ã€ŠMaid with Necromancyã€‹


 Chapter One

    Chapter One

    Prince Adric died young and left a beautiful corpse. The details of his death were shrouded in mystery, but his prized pet, a rainbow feathered coatl, is said to have died with him, its feathery dragon-like body sharing his funeral bier. His funeral procession was a parade of mourning damsels, widows, and anyone with a pulse who wanted to get one last look at the celebrity.

    Harmony slinked out of the early morning shadows of the sun temple spires and watched the procession from high up there, using her crystal ball to catch and bend light, allowing for a close-up viewing of the event. She had no desire to be in those crowds. Being near the center of attention brought trouble. ¡°No wonder the boy died. He probably unlocked charisma and dumped everything into it despite being a fighting class.¡±

    ¡°Grrrurp!¡± Croaked her shadow-toad familiar; the inky black beast protested being out and about during the daytime, even if shaded from the sun for something other than work.

    ¡°Quiet, Hyacinth, or I¡¯ll lock you up so you can¡¯t hunt the stray cats tonight.¡±

    Harmony accepted the rumbling purr of acknowledgment and focused on the procession. Where other girls mourned what could have been, she greedily concentrated on the opportunity this presented. Out of her bag, she pulled out her prized possession, a spell scroll she had traded more than she was comfortable to get. [Analyze] displayed its details.

    Create and Bond Undead Pet

    Requires a minimum of twelve levels in necromancy, three necrotic cores, five ghost laces, a champions tooth, a restoration potion, and three thimbles of the caster¡¯s blood to function.

    *Place materials upon the target, channel mana, and break the scroll.

    Pet spells were a dime a dozen, such as Bond Cat Pet and Bond Dog Pet, which are common spells for common animals. Some dreamed of finding rare ones or even took the beast-tamer class allowing them to modify the spells and pets slightly. Ambrosia talked Harmony¡¯s ears off about that and what made her bonded songbirds so special, and since Harmony got the spell, she encouraged her friend to spill all the details.

    Familiars like Hyacinth grew with their masters. Constructs and raised creatures stayed static in their traits and abilities. Pets, however, could advance and evolve independently, and until learning of the scroll, Harmony had never heard of an undead pet. The spell wasn¡¯t in Byron¡¯s Index of Common Spells and Scrolls, which meant it was at least uncommon. Anything uncommon found in the local dungeon might as well be rare for the area. Hazeldown was too far from the frontiers, where wild magic and untamed dungeons promised fame and adventure. The dungeon here was even a lowly artificial one, bound to some old spirit.

    Harmony committed herself to believing she had something special here. It had to be worth it. Tyler wouldn¡¯t have collected something ordinary, even if he did give it up quickly after she showed interest, all to repay some favors.

    ¡°Rrrgrrupt!¡± This time the toad¡¯s grumbling came with a push through the [Familiar Bond] they shared, a sense that they had a place they needed to be.

    ¡°Work! I know I can¡¯t laze about all morning, acting like other foolish girls.¡± She moved deeper into the shadows and placed her hand on her toad¡¯s back. ¡°You know what to do.¡±

    Hyacinth thrummed with a dark purple glow as he moved through the shadows, taking Harmony with him. The process took all of the toad¡¯s mana but being late meant punishments for both of them. The brief brushing of the shadow world felt good despite the exhaustion of the trip.

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    Harmony sneezed due to the sudden change from being on the rooftop to now being in the dank supply closet at Coodly manor.

    The door to the closet swung open, briefly blinding the pair of them. ¡°What are you doing down there? If you don¡¯t hurry up, you¡¯ll be late for shift change.¡± Ambrosia exclaimed, standing there in her frilly work undergarments. Harmony once envied her honey gold skin and bouncing blonde ringlets until she saw how much unwanted attention it garnered the woman.

    The supply closet connected to the women¡¯s staff changing room. The other maids were already in a hurried state of swapping their morning clothes.

    ¡°Well, look what the frog dragged in.¡± Fel snipped while adjusting the top of her corset. The fiery redhead had to get the garment specially ordered to fit her proportions.

    ¡°Toad,¡± Harmony surly muttered as she pulled off the dark robe and the nightgown she had worn underneath it. She approached her locker. There wasn¡¯t much to the black and white maid¡¯s outfit except for the lack of it. Stretching or bending at the waist was not recommended. That was one reason why undergarments were part of the outfit. When she¡¯d gotten hired, they¡¯d assured her she would grow into the uniform, but hard work made the outfit looser rather than time having her fill it out as she leaned up with muscle. She was grateful she didn¡¯t have to spend extra time shoving herself into it.

    The only bit of color in her gear was a faintly glowing red bow tie she magically affixed to Hyacinth. He¡¯d scared too many people coming out of the shadows that it was required to have something that made him tastefully visible.

    She followed the others, trying and sometimes failing to match their demure lengthy strides with her shorter legs.

    The four maids joined the four waiting houseboys in the servant¡¯s hall, keeping their backs straight, chests out, and eyes forward.

    The heavy thud of the head butler¡¯s cane, as punctual and paced as a ticking clock, informed them all their shift was about to begin. Bates stepped into the room. His tight uniform displayed thick muscles despite gray hair and a worn face. Harmony had seen him use those and his cane once when Yorick, a new houseboy, had been caught stealing. For a long time after that, the boy couldn¡¯t steal again, too busy figuring out how to walk once more.

    ¡°Have there been any status changes since the start of the last work week?¡± Bates asked.

    Harmony stepped forward. She was slightly surprised when Jimmy moved forward from the boy¡¯s side.

    With a bit of mana, his status displayed, projected in the air. Harmony couldn¡¯t see the details from her end of the girls¡¯ side, so instead focused with her ears.

    ¡°A level eight Knight, and you invested in [horse handling]. Your animal care has surpassed your cooking skill. I suspect you want to move out of the kitchens and into the stables. I¡¯ll talk to the steward about having your duties changed.¡±

    Every boy dreamed of working the stables and being noticed by an adventurer or lord so they could be pulled out of the lower classes. Harmony knew it was a futile dream to be recognized for your talents rather than used for them. If you wanted to move up in life, you had to grab opportunity by its bones and wring the marrow out of it.

    Harmony stepped up for her turn and channeled mana into displaying her status.

    Harmony White

    Class: Necromancer (10)-F

    Profession: Maid (16)-D

    Skills:

    Familiar Bond(10)*

    Manipulate Dead (10)*

    Renew Spirit (10)*

    Analyze (13)

    Poise and Bearing (7)

    Dust (16)*

    Beautician (12)

    Style and Grace (10)

    ¡°I see level ten in necromancy and still exceeding the level cap for your skills. [Poise and Bearing] is severely lacking, but one point improvement is better than none. [Style and Grace], well, sending you to our lady has helped you there. One copper increase for your salary, and if you wish me to transfer all your duties to Lady Coodly, it will take only one word.¡±

    Harmony bit her tongue to keep from saying that one word. Removing herself from Tyler¡¯s clutches would be a step up in making life more tolerable, but she still needed that awkward sleaze. Getting the scroll wasn¡¯t enough. She required his connections to be able to use it. ¡°I¡¯m content with my current assignment.¡±

    Ambrosia let out a short relieved sigh. No one wanted that assignment.

    ¡°In the future, that choice may be out of our hands,¡± Bates said.

    Harmony could tell those last words were more to himself than her, but she knew there was such a thing as being too good at your job. Purposely failing wasn¡¯t an option.

    With a pound of the cane, they were dismissed and wordlessly went to relieve their replacements.

 Chapter Two

    Chapter Two

    With winter near the end, it was time to clean the east parlor. The room''s door opened with a creak. Too drafty to use during the winter months, the manor closed it, and Harmony was scheduled to help get it ready for use during the warmer seasons.

    A thick layer of dust covered the room, glasses sat half empty, and a chair rested overturned. The parlor was for entertaining. With a strike table, darts, a bar, and even a small reading nook crammed into the large room, options are based on guest preferences and sometimes get changed out during the year. Jessica, the early shift maid assigned to cleaning the past few days, was smoking at the bar.

    The acrid scent of her spice stick burned Harmony''s nose. The smell was so strong that she quickly closed the door behind her so as not to allow it to draw unwanted attention.

    "Jessica, what are you doing?" The question held more than a hint of accusation since she clearly hadn''t been cleaning, and the gold-plated dish used to collect ash and stubs looked filled to the brim.

    "Why should I spend days dusting and scrubbing when it''ll take you half an hour to get it done better?"

    "Skills aren''t fair, but we still have work, and that''s how you improve." Harmony may have plans bigger than working at the manor, but she never shirked. When she started, everyone had been better than her, a young girl with a class most found distasteful and others called evil.

    Jessica''s eyes turned angry. The half-smoked stick incinerated into a floating sphere of light, so bright Harmony was forced to look away. "I''m a level twenty-four sun priestess with my maid profession matching it. Every skill is maxed out and leveled off. Let''s see how you feel once you reach that barrier and are unable to go higher. Even being a cheat won''t be satisfying."

    Harmony wondered if Bates knew Jessica was feeling this way. Jessica gave an excellent light show for parties, but they were all replaceable, so the necromancer spoke with a warning. "This is a good job."

    Jessica dimmed her display. "Don''t worry. I replaced and recharged all the glow stones in the room. Getting a ladder and doing all that work yourself would have taken you hours. After all, we all have our limitations." With that, she hopped off the bar stool and walked out, leaving Harmony in the messy albeit well-lit room.

    Through her [Familiar Bond], she summoned Hyacinth, who stepped out from a shadow.

    "Gr''tschu" The Toad sneezed from the lingering smoke.

    "Once I disturb this place, there''s sure to be some tasty scale spiders coming out of the corners. Catch them for me."

    The shadow toad''s ability to handle dangerous pests, primarily by eating them, and her small size had earned her the job of cleaning rafters and other small spaces early on in Harmony''s employment at the manor. Getting bit by a Scale spider once was bad enough.

    Harmony focused on her class and profession skills, sliding her plan into them and her soul where she envisioned them. There was more to skills than their level and base use. Willpower, creativity, practice, and synergy opened a world of options in her case. Sure, you could use [Fireball] the same way every time to toast dungeon beasts or [Dust] to sweep up a nice little pile while cleaning. Skills were tools and malleable ones at that.

    Dust is made up of more than just dirt and sand. It is dead plant matter like ash, pollen, and flecks of wood as well as bits of dead cells, skin, and hair from animals, even the corpses of tiny insects. [Dust] synergized with [Manipulate Dead]. Harmony pulled those bits together, and the combination of material that comprised dust detached from the room''s surfaces until they swirled around her like she stood in the middle of a dust devil.

    Once satisfied that she got all of it, she directed the dust into a sizable pile on the floor. With the last bit of her mana, she used [Manipulate Dead] to fuse what she could together and strengthen it until it was a rocky brick she could pick up and dispose of later.

    Maybe Jessica would be less frustrated with her stalled advancement if she had been more creative with her skill usage. Harmony dismissed that thought. It isn''t like she wasn''t playing around with options outside of being a maid, and who knows how she would feel in a similar position. Still, that bitter woman could learn a thing or two.

    She remembered Mike, head of The Dig Boys, taking down a fighter with two levels, a bigger body, and a longer reach than him. "Being better is more about knowing how to use what you have than simply having higher skills and stats." He''d explained. At the time, Harmony had more than a little crush on the young man escorting her into her first dungeon dive, but now years later, his words stuck with her more than what he looked like.

    Satisfied, she got the whole room. She plopped her butt down on the newly clean floor, exhausted at the effort it took to do it. Lacking any mana skills, levels from unlocking her stats, that exhaustion was the only sign of her guessing how much energy she''d used.

    Hyacinth hopped happily to her, two hand-sized spiders twitching in their dark maw as he slowly mashed them down.

    "Good job."

    The toad grumbled happily. Its eyes flashed purple briefly.

    The maid started to feel better. She could sense the stream of mana coming from her familiar. A bonded team. More loyal companions. Ambrosia always liked to talk about her pets similarly, which was one reason why that spell scroll appealed to her.

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    Recharged, Harmony got up with a long stretch and got to work tidying up, like pulling the darts and knives out of the target wall, stacking the striker balls in their cubby, and moving to the loose cups and books that had been abandoned in various locations.

    It hurt her soul a little to see one of the books vigorously dogeared to the point where some of the pages were folded in such a way as to mark up the text. Dead trees, she told herself as she used her skill to undo some of the damage. She had to give up after fixing a little bit of it. The more something was processed, the less her skill worked on it, mana exhaustion might not have been as bad as when she dusted the whole room, but she knew she wouldn''t be able to finish with the book. Moving to shelve the book, she gave a once-over of the titles and failed to see anything new.

    Thibodeux on Skills was a popular one. Harmony disagreed with his speculations and ideas on the topic, but she found some inspiration when she borrowed the book once or twice. He theorized that their base activation form was the best way to use skills. The fireball, the sweep of dust, the gust of wind, and any other usage was a waste. One was better off making those skill casts as quick and second nature as possible. He''d made a game of showing off how many fireballs he could release quickly and consecutively and challenged the other nobles to beat him. Much of the book was about how awesome and unbeatable he was.

    Borrowing educational books was as good as she could do for schooling. Even if the job had paid well enough for tuition to the academies, which it didn''t, the job didn''t allow for the time. She hoped there would be a new rotation of reading material for the parlor''s book nook this season. The house library was under iron control, and alternative sources like this one or Lord Tyler seemed to be the maid''s only opportunity. One more reason to keep with Tyler, despite his quirks. As he purchased books, even if they tended to be old or unusual, she knew she could get her hands on them.

    Bates'' voice projected into the room. "The lady awaits."

    Harmony nearly dropped the book in her hand. Even after all these years, she hadn''t gotten used to how he managed some household chores.

    "Come, Hyacinth, it''s time for another trip."

    Together they went to the darkest shadows behind the bar. There her familiar pulled them through the shadow space. They emerged from the shadows cast by Lady Coodly''s vanity.

    "Oh, Harmony, you surprised me. I''d been informed about your new way of traveling, but it''s different seeing it."

    Harmony didn''t fail to notice that a knife in the old lady''s hand disappeared moments before speaking. Rumor was she had some kind of evolved rogue class.

    Stepping out of her dark arrival location, the maid curtsied.

    "My apologies. I can approach however you feel comfortable."

    With an offhand, Lady Coodly dismissed that. "Do tell me. What are the range and restrictions on it?"

    Inquiring about someone''s skill details was considered almost as rude as asking them the color of their undergarments. Not that everyone didn''t know the color of the maid''s undergarments at the manor, but such is the control over the employees.

    "Hyacinth has to take me. I have no control. It has to be a place they are familiar with. I''ve been unable to gain communication with my familiar enough to ask questions."

    "It''s okay. Not everyone is blessed with a familiar smart enough to speak."

    Hyacinth rolled out a low purring angry grumble.

    Harmony mentally shushed him with all the strength of their bond. He quieted, but she knew that if the lady had a cat, the toad would try to eat it.

    "Let''s get started. I''m supposed to meet with the garden club for tea, and I want to try something daring. I''ve got sketches of some of the fashions from the capital. With one of their princes passing here, there is liable to be a visit."

    The coldness of using the young man''s death as an excuse to earn social points bothered Harmony, mainly because it reminded her of her goals and why she needed to accelerate them.

    Knowing what the lady likes, Harmony grabbed the most ostentatious sketches. Perfect for distracting her mind by testing her skills. [Beautician] is an artist''s skill and synergized well with [Style and Grace]. Looking at Lady Coodly''s wrinkled face and gray and white hair, she knew that those skills, even working combined, couldn''t meet the standards she wanted, but she also had her class.

    The maid ran her hand across her employer''s face, shaping and thickening the dead skin cells. It smoothed out the wrinkles and covered the age spots, tightened up any sagging as a lattice of strengthened dead cells held everything together, even sharpening the appearance of the woman''s cheekbones to make them wildly exaggerated. It wasn''t perfect, as it was almost like a white, semi-transparent mask covering her face. But that was only the first step.

    Channeling [Renew Spirit] into her work gave those dead cells a more life-like appearance. The Lady would feel more energized for a brief period of time from the magic as well. It was then that she got to work with makeup and brushes.

    Astel, the lady''s handmaid, had more experience here, so Harmony was glad for the opportunity to increase her skill as she worked hard to add the right touches to match the sketch''s makeup and maybe make it a little bolder.

    Hair, however, no one could match Harmony with that. It was dead and hers to modify, an odd synergy with her beauty skills. Taking her fingers, she ran them through the gray, slightly brittle hair. Close contact made it take less effort. She adjusted the shape, strength, and color through her fingers, turning it into a vibrant orange. Going outside the standard redhead, brunette, and blonde types had been a new thing she''d achieved with her level up to ten.

    The involuntary oohing from her mistress brought a slight smile to the maid''s face.

    "I''d hate to steal my grandson''s favorite maid away, but you work miracles. Astel has been with me forever. As they say, everything progresses. I foretell big things for you at the manor once we get your levels up."

    "Yes, my lady. I always try my best." Harmony answered as demurely as she could. Inwardly she cursed herself for showing off some. She still needed Tyler for a bit. Replacing Astel wasn''t her dream.

    "Astel, I''m ready to go to the party!"

    The other maid stepped into the room. She''d clearly been waiting, and from the glare she gave, Harmony knew Astel had been listening in.

    Rather than stand under that scathing look, Harmony slipped out of the room with her familiar trailing. Out of sight, her chest relaxed again. There had to be some skill usage in that look. The idea of her replacing Astel was ridiculous. The older maid had to have evolved both her class and profession. Nothing about her screamed stuck in advancement like Jessica. No, Astel seemed happy to work busily for the matriarch.

    The conflict between doing her best and wanting not to stand out was one of the reasons Harmony never changed her straight black hair or updated her looks. Being willing to do the worst jobs, like cleaning Tyler''s room or working with Hyacinth to take care of pest invasions, was buying her less goodwill with the other staff than she liked. Even in a city with a necromantic dungeon, there was animosity towards those who held the class, and she''d finally reached a tolerable state by avoiding attention.

    Pulling herself back into work mode, It was time to clean lord Tyler''s room and see if she could gain one more favor from the man.

 Chapter Three

    Chapter Three

    Lord Tyler''s room was a dungeon, the kind that used to hold prisoners. It was from a bygone era when keeping one''s enemies on hand was fashionable. Tyler''s collections kept taking up more and more space until he had the basement cells all remodeled so he could have the largest room. Tyler''s rare and unique items were why he usually insisted on being around wherever a maid came down to clean it. It had taken Harmony ages to earn his trust.

    Supervision while cleaning valuable items wasn''t unusual. However, Tyler''s lingering gazes made it a bit more uncomfortable than it should be. He''d been the one to select the current housemaid uniforms, which brought no love, especially as winter''s chills still seeped into the house every time someone opened a door or cracked a window.

    Harmony waited at the door, planning exactly what she wanted to do. Commitment solidified; she knocked.

    "Come in," Tyler called in a lazy sing-song voice.

    It took a few good yanks to open the heavy door, a massive thing left over from its job of keeping prisoners in. Shelves and containers filled the place with a mish-mash of things. Books, scrolls, skill stones, weapons, toys, and trophies. If Tyler had an organizational method, Harmony had yet to figure it out.

    He was how she got her Create Undead Pet scroll. Even the books he''d collected had given her access to new ideas. Once she''d shown him her ability to repair the damaged, dead plant or animal-based parchment, he''d allow her to restore some of his collection. At least while he was hovering over her. He had interesting ideas, objects, and his excitement sometimes rivaled a puppy.

    Stepping out from behind a fully packed shelf, Harmony was greeted by the sight of Lord Tyler, sitting at his desk, bent over a small figurine of a maid in a not-so-dissimilar outfit to hers. The young lord was holding a magnifying glass over it. He was one pair of thin white undershorts shy of being naked at the time. If only he wasn''t such a creep.

    "I''m here for the weekly cleaning, my lord. Perhaps I can help with any restorations as well?"

    Tyler blinked and jerked away from his inspection. His slightly overweight body jiggled as he did. "Oh, Harmony, I forgot what day it was. I thought you might have been Timothy coming to pester me about practice." Lifting up the figurine, he extended it out. "What do you see here?"

    "It''s me." Harmony couldn''t stop her eyes from widening. It was her, with the skirt so low you could see too much. The proportions were slightly off, and the face and posture were more defiant than deferential. The idea that Tyler had someone watch her so closely as to produce this thing without her knowing made her regret not taking the head butler''s offer.

    "No, not that. It''s a mimicry model. When I look at it, I see me too. I''ve been slowly stripping clothing and watching it change. Supposedly slight differences give some level of portent for the future, a new scar, a troubled expression. Even the mana lens isn''t helping show differences. I''d like to figure out the clue or what it looks like when it isn''t mimicking me. Can you use your class to determine if it''s made of something dead, like wood or bone?"

    The fact that Tyler wasn''t staring at her body through a magnifying glass was a relief. Not that he hadn''t given all the maids slightly longer leers than was appropriate at times. Carefully taking the figurine from the lord''s hand, she examined it. As for any portents, she immediately noticed the thing was wearing a smirk, which Harmony knew was rare because she kept her face as still as usual. A little hope that her request would be accepted bloomed in her chest. She probed it with her Necromancy.

    "Nothing. It''s neither bone nor wood, but I''m only level ten."

    "Damn it," Tyler grumbled. "Wait, ten? You''ve gone up a level?" His voice held a pondering tone before he broke into a grin. "Congratulations. I should probably put on clothes."

    Harmony turned away so he could do that. Summoning some of her magic, she gently pulled some of the week''s dust into a pile. Regular maintenance made it easier to clean. Gently though, because she didn''t accidentally want to damage anything. The place hadn''t been shut down for months like the Parlor.

    "Ahem. I''m decent now."

    After she''d turned around, Harmony debated his statement silently. She wasn''t in a position to question him. The only thing he had done was pull a long robe over his girthy frame. Small wine and food stains marred it, but at least the lord wasn''t naked. He''d told one of the other maids, "His room. His rules."

    "The cleaning shouldn''t take long. If there are any special tasks you''d like me to handle, I''m happy to help you with them. When I''m done, I have a small favor to ask."

    She''d convinced him to part with the scroll through extra tasks, ones not entirely covered by her employment contract. The scroll came with a promise of information on how well it worked. Lord Tyler''s interest in unique items was more than only possessing them. Like with the mimicry statue, he craved knowing how they worked. The best would be if he had more books to repair. Tyler, her greatest source of knowledge, if she could stand acquiring it.

    "How about skill training? I''m really close to a breakthrough."

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    Harmony maintained the mask she''d trained to wear as a servant. The worst was this. "I''m always grateful when we can help each other achieve our goals."

    "I''ll go set up the bed. It''ll just be a few moments." Tyler quickly shuffled off to the furthest corner of his domain.

    Harmony settled on the routine nature of using her skills to clean. Not every cleaning did she have to test her skills, and right now, she didn''t have the wherewithal to stretch herself. There was value to repetition and thoroughness, including letting her mind chew on problems. The maid knew Tyler had the money to hire skilled trainers. Just one of the skill stones she pulled dust from could easily fund an expert in the city, or if he wanted a genuinely skilled one, he could make a trip to the capital. Flower houses and magical contracts could handle the more, the girl cringed thinking about it, personal aspects of the training. She knew the only thing exciting and unique about this was her.

    "I''m ready!"

    Tyler lay naked on the bed except for a leather cod piece from his armor set. Beside him on a table were various groups of magical tools and implements, some looking like they came out of the dungeon''s old torturer tools and others soft and glowy wands.

    The codpiece covered him better than the undershorts did, Harmony reflected. Is this a demonstration of the power the lord had over her? Maybe he liked her in a non-professional context or even an extra-professional one? But even he would uphold his gran''s employment contract. One short session.

    "How would you like me to start?"

    "Secure my wrists and put on the blindfold. Start from the tool closest to the headboard and move down. I''m trying Jubal''s method of alternating sensations."

    Everyone gained skills as part of a person''s class and profession. They get to select a skill every four levels. You could use skill gems to pick up additional ones, one per every eight combined levels. But what Tyler wanted was rare, gaining skill through experience, and they were almost always unique to the person.

    With soft leather manacles, she tied Lord Tyler to the bed and secured the silk blindfold over his eyes. Many of the utensils were new. Tyler had gone on a shopping spree after the last attempt hadn''t produced any results. She picked up a silver cylinder first, channeling a trickle of her mana into the item. Harmony touched it to the lord''s chest. Frost rippled out, coating his skin, and he started to shiver with the cold. Still, he bore it as the maid slowly traced it down his limbs.

    "Ch-change," He gasped through chattering teeth.

    The following tool produced heat, at first relieving the chill but then causing him to flinch back as blisters appeared under its onslaught. Sharp - soft,  Wet-dry, mana infusing-mana draining, tickling-numbing. Only when it seemed past the point he could take did he call for a change, and Harmony moved through the tools, making herself feel as detached as she would if assigned to clean out an outhouse. By the end, he looked nearly like a corpse she could raise if she''d ever chosen to get the skill.

    "Potion!" he demanded in a voice wrecked by strain.

    Harmony took a small vial of pink liquid and gently poured it into Tyler''s mouth. The wounds closed, pushing away the damaged and dead bits until the skin looked pink and new. [Manipulate Dead] swept off the excess debris].

    "Can you do that toe thing? One more sensation." Tyler''s voice tinged with delirium.

    "Of course," Harmony answered softly.

    She scooted a chair to the foot of the bed. Hyacinth hopped quietly out of the shadows, lifting the fat toad onto the chair; she watched as her toad latched onto the end of Tyler''s foot and started sucking. Even though they couldn''t yet speak, The maid could tell through their bond that this came with a feeling of "You owe me extra cats for this."

    Tyler moaned from his place on the bed, causing Harmony to cringe. Early skill training had been less organized, with requests to do anything while the man was blindfolded. He''d demanded sucking one day, repulsed, she couldn''t do it. Hyacinth, sensing her distress, had stepped up. She wondered if lord Tyler thought it was her. She never gave him the details, and he didn''t ask. Tyler shuddered and flushed. Harmony looked away.

    She preferred to think of Tyler excitedly discussing a new purchase, why one skill stone was better than another, or a rare book on dungeon monster types. He''d actually lent her books after catching onto the fact that she was reading them while repairing them for him. "Don''t trust Piltoff. He''s all wrong about his theory of maximizing one stat and minimizing unimportant ones. Stats have synergy as much as skills. I only got the book because only five copies are in existence." He''d lecture in rare moments, trying to be helpful. She could forget the amount of power he had over her position when he did that.

    "Enough. Enough. Enough." Hyacinth let go of the toes and started hopping away. "I can feel how the skill could crystallize. Maybe this is too much of a controlled setting. Untie me."

    Harmony took the blindfold off and then worked on the cuffs. She didn''t know when the next one would show up if she missed the current opportunity. "About that favor?"

    "Yes?"

    "Now that I''m level ten, I wondered if I could join your party for some dungeon runs. I''d like to try to get to level twelve."

    "Looking to unlock your stats?" That is often the goal for those to reach level twelve in class and profession. With the local dungeon, usually, it was people''s profession that needed to catch up. Stat theory was less exciting for Harmony. It is more of a boy thing, wanting to boost how much they can lift to show off. She figured it was something she could focus on after meeting the scroll requirements.

    "I also need two necrotic cores, three ghost laces, and a champion''s tooth."

    She watched as he made the mental connection. Tyler wasn''t dumb, but she wondered if she was giving away her plans. The procession with the Prince and coatl was still winding their way around the city before their internment at the temple of the dead. They would sit there until Adric was to be picked up by the royal family.

    "So, you''ve um. Yes. Yes, this is perfect. I actually wanted to add a necromancer to our party, and when you mentioned you were level ten. Well, I didn''t know how to ask. I''ll make sure you''re equipped properly. I''ve got some things I want to see in action."

    "No need, but I do appreciate this."

    "Oh, I insist. Bringing you on reflects on me." Lord Tyler''s eyes moved away from darting around his shelves to Harmony. She felt his gaze linger as he looked her up and down, wetting his lips with his tongue. "I''ll need your measurements; for the armor."

    The perplexing statement about armor made it difficult for the maid to control her face. She forced a smile and told herself it would be worth it. If she managed to get what she wanted.

 Chapter Four

    Chapter Four

    All the maids and one of the house boys rotated for the lunch service, and today was Harmony¡¯s day. It was one of the few tasks that she could work on improving her [Poise and Bearing] Focus on that straight spine, smooth walk, pleasant smile, and without needing to stop herself from looking awkward. She entered the large dining room, already set to handle all twelve of the masters of the manor, from Lady Coodly down to her favorite grandson Lord Tyler. Unless it was an official family gathering, usually only about half occupied the space for a meal on any given day. Today only Baccus, Tyler¡¯s uncle by marriage, sat at the table, a news sheet in his hand.

    With an eyebrow, she motioned to her serving partner. Today it was Jimmy. She guessed the transfer to the stables hadn¡¯t happened yet. The young man shrugged slightly in response. Both kept their communication as subtle as possible in front of the master. It wasn¡¯t a surprise with the events around the city. Whether you want to consider Prince Adric¡¯s demise a funeral or a celebration, it certainly stirred up all levels of nobility and wealth to be more active. Tyler took off as soon as she gave him her measurements, which he¡¯d insisted on double-checking for accuracy.

    ¡°May I serve you lunch, Sir Baccus?¡± Harmony asked as soon as she noticed his eyes taking a rest from his paper.

    ¡°Oh, yes. Since it appears that everyone is caught up in the current nonsense. The rags keep on speculating that the prince was poisoned or stabbed. I have it from good sources that the boy was dying before he arrived in our little starter town.¡±

    Harmony did her best polite nod of acknowledgment since it was not like she cared how the poor boy died. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re right.¡± She said as diplomatically as she could.

    Baccus¡¯s favorite pastime was to read the news rags and then brag about how much more well-informed he was than they were. While Harmony enjoyed dragging information from books, current gossip left a bad taste in her mouth because it wasn¡¯t something she could avoid in the best of times.

    Realizing he¡¯d tried to brag to a servant, lacking any of the peers he normally conversed with. Baccus set his paper down on his plate. ¡°Nevermind. I¡¯ll eat out today. I could use the company.¡±

    The houseboy and maid watched the man leave, then silently counted to three to ensure he was truly gone. ¡°Let¡¯s go tell the cook that lunch is canceled,¡± Jimmy said with a bit of a grin.

    They walked together. ¡°You think they¡¯ll actually make you a stable boy?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Plius might retire, and the synergy is good for me. I¡¯m young enough, and there is no way I will evolve my profession by focusing on my cooking skill. If they don¡¯t put me there, I¡¯ll move on even if it means breaking contract.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯d leave just like that?¡± Harmony had her own plans, but they involved a bigger and less risky path than gambling on a good evolution. She¡¯d seen the streets and never wanted to risk being without employment.

    ¡°Not everyone has a clear journey to the top. Perfect synergies. Head maid potential. Some of us must take risks if we want our dreams, Harm.¡±

    Harmony fought to keep from correcting him. As one of the newer hires, Jimmy missed out on much of the grueling work and interactions she¡¯d had to deal with. Crawling in attics, veiled insults about her class, taking the worst jobs, knowing that until she grew in strength, being put out would mean heading straight to the slums.

    ¡°Renee, lunch is canceled!¡± Jimmy announced joyfully.

    ¡°Whatever am I going to do with all this food?¡± The cook responded.

    Jimmy swiped a pork chop from a tray and took a bite in response. ¡°Call Bates, and we can have a little golden moment.¡± He answered with food still in his mouth.

    Renee threw up her hands in defeat. ¡°Fine.¡±

    The times when the masters of the manor were all out of the house. The staff called these golden moments. They¡¯d even nudge those who worked the night shift awake to see if they wanted to join in. It was an excuse to party and socialize, even if it was a restrained one. Someone always had lookout duty. Long ago, when Harmony had her first lookout, she¡¯d been taught how to use a crystal ball to see in the distance.

    Harmony chewed on her pork chop while the staff filled up the dining room table. She¡¯d never made it out of a golden moment completely unscathed.

    ¡°We should have more princes die in our city.¡± Fel laughed as the redhead moved to take a second helping of the candy pudding.

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    ¡°Other princes don¡¯t have otherworldly beauty,¡± Ambrosia answered.

    ¡°Are you telling me that you saw him? A lord¡¯s looks are always exaggerated. Even Tyler gets called handsome.¡± Fel needled back.

    ¡°No, but.¡± Ambrosia started

    Stu, a house boy, flung one of Baccus¡¯s leftover news sheets between them. A sketch of the prince took up half the page. ¡°Pretty enough. He¡¯s dead. No ones going to win his heart. If he wasn¡¯t a prince, he¡¯d be fed to the dungeon like the rest of us. ¡°

    Harmony knew the sketch didn¡¯t do even his corpse justice.

    Rumors and gossip started to fly across the table. Plius confirmed he was considering retiring, which caused Jimmy to brighten up. Harmony knew that talk of leaving was mainly bluster, as he¡¯d been hemming and hawing about retiring since she arrived. Tyler¡¯s parents might return from the capitol. Ambrosia blushed when it was revealed she had her birds singing as a troupe at a local bar on her days off for extra coin and doing well with it.

    ¡°Harm, is it true that you aim to be the old dame¡¯s new personal maid?¡± Renee asked.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the levels or skills,¡± Harmony assured her.

    ¡°That and Astel would kill you if the switch didn¡¯t come about without her moving up somewhere, at the very least getting out of this level-cap of a city.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about that. With the noises I heard coming from the dungeon. Our little Harm here aims for higher than simply being Coodly¡¯s personal maid.¡± Jessica announced loud enough to quiet the other conversations at the table.

    Harmony saw Bates¡¯s face turn into a frown of disapproval. Not to say dalliances and scandals never happened between staff and masters. Still, if the head butler did find out such things were happening, the staff members were shuffled off quickly. ¡°Ew. I¡¯ve never. Tyler¡¯s toys make all kinds of noises. ¡°

    ¡°Sure they do,¡± Jessica responded, her voice dripping with disdain.

    Jessica hadn¡¯t been the worst to pick on Harmony in the past. Ever since the older woman returned from her trips to the capital¡¯s dungeon stuck at her level, unable to evolve her class and profession, she¡¯d gotten more venomous to everyone. Harmony knew she was low-hanging fruit.

    ¡°Jessica. it¡¯s your turn to be the lookout.¡± Bates announced.

    The Sun priest got up, making sure she passed close to Harmony. ¡°I was his favorite once. He¡¯ll grow bored of you like all his toys.¡± She hissed under her breath.

    Harmony winced as much at the words as with the flash of heat the woman had sent with them.

    Bates cleared his throat after the woman left the room. ¡°Jessica will be leaving us in the spring. I¡¯ve been trying to find a position worthy of her class and levels, but it has been difficult. I hope we can all find patience here.¡±

    That statement sobered up the party for a minute. Less that Jessica was leaving and more about pointing out that if you stopped being able to progress, your value dried up, rather than a big bonus and new contract offer when you did evolve.

    ¡°Beer me!¡± Stu called out, and it was a party again.

    ¡°Ambrosia, what did you think of Prince Adric¡¯s pet?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Poor thing died with him too, didn¡¯t it? A coatl must have been epically rare because I¡¯ve never heard of one. My little birdies are all common.¡±

    ¡°You think the royals will bring it back to the capitol?¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t see why. It¡¯ll probably be dumped into the dungeon like the rest of the dead. A mini-boss like that Wyvern corpse from a few years ago could be made. A few months of better loot and the chance to hit level sixteen would be nice. Then maybe I won¡¯t need to travel out to advance in the summer.¡±

    Harmony had forgotten Ambrosia¡¯s class was hitting sixteen soon. Hazeldown¡¯s dungeon wasn¡¯t equipped to take most players to that level. You had to travel to reach twenty-four and evolve your class and profession. That was one of the reasons why the staff often rotated service when one of the masters traveled out. Chad and Alice were with Tyler¡¯s parents now to do just that.

    ¡°I¡¯d get out of the city if I had the chance,¡± Harmony told her friend.

    A shrill whistle interrupted the rest of the conversation. Everyone froze. One of the masters of the manor was coming back. The explosion of movement that followed sent ripples of energy from inefficient or hurried use of skills. Plates flew from the table. Stable hands sprinted back to their stations. Harmony was already gathering bits of dust, debris, and splattered bits of food and drawing them into a pile. This was the closest thing to an emergency drill they had.

    Less than a minute later, Harmony stood at the entrance to a now spotless dining room, focusing on [Poise and Bearing], the skill helping hide her nerves and anxiety. Jimmy stood on the opposite side of the door, working on his own breathing.

    ¡°Can you believe the impertinence of Claudette accusing me of using this moment to advance fashion? That boy was dead the moment he made his choice. It¡¯s a miracle he lasted this long, even with all the resources pumped into him,¡± Lady Coodly told Astel as the pair strode in.

    ¡°Absolutely, my lady,¡± Astel replied

    The lady paused after surveying the room. ¡°Harmony, your work was elevated as always. The garden party tried to weed out my secret, but I¡¯ll never tell. How¡¯s the family doing?¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re gone from the manor, taking advantage of the day¡¯s events.¡± The maid answered with a curtsy.

    ¡°Oh, to be young. I¡¯ll need a nap and for you to freshen up my look before I go out again. We¡¯ll surprise them with something entirely different. Send for Ambrosia and her birds. They always make me feel more rested than any skill or drought.¡±

    ¡°Yes, my lady.¡±

    It was still daggers from Astel¡¯s glances as the old matriarch moved away.

    Harmony couldn¡¯t think of anything she could say or do to convince Astel that she was not after her job.

 Chapter Five

    Chapter Five

    Over the next three days, the masters of Coodly manor only showed up sporadically, taking advantage of the spectacle that the prince''s funeral had become. Never was there quite enough time for another golden moment for the staff. Lord Tyler was gone completely, which was unusual for him to be away so long from his collection when not traveling.

    Harmony found herself altering the looks of several members as the old lady encouraged others to get in on the act with a promise of secrecy. [Beautician] leveled twice, and [Style and Grace] once.

    Work was light for cleaning and serving, and Bates relaxed more on schedules. This was why Harmony found herself at Ambrosia''s side, the taller woman dragging her out into the city. The necromancer might have protested more if she hadn''t run out of new books.

    "You will hear my babies sing. A practical demonstration is better than pestering me about my pets. You also need to live a little."

    Some house boys loved to talk about gambling on the colosseum matches between pets, but it was all fancy movies and wild names. The manor''s books on pets were a light for Harmony''s taste. As a beast tamer, her fellow maid was the best information source for the necromancer.

    Along the streets of Hazeldown, the celebration was dying down. Paper masks with the prince''s face littered the streets. Vendors sold little puppets of him astride his rainbow-colored coatl for a discount. The attention on the prince and his pet had brought Harmony a touch of worry about her plans eased. People''s interests quickly changed topics, and she looked forward to whatever would distract them next. Even if that made her task easier, there was no point if she didn''t level up in time.

    A hard jerk from Ambrosia pulled the necromancer out of her thoughts. They were there, Cogg and Hall Brews. The tavern had a line leading up to the two open doors of the entrance. You could see a controlled rowdiness inside the place, but the coming and goings were policed by the bouncer at the door. Pulled past the line, Harmony gasped at the mountain of a man keeping guard at the entrance, her head barely past his waist.

    "Hey, Duke." Ambrosia piped up.

    "Songstress, I was afraid you wouldn''t show." The bouncer''s eyes went to Harmony. "And this is?"

    "My adorable roommate. The shy one."

    Harmony wanted to say she was reserved, but all she managed was swallowing her words with a gulp while under Duke''s looming shadow.

    "Go on in. It''s been too calm without you." The big man told Ambrosia.

    Harmony considered the inside of Cogg and Hall to be the opposite of calm. Several groups were amid tests of strength, arm wrestling, iron bending, and rock crushing. Tables were being danced on. Sounds of Laughter and boisterous tales clashed in the air.

    Ambrosia whistled as she walked inside, her hands pulling along the diminutive necromancer.

    A second whistle shrieked into the room as a red songbird let lose a cry as it dived in through an open window. Then another yellow bird joined it. A blue and green one glided over, and the birds circled the center of the room.

    Some confused looks, but mostly knowing ones, appeared on faces in the room. The ruckus switched, and loud voices stopped their laughing and tall tales. "Songstress!" Cried a voice.

    "Songstress!" Others followed up. "Songstress, Songstress, Songstress!" The chant overtook the room.

    Ambrosia stepped up onto a table at the center of the room. Harmony dragged up with her. The birds tightened their spiral, their tweets elevating the chant. Ambrosia raised her arms.

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    The birds swooped down, landing on her outstretched arms, except for the red one, who landed on Harmony''s head.

    "Does everyone want a song?" The beast tamer addressed the crowd.

    Eager roars of affirmation and vigorous pounding answered back.

    With a twist of the songstress''s wrist, her birds started singing. A lively tune. Ambrosia''s voice began to accompany it.

    "There once was a maid, brave as can be.

    Frightened of nothing, you will see.

    Took all the worst the lord did give.

    Fought off death, so brave boys live.

    So I sing this song for she."

    A nudge snapped Harmony to attention. She knew this song as Ambrosia liked to practice whispering by her bed. The beast tamer encouraged her to sing along. "While difficult, singing can strengthen your [Style and Grace]. It''s good practice."

    Another nudge told the necromancer Ambrosia expected her to join in now. So she lent her voice as well.

    "The cellars flood, and the ceilings fall.

    The maid cleaned it all.

    Twisting every skill she could make.

    Every advantage she would take.

    She would not shirk adventures'' call.

    Together they sang the silly song of mostly made-up adventures. A long ballad of cleaning, politics, slaying gnome gophers, and servitude.

    "So I sing this song for she."

    The audience''s roars increased as the song ended. Accompanied by the slapping percussion of them pounding on the tables. A barmaid brought two full mugs to the singers.

    Ambrosia drowned hers with relish while Harmony took a mouthful. The brew''s bubbles tickled the necromancer''s nose, and the sweet and sour drink warmed her throat.

    "I got this," Ambrosia assured her.

    Harmony hopped off the table, a little relieved and a little heady from the attention. From there, she joined the crowd in watching her fellow maid entertain the crowd, better than many who take bard as a class.

    A large ham of a hand patted Harmony''s head. "She''s great, isn''t she." Harmony recognized the voice of the doorman, Duke. "Tried to get her to swear fealty, offered a mighty good deal to make her a permanent fixture, but she''s unwilling to leave her family at the manor. Didn''t even want to entertain my offer to buy her employment contract."

    Family? Ambrosia, like most of the staff, was an orphan. Less outside influences for when you lived in the manor dorms. Or you could be disowned. Harmony remembered her own expulsion when she decided on the necromancer class. Ambrosia tended to be everyone''s friend. The young necromancer couldn''t picture herself giving up on advancing to something better because of friends. As fun as the tavern was, she wasn''t sure anyone would want to tie their life to the rowdy excitement of this place every day. Family at the manor seemed an easy excuse to use for a no.

    Ambrosia sparkled from the attention, bonded pets darting around her, joining the song. There might be a better place for the beast tamer''s future than a dive of a tavern. Harmony promised to help Ambrosia grab this moment while the devoted crowd sang along.

    "What''s true today may not be true tomorrow." She told the big man.

    Two more songs and the blonde had to bow out from another one to the groaning disappointment of her fans.

    "That was Amazing," Harmony told her as she helped the beast tamer down from the table. Her birds had already departed through an open window.

    The two girls moved through the crowd into the now crisp, cool night air. "Glad you enjoyed it. I wanted to do something special for you with everything coming up."

    "What''s coming up?" there was that little worming bit of disappointment for Harmony at the revelation that this was not a random outing due to the relaxed schedules. Not that she doubted Ambrosia might do something like this without prompting.

    The confident table-striding singer fell away as Ambrosia shifted and struggled to find words. "Lord Tyler has reserved you for three days as his personal maid for a trip to his dungeon lodge. The old lady has already approved it." With that, the beast tamer embraced the petite necromancer.

    Rather than be shocked or scared, the first reaction was a flat acceptance. This wasn''t an entirely unexpected development, as the lord had wanted to equip her before bringing her into his dungeon diving group. Three days, though? That was where she tensed up. Tyler could be amazing or awful, sometimes alternating between the two in short bursts. The idea of three days felt like too much. Slowly Harmony inhaled, telling herself this was just one more obstacle to her goal that she had to overcome. Soon, she''ll have her levels, spell components, and an undead pet.

    "It will be alright, Harm," Ambrosia told her, misreading the girl''s reaction, hugging her tighter before they returned to the manor.

 Chapter Six

    Chapter Six

    Harmony had mistakenly dressed in her travel clothes the morning of her departure. Brown pants and a jacket she knew made her look more like a young boy than a girl.

    "Why aren''t you in uniform?" Lord Tyler asked with a tone of command.

    This caused Harmony to spin on her heel and march straight to the dressing room. On went the uncomfortably revealing outfit, and the two spares went into her bag. Thankfully, they didn''t take up much space. While she was his personal maid for this trip, she knew she''d still have downtime. Maybe a chance to see Mike and The Dig Boys again? They''d always been her backup plan for gaining levels.

    Hyacinth grumbled beside her, and she could only agree.

    Back to Tyler''s leerable standard, she joined him in the foyer, her familiar following.

    Lady Coodly conversed with her grandson, "I approve of you working on your levels, darling. You know I had twice your levels at your age. We can''t stay in the sticks forever. There''s the capitol waiting after wringing this place clean."

    Harmony did her best to approach discretely and professionally while the young lord shifted uncomfortably under the matriarch''s gaze. Relief came when he noticed the elder turn her gaze to the newcomer.

    "Oh, Harmony. I''ll miss you, but there are only so many parties this old lady can handle this week. Let me know if Tyler here tests your boundaries."

    "Grandmama, I''m always a gentleman!"

    The dame gave him a loving but incredulous look and two light pats on his shoulder. "Have fun, you two. There is nothing quite like progressing to new heights. And keep my darling stylist safe. Astel is the best, but I loathe to give her so much extra work." She strolled away.

    The Maid followed as the lord grumbled a bit due to the interaction and joined him in the carriage to the dungeon lodge. Hyacinth chose to ride up top with the driver rather than join her, his opinion of the grumpy lord clear through the bond that he would have tried something if forced to sit near him.

    During the ride, Tyler didn''t say anything but kept giving her long looks up and down, though less leering and more similar to how he would look at a new piece for his collection, overly possessive and with intense focus.

    This was Harmony''s first time at a Hazeldown dungeon lodge; all the aristocrats had one to make it easy to train young lords and ladies in the dungeon without needing to mix with the riff-raff of adventurers and local crews. Walled square lots mainly encompassing training and meditation grounds and a two-room structure that was kept simple on purpose. Either to house a trainer and student or lord and servant. The lack of amenities made these lodges stand out for the upper classes. The crowded bars, pits, gyms, and guild halls filled with gambling, booze, and other distractions were for the ordinary adventurer.

    Lord Tyler carried his own bags in, which was a relief to Harmony as she didn''t think she could lift the one filled with all his gear and the heavy armor that was the focus of his Tank class. The lord claimed the larger room while the maid took the smaller one. Hyacinth signaled he was off to take a nap. A new area meant tempting and unweary cats, so he needed to conserve energy.

    "Meet me in the training grounds," Tyler told her abruptly.

    The Maid waited patiently in the center of the training area, almost missing the chaotic Gym she''d visited on her previous trips to the dungeon. At that location, she could wear complete clothing, be relaxed, and didn''t subserviently stand at attention. [Poise and Bearing] worked overtime, slowly pulling from the skill, activating the base skill snapped her face into a casual look while directing her posture into perfect alignment, which gave away the use of it. Something she usually only did when needing to counter a shocked or disgusted moment she felt might overtake her.

    Tyler came out in his full suit of armor minus the helmet, a heavy maul strapped to his back. "The plan is to get trained up to join the team. While your skills will be extra efficient for the undead dungeon. I know you lack close combat and defense. So I''ve got you some skill gems to shore up any weaknesses. Sadly the armor I''ve commissioned won''t be ready for a day or two." Reaching out, he presented three red gems.

    Harmony activated [Poise and Bearing]. She could feel it level up as it stopped her from inhaling with shock, allowing her to take the gems with unshaking hands. Three gems for the open skill slots. Even if each was common, the red crystals represented a cost of more than she could make in a year if she saved every copper. And that would be if they were only common ones, and knowing Tyler, they''d be something unusual. Tyler didn''t have the right to dictate what skills she should and shouldn''t learn or how she chose to progress. But they could fire you if you no longer fit the position. It wasn''t like the man was giving her options, but even then, this wasn''t an opportunity she could easily refuse.

    [Analyze]

    Small Armor - High Kick - Mana Rotation

    The names might appear simple, but there was always more to skills than that. "Thank you, my lord. I shall meditate and absorb them as fully as I can."

    "I was thinking you can absorb them, and we''ll work on making the activation second nature." He responded with a bit of whining and frustration.

    Now, this was something Harmony would resist. Mastering skill activations was not how she worked. Some maids cast dust one square at a time, slowly working from one end of a room to another. Even without her synergies, she knew that wasn''t for her. It seemed an inefficient use of these kinds of skill gems. "I didn''t realize you were such a fan of Thibodeux''s theory of skills. I prefer Carter''s schema."

    "Thibodeux is how it is done. Being quickly able to use [Immutable] over and over again is the core of my defense. Nobody does Carter. He''s attic dust. Only half a dozen of his books are¡­ you read my copy."

    "How else was I going to repair it without ensuring I wasn''t damaging or obscuring the text?" She''d read it before then, and Carter''s logic made sense. It was just more challenging than simply activating the skill. The schema focused on finding synergies and controlling the flow of mana, stamina, and authority through the skill. Skills provide more than just repeatable actions you can trigger. With the unusual types, Tyler gave her a set of opportunities, and she wanted to make the most of them.

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    The young lord shook his head and rubbed his temples. "Fine. While you process those, I will practice on the dummies at the far end."

    Harmony knew him well enough to know he was thinking this through. He could see how they worked as long as she got the skills. Thibodeux preached his method because people tended to default to activation, like how she had to cover the surprise of the gift. Because of that, it made sense to practice activation until it is second nature, never mind that they can be used for more than that. Tyler would have to have delayed satisfaction as Carter advocated slowly absorbing skill stones and processing them to gain a fuller awareness.

    The necromancer found the meditation mat near her. The type of training and skill exploration Carter advocated wasn''t so far out of practice that meditation, introspection, and skill exploration were ignored. The more magic and crafting-intensive classes and professions tended to need it to help their skills level.

    With the three stones in hand, she weighed her options on what to process first. It''s not like she''d ever actually used a skill stone. She''d merely read about them. The darker theorists thought they were prizes created by dungeons out of the skills of dead adventurers. Generally, though, most people considered the loot to be crystalline structures from the gods, a way to gain them other than through leveling. The fact that in sporadic cases, a person can form skills within their body through actions, deeds, practice, or contemplation helped support people on that. It at least made a convenient excuse for Tyler''s sensation play.

    [Mana Rotation], [Small Armor], or [High Kick]. She set [Mana Rotation] aside because most of her skills used mana. She wanted to practice using the first two skill stones before she tried to tackle something that touched deeper into her and might need more experience and contemplation. [High Kick] was deceptive, a title for a single-use action, the kind Thibodeux fans loved like a fireball, where you can repeatedly use the skill to powerful effect, but those kinds of skills often evolved from general skills like unarmed combat, street fighting, boxing and the like so if you dig into the ability there is a lot of useful physical movements and combat skills baked into them if you work on accessing them. Not that she expected any of Tyler''s gifts to be simple. She focused on [Small Armor]. Her first one should be the least complex option.

    Do you wish to learn the skill [Small Armor]?

    She mentally accepted it, and a surge of energy rushed from the crystal. Practiced enough from her own leveling up, she willed it to slow. Immediately she could tell the crystal differed from the skills she had acquired from her class and profession. The external fire that ran up her arm instead of extending from her core made it more slippery, and the first burst of information hit her gut with a grunt. The maid''s soul rippled like a rock was dropped into the pond, and she focused on the connections and how the reverberations of his new skill interacted with her existing ones. The physical aspects of [Poise and Bearing] and [Style and Grace] synergistically intertwined with how [Small Armor] would settle in, but it was more than physical as [Analyze] and  [Renew Spirit] showed some synergy in the level of perception needed to occupy it.

    As the skill bled into her, she focused on how it felt. Defense, not something like Light armor or heavy armor, which improved how you wear armor. This was positioning, deflecting, and stopping when necessary. [Small Armor], something as simple as an iron wristband or a large medallion above the heart, used to turn a blow and spare a life.

    Time felt meaningless as she focused on the skill entering her and her understanding. Use awareness of your position and your opponents combined to deal with the strike. Not a lazy strike, either. Spell or skills, you''ll interrupt that with full activation. Those are the pieces [Analyze] and [Renew Spirit] synergize with. Understanding, awareness, and perception from those strengthen the skill and the skill''s information, in turn, strengthening those back. Harmony focused on that connection. With this skill, she''d also be able to intercept blows against allies. Between Hyacinth and her new pet, she knew she would have others to protect.

    That last thread of energy entered her, and she felt the skill rise this time with the stronger connections of balance and posture from [Poise and Bearing] and the smooth, clean motions given from [Style and Grace] like [Small Armor] was more of a skill related to dancing and dodging than something like Tyler''s [Heavy Armor]. She wondered if it was an evolved skill like she expected [High Kick] to be. A good skill for activating as quickly and efficiently as possible, but she knew that wasn''t what she was best at.

    A plate of cold food and a large cup of water sat next to her. The sky tinged pink from the setting sun. Tyler, his armor dusty from use, sat on the ground a short distance away, staring. It wasn''t his usual stare that made her feel uncomfortable. Slowly she blinked out of her self-imposed trance. "Does it usually take you this long to adapt to your new skills?"

    With her mouth dry and stomach empty, the necromancer took a bite of cold bread and a gulp of water before answering. "I try to do it on my day off."

    Harmony couldn''t read her employer''s look. Many people felt necromancers had naturally damaged souls. Still, the maid knew she could acquire a skill quickly if she accepted it. Slow skill acquisition was considered a sign of a damaged soul or skillful incorporation, allowing people to be selective of praise or criticism when it happened.

    "Which skill did you learn?"

    She figured if it was this late, she probably wasn''t on the clock anymore. So shoved in a few more bites of food and finished off the water. "[Small Armor]. It''s a defensive blocking skill." The plain description didn''t fully express how she felt it could be used, but that was essentially true for activation. "I''ll need a piece of armor."

    He worked off one of the gauntlets of his armor and handed it over.   The thing swallowed Harmony''s tiny hand enough that she could never articulate the fingers. Yet, she managed to grip it from the inside to hold it steady. Closing her eyes and probing with her new skill, she knew this would do. While feeling it out, she realized she could preemptively highlight Tyler as a target to block as long as she kept some of her attention on him. "Okay, take a swing at me. Something strong."

    He lifted his giant maul. "Lord''s Punishment!" He cried out. Even if he didn''t announce what he was doing, he projected his attack in his stance enough to make the quick attack seem slow. Not only was the massive attack holding physicality, but she could also sense magic and authority behind the skill. Authority was more of a given due to the attack''s name, that extra boost lords and ladies had to their powers.

    [Small Armor] moved to counter, not a direct block but a deflection using the gauntlet to push the strike aside. She could feel the skill slice a bit of the non-physical power behind the strike, letting it tingle the hairs of her skin. The deflection''s force made her hand go a little numb, but otherwise, she stood there untouched. Removing her hand from the gauntlet, she opened and closed it a few times until the numbness disappeared.

    "You should be stunned even if you blocked the attack."

    "Using a bit of armor, I can stop an attack, even the skill aspects." As she said the words, the maid wondered if the countering was limited to only an attack but brushed those thoughts away for another day.

    "That''s more impressive than I thought. If I''d known..." Shaking his head, Tyler forced a smile. "I know a good place for dinner if you''d like to join me?"

    Harmony glanced down at the half-eaten food. It was cold enough that it could have been from lunch. When she awoke, Tyler had been staring at her. She couldn''t help but wonder how long he''d been doing that. A quick usage of [Poise and Bearing] stopped her from shuddering and allowed her to speak calmly. "I appreciate the offer, but I have plans to check in with some friends this evening. I won''t be out too late, my lord." With a little bow, she excused herself.

 Chapter Seven

    Chapter Seven

    Off went the maid¡¯s uniform, and on went Harmony¡¯s travel clothes. It was good to have pants on. The insistence that she trained in uniform was ridiculous. Whenever she felt she might warm up to Lord Tyler, he did something like that.

    She still felt naked, even covered enough to be mistaken for a young boy. That feeling had driven her to change quickly but stuck through putting on the travel clothes. A low level of anxiety gripped her as she ran her hands along her outfit, trying to figure out why. Was it being alone with Tyler? No. The new skill throbbed inside her. She was dressed, but nothing she had on counted as armor. A part of her was un-actionable. The wrongness of that gripped her soul after adding the new skill. She hadn¡¯t packed anything that could be armor. She snatched the magically tempered crystal ball out of the bottom of the bag and shoved it into her pocket. It could probably take one blow if she needed and that thought calmed the feeling some, but it was still like slapping a hand over a gushing wound.

    Hyacinth hopped out of the dark corner of the room. She might have missed the toad if she didn¡¯t know it so well. His rough black skin looked thicker. She reached down and touched it. The toad purred at the touch, and Harmony could tell it was harder, not unlike a layer of bone, enough that she felt like she could modify it if she wished. ¡°That¡¯s new.¡±

    ¡°Gurrp.¡±

    Harmony closed her eyes and focused on her new skill [Small Armor]. Hints of synergy with [Familiar Bond] hadn¡¯t been there before flickered about. Now she felt her partner pull through it, a path of energy connecting the two. Hyacinth took but gave as well, strengthening the new skill. ¡°As I get stronger, so do you. Exactly as it should be.¡±

    On the other side of the shared lodge, the clanking rattle of Tyler disengaging his armor could be heard. The perfect time for her to slip out, toad in tow.

    The pair walked out of the lodge area and into the main thoroughfare of the dungeon district. Young adventurers crowded the wide street, armed, armored, and dressed in fantastical styles related to their hometowns, villages, or nations. The dungeon was the lifeblood of the Hazeldown economy. Perfect for people to send their youths to gain their first set of class levels. As bitter as some got needing to donate all their dead to the dungeon, it was what kept the silver flowing in.

    Harmony didn¡¯t feel so out of place, having her shadow toad follow her as exotic companions shared the street. Wyverns and hawks gilded above. A young boy sat riding his white dire wolf. Even a tiny bear lumbered like a person with a red hat, blue coat, and yellow boots. Her eyes went wide at a mechanical spider carefully moving through the crowd. Pets, Familiars, and constructs peppered the public as status symbols, matters of utility, or core aspects of adventurer¡¯s classes. It had been over a year and three levels ago since the necromancer had last been here to work on advancing.

    Vendors lined the street buying and selling dungeon drops or anything interesting a tourist brought in.

    Not in a hurry, Harmony kept one eye on the wares. Little flares of desire popped up at bits of armor as her skill sought something more fitting than the glass tool she¡¯d shoved into her pocket to appease it. Being a Maid of a manor did not pay well enough to allow her to get the shiniest items.

    Her time with Tyler¡¯s collection had given her an eye for the unusual, the special, and the unique. Street vendors received and pushed products as quickly as possible to grind a profit and increase their profession levels. The Popularity of Thibodeux¡¯s teachings extended well past combat moves. A vendor¡¯s eyes locked on hers, and she could see a sparkling shine. She felt nudged in that direction. A skill from the merchant taking hold of her briefly. Yes, she could ignore it, but she recognized the feeling.

    [Destined deal] It connected a merchant with a buyer. You want something, and they have it, bam, you¡¯re drawn in, and hopefully, both parties leave happy. The fact that Harmony knew she was thinking about a bit of armor, affordable and ideally as remarkable as anything Tyler owns, cemented her decision to cave to the skill¡¯s call. After all, the merchant never knew precisely what the customer wanted, so the skill, through its magic, tugged the strings of fate and desire.

    ¡°Welcome, young man. I can see that I have something that might interest you as you work on gaining your early levels. At Jake¡¯s Magical Stand, we have everything from basic tools to mysterious artifacts sure to please you.¡±

    Sometimes you want to be mistaken for a boy, like now. ¡°Show me the mystery!¡± She announced eagerly, trying to make her voice as neutral as a young boy¡¯s.

    Mystery generally meant items that either required high levels of an identification spell or something those skills barely worked on. Most of the time junk. Harmony¡¯s [Analyze] was able to identify something about half of the items the merchant slowly placed on the table. Either the merchant¡¯s identification was low, or he assumed the buyer was. Shopping, a game of haggling, deception, and luck, the necromancer hoped to use all three.

    ¡°Does the mystery call to you?¡± The young man, who she guessed was Jake, lifted a carved bit of wood she¡¯d already identified as an uncharged smell wand. When she looked unmoved, he raised a card with a painted image of a boy in a golden bubble, which also drew no interest.

    Nothing on the table called to her [Small Armor] skill. ¡°Do you have anything hard or defensive? Maybe with a bit of metal?¡±

    Jake ducked back behind the stand and started pulling out more. Again [Analyze] managed to pull up information from most of the items for Harmony. She nearly dismissed it all but returned her eyes to a lonely glove, fingerless but with a solid plate of gray metal on the back of the hand. [Analyze} showed it as Glove: Paired.

    Her skill was neutral. Like it screamed, acceptable, in the face of the unacceptable placeholder the crystal ball represented. None of the eager flashes she had seen simply from glancing at other more established vendors¡¯ bits of armor they had displayed this evening. That was unusual enough in the short span she had the skill for it to be interesting. More so was the term paired. Fragments of knowledge from old books. The word wasn¡¯t only associated with needing two of something, like socks; when you [Analyze] a lone sock, it simply said sock. Items could be paired with skills, crafted for a purpose, or built to grow and adapt. Then again, [Small Armor] wasn¡¯t interested, and paired might mean it needed the other glove for more details.

    With her hands out and not suspiciously shoved into a pocket for the transaction, the naked feeling crawled up her skin without the crystal ball to partially hold it back. ¡°How much for the glove?¡± at this point, acceptable would do.

    ¡°One silver,¡± Jake answered quickly.

    ¡°It¡¯s one glove. Looks like someone damaged it by cutting off the fingers. It even says it¡¯s missing the other one. One copper and the benefit of it no longer taking up your inventory space.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s unique.¡± With a flourish, he pulled out a knife and scraped it down the middle of the metal backing. Sparks flew from the friction, but the metal wasn¡¯t scored. ¡°Look at that toughness.¡±

    ¡°Unique doesn¡¯t mean good. If it was unique, it would appear that way when inspected. Also, how can it be unique if it¡¯s missing the other part of the pair? There could be dozens of these abandoned in some dusty store room. Three copper.¡±

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    She saw the twitch of him starting a skill, bargaining, or getting a read on her. [Poise and Bearing] activated. The skills clashed. The social skill would make him draw a blank. If it was to influence her, the rush of activation tended to counter being influenced. She¡¯d practiced enough time against a skilled beggar¡¯s skills to not be overtaken.

    ¡°Fine. Three copper.¡± He said with some defeat, enough to make Harmony wonder if he¡¯d have settled for two, as it had the tone of an actor¡¯s lies.

    [Small Armor] wouldn¡¯t have her wait. dropping the coins on the stand, Harmony slid on the glove. Whatever twitch of nakedness she had felt earlier bled away. That was worth three coppers to her as she returned to the crowd more confidently.

    Harmony wondered if The Dig Boys would recognize her after a year, but it wasn¡¯t like she grew any taller. The gyms they operated out of loomed ahead. Gyms serviced the dungeon grinders that couldn¡¯t afford the adventurer guild. Little communities that competed with each other, Gym Viridian housed The Dig Boys and a few other groups. Bates had recommended them when she¡¯d asked around the household for a friendly escort to help her gain class levels that were in her budget, and she¡¯d used them ever since.

    At the door, she flashed the token Mike had given her after her last dive with him and the one copper entrance fee.

    Hooting and hollering preceded her arrival at the gym training yard. Copper and silver flashed in raised fists as a circle of people surrounding a match. At gyms, this is often what training devolved into, entertainment, gambling, and fighting. People who felt they were real adventurers often turned their noses at them, but Harmony found it exciting. She squeezed into the crowd.

    It wasn¡¯t people at the center of the ring. Two pets warily faced each other. Jack¡¯s giant gray centipede screeched. It had grown at least another foot in length since the necromancer had last seen it. She didn¡¯t recognize the creature it faced, a collection of vines, leaves, and thorns in the shape of a man, swaying, taking steps, a plant unrooted from the ground.

    ¡°How dare you call my mother a lumberjack!¡± The plant responded with a haughty voice.

    ¡°It speaks!¡± She yelped, a little surprised. Pets that could speak were rare. Pets with abilities like that rarely fought in unsanctioned matches.

    ¡°That means it¡¯s not going to have the stats distributed in a way it needs to win this match, as well as useless skills like [nature¡¯s voice] so it can understand Chompers.¡±

    Harmony¡¯s eyes were too glued to the match to respond to the stranger. Vines snapped like whips while the insect nimbly dodged them, dancing aside on its many legs. Plate-sized leaves whose edges glinted like razors came next, and Chompers dove under them in a move that was only possible by sinking into the ground most of the way.

    Earth exploded out in a wave at the many-legged pet¡¯s emergence, showering the plant man, slowing him enough for the bug to take a bite out of his side, leaving a sticky green wound. Vines shot out of the body, whipping about, leaving like scratches on the centipede¡¯s hard shell, forcing it back to the other side of the makeshift arena.

    ¡°I am no easy meat. I am not meat at all.¡±

    A thick cloud of pollen pushed out from the green man. Chompers couldn¡¯t avoid it. Even the circle of gym members had to step back. The yellow coating covered the bug, and it shivered and shook in response, knocking some off but not enough. The pollen transformed into tiny growths that crawled across the carapace.

    Chompers shrieked loud enough that Harmony was forced to cover her ears.

    ¡°I have you now.¡± The green man announced, growing a long leaf blade in his hand and stepping forward. He raised the gleaming green sword, and as it reached the apex, Chompers struck.

    The insect¡¯s burst of speed launched it through the air and into the viney pet, coiling and wrapping around the man with its many legs stabbing into the green mass of the body, strangling and impaling it at the same time.

    ¡°Victory, Chompers!¡± Announced a woman off to the side.

    Quickly the pets disentangled, and the owners rushed to them, a young girl with white hair to the Greenman and Jack from The Dig Boys to his centipede. Harmony was closer to the Greenman.

    ¡°Sorry I failed you, darling.¡± The Greenman said softly.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Beardy.¡± The girl answered with a hug.

    Coins exchanged hands as bets were settled. The woman who refereed the match bellowed again. ¡°That¡¯s it for tonight¡¯s matches. If the commission comes calling, remember the number one rule of the pet fighting club.¡±

    ¡°No talking about pet fighting club!¡± The crowd yelled back.

    Harmony made her way through the now dispersing crowd to the faces she recognized. Many of The Dig Boys crowded around Jack, congratulating him. She couldn¡¯t help but notice the one who was missing.

    She slowly walked up to them, gathering her courage. This hadn¡¯t been an outing she had planned until Tyler made leaving a necessity. Hyacinth kept pace with his hops, the toad sending reassuring vibes through their bond. ¡°Jack, I don¡¯t know if you remember..¡±

    The battle winner¡¯s eyes went to the necromancer. ¡°Harm, how could I forget our little escort that helped save our hides after a run went south. Maybe you¡¯ve grown half an inch, to your toad¡¯s four. What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°I have another dive and was hoping to talk with Mike.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s not here. Went to the capitol. Hoping to pick up a stamina-type skill stone and evolve his class. Hit level fifteen, and the dungeon won¡¯t let him get past that hump. He¡¯ll always have a spot with The Dig Boys, but I¡¯m not sure he¡¯ll be coming back.¡±

    Harmony could hear a mix of sadness and envy in his voice that brought up the same emotions in her. Bringing up the topic brought similar looks to the other group members. Life was about progressing forward, and rarely did one ever go backward, let alone to a town that ate you after you died.

    A younger group member who Harmony knew she hadn¡¯t met before spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Harm. As an honorary Viridian. The Dig Boys are here to help!¡±

    Mumbles of agreement and an enthusiastic ¡°Yeah!¡± came from the group.

    Jack nodded.

    Harmony noticed Jack wearing the badge she¡¯d seen on Mike, denoting him the leader. Mike left without so much as a message, and Harmony clamped down on the emotions that were brought up. Seeing him would have been nice, but it wasn¡¯t her goal. ¡°I managed to get in with a guild group. They¡¯ll help level me to twelve.¡± She said.

    ¡°Careful. Those groups use up and chew up non-guildies. Farrow lost a leg being a trap finder on the fourth floor for a guild team .¡± Jack said.

    ¡°They¡¯re equipping me some, even providing me skill stones for my free skill slots.¡±

    The group collectively inhaled. ¡°For that, you kind of have to go. We only find a skill stone once a month in Old Bones. We sent Mike the four we saved for trading for what he needs in the capital.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think they were that rare?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen them find any the few times she went in, but then she¡¯d only paid to stick to the first two levels until their last one when they braved level three.

    ¡°Maybe not for adventurers who clear the dungeon a few times and move on. But we only stick to the first two or three levels for groups helping level locals or escorting tourists wanting easy gains, so we rarely see them. Always more people wanting to fill skill slots than skill stones around. You¡¯d be hard-pressed to find anyone to turn down an offer of skill stones, even if it meant a little risk.¡±

    Harmony contemplated how living at the manor had shielded her from some harsh realities that others faced. Tyler¡¯s chalices filled with skill stones showed how much more the haves have than the have-nots.

    She swore she wouldn¡¯t be just a maid forever.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay that you have to use them over us. We¡¯re not equipped to do serious dungeoneering right now. That¡¯s why I¡¯m training Chompers for pet commission battles to earn real money.¡±

    The gentle bloodsport of pet battles was the other attraction in Hazeldown. The commission helped ensure the pets¡¯ safety, and the populace gets entertainment and maybe a chance to move up without risking life and limb in the dungeon. Ambrosia despised it, and Harmony suspected it had to do with her class creating a closer connection with her pets. Even if they took Familiars, the necromancer knew she wouldn¡¯t risk Hyacinth. As for an undead pet, if it was already dead, did it matter?

    ¡°Tell me about it?¡± Harmony asked. Learning more about their dreams and aspirations was better than returning to the lodge and Tyler.

    Hyacinth projected a deep sense of boredom and hunger at his bonded partner as time dragged on. ¡°Grrrup¡±

    ¡°Fine, but no pets, only strays.¡± She replied.

    Now hunting. That was never boring. The toad hopped off to the shadows. A new part of town, a new set of prey not wary for he who croaks in the dark.

 Chapter Eight

    Chapter Eight

    Harmony awoke in the tiny lodge room to a raspy, gasping "Grracck" from her amphibious partner. She might have cared a little more if she had felt his distress rather than annoyance through the [Familiar Bond]. As it was, she felt drained from staying up too late. A pair of Dig Boys had escorted her back.

    "Something you ate last night bother you?"

    The toad coughed some more. Out of its gullet flew a ball of slightly inky slime. The center of the ball sparkled with a sheen of metal.

    The necromancer rolled out of bed to inspect it, her skills helped clear some of the gunk, but the object was still sticky and wet. Plucking it up with the calmness of a maid who had handled much grosser situations, Harmony sighed upon seeing a partially dissolved collar with a silver name tag. Princess D, it read. "I said no pets." Then she pushed as much chastisement as possible through the link between them.

    Harmony was sure Hyacinth could detect a bonded pet, but not everyone used scrolls on their animals. They may be cheap, but they were not free. A little bit of guilt flooded in at the idea that her familiar might have taken someone''s beloved rather than help with the rampant stray problem. Forcefully she stilled those emotions, the world was harsh, and people and pets die sometimes.

    "Grrup." Her toad responded with a strong sense of guilt and shame.

    "It''s okay, buddy, just be more careful next time." Being a predator, she knew there would be a next time.

    With no point in returning to bed and an array of chores ahead of her, Harmony started her morning routine. Stripping, she did what she called her morning wash. [Manipulate Dead], [Renew Spirit], [Poise and Bearing], [Dust], [Beautician], and [Style and Grace] combined to exfoliate, remove grime, catch stray hairs, give her a small burst of energy, and shake off any morning awkwardness. The synergy and combination took what she felt was most of her mana and a chunk of stamina, but those would recover over time.

    She slid on her maid''s uniform, fighting to replace the awkwardness of the cloth-light outfit with a mindful acknowledgment that it was her professional attire and part of her role when working. As an afterthought, she added her new glove. "Yes, my lord." She practiced softly.

    This was the necromancer''s first time as a personal maid. Lord Tyler''s requirements were light as he rarely used one, often going with a houseboy as an assistant for tasks of physical labor like moving shelves for him in his room. Bates had provided a chore list after Ambrosia''s performance. There had been an implication that the matriarch would pay attention to how well she played the part.

    Breakfast. Assisting the lordling in getting dressed. Following simple directions. It was almost a relief that the maid knew that she''d be processing the other skill stones as the task that would take most of her time. It still didn''t absolve her of her duties.

    At the small pantry, she threw together a quick lunch from the lodge stores. Preserved meats, dried fruit, and cheese, she knew a fresh delivery of bread and cream would be coming and waited patiently for the bell, letting her know when it was at the entrance. The fact that breakfast took more composing than cooking was a weight off the necromancer''s back because despite the food being mostly dead matter, attempting to use any of her skills always left it tasting slightly foul to her taste. ''Barely passing'' was the highest compliment from the cook she had ever received before being barred from the kitchen.

    She snacked while she worked. Hyacinth indicated he was tired from the night''s excursions and slunk off to a corner to nap. A little [Beautician] and a touch of [Style and Grace] helped create a beautiful food spiral. She approached lord Tyler''s room, breakfast tray in hand.

    Tyler was sitting half up in his bed, wearing nothing but his thin under shorts, a book in his hand reading.

    "My Lord, Breakfast is ready." Focusing on incorporating her physical skills rather than activating them, she performed a curtsy while holding the tray. She could feel [Small Armor] add strength and flexibility that wasn''t there before as it settled in.

    "Set it on the bed."

    Harmony did as he requested.

    He lazily dug into the food after setting the book down, not even glancing at Harmony''s hard work as his fist grabbed a section, half mushing the food together before he brought it to his mouth. "I recommend you use the mana skill stone today. Mana and stamina skill stones can be difficult. The armor is coming tomorrow, and I''d prefer it if you were in top shape when it arrived."

    Harmony picked up on the disappointed grumpiness in the lord''s tone. Did something happen last night? Yes, it was her right to decide how she would progress. Tyler was known for both his obsessiveness and impulsiveness, and what if he impulsively decided to not let her into his team to help with the create undead pet scroll?

    "Of course, lord Tyler. You are more knowledgeable than me on this. I''ll absorb [Mana Rotation] next." She pushed [Poise and Bearing] as hard as she could without activation and smiled. The skill should make it more natural without the skill-activated look that gave the use away, like the gambler whose face suddenly goes blank through a bluffing skill but ends up having it be a tell.

    And she could see his eyes were watching for such a change. She knew she''d overdone it earlier. He softened. "Good. Mana or Stamina skills are a test everyone has to face if they want to evolve."

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    Harmony nodded as though this wasn''t covered in most people''s gripes. An uncomfortable necessity. No one liked to talk about it, take the skill, and move on. Mana skill stones were the most common but had the widest variety. Mana touch, Mana sense, Mana manipulation, mana sight, Mana pocket, mana aura, mana bending, the list goes on and on. True geniuses created personal mana skills. Many nights were spent meditating, focusing, and mostly daydreaming about being one of those geniuses. Exhaustion from the hard grind of hunting pests or scrubbing floors took that vanity away, never mind that she''d fooled herself in the past.

    She took the tray after it looked like an explosion cleared away most of the once-organized food. With the lord''s armor waiting, dressing duty was next. Inspiration from her new skill gave a sense of how the armor worked, even if it rejected such movement-stifling equipment. It made it easier to predict where a strike from him would come from due to the narrower range of motion. It also made it easier to help him put it on.

    Outside, the cold morning air caused goosebumps across the maid''s exposed skin. Her physical skills helped keep her from shivering, which would be unbecoming, as they walked to the meditation spot. Her employer looked positively oblivious to the chill under his multiple layers of padding and armor.

    "Remember, no matter how prepared you feel, you''re never fully ready to handle the mana skill."

    Harmony was sure the lord was repeating words he''d been told himself. "Of course, my lord, I''ll do my best. Is there a reason why you selected this skill stone for me?"

    "You''ve always had good movement control when you use [Dust], and mana skills with movement like Mana push, Mana wave, and the like often have an offensive activation useful in combat. It''s also my chance to get an entry logged in the records. [Mana Rotation] doesn''t show up anywhere."

    Taking the stone, she sat on the mat and tried to calm herself, letting the chill distract her. Of course, it was something new and unique because that is what Tyler does. She only fumed a smidge, knowing that he could have acquired something like the sought-after Mana Bolt to give her a helpful skill in combat against something other than the undead.

    Do you wish to learn the skill [Mana Rotation]?

    She readied herself to slow down the acquisition of information from the stone. [Small Armor] had been an unexpected rush to her soul, but now she had that experience. Outside of experimentation and internal reflection, absorbing a skill stone was the best time to gain insights. She accepted learning [Mana Rotation]. The push that happened down her arm wasn''t there. The stone sat in her palm. She stared at it, contemplating if she needed to draw out the information. Pop. The skill''s essence shot out and punched the necromancer right between the eyes.

    Numbers, equations, acceleration, decelerations, folding, twisting, knotting, information shoved into her that felt too big to fit. Like her soul entered an eating contest where her eyes were bigger than her stomach. It did not stop. She tried to grasp the simpler concepts, but with only self-taught book learning, nothing prepared her for this. A treatise on the exponential difficulties of progression and how that paired up with mana usage had been a tool to put her to sleep.

    The world started to shake and twist like a ride in an out-of-control carriage. Harmony''s mana dumped into it, slogging into the mess, pushing, yet unable to reach a goal even if she wanted to activate a skill. The information didn''t connect to her skills and synergize with them; it bathed the whole system, dousing it all completely.

    Fear crawled up like an unwanted guest in her mind. Tyler broke her. What if she could never use a skill or progress again. Rather than freeze, Harmony did what she always did. Fought harder beneath her mask of calmness. The teasing, cruel words, and her mother''s look of disdain all fueled her progression.

    Mana trickled back into her, but this new part of her gobbled it up, useless for her to use. More tools, so her heart beat faster. With every pump, she added stamina to get started if magic wasn''t going to work, she''d push her endurance and willpower into it. There she felt a nudge, something she could work with. She pulled concepts from the skills she''d mastered to fight. How to spot the little differences with [Analyze], to change the nature of things with [Manipulate Dead], the deep connection with [Familiar Bond]. She drew pieces about grace, poise, energy, and the proper application of force. It was not a dam to burst, but the mess started churning slowly rather than sitting stagnant.

    [Mana Rotation] held all that energy and concepts, but the best she felt she could do was kick it, straining herself in ways she wasn''t used to.

    The flow moved, breaking up more and more of what felt like dams sealing in her skills, barriers she had to burst. A trickle became a flood, and everything started to spin. She pushed more in, going from tired to exhausted until she could no longer maintain the effort, but letting go, she no longer needed it.

    A self-sustaining flow inside of her soul around her skills. As a bit of acknowledgment for such a task, some of the essences of the new skill melted and merged into the movement. Slowly she felt her stamina and mana reserves recharge.

    Gasping, she opened her eyes to the clouds and the sky, her back against the hard ground. Rolling to the side, she threw up her breakfast onto the dirt.

    "It took me two days to feel okay after absorbing the [mana heart] skill stone."

    Harmony tried to curse him, but all that came out was a moan.

    "You were out for about an hour. I almost ran to get a healer during the worst of it, but even then, they know not to interrupt mana skill acquisition."

    Trying to get up only resulted in her emptying the rest of her breakfast and laying back down. Only an hour? It had felt like the process had taken twice as long as getting [Small Armor].

    "Eeep!" She squeaked, finding herself lifted into the air. Tyrone''s hands were appropriately placed under her shoulders and knees. A fury-based shame built up about this not being professional or how a Maid should present herself, yet she could not accept any other option as he carried her.

    "If you shove the skill to the side and try to forget about it, recovery is quicker."

    Good advice or not, Harmony petulantly bristled at the idea internally. It went against how she pictured her progression. Synergy, working together, is how you use the skills rather than activating them only when needed. The flow inside felt stable, except the conflicting movement caused her stomach to flip. She ended up expelling bile onto Tyler''s armor.

    She felt herself being set into the small bed. Then a tray of food and water was brought and placed beside it. Later Hyacinth settled in at her feet. She struggled with her new skill until sleep took her, making her dream of a turbulent sea of math equations.

 Chapter Nine

    Chapter Nine

    Hunger, thirst, and the constant prodding to take care of those things from Hyacinth through their bond woke her enough to sit up, take a bite of food and drink water before laying back down again.

    She settled into accepting the new state of being. Her mana felt full, and while it usually stopped generating at that point, she could feel a new excess overflowing, pushing to keep the churning flow from [Mana Rotation] going. It made her feel better as she directed the excess trickle to brush the bits of skills that helped maintain her composure which stimulated minor aspects of all of them that infused her in the spaces between. It felt like keeping all your muscles activated or forcing yourself to think about all your movements while walking. She didn''t want to ignore it or shove it in a hole like Tyler suggested, but if she could get it to be automatic, she knew it would be better.

    "Grrup!"

    "I''m Fine!" The necromancer sat up, ate, and drank some more. "See!" She said with her mouth full. Though she had to fight to keep it down, she noticed the annoyance helped push her new skill to keep running in the background.

    She pulled herself out of bed and stripped off the used uniform. As gross as she felt, she automatically used her morning routine spell. With force, she clapped her mouth shut to keep from yelling, running the risk of Lord Tyler running to the rescue while she was naked.

    It''s not that the spell didn''t work. It worked too well for the amount of effort and concentration put in. A routine second nature casting, and now she felt scoured clean, ready to pounce gracefully, and boosted like she took a shot of stamina potion. As if the spell had been warm water before but now was boiling. The mana dip of the casting was negligible when before it had left her drained. All her skill usage would need to be reworked and tinkered with.

    Out of her bag, she pulled out her feminine travel outfit. The blue flowery dress might not suit visiting adventurers at the gym. At least this time, she wouldn''t be mistaken for a boy. Long-sleeved, down to her ankles, she wouldn''t be cold either. The new glove stayed.

    Through their bond, Hyacinth indicated he would stay and rest. Harmony''s internal struggles were shared slightly through their link, and he had his own work.

    Carefully stepping out of her room, she peeked into Lord Tyler''s, only to find it empty. Outside, she found the lord doing what she thought was the most boring training possible. There was a small grunt, and a shimmering shield covered his metal body. She knew in an attempt to shave a fraction of a second off its activation. Then he''d repeat the process again and again.

    So focused he was on this that Harmony managed to get a dozen paces away before he noticed her. "You should still be resting." Concern was heavy in his voice.

    "I.." Dizziness gripped her, but she stayed on her feet. "What I need is a distraction."

    Harmony watched as Lord Tyler processed the request. Worry fluttered in her chest as his eyes turned from concerned to glowing with glee. This is what she asked for. [Mana Rotation] continued to churn in her chest. The annoyance, worry, and fear let her process and get used to the skill. This plan was working, but would it be worth it?

    "I know exactly the place to go to. Just give me time to change." Tyler said.

    He rushed past her, and the necromancer used her skills as a crutch to keep standing at the suddenness of being left alone.

    He returned in finery, black silk pants, and a matching vest over white billowing sleeves. Not unarmed, a cudgel hung from the belt at his skills probably required a blunt object. How someone with the tank class could manage to go without some armor on, Harmony didn''t know. The expensive clothes made her flowery woven dress feel like rags. The young lord started leading her out with an arm hooked around her elbow. She would have protested if it wasn''t the distraction and assistance she needed.

    Just outside the dungeon lodge, he hailed one of the carriages that always lurked about the area for wealthy clients, the kind Harmony knew overcharged. The pair were off, Tyler smiling and Harmony using the worry about that overly happy grin productively.

    Harmony questioned this plan for the tenth time as she exited the carriage. She was greeted by the guild portion of the dungeon district, wealthier than areas she was used to and kept spotlessly clean as a sign of the guild''s power. The kind of neighborhood with an invisible social line that those not guild members or wealthy rarely crossed without consequences.

    The maid hoped Tyler would give her a tour of the guild house with their quest board and skill library. But then he turned and led her to a tavern two doors over named, The Up and Down.

    Rather than a bouncer, like the establishments'' Ambrosia or The Dig Boys had taken her, a hostess greeted them. No stern looks, but a beaming smile, while wearing a purple frilly outfit that was only moderately more covering than Harmony found her maid one to be. The almost perfect smile was recognizable as something similar to her [Poise on Bearing] skill. It came with a slight projection of contentment. "Lord Tyler, welcome back. How may I serve you and your guest."

    "We''ll be visiting The Down this afternoon."

    "Of course. Today''s password is Carbuncle."

    The Up, from the glance Harmony caught, was a nice restaurant with a maiden playing the harp in the corner. The smells were delectable, the sounds calming, and the clients'' outfits stood up to the selection the matriarch of the manor wore. That impression was all she got as she was brought down a steep set of stairs past the primary seating and kitchen.

    Halfway down, the necromancer could taste a shift in the air. Recognizable but new in the strength of the feeling. Death felt heavy, palatable, and angry. It was a connection that the Dig Boys had explained to her when she felt it on her first trip down. Because her class shared the dungeons'' deathly aspect, she felt what others didn''t.

    "Welcome to the Dungeon Clubhouse." Lord Tyler announced as the door swung open.

    She''d heard rumors. The dungeon lay barely under the surface of most of the city. Dig deep enough, and you are in its domain. There were advantages to having space within a dungeon''s domain. Inhibitions and fear lessened under its influence. Class skills increased quicker.

    The scene through the open door showed what was underneath the mask of the business above. Sounds of a roaring party mixed with lively banter came through. Patrons dressed in finery or fully geared for battle mingled about. The quality displayed would beggar any lower-class delvers she''d hung out with. Harmony''s outfit was closer to that of the staff, which she could pick out by their lack of extravagance, and even then, she felt lesser. The sense of death covered most of Harmony''s taste and smell, but sour notes of alcohol drifted in the air, cutting into it.

    "Oh." she breathed. Maybe this would do.

    Lord Tyler escorted her in. She watched as a bouncer gave a friendly nod, and Tyler returned it with a smile that displayed familiarity.

    A hostess slid through the crowd with the ease of a skill used. Dressed identically to the one upstairs except in a green dress. She curtsied, unafraid to show off what the outfit barely covered. "How unexpected, my lord. If you''d let me know beforehand via messenger, I could have had Fel and Pioney waiting in the private suites for you."

    "No need, Collette. I brought my mai.. fren¡­ acquaintance."

    [Poise and Bearing], [Poise and Bearing], [Poise and Bearing] Harmony cycled in the face of Tyler''s extracurricular activities and the glare Collette shot her when the lord wasn''t looking.

    "The suite can still be yours with all the tools and props for you and your acquaintance."

    Harmony squeaked squeamishly, her reaction defeating her skill.

    "No, no. We''re here for the club''s standard amenities. No need for a suite." Tyler assured her.

    "As you wish. You know where to find me when you need higher quality service."

    No rumors of Lord Tyler ever bringing girls back to the manor had ever passed the lips of the staff. And if anyone would know, it would be the staff. Suzzette''s dalliances, Baccus''s attempts at writing under a nom de plume, the servants knew it all. Not that there had been any doubt about the young lord''s preferences due to his overly lingering gazes and his role in selecting the staff uniforms. Now she knew where he dealt with his urges and that they seemed to think she was competition.

    The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Harmony, let me introduce you to the best distractions this little slice of the world has."

    "Delighted." She said with as much grace as she could towards Tyler''s second attempt to introduce her to the clubhouse. [Mana Rotation] ''s churn inside her soul was more uncomfortable than when she''d been assigned to clean Lady Dell''s room after an explosive bout of stomach issues. That time she''d been able to shut down everything and focus on cleaning with her skills. Today''s problem is an internal issue. She focused here on all the external stimuli.

    Her eyes went from the everyday chaos to six large doors on the walls as Tyler talked and gestured to one, letting his words guide her rather than her unsettled center.

    "That is the door to the dungeon market. I''ve purchased about a third of my collection from there. Tourists, scholars, and adventurers with items worthy of discretion end up having their items sold there under the obscuring eyes of the dungeon."

    Yellow with a red coin painted on the center, Tyler Led her there. Harmony looked through the entrance as a man was leaving. Booths and tables fill the other room. A few merchants peered back, and she watched their eyes flicker to the lord next to her, their eyes widening with hunger and greed like a pack of wolves spying on a lost lamb.

    "Not that one." She told Tyler, not feeling up to watching the man throw money around like it was candy at a carnival.

    Tyler pivoted to the next door on the wall. Crossed swords decorated a green door. "Here is the combat room, where adventurers train their skills in the beneficial atmosphere of the dungeon."

    All Harmony could sense in the atmosphere was death. Watching spoiled meatheads battle it out could be distracting. The door opened to a scene not so different from her time at the Viridian gym as a circle of men, and women yelled around a ring with coins in their hands. The difference here was the coins being silver and gold rather than copper and iron. Two fighters faced off in an arena of what looked like white sand, but she could tell it was fine bits of bone through her necromancer class.

    A young woman with braided hair and detailed leather armor held hatchets in each hand. They glowed red, and she made a throwing motion, but without letting go, two spectral axe blades shot out toward her opponent, a young man in heavy armor.

    A shimmering shield of energy enveloped him, blocking the strike. He lunged forward, and the axe wielder danced back away, rotating their positions in the ring. The whole series of skills repeated. The maid watched it happen four times in a row, more like a dance than a fight.

    "This is a good one. I think Bronwyn has it." Tyler said excitedly, while Harmony could only feel slightly bored at the scene. The spinning inside her started to make her sick as her interest in the fight waned.

    The glowing axes flew again. One ahead of the other. Staggered in their strike. The first one fizzled on the radiant shield. The second axe blade head sent the armored man to the ground.

    "Winner, Bronwyn!" A bookie yelled, already swapping money with gamblers.

    "How could you tell Bronwyn was going to win?" Harmony asked.

    "Her skill activations looked more natural. Once trained as second nature, you can use it quickly and be flexible while getting the most out of the skill."

    Harmony didn''t see how that was better than the flexibility she got using synergy, creativity, and sometimes an extra push to get all the different uses she wrung from her skills. Seconds might matter and save lives when you need to activate a skill, but battering skills back and forth seemed like something other than a real fight.

    "Ho, ho ho! If it isn''t, the Little Lord coming to pay us a visit."

    Harmony watched as Tyler cringed and shrunk more into himself at that voice. "Sir Maxwell, I thought you wouldn''t be back until tomorrow after escorting Alison to the capitol."

    Sir Maxwell stood at an opposing height, dressed in gray leather and with a broadsword at his hip. While his bushy black eyebrows and long wild-wavy hair framed his face. But it was his beard that you noticed first. Thick black braided hair came down from his chin. Gold and silver charms sparkling in the weave, clearly sculpted by a professional.

    "She sent me back halfway there. I can only enter the dungeon there once I hit level fifteen. Are you interested in challenging me in the arena today?"

    "I''m showing Harmony the Dungeon Club. It''s her first time here."

    Maxwell leaned downward. "Aren''t you a pretty little thing the little lord has brought to share?"

    Harmony''s anger flared. Does everyone here think she''s a prostitute just because her clothes aren''t as upscale as the clientele?

    "Harmony will replace Alison for this weekend''s dungeon run. Remember."

    The maid could feel Sir Maxwell''s interested look change in intensity. Her skin tingled slightly, a skill use. Probably something like her [Analyze]. Rude without permission. At under fifteen, the skill could only be so powerful. Even if he had it maxed, it would only show something vague like her combined levels. Details on skills or type of class would only show up sometimes.

    "A new cleric to replace our old cleric?" Maxwell probed.

    "I''m a necromancer."

    In most circumstances, the class was looked down on, but it was considered one of the few solid options for the local dungeon. Harmony felt confident in selling herself here.

    Not as much as the healer she''d be replacing. Healers were always valuable. They were as useful against the undead as she was against the living, which meant needing to get creative. Some liked to conflate healers with anti-necromancy when healing spells removed some dead flesh as part of the skill, but it was only a side effect.

    "Come on, man, you know we need a healer," Maxwell complained anyway, straightening up and talking directly to Tyler, ignoring Harmony.

    "When was the last time we got injured in the dungeon? That''s with clearing it twice." Tyler answered.

    "We should bring this up to a party vote, little lord."

    "I pay all the guild fees, and you didn''t complain when I had Jess join us a few years ago. Harmony will be at least that good."

    Tyler didn''t sound confident.

    Maxwell puffed himself up, letting his grin widen. Harmony bristled at being talked over as she was positioned between them.

    "That sun priestess had five levels on us and only lasted six trips before she out-leveled the dungeon. We''ll be carrying the necro rather than her supporting us. The party isn''t your toy to impress cute little things with."

    The maid fumed. Sir Maxwell was not going to block Harmony''s chance here. It wasn''t like the favors she''d done for Tyler were easy. She worked to get leverage to get this chance. The necromancer poked the bigger man in the gut through a loose part in his armor. Her [Small Armor] skill had reacted to her anger and helped her see that weak spot.

    "You. Me. First to fall in the ring. I''m not getting carried."

    "That''s not a good¡­." Lord Tyler started.

    "Ha! I like your spunk. Let''s go!" Sir Maxwell barked before he upped his volume and yelled to the crowd. "We have a challenge! Sir Maxwell the knight versus Harmony the necromancer. First to fall in the ring!"

    "He was just angling to get more money from me," Tyler said, leaning and whispering to the maid.

    Harmony grunted in response. Her mind was already focused on the match. This was the kind of distraction she craved. Incorporating the mana skill felt smoother and more in tune as she thought this out. She might be more of a worker than a fighter, but fighting was how the world worked. You needed to do it to advance in life. To evolve your class and profession and progress in life.

    If she thought about it, she''d never challenge this match. An experienced adventurer of the guild who wants to make this their career. Only worked to get profession levels up for their own future evolution. The new skills hummed in her, craving a fight in a way that her other skills didn''t. The dungeon atmosphere weakened fear and promoted conflict. A benefit and a curse of the club being located within its domain.

    It helped that knight was one of those standard classes. It could evolve into something unexpected but was very basic. The houseboys Jimmy and Dugan had it. Being men, they liked to brag and talk to girls. Harmony had learned plenty about the class''s skills and utility. [Horse handling], [chivalry], basic weapon combat and armor options, and foundational skills were most common. She knew her concern should be whatever skills Sir Maxwell picked up with skill stones. The most he could have at this point would be three, ideally, one taken up by a mana skill.

    Her thoughts circled this information as she made her way onto the circle of white that represented the arena, armed only by her skills and armored only with her glove. Money exchanged hands, and the necromancer was sure they heavily favored the knight. Necromancers were rare in Hazeldown, and it was unusual when a local one like Harmony happened, which left tourists and youngsters visiting for their early levels. The dungeon supposedly took all the death energy in the area. Frost dungeons had fewer ice mages. Nature dungeons had fewer beast tamers and druids. That only left a few teachers around for Harmony to use if she had the money. Books and underhanded tricks taught by The Dig Boys had been her teachers. Do something surprising. Do something fast. Do something that means victory.

    Sir Maxwell stood across from her in the arena, a toothy smirk visible through his dark beard. "Fight!" Someone yelled. Maxwell shot across the space between them like an arrow loose from a bow, his feet not touching the ground, sword raised back to strike.

    Harmony realized the idea of quickly finishing the match wasn''t only in her head as she faced down the skill from the knight flying towards her. [Small Armor] activated, and she interposed the small metal plate on the back of her hand against the strike. The skill clearly wasn''t a simple block, and most of the force of the blow wasn''t only deflected but bent around her shaking her hair and pulling her dress like she''d been hit by a strong wind. Not wanting to waste all of the force from the blow, the maid allowed the energy to move her to the side, and with a touch of grace, she danced out of the blade''s reach. There she readied her attack.

    Color flashed in her opponent''s eyes. Some kind of mana sense, and she watched his defensive skill lock into place as the shimmer of steel coated him from head to toe. Maybe he expected a bone lance or flaming skull, some direct attack. No, she did what she knew best. The white of the arena floor waited; bits of bone powder chipped and grained. She tugged at it through the dungeon''s domain. The stench of death flooded her nose and mouth as she snapped away from the resistance from the dungeon to her skills. [Dust] synergizing with [Manipulate Dead] allowed her to influence more of the powdered bone than either skill could handle alone. She pulled the floor out from beneath his feet, causing whatever metal statue he''d become to tip and crash to the ground.

    Not done, she shoved that mess of bone into the joints and weak spots of Sir Maxwell''s armor and fused it, locking him in place.

    "Winner, Harmony!"

    The adrenaline quickly faded, but the churning internally from the quick use of skills while still adjusting to [Mana Rotation] did not disappear. The rotting charnel house of death that flooded her senses in the dungeon''s domain grew stronger like it was outraged at her taking control.

    Necromancer, maid, champion of the moment, Harmony bent forward and threw up onto the white arena floor.

 Chapter Ten

    Chapter Ten

    Harmony sipped her wine, attempting to wash away the taste of half-digested food and death out of her mouth. At the very least, it replaced it. She didn¡¯t want to think about how the wine cost more than her week¡¯s wages. The longer she nursed it, the calmer Lord Tyler became. He¡¯d stopped offering to take her back to the lodge after the fifth ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡±

    Sir Maxwell laughed, retelling the match to friends who hadn¡¯t been in the room until he waved them away and headed over.

    ¡°Little Lord, the rest of the team should arrive soon to meet our newest member.¡±

    ¡°What? She¡¯s not ready yet. I only promised a few runs to get components for a spell, not membership.¡± Tyler sputtered.

    ¡°When was the last time you brought someone you didn¡¯t want to make part of the team? Jess, Minx, even Alison.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. We haven¡¯t even seen what she¡¯ll do in the dungeon. I don¡¯t even know if she wants to join the team.¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s a necromancer going into an undead dungeon. Do we even need to guess how it will go? And who wouldn¡¯t want to join our team? Wealth, riches, power. We¡¯ll hit fifteen, conquer the capitol dungeon, and head to the wilds.¡±

    Harmony didn¡¯t want to join the team. All she wanted was to get the components and the levels, then raise her new pet. Not that she would tell either of these two as to disappoint either one of them. The thick taste of death reminded her that Old Bones wanted conflict. She wouldn¡¯t let herself get nudged into the fight.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re getting ahead of yourself, Max.¡± Tyler¡¯s serious, almost lordly tone shift indicated skill usage.

    The maid noticed neither of these boys liked the other much. Why were they on the same team? Sir Maxwell first objected to her presence to annoy Tyler. And is now trying to woo her to the team to continue to bother the young lord. It wasn¡¯t a team where camaraderie was there to carry them off and into the wilds together. Members rotated in and out of Tyler¡¯s party quicker than the manor went through staff. Maxwell¡¯s promises about progressing with them were as empty as any boy whispering sweet nothings into your ear in an attempt to bed you.

    ¡°Rose!¡± Maxwell yelled across the room, standing up and waiving.

    Tyler gave up and groaned into his hand before sitting up straight.

    Harmony turned to face the newcomer. The woman was wearing black pants and a billowy blue shirt. She had what the maid initially thought was a staff before recognizing it as something she¡¯d seen a few variations of in Tyler¡¯s collection. A force bow for those pesky archers who no longer wish to use a string or arrows for their skills. Apply mana, pull back, and fire. Of course, Tyler only had unusual or unique variations. Still, even a regular one made the cost of skill stones seem like coppers to gold coins.

    ¡°Sir Maxwell, Lord Tyler, rare to see you two together outside of our dungeon jaunts. And who is this?¡± Rose asked, having given Harmony a look of mild curiosity.

    ¡°This is our new teammate!¡± Maxwell announced¡±

    ¡°Trial.¡± Tyler squeezed in.

    ¡°Harmony the necromancer. We have our tank, a knight, the archer, and our wizard after Len gets here when he finishes grading magical theory exams. The five of us will sweep through Old Bones two, no, three times our next run day. Maybe we¡¯ll even beat the time record.¡± Max boasts.

    Rose raised a skeptical eyebrow at that. Then seated herself at the table. ¡°What¡¯s your story, little necro?¡±

    ¡°Lord Tyler has offered me a chance to gain some levels and collect crafting materials. I¡¯m trying to make the requirements for a scroll.¡± Harmony felt no need to reveal that she was the man¡¯s personal maid today. If Tyler had wanted that information told, he would have. It wasn¡¯t like most adventurers didn¡¯t have some kind of mundane profession that they worked on to advance.

    ¡°Very generous of him,¡± Rose replied a little too sweetly. ¡°Boys, we¡¯ll need more food and drink than this. Can you go fetch some more? The good wine too.¡±

    Maxwell nearly leaped out of his seat, getting up. Not to be outdone, Lord Tyler gets up and follows after. ¡°Why are those two on the same team?¡± Harmony asked as soon as the two of them were out of earshot.

    ¡°Cousins. This is supposed to make them closer. Len tutors them both, not that they bother to attend class, and is paid extra to be on the team. All they do is compete for women, loot, and attention. Don¡¯t let Tyler pull you into his experiments. That¡¯s what pushed Alison into Max¡¯s arms. Not that she didn¡¯t rush to get her levels and bail as quickly as she could. Everyone¡¯s nearly done with this dungeon, so I¡¯m surprised you¡¯ve been invited.¡±

    Harmony knew how far she would and wouldn¡¯t go with Tyler to get what she wanted. The other teammates were explained. ¡°And why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Um¡­ Mom wanted an in to join Tyler¡¯s Gran¡¯s garden parties. She¡¯s visiting for the season. You¡¯ll be replacing me as the newest member. I only need a level before I can follow the Cleric to the capital anyway, which should be soon.¡±

    The Dig Boys stressed that a good working relationship was vital for any team. The people by your side would put their lives on the line for you. You had to trust them to do their job as much as they trusted you to do yours. Tyler wasn¡¯t the best with people, but she had assumed he might have a friend on his dungeon team, or they¡¯d at least be professionals.

    ¡°Don¡¯t pout. Neither of those boys has yet to find a problem they couldn¡¯t throw money at. The dungeon is a piece of cake.¡±

    That was the prevailing wisdom that Harmony didn¡¯t believe. More than didn¡¯t believe it because she¡¯d experienced the rare random encounters that could make things turn deadly. That was one of the reasons she didn¡¯t contemplate anyone other than Tyler, who¡¯d cleared the dungeon multiple times.

    Rather than get caught up fretting, Harmony leaned into [Poise and Bearing] without activating the skill. She trickled energy into allowing her to present a relaxed but confident demeanor by the time the boys arrived back. It was easier than it had ever been for her to do it. She noticed how the rotation inside her was charged enough that instead of needing to transfer directly to the skill, she merely had to let energy move from the swirling inside into [Poise and Bearing]. Even that much contemplation ended up a little too much as she forced her attention away and took another gulp of wine.

    The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    Maxwell embellished the match between him and Harmony for Rose. She ooh¡¯d and ah¡¯d at all the appropriate places through practice or skill. Tyler bragged about improving the speed of his skill activations. Rose explained how the team easily took down the bone knight, one of the dungeons rotating final bosses. Allowing both boys to add their contributions to her story. Harmony knew the story was for her benefit and appreciated it. A cakewalk to twelve with a champion¡¯s tooth in hand, she¡¯d be ready to raise her pet. Only eight more days before the prince¡¯s body is picked up, and his Coatl would be out of reach.

    ¡°Len!¡± The team announced the wizard¡¯s arrival together. The bespectacled young man in long gray robes looked embarrassed at the outburst. After a brief introduction to Harmony, they did their best to compete to be the quietest in the group.

    That was until Tyler spoke up, looking more than a little tipsy. ¡°Did you know Harmony here is also atypical? She practices Carter¡¯s schema.¡±

    The distance between casual disinterest and intense focus was crossed in two deep inhalations, enough for the wizard to power his words. ¡°How do you contend with Well¡¯s takedown of Carter¡¯s derivatives? Or the compelling paragraph on the topic in Problems of Progression? What Carter derivative are you letting guide you? Please don¡¯t tell me it¡¯s Thalia.¡±

    The unexpected verbal rush forced Harmony to activate [Poise and Bearing] to buy time to formulate a response. The first impulse was to secretly stab Tyler in his sleep as he giggled into his mug of wine. The biggest issue was that she had no idea what the wizard was talking about. The manor library might have some of those texts, but she hadn¡¯t gained access. All of her learning had come from the book nook in the parlor she¡¯d cleaned, Tyler¡¯s esoteric collection and speed reading any text she leisurely had to return to the library after one of the masters of the house was done.

    ¡°I don¡¯t contend with them. I simply prefer Carter¡¯s Schema to the current Thibodeux activation craze. If skills were meant to work solely on activation, they would be designed that way, without synergies, adaptations, and flexibility. What progression path do you follow?¡±

    ¡°Professor Oak¡¯s evolutionary mindset.¡±

    The rest of the table groaned. ¡°Look what you¡¯ve started, Tyler. If I wanted to listen to a lecture, I¡¯d actually go to college.¡± Maxwell rebuffed.

    Harmony ignored the complaint. She hadn¡¯t heard of this theory. Classes evolve every twenty-five levels. You actually get three to choose from, similar to when you gain new skills. Most treat it as a thing that happens as you progress without it playing a big part in how you choose to use and develop skills. Like getting your period or a boy¡¯s voice dropping. It happens when you¡¯re older and move on. ¡°Explain.¡±

    ¡°By maximizing and minimizing certain skill levels of my class and profession before leveling up, I can influence my stat progression and even the class options I receive during evolution. This will let me guide my evolution. I will become the next arch-magus!¡±

    Rose tossed a roll at the wizard¡¯s head. It bounced off, and he ignored it.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem right to leave skills underdeveloped.¡± The idea of doing that bothered her deep inside. Some of her skills simply hadn¡¯t gotten much use as a maid, but that didn¡¯t mean she wanted to abandon them. Carter¡¯s mindset of using everything to the max appealed to her, the idea that you are your skills. Leveling them made you stronger, and improved synergies gave you more tools to work with, like exercise.

    ¡°Oh, only up until evolution. It might be harder to max out old skills after you evolve. This is more about narrowing the focus to what options you are given. Skills acquired through skill stones are shown to have greater importance for options. A knight with a fire-based skill added on has a much greater chance of being given the firebrand option upon reaching twenty-five.¡±

    ¡°Boring. Boring. Boring. You might have had the little lord listening to your lectures once upon a time, but we don¡¯t need any of your yappy lectures tonight.¡± Maxwell groaned.

    A table exploded in a burst of magic at the far side of the common room. ¡°Wooo!¡± Rose yelled and was joined in by many of the patrons.

    ¡°That¡¯s the kind of action we need.¡± The Knight encouraged.

    Harmony could taste a pungent whiff of the dungeon¡¯s influence flooding the room. A shiver of fear crept up the back of her spine even as the wine and joyous wildness of the room made her feel free. She noted that the staff of the dungeon club had cleared the central area and now hugged the walls, watching the patrons with practiced looks on their faces.

    A chair flew out of the area where the explosion had come from. The patrons were getting to their feet. Harmony¡¯s height gave her a disadvantage in watching what was going on. But from the noise alone, she could tell a brawl was growing. ¡°I think we should leave, Lord Tyler.¡±

    Sir Maxwell lifted his sword high and roared at the crowd.

    ¡°Too late for that. My aunt will kill me if I leave Max to get hurt. Wisdom is not his strong point. And hey, you asked for a distraction.¡± With a flash of magic, a maul and a single latching breastplate dropped onto the middle of the table, and Tyler started to pull on the piece of emergency armor. Harmony presumed it was enough for him to activate his skills even as her mind goggled at the fact he had a storage item. While neither rare nor unusual, the expense of them meant that even wealthy families rarely handed such things out until their kids¡¯ first evolution.

    The necromancer had no interest in getting caught up in a brawl inside a dungeon club. As one of the lowest-level people here, if anyone was going to get hurt, she was. Using the environment in that match against Sir Maxwell was one thing, but at best, she could hide behind Tyler or the people she had only just met. This wasn¡¯t a mess to clean or hair to style. The appeal of earning a pet had been that it could fight in commission matches, so she could avoid this kind of attention.

    ¡°Max, We¡¯re not joining this fight! Get me out of here, or else!¡± Harmony yelled at him, letting [Poise and Bearing] take her into more of an aggressive presence rather than a panicking one.

    ¡°Or else what, little lady?¡± He countered, half drunk and full of arrogance. The Knight stood there, the picture of a pampered guild adventurer, fancy black beard and wild hair. She¡¯d served his type many times. He wouldn¡¯t back down because the image he made of himself demanded action.

    Without the mass of ground bone, she doubted her skills could hurt him. If she had learned whatever the combat skill [High Kick] was, she could damage him enough to snap him out of this. If it didn¡¯t risk a greater chance of riling the boy up more. The challenge was there.

    Synergies knotted as she pulled upon skills amid the slurry of [Mana Rotation] that now felt more at home inside her soul than ever before. [Manipulate Dead], combined with years of experience, braided with a task she¡¯d used almost daily. Instead of careful application through her hands, she pushed out the skill at a distance. Her synergized death magic cut through the thick power of the dungeon. It felt like they sparked against each other.

    Sir Maxwell glowed under the influence of the necromancer¡¯s power.

    ¡°By the Gods, she¡¯s made you pink!¡± Rose barked out.

    She had worked on the matriarch, changing and adapting her hair. [Manipulate Dead] with a pinch of style and a heap of [Beautician]. It was an attack on the Knight, one she hoped would wound the man¡¯s pride enough to pull him out of his intoxicated madness.

    The black locks and intricate beard all glowed bright pink. Splashes of color stained his armor due to her lack of control. Not even the young man¡¯s eyebrows were saved. Where hair used to be black on his forearm now looked blonder, in how the pink strands appeared.

    Sir Maxwell¡¯s look had undergone a significant change. Still, Harmony could sense a greater change as the death atmosphere from the dungeon turned hot like cooked rotten meat. The room began to shake.

    ¡°Dungeon quake.¡± Someone in the crowd cried.

    While the room pitched and rolled, the fighting stopped. As the dungeon space settled, everyone stayed frozen in place. ¡°Drinks for all!¡± The crowd yelled.

    The energy of the place had stopped and spun in a different direction. Even the flood of death left Harmony¡¯s senses. The staff worked double time. Everyone was up for drinks.

    ¡°What¡¯s this about?¡± Harmony asked the wizard.

    ¡°First dungeon quake? It means something big has happened. A team got wiped. A new boss has been added. Something has stirred Old Bones up some. It¡¯s tradition to raise a pint for those who may have died or for a new future that has yet to come. It¡¯s been over a year since the last one.¡±

    Max ignored that he¡¯d been turned pink, joining in the celebration.

    Harmony lamented her choice to not wait a few more seconds. Everything could have worked out fine if she¡¯d done nothing. Accepting a fresh mug of ale delivered to her, she sipped it as the settling mana skill started to feel manageable. ¡°Adventurers.¡± She softly muttered as both a curse and a blessing.

 Chapter Eleven

    Chapter Eleven

    A rumbling weight on Harmony''s chest woke her. "Hyacinth, you''re too big for this. And are you purring?"

    "Grrr-oak" he grumbled, and Harmony felt the chastisement through their link.

    She focused on the shadow toad. Purring was inaccurate because Hyacinth wasn''t vibrating. Inside, he worked on his version of [Mana Rotation], and what miffed the maid was that the Toad was doing it better. Smoother flows and tighter spirals allowed information and mana to spin in condensed eddies of power easily accessible for the Toad''s skills. The purring she felt was his movement against her movement through [Familiar Bond]. Hyacinth had mastered his flow enough to show Harmony how to do it better.

    "Show off."

    The Toad hopped off with smug satisfaction, allowing Harmony to sit up.

    A quick application of her morning ritual, this time careful not to overdo it like last time, and she felt almost like new. After the dungeon quake, an effort was made not to get too drunk. Tyler, she had to drag back to the lodge. Even now, she could hear his drunken snores.

    She donned the pants and shirt she had worn to visit The Dig Boys. Tyler could complain that she wasn''t in uniform after he pulled his ass out of bed. By then, she hoped to have acquired the last skill. Digging up the small red gem, she went to the meditation spot on the grounds.

    Do you wish to learn the skill [High Kick]?

    She expected this to go similarly to how she learned [Small Armor]. Still, she was more than a little nervous after the mana skill experience. The time in the dungeon club had made it clear how much a lack of combat skills hurt her, worse, limited her. Now was her opportunity to get the most from this little red gem. With that push of commitment, the crystal started to turn, and Harmony took control.

    Be it gathering the swirling of fine dust, perfectly matching hair color, or how she masked her feelings, the maid always prided herself in control. So she slowed the flow of information into her using her experience from the last two skill stones. As the first fleck of energy and knowledge of the skill touched her soul, it got pulled into the rotating maelstrom that was now her soul. She pulled it like a thread off a sweater, unraveling it back into a pile of yarn.

    [High Kick] was an evolved skill. How to stand, move and apply force, a style of fighting that uses one''s legs to create space or quickly close in on opponents before bringing your body''s power through your legs into them. Synergies with [Style and Grace], [Poise and Bearing], and [Small Armor] refined movements. [Small Armor] defensively picking the right moment, while [High Kick] was about striking hard. Bits of anatomical information that were part of [Manipulate Dead] also found their way as she digested the skill. The easiest ways to break bones and the most damaging points to hit.

    The Necromancer learned it all as the thread of energy spiraled into her system. It touched the spot where the skill would form. It was like taking that yarn she''d unraveled and designing a new, sturdier shirt where synergies supported the connections. But the activation was a penultimate attack, a lightning-quick kick supported by the weight of the power behind the strike. Aimed to break, kill, and destroy more than most kicks would. Allowing one to shoot up and snap that kick out against foes that could loom above their prey and show those opponents that it isn''t the size that matters but the force of the strike you can bring.

    Through her bond with Hyacinth, she felt a strong approval from the vicious cat-eating beast. More than that, the feeling had the image of a thunderous roaring croak. The crystallization of that skill into her soul made her feel more powerful and confident than any other skill she''d adapted to.

    Harmony giggled at the imagery.

    "So you''ve learned the skill?"

    She opened her eyes to Tyler in front of her, a little too close and a little too eager. The active violence of her skill urged her to lash out. Unruly mood changes at the absorption of a new skill were something she handled and tamped down on that feeling.

    "Yes, my lord. I''ve learned the final skill. Thank you for the generous gifts." Even as she spoke, she could feel passive aggression in her voice. have to work harder on that.

    "Great!" Tyler said excitedly, oblivious to his maid''s tone. "Come try it out on one of the dummies. I''d hoped we''d have the delivery of the armor by now, but I have to see this."

    Three dummies on posts waiting in a corner, one four-legged, about the size of a wolf, another a man, and the final one a hulking form that stood twice the height of Tyler. Representations of generic monsters one might face in a dungeon. They looked pristine, but Harmony knew that was only because self-repairing magic worked into them. They''d probably survived for hundreds of years, taking thousands of beatings from the low-level lords and ladies who trained here. They were a far cry from the straw and wooden dummies the local gyms kept in bulk to practice their skills on.

    Harmony stood before the giant one. At twice the height of Tyler, she felt like the monstrosity''s wooden height was closer to three times that of her diminutive form. From the insights she gained from her skill, this was the type of opponent the activation was targeted to defeat. That didn''t make it any less imposing, even while it sat as a motionless dummy in front of her.

    [High Kick]. A quick bend at the knees and the skill-assisted push launched her up in the air toward the dummy. Her right leg kicked back and swung, cartwheeling from her hip, sending Harmony''s body into a spin. After all that practice dealing with the feeling of [Mana Rotation], the sudden shift in her movement was nothing as she watched her kick land at the neck of the dummy. The wood splintered and cracked at the blow.

    Flicking her foot forward, she pushed off backward, completing a tumble back to create distance before she landed on her feet. She felt disappointed at the results.

    It was an attack that barely crossed the energy threshold needed to activate it, and the maid hadn''t used any synergies to try to add to the force. She couldn''t even see the blow now that she was back on the ground but remembered the small dent and splintering. There was a surrealness of using the skill for the first time. Going from someone who only knew the basics of fighting to someone who could now kick ass in such an acrobatic manner was a moment that defied reflection.

    Tyler started clapping.

    Harmony was sure he was mocking her, and she had to cool off the urge for violence. The skill pulsed in frustration that it hadn''t split the thing in two or sent it clattering to the training ground floor. She was a necromancer, a spell caster. Running in and kicking stuff to death, let alone being disappointed at not doing it more and harder, wasn''t how she worked. There shouldn''t be frustration.

    Was this one of the flaws Len had mentioned about Carter''s schema? Was the skill so unfit for her in a way that she''d ruined her future progression? Was this the result of the skill being more advanced, or how she focused on carefully absorbing it all and not just the simple attack?

    When Tyler''s large hand rested on her shoulder, she flinched, not out of fear but to keep herself from lashing out and kicking the tank. Doubts gnawed at her, but she felt satisfied that she was still in control.

    "Those things are incredibly tough to damage. It''s amazing a weaponless skill was able to do so much. And that spin. I can''t wait to see you in your full armor kicking off with that skill!"

    The innocent eagerness of that statement made her feel that the lord wasn''t lying. It wasn''t like she was trying her best or putting everything into the strike. Hurting yourself with a combat skill activation was rare, but it was her foot and not a sword that she stabbed into the hunk of wood. She''d been slightly worried about her feet in her soft shoes, but they felt fine.

    The new skill in her blazed with a hunger to unleash [High Kick] again, this time with full force. There was some logic in seeing exactly what she could do with it. But just because she hasn''t hurt herself now with the weakest activation didn''t mean she couldn''t damage herself at her strongest. The skill didn''t feel rational in its desire for violence, and hurting herself before getting what she needed for the scroll would put the dungeon dive at risk. And at the very least, she could see how well she adapted to the underlying skill it evolved from before leaning into her new activation. All reasonable excuses in the face of the edge of fear around the new part of herself. "Hopefully, I won''t need to use it much."

    "But it looks so awesome!" Tyler replied.

    The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    Urge to kick resisted again. "If I need to use the skill on our run, something would have gone wrong. With this dungeon, I''m better off using my necromancer skills at close range if it comes to that against the undead. Maybe if we do a run at a different dungeon."

    She read the disappointment plastered onto his face.

    "Okay, can you tell me what [Mana Rotation]''s active skill is? Then I can submit the info to the record books."

    Because it didn''t feel the same as her other skills in the way it was always present, she''d forgotten it had an active ability. She activated [Mana Rotation], and internally everything rushed quicker, making her body warm. Externally her senses expanded to feel how mana was flowing in the world. Knotted flows in the golems moved slowly. The large one she had struck had some internal damage, but it was getting corrected as the tool repaired itself.

    Tyler had a ball in his chest that thumped irregularly, sending ripples in his body. Harmony grasped at the words for this new view of everything. She remembered he''d mentioned he had a [mana heart] Skill. "It''s a kind of mana sight."

    "Damn. I was hoping it would be a manipulation skill.

    Harmony hadn''t even played around with it. Still, she didn''t feel the tugging or pushing sensations people had when they were lucky enough to get [mana drain] or [mana manipulation]. The rushing inside her waited at high speed. "I think it also makes my next skill usage stronger or easier."

    She activated [Dust] on the dirt of the ground. No synergies. No tricks. A thick cloud of dirt pulled off the ground and shot to the far side of the training area, hovering for five seconds until she could no longer hold it.

    Even Tyler''s eyes widened at the sight. "Empowerment. That''s almost as good. Not epic, but certainly rare and sought after. Though. I''m unsure why something with rotation in the name would have that skill attribute."

    "I don''t know," Harmony said while having some ideas she mentally packed away to think about later. He had enough information for the records, and there was no need to encourage him to have her be an object of study for him. Let alone expose some flaws in her thinking due to her lack of education. As well as meeting Len had gone, even drunk, he''d said things that she didn''t have the context for.

    "How much more powerful would you say the skill-boosting was?"

    [Mana Rotation] and its churning had already altered enough of her skills that she didn''t know what the new base of them was. Thibodeux''s promotion of quick and repeatable base skill usage was helpful for this kind of analysis. She appreciated some of his ideas. He broke it up into low, middle, and high-activated states. Or as he liked to call it, playing with little, medium, and big fireballs. For her, it was more than just how much whiskey you poured into the fire. It''s also not like the manor paid her to do anything more than clean and help make them more beautiful.

    "Maybe with some more practice time, I could figure it out for you, my lord." Hunger reared its head inside her. Causing Harmony to mentally inquire with Hyacinth through their bond about how long it had taken her to absorb that skill stone. The image of the Toad using its tongue to snap up a spiny borrower and two unusually large squirrels between naps came through. A vision so clear that she knew her new skills had altered the bond between them some.

    "Perhaps we could find a bit of a break for a meal first? I fear I haven''t eaten since this morning." The maid added.

    Harmony watched him pause as the idea of food clearly had slipped his mind. He''d missed meals before, often entering a fixation about some new toy or thought. She''d had to bring his food down to him a few times. It usually ended up being one of the easier ways to peruse his books while he was eating or obsessing. "Oh, of course. Do you want to go out again?"

    "The pantry here will do." As appealing as it was to not be alone with Tyler. She knew he''d take her to some place where she''d stick out like a sore thumb even if she had anything to wear. She was re-using the dusty pants and shirt she''d worn to the gym because her dress was still stained and smelling of booze, death, and bodies from the over-exuberance at the Dungeon Club. This left her with only her maid outfit as something clean, which wasn''t even appropriate for the job it was made for, never mind most public places.

    Food did wonders as she shoved a bite of bread with butter and cheese into her mouth. It even helped with the violent urges from her new skill. Kicking Lord Tyler might satisfy her, but she knew the feeling was unfair towards him, after all, he did to help her with the dungeon dive. If all that happened out of their favor for a favor exchange was getting the levels and crafting materials needed for the create undead pet scroll, she knew she''d have the better end of the deal.

    The skill stones seemed better than any low-cost ones she might have been able to acquire in the future. That didn''t even include the armor that should be coming. She knew it would behoove her to feel grateful for it.

    The maid was more than a little curious about what it would be and how well it would fit her skills, new and old. She''d read examples of necromancers using bone armor they could manipulate defensively. Admittedly, it was in a romance novel, and the skill was the villains, but it seemed like an interesting idea.

    Both [Small Armor] and [High Kick] craved something that wouldn''t restrict her movements much, sturdy leather with metal or bone plates sewn in. Of course, [Beautician] wanted something tasteful. Considering that skills had no issue with her work uniform, she knew it didn''t care about practicality.

    "You said the armor I''ll be taking into the dungeon will arrive today?"

    "It''s a little late. It was supposed to arrive this morning, but the craftsmen I have working on it left a letter saying they were doing the finishing touches. I''m expecting it any moment."

    It was a little surprising when he didn''t pull out some old or unique armor from his collection, but then she guessed he would rather not give any more prized possessions up. "It should work with my new skills?"

    "It will be perfect. While I picked skills that haven''t been recorded before. The armor influenced my choices. Kicking skills like freedom of movement. [Small Armor] should work better than I planned since I figured it was some kind of advanced light armor skill. You impressed the team last night, but you should really impress them when we meet up in the morning for the run."

    Impressed was a strong word the Necromancer wouldn''t use. It was clear that they''d prefer a healer. Max might have laughed off their little match and then the pink hair, which she assured him was temporary, but it was clear that he felt she was an avenue to annoying Tyler. With Len, all she did was nod and smile as he referenced scholars and theories she was unfamiliar with in a desperate bid to hide her ignorance. Rose was thoroughly checked out, one foot already out the door, and as long as Tyler''s new member didn''t mess that up, the young lord could have brought in a bard for all she cared.

    "How best would you like to prepare for the dungeon run tomorrow with the rest of our time?"

    She''d spent too much time absorbing or managing her new skills and only a little time training. Tyler was the experienced one, having spent every other weekend or so clearing the dungeon with a team. Even if he recommended the tedious practice of Thibodeux''s methods, she knew there was only a little time left. Her goal was anything that might help her get to level twelve and the scroll components. Rumor was in six days, prince Adric''s body would be returned, and she wasn''t sure what that meant for his coatl pet.

    "There isn''t much to do unless the armor arrives soon. We could check on its status. There''s the weekly auction close to dusk. With extra visitors lingering after the funeral to see who the royals send to get the body, they will surely have something fascinating to buy."

    The maid reminded herself she was still on the clock with Lord Tyler. If he wanted her to assist him while he checked in on crafters or made purchases, her job was to help him. If this scheme of hers didn''t work out. Becoming one of Lady Coodly''s personal maids was where her professional progression seemed fated. Standing, waiting, holding, and fetching tasks that are slightly better than cleaning the cobwebs out of the rafters and tight spaces of the attic while dealing with Scale Spiders. Except she couldn''t finish those tasks and hide in a corner with a book.

    "Whatever you feel is best, my lord."

    "The auction is fun. It''s always good to relax before you enter the dungeon. Just because it isn''t difficult doesn''t mean it won''t get tense or lack danger."

    A loud thudding at the lodge''s entrance cut through the conversation, and Tyler looked relieved. "That must be the armor!"

    Two workmen carried in a person-sized crate. As briskly as they brought the container in, they set it down and left. Harmony wondered how much armor Tyler had purchased, seeing the size.

    Eagerly Tyler pulled off the top of the box. Resting in a bed of sandalwood-scented shavings was a mannequin, so life like that, Harmony gave a muffled yelp that went unnoticed by Tyler. Short, articulated, and detailed enough that someone with a construct or golem skill could raise it to the semblance of life. And it was here in a box simply to display the armor. Armor that the sight of caused Harmony to freeze as she processed that this was her armor.

    "It''s perfect," Tyler announced.

    Harmony''s skills approved excitedly as there wasn''t enough of it to impede her movement for [High Kick] or [Small Armor], and where the armor plates only covered some vital spots and would be easy to use to block attacks, including flexibly soled steel boots for kicks. [Beautician] and [Style and Grace] admired the craftsmanship and daring excitement of the outfit. Her necromancer class showed no feeling that this would impede her skills. The amount of skin exposed might even help. Silver skulls decorated the black and white "armor" with many individual pieces strapped to the construct. Extravagant, yet a near match in many ways to her maid uniform. The skirt seemed even higher cut than the one she''d been issued. That must be due to losing the expectations of growing into it. The whole outfit screamed maid with a hint of death and violence mixed in.

    She quickly activated [Mana Rotation] and then boosted a synergized combination of [Poise and Bearing] and [Renew Spirit]. Numb inside, she could only hope the proper amount of temporary vigor and feigned pleasure showed on her face as she looked toward her benefactor. "It''s so much more than I expected."

 Chapter Twelve

    Chapter Twelve

    The day tested Harmony¡¯s social skills, both the ones she acquired through her profession and those she¡¯d learned through working at the manor. She was in her new armor, trying it out before she took it into more dangerous but hopefully less stressful situations. Tyler purchased three new items at the auction for his collection. She complimented him on his acquisitions as a good maid would.

    Hyacinth, through their bond, inquired worriedly about her mental state. She assured him this was all business and only temporary. He even asked if toe-sucking would help. Sweet but pointless, he couldn¡¯t do anything to help her with the attention her new outfit was garnering. To match, Tyler had chosen to wear his armor. She smiled as he beamed at the compliments she received, even as he missed the mask she wore.

    The necromancer knew her mind made it worse than it was. How everyone considered her the lord¡¯s plaything or toy. There were only a few disparaging compliments. This kind of look was the fashion in many places like the capital. She didn¡¯t completely abhor being the center of attention, even if it reminded her of her childhood. Unearned attention didn¡¯t represent who she was. Standing up in Cogg and Hall Brews with Ambrosia had felt more natural.

    Lord Tyler eventually picked up on her fifth hint that it might be best if they got to rest before meeting up at one of the dungeon¡¯s entrances in the morning.

    ¡°Curruck.¡± Hyacinth croaked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. I think I got my hopes up too much that Tyler would be anyone other than himself since he¡¯s been trying to be nice.¡±

    Smooth, quick movements guided by an almost instinctive help of [Small Armor] allowed her to remove and store the outfit for the night. The amount of unbuckling and refastening of the straps made her glad she wouldn¡¯t wear them often. Maybe [Small Armor] was an evolved skill?

    Despite all outward appearances of it being a costume piece, the armor was good quality and not just decorative. The skills, the armor, and this opportunity were all amazing gifts. She refused to consider them unearned, but they were more of a gift for Lord Tyler.

    Slipping on her nightshirt, she lay in the lodge¡¯s bed. It was more comfortable than the beds of the Lady¡¯s staff dormitory. Jessica¡¯s bitterness came to mind. A companion of the moment, made to be who the lord wanted them to be. This run will be just an extra bit of work. Even if all this had her stalled at level twenty-four, she wouldn¡¯t be a bitch about it. Everyone has a different path of progression, and the necromantic maid felt she was still finding hers.

    Harmony woke up feeling complete, her skills humming in the background rather than the raw near-surface interactions that had plagued her recently. No nausea-inducing churning, no desire to kick anything, and none of the uncomfortable pinching sensations of a new skill settling into her soul. The armor didn¡¯t annoy her more than the work uniforms now, which meant it greatly annoyed her, but it was required for the job. Only this time, she¡¯ll be more protected while cleaning pests out of a dungeon rather than out of the manor¡¯s attic.

    Donning the armor once more, she made a quick breakfast from the lodge¡¯s pantry, eating as she threw together a plate for the lord. She knocked before entering but still found him half naked, sitting in bed, working on a puzzle box he¡¯d purchased. Supposedly, it was from a dungeon that required you to evolve before entering. Dungeons drop them sometimes, more often filled with junk but also occasionally rare treasures.

    ¡°Breakfast, M¡¯lord.¡±

    Tyler dropped the unopened box onto his lap. ¡°You look positively amazing. Gear and Wex do such amazing work.¡±

    Harmony had to draw from her skills to keep from blanching. Happy she didn¡¯t have to flick on [Poise and Bearing], but Gear and Wex was the premiere armorer in Hazeldown. It was only a branch of the Master shop in the capital, but they wouldn¡¯t put up with any of their shops having low-quality work. A quick mental calculation of Tyler¡¯s spending on this trip went into the scale of things she felt she¡¯d never be able to pay back.

    ¡°You get any sleep. Or did the puzzle box keep you up all night?¡± Harmony kept her voice assertive yet playful, but it wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t been serious about going in well-rested the night before.

    He waved a hand dismissively. ¡°This will be my tenth time clearing the dungeon. It¡¯s a training blade for us until we get to the real thing.¡±

    The Dig Boys had farmed the third-floor dozens of times until they got hit by that surprise encounter with the cube of flesh on her last outing with them. No one had died, but it had been close. She¡¯d been lucky it had hair. She¡¯d progressed to levels eight and nine from choking that monster with a skill-powered hairball. Two more levels and a few items, and she wouldn¡¯t need to step into that place for a long time.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll keep me safe. And if it gets real dicey, I¡¯ll kick ¡¯em.¡±

    Tyler smiled, and Harmony groaned inwardly. He took the tray and started eating. Between bites, he told her they were meeting at the lodge entrance rather than the guild one, as they were less likely to run into any competing adventurers. A quick walk, and they¡¯d be there. No need to rush over and get there first. If he¡¯d asked, Harmony would have told him she¡¯d prefer to get there early, letting her have more time with the team, but he didn¡¯t ask.

    The pair moved quickly while the shadow toad lopped by the maid¡¯s side. A small bag hung over her shoulders, mostly empty for the loot she¡¯d need but otherwise stocked with a few essentials.

    Her stomach twisted a little. She could feel herself getting closer to the entrance from the increasing smell of death.

    She read a poster on a wall as a distraction. Missing Cat with a sketch of a mottled fluffy cat wearing a memorable charm. If found, contact Carla. She shared her flash of guilt with her familiar, who had the audacity to share that he didn¡¯t care.

    ¡°Bad toad.¡± She muttered under her breath.

    The team waited. Len¡¯s school robes were replaced by a sturdy over-jacket that went down to his ankles, with wards stitched into the leather for him to activate their properties. He wielded a staff that could double as a cudgel for its weight. His familiar, a large raven, sat on its top. Rose held her bow, now in its shooting form. Tight leather armor hugged her body, covering her in a way that made Harmony feel envious, despite her skills insisting her current armor was better for her. Two long blades sat strapped to her waist. Sir Maxwell was in the exact same armor as from the other day. Most shocking to the necromancer was that his hair was still pink.

    ¡°A pack of red-backed sloths would be more on time than you two!¡± Max yelled.

    Tyler responded with a rude gesture, making a V with his fingers and then closing it into a fist. Implying the knight could go and get his progression stalled.

    Harmony felt stared at. Len¡¯s eyes nearly bugged out of his head, while Max¡¯s was almost lecherous, focusing less on the whole picture and more on parts of her. ¡°You¡¯re looking. Ahem, improved Harmony. I was going to rag you about my hair still being pink before admitting that everyone assumes I¡¯m trying some daring capital fashion.¡±

    Lady Coodly¡¯s hair only stayed colored for half a day before fading to the original. The maid was unsure if how she cast it with her new skill mix or if the matriarch¡¯s age and levels made the difference. ¡°Want me to change it back?

    ¡°Oh, no. The Down girls have been enjoying how all of me matches the new color scheme. I can show you later if you like.¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s focus on the dungeon run.¡± She replied while internally her thoughts screamed ¡®gods no¡¯ at the knight¡¯s offer.

    Harmony was struck by how they were the only adventurers here. Public entrances had long lines. You¡¯d pay the fee and go in to increase your class skills or farm drops. She¡¯d stuck to the first level for a few solo dives to use the first-floor undead monsters to test her skills. Nothing like giving a shambling corpse a total beauty makeover. The guild entrances were less busy, where you¡¯d flash your guild token and enter. She¡¯d never been to an entry so completely empty. It was them, a booth with a bored attendant, and the large cavernous entrance leading down.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    The group walked up to the booth. Tyler put a gold coin down, which the attendant pocketed without returning any change. With that exorbitant cost, Harmony knew why this entrance was empty. ¡°Coodly Group, one new member.¡± The tank told the attendant.

    Opening a book, the attendant flipped through and looked at the members before their eyes settled on the necromancer. ¡°Do you have any identification?¡± They asked.

    For public entrances, you wrote your name and where you lived on a bit of paper so that if you didn¡¯t return, they could check the records and see if you attempted the dungeon and didn¡¯t come back. The Guild was more organized in that they had guild medallions that could be used to identify them or their corpses. Other organizations did similar things. Harmony¡¯s mind drew a blank, and she saw Tyler ready to step in. What would he say,¡± This is my personal maid.¡± It wasn¡¯t like she brought much with her.

    It clicked. The necromancer had one thing with her name engraved on it. Out of her bag, she pulled out the token Mike and The Dig Boys had given to her after the near-disastrous run. Her name and the symbols representing the Viridian gym are carved into it. ¡°Will this do?¡± She asked, handing it over.

    The attendant held it. The way their body tensed briefly, she could see a skill was in play.

    ¡°Yes, this will work.¡± Then after handing the token back, he took out a fresh sheet of paper and started to sketch the necromancer.

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    ¡°Is that a Gym badge?¡± Len asked excitedly. ¡°Viridian too. Those are hard to get.¡±

    ¡°And here I was expecting a girl Tyler selected for their looks,¡± Rose commented.

    Harmony blushed at the backhanded compliment. She¡¯d brought it because Mike had told her that if she showed it to the right people while in the dungeon, she would be more likely to get help.

    ¡°You¡¯re free to enter.¡± The attendant said, dismissing them.

    Harmony followed the team into the tunnel. As she passed the threshold, the dungeon¡¯s smell of death flooded her stronger than ever. New skills playing a bit of havoc on her class senses, maybe a side effect of the churn inside her?

    ¡°Have you ever cleared the first floor alone?¡± Len asked.

    The maid blinked, realizing the question was for her.

    ¡°Not this again,¡± Rose muttered.

    ¡°Constellations and achievements are real things.¡± Len insisted

    ¡°That¡¯s never been proven.¡± Rose snapped back.

    ¡°Statistical measures of actions show a strong correlation¡­.¡±

    Rose opened and closed her hand in response, like a puppet mimicking the Wizard¡¯s speech.

    ¡°I, for one, would like to see how well our new member does.¡± Sir Maxwell bumped in.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tyler said nervously.

    Confused by the conversion, but not enough to miss out on the fact that Tyler¡¯s doubt was a mistake because Max¡¯s grin widened.

    ¡°See, Harmony, we have a bit of a tradition. New members clear the first floor of the dungeon alone. We stay back about fifteen paces.¡±

    ¡°Twenty!¡± Len corrects.

    ¡°Twenty paces and will help if things look risky. It¡¯s supposed to improve future progression. But really, it lets us get an idea of what you can do. We¡¯ve all done it.¡±

    The maid¡¯s eyes narrowed on Tyler, who nodded slightly in confirmation. The only time Harmony had ever completed floors was with an escort. Even early on, she¡¯d never had any issues with the first floor¡¯s weak dead. She simply never had a reason to push further. Today, though, she needed this, and if this is what it took to get them to help her level and acquire a champion¡¯s tooth, then she would. She felt her new skills spur her on.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll do it.¡±

    The entrance opened up to a fork of three pathways. The dungeon shifted, so mapping was useless. All paths were valid for getting through the first floor and to the next. The dungeon took up a size greater than Hazeldown, so it wasn¡¯t like there wasn¡¯t plenty of space. Little markers sat near each of the paths. Numbers for which ones were entered most recently. Public diving rules were the same. She picked the one visited the longest ago and moved the markers about.

    The team stood twenty paces back. Only she and Hyacinth, necromancer and familiar, stepped onward.

    The first shambler came out of the shadows loping at a gait slower than a run but quicker than a walk. Many people worried about running into a deceased loved one while diving into a dungeon, but the necromancer didn¡¯t see it. The majority of corpses adapted by the dungeon were taken apart and put back together so that no one could recognize who it was. Miss-matched legs gave the shamblers their name.

    The first-floor monsters were as strong as an average human and quick when their parts were aligned correctly. Which wasn¡¯t extraordinary but still dangerous as they felt no pain and wouldn¡¯t slow down from nondebilitating injuries. But they had no skills. Those were reserved for specialty creations.

    With a casual flick of [Manipulate Dead], Harmony fused its joints together, causing the creature to halt in its tracks. At this point, Harmony would practice her other skills, but she knew that wasn¡¯t the kind of show her new team wanted her to put on, as funny as giving it pink hair to match Max would be.

    Severing the head wouldn¡¯t even count as the kill, so The Necromancer did her preferred way of dispatching the shambler. Straight up the middle, she ripped the thing in two, using her skill to shift the corpse in opposite directions. The two halves fell to the floor, only to be quickly absorbed by the dungeon and replaced by a lump of black coal.

    The fuel was a basic drop, heating every stove, burning in every forge, and the town¡¯s largest bulk export. She would typically collect these to cover her entrance fee from the public dungeon. Today she left it on the ground and marched onward.

    Pack tactics were the only increase in difficulty early on, increasing their numbers. One shambler became two, then Three. Even Hyacinth was bored as she moved steadily ahead. She used her necromantic senses and skills to leave piles of bisected corpses to be absorbed, then turned into iron penny-type drops on the floor.

    Packs of five became a regular appearance. That was when Harmony knew the mix was about to change. The first undead stray pounced out of the shadows, larger than most cats with wickedly sharpened claws. She knew it was there but felt it was unfair to Hyacinth to leave him out of the fun.

    The toad¡¯s tongue snapped forward, pulling the beast out of the air and straight into his maw. The loud crunching of the bones could be heard as he cracked down again and again on the animated corpse before spitting it out. He had enough sense to know when the animal shambler would be unable to get up again.

    Outside of the increased efficiency she felt from [Mana Rotation], quick consecutive appearances of two packs left her barely breaking a sweat. This wasn¡¯t a good test of her skills. [High Kick] begged her to see what would happen if she kicked one of the shamblers after she¡¯d locked one in place, but why encourage Tyler that way?

    Of all the floors, the first one was the most straightforward. The dungeon sent all their weakest, poorly put-together creatures after you, saving anything strenuous for the lower ones. Harmony knew the only surprise would be what awaited her at the end of the floor. A dozen different floor guardians populated the dungeon. The test for adventurers, checking if they are strong enough for the second floor.

    Of her two runs deeper into the dungeon for leveling with The Dig Boys, Harmony mostly watched as the group took down a living pool of blood controlled by three skulls floating in the fluid. Mike had used a sling to shatter one of the skulls using the magical coal as a stone. It wasn¡¯t even a class or profession skill, simply a hobby he¡¯d picked up. The second boss was a shambling chimera, a monster from the deeper levels too damaged to repair but a fair opponent for judging a team. New with [Manipulate Dead], the necromancer had helped with the base skill activation exploding chunks off the rotting creature.

    Harmony missed the first and most obvious clue about the shambler standing at the end of the tunnel. The fact that it wasn¡¯t in a horde, that it wasn¡¯t charging at her with mindless abandon. She felt the magic of her skill slip off the corpse, unable to latch on as she used the same amount of effort that had carried her through this far.

    The monster¡¯s head snapped up. Its dead eyes were gone, and in its place, two small but very much alive burning blue flames. Forward it flew, accelerating quicker than any man.

    [Small Armor] Snapped into action. The armor on her forearm caught the incoming swipe, and the impact made her arm numb. She jumped back, and a fast but more normal attack from the opposite arm swung through the space she had been standing in.

    This was wrong.

    [Analyze]

    Shambler-Host

    Host to what? Harmony made a forceful push to lock the creature¡¯s joints. This time she felt the bones fuse together, which was a relief. Still, much of her energy in the skill felt rebuffed and resisted like her initial attempt. It shouldn¡¯t be this strong, even as a floor guardian.

    With a loud crack, the mouth snapped open, breaking free with otherworldly strength to open. ¡°You want to challenge me?¡± The thing hissed in a sound that reverberated at a frequency that screamed death to Harmony¡¯s class.

    Not that her class was afraid. It was interested and rarely had Harmony ever felt interest coming from that part of her soul. A desire that distracted her.

    Snap. Crackle. Pop. Joints broke free. The Shambler-Host moved, and the maid, flat-footed, wondered if her team would save her.

    Someone did. Hyacinth barreled into it, more tossed bolder than a toad, showing off his new thicker skin.

    Fear for her familiar snapped her back to the present. Her toad was already disentangled and slipping into the shadows. The dungeon¡¯s domain blocked long trips, but he could make short hops.

    She empowered another strike with [Mana Rotation], planning to split this one in two like she had the others. ¡°Yes, I challenge you!¡±

    The strike slipped off the Host¡¯s skull and cut a rift down through the collar bone, ripping just past the monster¡¯s sternum like a huge invisible axe had cleaved into it. The wounded started to stitch together with bits of dead flesh and slowly close.

    A quick check from her class showed that the joints that had been snapped were repaired. Nothing regenerated like this on the first floor. Sure, one yell, and the five of them could gang up on it and pound it to dust. But would the team trust her, believe in her, if she did that? Would they let her get what she needed?

    [High Kick] pushed her forward at a speed that matched what she¡¯d faced from the guardian. The thinnest synergy from [Manipulate Dead] to show where the weak spots were. In her version of a cheat, she twisted that skill synergy into adding the necomatic¡¯s skills ability to destroy dead flesh into her blow, and the [High Kick] accepted it. Any bit of destructive power was welcomed. Threads of other skills joined in, [Renew Spirit], [Style and Grace], even [Dust]. Anything that could add a bit of energy or explosive potential. It strained her soul, but screw it.

    Weak spot? It was all desiccated meat. The shambler¡¯s hand reached out to grab and stop the incoming blow with the power to back it up. The hand disintegrated, ripped apart by momentum, magic, and willpower. Encouraged to become a spray of debris and dust. The kick did not stop there as it continued moving, pulverizing the body, sending the legs to collapse on the floor, the free arm to fly off, and the head to roll onto the ground.

    ¡°See you deeper.¡± The skull hissed before the fire in the eyes went out.

    The whole thing dissolved. Replaced by an ordinary lump of coal.

    ¡°What the hell,¡± Harmony muttered.

    A red wave surged her way from the corner of the room, larger than the group. A wall of blood. As quickly as it rushed, the speed was a joke to what the Shambler-Host had shown.

