at the falling snow outside the balcony, then down to her legs ¡ªstuck straight out, all unladylike but warm and covered. Then she looked to Nolan, who, now that she was really looking, seemed to be shivering. Then she snapped her fingers.


    [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]


    A small red flame formed just above her fingers, and she willed it to hover a few feet away. Then, she slowly increased the temperature until it was a white-red flame. The heat was enough that it seemed to override her color choice for the fire. Freddie watched as the snow began to melt on the railing.


    ¡°That should be better, yeah?¡± Freddie said, meeting Nolan¡¯s green eyes with her own orange.


    ¡°Yeah¡ªyeah,¡± Nolan stuttered, but Freddie was already focused back on her desserts.


    Plucking a small cookie filled with cream, she took a testing bite. It was very dainty of her until, after another moment, she finished the cookie off.


    Beside her, Nolan looked down at the tray he¡¯d snagged and began eating some of the cookies.


    ¡°Your family has quite the reputation,¡± Freddie said idly, between one bite and the next, her eyes resting on the horizon.


    ¡°Mmm, depends on whose stories you hear.¡± Nolan agreed noncommittally.


    ¡°I only listen to my Governess¡¯ stories,¡± Freddie laughed. ¡°And she simultaneously loves your father but loathes your mother.¡±


    ¡°Aunt and Uncle,¡± Nolan said, correcting Freddie.


    ¡°Oh?¡± Freddie hummed, looking sideways at Nolan, ¡°Not a member of the main Hershels, then?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m seventh in line, so unless my aunt, uncle, three cousins, and my father all get into a sudden and unexpected accident, I¡¯ll never take up the mantle of the Hershel Heir. I may even take my marriage partner''s last name.¡± Nolan didn¡¯t sound particularly pleased by that notion, but it wasn¡¯t an uncommon practice in Maeve.


    The Callistan Empire? Never. Gracek? Maybe one in ten. But in Maeve? Typically whoever had the stronger claim to the heirship of their family got to keep their last name in marriage. Unless you¡¯re a Nemo, Poplar, Umbra, or Dawn. Only the family of a Duke keeps their name indefinitely.


    ¡°Hmmm,¡± Freddie mused, ¡°I can¡¯t relate.¡±


    Nolan did a double take before catching the smile that Freddie had formed. Then he gave her a grin of his own to match.


    ¡°Don¡¯t count your eggs before they hatch,¡± Nolan huffed, then glanced at the flame hovering just out of reach. ¡°Then again, no one in their right mind would pass over an uncontracted elementalist as an heir.¡±


    Freddie scrunched her nose, ¡°Caught red-handed.¡±


    Nolan leaned back against the brick wall, and Freddie heard him grumble, ¡°Some people have all the luck.¡±


    ¡°78, to be exact.¡± Freddie¡¯s smile widened into a feral thing as Nolan choked on a bite of a cookie, looking wide-eyed at her. ¡°But you can¡¯t tell anyone I told you.¡±


    ¡°You can¡¯t just tell people that, Lady Fredericka!¡± Nolan gaped, then wiped several crumbs off his face angrily, ¡°And you don¡¯t even know me!¡±


    Freddie snapped her hand out, catching Nolan¡¯s hand. A wild look was in her eyes, and her grip persisted even when Nolan tried to pull his hand away.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me, Nolan Hershel,¡± Freddie said, her tone clipped, ¡°If you go around spreading my Luck, what do I care? I don¡¯t. None of the children in that room, or their parents, would be able to hurt me.¡±


    Freddie tightened her grip, and she could feel Nolan¡¯s skin resist her force.


    ¡°But do not ever tell me what I can or cannot do.¡±


    And then Freddie let go, standing gingerly as she did. The flame went out as Freddie opened the door and left Nolan out in the cold.

 CH 20 - Conqueror

    Rise of Winter, Week 4, Day 4


    ¡°Lady Fredericka¡ª¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure¡ª¡±


    ¡°If I could have a moment to congratulate you¡ª¡±


    Freddie let them speak, zoning in and out as needed, answering politely yet distinctly unwelcoming in her tone.


    No one hung around for longer than the basic greetings and minimum congratulations. No one but the Herberfore girl, Marcella.


    ¡°Oh, Lady Fredericka, you should be nicer to them,¡± she whispered. ¡°They are your people.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m being nice enough,¡± Freddie sniped back, her irritation finally showing after over two hours of Marcella whispering names and connections in her ear.


    ¡°Tch,¡± Marcella responded, and Freddie shot her a glare.


    ¡°Why are you following me around anyway? I was rude to you, too.¡±


    ¡°Lady Fredericka,¡± Marcella gasped, her face perfectly scandalized, ¡°You could never force me away.¡±


    Freddie arched an eyebrow, and Marcella laughed lightly, like the sound of fairies in the night.


    ¡°Okay, fine, I¡¯ll let you in on a secret.¡±


    Freddie perked up and leaned closer to the whispering girl. As she did so, Marcella blew wind into Freddie¡¯s ear, causing her to recoil.


    ¡°Ugh! Marcella!¡± Freddie griped, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be polite to me?¡±


    Marcella eyed Freddie momentarily with a look that said she was wise beyond her years.


    ¡°You didn¡¯t like me when I was polite. You did like it when Nolan was straightforward, bordering on rude. So, here I am. Straightforward and bordering on rude.¡±


    Freddie met Marcella¡¯s brown eyes, so dark they were unreadable, and then snorted.


    ¡°Fine.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°Did you have fun, my star?¡± Her mother cooed, brushing Freddie¡¯s hair gently.


    Begrudgingly, Freddie had to admit that once she stopped seeing Marcella as a nuisance, she did have a lot of fun. The girl had known so much about the other children it had been almost comical.


    Marasha¡¯s dream child was probably like Marcella. But Freddie was too exhausted to worry about other¡¯s expectations. Nor did she really mind not being the perfect child. She was Fredericka Nemo. Whatever she was, she was the model for the children in the Duchy.


    ¡°Yeah, I hung out with Marcella Herberfore most of the night,¡± Freddie said, leaning back into the soothing feeling of her mother brushing her hair.


