by Andur
9. ~Found.~
“The truth always has several layers.”
The Journey to the Afterlife
Kingdom Newerth, Capital City
Seria
“The number of my pets is increasing. I have to be careful. Before I know it they will take over my home and my business,” I mumble.
“What was that?” Adea's mother asks and places a cup of coffee in front of me. “You shouldn't drink so much of that stuff. You will be unable to sleep.”
“Nothing.” I take the cup and empty it in one go. “And I got kind of addicted to the stuff, so... no.”
Adea's mother, Patricia, has chestnut coloured hair. Her oval face is slightly above average, but she does a wonderful job with make-up. That lifts her from average to beautiful. Her body also has curves in all the right places, which promises that Adea will develop nicely in the future.
It has been four days since the invasion and Adea didn't snitch on me. She didn't even ask about my situation and simply accepted that my spirit form looks a lot more inhuman than those of most other people. I had always thought that Adea wouldn't betray me, but it's nice to see my hunch proven right. It was also lucky that the DF didn't forcefully interrogate her. I doubt that she is able to resist strong mind magic.
I still have to do research on how this custom against showing off one's spirit form came to be. From what I've seen and heard so far, it's not much more than a custom. But a very important one.
My eyes survey the shop. When Patricia got in here, she immediately started to decorate and rearrange things according to her ideas. Since then we've been fighting a constant battle about how the shop is supposed to look like. So far, I've the upper hand. My hearth magic guarantees that the items in this house obey me and not some stranger.
Since Patricia's establishment was inside the battle zone, it got completely destroyed. The DF is still counting the dead, reports speak of ten thousand victims and the numbers are rising. Since the portal was opened in a very poor part of the city, there was almost no one above immortal rank at the site. The spirits went through the civilians like wolves through frightened sheep until the DF arrived.
The reports speak about illegal experiments with dimensional travel, but I think that the reporters are just talking for the sake of entertaining the audience. They know nothing concrete and a silent news channel makes for bad publicity.
Be that as it may, Adea's mother lost her home, if she wants to call it that. Until the DF declares the Tandeen district as safe and lifts the blockade, Patricia can't go back. In absence of a better solution, I hired her as a waitress and arranged for an apartment close by. Of course that caused me no end of bowing and hugging from Adea's side. I still don't understand why that girl has grown so much on me.
But I have to admit that Patricia is good for the business. I watch as Patricia beams yet another smile at a male customer, bending down and flashing her neckline for him to take a good look. Of course totally accidentally. Since she started working here, our financial situation is more than green. I didn't realize it until now, but most of our customers so far were female. According to Adea they are here to ogle Jimmy. None of the other shops have such a strict dress code as the Hearth Coffee Shop with its butler. And now we even have a maid.
I am called the Owner, or the Princess for the regulars.
“I am back!”
Adea's voice wakes me from my reminiscence and I watch her skip into the room. “You seem to be awfully cheerful today. Did something good happen?”
“I! Was officially invited on a date by Caden, the third prince! In front of the entire class!” Adea replies, puffing out her chest.
“Kyaa! I am so happy for you!” Patricia charges at her daughter and hugs her. “I told you so. Just strengthen your resolve and talk to him. There is no way that a guy could resist my little girl.”
I smile and pass on pointing out that I was the one who blackmailed her into taking action. Although Patricia thinks that I am just a very good friend of Adea's. I see no need in changing that.
That's when I sense it.
I stop my current task of operating the coffee machine and drop to the ground, using the bar to hide behind. Then I recheck my aura, but there isn't a single leak. How by Dedessia did he get here?
The shop's door opens and a gasp tells me that Adea knows the person who just entered. It also tells me that Adea didn't intend on leading a divine rank to this place.
I felt a very strong aura coming close, so I hid, just in case.
“Hello, Adea. You really seem to like this place.” I recognize Marcus's voice.
“Y- yeah! My Mom is working here, isn't it obvious that I like it?” Adea answers.
How did he catch on? Did they draw a connection between me and Adea? Did someone remember us being together at the ball? There are countless possibilities. How do I play this?
His voice sounds anticipating. “But according to two of your classmates, you've been coming here for more than a month. And your mother was hired just after she lost her home to the spirits. I would like to speak to the owner. My sources tell me that this shop belongs to a certain Seria Havenforst.”
Crap! Crap! Crap! He knows. What do I do? Oh, I know! I just need to look different! Like someone who he has no interest in. Like an old hag. Yes.
I concentrate on illusion magic and cast a glamour spell, turning my hair blonde and ageing myself by about forty years with quite a few wrinkles. That must do for now.
I cough and try to get a somewhat cranky tone into my voice. Then I grab one of the packs with coffee which are stored under the bar. I need a reason for crawling and hiding, then I stand up. “What do you need, young boy? I am Seria Havenforst.”
Two people are at the entrance. One is Marcus and the other is a man with rat-like features. I immediately dislike him. Marcus stops smiling and squints his eyes at me. I think that I actually tricked him... for a moment.