    Compared to the last fight, it was no effort to reach into it, find the three floating skulls in the blood and turn them into shattered bits. The floor guardian froze, splashed down, and dissolved away. In its place was a necrotic core that she needed for her scroll.

    [First Floor Cleared]

    The dungeon¡¯s voice announced placidly.

    ¡°Wooo!¡± Max yelled as he came jogging up. ¡°You took down that blood puppet like it was nothing!¡±

    The others came following less quickly. ¡°Had to play around with that shambler for a moment first, though,¡± Rose added.

    ¡°Was that [High Kick]? I couldn¡¯t see much from where we were.¡± Tyler asked.

    ¡°Congrats on the solo floor clear achievement,¡± Len added.

    Rose blew a raspberry in response.

    They hadn¡¯t seen it. Hadn¡¯t seen the effort. The skills of the shambler host. How the first swipe had taken more out of her than when she blocked Tyler or Max¡¯s attacks. ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s done.¡± She replied.

    Looking back to the lump of coal dropped by the Host, she took a few steps toward it and added it to her pack with the necrotic core.

    ¡°Let¡¯s head to the second floor.¡± The knight pushed.

    Harmony pondered what exactly had just happened, keeping quiet as they went down the new opening to the next level.

 Chapter Thirteen

    Chapter Thirteen

    Random encounters happened in dungeons, even safe ones like Old Bones beneath Hazeldown. The flesh cube on the third floor had been one, a creature rarely seen and stronger than expected. Harmony reasoned that the shambler-host had to be one, even if it had left a trash drop. Even if she''d never heard of a random encounter on the first floor. Would the team think she was talking herself up? Trying to look good for the boys?

    The Dig Boys would have stopped, packed up, and left the Old Bones if she''d spoken up here. Strange and new is dangerous. Running the first few levels of the dungeon and helping level escorts was a business. A way to survive working a dirty and dangerous job that puts food on the table.

    Tyler''s team, though¡­ The necromancer didn''t know them. Would Tyler want to dive into the unknown? If this even counted? Max could promise to slay all her troubles to woo her away from her employer. Or would they leave and take with them her opportunity of a lifetime?

    "Harmony? Harmony?" Rose called

    "What?" The maid snapped. Looking around to see the boys'' quicker pace having them well ahead of them. Made sense strategically to have the archer and necromancer in the rear.

    "You were looking a little out of it. It''s all an ancient pipedream based on moth-eaten scrolls and old rock tablets about rising to a higher level. I wouldn''t worry about achievements or constellations. Nothing beats hard work and repetition."

    "Clearing the dungeon will be that easy? Even if we run into strangeness?"

    Rose laughed. "Old Bones is as reliable as a clock. The only strangeness we''ll see might be a surprise monster one floor above where it should be. This will probably be my last run. Fifteen is calling. Then I can be out of this little leveling creche for baby lords."

    A flash of wizardly magic from ahead showed the boys had already started to interact with the foes of the second floor.

    "Yeah, let''s get you that level." Harmony accepted that getting what she wanted would be a dirty task. After all, she was the lowest level here and soloed that special shambler. These adventurers have all cleared the dungeon multiple times, while she''d never gone past the third level.

    The two picked up the pace in time to watch Len explode a pile of unliving entrails with a fireball.

    "Kitchen scraps," Harmony muttered.

    Not only were the dead bodies disposed of to feed the dungeon, but it was also used to drop every bit of biological waste in every kitchen, butchery shop, and combat ring in the city.

    "Come to join the fun?" Max asked.

    Three more gooey piles slid into the fray. Twisted strangling intestines and brains mixed together. Fish guts and scales with bits of sharpened spines sticking out, Chicken feathers, half sticking wrong-side out of a multi-beaked nightmare.

    Lord Tyler''s maul swung into action, exploding the intestines into a red spray.

    Three bolts from Rose''s force bow plunged into the fishy one causing it to quiver still enough for Maxwell''s sword to cut it into quarters.

    Harmony knew she could [High Kick] the chicken into a paste, like Tyler had done. The goo-covered blunt weapon was not a state she wanted her leg in. She readied [Manipulate Dead], grateful this wasn''t her first time on the floor.

    ¡°Bu-bu-krrk-ck.¡± A goorze choked out in a painful wail.

    The unliving, neither quite alive nor dead. Animated with a force that Harmony knew was similar to her [Renew Spirit]. The monster''s not-quite-dead status made it difficult for [Manipulate Dead] to work, making it almost as useless as trying the skill on a fully living creature. Years of experience working on just the dead parts, be it smoothing skin, or working on nails and hair, gave her an advantage here. The slap-dash creatures had plenty to work with. The beaks, chunks of bone shards floating inside, the feathers. Those bits all sharpened and enlarged, sending impaling spikes through the monster.

    It took the energy equivalent she''d used to halve a dozen shamblers to do it. After all that damage, it still wasn''t dead.

    Hyacinth smashed his tongue into the immobile object caving in the side, saving her the extra effort of another attack. After that, the dungeon finally absorbed it, leaving a lowly iron coin in its place.

    That was how the first two floors worked. Trash mobs leaving trash drops. Garbage guts sewn together, and corpses on their last legs fed to the low levels.

    Max started laughing. "Doesn''t this make you all feel alive? How about we get to the challenging portion of our run. Lem, Little Lord. Time to show your new friend what we can do."

    Len started chanting, his hands crossing his chest and touching two symbols stitched into his robe.

    Harmony activated [Mana Rotation]. The rush waiting for her next skill usage was there, but more importantly, she could feel what the Wizard was doing.

    Len''s mana felt denser than the others in the party. Tyler''s pulsed out with a slow rhythm, Max''s wove around his eyes, and Rose''s pooled around her fingertips. The density dipped as Len''s mana bled into the sigils on his robe. The arcane symbols flashed when full, and two shimmering walls formed a V from him to the edge of the dungeon pathway.

    Tyler stood before the magical arts student while the rest was behind the makeshift barrier. Then the pair in front started running.

    Harmony''s mana sense picked up the unliving creations before her sight did. The things tried to rush around to encircle the group and found themselves blocked by the barrier Len kept channeling his mana into. They slid along that edge and right into Tyler''s waiting maul.

    The heavy weapon swung back and forth like he was threshing wheat, exploding the goorze into a splatter of viscera and animal waste. Sometimes two or three at a time.

    "Woo!" Max yelled as the team jogged behind.

    Iron coins clinked and slid under the shields as the dungeon absorbed most of the bits and left its reward.

    The impressive level of coordination let Harmony''s earlier worries fall by the wayside.

    The splattering sounds ceased, and the team''s jog ground to a halt. Len dropped his shield, and Lord Tyler stood there, covered head to toe in blood, bile, slime, and guts.

    "Need a moment before we find out who the floor guardian is, little lord?"

    "I got this," Harmony said.

    [Manipulate Dead] had no issue with the unliving bits after they''d been pulped. A little bit of synergy with [Dust] To extend the range and get a grip on the fine particulates, then some more with [Beautician] to get close to the skin. The empowerment she''d been holding onto kicked in, and every bit was pulled off of the tank and thrown to the far wall, leaving him cleaner than he had been when he entered the dungeon.

    "Thanks," Tyler mumbled.

    "Yeah. Saved us ten minutes of shaking and scraping." Rose piped in.

    "I still need five to recover my mana," Len said.

    "Tyler. You want to fill in our temp on how this will go?" Max asked.

    Lord Tyler nodded.

    "I take the brunt of the attacks. If I step back, Max is set to relieve me. This will be where you pay attention to what we do. Feel free to use your skills to support or get some damage in at a distance, but try not to block anyone. We''ve cleared Old Bones with only four members several times, so don''t worry yourself. Get some damage in when you can, and hopefully, you''ll get a level or two out of this. Usually, we like new members to at least have their stats unlocked, but hopefully, you''ll gain those levels by the time we finish. If you want to leave the run early, that''s okay too."

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    The necromancer realized why she hadn''t been practicing with the group. She wasn''t part of it. Oh, Lord Tyler wanted her here. The slight smirk on Max''s lips showed he''d be happy either way. She could fail, run away, or simply not make the cut, and he''d get to use it against his cousin, or she could make it, and the knight would try to woo her. She was underleveled, so it made sense.

    The vague sense of rejection stung. The fact that Tyler waited until now to tell her. The skills and the armor were to make her appealing. She fed some power into [Poise and Bearing] to keep calm as she was torn between cursing or laughing. Joining the team was never the goal. Levels, components, and the chance for the best pet around. A former royal pet, strong enough or soon made that way to win in the commission''s arena and get her out of scut work.

    "I understand." She managed to speak calmly.

    Maxwell flashed his smile. "Good. I''m not expecting you to be useless. How you cleared the first floor was impressive. It would be dangerous to rely on you in a team role before we get your measure." With a pause, the knight turned to the rest of the team. "You all know your roles. Let''s see what''s in store for us."

    The underground pathway ended at a wide room. At its center, what appeared to be a craggy white boulder sat.

    Harmony''s class could feel the death radiating off it and get a sense of what exactly it was.

    "That''s new." Rose blurted out.

    Like the first floor, the second and even the third generally had a set rotating cast of floor guardians.

    "That just means the guild will give us a bonus if we''re the first to report this. Len and Little Lord would love to get their name''s in the records. Poke it, Rose."

    The archer fired a trio of force bolts from her bow. Three shafts of light stuck out like pins in a pincushion, except the necromancer could feel that wasn''t right as they hadn''t pierced it. The surface, the bone it was made of, merely held them in place.

    Then the mass of bone started to move, uncurling slowly, standing up to reveal the creature''s form. Hundreds of skulls fused together to form the legs, body, arms, and head of a giant humanoid that stood twice as tall as Lord Tyler. Every skull''s eyes faced the front and glowed with a faint orange flame.

    Rose peeled off to the side and started to rapidly fire her bow. The light shots do nothing, in Harmony''s opinion.

    She readied her own skill and released [Manipulate Dead] from a distance. Outwardly nothing happened. She''d meant to blow off a chunk, shatter one of the skulls near the skull giant''s knee. At most, she felt the skull weaken.

    "Challenge me with pawns?" It spoke a hollow voice of death coming from each opening, creating an eerie chorus.

    Tyler [Roared], a skill empowering his maul as he charged in, smashing his weapon into its knee.

    Harmony counted herself lucky as he hit the one she''d been targeting, and the skull she''d weakened cracked in the middle. It was the only one.

    Len started raining fireballs at the floor guardian. Patches of flames licked the surface.

    The giant swayed a little in response to Tyler and Max''s blows whenever he darted to the side for a slash of his blade.

    Mere seconds of combat and the necromancer''s skills and senses told her it was all a show. No damage was being done. The giant lumbered about waiting¡­ waiting for an answer.

    With her mana skill, she empowered [Manipulate Dead]. Synergies, she fumbled with synergies as she felt about. Maybe [Dust] To encourage the bones to weaken. Then through the inspiration of how she''d deflect her team''s blows [Small Armor], to use that prediction to create targets of where her team would be hitting the beast. The skills rushed and swirled together, and she released her own attack.

    "Challenged." She answered back softly under her breath.

    Tyler''s strike took a chunk of the shin. Len''s flames blacked and cracked a pair at the shoulder. Rose''s next shot, a more powerful strike since she could see the other ones did little, managed to create a spider-web of fissures on its target, and even Max''s blade left a long gouge. All parts she''d weakened.

    It was only through her sense of death that it felt like those dead faces actually smiled in response, even as her magic got to work, making them vulnerable.

    Challenge accepted. Now, whatever hesitancy the giant held was gone. The tiny orange embers in the eyes glowed brighter. Its body twisted to dodge or alter incoming attacks, making Harmony''s work useless. In a game of timing and precision, only one of the incoming attacks managed to hit where the necromancer had weakened the beast. She could sense the deathly powers already undoing the damage to spots she''d hit. Each casting needed to count.

    The skull giants turn to attack. The collection of skulls that made up its boulder-of-a-fist swung heavily toward Tyler, who quickly activated his defensive skill. The force of the blow sent ripples through the air.

    Harmony worked overtime trying to predict where her team would strike and how the creature would dodge. Her only gratitude was that the creature didn''t attack her, even as much as she felt its attention on her.

    [Manipulate Dead] surged as she worked with the churn of [Small Armor], [Style and Grace], and even [High Kick] to coordinate her targets.

    It was a grind. The giant managed to catch Tyler without his skill, knocking him down. A kick shattered Len''s shielding, sending him dancing away. It used a damaged skull to fling Rose''s way, catching her in the shoulder and causing her to tumble to the floor.

    The strain caused the maid to miss whole rounds of attacks by picking the wrong targets. The skull giant raised its hand for another massive blow to Tyler to get him to burn his defensive skill. Harmony could see crashing down and how that would connect.

    Inspiration took her. She cast again. This time using the giant''s own strike against it, a line of bone made brittle right at the wrist. The impact shook the arena as a mighty blow hit the tank''s near-invulnerable skill. The whole fist snapped off right where she wanted.

    As the large bundle of skulls rolled across the floor, their glowing eyes dimmed until they went cold. Everyone could sense the tide turning. The team upped their attacks, feeling victorious.

    Harmony could only grunt at their ineffectiveness, as she didn''t have time to adjust to their new pace. It was the giant''s new hesitation when it attacked and how Harmony used each and every blow the guardian struck to force it to damage the guardian in the process that wore it down.

    She could feel the acceptance of death as the second-floor guardian slid to its knees. Every attack from the team focused on its now lowered head which Harmony obliged by making it weak. Maul, sword, force bolt, and fireball crashed into that primary skull nearly simultaneously, sending it shattered into a dozen pieces.

    [Second Floor Cleared]

    Max bent down and picked up the guardian''s loot before turning to face the necromancer.

    "You know, Harmony, I said to watch the teamwork, but it would have been nice if you''d done more than just stand there." He said a little accusingly.

    "I was using my skill to weaken it."

    Harmony caught the eye roll as he turned away. Anger and the strong desire to kick him filled her up. None of them would believe her if she told them what the battle felt like through her senses.

    "Grroak," Hyacinth chastised her, telling her to calm down.

    "Thanks. And don''t think I didn''t notice you lending me some energy during that. Extra cats for you later."

    Harmony moved to where the team was talking.

    "I''ve faced third-floor guardians who weren''t as tough," Tyler said excitedly.

    "No real projectile attacks, no focusing on the weakest members, and it fell apart in the end. It was more of a test of endurance type challenge." Rose added.

    "It mentioning a challenge had to be a clue," Len added.

    They were wrong. The maid chewed on her lip to keep from telling them how wrong they were. There had to be something¡­ "My class felt it was tougher than it should be. My spells could only cause some internal damage. I feel this run will be unusually tough the deeper we go."

    "That means better loot!" Maxwell announced. He reached out, displaying what dropped.

    Five items for five members. Harmony Analyzed them. A bone wand titled Wizard Fingers, she wouldn''t be shocked if it was fingers of wizards fused together. It added a death synergy to a single skill channeled through it. A potion of speed. Bone balm for healing broken bones. A signet ring that slightly boosted authority and a small bundle of ghost lace. The silky, nearly invisible fabric was prized by some clothing designers and, for the necromancer, a key component for her scroll.

    Rose nabbed the speed potion. Lord Tyler slid the ring onto his pinky. Len inspected the wand, probably wondering what death synergized fireballs looked like before he pocketed it. Max held the last two times in his hand, weighing them. Bones were notoriously difficult to heal with most skills, so the bone balm was more valuable technically, not that you could easily trade for ghost lace.

    Harmony pouted at the idea that she might not get what she needed. She feared her lack of visibly helping in the fight would be held against her. She could ask, but Maxwell had shown an erratic tendency to do whatever impulsively came into his head.

    "Imagine how you''d look in a dress made of this." He handed her the lace.

    The genuine smile that broke out on the necromancer''s face and nothing to do with the comment. Mine was all she could think about.

    "Come on. Let''s head down to the third floor." Tyler insisted, interrupting the moment with an edge of surliness to his voice.

 Chapter Fourteen

    Chapter Fourteen

    The third floor made the necromancers¡¯ words a lie and fears seem unfounded. Bone threshers, spinning balls of razor-sharp spines that rolled at the group, sat in pieces all over the floor. As they got absorbed, they left death-based alchemical ingredients as the floor¡¯s base rewards. The semi-spectral floor guardian of a white banshee exploded before it made a peep under the well-practiced and combined assault of Len and Rose¡¯s combined range attacks.

    Five bundles of ghost lace lay as a reward. Max complained that the second-floor guardian¡¯s rewards were better, but it was a complaint without conviction.

    Harmony was happy enough to shove it into her bag, glad to have collected that part of her pet scroll requirements. She could feel Hyacinth nudge her through their bond, about their [Familiar Bond].

    ¡°I¡¯ve gained a level. I¡¯ve managed to hit eleven!¡± Eleven was considered a useless level as the step before hitting twelve and unlocking one¡¯s stats. It provided no skills and simply allowed for skill advancement. Yet, it was another step closer to progression.

    ¡°Oh, I remember those days; when gaining levels was so easy.¡± Sir Maxwell quipped.

    ¡°I bet she¡¯ll hit level twelve by the time we finish this run,¡± Rose added.

    ¡°Should we wager on what stats she¡¯ll unlock?¡± Len inquired with the group.

    Harmony found herself surrounded by mumbles of agreement. The idea of her progression being a game to them didn¡¯t sit well with her. However, none of her experience or social skills could pick up any maliciousness behind them. ¡°Well, why don¡¯t you tell me about the stats you unlocked?¡±

    ¡°Ho ho ho.¡± Max chuckled

    Rose let out a groan.

    ¡°Balance. Vastness. Quickness. Not a standard stat among them.¡± Max announced.

    ¡°You say that like it is a good thing. What is vastness anyway? The representation of your inflated sense of importance?¡± Rose countered.

    ¡°Of course, it is a good thing. Increases to rare stats pay dividends in the long run. Aleric with his divinity, Wallace with his cunning. Vastness¡¯s importance will become clearer as I level.¡±

    ¡°Until you face someone with an unlocked body stat at high levels, and they beat you in all the places that matter.¡±

    Len stepped between the two. ¡°There is no correlation between what stats are unlocked and future potential.¡±

    ¡°Like an un-evolved college would tell you the truth. Isn¡¯t that right, Tyler?¡± Max pushed.

    The lord shifted uncomfortably. ¡°Hazeldown¡¯s education is considered poor.¡±

    This wasn¡¯t information Harmony knew. She eventually knew she wanted academy classes if possible. But if all the young lords treated it as a joke, apparently not because they were entitled.

    ¡°My unlocked stats are dexterity, stamina, and spatial awareness. I¡¯m betting you¡¯ll get charisma, wisdom, and strength.¡± Rose told Harmony as she shot a miffed look at the others.

    ¡°You would try to weigh it in favor of base stats. I¡¯m betting she¡¯ll get beauty, flexibility, and control.¡± Max said.

    ¡°I have resilience, intuition, and strength myself. I think she¡¯ll get intelligence, persistence, and power.¡± Tyler wagered.

    Len groans. ¡°Fine, but whoever has the worst guess buys everyone a meal at The Up and Down. I unlocked intelligence, recall, and vitality.¡± The last stat, he said softly, clearly embarrassed. ¡°You¡¯ll unlock Perception, Reflexes, and Willpower.¡±

    The maid knew this game reflected who they thought she was more than what she¡¯ll unlock at the next level. Most agreed that unlocked stats weren¡¯t random but more a representation of who you¡¯ve been. Not that you want to read too much into someone¡¯s stats.

    ¡°Now that you¡¯ve decided my fate. I think we should head down to the next floor so I can actually hit level twelve, and you can collect bragging rights.¡±

    Tyler and Max retook the lead, with Len following close behind. Rose as the archer, kept at the rear with Harmony. ¡°It¡¯s okay, little necro. We¡¯ve all had some hazing while in a new group. Everyone gets anxious about unlocking their first stats.¡± The archer whispered.

    ¡°What¡¯s it like?¡±

    The best thing ever, the worst experience, or I didn¡¯t notice a thing, was common. Harmony had read accounts of it in both fiction and the books she¡¯d managed to get her hands on. Of the staff, she wouldn¡¯t dream of asking the head butler, Bates, or be interested in Jessica¡¯s opinion. It had come up with Lord Tyler once, and he quickly changed the topic.

    ¡°I feel it changes you to be on a fundamental level to be more of who you are. That way, your soul can handle the change when your class and profession evolve. That¡¯s my theory as to why you always unlock stats and increase their levels before you change. That¡¯s why it¡¯s different for every person when it happens. Good or bad, the feeling always passes.¡±

    ¡°That makes sense.¡± More sense than what she¡¯d read on the topic. Carter and Thibodeaux both handwaved stats away since it wasn¡¯t something anyone could plan around. You got what you got.

    ¡°See, even us poor rangers can have a bit of wisdom, even when my stats don¡¯t reflect it.¡± Then she picked up the pace as they were lagging behind again. ¡°Should be hitting the fourth floor soon.¡±

    Poor wasn¡¯t what Harmony would call Rose unless she had the same background as she did, with Tyler buying all her gear. That wasn¡¯t the vibe the maid got at all. With a sigh, she chased after.

    Up ahead the lead had stopped. Len argued with Maxwell.

    ¡°What does it matter?¡± The knight huffed.

    ¡°It matters because this never happens. We¡¯ve walked at an incline long enough to have passed the fourth floor entirely.¡± The wizard insisted.

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    ¡°Maybe we should head back. We¡¯ll be rewarded for informing the guild about the new second-floor guardian. We can always come back in the morning.¡± Tyler joined in.

    Harmony¡¯s nostrils started to burn.

    ¡°You called in favors so we can impress this new girl. Rose will probably hit fifteen on this run. And you want to back out now, Little Lord, because we¡¯ve been going downhill too long?¡±

    The taste of death was so thick it coated her mouth. The deeper into the dungeon, the more potent it would be. In that way, it made sense.

    ¡°Don¡¯t bring me into this. I¡¯m almost out of this family arrangement. I would have bailed with Addy if I didn¡¯t need to get my levels.¡± Rose interjected.

    If the sense of death got stronger as she went deeper, the necromancer wondered why it was getting stronger while they were standing still arguing.

    ¡°Why stay if you didn¡¯t want to be...¡± Tyler started.

    ¡°Guys! There is something bad coming!¡± Harmony yelled.

    ¡°Not you too.¡± Max groaned, but Rose readied her bow, and Len put a shield around the party.

    The floor went out from under the team¡¯s feet. Falling down knee height onto a steeper, slick stone decline. Amongst them were the fine white grains the rock beneath them had transformed into, and they slid deeper, accelerating downward. Other than an initial yelp of surprise, the team held off screaming as they went down.

    They slid to a stop, and Len¡¯s crow familiar flapped down after them, settling onto his shoulder after he sat up.

    Harmony checked Hyacinth through [Familiar Bond]. He shook himself out of the sandy rubble. The only thing damaged was his pride.

    ¡°We¡¯re not going back up that way,¡± Rose stated while dusting off and looking at the steep ramp they came down.

    ¡°This must be what happens when you dominate the dungeon too much and aim to complete it yet another time. Sorry, Harmony.¡± Maxwell boasted nervously.

    The rest of the team doesn¡¯t even show a hint of support for that statement.

    ¡°Len, how many floors deep do you think that took us?¡± Tyler asked.

    ¡°If the depths of the floors remain constant, I¡¯d say we are on the eighth or ninth floor. Officially, there are only five, but Old Bones¡¯ creations and rewards must come from somewhere.¡±

    ¡°A dungeon¡¯s treasure room! Must be even better than a dragon¡¯s hoard.¡± Maxwell added, his voice shaking slightly.

    Harmony winced, observing the team¡¯s tired reaction to the knight. They¡¯d been barely holding it together as a group when she met them. Rose is halfway out the door, annoyed she hasn¡¯t been able to leave yet. Max and Tyler¡¯s conflicting personalities are both abrasive and off-putting in different ways. Gone was the easy dungeon run she¡¯d promised.

    ¡°We¡¯re only getting out of here once we complete this part of the dungeon,¡± Tyler announced with confidence that usually wasn¡¯t there.

    A wave of inspiration energized the maid. Everyone¡¯s spines straightened, eyes smiled, and relaxed a bit. The maid¡¯s brain quickly picked apart the effects of the skill used on her as it flipped the opposite of what she had been feeling. Yes, she could accept the benefits. Confidence in Tyler leading them out of here. She could use that to pretend it might be true. If she could abide the lie, but she couldn¡¯t.

    The necromancer moved closer to the front rather than stay back with the archer as the team begrudgingly went ahead.

    ¡°I¡¯ll get you through this,¡± Tyler assured her.

    Harmony had to activate [Poise and Bearing] to keep a pleasantly neutral face.

    Forward into the unknown, the path ahead of them looked eerily empty. No monsters charging out of the shadows or along the dungeon walls. When the first attack came, Harmony was saved by her necromancy skills.

    That foreboding sense of death coming quickly from above. [Small Armor] worked to avoid rather than block any attack, pushing with a feeling that the maid acted on, tumbling away until she nearly smacked into the side wall.

    Red waves from the ceiling crashed down where she¡¯d been. Max, Tyler, Len, and the two familiars were utterly engulfed by bodies of blood, causing them to float inside the monsters. The first-floor guardian they¡¯d faced earlier had descended, four of them.

    Rose¡¯s support from a distance role saved her. The ranger¡¯s bow was already shooting one of the floating skulls on the outer edge enough that she wouldn¡¯t hit the other teammates.

    Hyacinth¡¯s pain shot through her bond, but she still saw him clamping down on a skull inside the creature with him. The toad was determined to show that he wasn¡¯t trapped in the body of blood. The skulls were trapped with him.

    The humans inside, without amphibious instincts, were flailing. Harmony acted. [Manipulate Dead] empowered and indiscriminate. She trusted the fact that the team was still alive to save them. Pop. Pop. Pop. She started bursting the skulls with enough wide-range force to guarantee their destruction. One of the skulls was chewing on Max¡¯s shoulder, so a small chunk of pink beard was also destroyed. As the last skull burst, the liquidy bodies collapsed, splashing to the ground, unceremoniously dumping those trapped inside.

    Len started puking up the blood he¡¯d accidentally swallowed. The others were luckier, only drenched and decorated by minor cuts and abrasions.

    Of the loot, Harmony snatched up a necrotic core, completing that part of what she needed for her scroll. A champion¡¯s tooth was one of the drops from the final dungeon boss, the last thing she couldn¡¯t easily get her hand on. A goal was easier for her to focus on than their current mess.

    ¡°Potion.¡± Len rasped.

    Rose summoned one to her hand, revealing her own storage device. Tyler stepped in front of her before she could deliver it.

    ¡°We don¡¯t know what¡¯s ahead. Unless an injury is debilitating, we should save those for when needed. I brought six restorations only because Harmony was joining us today. How many do you have?¡±

    ¡°Three,¡± Rose answered.

    ¡°Used my last one for my hangover from the other night,¡± Max answered glumly.

    Glares shot his way.

    ¡°What? We haven¡¯t needed to use one in months. All it meant was less space for loot.¡± The knight replied to the looks.

    ¡°One sewn into my robe in case of emergencies,¡± Len answered hoarsely

    ¡°Four minor ones,¡± Harmony stated. They were part of her basic kit that she¡¯d kept in her loot bag.

    ¡°That¡¯s perfect. Give one to Len, and I¡¯ll replace one with one of the ones I brought.¡± The lord answered.

    He pulled out a vial from his storage. The red liquid in the glass emitted a faint glow. What Harmony handed the wizard was a light pink concoction. The replacement was clearly a major restoration potion that could help in near-death situations. Maybe even the kind that didn¡¯t have some nasty side effects.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± Len said after downing the potion. The shredded vocal cords are already clearing up.

    ¡°We¡¯ll need to be careful. We should be fine if all we face is a mass of four or five first-floor guardians. We¡¯ve all soloed the first floor at one point.¡±

    Rose snorted. ¡°If this is what us all completing an achievement gets, then I don¡¯t think I want to do that again.¡±

    ¡°The rewards are worth it.¡± Len countered automatically, sliding into their old argument.

    ¡°Look, we only have two restoration potions each. I doubt this floor sends us anything weaker than a mass of early guardians. We were lucky Rose and Harmony could take them out so quickly.¡±

    ¡°Our little necro was right beside me. How did she avoid that when we didn¡¯t?¡± Maxwell inquired as he wiped goo from his body.

    The underlying tone in his words caused Harmony¡¯s heart to speed up. ¡°I have a skill that helps with attacks. It was all I could do to get out of the way.¡± The half-truth bothered her. [Small Armor] was there to block or deflect attacks, and while it had helped, she knew it was still up to be activated.

    ¡°Half-cursed class in a half-cursed dungeon.¡± The knight snipped.

    ¡°Enough of that!¡± Tyler stepped up. ¡°You want her not to save you next time we¡¯re in trouble?¡±

    Harmony didn¡¯t know whether it was the bluntness of the statement or acknowledgment that such a thing could be possible. She watched the knight¡¯s aggravated look leave his face as his back straightened, shoulders relaxed, and he gave her a half bow.

    ¡°My apologies, lady. I¡¯m just a bit vexed by my recent performance.¡±

    She would have gambled that he¡¯d used a social skill like [Chivalry] but didn¡¯t think any bookie would take such a wager.

    ¡°I understand. This is not how I expected this dungeon trip to go either.¡± She suspected she¡¯d have to rely on the knight to protect her at some point in this run, and it would be best if they could smooth things over. Proudly she didn¡¯t even use her skill to respond.

    Tyler patted Len on the back and thanked Rose for her support. Handed two potions to Sir Maxwell, whose tension melted a little as he had the valuable potions under his control.

    Harmony felt some pride in her lord. Then when it came to her, his eyes didn¡¯t meet hers. They went up and down, pausing on the more exposed parts of her armor before settling on her face and giving her a wink. [High Kick] growled inside her.

    Tyler cleared his throat and spoke to the team. ¡°We¡¯ll get through this. We simply need to conserve our resources and push through.¡±

 Chapter Fifteen

    Chapter Fifteen

    Packs of first-floor guardians wore them down. Bone monkey kings throwing flaming lumps of coal, flesh walls that had to be ground through before they smashed the team. Rose was the first to need a restoration potion. A brown burrower snapped under her feet, crushing part of her abdomen and leg before Harmony managed to sever the clamped jaw.

    The potion wasn¡¯t perfect, even though its color and quality looked supreme. Bone damage was only minorly repaired, it wouldn¡¯t stitch you back together, so it was best after some repair work was attempted. Harmony used her skills to move a few loose splinters closer to the bone it came off of before she drank it.

    The archer¡¯s body shuddered as the healing drought did its work. ¡°Gah. Gods, that sucks. I can tell I will need a week at a restoration house when this is over.¡±

    ¡°You should visit Molly. She combines her cleric class with her masseuse profession. Therapeutic blending towards a divine touch.¡± Maxwell added.

    Len¡¯s turn to need the potion wasn¡¯t as clean. A reaper, one of the first batch of second-floor guardians, nearly cut the wizard in two.

    ¡°Hold him together!¡± Tyler yelled.

    Rose shoved some of his loose internal organs back inside.

    Max held his limbs to keep him from flailing with the pain.

    Harmony channeled [Manipulate Dead] in synergy with [Renew Spirit] to attempt to align everything and tie the dead cells together. She hoped it worked similarly to how she¡¯d treated cuts where [Renew Spirit] would trick the body enough into starting the healing there.

    Tyler poured the red potion down his throat.

    ¡°Ahhrgghllah!¡± Len half screamed/choked it down. He passed out for a few seconds before waking up with only a spotty memory of being injured.

    Harmony fed her two weaker potions to Hyacinth, who did what he could, bruising himself with deflections until the enemies were too strong to do much but watch and feed her mana from the shadows.

    Banshees, plated corpses, the quick, and packs of floor guardians came as they moved forward. Tyler had to take a potion because he was so whittled down performing his tank class that he couldn¡¯t continue even as he tried to push past snapped tendons and a swollen face.

    Soon after, the young lord and Sir Maxwell needed to take a potion. It was the fourth-floor guardian nicknamed The Meat, except there were three of them. Unliving masses of muscles pounding on Tyler as he yelled, ¡°Switch! Switch!¡±

    A crater developed at his feet. High-quality armor became malformed under the beatings. Nothing Sir Maxwell could do pulled their attention to him.

    Unliving flesh resisted Harmony¡¯s skills, only allowing for superficial wounds. Fear gripped her as Tyler¡¯s cries became weaker. Harmony drained all her mana until the movement in her soul seemed to stagnate. Her core felt empty to peel The Meats¡¯ eyes off Tyler and onto Maxwell, wrenching one set of eyes out of its sockets. Only by pointing their eyes at the knight did their fists halt and shift target.

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    Rose raced in and shoved the potion into the groaning man.

    Len¡¯s long spell kicked in as the knight took his own turn being pounded, and a giant ball of flame captured the top half of all three Meats. The wizard sank to his knees from exhaustion, and the room flooded with the smell of cooked flesh.

    Sir Maxell downed his restoration potion using his off-hand, his main hand too purple, and bent to do the same act. As it took effect, he snapped his fingers back into position.

    ¡°If we face a team of dungeon bosses, we¡¯re paste,¡± The knight grunted with his pain.

    ¡°Old Bones wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Rose insisted.

    Len fetched the loot drops from the charred Meats. ¡°It shouldn¡¯t be doing this to us now.¡±

    ¡°You think it wants us dead?¡± Tyler asked.

    A shiver ran up Harmony¡¯s spine.

    The knight snorted. ¡°You know better than to ask that question, Little Lord. People die, but slaughter only happens to greedy teams who knowingly make a challenge above what they¡¯re capable of.¡±

    Cold ran down the necromancer¡¯s limbs. Hadn¡¯t that been what she¡¯d done when she heard the shambler host ask? Challenging the beast, the spirit of the domain. ¡°Guys.¡± She fell halfway into confessing as her voice froze in her throat. Exhausted but recovering. She¡¯d regained just enough to try to activate [Poise and Bearing] to push past any fear.

    The skill found resistance, but it wasn¡¯t fear. It wasn¡¯t fear that gripped the necromancer¡¯s throat, limbs, and spine. The sense of death had been so overwhelming and ever-present that she¡¯d ignored it, but now what her body said was coming was a mountain weighing everything down. The cold ache of death, where all things come to stillness. And it was getting heavier.

    Surging the skill broke through. ¡°Guys! Something is coming, something big!¡± Slowly her frozen legs started pumping.

    Behind them, the tunnel rumbled, and whatever detection skills they had caused the team¡¯s eyes to widen enough, they also started moving forward.

    ¡°Run!¡± Len cried.

    The team surged at an uneven speed as the group tried to maintain some formation despite being beaten. While one of the less injured or burdened, Harmony surprisingly found herself getting outpaced. She started incorporating [High Kick] to help push her forward.

    Ahead a shimmering gate blinked into existence.

    ¡°The exit!¡± Sir Maxwell yelled with relief.

    ¡°It¡¯s a race!¡± Rose added.

    By now, everyone could feel the oblivion of death clipping at their heels. The pace quickened. It was noticeable that they started using speed skills. Everyone might need an escape sometimes, so those skills were often more prized than mana skills for skill stone slots. Maxwell used the same lunging attack Harmony had seen in the club to shoot forward. Len flew on, holding a spectral tail coming off his familiar. Rose simply moved faster. Even Tyler had some kind of trick as his whole body shimmered forward, not entirely speeding up but covering a greater distance.

    Harmony kicked off harder, but it wasn¡¯t the same. Hyacinth hopped shadows, and she could feel the exhaustion of such a task drain her toad.

    The portal flickered unstably. The knight passed through first, followed quickly by the wizard.

    Harmony could feel herself a bit behind them all. She caught Tyler¡¯s face as he looked back. ¡°Almost there, Harm¡­.¡±

    The maid watched all the color drain from the manor lord¡¯s face as he saw whatever was chasing them.

    Rose¡¯s body slipped through the exit.

    Harmony activated [High Kick], intent on kicking her way through the portal. Her foot struck the floor beneath her¡­ and cracked through it, breaking through a tiny hollow, finding no purchase but empty space. Then the ground snapped around her ankle. With the sudden loss of momentum from below her top half continued forward and down, slamming her into the ground. [Small Armor]¡¯s flow in her soul allowed her to catch most of the impact on her bits of armor. Still, even that wasn¡¯t enough to stop her breath from being knocked out or from the vibrations of the fall rattling her bones.

    She had enough time to look up and see Tyler, scared and shaken, stumbling with speed through the portal as though any desire he had to stay and help had wrestled with and lost the fight against the fear driving him through.

    Half an idea deep into thoughts about how to get her foot out, Harmony watched the exit gate snap shut.

    Hyacinth materialized through the darkness to be at her side, facing the force behind his partner.

    ¡°How brave, little shadow. A worthy companion.¡±

    The voice of death was hollow and bottomless in a way that shook the necromancer¡¯s soul overwhelming her. She could feel her ears drip with blood before blackness took her.

    ¡°Oops.¡± The voice said. This time in a more modulated tone.

 Chapter Sixteen

    Chapter Sixteen

    Harmony''s head throbbed as she regained consciousness to the extent that her vision blurred, and all she could see was a glowing fuzzy white aura. As her eyes focused, it remained fuzzy, the furry kind. A large white dog sat calmly in front of her, the kind that Ambrosia would declare "Adorbs." and name Snowball because it was white and fluffy, then assure her birds that she loves them just as much while relentlessly petting said dog.

    And between the dog and sat Hyacinth. He projected a heavy sense of caution through [Familiar Bond] and held a low purring croak in his chest.

    "Congratulations on completing your challenge." The dog spoke.

    Hurting head, speaking dog, challenge. She tried to sort it out and sneezed. Death tickled her nose. Not her death but the internal presence of her class. The events of the day came crashing back to her. Her partner''s steady company and a poke at her social skills kept her calm.

    Letting her senses glance out, the scary presence of the not-dog was remarkably well contained. Even then, she had had to look away and tamper that part of her down or risk getting too caught up in it.

    "I appreciate it, Old Bones." She told the dog-that-was-not-a-dog as she slid back into the differential role her profession cultivated.

    "It''s rare that I get someone with such an early fascinating blueprint. Keeping your team alive. Contributing to battles. Exemplifying what it means to challenge me."

    The term blueprint to describe one''s progression path was old, old, old. Harmony only recognized it from Tyler''s rare collection of documents. The kind that was only a page or two of lost texts and preserved in spelled glass. She didn''t miss how some teammates not coming out alive was a strong possibility. The same kind of casualness about life and death many lords and ladies had.

    Harmony sat up. "I always try my best." Internally she brushed up against aspects of [Style and Grace] and [Poise and Bearing] that flowed in the movement of her soul. Once, the idea of touching them so lightly was a difficult task. Even though she''d only had [Mana Rotation] for a few days, she was glad she had it now. If she had needed to activate the skills, she knew someone like Old Bones would be able to instantly tell. So she leaned on a light touch and the phrase she said the manor''s matriarch every time she had her skills complemented.

    "Do you really?" Old Bones asked.

    Harmony could feel the ancient power behind those words. Older, wiser, more powerful, and full of questioning about what she did while she fought with Tyler, Rose, Len, and Max. It was the weight of the world, and the maid kept silent rather than answer.

    That old voice continued. "With your class, you should have led your compatriots. Showing them where and what danger was approaching. As structured as you are, none of them should have gotten a scratch under such guidance. My domain was not so resistant to your class senses that you couldn''t divine the perils ahead. Then they act as you direct them. Indomitable, burn, pierce, sever. You''re not at your best if you don''t fully use the tools you have and the tools others provide. Next time I want to see you at your fullest. "

    That recognizable tone had to be more ancient than civilization. This is the proper way to clean with your dust skill. Skill training is through repetition and speed. The appropriate way to attract a suiter is. This is how you lead a dungeon party. Oh, Harmony knew there was useful information in such lectures. It also ignored the reality of who she was and her limited status. Who knew that Old Bones, the dungeon beneath Hazeldown, was a bit of a patronizing jerk.

    Standing up, she curtsied. "Your wisdom honors me."

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    Hyacinth had to keep quiet to force himself from croaking in laughter.

    "Ahem. Well, perfect is a bit much to ask for someone so young. Your reward, challenger."  A small chest rose out of the dungeon floor.

    Kneeling back down, Harmony opened the chest. She wasn''t greeted by a pile of wealth but instead by three items. A chunk of white bone, a skill stone, and a glove. [Analyze] activated.

    Champion''s Tooth - Stride Before the Fall - Glove[Paired]

    The tooth! No more appeasing Tyler. No more dungeon trips. The skill stone had to be rare, four words in a description, and stride implied a movement skill. Only five.... no, she could feel that she finally went up to twelve, four more levels until she gained a new skill slot. A barrier created by the domain was blocking her from selecting her new class skill and having her stats unlocked. The glove was the missing half of the one she wore. Now she felt a little stupid for thinking it had been something special.

    "Yes, I noticed your gear was incomplete, and I was able to help there." The dungeon had a sense of smugness to its tone.

    Why did powerful beings always have to have a sense of humor revolving around what they could do for you? It could have been worse. The missing glove had to be worth at least the three copper she paid for the first one. The tooth she needed now, an escape skill she only required levels for, and a glove. She shoved the stone and tooth into the already pretty full pack after all the guardians the team had defeated.

    For the glove, she had an easier way of carrying that. She slid that onto her free hand, finally matching the one next to it.

    [Paired?]

    Prompted to select yes or no. Damn, the glove couldn''t be too unusual if all it took was equipping it to be matched up to an identical one on her other hand. Yes, she confirmed.

    [Armor and skill acceptable. Pairing now.]

    "What?"

    Strings of energy shot down her arms and linked to the decorative bits of armor that covered her, from the forearm guards to the bits on her chest and parts strapped to her legs, including her metal-tipped boots. She could feel the magic connecting and dancing along the armor, then it pierced into her soul and right into the [Small Armor] skill.

    She felt like she''d been stabbed. Unlike with the skill stones, she hadn''t prepared herself for this. A single link formed, and it started carving out a hollow space inside her soul. Well, it felt like that. It was more like a bubble was being blown to create a pocket or cave inside the area [Small Armor] took up. The information that came with it was more like crude grunts and sloppy drawings implying keep, repair, strengthen, and wear.

    Harmony gasped, inhaling, but she inhaled more than just the air, and a fullness filled her up. Contrasting that sensation, a chill tickled her in a way that one felt when a formerly bit of covered skin gets exposed. Most of the little clothes she had on were now gone, every bit of armor, and her bare feet rested on the cold earthy ground. Naked! She was naked!

    "Ho ho ho." The dungeon chuckled. "An adventurer never being apart from their gear. What an exciting sight and achievement for one so young."

    The struggle to maintain her composure right now turned out to be one of the most challenging moments of the day''s events. No one was actually ogling her, she reminded herself. The armor was inside her? Why did it have to be -that- armor? Could she undo it? Old Bones certainly wasn''t the one to ask. Internally she poked the skill and found herself dressed again.

    Dressed and clean as the dirt, grime, and blood had been removed in the process of having it appear back on. Even slight scrapes and scuffs looked to be partially repaired.

    "Exciting." She managed to agree pleasantly.

    "I hope to see you back in my domain after you''ve consolidated your gains. But now it is time to bid you goodbye." Old Bones said. The presence of death fluctuated uncomfortably like it was about to burst forth and cover the world in darkness.

    An exit portal shimmered open.

    The chance to finally leave outweighed any risk of questioning this mighty dungeon. With a short incline of her head, she hopped through. Hyacinth followed but released a rudely toned croak just before he passed through the threshold.

    With the portal snapped shut, death and darkness did explode forth as the image of the cute puppyish dog twisted and warped back into the dungeon''s natural form of tortured nightmares and wailing souls. Restraining oneself was a tiresome task for the being. Rare was it able to exercise some of the more obscure clauses of the contract that kept it linked to this town.

 Chapter Seventeen

    Chapter Seventeen

    The necromancer and her toad stepped out to be greeted by the same booth the team had registered with before entering the dungeon. Outside Old Bones¡¯s domain, she could feel her class shifting uncomfortably as the barrier to selecting a new skill and unlocking the stats dropped. Now was neither the time nor place to do that. She could hold it in uncomfortably.

    It was the booth and her. No teammates were around. She approached the booth and tapped the counter to get the attendant¡¯s attention.

    ¡°Oh, hello,¡± They said, looking a little surprised. ¡°Your team reported you deceased. As well as some unusual news. They¡¯ve been directed to the guild for debriefing. If you wish to maintain a positive guild status, I recommend you head to the main guild house.¡±

    ¡°Well, mark me down as not deceased. I¡¯m not a guild member, so I think I¡¯ll pass on heading to the guild.¡±

    Going to be debriefed seemed like another situation, another lecture. Harmony had her fill of overly powerful people talking down to her. They reported her dead? That seemed excessive. She did feel a tad guilty at the glare she gave the poor attendant. She knew what it was like to be in such a subservient position.

    ¡°Carry on then.¡± She told the attendant.

    Harmony double-timed it back to the lodge as the discomfort slowly increased internally. ¡°Tyler, I¡¯m back!¡± she yelled.

    With no response, she took advantage of the lodge¡¯s plumbing before heading into her small room. She moved her armor off her body and into her new internal storage space. As cursed as the armor was, the new ease of the removal was gratifying, and she quickly threw her robe over her body before sitting on the bed.

    Choose your class¡¯s fourth skill: Raise dead - Cold Touch - Rot.

    Raise dead had always been an option since she first got the class. The base spell that always gave the necromancer class a bad name when you had to bring back someone¡¯s son or brother essentially as a puppet. Trash she could live without.

    Rot was equally unappealing. Not to say that it was without practical uses like aging cheese and wine quicker or composting the manure from the stables. Smelly jobs that she¡¯d rather not be assigned to.

    [Cold Touch], well, everyone liked a nice cold drink during the hot days of spring or summer. She hoped it didn¡¯t bring the lingering taste of death with it. Selecting that skill, she let it bloom inside her. She could feel it grow inside her soul, leaking some and pushing the mana to churn quicker. Every aspect of her class quickly showed a connection to the skill, as cold the final unmoving resting state of all matter settled into her.

    She let the thin threads from her profession bloom as well. [Poise and Bearing], [Style and Grace], and even [Beautician] taking strength from serene moments of stillness. All her newly acquired skills had some link, the potential energy hidden behind a moment, the cessation of a powerful strike stilled to nothing, the extra dimension of temperature in the rotating sea inside her like she¡¯d taken a dip in a cold river.  Then it was done.

    Unlock stats?

    Harmony couldn¡¯t even tell why it was a question. No wasn¡¯t given as an option, and there was no advancing until you did. Three aspects to be strengthened, and then after every level, you may focus on one to move it forward. They call it a path because you choose the steps you take. She acquiesced and braced herself for the changes.

    The locked door inside Harmony opened, and she could sense the changes. All the connected bits burned and brightened, growing stronger, working together, and providing support. She could find new spaces where paths could be made. [Cold Touch] and [Dust] to do what? She didn¡¯t know but felt like she could make it happen. At the moment when choices came fast, everything slowed down but only for her. That was how it was now. As her heartbeat pulsed, she had to wait for another beat to come.

    Hyacinth groaned and rolled on the floor beside her. Their bond was inflamed by the unlocking of the necromancer¡¯s stats. That distraction pulled her out of the time-stretched state. What had seemed a low sound and slow movements turned into her familiar squealing and twitching on the floor. Eventually, her toad¡¯s distress subsided. Moving to the bed, she decided to lie down.

    ¡°Grrupt,¡± Hyacinth complained as he hopped up to lay cuddled next to her.

    She enjoyed the close feeling of the shadow toad. Grabbing the moment while she could. ¡°Okay. let¡¯s see what¡¯s changed.¡± She summoned her status

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    Harmony White

    Class: Necromancer (12)-F

    Profession: Maid (16)-D

    Skills:

    Familiar Bond(12)*

    Manipulate Dead (12)*

    Renew Spirit (11)

    Cold Touch (1)

    Analyze (13)

    Poise and Bearing (12)

    Dust (16)*

    Beautician (13)

    Style and Grace (11)

    Small Armor (4)

    Mana Rotation (10)

    High Kick (2)

    Stats:

    Synergy

    Connections

    Chronostasis

    Synergy was the most obvious of the bunch to her. A direct improvement to her belief in Carter¡¯s schema and its principles felt like tact agreement with her training path. As vague as connections were, her bond with Hyacinth felt stronger than ever.

    As it should be. The toad projected into Harmony¡¯s mind.

    ¡°You can talk!¡±

    ¡°Croak.¡± The sound came with amusement but nothing else.

    Her familiar was going to have entirely too much fun with this. Chronostasis had to be that sense of time slowing down, an offshoot of perception or reflexes of some kind.

    Skill-wise, [Poise and Bearing] ¡¯s growth wasn¡¯t surprising as she¡¯d leaned heavily on the skill for all of the out-of-place social interactions of the last few days. [Mana Rotation] being so high was shocking. She¡¯d barely used the skill. Was that a reflection of how well it was integrated?

    ¡°Bates will be so surprised for the next roll call.¡±

    She could not imagine the head butler¡¯s outward appearance budging an inch at such rapid progression. Internally he¡¯ll have to be reacting somewhat.

    Most importantly, she had all requirements and ingredients needed for the create and bond undead pet scroll. That princely pet waited for her.

    Resisting the urge to run out now, she knew it would be best to wait for Tyler to return before making excuses to go out. So with nothing required to do, she daydreamed of pet battles, Earning enough to buy out her employment contract. Taking an academy class or two and starting her own book collection. All thoughts are more pleasant than replaying the horrors of the dungeon. Ones that lulled her to sleep.

    Lord Tyler burst into her room, ¡°Harmony!¡±

    The yell jolted her into an upright position. The back of her hand wiped some drool off the corner of her mouth.

    Her profession wanted to take charge, jump up to curtsy and ask how she may serve him. Her brain slid the rest of the way from her dreaming to waking state and thankfully halted that response.

    ¡°Harmony! We thought you¡¯d diiiiiiiieeeddd¡­.¡±

    The world slowed as Tyler rushed in close. Panic flickered briefly until the maid realized the stat of chronostasis was kicking in. Extra time to choose a response, which was freezing as the man wrapped his arms around her. Two heartbeats, a quick embrace, but one that felt like forever to her as she stopped herself from stiffening and jerking away. Great, a stat that helped make awkward situations even more painfully long.

    ¡°I managed to make it out but needed to rest after.¡± She managed after her perception of time realigned itself.

    ¡°The guild master kept us there even after news of you surviving. Even accused me of petty politics for threatening to bring Gran in before saying he¡¯d welcome a visit from the infamous hidden blade. He even had the audacity to ask me to bring you into the guild house so he could chat with you. The levels on that man.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should rest after that dive yourself?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, I took a stamina potion at the guild. I¡¯ve got ten more minutes of this. Gave it to us all to help us recover. I think it was really to keep us talking. After questioning our words, it took them ten minutes to bring in a truth stone. I had to, um, tell them you were my maid. Len and Rose totally understand. And we¡¯re all glad you managed to survive.¡±

    It had to be more than a normal stamina potion, Harmony guessed. She let him babble about the unfair treatment he¡¯d received at the hands of the guild and led him out of her room. There she fixed two plates of food. Nodding and making sounds of agreement as the lord talked without stopping. Rose reached fifteen, so there will be a party she¡¯s invited to. Len wants to bow out from adventuring for a while. His memory of nearly being cut in half wasn¡¯t as forgotten as one might hope. Family politics aside, Sir Maxwell will even look elsewhere. Tyler promised that he¡¯d find a new, better team for them.

    He at least ate the food she gave him as she ate hers. Chewing only stopped some of his rantings. Then the drop happened. Lord Tyler¡¯s wide eyes slid half closed, and the maid maneuvered him to his room and bed. Tucking him in, he murmured, ¡°You¡¯re so pretty. I wanted to see you kick high.¡± Those were his last words as he slipped into sleep.

    Confirmation of the reason why he selected that skill for her stung. The skill agreed with an ironic urge to kick his sleeping body.

    Letting him lie, Harmony returned to her room and dug down to the bottom of the bag she¡¯d backed for this trip. She grasped the cylindrical Create and Bond undead Pet scroll tube and pulled it out. Every item was at hand. The fallen packs of floor guardians had left a plethora of necrotic cores and ghost laces. With the champion¡¯s tooth and the excellent quality restoration potion she still had from the dive, now all she needed was a little blood and the determination to go through with the plan.

    Tyler released a choked snore that sounded like an unpleasant version of one of Hyacinth¡¯s croaks. Nothing would be if that wasn¡¯t enough motivation to get going.

    A short non-specific note about going out for a bit. A little hug for the recovering Hyacinth, who also wanted to be away from the snoring. A nondescript cloak over a night robe and packed ingredients in tow. Harmony exited the dungeon lodge, ready to take her gamble.

 Chapter Eighteen

    Chapter Eighteen

    Harmony had to account for several complicating factors like any daring plan.

    Legally, at least within the city, it shouldn¡¯t be any more problematic than raising someone¡¯s dead pet or even a person with legal loopholes for class-specific actions. Hazeldown made it simple in that respect. All unused dead matter belonged to the dungeon. The town was a net importer of corpses, animals, and humans alike to feed its hunger to help support the economy in the region. Necromancers got an exception to claim remains for use.

    When she¡¯d first gotten the scroll, the idea had been to pay attention to contenders in pet battles. As much as the commission tried, one or two died yearly. Not that acquiring one would be easy if the pet battlers cared even half as much as Ambrosia did about her birds. Getting the body of one to raise, even offering a second chance, might have been difficult.

    Having sat for days without being claimed legally, Harmony knew she had every right to take the body except for the sticky issues of politics, possibly public outrage, and a greater risk of reprisals. It would be best if no one knew it was her.

    All the time she spent modifying others, she¡¯d avoided doing it to herself. Repairing a chipped nail or two was one thing, but this, she felt both excited and apprehensive. Starting with her fingers, she turned her nice neat, practically kept-short nails into long, pointed implements, a style that went in and out of fashion with the seasons. Then she adjusted the color to be red and flashy. Synergizing [Manipulate Dead] and [Beautician] felt more effortless than ever. Like she could simply wave her hands and make all the changes she wanted at a moment¡¯s notice.

    Were unlocked stats so powerful? Between those and the new skills, her understanding of her limits and possibilities seemed wider than ever. Time for extensive experimentation would have to be another day, but that didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t try to make all those beauty changes to test things out.

    Her naturally neat black hair grew from chin length to below the shoulders, turning gold, only to bounce up as she added curls. Her eyebrows and even that fuzz on her face turned to match. But the eyebrows needed to be thicker and more defined. Some dead skin cells were manipulated to pretend to have sharper cheekbones and a chin. Then, add some color.

    Out of her bag, she fetched the crystal ball. With a little bit of manipulation of the tool, she turned it into a mirror¡­ and¡­ quickly undid half her skill work. Attempting such a change without a mirror and for the first time left her looking more like an embarrassing jester than a stylish new woman. Full gold eyebrows had managed to look like two caterpillars attacking her face, and the color of her cheeks failed to blend, making it look like a paint splash. With practice, she might be able to wave her hands and get a new look, but for the first time, it turned out to be a dreadful failure.

    ¡°Grrup, grrup, grrup.¡± Hyacinth chuckled at her side.

    ¡°Shush, you. A bit of humility is good. And as much as I wish I could have your support in this, I¡¯m afraid too many people may be able to link you to Harmony. I promised hunting time. Go hunt.¡±

    Hyacinth hopped into the shadows.

    ¡°And no pets!¡± She yelled after him.

    Harmony forced her pace to quicken. Hesitation ruins many a decision. Her skills echoed that belief, be it the kick, the armor, and those that meditated on beauty and social graces. She knew she could pull examples of patience too. She stepped onto the main thoroughfare letting the chaotic energy of the evening air in the district distract from doubts and force her to focus on her goal lest she becomes lost in the crowd.

    ¡°Crawler cutie, I want to dive into your depths.¡±

    The necromancer¡¯s body flushed with the warmth of false desire, bringing her to a stop. Inside her soul¡¯s churn of skills that [Mana Rotation] provided [Cold Touch] flared in annoyance, sending a wave of ice into the effect.

    The cat-caller¡¯s cruel and lecherous eyes drilled confidently into her. His cocky stance waiting for her to go to him.

    She¡¯d received overbearing attention before, but the temerity to use a skill on her caused her leg to itch to kick the smarmy look off the charmer¡¯s face. Too much attention. Lashing out, she thickened and sealed whatever thin layer of dead skin was on the lips of that smirking smile.

    ¡°Keep your rude words to yourself.¡±

    The man¡¯s eyes widened a little as he tried to open his mouth only to find it locked closed.

    Harmony turned heel and darted into the crowd. Returning aggression with aggression hadn¡¯t been part of her plans. She knew she still hadn¡¯t adjusted to all her new skills, levels, and stats. Stabilizing yourself after so many changes took time, but she had to act before this opportunity was lost. Leaning into her physical skills and short height, she moved onward, dodging and weaving gracefully between tourists and citizens alike.

    The crowd traffic headed toward the gyms, guild houses, and lines to enter the common dungeon entrances. It was away from the area of the city where the House of the Dead held her target, but it had everything she needed to get there.

    The first of the carriage drivers came into view, smoking a spice stick and scratching the head of a giant lizard he used to pull it. Probably a pet. She internally giggled at the idea of her new pet handling such a job.

    That cart was missing what she was looking for. Mike and The Dig Boys had explained what separated a reliable carriage from a risky one. In their opinion, the gym-sponsored ones were bust but conceded the guild operated, and blue faction ones were acceptable. The critical thing is that those sponsoring organizations cracked down on unreliable and counterfeit drivers.

    She checked out several carts, carriages, and wagons, turning down a pair of offers from drivers before she spotted what she was looking for. Parallel blue lines marked a rickety bench cart. Paint stripes that are old enough not to have just been added in the last few days.

    The tall bipedal yellow bird strapped to it cooed at her.

    ¡°Don¡¯t mind, Big. He¡¯s just a friendly old bird. All the kids on our street love him.¡± An old white-haired driver said to her from his spot resting against a nearby wall. He had a bit of blue fabric tied around his neck, another good sign he was part of the blue faction.

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    The bird loomed over her with its wicked orange beak. ¡°Kweh!¡± it squawked.

    The idea that kids could find such a frightening creature lovable made Harmony wonder what kind of neighborhood this driver lived in. At least when the dungeon produced horrors, her skills worked on them. For the reliability of the blue faction, she¡¯d put up with it.

    ¡°Are you willing to take me to The House of the Dead?¡±

    ¡°Planning to get one last look at the prince before the royals take him away?¡±

    People went there for other reasons. Hefty tomes of names recording every person who died and was sent to the dungeon sat out for people to pay respects to. Descriptions and sketches for those nameless dead filled a few odd pages if you wanted to search for a loved one. But most people held private ceremonies or had family shrines and memento boxes.

    ¡°Yeah.¡±

    ¡°I hear he¡¯s quite the sight, even days after. Though, a preservation skill might be involved. No one wants to piss off the royals by letting one of their dear sons rot in our little backwater. I¡¯m Hooper, by the way; you can call me Hoop.¡±

    ¡°Any idea what the plans are for retrieval, Hoop?¡±

    The old man gave her a dismissive wave. ¡°Dozens of rumors. Some wonder why it¡¯s taking so long. It could be any day. Some expect the body to be whisked away in the middle of the night.¡±

    ¡°His pet too?¡±

    ¡°The coatl? Beautiful beast. Big has to be some distant cousin of it, the regal bird he is.¡±

    The old man moved to his bird and scratched it under the chin.

    ¡°No one knows. But that¡¯s why you¡¯ve come to me. To see the beauty and his beautiful beast. Five coppers, and I can guarantee to get you there before it closes.¡±

    ¡°Three. And I trust you to get me there on time without a guarantee.¡± Harmony countered.

    Hoop flicked the blue fabric around his neck and gave her a wink. ¡°Fine. Get in.¡±

    Seating herself in the cart, it creaked under her. Reputation and a deadline kept her committed.

    Hoop hopped up into the driver¡¯s spot.

    ¡°Kweh!¡± The mount cried, then kicked off.

    The burst of speed threw Harmony back. She half expected it to run over the people in the main thoroughfare, except it hit just enough space to pass through. Drawing a few exclamations at how close it came to hitting a few people before it turned down the more empty side streets that primarily served those kinds of transports.

    Two street changes in the cart hopped to the side. An energy-coated empowered stone streaked past where Harmony¡¯s head had been.

    ¡°You got some enemies you neglected to tell me about?¡± Hoop asked?

    Her first thoughts had been that someone was going after her driver. ¡°No, I¡­¡± She looked back. ¡°Shit.¡±

    The smirking charmer beat the reins of a cart. Its beast of burden, a mule, looked scared and frantic. The smirk was now a bloody grin, as he clearly forced his mouth open after the necromancer¡¯s little trick, ripping the surface of his lips. ¡°Slow down and take your punishment!¡± He yelled with a voice projected by some skill.

    [Small Armor] let her absorb the incoming effect rather than have it land on Hoop or his mount. That brief flicker of the charm washed through her before a cold anger supported by her internal strength drained it away.

    ¡°A punk who tried to charm me forcibly. I shut his mouth for him and assumed it was over.¡± She told Hoop.

    The cart turned a corner to avoid a projectile.

    ¡°It¡¯s bad luck to get caught up with a rat pack member.¡±

    ¡°Who?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°A local gang. More will come out of the woodwork. I should have charged you five coppers if I¡¯d known. Still, they should know better.¡±

    A second cart with a burly-looking individual. The clothes were similar to the smirker¡¯s pulled out of a street blocking the way for them.

    Harmony¡¯s mind raced for a solution. Kicking seemed possible, but the big yellow bird picked up the pace instead of slowing down in the face of the obstacle.

    ¡°Hold on!¡± Hoop yelled.

    The yellow bird leaped. It¡¯s mass pulling the cart up and off the ground with it. It was not a graceful glide as the bird knocked the burly gang member to the ground as it sailed over.

    Harmony activated aspects of her physical skills to keep from being thrown herself through the rough and tumble landing. ¡°Sorry about that.¡±

    Hoop waved her off. ¡°Lessons have to be taught to be learned.¡±

    An Ox pulled carriage charged towards them from a crossing intersection aiming to either block or ram them. He pulled a small blue ball out of a small pouch at his side and tossed it behind them. It exploded into a billowing stream of signaling blue smoke rose into the air.

    ¡°Assist?¡± Hoop asked.

    ¡°Can do,¡± Harmony answered.

    She pulled her armor out of her soul space. The shock of the cool evening air flashed across her now bare skin as it replaced the dark robe she¡¯d chosen for the trip. Whatever power stored this paired item, the space wasn¡¯t happy about holding the robe there for long. She¡¯d hoped it would go on over her clothes rather than make her mostly naked again.

    Leaning into the side where the Ox was charging, she activated [Small Armor] and empowered it with [Mana Rotation]. Anchoring to the side of the cart, she swung out the armored back of her glove, swinging down like a hammer quicker than the beast charged forward.

    The strike hit the poor beast in the head, and the force of her skill helped push it down until its horns hit the ground. The hit could only partially halt some momentum and mostly deflected it downward.

    The cart rammed into the beast¡¯s backside tilting the whole unit perpendicular as Hoop, and his big yellow bird¡¯s cart barrelled past it before the whole thing toppled over into their wake.

    Quickly Harmony swapped back into her robe. The clothes now felt rougher and damaged from their brief time in the internal space.

    The driver grunted appreciatively for the save.

    A bat darted through the air and landed on Hoop¡¯s shoulder. Familiar or pet, Harmony wasn¡¯t sure. Hyacinth usually was more perceptive about such things, but the small animal had a blue ribbon tied around its foot.

    ¡°One¡­ Two¡­ Three... Rats.¡± The driver told the bat before it took off back into the air again. He looked back with a grin. ¡°Won¡¯t be long now.¡±

    The cart continued to speed onward, and the maid realized that she no longer knew exactly where they were in the city with all the chaos.

    ¡°Boom!¡± The first explosion could be heard from behind them. Several more followed.

    The cart slowed to a more reasonable pace as though the explosions resolved the issue.

    At a crowded intersection, two drivers sat in a blue faction-marked carriage, a pair of lizardmen, one orange and one yellow, seated at the front with blue collars. The drivers whistled and saluted the old driver.

    ¡°See, all taken care of,¡± Hoop told her.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± She answered, accepting that the blue faction must have done their job. What exactly was taken care of, and how much eluded Harmony.

    A  quick but certainly more leisurely pace by the yellow bird pulled her to where The House of the Dead sat.

    Harmony pulled out extra coins to tip the man.

    ¡°I agreed to three coppers, and that¡¯s what I charge,¡± he said, refusing them. ¡°Need me to wait?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how long I¡¯ll be.¡± She answered truthfully, and her exit could be a little more exciting or awkward than she imagined. The cart didn¡¯t have enough space for her and a new pet if she needed that. ¡°Go on without me.¡±

    ¡°I hope you find what you¡¯re looking for, miss.¡±

    ¡°Me too,¡± Harmony replied, watching as he pulled away before turning towards the steps leading up to the temple.

 Chapter Nineteen

    Chapter Nineteen

    Colorful toy feather bits, scraps of prince masks, sticks from kabobs, and other remnants of the city-wide hysteria from the funeral procession lay scattered at the corners of the steps up the House of the Dead. The trash remained, the lines were gone, and the citizens moved on. The first few days, you had to wait for hours to go in and get a viewing of the prince and his pet, but the novelty quickly wore off. Those still entranced by the situation could choose to read put-together books of fictionalized adventures of the duo and their tragic demise quickly.

    Harmony passed more people leaving for the evening than she saw going into the temple as she made her way up the steps. It was too much to hope for the place being empty when she attempted this. She''d considered breaking in, having Hyacinth map the shadows, and teleport her after closing time. The law was less kind to that behavior than simply taking an unclaimed body using her necromancer class.

    An attendant in cleric''s robes waited at the open doors. "Donation?" She asked.

    Harmony dropped an iron coin into the pail she was holding.

    "The temple will close in fifteen minutes. Enjoy your visit."

    That didn''t leave much time, but it explained why most people were going. The prince''s corpse was on a platform in the back of the large room, his body resting on top of his coiled pet like it was on a rainbow bed of feathers. Some rope corded off the area to keep people out of arm''s reach. The audience would be small.

    An older couple searched the most recent book of the dead, grief on their face as they looked for a missing loved one.

    One young woman stood there with a young boy, looking more bored than interested. The child was excited, pointing at the still body of the Coatl.

    "It moved! It moved!" The kid excitedly gestured.

    "Don''t be silly, Ben." The girl answered.

    "I''m not silly. I will be a mighty adventurer and get a pet like that!"

    Harmony, having just stepped up, made eye contact with the girl.

    "Sorry." She mouthed to her as she grabbed Ben''s hand. "Come on, let''s head home. I''ll read you The Dragon Bird Prince after dinner."

    "But it moved!" The boy cried as he was dragged away.

    Harmony eyed the coatl. It wasn''t moving. Long and wrapped up into a spiral with its wings tucked along its body, it was hard to see much of it. A short clawed limb. A small gold ear or horn of a head tucked most of the way into the coils. Bright, flashy, and out of place for the temple. With her [Manipulate Dead] skill, Harmony figured she could change the bright colors into a lovely forest green or an unobtrusive black or dark gray.

    Out of her bag, she pulled the scroll and a little bundle. The vials, tooth, and cores all rattled together. She''d used the ghost lace to tie all the other components into a package.

    The fallen prince''s body would get disturbed by this. He was not as pretty as he was on the day of the procession but more hollow and dried out. Still unearthly irritatingly attractive. No one had the right to be that pretty even dead. Harmony searched for the outside influence of a skill or something affecting her, like that charming effect from the gang member that hit her earlier. The thrumming rotation of mana as the necromancer''s senses revealed nothing.

    It wasn''t like she felt passionate or attracted to the dead man. It is more like looking at an excellently done painting or work of art. The kind of reaction she''d hoped to get when she sculpted the matriarch to the latest fashions. A vision her [Beautician] resonated with, but nothing more.

    "You''re dead, so you won''t mind if I borrow your friend." She told the prince''s corpse.

    "Ten Minutes until closing!" The cleric manning the entrance yelled.

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    Harmony''s heartbeat quickened, but her perception of it slowed. Time to get some use out of chronostasis. She weighed the pouch in her hand, drawing on the knowledge of both [Small Armor] and [High Kick] for this attempt, information gleaned about targeting and hitting what you aimed for. A flick of the wrist to an underhanded toss sent her little component bag soaring over the rope and toward her target.

    The scroll had few directions to it. Getting it from Lord Tyler had prompted her to review the bits she read on activating them. Like everything else, people debated the best way to do it. Spacing of the ingredients, timing, and eliminating distractions. One common thread is that brute force could help or make the failure extra-spectacular. Which is a risk here, but no risk, no gain.

    The pouch landed with a plop on the coatl''s coil. Despite the inconvenience of its size, she was grateful it had enough space to separate the bag from the prince by arm''s length. If she''d missed so badly as to land on him, she''d need to hop the rope and fix the positioning.

    She flexed her mana. Brute force is something she can do here. Activating [Mana Rotation], the spiraling churn started to speed up. It was time to use the rest of her stats here. Synergy pulled strength from her necromantic skills. Sure, she could have just pumped in straight mana into the scroll, but it required her to be a necromancer, so she figured it would be best to feed in filtered through that. Her [Familiar Bond] should be a good blueprint, that base feeling of death from [Manipulate Dead], [Renew Spirit] for that semblance of life. Even that understanding of the still finality of death from [Cold Touch], despite this possibly being contrary to that state, for when all things settled, they had the potential to move again if enough energy was added.

    Connection played into synergy''s strengths binding everything together tighter in old ways and linked in new ways. Harmony could feel the fields and bonds that united the spell components and her through the vials of blood. Strong, she wanted this to be strong. Intent; use of skills, mana, and effort was simply exercising intent and hoping, no, forcing it to work out as you wanted.

    She surged all her mana into the scroll like she was feeding a skill. Having it be supercharged and then emptying all that energy and meaning from the movement inside her soul and then any extra reserves until she felt as still and drained and cold.

    In her hands, the scroll glowed like a burning fire. With the ache of slowed perception, she could hear the beginning of a yell behind her. Now or never. She cracked it, and it snapped in half like it wanted to explode.

    Even with her increased perception, it was hard to see the energy move from the scroll to the components. There was that flicker of connection where the pieces were separate, and then they were one. Smoothed and solidified away from the tangible into the intangible, sitting on her target. Anticipation gripped her as she waited for it to sink in, raise that pet, and build the bond between her and it.

    That spell ingredient mixture shot out one end, piercing her in a stream of energy. She could feel it returning some of what she put into it and reigniting movement out of the stillness of her soul as it added a new bond to the mix. The other half of the magic shot out, not down into the still coatl, across that arm''s length, and into the corpse of Prince Adric.

    Harmony was ready to nope right out of there, but the hooks in her soul were already there. Built, strengthened, and dedicated by that vicious intent of wanting more, along with the depth and stat-supported framing of that eager necromantic magic. She couldn''t simply leave it, and her mind let her watch in near helplessness as the spell completed between twelve achingly slow beats of her heart that echoed slowly like the dooming chime of a clock.

    The prince sat up, a complex series of emotions displayed on his face. "What?" he asked.

    The giant coatl uncoiled, and Harmony took a step back as it set the prince in a standing position. The pet''s large dragon-like head stared its formerly-dead master in the eyes.

    "Bowe, you look terrible. When was the last time you had a proper meal?" The prince chastised his pet.

    "It wasn''t dead. It wasn''t delving dead." Harmony squeaked out.

    There might have only been five other people in the room, but they were all entranced by the scene unfolding. Amid that distraction, the maid did what she felt most prudent. She turned on her heels, kicked off, and ran, but as quick as she moved and as far away as she got, she could still feel the hook of the connection between her and the prince.

    Cool evening air hit her as she raced down the steps. [Style and Grace] kicking in to keep her from stumbling down on them.

    Through [Familiar Bond], Hyacinth queried her at the distress, though it held a little amusement. Of course, he could sense the new bond inside his paired partner. A thin thread even linked him too.

    "This isn''t funny." She muttered, sending her desire for help through the bond.

    Hyacinth returned an image. Clear directions to a dark alleyway nearby. Three twisty turns and the toad sat waiting for her.

    Through the stats and the levels, the challenges and achievements, the bond with her familiar was at least growing, and Harmony was grateful. With this kind of a mess, she knew she''d need more than just his help.

    "Can you take me to the manor?"

    "Grrupt." The shadow toad answered.

    It was a tone of agreement, but she could taste amusement, exasperation, and chastisement through their bond. Rather than arguing with him, she walked up, placed her hand on his head, and let him lead her into the shadows.

 Chapter Twenty

    Chapter Twenty

    Harmony¡¯s morning reset spell wiped away all the changes to her face, hair, and nails as she stepped out of the shadows and into the manor grounds not far from the staff area. She poked her head into the lady¡¯s changing room. Between shift changes, it operated as a lounge for taking breaks.

    It was just her bad luck to find Jessica sitting there. She was chewing on a spice stick. Bates would never allow her to actually smoke it here because of the risk of the smell soaking into staff uniforms.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you supposed to be playing adventurer for the little lordling?¡±

    ¡°Do you know where Ambrosia is? I need to talk to her.¡±

    ¡°Things aren¡¯t going as you¡¯d like them to with Tyler? Has he spurned your advances yet? Confessed about planning out a unique evolution for you? Even if you bide your time, he¡¯ll lose interest when you fail to meet his standards.¡±

    Harmony rolled her eyes at the other maid. She had no energy to waste tapping into her social skills for the woman. ¡°Forget Tyler. I need Ambrosia. Am-bro-sia.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± The bitter woman made a poking gesture with her unlit smoke. ¡°you rotting little class-cursed.¡±

    The shadow toad¡¯s tongue shot out, snatching the stick from her fingers. He chewed it twice before spitting it out. ¡°Grphew.¡±

    Heat billowed off the sun priestess as she gasped, froze, and hissed in a fit of anger

    The cook, Renee, pushed into the room with a carefully plated lunch on a tray, ready for her break.

    ¡°Renee, do you know where Ambrosia is?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°She and her birds are on pest duty for Baccus in the east garden. He wanted his little gossip club free of mosquitoes and other flying pests.¡±

    ¡°You¡­¡± Jessica squeaked out, still fuming.

    Harmony ignored her, rushing to her locker. Bates would find some unpleasant task if it became known she stalked the primary residence out of uniform. A twinge of disappointment hit as she put on the tiny uniform, her plans down the hole.

    Jessica summoned a flame to her hand.

    ¡°What¡¯s bothering her?¡± Renee asked.

    ¡°Bad day?¡± The necromancer suggested as she took off, hoping to find a way to fix her problems.

    Through the halls and to the east garden, the necromancer nodded to the manor staff she passed. Even a quick curtsey when needed, all while keeping an air of having important work to do. Rich wine-fueled laughter greeted her as she moved toward the garden. Magical light illuminated the gossip party now that the sun was setting. Ambrosia¡¯s colorful birds darted overhead, taking care of any pests attracted by the light.

    ¡°And then I transferred her to the capitol to work on leveling up!¡±

    The laughter continued harder as some old blowhard made the proclamation. Ignoring all that, Harmony stayed as far out of sight as possible while searching for her friend.

    Ambrosia stood off to the side, wine bottle in hand, as she worked on maintaining a professional demeanor. Harmony had told her to select a social skill when her profession leveled, but she hadn¡¯t yet. She¡¯d taken [sparkling finish] for her last skill selection because she could make her birds feathers gleam with it.

    Now to get her attention. Hair tugging from a distance with any delicacy took a lot of patience that the necromancer didn¡¯t feel like she had now. Her new skill had potential. A weak push from [Cold Touch]. First, she tested a small frigid dot of cold on herself. Then she shot a thread of the skill across the distance, targeting Ambrosia¡¯s bare thigh.

    That got her attention. The other maid nearly dropped her bottle, and Harmony waved as the beast tamer searched for the source. Moments later, she excused herself from the group who cared little about the wait staff as long as she¡¯d be back before the cups got too dry.

    ¡°What are you doing here? And what did you do to me?¡±

    ¡°New skill, but I really need your help. How do you break a bond with a new pet?¡±

    ¡°When the pet dies. And why would you want to do that? The backlash might not be as bad as losing a familiar, but it can still damage your soul. Is that why you suddenly got more interested in my birds? If you don¡¯t fess up, Harm, you¡¯ll have to dodge bird droppings for the rest of your days!¡±

    ¡°I got a special necromancer pet scroll from Tyler.¡±

    Ambrosia groaned.

    ¡°It didn¡¯t work how I expected it to.¡± She wanted to tell Ambrosia about the prince, but she couldn¡¯t. On the scale of Tyler buying her inappropriate armor to her meeting a dungeon spirit, the accidental raising of a royal from the dead was far beyond anything believable. Ha ha, lay off the booze, Harm, or you¡¯d better leave town right now, level of advice from her friend.

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    ¡°Where is the pet now?¡± Ambrosia asked with worry in her voice. Worry about the pet.

    ¡°I left it to come here.¡±

    Ambrosia reached over and grabbed Harmony¡¯s ear pulling her over. Anger in her eyes.

    ¡°Ow. Ow. Ow.¡±

    ¡°If it survives whatever mess you left it in. It will come and find you. Pets have a natural sense of where their masters are. You can¡¯t abandon one. It will keep following you, caring about you no matter what you do. You will respect it and the bond that you forced upon it. I would have thought that with Hyacinth, you would understand the responsibility there.¡±

    ¡°Hyacinth is a partnership.¡± Harmony twisted away a little, but all Ambrosia did was tighten her grip.

    ¡°Well, a pet is a responsibility and a promise to care for and cherish them, even if it is only a fraction of the amount they¡¯ve been directed to give you. It¡¯s like I talk to you, and you only hear what you want.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± And she was deeply, deeply sorry. Though not entirely for not focusing on understanding the beast tamer¡¯s talks. It was hard not to feel that bottomless pit of guilty dread at how clear it was that she couldn¡¯t escape this.

    ¡°Oh, there you are. You took off so fast. I thought I might have done something wrong. Also, weren¡¯t you blonde before?¡±

    The pure cultured accent made Lord Tyler and Madam Coodly sound like rustics to Harmony¡¯s ears. The subservient underpinnings of Harmony¡¯s profession ached to turn around and curtsey. She watched as Ambrosia did step back, letting go of her sore ear, and did perform that act of deference.

    Through her stats, she could feel the connections like an extra sense in her gut that her brain had to interpret. Herself to her new pet and that princely nature¡¯s influence over Ambrosia¡¯s profession. And she wanted to kick it. She half pictured that, and the idea gave her fluttering cramps. One more issue on top of all her other problems.

    ¡°Prince Adric¡­ aren¡¯t you..¡± Ambrosia started to murmur.

    ¡°Adric, my friend Ambrosia. Ambrosia, my new pet.¡± Harmony completed the introduction, letting her friend make all the appropriate connections.

    ¡°Is that it? Our connection seems different than mine and Bowe¡¯s. I thought maybe...¡± The prince¡¯s words dropped off as he drifted into his thoughts.

    ¡°So where is your coatl?¡± Harmony asked.

    A strange man showing up could probably be hidden or excused away. A bit of [Beautician] and [Manipulate Dead], and she could make sure he bears no resemblance to the prince. After that, she¡¯d need a closet to shove him into. Here wasn¡¯t the place to start that.

    ¡°The Commission has specialty lodging for large, rare pets. I ordered him to go back and properly take care of himself. The poor thing hadn¡¯t drunk or eaten anything since I had died. ¡°

    Two of Ambrosia¡¯s pet birds, attracted by the commotion, zipped over and landed on the maid¡¯s shoulder. One started tugging on a strand of the beast tamer¡¯s hair in a sign of affection and worry.

    ¡°How¡­ are¡­ you¡­ alive?¡± Ambrosia managed to squeeze out.

    ¡°I¡¯m not,¡± Adric stated calmly. ¡°Ingenious way of handling my cursed evolution. To think grandma¡¯s helpers had this planned all along if I couldn¡¯t find a solution. I can¡¯t imagine the populace will be happy.¡±

    The common wisdom was you lied about Hazeldown being your hometown if you chose to leave to avoid the embarrassment. The populace considered Hazeldown a necessary evil and the only reason the kingdom tolerated necromancy. An undead, or whatever Adric now was, prince, would have them all soiling their pants about becoming the next Midnight Empire. Never mind how neighboring kingdoms would take it, lying down wasn¡¯t the option Harmony imagined.

    ¡°What did you do, Harm?!¡± Ambrosia hissed.

    Two more concerned birds sailed over and planted themselves on the beast tamer¡¯s head.

    ¡°I was trying to raise the coatl. Turned out it wasn¡¯t dead.¡± She told her friend.

    The look on the prince¡¯s pretty face turned confused. ¡°You¡¯re not part of the queen¡¯s helping hands?¡±

    Great! The so-mythical it verged on being a fairytale group of spies and assassins under the queen¡¯s command was a real thing. If there was a hole nearby, Harmony would have jumped into it. The off dungeon-run and now this. She put energy into [Poise and Bearing], and the outward calm settled into her features. Inwardly her attempts to maintain face and find a solution were vague and not rejecting the panic inside. Her plans all had to do with the coatl and not a prince.

    ¡°Well, I¡­¡± Adric started.

    Harmony turned, reached up, and put her hand on his cheek. New bonds benefited from physical contact. The pet-style connection let her push her will through it in a way that Hyacinth would laugh at. ¡°Be a good boy, dear. I have a place for you to lie low while I figure this out.¡±

    She could feel the young man¡¯s face relax in her hand as the master aspect of her bond kicked in. His eyes glazed over briefly, and she wondered if she overdid it. Her expert was too flabbergasted by the situation to give proper advice.

    ¡°Harmony, you didn¡¯t! Even if this wasn¡¯t a man, you need to show more respect for your pet¡¯s wishes. You always do so well with Hyacinth.¡±

    ¡°Hyacinth is my true partner.¡± She gestured to the suggestively blissed-out pet. ¡°This is something I need to deal with. And don¡¯t act like I haven¡¯t seen you discipline your birds. I need you to stash him in the east parlor. It won¡¯t be open for weeks, and I am assigned to clean it every other day after I return. I need to get back to Lord Tyler before he notices me missing.¡±

    The necromancer watched her friend¡¯s face as the naked emotions around the risks of helping in this crazy venture played out. Hope and fear wrestled as she knew that if Ambrosia said no, she¡¯d be alone.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do it, but you owe me. And no complaints if I turn this into a song or three.¡± Ambrosia added with a look in her eyes, betraying that she was already working on lyrics in her head.

    Harmony touched the prince¡¯s wrist this time and exerted her will. ¡°Follow my friend Ambrosia¡¯s instructions. I¡¯ll be back soon, and we¡¯ll get this all sorted out.¡±

    ¡°Yes, of course, mistress.¡± Prince Adric murmured in an attempt to portray obedience.

    Through the bond, she could sense that he agreed to gain time to think about this. She almost hoped he¡¯d figure out how to slip out of this.

    If the prince felt he could fake going along to get what he wanted, he hadn¡¯t been introduced to the experienced maid, Harmony White.

    Hyacinth seemed to think all this new drama was the greatest thing since a barrel of cats. His amusement only got louder through their bond when Harmony tried to impress upon him the seriousness of this.

    ¡°Hyacinth, you ready to go back to the lodge?¡±

    ¡°Crroak!¡± He confirmed.

    Putting her hand on him, they walked off into the shadows of the bushes and transitioned through them.

 Chapter Twenty One

    Chapter twenty-one

    Lord Tyler¡¯s snoring greeted Harmony as she stepped out of the shadows. The lord looked peaceful, a state she wished she could join him in but knew her mind wouldn¡¯t let her. The letter she left about taking a breather sat unopened. She picked it up and shoved it into her bag.

    Instead, she focused on cleaning up the lodge. Sinking into the menial tasks of her profession. Dusting, washing, tidying up. Tyler¡¯s armor needed polishing, and while [Small Armor] wasn¡¯t the same as the [Heavy Armor] skill, it gave her enough of a glimpse into what she should do to take care of it.

    They had another day at the lodge booked. The plan for a second dungeon diving run had been on the table, but now it wasn¡¯t wanted or needed. Problems waited back at the manor, ones she had no idea how to solve. And if her new pet couldn¡¯t behave for a day with her gone, her situation was hopeless.

    Only after the lodge was spotless did Harmony sit to rest her eyes.

    The crash of dishes woke her. Lord Tyler stood at what had once been, prior to the maid closing her eyes, a spotless food prep area. It was like a culinary bomb went off, the victims of which lay scattered across two plates.

    ¡°I made breakfast!¡± Tyler announced.

    Disasters piled upon disasters. ¡°Thanks, my lord,¡± Harmony responded, almost happy at how simple this one was. A messy kitchen she could handle.

    ¡°You were so beautiful sleeping there that I didn¡¯t want to disturb you.¡±

    Harmony¡¯s happiness from an easily solvable problem collapsed in the face of awkward compliments.

    ¡°I unlocked my stats. I know the team is splitting up, but they did wager on it.¡±

    Harmony offered the distraction while taking the plate. She picked at the poorly organized collection of food bits. As a failure in cooking, it was still better than some of her past attempts.

    ¡°We¡¯re actually planning on meeting for lunch. They felt bad about leaving you for dead. It¡¯s also a goodbye for Rose, who¡¯ll leave for the capitol soon. If we don¡¯t follow through on the wager, what¡¯s the point of making one. I¡¯m sure the team will be happy to use that to decide who¡¯s paying for the meal. That means you got a new class skill?¡±

    Harmony nodded. ¡°Hand me your glass.¡±

    His juice, like hers, was probably half warm. Harmony focused on [Cold Touch]. Chilling the liquid was an option, but she wanted to avoid any risk of necromantic spoiling and instead focused on the glass, letting the skill cool it until her fingers felt a little numb.

    ¡°Your chilled drink.¡±

    That way, he expected the cold before taking the cup and drinking.

    ¡°Oh, grandma will love this. She often regrets transferring the ice, well now blizzard mage, to the capitol so she can work on her post-evolution growth.¡±

    She flexed [Poise and Bearing] to remain impassive. If the matriarch loves this for the summer, then there will be no doubt that Bates will shift her role to be the woman¡¯s personal maid, replacing Astel. Moving on and up is inevitable. She wondered if Tyler realized that would mean he¡¯d see less of her. Maybe one girl isn¡¯t too different from another if Jessica is to be believed.

    ¡°Cold drinks and beauty treatments. I¡¯m sure the gods are having a good laugh at how we use our skills.¡±

    ¡°Fire isn¡¯t only meant to light the night.¡± Tyler countered.

    Harmony had read that book too, because it was Tyler¡¯s. She¡¯d miss all the new books he¡¯d acquire if she was transferred. And Tyler wasn¡¯t so... her beginnings of a positive thought froze when she watched his eyes slip down to her chest. Tyler could grow up more.

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to clean an outfit to have ready for lunch. Some time to focus on my leveling changes won¡¯t hurt, either. Knock when it is time to go.¡±

    With [Style and Grace], the maid smoothly moved away from the meal. She considered it less a retreat than a regrouping because the words had some truth. She¡¯d used up her outfits and needed a change there.

    ¡°Oh¡­ okay.¡± Lord Tyler stuttered a little.

    Harmony let go of the social skill as the door clicked shut to her smaller room and allowed herself to slump down. So many things had happened that it was hard to feel settled, yearning for that reserved state she liked. In a spark of inspiration, she forced a synergy with [Cold Touch] and [Poise and Bearing]. The two wouldn¡¯t normally synergize, but bridging them a little with the connection stat. A cold, uncaring, detached feeling overcame her. The first thought was that if she killed everyone, her problems would disappear.

    Hyacinth, who¡¯d been snoring in the corner, awoke in a panic. His energy booted her through their [Familiar Bond].

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    The Necromancer stumped to the side as her soul took a bludgeoning internally. The throttling shook her out of that dissociated state.

    Don¡¯t be stupid, Stupid. Hyacinth chastised her verbally through their bond for only the second time since gaining the ability.

    ¡°Yeah, thanks.¡± She told the toad.

    He grumbled grumpily and settled back into trying to sleep.

    Scary combinations, scary potential, scary problems. Clearly, some things should not be mixed. It almost made the simple idiocy of Thibodeux¡¯s focus on activations appealing. As much as there was the risk of metaphysically stabbing herself, she knew her method of using skills was who she was, and the stats she unlocked backed that up. Everyone agreed going against your nature led to stalled advancement.

    She reached down and petted her familiar, stroking the back of her already sleeping shadow toad. The love, amusement, caring, and anger from her partner meant that she¡¯d never be alone in this. She knew he wouldn¡¯t want to be woken up again, so she swore off anything too radically different from what she¡¯d attempted in the past.

    The flower dress had been hand washed and dried since the abuse at the dungeon club. That didn¡¯t mean it couldn¡¯t be cleaner. [Dust] with a little oomph behind it stripped out the ground in bits of dirt, leaving the whole thing a tad more vibrant even if it added a little extra wear and tear in the process.

    What she really wanted to do was modify it. The fiber and even some of the dye used were from dead materials. But like with books, it was highly processed, which made it difficult to manipulate. These kinds of people she was joining for lunch rarely wore outfits more than a handful of times, and she didn¡¯t want to show up in the same outfit she¡¯d worn only a couple of days ago.

    The last time she¡¯d tried modifying something like this was months ago. A lot has changed since then. Skill levels, a way to empower an attempt, and now stats that could help with the process. Best of all, it should be a safe way to test how far she¡¯s come since then.

    She ran her hands across the dress. Plant fibers and some of the flowers stitched into the dress were wool. All technically dead, but her class wasn¡¯t feeling it. She leaned into her connection stat to see what she could get out of it. It was like cleaning out clogged pipes, pushing and scraping until the old pathways opened. Even then, she could feel the connection degrading, the link clogging back up.

    It created a time crunch. [Beautician], style, from [Style and Grace], and [Manipulate Dead] surged together as the necromancer maid pulled at whatever synergy she could get to make her idea come to life, forcing it with her stats when she had to. She imagined a soft flowing dress similar to what she saw in the matriarch¡¯s sketches. Colorful and flamboyant.

    The material thinned and softened, plant and animal fibers mixing. Colors blurred together, washing out what had once been stitched flowers. Necromantic energy surged through those carved and cleared connections. It bent and shaped the fibers taking more power than changing the shape and color of hair and nails.

    So much energy, the first bit of plant and animal cell mix warped under it, becoming a warped black spot.

    ¡°Oh no.¡±

    Chronostasis kicked in, slowing everything down. She tapped down on the energy she used through the skills, but what she¡¯d sent was already coming. The jagged black spot expanded, and new ones bloomed. The soft texture she¡¯d been aiming for became slick, black, and wet looking. A hole started to form.

    ¡°No. No. No. No. No.¡± She didn¡¯t want to be forced to wear her peasant-like pants and shirt, her maid outfit, or the new armor. That was sure to bring back memories of the disastrous dive.

    [Mana Rotation] activated to boost [Renew Spirit]. She threw that into the mix, hoping to revitalize what was staying together and halt the new changes.

    The dress glowed as the skill not built to work clothing shoved into the rebuilt connection and into the energetic mix from [Manipulate Dead]. While both necromantic energies played almost opposite functions in affecting dead material, they weren¡¯t completely incompatible.

    It did slow down the destruction of the material, but it continued to change into that shiny black material. Inside of that flecks of bioluminescence bloomed from the [Renew Spirit], freckling the dress like a sea of stars that emitted faint bits of pale green and blue light.

    The beautiful idea torn from the fashion sketches was wiped away with a wave of out-of-control power, leaving a dress that looked nothing like what Harmony desired or wanted.

    She expected the bits of light to die off as the skills¡¯ actions faded, but they stayed. The connections she had forced open filled, and the outfit settled. It felt as separated from her class as it did when she started, maybe even farther apart, as the process had snapped and broken some of the old history of death within the garment. Whatever effect she had forced upon it was done.

    Frustrated, Harmony forced herself to look at her failure with dispassion. The smooth black surface was appealing, reflecting light more like a polished stone than a piece of cloth. She tugged at it, and despite some minor shrinkage, it was more elastic than the plant fiber had been. Squeezing into it was possible. The motes of light made it enchanting, to the point where it looked like a fancy magical creation. Which she supposed it was, even if formed from skill usage gone wrong. More importantly, it didn¡¯t look like something bought from a cheap store, and it wouldn¡¯t show the massive amount of skin her maid uniform or the armor would.

    A pauper of options, she sighed, stripping, then sliding the thing on, squeezing into it, stretching the new dress with her body as she forced into the tight bits through the elastic nature of it.

    Tight but not restraining enough to cause her movement or attack skills to complain. The dress jaggedly cut off above her knees but hugged her all the way to that point, stretching but thankfully not riding up as she made a few test strides. The hole left a bare patch across her back but didn¡¯t tear at all, merely stretching like the rest of the dress.

    The image she saw in the small mirror of the guest room was striking, unusual, and, while form-fitting, covered most of her skin except for below the knees and the swath across her back. [Style and Grace] and the [Beautician] skills agreed that it would do, though there was a hint that she could use make-up and work on her hair.

    Blue highlights and a touch of waviness. It was relieving to use a light touch and get those simple changes made after the work from the dress.

    It would take months of tinkering to figure out how the new skills and her unlocked stats worked together to get the effects she wanted. She knew what she needed as an actual teacher, a tutor to help. An unaffordable and time complicating dream, even if she didn¡¯t have to worry about her new pet complicating her life. Fear of someone barging into the lodge and taking her into custody came. News of what happened had to be spreading. It happened hours ago. If they were going to burst in, she knew it would have happened by now.

    One task at a time. There was a lunch to go to and a new dress to show off.

 Chapter Twenty-Two

    Chapter Twenty-Two

    Tyler''s speechless gaping made all of the frustrations around her skills, stats, and the troubles surrounding them almost worth it. Instead of the normal ogling, it was him being stunned.

    "I''m ready for this lunch if you are." She told him.

    The carriage ride was quick and efficient, and there was no disappointment about skipping the guild hall to go to The Up and Down. Whatever they had done to Tyler to encourage him to talk was enough of a warning that as interested as she might be, the guild was not for her.

    "Lord Tyler, your friends are waiting." They were greeted.

    The hostess''s lack of clothing and skill-reinforced smile made Harmony grateful for her new dress. It was too similar to her work uniform, and who knows when she''d play a similar role greeting guests of the manor. It was nice to show off without being the one shown off.

    She noticed Tyler''s eyes slink downward to staring just below the hostess''s waist as she led them to a private room on the first floor. Any tension from the possibility of going down into the dungeon club eased up. She didn''t want to enter Old Bone''s domain for a long time.

    The door swung open. Rose, Maxell, and Len sat around enjoying goblets of wine and egg-sized bread rolls from a serving dish. Len had eight rolls spinning in the air with some wizardly skill.

    "About damn time, if it isn''t the little lord and his ser¡­ necromancer" Maxwell''s planned words changed at the sight of the pair.

    "They''re actually on time. We''re the ones who got here early." Rose chided him. "Welcome to my sweet fifteen party. Time for me to leave this starter town behind!" she finished.

    The pair took a seat with the rest of the soon-to-be-dissolved team.

    Len guided his floating rolls back into the basket. "I''m so glad you made it back alive, Harmony. While our meetings may have been brief. You''re surprisingly well educated, and I''d be happy if you''d visit me at student housing for your opinions in the future."

    Harmony kept a straight face at the clearly practiced bit of wordplay. As insulting as being called surprisingly well-educated was, she could sense Len meant it as a compliment.

    "Ha!" Max slammed his hand on the table and pointed at Rose. "You owe me five silver. Len invited a girl back to his place."

    "But the party''s being disbanded. The wagers time has passed."

    "We''re all here now. It counts." The knight insisted

    "If I find the time. I''d be happy to go visit you." Harmony answered as Rose dug out coins.

    "Here you go bleeding the party girl. You know she''ll need every penny in the capitol." Tyler poked.

    Max snorted in disbelief.

    "Boys, I''m good for it. What I want to know is, where did you find a unique dress?"

    Harmony could sense the question directed at her and Tyler. More importantly, unique was a keyword for items. It didn''t make the object useful, safe, or valuable. Some of the cheapest items in Lord Tyler''s collection were unique, kept simply because he found the trait fascinating.

    "Unique?" Tyler murmured.

    "Surely you inspected the item?"

    Harmony''s skill was [Analyze], but it fits in the same family as [Inspect] or [Identification]. She looked down and used her skill.

    Unique dress

    Black with luminous spots

    Do you wish to name your creation? Yes/no

    Why not? It reminded her of the night sky. She mentally hit yes and attempted to name it that.

    Name: Night, accepted.

    That was half the name she wanted. Not that it mattered.

    "I made it accidentally." She admitted.

    "That''s an achievement." Len blurted out.

    Rose tossed a roll at his head. "Damn. I was hoping you''d found some fabulous tailor. I''d offer to buy it off you if I thought it would fit."

    Was her dress valuable? A collector like Tyler might buy it, but most things had to be useful to have real value, and this was a mistake created by a low leveled maid. She could live for a year on the skill stone from the dungeon, but selling that was like selling your harvest before you had set some aside to eat.

    Without a movement skill, she''d fall behind and get left for dead again.

    "If I make a clothing mistake in your size, I''ll be sure to let you know."

    "More than that. If you ever make it to the capitol, tell the guild you want to see Rose-three-five-two-seven, and they''ll get us in touch. Lots of adventurers going by Rose in the guild."

    "Digits from Rose, an invite from Len. One dive, and we''ve got a girl with a fan club. I''d offer to buy your work contract from the Little Lord if he''d accept it. If you do ever find yourself in need of a job. I''ll always have space for you."

    Tyler turned red.

    Harmony didn''t even try to hide the sour look on her face at the mention of her employment. Not that she''d be particularly employable if news of her secret princely pet got out.

    Rose''s loud groan interrupted the whole burgeoning conflict. "This is my farewell. No petty politics before we get so messed up that you two call each other poop heads while on the way to passing out."

    A hostess slipped silently into the room. "Will the honored guests be ready to order soon?"

    Stolen story; please report.

    "Now, before you all order. Harmony here has unlocked her stats and hasn''t revealed them to me. Whoever''s guesses were furthest from the truth will pay for this meal. Keep that in mind when ordering." Tyler announced.

    "Congratulations," Len said.

    Max grinned. "I''ve got this. Order me the king''s feast."

    The frenzy of ordering began. Expensive alcohol. Imported cheeses. The maid sat silently while the rest of the team made their selections, even though she knew her meal would be covered too.

    "You can take bites from all the orders. There''ll be enough to feed the poor for a week once the leftovers are donated to the temples." Tyler assured her.

    Orders done, the hostess left, mumbling to herself to keep everything straight.

    "So how are we going to decide who loses the wager?" Rose asked.

    A thick book out of Tyler''s pocket space landed with a thud on the table. "I borrowed a copy of Bixley''s Compendium of Stats from the manor library."

    "That book is often wrong," Len said, frowning.

    "It''s trash." Rose agreed.

    "But nothing is more comprehensive, and the man is obsessed with organizing stats into different areas. While not perfect as a reference, it should be good for helping us decide whose guesses are closest to Harmony''s stats, at least by the book''s poorly thought out categorization."

    "Fine. I certainly don''t want to be up all night debating instead of drinking." Max said

    The rest of the table, while miffed, agreed. Harmony, who hadn''t read that book yet, was more interested in it than the discussion. Carter''s schema was considered trash as well, but she had found value in it.

    "First, everyone''s guesses. Len, if you would." Tyler intoned

    The wizard produced a sheet and quill and began writing from memory.

    "Harmony, your first stat?"

    "Synergy."

    The book cracked open, and the pages flipped until it reached the "S" section. Harmony spied a Ruin stat in small text before it turned to the proper place. Tyler ran his finger down a page "Swords, synesthesia, ah, synergy. Bixly lists it as ninety percent skills, ten percent mental. Closely related to empowerment, efficiency, combo, and collaboration. A tier four, but we all know Bixley over-values all the skill-affecting stats. Perfect for her, though, because she is a follower of Carter."

    Harmony spied the page. A small blue dot sat next to the name. Others listed had varying colors. Red, green, purple. "What''s with the color?" She asked.

    "Green means someone knew someone who had that stat, rather than hunting down and recording every stat that appeared. Bixley took everything he thought might be a stat for someone and then wrote his book. Only after did he chase down and modify any of the information. His followers have added, updated, and notated chances ever since. This version is only five years old, so it should be one of the more up-to-date copies. What''s next?"

    "Connections."

    Tyler traversed back toward the front of the book. "Connection! Oh, crafty are you?"

    The word was there, but it was missing the "s" . How important that was, Harmony didn''t know. The text, however, didn''t match her understanding of her stat.

    "Completely external. Closely related to binding, fortify, and crafting. Only tier one, but you can''t win them all. It must have helped you make that dress.

    "I guess, yeah." She had felt the influence of the stat in the creation process with the dress, even if she burnt out many of those old connections in the material. Harmony hadn''t focused on making connections in the material, and the stat felt more inwardly or skill-focused. Her bond with Hyacinth felt improved, and even her new pet benefited. Boredom flicked back through that connection as her thoughts focused on the prince.

    "The dress is amazing," Rose assured her, mistaking the look on the necromancer''s face as one of disappointment.

    "I''m not sure the definition fits my stat well."

    "Trash." Max coughs into his fist.

    "This is only for the purposes of the bet. Last stat?" Tyler asked.

    "Chronostasis."

    "Shouldn''t be too far away then." He flipped back in the book. "Can you spell it for me?"

    ¡°C-H-R¡­¡±

    "It''s not in the book."

    "Ha!" Len barked.

    "Just like me, vastness isn''t in it either." The knight added.

    "Can you give a brief description of it?"

    "It''s like time feels like it is slowing down." Harmony wrestled with how much to tell them. "But only in certain situations."

    "Oh, a perception-based stat, or maybe reaction." Len mused.

    "Could be mental, like the ones that modify memory," Rose added.

    "Time manipulation would be¡­." Before Tyler could finish his sentence, the private room''s door burst open, and the staff carrying food trays marched in.

    Harmony was grateful for the distraction from picking apart her new stats. It''s not like she''s had that much time to explore exactly how they modified her. Almost as bad as when some of the other maids decided her boobs had finally come in and spent a week talking about them to varying degrees.

    Tray after tray of delicious food distracted everyone with their careful plating and delectable smells. Whole chickens covered in a sweet glaze. Slices of beef steaming next to bowls of hot gravy.

    Rose nabbed a pile of pickled striped root vegetables. "Food!"

    The soon-to-be dissolving team''s exuberance helped encourage Harmony to snatch up tasty morsels that caught her eye. She''d planned on a measured approach but ended up with a plate of steaming potatoes, crispy meats, and steamed greens crisscrossed by two rivers of sauces, one cheesy and another sweet and sour.

    "I''m going to miss this place when I transition to the capitol." Max groaned with pleasure between bites.

    "You know they have better restaurants there." Rose admonished.

    "Yeah, but they''re ten times the price. Not everyone has the pocket space."

    Bixley''s book of stats got passed to Len, who flipped back and forth between pages taking notes as he ate.

    The door opened once more, and a hostess made her way in, an enveloped letter in her hand. "A letter for the Rose." most of the table''s eyes perked up and watched her delivery.

    The ranger snatched it with a sigh and ripped it open while motioning the deliverer away. She read the letter.

    "I was afraid of this."

    "Oh, where did our fearless Rose go?" Max joked,

    "I''d heard rumors of some kind of incident in the Temple district that they were trying to keep quiet about. We were recovering from our little dungeon escapade when someone stole Prince Adric''s body. A necromancer or some kind of puppet class walked in, raised him up, and then took off with him following after. "

    "I''m not sure why anyone would do that?" Len pondered.

    Harmony knew that the answer was ''by accident.'' She hoped to avoid this new problem until she returned to the manor.

    "Holding the body for ransom is the theory. Legally it''s a great idea to make a small pile of gold, but I assure you whoever did this will regret it." Rose said

    Harmony picked up her water and started to drink it. If it hadn''t been such a disaster, she''d combine [Cold Touch] and [Poise and Bearing] to feel nothing. She simply settled for the latter and let the skill give her an air of calmness.

    "Thousands of idiots are born each day. You''re bound to stumble across several while working." Len added.

    "Well, this idiot is going to cost me my farewell party and leave me stuck in this backwater until this is resolved. I hope you enjoy the meal. I''ll cover it, but I need to go." Rose grumbled as she stood up.

    Harmony waited until Rose had left the room before looking at Tyler, "So, what''s Rose''s relationship to the prince?"

    "She''s some kind of cousin. Came in with Adric''s entourage aiming to take advantage of Hazeldown''s dungeon to level easier. Grandma made the introductions for the team. I''m not sure how close the two were, but they all knew the prince was dying when he got here. I''d imagine this will be reopening old wounds for her." The young lord pondered this before shrugging. "Can you pass me those crispy potatoes? "

    The maid passed the potatoes. Looking down at her plate of food, she found it a lot less appealing now than when she first filled it.

 Chapter Twenty-Three

    Chapter Twenty-Three

    The rest of the meal was a blur for Harmony. The party girl leaving took a lot of the energy out of the event and removed one of the barriers to Max and Tyler needling each other. The competition between them started to go towards who could drink the most.

    "How much money will it cost to hire a new team, Little Lord?" The knight sneered drunkenly.

    "I''m not in a rush to go to the capital. I like Hazeldown and the people who are here."

    Harmony caught the long look Tyler gave her at that. She returned a polite smile, but it clashed inwardly with worries about whatever Rose and the royals were doing to track down her new pet. Hopefully, Adric was behaving for Ambrosia. She couldn''t help checking in on the vague feelings she got through their new bond several times.

    The pet bond was decidedly different from the [Familiar Bond]. Hyacinth shared everything with her. It was one of those rare skills you had to select when you first got your class to get familiar. A little gateway would open, and, plop, one would come through. At the first level, the small toad could fit in her hand. With Adric, she could exert influence towards him, yet the same wasn''t true in reverse. She was the master, with the promise of, Ambrosia would say, care, but all Harmony could feel was responsibility and guilt.

    "Looks like you''re having deep thoughts?" Len inquired.

    "I was thinking about how my [Familiar Bond] differs from other types," Harmony answered honestly.

    She could tell the wizard was looking for a distraction rather than the sloppy drinking hostility between Max and Tyler, who looked like they were moments away from throwing food at each other. Not that Len was completely sober. She wished she felt comfortable enough to do more than sip hers.

    "That''s because they''re from other dimensions. Their progression stalled, so they agreed to these bonds to potentially exceed their limits through partnership. Most familiars are shy about talking about their situation, but Elgin''s octopus, Fromport, wrote a fascinating paper on the topic. Making the familiar more widely read than the wave magus."

    Hyacinth might be able to only just speak now, but he was her partner. The fact that Harmony didn''t know this made her feel stupid. This aspect of familiars wasn''t in any of the books she''d managed to read. "Dimensions. Fascinating."

    "Farthington claims to be from a dimension of dragons, not birds. But that is all I managed to get from him before he pecked at me. Outside of Fromport''s notes, Hazeldown University lacks information on the topic. The schools in the capitol supposedly have more. Then there are the libraries of the evolved kingdoms." That last line, he said wistfully.

    The evolved kingdoms always seemed more fantasy than reality to Harmony. They almost always played a large part in storybooks. The tourists were often their youths, but they were all business about leveling in the dungeon even then. The kingdom seemed to exist as a neutral and safe area for them to travel and train.

    "I''m sure you''ll make it to an evolved kingdom library someday." She assured the wizard.

    He shook his head. "I''m not sure I have the temperament to meet the level requirements for admission. I joined Tyler and Max for these dives to level out of Hazeldown. The dungeon haul means I have maybe half a year of dues, so I can afford to maintain guild membership if I ignore university costs. I know I''m close to hitting fourteen, but as you''ll find out after you get your stats, it simply takes more time to advance your class."

    "Or more risk." Thibodeux and Carter agreed on that. The more crazy or risky an act, the more class advancement one achieves. Professions you could grind out. That was where practice made perfect.

    "I nearly died. And that wasn''t risky enough for me to level on this last run. Maybe I''m cursed to be level locked. I''m ready to sit for exams but need that last level to do it."

    Most people like Jessica hit that problem when they needed to evolve to advance. Harmony had never heard of someone hitting a wall before that point. Len''s despair reminded her of her own issues. "Doing nothing isn''t going to help. If you feel like you''re close, then trust that. Or better yet, trust your familiar. Their otherly dimensional knowledge is sure to help."

    She watched Len slip deep into thought at that. As ignorant as she''d felt learning that Hyacinth may be a wise old being from somewhere else, it actually made sense. Hyacinth was always there to save or kick her butt when needed. It wasn''t that long ago that her shadow toad helped save her.

    A chicken leg flew across the table. Max deflected it easily. "How dare you!"

    An actual food fight was a surprise for the maid.

    "No. How dare you!" Tyler yelled back.

    "I think it would be best to depart, Lord Tyler."

    "Too late for that. The Little Lord might not need a boon from the guild by escorting you to see the guild master. He''d rather keep you sheltered and shielded from others than let you out of your gilded cage, Harmony. I had foresight."

    Tyler had come home worn out after the man''s interrogation. The knight''s grin was pompous. It didn''t feel like he was giving her any big favor. She wished for one problem she could ignore without it stomping into her life.

    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    "You didn''t?" Tyler huffed.

    Max let his widening grin speak for him.

    "There were more appropriate ways to do this." Len admonished the knight.

    Panic lit the lord''s eyes. "Let''s go, Harmony." He pushed up from the table, half yanking the necromancer from her seat.

    As they turned away from the table, the door to the private room opened.

    The air wasn''t sucked out of the room, but everyone felt like it was. As though their breaths were being held for them. The short man in simple white breaches and a soft white shirt entered the room. His brown hair was splashed with gray, and he had a face that looked youthful but framed eyes that held an old gaze.

    ¡°Guild master Hemlock.¡± Tyler hissed.

    Hemlock smiled. "No need to stand."

    Harmony and Tyler found themselves forced back down into their seats. They didn''t need to stand for this man, did they? He was here only for casual social business.

    "And Max, thank you for the invitation. Speaking with all the party members when rare events happen is important." Hemlock continued.

    Harmony realized that was important and reasonable. It''s not like she had other more pressing problems to deal with. She could feel Hyacith grumpily waking up in a pissy mood. Her pet, it was harder to sense that one, but there were some signs that he needed to be calmed down. Surely the guild master would understand that she had responsibilities she needed to take care of, and she could see him later. The churn in her soul started to burn like indigestion as the connections with her bonded partners pushed into the swirl.

    "I''d happily talk to you about the dungeon run later. I do have some errands I need to take care of." Harmony told the man.

    The guild master''s smile faltered.

    The maid worried she might have said something wrong. [Poise and Bearing] with a little of [Style and Grace] might make this flow smoother.

    "I''d prefer if we could get this done now."

    That did seem reasonable, but her chest burned. She activated her skills, focusing on synergizing them to help give the most appropriate answer. The energy of the synergized skills flowed into her. It burst through the opposing skill draped over her, breaking the dam that kept her contained. Her class, her profession, her bonded partners, and the skills inside of her all raged. It was a primarily impotent rage in that she recognized that this man had the skills to crush her like a newly budding flower under his heel.

    Her [Small Armor] skill felt unsure it could protect her in time. She called her armor out of its space and into place and was pleasantly surprised when her skin didn''t feel that shock of being exposed. The armor snapped into place over her new dress. Stylized metal over the inky black starscape.

    "I think not." She answered, keeping an edge of anger in her voice.

    A slightly shocked response on the guild master''s face morphed into a grin. "I can see why the dungeon took such a focus on you. To break my skill and not even have passed your first evolution. If that was all it took to get the old spirit''s attention, I would have tested every new guild member to grace my steps these last fifty years. I would still appreciate a brief conversation. The others will stay politely quiet while we talk."

    Tyler, Len, and Max nod in unison, still in the throws of the guild master''s skill.

    She wanted to say no but knew that would cause more problems later. Internally As far as she could tell, she was free of the skill. She should be able to be fully herself while conversing.

    "I''m happy to speak briefly with you."

    "I apologize for using my skill, [polite conversation] has its uses in my kind of work. It''s more of a lubricant toward satisfactory resolutions. Your friends were beside themselves at your death, and the revelation of your survival made them feel protective. Told me it would be best for you to wait before seeing me. You''re not a guild member, but I''ve solved that. I''ve registered you as a lifetime member of the guild. Simply go to any branch office and request your token."

    A social lubricant was not how Harmony experienced the effects, nor was that how she imagined her very recent team reacted to her assumed death. The madam might have been livid for getting the maid who performed miracles on her skin and hair killed, but it wasn''t like others couldn''t replace her. As for the guild token, a gift with heavy chains like all the others.

    "Thank you. That is certainly a generous gift." And it was. Guild fees were exorbitant, only increasing as one went to more advanced areas. Regular guild memberships had stiff stipulations in their contracts. She imagined a lifetime one would be worse. "I wish to consolidate my gains from the dungeon run before attempting again. I''m still finding my legs."

    "I think you''re doing remarkably well."

    "How kind of you to say that. What would you like to know?" Harmony knew the quickest way out of this conversation was through.

    "What was meeting the dungeon spirit like?"

    "Intense. Old Bones appeared as a fluffy dog to not scare me. But the power there was incredible."

    "Will they be expecting you again?"

    Harmony scrunched up her face. The darn thing seemed excited to see what she could do in the future, not that she was eager to return. In some ways, the dungeon was the least important problem she had right now.

    "It would like to see me again, but after I''ve improved. I got the feeling it wants to see me better prepared next time I challenge it."

    The guild master nodded, and she saw some eager excitement in his eyes. It was the kind of look she''d seen on people who are focused on themselves so much that they don''t see the other people in the room as things to care about or be concerned about.

    "I''ll be happy to assist you when the time comes for your next dungeon dive. As a guild member, you''ll find our training resources are some of the best, even in a beginning town like Hazeldown."

    Oh, how Harmony so wanted to tell him to shove it. "The next time I need to go in, I''ll be sure to call on you." Not that she ever wanted to go back there again. Future levels were low on the necromancer''s priority list.

    "I''ll keep you to that." The man said, and Harmony could feel his skill wash over her again. It was like standing against a wave at the beach. She managed to stay on her feet and felt even more drained. "Next time." He finished, turning and leaving the room.

    That wasn''t the inquisition she had expected. Had that weak promise been enough to satisfy him? Hemlock was not the kind of man to forget she existed when there was something he wanted. No guild and no dungeon. It would be an easy commitment to keep until her main problem was dealt with.

    "Well, that wasn''t so bad. He was much nicer than the last time I saw him." Tyler piped up, slurring a little.

    The rest of the room also appeared to be recovering from the effects of the man''s skill. Harmony looked away before rolling her eyes at the lord''s comment.

    "Let''s get you home." She told him.

 Chapter Twenty-Four

    Chapter Twenty-Four

    Tyler was pliable. Whether from the alcohol or the leftover effects of Hemlock¡¯s skill Harmony wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°Pack up. Then sit.¡± She told him as they entered the lodge.

    Harmony went to her smaller room and shut the door. It was time to change her clothes. She willed the armor back inside her soul space. The skin-pricking feeling of the cold air coated her body. The armor had taken her new dress with it, leaving her naked. She¡¯d been so close to stashing the armor on the way out.

    ¡°Grrup, grrup, grrup.¡± Hyacinth chuckled from his corner.

    ¡°Shut it.¡± She marched over to her clothing and pulled out the maid uniform. Nothing like a little bit of clothing to make you grateful for any amount of clothing above being nude. She was heading back to the manor, and having the outfit on would be more efficient when she traveled to the parlor to check on the prince.

    Packing up took very little time. Tyler sat waiting where she had directed, his gear at his side and whatever extras he had probably stashed in his storage item.

    ¡°It was a very intense couple of days.¡± Tyler started.

    Seeing him coming out of his haze slightly, Harmony interrupted him. ¡°I want to thank you for allowing me to dungeon dive with your team. Intense at times, but I accomplished my goals, and the gifts were extravagant. Everything has evened out between us.¡±

    If it hadn¡¯t all gone to shit, Harmony feared she might have felt obligated to help him with more of his sensory sessions.

    ¡°Nothing really went as I planned.¡± Tyler continued.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright, my lord. I don¡¯t think anyone could have expected what happened. Getting back to the manor quickly and processing all our gains would be best.¡±

    Harmony knew she was firmer than appropriate for her position. Today was still technically her day off, and she didn¡¯t want to waste any more time.

    ¡°Of course.¡± Tyler half mumbled as he lurched to his feet.

    The carriage ride back was mainly silent. Every time Tyler opened his mouth, Hyacinth let out a little half-croak, interrupting him. The further away from the dungeon district, the better Harmony felt in the distance she put between guild master Hemlock and the dungeon Old Bones. But it also meant getting closer to her most pressing problem. She already had an idea she felt sure would work. A couple of months of laying low and everyone is sure to forget the missing corpse of Prince Adric over some new scandal. Recovering the body is probably only about saving face for the royals.

    A simple solution for a simple problem. Harmony let the smile naturally take over her face as the carriage stopped at the front of the manor. She returned to her serving role as she slid out first and opened the door for Lord Tyler.

    ¡°Thank you for helping with all the gains I¡¯ve made.¡±

    His help had been instrumental, sometimes excessive, sometimes overbearing, and she did mean it. But soon enough, everything needed to go back to the same routine. The lord walked out towards the manor, and she stepped back around to get her things.

    Stu, the house boy, was there grabbing Tyler¡¯s baggage. He gave her a questioning look like any curious coworker would.

    The grumbly huff she returned, she hoped, would signal a long story that she¡¯d talk about later. It¡¯s not like Stu had time to talk. She hauled her bags inside and to her shared room, locking her new skill stone and various dungeon drops into her chest before she rushed off again.

    Harmony entered the east parlor. ¡°Hello?¡±

    The prince was upon her before she could react. He had his hands around her waist, lifting and spinning her in the air, of all the times for her new stat to not activate and buy her time to think.

    ¡°Harmony!¡± Adric squealed joyfully.

    Her pet¡¯s act was not malicious, but she got dizzy. ¡°Um,¡± she gulped.

    Slowly he stopped spinning,

    ¡°I was so worried. Ambrosia has been telling me all about you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, has she now? You can put me down, please.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. It¡¯s not everyday someone saves my life. I was excited. I could feel it when you were anxious. Ambrosia assured me you¡¯d handle it like you saved those delvers you dived with. Or handled the gnome infestation.¡±

    Harmony let him babble on a bit about the tales her friend told him. At the house of the dead, she¡¯d been focused on the coatl. When he surprised her outside the garden party, she¡¯d decided it would be most prudent to run back to Tyler and maintain that alibi. She took in her new pet. Perfectly pretty, annoyingly adorable, the idealized male, or if you squint enough the idealized being.

    ¡°Yes. Yes. I¡¯m quite capable. I plan to make it so you can be free of this little hideaway I¡¯ve got you stashed in.¡±

    ¡°Why hide? My family will be ecstatic that I¡¯m back. The whole trip to this little corner of the kingdom was to keep me alive. The guild master here is twice evolved and transferred to the guild here from far off. The hope had been that he could help me with my problem.¡±

    The smile he flashed was made to melt hearts or get him a belly rub, but it was so inappropriate that Harmony had to throttle the urge to kick him.

    ¡°Maybe. Right now, they believe I stole your corpse for ransom. Assuming I can convince them you¡¯re still you.¡± Harmony had doubts there, having never met the man originally. He seemed more an eager puppy than a functioning adult, which could be the scroll¡¯s side effect. ¡±For historical reasons, intelligent, independent, and royal undead tend to set people on edge.¡±

    If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Harmony watched the eagerness slip right off his face as his brow furrowed. The look did nothing to detract from the man¡¯s handsomeness. Then he opened his mouth.

    ¡°Oh, right. That midnight empire stuff. It happened so long ago. You¡¯ve also got me under control.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure a low-level necromancer and maid acting as your master will inspire confidence. Never mind your special status. Even if I put a collar on you and walked you around, everyone would doubt who holds the leash.¡± Harmony shook her head at the image. The way people acted, it would be more likely to start a trend than anything else.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to help you with your problems. I owe you my life. Tell me your plan.¡±

    Harmony ran her hands up from under her chin, over her face, and down the back of her hair. In that process, she focused on putting on the disguise she had on when she resurrected Adric. It gave her sharper, more colorful features, turning her hair into those golden ringlets.

    ¡°We simply have to change what you look like.¡±

    She shook her head and cleansed her face and hair of those changes.

    The prince looked both horrified and resigned. ¡°If you think that is best.¡±

    Harmony guided him to a chair, so she wouldn¡¯t have to reach up to get to work. She knew she could keep him pretty, but the plain and ugly were often overlooked. Someone you wouldn¡¯t look at twice or didn¡¯t want to ever look at again.

    There was a little excitement towards the act of vandalism she had planned. Prince Adric can enjoy new experiences. Being undead, she should be able to change his bone and tissue structure rather than create an illusion with shading and lines.

    She readied [Manipulate Dead] and prepared to synergize with [Beautician]. It would be a corruption of that last skill, using it the opposite of what it was meant to do, adding flaws, maybe a mole or two. Laying her hand on his face, she pushed out, probing with her magic.

    Nothing.

    Smooth, firm skin, and a strong jaw, her hand rested on the prince¡¯s face feeling nothing she could use. Like he scrubbed his skin clean, but worse. People¡¯s skin was constantly dying and regrowing. No matter how clean the madam thought she was, there was always enough to work with for her to perform her [Beautician] miracles for the woman or for anyone else. Here there was nothing to work with.

    She touched his hair and pushed magic into¡­ a solid stone wall¡­ an impossibility. Hair grew out of one¡¯s head dead, the same as nails, the perfect non-living material she honed her skills on. Panic rose in her chest, and she searched her class¡¯s senses. Her fist gripped the top of her pet¡¯s head as she probed.

    ¡°Ow. Ow. Ow.¡± Adric yelped, causing her to let go.

    ¡°What are you?¡± She didn¡¯t know. It wasn¡¯t unliving material. She¡¯d experienced that in the dungeon and other variations of undead materials, some reinforced through the dungeon¡¯s domain to resist her skills.

    ¡°I¡¯m your pet, and that is weird. I didn¡¯t get how Rain feels being mine until this happened. It¡¯s like a piece of me that I didn¡¯t even know was missing has been filled. Have you changed me? Is there a mirror?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that you¡¯re not the normal kind of back-from-the-dead. You¡¯re less dead than normal people. For people, it¡¯s a fight to stay alive, and you¡¯re constantly birthed anew. You¡¯re impossibly alive. There¡¯s¡­ nothing¡­ I¡­  can¡­ change¡­¡±

    Her perfect plan. Deader than the prince was a few days ago.

    Prince Adric¡¯s embrace engulfed the maid.

    ¡°It¡¯s alright. Everything is going to work out. I can tell.¡±

    Harmony didn¡¯t know how to respond. Things never simply worked out. If you wanted the chamber pot clean, you had to scrub it. If you wanted a favor from Tyler, Hyacinth had to suck some toes. If you wanted to level quickly, you had to visit a dungeon. Who lived in a fairytale world where things worked out on their own? Let alone without any complication.

    ¡°And how did you end up dying?¡±

    Adric let go of her. Giving her an adorably sheepish look. ¡°Cursed class, well, cursed profession, to be honest. I¡¯d evolved, and my profession options were, cursed prince, inner courtier, and mourned prince. Cursed prince has a long enough history that the king would have executed me if I selected it. Kind of how necromancers used to be. Being an inner courtier would have meant abdicating my princely status, authority, and position. Mourned prince, now that was a new option. Sure, it didn¡¯t have the most appealing names, but how was I supposed to know it came with a clock on how long I had left to live?¡±

    How could it not? That¡¯s right up there with taking a class with the prefix doomed or evil. Both of which the system has been known to throw out as options. Conversely, you could be a holy knight or divine avenger. Classes could change that way independently, but it was rare and took effort or luck, both good and bad. Or, in Adric¡¯s case, selecting one upon evolution.

    ¡°But things obviously worked out.¡±

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Prince Adric answered, missing the sarcasm. ¡°Not to say I won¡¯t make an effort to make everything perfect, but it will work out.¡±

    Harmony stepped away, numb.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure your effort will be great.¡± The oblivious relationship to reality her pet had started to sink in. ¡°I need some time to think.¡±

    She back peddled until she was at the parlor exit. There she nearly ran straight into Ambrosia, who waited outside the door with a tray of food.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to ruin your moment.¡± The other maid said. ¡°Let me bring Addy his food.¡±

    Ambrosia moved in and out with the same practiced efficiency as they served the guests, closing the door behind her.

    Harmony embraced her friend, letting her body slump into her and resting her head on the other maid¡¯s chest. ¡°I¡¯m so screwed. He¡¯s an idiot, more sheltered and naive than Tyler. I¡¯d planned to change his appearance, but that didn¡¯t work.¡±

    Ambrosia petted the shorter maids¡¯ hair. ¡°That¡¯s actually not a bad idea. And as a pet, he just needs some training. Yvette, my little sparrow, kept picking at the embroidery of my dresses; it took months to correct that. Try to relax. Your pet can pick up on that, they¡¯re sensitive to our anxieties, and it can cause them to overreact.

    ¡°He is my anxiety.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell him that. It won¡¯t help. Calm yourself, and not with that skill. They can tell when it¡¯s not true. Don¡¯t you remember any of my lectures on pet ownership?¡±

    Harmony admittedly focused more on the practical aspects than Ambrosia¡¯s philosophy. Her birds were as much people as they were pets to her, so it made sense that Adric was as much a pet as he was a prince.

    ¡°Um.¡±

    Ambrosia gave her another squeeze. ¡°A new pet bond is always a trying thing for both pet and owner. I¡¯ll help guide you through this. Keep calm and get some rest, maybe some fresh air. It does everyone some good.¡±

    Harmony went straight to the maid¡¯s quarters to brood.

 Chapter Twenty-Five

    Chapter Twenty-Five

    Brooding was, of course, practical brooding for Harmony. It was how she handled the class negativity when she got hired, the tides of workplace politics, and Lord Tyler when it became necessary. Thinking about all the things that had gone wrong, are probably going wrong, and might go wrong always made her unhappy. But one had to think about such things to adapt, progress, and survive.

    So many of the things she thought about were outside of her control. She dug through her chest to the bottom, fingers brushing past the gym badge and skill stone she''d deposited upon returning to grab her personal progression journal. "Harmony''s diary." A few people had mocked her early on until they saw it got no response, but that was back before she proved herself a hard worker and willing to do the distasteful jobs. The matriarch slowly stealing her away to work on their beauty regimens was cutting into that. She feared resentment that would bring the darker times back.

    Jessica''s hostility was focused on her current relationship with Tyler. She had enough vinegar to stink up any arising problems. Hopefully, Bates would replace the sun priestess soon.

    The book didn''t have personal snippets about feelings or dreams. But instead, reflections on progressing and leveling. And as much as the maid disliked Thibodeux''s narrow vision of skills, she appreciated his data recording, something Carter''s Schema ignored because they went with the more flexible approach. She''d devised tests for every skill to measure and record the results. She''d updated them all before the trip to the lodge.

    It hurt to know that the measurements would spike due to the quick progression of two new levels, unlocked stats, and skill stones. The record of writing down all the slight differences with every incremental change is now broken. Such sentimentality wouldn''t change where she was now.

    As for what the necromancer needed to conduct her tests, only one item was required, her book. It was processed enough to resist all of her skills. Trying to see how far she could launch a bit of bone would get it impaled somewhere and potentially hurt someone. Moving a book that her skills had difficulty affecting would hurt no one. The short distance was something she could easily measure. Going from level ten to level twelve in [Manipulate Dead] moved the book twice the length she had managed before the trip, scooting it nearly across the whole room. That was with no synergies and actively not using her new stats.

    Now for her stats. After what happened with the dress, she hesitated to use connections. If all she focused on was the existence of the paper once being dead bits of tree and not forcing anything into it, it would probably be fine. The worst that would happen is the book would turn into a pile of black goop, and she''d have to redo the whole thing, but it was that or not get the information.

    Focusing on the connection, keeping her focus coordinated with her skill, similar to threading a needle. Eye, hand, tiny hole, and movement. In this case, skill, concept, stat, and with a bit of magic, a push. The book flew forward and crashed into the wall. "Ashes." She cursed.

    The clatter drew attention. Fel stepped in. "I know your trip with Tyler was probably awful, but you don''t need to go and throw anything. Why don''t you hug your frog or something."

    Harmony rushed over to her book and picked it up. "Sorry."

    "Your diary too. That bad?. Care to divulge?"

    The redhead was one of the spigots of the river of gossip. Harmony wouldn''t be surprised if she was looking for her just to get the first tidbit of news. Keeping any information private meant that someone like Jessica would spread rumors and innuendo.

    "Tyler gave me lovely gifts so I wouldn''t shame him in front of his friends. But they were Tyler gifts." They''d see her skills once she revealed them at the morning check-in tomorrow. "A [Small Armor] skill so he could dress me in the armored equivalent of our maid uniforms. Then [High Kick] so I would have to kick up while wearing it."

    "And you don''t like to flaunt anything. Not that Tyler is particularly circumspect in how he shows interest. If my suitors hadn''t helped me fill out my skill spots, I''d certainly be tempted to join him for a gift like that. Good timing, too. I don''t think Lady Coodly will let your skills out of her clutches again any time soon."

    "I did manage to level twice, but the dungeon run went sideways. I don''t think I''ll go back for a long time."

    "Ha! Finally got your stats. Our Harm, now an adult. Of course, when the lady takes you to the capital, you''ll have to evolve before they recognize you there. That''s why Jessica is so pissy. The other girls and I should throw you a party."

    Harmony knew the party would be more for them than her. "I''d love that." Best to say on their good side.

    "We can dress up your frog too. That tie deserves a suit." Fel added, already looking into the clouds in thought.

    Harmony opened her mouth to protest that but shut it quickly, remembering Hyacinth''s chuckles at her current situation. "Make sure it matches."

    Through their bond, she could sense  Hyacinth''s unease at Harmony''s current state of mind, not that she thought he knew exactly what she was thinking.

    "Of course. I don''t have the [Fashion] skill for no reason."

    "So, what did I miss while I was away?"

    Harmony let the gossip spigot turn open as she listened to Fel prattle on the staff and the lords, noting the little things that might be useful. The everyday mundaneness of it relaxed her as she let it push aside the other problems she had no control over.

    The following day she stood before the head butler, Bates, and displayed her skills. Fel and the rumor mill had ensured that for most of the staff, none of it was much of a surprise.

    "[Cold Touch]?" The head butler asked.

    The sense of that skill and the final death of everything tickled her mind at the question. "It''s good for chilling drinks," Harmony answered.

    "Useful." The approval in his voice was strictly job-related. "You''ll need your toad for today''s task. I''ve been informed the attic storage will be accessed early this year. "He handed her the attic key.

    Nasty things tended to take up residency during the late fall and winter. Spiders, rodents, minor monster spawns, even a young troll one year. Harmony winced involuntarily, not even keeping her poise in check. She''d only been level five that year, and Hyacinth had strained himself to pull her through the shadows to safety. The first time he''d done that particular trick and something he didn''t try again until recently.

    Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there.

    "I''ll get it done, sir."

    "Make sure it''s quick. The madam has several social engagements this evening and has requested your skills."

    Quick!? The last time it had taken her two whole days to clear out and clean the entire space. Hyacinth poked her through her [Familiar Bond], chastising her lack of confidence. Advancement was tricky that way. Your brain had to catch up with your new abilities.

    "I''ll handle it."

    Bates pounded his cane, and they were dismissed.

    "Want me to pull out some work clothes?" Jimmy asked.

    Harmony was about to say yes when her brain caught up to her. "I''ve got it handled this time."

    "Meet you there." She told her familiar as he veered off into the shadows. And they were off.

    The attic had its own set of stairs. There was a pulley system for the loading and unloading of oversized items from storage, but that required a team. The magical key unlocked the door made to keep the attic secure. Valuables were sometimes kept up there, but mostly to keep people from getting into trouble. The story was that when Bates was young, a house boy took a maid up there for some private time, and both were put out of commission from several scale spider bites.

    The open door revealed her shadow toad happily crunching on four scale spiders. She pushed mana into the glow stone by the door. It greedily drank up the magic and started to emit light. She closed the door behind her.

    The maid set aside her uniform, remembering the damage to her clothes the first time she swapped them and the discomfort of holding something unacceptable inside herself. She summoned her paired armor. It snapped into place along with the sparkling black dress. The two seemed even more fused, connecting all the separate pieces into a uniform that began with the armored gloves and ended with her armored boots. The inky black material stretched down along the outside of her leg, linking the boots to the shin guards like a specialty garter as a fully connected piece. The redistribution of the slick black material to do that left more skin uncovered along her back. Undampened by the time inside her skill''s space, the new creation sparkled even brighter with its motes of light.

    "Let''s see how good this is as work clothes. Should be more than capable of handling any attic pests." She used her [Analyze] skill on it.

    Night

    Unique Armor

    A rare fusion with luminous properties.

    Paired.

    The glowing bits weren''t much illumination, but in the dim light, it was enough to illuminate a small area around her sufficiently that she didn''t feel the need to hunt down and recharge every glow stone in the attic, even if the low ceiling meant she could reach them.

    Harmony made a mental note to have someone with more advanced or specific analysis skills check the armor for more information. It was stuck in her soul even if it had no special skills or properties and deserved a closer look. But with all her other problems, that was low on her list of priorities.

    ¡°You ready, Hyacinth?¡±

    Before she leveled and gained her stats, the east parlor and Tyler''s room were the limits of what synergized [Manipulate Dead] and [Dust] could handle. Memories of the journal slamming into the wall yesterday encouraged a vision of pulling the whole collection down and costing her her job. And now she knew she would be careful not to pull too hard and break some dishes or even something from the young lord''s collection.

    That attic, she''d been there when they packed it up. She could let loose with minimal repercussions, no worse than any bumbling house boy unpacking and moving items for events or seasonal changes. Everything breakable or valuable sat stored in chests. Retired portraits and seasonal paintings were wrapped in enchanted paper to protect them from rodents, spiders, or other beasties.

    Her class and profession senses strained to pick up the layers of Dust, the growing decay, and the hint of death long fragmented. The Connections there, the Synergies between necromancer and maid that might not have been obvious, and the churn of her [Mana Rotation]. She activated that mana skill and felt the rush as the power inside her spun up, contained and supported by her, her stats, and the movement a boost towards maximum effect. With that, her bread and butter of a cleaning skill surged forth with a level of power she''d never felt before.

    Chronostasis kicked in. The perception of her beating heart slowed, and still, the bits of debris, Dust, flecks of skin, shed rat hairs, and decayed grains of wood rushed at her faster and from further than she expected. That sped-up mental train went. "Oh shit!¡± and slowed everything down for her even more.

    The ground shook from the sudden movement, and a deep thrum started. The Dust displaced air and pulled at everything. She directed all the loose bits of material to a particular spot, and the first rat appeared. Not running away or towards to attack, but floating, pulled by the dead hair on its back, caught up in the empowered spell. The vicious rodent that low-level workers could hunt for advancement was frozen with an expression of rodent terror.

    It wasn''t the only larger object caught up in the maelstrom, Scale spiders pulled by their carapace. Larger chunks of wood, a bat. Of course, more rats. Her eyes tracked items as they entered the small area of light she produced. A sheet of paper, a wooden ring, or a napkin holder she directed off to the side. The rest she let hit her focus point with a crunch. And the critters didn''t have much time to make a sound. Her heart beat a thing that rang in her head so infrequently that it was noticeable as she managed the mass of incoming materials.

    The last bit from the furthest spot hit the condensed pile of dirt, critters, and now compacted chunks of debris, while a collection of items she separated sat off to the side, three books, nearly a hundred sheets of paper, and a small mound of little more than a dozen odds-n-ends that weren''t obvious trash. Doing this in Tyler''s room would have been a disaster.

    The maid''s ears popped, her heart beat normal, and the awkward ball of crap sat nearly half her size in front of her like a tightly packed boulder. The boulder started to bleed and ooze a little. As quickly as it began, it was over.

    "Eww."

    ¡°Gryup.¡± Hyacinth commentated.

    "I''ll need to break it up to move it later. Let''s check out the damage and see what I may have knocked loose before dealing with it or the extras. Keep an eye out for anything unusual."

    Together they walked deeper into the attic, and it became clear that Harmony might have been a little forceful. Pallets and chests were shifted. Wrapped paintings toppled. Not a speck of Dust, though, and Hyacinth signaled through their bond that any critters who survived the casting had run off as quickly as possible. She trusted her adorable predator''s sense of prey.

    She straightened as she checked and recharged the glow stones to make it easier for those who would come next. It was like everything had been given a good shake, but not a scrap of Dust to be found. It was quick-paced work, but she''d only checked on about half the attic before a pounding drew her back to the attic entrance.

    She opened the door to a red-faced Bates. "I asked you to clean. Not make it sound like you''re blowing the roof off! Several lords and ladies were awakened by the sound and the ceiling rattling."

    Had she made a sound? Everything did move, but while she managed the casting with everything slowed down, all sound was a muted quiet. Her professional danger sense perked up at questioning the head butler''s observations. "Sorry, sir, I was testing my gains with my cleaning skills. I didn''t notice and might have been a bit overzealous. I have almost completed the task. I only need to break that down and take out the garbage."

    She watched his eyes move from her face to over her shoulder where the bleeding rock sat, a boulder nearly half Harmony''s height.

    "Ahem. We all understand the growing pains of quick advancement and unlocking stats. I merely ask that you focus on the care and comfort of our masters first. A servant is quiet, unobtrusive, and always at hand."

    "Of course, Mr. Bates. I''ll try not to let it happen again," She responded with a curtsey slightly more awkward than usual with the armor on.

    She watched his eyes widen as he noticed her armor, his mouth dropping open as if to say something before shutting. "Finish up, then ensure you are properly dressed before coming down. After lunch, the lady will need your services for some meetings." With that, he turned and left.

    ¡°Grr-rr-rrupt.¡± Hyacinth chuckled behind her.

 Chapter Twenty-Six

    Chapter Twenty-Six

    A thorough inspection of the attic revealed that the effect of the combination of her skills was weaker the further from where she cast it. While she didn''t find any dust and Hyacinth didn''t sense any vermin, the stacked materials at the far side hadn''t moved.

    "If they''re not expecting us until lunch, it looks like we have some time on our hands."

    "Grrupt."

    The toad strode off into a corner and promptly laid down for a nap.

    "Good idea."

    With all of her recent adventures, Harmony hadn''t gotten proper sleep despite the high-quality bedding at the lodge. Not that she felt like she could take a nap right now. Getting caught sleeping on the job would be the end of her employment. She made her way back to the door.

    The boulder of compacted dust and former attic residents had stopped oozing. Using [Manipulate Dead], she cut and shaped it into roughly paving-stone-sized squares, moved them into a free corner, then cleaned up the mess with the skill.

    The odds and ends she''d saved from being destroyed were mostly junk. [Analyze] didn''t even pick up much, but it was a good way to practice the skill. Wooden spoon: Broken, Napkin ring: Rosewood, Tap spigot, and the like. The loose sheets of paper were invoices, old records of the attic inventory, some poorly done drawings, and even more poorly done poetry, nearly thirty sheets of that. Thibodeux showed up among the books, worse for wear, dog-eared, and scribbled in with the blocky letters of someone who didn''t practice their writing much. The praise it heaped on the author made the writing more distasteful.

    The second book was an extremely smutty romance from nearly a hundred years ago if the publisher''s date was correct. Five pages in, she shut it, heat filling her cheeks. A gift for Fel, who she knew collected the things for inspiration.

    The last book bore the imprint of the manor library underneath the cover. Not that Harmony entertained any hope of being able to access it simply for returning a lost book. The librarian was a lord by blood, even if he wasn''t by class or profession, and was very restrictive of who could access it. Weight and Distribution of Coinage in the Allied Kingdoms. Not Harmony''s favorite topic, but she''d read dryer or more poorly put-together works in Lord Tyler''s collection. It was that or to delve into the steamy book with her spare time.

    The Evolved Kingdom of Acrabia coinage has the highest weight and purity. The economic powerhouse uses this to ensure they are the premiere destination for goods and services related to advancement¡­.

    A third of the way in, she knew lunch would be soon, but she resolved to finish the book before returning it. It had been gone for years, so a few more days wouldn''t hurt. The book talked as much about the kingdoms, their coinage, and economic factors influencing choices in each kingdom''s mints as it did the dungeons and how the dungeon rewards led to those choices. The author''s opinion attempted to hide inside the dry economic text, but Harmony could pick up the passion there.

    Closing it, she stretched, unsummoned her armor and put her uniform back on. Goosebumps from the chilly attic came to her bare skin. The improved armor had held off the cold, but even as she was aware of the chills'' existence, she wasn''t feeling it as much, tracing that resistance to her skill [Cold Touch]. Taking the books with her, she headed back down the stairs.

    She stashed all three in her locker to deal with later before heading to the staff eating area, a small room off the kitchen. They only ever got to use the big spacious ones during the rare golden moments. Passing through the kitchen, she grabbed some old morning bread and a bowl of leftover stew.

    Jessica glared at Harmony from across her own stew. Bates was nursing a cup of tea. Two house boys were in some excited arm-waving level of conversation.

    "A pet with frost attacks has a distinct advantage against reptilian opponents!"

    "Bolthus is undefeated against all opponents."

    She pictured them arguing about Prince Adric in the colosseum, except they only allowed natural weapons and armor, not that some wouldn''t pay to see him naked. A much more amusing thought than her collapsed dream of an undead coatl taking it by storm.

    The only two spots in the small room were next to Jessica or the head butler. The sun priestess''s aura of irritation pushed out and physically manifested as radiating heat. Which may have been nice if not for the company, and the risk of getting toasted if you said, did, or in Harmony''s case, were the wrong thing. Harmony chose to sit next to Bates.

    "I managed to cover for you with masters of the house, who were not amused. If you''re asked, a bloom spore took residence in the attic. Everyone still remembers when the gardening shed blew up last year." The head butler whispered between sips of tea.

    This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    Harmony seriously hadn''t heard anything. Was it that bad? "Thank you." She replied.

    "Just remember that. Oh, and please don''t test your limits when helping the madam with her looks. It is possible to perform at your old levels."

    "Of course." Harmony flushed with embarrassment. Bates only knew a smidgeon of her fumbling mistakes. You''d think he thought she might explode the matriarch as well.

    Bates finished his tea and stood up. "As soon as you''re done with your meal, the mistress expects you to be at her disposal for the rest of the day. Fill up, but don''t take too long."

    The head butler left, and Harmony caught Jessica smirking at her discomfort. [Poise and Bearing] let her features go neutral. Jessica would recognize it, but Harmony knew you needed to feed some monsters to distract them.

    After lunch, Harmony walked up the stairs to Madam Coodly''s room. She sensed Hyacinth sleeping and didn''t want to wake him. There she knocked on the door, and Astel, the personal maid, answered it.

    "The lady has been waiting." The iron in the woman''s voice hinted that such a thing was unacceptable. Even with that, she lacked the anger that Harmony had seen during her previous visits.

    "Show her in. The quicker we get going, the sooner we can get you to training with The Keepers." The matriarch called from deeper in the room.

    That would explain the shift in attitude. Harmony also knew that probably meant her days as a housemaid were numbered. She wouldn''t miss the uniforms, but she wasn''t looking to always be on display. Less time to complete a task and sneak away with a book. This assumed none of her secrets didn''t get out in the open.

    "Of course, Lady Coodly."

    "Right this way, Ms. White."

    As though Harmony didn''t know the room by heart.

    The old lady was waiting in her make-up chair in front of her large vanity. Both the maids curtsied to her. "Go to your lessons, Astel. I''ll keep Harmony busy enough that you''ll have plenty of time to get molded properly."

    The necromancer leaned into her skills, allowing her to stand the picture of a perfect servant. Inside she fretted some, as it didn''t take her that long to use her skills to beautify the lady. She wondered if this was a tryout to replace Astel. Of course, the other maid could train with that organization and keep her job here.

    "I was surprised when my grandson asked permission to take you on a dungeon dive. With Jessica and Gethel, they could clearly help carry him while he leveled. Childish crushes aside, it made sense and didn''t take too many extra resources. I nearly denied him, but from the accounts I''ve gathered, you performed well above your levels."

    "Thank you, ma''am."

    "May I inquire why you selected the necromancer class when you awakened?"

    Harmony was sure she knew. No one asked now that she was older, but early on. Bates had even made it a requirement to be hired. Three choices to define your life and to set the path for you to go on, and she picked the often maligned necromancer class.

