I don't think I could ever describe the relief that seeing Gehrman's home brings to me. There's a tangible sagging of my shoulders as I see it, knowing that I can forget about all my troubles for just a few hours longer.
No more Ars Goetia, no more bloody mind games, and most importantly, no more fucking Zekram. I almost find myself crying in relief at the mere thought.
Honestly, I think today might just go up there with the longest of my life. It feels like months have passed in the blink of an eye. There's still so much I need to do as well, so many conversations to have, System Alerts I need to address. I haven't even done my weekly Dungeon yet.
But, alas, that can all wait. I have something far more important to attend to, someone I'm all too eager to see. The mere thought of her brings a smile back to my face as I walk through the front door, almost expecting to hear a piano once more as I do so.
But no. There's nothing. Not nothing as in, no piano, but rather nothing at all. No sound, no presence, no life. She never made mention of any plans to leave either.
...so then where is she?
Caduceus in hand, I make my way to the front entrance once more, already fearing the worst and halfway to teleporting to Lucifaad and storming the King's Court, only to stop and steady myself against a nearby wall as the ground trembles.
Gehrman's manor shakes violently, but stands tall. A shadow is now cast across the clearing, the body being one I intimately recognise through the windows. The sheer relief of seeing Alduin's three-headed form again is enough to leave me holding my chest, hand still braced against the wall.
"Fucking dragon." I mutter, willing my heart to slow down as I finally lay eyes on Grayfia, sat atop Alduin's back.
She's laughing with glee, hair blowing in the wind as she rubs one of the heads affectionately. It curls up against her hand, now several times larger than it, but yearns for her love all the same.
...I've no clue how exactly he grew so much in such a short time span, frankly. I'm almost certain he was nowhere near that large this morning, and I don't think I've gotten that much EXP either, so why might-
x11 Level Up! 33 Stat Points Available!
...Oh.
I forgot all about the Companion Quest rewards I've gotten recently. Bloody hell, he must've been gorging himself on EXP the whole week, no wonder he's twice as big now. Little bastard's been living like a king.
Alduin, Mutated Dragon
Level 136
Pushing aside my envy at his absurd EXP gain, I dismiss Caduceus and open the door, catching both servant and dragon off guard.
Grayfia jumps in surprise and realisation as Alduin's tails wag in joy. She quickly dismounts and half-bows in apology, though I interrupt her before she can finish with one of my own.
"Greetings, Mistress. It is a pleasure to see you again. I've made preparations for dinner and ran a bath in your absence. Which would you prefer first?" I say, glancing up a moment later.
My attempt at impersonation clearly entertains her, as her remorse is replaced with amusement as she folds her arms, a small smile on her lips.
"Your posture is off, and your stance is far too stiff. You also never asked for my preference of meal, nor the temperature I'd like my bath to be. I expected better of you, dearest servant."
Seconds pass by as we stare one another down. I try my best to maintain a straight face, but I find myself smiling like a fool as we both laugh simultaneously.
Grinning, I take a single step forward, but by then she's taken ten and is in my arms, holding me tight as she rests her head against my collar, hands wrapped around my back.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be here to greet you upon your return, Master. You must have been worried sick." She mutters, her voice muffled.
Once again, without me even realising it my hand is on her head, stroking her hair.
"There's nothing to apologise for, Grayfia. I admit, I was ready to march on Lucifaad at the mere thought of you being in danger, but I'm glad that wasn't necessary."
Any response she may have made is interrupted by the neglected whine of my dearest boy, his heads moving in tandem to surround me from all sides. Grayfia backs away for only a second, and in that brief time Alduin's taken over her spot.
His body is far, far too big to fit on the front entrance to the manor, so instead his heads nuzzle up against me as he chirps and cries, tails wagging enough now to leave the nearby foliage struggling against the wind.
"Easy now boy, I'm alright." I say, patting each head individually, "You make it seem like I've been gone for weeks."
They croon under the attention, fighting for my hands as one is left out like always, before turning to Grayfia and getting an idea.
They hiss, they cry, and they snap their jaws. Murmuring something under her breath, she placates them long enough to move in close against me once more, Alduin now sat several meters away.
"They want to show you something." She says, unexpectedly excited.
Raising a brow, I look between the two of them, both astonished that she understood and confused as to what 'something' is.
