No matter how much I bugged her, Mother refused to let up on her sour mood for the rest of the night. Father as well wouldn't even budge a smile as they both held me, somehow angrier than me of all people when I was the one that received the "gift."
"Mother, please, it's not even that big of a-"
But words were lost on her. Looking to the side as I'd somehow managed to make them settle on a sofa between one of the windows, having dragged them away from the one they'd almost chased me through, all I saw were slits in those blue eyes.
She just held me into her and stared out over the crowd, discontent with that entire day it seemed.
"Father-"
But he was also not willing to listen to reason, arm around Mother's shoulder and therefore a hand on my head from the other side.
So, melting into the embrace, I sighed. It really didn't bug me that badly. It was just a set of shackles for my hands and feet with an Orixen holding the chains together in the middle.
I'm honestly surprised Zuelis had the fashion sense to pull that off.
But I wasn't willing to delve into thoughts about the gods in the least bit. I just wanted to relax and enjoy my evening, having erased almost everyone's minds of that strange thing I did earlier-
Which one?
Kiki, you're on vacation.
We're in the same room. It's hard not to hear.
Then close the door!
But she chose to keep mingling instead and left it up to me to separate our minds.
"That girl..."
"Don't do anything to Kiki."
"What! I didn't do anything, it's her-!"
But the stares told me they thought otherwise. So I looked around the room for a lifeline, something, anything to get me away from those gloomy people so I could actually enjoy my night-
"Ah!" I tried to bolt up, but Mother floated to her feet as I dragged her up. She was just so stubborn sometimes... "Brownie!"
The second most applauded warrior of the day appeared with tired eyes and a servant pushing on his back. Oh, never mind, three servants pushing on his back. I didn't see the others.
His gaze swung over with the same blank expression he always had, but just a bit of his poise broke when seeing Mother digging her heels into the ground as I tried to drift forward. Eventually, I broke free, flying over the heads of the crowd and getting comfortable on his shoulder with a smile.
"You-"
But before I could get into it, I was cut off.
"So what about me?"
"Uh...what?" I blinked and looked over the edge of Brownie's shoulder, down at the maid that had so calmly walked up and planted herself in front of him.
Thérèse stared at me with dead eyes, before raising a hand. "Where's my gift?"
"..."
For a few moments, I had to think. Thérèse was born...not in Janie. What could I possibly-
"You said you would leave my Status alone so you could see how much he could grow from the first fight to the second fight. You've seen it. He's a lot stronger. Now where's mine?"
"...oh." I glanced to the side, trying to remember. I did say something like that, didn't I? "Well, you see...I don't really remember how I-"
"It is a bit of a flashy process," Kiki substituted while walking up from the other side. "Would you be willing to wait a few more days? There are some other factors to consider before Master entraps you with the wonders of magic without telling you about the other things-"
"Hey! You were the one that-"
"Janie third. That's when I go back to the dukedom," the maid folded her arms, looking from Kiki up to me. "I've already decided."
"O-Okay? We wouldn't hold you back from-"
"Decided that I want what you gave him, and that I'm taking you up on your offer and not letting you weasel your way out of it."
"People are just so...forceful these days-"
"If we're not, then you manage to slip out of everything."
"But Thérèse, people are supposed to be nice to me on my birthday..."
"Nice? Nice happens when you don't drag out an experiment for weeks on end because you forget about the people involved. Nice happens when you don't almost light a forest on fire because you were upset about a gift-"
"I had a reason for that!"
"Really."
No one looking up to where I sat on Brownie's right shoulder seemed impressed with my reason while summoning the scarf from wherever that servant child hid it, putting it around my mouth so I could grumble to myself.
"Such rude people..."
"Fir, come down. You're bugging him."
"I'm not bugging him!" I glanced to the side, seeing him staring out over the banquet hall and waiting for the interaction he'd been dragged into to end. "U-Um...just let me finish my business with him so I can stop bugging him! Now, Brownie, first off I just want to thank you for your participation. I learned a lot, really. Because of your sacrifice, there will be less sacrifice for others in the future-"
"What about my sacrifice-"
"Thérèse, you were the oppressor, not the oppressed here. Can I please finish? Thank you." And then I held out my hand, letting something appear there and letting it sit in the palm of his hand when he lifted it. "Here, a gift. I'm going to be busy this year too, but if you still want to keep going - not just as an experiment for my use, but with the intent of improving yourself - just call me."
