Chapter 23: Chapter 22: Aftermath

Lia looked down at Rose, conflicted emotions rising within her. Rose…Rose had been the Ruby Emperor. Someone who had been heralded as the greatest leader of all time, one of the best military minds, someone who was…so far in a league of his own that he had entered the realm of the superhuman.

And that made her feel…she didn’t even know. Insignificant? Unworthy? Proud? On the one hand…her instincts were telling her that she was in charge, come what may. This was her swarm, and Rose being part of it made Rose’s strengths her strengths.

But, on the other…she just felt inadequate. She didn’t have the expertise required to command someone of Rose’s caliber. It felt like things would just…work out better if she left Rose in charge and acted as a figurehead.

But she couldn’t do that. For one…Rose would hate it. She had made it abundantly clear that she preferred it when Lia was the one calling the shots, and she was just dealing with the details. Two, as much as Lia’s rational mind had doubts and insecurities, her instincts were too strong to make her comfortable with leaving someone else in charge. That was her place.

She studied Rose’s convulsing body, thinking deeply on the future. Perhaps…perhaps those weren’t mutually exclusive things? Before, she had reconciled it by saying that it was like a king having a great general, but…why not just…leave more to Rose, at least in the short term?

Yes. Lia would have the final say in everything, and she would give Rose orders, but how Rose accomplished those would be up to her. Those orders would just be…broader than she was planning on giving. Instead of asking her to manage one part of a task, like she had when she put Rose in charge of defenses or growing the swarm, Lia would have her manage the entirety of it, more like Rose had been doing when trying to get Analysis.

For a time, anyway. She would make Rose tutor her until, eventually, Lia was competent enough to start splitting the swarm between the two of them, and Rose would just be one of her generals. That was, for sure, better than just leaving everything to Rose and not trying to improve herself. Rose had been the best there was, sure, but that didn’t mean Lia couldn’t, eventually, eclipse her.

For now, though, she needed to focus on the aftermath of the battle, specifically what she had gained since she had put Rose in charge. She had gained six levels during the fight, putting her at level seventeen. Each level netted her fifteen HP and Stamina, twenty Mana, five Magic, Magic Defense, and Mental Fortitude, and three Strength, Defense, and Dexterity, so she was stronger than ever.

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