"You understood that? No, actually, what's he trying to show me? If it's a really big stick I'm gonna punch him in the face again."
Laughing at my low expectations, Grayfia instead walks back to Alduin's side, rubbing his wing as she beckons me closer.
"You're going to love this, Master. I promise." She says, before climbing atop Alduin's back like she had been minutes prior. My eyes widen as I realise her intentions.
"Surely not." I whisper, the idea so far from my mind I'd never even considered it.
In response to my disbelief, Alduin's three heads cry and yip as they point aggressively at his back, Grayfia herself holding out a hand for me to take. It feels like a wish come true, like I'm seven years old again dreaming a hopeless dream.
"The Demi-fiend should be feared by all those who would consider him an enemy. What better way to ensure that than to ride into battle on borrowed wings?"
Like a child on christmas day, I practically leap forward and take her hand, lifting myself atop Alduin with room still to spare. Grayfia shifts slightly behind me, leaning into my back as she rests her arms around my waist.
Feeling on top of the world, my enthusiasm dims slightly when I realise there's no reins to take hole of, or saddle to fasten myself to.
"How do I go about this exactly?" I ask the open air, Alduin's heads curled up to meet my gaze as he stares with open glee.
"Trust in them. That's all you need do. Their magic will take care of the rest." She whispers from behind, the Devil on my shoulder that I can't get enough of.
Taking her words to heart, and still being more than anxious despite being able to fly myself should anything go wrong, I lean forward slightly and make my thoughts known to Alduin.
"Show me what you got, boy. Just don't make me look bad in front of the lady."
As if taking my words as a challenge, the three heads all look amongst themselves before crying in response, rearing back a moment later, far more confident in themselves than they have any right to be.
Then, in the blink of an eye, we're airborne.
For a while it simply doesn't register, my seat still steady and unmoving, but then I feel the wind against my hair and the rapturous laughter of Grayfia behind me. In just a split-second, I feel like the world is at my fingertips as we soar through the air.
Two heads look back at me, gauging my reaction, desperate for my approval. I'm far too busy leaning forward and laughing in joy to take notice.
"Yes! Forward, Alduin! Prove to me you are worthy of your name!" I shout, hands rubbing against his back as my cheeks start to hurt from smiling.
I don't know how we're able to stay glued to his body, nor why I can barely feel the wind in my eyes or mouth, but I don't care for it. I chalk it up to magic bullshit as we cut through the air, faster than I could possibly have ever expected.
As if taking my prior thoughts as a challenge, he curls his wings and spins in the air, the motion turning my stomach but only deepening my smile. The sheer level of pride I can feel is almost sickening.
"Ahahaha, yes! Atta boy! You'll make a fool of those Dragon Kings in no time!"
The mention of his... superiors? Only seems to spur Alduin to even greater heights, the air growing colder with each moment as the world around us shrinks dramatically.
I never had an eye for beauty in my past life. The world was the world, and I was in it. That's all I ever thought on the matter. Now, though, sitting here atop this loving beast, I find myself awed by the spectacle.
I can't even see everything from up here. Hades' netherworld, the Fallen's home Gehenna, they're not even close to visible. Even more astonishing is that I still can't see the top of the Sacred Spear skewering Dis either. I underestimated just how imposing it truly was, but it extends far beyond the skies of our Underworld.
"This is one hell of a view." I mutter, staring at the vast expanse as we float on the spot.
"One of the best." Grayfia whispers behind me, now peeking over my shoulder. Almost on instinct, my head leans against hers.
I can barely see Lilith from here. Most of the Underworld is desolate, fires blazing across certain territories and land upturned or destroyed in others, but Lilith stands tall, a speck of mass in the corner of my eye.
I almost feel the urge to shiver when I stare at it. Feels like Zekram's watching me, all the way away, looking through that fucking window while he prattles on about this war.
Noticing my silence rather quickly, Grayfia's hand reaches up and rests atop my arm, her every word teeming with worry.
"Is something the matter, Master?" She asks, unable to see my expression.
I think for a long, long while before I respond. As we sit there, floating in the sky atop draconic wings, I wonder if I have the right to take her happiness away so suddenly. I wonder if I even want to. The way she's smiling over my shoulder, carelessly laughing in the wind... I want to preserve it.