    "The other options were worse." In that way, she could relate to Prince Adric. Even if he did take a profession, that meant his death.

    "Care to share?"

    Harmony could hear the honey on her tongue and knew Bates had told her. She probably had final approval anyway. The powerful always liked to see those below them laid bare. Tyler, when he first found out, never asked. He called it fascinating and discussed the percentage of people who selected and reportedly received that class. The man had his positive traits, not that it forgave him for literally choosing outfits that made all the female staff nearly naked.

    "The Beggar class and that of Demon." Two cursed classes if you''re to believe how most people view necromancers. To have been offered that cursedly forbidden class always made her cringe inwardly. Demon carried the death penalty for class-holders in all but a few kingdoms.

    "Many would have chosen Beggar if those were their options. But I am glad you didn''t. Let me tell you a little secret. I, too, suffered from receiving the choice of taking one of the ten forbidden classes, corruptor. Forced me along the path of a thief, considered a lesser offshoot of the rogue class, also looked down upon. Unbecoming of a lady. If anything went missing, I was first accused, and sport was made of planting stolen goods in my rooms."

    This was the old lady''s attempt to bond through shared painful experiences, right out of a textbook. Harmony had read it, The Lord''s Way. Tyler uses a copy to help level a shelf that wobbled. Perhaps his grandmother had given it to him as a gift. It certainly shined a light on some of the interactions of those in charge.

    Harmony pulled from the churn of information and a thread of power from her social skills. It was her turn to respond. "It''s hard to find someone who understands. Life is difficult being the one looked down upon. I''m touched by you telling me." That may explain why she was hired. As calculated as this approach felt there was a connection there, one that was hard to ignore now that connections were a part of her framework.

    "Well, I''m sure you heard about the ruckus from the other day. The royals will be arriving sooner because of it. The local houses have decided to throw a masquerade ball to honor them. Outrageous costumes barely identity concealing. Patriotism will be the theme as some fear they might be a suspect in the theft. I''ve hired some artists, and I plan on lending your skills to true friends."

    "I heard they were looking for a necromancer as the thief?"

    "You don''t even have raise dead in your skill list. As skilled as you are with manipulating the dead, you can''t make a body walk out of a room. A puppeting class is more likely." The madam answered, picking up on Harmony''s nervousness. "Once you make me up, we''re going Beatrice, Lizzell, and Patricia, then show them what you can do. We''ll also be using the house staff for the party as servers. You''ll play double duty getting us ready before serving drinks. I''ve asked Bates to add an extra silver to your salary for the next pay period."

    Harmony fed [Poise and Bearing] more energy. Serving the royals who were there to find Prince Adric''s body. She''d pay a silver not to do that. "How very generous of you."

    "Now, I want my hair as blue as Wyvern''s wing today."

 Chapter Twenty-Seven

    Chapter twenty-seven

    Harmony''s social skills ached as she was dragged from social gathering to social gathering. [Poise and Bearing], [Style and Grace], and even [Beautician] throbbed inside her soul. Felt more like cramps than overworked muscles. She leaned on other skills, [Small Armor] and [High Kick], for balance, footing, and timing. [Renew Spirit] to appear refreshed and relaxed, even [Cold Touch] to ward off any heat and keep unsightly sweat away, careful to keep that skill external and not leak into any social or mental connections.

    Worse was mostly inane conversations about past parties, future parties, theater shows, births, deaths, and levelings. Even if Harmony cared about these people, the conversation rarely dipped deeper than shallow pleasantries. If not for the fact that a large chunk was about the visiting royals and the masquerade plans, Harmony knew she would be bored to the point of willingly jumping back into the dungeon. The relevance was the only thing that kept her stable.

    They were to host a princess, two ladies, and an authority-less duke, they''d have a wagon train of staff, but as usual, they barely got a mention. Harmony didn''t doubt that some of the queen''s Helping Hands would be hiding among those. The duke was in charge of the outing. This was supposedly his last chance to stand out and earn royal power. Having the system add on a lord or some other title that granted him the use of authority. You were only so valuable without it. The old biddies chuckled at Duke Darren getting stripped of his title and the position going to someone who already had authority. The Madam even suggested Tyler could be up for the job if it opened. Both banal and vicious in the women''s conversations on the topic, like the duke had no friends. At least they loved their makeovers, thanking Madam Coodly for bringing over such talent.

    The princess happened to be in the area training. The young thing apparently disliked politics. The nattering about that caused the necromancer to feel great sympathy for the girl while she felt sorry for herself. Yet even as the group was tied to the mission to take away her pet, Harmony struggled to stay interested enough to follow along.

    After hours of this, the maid found herself walking like one of the dungeon''s shamblers, onward until she collapsed face first into her only moderately padded bunk, where she welcomed not moving and not using skills.

    "So, how''s the new job?" Ambrosia asked from her corner of the room.

    "Hurmthavul," Harmony replied, her voice muffled by the pillow she shoved her face into.

    Hyacinth hopped onto the bed and nuzzled his partner while taking up nearly as much space as she did.

    "While you were running around, Bates decided to light a fire under everyone about the upcoming party. Both around the chance of increased guests and how this will affect the spring plans. He''s choosing to try to open the parlor early rather than delay it. But don''t worry, I saved you there too."

    Harmony searched inwardly for her pet bond with Adric. While it would alert her if he was injured or dead, it took effort and focusing on her connection stat to pull any current information from the mostly one-way link. He''s happy, like giddy happy.

    "What. Did. You. Do?"

    "If you actually listened to me talk about pets, you would know. They are not meant to be caged. They need to fly free. They''ll always come when you call or are in trouble, so we don''t need to make their lives miserable. Your idea of a disguise was great, but we all know how perfectionist you can get. Some new clothes, some make-up, and a mask. Prince Adric masks from the funeral are popular again since the audacious theft of his body."

    Harmony sat up. Prince Adric, her pet, possibly the stupidest man alive, or not because he chose to pick a profession that killed himself, was on the loose, and she had almost no control over the situation. She knew she could call her pet, but not at the manor now that it was getting busy.

    A quick scan of the room revealed they were alone for now. "The royals will be hunting him down, Ambrosia."

    "All the more reason to not have him here. We''re already picking up guests who will stay through the masquerade. That is actually why I am here. One of our new guests says they know you and wants to meet you socially in the parlor."

    Harmony''s mind drew a blank for a second until she remembered. "Who?" Tyler''s now-defunct team. One favor and what little anonymity she had was now gone.

    "Dugan didn''t say. All guests are the same to him. I think it irked him that you were asked for by name."

    Even if this was off work hours, she knew Bates wouldn''t look too kindly on ignoring a manor''s guest request. Having every right to say no, didn''t mean there were no consequences if she did. "I kind of destroyed my social dress while out. Can I borrow one of yours?"

    "I don''t think it''ll¡­."

    "The short one will look long on me. I''ll duet with you at your next concert. I''ll owe you another favor, Amb. Free makeovers for a month. My life is yours, but I should not see a guest in my uniform or boy''s clothes."

    "No need to be so melodramatic, Harm. I''ll think of some delicious way you can pay me back. But of all the things you let Jessica leak as gossip, you neglected to mention a destroyed dress. You can tell me while we get you dressed.

    Harmony did her best to give the abbreviated run-down on her mistake-fueled creation of Night and its subsequent absorption into her armor.

    Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

    "This is going into one of my future songs." The beast trainer chuckled.

    At that, Harmony thought about objecting, but she kept her mouth shut between all her friend had done for her and the impossibility of changing the other maid''s mind.

    "Show me."

    Ambrosia squealed with such enthusiasm that the necromancer agreed, swapping into her armor while between outfits to make sure no clothes were damaged.

    "Oooooh¡­ sparkly. I can definitely see Tyler''s taste in there. You almost look more naked than in the uniforms."

    "What!" The armor before was on par with the manors'' maid outfits. "Almost all my skin is covered with the dress melded in."

    "Melded is the right word. The black looks painted onto your skin which almost makes it worse."

    Harmony promptly returned it to the space inside her skill, which left her naked and glaring at her friend. "Better?"

    "Yes!"

    Ambrosia pounced and started tickling Harmony until she raised a hand in defeat.

    The necromancer hoped her friend''s playfulness meant she''d been kidding about how the armor looked. She donned the borrowed dress and set to make her way to the parlor. Hyacinth ambled along with, having spent the day catching up on sleep.

    The beast tamer''s short red dress ended up settling below Harmony''s knees. If the red dress had sleeves, she knew she''d have needed to roll them up. She knew all she could do was take a dress that looked scandalous on her friend and make it tame. But considering she didn''t know who would be waiting for her, it was for the best. Len, Rose, and Max were all options. She knew who this would most likely be.

    She stepped inside, her familiar at her side, and watched Max inhale a deep breath at the sight of her. The cousin, she couldn''t imagine lord Tyler was happy about him staying here. His bright pink hair was starting to show at the roots.

    "Sir Maxwell." She said frostily. Her social skills still felt strained from the day, and after the farewell party, she didn''t feel like filtering herself.

    The knight stood up from his seat at the bar, leaving the glass of liquor where it lay, and bowed low with the perfection of a skill-influenced act.

    "Harmony, I didn''t know the guild master would use his skill. We were all overcome by it. All except you. He''d promised no harm would come to you, that he only wanted to reward you for your experience in the dungeon. Not all of us are well off or have the authority from nobility or can ignore the potential favors granted by a man like Hemlock."

    The guild master''s name did not bring a smile to the maid''s face, nor did Max''s role in their introduction. Deals and arrangements shouldn''t involve uninformed parties.

    "I don''t know why you requested to meet."

    "Wait. Hear me out." The knight stroked his beard in frustration.

    Harmony''s skin tingled as she felt targeted. The man had the temerity to use a skill on her. As if she hadn''t had enough of that happen in her life. "Hey!"

    "I swear on my honor as a knight to speak with you honestly and work towards your best interest."

    The perception of time slowed as chronostasis kicked in. She''d expected a persuasion-type skill. Oaths were rare, the kind desperate people picked up to offer for a chance of employment or gain. Through her connection stat, she watched as the skill tried to commit to her. It would be easy to break or weaken such a thread. No. If sir Maxwell was going to do such a thing, he''d better mean it.

    Harmony not so delicately accepted the connection, grasping it and strengthening the one-sided bond. She pumped her will into the act, catching the link, then twisted it into her with a rush of [Mana Rotation].

    Time snapped back to normal speed.

    The knight grunted. "That kicked." He muttered.

    "Honestly, tell me why you wanted to meet me here?" The maid demanded.

    "To ingratiate myself with someone who is ascendent," Max answered. His hand went to his mouth, covering it.

    Now a smile crept up the corners of the necromancer''s lips. Max gave away his power here, and she was going to squeeze.

    "Who is the ascendent person you are trying to please?"

    She pictured him groveling at Hemlock''s feet.

    "Why, you. I''ve always been jealous of Tyler. But he doesn''t have you, does he? The money, the gifts, the employment, but if I''m reading this right, he doesn''t have you. You''re talented enough to earn a lifetime guild membership status from someone who never gives out his allotment. Those who are rising always carry up those beside them."

    Harmony stopped herself from asking him if he was an idiot. With him oathed to speak the truth, he''d probably blurt out yes, and she doubted the man''s confidence could take that uncontrolled admission.

    "While it is flattering that you think that. I''m afraid you''ll be severely disappointed."

    "Grrupt. Grrupt. Grrupt." Hyacinth interrupted with his version of giggles.

    Harmony shot a glare at her familiar.

    The shadow toad continued. "Grrupt. Grrupt. Grrupt." it wiggled onto his side and started to roll onto his back.

    "Stop it."

    "Grrupt. Grrupt." Hyacinth continued, and Harmony could feel the waves of amusement through their bond.

    "Is there something wrong with your pet?" Max asked.

    "Familiar. And Hyacinth here is finding my life way too amusing. I should introduce him to some female shadow toads and give him a taste of his own drama.¡±

    The knight paused and pondered this. "Are you comparing me to a toad?"

    "Yes. Yes, I am." It wasn''t accurate, but it felt good of her to tell him.

    The man''s spine straightened. "I see my lady is tired and taken to flights of fancy. Allow me to bid you farewell as we shall meet again at a better time." Max responded in an almost practiced manner.

    To Harmony, it stank of his use of the knight''s social skill [Chivalry]. This meant that the man wasn''t too stupid, as he used the skill to override aspects of his oath to leave. And leave he did, letting his long legs take full strides as he swept past and out of the parlor.

    He did leave his drink, so the maid slinked over to the bar, lifted the half-full glass, and downed it herself while her Toad''s rolling croaks eased into tired wheezes on the floor.

    "Are you going to explain that behavior?" She asked.

    No. Hyacinth projected through their bond.

    The necromancer decided she was too tired to decide if she would forgive the familiar or get revenge later.

    "Fine. Take me back to my room. I''m not going to walk all the way back."

    Together they entered the shadows.

 Chapter Twenty-Eight

    Chapter twenty-eight

    Harmony adjusted Hyacinth¡¯s bow tie. The extra-large toad squirmed uncomfortably in his fitted suit, as Harmony had opted for revenge, working her plans in with the masquerade set up. Matching genderless outfits of marble patterned pants and shirts for the staff and their companions if they had them. A few soft suggestions about the servants being statues and the matriarch went running with them. The maid felt good having a successful plan, even if it was to tweak her familiar.

    Sir Maxwell, while a guest at the manor, gave her a wide berth. She suspected he actively avoided her after realizing her presence caused uncontrolled honesty. Tyler kept to his room. Even Jessica behaved, which was easy when no one had the energy to do anything but rest during their downtime. The prince happily buzzed when the maid checked on her pet bond, making her feel more secure as the days before the masquerade passed, and he hadn¡¯t been discovered. Though checking did bring a desire to scratch the man¡¯s too-adorable face under the chin and feed him a treat.

    ¡°You¡¯re positively handsome, Hyacinth. All you have to do is sit by me and look pretty while I wait with drinks to the side.¡±

    Chilled drinks. The maid¡¯s new skill hadn¡¯t escaped notice. Jessica would be serving hot ones. Ambrosia was training birds to deliver appetizers. If you had a skill they could use, it would be shown off. The lords of Fenway had a pair of alchemists working on the mixed drinks. Bards worked together to play instruments. She imagined Ambrosia was glad she kept her singing out of work, or they might make her perform.

    Bate¡¯s thudding cane made everyone a little tense at the staff¡¯s changing station. The head butler stuck his head inside.

    ¡°Gates open in ten minutes. Everyone get to your places.¡±

    Harmony had missed the staff rehearsal due to working on Lady Coodly and her friend¡¯s hair and nails for the party. She dashed off, toad in tow, through the organized chaos of everyone finishing last-minute touches.

    Jimmy, the houseboy, handed Harmony the tray of drinks and then adjusted her one square over. She channeled [Cold Touch], chilling the tray and beverages with her hand. Then posed herself, pulling a constant bit from [Poise and Bearing], [Style and Grace], and her new physical defensive and offensive skills. She was a statue. Ambush predator that Hyacinth was. The necromancer sensed him fantasizing about a big juicy cat walking by. He didn¡¯t even need to borrow through their bond to remain perfectly still.

    Harmony looked forward to playing a statue tonight, standing away from the center of attention and watching the royals here to retrieve Adric. She assured herself this whole hunt was a formality, mainly aimed at catching the puppetmaster who insulted their honor. A poor maid without any dead-raising skills should not be a suspect. They can have their little party, say they looked and could not find the prince¡¯s corpse, then leave. It¡¯s not like people don¡¯t die in dungeons and have their bodies never seen again. Lady Coodly had stated as much.

    All the servants stood motionless except for the head servants who opened the gates. Bates was paired with Fenway¡¯s Madam Didre and two others who pulled the gates open and let in the lords, ladies, and guests. The participants moved into the reserved public square that had been done up for the event. Gold soothed the displaced theater company that had been bumped from the spot for this last-minute party.

    The order of entrance was always from least important to most. Harmony had to listen to them bicker over who got to go last while assisting Adel with personal maid duties. The first group was adventurers with connections who were staying to challenge Old Bones and reach the max they could go for this starter town. Their outfits consisted of their fancier travel clothes and often cheap masks. A few wore masks modeled after the dead prince, leftovers from the funeral procession. Harmony doubted the royals would look kindly to that. Still, one of the advantages of being low-level is that you often got to act young and stupid.

    They, of course, rushed the refreshments. Clearing out Harmony¡¯s tray twice, forcing her to pulse out [Cold Touch] as quickly as a stealth-focused servant could refill them and maintain the illusion. This caused her to miss the following two groups making their way in. The wealthy power brokers and merchants who manage the flow of goods entering and leaving the city and their lesser attached personages made their entrance. People that hadn¡¯t achieved or been granted a noble class or profession yet were part of the elites.

    There she caught a glimpse of Sir Maxwell, who stood far away, even if he did shoot a nervous glance in her direction. Harmony wondered if Len or Rose were invited as well. Conversations ranged from best dungeon rewards to speculation on who was behind the corpse¡¯s theft; Rebels, evolved kingdom agitators, or a love-struck fool.

    The crowds drifted away from the refreshments as the invitees gathered to welcome the more important attendants. The head of the commission who managed both the pet battles and spring games, Serena Vale. Harmony knew, through gossip, would be wearing a dress made of hundreds of masks representing the pets and monsters who fight in the commission. Hemlock, the adventurers guild master, was invited but never showed up to these events. Others joined who represented long-standing institutions for the city, the harbor master, Heads of societies, many who would rank above the lords and ladies throwing the party but are showing up before them out of respect and tradition. And Harmony, due to her height and positioning, was missing all of it.

    She fumed a little, but this level of anonymity was what she asked for. Mostly it annoyed her to stare at everyone¡¯s backs, sometimes catching glimpses of extravagant headpieces that topped others. No doubt she¡¯d get to see those people as they mingled or wanted a cold drink. The hosts would be next, Lady Coodly, whose hair she worked on. Lord Tyler, who¡¯d been either absent or busy since they returned from the dungeon, and the heads of the other families putting on this soiree.

    The crowd parted a little, so she thought she might catch a glimpse. Through that part stepped Sir Maxwell, his full height blocking her view. He wore a demon mask, which failed to cover his pink beard. Not that people were trying to be anonymous for this.

    ¡°You think you¡¯re so smart, don¡¯t you?¡±

    The way he slurred his words made Harmony feel like he hit the refreshments a little too hard. Being a statue, she didn¡¯t respond.

    ¡°I¡¯m only looking for a way to get ahead, and you used my oath against me.¡±

    Through the demon mask, the knight¡¯s eyes stared directly into hers. It¡¯s not like she asked the man to visit her, make an oath, or play the fool. Harmony refreshed the chill of the drinks sending a pulse of cold up through the tray. She gave it a little oomph and watched as Max stumbled back a foot when the cold hit him.

    ¡°It would be in your best interests to stay out of trouble.¡±

    Is that a threat? Harmony wondered.

    ¡°Because I¡¯ll be forced to step in to protect you.¡±

    The man¡¯s hand went to his mouth again, and he stepped back more steps before he made a panicked turn and headed back into the crowd.

    Drinks were taken and replaced on her tray as the necromancer contemplated what to do. The connection between her and sir idiot knight seemed rather solid. Maybe ask one of the house boys with the class about the skill? She didn¡¯t know much about oaths. Could she release the fool?

    The royals had yet to arrive, and the crowd was getting good and mingled. Hyacinth had his own revenge. Shadow Toad, do, do, do, do, do, do. Shadow Toad, do, do, do, do, do, do.¡± He projected on repeat through the bond he shared with Harmony.

    This forced Harmony to focus more actively on maintaining her still form through her skills as she fought the urge to swat her familiar. Which is why it came as a surprise when he stopped.

    Pulling herself out of that internal struggle, she didn¡¯t blink, but her eyes focused. Lord Tyler stood before her, a chilled drink in his hand that she missed him grabbing. He was fully decked out. The thick-boned skeleton costume covering him was grim. Still, it represented the family¡¯s position in the town built around the necromantic dungeon. The matriarch had picked his outfit while Harmony helped style one of her friends.

    ¡°Harmony, it¡¯s me, Lord Tyler.¡± There he paused, waiting for a response.

    At that moment, she decided she would prefer if Hyacinth continued projecting that damned song into her head. What did these knights and lords expect her to do? Move, respond, talk back, sure they might forgive her. But Lady Coodly certainly wouldn¡¯t if she caused a scene, and then there is Bates, who wouldn¡¯t forget when it came time to assign the tough assignments. She¡¯d taken up this role to be scenery, not a shrine to confess to.

    ¡°The dungeon trip didn¡¯t go how I wanted. I¡¯d hoped to¡­ I had the words earlier; practiced them.¡±

    A guest stepped around Tyler and grabbed a frost-covered glass of alcohol. Loud conversations battled in the air as people needed to project to talk to those next to them.

    She watched as Tyler stood there struggling. Crowds were not his thing, and she almost felt pity for him if she wasn¡¯t his current focus.

    A woman wearing a white dress and feathered mask around her eyes bumped into the young lord, and the tank stumbled.

    His shoulders slumped forward. ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll find a better place to do this.¡±

    The woman who clearly recognized the lord smiled. ¡°Oh, no, it was all my fault. I¡¯d be happy to show the lord my place? Perhaps after the party?¡±

    Tyler looked from the woman to the immobile Harmony and back to the woman. Then he darted into the party¡¯s crowd.

    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°I like it when men play hard to get.¡± The woman said hungrily and followed after.

    It was a relief as the attention left Harmony and returned to the drinks she was holding. No one wanted to go before the royals showed up, so Harmony witnessed a lot of trysts planned for after the party. Talking over drinks apparently meant talking over the drink server.

    ¡°Your control is impressive, but is this how you want to spend your time?¡±

    Hemlock¡¯s voice set Harmony¡¯s soul on edge. The memory of being under his skill effect put her on high alert. She didn¡¯t sense his power now but checked herself anyway. Distrust and verify.

    ¡°Three of your compatriots have already swapped out. Yet you¡¯ve managed to remain perfectly still. one sneezed, another laughed at a particularly dirty joke he overheard, and one collapsed under the strain.¡±

    Guilmaster Hemlock stepped into her vision. The short man stood only a finger¡¯s length taller than the maid. His white pants and shirt were the same as when he¡¯d stopped by the party. His mask was a single strip of white fabric tied around his eyes, like a blind man or a poor man¡¯s shade from the sun.

    Harmony felt his gaze anyway, covered as it was. Did she move to spite him? Or remain as still? She could feel the slight strain on her skills, though [Cold Touch] supported the perfect stillness in its own way, appreciating the death of momentum.

    ¡°You could be at the guild house, training, honing your skills with that same dedication. Ready to challenge the dungeon. There are other ways to build your profession than to live the life of a servant. You can¡¯t hide here forever.¡±

    The guild master leaned forward and booped her nose.

    One part of her screamed to kick him. She wasn¡¯t a kitten to boop. If anyone had booping privileges, it was her, for her pet. Then as strong as the urge to kick this dangerous man, the desire to find Adric and boop his nose came on as strong. Neither were normal urges, and they struggled inside her, creating confusion.

    ¡°I¡¯ll see you soon, little necromancer.¡± Hemlock finished, stepping away and taking a cold drink with him.

    Harmony dismissed the man and focused internally. It hadn¡¯t been so long since she¡¯d accepted [High Kick] into herself. The skill still reacted to outrage with a desire to strike out and end threats, whether emotional or physical. It was more under control, as it hadn¡¯t piped up when Max or Tyler was around. Now the nose booping was interesting. Thin threads of social skills, like spiderweb strands, vibrated from her pet bond to Prince Adric, like a fly struggling, letting that spider know dinner was ready.

    The mostly one-way bond almost hummed. Oh, no. Harmony let her eyes move as she searched around the crowd. There she found the most boopable figure. Bulky armor and rumpled brown clothes covered the tall man, hiding the well-muscled body under there. A hood covered a thick wave of hair, and that perfect face was masked by an imperfect copy of what hid underneath. It wasn¡¯t the only mask of prince Adric she¡¯d seen at the party, though it was one of the cheaper ones. Her pet was here.

    The royals who were searching for him were coming here. What did that puppy of a man think he was doing? Her senses brushed up against that pet bond, and Adric¡¯s head snapped in her direction.

    He bounded over like a puppy. Worse than a boop, he moved down and hugged the maid.

    Harmony was grateful he didn¡¯t pick her up and spin her around again. The hug was nice. It did soothe some of the earlier stress. But that wasn¡¯t the point. He shouldn¡¯t be here, and Harmony¡¯s heart didn¡¯t care as feelings of being cherished bled through the bond. He also let go before making too much of a scene, grabbing a drink and playing it off like he was a little tipsy.

    Maybe he wasn¡¯t a total and complete idiot if he could cover so well.

    Bending down, he whispered into her ear. ¡°I missed you, master.¡± He slurred.

    She could even smell the alcohol on his breath. Harmony took back the idea that he wasn¡¯t a total idiot. She would have thought someone who was technically some kind of undead could hold their alcohol.

    ¡°My sister will be here. Don¡¯t worry. I have a plan.¡± The prince in disguise added.

    Harmony did worry. If there was a time to act, use her bond to tell him to leave, break character. It was two seconds before she thought to do that as the prince ducked away and into the mingling guests.

    Hyacinth did not chuckle at that, which Harmony was grateful for; otherwise, she¡¯d project her own, Harmony White, do, do, do, do, do, do. On repeat through their bond at him.

    The crowd surged away from the drink station. It was time for the main event. The royals were here.

    The necromancer envisioned Prince Adric jumping out and doing something stupid. Her hope was that if caught, he¡¯d be a loyal pet and not give her away.

    The crowd cheered. There were no gasps, loud proclamations, or unexpected displays of skills. The royals came, and the party continued.

    Standing completely still for so long was tiring, even with skills. Not only would there be extra pay for this, but everyone would get two extra days off for their hard work. Inside The familiar chime of her profession leveling echoed through her soul. Seventeen wasn¡¯t special, no evolutions, no new skills, but now that she had her stats, she could invest some energy into improving one. Not that she had time to test her stats limits or do more than see more ways they could go wrong. Going with the idea that stats helped provide a framework for her to build on, she planned on boosting each of them equally. This time she dumped that energy into chronostasis because it seemed like the least dangerous option outside of extra long and awkward moments.

    ¡°Tyler said I¡¯d find you here. I should have suspected that you were with the cold drinks meant you would be the one holding them.¡±

    Rose, the ranger who Harmony considered the smartest of the bunch, looked stunning in a dress adorned by sparkling pink gemstones and a feather-covered white mask. A high-quality lady¡¯s costume and different from the more down-to-earth adventurer¡¯s attire, Harmony was used to seeing her in. Was she with the Royals after how she left the party at the news of Adric walking away from his deathbed? The maid assumed she would be one of the two ladies escorting the duke and princess.

    ¡°All business, I see. Don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t expect you to talk or move. I didn¡¯t want to... I mean... I hope you still message me when you make it to the capital. We like to go to this town and be as anonymous as we can be. Addy was an exception.¡±

    Harmony didn¡¯t move, but her mind worked on parsing Rose¡¯s muddled speech because it made it clear she was missing something.

    A purple pimple of a man stepped from the crowd and tugged on Rose¡¯s elbow. A royal? Finery of a lord in a suit made of purple scales and a dragon mask to match. Harmony didn¡¯t recognize him from her time with the matriarch planning the event.

    ¡°Grabbing drinks is not helping me achieve authority, princess.¡±

    The way he said princess was like talking about some distasteful piece of trash. More importantly to Harmony, it was Rose who he referred to when he said the word. Internally she thought, ¡°Well, damn, of course, she is.¡± Outwardly she didn¡¯t say anything or move, but the long exhausted willpower it took to do that caused her fine control of [Cold Touch] to slip. The skill burst out with its uncontrolled activation, freezing solid the drinks on the tray and causing a chill to radiate out.

    ¡°I only needed a moment to talk.¡±

    Harmony watched as the cold air must have touched the duke as his attention turned to her and then with a slight shift of his head back to the princess.

    ¡°A lesson. One gains authority by executing the authority they have!¡±

    The necromancer might have missed the beginning of the attack if it wasn¡¯t for the fact that [Small Armor] was bearing some of the weight of the effort to remain perfectly still. As it was, it caught the tiny twitches of muscle, shift in stance, and other little hints. In turn, chronostasis affected her perception of time, making every whispered hint in the duke¡¯s move a scream. The why didn¡¯t matter, as the man had decided he had an excuse to strike.

    Harmony considered taking the blow, deflecting most of the energy to be safe. The attack didn¡¯t scream lethality, and she¡¯d been hit before, not at the manor in her role as a maid, but in training and elsewhere. Appeasement and disappearing were usually the safest way to handle the type of man who¡¯d do such an act. Except even slowed in her sight, others moved at speed she noticed as the duke¡¯s hand extended out.

    Max pushed into sight, perhaps forced to come to her defense. He wasn¡¯t going to make it. Her pet moved too. The prince was quicker, disturbing people further away. He also couldn¡¯t stop the hit landing as it felt nearly inevitable. Not that it might matter. She¡¯d seen Ambrosia¡¯s birds peck a stray cat to death for scratching her. The feral ones were more pests than pets, one reason she didn¡¯t begrudge her toad¡¯s taste. Hyacinth wasn¡¯t happy. The toad had sat angrily by her side, and she could tell whatever patience he had was nearly gone.

    Prince Adric attacking the duke for striking her master worried her the most. It certainly wasn¡¯t a way to prove he was a friendly undead who wasn¡¯t prone to violence or distance his existence from her.

    [Small Armor] flared up. The necromancer needed to act now, or there would be no choice.

    So she did. The armor, Night, snapped into existence, swapping with the masquerade¡¯s uniform. The back of her hand shot up, and the armored gloves pivoted to meet the skill-empowered fist, intercepting it so close that Harmony¡¯s head, there was almost no distance except her palm between the strike and her face. The blow¡¯s deflected force sent a ripple of energy into the crowd.

    Hyacinth¡¯s tongue shot out, pushing the duke¡¯s knee, causing him to stumble back before the toad quickly took it back inside his mouth.

    The necromancer¡¯s perception of time snapped back to base speed. Her skin crawled as the duke used an inspection skill on her. Whatever it was, it had an extra bit of ick factor to the ability.

    The princess stood shocked but spoke first. ¡°Darren, what are you doing? This is not the capital.¡±

    Max and Prince Adric had stopped their rushed approach, slowing to a more measured approach, but they weren¡¯t the only ones moving now. Lord Tyler was on the move, and she could spot the towering hairpiece of the matriarch in the crowd approaching.

    ¡°I have the right to correct a mistake from a servant as the ranking royal in town. Why anyone would employ that cursed class has me questioning our vassal¡¯s hiring processes.¡±

    ¡°Harmony was part of my adventuring party. I take responsibility for any mishap my presence has caused. A public display might not be wise.¡±

    The maid knew it was too late for that. She suspected supplicating herself and apologizing would produce a new strike to make up for the first one, or she¡¯d meekly do that. Any additional violence towards her wouldn¡¯t end calmly, with Max, Tyler, and Adric in the mix. Ambrosia¡¯s birds had stopped appetizers to circle above, ready to act. Even the princess¡¯s voice had some angry steel. To her slight shock, all of this protectiveness gave her a happy feeling. People stepping up to defend her, pleasing, but this is her mess to resolve.

    ¡°The strike was well made. Consider myself corrected, honorable duke.¡±

    She chose her words carefully. The man, powerful enough for her class and profession to warn that he was a dangerously higher level than her, could he admit she bested his strike, failed in correcting her, or was not honorable? None of which would look good for him in such a public space. For once, she was grateful she read all of Lord Tyler¡¯s book collection because even the dry etiquette stuff was coming in handy right now.

    It was the matriarch Lady Coodly who stepped through the crowd. Three towers of tri-colored molded hair, red, white, and black, create an image of blood, bone, and ichor representing the town. Her own mask was that of a wailing banshee, the ones found in the dungeon.

    ¡°Consider yourself disciplined and dismissed, Harmony. Work is not a time to push your limits until you falter. Duke, thanks for noticing. I didn¡¯t mean to take you away from the celebration.¡±

    Harmony curtsied towards both the matriarch and the duke. Her eyes flicked to the key players, watching them relax and Adric slip back into the crowd. Hemlock appeared beside the duke, whispering in his ear. If he wasn¡¯t using his skill, Harmony would eat her shoes. But as the maid was dismissed, she didn¡¯t have more than a second to watch before she turned around, exited the pavilion, and returned to the servants¡¯ tent.

 Chapter Twenty-Nine

    Chapter Twenty-Nine

    ¡°It was mortifying. They all were staring at me as I walked away.¡± Harmony screamed into the pillow she¡¯d been sleeping on for dramatic effect as she re-told the events to Ambrosia. ¡°My masquerade outfit was shredded when I exchanged it for my armor. Bates pulled me aside to assure me the royal¡¯s presence was temporary but that there would be consequences after the break. I¡¯m lucky I still have the next two days off.¡±

    ¡°Most of the staff appreciates you standing up for them. Jimmy dropped his tray when he sneezed and is grateful you¡¯re drawing all the attention. Sheets have been pretty positive so far too.¡±

    The necromancer masked her widening eyes with the pillow. How could she forget about the news sheets? She¡¯d been so focused on her co-workers and employer. There would always be eyes and ears in big events like this, in the crowd if not offers to buy news after.

    ¡°Sheets?¡±

    ¡°The Midnight Letter was so quick to try to get some kind of news first out they thought you were a guest with your fancy new armor. Rival news clubs were quick to pounce on them. News Delvers and The Paper Association released their reporting of the events hours later, lambasting their opposing newsgroup more than opinions on you being a maid working the masquerade. Then The Bridgepress has you defending the local lord¡¯s honor, while the Gym Circular talks about you being a viridian badge holder, and this was you standing up for the lower levels. Is it true you have a badge?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Mike from The Dig Boys gave it to me before. Probably just a gift made before he left the capitol.¡±

    Ambrosia snorted at that. ¡°The bigger news sheets are gathering information for their afternoon edition. Rumor is they wanted several pages covering the royal¡¯s arrival before the little bit of excitement. Bate¡¯s has thrown two reporters off the manor grounds already. Because you have a rogue class doesn¡¯t mean your stealth will get past him.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re going to accost me when I leave.¡±

    ¡°Like I haven¡¯t figured out that Hyacinth can whisk you away without others noticing. Though, he is looking a little less inky this morning.¡±

    The toad let out a pained croak.

    Harmony remembered him disappearing as soon as they returned to the bunks.

    ¡°As much as I wish to stay and listen to you both moan. My birdies need a walk, and I have big plans for tomorrow evening. Expect some of what you owe to be called in, as I¡¯m making you my date.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    The beast tamer only smiled and waved goodbye as she left.

    ¡°Ambrosia, what do you have planned? Ambrosia!¡± Harmony called after her best friend to no avail.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s just you and me.¡± She told Hyacinth. The women¡¯s staff dorm was empty. She¡¯d waited for it to clear out before griping at Ambrosia. Not that it took much, as no one wanted to stick around if they weren¡¯t working. Fel always liked to spend the night with one of her boyfriends.

    ¡°Grrack!¡± The shadow toad croaked with discontent.

    ¡°What¡¯s up with you?¡±

    The necromancer¡¯s familiar projected the image of half a dozen mangy strays fighting in a cage inside his stomach.

    ¡°Overindulged, I see. You up for getting me out of here? I have an idea of who to consult about my pet problem.¡±

    ¡°I open the door. You go yourself.¡± Hyacinth projected words into her head.

    ¡°You can do that?¡±

    ¡°One way.¡± The Shadow toad¡¯s body started to rumble and shake. ¡°Grek. Grek.¡± He retched. Out rolled a mottled orange hairball roughly the size of a large cat.

    ¡°Fine. It might be better if you stay here and take care of yourself. Let me change first.¡±

    With the reporter types trying to use her to grind out higher profession levels, Harmony abandoned her plan to wear a spring dress and opted for her practical pants and shirt combination. Not that she felt like she could fake being a boy, but they¡¯d have to glance twice to put it together.

    Hyacinth limped more than hopped to the shadowy corner of the room. Instead of the usual quick transport, the shadows in the corner rippled, and the necromancer followed her familiar¡¯s implied directions and stepped into them.

    The trip wasn¡¯t a quick transport like usual. Harmony checked her heartbeat to make sure Chronostasis wasn¡¯t acting up. The blackness shifted to shadows within shadows taking the shapes of trees, bushes, and eyes. Large eyes watching her.

    ¡°Ah, the tadpole¡¯s little friend.¡± Something deep an old spoke. The force of that voice pushed her away back to the dark.

    Then she was out of those shadows and back into the normal ones of the city. Looking out, the city stretched below her, a busy yet less colorful view than the last time she stood high on this building not too long ago, but long enough that it felt like a season or year ago. Her eyes traced where the funeral procession had been, where she¡¯d come up with her grand plan as she stood in the morning light at the top of the sun temple.

    She resolved to talk to her familiar about the being from the shadows later, but right now, she needed to tackle a new challenge; stairs. The high vantage point meant an excess of stairs which her short legs detested. Traveling through shadows with her familiar had been a blessing when she got to skip them. The location wasn¡¯t ideal either. Temples readily accepted most magic-based classes for training. Necromancer was not one of them.

    If she had longer legs, she¡¯d take the stairs two at a time to get out. As it was, she dashed down the stairs with as much speed and grace as her physical skills allowed. Not unusual as a way to train skills, but she saw what had to be acolytes, priests, and clerics on the stairs. The looks they gave her as she passed them showed that they felt it was disrespectful.

    ¡°What are you doing, boy! Slow down and behave!¡± Yelled an older man as she spun past him.

    The hook of a skill sunk into her. A dangerous thing when speeding down the stairs. A miss-step caused by hesitation could send you tumbling down. Harmony broke it without stopping. She hadn¡¯t expected someone to be quite so blatant or risky. Whoever said educators were a noble profession hadn¡¯t met those who abused their skills.

    The rest of the necromancer¡¯s close calls were dirty looks and coarse words as she exited the temple, grateful the stairs were near the exit.

    Ever-busy crowds went about their morning. Those in a rush used skills to speed up or scoot by obstacles. News sheet criers had their corners, often yelling and competing for sales. Harmony typically ignored their calls, but that was when they weren¡¯t about her.

    ¡°Maid defies Duke. Unrest between the levels!¡±

    ¡°Princess¡¯s honor defended. Lovers who dive together stay together!¡±

    ¡°Zombie prince speaks out! Mur-Gurgh Ahhg!¡±

    Harmony trusted things would die down as the next scandals and events happened. She resolved to focus on problems that were in her control.

    Hazeldown University sat on the edge of the temple district. Which meant that Hyacinth¡¯s portal had taken her in the right direction. Harmony had once dreamed of making enough tuition to attend. That was until she fully realized how poor the school¡¯s reputation was. That didn¡¯t mean it didn¡¯t have information that was useful, though you needed to be a student to access it. As the only institute of higher learning, it was still considered an advanced education for everyone who didn¡¯t want to leave the city or evolve their class and basic education for the aristocrats who chose to get their early levels in the dungeon before moving on.

    ¡°Do you know which house Len is in? He¡¯s a wizard.¡±

    Calling any of the buildings that represented student housing a house was generous. Cheap ramshackle buildings, half patched up from skill use damage. Each one housed between four and two dozen students. Aristocrats had their own places, as did citizens who took only a class or two out of interest. The people who lived here would be scholarship or charity cases, teaching assistants, and those unlucky or uninformed enough to have this as their only real choice.

    The student who Harmony had asked the question stood there like he¡¯d been hit by a stun skill. With dark hair and piercing green eyes, the boy looked young. Harmony assumed he was a student because he had a large green book in his arms that shimmered like it was made of glass or crystal. ¡°The teaching assistants stay at the Bown house. He¡¯s in the room at the back. Join the masses pestering him. He deserves it after failing me in wardcrafting over my grammar, of all things. Me!¡±

    This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

    The book seemed to wiggle and move in his arm, but she¡¯d seen stranger things these past few days. ¡°Thanks.¡±

    She moved past the irate student, wrestling with his book like it was alive.

    Turned out Brown house wasn¡¯t actually brown. It had a plaque honoring T. Barnabas Brown above the door. The Teaching Assistant rooms all had names on them and a black piece of slate where the times were written that they accepted students to advise. Len¡¯s, however, read NO VISITORS in big blocky text.

    Well, she helped save his life, so he could tell that to her face if he was having an issue. She knocked. That and he¡¯d invented her.

    The door swung open an eighth of the way with enough force that Harmony instinctively dodged away. A spout of flame shot out. ¡°I said no more questions! I don¡¯t know when the gods made the journalistic profession equivalent to that of a shit shoveler, but you¡¯re making that true. I have finals!¡± Len yelled from out the cracked door.

    ¡°Len, it¡¯s me.¡±

    Inside, the wizard¡¯s familiar squawked.

    ¡°Harmony?¡± He popped his head out and looked more exhausted than he did at the end of the dungeon run, where she helped stitch his two halves together. From there, he looked around her to either side. ¡°Come in. Come in quickly.¡±

    The maid slipped inside.

    The wizard¡¯s single room was a mess, but a fastidious mess of half-filled crates everywhere, making it clear the man was in the process of packing or unpacking. Many of the boxes were piled up on a bed. The only other furniture in the room, a writing desk, was piled with stacks of organized papers that Len¡¯s familiar stood in the middle of without disturbing them.

    Harmony eyed the arcane objects, crafting materials, and books with interest.

    ¡°Len, what¡¯s going on?¡±

    ¡°So many things.¡± He started moving crates off the bed. ¡°You were right. Talking to Farthington was the right thing. I had to threaten to pluck his feathers. Damned fool hoped I would learn on my own.¡±

    ¡°Caw!¡± the Raven yelled from the desk.

    ¡°That garbage theory about directing my next evolution stalled me because not advancing skills I deemed unimportant stalled my leveling. I pushed my skills up and finally hit fifteen.¡±

    ¡°Congratulations. That doesn¡¯t explain the sign, your state, or fire through the door.¡±

    Len winced. ¡°Sorry about that. Take a seat. You¡¯ve been in my mind when it hasn¡¯t been forced full of other stuff. If anyone is going to appreciate the problems I¡¯ve been facing, it¡¯s you.¡±

    Taking the cleared-off spot, Harmony mentally ran through the flow of information around her [Poise and Bearing] skill to allow her to more easily smile and look attentive.

    ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure the school¡¯s professors arranged for me to stall my progression to keep my professional skills close at hand. You get it. You¡¯re smart, skilled, and useful. Lord Tyler probably keeps you on a short leash. He, Sir Maxwell, and even Rose, well Princess Rose, are well educated in using the likes of us.¡±

    The bitterness in the wizard¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t there before, but he hadn¡¯t looked as burned out and dead on his feet. Harmony had feared this would be a romantic overture but found herself relaxing at the familiar signs of anger towards employers.

    ¡°What is your profession?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m an editor. Those teachers might have evolved into professors, but they can¡¯t spell a lick, and their grammar is atrocious. I see more solid skills in freshmen, but those tenured bastards know they can slap shit together and give it to me to fix. Now they refuse to let me graduate without jumping through their flaming hoops. They¡¯ve assigned me finals tomorrow, where if I don¡¯t pass, I¡¯ll have to stay for a remedial year. They know I can¡¯t apply to the university at the capitol with an incomplete record here.¡±

    ¡°I suppose you can¡¯t ask your familiar for advice here. Did you stay up late studying for your test?¡±

    ¡°I did, but not unreasonably so. But as soon as I went to bed, the first knock on my door came. I thought it was a new student, but it was one of those newsmongers working for sheets. Wanted to ask about Rose. They blatantly used skills to pull information from me. If I wasn¡¯t half asleep, I could have fought them off. It was so violating. Then they asked if I knew she was a princess. Do you think she¡¯ll hate me for spilling all the team secrets?¡± The frantic distress in his voice shot up.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll understand. If she¡¯s royalty, I can¡¯t imagine she hasn¡¯t had someone pull information out of a friend.¡±

    ¡°Then they started asking about you.¡± The wizard crumpled onto the crowded bed beside her, shrinking in on himself. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. I told them everything. I¡¯d locked the door, and the damn rogues broke in and cornered me. I¡¯ve been contemplating seeking you out to apologize.¡±

    Harmony let a frown crack her skill-formed mask. She¡¯d heard of Len through Tyler, but the tutor had never visited the manor. Tyler took all his tutoring out. The first time she¡¯d met the man was in the dungeon club. There were some awkward moments during the events, but it¡¯s not like he knew her.

    ¡°We had one dungeon dive together, and as unique an experience that one was, I doubt you¡¯re telling them anything they can¡¯t find out elsewhere.¡±

    Len looked at her but refused to meet her gaze. ¡°I¡¯ve tutored Tyler for a few years and been on his dungeoneering team the longest. While he¡¯s anything but an idiot. He tends to be lacking around girls, Rose being the exception. So when it became clear Alison would level and leave soon, he began talking you up to me as winter started. Some lower leveled-girl who would require help, a maid. I¡¯m a wizard. I took it upon myself to research you.¡±

    Tyler planned this? No, she got the scroll and decided to use Tyler to meet the requirements. Her mind flashed back to him gifting her the scroll as thanks for helping him with his experiments. He wasn¡¯t a necromancer, so it was useless to him, though much of his collection was useless for his class. How could he know she¡¯d want to use it? And Len. He researched her? The necromancer¡¯s mind raced through the possibilities. Only when she noticed that Len was not moving and didn¡¯t seem to be breathing did she realize Chronostasis kicked in with her state of stress.

    This gave the maid time to collect herself. As she relaxed, so did her stats¡¯s power. This was all before her misadventure around the prince, so how much could Len have dug up on her?

    ¡°What did you tell the journalists?¡±

    ¡°It was on your employment contract. I gave them your mom¡¯s name.¡±

    Harmony¡¯s chest tightened because Len clearly knew the significance of that. Not that she¡¯s seen her mother since she refused to have a dirty necromancer in her house. What¡¯s the worst that they¡¯re going to do, interview her? That woman would spend the whole time talking about herself and not let out one crumb of information about her unimportant daughter.

    ¡°If it wasn¡¯t you. They¡¯d have found out somewhere else. There has to be an archive of old sheets with an article about the actress Kelly White¡¯s disgraceful child. But if you really want to make amends, I was wondering if you knew of any way to release a pet bond or if they have information at the library?¡±

    ¡°When the pet dies.¡±

    That doesn¡¯t help at all. The maid avoided asking Ambrosia because her friend would smack her around with a broom for even asking the question. Can¡¯t she just leave the back gate open and let adorable little Adric loose on the street to find a new home without having a pesky connection to her soul?

    ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not something Hazeldown University has information on. They consider it beneath them, but the truth is they don¡¯t have the resources or interest to keep that information. Hazeldown is where education goes to die. All the professors are stuck after evolving their teaching profession and unable to get over the hurdle to make it higher. Either they were too ambitious with their progression or lacked the skill to go further. I was starting to get afraid I was cursed like they are.¡±

    Harmony checked her frustration. Here was Len, pouring his heart out about his issues to her and all she can think about is her own issues. And whatever minor drama caused at the masquerade was clearly spilling onto him. He looked worse than she felt in tough mornings.

    ¡°May I perk you up a little?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Um¡­ okay.¡±

    She¡¯d never tried her morning routine on someone else. The synergistic combination of skills always fit easiest internally and had only improved as she gained skills. Theoretically, she knew it might work on someone else, and her stats allowed her to be more flexible with the rules from her experience. [Renew Spirit] was a kind of healing spell, so it wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d have that big of a risk of semi-turning him into black goo like she did her old dress.

    She readied herself, accessing her skills and feeling the synergies they brought to this task. [Beautician] wanted to take charge. Len wasn¡¯t un-handsome and had an earnest bookworm look, but she reminded herself this was about making him feel better. Though it argued, what could make someone feel better than being confidently good looking. [Poise and Bearing] and [Style and Grace] huffed about his posture all wrong. Even [High Kick] got a bug up about the alignment of his spine.

    ¡°Fine.¡± She muttered, knowing her skills and brain wouldn¡¯t shut up and allow her to do this properly until she got things right.

    She stood up and physically adjusted the poor, half-dead-looking wizard into a proper position. His spine popped a little as she did so, one hand raised up and pushing on the man¡¯s chest and the other on his lower back to get it just right. He was either too stunned or too tired to object.

    From there, she activated [Renew Spirit], which was reinforced through synergies with her other skills. She couldn¡¯t make him behave internally the way she did to herself in the morning, but she damn well tried. [Dust] even swirled to life, peeling off a layer of excess dirt from his hair and clothes like a waterless shower. [Manipulate Dead] fixed his chipped and uneven nails, helping style his hair into a fashionable cut. Internally her [Beautician] skill seemed to smirk and wish for a better wardrobe.

    Doing her renewal set on someone else drained her enough to feel a brief wave of fatigue as her attempt ended.

    Len cleared his throat.

    Harmony realized she was still touching the wizard. Quickly removed her hands and stepped back. Calling the effects of her skill usage on him ¡°much improved¡± would have been an understatement. Gone are the bags under his eyes. His skin looked smooth and vibrant, while his hair and nails looked like he always maintained them. Even his posture projected confidence, which surprised Harmony because he didn¡¯t slump back into his poor form. It immediately made her wonder how awful she looked before she went through her routine in the morning. There were days she woke up feeling like an ogre¡¯s chew toy.

    ¡°How did you?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a full-service maid. Helping people be their best. It is only temporary and not a replacement for rest and recovery.¡± As comfortable as Len seemed with her, many people wouldn¡¯t be with the fact that her necromancy skills did the bulk of the work, as much as it felt like a combined team effort of her profession and class.

    ¡°Still, in the brief time I¡¯ve known you, you¡¯ve constantly been pulling me out of one mess or another. I actually feel like I can handle the finals and extra work now. Sorry about the lack of knowledge of pets. Now that my mind is clearer, I think the school purged its information there and has banned students from having pets on campus. Some nasty business about illegal pet battles. With the commission managing pet competitions, I think their headquarters has the largest collection of pet information, but that¡¯s in the capital.¡±

    There was no way she could make it to the capital and back in time to solve her current problem. Prince Adric can take his pretty face and wait for this all to die down. She doubted he wanted to stay a pet if he managed un-influenced thoughts on it. It¡¯s not like he voluntarily entered an agreement like Hyacinth or was fool enough to make an oath like Max.

    The door shook with a knock.

    Len summoned a ball of fire into his palm. ¡°I¡¯ll handle this.¡±

    ¡°Maybe check before attempting to roast them first,¡± Harmony added.

    The wizard flushed with embarrassment. ¡°Sorry about that.¡±

    He cracked the door. The flame in his hand sputtered and went out, and the wizards stumbled back, leaving the door to swing open.

    ¡°Professor Dunphy.¡± The wizard stammered with more than a little shock in his voice. His Raven familiar squawked, flying up as high and away as possible.

    The older man with long bushy white hair and a long white coat stepped inside as Len backed away to the far end of the room. The professor gave the room a sneer, his eyes alight with a little bit of wild madness. ¡°The interview requests have been flooding in for you enough that I no longer regret your desire to depart. Call it unexpected, but your exit exam starts now.¡±

 Chapter Thrity

    Chapter Thirty

    One thing Harmony learned as a maid was when to summarily extract herself from a situation, either by being as invisible as a five-hundred-year-old credenza whose only use was to look nice and be dusted or find somewhere better to be. The latter would be best since she lacked the social armor of her position here. If only the room wasn¡¯t so tight as to make it difficult for her to slip out. Two more short steps in by the professor, and she calculated being able to squeeze on by.

    Except the professor pivoted and pointed a long finger right at her face. ¡°Who are you?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°Child? Boy? Girl? Student?¡± The man grilled forcibly.

    ¡°She¡¯s a friend,¡± Len said.

    ¡°Ha! I should fail you now, liar. You have no friends. That¡¯s why you always made the best assistant. The social aptitude of a shambler. Didn¡¯t even realize when some girls and guys offered physical favors for better grades. Suggested they do the extra credit. And when he does choose to associate with people, it is in a professional leveling capacity. Did you know, according to the sheets, he made the poor choice of doing so with the likes of stuck-up princesses and revolutionary servants who want to rip the whole system down?¡±

    ¡°Professor Dunphy, you know the sheets aren¡¯t accurate.¡± Len started.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t they? Don¡¯t they hold a glimmer of truth? Yet, I¡¯m insane for seeking the truth.¡±

    Not improving Harmony¡¯s opinion of Hazeldown University here.

    ¡°Perhaps I should leave?¡±

    Len nodded vigorously from behind the white-coated professor¡¯s shoulder.

    ¡°Stay. Having a witness to prove that I am judging him fairly is good. You wouldn¡¯t want a different professor negating my examination results because of the faults they perceive me to have. I¡¯d imagine without a witness, they¡¯d call a commission, pick an investigator, ignore the investigator, reschedule Len¡¯s exams, and tie him up for two, maybe three more years of editing work on their boring academic missives. ¡°

    At that suggestion, Len looked sick.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll stay but on one condition. I had hoped Len would help answer my question, but perhaps you are better suited.¡±

    ¡°Of course, I¡¯m better suited. Just look at my glorious white coat. We have a deal.¡±

    Power rippled across Harmony¡¯s soul, causing extra little ripples in the churn she¡¯d cultivated almost automatically. The power settled in like a gentle shackle, a skill activated when the deal was made. Her connection stat made her uncomfortably aware of the skill-enforced agreement, as it seemed to like it. It wasn¡¯t like the professor could be a forbidden soul binder, but clearly, he had some agreement-based skill. That saying, don¡¯t make deals with strangers, always rang extra true.

    ¡°Is there a way to sever a pet bond without harming the pet or bonded?¡±

    Dunphy tapped his temple. ¡°The lazy answer is that with all of the skills, stats, and powers, in the infinite realm of possibility, sure, there has to be a way. But the truth is we are talking about a primal bond that can extend past death, one of the oldest magics where a connection is formed when the class holder finds a companion and goes, I choose you.

    Primal bonds have shown resistance to mind control, the ability to break contracts, be there through dimensional boundaries, and even defy the greatest powers known. A way to break them without some drastic repercussions? Don¡¯t try your luck.¡±

    ¡°Thank you for your advice.¡± She replied neutrally. As skeptical as the maid was of the manic professor, he did give her the term primal bonds to explore.

    The professor moved to point his finger at Len. ¡°Now that we have a witness, it is your turn. The exam will be in three parts, knowledge, theoretical, and practical. What is the speed at which mana flows from zero-state to skill activation at level one?¡±

    ¡°Five heartbeats to base,¡± Len answered.

    Harmony didn¡¯t know if that was right. None of Tyler¡¯s books talked about zero-state. Base was considered the lowest power you could use a skill activation at. It wasn¡¯t like skills were useless outside of activation. For a base effect, [Poise and Bearing] straightened her spine and gave her the picture of perfect attention. She¡¯d missed the following question with her musings. The professor was already asking a third as the pace ratcheted up.

    Not wanting to give up a learning opportunity, she focused on questions and answers that made sense to how she saw the world. She wished Chronostasis would kick in so she could have more time to think about the rapid fire of information gleaned from the questions and answers. Some she found useless, like the exact date the kingdom was founded. Or irrelevant, like how modifiers and evolution affected aging. Others confirmed her thoughts and what she read, like how the more complete free skill absorption happens, the easier it is to gain skill levels in them. Authority, lords, history, mana growth, proper spell component handling, it all left her head spinning as the questions and answers slapped back and forth.

    ¡°Passable.¡± Dunphy ended that round.

    Len panted heavily. Even his familiar flew down to land on his shoulder and pat him with a black wing. Now all of Harmony¡¯s hard work wasn¡¯t undone. If a hair or two was now out of place, it was merely a flaw that accentuated his [Beautician]-altered image. It was a temporary boost, though. Picking up an empty glass from his desk and a sheet of paper with a spell diagram sketched, he summoned a small storm cloud that rained into the glass, filling it up for him to drink.

    ¡°Now, present me with your understanding of the theoretical underpinnings of class and profession evolution,¡± Dunphy demanded.

    ¡°Our actions and experiences define the evolution options we get. Attending church daily increases the odds of getting a religious class, profession, or even the holy modifier. This has created the idea of path manuals with achievements and constellations to help guide people to certain evolutionary paths. People need to accomplish and experience more difficult tasks to get rarer options or even to level up their class and profession as they evolve and reach higher levels. But you can¡¯t ignore the foundational aspect of all the skills and stats in your soul.¡±

    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

    Harmony watched the professor be stoic until Len got to that ¡°but.¡± There, an eyebrow raised slightly. Probably because it went against what Len had spouted previously, but as the wizard reached his personal leveling block and plucked the information out of his familiar, it was clear that he had changed. Cleaning up after her mom had been one of the reasons she¡¯d been offered the maid profession. She was sure of it.

    From there, the description of the theoretical underpinnings got dryer and more educational technobabble, referencing dead and living professors and theorists. Carter, Harmony¡¯s favorite, was only mentioned once about Carter¡¯s student Simone and her theory of harmonizing synergies to ease progression. The maid knew she might have nodded off if she wasn¡¯t forced to watch by her agreement as the discussion turned into word soup for her. Even then, that oath-enforced attention only got her so far.

    ¡°Not bad. If you had gone with the ridiculous idea of minimizing some skills and stats and maximizing others as a viable progression path, as Professors Ziggler and Trubbs pressed upon you, I would have failed you or, worse, passed you and let you flounder under that misconception. As it is, I have to pass you by this woeful college¡¯s standards.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, sir.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. The hardest has yet to come. Your practical portion is upon you.¡± The professor reached into his white coat, pulled out a spell scroll, and pointed it at Harmony. ¡°Witness, inspect this.¡±

    Familiar Augmentation.

    Requires at least 12 levels of a magic-based class, 10 skill levels in familiar, two monster cores,  four blank magical contracts, mana potion, and 3 thimbles of the casters blood.

    Place materials around the target, channel mana and break the scroll.

    He handed the scroll to Len.

    ¡°Professor, I can¡¯t. The cost alone must be exorbitant.¡±

    ¡°I never selected a familiar. The scroll is useless to me. I happen to have all the required casting components as well for you. As you know, it is recommended that the caster of the scroll have at least twice the required levels for at least a decent chance of success for these kinds of augmentation spells, but skill and thaumaturgical knowledge can help. This will not be easy for you, but I am not asking you to do some near-impossible boundary-crossing magic.¡±

    ¡°Thank you, professor.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t thank me yet. This is a pass-fail. If you don¡¯t manage this, you¡¯ll be digging through atrocious spelling, grammar mistakes, cripplingly bad paragraphs, and the worst educational theories in the combined kingdoms for the next year. Let that motivate you.¡±

    Next came the bag of spell components minus the caster¡¯s blood. Harmony watched as he cut his thumb to supply that. He stared at his raven, Farthington, in the eyes, communicating silently before setting up the components around him.

    If Harmony was going to get value out of this, she needed to see the mana. She activated [Mana Rotation] Internally, she could feel the churn kick into high gear, ready to empower a spell, but it was the extrasensory feeling of outside mana she wanted. Under-utilized it due to the discomfort of holding the skill active. Maybe if she had it active, she wouldn¡¯t have as easily been caught by the professor¡¯s oath skill, binding her to this task.

    She could sense the magical energy active in many items around the room, the scroll¡¯s spell components, particularly the blank magical contracts, which felt like a weave of threads, but all of them were passive.

    It was the people that interested her most. Professor Dunphy¡¯s mana felt warm but hyperactively, as though his wild, exaggerated energy was synched to his mana. Len¡¯s felt like a bucket of water sloshing back and forth or a tide moving at a regular rhythm. His familiar shared the trait though the timing wasn¡¯t quite matching.

    The raven sat in the middle of a circle made of components. At the same time, Len stood, scroll in hand over him. Harmony watched as he started to channel mana into the scroll, Len¡¯s internal motion of mana helping to push it out. The wizard wisely focused on his connection and skills with his familiar. Still, Harmony was disappointed that she didn¡¯t feel him using any other aspects of his profession or class. Raw mana and familiar bond. Through her connection stat, she could tell that the energy was tenuous but acceptable, if only because Farthington worked towards allowing the scroll to work from his end.

    Playing with connections had gotten her into so much trouble recently that Harmony vowed to stay back as long as it looked like it would work. There was a methodical nature to charging the spell and how the crafting materials linked together. It looked neater than simply throwing a bag at the target, and the circular set-up labeled the target.

    Len broke the scroll. Too soon, in the necromancer¡¯s opinion, with how charged the scroll and materials were, but as her eyes flickered to Len and his now weakly moving mana, it was clear he¡¯d given his all and simply was tapped out. She watched how the power was directed. It was at Farthington, but Harmony immediately saw what the wizard did wrong. The energy pushed at the feathers, which were dead material like hair and nails. She¡¯d once changed the color of all Ambrosia¡¯s birds mud-brown for a day as a prank. Len was probably hesitant about risking Farthington by pushing directly into him.

    Harmony sneezed, and the raven squawked as a feather fell out, plucked free. A little bit of familiar blood dripped from the wound, creating an opening for the magic of the augmentation scroll, a portal allowing access.

    Farthington started to change. His neck lengthened, tiny horns sprouting from his feathered head, and his body bulked up, turning more muscular, adaptive, and lizard-like. To balance the head, the tail grew long and whiplike. More Raven than a dragon, but now more a mix of something in between as the magic run its course.

    Harmony wondered if the scroll had been more powered, artfully activated, and used if the transformation towards a dragon would be complete.

    ¡°I did it.¡±

    ¡°That you did. Consider yourself graduated.¡± Dunphy pulled out a letter and handed it to Len. ¡°You¡¯ll have enough of a burden fighting against Hazeldown University¡¯s reputation when you get to the capitol. This letter of recommendation might not get you much except your foot in the door for the Capitol Institute once you evolve your class and profession. Remember, you¡¯ll have to fight to keep them from slamming that door onto your foot.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t thank you enough.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t leave tomorrow. Take a week, maybe two, and finish editing my colleague¡¯s papers for them while I find your replacement. It would be best not to give them any reason to try to fight my decision on this.¡±

    Free of her oath, Harmony got up and slipped out of the room. Len would crash and sleep all day if her suspicions were right the moment his energy dropped from that experience.

    She quietly made it to the Brown house entrance until a hand gripped her shoulder, stopping her.

    ¡°If I thought Len knew what you did for him or that it was planned, you would learn why they called me maddest here,¡± Professor Dunphy whispered to her harshly before letting go of her shoulder and jogging out of student housing and towards the main campus.

    Harmony allowed three slow breaths to calm down before she, too, left.

 Chapter Thirty-One

    Chapter Thirty One

    Harmony purchased two meat pies outside the university campus with the sun high. The beef, carrot, and gravy stuffed pastries steamed in her hand. Witnessing Len''s exam had taken the morning away, but with the information she gleaned, it wasn''t a total loss.

    Street urchins selling news sheets were still at it. Usually, it was a morning or night gig, capturing the day''s events for people before they go to sleep or summarizing it in the morning for those who''ve woken up. The scandal and excitement created an all-day news cycle.

    "False duke has no Authority, nepotism at its worst!"

    "Prince Adric spotted in sewers with a lizard-person lover!"

    "Wizard spills all, sensational Kelly White''s daughter shines."

    Harmony winced at hearing her mother''s name. It''s not like they''ve spoken since she was kicked out. She told herself that her mom would use this as publicity to keep up her big fish in a small pond comfort zone and only talk about herself.

    Today wasn''t a day for dwelling. You only get so many day''s off from work, and tomorrow is Ambrosia''s thank-you-for-helping-with-the-pet-problem day, even if she did let him run loose. This meant the need for a nice outfit. She couldn''t borrow her taller friends'' ones without most of them failing to fit properly. It didn''t help that the maid knew she was burning through clothing whenever she needed to don her new armor or that her best dress had been changed and incorporated into that armor.

    The area around the university did have some of the best shopping that wasn''t dungeon diving focused. It had shops, baths, taverns, and various entertainment options. Three indoor theatres and a pair of outdoor amphitheaters, haunts from a life she left behind. Kelly White''s name was being yelled, rather than Harmony wasn''t a coincidence, as she''d'' seen her mom pay the local newsboys extra to make sure her name was called when she made the news.

    The maid spent the afternoon walking down still familiar streets, ignoring posters advertising a play with her mother''s face on it and looking around the shops.

    Lace and Ladies advertised capital and evolved fashions in the window next to displays holding colorful dresses covered in ribbon and lace. Harmony entered.

    A skill pressed against her, taking measurements and weighing her. Height, proportions, inseam, the kind of skill common to tailors and seamstresses. A skill that some maids at the manor had taken and used before.

    "How may I be of service to you today?" Asked a kind woman''s voice.

    "I''m looking for a dress. No. Two dresses. My friend has plans, and knowing her, there will be dancing, singing, and possibly drinking involved."

    The seamstress stepped out from behind a mannequin. She nearly matched Harmony''s short stature.

    "Finally, a client who I won''t need a step stool for. What you''re looking for will be active social wear. It''s more evolved kingdom fashion than capitol based, which is what you get when you push all the citizens to go through at least one evolution the first two years of getting their profession and class. Have to have sturdy clothes to survive those rough and tumble skill clashes."

    Sturdy is what she needed. "I have a skill that equips me with armor, but it''s murder on clothes. Do you think maybe something that can survive that?"

    "Come on back to the changing area."

    The seamstress used her fingers to whistle. One of the mannequins in the back shifted into a bipedal man. Some kind of golem or construct. "Keep an eye on the shop." The woman instructed it.

    "I''m Misha." She told Harmony as they stepped into the changing area, a simple, curtained-off area with a large mirror on the far wall.

    "I don''t want to damage my current outfit."

    "You strip out those boy clothes, and I''ll find a scrap gown to see what I''m working with. You''re not the first one who can grow armor, project, or whatever. Back in Calestia, you''d be surprised at how common such quick defense skills are for evolved classes."

    "You''re from an evolved kingdom?"

    "Don''t hold it against me. Sometimes you want to go where the competition is light, and your skills are needed. I''m probably the only Master seamstress in Hazeldown."

    Harmony began to strip off her more neutral boyish clothes as the seamstress left the room.

    The seamstress returned with almost a potato sack, a one-piece outfit of dozens of stitched pieces of fabric. "To test the skill wear against specific material." Misha pointed out upon seeing Harmony''s questioning look.

    Sliding it on, she felt like a clown in the oversized, baggy one-piece outfit. Donning her armor, Night, took stripped that feeling off. The new bulk in her soul sat uncomfortably there like a lump in her stomach. Stripping naked before donning the armor was preferable. [Small Armor] was joyful at being equipped, and even [High Kick] appreciated the armored boots. [Beautician] knew she looked good. Even her other skills and stats felt a sympathetic connection to the sparkling black armor through its creation and form. It resonated pleasantly to feel complete in form and function.

    "Blocked paths! You''re Kelly White''s daughter. The Sketch in the sheet didn''t do you justice."

    That did not feel pleasant. There were only so many times you could be introduced as Kelly White''s daughter growing up and overhear someone asking, "what was her name" in the distance before you wanted to be as invisible as you felt. That old life was supposed to be buried when she was thrown out with scraps and bones.

    If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    "My name is Harmony."

    [Cold Touch] flared, making the words not only come out with a chilly tone but also drop the room''s temperature several degrees. The lack of control was a stark reminder that she''d yet to adjust to all the new levels and skills she''d acquired. Lord Tyler routinely took week-long retreats and training sessions after getting even one new skill, but some people had to work for a living.

    "Sorry, my lady. I was simply shocked by your presence." Misha apologized with a curtsy

    Harmony stood there dumbfounded by the address and curtsy. Because of her class, she''d suffered insults, mocking, and rejection. Pretending about a noble title was new. Was there a subtle insult behind such a thing? She''d read something about the evolved kingdoms taking lords, ladies, and the like much more seriously than their tiny strip of a kingdom does.

    "Is it true your father was a lord, and you''ve unlocked your royal bloodline?"

    Dead before she left the womb. Her father was the last thing Harmony wanted to talk about. A Laborer, and a fire mage. Harmony activated [Poise and Bearing], letting the skill take over and present a calm facade.

    "I''m afraid you''re mistaken. I''m not a lady. I''m merely looking for a new dress."

    "You''ll unlock authority soon, don''t worry. Then you''ll be free to hang with your special friends. Is it the princess? That false duke is so disrespectful."

    The leaking chill of [Cold Touch] at these topics pulled in her. Hanging with the princess, and who brought up someone''s dead family? So Harmony let it ride.

    "No. She''s just a friend. Can we move this along?" The cold tone did make her think of stuck-up aristocrats. The temperature dropped enough for the air to condense outside her mouth as she huffed.

    "Of course. It should be long enough to see how your skill has displaced the outfit or left damaged sections we can account for. Swap back into the test outfit."

    The outfit came back in shreds. The threads used to bind all the bits of fabric together had been the first to go. The necromancer wished she hadn''t made the room so cold. Where Night had protected her against the cold, the strips of fabric over bare skin brought goosebumps and shivers.

    "Oh my. This is unusual."

    The seamstress picked up squares of fabric. Rubbing the materials between her fingers before inspecting the ones that managed to stay tentatively worn by Harmony.

    "What are you thinking?" The maid asked, now more concerned with her current problem than past history.

    "High-grade materials I don''t have here could work. I''ve heard of some second-evolved crafters who can make clothes that repair themselves. What has your trainer said about using the skill to minimize or localize the damage?"

    Trainers, why hadn''t she thought of such a thing. Other than the lack of money and time and the fact that she had yet to hear of this type of skill or item pairing that did this in Hazeldown. Maybe in the evolved kingdoms, it would be different.

    "It''s a new ability. You''ve seen the sheets. I''ve been too busy to find a trainer."

    "Well, that might help. I''m going to recommend you not use the armor unless you need to or arrange to have cheaper clothes."

    It''s not like Harmony felt she had much choice when she needed it. She envisioned dumping most of the dungeon run earnings into dresses then, ten minutes after wearing it, needing to stop some idiot and trashing her outfit.

    "Could you add some decorative metal plates to the dresses? Is that a thing?" Harmony asked.

    "In activewear, it is, my lady."

    Harmony didn''t correct her.

    Two dresses took most of Harmony''s coin. Outside of Misha''s tendency to slip into honorific modes of address, she knew her job, and they worked well together. [Beautician], [Style and Grace], [Small Armor], and even [High Kick] contributed impressions while Harmony worked with the master Seamstress''s opinion to build two new dresses for her. It made her feel secure in handling whatever surprise Ambrosia was planning the next day.

    With her main chore done, hauling two large dress boxes, Harmony looked at the other shops again. New Leaf Tomes and Tea, a bookstore. She''d avoided entering earlier due to the risk of spending her money before she got to the dresses. The shop was unusual since books tended to be more for private collections. Most everyone read news sheets as those with artist, scribe, or author professions found it easier to grind out their skills doing that work than to try to fully copy or write books. Now she felt free to enter.

    Two women got up at the chime of the bell on the door, one with short brown hair with a bandage wrapped around her shoulder and a blond with her hair up in a messy bun.

    "Not you, darling. You need to heal up." The blond told her partner, pushing them down into their cushy seat with a whump. With a smile, she moved energetically towards Harmony. "Sorry about that. Kianthe fancies herself a bit of a bodyguard and hurt herself defending me from dragon spiders. Welcome to New Leaf Tomes and Tea. I''m Reyna."

    The maid noticed how she accentuated the leaf from the store name like it was the funniest thing in the world. As fearsome as their name sounded, dragon spiders were harmless and merely used their scaly covering to mimic dragons to scare predators away, nothing like the spiders she''d battled in the manor attic.

    "I was wondering if you had any books on primal bonds?"

    "Let me look. I have some lovely tea if you want as you wait."

    "No, thank you," Harmony responded.

    Reyna bustled to the back shelves, stopping in front of a stirring Kianthe. "Stay seated." She lectured with a wag of her finger.

    Books lined the walls, while comfy chairs and small tables for tea took up much of the interior. She scanned the titles seeing Tender Love, Low Morals on High Seas, and In the Knight were some of the less blatant ones.

    "Cozy spot you have here." Harmony addressed the brunette, who looked uncomfortably well-pampered in her chair.

    "It''s ours, and we love it. Reyna fancies herself a magician at making tea. Sometimes a little trouble is all it takes to push off to run away to a city in the middle of nowhere and live your dreams."

    The maid could understand that, having dreamed about having a proper pet and maybe a bit naively imagining it fighting in the colosseum as a career where she could work from the sidelines. "Good for you."

    Reyna dashed back in. "Will Primal Hunter work? It''s about a laborer transported into a fantastical world."

    Harmony shook her head. "You wouldn''t happen to have any books on skills, leveling, and bonds?"

    Reyna deflated. "We have Thibodeaux on Skills, but that''s it. We''re focused on books to help people escape from the daily grind of leveling, the sore feat of walking paths, the traumas of the dungeon."

    Comfort books, the kind Fel loved. Harmony asked how much the book was and winced when the price listed was as much as her dress and past what she''d brought for the shopping trip.

    "Would you happen to have any damaged books needing repair that you''ll be willing to sell cheaply?"

    "I might have some options in the back that are taking up space. I can''t help but care for things that need a little bit of extra love to get better."

    Harmony avoided rolling her eyes at Reyna''s wistful look toward the bandaged Kianthe. But that was how she spent the rest of her money on three beaten-up books. Monster Girls, whose pages were stuck together, a crumbling three-hundred-year-old diary by a priest, and an old ledger of skills filled with annotations and ripped pages.

    Possibly a waste, but she figured it was something she could practice on to see how well she could repair books after unlocking her stats. And if these turned into a pile of black goo, no one would get mad.

 Chapter Thirty-Two

    Chapter Thirty-two

    Harmony found herself shaken awake with a weight on top of her.

    ¡°Rise and shine. I¡¯ve got a busy day planned for us.¡±

    Ambrosia sat straddling her, doing a wiggling dance.

    ¡°Wha¡­¡±

    ¡°I poked Hyacinth awake too. I can¡¯t let both of you sleepy heads take all morning.¡±

    The familiar croaked apprehensively next to the bed.

    ¡°Fine. Fine. Get off, and I¡¯ll be at your command for the day.¡±

    Ambrosia swung herself off of her friend.

    ¡°I moved your bucket. It gurgled at me.¡±

    The remains of Monster Girls. Harmony had spent the night trying to separate the pages by detaching the dead organic material that sealed them together. The bonds of the material between the pages were stronger than the bonds inside the paper. Not working. Not working. Not working. Then the whole thing fell apart. She¡¯d done it over a bucket, knowing it would be complicated. Of all the damaged books she¡¯d purchased to repair, she knew that one had the least chance of success and was nearly free.

    ¡°Because I know you¡¯ll want to. I¡¯ve got two new dresses for you to help me pick what I wear today. Each comes with a matching collar for Hyacinth.¡±

    ¡°Grrup.¡± Hyacinth protested while lamely projecting that he was still sick.

    Through [Familiar Bond], Harmony knew that was a lie.

    ¡°Yes. Please.¡± Ambrosia said excitedly, and Harmony pulled out the boxes.

    They settled on the light blue and gold one, fastened by a buckled strap that cut under her arms and across the top of her chest, then hung down. It was a simple single-piece dress that allowed freedom of movement. Rather than heavy fabric, large brass buttons lined the hem just below her knees to keep the dress weighted down. The metal parts appealed as a potential tool for [Small Armor] but only in an emergency. It could be removed with a snap undoing the clasp decoratively placed in the middle of her chest and letting it drop to the floor.

    She dressed Hyacinth in a blue and gold collar and a matching clasp.

    ¡°Come on. Hurry up.¡± Ambrosia insisted.

    They grabbed some food from the kitchen on the way out. Including a pre-made basket, Ambrosia had arranged with the cook earlier. A beautiful early spring day with chirping birds and a sense that the morning chill would be chased away soon greeted them outside. Harmony hesitated momentarily when she saw a handful of reporters waiting at the servants¡¯ exit.

    Three of the five reporters standing there froze, watching the pair of dressed-to-go-out maids walk toward the exit. It was only a momentary freeze because, to the confusion of the two other muckrakers waiting, those three turned and started running away as fast as they could.

    The sound of singing birds grew louder.

    ¡°Is Harmony White in?¡± Yelled the man at the gate.

    The woman beside him elbowed him in the side. ¡°Is it true Lord Tyler is engaged to the princess?¡±

    With a high-pitched whistle, the first bird dove in. Tiny talons gripping and pulling at the woman¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Hey!¡± She yelled

    The beast tamer¡¯s pets descended, a swirling flock armed with talons, shrill cries, and beaks. As much as Ambrosia treated her pets as a caring calling or musical instrument to help her with singing, beast tamer was a combat class and one of the more desired ones.

    Rogue and reporter often go hand and hand as classes and professions, but because you can slip away from human eyes doesn¡¯t help you against all kinds of animals. The male newshound went hazy, sliding into some sort of stealth skill. Three birds kept on him, forcing him away.

    The woman shot a bar of flame from her hand, and the birds dodged while tweeting mockingly.

    Harmony couldn¡¯t see how that class would synergize well. Of course, suppose she had selected the profession that synergized the most with a necromancer. In that case, she¡¯d have been a taxidermist rather than a maid.

    Two birds charged up their skills, and a gust of wind pushed her away with enough force to encourage her to run.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been given permission to clear pests around the entrances and exits. They¡¯d been warned.¡± Ambrosia told her friend as the way out cleared.

    Hyacinth chuckled at the scene.

    Exiting the servants¡¯ gate, Harmony noticed the new sign. No Loitering. Beware.

    The decently long walk took the maids to one of the lesser-used parks. Hyacinth snatched a butterfly out of the overgrown grass.

    ¡°Harm, you¡¯ve been stressing about your new pet. I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if you¡¯ve found a book to shove your nose about trying to reverse it. And now I¡¯m not saying pet ownership doesn¡¯t have some stresses, but I feel like you¡¯ve forgotten to enjoy it too.¡±

    ¡°Except Adric is a person, not a pet.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s undead. He¡¯s no more a person than those shamblers in the dungeon. And your bond shows that he is a pet no matter his appearance. Many pets are smarter than their masters and still choose the role.¡± One of Ambrosia¡¯s larger birds swooped down and landed on her shoulder, bright red with a piercing glare. ¡°Cherry here can speak three languages.¡±

    ¡°Stoopid Hoomans. Ka¡¯ree Tish.¡± Cherry cried. Then the bird retook its flight.

    ¡°Pets don¡¯t choose.¡±

    ¡°They do. It might not be a partnership like you and your familiar, but they choose. I want you to call your pet and have fun.¡±

    Harmony felt herself freeze up in a way she hadn¡¯t since she¡¯d gained [Style and Grace]. ¡°What if¡­¡±

    ¡°The birds will keep watch. Come, call your pet.¡±

    Her plan had been to find a way to break the bond. But it would be good to get an update on what he was doing in the city. The fact that he¡¯d even shown up to the masquerade where he was most likely to be recognized, mask or no mask, hadn¡¯t been a positive experience. This was about as good a chance to talk to Prince Adric as there would be with Ambrosia to watch. She didn¡¯t have to have fun but knew she should at least pretend to make her friend happy. Focusing inwardly, she stroked what she now knew was the primal bond inside of her. Come.

    ¡°There. Who knows how far away he is. If he¡¯s smart, he left Hazeldown and is waiting for all this drama to die down.¡±

    ¡°Pets are never far from their master¡¯s side. They get anxious and uncomfortable, or worse, they act out. You remember Baccus¡¯s Hound tore up his couch when we left her here during a quick trip to the capitol. If it helps, just think how letting Pet Adric see you may stop him from doing something similar to get attention.¡±

    It sunk in that Adric, an evolved prince with authority, could do much more damage than destroy a couch. ¡°Bones.¡±

    ¡°Yes, this morning is more for you than me. You will be helping me with a concert this evening. Remember how Ambrosia has helped you with all these things you¡¯ve neglected while I¡¯m taking advantage of you.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t let a word of complaint cross my lips as you have your way with me this evening. Now¡­¡±

    A blur streaked through the park bushes towards her. Time didn¡¯t slow down. No danger was sensed. If anything, Hyacinth let amusement leak through their bond, and the maid found herself lifted up again and spun around.

    ¡°Oh, Harm. I missed you!¡± The prince cried. ¡°If I¡¯d known how good it felt to be called, I¡¯d have called my Bowe more often. Not that I should now. So many eyes on him. Getting close to the stables while he¡¯s recovering has been a pain.¡±

    The sheer joy on the almost too-pretty prince¡¯s face was infectious. The bond between them pulsed with it. She relaxed into that and the twirling, poking her movement skills to relieve dizziness. She caught Ambrosia grinning whenever a twirl brought her friend into view. Maybe having a beautiful prince as a pet wasn¡¯t such a bad thing, and if you can¡¯t change fate, make it your own.

    The prince set her down. The look he gave her was apprehensive, excited, and playful.

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    The necromancer reached up and patted him on the head. ¡°You¡¯ve done most of what I¡¯ve asked, which is better than most boys and pets do. I¡¯ve been too shocked or busy to give you much attention, and I¡¯m sorry for that. What would you like to do?¡±

    The prince preened at the attention, and with one eye towards the beast tamer, Harmony saw approval. She might not have memorized all of her friends¡¯ lectures on pets, but taking care of their wants and needs had been repeated enough times that it stuck. The more satisfied he was, the less likely he¡¯d be to destroy any metaphorical couches.

    ¡°The call has really given me some extra stamina to burn. I think we have space. How about a game of tag, you and me? Then, after I burn off the energy, you can tell me about yourself?¡±

    ¡°Sure.¡±

    Harmony gave the prince a five-deep-breath head start. He could hide, but they¡¯d set the rules to stay in the park under the watchful view of Ambrosia¡¯s birds and skills. Not that the necromancer planned to play fair. She focused on her class and its ability to sense death. Old Bones had criticized her for not using this sense in the dungeon for the team to the fullest extent, but as a maid, that aspect of her class had limited use. Everyone carried some bit of death on them: their hair, nails, skin, clothes fibers, and the leather of their shoes. There was no point in using it. But here, she searched for the opposite due to her undead pets¡¯ unique life-filled nature, a hole where a normal amount of death should be.

    The park¡¯s soil was soft but full of dead and living matter. Dead insects, roots, sticks, twigs. Now [High Kick] does adjust for such things when pushing off, but with the cost of lost force. It also tended to care less about the damage done when landing. With the failed final rush out of Old Bones still fresh in her mind, a quick sloppy cast of [Manipulate Dead] created a matrix-like stepping stone of fused material for the necromancer to push off. With that plan in mind, Harmony pushed off with a kick. At the end of the strike, another cast made a landing spot rather than risk the strike having her knee-deep in the ground.

    Kick off, platform, land. This was the kind of training she should be doing after gaining new skills and levels. Harmony kept her kicks as vertical as possible through the grass while searching for the empty space represented by the ball of life that was Prince Adric. She spotted the feeling of him behind a tree. She kicked off harder, activating the skill for a strike there. The wood splintered and cracked at the impact of the craft, and Harmony hooked her arm around a lower branch, planning to swing around. But the prince skipped past her just out of reach flashing his impeccable smile.

    Shifting herself to the fleeing prince, she kicked off again as she hung from the tree using the trunk as the floor. One part of her brain registered the impressive damage to the tree, but most of her thoughts were on tagging her pet. The kick propelled her forward, her toe ready to tap her pet in this game of tag. Inches away, the man accelerated faster than her kick even as she lost momentum. She could hear the throaty chuckle of his laughter hanging in the air as she used her movement skills to land gracefully.

    She pushed off again, chasing her laughing pet, but not with the same amount of effort. The prince was faster than her, faster than her targeted skill. She knew it had been stupid to assume she could tag the man, and while she had hoped, it wasn¡¯t unsurprising. Not only must Prince Adric have filled out his skill slots with a critical movement skill that she still lacked, but he was also evolved. Evolution changes a person, mostly better. However, as the man discovered with his cursed profession of mourned prince, sometimes you come out worse. Raising him from the dead clearly corrected any issues.

    He¡¯d also chased her down and into the manor after the raising. The man twisted and turned, testing how quickly Harmony could use her skills to switch directions, letting her get close before darting away.

    Harmony bounced from tree to tree like a striker ball bouncing off the walls of a game table. She weighed her options. Tiring him out first was unlikely. Waiting for him to get bored, the pet seemed more excited than a dog chasing its own tail. If he was the tagger, she could use [Manipulate Dead] to change the environment to trap him, perhaps loosen the ground rather than solidify it like she was doing. But he was faster and more unpredictable than she could adjust for.

    As her skills used for chasing the man started throbbing from overuse. Harmony made a choice.

    Prince Adric didn¡¯t see it coming. He watched, laughing, as his master huffed while chasing after him. Knowing what she was capable of was supremely important. Ambrosia had told him she was competitive and stubborn, so he contemplated letting her tag him. No, she¡¯d realize that. Just calling the game over with him, the winner felt right. It would give Harm motivation to improve. A giant toad fell out of a shadow and crashed into him. In that brief moment of confusion where the sudden attack conflicted with his image of the game, he readied a defensive skill only to have a gummy jaw twist his arm a little as the familiar and pet tumbled together on the ground. As his brain clicked, he relaxed. A dainty finger poked his nose even though the tumbling continued.

    ¡°Boop, you¡¯re tagged,¡± Harmony told her pet as it continued rolling with Hyacinth in the grass.

    Involving the shadow toad had cost her several favors. Being both lazy and greedy, Hyacinth wanted free passes for hunting and naps in the future. She knew he only agreed to not let the new bond show him up.

    Hyacinth hopped back to chasing butterflies while the prince sat back up, dusting himself off.

    ¡°Isn¡¯t using outside help cheating?¡±

    ¡°You said skills were fair. [Familiar Bond] is a skill.¡±

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± The prince replied.

    Ambrosia started clapping from the sidelines. ¡°I feel that deserves some refreshments.¡±

    She unpacked the picnic basket.

    Hyacinth disappeared to reduce the small woodland creature population.

    The moment Harmony sat cross-legged, Adric lay beside her and used her lap as a pillow. Taking advantage of this, Harmony used her fingers to scratch his scalp and muss his hair. No matter how she worked it, the hair settled back into some attractive wave rather than a frizzy mess. Is that a consequence of its new not-quite-living state or the effect of some skill?. Possibly similar to the same way she used [Poise and Bearing] to control her facial expressions.

    ¡°Tell me about your path?¡± Adric asked.

    One of those questions that you could answer shallowly or deeply. Ask a stranger, and they¡¯ll tell you their class and profession. The prince knew she was a necromancer and maid. He was fishing for more. Some might talk about what they want to evolve into. Others about their favorite skills.

    ¡°Not my mother. I don¡¯t know if she was more disappointed that I didn¡¯t choose the same class and profession as her or upset at what I chose.¡±

    ¡°And she is?¡± Adric probed.

    A prince from the capitol shouldn¡¯t know who she is, and Harmony wouldn¡¯t want to inflate her mom¡¯s ego to imply they would. He knew as he was already calling her Harm and digging for information on his new master, but it didn¡¯t feel malicious. Maybe they caught a play while visiting Old Bones for an early level. He would have heard something with the kids hawking sheets on the street.

    ¡°The beggar queen of the stage.¡± Harmony purposely used one of the nicknames Kelly hated. ¡°The most popular actress in Hazeldown.¡±

    ¡°So you grew up wealthy?¡±

    ¡°I was nine before she started getting well-paying roles. We really lived up to her class most of the time. I turned fourteen and made my choice. A maid rather than an actress. A necromancer rather than a beggar. Out I went. It was hard, but I had Hyacinth.¡± In the back of Harmony¡¯s mind, Hyacinth hopped with victory after having snatched a squirrel. ¡°What about your path?¡±

    ¡°I was the twenty-third prince in the royal line. Twelfth swordsman among them, a depressingly common pairing, but taking a magic class lessens your chance of transforming into the kingship. I had no interest in the cleric option. There¡¯s a lot of pressure to stand out while sticking to the model that will make you a king. It¡¯s lonely, even when you pick up the nickname of the pretty one.

    When uncle Reed brought me the coatl egg and pet scroll, I figured it was just one more thing to curry favor or make me stand out among the crowd. But Bowe became the best thing in my life. Who wouldn¡¯t want such a beautiful being beside them?

    Then I evolved. I grabbed the bonded rider class so quickly that I nearly didn¡¯t read my skilled duelist and cutter class options. I disappointed my family with that, so I couldn¡¯t abandon my position when the evolved profession arose. Mourned wasn¡¯t listed as a fatal condition, so I took a chance. They all mourned me even as they searched for an answer when it became clear I would die. The guild master was a last resort; he wouldn¡¯t even see me. Doesn¡¯t feel right anymore. My profession will change. I¡¯m done being mourned. I can feel it in my soul. The moment hasn¡¯t come yet, but when it does, I don¡¯t care if all my authority is stripped away.¡±

    Harmony slowly rubbed his scalp while he spoke in that sad, wistful tone. She was sure he was pouring his heart out about his expectations, his love of his pet, and how he was finally ready to move on from his family¡¯s dream. It was all useless. Who cares if you don¡¯t get to rule? It¡¯s not like most normal people get that opportunity. None of this helps with her current problem.

    ¡°It¡¯s all right, my little prince. Those are all past problems, and now we have the future.¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] really did help her have that gentle, reassuring touch to her voice to back up her lies. She booped his nose, which was adorable and regal, just to watch him squint and wiggle it a little.

    ¡°All you two have to do is handle the irate duke, deal with your pet¡¯s missing corpse, manage newfound fame, decide on the manor job, and figure out your new life paths,¡± Ambrosia interjected after chewing a sandwich.

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Harmony sarcastically responded.

    New paths? That is what got her in trouble trying to raise a pet. Survive today. Survive tomorrow. Seemed like the best path for the moment. Even if surviving today was hanging your bestie, doing favors, and petting an adorably simple pet.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m working on a plan.¡± Adric announced confidently.

    Harmony¡¯s emotions went frosty. The prince hadn¡¯t said he had a plan but was actively working on one. With such wonderful choices like selecting poison when death was on the line and showing up to the masquerade ball hosting the people hunting him, it brought a chill as she wondered what he could be doing now. So much that [Cold Touch] reacted positively inside her while the social skills guided her breathing. The unexpected emotional aspect of the skill used to chill glasses and make ice was a bit worrying, but who had time to focus on that when idiots abound.

    ¡°What¡¯s your plan?¡± Harmony asked as innocently as she could.

    ¡°At first, I thought of Rosaline, but she¡¯s never had real power. I realized I¡¯d be getting her in trouble at the masquerade. It had to be auntie. We used to write coded letters to each other. More a silly game than court intrigue, but it is how she¡¯ll know I¡¯m still me. Gran tends to see snakes everywhere and hits them with sticks the moment they pop their heads out of the ground. Auntie Maye will know how to present my death and return as only a temporary little problem. No need for any helping hands to come and smack us. ¡°

    The necromancer wondered how best to say, bad prince, never do that again then spray him with water or smack his ass with rolled-up news sheets. It had only been a few days since being raised, and he couldn¡¯t think to sit still, do nothing, and keep a low profile. The man was a product of his birth. There was no buying your way out, then asking someone influential for help that the maid could picture going well. Harmony didn¡¯t have the words to respond to this revelation. Thankfully Ambrosia wasn¡¯t silent.

    ¡°And if your aunt chooses not to or is unable to smooth this over?¡±¡± The beast tamer asked, her eyes wide.

    ¡°Then we¡¯d have to leave the kingdom. But don¡¯t worry, Countess Maye is the queen¡¯s favorite daughter. I have my full faith in her.¡±

    A brightly colored bird, one of Ambrosia¡¯s pets, flittered down and landed on the prince¡¯s head. It bent down and stared into his eye.

    ¡°Just to let you know. I would not appreciate having my Harm forced to run off.¡± Ambrosia said.

    Her little bird chirped, grabbed an eyelash, and flew off, plucking it from the man.

    ¡°Ow. I¡¯m taking care of it.¡±

    The two women sighed and shared annoyed looks.

 Chapter Thirty-Three

    Chapter Thirty-Three

    Tension eased out of the group as the meal progressed. Ambrosia¡¯s birds took turns feeding her grapes while rotating their patrol over the park. Prince Adric fed Harmony grapes too, but there was an awkward eagerness of someone who¡¯s never served someone before but really wanted to. Like he was mimicking the birds, trying to model them for his role. Harmony accepted it with her own version of awkwardness in her lack of being served. Hyacinth would never do such a thing, and his servitude in the manor was more a joint suffering than something he¡¯d do for his partner. She caught the beast tamer¡¯s eyes twinkling in amusement at all of it.

    All the while, the conversation drifted to mundane get-to-know-you questions. Favorite foods. Harmony¡¯s was still fresh wild strawberries off the bush. The prince¡¯s was kagriti, an evolved dish made of layered ingredients for maximum flavor, which took several minutes to explain. What class and profession they would have if they¡¯d been given every option. Harmony admitted a wizard librarian because she¡¯d still have Hyacinth, access to magic, and, ideally, access to books. Adric announced princely beast tamer and comedian, then told several terrible jokes.

    The girls were more amused than overcome with laughter.

    ¡°What? All the courtiers and staff find those hilarious.¡±

    Harmony arched her eyebrow towards Ambrosia, non-verbally asking, ¡°Do you want to tell him?¡±

    Her fellow maid returned a shrug with a wiggle, signaling, ¡°Maybe, but it probably isn¡¯t my place.¡±

    The necromancer bit her thumb and started thinking about how best to break the news.

    The prince watched the whole interaction, his own wheels spinning in his head until he clicked. ¡°They were lying to me, weren¡¯t they!?

    ¡°Were those your best jokes?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°I do have one about a priest evolving into a lecher.¡±

    Harmony shook her head while Ambrosia stifled a giggle.

    ¡°Liars and sycophants. I can¡¯t believe they did that. I¡¯m supposed to be more than simply the pretty prince. I thought I was funny too. It was my non-skill-given talent.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up. But maybe practice your jokes in front of people who don¡¯t know you¡¯re a prince.¡± Ambrosia said.

    ¡°But everybody knows¡­.¡± The prince let his words drift off while lost in thought.

    Three of Ambrosia¡¯s pets swooped down and conversed with her.

    ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got company. Probably some other folks wanting to use the park, but it¡¯s time to break this up. Harm is mine today. You can have her once you get this mess resolved.¡±

    With that, Prince Adric stood up and bowed deeply to Harmony. ¡°See you soon, mistress.¡± Then darted off, stirring the wind with his speed.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to encourage him.¡±

    ¡°Do you have a solution for this problem?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Harmony admitted begrudgingly.

    ¡°Then let those who care for you work on it. However misguided we may be.¡± Ambrosia leaned in and hugged her friend, her face scrunched in thought.

    The two maids, familiar and birds in tow, made their way back into the city proper. Ambrosia hailed the first driver she saw, whispered to the driver then ushered everyone inside the carriage. It continued deep into the city.

    ¡°Where are you taking me?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise. I don¡¯t need you trying to slide out of this before we get there.¡±

    Harmony reminded herself that she owed her friend. She¡¯d do it even if the beast tamer wanted to be led into the dungeon. Not that they were dressed for that. Surprises were not things to be excited about. You get enough bad ones and know that a nice, predictable, and planned-out event is always best.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. I¡¯m only planning to use you for your body and looks.¡±

    Now she knew her leg was getting pulled.

    ¡°Haha. I¡¯m betting you will make me a backup singer again?¡±

    ¡°Getting warmer but¡­.¡± The carriage skidded to a halt. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡±

    The beast tamer rushed out, leaving Harmony and Hyacinth to follow. The birds flying beside the carriage swooped down to rest on her outstretched arms.

    Harmony stepped out and gazed upon River¡¯s Bend amphitheater. Second largest performance site in the city if you don¡¯t count the Colosseum. Her mom had performed here when she first hit her rise, complained about it smelling like fish, and serving the lower leveled crowds. It had been built for the masses, a complaint because it reminded her of the old life. The entry fee was capped at an iron bit, so established acts avoided the place unless they were giving a charity show.

    A troupe of puppeteers ran about the stage, leaping, tumbling, and jumping about for a large crowd of kids who congregated here midday. The children¡¯s laughter echoed loudly.

    ¡°You¡¯re taking me to a puppet show?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no, our part isn¡¯t until later. You get to meet the band, rehearse, and help set up the stage.¡± Ambrosia responded.

    ¡°Band?¡±

    Her friend only answered with a grin and started leading the way.

    Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

    The band was new. Ambrosia performed at taverns like Cogg and Hall and other small venues, but that was mostly all solo performances, as she remembered joining her friend on the table of a stage not long ago.

    Down they went and behind the stage to the area reserved for acts. A band of three fiddled with their instruments, each with their own style. A drummer with long mopish hair draped forward, covering half his face, wearing baggy, grungy clothes. The guitar player wore a flowing purple shirt and blue pants, making his bone-white guitar stand out. Harmony¡¯s necromantic sense said it was bone. A petite girl, a hand taller than Harmony, twirled around energetically with a fiddle.

    ¡°Songstress!¡± they called.

    ¡°May I introduce you to The Harmony White.¡±

    The guitar player leaned forward as he brushed one of his strings, causing it to hum.

    ¡°I thought she¡¯d be taller.¡±

    ¡°Enough, Jimmy.¡± The fiddler snapped.

    She extended her free hand to the necromancer. ¡°I¡¯m Stiriling. Grohl is on drums. We¡¯re excited to have your support.¡±

    Harmony shook the woman¡¯s hand.

    ¡°I¡¯m worried she won¡¯t be recognizable.¡± Jimmy continued.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We have that covered.¡± Ambrosia insisted.

    ¡°The Songstress here still hasn¡¯t informed me what I¡¯m doing,¡± Harmony spoke up pointedly.

    ¡°One moment,¡± Ambrosia said.

    The beast tamer pulled Harmony to the side by her elbow about a dozen paces away. She leaned in.

    ¡°You¡¯re kind of a special guest. Might as well use your little bit of fame while you have it. The band lost their singer on a delve, and I¡¯m ready to try something new. I may be using your name to get the venue and draw attention. Like I said, I¡¯m using you for your body, being totally selfish, and cashing in that favor. You just need to be on stage and do some dancing during the concert. You won¡¯t even have to get up and sing with me.¡±

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you just tell me that before we arrived?¡±

    ¡°Are you saying you wouldn¡¯t have grumbled, been distracted, and tried to talk me out of it if I had?¡±

    Her friend wasn¡¯t wrong. Getting on the table at the tavern had been one thing. A stage brought back memories of her mother. Her mind grasped at a dozen objections, most of which she knew her friend would either dismiss logically or point out that she owed her. She could see the band shooting them expectant, hopeful looks.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    Ambrosia¡¯s hug enveloped her, squeezing her in place.

    ¡°Great! We¡¯ll need to get you in your armor. That will assuage Jimmy¡¯s fear. You can help set up. Grohl and Jimmy are bards, but Stiriling is a light mage, and musician is her profession. You should see the stage magic she can do. I¡¯ve got some new songs I need to hand to the band. Once the choreographer gets here. We¡¯ll have you learn the dances. Songstress and the Flows will be big.¡±

    Choreographer? Harmony could already feel a slight headache coming on.

    Hyacinth sent amusement through their bond nearby.

    Going to the public restroom, Harmony quickly changed out of her clothes and into her armor, Night. While [Small Armor] assured her she was more protected now, that feeling didn¡¯t extend to protecting her from internal anxiety. [Poise and Bearing] helped put on that brave, confident face. And with that face, she marched back out.

    ¡°Woah,¡± Grohl spoke for the first time.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. Better than the sketch in the sheets.¡± Jimmy crowed.

    Stiriling dug through her bag and pulled out some crystal balls.

    ¡°This is something I can work with.¡± She said.

    The ball glowed as the light mage worked her magic on it. Suddenly a slightly larger projection of Harmony appeared, making the image the tallest person there by a little bit. It was one thing to be annoyed at needing help to get something off shelves or to charge glow stones, but a whole different thing to be jealous of the giantess version of yourself looking large, in charge, and able to loom over others. And yet Harmony found herself there wishing she was big.

    The image flickered out.

    ¡°Do we want to introduce her from the beginning?¡± Jimmy asked.

    Grohl tapped his drums slowly and softly and progressed to a louder quicker pace. ¡°Build up.¡± He said.

    ¡°Showmanship!¡± Stiriling announced, letting loose with sparkling explosions. ¡°Songstress¡¯s new songs, the new themes, are less polished but will give us the most impact. We¡¯ll do the three best old songs and then, bam, have her appear projected and dancing. That way, the crowd won¡¯t have to wait, and any stragglers will have reached their seats. It will be a coupe if we can get River¡¯s Bend half full. ¡°

    Harmony resolved to have no opinions other than to follow directions. It would be like another day at work, standing in the corner and looking pretty. Instead of the lords and manor guests, it will be the lower leveled masses, excited that one of their own is the celebrity of the week. Jointing celebrities she could only remember if she thought hard on. Be Haram, who saved a boy. The pet combatant Sauce Tar, a tiger who was known for being adorable more than any battle prowess. Can¡¯t blame her bestie for using this to help propel her career.

    ¡°So, where is that girl I am training?¡±

    The level of sass in that voice demanded immediate attention. The speaker looked like he walked out of one of the fashion sketches the madam provided to inspire hairstyles. Beautiful in an outrageous and abstract way, with green dyed hair like a flame and a blood-red leather suit. But it was how he sauntered forward. [Style and Grace] seemed to ache to pick up tips at achieving that level of control.

    ¡°She¡¯s right here, dance master,¡± Ambrosia said as she placed her arm around Harmony¡¯s shoulders.

    ¡°She looks stiff as a board. Are you sure she has the requisite skills to perform up to my standards?¡±

    The tone implied that he¡¯d walk away immediately if she didn¡¯t.

    ¡°I assure you, she has [Style and Grace] rare for a maid, combined with [Poise and Bearing]. She¡¯s even recently acquired defensive and offensive skills that rely on speed, accuracy, and flexibility of movement.¡± Ambrosia pitched.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be the judge of that. Ms.White, will you follow my simple directions?¡±

    Harmony slipped into maid mode, letting her profession guide her as Ambrosia let go of her. The calm attention of her body facing the choreographer head-on, back straight, eyes forward.

    ¡°Yes, sir.¡±

    ¡°First step is to relax more. I¡¯ve dealt with you servant professions, always looking to show that you¡¯re pleasing someone. The only thing you¡¯re to please is the dance itself. The movements. Your body. The rhythm. Following directions is good, but no one should look like an artificer¡¯s apparatus.¡±

    Harmony sunk into her body more, letting go of the being at attention. Relaxing while maintaining some muscle tension and good posture. [Small Armor] and [High Kick] guided her toward the calmest state of being ready to spring into action. [Style and Grace] waited to direct that potential action toward something less explosive

    ¡°That¡¯s better. Here are the movements. Right arm out. Left arm out. Then you turn your hands toward the sky, right and then left.¡± The dance master demonstrated as he spoke. ¡°Cross onto your shoulder right then left. Then behind your head, right then left. Put your hand across to your hip, right, and then left. Back around to your bottom, right, then left. Bend your knees, rocking your hips several times. Then hop, twisting to the side.¡±

    Harmony followed the movements. While the dance master¡¯s moves only hinted at a sway while doing them, she suspected its lack had more to do with demonstrating the base movies. He had to contain himself for teaching, and it clearly chafed. So she added that sway, relaxing her body into it, trying to imagine music to follow.

    ¡°Oh, you¡¯ll do. Now let¡¯s make you sweat.¡±

 Champter Thirty-Four

    Chapter Thirty-Four

    The dance master, who introduced himself as Silas, worked her so hard that she could swear she could feel some of her skills advancing, but she didn¡¯t have the attention to spare to check. Hyacinth joined in with a hopping dance before bowing out for a long nap in a shaded corner.

    The dance master lamented that his student would be restricted to the square mark on the stage for the projection to work. He taught her ¡®going down low and standing up slow.¡¯ Letting her hands guide the direction of her hips. The subtle displays of hand gestures. Fine movements, big movements, then quick shaking movements like a racing heart. Silas quickly bounced from completed dances to moves she could switch to based on how the music and rhythm made her feel.

    The band debated, planned, practiced quietly, and manipulated stage props.  Stiriling''s ¡°Huzzah!¡± The patter of Grohl¡¯s drums. Ambrosia letting loose some vocal practice. The ensemble had the energetic feeling of a cohesive group that Lord Tyler¡¯s dungeon diving team lacked.

    ¡°That¡¯s enough. You have enough of a gift with how your movement is incorporated into your being that I won¡¯t be embarrassed by your performance, no matter where the music takes you. I won¡¯t have any errors because I worked you too hard.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡±

    ¡°No. Let¡¯s get you some water and food. Even if your time on the stage is less than we¡¯ve been practicing, it is always more draining and intense with an audience.¡± Silas dramatically gestured towards the amphitheater with a wave of his hand.

    Silas led her to a nearby food stand. He got two baskets of fried fish dumplings and vegetables and two light ciders while refusing Harmony¡¯s offer to pay.

    ¡°Since you¡¯re evolved, why are you in Hazeldown helping with all this?¡± It had become clear that Silas was past his twenty-fifth level. Not that you couldn¡¯t be pretentious in asking to be called dance master, but Harmony didn¡¯t think so. Ostentatious, yes. Pretentious no.

    ¡°Advancement is hard. Your actions influence the choices you have, and the choices you make influence what movies you forward. I hit a block, so I returned here where it all started. Hazeldown is a rite of passage for many of the outer kingdoms, a neutral spot where youth go and push until they reach fifteen in their class. I hoped to be inspired and guided to where I needed to be next. It didn¡¯t happen for so long that I found myself guided to the demon brews, drowning myself as I numbed my mental faculties. Then up hops a maid onto the table fresh off work and ready to burn off the day¡¯s frustrations. And she starts singing. She¡¯s not a bard. She¡¯s not a musician. Not a class or profession to guide her. Merely talent. I had to talk to her. I ended up here.¡±

    A stray. Ambrosia has picked up another stray. Never a cat, Harmony was pretty sure the beast tamer was allergic. But that¡¯s how she found her birds. That¡¯s how the woman bonded with the necromancer, newly hired, alone, and disowned. If she hadn¡¯t witnessed her friend pick up an evolved dancing master down on his luck, she wouldn¡¯t have believed it even experiencing the woman.

    ¡°Must be fate, then.¡±

    The dancing master laughed. Spotting the humorous sarcasm laced into that statement. ¡°I can see why everyone covets you so much. If only I had my troupe and their resources with me. I¡¯d show interest too. When the music starts, be proud and passionate while dancing. I¡¯ll be in the audience watching.¡±

    Odd man. Harmony found him perfect for the beast tamer¡¯s menagerie, even if all her friend does is tend to him and let him back into the wild. Peeking at her status, she grinned. [Style and Grace] was up to fifteen, and several skills had advanced since she last looked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll do my best.¡±

    Any further attempts at conversation ended with Silas wagging his finger and reminding her now was about recharging and relaxation, not conversation. After finishing the meal, both of them gathered up a new order to bring back to the band, who they were sure had forgotten to eat in the excitement. They set up the stage in the evening light. A fabric box was constructed for Harmony to wait in. It would drop for the big reveal. It gave her the area she was restricted to for the projection.

    Lines of people were starting to fill the seats as she ducked into the fabric of her area. She assured herself the crowd was for the Songstress, and she was assisting as a good friend should. Here was the illusion of being alone inside the area. She knew it was only a thick wall of fabric separating her from the band and the growing crowd. Part of being a maid was taking private moments when you could have them. Slowly she let herself into that relaxed, yet ready state Silas had coached her into.

    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    The muffled noise of the crowd held no sense of danger, only electric excitement. Closer were the sounds of the band. Ambrosia¡¯s voice projected above it all. ¡°Welcome to River¡¯s Bend! Songstress and the Flow are here to get you moving. As for our special guest, first the warm-up, and then the reveal!¡±

    The drum started up, setting the beat that the guitar¡¯s cords started to dance around. Behind that, the fiddle¡¯s strings slowly built, accompanied by the natural pipes of Ambroasia¡¯s pets.

    ¡°Rise! From below. Rise! It¡¯s the world we know.¡±

    The Songstress¡¯s version of the climber¡¯s song. It was similar to the classic love ballad and dancing or drinking songs. Every band, singer, and bard had one about leveling. When a crowd demanded your climber¡¯s song, they¡¯d get upset if you didn¡¯t have one. They were never Harmony¡¯s favorite. Give her an old-fashioned revenge tale with a beat to move to.

    The love story was the next song. Stiriling¡¯s fiddle drove the story here. Her music acted as a character to the few fainter lyrics. The last of the opening songs were a fast-paced dance beat out through Grohl¡¯s drums and Jimmy¡¯s guitar while the whole band yelled ¡°dance!¡± periodically.

    Harmony started swaying. Her performance was up next, Sila¡¯s instruction fresh in her mind. She hadn¡¯t rehearsed for any specific song, but the moves were there to build around any tempo.

    ¡°Now, introducing our special guest. Muse to our music. Starscape on the rise. Lady of Hazeldown. Harmony White!¡±

    As the extended and inaccurate introduction played out, in Harmony¡¯s opinion, instrumental music slowly beat into life, giving the necromancer something to dance to. She let her hips sway and shoulders rock as the fabric sealing her away dropped to the floor. The crowd was revealed to her.

    Anxiety-induced activation of her chronostasis stat kicked in. The beginning roar of the crowd crept forward as her mind raced, slowing down the scene before her. The amphitheater benches had disappeared, swallowed by the standing-room-only mass of people that stretched and swelled up past the venue¡¯s exit. [Mana Rotation]  boosted [Poise and Bearing], letting her keep her composure. In all of it, the concert projection floated above, instruments in hand. Hyacinth sat among them oddly, but the performers made larger than life played around a larger image.

    Oh no, it wasn¡¯t an extra-tall Harmony dancing. The band¡¯s image played around her image¡¯s calves as Harmony¡¯s eyes traced up the tower-sized projection of herself, Night shimmering and sparkling from its stars and shiny bits of armor. If the whole city couldn¡¯t see this show, the necromancer was sure it was only because they didn¡¯t look up. How was she going to make Ambrosia pay for this? She wasn¡¯t sure, but there had to be something.

    Chronostasis ticked off, and the cheers of the crowd hit her. She kept dancing. Childish revenge could wait, and she wouldn¡¯t ruin her friend¡¯s performance or let Silas down after all the work he put into training her. She stuck to following the instrumental beats. The Songstress started singing, and Harmony only gave the words a flicker of attention as she worked hard to maintain composure and get into a proper rhythm, even supported by skills.

    A gravelly refrain pulled her attention to the words with the unusualness of it.

    ¡°... she holds our heart. From the streets to royal upstart.¡± Ambrosia sang.

    ¡°Our Lady Harmony White!¡± The accompaniment belted out with a deep inhuman reverberation.

    Hyacinth! That traitor! He¡¯d spoken through their bond a few times, and now he was talking, well, singing for the crowd for the first time out loud. Wicked amusement danced through the [Familiar Bond] at the outrage.

    They were clearly having fun. Anxiety and outrage be damned, Harmony wasn¡¯t going to let them show her up. The battle is on, and it¡¯s too late to bow out now. The large projection accentuated the subtle movements, so Harmony focused on her dancing. She let Silas¡¯s advice guide her on how to draw attention and evoke emotions through movement. She slipped into a trance-like state of combined song and dance.

    Pretending that the songs and lyrics were not about her helped somewhat. Lies and over-exaggerations of heroics, loyalty, and beauty. A piece about her charming royalty to serve her hit a bit too close to home. Nothing outright about the prince or implying she raised the fool, stealing his corpse, but enough to make her mentally squirm. The number of songs about her was doubly impressive, considering the short amount of time needed to set this up. A few more traditional songs were sprinkled in, but they didn¡¯t get the same love from the crowd.

    Harmony watched her image explode into a swirl of rainbow light and knew the finale hit and the concert ended. While the crowd cheered, she slipped behind the stage. Her legs and arms quivered from the end of exertion. Two steps out of sight, her muscles refused to activate momentarily. Too damn close to having collapsed on stage. She found a bench and sat on it.

    Ambrosia came around with Hyacinth hopping at her side. Behind her, the bandmates played some fancy instrumentals for the departing crowd. ¡°Harm, that was amazing!¡±

    ¡°Did it have to be so focused on me?¡±

    The beast tamer moved to Harmony¡¯s side, sitting down and throwing an arm around her. Hyacinth nuzzled her from the other side. ¡°I could joke about telling you I would use you today, but I¡¯m sorry if this hurts you. Sometimes you¡¯re so focused you could cut stone, but it makes you miss everything else. There¡¯s no hiding this time, and if the world is going to see my Harm, it¡¯ll be the best one.¡± Bending over, she kissed the necromancer on the forehead.

    ¡°Okay, but did you have to make me the size of a small mountain?¡±

    ¡°Any smaller and your personality wouldn¡¯t have fit it. There¡¯s an afterparty, but that might be a bit much for you. I¡¯m sure Hyacinth can escort you back to the manor.¡±

    ¡°Fine.¡± She took the picnic basket that had her clothes in it. And put her hand on her familiar. Oh, she planned on planning some kind of revenge on her friend. But right now, she was too tired. Into the shadows, they went.

 Chapter Thirty-Five

    Chapter Thirty-Five

    Harmony dreamed she was big. Her disappointment at waking up in her extra-small body was quickly replaced by the fresh disappointment of today being a work day. As exciting as final exams, shopping, pet playdates, and music shows, it was back to the everyday grind. With spring approaching, the extra push to clean out the winter cobwebs was upon them. Climbing out of bed, she did her morning refreshment routine, controlling how much [Cold Touch] influenced the process leaving her feeling a slight icy chill, the blood in her body rushing out to re-warm some of it. Much better than feeling as though she dove into a frozen lake like the skill had done since acquiring it if she wasn¡¯t careful. She¡¯d get a reign on everything she promised herself when things died down.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you could make a bigger spectacle of yourself than you did at the masquerade, but when I saw you larger than life outside Jack¡¯s window, I felt as shocked as I¡¯d feel if I emptied my mana. I hope you don¡¯t feel too big to clean chamber pots now, Harm.¡± Fel snipped with more than a bit of amusement from her side of the dorm.

    The flame-haired maid delighted in drama and chaos but with the amusement of a spectator. Jessica would have said those words with derision and scorn.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I have to level up my profession somehow. Since everyone shits, there¡¯ll always be work there for me.¡± [Manipulate Dead] and [Dust] synergized for shit work. Freezing the mess with [Cold Touch] might make handling the bowel movements easier, though.

    ¡°I knew a little fame wouldn¡¯t cause you to slack on the dirty work.¡±

    Harmony searched for Ambrosia, but there was no sign of the beast tamer or her birds. She wasn¡¯t there for breakfast either. Worry started to creep up her spine as he got dressed. Two birds flew in, pulling Ambrosia¡¯s locker open and extracting the maid¡¯s uniform. Looking like she¡¯d skipped sleep, the girl rushed in.

    It almost made Harmony feel bad for Ambrosia. She stuck around for the afterparty, knowing they all had work in the morning. Ambrosia could pull herself together well enough, using her organizational skill to ensure her uniform wasn¡¯t out of place. There was no time to ask how it went.

    Together they moved out for the morning changeover and waited, backs straight and eyes forward as Bate¡¯s cane-led thudding approached.

    ¡°Have there been any status changes since the start of the last work week?¡± He asked as he usually did.

    Everyone stepped forward. It wasn¡¯t surprising as the whole crew had pushed themselves for the masquerade. The standard praises and bonuses started to get doled out. The words were there but not the attention.

    As calm as she was outside, Harmony knew that many things had happened since her last review. Then Bates skipped over her when he would typically call her. Ambrosia¡¯s tired state wasn¡¯t even mentioned despite the tired eyes she wore, something the butler almost always commented on in the past when other staff overdid it.

    ¡°Ms. White,¡± Bates said last.

    The maid readied to display her status.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to see you in my office.¡±

    The act of projecting her status slipped. ¡°Of course, sir.¡±

    ¡°The rest of you have your assignments for the day.¡±

    The head butler turned and walked away, the necromancer following after.

    Bates¡¯ office was small and crowded, a converted closet just big enough to hold a desk and cabinet for papers. One other person made it feel tight and cramped even when that other person was the size of Harmony. Traditionally you only visited Bate¡¯s office when you were hired or fired. He settled in behind the desk while she waited, standing.

    ¡°Ms. White, are you unhappy here?¡±

    Unhappy wasn¡¯t the right word. Oh, the maid wanted more, which caused some of her recent troubles. If she¡¯d been forced to speak the truth, she knew she¡¯d blurt out some combination of ¡°Yes, no, I don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate the opportunity the manor has given me despite my circumstances. I¡¯m more than satisfied with the progression of my profession here. ¡°

    ¡°The question of your work contract has come up. Our contracts pay more than the standard rates and include progress bonuses. The lady has valued your unique talents. Yet, a clause has been activated via Mr. Hemlock claiming you¡¯re undervalued and is starting an auction for you. He says the guild could use a good maid, but I know there is more to it than that. A man of the guild master¡¯s unique status does not enter into labor issues even with his profession.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon gave me some attention. And the guild master found that interesting.¡±

    ¡°Except since the employment notice went public. He¡¯s not the only one interested. With this auction happening at the guild¡¯s business offices at the Colosseum, I¡¯m assuming some of this is from those wanting a seat for the semi-finals of the pet battles. You¡¯ll be required to attend, but the whole thing is unusual. Then there is Lord Tyler.¡±

    Silence hung in the air long enough that she felt her social skills prompt her. ¡°What about Lord Tyler?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s been remarkably apathetic towards retaining you. I must ask if you¡¯ve been cultivating a relationship there?¡±

    ¡°What? No.¡± She knew the exchange of favors might have been toeing the line. ¡°I¡¯ve strived to keep my interactions neutral and have not propositioned him in any way that would put my employment at risk.¡±

    ¡°Good. Good. This situation is complicated enough as it is. I¡¯m assigning you to clean his room today. His mood has been more colored than usual. Professional and thorough would be best. The employment auction is in three days. I haven¡¯t hidden how the lady is interested in you taking up a greater role in the staff, but you might want to expect some change to come from this one way or another.¡±

    Harmony took the dismissal and walked out, her mind racing. The problems of prince Adric took the backseat to the idea that her employment was up for sale. The contract she signed had clauses making sure she couldn¡¯t quit and expect to find a new job that would nurture her profession. The manor pays well for Hazeldown. Class and profession evolution or any significant status change could invalidate it. However, most simply renegotiated at that point. Sure, some employers traded contracts like gamblers swapped coppers. But those weren¡¯t the ones you looked to work for. The idea of working for Hemlock and being pressured by whatever his plans with the dungeon were was not appealing.

    Bates implied others were interested too. Ambrosia put on the biggest advertisement for her yet. Her friend always knew more of the gossip and trends than she did, so that may be why all the Harmony focus of the concert. Not that the beast tamer would outright admit to such a thing.

    The maid continued pondering as she marched down the stairs to Lord Tyler¡¯s modified rooms where he could sleep surrounded by his collection. The smell interrupted her thoughts, like getting hit in the face by a half-rotten ham. The surprise shattered her professional mask enough that she grappled with her skills and experience to reset herself.

    At least if she had been assigned or swapped for handling chamber pots, she could preemptively smudge a sprig of mint under her nose.

    Sometimes you can get the sense of a difficult task before you do it. Spoiled food, sour body odor, the mildew smell of things growing out of stagnant water. Here Harmony could smell it. She knew she¡¯d have to be careful after the attic and how the power level of her skills had changed, which might have made this an all-day task under normal circumstances.

    Casting [Dust] with only a hint of synergy, she started to pull the smallest particles from the edges as she walked down. It had a mollifying effect of cutting down on the smell as much of the faint traces in the air that caused the smells were also pulled away. She let the particulates swirl around her ankles with buffer space as an exercise of fine control as she walked. She pulled from flat surfaces, corners, and lightly from Lord Tyler¡¯s collection of rare and unique items.

    She knew where the stench source would be, which helped her fortify [Poise and Bearing] as she swung towards Lord Tyler¡¯s living area. It was like some garbage-based skill had exploded around his bed and desk. Like if she ever selected [corpse explosion], then put the biggest, grossest body in Tyler¡¯s bed and went Boom. As it was, there was a body in Tyler¡¯s bed. It happened to be the sleeping lord. Food containers and bottles surrounded him. One wine bottle hung half off the bed, dripping wine into a puddle already spreading across the floor.

    The lord let out a long snarling snore. If he slept through the cleaning, it would be best.

    She requested Hyacinth to silently hunt any pests the food might have attracted down here. After his singing performance last night, the Shadow Toad was on his best behavior, quietly following behind her all morning.

    Nothing about the mess on the floor was something she wanted to touch. It wasn¡¯t the first time she¡¯d handled this kind of situation. She sent the stream of dust she¡¯d collected under the nearest pile of garbage, a half-eaten chicken wrapped in week-old news sheets for delivery, and a broken bottle. The carpet of dust slid under the trash. This time the task was easier than the last time she¡¯d used this technique. Improved skills, her new stats of connection and synergy pushing past what had been tricky before, still she was careful not to try anything new. She pulled the pile slowly forward, letting it roll on the dust, and dragged it back to the bottom of the stairs off to the side. She knew she¡¯d need to bring a bag later to gather it up, but it was easier to consolidate the mess first. Then she went back and repeated the process.

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    Several days of meals, piles of clothes in various states of soilage, crumpled and torn bits of paper marred with erratic writing. When a word looked like it might be her name, Harmony abandoned all attempts to read them both for Lordy Tyler¡¯s privacy and her personal sanity. All that was quietly dragged off to the corner as the easy, obvious mess.

    The stained and damaged things were another problem. Tyler usually wasn¡¯t this careless. With the lord sleeping soundly, she went first to take care of the pile she gathered at the stairs and hauled them off to the appropriate locations.

    When she returned with several rags, a bucket of water, a few pouches of cleaning agents, and a mixture of ground bone she could use with her skills to assist with cleaning, Hyacinth informed her he¡¯d taken care of several unusually large rodents and a pair of hand spiders. After all the recent excitement, there was something satisfying about the mundane tasks feeding into her profession. It let her put aside all the thoughts about things she couldn¡¯t control.

    She attacked the mess on the floor with rags and water. [Manipulate Dead] had limited use on food, wine, and other stains after they¡¯d settled in. A little effort there did loosen it up, but mostly it was muscle, repetition, and time.

    The maid was halfway through getting the spots on the floor when the inevitable interruption happened. Lord Tyler awoke after a fit of choking on his own drool.

    ¡°Harmony!?¡±

    The maid could hear the mortification in the lord¡¯s voice, enough that she didn¡¯t need to look up to meet his eyes as she kept working. ¡°Yes, M¡¯lord?¡± She responded as demurely as she wrung out a vomit-stained rag as best she could into the now foul bucket of water.

    ¡°What are you doing here?!¡±

    ¡°Working on my profession. I was assigned your rooms today. Is there any specific task you would like me to do today?¡±

    ¡°Yes, no, maybe. I wasn¡¯t. I hadn¡¯t. I need some time to wake up.¡±

    Harmony froze, mind on the predicament. Keep cleaning or go and exchange the nasty water with a fresh bucket. The latter appealed because it removed her, however briefly, from Lord Tyler¡¯s awkward flailing. She¡¯d have to return as quickly as professionalism allowed.

    She was sad to see as a lordling, he wasn¡¯t meeting the standards of his profession. Would he even still be a lord after his evolution? Adric killed himself to keep his authority as a prince. Advancement can take away and curse as much as it can give strength and blessing. Tyler could even stall out like Jessica.

    Grrupt. Hyacinth croaked at her through their bond, interrupting her thoughts. Sending the impression of someone coming.

    Really?! She¡¯d seen him singing words the other night and knew he could speak through their bond. Annoyance at the vague impression of someone coming flared up. She reached [Familiar Bond] for more than that. Rather than chastise the toad, she searched for information. A pink mossy rock? What?

    Leaving the bucket and rag on the floor, Harmony stood up, straightening her spine to be at attention. Footsteps echoed from behind her.

    ¡°Little Lord, still wallowing in self-pity. You won¡¯t believe what¡­.¡±

    Sir Maxwell, Tyler¡¯s cousin, and his little monologue stopped as he stepped into sight of everyone. The knight¡¯s pink-stained hair now had days of new growth at the roots making for an interesting image.

    The maid could feel the oath he put towards her itch in her soul and now understood Hyacinth¡¯s implication.

    ¡°... Harmony. Am I interrupting anything?¡± He choked out.

    ¡°I am merely performing my assigned duties as a maid of the manor, Sir Maxwell,¡± Harmony responded in a flat professional tone.

    ¡°So, no probing questions or putting yourself in unreasonable danger?¡± The knight asked.

    Hyacinth shot her the image of the mossy rock again. Not that Harmony disagreed, but she wasn¡¯t going to use the man¡¯s current weakness of being honest towards her against him, at least while she was working. ¡°Of course not, honored knight.¡±

    Confidence filled the man.

    ¡°Max, what¡¯s going on here?¡± Tyler demanded.

    ¡°Nothing, Cousin. Simply a little thing between me and miss White that has nothing to do with you. Gran asked me to pull you out of this pit today. Take you to train for the future. There will be no more hiding in this starter town.

    ¡°There is nothing between you and Harmony. You¡¯ve known her for only days. She¡¯s worked at the manor for years. I¡¯ll leave when I¡¯m ready to leave.¡± Harmony could feel a wave of authority ripple out from him, but it didn¡¯t have much weight with him sitting up in his bedclothes.

    ¡°I¡¯m not disobeying Gran because you¡¯re throwing a lordly fit. She said you¡¯ve been here missing all your responsibilities and events since the masquerade.¡±

    Harmony saw the thought pop into Max¡¯s head. As his eyes popped over to her and widened under his bushy pink eyebrows, a grin grew on his face. She looked down at the bucket. Time to change the water.

    ¡°You missed the event last night. You stayed in the one place where you¡¯d miss it. Halfway across town, and bam, larger than life. Do you want to tell our little lord, or should I, Harmony?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d rather not.¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] kept her face calm. She knew she was never going to live Ambrosia¡¯s little favor down.

    ¡°Maybe you can show off some of your moves?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working, Sir Maxwell. Let me know if you¡¯d like for a more social discussion where I can ask you your honest opinions on things.¡± She used her connection stat to tweak the oath he¡¯d stuck to her.

    Whether he felt that or his brain worked. It clearly sobered him up some.

    ¡°What in the depths are you talking about, Max?¡±

    ¡°Our brave little Necromancer put on a show for the city. The whole city. I wasn¡¯t close enough to hear the music. But those dance moves.¡±

    Sir Maxwell started to dance. Wherever physical skills the man had, it translated well to mimicry; he¡¯d paid attention to what she had done and repeated them faithfully.

    Hyacinth started laughing in the back of Harmony¡¯s mind through their bond.

    Lord Tyler looked speechless, and Harmony knew she was too. Grasping the handle of her bucket, she took advantage of the shock running through her system, turned, and left as quickly as her professionalism would allow.

    Getting back, she took her time, and thankfully, both the lord and knight had left before she arrived. Hyacinth scouted ahead, but with his current humor, she wouldn¡¯t have put it past the toad to lie. Well, maybe not that far, but some kind of misunderstanding. It all meant she needed to pay extra attention to their bond.

    The space was gloriously empty, so Harmony let her rigid posture go and relaxed. Not that there wasn¡¯t a full day¡¯s worth of cleaning still strewn about. Now that Lord Tyler had evacuated the bed, she¡¯d need to get clean linens, remove the soiled and stained ones, and deal with whatever other messes he left behind. Gone was the risk of him waking up. Now she could be more forceful with her skills.

    The stained floor provided a perfect opportunity to test her newly improved skills against it. [Dust] and [Manipulate Dead] entwined as a synergy of the two. She resolved not to flex her stats into it or overcharge it with her mana skill. The dried stain was a problem. [Dust] only managed to detach a thin layer, [Manipulate Dead] peeled up less, the synergized skills stripped off the top layer, but not enough. ¡°Bucket of water it is.¡±

    A slight push of the skills as she ran the damp cloth over the stain worked best.

    She¡¯d been offered other cleaning skills as she advanced her class, but they¡¯d never been as appealing as [Style and Grace] and [Beautician] when she took those. Save some time cleaning or choose to build up your social and physical aspects. It hadn¡¯t felt like much of a choice. Two more bucket changes of water and the floor finally recovered from what Lord Tyler had done in his wallowing.

    The man¡¯s work desk and bed were almost as awful, the bed requiring her to take all of the bedding. Usually, Tyler at least kept his desk clear, but this time half-eaten fruit, marred papers, and other bits of garbage covered it.

    The book Lords and Ladies - Making Social Connections was covered in juice. It was part of the collection his Gran had insisted he read. Harmony considered the writing a self-indulgent work about projecting your most confident self, giving the right kind of gifts, and getting your name mentioned in different social circles. The damage was bad enough, and after the bucket of failure trying to repair Monster Girls had been, she was sure she¡¯d have to take it to the library for them to fix it.

    Setting the book aside, she started picking up more mess until her eyes caught the words, Prince Adric¡¯s body, on a note. Harmony hadn¡¯t meant to read it, but between an apple core and a broken puzzle was a letter that her eyes skimmed. Now she couldn¡¯t make herself not read it.

    Dear Tyler,

    I¡¯m so sorry I kept my status hidden from you. Lady Coodly said it was my decision, and there has never been that large a difference between a lady and a princess in the eyes of authority. I¡¯m afraid that even if we can recover Prince Adric¡¯s body and censure the culprit, the duke will linger in an attempt to gain notoriety for his chance to earn authority. I feel awful for getting Harmony dragged into this mess. That dreadful Hemlock has his ear, and I fear shenanigans at the upcoming auction.

    Countess Maye has dropped everything and is coming. She has the will to catch the body thief, whereas our almost duke does not. I fear she¡¯ll be here a day too late. But if we can keep everything calm, this whole thing will boil over in a few days, and we can share some wine before heading to the capital. Whatever mess we brought to Harmony¡¯s life will pass like a spring storm.

    Sincerely, Princess Rosaline.

    Well, that¡¯s a worst-case scenario. Harmony could only deal with the messes she knew about. Being kept in the dark to shield her from whatever drama is going on. It¡¯s not like she meant to be the body thief. She wished all those aristocrats would drink their wine and hop off to the capitol early.

    The big looming problems that you have no control over, what do you do? You get to work. Harmony redoubled her efforts to clean the area. This habit probably helped her gain the profession. With its social expectations, a maid was a step above most cleaner professions, and having the class had been required for her to get the job at the manor.

    The monotony of cleaning gave her time to think. The good news was that no one seemed to suspect that she was the one who raised the prince. She scrubbed a bit harder when thinking about how legally she had every right to do so, even if it hadn¡¯t been a mistake. Sure, she¡¯d be shamed socially if she brought out a shambling zombie of the prince, but to go through the effort of hunting her down seemed excessive. It¡¯s not like she had funds to contact a proper lawyer, and what, ask them to stop? Those with authority tend to abuse it or at least get away with things. She could confess to Tyler and really be in his debt, no thank you.

    Then there was the mess of her contract. She¡¯d get a portion of the sale, but then she¡¯d be working for someone else unless the manor gathered the funds to retain it. What did that leave? Begging for funds to buy it herself. Better to accept the results. Work for whatever rich fool wanted to buy the novelty of the week. But then she¡¯d be alone, no Ambrosia, no Bates, no Fel.

    [Cold Touch] flared at the emotions, leaving a thin ice sheet on the water in her cleaning bucket. That loss of control made her want to punt the bucket across the room. Her other new skill was telling her how to do it to get maximum distance, almost encouraging the idea. There isn¡¯t even time for her to get a handle on her progress. Too busy to find time to practice and focus and get them all under control.

    Hours later, covered in sweat, Harmony looked upon the job she¡¯d completed with some satisfaction. You¡¯ve been in worse spots, she reminded herself. The only way forward is through. Head low, work hard, and this all will pass. The unknown will be revealed in only a few more days, and she could get to work.

 Chapter Thirty-Six

    Chapter Thirty-Six

    ¡°I¡¯m so jealous, Harm. The semi-finals. The semi-finals! Big Blue is going up against the Three-Clawed Beast.¡± Stu exclaimed excitedly.

    Harmony was only three bites into her dinner.

    ¡°I¡¯d be more excited about the bonus coin if some lord dumps more than pocket change for her contract.¡± Fel cooed.

    ¡°And if our visiting duke buys me and has me shoveling stables for the rest of my contract as revenge?¡± The necromancer asked. Hemlock worried her more, but that was a pile of worms she didn¡¯t want to share with the other staff.

    ¡°Then you level up and evolve as quickly as you can. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t get stuck like Jessica did.¡± Fel replied.

    Nobody wanted to think about that depressing option.

    ¡°The semi-finals, girl. Aren¡¯t you excited? After the time you spent drilling me on how pet battles work. You¡¯ll finally get to watch the best of the best.¡±

    Ambrosia entered the kitchen to get her meal. ¡°Watching pets hurt themselves for our amusement. So¡­ exciting.¡± She interrupted disdainfully.

    ¡°They want to fight. Those trainers bond monsters. Not pretty birds.¡± Stu snapped.

    ¡°They want to please their masters. Letting your pets take control of your future will stall your path. If that¡¯s why you want your pet, then getting one is a mistake.¡± The tamer dished back.

    Harmony winced, knowing that was meant as a slight jab at her. ¡°I¡¯m starting to think Ambrosia is right. No stability in relying on pets to keep you away from cleaning stables. Evolve or die.¡±

    ¡°Bah.¡± Stu cursed.

    ¡°Have some faith and trust your friends, Harm.¡± Ambrosia sat beside her, throwing an arm over the necromancer¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯re bound for bigger things.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, a big payday. I wish my contract was getting bought.¡± Fel threw in.

    Harmony couldn¡¯t picture it. She¡¯d pay to get out of this mess. ¡°Fine.¡± She said.

    ¡°I¡¯m only stopping by briefly. Would you be interested in coming out again after your stunning performance? Songstress and The Flows are being requested everywhere, thanks to your help. Got to keep the momentum while we can.¡±

    ¡°No. I need to work on my skills. You know how it is after you get new ones.¡± The unstable new skills got her in trouble with the duke in the first place. Dancing wouldn¡¯t get her out of this mess. More control, and he wouldn¡¯t have had the excuse. It took time to take care of that.

    After a side hug, Ambrosia got up. ¡°Work to do, and songs to sing.¡± She called back as she rushed off to her evening.

    ¡°The semi-finals, and you won¡¯t even appreciate it.¡± Stu moaned.

    All the complaining was too much. Harmony quickly finished her stew and bread, skipping the opportunity to savor the flavorful meal. It had been too much to hope that the rest of the staff hadn¡¯t heard everything about the contract sale. The Lords and their guests weren¡¯t known for having tight lips around people they thought of as little more than furniture or decoration. She said her farewells and rushed off to her room. There she stripped and slipped into her armor, Night, grabbing her personal notebooks on the way out.

    The manor grounds were extensive, maintained by the power of the staff¡¯s skills, and tended to be mostly empty. Everyone who worked there tended to have a spot in or outside the manor that was mostly private for when you needed to be alone rather than in the dorms, good places to train. Harmony was no different and stepped outside into the chilly evening air. Winter, not entirely gone, was fighting back some before relinquishing to spring. The necromancer¡¯s breath fogged up, and she could see spots of frost forming on the ground. Yet, she felt fine. Night, while more covering in many ways than her uniform, was still a thin coat over her skin like it was poured on in places that were not artistically armored. Since she¡¯d gotten [Cold Touch], she¡¯d noticed how chilly weather wasn¡¯t affecting her much, another thing she made a note to explore.

    Hyacinth followed as she made her way to the more wooded and wild edge past the manicured garden. He knew where she was going. It was usually a spot for warmer spring days or the summer.

    Nestled off the path and hidden by some bushes was a small, nearly single-person-sized pond butting up against a large flat boulder that, on good days, could be used for enjoying a smattering of the sun when it cut through the foliage or for drying off from a quick dip in the pond.

    Now the pond had a thin sheet of ice and looked a bit murky from being unattended all winter. Harmony had spent a lot of time practicing [Manipulate Dead] by pulling chunks of debris out, fighting the weight and water. She doubted she¡¯d have time to dredge the pond this night. This time was for getting a handle on the new skills.

    Dismissing Hyacinth to chase local wildlife away, she climbed on the rock and focused inwardly. Skills influence you. It¡¯s a fact of life, and getting a new skill was always an adjustment. Harmony remembered needing to keep her mouth shut from criticizing or offering suggestions when she first acquired [Beautician]. Even [Dust] Had her wanting to run her fingers over door frames and tell Dugan to stop scratching his flaky scalp. When you used the skills, it only got worse.

    There¡¯s a lot of talk about using the skill and building up a tolerance to the influence. Most called it getting skill drunk. Thibodeux called for making yourself numb. He also recommended exercises where you mentally pack it in a box and shove it away. And it made sense when your use of skills was predicated on fully activating one quickly and repetitively.

    Carter¡¯s schema talked about finding your oneness. The dusty old text only mentioned that once and then focused on other things. She couldn¡¯t find anything else on the topic.

    So she brought her idea of it together. Focusing on how she used her skills at different levels, with synergies combining them, and how she kept some active for more extended periods without triggering the main effect. The urges were always there, and it wasn¡¯t like shoving them in a mental box removed their existence or made it so they couldn¡¯t explode out in a fit of drunkenness. Hyacinth ended up being key, back when he was a little toad. She asked him how he handled his skill use. While it was a weak impression through their [Familiar Bond], it was obvious that ¡°I am me¡± came through with a sturdy self-image of himself. Her version of oneness was having all the skills be part of who she was, like emotions, breathing, and errant thoughts. All of which could be controlled and incorporated into who you are.

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    Looking inward now, was seeing a different scene than what was at the start of this mess. The class and profession skills Harmony had mastered and synergized with were still there. They sat in the churn of [Mana Rotation], which held the pieces of her skills. Activating them had never been easier. [High Kick] and [Small Armor], alien to her class and profession, felt as solidly her as any gained through leveling. [Cold Touch], her newest necromancer skill, hummed along, almost happy at the weather, making her wonder if she¡¯d feel sick on hot days.

    Her unlocked stats shone over everything, highlighting possibilities, making everything more potent and different, dangerous even. Seeing what connection flexed poorly could do to dresses and books scared her a little because it seemed to feed off her oneness idea. Everything felt more connected, but not in a safe way. Like eating spicy food, doubling the spice, and hoping your insides can take it. Then add in synergy. The ball of rats, bats, and dust from cleaning the attic, a horror of her creation, flashed into her thoughts, and that was when it went right. It only took the bucket of what was once the book Monster Girls to remind her of what would happen if things went wrong.

    So she didn¡¯t activate any of the skills. Instead, she introduced herself to her new skills and worked on aligning their feelings with who she was. [High Kick] had a lot of patient violence and anger. It wasn¡¯t like she never wanted to lash out when mocked for her class or leered at by Tyler. Now she had a skill that could tell her the best and most efficient way to kick them in the privates, making that quiet voice loud. The anger was there before the skill. The skill simply added fuel to the fire. Acknowledging that, let her get the barest of handles on it, a beginning. [Small Armor] urged her to never be without protection. An attack skill might have you never leave the house without a knife. The way it connected to her new armor seemed to sate much of the energy there, which she supposed is why it hadn¡¯t acted out the way her other new skills seemed to.

    Satisfying the urges worked to calm them. Not that Harmony felt like she could kick Tyler whenever she wanted to, but there had to be other ways to work out that anger. In her book, she noted this for further study.

    The squeaky wheels get the attention as they¡¯re more likely to bother others. That didn¡¯t mean Harmony could ignore the oldest of her powers. They felt a bit heated after all the changes she¡¯d gone through. After a whole season of effort, her perfect self might be achieved, but who had the time. Today she made a note to evaluate them closer later.

    [Mana Rotation] seemed to represent the organized chaos of life. Never stopping, even at rest, there is potential energy there, potential problems as well. Like the minor problems of a messy house or the bigger ones of a princely pet, the more she understood what was happening, the better she felt. The anxiety of not understanding the skill or the problems made her queasy and sick. She could ride the feeling of chaos with practice, but knowledge would be key here.

    [Cold Touch] was the worst. It surprised her that an ability that felt core to her class acted out more than the others. The bucket, the masquerade, that one time Hyacinth had to save her from herself when she synergized with it. If there was ever a skill she wanted to shove away in a mental box, this was it.

    Harmony shoved her armor back into the space made for the paired item. She felt the frosty air and ice-cold stone against her naked skin. It didn¡¯t bother her. Standing up, she took a deep breath and felt the internal actions as the cold filled her lungs. [Cold Touch] accepted it as it intersected with her physical skills. A benefit, but also counter to that cold finality she felt with it supporting survival. Almost how the prince was extra-living in his risen state. Neither is something her necromancer class protested at.

    The necromancer took a good hard look at the feelings around [Cold Touch] and how they related to who she was. She shivered at not the freezing temperatures around her as the last of winter met the slowly ending day, but what she saw. Her emotional coldness. That tendency to suppress strong emotions in the face of difficulties. No response was better than lashing out when Tyler leered and asked for favors. Her choice that it was better to be cold than emotional, as her mother kicked her out after years of suffering, as others mocked her half-damned class. Not just negative feelings did that to her, but also positive ones. Even Ambrosia, the warmest, most affectionate, and caring person she knew, only elicited a slight response from her. The truth of it made her sick. Cold wasn¡¯t the life she wanted.

    ¡°Harmony! You¡¯re naked!¡±

    The woman¡¯s voice caused the maid¡¯s eyes to shoot open. At the entrance to her little private oasis decked out in warm furs over expensive leather armor was princess Rosaline, whose eyes looked like they were about to fall out of her head.

    Harmony fumbled internally. All this introspection left her raw and uncoordinated. Cronostatis wasn¡¯t even kicking in to let her fumble at an accelerated pace. Night snapped back into place a few heavy breaths later, armoring her against the goggling. As it resisted because Rose¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t a real threat.

    ¡°Um. I was skill training. Alone. In private.¡± Internally she tapped her [Familiar Bond]. Old Bones, Hyacinth. Why didn¡¯t you warn me?

    The image of Hyacinth with jagged claw marks, and a struggling snow panther, pissed and struggling while half-chewed came back to her. Busy.

    ¡°Naked? It¡¯s freezing out here. Tyler better not have suggested this.¡±

    No way this was a random encounter. ¡°How did you find me?¡±

    ¡°My class has a tracking skill. Not that it helped me find the bitch who stole my brother.¡±

    It technically did. Not that Harmony had any interest in explaining to the princess that she was that woman. That didn¡¯t explain why the princess was here now. All she could do was let the uncomfortable silence speak as she searched for the best way to ask a princess, why did you come to find me?

    The princess filled the silence first. ¡°Sorry, this whole corpse problem is bringing up feelings again. We weren¡¯t the closest of siblings. He got his royal profession and was whisked away for training. Then I got mine and was sent to mine. When it became clear his cursed evolution was killing him, I had to mourn the relationship we could have had. It was blind luck he decided to escort me here in an attempt to speak to the guild master while I completed my leveling in Old Bones. He was weak and dying yet energetic and optimistic. I was only getting to know him when¡­ Now I feel like his cursed choice is making me mourn again.¡±

    In a fairytale, now would be the time to confess and then for her to summon Prince Adain for a lovely reunion in the private hideaway. Harmony couldn¡¯t do it. She¡¯d seen home much the world wasn¡¯t a fairytale for the unlucky. Icy tendrils of fear snaked around her heart and reminded her of her current problems. This wasn¡¯t the moment to fight against bad emotional habits. She didn¡¯t know this girl.

    ¡°It¡¯ll work out. Why are you looking for me?¡± [Poise and Bearing] helped craft the proper caring yet respectful tone, even if she knew the response was short.

    ¡°The duke. That bastard Hemlock has worked some ideas into his head. He¡¯s planning something at the auction. The man¡¯s so jealous of anyone with real authority. It¡¯s my fault he¡¯s aiming to make you a whipping boy for me. He may have provisional authority over the city, but he can¡¯t stop me from buying your contract at the auction. I should have the funds to do it. I felt asking your permission first and letting you know was appropriate.¡±

    Asking permission first. That¡¯s new and unusual. Harmony¡¯s choice to not reveal what she did to the girl¡¯s brother made her want to say no. The princess¡¯s care might not be the worst of places to land. Even if the princess felt she could outbid the Duke, Harmony knew Rose couldn¡¯t outbid the guild master. That man seemed unaccustomed to not getting what he wanted, but why involve the duke? Harmony felt a slight headache coming on, even trying to guess.

