…

  10-11-1706

  …

  Another large gap. The last thing I remember is my mother arriving and swallowing the seed in the dungeon. There is a page torn from my diary. Had I done it? My forehead burned this morning like usual. My pallor was terrible. My lower back hurts. To be honest after shattering my body in the fall, only a bit of back pain is a blessing. My only other scar from it all is a curious white flower above my right ear. It's the same one the dryad had shown me.

  …

  -----

  I exit my room, ready to head to breakfast for another meal of boring when a voice interrupts my mental preparation.

  “Good morning, [Head Priestess].”

  I slowly turn my head towards the voice not quite understanding the address or why it was used to label me. It's Rin plus two bright, sharp red horns on her forehead…that's new…I give her a blank stare. I couldn't even try to search for someone else. The moment she had said the title I felt it resonate with me. It was me she was referring to.

  “Sarcea, bring Randinrin with you to the dining room.” Cea commands.

  “With me [Junior Priestess].”

  We walk, my mind scrambling. I don't know why I said that. She is behind me as if below me in status. It's all sorts of wrong. I reached no conclusions as we reached the dining room. Mother is sitting at the head of the table. I go to my usual seat as Rin just stands by the door. My disquiet grows. I start picking at my salad.

  When mother finishes she motions for Rin to step forwards, “I know your curse has robbed you of the last few days, Sarcea. In an effort to heal you, Randinrin volunteered to share a part of your curse's burden. It has changed her [Life Magic] to [Blood Magic]. It is a more powerful healing magic but using it causes the individual to grow a thirst they can't satisfy. Your curse is a blessing in this regard. The medicine you take relieves this thirst, and by making you her superior she has connected her thirst to you.”

  Okay that is like way way way too much to process. I look at her with scared confused eyes.

  “If my medicine relieves this ‘thirst’, why doesn't Rin take it instead?”

  Mother gives me a sad look, “The only reason you can survive drinking that medicine is because of your curse.”

  I'm just more confused. Curse requires medicine to alleviate symptoms. Medicine requires a curse to survive drinking it. And now Rin is partially affected by my curse but is incapable of drinking my medicine. But she is relieved by my drinking of the medicine…

  “Do I have [Blood Magic] as well?”

  “No.” Was my mother's only response. One that said not to ask further. I direct a thought to my mother.

  She called me head priestess.

  “It is a title you were given to facilitate this binding but being a [Princess] and being below level twenty means you can not display your additional title. This new title does not confer any new privilege to you. You are still not yet permitted to leave the castle. You are also not allowed into the dungeon anymore either. It is clear the grove has animosity towards you.”

  …Is that to say I will be allowed to leave?

  “Perhaps, after you have done your duty to me.”

  Children…

  “I see you understand. I will be selecting a new possible consort for you. Randinrin being in a strict title hierarchy would make such a relationship abusive. You should expect to meet them by tomorrow. Unless you find Hectonal satisfactory.”

  I hadn't decided.

  She nods at that. I feel a bit morose at the change in my dynamic. Rin was nice but now I am above her in status and she is directly underneath me. A responsibility unasked for. A priestess whose only ability is to relieve the ‘thirst’ of her subordinate. Mother has me leave them before I can ask the biggest question I had. Why did Rin have horns?

  -----

  I head to Lincor class. My question is still unanswered. The one in question catches up to me.

  “Sorry for the uncomfortableness earlier, Sar.”

  No longer calling me head priestess. That's good.

  We enter the room and join the rest of the students. No one says anything about Rin's latest additions. Have they already seen them?

  “Ah it is good to see you returned, Sarcea. How are you feeling?”

  I look at Lincor, “As well as expected.”

  He nods, then turns to the rest. “Alright now that we have our other healer again, let us practice our dodging.” He gets up while the rest of the class follows. He motions me over first.

  I look a bit panicked at Rin. She just smiles and nods. I go to where Lincor points. He gains a rather wicked grin as his finger comes up. I tilt my head when I feel something burn my left thigh. I look down and see an angry red welt.