    ¡°Oh? Did you make a friend, then?¡± Aster smiled down at her daughter, and Freddie rolled her eyes.


    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say that. But I did agree to hang out ¡ªwhenever I return from the dungeon.¡±


    Aster¡¯s hand froze mid-brush, ¡°Sweetie, did you tell the Herberfore girl that there was a dungeon?¡±


    Freddie huffed, ¡°Of course not. I told her I was taking a trip to celebrate my Awakening, and though I didn¡¯t know when I would return, I promised to send her a missive when I got back so we could plan a tea party.¡±


    She said the last two words with a scrunch of her nose, and Aster resumed brushing her hair.


    ¡°Perfect. Then, I want you to get loads of sleep tonight. You don¡¯t leave until midday tomorrow, and it¡¯s quite the trip to the edge of the dukedom. It¡¯ll be faster because you¡¯ll be on horseback, but it usually takes a week and a half or so.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± Freddie said indulgently, then unceremoniously yawned, causing her mother to release a huff of laughter.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you off in the morning, as will your grandfather, father, and brothers. But the rest of the family will not know you¡¯re on a trip until after the fact. It wouldn¡¯t do for it to get out that you left for the dungeon delve.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Mother,¡± Freddie repeated, getting up and turning to face Aster, ¡°As long as you and the rest are there, who cares about the aunt and uncles? They¡¯ll survive a few weeks without me.¡±


    The grin she gave was small and tired. So, Aster scooped Freddie into her arms and placed Freddie into her oversized bed, tucking her in.


    ¡°Sleep tight, my star,¡± Aster said, dropping a kiss atop Freddie¡¯s forehead.


    ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, though, right?¡± Freddie confirmed one more time.


    ¡°Of course, darling, I wouldn¡¯t miss your send-off for the world. Just as I¡¯ll be there to welcome you back.¡±


    Freddie gave her mother a wider smile and closed her eyes, ¡°Good night.¡±


    ¡°Good night.¡±


    Aster watched Freddie for a long moment before standing and turning away. As Aster left, Freddie peeked open her eyes to watch her go. It was just in time to see her mother wipe something off her face.


    A pang of guilt filled Freddie. It was unusual. And Freddie didn¡¯t like it. So, she did what she does best. She ignored it. And though sleep escaped her for a while, she eventually succumbed to its embrace.


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    And when she did, she dreamed.


    <hr>


    ¡°C¡¯mon, Kalina, get up!¡±


    Around her, the crowd was screaming, chanting, jeering, involving themselves in her pain.


    ¡°Get up and fight back!¡± Her coach screeched from the outside of the cage.


    Kalina was detached, separate from herself, and she could feel the fire-coated hands of the ifrit, a being of whirling flames and muscle, tightening around her throat, strangling her. She could tap out and be done with it all. The fighting, the fame. The orders.


    Instead, Kalina wriggled her fingers just under the ifrit¡¯s grasp. Just enough to get air to her lungs. And though the fire would have burned anyone else, her soul rune kept her safe. Kept her sane. In a world of flames, being burned alive was impossible for Kalina.


    Then she popped out her arms, pushing against the ifrit¡¯s fingers with every ounce of strength she had cultivated over the years. Kalina found leverage and heard a crack as she got the ifrit away from her, jumping up and putting up her guard.


    What was usually a quick fight for the ifrit had dragged when it came to Kalina. It always did. This particular monstrosity was one she had fought many a time in the gladiatorial games of Moscow.


    They had never spoken at the after parties, never socialized outside of the cage, never wished each other the best. That wasn¡¯t something Kalina did. She would not wish her opponents well. Never.


    Their aim was her defeat. Her demise. Her eradication.


    By all accounts, Kalina would have had a bright future as a Dragoon, one of the fighters against the oversized invaders that had besieged her planet. Had she been born to a better family, of course. Instead, Kalina Kastrinova was born to two useless wastes of space that had taken on more debt in Kalina¡¯s name than one could be expected to pay back in a lifetime. Thus, at the ripe old age of fifteen, she had to become a fighter.


    It was all she had. The violence in her veins. It was the only way to make money when she was so young and so, so broke.


    Thus, this god-forsaken ifrit would not be taking her down.


    Not then, not the next time they fought, and not any time after.


    Kalina roared a ravenous sound, and she charged the being of flame, stepping right through its guard and slamming her elbow into the ifrit¡¯s chest. Another crack. She brought her elbow down and her knee up just enough and slammed down her foot, aiming for the monstrosity¡¯s ankle. The ifrit was too slow to react, and yet again, a crack resounded.


    This was how it went, the ifrit attacked with it¡¯s everything right of the bat, and Kalina kept her calm, took a few hits, upped the odds, and then she went feral.


    As thoughts of her life flashed in her mind, rage filled her, and she overpowered the ifrit. That was what you couldn¡¯t see from the sidelines. This ifrit loved to torment Kalina with her own memories. It was one of its soul runes, it must have been.


    Would it ever learn? Kalina often wondered, but the masochistic smile that filled the thing¡¯s face told her all she needed to know. This was it¡¯s plan every time.


    To see how far it could push her.


    To see what her limits were.


    But the truth was that Kalina didn¡¯t have a limit.


    She was violence incarnate.


    And so, as the ifrit stumbled back, Kalina lunged again, wrapping her arm around the monstrosity¡¯s neck, and maneuvered her way to a point of leverage. Then she flexed, pulling the force of her into the sensitive flesh of the ifrit¡¯s neck, taking away its air faster than it could blink. Its flames began faltering, and the ever-present red hue of the ifrit¡¯s skin dulled to pale ash.


    It was out.


    Across the cage, a voice resounded.


    ¡°One!¡±


    Outside the cage, it was a mix of cheers and jeers once again. Some worshipped the ground Kalina walked on. Others prayed for her demise. They all wanted their hunk of flesh.


    ¡°Two!¡±


    The sound of the arena died down in anticipation. Would the ifrit relight its flames? Would it be able to?


    ¡°Three!¡±


    No, it wouldn¡¯t.


    Within a moment of the final call, the referee was down in the cage, prying Kalina¡¯s arm off from around the ifrit¡¯s throat. She released the monstrosity and turned to face the crowd, bloody and bruised but stronger than the monster they pitted her against.