    ¡°You have my permission to try, my lady.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll make everything right. You¡¯ll see.¡± Rose answered with a smile.

    Harmony doubted that.

    The princess left, back between the bushes and into the wooded area of the manor grounds.

    Mentally exhausted, Harmony gave up working on her skills and instead worked on lecturing Hyacinth through their bond about keeping an eye out for her, no matter how tasty an animal appeared to be. What if something less distressing than the princess ambushed her naked, like a second damned snow panther.

 Chapter Thirty-Seven

    Chapter Thirty-Seven

    Harmony woke up on the day of her auction, her bed as cold as ice. Nothing was under her control. Ambrosia dashing out for the band after every shift hasn¡¯t helped. Someone was buying her, and her best friend was out with her new friends rather than hanging out with her for the last few days they had left. The rest of the staff only made skills-supported comments, but it felt like all the eyes were on her. That pressure made her soul feel tender.

    ¡°This is not what I need today.¡± The necromancer groaned from her bed.

    ¡°Cheer up. You¡¯ve heard the boys. The semi-finals are happening today. That¡¯ll be the week¡¯s talk and not some maid who stood up a duke.¡± Fel noted from her bed with a glance up from her romance novel.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to miss me?¡±

    Goosebumps formed on Harmony¡¯s arms as she blurted out the question she¡¯d wanted to ask but managed to keep the cold contained as [Cold Touch] acted up.

    ¡°Oh, we like you, Harm. There¡¯ll be many toasts during today¡¯s golden moment. Having a necromancer on staff was an adjustment. You worked hard and took the jobs we didn¡¯t want. But it¡¯s a job. The staff turns over or evolves. Jessica is on her way out. Bates kept her on for so long, hoping she¡¯d evolve and he¡¯d not need to break the contract and buy her out. Not all of us are as invested as Ambrosia. Most of us are burning with jealousy. Miss you? Yes, I¡¯ll miss you, frog master.¡±

    Hyacinth huffed at being called a frog from his spot by her bed.

    The mention of the beast tamer¡¯s name caused Harmony to look for her.

    ¡°She left. I wouldn¡¯t worry about not seeing her before your auction.¡± Fel added with a little smile.

    [High Kick] reared its ugly head with a desire to kick the redhead until she elaborated further. To rise up at something as silly as a goodbye surprise. Never had Harmony felt this out of control. It had to be anxiety. A skill doctor that wasn¡¯t a phony could cost three weeks¡¯ wages if she needed one for this.

    ¡°I hope you enjoy the manor to yourselves while my future is being bandied about.¡±

    All the lords and their guests staying in the manor would be gone. Off to the semi-finals or to sit in the guild¡¯s room at the Colosseum for the auction. The staff will get an extended golden moment out of all this drama. Harmony knew that if Fel was getting sold, she¡¯d be enjoying that time, so she couldn¡¯t really blame the staff that had to stay behind.

    The schedule had them leaving after breakfast, so Harmony rolled out of bed to start the day by heading to the kitchen early for a bite. Something light that might settle her stomach. Once there, she couldn¡¯t resist the chef¡¯s warm bread from the oven and the taste of cheese. Everyone was busy going about their day, but it felt like they were staring at her. When someone did give her a serious gaze and said her name, she flinched.

    It was bates. ¡°Harmony, please meet me in my office.¡±

    Quickly stuffing what was left of her bread and cheese into her mouth, squirreling it a little, she followed the head butler. Hyacinth hopped along with her.

    The unsettling feeling inside was building, and Harmony couldn¡¯t tell why. Letting the distance and control of emotion from [Cold Touch] seep into her showed it made no sense. This was an auction. Sure, it was stressful, but she¡¯d been in worse. She pushed the skills¡¯ influence away. The icy detachment was a tool, not who she was, an overused survival tool she¡¯d control. She swallowed the last bit of food when they reached Bate¡¯s office.

    She closed the door to the tiny room behind her. The paperwork and objects on the man¡¯s desk seemed to have doubled since she was last here a few days earlier. She noticed a stack of resumes and suspected one would be her replacement. That hit like a punch to her gut.

    ¡°Sir?¡± She inquired as he took a seat behind his desk.

    ¡°Today will be a trying day. As you know, the young lord may have been a bit eager in his attempt to create a fashion-forward staff. Rarely are those in our professions ever made such the singular focus of attention. Because of the broad attendance, we have acquired a more traditional uniform for you today.¡±

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    He pulled out a dress box from underneath his desk, not unlike the ones she had carried away from Lace and Ladies. The necromancer opened it to peek. She couldn¡¯t help herself, and there wasn¡¯t much time left before she¡¯d have to change into it and head for the arena anyway. Inside was a perfectly standard, possibly slightly modest maid¡¯s uniform. The fabric was a touch higher quality than one would wear to do the dirty tasks of scrubbing floors or hauling dirty linens. Still, she sighed lustfully at the practicality of it.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± She said, not even needing to rely on any skills to sound sincere.

    ¡°Well, we don¡¯t have much time. Get changed. The lady wants to see you at the main entrance soon.¡±

    Giddy, Harmony went to change again. Savoring the emotion.

    Harmony ran her hand up the long sleeves to the collar at her neck. Modesty at last, well, relatively. It had a corseted waist, so it showed off feminine curves even if the dress went nearly down to her knees. White thigh-high socks that had come with the uniform hugged her legs. If she had more time to admire how covered she was, she¡¯d have spent half the day enjoying the novelty of it.

    Quickly, she went to the manor entrance to wait with her familiar. Most of the lords, ladies, and guests were already at the Colosseum, having failed to negotiate for one of the slots available in the guild¡¯s viewing room for the auction. Tyler came first, looking more put together than she¡¯d last seen him. His cousin, Sir Maxwell, was by his side and only stiffened briefly in Harmony¡¯s presence. The necromancer could feel the oath he made to her but didn¡¯t want to focus or tweak it this time. With how off she felt, such an act could cause disaster. Appropriate clothes could only do so much to settle her.

    Lady Coodly and her personal maid Astel came down next. The matriarch didn¡¯t look too pleased this morning. Astel, however, shot the maid-for-auction a slight smile.

    ¡°Harmony, I had such glorious plans to introduce your work to the capitol. I still hope to introduce you there, but abnormal forces are at play. Either way, may today¡¯s events work out for you.¡± The matriarch¡¯s somber tone gave away her lack of confidence in retaining the maid.

    ¡°Thank you, ma¡¯am,¡± Harmony responded as calm outside as she felt turmoil inside.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get this business done with.¡± The lady of the manor announced and led them out to the waiting carriages.

    The carriages rolled towards the Colosseum, and the crowds thickened, congesting the streets. A slow procession filled with energy and excitement, not too dissimilar from Prince Adric¡¯s funeral. But this time, for the sport of fantastical beasts fighting. The semi-finals winner in Hazeldown would head to the capital to face their division champion.

    It was precisely the kind of atmosphere that would make last week¡¯s new obsession a thing of the past. As that obsession, Harmony White knew she would have been excited about that fact if only it wasn¡¯t inexorably linked to her current anxiety.

    Harmony did her best to remain still and calm. Astel, Lordy Tyler, and Lady Coodly had taken the lead carriage, leaving her stuck with Sir Maxwell, her sworn knight.

    ¡°Hey, Harmony. Everything is going to be alright. Tyler plans to save you if your contact gets snatched by some villain like the duke. It¡¯s a stupid plan, and I certainly wouldn¡¯t take the deal.¡± The knight¡¯s eyes widened as his mouth ran off that last bit of commentary. ¡°Twice buried oath. It¡¯s leveling nicely, at least.¡± The man let out a grunt of frustration.

    That bait was too much for the maid to ignore. ¡°What¡¯s his stupid plan?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯d offer to marry you. It most likely wouldn¡¯t change your class or profession to royal. But like the duke, it would create a legal status negating your employment contract.¡±

    The temperature in the carriage dropped a few degrees.

    ¡°What!?¡±

    ¡°See, stupid. Gran would disown him over this, not that the old lady doesn¡¯t like you, but it¡¯s not like it would improve your situation. The kingdom would move him into one of those group hopes for nobles with no property.¡±

    Did the man think that she was being sent to a death sentence rather than merely a different job? No, the idea of being an impoverished noble was not more appealing than doing whatever difficult task was assigned to her. Nor did she want to be Tyler¡¯s pity wife or wife at all. It wasn¡¯t like she took the easy jobs at the manor. Managing dangerous spiders and other nasty vermin was a hazardous job. Between her and Hyacinth, they¡¯d learned to do it well.

    The shadow toad¡¯s lack of laughter at this farce made her check on him through [Familiar Bond]. The toad signaled that her internal discomfort was bothering him and provided two weak mental laughs to show it was amusing even as he sat silently beside her. What was that amphibian hiding? Harmony didn¡¯t have time to pull it out of him.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t need to come to lord Tyler needing to lower himself for me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯d be lowering yourself for him. Now if you wanted a nice strong knight like me.¡± Sir Maxwell slapped his hands over his mouth, sealing it shut.

    That, thankfully, left the ride forcibly quiet for the rest of the trip. The carriage rolled to a stop at the private entrance to the commission¡¯s Hazeldown Colosseum.

    Harmony steeled herself before she exited. After a few rounds of fighting, they¡¯ll be the mid-tourney break, and she would be done with this cursed auction business and feeling much better, she hoped.

 Chapter Thirty-eight

    Chapter Thirty-Eight

    The champion¡¯s entrance had it all. Shorter lines, fancier doors, and access to specialty areas like the guilds viewing room; other entities had rooms of differing sizes, including the United Gym Alliance, the Hazeldown University Alumnists, and even Lady¡¯s Coodly¡¯s garden party had a small viewing room. All ringside seats, special rooms at ground level, where the masses sat above in the stadium¡¯s seats. Even the competitors didn¡¯t get such a view, needing to emerge from tunnels below for their entrances. The underground section was part of the dungeon¡¯s domain, better for training and getting mentally prepared to fight.

    The necromancer could feel the death-laced tendrils of the domain stroking the soles of her feet. In her opinion, the dungeons area stopped an inch above the ground on purpose, or the whole structure sunk after construction. It was not a feeling she particularly wanted today. If anyone made her feel like she was being watched, weighed, and measured, it was Old Bones.

    Even as Harmony¡¯s feet itched, she kept quiet as she followed the Lady Coodly through the gilded corridors and painted frescos of past pet battles. A dragon-like lizard with its fiery tail fighting a plant turtle hybrid. The house boys might have been able to name the beasts and even the year they fought, but she could merely admire it as they walked quickly by. This was not how she pictured her first visit to the Colosseum.

    The guild¡¯s box shocked her. The room had no wall to block views of the matches, and the wind and rumble of the crowds drifted in. Dozens of unique thrones faced the arena, thrones of gems, metals, bone, and wood, each carved as a symbol of the multi-kingdom spanning organization¡¯s power. The number of people here milling about those art pieces surprised her. She¡¯d expected this to be a bidding war between Hemlock, Lady Coodly, Duke Darren, and Princess Rose, and even then, not much of one.

    Even if Harmony didn¡¯t recognize everyone there, the sense of personal power in the room was overwhelming. People of power, those who even skipped the masquerade, milled about. Commission head Serena Vale idly chatted up Lady Somerset, Lady Coodly¡¯s sometimes rival in the garden club. Giovanni, who headed the loose alliance of gyms, laughed at some joke guild master Hemlock was telling him. Lennon, who ran the religious temples. Professor Dunphy, she recognized as he gestured wildly, had to represent the college with a nervous Len at his side.

    The maid assured herself that this was because the guild master rarely opened the guild¡¯s room at the Colosseum. They were here more for that and the semi-finals than any minor employee contract auction. Inside, one of her bonds throbbed. Harmony kept herself from muttering, ¡°Oh, no.¡± It wasn¡¯t associated with the toad or knight at her side. Her eyes flickered briefly to a tall masked man acting as a bodyguard to some merchant baron she didn¡¯t recognize, the mask was a black hood common among mercenaries to hamper inspection skills, but she knew the dazzlingly pretty face under that mask, and the idiot who wore it. He was only a dozen paces away from the duke and princess hunting for his corpse.

    A slight jabbing feeling brought her back into her body. Astel offered her a glass of the wine being served. The poking had to have been from some skill. Harmony managed to not flush from embarrassment and accepted the drink. The refreshment represented that she was not here for this party as a maid. She was a resource to be bartered for and an individual free to be themselves at this social event. The attention burned into her as the eyes started to linger in her direction, analyzing today¡¯s prize. Lifting the glass, she swallowed more than a mouthful of the wine and made her way into the crowd.

    Rose swung by first, ¡°I¡¯m confident in my chances. Even if the Duke takes the rings from his fingers, I¡¯ll have more funds.¡±

    Lem approached nervously after, ¡°That madman dragged me here to assist him even as I was packing my room. Says you¡¯re the type of cleaning lady with the right mindset to clean his lab. The man creates nightmares, and sometimes they get loose.¡± He finished with a shudder.

    Guild master Hemlock approached, and the short man in his all-white outfit smiled. ¡°You¡¯re up for a Challenge today,¡± he said with a hint of eagerness, then drifted away as quickly as he¡¯d arrived.

    Astel kept her glass full, and Harmony did her best to be short and polite with potential employers. The heads of merchants, associations, and businesses all efficiently stepped forward to check out the maid. Sometimes she could feel a skill inspect her. Other times it was just their eyes.

    The trumpets announcing the start of the opening ceremony for the semi-finals was a relief as it ended the constant stream of introductions, but that was when the hollow Duke stepped in with a cruel eager smile on his face. ¡°Chance was not your friend. Be grateful you have a use.¡±

    Harmony ignored him, watching Serene Vale step through the viewing threshold and onto the sandy combat grounds. People started to grab seats. Harmony chose the bone one, hoping it would settle the ache inside her with its sympathetic link to her necromancer class. If there had been a throne for a maid profession, she would have taken that one, but with how long today was turning out to be, any fraction of easing was a goal. Tyler sat to her right and tried to give her a comforting look. Lady Coodly watched the show from her left.

    Flashes of red and blue sparks swirled over Serene Vale¡¯s head as she walked towards the center. They coalesced into a projection of her floating at the center of the Colosseum. It was a bit of magic, not unlike what Ambrosia¡¯s band had done for their concert, allowing the audience to get a better view of the commission head.

    ¡°Welcome to the semi-finals of the companion championship. Here the best of Hazeldown¡¯s region will compete to battle in the capitol, where courageous trainers show how far their bonded pets can advance. Now for the Commision anthem, fresh from the streets, the rising stars of Hazeldown, Songstress, and the Flows.¡±

    The band shimmered into existence as Serene made her way back. The necromancer¡¯s thoughts froze in shock. This was the last place she expected Ambrosia.

    A soft beat started to rise as Grohl began to tap his drum.

    ¡°This is for you, Harmony White!¡± Ambrosia announced. Dedications weren¡¯t unusual, usually for a competitor or former champion.

    Fel¡¯s smirk replayed in Harmony¡¯s mind. Who needs enemies when you have friends.

    Then the songstress started to sing. ¡°They want to be the very best¡­.¡±

    Harmony expected some kind of twist. An act of defiance from her friend against the system that the best tamer viciously criticized for taking advantage of pets. But no. The crowd clapped along as all the bandmates showed off their talents. It was that classic song about catching, training, teaching with battles, fighting, and victory.

    ¡°...your dream!¡± the beast tamer finished to a roaring crowd and her shocked friend. The band shimmered out the same way they shimmered in. The illusion of them disappearing signaled the start of the competition.

    The announcers yelled to hype up the crowd. ¡°In our first match, we have a rare growth pet that starts extremely weak and only through difficult and dangerous training. Welcome, Ree, the living ward.¡±

    A geometric symbol floated up and into view. It glowed with arcane blue energy and shifted between symmetrical shapes, squares, triangles, and stars, flashing complex designs as the lines of its body transformed. The crowd cheered.

    ¡°Opposing him, physical to Ward¡¯s ethereal, everyone¡¯s favorite pet rock, Ferris.¡±

    The earth elemental that strode out was an uncommon version of a common pet that some dungeon divers used. Iron veins streaked a rocky eyeless body. The pets were great for crushing shamblers, pulping piles of flesh, and shattering bone. Harmony figured every pet had trained against them, so one making it this far meant either it was amazing or the beast tamer behind it was.

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to watch that.¡±

    Harmony turned to the voice. ¡°Ambrosia?¡±

    This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°One of the perks of being the musical guests. You get to hang with the elites, though we¡¯re somewhere above the servants and below them. You know I wouldn¡¯t miss seeing you today.¡±

    The crowd roared, and the necromancer glanced back at the battle. A projection of the contestants floated above the actual melee. Considering that is what happened when Serene announced the start and the band playing Harmony figured it was built into the Colosseum. Ree, the living ward, was getting rocked by boulderous fists whistling through the air. Blue sparks flashed every time there was a clash against the floating shape.

    ¡°Ree is going to win. Some of these matches are pointless. ¡°The beast tamer commented disdainfully.

    Harmony wondered if they weren¡¯t watching the same match as the ward barely seemed able to do anything as it got smacked back and forth by full-strength strikes. Ferris¡¯s strikes weren¡¯t getting any stronger. Was Ree getting worn down? Outside of being pushed around, the ward didn¡¯t appear to be taking any damage. It almost charged into the swinging fists. Why she didn¡¯t see it sooner, it was like fighting a skeleton. You could batter it about but, eventually, get into trouble unless you manage to break it. ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°You feeling okay, Harm?¡±

    Anyone else asking, and she would have lied. ¡°Unsettled. Change is happening. I hate feeling at the center of it.¡±

    Ambrosia seemed happy at that response, not the hug and sympathetic petting Harmony expected. There would be time to call her out on that later. With a little bit of [Manipulate Dead], She tugged on her friend¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Ow.¡±

    That was more than a little childish, but the necromancer wasn¡¯t in the mood for her friend¡¯s amusement. All she wanted was to get through the next few rounds of pet battles, find out who her new employer was, and have her idiot of a pet not be discovered. With the prince on her mind, she probed her primal bond with her pet allowing her gaze to flick to the masked Prince Adric chatting up the fiddler Stiriling. The petite girl felt his muscular arm with looks of admiration. Harmony wished the woman would drag him away to some private room to get him away from his sister, who sat not twelve paces away on a pink quartz throne. The employment contract had days off written so she could confront Ambrosia and him properly later.

    Searching for a distraction, Harmony switched to watching the fight. Watching the blows until Ferris missed. That brief reprieve was all it took for Ree¡¯s pattern to shift. With it, a wave of kinetic energy stored in him shot out, snapping the rock elemental in half at the middle where the legs met the base. The crowd reacted to the sudden shift of fortune.

    ¡°Ree took what he was given and returned it back. Those who recognize ward work will notice that it was in a simple defensive mode to negate and store some kinetic energy. Clearly, Ferris couldn¡¯t handle it when the living ward changed to transference mode to give back all the punishment it had been taking. We¡¯re getting a report from the training stations that Ferris¡¯s master is conceding the match.¡± The announcer called out.

    A crew moved out to clear the area for the next match. A geomancer used his powers to clear out the severed limbs, dragging them away with magic while carefully staying outside the area projecting to the audience. Harmony supposed that could be her new job, maid of the arena. Selene was here for the auction. She could be spending her days dragging dead bits of pets off the sand as the dungeon¡¯s presence nipped at her heels. As unlikely as that was, it gave her a concrete image of a potential future to focus on.

    The next match moved into the field. A living swarm of hive-minded white blood-sucking worms surged like a tide to face a mystical stag whose antlers sparkled with blue light. As thrilling as the match promised to be, Harmony wasn¡¯t into it. Her future was about to be decided, and even as the elites watched the combat, she could feel the focus on her.

    An item for their collection, not unlike Lord Tyler¡¯s nicknacks, but people. Many would be contemplating preventing her from going to some rival. That would almost be ideal, someone who only put value into the idea of her and wouldn¡¯t look deeper. Between the duke, the princess, and the guild master, that wouldn¡¯t happen. Each seemed confident in their plans.

    Violent flashes of combat flashed in front of her. White worms scattered and exploded. The stag cried in pain as some of the swarm latched onto its haunch.

    The necromancer¡¯s mind brushed the action away and dissected what the big buyers wanted from her. The typical pettiness of the duke due to being rebuffed when he felt it was his time to shine and the sweet revenge he craved. The princess¡¯s guilt at not being honest when honesty wouldn¡¯t have gotten her anything. The guild master¡¯s focus is on the dungeon and using its interest in her as a way to interact with it. They all had expectations and ideas about who and what she was, and she could feel that attention. It itched even if it meant they¡¯ll overpay for her contract enough that she could probably buy a house by the time class and profession evolution happens. Maybe Ambrosia¡¯s un-asked for help to increase her popularity for a bigger payday out of this mess wasn¡¯t bad. That smug look in response to her discomfort still deserved that hair tug.

    When Colin was declared the winner, Harmony was too focused on her thoughts to figure out if that was the stag or hive-mind. No matter the outcome, she knew Ambrosia wouldn¡¯t abandon her. Hyacinth would always be at her side. Her moronic pet Adric wouldn¡¯t stay away when she wanted him to, though, at this point, it was a relief to be able to keep an eye on him. Two more matches before her turn to be the center of attention, a little [Poise and Bearing] for that, and then she could deal with the fallout after. Logic had everything be a simple step forward, but then why did she feel like she was walking toward the edge of a cliff?

    A giant silver ape slammed a three-headed goose half the size of a house into the ground. The force sent a wave of dust about the arena. Barrier magic blocked the dust from entering the rooms.

    The unusual hydra¡¯s heads honked with fury, and a skin-tingling skill effect radiated out, covering the whole arena with a hint of forced fear. [Hail the Hyd-goose] was in effect.

    The outside skill¡¯s influence drew a quick response from the necromancer as she removed the foreign effect on her mind. The animal¡¯s skill was designed to make you extremely wary. How little it affected her current state of mind before she shrugged it off implied she was as already in that state. She watched everyone else¡¯s behavior changes from the pet¡¯s skill.

    In his masked bodyguard guise, Prince Adric leaned away from Stiriling and let his hand go to his weapon as he shot Harmony a Look. The fiddler, for her part, draped herself more on the man.

    ¡°It¡¯s an honor to be Harmony¡¯s friend,¡± Ambrosia replied more than a little forced and an octave too loud as she chatted up a guest.

    The duke laughed nervously. Hemlock seemed unaffected, which wasn¡¯t shocking. Rose¡¯s hand gripped a coin purse until her knuckles turned white. Each relaxed some as they shook off the effect.

    Harmony returned to the fight, and the silver ape lessened its grip on the three-headed goose as skills¡¯ effects caused it to hesitate.

    The bird beast exploded out of the grapple when it loosened enough for it to act, its heads snapping viciously.

    ¡°A Penalty mark has been given to Quackenbeast for that skill usage. While not a restricted or damaging skill, if anyone feels faint, feel free to consult a medic at an aid station.¡± The announcer relayed to the crowd, sounding a little shaken himself.

    Regardless of the penalty mark, Quackenbeast¡¯s three heads took advantage of the skill, honking and using crushing bites on the slightly disoriented opponent. The crowd started shaking off their wariness and roared at the violence. The goose¡¯s three heads moved as one and latched onto the ape-like pet¡¯s arm, biting down with such might that a crack could be heard as the arm¡¯s bone snapped.

    ¡°Julioso has conceded! Julioso has conceded! It¡¯s an upset of epic proportions!¡± The announcer cried.

    The audience also went wild at this news. The roaring settled as the crew came out to help the wounded pets away. ¡°As part of the mid-match festivities, guild master Hemlock and Duke Darren Gnomstock will have a special announcement. So be sure to keep in your seats.¡± The announcer added to little fanfare for those in the general populace seating.

    Those awaiting the auction in the guild¡¯s colosseum suite reacted differently as chatter rose. Lady Coodly looked past Harmony to Lord Tyler sitting on the opposite side. ¡°Do you know what¡¯s going on here?¡± She asked him with more than a bit of irritation.

    Selene, the commissioner, marched grim face straight over to Hemlock and started chewing him out in a whisper. However, her face was screaming with anger.

    Princess Rose merely glared at the Duke.

    Professor Dunphy excitedly talked to Len, who was pailing as the conversation continued.

    Harmony felt relieved the attention was not on her. The mysterious announcement close to the time of her auction was unusual. Would that happen before or after? She imagined her contract being purchased and then made an example for those in attendance. ¡°Lady Coodly, can my employment auction be after the announcement?¡± She asked her employer.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure the pair of them are trying to muddy the water, but your instincts about being better to know what is going on first is right. You can¡¯t compete with the unknown, and if someone is scared away from bidding on you due to whatever words those two have, then they didn¡¯t deserve you in the first place.¡± The matriarch said firmly.

    ¡°Of course, m¡¯lady.¡± She let [Poise and Bearing] keep her stead but felt anything but that.

 Chapter Thirty-Nine

    Chapter Thirty-Nine

    Harmony was unable to pay attention to the last pet battle before. The announcement and auction pulled at her, setting her skills on edge. Her soul involuntarily readied for conflict, from the desire to kick or dodge every problem to the icy cold numbness that battled with the proper etiquette of the situation. [Manipulate Dead] even flared up as she gripped the bone throne allowing her fingers to create indentations like she¡¯d squeezed soft clay. Never had she internally felt so out of step. As stressful as the situation was poised to be, it felt unfair that her internal chaos should add so much to it.

    [Familiar Bond] relayed Hyacinth¡¯s confidence. The shadow toad was always there for her. She felt a tidbit of pride that made no sense. Confidence was one thing, but pride? It was like Ambrosia¡¯s smirk. He¡¯s not a shadow toad. He¡¯s a damned snake. They¡¯ve done something, the bastards. She took a slow breath and delved into her stat of connection. She felt something there and searched inside herself. A class or profession change could get her out of this mess. Mythical elixirs were rumored to exist and could cause that, at least in fairytales. Those devils dosed her with something, didn¡¯t they? What had both her familiar and friend gloating?

    ¡°That¡¯s it! What a match! The kind you¡¯ll tell your grandchildren about! Now on to our special announcement. Let¡¯s give a warm welcome to the duke and guild master.¡±

    ¡°Bones.¡± The necromancer swore as she ripped her attention away from herself.

    The pair was already walking out, waving to the crowd, larger-than-life projections of them formed as they reached the center of the Colosseum.

    Guild master Hemlock smiled, and Harmony felt a skill¡¯s effect creep into her for the second time that day. A familiar, agreeable state, the last time it had taken equipping her armor as she raged against the skills machinations. This time pushing against the effect worked, it was too familiar, and there was no space inside her for it to take hold. Was it weaker, having been stretched far and over the crowd?

    ¡°Welcome, great citizens of Hazeldown. The dungeon and the guild that manages it has played an honored part in your daily life. It is with great pleasure that I can announce its near future expansion thanks to the generosity of Duke Darren Gnomstock. Applaud him, please.¡±

    The crowd in the benches under the guild master¡¯s skill clapped enthusiastically. About half of the auction attendees, including Ambrosia and her bandmates, joined in. Lord Tyler had a slow, forced clap, while many of the more influential people looked irritated.

    The duke swelled at the attention, forced as it were. ¡°This is a historic moment where all who participate will be recorded for posterity. I, Acting with authority given to me, will usher in a new age for our small kingdom.¡± He pulled off a medal, a badge of authority, from his chest and pointed it towards Hemlock. ¡°With this, I give guild master Hemlock the authority to negotiate on behalf of the kingdom with the dungeon.¡±

    Harmony could hear the quiet rumble of a rising storm centered around the badge of authority. It was the first time she¡¯d really felt the effect of authority in use. Lord Tyler strengthened his skills with the aristocratic trait, but she hadn¡¯t felt any vibrations then. Power was granted, and the poor duke added nothing to the act, relying on the borrowed authority of the totem.

    ¡°With this authority, I call on the bargains of old. Spirit Ha¡¯zel Ri, where the terms of renegotiation apply. A challenger, a sacrifice, a fated destiny!¡± The duke continued, and the badge¡¯s authority rumbled again. This time, the duke added a little whistle to the rumble. ¡°I can feel it, my authority.¡± The man was giddy, not caring about broadcasting his excitement to the crowd.

    Harmony felt the toe-tingling domain of the dungeon rise up from below; death, decay, and ancient power carrying the threat of violence and a final end. ¡°I only got this maid¡¯s uniform this morning.¡±

    It didn¡¯t break her heart, but damn, was he disappointed. Her armor, Night, snapped into place, swapping with her more modest and finally professional-looking maid uniform. The manor¡¯s new gift was destined to be turned to scraps.

    It wasn¡¯t entirely shocking when the skeleton rose from the ground before her. Standing up from her chair, she kicked it. Not an ordinary kick. This was the first time she could truly get her current frustrations out in an acceptable manner. She could almost hear her skills merge. [High Kick] synergized with Grace, Bearing, and even the defensive aspects of [Small Armor] to perfect the strike. [Renew Spirit] to add a bit of extra oomph, frost tipped her Night¡¯s metal-tipped shoes, hardening it, [Manipulate Dead] sent a ripple of grinding energy to destabilize the bone, making it brittle moments before the strike lands. A perfect blow, empowered by [Mana Rotation] and using all her current stats, skills, and knowledge.

    Crack! Foot met skeleton. The skeleton didn¡¯t budge a bit. Harmony¡¯s foot flared up like she¡¯d stubbed her toe kicking a solid anvil. Nothing broke only due to the skill of her overpowered strike. [Poise and Bearing] kept her holding back a stream of public profanities. The immobile grim smile on the skull seemed wider to her eyes.

    The skeleton in front of her wasn¡¯t the only one. Matched with every guest was one, and as she looked out, the stands were filled as well, the bony companions apparently having been able to rise out of the structure as well as the ground.

    She wasn¡¯t the only one who¡¯d chosen to attack them. Max slashed ineffectively at his. Lord Tyler punched out of surprise, and Harmony could hear the authority behind his blow. A skeleton jumps out at you, or in this case, rises out of the ground in front of you. Attacking was the reasonable thing to do. Those were the kind of reflexes that kept you alive when you dove into the dungeon.

    The maid knew that after the skeleton had survived that strike, she could do nothing to harm it. A lot of people started to notice that and stopped. Max continued to flail against the skeleton near him. The evolved people in the room hadn¡¯t moved against theirs. Lady Coodly merely stared at hers, irritated.

    ¡°Fear not. You are all honored as witnesses. These spirits represent connection and calling. For there is finally a challenger. Your belief in me makes me stronger. The marked will come forth, and the bargaining will commence.¡±

    The skeleton extended a hand to Harmony as though she was a guest to be escorted.

    Of course, this was going to happen today, Harmony fumed. Hemlock clearly had this planned. Why buy the cow when you can get the milk for free. Washing his hands of the need to buy her employment contract. Saying no to the guild master was one thing. Refusing an invitation from the dungeon in its domain was another, not that the old spirit hadn¡¯t seemed inclined to wait. This act of authority forced everyone to come together.

    She took the skeleton¡¯s hand and allowed it to escort her. Hyacinth hopped by her side, and together they stepped out of the guild¡¯s viewing room and into the arena.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Her princely pet cried out.

    Don¡¯t get involved. Don¡¯t get involved. Don¡¯t get involved. Internally Harmony found Adric¡¯s bond and commanded him to stay. No one else seemed likely to interrupt this act.

    ¡°Put me down!¡±

    That drew a glance from the necromancer. The skeleton had grown in size, thrown the prince over his shoulder, and hauled him along like a damsel in distress. The man continued to scream and struggle, but it was no use.

    ¡®Harmony did her best I-don¡¯t-know-this-person face and continued on her way. Admitting she knew the raised prince was a recipe for trouble. Through her bond, she changed the instruction to him to calm down. There were many reasons why the dungeon might want to claim a free undead in the city. The duke was even on a mission to find him. She hoped others were to be escorted. No others came, though.

    The crowd was starting to break out of their shock and talk. Harmony walked away from those barely audible conversations across the sand. Above, lights began to flicker and spark until, once again, she found herself projected for all to see, her armor glittering with stars in darkness even in the midday sun.

    A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

    The pet battle fans in the crowd gasped at that as their conversations became a rumble at the events unfolding. Harmony could feel their confusion, excitement, and wonder as if this was only an unusual performance that was part of the mid-tournament entertainment. The necromancer knew it was gravely real. Once again, she felt the center of attention.

    The masked man being hauled into the picture only brought confusion. The skeleton holding him dropped Adric into the dirt near the group. The duke looked perplexed, and having met guild master Hemlock a few times, Harmony could see a slight twitch to his right brow on his otherwise relaxed and pleasant demeanor, a crack in the facade.

    The duke smoothed his finely tailored clothes. ¡°Well, let¡¯s see who we have here.¡± He walked over and ripped off the black privacy mask with three steps. Now here was the most recognizable face in the city. Sketches, posters, dolls, costumes, and the long parade of a funeral procession had burned that oh-too-pretty visage into the collective consciousness of the people living in Hazeldown. Except here he was, panting, flushed, with a frustrated smolder in his eyes, hair muffed yet perfect in a wild way and looking oh-so-alive.

    The crowd went wild, ignoring the skeletons at their sides. The roar caused Duke Darren to stumble a moment, his face working out how he should react to this revelation. ¡°The¡­¡± his voice projected out, but the crowd¡¯s noise eclipsed his projected voice. With a few irritated breaths, he huffed until it died down. ¡°The dungeon has gifted me with the missing prince. Helping me complete my mission here and proving my worthiness.¡±

    That was one way you could distantly stretch the situation if one had a healthy amount of ego. The man could take all the credit and attention.

    Harmony knew what was coming as the rising feeling from below took on a more complex depth to the sense of terror it produced. Talking was a waste of energy. Internally Harmony focused on her skill [Renew Spirit] and the supportive physical skills, letting herself relax into a standing position where she¡¯d stay on her feet even if she lost consciousness, aligning her spine and letting her weight flow down with almost no effort.

    ¡°The dungeon comes!¡± Duke Darren yelled as though it hadn¡¯t been obvious enough.

    A screaming pillar of white energy shot out into the sky, and Harmony lost a second or two as the force of death overwhelmed her. Her preparations kept her upright on her feet as she felt her brain re-awaken. Blinking her eyes, Old Bones appeared not as a large fluffy dog rougher her size but a lean white wolf nearly twice the height of the duke.

    ¡°Well, I wasn¡¯t expecting this. Old clauses in play.¡± Old Bones said with a hint of amusement.

    Guild master Hemlock stepped forward and bowed low to the dungeon. ¡°I¡¯m the negotiator for this meeting. Granted authority by the highest representative of the government present. When it comes to discussing terms, it will be my honor to have you deal with me.¡±

    Harmony could hear the old spirit grumble the word ¡°Climber.¡± Under its breath, not loud enough to be picked up and projected to the crowd.

    Before Hemlock even straightened, Gnomstock stepped forward. ¡°I have initiated this challenge. I have brought the required marked and will have my authority recognized. I am ready for my role.¡±

    The oversized wolf looked to Harmony with her shadow toad, then to prince Adric and gave an amused tilt to its head, then around to the space in the immediate vicinity, searching and finding only the duke and the negotiator. ¡°Are you sure?¡± The dungeon asked the man.

    ¡°I have been waiting for this moment my whole life! I will be a part of history.¡±

    Ha¡¯zel Ri looked at the desperate man before him. ¡°Those are some old clauses from a harsher time. You have an appointed negotiator who can modify them.¡±

    ¡°No delay. I want it now! I brought this forth for a challenge and have the marked you want. Authority, challenger, and sacrifice. That is the contract. I insist!¡±

    Harmony watched the interaction. She knew why she was brought here, even guessing that her bonded pet wasn¡¯t exempt from the procedure. Hyacinth probably would have been carried due to their bond if he¡¯d tried to stay behind. The duke¡¯s spoiled excitement wasn¡¯t unusual. She¡¯d seen the same energy from Tyler at times. Where no one existed except for the man and their wants. She puzzled how he said challenger, but the sideways glance he gave her when he mentioned sacrifice made everything click. He thinks that¡­ Do I say something?

    ¡°Well, if you insist.¡± The dungeon replied. Then it was too late.

    A spirit of death, even without an enormous mouth, has no trouble ending a life. Still, it used those jaws, and as quick as Old Bones accepted the insistence, the duke was snapped up and swallowed whole. The collective gasp from the watching audience could be heard, and the necromancer found herself joining them.

    ¡°Now, my challenger, Lady White, we have the challenge to discuss.¡±

    The perception of time slowed. Chronostasis allowed her to think quicker than she could act. Internally the pressure of the attention and the swelling of her soul spaces snapped together. It has been making room, all the discomfort, all the feelings of eyes on her, the connections came soaring in. It was too much to fight. Like with rapids, sometimes you have to let go and accept it. People had expectations of her that surpassed the roles her profession and class gave her. Those expectations granted authority to her, and now her damned friend¡¯s actions made perfect sense. She could almost pick out their expectations among the nearly innumerable ones flooding into her and adding to her skills and powers.

    Ambrosia had planned or at least hoped that she¡¯d transform. The songs, the performance, the dedication it was all obvious now. All those books Tyler ignored that his grandma had lent him about making connections, friends, and an image for yourself to strengthen your authority. Gaining a noble class or profession was more common when you evolved. The rare spontaneous gains were footnotes or parts of legends and fairy tales.

    Hyacinth¡¯s pride and Ambrosia¡¯s excitement. The unending feeling of attention and lack of control over her skills since she woke up. Hearing the authority acting today when she hadn¡¯t detected anything before. Even Old Bones saw what was going on. Reluctantly Harmony accepted what was happening.

    The connections came in. Everyone¡¯s expectations represented power,  creating the authority act in a brutal world. Authority¡¯s voice was what the books called it. It was what separated adventurers grinding away from heroes needing support to defend against tides of conflict. It added sound to the maid¡¯s inner space as the rapids rushed, and her skills had their own songs. They sang.

    Harmony accessed the new notification as the change settled in

    Profession changed from Maid to Lady Maid.

    Thankfully not a lady necromancer. Aristocracy was bad enough without the threat of some misunderstanding about a potential future of her being a queen necromancer or sovereign of the dead. But once again she found herself, and the limits of her abilities changed.

    Tyler¡¯s books talked about the use of authority. Even then, she hadn¡¯t paid much attention to the topic, skimming the text for potentially useful things that were not on that topic.

    Perception snapped back to its slow pace. Stuffed with granted authority, Harmony let out a groan that even her social skills couldn¡¯t suppress.

    ¡°Congratulations, my lady,¡± Hemlock told her with a smile she wanted to kick off his face.

    Prince Adric started screaming.

    Harmony didn¡¯t even resist the urge to run over to her pet. Cold logic told her she shouldn¡¯t. She fought that desire to stay frozen. Damn that side of her. Authority made his caring expectations of her so clear that it tugged at her heart and nestled there. So, she let her feet take her to him and took the large man into her arms. All she could do was prop him from sitting. His screaming died into a whimper.

    ¡°Your primal bond will be fine. Their profession change is long overdue and more arduous.¡± Old Bones assured her. ¡°And an interesting choice you made for a pet.¡±

    The echo of that voice let Harmony know that the dungeon blew her secret as the Colosseum¡¯s sound projection delivered the news to everyone. Would having the dungeon¡¯s blessing save her from angry royals? She could have a meltdown or accept the revelation with some level of dignity. ¡°You¡¯re concern honors me, Ha¡¯zel Ri.¡±

    ¡°Now that¡¯s a fascinating profession, The Lady¡¯s Pet Prince. One I¡¯ve never seen, yet how appropriate.¡± Old Bones added.

    That was enough of a prompt to cause the audience to cheer again, even after watching Duke Darren¡¯s grisly demise. Through her connection to them from authority, she could tell some still doubted the reality they saw in front of them.

    Once the crowd died down, the dungeon spirit spoke again. ¡°Shall we discuss the challenge?¡±

    This was already a challenge. Harmony felt as exhausted as she had when she woke up in Old Bones¡¯s presence the first time. ¡°A wise spirit once told me to consolidate my gains before taking a challenge. I need to do just that. The negotiator will handle all the details.¡±

    She watched the guild master puff up excitedly at this. It was clearly the accomplishment he needed to progress. She knew this whole mess was his fault, including misleading the duke about the challenger and the sacrifice. She wanted to kick him between the legs. But right now, she was exhausted and needed his skills.

    ¡°Very well.¡± The dungeon answered with more amusement.

    ¡°Please take him with you. I¡¯m sure the negotiations will be extensive, so take days, months even. Negotiate privately, away from prying eyes. I can¡¯t think of any place better than the heart of your domain to have them in.¡±

    She watched Hemlock¡¯s eyes widen as if he wanted to yell, ¡°wait!¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Old Bones said with even more enjoyment.

    As quick as he¡¯d snatched up the duke, a flash of white pulsed, encapsulating the spirit and guild master Hemlock. She could feel the thick presence of death retreat quickly deep into the dungeon¡¯s domain. The skeleton companions crumbled into dust.

    Harmony could feel prince Adric slowly come to his senses. The pair rested at the center of the arena floor, watched over by a sizeable haughty toad. Beside them was a red stain in the sand representing the former duke. Her eyes cast up to see the projection of this hovering above for everyone to see. This was not how she expected the day, the week, or the season to go.

 Chapter Forty

    Chapter Forty

    Harmony expected Rose to rush out with guards to escort her away or Sir Maxwell, with his oath, taking delayed action to help her, perhaps Lord Tyler or even Ambrosia. That was not the case.

    Serena Vale, the head of the commission, walked out, her show face on, a smile beaming as she stepped into the area projected to all. She even waved one of those gentle waves with a soft turn of her wrist.

    Serena offered her hand to Harmony to help. The lady maid accepted it, and with the commissioner¡¯s help, they brought the prince to his feet. Vale spoke, not to Harmony, but to the gathered crowd, turning so everyone could glance at her face. ¡°We¡¯ve all witnessed an astounding event. The games will start shortly as we see who makes it to the finals in the capitol, but how about a round of applause for our new lady, Harmony White.¡± She purposefully escorted the necromancer, prince, and toad trio back toward the guild¡¯s private room.

    Harmony watched the woman give her skills something to aspire to. Ms. Vale never implied if what the crowd saw was real or staged, creating an air of mystery that would lead to debate. [Poise and Bearing] and [Style and Grace] ached to achieve that in a way that was never there as a regular maid where that part of her helped to avoid attention. But she was now a lady maid, and that change shifted where her skills felt they could be best used. Could she now take attention and deflect it as the commissioner had done? Maybe Tyler could lend her those awful guides on being a lord and lady books to read again.

    They approached a  guild room. It was being abandoned. Most of the bidders were gone, and many were gathering their things or having short words with each other. When those still there noticed she arrived back, most picked up the pace, like scurrying vermin when you opened the blinds to shine a light on them. Not all, though.

    Lady Coodly stood there first to greet her. ¡°Don¡¯t mind them. They simply don¡¯t wish to be remembered by you as trying to buy you when they next meet the newest member of the peerage. I sadly have to inform you that your employment contract has been nullified by this change. Lords and ladies can¡¯t be bound by such things. I do hope we can maintain a friendly and productive relationship with each other.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Harmony answered half-automatically, slipping back slightly into her differential role.

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± The matriarch responded. ¡°I¡¯ll have your personal effects sent to you as soon as it can be arranged.¡± Then she nodded goodbye.

    Her old employer turning away hit her in the gut, as she was now unemployed and without a place to live. She¡¯d steeled herself for new employment after today, but not no employment.

    ¡°You! How dare you!¡± A furious Rose marched towards her, and Harmony readied [Small Armor] for defense.

    When the hand struck out accurately, propelled by the ranger¡¯s unlocked stats of dexterity and spatial awareness, it snaked out past Harmony, grabbing Prince Adric¡¯s ear with a twist.

    ¡°Ow!¡± He yelped, shaking him out of his stupor. ¡°Don¡¯t, Rose.¡±

    ¡°What do you expect me to do, Addy? After you returned from the dead and didn¡¯t tell me! You think your ear hurts. Imagine thinking your brother died. And, the lady¡¯s pet prince, what profession even is that?¡±

    Harmony scooted out from under Adric¡¯s arm, which she¡¯d been using to help prop him up. During a family inquisition, she didn¡¯t need to be between the fighting brother and sister.

    Princess Rosaline¡¯s eyes snapped to Harmony at the movement. ¡°I don¡¯t know what my brother has promised or done to you through all this, but let me assure you I¡¯ll do my best to make amends. First, the duke and now Adric. Now that you¡¯re a lady, that may actually be easier.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that, Rose. It¡¯s¡­¡± The prince¡¯s words were cut off as his ear twisted further. Rose¡¯s hand had never left the lobe, and she pulled him away.

    ¡°Grrup?¡± Hyacinth asked.

    ¡°Oh, no, that¡¯s family trouble. I¡¯m letting him sort that out himself. Makes me almost glad I no longer deal with mine.¡±

    Ambrosia¡¯s ecstatic surprise hug grabbed Harmony from the side. Of course, who needs family when you have friends? She grumbled internally. And she hadn¡¯t forgotten that Hyacinth had been in on it.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe it worked. Lady. Harmony. White.¡±

    She let her friend hug her. She actually needed that hug after all the events of the day. ¡°And when were you ever going to tell me this was your plan?¡±

    ¡°When it worked? I mean, I half-figured you¡¯d have figured it out, as I know you¡¯ve read all the books. I don¡¯t know how much blunter we could get, especially after the lyrics to some of those songs. It¡¯s not like someone suddenly becoming a lord or lady can¡¯t happen. That¡¯s what that no-name duke had wanted. I thought you not telling me to stop was subtle approval.¡±

    Oh, so that was the route her friend was going to take. Compliments and making her admit she¡¯d missed all the obvious signs if she was going to complain. The beast tamer knew her too well. And if she had figured it out, she would have asked them to stop because of how embarrassingly unlikely this transformation was. Sure, people tried, and when you evolve your class, there is some chance for heroes, and even the rare merchant prince or celebrity, to progress into the aristocracy. To become a lord or lady outside of that, that¡¯s the myth of the hero on the battlefield suddenly gaining immense power and winning the day, not a maid getting some songs sung about her.

    Harmony leaned into the hug. ¡°Fine, but no more secrets.¡±

    ¡°This is also going to make the best ballad ever!¡±

    This was her friend¡¯s moment of fame, and the necromancer clamped down any protest. The band was shooting their singer looks, signaling to get over to them, so Harmony wiggled out of the embrace. ¡°You go do that.¡±

    Ambrosia skipped off to the band. Max and Len were holding Rose back from a flinching Adric. The last few clusters of people who¡¯d shown up for the auction were departing. The band worked on getting their instruments in their carrying cases. At the same time, Ambrosia tested out a line of lyrics or two. From the center of attention to, well, the lady maid was unsure what to do with herself. The crowd roared. Another battle was commencing.

    ¡°Grrupt.¡± A warning from her familiar seeped through their bond, quiet and subtle.

    Harmony tensed, all the same, too many surprises. The danger was here, but not the physical threat of looming death. Tyler, free of his gran, made his way nervously toward her. The instinct from years of difference clashed with the reality of her new jobless state. [High Kick] suggested a nice boot to the head.

    The young lord moving in for a hug didn¡¯t help, and Harmony fended him off with her palms facing him, a chill radiating around her. Not that Tyler seemed to notice. ¡°Harmony, we can be together now. Gran can¡¯t even object now that you¡¯re a lady. Our love doesn¡¯t need to be a secret any longer. I¡¯m going to the capital to complete my training and want you to come with me.¡±

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    ¡°Our love? We?¡± Harmony couldn¡¯t keep the ice out of her tone. She could even see her breath fog up. [Cold Touch] pulsed with a numb indifference. It would be too easy to let that skill strangle all her emotions. Yet more annoying than Lord Tyler was the frost she could taste on her lips and the knowledge she¡¯d gained while at her training pond. Authority was simply connections and beliefs lending power to you. She could feel their emotion buzzing like background noise, affection, love, and desire, so it would be easy to shut off. Instead, she used her unlocked stat of connection to take those warm emotions, even the misplaced ones she knew Tyler had for her. With that authority, she smothered the skill and the inclinations that supported it. I¡¯ll deal with that later, she told herself as she tried to let her feelings open up.

    ¡°I di-didn¡¯t mean t-too...¡± Tyler started to stutter, and Harmony knew she had to act or the boy would break.

    ¡°Tyler, that¡¯s sweet.¡± She blinked back some surprise at the new warmth in her voice, even if the tone was closer to one that you¡¯d use with a child or pet. ¡°But, I was your employee. You don¡¯t really know me. The extra favors we did for each other were more than a little transactional. I have admired your thirst for knowledge and the unique items with it. But there is no love, or we. Perhaps we can start with a new friendship that involves fewer lingering glances while I¡¯m dusting your shelves. One where we can both try to live up to our potential. I¡¯m not sure I can leave Hazeldown right now, dungeon and all, but I wish you all the luck in the capital.¡±

    ¡°But¡­¡± He tried.

    Harmony could feel him being conflicted through the authority he granted to her. Less belief, less power, she wasn¡¯t sure. More things to deal with.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. I believe in you.¡± The simple, cliche answer in an attempt to end the conversation sent a surge through her about his beliefs. Just ignore it, she told herself. You know very little about authority and how to manage it. He¡¯s leaving anyway, and well, time to change the topic. ¡°I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m at a loss for what to do now that I¡¯m out of a job and become a lady.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the kingdom makes allowances for that. Since it usually happens when citizens evolve, there is a process when registering evolution changes.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you.¡± It was a struggle not to curtsy or, on the flip side, kick his shin a few times for his awkward declaration of love. Instead, she tried to be positive and lady-like, the way she¡¯d watched Lady Coodly and others behave thousands of times.

    Silence stretched between them. Tyler clearly hadn¡¯t planned what to do if his ¡°our love¡± gambit failed. He gave an awkward bow, signaling he¡¯d finally given up.

    ¡°I promise to write to you.¡± He said as he walked away.

    After Lord Tyler had left the room, Harmony finally let herself deflate a little, all the emotions on the idiocy of it all running through her.

    ¡°Grrupt?¡± Hyacinth asked.

    ¡°Oh, I don¡¯t think I did too bad. That was probably my least stressful conflict of the day.¡±

    Prince Adric, looking harried, walked over and grabbed Harmony¡¯s hand. ¡°Let¡¯s get out of here.¡±

    A look over showed both Len and Maxwell talking to a sobbing Rose. ¡°What did you do now?¡± She asked him.

    ¡°Nothing. I¡¯ve done nothing. That may be the problem, but if we wait any longer, journalists and fans will be at every exit by the time we leave. I suppose you don¡¯t have a change of clothes to make you less recognizable?¡±

    Harmony knew the outfit she arrived in was done for, so she only returned a glare. Her pet wasn¡¯t wrong about what they could walk into and the stand-out nature of her armor.

    ¡°Hyacinth, go hunt til your heart¡¯s content and find us later.¡± He was just as noticeable.

    Understanding, the shadow toad slipped into the shadows looming behind a throne.

    The prince led her down the Colosseum¡¯s hallways like he¡¯d memorized them. A few turns, and they went from the elaborate path to plain utility halls. From there, a storage room had extra uniforms stacked neatly next to bins holding stained and soiled outfits splattered with blood, monster shit, and rips. When the man started changing into one of the male uniforms, Harmony stowed her armor and peeled off the shreds of her one-time gift. The uniforms here were almost as modest but were not as high quality. Their fabric itched and chaffed a little, enough to cause a spasm of worry that she¡¯s become one of the picky ladies.

    She couldn¡¯t use her skills to change his appearance but could rub dirt on his face. As for herself, she adjusted her skin tone and the cut of her cheekbones and gave herself blond ringlets again. Together they snuck out through the building crowd of gawkers, journalists, and excited citizens eager to glimpse the source of the wild rumors that were just starting to spread like wildfire.

    For five days, they hid in inns. The inns were the quality ones with private libraries that lent copies to patrons. Harmony took that time to relax. A vacation from the drama, with books to escape into.

    Prince Adric managed himself, so she didn¡¯t need to take him for walks. Always mysterious errands that needed to be run. Countess Maye, Adric¡¯s Auntie, showing up in town didn¡¯t change anything. Guild master Hemlock still hadn¡¯t returned. And every time she managed to get within earshot of a common room, she could hear her name being sung, paired up with an ever-growing list of ridiculous feats by local bards. It made her miss Ambrosia, and her profession itched from lack of use. Five days cooped up, and she needed a vacation from the vacation.

    That is why she leaped at Prince Adric¡¯s offer of a private carriage ride. ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me where we are going?¡± The trip took them out of the city but wasn¡¯t going down anywhere but an overgrown dirt road

    ¡°It¡¯s a surprise.¡±

    ¡°I hope your aunt didn¡¯t arrange it. I don¡¯t understand why she doesn¡¯t want to meet me.¡±

    ¡°She explained that the political ramifications are too much for her to be seen to be involved. ¡°

    Harmony suspected that it was more as though she didn¡¯t want to put a face to the person that might need to be executed. At this point, she figured her popularity and whatever strange agreement Hemlock was working on was the only thing keeping her alive.

    Hyacinth nuzzled her side from the seat next to hers, assuring that everything would be all right.

    The carriage wheeled to a stop ending the bumpy ride over rough ground. Stepping into the midday sun. An abandoned manor greeted her. Peeling paint, broken windows, the place some might call full of potential, or a haunted house. But, no necromancer worth their salt would ever be afraid of that.

    ¡°Our new home. Sure, it needs some work, but it beats hiding at inns or visiting the community estates for new lords and ladies.¡±

    Harmony looked at her pet and tried to pull information from their bond to check if he was joking. He wasn¡¯t joking.

    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking, but I got help. I managed to get a pair of employment contracts at a discount. As much as this place needs some love and care, please trust me that this will work.¡± Then The Lady¡¯s Pet Prince gave Harmony his puppy dog eyes. He¡¯d yet to divulge the details of his new profession¡¯s skills to her, but she wondered if manipulation of her was one of them. It was so hard to say no to that look from that beautiful, too-perfect face.

    ¡°Fine.¡±

    He gave an excited leap and, after settling down, clapped twice.

    Old doors creaked open. Harmony added oiling the hinges to the list of things growing in her mind to make this place livable. The inside was dark, so clearly, all the glow stones needed to be recharged or possibly even replaced. A rising thud, almost like heavy boots, rose out of the darkness, and Harmony pictured the floorboards needing work too. She hoped Adric managed to get this place cheap.

    A familiar face stepped out, revealing the thud as a cane. ¡°Bates!¡±

    ¡°Lady White.¡± He said with a bow.

    Harmony couldn¡¯t take her eyes off the head butler. The idea of Lady Coodly going without him or letting him go was impossible for her. Yet, Adric had somehow managed it. What were that old matriarch¡¯s plans?

    Bird song from the woods distracted her musings. Yank, a small beak, pulled at her hair. The Lady maid¡¯s eyes were forced to search out. Ambrosia was quietly standing on the other side of the door with a smug smile.

    ¡°You!¡± was all Harmony managed to get out.

    ¡°I implored to be released, as my music career has been taking off in Hazeldown. She met me in the middle and passed my contract along as a favor, so I could stay here rather than go to the capitol with the rest of the staff. It¡¯ll be an honor to serve you, Lady White.¡±

    Screw propriety. Harmony tackled her friend with a long hug. A little bit of the loneliness gnawing on her eased away. Unburdened, her profession awakened, eager to take on the task of getting this old manor in working order.

    Prince Adric joined the hug like any excited pet, squeezing Harmony between the two taller people. A warmth inside her sparked, and she recognized it as hope that everything would end up alright.

    -The End of Arc One.

 Chapter Forty-One * One

    Chapter One

    ¡°Guild master Hemlock has returned!¡±

    Lady Maid and Necromancer, Harmony White, let the skill synergy she¡¯d been using to smooth and repair the reworked floor drop mid-usage.  Weeks had turned into months and she¡¯d hoped the rotter would never return. There had been safety in the unknowns of the deal with the dungeon Haz¡¯el Ri.  Protections from reprisals over her and the prince as people waited to discover the details. And now.  ¡°Crap.¡± The lady swore.

    Ambrosia tsked her for cursing the news she brought, which was a sight in her performance wear, a poofy hoop dress big enough to house all her birds. Blond curls turned into a green bioluminescent mass of spikes. Harmony had gone overboard once with her [Beautician] skill out of annoyance and now the beast tamer¡¯s fans were constantly looking for new and extreme looks.

    ¡°You can¡¯t say you¡¯ve been happy stuck here polishing your skills while being unable to level up properly. Joining Adric on his hunting trips has only gotten you so far, Harm.¡±

    A wave of chilling energy rushed through her, that cold fury aggravating the desire to kick something rather than cooling her frustrations at her current state.  Ambrosia bringing up part of her issues wasn¡¯t helping. All the work these months to control her flaring skills, and it was only getting worse. The addition of authority had her fighting with all those outside sources pushing their energy and expectations onto her. It¡¯s not like she asked to be a newly minted aristocrat.

    ¡°I have a new expert coming today to try to help. And shouldn¡¯t you be performing now anyway? It¡¯s your day off.¡±

    ¡°Like I wasn¡¯t going to run back here to tell you the moment the news broke. The concert is in intermission now, as it is.¡±

    Intermissions weren¡¯t that long, even if Ambrosia rushed straight home and back, she¡¯d not make it in time. So the ask for Harmony was left unspoken. There was only one way to return in time, assuming she wasn¡¯t already late.  ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll go wake Hyacinth.¡±

    ¡°You know, when you help, it calms your moods. And with Hemlock back I¡¯m sure your name will again be on everyone¡¯s lips.¡±

    Harmony was unsure if it was the adoring flavor the the authority from performing with her friend, or the surge of energy that helped settle her skills. Keeping busy helped. The suggestion of training her skills hit a wall. The four previous tutors they¡¯d hired had been of limited help. This new one was supposed to be more of an expert, or specialist. Otherwise using skills in new or difficult ways brought some relief. One of her two new skills, [Mend] synergized with [Manipulate Dead] a touch of [Dust] and [Beautician] to help keep the wood grains straight meaning she¡¯d nearly finished the floors of their new home while seeking that reprieve.  Completion had been today¡¯s plan.

    ¡°Fine, but only for two songs. I¡¯ll need to get back for the skill tutor.¡± Harmony responded.

    Harmony led her friend to her room. It was weird having her own. Even when Mom''s acting career had been on the rise, Mother hadn¡¯t wasted money on something as frivolous as giving her private space. Hyacinth didn¡¯t count, life would be incomplete without her familiar by her side.  She had her worries there.

    ¡°Grrrrrrrrrr¡± Hyacinth¡¯s rumbling snore greeted them. The toad had grown these months, at three times her weight and his height nearly reaching her chin. The shadow toad was no longer an uncomfortable lap load. She¡¯d joked with him that soon she¡¯d be riding him. Other than the drastic rapid growth there was sleeping. Twelve hours or more he slept, nearly all day. With normal means, he was nearly impossible to wake.

    [Renew Spirit] swirled with [Cold Touch] to create a ghostly blue chilling light at the tip of the necromancer''s finger.  As an unnatural means of waking his deep sleep, she booped the light onto the toad''s nose.

    ¡°Grrrack!¡± The familiar cried out, leaping straight up with a flailing jump that crashed back down onto his pile of pillows with a thud. ¡°Bad necro.¡±  He cursed grumbly.

    Harmony was already stripping out of her work clothes. Naked, she summoned Night onto her. The sparse armor, patched together by skin-tight glowing starscape, made her feel more secure, even if it took away any chance of moving around Hazeldown anonymously.

    ¡°Ambrosia and I need a trip to her show.¡±

    ¡°The Landing Theatre¡± Her friend clarified.

    ¡°Gupt.. not carriage.¡±

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    ¡°Stop being such a wart. The band misses you, and I¡¯ll need a trip back after a few songs to see the tutor then you can go back to sleep. Bowe and Adric are worried I let you sleep too much as it is. A little exercise and shadow hopping is good for you.¡±

    Harmony was worried he was sleeping so much.  Whether Adric meant his concerns or picked up on her worries through her pet bond with him, she wasn¡¯t sure.

    The lady maid placed her hand on her familiar''s back and Ambrosia joined her. Together they were pulled away.

    In transit, she caught a flicker of the shadow realm that made this kind of travel possible. She made a note to use her newest skill [Recall] to pick up any details. The maid skill to help one remember orders, plans, and directives had more interesting uses than just that.

    The trio lumbered out of the shadows of the backstage of The Landing.

    Jimmy looked frantic. His knuckles straining as they gripped the neck of his guitar marched up to Ambrosia, ¡°Where have you been?  Stiriling is fiddling her fingers bloody, distracting the crowd.¡± His eyes flicked to the Lady Maid. ¡°Hi, Harmony,¡± Then he did a double take. ¡°Harmony!¡±

    ¡°Yes, Jimmy, I brought Harmony. We can have a very special guest for a few songs. Hemlock¡¯s return is sure to reignite interest in those old songs of ours. The Countess¡¯s scandals of the past few months will slip away. She¡¯ll probably be forced to meet with our girl here. No more, lady White, who? I¡¯ve never met her, burning through the sheets.¡±

    Harmony didn¡¯t want to meet Prince Adric¡¯s favorite aunt. The woman had been content to ignore her existence after showing up at the prince¡¯s call and then camping in Hazeldown. As much as Adric visited the woman, there¡¯d been no invitation.

    ¡°Well, let¡¯s rescue this show before our fiddler collapses.¡±

    Jimmy signaled and two assistants came running up.

    Yes, Strongstess and the Flows have assistants now. Pre-selection kids looking to influence their class and profession options. Harmony assisted her mom as a child in a similar fashion.

    Despite bringing back those uncomfortable memories for Harmony, their help made everything easier.  Milo, a young girl, took off to care for Hyacinth like she had a crush on the giant toad. The Necromancer could tell through their [Familiar Bond] that the attention felt good.  Someone would at least have fun. Correction, they both should. Ambrosia was right that this should calm her. Gods know the tutor had the potential to set off a flare, so these songs should help keep her settled before that. With authority, she flexed [Poise and Bearing] and let her smile feed upon the expectations of the city.

    The subtle changes gaining aristocracy to her maid class adjusted her skills away from the primary focus of being an unobtrusive servant. There had been pride in being unnoticed in the ridiculous outfits Lord Tyler had picked for her, but now part of her screamed to stand out. She grabbed it all and confidently strode onto the stage as the band¡¯s special guest.

    The crowd roared.

    Oh, they knew who she was. Fans of the band were usually fans of Hazeldown¡¯s Lady. That spark of the unexpected appearance sang with authority inside her. It became part of the music she danced to. The authority played a part in the overactive influences of her skills, yet this act with its up-close infusion soothed it.  Harmony had to fight dissecting the reasoning behind that incongruity.  A personal debate that it helped because she lived up to the expectations of the crowd by dancing for the band, or if it was other aspects? Desire and excitement fed into these authoritarian connections  Most calming was to drop those thoughts and dance.

    It wasn¡¯t a calm dance as she used the time to push her skills. [Style and Grace], [Beautician], and [High Kick] got the most workout but Harmony pushed the limits where she could. Then came the props, two glowing cold spheres formed in both palms, that same combination that woke Hyacinth. Streams of mist danced off of them as the moisture in the water in the air condensed as it brushed the cold.

    The tutors had been firm about pushing one''s limits when using skills to help them level up. While they pushed for Thibodeux¡¯s methods of repetition of activation, Harmony rejected that to go with her philosophy. And if that meant dancing with all the physicality of her attack skills, and controlling two luminous balls formed by a tentative combination of skills, then that is what she¡¯d do, pushing everything to its limit. She¡¯d like to believe this route has granted her the greatest results.

    [Recall] kicked in, her newest skill reminding her she had a deadline and couldn¡¯t dance until Ambrosia was done with her, or her body gave out.

    Exploding her spheres, a chilly layer of fog expanded over the crowd as heat from the bodies and the cold air clashed. With a little focus on her armor, Night, and the luminescent spots flashed, a trick she¡¯d picked up, the final crowd-pleaser as she waved them all goodbye.

    The necromancer found Hyacinth in bliss, lying on his back as Milo scrubbed his belly. ¡°Time to go home, partner.¡±

    ¡°Graukk¡­¡± The familiar complained.

    Milo slid off the toad''s belly and curtsied. ¡°Sorry, for distracting him, Lady White.¡±

    Harmony wasn¡¯t sure she would ever get used to that. She could feel the awe radiating off the girl. It¡¯s not that aristocracy didn¡¯t come to Hazeldown, all the whelps leveled here. She was simply the first one raised locally in the public eye. If you¡¯re going to gain aristocracy it usually happens at evolution, and everyone left this beginner city to accomplish that.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. He deserves his pleasures but I¡¯m on a deadline. If he wishes to come back on his own time for belly scratches that¡¯s up to him and you. Talk to Ambrosia,  she can arrange something.¡±

    ¡°The songstress?¡± Milo gulped paling before scurrying off.

    Ridiculous how the two of them became more than maids in the eyes of everyone. Letting that go, Harmony prodded Hyacinth again, this time through their [Familiar Bond].

    The shadow toad rolled onto his stomach grumpily.  Harmony placed her hand on his back and they moved into the shadows.

 Chapter Forty-Two * Two

    Chapter Two

    ¡°Har-mon-y!¡±

    The cry as she stepped out of the shadows was all the warning the lady maid had before her over-eager pet was upon her. The muscular prince lifted and spun her around.  Chronostasis didn¡¯t even kick in because this happened so frequently.

    ¡°Hemlock is back!¡± The prince added as he set her down.

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°This will change everything!¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    ¡°Auntie can¡¯t ignore you now!¡±

    ¡°I know.¡±

    Harmony wished her pet would stop stating the obvious. If only she stayed ignored. After months of dismissals that could be read in the sheets, she¡¯d positively soured on meeting the woman no matter the praises Adric gave the woman. As adorable as the prince was, he was a bit dull in the wits.

    ¡°Weren¡¯t you supposed to be escorting this expert you found to the manor?¡±

    ¡°He¡¯s in the lounge. Bates is serving him tea and biscuits now. I felt you arrive, and, you know, I couldn¡¯t help myself. ¡°

    Ashed bones! She¡¯d stayed at the concert too long. It would take time to get properly ready.

    ¡°He¡¯ll want to see you in your armor,¡± Adric added.

    Harmony swore he gained some ability to read her mind or anxieties with his new profession change to The Lady¡¯s Pet Prince. He refused to show her his status.  Still, she couldn¡¯t go out seeing the man all sweaty and hair out of place.  Focusing on her skills, she steeled her will to get control over the combination to refresh herself. They tried to rebel because of her current issues but she¡¯d done this every morning, and only slightly adjusted her system as she gained new skills. [Mend] improved it, as the skill often crossed into healing professions and classes. [Recall] knocked off any morning mental fog.

    She shed the dirt and the sweat while boosting her spirit and energy. All the stray hairs returned to perfect form. Perfect posture and a relaxed yet waiting appearance settled into her body.  But it was like wrestling a pack of gnomes to get it all done. Why won¡¯t you behave?

    Hyacinth settled into his cluster of pillows.

    ¡°Oh, no you don¡¯t. You¡¯re coming with me. If the man wants to see my armor I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll want to check out my fatigued familiar.¡±

    ¡°Grrwaa.¡± He complained.

    ¡°Suck it up. If I have to take my medicine, so do you.¡±

    Milo had already cleaned and polished him, so his black armor-like skin shined. The truth was, for all her current issues, Hyacinth¡¯s changes dug into her.

    The lady maid marched out with her pet and familiar in tow, focusing on maintaining regal confidence with her movements. The lounge and entryway had been the first rooms repaired in the dilapidated manor they¡¯d taken residence in. They had hoped to host the countess, but that had never happened.

    The room projected wealth they didn¡¯t have. The stipend for new aristocracy barely covered her two staff and the cost of housing. Hard work is what crafted the image, everything was polished and cleaned.  Flowers decorated the room, presenting an illusion that they were freshly cut and delivered.  [Beautician], [Manipulate Dead], and [Renew Spirit] allowed the dead flowers to maintain the fabrication of freshness despite having been cut and placed months ago. Harmony imagined how more perfect she could have made the image if she¡¯d taken the taxidermist profession rather than maid, but then she¡¯d have lacked the professional advantage of understanding the level of taste and meaning in the arrangements.

    Bates stood unobtrusively to the side. The lack of color to his uniform almost made him invisible in the room, a master class in serving. Harmony questioned why the head butler had chosen to leave Lady Coodly¡¯s service to serve her, but was grateful he''d done that.

    ¡°Expert Fei, thank you for taking the time to visit me during your brief time in our humble city.¡± Prince Adric had informed her about this expert. The man was from one of the evolved kingdoms, a tourist, keeping an eye on their nephew as they gained their early levels safely in the local dungeon, how Old Bones was supposed to operate.

    The prince had been vague about details, but she was desperate. Here was a diagnostician from an evolved kingdom, the kind people even in the capital would fall over themselves for such a meeting.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t pass up an opportunity to see someone so uniquely raised to the peerage. And someone with a class among the forbidden fifteen. I¡¯ll probably get as much a benefit out of this as you do.¡±

    Forbidden fifteen. That stung. The necromancer class was not looked on kindly by many of the other kingdoms. Too much history there. Only ten classes were banned here, necromancer not among them. Fei obviously came from one of the places where that wasn¡¯t the case, whatever punishments they put on those who made forbidden choices.

    ¡°A mutually beneficial meeting is the best possible outcome.¡±  The fact that there was no monetary cost was a relief. The tutors before took gold, and hadn¡¯t fixed anything.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°Well, display your status and show us what we¡¯re working with.¡±  The man said with a smile.

    Harmony channeled her mana into displaying her status.

    Class: Necromancer (15)-F

    Profession: Lady Maid (24)-C

    Skills:

    Familiar bond(15)*

    Manipulate dead (15)*

    Renew Spirit (15)*

    Cold Touch (15)

    Analyze (24)*

    Poise and Bearing (24)*

    Dust (24)*

    Beautician (24)*

    Style and grace (24)*

    Mend (20)

    Recall (16)

    Small Armor (19)*

    Mana Rotation (19)*

    High Kick (19)*

    Stats:

    Synergy

    Connections

    Chronostasis

    Primal Bond - Adric Highsmythe

    Harmony had worked hard to advance her skills this much, reaching the end of most of her profession and skills, and pushing her class skills as far as she could for her advancement. It helped her issues a little bit, but ultimately the work hadn¡¯t been enough.  The act of displaying them had them all acting up. [Dust] spotting the faintest amounts on Fei¡¯s suit. Flecks of pollen brought from outside. [Beautician] Noting that as cleanly shaved as Bates was, the hair on his face had grown since he¡¯d cleaned up this morning and she could notice it. Each and every one played subtle havoc inside of her, from chilling the air to noticing the weak points of every object where a carefully placed kick would destroy them.  Hyacinth¡¯s [Familiar Bond] shared exactly how uncomfortable the toad was, and that he¡¯d tried to hide it from her.

    When the foreign touch brushed up against her display it was like pins and needles inside her body. Her connections stat let her feel the effect of the expert. While no maliciousness was sensed, a part of her wanted to kick him. [Poise and Bearing] reminded her neither was appropriate for a lady or a maid.

    She put up with it as the man muttered ¡°Fascinating.¡± Then ¡°Interesting¡± as she felt every bit of her being prodded and poked.

    ¡°You have a free skill spot you haven¡¯t used?¡± The man asked.

    ¡°With how my current skills are bothering me, I didn¡¯t feel it was wise to do that.¡±

    ¡°Do that as quickly as possible. It should cause minor relief as it expands your space, even if it might be more problematic than the usual new skill acquisition. I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re able to maintain composure as much as you do. The lesser regions really are barbaric with their lack of support.¡±

    Prince Adric shifted uncomfortably at that criticism.

    ¡°So what¡¯s wrong with me and what do I do to fix it?¡± Harmony asked even as some of her skills advised her to be more circumspect. She chose to go with [Small Armor] and [High Kick] to strike for the root of the problem and how best to defend herself.

    ¡°Your profession wasn¡¯t made to handle as much authority as you¡¯ve been given. Perhaps if your class changed, but having your authority tied to such a thing would certainly make something that those in power couldn¡¯t choose to ignore. So be grateful you¡¯re not a lady necromancer. No one wants a queen of death. I suspect your familair has been taking on much of the burden. ¡°

    She¡¯d just gained a small bit of authority from Ambrosia¡¯s band. Harmony looked to Hyacinth who was now shifting uncomfortably at the fact that his secret had been revealed. Had the performance hurt him? ¡°Do I stop¡­¡±

    ¡°No¡­ no¡­no¡­  trying to reduce authority is the worst thing you can do.  Your profession is like a container that you¡¯re filling up with authority. Letting it sit stagnant makes survival harder as the weight would settle down on the bottom without the new influx. Removing authority would cause things to crunch in, which would be very bad. Adding your free skill will help. Advancing your skills has helped strengthen the container, but it is too much.

    Maids were not meant to become ladies. If you¡¯d initially gotten the class then the structure would have been built in to help with that authority, that¡¯s why most of the time advancing to peerage happens during evolution. It lets things be made right.  Ultimately you need to evolve as quickly as possible. Evolution will restructure you to handle authority. ¡°

    Evolve or die.  Fei didn¡¯t say die, that would be impolite, but Harmony could read that very bad things would happen if she didn¡¯t fix this soon or her authority dropped. She could feel worry spike from both her familiar and pet. She closed her status and immediately felt relief as none of her skills were being tugged on to display themselves.

    ¡°I appreciate the information,¡±  Harmony said with an incline of her head.

    ¡°I¡¯m ashamed this support wasn¡¯t available for you when you gained authority. Barbaric. Totally Barbaric. Just being able to brush such a case has advanced my [Skill Diagnostic]. To get into such a state, I¡¯d hoped to help, but this is beyond me.¡°

    Where the other, local help, she got information from had pulled theirs from dusty texts or pulled from common wisdom. Explaining her issues were because she wasn¡¯t disciplined enough and needed to shove her skills away, or that simply advancing them would solve it. Fei seemed to believe in what he was saying.  The thought of trying to shove skills aside to mute the effects had hurt her brain, and the one attempt had sent shooting pains through her body.  Evolve. That made sense.

    The expert stood up, Harmony offered her hand. The man bent down and kissed the back of it and the lady maid could feel a new source of authority. Through the connection, she felt amazement at how she was handling her issues. That reverence evolved kingdoms have for aristocrats, and there was a little fear at what she was that mixed with attraction. A forbidden necromancer. Nothing to cause her to doubt his words.

    He left. The door clicked shut behind him. The strained control of maintaining herself collapsed. A ring of icy chill radiated out. The half-finished tea in Fei¡¯s drink froze and the rapidness of the water¡¯s expansion cracked the tea cup. [Mend] immediately wanted to repair it. Every flaw appeared to her. Bits of death from the wood danced in her vision.

    The world shook slightly. The shaking pulled her back inside her body. The tremor was Prince Adric. Her pet had his arms wrapped around her and he was shivering from the cold. Poor Adric. Harming her pet brought her inward.  Clamping down on the skill might work temporarily, but it felt wrong.

    Instead, she confronted the feeling. That icy detachment from her suffering, being stoically strong for her friends. Stop that! Feel! As the hurt flooded in the world started to thaw.  Tears rolled out and froze, dropping small balls of ice, continuing until finally they stayed wet and she melted into Prince Adric¡¯s embrace.  ¡°We¡¯ll fix this.¡± She told him, wiggling an arm out to stroke his hair.

 Chapter Forty-Three * Three

    Chapter Three

    Do you wish to learn the skill [Stride Before the Fall]?

    The skill stone felt heavy in Harmony¡¯s hand. It was the only one she had, a prize from Ha¡¯zel Ri, the resident dungeon spirit. Did it play a part in that spirit hound¡¯s plans? There were many reasons why she didn¡¯t use it when the latest skill slot opened up.  Oh, she could have written Tyler and asked for a different option. That felt wrong. Too encouraging. He¡¯d sent her enough letters from the capitol. The debt toward him was cleared, and if she never saw him again, she¡¯d feel better for it.

    The bare patch in the garden would have to work as a meditation spot to use the stone. Garden was a generous term for the once-overgrown area. The brute force of skill usage cleared it, they didn''t have the staff to manage the land properly. But a rampaging coatl and prince had been enough to strip it bare. Harmony''s attempts at clearing the plants had been lackluster in that they were hard to kick, and her necromancy skills were nearly useless on the overgrown weeds.

    At the edge, Bates waited with Ambrosia.  In uniform, and off to the side with supplies in case something went wrong, a restoration drought, water, and juice.  Adric nestled in the coils of his pet coatl, Bowe.  The feathery rainbow serpent comforting its master as he watched nervously.  Hyacinth waited, and she could feel his annoyance at the evening sun.  It had only been a few hours since  Fei had left, so he''d only managed a short nap before being woken to participate.

    ¡°Grrrack.¡± Her familiar urged her to get on with it.

    [Stride Before the Fall], no listing on the stone, yet everyone offered to buy it. Long descriptions often implied advanced skills. Stride implied movement. Research showed that [Stride] skills were quick burst skills where one step would take you ten times the distance forward. More useful for those with longer legs.  It¡¯s not like she chose her last set of skills, but both fit well with Harmony''s philosophy of a well-rounded skill base. [Stride] was exactly the kind of unique thing Lordy Tyler would buy, an unknown.

    Do you wish to learn the skill [Stride Before the Fall]?

    Not like there was a choice. Harmony pushed forth her yes and drove into it with her stats of connections and chronostasis.  While the perception-altering stat mostly triggered independently around stress, she¡¯d learned to push it into action for a lesser effect. It probably wouldn¡¯t punch her in the face like [Mana Rotation] but she was ready for that just in case.

    The stone sunk into her and she searched for the connections and information it would use to build the skill, the accelerated perception that made time seem slow should make information acquisition easier.

    Nothing.

    She attempted to hunt internally for it. Physically it might affect her body. When that failed she turned to her soul space. Those skills she saw almost as islands in the now roaring noisy landscape of the turbulent ocean of her [Mana Rotation] and the buzz of authority everywhere.  Where was it? Was it a dud? Something useless and broken?

    The hint of it rose up only noticeable because it was different. A smell indicating death was nearby, similar but different to the feeling of being inside Old Bones. Never had she felt her necromantic senses be inside of her soul. Follow the change to the source, Below. Under the mana churn. Part of it. She dove in. Everything burst as she passed the threshold, whatever thin shell hiding the skill cracked. It exploded out and every speck of her felt like fire. [Cold Touch] retreated from the heat. Every skill seemed to shrink back and close off before they too were invaded. There was as much relief as pain as the acting-up skill''s influences were finally suppressed.

    If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Rather than experiences like [Small Armor] and [High Kick]  provided or the complex information that built up [Mana Rotation] here she felt a raw concept embedded into her. A concept alien to understanding enough that it had to be baked into her soul rather than contemplated. Existence beyond permanence. I am. Here nor there, I am. Always. Harmony¡¯s mind couldn¡¯t grasp it, it wasn¡¯t made to hold it. As it seeped into her being she needed to understand it as it became a part of her. Death. Death. Death yet not. Overwhelming and overwhelmed, she raged at the incompressible. The rest of her reacted well to this process.

    She came to her senses coughing, half choking on fluids poured into her. Inside now, the ceiling greeted her rather than the sky. ¡°Gah! What?¡± She cried, half incoherent and flailing. Those wild movements stopped as she connected that she was naked but for a blanket covering her, one she was close to flinging off of her.

    Adric squeezed her hand so hard it hurt a little. ¡°That was your third restoration potion! Once your armor disappeared we knew something was wrong. I barely managed to catch you as you fell.¡±

    ¡°But I feel fine.¡± Those words cemented that she did feel more than fine. Better than she had in months. The overacting skills weren¡¯t thrashing about. They were timid and felt less constrained, the tumultuous authority felt cut by half. A quick check and she couldn¡¯t find the new one. The expert hadn¡¯t said adding a skill would work this well, though not seeing it with the others worried her. Within, however, she felt the whisper below, tickling her chaotic memory of acquiring the skill. [Recall] didn¡¯t want to share even that memory.

    She flickered to her status information. [Stride Before the Fall] sat with the others. The other skills started stirring. ¡°Bloody Bones.¡±  Slumbering giants of hell they woke, not as bad as before but their noise under the pressure of authority came back screaming accentuated by the brief respite she had before.

    ¡°Harmony!¡±  Ambrosia cried worried from the corner of the room, picking up more astutely than Adric about the return of her distress.

    ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± Tired of being naked, she threw on Night, from its soul space before sitting up and throwing the blanket off.

    ¡°Your armor.¡± Ambrosia gasped from her corner.

    Looking down she saw the combined armor and slick black covering, highlighted by speckles of lights that inspired its name. It was there, yet it visually looked as though she was wearing a hole ripped into existence. Similar to the edge of shadows when Hyacinth pulled her through. [Small Armor] didn¡¯t complain about a lack of protection. It felt even more secure, which helped calm the overactive aspect where [Small Armor] searched for threats.

    [Analyze], even leveled, didn¡¯t pull any new information on the unique creation. It was clearly changed.

    ¡°What did that skill do to you?¡± Adric asked.

    ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± Harmony admitted.

    [Stride Before the Fall]. She activated it, not quite sure how, as there was no spot in her like the other skills. Even [Mana Rotation] had that swirling fluid in her. And she was elsewhere as quick as the thought to use it. Elsewhere being across the room. With the sudden change, she expected disorientation. That was common with movement skills but it wasn¡¯t there. It wasn¡¯t like she felt like she moved.

    Ambrosia eeped and dropped her tray that held a glass of water. ¡°How?¡±

    Hyacinth jumped through the shadows. She¡¯d heard of short teleportation skills or movement skills so quick you moved nearly instantaneously. Why was her friend reacting this way?  Ambrosia¡¯s eyes darted back and forth. So Harmony turned and looked. She was still there sitting in front of Adric on the couch.

    The thoughts of Harmony synced, wondering about the image of her that appeared across the way. Until she felt the sitting Harmony pick up on the standing one¡¯s experiences. What? Time felt short. Internally a feeling echoed between the two Harmonys. Choose.

    Standing. How they both coincide on that decision felt slippery. The Harmony who¡¯d been sitting faded out. The blanket flattening on the couch she''d been sitting up on.

    ¡°So you move and leave an illusion?¡± Adric asked, confused.

    With the distinct memories of being in both places now settled inside her. Harmony could only say, ¡°I don¡¯t think so.¡± As she tried to grasp her new skill and failed yet again, despite having just used it.

 Chapter Forty-Four * Four

    Chapter Four

    That night Harmony slept fitfully in her bed, eventually giving up and settling in with Hyacinth in his bed of pillows. The skill gain had affected him as well, he ran off, surprising everyone the moment she fell, only to be found in his pile of pillows later. If only he didn''t need to carry her burden. Evolve fast. That had to work.

    The scent of a simple breakfast on a tray next to the cuddling pair woke her up. Ravenously she devoured it, as she¡¯d been unable to eat the night before.

    She¡¯d need the energy too. Hemlock always set her on edge. If she hadn¡¯t needed that new skill to help with her current issues she¡¯d have visited the guild master yesterday. It all beat having the man surprise her yet again. Hopefully, Old Bones had put him through hell.

    Her wardrobe for such a visit was lacking.  Coodly Manor had shipped her old maid uniforms, not that anyone else could fit into them. One new dress, spring style, purchased with the expectation of Adric¡¯s aunt, the countess, visiting. Then one of the dresses she''d bought from Lace and Ladies, the other had gotten eaten by her skill. Nervous as she was, Night already yearned to be covering her. If Hemlock sneezed she knew it would pop on with how sensitive she was, ruining whatever outfit she picked.  The armor was becoming an unofficial uniform more out of necessity than desire.

    [Beautician] assured her she looked good in the outfit. The subtle changes of [Stride Before the Fall] drew eyes to her with the new unusual nature making it hard for others to look away. Not that Harmony could make the skill shut up with its opinions these days. Putting the bloody armor on quieted everything well enough.

    Gentler than last time she nudged Hyacinth awake. ¡°I¡¯m off to see Hemlock. You coming with?¡±

    ¡°Skill strange, strong and strange. Processing.¡±  He croaked out, signaling through [Familiar Bond] that he was staying at the manor.

    As much as she¡¯d have loved his support, she understood. The dreams of using the skill, disappearing, and watching herself disappear echoed from the night. It wasn¡¯t an illusion, that she was certain of, but what exactly that meant chewed on her emotions.

    Harmony tapped into [Poise and Bearing] to mask her worries as she left her room.

    ¡°Lady White, the carriage is waiting,¡±  Bates said with a bow, outside her doorway.

    The head butler was worth a half dozen other staff. That realization had been surprising since while working at Coodly Manor she''d only seen the man in his office or at changeover. Her work in the trenches made that opinion more than idle praise. Why the man had shackled his fate to hers was a mystery, but one she was grateful for.

    ¡°Thank you, Bates.¡±

    Ambrosia waited with Adric at the exit to the manor. The little worry on her friend''s face betrayed that she hadn¡¯t ever selected a social skill for her profession as a maid. The beast tamer had to have maxed out her profession like she had. Her curtsy was pure practiced performance, though.

    The lack of informality from Harmony¡¯s best friend grated when they were private like this, but they¡¯d successfully argued that she needed to get used to this, and everyone still had professions to advance.

    ¡°My lady,¡±  Adric said as his good morning.

    ¡°Are you ready to deal with Hemlock?¡° Harmony asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ve dealt with bureaucrats all my life. I¡¯m sure I can assist you in this.¡±

    Her pet¡¯s lazy smile that verged on a smirk did not inspire confidence. The guild master had refused to see him before he died even when he had the connections his position as a prince brought him. She¡¯d considered taking Ambrosia who would be more reliable but only guild members were allowed deeper access to the guild.

    Together they stepped outside.

    Prince Adric¡¯s pet was missing. ¡°Is Bowe not going?¡±

    The rainbow coatl made a strong statement.

    ¡°The guild has heavy restrictions on pets, especially large ones. Several incidents of malicious defecation, and it¡¯s easier to institute a restriction than repeal one. It¡¯s an interesting story¡±

    Harmony held up her hand, stopping him from continuing. She didn¡¯t want to know. Maintaining composure was hard enough.  The pair got into the waiting carriage for the trip to the city and the adventures guild.

    The necromancer¡¯s sense of the dungeon grew the closer they got to the city, familiar bits of death Old Bones and his domain permeated the land in a way that Harmony hadn¡¯t been as aware of as she had while living in Hazeldown. No wonder most people only visited the place briefly or never returned after they left. Walking on the graves of millions with their eyes upon you.

    The carriage rolled to a stop. Prince Adric tried to give her a comforting smile.  The lady maid took more comfort in that this should be a one-time task, no different than a particularly dirty chore like cleaning lord Tyler¡¯s room after a long depressive fit.

    They stepped out to a murmuring crowd.

    ¡°Lady White, how does it feel to meet your destiny!?¡±

    Of course, the muckrakers would be here. They probably camped out the moment they heard guild master Hemlock was back. The reporters for the sheets had never given up chasing her for the chance of an official statement.  Ambrosia¡¯s birds patrolled the sky over her new home and caught them regularly since they¡¯d figured out where she lived.

    ¡°Is it true you raised the prince to be your lover?¡±

    She wanted to kick the lot of them. Instead, Adric used his body to create space for her as she entered the guild. That organization wouldn¡¯t allow such harassment inside their building. The wealth that greeted her was impressive. Statues of heroes lined the entryway, golden weapons in their hands. Each had a plaque of their deeds.  Not surprising considering the room of thrones they had at the colosseum.  The entryway opened into a wider room separated by a wall of booths managing the adventurers checking in with signs labeling them, Quests, Help, Appeals, Membership. The Membership line was short. Three people waited, and as she and Adric approached they drew attention.  The three ahead of them shuffled off to the side allowing her to cut ahead, even bowing.

    Such subservience tickled Harmony''s authority, and as much as she wanted to protest it, it was important to get this done as quickly as possible. ¡°Gratitude.¡± She told them.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    The lady manning the booth looked unphased by all of this with a skill-enforced smile on her face. ¡°How may I help you?¡±

    ¡°My name is Harmony White, I¡¯m here to see guild master Hemlock.¡±

    The staff member opened a book and started flipping through it slowly as though she didn¡¯t know who was before her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t appear that you are a member. The guild master will only consider seeing sworn members of the guild.¡±

    The gift, a lifetime membership with the guild, he planned to force her hand. The joke is on him, she needed it anyway. Free access to any dungeon. That was the most basic benefit of membership, and if she wanted to level up and evolve quick enough, she needed it all. First Old Bone¡¯s skill stone and now this.  Every poison pill they give her she¡¯d swallow, Hyacinth''s distress echoed through her [Familiar Bond].

    ¡°I believe a membership waiting for me to accept, a lifetime one. I¡¯ll take that and you will tell Hemlock that I¡¯m here to see him.¡±

    The girl pulled out another book and slowly thumbed through the pages like this wasn¡¯t the only one the guild master had offered in the years he¡¯d been here.

    [High Kick] showed Harmony exactly what she needed to do to kick that book out of the worker¡¯s hands. It ached to do that.  She activated [Poise and Bearing] to combat it.

    ¡°There you are. Yes, Harmony White, Necromancer, It appears we do have a membership waiting for you.  From her desk she pulled out a sheet of paper, no vellum, Harmony could sense that it was treated skin rather than made of dead wood with her necromancy.  A complex pattern of lines of a spell ward etched into it.

    The whole thing set her connections stat tingling with the hairs on the back of her neck rising. ¡°I thought you only had to take my name for the records.¡±

    ¡°Lifetime memberships are different. They are irrevocable. That way no snooty guild master can have it stripped and you kicked out. That¡¯s one reason why they¡¯re so sought after. Because of that, it requires a different process. We¡¯ll need to cut your palm for a little blood and then for you to press your hand on the center of the contract.¡±

    They were making this difficult even after she committed to accepting the membership. The spiraling magic pattern on the vellum already looked like strands of rope to be tangled up in. All a glance at the experienced prince got her was the daft eagerness of someone who only saw the prize and not the trap. But she didn¡¯t bring him for his brains.

    ¡°Of course,¡± Harmony answered.

    The palm might be an issue. The paired gloves were part of the armor, Night, linking it to her skill [Small Armor] for storage and retrieval.  They¡¯d changed since she donned them.  The metal on the back of the hands was now almost white and the fingerless gloves were now covered in the shiny, black material that had bonded to everything when her unique dress got involved.  Sure, she could store the whole thing away and perform the ritual nude, but she¡¯d rather avoid that.

    The necromancer focused on the connection of the armor to the space inside where she stored it. Just one glove¡­ she used her unlocked stat to bend the rules to peel that one piece of armor away. If it took it all away she would be naked. Plenty of motivation there to make this work. Pop. Spiritually it felt like she dislocated a wrist but the right hand glove disappeared inside of her.

    Harmony reached out with her palm up. The woman wiggled her fingers and a small knife appeared in her hand and she quickly cut a small gash in the necromancer¡¯s palm. [Mend] itched to seal it up quickly. While the maid skill was aimed more toward clothing, pottery, household goods, and maybe a scrape, her necromancer side was more than familiar with bodies and bones. That specific skill often crossed over with healers and crafters who held it under the same name, giving her that healing edge she could bring to a team, where she could push its boundaries with synergies. She had to have it when it showed up.

    Rather than use it now she kept the skill ready, just in case. She wasn¡¯t asked to donate mana for the spell but also held that ready. Not unusual since not all people who performed this have probably unlocked a mana skill.

    Letting thoughts distract her rather than act, she cursed at herself, activated [Mana Rotation], and slammed her palm down on the symbol. The paper started to glow, and Harmony watched, listened, and felt for any intrusions, feeling the connections of the magic, as her mana skill granted her an increased perception of magic.

    While the tutors they¡¯d hired had been less than useless at skill training, pushing Thibodeaux¡¯s repetitive bullshit, she had managed to gain more knowledge on ward work and other uses for mana and magic.  Her stats of connections and synergy seemed to make it easier, not that she had much time working on wards with the need to focus on raising her skills to relieve the pressure authority had put on her.

    Mana was soaked into the vellum, her necromantic senses could feel the faint hint of death released with it. Either a high-level dungeon reward or a powerful animal went into making it. The spellwork and mana interacted with her blood, but she couldn¡¯t see how. Irritation bristled in her, she hadn¡¯t the experience or training needed. The mana in the spell was difficult to see, as most of her experience was with her mana.  She hadn¡¯t been instructed not to use her own. Insert just a little bit, and then she hoped to use that to figure out exactly what this contract was.

    She pushed gently. It resisted like oil and water, stopping the intrusion. But she could cheat.  Flexing her stats, connections played fast and loose with similarities, mana is mana, then synergizing [Mana Rotation] and [High Kick] she booted her mana into the spell.

    "Bloody bone me."  Chronostasis kicked in and the world seemed to freeze. But not the spell. It made the rush of [Mana Rotation] seem slow. The pathways weren''t smooth, twisted spellwork was along the insides of the lines, hidden and invisible.

    The technical skill to understand the specifics of the casting was beyond her.  But now that she had her mana in it she could grasp the concept of what it was trying to do. Her mana was so knotted into it, that pain or worse would be the consequences of pulling out now.  Authority? Bound to be a symbol for the guild?

    No, the spell wasn¡¯t meant to bind; blood, will, and a mana donation were needed for that. What should have been a magical identification print, unique to her, so that others couldn''t¡¯ pretend to be her, was turning into something else.  She''d screwed up.   It was made to take the unique concept of Harmony White and encode it with her blood for the guild. Now that it had her mana and will, the magical working wanted a piece of her.

    She wasn¡¯t going to let it. Vellum was easier to change than paper with [Manipulate Dead]. Whatever the fine details of the spell were, she was vandalizing it, like splashing paint on a masterpiece. She just had to make sure the backlash went into it rather than her.  New fractures, and new shapes spiraling outward she pushed hard to change the grooves, but it bounced back. She could feel the path jump off the paper and into her hand sending new lines into her flesh, the path of least resistance when competing against whatever the powerful creature the Vellum had been harvested from. She¡¯d have closed the cut with [Mend], except it was going around her hand. [Manipulate Dead] turned on her, carving the dead layer of skin at the surface.

    That changed the spell, but it wasn¡¯t enough. Gut instinct told her that, and all her skills wanted to help. The spirals of [Mana Rotation], [Beautician] for accurate elegance, [Stride Before the Fall] to dig deeper.  Split off again, no, split into it. Maybe the masterpiece wasn¡¯t ruined, but she¡¯d draw a wicked mustache on the portrait''s smug face.  The feeling had to be right, so she pushed with everything.  It hurt like a thousand needles sinking into her skin.

    Click. [Stride Before the Fall] was satisfied, but what part of her did that represent? At least it wasn¡¯t the detachment of [Cold Touch] or the anger of [High Kick].  The spell no longer felt like it was going to take a piece of her liver, and instead, they shared something she couldn¡¯t place.

    The Vellum winked out of existence under her palm. Everything spun back up to normal, except her hand still hurt. On top of her hand was a tattoo of twisted dark gray lines. Using [Recall] she could see that it was similar to what had been on the paper, but off somewhat. Another problem for later, the Harmony pulled her paired glove back on, covering it up, hopefully, quick enough that no one had noticed.

    ¡°Where did it go?¡± Harmony asked in a pleasantly innocent voice that hid her anxiety. Experience from the uncomfortable and barely there uniforms she suffered to work in for years had made this deception easy to do even without a skill.

    If the staff member suspected anything, she didn¡¯t show it. It¡¯s not like they performed lifetime guild memberships regularly, if ever, in Hazeldown.

    ¡°It joins part of the head offices'' grand working, connecting every guild house, from the smallest to largest dungeons, wherever we are active. Which is everywhere. You¡¯ll never have to worry about dungeon fees again.¡±

    ¡°Sounds perfect.¡± It didn¡¯t. Harmony resisted the urge to scratch over her glove where the new tattoo was. ¡°Can you see if  guild master Hemlock will see me now?¡± The sooner this was over the better.

 Chapter Forty-Five * Five

    Chapter  Five

    The professional mask on the woman manning the desk was a picture of obedience and pleasantness. Her response included a slight hesitation before leaving to check with the guild master. Too perfect, and the eyes gave her away. That quick dart between Harmony and Adric. Social skills could do a lot for someone, but they didn''t lock your eyes in place. As Harmony''s mother would tell her, "Anyone can activate a skill, it took an artist to make it come across earnestly."

    The return was prompt so this wasn''t about delaying her again, ¡°It looks like he has some time available. I¡¯ll take you to him.¡±

    "Good," Harmony responded, even if she was suspicious.

    Harmony and Prince Adric followed, and in a clearly timed move, the staff member looked back and froze. Her finger raised up pointing at the prince. ¡°It can¡¯t come with you.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m a member of the guild. I have a right to accompany a fellow member to any meeting with their permission, appendix three, third paragraph.¡± Adric snapped back.

    ¡°Your name was stricken from the records when you were confirmed dead, requiring proof of life for reinstatement to them. Additionally, the account paying for your monthly membership has ceased supplying funds, enough that you¡¯re in arrears and your membership has been suspended. Non-members are banned from proceeding further, you¡¯ll have to wait. Also, pets are not allowed further into the building without a leash.¡±

    Who put blood in her drink? Going in without an escort wasn¡¯t acceptable, nor was going alone. Adric was proud to be her pet, as demeaning a tone as the woman made that bit to be, she¡¯d clearly only used it to try to add insult to injury.  But it was good enough for Harmony.

    [Manipulate Dead] sharpened and lengthened her thumbnail to make a wicked razor. Clothing was mostly dead fibers, and she could lean on [Dust] as worn cloth often ended up in those piles. The prince had come in a loose blue silk shirt and tight leather pants. The treated leather would resist her skills more than the shirt, so she walked up and took off Adric¡¯s sleeves, not like the man would complain about showing off his muscular arms. [Mend] let her treat the edges so it wouldn¡¯t be ragged.

    Material in hand, she worked to turn the blue silk into a long flat ribbon. Wrapped one end around the prince¡¯s neck, sealing it with [Mend], and stepped back with the other end in her hand. ¡°He¡¯s leashed now. Happy?¡±

    No skill could mask the venom in the woman''s glare, and she''d blown her''s earlier. Trapped by her reading of the rules, a reluctant grunt of acceptance was returned and the woman started moving again.

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    Adric preened at the workaround. Harmony had to jerk the leash a few times to get the man to move.

    Behind the booths, the bowels of the guild worked away. A mass of bureaucracy, desks filled with paperwork. Bins filled with rewards pulled from the dungeon being sorted, from ghost laces to necrotic cores. Teams of crafters worked at a table filled with practice weapons and dummies.

    The pair were led past it all to the back to a simple door.  Unhappily their guide opened the door and Harmony with her pet stepped through.

    Hemlock¡¯s office was sparse. Forest green walls. A desk of dark wood with two matching chairs. One facing the desk and the one behind it that held the guild master.  A hand-tall crystal pyramid sat on the desk as the only object in the room.  The minimalist nature was designed to draw all attention to the man at the desk. His plain white clothing is the lone bit of brightness in the room.

    "Lady White. I was expecting the need to hunt you down. And you''ve accepted the membership. I''m honored."

    Harmony fought her inclination to curtsy at how well he commanded the room. Ingrained professional training rearing its head that was thankfully not a compulsion. How he''d treated her when they first met hadn''t been forgotten even if he had been banished to Old Bones''s depths on her whim. That had been his fault too.

    "Negotiator, I wouldn¡¯t be so lax as to not check in on the results of your labor. "

    "Challenger, I''ve negotiated the best trial available for you, a unique opportunity to grow you, the guild, and Hazeldown. A title competition. "

    "A what?"

    "Sometimes I forget that this kingdom is so backwater. Titles are special acknowledgments bestowed by powers. They are generally desirable. Dozens of people drown each year trying to get water-touched by swimming the Aquamarine Expanse without skills every year.  That one gives limited water breathing. What I negotiated will have every person wish they hadn¡¯t leveled up after evolution."

    Harmony wanted to know how this deal would affect her plans. "What exactly did you negotiate?"

    "You are to open the gates and compete in the first annual Ascendant Games. Your participation is mandatory. Twenty-five competitors, all level twenty-five, newly evolved, vying for five titles.  The competitors can be supported by four bonded, within five levels of them. Can¡¯t have tamers without their pets.¡±

    Harmony saw his eyes briefly flicker to the collared Adric. Perhaps the man had some plans related to him.  Most important in the information was that she was still useful to open this competition. That should buy some time, and she¡¯d need to evolve first, as if that wasn¡¯t top of her priority list. Everything else was useless, games, titles, and competition. She needed to get herself under control and then deal with whatever the consequences of making Adric her undead pet was.  Nothing Hemlock had to say was important outside of that.

    ¡°Invites will be premium, Haz¡¯el Ri chose some odd ones out of amusement, but most will be fought after in all the kingdoms.¡±

    [High Kick] urged her to boot the man. Invites didn¡¯t matter. She reigned that in, but another monster took over. ¡°When- is- it?¡± She asked in a tone so cold she could taste the frost on her lips.

    ¡°The peak of summer. forty days.¡±

    ¡°Then I will be back in forty days, evolved and ready to open the games.¡±  With all the synergized [Style and Grace] and [Poise and Bearing] she could, Harmony turned around and moved to leave, barely holding herself together, hoping she projected the strength she¡¯d need to do this.

    "We expect nothing less, Challenger." Hemlock''s words chased her out of the room.

 Chapter Forty-Six * Six

    Chapter 6

    The carriage rumbled back towards the manor. "I think that went well," Adric stated toward a contemplating Harmony.

    Getting back to the carriage was not without incident. The crowd of newshounds and fans had swelled outside while they were inside waiting. Using [Stride Before the Fall] to leap ahead and avoid the crowds had been a mistake. Knowing she wasn¡¯t going to stay in the crowd the Harmony left behind had been emboldened. Toes weren¡¯t stepped on, but some might have frostbite. [Style and Grace] had her looking good while doing it, and when one particularly aggressive questioner used a barrier skill to block her way. She¡¯d gone all out [Small Armor] and [High Kick] for the weak spots. Nails turned to claws coated in ice with [Manipulate Dead] and [Cold Touch]. The fear in the man¡¯s eyes when she pierced his shield, nearly punching her hand into him, until poof she was gone. Harmony enjoyed it, the amusement of a last act. Her with nothing to lose, and yet she lost nothing out of the experience. Of course, if she had something to lose she¡¯d never act that way. She forced herself away from that internal struggle to the present.

    ¡°Adric. Let me ask you a question. How long did it take you to go from level fifteen to twenty-five?¡±

    ¡°A couple of years.  ¡­ Oh. ¡°

    Not all pets were smart enough to speak multiple languages or count to ten like Ambrosia¡¯s birds. Yet, you love them all the same. She hadn¡¯t known him before he¡¯d died, so maybe bringing Adric back from the dead had removed some of his brain?  That wasn¡¯t to say gaining those levels would be impossible.

    ¡°Evolved citizens do it, I¡¯m sure we can too.¡±  She assured him. With her current issues, she¡¯d planned to push hard, but probably not forty days to evolve hard.  Old Bones and Hemlock couldn¡¯t be blind to how people in this area usually advance when they made that agreement. It can¡¯t be a coincidence that she also needed to advance because of her authority issues?

    Harmony continued. ¡°It still isn¡¯t a lot of time. I¡¯m sure Hemlock will release this information soon. Assuming he didn''t do that as soon as we exited the building. Because of that, we¡¯ll leave for the capitol tomorrow instead of in a few days. I''m sorry your aunt will have missed the opportunity to visit.¡± She wasn¡¯t sorry.

    Prince Adric frowned. ¡°And she¡¯s been telling me privately how much she¡¯s been looking forward to meeting you. All this space between you is so she can maintain propriety.¡±

    The rest of the day will be busy enough getting packed up.  Though maybe not that busy, as she remembered her sparse wardrobe. She¡¯d help Ambrosia with whatever the beast teamer needed before the trip. They hadn¡¯t had much time to talk outside of the Maid/Lady relationship since the concert. How well her friend switched roles was always impressive.

    Using [Recall] Harmony focused on stabilizing memories after the earlier excitement, one way to train the skill was by seeing how far she could dig into her memories. First being hired at Coodly Manor. Moving off the streets. A smile from her mom, before the actress focused only on herself. With all her energy there the other skills calmed. [Recall] wanted to reminisce, it made her drift off, lost in thoughts as a side effect after acquiring it. That and dwell on things she didn¡¯t want to.

    Home, when the door didn¡¯t swing open for Harmony, Adric stepped up and opened it for her. The entrance was empty of Bates and Ambrosia, yet she didn''t notice. Training [Recall] had flaws, her attention drifted to old memories rather than the present. She stepped into the lounge having not missed the subtle hints around the lack of service at her arrival.

    The two servants stood with refreshments in hand. In the lounge sat Countess Mayes, her sketches graced the news sheets as much as Harmony¡¯s. The tall elderly woman with black hair, streaked by a line of gray, sat benevolently in one of the chairs. A bit of panic gripped the necromancer¡¯s chest at the unplanned meeting. [Poise and Bearing] and she could handle this. Mayes however was not alone. It was the second woman sitting with her, whose familiar skills tugged at everyone to pay attention to her, that set Harmony off. ¡°Mother!?¡±

    [Stride Before the Fall] The retreat didn¡¯t fully work. Harmony stood outside the manor doors. It was the greatest distance she¡¯d ever managed with the skill. Her gut told her it was because it was along the path she¡¯d just traveled. It was hard to come to grips with what exactly her newest skill was. The fresh air and space calmed all of her with the idea that this was where she could stay.  When constantly assaulted by internal impulses one gets good at forcing calm. [Cold Touch] couldn''t even numb her feelings anymore, not that she did that unhealthy tactic these days.

    Facing her mother after all these years was the last thing she wanted. The pressure to choose got heavy after nearly a minute. There was no pain, but the act of existence got heavy. Taking her last moments alone with gratitude, Harmony let the her that sat outside their little manor disperse.

    While part of her was getting fresh air, the Harmony that stood shocked at the company analyzed the situation, grateful at the bit of space she was receiving. If everything went wrong she could merely disappear here.

    ¡°Color me surprised when I heard you haven''t invited your poor mother to celebrate your rise to the peerage. Since I had an open invitation, I thought I¡¯d kindly invite the woman as my guest for the visit, Lady White.¡± Countess Mayes spoke up in the silence.

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    The extra calm helped prevent Harmony from lashing out after what had already been a tiring morning. This bitch brought her mother, and if anything was counted as a hostile act, that was. Her social skills under the influence of her new aristocratic status demanded a response to such an intrusion. The slow grind of being ignored had been bad enough.

    ¡°Such a timely visit. It saves me the task of notifying you that I¡¯ll be departing with your nephew in the morning for the capital. My responsibility towards Hazeldown and the kingdom demands it.¡±  Hemlock had implied that this competition would be a benefit for them.

    The countess shot to her feet at that. Her full height stretched out a head taller than Bates. The head butler was not short, even standing a little bit taller than Prince Adric.

    The news bits Harmony had glanced at wrote of her larger-than-life personality, [Recall] scanned to see if Adric ever mentioned exactly how tall the woman was, but the lady maid pulled up a blank.  As intimidating as such height could be, her head could rest under the woman¡¯s bust and there would still be clearance. People trying to use their height against her was nothing new, as even short men had attempted it.

    ¡°As much as your purported control over my nephew. It is the prince''s choice as to where he goes.¡°

    There was some logic to that. Harmony loathed to boss her undead pet around. He¡¯s an intelligent being. Though, so was his rainbow coatl. Bowe. Ambrosia preached independence. She also preached never to abandon one''s pets or to make them feel that way. Too much distance or worry caused them to act out in outrageous ways.  Rather than try to force her way into the primal bond she had with him she looked at Adric.  [Poise and Bearing] suppressed a shudder, as she¡¯d forgotten to remove the leash she¡¯d crafted for him at the guild house.

    The man fiddled with the end of it. Nervously looking back and forth between his aunt and his master. Harmony suspected he was a people pleaser before his class changed to the-lady¡¯s-pet-prince giving him a more subservient bent.  How classes shaped who you were weighted more on her thoughts since her own change. A common worry that often comes post-evolution. Mid-progression-crisis it was called and often came with changing friendships, buying flashy outfits, and general misbehavior. Whole chapters in Tyler¡¯s old How to Be a Lord Handbook covered it, including topics on whether you should feel guilty about interacting with subservient classes. The book said ¡°no¡± but [High Kick] wanted to find the author and kick him hard.

    ¡°Does that mean he¡¯s been acknowledged and can draw funds again for his care?¡± Harmony asked.

    Having been declared dead had caused the man¡¯s accounts to be frozen. Similar to the issues discovered with his guild membership. It was a pain for them. The whole operation of the manor was solely funded on her stipend as a new aristocrat.  Adric assured her the countess would have loved to help, but needed to remain impartial.

    The fraction of a wince smoothed out by a social skill gave the woman away. ¡°That¡¯s a bit complicated. I don¡¯t have¡­ well Adic is a resourceful boy, his tales of how he slummed it after his restoration show that he can have full independence.¡±

    That had been without the cost to house and feed Bowe, and the cost to house and feed the large exotic pet was not insignificant. While he¡¯d have access to the manor. Costs at the capitol were rumored to be double or triple that of Hazeldown, so maybe his staying could be best?

    The whole argument was moot. The Necromancer knew her pet wouldn¡¯t leave her. She couldn¡¯t even break the bond if she tried. There was no retreat. The Harmony that stood outside the manor had already let go.

    ¡°Adric, dear, why don¡¯t you discuss this with your aunt. After all, this is your choice.¡±  Harmony wished it actually was. Then she¡¯d feel better about their situation-ship.

    The risen prince stepped forward and the countess embraced him. ¡°I don¡¯t want to lose you again.¡± the woman cooed. At their height difference, the embrace pulled his face into the woman¡¯s bosom.  That hug was much more than a family embrace. Harmony controlled her reaction. Adric could deal with his own messes. Considering she wouldn¡¯t touch her mother in any embrace, maybe she was reading it wrong.

    Bates opened the exit to the lounge, directing the two to more private spaces, accelerating the departure of the two like any good servant. As soon as the door shut behind the aristocrats. Harmony let her attention snap to the uninvited guest.

    Ice crystals radiated out around the Necromancer, crackling and popping at the speed they developed, creating an effect like she was standing at the center of a snowflake. ¡°What made you think I wanted to see you, mother?¡±  Cold fury, rather than the usual numbness of [Cold Touch] let loose. [High Kick] booting its power up a notch.

    Was that guilt on the woman¡¯s face, or her acting skill pretending to feel guilty? After all the years the woman hadn¡¯t reached out. Harmony reminded herself that a lady did not throw out guests. Ambrosia who had barely contained anger on her face waited almost eagerly. One of course had their servants do that.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t refuse an invitation from the countess. She¡¯s a patron of the arts. She didn¡¯t even tell me where we were going. If I¡¯d known¡­" Hazeldown''s beggar queen of the stage adjusted herself. ¡°You¡¯ve done well for yourself and you¡¯ve every right to be upset with me ¡°

    Well for herself? She was dancing towards death or being crippled by her skills. Hyacinth was hurting under the burden of it all. The woman would only see her position. ¡°All of this advancement. The good. The bad. I¡¯ve done it without you.¡± The way her mom had siphoned off some credit in the gossip columns bothered her, and those were only what she had seen glimpses of.

    ¡°I know that.¡±

    ¡°Do you, mother? I¡¯ve read the interviews.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s business.¡± The actress insisted with a hint of frailty in her voice.

    The cold inside Harmony thawed a little. Maybe¡­ [Mana Rotation] kicked in and Harmony could sense little threads of mana coming from her mother and the rush ripped the skill out of her system. [Beggar¡¯s Lament] a skill to evoke sympathy.

    ¡°How dare you. Ambrosia, escort our guest out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry! I want to connect with you. When I heard you got the manor job I figured you were safe, and work was so busy.¡±

    ¡°With pleasure,¡± Ambrosia announced. The maid stepped between the two of them and started to politely remove the woman. Rather than watch, Harmony closed her eyes, it was only after she couldn¡¯t feel the effects of her mother''s presence she worked on getting under control and assuring herself the threat was gone.

    Arms wrapped around her and shivered from the cold. She let Ambrosia¡¯s warmth finish thawing her, grateful she wasn¡¯t in this alone. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Anything for you, Harm.¡± Her friend answered.

 Chapter Forty-Seven * Seven

    Chapter Seven

    ¡°You¡¯re what!?¡±

    Harmony wrestled with her volatile internal state. The guild, countess, and her mom had made for a trying day. Adric had come back looking stressed after the aside with his aunt. He was going with to the capital, but wouldn¡¯t say what was bothering him when nudged. Ambrosia she¡¯d trusted to anchor her during all of this chaos.

    ¡°Leaving tonight with the band. The head start will allow me to help prepare for your arrival. I¡¯ve already discussed options with Bates and Adric. Our music has been making the rounds in the capital without us. Who knows how those bards have been butchering the songs, you know they progress more if they modify the lyrics?¡±

    ¡°But, I need you.¡±

    Ambrosia snorted.

    ¡°You¡¯ve conquered every dirty or difficult job assigned to you. You need me to do my job, not hold your hand. That pet of yours should be able to comfort you. Assuming you let him.¡°

    Harmony had seen Ambrosia sleep under her flock of birds, and Adric doze in the coils of Bowe, his coatl. It was bad enough that all the sheets assumed she and the prince were sleeping together, more actively than sharing a bed for platonic comfort. ¡°If I get in a bad spot. I¡¯ll let him hold me.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now I have to run to get the trip organized. With you leaving in the morning there is only so much extra time to arrange your presentation to the capitol.¡±

    Presentation? But Ambrosia was gone before she could ask. The assurances that plans had been discussed with Bates and Adric only did so much for Harmony''s questions there. Ambrosia had considered a proper introduction projecting her image so large she could be seen from every corner of Hazeldown. With the head butler and prince¡¯s experience, Harmony assured herself that this would all be limited to what was appropriate for her position and situation. Maybe something like Lady Coodly¡¯s garden parties for an introduction to other new nobles of similar stature.

    [Stride Before the Fall]. It was time to test the limits of her new skill. Immediately she was of two minds on what to do, one in her bedroom and the new one standing in front of Adric who was working through a book, Handling Hostile Hegimons by Zachary Atwood, one of those authority and social interaction books she¡¯d been provided. Neither Harmony particularly wanted to do some extreme test of the skill, like testing if distance affected it. Both decided to make a specific plan next time.

    In her bedroom the necromancer draped herself over her snoring familiar, feeling him rumble. The [Familiar Bond] felt sore and swollen. The desire to actively mess with the skill to relieve Hyacinth of some of the stress and burden he was taking from her called out. ¡°No.¡± She admonished herself, the annoyance bleeding in from the strided her. They¡¯re partners, trust him. ¡°I know that.¡± Yet you can be an impulsive brat.

    ¡°This is how I go insane.¡± She muttered.

    Mastering this skill was clearly going to take some discipline and decision-making. She looked at the books on the bedside table. Thiboduex on Skills sat there, this copy of the much-hated book was special, designed with extra wide margins and space for notes, it had been a housewarming gift from Bates. She¡¯d used the space to critique the author, practicing [Manipulate Dead] on the ink and paper to pack the pages with densely written text.

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    Sliding off of her familiar she picked up the book and flipped to the halfway point. The benefit of repetition is getting the practitioner closer to being in sync with their skills to help level them. Practice. Repeat. Practice. Maybe she could read a book twice as fast with this skill? Experiments with chronostasis had been positive there, but forcing that skill outside of natural reactions more than once or twice a day had left her nauseous.

    The pressure of the [Stride Before the Fall] started to build the necessity of the choice. This time she paid attention to it, well, half of her paid attention to it while half of her was talking to her pet prince. The experiences and feelings aligned, she could feel that only one should be here. Individuality had been an illusion. It was too late to sulk in her room while Hyacinth was sleeping. She let that part of her go.

    When she appeared before Prince Adric she was surprised to see him nose-deep in the book. It was the first time she¡¯d seen him reading. His brow was adorably furrowed in concentration. The maid in her wanted to bring him a refreshment, while the pet owner part said he deserved a treat and was a good boy.

    ¡°Something interesting?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Erk!¡± He juggled the book in surprise. ¡°I didn¡¯t hear you come in.¡±

    ¡°Atwood is a bit of a brute. Recommending you crush all opposition. You don¡¯t need to punch someone in the face every time you feel slighted. Maybe skip to the part where he talks about dealing with people who are so powerful you can¡¯t safely punch them in the face. Most of those chapters are about convincing that person to help you punch a different person in the face together as a bonding exercise.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s that I¡¯ve never had to fight with my family. We¡¯ve competed at getting stronger. Become the king or queen in waiting. But that¡¯s not actually being at odds with them.¡±

    ¡°No.¡± Harmony chastised herself as she felt an impulse around Hyacinth.

    ¡°Well, they didn¡¯t want me coming to Hazeldown seeking some miracle cure. But at that point I was basically dead, what were they going to do? Kill me?¡± Adric¡¯s voice cracked at the end.

    Adric needed her. So she shoved the distraction of her bedroom away. ¡°You¡¯re afraid your family won¡¯t accept you now that you¡¯ve returned?¡±

    ¡°Auntie said she couldn¡¯t protect me in the capitol. Outside of Rose, no one has sent any messages and even those talk about mundane things like dungeon runs, and not my situation. As long as I stay in this charnel town and don¡¯t push for recognition of my authority I¡¯m safe. At home there will be an inquisition, charter members could be involved.¡±

    ¡°Then why don¡¯t you stay here where it is safe?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°You need me.¡± Harmony¡¯s stomach sank. A pet enslaved to a master, [Cold Touch] begged to numb the feeling. ¡°And more importantly I need to show that I¡¯m not a subservient pet forced to go on a leash to enter the guild or some undead thrall under your evil powers. The only way to do that is to confront my family directly.¡±

    Those words cleared away some of the weight lingering on her. Researching the prince¡¯s revival and his undead status had dropped to the back burner as she rushed to push her skills to survive. ¡°That author is probably not the one you should be taking advice from.¡± As humorously as she tried to frame that statement, Adric didn¡¯t look unburdened.

    The weight of the choice was there. Here was where she needed to be. [Stride Before the Fall] ended. From the corner of the manor where her room was, the slamming thud of a book falling to the floor echoed.

    ¡°Grrak!¡± Came the startled croak of the awakened shadow toad.

    That was one interesting thing she¡¯d learned about the new skill.

    The new chaos did pull Adric¡¯s eyes to the world around him, but Harmony brushed the primal bond between them to bring his attention back to her. ¡°Why don¡¯t you tell me about your family. Sometimes talking through your problems is the best solution. Plus, I¡¯ll meet them eventually.¡±

 Chapter Forty-Eight * Eight

    Chapter Eight

    When the carriage rolled to a stop at the end of the first day Harmony had a growing headache that added to her grumbly annoyance. Apparently, everyone in Adric¡¯s family was so good to him, that he found the lack of contact disturbing. Probing for information she could use was like hunting garden gnomes at night, difficulty annoying, verging on impossible. She had the whole trip to work on her adorably dim pet, easing his burdens and noticing issues he missed.

    A fast mount could get you to the capitol in a day, though that was reserved for emergency trips. Two days was average. A caravan this slow would take three. Stepping out to the roadside campsite she could still see the hints of death in the landscape, indicating they weren¡¯t too far from Hazeldown and its dungeon. Black poisonous weeds and scrubby white trees looking like bones growing out of the earth mixed in with more neutral shrubbage.

    ¡°Smooth trip, my lady?¡± The driver asked.

    ¡°Please call me Harmony.¡±  She told the white-haired old man as he twirled the blue fabric around his neck.

    ¡°Kweh!¡± Cried the giant yellow bird at the front of the carriage.

    ¡°That would be improper, Lady White. ¡°

    ¡°Fine, Hoop.¡±  When she¡¯d heard that the blue faction had been contracted for the trip she hadn¡¯t imagined her old driver from her wild ride to the House of the Dead would be leading the way. He knew, of course, everyone did. A reporter had connected the dots for that day in the weeks following the chaos at the Colosseum.

    The blue faction had even used it as advertising and cut such a deal for this trip that Harmony was sure they¡¯d market themselves as her official transport service. The truth was she needed every scrap of iron coin for this trip.  She doubted there would be such discounts in Naewauld, even the cost of the dungeon would have been unfeasible without that membership gifted by Hemlock.

    ¡°Cgrraaack.¡± Hyacinth yawned from his pet cart full of pillows. One of the things that had taken so long was that he insisted on bringing all the ones from his bed with him. Bowe¡¯s cart was more sparse with a rug covering the wooden floor. Rather than sleeping the whole journey like the shadow toad, the coatl rode with his head over the edge catching the breeze from the ride with his tongue lolling out of his dragon-like mouth.  With baggage, supplies, and familiars the whole wagon train totaled six.

    The toad projected his hunger through their [Familiar Bond].

    ¡°Hoop, any restrictions against my familiar hunting up a meal?¡±

    ¡°The traffic usually scares wildlife a good distance away.¡±  He eyed the giant armored toad. ¡°Just make sure he stays away from farms or any domesticated treats. No one wants to see their livestock eaten.¡±

    Prince Adric, who¡¯d exited the carriage after her, was already helping Bowe with a bag of his specialty food. When she¡¯d planned on raising the coatl, food hadn¡¯t gone into the equation. An undead pet wouldn¡¯t need to eat? Adric¡¯s accidental revival proved that was a misplaced assumption, not that he seemed dead in any way, the man ate plenty.

    She approached the prince. ¡°I¡¯m going to take my partner for a walk if you¡¯re good.¡±

    Adric waved her off. ¡°Simply call through our bond if you run into any trouble. The main road is pretty safe.¡±

    Was that a pet thing or a part of his new class? He could probably spin around freeze and point in her direction.

    Letting the toad lead the way Harmony followed him off the camp grounds. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to try.¡± The necromancer explained to her familiar.

    Signs of animals were light. Hyacinth led her to a pile of high-sulfur goblin scat, even half dry, the stench was offensive enough for her to use [Dust] to clear away some of the smell. She¡¯d done the same trick when she had to clean out one of the outhouses at the social garden. The goblin pests would also clear out most other wildlife.

    ¡°Is that what you want to hunt?¡±

    "Gleck." Disgust flared. He wanted to hunt through the shadows. It was still best if he visited a particular shadow before leaping through. But since he was growing with her he¡¯d been able to jump to shadows he could see in the distance. Now was a time to practice.

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    ¡°Fine but can you take a copy of me with you? I want to see how that works.¡±  It felt wrong to say copy, as when she used [Stride] it was her.

    [Stride Before the Fall], the chill of the evening air coated her whole body, now there were two, and one stood naked without travel clothes. Night, snapped into place over her nudity. Of course, objects wouldn¡¯t be duplicated. The last few times she¡¯d used the skills Night had already been on her body and paired as it was there was no issue with that outfit. More and more it was looking like she¡¯d need to always wear that outfit to get full use of her skills.

    ¡°Come on.¡± Armored up, she put a hand on the toad and the surrealness settled in as part of her left and part stayed.

    If she chose to stay with Hyacinth, would her travel clothes be left in a pile in the middle of the woods? It wasn¡¯t like she had that many outfits; bones if that happens. Camp in the distance she started to jog.

    Harmony flickered from one shadow to the next, glad to see distance wasn¡¯t affecting her new skill. [Recall] let her get that better glimpse of the world they stepped through before they were forced out again.

    Joy sparked through their bond at this new location. Trees scratched with claw marks and singed bark and lower tree limbs. ¡°A fire tiger? What do you have against cats?¡±

    Of course, a fire tiger was to a cat what a dire wolf was to a dog.

    ¡°Tasty.¡± Hyacinth croaked out.  ¡°Bait?¡± He inquired.

    The pressure of [Stride Before the Fall] was slight. She was also nearly back to camp.  ¡°Sure.¡±

    The toad slipped away into the coming dark of the evening so quickly Harmony was amazed that such a large creature could do that. When he was smaller it made more sense.

    She marched into the fire tiger¡¯s territory allowing her steps to noisily crack branches. The territorial beast would soon be watching from whatever hidden vantage point it could find to evaluate the new intruder.

    Sharpening her nail with [Manipulate Dead] she cut a small line on her hand, enough to palm some blood before using [Mend] to seal the wound back up. A synergized [Dust] and [Manipulate Dead] spread the scent on the wind making it seem she was bleeding heavily.

    It wasn¡¯t a strong man walking the woods alone, but a tiny woman who smelled like death and magic, not steel and combat. The feeling of death her necromancer class provided often caused the misinformed reaction that she was sick or ill. Even Healers couldn¡¯t tell the nuance between the two sometimes. On the streets or at the market she¡¯d be approached a few times. With the scent of blood, she doubted the fire tiger could tell as well.

    Hyacinth wanted bait, for him, she¡¯d be the wounded animal to draw the predator out. The pressure to choose where she wanted to be mounted. If she wanted to return to camp rather than stick around she needed to speed this up. Rather than avoid the convenient root in front of her, she hooked her foot into it and stumbled forward, letting her armor take the impact at the knee. With a fresh burst, she blew off the last bit of blood she¡¯d gathered earlier.

    [Cold Touch] was almost repulsed by the flash of heat behind her and she held the skill at ready.  A boom of impact with a loud ¡°Yawrl.¡± of a screaming cat came first.

    In the dark she saw the Hyachth tumble with the fire tiger, rolling onto it like a boulder as his strong jaw crushed down repeatedly on the beast''s leg.  It flared with fire, lighting the dark, while her familiar ignored the heat in its bloodlust and hunger.

    Harmony pushed [Could Touch] out a distance. While actually touching the target was where the full effect was, she¡¯d played with how far and strong she could project the skill.  The flames flickered and retreated briefly.  Her familiar had this taken care of.

    Three more orange flickers of light burst forth in the distance approaching as quickly as four legs could take them. ¡°Goblin scat.¡± Harmony cursed.

    At the camp, the other Harmony approached Bates. ¡°Please take care of my clothes.¡±

    She made her choice. Sure, it would be safer to let Hyanich handle this, but she could never leave her partner alone when there might be trouble.

    The fire tiger had enough damage that she empowered [Manipulate Dead] with [Mana Rotation] for a strengthened burst to aggravate the wounds it had already received.

    Hyacinth had half the beast in his gullet, even though it was nearly his size. Scratches and burns were lightly traced on his body. Yet the damn thing fought on. Harmony approached, [Cold Touch] At her fingertips. Through the flames, she poked the beast and sent the chill of death to extinguish what false hope it had left.

    Crack! A sickening crunch ended its life. Then the toad slurped the whole thing into him, growing in size from stuffing itself.

    ¡°More are coming.¡±

    Hyacinth returned an eager desire to fight.

    ¡°I doubt you can fit three more into yourself, never mind the task of tangling with three you didn¡¯t sucker-punch mid-leap. I don¡¯t doubt that you¡¯d win, but I¡¯m not delaying our trip to patch you up at camp after.¡±

    [Familiar Bond] picked up guilt. Guilt his predatory desires rose over his logic. Her lack of control bled into him as he carried her burden. We''ll fix this, we have to.

    ¡°We all slip, but let¡¯s go now.¡±

    Three fire tigers, now close enough to show their angry flaming forms roared ahead, as she placed her hand on his back.  They leaped into the shadows to head back to camp.

 Chatper Forty-Nine * Nine

    Chapter Nine

    As they neared the end of their journey, Harmony pieced together through probing questions and simple logic that, no, not every member of Adric¡¯s family adored and cared for him.  He was such a ball of excited, happy, sunshine that he never noticed. Negativity was forgiven as a mistake, and every act could be taken in a positive light, even if maybe sarcasm was actually propping it up.  She swore not to be the one who broke her pet¡¯s heart by explaining all that to him. Bowe had to be shielding him from that reality, the coatl was smart even if not very talkative. Eventually, that harsh truth would be clear, and she¡¯d be one of those to hold him while he faced it.

    ¡°Meeting your family will be lovely. I would like to share some tea with Rose first, girl talk.¡±  That princess ranger was sure to be a clearer guide on how to spot and avoid any of the vipers nesting in Adric¡¯s family tree.  Harmony wished some of those letters had been addressed to her. But her letters were only addressed to Adric and completely avoided his situation. Still, she couldn''t think of anyone else to consult.

    ¡°Of course, so many things to do in the capital, I¡¯ve so many things to show you.¡±  Harmony knew she wouldn¡¯t have time for a grand tour her pet prince had to be envisioning. Too much to do.

    The carriage slowed.  While she¡¯d never visited the capitol, she¡¯d heard stories from the older servants at Coodly Manor about the infamous queue to get inside. Despite all the griping, they¡¯d mention that at least they had the view.  Yet here she was, stuck inside with Adric. Bates would handle the check-in, leaving her to wait until they reached their destination before departing. No leaning out and gawking like a yokel, as much as she wanted to. Maybe it was time to see how well her new skill would work sending her out into the unknown?

    [Stride Before the Fall]  The world spun, and the brighter morning light outside the carriage blinded her. The shift of landing into the unknown situation outside the carriage while moving caused vertigo that her movement skills worked excessively hard to counteract. The effort to [Stride] into the unknown also left both of her forms drained.  Reflexively she knew where both of herselves were in relation to each other, so outside she focused on the carriage ahead moving slowly along a winding chain or travelers waiting their turn to enter the city.

    Uncomfortable as Harmony¡¯s current state was, the view was worth it. Naewauld, The city of vined spires. Where Hazeldown was a spread-out city of hills and districts, created by a natural separation of both the river it bridged and the varying elevations it spanned. Naewauld was birthed out of a flat plain, with clusters of smaller spires around a tall central collection representing the seat of the kingdom¡¯s power. The spires were green in the morning light, so covered in vibrant vines. A prosperous gift to the land by the city¡¯s life-based dungeon, which had always been a stark contrast to Hazeldown¡¯s undead one.  Rather than be appalled at the opposite energy of her class radiating from the city, the necromancer''s sense of death eagerly looked at all that life, and wondered, how could it kill it?

    No killing. The response to that was, but then they could bring it back. A ridiculous feeling since she had no resurrection skills. The unstable insanity of it all was a firm reminder to evolve and get the out-of-control aspects of her class and profession under control as quickly as possible. She had the power over her class and profession, it did not have power over her.

    ¡°Oi, you okay?¡± Called a farmer driving his cart overburdened with turnips toward the city as he slowed down to enter the chain of visitors.

    Oh, she knew she wasn¡¯t exactly okay. Harmony had dreaded this trip. But Naewauld was exciting and new, and a step forward after being stalled.  Here it was a sparkling green gem in front of her.

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    ¡°I¡¯m making progress. There I¡¯ll evolve. There I¡¯ll fix everything.¡± She yelled toward the now skeptical turnip farmer, feeling unburdened as the choice of her skill pressed upon her. The other her can worry, here she¡¯ll grab that sliver of hope. ¡°I¡¯m great.¡±

    With that she let go, her form dispersing as though it had never been there.

    The whole experience brightened Harmony¡¯s mood as they approached the gates. She left the bored worrying behind and ignored the odd murderous desire. Killing will be had in the dungeon, and to help Hyacinth she¡¯d scour that place to its bones. Now was the time to look forward to new experiences. So she planned.

    Ambrosia will have arranged lodging. Bates will have informed her of whatever social requirements she needed to do. A letter to the House of Lords announcing her arrival, maybe a small meeting later on. Harmony wasn¡¯t quite sure, she¡¯d been focused on training so hard she admittedly neglected learning the duties of her new role. The books she¡¯d read all covered advice on how to handle people, not current protocols and procedures. Bates helped run the old manor and has had many trips to Naewauld so she was in good hands.

    The lodging will be sure to have a bath, even if she could use skills to refresh herself, nothing beats a nice relaxing bath.  After the quiet ride, some minor social requirements, and a nice long bath there should be plenty of time to plan diving into the dungeon Nae''s Garden and exactly how to use it to grow and evolve.

    A loud announcement pulled Harmony out of her thoughts, but distracted as she was she missed most of it. [Recall] had her reconstruct it.

    Trumpets and then, ¡°Naewauld welcomes Lady White, risen of Hazeldown, newest to authority!¡±  All loud enough to be heard through the carriage which had kept outside sounds to a minimum.  Harmony shot her pet prince a look.

    ¡°They have an announcement when one registers after evolving in the capitol, but it¡¯s just the registration office ceremony.¡±

    Harmony did her best to shrug it off. She might be a big deal in Hazeldown, but here she¡¯s just an unevolved lady from the half-cursed city housing the undead dungeon.  One loud announcement isn¡¯t going to attract attention.

    ¡°Is that music?¡±  Adric asks.

    ¡°She wouldn¡¯t.¡±  Even as she said the words she knew they were a lie. Of course, she would. Ambrosia doesn¡¯t just pull her on top of the table to stand with her, she projects her larger-than-life over a city. This, whatever this is, is totally in line with her friend''s acts.

    Snapping the privacy blinds open allowed her to see and hear the damage. People gathered along the edges of the street, but more at a curiosity level. Hyacinth, now more noticeable at his current size was proudly chuckling on his throne of pillows, and Bowe, the rainbow coatl is always a rare sight.  But when a finger did point it was not to the back carrying wagons it was at her.  And the music wasn¡¯t coming from the wagon train, she¡¯d half expected Songstress and The Flows to be riding the tops of the wagons and carriages playing as they made their way through the city. No, it was worse.

    A choir of voices, a symphony of instruments.  She caught the first bard or musician along the edge of the street. Their voice rose high paired with those singing behind the carriage and a head where it was heading.  ¡°Lady of the people, a cold star shining bright. Mistress of her arts, necromantess Harmony White.¡±

    Those were Ambrosia¡¯s lyrics, and just as the carriage passed to the edge of earshot of one singer, another continued the tune. ¡°Challenger of the dungeon. Tamer of the prince.¡±

    Harmony shut the blinds hard. Coming early to prepare for her visit! Anger battled with despondency and settled for exasperation. It was one thing to invite her to dance at a show, but this unasked and unwanted setup. For revenge maybe she''d make Ambrosia wear the old outfits Tyler had picked out. No that wouldn¡¯t work, Ambrosia liked them, except for how cold it got during the winter. In the summer it might be a relief.  Too much to do to properly respond, one day though, one day¡­  As the music followed them on their trip, Harmony continued to plan, this time on how to best pay her friend back for this welcoming party.

 Chapter Fifty * Ten

    Chapter Ten

    The familiar sounds of Songstress and the Flows greeted them as the carriage train rolled to a stop, Ambrosia''s voice strong and clear, finally able to be the one singing the lyrics.  Prince Adric slipped out first, shivering enough that his teeth were chattering from how the temperature inside had continued to dip during the ride through the city.

    Harmony glided out, her face a controlled mask. [Poise and Bearing] combined with [Style and Grace] to create a social crutch she leaned on to keep her emotions in check.

    The music stopped. When the beast tamer came up and gave her a light hug Harmony hesitated briefly. Ambrosia was in her maid''s uniform. The mixing of work, singing, blending the informality of her passion and the seriousness of her profession wasn¡¯t something her friend did. Never mind she trusted Ambrosia to tell when she didn¡¯t want to be hugged.

    "I made a deal. Room and board for your notable and newsworthy presence."  Ambrosia whispered before she let go.

    Releasing her focus off Ambrosia, she took in where they were. The Grand Dragonfly Inn loomed over them. Not as tall as the city''s spires, but a representation of majestic opulence.  The staff in shimmering green uniforms, marked with golden dragonfly wings was already quickly and efficiently unloading the wagon train, including a team helping direct Hyacinth and Bowe towards what has to be quarters for larger familiars and pets.

    Harmony had expected to be housed in one of the lesser vined spires that was set aside for impoverished nobles.

    "Welcome to the premier Inn in all of Naewauld, my Lady White,"  Ambrosia announced with a curtsy, having slid back into her profession''s role but a touch of performance for the staff.  Premier might be stretching it, but she wasn¡¯t going to protest if it was free.  It was well within the space of places she¡¯d overheard Lady Coodly chat about when she was a servant.

    ¡°Magnificent that you¡¯ve secured such lodgings!¡± Harmony would play her role as well, but in private she¡¯d squeeze the details out of her friend. After a bath though. She needed something to calm her nerves.

    Prince Adric stepped up to Harmony¡¯s side, staying half a pace behind her, accentuating that he was subservient to her politically.  Oh, they¡¯d debated leaning on the fact that he was a prince. But his lack of acknowledgment left too many questions. Factor in his new profession as the lady¡¯s pet prince and his quasi-living status, Bates unquestionably advised she should take charge as the ranking member of the pair socially. Everyone carefully ignored the monster in the dungeon that was Adric''s social and emotional acuity, and how that might affect things if he was in charge.

    Bates joined Ambrosia to shadow the pair, opening doors, interacting with the inn¡¯s staff, and all those other butler and maid duties.  No thank yous to refreshments or a steaming towel. Both knew Harmony wanted to get to her room quickly, even if her pet longed for some of the services provided. Staff could handle staff, guests were another thing.

    Sir Maxwell stepped out from behind a pillar and used three long strides to step in front of the pair. With a deep breath to gather courage he kneeled. ¡°Sir Maxwell, your sworn knight at your service.¡±

    Harmony could feel him leaning on that oath he¡¯d given her all those months ago. Now that she was a lady it felt more right and proper.  The large knight''s hair was still pink, and his woven beard was just as manicured. This time the pink was imperfectly dyed, rather than the magic of her skill having changed it. Recently done too. [Beautician] was just being nit-picky as it was acting up too, even then she had to acknowledge that it was quite nice, for a dye job.

    This would be the time to dismiss him from his oath. Maybe that was his goal? One less complication to have around.  But it wasn¡¯t like the maid had a lot of friends in the capital or even oathbound fools at her disposal. Which led to the question of why was he here? He could easily just have decided to avoid her altogether in a city this size and not worry about his silly oath. Even sworn to tell the truth, the lobby of the inn was not the place to question him. She certainly was not going to order him up to her room. The prince was bad enough, there was no need to get a rumor spread about her building a harem of men.

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    ¡°I¡¯ll be heading into the dungeon tomorrow. Come by at dawn with any knowledge or tools I might need. Your service is always appreciated.¡±

    Standing up the man bowed. ¡°Yes, Lady White.¡± Then turned and left.

    Adric leaned in. "I didn''t know you had a knight?"

    "We went on one dungeon run together, then a misplaced oath. I wouldn''t call him my knight."

    Her pet¡¯s response was a snort. She could feel a trickle of amusement through their bond.

    Bates motioned toward the stairs at the back. A sure sign to pick up the pace. Though subtle, and odd. Harmony knew today''s plan was to rest and do a little planning, nothing that required any hurry.

    Five steps to the ascent. "Harmony, did you get my letters?" Not quick enough.

    [Poise and Bearing] reflexively kicked in at Tyler¡¯s voice, preventing any reaction on her part.

    As a manor maid, she''d always had the excuse to dash off to some unenviable task or higher orders from the matriarch. As a peer, there was protocol she couldn¡¯t afford to ignore. So she turned to face one of her former masters.

    He''d trimmed up and was groomed even beyond what his gran was able to force on him for social events. The hunger, though, was the same. In his eyes, wanting you without actually seeing you. Harmony noted it all.

    "Vorn poetry was an interesting choice. I''m sorry I didn''t have the time or skill to respond in kind."

    "And the other letters?"

    Professing one''s "undying" love towards a necromancer was a poor choice of phrasing. Yet he used it so many times.  The lack of response was one. Didn''t help that the few times she''d considered sending a response the ink froze in the well.

    [Stride Before the Fall]. It was a relief to be on the stairs out of sight. Two minds on this problem were better than one.

    The Harmony next to Adric tapped her pet on the shoulder. ¡°Head to the stairs.¡±

    The prince hesitated but left and walked towards the stairs.

    Harmony strode forward towards Lord Tyler.  ¡°I¡¯m not in a place where I can entertain thoughts of a relationship.¡±

    At the stairs, Adric turned the corner with Bates and Ambrosia. ¡°Harm?¡± He squeaked out.

    ¡°Let''s head to our room, this is as good a distraction as I can think of.¡±  With a nod, the two servants lead the way at a brisk pace.

    Knowing she¡¯d escaped, Harmony relaxed in front of Tyler. She flirted with the idea of chilling him, maybe changing his hair green, though the idea he might keep it like Max did and she¡¯d be followed around by another colorful man was too much.

    ¡°I know I¡¯m asking a lot, Harmony.¡±  Tyler started.

    Words. Words would have to do. ¡°You are asking too much. I can¡¯t run away with you. We¡¯re not star-crossed lovers. I have duties. I have obligations. And you don''t know me."  [Poise and Bearing] worked in tandem with [Recall] and the aristocratic sense of her class to pull from every book she read on the topic of adding an undertone and inference to her blunt statement to drive the point home.

    Tyler broke in front of her. Through authority¡¯s connection, she felt the misplaced adoration and desire crumple some. A necromancer crushing a heart, how cliche. Not that it would be enough. ¡°But I want¡­¡±

    Rather than face his words. Harmony made her choice and left. Ceasing to be.

    In Harmony¡¯s room, a luxurious suit paired with Prince Adrics she sat on her bed and hoped that would be the last of Tyler. Foolish, he wasn''t one to give up so easily. After that dirty task, she felt more soiled from that interaction than the whole trip here. ¡°Ambrosia, I¡¯m ready for my bath."

 Chapter Fifty-One * Eleven

    Chapter Eleven

    The large tub was exquisite, magic kept the temperature constantly pleasantly warm, meaning any hiccups from [Cold Touch] wouldn¡¯t make the water turn frigid. While cold no longer bothered her as much as it used to, the sudden lack of warmth was damn annoying when her skill misbehaved.

    ¡°Scoot over.¡±

    Harmony¡¯s eyes opened, pulling her out of her relaxed state to watch Ambrosia, already naked, step into the tub.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve got plenty of space in that water-bearing monstrosity. My official shift ended five minutes ago and I¡¯ve yet to get a break since arriving in this damned city. You try organizing a cacophony of evolved musical classes and professions, they literally have diva as a profession.¡±

    Rather than lash out, Harmony slipped her head halfway under the water and blew bubbles. Ambrosia did look exhausted, even as she relaxed on the other side of the tub.  As much as Harmony could debate the hard choices her friend had made on her behalf, she had made them quickly and executed them well.  [Restore Spirit] synergized with the healing aspects of [Mend] as the necromancer pushed her skill out to help her maid.

    The blonde visibly released even more. ¡°Thanks, Harm.¡±

    Harmony popped her head back out of the water. ¡°So, what¡¯s the deal with this place?¡± The tub, the room, and the inn had been unexpected. Adric had never visited the young lordling housing but had heard of it, and that was what they¡¯d planned for.

    ¡°The Cellar, because they age lords like wine, was a shit show. A fixed staff who is more interested in backstabbing and trading favors than work. No outside employment contracts in the tower, Bates and I would have found ourselves cut off from you. No space for Hyacinth or Bowe. Adric¡¯s status wasn¡¯t even going to be touched, like he was rising fire nettle, at best he¡¯d be your pet in your single bedroom because all housing had to do with temporal seniority. If it were about the amount of authority, I¡¯d have thought you could have gotten a decent room.¡±

    ¡°And so you got us this palace?¡±

    ¡°Damn right, I did. I leveraged every connection I had. Enough people were wondering when they¡¯d meet this lady necromancer appearing in the back pages of some of the news sheets and showing up in a song or two. And whatever issue the royals are having with Adric¡¯s return, the people are curious. Ma Bell, who owns this place was interested enough to offer up rooms, meals, their training space, and companion care for the pets and familiars. I only needed a grand entry and some, um, concessions.¡±

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    The hesitation and embarrassment at that last word made Harmony more annoyed at Ambrosia¡¯s lack of social skills than any potential concessions. As good as she was, without a skill to back it up, it was like running into battle without armor.

    The necromancer playfully splashed water at Ambrosia, chilling it with [Cold Touch] as she sent it her way. ¡°Concessions? Splash. ¡°Concessions?¡± Splash. ¡°What do we have to do for all this?¡± Splash.

