The group was once more gathered at Castle Elathion. Joarris’s party sat alongside Dulcina and Eri while Captain Lauren gave the news.

  “It’s not as bad as everyone’s making it out to be,” Lauren assured them. “You know how it is. It had been months without news, so once the first real piece of genuine information trickles in, everyone starts making exaggerated rumours.”

  “But it’s undeniable the Kaldreach Coalition lost their first battle,” Alvine muttered. “Not a good start.”

  “They walked into an ambush. Kind of. Turns out the Duskcrowns had gathered the support of the Pirate Lords. That threw the Coalition’s force projections for the battle off balance. Add in the pirates’ vastly superior experience with the seas, naval vessels, and local logistics… Well. The odds weren’t in our favour.”

  “Casualties?” Dulcina asked calmly.

  “Your father is fine, my Lady. It’s the first thing I checked.” Captain Lauren then bowed slightly to Joarris. “Lord Horatio is alive as well, Master Joarris.”

  Joarris nodded in thanks. “What of the rest?”

  “Hundreds of casualties on both sides. The pirates took a harder beating, but their numbers are vastly greater than the expedition’s. Plus, they can replenish their losses from the local scums and slave markets. Ours can’t, so in terms of attrition, it doesn’t look good.”

  “Right. Not ideal, but it doesn’t mean the Coalition’s screwed,” Bori said hesitantly. “So what if the Duskcrowns managed to rally a bunch of low-life pirates? We have some of the best mages in Kaldreach. Lord Draevan alone could probably conjure a storm and blast their boats out of the water.”

  “The pirates of the West are some of the most experienced seafarers around, with a lot of Chosens in their ranks,” Joarris explained. “The four Pirate Lords are all Jewelled-Core Chosens as well. They earned their position through endless trials of blood and guile. Taking them down won’t be easy.”

  “Plus, they got a shit load of guns and boats,” Julie added.

  “More like ten shit loads,” Alvine snorted. “Good luck trying to find an unarmed vessel in those seas. Each Pirate Lord must have at least fifty ships to their name to be respected as such. Most have at least a hundred. The current ‘leading’ Pirate Lord is rumoured to have a hundred and fifty gunships, with more than five thousand corsairs under their command alone.”

  “Blasted hells, and the Duskcrowns got all four of them working together? I thought the Pirate Lords hated each other!” Raharim cursed.

  “We have no idea how the Duskcrowns achieved it. However, the Coalition is working on countermeasures,” Lauren assured them. “It’s a setback, but it’s far from over. Stay calm, don’t let the unrest from the masses affect you.”

  “Is there anything we can do?” Dulcina asked.

  “With all due respect, my Lady, the matters of the ongoing expedition are far outside House Elathion’s capacity to influence in any meaningful way. It would take us months to send any supplies over, let alone travel there. There’s nothing we can do, nor do we have to. Trust in the strength of the Coalition and its leaders. They represent some of the mightiest Chosens in Kaldreach. None among them is incompetent or powerless. They will be fine.”

  Dulcina did not look reassured.

  And neither did Eri, when he saw a notification pop up.

  [Main Quest updated! ‘Manifest Greatness; Go West!’]