But I also don't want to lie to her any more than I've had to. She deserves to know. At the end of the day, it's her father. I know I'd want the same.
"I've been wondering how to tell you this for a while now. I can't bring myself to lie or obscure the truth, so all I'll ask is that you prepare yourself for what I'm about to say."
Shifting on the spot, I turn so that I can face her, a hand on her own to offer some minor comfort. She stays silent the whole time.
"Lord Bael and I made a deal in Lilith. By the end of this week, you'll be a free woman, unburdened by the crimes of your past. In exchange, your father's been taken under Zekram's ownership as a prisoner, where he will spend the rest of his life."
I almost can't bear to look at her as I continue, words spilling out like water.
"I'm not sure if you'll ever see him again. Nor if he'll be the same man you once knew should such a thing happen. I owe my life to Gehrman, so if there's anything you need, time, space, anything at all, please tell me."
I try to offer my condolences, make some gesture of support, but the truth is I'm woefully underprepared for this situation. I'm especially unprepared for the response she gives when I'm done.
"I see. That is... relieving to hear." She says, smiling softly as she looks off at Lilith.
"This whole time, I was terrified that his sacrifice had been for nothing. The more the days passed, the more I came to fear that he had thrown himself to the depths of torment for nothing. That it had all been in vain."
Small tears begin to form in her eyes the longer she goes on, though they seem to be borne of relief just as much they are sorrow. Her hands fidget and shake as she speaks.
"I never once hated him. Even as our family fell apart, and he lost himself in his misery, I could never bring myself to hate him. I... I only regret that it took so long for him to show how much he loved me back."
Blinking slowly, I tighten my hold on her hand. The instant I do, she shifts her gaze to me, suddenly far more resolute, as if she'd had some realisation. She wipes away her tears on the cuff of her wrist, and takes both my hands into her own, smiling all the while.
"Thank you for being honest with me, Master. Thank you for helping to nurture this new life I've been given, for staying at my side when I needed you most. This news has only strengthened my resolve to cherish the life both you and my father have fought so hard to give me."
Her resolve only seems to strengthen, no longer crying as she stares at me.
"I'm sure that my father would feel just as proud to know that I can smile, and laugh, and live a happy life thanks to you. I know I've said it before, I know you've long since moved on, but..."
She pauses for a moment, as if having second thoughts. Any doubt behind her eyes is crushed almost instantly though.
"Had it not been for you, I would be a husk, waiting for death at the hands of my oppressor. Every laugh, every smile, every time that I wake up and look forward to the day is another thing I owe to you."
I almost start to feel embarassed in the face of such overwhelming adoration and devotion, heat creeping up my cheeks as she continues to speak.
"You can never begin to understand just how much joy it brings me to be at your side. I could spend the rest of my life reminding you, and it would not be enough. You were a scared, weak Devil with no hope for his own survival, but you gave everything so that my father and I could live."
The reminder of my own powerlessness is both even more embarrassing and yet also endearing somehow.
"I still remember the words you said to me that day. As crass and vulgar though they may be, they were the words that freed me from my prison. Blade in hand, faced with Satan Beelzebub's fury, you locked yourself away with him and told me to-"
"Move." I finish for her, laughing as I recall the moment, "I think it was... 'For fucks sake, Grayfia, Move'. I didn't realise it was so important to you."
She scoffs softly at the mere idea.
"It was the most meaningful thing anyone's ever done for me. You gave me reprieve from the demons that haunted my waking nightmares and faced them with nothing but the sword in your hand, the clothes on your back, and the courage in your heart."
She looks away, only now starting to feel embarassed herself as her thumbs rub against my hand softly.
"You made me feel like a little girl again, reading stories of princes and princesses. My very own knight in shining armour, come to take me away from my captors. I'll never forget that feeling for as long as I live."
I can't bring myself to laugh at her, because I'm far too busy trying not to fall apart at the seams. My heart practically feels like it's melting and I don't know how to stop it, the feeling only worsening as she continues.
"I meant it when I said I could spend the rest of my life repaying this debt, Master. In regards to that, there's... something I've been meaning to do for a while now." She starts, before saying the words that would leave me weak in the knees.
"I want to be your vassal, to make my service to you official... I want the whole Underworld to know who I belong to."
