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…
6-5-1605
…
I've managed to gain back the soul I lost saving the brat.
So far no one has complained about the exp tax. Adventurers are dumb. Potion business is booming. The mithril knife stock is running out though. I have been trying my hand at making some pieces of clothing. Sara even started to say some of my efforts are passable. Still about seventy soul away from tiering though. Sara just finished setting up the nineteenth instance. I know she has been sneaking in more real monsters.
…
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Have not. Lea rolls her eyes at me. Okay but they are past the labyrinth. I need to make more slimes for the icy hell. It takes a lot. Someone approached the door. I go transparent.
Sir Hischurl steps in, followed by Jasmine and Delores. I hadn't seen either of these three since I lost my head. I suspect the viscount had forbidden her from entering the dungeon while so much was in turmoil. Delores is looking around, searching for something. Or perhaps someone.
“Hello, welcome to the dungeon apothecary.” I give an annoyed look at Lea as she just continues her spiel, “We have healing potions and rejuvenation potions, one per visit though as per the [Marshal]’s orders.”
She always reminds everyone it's the knights prohibition. I suggested a sign but she scoffed, saying adventurers can't read. Pointing out that the illiterate were not likely to be able to afford the expensive potions in the first place did not change her view.
Jasmine steps forward, “Yes, five healing potions and three rejuvenation potions, one for each of us.”
Lea gathers their order. Delores murmurs, “Is she really not here?”
Lea shoots a glance at where I was. She rolls her eyes, “Red is being a coward at the moment, her ghost is in the corner over there.” She points to where I am floating.
I give her an annoyed look as Delores approaches. She is looking left and right trying to catch a glimpse of me. I sigh and become opaque with my arms behind my back. She smiles at me.
“No need to be shy Red, why is it only your ghost?”
I give her a sad smile. I can't talk. I don't want to—
“Ever since she was executed she lost the ability to speak, she is not being shy she just doesn't want you to see her arm stumps.”
Delores looks at me with pity. I just sigh and bring my arms forward. She rears back a bit then examines them closer.
“Cleanly cut, but your head is still attached.”
I don't want to touch her with my stumps…damn it. I got soul mana. I break it down into arcane then create mental mana. The illusion doesn't form. I can make the mana. But I can't use the magic. I sigh and touch her with a stump.
Violet has eaten my hands. My head is still in the direction of Yetna.
She smiles at me. Happy to hear my thoughts. She then speaks up.
“My father told me they gave your head to Lady Minthan. But where is Violet, they only executed you right?”
I give her a sad look. She is in the Elf Empire.
“Why is she there?”
I shake my head which just makes her frown. She decides on a different tack.
“Why is there a hole in your chest?”
It's where the fountain pierced me, I had to bleed off a lot of my soul to survive.
Before she can ask more I feel like I have a second body. I look to the north. I push my attention to this new body. It's cold. An undead human. It has a blood core inside it. I can feel it drain as the flesh becomes revitalized. I feel my thirst increase. Damn it, I can't satisfy this. Nevermind. I need to stop this. Before I tear the thing out I use my soul mana to make dirt mana. I form words to admonish the queen bitch through Violet's mana aura. She can't seriously be experimenting with the undead. After a few seconds, enough for the message to be read, I let go of the mana. I plunge a hand into my undead chest. Grasp the core and crush it. I was glad the body had no functioning nerves.
The body collapses as I return to Lea shop. I hold myself. That was too much. Delores attempts to touch me but her hand just goes through my ghost. She pulls back. Her hand is red and shakes. I look at her afraid.
“Sorry, your ghost is colder than before.”
Damn it. I hope Violet's next drop of blood will alleviate my thirst.
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6-6-1705
…
She is going to drive me insane. She can't satisfy the thirst she generated yesterday. Even dribbling blood into her did nothing. The foolish girl even jumped into an adventurer but her incorporeal body just can't satisfy her need. I try to distract her as best I can. But I fear for her sanity. And my own.
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8-6-1705
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Her nagging forced me into my blood tail. It became her spider horror of a body. The horror being the evil priestess on top of her lovely spider legs. It's hard enough seeing the countess but looking like her? It's too much. Imbibing blood in the form did nothing for Sara. I know she wants to ask for a merge but she would rather suffer than risk it. I feel almost insulted to be honest. Doesn't want my memories being her own.
…
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There is no telling if it would solve this thirst anyways.
Lea gives an annoyed look at her personal busybody.