    The ref gripped Kalina¡¯s wrist and thrust it up into the air.


    ¡°Victor ¡ªKalina Kastrinova, the Devourer of Flame!¡±


    Victor, victor, victor, victor, victor.


    It resounded through her head, over and over and over again. It was all she heard over the roar of the crowd.


    <hr>


    Freddie woke violently, a cold sweat breaking out over her skin.


    Daylight was filling her room, and though she knew she should have been cold, Freddie¡¯s body felt like it was on fire.


    [Regenerate]


    Immediately, the deep ache of her body began to relieve itself.


    She was sure some were from [Nemoan Martyr], but the rest? The rest was from the dream.


    But it wasn¡¯t really a dream, was it? Freddie thought to herself. It was a memory.


    A memory she had imprinted on herself long ago. It was the same fight that her father had decided to reappear at in a drunken stupor. He¡¯d demanded her winnings ¡ªhe¡¯d seen the odds shift before the end. And when she didn¡¯t have the money to give him, he took a cheap shot.


    She¡¯d let it land on her. Kalina had clocked the security camera, after all. Once his fist was in her face, bruising her again and enforcing the pain she already felt, she retaliated with extreme prejudice.


    It took her coach finding her in that alley, with bloodied fists and a feral grin, before Kalina had stopped attacking. It had taken an act of god to save Ivan Kastrinov¡¯s life that night.


    Freddie laughed at the memory, a cold sweat still dripping down her back.


    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it. I¡¯m really free of him.¡± Freddie¡¯s laughter grew into a cackle until she was howling. ¡°And her. I¡¯m free of her, too!¡±


    It took Freddie several minutes before her hysterical laughter died down enough for her to breathe properly.


    [Regenerate]


    Freddie healed her hurt sides. The laughter had lasted much too long, after all.


    When she looked in the mirror, Freddie half expected to see Kalina¡¯s face staring back at her. That was how vivid the dream had been. But all she saw was pink hair and tan skin. She saw the same wide, orange eyes she¡¯d grown to love.


    Taking a deep breath, Freddie started running a bath and getting ready.


    To her, it was an auspicious start to the day ahead.


    To her, it was an omen of victory.


    Just as Kalina always conquered, Freddie refused to fail.


    She would conquer the dungeon over and over again. She would eradicate every monster one, twice, thrice over, as her grandfather had said. Every movement calculated, every potion used strategically.


    Freddie decided she would come home strong enough to withstand anything [Nemoan Martyr] could throw at her. A dagger, a sword, a beheading. A trial, a tribulation, a travesty.


    She would take it all.

 CH 21 - Goodbyes Are For Loved Ones

    Rise of Winter, Week 4, Day 5


    The horses were sleek, black, and particularly slim. They weren¡¯t war horses, their hooves slender and fragile, no. These were meant for speed.


    Freddie was wearing long sleeves, pants, and a traveler''s cloak to keep her warm¡ªall in the same pitch black cloth as Tiltham and the other knights. They were out to the back of the barracks, far away from the main entryway and prying eyes.


    It was Freddie, her immediate family, and the squad of knights. Altogether, there were nineteen bodies and twelve horses.


    ¡°Wait,¡± Freddie said, counting the knights and the horses again. ¡°We¡¯re missing a horse.¡±


    Beside her, Tiltham huffed, ¡°We¡¯re not. You just aren¡¯t riding alone. You¡¯ll be with me on the road.¡±


    Freddie whipped her head to look at Tiltham, a savage grin on her face, ¡°Tilly! Say it isn¡¯t so! You and me, together again?¡±


    Tiltham looked up to the sky and released a long breath, ¡°Yes, my Lady. You and me.¡±


    ¡°Wait, I thought I was supposed to try for the [Riding] Skill?¡± Freddie asked, confusion lacing her tone, ¡°How can I do that when I¡¯m not the one leading the horse?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯ll practice your balance and fuel your intentions, then it¡¯s up to your potential to do the rest ¡ªsome people never get the Skill, others get it in a few minutes,¡± the Duke said, providing Tiltham time to take out her clipboard and begin performing her final checks.


    ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Freddie declared, gripping her cloak tightly with one hand. ¡°I¡¯m sure of it.¡±


    ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the end of the world. Tiltham has a remarkably highly evolved [Riding] Skill. So you won¡¯t be slowing anyone down, either way.¡±


    Bristling, Freddie peeked over at Tiltham, eyeing the older woman skeptically.


    ¡°Tilly does?¡±


    ¡°Tiltham does indeed. She¡¯s quite the proficient rider.¡±


    ¡°Hmmm, do you think her potential in the Skill will help me learn it?¡± Freddie mused.


    Beside her, the Duke froze, looking down at his granddaughter.


    ¡°Are you feeling all right?¡± He asked, pressing his hand to Freddie¡¯s forehead to check for any issues.


    Freddie pushed his hand away, ¡°What? Why?¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re not usually that perceptive, darling,¡± Aster chimed in with a soft smile from behind the Duke and Freddie.


    Freddie huffed indignantly, ¡°I¡¯m plenty perceptive! I just don¡¯t like to read.¡±


    ¡°Yes, yes, Fred, well, I think Tiltham is ready for you.¡± The Duke deflected, pointing to the Void Captain heading back their way, her clipboard at her side.


    Freddie bounced on her feet and looked at each of her family members.


    This is it. It¡¯ll be a while before I see them all again. At least a month. She thought longingly.


    Freddie dove for her mother first, wrapping her arms around the woman¡¯s waist tightly. Aster¡¯s arms dropped to Freddie¡¯s shoulders and squeezed so tight Freddie thought she might pop. Then came Bridian, who pulled Freddie lightly back to get her to release her mother and wrapped her in his own embrace. Next were the triplets, who had bright smiles and didn¡¯t know where Freddie was going. They tackled her with laughter and giggles. Freddie could feel the aches of the jumps settle into her bones.


    [Regenerate]


    Finally, Freddie said goodbye to her grandfather.


