Chapter 40: C38

 

"Alright... Kiyomi... you can do this... "

I was standing at the top of the stairway to Lorn's office. Slipping up as I was attempting to psych myself in order to face her. 

Shit... this feeling isn’t new... 

Staring at the door, I could feel myself overcome with nervousness. My tail was waving nervously, my throat drying up, and a cold chill as sweat began to form. 

Did she scare me... that much?

I stared at the wood doors; it was on me to approach her for today's instruction. Mother left early this morning and wouldn't be back for a few days, so I was on my own. 

"Okay... you can do it."

I whispered to myself as I slowly began to approach the doors. Standing in front of them, I reached for one of the brass handles before they suddenly swung inward. Surprisingly, Maria was absent; she usually accompanied the Guild mistress. Instead of Maria, Lorn stood there, holding the doors open as she stared down at me, her expression telling of the fatigue that was currently dragging her down. With a sigh, she moved to the side before speaking.

"Enter, we have a long day ahead of us."

"Thank you... "

Passing Lorn, It was as if I could feel her eyes trailing behind me. With a resounding click, Lorn closed both of the doors to her office. 

"We'll be sitting on the sofa's today. I'm too tired to sit at the table."

"Yes, ma'am."

I responded curtly, b-lining for the sofa's that flanked a coffee table on either side. Stacked on it were a few mugs that were steaming and a variety of books strewn about. They looked like a mix of biology books at a glimpse, giving me some semblance of confidence in bringing up the subject of races. Taking a seat on the sofa closest to Lorn's fireplace, I attempted to feel comfortable, but the feelings of nervousness were still there. Walking over to the sofa opposite of mine, Lorn slowly took her seat, yawning as she did so. When she'd finished, she looked down to the table, grabbing one of the mugs. For a few moments, the room was silent as Lorn sipped from the mug. The silence was only broken by Lorn parting her lips from the mug and speaking. 

"Kiyomi, why were you standing in the stairwell for so long?"

Lorn asked before drinking once more. 

"Excuse me?"

I asked, confused at her question. 

"Kiyomi, I know everything that happens here. You were standing outside my doors for roughly twenty minutes. Can you explain why?"

"... "

I remained silent, unsure of how to answer. Looking at the coffee table, I'd hoped I could get away with not answering.

"I asked you a question."

Lorn's said loudly, startling me and forcing me to answer.

"Iwasafraid!"

I subconsciously squeezed my eyes shut; I couldn't help it, as I was afraid still. It was different than usual, as this was a fear I hadn't experienced in a rather long time. From there, all I could hear was Lorn sigh before standing and walking around the table. She stopped just next to me before I felt her sit down next to me, lifting me some from the change in pressure on the cushion. Opening my eyes and peaking to the side, she was doing the same. She looked just as tired as when she opened the door, but I still felt myself fearing her.

"Kiyomi, you have no reason to fear me. If there were a reason to do so, I'd have taken care of it already. I went... overboard, and much earlier than I probably should have... That being said-"

Lorn placed a hand on my back and began rubbing.

"I'll sit next to you while we go over today's content... I remember... getting you acclimated to being around me again will help. Especially since we'll have a few days for it."

Cracking my eyes, I could see Lorn smile, not dissimilarly from how Mother would from time to time. 

"So, what exactly are we learning?"

I asked, looking back to the table. 

"Something you need to learn, considering our conditions... "

Lorn paused for a moment, grabbing a book that held a crest. Reading the cover, it turned out to be a book containing census information, or at least what should have been. 

"This book contains a rough analysis of the races that dwell within the borders of the empire."

This seems... convenient...

Opening the book, it seemed to show a rough sketch depicting any given race, followed by a rough description, life spans, and any sub-species. Going over the index, there seemed to be a couple dozen races present, with even more subsets present. One such that caught my eye was the section for High demons, containing half a dozen species within itself.

Wait a minute... what the heck... High demon... there's... there's no normal High... demon?

Lorn had moved on; as we went, she was listing the major families, but my mind was glued to the thing that I'd been dwelling on already. Even more so, given what revealed itself the week prior. 

Yeah... it's... not here? Family, Higher demon, sub-species... 

"And here we have demi-"

"Hey, Miss Lorn."

