“[Head Attendant] Barbara, is there something I can assist you with ma'am?”

  “Oh don't be putting on airs for me dearie, I'm just running an errand for the Lords. They wish for you to come to the estate at your earliest convenience."

  Noblespeak for now. Can't even claim ignorance of the custom, my title says I understand such. Willful insubordination if I tarry, and I have half a mind to do just that. I titter.

  “I was under the impression I was forbidden from the estate.”

  “Ah but that was yesterday, and the lords require ya today.”

  I get up and follow the woman who lent me a needle.

  -----

  “Sara, we require you to provide us with your flower.”

  “Lord, I must decline. I am only eleven and such propositions are quite alarming.”

  It was Thomas propositioning me.

  “What?!? I meant the one growing on your head, not your body. System sake, what is wrong with you.”

  Titter for me sister.

  -Etahehehe, good?

  No, you're terrible at it. Loses a lot of impact when I can barely hear it.

  -Sorry.

  “Quite a many things, sir.”

  He looks at me sourly, “Well?”

  “Ah right, I still must decline.”

  “That wasn't an option, [Attendant].” Kiledo this time.

  I'm starting to sour on the whole waiting till college for ennoblement. It's only three and half years away.

  “We are waiting, Sara”

  “Apologies sir, for what?”

  “[Attendant], if you continue with this willful disobedience, I will have the guard take you away.”

  I get the feeling I know where Jeremy gets it from.

  “Do you have nothing to say for yourself?”

  “I await the guard, sir.”

  -----

  “Guardsman, why are you sitting in front of the cells?”

  A familiar voice beckons down the hall.

  “Ah well ma'am, the cell barrier won't engage for our latest prisoner. I felt it best to maintain vigilance lest she escape.”

  The inquisitor walks to the guard, turns, sees me and grows annoyed.

  “Name of prisoner?”

  “Sara.”

  She looks at me.

  “Not Jam this time or She who Mourns.”

  “You left off Scratches.”

  Narrow eyes again.

  “Why are we detaining her?”

  “Refusing the orders from the nobility.”

  “Rank of nobility?”

  “Ma'am?”

  “I am not one to repeat myself, guardsman.”

  “Viscount Sdrea had summoned the guard, ma'am.”

  The woman sighs.

  “Release her.”

  “Ma'am?”

  She ignores the guard and addresses me.

  “Is there a reason you didn't state your family name?”

  “I was told it was a crime to claim rank I didn't have.”

  “It should be a crime to be wasting my time, Sara.”

  She looks at the cell I am sitting in.

  “Care to explain why the cell didn't engage its barrier.”

  “I assume it's because it requires my mana to do so.”

  She quirks an eyebrow.

  “Are you implying you are preventing the mana drain runes from taking your mana?”

  “That would be impossible, yes? Mana has to flow.”

  Sister had to go through an hour of those messages. The inquisitor looks further annoyed. She leaves and I walk out. The guard was still not quite sure what happened.

  -----

  I start smithing a new iron sword. Sister, why didn't you ask for your sword back.

  -It would've ruined my cool exit.

  Do you plan more cool exits? I could make spares.

  -I mean, you run a smithy, why don't you already have spares to sell?

  Our sword is a specific length. It is what we are comfortable with. Others may not be.

  -Still could have our comfortable length be our generic sword you sell.

  I frown, hate when she is right. I hear her titters faintly. The mirth itself comes in clearly. Hey, think you could kill a hydra or two? I like to level enough to tier Qorth.

  -You sure we can even level this far away?

  Good to know one way or the other. The system was capable of forcing it.

  -...You miss the daily reminder.

  I frown again. She titters.

  -----

  “I thought the guard took you away.”

  “The inquisitor felt I was unjustly imprisoned and released me.”

  Jeremy looks even more annoyed.

  “How do you keep lying?”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  I titter.

  “I have yet to tell you a lie, sir.”

  “Are you going to harass my [Attendant] every time we meet her, Jeremy?”

  “Clearly something is wrong, I must inform our fathers of her escape.”

  He runs off. Kalidia and Delores were still here.

  “I have a request if you have time, mistress.”

  “Speak it, Sara.”

  “I would like to head to Gadvak, sister wanted me to slay another hydra.”

  She nods and heads to the west gate. Kalidia walked by her side while I was a step behind. My skin is the barest of green to convert my blood.

  -----

  “Are you sure we should engage such, forty is a great deal of levels.”

  “Apologies miss, I aim to fight it alone.”

