Chapter 46: Chapter 44: Learning Powers

When Lia was returned, the first thing she did was look for Rose. Fortunately, she didn’t have to look for long; Rose was in the dorm building, unloading a shipment of stuff in the temporary storage room.

“Yes?” She asked looked up. “Lia? Wait…how are you humanoid right now? Did your Skill level up?”

“No, it’s…we need to talk. Alone.”

Rose put down the leather armor she was holding, face growing serious as she looked at Lia. “Sure, what’s up?”

“Let’s take this to one of the rooms upstairs, where we have a lower chance of being interrupted.”

The pair made their way upstairs, and once they were safely inside one of the rooms, Lia explained everything that had just happened to her.

“I…I see.” Rose said. “That certainly explains a lot. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to talk about the Urge earlier, even without it, I still couldn’t say, no matter how I tried.”

“It’s fine, I understand.” Lia said. “But…what do you make of this?”

Rose shrugged. “Honestly, while this is very interesting, especially the bit about Blood Money, I don’t think it changes much, in the grand scheme of things. We’re still going to be continuing on as we had planned, the biggest change is that we won’t have Amelia backing us up. It’s a bit of a blow, but nothing we can’t work around.”

“But…the Lord of Monsters.” Lia said weakly. “What if it comes before Amelia’s back?”

“Then we deal with it ourselves.” Rose said. “I think you’re overestimating the strength of the Lord of Monsters, and underestimating your own. Even if you didn’t inherit those abilities from Amelia, what you can do with conversion is basically on par with the Lord of Monsters, if not better than what the Lord of Monsters can do. Jerry himself said you have a shot at taking it down, so there’s nothing to do but go for it.”

“I…see.” Lia said. “I suppose you’re right. Let’s…let’s talk about that more when it becomes a problem. Um, there was…something else I wanted to talk to you about. It’s a bit of a …sensitive subject, so I hope you don’t mind my asking, but…Jerry mentioned that the Urge forced you into doing things you didn’t like. Do you…well, want to talk about it, if you remember what those things were?”

Rose nodded. “Yes, I think that would be nice. I…haven’t really had a chance to, ever. It would be…therapeutic, I think. It…well, I don’t remember the details of all of it yet, but…I don’t think I wanted to be emperor.

“I don’t like being in charge, at least…not in charge of everything. I don’t mind leading a squad of troops, or even an army, but more than that is just…too much. I like having someone above me giving orders. I…I think my role as it is now, that of an advisor, is much more my pace.”

“I…see. I…well, I can’t even imagine how hard that must have been on you.”

“It…it was very hard, but I endured it.” Rose said. “I remember mentioning that I couldn’t ask for things I wanted, and…well., it was because the Urge wouldn’t let me. I had an untouchable, aloof, image that helped keep things together, and asking for things in a straightforward manner was…well, it didn’t fit that image. It was, in a word, miserable. But…I’m free of the Urge now, and I don’t think I’ve ever been happier. So…thank you, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.”

“It…really wasn’t me.” Lia said, scratching the back of her neck embarrassedly. “The gods were the one that chose to send you in particular. I just provided the means for them to do so.”

“But were you not here, I would still be in the afterlife, so I remain thankful all the same.” Rose said. “Besides, I have never been able to talk so…freely with someone before. I don’t believe I would be as happy if you were…well, not like you are. Do not sell yourself short.”

“Oh, um…thank you.” Lia said, blushing. “That…well…thanks.’

Further conversation was interrupted by Olivia bursting into the room. “Lia, there’s some weird bird lady outside!” She said. “She says she wants to talk to you!”

“Ah, that must be Skarde.” Lia said. “I kind of forgot about her in all the commotion. But…how’d you find us?”

“Halfway through looking for you I got a Skill that lets me know where you are!” Olivia said proudly. “But it also says it doesn’t work if you don’t want me to find you, which is kinda lame.”

“Oh well. Still, congratulations on getting your first new Skill!” Lia said, patting Olivia’s head. “What should we have Olivia tell her, Rose?”

Rose blinked. “Are we not going to speak to her?”

“I figured our conversation was more important.” Lia replied. “But we can go talk to her now if you would prefer.”

“We’ve left her alone for long enough as is.” Rose said. “We can pick up where we left off later.”

“What were you two talking about?” Olivia asked curiously.

“Romance stuff.” Lia said. “Do you want to hear that?”

“Gross.” Olivia replied, sticking out her tongue. “Leave me out of it.”

“That’s what I thought.” Lia chuckled. “Now run along, I’ll go deal with this ‘weird bird lady’.”

“No, I wanna be there!” Olivia said. “I’m curious!”

“Fine, fine.” Lia said. “Just try not to ask questions until we’re done talking, okay?”

“Okay!” Olivia darted off towards the stairs, leaving Lia and Rose to catch up.

“Have you seen her yet?” Lia asked.

“I’m afraid not.” Rose said. “I think she stayed close to where she was when she finished converting, and there wasn’t really anything for me to do there, so I didn’t bother.”

“I see. I…can’t help but be a little nervous.” Lia admitted. “I know it should be fine, but it’s still our first conversion of a sapient person who was antagonistic towards us. I mean, yeah, my dad and brother were, but…that’s different.”