"Ah!" Mother seemed to be taking on my verbal ticks then. Since Grandmother wasn't anywhere nearby, she was safe for the moment. "Where's my mysterious box I can use to call my daughter-"
I sighed and made another one on the spot, dropping it below for her to catch. "It only lets you call once a day, keep in mind-"
"Does his have that restriction?"
"..."
"Earl, my daughter doesn't love me anymore even on my own birthday-"
"Fine! Twice! I'm not moving it agai-"
"-even after nine months and twenty-three hours..."
"Tch!" I snapped my fingers, ignoring their useless flinching, feeling the muscles in Brownie's shoulder jump. "It can contact anyone you want besides me infinitely!"
"..."
Mother stopped pulling a page out of fake injury scammers and straightened, no longer wiping at her eyes.
"I'm so abused, Earl-"
"Can I see the image from earlier-"
"No."
"Then what about the book-"
"No-"
"Then you are not abused. I am. I am deprived of even partaking in my wife's happiness and the very few things that our daughter gives us."
And then they went at it as I turned my face up to the ceiling, finally, it felt like, understanding what it was like to be a real teenager, even though I was only...seven.
Dang. I made it.
"..."
Brownie slipped the small box into his pocket. He'd see what it was later.
"Ah, also, I still kind of feel bad about the whole blessing thing...and what comes with it. So, I want to grant three of your wishes to the best of my ability. How about it? And yes, Thérèse, I will talk to you separately after Kiki does. And yes, I'm telling you ahead of time, you only get one wish. So, Brownie. What do you want?"
And then Kiki, my naughty familiar, took the time to chime in when she really shouldn't have. "Don't be shy, Sir Frederick. It's not often she makes these kinds of promises. Rarer than her apologizing to anyone for any of her obvious mistakes-"
"Kiki Nazira-"
"-so please, really. Think of your own development, and don't hold back."
"What am I...an infinite fairy godmother..."
Or, Demon godmother.
And while waiting, I looked around the crowd. We were a bit off to the side, in a corner, as a bit of music was beginning from another corner of the room. The husbands and wives, and embarrassed younger servants being jeered on from the sidelines, began to dance as best they could to folk music that wasn't as ill-suited for that hall as I thought it would've been. Before we knew it, people were clapping, clapping, clapping, and circles were forming up around the center floor.
Oh, that looks fun-
"I would like to know how Magaris is doing."
"Magaris...as in...you just want to know? That's a conversational topic, you don't need to waste a wish on that."
"Then...how is Magaris doing?"
"Oh, she's doing fine for the most part. I obviously stress her out just by existing, but I give her her alone time and the children aren't too much of a stress for her because they're so quiet. I think...at least. And she has people to talk to, even if they annoy the hell out of her-"
"Fir!"
"It's not my fault you were listening. Anyway, they annoy her, just like this one here," my foot swung towards Kiki's head as she stood to Brownie's side. Content, watching. She wore the appearance of Stream at the moment, with her brown hair and eyes, a simple visage in a nice dark green dress. "And Teria, though you didn't see her earlier. Also-...well, anyway, I think she's doing fine."
"Besides the fact that Master dropped an entire empire on Magaris' head a few days ago, she's fine."
"You did...what?"
Kiki chose to keep being annoying while smiling pleasantly out into the crowd. "Oh, don't worry. The news of what happened to Newone will reach here soon. It's only been a few days."
"Why do you say...'to' Newone, not 'in' Newone...?"
"Firea-Madeline, what did you do to the empire-"
"Mother, she makes it sound terrible, but I guarantee you they had it coming."
"Had what coming-"
"So anyway, Brownie, what's your first wish?"
"Friendly warning-"
"Kiki-"
"-but you have about two minutes before Master forgets her promise to you and gets distracted by something else."
"I would like..."
Yeah, yeah, I looked over at his face, trying not to put too much pressure already knowing that maybe the paralysis of choice was probably on him. There were too many things to wish for from-
"-to get on the Apostle Scale."
