I wake up to my soul burning. I scream, there was no opportunity to do otherwise. I'm being hugged but I can't focus. Something was wrong, it was never like this before. When it finally fades I am a ragdoll in my mothers arms. Mother… I remember Sencea's end—

  “Sara, speak to me, are you alright?”

  “Sorry mom, I don't know why I woke up as if my soul was on fire.”

  —she aimed for me to give birth to her and Vancea. She had no alternative—

  “Is there anything in your notifications?”

  “I'll check now.”

  —the only path to rebirth Vancea was through me. It's why she wanted me to keep my uterus human.—

  “I got a warning about receiving a major fifty boon from soul etching”

  “I never heard of someone having two major fifty boons, which one was it?” Marie here.

  —Easier pregnancies. I'm not sure how I feel about the prospect of giving Vancea another turn at life. —

  “It looks like the Intelligence one, Sencea had it too. It gave me the [Parallel Mind] skill. Wait, I've been holding…”

  Two thoughts at once. I'm being shaken once more.

  “Sara you trailed off.”

  “Sorry the realization hit me.”

  I flicked my notification and sucked my teeth into a hiss. Both my attentions are focused on the notification.

  You have gained [Soul Eater] Competent

  Competent - any slaying exp you gain you will devour

  “Sara?”

  “Sorry, my other attention kept going through my notifications while I was talking, [Soul Eater] grew and it kinda shocked me.”

  “She's not trying to kill herself again is she?” Barbain always with tact.

  Bianca voice is in the hall, “If she is fine, could we talk in the hallway, Sara's closet is too small for us.”

  Rude, my [Junior Attendant] room is cozy. Cecelia is squinting out my open door.

  “We were using it as a closet beforehand.” Bianca replies.

  Did my other attention say that outloud? I'm going to have figure this out when I get a moment. I walk out with my mother.

  “So you now have the ability to hold two thoughts?”

  “Yep.” Yep.

  Guess only one thought can speak at a time. Barbain hugs me.

  “Aw, welcome to the joys of mental coordination.”

  I guess Barbain also has this boon, I should ask her about it later.

  “So about [Soul Eater]?”

  “Right, we don't need to do a test. Any slaying exp I earn I also devour, I think it's beyond my aura now.”

  Barbain hugs me tighter. She can feel my sadness. My other attention brings up my previous thought.

  “Juggling two thoughts is hard.”

  “You said Sencea had this boon, how did she handle it?” Mother asks.

  Sencea had her other mind set to be an overwatch, something to keep an eye on her magical senses while she went about her day. I follow suit. I give over my mental, arcane and soul sense over to my second attention.

  “Thank you for bringing that up, I think I can better focus now.”

  Cecelia smiles at me.

  “It just surprises me that it's a tier one skill.”

  “What, don't got enough tier tens?” Barbain teases me.

  “What, no I'm just surprised is all.”

  “It will gain more minds as it evolves post advance.” Francis provides more details.

  Just how many cores can I plug into my head. The multithreaded Sara.

  “Now that our [Junior Attendant] has woken us again, it's best to get to our mornings.”

  “By the way, Sara is taller again.” Barbain sneaks one last revelation before we part.

  -----

  After the morning kitchen clean up, Marie sits me down at the table. That she pulls out a needle and more napkins makes me afraid more embroidery punishment is in store. I couldn't control my screaming but it seems I will be punished for being loud.

  “Do be at ease Sara, we are going to work on the final skill you need to be an [Attendant].”

  Final skill? Is my training complete after this? Barbain wanders into the kitchen.

  “And what skill is that, [Head Attendant] Marie?”

  “Why, sewing of course, Barbain come and keep Sara company while she learns. It is your last day.”

  Aw, I'm going to miss Barbain for a year.

  “When do you leave, Barbain.”

  She hugs me after hearing the tremor in my voice, “After lunch, Sara.”

  “So how sewing different from [Embroidery].”

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  Marie looks to Barbain. Barbain sighs and answers, “Different stitching, different purposes. You wear your sewing, you decorate what you wear with embroidery."

  “Watch now, Sara.”

  Marie stitches the two handkerchiefs together. The stitch is simple. I reproduce it with my two handkerchiefs.

  You have gained the skill [Sewing] Basic 1

  Sewing - the ability to make fabrics come together

  Basic - is it cheating if this is the fourth life you've done this in

  Agility raised to 45

  The system with the important questions.

  “I got the skill, also not a prodigy.” I narrow my eyes at Barbain before she speaks.

  “That was still quite fast Sara.”

  I turn to Marie, "It's not the first time I've learned to sew, ma'am.”

  “Are there other skills you could learn instantly because of it?” Barbain asks.

  “There's probably a few but maybe I should wait till tier three, you know for the easy stat gains.”

  Barbain flicks me in the forehead, “Not a prodigy you say.”

  I stick my tongue out at her. I've been thinking about the list of possibles.

  “Ooo, Barbain do you have an aura you can project.”

  “Everyone learns [Intimidation Aura].”

  Unless you're me, doesn't matter.

  “Can you and Marie coordinate, elf training includes [Aura Sense], all you need is two people with the ability to project auras to a third. The third needs to figure out who is projecting an aura at the time. You don't guess, you have to feel it. If you do, you get the skill.”

  Marie and Barbain look at each other then they turn their backs to me. They don't whisper but their arms are moving. They turn back to me and I can feel a push of power towards me. I feel fear push into me, they seem bigger. I ignore the feeling and focus on who is creating the aura. I remember both Sancea and Vancea training and I grope until a new notification pops up.

  You have gained the skill [Aura Sense] Basic 1

  Aura Sense - the ability to sense active auras

  Basic - giving away elf secrets now

  Presence raised to 42

  “It's Barbain, thank you for helping me with this.” I give the sense over to my other attention.

