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Chapter Text

((A/N: Aye, siwmae. And good day to you, readers.

This here is the first fic I wrote in a long while. I used to publish Monster Girl Saga, a Monstergirl Quest fic, but life caused me to put it on extended hiatus.

This one's actually an AU focused on the Monster Girl Encyclopedia, as part of an extended setting I've been working on over the years. Think of it as 'timelines that never were'. There is also some Monster Hunter content to it, but the focus is on the MGE, with the addition of some original elements that come from the aforementioned extended setting.

Also, this is a cross-post from TouchFluffyTail, where I post under the screenname 'Jyashinsai', and FFNet where I post under the name 'GenocideHeart'. Just a heads up, as I may eventually stop posting on FFNet due to planned heavy smut later on.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy it. The first two or so chapters will be setup, and then the story will truly begin. Doing otherwise would leave readers a bit lost. Hope you enjoy!

Author out.))

==Chapter 1: Remnant==

Creation. Countless universes, large and small. Some similar, others vastly different.

Within each universe, Fate weaves its web. History is written, and great events mark the coming and going of the ages.

Sometimes, those events are also branching points. And... In some very rare cases, two outcomes can happen at a given time. Perfectly balanced, either of them could come true. Alas, Fate dictates only one of the two timelines created by such forks can go on existing.

So what happens when one of those 'rejected timelines'... refuses to disappear?

Once upon a time, two such lost timelines, about to disappear forever into the Void, collided. Desperate to survive, they latched on to each other, buying themselves more time.

Then a third one came along and crashed into them.

And another. And another.

Time and again, lost timelines found this abnormality, this mass of 'stories that never were', and in a bid to survive, became one with it. And eventually, this great mass became its own Creation.

They call it "The Myriad Worlds".

Alas, even in the Myriad Worlds eventually universes come to an end. But unlike in the great Origin, they are never lost. For when a universe dies, fragments of it scatter across the Myriad Worlds - an eternal testament that a universe once existed, lived, grew, and died. Everlasting remembrance.

And sometimes... these fragments make their way into the hands of the most unlikely people. Such as, for example, a sickly, weak, lonely princess of a distant kingdom, neglected by Fate's favor. Powerless, talentless, and pitiable when compared to her older sisters.

For some reason, fragments like such people. Perhaps it's some lingering desire by the departed inhabitants of a lost world, wishing to bring some solace to lonely souls who are becoming lost in despair...

And occasionally, such a fragment reaching the right hands attracts attention from beings in high places, and changes the fate of an entire world.

=O=O=

The streets of Lescatie were bustling with activity on that day. It was, after all, the day when peddlers from all over the world gathered to sell their wares at the public market. A great many stalls occupied the streets, with a variety of wares on display. Pottery, clothing, house tools, even weapons.

The Theocracy of Lescatie was one of the two most powerful nations in the Order's territories, and its main producer of Heroes, the stalwarts who battled against the threat of the Demon Lord's armies encroaching upon humanity. Its capital, also named Lescatie, was truthfully more a fortress than a city, with high walls protecting the inner districts, watchtowers scattered in the outskirts, and a great many guards patrolling. Generally, it was regarded as one of the safest cities in Order territories.

At least, if what you wanted protection from was the mamono who preyed on human men, that is. If you sought safety from the predations of corrupt bureaucrats, career criminals and abusive nobles, on the other hand, it was less than ideal.

Despite the city's wealth, owing to the Order's presence, a great deal of its citizenship was poor and hungry. Most of the wealth was amassed in the hands of the corrupt hierarchy in power, or the criminal syndicates prowling in the night. The common man struggled to make a living, and the capital's slums were an impoverished hell.

As for the royal family of Lescatie... they had long since become little more than puppet rulers, while the real power was in the hands of the nobles and the clergy. King Castor Bistoa Lescatie, while initially well-meaning, proved simply too weak-willed to oppose the other factions, and soon became mired in the same corrupt circles as the rest of the nobility, and as for their three oldest daughters, they were largely too busy enjoying the fame and wealth coming with their status as gifted mages, capable of hearing the voice of the Gods and blessed as Heroes.

...then there was the fourth daughter.

Francisca Mistel Lescatie. A small, pretty, somewhat busty, but always downcast-looking girl, with beautiful green eyes and a rich mane of luscious purple hair that would often spin itself into drills on its own, regardless of how much a hairdresser attempted to stylize them otherwise.