I'd interrupted her as she was directing me to another section.

"Hmm? What is it?"

She'd asked, pausing her explanation.

"These right here... "

I'd pointed to the section.

"There's no "High-demon" by itself... it's all subspecies... Why is that?"

I tried asking in time before it would seem too specific at a later time. 

"Ah... so-"

Lorn pointed to another section.

"Take Arachne as an example; There are two things to be knowledgeable of with branched races. The first is that there is no such thing as a 'pure blood'. The second is that all of the species look the same until they reach adolescence."

Lorn leaned back on the couch.

"If you want a real-life example, Avery and the wolf-spider Arachne at the carving counter are cousins with virtually no difference in parent species."

When I turned to look up to her, Lorn seemed to be staring at the ceiling. 

"Branched species usually get a prompt from the System asking what sub-species they become somewhere upon becoming an adolescent. Then forces the confirmation on their choice sometime before adulthood or when they lose their virginity, not that you'd know what that was."

The system... from what it sounds like, it's forced. 

"They don't have a choice?"

I asked, tilting my head.

"Nope, the system was designed by the God's to help direct us and keep us from 'wasting potential.' A species would stunt or die out if it weren't the case."

Lorn said, shaking her head.

I feel like a significant tidbit of information was just casually mentioned. 

"I figure why you’re asking is you're curious about yourself, correct?"

Asking me this, Lorn reached back for her mug. Her casual style of asking the question had thrown me off to the point I'd not recognized what she'd just asked until a moment later when she'd finished another sip and smiled at me. All I felt, however, was fear, for some reason. Like I was about to be targeted.

What? How... how does she-

"Kiyomi, I know. Please don't dwell on it too hard, but I know. You're safe, so we can go over whatever it is you want to know."

Lorn continued to smile as if my visible anxiety were amusing.

"Please don't tell Mama... "

Her telling Mother was my first concern, though I was unsure why that vocalized first of all things.

"Knowing you this far, you aren't deceiving her without reason, so I won't tell her. You will need to later, however."

Lorn shook her head, picking up another mug before instructing me to drink.

"Sip this while we talk; it will keep you from freezing up."

Looking at the mixture, it seemed like hot chocolate; however, it lacked any aroma. Needing something to split my attention, so I didn't suddenly have an anxiety attack, I sipped from the mug.

"Your race was something I wanted to ask you if you knew sooner or later, since you'd never brought it up. Knowing what your mana-veins are now, it's best we do it sooner."

Lorn placed the mug down.

"Kiyomi, this first portion... before we go into sub-species... I need you to bear with me... "

Lorn brought my attention back to the book, prompting me to sip before I looked down. After taking in the chocolaty flavor, I looked down to see the book turned down to another page, depicting a demon with similarly patterned horns to my own. Above it was some general information, some of which, Lorn was actively pointing her finger to. 

"I'll take that for just a moment."

Taking the mug, and placing it on the table, Lorn sighed before telling me to read the next section.

"I want you to read it slowly, okay?"

Okayyyyy...

Lorn's behavior was haphazard at best, one moment, strict, another, soft-hearted. It was difficult to follow her intent, but I did my best to follow directions; couple that with my own trembling from time to time and it would be considered a miracle I could just do so.

"High demons encapsulate a hand full of sub-species. Like fae, many things about them tend to be uniform; examples are age, ability, bone structure-"

Lorn moved her finger, bringing it to another section, remaining silent. Scrolling over the section she'd underlined, I found myself confused for a moment, and I was attempting to process what I was reading.

This... is a joke... this is a joke... this has to be.

I was repeatedly reading the same set of words in my head.

'The lifespan of the entire demon family varies only by rare inconsistencies. The lifespan averages closely to that of the fae; with the common example being nearly eight... centuries...'

"Hey... Miss Lorn?"

I found myself calling out softly, leaning onto Lorn.

"Yeah?"

As she responded, I could feel the same rubbing sensation from her again.

"...please tell me this book... is wrong... "

"Sadly, it's not... we should go over the branches, that sound good?"

Lorn asked, bringing the mug back up from the table and placing it into my hands. Looking back into the cup, I could see my silhouette just barely. Drinking from the mug once more, I continued drinking until it was empty. Once there was no more of the liquid flowing, I brought down the mug and placed it onto the table with a clunk noise.