“Well, she didn’t blow the camp up or act hostile towards Olivia, so that’s a good sign.” Rose replied. “But should worst come to worst, I’m here to protect you.”

“Thanks, Rose.” Lia said. “I’m glad you’ve got my back.”

After a minute or two of walking, they reached the lobby, where a tall woman with gray wings was waiting. Much like with Robin and Gwinn, she looked much the same as Skarde had, though she was now undeniably feminine; even her stance had changed slightly.

“My Queen,” she said, dropping to a knee. “Thank you for sparing my life. I, Sif Stormcaller, shall be forever in your service.”

“Thank you.” Lia said. “You may rise.”

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“What would you have me do, my Queen?” Sif asked, standing up.

“First, you changed your name? Why?”

“I shed my old life when you converted me.” Sif said. “And with it I wanted a new name. Of course, if it doesn’t please you, I will happily change it to whatever you wish.”

“That won’t be necessary.” Lia said. “But I appreciate the sentiment. For the time being, I will have you work under my mother and help clear this dungeon for habitation. After this dungeon is clear, I will likely assign you to a different task.”

“Which one of us?” Gwinn asked, walking into the lobby with Mia.

“Oh, right.” Lia said. “Um…I really need a way to differentiate between you two.”

“I’ll be mama, and Mia will be mom.” Gwinn said. “The two of us decided that would be the best way to go about it for now.”

“Ah. Um…glad that’s settled, then.” Lia said. “You’ll be working with mom, then, Sif. I expect you to follow all of her instructions.”

“Understood.” Sif said. “Where may I find her?”

Lia blinked. “She’s right there.” She said, pointing at Mia.

“My apologies, Lady Mios.” Sif said, eyes widening as she looked at Mia. “I did not expect you to be so…different.”

“That’s understandable.” Mia said. “My circumstances are different than the rest of the family, so I no longer look like I did before.”

“Do you mind if I join as well?” Gwinn asked Lia. “I’d like to put my new abilities to use.”

“If that’s what you want, then I have no objections. “Lia said. “But the survival of you two is paramount, understand? If either of you runs into danger, I expect you to retreat, and sacrifice non-sapient members of the swarm if you need to.”

“As for you,” she said, turning back to Sif, “I expect you to guard them with your life. Do not meaninglessly sacrifice yourself, but if there is no other way to save them, then I expect you to have the strength to do it.”

“I was planning on it, my Queen.” Sif said. “Fear not.”

“Good. I leave you in their care, then.”

Mia nodded. “Let’s get started now, shall we?” She said. “I’m rather close to evolution, and I’d like to reach that as soon as possible. I was focusing on the dorms before all of this, so we’ll start with the next one over, alright?”

“Got it.” Gwinn said. “Show me how it’s done, then.”

Mia gave Lia a smile as she took Gwinn and Sif away, already explaining to them how she went about clearing the dorms.

“Lia, you were so cool, being all commanding like that!” Olivia said. “Like a real queen!”

“She is a real queen.” Rose chuckled. “She just doesn’t have a castle or any of the clothes.”

“I…could have the clothes, I think.” Lia said. “Let me see how far I can go with my Skill.” She focused for a moment on shifting her clothes to ones befitting a queen; a royal blue dress similar to the one Amelia had provided for Olivia, a crown, a scepter, and some other accessories like earrings and bracelets.

“Woah.” Olivia breathed. “That was cool!”

Lia smiled, looking herself over. She had managed to create everything but the scepter, which she had expected she wouldn’t be able to make, but had wanted to try it out just in case. Out of curiosity, she took one of the bracelets off of her wrist and let go of it, watching as it fell to the ground before vanishing into nothing.

“Good to know, I can’t create stuff for use in conversion this way.” She said. “But how’s that, queenly enough for you?”

“Yep!” Olivia said happily. “Really majestic!”

“It’s…ostentatious enough, that’s for sure.” Rose said. “But I think that’s more for public appearances than day to day wear. To be frank, what you were wearing before would be more like what rulers tend to wear during daily life. Or…at least, that is what my family used to wear. I…didn’t really know many other rulers, I don’t think.”

“I would imagine so.” Lia said, changing back to the shirt and trousers she had been in before. “You were the only ruler around after your campaign, and you were most likely too busy actually fighting to have many social visits during the campaign.”

“So…what do you want to do now?” Rose asked. “I imagine we have a bit of time before your transformation hits its time limit.”

“Probably, but…I’ve also been delaying evolution for almost half a day now.” Lia said. “I need to take care of that. If I’m lucky, I could get a permanent humanoid form, and I want that as soon as possible.”

“Ah, please do.” Rose said. “I’ll take the time to talk with your sisters and keep them entertained while you do.”

“Thanks, Rose.” Lia said, giving her a smile. “I’ll be in my room, okay?” She took off, leaving Rose to take care of her siblings while she went back to the room she had claimed on the first floor. She could have used her old room on the third floor, but she had never liked how out of the way it was, and so she planned to take her stuff out of it and bring it down to her new room on the first floor.

Once inside, she brought up her list of evolution options. There were a few that brought her away from the kitsune line, and one of those even made her completely humanoid all the time, but…she was almost completely sure the kitsune line would give her that if she was patient, and it sounded very powerful in its later evolutions.

After those were the kitsune evolutions, of which there were two.

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