Born fragile and sickly, which rendered her infertile, and possessing no power to speak of. Overshadowed by her sisters, and ignored by both her family and most of those around her. A pitiful girl, lonely and lacking confidence.

Her ailing health eventually confined her to her room, inside a tower in the royal castle's annex, where she spent her days reading books and wistfully looking out of the window, yearning for her own wings to take flight.

Only three people could be called "her friends" in all of Lescatie. Two of them, a young commoner boy named Elt and a daughter of the Noscrim noble house named Wilmarina, were her childhood friends, and often played together with her as children. Alas, as time went on, Wilmarina changed, becoming distant and throwing herself in her training as a knight, while Elt vanished without warning. Their loss was devastating on young Francisca's mind, causing her to withdraw inwardly even more.

That left only one person. A young maid, an unimportant commoner from a poor family who was hired by a stroke of luck, perhaps due to her beauty, with long golden hair cascading across a visage with delicate, fair-skinned features and framing a pair of deep blue eyes, and a slender, yet pleasantly curvy frame that hid an unsuspecting amount of strength for such a small girl.

This maid's name was Rowena, and she'd been assigned to what was viewed as a 'thankless task': to care for the sickly, lonely princess.

If you'd asked Rowena, though, she'd tell you that being assigned as Lady Francisca's personal maid was the best thing to happen to her in her life. And it would be hard to miss the adoring light in her eyes as she speaks.

Yes, indeed. Francisca and Rowena became very close, very fast and Rowena quickly came to regard the sad girl as a little sister of sorts, being fiercely protective of her, to the point of being at times disciplined for speaking out of line in defense of her mistress. Rowena didn't mind the punishments, be they lashings or docked pay: to her, defending Francisca's honor was far more important. One could say she was the last bastion protecting Francisca's sanity: a true knight, shielding her lady with no hesitation, even without shining arms and armor.

She also took it upon herself to scour the city's shops for new books that her protégé could enjoy, knowing well that those stories were one of the few solaces in Francisca's life, and even paid for them out of her own pocket sometimes, when she had no access to the family funds the royal family prepared for Francisca's needs.

And so, we find this loyal maid prowling Lescatie's market, hoping to luck out and find some new, intriguing pieces of literature that would hopefully be within her modest means to purchase. And this is where our story truly begins.

For this loyal maid is about to find the key to changing her mistress's fate... and that of the entire Kingdom of Lescatie, as well.

=O=O=

Rowena sighed dejectedly. She'd been walking for hours, and yet was still empty-handed. She'd hoped to find at least a small novel for Francisca to read, and to that end she'd rifled through a few books, but all she'd found was, to put it in kind words, printed trash. That is, when it wasn't thinly disguised smut. Some of the books she'd found would have fit better in a mamono town than an Order fortress with how lewd and explicit they were.

The blonde maid was loathe to go back empty-handed. Lately, Francisca had been especially depressed, and she hated to see her like that. She'd been hoping to cheer her up with a nice, thick book full of amazing tales of swords and romance, something that she seemed to enjoy greatly.

As she browsed around the stands, she ignored several peddlers who attempted to interest her in dresses, cosmetics and worst of all, lacy underwear. She may have been a maid, but was no harlot! (Although, if it cheered Lady Francisca up even a little, I'd wear that leather outfit in an instant, and even top it with a bucket on my head), she admitted privately, her affection for her ward overpowering her embarrassment.

As she morosely looked at the stands, her gaze was caught by a small tent propped up near a backstreet, and she noticed that there was an unfamiliar merchant, wearing a heavy, cumbersome hooded cloak that obscured his - or perhaps her - face, and a peculiar, gaudy outfit with a great many gold- and silver-colored decor about it, which would have been better fitting for an eccentric explorer than a merchant. Somehow, she'd never seen this particular peddler, even though she'd visited the market for the better part of ten years now. And... upon closer inspection, he had books!

That alone was enough to draw Rowena closer. Eyeing the books, she noticed with some excitement that she didn't recognize any of them, and they appeared to be fairly old and with elaborate, colorful covers. (I just hope I can afford to buy at least one), she thought, grimacing at the possibility that the books might be a bit outside her funds limit.

"Aye, siwmae. And good day to you," the peddler greeted her as she approached, removing his hood. Rowena looked up and was startled for a moment: the merchant wore a peculiar horned headdress with a pair of reading glasses mounted upon it. She'd never quite seen anything like it before.