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9-6-1705
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Delores has started visiting the shop. She can sense Sara's distress. She talks while Sara forms constructs for her to read. No longer risking giving Delores frostbite. My suggestion that it was a wonderful way to level both my blood magic and her resist cold was vetoed by Sara. She fears it's not cold but undeath that is permeating her ghost. I must admit the theory has some possibilities. I can feel temperature differences and there are none when I touch Sara's ghost. Rather annoying but I hope these visits will keep Sara sane.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
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18-6-1705
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I got my first tailoring commission. Seems Delores hips have outgrown her previous under garments. It's a good distraction for Sara as she supervises my work. It's not so good for me though. Her desire for perfection is just a different form of her madness. I considered the bottle of blood more than once when she demanded the stitch be redone again…for the sixth time.
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19-6-1705
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The cheeky brat had the audacity to be disappointed at my work. Thinking I can't hear her murmur how it wasn't as good as Red's. My complaining that evening only brought up the suggestion of trying to get the attention to detail skill. I think I will pass as she told me how she earned hers. Even if I could adopt the freakish perfectionist mind set through my arcane tail I have no desire to add that madness to my soul.
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28-6-1705
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I swear to the system the child was already insane. I've poured multiple cups of tea, at which point the insanity incarnate tells me it was too much, it was too little, and I need to do it in one pour. Even using the arcane tail, I can not satisfy this witch's exacting demands.
…
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That is just hurtful.
“If the shoe fits.”
I give Lea a rather annoyed look. Before I can rebut her I feel my soul get sheared. I don't lose consciousness for once. I reach through my soul and grab the bit of Tapestry floating away. I can't put it back but I pull it into my core. To give it a place. A goblin. Seems the bitch had us eat a goblin yesterday. I sigh. I don't sleep, can't sleep. I didn't get to see the memories.
Lea gives me a look.
I give her a weak smile and continue reading over her shoulder, trying my best to ignore my thirst.
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18-7-1705
…
Sara wants to say something to me. Been rather obvious about something bothering her for the last few days. Probably about to give in on the merge idea.
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It's not that…my head is almost to Violet. I…I'm going to need to be in your body to sense things.
Lea gives me a glare, “Because you're going to be a headless torso.”
I nod. I'm afraid. I think I need to sever my ears from my ghost first.
She gives me a skeptical look, “What good will that do. You will just have ears on the floor.”
No, I mean, I think I need to remove ears from my body's soul. I can't let myself hear her commands. I…I don't know if I will be able to hear anything after I do.
Lea gives me a pitying look, “She will still be able to compel you through touch.”
I'm hoping she does, if she tries I will shift it to Violet, hopefully breaking the contract.
I can feel my soul gain a new Tapestry. Shit out of time. I close my ethereal eyes and sever my ears. Sever my concept of hearing. Everything is silent. I look up a bit scared at Lea. The pitying look just grows. Her mouth moves but I just shake my head. Deaf and mute. Thirsty. My head detaches and heads to where it belongs.
-----
I felt a compel. I push it to Violet. I pull myself into my core, willing time to slow. I pull Violet in here with me. She is dazed from the compel. I give her a grin. I hope the Elf keeps trying ahhhhhhhh my head. Damn it. I slow down time further as my head slowly crumples. I move the pain to my other attention. I try my status screen. Please work.
Pariah Title [Voiceless] becomes [Laughing Demon]
Laughing Demon - To she who laughed at the crowd at her own execution, those in any of your auras laugh when you laugh. They will feel how much their lives matter to you. You have horns now. If you break them, they grow back in time. Removing your horns is easier every time. Every time you remove your horns your blood magic is less effective on yourself. The longer you have your horns unbroken the more likely those around you will see them when you laugh. Touching your horns will make you remember your funniest thought. One additional soul when leveling up.
Fucking hell. Whatever there is plenty more.
Title [Voiceless Soul Tender Priestess] becomes [Laughing Demon Sanguine Priestess]
Laughing Demon Sanguine Priestess - Your mana aura gives off an aura of healing when alive and gives off an aura of undeath when undead. You are your own order. A recruit loses access to life magic for blood magic. If not already a vampire, they can only satisfy their thirst through your drinking of blood. You feel their thirst. Their thirst will rot their body until they are a mundane undead. Healing others makes your blood magic more effective on yourself. Those who bear your horns become junior members unless already recognized as a priest or priestess. Gain Three additional Mental Fortitude and Three additional Presence and Six additional Soul when leveling up
That's…a counter to just laughing demon? Systems they will heal while they want to kill themselves. Or just become undead. I shudder at the thought.