For a few moments, Firea.exe stopped working. My jaw beneath my scarf dropped a little bit. "What?"
How did he know about-
"You mentioned it before."
"Before...ah-"
"Yes, Master, that time you sounded like a scam artist before-"
When I was talking to Thérèse.
"And I know you're really strong, so I thought...I mean, not as strong as an apostle, so very, kind of nowhere near the realm of the immortals yet, so obviously not on the Apostle Scale yet, but you're the strongest mortal I know, and the one with the best chance of escaping with your life from maybe the weakest apostle..."
So he remembered...
"..."
I couldn't imagine why he would possibly want to do that. Yes, we had a whole conversation about it, but after all I'd gone through since we last spoke about it...
There was really nothing good about consorting with those types and getting wrapped up in it. Yes, I'd given him access and preached about strength and all that. But did I really think he would want to keep going after achieving "enough" strength from what I gave him?
Then what were you offering him before? Why the three wishes, Master? You're never so kind.
I held back my tongue. I don't know. I want to see him go farther, but at the same time...I don't want to let what happened to me happen to him. I don't want to be the naive thing sending him out into a world that'll only crush him because I didn't know what I was doing, and because I said, "Follow your dreams!" or some crap like that.
He has your blessing, Master, and he will therefore be mostly fine. If anyone does come to rock his boat, you will know, and then you will watch, and then he will grow. By the time he is strong enough to cause anyone alarm is also the time he will begin to be able to stand by himself, and unless someone absurdly strong steps out of their way to strike him down, then he will survive.
So you still want him to go through with this?
Kiki looked up at me from the side and smiled. I looked away and sighed.
"Father, I hope you're not too attached to this knight."
"I have your birthday present in my room-"
"He accidentally became mine just now, regardless of what you say. Sorry. If you want to blame anyone, blame Kiki."
"Frederick-"
Father called out to the knight, looking a bit uneasy himself. And, just like Kiki and I who were able to have conversations with our expressions alone besides our thoughts, it seemed that the nobleman and his knight that had been to war time and again together could do the same thing.
"I'm aware of my pledge of loyalty to you, Sire-"
"I'm not in doubt of it. I only doubt that I'm worthy of it anymore after..." Father drew in a breath and just sighed it out, looking back towards the happy folk dancing in front of us. We were such a crowd of loners just standing off to the side. "And that I will be for that much longer, if you become stronger than me. I won't consider any pledges broken, so long as you are doing it of your own free will."
"...thank you, Sire."
Father looked like he wanted to leave, but curiosity made him stay. So he and Mother stood quietly off to the side, backing up enough to hover along the wall and enjoy the cool air of a window they opened. More like, the freezing chill of winter, but Mother never really felt such things and Father didn't have a choice, so it was there to stay.
"Then, your second wish?"
"I would like to see your Status if that is possible, Miss Firea."
And then my parents, who'd so skillfully retreated to the window, were skillfully no longer leaning against the wall to stand back by Brownie's side, waiting to also be privy to the information. It took all I had not to call them shameless.
"I'm warning you not to waste your wish on such a thing. And, no, it's not because I'm just trying to hide it from them, though they couldn't even see it anyway. It's because, even if I showed it to you, you wouldn't be able to see anything. I'm too far away from you in stats, so you'd just see a bunch of question marks instead of numbers. The only way for you to see it is if you become almost as strong as me someday."
I learned that one the hard way with a few gods.
And then I destroyed them.
"Then...may I know how many mana points it took to fire off that spell earlier? And what percentage of your mana it took."
"Ah-" smart "-asking because you can compare it with how many mana points you have, hm? It only took about...let me see...[Status]..." I frowned, looking at the stupid number that was my MP stat. "Only about a hundred..."
"There's no way that was only a hundred mana points-"
I cut Thérèse off with my mumbling. "-thousand MPs? So...what percentage of my...oops..."
I swallowed and looked around. It was a bit of an embarrassing number, so I instead put my hands on his shoulder, leaned back a bit, then cupped them over his ear to whisper the number.
"Frederick? Frederick, what's the number? Why do you look like that?"
He didn't look like he could breathe as I sat back. He looked over at me for the first time, lips moving while forming the number that couldn't even escape in the form of sound.
