…

  11-11-1706

  …

  I'm a head priestess now, but I only have one junior priestess. It's bizarre to be honest. A title I can't even display. All to weaken my curse. Poor Rin now bears a part of it. Her hands were so cold. My body is stronger now due to her sacrifice. Though I don't know how strong.

  Dinner with my mother was strange. I don't recall joining her, I was there with the usual salad with Lincor and her pouring over pieces of parchment. She would read one then hand it to him. It was rather bizarre. I actually finished before she did. She handed me a box full of crystals as I sat there watching. She told me if I felt an unsettling coldness in my chest, that all I need to do is channel it into the crystals. She then sent me to bed.

  …

  -----

  I pick up one of the crystals. It's not unsettling but my chest is radiating a coldness. I shrug and see if I can channel it. I feel the coldness move, it travels down my arm. Goosebumps are raised as it goes. When it pushes into the crystal a swirl of green black light starts to form. It reminded me of the core from the dungeon. The one that I ate…is this all fallout from my selfishness then? At least there are these crystals. Though the mana wasn't unsettling.

  I get up and dress myself. A simple sleeveless dress of yellow. It goes to my knees. I pick up my sandals and I am curious, are my stats high enough to forgo them? Asking my soul yields nothing. I put them on, best not to risk my feet emulating my mother. I head to breakfast.

  -----

  The G girl was next to mother.

  “You two have met. She will be your new suitor candidate.” She looks at G girl that I was really hoping she'd name, “Make sure to spend time with her outside of Lincor's class.”

  The red head nods at mother. I ate breakfast under their watch. It was rather uncomfortable. Mother left us when she finished. I just keep pecking at my salad.

  “When is your next ovulation?”

  I choke. I look at her as if she grew a second head.

  “A little forward there.”

  She rolls her eyes, “Listen, you're a [Princess] and are beneath me. I am willing to help you fulfill your duties but I have little interest in carrying your child. So it will be your womb if we make with the magic. I just want to know how long I have to decide to have a night fling with you on an annual basis.”

  Right…“I don't actually know.”

  She looks annoyed, “How old are you?”

  “I'm not sure.”

  She stares at me blankly, “How do you not know your age, look your impossibly level one so it's just your soul value.”

  “Two.”

  “What?”

  I mince my hands, “My current soul value is two.”

  “I don't think the [Empress] would have bothered me if you had thirteen years before your maturation.”

  “You're thirteen, sunlight.” Mother saves me.

  “Thirteen, I'm thirteen.”

  She gives me a strange look. My antics no doubt soured her on me.

  “Well, what's next on your agenda?”

  “I'd go read until Arccor summons me.”

  “Well considering he went missing a week ago, that means you need to do your own physical training. Hurry along, I will witness your progress.”

  I follow the G girl out of the dining room. My salad is unfinished but I've lost my appetite.

  -----

  “Well what do you do first?”

  “Um laps until I am exhausted, then one more.”

  She raises an eyebrow at that, “What possible skill could that train?”

  “...” The words refused to come out of my mouth, “I'm not allowed to say.” Is all I murmur.

  She gives me another annoyed look, “Well get to it then.”

  I start my jog at its usual speed and it feels … pedestrian. A few laps in and G girl starts to get annoyed.

  “Are you slacking because Arccor is not here? You hardly look tired at all.”

  “This is my usual pace but…my curse has changed. Mother said my stats were higher.”

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  “Well then start pushing yourself already.”

  That's fair, I start running, practically sprinting. The laps come quicker. It takes time but I finally start to stumble. The girl looks rather astonished but then twirls her fingers for me to do one more. I push it, my lungs burning but I manage it. I collapsed after. Breathing hard. “Another level of Second Wind.”

  The girl is over me, looking down.

  “I swear your agility is higher than a...” She trails off, looking to the door.

  The door opens. Rin has a piece of parchment and a trinket in hand. The parchment is passed to G girl. The trinket is set on the ground. I stare at the trinket, Rin just stands next to it with a wane smile. Before I can beg her not to, I hear a tearing of parchment. I look at G girl.

  “As ordered, nevermind me. Activate the sadism in a box already Randinrin.”

  “Sorry, Sar.”

  I reach to stop her, she hasn't placed the necklace on me yet. She touches the box and the shrill is all I hear. My thirst grows. Everytime I hear my mother's voice, the shrill lessens. By the seventh time, it's loud but I don't think I'm being injured anymore. I don't understand. I needed the necklace before to heal but now? My chest is cold again. Colder. Rin disables the trinket and hands a different one to me.

  “The [Empress] wants you to continue using this one everyday until you break it.”

  Break it? Rin smiles at me.

  “Sarcea, do not allow yourself to become colder than this.” Cea commands.

  “It adjusts to the user's tolerance, but if you are immune it just breaks.”

  I nod, “If you will excuse me, I need to return to my room.”

  “Wait, don't you require healing?” G girl stops me.

  I shake my head. A new frown, “Nonsense, if you allow this wound to remain it will become part of your soul image.” She touches the side of my head then pulls back, “You're so cold.” She reaches again and attempts to channel her magic, the frown grows. Her eye gets a green dot. I feel my thirst grow, I immediately punch her in the eye with the dot.

  I look at my fist not understanding. Why had I done that? Rin hurrys to the dazed G girl.

