Chapter 65: Interlude: Struggles of the Resurrected Dwarf 

“Did I not tell you, you would not be given a second chance?” 

“You did,” Karolina whispered her voice hollow. Lord Deezer had gone through great lengths to give her a new identity, and yet the moment she saw Harriette… 

“I have no excuse for my actions.” 

“I will need time to decide what to do with you, do not believe for a second that I have spared you.” 

Unable to speak Karolina simply nodded her head silently. Breathing a heavy sigh Karolina gazed up at the door through which Harriette had left, after using magic to subdue her. Karolina had once believed herself better than Harriette in every way, now however, she was undeniably the inferior one. 

Raising her hands Karolina’s vision blurred. Her body was so fragile, even her age had been reduced. She could no longer feel even a small sense of superiority as Harriette’s elder. Everything was wrong, again and again she questioned what she’d done to deserve such a fate. 

The answer clung to the back of Karolina’s mind, half subconscious thought, half-conscious reality. Her sin had been competing with Harriette to begin with. She’d believed the lie that those with power could claim anything they desired that festered within Scaleborn society. Yet a black sheep like her could never claim her mother’s love and respect, no matter how strong she became. 

Even if Karolina had been heartless and killed Harriette in cold blood, she’d never obtain what she desired. Her mother had been young and fertile, capable of birthing many more children if she so desired. A true silver-haired heir would always supersede Karolina. 

Karolina’s mistake happened a year before she fought Harriette and left her younger sister to die. As she laid in her room drowning in depression she considered running away for a moment. Forging a new life for herself. If she were lucky perhaps she could’ve even married into a loving family. 

Frustration and anger had spun themselves so tightly around Karolina’s heart she discarded these thoughts and made plans to seize her mother’s respect. It was foolish, even she could see that. Now that her fate was uncertain, Karolina was suddenly able to look back on herself with more clarity. Not that such reflections benefitted her now. 

Pushing herself up Karolina trudged to the door. Lord Deezer was going to kill her, in her heart she was certain of it. If he were feeling benevolent it was possible that Deezer would simply erase her memories, but that too was death for Karolina’s present self. 

Feeling as if her fate were sealed, Karolina opened the door and began to search for Harriette. If she were going to die, she wanted to go out on her terms. She wanted Harriette to know just who she was, and inform her perfect little sister about how much she despised her. 

Karolina found Harriette in the kitchens, preparing lunch for Bernice. The moment she came into view, Harriette gazed at her wearily. 

“Are you feeling better?” Harriette asked cautiousness, as if she believed Karolina would break out in a fit of madness at any moment. 

“Lucetta,” Karolina muttered, forcing herself to make eye contact with Harriette. “Your sister Lucetta is dead, were you aware?” 

“Word arrived of her death a few days ago,” Harriette narrowed her gaze. “How did you know?” 

Clutching her hands into fists Karolina’s shoulders shook with rage that she fought desperately to contain. “Do you feel nothing?” 

“My sister was a heartless monster, It would make our relationship sound more amicable than it was to say she and I disliked one another.” 

“A... monster?!” 

“I don’t understand how this pertains to you.” 

“I AM Lucetta,” Karolina growled. “You silver-haired bitch, I hate you. I wish you’d never been born.”

A wave of Harriette’s hand was all it took for a magical wind to blow through the kitchens. Karolina’s body was picked up and tossed like a doll against the wall, causing her to yelp in pain. 

“You hate me?” Harriette deadpanned. “You’re the one who nearly killed me when I never did anything to antagonize you. But you know what sister, in all these years, I’ve rarely thought of you. Beyond warning Bernice that creatures like you exist, I’ve had little reason to even hate you. You understand? You’re meaningless to me, your existence is as relevant to my mind as that of a random fly.” 

“I kind of thought you wouldn’t believe me,” Karolina laughed, wincing in pain. 

“My master has changed her body before, and I’ve spent time in the presence of primordial gods. My mind is more than willing to accept that the foolish little dwarf before me is my deranged sister. If anything this revelation is a relief. I’ve had a dreadful headache thinking about how to treat you, but now things are simple. I will tie you up and lock you in your bedroom, then inform Bernice that you possess the soul of a beast.” 

“You’ll have to act fast,” Karolina chuckled scornfully under her breath. “I fully expect my new master to turn my body to sand. Time is running out if you wish to torture me yourself.” 

“Your new master,” Harriette hummed. “Did you run away from them, just to tell me you hated me? Even you are not dumb enough to think you could harm me in that body, not with your level so low.” 

“I was sent here by them. To make the demigoddess fall in love with me.” 

Harriette stared vacantly at Karolina for a moment before she pitched forward clutching her stomach. Laughing so hard that she struggled to breathe and began to chuckle in wheezing spurts. 

Karolina frowned as she watched her younger sister doubled over, laughing so hard she became a bright cherry red. “Why is that funny?” 

“Your,” Harriette struggled to speak between fits of laughter, wiping tears from her eyes. “Your master thought you could win Bernice’s heart. You, of all people, and even better they made you a dwarf. You look like a child, she’s more likely to treat you like a younger sister than she is to fall in love with you. Not that you could make her swoon even if you were in your old body.”

“I could too make her swoon!” 

“With [charm magic] perhaps, but not on the merits of your personality. You’re a hideous hateful thing, Bernice would never fall for you.” 

Growling Karolina charged forward and launched a punch at Harriette’s stomach, only to have her fist caught before it could make impact.