"Firea-"
"Stop, it's embarrassing..."
"How? How is it embarrassing? What's the number?"
"You, don't you know you're not supposed to ask a magician their stats or age..."
"You're seven. What's the other number-"
But my hands covered my face as Brownie closed his mouth, swallowed, and looked forward over the crowd again. His hands came together in front of him, cracking his knuckles - it sounded like he was breaking rocks - like some sort of nervous habit.
"And? Your last wish?"
Why did I have to give him three again? This is why I don't let people ask things of me.
But he had to mentally prepare himself, it seemed, before asking for the last thing.
"Would it be possible to have a training space like the arena to keep from damaging the surroundings?"
"A training space...like the arena? Oh, but that's too small. No, here, have this instead. It's way bigger, and I made some Monster golems that will hunt you when you go inside."
"Don't you mean, for him to hunt-"
"And! Oh, I just remembered-! When I was fighting this bastard I know today, I-"
"Fir-"
"-stumbled on a really great place to fight Monsters I've never seen before! It seems like a great place to sharpen your survival skills too, living in an environment like that. I was in the Forbidden Land for a while, and that really...taught me a thing or two about always being on guard. I'll take you sometime, when you're stronger. It'll be fun!"
"Master, if you're talking about the volcanoes-"
"No, no, in the ocean beside them, where the krakens were-"
"Master, I don't personally recommend-...even apostles would-"
"It'll be fine. And, I still keep forgetting to furnish Magaris' room-"
"We're been over this. She does not want to acquire furniture by dungeon diving in Chardrent, or with any Monster hides that you hunt-"
"But I thought it would be developmental-"
"We have also been over that-"
"E-Excuse...me..."
We all leaned to look to the side. What's this?
"You got it!"
"Don't be a coward! Just do it!"
A young man was standing on the other side of Kiki, just a bit far away. Someone was running away from him after almost shoving him forward onto his face, stumbling to be just a few feet away from Kiki who cut off in arguing with me. The maid, the noble, and the noblewoman were on Brownie's right side with me. Kiki was the only one on his left side, and he therefore blocked sight of all the threatening-looking things on the other side. The young man probably didn't see his nobles on the other side, or he wouldn't have been able to approach at all.
"Yes?" Kiki asked, looking as politely beautiful as ever. "Can I help you?"
He looked skinny like a beanpole. Wiry, like he was more suited to using his hands than working in fields, even though his skin was tan enough to suggest the latter as well.
"Would...Would it be possible, if you, if I could..."
His eyes were stuck on her face, and then they fell to her folded hands, and then down to her shoes, and then his face was on fire and he couldn't say anything anymore, his friends laughing in the background as if they knew exactly what had happened.
"If you'd have me."
Kiki lifted her hand up to be just under his sight.
"I'm afraid I haven't danced any sort of way in a...very long time, so if I'm too stiff for you, I'll understand-"
"No! Not at all! I-I would be grateful...for just a single song..."
And then my Kiki was gone.
You-
Kiki looked over her shoulder towards me while pulling the boy away, leading from the front.
-vacation. That's right. I'm on vacation.
"Whatever," I shook my head at her as the impossible happened. "Here you go, Brownie. Instructions are also included in this."
And then another small box was put in his hand, making me frown when I realized just how much larger his hand was from mine. Being somewhat jealous, for a moment, but knowing that popping up in my own watered-down giantkin form would've just been petty at that point.
Like Teria on the night I pulled her from Basusda.
"Teria...where did Teria go?" I frowned, looking around. She'd been gone for a while.
"She left with Kiki earlier, after your fight ended."
"Oh, really?" But something didn't seem right about that, as I frowned. "Wait a minute...that means...no-"
Magaris was making Keir's preferred meal on my birthday, since I wasn't there, and they were all enjoying it without-
"Guh!" I sighed and slumped over. "I can never win, can I...Magaris, you're too cruel..."
And I couldn't even leave either! To go have a bite!
Teria, please, save me some-
Since I knew Magaris wouldn't-
"Have it yourself."
"Ah, my goddess!" I exclaimed, legs kicking as Teria looked in front...then straight up to where I still sat on Brownie's shoulder. "What would I do without you?"