Title [Voiceless Adventurer] becomes [Laughing Demon Adventurer]
Laughing Demon Adventurer - A permanent member of an international organization, your auras has a multiplier effect on those ranked below you in this organization, the higher the rank the bigger the multiplier. Five additional Presence and Ten additional Soul when leveling up.
How is this not driving everyone mad in the dungeon…think. They already have mental resist and my soul is currently…one. My soul on my status sheet is one. Fuck I cut it close there. 224 stats to assign…thats…seven levels. Driven by the dungeon skill ups. Whatever. I flick through various notifications. A lot of attention to details. The four soul core level ups…shit.
You have gained [Soul Core] Competent 1
Competent - Your arrogance has ignited your soul, the price is you no longer can make new nascent arcane cores
Gain 0 exp
Well I seem to be selling vital parts of myself to survive. I'm sensing a pattern. The latest nascent arcane core isn't on my [Status Screen]. The next notification stops me cold…I can deal with it later. More notifications while I hope Violet wakes up before the bitch arrives.
After the goblin exp I arrive at a new skill.
You have gained the skill [Soul Shear] Basic 1
Soul Shear - the ability to cleanly cut a soul
Basic - You been doing it enough Sara, best to get used to it, you can cut your own soul
Gain 0 exp because you shouldn't be rewarded for self harm
Guess that's why the goblin Tapestry severing didn't knock me out. I fear the system is right on that.
-Red.
I unfocus for a mome— ahhh fuck my head. Sister focus with me we got a lot to go over. Time slows again.
-Holy hell, Red, what did you do?
Apparently a lot of things. I was able to catch that goblin you severed a few days ago.
-And the Elf researcher?
…Must have been while I was fighting the fountain. I feel her grow sullen. Sorry.
-No, you were busy. I wasn't even the one to kill him. He just showed up. I can't remember how. Nevermind. Has your body been storing her blood? Please let this nightmare end soon.
I feel her need for it to be true. But in the end it doesn't matter.
My body is in stasis, Violet. Even if it was collecting, it wouldn't manifest until after the stasis is broken. I feel her mood plummet.
-She is tearing me apart, Red. I don't know how long I can still be me. Am I even me? Mother is already reshaping me.
The contract is broken and she still thinks of her as her mother…I need something, anything. Violet throws out a suggestion before I do.
-What if I push her blood into our soul space?
I can't access it.
-You will when she retrieves your body.
I don't think we could consume it fast enough before she stops us. The abyss of our mood grows deeper. What if…what if…
-Red?
What if I make it so that only you are able to retrieve my body?
-...I don't know if she will let me go.
She seems to think it's worth it to collect my pieces right?
-She does…I think she wishes to control an army of undead.
Less risk to her precious Elf Tapestries. I think I can make it so only you can approach.
-Are you sure?
She needs to die.
-Sorry, you're going to be cruel to save us…but even if she sends me, I'll be different, will I even agree?
Kinda figure she makes everyone hate her. I'll collect the Tapestry she will rip from you. You'll know her crimes. I can only hope you agree.
-Best we can do. I just need to come up with a way to push her blood into our soul space. To do it even if I don't remember why.
…I give a suggestion.
-Seriously.
I mean isn't our plan pretty hilarious, I mean if you succeed we will be filling the streets with our cackles.
-Your big idea is that our madness will have us do the only sane thing.
Pretty funny right? I feel her mirth bleed through.
-Your insane.
It's my turn to be. She laughs in our soul core.
-As if you actually ever stopped.
I am laughing now too. Hope Lea isn't too annoyed. I look at that one notification I put off.
Fifth Major Soul Boon prerequisite achieved
For igniting your Soul, you gain a divinity spark, Goddess
Deity Stat unlocked
??? Goddess Divinity
Your mana constructs don't dissipate when infused with soul mana
Violet…
-Yes, Red?
I love you. I shear the various parts of her soul. She can't remember seeing our [Status Screen]. Can't remember our conversation. I set our [False Soul] to hide any mention of Deity. I [Soul Etch] her mind with the thought to touch her horn, to remember how funny it would be to push her mother's blood into our soul space, even if she can't remember why. She will be alone for so long. So will I, but I will remember what has been taken from us.