    ¡°Eeep!  Stop it, Harm. I may not have my birds on me, but I can still pin you down with my leverage, short stuff.¡±

    Beast Tamers aren¡¯t known for physical combat, so unless Ambrosia had picked up some fancy skill stones,  Between the combat of [High Kick] and twisty defense of [Small Amor] Harmony was pretty sure she could take her larger friend.  Reaching under the water she grabbed Ambrosia¡¯s ankle, ¡°Tell me.¡±

    ¡°Adric is to be available most evenings in the social lounge. Kind words, empty small-talk, gushing about the accommodations.  You both will show up and sit at Ma Bell¡¯s table for nightly formal dinners. I¡¯m to open for two musical performances a week at the inn¡¯s small stage. That is the cost of the room and board. We¡¯re the summer¡¯s hot commodity. We¡¯ll only get more interest as news of the Hazeldown Ascendant Games spreads when it is announced.¡±

    A kind way of saying the summer¡¯s freakshow. Hazeldown¡¯s joyous reaction to their first locally-raised lady was one thing. The Capital has other reasons interest will be drawn to them. In the back of her head, Hyacinth fitfully tried to sleep at this unfamiliar location.  Any tool offered to ease their burden was worthy of being used. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be too sour. I played into the long trip so you have off until dinner, where you¡¯ll meet Ma Bell. In the meantime, I brought your favorite thing. Books! Mostly recent guides for Nae¡¯s Garden, Progressing 30 levels in 3000 Days, by Caros, and The Evolved Maid¡¯s Handbook 7th edition."

    Did books make up for all the shenanigans to get this place? A little. Harmony stood up and let the water runoff of her before stepping out of the tub.

    "The books are in the corner by the dragonfly resting on a lily painting," Ambrosia added as she fully stretched out in the tub.

    [Stride Before the Fall]. It was time to see how quickly two of her could work through the pile. The newest Harmony, dry and free of any lingering dampness, tossed a book to herself.

    Reading two different books was doable, but gave Harmony a headache. She could only get through a couple of pages before the skill ended. Settling on The Evolved Maid''s Handbook, she thumbed toward the section on dinner parties. Even with [Recall], it never hurts to read up on current expectations. This time she was a guest and not a servant, but there was a lot you could pick up if you read between the lines.

    Ambrosia''s half-dozed humming from the tub supplied background music for her reading. The beast tamer was going to be all wrinkly by the time she got out of the still-steaming tub. Maybe this place wasn''t that bad at all.

 Chapter Fifty-Two * Twelve

    Chapter Twelve

    Harmony¡¯s armor was her social armor for the first required dinner.  Until she found a solution for it eating her other clothes, she couldn¡¯t justify risking one of the few other outfits she had left. There was also the lay of the land of the capitol''s current fashions, that could lead to a faux pas, while her unique creation stood out as symbolic.  How silly would it be if wearing the wrong color showed she supported some aberrant faction. None of which were a priority. What irked her was to be passingly required at this social function every night while her goal was to evolve as quickly as possible.

    No. That was inner turmoil rising up. Dinner is a small sacrifice, considering what would have been needed to live in the lordling tower, the Cellar, Ambrosia called it.

    [Style and Grace] kept the Harmony smoothly going down the stairs as Ambrosia led the way, all business in her maid uniform.  Bates was serving Prince Adric for this function. The pair followed but a few paces behind.

    The meal was at a grand banquet hall, a buffet-style service the centerpiece, manned by evolved cooks and experienced wait staff, with performers looking to advance in the spectacular environment. Guests had a spot, but tables were also open to be reserved by the public. At one corner a stage played calming music, but could be spiced up for a local performance.  Singular in all that space was Ma Bell¡¯s table, jade and gold decorated to match the hotel¡¯s dragonfly motif, fit to seat eight, and showcase both the owner and guests she invited.

    The hall was packed already. Was this for her?  Some of the crowd quieted at her entrance but not all.  [Poise and Bearing], don¡¯t react, keep moving. One breath, two, and the noise picked up again. Her steps were as long and smooth as she could make them toward the glamourous table.

    Ma Bell was as Ambrosia described her, a plump woman, almost grandmotherly, whose presence shaped an aura of hospitality around her. Harmony was grateful for the warning, as the aura effects of the Inn Master¡¯s skills seeped into her. False relaxation and comfort, it was like being a little drunk, inhibitions lessened, and hesitations brushed away.  Every night she¡¯d have to face it.  Part of her wanted to fight tooth and nail against the influence, the part of her that felt the control her mother had held over her with her skills as a child. Society said it was okay to relax and enjoy such beneficial boons, but she¡¯d seen the dark side.  There would be no energy to wage that war day after day, and certainly, after the tough days she¡¯d planned in the dungeon, it seemed like a recipe for disappointment. So she had a plan.

    [Recall] was key. It wasn¡¯t just for remembering things, as a maid it was important to be reminded at the right time. You could use the skill to set up reminders to prod you at certain times or situations. Before she¡¯d speak it would remind her to check herself, while it might make conversational flow a little off, it would be best to prevent a stumble that could wreck her. With everyone at the table under Ma Bell¡¯s effects, she doubted they¡¯d notice.  If this worked she knew she could keep the relaxing benefits without any potentially negative aspects.

    Ma Bell stood up and gave a short bow. ¡°Lady White. I hope the accommodations have been up to your standards.¡±

    Was that a subtle dig? It was the nicest place she¡¯d stayed in. But it wouldn¡¯t take much to dig up her history and figure out the standards she¡¯d been forced to accept had been everything from the street to the maid dormitory and the run-down manor they¡¯d acquired right after she¡¯d achieved ladyship. The reminder prodded her to speak. ¡°They¡¯re absolutely wonderful and will serve me magnificently for my stay at the capital''s premier inn.¡±

    ¡°And Prince Adric, what an honor to have one of the contenders to the crown at my table. They say the more unique the path the more interesting the results. And so gracious in supporting one of the newest peers.¡±

    Adric hadn¡¯t set up the same protections. ¡°The honor is all mine, Madam Bell. You¡¯ve been nothing but the supreme and generous host to us since we arrived. My bonded Bowe loves the open-air accommodations you¡¯re providing.¡±  His normal, without-a-care smile, stretched wider than usual on his perfect face.

    While the prince might have missed it, Harmony didn¡¯t. As unacknowledged as he was it was hard to call Adric a contender for the crown under current circumstances, and the unique path involved the man¡¯s death. The woman even pointedly ignored the very public link Harmony had with the prince, stressing that he was doing this out of good graces rather than the truth. Did only accentuating the positive feed into her skills?

    Harmony took the seat Ambrosia pulled out for her to the host''s right, and Adric took his seat at the innkeeper''s left.

    ¡°The other guests will be here shortly. One you¡¯re both intimately familiar with.¡±

    Oh, how nice. [Recall] righted the Lady Maid.  Not nice. Surprises were not ideal, and she made a mental note to get the guest list before each of these dinners. If she¡¯s going to attend this every night it would be required.

    ¡°Oh, how nice,¡± Adric responded not having a personal filter.

    The worst options popped into Harmony¡¯s head first, Lord Tyler inserting himself or guild master Hemlock taking his own trip to poke his nose into this mess.

    ¡°There she is!¡± Ma Bell stood up. ¡°Princess Rosaline, welcome to my table. It¡¯s always a delight to get the talk of the town visiting.¡±

    The grimace on Rose¡¯s face was enough to see that at least someone else had taken sensible precautions. Going by how their host had addressed herself and Adric, Harmony guessed the ¡®talk of the town¡¯ was not positive talk, as much as Ma Bell gave it a positive tone. Nothing that was in her letters to Adric.

    Lady Coodley had once talked about women like this host, those who delight in chaos, suffering, and others'' misery, but only in the most pleasant way and their motivations.  The conversation had been a way to spend time while Harmony had worked her necromantic magic to facilitate youthful looks, back when she was new to the skill enough that it took time greater than a practiced wave of her hands and magic.  [Recall] pulled up the details. Four types of women acted this way,  those who delighted in gossip, those who delighted in pain, those who wished to rehabilitate or fix problem children, and those who actively tried to make things worse.  Who was Ma Bell?

    ¡°How could I refuse a chance to see my brother and his companion.¡±

    That wasn¡¯t good.  While they weren¡¯t friends, they had fought in the dungeon together, and to be called his companion, over any other name felt wrong.  [Poise and Bearing] and borrowing some of the claiming effects of the table kept Harmony from reacting. And how did she want to talk to Rose? As Princess Rosaline, former teammate, or her pet¡¯s sister? Or could this be her lady maid profession overreacting due to stress?

    Rose didn¡¯t sit next to either of them, instead taking the spot at the opposite end of the table, furthest away from Ma Bell. Any conversation that would be had, would need to be done over the full length of the table for all to hear. The other guests'' arrival interrupted any choice to start a conversation early.

    At least all the newcomers were strangers and Ma Bell had words for them all. Perrish Nim, a priest, was complimented on his devout nature. Which could mean anything, having a vaguely religious class or profession never required you to be ecclesiastical in nature.  Barb, a speculative trader, received a compliment on their bold financial strategies.  Timmy Tone owned several clubs and social businesses in the city. Adric looked uncomfortable at his arrival, and Ma Bell mentioned it had been a long time since they¡¯d seen each other.  The last seat was left empty, a tradition in case someone dropped in, or the innkeeper chose to recruit from the banquet hall guests.

    With a slight nod, the servants departed to fill up plates from the buffet to bring back to the table. Timmy, Barb, and Perrish each had a member of the inn¡¯s staff in their green and gold uniform fetching food.  The only outside servant besides Bates and Ambrosia was the one Rose had been accompanied by.

    ¡°It¡¯s always nice to have extra hands helping with dinner,¡± Rose said as they all busied off.

    Harmony had to swallow the bit of ice that started to form in her throat. Helping hands, the queen¡¯s not-so-secret hidden muscle. Was that who the unassuming girl next to Rose was? [Recall] failing to pull up details wasn¡¯t a good sign. That could be paranoia talking.

    ¡°Definitely,¡± Barb replied agreeably.

    ¡°One of those aristocratic benefits the aristocracy seems to get. My family loves having a cadre of them.¡±

    Definitely a hint that the woman was one of the Queen¡¯s Helping Hands. Against a spy, Harmony didn¡¯t feel like she¡¯d have much to worry about, but if the girl was an assassin?

    ¡°Are you finding this to be the case, Lady White?¡± Perrish asked.

    ¡°Mine are indispensable. But I also have a unique perspective.¡±

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    ¡°Oh, yes. I¡¯ve seen the story in the backsheets about how you climbed up from lesser circumstances, being a maid and having  a difficult class.¡± Perrish continued.

    Good to see necromancer was still a dirty word. ¡°Let¡¯s say my familiarity with all of those dirty tasks allows me to appreciate quality help.¡±

    The trays of food started to come. Harmony made sure Rose¡¯s ¡°servant¡± was in earshot. ¡°I¡¯m still technically a maid, a lady maid now. I like to consider myself still in service of the kingdom and people. To let you all know of a little secret there will soon be an announcement from the guild about how key my service to the kingdom will be.¡±

    Would that be enough to avoid poison slipped into her food or a hidden knife? Bah, paranoia. Ambrosia wouldn¡¯t let anyone mess with her food. She speared a tender piece of beef and slipped it into her mouth. The way the salty fat dissolved in her mouth without overwhelming the meat, sent waves of pleasure through her. [Recall] studdered, failing to trigger, as she let out a slight moan. ¡°Sublime, Ma Bell.¡±  Harmony blurted out.

    ¡°I¡¯d challenge our chefs against the best ones in any of the evolved kingdoms.¡±

    The food forestalled much of the conversation, as all the guests discovered the joys of the Dragonfly Inn¡¯s buffet. How everything tasted almost made up for the requirement to dine here every night.

    Under the innkeeper¡¯s influence, the conversation was nudged forward. Goblets of wine and cider lowered barriers further.  And Ma Bell had only to say a few words to get conversations flowing.  Barb pontificated on business dealings involving the trade of dungeon materials, mostly complaining about how difficult it was to exchange with the evolved kingdoms. ¡°What do you think of the economic predicament, Lady White?¡± The host asked.

    Everyone else had either been prodded to provide or gave their opinions unbidden. It became clear that the host wanted everyone to be slightly involved. The economics Harmony knew touched upon household management, and even then she hadn¡¯t focused on that set of skills. Bates and Ambrosia would have been better suited to answer. Other than that it was Tyler¡¯s spare books, and that one she¡¯d found in the attic. As old as it was, it reminded her that dungeons were the sources of the kingdom¡¯s economy and any changes had rippling effects.

    ¡°Hazeldown will become a focus at least briefly. With the spirit¡¯s renewed appearance, new things are brewing that should bring opportunities as news gets out. One must move fast though.¡± Less than forty days now to evolve and get back. Fast was an understatement.

    ¡°I¡¯d imagine there will be risk there too, with the nature of the city.¡± Barb ponderously reflected.

    ¡°Risk for reward is the nature of life,¡± Harmony murmured still in her thoughts.

    ¡°Tone knows all about risky business ventures¡± Bell chimed in with a chuckle.

    The club owner huffed. ¡°There¡¯s no risk with the right customers.¡±

    ¡°Like Adric here.¡±  Bell teased

    Both Tone and Adric flush at this, enough to cause Harmony to wonder if she should question this aspect of her pet¡¯s past.

    ¡°I enjoy your venues,¡±  Rose interjected.

    Eyes on the princess, the slight chaos of a goblet of wine tipping over, and Bates collecting Prince Adric''s plate while deftly dabbing up the mess went nearly unnoticed. [Recall] let Harmony see his professionalism crack briefly as he glared at Rose¡¯s help.  Ambrosia moved to help with the table, stepping between the Helping Hand and the prince as Bates fetched some fresh food.

    Harmony only kept one ear on the conversation as she fumed. Going after her, she expected, but to go after poor Adric. The boy was mostly disowned, not even able to collect funds.  There was no question about the complicated nature of his situation, but to be so underhanded.

    Ambrosia gently touched Harmony''s shoulder as she poured fresh wine into a glass that had frost along the edge, pulling the necromancer out of her fuming enough to give her a slight shake of her head, signifying no.

    It wasn''t her place. Bates liked to handle staff issues away from the eyes of those he served, be it theft, pettiness, or attempted harm. At Coodly house, one didn¡¯t mess with the masters, because one knew the bruises that could come with even minor infractions. One of the queen¡¯s helping hands might be a different issue.

    [Recall] prompted Harmony that her name was being said and she used it to backtrack to the question. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m not planning on many social visits this trip. I expect to spend most days exercising, progressing in the dungeon, and then sharing Ma Bell¡¯s lovely table before getting rest. I can¡¯t imagine the invitation it would take to pull me out of my routine.¡±

    ¡°How dedicated. I always say we should aspire to grow how the evolved kingdoms do.¡± Perrish tagged on.

    The meal wound down, while Harmony felt her anxiety wind up as she refused to let herself relax too much under the host''s calming influence. [Poise and Bearing] got plenty of exercise as she limited herself to clipped, polite responses until she saw the opportunity to excuse herself.

    ¡°I must go. In the morning, Nae¡¯s Garden calls me to action. A lovely dinner and company for all. Ma Bell, I will see you tomorrow to do this again.¡±  Harmony could spot disappointment in the woman¡¯s eyes that she was the first to leave. But she¡¯d be back day after day for more rounds of this chaos. Ambrosia better be right that this place is worth it. With [Style and Grace] she made her way back to the stairs

    Once the door to her suite clicked shut, Harmony let all her skill-supported masks drop, ¡°Aaaaaahrrrrrrrgggh.¡± she groaned with equal parts frustration and exhaustion before she plopped onto a lounging chair.  ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t you let me get that rotter who messed with my pet, if it was one of your birds you¡¯d have skinned the woman?¡±

    Ambrosia finished loosening her uniform to more comfortable levels. ¡°Adric wasn¡¯t acting in the role of your pet today and Bates will handle it. The woman tried to slip bless-wort into the prince¡¯s food.¡±

    The name was vaguely familiar, but [Recall] felt so raw and tender from its use at the dinner that Harmony didn¡¯t feel like she should use it.

    ¡°A plant used for banishing undead, particularly potent.¡± Ambrosia clarified at Harmony''s lost look.

    A poor necromancer she was, never caring about the raising undead aspects of her skills. But for her undead pet. ¡°She was trying to kill¡­!:

    ¡°Oh calm down. We tested every such thing on Adric, at his insistence. The boy has so much odd vitality the plants and charms are useless. You¡¯ve tried to use your dead manipulation skills on him, remember? At worst it would have given him a stomach ache, which would make him act like a whiny baby. I think Bates wanted to avoid that most of all, rather than be called upon to bring him chicken soup and read him one of those Dragon Rider books. Also, the principle of letting such a thing happen to the person he is serving go unchecked would gall him.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve kind of ignored the problem of not knowing what I brought him back as. He hasn¡¯t been sneaking away to suck the life force of innocent virgins?¡±

    Ambrosia snorted. ¡°He has to take extra effort to keep experienced trollops from sucking him. Dealing with whatever prince Adric is, can be done after we get you evolved and through whatever challenge the dungeon has planned.¡±

    A knock interrupted harmony, and by the time a follow-up knock came. Ambrosia had her uniform tightened up and was at the door.

    Harmony grumpily used her social skills to collect herself.

    ¡°Princess Rosaline, how unexpected. Your brother¡¯s suite is down the hall.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve come to see Lady White.¡±

    ¡°Fine. Let her in.¡± The necromancer said, her tone as cold as the chilled space around her.  [Cold Touch] Once the inner representation of how distant she¡¯d been from her friends, was now an icy furious finality. The countess, Princess Rosaline, and the rest of those royals had left them to flounder for themselves those months after Old Bones revealed itself. Only Bates''s experience and Ambrosia¡¯s organizational skills had helped keep things manageable.

    ¡°Harmony, I¡­¡± The princess started.

    ¡°I expected better of you, Rose. Ignoring me since I became a Lady is fine, we had one dungeon dive together. But poor Adric. I had some hope with your letters, but playing a role in attempting to poison him on his first day back. That¡¯s cold.¡°  Cold air bellowed out, and Harmony watched with some satisfaction as the princess shivered.

    ¡°What?! I swear I didn¡¯t know.  It¡¯s not like I was ignoring you, didn¡¯t Adric tell you candidates for the crown aren¡¯t allowed to  interact with lesser unevolved nobles for fear of losing authority to them or affecting their growth.¡±

    ¡°If you''re not allowed then why are you here?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not lesser. Can¡¯t you tell? You have more authority than I do.¡±

    ¡°How would I be able to tell? No one has taught me anything about authority. Even Adric, darling boy he is, admitted he did his best to avoid caring about it, dodging tutors, doing anything but dealing with it.¡±

    ¡°Have you not inspected another noble or yourself?¡±

    It¡¯s rude to use such skills on people, and completely unacceptable for a maid to do so on someone they are serving or their guests. Even when she had inappropriately acted nothing about authority was ever shown. There was also no need to use the skill on yourself when you could pull up all the information you needed on a whim. [Analyze]

    Ranger Princess - Base - Authority -Weak

    A fancy room like this wasn¡¯t without plenty of mirrors, they always made the space feel open and light. Harmony forced herself to find her reflection. An angry pout graced her face, ice crystals adding sparkle to her brows, hair, and lashes.  [Analyze]

    Lady Maid Necromancer - Advanced - Challenger - Authority- Risen

    ¡°Authority, Risen. What does that even mean?¡±

    ¡°When nobles inspect other nobles their authority designations are revealed, unless they have something that masks it. I¡¯m one rank above the lowest, you¡¯re four ranks up. It¡¯s actually quite an accomplishment. ¡°

    Accomplished enough to hurt both her and Hyacinth, not that Harmony would tell the princess that. ¡°I don¡¯t care about any of that. I¡¯m here to evolve. If me being a higher rank means you want my goodwill, then help with that, and don¡¯t try to poison my pet.¡±

    ¡°Do you really see Addy as a pet? I know his new class is odd.¡±

    ¡°It is what he is. It doesn¡¯t matter what I see him as. I can¡¯t change how we are connected to each other. And one thing I¡¯ve learned in this world is you never threaten someone¡¯s bonded pet. So if that is the designation I need to use to get the point across I will. Please show yourself out!¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± The princess inhaled while Harmony watched as her face settled into some aspect of a social mask from a skill, but nothing else came out. With a curtsy, Rosaline turned and left out the door held open by Ambrosia.

 Chapter Fifty-Three * Thirteen.

    Chapter Thirteen

    ¡°You didn¡¯t have to be so mean to Rosie,¡± Adric complained while walking with one arm around Harmony¡¯s waist to comfort her as they made their way to the inn¡¯s training yard.

    Harmony should have guessed the princess would run off to her brother after that disastrous visit.  He was ranked moderate in authority one step below her. The first thing she did was check. Adric didn¡¯t have an inspection style skill, so that was his excuse for forgetting about it, and it was one of the reasons he¡¯d had more leeway than his siblings or cousins in associating with people.

    While Harmony didn''t feel Princess Rosaline would poison or order Adric''s poisoning, she hadn¡¯t put a stop to it either. It was too much like the princess was the servant to the handmaiden and not the other way around.

    ¡°I disagree.¡±

    The training grounds at the back of the Dragonfly Inn made the dungeon lodges look quaint. An expensive area with a dozen combat rings, advanced dummies for practice, and even golem opponents available. Instructors for guests had a little pavilion if you purchased their services. The extras weren¡¯t part of the package deal Ambrosia had negotiated for their stay. Adric was always happy to spar like an eager puppy showing off while Harmony panted after him. Even having Hyacinth help didn¡¯t do much since he¡¯d learned to expect the tricky toad.

    The large open square sat connected to a private city park, cared for and shared by several similar establishments, allowing space for more wild pets and familiars to roam. [Familiar Bond] showed Hyacinth prowling there now, practicing jumping from shadows to scare, not eat, other beasts in the forest. Mistaking a pet for a meal in the capital was not recommended, to the point where Harmony spent an hour lecturing him prior to the trip to get the point across. He¡¯ll easily get his fill in the dungeon as it was.

    The plan was a short warm-up before heading to Nae¡¯s Garden. Sir Maxwell sat kneeling honorifically in the yard close to the entrance. While she¡¯d told him to arrive at dawn, Harmony hadn¡¯t been so rigorous with her schedule, and the man must have waited a while for her. She¡¯d half hoped the knight wouldn¡¯t show, or leave during the wait.

    ¡°My Lady.¡± He intoned.

    This time Harmony was prepared. This wasn¡¯t a surprise at an Inn she hadn¡¯t known she was going to, in a lobby where eyes would be upon her. Training grounds were a largely informal shared space since they were designed for bouts of rough and tumble. Hard to require aristocrats to always be proper when they might get covered in grime while being tossed about.

    ¡°Oh, get up, Max. You can explain what all this is about as we head to the ring that¡¯s been reserved for us.¡±  Internally she found the connection his oath to her had created, time and distance had weakened it some, but not that much because of how she¡¯d twisted it tightly when the man stupidly made it, and she tweaked it to make sure he¡¯d be honest, the hint of authority she now had knitting into it tighter.

    Max shot up to his feet as if yanked by a rope, his hand massaging his chest. ¡°It¡¯s my duty¡­¡±

    ¡°No, I want your selfish reasons. You didn¡¯t need to come find me and have been happy to stay away until now. Then you can talk about duty, honor, and knightly things your skill is trying to filter for you.¡±  Harmony considered pushing the pace to make him jog a little as he explained, but she¡¯d have to run to do that while Max and Adric would simply need to lengthen their strides. Sometimes she wished she was big.

    ¡°My family has plans for me and I can¡¯t evolve into a decent class without time in noble servitude. One of the horrible things about trying to evolve as a knight. All those tales of glory sucker boys into it. That was why my aunt got me into Little Lord¡¯s team, and I tried for Hemlock¡¯s favor and took that gamble on you. I¡¯d hoped the capitol would be rife with opportunity, but there are a lot of people in my situation.¡±

    ¡°So you wish to use me to find a patron.¡±

    ¡°What? No. I want you to be my patron.¡±

    Only long practice of incorporating [Style and Grace] at a low but constant level kept Harmony from stumbling. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money.¡±

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    ¡°Not expecting any. I have my own funds. A proper knight serves by shouldering the weight of some of their patron¡¯s authority and working in their continued advancement. I already have an oath to you. I merely need you to complete the process. Despite my lack of success at finding a patron, my experience and connections will be valuable in handling many social situations before they become problems.¡±  There was something more there, enough that Harmony found his oath again and pressed ever so slightly. ¡°And it would piss off little lord Tyler.¡± Max blurted out.

    Inwardly Harmony smiled. ¡°Your personal vendettas are not a great reason to choose me as a patron.¡±   The trio slowed to a stop at their reserved ring as Ambrosia waited with refreshments, and Bates stood at attention if needed.

    ¡°You¡¯re my last hope,¡± Max said pleadingly.

    The phrase beggars can¡¯t refuse scraps, played painfully in her mind, reminding the necromancer about her mother. While Max was begging, she knew that she could use the help. Servants could only inquire so much outside of their social circle. Sir Maxwell, however, could handle the task of keeping her informed about Ma Bell¡¯s nightly guests. Less things to worry about while she focused on the dungeon.  Even better was that he wouldn¡¯t take her non-existent funds.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know how to complete the process of being your patron, though.¡±

    ¡°Oh. I know!¡± Adric interrupted, clearly excited that he did remember something from his education. ¡°You reach out with your authority to the worker pledging to you and announce with conviction that they may support your burden as you support them.¡±

    Sir Maxwell dropped to his knee and bent his head. ¡°My Lady White.¡±

    Harmony held back a growl. She hadn¡¯t agreed to this yet. What were the consequences of doing something like this? Adric didn¡¯t seem worried, but Adric got distracted by colorful, shiny objects.

    Hyacinth nudged her through their [Familiar Bond]. ¡°I¡¯ll Share.¡±

    Now that was someone she could rely on. If he asked her to jump she¡¯d jump.  With her authority, she reached out toward Sir Maxwell, both through the air and the bond he had formed with her. Connection made sure to pull from Hyacinth and the toad¡¯s share of her burden, giving her a clearer look at what he¡¯d been doing for her.  So much strain.  ¡°Sir Maxwell, oathbound, support my burden as I support you.¡±

    Authority shifted into the oath he¡¯d made her months ago while she was still only a maid, tying it up in strings making the once one-sided oath, more something she would need to support as well. Authority flowed from her familiar and through her, onto the knight. Then it snapped into place.

    Maxwell collapsed face-first onto the ground. Struggling to move. ¡°Ooog.¡± He groaned.

    ¡°Heh, heh, heh.¡±  Hyacinth chuckled only to her.

    A look at Adric and he returned a perplexed shrug. Ignoring the knight, Harmony took one of the drinks from Ambrosia¡¯s tray and started sipping it.  ¡°Bates, do help Max up if he isn¡¯t able to right himself in a few minutes. I don¡¯t have all day, and it will be good to get his input before I head to the Nae¡¯s Garden.¡±

    ¡°Adric, any new information about the dungeon or how tourists progress so fast in it?¡±

    ¡°The guides for the floors are the same, first floor woozes, second floor vinestrictor and twiggys, It¡¯s all based on team tactics. Evolved kingdom tourists don¡¯t like to interact with candidates for the crown. It¡¯s a weird mix of looking down on us or worshiping the aristocracy. Polite or rude, their lips are sealed on the topic."

    I know.¡± Max croaked from his hands and knees.

    A nod towards Bates and he moved to help the knight up.

    ¡°Sorry, I wasn¡¯t expecting that to kick so much.¡± Standing on his own now, he spit out the dirt that got in his mouth and brushed his cheeks.

    Removing that dirt didn¡¯t help the rest of him, as he was covered from head to toe after flailing on the ground. If he was going to be Harmony¡¯s knight, she couldn¡¯t let him look that grimy without at least earning it in the practice ring.  [Dust] synergized with [Beautician] as she pulled a little bit of help from her other skills to strip the man clean. His roots were showing too. [Manipulate Dead] pulsed on his hair turning it all a uniform shade of pink as she also un-snaggled bits of tangles from his beard.

    ¡°Explain.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not the biggest secret in the world, and why locals don¡¯t mess with the tourists. They go into the dungeon as a team, but each takes a different path alone. That¡¯s why it is rare to see them with a pet even, splits progression they say. It is also one of the reasons why familiars are twice as popular in the evolved kingdoms, here they¡¯ll curse the loss of a skill when you could simply get a pet instead. Not the safest thing, but it gets them where they need to be.¡±

    Not the biggest secret? Harmony turned her attention to her pet prince. On the outside, he has the calm, immaculate, if a little empty-headed look of a person using a social skill. Through the pet bond, she could feel him squirm a little. The plan they¡¯d sketched together had him, with his experience shadowing her, keeping her safe if needed. A full party took years to evolve in the capitol dungeon, there was no time, no time to risk him being there.

    ¡°Guess you¡¯ll have to be a good boy and stay.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Four * Fourteen

    Chapter Fourteen

    The rest of Sir Maxwell¡¯s information aligned with what Prince Adric had provided, though maybe not as complete since the prince had both evolved in the capital and cleared the dungeon several times. Breaking down the information on what to expect in Nae¡¯s Garden did take time away from using the ring to train or exercise, which was both an annoyance and a relief as she felt eyes upon their little group.

    ¡°If I go over the first floor one more time my head will explode. The only way to know if I¡¯m ready is to face the floor. Hyacinth, it¡¯s time to head to the guild entrance.¡±

    The shadow toad materialized at the edge of the forest through the shadows, his hunger heightened by all the teasing he did in the woods, without being able to hunt to kill. The group waited for him to hop over before heading out.

    Nae¡¯s Garden, the tallest tower in the city of towers, all others are imitations of the dungeon''s grandeur. Entrances shot out as tunnels like spokes, each entrance long since built over and controlled by the guild.

    Hugs goodbye all around, except for Sir Maxwell, who tried to sneak one in but was stopped by Harmony¡¯s glare. You earned that privilege.

    Straight to the booth marked ¡®dungeon entrance¡¯. A crystal in front of the attendant glowed brightly, in response the back of Harmony¡¯s hand tingled slightly underneath her glove.

    ¡°Welcome Eternal, you honor me with your presence.¡±

    What was he calling her? An honorific for the lifetime membership? Never mind.

    ¡°I¡¯m here to enter the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°By yourself?¡±

    ¡°Grrupt,¡± Hyacinth complained at being ignored.

    ¡°Of course, Eternal. You know best. ¡° The man in the booth reached below the desks and pulled out a small pouch, handing it over. ¡°Your complimentary supplies for your run.¡±

    Inside, were several restoration potions of much greater quality than the ones that sat in her small bag.  Golds worth. The maid in her wanted to humbly say thank you. Complimentary meant this was standard for divers of her status. ¡°Acceptable.¡±  She squeezed out, keeping her tone flat.

    The attendant nodded proudly.

    That was enough of a dismissal that Harmony continued into the entrance, a long tunnel lit by glow stones. That simple entrance had been a relief, no guild master showing up, no one questioning who she was or if she should do this. The smoothest social interaction she¡¯d had in a while. The tunnel ended in a large open area, presenting five paths of stairs leading up, each formed of roots, well worn, and wide enough to allow for a five-person adventuring team to walk up side by side.

    ¡°Gak.¡± Hyacinth complained.

    ¡°I know you hate stairs, but in Naewauld¡¯s Garden we climb the levels of the dungeon.¡±

    Flipping the marker on the oldest path, like they''d do if they dived into Old Bones, the pair ascended that route.

    Together they emerged into a lush jungle, only a narrow game trail ahead.  A real forest with this much traffic would have had a road pounded into it by the armored feet of five-man teams. In the dungeon growth quickly overtook any man-made disturbances.

    Hyacinth disappeared into the shady undergrowth. Bait, always, bait, but with a trusty pair of eyes on her.  [Stride Before The Fall] could give her an extra set of eyes, but it only lasted so long before wearing out. No reason to waste the newest weapon. Harmony pulled out a bone knife. {Manipulate Dead]  lengthened, hardened, and sharpened the blade.

    Woozes would be incoming. Unless the dungeon had surprises it would start with one, then slowly increase the number in the pack.  Teeth and claws tacked onto a ball of excessive fur.

    Hyacinth heard it first, huffing and rustling through the jungle. [Familiar Bond] Let him send the general direction and the time the wooze should arrive to his partner. He was confident she could handle one.

    So, much fur gave her a way to track it with her class senses when combined with her Familiar¡¯s warning.  Even as the hair muffled the sound, it was dead, and outside of decomposing bits of plant life on the ground the biggest source in this life-filled jungle she could detect.  Sideways out of the bushes slid the first wooze.

    [Beautician] got to work, with a healthy synergy with [Manipulate Dead]. At this point, molding hair into fantastic shapes was second nature. Wild hairstyles on Ambrosia had been more than caving into the fan¡¯s wants; it was practice.  White fur moved like tentacles wrapping around the closest bits of shrubbery, tying the beast in place.

    The furry monstrosity snapped furiously, creating a constant rattle, helpless as it was tied up a little more than two paces away.

    In preparation for this trip there had been theories, planning, and training, but now that the wooze was here it was time to experiment.

    The complicated combination of skills tying up the fur in knots around branches was a bit energy-intensive to use the entirety of this floor, let alone once she got to the brood-mother.  [Cold Touch] was useless as the fur insulated them. Manipulate Dead in its destructive base form would explode a fist-sized patch of hair and the fur wasn¡¯t dense enough to cause damage, absorbing most of it, and focusing on things like the beast''s teeth or claws, could do more damage, but took extra attention and focus to merely partially disarmed them.

    There had been some horror stories about naive adventurers using fire skills on them, if a wooze caught fire, it would eventually kill them, but you had twenty minutes of angry balls of fire with teeth and claws attacking you. It also destroyed what dungeons farmers liked to collect and sell. That fine white fur. The capital''s main export. Easy to dye, weave, and as soft as silk. You might as well be melting coins to light woozes on fire.

    [High Kick]. Harmony let the skill take over and kicked the trapped beast''s side.  It let out a squeal of pain and she could feel one rib break. The force of the kick ripped several branches it had been tied too off, enough that the monster could now partially move enough to try to lunge at her again.

    She activated the maid-necromancer combination again on the hair, this time straightening it. A pillar of hair, longer than the wooze¡¯s legs grew out and stabbed into the ground anchoring the beast in the air as it peddled furiously to no avail. Too much padding. [High Kick] was out.  All the guides said the fur was resistant to slashing.  Two steps forward and she pierced the monster through the eye and into its skull.  As sharp as the bone knife was, none of her skills provided any ability with blades, so slaughtering the immobile target the same way she¡¯d kill any pest was best.  There¡¯d been more things to test, but Hyacinth was already warning two more were on the way.

    It was a methodical slaughter. A grind like any chore from Coodly Manor, where pest control had often been assigned to the maid. Most energy efficient was matting and knotting the Wwoze¡¯s up in self-made cocoons.  Hyacinth got involved out of boredom.

    ¡°Grrrak- Hck -hkkk-¡±  The wet hairball of mashed-up wooze splatted out nearby. The Shadow toad groaned uncomfortably. The beasts were more of a choking hazard than any real threat to the oversized familiar.

    ¡°I told you not to try to eat one.¡±

    Hungry, He complained through their bond.

    Manipulate dead artfully sheared a corpse nearby. Revealing it was a skinny thing with thin skin and a pile of dense wiry muscles controlling the body.

    Not Fun. The predator complained but ate it anyway.

    That did spark a new idea. [Manipulate dead] Poofed the charging Wooze, blowing off every bit of hair, as though she¡¯d just blown on dandelion fluff. Chained onto that skill a fraction of a second later [Cold Touch] hit.  Woozes needed that fur to maintain the optimal body temperature, one of the reasons lighting them on fire merely inconvenienced them is that it was near a furnace underneath that extremely long and thick layer of fur. Cold hit with a vengeance. Shutting down organs, and locking up joints, the shock alone might have killed the beast eventually, but she settled on quick knife work on the twitching body.

    Even using two different skills was the most efficient way yet to kill, as only a low-effort amount of mana and authority was needed to kill them.  Perhaps if she maintained an area of cold around her then poof, strip them naked, and have them drop dead would be most efficient. [Cold Touch] wanted to seep out of her and freeze everything these days.

    That was the thirtieth wooze, so that experiment would have to wait for the next run of this floor. Even Hyacinth couldn¡¯t sense any more prey nearby.

    Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    With a push of willpower, she pulled back all the loose fur and tied it into a neat package. Hyacinth lumbered out of the shadows, He¡¯d been dozing off his earlier disaster of an attempt at lunch. Twenty-nine bundles of fur sat strapped to his back, almost creating a cloak of white on his black body. No point in leaving money behind when you¡¯re already down to selling your body for a place to live.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go kill this Brood mother. I¡¯m sure everyone is nervous about my first dive into this dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Rrrupt.¡± Hyacinth croaked with intent clear through their bond.

    ¡°Yes, and I have a dinner to get back to. ¡°

    Perpetual social dinners at Ma Bell.  It almost made her want to spend the night in the dungeon, totally against recommendations. Max promised to get her the information on who would be at this one with enough time for preparation. That did require finishing this floor in a timely fashion.

    Unlike the undead dungeon, Nae¡¯s Garden had a predictable lineup for what to expect. One option had been to ignore the boss on the first trip and head back to the entrance it had been what Adric pushed for. Everyone else agreed it would be best to tour the dungeon floor and complete it tomorrow.  But thirty dead woozes and still no level of her class, if she had to defeat the champion of the first floor she would do it.  The description of the brood mother in the guides is Extra Large Wooze who stood guarding the clearing before the stairs allowing you to go to the next level or out.  Too big to comfortably fit in the jungle, it was resistant to range attacks trying to snipe it from the edge of the woods.

    ¡°Corpse-strewn luck.¡±  Harmony nearly turned back to the entrance. Legs had to be the size of tree trunks. Comfortably unable to fit was an understatement, the beast''s size would prevent it from entering the trees it towered over.  Time backtracking held a chance of being late to dinner and being blindsided again by the guests.

    [Stride Before the Fall] Too close! With a face full of fur, [Manipulate Dead] ripped a healthy-sized chunk away shearing as close as she could get. The leg revealed was bigger than the size of tree trunks in the dense dungeon jungle.

    How do those solo evolved¡­?  [Small Armor] caught the twitch before Harmony¡¯s brain clicked onto it, so she was already rolling her armored shin toward the point of impact. Even armored, getting kicked by the brood mother wooze hurt. Almost enough for her to give up that strided version of herself. A shave like that shouldn''t have alerted the beast.  A wave of her hand had Adric clean-shaven every morning without a hint of tugging. Yet here¡­ Harmony charged [Mana Rotation] feeling it supercharge her next ability as she tumbled away. If she was going out she would take as much hair as possible and this time it would hurt.  Harmony¡¯s Skill gripped tight as she let the momentum she¡¯d gained from being punted play into the force to rip the hair out.

    The floor Guardians'' painful yelp shook the trees. Not that it slowed its pounce on the offending necromancer tumbling on the ground.

    While one of her couldn''t tell up from down, Harmony watched from the trees and decided that the shaken and shocked version of her was done. [Stride] ended and the brood mother was left unsatisfyingly empty of revenge as its claws landed on nothing.

    Echos of the pain lingered in the maids'' memory.  Outside of removing one chunk of hair along the rear leg and a greater bloody bare patch on the beast''s underside, there wasn''t any real damage.  No way will there be tying that wooze into a nice little package.  Even now it searched and sniffed the air in frustration.

    [Manipulate Dead] and [Dust]  pulsed around her and Hyacinth, catching what she could. The technique didn¡¯t eliminate scents but restricted what she could of the components the skills affected.  Would [Stride] have a scent trail to the new location leading back to her? There hadn¡¯t been any testing,  hunts with Adric and Bowe, or other experiments. Not enough time.

    The guides all talked about tactics to defeat the boss as a team. The most survivable one or two members got the brood mother angry at them while the rest took the monster down. Once the brood mother targeted someone it wouldn¡¯t stop and ignored all others until the target was eliminated.  It was an unfavorable position to be in. Many teams hired professionals rather than risk friends in that role. Defensive-minded folk who could take the brunt of the attacks, or those quick enough to lead the beast on a chase for however long it took the others to win.  Going into the woods only had the giant furball switch targets.

    It was the same trait that caused the little woozes to doggedly attack those who entered the first floor.

    The brood mother sniffed at the spot where Harmony landed, its mass of wicked teeth wide and snarling.  That would be a problem.

    [Stride Before the Fall] could have been an option. One of her to distract and another to work on killing the best. Doubt that she could do enough damage before the target failed, and if they were both her, would it really distract the brood mother from either target? The two ¡°hers¡± didn¡¯t smell different. While not the only source of tracking the brood mothers primarily used scent.  It was all a problem.  She''d also have to wait until she felt she could use the skill again.

    ¡°Grrupt,¡± Hyacinth complained softly beside her sending his feelings to her. The fur on his back was hot, and he was hungry again. It had been bad enough to eat the one she¡¯d killed first, the woozsicles were a big no as he didn¡¯t like his food cold.

    ¡°Too bad you nearly choked on the damn hairballs or you could have had your fill.¡±  The necromancer hissed back.

    Hyacinth was weighed down by the massive pile of white fur she¡¯d bundled onto him. The pile was bigger than she was.

    ¡°Ackpt.¡±  Why are you looking at me that way? Her familiar asked through their [Bond].

    It took some work and enough time that Harmony worried about Ma Bell''s dinner tonight.  Exhaustion prepped to settle in. A life-sized doll made of hair.  Scraped clean of any old Wooze funk. The hard part was then making it smell like herself.  More than a little bit raw and tender from exfoliating as much of herself over to it, even trimming her hair some. [Renew Spirit] and her Connections stat to give the doll an aura of her life force was either inspired or a massive waste of time.

    ¡°Grack¡±  Hyacinth complained about his role in this scheme.

    ¡°That big beastie will totally ignore you and go after Hair-mony White over there.  You just need to hop out and get its attention.¡±

    Her familiar had noted the complete lack of shadows in the clearing. He''d even hinted that she should [Stride] in and haul The fur on her back rather than have him hop about with it attached to a long stick strapped to his back.  The doll was larger than her, that was a no-go.

    ¡°Get! Before the magic runs out.¡±

    The disgruntled toad took off contemplating this idiocy. Maybe he should have found a nice frog to partner up with to have tea and cats with. Possibly exchange letters. Harmony worried too much. A streak of pain from the burden of their binds flashed as if to correct him there.

    The inky black toad on the sunny field of green stood out, clashing with the vibrancy, the white hair-doll attached, not so much.

    Hyacinth hopped forward and the brood mother''s attention snapped its attention towards him. ¡°Aaaaaaaak!¡± He screamed and darted sideways.

    I¡¯m not prey! I¡¯m not prey! He projected through their bond.

    Stay in my area!  Harmony projected back and headed in the direction he took off along the edge of the tree line.

    The brood mother was faster than both of them.  Harmony flinched as it pounced, thankfully at the giant white blur. Chronostasis kicked in slowing her perception of everything. The necromancer delved into the connection she had with [High Kick] and [Small Armor], watching the angle, and momentum of the strike. A trickle of relief as she saw it would land just short of her panicking familiar and on target.

    Flexing her kick to push off a tree at the edge of the clearing, she flung herself into the fray as the brood mother¡¯s mouth surrounded the life-sized hair doll.

    Choke on this! If she hadn¡¯t spent so much of her maid service working on hair, Harmony doubted she could have managed the tactic. While not a thing of beauty, [Beatician] working in conjunction with [Manipulate Dead] reached out to knot the thing in the floor guardian¡¯s throat. [Mend] helped gum things up even further.

    Still attached to the doll, Hyacinth found himself lifted up as the giant woozie started to buck. He kicked mid-air detaching himself from the trap, tumbling to the ground.

    The wooze retched, trying to dislodge the hair-person while Harmony fought to keep it in.  She could feel the tipping point as she sealed it away from breathing.  Not that it was giving up as it wheezed in the last bit of air it could. Acceptance of death and rage.  All things must die and sometimes you go peacefully and other times¡­

    It''s life over, the brood mother lashed out. Expecting it to go at her, Harmony readied [Small Armor]. It didn''t go after Her.

    The enraged floor guardian streaked toward the toad hopping away even as it processed its final breath.  Hyacinth wasn¡¯t stupid in that he''d assumed he was safe. Neither was he quick enough. Leaping away last second, three sharp claws raked his armored back, slicing it easily.

    Those bonded to familiars weren¡¯t supposed to feel their partner¡¯s pain.  Her unlocked stat of connections threw that expectation out the window.  A fire burned down her back, heat buffeted by Hyacinth''s rage.

    I am not prey!

    Harmony activated [High Kick] as its purest form, aiming for the back of the unpadded leg she''d shaved earlier

    Hyacinth launched his attack. No fleeing here. His version of that same attack. Familiars didn''t get their bonded skills, but they got something. That had always been clear as Harmony grew.

    The maid''s armored foot collapsed the leg forward at the Joint, cracking the bone where the femur and tibia met.  Hyacinth¡¯s strike took advantage of the flinch that caused, his armored bleeding back ramming into where the wooze¡¯s throat should be as he plunged into the fur.

    Both maid and familiar had seen enough of the beasts stripped bald to get a sense of where the vulnerable parts were.

    The brood mother jerked back, Harmony expected Hyacinth to land groundward after his strike. The giant beast twitched and Hyacinth remained enveloped in its furry white mass.  Focusing her senses on the hair she could detect vigorous pulling and yanking, corresponding with the twitching movements of the already distressed and choking wooze.

    Harmony hopped back a few feet, still concentrating on making sure its airways were blocked. Its rage didn¡¯t help it control its body this far into its inevitable death.  The twitches and fails continued until it collapsed into a white lump.

    Help. Hair!  Hyacinth sent through his bond.

    Harmony cleared the patch her familiar was in. The toad fell out a ball of fluff, the extra-long individual strands wrapped around his body and limbs. The maid continued to cut the strands and tangles off him with her skill. ¡°You didn¡¯t plan to get stuck up in there did you?¡±

    ¡°Grupt.¡± He responded saltily.

    [Mend] with [Renew Spirit] sealed up the wounds on his back as best she could. She wasn¡¯t a healer, so forced him to drink one of the healing potions, despite grumbling that he was ¡°Fine and predators don¡¯t need help.¡±

    Brood mother dead, she¡¯d need to harvest it next, harvesting and packaging the hair, claws, and teeth had some value too.  It was dead. The two of them had managed it alone. And yet¡­ her class had not leveled.  Inside, where her skills, class, and profession existed it twisted uncomfortably under the weight of authority rampaging about.

 Chapter Fifty-Five * Fifteen

    Chapter Fifteen

    The guest list for Ma Bell¡¯s table had no surprises in that outside of Prince Adric she didn¡¯t know any of them. No former teammates from Old Bones, no frequent guests from Coodly Manor who knew her better as a maid, no errant princesses with their meddling Handmaidens. That wasn¡¯t to say Harmony wasn¡¯t informed. Sir Maxwell had been thorough in this dossier of tightly written words, and [Recall] would let her use that information to the best of her abilities. The food however was the most delicious trap because after the day Harmony had in Nae''s Garden, she was starving.

    ¡°Pass me the steamed greens,¡± Harmony asked of Captain Ellis.  The guard captain was a social investigator for the commander of the city guard. It was a cushy position where they kept an eye on new powerful people visiting the capital. It was almost an honor, but the lady maid knew she had nothing to hide. Get in, evolve, get out, and then head back to Hazeldown for Hemlock¡¯s madness. No ulterior motives to investigate at all.

    ¡°Of course, Lady White. As I was saying, the guard is at your service. If you ever feel any security concerns simply ask and we''ll have men to assist you.¡±

    With one hand she waved that concern away as the plate of food was moved closer to her, Bates carrying it the rest of the distance. The idea that she needed bodyguards was ridiculous. They¡¯d probably be spies. Not that there was anything to hide. They couldn¡¯t protect her from the reporters who sometimes hound her. Ambrosia got more mail from overzealous fans and had to hire bouncers for some events. Becoming a lady had made her popular, at least in Hazeldown, but here she was nobody special. It wasn¡¯t like anyone had any reason to harm her.

    The citrus-infused greens hit the exact spot she needed A pleasure that distracted from her inner turmoil as she let Ma Bell¡¯s skill increase that pleasure even further.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay my dear captain. The Grave Society will keep an eye out for her. She is our sister from Hazeldown. Her peerage means so much to us. A visit would mean even more.¡±

    Necrowitch Peartree smelled like decomposing vegetables to the maid¡¯s sense of death. Not enough to ruin the meal, but enough to make Harmony wince whenever she picked up on it. The evolved necromancer ran a social organization of them here. Necromancer wasn¡¯t a popular class to pick due to its stigma. But unlike in Hazeldown, it was a common class to be given a choice here, enough that they had numbers and a support network. Certain skills like [Rot] allowed you to excel in the dungeon at low levels. Even undead wooze played as pets in the street.

    As the first other necromancer she¡¯d met, Harmony felt hesitant about accepting her inclusion. No one had gone to Hazeldown to recruit her for such a group. And she wasn¡¯t planning on staying.

    ¡°I¡¯m so busy Madam Peartree. As much as your invitation honors me. I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll have time.¡± Hemlock¡¯s announcement couldn¡¯t come sooner. Then they¡¯d at least all know why she has to dedicate time to evolving. That way she didn''t need to talk about the potential terminal nature of her current situation to have it make sense.

    ¡°It will really be no time at all." Peartree insisted.

    Okay, this lack of surprises was annoying because these strangers all wanted something from her. Rotting ashes, signing up for this every evening. She let a slight glare leak out as she looked toward Ambrosia, the one who¡¯d actually signed her up for this. ¡°I¡¯ll talk to my personal maid about my schedule and see what I can fit in.¡±  It was the response she¡¯d seen many times serving as a maid, where the answer ended up whatever the request was, it was never going to end up in the schedule.

    Harmony speared a piece of steak determined to enjoy the one good thing about these dinners. The spiced meat was warm and savory in a way that chipped away at her hunger simply by having it in her mouth. If she ever had the funds, she would hire a personal chef when she got back to Hazeldown.

    ¡°How was your first trip to our fair dungeon?¡± Blythe was another merchant. Ma Bell liked inviting them to her table as she got discounts on goods for the inn. His eyes mostly stayed on Ambrosia. Apparently, he¡¯s a fan and caught one of her shows on a run to pick up coal from Hazeldown. As her favorite muse, it¡¯s not like he didn¡¯t know Harmony, but his focus was on the Songstress, leading to polite conversation which allowed him to look in Ambrosia''s direction.

    ¡°I was having a time of it until I got to the broodmother. The wooze were not a fan of cold. A little frost and they keel over.¡±

    ¡°Wooze are quite resistant to cold. In fact, most elemental effects don¡¯t do much to them.¡± Aaron, the final member of Ma Bell¡¯s party, corrected. An adventure making his own journey up Nae¡¯s Garden. Aaron''s family held some sway in the guild. Another place Harmony wasn¡¯t interested in getting too involved with. The attention of one guild master had caused enough problems.

    ¡°But once you remove the hair, not a problem.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you must chill my wine. I didn¡¯t know necromancers had such a skill.¡± Blythe asked, extending his wine across the table to me.

    ¡°It¡¯s not a popular path,¡± Madam Peartree clarified.

    Harmony didn¡¯t pick it to be popular. [Rot] against an undead dungeon was nearly useless, let alone trying to raise already controlled dead being impossible. It had been the best option she had. The ability to cool drinks was an invaluable skill for a maid. Doesn¡¯t matter if other classes had more powerful ice-based skills. [Cold Touch] was hers.

    Harmony reached out and let her skill push into Blythe¡¯s drink. Stilling it until it was cold enough for air to mist off the nearly frozen wine.

    Snap. Crackle. Pop. The overstuffed dam of her class shifted. Necromancer Leveled up. The choice was upon her. Killing the brood mother didn''t do it, the final straw was a drink. Not an ideal location, as she itched to make her choice, ever since she¡¯d gotten authority the pressure to do so when she leveled was always greater.

    Choose your class¡¯s fifth skill: Raise dead - Rot - Final Silence.

    If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Blythe sipped the wine, ¡°Oh, that''s refreshing.¡±

    [Raise Dead] again. Harmony wanted it even less now. The poor undead prince was enough of a handful even if the skill only made obedient mindless puppets and not whatever he was. And [Rot], Peartree¡¯s moldy scent didn¡¯t make that appealing even if it was supposed to be excellent for this dungeon. [Final Silence], well every class could get a [Silence] choice as a way to interrupt skills and abilities. It wasn¡¯t common and they had different strengths and weaknesses. [Silent Strike] which more melee classes could get required you to hit a target but lasted longer than a wizard''s [Cone of Silence]

    ¡°You should see how good she¡¯s at styling hair and skin,¡± Adric added.

    ¡°Beauty treatments and makeovers, bah. I¡¯d rather hear more details about how the Lady handled her first trip to the dungeon  You solod the floor until you got to the brood mother?¡± The adventurer pressed.

    ¡°My familiar was with me. I wouldn¡¯t call that solo as he always has my back.¡±

    Aaron frowned. ¡°Your class is only level fifteen. I know evolved do it, but they have special training.¡±

    Harmony doubted there was anything actually special about the training. They just expected to go in alone and were willing to take more risks.

    ¡°A necromancer with the right skills has always done well in Nae¡¯s Garden.¡± Peatree picks up a chicken leg. ¡°It only takes one small cut and¡­¡± The meat rotted in her hand, releasing a foul stench. She caught the remains with a plate and as quickly as she did it a servant whisked it away.

    Peartree seemed unaffected but everyone else gagged from the smell.

    ¡°That is not appropriate table manners, madam. You asked for this seat.¡±  Ma Bell chastised her. Harmony could feel that she¡¯d dropped the calming effect of her innkeeper skill, perhaps forced to by the stench.

    ¡°Your humble forgiveness, my gracious host.  It was me being over-eager to show how necromancers need not be looked down on. It¡¯s been forever since we¡¯ve had a lord or lady among our ranks.¡±

    Whatever social skill the Necrowitch had it projected utmost sincerity. So much so that Harmony doubted if there was any actual sincerity.

    ¡°Fine, but don¡¯t let it happen again. This is a table for eating, not showing off.¡±

    Aaron, nose still pinched, snipped his wine to get the taste from Peatree¡¯s skill out of his mouth. ¡°I¡¯m not saying The Grave Society hasn¡¯t supported runs well. I was mostly curious about the lady¡¯s run because of her unusual choice of skills, a lifetime guild member with so few combat abilities.¡±

    Her skills? Did everyone know them? ¡°My skills have been acceptable. We managed to defeat the brood mother, though not without some difficulty.¡±

    ¡°I highly doubt.¡± Aaron continued

    ¡°Probably got lucky and hit a small one,¡±  Blythe added in an attempt to help.

    Silence might be good to make everyone at the table shut up. This questioning of Harmony''s combat ability started grating on her nerves. It¡¯s not like she hadn¡¯t trained as much as she could. But it did leave one question. ¡°They come in different sizes?¡±

    ¡°Oh, yeah. The longer a path is left undefeated the bigger they can get. Sometimes the guild will leave one alone to farm its extra long hair, and once they hit the height of the forest trees they can get difficult even for most teams. That¡¯s why it¡¯s common for groups to take the second-oldest path. No one wants to end their run up through the other floors because they had the bad luck to get one of the big ones and need to turn back.¡±  Blythe chatted happily.

    ¡°Adric, dear, why didn¡¯t you tell me this?¡± Harmony made sure to poke him through their bond.

    ¡°The plan wasn¡¯t for you to complete the floor. You agreed to leave if it looked like there was something you couldn¡¯t handle.¡± Adric answered sheepishly.

    ¡°Good thing she was lucky.¡± Blythe chipped in.

    Aaron¡¯s slight nod seemed to agree with that statement.

    It took effort and [Poise and Bearing] to bite her tongue to keep from defending her honor. Part of her wanted to be acknowledged and praised, but it¡¯s not like she wanted this crowd of strangers digging into her and questioning how she did what she did. Always better to be underestimated, both the lady and maid in her agreed on that.

    That little verbal clash brought the perfect distraction as all the food dishes and drinks were subbed out by fresh ones, finally clearing any lingering smell or taste. The kind of expert service Harmony respected.

    Dinner continued, though slightly soured.

    Ma Bell restarted the conversation by encouraging Captain Ellis''s and Aaron''s shared passion for Naewauld¡¯s pet battle league.

    ¡°I wish Earthshaker Atlas could beat the Fire Brigade, but he¡¯s not making it out of that match. It¡¯s like that pet was designed specifically to beat him.¡± Aaron complained.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past some of the gyms to arrange for exactly that.¡± Captain Ellis responded.

    ¡°Boys and their sports.¡± Madam Peartree prodded Harmony, picking up on some disinterest.

    It was more that Harmony didn¡¯t want to be reminded of her failed plan to raise Bowe and participate in that life. ¡°It allows them a distraction from work. No matter their class or profession they can bond over pets fighting it out.¡±

    ¡°And what is your distraction from work?¡± The evolved necromancer asked.

    Nothing. Harmony couldn¡¯t say that, as much as it felt that way with all the pressure on her and Hyacinth. Maybe after all this trouble passes. ¡°I perform with my friend''s band, as a dancer to be supportive. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about that. It¡¯s a new thing, usually, I¡¯m happiest with a good book. Skill theory more than fiction.¡±

    ¡°The dancing shocked me at first. And the songs. But it seems to have done more to rehabilitate the perception of our class than most of the attempts we¡¯ve made. That¡¯s one reason why it would be important for you to visit your fellow practitioners. Instill some hope in them.¡±

    The fact that Appletree was trying to press some social skill onto her was obvious, as subtle as it might be the woman¡¯s class bled into it and all harmony could feel was assaulted by a decomposing spiritual sense.  It was death, so it¡¯s not like it was the most repulsive thing in the world to that part of her. But it did remind her of all the dirty jobs she¡¯d cleaned up, particularly Lord Tyler¡¯s room after he¡¯d wallowed in it for a few days without support.  The woman probably couldn¡¯t help it any more than Harmony could when the chill leaked out.

    ¡°If I have time. Then I¡¯ll consider it.¡±

    ¡°The Grave Society has a necromancer¡¯s guide to conquering Nae¡¯s Garden. Let me send it to you tonight as a sign of good faith.¡±

    Books on necromancy in Hazeldown had been scarce. Plenty on how to defeat the undead monsters of the dungeon, but the town had so few necromancers that books on skills and leveling were, well, Harmony had never run across one. She¡¯d even been tempted to trade favors with Tyler to get one before spotting the Raise Undead Pet scroll.  ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that. ¡° The choice to pick her fifth class skill pressed into her. Maybe it was time to make that choice while well-informed?

 Chapter Fifty-Six * Sixteen

    Chapter Sixteen

    ¡°Total gnome shit.¡±

    The Necromancy Guide wasn¡¯t very thick. Expertly edited to get to the point. One Harmony relaxed in the tub, while the other thumbed through the book getting annoyed. [Stride Before the Fall] needed more development. After how painful getting hurt had been, she knew that if she didn¡¯t force herself to use the skill she might get resistant to using it out of fear. It still didn¡¯t last that long, having refused to level despite its use. With the pressure to choose she set the book down and dissipated to enjoy her soak.

    ¡°What¡¯s so bad about it? Ambrosia asked, picking up the book.

    ¡°It has only one pathway recommended to defeat Nae¡¯s Garden.¡±  She¡¯d only managed to get through the first two floors in the guide. The gnome shit aspect of it was that it is good advice, perfected by hundreds of trials.  Damage a wooze, any small wound would do. If you¡¯re lucky enough to get [wound], or throw a bone and use [manipulate dead] to explode it toward them.  A cast of [Rot]. Wooze¡¯s were more susceptible to it than other living things and it would poison them rather quickly. It would ruin the meat and a good chunk of fur. Then you can [raise dead] and either make the corpses explode or use the raised beast for combat and repeat the process.

    For the second floor, which had plant monsters, [Rot] at the base of the roots made it easy. Where some poison users might falter on this floor necromancers excelled.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like bad advice, Harm,¡± Ambrosia said after a perusal.

    ¡°It¡¯s not.¡± The book revolved around [Raise Dead] and [Rot].

    Ambrosia had voiced her opinion once that it was as odd that a Necromancer didn¡¯t have [Raise Dead] as a beast tamer would be without [Bond Pet].

    ¡°I just don¡¯t feel like it is my path.¡± Harmony continued with a wince. The idea of individual paths and following one¡¯s heart when choosing skills went against her principle of picking the best ones for her career. Maybe she rationalized what she desired a little.  [Familiar Bond] had meant she¡¯d never be alone. [Manipulate dead] gave her the skill to dive Old Bones. Even [Cold Touch] was selected to make her a better Maid. No one wanted to see any undead walking the streets of Hazledown anyway, the undead pet scroll had been a calculated risk.

    Ambrosia walked over and dipped a finger into the tub. ¡°Ow, you¡¯ll freeze yourself into a block of ice that way. I thought you¡¯d wanted a hot bath.¡±

    Enchantments meant to keep the water hot were being overpowered. [Cold Touch] acting up again in response to her emotions, authority, and stress. Numbing herself to make a hard decision. At least she couldn¡¯t feel the cold.

    Ambrosia fetched a towel as Harmony stood up from the newly made ice-cold bath.  But that¡¯s something to contemplate, isn¡¯t it? What if [Rot] did the same thing? Random smells, poisoning grass and flowers. Even if she got it contained she pictured eating delectable greens from Ma Bell¡¯s table and having it turn rotten as it hit her tongue. Defeating Nae¡¯s Garden was temporary, and really she only had to level up to evolve.

    ¡°I can¡¯t take the advice. I¡¯ll find my own way.¡±  She felt stupid and petulant saying that out loud. No risking small pleasures like eating tasty food over a useful skill.  Inside she could feel the pressure build to make the skill choice. There should be more time, usually one has a day or so to decide. Need increased chaos inside her, fragile, everything felt fragile.

    ¡°Amb, I leveled at the dinner, and I have to make my choice tonight.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ ¡° Her friend let the sentence die in her mouth. Prince Adric would not be useful here, and Bates wouldn¡¯t be much help. Time debating was not time thinking about the options.

    Dry once more, Harmony picked the book back up. It¡¯s not like it wasn¡¯t useful. Inside she could feel the clock ticking to decide, it was time to learn what she could.

    The book was amazing in many ways, breaking down the technical details more than most of what she read of Tyler''s oddball collection. You need five levels of  [Raise Dead] to raise a Wooze, at ten you could raise two. Level twelve before you could raise a third-floor great eagle, but be careful to not damage the wing feathers or it couldn¡¯t fly. It gave hard numbers on what it would work on and suggestions for substitutes like having a bird of prey corpse with you when you reach the third floor.

    It gave you a timeline based on the level of [Rot] on how long to the second it would take to kill different dungeon creatures once infected.  It almost sold her on the idea.

    She looked up her other skills. [Manipulate Dead] had a section on how close the bone or corpse needed to be to damage a target and a note that with practice one can direct and control the direction of the blast after using the skill. All her other skills were listed as inadvisable or not useful for the dungeon. [Final Silence] was notated as a rare option that would disrupt a target for a short time. It didn¡¯t have the same numbers and details some of the other skills had listed with them which means it wasn¡¯t researched, used, or selected much. At least it did say there was some use. The words on the pages started to blur from exhaustion.  Laying in bed she set the book down.

    Choose your class¡¯s fifth skill: Raise dead - Rot - Final Silence

    This time Harmony couldn¡¯t brush it away for later. The book had been clear that [Raise Dead] and [Rot] needed to be leveled before being most useful in the dungeon. A task she didn¡¯t have time for, nor want to subject anyone to outside of the dungeon. Is this the wrong decision? But her useless skills dominated the first floor of the dungeon? The Grave Society and their perfectly planned book, they could all shut up about it. [Final Silence] The necromancer made her choice.

    Inside she could feel the skill grow. Closely linked to [Cold Touch]  both halting things, sound, and skills rather than that cold final rest. Except [Final Silence] was the end. The idea life couldn¡¯t continue and couldn¡¯t be warmed back up. A contradiction, because Silence skills did wear off, but the idea kept to the finality of death in its creation.

    Almost an antithesis of  [Renew Spirit], yet she felt like they could go together if she could figure out where the pieces fit. Connections from her Maid skills slipped in [Poise and Bearing] respecting silence, a quiet maid was always expected. Even as a lady knew when not to speak.  Everything was interconnected in some way, but that was a tired thought. If only she could¡­  Sleep caught her

    In the woods outside the Dragonfly Inn, a Shadow Toad chuckled as he grew in power. The burden he was carrying was slightly less of an effort to shoulder.

    Harmony awoke to chirping birds. Familiar chirping birds as Ambrosia had snuck her merry crew of pets in. The beast tamer was not in her maid''s uniform. ¡°Time to get up sleepyhead. Bates has breakfast waiting for you at the training grounds. I¡¯ve got band chores around town. You¡¯re going to run out of time if you want to get through all the team''s questions about your first run before heading back in today.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you have questions?¡±

    ¡°The others will fill me in later. Congratulations on the leveling. I¡¯m sure you made the right choice.¡±

    Harmony slid out of bed and stretched. You tell everyone that you¡¯re sure they made the right choice. That was the polite thing. It didn¡¯t mean that they did. Internally [Final Silence] felt like a shiny new toy, but one that waited patiently to be used. It was a relief that it wasn¡¯t leaking out and affecting her like other skills.

    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°You there, Harm. You¡¯re just standing there all quiet like.¡±

    Correction, maybe it wasn''t affecting her. ¡°Sorry. I chose [Final Silence] I¡¯m curious about how it will work.¡±

    ¡°Get down there, I¡¯m sure your personal knight will let you try it out on him.¡±

    ¡°Max is there?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think he¡¯s ever going to leave. This sharing authority with him, it¡¯s almost like you¡¯ve gained another pet.¡±

    At that Harmony stuck her tongue out at her friend. Rather than dressing herself, she donned Night. The unique armor popped into place as a comforting weight. ¡°Have a good day with the band.¡±

    After a kiss to Harmony¡¯s forehead Ambrosia and her birds flew out the door.

    The walk down to the training grounds was enlightening. Night was not a loud set of armor, not enough actual pieces of armor clanking together to make too much noise. Even after she accidentally attached her starry black dress to it, binding it together as one piece, there had been less free movement to make noise, but it wasn''t silent. Now it barely made a sound, even the heavy metal footfalls were less that and more akin to solid-soled shoes.

    Since being paired with the armor she¡¯d wondered exactly how her skill growth had affected it. It repaired itself a little quicker after [Mend] but she hadn¡¯t been sure if it was the skill or the levels. With [Recall] she seemed to be able to summon to herself and away at quicker speeds, but that might not have been part of the armor and instead that new skill. [Final Silence] however showed that it was distinctly less noisy. Would [Rot] have made it smell more?

    She dropped that thought as she approached the members of her team.

    Bates lifted the lid from a try of waiting food. ¡°My lady.¡±

    Sir Maxwell and Prince Adric grilled her on how the first run into Nae¡¯s garden went. Last night Max didn¡¯t have time to do more than inform her about that night''s guests before she needed to get to the dinner table.

    Harmony ate as she filled them in. Sir Maxwell took notes.  With an unnaturally quick flick, the knight¡¯s pencil glided down the paper.

    ¡°Max, what is your profession?¡± Harmony asked, realizing she didn¡¯t know.

    ¡°Scribe.¡± He said disappointingly about a profession Harmony would have killed for at selection.

    Harmony had to keep herself from prying into her knight''s choice woes. A maid shouldn¡¯t pry, but the lady in her felt some responsibility towards her sworn man. It wasn¡¯t something she could change and now was not the time anyway. Max¡¯s service was temporary until he evolved and no longer needed her, wasn¡¯t it?

    ¡°The brood mother was how big?¡± Maxwell asked.

    Between [Recall] and how [High Kick] measured distances Harmony had a pretty big estimate that she felt was close to its exact size.

    ¡°No way. I¡¯m sorry Harm, if I¡¯d known.¡± Adric started

    ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± Harmony lied still slightly annoyed. Her pet prince could probably tell that. ¡°It means I should be able to handle any lesser wooze brood mother fine, so I¡¯ve got the first floor down. ¡°

    ¡°Hair of that length is rare,¡± Maxwell added with concern.

    ¡°Hyacinth stored it somewhere after we arrived back from the dungeon. I¡¯d have to ask him where it is.¡±  She could sense the beast sleeping in the inn¡¯s stables reserved for large pets and mounts.

    ¡°Most important is that I leveled and selected [Final Silence]. Anyone want to help me try it out before I head back to Nae¡¯s Garden?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t like being hit by silence effects.¡± Prince Adric quickly admitted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll give it a try,¡± Max answered.

    ¡°You should run at her and have her use it when she feels like you¡¯re in range,¡± Adric added helpfully.

    Suspiciously helpfully, but it was a good idea so Harmony accepted. The advantage to using a skill for its base activation rather than the extra ways Harmony liked to use hers was that it gave you a solid baseline. You can¡¯t activate it until something is in range. While playing around with skills or synergizing techniques like how she used [Manipulate Dead] to shape hair affected things in unexpected ways. That could only be figured out through trial and error.

    The Knight charged from across the ring, focusing on [Final Silence] about thirty paces away she felt it kick in as usable. After about three more steps she felt it go off, so a little slow from activation to action.  Rather than spread out from her it was very much a single target that snapped into place. That meant it would probably be difficult to block or avoid.

    How would Max¡­ The Knight tripped forward stumbling, landing face-first in the dirt and sliding forward.

    Prince Adric started laughing from his spot off to the side.  ¡°You knew that would happen.¡± Harmony accused him as she made her way to Max. [Mend] would need to be used.

    ¡°As Royalty, we went through a lot of training around being silenced. It¡¯s an assassin¡¯s favorite tool. The first time you try moving in armor without the innate benefits of  the skills around it, let¡¯s say the first ten times they silenced me while running I ate turf as much as Max is.¡± That was more info about Prince Adric¡¯s training than he¡¯d ever given Harmony.

    Maxwell moaned silently from his position on the ground. He tried to speak but no sound came out.

    Adric frowned. ¡°It usually doesn¡¯t last this long.¡±

    A few moments later Maxwell announced it ended. So roughly half a minute. It took almost two minutes for Harmony to feel like she could cast it again. No way to keep a target permanently silenced yet, and how could she use it with her other skills?

    ¡°How does it feel?¡± She asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re naked, or when you reach out and expect to find something only to have it missing. That¡¯s the best way I can describe it. "

    ¡°You''re the expert,¡± Harmony said to her pet.

    ¡°My trainers called it a restriction. Some skills it doesn¡¯t work on or doesn¡¯t work on them as well, like pet bonds, familiars, and things that have already physically changed your body. It¡¯s hard to describe without having been silenced yourself. For most classes, it¡¯s a rare skill.¡± He clearly was struggling to remember some. ¡°They trained us to fight while silenced. Or at least figure out how to wait and survive while it was effective. One of your length would be tough. Cone of Silence was like five seconds, but you can see how if it hit a whole group of people there would be issues.¡±

    If you had to experience it to know. Harmony cast [Final Silence] on herself.  It resisted at first, but she was more than used to using her skills on herself every morning.

    All the little things her class and profession did for her shut down. Memory went a little fuzzy as [Recall], her newest skill went down. How to stand felt off and awkward, Night while still feeling like part of her pulled in ways she wasn¡¯t used to as her connection to both how to wear the armor and the physical nature of all her body control skills, be it combat or [Style and Grace] shut down. But it¡¯s not like she went clumsy, she¡¯d had some training before the skills and some practice rubbed off over time, but now she couldn¡¯t rely on them. For some classes and professions, this would be hell.  Hyacinth was still there and the bond with Adric, both almost felt dim and in the distance.  There it was. In silence. Relief. All those overactive skills shut down to some degree.

    ¡°Harmony?¡± Adric asked with an anxious tone in his voice.

    Opening her mouth to answer, nothing came out.

    ¡°She cast it on herself.¡± Max pointed out the obvious.

    Okay, not being able to talk was annoying. Taking some careful steps, it was easy to see how the knight had stumbled, but she managed to stay upright.

    ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± She squeaked out as she felt it end.

    ¡°No,¡± Adric stated firmly.

    ¡°What?¡± Harmony complained.

    ¡°You don¡¯t get to use that skill on yourself to help with your condition. You don¡¯t know what it will do or if it will help more than it hurts.¡±

    ¡°What condition?¡± Maxwell busted in.

    ¡°Not in front of my sworn knight, Addy.¡±

    ¡°I forbid it.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t..¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll tell Ambrosia, and lean on Hyacinth. I bet I can even get Bates here to work on you.¡±

    The Head Butler took his cue. ¡°I will support whatever is best to maintain the health of Lady White.¡±

    Betrayal. Well not so much. When did Prince Adric get so perceptive? ¡°Burn you all to ashes. Fine. I¡¯ll not use it on myself, right now. Bates, see if you can get a letter to expert Fei inquiring about using silence on myself with my delicate constitution if he¡¯s still available in Hazeldown.  I¡¯m going to kill some wooze now.¡±

 Chapter Fifty-Seven * Seventeen

    Chapter Seventeen

    The temptation was there. [Final Silence] to quiet the skills a little.

    ¡°Groak.¡± Bored. Hyacinth complained with the distinct flavor of dislike at being used as a pack animal with a fresh bundle of wooze hair on his back.

    It reminded Harmony that it wasn¡¯t just her who would suffer from her impulsive desires. Not that she wanted to implode or explode, or whatever the consequences were of the instability caused by becoming Lady White.

    That didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t use the new skill and play around with what she could do, only not on herself. It¡¯s not like she was without self-control. The invisible tattoo on her hand itched at that line of thought. It has been an easy cover-up using [Beautician] and [Manipulate Dead] to make it skin color and refresh that in her morning routine, enough so that it had left her mind until it itched. Checking in with the guild to enter Nae¡¯s Garden, however, made it more noticeable, but so far no consequences there.

    The wooze, hit by the silence, had stopped blind and waited placidly. It¡¯s not like you could see the ball-of-fur¡¯s eyes or nose in that mess before she de-haired them. Whatever skills or class helped them track down and see targets, boosting their senses, and causing their vicious rage was neutralized. The silenced wooze was docile. Do beasts have classes?  Maybe look that up in the future? With every class having some version of [Silence] there had had to be books on the topic or an expert she could hire.

    Four wooze jumped through the bushes in a coordinated attack, the sound of their travel muffled by their fur. Harmony detected them coming a while ago. [Mana Rotation] boosted [Manipulate Dead], and poof hair exploded everywhere detaching from the four targets. The chilly air from the field of [Cold Touch] putting a light frost on everything hit them with a punch. Every naked wooze locked up. Not actually dead. That would have taken too much effort, but they fainted immediately requiring a little duck and twirl to avoid the unconscious bodies as they flew through the air.

    Hyacinth snapped their necks and Harmony gathered all the floating hair into a neat bundle to add to the pile. This time she shouldn¡¯t need to throw it all away by choking the brood mother.

    Her toad could be bored. This doesn¡¯t need to be anything too different from any tedious task she performed as a maid. And it gave her time to think.

    Connections and synergy, Harmony''s personal stats let her explore [Final Silence]. If she hadn¡¯t passed out last night in the middle of forming the skill she would have done that then. While she could bend rules, the months she¡¯d had the stats taught her they were much safer to be used mapping out potential uses for skills. After [Mend] and [Recall] she¡¯d spent days locked in her room prodding those.

    Here there wasn¡¯t time to do that. But already she¡¯d figured out that with a minor application, she could target the space around her, deading the sound of her movement even as she crunched sticks and leaves along the path forward. Back at the manor, she could have had so much fun appearing so silently as to scare the wits out of others. Bates would eventually sit her down and put a stop to that but it would have been a glorious few days. The staff are supposed to be quiet, just not this silent.

    It improved [Cold Touch], but she¡¯d need to repeat some of the experiments for her journal to see how much. The reverse was also true, probably, simply by synergizing the skills slightly in use. Stillness in action. Sadly lots of ideas included self-experimentation with [Renew Spirit] and [Recall] on how this new ability added to them in ways to calm skills or understand them better. Can¡¯t disappoint her adorable pet, by bending rules to only sorta use it on herself.

    Hyacinth nudged her through [Familiar Bond]. They were nearly at the brood mother''s clearing.

    Different sizes. This one was big. Small house big. Two Harmony¡¯s tall, but not like the last one where post-shaving she was up to its knees. The larger body would probably mean it was more resistant to cold. It would also be difficult to remove all the hair as fast as she¡¯d done the smaller ones. Before she leveled there would have been more of a challenge, though probably not the need to risk Hyacinth like she had. Now everything was stronger.

    [Stride Before the fall] The two Harmonies were of one mind as they stepped into the clearing. [Mana Rotation] surged again, [Manipulate Dead] synergizing [Beautician] pushed forth at an already charging brood mother. It would look better naked. Hair fell away. [Cold Touch] combined with [Final Silence] struck out with the chill of the grave and finality of the last nail in a coffin. Together the act bled nearly all of her energy as the mana in her felt so thin she knew it would take time for the swirling currents inside her to recharge and perk up.

    The brood mother fell like the others had.

    ¡°Kragrk,¡± Hyacinth complained some more.

    ¡°I know it¡¯s not dead,¡± Harmony said, the strided her already fading away.  She¡¯d hoped the strike would kill it. But it¡¯s not like she¡¯d shot an ice spike or frozen blade into it. [High Kick] could probably put it out of its misery. Her one truly offensive skill of shoving her foot into something. That idea made her more tired. Too much effort showing off to herself to take it down.  The big bad maid, soloing the first-floor boss. Maybe a little less effort next time.

    Pulling out her bone knife she walked over to the comatose beast. Time for the messy work.

    Too tired to clean the blood off her properly, Harmony rested in the clearing grass. Hyacinth licked some of it from her.

    ¡°These solo dungeon diving trips burn. You¡¯re here but I could use a little more friendly company.¡±

    Being more of a solitary being she felt the shadow toad¡¯s shrug. He wasn¡¯t going to take offense at not satisfying her socially. The hunting trips with Adric, Ambrosia, and even Bates had been cozy at times and comforting to know friends were nearby even when things got heated.

    ¡°Shall we check out the second floor?¡±

    The shadow toad wasn¡¯t enthused, but it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d put much effort on the first floor.

    ¡°Not enough prey?¡± The woozes were unsatisfying and nearly indigestible cold. The second floor was worse. It only had plant-based monsters. Hyacinth was not a vegetarian.

    Plants were a concern. Working on the flowers for the lounge had stressed Harmony¡¯s skills in a way that had left her exhausted. Plants didn¡¯t die properly quick enough. Cuttings could be used to grow new ones. Long dead floorboards, bits of debris in dust, and sheets of paper were totally different from a living plant. They didn¡¯t even have hair and nails to work with.

    Like with the first floor, they¡¯d only have one monster. She needed to know what she was working against, without a skill that made the floor a walk in the park. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

    [Manipulate Dead] crafted a large hacking blade from one of the brood mother¡¯s teeth. The weapon felt uncomfortable in Harmony¡¯s hand, but what was she going to do to a plant, kick it to death?

    The second floor was eerily identical to the first, opening up to a thick jungle. Harmony reached out with her senses automatically, only to come back blind as it hit a land teaming with life. Her ability to detect hair and nails was a little unusual, but it had been impressively useful in hunting animals. Bowe''s feathers and near-death state had masked him when she''d tried to raise him months ago.

    Here there wasn¡¯t even a hair floating around in the air. Only the thick pack Hyacinth carried on his back.

    Vinestrictors were rooted to the ground here, their vines stretched out to grab and pull prey back to them. Twiggy¡¯s were another option to run into, six-limbed stick monsters that dashed about, unrooting and rooting as needed. They¡¯d root into a person if able to.  Either was an option early on the path. Time to test taking one on, and maybe both, if the fight goes well.

    Silently through the woods, harmony kept [Final Silence] lightly active, lest she break a twig and spook herself.  ¡°You sense anything?¡±

    ¡°Croak,¡± Hyacinth responded negatory.

    This was probably how others who didn¡¯t have ways to sense ambushes felt. Nothing, and then a wooze jumps from the underbrush. Not a pleasant feeling, not knowing what was coming.

    ¡°Graaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaakkk¡­.¡±

    Hyacinth¡¯s fading shriek caused harmony to twist towards her partner, but he was already gone, a trail of disturbed sticks and leaves leading into the thick bushes.

    The necromancer twisted and pushed off after him, following the [Familiar Bond] and flecks of wooze hair ripped off his back by branches like a trail of breadcrumbs.

    Lord Tyler¡¯s gift wasn¡¯t made for pushing through like this. Scrapes and cuts from broken and reaching branches streaked across her exposed skin. The skin-coating black starscape she''d accidentally added onto it didn¡¯t snag, catch, or tear, but she could feel it all the same.

    The trail ended at Hyacinth gripping a tree with his forelimbs, his leg encircled by a thick brown vine, pulling and stretching him out as he groaned.

    Bone cleaver in hand, harmony kicked out swinging it down towards the taunt living vine.

    She didn¡¯t see the second vine spring into action.  It hit her hip, wrapping it with a loop, yanking her out of the air and away from her familiar.

    Chronostasis kicked in and everything slowed down for her. The scream that involuntarily started felt deeper as it escaped her mouth. The bone blade jostled from her grip, sliding past her fingertips, too late to try to pull back into her hand with her fully extended arm. The vines were thick and wooden, with no flexible sponginess, they only moved that way. [Manipulate Dead] kicked on with a choice.  Attempt to pull the tooth-crafted blade into her hand or boost its momentum already spinning forward toward her target.  Losing the weapon would be bad. Losing Hyacinth would be unforgivable.

    Aim, push, shoot. She wasn¡¯t an archer, but enough of her skills were good at figuring out trajectories. [Small Armor] and [High Kick], that with some effort she could just about. The blade spun through the air and with a satisfying thunk hit the taunt vine.

    The blade didn¡¯t cut through. Harmony knew exactly how sharp she¡¯d made it, shock rippled through her as her heart sped up a beat.

    Snap!  Stretched tight as it was toad and vinestrictor in a tug-a-war, the two-thirds deep cut was enough. Energy dispersing both toad and vine were flung in opposite directions. A brief purple flash showed her familiar passing through the shadows. [Recall] made a note to find some way for Hyacinth to fight these types of enemies.

    Chronostasis only lasted so long and as her heartbeat returned to its excited speed, Harmony crashed to the forest ground with acceleration pulling her towards the waiting fight.

    Being dragged over roots and rocks made it difficult to concentrate. Sharpening and strengthening her nails she attempted to claw off the vine around her hip as it squeezed the bone uncomfortably. If it had gotten around her soft middle,  Harmony shuddered at the damage it could be doing.  Digging into it made her fingertips bleed and only scraped off a thin layer.

    [Cold touch], frost seeped into the vine. The uncomfortable constriction stopped, water inside it swelled up, and with a crack, split some of it, not enough to break it off. It might have made it more brittle, but it was still too dense for Harmony¡¯s strength to shatter it.

    [Final Silence] couldn¡¯t find a target, it was like targeting a finger rather than the core of the being.

    The acceleration slowed. Good, bad? A second vine slipped around her left ankle and started to twist up her calf towards her thigh. Very bad!

    Kicking did nothing other than jerk it about some, and that was her other main combat skill. Looking down her legs, she could see the writhing mass of tentacle-like vines waving with anticipation of bringing in prey.

    A third vine criss crossed her chest. At this point, she¡¯d let loose with [Cold Touch] radiating chill away from her, enough to kill a naked Wooze, but here it only slowed the compressing.

    Closer¡­ [Mana Rotation] kicked into action. Closer¡­ Flailing whips lashed at her.  Close enough, boosted [Final Silence] kicked in at thirty paces for the new skill hitting the Vinestrictor.  The whole thing froze in place. Why couldn''t it go limp and let her escape? But whatever aspect the silence interrupted it dealt with at the very least the dungeon monster¡¯s movement, but not the stiff durability of the plant.

    Thirty seconds, plus however much [Mana Rotation] boosted it.

    A flicker in the dark canopy above. Hyacinth crashed down out of the shadows like a boulder from above. His weight and size were not a hindrance now. Immobile vines snapped, bent, and broke underneath him as he landed in the middle of the vinestrictor.  What she needed to do was damage its roots enough to kill the sucker.  There were options, too risky options.

    [Stride Before the Fall], restrained as she was, the skill felt like it was fighting fate and the seconds ticked on with nothing happening.

    [Manipulate dead] did its best to worsen the cold-damaged parts around her while Hyacinth rioted about. The vine connecting Harmony to the main body snapped. Hyacinths work.

    [Stride] completed.

    Bloody beaten and exhausted harmony stared at the entangled version of herself. Night looked fine, but scratches and newly forming bruises covered her. The adrenaline of fighting overcame how bad she looked. [Recall] kept track of the time left and they were running out.

    [Familiar Bond] called the shadow toad to her. With a paired leap she grabbed onto the dirty and torn mat of collected fur on his back and they jumped into the shadow together to start skipping back towards the entrance.

    Rather than disperse [Stride] right away the part of her that stayed paid attention. The vinestricter started moving.  If it had been Adric she¡¯d have at least six seconds left, even boosted the monster clearly resisted silence skills.

    Undamaged vines struck out with enraged purpose, wrapping her tight and dragging her in. Stopped, she could feel more vines wrapping around her, fighting the chill as they insulated each other and creaked inward. ¡°Burn you.¡±  With the last of her strength, she pushed [Cold Touch] into the ground. The vinestrictor shivered in pain.  Then it redoubled its efforts. Squeezing until her bones ached and her flesh bruised.  Harmony let that part of her disperse as they collapsed over a pocket of mostly nothing.

    The memory stuck with her as Harmony stood beside her also beaten Familiar outside the second-floor entrance, ready to leave. Luckily the short jumps forced by the dungeon environment didn¡¯t lead them to more trouble. ¡°I should have chosen [Rot].¡±

    Stay true to you. Hyacinth reminded her with the rare use of his voice in her head.

    His support meant something, even if it didn¡¯t wipe away Harmony''s feelings of doubt and recrimination.  They have to plan better. Together they limped out of the dungeon. The complimentary healing potion had been on the copy of her that dispersed moments ago, along with a small bit of supplies. A small price to pay.

 Chapter Fifty- Eight * Eighteen

    Chapter Eighteen

    ¡°You look like a cat Hyacinth dragged back to play with.¡±  Ambrosia chided, handing Harmony a healing drought as she left the dungeon.

    He¡¯d never do that. He doesn¡¯t play with his food. A cast of [Renew Spirit] as she downed the potion boosted its effectiveness.  There were hours until dinner. ¡°How did you find me? I thought you were busy with the band.¡±

    ¡°I keep your schedule. When you described how you handled the first floor I got a pretty good estimate of how long it would take. More importantly, a little bird told me.¡±

    Spies. Friendly spies. She¡¯d done that at Coodly Manor as well, to make sure she was where she was needed when she was needed. It helped her take longer breaks in between so they could slack off together.

    Harmony grunted with a shiver as she combined her skills to reset herself. A slight tweak of the mourning routine.  ¡°Better?¡±

    ¡°Much. I¡¯m guessing problems with the second floor?¡±

    Harmony nodded slowly. Ambrosia knew how much she loathed admitting weakness. This wouldn¡¯t be the first task she¡¯d failed at. It took a week to figure out how to deal with the garden gnomes when she¡¯d been assigned to that pest problem.

    ¡°I know exactly who to start with,¡± Ambrosia continued.

    Harmony totally trusted her friend, but something in the woman¡¯s tone and twinkle belied a surprise.

    ¡°First let''s get you changed.¡± From a shopping back Ambrosia pulled out a garment bag.

    Excitement overshadowed suspicion. Night might be spectacular to look at, but the armor had somehow morphed into a uniform more than a fashion statement. You can only spend so many days wearing the same outfit without getting tired of it. ¡°You¡¯re a lifesaver.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Ambrosia said with a wink.

    Hyacinth disappeared into the shadows to take a nap. Running around with Ambrosia wasn¡¯t his thing.

    The yellow sundress with blue flowers was as close to the opposite of Night as could be. Rather than extravagant and out there it blended in with the crowd as the ¡°in¡± thing for early summer.  Combined with a hat for shade, Harmony doubted anyone would recognize her after a slight application of [Beautician] inspired makeup and a tweak to her hair color to a bluish tint.  As without protections as it was, Ambrosia had knowingly provided a metal bracelet to calm [Small Armor]

    The Guild might be the choice for information, followed by Sir Maxwell and Prince Adric for their experiences with Nae¡¯s Garden. She could maybe grill them harder on how they defeated the second floor, or look at the guides again, but those were all dominated by team tactics. They would still be available after she ran about with her bubbly blonde friend.

    It helped that they didn¡¯t go straight to whoever the Ambrosia planned for them to meet. Skewers with round mini-cakes soaked in syrup, short stops to peruse booths with colorful clothing made from soft wooze fur. It¡¯s not that they didn¡¯t go in a general direction. The meandering did stop. It stopped in front of a small training gym.

    Gyms in Naewauld weren¡¯t as big a thing as in Hazeldown. You rarely recruited teams to help with the dungeon, usually, you looked for one specific skill or person to help your team be rounded out. This produced associations like the Grave Society.  The commission had more of a stranglehold on pet battles and cracked down heavily on illegal matches.  The guild was more active in the community taking many of the roles gyms provide; Harmony suspected Hemlock played a role in that lack of support for Hazeldown. But gyms hadn¡¯t been eliminated, merely reduced.

    Ambrosia produced Harmony¡¯s Viridian gym badge to the doorman, allowing them unquestioned access.

    The mystery of why they were here tugged at Harmony until the coiled gray centipede she¡¯d seen battling months ago, Chompers, greeted her with a chitter. Two men stood chatting nearby. ¡°Jack?¡± They both turned to face her. That¡¯s when she got a look at the short well-muscled young man standing next to the skinnier pet owner. ¡°Mike!¡± Two former leaders of The Dig Boys in one place.

    Both had their faces scrunched up as they looked at her. ¡°Little off-White.¡± Cried Mike recognizing her first. Harmony hated that nickname. He¡¯d stuck it to her while training her in the basics of fighting with a size disadvantage and getting her covered in dust and dirt in the process. ¡°Or is it Lady Off-White now?¡±You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

    ¡°That joke would land better if you ever actually managed to write to me, Mikey Shrubert. Jack at least sent a note when he went off the the capitol.¡±

    The temperature in the room dropped slightly. Harmony pressed to control it. The temptation of using [Final Silence] burned with her embarrassment from not realizing how angry she was about that until Mike spoke.

    ¡°My woman didn¡¯t want me sending letters to girls.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if you focused less on the fact that I¡¯m a girl and more that we were friends!¡±

    Jack stepped between the two. ¡°This is a gym, we don¡¯t do this kind of fighting here. We¡¯re all Viridian badge holders. This is where we go to support each other. Harm wouldn¡¯t be here if she didn¡¯t need that support.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you mean, Lady White?¡± Mike corrected.

    Jack slugged him in the arm.  ¡°She didn¡¯t ask for that. And she¡¯s right you should have written. Grow a spine when facing Beatrice.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Mike winced while shifting back and forth on his feet.

    ¡°What kind of help do you need?¡± Jack asked Harmony.

    ¡°I need a way to defeat the plant monsters on the second floor and farther up Nae¡¯s Garden. I was thinking of some kind of weed-killing poison.¡±  That had been one of the tools Coodly Manor had used to maintain the grounds, and not all of the trip here had been browsing wears and eating treats. That only slightly took her mind off the disaster that trip to the second floor ended up.

    ¡°Any group having issues just rents out a necro from the Grave Society,¡± Mike answered, still a little salty in his tone.

    ¡°I have to climb the tower alone.¡±

    ¡°No one has to grind like those crazy foreigners.¡± Mike barked.

    ¡°Do I need to ask you to leave?¡± Jack interrupted enough heat in his voice to get Chompers twitching and eyeing Mike hungrily.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m out.¡±  He turned and gave Harmony a very mocking bow.  ¡°Farewell, Lady White.¡± Before he stomped out of the gym.

    ¡°I¡¯d like to say I didn¡¯t know what¡¯s gotten into him, but I know exactly who has gotten into him.¡± Jack groaned. ¡°To answer your question. Poisons and alchemical concoctions don¡¯t work. There are always teams who are resistant to hiring cursed classes, and who have poor skills for handling the garden¡¯s lifeforce-enriched plants. They¡¯ve all failed.¡±

    ¡°The guides say poison skills¡­¡±

    ¡°Skills.¡± Jack interrupted. ¡°Skills work because it is part of you actively challenging the dungeon. You can have a poison ten times as strong as a skill, but it¡¯s missing that little piece of a person to make it work there.¡±

    ¡°I should have selected [Rot].] Harmony groaned.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you didn¡¯t join those stinkers. That¡¯s not the path for you.¡±

    ¡°You can smell them too?¡± Harmony half-whispered in shock.

    ¡°Probably not the same way you do. I know I¡¯ve never talked about my class. I¡¯m a tracker. I¡¯ve got a nose for these things. Not all of them smell wrong, wet mulch, but many clearly select skills not because they fit them but because they were told that is best for the dungeon. That¡¯s not you. Your smell has always been refreshing and it would have been a shame to ruin that.¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] covered any immediate repulsion from being smelled. Jack has always been kind and respectful, and one couldn¡¯t always control how their class and profession affected them. If someone needed to give others leeway, her faults put her at the front of that line.  ¡°That doesn¡¯t help that I do need a skill to handle those woody abominations. Evolved challengers do it alone.¡±

    ¡°They train specifically to handle this dungeon with their path, or buy skill stones in preparation if they can¡¯t manage to create one.¡±

    The ability to use a skill stone opened up with the last level. [Stride Against the Fall] and [Final Silence], there hasn¡¯t been a chance to adjust to them, like wearing a good pair of shoes in, as not to get blisters. Adding another one that''s too much too soon.  Both of them feel weird. [Stride] doesn¡¯t have a locus, it¡¯s everywhere to a greater extent than the ocean-like churn of [Mana Rotation],  while [Silence] is eerily quiet in its corner of space inside her. She¡¯d expected random muting of sounds, uncontrollable numbing in spurts like when she¡¯d used it on herself. Instead, it waits. Skills never wait, even when there weren¡¯t issues with authority they always acted up like unruly children when you first got them.

    ¡°Thank you for the advice.¡±   Jack, sweet as he was, only moved up here a month ago. Nose aside, he wouldn¡¯t have the information she needed.

    ¡°You¡¯ll figure it out, Harm, you always do.

    With a slight bow of respect, Harmony retreated outside.

    ¡°Sorry, I thought you wanted to see Mike and some friendly faces from home.¡± Ambrosia apologized, now more friend than a personal maid.

    ¡°I¡¯d thought so too. Another familiar face from home might be more helpful. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve introduced you to Len.¡±

 Chapter Fifty- Nine * Nineteen

    Chapter Nineteen

    Unlike some people, Len had sent regular correspondence since leaving Hazeldown. Professor Dunphy had not lied about him not having many friends. While the letters were a bit rambly, he had mentioned a new academic focus of skill acquisition.

    Much of the terminology and references in the letters were unfamiliar, but Harmony felt flattered enough that he wanted her opinion that she''d responded in kind. Therefore she had his address.

    Theoretically [Recall] wasn''t only useful for remembering that with clarity or not getting lost on the route Ambrosia took to drag her here, it could be used to triangulate where Len was in relation to where they were. The kind of challenge the necromancer knew could help advance the skill.

    [Mana Rotation] surged, boosting the skill as she activated it.  With the address in her head, she reviewed every street and intersection the pair passed on the way to the gym.  The roads were all botanical-themed to go with the dungeon. The letters went to the Mint Lodge at Bristleweed and Lemon Suckle.  It would be too easy to have passed one of those streets on the way here.  Naewauld had naming conventions where all the Lemon Streets would be together and all the Weed Streets would be bunched up. This lets them make districts based on clusters of streets.

    ¡°Hey, do you know the way to the Mint Lodge in the Lemon Weed district?¡±

    Ambrosia¡¯s voice snapped Harmony¡¯s eyes open.  The blond twirled a curl of hair around her finger, while sticking out her lower lip at the local boy she¡¯d inquired with.

    ¡°It¡¯s about five blocks that way and then take a right at the fountain and continue for three blocks.¡±

    ¡°Thanks.¡± Ambrosia finished with a giggle and grabbed Harmony¡¯s elbow. ¡°Don¡¯t look at me that way, you were taking too long. Not everything has to be done the hard way.¡±

    Letting the [Recall] completely drop, Harmony grunted in affirmation and annoyance.

    The trek took them further away from the central spires. Buildings got seedier and more rundown from the constant wear and tear of plants growing quicker for the region and not being fixed. Root-buckled roads, weed-cracked foundations, moss-damaged roofs.

    ¡°This is where your friend is living?¡± The beast tamer asked.

    ¡°He¡¯s a student. A grad student. The poorest of the poor kind, not the ones floating along on their parents'' silver.¡±

    ¡°Maybe a lady shouldn''t come to this part of town unaccompanied?¡±

    Having lived in worse places, it was a strain for Harmony not to roll her eyes.  The only problem with Hazeldown was the newshounds and fans, problems Ambrosia helped bring to her. Here she was just one new aristocrat out of many. A curiosity at Ma Bell''s table. Except for the part she raised a prince as a pet, but even then there were a dozen princes and princesses.

    ¡°I''ll be fine. The mint lodge is right there. Plenty of time to stop by for a chat and make it back for dinner.¡±

    The lodge''s structure had new boards nailed over overgrown ones with a sign indicating vacancy. You could smell the mint on approach. Bushes of it nearly Harmony¡¯s height sprouted out around the foundation. Their roots had to have shifted the foundation as there was a slight tilt to the building.  Weed or herb, the plant had the place strangled enough that you had to walk through an entrance cut into the mint.

    That journey was an unpleasantly tight squeeze with flashes of bad memories from earlier in the day. These plants wouldn¡¯t come alive and grab you. The mint came right up to the door that sat cracked half-way open.  The pair of maids slipped inside.

    ¡°Here for the vacancy?¡± A man at the desk asked glumly.

    ¡°Not at the moment. I¡¯m looking for Len Alderson, he¡¯s a wizard.¡± Harmony answered.

    ¡°A crackpot you mean. Pretty girls like you shouldn¡¯t be visiting him.¡±

    ¡°Crackpot?¡± Ambrosia hisses.

    ¡°I¡¯m a friend from back home. I¡¯m here to surprise him since we just got to the city.¡±

    The man at the desk shakes his head. ¡°Room thirteen. Up the stairs and to the left.¡±

    The uneven steps take some maneuvering. Harmony knocks on the door. ¡°Early? Just come in. I¡¯m working on something new. ¡° Len called out.

    A turn of the handle does show it to be unlocked. The foundation of the Mint Lodge was so tilted that the door swung open upon the handle being turned lightly.

    It revealed Len rushing about, his robe even more decorated by spell diagrams for him to channel through. His animated movements were closer to what Harmony remembered of his old professor than him. The room was spacious enough, but half the boxes he had packed back in Hazeldown were still unpacked to the side. The editor¡¯s attention was not on the open door. His familiar, Farthington, noticed and the now half-dragon, half-raven cawed to get his attention and failed.

    ¡°Len?¡± Harmony prompted loudly to get his attention.

    He looked and froze like he got struck by someone¡¯s [Silence] skill. Farthington flapped over and pecked at his head lightly, shaking him out of it. ¡°Harmony? I¡¯d heard that you were¡­ I didn¡¯t expect.¡±

    Ambrosia loudly cleared her throat.

    ¡°Yes, yes come in.¡±

    ¡°Sorry for the unexpected visit. This is my friend Ambrosia.¡°

    ¡°A pleasure¡­¡± Len responded.

    The pair of maids stepped inside. Ambrosia shut the door, locking it before she curtsied with her flowery dress.

    ¡°Again, I¡¯m sorry for this unannounced visit. I¡¯m having a bit of an issue around skills and wanted to come to you for advice.¡±

    ¡°You? Ask me? I should be asking¡­¡±

    Ambrosia stepped forward firmly. ¡°I want to know why the man downstairs called you a crackpot?¡± She asked protectively.

    ¡°Ambrosia!¡± Harmony scoffed at the impoliteness of her friend. Clearly, she was not in personal maid mode.

    ¡°No offense, Harm. But we all know you can get a little secretive and impulsive when you get wild ideas in your head. I merely want to make sure this is the proper person to get advice from.¡°

    That¡¯s not how she¡¯d describe herself at all. The goal was to come here to get information to not be impulsive. As for wild ideas, Ambrosia¡¯s crazy one that helped transform her into a Lady White had been worse. ¡°Hmpff¡±

    ¡°Mostly it is that Professor Dunphy is right. Well, somewhat. It can be hard to pick out what he¡¯s doing for show and what is actually useful information. And you were the one that helped me realize this, Harmony.¡±The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    When Ambrosia looked at Harmony, the necromancer shook her head with a confused ¡°no idea,¡± signal.

    ¡°There is something wrong with this kingdom. Did you know outside educational books are banned? Most works are either ancient or popularized and approved by academia. The rulers of the kingdom are a sham.¡±

    That was sounding a little crackpot-ish. None of this made it into his letters. This required a greater understanding than she had. Adric could give her his opinion, being a prince and all, but he probably wouldn¡¯t be useful.  Time to fill this grave before Len dug himself deeper. ¡°Not my problem. I wanted your opinion regarding skills that might help me in Nae¡¯s Garden and some general skill theory things.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing, it has everything to do with skill usage. You opened my eyes when you refreshed me that day. You didn¡¯t activate a bunch of skills, you blended, and balanced, and¡­¡±

    A heavy knocking cut him off. ¡°Len! I¡¯m ready for training.¡±

    The maids looked at each other. They knew that voice. Served under its orders. Scrubbed its floors.

    Lord Tyler continued knocking. ¡°Len!¡±

    ¡°It¡¯ll be one moment!¡± Called back before turning to the maids. ¡°He can¡¯t find you here.¡± The wizard hissed quietly. ¡°It would ruin¡­ come.¡±  He continued quietly as he waved the pair to the far side of his room and opened a closet.

    Both women squeezed in between hung robes and he shut the door. Ambrosia had a notably unhappy look on her face. Harmony didn¡¯t hide her also annoyed look. They didn¡¯t need to go to the closet. But when the choice was facing Lord Tyler again or smelling dusty wizard robes, both chose the latter.

    ¡°She embarrassed me!¡± Tyler yelled, well, more whined, if Harmony was judging, which she was.

    ¡°Who? Jessica?¡± Len asked.

    The mention of the bitter sun priestess drew a raised, questioning eyebrow from Ambrosia.

    ¡°No! Harmony. Did you know she could disappear? And, of course, after rejecting me she took on Max. Max of all people!¡±

    ¡°But you¡¯re seeing Jessica?¡±

    The maids'' faces mirrored disgust. Ew, she¡¯s old enough to be his mother if it is the same Jessica. Bates had been setting up her removal from the manor staff. Did his departure change that? It¡¯s not her business, the lady maid told herself.

    ¡°Sure, but I love Harmony!¡±

    Ambrosia pinched Harmony. Harmony''s breath had turned foggy from the sudden chill brought by lord Tyler¡¯s admission. The Necromancer apologetically reigned in the leaking skill.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think that is how women work. I¡¯d tell you to calm down, but this agitated state is probably exactly what you need for this round of treatments. Try to feel where those connect with your class and profession. Lay down on the table and I''ll get the tools. We¡¯ll get you to form a new skill soon.¡±

    The sounds, yelps, grunts, groans, and moans started. And [Recall] unhelpfully flared to remind Harmony of all of the times and ways she¡¯d been involved in Tyler¡¯s attempts to gain a self-made skill. Having none of it, [Final Silence], pressed out sealing the closet door and ending Tyler''s exclamations, yet giving space for them to speak.

    ¡°I used my silence. They shouldn¡¯t be able to hear us now.¡± Harmony told her friend.

    ¡°He¡¯s dating Jessica? Assuming it¡¯s the same one.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t want any part of Tyler¡¯s love life, from any direction.¡±

    ¡°I know. It¡¯s just shocking. I¡¯d heard she¡¯d traveled back to the Capitol with Tyler when he left to progress. I just didn¡¯t think it was with That kind of relationship. I¡¯m not sure Len is the man we need to help you with skills. Did you know he was working with Tyler?¡±

    ¡°Of course not! But if Tyler is throwing money at him it¡¯s a good sign. There are plenty of other experts in the Naewauld he could try. He may be distasteful at times, but he¡¯s not stupid and has both connections and money to get what he wants.¡±

    The beast tamer¡¯s glare showed she disagreed. But she¡¯d never had productive conversations with the lordling. His flaws always got in the way, and while they were big flaws. Harmony knew what it was like as a necromancer to be only seen for the negatives about you. [Final Silence]¡¯s effects dropped it hadn¡¯t advanced enough to use it longer, so Harmony was forced to bring a finger to her lips to indicate silence.

    Without the wall of silence, the two endured an uncomfortable experience of screaming and grunting. They listened to Len walking Tyler through the process of focusing and getting in touch with himself. The dam broke with an exuberant ¡°Whoop!¡± that caused both the maids to nearly jump out of their skin.

    ¡°I did it! [Adaptive Resistance]. You¡¯re a genius!¡±

    ¡°C-clothing on, please.¡±  Len stuttered forcefully.

    ¡°Sorry. First, you helped Jessica evolve, and now this. You¡¯re a miracle worker. The gold will be delivered soon.¡±

    While they could hear the exuberant departure the maids waited a little longer.

    "You can come out now.¡± Len prodded.

    The pair exited the closet. Ambrosia stepped forward after smoothing her floral skirt and jabbed her finger into Len¡¯s chest, hard enough to make him wince.  ¡°I don¡¯t like you.  You have the social skills of a mudskype!¡±

    ¡°Ambrosia!¡± Harmony protested.

    ¡°But for some reason, my Harm is choosing to go to you with her problem. Explain what just happened. There will also be No having her strip and lay down while you poke and prod her the way you did Tyler.¡±

    ¡°Ambrosia!¡±

    ¡°No. She¡¯s right. After my experiences with Tyler, he should be the last person I should associate with. The thing is that outside of that mad professor''s recommendation, I barely had anything when I arrived here. And even that is only good after I evolve. So when he approached me I was more open than I should be.  It was a week in, the second time that he asked if I¡¯d heard anything from you that I realized he knew we¡¯d been exchanging letters. I should have told him to find a curse and step into it. But there was magical research to be had. Jessica had that block, and it was the perfect way to test my theories. Those and the gold.¡±

    Did he feed information back to Tyler?  It¡¯s not like she put anything actually important in those letters to Len. It was almost always ninety percent him being esoteric while she gave him opinions on ideas with much plainer language. As much as she¡¯d loved Carter¡¯s schema the book had been a little too vague. Still, letting Tyler get closer to her without telling her¡­

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look. You know how hard it can be when you¡¯re a have-not. He¡¯s where you read Carter¡¯s schema. I¡¯d first thought you¡¯d gotten him from reading one of Carter''s students, or students-students'' work. There are only three copies of the book known, and its reproduction is banned as a work that can damage one''s foundations for advancement.  I needed access to that too. But it was your focus on how one¡¯s class and profession reflects a part of a person''s emotional, spiritual, and physical sense while dancing the line of preventing them from taking you over too much was key. To advance one has to be more attuned with themselves, and Jessica¡¯s little blockage was the perfect test subject.¡±

    ¡°That old bitch finally evolve?¡± Ambrosia asked.

    Len gave a nod. ¡°And chose sunfire berzerker. She wanted to embrace the rage that she connected with. Let¡¯s say she was angrily envious of Harmony¡¯s ascension to peerage, and used that as an anchor. It came with renewed youth and vigor that led to her being with Tyler.¡±

    ¡°She also knows how rich and naive he can be,¡± Ambrosia added.

    ¡°More childish than naive.¡± Len corrected.

    ¡°I get it. They are both using each other. I don¡¯t want to think of them as a couple.¡± [Recall] made it hard not to, having decided this was the time to act up, mashing memories of Jessica in the changing room, and Tyler from other situations. They weren¡¯t true memories, but the skill made them exceptionally visually accurate.

    ¡°Then Tyler wanted me to fix his skill problem. And he was paying. I need gold to get out of this kingdom. There is something off here and I need to get away.¡±

    ¡°You know that sounds crazy?¡± Ambrosia asked.

    "Absolutely, but it doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m wrong.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s not something I have time to explore. Nor is it important for me. I merely need help with my current problem.¡±  Harmony broke down her need for a skill to handle the second floor and the kind of plant monsters common to Nae¡¯s Garden.  How [Rot] did not feel like her. Worries about adding a new skill while [Stride Before the Fall] and [Final Silence] were new.  It slipped a little into her personal, private worries as she explained. Ambrosia slipped a comforting arm around the tiny maid¡¯s waist.

    ¡°You¡¯re not wrong. Tyler giving you all those skill stones late winter probably was not great for your path even if they managed to feel right eventually. Get all your skills to at least level five before adding a new one. Creating a skill focused on what you need and what fits you will be stronger than a skill stone. As for what will help best, I don¡¯t know,  that''ll take research. You¡¯re smart. I¡¯m sorry I can¡¯t be of more help.¡±  Len finished.

    ¡°We¡¯re going to be late for dinner if we dawdle,¡± Ambrosia announced with a yank towards the door.

    ¡°Bones and Ashes.¡± This was supposed to be a quick visit. Not an extended stay in a closet before pouring your heart out.  This day needs to be over.

 Chapter Sixty * Twenty

    Chapter Twenty

    ¡°Man in finance. Trust fund. Tall.  Blue eyes¡± Harmony muttered to herself.  [Recall] wasn¡¯t working properly. Maxwell dumped the information on tonight''s guests to her as Ambrosia dashed to their room to change into her maid uniform. At least all she had to do was pull off the flower dress in a private room and equip Night.

    It¡¯s not that [Recall] wasn¡¯t working. It was playing Harmony¡¯s greatest fails, but combining them.  Being strangled by vines now moments after being caught naked. Overwork, pull a muscle, and don¡¯t quite walk right the next day, this was the equivalent of that. Trying to calculate Len¡¯s address and boosting it had been too much. Embarrassingly this was not the first time she¡¯d done this, what she needed was sleep and rest, and not a bones-cursed social dinner.

    ¡°Man in Finance.¡±  Betrold Gothheim enjoys having people be in debt to him. You don¡¯t have to worry about paying him back because you¡¯ll never manage to. If you can stand his company he might be a source of needed funds. ¡°Trust fund.¡±  Jenny Waller lived off her parents'' money and was a friend of Prince Adric before his death, so she probably wants to see him again. ¡°Tall.¡± Billy, the lumberjack, started out as a woodsman and managed to evolve into his signature profession which he used to help with Nae''s Garden. He was a minor local celebrity. ¡°Blue eyes.¡±  Sara Stiller, an associate of Lady Coodly¡¯s garden parties. Harmony had served her tea half a dozen times, but they¡¯d never spoken. The old gray-haired dame liked to gossip.

    Ma Bell¡¯s calming effect failed even when she tried to accept it as [Recall] reminded her of all the times someone¡¯s influencing skill crossed her mind. Memories of her mother. Memories of Hemlock. Memories of random acts. [Renew Spirit] synergized with [Mend] might help, but it wasn''t something to risk without a good night''s sleep first.

    ¡°Adric when I heard what happened I thought I¡¯d find you a bit rotting and smelly, but you¡¯re more beautiful than ever.¡±  Jenny gushed.

    ¡°It was only a minor inconvenience. I''m as good as new.¡± Adric said uncomfortably.

    ¡°Could you make me immortal too?¡± Jenny followed up.

    The whole table stiffened at that. Ma Bell even cleared her throat. Most people avoid bringing up the taboo nature of Adric¡¯s existence. The idea of being able to grant immortality was rooted in the mythical Midnight Empire and how they recruited heroes to their side. Jenny was publicly asking if the prince had an ability that would earn him a death sentence.

    ¡°Aren¡¯t you all curious?¡± She asked.

    ¡°Ms. Waller, I rarely need to disinvite people from my table. But please leave.¡± Ma Bell announced.  Two of the Dragonfly Inn staff were already clearing her plate.

    ¡°I did nothing wrong! I even visited Hazeldown for his funeral. You can¡¯t ignore this!¡± Jenny was ushered away, but not before one final word. ¡°I¡¯ll tell my father about this!¡±

    The silence of the other guests at the table lingered, understandably so after bringing up something tangentially linked to a threat that nearly ended the world even if it was before this kingdom was founded.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Prince Adric, for her rude behavior. I never imagined she would bring up such a delicate topic. We are grateful that you survived that fatal curse. If it helps, none of my scryers or fortune tellers saw anything harmful or malicious about you. My time interacting with you has shown you to be an outstanding, loyal, and caring young man.¡±  Ma Bell apologized.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay. We can¡¯t control our guests.¡± Adric accepted gracefully.

    Beneath whatever calm he was showing, Harmony knew her pet was stressed. She brought him home, but it was no longer his home.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t worry about Ms. Waller¡¯s father.  He knows better than to enter into politics that are above his station. I¡¯ll drop a hint that a gift might smooth things over.¡± Sara said.  ¡°Lady White, my dear friend Lady Coodly would love for a social visit since you are so close. Her Naewauld manor is lovely this time of year.¡±

    Harmony opened her mouth to say she was far too busy, but she wasn¡¯t. Until she resolved her second-floor problem, speed-running the first floor wouldn¡¯t take much time at all. Lady Coodly had always been valuable with her advice even if she was subtle with it. ¡°I¡¯d like that. I¡¯ll make sure to inquire what time is best.¡±  Which actually meant Bates or Ambrosia would contact them. Having servants to do such work was a little refreshing.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind a private social visit myself,¡± Billy said with a smile birthed from the face of a man with charisma but no social skills.

    The lumberjack was clearly flirting. Harmony stared upwards at him, he was a tree to her, but he¡¯d make nearly any woman feel small. Even Adric¡¯s aunt, the Countess. Why go after small women when you¡¯re already so tall?  ¡°I¡¯m sure you would.¡± Harmony non-answered.

    ¡°May I ask where you got your armor?¡± Bertrold asked.

    That was not a question she expected from the financier. [Recall] reminded her of the embarrassment of receiving the gift from Lord Tyler, all the time it took to buckle each individual piece, and the amount of skin it showed off before it became Night.

    ¡°Gear and Wex.¡±  That name meant something at least. She¡¯d neglected to visit their Hazeldown branch. It might be time to visit the master shop. So many things to do now that she had a little more free time. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Fascinating.¡±

    Was it? It¡¯s not like Harmony could replace the armor she¡¯d paired with. It was one more decision taken off her plate. No stress around upgrading armor. Gear and Wex was one of the few places that did unique custom work. It couldn''t be that interesting or unusual.

    ¡°I wasn''t aware of any unique pieces out of there.¡± Bertold Continued.

    ¡°That was from my Lady¡¯s magic touch.¡± Adric bragged.

    ¡°Purely an accident,¡± Harmony assured him.

    Betrold''s eyes darted Between the two of them.  ¡°And are these accidents common?¡±

    ¡°I''ve never created another unique item if that is what you mean,¡± Harmony answered with a hint of [Poise and Bearing] allowing her to give a self-assured smile.

    A staff member, out of stealth, whispered into Ma Bell¡¯s ear before disappearing again. He was also flushed and slightly out of breath.

    Harmony¡¯s maid sense tingled.  Something was happening. Best not to be here when it does. A little more tedious conversation then she could bow out early and leave Adric to handle the rest.

    Ma Bell rose from the table.  ¡°Guild mistress Thorne, what a pleasant surprise.¡±

    Rotting weeds! Harmony twitched and followed the host''s gaze over her shoulder. A tall woman with auburn hair stood between four guards. Their approach had been silent and sudden. The look on the guild mistress'' face could be described as extremely irritated. Harmony didn¡¯t want to get caught up in any more guild shenanigans.

    ¡°Lady White, Hemlock has released the guild to announce the Ascendant Games in Hazeldown.  Whereas he has neglected to provide you with guards commiserate with your role in the opening, I will not fail you in that respect. These four are to keep you safe and help guarantee your safety.¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] straightened Harmony¡¯s spine. ¡°I don¡¯t desire your bodyguards.¡±

    ¡°Thorne, you know I have a respectable business. No harm will come to my guests when staying here.¡± Ma Bell added.

    ¡°She will not always be at your inn. And the guards are not refusable. I don¡¯t believe the trial will open without you. While Hemlock might not take this seriously I do.¡±

    Harmony had thought that there was a chance Hemlock would keep her name out of it. Not that people couldn''t add two and two together with the announcement and the episode at the Colosseum. Weird things happened all the time. These weren¡¯t bodyguards they were babysitters.

    ¡°Then you know I have to evolve before I can participate.¡±

    ¡°The Guild will provide you with any resources you might need to accomplish that.¡±

    Gifts that were sure to have gilded chains. That was how politics operated. They needed her. At least until the Ascendant Games opened. Harmony, go open Old Bone''s cellar and help clean out the rats. You''re the one with the key. Here are some gloves, and a knife. Be grateful we have them for you.

    ¡°Send what you think I''ll need to my room.¡±  Harmony leaned into her social skills with that response.  What they send would provide a map directing her on how much they need her and perhaps a perspective on advancing she hadn¡¯t considered.

    Thorne''s eye twitched at that. ¡°As you request.¡±  With a slight bow, the woman turned and left, leaving the bodyguards there.

    ¡°Maybe I should have invited her to sit and join us at the table?¡± Ma Bell mused aloud.

    Sara, the old gossip laughed at that. ¡°Don''t be silly. The woman will be busy handling her big announcement. Ascendant Games, Lady White?¡±

    ¡°Something guild master Hemlock set up with the dungeon spirit Haz¡¯el Ri to distribute titles.  That poor Duke Darren''s sacrifice and all. Because of my connection to Hazeldown, I''ll be opening the games, once I reach the requirements.¡±

    Knowing this was coming, she did her best to accentuate the proper words to focus on downplaying her role. The lady in her screamed for attention, yet helped her navigate the social balance of her words. That and years of experience watching high-level subtle politics from the shadows of servitude.

    ¡°Titles?¡± Billy asked with a hint of greed.

    ¡°Restricted to those who are level twenty-five. Limited spots too.¡± Harmony answered with a sympathetic voice remembering from the dossier that he was in the thirties.

    ¡°Rot and weeds.¡±  He cursed.

    Bertold pushed out his chair and stood up. ¡°I have some business to handle.¡± He gave Harmony a short bow. ¡°Lady White, it has been a pleasure. I look forward to our future relationship.¡±   With that, he departed.

    Future Relationship? He certainly wasn¡¯t wooing her in any way she was used to. She had no plans to borrow money, nor did she expect to see him again unless he managed to arrange another spot at Ma Bell''s table. Perhaps it was a turn of phrase on a pleasantry?

    ¡°He¡¯s just going to find a way to get an advantage out of having early news of the games. My Boris, before he died, was the same way. Never saw an opportunity he didn¡¯t want to leverage.¡± Sara chuckled.

    ¡°As he should. One progresses by making the most of every opportunity.¡± Adric concluded.

    Harmony disagreed with her pet here. He had a very privileged start. It was easy to take opportunities when you knew you could fail and be fine, with support, items, or back-up. There was also a difference between being given one and fighting for them.

    ¡°I find opportunities often have unforeseen consequences,¡± Harmony responded politely.

    ¡°When you get to be my age. You¡¯ll see everything has unforeseen consequences.¡± The old gossip chuckled.

    She wasn¡¯t wrong. Authority trickled in, causing the hairs on the back of Harmony¡¯s neck to stand up. Rumors were starting to spread. The announcement was coming. Whatever temporary relief from the pressures of peerage would soon be erased. Through [Familar Bond] Hyacinth was having his own dinner, feeder beasts released into the park for him to hunt. His hunger and strain trickled through. Pressure piled on them both.  After a few more conversations this dinner would be over, and then she could ponder some options.

 Chapter Sixty One * Twenty One

    Chapter Twenty-One

    Twice dreams of being enveloped by vines ripped Harmony out of her sleep after tossing and turning until she was knotted up in the blanket. This is why when Ambrosia sang ¡°Wake up sleepyhead,¡± with her pitch-perfect voice, the necromancer threw A pillow at her.

    ¡°We have a busy schedule today. No grumping about.¡±

    Those were some of Ambrosia¡¯s maid skills; [Organization] and [Scheduling]. Very useful when one has to run a band and musical tours. Harmony¡¯s [Recall] could help her remember the schedule, but organizing and keeping to it was totally different. She didn''t remember any busy plans.

    ¡°What are we doing that''s so important?¡± Harmony groaned as she pulled herself out of bed checking internally on her skills for her morning refreshment routine.

    ¡°The official Ascendant Games announcement came late last night and has already stirred up attention. Breakfast will be held in Prince Adric''s room.

    We''ve received gifts.  Max has information. A quick run through the 1st floor of Nae''s Garden. Skill training with your books.  Lady Coodly has said a late lunch this afternoon would be perfect.¡±

    ¡°But we only started an inquiry about that last night?¡±

    ¡°Apparently the old matriarch expected an invitation the day we arrived in Naewauld.¡±

    That''s how Tyler knew they were coming. She¡¯d blamed Ambrosia¡¯s little song and dance arrangement, but the young lord needed to be aware of happenings outside his interests to pick up on that.

    ¡°Fine.¡±  Harmony let her skills get to work, fixing her posture, unknotting muscles, refreshing her spirit, and smoothing her skin.

    Ambrosia presented her with an actual dress for the morning. Night finally got to stay tucked inside of her. It was time to stick to the schedule.

    Harmony used her napkin to wipe jam off the corner of Prince Adric''s mouth. Her stomach was comfortably full from her two cheese and jam-filled pastries.  He was on his fifth.

    ¡°No one from the evolved kingdoms is willing to share their techniques for conquering the garden. Stone walls there. Even drunk the moment you prod their lips seal up tight. I''m sorry I haven''t been able to get information on the skills you''ll need. But I''ll keep looking, my lady.¡± Sir Maxwell assured, looking extra exhausted.  He probably hadn''t slept all night trying to dig up something useful.

    Most teams took on a member of the Grave Society to help soften up those plant-heavy floors.  Those who found working with necromancers distasteful had a more challenging time. Fire skills above level ten. Poison skills above fifteen. Multiple cutting strikes if used in conjunction. Hyper-specialized ones like Billy the Lumberjack had. They also still had teams for backup.

    ¡°Max, I appreciate any information you can find, and if there are any skill stones that might help me, keep your ears open.¡±  The idea of adding poison or fire to herself didn¡¯t sit well. Mixing ice and fire usually fizzled or caused issues unless the practitioner had a lucky break.

    The door to Adric¡¯s room opened and Bates strolled in pushing a cart filled with boxes and chests. ¡°Gifts.¡± He announced. ¡°Most of these are from the guild to support your progression. The small chest in the back is from Bertold Gothheim. Madam Peartree is requesting another visit to the Grave Society. She sent a token providing you with an honorary membership that was dropped off this morning. There are also a dozen invitations to various functions that came as well.¡°

    ¡°I¡¯ll evaluate those to see if any have merit.¡± Sir Maxwell offered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll help.¡± Prince Adric volunteered.

    Good. Because together the pair of them should have more of an understanding of the Naewauld political underpinnings than she would. Lady so-and-so or Lord this-and-that didn¡¯t appeal to Harmony when she had other priorities. Rose would have been ideal if she hadn¡¯t been involved in that earlier nastiness with attempting to poison Adric. Even if she had been under the queen''s heel. Too early to forgive her. Too fresh.

    ¡°Ambrosia, let¡¯s see what the guild thinks I¡¯ll need to advance.¡±

    Together they pulled down all the boxes, mostly supplies but there were three books. Garden of Monsters, a more detailed compendium of monsters you¡¯ll find in the dungeon and their weaknesses than any of the guides or even the book the Grave Society provided.  Thibodeux on Evolution, ew. Her theoretical rival on theories. She¡¯d at least hate-read that one since she hadn¡¯t yet. Less popular than his book on Skills, but apparently Thorne thought it would be valuable to her. Dungeon Tactics 101, another educational book, which couldn¡¯t hurt.Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    The other supplies were potions and patches. Ambrosia picked up one of the white square patches. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡±

    Adric, who had long since gotten bored talking politics with Max who was mumbling to himself over a pair of the invitations, was now peeking at the gifts and answered,  ¡°A heal patch. Much quicker and easier than chugging potions. Ten times as expensive too. Automatically kicks in a heal if you take so much damage. Mom always made sure I had one stuck to me before I left the house.¡±

    ¡°Useless if I need to use [Stride.]¡± Harmony complained, remembering what she¡¯d lost the other day.

    ¡°Not useless, but less useful. There are enough here to cover you three times a day until we have to return to Hazeldown.  I want you to stick one to your ass every time you leave the house too.¡± Ambrosia lectured.

    She knew her friend would slap one onto her backside while she was sleeping if she didn¡¯t. She made a show of taking a patch. Peeling off a sheet of wax paper on one side and adhering the sticky bit under her dress.

    ¡°Happy now?¡±

    ¡°Absolutely, Lady White,¡± she answered with a curtsy.

    That only left the gift from Bertold.  Harmony approached it.

    ¡°After you run the first floor of  Nae¡¯s Garden. We have a schedule to keep.¡± Ambrosia interrupted. ¡°Don¡¯t want to keep Hyacinth waiting.¡±

    That deviless. She¡¯d already seen what was in all the gifts and wanted Harmony to wait on this one. Servants were always first to know.   She could have her fun.

    Rather than ruin her dress, Harmony stepped into Adric¡¯s closet. It was a sad state that made her feel guilty. The poor boy only had three outfits. Clothing hadn¡¯t been prioritized as an option for him, especially when the cost of keeping him on a level with his station would have taken everything they had. It did leave her plenty of room to take off the dress, leave on the patch, and summon Night onto her body. It did take some effort to leave the healing patch attached to her. Next time she¡¯d have to slip one on after.  The armor instantly made her feel more secure.

    Stepping outside, two of the babysitters were waiting. The guild-supplied bodyguards loomed only a scant distance away. She did her best to ignore them. It was tempting to [Stride] ahead, but she knew the scolding she¡¯d get if she wasted one of the new gifts just to be petty.

    Down the stairs, the two other guards were immediately seen holding back an over-eager crowd. ¡°Lady White, what do you know of the Ascendant Games?¡±

    ¡°Is it true you have a special relationship with the Hazeldown dungeon?¡±

    ¡°Have you met the Queen?¡±

    That question came out of nowhere, but the crowd of a dozen or so reporters were throwing mud balls to see what stuck or drew a reaction. Maybe the bodyguards weren¡¯t a complete waste.

    Harmony ignored them. The Dragonfly Inn staff started to swoop in as well to break up the group. It took Ma Bell plunging in, her innkeeper skills in full force, as she got them to agree that it was an honor to be allowed to see the inn¡¯s guest this morning. Opportunities to interview her would be forthcoming.

    Harmony didn¡¯t like that concession when she wasn¡¯t involved in making the decision. She suspected that a select few journalists with the right connections might make a visit to the dinner table, even if it cost them producing overly positive press for the business.

    Outside, there was also a small crowd, but this time much more respectful people who were curious about the news spreading around town. Their progression didn¡¯t hinge on getting a scoop of news. That got them a polite wave as she approached her familiar who waited in the shadows. ¡°I¡¯ll be back at this location as soon as I clear the first floor.¡± She informed the guards as a thank you for earlier.  Hand on Hyacinth¡¯s back they slipped into the shadows.  Moments later they were outside the booth for the entrance.

    ¡°Welcome, Eternal.¡± The operator said recognizing her.

    At least that was something different from Lady White. She walked by with a nod.

    On the stairs she up she turned to her toad, ¡°Let¡¯s see how fast we can clear this.¡±

    ¡°Groak,¡± Hyacinth answered, both of them eager to make up for how the last run ended embarrassingly.

    The answer was, super easy, barely an inconvenience. As aggressive as the wooze were it turned out you could ambush them if you moved fast enough. Exploding balls of fur mauled to death in the toad''s mouth or chilled to collapse and dispatched. You couldn¡¯t hit people when frustrated, but monsters were perfectly acceptable. Harmony¡¯s armored foot snapped the neck of one bare moments after she removed its fuzzy armor.

    Even the floor''s final defender flinched as Hyacinth launched out of the woods with a booming Croak, a [Strided] Harmony on his back as the other her kicked off to rush the brood mother with violence.  If only she had such combat skills boosting her confidence when she first entered Old Bones to advance, the maid mused as she stood over the corpse and harvested what was useful.

    They took the stairs down rather than up. There was no trip to the second floor without a plan. Time to teleport home and find out what surprise Ambrosia had chosen to save for last.

 Chapter Sixty-Two * Twenty-Two

    Chapter Twenty-Two

    To Lady Harmony White, a gift and investment. Your loyal subject, Betrold Gothheim.

    The paper was of the finest quality. The kind the manor had received for special invitations. The ink shimmered of gold. The note neither asked for anything nor set any future expectations, but it was sealed in the chest, resting on a not-insignificant pile of gold coins.

    ¡°None of you made any loans in my name? Max said not to get into debt with this guy.¡±

    ¡°We were going to ask you the same question,¡± Bates said dryly.

    ¡°And what is with, your loyal subject?¡±

    ¡°Oh, I remember this.¡± Adric pipped in. ¡°It¡¯s an old form of address giving you power over them, indicating they support your authority.¡±

    ¡°Not as odd as the dungeon attendant calling me Eternal.¡± Harmony huffed. ¡°But what does he want with this Gift?¡± She knew all about how most gifts made people feel like you owed them. ¡°Not that we couldn¡¯t use the money.¡±

    ¡°One thousand gold, ten times your monthly stipend,¡±  Ambrosia said eagerly.

    Better with numbers, of course, she¡¯d counted it. ¡°Should I give it back?¡± Harmony asked.

    Ambrosia moved to hug the chest shielding it with her body from her friend. ¡°No!¡±

    ¡°Dramatics aside, we could use the funds. I¡¯ve been running this household close to the red. As a gift if he has any unreasonable requests you can always say no. I¡¯d say he is buying future consideration and goodwill.¡± Bates answered.

    Can her goodwill be purchased? Was she so easily swayed? The money did open up an idea she¡¯d been toying with. ¡°Fine. I¡¯d like to purchase some equipment for Hyacinth. Can we fit in an appointment with Gear and Wex this evening?¡±

    Ambrosia released the chest and adjusted herself to proper maidly form nodding her head. ¡°I¡¯ll see what I can do. This is slipping into the time I have scheduled for skill training.¡±

    Bates pulled out the books. These were the replacements for ¡°Harmony¡¯s Diary¡± Having long since filled the old one up while pushing skill growth as the experts had suggested, but with her methods and not theirs. [Stride Before the Fall]

    A Harmony grabbed the current book and opened it, taking a pen from Bates.  It was time to add [Final Silence] to the book. The ability to have two of herself was sometimes useful, and training was one of them. Not that she could maintain it for long.  She quickly jotted down all the information from its first uses.

    After two runs in Nae¡¯s Garden and the play early on that skill was level two. Irksomely even after all the uses [Stride] was still level one. Outside of calling up her status, she couldn¡¯t get a feel for the skill the same way as the other ones. It didn¡¯t have a spot in her the same way the other skills did, even [Mana Rotation] with its swirling churn was something she could get a sense of.

    ¡°Adric ready to be my test subject?¡±

    The prince squirmed uncomfortably before agreeing. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

    She cast the base version of [Final Silence] again. Max would have been better as it would have matched her first test, but he¡¯d already left to do research for her and hopefully get some sleep. The prince declared his the effect over, and it had lasted the barest bit longer.  That might not seem like much but if it grew linearly, at high levels it would be a significant boost. The [Strided] copy cast the [Mana Rotation] empowered version next before tossing the book over and dispersing due to the strain.

    Dispersing didn¡¯t end the effect, which had been a worry as her other skills didn¡¯t have a persistent effect. The silence lasted fifty percent longer, which was a similar boost that she¡¯d gotten when empowering base skills. Synergizing compounded the effects, possibly a side effect of her stat, the boulder of debris, rats, spiders, and dust from when she ¡°cleaned¡± the attic at the manor months ago came to mind.

    Next, she ran through lesser control of the skill, the trick she¡¯d discovered of using it to muffle sounds. How large an area she could create Ambrosia summoned her loudest bird to see if it could be pierced. There was also how long she could maintain it.

    Having a team helped make this so much more efficient than when she worked in her off hours at the manor.  Working out exactly how [Cold Touch] synergized took time. There would also be no hurting people to test the combat aspect on. It didn¡¯t make the quieting effect longer, but everyone inside the area felt so uncomfortable they had to leave. They could hear their blood rushing through their bodies but nothing else. Leaving the effect caused them to wince at the lightest of sounds.

    ¡°Time,¡± Ambrosia called.

    Harmony suspected that the decision to call the session done was that she needed to comfort one of her pet birds who¡¯d volunteered to be in that synergized silence. Adric looked pretty worn out as well, so no protest there.

    ¡°What¡¯s next?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Adric is due downstairs for some socializing. I¡¯m going to check on getting that appointment with Gear and Wex.  Bates will bring a refreshment for you to snack on, but this is your break time before we head to Lady Coodly¡¯s Naewauld Manor. Knowing you those books will be calling to you. Don¡¯t you want to read that Thibodeux?¡±

    Want was a strong word for something she suspected she¡¯d philosophically be disgusted by. It would probably be best not to get too worked up before seeing the old matriarch. Garden of Monsters felt like it would give her the greatest chance hit to what she needed to know.

    Settling into a comfy chair she started to read. The author waxed poetically on how Nae¡¯s Garden was the best dungeon for those looking to evolve. Completing all eight levels nearly guaranteed it if done alone, while a team could run it in a single day with smooth precision as they got close to their evolutions.  Once you got past the gushing it was a straightforward appraisal of each floor and what you¡¯d find there.

    For the wooze and their brood mother. It had similar things to say about necromancy as the focused book she¡¯d received from Peartree. The book delved deeper into specific strategies and why they worked than most local guides.  Puppets worked well as bait. Poison as a cloud to be inhaled worked wonders. Fire was a terrible idea. It diverged from Harmony''s experience around cold. You merely had to get around their natural defenses first.

    She turned to the most important chapter for her right now. The second floor. Vinestrictors and twiggys. The sketch of the flailing plant monster was enough to cause uncomfortable flashes from [Recall].  Each plant had twelve to twenty vines, but only five trap vines they laid out along the paths and trails of the second floor that were well camouflaged into the environment.  Having a team with enough cutting attacks to neutralize them was one method, if someone had a strength-based stat and the right tools they could handle them as well. Once you destroyed all the vines near the roots they were pretty much harmless.  That or destroying the root system.  There it talked about focused poisons like rot or stronger ones, as well as fire strikes that could pierce the ground with enough heat.

    Twiggy¡¯s were worse.  Ever been attacked by a tree trunk thicker than a man? Normal slashing attacks that would work on the vines needed to hit consecutively in the right place. Their root system was kept internally at the base, but if you could keep it from rooting for five minutes it would start to weaken.  Lop off the limbs and wait it out if you don¡¯t have something like rot eat it from the inside.

    She barely tasted the pastry handed to her. On the second read, she found a sheet of paper to take notes on different possibilities. The spicy tea she was sipping might as well have been warm water. Remove their weapons of attack or hit them with poison or fire destructive enough to finish the job.

    Harmony closed the book. Those couldn¡¯t be the only ways. Divers from the evolved kingdoms came here and soloed the tower. They couldn¡¯t all have rot and specialized plant-killing spells. There has to be more.  Where was that burst of inspiration? It wasn¡¯t coming to her.

 Chapter Sixty - Three * Twenty - Three

    Chapter Twenty-Three

    Harmony had never been to Lady Coodly''s Naewauld manor. Underdeveloped as a staff member for the task, and with the matriarch mostly staying in Hazeldown to shepherd Tyler¡¯s Growth, the choice to expand her contract to allow her to work in both locations hadn''t been a priority. With the consideration of taking over as the woman¡¯s personal maid, she knew that would have changed. In another life, where she hadn¡¯t caught the dungeon¡¯s attention or been elevated to a lady, this is where she¡¯d be serving. It was very pretty.

    In a city known for overgrown plants and bushes that defied logic, the grounds had a healthy, manicured organization to them. The Hazeldown estate had a similar taste but the opposite problem, as it was difficult to grow healthy-looking plants and deal with pests like gnomes and spiders that plagued the area. This is a testament to the skilled staff the matriarch hired.

    Tyler still had control over the staff uniforms though. The maids were all nearly falling out of their fabric-deficient outfits. Not that they didn¡¯t fit, often too tight in some places. Plenty of memories of Harmony¡¯s own struggles surfaced watching them. A full contingent of staff stood proudly along the walkway to the entrance. By her count, many of them were off shift, or even should be on their day off. So many familiar faces. Many of the smiles were genuine, and unsupported by skills.

    Never did get to say a proper goodbye to many of them. Harmony wrote letters, but it¡¯s not the same as doing it face to face. Such was the chaos after the drama at the Colosseum, and the stress of her burdens. Fel¡¯s eyes twinkled. Yorick had grown a couple inches. Stu put on more weight. She ached to break protocol and give hugs, ask how things were going, and for a tour of all the best spots to slack off at.  But that would have spooked her new bodyguards, and been insulting to the host and her friend''s efforts. It was a surreal homecoming to a place that wasn¡¯t quite home.

    Astel stood at the door in a suit. A major uniform change from her time as Lady Coodly¡¯s personal maid. Her previously slightly sour demeanor was replaced by a strong confident satisfaction. Harmony knew that sourness was mostly because Astel mistakenly thought she¡¯d been actively trying to replace the maid. The former personal maid swung the large door open with ease. ¡°Welcome to Coodly Manor Naewauld.¡± The greeting, the act, and the presentation were all very familiar. It looked like they had found Bates'' replacement to manage the staff.

    ¡°An honor,¡±  Harmony responded as the voice of her ensemble. Ambrosia quietly walked by her side. Bodyguards similarly tried to act absent.

    She¡¯d considered bringing Prince Adric, but he hadn¡¯t been listed on the invitation. Nor was there any subtle hint she should bring her ¡°pet¡±.  Hyacinth would have been welcome as a guest¡¯s familiar, but he was sleeping deeply as he was far too prone to do. The level had been supposed to help. Max also took some of the burden. Why wasn''t he better?

    Lady Coodly waited inside, a new maid Harmony didn¡¯t recognize assisting her. The matriarch was done up how she loved, a bit ostentatiously. Raspberry hair in a spiral, make-up contrasting pale skin and sparkling blue color under her eyes. Pins however helped hold the hair, and it was stiff with some kind of product supporting the shape and adding color. The make-up was heavy to hide age lines and the shape of her face was not as flatteringly as [Beautician] nudged Harmony that it should be.  ¡°Welcome, Lady White. I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you as a peer. I must apologize for the short notice.¡±

    With an off-hand Harmony dismissed that apology. ¡°Circumstances have freed me up, and there is no one I¡¯d rather see. You¡¯ve always been good to me.¡±

    Sure she¡¯d gotten assigned many of the worst jobs in the manor. That had more to do with seniority and seeing what she could do with her skills. The truth is they hadn¡¯t needed to hire her at all. Taking a risk on a work contract for a maid who was also a necromancer. Wasn¡¯t even up to Tyler¡¯s aesthetic standards, as she had to grow into that.

    There was a spike of relief that the young lord wasn¡¯t here.  Not that he usually attended his Grands meetings with guests. He¡¯d probably make an exception for her.

    ¡°Kind of you to say so, but I can¡¯t help but feel like it is different with us meeting with equal footing. Come, tea and cake are ready and waiting in the garden.¡±

    Harmony took advantage of the walk to look around. Familiar paintings on the walls showed how much of the household they¡¯d moved here. Time in Hazeldown had been for Lord Tyler¡¯s growth and they¡¯d been there since the young man made his initial choice. The family wasn¡¯t small, but he was the presumptive heir. The manor there probably has been sealed up, waiting for the next time the family needs it.

    The garden outside was perfectly shaped and stylized. Not a single weed to be seen. If this wasn¡¯t done in the nearest hours before her visit Harmony would be shocked. Keeping Naewauld¡¯s green under control was a full-time job. Even walking in the more well-to-do districts she¡¯d seen how wild it could get.  ¡°Such pristine landscaping.¡±  She blurted out.

    ¡°We do have the best gardener.¡± Lady Coodly beamed with pride.

    If only she could have such plant-taming skills for the dungeon.  Then she¡¯d¡­. ¡°After tea, I¡¯d love to meet them if you don¡¯t mind sharing a little. I could use advice on how to tame a garden.¡±

    ¡°No problem at all.¡±  Coodly answered sitting down.

    The personal maids poured the tea.  Tiny cakes made to look like fruit decorated a serving tray. Harmony took a lemon one. It was a favorite, as she and the rest of the staff had sampled Renee¡¯s ¡°mistakes¡± when she¡¯d baked this type of thing before.

    ¡°How are you adjusting to aristocracy?¡±

    There were lots of answers akin to discussing the weather. And she¡¯d used those in other social situations with people who didn¡¯t know her before the events at the Colosseum. While she¡¯d never fully let walls down as an employee, the old woman was right that their relationship is unique now. She¡¯d seen her a few times after bleeding, dirty, or exhausted from a particularly hard task, even if coincidentally in the Hazeldown manor.

    ¡°It¡¯s been hard. Managing the stipend. The unique political situation with my pet. The pressures of it were something I wasn¡¯t fully ready for. And now I have to evolve to keep obligations.¡±

    ¡°I remember when I wished I could have run away. But it never really lets you go, that authority. Even now after old age has caused distance. I heard about the games, but I suspect that isn¡¯t the only pressure you have. Situations like yours are not unique, just rare. I can¡¯t gift you that mark of progress, but I can be a friend.¡±

    ¡°I appreciate that. How has the household been?¡±

    ¡°Besides needing to replace three of my best staff? Astel has stepped into her new role, but finding good maids is hard. I even braved approaching that society group, talking about what you could do with your necromancy and they looked at me like I was crazy. But I¡¯m making do. Tyler has stepped up in a way I¡¯m mostly proud of.¡±

    Harmony''s seen the physical changes, more muscle to his frame. The effort to do that would be new. But the rest of it she had her doubts. [Poise and Bearing] hid those doubts.  ¡°That¡¯s good for him.¡±Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

    ¡°It really is. I¡¯ve been worried he¡¯d lose his noblesse upon evolution. I can¡¯t hold on forever. Now he merely needs the right support to carry on the future of this family.¡±

    Everyone needs the right support. Tyler would need more than others. The Lady has indulged him too much.  Not that it would be appropriate to point that out.  Exactly how would this be relevant to¡­. ¡°Oh.¡± She responded mid-bite. It took effort not to spit out the bite of cake in her mouth.

    ¡°I understand your political situation is precarious, but I have decades of experience in that wasp-infested garden.¡±

    ¡°Until I reach the games, politics is the last thing on my mind. As for a guiding hand, as a friend, meeting the requirements to open the games will take all my time and risk. I doubt you need to put any effort into me.¡±  Why do people ignore the possibility of dying when going into a dungeon?

    ¡°Oh. I have faith and patience with you. There are ways I can help with all of that. Tyler is sowing his oats anyway.¡± That was an image Harmony did not want to think about. ¡°As for politics, as much as you want to ignore them, they don¡¯t ignore you. No pressure, this is merely something I want you to consider.¡±

    Bones and bruises, no.  This wasn¡¯t a path she could cave in, nor did Harmony want to. The gentlest way is to let time erode the consideration. It was almost a relief to realize she could be dead and this would all be moot. ¡°Clearly we have to see how both our evolutions go. And the Ascendant Games, we mustn''t forget about those.¡±

    ¡°Oh to be young, with so many things distracting you from living life. One can¡¯t miss out on love, just because one is busy.¡±

    Gods above and below, old women talking of love. She¡¯d helped serve these kinds of tea parties. They¡¯d never talked of Tyler in their match-making schemes, so she hadn¡¯t realized that was a risk today. This had been so much easier when one was meant to stay a piece of the scenery. It was very hard to not shoot Ambrosia a look.

    ¡°The games will be at the peak of summer, Lady Coodly. Everything will be clearer then. I promise not to forget Tyler with all my distractions.¡± This was definitely an example of politics not ignoring her. Please send something to distract this conversation.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Not that! Tyler¡¯s voice cut through what had been a quiet atmosphere perfect for conversation.

    ¡°Move or be moved.¡± Not her. Jessica¡¯s heated voice came up too.

    Both exclamations forced Harmony to look. Two of her gifted bodyguards stood in front of the pair trying to make their way into the meeting. For the second time, she was grateful for their presence, which was why she was regretful about what she had to do next.  ¡°It¡¯s okay. I know them.¡±

    Even as the bodyguards parted, Lady Coodly was less enthused about the presence, actually rising from her seat. ¡°This is a private tea party. You and your guest were not invited.¡±

    At least someone else had issues with Jessica.

    That still didn¡¯t stop the interlopers, ¡°You¡¯ve never barred me from¡­ ¡° The rest of his words fell from his mouth as he saw the guest. ¡°Harmony? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± He demanded of Lady Coodly.