    ¡°Remember, Freddie, our star, our darling girl, you are the Heir to Nemo. The Holder of Blazing Light. Make us proud.¡± His voice was rough with unshed tears.


    Freddie nodded.


    ¡°I will.¡±


    Her voice was fierce, full of fire and life and determination. Everything she would need on her way to the dungeon.


    And so, she turned to Tiltham, who was waiting with a dull expression.


    ¡°I¡¯m ready.¡±


    ¡°Good, follow me.¡±


    They left swiftly, Freddie jumping and mounting the overly tall horse that was Tilthams.


    ¡°Her name is Opal,¡± Tiltham had said as Freddie pet the beast¡¯s head. ¡°It¡¯s after the bit of fur on the back of her neck.¡±


    There was a small bit of iridescent fur that grew on Opal and Freddie was entranced by it, unsure how such a thing even happened.


    As they left the estate, they trekked through the snow, wind whipping around them due to their speed. Tiltham and Freddie were in the lead, setting the pace, and, at first, it was exhilarating.


    The way the light of the suns reflected off of the snow-covered moors, the rhythmic hitting of the horses'' hooves, the occasional shout of a knight to turn to avoid an obstacle or beast.


    That wore off about an hour after they¡¯d long since passed the walls of the estate and headed on an off-the-path trek through the plains of Nemo.


    ¡°Tilly,¡± Freddie said seriously, forced to look forward due to Tiltham¡¯s arms locking her in on either side, ¡°We have a problem.¡±


    ¡°What is it, my Lady?¡± Tiltham asked, already preparing herself for whatever nonsense Freddie was about to spew, if her tone was any indication.


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    ¡°I¡¯m bored.¡±


    Tiltham, to her credit, made sure to only glance at the sky and not actually say anything rude back.


    ¡°Have you gained the [Riding] Skill?¡± Tiltham asked instead.


    ¡°Oh, no,¡± Freddie said, ¡°All right, here we go. Wanna bet on how fast I get it?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Freddie laughed in response.


    ¡°I¡¯m betting less than an hour.¡±


    <hr>


    ¡°This Skill is stupid,¡± Freddie proclaimed loudly, dismounting Opal with stiff legs. And, for some reason that she was sure had to do with [Nemoan Martyr], a small cut on the back of her hand.


    [Regenerate]


    It had been a constant battle to keep her body from aching all afternoon. It wasn¡¯t until long after the second sun had set that Tiltham called for a rest.


    ¡°My Lady, it can take days to receive a single Skill, you know this. Some people never receive it.¡± Tiltham parroted the Duke¡¯s words, and Freddie groaned.


    ¡°Whatever. Hey, does this mean it¡¯s time for dinner?¡± Freddie perked up.


    Tiltham had a wide grin on her face when she responded, ¡°Oh, yes, my Lady. You¡¯ll love it.¡±


    And then she pulled out a familiar sack from the saddle bag. Freddie thought she was gonna cry.


    ¡°No.¡± She said firmly.


    ¡°Mmm, it¡¯s this or nothing, my Lady.¡±


    Freddie stared at the bag for a long moment. Finally, she took it from Tiltham¡¯s hand.


    ¡°I hate jerky,¡± she said glumly.


    The camp was utilitarian, with quick-release tents that set themselves up due to their enchantments. There was no fire, and Freddie herself had to share a tent with Tiltham.


    ¡°It¡¯s for your protection, Lady Fredericka.¡± Tiltham sighed as she looked at Freddie¡¯s face.


    ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re obsessed with me.¡± Freddie was grinning, pointing at Tiltham.


    ¡°Okay, my Lady.¡± Tiltham¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t quite weary, but Freddie noted that it wasn¡¯t indulgent.


    ¡°Tilly?¡± She asked, her voice light and airy.


    ¡°Yes?¡± The woman responded, settling down on the ground, two small pillows and blankets resting beside her.


    ¡°You¡¯re no fun.¡± Freddie laid next to Tiltham, grabbing one of the pillows.


    ¡°Okay, my Lady.¡± She said dully and grabbed her own set of supplies.


    Before she slept, Freddie whispered to herself.


    ¡°[Nemoan Protectorate]¡±


    In her mind''s eye, the plains of Nemo sprouted and she could feel that her family all remained at the estate.


    And so, reaffirmed of her family¡¯s safety, Freddie slept in the clothes of the day without changing. And though she fell asleep, it wasn¡¯t comfortably. She woke often, spoiled by the comfort of the Nemo estate. Now, it was coming back to bite her. In elsewhere, this would have been a non-issue.


    The Nemos have made me soft already. Freddie thought as she was preparing for the day with a Quick Clean potion misting around her.


    The notion displeased her. Kalina wasn¡¯t soft by any means. Freddie had every intention of being the same when she Awoke, sort of. The Freddie of the before was well-loved, though. So, it changed her ideas of what soft means. She¡¯d allowed herself the warmth, the kind she¡¯d never received in elsewhere. But the other things? The luxury, the opulence? She needed to cut that back. It was unnecessary.


    Freddie ran her hand across the chain under her collar at the thought. It was the necklace from her grandfather. That opulence would remain. It was an emotional comfort, not a physical one.


    At the very least, the travel to the dungeon would mean she would harden up again.


    Beside her, Tiltham¡¯s spot was empty. Freddie left the tent to find the rest of the camp halfway packed. Half of the Void Knights were tending to the horses, and half were snapping up the tents and watching as they folded themselves up. The final tent left to snap up was Freddie and Tiltham¡¯s. Freddie went and grabbed a sack of nutritional jerky, a mix of fruit, vegetables, and meat in a leathery stick, and began her day.


    ¡°Here,¡± Tiltham said after Freddie had finished her breakfast, handing her a vial filled with a blue liquid, ¡°It¡¯s True Wash.¡±


    ¡°Thanks,¡± Freddie sighed and misted herself with the potion. The same sense of cleanliness filled her, and her teeth were too sharp in her mouth once again.


    ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Freddie began and looked to Tiltham, defeated.


    ¡°Thorough, my Lady, yes, you¡¯ve said.¡±


    All the knights around her did the same routine, misting themselves with their own potions. Freddie watched as the grime of the day before left them.


    And then they were off again.