  I unsheath the new iron sword. Before Kalidia can stop me I charge forward. The hydra tries to engage with just one head while the three others wait to see my move. The head nearest me is chopped off. The blood lands on me and I take its stats. No time to enjoy it, I have better in my bloodskin anyways. The other three engage. A knife goes into the neck of the one next to the already lopped head. It explodes a moment later. The beast rears back, slowing even further. I take the other two heads in one cut. The body still lives, my own stopped absorbing the blood and its stats. An annoyance. I stab my iron sword deep into the torso. The flesh rends and the hydra dies. The bliss ends.

  Gained 40 exp from Hydra

  You gained 64 unallocated stat points

  I use the water wand to remove the blood from my dress. Kalidia looks pale.

  “You haven't been lying to my brother at all.”

  I titter.

  “I believe I said that earlier, miss.”

  I make a mental note to bring my blood reserves down to half. Being unable to kill an opponent through curses is a handicap I do not wish to maintain. Ten containers of blood is at least five days at my size. Of course increasing my size would allow for more room. I titter again.

  -----

  Manticore, giant scorpion, drake ooo drake could be fun again. The five headed hydra in the swamp. So many options. Best to avoid humanoids, sister would not handle it well. No harpies, knolls and goblins.

  The [Head Attendant] Barbara approaches me as I can scan the adventurer board.

  “Ah Sara, the Lords are asking for you to visit the estate again.”

  I give a side look to the woman.

  “I seem to recall being led out by guards the last time, [Head Attendant].”

  She gives me a wry smile. Clearly not liking the trek down to the guild twice in one day.

  “I only do as I am told, dearie.”

  I clear jab at me for not. I sigh and follow the woman once again.

  -----

  “The guard delivered this sword saying they didn't know where to return it to otherwise.”

  Guess I have a spare now. Thomas continues.

  “I want to know where you got it from, it bears no guild mark. It's created from iron that appears to be far more resilient than common.”

  I simply look at the lord again. I'm not sure what to say really.

  “Do you intend to defy us again? The guard may have sympathized due to your age and released you, but I know Lady Ophelia will not allow such defiance to go unpunished.” Viscount Sdrea weighs in.

  I miss being able to swap with sister for this. No more cool exits.

  “Well?”

  “I prefer to not call the inquisitor here, she is never happy to see me.”

  The viscount quirks an eyebrow.

  “You act as if it would not be your first time.”

  “It wouldn't even be the first time today, sir.”

  Thomas is incredulous.

  “Are you saying that you were released after meeting with Lady Ophelia?”

  “It is as you say.”

  There is arguing in the hallway. Kaldia and Jeremy. Apparently my hydra killing is not to be believed even when reported by his sister. Kalidia enters the room first followed by Jeremy. Hmmm the mistress stayed behind. Does she intend to avoid this? That won't do, I adjust her hearing to that of an elf.

  Seriously Sara, I can hear my own organs now.

  I hold back the titter. Just wait till someone starts eating. I direct a thought to her.

  I would not want to rob you of the opportunity to listen to this farce, mistress.

  There had to be a level of hearing that wasn't everything.

  “Fathers, I ask you not to judge Sara a liar, she has demonstrated a proficient ability to slay hydra.”

  “I can not believe you would lie for her, sister.”

  “Jeremy, I literally watched her slay one in less than five minutes.”

  “She must have taught you how to lie in exchange for this appeal, shameful sister. To sell yourself to a commoner.”

  Kalidia looks ready to kill her brother at that. It's too much. I titter.

  O that's not good, Sara.

  “[Attendant] do you find this all comical.” The viscount agitation grows.

  “I do, [Viscount].”

  He glares at that.

  “Why is that?” He says it slowly, menacing. I didn't care.

  “I am branded a liar for telling the truth. Cast out from the house for not telling the truth. Asked to make money for said unbelieving house I am not even employed with. Jailed by the same house because of my refusal. Summoned again to explain my personal weapon. And now when your own daughter corroborates my words, it is assumed I taught her to lie. It is as if nothing I do matters. I find that quite worthy of my laugh.”

  “Wait, if your sword was here. Where did you procure a second custom blade?” Kalidia notices the two swords.

  So we return to the original reason I am here right now. I just grip the bridge of my nose.

  “Fine, since you wish to know so badly, I made them.”

  “Now that's just absurd, when would you have the time.”

  I titter, “More comedy, if that is all you wish to ask then I will be returning to the guild hall.”

  I grab the blade and turn to leave. Thomas blocks the way.

  “I must ask you to leave the swords here.”

  I raise an eyebrow, I titter again.

  “You want both of them. First flowers than swords. Do you plan to strip me bare? How crass.”