  [Things are heating up. You’re heroic intervention is not needed yet, but it might be wise to start making preparations…]

  ~~~

  Eri found Dulcina training in the courtyard days later.

  “You’ve been restless,” he noted.

  “Training demands restlessness,” she huffed. “Especially when my skills are still far from adequate. I’ve yet to even become accustomed to my Bronze Core.”

  Dulcina’s Core ascended from Copper to Bronze a few months ago, a little while after the attack on Castle Elathion. Being a Bronze Chosen at the age of sixteen was considered a phenomenal achievement, yet the Heiress remains unsatisfied.

  “The new Artes you inherited in your ascension, the ‘Dancer of Frost’... Is it giving you trouble?” Eri asked.

  When Chosens with Saint heritage ascended in Core ranks, they sometimes gained the knowledge of an ancestral School of Magic alongside the usual boost to their physical prowess and mana capacity. The phenomenon was similar to how a Coreless aspirant immediately knew how to use their basic Artes after passing the Goddess Trial and gaining their Copper Core for the first time.

  Theoretically, a Chosen could master any School of Magic they desired — given an enormous amount of time, tutors, and talent — but having the knowledge directly ‘gifted’ by the Goddess vastly expedited the learning process.

  Of course, expediting the process did not necessarily grant complete mastery. Unlike the System’s generous and instantaneous approach to Eri’s growth for his Artes, Dulcina must still strive endlessly to hone her understanding of her Saint’s legacy Artes before she can use it.

  “I’ve yet to master the Second Form. My Bronze Core is still frustratingly sluggish to wield. A consequence of my recent ascension, I suppose,” Dulcina sighed, frustrated.

  “It usually takes years before using a new Core becomes second nature again. I won’t stress too much over it,” Eri said honestly.

  “And yet, you had barely been within the Bronze ranks for a single month before you ascended to Silver,” she smiled wryly.

  Eri looked away uncomfortably. That brought back a whole host of unpleasant memories. Everyone’s reaction to that had been a mess. The residence of Castle Elathion had been busy with the fallout of the attack at the time, but once calm settled, there was no avoiding the flood of questions that came.

  Joarris’s party reaction when they next saw him during their visit to Castle Elathion had been highly distressing. If not for Elen…

  But, well… Elen wasn’t with him anymore.

  “You shouldn’t compare yourself to my standards,” Eri tried. “I cheat.”

  “Then can you teach me how to cheat too?” she asked lightly.

  Eri shuffled. Dulcina exhaled before smiling reassuringly.

  “There’s no need to be nervous,” she said. “As I’ve promised you before, I do not wish to pry secrets from you.”

  “But… We’re family, right? Families don’t keep secrets from each other.”

  “Secrets can be dangerous, and sometimes we keep them to protect the ones we care about,” Dulcina gently said. “Worry not. I will become strong in my own way.”

  “Aren’t you already strong enough?”

  “I was not strong enough for Father to take me with him.”

  “That’s hardly fair. You’re young.”

  “You’re far younger, and he would have taken you with him on the expedition in a heartbeat if the risk of exposing your secrets weren’t so great.”

  With so many eyes on the expedition, there was no way Eri could perform at his usual capacity. The reveal of his spatial inventory alone would immediately cause multiple parties to forcibly recruit, arrest, or question him. Possibly all three.

  If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Elen had also been violently against any suggestion of his being taken to the Slaver Isles during the planning phase leading up to the expedition.

  Eri shook his head. “You never told me before why you want to be strong. You took the Goddess Trial before you were even an adult.”

  “What about you, then? If I may ask.”

  “It’s… I don’t know. Being a hero was all I ever wanted, so… Elen helped. I was already killing demons before my Trial anyway. They made for a good training experience. Elen didn’t see a point in waiting for me to get older.”

  Dulcina’s expression was torn between being amused and disturbed. “You have a strange childhood. But… It sounds pleasant, nonetheless.”

  “... Was it not for you?”

  “It was. I have many fond memories. My family was everything I could ask for. It was… I wish it could have lasted longer. Those days were peaceful.”

  And then it was taken from her. Eri grimaced.

  Dulcina smiled. “I wish to grow strong so that I would not lose family again. I wish I were stronger so that I could find those who murdered my mother and kill them. I wish to see my sister again… But such wishes can only be achieved through strength, and so I’m left with no recourse save to become strong.”

  “Your father is on his way to avenge her mother and save your sister right now. You don’t have to keep pushing yourself,” Eri tried.

  “There can be no complacency. There will always be others who mean my family harm. I was weak when the beasts came for my family. I could not protect anyone. I must never be weak again.”

  The words were spoken easily, but Eri did not miss how Dulcina’s hand momentarily clutched into fists.

  “Is strength really that important to you?” Eri asked.

  “Family is important to me,” Dulcina corrected. Her smile was forlorn. “Strength is simply the means for me to keep my family. Peace must be fought for. There is no other way, because the evil infesting our world is relentless.”

  Did Lord Draevan know of his daughter's obsessive fervour? Was that why he wanted Eri to stay with her?

  It was cruel, knowing what she suffered and how her suffering had shaped her. Dulcina’s noble and confident bearing often led Eri to view her as much older than he, but the truth was she was barely an adult. Only four years older than him, with none of the powerful quirks that made Eri who he was.

  Her desire to become strong was simply that of a child who did not want to be hurt again. It was as innocent as it was painful to see her carry.

  Dulcina’s weary philosophy was sincere, but in Eri’s eyes, it was fragile. Left on its own, she would one day face a challenge she could not overcome, and choose to die in the attempt rather than run from it.

  It was why she never ran from every fight she faced since Eri knew her, from that faithful night in those snowfields, all the way to the climactic battle against the assassins.

  Dulcina Elathion does not run.

  And so Eri must not leave her alone. He resolved himself.

  “There might be a way for me to help.”

  [Accessing Dulcina Elathion Bond Shop…]

  A needless risk… It would reveal yet more secrets. Elen would no doubt call him a fool.

  But Elen was not here. Not anymore.

  Dulcina was his family; it was only right for Eri to do whatever he could for her.

  Just as he and Elen once did for each other.