    <hr>


    Lunch was much of the same. Just nutritional jerky and water.


    Also, Freddie found out, if one drinks a True Wash potion, they don¡¯t have to go to the bathroom. That was rather horrifying ¡ªbut she used it anyway.


    <hr>


    Freddie was focused. She could feel every movement of Opal beneath her, could feel the tightening of her leg muscles, could feel Tiltham¡¯s every breath. Her eyes were closed, and she was ready. Ready to learn a Skill.


    She adjusted herself to flow with every jolt and thump and hop. She was water, rushing at the leisure of the banks of the river. She was a leaf blowing in the wind. She was¡ª


    [Congratulations! You have learned the Skill: Meditation!]


    Freddie¡¯s eyes popped open, and she swore.


    The crimson notice was taunting her at this point. It was supposed to be about intention. That was how you gained Skills. You had to want them. Had to be focused on gaining them.


    But, then again, Freddie thought back, realizing she¡¯d simply wanted a Skill for what she was doing. Which, arguably, was not [Riding].


    ¡°Tilly!¡± Freddie complained. ¡°I just got [Meditation] instead of [Riding]!¡±


    Beside her, TIltham''s arms tightened, and when she spoke, her voice warbled. ¡°Sorry to hear that, Lady Fredericka.¡±


    Freddie, who had spent quite a bit of time with Tiltham over the past month, gaped.


    ¡°Are you laughing at me?!¡± Her voice was filled with indignation, but inside, Freddie was thrilled.


    Every reaction from Tiltham was more interesting. With her crow''s feet decorating her eyes and stern expression, the older woman hardly ever laughed or smiled. She mostly squinted at Freddie. It was rather vexing for the girl, who wanted to rile up Tiltham.


    This was the highlight of the day for Freddie.


    <hr>


    And so, they rode past villages, avoiding the small collections of buildings. They moved around monsters using an unknown Skill one of the Void Knights possessed. They camped around the plains, no fires or warm food.


    Again.


    And again.


    And again.


    Freddie saw more of the plains of Nemo over one week than most would see in their lifetime.


    It was as they were approaching the edge of the Nemoan lands that she could see the low mountains that separated the Dukedom of Nemo from the Dukedom of Dawn. They were nothing compared to the Northern mountains along the borderlands of Nemo, but they made it clear where one land ended and the next began.


    Tiltham called for the Void Knights to come to a stop at the edge of the forest that lined the mountains.


    ¡°We¡¯ll break here. We have the location of the dungeon, but there¡¯s no telling what¡¯s in the forest on the way, or how close it is to breaking until we get there.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡± The knights resounded.


    Freddie waited for Tiltham to dismount before following her, landing steadily even with the layer of snow coating the ground.


    They were getting close. She could feel it in her bones.

 CH 22 - Wishing For Your Demise

    Rise of Winter, Week 5, Day 4


    ¡°[Nemoan Protectorate]¡±


    In her mind, the lands of Nemo filled in like a cartographer¡¯s map, and she could see the estate clear as day. Her family all safe in the manor, Freddie smiled to herself and began getting ready for the day. It was a simple affair when it was just misting oneself with potions.


    Freddie had taken to using the [Nemoan Protectorate] every morning and night before she went to sleep and after she awoke, so much so that it was Level 2. It was a comfort to her to know where her brothers rested their heads, where her parents worked for the day, where her grandfather ruled Nemo from.


    The ride was tiring, even with her stats. The horses went farther faster and harder than they had any right to go. Without [Regenerate] and Freddie¡¯s 50 Magic, she wasn¡¯t sure she could have made it.


    ¡°How do they keep up? Shouldn¡¯t they be wearing down?¡± Freddie had asked on the third day when the knights had not changed horses or had them rest for much longer than the riders themselves did.


    Tiltham had snorted, ¡°Maybe if they were of common stock. These horses are bred from Histrionic steeds. They are meant for endurance. Not to mention, the concoction we feed them when we break. It restores their muscles and fills them with power. It¡¯s safe for a week or so but not much longer. Luckily, we¡¯ll be at the dungeon before then, or we¡¯d have to swap out steeds on the way.¡±


    Freddie looked at the horses with new respect, then. And she gave each of them an [Inspect].


    [Opal, Histrionic Mare, Tier 2 Level 23]


    [A mare bred from the direct line of the nomadic Histrionic Steeds. Over the course of centuries, this breed has become known for its endurance and ability to maintain medium speeds for over 6 hours a day. Without alchemic substances, they can traverse nearly 140 km a day.]


    [The custodian of this mare is Inez Tiltham]


    Their information was usually the same. The only differences were that some of the steeds were stallions, and they all had different custodians.


    Thus, Freddie found herself staring at Opal, several days later, watching as one of the knights began gathering up the horses.


    ¡°He¡¯ll bring the herd to a nearby village and pay for their care while we¡¯re gone.¡± TIltham explained lightly, ¡°That way, nothing harms them ¡ªand they don¡¯t harm anything either. The Histrionic steeds didn¡¯t make it as nomads for nothing.¡±


    ¡°Cool,¡± Freddie breathed, already missing Opal¡¯s big black frame and the comfort of not having to trek through the snow on foot.


    Freddie turned on her heel and began surveying the camp, if it could still be called that. The tents had been taken down, and all that remained were sacks of jerky and waterskins¡ªoh, and thirteen bags filled with unknown supplies.


    Freddie grabbed some food and water and sat, watching the knights open and double-check each bag with a clipboard that had to be Tiltham¡¯s. No one else was that anal, Freddie decided.


    ¡°Hey, Tilly?¡± Freddie said, nudging the Knight Captain, who was standing just to her side, ¡°What¡¯s on the checklist?¡±


    ¡°Rations, enough for at least two months, potions, regenerative, cleaning, disinfecting, etcetera. They each have a bedroll and tent ¡ªexcept for yours. It has extra potions but no tent. Most have extra weapons and blank monster manuals to track the dungeon monsters.¡±


    ¡°Huh?¡± Freddie blinked, ¡°But aren¡¯t we going to destroy the dungeon? Why do we need to log them?¡±


    Tiltham shook her head, ¡°Once the World knows they exist, they¡¯ll begin manifesting. Maybe they¡¯ll show up in Nemo, or maybe they won¡¯t show up in Maeve at all. But they¡¯ll appear somewhere, and having logs of how to destroy them is good to have for negotiations with the Queen and the other Duchies.¡±


    ¡°Boring,¡± Freddie groaned and took another bite of jerky.