"May I have another?"

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"It's on its way."

Lorn responded to my question by immediately leaning forward to grab another steaming mug.

Time to drown myself in sugar... eight-hundred years... why, God? Why me? 

 

---

 

"I think I'm good now, bleh, ugh."

I was now calling out to Lorn, who was looking out over the city from her balcony for the moment. Not long after she'd given me the second mug, I'd thrown up its contents. Lorn was giving me some time to myself to recuperate after that; apparently, she didn't think I had the capacity to realize just what that kind of lifespan meant. For me, it was giving other complicated feelings other than the standard issues presented by an abnormally long life; the fact the Kiyomi and I would be stuck in this symbiotic relationship for so long. It only made me want to investigate our condition more fervently. 

"Ready to continue?"

Lorn asked as she turned around, walking back through the doorway. After picking the book we’d just been going over back up, she dropped her weight onto the couch. Causing me to rise slightly as the shift in pressure on the cushion leveled once more.

"Can I prod you about some stuff first?"

I asked, currently staring at the book in Lorn's hands. Looking back at her from the corner of my eye, then back to the table, awaiting an answer.

"You may."

Lorn responded with a sigh.

"How long did you know my race?"

A short pause answered my first question before Lorn responded.

"Since we found you, really. Your ability, Disguise, doesn’t shield everything, anymore at least. Your ... sword; that pointed to your race more than anything.”

Lorn continued, parsing her words together in a careful manner.

“We already went over how it is bonded, but we never explained to you what it entailed-“ 

Lorn yawned before taking a vial out and drinking from it.

“Excuse me for that. Where was I? Ah, bonded weapons, they’re mostly owned by nobles or extremely notable individuals. Couple that with it having a title-“

“Matriarch’s sword, that’s a title? I thought it was just named that... like naming a pet or something?”

I could feel myself cringing on the inside; naming objects felt as if it was projection.

“No, usually weapons are named only when titled. So they tend to go hand in hand. Anywho, your sword, it’s bonded to you. You, also being a demon, made the flags more apparent. The last thing would have been you showing an attribute. But that’s why we’re talking about this now.”

Lorn shrugged as she finished off the first explanation. 

“It basically meant you're Noble, and the only demons to really be within the noble class are all High Demons. Being a Low Demon with a titled weapon... well, you wouldn’t have been chased by those Paladins if you were simply a thief that knew bonding magic.”

Lorn said, looking back at me. 

Wait, hold up, stop, cease, noble?

"W-wait, wait, you said something about being a Noble?"

Lorn looked as if she'd froze up for a moment before explaining. 

"We could only figure out you were one... but out of all my searching... we couldn't figure out where you were from."

She said, looking off into space for a second. 

So what am I, some exiled princess or something? Good God, Kiyomi, what the hell happened to us?

"Does Mama know this?"

"Only about as much as you do now."

...I should talk with her when she returns. If anything, now I know I can seek help.

With my thoughts tied up, I figured I'd ask my next question.

“I have another question... what... exactly does disguise do? Sho-should I try and dispel it or something?”

I confidently started asking further questions, knowing that I was safe to ask further on the subject; I was beating back the nervousness from earlier with greater strength.

“I wouldn’t dispel it; the wrong person seeing you’re a High Demon, would make you a target.”

Lorn said, turning her head and squinting as she did so.

“Honestly, Kiyomi, you activating it and forgetting how to dispel it may have been the best possible case. You haven’t been targeted since you came into our custody. I’d say you’re safe here as long as you leave it up... that being said, your race doesn’t just say ‘Lower Demon’ when I analyze it anymore; it just says ‘Demon.’ So do be careful of who you are around when outside of friendly company.”

I nodded in response to Lorn’s suggestion.

Knowing that my information is displayed differently thanks to Lorn, yeah, It’s good this conversation took place.

I thought to the few questions I had left, 

“Uhm, can you teach me more about Va-ren?”

Lorn moved to answer but held her tongue for a moment before frowning. Looking to the ceiling for a moment, she looked as if she was debating something in her head before answering.

“As you get older, I will promise you. You are too young to know everything about Va-ren... I say this in your best interest.”