  ~~~

  A few hours later…

  “This… This is amazing!”

  Dulcina’s laughter rang through the tunnel mines as her sabre slashed, stabbed, and massacred her way through a horde of lesser demons.

  There was a noticeable improvement in her movements from earlier. Her legwork was swifter, her sword arm stronger, and her every swing more precise. She fought with reckless — though never wasteful — energy, and yet she did not tire even as she pushed herself far beyond what her body should allow.

  All the while, Eri followed behind her, his expression a little uncomfortable as he kept fuelling her rampage with the gifts of some otherworldly power.

  [You have made multiple purchases with the Bond Shop (Dulcina Elathion)]

  [Lesser Restoration (5 points)]

  [Fatigue Removal (5 points)]

  [Experience Boost (5 points)]

  [Lesser Combat Boost (5 points)]

  [Companion Perk Unlocked: Prodigy of the North (300 Points)]

  Dulcina’s combat capability was currently boosted to incredible heights. ‘Lesser Combat Boost’ improved all her Attributes by 10, which, given her lower base stats at the moment, was a substantial bonus.

  ‘Fatigue Removal’ cleared both the physical and mental strain suffered in prolonged combat. Eri basically gave Dulcina free rein to unleash her Artes as much as she wanted. Her lower stamina was always a hindrance in her training, especially in a live combat scenario, so the boon allowed her to ‘power-level’ her skills far more efficiently than usual, as the System would say.

  ‘Lesser restoration’ mended whatever wounds she received in an instant. The perk ‘Prodigy of the North’ sharpened her blade and gave her additional XP in her kills.

  However, it was ‘Experience Boost’ that was giving her the greatest euphoria.

  At its most basic, the boon simply increases her XP and Skill Proficiency gains by 50% for the next 24 hours. However, that bonus was increased to 200% if Dulcina was more than 20 Heroic Levels below Eri, with another 200% for every subsequent 10 Heroic Levels below that.

  According to the System, Dulcina was at least 30 levels below him, meaning she was currently receiving a 400% boost in all aspects of her learning.

  Eri wasn’t sure what chemicals were running through her brain right now that were increasing her rapid learning capacity by a factor of 4, but it surely wasn’t healthy.

  A ‘Ding’ noise notified him. “Huh, she levelled up again,” he muttered.

  “Hm? Did you say something, Eri?”