    ¡°You won¡¯t think that when you¡¯re face to face with something esoteric, that you can¡¯t just burn alive.¡±


    Freddie leaned back on her elbows, looking up at Tiltham, ¡°I don¡¯t do that.¡±


    Tiltham tilted her head.


    ¡°I don¡¯t burn things alive. That¡¯s not what I¡¯m gonna do. I¡¯ll beat them with my own fists. Sure, they¡¯ll be coated in fire, but that¡¯s an extra¡ª not the point.¡±


    As Freddie spoke, a wistful smile formed.


    ¡°Fire is a tool, Tilly, don¡¯t worry about me. I use everything in my box.¡±


    Tiltham looked down at her ward for a long moment, ¡°Sounds good, my Lady. I¡¯ll ensure your toolbox is well-filled, then.¡±


    <hr>


    It was a short two hours before the knight returned on foot. He was jogging up to camp a fair distance away when Freddie noticed the knights perk up. When she focused on the horizon, she saw the knight approaching the camp.


    ¡°All right, Dames and Sirs,¡± TIltham said, clapping her hands, ¡°Sir Westren is here. Get your things.¡±


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    ¡°Yes, Captain!¡± They responded in unison, each forming a fist with their right hand and banging it on their chest where the badge of the Void Knighthood rested¡ªa simple silver four-pointed star with ¡®Nemo¡¯ engraved in a circle to look like a black mark.


    They each grabbed a bag, and Tiltham grabbed two. When she handed Freddie her bag, Freddie looked it over. It was extremely light, and was small enough to be comfortable for the girl to carry.


    ¡°Is it¡ª?¡± Freddie half-asked.


    ¡°It is an enchanted bag with a lightweight enchantment and a space expansion enchantment. Everything inside is labeled. Be sure to make yourself familiar with it when we break later today.¡±


    Tiltham turned away from Freddie, but she caught the tail end of a grin forming on the girl¡¯s face. And she definitely heard the hushed, ¡°Yes!¡± Freddie had hissed out.


    As soon as Sir Westren came up, Freddie spotted a sheen of sweat on him. And then Tiltham was tossing him two vials ¡ªone Freddie recognized as a Quick Clean potion, but the other was a rust-colored concoction that Freddie hadn¡¯t seen before. As the Quick Clean potion misted him, Sir Westren popped the top off the second potion and downed it. His body glowed in a faint red for a moment, but when it died down, his eyes were sharper than before, and he nodded to Tiltham.


    And then they were off, Tiltham and Freddie at the center of the formation on foot, with the other knights in a circle acting as scouts in the forest.


    It was supposed to be a dangerous trek, with dungeon monsters slinking through the forest or the natural inhabitants of the forest attacking. But it was quiet. Eerily so. There were no bugs, or birds, or bunnies. Nothing small to support larger beasts. It was as if this section of the forest had been deserted. Left to fester and die in the winter winds all by it¡¯s lonesome.


    ¡°Walk quietly, Lady Fredericka. This is worse than we thought,¡± Tiltham said lowly, leaning sideways down to Freddie. ¡°And stay close to me.¡±


    Freddie nodded and stepped behind Tiltham.


    Whatever had caused the forest to become so quiet was out of Freddie¡¯s league.


    Step. Step. Step. The only sounds in the forest were the light noises of the knights.


    Freddie swallowed thickly. It was disconcerting. And invigorating. She hadn¡¯t been this on edge since Awakening. She felt adrenaline rushing through her vein, and she wanted to use one of her Skills so badly ¡ªbut she knew she wasn¡¯t in control enough to moderate her mana. She would be a beacon to whatever lurked in the shadows of the forest.


    Still, they continued on, Tiltham tapping her badge and sending directions telepathically through to the other Knights of the Void. Freddie knew that was what she was doing by simple virtue of being a Nemo. The knights had always done so.


    They slunk through the forest slowly, and though it felt like half the day had passed, it was really only an hour. Freddie knew that, logically, it was just her mind playing tricks on her. It was the way she was forced to be measured in her movements, silent and in her own head. Freddie was terrible at that. Whatever was in Freddie¡¯s head was useless, and often annoying. So she tried not to think too much.


    Some people could work themselves up with thoughts alone, could moderate their actions, their voice, but not Freddie. Freddie believed in absolute control, even when it came to her own mind. So, she released what she wanted rather than stewing on it. Said things that got her in trouble, acted impulsively. It was simply who Freddie was.


    But if she was herself she could get the Void Knights stuck in a dangerous situation.


    So, she couldn¡¯t be Freddie.


    No. She had to be the Heir to Nemo. Someone who puts her people first. Whose commands are deft and trustworthy. Someone who wouldn¡¯t set the forest on fire to hunt down certain death.


    Freddie straightened her back, being sure to walk in time with TIltham.


    She paid close attention to the Void Captain¡¯s movements, so when she held up her hand Freddie stopped swiftly ¡ªalong with all the other knights. With a wave fo her hand, Tiltham beckoned the knights silently to her. They were in a huddle, blocking Freddie¡¯s view of the forest, when they began holding their badges. Tiltham unbuttoned her badge and grabbed Freddie¡¯s hand, positioning it so that they were both holding the metal star.


    Report, Scouts. I sense something. Came Tiltham¡¯s smooth voice inside Freddie¡¯s head.


    Freddie didn¡¯t have time to be amazed or interested or anything another child should be. Instead, she was focused on the following words.


    Instead of snow and ice, I clocked a field of water. When I threw a pebble from a distance it only sank a centimeter. Was the deep voice of a man.


    It seems to go on in the direction of the dungeon, Captain. This voice was female and cutting, Freddie liked it. She wasn¡¯t sure who it was though.


    Then, we continue with extreme caution. It¡¯s clearly not a dungeon break, though. Otherwise, there would be an overflowing of monsters. This is likely a single escaped monster. Tiltham ordered curtly, and pulled away from Freddie.