Before I can even say something, she takes a deep breath, gathering her courage before she moves a hand to the side. A moment later, a dagger appears in her outstretched palm, one I'd almost forgotten entirely. Gehrman's last gift.
"This blade is the Oathkeeper. When a Lucifuge makes their vows to their Master, they both spill blood upon the edge to form an eternal contract with one another."
She stares at it for a moment, looking at her own reflection in the curved metal, before she twirls it in her hand and offers it to me. Even after all that she's said, some small traitorous part of me still feels hesitant.
"Are you sure about this, Grayfia? This is... one hell of a decision to be making. I mean this is thousands of years of service, and-"
She cuts me off before I can even continue the thought, placing the Oathkeeper in my hand as she talks my doubts away.
"I've never been more sure of anything in my life." She starts, tears forming in her eyes once more.
"You're all that I want, Master. You, who gave mind, body, and soul, just to see me to safety. You, who gave me love and something to cherish, something to be thankful for. You, who gave me a second chance at life... I want to spend it in your warm embrace."
A moment later, blushing a storm and blazing with warmth, she says something to me that I don't think I'll ever be forgetting, her hand cupping my cheek all the while.
"Please, Master... make me yours."
I grip the blade almost reverently, hand shaking with anticipation. Any doubt I could ever feel was torn away by her heartfelt words. Now, all that remains is resolve.
Taking a deep breath, I follow her guide, one hand holding the blade aloft, and my palm dragging down along the edge. Either my pain threshold has gone up dramatically, or I'm far too devoted to this woman to let something like a cut stop me, because the wound was made with no hesitation.
Ignoring the way this whole ritual just fucking screams sepsis, I watch as Grayfia takes it from my hand slowly, looking at the spilt blood with adoration that I can only be jealous of.
Her fingers grip the handle, and as she drags her palm down the length of the blade, she whispers the words of binding, the terms of our contract.
"Through this binding, I swear myself into my Master's service. I shall be your sword and shield against all those who would seek to harm you. Your ally in times of need, your friend in times of joy, your guide in times of darkness, your lover in times of loneliness. I promise to be your vassal, your companion, your shadow, and most importantly..."
The blood spills down in thick droplets, the grimace on her face eclipsed by the radiant smile that shortly follows, her eyes glowing brighter than I'd ever seen them.
"I promise to be yours; until the last flame dies and all words have been spoken. Now, and forevermore, I devote myself to you."
Immediately after she finishes, something burns itself into the skin below my wrist. Pulling down my sleeve, with the help of my Devil Race Trait, I quickly realise that it's the terms of our contract, condensed into glyphs and running down my forearm.
Alduin, long since forgotten in the moment, seems to cheer as the words are spoken. I don't much care for it, I'm far too busy pulling her into my chest, arms wrapped around her waist with a possessiveness I've never felt before as I heal our wounded palms.
Our lips meet only a half-second later, but it still feels too long. She melts into my embrace, leaning forward and cradling my head in between her hands.
We break apart for only a brief moment, but as we do I find myself staring, staring at the way her cheeks match the colour of her eyes, the way she pants and huffs and looks at me so lovingly. I'm more than certain I'll cherish her for the rest of my life.
Alduin, being the best fucking boy the world could ever ask for, doesn't try to interrupt or watch this special moment, simply flying around and enjoying his own thoughts.
As Grayfia cries in my embrace, euphoric tears of joy and relief, I'm more than thankful that I had the pleasure of giving her that smile once more. I'd do anything to make sure she keeps it.
------------------------------------
I almost wish we could have spent the rest of our lives up in the sky, in that moment. I know it's silly, but fuck am I weak in the knees for a romantic moment. Rational thoughts just elude me with her.
Unfortunately, though, all things must come to an end, as Grayfia says we should be getting down. Alduin clearly disagrees, but a single rub of his horns by her has him relenting instantly.
Eventually, we're back where we started, stood in the front entrance to the manor as Alduin plays with his own tails, fights amongst himself, and regularly bites into the nearby trees, chowing down like a king.
Grayfia watches the Dragon closely, hand intertwined with my own a moment later as she leans into my side.
"You sure he still loves me more? Seems like you've got the magic touch with him these days." I say, idly stroking her thumb. Though I can't see her face, I hear the smile in her words.