  She blurred out to him, covered in sweat and the gore of her enemy. Her smile was light, but the terrifying brightness in her eyes took him aback.

  “Um, you have grown stronger. I just checked.”

  “The ‘System’ you mentioned, yes? It tells you I have made an appreciable breakthrough in my strength?”

  “Yes, you’re now Level 43. This is pretty good for today, how about we stop and—”

  “No! I can keep going! Please, Eri, just a little more! I’ve never felt so much progress before!”

  “I don’t think—” Eri caught the begging in Dulcina’s eyes, then sighed. “Alright, just a little longer.”

  She reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it gently. “Thank you!”

  She rushed off, nearly giggling in excitement. It was so unlike her usual cool demeanour that Eri was beginning to worry the System’s bonuses were starting to mess with her head.

  Well, at least she’s happier now…

  As Dulcina slaughtered more and more, it was clear she was improving at a rapid rate. Watching her adjust her stance and swordwork to become more precise and deadly in real time was surreal. Her eyes were positively glowing, as if absorbed in a thousand thoughts at once, all working at overloaded capacity to squeeze out every drop of experience to be gained.

  The hours passed. They ventured deeper into the infested mines than Eri would have liked. The two of them were here alone, and while most of the mines had already been cleared of greater threats, there were still various sub-tunnels that had not been mapped or cleared out yet.

  Eventually, Eri stopped. “Dulcina.”

  The Heiress was panting, though more from excitement than exhaustion. “No! Just a little—”

  “Dulcina.” Eri grabbed her. “C’mon, this is far enough. Think for a second. We are here alone, and the tunnels aren’t safe. There’s a reason why we always come here with full parties. Be rational; this isn’t like you.”

  She forced herself to stop, though her sword arm kept twitching as if eager to return to killing.

  After a few seconds, she closed her eyes. “I… I’m sorry. That was unsightly of me. It’s just… I could feel myself getting stronger, it was… almost like a drug…”

  “It’s fine. I understand what it’s like.”

  “Is this how it is for you all the time?” Dulcina asked in wonder. “Incredible… You have an amazing gift, Eri, strange though it might be. The ‘System’... Where does it come from?”

  “No idea. Found nothing in the history books, and Elen didn’t know either. But it’s what gave me most of my powers. Even the inventory pouch came with it.”

  “Even… your other Artes? The one you used when you fought Gunther…”

  Ah. Eri grimaced. “N-not that one. That one is… something else.”

  Dulcina smiled. “Well, regardless, you have shared a close secret with me today. Thank you. This was a precious gift. I enjoyed it, brief as it was. I will cherish the memory.”

  “Well, if you like it, we can do it again tomorrow. It barely cost me anything anyway, since I have so many Bond Points with you— woah!”

  Dulcina suddenly grabbed onto him with fervent eyes, as if she were a stranded castaway who sighted a ship. “We can do this again? Repeatedly?!”

  “Ye-yes. Well, ‘Fatigue Removal’ has a limit of 3 uses a day, so it’s best if we only do one session every 24 hours at most, but— ah!”

  Dulcina suddenly grabbed him and swept him into a hug. She started laughing, free and unrestrained. The music of her pearly, child-like joy bounced across the walls.

  “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” she laughed. “Every day! Let’s do this every day!”

  “C-calm down! You’re starting to worry me! You’d better not get addicted to this, or— mmph!”

  Eri didn’t finish. Dulcina leaned down to kiss him. It was only on the cheek, but in her excitement, her lips brushed past the edges of his by a fraction.

  It was enough to immediately shut him up and turn his face bright red.

  “Thank you,” Dulcina whispered sincerely. Her eyes shone with near-manic light. “You’re the best little brother I can ever ask for.”

  “N-no problem.” There were so many conflicting emotions in him at that moment that he didn’t know how to process them.

  Well, at least she won’t worry about Lord Draevan anymore… Hopefully, this won’t come to bite me in the ass…