When Patricia's and Adea's eyes bug out upon looking at me, I know that my ruse failed. I can't blame them. A young, virile Seria jumps behind the bar and an old, ripened woman comes back up. They aren't trained for something like this.
Of course Marcus notices their expressions. “That's a low blow, Seria. I've put so much effort into finding you, do you really think that I haven't researched your shop and accessed your files before I decided to pay you a visit?” he asks, then he looks me up and down. “And that appearance? Seriously? Who in this world wants to look old? And I felt a spell being worked behind the bar. Don't take me for a fool.”
The Rat looks surprised as he moves his gaze from me to Marcus and then back again. It seems like he didn't know what this visit was about.
Ok, so my improvised disguise is no good. Fine. I can live with that. But what now? Do they know that I am the spirit which emerged from the mana storm, or is this about something different?
I decide on saying as little as possible until I know what they want. Seria Havenforst didn't do anything illegal as far as they should know?
So is this just about me having a ride on top of the second prince? Dispersing the glamour, I return to my previous form and sigh. “Fine. You have me. What do you want?”
The rat points at me. “She is a rogue!? And teaching one of our students!”
I furrow my forehead? A rogue? Quickly, I search my meatshield wiki and a light pops up above my head. Of course, not literally; that was just a figure of speech.
But being seen as a rogue might not be so bad. Of course I'll repent for hiding myself and crawl and bow in front of the nobles. And then I might even be able to play among them.
Marcus reacts entirely different. He smiles and walks forward. Then he cups my free hand in his own. “I just want another date!”
“What!” the rat calls out.
Patricia whistles and Adea's pale face lights up a little.
I try to get my hand back, but Marcus doesn't let go. Instead he massages it and places a kiss on the back of my hand.
It's been a long time since someone did that and I feel myself blush, just a little. “But I am a rogue?”
“Yes, your highness! Think about the scandal!” The Rat chimes in and I have a sudden wish to rip off his head.
“Why didn't you tell me?” Marcus asks.
I use all my acting talent to press out some tears, a skill that was always handy when I was a child. Unfortunately my parents learned ages ago that I can cry on command. “I never told anyone! Just Adea knew, and she found it out by accident. I don't know how I slipped through the test when I was a child. Maybe they messed up. But a year later I got those nightmares and dreams. I didn't think of them as memories at first.
“When I realized what was happening and that I am surely above archmage rank, I was so afraid of being conscripted into the DF to fight those monsters. I simply couldn't tell anyone. I knew that I would slip at some point, but the fact that I kept it a secret for so long...” I let my voice fade out, hoping that I didn't lay it on too thick. Too much improvisation, and the story might sound strange.
Marcus nods, still holding my hand. “It's okay. You were alone, no family. You had nobody to confide to. I will help you in working out an arrangement.”
Oh, boy. Really? The way he looks at me... it's like I took him into thrall or something. If his family finds out, they will make me one head shorter!
“Your highness! Your judgement is clearly hindered! I'll take care of this from now on.” The rat steps forward, producing a handcuff from somewhere and slapping it onto my hand. That, along with his feelings towards me, are enough to trigger a reaction from my house.
The latent magic comes to life and the packet with powdered coffee explodes outwards in a shaped cone, right into the rat's face.
He coughs and screams as the powder gets into his eyes and nose. Then it ignites in a shower of sparks, burning away his facial hair. As he stumbles backwards, one of the chairs moves as if by an invisible hand and the Rat drops into it.
A burst of kinetic energy propels the chair and the Rat with it through the window. Glass shatters and they tumble in a high arc over and over until they disappear out of sight. A distant 'splash' tells me that the Rat just went for a swim in the pond which is located a few metres away in the park.
Everyone is staring at us.
Marcus is completely unfazed by all this. Instead he is smiling. “I was wondering about all the magic this place is brimming with. Hearth magic?”
I reply with a smile. “Seems like you deserve being called a teacher.”
10. ~Prisontime.~
“In some Native American legends, a Skinwalker is a person with the supernatural ability to turn into any animal he or she desires. To be able to transform, legend sometimes requires that the Skinwalker does wear a pelt of the animal, though this is not always considered necessary.”
The Journey to the Afterlife
Kingdom Newerth, Capital City
Seria
I rattle my shackles, causing the runes on them to glow with blue light. Then I survey the empty room, pursing my lips. There is just a long table with one big chair, which I am chained to. On the other side of the table are four more chairs. The walls and floor are as grey as the furniture. This is an interrogation cell. Which is located in a DF facility next to the academy.
It's funny that I came here on my own accord. Marcus brought me here and persuaded me to stay put until he manages to sort the situation out. It might be possible that he ran into some trouble while doing so.
It has been five hours since then and I was visited by five interrogators. Each of them was carried out by the guards after they tried to read my mind.
I understand that even Marcus can't simply wave his hand and make procedures go away. I declared myself a rogue after all, which should be marginally better than multidimensional spy and princess of another realm, which is filled with beings just like them.
But I felt no deceit when he said that he would help me. That he would work out an arrangement, to be precise.