"Alduin's far more devoted than you would think. He was the one who suggested learning to have a rider, after all. He wishes to join you on the battlefield."
Trying not to let slip just how much that makes my heart melt, I chuckle.
"Oh? How'd he tell you that? Aggressively shake his heads at you? Blink in morse?"
She playfully swats our conjoined hands into my side as she responds.
"Don't be mean. They're doing their best for you. Al especially, he worships you."
Brow raised, I look down and meet her eyes.
"Al? I didn't realise you'd named them. Which one's which?" I ask, noticing that she too fell to the trap of Al, Du, and In.
She smiles and lifts our conjoined hand, practically glowing as she does so, and points between each head from left to right as they each yip and cry in response.
"That's Al, he's got a bit of an ego but he melts after a good scratch. Du is next, he's the main head so Al and In listen to him most often. In is the last one, he's a bit... airheaded but his heart is in the right place."
Her eyes damn near sparkle as she speaks. I find myself entranced by the joy in her words, the way she glows with pride. Distantly, a voice in the back of my mind says only a single word, one which sums up exactly how I feel as I watch her.
Wife.
My own internal musings are interrupted though by a sudden shift in Grayfia's tone, her smile now replaced with hesitance as she glances between us.
"I hope you can forgive that I took the burden of naming them upon myself. I would understand if you took offense to me doing such a thing in your stead as their-"
Scoffing, I wave my free hand and cut her off.
"Don't be silly. If anything, you've got more of a right to that than I do. This whole parenting thing we've got going on is incredibly one sided. Besides, you just chopped up the name I already gave him. If anything, I feel like I should still take credit."
My jab at her seemingly goes unnoticed as she pauses for a long moment, not responding as she just watches Alduin, the Dragon(s?) now play-fighting between themselves.
"...is that what you consider it? Parenting?" She murmurs, her free hand fidgeting idly.
Noticing her turmoil, I smile and lift my arm over her, our hands conjoined atop her stomach a moment later as I stand behind her and hold her against me.
"Wouldn't you?" I say, before holding out my free hand in Alduin's direction. "Look at him! He was barely as big as my hand when he was born, and now we've turned him into a dragon worthy of song!"
My smile seems to be infectious, as she soon begins to mirror it, cheeks red as she leans back into my warmth.
"Children will tell tales of Alduin the Great, Alduin the Terrible, the most powerful dragon the Devil race has yet known! His roar will bring terror to his enemies, and joy to his allies. The skies will be blessed by his splendor, and his power shall be eclipsed by none!"
Before I can speak further, my free hand is suddenly occupied by Du, his horns rubbing up against my palm as he listens eagerly. The sight only makes my grin widen.
"That's right my dear boy. You'll be stronger than them all, the Dragon Kings, the Heavenly Dragons! When I take my throne as a Satan of our people, you'll be right there beside me in the history books; artists will come from across the Underworld to immortalise your gilded beauty!"
The other two join in a moment later, almost cheering me on with every passing second.
"And when it all ends, when our people come to realise how much of a good boy you are, I'll have a statue made in your honour! I'll even make a holiday in your name: Alduday! We'll have marches, and parades- we'll drink wine and sing of your legend!"
My enthusiasm is matched spectacularly by Alduin, as the dragon now cries and slams his tail with rapturous glee. Grayfia simply watches on with a smile, a warmth in her eyes that I feel almost privileged to see.
"Yes, that's the spirit! You're a winner, born and raised, the one true king of the... three... headed dragons! Maybe they'll make a crown for you!"
I expect my words to bring them more joy, but instead Grayfia and I fall under siege from a triage of angry dragons as they complain, very loudly, about there being only one crown instead of three.
She screams for only a moment, before it shifts into laughter as the three heads take turns lightly smacking themselves against us in protest.
"Alright, I apologise!" I shout, hand raised in surrender. "I submit! You can each have a crown, and a spare in case the first gets dirty! Nothing more, though!"
The siege finally ends, and as the trio back away, I'm almost certain they're smirking. Grayfia seems to agree, openly laughing at the sight.
"The great Demi-fiend, bested by his own dragon. I'm sure the history books would love to hear about this." She says, leaning her head against mine.
I grimace at the thought, only to catch Alduin's snickering a moment later when our eyes meet.