    Jessica snaked her arm around Tyler¡¯s waist possessively. ¡°My lord, we clearly have more important tasks to do.¡±

    The old fire user wasn¡¯t in her maid¡¯s uniform. Though the outfit was even more revealing, going with a style that Tyler¡¯s influence could clearly be seen in its selection in the way so much skin was revealed. It also strained Harmony to admit that she wasn¡¯t old anymore. You hear about how evolution changes people in Hazeldown but rarely see it. Considering most accomplish that feat while still in the flush of youth, the change is rarely so dramatic.  Only a single streak of gray sat in the former sun priestess¡¯s hair.

    ¡°Lady White¡¯s acceptance was on short notice. Surely you¡¯ve heard of The Ascendant Games by now. It''s been the talk in all social circles since last night¡¯s break of the news and Harmony barely has a moment to spare even for me.  You¡¯ve been busy. And this is still my Manor, where I choose how to entertain my guests.¡±

    ¡°I was celebrating! You could have still sent a servant to rouse me.¡±  Tyler complained petulantly.  ¡°I formed my own skill.¡±

    Needing support indeed. This isn¡¯t the time or the place for him to have his complaints with Lady Coodly. This is where the servants would unobtrusively leave to allow for a private conversation. But Harmony was here as a guest, not a servant. It wouldn¡¯t be shocking if Lord Tyler had forgotten that. The mention of ¡®barely a moment¡¯ did give an out, but it would be improper to look like she¡¯d been scared away. It wasn¡¯t like she could stride away this time anyway without leaving her dress behind.

    ¡°That is a noteworthy achievement, lord Tyler. One you should feel proud of, but the lady is right that my time is short, as I have challenges to face.¡±

    ¡°I can¡­¡±   The words failed him. It¡¯s not like he could offer to get her through those challenges. Jessica also gave him a berserker charged yank, interrupting him and shifting him into her curves.

    Harmony also continued as though he hadn¡¯t spoken. ¡°Lady Coodly, it¡¯s been delightful to see you again. I¡¯ve cherished the space you gave me to develop my skills and profession. May I touch up your appearance for old times sakes before I go?¡±

    The foundation on Lady Coodly¡¯s face had cracked a little in her exchange with Tyler. [Beautician] and the maid aspect of Harmony''s profession had been wearing on her in the background since arriving. Habit, experience, and pride that she knew she could do better all called on the Lady Maid.

    ¡°If you don¡¯t think that is beneath¡­¡±

    Harmony waved away that complaint. ¡°I¡¯m still a maid and have a profession to maintain.¡±

    ¡°Of course then.¡± The old Matriarch answered.

    Harmony called upon her magic. The first thing was to get rid of that foundation and make-up. It was all powders and pastes, ground of stone, plant, and other materials designed to smooth out lines and add color. In other words, carefully selected and produced [Dust]. The skill grabbed at those particulates and freed them from her former employer''s face.  Even as that was pealed off [Manipulate Dead] and [Beautician] were synergizing to smooth her face out using what was naturally there.

    It might have only been months since she¡¯d done work on Lady Coodly, but Harmony had gained levels. Maxing out the skills in an attempt to sate the turmoil inside of her.  She¡¯d done all the make-up for Songstress and the Flows, with all their dance moves and sweating, and sometimes overactive extracurricular socializing. The necromancer had learned some tricks. Even remembered aspects of what surprised her when she¡¯d gained [Recall] and reflected on turning Sir Maxwell¡¯s hair a persistent pink.  While she couldn¡¯t permanently make some changes last, she could now surprise her former employer with how long this one will.

    [Renew Spirit] synergized with [Cold Touch] to help lock in a more life-like appearance and add bits of color. Small bits of knowledge gained from preserving the flowers in her new manor inspired more advancement.

    Satisfied, Harmony turned to the hair, similarly knocking out all the outside materials added to cover up the aging and damaged hair.  [Mend] added to her work there, fixing any frays and scuffs to the hair, working in tandem with [Manipulate Dead].  The new, brighter, healthier-looking color should stay as well, safe from any washings and most time-related fading.

    A spiteful part of her wanted to demonstrate that she could make Lady Coodly look younger and healthier than Jessica, but that gave way to honoring her host and using [Recall] to remember all the little details about what she liked about all the previous times harmony had worked on the matriarch.

    ¡°I hope this pleases you.¡± Harmony finished

    Lady Coodly touched her face, then looked toward her maid. Barely a few moments later one of the houseboys was there with a mirror for her. The staff probably had someone run for one the moment they saw what was going on. Lady Coodly inspected her face.  ¡°Astounding work as always. And thank you for your visit. Jones will show you out.¡°

    The footman gave a short bow.

    Yes, it was an odd way to assert dominance over Lord Tyler''s interruption. But it satisfied her profession nicely.  Standing up, Harmony moved to exit, in her departure she could see the bodyguards move to block Lord Tyler¡¯s view, an unexpected advantage of having them.  Being forced out, even unintentionally, was a tad annoying. She had wanted to talk to that gardener. Maybe a future visit if no solution presents itself?

 Chapter Sixty - Four * Twenty - Four

    Chapter Twenty- Four

    ¡°Is it okay that we¡¯re early?¡±

    Gear and Wex in the capital had several locations. Most, like the one in Hazeldown, were run by apprentices. Ambrosia had made their appointment at the main store.

    ¡°I sent a little bird ahead and packed a book for you in case they make you wait. You¡¯ve never protested about waiting when you¡¯re allowed a book in your hands. What will they say? Lady White is so well-read, so scandalous.  You¡¯ll want to change into your armor though.¡±

    Ambrosia chatted from her side of the carriage.

    ¡°What?¡±

    The dress she¡¯d worn to Lady Coodly¡¯s was perfectly acceptable for her shopping plans. Perhaps she could even wear it to dinner instead of her armor.

    ¡°To get the appointment today I had to mention how the armor had been permanently modified and needed an evaluation as the changes couldn¡¯t be undone. Gear and Wex are touchy about their reputation. They always have spots for emergency repairs and issues.¡±

    ¡°Night is great. It slightly improves every time I put it on.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve been wanting it evaluated for months. So strip!¡±

    There could have been more convenient places for Ambrosia to bring this up than on the carriage ride to their destination. Still, she wouldn¡¯t have one of her nice dresses eaten by her skill. Close confines, and seated, everything became a tangle of fabric, elbows and knees. Ambrosia after a bit of a laugh joined in to help.

    A few grunts and bangs later. ¡°Everything alright back there?¡± The carriage driver cried.

    ¡°It¡¯s fine!¡± the pair replied while wrestling off a stocking.

    Free of clothes and sweating. Harmony refreshed herself and snapped Night into place. The skin-tight armor hugged her comfortably, the buckles and straps that had been such a pain had changed over the months of using it, their metal enveloped the shiny black coating until that aspect held the armor on, even the metal parts had changed slightly growing a little, and small embedded pieces covered vital spots where she¡¯d sworn no armor had existed before.  The idea of having it judged was not appealing.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so glum. Like you said, Night is even better than when you received it. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll have no complaints.¡±

    The front of Wex and Gear was more like a high-end fashion shop than what is thought of as a place for custom armor and weapons. They didn¡¯t have random pieces for you to choose from sitting in the windows. Their name was enough and pieces were done to order and shipped directly to happy customers.

    Harmony and Ambrosia stepped in after allowing the first two bodyguards to enter, the door''s little bell at the corner was still ringing in the air.

    The man standing in the shop let out a gasp.  Large, muscular, the picture of a smith with forearms as large as her head, in a suit accented with hard leather, the combination of class and labor.

    ¡°What have you done!¡±

    Unable to read if the reaction was outrage or astonishment the pair of maids flinched at the outburst.

    ¡°Wex, get out here!¡±

    ¡°Gear, do I have to?¡± Cried a voice from the back.

    ¡°Yes, Now!¡± He answered

    Harmony felt Gear¡¯s eyes on her, or more accurately her armor. The man¡¯s eyes went to her arm and shin coverings as much as the rest of her body.

    Wex, dirty, covered in soot and sparkling red powder, stepped in from the back leaving a trail. Short, scrawny, wearing heavy goggles, oversized gloves, and a thick apron revealed he''d been deep into a project.

    ¡°Blood in the weeds.¡± He gasped. ¡°Is that?¡± Wex stepped closer taking his goggles on and off as he looked at Night.¡±

    ¡°Yes, and no. But at least your worries can be put to rest.¡±

    Harmony shifted nervously as she now had double the focus on her.

    That got Gear''s attention, and he fished out a small appointment book out of his pocket and scanned it. ¡°Sorry, uh, Lady White. Due to the dimensions and unique requests around that order, we¡¯d been worried it would go to a child.  It also stretched further into what we¡¯d call costume wear, despite notes that it would be used in a dungeon. Wex spent three months tweaking and obsessing over the pieces on the mannequin before shipping it and nearly didn¡¯t send it even with the large payment to get it to Hazeldown as quick as possible.

    How long ago did Lord Tyler order that piece of equipment? Len had talked about him planning on getting her into his group. This extended the timeline of those plans even further. ¡°Not a child. Merely not graced with a high stature.¡±

    ¡°The plates have grown. Look how the greaves extend around a little more, some even under¡­ What is this material?¡± Wex mused. He reached out to poke the black strand that had replaced the strap.

    Harmony took a step back out of reach.

    ¡°Wex!¡± Gear admonished.

    ¡°I¡¯d made a dress. It accidentally merged into the armor I¡¯d paired with. There was an incident and let¡¯s say they¡¯ve become one. That¡¯s not the only change since it¡¯s been paired with my [Small Armor] skill.¡± The situation was odd enough, she mostly ignored it at this point.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    ¡°A pairing?¡±  Wex gasped. ¡°That would explain... In this kingdom? This piece too? My hands¡­¡± The man started to bow. ¡°We¡¯re not worthy! We¡¯re not worthy!¡± He cried.

    Gear gave him a little shake to knock him out of that.

    ¡°Sorry about that. When we moved here we never expected our gear to get paired with someone. It doesn¡¯t happen in backwaters like here. Some other kingdoms reserve pairing for their potential elites. It¡¯s how legacy items get made. As you grow the item gets stronger. That is until you die. It¡¯s a bit of an honor for crafters to have your work selected.¡±

    They at least know something. The subtle inquiries in Hazeldown had revealed nothing. ¡°How much stronger? Anything useful you can tell me about this?¡±

    ¡°Oh, we don¡¯t know. We¡¯ve been in Naewauld for close to thirty years. When we left, we¡¯d only just graduated Skysmith Academy after our second evolution and that was with the clothes on our backs.

    Partnerships like ours weren¡¯t acceptable. We know of paired items, but those weren¡¯t the circles we operated in.¡±

    ¡°Maybe if I get the chance I¡¯ll ask Ha¡¯zel Ri. Old Bones seems like the only one with information around here.¡±

    ¡°The dungeon spirit?¡± Wex asked.

    ¡°Wait! You¡¯re that Lady White!¡± Gear exclaimed.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know of any other ones,¡±  Harmony answered a little crossly.  Wait, she should be happy to not be recognized on sight. That was supposed to be one of the advantages of the capitol, not that news wasn¡¯t getting around.

    ¡°You should see the pseudonyms used to schedule appointments. Most of the time I have to forcibly remove those who schedule this slot.  Either their armor needs work, which is rare.¡± He stated proudly. ¡°Or they think they can bend the rules and use this time to place an order.  Showing you can remove that kind of person is good for business no matter their status.¡±

    Harmony resisted shooting Ambrosia a dirty look.  Today, the main goal was to make a purchase and not get removed due to their armor being unbroken. Servants are invisible. Servants are invisible.

    ¡°Well, since you can¡¯t help me with my armor, are you willing to take a custom order now, or will I need to reschedule?¡±

    Harmony knew a refusal when she saw it coming. The way Gear leaned back a little with some hesitation and tenseness in his shoulders.

    ¡°Unique! Can I touch it? The way it interacts with light. Of course, I¡¯ll make something for you!¡±

    ¡°Wex!¡± Gear moaned.

    ¡°I know. You do the business, but think of this opportunity. It has a name!¡±.

    ¡°A name?¡±

    Clearly only one of them had inspected the armor with a skill. ¡°It¡¯s named Night. You may touch it if you prioritize my custom order.¡±

    ¡°Of course,¡± Wexa answered, stepping forward, his hands already inspecting how the greave attached around the shin.  The way the black stands kept it on after the changes showed more calf than when leather had been strapping it on, though the way it was skin tight meant no chaffing. Harmony wondered if it was needed at all because it felt affixed to her completely.

    ¡°Wex! I¡¯m sorry Lady white.¡±  Gear started.

    ¡°I consider the promise sealed,¡± Harmony answered, ignoring the pawing. At least it was limited to the armor. ¡°I need tools for my familiar, who is a shadow toad. I¡¯m thinking of a sawing or cutting implement that can be used against the plants of the dungeon without hampering his movement much.¡±  Why try to design something yourself when you have money to hire experts?

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t cut! The material is both hard and elastic. Does it lock up if you move fast?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve yet to have an issue with it. My project?¡±  Harmony answered.

    ¡°Talon-less animals. About seven years ago we had a frog. Then there was a gecko? But that¡¯s not what you¡¯re looking for. Not custom gloves with bladed tips. Strong legs?¡±

    ¡°Very.¡±

    Wex moved up Harmony¡¯s leg to her knee, probing as there was more covering around the joint. ¡°There¡¯s embedded armor behind the knee for extra protection. It¡¯s like it repurposed the buckles. For your familiar, I¡¯m thinking spurs where the heels would be, strapped on so they can¡¯t be ripped off easily. Serrated to cut through those tough vines, and maybe a Twiggy¡¯s limb if allowed enough time.¡±

    The thighs were similar enough to the armor below that Wex didn¡¯t spend much time obsessing there, instead, his eyes went to the core of  Night, the encompassing blackness speckled with bioluminescence from her waist all the way curving up the mostly decorative armor around her bust. With the recent changes it acquired with [Stride Before the Fall], you could almost peer into it with an illusionary depth like you were looking into the night sky.

    ¡°With speed being a priority. How soon do you think you can complete the project for me?¡±

    Harmony winced as he poked into her midsection. ¡°I¡¯ll have them delivered to you tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Wex.¡± Gear complained again.

    ¡°You know I won¡¯t sleep tonight after looking at this. I might not be able to cut or copy this kind of metamaterial, but I think I can add some of the traits using [Adaptation]. An imperfect magical modification is still an improvement. This is nothing like what we¡¯re forced to work with in this podunk kingdom.¡±

    ¡°Sorry.¡± Gear mouthed.

    Harmony was used to living in a place looked down upon. Hazeldown had been the ugly brother of Naewauld for the twin cities that represented the kingdom. Having such negative opinions about the capital too was a tad surprising.  ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m merely happy to have the commission done so soon.¡±

    ¡°Serrated blades are a specialty. Gatherers need them to harvest materials, usually after the monsters are dead. What¡¯s your familiar¡¯s measurements?¡±

    [Recall] provided all the information the man needed while he completed his inspection. Gear at least had the respect to flush for him as Wex got close enough to her chest that she could feel his breath.  At least it wasn¡¯t about her. The cost left her purse significantly lighter.

    ¡°Please come back so I can see the changes after you evolve.¡±

    If she evolved. Making Hyacinth more functional only helped somewhat. Even then would there be time to return here?

    The whole trip took longer than expected. There wouldn¡¯t be time to change before dinner. Thankfully dinner turned into how many ways she could say ¡°I honestly don¡¯t know, guild master Hemlock made all the deals with Ha¡¯zel Ri. I¡¯m merely there to open the games.¡±  Pretty girls and servants learned how to play dumb when needed, and it wasn¡¯t inaccurate if anyone had any skills to hunt down false implications to pull on.

    This allowed her to listen in on them fantasizing about the titles.

    ¡°With five titles available there has to be some negative ones. I hear no one does the trial of the giant in Euless anymore because nine times out of ten you get the bad one.¡±

    ¡°As great as it can be to impress a dungeon spirit, one really should avoid disappointing one. ¡°

    ¡°You met the dungeon spirit, Lady White?¡± Friar Trent asked.

    ¡°Only very briefly, and not as close as Duke Darren.¡±

    ¡°That poor man. That¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about. I¡¯m lucky I¡¯m level thirty. My nephew though, he might qualify, been hovering near the end of twenty-four for weeks.¡±

    Harmony didn¡¯t have weeks. Her teeth chewed on her delicious steak as her thoughts chewed on her problems. Food was good, at least.

 Chatper Sixty - Fiive * Twenty-Five

    Chapter Twenty-Five

    ¡°Graaaaaack¡± Hyacinth complained.

    ¡°Oh, don¡¯t be a baby. Who cares if they squeeze a little.¡± The spurs stretched over his front and hind paws where his wrist was with one strap between the toes to not limit their movement. Wex clearly experimented after his inspection of Night when developing the material. The long serrated blades were thicker than She¡¯d expected, more like a wedge than a flat blade. He hadn¡¯t wanted to wear them on the trip up the stairs.  So, now he had to put them on with an audience.

    The caught wooze snapped angrily, helpless from its hair stiffened to keep its feet off the ground.  It would have been easier to kill it but Harmony had plans. It was time to test her new skill on an opponent she didn¡¯t care about hurting.

    [Final Silence] combined with [Cold Touch] as she lashed out at it. It turned docile and shivered a little. Fur was still blocking the cold, but it was colder now. She waited for the teeth to start snapping again. Definitely a smidge longer there. Combined effects were always greater even if they did take a good chunk more out of her, that¡¯s how she¡¯d mastered [Dust] so well after combining it with [Manipulate Dead].

    A slightly better skill isn¡¯t what she needed. There was strength in being different, seeing Lady Coodly reminded her of that. [Beautician] combined with [Manipulate Dead] while working with [Renew Spirit] and touches of other skills to create an effect well outside of simple uses of her skills.  Hours of practice going into the first floor of the dungeon and prettying up those shambling corpses. All so she didn''t slip and accidentally explode a few skulls. Imagine working on someone''s hair and accidentally making it blow off their head if [Manipulate Dead] shifted into a formal activation. It would have been impossible to live down that shame.

    As much as she¡¯d wanted to see the gardener for advice, she¡¯d never be one. He might have suggested some skill stone or focus on creating a new skill that might help, but then she¡¯d need to train it up. Creating a skill took genius or in Lord Tyler¡¯s case persistence. Harmony hated to admit she didn¡¯t have either of those things. What she did have was the inclination to screw around until she figured it out.

    Over time the wooze¡¯s snarls of anger turned into cries of pain. The whimpering and crying became hard to ignore. They¡¯re only monsters. There¡¯s no other good way to do this.  Hyacinth''s predatory support helped strengthen her spine. Those cries had drawn attention, packmates were incoming. Kill or be killed.

    Harmony¡¯s foot kicked forward on the immobile wooze, twenty dead failures lay behind as she made her path through the level. The strike was aimed and guided to a specific location that wasn¡¯t physical, yet still contained in the beast''s body. The crack wasn¡¯t even audible, but Harmony heard it. The wooze¡¯s snarls went away. But it wasn¡¯t silenced. Other skills remained. Whatever senses it had boosted kept its attention on her event through the fur.

    She¡¯d done it. She¡¯d damaged a skill! That or she¡¯d silenced a single skill. Which was something feasible. Now she just had to wait.

    [Recall] let her review the steps and reasoning taken to get here with ease. People damage their skills by accident or overwork, a risk of pushing past what it takes to run them. Those take rest to repair the damage out of reach of most healing skills and potions. Limits she¡¯d gone past a time or two and found herself hurt. [Renew Spirit] helped but didn''t heal it outright.

    You¡¯d also hear stories of particularly gruesome injuries damaging skills. They existed as concrete units with levels separate from each other in people''s statuses. Her internal visualization did the same thing, islands or nodes inside her soul. Each was particularly poignant and problematic with their quirks due to the stresses new authority was causing, which helped her picture what they might be on others. Since they existed it made sense that there might be a way to hit them.

    Extending that earned perception onto other creatures was a different level of problem. [Analyze]¡¯s ability to pick up information, [Mana Rotation] and its second sense of mana in the world, [Renew Spirit] which has always had a soft spot to help soothe stressed skills, and then that puzzle piece of [Final Silence] interacting with them more deeply.

    Was it that different than dolling up Ambrosia before a concert, refreshing herself with the morning routine,  or even all that repair work on the partially rotting timbers of their manor? Combining skills for a desired effect.  No, but that didn¡¯t make it easy.  Synergy and Connections helped. Those stats strengthened what she could do and imagine. But no using them to break rules as she had in some experiments! That would aggravate her already stressed system. There was no desire to watch a wooze turn into a pile of mewling goo.

    All that was required was to find a way to hit the right spot. [Cold Touch]-[High Kick]-[Final Silence] - a touch of [Manipulate Dead] and [Renew Spirit].  Until it felt like you were hitting past a veil between what was solid and what wasn¡¯t. The strike''s impact went elsewhere and blows that would break ribs, bruise flesh, or chill disappeared.

    Every use was draining. Chronostasis was even forced to get the balance right mid-strike while maintaining visualization on a still target half the time.  And would it even work on plants?  Would their regeneration capabilities be able to fix it faster?

    ¡°Crorack!¡± Hyacinth snapped. Bored, Hungry, Dinner Soon.

    The Wooze remained broken.  Silence leveled twice. Hyacinth practiced wearing his bladed booties for walking and hopping. Blood and bones they¡¯d been at it all day. Ma Bell would be disappointed if they were late.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    The pair took off. She wasn¡¯t ready to try her new skill and merely murdered the brood mother with efficiency. [Stride] allowed her to take risks and push further even if only the memory remained. Memories that chastised her for sticking an arm inside the giant wooze¡¯s mouth to freeze its brain from the inside because It felt achievable. Which worked as long as you didn¡¯t mind losing an arm.

    Harmony absent-mindedly rubbed her left arm making sure it was still there.

    [Stride] actually felt close to leveling after that. More so than it had after all its other uses. Yet it remained at level one. ¡°Everything all right, Eternal?¡±  The booth agent asked as she lingered on those thoughts while checking out from her run.

    ¡°Fine. How close is it to the dinner hour?¡±

    ¡°Not quite ten minutes from now.¡±

    . ¡°Delve me.¡± She muttered. Enough zombie dazing about. ¡°Come, Hyacinth.¡±  She put her hand on him and they were off. The brief glimpse of the shadow world was always fascinating. One day maybe she¡¯d have the time and energy to wring some answers about it from her companion.

    ¡°... and that¡¯s when she¡­¡±

    The pair stumbled out of their designated shadow in time to interrupt Sir Maxwell mid-sentence talking to the bodyguards. The pink-haired knight froze mid-sentence, in a way that Harmony suspected that the ¡°she¡± he was referring to was herself.

    ¡°Lady White, I have the information on the guests ready for you. But there has been some seat shuffling on our side. Prince Adric is indisposed and I¡¯ve volunteered to take his spot for the evening.¡±

    Harmony snapped her attention inward past all the skills she¡¯d worked sore by bending them sideways to do what she wanted, and towards her bond with her undead pet. There was no communicating the way she did with Hyacinth, the mostly one-sided bond was harder to pull information from.  So she leaned into connections, the stat bending normal rules, little flickers of information bled through. No pain or hurt, but touches of fear, worry, and guilt. Not in great amounts, but contrary to his usual oblivious, happy, eager self.

    The temperature dropped quickly and [Final Silence] started to show irritability as little sounds like breathing cut out to the point where you could hear a pin drop.

    ¡°How is he indisposed?¡± Harmony asked, her voice clear in the cold silence.

    ¡°He was called away for family matters. His cousins Prince Jacob and Princess Willow fetched him from the common room a few hours ago. He was actually excited to see them. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back before bed.¡±

    Harmony was sure he was excited to see them. That he loved and missed his family. That they¡¯d babied him after his fate-ending evolution. Poor Prince Adric the doomed beauty. It was easy to be kind to someone you knew wasn¡¯t long for this world. [Recall] brought up all the stories from the carriage ride.  Jacob and Willow were what you could call enemy friends or friendly enemies, always taking the sickly prince out partying, and getting into trouble. Encouraging him to do riskier and riskier things, because after all, what did he have to lose? They were the ones who¡¯d recommended he go to Hazeldown rather than spend his last moments with friends and family. They also didn¡¯t go with him.

    ¡°He¡¯d better be.¡±  But what if he wasn¡¯t? Rather than gnaw at her that thought fueled anger.

    Harmony only half listened as her sworn knight informed her of the other guests. Ascendant Games fever was still the rage. The guests would be more idealists and overeager information seekers. Ones who did not hear the rumors of how Harmony responded last time, yet were still eager to get their shot at prying information she didn¡¯t have from her. Hopefully, Ma Bell bled them dry for that honor.

    Dinner conversation ran hot and pressured. Sir Maxwell was not as comforting as her pet. Oh, he tried. ¡°For the third time. Lady White has already said she knows nothing about the games!¡±  It was actually the fourth time. That''s one of the reasons why Max''s overprotective mode tonight was tolerable.

    Even Ma Bell was having difficulty managing her table, ¡°Gentlemen!¡± She interrupted, her skill flooding the table to encourage relaxation and comfort.

    That was a mistake. This was the wrong crowd of people. Try hard adventurers desperate to get a shot at these new games. The kind of people that run their heads into a wall one hundred times to improve their defense. The kind of people who find violence relaxing and comforting.

    ¡°All we want is a polite conversation about what to expect from the dungeon spirit. Someone with her background knows how important it is to share information with her fellow working class adventurers¡± A hint of a skill rippled out from him.

    Suddenly this tank got more interesting.  Not the hinted argument that she was a revolutionary here to help overthrow a corrupt system. That had been chasing her in some news circles since she¡¯d stood up to the duke when she first met him at the ball she was serving at in Hazeldown. [Taunt] she recognized that from one of the skills Lord Tyler had, but this time used in a flexible way that wasn¡¯t fully activated. It was what she liked to do with her skills. Not that she felt like she could have a rational discussion on skill theory with the man after how dinner was going.

    Adric might have been a calming influence in this situation. Sir Maxwell, however, was one of those brawlers.

    The knight pushed himself up from his seated position, wagging his finger like a sword. ¡°What you¡¯re doing is questioning my Lady¡¯s honor. I ought to pull off my glove and challenge you. ¡°

    Harmony let the quieting effect of [Final Silence] bleed out to everyone else. Not too dissimilar from when it leaked around Max and the guards earlier at the mention of her pet¡¯s situation. ¡°Enough!¡± She snapped.  All the group''s retorts were blocked by the silence that covered them.

    ¡°I apologize, Madam Bell. But it has been a long day. I must depart dinner early.¡± She ended the portion of silence around her host, realizing she¡¯d hit everyone.

    ¡°It¡¯s, uh, understandable. I¡¯ll make sure to be more selective at future dinners. I hope the prince can be back as well.¡±

    Bates and Ambrosia were already at her side when she stood up and managed to get five steps away before her skill effect ended.

    ¡°Ashes and weeds!¡± The yells from the other guests chased after her as she shuffled off toward her room.

    Inwardly she checked on Adric again. More of his anxiety bled through.  She¡¯d hoped to share the excitement of her training with him. Oh, he has every right to visit his family when called. The suddenness of him not being there when she¡¯d expected him to be around hurt. He had wanted to confront his family. But why now, and without consulting her first or leaving a note?

 Chapter Sixty - Six * Twenty - Six

    Chapter Twenty-Six

    Harmony unsubmerged herself from her tub. It became a nightly tradition for her to stay at The Dragonfly Inn. ¡°I could have handled that better.¡±

    ¡°Oh, I think you handled that perfectly well. You don¡¯t need to stick around a bunch of bullies just to be polite. Now scoot over, this lark has some aching wings to soak.¡± Ambrosia slipped into the tub with her with a long sigh of relief

    ¡°Why are you sore? I spent all day in the dungeon working myself silly.¡±

    ¡°Day shows, and working on new pieces with the band. Ascendant Games fever has taken root hotter than I expected. Being from Hazeldown is actually an advantage. None of them seem to care that only five from our little kingdom are getting spots in there, and the rest are from the larger evolved ones.  Anyone approaching Level Twenty seems to think they can level quick enough to meet the requirements. There have already been three deaths in the dungeon.¡±

    Harmony winced at that. She¡¯d only just hit sixteen.

    ¡°Oh, don''t worry about yourself. I¡¯m talking about the morons. You¡¯ve already proven yourself.¡°

    ¡°Have I?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°You were a level seventeen maid at the beginning of spring and managed to bring it all the way to twenty-four since you got made a lady. If you didn¡¯t need to match it with your class so you could evolve, I¡¯m sure it would be higher.¡±

    ¡°But that¡¯s only maid work.¡±

    Ambrosia reached across the water and poked her. ¡°For most people, it is their profession that lags behind. Any old idiot can go into the dungeon and beat things with sticks, but very few want to put the work in.¡±

    But she¡¯d only pushed herself so hard because she had to. Every level did seem to relieve Hyacinth and her own issues a tad. Days were running out.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ve figured out a technique to help me face the second floor.  I¡¯d hoped to share it with Prince Adric.¡±

    ¡°There you go, Harm. There¡¯s never been a mess you haven¡¯t figured out how to clean.¡±

    ¡°I haven¡¯t tried it out on plants yet, but I¡¯ve figured out how to damage skills.¡±

    Ambrosia¡¯s face went dead flat. ¡°Don¡¯t say another word.¡± The number of times Harmony had seen her friend without an expression like this was never. ¡°Cast your silence spell so no one else can hear us.¡±

    Harmony did. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Are you an idiot?¡±

    She¡¯d just spent the last few moments praising her and now this? ¡°I figured it was theoretically possible. If I can damage the skills that allow plants to move then I should be able to beat them without needing to take some nasty skill like [Rot].¡±

    ¡°What do you know about the forbidden classes?¡±

    A topic that held no interest for Harmony, less than that since one of those has been an option when she first got the chance to choose. ¡°There are ten forbidden classes, Demon, Corruptor,  Soul Binder,  Mindflayer, Unbound,  Reaper,  Despot, Cupid, Time Twister, and Game Master. In some other kingdoms, there are even more and Necromancer is often included. I don¡¯t need to know more.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t you know why some of those are on the list?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t care. Look, anyone with a silence skill can damage a skill. Those strike ones would probably be best. Why is this just a big deal?¡±

    ¡°Half those classes are on the list because they can damage or destroy skills. Reapers, Demons, Corrupted. I¡¯m not saying not to use what you need to win, but don¡¯t talk about it.¡±Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

    Demon. Beggar. Necromancer. Harmony¡¯s initial choices for her class. The ones she had the greatest potential for based on her experiences. In any other kingdom, she¡¯d probably have been forced to pick beggar or die.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± She whispered.

    ¡°Of course, you didn¡¯t know. The temples  did their best to destroy all that information.¡±

    ¡°How do you know?¡±

    ¡°Let¡¯s just say it is why I don¡¯t like to talk about my parents.¡±

    Harmony let herself sink under the water again.  It was the best plan she had.  Demon. Would that choice option chase her forever?  Would she need to acquire rot? The idea had [Recall] bring up the taste of rotten vegetables eaten out of necessity.

    Arms yanked Harmony up out of the water. Ambrosia tugged her up, holding on despite the slickness between them. ¡°Quit sulking. I only said don¡¯t talk about it, not to stop using your new technique. Not everyone has forgotten about it, and you don¡¯t want that getting around.  Skills get damaged, but you probably don¡¯t want to be bragging about doing it on purpose. If you weren¡¯t a necromancer this probably wouldn¡¯t even be an issue.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the one who convinced me I¡¯d done something awful.¡±

    ¡°Sorry. My dad was good at that. I don¡¯t recommend having a dad as an inquisitor. He¡¯d show up when you least expect it and make you feel bad.¡±

    ¡°Thanks for warning me.¡° This day was turning out great, with the best thing she¡¯d done during it possibly garnering more unwanted attention. ¡°I hope Adric comes back soon.¡±

    Ambrosia¡¯s squeeze melted into a gentle hug. ¡°I¡¯m sure he will. We all know how tough dealing with family can be.¡±

    Prince Adric did not show up that night. She stayed up a little later than she normally would, thumbing through Dungeon Tactics 101. Eighty percent filler dealing with group tactics, but while recommending you never go into a dungeon alone they had several situational chapters for what to do if you get separated from your party or you¡¯re the only surviving member. Even those coached that you should always go back and leave if possible. Escape the number one priority. But between those lines, there was helpful information when you were in a situation like Harmonys'' going at it alone.

    Prince Adric did not show up in the morning either. He was still alive and well. This whole checking on him was a tad ridiculous. He¡¯d spent plenty of time away from her before his big reveal. Even after,  he¡¯d go out and roam Hazeldown¡¯s social scene, sometimes forgetting he was out running an errand, and end up out for much longer than he has so far. Yet, she was perturbed.

    The wooze came charging out of the underbrush only because Harmony let it. She needed to practice against more than just immobile, helpless creatures if she wanted to make she she could use her skill-damaging strike when she really needed it.  Her foot swung around propelled by [High Kick]. It felt like she was hitting a layer of pillows, but she wasn¡¯t aiming for physical damage. Pop, the metaphysical glass shattered. The fact that she¡¯d discovered the attack would go through the thick fur gave her more hope it would extend into more armored opponents like twiggys.

    Rather than go docile, the Wooze spun around in a circle blind, deaf, and senseless. Dangit. She¡¯d broken one of the skills, just not the one she was aiming for.

    Harmony¡¯s contemplation of what she did wrong was interrupted by the snap and crash of a tree falling in the distance.  Hyacinth had his own training to complete. Using his new saw-like spurs he hunted trees to fell as he adjusted to the Gear and Wex weaponry attached to his feet. It was not his favorite kind of prey but she appreciated his dedication.

    Tomorrow they could test the second floor again. It felt like it was too soon. It probably was. Insanity. She freed another tied-up wooze and readied herself again as she thought. To make this attack second nature she needed to be able to do it while distracted or panicked. Focusing only on dirty tasks was a recipe for burning out if you couldn¡¯t let your mind wander while cleaning attics, scrubbing Tyler¡¯s rooms, or taking care of shit.

    The Ascendant Games didn¡¯t matter, but it was a fine excuse for pressure to evolve. It kept her valuable. Got resources given to her. Allowed for the support she needed to resolve her issues and save Hyacinth from the pain her authority was putting on him. And the consequences of not participating? They¡¯d take it all away. It would also be ridiculous to think she could compete, wouldn''t it?

    Pop. She released another wooze. Only two left before the brood mother.

    Harmony let her mind wander more. Prince Adric, Ambrosia was right that he¡¯d grow on her. Hell, Ambrosia and Bates were now contracted to work for her. It took effort, power, and politics to keep them. Sir Maxwell standing up for her honor, bah. Even that pink lout was slowly getting a foothold with her staff.

    Pop. [Mend] quickly sealed up where she¡¯d let claws hit one of the bare spots on her thigh. Release.

    They weren¡¯t one-sided responsibilities. Take care of them and they¡¯ll take care of you. A tree crashed in the distance. Partners like Hyacinth. You didn¡¯t abandon them when things got rough or if they made a choice you didn¡¯t agree with. When their flaws might ruin your career.  You didn¡¯t send them to the streets for being who they are. If Adric wanted to deal with his family he didn¡¯t need to do it alone.

    Pop. The last wooze fell.

 Chapter Sixty-Seven * Twenty-Seven

    Chapter Twenty-Seven

    The rainbow coatl was sulking in the stables when Harmony visited. Bowe didn¡¯t like being away from Prince Adric any more than necessary. The pet of her pet, there had been some time contemplating what that meant for her relationship with the magnificent beast. It didn¡¯t help that there was that awkward attempt to claim the serpent, which ended up with her bonded to the prince. After seeing the large poops Adric needed to clean up, she decided it was best to separate herself from it and let him handle those tasks without her help. One of the benefits of being a lady had to be no longer needing to handle so much shit.

    ¡°Bowe, do I need to go and rescue Adric?¡±  Even massaging the bond with her undead pet, it was hard to get the details needed. The coatl would have more insight into how the prince was feeling.

    Bowe uncoiled enough to let an eye peer out. ¡°He is not in danger, Lady Healer. But he is lost and would not want to burden you with his problems.¡±  The feathered serpent''s voice came out a gravelly rasp. It was also a dozen more words than she¡¯d heard Bowe speak ever.  They usually spoke through their bond with Adric and he relayed the information.

    ¡°Like he wouldn¡¯t drop everything to help you. We share that same kind of bond. Would you like me to go and help him?¡±

    Bowe rippled with discomfort. Harmony wasn¡¯t involved right now. The idea that the healer could get into trouble was something neither wanted. Humans were hard to read. Yet this smaller one radiated determination. No wouldn¡¯t be enough. It would need to forbid it. Addy dispaired. Addy felt alone. Unmoored from their litter. But he wasn¡¯t alone and never would be. ¡°Yes.¡± They rasped out.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯ll take care of it.¡±

    Asking Adric¡¯s pet had been a first step. Getting confirmation that he needed help. If there was any sign that he¡¯d be home soon Bowe would have said no. This strained family interaction would take more time. Even as a prince with authority to his name, they hadn¡¯t recognized him after all these months despite his return. That couldn¡¯t be a good sign. It was time to see what influence the Challenger of Haz¡¯ el Ri, the opener of the Ascendant Games, the first risen lady of Hazeldown had other than attracting annoying dinner guests.

    With hours until dinner, Harmony called her crew to help with planning.

    ¡°Ambrosia, I don¡¯t happen to have any invitations to visit where Adric is being held?¡±

    There was no need to ask if she knew where Adric was at. Harmony¡¯s pet was whisked away. Of course, she was going to keep tabs on them. ¡°We have none for the palace tower. I can have Bates write a request to visit and send it through the proper channels.¡± That response came with a knowing look.

    Harmony had seen that game played before. All that meant was that it could be accepted at any speed the palace wanted. Since there wasn¡¯t an outstanding invitation it was unlikely she¡¯d be able to visit soon.  Could Princess Rosaline get them an invitation? Harmony was loathe to lean on that connection, even if there might be some guilt she could leverage around the handmaiden incident.

    ¡°Any way I can use the fact that he¡¯s my pet to get them to return him?¡±This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°With the commission having so much power. There are a lot of laws around pets, their rights, and such. Many lawyers focus on pet law as a specialist practice. While intelligent pets aren¡¯t unique, Adric is. Legal proceedings could be started, but I¡¯d expect the retainer to take all our funds.¡±

    Pet law? Crazy. You¡¯d think there would be a simple requirement to return pets to their bonded. They haven¡¯t even established if Adric has been denied the ability to leave. It was entirely possible the idiot felt he was staying there for her protection. That, disappointingly, was the most likely situation.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can make contact first. Send letters to Adric to see if we can get a response.¡±

    Ambrosia grimaced. ¡°I¡¯d already sent letters after he was picked up to them. Both under your name and under the staff auspicious of needing his schedule for planning. There has been no response.¡±

    Without informing her? Harmony activated [Poise and Bearing] to keep from snapping as tress and internal conflict reared their heads. It was Ambrosia''s job to keep track of the situation. If she hadn¡¯t cared for a few days or hours and Adric arrived home despite the lack of response there would have been no need to aggravate the situation by informing her of needless stresses like the lack of properly being able to schedule Adric for the day.

    ¡°If I get close enough I might be able to use my bond to figure out what is actually going on.¡±  As much as she¡¯d like to barge up there and bang on the door demanding answers. That wasn¡¯t the polite way to accomplish things and likely would ruin her first attempt at meeting more than just Adric''s favorite aunt. There also had to be trust that he knew what he was doing. Well, maybe not that. But at least it would help to know what is rolling around in his adorable head.

    Sir Maxwell cleared his throat from his corner of the room.  ¡°There is a private gathering happening in the second-floor ballroom tonight at the palace tower. It¡¯s not an event I¡¯d expect Adric to be at. We don¡¯t have an invitation but plus ones are allowed.¡±

    ¡°Then we have a party to crash. Parties are easy to slip into.¡±

    Sir Maxwell interjected. ¡°It¡¯s not that kind of gathering. It¡¯s a recruitment event for the temples.  Kind of a chance for talented individuals to nudge their class or profession in that direction before their first evolution. I was going to try for it if you refused my service.¡±

    Harmony tried to picture the large pink-haired knight doing his noble service for one of the temples. While she stifled her giggle Ambrosia did not.

    ¡°What? I would have shaved.¡± His hands stroked his braided beard protectively. ¡°I¡¯m very honored to be in your service, Lady White.¡±

    Temples were one of the few things Harmony agreed with her mother on. Not the kindest towards necromancy or beggars. ¡°Where does that leave me? I can¡¯t see them being very accepting of lady maid Harmony White, necromancer.¡±

    ¡°They¡¯d be a fool to refuse you if that is where you wanted your path to travel. But considering your goals it would be best to go incognito. Anonymous applicants are not unusual. I wouldn¡¯t have suggested it if it wasn¡¯t possible.¡±  Max finished.

    Pure madness.  ¡°And in the worst case scenario, my identity is uncovered?¡±

    ¡°Another round of wild speculation in the papers,¡± Max answered with a shrug.

    ¡°It¡¯s not like you care about how the gossip rags portray you. I think I could create some interesting songs around it if it does happen.¡± Ambrosia cajoled.

    Neither was appealing. There was still time left. ¡°Let¡¯s see if we can come up with something better?¡±

 Chapter Sixty-Eight * Twenty-Eight

    Chapter Twenty Eight

    The terrible idea won out. Maxwell¡¯s ¡°in¡± with the event heartily agreed when given the rundown of the plan. She¡¯d only made a deal with the knight because she thought it had the potential to be amusing. This could be doubly so.

    ¡°Don¡¯t dawdle, Mercy.¡± The old abbess prompted, reminding Harmony of her name this evening.

    Harmony shuffled forward in line, adjusting her makeshift disguise, her hand casually touching the choker around her neck that held the obfuscation ward, making her difficult to inspect.  The character she¡¯d designed was unique. One of Max¡¯s old sparring shirts was cut and modified with [Mend] to look like a baggy, plain shirt and breaches. [Small Armor] insisted she have something, so on her left hand was an oversized gauntlet, also modified.  [Beautician] complained, but all her features were made plain, except for her nose which had the illusion of a crook. All underneath a mop of unruly brown hair, shagged down to cover her ears and just below her eyebrows. While the height was unmodifiable unless she wanted to slouch, something [Poise and Bearing] and [Style and Grace] fought so hard against that it wasn¡¯t an option. Otherwise, she looked nothing like the Lady Harmony White.  Short girls existed everywhere.

    ¡°Yes, Abbess Violet.¡±

    As for why Violet agreed to this, she was a devotee of Chaos, embracing the idea that complacency bred stagnation. Harmony liked the woman¡¯s enthusiasm on the topic. That and she didn¡¯t care that Harmony had no interest in joining any of the temple organizations.

    The chain of clergy, associates, and their applicants wound up the palace tower stairs towards the second floor. The first four floors were for business, while the top four of the wide tower were the royal¡¯s living spaces.  She could feel Adric above her, probably not acutely as he could her. The plan was to ¡°call¡± him once the event got to the social aspect when she could most likely slip away.

    A hundred applicants were expected, so she¡¯d be just one of the crowd. Not including their patrons and other groups that were there to recruit. A swap meet of talent, or those that didn¡¯t fit within their current organizations. Geniuses, problem children, rebels, outsiders, and diamonds in the rough for them to compete for. Violet was here mostly to recruit the most chaotic candidates, and socialize. The abbess explained to not stand out, that Harmony should do her best during the recruitment process. Purposely trying to do badly could get her removed as they do ask some to leave for poor performance.

    The bodyguards were left behind, as was Ambrosia. It almost felt like she¡¯d slipped away for a vacation from her new aristocratic life. A guard wearing a sun on his chest checked the guests before they entered the ballroom. Violet waved an invitation at the man who didn¡¯t even bother reading it.

    ¡°No setting anything on fire.¡± The man warned with a glare as they entered.

    ¡°What was that about?¡± Harmony hissed to Violet.

    ¡°I like bringing interesting applicants.¡± Then with a comforting pat on Harmony¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll fit right in.¡±

    Setting things on fire wasn¡¯t what Harmony wanted to fit in with. She wasn¡¯t even planning on freezing anything. That was too noticeable as a skill Lady White had. Inside the ballroom, she got a bigger picture of what this would be like.

    Guards wearing sun crests dotted the ballroom as staff, hosts, and security. There were some tables set up as well as a few sparring rings. The patrons were all older, often in formal wear for their positions wearing robes, armor, or merely well-tailored clothes. The applicants were an eclectic bunch, younger since it had to be before their first evolution to attend.  Each wearing or equipped with tools to show off their class, profession, and talents. If you¡¯d said this was a gathering of young adventurers rather than people wanting to join one of the temple groups Harmony wouldn¡¯t have been shocked. Each dressed to show off or get noticed. As planned, she was one of the more ordinary-looking ones here.

    ¡°Violet Everdeen, with an applicant, what a surprise! I¡¯d heard you were skipping bringing someone to this season¡¯s harvest of talents.¡±

    A paladin of the moon, in their suite of armor, only missing his helm. Gray hair at his temples, the image of what you¡¯d find in a storybook.

    ¡°Jonas! I had this one fall into my lap at the last minute. Mercy here is a bit shy, but you won¡¯t find anyone here more talented.¡±Stolen novel; please report.

    Harmony understood these were all talented individuals looking for different or new opportunities. Sir Maxwell''s level of talent. Someone who would beat her if she wasn¡¯t tricky while sparring. In the handful of times they''d practiced since he¡¯d become her knight a few days earlier, they were about even in matches.  It wasn¡¯t like she had many people to compare him to. A lot of the talents here were probably more profession-based anyway. Being introduced as the most talented person here was a bit of a stretch.

    ¡°Ho, ho ho. I hope she shows me mercy then. I¡¯ll be your first test. Come on and take a few swings at me.¡±  The picture of a cocky, old, evolved fighter with a half-mocking glint in his eye. Harmony disliked the superior attitude already.

    That was the lady in her. As a maid, she was used to that, usually allowing that superiority to slide right off her skin if they even bothered to interact with her. It was part of the job. Now part of her took it as a challenge and maybe was more annoyed since she¡¯d increased the number of direct interactions with these kinds of people. But perhaps it was because she now had the opportunity to do something when faced with such smug looks.

    Either way, this man waited to be punched. Who could say no to that?

    So she took action. Not the visible, jump-in-swinging kind.  Mercy was more reserved. She walked cautiously closer, using [Analyze] as though it would tell her anything useful. It didn¡¯t. The man was clearly evolved, possibly twice over. Just because he smelled arrogant didn¡¯t mean it wasn¡¯t earned.  Thankfully he stood still and waited patiently.

    ¡°I think I like the ones who try to strike before I finish inviting the punch, Violet.¡±

    With [Mana Rotation] finished being used to empower a skill, Harmony struck. [High Kick] blended with her physical skills from [Small Armor] to [Style and Grace] making her fast and fluid. Just not fast enough to handle most combat classes, or even people with a good escape or speed skill. [Stride Before the Fall] could have her appear next to him, but that was another one off the table if only for the fact that it left her naked without Night.

    That time before she moved had been important, however, she¡¯d avoided targeting Jonas outright. An awful lot of people had things like [Danger Sense] or [Early Warning] a whole category of skills to let you know when something is coming or someone is targeting you. Like mana, stamina, and escape skills that was one of those skills deemed key for free skill slots. Now that he was targeted, she watched him shift in place. His attempt at dodging failed.

    [Mend] needed leveling. It was one of those cross-class skills. Healers used it to patch people up, seamstresses bound cloth together, and tinkers could fix broken wood and metal. Maids were generalists. You never knew when a guest would get a minor cut, a teapot broke, or a dress ripped. Useful but not outstanding. Harmony was already well experienced in leveraging those kinds of aspects so skills from her time reshaping faces and sculpting nails and hair. That was before her connections stat came into play.  Like more easily mended with like, Jonas stood in a pile of overlapping metal for the most protection. Now if he¡¯d been moving this trick would have been near impossible. But since he was still, Harmony boosted her skill and fused his armor as best she could, focusing on the joints and locking them in place during her careful approach.

    It didn¡¯t make him less sturdy or suddenly make it so she could damage the man, but that wasn¡¯t the point of this test.  Harmony didn¡¯t even hit the man in the way [High Kick] always begged to be used, but instead used her strike to twist her foot behind the paladin¡¯s ankle and shove him over it. She tripped the man as quick as she could.

    Even as he started tipping over, he shifted trying to regain balance, the metal bonds she put in crackling as they snapped, but it was too late to do more than that. Sir Jonas, paladin of the moon crashed down back first onto the floor, the cacophony of the crash drawing every eye in the room. So much for staying unnoticed.

    That was the thing. It wasn¡¯t supposed to work. There had been backup plans for when it didn¡¯t. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t [Final Silence] him while following through with the trip. Make him stumble a step or two, land a kick maybe. Something minorly impressive on someone clearly above you.

    ¡°Ha!¡± the Abbot laughed.

    Jonas was on his feet mighty quick. ¡°I take it back. That was quite impressive young, Mercy.¡±

    Harmony might have been flattered if she wasn¡¯t a combination of suspicions, and annoyed that the move went so well. Suspicions she couldn¡¯t even prove. It wasn¡¯t even like these two had time to coordinate. Perhaps this was something done for all of Violet¡¯s candidates?

    [Poise and Bearing] soothed her ruffled feathers. ¡°No problem at all.¡± Harmony lied.

    ¡°With someone like you challenging the others, they¡¯ll certainly need to try their hardest.¡± Jonas continued a little too loud.

    Challenging, like challenger? What did he know? If Max set her up, she was gonna... A deep breath calmed those thoughts. He was still sworn to operate with her best interests. This was all an annoying coincidence. Violet''s chaotic nature was getting less appealing.

    ¡°You humble me.¡± Harmony squeezed out when she knew he was putting a target on her.

    Jonas moved away. Other patrons wandered over, their charges in tow.

    ¡°I would have paid to see Jonas put on his ass years ago. That makes it all so much sweeter to see it now.¡±

    ¡°Wherever do you find them, Violet?¡±

    Paired with the praise, their applicants supplied glares. This was going to be a long night.

 Chapter Sixty-Nine * Twenty-Nine

    Chapter Twenty-Nine

    The testers, questioners, and curious descended on the applicants. Violet left to check others for potential. Harmony found herself with a line waiting to see her, while the less desirable youths made their way to the tables manned for any to approach and inquire.

    A man who Harmony would have labeled a butler had the same stiff formality Bates liked to live by, approached. Probably had a profession along those lines. Servants Tend to recognize peers.  His black suit perfectly tailored the emblem of a scale on a field of flowers stitched in gold on his breast.

    ¡°Why isn''t breached roast served past the ninth course of fall tidings?¡±

    Obscure etiquette questions. Yeah, just like Bates. [Recall] even provided a flashback to training from the head butler when she was hired. Not that it gave her the answer.

    ¡°Because it requires a knife to eat.¡±

    ¡°Expand.¡± The man prompted.

    There was the long-winded answer, to which there might be theological underpinnings. That one was sure to be fumbled. Then there was the blunt truth. And she wasn''t here to win friends. ¡°Everyone is so drunk at that point that you don''t want to give them sharp implements.¡±

    The man responded with a noncommittal grunt. Next came a rapid-fire set of questions around protocol, and events with a similar odd nature. Several answers were ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± But that wasn¡¯t disqualifying. Close to ten minutes in he was nudged aside with the jab of a gold staff.

    ¡°You¡¯ve had yer fun, Bixby. Now git.¡± Said the oldest woman here, her face nearly all wrinkles and age spots.

    ¡°I don¡¯t mind at all, madam.¡± The longer he took the more likely the line might get bored and dissipate.

    ¡°Spell caster are ye, Merc-oy. Got a mana skill?¡±

    Harmony nodded.

    The old woman pulled out a small clear crystal sphere. ¡°Hold this and push all your mana into it until you''re near empty and as quick as possible.¡±

    Getting near exhaustion that way was a pain. It could even hamper her the rest of the evening, let alone if she needed to do anything. It wasn¡¯t like she couldn¡¯t say no, and was about to.

    ¡°Don¡¯t give me that look, dearie.¡± Out of her pocket came a small vial filled with deep blue liquid. Mana potion, even Tyler only had a handful for his collection. ¡°I¡¯ll top you off after. The quicker you do this the quicker I can move on.¡±

    Seemed simple enough. Harmony took the sphere. Now [Mana Rotation] would make this tricky as it acted like an extra mana reservoir, actively spirling inside her, waiting to be used with the skill. Just pushing it in would have resistance, and unsprialing it would take time and effort away from all the work she¡¯d made tightening it as Hyacinth did with his version. Would using [Mana Rotation] be cheating? Not like it mattered. She activated the skill and it surged about waiting to boost some other skill. With it, her mana sense lit up. The room was rampant with items and people actively using theirs. The crystal sphere was like a hungry empty spot. Maybe pushing mana in wouldn¡¯t be so difficult. Rather than surge toward a skill, she aimed it at the void like she was charging a glow stone.

    ¡°Oof.¡± It actively drew from her once she made that connection. Nothing she couldn¡¯t break, but the old woman was right this wouldn¡¯t take long. Following that boost, she focused on all her mana, first the tide went out and now the ocean aimed to dry up.

    Inside the sphere, a light flickered a few times, about three small sparks about as unspectacular as it gets.

    ¡°That¡¯s about all I can manage.¡± Harmony¡¯s knees already started to sway.

    The woman handed her two vials. ¡°Take them both. You¡¯ll need it.¡± Then hobbled away muttering to herself about youths.

    It felt extravagant to use them, but saving them wasn''t worth the price of feeling drained from the experience, so she downed them.  The rush was a little like taking a shot of the good stuff during a golden moment.

    ¡°Who¡¯s Next,¡± Harmony asked out loud. The quicker she got this over with the quicker she could move on.

    The odd requests and curiosities continued.  Juggling? Not a task she¡¯d ever contemplated. Anyone with decent physical skills could do the task. Some rogue classes loved to toss their knives about to show off at gyms and such.  [Style and Grace] and [Poise and Bearing] had certainly cut down on clumsiness and as they were mastered everything got smoother, add in the dodging and positioning of [Small Armor] and martial skills behind [High Kick], four skills working in concert juggling came as easy as those dancing lessons. So what?

    ¡°What are the three principles of the sun temple?¡± Finally, something to be terrible at.

    ¡°Don''t know.¡±

    ¡°As guides to the hard paths people choose from, how have the temples helped you?¡±

    ¡°They haven''t.¡±

    The stodgy woman in blue robes pushed forward with specific theological questions and Harmony answered them with a bored but honest tone showing her lack of caring and ignorance on the subject.

    ¡°Well, what do you know about the temples?!¡± She snapped.

    ¡°I know that the morning before temple events the streets are scrubbed clean of all garbage, debris, and people that might offend those showing up. I know that some classes garner extra attention for possible evolutionary paths. While other classes are shunned from services some temples provide.¡± History that stung as much as that with her mother. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°If you have such a low opinion. Then why are you here?¡±

    ¡°Abbess Violet thought it would be amusing.¡±

    Even that contentious interaction didn¡¯t stem the tide of interested parties.  Throughout the ballroom, six or so favorite applicants emerged, with a handful of others getting decent but not as much attention. That left dejected and disappointed people on the outskirts and crowding tables to pitch themselves to less discriminating associations recruiting. That dejected group was who Harmony found herself envious of, a crowd to slip away in to subtly call her pet prince from. If only Violet and Jonas hadn¡¯t set her up.

    The top applicants eyed each other wearily. Or in Harmony¡¯s case, she got stared at and did her best to ignore the attention. Was there some coveted spot being taken by her presence? Maybe she should have asked more questions before showing up to this?  The horror of some notable thing attributed to the mysterious Mercy, only then made worse when she''s revealed to be Lady White, flashed in her mind. Where was Violet? Answers need to be had.

    Harmony stepped away from the queue waiting. Where is that woman?

    First to break out. Other top contenders followed suit, freeing themselves from the shackles of attention. Which was why she found herself confronted.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going for the Holy Crafter position are you?¡±  Asked a skinny girl in colorfully patched-up overalls with a mechanical spider made of gears perched on her shoulder.¡±

    ¡°The only thing I¡¯m going after is my patron, Violet. I fear she¡¯s played a trick on me. And I aim to ask the questions I should have before agreeing to come here.¡± Harmony answered while trying to peer around the girl.

    ¡°But you can¡¯t refuse if they offer it.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll find I¡¯m perfectly capable of refusing things I don¡¯t want or need. If you know where Abbess Violet is please point me that way.  I promise not to accept Holy Crafter, whatever that is.¡±

    The flush of relief on the young woman''s face, had Harmony taken aback enough to briefly wonder what she¡¯d agree to give up, and even more eager to find that cursed abbess. Follower of chaos, indeed.

    ¡°I think I saw her that way.¡±

    Harmony traced her gesture to the far end of the ballroom.

    Ten steps and another body blocked her way. So rude. [Poise and Bearing] reared its head internally in rage, the maid¡¯s spine straightened, shoulders locked back, and body position adjusted slightly to project confidence, assurance, and the best don¡¯t mess with me she could spit out. Too bad against the tall fellow that blocked her, her chin was just above his navel and that look was all projected into the young man¡¯s chest.  ¡°You¡¯re. In. My. Way.¡± Harmony grunted out.

    ¡°I challenge you to a duel.¡±

    Harmony felt the skill press upon her. An actual [Challenge] skill. Had to be some fancy bleeding duelist-style class. Refusing would be like rusty nails across her soul while cleaning bedrooms after green fever season. [Renew Spirit] could counter much of that, but delve this fool if she was going to waste energy doing that.

    ¡°Fine. Ring¡¯s that way.¡±

    Step in and concede. Easy as a little dusting. Might even make this man more of a fool than they are. Usually picking on someone almost half your height didn¡¯t get you in other people''s good graces as it was.  A crowd was already waiting for them, having shooed out a pair who had been sparring to get attention. Maybe this will draw Violet in.

    ¡°My blade is blunted. The first to three solid hits or to knock down their opponent is the winner. And in this crowd, there¡¯ll be plenty of healers to handle any bumps or bruises.¡± He lectured confidently while they were walking.

    A blunted sword and fancy dress clothes. He didn¡¯t look like he should be offering to fight anyone despite his height. At least there wouldn¡¯t be armor to deal with this time. Too bad [Cold Touch] was off the table. Or even [Manipulate Dead] to blow a hole in this fancy blue and white suit, or make him bald. [Recall] reminded her the plan is to concede.

    They needed to push through the crowd to get to the ring with so many waiting eyes excited to see the match.  Harmony set her stance on one end as read as she could be while uncomfortable in odd clothes and wielding a gauntlet that she''d never choose to wear in a fight. While her opponent stood tall and striking in their tailored blue and white suit with a gleaming blunted sword in hand.

    ¡°Fight Begin!¡± someone shouted.

    ¡°I con¡­¡±  The nameless fool was already charging forward, not giving her a chance to finish her concession. Ambushing her while she¡¯s looking at him. Hyacinth, the consummate predator from the shadows he was would turn his nose at that.

    While not having enough time to spit out her concession. Her opponent was, with no better words to put it, slow.  Chronostasis wasn¡¯t even kicking in. That¡¯s what she gets for training against Prince Adric and his speed.

    With [Small Armor] ready, she stepped into him using the skill to deflect a committed swing, the blade glowing slightly with some skill usage. The man had all the length in the world, with both his limbs and sword, why would he go in so close.  Even with his blade blocked it stayed pressed against the gauntlet.  Harmony opened her mouth to try to concede again.

    No sound came out as tingling started through Harmony¡¯s side. His [Silent Strike] pushed in and Harmony felt her skills shutting down as the wave passed through her. That¡¯s why he got close. Most people would keep their distance and wait for the silence to wear off, being so close meant they¡¯d need to fumble away or be more ineffective on attack.

    Two things. The quiet felt good. Her own silence skill seemed to resonate with it, and all of those flare-ups that have been constantly bugging her finally let go. The other was that Harmony¡¯s first taste of melee combat was before she got any fancy body skills. Despite Mike and his current saltiness, the Dig Boy spent effort teaching how to throw a punch and make a difference when you need to when lacking skills, height, and weight.

    You don¡¯t need to be strong to punch someone in the throat and then run away. Too bad for this jerk, his throat is out of reach. Harmony stepped forward and used the gauntleted fist straight between the man''s legs.  Completely against the etiquette for any sparring match. Something she¡¯d be appalled to do to any friend. About as un-ladylike as possible. Fitting for someone who used a skill to challenge her to a match. Mercy? More like no mercy.

    The tall man crumpled to the ground. Despite his talk of plenty of healers to help, no one rushed to his side.

    Harmony scanned the crowd, finding and meeting Abbess Violet who threw her into this mess. A large grin was all over that woman''s face. Well, someone was having fun tonight. Harmony moved forward, stepping over her fallen opponent toward the abbess.

    The silence clicked off and the unpleasantness returned, but with something different. The primal bond with her pet ached. Adric was...   Now chronostasis kicked in. He was already in the room and heading her way.

 Chapter Seventy * Thirty

    Chapter Thirty

    Chronostasis lets you reflect on how everything went wrong. Maybe it would have been best not to have succeeded so much? Even if they had trinkets that revealed a lack of truthiness for some answers, or they had the suspicion maybe Harmony could have juggled one or two more balls than she did, perhaps this wouldn''t be the position she was in with the majority of the room''s attention focused on her. All over that ridiculously cheap blow she''d delivered, a valid attack if not a polite one. She had plenty of time to ponder while her pet prince dashed across the ballroom floor somewhere to her left. Yelps and barks from the event staff and guards at his disturbance were just starting.

    Could it have been the silence affecting their bond and pushing Adric to action? He¡¯d been distinctly uncomfortable when she cast it on herself. The reason didn¡¯t matter. He was here. He was coming. It was time to get answers and she missed him.

    Familiar hands picked her up and spun her around. At least they¡¯d given him access to his old wardrobe. All the clothes he¡¯d had with her were slightly threadbare even after multiple mends. The red coat with gold trim looked dashing and princely on him, not that he was ever not adorable, and matched his white shirt and black pants. ¡°What are you doing here..¡± She watched the realization that his Harmony was distinctly not looking Harmony-like before he plopped her back down. ¡°... um, stranger.¡±

    The eager undead prince bandying about with a woman who had no discernable past and happened to be Lady White¡¯s height. Even the dullest of news hounds would figure this one out. Plan to sneak in, check on Adric, and sneak out completely ruined.  ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡±

    Harmony dropped the act. [Beautician] entwined with [Manipulate Dead] to undo the changes she¡¯d made, restoring her hair and face. From inside her, [Small Armor] exchanged the bland less functional get-up she¡¯d donned of old modified clothes and ball-busting gauntlet for Night. Even the obscuring choker was whisked away with it, but if they got destroyed, who cared.

    ¡°See, Addy. I was a tad worried and wanted to check in without causing a fuss. Since you disappeared without telling me.¡°

    ¡°Jacob promised he¡¯d deliver my letter.¡±

    Harmony gave a slight shake of her head dissuading him of that.

    ¡°I mean he is forgetful.¡± Maliciously so, if the stories she¡¯d heard from Adric were true.

    ¡°Halt!¡± The staff and guards finally arrived after pushing through the now even more curious and growing crowd. With their hands resting on their weapons they were probably more confused than anyone else. Well. There¡¯s that to deal with.

    Before Harmony could decide what to say. The abbess Violet Everdeen stepped before them. ¡°My applicant, the necromancer Lady Harmony White is merely having a meeting with her pet Prince Adric Highsmythe. Please carry on.¡±

    Frustrated looks of irritation painted the faces of all the sun temple guards. ¡°Our mistake.¡± The head one said sourly. This can¡¯t be worse than Violet¡¯s last applicant who set the fires.

    Where before the crowd had looks of interest and analysis. They now had wide-eyed shock and curiosity. She wasn¡¯t even a big deal in Naewauld like she was in Hazeldown, at least wasn¡¯t before the Ascendant Games announcement.  As a whole, she gave the crowd a slight shrug and faint wave. They all started to talk and move forward almost at once.

    ¡°Let the lady converse with her prince. I¡¯m happy to field any questions and inquiries.¡± The abbess intervened.

    Gratitude, but it isn''t like the woman had done more than meet Harmony for the first time scant hours ago. There was sure to be some favor owed somewhere because of this. Focus.

    Harmony returned her attention to Adric, ¡°No letter was received even after we¡¯d inquired about you.  When you didn¡¯t return I was a bit worried. I merely wanted to check in to make sure everything was okay. Perhaps with a more subdued meeting. I''d planned to use our bond to call for you when I had a more private bit of space.¡±

    ¡°Everything is okay. Family matters. They¡¯ve been evaluating me to make sure I¡¯m all healthy before welcoming me back.¡±

    Remembering the tea incident, Harmony sent an, oh, really? Look.This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    ¡°Nothing I haven¡¯t tried myself already. Plants, potions, physical examinations, some anti-undead spells and items.¡± Adric continued.

    That did not sound health-inducing. Despite his resistance to expected skills, Harmony knew he had been dead, weeks dead.  He wasn¡¯t even alive now in the way others were. Resistance to [Manipulate Dead] had proved that.  He is technically undead, but not a ghost, or a zombie, or anything she was aware of. Subjecting him to such things was not approved of, if she¡¯d known of his risky experiments earlier she¡¯d have stopped those too.

    ¡°I¡¯m glad no harm has yet to come to you. If you¡¯d gotten hurt, think about how Ambrosia would react if someone took a sling to one of her birds. Sounds like you passed all their nasty tests, they can be free to reinstate you and let you come back to me. There we can talk next steps as a team.¡±

    ¡°Um, actually. I¡¯m not allowed to leave the palace. The charter members are sending their expert in to review the situation.¡±

    [Recall] reminded  Harmony he¡¯d mentioned this group once before. ¡°Charter Members?¡±

    ¡°The royal family are kind of stewards of the kingdom. We''re tiny with only Hazeldown and Naewauld, compared to the other kingdoms. We operate under the charter set up by mostly the neighboring evolved kingdoms, that way none of the larger kingdoms gobble us up without the other charter members defending us. It¡¯s like a defensive treaty. ¡°

    ¡°And they get a say in what happens to you?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just a formality,¡±  Adric answered as though that had been told to him a hundred times. This must be one reason why Len thinks that something is off about the kingdom. And if it just a formality then why won¡¯t they let him leave and why didn¡¯t they respond to her requests?

    ¡°Well, I want to be there when this formality happens. If possible I¡¯d like access to you to visit when I want. I¡¯d rather not go to the guild and suggest to them that the kingdom is trying to unduly influence me through my pet over the Ascendant Games.¡± That last statement Harmony said loud enough for the crowd to hear.  You¡¯d think clergy were good at keeping secrets, but while she didn¡¯t associate with them she¡¯d heard they spread rumors and gossip like fishwives.  Probably more useful than actually getting entangled deeper with the guild. ¡°Put the request through. If I don¡¯t hear from them by tomorrow afternoon. I¡¯ll need to be more assertive.¡±

    And there she was playing politics. Adric was hers, damn it.

    Adric¡¯s shove came as a surprise. That flair of danger through their bond. [Stride Before the Fall], while she hadn¡¯t had the skill for that long, part of her training has been to trigger it when you feel that sense of trouble. That¡¯s probably what she needed to invest in next with her free skill slot, something that gave her a little more warning of trouble. Everyone serious about advancing tried to make themselves jacks of all before evolving as it is, cover your weaknesses before you specialize.

    She watched and felt the dagger plunge into her back and through her chest with a speed that would prevent [small armor] from blocking, not that she could see the skill to block it. Hyacinth would call it a proper ambush. A clean lethal shot from out of the shadows. Night resisted some of it not even cutting, but the force was too much.  You¡¯d think death would hurt more.

    ¡°Adric screamed. The crowd screamed. Harmony reached back to her attacker as she felt her life slip away grabbing his ear [Cold Touch] synergized with [Final Silence] boosted by her dying state that allowed her to put everything into the act. The man who was her attacker screamed as well, but his was silent.

    The decision to choose was gone as only one Harmony was alive and with that [Stride Before the Fall] leveled for the first time. All that work she''d put into trying to level the skill earlier wasted. Dying was key. Such a stupid skill.

    Adric grappled the silenced assassin. Sun guards joined him. Even while struggling his eyes found Harmony¡¯s.

    With a nod, Harmony best to slip away while everyone was watching the scene unfold. Night did not make the easiest outfit to slip away in as it stood out. Two guards joined her. Abbess Violet as well.

    ¡°I want to apologize, Lady White. I never expected this. Some prejudices I guess die hard.¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] kept her from wincing at Violet¡¯s use of the word ¡°die.¡± Plenty of people disliked necromancers, abuse, slights, and inconvenience from it had always been present. But this? Naewauld had plenty of necromancers, she hadn¡¯t heard of attempted murder like this. First, get to safety. Then dissect the problem.

    ¡°I wish I could say the evening was fun. But some chaos is not my cup of tea. Thanks for letting me crash this party.¡±

    By the time she was outside the palace, her guards were a good dozen. Janos, that knight she''d knocked down, and two patrons she didn¡¯t recognize joined five sun temple guards and there were four palace ones.

    A croak came out of the shadows. ¡°My familiar is here,¡± Harmony informed the group so as not to spook them. The massive toad hopped into the protective crowd. Harmony put her hand on him. Shadows were everywhere, cast from buildings and trees lit by glow stones for the night. The mass of people around her even cast long shadows.  ¡°It¡¯s certainly been a party. Farewell.¡±

    She and Hyacinth slipped into those shadows back to The Dragonfly Inn. Discreetly go and check on her pet to assuage her fears. Don''t stand out, don''t get into trouble, and certainly don''t die. None of that had gone to plan.

 Chapter Seventy-one * Thirty-One

    Chapter Thirty-one

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe I died.¡± Harmony moaned from bed.

    Ambrosia started with a skeptical look from her spot soaking in the room''s luxury bathtub. ¡°You look pretty healthy to me.¡± She responded after hearing all about the night''s adventure.

    ¡°The blade went through my heart. My blood stopped pumping. Life slipped away. It leveled my [Stride] skill.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t expect us to kill you to level it more. I know you love your training, but please don¡¯t do that intentionally.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d¡­.¡± Actually, she had considered that during her own time in the tub. It had gone all the way to level five from that little incident. ¡°I promise not to do that.¡± Her hand touched her chest where the blade had jabbed through. At least not while the memory was fresh.

    ¡°Good. You know I will lose sleep tonight writing songs to cover this excitement.¡±

    ¡°You mean fiasco.¡±

    Water splashed a bit as Ambrosia animatedly waved her arm about. ¡°Lady Harmony White dodges death while temple clergy watch on, helpless. The song could almost write itself. Drama, pain, and the mourned prince mourning before he realizes you¡¯ve survived.¡±

    Harmony tossed a pillow in her friend''s direction, missing the tub.

    ¡°Would you rather the sheets get their spin on the situation? A catchy tune carries further than a gossip dump.¡±

    Songstress and the Flows, public relations arm. As long as you didn¡¯t mind having no real control over it.  ¡°Just make me look good.¡±

    ¡°Always, Beautiful.¡±

    Harmony closed her eyes thinking it would take forever to fall asleep.

    Soon after Ambrosia slipped out of the tub, returned the pillow, and tucked the lightly snoring maid more tightly under the covers.

    The necromancer awoke, hand clutching her chest trying to feel her heartbeat, the memory of acting without it thumping still in her mind, too vivid to be a dream. Even that stress was less than knowing consequences would arise from her night out. It would be foolish to continue as though nothing happened.

    Goosebumps prickled her skin as she performed her morning routine. [Cold Touch] acting up slightly. Night snapped into place, driving the lingering chill away.

    There was a rap on the door, the knock wasn¡¯t Bates or Ambrosia. Bates was slow and steady, Ambrosia would have entered without knocking, not caring if she was dressed yet.

    Harmony opened the door to see the first consequence from last night. The four bodyguards assigned from the guild waited. [Recall] let her at least remember their names with a high degree of accuracy. Nick, Drew, Jeff, and Justin.  ¡°Yes?¡± She asked.

    ¡°You should have told us you were going out. We can¡¯t do our job if we aren¡¯t there.¡± Nick started forcefully.

    ¡°There were no allowances for bodyguards at the private event, and I wanted to go incognito.¡±

    ¡°We could have coordinated with event security. You wouldn¡¯t be the first lord or lady who liked to slum it.¡± Jeff added offhandedly.

    Having experienced real slums personally, she twitched in dislike at the term. ¡°Then the staff would know the secret. Which means it wouldn¡¯t have been a secret at all. I¡¯ve worked at such events and word spreads quickly the more people know. I doubt that would have improved my safety. There were no signs that I would be in danger either way.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re not even aware of the kinds of danger you¡¯re in. There are Naewauld loyalists who are concerned the Ascendant Games will make Hazeldown the more important city.  The general dislike of necromancers always feeds some fanatics, with the fact you¡¯re an aristocrat stirring them up more than normal. Outside influences that dislike any gains for the guild. Even overly enthusiastic fans of your portrayal in song and paper. Trust us to know how to do our jobs.¡± Drew said.

    Was she going to do that again? Go to some big party and make a scene while in Naewauld? It¡¯s not like she had many free days when she needed to evolve soon.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll let you know before I go out again.¡± Since it wasn¡¯t happening, it was an easy promise to make.  ¡°Now bodyguard me down to breakfast.¡±

    Bates and Ambrosia were talking to Captain Ellis, that social investigator she¡¯d met her first time at Ma Bell¡¯s table. All three of them had a look of hashing out business, which explained why the bodyguards had fetched her rather than Ambrosia¡¯s usually cheerful smile. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Harmony took a small flaky pastry from the table, no point in facing more consequences on an empty stomach.  She nibbled her way towards the group.

    ¡°Good morning Captain Ellis,¡± Harmony said with a slight curtsy.

    The captain bowed deeply, ¡°Lady White, we¡¯re deeply ashamed that you were accosted in our city. It was our mistake to not provide you additional support immediately after your notoriety started to rise. Two guards have been assigned to assist your team in any way possible.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you need not trouble yourself. There isn¡¯t a scratch on me.¡° Harmony answered while leaning into her social skills. A pointless refusal considering she¡¯d seen how involved he¡¯d been talking to Bates and Ambrosia. Even if he accepted the refusal, she knew her staff wouldn¡¯t.

    ¡°We must insist. As the nonpartisan peacekeepers of Naewauld. It is our duty to see that you¡¯re not inconvenienced again.¡±

    Sure, pile on the bodyguards. It¡¯s not like she had any plans other than climb Nae¡¯s Garden and work towards evolution. That is after resolving the mess Adric had gotten into. Maybe if she surrounded herself with enough protection, annoyances would leave her alone.  ¡°Well, if you insist. Has there been news of the motivations behind what happened last night?¡±

    ¡°Clearly a crime of opportunity. Sadly, in the jurisdictional battle, the temple took custody of the man. They¡¯ve been less than forthcoming, insisting the man acted alone. Do not be shocked if they reach out to you.¡±

    Great. Politics.  Rather than a long sigh, [Poise and Bearing] helped plaster a smile on her face. ¡°Your concern is appreciated. May the rest of my trip here be a smooth ascent.¡±

    Harmony took that as a time to leave. Sticking around the hotel was going to attract more problems. Hyacinth was waiting and together they had more practical obstacles to deal with.

    The corpse of the brood mother wooze sat behind the pair as they stared up the stairs to the second floor.  The guardian had proved resistant to the skill-damaging attack. Like there was an extra layer of protection to get through. Not too different than some of the extra resistance found when using necromancy skills in Old Bones.

    ¡°Karoak.¡±

    ¡°No, why don¡¯t you go first.¡±

    ¡°Grrak.¡±

    ¡°I know you hate stairs. I''m thinking I should get some kind of danger-sense skill stone. I can already picture the synergies, combined with [Analyze] I can see how dangerous something is. Twisted, I could use it to figure out the most dangerous strike for me to use against opponents.¡±

    ¡°Grumph.¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m not stalling. Don¡¯t imply I¡¯m afraid. You¡¯re the scaredy cat.¡±

    Hyacinth forced the issue by hopping up the stairs toward the second level. He wasn¡¯t no cat. And loathe as he was to admit it, there was something satisfying in using his new toys to cut things. You could only kick, stomp, and crush with your mouth so much before getting bored. There was also the strain of authority, no way was he going to let Harmony suffer through that, if he needed to give her a little nudge he would, even if it meant stairs.

    The second floor tasted awful. Prey needed to be made of meat. These living plants were an abomination. A swipe sawed through loose vines on the floor. Their thickness matched the one that had so embarrassingly snared him last time. Too much time being reluctant to use tools. They can be a stepping stone to power instead of a crutch. The past doesn¡¯t predict the present.

    Slowly Hyacinth pulled more authority from Harmony lessening her burden, so much potential need not be too strained. Agreeing to guide had been a supreme choice.

    ¡°Move your fat ass. Time to see if we can snap these sticks.¡± Harmony urged.

    With a nudge, they were off.  Hyacinth acting as bait in the lead, his least favorite role. It made sense since Harmony¡¯s new attack had the potential to cripple them, but that didn¡¯t mean he liked it. Size was becoming an issue, as larger shadows needed to be found for proper ambushes.

    On the path, a tree limb fell with a slash. Hyacinth hopped back, but it was only one of several. A twiggy, one of the second-floor abominations, their branch arms swung vigorously forcing a few more short jumps. Having hopped out of reach, with an earth-wrenching creak it started to uproot to give chase.

    Now! Hyacinth felt the call for action through their bond, but he didn¡¯t need prompting. Spurs ready he launched back into the fray.

    Harmony¡¯s strike was primed and waiting as she made her move. Her familiar¡¯s job was to keep those four arms occupied. The dungeon guides had been clear that the best time to attack was when they were uprooting themselves.  The roots would be pulled taunt as the Twiggy yanked out, too slow and they would tuck them inside of their base.

    This experiment didn¡¯t use her skill-damaging strike. For the second time in less than a day, Harmony found herself striking between some proverbial legs. [High Hick] with an aura of [Cold Touch] her foot slammed into the roots covering them with frost.  The twiggy locked up almost as though it was silenced.

    Harmony hacked away with a sharpened wooze brood mother tooth to limited effectiveness.  Five seconds. The twiggy wound up again.

    Hyacinth had managed To saw off two limbs in that time, all she managed was deep scratches.  Not good enough. They needed to handle them in packs of four or five near the end of the floor.  Each strike to damage skills took almost two minutes between usage and strained her. Eight and ten-minute fights were too long, assuming it worked.

    The twiggy lunged all attack and no defense.  Why defend when you were a dense block of wood resistant to most attacks.  Even teams working to make it a pile of toothpicks took time.

    That made it easy to step in through the opening those missing limbs made easy and slam her palm onto it. Pop. The skill powering the movement was easy to see, it fractured, and the mobile tree fell with a crash.

    For good measure, Hyacinth sawed off all but one limb and they waited.  It was healing, but at the rate she could feel it would be maybe a day before it could get moving again. Not easy work, but not everything can be as simple as dusting the hallways.

    ¡°Let¡¯s get hunting.¡±

    ¡°Croak!¡±

    And they were off.

 Chapter Seventy-Two * Thirty-Two

    Chapter Thirty-Two

    With a grunt, Harmony sawed off the hardened vine looped around her leg

    ¡°Greh, greh, greh.¡±

    ¡°Laugh it up, it isn¡¯t like you haven¡¯t gotten tangled a time or two.¡±

    The vinestrictors were tricky. They either lay traps along the path to drag you deeper into the woods, like their first encounter. Or they waited along the side waiting to ambush you with multiple vines at once as you got close.

    Hyacinth, being deceptively fast, had gotten good at sniping any of the trap vines before he got dragged too far with his spurs.  For all his initial protests, he seemed to like the custom weapons, but Harmony could not get that out of him.

    The last battle had been two vinestrictors and a twiggy waiting in ambush along the path.  Unlike wooze, they did not work together. This made battles unpredictable but allowed for them to get tangled up in convenient ways, or in this case, inconvenient, as she¡¯d found herself tugged in opposite directions only saved by Night''s sturdiness.

    The whole experience made the saying of feeling like you''ve been beaten by a stick completely accurate.  Per the guides, they''d made it about two-thirds of the way deep into the second floor.

    Popping a healing potion, she downed about half of it and moved towards Hyacinth who scooted away.

    ¡°Come on. You have as many bruises as I do. You just can''t see under your shadowy exterior.¡±

    ¡°Bleck!¡±

    ¡°I''m sorry it doesn''t come in dirty alley cat flavor. Now take your medicine.¡±

    Harmony liked the fruity sweet taste. Mr all-raw-carnivore would rather suffer with his bruises. Which was a pain because she could feel them too through [Familiar Bond].

    ¡°Don''t make me wrestle you.¡±

    Reluctantly he opened up. But it didn''t stop him from making a show of hacking and coughing after she dumped the rest into him.

    The itch to finish the dirty job of clearing the floor was there, but one didn¡¯t do all the spring cleaning in a day. As for this last battle, if Hyancith had been there a few moments later, [Stride] had been calling to be used. The feeling was there, but also was that it would cost her because she was restrained.  [Final Silence] with all its help was now level five. That hurt like it had been stretched in a growth spurt, pain from when she leveled a skill too quickly.

    ¡°Groak?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, time to head back.¡± She placed his hand on him.

    The dungeon only allowed short jumps, but it was safer than running. What¡¯s missing to push further? [Recall] replayed the struggles.

    Five bodyguards now greeted her upon return. The little boy group from the guild with one extra from the city guard, a girl, with blond hair chopped short in a way that showed no respect for styling it, wearing leathers marked by a badge representing the city guard, her short sword at her side. ¡°Suze, at your service, Lady White. Botty is reviewing the guestlist with your knight making sure there will be no threats there.¡±

    ¡°Honored. I¡¯m sure Ma Bell appreciates the extra eyes on her guests.¡± Harmony replied dryly.

    ¡°Anything to keep you safe,¡± Suze responded, oblivious to the hint that it might annoy their host.

    At what point would she become too much trouble for the master innkeeper, and need to move locations?  Shouldn¡¯t doubt Ambrosia that much. Helping entertain guests nearly every night might be a tad onerous, but it was doubtful her maid hadn¡¯t made sure there was some guarantee of lodging for this stay.

    ¡°I¡¯m going to freshen myself in my room before heading down to dinner.¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    Hyacinth had already blipped away to nap in his pillows at the stables. Gone were the days she could cuddle up with him to calm down. Her little lap toad, or even big lap toad, this large pony toad was hard to hold. At least tonight there was enough time she could wear a dress rather than Night to dinner.

    Head full of dress options, [Poise and Bearing] wasn¡¯t ready when she opened her door to seven people standing in her room. ¡°What in the broken bones is this?!¡± She blurted out.

    Five strangers straightened their spines, eyes ahead in an orderly line while Bates and Ambrosia waited. The strangers had servant uniforms as well, some not quite fitting right. [Beautician] was already critiquing how some of them fit. And the maid in her saw that even the ones that fit were not an exact fit for the person in them like it was their first time in uniform. As for the strangers, [Recall] made them less strange.

    The mechanical spider sitting on the skinny girl''s shoulder as she uncomfortably wore a maid''s uniform was as memorable as the red bowtie Hyacinth had long ago grown too big for attached to it.  Clearly Ambrosia¡¯s idea of a joke.  The tall duelist she¡¯d tenderized was at the end of the row, impossibly trying to look smaller while worry flashed on his face. All the most desirable applicants from last night stood at attention in front of Bates, in a way she had not too long ago.

    [Poise and Bearing] now worked overtime as Harmony kept her face calm.

    Bates, having ignored her outburst, turned to her with a polite smile. ¡°Lady White, I¡¯d like to introduce you to our newest household staff members.¡±

    None of this was approved of! What was he thinking? They couldn¡¯t afford this! And why them? ¡°An honor to meet you all again,¡± Harmony responded instead with a slight tilt of her head rather than exploding.

    ¡°The gift of their paid work contracts came as a bit of a surprise. However, the temples have unique methods of recompensing people for slights and harm. The fruit from this season¡¯s Harvest of Talents. All of them are excited to serve and advance under your household.¡±  Bates answered those unasked questions.

    ¡°You have your assignments. Dismissed.¡± Ambrosia followed up towards this new group.

    The new staff efficiently left. The duelist was perhaps a bit quicker than the others.

    As the door shut. ¡°I always wanted to say that.¡± Ambrosia cackled.

    Harmony waited a few more seconds before she unleashed herself. ¡°What in the forbidden fates is that?¡±

    ¡°We needed more staff, Lady White. Their contracts are paid in full for three years.¡± Bates responded stiffly.

    ¡°You can drop the Lady White, Bates. What¡¯s going on.¡±

    Bates let his formality slide some. Harmony only noticed because she knew him. ¡°We do need more staff. Ambrosia and I work harder than we should. And you won¡¯t stop. I know it was ¡°skill¡± training, but you were on your hands and knees fixing the floor of the Hazeldown manor. They might not all be servant professions, but if anyone is going to respect differing skills to roles, it will be you.¡±

    ¡°Where will we keep them?¡±

    ¡°Servant housing above the stables has already been arranged. I¡¯d discussed the possibility of having us recruit new staff when I made this arrangement.¡± Ambrosia answered for him.

    ¡°Didn¡¯t they all want to be priests or some such. They can¡¯t be happy to be demoted.¡± Harmony ranted.

    ¡°I see how you often pretend you are still just Harmony White, maid. But you¡¯re not. As much as the other aristocracy has been doing best to ignore you. You¡¯re a rising star and they want to be here. Much like Sir Maxwell could have been, most of them weren¡¯t at the Harvest of Talents for any religious reason, but instead for the opportunities that they could have earned. We could also use any sign that the temples support you.¡±

    Bates knew his job better than she knew the role of being a lady. None of this had been expected. Worse was that part of her, the part she¡¯d acquired that day on the Colosseum, was happy and satisfied by this in a way that felt stabilizing yet alien. It felt more right than when she¡¯d curtsy deeply and acquiesced to a request at Coodly Manor as a plain maid. [Recall] made it hard to lie to yourself. ¡°Fine. This is all approved. Handle staff as you see best, Bates. You have my utmost confidence.¡±

    ¡°Ha! I told you she wouldn¡¯t put up that much of a fight.¡±  Ambrosia crowd.

    Harmony sighed heavily towards her friend. ¡°Any news about Adric?¡±

    ¡°Nothing yet. I¡¯m assuming you have some plans if you don¡¯t hear from him or the royals as a whole.¡±

    ¡°Of course.¡± Harmony lied but caught Ambrosia''s slight twitch revealing she hadn¡¯t fooled her friend.  ¡°Adric is a big boy. Now he knows I didn¡¯t get his messages and want access to him. He''ll get it sorted out.  More pressing is that I¡¯m still struggling on the second floor of Nae¡¯s Garden. We¡¯ll need to look for skill stones I might be able to use to improve there.¡±

    They both nodded seriously. Advance or the consequences would be unpleasant, possibly lethal. Conventional wisdom was to take your time, even Harmony had to fight that long-taught belief, despite evolved tourists making a mockery of that fact with their visits.

    ¡°I¡¯ll lean on our connections, and get a list of options available with our funds.¡° Bates answered.

    ¡°Avoid Lord Tyler?¡± Ambrosia asked.

    Harmony nodded, ¡°Lady Coodly too. I fear she feels I can be the one to put him back on the proper path.  I¡¯d rather not send them the wrong message, or get indebted to them at this point. Life is complicated enough as it is.¡±

 Chapter Seventy-Three * Thirty-Three

    Chapter Thirty-Three

    Dinner was pleasant, in that no one brought up the stabbing and Harmony got to wear a pretty dress. That Poor duelist, Steven, was a tailor by profession. Ambrosia sacrificed one of her stage costumes, which she was tired of.  The result made her feel sparkly and glamorous, not that Night wasn''t both those things, but this was something different.

    Tess, with her mechanical spider, worked on serving. That was more of a disaster. Two broken cups, wine spilled, thankfully not on her dress, and Maxwell''s toes stepped on. Engineers rarely had physical skills, and neither did her magic-based class as a diviner.  Perhaps something a skill stone could fix?  Managing staff was Bates''s duty.

    Crash!

    Harmony winced, adding a plate to Tess''s tally.  ¡°You were saying that there is already a flood of young tourists arriving in town, hoping to reach the requirements for the Ascendant Games?¡±

    ¡°I''m surprised you didn''t know. With your position and all.¡±  Gregor laughed, the merchant was all excited about this new opportunity.

    ¡°That position is mostly for show. I have to focus on advancing to earn it. Tell me more.¡±

    Max, Ambrosia, and her new staff could gather this information. But this was one way to please Gregor and more importantly his gabbing would occupy the time and attention of the table as dinner was ending.

    ¡°Rumors are that other kingdoms already have their favorites picked out, but there is always a chance for one or two more to get lucky. So everyone with a lick of potential is coming in and buying up resources, scrolls, skill stones, and things that are cheaper here. This might even be an annual thing!¡± He clapped excitedly at that. ¡°Assuming not too many people die, and that the rewards are worth it.¡±

    Oof. Harmony needed those skill stones. There''ll be a better picture soon of what she could acquire. [Danger Sense] would be ideal. The synergies were clear in how it could add an extra layer to both defense and offense.  Maybe more than a little time at dinner was spent fantasizing about what she could do with it.  Surely they had to have enough gold for it now?

    ¡°But none of them will be  able to compete with our best, this is after all our dungeon?¡°  Cedric asked snootily. Courtier, but profession only, according to Max¡¯s notes he wanted to be close to royalty but no one would have him.  Harmless, but annoying.  Painful to think Adric might have shared his profession.

    ¡°If you want to bet against the evolved kingdoms. I have some bookies who¡¯d love to meet you.¡± Gregor responded.

    ¡°Gentlemen, no talk of gambling at my table.¡± Ma Bell insisted.

    It wasn¡¯t polite when Harmony was one of the ones this topic covered.  She¡¯d bet against herself if it was appropriate. The Games were a social obligation, not an interest.  It was a chore, like this dinner.

    ¡°It''s all theoretical.¡± Gregor protested.

    Except the man was a degenerate gambler. Information that made it into the bio Harmony had skimmed. He''d purchased his spot at tonight''s table. There had been offhand comments about his disappointment in Harmony¡¯s choice to not wear her armor tonight. It was doubtful that wagering was only theoretical.

    ¡°Let people have their fun, Madam Bell. Whatever thorough research Gregor has done on who is favored to win would be enlightening.¡± Harmony butted in.

    Not only would this keep him talking, but maybe there would be something to learn. There had been plenty of time hearing about bets, and odds at Coodly Manor as the houseboys loved to talk about the commission pet battles. She¡¯d even paid attention, back when she¡¯d planned to raise Bowe to fight in it.  Gregor was now practically obligated to speak on the topic with Harmony standing up for him in front of the host. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    Ma Bell¡¯s short defeated sigh, paved that way further as it was implicit permission even if it was bridged with disappointment at the topic.

    The trapped look on the merchant''s face amused Harmony since he¡¯d willingly wandered into the topic when it clearly wasn¡¯t planned.

    ¡°All the bets from Hazeldown are going your way, Lady White. They''re proud of you. Current wagers are just that you land a title. We are all hoping for details of what exactly the Ascendant Games will be?¡±

    ¡°Only guild master Hemlock knows. If he hasn¡¯t released the information now, I¡¯m unsure if he will. Once I evolve, I¡¯ll be sure to ask him. Don¡¯t want to fill the grave before putting in the body.¡°

    ¡°I have no doubt you¡¯ll meet the requirements in time,¡± Gregor assured her more bluster than faith.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure there are wagers on that.¡° Her level was a publicly known bit of information. ¡°Not that you¡¯ve ever betted on that.¡±

    ¡°What! No!¡±

    Harmony would have wagered that evaluating her to decide if betting on her was why he was here today. ¡°What of the evolved Kingdoms?¡±

    Grateful for the topic change, Gregor expanded on the different kingdoms and bets. Harmony listened. The Broken Isles were favored by experienced bettors as they¡¯d usually win any multi-kingdom competition. They don¡¯t train their youths in Hazeldown or Naewauld, so all the information was second-hand through guild and trader resources.  Most immigrants were from Calestia, so they got the next most bets. But all the surrounding kingdoms did not easily allow free travel to and from them, so there wasn¡¯t a lot of information. You had to be evolved to even be considered for travel privileges. Gregor in all his travels admitted to being limited to the border trading hubs.  At this point, Harmony lost interest as it was clear this all was based on rumor, conjecture, and guesses.  She did let him continue to talk until dinner was done.

    Gambling aside, the Ascendant Games bringing so many representatives from the other kingdoms was a big deal. Only five of the twenty-five spots were going to go to locals. Only, but also generous considering the size of the dual-city state.

    But are people from Hazeldown actually betting on her?  They shouldn''t waste their money. This was something she was forced to do, they couldn''t actually think that she''d win something from it? And if she did they''d probably throw her a parade. Maybe make a float the shape of Hyacinth? That would totally make it worth it. A silly fantasy.

    One that lingered through dissert and up the stairs back to her room.

    Harmony forced herself to sigh it all away as Ambrosia waited with an air of impatience in the middle of her suite.

    ¡°Do my hair now! I¡¯ve got a gig to run to!¡±

    The yell of her desperate friend nearly had her trigger [Stride].

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°News about what happened at the Harvest of Talents is spreading. It wouldn¡¯t be so bad if your body hadn''t stuck around for a minute before dissipating. Really scared most of the crowd. I think that''s one reason the temples were so generous with their gift.¡±

    A minute! She''d felt the death but imagined that other dissipated the moment she''d crossed that line. The perfect, -ha! I¡¯m not really dead!- reveal. Leaving a body felt unseemly.

    ¡°I see.¡±

    ¡°Well get on with it. I''ve got songs to sing. Return of the immortal Harmony¡±  Ew, Harmony made a face, ¡°How about Eternal, you did say that guildie called you that?¡±

    ¡°I''d prefer you not pick any lyrics encouraging others to test how immortal or eternal I am. Say Adric saved me. He could use all the good press right now.¡±

    "That''s a great idea. Now Hair!¡±

    Harmony did more than just her Hair. [Manipulate Dead] and [Beautician] combined to make her unrecognizable as anyone but the Songstress. Skin-shaded and colored, hair that rivals couldn''t easily emulate. Shimmering tower of blue and larger than life, with golden nests for her birds.

    Harmony suspected she''d be mending Ambrosia¡¯s maid uniform back together after the stage crew cut her out of it at the venue in order to shove on the performance costumes while not messing with the hair. Wait. They had Steven now.

    ¡°Done!¡±

    Not even a thank you and her friend was gone. Abandoned. No, that''s unfair, Ambrosia deserved her passions. But it did make Harmony feel alone.

    There were books. Thibodeaux on Evolution lay untouched. Maybe tonight wasn''t the time to get riled up picking apart her favorite academic rival. Bates might have information on skill stones, but pressuring him to deliver it before he was ready was a waste of time.  Waiting was the worst. Grabbing her journal, the least she could do was take notes on what she¡¯d learned about her skills the last few days.

 Chapter Seventy-Four * Thirty-Four

    Chapter Thirty Four

    Assuming Ambrosia¡¯s statement was correct [Stride Before the Fall] lasted close to the max she could use after leveling up. Having tested it until the force to choose hurt. The body would probably continue until that time was up if a gruesome thing like dying happened. While there was no desire for that to happen Harmony marked down several ways it could be useful.  Bait, Self-sacrifice, a way to leave a particularly excruciating social event.

    After her friend''s reaction to the skill-damaging strike, the notes were kept slim for that technique.

    The late, but polite knock on the door caused her to put her musings away. A familiar knock.

    ¡°Come in, Bates.¡±

    The older butler entered with a bow.  ¡°Lady White, four letters from the royals have just arrived.  One from Prince Adric, one from Rose,  one from the countess, and one from the queen.¡±

    Was the queen supposed to mean something to her? That royal has never visited Hazeldown. No direct contact since becoming a lady. The helping hand''s behavior at that first dinner was the epitome of rudeness. Mother playing the woman a few times didn''t help, while that had been an act. Kelly White could expertly play a stuck-up snob.

    There was no way she''d go to bed without reading them. ¡°Give them over.¡± Bates handed her the letters and waited. ¡°You''re dismissed.¡±

    All the letters had the same gilded purple envelopes as though the royal family only shopped at one stationery store.

    She tore into the most important one first, Adrics. The handwriting was his. Blocky unsophisticated letters of the man who eschewed penmanship lessons and slept through or skipped etiquette tutors.

    Harm, I did it! I got permission for you to visit me. The fact that you want to be there when the charter checks me makes things so much easier, as they need you by my side. Sadly, they don''t feel the same about Bowe. Give him hugs for me. But it should only be a day or two. They''ll send runners to fetch you when it is time.

    Harmony wouldn¡¯t skip such a thing. She had some rights to things she raised. That was one of the basis for her raising an undead pet in the first place. It was not absolute since some creatures were forbidden to be created. Those were specifically spelled out in the law, no vampires, no liches, no ugloths. Not that there has been a necromancer powerful or specialized enough to do that, and certainly not something an unevolved necromancer could accomplish.

    As for him being her pet. If that involved pet law. She wasn''t looking forward to that. Could there be one that would represent her for free? Toss that question to Ambrosia, if anyone will know she will. Need, however, that was a bit too absolute for her tastes. That sounded too much like they''d force her to be there against her will or rights.

    Countess Maye was next. Irritating woman. Absolutely smothering Adric, as though she owned him.

    Lady White, my apologies that you were distressed by my short visit. Family is so important to me that little did I know of your strained relationship with your mother. The news-sheets small print constantly quoted how proud Kelly was of you.  It is in the name of those true bonds that I ask you to take a tiny step back from my nephew Adric. This is a family matter, and we¡¯d like to handle it privately. While the queen may send a runner for you, we know how good you are at abandoning such calls. Just make haste and leave it be. The charter agent won''t mind. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

    With no disrespect, Countess Maye

    Frost crawled up the letter in her hand. A heaping amount of disrespect that was. Was that really meant to convince her to not support Adric? All it was missing was fifty iron bits to attempt to bribe her compliance. The twist was that even if it was designed to drive her to go and support her pet, it was still equally insulting in its hamfisted nature or implying she wouldn¡¯t show up without such motivation. She hadn¡¯t been the best pet bonded the days after acquiring Adric, but it had been a shocking occurrence. At this point, he¡¯d lived with her for months, and she damn well treated him better than his family has since his revival.

    Two left. They can¡¯t be more infuriating than that one. Maybe Rose would be better?

    Harmony, I write this to warn you. I know I haven''t been there for you as a friend, but that was to protect you. The Charter is dangerous. The high royals are dangerous. Avoid anything related to them.  Don''t accept any invitations or open any letters. Adric will survive or not without you. Be safe.

    Graciously, Princess Rosaline

    Dangerous? As though, climbing Nae¡¯s Garden without a team wasn¡¯t dangerous.  No one murdered anyone in broad daylight. Society and those in power might be indifferent or cruel at times, but there hasn¡¯t been any substantiated news about high royals killing anyone. There would be a trial if they were to attempt to put her to death for some odd necromancy offense. Even pets have lawyers these days.

    Not to say someone as powerful as the queen or this mysterious Charter managing the kingdom couldn¡¯t make her day bad. But at this point bad wasn¡¯t cold streets and spoiled food. For Adric, she¡¯d suffer both those things again. Princess Rosaline had a poor choice of words.

    Harmony opened the letter from the queen.

    Compulsion hit. Maybe listening to Rose was a good idea?

    Worse than when Hemlock¡¯s casual words forced her back into her seat when they first met. Harmony¡¯s eyes forced themselves to the letter, and the words written inside. [Stride Before the Fall] shunted herself off to the side. Freed and trapped at the same time. One to read, unable not to and the other to watch.

    I acknowledge you, Lady Harmony White.

    Authority is a funny thing. Granted. Shared. Gained through attention, notoriety, expectations, and acknowledgments. Harmony had learned to see it coming when she performed at concerts, gained the approval of guests at Ma Bell''s table, and the ebb and flow as news about her spread. Connections was useful that way, that stat granting increased awareness. For example, getting up before the roaring crowd to dance for Ambrosia¡¯s band. When the pulse of it came as the masses chanted your name, it went off like a flash of light or sound.

    The queen¡¯s attention was not a flash, it was an explosion. Chronostasis had to kick in to help manage. Rather than try to spread the authority incoming between the two Harmonies, she played fast and loose with two bits of existence. The letter already decided who was getting the burden. Not that she could stop some of it from overflowing. Clearly, the queen had made this decision in writing a while ago, yet the letter was the trigger. Somewhere she thought of and had an opinion on who or what Lady Harmony White was. The letter clearly was special.

    One Harmony took in most of the Authority and the other watched. An experiment in outcomes. There was a lot to learn, and all that work figuring out how to damage skills helped. She wasn¡¯t made to handle this much authority.  Initially, she could see how authority strengthened her like it hardened who she was or was expected to be. It explained all those concerts helped when she was struggling. This was an accelerated lesson in what would happen to her if she didn¡¯t advance.

    [Small Armor] broke first instinctively working to block the damage. Night, paired with it winked into existence, bioluminescent stars dark, armor cracked, and slick black coat oozing. [Cold Touch] Tried to halt it and similarly shattered, her flesh freezing and turning blue.  All the skills started to break. Physical skills brought her to her knees. Mental skills set her brain on fire. The pain was maddening, yet able to be witnessed with a calm separate mind. It was peaceful when the nerves, overwhelmed, burst. The cells were next to go.

    Only one Harmony was left standing, the other a smear across the floor looking like jam on toast. Both dead and alive. The minute couldn¡¯t come soon enough, as she waited for that stain to disappear. All evidence of the attack faded away. The only thing that was left was an innocent-looking letter on the floor. Twice. She¡¯d died twice since coming to this city.

    That authority that did this, that acknowledgment''s power was still coming in, but not all at once. Advance or die. There was no peaceful sleep that night.

 Chapter Seventy-Five *Thirty-Five

    Chapter Thirty-Five

    Despite the rough night. Harmony awoke with a renewed desire to advance in the face of destruction, and to Ambrosia sitting on the side of her bed.

    ¡°I was singing my throat raw last night, while you were getting letters from the queen?¡± Ambrosia waved about the treacherous letter. The card inside was half sticking out of the purple envelope because that was exactly how far Harmony had gotten.

    ¡°Wait!¡± Harmony cried as Ambrosia pulled it the rest of the way out.

    Ambrosia continued anyway and read aloud. ¡°I acknowledge you, Lady Harmony White.

    While Adric is at residence, you may present yourself to any tower guard and they will escort you to him. A runner will fetch you when the time is needed to present yourself with him for the Charter. Signed, The Queen.¡± Ambrosia stopped with no big surprise. ¡°Rather bland letter from the queen. No threats of doom or offers of friendship.¡±

    That was a bland letter. If [Recall] wasn¡¯t so visceral about what happened last night. There might have been doubt, maybe\ marking it as a bad dream. Even now the excess authority that spilled over was making her skills flair up, and she could only feel more coming. Outside the obvious solution of leveling to accommodate it, there was that skill slot to fill.

    ¡°I¡¯ll take bland over either of those.¡°  No need to worry Ambrosia about last night. There was a slight chance that it was an accident. Wouldn¡¯t any healthy noble love a personal acknowledgment from the queen?

    ¡°I suppose we do have enough tasks on our plates. The five new staff members wouldn¡¯t be enough if we had to entertain her.¡°

    If Harmony never saw the woman in person, it would probably be for the best.  ¡°Speaking of tasks. I¡¯d like to hear what we¡¯ve got for skill stone options. I¡¯d feel more stable having one in hand.¡±

    ¡°Oh? Oh!¡±  She didn¡¯t miss that hint, yet ignored her call to wait with the letter. ¡°Are you feeling alright?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to break right now, but I feel I need to be as complete as possible soon.  Have you gotten any news about acquiring one that might work?¡±

    ¡°I have a list going. Breakfast will be shortly. I¡¯ll have a complete organization of what¡¯s available after that.¡±

    ¡°Your little birds are still gathering letters?¡±

    ¡°You only told me you wanted this yesterday. I should have known because of your levels, but you don¡¯t know how many balls I¡¯ve been juggling. I saw your face at the new staff. They really will help things work smoother. You¡¯ll see.¡±

    ¡°Fine. This has been hard on us all. I¡¯d be lost without you and Bates. Shall we go B]back to being the lady and her maid?¡±

    Ambrosia flipped over to her professional role. ¡°Lady White. How would you like to be dressed for breakfast this morning?¡±

    The answer was dressed for war. Well, not really. But appeasing all of her skills helped keep them calmer. Night was the outfit for that. Protective, striking, and fashionable in a way no other outfit could produce.

    After filling up on biscuits and gravy, it was a counsel of Bates, Max, and Ambrosia over tea to discuss skill stone ¡°shopping¡±. Shopping was only loosely on the table.

    ¡°What do you mean we can''t afford most stones?¡± Harmony burst out at the news. The chest of gold they''d received as a gift wasn''t that long ago.

    ¡°It¡¯s a drought out there and we¡¯re looking to buy water.¡± Max commentated.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure Gothheim would lend you gold outside his gifts, but he¡¯s also cornered most skill stones before the rush started. Maybe consider the gift from him a debt paid because no doubt your information inspired him.¡± Bates added.

    ¡°So, what do I have available?¡± Harmony asked.

    Ambrosia pulled out her list. ¡°The dirty dozen are still available and cheap. [Alarm], [Scream], [Dig], [Slap], [Spit], [Dim Sight], [Wet], [Swim], [Scrape], [Warm], [Feed], and [Fall].¡±

    The dirty dozen were a collection of common and uncommon skill stones nobody wanted. [Feed] was rare, but again nobody wanted it. Their effects were disappointing, and even more worrying they were hard to advance after you evolved.  She¡¯d experienced both [Warm] and [Feed], both her mother had used. Not needing to eat a meal wasn¡¯t the same as not being hungry.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

    ¡°I know you¡¯re good at making the most out of skills others avoid,¡± Ambrosia added hopefully.

    Her friends clearly had more faith in her than she did.  There was a reason she had those spots available when Tyler offered up skills. Oh, she considered mixing [Warm] and [Wet] so she''d Always have a moist Towelette to offer guests. Or a damp cloth to scrub With.

    The Dig Boys took [Dig], of all the dirty dozen that had the most growth options and they had tactics that would work if most of a team had it. Sometimes you needed a bigger hole.

    ¡°I''m not that good. What else?¡±

    Nontraditional sources. Ears To the ground. Friends and favors. Which resulted in an extremely random collection of options and requirements.  Gohl, The Flow¡¯s drummer had [Echolocation] but didn¡¯t want to make noise for extra senses. There is a fan group, more heavily located in Hazeldown, and that would require time to get more options. However, the Naewauld chapter president had found [Dazzle].

    The guild had two quests that offered skill stones as rewards. One was to find a lost cat, and yes she¡¯d checked to make sure the incident was before she and Hyacinth arrived in the city.  While Hyacinth''s nose might be up for the job, having the apex predator hunt you down would probably end in a merry chase, assuming something else hadn¡¯t permanently made it go missing long before.  The other was, well, she didn¡¯t have time for it.

    ¡°No quests or agreements that will take up more than an evening to complete. I don¡¯t feel like I have enough time as it is. I don¡¯t need to add a side quest to what is already on my plate.¡±

    That eliminated about half of the options. Not that all of the offers were unreasonable. Two Gyms offered endorsement deals where she¡¯d need to show up to three matches, schmooze, and show support. [Power Through] and [Inspire] weren¡¯t terrible options. But again, time.

    Delve that queen. If Harmony didn''t feel like a glow stone on its way to dimming out there might be days to find a better match. That left seven options, [Echolocation], [Dazzle] through the band. The abbess, feeling bad, has offered [Chaos Seed]. Chaos despite having a place with the temples, was not kindly looked at. It could also do wild things to a person''s path of growth.

    For the low price of an in-depth interview one of the premiere news rags, The Naewauld Times offered [Ink Heart]. Rot and weeds if that wasn¡¯t the most tempting so far. It had gone unused in the Times resources because no one was quite sure what it did. Heart was often stamina-based but ink was non-combat or scribe-like.   Her love of books inspired the desire more than any practical reason.

    Less desirable [Feint]. [Body Enlargement], and [Killer Instinct] rounded out the lot.  As though making herself twenty percent bigger would make her anything but a slightly different category of small.

    ¡°Are you sure we shouldn¡¯t nudge a certain Lord?¡± Ambrosia asked.

    ¡°I know his collection. He doesn¡¯t go for anything useful. He¡¯d never pick up [Danger Sense] or anything with known qualities. He likes the unique where you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re getting. He¡¯d probably find something like, [Recall] ran through her memories of cleaning his collection, [Apocalypse Awareness] or [Royal Road Wanderer].¡±

    ¡°He once bragged about having [Love Sense],¡± Max added.

    Harmony and Ambrosia both shuddered at that one.

    ¡°I''m open to suggestions about what I choose.¡± If someone could convince her away from choosing the risky [Ink Heart] it wouldn''t be the worst thing.

    Max opened his mouth with a conflicted look, then closed it as he shifted into a stoic and proud one.  [Chivalry] in action.

    Harmony couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow at that.

    ¡°Lady White, an honorable exchange could be made. Your dedicated knight requests a boon.¡± Maxwell¡¯s hands slapped over his mouth as he flushed a pink almost as bright as his beard, leaving him all one color.  That clearly hadn¡¯t been what he¡¯d hoped for when he used his social skill.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Harmony asked. His oath of honesty hadn¡¯t flared up like this in a while. And she didn¡¯t tweak it as he was helping willingly and fully enough such a leaver would be rude, but that didn¡¯t leave out asking.

    ¡°Oath forsaken class! I heard it and thought¡­then of course my oath kicks in.¡± He lets out a long sigh. ¡°I have a [Keen Investigative Awareness] stone For my progression. I''d trade it for [Chaos Seed] if you want.¡±

    ¡°How would that help Harm and Why would you want a chaos skill?¡± Ambrosia asked with a hint of disgust.

    ¡°I don''t want to be a knight, or even a scribe. It''s not my path. Do I look like either of those things? My family, well, that skill is key to a glorious knight-scribe path. Having chaos in my skills is the best way to break out of that.¡±

    ¡°And [Keen Investigative Awareness] will help her how?¡± Ambrosia pressed.

    ¡°Keen makes it special, family paid a premium for that adjective. And I know it might not sound it...¡± Maxwell¡¯s tone switched to the boring drone of a lecture heard a thousand times. ¡± It''s better than [Spot Weakness], with preparation you''ll outdo [Battle Tactics] and it will always let you know how to make your opponent''s bad day worse. Gramps never shut up about it.¡±

    ¡°So, you want to trade me your family''s prized skill stone for a random one from Violet?¡± Harmony asked, not even using a skill to keep a straight face.

    ¡°Yes!¡±

    Tess, who''d been serving the group tea. Fumbled her tray at the excited exclamation, breaking two floral teacups.  Her metal spider was already on the job of picking up the pieces.

    Would it be a tossup between [Ink Heart] and [Keen Investigative Awareness]? Max''s oath prevented him from lying. If [Spot Weakness] or [Battle Tactics] she''d take them. And if there was one thing Harmony could relate to it was rebelling against the expectations of your parents.

    Harmony raised her teacup high. ¡°I think this might be the exact kind of chaos Abbess Violet might enjoy. A toast to new paths.¡±

 Chapter Seventy-Six * Thirty-Six

    Chapter Thirty- Six

    Being a full service, The Dragonfly Inn had a room dedicated to using skill stones or evolution. Private with enough space for friends and family to support you if you want. Sir Maxwell stood nervously at the center [Chaos Seed] in hand. This was him, taking a step on his own path, away from his family.

    ¡°You''ve got this!¡± Harmony shouted from the corner with an encouraging smile.

    Ambrosia and Bates acted as support staff. Waiting with supplies. Potions for healing and refreshments.

    Using a skill stone among some was a family affair. Combined with or a cause of creating reunions, parties, and feasts a day of progress greater than any birthday. With family came drama and expectations to accept or fight. The least Harmony could do was cheer him on while he rebelled against his family.  And maybe there would be something to learn from watching someone else do it.

    When the glowing skill stone disappeared her knight''s hand. Harmony was ready and watching, [Analyze], blending with [Mana Rotation] and the sight it provided.

    She nearly missed it. A little bit of a flicker inside him. Like the birth of new life.  Part of her wanted to kill it, an impulse she''d avoided since she gazed at Naewauld from the road. Less avoided and more satiated with the killing in the dungeon. Max is a friend. One doesn''t kill parts of friends. Unlady-like urges indeed. That lack of stability was why her turn was next.

    That beat grew. [Chaos Seed] radiated out and rippled inside his being. Every skill was touched. Peculiarly Max''s pink hair changed, emitting light, not unlike Night could do.  Broken bones, if this kept up, it would be another thing he''d show to all his girls. Look it glows! Focus.

    The growth was a slow and uninteresting process. It wasn''t that Harmony learned nothing, but she could only see what her limited abilities allowed her to. Plenty of experience waiting politely while nothing much was going on to be leaned on as a maid. A little fleck of energy would float toward an established skill and then drift back to the forming [Chaos Seed]. Even his oath to her wasn''t left untouched, and that tickled.

    Two hours later Sir Maxwell stumbled forward out of his trance. ¡°Wow, that had a kick to it.¡±

    ¡°Mmm.. hmmm,¡± Harmony answered with a polite nod. A kick as quick as honey. ¡°So what does [Chaos Seed] do?¡± Not the most polite thing to inquire about new skills, but it had been one of her options. What had she missed out on?

    ¡°I grow chaos in me. I''m not quite sure how. There will be another visit to the abbess. Once I get enough I can bloom into a skill changing it permanently, unexpectedly. It''s perfect. There are a couple of skills I have to change before I evolve.¡±

    That sounded unpleasant. It explained what she saw when the new skill seemed to touch all his other skills. Chaos inside an already stressed system, [Poise and Bearing] suppressed a shudder at the results of if she''d taken in the [Chaos Seed]. ¡°Good for you.¡±

    The knight rushed over, fumbling with his pocket and pulling out a skill stone. ¡°You sure you don''t want to wait until we get Adric back? Maybe we can find you better options.¡±The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

    None of them knew about the queen. The rising tide of authority from that direction. Dying, crushed under that new weight left a memory of weakness under pressure. What would he do if she told him, sworn to her as he was, probably something extra stupid?

    ¡°It''s best if I do this now.¡±  She took the stone from his fingers.

    It was only days ago that she got [Final Silence]. Everything was high enough level that there shouldn''t be excessive issues, but to progress so fast? Life and death will leave you with no other choices. So she walked to the center of the room. It was their turn to cheer.

    Ambrosia let out an encouraging whistle. Max, still a little unstable from his gain, gave a hand signal saying she got this. Bates''s slight nod was a lot from the mostly stoic servant.

    Do you wish to learn [Keen Investigative Awareness]?

    Yes. Harmony opened herself to the skill, and it fit. More to say that it aligned well with who she was. Strong synergies with [Recall], [Poise and Bearing], and [Analyze] but fit in with them all on some level.

    Rather than focus on new information and experiences like [High Kick] provided [Keen Investigative Awareness ] showed her things she''d done. Social cues and hints she''d Missed. Key passages she''d skimmed in texts. How she might have moved better in a fight. It wasn''t shaming. It was more isn''t this a neat thing you missed. Often it confirmed when she made a good choice, but clarified little things that led up to those choices.

    Organizing, analyzing, and critiquing information as you got it with bursts of inspiration. Supportive of her training journal. [Keen Investigative Awareness] felt overly flattering to choices that now in hindsight she doubted. It told her to fight doubt and fear as they threatened a calm mind.

    Flexible, valuable, and deceptively skillful it wouldn''t heighten senses, but give you the impression of what is important and a surety to beliefs based on fact.  You''d always hear of skill stones that fit just right but Harmony never thought she''d experience it. As for noticing important facts, her foundations felt more solid than they had in a long time. The little naggings from her class, profession, and skills were nearly silent.  The pressure of everyone''s beliefs and expectations that formed authority felt, not light, but more manageable.

    ¡°Harm, you okay? You''ve been standing there with a slight smile for an hour.¡± Ambrosia asked.

    That was almost too pleasantly introspective. This better not be how this skill acts up. Drifting off even pleasantly was too risky if it happened at a dangerous time.

    ¡°I''m fine. It feels good to be complete. How''s today''s schedule looking?¡±

    ¡°Dinner is in an hour. But there has been an update to the guest list. Guild mistress Thorne will be taking a seat this time and she¡¯s invited the other guests."

    A touch of anxiety rose, but her new skill, even as a baby helped remind her Thorne has been a valuable resource more than a problem. "Who are the other guests?"

    "Sir Maxwell got his guild invitation to attend, The other names are  Princess Rosaline, Len Atticus, and Lord Tyler.¡±

    Harmony¡¯s new skill was already helping piece things together not in a new way but quicker. Same answer, quicker processing time. Thorne disliked Hemlock but was committed to the Ascendant Games. She¡¯d dumped resources on Harmony. That should have been the end of it unless she reached out for more. There was no reason to call all the adventures that joined her on that one dungeon run. The reason to call them together now felt obvious.

    ¡°Delving bloody weeding ashes.¡° Haz¡¯el Ri¡¯s odd invites Hemlock had mentioned.

    ¡°Looks like the band is getting back together,¡± Ambrosia announced.

    Not even [Poise and Bearing] could halt Harmony from rolling her eyes at that.

 Chapter Seventy-Seven * Thirty-Seven

    Chapter Thirty- Seven

    ¡°Len, please pass me the butter,¡± Harmony asked.

    A show of normalcy, perhaps was the way to dig out of this socially awkward dinner filled with anxiety monsters, spikes of annoyance, and angry eaters. [Keen Investigative Awareness] was at a loss for supplying hints on how to unravel this problem. It needed to be leveled for such a challenge.

    ¡°I bet Len is giving you all the butter you want!¡±  Lord Tyler snapped testily.

    Len ignored Tyler as he had all evening. Not that he was talking to anyone much. He had the withdrawn look of a hostage forced to be here tonight. With jerky movements, he passed the butter harmony¡¯s way.  Clearly, he and Tyler had a recent falling out.  Probably related to her contact with the wizard.

    ¡°As Lady White¡¯s sworn knight, Len does not need to take up such a burden, as I will help her with all her butter wants.¡± Sir Maxwell interjected toward his cousin.

    Max is the only one having fun tonight. Kind of. He wasn''t happy to be here, but he enjoyed sharing his misery with others.  Harmony had expected him to be happy when she informed him of her suspicions.  He wasn¡¯t.

    ¡°Guid mistress Thorne, may I be excused?¡± Rose asked.

    This was the fourth time she¡¯d asked, and the most blunt. There had been implications she needed to be elsewhere, hints that she was stuffed and couldn¡¯t eat another bite after the first course, and even her maid brought her a letter that she said was important. An old trick to get out of dates and dinner parties.

    The princess refused to look Harmony in the eye and got even more uncomfortable when Harmony let it slip that she had gained permission to see Adric at the palace tower when Ma Bell mentioned how much she missed that boy.

    The warning letter received the other night went from ridiculous to appreciated after Harmony opened the queen''s envelope. But there were many questions about that whole situation that she couldn¡¯t bring up at the table. This refusal to interact only muddied the waters.

    ¡°Oh, no. We¡¯ll conduct business after dessert. I¡¯m sure Ma Bell has some scrumptious offerings for us tonight.¡±  Thorne responded.

    ¡°Only the best desserts.¡± The innkeeper responded nervously. The woman was pale and shaking when she approached the table with Thorne at the start of dinner. Harmony knew this hadn¡¯t been the planned guest list.  Some pressure was being applied tonight.

    Worse was the normal calming relaxing effect Ma Bell produced was flipped on its head. It pumped out an energy that made everyone paranoid and fearful.  Like it was being shoved through a dirty mirror, reversing the effect. Thorne¡¯s skill? It was exhausting combating it. [Recall], [Poise and Bearing], [Style and Grace], and [Keen Investigative Awareness] all bolstered Harmony¡¯s already extensive guards against mind and mood-altering effects.  [Renew Spirit] had also been cast several times.

    Thorne merely watched the show and prodded it along all night as everyone snapped at each other for little things. Max at Rose for her princess deception. Rose brought up some unhinged letter from Len about cabals she¡¯d received. Tyler¡¯s sulky self prodded at everyone.

    Enough.

    ¡°While I do love The Dragonfly Inn¡¯s desserts, why don¡¯t you get on with telling everyone else how they¡¯ve been selected for the Ascendent Games, and whatever other little bits of info trickled out by Hemlock towards you.¡±

    Len started choking on a bit of bread he¡¯d been chewing.

    The color drained out of Rose¡¯s face, and now of all times, Harmony found the princess staring into her eyes in shock.

    ¡°Oh, gods above and below, no.¡±  Lord Tyler moaned.

    Max grunted and started to pound on Len¡¯s back to help him clear the blockage. He wasn¡¯t shocked because Harmony had told him her suspicions.

    ¡°So you did know?¡± Thorne asked accusingly.

    Was that the reason for this game? To get back at her? She called on her authority and let it blend into her words. The touch of stability it might cost her was worth the emphasis provided. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    ¡°No. Hemlock implied some odd choices, but I didn¡¯t ask questions. A mistake I won¡¯t repeat. Please, give us all the information he provided.  And quit whatever you¡¯re doing to the atmosphere. I¡¯m sure we will all want clear heads for this.¡±  As the words left her mouth she could taste the emotions transferred into the words, that confidence and hope placed in her, that outrage at her existence. It tickled a little, so she had to fight sneezing.

    The ripple outside was mirrored within, and the work she¡¯d done held. This wasn¡¯t something she could have considered before adding her latest skill.

    The guild mistress flinched like she¡¯d gotten slapped. It was a break in etiquette. The woman¡¯s position made her one of the higher-ranked people in the city, well above a new lady. But after the dinner she''d fought through, Harmony felt justified.

    The twisting of Ma Bell¡¯s skill ended. Relaxing, jovial, and calming energy bathed everyone. Harmony would have preferred if it had simply stopped altogether, so nothing would influence them as they listened. But it was a nice way to take the edge off some of the damage accrued.

    ¡°We always like to test our younglings against such influences. Fighting pressures is a practice sadly ignored in these parts, but you¡¯ll see nudging widespread in the greater world. It also allows me to get a handle on who I¡¯m getting involved with.  I¡¯m sorry if I offended you, Lady White.  You¡¯re also right. ¡° With that, Thorne turned her attention to the whole group. ¡°Each of you has been invited to participate to represent this region in the Ascendant Games. As a guild-sponsored event, you are required to try your best to meet the requirements of the invitation, lest be subject to guild sanctions.¡°

    ¡°Sanctions?¡± Tyler asked.

    ¡°Suspension of guild membership and dungeon access for three years. Public repudiation through official public relations channels. Rejection of travel permits. Fees and Fines, not to exceed ten thousand gold.  That¡¯s the stick. The carrot is that you¡¯ll have the guild¡¯s full support in reaching the requirements of this trial, and will be celebrated as heroes for the public to look up to.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ll also pay for a lovely funeral service when we don¡¯t return?¡± Max asked bitterly.

    ¡°Of course. Your named beneficiaries will get a lovely payout as well.¡±  Thorne answered, not missing a beat.

    Len just shrunk into himself.

    ¡°Royalty can¡¯t be held to such standards.¡± Rose started.

    ¡°As the current representative of the guild in the charter. I can tell you there are no exemptions for this royal family. I¡¯ve also been adjudicated as the neutral party for this little country.¡±  That she said with a tinge of her personal annoyance. ¡°Think of me as your temporary team captain. Helping inform you and whipping you into shape.¡±

    ¡°That sounds like a big task. Surely you can¡¯t expect them all to evolve before the Ascendant Games start?¡± Harmony asked.

    Thorne waved her hand lazily. ¡°You¡¯re the one with the hardest task, Lady White. And you¡¯ve been tackling it with the right kind of dedication. These four are only a level or two away from evolving, if not at the cusp. These fine folks lack discipline, teamwork, and training. While it looks like the Ascendant Games will be individually based, many countries will have their participants work together to excel.¡±

    That doesn¡¯t make sense. They¡¯d all been running Old Bones at the end of winter. Full teams, at level fifteen, ran it a few times before going to Naewauld to advance. Sometimes you¡¯d get an over-level person on a team. They¡¯ve all only had a few months back in the capital to advance. None should be that high unless they¡¯ve been attempting near-solo runs. Thorne had a smug little look on her face. The others showed signs of guilt. [Keen Investigative Awareness] made reading people so much easier

    Chill spread out. ¡°What levels are you? What levels were you when you took me into that dungeon?¡±  Authority this time less controlled boosted her words.

    Sir Maxwell was affected the strongest. That oath he¡¯d made flared up and Harmony could feel the compulsion activate. It might be his fault for sticking his head in that bear trap of making the oath in the first place, but she winced for him.

    With a straight spine, he turned to her, face serious and chivalric. ¡°I¡¯m level twenty-four in class and profession and ready to shape my future before evolution. I was only twenty-two when we braved Old Bones and thought we¡¯d lost you.¡±

    ¡°I was only in Hazeldown to keep an eye on Adric¡¯s body after he¡¯d died. Of course, I was in my twenties.¡± Rose grumbled.

    ¡°Twenty-Four, and still am. I needed to form my own skill before evolving. That¡¯s how I knew we could protect you for the dungeon runs.¡±  Tyler pleaded.

    ¡°I was level twenty-one when we took you down the dungeon. My contract with the university kept me in Hazeldown longer than I wanted. Professors needed their editor. We figured it was our excessive levels that made the dungeon so dangerous that time.¡± Len said softly.

    At level ten she¡¯d entered Old Bones with a bunch of adventurers in their twenties!? It would be so easy to lie to herself and blame them for all the problems of that run. Clearly, some of them had done that.  Here she was a fool for not knowing. Not just that, [Recall] tickled her, some had lied about being level fourteen.

    Harmony detached herself from the group, standing up and moving away from the table. ¡°I¡¯d like my dessert delivered to my room. My sworn knight can fill me in on any important matters from the rest of this meeting. Guild mistress Thorne, best of luck coaching this crew up. Ma Bell, a wonderful meal as always.¡±

    With that, she made her retreat.

 Chapter Seventy-Eight * Thirty-Eight

    hapter Thirty-Eight

    The after-dinner bath required bubbles. Harmony blew some into the air and used [Cold Touch] to freeze them without popping them. The skill exercise took a good amount of control. A distraction from the frustration she was holding in.

    ¡°I can''t believe they were in their twenties.¡± Harmony moaned, unable to keep it contained.

    ¡°Mmm hmmm,¡± Ambrosia responded from across the room.

    The tone of that response itched her newest skill, granting her too much awareness. ¡°You knew?!¡±

    ¡°Lord Tyler¡¯s levels were never that much of a secret. His idea of a challenge was usually around the size of his lunch and not the risks of a dungeon. When Max joined as an auxiliary to the staff we evaluated him fully. The others made sense.¡±

    ¡°I''m such a dunce.¡± Harmony waited for her friend to protest this and assure her this was not the case.

    After a suitable amount of silence where that didn''t happen, Ambrosia spoke up. ¡°It''s not like that would have changed any of the decisions you''ve made.¡±

    It would have added perspective. That first fight with Max in the dungeon club. Their cockiness as they watched her solo the first floor. The sheer absurd confidence when what should have been a standard run showed hints of being weird rather than reasonable caution.

    ¡°Fine. I can still be annoyed.¡±

    ¡°Lady White can be any spectrum of emotion she wishes to be.¡±

    Harmony gathered up a ball of bubbles in her hand. Froze them and hurled them in Ambrosia¡¯s direction. Lacking mass they didn''t go far and went splat on the floor.

    Both girls started busting up laughing. ¡°Okay, maybe I have been a bit prissy.¡±

    ¡°Lady White is prissy. Harm is a bundle of nerves who can''t calm down. After you evolve. After you win the Ascendant Games we need to get you a nice long vacation.¡±

    ¡°I have no interest in winning the Ascendant Games. ¡°

    ¡°Like you''ll let any of those snots show you up.  Max is not that bad most days, but he''s still a snot.¡±

    In some ways, the Ascendant Games were no different than when staff like Jessica challenged her with a grimy task at the manor. You stood tall and beat their expectations. Not that Bates would ever let her slack. And between hand spiders, gnomes, or some cursed item in Tyler¡¯s collection it''s not like being a servant didn¡¯t have some deadly risk. Even those who thought she''d fail most warmed up.

    ¡°Fine. I will win it in your honor. Only if I can level quickly enough to qualify.¡±If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°There''s my Harm.¡±

    A goal. Ambrosia certainly knew her well enough that consoling her over the fact she''d missed realizing what levels her former teammates were wouldn''t work. At least when they finally entered the games they''d all be equals.

    "Go get some sleep, Ambs. If Max isn''t turning up tonight it will be in the morning."

    Dressed for bed and two-thirds of the way into a dungeon Tactics 101 the knock she expected hours ago pulled Harmony away from the words. [Keen Investigative Awareness] was giving her new insights into the text. Often on things left unsaid by the author but implied

    ¡°Come in Max.¡±

    The knight came in looking more drained and defeated than he had when old bones nearly wiped their party out. His pink hair was almost pale White, the glow it had adopted barely there. ¡°I have news of the Ascendant Games, My lady.¡±

    ¡°How bad is the news if you look like that?¡±

    ¡°Oh, no. You don¡¯t understand. Hemlock announced group dynamics will be fluid, some countries are sure to have teams and alliances. Not that there were any real details. After dinner Thorne made us do hours of trust exercises.  And we''re supposed to be back tomorrow. ¡°

    In weighing her options Harmony decided to be grateful rather than offended She wasn''t invited. ¡°I''m sure it was dreadful.¡±

    ¡°She had Len levitate us over the group and¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure you can tell me all about it after you tell me any important information you learned.¡±

    With a twitch Max pulled out his notebook filled with notes so densely packed it was clear a scribe had written them.

    ¡°Guild master Hemlock isn¡¯t playing nice. Thorne really hates him, you should hear some of the curse words she said under her breath. Hemlock is going to trickle out information, as part of his agreement with Ha¡¯zel Ri. She muttered about how it was probably something he requested. This afternoon she got the notification that all of us were selected to represent our kingdom, bypassing more competent adventurers she¡¯d already had lined up.¡±

    "No wonder she was pissed. Having to deal with irate adventurers who missed out on this chance or the families of those who died trying to level up in time."

    ¡°First are the restrictions. No oath sworn servants, or chaining bonds, so if you take Adric then Bowe can¡¯t go with you. We are limited to four total bonds out of these categories, pair bonds, primal bonds, summon bonds, fate bonds, theocratic bonds, astral bonds,  polyamorous bonds, quantum bonds, Jamesian bonds, and protoplasmic bonds. I don''t even know what more than half of these are. When I asked about polyamorous Bonds because that sounded interesting, Thorne smacked my hand like I was a child and said, no.¡±

    Would Night count As a paired bond? Everyone knew about Adric. ¡°I have at least one of those. What is Thorne saying about the bonds? And what about familiars.¡±

    ¡°I''m getting to that. You know Len was all over that.  They don''t count against your total. A complete cheat. Thorne will go over bonding options for us later. We''re only to have three filled until we evolve because that choice could grant us one, one too many and you''re disqualified. Most competitors will max their bonds.¡±

    ¡°How am I going to fill mine out?¡±

    ¡°That''s all the information for now. Don''t worry you''ve got a man on the inside. I''ll keep my eyes and ears open for you.¡±

    When did trying to win become so important? Frustration rising, she dismissed him to rest up for tomorrow''s trials and training.  Something she should do too. Dungeon Tactics 101 sat beside her bed, lying open mid-chapter. That needs to be finished and what''s a few more chapters?

 Chapter Seventy-Nine * Thirty-Nine

    Chapter Thirty-Nine

    ¡°Ggrrack!¡± Hyacinth sat upon the brood mother''s corpse and croaked triumphantly. A corpse Harmony needed access to. He knew the plan but spent plenty of time celebrating his win.

    ¡°Oh, you, get down from there.¡±

    This wooze guardian was the smallest yet. Hyacinth had asked to fight it alone after she''d shaved off most of the thick, long, white fur it used as its Armor. Deep gouges from his spurs decorated the now cooling body. Small as it was, it was still long enough for her purposes.

    ¡°I''m not Prey!¡± He yelled in one of his rare uses of speech.

    Harmony let loose a sigh. He''d taken that first battle with a brood mother a little too personally.  This can be him reclaiming his pride.

    ¡°Come on, warts-For-breath, I want to see if we can complete the second floor. You know I have plans for that beast''s spine.¡±

    He Hopped down and Harmony approached the body ready for some field surgery.  [Manipulate Dead] boosted by [Mana Rotation] cut into the corpse.

    On the first floor, it had been hard to see how good [Keen Investigative Awareness] would be. It could point out weaknesses if she needed help. There Was a gut feeling or hunch vibe to it as well.  But at this point, the furry balls of anger fell as quickly as shamblers would on the first floor of Old Bones.

    Precise control of skill usage improved. She was able to be more efficient through small tweaks to how and when he fed mana and activated her skills. But when she directed her mind and skill toward more broad and risky potions it provided that gut feeling she could with practice part the fur, strike hard with a cold touch-infused strike to kill wooze in one hit.  Yeah, no way was she getting that close to A wooze¡¯s teeth and claws if she didn''t have to.

    The twiggy toppled over like a fallen tree with the only visible damage being some split bark from Harmony¡¯s kick. The invisible damage struck the part of the monster''s soul that allowed it to move, fracturing it into pieces.

    It was amazing how much she''d improved what she¡¯d dubbed her soul strike.  Watching Max use his skill stone helped a little.  Mostly it was the deeper understanding from experiencing and watching her soul, class, profession, and skills get ripped apart when the queen acknowledged her.  Grow from your scars.

    The group fights, the three on two, four on two, and five on two turned bloody often necessitating a [Stride Before the Fall]. Here [Keen Investigative Awareness] showed its potential. Bringing her attention to holes in Twiggy¡¯s defenses due to lack of mobility near the joints. How quick jukes around trees, or often Twiggys in the thick of battle would tangle up vinestictors and make them useless. And when there was a Harmony to spare, the value in not holding back during the minute she had. If one Harmony needed to take the hits, it would be that one who wasn''t staying, leaving her back, broken, bleeding, and brained, where death softened those memories. Watching your dead body get pulled apart, stomped on, or dragged away was worse than fighting through the pain.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    At least nobody else is here to see that. Ambrosia would freak. Adric would do something stupid and put himself in danger. Max would totally be a crybaby about it. That¡¯s how the skill worked and leveled. It¡¯s not like she enjoyed the torment.  Dying certainly wasn''t ladylike. A swift kick to one of the soul-damaged twiggys bled some frustration.

    [Recall] chimed in with its primary function as a reminder, that this group was the last before the second-floor guardian.

    ¡°Kroak?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we should attempt to fight the tree lord. You know I have a plan. Give me a few minutes until [Stride] is back up.¡±

    Tree lords, the second-floor guardian. Let¡¯s mash vinestrictors and twiggys together and make them bigger, rooting them as a giant tree blocking the exit. If you didn¡¯t want to face it you had to backtrack. The only good thing was that it couldn¡¯t uproot and chase you like twiggys.  Twelve limbs to beat you if you get too close. Vines climbing it that could shoot out at you striking like a whip or pulling you close for a pummeling.   How did you win? By chopping the tree down before it beats your team to a pulp. Or using [Rot].

    Time to try something new. New to this dungeon at least. [Keen Investigative Awareness] had been useful in the fights, but what it helped highlight as she fretted over this exact battle, became a part of her plan. Dungeon Tactics 101, shoved into what she¡¯d considered the filler portion of the book she¡¯d been gifted by the guilds talking about different environments.  Dungeon floors that have trees provide a natural resource you can use to build barriers, trigger traps, and provide fuel. If you don¡¯t want to dull your blades hacking away, a trapper once used a chain and some friction to cut one down.

    Silly idea to grasp at. Never would she be able to lift and pull a metal chain big enough to saw down a tree this big. [High Kick] had ability power behind it, allowing it to do the damage it could do. Oh, there was leaning into aspects of the skills, borrowing, synergizing but it was never the same as people who had real strength to pull from.

    Uncoiling the bone chain off Hyacinth''s back, the lightweight brood mother spine had been strengthened and modified as much as she could with [Mend] and [Manipulate Dead]. A sharpened spinous process along the edge acted like a saw. It worked on normal trees they''d tested it on but they didn''t hit back or wrap you in vines.  Outlandish, but this was the kind of roadblock that took different ways to get on the path she wanted.

    Harmony held one end while Hyacinth took the other end into his mouth. The toad¡¯s jaws clamped down and broke bones regularly. If anyone was going to be a weak link and lose control in the process it would be her.

    Ahead, the tree lord waited, blocking where they needed to go.  Its limbs and vines swayed despite the lack of wind inside the tower on this floor.

    ¡°Let¡¯s do this!¡±

 Chapter Eighty * Forty

    Chapter Forty

    The attempt to pump herself up for this challenge fell a little flat.

    "Gwack?" Hyacinth responded, dubious of the attempt as well.

    Ambrosia and her band successfully tapped into energy that way before their big gigs. You''d think there wouldn''t be a big difference between getting mentally prepared for a mob of excited fans and a giant angry tree.

    "On three, one.... two..."

    The pair launched themselves toward the tree lord, the saw-toothed chain stretched out between them. Prince Adric¡¯s favorite training was tag, making sure running, dodging, and being light on her feet were beaten into her.

    What [Keen Investigative Awareness] did was make the hits coming even more obvious.  [Small Armor] and even [High Kick] contributed their input as well. They were the soldiers and [Awareness] the general, helping make those incoming striking vines and swinging branches obvious earlier. Not that it made this mad dash easy.

    Every day teams of adventurers climb Nae¡¯s Garden and grind through Tree Lords. Guides cover tactics and strategies for those resistant to hiring a member of The Grave Society handily dishing out [Rot] to ease the battle. Such a crutch would Make it difficult to level.  Things like rotating positions, protecting the teammate with the most cutting power, and lighting the whole thing on fire with the intent of waiting it out.  Dozens of different ways. One thing read was that [Silence] worked, though limited to half effectiveness.

    Harmony tumbled forward under the huge branch swinging down. [Final Silence]  was within range but every second mattered here.  Closer¡­. Closer¡­ Nearly Touching the trunk she activated [Stride]. Her first round of silence ground the tree lord to a halt.

    The space between the tree and exit was so narrow she could Only fit an arm into the crack, but there was enough space to use [Manipulate Dead] to guide the chain around. With a metal chain, this would be impossible.

    Time ticked down, Hyacinth on one side and the pair of Harmonies on the other they started to saw through the trunk. Even with a pair of her, in pure strength, she couldn''t match the shadow toad.  Fifteen Seconds the tree began to wake, shaking and dropping vines from above. Harmony hit it with her second [Final Silence].

    Her skills weren¡¯t dormant as they ground away at the tree lord. [High Kick] boosted her pulling, pushing harder than she could without it as she yanked back on the spine-made chain. [Manipulate Dead] kept the blades sharp as she battled friction dulling them while making sure the bone wouldn¡¯t snap.

    The backup plan had been to combine her soul strike technique on the tree. The part she needed to hit rested high among the branches, but if the tree lord was active it would have been near impossible to hit.  Then there was the fact that it felt shielded. Call it a gut instinct from [Awareness] gained from her experience or reading guides that stressed the tree¡¯s vitality.  Even [Rot] took time. Enough that all the guides said to assault it after the tree when it was half rotted rather than wait.

    Endurance. This wasn¡¯t holding a tray for hours, or the stop-and-go action of tag, or the quick spars that ended in wins or losses. [Style and Grace], [Poise and Bearing], [High Kick], and all the little bits of physical action she squeezed out of skills could only help so much against the punishment of hauling her end of the saw. The mass of two of her working together was barely enough. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

    The shiver of the leaves was the first warning. It was the only warning. Harmony and Hyacinth had already let go. With a twirl the toad cut striking vines from the air, his spurs cutting with a flick.

    As one Harmony ran another stayed behind. The one left behind let the escaping Harmony dodge even as the vines tried to strike at the runner''s blind spots. Both playing interference and providing extra vision. Branches descended, slower to wake than the tree lord¡¯s vines, but with massive force.

    It was a quick death. Perception narrowed to one. Harmony and Hyacinth rested, panting outside of the range of the guardian. The chain of bone left in the groove it had created.

    The tree wouldn¡¯t heal. This was a test of fortitude for any team. The dungeon could make it impossible, but that wasn¡¯t the point. It was a challenge for growth, and whatever deal was made with the dungeon spirit residing there. One harmony wouldn¡¯t be enough to carry her side of the weight and effort. That tossed several potential plans of holding [Stride] in reserve aside.

    ¡°Think we can get the cut deeper next time?¡±

    ¡°Grack!¡±

    ¡°Yes, there will be a next time. Unless you have a better idea.¡±

    ¡°Skip it.¡± He croaked grumpily.

    ¡°That wouldn''t be fair. It¡¯ll only take five or six more attempts to bring that tree down. Like it will even let us get by.¡±

    ¡°Skip. It.¡± His voice now echoed with a hint of the authority he was shouldering from her.

    How did he? Nevermind. It was rare for Hyacinth to take such a firm stance in planning anything other than lunch. How awful was the sawing for him?

    ¡°Fine, we''ll attempt it your way.¡±

    That didn''t mean going in without her skills ready.  The second mad dash towards the tree lord was easier than the first. She¡¯d seen what it could do and couldn''t.  Easier didn''t mean easy, and she could feel the effort of sawing in her back. Muscles were tweaked and raw after one attempt. What were the odds of a misstep on the fourth or fifth attempt of grinding away at the tree?

    This time she used [Stride] and slapped on a [Silence] early.  In the deep shadows of the bough, one of her joined Hyacinth and slipped into the shadows.  The goal was to reach the enshadowed passage you could only peek at behind the trunk.

    The bit of purple lingered as the pair tried to push through the shadows. Traveling through shadows in dungeons was always difficult. Hyacinth only managed short trips in the domains controlled by the dungeon spirits. Inside the shadow realm, layers of black teaming with life are mostly only visible by eyes in pairs, or clusters that watched from blackness. Strands of thick distorted space kept the pair from moving forward. Was the tree reaching into this space? While the distortions had some vitality they felt as asleep and stagnant as the tree lord looked in its silenced state.  Is it connected?

    Outside, Harmony kicked off, combining all the skills necessary for her soul strike, her armored foot swinging high, silenced blended into that unique synergy that let her touch beyond the physical.  It crunched into that shield she sensed. Active defenses stirred but remained silenced. And she pushed through with all the experience she''d learned from practice and dying. One fracture formed and then another, not enough to break a skill completely, but enough for what she needed.

    The resistance snapped one thread at a time, barely a step was moved and the pair tumbled out into the blocked exit, one set of stairs leading to the third floor and another out of Nae¡¯s Garden.

    Hyacinth lay sprawled out, limbs sprawled out flat, looking deflated, even lighter in color, a dark shade of gray rather than his inky blackness. ¡°See. Skipped it.¡± He rasped out rather than rumbled in his normally gravelly croak.

    Harmony responded from her sprawled-out position. Every muscle felt like she had sawed down that tree nonstop. ¡°Yeah¡­ that went¡­ great.¡±

    Now is not the time to relax. ¡°Get your delving behinds down the stairs! The tree lord is waking up!¡± Harmony yelled at her partner and herself. Vines latched on, and it was only when the pair stumbled down the first few steps that she let her other dissipate. Next time would be better.

 Chapter Eighty-One * Forty-One

    Chapter Forty-One

    The palace tower loomed large, casting a long shadow in the afternoon sun. It hadn¡¯t been so imposing when Harmony followed the line of initiates while incognito for the Harvest of Talents.  That had been before she¡¯d received the queen''s recognition.  The queen wasn''t there now. Her public schedule had her out on business greeting dignitaries. The incoming flow of authority was coming from elsewhere. You could almost use it as a compass.

    There would be no doing this if the queen was here. Adric deserved better than that. It had already been too long since she''d visited.  A little over two days, when was that too long? To become so needy over a pet, yes, a friend too, but that felt lesser than a primal bond throbbing with a connection inside her soul.

    ¡°Ahem.¡±  Drew, the guild bodyguard ahead and to the left, cleared his throat.

    They were blocking traffic. Six bodyguards, one giant black toad, a personal maid hiding at least one bird in her skirts, and the smallest of them all Lady Harmony White dressed head to toe in armor that could barely be considered armor. Fine, it''s time to move forward.

    Up the stairs along with the crowds submitting petitions or entering for whatever function was being held on the second-floor ballroom or other more open to the wealthy public floors. From here there was an entrance to the private royal floors, Adric was on the fifth.  The group made their way in that direction.