  He doesn't answer but I can see he is serious. I hold both swords out, before he can grab them I heat them both in my hands. My flesh cooks, he recoils and the blade turns to slag. So heated, it falls to the floor. I am unsure if they can do something with the puddle but the damage to the floor will take a bite out of whatever profit they can glean. Before he can understand what has happened I pass him and leave him with the smell of my burnt flesh. The mistress meets me at the exit, we leave together.

  -----

  I appear to be holding the bridge of my nose more often. My hands healed. A new sword at my side.

  “The charges are that you damaged their property, specifically destroying two of their swords and damaging their floor.”

  The inquisitor is annoyed with me again.

  “The swords were mine, that they demanded them does not make them theirs.”

  “And the floor?”

  “How much?”

  “Pardon?”

  “How much to repair the floor?”

  “That is not the issue here.”

  “Then what is, the Sdrea family has been harassing me nonstop. I have been rather patient but I don't appear to have a way to stop them from doing so.”

  “You're the one who refuses to use your full name.”

  “As if they would believe me. I recall meeting you after stating my name.”

  “Full name?” Delores asks.

  I grip the bridge of my nose again. Ophelia barks a laugh.

  “Are you telling me that even the house that hired you doesn't know who you are?”

  Sara?

  “I don't even care anymore. Take me away inquisitor. I am ready for you to lop my head off. This farce is beyond comical and is just sad. Your executioner didn't seem to care if they were to kill an innocent person, so let's get to it.”

  Ophelia rolls her eyes, “Are you done? I have no desire to send you to the ax when your benefactor would murder the Sdrea for pushing the issue. Then I have to explain why the youngest tier four human decided to go on a massacre.”

  I titter at that, youngest tier four. She looks at me more annoyed than ever.

  “Why would Lady Magdeline go to such extremes for an [Attendant]?”

  “Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”

  I point at myself as I say it. She pales at the last name.

  “But why are you an [Attendant]? It would be more fitting to be the other way around.”

  “I have been curious about this myself, the girl is already tier two.” Ophelia looms over the two of us.

  I give an annoyed look to both of them, “My reasons are my own, and it is my secret to keep.”

  “I need to go back and tell them, ohhhh this is bad.”

  I look at Delores intently. Directing my thought to her very being.

  This is my secret for you to keep.

  She pauses half way to the door, visibly shakes, then turns arounds.

  This is escalating Sara, at what point does it stop? When you or my family is dead? Both?

  I sigh, “I don't wish to drag mother into this Lady Ophelia, are there other alternatives aside from capitulation to the demands of the Sdrea?”

  “You're a [Priestess], making you quasi nobility already, even if you're hiding your levels. They can't make demands of you if you use that title.”

  Annoying, but if being quasi nobility is enough. I just live through the mortification of being both an attendant and priestess while in Maknor. Marie would have loved it. I released the hold [False Soul] had on my levels just to further my status. With that, I set my titles.

  “You really are tier two…”

  Delores is shocked. The inquisitor narrows her eyes at me.

  “Level one, with a max of thirty-nine total levels. You're not tier two. I remember your soul count from before and your title. It's absurd but a tier four only just quaked the capital at their awakening.”

  Delores is growing more pale.

  “You're right it would be absurd to assume a person with thirty-nine levels could be tier four.”

  “And yet you claim absurdities all the time.”

  I glare at the woman.

  “At least I can call off the search, I will apprise the Majesties but since it is absurd I doubt they will want to do anything about it for now. Your mother already declined a change of your status before for your part in decimating the Bronfkin army. Something about you wanting to wait and it was stupid but funny at the same time. Seeing you are still foolish, I doubt that has changed.”

  “When did you decimate the Bronfkin army?”

  I pinch my nose again, then let up fearing I am going to make a permanent indent.

  “Haven't heard the news? Come seven days ago the main camp of the Bronfkin army suddenly went ablaze as multiple fires broke out. The temporary barrier was promptly shattered. All of this occurred inside the camp. Seizing the opportunity, Sir Krakner swept in and found the Bronfkin busy killing each other. Many of the dead were found to have exploded hearts.”

  I titter, I had shattered the barrier and ended any seed that was discovered setting fires. That it devolved into more infighting was just hilarious. The dryad song of violence must have come through my seeds. It is good that it was told to me and not sister. I don't need her self recriminations infecting me. I look at Delores and feel her fear. I twinge at that… that's new… or old? I take a moment and direct a thought.

  Yes it is possible and no I don't plan too. You are still my mistress.

  Sorry, it's a lot to take in. I just have to remind myself it's no different from you being able to immolate me.

  You cook your hands near her once and she can't stop imagining me doing it to her body. I titter.