"I'm not sure why you're laughing, boy! You think a golden crown will fit on your big heads? It'd be way too small!" I shout.
Al, Du, and In all seem dismayed by this news, their heads hanging in shame, prior euphoria forgotten almost instantly. Grayfia joins in on the teasing a moment later.
"Such a shame... it's true that any normal crown would simply fall off their heads. They may just live their lives without those treasures." She mutters, her voice teeming with remorse.
The dragons look among one another in panic, before looking to me with pleading eyes. I only barely stop myself from bursting into laughter as I follow on from Grayfia.
"You heard the woman!" I shout, cracking up, "Your heads too big for the crown. Go find the gold stretcher! Now!"
They don't even hesitate for a moment before they fly out into the dense forestry around us, faster than I've ever seen them move before. In the blink of an eye, Alduin disappears.
The instant Alduin is out of earshot, I damn near explode with laughter, leaning into Grayfia to steady myself as she chuckles alongside me.
"The gold stretcher? Really? You're evil, Master." She says between giggles.
Smiling with pride that is almost certainly not warranted after tricking a child, I find my hand taking hold of her own yet again, her fingers idly tracing against my sleeve, against the symbol of her devotion.
"How long before he figures it out do you think?" I ask, still grinning ear to ear as my laughter fades away.
She scoffs in response.
"Knowing him, he'll be gone for a whole day chasing after nothing."
"Good. That's more than enough time to ourselves." I reply, a kiss on the cheek following shortly after one on her neck.
Having finally realised my grand plan, she bursts into melodic laughter once more.
"Really? That's what this was all for?" She says, unimpressed. A moment later, she turns in my arms and stares me down, her eyes glowing as she does so.
"Well, I couldn't exactly let him watch now, could I?" I say, hand snaking down along her back to rest at her hip.
She tries her best to maintain her stern demeanour, but the soft smile that forms on her face betrays her true feelings.
"I'm sure there were better ways of doing it, at the very least." She mumbles, arms linking around my neck a moment later.
"Oh, definitely. I'd like to think of this as a life lesson, though. Something he'll learn from."
She laughs yet again, the sound one I don't think I could ever forget even if I tried.
"You're a terrible father." She murmurs, smiling softly all the while.
"Only because you're such a good mother." I say, stroking her cheek.
She melts under the praise, her smile radiant as she presses herself even deeper against my chest and leans in ever so slightly.
"I'm glad you recognise my hidden talents. The only question now is... when will you make use of them, Master?"
Her every word is nothing but a soft whisper, lips mere inches away, a tantalising promise of euphoria as she shifts closer and ever slightly closer until finally-
A faint 'ding' can be heard from deep within the manor.
The sudden appearance of her finger then blocks my entry to heaven, Grayfia looking at me both half-amused and half-applogetic when my eyes open once more.
"Dinner's ready." She says, smirking and already backing up into the manor slowly. Blinking, I fold my arms and watch her go, feeling like I've been robbed.
"Wha- Who said anything about dinner? The only meal I'll ever want is standing right in front of me. Anything else can wait."
Grayfia laughs in response.
"Unless you want this wonderful home to burn down, you'll simply have to wait just a moment longer. Krallé seeds are very susceptible to catching aflame. I didn't spend hours preparing this meal for us just so it could all go up in smoke, Master."
A moment later and she's gone, disappeared down the hall to attend her duty as a maid. For a while, I'm almost led to believe that that's the end of it, staring at the open doorway and already missing her tender embrace, cursing the name Krallé.
A few seconds later though, contrary to her own words, she quickly steps back through the door and wraps my cheeks in her hands, eyes closed as she leans up and kisses me with a passion I could never hope to match.
Before I can truly appreciate the moment and bask in the way she fits in place against me, Grayfia pulls away. I quickly notice that her eyes won't meet mine, instead pointed solely at the ground. She's embarassed.
"I'm sorry." She mumbles, "I just couldn't help myself."
Then she's gone once more, speedwalking back through the open door and towards the kitchen as I'm left to watch her go, enjoying every second of such a divine view.
When I can no longer hear her swift movement through the halls, I kneel down next to the door, hand clenched over my heart as my confidence washes away in the face of such an adorable woman.
"Holy fucking shit I love her so much."