Lorn smiles weakly as she said so, avoiding eye contact as if she were trying to avoid the topic. Finding her place in the book where we left off, Lorn looked at me again.

“Anything else at the moment?”

She asked.

“I-“

I hesitated for just a moment. 

“Telling Mama... how do I do that?”

I asked, awkwardly trying to swing my legs, only realizing that in the two years I’d been here, I grew enough for my feet to actually touch the floor. In response to my question, Lorn shook her head and looked at me. 

“That will have to be something you figure out yourself, Kiyomi. It honestly shouldn't be an issue to any degree. Rest easy anyways; Hatsumi wouldn't care about that. She at least knows you're a noble's child. So from there, nothing else should matter. Maybe try not picking another skill without consulting her again, though."

Lorn chuckled to herself shortly before prompting us to resume the lesson.

“We still have to teach you about yourself, so get close.”

Lorn said, grabbing my far side just above the hip and pulling me to her side.

“You wanted to ask about the sub-species, so I guess you see something on your status that gives you some options?"

Lorn asked, eager to move on. 

"Actually... the day of my first bleeding, last week. As soon as I turned ten, I was hit with a bunch of alerts. One-..."

I reflexively held my tongue.

"Sorry... I was kind of scared. Actually, I'm really scared right now, but I need the help."

Lorn lifted a brow.

"One was race attribute, which I'm guessing will be my sub-species? The other is a further class."

At my explanation, Lorn smiled.

"Look at you, you little prodigy. We can go over that later; It shouldn't be outside of the norm for you, though."

"But, Mama said it should just be Adventurer after I selected it."

I asked, using the chance to coax some further explanation.

"Yes, well, Hatsumi may not remember, but her own Mistress tricked her into fully branching out her class. Not dissimilar to how Hatsumi may have nudged you into it by threatening to marry you away... By the way, your friends seemed fairly attached to you."

"I'm done asking questions now!"

"Oh, are you? You must really want to be a free woman Kiyomi~."

Lorn chuckled, a smug expression plastered to her face.

Heck off, hag! I'm not gonna think of them like that. Ugh, that actually makes me sick... oh god, the coco is coming back up...oh god's.

I ended up vomiting in a wooden bucket out of sheer nervousness and discomfort. Judging at this point, it was probably made worse by the fact the only thing I'd ingested was liquid chocolate since I woke up, though. Seeing me eye her rather angrily just as I was wiping my mouth caused Lorn's chuckle to morph into a rather hearty laugh. Strangely enough, even though I'd just committed, the mood felt much lighter, and I joined in the laughter, albeit weakly.

"Okay, okay-just-"

Lorn took a moment to calm herself.

"- Kiyomi, let me get us some water. We should move on with this... I'm glad this mood has changed though, I'm not sure you would have ever reached out otherwise."

Lorn stood, heading to her desk.

Is all this really okay? I've dropped most of what I've been hiding all this time. But if anything bad was going to happen, it would have already. I'm also getting over my fear of her, but it's gradual.

I could hear Lorn pouring something from her desk surprisingly.

"Do I really seem that stubborn? I ask you all about things all the time."

Lorn turned around with two glasses of water, making her way back.

"Well, you don't have an issue asking questions, and you do act surprisingly willful now, comparing to when we first found you. But with things you probably think you'd get in trouble for or other... things... we know you won't talk about with us... you aren't exactly a peaceful sleeper. Hatsumi's spent more evenings' than one coming to me for a drink after calming you down."

Ah... So... I thought I was hiding it; I wasn't hiding it at all.

"I'm sorry... "

I felt compelled to apologize, curling my tail in my lap as Lorn approached with the water. 

"Don't be, It's no fault of your own. And If it were that much a trouble, Hatsumi wouldn't want to watch over you incessantly the way she does."

Lorn handed me the glass of water, drinking her own as she did so. Taking the glass from her hand, it was surprisingly cold. 

"How did you get cold water up here like that?"

I asked, staring into the glass before sniffing the water inside.

"Magic tool, there's a giant one built in the basement that feeds the whole building freshwater. That aside-"

Lorn took another sip.

"-back to it. We need to cram some knowledge into that adolescent head of yours so you don't make any stupid choices. So, the family of High demons' is consistent of-"

And Lorn began her explanation of the different types of High Demon. 

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