    At the private entrance, six palace guards waited. One was special, their uniform had more decorations.  The boss guard, then. They formed a wall.

    Drew, Nick, Justin, and Jeff in their guild-labeled attire stepped forward while the city guards covered the rear. Because this was an official visit they made their presence known loud and proud rather than in the background. They were all still a little heated about what happened to Harmony when she was last at the palace. Her vanguard met the palaces¡¯ defenders,  faces so close, that everyone had better checked their breath today.

    The one Harmony dubbed ''The Boss'' stood separate as the mouthpiece. ¡°Lady White, what a pleasure to see you. You¡¯re welcome to go up and visit Adric in his room.¡±

    So much was unsaid and implied in that statement. The man had to have a political-based profession. Courtier? Diplomat? Used carriage salesman? She was welcome. But the others? Poor Adric wasn¡¯t even referenced as the prince he was, authority and profession be damned.  It was a miracle the temperature didn¡¯t drop. Not a hint of frost leaked out. A testament to how stable she was since acquiring her latest skill, at least for now. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Grrrrrrruuuupt,¡±  Hyacinth spoke with a growl, so deep and menacing, that the shadows around them seemed to tinge a little darker. It even held a little bit of the authority he carried for Harmony.

    ¡°Of course your familiar may accompany you, same as any guest who has partnered with one.¡° The boss guard stated a little nervously as he watched the toad use his tongue to lick his lips. At Hyacinth''s size swallowing the man wouldn''t be a problem.

    Harmony tilted her head and looked up at Ambrosia who waited at her side within arm''s length as any good servant ready to assist, perhaps the least noticeable of the group due to a lack of visible weapons. Her eyes locked back to the guard with a look that was clearly asking, ¡°What about my personal maid?¡± without making a sound.

    ¡°A servant is often allowed for social visits. Yours is welcome to join you.¡± The man continued, cracking a little more under the silent pressure. ¡°We don¡¯t allow personal armsmen to accompany guests to any of the higher floors.¡±

    The bodyguards didn¡¯t move an inch at that. Were they waiting to be told to stand down?  And if they disobeyed?

    ¡°Good thing I don¡¯t have any personal guards oathed to me. You¡¯ll have to take any issues these fine folk up with the guild master and commander of the city guard. Their opinions on the protection the palace guard can give me seem to be tainted after what happened during my last visit.¡±

    [Recall] checked the guards'' faces to her memories, two had been there the night she¡¯d been stabbed through the back. One had joined the escort of her away. The other, a guardswoman who¡¯d helped capture the rogue priest, and tried to heal her too late, face looking down in horror at the corpse left behind. Now they stood with the others staring down her assigned bodyguards.

    ¡°I have no say in them, but perhaps all of your fine organizations can find a way to work together while I go up and visit Prince Adric.¡± With a final bit of authority added to her voice she finished. ¡°But do it quickly as I have places to be and my dear pet to visit.¡±

    She strode forward towards the door to the private stairway. No point in giving them time to do anything but react. Now will someone open the doors for her?

    The palace guards did just that, dancing out of the way. Harmony would have opened them herself. It¡¯s not like she wouldn¡¯t get her hands dirty. It was good for them to recognize their place, though. Is this who Lady White is? It would have been simpler if they didn¡¯t force the issue.

    Stairs. Hyacinth groaned through their bond.

    It¡¯s not like I can pick you up and carry you.  You wanted to come, now hop to it and climb. She snapped back from her side of the bond. Maybe by the time they make it to the fifth floor, all those guards can stop seeing who had the longest spears or sharpest swords.

 Chapter Eight-Two * Forty-Two

    Chapter Forty-Two

    Rather than concede any ground on protection, there were now twelve guards covering the large suite where they were detaining Prince Adric. It was less friendly cooperation and more competitive over-protecting. Harmony sighed. As if there wasn¡¯t a safer place to be right now. Adric was alone in his room, depressingly alone. He looked almost lifeless when she caught sight of him, and she''d never seen him look that way. How could so much change in two days?

    He immediately perked up when he saw her and bounded over.  Rather than a spin it was a gentle hug, ¡°Harm, I¡¯ve missed you. How''s Nae''s Garden? You going in alone always has me worried.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not the one looking wrung out. What have they done to you since I¡¯ve seen you last?¡±

    ¡°They weren¡¯t happy about that little escape act I pulled to see you at the ballroom. They''ve increased their diligence in figuring out whatever I am. With the charter counselor arriving soon, they didn¡¯t want to look like they were slacking their duties around making sure no royal undead existed. Outside of the nasty concoctions they¡¯ve been having me drink, I think the only meal I¡¯ve had is a plate of garlic. To think I figured that was an old wives tale about vampires.¡±

    The lack of meals was worrying. But whatever mystery mixtures they''re giving him must be causing Adric¡¯s newly pallid look. What will they do next, light him on fire to see if he doesn''t burn?

    ¡°Even if temporary, that treatment sounds abhorrent.¡± The glare she delivered to the palace guards, the only staff on hand, returned a few embarrassed looks. ¡°if this doesn''t this doesn''t end soon. I may need to take legal action.¡± No reason to point out that legal action would involve pet law. ¡°Hopefully we''ll get this resolved soon. Still, you need proper food.¡± Ambrosia produced a bag of nuts and seeds and slid it into Harmony¡¯s hand. Birdfood? That will have to do. ¡°Eat some of this.¡°

    Adric happily chewed on nuts while Harmony stroked his hair. Color was already starting to return to him. How bad would he look if he stayed two more days or even a week?  Maybe this resolution could be today? The idea of confronting the queen sent a ripple of fear through her. Adric might not know why, but he looked down at her with questioning puppy-dog eyes.  ¡°Harm?¡±

    ¡°Things are just a little compli¡­¡±

    Adric lifted her up with such urgent surprise that chronostasis kicked in.  Not a gentle lift as he slung her to the side. Only the quickest bodyguards had hands on their hilts, their eyes on Adric. The prince wasn¡¯t moving to hurt her though.

    Existence was being ripped. Like someone was cutting the threads that held reality together. A line of pure white sparks lined up in the air and pulled at distorting the view around it.  Directionally through that gap, a hint of the queen¡¯s offered recognition leaked.

    Odd. One would think you would hear stories if the queen ever made an entrance this way. The leg that stepped through first was definitely not feminine. Red leather dragonhide pants over black boots. The arm wearing a matching red jacket stuck through, followed by the head of a weirdly grinning man with short-cut gray hair and wild eyes. The stranger pulled the rest of himself through, revealing a finely tailored black dress shirt under that red jacket. Chronostasis was still active, such was the speed of the man¡¯s entrance.

    The bodyguards weren¡¯t inactive. A full half of them now had their hands on their weapons. It was good to see four of them were her loaners and not the palace guard. That was all she got before her awareness sped up and everything was a blur as Prince Adric hauled her away.

    ¡°Now this is a reception!¡± The man barked as the hole he stepped through closed. Seven of the bodyguards launched at the man, weapons drawn.  Skills and magic flickered by those handling support as well.

    The stranger in red didn¡¯t move, so much as twist their hips, and manage to deflect and dodge every attack. They all converged and came away with nothing. ¡°Ashes,¡± Harmony muttered.

    Worse, the attackers hit the floor with none of the grace you¡¯d expect from them.  Silence?If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    Adric nearly had her to the exit. He was faster than her. [Stride] could be a backup if this failed.

    ¡°No.¡± Rather than hit the opening out of the room the Necromancer and Pet hit an invisible wall. ¡°You don¡¯t.¡±  The man in red finished.

    [Stride Before the Fall] Harmony found herself split, but both stuck in the same room unable to escape that way. ¡°Delve me.¡± The pair echoed.

    That caused the man to blink even as he sidestepped more attacks that he appeared blind to, as his eyes never left the Harmonies.  ¡°Fascinating.¡±

    Four bodyguards were down. Not dead, but not moving.  Can¡¯t leave. Can¡¯t hide. Only one option.  Adric was already charging back at the intruder before Harmony finished committing. The boy was a bonded rider, without his mount, which had to cost him the utility of his skills. The lady¡¯s pet prince couldn¡¯t have changed his skills in any way that would be useful here? Harmonies growled after him, both kicking off, trailing in the prince¡¯s wake.

    She activated [Keen Investigative Awareness] to find a weakness. Eight bodyguards were down now, dispatched with such ease that she still hadn¡¯t seen enough to trigger any hints on how to take this man down.  Just a stupidly powerful man playing with those weaker than him in a manner unbecoming of someone so much stronger. It¡¯s not like she could do much to him as it was.

    One Harmony sent a burst of [Mana Rotation] charged [Final Silence]. The man winced for half a second. In that space, he looked, not normal, but not superpowered. No one was there in any coordinated effort to take advantage of that slip, but it wasn¡¯t like she knew it would only last half a freaking second.

    Strided, she did have the ability to do that again, but no chance to coordinate it with others. It also limited her options.

    Prince Adric arrived weaponless, but it wasn''t a physical attack. ¡°In my Lady¡¯s name stand down!¡± Authority and skill reverberated in his voice. A command skill?

    Not enough time. Harmony¡¯s kick was focused on an overpowered soul strike charged through her leg, making use of [High Kick] to her fullest. Doubtful even that would do anything lasting damage but if she could disrupt one of his powerful skills then there was hope.

    Adric¡¯s command lingered in the stranger in red¡¯s eyes. Maybe that would be enough. The kick didn''t land. Harmony didn¡¯t land. She hung in mid-air a palms distance from landing her strike. Not floating, but frozen in space. Peripheral vision caught that everything was also locked in place in the room, for she couldn''t even move her eyes, but did have an extra set she could use.

    Hyacinth Stood in front of Ambrosia at the corner.  The bodyguards were a mess of sprawled-out and beaten Bodies all over the room. At least she could think. This newcomer had complete control of the room. At least now There was a hint of sweat on his brow.

    ¡°Cute, and you... ¡° He said, addressing Prince Adric, ¡°are lucky this is in the best interests of your lady. I haven''t been commanded like that since college.¡±

    The pressure of choosing for [Stride] was rising. Maybe if she wrapped him up in that fancy dragon leather with [Manipulate Dead]. The skill reached out through the modified space. The resistance was akin to when she first tried to use the skill at level one against the undead under Old Bones''s influence.  No ripping or tearing even moving it a strong wind might be able to do better.

    ¡°And you¡­¡± The man''s attention turned to the Harmonies, first, the one held back and then the one mid-kick. ¡°Such a surprisingly dangerous child.¡±

    Child! [Awareness] flickered and Harmony shoved its distraction away. What ways were there to rip that smug look off his face? A haircut probably wouldn''t be able to touch a hair on his head with any skill. Synergy swirled as non-combat tactics were explored. So cocky and prideful. Connections to [Beautician] and [Manipulate Dead]  paired up between the two of her. With that, she decided that if one of her was going to die, what did control matter?

    The doomed Harmony¡¯s contribution tapped into her instability. When skills broke down they were often more explosive. To reach this arrogant-ass-in-red she sacrificed.

    ¡°Hey!¡± he barked as one Harmony died under his control. His mask slipped in annoyance.

    The explosion she set off hit his red jacket and pants. A color explosion. Jagged streaks of silver, blue, green, and purple. Twisted and rippled through the outfit.  You don''t dress so pretentiously without caring about your looks.  It was probably the only way she could hurt him. Futile, pointless, yet totally satisfying.

    Now he really lost his cool. Whatever force held Them in place slammed everyone to the ground with a tower shaking thud.

    ¡°Gnome infested dungheap! Do you know how expensive that ¨C of course, you don''t? Fine, I should have introduced myself. I¡¯m Maekus Von Trell, peak climber, domain holder, master of the five apes, charter counselor, and more importantly the judge and jury of this little problem!¡±

    In retrospect, the charter counselor showing up in the middle of Prince Adric¡¯s suite, powerful and arrogant, should have been an obvious guess after he didn''t kill anyone when he had the power to. That had been the gut warning she ignored. So much for making good first impressions.

 Chapter Eighty -Three * Forty-Three

    Chapter Forty-Three

    The post-battle recovery was much more organized as the pressure Maekus created slowly lifted, allowing each person to stagger up as their strength allowed. It was hard to be defiant after one man crushed everyone nearly at once and you had to strain to stand up. During the process, the divide between the palace guards and Harmony¡¯s assigned bodyguards became clear as the palace guards took the opportunity to leave Adric¡¯s suite when they could stand. Hers moved to stand beside the weighed-down form of the lady maid.

    Embarrassingly the last to stand, Harmony combined [Style and Grace] and [Poise and Bearing] to do her best gracefully. The counselor was polite or wise enough to not comment during the process. If he wanted to see if she could reverse the damage done to his clothes that was the bare minimum of what would be required.  But protocol still needed to be held as much as it galled her.

    Harmony curtsied. ¡°Counselor Von Trell, it is an honor to officially meet you. I hope we can get this small issue resolved with no fuss.¡±

    Maekus snorted much to Harmony¡¯s chagrin. The bodyguards attacking him had been an honest mistake. This should be the proper reset.  ¡°Well, aren''t you an unusual little spark?¡±

    When it was clear he wouldn''t expand further, Harmony started in. ¡°Prince Adric¡¯s unconventional healing was a shock for everyone. What should have been a simple bonding with a pet scroll turned into this miracle. I meant to bond an undead pet, not even a human one, but clearly and to the best of my senses he is alive, and recognized as mine by right of our primal bond and the change of his profession.¡±

    ¡°You''re not the one who gets to make that judgment. I was assigned by the Charter to resolve this. I have the experience. This was never a simple bonding.¡±

    ¡°look, I used a scroll, like everyone who wants a pet does.¡± Harmony pulled from her class feeling the connections with necromancy, finality, and death. You could speak with authority, with subservience, and now with the roots of her class. ¡°And I do understand death.¡±  The flat hollow voice there did not echo but reverberated in the room in a way that spread a silent chill.

    ¡°Nothing simple about any of this. Create Undead Pet scroll,  found seven hundred and sixteen years ago after defeating the Shackles of Fate dungeon. No other instances of such a scroll in any records. Bought by the local guild and placed in their restricted Vault.

    After three hundred years of gathering dust and four guild masters, it is sold to make space but really budget shortfalls.  From there, it spent four hundred years bouncing from collection to collection until it ended up in this little corner of nowhere that happened to have the resources needed to attempt to activate it. There it lands in the hands of a young lord who covets obscurely rare items. In an unusual instance of parting with a piece of their beloved collection, they trade it for the chance of some favor with a common maid.¡±

    In no way did Harmony snort at that, but she might have huffed a little.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Okay, uncommon maid. Who took that scroll with no choice of [Raise Dead] and the barest levels required to use and created that¡­¡± Maekus Von Trell extended his arm in a full gesture toward Adric.

    ¡°That is Prince Adric. And he is alive and well now, perhaps at the cost of being my pet, but I challenge you to prove he¡¯s dead.¡±  Harmony stated firmly.

    ¡°Un-dead, un- as in opposite of dead. Perhaps a bit more definitive in this case than how we use it to describe zombies. Prefixes and suffixes matter so much when making selections and with magic. Necro-mancer. My decision has yet to be made, and first I want to hear from the returned.¡±

    Harmony bit her cheek to keep from talking. Outside of knowing with the certainty that [Manipulate Dead] couldn¡¯t touch Adric, and that he was a void more than even those life-infused plants in Nae¡¯s Garden, she hadn¡¯t confronted what he was or what she¡¯d done. It had been convenient to ignore. No one came knocking at their manor door with pitchforks and torches. Up until the royals had house arrested him, there had been no letters demanding they show up. He was happy to be her helpful pet, and she was grateful for the effort he put in. And she was focused on her life-and-death situation. Adric probably delved more into who and what he¡¯d become than anyone else. It was his right to speak.

    Prince Adric stepped forward bridging the empty space between the Maekus and Harmony and her cluster of guards.

    ¡°I died. I died the moment I evolved into the mourned prince. I''m surprised I didn¡¯t drop dead the moment I made the choice. Worst was that I could feel people''s grief, worry, and sadness as every potion, charm, and expert failed to find a solution.

    Being happy, eager, and excited for the future helped lessen their concerns. But I was dead with my body no longer healing as life creeped out of me, unable to hold on.

    Arriving in Hazeldown was like going to where I belonged. That''s why I didn''t go home after I failed there. I stayed to die. I was only able to keep going for so long because of Bowe. But finally, I became fully acclimated to being the mourned prince, dying.¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes. That''s all very sad. The perfect lesson for everyone on why you should be careful about what you choose at evolution. An entry worthy of the history books. Now tell us what happened next.¡± Maekus pressed on, his voice coated with an effect Harmony didn''t recognize, not authority, nor compulsion, but from a place far above any of them in power.

    ¡°Time passed without having a concept of time. Now it feels like a blank spot in my memory. Then I returned, primal bonds burning inside of me. Bowe¡¯s faint bond, hibernating, near death, closer to death than living by far. I thought they''d given their last bit of life to bring me back, as they''d propped me up after my evolution.

    I couldn''t let them do that, so I tried to return what I thought they gave through our bond. There was so much life¡­ After that, I found Harmony. My class changed.  I¡­ I don¡¯t know what I am. There are a lot of things that I''m not.¡±

    Maekus rubbed his chin in thought for a moment.  ¡°Well it''s a good thing I''m here to decide exactly what you are.¡± He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers.

    Harmony, Adric, Ambrosia, and the bodyguards collapsed unconscious onto the floor.

    ¡°Grroak?¡± Hyacinth hopped forward croaking questioningly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I''m not going to hurt them. But this is all easier if They''re not awake for this next part.¡±

    Five distorted ripples in space Start to crack open.  Furry arms and hands exploded out, pulling and pushing to get through.

 Chapter Eighty-Four * Forty-Four

    Chapter Forty-Four

    ¡°It''s impossible!¡± Harmony groaned. The once red multi-colored dragon skin jacket resisted all attempts to change it back. She''d burned through her toolbox of skills, synergies, and connections.

    ¡°It should have been impossible for you to have changed the color at all. This is an artifact.¡± At Harmony¡¯s confused look, Maekus continued, ¡°A former pair bonded item brought to completion. All changes set in stone at the bonded¡¯s death.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve tried my best. Can you please now tell me what your decision on Prince Adric is?¡± The Exhaustion of having been at this for hours was taking its toll. It was bad enough to wake up and have the room smelling like a wet dog. No one else may have noticed, but there was also a lot of extra hair floating around in the room''s dust.

    ¡°Oh, that. I have no idea. He appears human, but a lot of things appear that way. The best I can figure is that in the bond with you he gained life as you gained death exchanging and repelling that part of reality. Similar to how Nae¡¯s Garden and Old Bones work. I¡¯m surprised you didn¡¯t become an undead abomination when the scroll activated.¡±

    That was not Harmony¡¯s perspective of what happened. It would be inappropriate to question the expert who was called in to decide this case. Let alone when it looks like he will go the way she wanted. Enough sticking her nose into a hornet''s nest.  She poked her arm and checked her pulse. It¡¯s not like she learned nothing from having an actress for a mother and being a maid.

    Maekus continued. ¡°You also seem alive and human too. I wasn¡¯t only checking out your pet. After every evolution, I request that both of you report to a charter member organization for evaluation.  It would be a shame to have to hunt you down. Other than that, you¡¯re both free to go.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s all!¡± Adric groaned as the potential death sentence was lifted.

    ¡°Considering your family shoved enough anti-necromantic potions into you to kill a healthy once-evolved person. You¡¯ve suffered enough. I think the fact that you¡¯re still alive after all that might have worried them more than anything.¡°  The counselor answered.

    ¡°I guess this is goodbye. Sorry, I ruined your outfit.¡± Harmony said, ready to get this moving and them all back to the Dragonfly Inn.

    Taking his coat back, Maekus slid it back on and ripped open the space with a jagged white line in front of himself.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be around. I''m not done keeping my eyes on you. This Ascendant Games thing needs some attention as well. This corner of the world hasn¡¯t been interesting in a long time.¡±  With that, he stepped through.  The weight the man had carried cleared the room with his exit.

    Everyone in the room let out a sigh of relief.

    The double doors to the prince¡¯s fourth-floor suite burst open, a loud crash as they swung in hard crashing into the walls. Tired bodyguards raised their weapons protectively around Lady White.

    Palace guards rushed in with weapons drawn and skills flickering around them. A wave of ten pushed into the room. Larger than life, Countess Maye marched in not in formal wear but a full set of plate armor, minus the helm, her face stern and challenging.  Rosaline, bow in hand, arrow nocked, keeping pace at her side. Behind them, ten more guards filled the rest of the room.

    ¡°Oh, Adric, we''ve been so worried.¡± The countess gushed. ¡°We¡¯d feared the worst, and when we couldn¡¯t access your room I gathered all the best men.¡±

    [Keen Investigative Awareness] didn¡¯t need to tell Harmony this was all bloody corpse rot. But it did make all of this harder to ignore and almost warred with [Poise and Bearing] and its more subservient desire not to cause a scene.  But if the goal was to not cause a scene it was too late.

    What She couldn¡¯t figure out was what was exactly going down. The palace guards departed after their reaction to the sudden arrival everyone mistook for an ambush. They knew Von Trell with his many titles was here as a charter counselor to decide on Adric''s fate. They knew twenty guards with the countess and princess wouldn''t be enough to stop the man. Hours sealed in the room with Maekus meant everything should have been resolved.  Yet the palace guard''s weapons remained out.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Auntie, he said I was free to go,¡± Adeic responded.

    ¡°Just because he cleared you doesn''t mean there aren''t dangerous things to protect you from.¡± Countess Maye stomped her foot and an aura of light spread out from her.  ¡°And I am the one most fit to protect you.¡±

    That¡¯s the play? Swoop in after Adric has had hours of intense investigation into his status. Offer protection while they¡¯re hungry, vulnerable, and worried.

    Hyacinth can you do a favor for me? Harmony relayed her intentions through [Familiar Bond] to him.

    ¡°Adric, you¡¯re looking a bit unkempt after everything, go get a change of clothes. I want a few moments to have words with your aunt and sister.¡°   [Beautician] had been itching, but the truth was Adric never looked too bad and looked wonders better than he had when she first arrived. The scuffle had marred his clothes.

    ¡°Oh, okay.¡± He mumbled with confusion and self-consciousness as he moved towards the suite''s bedroom.

    Maekus Von Trell had been a show-off and the most powerful person Harmony had ever met. That brief interaction held several insights into that level of strength. Insights she could feel improving her skills as she processed them. An itch to use [Recall] for her next training session started before the man left.  One thing obvious was his near absolute control of the environment around him. Well above her skill level, but it certainly made a statement, and one she could fake.

    [Cold Touch] synergized with [Renew Spirit] spreading a faintly glowing chilling mist throughout the room. The novel interaction she''d played with at Ambrosia¡¯s shows and to wake Hyacinth rolled up to everyone¡¯s knees and with it [Final Silence] added a touch of sound dampening she directed towards the unwelcome guests. Not enough you couldn¡¯t shout through but would produce an eerie uncomfortableness. Internally, the authority was still stable enough that she lent a touch of it to the effect, with a hint of that feeling of death she¡¯d started to play with. She would be paying for that later, but it didn¡¯t matter.

    Death and Authority echoed in her voice.  ¡°My darling countess, what a wonderful jest to present, that you would be most suited to protect Prince Adric.¡±

    Countess Maye tried to speak, but Harmony had expected that and used the last bit of [Final Silence] to mute the sounds around her. This allowed Harmony to continue uninterrupted.

    ¡°Princess Rosaline I¡¯m most disappointed in you for showing up to this farce. After your letter, I¡¯d hoped we could mend some of the rifts between us. We will be in the Ascendant Games together as friends or foes. I¡¯ll make sure to let Guild mistress Thorne hear you need to work on trust and teamwork some more.¡±

    The way Rose blanched at that made Harmony glad she wasn¡¯t part of that training. With shaky confidence, the princess spoke, ¡°I¡¯m just trying to do what is best for Adric. That attack at the Harvest could have easily hit him. Let us take care of him. I can¡¯t watch him die again.¡±

    Arguing about how they had been treating her pet for the few days they had watched him wouldn¡¯t advance Harmony¡¯s goals. The secondary effect she¡¯d squeezed out of [Final Silence] ended, so it wasn¡¯t like she¡¯d be allowed the words to argue that point now anyway.

    ¡°HOW DARE YOU!¡±  Countess Maye yelled in a voice nearly as big as her stature. ¡°We won¡¯t let Adric leave this room. I will protect him whether he likes it or not!¡±

    Done. Hyacinth sent her.

    Harmony let out a long very real sigh as today had been particularly exhausting. ¡°Well, you won¡¯t stop me from leaving. I doubt the guild or city guards would be happy if you tried. In case you haven¡¯t heard, Counselor Von Trell will also be staying with an interest in the games. If you have issues with me, take it up with them first. Come.¡±

    Harmony marched forward, driving her bodyguards and Ambrosia to come with. Eight people moved to walk past the twenty toward the exit.

    The groups met and the countess pushed for one more clash of words.  ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯ve finally learned to come to grips with your situation.  You may have protection now, but Adric, now that he is cleared, is best with his family.¡±

    ¡°Prince Adric knows himself. All you are doing is grasping at the shadows of who you want him to be.¡° Harmony responded.

    ¡°Sorry, Harm,¡±  Rose muttered.

    The group stepped out and the doors slammed shut behind them.  ¡°We¡¯d better hurry. They¡¯re not going to be happy.¡±  Harmony told her crew as she rushed to the stairs.

    To some, it might have seemed unnecessary to instruct Hyacinth to make off with all the clothes he could carry while he hauled Adric through the dark.  But the man damn well needed something better than the couple of overly worn outfits he had hanging in his closet at the Dragonfly Inn.

 Chapter Eight-Five * Forty-Five

    Chapter Forty-Five

    ¡°Gurrap.¡± Hyacinth croaked proudly from underneath the pile of clothes That was enough to fill his pen in the beast stables and managed to bury his massive form.

    How many outfits did Adric own? Harmony shook her head with some disbelief at the sight. The collection was more colorful than all of Bowe''s feathers. Ambrosia left to gather the new staff to help manage the collection.

    As for her pet prince, he was sound asleep, tucked into the rainbow coils of Bowe nearby. There wasn''t a safer place to be. She turned to Nick, and the bodyguard stood a little straighter at the attention.

    ¡°I''d like two of my guards assigned to my prince. He''s valuable to me and my goals for the games.¡±

    ¡°As you command, Lady White.¡±

    Better to be cautious. Good to know her guards would take some commands. Not that she wanted to imagine what the incident at the palace tower would have been like without their support and what they represented.

    Paranoia about the consequences of that act of defiance chased her to her room. The waiting plate of hot food and a steaming tub of water shooed those feelings away until, finally, a dreamless sleep took her.

    Three days later, the reckoning of that night still hadn¡¯t come out to surprise her. Having Maxwell dig around for rumors found no inkling of gossip or speculation about that night in any sheets or social club.   Thorne had heard they needed more comradery, however, and by her knight¡¯s account, those were brutal for the group.

    Adric was nearly back in shape from his time in captivity. Steven, the duelist and tailor, was now his personal assistant, freeing up Bates for other tasks.  The profession went well paired with his now-massive collection of clothes.

    ¡°Do you think you''ll gain another level today?¡± Adric asked eagerly.

    Three levels in three days.  The unimportant levels, seventeen, eighteen, and nineteen. Yes, doing this quickly was the goal. But it was hard to escape the feelings about how the community consensus was that doing so was bad for you. In a technical sense, there were pages of revisions and adaptations in her journals to get here.

    It suggested that there was an increased link in understanding to leveling. Reviewing and re-reviewing her time with Markus Von Trell led her to look at her brief experiences with Haz''el Ri. How much did the lack of access to truly powerful beings hurt people''s advancement?

    Today any insights that remained felt out of reach after exhausting the details of the memories. ¡°I don''t think so. Hand me one of those apple rolls. Time to eat and go. I want to be out of Nae¡¯s Garden in time to visit Max.¡± This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.

    The opportunity to see Thorne train her one-time dungeon diving team.  Sir Maxwell had asked for her, and surprisingly, it had been granted.  Check out Len. Cheer on her knight.  See Rose for the first time since the palace tower. And face Lord Tyler once more. Allies or enemies in the games, it will be important to see what they can do. But first, there was a tower to climb.

    How do birds fly Without feathers?  They don''t.  The problem is getting in range.

    ¡°Gah!¡±  Harmony cried as Hyacinth launched straight up with her as she gripped the straps they¡¯d set up on his back.

    The great eagle soaring above squawked in surprise. Not that the shadow toad could get that high in the magically expanded sky of the third floor, but he did allow for Harmony to be in range for [Manipulate Dead] to get to work.  Feathers exploded, scattering everywhere.

    The descent from the toad¡¯s jump ended with a jaw-rattling crash.  That impact was minor compared to what the man-sized eagle suffered through on impact. In the three days she¡¯d been fighting on this floor, none had survived. That story rang true today as well, as the last of the lesser monsters came to its end.

    It wasn¡¯t enough. Similar to the second floor, this one had a hurdle she needed to get over. The thunder roc. You couldn''t bypass this guardian like she did the tree lords.  The stairs to the fourth floor only appeared if you defeated it, a theme going forward.

    Of all the guardians in Nae''s Garden, the thunder roc ended adventurer''s climbs more than any other. Teams would come to this floor and then leave empty-handed because of weed-rotting cowardice.

    ¡°Ready for attempt number four?¡±

    ¡°Grack,¡± Hyacinth responded with enough doubt in his croak that Harmony knew he doubted this plan would work better than the others.

    White knuckled, she adjusted her grip on top of her familiar''s back. ¡°Go!¡±

    He hopped toward where the guardian waited, sending strong feelings of dislike about being used as a mount.

    The shadow toad hated this floor almost as much as he hated the second floor. A grassy plain with not a bit of shade except when one of the birds cast their shadow, and those were never good enough to travel through.  A combination of size, darkness, and that they were moving. It felt wrong to be so exposed.

    In order to build up speed the ride wasn''t gentle. Additionally, complications came from Harmony riding squatted on his back, relying on the straps to help keep her in place. [Poise and Bearing], [Style and Grace], and her other physical skills worked together to keep her stable as Hyacinth increased his speed towards their target.

    The thunder roc stood on a patch of grass. [Final Silence] deadened the sound of their approach, but it could do nothing to hide them. Good, it¡¯s looking away as the pair crossed the threshold where the bird usually reacted. That brought them half a second closer. Its head snapped in their direction.

    The first flap of the wings sent a gust of air around it in a circle, the force strong enough to half Hyacinth¡¯s momentum.  It will have to do. With [High Kick] Harmony pushed off her familiar¡¯s back, shooting toward her target. The second flap sent a gust toward her.  [Stride Before the Fall]. The new copy managed to manifest past that wave of wind, maintaining momentum, one of the improvements she¡¯d figured out watching Maekus manipulate the environment. The third flap and she was nearly in the range she needed to be at. [Mana Rotation] boosted [Manipulate Dead], stretching out, swiping at the feathers along the nearest wing. Half a dozen of the roc¡¯s feathers split and twisted. That wall of wind pushed Harmony back out of range.

    Even with the damage, the bird rose up anyway, lifting towards the sky while Harmony tumbled on the flat ground. As it left, her chance of defeating the floor left with it. ¡°You''re not a thunder roc. You''re a blood-cursed farting chicken, you damn coward!¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Six * Forty-Six

    Chapter Forty-Six

    For well-prepared teams, that damn bird was less of an issue. Most guides spent more time bemoaning how long it took to grind through a tree lord. Here, good stealth, top-level speed, and the ability to taunt, charm, and stun meant you could hold the guardian in place and defeat it before it decided to fly the coop. Alone, and with none of those key skills, it might as well have had a sign before approaching that read  -Beware of Chicken-.

    So close. If only she had a little more speed. A little more oomph. Harmony mentally shoved away what she¡¯d dubbed the chicken problem as the pair navigated the stairs. Hyacinth was nimble enough despite his size to manage the trip, but still griped and groaned through [Familiar Bond] the whole trip down. It was time to focus on the more daunting challenges. Being in Tyler¡¯s presence. Facing Rose after she attempted to keep Adric caged.

    Tess waited at the dungeon exit, not at attention, instead looking at the crowds passing by. The maid''s mechanical spider, bow tie and all, tapped her on the shoulder to alert her that Harmony had arrived.

    ¡°Oh, Lady White, I wasn''t expecting you so soon.¡±

    It was hard not to wince at that greeting. Tess''s clumsiness was on the list to be improved, but it also seemed her etiquette skills also seemed to be lacking. With Ambrosia on other duties, sometimes you have to make do.

    ¡°My climb ended sooner than I would have preferred. It¡¯s good you¡¯re trying different roles as a staff member and assisting me today as we visit the guild training grounds.¡±

    ¡°I know! It¡¯ll be exciting to see what guild mistress Thorne is doing. I hear she can be a real nutcracker if you know what I mean.¡±

    Etiquette! [Poise and Bearing] covered for Harmony. This girl was surely competent in other aspects, after all, she had been a top talent for the harvest event. One simply needed to find the right job for the right tool.  ¡°Yes, I¡¯m interested in seeing what has Sir Maxwell so on edge.¡±

    Her four bodyguards took point as they traveled, Hyacinth hopped along too, rather than bail for his usual nap. He was curious as well and appreciated the potential for a good laugh, even willing to give up sleep to get it.

    A crowd surrounded the guild¡¯s training grounds. Thorne¡¯s training had attracted an audience. A makeshift tower stretched high past the crowd. While Harmony couldn¡¯t see Len, Rose, or Tyler past the crowd, Max was very visible at the top of the tower. His tiny form was highlighted by his bright pink glowing beard, which seemed to be flickering in distress.  ¡°I don''t want to do this!¡± he yelled.

    ¡°All your team¡¯s skills working in tandem should be able to bring you down gently. You merely have to trust them. And if you don¡¯t trust them, I have the best healers on standby to make sure you won¡¯t die. Didn¡¯t you tell me risky acts help boost your chaos?¡±  Thorne yelled back.

    That level of coordination would be a sight to see. While not on the same level as the counselor or dungeon spirit, [Keen Investigative Awareness] might glean enough from Thorne¡¯s training to help Harmony with her current problem. Just a touch of chill to let the crowd know someone is behind them. Eyes widened as they glanced back to see what caused the cold, and the crowd parted for her. If they were watching this training, they surely knew who she was.

    Stepping through, Len, Tyler, and Rose had positions around the tower. Rose furthest away, bow aimed towards the path of descent, nocked with some special arrow that had what looked like a ball at the end.  Tyler stood under where Sir Maxwell was to land.  Len had his hands over two glowing spells stitched into his robe. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Harmony!¡± Rose eeped in shock at the same time Sir Maxwell jumped. The princess tried to stabilize after her yelp, firing a little lower, but late.

    The arrow hit him, yes, it slowed the fall some, but it hit his feet with enough force to spin max one hundred and eighty degrees midair, to go from a feet-first drop to a head-first diving position.

    Len¡¯s spells popped into place but looked malformed, glowing nets of magical energy one below and one off to the side in a miscast. Len¡¯s face flushed in embarrassment.  The one that did catch Max, but more tangled with him rather than slowing the knight.

    Tyler simply moved out of place by a few steps while squinting and looking toward the necromancer¡¯s entrance. From him, there was no skill activation.

    Max hit the ground with a hard, awkward, and twisted crash.

    ¡°Ooooooch¡± the crowd watching groaned almost collectively.  ¡°Arms aren¡¯t supposed to bend that way.¡± Someone else commented. ¡°Ten silver, pay up.¡±

    Not dead. Harmony still strode forward with some worry. His ulna was sticking out of one of his arms where it had snapped through.  There was also his loud distressed groaning.

    ¡°Medic!¡± Thorne cried.

    The healer swept in, their skills punching hard. Setting the bones back into place and sealing up the wounds. Max screamed in pain as he was put back into acceptable shape. He rolled over and climbed to his hands and knees.

    ¡°Stupid bleeding trust. Oh, my chaos, with that..¡±  Max¡¯s dirty, tangled, and blood-stained visage snapped to attention.  He¡¯d poked his oath. That brought him half-stumbling up to a kneeling bow. ¡°Lady White, a pleasure you could make it.¡±

    Guild mistress Thorne stomped out. ¡°One slight distraction and you three mess up a perfectly planned exercise. If you think you won¡¯t have to deal with surprises in the Ascendant Games, you¡¯ll be mistaken. Well, now that the five of you are here, I might as well reveal to you the next bit of information Hemlock has chosen to grace us with.  To quote, a spectacle that will take days, weeks, even months to complete."

    Harmony let her disappointed groan join the ones her former teammate made. Revenge for the months he¡¯d spent in Old Bones? What would a longer trial entail with twenty-five competitors?

    Thorne let loose a snort of disgust. ¡°With teamwork so slow to advance. Might as well focus on filling out your bonds for the games.¡± Shoving her fingers into her mouth she used them to help produce a high-pitched whistle.

    A guild worker walked out carrying a small chest.  Thorne motioned everyone to come closer.  The five made a semi-circle around the guild mistress and assistant carrying the chest.  She lifted the lid. A large black four-faceted gem sat on a red velvet pillow. ¡°I commissioned this in the evolved kingdoms. Each facet will show if you¡¯ve filled one of the bond spots, and it will let us know if you have an unapproved bond.  Since skills can have bonded aspects, the goal will be to get you to three bonds and then have you focus on evolution before you fill the last one. Max, you¡¯ll need to check in if you modify any more skills. Who''s first?¡±

    Tyler reached out and touched the gem. One face flashed a pale yellow, the others remained black.  ¡°[Invulnerability] has an aspect of fate to it.¡±

    Len touched it, one color for him too, a sickly green. ¡°Astral projection seemed useful at the time.¡± Farthington cawed in his ear. ¡°Okay, is useful.¡±  He hissed back at his familiar.

    Max and Rose touched it next, the gem remained black.

    With Night and Adric at least she¡¯d start ahead of the others.  Harmony placed her hand last on the gem. The facets all lit up, bright red, deep blue, purple, and a faint white that made one side gray.

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s unexpected,¡± Thorne murmured. ¡°When did you get tied up with gods, Lady White?¡±

 Chapter Eighty-Seven * Forty-Seven

    Chapter Forty-Seven

    ¡°What!?¡±  Harmony snatched her hand away. One thing no one has ever accused her of was being religious.

    Thorne touched the gem facets one at a time. ¡°Red, that¡¯s your primal bond with Adric. Your armor, Night, I believe, is your paired bond, the blue one. That skill that had you leaving a body behind at the Harvest, I was unsure if it was fate, Astral, protoplasmic, or a summon. I¡¯m slightly shocked it is a quantum bond. I¡¯ve seen that with phasing or linking things. I thought it was a summon or physical ghost.  That last one is a theocratic bond, a faint one, and there shouldn¡¯t be any gods in this area.¡±

    ¡°But the temples?¡±

    ¡°Nothing godly there. I¡¯m restricted from telling you more.¡±

    Had Von Trell done something to her while she was unconscious? Maybe a thorough self-diagnostic? It¡¯s not like she hadn¡¯t done that enough times since. ¡°I don¡¯t delving know where it came from. Is there any way to remove it for something useful?¡°

    ¡°Maybe evolution will clear it out of you. It does seem very faint. I wouldn¡¯t worry about it.¡± Throne said as though it was nothing.

    It wasn¡¯t nothing. Harmony scratched the back of her arm over her armor, down to her fingertips, because the idea made her itch. They all get useful bonds, and she¡¯ll get what, nothing?

    ¡°With Lady White complete, I¡¯ll focus on you four for the rest of the week. Rosaline, do you have the item for the Jamesian bond?¡± Thorne continued.

    ¡°Yes, The Arrow of Many Things, I had to do distasteful favors for my aunt to acquire it. Even then, she almost said no because we failed.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure about the chaotic nature of such a thing, but a legacy artifact should work well.  Which hand do you want to be able to return it to? ¡°

    ¡°Right,¡± she answered.

    ¡°You get the item, and I¡¯ll fetch the scroll. I have two more if any of you decide you want to return an item to your person. There was one man who used the bond on their hat. Even made a weapon out of it, an odd fellow. I know you probably want to try to get a pet, but this isn¡¯t the kind of bond you want to ignore the possibilities of, and taking on a pet requires responsibility. I want to see you all back here tomorrow after lunch. Except for you, Lady White, you focus on leveling.¡±

    Harmony cursed her extraneous bond quietly, theocratic, gods, ugh. The princess¡¯s pained looks in her direction as Rose dashed off with her special arrow were easy to ignore. It¡¯s not that Rose hadn¡¯t seemed sincere in wanting to protect Adric at the tower, but now she¡¯s revealed she¡¯d also been bought. Practical, almost worthy of respect. If she needed to ally with Rose in the Ascendant Games then that was something to remember.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Hey, at least you can skip out on the work of acquiring bonds," Max said encouragingly.

    What a mess of a knight. There is no way her personal knight should look so messy. [Manipulate Dead], [Beautician], and [Dust] got to work fixing Maxwell¡¯s state, as the crash had left him dirty, covered in dried blood, and hair tangled. It was easy to make him look more groomed than his counterparts after their training. [Renew Spirit] added life back to his cheeks after all the injury and healing had taken from him.

    ¡°Harmony, do you think maybe you could give me a few minutes of your time to discuss bond options with me? I¡¯m curious about how yours have affected your skills and theories on potential evolutions due to them.¡± Len asked a little pleadingly.

    Harmony hadn¡¯t spent any time on what her evolution might be. Thibodeux on Evolution sat unread, and not for lack of time, which she could always make for reading at the low cost of sacrificing sleep. You get three options and make your choice. Obsessing about shaping it to where you wanted to go always felt wasted. At least it did before when she was only a lowly maid, but now who has time when death is on the line.

    ¡°If you think it would be useful. I have some time after dinner tonight. I¡¯ll let Ma Bell know you¡¯re an approved guest.¡±

    Lord Tyler stepped forward. ¡°I too, would like you to help me discuss, um, bond and skill stuff. Har, uh, Lady White.¡±

    Noooooooooooooooo. Harmony''s first impulse was set aside with not a hint of that reaction on her face. She forced a polite, socially appropriate smile.  This wasn¡¯t long reams of poetry, nor was it an admission of his undying love or even him leering at her.  He wasn¡¯t standing too close, as he stood the furthest of the boys from her. While he was looking down at her, it was into her face and not lower, or wandering up and down.  Days¡­ weeks¡­ months¡­ with him and twenty-three others.

    ¡°You can come as well. Don¡¯t make me regret it.¡±

    Tyler looked like he was about to dance with the way he perked up. That nearly made Harmony regret it then and there. If he¡¯s going to try, she might as well let him.

    ¡°Come, Max, apparently we¡¯re having guests tonight.¡±

    The walk from the guild training grounds to the Dragonfly Inn wasn''t short, but it wasn''t long either. Enough time for a casual conversation.  ¡°So, you used the [Chaos Seed] to change a skill?¡±

    ¡°Yes, as you know, I''m trying to change my path. I want my knight-focused skills gone before I evolve.¡±

    A raised eyebrow was all it took to get him to continue. That first oath to Harmony made it difficult to hold anything back.

    ¡°Each skill takes a certain amount of chaos to change and costs levels. [Chivalry] Is gone, it''s now [Unexpected Acts]. I can make people act in unexpected manners and the more chaos I''ve built up the stronger it can be.¡±

    What would she have changed if given that option? Nothing. The whole idea felt wrong, anathema to how she viewed skills as part of herself. ¡°Exactly what I need in my life, more chaos and surprises. I hope you''re being safe. This kind of thing has nearly a bad reputation as necromancy. Probably overinflated, but still something to be wary about.¡±

    ¡°Your concern honors me, Lady White. I always try to be cautious.¡± He answered with a roguish grin.

    Cautious. It wasn¡¯t that long ago that the man landed ungracefully into a twitching heap on the ground. At least he believed he was being honest there. People and their abilities to fool themselves. Harmony managed to keep a sigh mostly contained.

    Hyacinth chuckled silently through their bond with no hint as to if it was at her or Max.

 Chapter Eighty-Eight * Forty-Eight

    Chapter Forty-Eight

    Harmony''s decision to invite Princess Rosaline to join their informal planning group was political. With Len, Tyler, and Max after some pressure, all the boys will be there. Not having the final member of their kingdom''s selections for the Ascendant Games there would have sent mixed signals if anyone found out. And with journalists'' progression on the line, they¡¯d make it their business to find out.

    Harmony could picture the headlines now. White rejects royalty! Conflict in the games! Harmony''s private Harem!

    ¡°Without my [Chivalry] skill, I don¡¯t think I have the tools to write an invitation with the level of deference needed for a princess, Harm.¡± Max protested weakly.

    That was a dodge. While technically true enough to meet his oath, Rose was not just "a princess," she was Max''s training companion and former dungeon teammate. Not that Harmony wanted to write the invitation. There was a chance her irritation and failure to yet reach a point of forgiveness would bleed through her words.

    ¡°I¡¯ll write it!¡± Prince Adric popped in.

    ¡°No!¡±  Both Max and Harmony joined together at once. Letters and penmanship were not his strong suit. As a scribe, Max cringed whenever he saw the Prince attempt to compose and write as if it were a mortal insult to his profession. Which it probably was.

    Bates stepped in to end the debate. ¡°Lady White. I¡¯ll send a form letter. It will lack any personalized nature. But it will get the job done.¡±

    Maybe Rose would be insulted by that? If the princess couldn¡¯t swallow some pride and accept this branch, then maybe they¡¯d never mend the situation between them. ¡°Thank you, Bates. Your service is invaluable. See that it is done. I have dinner to attend.¡±

    At the dinner table [Keen Investigative Awareness] advanced the most. The service portion of being a maid was where she had the least experience. Her stature had been an impediment there, as opposed to when they needed someone to fit into small cramped places.

    The skill helped her figure out what the guests wanted from these meetings.

    ¡°I was so disappointed when news broke about the kingdom¡¯s spots already being assigned for this year''s Ascendant Games. Do you think this will happen every year, Lady White?¡±

    What Sir Watsford wanted was his ego stroked. Very common among men.  ¡°That depends on whether someone attracts Haz''el Ri¡¯s attention in Old Bones. But this is all new and we will have to either wait and see or lobby guild master Hemlock. I''m sure that when you were at the right levels you could have attracted an invite from the dungeon spirit.¡±Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators!

    The man puffed up a little in his chair. ¡°We''ve barely met, and you honor me. But you''re right that I shined bright in my youth. There was one time that...¡±

    That should keep him happy for the rest of dinner.  Dame Rockfoot had been harder to figure out. From the look of resignation when Harmony arrived, to her subdued uninterested contributions to the topics around the Ascendant Games and Harmony¡¯s new nobility. The woman preferred to hum to herself, as though it kept herself calm.

    Ma Bell kept the conversation going. ¡°Watching Thorne¡¯s training was certainly enlightening,¡± Harmony answered after a question about today¡¯s visit.  News of Max''s bone-cracking flop was sure to be out, painted as his or the team''s failure depending on the narrative a journalist chose to push.

    While she¡¯d satisfied most of the guests'' desires at tonight¡¯s meal. The sad Ms. Rockfoot lingered under her skill¡¯s gaze. Maybe she was more disappointed than sad? Dinner could be a valuable skill training session.

    The dinner plates being cleared away for the dessert service brought a bit of lull to the conversation as the guests had to contemplate if they had enough space in their stomachs for what was to come.  Dame Rockfoot¡¯s humming carried faintly in that bit of silence enough that Harmony heard a complete bar or two.

    A familiar tune. Not the common songs or childhood diddy¡¯s everyone knew. [Recall] didn¡¯t need to tell her where she¡¯d heard it. She¡¯d danced to that music. Had people chant her name to its beat. Listened to Ambrosia gripe and curse while trying to perfect the melody while sharing the tub.

    Ambrosia wasn¡¯t here tonight. Shelly, another contract from the Harvest of Talents event, was taking a turn at serving.

    This should turn that frown upside down.¡°Ms. Rockfoot, with your humming it seems you have an ear for music. I¡¯m lucky enough to know some talents. How would you like a backstage visit with Songstress and the Flows?¡±

    The girl swayed in her seat for a second, not breathing. ¡°I¡­¡± Her eyes rolled back, and she collapsed unconscious off her chair.

    ¡°Oh, my!¡± Ma Bell exclaimed.

    [Keen Investigative Awareness] leveled.  Maybe that was a bit overdone. Inn staff in their green and gold uniforms were already by her side using restoration skills to try to wake the poor girl up.

    Songstress and the Flows'' popularity was getting bigger and chewing up more of Ambrosia¡¯s time.  Maybe it would be better to take her off the dinner service rotation and avoid fans trying to glimpse her this way?

    The staff managed to revive the woman before the sweets arrived.

    "I''d cherish that opportunity, Lady White." Rockfoot managed to squeak out.

    While placing a chocolate tort in front of Harmony, Shelly whispered, ¡°Rose has confirmed attendance.¡±

    Having the dessert now be slightly frozen was a happy accident that improved upon the dish. But clearly, there were still emotions to work through.

 Chapter Eighty-Nine * Forty-Nine

    Chapter Forty-Nine

    ¡°I don''t think any of you should bond pets.¡± There was no way to make this statement sound good, but Harmony did her best to try. Pulling from [Poise and Bearing], memories of hard discussions, what it meant to be a lady. Just in case, she added a touch of authority and the seriousness of death.  It didn''t help that after A little bit of discussion she didn''t think any of them would make good pet masters, making it hard to sound neutral.

    ¡°Why?¡± Tyler whined. He''d pontificated the most on rare pets. He had a bunch of rare and unusual scrolls for bonding pets, like the one he''d gifted her.

    Because of how Tyler treated old prizes after acquiring new treasures? There was a reason why he needed a maid to dust them. Maybe Len¡¯s tendency to forget how to feed himself without Farthington''s assistance?  Max''s chaos is making the already impulsive man a bit more risk-attractive. Rose, who couldn''t stand up to her family for her brother?  Those answers wouldn''t do.

    ¡°It''s a trap. Old Bones isn''t known for being a good source of specialty food many pets require. With days and Weeks to pass there, I worry about the meal options we''ll have. I''m considering not taking Adric and he''ll eat the same food we do.¡±

    Adric wasn¡¯t around to hear that blatant lie. Too busy socializing for Ma Bell or avoiding his sister. Not that the prince would let her go without him, nor would Harmony let him be without her. But maybe if Rose passes this information on to the countess, they¡¯ll delay any action until she¡¯s caught up in the games?

    ¡°Think of the benefits of having one support you.¡± Tyler pushed back.

    ¡°Think of the leverage of them being used against you. But I¡¯m serious about the difficulties to be had.¡±  Harmony attempted to say sympathetically.

    Hyacinth worried her, mostly that at his size he¡¯d eat the other competitors if that is what it got to. And if everyone brought in dangerously monstrous pets, that seemed cruel and dangerous.

    Len stepped in. ¡°Harmony is right. And it¡¯s the easiest bond to get. We should explore the other options we have. Rose, how is your jamesian bond working for you?¡±

    ¡°My hand still itches from the application. I was a little worried because of the nature of the item. May I?¡±

    It was a polite ask. Harmony nodded.

    A slight click followed by some displaced air an arrow appeared in Rose''s palm. Solid gold shaft and feathers with a black arrowhead whose shape sifted and twisted constantly. It was a little nauseating to keep looking at that tip.  ¡°The Arrow of Many Things hasn¡¯t been used in three generations. Former paired item of a chaos class. The skill doctor I saw after bonding didn''t see any chaos in my soul.¡±

    Harmony activated [Mana Rotation] synergized with the skills for her soul strike. Seeing wasn¡¯t the right word, but it let her get a feeling about what was in her, specifically where to hit to break things. It took looking at the arrow and Max to figure out what chaos felt like. Like flickers of fluctuating heat, concentrated on the arrow or in floating streaks throughout max, except for one spot that represented the [chaos seed], Rose did have a small inkling of chaos in her hand where the new bond appeared. Tell her or not? She¡¯d have to admit to being rude and prying.

    ¡°What does it do?¡± Len asked.

    ¡°On impact, it twists the environment in random, sometimes not beneficial ways for about thirty paces from the strike for about a minute. Unless it hits a person or monster, then it has a chance of causing soul damage and changes all their skills temporarily for about a minute.¡±

    Can¡¯t plan for chaos, maybe add more of a last resort to stab yourself and hope for something new? ¡°I would have thought you would have chosen something you could plan around better?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Jamesian bonds are more limited than pair bonds, you¡¯re limited to a certain size and weight object to bring to you. That¡¯s why you don¡¯t see people fetching shields, swords, or anything too big. It¡¯s difficult to repair items too, as only the material bonded will return to you. Bond a book that gets destroyed in a fire, you¡¯ll be fetching a pile of ash every time. There were no pair bonds available. So a nearly indestructible artifact seemed best.¡± Rose seemed a little bitter at the lack of pair bonds available. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

    With a block of bone [Manipulate Dead] could be used to create thin shields, chains, or material to explode near enemies. It could always be reformed after, but even if ground to dust there would be uses. Perhaps even more uses. Gods be damned theocratic bond, did the abbess do something or was it the counselor?

    ¡°Anyone have any matter manipulation skills?¡± Harmony asked.  Knight-scribe, tank-lord, wizard-editor, ranger-princess, but it wasn¡¯t like they¡¯d given her their full statuses. Maybe Len or Max could manipulate ink?

    The lack of yeses wasn¡¯t giving her anything to work with.  Some maids at least could do miracles if they always had a scrub brush handy. ¡°Is there any material that makes your skills easier to use?

    ¡°I need paper and ink for many of my scribe skills, but I doubt using a bond to have materials for fast and accurate dictation will help me in the Ascendant Games.¡± Max groaned.

    ¡°Metarine is pumped into some practical test rooms because it lowers magical resistances which can make crafting and spell work easier,¡± Len muttered.

    ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±  Harmony barks.

    ¡°But it¡¯s a gas, expensive, and the school has to use it in small airtight rooms because it will float away.¡±

    [Cold Touch] froze the moisture from everyone breathing above Harmony¡¯s hand until she had a small pile of ice crystals in her palm. She sprinkled the white fluff down. ¡°But is it a gas at every temperature?¡±

    The discussion exploded at this. Rose was disappointed when the idea of using gas to propel a projectile was a theoretical option they debated, as though she had made the wrong choice. That was until it was pointed out that any damage to the device or issue due to wear could cause it to explode in the user''s hand and progressively get worse. The summon with the bond wasn¡¯t quick, with a few minutes between each one.

    Harmony didn¡¯t have the math for the gas''s expansion rate compared to the density of the volume it would be transported into or whether this would be a good idea. Len worked on the equations while Max took notes and organized them. Rose even managed to use her spatial awareness to help with possible ways to direct the force out.  That had those three working together.

    Harmony sat by as one of the odd people out. But she wasn¡¯t the only one.

    ¡°So, Harmony, Thorne is going to take us next week to the Deadwoods to see if we can get a friendly or useful ghost to form a protoplasmic bond with. It might be nice to have a necromancer with us?¡± Tyler asked.

    Another missed opportunity. Wouldn¡¯t a protoplasmic bond be the most useful one for a necromancer? [Renew Spirit] could actually get some more use that way.  ¡°Grave Society probably has plenty of members who would love to go. Peartree might even be excited to volunteer to be involved with the games.¡±

    ¡°You. I¡¯d like you to come with us. This is more team building than any of the tasks Thorne has us do. And I like to think of you as part of the team too.¡± Tyler finished.

    Damn. It was annoying when he asked her as a peer, or more than that he''d asked her as a favor for the whole group. [Keen Investigative Awareness] activated as she looked at the young lord, searching for signs he¡¯d changed.  While not a truth detector, he did want her there. Awkward, fumbling, lazy, impulsive puppy of a man or the one that commissioned her revealing armor months in advance? Who are you Tyler?

    The Deadwoods were an issue. A day there and a day back could be costly. The border region where the dungeon domains clashed attracted all sorts of things that thrived in that kind of life-and-death environment. Adric had visited many times and even made a special trip after he evolved. Adric had said no to hunting there when she''d inquired while her levels were stuck in Hazeldown. Too dangerous without hiring adventurers for support with the money we didn¡¯t have. It also wasn''t a typical place to hunt.  But could it be another spot where she could increase her understanding to help level?

    ¡°If I get past the third floor of Nae¡¯s Garden and hit level twenty I¡¯ll consider it.¡±

    She didn¡¯t need her new investigative skill to see Tyler¡¯s excitement that she hadn¡¯t outright rejected it.

    ¡°This just might work,¡± Len muttered hopefully.

    Rather than get roped into more plans while she was in the mood to maybe say yes. This seemed like a good stopping point. ¡°I fear I must get my rest for another day at the garden tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°Maybe we should do some more planning sessions?¡± Rose asked.

    Nothing had exploded. No random visitations, injuries, or challenges happened.  Tyler was mostly polite. Max, outside of scooting a little closer to Rose¡¯s arrow when he could, had behaved. Len looked refreshed and excited about this option. It was the most normal social experience she¡¯d had with these people yet.

    ¡°I¡¯ll consider it.¡±

 Chapter Ninety * Fifty

    Chapter Fifty

    ¡°Delve you! You scrawny ass chicken!¡±

    That plan was supposed to work. Create a thick layer of mist, quiet all the sounds and drift in with it. That''s being stealthy, right?

    The thunder roc had disagreed that the creeping area of mist was stealthy enough. The blast of wind from its wings stripped the crafted fog away, toppling Harmony in the process.

    ¡°Graup?¡±

    Wishing the floor guardian would back down was pointless. ¡°Fine. Let''s head back.¡±

    [Manipulate Dead] Collected the Feathers scattered across the floor to sell. Fashion, bedding, pens, and crafting components. Who to sell to was for someone with a mercantile profession to decide.

    With a bit of magic, Harmony pulled a feather to her hand, letting the way it floated through the air do the hard work of having it drift to her. That let her imagination play with the idea of crafting a bunch of bone arrows and slinging them at that damn bird. Too bad other groups had tried a similar tactic and it didn''t work. The wing gusts knocked un-empowered arrows out of the sky. No, if this would work, the battle needed to be up close. As she descended the stairs, she played with the different colors she could change the feather.

    Ambrosia waited at the exit in a yellow dress with a wide-brimmed hat with a wide grin on her face. Beside her, Tess was the maid on duty, now with a second smaller spider joining the first, small and silver, riding on the larger spider''s back, adjusting the bowtie when it seemed out of place. Hyacinth bailed to rest, taking most of the feathers but leaving Harmony with a bundle.

    ¡°You ready to put on a show?¡± Ambrosia asked giddily.

    This would be Lady White¡¯s first reveal as a dancer for Songstress and The Flows in Naewauld. It had taken that long to build up a reputation and book a venue Ambrosia considered worthy enough of such an introduction. Ambrosia had less leveraged their friendship and more gently prodded to get her to agree to go.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want only those with access to Ma Bell''s table to be the ones who get to know you. This lets the public put a face to my songs.¡±

    Harmony¡¯s biggest concern had been the bodyguards objecting, but they''d worked out plans with Ambrosia¡¯s concert security. ¡°Ready as I¡¯ll ever be. And I¡¯ve brought props.¡± She lifted the tightly packed bundle of shimmery multi-colored feathers.

    Five Flowers Colosseum was the second largest one in Naewauld and was primarily used for pet battles. How Ambrosia had booked it for the concert was still a mystery, as they hadn¡¯t been in the capital that long, even with all the hustling her friend did. The banners outside displaying artistic renderings of Harmony hanging larger than life outside the venue did away with most of that mystery.

    The Songstress should pick up more fans if the crowd consists of those interested in the Ascendant Games and its challenger over the headliner. For someone whose profession didn¡¯t rely on them advancing their singing and performing, Ambrosia was mighty cutthroat.

    As with everything in Naewauld, the Colosseum was covered in vines that strangled stonework as they could build it. That went into the planned designs and the pillars looked like trees with glow stones hanging out like fruit, sure to look spectacular once it gets dark. Ma Bell had canceled tonight''s dinner in exchange for a bunch of tickets.

    The group traveled through the staff entrance. There were still hours of set-up before the event, choreography to practice, plans to be made, and security to be checked. The stage was already a bustle of activity.

    ¡°Hi, Harm!¡± Stiriling greeted, her hands re-stringing her instrument with golden threads that hummed with power.

    ¡°Our biggest concert ever!¡± Jimmy said with a woot as he passed by with a wave.

    ¡°Graaaaaaaaaaaaacccccck.¡± The croak was long and blissed out.

    ¡°Hyacinth, I thought you went back to the stables?¡± Harmony asked as she rounded the corner.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    The giant shadow toad lay on his back, with Milo climbing and scrubbing him with a soft-bristled brush to his pleasure. The last time Harmony had seen that little helper the girl had been way off in Hazeldown.

    The glance at Ambrosia brought a shrug. ¡°Her family felt her development would continue better if she was with me. Came with a bunch of the Hazeldown stage crew.¡±

    So Ms. Rockfoot had managed to show up. She¡¯d left the girl with a letter to get her in before heading to her room after dinner. The girl was sitting on a bench surrounded by pillows staring wide-eyed at everything. Harmony gave her a little wave.

    The girl''s eyes widened, then flickered to Ambrosia, the Songstress, who gave a little waive. That caused the lady¡¯s eyes to widen even further, her to vibrate in her stool, and poof, she collapsed, falling into the circle of pillows around her stool.

    ¡°This is the fourth time she¡¯s done that. Did you know she showed up before anyone else with that fancy letter of hers?¡± Growled a crew member.

    ¡°I hope she can stay awake for the show. ¡° Harmony murmured as they walked past.

    Now Harmony had to plan out exactly how she was going to perform. Back in Hazeldown, the concerts had become a desperate attempt to use the pressure and way authority built to train skills, practicing new synergies and combinations [Recall] could let her pick and choose from memories where she got the best reactions from the crowd. That felt incomplete.

    ¡°Looking a little lost there.¡± That familiar foreign accent didn¡¯t trigger [Recall] as Harmony had already tapped that skill completely.

    ¡°Silas!¡± Her savior was here. The foreign dance master had drifted away to other students after she¡¯d become a Lady White.

    ¡°I couldn¡¯t miss your introduction to a new audience. Now let me help you work on transitions. Ambrosia also mentioned something about feathers?¡±

    So crowded was Five Flowers that the general noise was already an understated roar. Two openers had played before the main performance. Harmony¡¯s anxiety showed up in bits of frost as she bent her rules to dip into it to chill some of her nerves. The Songstress and the Flows were about to introduce her.

    The steady thrum of Jimmy''s guitar started to rise. It set the scene. ¡°Welcome Naewauld I''m proud to introduce the sparkling jewel of the Ascendant Games, Lady Harmony White!¡±

    That was Harmony¡¯s cue. What she used was not a stride or a strut, but something Silas called ¡°the walk¡± the way you could sway, twist, turn, and slowly move your head to acknowledge all viewers. Surreal because no one could look away because it looked amazing, scary, unnatural, and beautiful. After practicing it for an hour she¡¯d dubbed it the ¡°horrible accident in motion¡± because it bloody hurt to do and the pain lingered. He promised her it was worth it.

    None of this would have worked if they didn¡¯t project her doing it for all the crowd to see. Finally taller than everyone. Every step moved to the beat of one of Ambrosia''s new songs. On her mark, she started to swing her hips and let her fingers run down her hair, transforming her shorter more practical cut into long locks that would sway with her as the Songstress started to sing.

    ¡°Welcome to the greatest time.

    As we climb.

    Stepping up to fight.

    With Lady White.

    With Lady White.

    The future is fine. ¡°

    In the first ten sets. Hyacinth made two appearances, his gravelly rumble adding a unique undertone to the songs he joined in on. They stuck glow stones to his black exterior to have him mimic the bioluminescence of Night swaying on the stage.

    The props were everywhere. Three times as many birds as Ambrosia had bonded to her carrying streamers around the Colosseum, help recruited from local beast tamers. Harmony got to play with her multi-colored feathers letting the crowd keep them as souvenirs. Some songs sang of her rise, healing the prince from his state, the ascendant games, and surviving the assassination attempt. [Cold Touch] kept the sweat off. [Renew Spirit] let her look refreshed even as her muscles burned. Physical skills weaved together for the dances. Silas helped direct her movements to tell a story nearly as much as Ambrosia¡¯s songs did.

    Authority flowed in and the recent levels gained let Harmony handle it.

    ¡°Har..¡± Ambrosia sang.

    ¡°Mony.¡± The crowd yelled back.

    ¡°Har.¡±

    ¡°Mony.¡±

    No dungeon spirits appeared. No secret assassins. No judges with their powers stepped in. Everything was working out.

    ¡°Har.¡±

    ¡°Mony!¡±

    An exhausted twirling bow allowed her to slip away. The personal cheers and bows from the backstage staff as the band closed out the show touched her. The show was good. A few breaths to relax.

    Tess handed her a glass of cold water.

    It never reached Harmony¡¯s mouth as her hand spasmed around it with such force the glass shattered, leaving shards embedded in her palm. Inside her soul ripping twisting pain reached in from outside. Already reacting on that battlefield, chronostasis kicked in with that still lingering reflection of how good the concert had been. What now?

 Chapter Ninety-One * Fifty-One

    Chapter fifty-one

    Unknown danger. Step one, [Stride Before the Fall].  Ker-chunk. Double the pain, overlapping vision, dislocation, like a shoulder or knee, but worse, as it was different and not physical. There was no second body. The skill that worked through being silenced or crushed by authority failed, at least partially.

    My skills! The Harmonies echoed, not diverged enough as two senses of self shared the internal space she was focused on. Not that [Stride] shared the same place in her that other skills with their island-like nodes existed, but she could check those ones. Normal aggravation at the intense pain rumbled through them. [Mana Rotation] was a little choppy.

    If this had been too much authority crushing down, causing the skills to rupture, there would have been no escape. The increase from the crowd was there, but it was all good vibes and awe. It wasn''t straining her system.

    This assault was different.  Getting inside someone''s soul to attack it wasn¡¯t easy. Only with effort and ingenuity did she manage to forcefully go in and break a skill. There was a reason she couldn''t [Manipulate Dead] someone''s recently eaten lunch or healers couldn''t twist their skills to be harmful easily.

    There was no jab or something new shoved into her. The water? But she hadn¡¯t taken a drink. Could a skill poison be something coated on the glass? That was one direction her mind went.

    A different egress? Adric! Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. The bonds went both ways at times and that would allow access.

    The dual consciousness zoomed their attention onto the primal bond. Adric was distressed because she was suffering, but he wasn''t the issue.

    A flicker of almost a vibrating temperature differential. After feeling The Arrow of Many Things, Harmony knew what that energy was.

    Sir Maxwell¡¯s oath. He was carrying her burden now, and through that oath, a pathway had formed. Now someone or something was getting in. As the two Harmonies sharing the space got closer, correction, not getting in, but ripping stuff out.

    The light connection that would take some Authority as part of the knight''s responsibilities was now a rent open inside her, with bits of chaos pulling it wider. That nasty stuff wasn¡¯t going inside Harmony. It was acting from the Max side of his oath to her.  That wider hole with contribution from chaos helped pull bits of her away, a sprinkling of energy and weight from all her skills, more authority, even a sliver of death from her class and properness of her maid profession.

    The bloody thing wasn¡¯t slowing down. It sped up and yanked stronger on her essence. To battle it she had two minds floating aimlessly inside herself while her body was locked up in a distracting amount of pain. The first Harmony pulled from [Cold Touch] sending a freezing chill through her soul hoping to slow the pulling movement.

    She could feel her lips turn blue and teeth rattle, but slowing that transfer didn¡¯t happen. It ate up the cold. The fluctuating state of chaos flickered almost like laughter as it was unaffected.

    [Final Silence] To negate it, yet even that did nothing.

    ¡°Think!¡± She mentally yelled to herself. Two minds, even the same one should be able to do something.

    [Renew Spirit] synergized with [Mend] to seal the wound. Lean into connections and synergy to bend some rules. This would be like stitching up a hole in a dress.  Invisible threads started to shrink the hole along its edges.

    The skill under the full direction of one of her minds slipped a little, intersecting with a flash of chaos. The half of herself that touched it screamed, and the backlash sent everything buzzing with a flash of red. The operation wasn¡¯t successful as the loss of control let that modified technique fall into the chaos-filled connection with Max.

    One of her was alright. All she needed to do was use that same technique with no mistakes. [Recall] and all the rest of her skills flickered weakly from the draining, No perfect memory to pull on. Gathering all that energy to do it again would...Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much! There is only ever room for one of us to be here. Whoever this bastard is, they can choke on me.¡±

    The wounded sense of self kicked off.

    ¡°Wait!¡±

    There was no waiting. No, she had made a choice. There could only be one. That crashed into the contorting chaotic oath. And choke it did, as that oddly connected existence of herself from [Stride] twisted in.

    Ambrosia had always said she had an oversized sense of importance. Now she put it to good use.

    It filled it in, leaving an aching throbbing spot where Max¡¯s oath was, changed now, subverted and different.  All lethal enough that she felt [Stride Before the Fall] level.

    Harmony drifted back into her body. Curses did it hurt. The restoration position covered her mouth enough for her to cough at the foreign substance. Bodyguards surrounded her with their weapons out, while one of them,  Suze from the city guard with her messy cut hair knelt with the empty vial in her hands.

    ¡°She¡¯s awake!¡± The guard yelled

    If the concert hadn¡¯t charged her up then how empty would she be feeling?  All that work from those levels to her stability gnawed away at.  So close to dying. Through that, she leveled again.

    Choose your Class¡¯s Sixth skill: Raise Specter - Shadowed Graves - Tortuous Wound

    No Time for that. That burning oath inside her had two sides to it. Harmony pushed herself up onto shaky legs.  ¡°Something¡¯s happened to Sir Maxwell. We have to go to him!¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Nick of the guild bodyguards complained.

    ¡°Whatever happened to me came through him. His oath. We have to secure him or at least figure out what happened.¡± Harmony clarified.

    The bodyguard looked like he wanted to fight her on it. ¡°Anyone know where Lady White¡¯s knight is?¡±

    Ambrosia knew. With her [Organization] and [Scheduling] skills she kept track of where everyone was staying. It made her painfully conflicted about not leading the charge herself. After the concert was almost as busy as all the prep beforehand.

    ¡°Go, do your things. We''ve got this.¡± It would take too long to cut the performer out of her getup anyway and Harmony was impatient to get to Max. And someone needed to watch Hyacinth who¡¯d passed out from his end of the experience. [Familiar Bond] had him healthy, but she wouldn''t wake him for this.

    Ambrosia gave a low whistle. One of her Pets, the blue and white one,  flew down and Landed on Harmony''s head.  ¡°At least I can be with you in more than just spirit. Watch her, Mordecai.¡±

    Max had been staying at one of his family''s houses near the Dragonfly Inn, but that changed once he got the [Chaos Seed]. Fighting family expectations was hard, but why did he have to move into a brothel?

    The fact that it was called the Milking Maid felt like an affront to her.  Women in various states of dress moved in and out of the building. If someone had forced in they were probably subtle about it.

    With the guards entering first and weapons loose there was no confusion. Nick was already talking to the unseemly man who ran the place.

    ¡°No one has come up to see Maxy, there was some screaming earlier that disturbed my girls, But his door was firmly locked and there was no response.¡±

    ¡°What room?¡± Harmony pressed, Entering the conversation.

    ¡°He is up the stairs and all the way back to the right. I''m sure he''ll be up in the morning.¡±

    Ignoring the owner, they moved. It was locked and with a nod, two bodyguards broke the door with skill-empowered strikes and it tipped in with a crash.

    Papers on the floor scattered, each filled with densely packed script, a product of training scribe skills. Dim half-charged glow stones provided limited lighting, revealing toppled chairs, and more scattered papers. A shirtless slumped over Max lay in the middle of the mess. Thick goop covered him making the room smell of vanilla.

    ¡°Evolution rebirth.¡± One of the guards mumbled.

    Despite the tossed-up room and sad state of her knight. There had been no fight or forcing Maxwell to do anything. [Keen Investigative Awareness] helped confirm he''d been locked in his room alone.

    Harmony Stood over the unconscious man. To think that she¡¯d come all this way to try to save him from whatever forces were using him to get to her. She reached out with A [Cold Touch] infused [Renew Spirit]. The shocking wake-up treatment had Max''s eyes snap wide open while he inhaled a deep breath.

    ¡°What did you do!?¡± Harmony demanded.

 Chapter Ninety-Two * Fifty-Two

    Chapter Fifty-Two

    Whatever Maxwell had done to his oath hadn¡¯t affected his promise to be honest and forthright. The oath hurt but appeared to be working as Max scrambled back the best he could while in the seated position.  ¡°I¡­ I¡­ I¡­ used [Chaos Seed] on my oath.  It worked so well on [Chivalry], sure [Oath] required me to build up the most chaos of any other skill, but I needed it gone for my evolution.  I only took [Oath] because it was rare and my family told me it was required for my, no, their desired path.¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should have thought about how you were sworn to share my burdens before you chose to do such a thing. I nearly died!¡±

    Max¡¯s eyes glazed over slightly. ¡°I¡¯ll die a thousand deaths at your command for my insolence.¡±  He droned with a weight split between monotone and passion.

    No! Despite hurting and raw, Harmony delved into that oath [Analyze] working with [Awareness] to spot that nasty bit of compulsion flaring up. Whatever this new monster was, it had just been born and was settling in. [Renew Spirit] with a sprinkling of [Manipulate Dead] worked with [Silence] and [Mend] to cut and isolate that little bit of nastiness. Max¡¯s body arched and shuddered in response.

    ¡°No blind obedience. No killing yourself for being a moron. I need your fully idiotic self. ¡°Authority and playing into the oath made that a command. ¡°Now tell me what you did.¡± Harmony finished.

    Max let loose a shaky laugh. ¡°I really am yours now. I did want to end that oath to you by changing the skill. The need to be true and loyal chaffed. It reminded me of my family. Not that you¡¯re like them. It wouldn¡¯t let me. When I changed [Chivalry] I had some direction for the options. I should have known something was up with the amount of chaos required for the change. I really did fool myself.¡±

    ¡°Whatever you did ripped into me. Taking and taking until it felt like I had almost nothing left. I thought someone was using you to get to me.¡±

    Now he had a look of shame. ¡°It took more and it wouldn¡¯t finish changing until I evolved.  I was not ready to do that. I hadn''t been level twenty-four long enough. It forced my evolution I think.  For my class it had me choose between Death Oathed Knight, Cursed Acolyte, and Singularly Sworn. I¡¯m no longer a knight and neither am I cursed. Profession options were nearly as bad. Enslaved thrall, degenerate wordsmith, and the lady¡¯s agent of chaos. Burn me if I was going to be a thrall. Ignoring degenerate, authors suck, impossible to advance, no pay, constant criticism.¡± A bit of mad laughter slipped out. ¡°I¡¯m your agent of chaos, Lady White.  Free from my family and sworn to you.¡±

    If only the fool had asked. Maybe if the oath was severed before he used chaos on it. She¡¯d have needed to evolve first to retake the burden.  ¡°And the oath?¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°Some of your power is mine. In exchange, you are my everything and I am yours to command. I may make no other oaths.¡±

    That is not what she''d asked for and not what she''d offered. Trying to revoke any of it would probably kill him. He''s gone from slightly annoying and moderately useful to whatever this mess was.

    ¡°You bloody stupid ass of a man. You can clean yourself up. We¡¯ll deal with this later. Goodnight.¡±

    Even as she spun away. The toll of Maxwell''s mistake was heavy on her, as she survived off of adrenaline, anger, and frustration. She hadn''t felt this unstable since the letter from the queen. Even now her choices called to her as a way to replenish some of the stability she needed.

    Choose your Class¡¯s Sixth skill: Raise Specter - Shadowed Graves - Tortuous Wound

    Pick your future and it will help. She hadn¡¯t wanted to waste time acquiring a new skill when the priority was to get to Max and rescue him. Not that she could rescue him from his foolishness.

    The value of the book from the Grave Society came in here. [Raise Specter] was an uncommon skill. Created smarter, semi-tangible creations that could be fused with physical undead to boost their power.  [Renew Spirit] could boost one. Less distasteful than Raise Dead had been. But there are already enough real servants floating around, was a spectral one really needed?

    [Wound] was well known. One that was rare for necromancers since it lets you harm the living. A damaging attack, usually nonlethal. Tortuous probably meant it caused extra pain. That kind of modification usually made the range shorter, not that wound would get the distance needed to hit the damned thunder roc.

    [Shadowed Graves]. Never heard of it. Not in the book. Shadow-based skills usually are stealth or things like Hyacinth¡¯s movement. Rumor is some could manipulate shadows into weapons. Graves could be a skill like [Bury] which was incredibly useful for shoving things at least halfway into the ground. Or it could be completely useless.

    Who was she kidding? She knew what she would pick the moment she saw that name while running off to find Max. Anything to do with shadows. She''d spent too much time peering into the space between as she jumped through them with her familiar. If understanding and experience helped skills and herself level there was so much to pull from there. What if all it did was cast a shadow?

    As the bodyguards escorted Harmony up the stairs to her room, she resolved to look at the problem dispassionately. [Recall] - [Analyze] - [Keen Investigative Awareness]. No skill has been useless, yes she could be better equipped. All of these had benefits [Wound] could make her soul strikes so much better and [High Kick] rip into flesh. [Raise Specter] provided more support in a way that even a little bit extra could help her and Hyacinth handle groups. And [Shadowed Graves] whatever it did, she could use it.

    Thank goodness. The staff had set up the tub. Night disappeared and Harmony slipped into the warm water. And if she thought of choices passionately?  She wanted a taste of what Hyacinth had.  When she finally crawled into bed after dimming the lights, she made her choice. [Shadowed Graves] That feeling of death, its perception, and the reality swirled inside her filling a new spot inside with blackness so dark it absorbed light and under its pall others will know the feeling of their end coming.  Through her advancement as a necromancer, she felt a little more healed.

 Chapter Ninety-Three * Fifty-Three

    Chapter Fifty-Three

    ¡°Can you please refrain from using that annoying skill? It''s embarrassing.¡± Rose begged, looking ready to bolt at any second.

    Harmony guessed the princess drew the short straw among those willing to approach her while she practiced [Shadowed Graves]. That, or her family pressured her again as after only two days [Shadowed Graves] was highly unpopular across the city.  It was also why she was forced to practice at the guild training grounds.

    Annoying and embarrassing, that summed up [Shadowed Graves]. Yet under the cloying shadows stretching across the sky and ground, Harmony marveled at its scope, ideas on what she might be able to use it for noted and filed away for further experimentation.

    ¡°Have I eclipsed my allotted time, guild mistress Thorne?¡±

    ¡°No. Keep it up, Lady White, that''s an order! I¡¯ve sent out criers and leaflets informing them when the next blackout will occur after lunch. I expect you to be here training then too.¡± She bellowed.

    The orders were a political necessity arranged after the first time Harmony activated the skill at the Dragonfly Inn practice yards causing the sky and ground to turn black with shadows. With it came a feeling like dread.  People reported different aspects to that effect. Some froze up a little. Others wanted to run or scoot away.  A few in the yard tried to angrily confront her before the bodyguards put a stop to that.  Even fewer seemed to enjoy it.  All that distracted her initially from seeing how far the dark spread. ¡°Burn me. There is no sky.¡±

    There was a sky, but the effect was extensively large. A field effect. Some people can make it rain, others can make it snow, or maybe make crops grow slightly quicker. Battlefield effects that granted light inspiration or some other boon or like in this case a fear effect over a wide area. Not that there were any big battles. Negative field influences were always things that were weak, and easy to shrug off.  The kind of things others consider a waste of a choice.

    The energy to keep it up flagged while Harmony used [Dust] under [Shadowed Graves] effects to create a mound of dirt. ¡°Bloody half useful.¡± She muttered at that result. Necromancer skills were more efficient and had a longer range under the effect, but not her maid or stone-acquired skills. Testing synergies would be next.

    Dropping the skill caused a loud sigh of relief among the collected adventurers at the guild. They¡¯d suffered the worst emotional effects under the shadow.  While the darkness spread out far Harmony learned the fear-like effect spread out from her position, from a minor hair tingling back of your neck at the edge to a constant oh-curse-me level nearby.

    [Fear] was considered a good skill in comparison. That skill sent anyone targeted by it running away in a frantic state until it ended. [Shadowed Gaves] was as Rose described it, annoying and anyone with enough willpower could push through it.  A terrible skill if all you could do was Thibodeux¡¯s method of using the base activation. Not that the skill was making it easy, being so wide and diffuse it would take effort and a better understanding of the skill to be flexible. With [Final Silence], the deadening of sound in an area felt like a natural deviation, so that modification had come easily.

    Theoretically, she figured she could focus the fear more narrowly and stronger, even if there was no automatic fleeing. Maybe even selectively assign targets. Combos and synergies also had potential, but there were kinks to work out.

    ¡°Great Practice!¡± Adric yelled from the side of the yard, clapping in the face of everyone else''s dislike and relief of the effect being over. ¡°Are you ready to try it out in Nae¡¯s Garden?¡±

    Where the failure to be able to use [Manipulate Dead] on Adric¡¯s hair had presented a worrying mystery of his post-dead state. [Shadowed Graves] added another. He thrived under the effect. Said it felt ¡°amazing.¡± Got boosted more under the effects than her necromancy skills. What is he?If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

    ¡°Lady White, I was told I could find you here.¡± The interruption came from Madam Peartree of the Grave Society.

    Harmony twisted  [Poise and Bearing] to put on a reserved yet disappointed look on her face as she turned to face the woman, walking towards her location.

    ¡°Ah, Madam Peatree, a pleasant surprise. But yes, I¡¯ve been forced to come here to train my latest choice. Since Thorne is managing our kingdom''s entrants, she¡¯s insisting we train every skill we have. The guild also has allowances for field-level skill training in their charter.  It was an unexpected happenstance, but I took a gamble on [Shadowed Graves] over my other options.¡±

    The look Peartree returned was that of a disappointed teacher. ¡°This is why you need to join us at the Grave Society. I know field skills are rare, but they¡¯re almost always too weak to be of use. We could have taught you how most grave skills had such effects.  [Bloodied Graves] caused a rain of blood. [Grave of the Fireflies] made some lights and everyone very very sad. Why would anyone want a skill that causes depression?¡±

    ¡°I¡­¡± The woman had a point. While Harmony wasn¡¯t disappointed in the skill, nor was she interested in following any of the Society''s recommendations, information was important and there was one more choice to make and skill stone to fill before she was ready for evolution. As well as the choice after evolution. ¡°I apologize for my lack of reaching out to your organization. I honestly felt like I had time before I was to level and forced to make my choice.  I¡¯d be honored to get whatever information you might have to help me, and in return, I¡¯m happy to speak and visit with your organization soon.¡°

    Pure shock coated the necrowitch¡¯s face.  ¡°This is wonderful news, Lady White. The truth is I thought of how we¡¯d failed you, allowing you to choose a field skill. I¡¯d known you were from Hazeldown but hadn¡¯t looked into the complete lack of support you¡¯ve had growing up. You joining our ranks will be wonderful.¡±

    Woah. Woah. Woah.  [Poise and Bearing] flickered on. ¡°I have so many commitments. I¡¯m happy to discuss and learn from and about your organization. Joining the Grave Society, well, that is something I¡¯ll have to consider in the future.¡±

    ¡°Oh, me. Sorry, I got ahead of myself. I promise that we¡¯ll win you over. Do have your staff let us know when your tour will be.¡± Peartree answered with a smile. ¡°I¡¯d better run. So many things to arrange.¡±

    Adric appeared by Harmony¡¯s shoulder as soon as Madam Peartree was away. ¡°I don¡¯t like that woman.¡±

    Harmony gave him a light slug in the shoulder. ¡°Why are you telling me this now?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d actually go and visit her Society. It didn¡¯t seem like you liked her that much.¡±

    The smell of rotting vegetables was finally clearing out. A scent Harmony knew was in her head. ¡°I don¡¯t. But she¡¯s right that I need more information. It would have been nice to know that you had an issue with her too. You want to come with me on my visit and keep me safe?¡±

    ¡°Always.¡±  He answered with a certainty that warmed Harmony¡¯s heart.

    The distractions for the morning were not done. Len ran up. ¡°Harm, I got the bond!¡±

    There was a dungeon to try, and this time that chicken of a bird was cooked. But the wizard looked so eager. Harmony needed time away as internally the extra pool created by mana rotation was only starting to curl. Starting [Shadowed Graves] took a lot out of it and then it slowly drained her. If she hadn¡¯t had a mana skill she might have shared the disappointment others showed her when they learned about the skill. ¡°Show me.¡±

    They walked to the area for training ranged attacks. Stationary dummies sat staggered for people to use skills and weapons on.  They chose a spot that had an immobile target a hundred paces away. Len aimed his palm, curing his hand towards the target. His arm kicked back, a white paste dripping off his hand. There was nothing to see with the invisible gas until his fireball went off.  Harmony had seen the spell during the run on Old Bones, this one was four times bigger and shot out faster toward the target. As it cleared the area where the metarine gas was it shrunk a little but not much.  The target didn¡¯t survive.  ¡°Woo!¡± the wizard yelled

    ¡°Impressive.¡± Again she felt a flash of jealousy at her bonds being filled up.

    ¡°We coated my hand with a viscoelastic fluid so it would solidify, both protecting me and allowing me to shape the blast from the decompressing gas. You were right about it! Thank you so much.¡±

    Flecks of wood from the dummy continued to rain down with trails of smoke. ¡°I think people need to start considering you winning the Ascendant Games.¡± She told him.

    ¡°Really?¡± He asked eagerly.

    Nothing Harmony had was so visibly destructive. ¡°Absolutely. Now Wish me luck in Nae¡¯s Garden. I have to be back after lunch or Thorne will have my hide.¡±

 Chapter Ninety-Four * Fifty-Four

    Chapter Fifty-Four

    Harmony let [Shadowed Graves] end as the brood mother¡¯s body dropped. Soul strike had improved under the shadows it cast, but not enough to punch through the floor guardian¡¯s defense against that kind of attack. The most pleasant surprise had been how deaths under the effect returned some of the energy she lost keeping the spell in place. Just enough that she could hold perpetual shadows as she rushed through the first floor killing woozes.

    ¡°Groak.¡± Hyacinth complained.

    ¡°You¡¯ll get enough of a workout on the third floor. Just keep practicing tricks with the shadows.¡±

    As He¡¯d gotten bigger it had been harder for him to find shadows that were appropriate for him to move through. Harmony would have taken this skill just for the utility it gave him if she had known the effect.  It¡¯s the secondary fear-based aspect that was trouble.

    Bates immediately suggested the guild and Thorne. Field skills were more likely post-evolution, and his experience in Naewauld had given him enough background to know what to do. Training was scheduled, and notices were distributed over the area that would be affected. The benefits of having a membership.

    How could an effect that gave everyone some version of the heebie-jeebies be useful on a battlefield? One has to look at the exceptions.  Hyacinth seemed unaffected, sparse with information he hadn¡¯t mentioned any benefits, but if something negative was annoying him he was crabby enough to complain.  Adric thrived in it, but that could be chalked up to him being ¡°undead.¡±  Maxwell seemed unaffected as well as he practiced under Thorne¡¯s supervision. But the new agent of change had avoided her outside of dropping off notes for last night''s dinner guests. New oath issues or embarrassment over almost killing her? Actually killing her if [Stride Before the Fall] was a metric.

    Connections to her?  That didn¡¯t help the innocents and strangers forced under it.  Authority was a tenuous one, but that was their beliefs, and not everyone seemed to contribute to it. The note about researching authority had been gathering dust on the priority list.  That wasn''t something she could control.  What could she control?

    The twiggys were affected by the fear. [Keen Investigative Awareness] was able to pick up subtle differences. Either extra franticness in some aggression, a brief freeze when they crossed into the closest and strongest effect, or maybe they¡¯d scoot back some before regaining what could be considered confidence and moving to attack again. The ones that tried to appease her had only been hinted at once, moving to block another strike from the cluster of enemies from attacking. Even then, after that one act, she was fair game.

    It was weird. Theoretically, reactions to fear were based on experiences or how someone thought. These ubiquitous dungeon monsters should either all act the same, or be unaffected. There were implications there that could be accessed.  [Manipulate Dead] had been similar in the early days in how it affected dead material. The base usage chaotically ripped, twisted and bent dead material until it exploded. Randomness she¡¯d controlled with time and effort.

    ¡°Grack.¡± Hyacinth prodded from his spot on top of a pile of two soul-damaged twiggys and a mix of cut and limp vinestrictor vines.

    ¡°One more minute, then I¡¯ll be recharged enough to face the tree lord. I want to beat that coward as much as you do.¡±

    The risk of [Shadowed Graves] spooking the thunder roc well before they got in range was a worry. There were contingencies for that, but they weren¡¯t pleasant. Tree first, then birds.

    [Stride Before the Fall].  Two Harmonies and one toad dashed toward the tree, dancing around the vines. [Final Silence] stopped them and the crashing branches cold. The saw could have worked but Hyacinth was right, skip this. One Harmony joined Hyacinth, the original with the healing patch, and survival gear. They leaped into the shadows. The tree tried to stop them like it always did. The soul strike that followed cracked through the defense allowing the pair to get past and continue on.

    One stayed behind the choice of who stays a foregone conclusion. Just a sacrifice. The tree lord was waking up. Time to get wild. [Shadowed Graves] expanded this time with [Cold Touch]  synergized into the mix. A brief shivering chill paired with the shadow as it expanded. That wasn¡¯t the aim. She leaned into the concept of freezing in the face of death, that fear chilling you so much it was hard to move.  [Could Touch] out-leveled the baby skill too much, and she could feel even the darkness of it burn under the application.  That would take time to heal if it existed.

    Even damaged [Shadowed Graves] persisted long enough for Harmony to watch the great and powerful tree lord still out of fear. Was it luck? Or had she tapped into it?  Only for a moment was it under that spell. The branch came crashing down but she was already gone, the choice made. [Stride] didn¡¯t need levels like that right now and dying hurt.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    Having [Shadowed Graves] at only level two would be an issue. It would be stupid to break it again. Letting synergies guide the way fear manifested did have potential. Kind of like how she used [Beautician] with the control of [Manipulate Dead].

    The birds of the third floor should provide plenty of fuel for the skill though. Stepping up onto the grassy plane she unleashed her darkness as she gripped onto Hyacinth¡¯s back.  The great eagles and other birds prompted to attack were harder to see in the starless dark.

    Hyacinth as a creature of shadows didn¡¯t have that issue. Through [Familiar Bond] he relayed what was needed to her. He leaped and she used her skills to blow off their feathers sending them crashing to the ground.  No longer did Hyacinth need to jump as high with the range slightly increased for Harmony.  That made for easier landings but only slightly. The biggest change was how the shadows rippled when they landed creating a cushion, or if need be a portal the shadow toad could slip through.

    A few times Hyacinth grabbed a free-falling bird with his tongue before it hit the ground, hastening their deaths and feeding himself.

    With the now mostly featherless birds done, there was but one last one to pluck.  A chance, it still sat on its spot even after the dark had come.  The giant toad sprinted forward, Harmony riding on his back for their run.

    The thunder roc flapped its wings and the first gust came. Just as it hit, Hycinth slid into the shadows of the ground slipping under like it was a pool of water carrying her.  Harmony¡¯s new [Shadowed Graves] darkness was easier to slip into. They¡¯d noticed the dungeon resistance was less as it had to contest with her skill. It still kicked them out, but they managed to get closer and conserve momentum.  Together they charged forward. When the second blast of air came they slipped under it too.

    Now Harmony was close enough to start stripping feathers, focusing on the wings, determined not to let it escape and at least blunt its next blast of wind. The bird squawked annoyed. An electric field charged the air, lightning sparked along its body, and where feathers were missing quasi-substantial feathers formed coating the house-sized bird.

    [Final Silence] struck out. Those quasi-substantial feathers flickered¡­ then stayed. ¡°Bloody blasted. Plan B!¡±

    The guides were right. They usually were. Silence was extremely limited on the oversized chicken. The replacement feathers were resistant to it. It drained the guardian, but that didn¡¯t matter if it got away. The third flap came and the pair slipped into the shadows again.

    The thunderous roc launched into the sky. Coming up quick out of the ground she might be able to get a good [High Kick] in before it got too far away.  Too bad for that coward that wasn¡¯t what was going to happen.

    The shadows from [Shadowed Graves] coated not only the ground but the sky above. The shadows weren¡¯t meant to be used like a pool of water, they were meant to be traveled through. This is where Hyacinth¡¯s practice on the other floors mattered. Extra straining effort and the pair popped out of the sky above the rising bird.

    Gravity carried her down and Harmony added its momentum to [High Kick] as she lept off of Hyacinth¡¯s back and aimed her steel-booted heel down through the air at the bird. It didn¡¯t see what hit it.

    Something broke as she landed with a crash where the neck and body met causing the bird to squawk in surprise.  Not enough, it was the size of a house. The electric field did more than give it wings. It jolted through Harmony enough that she bit her cheek and tasted blood. Still, she gritted through the constant pain, using the remaining fathers to create grips with [Manipulate  Dead]. Latched on, she was ready.  Even the size of a house, the roc really felt it when the horse-sized Hyacinth crashed down.

    Harmony without those grips would have been thrown from the bird in how it bucked at that impact. The Shadow toad dug in with his spurs into its flesh even as he twitched against the field.  Despite the assault the guardian continued to rise, passengers on its back.

    They dug in for the long haul. Hyacinth raking with his sharp spurs. Harmony alternating strikes empowered by [High Kick] and [Cold touch], as well as stripping more feathers it was forced to replace with the electric effect.

    [Shadowed Graves] cost ticked away. [Mana Rotations] swirls stilled and she was forced to pull from herself.  Die damn it.

    The bird inverted, flipping one-hundred and eighty degrees until all the pair could do was hang on gripping with all their strength as they dangled above the ground.  One of them would give out first. She forced chronostasis on. Time slowed so Harmony could keep track of how much energy she had left. If the shadows failed first they¡¯d have an extra hard time landing. [Stride Before the Fall] sat ready and thankfully didn¡¯t use mana. That was the value of the quantum bond in the skill.

    Two clocks racing against each other in a war of attrition. So close¡­. Electric feathers blinked out and now all the combatants were falling.  Can¡¯t¡­ lose¡­ the¡­ shadows. Harmony pushed off towards Hyacinth, grabbing back on.

    They didn¡¯t feel the impact as they slipped into the shadows, but when they emerged the ground was still shaking from it. That guardian¡¯s death recharged her just enough to keep her from bottoming out. But pantingly she let [Shadowed Graves] stop and the sky brightened.

    Hyacinth lay similarly exhausted beside her spread out on the grassy ground. ¡°Grooooaak.¡± He groaned.

    ¡°I agree. Toads were not meant to fly.¡±

    Besides the corpse, the third-floor exit opened up. A path down and paired with a spiral of floating stairs rising up to the fourth floor.  Harmony¡¯s new skill reached level three. As for the fourth floor. They¡¯d face that battle tomorrow. Today there was more training to be had at the guild facilities.

 Chapter Ninety-Five * Fifty-Five

    Chapter Fifty-Five

    ¡°Do you seriously want me to set up a visit to the Grave Society?¡± Ambrosia asked from her side of the magically heated tub.

    It was the disbelieving tone that grated some. ¡°They have the information I need. And what¡¯s wrong with them? I didn¡¯t think you had anything against necromancers.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t have anything against necromancers. As you should know. Experiencing the Grave Society in Naewauld is like dealing with a stuck-up assistant. The one that knows they are better than you. Many groups need to hire one as an extra member for the floors, and their cut is fifty percent of the spoils. All their paths are nearly identical. They give necromancers a bad name. Your new skill is hard enough to explain to people who don''t know you, but going to entreat with them will make it so much worse.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m working on fixing the issue with [Shadowed Graves] which is why I need to see the society. Their information will help me avoid similar mistakes.¡±

    "That choice wasn¡¯t a mistake. I¡¯ve seen your slight smile when you¡¯re using it. I¡¯d rather they not influence your path. You would have been so unhappy if you had taken [Rot]. I know you haven¡¯t mentioned how you did it, but I¡¯m betting that bothersome skill of yours helped defeat your chicken rival.¡±

    They could both be right. Access to the Society¡¯s resources could help with her last class and skill stone spots. With evolution within sight, any information that might make one choice clearer than others could be key. Yet, Ambrosia wasn''t wrong that they were a bunch of sticks in the mud who were fixated on Their way of doing things. Kelly White¡¯s lessons about ¡°Doing something the way all the others do will just get you stuck as a background character.¡± Rang in her head.  You could be a terrible mom but still have good advice.

    ¡°What do you suggest I do?¡±

    Ambrosia¡¯s smile widened. ¡°What you do best. Turn people''s expectations and put on a show with a big flashy surprise. Challenging the duke at the ball. Dancing larger than life in the sky. Having a dungeon spirit anoint you a lady. Getting stabbed through the chest in the arms of a prince. They¡¯re asking for you to speak before the gathered members. You are the most successful necromancer in recent memory. Keep that expectation of something shocking.¡±

    Harmony groaned. ¡°You know I don¡¯t do that on purpose. Half of those incidents were things you planned.¡± She let herself sink under the water. Ambrosia had masterminded most of that. The rest was coincidences.  Ambrosia¡¯s legs kicked at her under the water until she surfaced.The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

    ¡°Don¡¯t go all doubting yourself. It makes the water cold. The fact that you don¡¯t do it on purpose makes it work so well. But I think you deserve the chance to plan one too. Go in there and tell the truth. They need someone to tell them their way isn¡¯t the only path there is. Then drop something big in their laps.¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it your way. Arrange it and I''ll come with a gift.¡± Having danced in front of a crowd of thousands, how hard could speaking to a small crowd be?

    Drying off Harmony flopped down on her bed while Ambrosia giddily skipped off to make the arrangements.

    Write out a speech for the event or theory craft her new skill? The latter as always. It was important to fix the issues with [Shadowed Graves] that everyone complained about. [Recall] let her touch into how she influenced the skill, using [Cold Touch] to direct the tree lord to freeze from fear. Now concepts from [High Kick] could be incorporated to influence people to fight in the face of death maybe?  Getting them to run? [Small Armor] and maybe [Awareness] avoid death and flee?  Those wouldn¡¯t be the goal of course.

    What do people like about death? Those few who seemed at ease or eager to please under the cast of her shadow. Appeasement as the safest way to leave a dangerous situation? That thrill of the danger? The beauty of a peaceful rest? [Beautician] would have to play a role, maybe [Style and Grace]? Ideally, those would only be aides or boosts until she managed to control the random nature as well as she did [Manipulate Dead]. That¡¯s what a maid was good at bringing order and tidiness to chaos and messes.  All she needed to do was use [Stride] and see if she could get this worked out the next time she was in Nae¡¯s Garden.

    While evolution was important, Harmony skipped over the Thibodeux book and picked up Garden of Monsters to review what she¡¯d be up against on the fourth floor. Plant monsters with paralyzing clouds of pollen. Pollen that was prized by alchemists.  Large locusts that could come in swarms of up to twenty. Then to top it off a giant snake as a guardian. It felt almost too easy as she drew up a battle plan. [Keen Investigative Awareness] was barely needed.

    The investigative skill annoyingly pointed out that this was being used to distract Harmony from her real problems. While Countess Maye had yet to make a move for Adric it was doubtful the woman would stop after he slipped through her fingers. Throwing out the implication she¡¯d leave Adric home while she did the Ascendant Games wasn¡¯t enough.  Maybe duplicitously publicly set up lodging and accommodations for him during the Games? She¡¯d probably try to move before then anyway.  The bodyguards should stop outright kidnapping. Perhaps it was time to take a less passive role here.  Ink to paper, Harmony sketched out a plan.

    Even that left out the guardian in the shadows. Queen Talia and her helping hands. The authority from that recognition had since stabilized, countered by quickly rising levels. It was now more useful than not. Could she take back that recognition? The idea of imploding felt almost as bad as being crushed under that authority if expert Fei¡¯s warnings were to be taken seriously. But was that even an attack? There had been no communication since. Authority didn¡¯t seem like something easily taken away. Both Hyacinth and Maxwell could unburden themselves in the face of that. With Maye, at least she knew where that woman was coming from.  Maybe it was time to take a page out of all those books she¡¯d borrowed from Lord Tyler on the topic? There was no hiding in shadows when you cast one so long. As evolution came she wouldn¡¯t be a maid forever.

 Chapter Ninety-Six * Fifty-Six

    Chapter Fifty Six

    The pack of five wooze swayed in place, not frozen in fear of death, but in awe. The [Beautician] and [Style and Grace] influenced [Shadowed Graves] effect had them admire the killer in front of them. It was only momentarily as their dungeon-influenced aggression overcame it, they twitched forward but not fast enough to get through the cold as their insulation was stripped away and the cold sent them fainting with shock. Harmony let that copy of her fade away with a grin.

    Three times she broke her new skill as she worked out exactly how to influence it in the direction she wanted. Every time she pulled a little more understanding of how to tame the random nature of the skill. There had so far been no way of casting the shadow without one effect taking hold. It was probably better to direct responses rather than rely on people''s natural instincts to darkness eclipsing them. The next time she worked in a team, hopefully, there was some way of limiting the effect on any adventuring partners.

    ¡°Bored,¡± Hyacinth grumbled out loud, speaking rather than croaking this time. Not everyone could be an exception like him.

    ¡°You¡¯re not going to be bored when we have to practice flying again.¡±

    The second floor was still a struggle. There was no getting around the difficulty of such sturdy opponents. Pain from the death of the [Strided] Harmony who''d pulled the attention of three frantic twiggys lingered as she untangled Hyacinth from two vinestrictors crisscrossing vines over the path.   "Still bored?"

    "Grupt." He huffed as they turned to kill the straggler Harmony hadn''t defeated before dying.  As for the tree lord, they skipped it. Time to face the birds.

    ¡°Graaaaaaaack!¡± Hyacinth roared at his near-perfect collision with the thunder roc, his massive frame breaking the bird''s back with his impact from above.  This time it didn¡¯t rise higher into the sky as it faltered enough to crash into the ground, dragging them through the dirt and grass in a wild ride that ripped up the turf and dislocated Harmony¡¯s shoulder. Not dead yet, Hyacinth used his spurs to strike while Harmony focused [High Kick] on unbroken parts of the roc''s wings. The arcs of electric pain stabbed them in response, and even then it tried to run rather than attack. When the last spark faded and the head slumped down it died.

    Hyacinth pushed her arm back into place before she downed the restoration potion allowing the pain to be a dull ache only lingering because of the memory of it. ¡°Ready for the fourth floor?¡±

    The stairs up the sky were a bit rough on the massive toad. ¡°Gwah!¡±

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll make shadows so we can hop up quicker.¡± [Shadowed Graves] and her familiar¡¯s teleportation put them only a few steps away from the entrance to the next floor. After this dungeon, she was sure he would declare stairs his greatest enemy.

    A well-planned strategy was efficient and monotonous, but at least Hyacinth had fun on this floor.  [Dust] worked remarkably well on the attempted sprays of pollen. They¡¯d even managed to collect a weighty amount of the valuable resource. Without that attack the deadly flowers were weak.  The pollen was alive, so trying to synergize the skill with [Manipulate Dead] was useless. So much pollen ended up in dust during the spring so losing that synergy hardly mattered. [Shadowed Graves] wasn''t needed here and she wanted to save her mana for other skills.

    The crickets¡­ well, Hyacinth was the oversized apex predator for those oversized locusts. He munched on them like they were the most delicious snack while she used [Small Armor] and other movement skills to dance, and dodge away from them.

    ¡°Quit snacking on those ones and get the rest, ya fat idiot!¡±  Harmony cried as she rolled away from a pair.

    Sometimes he got too invested in the treat. An aura from [Cold Touch] helped slow the locust, but only a little. That didn¡¯t mean she was without bites that needed some [Mending] after fights with swarms of more than a dozen. Hyacinth feeling that pain too meant he got really serious when that happened.

    Harmony used [Manipulate Dead] to clean off some splattered bug goop on her while Hyaching finished munching on the last of the floor¡¯s locust. There had been no plan to take on the guardian of the fourth floor today.  ¡°Want to do it?¡±Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Groak.¡±

    Harmony nodded. He would say, why not?  This was paradise for him and it¡¯s not like he got bit half a dozen times on this floor. You¡¯d think he¡¯d be more cautious of a snake big enough to try to swallow him.  The bastard that it was. That¡¯s what the guides all called it. B.a.s.t.a.r.d, Big ass snake targeting all range damage.  You couldn¡¯t even taunt or harass the thing off-target. Fighting it was probably a nightmare for Len or Rose when they went through this floor if they wanted to use their skills.

    The snake sat coiled on a mound. You get one free shot to wake it. That wasn¡¯t a good thing. It would take one damage and be impervious to all damage for the first five seconds and mad as hell.

    Of all the opponents guides were most mixed on how to defeat this guardian. They generally boiled down into three separate camps.  One is cross-class impersonation by having the range dealers only use melee-weapons and the tank pretends to be a range hero. You need an extra sturdy tank, maybe an elusive dodge tank. If someone slipped up it would switch targets to the real range fighter. The second most popular way is stab-n-go, one very brave and extremely fast person pokes the snake and then runs it into an ambush. How to make that ambush successful was a different story. Last was a team heavy in snares and slows that worked as long as the range damage dealer the bastard targeted had a good escape mechanism. They would then zig-zag through a team as the others wore it down.

    The failures and unique successes held a particular interest. One team layered blessings, buffs, and boons on the sleeping snake, and then five seconds after it woke up a hexer reversed those benefits.  The hexer was an evolved class along for the ride but it worked. One person tried to gently tie up the snake but they were too rough and piled on too much weight, and with a tick of damage, it would awake. They were half successful in that it did delay the snake as it thrashed out of their bonds.  One group sealed it up tight, planning to poison it, the survivor revealed that it could dig down into the ground and then pop up elsewhere taking some damage in the process.

    As long as you avoided damaging the snake you were fine. Failures often used that fact thinking they were the smartest adventure and had the perfect solution. Some tried a healing spell or shield that negated damage and then moved to remove scales, both through necromancy and other methods ended in disaster. Removing even one scale counted as damage.

    Harmony approached the sleeping snake. Do no harm. How about making it beautiful? Snakeskin was made out of the same material as nails. That created so many interesting options. There was never a doubt she was going to use that against it. Turn it into spikes to hamper movement. See if you can get it to stab in. Remove sheets of skin so [Cold Touch] could be effective.  Standing next to it, a head so large it could swallow Hyacinth, she calmed her breathing and focused. None of those little tricks would be enough to stop it.  None of the highly sensitive ladies who¡¯d undergone beauty treatments had ever complained about pain.

    [Manipulate Dead] synergized with [Beautician] as she approached it first smoothing and strengthening some, then for the risky part. [Mend] joined the fold adding its strength. That old knight might have been able to snap out of his armor after she''d sealed it at the joints but she hadn''t had unlimited time and effort. This snake though, as nothing happened after she fused and smoothed the scales together, when she was done with it it would be a monument of her time polishing and hardening a bunch of old women¡¯s brittle nails.

    The whole project took time. It was better to over-engineer than under. The sheer scale and size of the snake was an issue. [Stride] gave a like-minded assistant, able to burn through all the needed skills while boosted by [Mana Rotation] for the brief time she had herself.

    Hyacinth didn¡¯t even complain. All that took was a promise.

    With a cast of [Shadowed Graves], Harmony stood next to Hyacinth, spitting distance of the bastard. ¡°You can do the honors.¡±

    Hyacinth spat out his tongue striking the snake in the eye. Barely a hit, but enough to count. The shadows above and below meant they could escape if needed.

    The giant snake''s eyes shot open. Its jaws opened wide with a loud angry hiss. Harmony had avoided the head, as it would be the most sensitive spot. It struck. At least it tried, body trapped in a hardened immobile shell of its own skin.

    ¡°Gweh, gweh, gweh!¡± Hyacinth laughed in the face of what could be considered an apex predator to him as much as he¡¯d been for the locust.

    The guardian vibrated with rage, its invulnerability ticking down. All it could do is vibrate.

    A well-executed plan was a wonderful thing. [Manipulate Dead] ripped away the weakest scales around the target¡¯s head. Frost formed at the necromancer¡¯s fingertips [Cold Touch] ready for extended use.  ¡°I¡¯ll try not to make this last too long. Let the chill numb any pain.¡±  Her tone held zero pity, but there was no point in being cruel.  Hyacinth continued to laugh as Harmony approached to finish it off.  Hyacinth could be cruel enough for both of them if needed.

 Chapter Ninety-Seven * Fifty-Seven

    Chapter Fifty-Seven

    No one complained when Harmony skipped practicing [Shadowed Graves]. This time, it wasn¡¯t a matter of control, it was a matter of presentation. Time in the Nae¡¯s Garden had worked out much of the kinks in how to influence it to apply the desired effects. The question was when and where to introduce it.  There were still rules to follow for field area effects.

    Guild mistress Thorne moved behind the desk at the small office at the training grounds reserved for private meetings. ¡°Are you here to ask for advice on defeating the bastard on the fourth floor?¡±

    Harmony hadn¡¯t told anyone what she did to that guardian yet. Thorne, unsurprisingly, was at least keeping track of her progress and that she¡¯d made it that far. After defeating it she descended rather than go to the fifth floor.  ¡°No. I have a presentation with the Grave Society and wish to demonstrate my field-type skill there. Per our agreement, I¡¯m to check with you.¡±

    ¡°I can send runners to notify the neighborhoods affected, but are you sure that¡¯s a good idea?¡± Thorne asked.

    ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve got the negative aspects of the skill under control. The skill is very striking when my goal is to make a statement. If anyone can respect the skill, I¡¯m hoping it will be my fellow necromancers.¡±

    ¡°If you feel that is best. I try to stay out of local politics. Correction, I''m actually required to stay out of local politics, but many members choose to use that organization''s services. If this goes bad I¡¯ll have to distance myself.¡±

    Thorne, at least, wasn''t like Hemlock. The bodyguards, supplies, and then agreeing to take legal responsibilities for any issues with [Shadowed Graves] practice. ¡°I understand.¡±

    ¡°Good. Now that I have you here, Tyler and Len have informed me that you¡¯d be joining us for the Deadwoods excursion?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve never been. They feel my presence will be valuable for them.¡°

    ¡°With various spirit bonding scrolls being prizes from defeating Old Bones, we have enough to cover all the required slots. The trick is finding the right ones. You¡¯ve had a tremendous amount of luck, and it would be good if we could get some to rub off on those poor sods who the dungeon picked to go with you.¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] triggered to stop a wince at the mention of luck. It implied she lacked agency, lacked skill. Luck was being born wealthy. Favorable things may have happened, but she''d fought to get those opportunities, to get that attention.

    ¡°I¡¯m happy to be of assistance. I hope you¡¯ll support me through any complications I have in my endeavor to participate in the Ascendant Games.¡±

    ¡°Absolutely. That is why I am here. What strengthens the dungeons strengthens the guild. I¡¯m not one of those who use it solely for their personal gain.¡± Thorne responded forcefully, clearly thinking of Hemlock.

    ¡°Then I¡¯d like a few more guards. I¡¯m concerned someone might use my relationships against me. Adric, Ambrosia, Bates, Hyacinth, and Bowe could all use eyes on them.¡± Too much has happened to ignore her weak points [Keen Investigative Awareness] always hit her gut when she used it to focus on herself.

    ¡°Bowe?¡± Thorne asked.

    ¡°Prince Adric¡¯s pet coatl. Since they can¡¯t join us in the dungeon he¡¯ll need long-term care and security while we are in the games anyway.¡±

    ¡°Of course, Lady White.¡±

    All there was left was to hash out some details before her speech.

    The Grave Society headquarters stood out in Naewauld, bare earth, stone, a building, and a walkway free of vines, moss, and weeds. A show of power over the rampaging overgrown environment and the benefits and power of necromancy in this city, at least necromancy with [Rot]. It reminded Harmony a bit too much of Hazeldown. Would it kill them to have a few isolated flowers for a tasteful bit of color?

    As she crossed the threshold with her crew, there was only a faint hint of decaying matter in the air. Someone probably scoured the grounds of plants hourly. Four bodyguards, Hyacinth, and Ambrosia because she wouldn¡¯t miss this for the world, matched her pace. Harmony chose a tasteful, yet simple blue dress to address the group, with a simple metal bracelet to satisfy [Small Armor]. Night would stay in reserve. With a tailor on the staff, she found herself more willing to risk simple dresses that Steven made. If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

    Madam Peartree waited at the large bone-white society house entrance. Three stories tall, large enough to house several hundred, which it often did. The Grave Society welcomed all who chose necromancer as a class. But it wasn¡¯t a charity. They charged for room, board, lessons, and access to their hiring network for dungeon jobs and other requests. Worse was that they charged interest on any accrued debts.  That was because they avoided having employment contracts like Harmony had with the manor.

    You could have a very successful career there. If you were at the very top. Maxwell had all the dirt. His profession change had improved his information-gathering skills. The Grave Society has been around for a long time and has gathered the usual set of problems. Established families, corruption, and bureaucracy. Three families essentially ruled the place, controlling access to jobs and positions, the Peartrees, Spindarts, and Warmwoods.

    It was only a broad picture that was painted, of cliques and competition among the men and women who joined the society at a young age and lived in the dorms. Some were dropped off by disappointed families, and others had been entranced by the wealth shown by the big earners who took most of the dungeon jobs.

    The staff at Coodly Manor had made her prove herself, but ultimately she was one of a select few, all under the watchful and impartial eye of Bates. If she had gone here, Harmony shuddered at what the potential outcomes could have been.  Her visit here was a feather in the cap of the current head.

    ¡°Lady White, a pleasure you could join us for a visit. Let me take you on a tour before you meet our members.¡± Madam Peartree greeted.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be delighted to see what you have to offer. I¡¯m hoping this exchange of knowledge and experience will be helpful for everyone. With one more choice and my evolution approaching, I¡¯m sure we all want me to go forth and do well in the Ascendant Games as a representative for our class.¡±

    There was no promise for more than that. The Grave Society was both respected and disliked in Naewauld. Success would inspire more youths to choose the necromancer class, which would increase the Society¡¯s membership. The House of Records kept statistics and there had already been a slight uptick since Harmony became a Lady.

    Bates had used that bit of statistics in the behind-the-scenes bargaining for this visit. While Harmony agreed at the training grounds, her staff had set up guaranteed exchanges to show this was more than just a social visit.  A small speaking fee, private records on evolution, and skill options in exchange for a tour, a speech, with a demonstration as well as a promise not to say anything negative about the Society if asked by any reporter.

    This being a business transaction felt better than begging for information. Playing hard to get had apparently helped in negotiations. When it came time she¡¯d make sure they¡¯d get their money¡¯s worth.

    Peartree led the way. Smile and nod while she talks about all the heads of the Grave Society who helped make their services a fixture for Naewauld. As for famous students and members? There was an absence of them. They produced at best high-paying servants, a cushy life for the few that achieved that status.

    ¡°We have two classrooms. One for new to their choice and another for those wishing to enter service helping climbers.¡±

    A dozen students, all looking depressingly young, sat at twenty desks as an instructor wrote notes on a chalkboard.  Skills are like muscles. Repetition and activation are key for their growth. Combining skills can lead to unpredictable and dangerous effects.  It is best to have those muscles strong before attempting only well-researched and understood skill-combining techniques.

    ¡°Thibodeux?¡± Harmony asked, keeping any disdain out of her voice with [Poise and Bearing], as she recognized her rival.

    ¡°Yes! We find that a firm foundation in best practices works to build our members up for success.¡±

    ¡°I admit I must''ve read Thibodeux on Skills a dozen times. It has influenced my progression in a way no other has, and I¡¯m looking forward to demonstrating some when I present.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s Lady White!¡± Gasped a student. Their little chat outside of the classroom door had not gone unnoticed.

    The instructor barked, ¡°Students!¡± at the scooting chairs and turning heads

    This was one lesson Harmony didn¡¯t care if she interrupted.

    `¡°It¡¯s okay, Threnody. This way they are guaranteed not to skip this afternoon''s assembly. Lady White will be speaking and demonstrating in an exchange of knowledge.¡±

    [Keen Investigative Awareness] flared in conjunction with a few social skills as the underlying tone and subtle inflection in Peartree''s response. They didn''t seriously believe that Harmony would be contributing to their knowledge. It made sense with them being an institution with hundreds of years of experience and her being an unevolved youth only here due to celebrity. Not shocking but it still stung.

    The  Grave Society headquarters were nice. They didn¡¯t match up to the opulence of the Dragonfly Inn, but it was easy to see why you might choose them even at the cost when they advertised potential success stories. It didn¡¯t help that the lack of greenery made the place feel extra spartan, but that was a difference in growing up in Hazeldown as opposed to Naewauld.

    ¡°They¡¯re waiting for you at the training grounds. Are you ready?¡±  Peartree asked.

    Harmony¡¯s eager smile was completely genuine. Maybe Hyacinth was rubbing off on her. The way he took joy in challenging things both bigger and smaller than him.

    ¡°Absolutely.¡±

 Chapter Ninety-Eight * Fifty-Eight

    Chapter fifty-eight

    The crowd of roughly five hundred people was more than Harmony expected. Had they gathered all the city¡¯s members?  Still, it is much smaller than many of Ambrosia¡¯s concerts. A stage with a podium was waiting built to the dimensions she¡¯d requested. Plenty of room for her and Hyacinth. Bodyguards would be posted around it.

    Madam Peatree took the podium first. ¡°Today we have a special guest at the Grave Society. A Necromancer who has joined the aristocracy. One who will open the Ascendant Games in Hazeldown. She climbs Nae¡¯s Garden alone in her bid to become greater. Please give her a warm welcome, Lady Harmony White!¡±

    The applause that followed Harmony and her familiar as they replaced Peartree on the stage was pleasant.  Now the eyes told a different story. Some were filled with awe, others jealousy, amusement, disinterest, curiosity, and other emotions. [Awareness] helped make it easier to recognize people¡¯s array of subtle emotions.  The clapping died down as she reached the podium.

    ¡°Power.¡±  Harmony glazed the word with authority with a hint of death from her class. That was why they were here to see her and it was the root of those emotions when they looked upon her.  Whether she gained it through luck or skill. With that word, the crowd''s attention sharpened.

    ¡°I have it. You want it.  That wasn¡¯t always the case. This is my path.  Daughter of a beggar, hard starts lead to having necromancer as your first choice.¡±  No specific act among many needed to be listed. How close to death did all of them need to get for that choice? Have they also felt hot blood turn cold? Tasted decay to survive? Accepted they might not survive to that first choice of class and profession? ¡°In Hazeldown whose streets act like veins to feed Old Bones, I weighed my options as you all must have. Necromancer. Maid. Service to the living and the dead intertwined into my being. There I made a decision to never be alone.¡±

    ¡°Power together.¡±  Hyacinth¡¯s deep croak shook the crowd. He''d enhanced it with the authority he carried for her, his flavor of deep shadows causing the afternoon light to darken briefly in his presence. And with that, Harmony could feel his pride for her. There was no doubt that she wouldn¡¯t have survived without him.

    ¡°You have that with your community here, beside you are those who could help you achieve it.¡° Or hamper it. That she didn¡¯t say even as she saw that happen here. That was part of their choices. Who are your friends, and what compromises would you make?

    ¡°To grow that power I combined my maid and necromantic skills.¡± [Dust] and [Manipulate Dead] swirled together pulling the day''s work from the crowd and creating a gray cloud that settled into a pile off to the side, leaving them all noticeably cleaner.  A statement rebellious to the teachings of Thibodeaux she saw in the classroom here. ¡°That work became the advantage I leaned on to earn a prestigious place on the staff of the generous Lady Coodly. And to become indispensable I leaned into that combination of class and profession. Hours in the dungeon, making death beautiful. Restoring and changing hair, shaping skin, polishing nails.¡±

    Running her hands back through her hair, Harmony transformed hers into long golden curls similar to Ambrosias'', brightening her lips to a blood red, splashing color to her cheeks. Then with a shake of her head, those gold curls turned into a bright blue to match her dress.  ¡°Even now, Honorable Lady Coodly seeks someone who can hone their skills to do the same, having contacted The Grave  Society in the hope of finding another who can do the same. A path open to you all if you don¡¯t want to be limited to only how important you¡¯ve made yourselves assisting climbers of the Garden.¡°The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

    Some of the crowd reacted to this. Peartree¡¯s face held a slight frown, but for every uncomfortable hint several more held looks of interest, contemplation, or excitement.  A path other than decay.

    ¡°I can¡¯t say that drew the eyes of Haz¡¯el Ri to me. The Prince came after. As did Duke Darren¡¯s sacrifice. Songs of my rise, as a muse to someone equally amazing.¡± It was hard to not turn a gaze towards Ambrosia as she watched from the side of the crowd.  ¡°What elevated me to a Lady? Forging luck through skill or fate aligning with who I am? A gift with a cost as many come with.

    Now it has brought me here to you, a society dedicated to necromancers, while I climb Nae¡¯s Garden my way. Where your support will help me as my experience may help you.¡± Now it was Peartree¡¯s turn to smile. This is what she wanted. The ability to say The Grave Society at least helped. Politics and propaganda were the coin to pay for the cost of this exchange. That quote, if any, will find its way to newsheets.

    ¡°For I believe in death¡¯s power. ¡± [Shadowed Graves] burst forth, shaped by [Style and Grace] touched by [Beautician] reaching for the thrill that comes when facing and embracing the end. The awe of finality. No random effect this time, the crowd would feel it and as the sky and ground turned dark, eyes widened and breaths were held. A few quivered and dropped to their knees at the mix of fear, desire, and appeasement. A brief moment they¡¯ll recover from even as it lingered.

    ¡°See what I¡¯ve accomplished. What we can accomplish.¡±

    Hyacinth slipped into the shadows. His part to play was not done. A moment to leave and a moment to return. Rising out of the shadows, Harmony could feel the strain as he returned astride the severed head of the bastard of the fourth floor, the giant snake¡¯s head drawing gasps from the crowd. A few stepped back, even Peartree stumbling a foot or two. It was the reason she¡¯d asked for the stage to be so big.

    That little book from the Grave Society talked about the bane of that guardian. Where they could find the furthest root of a tree lord and pump [Rot] in until it died. The snake had always been an issue. It hunted necromancers to the point where the text warned practitioners to only work that floor with a trusted and reliable team who needed their skills for the fifth floor. Fearsome because it killed, where others called it the bastard the book called it a bane.

    Removing the head hadn¡¯t been difficult. Transporting it, however, had been. Hyacinth, for all his help, had been exhausted, yet loved his oversized trophy despite the fact he¡¯d done little to fell the beast, but her victories were as much his as hers. Such is a [Familiar Bond].

    ¡°Gheh. Gheh. Gheh.¡± The shadow toad chucked.  A laugh that hadn¡¯t been part of the planned speech.

    ¡°For you, an example of my power.¡± Authority and death coated the word one last time as she finished her presentation. Now she had had more than the Grave Society¡¯s attention, she had many of their members'' interest.  Would it shake things up, or change how they do things? Only time will tell. As a dramatic exit, she slipped into the shadows with Hycinth back to the Inn, ending [Shadowed Graves] and leaving the snake head as a gift. Ambrosia and the bodyguards would have to make their way back as planned.

 Chapter Ninety-Nine * Fifty-Nine

    Chapter Fifty-Nine

    ¡°You Should have seen their faces!¡±  Ambrosia cackled.

    ¡°I did,¡±  Harmony answered.

    ¡°They all broke up into excited conversations. Even Madam Peartree couldn¡¯t calm them down. I dare say that woman is pretty cross with you.¡±

    That was part of the plan. A presentation that would end Peartree¡¯s interest in getting Harmony to join the society. The society head got the appearance and quote she could leverage. And in that exchange, Harmony would send a message that she would be too much trouble to pursue.

    ¡°We both got what we wanted. It just wasn¡¯t exactly as she expected it to be.¡±

    ¡°And what you did with that fear. You have to do that at the next concert! Much better than wanting to run away when you used it before.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll see if I have time for that, but at least people won¡¯t complain when I practice at the guild training grounds now.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I should schedule some concerts to coincide with your practice near the area. I know a few venues the skill extends over.¡± Ambrosia mused.

    Always looking for an edge as the Songstress, not that Harmony could blame her friend, it was a hard arena to compete in against classes and professions that used music. ¡°And you¡¯ll turn the whole episode into a song. Do you think the information I got was worth it?¡± Ambrosia had accepted payment before she gave that little display. Harmony hadn''t the time to look at it yet. Helping Hyacinth drag out that severed guardian''s head was a lot of work.

    ¡°One thing about the Grave Society is their records are impeccable. I think they have a few with bookkeepers as a profession. They have a comprehensive list of every evolution option reported and choices their members made as well as what the results were of their choice. They include a list of adjectives, prefixes, and suffixes and how they have modified results.  Similarly, they have a book with all the skill options offered sorted alphabetically with rarities and listed by effect. Knowing you, you¡¯ll take some of it with a grain of salt as you should. It will still be invaluable.¡±

    Harmony let a long sigh of relief out. ¡°I needed that.¡± And now she had a missing piece to the rest of her progress.

    ¡°I already looked up [Shadowed Graves]. It¡¯s not in there, but all grave-related skills are at least high-rare and have a greater than fifty percent chance of being a field skill. Shadowed has a variety of secondary effects,  ninety percent chance of having something to do with actual shadows. Even if you had a thing against field skills, I know you¡¯d probably have gambled on it.¡±

    ¡°Bloody right.¡±

    A knock interrupted their girl talk. They should have time before Max came by with his notes on tonight''s dinner guests, at least this would be the earliest he''s chosen to show up.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    With a huff, Ambrosia adjusted her uniform and put herself in servant mode as she moved to the door.

    Harmony flicked on [Poise and Bearing] to more easily ready herself.

    ¡°Sir, I mean, Agent Maxwell, what an early surprise.¡±

    Oh, Ambrosia wasn''t happy about this interruption. No, it was more than that, anger for what happened backstage at her concert. Is this something to deal with? If Max was a servant this would be Bates'' job. Now Max was something different. Maybe Adric would know?

    ¡°You know why I''m here, and no saying it would be best for Harm if I give her space. My oath will no longer trigger off of lies and insinuations.¡± Max responded loud enough to be heard by all.

    ¡°Send him in,¡± Harmony said after a sigh.

    Her agent of change, no longer a knight and now whatever singularly sworn was, stood in front of her more timid than she¡¯d ever seen the big man. In the brief interactions since his evolution where he dropped off his meticulous notes for dinner or on the Grave Society, it was clear he felt like deserved punishment for his act. Maybe he did.

    ¡°Ambrosia, I want you to test Maxwell''s oath as hard as you can. I can¡¯t have anyone swaying him so easily that mentioning my name will make him jump into a fire. Max, this is for your own good. Master yourself.¡± Harmony didn¡¯t mean that as an order but she could feel the man¡¯s oath flare up at that last statement. His spine straightened and the pink that was now a permanent part of him crackled with energy.

    He breathed easier now like that added command helped him. ¡°That is why I¡¯m here, my lady. I don¡¯t wish to make that mistake again. My oath turned into a bond, a summon bond that I can use to summon some of your power. My concern is how it will affect you when I use it. It also requires me to be in danger before I can access it. I¡¯d like to try it out with you on hand and supported in case something goes wrong. I came to ask if you had any idea of what will happen when I use it?¡±

    A requirement. Some skills had those. Only able to be used in special situations. With such restrictions often came overpowered abilities. Strength increased based on the damage a person had taken. Speed when you need it. Escape on the verge of death.  That it was her power, was a tad frightening after the collapse after Ambrosia¡¯s concert. Would Max gain necromancer skills?

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. But I appreciate you doing the responsible act of asking.¡± As much as part of her flinched at trying it out, she needed to know too.  ¡°After dinner tonight, arrange for a private room at the Inn and we¡¯ll test it out. We¡¯ll see what this unknown skill of yours is together. But since you are here, you can inform me about tonight¡¯s guests.¡±

    Max looked relieved at the offer to put him in danger, and the change in topic. After the excitement of her presentation, it was a tad annoying to put off a long-deserved soak she had planned. Better to know sooner rather than later.

    Max switched modes and started talking about Ma Bell¡¯s current line-up. The solidification of who this region was having in the Ascendant Games meant the eager adventurers trying to get a seat had died down, but not the interest of some factions to join the table for conversation and to get to know the new fascinating lady in town. The temples had a representative, and they were still looking to smooth things over after their involvement in her first near-death experience. Two merchants who were excited about the expanded importance of Hazeldown. One of Coodly¡¯s garden party guests, a spy for the old matriarch and sure to inquire about Harmony¡¯s relationship status. A manageable nest of annoyances. Harmony knew her mind would be less engaged with the new session to test Max now on the docket. Still, any information will make dinner easier.

    Two slices of cake will be needed tonight when dessert hits the table.

 Chapter One Hundred * Sixty

    Chapter sixty

    ¡°Aaaaaaagaa ¨C oof!¡± Max screamed as his legs were knocked out from underneath him, sending him face-first onto the floor.  That was with only four of Ambrosias'' birds sending softened [Wind Blades] at the man.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you feel like you''re in danger yet?¡± Harmony called out.

    They''d been at this for half an hour. Max¡¯s lip was split and one nostril leaked blood after that fall.

    ¡°Not yet. I think it needs to be something that I can''t defeat if I tried.¡±

    The birds had at least softened him up. They didn''t want to cripple Maxwell. ¡°Okay, Adric, time to put real fear into him.¡±

    Adric who¡¯d been lounging off to the side flashed into action. So quick he was a blur as his fist slammed into Max¡¯s gut, sending him tumbling across the room. It was almost like the man wanted to hit the newly evolved agent of chaos. Maybe Ambrosia wasn¡¯t the only one who was pissed off about what happened. Harmony only told them she¡¯d nearly died. Not that [Stride Before the Fall] leveled.  How much trouble would they have gotten in if she¡¯d told them about the queen and that bloody mess?

    Max crawled to his feet. ¡°I¡­¡±

    Adric moved close and flung the man to the other side of the room. The bonded rider was faster with Bowe, but much of his skills focused on speed, which is one reason he was a pain to train with. Not that he ever chose to go this rough with Harmony.

    Fear finally touched Max¡¯s eyes as he got up again and Adric flashed away. That was when Harmony felt it, Max¡¯s newest skill to summon her power. Ashed bones if it wasn¡¯t familiar. The double vision didn¡¯t help. It was good she¡¯d gotten used to that.

    Harmony stared at and through another version of her. Tall as Max, hair a glowing pink to match the singularly sworn, nails glowed as well, and Night thankfully came already equipped, but its bioluminescence was pink too. It was like [Stride Before the Fall] had been co-opted.

    Harmony, of two minds again, triggered chronostasis in her new body. The increased perception let her see Adric, who was already trying to pull his latest punch in shock but stuck with his momentum keeping him crashing forward. More importantly, it let her do a self-diagnostic of this new body.

    It was nice to now be big. Longer reach, and probably was stronger too. That aside, there was the inward analysis, every skill was there, while there was the size and crazy hair, no bits of chaos circled or changed anything.  What was different was the oath, it was inverted in a way that she knew as obligated to try to protect Maxwell.

    Oh dear, poor Adric, [Small Armor] activated and stopped her pets now fumbling but committed attack cold. There was also the feeling of existence. This wasn¡¯t permanent. Stride had that same twist, but there was no choosing this body the way [Stride] made her do, but it wasn¡¯t her in the same way.

    Her confused and shocked pet looked lost. [High Kick] didn¡¯t strike him but instead, she rested her foot on the prince''s chest with her knee bent and pushed. The act sent him sprawling across the room, but he could take it.  [Cold Touch] boosted by [Mana Rotation] spread frost along the floor in Adric¡¯s direction. There was too much grit for this trick when they practiced on the training grounds rough dirt, but this private room was kept smooth and clear pridefully by the staff, so making it a little slicker mattered.  With ice covering the path toward Max, he shouldn¡¯t have an easy time getting traction for a follow-up attack. It spread out enough that Adric was having a hard time standing up.

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    With her singerly sworn now mostly protected she turned her attention to Max, he was a bit beat up after all the abuse. [Mend] sealed his bloody lip and bleeding nose. [Renew Spirit] returned some energy to him.  His eyes looked shocked at her presence, now that she could stare into them with a level gaze rather than looking up at everyone.

    [Stride] was still an option in this form. Imagine four Harmonies. But that tricky oath that inverted told her doing that would put further strain on his modified skill that was only barely leveling a little bit from this experience.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look so shocked. You are summoning some of my power.¡± Oh, it came with a deeper voice. A consequence of the size change?

    Pulling a lock of hair down she lengthened it with [Manipulate Dead], the glowing pink did resist a color change.

    ¡°How?¡± Max croaked out.

    ¡°When you need protection, I¡¯ll be there.¡± There wasn¡¯t any real danger now. Harmony blew Ambrosia a kiss, and let this form fade away.

    Is it okay to be envious of yourself? She checked herself for changes Max''s skill hadn¡¯t caused any disturbance internally or energy lost. That was a big worry when this started. Max¡¯s skill wouldn¡¯t hurt her. What if he used it while she was unconscious? That might be an experiment for another time.

    ¡°How are you feeling Max? Do you like your new skill?¡± Harmony asked, bringing him out of a bit of his own introspection.

    ¡°That drained a good bit of the chaos built up by [Chaos Seed]. What was that? I had no control over it. I couldn¡¯t even stop it when I tried.¡±

    Harmony poked his oath to her, causing her former knight to jerk up straight. ¡°Think of how I would feel if you had a large doll of me you could fully control? Not that you¡¯d be as bad as Tyler, but ew. You have to be satisfied with the limited ability brought to your fights.¡±

    Facing a singularly sworn with this skill bound to someone actually powerful or maybe even a god-like being. That was a scary thought. The class couldn¡¯t be that common.

    ¡°So, that was you?¡± Max asked.

    ¡°Kind of. But you don¡¯t have to worry about the skill hurting me. Your oath of doing me no harm is clear.¡° Not even [Keen Investigative Awareness] helped Harmony make sense of the new set of conflicting and wild emotions on Max¡¯s face. That was his problem. ¡°Now go get some rest. I¡¯ve had a long day.¡±

    Max took that as an order and gathered up his things. Ambrosia had more work to do on softening the edges of Max''s new oath.  Bates went to fetch the new staff to clean up the puddle forming by her use of [Cold Touch].

    Adric walked over a little gingerly. ¡°Did you have to kick me, Harm?¡±

    ¡°I had to test if my skills worked. I also needed to make sure Max was safe. Weird feeling having that compulsion. I don¡¯t know how I would have reacted if you were trying to kill him and I was that way. The lady¡¯s pet prince shouldn¡¯t fight the lady¡¯s agent of chaos.¡± She gave him a hug and a pat as an apology.

    In her suite suite, the warm bath was divine. Ambrosia tossed off her uniform and joined in, the two girls sharing the relaxing water. ¡°Being with you is wild, Harm. I don¡¯t think I could write a song about that.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t. Let Max keep his secrets. He can reveal or practice with the skill as he wants. Not like I need more of a headache if people asked why he¡¯s summoning what looks like an overgrown version of me.¡± At least it wasn¡¯t a shorter version of her. Bad enough that if it was her actual size some people might wonder why he produced a pink-haired child.

    Instead of diving deeper into the conversation, they enjoyed the quiet and magically warmed waters together and processed the strange events of the day.

 Chapter One Hudred and One * Sixty-One

    Chapter sixty-one

    Harmony let the shadows from [Shadowed Graves] recede for the third time. The goal of this training season was to adjust the height of the darkness covering the sky. Ambrosia had birds flying through it reporting back. The change to only using the [Beautician] modified version in the city had ceased many of the complaints. The guild training grounds were always busy with spectators there to at least see what new hell Thorne was putting her Ascendant Games charges through. Still, she could sense that with every use a few more people trickled in on schedule, only to leave soon after the effect ended.  Guess the options were either to scare people away or turn into more of a circus attraction.

    Tyler, Rose, Max, and Len all lay sprawled out and wounded on the edge of a little obstacle course Thorne had set up for them.  Max had yet to use his summon of her, yet was bleeding enough to display that he had been in enough danger to use it. The injuries were a new angle of the training. With the length of the games, they were sure to run out of healing potions or need to ration. Other groups were probably sure to have a healer on hand, at best they had Harmony¡¯s discount version of [Mend] and [Renew Spirit].

    Plans to put into motion. Harmony strode up using [Style and Grace] and [Poise and Bearing] to help give her courage by looking good.  ¡°Will you all be interested in another strategy gathering at my suite tonight after dinner?¡±

    Lord Tyler practically rose from the dead the way he popped up and out of his exhausted collapsed state. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t miss it for the world.¡±

    ¡°With our trip to the deadwoods and more bonds to gain this will be perfect. I¡¯ll bring the copy of Spirits, Geists, and Oddities of the Woods that Thorne lent me.¡±  Len added from his prone position.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be there too,¡± Rose said with less enthusiasm.

    Max looked like he was wrestling to keep his mouth shut. Likely managing impulses related to his class and profession. Subservience as a maid was hard. Imagine having a class and profession dedicated to one person. Pity, though, was for someone who didn¡¯t do it to themselves.  ¡°Ditto.¡±  He choked out.

    Thorne was heading back over. It was time to leave them to their pain. While Thorne had yet to rope her into one of these tortuous training bouts, it was possible. ¡°Off to climb the garden. See you tonight.¡±

    Mist rose from the oversized serpent''s head as the cold she¡¯d shoved into its brain to kill it with [Cold Touch] faded.  Several cracks covered the hardened shell of fused and thickened scales she¡¯d set upon it. If she had made the shell any thinner it might have escaped or worse. Trying to shave time off the process wasn¡¯t worth it even if the first backup plan was to run back down the stairs used to climb up to this level.

    The passage to climb higher or leave opened up. The Fifth floor with its tank-like plants was bound to be a pain. Twiggys were still a problem in groups, but at least a soul strike would put them out of commission. Up those stairs, mossifants roamed wild, giant moss-covered mud monsters made to suffocate victims by laying on top of them. Nae''s Garden''s moving cairns, burying you alive, and staying as a monument.

    Ironically one of the tactics to defeat them was to pick your most survivable teammate, have them be covered then dig through the moss and the mud to get to them back before they died, killing the beast in the process. Few people managed to keep that role long, and mental fortitude was recommended. Guides have them resistant to silence. They recommend you bring a shovel. Or like the dig boys have multiple uses of dig. This is also another case where [Rot] is recommended. Killing off all the soft wet moss made them much easier to defeat, removing some of the mud''s container and weakening its stability.

    Soft, squishy, insulated against cold and silence. [High Kick] would be useless like most blunt force trauma damage. Slashing damage could only peel off so much. They actually called it scooping or digging damage in the guides  Trying to figure out how to fight them shifted from only good ideas to only terrible ideas, a refuge for the desperate.

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    ¡°You ready to be complete idiots?¡± Harmony asked Hyacinth.

    ¡°Grupt.¡± The shadow toad answered reluctantly and they started the climb up.

    Moss everywhere. Shades of browns, greens, and black. Like the third floor not a tree in sight. Natural camouflage for the mossifants. They weren¡¯t the only enemies on this floor but were the ones she was most worried about.  Water elementals could shoot up out of the wet moss, those were very vulnerable to cold. The necromancer¡¯s guide recommended [Cold Touch], freeze then shatter them if you had it.   The guardian of this floor was a giant one. [Cold Touch] was not recommended there unless you wished to risk drowning. Guides called them squirts, little and big.

    Deadly in a different way, mostly meant to wear you down or get you stuck in the mud for the mossifiants to bury you in.

    With nerves already high, the leaking of [Cold Touch] made the wet ground hard enough to walk on. A heavier combatant could still break through and get stuck in the muddy earth beneath. Hyacinth''s widely distributed weight was safe so far.

    There was no skipping to the guardian. The big squirt only showed up after you cleared the floor, another slog for adventurers looking to climb to the top.

    The first squirt popped up from the ground, [Cold Touch] snapped out immediately freezing it into an abstract sculpture, and [High Kick] turned it into shards.

    Its death brought the angry mossifant charging over, a faceless round oval with six legs. The worst plan had been to use [Stride Before the Fall] to sacrifice herself to burial and dig through it while one of her suffocated slowly.

    [Shadowed Graves] spread out focused on getting it to flee. It didn¡¯t. Not unexpected since it had mud for brains. Not alive enough to know better, not dead for [Manipulate Dead], and too wet for [Dust].

    Hyacinth and Harmony slipped into the shadows to flee. Part of the problem was how impact-resistant the monsters were. Training at the guild had given Harmony plenty of time to interview guild members about how difficult they were to break through. And for those unlucky enough to be bait, the way it crushed you slowly while their team dug through the beasts.

    [High Kick] would never provide enough force to get past it even if she¡¯d been as large as the version of her Maz summoned. It was still a small hammer of force. Some jobs required a bigger hammer.

    ¡°Gwaaaaaaaaaaaah!¡± Hyacinth yelled. Harmony¡¯s own scream joined his. Had the shadow ceiling been too high? They were at least on target. How soft and squishy would they be?

    With a shift of her feet, Harmony made sure to land close to Hyacinth¡¯s impact. [High Kick] synergized with [Small Armor].  The offensive skill often added extra force while it limited repercussions to her body. The defensive one just stopped things massively more powerful.  This should be similar to their assault on the third-floor guardian the thunder roc, but they needed more force and therefore extra height.

    Hyacinth was the bigger hammer. She¡¯d hoped he would shrink as impossible as that would be with her growth, but instead, he grew steadily bigger and denser since they arrived in Naewauld.  He was more at risk than she was in this, but he promised that he could take it.

    The slapping boom as they hit sent Harmony¡¯s ears ringing. The moss and mud held together in the body of the mossifant as it cushioned their fall, but the energy of the impact had to go somewhere. Driven down to all six knees the mossifant¡¯s body flattened out. Would it spring back?  Being buried for the next attempt was¡­ As Harmony worried, the sides split. Disturbed mud spilled out untethered, uncollected, and unalive, deflating the moss shell that had helped contain and protect it.

    The tension she had kept in case they needed to keep fighting bled out of her even as her heart continued to beat fast from the long dive from above for this attack.¡°You okay?¡±

    ¡°Ugrreck,¡± Hyacinth responded, wobbly lifting himself up.

    ¡°Well, we both survived. I think we need to practice a few more times before we contemplate taking the floor. I did hit level twenty-one.¡± The added stability was good, but there were only three more levels to her last two skills and then the big hump of evolution. So much to plan for, but right now only so much time [Shadowed Graves] could be kept in use.  ¡°Let¡¯s get hopping. I have guests to host tonight.¡±

 Chapter One Hundred and Two * Sixty-two

    Chapter Sixty-Two

    Wine with the refreshments had been Harmony¡¯s idea and now she regretted it. It made Len more of a babbler. ¡°I think we should all bond geists, offensive or defensive; they are invisible and reform if dispelled or destroyed.¡± This was the third time he¡¯d mentioned this as the group poured over the text. It slowly became clear that while they were okay with Harmony being a necromancer, they didn¡¯t want to be seen as possibly having the class.

    ¡°That would be ideal. But that¡¯s not how Thorne described how it would work. We¡¯ll draw in potentials based on who we are.¡± Tyler corrected. But he at least was more interested in the unique oddities listed in the book.

    ¡°We¡¯ll have Harmony. She¡¯s a necromancer and can convince them.¡± Lens speech slurred a little at the end.

    Of all the members of this little group, Len was the least expected to have this prejudice. What made it worse was that this was another type of bond that had potential and she was denied.  ¡°You know I have no experience dealing with independent spirits. I wouldn¡¯t even know where to begin. When I first met Old Bones I fainted.¡± Apparently, communing with spirits was innate to being a necromancer, but in Hazeldown Haz''el Ri was the only free spirit around and forced all others to flee to keep their dungeon spirit position. Similarly, in Naewauld they were forced to flee the overly abundant lifeforce. That intersection of those two domains created the Deadwoods.

    ¡°But..¡± Len continued.

    ¡°You heard the lady. She said no!¡±  Max gruffly interrupted him.

    Harmony checked the oath. Since his class and profession change, and all of the trouble around that, she¡¯d been able to sense it easier. The defensive need to protect was rising up. Max had also gone a little heavy on the wine, probably to attempt muting the oath. Inebriation would not help this situation, as that seemed to have backfired. Time to change the topic.

    ¡°Len, can we look at the creatures linked to chaos? I¡¯d like us to know what options fit Maxwell''s new profession.¡±

    "We should always strive to find bonds that match our classes and professions." He answered as the other members of the room turned quiet. Len opened Spirits, Geists, and Oddities of the Woods and started flipping pages quickly until he slowed to a stop and froze quietly with the rest of the group. It was like someone cast silence over the group.