I mutter to myself, the words almost liberating to say aloud as my cheeks start to hurt from smiling so heavily. I spend several long seconds sat in that spot as those words repeat in my mind endlessly.
Rising from the ground a new man shortly after, I wipe away the giddy smile on my lips and take a deep breath to compose myself, following her path into the kitchen.
------------------------------------
Night comes faster than I had expected, but so does Grayfia's rest. Part of me had been assuming she'd finally break the seal, tie the knot so to speak, on our nightlife after such heartfelt declarations. Instead, the instant we got in bed, she pushed up into my arms, legs intertwined with my own, and started talking about how thankful she was.
Tired and emotionally exhausted, she looked me in the eyes and thanked me for taking care of her, for accepting her.
She smiled giddily, her eyes damn near illuminating the room, and said something after that almost had me marry her on the spot, something that... probably sounds like what a married couple would say in retrospect.
"I hope this wasn't all a dream, Master. I hope... no. I look forward to the rest of our lives together."
A small part of me thinks I heard her say 'I love you' at the end as well, but I'm more than certain that I'm just putting the words I want to hear in her mouth now.
Anyways, she fell asleep shortly afterwards, cradled in my arms. I find my cheeks hurting once more from how much I'm smiling by the time she passes out.
Fuck, I'm so weak to a loving woman.
My own weaknesses aside, now's the time for me to get to work. I've got a weekly Dungeon to clear, some Stat Points to assign, and some EX Tokens to fuse. My enemies won't wait for me to enjoy a happy domestic life after all. For all I know, they've been growing more powerful in my absence.
Alistair Mammon
Level: 212 (5/425)
HP: 15300
MP: 9322
STR: 110
AGI: 120
INT: 110
VIT: 120
LUK: 100
33 Stat Points. Ironically, it's exactly the amount needed to even out my spread once more, 13 points in LUK to reach one hundred and the other 10 in STR and AGI.
110 STR Skill Unlocked:
David or Goliath: STR will increase by 10% against foes that are taller than the User.
...alright.
100 LUK Skill Unlocked:
Royal Flush: User is more likely to find valuable items in the wild and get fortunate outcomes from System Actions. When rolling Gacha or using a Skill Token, gain the opportunity to reroll once a day.
Hoho. Interesting. Very, very interesting.
120 AGI Skill Unlocked:
Valkyrian: Sonido can be used mid-flight for bursts of lateral speed. Don't ask how.
I keep forgetting that I have wings- wing, of my own. I suppose I've not had to make much use of them yet, but... I get the feeling I'll have to keep it unfurled when I make my way to the frontlines.
I can't keep putting it off any longer. Once Grayfia's been pardoned, I'll send her to meet the Phenex in my stead, and make my way to join Serafall at the frontlines. At least now I can take Alduin with me.
...fuck it, maybe I should finally use that Evolution Token I've been sitting on since I was Level 30 as well. I've been way too reluctant to use it, though it's difficult to find something I can use it on when there's a distinct rule to it.
Cannot be used on Intrinsic Skills.
Yeah. That basically neutered 90 percent of the plans I had; an evolved Circle of Life, or even just an evolved Prayer, down the drain. Not to say that it's useless, not even close. I just can't think of something to use it on. I don't even know what Evolution actually means in this context either.
[Allow me to help, User! An Evolution does not fully change a Skill, but instead upgrades it with the User's prior usage in mind. It is the equivalent of an Augment for Non-Intrinsic Skills, and it is permanent!]
...okay, so just a flat upgrade. Thanks for the wordy explanation, Anya, I can't believe I almost forgot you were a thing.
[I resent that statement!]
Ignoring the sorrowful remarks of my AI assistant, I open my Stat Screen and look through every Skill I've got, thumbing over them all one by one as I spend close to ten minutes just pondering.
By the end, though, there's really only three candidates. The Freikugel, Sonido, or Doppelganger. I can make a damn good case for each one, each having a use for either killing the right man or getting me the hell away from the wrong one.
Sentimentality wins out over pragmatism though, and eventually I use the Evolution on my Doppelganger, given that it's basically active 24/7 during combat.
Skill: Royal Flush has been activated!
Evolution Upgrades:
Doppelganger now costs only 50MP to cast initially, and can be kept active constantly thereafter. User can swap places with the Doppelganger for 100MP every five seconds. Doppelganger now copies the User's active Weapon.