  “O o, I want to try next.”

  That makes me sad, “I don't think it's a good idea to use my aura, besides the aura needs to be the same otherwise you'll know without sensing who it is.”

  “Wait, you don't have [Intimidation Aura]?”

  “Do I look intimidating to you?” I stick my tongue out.

  “Well you have grown two inches.” She gives me a return raspberry.

  -----

  Lunch was pancakes again. I wanted to give Barbain the best meal possible before she left. Francis groaned at it but he is staying till this evening.

  “Goodbye auntie.”

  She flicks me in the forehead before I can encase her in my hug. I smile and grab her after anyways. She returns my hug. She whispers to me.

  “Don't become either of my mothers.”

  I smile at that, “You know I prefer my own.”

  She laughs and walks down the road with her two pieces of luggage. There is a caravan heading out of town that she will ride to the capital. I would have loved to have bade her farewell there but the less people see me the better. The thought is bittersweet.

  -----

  “Ah Sara, I see you have grown taller, you will loom all the more over Briknae as she grouses.”

  I hug Belna, it's been too long. A week for her, centuries for me. She gives me a pat and pushes me to the fire. I start the process again, it's soothing.

  “Did you have a good time with the festival mistress?”

  “Indeed, there was much mead and a great deal of merry making, at least till the tavern closed.”

  I wince at that, Meron lost Sencea twice. Did he know? Should I go tell him? Marie puts a hand on my shoulder. It steadies me.

  “Come let us see how much you have lost in my absence.”

  I sit in her seat and she brings a heated piece of iron. I take up my mistress hammer and shape it into a plate. It only takes five hits.

  “Now this is strange, I expected to have lost a day or two of practice and yet you have shaped this as if you have done this for years.”

  I smile wanly at Belna, Sencea was a forge master before that lark ended. The system skills need to be regained but the knowledge and experience. They are there.

  “It would seem that it may be time for you to complete commissions. Do not worry Sara, I will help you gain the skills to match the experience you now possess.”

  I look at her wide eyed. How does she know? She shoos me out of her chair. I am a little dumbfounded. A message scrolls across my glass.

  “Marie return to the estate, Sara hide in Belna's living quarters until Cecelia arrives. Collect Sara glasses before you leave Marie.”

  My eyes grow wider.

  Your employment with [Lady] Bianca Maxwell has ended. [Junior Attendant] has deactivated and decoupled from [Voiceless]. Title set to [Voiceless].

  -----

  Belna closed her shop, much to the chagrin of her regulars. If you go by the pounding of her shop door.

  “I'm sorry.”

  Belna waves her off, “It is the whims of nobility, pay it no mind.”

  I have two minds to pay with and they are doing their utmost to panic me. Why did Marie give me such a fierce hug before she left? Why did they take the glasses with them? Why has my employment ended?

  All I can do is wait for my mother.

  -----

  Cecelia finally arrives, she looks haggard. She sweeps me into an embrace and hugs me. That she is still wearing her breastplate makes it painful but I endure. I try to ask what's going on but she interrupts me.

  “Listen to me Sara, you are going to Yetna with Francis. He will explain in more detail what's going on. I need to remain here for another day or two, but I will join you as soon as I can. Come his carriage awaits.”

  She is practically carrying me out at this point.

  “Wait, is grandma and grandmother still okay?”

  -----

  Your apprenticeship with [Master Smith] Belna has ended. [Apprentice Blacksmith] is deactivated.

  “Mother and Marie have been arrested for dereliction of duty.” Francis looks just as haggard as Cecelia did.

  “What duty?”

  “Hotna is in rebellion, [Baron] Anvar has laid the blame on mother. He arrested her and Marie as she is her immediate family. The soldiers were looking for you as well, being the professed daughter who still had not debuted.”

  Explains why Cecelia pushed my adoption contract into my hands. She told me if anyone questions my lineage, to present it.

  “Does he plan to execute them?”

  My eyes are wide as I ask it. The look on Francis' face is not encouraging.

  “I don't know. This is all a play to prevent his censure. I don't know if mother's faction is strong enough to stop him. I'll be visiting grandfather after I drop you off at the company store. Genop will watch you during that time.”

  “Who Genop, and why are you seeing my great grandfather alone?”

  He smiles wanly, “She is my wife and who has been minding the store in my absence. My grandfather should not learn of you before you've debuted. That is unless you wish to be traded to another noble house for perceived prestige.”

  My eyes grow wide, great grand father sounds like someone high on the list to avoid. Francis continues on.

  “I'm sorry this has uprooted everything. We will make sure you are safe.”

  “You don't blame me?” It hurts to ask, I fear the answer.

  “I don't blame a ten year old victim for the villainous action of another.”

  “When did the rebellion in Hotna start?” More answers to fear.

  “About a week ago, they refused annual tax collection. Apparently the group of returning soldiers were not pleased with the state of the village nor with the missing children.”

  My eyes widened at that. The dead children.

  “Why was it considered grandmother's duty?”

  “She is the area tax collector, if a village refuses she would have to use force. Mother was in the process of negotiating. Resolution should not have been expected for another month. It's a common enough situation that's going to be exacerbated with her being removed.”

  A convenient excuse to silence her with. The returning soldier concerned me as well. Alec?

  “So there no violence?”

  “Not until Anvar's army shows up.”

  I just start looking at the ground. Francis notices my gloominess and he scrounges around for something among the boxes. The carriage was hastily filled with them. I look up at all the noise.

  “The soldiers were rather rough with mother's possessions and I fear they took the rods. But I can at least say we can repair the golem.”

  It's Ratagin, he is in two pieces, his spine was snapped. I smile at the memories, tears in my eyes.

  “Please teach me how.”