    The last thing Freddie heard was a dozen, Yes, Captain!¡¯s before they faded away from her awareness.


    Freddie took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind.


    ¡°[Nemoan Protectorate],¡± she whispered so lightly that it was barely spoken at all. No one looked back at her but she watched Tiltham¡¯s shoulders twitch.


    Freddie felt the lands of Nemo build themselves around her in her head, the plains and mountains and the forest she was in. There was a tether linking her to her family, but it was pulled thin, so thin. Freddie knew if she went much further she would be out of range. But alas, she could feel her entire family so close to one another.


    She released the air from her lungs slowly.


    When she opened her eyes, they were sharp. She was ready to follow Tiltham into the unknown.


    They walked for another fifteen minutes when they got to the edge of the clearing the scout had reported. With a field of water lining the dirt. Water that should be frozen solid.


    At the center of the clearing was an archway of stone, a pulsing blue light shifting at the center.


    And though Freddie knew that was the dungeon, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to look at it.


    Because the Knights of the Void and Freddie were not alone in the clearing.


    No.


    Standing in front of the stone archway was a woman with soft blue skin and waves of white hair. She was in a translucent dress, with her arms crossed.


    Her eyes were focused on Freddie.


    Her eyes, Freddie said, pressing her lips together. They are whirlpools.


    ¡°Hello, Godtouched,¡± the blue woman said, filling the clearing with power so overwhelming the trees shook, ¡°I believe it is time we met.¡±

 ANNOUNCEMENT!! Very important!

    Hello!!


    Terribly sorry about not updating for a while, you see I finished ABH on Patreon and got into book 2 (A Fiery Descent) and realized- UH OH! I have to make sure it tracks with a certain timeline.


    Thus, I put ABH on hold. But!!! I¡¯ve fully edited the first book and got it ready for kindle release! However, as a thank you to you who read this story and loved it, I will be posting the final chapters of book 1 over the next couple weeks with the pre-order link before I put it up on KU!!!


    This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Keep a look out for the next chappy ?? and thank you for your attention!


    Also, AFD will be posted here starting Mid-May!!!

 CH 23 - Once A Victor

    Rise of Winter, Week 5, Day 4


    ¡°We have a score to settle,¡± the woman continued, stepping forward, sending ripples across the thin sheen of water.


    Freddie was frozen, overwhelmed by the aura that dominated the clearing. She was gasping for breath, the air thick in her lungs. The power. It was Divine. Freddie was sure of it. It pressed down on her, keeping her still in shock and fear. Keeping her paralyzed.


    Whirlpool eyes. White hair. Blue skin.


    There was only one Goddess who matched the description so perfectly.


    Scylla.


    The Goddess of Gambling and Prophecy. She was the Lady of Low Tydes and the Keeper of Fate.


    Minare¡¯s words filled Freddie¡¯s mind.


    There are those that yearn for your demise. Beware.


    Freddie was excruciatingly aware of Scylla in a way so visceral that Freddie couldn¡¯t help but compare the experience to that of Minare. Minare had, after all, been so in control that Freddie hadn¡¯t even considered buckling to the Ancient Goddess. But everything about Scylla screamed Goddess. Every word was lined with power, every movement emphasized by her strength. Even her Domain had manifested in a way that went against the natural order of the world. A testament to her ability.


    Between one moment and the next, the Goddess waved her hand and Tiltham went from standing before Freddie to dropping to one knee ¡ªthe other knights forcibly dropping as well.


    ¡°Now, now, I can hear your plans, Dame. No need to get yourself killed. Just sit tight.¡±


    With her words, the swords of the Void Knights lifted themselves out of their scabbards and flew towards Scylla, dropping in a pile at her feet.


    Still, Freddie couldn¡¯t move. It took everything in her to breathe, to remain standing. The pressure was overwhelming. Even her thoughts were sluggish. But, then, a single word reverberated in her head.


    Powerless, she hissed in her mind. Then she bit her tongue so viciously that Freddie could taste copper. Blood was welling within her mouth, and Freddie grounded herself with the reality.


    Yes, a Goddess was before her.


    Yes, Freddie was just Level 12.


    Yes, she was outgunned, outplanned, and outright weaker than her opponent.


    But not without a choice. Never without a choice, Freddie thought.


    And so Freddie chose to do what Kalina always had.


    She chose to fight.


    [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]


    Freddie focused her thoughts, directing the magma in her veins. The lava shifted, pouring out of palms. Crimson flames began spewing from her fists. Before the burning started, Freddie spat more Skills out in her mind.


    [Imbue Flame][Imbue Flame]


    Like a glove, Freddie¡¯s power wrapped around her fingers, her knuckles, her palm. It sank into her muscles and bones, imbuing them with the power to protect herself from flame.


    She clenched her fists and powered through the intimidation of the Goddess. Her aura was strong, but not so strong that Freddie¡¯s will couldn¡¯t break through. So, the girl lifted her fists and formed a guard.


    Still, Freddie couldn¡¯t find the words to speak. Instead, she began shifting her feet into her fighting stance. It was slow going, and the Goddess simply quirked an eyebrow.


    ¡°Yes, yes, your plan rippled through the Tydes. It will not work, Godtouched.¡±


    Scylla snapped her fingers, and Freddie felt the air in her lungs disappear. The flames on her fists shrank, becoming embers before being extinguished entirely. The pain of her Skill breaking caused Freddie to flinch.


    ¡°You know who I am. I can feel it. It is a tidal wave. It¡¯s causing a whirlpool in your plans, so many options, but there is only one ending.¡± Scylla stepped forward again, holding out a hand toward Freddie despite still being a dozen paces away.


    Freddie brought a hand to her throat as she felt the suffocation begin. It took her several moments before she realized the Goddess would not be returning air to her lungs.


    Freddie wondered if she would relight her own flames. If she would be able to. There was only one way to know, for certain, if this was the end.


    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.


    [Fire Conjuration+Fire Manipulation]


    Freddie screamed the Skills in her head, trying to return her flames. Her power and protection both. But magma never filled her veins, and her Skills remained dormant within her.