And the thing was blipped into my storage as I began to descend the moment her arms lifted up, letting me be taken by her embrace. It was a number one priority to go to her if she was ever around. Guilt was just that strong.
"I liked your fight."
"..."
Brownie looked down to the woman that barely came up to his midrift.
"...thank you."
"You have a good height."
"..."
"Oh, forgive her," I glanced from her face up to Brownie who thankfully didn't have many expressions. "She just got out from being locked up alone for five thousand years. This is the most people she's seen in a while."
"...I see."
He didn't really, and it was clear. His Adam's Apple bobbed as he fought to keep from swallowing.
"But even in my small form, I'm taller than you."
Teria narrowed her pale pink eyes up at him just slightly, contemplating, and it seemed we had the same thought. But... "Teria, if you stay in this human form, he doesn't get it-"
And, after putting up a small barrier, she showed that form again. The one that I thought she used to copy me just because, but was probably her natural form without me realizing it.
And then, probably, for the first time in his life-
Brownie had to look up.
"..."
She held me against her shoulder with just one hand. I sighed and smacked her braid, suddenly five times bigger, it felt like, off of me as well.
"Whatever!" I exclaimed, pulling a few strands as her aura showed she was very pleased by my reaction. "My Demon form is just as tall as yours!"
"You can only wear it for a few months a year."
"So!"
"Mine is natural."
"Mine-"
"Is magic."
"...!..." I turned my head into her shoulder, ignoring the world. "All of you are so mean to me! It's my birthday!"
"There, there," Teria sighed, faking comfort. "It's not your fault you'll be stuck in the body of an emaciated six-year-old forever. Oh, wait," she looked over with the blandest smile when I looked up, teary-eyed. "It is."
"Y-You! Where is this sass coming from again-"
And Teria abruptly shrunk back to her normal-person size, holding me with both arms and beginning to walk away after dropping her barrier as well.
So I called back to Brownie, finishing off our business as he was looking back towards his feet and then watching us walk off, his face oddly blank again-
"I'll call on you in a few weeks, Brownie! Let me just get settled into my new schedule first! Then we'll-"
"I'll see you in two days!" Thérèse smiled and cut me off, making me scowl and turn away from her.
"Tch!" was my response, trying to see where Teria was taking us. Walking around the people dancing and having a grand time, and going to where a few more quiet souls had made themselves at home in a different corner. "...Teria? What are we doing over here?"
"They were watching you."
"..."
Yes, they...they tended to do that...
"It looked as if they wanted to comment on your destructive behavior."
"That, we always do."
I looked over to Sarah who gave me up in a moment. She stood alongside Martin, the two of them just looking out and over, not bothering to participate.
"So? What rude words do you have to pile on top of me as well? I assume it must be about my appearance? My words? My actions? My existen-"
"Happy birthday, Young Miss."
But Martin, that guy. They really were used to just cutting me off, all of them. He held out a small box in his gloved hand, smiling pleasantly, waiting for me to take it. Sarah handed over a stack of envelopes at the same time that I could tell were waiting for me for a while, mail that other people sent me.
"Oh, there was no need..."
"You should open it with Magaris, since it may be more for her than yourself at this point."
"This is..."
My face went flat the moment I opened up the box. It was a storage ring, awfully expensive for those parts no doubt, and only a medium for the true gift.
You're kidding me.
"Firea, at least pretend to have some gratitude. I will tell Magaris."
So, slowly, with the dead light in my eyes while looking inside the storage ring at all of the furniture inside, I brought a smile to my face. "Thank you. Martin. Sarah. Really. This was just what Magaris needed. Or rather, me, to appease her, since she wouldn't go dungeon diving for furniture with me. We're both very grateful. It will be put to good use."
"That is all we needed to know, frugal little lady. Thank you for your warm words. Please tell us how Magaris likes the furnishings. The ones for her are labeled."
Which was quite a lot, looking at the many pieces inside.
"She will be bursting with joy. No doubt. Don't worry."
And I closed the box, putting it up on my shelf as well. Putting it as part of all the other things I needed to think about every time I looked up.
"Have you received your gifts from your grandparents yet?"
"...no. They disappeared."