  “Do not heal her, [Junior Priestess].”

  The words come unbidden. Rin freezes. I grip my head. Before I can question my sanity, my mother is there. She is over G girl, a hand out.

  -----

  …

  12-11-1706

  …

  Another half a day lost. I remember Rin handing me the trinket, but nothing after. My crystal collection has grown to three filled with green black swirls during this blank time.

  I was given a trinket to improve my sound resist. I think I will wait till this evening. Better to be ready to remedy my thirst. I'm not sure I understand why I am now able to withstand the shrill thing. Perhaps I have reached a threshold that prevents catastrophic injury.

  …

  -----

  “Do stay behind Sarcea, the rest of you may go.” Lincor ruins my day again. Rin is pale again. My thirst is back.

  “I said you could leave.” Lincor said with a bit of annoyance.

  “I am still evaluating Sarcea for myself.” G girl answers.

  Lincor shrugs, then motions to me. A new metal triangle in his hands.

  “Sarcea, after a bit of research I have adapted my spell into a type of writing that I think you may be able to cast through.”

  I give him a surprised look as he hands it to me. He hasn't formed the mound of dirt yet. I tilt my head at him.

  “In a moment, I believe it best for you to understand this prior to your engaging it. This here is the name of the spell.” It read Light Ray, “This after it is how much arcane to use.” Half of your reserves, I give him a bit of a shock at that. “Your reserves are so little, when you get access to more we can always pare it down. Now under here is the convert to light, then it pulls off mana for first speed, size, and the rest for intensity. This last bit is the direction which leads to the end here. Understand?”

  I give him a nod. He forms a dirt mound and steps out of the way. I channel into the triangle. It heats up. Then it fires. I can't see the result. My eyes seared from the glow. “You have gained the skill Light Magic, You have gained the skill Resist Bright.” My thirst grows again as my sight returns. There is a hole in the mound, and the floor behind it. A strange smell permeates the area, similar to that of an approaching thunderstorm.

  “My eyes, again?”

  I look at G girl as she holds her face. Rin is not here to help her. Lincor walks over and channels a bit of healing into her. She murmurs thanks to him. He then goes over and examines the hole I made.

  “May need to lower the amount of reserves.”

  “Why not just place a cap on intensity? Then it would pull what was needed.” I say a bit absently.

  He just gives me a blank stare, then he smiles again. “A wonderful idea, Sarcea. You saw how I wrote the spell. Here take this piece of parchment. It's transcribed there. I expect you to write a new one using water magic for me. We will go over it out at our next class. I feel if we can get you to write these out then perhaps we can bypass [Incantation].”

  I tilt my head at Lincor, he explains further, “Mother explained your curse to me, your inability to use spells is linked to vocalization. If I can get you to [Silent Incantation] then spell craft will be just as natural to you as it is to her.” He motions to G girl who is still rubbing her eyes. Another missed chance to learn her name. Damn. “Off you go. Don't be shy about experimenting. The more sheets you write the better.”

  -----

  I find myself in the hallway with Tona and a pale Rin. G girl exits after I do. Tona is the first to talk.

  “So are extra lessons going to be a thing now?”

  “I don't know, I really need to head to my room.” I am looking at Rin with worry.

  “Is everything alright?” He touches my shoulder and pulls back, “You're as cold as Rin.”

  I give a shaky smile. Guess this green black mana makes my body physically cold. I feel that I shouldn't mention it. Instead I look down the hallway. Tona looks like he wishes to say more.

  G girl speaks out before Tona does, “Don't stop her, she has commands that force her to do things. I got in the way of one yesterday which resulted in her breaking my eye socket.”

  I look at her, paling. When did I strike her? That's beyond out of turn. Commands? I don't understand. Rin grabs my arm. Her hand is slightly cold. But she is so pale. Nothing makes sense. She starts walking me away. I welcome the escape.

  -----

  It took four drops of blood but Rin was back to looking hale. My thirst diminished to just my own. I channeled more into my crystals. Two more filled. The box I store them in is cold now. It was empty when I arrived. Unlike my mother, I don't have attendants. Who is removing them?

  Dinner was another silent affair. G girl was eating with us. Guess my table manners were also to be evaluated. I simply do my best at eating boring. When my mother leaves she speaks up.

  “Is it always this terrible?”

  I look up, “I beg your pardon.”

  “Your meals, is it always this bad?”

  “I mean it's all I've ever had. Eating is just necessary.”

  She looks at me aghast. It takes a moment she speaks again, “You know I felt your previous form suited you better. Now you're just like everyone else.”

  I'm a bit taken aback by that, “I'm an Elf, I shouldn't be more than that.”

  “So you want to be like this salad then, boring.” She gives a raised eyebrow.

  A part of me grows annoyed at that. What's wrong with being like my mother? A bit of hair gets in my face. I pull it to the side, my annoying curls…but my hair isn't curly. I catch the errant few strands. They aren't silver…just a muddy blonde. Familiar but no they're not mine. I grab it and rip it out. Headless of the pain. A few silver strands join it. I'm breathing heavily, my thirst begins to inch up again. New strands show up, all curly, all muddy brown. I go to rip more when my wrist is caught. I look up to see my mother. I turned my head and see G girl in shock.

  “Sorry.”