    ¡°Do you wish to see? To know what could have been ¡ªbut will now never be?¡±


    Freddie could barely process the words, but she knew what they meant. The Goddess wanted to show her Freddie of the Before. Fredericka Nemo, without Kalina Kastrinova.


    A grin formed on Freddie¡¯s lips despite the pain of being without air. A single thought was circling her mind. The same thought she¡¯d had a thousand times as Kalina. The same thought she¡¯d forgotten earlier on.


    Victor, victor, victor, victor, victor.


    Rather than shake her head or use her hands. Freddie mouthed her answer. It was a slow thing, making sure each word was properly able to be read. And whether it was mocking or not was between her and the Goddess that prodded her so.


    ¡®No need.¡¯


    Freddie watched as the Goddess blinked, then fury reigned her features. And Freddie struggled to widen her grin.


    ¡°Fredericka Nemo, you will regret scorning me. You and your Patron, I will take what is due to me ¡ªand I will right the Tydes of Fate.¡± Scylla¡¯s voice shook as she spoke, and the Goddess propelled forward with a speed too fast for Freddie to follow.


    As the air returned to Freddie¡¯s lungs, her hand was ripped from her neck and replaced with a blue palm pressing down, strangling her.


    ¡°You joke, and you laugh, and you look at me with that grin. What gives you the confidence to defy a God?¡±


    Scylla was holding Freddie up by the throat, forcing the girl to be at eye level with the Goddess. When Freddie dropped her grin and began gasping in pain, Scylla threw her down to the ground with a heavy thump.


    ¡°Answer me, Godtouched. And do not delay.¡±


    Freddie took a deep breath and brought her hand up to her collarbone, pressing lightly against her flesh, sitting up.


    [Regenerate]


    The Skill pulled her mana to her neck, and warmth filled her. Freddie could feel the bruise rapidly shifting through the stages of healing, but it still wasn¡¯t enough. Under her fingers, deep purple bruises sprung up and settled in, and when she spoke her voice shook with the tender pain of being forcibly silenced.


    ¡°Confidence is all I¡¯ve got,¡± Freddie choked out, her orange eyes meeting Scylla¡¯s whirlpools defiantly. ¡°May as well use it.¡±


    Scylla waved another hand, and Freddie watched as the knights began to shift in and out of her field of vision. It was a surreal thing to see them fade in and out of existence itself.


    ¡°Who are you? You, who would talk back to a God.¡±


    Freddie broke out a tired grin and climbed back up to her feet, casting another [Regenerate] as she did so.


    That question was easy.


    ¡°I am who I have always been. I am Kalina Kastrinova. The Unburned. The Devourer of Flame. The Conqueror of the Cage. Yet, still, I am Fredericka Asterian Nemo. Daughter to Aster and Bridian Nemo. Granddaughter to Frederick Nemo. Heir to the Nemo Dukedom. A [Young Lady of Flame]. Who are you?¡±


    Freddie, with fire in her eyes, used her own Divinity to compel the Goddess before her. Demanded that Scylla explain herself. To define her very being.


    The Goddess didn¡¯t flinch, didn¡¯t shift, didn¡¯t appear to be under Freddie¡¯s influence, except that Freddie knew she was. She could feel it in a way she hadn¡¯t felt anything before. It was more than a sense. It was pure understanding of herself. Of her limits.


    Freddie was compelling a Goddess, and she¡¯d only get to do it once.


    Scylla held a single hand up, flexing her muscles and musing to herself, ¡°Who am I, you ask? When you know the truth of such things? Very well, Godtouched. You have used your Divinity to force my answer, and I shall only stall for so long.¡±


    As Scylla continued shifting her fingers and staring at her nails, the water lining the ground of the clearing began to bubble. When the first one burst, an orb of water wafted up through the gap in the lining. Within seconds, there were globules of water levitating in the air around the Goddess.


    ¡°I am Scylla, Goddess of Prophecy and Gambling, Lady of Low Tydes and Chance Encounters. Sister to Mera, Greta, and Mace. Ruler of the Domain of the Tydes of Fate. A near Ancient, I have survived through every Divine Revolution.¡±


    Scylla paused, and Freddie could feel the disconnect. Something was off. Something was wrong. And then the globules burst into a flurry of snow that filled the clearing so fully that Freddie could not see anything but Scylla¡¯s blue form.


    ¡°And I will survive two Otherworlders. I will survive your flooding of the Tydes. I will survive. No. I will thrive. And you and your kind will wither. You will have no choice.¡±


    Freddie watched as a harsh grin spread across Scylla¡¯s face.


    ¡°You understand not what you¡¯ve done, yet still, you must pay the price for your existence. Goodbye, Godtouched.¡±


    Scylla seemed to dim in vibrancy, and Freddie began to release a sigh.


    Of relief. Of expectance. Of knowledge that Scylla was leaving her be ¡ªif only for the moment.


    It was proof that Freddie survived a God descending, her breath.


    And then she was lifted from the ground and flung through the air with enough force that the wind deafened Freddie, and a pop filled her ears as her eardrums burst.


    Freddie¡¯s world went silent, and pain filled her once again.


    She was already casting [Regenerate] when her body stilled, and a blue light surrounded her. She caught a glimpse of the clearing, covered in freshly fallen snow, no water to be found. Freddie could make out the Void Knights jumping up, running toward her. One knight in particular caught her eye. Tiltham. The woman¡¯s arm was outstretched, and she was pushing off the ground with an expression so fierce it sent chills down Freddie¡¯s spine. Finally, Freddie saw the stone archway that surrounded her. As [Regenerate] healed her eardrums, Freddie heard Tiltham''s scream. It was a desperate, guttural thing, and Freddie could hardly process what that meant.


    Then, her world went black, and a single crimson notification filled the darkness.


    [Hello, Challenger! Welcome to Dungeon M283! May you thrive.]


    Outside, the blue light of the dungeon entrance turned red, and the stone archway surrounding the portal collapsed and sank into the ground.


    Knights sank to their knees and a single howl of rage reached the darkness Freddie found herself absorbed by. Yet, still.


    Freddie was alone in the dark once again.