“You’re too weak,” Harriette grinned and gently squeezed Karolina’s fist causing the smaller girl to squeal in pain. “But I’ve changed my mind about you, Karolina.” Harriette put emphasis on Karolina’s present name with a mocking intonation. “I would love to help you in your quest for love.” 

“What?” Karolina blinked and gazed at Harriette in confusion. 

“I said I would love to help you. It’s not like you’re strong enough to hurt her, so it isn’t as if I have to warn her about you. As a matter of fact she left not long ago to speak with Lady Otrea, so we have a little bit of time. Why not make her a cake? Everything you could ever need is here in our kitchen, so go ahead Karolina make something for Bernice. Sweets are the fastest way to a girl’s heart at all.” 

Karolina glared at Harriette before turning away and mumbling under her breath. 

“What was that?”

“I said I don’t know how to make sweets!” Karolina hissed. 

“Start with sugar and go from there, I’ll get out of your way.”

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“I thought you were going to help me?”

“I am allowing you use of the kitchen am I not? This is assistance, now let’s see what you can do. Oh maybe you could try melting chocolate and dipping lettuce in it, Bernice is sure to love that.” 

“Well I’m not doing that,” Karolina glared at Harriette before sighing and searching the cupboards to see what she could use. “Did Mother survive?” She asked as she dug out some potatoes and sniffed them. 

“What do you think?” 

“The fact that you’re still here acting like a servant makes me believe she did.” 

“Oh? Even if she had died in your battle, I wouldn’t return. I have sworn my oath to Lady Otrea, for as long as she lives I will stay by her side, even if that means our house falls into ruin.”

Narrowing her eyes at Harriette, Karolina ground her teeth. “I lost everything to you, and you didn’t even want it.” 

“This is true. I’ve washed my hands of my noble heritage, this is where I belong.”  

“I really hate you Harriette.” 

“And I feel nothing for you Karolina.” 

“Could you stop saying my name as if you’re mocking me? I did not choose such a name for myself, my master chose it.” 

“And who is this master of yours? They must be quite powerful if they were able to transfer your soul to a new body.” 

“They’d torture me if I told you.” 

“Luckily for you, it is only the two of us here right now.”

“They are always watching and listening to everything I do. I only revealed myself now because I believe they will soon dispose of me.” Karolina sighed taking a bite out of a raw potato. 

Harriette laughed as Karolina frowned in displeasure and began spitting and coughing, “Those are usually cooked before eating.”

“It tastes like dirt!” 

“It does grow in the dirt.”

“Why would you have this? Why would you feed this to someone you’re supposed to be serving? This is so, what the hell.” 

“Shall I cook one so you can taste how it is meant to be served?”

“No!” Karolina tossed the potato away from herself. “I never want to eat one of those nasty dirt fruits ever again.” 

Grinning Harriette pulled over a chair and sat down, watching Karolina with a smug expression. “Well don’t give up now Karolina. Maybe if you make something delicious your master will believe you still have worth. This could very well be the dish that saves your life.” 

Biting her lip Karolina glared at Harriette before returning her attention to the cupboard. She nearly told Harriette about the magical contract that she’d lost. While she believed Lord Deezer to be capable of making another, it didn’t change the fact that he hadn’t. Instead he’d simply demanded that she locate it herself. 

That was before she’d laid eyes on Harriette and lost her composure. Lord Deezer had already been upset with her, now he was furious. The chance of him pardoning her now, even if she obtained Bernice’s favor, seemed low. Still, Harriette was right that there was a small chance Karolina would be able to survive if she could just make Bernice happy. 

With that thought in mind Karolina carefully sniffed and tasted everything, desperate to find the perfect combination. As time passed and piles of discarded food began to grow around her Karolina’s gaze became hollow. She couldn’t do it, she had no idea how to even begin. She was going to die. 

Karolina had approached Harriette with that in mind, her death was inevitable so she at least wanted to identify herself before her body turned to dust. Now that a slim chance of survival had been dangled in front of her she felt desperate to claim it, even if it were impossible. Turning to look at Harriette watching her with a knowing grin Karolina clenched her hands into fists and stood. 

Watching Karolina approach Harriette believed that her sister was about to attempt punching her again. She smiled knowingly, ready to prove that once again Karolina was too weak to do anything. Stopping just before her Karolina’s gaze faltered and the small dwarf dropped to her knees, leaning forward to press her forehead to the floor. 

“Please Harriette, teach me how to bake,” Karolina begged as Harriette gazed down at her in wide-eyed astonishment. 

“Lucetta… ” 

“You’re right,” Karolina’s voice wavered. “If I can make something delicious enough to win over the demigoddess, Lord Deezer might spare me. I’m begging you, I’ll do anything, I don’t want to die.”

“Lord Deezer?” Harriette jumped to her feet and grabbed Karolina by her shirt collar, forcing the dwarf to her feet. “Your master is Zaserdizar?!” 

Karolina paled, “I didn’t mean…” 

“We have to find Bernice immediately,” Tossing Karolina over her shoulder Harriette rushed for the basement portal. 

“Why are you bringing me?!” 

“Because you really could turn to dust at any moment. I thought you were being hyperbolic.” 

“Why do you care!” 

“Because…” Harriette stumbled for words as she activated the portal. As the stone circle began to glow she sat Karolina on her feet and gazed into her sister’s eyes. “It takes a long time to learn how to bake properly. I don’t want to waste my time teaching you only for an impatient god to vaporize you before you show results.” 

“I’m surprised he hasn’t vaporized me already,” Karolina mumbled. “I’ve given away all of his secrets and he hasn’t so much as yelled at me yet.” 

“Maybe his attention is on other things.” 

“Maybe.”