If they hadn't tried to get into my mind I would still be relaxed. Of course I didn't let them, but it might be time to think about getting out of here. It's nice to have the greatest mind and soul mage in existence as my father. Daddy couldn't stand the thought of having me controlled by someone, so he taught me almost everything he knew.
When it comes to mental defences I doubt that I am any weaker than him.
It's just the really beefy stuff which I have to struggle with. Like taking complete control of another being, sending my soul into them. Father calls it soulwalking. Or creating soulbonds. That's stuff I better not lay my hands upon. It feels creepy to put on the body of someone else like a piece of cloth.
I only send the people over the edge. What happens to their souls afterwards isn't my concern. I have no problem with admitting that my talents only go so far. The goddess of life and death isn't almighty. My talents are life and death magic. That's enough for me. One should always know her talents.
The door opens and two people walk in, a woman and a man. They look very similar to the pictures I saw of the king and queen. Their clothes are definitely more elegant than the uniforms of the people who tried to poke their greasy fingers into my mind. The silver and gold embroidered garments hold an aura of nobility. Not that us gods give a shit about such things.
But even amongst beings like us exists something like a pecking order. The hierarchical pyramid of a kingdom is the most similar to it. So it would be very surprising to ever find a society with gods who chose to live in a democracy. It's simply against our nature.
They undeniably radiate power. Those two are strong.
I smile and rattle my chains, waving a hand. “Hi.”
They stop, looking at me like I am a genuine alien. Well, I am! But they don't know it. The man decides to speak first. “We've heard that you withstood our top interrogators? Three of them aren't quite themselves at the moment.”
Shrugging, I spread my hands as far as the chains allow. “They tried to look at my memories. That's sacred ground where no one but me is allowed, so I threw them out. They will regain their composure soon enough. I tried to avoid permanent damage... this time.”
The man straightens, but the woman places a hand on his. “Charles, we do this the civilised way, remember?”
“As you wish, Clarity.” He replied with a grumpy voice. I have a feeling that he would love to tear out my throat and drink my blood.
Turning to me, she smiles. “And you, I hope you understand that you are causing us headaches. Somehow you, a divine, slipped through the system. We have to make sure that this doesn't happen again. And the fact that you remained hidden for long enough to regain so much knowledge is troublesome.
“I hope that you understand that your mere existence is shifting the power structure. All the noble families are asking whom you belong to. And the fact that my son is protecting you elevates all this to a whole new level.”
So they think that my father might show up, call out 'Daughter!', and I jump into his arms to tell him all the secrets of state I may have learned from Marcus?
I nod and tilt my head. “You don't have to worry that I'll run off to join the opposition. Even if my progenitors reveal themselves, why should I give a shit about them? I was quite happy with my coffee shop. If I hadn't slipped with Adea and developed maternal feelings for her, nothing of this would have happened. I would still be sitting in my shop and serving tea and coffee.”
She raises her eyebrow. “And what is my son to you? He made quite the speech in your favour.”
Seriously? I circle my hand as far as the cuffs allow it. “What's there to say? We met, we danced, we had a nice chat. I liked him and we spent an even nicer night together. It was intended as one-night-only encounter, but then he made a scene to find me. I must admit that it is quite charming to have a guy chase after you like that. He might even make me fall for him. So far, he did a good job of it.”
I smile and drum my fin
gers onto the table. “Now that he has what he wanted, can I go back to my shop? I like it there. I spent my entire life in this kingdom and I never bothered anyone. Just look at my records. I even went with Marcus without putting up a fight. He promised that I wouldn't be harmed. And these walls make me depressed.”
Clarity raises both her eyebrows. “You have spine. I'll give you that. But you have to understand that all nobles in this country have responsibilities. The fact that you are above spiritualist rank makes you automatically a noble.”
I furrow my forehead. “And I am above spiritualist rank because...”
“You kicked Trebor's ass when he tried to arrest you in your shop. He is ranked as a demigod. So that makes you at least a spiritualist who was lucky, or a demigod. Though I suspect that you are stronger. I was at your house to take a look at your wards and your hearth magic. The fact that I wouldn't want to fight you in there says something. That place has a lot of power, especially the upper floor. What you've set up in the shop itself are just pranks to shoo bullies away,” she explains.
I draw a sharp breath. “You didn't let the DF search through my stuff? Did they steal any of my underwear!? I know men! They do stuff like that.”
Now it's her turn to look genuinely befuddled. “No. My husband and I searched through it. Some of your wards would have killed anyone who is less than a demigod. Especially those in your apartment. You really like books and history, do you?”
I shrug and squint my eyes at the king, conveying the silent message that he is dead meat if he ever drops a word about my undergarments.
Maybe he understood it and maybe not. His face stays expressionless. “I hope that you understand that while we might give you the benefit of the doubt, we still have to know what the current you can do.”
Clarity smiles. “What Charles wants to say, is that we will allow you to roam freely. But you have to take a ranking exam, so that we can judge your potential and give you a proper rank. And you will be given a job that fits your skills. Until we have a better idea of what to do with you, I have decided to make you a teacher at the academy.