After I blipped a specific scene of lightning earlier from almost everyone's memories, they wandered off to go take a break probably. Everyone dispersed as I just put all of the gifts in my storage to ignore them for later.
"Then you might wish to seek them out. It's getting fairly late, and they might wish to rest soon after being on their feet all day."
That's right. They liked to sleep early, and rise early. Not as bad as the two in front of me, but fair enough in their habits that I let my head hang and decided to just commit, already knowing the lecture that was coming.
"Teria, you might want to go back for this...they're just going to scold me..."
"Then it will be fun to watch."
"Sometimes I wonder what being in Basusda did to you." My head shook as she kept that light smile, looking down at me. "Then I realize that wondering is pointless, because I can see the heartless humor you developed to cope with the loneliness. Now I only wonder what you were like before everything."
"I was actually happy, and I could actually smile."
"Then, starting tomorrow, we begin to work on that," I readjusted in her arms as she walked through the hall towards the guest room where my grandparents were. It was surprising that they'd left without a word, though they probably knew I'd just seek them out anyway. "Because today, it feels like the butt of all your jokes would be me."
"Happy birthday, Firea."
We stopped in front of the guest room door, but those words made me look away from it.
"What...is this?"
Teria had reached over her eyes, putting all fingertips on her forehead, and drawing out something that looked like a wisp of light. It steadily began to take form until I was looking at a strange thing in the palm of her hand, frowning at it, since it didn't really chime any bells as to what it was. I mean, sure, obviously, I saw it was a crystal, but what it was supposed to do-
"This will help you find Thora."
"Who?"
"Not 'who,' but 'what.' It's the centerpiece."
"...okay? What do I d-..."
I'd gone to meet her eyes while posing the question, only to see that that had changed her features without me noticing.
"Uh-"
"Protect it more than any other tool you have, and the golden shards you find little by little. When you have enough of its mass, then the rest will naturally find you. It's going to become your life and death when you start fighting the upper gods, and you can't fight them without it."
"This is..."
"That thing I gave you. That's my proof of commitment."
Gave me...what? "This?"
I held up the dark gold piece that looked like some dirty yellow rather than the firm metal it must've been originally. Turning it over in my hand, no bigger than a fallen autumn leaf trampled to nothingness.
"That is the greatest threat to Tiyana that she does not want you getting your hands upon ever again. Even if you are an apostle with a hand in the system, even if you are a goddess again, even if you are born to a stronger body, or have a few gods on your side. That, little Godslayer, is the one thing she fears the most. The thing she's fought to keep out of your hands ever since it was first taken out of her own safekeeping, a few thousand years ago..."
"A metal...shard."
I just couldn't be impressed. In that moment, looking up to her face, searching for the joke that wouldn't come. Not even surprised, and not having to be.
"Find the pieces-"
Lior had said the same thing. Essentially.
So I looked at the thing she put in my hand, the little silver crystal no bigger than my pinky, and saw how transparent it was. How clear. It was strange, because it probably had just as much significance as the crystal that made the Life Cycle, and it felt like I was really getting my hands on all sorts of things too important for me.
But then I looked back into Teria's vivid pink eyes, no longer pale, and knew that I couldn't keep burdening her any longer. She accepted it, held it, and likely protected it for all those years because I...
"Are you almost free of me with this?"
It was startling, the pink of those eyes. They looked just like the Fae Queen's then.
But the smile that came with it was plain and didn't tell me a lot of what she was feeling. "Almost."
"Thank you, and I-"
"Never apologize to me." Teria put her head down on my shoulder, arms holding me up enough to cover her eyes. "Just keep me around this time, and stop trying to protect me. Though I may be weak now, I'm going to become someone again that you won't have to look over your shoulder for."
And Teria let me go, let me hang in the air myself, before turning away and leaving without another word more.
"..."
The crystal went into my storage. There was no safer place for it.
Calm down.
It seemed like a day that would never end. Probably because I'd lived multiple days within it, after Magaris took care of me in that time converted space, and after fighting Keir, and meeting so many people, doing so many things...
"Grandmother, Grandfather," I knocked on the door, aiming to make it go just a little faster. The birthday buzz had left me the moment I woke up that morning, so long ago. "I've come to say goodnight."