  “I'll be turning up the power for the next one [Princess].” He mocks. Two hands come up now. They are pointing at different places. I panic, light magic? Is this to train my sight as well as reflexes? I engage my mana sight. Only his left hand has the mana, I move out of where it is pointing. A scorch mark gouges the floor behind me.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  “Good, you catch on quick.”

  The right, the left, the left again, right. I clutch my left eye after that. “Light Mana Sight has leveled.” The distraction earned me a shot through my right thigh. I collapsed. No one comes to help other than Rin and Tona. He grabs me by my armpits while Rin grabs my ankle. It's awkward but they clear the stage.

  “Thank you.”

  Tona looks down at me, a bit surprised. I was out of turn. He just shakes his head.

  “Think nothing of it.”

  Rin unattaches a cup from her belt. She cuts her hand and begins bleeding into it. I look at it all with a bit of wonder. Then I feel my thirst grow. She gives me a bit of a wry grin as she first pour her cup over my wound then has me drink. I don't balk, strangely feeling this to be natural. Tona did, he looks a bit perturbed.

  “I thought you were healing her, she looks paler.” Tona exclaims.

  Rin shakes her head, “My healing simply brings out her curse more. Sar is fine, she just needs a purification.”

  And my medicine. This curse is madness. I watch as others take turns dodging and using various mana constructs. They are worse shots than Lincor but better dodgers than I was. Another girl heals before Rin does. Gil…something. I must admit it's been awhile since Lindor had queried the red head. At least while I've been around.

  When Rin takes over, she heals the same as she had with me. Everytime she spills her blood, my thirst grows. By the end I am trembling. It feels like when I did resist sound training. But the day is far from over. Rin touches my arm to get my attention. Her hand is cold as ice. I look at her worried.

  “I'll be fine for a bit more.”

  I look at the class. Only one left. Nothing to worry about, I hope. The girl fires their water construct at their classmate. It harmlessly splashes off the boy. I breathe a sigh of relief, the others wince. Confused, I look back. The water has yet to dissipate. It suddenly envelopes the leg of its victim. I can hear a snap. Now I am joining in the wincing. The water then dissipates. Rin rushes over. As well as G something girl. They both have a green eye dot. My thirst grows as she holds it. It then winks out. Rin looks to her fellow healer. She gets a shake of the head. Rin fills her cup again. My thirst grows even more and I see Rin shiver.

  She tries to give the cup to the boy which results in the boy knocking the cup away. His careless thrash while understandable causes a bit of anger in me. The blood in the cup stops in midair. I walk over with the floating blood. I then grasp the boy's jaw. He tries to struggle but my grip holds him in place. My other hand forces his mouth open and the blood goes into his mouth. I promptly forced his mouth closed. Then pinch his nose for good measure. Drink fool is all I think at him. He does, I let go of his face and wait for his body to heal. His panicked pained face relaxes as the leg mends.

  I checked on Rin. She looks a bit ashen. She just smiles at me. She is the only one, the others look a bit wary. No not the only smile, there is a rather amused one on Lincor. Before I can shrink back, Lincor speaks up.

  “Class dismissed. Stay a bit, Sarcea.”

  Damn, I was hoping to go get some medicine, but I can't disobey. The others leave.

  “How are your reserves?”

  “I feel I still have half.”

  He looks over me, various colors shift on his eyes, they are two xs that are pinned at their center, they rotate in opposite directions, sometimes overlapping, making you think there is one. They are different colors. Is his mana sight only one x and he is just rotating between two at a time? Bizarre that they don't align, and they rotate differently. When it goes green I feel my thirst start to increase. My annoyed look is greeted by a frown after a bit. I want to ask why.

  “No matter, that was a rather impressive bit of control there. Have you been practicing your water magic perhaps?”

  “Only in regards to preventing a tea cup from spilling.”

  The frown deepens, “If annoying Abby is all it took to get to that level of control, we all be masters.”

  Guess everyone heard her reprimanding me. He notices me trying to shy away which just earns a grin. He pulls out a metal triangle from his desk and hands it to me. It has etched runes in it.