    Rose broke the silence. ¡°Your new profession?!¡±

    Len and Tyler stared at Maxwell in shock who was flushing as pink as his beard.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t tell them?¡± Harmony asked her agent.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t feel like they needed to know,¡±  Max answered.

    ¡°I bet you have a new class too. You evolved, right?¡± Len asked.

    ¡°No¡­ no¡­ no¡­ My aunt would have announced this. That side of the family sends letters every time something big happens. Right cousin?¡± Tyler asked.

    ¡°They don¡¯t know. No one needs to know until the Ascendant Games.¡± Max responded, getting a little frantic.

    ¡°How bad was your choice that you need to hide it?¡±  Tyler pressed with a wicked gleam in his eye.

    Ashes. Their rivalry. They were working together even if a little dysfunctionally, making it slip Harmony¡¯s mind. ¡°Hey! If Max wants to keep his evolution secret you should let him. Don¡¯t make me tell Thorne you need more team-building exercises.¡±

    Lord Tyler waved that away. He¡¯d been drinking too. ¡°He¡¯s your knight of course you''d¡­ Wait¡­ he¡¯s not a Knight anymore is he?¡° Tyler snapped his attention all towards Max. ¡°What are you?¡±

    ¡°Do you really need to know?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Well, you know,¡± Rose answered a little coldly. ¡°And I think Thorne would want us to know for the team.¡±

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ll tell you but then it doesn¡¯t leave this room.¡± Max responded.

    Harmony did her best not to look at the multiple servants and bodyguards in the room. Most of them, probably all of them already knew. That was one reason she didn¡¯t know it was a rotting secret, as it''s not like she was alone when he spilled his guts about it.

    Max, Rose, and Len all nodded eagerly.

    ¡°My class is singularly sworn and my profession is agent of chaos.¡±

    Not the full profession''s name, but Harmony wasn¡¯t complaining about being left out.

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    ¡°Wait¡­ wait¡­ wait¡­ sworn are religious fanatics. When did you join the temples?¡± Len asked.

    ¡°A chaos profession. Your mom is going to faint. I knew you took that skill, but several classes and professions use chaos without it being their main thing.¡± Tyler finished with a drunken chuckle.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get why you wouldn¡¯t tell us. I suppose no longer being a knight made it necessary to tell Harmony. After you¡¯ve sworn an oath it is almost impossible to get a non-knight class.¡± Rose mused. Outside of Harmony, she drank the least. ¡°Wait... No?¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] helped keep Harmony¡¯s face calm. The princess has figured it out.

    ¡°What?¡± Lord Tyler asked.

    ¡±Oh.¡± Len let out. Drunk as he was, he was still smart.

    ¡°What?¡± Tyler asked again.

    ¡°Our former knight here isn¡¯t sworn to any temple, god, or spirit. No, he''s sworn for Lady White here, because having my brother as a pet wasn¡¯t enough.¡± Rose hissed.

    Less wine than Harmony wasn¡¯t none. That crack in composure revealed a bit of bitter anger. Adric not enough? She hadn¡¯t asked for Adric or Max. And if Princess Rosaline had wanted to visit during all those months they were struggling in Hazeldown she could have. [Poise and Bearing] kept Harmony''s cool rather than initiating a clash she wasn¡¯t in the mood to have.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t ask for any of this. Maxwell picked the best he could. That is all any of us can do when making a difficult decision.¡±

    ¡°Then release him from his oath.¡± Rose challenged.

    Maxwell''s heart stopped. Through the oath to her, she felt his panic reign. To his credit, the sworn showed none of it on his face, but he also wasn¡¯t breathing.  It wasn¡¯t like she hadn¡¯t considered that. But she also wasn¡¯t stupid.

    ¡°I would never do that to Max.¡± He inhaled and his heart started up again. ¡°He¡¯s a sworn. That would probably kill him. Why do you think he doesn¡¯t want to tell anyone? If I die there is a good chance he¡¯ll die too, or go on some crazed mission of vengeance. Adric probably would have the same issue. There is always a chance his next evolution or mine will change his fate and get him out of this mess.¡±

    Hyacinth, Adric, and Max, now there were three lives that relied on her to evolve and survive. Dropping [Poise and Bearing] it was time to let them see how this made her feel. Her lip quivered and the tears she¡¯d held back started to flow a little.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t..¡± Rose started finally seeing it.

    ¡°You lucky bastard. You¡¯re doing this just to torture me. You know I¡­¡± Lord Tyler didn¡¯t see Harmony at all with his eyes angrily focused on Max.

    Harmony slammed her skill-enforced mask back into place. ¡°Some have already used the fact he is sworn to me to take advantage of him. Imagine someone lied to him and said I was in trouble. Or told him the queen wanted me dead. He¡¯s still not under control of his impulses around me so please keep this a secret.¡°

    ¡°Don¡¯t sworn get their powers from their gods?¡± Len asked.

    That started a whole bunch of new questions. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you when I¡¯m ready. I¡¯m still figuring it out and have only had one class and profession choice since evolving.¡±

    ¡°They haven¡¯t told me the details of their skills and I¡¯m not going to ask because I respect Max¡¯s privacy,¡± Harmony responded with support. She was curious but wasn¡¯t going to press when these fools were around.

    That shut down the gathering. Lord Tyler stormed off first, and everyone could see he was quite upset by how Max¡¯s new evolution brought him closer to Harmony. Max hesitated a moment then left to chase after him. Len did start to research the chaos-based entries in the book, but no one was in the mood to talk about it.

    ¡°Rose. Can you wait up? I¡¯d like to talk for a minute in private. If that¡¯s okay Len.¡±

    ¡°What, Oh? Interesting as always Harmony. Have a good night.¡± Len responded, picking up the request quickly.

    The princess didn¡¯t respond but stood there waiting for Len to leave.

    Prepared speech time. ¡°Princess Rose, I know we¡¯ve been at odds since I¡¯ve arrived at Naewauld. Your letter and working with the others have shown me that maybe we¡¯re not too far apart. We might disagree on how to keep your brother safe, but we both want him that way. I¡¯m hoping¡­¡±

    ¡°How do you do it?¡±

    That hint of authority mixed with frustration in Rose''s voice caused a slight tick in the maid she used to be. But it was weak. Less than what Harmony could access with her skills or at the tip of her tongue.

    ¡°Bringing Adric back was an accident. As for Max, chaos, his oath, and evolution were messy. He made his choice.¡±

    ¡°Not that. I need an evolved guard at minimum to help me climb the garden. I thought that Adric was assisting. As a fighter he¡¯s competent. But he¡¯s not. Then what you left at the Grave Society. You¡¯re on the fifth floor already?¡±

    This wasn¡¯t in the plan. Not like what she was doing was impossible. ¡°Tourists climb the tower alone regularly.¡±

    ¡°They send their best with their best equipment to chase after a stupid title, and a third of them end up dying or failing by evolving before they complete the dungeon. How are you doing it?¡±

    Title? None of the guides listed a title. Evolved weren¡¯t talking about why they did what they did.  ¡°I¡¯m doing it because I have to. If I don¡¯t evolve quick enough I¡¯ll die. And if I die I don¡¯t know what will happen to Adric and now Max. My hope in talking to you tonight is to get your support so that doesn¡¯t happen. I have a letter for you to give to Countess Maye. I¡¯m hoping you will help me figure out a way to resolve our conflict.¡±

    Bates moved up, the letter prepared on a tray. Since they had no official sigil like some lords and ladies had, they¡¯d sealed it with a black toad on white wax.

    Rose snatched the letter off of the tray a bit roughly. ¡°You¡¯re impossible!¡± The princess yelled and stomped out of the room.

    ¡°That went well,¡± Bates said dryly, filling the silence.

    Harmony stuck out her tongue and blew him a raspberry.

 Chapter One Hundred and Three * Sixty-Three

    Chapter Sixty-Three

    Not all the mossifants burst nicely. There were too many self-checking skills for Harmony to ignore the irritation at certain princesses'' oversized reactions that were causing imperfections in attack techniques. That left mud everywhere and in everything. The worst was when they ripped at the point of impact leaving the pair half-stuck in the mud that was once the mossifant''s innards. Some paid for such treatments, as the mud rejuvenated skin and was used in beauty treatments. A major dungeon export Harmony had smeared it on a noble''s face more than once.  Still, an inconvenient mess to extract from quickly to avoid any potential ambushes.  Deeper into the floor, mossifants gathered in packs of three or four.

    Rose was even gone from the next morning''s training for personal reasons. Why couldn¡¯t she accept Harmony reaching out to her? Adric informed her, ¡°She just acts that way sometimes.¡± Not that they were the closest of siblings.

    The mossifant startled by the death of its packmate started to move. Quickly Hyacinth and her dove back into the shadows to fall again. No time to rest from the jarring impact. The creatures had no eyes, so they couldn¡¯t look up.  That isn¡¯t to say they didn¡¯t have some way to sense adventurers, but for this particular attack, there was no avoiding it.

    Boom! The whole back fractured and rather than the mud shooting out to the side a giant spray shot straight up.  ¡°Muck and bones.¡±  Those were all the words Harmony could get out before the mud arched back down coating both her and Hyacinth in a thick layer. At least it had been the last mossifant of the group.

    Hyacinth managed to shake himself like a dog would, splattering his coat of gunk everywhere, getting the thickest parts off.

    The caked-on sticky mud was resistant to [Dust]. [Stride Before the Fall] could create a clean copy, but that felt absolutely stupid while there was still a chance of danger on the fifth floor. That left scraping it off with her hands. At least Night had no crevices for it to get into but there was still plenty of bare skin.

    Hyacinth was even too exhausted to laugh at the scene. Every jump was him pushing through the dungeon environment to go from floor to ceiling.  Harmony pushed [Renew Spirit] into her partner. It helped but when you used it on someone for the ninth time in a day it was less effective.

    A frozen little squirt waited, the water elemental was the key to unlocking the guardian as the lone enemy left. But once you did that the big squirt would come and that was a big problem. Dropping [Shadowed Graves] it was time to recharge. A re-application of [Cold Touch] kept it frozen while the pair gathered their energy.

    Big squirts, those massive water elementals that could drown whole teams in their bodies. But they started with long-range attacks after rising up in the center of the floor. Spiraling bombs of water that explode on contact. Water blades with skill-enforced cutting power. Geysers it could send up through the ground.

    As for trying to kill those on the center of the floor last, late squirts only show up at the edges after the rest have been cleared out. Shatter this one and it is a mad dash to get to the guardian.

    ¡°You got this?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Grupt.¡±

    She started walking. Hyacinth stayed behind. This wasn¡¯t a new tactic. You didn¡¯t read through guides because they were useless, even if they didn¡¯t quite fit your situation, you read them for knowledge. Once she was ready Hyacinth would break the little squirt and then the fun began.

    The center of the fifth floor, but not the exact center. You didn¡¯t want it coming up right under your ass. As for how most teams beat a giant water elemental, you broke them bit by bit. Hundreds of tiny crystal pieces floated inside, you had to disable them and at this point, most people had a skill that could do that if they could hit them. Silence skills helped. They stilled the turbulent water inside, not that it blocked other skills, but that stilling would allow people to swim out of the body if trapped inside.

    With [Cold Touch] there was a volume issue. What worked on a small squirt wouldn¡¯t work on one this big, one casting wouldn¡¯t be enough.  This was always going to require an extra pair of hands.  [Shadowed Graves] extended out, not wasting energy to pick a function.  Through [Familiar Bond] she sent the signal.

    The earth cracked and buckled as every bit of moisture and water was pulled toward the middle of the floor. Harmony took two squishy steps back as her positioning was still too close to the center.

    [Stride Before the Fall] This would always take two of her.

    The Pillar of water that would form the big squirt shot straight up with enough force both of her were blown back another step. Combined [Final Silence] hit first. Boosted by the shadows above and below the guardian continued to form but with still water. When it was moving it would be harder to freeze.

    [Mana Rotation] spun up for both of them. Those gems that floated in the body sparkled under the sight granted by that skill, making them easier targets. That wasn¡¯t the goal.

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    Boosted by [Shadowed Graves] and [Mana Rotation] the Harmonies reached out and touched the water and let [Cold Touch] flow. This was always going to take more than just one of her.

    The big squirt screamed a high-pitched shriek as ice spread out. It wasn¡¯t without skills. There was no avoiding danger while doing this. Touch was needed to get maximum use out of the skill, even boosted it took time for such a large volume of water. Two attacks came down on each of them. A water blade lashed out, [Small Armor] activated, taking most of the blow on her pauldron with a last-second shift but it wasn¡¯t enough as the wide flexible blade left a gash down one Harmonies side [Mend] followed behind to stitch herself up.

    The other harmony got a hand-like appendage reaching down from the unfrozen top half. The most dangerous attack when you close in is the one that would pull you in to drown.  She found herself plucked up [Cold Touch] still active the limb started to freeze but it wasn¡¯t enough as the bit squirt tossed her into the unfrozen top half as she took her last breath.

    Water all around, swimming in Night wasn''t easy, luckily that wasn¡¯t what she needed to do. You die enough times, and you figure out how to get the most out of death. In the last unfrozen part of the guardian she was exactly where she needed to be. [Cold Touch] pulled from the finality of accepting death, the stillness of everything. Harmony screamed, her lungs filling with water, and the cold raced out.

    From below the sense of duality ended as the top part cracked under the force of the cold. In that ice Harmony saw her corpse suspended in its final moments, a look of rage and acceptance on her face to match the memory.  But the floor guardian still fought the freezing as water started to drip from the ice. She watched on, drained.

    Boom! Crack. The unbearable weight of Hyacinth''s massive form crashed into it from the sky. The frozen giant shook, and ice chunks cracked off crashing to the ground shattering the gems inside. The tipping started. That was an impact that couldn¡¯t be ignored. The frozen guardian fell and broke on the dried hardened moss.

    The stairs to leave or rise formed while Harmony downed a healing potion and hobbled over to Hyacinth who could use his own. He probably wouldn¡¯t even protest the taste this time. Soon it would be time to head back to Naewauld they had a dinner to get to. The sixth floor would be a different kind of monster, but they had plans if needed.

    The bite of flaky fish melted in Harmony''s mouth. One thing about the Dragonfly Inn¡¯s chefs was that they did an amazing job of reminding you of the pleasures of being alive.

    ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be helping escort all the contestants to the deadwoods soon.¡± Prince Adric bragged.

    There was no way she was going to leave him alone in Naewauld while she went on that trip. He and Bowe deserved the space to stretch their legs that the trip provided. He¡¯d stayed at the fort there a few times as a punishment for wild youthful shenanigans and visiting there was one of the first things he did after his terminal choice to commune with friendly spirits about being mourned.

    ¡°Spirit bonds! I know they''re out of fashion now but my grandfather had the most wonderful ghost butler. With all the contestants getting one do you think they''ll come back into style? What are you getting Lady White?¡±

    Zil Zapsot was old enough to be a great-grandfather. That would put Ectoplasmic bonds as being more common ages ago.  If the whole team ended up with something other than invisible geists it might cause a surge in popularity. The sheets were already giving nicknames, picking favorites, and doing pieces on each of them.

    ¡°I will not be taking a spirit bond. I''m going to offer support and for my curiosity.¡±

    ¡°White already has all her bonds. Probably what drew the dungeons'' attention. That and her necromancer class. I want to know how the garden climb is going. Dropping a bastard''s head off like that. What a way to make a statement.¡±

    Tony ¡®one sock¡¯ Dwight. Full-time gambler, and part-time informant for news rags and bookies.  The severed snake head was meant to be a statement, but one for the Grave Society. Apparently, her point spread much further, not helped by the society mounting that gift at the entrance to their compound.

    ¡°It was big squirt that gave my parties more trouble than the bastard. More than a few members drowned inside it. Never mind those darned mossifants.¡± Zil mused. The ancient adventure was often lost in thought at the table.

    ¡°And how is our Fearless Lady Night faring on the fifth floor?¡± Asked Lady Lois, the sole reporter to have made it to Ma Bell¡¯s table since Harmony had been here. That was her only question so far. She considered herself an observational expert, trusting her eyes more than her questions according to Max¡¯s notes.

    [Poise and Bearing] fought away a sigh. That was her nickname. Mostly [Shadowed Graves] fault as they were reporting the effect it caused as a kind of fearlessness as she spread a false night. Max was The Glimmering Rose of Naewauld, because of his pink coloring, she would have thought they would have named Rosalind that because of her preferred name, but no, she was The Problem Princess. Len was The Mad Professor which he protested fiercely. Tyler liked his moniker.

    ¡°I want to know if it¡¯s true that our Rising Lord of Dawn has a thing for her,¡± Tony asked. And there it was. Lady Coodly probably had a hand in that rumor''s construction.

    Interest in her climb of Nae''s Garden was something Harmony anticipated upon seeing the guest list. With a half-raised hand as a signal, Tess walked over much of the maid''s fumbling had been solved, but not through practice, metal braces from her elbow to wrist and working as thigh highs helped guide her movements now. An inventive engineered solution to her problems that Harmony approved of. Tess carried a silver tray and one of her spiders held a small velvet bag from his perch in the middle of the tray.

    ¡°As for the fifth floor¡±

    Tess¡¯s mechanical spider emptied out the bag over the tray. Hundreds of tiny blue crystals scattered on the silver platter and in the middle of them a single blue skill stone.

    That had been a special prize discovered among the big squirt¡¯s corpse. An uncommon drop for the guardian. Mana stream, not one Harmony could use but everyone desired mana skills so possibly a good tool for bartering for what she wanted.  It was time to plan for that last slot, no reason to get caught flat-footed again and have limited options.

    Every single person at the table understood what that pile represented. All questions about Harmony¡¯s relationship with Tyler would fade away with that distraction. Let Lois observe this for her article. It was time to operate from a perceived position of power.

 Chapter One Hunder and Four * Sixty-Four

    Chapter Sixty-Four

    After last night''s near-disastrous group meeting, Harmony needed time to herself. Ambrosia had another concert, making her busy tonight singing with the Flows. It was time to tackle her greatest rival. In a bubble bath, Harmony finally cracked open Thibodeux on Evolution and started to read.

    Evolution: a natural biological progression triggered by achieving your twenty-fifth level in both class and profession. No different from getting your first underarm hairs, or having your voice drop, except it happens all at once once your skills and level reach the proper milestone. Upon making your choice a blanket of energy coats you and you undergo changes rebirthed anew, often sticky, sometimes looking and feeling younger, a better more advanced self.

    So the first chapter was a glossed-over facts of life chapter. Good little boys and girls get to be their perfect selves with choices inspired by what they¡¯ve done in their lives. Max¡¯s dead-end choices gave options like cursed acolyte or enslaved thrawl, and even with choices closest to what he wanted the man now had a hard time being himself around her. Adric, who was killed by his choice, had been doomed to be mourned. But after seeing Jessica, evolutionary changes could not be denied. Whatever happened to that woman? Did Tyler discard her? She hadn¡¯t been at any training sessions, but only guild members or their servants could get into that training ground.

    Easy to think herself into a hole, Harmony forced herself to read on. In the same way, evolution is a progression of our class and profession. The skills you gain will be a progression of skills you¡¯ve selected. It may not always be obvious exactly what skill the new choices offered are building off of, but your training done with me on skills will show many of those same benefits to your new skills as well. That is the strength of Thibodeux on Skills.

    What about the strength of her training? There is no way she wouldn¡¯t know what skill the new one will be built off of, or how well-connected they are for what she can do with them. Like with everything about Thibodeux, many of the underlying pinings were there, about practice, measured growth, and common assumptions. It didn¡¯t feel right for her.

    Harmony hate read further. Bare bone facts like needing to have all your skill slots filled before you evolved, and all skills developed to the point of stability. Another reason skill stones were so valuable was that many lower classes failed to evolve because they couldn¡¯t afford anything except the dirty dozen they often refused to use.

    There was only so much pain she could take before she threw the book across the room. The sting of potentially damaging a book was eased by knowing she could repair any incidental damage. That was how she got her hands on most of Tyler¡¯s collection. Even with the book gone the aggravation lingered. Now it was late and she couldn¡¯t sleep.

    Ambrosia would be at some post-concert party filled with key fans, journalists, bards, and musicians. As much as Ambs would be delighted if she made a surprise visit. That wasn''t a crowd Harmony wanted to be around.

    She lightly touched her primal bond, was Adric awake? It shouldn¡±t have been a surprise to find him at the door so fast. He did have an adjacent room, but Harmony knew he spent most nights in Bowe¡¯s feathery coils since his return from the palace tower.

    ¡°Everything all right, Harm?¡±

    The come-when-she-even-hinted-at-calling was a bit much. But since he is here¡­ ¡°I¡¯m looking for a way to blow off some energy in a place respectful of my position and privacy. Nothing too dangerous. This is your hometown and you''re a prince, so you might have some ideas.¡±

    A smile bloomed on Adric¡¯s face. Certainly one of the cutest pets ever. ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for you to ask me something like this!¡±

    Then the bodyguards got involved. The suggestion of Roots, an underground black market and gambling den was nixed. As was the Chaos Cavern, which was too random in planning what would happen. Both were more about privacy and a gentlemen''s agreement of what happened there stays there due to illegal activities. Why they were early suggestions did open up some unasked questions about the prince¡¯s wild times of his youth. They settled on Reign at Night. A club that was exclusive to those who have authority with a focus on privacy.

    Nick said he and the rest of the bodyguards can fold into the staff. He had connections there.

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure they¡¯ll accept me. I¡¯d hoped to get a letter reinstating me, but it hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡±  Adric said with a little worry.  ¡°I could always be your plus one. Non aristocratic guests are allowed if escorted, though it is frowned upon.¡±

    ¡°Just speak with authority. You have it. Why that isn¡¯t enough proof is silly.¡± Power is politics. Tyler¡¯s lordling books made that very clear.

    It was disappointing Hyacinth opted out of joining her. But he wasn¡¯t a people toad unless those people needed to be eaten.

    Reign at Night existed next to the city¡¯s housing for lords who didn¡¯t have other options. Ambrosia had dubbed it The Cellar, as many less distinguished aristocrats were also retired there. A mix of young and old authority. Compared to many of the large towers Harmony had seen it looked a little run down. It was worth having to show up to dinner to not go there.

    Except for one who would wait outside, the bodyguards folded into the staff minutes before Harmony and Adric stepped up to the large black door with a golden crown painted onto it. A small slot that slid open and closed sat underneath the crown.  Adric knocked and it slid open.  ¡°Who claims authority?¡± Asked a deep voice

    ¡°Prince Adric Highsmythe.¡± His voice rang with authority, clear and crisp.

    ¡°And Lady Harmony White.¡±  Her authority came out with a bite of annoyance she came to burn off and a bit too heavy as she felt the weight slam out. Damn nerves. Internally authority shifted annoyingly. The recent level helped, but until evolution, trying to use it would be an issue.

    The man behind the door grunted like he¡¯d been punched. With a dramatic clacking of several locks and chains, the door swung open. Harmony stepped in first, Adric trailing behind her.

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    Dim lighting and a slight haze of spice sticks hung in the air. Plenty of staff, but all of them dressed to blend in or actively using stealth type skills. The illusion of privacy while help was within arms reach. Letting them do their jobs, Harmony switched her attention to the aristocracy in the club. Her peers. She wasn''t impressed.

    Looks of fear, condescension, superiority, and annoyance came her way. Not a single hello. ¡°Why would you find this a good place to hang out?¡±

    ¡°Back rooms are more social. These are all leeches hoping you need something or will acknowledge them so they can get a bit more power. [Analyze] them and check their authority.¡±

    Using [Analyze] on a person like that felt both disrespectful and too much of a sign that she cared about such things.  She reached out with the skill but in a broad sense seeking authority. Low was an understatement. If they had been friendly she might have given them attention.

    With a flick of [Dust] synergized with [Manipulate Dead], Harmony cleared the lingering smoke from the air for their walk to the back.

    The doors to the back rooms opened to a livelier scene. Young lords and ladies played strikers, tossed darts, and laughed at gossip or scandals. The authority average here was a step up from the front room. Self-selecting groupings, or are the weaker ones relegated to the front?

    ¡°Gods be dancing, Willow, is that Saddy Addy?¡± Exclaimed a young man in a very expensive blue shirt.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. He looks a bit too kept to be him.¡± Answered a tall blonde next to him.

    Adric walked to the pair, arms open to give them a hug. ¡°Jacob, you know I don¡¯t like that name. I¡¯m no longer the mourned prince, so Saddy doesn¡¯t fit.¡±

    They met in a group hug.

    ¡°Willow was toying with the idea of calling you, Arf because that¡¯s the sound a dog makes.¡±

    ¡°You wanted to gift him a set of jeweled leashes,¡± Willow snapped back, poking Jacob. ¡°All in good fun.¡±

    The tone was more cruel than fun. Jacob and Willow. The prince and princess who¡¯d escorted Adric to his captivity in the Palace Tower. As Adric took a step back Harmony stepped in close. [Shadowed Graves] spread out upon activation but for only a moment, enough to cover the pair briefly and smack them with fear. It was a big investment to start the field skill, so you might as well let it expand if you wanted access to the full effect for an extended period. This act was a total waste of energy. Harmony mixed fight and flight to create the heart-pounding fear of wanting to run but being unable to do so. Half a second, so it didn¡¯t cover more than herself, Jacob, and Willow when she dropped it.

    No authority, but death coated her voice. ¡° Good fun? Adric gets even a scratch from your fun, and you¡¯ll see my version of fun.¡±

    The pair shivered in place.

    ¡°Oh, cousins, this is Lady White, holder of my leash. She¡¯s been making a game of running the tower alone. Her delivering the bastard¡¯s severed head was the most amusing thing.¡±

    ¡°H-h-honored.¡± Princess Willow stammered out.

    ¡°The sheets don¡¯t do you justice. Sadly, we have places to be and can¡¯t stay.¡± Prince Jacob managed much more composed, but with the inflexibility of leaning on a social skill to manage it.

    Willow managed a curtsy as Jacob did a little half-bow before the two shuffled off quickly.

    ¡°You knew they would be here.¡± Harmony accused Adric.

    ¡°They commonly like to slum it here. I suspected they might be here. Feel better finally being able to tell them off?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± Harmony admitted grudgingly

    The visit here was worth that. Maybe a drink, then head back to bed?

    ¡°Harmony?¡±  That voice. Harmony turned to face Lord Tyler. At his side, a very annoyed-looking Jessica wearing little to nothing.  The sunfire berserker''s eyes flashed with a brief heated red glow.

    ¡°Tyler, Jessica, what an unexpected surprise. Adric here is showing me some of his old haunts.¡±

    ¡°You should join us. Jessica wants to come with us to the Deadwoods. Thorne says only at her own risk, and since Adric is coming it might be good to socialize some. Just a few drinks.¡±

    With no good way to politely refuse, and Jessica possibly joining the expedition Harmony accepted. It might be good to reconnect with the former coworker.

    The three of them settled into a booth at the corner while Tyler popped away to grab some wine. ¡°It¡¯s good to see you¡¯ve finally evolved.¡±  Harmony started as some small talk.

    ¡°Like you care.¡± She responded with a flash of heat.

    As a bitter old sun priestess who was also a maid, Jessica had represented a future that Harmony recognized as one of the reasons why she took the risk on the undead pet scroll. Now she looked younger than Harmony but was still bitter.

    ¡°I do. I¡¯d go insane if I was stuck like you were. My greatest fear was to be stuck unable to progress, and you managed to do that. It¡¯s inspiring.¡±

    Jessica looked so taken aback and shocked that Harmony was briefly afraid she¡¯d said something wrong.  ¡°Tha-Thank you. I thought you hated me after my behavior.¡±

    Jacob and Willow flashed in Harmony¡¯s mind. ¡°I reserve hatred for those who actually do things that deserve it.  Work conflicts and minor attitude issues can be things of the past. We all grow and learn.¡±

    ¡°Concordia Winery, the green year, second floor!¡± Tyler announced on his return, carrying a bottle and some glasses.

    He poured the wine while Jessica snuggled into him.

    ¡°I know why I¡¯m joining the trip to the Deadwoods. Why are you?¡± Adric asked after they all had a few sips.

    The glance she gave Tyler was brief but longing. Worse was that it didn¡¯t seem like he noticed. ¡°I need to prove myself worthy. I owe Lord Tyler for what I¡¯ve become. Supporting him as he gets ready for the Ascendant Games is the last I can do.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t need to do that Jessie. Your advancement with Len set the stage for me to form my skill was payment enough. The Deadwoods might be considered dangerous, but we have a competent crew. Thorne said your joining was fine, but also that we don¡¯t want the group too large as it might scare off some of the spirits and oddities we¡¯re seeking.¡±

    ¡°Soon, you¡¯ll be gone for months in those terrible Ascendant Games they¡¯re making you do. I can be with you and help you now.¡±

    ¡°If that''s what you want.¡± Tyler conceded. ¡°But let¡¯s do a toast to it.¡± He raised a glass. ¡°To a successful trip to the Deadwoods and finding the right spirits to bond.¡±

    Harmony held back a snort. It was apparently lost on Lord Tyler that of this group, he was the only one on a mission to do that, but they joined him anyway. With the way Jessica doted on Tyler, clearly, it was a more complicated relationship than one could assume. As long as anyone was between her and Tyler, Harmony would take it.

 Chapter One Hundred and five * Sixty-Five

    Chapter Sixty-Five

    [Mend] stitched up the nasty cut from the big squirt''s last water blade. [Small Armor] not being able to fully block attack was compounded by the fact the cutting power curved and bent getting around spots where her armor should have had coverage. As fondly and spiritually attached to Night as she was, it was hard not to be frustrated at not having more practical armor.

    Failing to defeat the guardian again without sacrificing one of her after [Stride] was more aggravating than the clothing situation.  The closest she''d managed was when she managed to ride up the initial burst of water as the elemental took shape with anchors of ice in its side. That way the base and the top were covered, but it sucked her in any way along with the ice.

    She''s defeated the guardian five times, and five times, it required a sacrifice. At least the bloody broken chunks disappeared before the big squirt''s corpse water finished thawing under the shadow of the stairs rising to the sixth floor.

    Level twenty-two and thirteen more days until the Ascendant Games. The Deadwoods trip would be a three-day long detour but if her hunch was correct about the kind of knowledge she needed to advance it should help push her further towards evolution. There might not even be a need to deal with the complication of the sixth floor and the gale-strewn randomness of the seventh. It would be greedy to take the risk, even if a title existed for completing the dungeon young.

    That wasn''t to say some greed wasn''t necessary. [Mana Rotation] eased gathering as ice-cracked shards shone in her sight. The bounty was enough to relieve Bates and Ambrosia''s stress around the cost of skill stones and household management. [Ink Heart] was still tempting even with the blood price of a sit-down interview.  With combat, defense, mana, escape, and awareness covered the last spot could be anything that caught her eye. Skill stones from the Deadwoods were possible, maybe something necromantic?

    A bag of gems wealthier, the pair headed down the stairs to check out and let the guild attendant know she¡¯d made it out alive. ¡°Did you have a good climb, Eternal?¡±

    That again? At this point, she¡¯d garnered a lot of nicknames, but that one was a tad unusual. ¡°Excuse my impertinence, but why do you call me eternal? Does it have to do with my lifetime guild membership?¡±

    The attendant blinked, shocked by the question. ¡°Guild records have you come up as Eternally Harmony White, we always address climbers by their titles when appropriate.¡±

    [Poise and Bearing] covered her own shock. Title? When did she get that? It wasn¡¯t in her status, are they invisible? Clearly, it isn''t a secret. Was it Ha¡¯zel Ri? No, he would have done something like call her challenger. Her early ascension? That doesn¡¯t fit. [Stride]? That might make some sense, but that didn¡¯t feel eternal and when would adding a skill give you a title?

    ¡°Sorry, that slipped my mind. Carry on.¡±

    This shouldn¡¯t be a mystery. Skills, bonds, and oaths have been thoroughly poked and prodded. She checked everything when she synergized skills and did her morning routine to realign and reset herself when the inevitable bad sleep happened. Bad enough to have a theocratic bond that was a mystery, but maybe an unknown title now? Evolution and then a thorough accounting would be needed if there was time. A new class and profession would have enough to dive into.

    Dinner became an unimportant blur where Harmony poked at her food more than ate it and kept conversation to a minimum despite Ma Bell¡¯s prodding. In her room, she chewed through Thibideux on Evolution slowly like it was made of broken glass hoping to maybe find something that could help her hidden in the text.  An uneasy exhaustion brought her to sleep with an anticipation of unpleasant dreams about dying trapped in ice.

    What she didn¡¯t expect was to open her eyes with unreal alertness, chronostasis kicking in as a sword swung in her direction.  She needed to protect¡­ Behind her, wounded and panting, was Maxwell backed against a wall.

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    [Mend] and [Renew Spirit] snapped backward and into him, a poor version of a healing spell, combining maid and necromancer skills. It would have been better if he called on her earlier.

    The attack was poorly aimed, as she hadn''t been the target. Max''s opponent was more shocked than she was at her appearance to block a killing strike meant for her agent. [Small Armor] wasn¡¯t needed as [High Kick] started its move under her sped-up perception. Ashes, it was nice to have enough length in her legs to fully use the skill.

    As the kick traveled its path, [Keen Investigative Awareness] activated to grasp the situation. Harmony''s eyes took in the scene, trusting her body to behave. Eight! Eight attackers, this was worse than getting ambushed near the end of the second floor. They were at least in street clothes, relying on overwhelming numbers to do this dirty deed. Max wounded three of them, none fatal.  He had to make this hard. If chaos fed this, he¡¯ll be tapped out after this, which would be a future problem if getting attacked becomes a habit.

    [Stride Before the Fall]. It tickled not to need to make a choice as dissolution was the only option while the real her was asleep in bed.  With bright pink glowing hair, nails, and armor this wouldn¡¯t be a subtle intervention.

    The steel-toed kick met the swordsman''s neck as bones broke, severing the spine. Unless that attacker had some good healing they should be out of this fight for a moment.  The wounds on Max were serious enough that this hadn¡¯t been a friendly match. No need to hold back.

    The new Harmony as she appeared, silenced one of the rear attackers while tackling a mele one to the ground. Electricity coursed through her as the person responded defensively, or offensively with a shocking effect.  Riding the thunder roc gave her experience of pushing through the almost familiar pain. Her hands grabbed the man''s head and took her turn channeling [Cold Touch]. His eclectic attack stopped cold as his skull cracked from the expansion of the fluid in his skull when his brain froze.

    Harmony smelled and felt cooked as she stood to face the one she¡¯d silenced. The way that woman flailed showed she hadn¡¯t trained under silence or didn¡¯t expect [Final Silence] to last so long. With a fresh corpse to work with and [Cold Touch] used up for now, she ripped a chunk off of the dead body shaping the body of what had been a lower leg into a spike that she sent straight into the woman¡¯s heart. Necromancers were almost as good at anatomy as healers when you got enough experience with bodies and fatal damage, especially if a version of you received those wounds.

    Knowing how dangerous wounded enemies could be the first Harmony went after those ones.  It wouldn¡¯t be enough.  It still started three on eight with only a slight element of surprise. Two arrows sunk into her chest, she''d dodged enough to make them non-lethal. The deep dark of night made this highlighted body an alluring easy target.  It didn¡¯t help that Max was herded into a dead end that limited movement.  Always making it difficult.

    At least with this new size, she got to loom over her target before dispatching them. [Small Armor] blocked a burst of magical energy. Four on three now but Max and both of her weren''t feeling so good as the clock ticked to the burning of chaos powering her presence.

    Mentally she screamed at herself to wake up. Cursed heavy sleeper. The summoned Harmonies charged in with a suicide run yelling.  Ready to attack with the skills she had remaining she hadn¡¯t already used. [Shadowed Graves] for a flinch. It was the perfect distraction that wasn¡¯t.

    Her yells masked the scream of the furthest supporting attacker. A long sticky tongue grabbed him and pulled him into the shadows. Harmony could hear the sickening crunching.

    This was Hyacinth¡¯s preferred awake time. An ambush was his favorite hobby. How had he found this random spot in the city? Harmony suspected he¡¯d taken plenty of length jaunts in Naewauld while she slept to map it out and make a snack of strays. Cats had to be like tiny candies for him with his new size, a human ambusher was a more appropriately sized meal.

    The first Harmony made sure their attention was on her. Even doomed, it¡¯s not like her familiar enjoyed such a sight. When he fell from above, mouth still half stuffed with an arm and a leg sticking out it was like a boulder crashing into the group.

    ¡°Get him out,¡± Harmony ordered as she lept in replacing him, kicking, freezing, and pulling hair.

    Max was pulled into the shadows. Job done. The ass of a sworn was safe. The inverted oath''s relief was greater than the pain that lanced through her when a dagger pierced her eye. Dead anyway, she went down fighting, until death returned her to a more peaceful slumber.

 Chapter One Hundred and Six * Sixty-Six

    Chapter Sixty-Six

    What a rot-ridden dream. Bloody vivid. Harmony opened her eyes with a deep breath, and there it was, a hint of death and that tang of copper and blood in the air. ¡°Delve me.¡±

    At the edge of the room, half covered in shadow, Maxwell labored with ragged breaths, an empty healing potion by his side. His slumped-over form was nearly unmoving.

    Jumping out of bed, Harmony equipped Night, quicker than getting dressed, and rushed over. [Renew Spirit] did nothing. Touching her agent¡¯s skin revealed a blistering fever of heat. She layered on a light  [Cold Touch] to combat it.

    Opening the main door, one of the bodyguards was already on duty early in the morning. ¡°Go fetch the Inn¡¯s healer!¡± Without asking why, the man dashed off, boosted by some speed skill.

    Some real healing abilities would be nice. Why didn¡¯t Hyacinth wake her? The dream, not being a dream, and that toad dropping him off was the only thing that made sense. Max¡¯s wounds that she could see matched. [Recall] scratched at the memory, there was a vagueness different from the last time Max summoned her while in danger, but the feeling of the man¡¯s skull splitting in her hands was there.  She¡¯d killed people. This wasn¡¯t the first time. Harmony shoved that old childhood memory aside.  They were trying to kill Max, looking down at his sorry state, they were still too close to it, and she¡¯d been oathbound to save him.  Compulsion or not, she''d end more lives if needed. The sense of death in her bubbled excitedly at that admission.

    A healer burst in wearing the green and gold uniform of the Inn. ¡°Lady White!?¡±

    ¡°One of my companions is hurt and needs healing.¡± A simple gesture to Max had the woman rushing over to him.

    Her hand glowed with magic, and Max took a deep ragged breath leading into his chest spasming until he rolled to the side and puked on the floor. It smelled so bad Harmony had to take a step back. The healer dragged Max away from the sizzling puddle as he remained unconscious.

    ¡°Nasty poison there. What happened?¡±

    Holes in her memory. She both knew what happened, from two perspectives, yet didn¡¯t. ¡°I¡¯m not sure. When I woke up, he was there. I believe my familiar dropped him off.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll need to report this to the guard. Poisons that make potions cause damage rather than healing are on the mandatory reporting list. An attack on the Glimmering Rose of Naewauld will also be frowned upon. Please stay here.¡± The healer left.

    Harmony huffed. As if she¡¯d go anywhere. Max now looked as though he was peacefully sleeping rather than at death¡¯s door. Back to last night really happening. Those bonded with pets were responsible for their pets'' crimes to some degree. Max was probably responsible for the summons actions. She could always feign ignorance.

    Internally she checked out the oath Max had made to her. Ever since his class and profession changed it was abnormal. The oath couldn¡¯t be the mystery title? She¡¯d been called eternal for a while. As for the theocratic bond, it had been normal when that was evaluated. She let her mind give the new oath a nudge.

    ¡°Gah!¡± Max shot up awake.

    ¡°Who¡¯d you piss off? Harmony asked.

    ¡°My family, little Lord Tyler, you, Zhe at the Braided Binds¡­¡±

    The oath to tell the truth was overwhelming him in his weakened state. ¡°Not that, who did you piss off enough to attack you last night?¡±

    ¡°I have no idea. I¡¯m not that disliked. I doubt we¡¯ll ever know who attacked me or why. There is a chance they didn¡¯t know who they were attacking.¡±

    That made no sense. ¡°Explain.¡±

    ¡°An obscuration field scroll was used. Makes all the exact details fuzzy for everyone dealing with people.  Affects everyone in the area. So where we see generic attackers they see generic victims. Common for criminals and gangs in Naewauld to use, I don''t imagine many scrolls make it down to Hazeldown.¡±

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    That would be useful, both in not being recognized. And if set up right help you avoid skills that detect the truth when questioned about specific attacks. It could certainly make a masquerade ball more efficient with anonymity.

    [Recall] hit a wall outside if seeing Max and Hyacinth clearly. It was the blurry man who tried to shock her or a fuzzy woman with a bow. The deaths, those were clear. Not having a face did make it easier, another benefit if you were trying to acclimate people to killing other people.  Still¡­

    ¡°Someone knew it was you who they were targeting. With your hair, you delving glow in the dark. Ambrosia could send up her birds and probably find you in minutes wandering the open like that.¡±

    ¡°Maybe someone wanted an open slot in the Ascendant Games?¡±

    Not impossible, but it wasn''t like there was a next-in-line list to consider. Gangs should know better than to accidentally target a minor celebrity. This felt personal. If Max did not have a skill that dragged her into this it wouldn''t be her problem.  But if he didn''t have that skill, he''d probably be dead.

    City guard captain Ellis showed up flanked by two subordinates.

    ¡°Lady White, sorry to impose on you this morning. Tresine, the poison the healer found, has been used in several killings and now we¡¯re required to track and record all incidents involving it.¡±

    Forced here by the politics around catching a murderer. Who would be offended by that? Stuck up nobles maybe. Ellis had probably hoped for an easy job when he was assigned to her. ¡°No imposition. Max is a trusted friend, and if this helps figure out what happened to him, you have my gratitude.¡±

    Ellis gave a curt nod. ¡°Jasper.¡±

    One of his assistants first went to the empty health potion next to Max when she found him.  ¡°Nothing on the bottle.¡±  Using his hand he wafted over the vomit Max had expunged during the healing. ¡°Definitely was in his system.¡± Then the assistant walked up and sniffed Maxwell. It reminded Harmony of Jack from the Dig Boys and his special sense of smell.  ¡°Still some in his system. Not sure if it was coated on a weapon or he was dosed earlier.¡±

    ¡°Sir Maxwell.¡± Ellis started

    ¡°It¡¯s Agent Maxwell now.¡±

    That surprised the captain enough to arch an eyebrow, ¡°Agent Maxwell, can you give me a rundown of what happened last night.¡±

    Max launched into his tale. Either avoiding looking at Harmony due to embarrassment or his oath''s tendency to force him to tell the truth. When he tried to start with the attack, Ellis backed him up further in the night.

    ¡°I was taking advantage of my newfound celebrity¡­¡±

    The Rose of Naewauld was looking to plant their roots and was finding plenty of flowerpots willing to give it a fit.

    Every time it looked like Max was stretching or avoiding some truth, Captain Ellis¡¯s second assistant would make a light cough. This prompted the captain to dig deeper as he made Max go through what he ate, drank, and anything he put into his body during the night while adding to his pottery collection.

    ¡°It¡¯s one of the quicker ways for me to build chaos for my skills.¡± Max tried to explain.

    [Poise and Bearing] was in full force controlling Harmony¡¯s face while [Style and Grace] kept her body composed and collected during all of the details that were pulled out of Maxwell.

    ¡°I was stumbling down Thistle Lane off Peach Blossom Street when I first noticed the obscurement field, even then, I thought it might just be the drinks the way the man¡¯s face blurred. I¡¯m not that dumb, so I yelled, ¡°Hey!¡± and when he took off running, I focused on my defensive skills. Probably saved my life when the first attack came, and then I tried to run.¡±

    He described attacks to delay or cripple, but every time he slowed one and dashed away a new faceless threat stepped in front of him forcing him to change direction.

    ¡°Finally reached a dead end and took Bad hit. There I triggered my summon.¡±

    Harmony held her breath a little as Captain Ellis prompted him for more.

    ¡°Chaos-based, and requiring me to be in danger. It¡¯s special. The attackers didn¡¯t know what hit them. My memories were spotty from my wounds, but it killed several. Then, uh, Lady White¡¯s familiar got involved and managed to whisk me away here. She was sleeping and I didn¡¯t want to disturb her or her guards.¡±  Ellis¡¯s man coughed. ¡°Or her personal maid Ambrosia. So I told Hyacinth to leave. I hurt and knew where the lady kept some healing potions and figured she wouldn¡¯t mind if I borrowed one and took a nap. It didn¡¯t have the effect I was expecting. I don¡¯t remember anything until the healer pulled me out of it.¡±

    Captain Ellis turned to Harmony. ¡°Lady White, why was your familiar in the area?¡±

    She hadn''t called him. How did he feel about those summoned temporary copies? Not like they needed saving. ¡°My partner is nocturnal. I wouldn''t be surprised if he hasn''t visited every dark corner of the city out of preparation or boredom.¡±

    Ellis nodded slowly. ¡°Well, there have been reports of incidents.¡± Reports? Incidents! ¡°A large black monster showing up, stopping assaults and robberies. Officially I''m to tell you to inform him we don''t approve of violent vigilantism. Unofficially we can''t be everywhere.¡±

    Hyacinth? What was he doing while she was sleeping? ¡°I understand, Captain Ellis.¡±

    ¡°After all, we don''t need it to get out that the dark avenger the street-level news rags has dubbed ¡®The terror that croaks in the night¡¯ is your familiar.¡± The captain finished with a smirk.

 Chapter One Hundred and Seven * Sixty - Seven

    Chapter Sixty-Seven

    Even sitting, Countess Maye was still taller than her.  ¡°I was surprised when my niece delivered your letter with an offer to parley.¡±

    Princess Rosaline coming through was unexpected. She''d been distant when they''ve  crossed paths recently since her outburst. But she delivered the letter and Harmony had her meeting at the very public Golden Flower Cafe.

    ¡°I felt we should talk. After all, we both want what is best for our dear Prince Adric. There doesn''t need to be any conflict between us if we can come to an understanding.¡±

    The countess unleashed a predatory smile with weight behind it. An authority-boosted social skill? It hit, but soft enough that Harmony wondered what their difference in authority was. ¡°Oh, we have no conflict or war between us. If there was, I can assure you that it wouldn''t last long. Now take a seat, the tea here is excellent.¡±

    Lose this battle. Other victories later.  There is no point in reminding the countess that the last time they saw each other she had a mass of palace guards, the problem princess with her bow, and was in full plate mail and yet at the end of that it was Harmony who walked out with the prince already stashed away safely.  ¡°I look forward to trying it.¡±

    The seat she took had an extra cushion Ambrosia placed upon it so the height difference wasn¡¯t so bad when sitting.

    Maye smiled more like this was some secret victory. This was going to be a long meeting even if it only lasted the length it took to drink the tea. The woman didn¡¯t need to accept Harmony¡¯s invitation to talk. She''s acting like she''s the one who set this up, but even in that opportunity could be had.

    The server approached.

    ¡°Three pots. The black herb, sweet wake, and simple green. Also, a tray of the house''s special little cakes.¡±  Maye ordered without Harmony''s input.

    ¡°Thank you for graciously having me, and introducing me to your favorite teas.¡±

    ¡°These are not my favorite teas. This is the difference between you and me. These are Addy''s favorite teas. Why he should be under your care baffles me." Maye let out a long sigh. "How is my dear boy doing?¡±

    Tea? Ciders, meads, wine, water, and sometimes a share of that blue milk he gets by the jug for Bowe. That gives him gas, but still doesn¡¯t avoid it. Not that Maye was lying, but Adric never sought out tea, taking whatever was in the pot when he was at the table. This was the countess''s plan?

    ¡°Prince Adric is still sleeping with Bowe in the stables recovering from his treatment at the palace tower. They stopped feeding him, except to shove nasty potions down his throat in the days before I brought him out.¡±

    ¡°The staff was just being thorough.¡± Maye¡¯s voice slipped a little.

    "It was torture, and they still haven''t reinstated his official status as a prince and access to his funds."

    "Overzealous administrators and¡­"

    The tea and cake arrived. Both women took advantage of that to regain their composure. The goal wasn¡¯t to antagonize the countess over all her actions.

    Black herb true to its name, came out of the pot looking like ink. As interesting as the bouquet was, harmony could see Adric enjoying it because with an overly deep sip, you can create a faux black mustache in your lip. A man-child, but the kind that is supportive and always there for you.

    ¡°I didn''t know he was being treated so poorly,¡± Maye said softly after a few sips.

    ¡°If I thought you and Rosaline knew the extent of what Adric was put through I wouldn¡¯t be here. I know to you it seems like I¡¯m a random woman who both offered a miracle cure and ripped him away. But I do what''s best for him.¡±

    ¡°You say that, yet you¡¯re taking him to dangerous places. The Deadwoods tomorrow and don¡¯t tell me he won¡¯t go with you into these Ascendant Games.¡±

    There had been some doubt there, but after climbing Nae¡¯s Garden alone, if she was allowed to have friends join her she was going to take it. ¡°He wants to go. You let him go to the Deadwoods several times as a punishment when he was younger and when you thought he was dying. With his experience, he¡¯s practically leading the group. As for the Ascendant Games, the hardest part will be him being forced to be away from Bowe.¡±

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    ¡°Which he would never do if he was of his right mind.¡± Maye insisted. ¡°I¡¯ve even asked an expert to come and help me with my case.¡±  The countess raised her hand and snapped her fingers.

    Who could the countess possibly invite and expect her to listen to?

    Reality ripped and split at the seams next to the table. Not delving him. Maekus Von Trell stepped out, his suit still stained from the futile attack, but now he wore it as though it was meant to be that way. Despite him saying he¡¯d be around, he hadn¡¯t visited and Harmony had hoped he¡¯d stay gone.

    ¡°Ah, Ladies. A pleasure to see you both again.¡± the charter counselor''s eyes sparkled with enough mirth that harmony knew this  wouldn''t go well.

    ¡°The pleasure is all mine, counselor.

    ¡°Maekus,¡± Harmony greeted him, leaning on informality. How was this man going to mess up her plans?

    The staff appeared with a third cup and an extra chair. Maekus took his place and poured himself a cup of the simple green. ¡°Do you know why I chose this outfit today?¡±

    Ah, the kind of question that came with a scripted answer. ¡°To shame me for my mistakes?¡±

    ¡°To remind me not to underestimate you. Which is why I was surprised to hear that you haven''t conquered the garden. The sixth and seventh floors shouldn''t be a problem for a woman of your talents. And the eighth floor, everyone knows how that one goes.¡±

    Countess hid her slight discontent, a low grumble, with a tea cup at the praise from Von Trell.

    Often jokingly referred to as the true final floor and chaos incarnate, how Maekus could think the seventh wouldn¡¯t be a problem for her was ridiculous. He''s also seen Hyacinth and should know how the sixth would be a problem.

    This opened up an opportunity that Harmony had on her list for this meeting. [Mana Rotation] surged ready to boost a skill [Keen Investigative Awareness] blended with [Analyze] and threads from her other social skills. While mana isn''t directly used by the skills, everything seemed to get some help from it.

    ¡°Well, since I received a letter with the queen¡¯s acknowledgment, I haven¡¯t been dying to take extra risks when at my rate of growth I might never need to conquer Nae¡¯s Garden to reach evolution.¡±

    Countess Maye¡¯s face continued to hold annoyance but held no reaction. Interestingly enough there was a barest and brief narrowing of Maekus¡¯s eyes at the mention of the queen.

    ¡°Well, good for you.¡± the countess responded with a touch of bitterness. ¡°Many aristocrats would love such recognition.¡± This didn¡¯t come with any subtle jabs or awareness of what that might mean.

    ¡°I think you¡¯ll find there are benefits to completing the dungeon sooner rather than later. If only for more practice after evolution before the games with only ten days left.¡± Maekus responded.

    Maye didn¡¯t know about the letter, nor how it might have been an attack. That was one weight off of her, and opened up options in this little discussion. Maekus reacted but was too hard to read. It¡¯s not like he¡¯d arrived in Naewauld yet at that time.

    ¡°That¡¯s all good, but I invited the counselor here to talk of Adric since he is under Von Trell¡¯s purview while he is around. We¡¯ve had several talks where he has agreed with me that Adric journeying to the Deadwoods and the Ascendant Games was a risk to him.¡±

    Maekus took a bite of one of the cakes and chewed it contemplatively before speaking. ¡°Countess, I fear you are hearing what you wanted out of our conversations. The Deadwoods could be dangerous for Prince Adric if his situation is susceptible to the environment or denizens of the area. For the Ascendant Games, I was theorizing that due to the bond requirements, some of the rewards could significantly affect competitors'' bonds. There is a greater danger for Adric I fear you haven¡¯t considered.¡±

    ¡°What could be a greater danger?¡± Maye demanded.

    ¡°The fact that the Prince and Lady White are so bound together that I suspect that if she died Adric would die with her or become something.¡±

    Could Adric become one of the oddities that Max, Tyeler, Rose, Len, and her had been reading about for their trip to the Deadwoods?

    ¡°Then order both Harmony and Addy under house arrest so he can be safe!¡±

    That wouldn''t work. All that would happen is her unstable authority would slowly kill her and then her nephew.

    ¡°That''s a bit too close to getting involved in local politics. The tea was lovely, countess. Lady White, I''ll be keeping my eyes on you. Farewell.¡± Still seated the man slid through an opening, vanishing from the conversation.

    ¡°That¡­¡± Maye grumped furiously.

    ¡°You want to keep Prince Adric safe, but we need to get stronger to accomplish that. That is why I came to you, and why you accepted this meeting.¡±

    ¡°Well, what would you have me do?"

    To win, what would the best way to respond be? [Keen Investigative Awareness] helped review her interactions with the countess, brief as they were. Loud, a bit ham-fisted, using size to overcompensate for something. Needs to be right. Needs to be in control. When the skill tried to hint that maybe the two of them weren¡¯t so different. Harmony smacked it with a softened version of [Final Silence].

    ¡°We all do something a little crazy for people we love. That¡¯s why I¡¯m hoping you¡¯ll be the bigger person and take over training for Adric for the prince after we get back from the deadwoods. I¡¯ve been too busy with my own path climbing up Nae¡¯s Garden and you''ll get to have your hand in making him as prepared as he can be for the games. There''s only so many days left and I''ll be counting on you.¡±

    ¡°I''m listening.¡±

    Tea, politics, and arrangements were made.

 Chapter One Hundred and Eight * Sixty-Eight

    Chapter Sixty-Eight

    One arm around Adric¡¯s waist while riding double on Bowe¡¯s back wasn¡¯t the most comfortable way Harmony had ever traveled. [Shadowed Graves] cast a long shadow over their journey and allowed Hyacinth to travel with them swimming forward with his skills. To keep it going the shadow toad was extra vigilant in killing prey animals along the way. Plenty of scavengers around to feed on as he left his trail of disemboweled and broken corpses.

    Rose, Len, Max, and Thorne road on good old-fashioned horses from the guild stables. Farthington flew.

    Not to be outdone by Adric, Lord Tyler chose his own unique beast and upon seeing Harmony double up, Jessica insisted on doing the same, pressing herself against Tyler¡¯s back. Their giant land snail was actually the fastest among them, needing to slow down to allow the horses to keep pace at their gallop.  Apparently, there was a menagerie Harmony had never seen because it was kept in Naewauld that he drew this beast from. ¡°Woah, Sparky,¡±  Tyler called, urging his steed to slow down again.

    The goal was to make it to the outpost at the edge of the deadwoods before dusk, which is why there was no train of servants or bodyguards. The outpost couldn¡¯t comfortably hold more, and wouldn¡¯t allow more because too many people attracted unpleasantness.

    Harmony grunted in pain, blinking kicked up sand out of her eyes unable to use [Dust]. To maintain [Shadowed Graves] not only did it need to feed on Hyacinth¡¯s kills but she needed to drop everything, no feeding [Style and Grace] and [Poise and Bearing] a trickle to help with her movement, allowing her to more smoothly adjust to riding on Bowe. No having her [Analyze] and [Keen Investigative Awareness] be on the lookout for trouble. No letting [Beautician] keep her hair in place, [Cold Touch] to prevent sweating, or [Renew Spirit] to keep some fatigue at bay.  It was shocking the amount of dedicated energy she had put toward keeping herself in order. And without it, she felt awkward, naked, and blind. As long as [Mana Rotation] chugged along with its tight spirals, fed by the core of herself it hadn¡¯t been noticeable. But what it did mean was that the greater drain of [Shadowed Graves] wasn¡¯t as quick, but even then she could feel it overcome and unwind the spirals slowly. It should be enough for her to maintain it the whole ride.

    ¡°You feeling okay, Harm? You¡¯re looking a little green.¡± Max yelled from his horse.

    ¡°Motion sickness. I can manage.¡± This will be just like practicing being silenced, except through abstinence. Too bad expert Fei had left before she could hear back from him on that.

    At the pace they were going it was hard to hold conversations among the group. Adric laughed out of the sheer joy of riding Bowe. They¡¯d been so cooped up at the Dragonfly Inn with its densely wooded area lacking the freedom of space the coatl preferred. Jessica laughed a few times, at some joke Tyler must have made.

    ¡°There is something undead on our path!¡± Harmony yelled. The moment it crossed under her shadow, her necromantic senses alerted her that something was up in a way it never had before.

    Thorne led the group to circle a bush. The corpse was doing a poor job hiding in it. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve got our first body-bound spirit. Too weak for you all to consider bonding. Not feral or rampaging. We¡¯ll see more of those kinds and placid ones like this one.¡±

    Giving up hiding, the zombie stepped out of the bushes with a few more sticks sticking into her body and hair. Ragged clothing and dead gray skin, her movements were stiff, not like the quick and angry shamblers. ¡°I¡¯mmmm Jussssst trying ta be Saffffe.¡±  She slurred out.

    Rose pulled her horse back a little. ¡°It speaks.¡±

    Thorne shrugged. ¡°Some of them do. It¡¯s not the person who died. They might pick up some memories or skills though. Because these types of spirits run the risk of having their body degrading and becoming feral many adventures destroy them on sight.¡±

    ¡°May I?¡± Harmony asked.

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    ¡°Go ahead.¡±

    For a necromancer, Harmony hadn¡¯t a wide variety of experience with undead and spirits like this. The dungeon-crafted monsters didn¡¯t count; they pretty much were the dungeon, with no separation from the energy and purpose of Old Bones. There were the brief interactions with the overwhelming Ha¡¯zel Ri, then her connection to whatever Prince Adric now was, the opposite of dead as Maekus called him.

    With her senses, she probed this being. If she hadn¡¯t done so much personal soul searching and working on sight for the skill-crippling soul strike she¡¯d have less understanding of what was going on here. The body and skill framework was like a vessel that had been emptied and now this new spiritual energy occupied it taking over and connecting to many of the old functions. Skills were damaged, and the body and frame were slowly leaking spiritual energy even as it gained some through existing, leaving it at not quite an equilibrium.

    [Animate Dead] probably did something similar to this instead of a free floating spirit taking it the caster probably helped fill empty vessels to control or direct.  Like a thicker use of [Renew Spirit] with other aspected tied in? This was more like a hermit crab taking over a shell after the person who had the body died.

    [Manipulate Dead] whipped into action. Destroying it would be the easy course and would conserve energy.  Pity, and with the sun reaching a low enough angle Hyacinth could find his own route forward, Harmony chose otherwise. [Beautician] and [Mend] synergized into it. The first task was to fix the container that the spirit was making a home in. [Renew Spirit] and a touch of [Final Silence] let her work on the spiritual side as well as the physical container. Just repairing the body wouldn¡¯t be enough, the framework the spirit existed in needed that as well.

    The least broken skill in the system could be a perfect experiment. It was neatly cleaved nearly in half. [Mend] to fix it like a maid would a broken plate, if that plate existed in a quasi-spiritual space on the edge past the physical.  A full burst of  [Renew Spirit] to re-ignite the repaired skill and temporarily strengthen this spirit.

    On the outside. Sticks and twigs were ejected from the body, a limp arm¡¯s joints snapped back into place and the leg mended up. No reason to make her ugly [Poise and Bearing] and [Beautician] worked to make her symmetrical, and balanced. Not the first time that she¡¯d worked on a full corpse with all that practice on the first floor of Old Bones. The jaw doesn¡¯t need to be so loose.

    So many insights! Why did she have to leave her training journals and books at home?

    ¡°Gah! What did you do?¡± The body-bound spirit spoke while touching their face and arms.

    ¡°I thought you were going to destroy it,¡± Thorne said dryly.

    ¡°It almost looks alive,¡±  Rose said with a little awe.

    Harmony held back a sniff at the almost. This walking corpse should look alive enough to pass in most places now.

    ¡°My name is Bea. Don¡¯t call me an ¡®It.¡¯¡± The body-bound spirit complained. Her hand flashed with a sputtering skill that glowed.

    This caused most of the group except for Harmony to scoot back.

    Guess the repair hadn¡¯t been good enough. To be fair it had been distracting to work on that and the whole body at the same time. Maybe a little less show-offy, and a little more practical next time. The mana in her was now sluggish. [Shadowed Graves] dropped from use. Hyacinth already knew this was coming through their [Familiar Bond], but he did whine a little through.

    ¡°Do you always have to complicate things, Lady White?¡± Thorne asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for wanting to see what I could do. I¡¯m not here to bond a spirit. Bea here can find her own way to the Deadwoods. The book talked about communities of these creatures. While I don¡¯t want masses of these creatures asking to be freshened up.  It is good to see what I can offer relating to these things.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not a creature or a thing!¡± Bea insisted.

    Harmony ignored her. She knew better than it did what it was after that. ¡°The fort probably isn¡¯t too far away. Let¡¯s get going.¡±

    Hyacinth slipped into the long shadow caused by Sparky¡¯s shell to move ahead, now that he needed to work for the trip there was no slacking.

    Harmony let her physical skills click into place and when it was ready casted [Renew Spirit] on herself. Without the need to maintain the shadows, the least she could do was make the rest of this trip more comfortable for herself.  Thorne¡¯s continued perplexed look was enough to make it worth it as the group surged forward leaving the wandering undead Bea in their dusty wake.

    Bea stood there more confused yet stable than she had been when she dashed into the bushes to hide. With the creeping itchy vitality radiating from Nae¡¯s Garden at its back the creature pushed forward along the same path as the odd adventurers.

 Chapter One Hundred and Nine * Sixty-Nine

    Chapter Sixty-Nine

    ¡°Welcome to Fort Rabble. Get in here before it gets dark!¡±  That was all the greeting the scruffy Sun Temple guard gave them as he ushered everyone in.  The wooden wall circling the fort with its single entrance was painted with so many wards, blessings, and charms against undead that it made Harmony¡¯s nose itch. Adric crossed a strip of warding across the entrance threshold like it was nothing before they slammed the gate shut.

    Three Sun Temple guards gathered the horses and Sparky and led them to the stables. When one approached Bowe, the rainbow coatl looked at him and said ¡°No.¡±

    A large handsome man dressed a little finer than those who took the steeds away walked up to the guild mistress. ¡°So, these are the charges you wrote about, guild mistress Thorne? Maybe they can take some of our problem children away.¡±

    ¡°If we¡¯re successful, expect more people coming here with a scroll of binding to do more than that. These Ascendant Games are causing a shift.¡± Thorne answered.

    ¡°Certainly beats trying to send a culling squad. The spirits aren¡¯t evil, merely misunderstood.¡± With that, he pivoted to Harmony. ¡°And you must be Lady White. The temples wish to formally apologize for that incident at the Harvest. I assure you all the troops here have been screened for prejudices or harmful thoughts.¡±

    ¡°I should hope so¡­¡±

    ¡°Benji Highsmythe.¡± The knight introduced himself.  It was not lost that he shared a family name with Rose and Adric.

    ¡°Uncle,¡± Rosaline said with a short bow.

    ¡°Come on, give me a hug.¡± He lowered his hand to his knee. ¡° I haven¡¯t seen you since you were yay high, miss Problem Princess.¡±

    Rose, embarrassed by her nickname, gave the man a brief hug.

    Adric rushed up. ¡°Uncle Ben!¡± He cried and moved into the knight''s arms for a hug. ¡°This man trained me when I got sent out here for disciplinary reasons, Harm.¡±

    When Adric mentioned being sent away a few times in his youth, he hadn¡¯t mentioned many details about the deadwoods.  How much did that influence his evolution options?

    ¡°Last time I saw you, you looked like you had both feet in the grave and were waiting for the undertaker to pile on the dirt. Local spirits were asking when you were moving in. May I?¡±

    The question was half directed at Harmony. May he what? Adric was signally nonverbally for her to agree. ¡°Sure?¡±

    The beam of white light that shot down from above, caused Harmony to yelp and hop back. The scent of strong cleaning agents or skills came with it, the kind that tingled your nose, left an area spotless, and peeled a layer off your skin. ¡°Ashed sheets.¡±  A chill crept into Harmony¡¯s palms, ready to strike.

    Benji and Adric¡¯s laughter echoed through the light as it dissipated. ¡°They did worse than that at the Palace, uncle. Even the charter counselor cleared me.¡± Adric joked.

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    ¡°Had to check myself, boy. Glad to have you back. Damned miracle.¡±

    Why couldn¡¯t they do something safer like punch each other in the shoulder? Boys! Harmony let the chill drop.

    ¡°Gweh. Gweh. Gweh.¡± Hyacinth chuckled from the side.

    ¡°Let me show you the sleeping quarters. There are eight of us here. Nine, if you count the Grave Society git, he¡¯s at the hut closest to the spirit wall.¡°

    The whole fort was the hut, stables, three barracks, one for the Sun Temple guards and two others for lodging. One for the girls and one for the boys. Those sun priests could be prickly about that and controlled the fort.

    Being stuck with Rose, Jessica, and Thorne, Harmony missed Ambrosia. Bloody pits, after the long ride her sore muscles missed the magically heated tub.  The lodging was six cots in a single-room building on a dirt floor.

    ¡°Not what you were expecting Princess?¡± Thorne asked in response to Rose¡¯s slightly aghast look.

    ¡°I mean, I''ve heard stories. Uncle Benji¡¯s exile and all.¡±  She answered.

    ¡°There used to be regular visitors here to commune with spirits or to activate one of the scrolls for a bonding spirit after conquering Old Bones, but popularity faded. The fort still has a valuable role in alerting the cities if anything powerful leaves the Deadwoods then past the spirit wall. But that doesn¡¯t happen much. We have a good chance of getting you some powerful bonded for the Ascendant Games, by the guild¡¯s dead god you need it.¡±

    Harmony wasn¡¯t happy with the state of the room either. She shared a look with Jessica and both former maids nodded. [Dust] stripped off the dirt from the beds and the walls, shoving it into the ground with a little extra effort to compact it. [Mend] kicked in making sure it was good and set, so they wouldn¡¯t track any back into the beds.

    Jessica moved to the beds themselves. She always did have a thing with linens. Soften the sheets, make the bed feel a bit more comfortable, and of course, her specialty was having them feel nice and cozy with a touch of her fire magic.  A bit of mana and she recharged the faint glow stones lighting the room.

    ¡°Ha. I need to work on my profession more since I evolved.¡± Jessica chuckled with a genuine smile on her face.

    ¡°What did you get?¡± Harmony asked a bit weirded out by the generally light-heartedness in the woman. It was hard to forget the salty, older maid she¡¯d been back at the manor.

    ¡°Assistant Curator. I think having spent a few years helping keep Tyler¡¯s collection safe from his own messes allowed me to get the option. Lady Coodly has resisted allowing me to be hired for that role. I figure if I can prove my value here it might help. I also have a job at a curio shop. I work there while Tyler is practicing for the Ascendant Games to raise my skills.¡±

    That was an interesting profession. ¡°You do well here, and I¡¯ll write a personal recommendation to the old Matriarch for you.¡±

    Harmony nearly jumped when Jessica embraced her in a hug. ¡°Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Your word means so much to the old lady.¡±

    Guilt and shame hit like a gut punch mid-hug. She¡¯d been thinking about how another body between her and Tyler would be good when the offer slipped out of her mouth. [Poise and Bearing] managed to get Harmony¡¯s face under control by the time the long hug was done.

    ¡°Good job, ladies. I dare say the boys will be jealous of your work. We should get some sleep. It¡¯s an early day tomorrow when you cross the spirit wall.¡±

    Harmony crawled into the cot grateful for the pervasive warmth baked into the blanket and mattress by Jessica¡¯s skills. It helped melt away the stress and sore muscles from the ride. Once she achieved that level of relaxation it made it exceptionally annoying when she was woken up in the middle of the night.

 Chapter One Hundred and Ten * Chapter Seventy

    Chapter Seventy

    The large insect spirit who¡¯d disrupted Harmony¡¯s sleep sat perched on the foot of her cot. ¡°Jin wishes to see you at the Grave Society house.¡± Its black semi-translucent form buzzed with necromantic energy.

    Everyone else got to sleep. If this wasn¡¯t worth it, Jin would wish he¡¯d never made this request. Stripping her nightgown, Night snapped into place. Tapping into [Final Silence] she made sure her exit wouldn''t disturb anyone as she muted the sounds around her.

    The bug followed her to the hut. The door was cracked letting out a sliver of light. A slight push allowed it to swing in fully.  Being small, the hut held only a bed and a table. At the table sat the late-night caller, with dark black hair, his eyes glowing with a purple energy. He had a bottle and two glasses waiting. ¡°Lady White, care for a drink?¡±

    An evolved necromancer. None of the books she¡¯d acquired from the Grave Society mentioned the deadlands. Too focused on her own advancement, to think maybe she should have asked. Peartree was busy managing the disruption she¡¯d caused during her visit to appreciate another exchange. If you¡¯re riding a tide of temporary celebrity you might as well use it to your advantage. ¡°Might as well, since I¡¯m up.¡°

    Jin poured the liquor. It fizzed as it went in then settled down filling each cup around halfway up. Harmony took her cup. A sip of it tasted of lemons and burned as it went down.

    ¡°Sun Temple members don¡¯t drink. A horrible theological decision in my opinion. Makes it difficult for me, since I¡¯ve promised to never drink alone.¡±

    ¡°Is that the only reason you¡¯ve pulled me out of my bed in the middle of the night, Jin?¡±

    ¡°I wish. As you can sense I don¡¯t have any of that rot at the heart of the Grave Society¡¯s teachings. We¡¯re a pair, you and I, in that. I laughed at how you disrupted that part of their institution. Fort Rabble is for those of us who have that spark of rebellion. I summoned you to warn you.¡±

    This guy and Len would get along like a couple interned in a mausoleum. That deserved another sip. ¡°Warn me about what?¡±

    ¡°Institutions don¡¯t like change or to be questioned. I got sent here for my sins. You¡¯re also disturbing more than just the Grave Society. I worry about what might happen to the brightest example our class has had in ages.¡±

    Do these men think she¡¯s stupid or careless? [Recall] reminded her of all her near-death experiences. Okay, but she had improved and sometimes all you could do was react to the unexpected. ¡°That¡¯s a very vague warning. Do you have anything specific I can plan against? Is Benji going to attack us? Some news of mercenaries ambushing our group or dangerous spirits?¡±

    ¡°Ben would never harm you. The spirits have been more agitated recently. You¡¯ll see when you pass through the wall. I wish I could say I was connected and knew more than bad stuff is happening in the roots of Naewauld.¡±

    [Keen Investigative Awareness] didn¡¯t pick up any maliciousness or attempts at deceit. Not that you couldn¡¯t fool its hunches. ¡°I¡¯ll keep my senses active. Finish your drink. I¡¯m going back to bed.¡± Harmony downed the rest of hers. Quietly she snuck back into her lodgings and went to bed again.

    A disturbed sleep was not a great sleep, and Harmony woke up stiff, sore, and cranky. The lemony taste had settled into a flavor in her mouth comparable to if she licked Hyacinth''s smelly feet. While her morning routine took care of most of the issues, the taste left her wondering if she could silence her mouth''s ability to taste. This was not the morning for experiments.

    Princess Rosaline left the worse for wear from the hard mattress. Jessica¡¯s magic only lasted so long. Thorne, Harmony, and Jessica all had plenty of experiences with uncomfortable sleeping situations. They joined the boys at the early morning breakfast of plain cooked oats. It seemed not a single person here had any cooking skill, and the only seasoning Harmony had to heighten the flavor was her already pungent mouth.

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    Jin joined them but stumbled out of his hut hungover. [Renew Spirit] could probably help him with that, but Harmony wasn¡¯t in the mood while suffering from her own consequences of him waking her up last night.

    Thorne started her pep talk as spoons scraped the bowls clean. ¡°I hate needing to go over ground rules again, but I¡¯ve been your instructor and know you need reminders. No, I will not be going with you. I¡¯m strong enough to scare away potential spirits and oddities you might want to bond with. Three of you have emergency signals you can use to summon me if needed. This is not a dungeon. You¡¯re not to attack every scary thing you come across unless they attack first. This is a negotiation. Trust your necromancer and gut.¡±

    Harmony didn¡¯t care for that responsibility, but this was probably Thorne¡¯s idea of a trust exercise for her and part of the agreement to come along. The spirit they¡¯d met on the way here had already proved valuable. Enough inspiration and conflict would make evolution inevitable and there wouldn¡¯t even be a need to complete Nae¡¯s Garden. Only so many days, but the sixth and seventh floors were problematic.

    ¡°The unbonded beasts won¡¯t react well to the spirit wall. So it will be the seven of you, the coatl and familiars. Jin will lead you to the wall.¡± Thorne finished.

    The dark-haired necromancer was less put together than he was last night. Either he finished that bottle or was faking it. Leading the group out they circled the fort. ¡°The spirit wall is that way.¡±  He gestured.

    There was nothing to see, a bare patch of land before the trees started. Harmony could feel it. With [Mana Rotation] she could see it with that extra sense combining with her necromantic power, a shimmering swirl of spiritual energy flowing in a huge circle around what is called the Deadwoods. Standing farthest back, she watched Max, and Tyler slam into it and bounce off like it was solid. Jessica, Rose, and Len avoided it because they were a few paces behind. Jin laughed like this was the best joke ever in his laughter, he didn¡¯t catch Adric stepping into the wall as though it was nothing.

    Harmony called him back to her with her primal bond, making him step out in time for the Grave Society necromancer not to notice. He might have warned her, but she didn¡¯t trust him that much. ¡°What?¡± Adric asked.

    ¡°Stick by me. Jin, told me of some premonition of danger last night but couldn¡¯t give me details.¡± No need to worry him about being able to cross into the wall that easily, and if his favorite uncle cast down that purifying strike to test him, Harmony wasn¡¯t going to give any of Adric¡¯s family fuel to think the prince was anything other than an overly healthy normal human miracle boy.

    ¡°Welcome to the spirit wall. Made to keep most of us out and most of them in. The creatures attracted to the woods have no problem entering the barrier, and we have no problem exiting from inside. Bonding a spirit gets you a free pass to travel both ways.  The wall is spectral formations pushed away from both the dungeons and too weak to form an attachment or manifest visually, weaker spirits, specters, ghosts, and geists. Kind of a natural river of them.¡± Jin announced looking a bit more sober.

    ¡°You could have told me it was bloody invisible,¡±  Tyler complained.

    ¡°It was mentioned in the book,¡± Len answered.

    ¡°The Grave Society always has someone here to help pierce the veil of the wall. Unless you wish to do the honors, Lady White?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re the expert. I¡¯m here to learn, observe, and assist my fellow regional competitors.¡±

    Jin shoved his hand into the wall. The spirits scattered away like a scared school of fish, not leaving the flow but parting to the top and diving into the ground when they could. He wasn¡¯t doing anything special with his skills or powers. Could it be they just disliked necromancers?

    ¡°Enter here, and good luck hunting. Be sure to keep your eyes out for trouble. It is an interesting place there.¡± Jin said with a smile.

    Tyler entered first, reaching out with his hand to make sure he could get through, and slowly, one by one, they entered. Harmony stepped in not last but with Adric and Hycinth at her back. Expecting the spirits to scoot further away. Chronostasis kicked in as they rushed straight at her. She only managed to open her mouth to swear when the first hit her. ''You!'' Echoed through her head.

 Chapter One Hundred and Eleven * Seventy-One

    Chapter Seventy-One

    It tickled.

    ''You. You. You. You. You.''

    If chronostasis wasn¡¯t on it would be an unintelligible buzz as spirits streamed into, around, and sometimes through her. That was where the tickling happened, vague interactions as two spiritual containers interacted. Both are real but out of phase. When she needed to use soul strike, she needed to adjust for that. It was like squeezing all your muscles tense, but with a snap, she stopped the intrusions of those who went into her. ''What? ''She sent back.

    Body spirit. Body Spirit. Body Spirit. But with those words came the slowly building image of a face, familiar because Harmony constructed it.

    Bea?

    Bea! Bea. Bea. And with that hints of Bea passing through last night. These spirits wanted a stable body too. It was worse than what would happen if you fed a garden gnome. Then you¡¯d just wake up with a dozen of those buggers begging, puking, and pulling at your socks.

    How complex a message could these spirits get? I need to get stronger first, and I MIGHT return to experiment later. Right now I¡¯m helping my companions find strong spirits to bond with. With that Harmony did her best to send a mental image of Len, Rose, Max, and Tyler.

    Chronostasis ended before she could get a response and it became a stream of buzzing she had to push through while following the others through the wall.

    ¡°Blasted bones,¡± Harmony muttered on the other side. The others were already speechless, or in Max and Tyler¡¯s case, weapons out. Sword and maul in their hands. The spirit wall was more than just a barrier. Harmony could picture Jin continuing to laugh from his side. She glanced back, actually, she didn¡¯t need to picture it because he was laughing, but the spirit wall muted the sound.

    What had looked like plain woods bustled with spirits. Wispy translucent birds and dragons dancing in and out of trees that were now twice as thick with spiritual trees merged into the woods. The thickness of the lent book, Spirits, Geists, and Oddities of the Deadwoods now made sense.  The wall hid them all.

    Adric walked to the head of the group and turned to face the others. ¡°Welcome to the Deadwoods.¡± The grin on his face showed he enjoyed the joke as much as Jin had. Thorne had declared him the guide because of his experience here. ¡°I know you are used to the mindless attacking monsters of Old Bones. And while I¡¯m not saying there is no danger here. I think you¡¯ll find many of the denizens of the deadwoods much more welcoming, especially when considering what you have to offer.¡±

    With that, he stepped a few paces forward and rapped his knuckles on a rock.  [Awareness] hit Harmony¡¯s gut and [Recall] reminded her what this area looked like on the other side of the spirit wall. That rock had not been there.

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    With a rumble the stone rose up out of the ground with the craggy face of what you might think was a rock golem. Harmony could sense that it was but a container for an undead spirit living inside of it.  A solid simulacrum of rock, the difference probably didn''t matter if you were crushed by it. At full height, it towered over twelve feet tall.

    ¡°Adric? What in all the spaces has become of you?¡± It asked in a deep booming voice.

    ¡°I died. Came back, and have some promises I can now fulfill. Everyone, I would like to introduce you to Garrick, greeter of the Deadwoods.¡±

    Promises? Relationship with giant rock ghosts? Little details about the nature of his time in the Deadwoods? And while she¡¯d never specifically asked him about his time in the Deadwoods, Harmony thought he maybe should have volunteered all this information beforehand and not made it a surprise. Ambrosia was clearly a bad influence on him.

    ¡°Geh. Geh. Geh.¡± Hyacinth chuckled at Harmony¡¯s wide eyes.

    Hyacinth, too.

    ¡°I only greet those who wish to be greeted and enter here. On good days it gives me purpose.¡± The giant grumbled.

    ¡°Well, some of my friends here want to bond spirits to help them with a fabulous quest called the Ascendant Games.¡±

    ¡°Quest? Fabulous? I will spread the word. Go forth and prove yourselves.¡± With that, Garrick sank back into the earth.

    Rose stomped up first. ¡°What the hell was that Addy?¡± she demanded.

    Harmony was glad the princess chose to take the brunt of that conversation. She wanted answers too.

    ¡°The Deadwoods are complicated. You know I went here after my evolution when nothing else worked. There is a history here, the books were old and dusty, and you know I hate reading, but I was desperate. Several attempts have been made to transform this region into a dungeon. There have been failed crusades to cull the whole place. Hunters still come here. Others wish to commune with spirits to forward their classes.  It is important to come in here without too many expectations and a little levity.¡±

    Thorne hadn¡¯t been the most forthcoming either for this trip. Too many questions had led to extra training, according to Max. The book she¡¯d lent them talked of the wall and then went into detail about the different things you might find and nothing else. Everyone had some opinion of what this place would be.

    Harmony extended her senses. Where the dungeon was a monoculture of energy. Hundreds of different types of energy laced with death could be felt. The rocky aspect of Garrick still lingered even as he left to alert others.

    ¡°You heard what the greeter said, Let¡¯s go forth and prove ourselves,¡± announced Max.

    With one of their group taking the lead, the others seeking bonds fell into place. That had been part of the trust exercises Thorne drilled into the four.  Once someone sets a path, you listen to them until they fail or it becomes the utmost emergency.

    Harmony made her way to Adric and cast silence around them. ¡°Are you going to tell me what this is about?¡±

    Adric, by now familiar with the sound-dampening effect, spoke. ¡°Once it was clear that I was going and that Thorne could use me as a guide, we had some discussions. She cleared my guild debt and reinstated me with a credit in exchange for taking this mission. She really does want them to get the strongest bonds possible. Talking to Garrick. Initiating a quest and having them not know what is coming will give them the greatest chances.¡±

    ¡°And you not telling me?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re too busy with your own problems. I tell you, and you would meddle.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t¡­ Fine.¡± This wasn¡¯t her mission to find a spirit. Her job here was support. Help, protect, and observe to gain knowledge. It would be nice to not be the center of attention for once. Someone else could have a bloody adventure and be a target.

 Chapter One Hundred and Tweleve * Seventy-Two

    Chapter Seventy-Two

    ¡°Which one of you is my path out of this cursed woods?¡± The large mostly-translucent orb of a creature with eyes dotting its limbless body demanded, blocking the path forward.

    Len had the book out and started flipping through the pages of the creature compendium for the Deadwoods.

    ¡°Hazgul Keist. Tier two geist. Careful, the book lists him as hostile, otherwise he would be on our list.¡± Len reads

    ¡°Hostile! Hostile! You would be hostile too if you were trapped here! These eyes are made for seeing and I¡¯ve seen every corner of this dreary prison. And that book! I recognize that author, one of the most despicable and degrading people to ever step foot into the Deadwoods, Professor S. Grosse. If you want a real expert, one is sitting right in front of you.¡°

    Tier two. The book went with that system for beings that didn¡¯t evolve and grow. Tier one was the equivalent to a non-evolved person, two once-evolved, three twice-evolved, and down the line. Trying to get any tier three bond successful would be pushing it, and risks with the spirit being the top power in the relationship.

    ¡°Harmony, can you get a sense of the geist?¡± Len asked.

    Experience, that¡¯s why she¡¯s here. So she walked toward the independent spirit.

    ¡°Hey!¡±  Hazgul started.

    [Shadowed Graves] cast out, boosted by that sense of awe for all who would be cast. That stilled the geist in its tracks. Adric always preened under these effects and she suspected it affected the undead more strongly than the living. [Mana Rotation] spun up her sight as she strung [Analyze] and [Keen Investigative Awareness] along with her class''s sense of death in that blend that included a touch of [Renew Spirit] and [Final Silence], that soul sight she used for sublayer attacks.

    Non-corporeal beings should be easier to work with. She pressed her hand into the sphere, the resistance was like dipping your hand into water, slight but there. The framework that held the spirit was more entwined with its soul mostly intangible but floating like a bit of ice in water, most of it under the surface. This meant you could wear away some in the physical world, and over time destabilize it all, but offered a superior level of protection against most attacks.

    Several core skills floated in the mess but mostly acted like a battery to maintain its presence providing a constant flow of soul energy. Strong as it was, she knew she could kill it. Part of her asked to do just that. Having this trip take her out of the dungeon runs meant a hint of bloodlust was rising.  Hazgul¡¯s fear didn''t help, but there was hope and desire. It did want out of the Deadwoods and to bond with one of these potential heroes. Inquisitive, vigilant, watching, any could benefit, but Len felt more potential as none of the others in the group showed interest.

    If Len wanted this, the least she could do would be to freshen it up for him. Obvious old wounds that [Beautician] picked out because they marred a system that strived toward symmetry.  There was even some more recent damage that looked to be bleeding invisible fluid. [Cold Touch] and [Mend] with [Renew Spirit] to rebuild the edges, and a little work to strengthen and repair any skills by adding in [Final Silence] on inflamed bits.

    The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

    The whole thing quivered and moaned, but didn¡¯t pull away. The sound caused Tyler to ready his weapon.

    The potential to play with the form was there but could lead to mistakes. Some eyes seemed stronger than others, so she instead used that as a model for repairing all of them. That touch of exhaustion warning of low mana pulled her out of her work, enough that Harmony tied up loose ends and stepped back. Her body slid out of the large spherical creature, apparently, she''d been so distracted she''d stepped fully inside while working.

    Everyone was staring at her. ¡°What?¡± Harmony demanded.

    ¡°You were in there awhile.¡± Max choked out.

    Hazgul Keist was, while not more solid, a bit shinier and now pressed in a half-squished ball in supplication before her. ¡°This one is yours, Len. One of the basic bond spirits scrolls should do. I sensed no maliciousness or deception.¡±

    Not asking twice Len pulled out a scroll and bag of supplies to power it. ¡°Knowing it¡¯s name should help.  Hazgul Keist I offer a bond to you. Take it so you may support my causes.¡±

    The scroll glowed and the geist eagerly jumped into the magic. Harmony watched the bond form in both Len and the geist. Unlike Skills stones, it was more like they were stitched together than having it grow inside of them.  As the Geist faded away. Len half collapsed onto one knee.

    ¡°Where did it go?¡± Jessica asked.

    ¡°Ha ha ha ha.¡± Ethereal laughter echoed around Len. ¡°I¡¯m still here when you need me. Blessings upon you all.¡±

    ¡°Len, you okay?¡± Harmony asked.

    With a groan, the wizard straightened. ¡°Yes. He is stronger than I anticipated. Once I evolve it will be less of an issue. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ve told him that if he misbehaves, I¡¯ll send you after him. That seems to keep him in line. What did you do to him?¡±

    ¡°I did my best to fix up any old damage I saw. No point in you bonding a wounded spirit. Like I did to that zombie on the road.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s amazing. No wonder Thorne said to listen to you.¡± Tyler gushed.

    Jessica did flash annoyance and a slight wave of heat.

    Len looked to swallow more questions.

    ¡°Let''s find some more spirits, maybe we¡¯ll all get lucky and find them waiting on the path for us,¡± Rose said, walking forward.

    More geists did appear on the road. Those didn¡¯t fare so well. ¡°Trash!¡±  Hazgul yelled. A smack of invisible force knocking away half-formed geists or ones who started to beg.  ¡°No respect for what you want to accomplish, just rushing here because they¡¯re the fastest spirits.¡±

    Most were weak, but one or two did seem like they might have potential for someone else in the group, but the newly bonded spirit bashed them away eagerly, with the glee of someone with a new toy.

    Harmony nearly stepped in, but Hazgul wasn¡¯t entirely wrong. Harmony had no interest in seeing everyone in the group equipped with invisible geists and rushing off to leave this place. Then they could pretend to not be linked to any undead and would be free of dirty insinuations and rumors.  And even invisible, the talkative geist would at least carry a presence with him that couldn¡¯t be ignored.

    Those slightly stronger geists sent away might be able to spread the news that this crew was looking for a certain level of spirit for those in this group to bind. Spiritual politics at its finest.

 Chapter One Hundred and Thirteen * Seventy-Three

    Chapter Seventy-Three

    The dream scenario for Max, Len, Rose, and Tyler quickly succumbed to reality as geists stopped coming. Spirits and geists tended to only be tier-one entities, and they needed stronger than that to compete. That didn¡¯t mean they ignored other plans using the book Thorne had lent them for the expedition.

    ¡°This is a terrible idea,¡± Hazgul commented.

    Len¡¯s newly bonded spirit provided details the book didn¡¯t have. He explained that half of their targets no longer existed or were downgraded due to time wearing the spirits away. He also had the approximate locations of many of them.

    ¡°Saccerate is crazy.¡± The spirit continued.

    ¡°She has what Max needs.¡± Harmony interrupted. This was her plan so she was a little biased here.

    The geist flickered out of the conversation.

    ¡°You know, maybe we should listen to him.¡± Rose put forth.

    The princess¡¯s target was next on the list after this one, but according to the information, Saccerate was closer. Saccerate was an oddity and listed as both hostile and extremely dangerous. Tier two or three with a question mark because the author didn¡¯t want to get close to her. Garrick, who greeted them was an earth spirit, similarly, Saccerate was a chaos spirit.

    ¡°Harmony, I could use more chaos for my skills, but are you sure this is how to get it?¡± Max asked with nervousness in his voice.

    He hadn¡¯t had this problem when they came up with the plan. Thorne had donated multiple types of spirit-bonding scrolls to the cause for this trip. The most common was the one Len used which required a willing target. Spirit prison binding, did not. It took more resources to activate, required close contact, and an ability to resist the spirit in a battle of will.

    ¡°Are you afraid of a little challenge?¡± Tyler mocked unhelpfully.

    ¡°You have advantages here she can¡¯t expect. And we¡¯ll be there to bail you out if you need help.¡± Harmony made sure to not tweak his oath to her in any way. This had to be his decision.

    ¡°Fine,¡± Max said with a long sigh and marched into the woods leaving the rest of the group just outside the spirit¡¯s territory.

    Ever since Little Lord chose to introduce that woman to him, life had fallen straight off the planned path.  The lingering of his sworn¡¯s presence faded the deeper he moved toward where Saccerate waited. Confidence faded and doubt crept in. These creepy-ass woods didn¡¯t help, half the trees weren¡¯t even real.

    All this because of a maid, with a touch of unearthly beauty propped up by skills, so coveted by Tyler, that all he had to do was woo her first to assert dominance over his cousin. The loss in the dungeon club had been a tad embarrassing but he could have worked with that. The disastrous dungeon run. When she¡¯d ¡°died¡± he was ready to pound Tyler¡¯s head for bringing the maid into that mess and continuing when things got unusual. But it wasn¡¯t like he¡¯d stopped them either.

    And now¡­ The oath he made burned inside of him intertwined with both his class and profession. Slowly, he tapped into it, just for a second.

    The living and dead trees flickered in his vision, where before it was hard to distinguish between them, now he could feel the difference and which he could pass through safely to ease his journey. A power was there filled with potential. And once she evolved, her choices would change him, but her new strength would also be a part of his.

    That idea grew the chaos in [Chaos Seed]. It pulsed as if watered by this whole crazy attempt as it seemed to thrive off the potential for things to go right or wrong.  That rogue skill loved that Harmony was both the best and worst thing that ever happened to him.

    Attributing personalities to skills was also new. Ambrosia had him use his scribe skills to copy all of Lady White¡¯s training journals as important documents for her noble house, so there would always be backups. Since evolution, the desire to emulate the necromancer¡¯s theories, and techniques has only grown.  To act as her agent of chaos, and spend any free time supporting Lady White¡¯s interests, the ones she didn¡¯t have time to manage herself. To be her singularly sworn and dedicate everything to her. Can¡¯t tell her that, she¡¯d be too embarrassed by that.

    It felt good to have a purpose more than just drinking, womanizing, and giving lip service to the map his family wanted him to follow. That was going to explode in his face soon once they realized what he¡¯d done.

    This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

    ¡°A human male, lost are we?¡±

    Don¡¯t introspect while walking towards the home of a dangerous spirit! Saccerate stood in front of him, a translucent naked woman flickering with arcing electric sparks of chaos. Siren, possessor, and if the book was right one of the oldest spirits in the deadwoods.

    ¡°I¡¯m not lost. I¡¯m here to bind you so I can borrow some of your power. I¡¯d prefer this to be as painless as possible.¡±

    Okay. So it is impossible to lie, and you are compelled to answer questions in her presence. Nothing frightening about this, and nothing he hadn¡¯t experienced around Harmony. Using his free hand Max patted the pouch with the scroll and casting components. Still able to move freely.

    Saccerate laughed. The musical notes of the chaos siren¡¯s voice had Max stepping closer. So, not fully in control of himself. This is all part of the plan. Danger, Max! Danger! Oh, at least the part of him that needed that was now able to summon the pink-haired copy of Harmony if needed. Usually, he needed to be beaten bloody for that.

    ¡°I haven¡¯t had someone so bold or stupid approach me this way in a long time. Hunters, acolytes of chaos, and the unlucky.¡±

    Max continued walking until he was so close that Saccerate¡¯s ghostly hands cupped his face. ¡°There is more than a touch of chaos in you.¡±

    Maxwell smashed a scroll bag mixing activating ingredients with the scroll that fractured from his strike. The haze of magic reached out trying to form a connection.

    The siren breathed it in, ingesting it through inhalation. ¡°Oh, a spirit bond, how cute. As if I agree to that. But if you want to get closer I can make that happen.¡±

    Her hands moved past holding until her fingertips passed through and into Max¡¯s skull and then she stepped into him, her body sinking into his physical container.

    Saccerate the possessor. Guild records had her escape the Deadwoods five times in the last three hundred years. Her acts give a bad name to both undead spirits and chaos. Three of the five times the leaders of the Grave Society were able to banish her. Two other times the temples took up the mission. Only once did the poor person she possessed survive the process. This was totally a great plan, Harmony, what could go wrong?

    Max found his consciousness contained as Saccerate played with her new toy, only able to see and feel, but having no control over his movements.   Did she really need to shove his hand down the front of his pants?

    Similarly, he was blocked off from his class and profession skills only able to visualize her using them. A dash forward. A sword slash created a projection of cutting energy. Then the spirit poked his oath. That sense of danger hadn¡¯t left. The spirit occupying his body and spirit only intensified it.

    Harmony felt her mind split. Max with a cruel smile that had never graced his face stood in front of her. Chaos sparked in his eyes and along his beard in an overly active way she¡¯d never seen before flashing multiple times a second. I guess that answered this question on possible outcomes.

    ¡°What are you?¡± The possessed asked, Max¡¯s voice overlaid with the feminine of the spirit.

    It was an interesting picture viewed through what she¡¯d decided to dub her soul sight. As she¡¯d seen when working on the zombie the space with a person''s skills is separate from their soul. Saccerate¡¯s possession had shoved Maxwell to the side, a thick wall of spiritual energy surrounding him while her foreign energy zipped about Max¡¯s skills and body.  That wall would complicate their goals.

    ¡°I¡¯m your summon.¡±  The truth came out of Harmony¡¯s mouth unbidden.

    Saccerate in Max¡¯s body stepped forward and put his/her arms around Harmony¡¯s waist. ¡°Does that mean I can do what I want with you?¡±  They asked with a sultry hitch and a leering smirk that-look Harmony had seen on Max¡¯s face before.

    Maybe they would do well bonded together? But not with this kind of power dynamics. ¡°You would wish for that.¡± Wrapping one of her arms around Max¡¯s back, something easily done in this larger form, Harmony grasped the second scroll/ingredient combo strapped to his back. First the wall. Harmony¡¯s free hand punched Max¡¯s kidney with a soul strike, not aiming for a skill or to damage Saccerate. That Barrier burst and Max flooded back into his body. ¡°But no, Maxwell is mine, and since you¡¯re in him you¡¯ll do what I want.¡± Harmony¡¯s fist crushed the spell bag activating the spirit prison binding for Max to use. ¡°Now, heel.¡± She commanded letting the power of authority and death mix with her intent toward her target.

    At the same time the Harmony without the inverted oath pushed her will into that connection, knowing Saccerate was still connected to the skill and body bound to the profession, the lady¡¯s agent of chaos and class singularly sworn.

    There was an alternative plan if this failed outside of her killing the spirit. Saccerate was a being of chaos and the summon of Harmony fed on chaos while being outside of Max¡¯s control. Bleeding it was an option, so she also bled it a little during this fight.

    Max fought to regain his frozen body as conflicting orders and the influence of the scroll seeped with Maxwell''s blood. You needed a close connection for spirit prison binding to work and there was nothing closer than a possession.

    Harmony barely had to do anything other than give Max a few pokes with her finger helping corner Saccerate into her own cage, and the bond from the scroll was much stronger than the wall Harmony had pierced.

    Max¡¯s voice cried out in a mix of victory and defeat as he fell to his knees. This kind of bond will leave a brand on his body somewhere, a small price to pay.

    Once that pervasive sense of danger was gone,  Harmony patted Max on the cheek, ¡°Good job.¡±  Then she dispersed with a grin inspired by a well-executed plan.

 Chapter One Hundred and Fourteen * Seventy-Four

    Seventy-Four

    Max stumbled back into the group with a staggered step like he''d been hit in the head several times past too many.

    ¡°Check if he¡¯s possessed!¡± Hazgul shrieked.

    ¡°He¡¯s not,¡± Harmony assured the spirit. ¡°How are you feeling Max?¡±

    ¡°Like I¡¯m the jailer to a horny, violent, mass murderer who whispers the most inappropriate things into my ear. But I¡¯ve got this.¡±

    Jessica scooted away from the agent and closer to Tyler. ¡°How about we get a friendly offensively-minded spirit for Lord Tyler? Something to compliment his defensive capabilities as a tank.¡±

    Friendly and offensively minded did not mix well with spirits in the book. If any creature was set in their ways it was them. Death usually didn¡¯t create an environment for change. If that is something Tyler wanted they¡¯d have to have some concessions. ¡°After we go check on the chained spirit for Rose we can look into that.¡°

    Grosse categorized the chain spirit as a weak tier two one. Hazgul says it still existed, and Harmony hoped she could boost it for Rose. The ability to restrict opponents was something she could use.  But it was bound to a chain, so she¡¯d have to haul it everywhere.

    Harmony yelped as Adric pulled her to the side. Everyone had weapons in their hands as the ground split sending a tree crashing down.

    Garrick¡¯s head popped out of the crack. ¡°Ho, questors. Spirits come to check your worth and prove theirs.¡± Then his head disappeared into the ground.

    ¡°Not this guy. ¡° Len¡¯s spirit complained.

    ¡°What?¡± Len asked.

    ¡°You are going to now see a bunch of eccentric spirits. Nothing nice and normal like I am. Wake me when the circus is over.¡± Hazgul flickered out.  Harmony could feel him nestled and condensed into Len¡¯s bond.

    A wave of spiritual pressure blew in. The ghost trees flickered out. The deadwoods merely felt dense, until revealed to be otherwise. Minor spirits fled from the wave. Then real trees started to fall, and a clearing formed around them.

    Outside of that gust, Harmony couldn¡¯t pick up on what was going on. It was dungeon-like with the environmental manipulation, but not. This was not her forte even if undead was involved. The team was getting nervous, grabbing weapons, readying skills¡­ except for¡­ Adric and Bowe.  This was clearly part of Thorne¡¯s plan. Some random event or interaction they couldn¡¯t be told about beforehand?

    At the edge of the clearing they were in, amorphous shapes, hazy beings, and looming shadows all watched and waited.

    ¡°Wanna play!?¡± The shriekingly high voice echoed out. A clown stumbled out of the circle of trees, then another, and another. A colorful one with a red balloon. One black and white with a tiny black hat.  One with a smile like his mouth had been cut wider with a knife. Clowns continued to funnel out and toward them with looks in their eyes, when they had eyes, that showed a distinct lack of sanity.

    ¡°Harmony?¡± Tyler asked.

    She didn¡¯t need her class senses to tell her these were wrong. Or how terrifying or monstrous they were. Even if there was a nice one in the bunch none of these fools needed to be bonded to a clown. ¡°Not friendly. Jessica, want to light them up?¡±

    The sunfire berzerker cracked her knuckles and punched out with a stream of fire.

    Harmony kept back and let the others fight. Tyler¡¯s maul knocked the head off of one but the body kept coming. Rose¡¯s energy arrows blew off kneecaps halting movement. Len sent fireballs and set up shields. Max bisected the undead with his sword going shoulder to hip. They had this under control, so she walked over to Adric and cast a little bit of silence around them.

    ¡°This isn¡¯t much of a negotiation?¡±

    ¡°They have to prove themselves. When Bowe and I went to get the attention of the spirits here it was spiders. I think I prefer clowns. More punchable.¡±

    This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming there will be a few rounds of this?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°More or less. I was seeking advice or help on my condition. With them wanting spirits for bonding I don¡¯t know what will be thrown their way. Thorne insisted they not know the details, as knowing beforehand can taint the results. So, bring in the clowns.¡±

    Some big muscly clowns with mallets that made Tyler¡¯s maul look small wandered out as well. The team was handling it, staggering skill usages so that with a quick bit of communication either a look or tap they would sub out.  As the last clown fell they turned into sand, sinking into the earth.

    ¡°Under the great eye, all shall be revealed!¡±

    In the sky overhead a giant eye formed blocking out the whole clearing under its shadow. Harmony grunted as a greater inspection effect slammed into her. It permeated her body, skills, and soul. A piece of her flinched it away, deflecting it from going too deep. Like a reflexive flash of her morning routine. Her sense of existence remembered a similar feeling of intrusion when Von Trell visited and knocked her out. Like [Recall] trying to pull memories of a bad dream.

    Everyone staggered under the effect. Len was on his hands and knees.  Max puked. Rose wobbled. Tyler activated one of his tank abilities causing him to square up and shine with defensive power. Jessica had her hair turn into a mane of fire for a moment.

    Along the edge of the clearing, the first statue was unearthed from the ground. Adric sat cross-legged on a backless bench, a much smaller jewel-encrusted Bowe, to get the colors right, in his lap like a dog, tongue lolling out of his mouth. He had a huge grin and vitality in his eyes, with a single silver chain wrapped around his throat.

    Jessica¡¯s statue was pure red, stone glowing with heat, a defiant look daring anyone to challenge her. The statue''s clothing is a maid¡¯s uniform with stone fire eating away at it. At her feet, A burning pile of rope coiled around her in a mess.

    Maxwell¡¯s rose up next, pink popping up out of the earth. Descending order of power, at least if defined by levels. Harmony placed her statue as going up last. A little bit of marketing for the spirits watching. The pink-haired singularly sworn¡¯s statue had him kneeling with his sword before a sleeping statue of Harmony dressed in her armor looking too perfect. What would be a knight''s armor hung broken from his body, a shiny new black suit underneath. At his ankle, a tiny red devil strapped to chains tried to pull away from him.

    Maxwell''s face fell, and Harmony covered hers briefly in embarrassment at the scene.

    Jessica looked the most confused, so at least Tyler had let Max¡¯s class status slip to her.  ¡°What in the burnt toast is going on there!¡± She demanded.

    ¡°Well.¡± Tyler started

    The statues weren¡¯t done. Tyler and his maul raised high in one hand and the other hand grasped a broken crown.  The armor was a patchwork of metallic colors, shades of silver, gray, black, and gold.

    ¡°Hey, Little Lord, what''s with your crown!¡± Max yelled to distract from his own issues.

    Rosaline¡¯s emerged. She had a crown too, but not the classic kind Tyler held in his hand, a heavy iron chain circled her brow.  Through her right palm, the arrow of many things sat pierced. Rather than armor, she was wearing a large poofy ballroom dress, sparkling and white.

    Only two left. As oddly embarrassing as the statues were, Harmony saw potential to figure out the root of the theocratic bond, maybe the eternal title would be somewhere.

    Len¡¯s rose up. Farthington now a full dragon wrapped around his bare shoulders. As it continued to rise up out of the earth the statue continued to be bare. Shirtless, but not without his spells. Wards and spell circles he could use to cast decorated every inch of his skin. In the hand where the Jamesian bond was paired, a glowing light shone from his palm. At its full exposure, Len¡¯s statue stood tall, proud, and completely naked.

    Well, at least that¡¯s not happening to her. Night should firmly be on any statue that rises out of the ground next. Right?

    No crown. That¡¯s a win. Rather than stone, this one appeared to be made of polished sand so fine it might as well be dust. Harmony could feel the ground bone mixed into it. The whites of the status eyes were nearly all bone. And the look on her face, one might mistake for fear, instead was pain.

    What looked like frost gripped her throat. Night clothed her, twisted and ripped. Bruises decorated the flesh, a rib extended out broken. [Recall] reminded Harmony of all the times she died. Stabbed from behind. Overwhelmed by the queen''s recognition. Bodies of hers bludgeoned, beaten, chewed, and frozen during the climb. The simulacrum¡¯s right hand was missing, ripped off above the wrist.

    Pain, but so much was missing. No Hyacinth where Len had Farthington. No Adric where the prince had Bowe. Max had her and even his new spirit bound to him. In that, it was ugly in a visceral way that demanded an answer.

    Harmony walked up to her statue. It stood a good bit taller than her. Fine like dust. [Manipulate Dead] Pulverized some of the bone inside it more turning it to actual dust allowing her to get to work [Beautician], [Dust], and [Manipulate Dead] blended together as she commenced the remodeling.[ Mend] helped fuse it back together in the correct way.

    [Analyze], [Style and Grace], with [Poise and Bearing] to work on the body into a strong pose with none of the crippling pain of the form as the bruises, breaks, and blood are erased.

    Not enough colored material to do the hand right, but there is enough bone in the sand to make the replacement solid white, and in her palm is a tiny black Hyacinth and two miniatures representing Prince Adric and Maxwell beside it.

    Exhausting, but not worse than when she''d done all the hair and makeup for Songstress and the flows. Now it had style, class, and beauty.

    Len edged in nervously, breaking Harmony''s trance-like focus.  ¡°Um. Harm, could you maybe help put clothes on my statue?¡±

 Chapter One Hundred and Fifteen * Seventy-Five

    Chapter Seventy-Five

    Jessica was the last person Harmony expected to approach her after she used dust to cover Len¡¯s Statue¡¯s bits with makeshift pants. ¡°Are you okay, Harmony? That statue was intense.¡± The sunfire berzerker asked.

    ¡°Probably the spirit''s idea of a joke. I am the only necromancer here.¡± The deflection came out too quickly, naturally filtered through an underlying activity of [Poise and Bearing] and [Style and Grace]. No, her former co-worker didn''t deserve that after trying to remake herself. ¡°More likely, it¡¯s reminding me why I¡¯m here after only a glimpse. Being Lady White might seem glamorous, but it has come with a bit of pain.¡±

    ¡°Well, if you want to talk. I know I haven''t been the best in the past, but I¡¯m here for you.¡± Jessica offered.

    Tyler shuffled over. "I''m, um, here for you too." Making it awkward.

    At least it is just them. Len, Rose, Max, and Adric all had varying understandings of how bad Tyler''s timing could be.

    The voice of the spirits echoed again. ¡°You are seen!¡± Awkward time for a disembodied voice to yell that. The statues crumbled back into the earth. ¡°A real challenge comes.¡± The spirit voices finished.

    No one needed to be told twice to ready their weapons. After the statue debacle, Harmony wanted to kick something. She¡¯d avoided dying in front of friends to keep them from seeing her like that.  Jessica was the kind and tame reaction she''d at least accept. The boys might try to keep her in a padded room for protection. Or worse, run off and get themselves killed

    The three-headed monstrosity that coalesced at the edge of the clearing was a classic chimera with its lion, goat, and serpent pieces, and in this case, completely undead. The lion¡¯s face was half eaten away to a bare skull and patchy flesh covered it. Its size made it similar to that of one of the floor guardians. Harmony¡¯s head would probably reach its knees, and the lion''s head could almost swallow Hyacinth whole. "Grrupt." He complained, sensing her thoughts. Maybe not, considering how chonky he was getting.

    This was not her time to show off for the spirits. But that didn¡¯t mean Harmony couldn¡¯t plan to step in if needed. Getting full use of her necromancy skills for a challenge of this level was exciting. There was always going for the joints by fusing or breaking them. Maybe she could show off and have her and Hyacinth come in from above? There would be more info on what it could do once the other engaged it. Acting as their only support, it could be valuable to readjust to that role with [Mend] and [Renew Spirit] as a heal.

    The shrieking wail the creature let out of the goat head sent a ripple of fear, forcing everyone to step back a few steps under the uncontrollable need to retreat. With good discipline, no one turned away to retreat blindly. The snake-headed tail spit out a gob of acid, and Rose dodged with a skill. The ground where she¡¯d been standing sizzled and started to depress under the effects. [Mend] wouldn¡¯t help with that. Avoid acid at all costs.

    The lion part raised its head to roar. No roar came out as it froze mid-inhalation. A faint hiss of escaping air came out, followed by a wet ripping sound as a seam straight down the middle of the powerful creature started to split.  Two equal halves of the two-story tall monster separated. A secret transformation? A unique skill? No one in the party had attacked yet. Undead viscera, guts, and bones tumbled out as the lateral bisection split, like an unpleasant gift. Their challenge laid out, interrupted, disassembled, and uncompleted with the chimera in two still chunks.

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    Floating between and over those split parts was a normal-sized man. Bates? No. Bates couldn¡¯t float, and whoever this was they were a tad shorter and undead. His butler uniform was out of date stylistically, and his jacket had a tail. But the uniform was there. White gloves to check for dust, and the nearly identical calm and collected, yet patient look a master butler had.  There was also the aura of power that made Harmony feel like it was her first day at Coodly Manor, standing before Bates, ready for her first assignment.  A more powerful enemy butler?

    ¡°Sorry to break tradition. Pressing matters are before us and require me to step out early. Let me get a look at the candidates.¡±

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t seem to be hostile,¡± Harmony yelled out to the group. Not that she could get much sense other than an aura as her soul sight was blocked. No one put down their weapons but no one attacked.

    ¡°The prince. No longer dying but¡­ that won¡¯t do.¡± He said, eyes on Adric. Harmony felt their cool gaze turn to her. ¡°Such authority, yet new blood and having it rule you. Not you either.¡±  Rose flinched when he turned to her. ¡°A princess. Good bloodline. Authority is a bit lacking, but undisturbed. You¡¯ll do.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll do - for what?¡± Rosaline asked, using authority to support her words.

    ¡°You¡¯re here to bond a spirit. I have extensive experience serving those with authority. With some uninvited guests coming to disturb this trial you could use the assistance. I don¡¯t recommend going without it, and the time we have is limited.¡±

    ¡°Guests?¡± Adric asked.

    ¡°No time. You...¡± The spirit pointed to Tyler. ¡°...have a bond undead servant scroll and materials. It¡¯s the only one that will be able to handle this contract. Give them to the princess.¡±

    ¡°Do you know how rare those...?¡± Tyler started.

    ¡°Give them to her now.¡± The butler said with enough steel that hinted that if they weren¡¯t given, they¡¯d be taken.

    ¡°Harmony?¡± Rose asked.

    [Keen Investigative Awareness] was spitting out plenty of alarms, but none directly at this spirit. ¡°Do it!¡±

    The order had Tyler sprint over and hand scroll and bundle, one of the many he brought for the trip.

    The powerful spirit floated down to face Rose. The princess was already dumping Tyler''s vials of his blood and cutting her palm for the scroll. ¡°I apologize for the abruptness, my lady. You may call me Hargreaves. I fear this will take too long.¡± Hargreaves''s head turned to the others. ¡°You will need to protect us until this binding is complete.¡±

    Rose activated the scroll, and a connection started to build between the two. That was when the sky shattered with cracks and chunks that faded out almost immediately, and the sense of environmental control over the area faded from their senses as the spectral trees flickered back into existence.

    ¡°Signal Thorne,¡± Harmony yelled needlessly, as Adric was already snapping the emergency token he¡¯d been given by her.

    That was when the familiar hit of obscurement passed over Harmony, that same feeling she¡¯d felt when summoned to the alleyway. Whoever was coming didn¡¯t want to be recognized. After that attack on Max, Thorne had provided the team with a charm, just in case, so they¡¯d at least know a friend from foe if this happened.

    Everyone positioned themselves around the princess and Hargreaves. Harmony called forth [Shadowed Graves] ready to fight.

 Chapter One Hundred and Sixteen * Seventy-Six

    Chapter Seventy-Six

    Len kicked his lazy spirit bond awake. [Astral Projection] let his mind shoot up and out to get a bird''s eye view. It was time to use his profession¡¯s skills in a way they were not designed to. Harmony¡¯s letters, cherished as always, helped build this technique.  [Research], [Spot Mistake], and [Grade]  looked at and evaluated the incoming situation. This is not when you want to give an opposing team high marks, but what he saw from the attackers showed a disciplined and experienced group of units.  Four teams of five. Probably used the dungeon as a training tool with that kind of composition.

    They needed the power of Rose¡¯s new spirit. Dropping back into his body. [Consecutive Cast] of [Shield] which he channeled through the spell stitching on his robe settled eight layers with an add-on of [Spell Perminance] over Rose and the Butler. Who knows how fragile the bonding process could be.

    Hazgul, I count twenty attackers incoming, what do you see?

    Attackers? I thought you living were always the best of friends. It¡¯s twenty-five, you missed the all-stealth unit, they¡¯re slower so they¡¯re a few seconds behind the others.

    ¡°Twenty-five incoming. Five teams of five, one all stealth, they''re coming from different sides to prevent escape,¡± Len informed the others.

    Harmony forced Chronostasis to give her time to think. If they just stand around fighting in proximity to Rose and Hargreaves that would probably be enough to disrupt the bonding, never mind that they¡¯ll get overwhelmed. With Hyacinth, she could get there fast, and Adric had Bowe. They have to go out there. She shut down the effect.

    ¡°Adric and I will bring the fight to them. Decide how best to protect the princess.¡± Hand on Hyacinth, the pair of them slipped into the shadows.

    Without anything like the ability to travel through shadows, Adric mounted Bowe as a different kind of ambusher. The kind you saw coming, but couldn¡¯t escape. [Primal Cooperation] allowed him to use his skills with Bowe as they flew, and no matter the acrobatics of a move [Two as One], his evolved riding skill would keep them together. [Dash] and [Stamina Engine] kicked in [Dash] again.

    In this case, the obscurement casting will be helpful. As with against silence, he¡¯d trained under such effects because of how commonly they are used by assassins.  [Acute Danger Sense] warned of the incoming spell. Being a prince allowed you to be spoiled with skill stone options, this one gave a little more information than the common off-the-shelf version. Homing spells, three of them, difficult to [Parry] but his princely skill [Simple Solution] had a better idea.

    With a twist, Bowe corkscrewed around the spells and they twisted back to chase him. Bowe¡¯s jaws and a [Swift Strike] hit the first faceless ambusher of the party, dragging the man away, and with one simple shift, they placed another directly in the path of the chasing spells. Adric could feel that source of danger fade away.

    Whoever they were peeling away from the group was a sturdy fellow, His shoulder to his main weapon hand was restricted by Bowe¡¯s jaws, but the other fist was pounding down, trying to get the coatl to release him.  Adric gave the man a [Charming Smile], and even though both were blurs to each other, Adric¡¯s practice under this effect knew it would work, more than work as it would have added confusion. In that time, the prince deftly clambered forward on his pet¡¯s back, knowing his skills would keep him from falling off, sword ready to finish off the man pinned mid-air between Bowe¡¯s mighty teeth.

    Dropping the body, it was time to turn back and get another one. Even with one less, it will be harder as they¡¯ll be expecting it. Adric grimly weighed his options as they sped back.

    Hyacinth spit out the body of the attacker they''d ripped away from a group. No telling how the person¡¯s items could give him an upset stomach when he needed to fight. They figured the one at the back would be most susceptible to [Final Silence], and there was no point in allowing your prey to have a chance to win.

    Harmony''s silence won¡¯t be up for the next ambush. Nasty human skills, the toad reflected on the time in the alley when an ambusher had burnt the roof of his mouth, and then he had to beg Bates for one of those nasty-tasting potions to fix it.  With the goal being to slow these folks down, it was time to hit a different group.  If they were all wary of ambushes, that should give the others time to prepare as they questioned how to proceed.

    Hyacinth chuckled, for he knew who to strike next. No matter how stealthy you thought you were. Prey was prey, and his senses would get them even when they thought they were safely hidden. That was when they expected it the least.

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    ¡°You sure?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Grupt.¡± And they were off.

    Jessica grasped the anger of her class, letting rage rather than despair fuel the sunfire berserker''s energy. Harmony would run off to be a hero like she was the only one who could save the day.  It¡¯s not like she could show off this close, going full blast could toast the wizard¡¯s defensive work. Time to move out, but before that, she used her priestess skill[Kind Embrace] on Len to let him recharge quickly.

    ¡°Lord Tyler, I¡¯m going out to help keep space between them and you.¡±

    As a Tank, if his goal was to protect Rose he needed to be close.  ¡°Uh, of course,¡± Tyler answered.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cover the other side the same way,¡± Max added.

    Maybe the former Knight¡¯s new skills have more of a range component? The way he always teased Tyler was annoying, and that strange connection to Harmony.

    ¡°Go,¡± Jessica told him.

    Jessica moved out. One against five or more, stupid, stupid, stupid. [Unexpected Guests] The maid skill gave her the warning she needed about the attacker''s approach.  [Fire Shield] flickered on, and she reached out with a [Fire Lance] as a proper greeting for such an interruption.

    They need time. Thorne will come through, she had to.  The quickest of the faceless attackers moved to bypass the berzerker. No more hiding in the shadows. No more being ignored. [Punish], the priestess spell hit the man, sending him tumbling to his knees. It did a little bit of everything, slow, interrupt concentration, and damage.

    That got their attention. The spell that hit her froze her in place. Two swooped in while two more pushed past. [Stubborn Fortitude] broke the stun. A fist came at her head, and a kick came at her chest. Coodly Manor hadn¡¯t been her only job. Some employers liked to get rough. You had to learn to take or avoid a hit. [Charming Turn] wasn¡¯t meant to be a dodge, but she¡¯d used it enough times that way anyway. [Slap] might be part of the dirty dozen of skill stones, no damage, and not even a real fighting technique, but was fast and easy to get in first. Sometimes. that was enough to buy you a second to run, but for her  [Burning Hands] burst to life, her palms now glowing with heat and retribution.

    Jessica leaned into her anger more triggering [Mana Rage]. Someone had to come help. She only needed to buy time.  She¡¯d dodged the fist, but the kick made a rib snap. Pain-fueled anger gave an extra burst to her evolved skill. These two were close enough for it. [Raging Sunburst]. She turned herself into a mini-sun while the attackers were within her corona.

    Max didn¡¯t know if the flash of light that lit up the forest was good or bad. He was too busy tackling his own faceless trio, even going so far as letting  Saccerate out of her cage, but not her chains. As long as he kept skin contact with one of the girls attacking him the chaos spirit was in control of that other person¡¯s body. So, he gripped his hands as tightly as possible while his mad partner laughed through the woman''s body.

    ¡°Come on ladies, there is enough of me to go around to share.¡± He joked while delivering a [Power Strike] to keep one at bay with his free hand. With his scribe¡¯s skill [Social Connections] he could sense these women cared about each other, no matter the situation that led to them joining in on this ambush. That hesitancy to hurt their friend was helping buy time.

    Saccerate didn¡¯t have that same love and threw her new body in the way of attacks as much as she could as a human sacrificial meat wall.

    Time was more important than putting himself in danger to be able to activate his trump card. [Time management] Informed him he had some more before he needed to up his aggression, even as a random skill sent a burning shock through his system, tasting blood. ¡°Normally, I have to pay extra for pain.¡±

    Lord Tyler stuffed his fear deep inside. All of Thorne¡¯s training demonstrated that he wasn¡¯t the fighter that the others were. Why did he have to get roped into this Ascendant Games business? He¡¯d rather collect unique and rare items than experiences.  As much as it hurt to lose his extremely rare undead servant scroll, he was glad the creepy butler hadn¡¯t chosen him.

    The sounds of fighting caused him to flinch. They would be here soon. His worries came to life as four ranged attacks streaked in, a mana bolt, a fireball, an ice spike, and an arrow. They were all aimed at Rose. What had the princess done?  [Redirection] The attacks banked sharply, and with a grunt, Tyler bore their impact on the heaviest parts of his armor.

    With the second volley incoming, Tyler triggered [Sacrificing Future] on [Redirection]. Only one other skill stone of [Sacrificing Future] existed, and Tyler owned it. With only two records of it being used in the Book of Skills, it had been one of the rarest non-unique skill stones he had. How many days [Redirection] will be made useless by applying the boosting effect depended on how much he needed the skill to redirect range attacks to himself, but for today, none would get past him.

    Six attackers, their faces obscured, rushed forward, weapons in their hands. ¡°Burn me,¡± Tyler muttered.

    Len¡¯s fireball shot past his shoulder toward them, but they needed more time. The wizards'' next spell rose up above them, a simple flair. The signal was sent. To protect Rose, they needed to regroup, if they even had time for that.

 Chapter One Hundred and Seventeen * Seventy-Seven

    Chapter Seventy-Seven

    The signal to return was a little inconvenient with Harmony¡¯s transportation out of commission.

    Hyacinth croaked frustratingly from his trapped position, a bubble being channeled by a magic user that kept him trapped, even his spurs were unable to pop it. That was at least taking all of that attacker''s attention, but it left Harmony stuck fighting two attackers while she waited for [Final Silence] to get back up so she could free him.

    So far it had been less fighting and more trying not to get pinned between the two women attacking her. [High Kick] to bounce up and away. [Small Armor] and how to dodge, only doing that strong block when necessary.  [Style and Grace] and [Poise and Bearing] to dance away from strikes, both had daggers giving them extra reach.

    But it was a pain in the ass that would have been impossible to manage without all that practice on the second floor of Nae¡¯s Garden fighting multi-limbed twiggy, and slinging vines. They didn¡¯t have those but they had skills.  [Keen Investigative Awareness] helped keep track of those.  A blue mana dart that shot out with a spark before reaching high speeds. A dagger slash that left three follow-up projections.  Their stealth made them unnoticeable if you didn¡¯t keep your eyes on them. A mental creep that told you they were insignificant, even as they tried to shove a blade into your side.

    There was always [Stride Before the Fall]. That could even this up but that meant giving up emergency escape. Not yet. Harmony slid away from an arcing knife letting her feet kick up some dirt. [Dust] whipped into action to fling it at her attacker¡¯s face. Not quite like having a pocket full of sand to toss into their eyes, but she needed to get the most out of her skills. [Mend] had spent time synching the corners of their clothing to constrict their movements slightly but it always got undone.

    The dust shot out. Skill met skill to stop the attack. Wind didn¡¯t knock it aside and there hadn¡¯t been any earth manipulation yet. In this battle of skills, Harmony lost, just lifting and flinging the dirt had taken all the energy and she¡¯d relied on that momentum. The dust moved to the side and dropped into a neat pile on the forest floor.

    ¡°Lady White, would you believe me that you are not our goal today?¡± This was the first time any of the attackers had spoken. Shocking enough that a blade cut across her harm, a wound she quickly sealed up with [Mend].  ¡°You¡¯ll merely be a bonus. And we acknowledge you and all you¡¯ve done to disrupt what we¡¯ve built.¡±

    The gut punch of authority was almost as bad as the queen¡¯s letter. Who in the delving hells were these people? But she wasn¡¯t in as unstable a place as she was before and she had a better understanding of skills, how the container worked, and interacted with her body.  That didn¡¯t mean she could avoid using [Stride].

    Split into two to handle the new rush. The new Harmony swung at one of her attacker''s blind spots. The woman¡¯s body shifted a few feet away. [Awareness] tagged that as new. They¡¯d been holding back waiting for her to do this.

    A third perception kicked in. Could Max¡¯s summon of her help with this rush of authority? Maybe after she fixed his trouble.

    That brief distraction nearly cost her, well, did cost her but only one would be surviving this. A blade in your gut hurt, but [Final Silence] was ready.  Pushing through the pain she silenced the caster trapping Hyacinth while the other her kicked off in her familiar¡¯s direction. Harmony crashed into the toad as he fell out of the bubble and both splashed into the shadowed ground like it was a pool of water, sinking inside of it.

    Three on one. Plenty of free authority she pumped it into [Cold Touch] and [Mend] and boosted that synergy with [Mana Rotation].  A web of ice stretched out, harder to break, and aimed to lock these three in place. ¡°You¡¯re staying with me!¡±  Not a lethal attack but it should hold them.  More weapons came to wipe the smile on her face away. But who said you couldn¡¯t die happy?

    ***

    Max dropped the hand he was holding. He hadn¡¯t expected the woman¡¯s friends to sever it from her arm. Saccerate was yanked back into her cage. The spear ripping into him was also a surprise, [Armored Presence] had been stretched to its limits and now faced three, two, and an eighth if you counted miss-one-hand as a fraction.

    Danger to a whole new level. [Power Sworn] That summoning bond lit up, chaos pumping into the simulacrum of Harmony, one that was larger and whose hair glowed as pink as his did.

    Her kick sent the spear wielder tumbling across the rough earth. At her size, it packed an oversized punch. That was when he felt his wound seal back up, and that flush of energy come back.

    ¡°Go help Rose. I got this.¡±  Frost coated the summon¡¯s fingertips.

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    A [Dashing Strike] let him follow his attack away. Hopefully, [Racing Trouble] would get him back in time to help. Was he running away from trouble or toward it? The growing chaos in him wasn¡¯t a good sign. Time to down a healing potion.

    ***

    Tyler! The signal sent Jessica moving back quicker. One had survived somehow, but the evolved skill took a lot out of her when she wasn''t injured. [Flashing Steps], the rare skill Tyler had given her let her jump forward quicker, projecting a light-based copy of her, a nude silhouette,  ahead that her body would jump into.

    Ahead Len focused on support spells, but Tyler faced five up close while four peppered him with range attacks. Blood leaked from the seams of his armor, but the Tank was still moving. Taunting them, keeping them away from Rose. Jessica took in the situation as she hopped back.

    One caster had an attack charging up, not one of those quick light flickers Tyler could handle. When she¡¯d evolved, Jessica chose [Superior Service]. She activated that professional skill now.  It made you better at everything, at least temporarily. A little quicker, a little stronger, more able to serve. And if someone needed her service now it was Lord Tyler.

    The melee attackers scattered. Not yet!  In the channeled range attack, a ball of black-purple energy shot out fast.  [Fire Shield] lit her up. Was the attack faster than light? [Flash Steps].

    In that less than a blink she interposed herself between Tyler and the Attack. Facing the wrong way, but it was nice to see Tyler¡¯s face again. With all that work he was doing, he was getting more handsome. The blood on his brow even made him look attractively rugged.

    The [Fire Shield] sizzled. Hotter! Jessica put her will into it. Even [Warm] for a little extra heat. But it wasn¡¯t enough.

    ***

    The spell crashed Jessica¡¯s body into Tyler. The attackers had timed the attack while [Unbent Unbroken] his fate-bound spell wasn¡¯t ready again. [Protection] on Jessica did nothing. The Force of the impact sent him stumbling back a step.  That oozing black energy coated them both, tying them together.

    No, it wasn¡¯t them not anymore. Jessica wasn¡¯t there anymore. The magic started to constrict and the maid''s body¡¯s bones broke and blood leaked out. One of his pouches of scroll components shattered too under incredible pressure. Tying him up with Jessica''s corpse.

    Attackers dashed around him to the shields Len had set up. The Tank stood there no longer important, not able to defend, a failure who¡¯d let down the friend who¡¯d come with him.  Despair raked Tyler¡¯s mind. This was his worries come to life in the fear of his weakness manifested. The system notification caught him by surprise.

    Do you wish to bond a Spirit of Sacrifice?

    One of his unique scrolls? He¡¯d brought all the ectoplasmic scrolls he¡¯d collected over the years. Part of his armor buckled under the attack¡¯s pressure, shoving a piece of metal crumpling into his shoulder with a stab of pain. Sure, why not?  One last sacrifice.

    He willed the answer to be yes through the crushing agony. Then he started to burn. The scroll must be sacrificing him into a spirit to help the others? That was why he¡¯d been hesitant to even take it, anything with the word sacrifice was risky. Time to accept his fate.

    Fire licked out of Tyler''s armor. The heat repelled the magical pressure. Jessica¡¯s corpse fell from where it had been held to him into a disfigured pile at his feet.

    ¡°Come on, my Lord, it¡¯s time to fight!¡± Jessica¡¯s voice echoed in the air snapping Tyler out of his trance. No, no more freezing up. With a flaming aura around him, he charged back toward the battle.

    ***

    Len could feel the defensive spells get stripped away. Hazgul blocked some attacks but the new spirit only had so much utility. Come on Rose.

    A rainbow blur hit the group peeling off some pressure.  A large boom sent them scattering as Harmony¡¯s familiar crashed into them from above with the necromancer on Hyacinth¡¯s back. Both looked stunned by the landing.  Max swung in his pink hair lighting up his face¡¯s maniacal grin as he charged in. The flaming Lord Tyler shocked everyone with the determination painted on his face.  Not enough to stop them. One more shield.

    ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± The deep and powerful voice spread out like a wind. ¡° Princess Rosaline as your servant I [evict] these unwelcome guests.¡±

    With little pops, the attackers disappeared. Starting with the closest and ending with the farthest.  The obscurement effect was stripped away with their departure.

    Rose stumbled a little looking as worn out as though she¡¯d also participated in this battle. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Eviction is not an attack, but they have been removed quite far. I doubt they¡¯ll be back. I fear it might be my fault they came. I served the Highsmythe Family for a long time but was ousted due to a lack of popularity and social pressure. Perhaps forces still dislike my return to the family.¡± Hargreaves said with a hint of sadness in his haunting voice.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of the Highsythes having an undead servant,¡± Rose murmured.

    Adric gave a shrug when she looked at him. Family history wasn¡¯t his interest, but Rose should know.

    ¡°Jessica!¡± Harmony gasped looking at the body of the former maid.

    ¡°Oh my,¡± Max muttered.

    A small flame formed at Max¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Yeah, that sucked. But you haven¡¯t gotten rid of me that easily.¡± It spoke in Jessica¡¯s voice stunning them all to silence.

    That was when Thorne and the eight sun temple guards teleported in all looking worse for wear. Somehow, Hargreaves had a silver tray with filled crystal goblets waiting moments after their appearance.  ¡°Refreshments?¡± the butler asked.

 Chapter One Hundred and Eighteen * Seventy-Eight

    Chapter Seventy-Eight

    Guild mistress Throne took a drink and downed it. The Sun Temple warriors were at the ready with their weapons raised. ¡°Stand down.¡± She told them, and while not in their chain of command, they did what she said.

    ¡°Addy, Rosebud?¡± Uncle Benji cried, looking for his nephew and niece.

    ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Adric answered. ¡°Though not without losses.¡±

    Jessica¡¯s corpse lay broken nearby.

    ¡°Secure the area,¡± Ben ordered the guards. They spread out. None of them took one of the offered crystal goblets.

    ¡°What happened?¡± Thorne asked Adric.

    ¡°The trial was interrupted. Twenty-five attackers. We managed to delay and fight them off until Rosaline bonded a spirit from the trial. They seemed dedicated to stopping the bonding process. Hargreaves here managed to send them away and your arrival came shortly after?¡±

    Thorne turned to the butler. ¡°Well?¡±

    The butler didn¡¯t answer.

    Rose coughed. ¡°You may answer her Hargreaves.¡±

    ¡° Yes, my lady. Eighteen uninvited guests were evicted from the area. They removed their fallen shortly after. I am centuries detached from current political knowledge and have no idea why they wished to stop my bonding. I¡¯ve been waiting for a suitable Highsmythe for a long time.¡±

    ¡°Did any of the attackers use necromancy?¡± Thorne asked the group.

    Everyone shook their heads at that. Harmony had considered Jin¡¯s warning about shaking things up with the Grave Society but hadn¡¯t seen anything.

    ¡°Someone stirred up a wraith storm and some of the area¡¯s big nasties toward the fort. Your signal caught us trapped and the emergency travel to here was blocked until now. This was an expensive attack.¡± Thone continued

    ¡°One attacker did speak to me. Called me a bonus and acknowledged me. They have plenty of authority to contribute.¡± The new authority shifted uncomfortably with angry expectations and maliciousness that the queens had lacked.

    Choose your class¡¯s seventh skill called to her. Two levels, and one stride closer to evolution. However, that last step level was the hardest if the information was true. Even with those levels, the new authority was pushing hard. Picking the new skill will help, and maybe she¡¯d have to use a skill stone.  This was getting dangerous.

    ¡°I¡¯d hoped Max¡¯s ambush earlier was a fluke.  Between the assassination attempt on Harmony, That attempt on Maxwell, and now this one on Rose I¡¯m going to have to increase security on all of you until the Ascendant Games.  The Charter prevents me from involving myself in local politics but this is a direct assault on the guild¡¯s duties. I¡¯m not taking this lying down even if it means a censure. Lord Tyler, you have my condolences for the loss of Jessica Sala.¡±

    ¡°I, uh. Yes.¡± Tyler mumbled.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry to call this outing short. I hope some of you have managed to acquire bonds.¡± Thorne asked.

    ¡°I acquired a named geist and my evolution is calling me,¡± Len spoke.

    ¡°I bonded too,¡± Maxwell assured Thorne.

    ¡°I¡¯ve yes. Also, I¡¯ll need to complete my evolution soon as well.¡± Tyler added looking a little lost.

    ¡°Prince Adric, Lady White, Thank you for your assistance, but I will feel secure at the fort with walls around you. I think I can afford to eat the cost of a second mass teleportation scroll to do it.  Benji, call your men back.¡°

    Securing everyone made sense, but that didn¡¯t leave much time for processing the battle. The attackers were still out there and could regroup, so Harmony focused on that. Yet, the idea of leaving them unaccounted for had her looking over her shoulder at shadows. She could feel their anger, as connections always made gaining authority sensitive, be it awe from a crowd or curiosity from the tabloids. This wasn¡¯t over by a long shot.

    Thornes¡¯s teleport grasped them and pulled Harmony away mid-thought.

    The guards rushed to Fort Rabble''s walls after the unceremonious return. Adric and Rose joined their uncle, both concerned and asking questions. Max pulled Thorne into a conversation.

    ¡°Grupt?¡±

    ¡°Go get some sleep. I¡¯ll wake you if there is an issue.¡± Harmony told Hyacinth.

    Tyler detached himself from some words with Len and approached. ¡°Harmony, do you have some time? I¡¯d like you and Len to evaluate me and my spirit bond.¡±

    Being invited to experiment with Lord Tyler, was not the kind of memories she wanted to bring up right now, while she was raw from the new more malicious authority.  But rather than cocky or eager, Tyler looked worried. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call myself an expert or healer.¡± Harmony started.

    Tyler¡¯s expression shifted to annoyed incredulousness. ¡°Len has helped me acquire my skills and you... I saw what you did out there. You sell yourself short and I trust you. Even Jessica trusts you to get the job done. Please, I need your help.¡±

    Using the opinion of the recently deceased was a low blow. But Tyler wasn¡¯t hiding his words through a social skill and He at least believed those statements.  ¡°If you think my help will be beneficial. I¡¯ll take a look.¡±

    It would distract her from her selection. She¡¯d browsed the Guild Society book on skills but hadn¡¯t brought it on this excursion. The idea of having bloody fights with ambushers and leveling hadn¡¯t been on the list of possibilities. Nothing demanded she make the choice now, but it would happen before they left. You only had so much time. Len and Tyler had to be feeling the same way about their evolutions.

    They went to the boy¡¯s bunkhouse. Tyler stripped his armor. Harmony wanted to protest, but it would make it easier for him not to have his expensive enchanted armor on and he kept on his silk underclothes.

    ¡°This might feel odd,¡± Harmony told him as she approached.

    Harmony worked on her soul sense. [Mana Rotation]. [Analyze], [Renew Spirit], [Keen Investigative Awareness], [Sinal Silence], and touches of being a necromancer brought together with personal experience, battle experience, and now her time from the Deadwoods.  It was a weird constantly changing soup of random skills combining, with glimpses of things below the surface. Working on a living person made it more complicated. There was a reason you hired experts and doctors.

    Well, that¡¯s not good. Couldn¡¯t call it bad, but this was something entirely different from what she¡¯d seen in others. Hazgul had a contained space and connection that was kind of like a pocket inside of Len, not too unlike a skill or an oath, but a way for the spirit to travel with him. Max had his cage with the chaos spirit. Tyler didn¡¯t have that going on.

    He had his body and container with his skills and structure for his spirit. Then his bond was almost like you laid someone else''s container and skills on top of his and kind of squeezed them in, except they were not on the same level of existence so weren¡¯t truly competing much except for flashes where you could see the intersections, and those seemed focused in Tyler¡¯s eyes. Where she¡¯d restructured Bea and repaired Hazgul gave her some experience with that it was only brief interactions modeling off of things on one level with examples. Touching this with her awareness felt out of her depth. Tyler''s living soul system would probably complicate it too.

    Stolen novel; please report.

    ¡°What are you seeing?¡± Harmony asked after catching more flashes in the Tank¡¯s eyes.

    Tyler yelped.  ¡°I¡¯m kind of seeing Jessica. Hallucinating her. Except she doesn¡¯t have any of her gear and stuff. I can hear her too sometimes.¡±

    Harmony checked his ears. Tyler¡¯s thick skull had hidden it, but little flashes there. Was it Jessica? Necromancers could kind of create synthetic fillings. Powerful spirits could be created from people dying supposedly. Temples called them forsaken, and others debated if they were remnants left behind, false reflections of the person. You¡¯d think she¡¯d have put more thought into spirits, but living in Hazeldown they weren¡¯t really a thing. Most of what she knew was from an odd book passage or two. No moral crisis on whether this is Jessica or something else! Harmony shoved those thoughts aside.

    ¡°Okay. The spirit bond is playing with you. It is interacting on a persona level.¡± The skills, Jessicas? They were stronger than she¡¯d seen other spirits have and those blended in other ways. What did it mean? ¡°There might be skill interactions too.¡± He was on fire on the battlefield. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can safely do anything about this. Maybe your evolution will help?¡±  It had after all made Jessica younger.

    Tyler let out a sigh of relief at that.

    Ashes, no false hope. Remember poor Adric. ¡°It could also make it worse. What do you see, Len?¡±

    ¡°Not as much as you. Fragments in his soul, sometimes a hint of possession. Spengler¡¯s aurascopic warding is a tricky spell to master. Not evolving is not a choice, but that will be his best bet.¡±

    ¡°Can you help me choose?¡± Tyler pleaded.

    Harmony winced. She pictured her own choice as something made singularly by her after looking at the research she had. [Awareness] pointed out enough that other people were information resources as much as books enough that she knew having people there with knowledge and opinions was valuable, but the idea of it grated.

    ¡°Of course. I was also going to ask for Lady White''s opinion on my choices. The value of an opinion from someone so insightful is priceless. Professors always coveted students like her in their classes, until they stole their works.¡±

    Not you too, Len. And insightful, if she was half as insightful as Len was implying she wouldn¡¯t get into the amount of trouble she did. But watching evolution could be invaluable. ¡°It would be an honor to help you both with your paths.¡±

    ¡°Who first?¡± Len asked. This turned into a best of three of, sword, club, and scroll.  In the first round, Tyler made the obvious choice of club while the wizard of course picked the scroll covering the club. The next rounds were more strategic and ended in a few ties, but eventually, Len won. ¡°You go first!¡±

    Tyler groaned. ¡°I thought we were playing to see who would go first. Fine, let''s get this over with.¡±

    Similar to committing energy to show people your levels, Tyler pushed his forth to show the choices he had for evolution.

    Class-  Iron Door,  Vault Warden, Stout Defender

    Profession-  Rising Lord of Dawn, Burning Baron, Titled Collector

    ¡°Your nickname! You got an option for the nickname the news rags have plastered you with?¡±  Harmony burst out.

    ¡°Grandma visits prophets, oracles, and seers. I never believed but. It kind of has me shaken.¡±

    Him shaken! The last time Harmony saw the old Matriarch she tried to set her up with Tyler. No, that is not prophesied. ¡°Funny thing, it might be the best choice for your profession. I¡¯d avoid burning Baron, it might have a named position but, sometimes choices can be literal. Titled collector might lose you your aristocratic status and while you love your collection I¡¯m not sure making it your profession is wise.¡±

    ¡°If I¡¯m already collecting, though...¡± Tyler murmured.

    Len had a book out, flipping through the pages. Knox¡¯s Evolved Class Classics and Profession Perfections 7th edition. ¡°I knew I was close to evolution so I came prepared. Knox is the best of a sad bunch, interviewed two hundred, but most of the information is rumors and conjecture.¡±

    That was some weight off Harmony¡¯s chest. A reference book! ¡°What are you checking first?¡±

    Yeah, avoid burning. A Baron isn¡¯t bad, but this has an interview with someone who chose burning gigolo. It didn¡¯t end well. The majority of Knox¡¯s interviews were done at convalescent homes for those who made poor choices, so at least we can avoid risky options.¡±  Len added. ¡°Here is the entry for a collector.¡±

    He handed the book to Tyler and Harmony read over his shoulder. Progression for collector classes runs extremely slow and needs risky or expensive items to advance. One art collector filled three warehouses, and resorted to collecting artists living and dead, and still didn¡¯t evolve.

    Tyle flipped to the entry on Titled. May bestow authority or may reference life-altering achievements, victories, or events.

    ¡°Imagine if that profession required you to go out and collect titles, at least you already have a spot in the Ascendant Games.¡± Harmony quipped.

    This caused Tyler to flinch. The references to dawn and rising were as vague as could be expected. Process of elimination and his profession seemed set.

    Stout Defender was about as vanilla progression as one could get as a Tank. Nine times out of ten it was an option. Wardens were uncommon because they came with flavors, shield warden, prison warden, holy warden, and warden of the woods. Vault wasn¡¯t in the book, specifically the asterisk next to it said see words prison or bank.  For professions or classes related to holding people or money.

    ¡°What about Iron Door?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Most classes with metal-based influences have a clear progression tree, Iron, steel, silver, gold, and such. Almost guaranteed it to not be a dead end.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Tyler said.

    Harmony focused on the merged bond she saw. Vault involved locking something away. The door implied the ability to open and close access. You didn¡¯t want to bottle up fire without an easy way to let it vent. ¡°I feel iron door will be most helpful to your spiritual situation. It would at least give you a way to maybe let it go in a way vault wouldn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°I guess I¡¯m next,¡± Len announced, displaying his and letting Tyler process his thoughts.

    Class- Wiz-inator, Gray Wizard, Adaptable Spellman

    Profession-  Research assistant, Conspiracy Theorist, Freelance Skilled Editor

    ¡°Profession is obvious. Yet not a single standard choice. Not sure if I should be proud or worried.¡±

    Was the profession obvious? ¡°Gray wizard seems like something you would run into?¡± Harmony asked.

    ¡°Some people do assign colors to fields of magic. Gray would be neutral or a mix of good and evil. A red mage might focus on fire spells, but I¡¯m not sure I want to focus.  What is fascinating is the suffix inator means extreme or ultimate, but it feels like a trap. Something I can¡¯t quite put my finger on would feel off about introducing myself as the wizinator. Something about it reminds me of my undergrad years and being shoved into an outhouse.¡±

    ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be unusual to be called an ultimate wizard after only your first evolution?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the trap. I knew you¡¯d see it. Adaptable is a great adjective to have, and while spellman might be a little ancient and militarily inclined is trick-free. I think I know my choices.¡±

    ¡°What about your profession?¡± Harmony asked.

    Len snorted. ¡°Research assistant. While skilled is a boon for my current path, freelance would have me finding different clients. Then there is that joke of a..¡±

    ¡°Except conspiracy theorist is more of who you are,¡± Harmony told him bluntly.

    ¡°No. I base all my ideas off of solid research and logical conjecture. I follow the evidence I see.¡± Len pushed back.

    ¡°You enjoy the theories more than the research. And you like to question authority.¡±

    ¡°Only because that is where my research leads.¡±

    ¡°Research very few people agree with.¡± Harmony pointed out.

    ¡°Just because it is complicated and missing a few pieces to get from A to D doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m wrong. The missing links are out there!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you''re a bit crazy,¡± Tyler added as he shook himself out of his personal contemplation.

    ¡°With all you¡¯ve contributed for me, Harm. I can¡¯t believe that you''d-¡± Farthington flew in and gave Len a short peck on the head. ¡°-Ow, sorry. I was the one who asked for your opinion.¡±

    ¡°I never said I doubted you, Len. You are very smart. But you wanted my opinion on evolution. For a smooth future transition, I feel you need to pick the closest to who you feel you are and can continue as, and not the one that makes the most sense.¡±

    The wizard settled into deeper thoughts now that he decided to contemplate Harmony¡¯s words.

    Now would be the perfect time to surprise them with her choices for her last skill. A bonding experience after they shared their concerns. All that made Harmony do was wish they were Ambrosia. ¡°Good luck with your evolution choices, gentlemen.¡± With that Harmony retreated to the woman¡¯s bunk to contemplate her choices, asking to see if she could watch them evolve felt like too much.