Fucking hell, how many upgrades does an Evolution come with? Is that from Royal Flush activating? Is this even more evidence than I heavily underestimated how good LUK as a Stat is?
...damn, that is one hell of an upgrade. Thinking quickly, and making sure not to disturb the woman in my arms, I lift my hand and summon the Doppelganger at the foot of the bed.
The glowing copy looks far more different now. He seems... concerningly demonic? I can't quite tell given his Spectral nature, but it almost seems like my clothes have become some sort of chitinous hide across his body. Clawed, three fingered hands hold a replica of Caduceus, and an inhuman face stares back at me with an alarming degree of sentience as it smiles with countless sharp, jagged teeth.
Not wanting to open that can of worms, I dismiss the duplicate before he can start expressing himself in any way, chalking it up to a side effect of the evolution.
Leaving behind any thoughts on the matter, I look in my Inventory to see how many EX Tokens I've got lying around, only to see a perfectly preserved eyeball sat waiting.
I'm not going to have a fucking eye transplant with the woman of my dreams asleep beside me so I'm afraid that will have to wait. I'll just have to put my faith in the Doppelganger's surgical prowess when the time comes to insert the Precursor's Eye.
As for the Tokens, I've only three to work with, but given my Gacha History thus far I'd say that's more than enough to get something supremely powerful.
EX Skill Token Used!
Green Thumb: User is an adept botanist, capable of harvesting and identifying rare plants with ease.
I struggle to think of a use for that, but fuck it I'm sure I'll find one eventually.
EX Skill Token Used!
Dread Mirror: Siphon the Life Force of a chosen target and form a front facing shield capable of blocking damage equal to the targets Max HP. Shield follows the User's line of sight and costs 750MP per casting. Lasts for 20s or until broken.
Finally, a good preservation Skill that doesn't require me getting hurt in the first place. Healing is nice and all, but pain sucks. I'm starting to get sick of it.
EX Skill Token Used!
Critical Strike: Sneak Attacks deal double damage. Target must be unaware of the User's presence and unalerted.
...why is that not just a part of the system full stop? You know what, I won't bother asking. The more I try and think about the intricacies of this System the more I lose pieces of myself to insanity. At least I got one that works. That's about all I could ask for.
Right then. I think that's about everything I need to deal with. All the System Alerts are clear, all the Stat Points allocated, and I'm never going to use standard rolls to gamble lest I wind up addicted and wasteful.
Yep. It's Dungeon time.
The last one I cleared got me a Holy Grail Fragment, and I want to see what happens when I get the full thing. I'm a little iffy on the details, but I think the Holy Grail in this world is a Sacred Gear. What I want to know is how a System-borne Grail will act in this world.
Taking a deep breath, I make the mental command for the System to take me into another of these 'Heroic Spirit' Dungeons and feel the world around me vanish into-
------------------------------------
Blood. Smoke. Fire.
In the middle of the night, I wake up in a field of the dead, illuminated only by the bonfires that burn away those perished.
The torn and bloodied banners of a long lost kingdom lay scattered around me, corpses and carriages strewn across the open battlefield. Each corpse is in a full set of armour, a sigil I can't recognise emblazoned on their shields.
Across this vast field, the same can be found. Corpses stacked up in piles, shattered carriages thrown about carelessly, and the world around me lit aflame. Summoning Caduceus into my hand, I don't have to wait long before the perpetrator of this slaughter makes their presence known.
From atop a hill nearby, covered from head to toe in a beautifully vile set of silver armour with thick red highlights across their form, a knight slowly steps into view.
While his helmet obscures all view of his face, I can still feel the utter hatred in their gaze, the air thick with it. The horns atop either side of the helmet certainly don't help with dispelling the demonic image this knight invokes.
A moment later and the knight draws their sword, a brilliant blade of gleaming silver and those same streaking red highlights. What's alarming, though, is the overwhelming amount of Mana I can feel, in both the sword and the user.
Raising their blade high into the air, the knight then drops it down to point directly at me, a challenge made and one quickly accepted as I do the same with Caduceus.
As we stand opposed to one another, blades drawn amongst the flaming graveyard, I do one last minute check with Wandering Eye to gleam any advantage on my opponent.
Knight of Treachery
Level: 244
Well. This should be fun.