  “That there is a transcribed spell. The one I shot you with. Right here are the runes I used to convert my arcane mana to light, and here is where I placed my words for casting my spell as an incantation.” A mound of dirt rises behind him, he steps aside. “Try pushing your arcane mana through it towards the mound.” His xs return white and a pale yellow.

  I do as he asks. The triangle begins to warm but nothing happens. I expect disappointment but only see a look of intrigue on the Elf. I wait for him to speak. He takes his time, which is just agony. He finally does.

  “Your mana converted, tried to engage the spell form but then fizzled out. Most curious. You can head out.” He says the last part almost absently, he is looking towards mothers office as he says it.

  I leave the classroom only to find Tona, Rin and G girl. It's a little late to ask her name now. I just hope it doesn't come up. Rin's complexion has not improved. I really shouldn't be delayed but I can not ignore them either. Tona is the first to speak.

  “That was quite impressive, I thought your strength was only ten.”

  I look at him blankly, not understanding. He gets a bit annoyed.

  “You held down Paninal like he was the one with ten strength, have you been holding back?”

  “No…” Now I am confused. What is my strength, soul? There is no reply. Asking for my physical stats results in the same silence. Does my soul hide all my stats now? What is my soul at…“Two.” Apparently my abysmal amount of soul is all my soul is willing to inform me of.

  “I can't get my voice to tell me what my strength is…”

  The red head behind Tona just scoffs, “That's absurd, everyone's voice will respond to inquiry.”

  I just shrug which just annoys her further. I go to Rin. “Are you alright?” She gives me a hurried nod. The red head annoyance grows even more.

  “Don't lie Randinrin, your body is clearly in distress. We can barely hear your heart beat.”

  The weak thud grows in speed, I need to hurry to my room. The thirst we share obviously is having a negative effect on her. I grab her frigid hand and pull her away from the other two in hurried steps.

  “We aren't done talking to you.” I ignore the G girl which only earned me a humpf.

  -----

  I reach my room, I go to grab the bottle that holds my medicine.

  “Sarcea, explain yourself.” Cea commands.

  -----

  My mind is blank. My hand is out stretched but not moving. I don't understand. Mother enters the room. She looks at me and then Rin who is beside the door. She takes a moment to examine her.

  “I see, take a drop now, Sarcea.”

  I take the dropper and swallow the crimson liquid. The thirst lessens. I look at Rin and see her still ashen. Mother examines Rin as well.

  “Another, try to think of it as alleviating Rin's thirst.”

  I do as she says. Hoping it's her thirst I am relieving. Rin's color improves. I still feel a bit of thirst though. My mother continues her examination. I so want to take another. To help Rin. Mother notices my distress.

  “Sarcea, you are allowed enough drops to alleviate Rin's thirst, you are not allowed more than one daily drop for your own thirst though.” Cea commands.

  I immediately take two more drops. The thirst is gone but I know I am not to take more today. Rin looks healthy again. I'm relieved. She is dismissed before I can ask her anything. Mother looks at me.

  “You had a rather interesting day.”

  “Yes mother, I got shot through the leg with light magic and forced a boy to take Rin's healing…I shouldn't have been able to overpower him though.”

  “The sharing of your curse has lessened some of its hold on your stats, do be careful.”

  “Yes, mother…”

  “What is it, morning light?” More [Common] nicknames.

  “My system voice stopped telling me my physical stats.”

  She thinks on that, “Perhaps your curse is simply rebelling at our efforts. It is rather inimical.”

  I frown at the last word. She answers my unspoken question.

  “It wishes to impede you.”

  Is my curse sentient? My thoughts are interrupted when mother opens my desk and pulls out some loose parchment. She motions me to sit while checking my ink well. I do so.

  “Sarcea, search your soul core and write everything you know about [Magical Programming] including working examples. Sarcea, when finished writing, fold the parchment and do not read the words written, you are to hand them to me at dinner.” Cea commands.

  My hand starts moving as she leaves.