"L-likewise," she stammered before catching herself and bowing in apology. "Ah, please forgive me. Your visage startled me. I've never quite seen anything like it, you see."

"Ahh, yes, this outfit is typical of the travelers from my homeland - a distant land you probably never heard of," the peddler explained in an amicable tone. "The various features are meant to symbolize virtues and bring good luck. The horns, for example, represent wisdom, while these medals," he continued, pointing at the gold and silver discs on his chest, "symbolize glory."

The merchant then shook his head, chuckling. "Ah, but I am sure a lady such as yourself is not interested in the ramblings of an old fool." He bowed his head slightly. "I am... never you mind, a simple wanderer's name is not important. I'm just, well, a peddler of sorts. I adore trinkets and oddities, so I trade for them."

"Ah... trade? So you don't sell?" Rowena asked, looking crestfallen. The peddler chuckled.

"Of course I will sell, as well. Trade is my preference, but a sale is just as good. Is there anything I can interest you in, my Fair Lady?" he replied. Rowena blushed slightly at the compliment, but soon became busy browsing the odd merchant's wares.

The man was not joking when he said he had a variety of trinkets and oddities. His merchandise was unlike any she'd ever seen before. Among the many items that caught Rowena's eye were an old signet ring with a curious spider-like engraving, a thick book with a brown cover titled 'The City of Forever', and a phial with a strange golden liquid that seemed to glow gently in the sunlight.

After much browsing, Rowena took the three items that caught her eye and presented them to the merchant.

"Good sir, how much is it for these three?" she inquired. The peculiar merchant adjusted his glasses and hummed as he gazed at her selection. His eyes narrowed as he saw the book.

"That book... hm, so that's how it is," he murmured, drawing a puzzled look from Rowena. Looking up at her, he gave her a friendly smile. "Ah, pay me no heed, Fair Lady. Just surprised to see someone interested in that musty old tome. Now, let me see what else... an old witch's signet ring, and... hoh, I didn't know I still had a Divine Blessing! How lucky of you to find it, milady," he noted, eyeing her last pick.

"Wait... witch's ring? I'm not sure... isn't it dangerous?" Rowena asked, alarmed by how the peddler identified the signet ring. The man shook his head.

"No, no. The ring has no power whatsoever; even the priests couldn't find anything," he explained. "It's merely an old ring that was worn as a membership symbol by a covenant a long time ago. The covenant fell apart and no longer exists, and the ring, nowadays, is merely a trinket. Fair-looking, but useless." He scratched his chin. "Hmm... I can sell you all this for 20 gold."

"T-twenty...! I only have twelve... which one is the most expensive item among these?" Rowena asked, dejected. The merchant hummed.

"That would be the Divine Blessing. By itself, it's worth ten gold. It is, after all, a very rare and potent panacea..." He lowered his voice. "So potent, in fact, it can remove demonic energy taint. It may be of use to milady, seeing how dangerous that energy is for women."

"I've never heard of such a thing. Does it even work?" Rowena asked, looking dubious. The man nodded.

"I've seen it unravel all sorts of ailments of the body, up to and including petrification," he claimed. "Used it myself, in fact, when I was in a dangerous place full of poisonous waters. I can guarantee its effectiveness. The only issue is, it's incredibly rare. I didn't even think I had this one left."

"I see... I'd love to buy it too, but the book for Lady Francisca is more important," Rowena sighed, setting aside the Divine Blessing and handing the merchant ten gold pieces. "I'll just take the ring and book."

The peddler paused, not moving to take the money as he gazed at the girl with a pensive look. Then, he sighed, picked up the Divine Blessing and replaced it on top of the book, next to the ring. At Rowena's motion to protest, he held up a hand. "Ten gold for all three."

"Eh...? But why? You said..."

"I heard about the unfortunate Fourth Princess of Lescatie... and the loyal maid who lovingly looks after her," the man said, scratching his chin as he winked at her. "I may be a merchant, but I'm not without a heart. For your selfless dedication, I'll throw in the Blessing as a gift."

"I- thank you, good sir," Rowena replied with a smile, moved. "I shan't forget your generosity."

"Ah, it's fine, it's fine," the peculiar merchant reassured her as he took the ten gold. "And thank you. That was a fine transaction. Who knows, if the Gods will it, someday we'll meet again. And we'll make another fine transaction, of course!"

"Likewise, sir. Thank you again!" Rowena bowed to him before turning to walk back to the castle. As she did, the man cleared his throat, drawing her attention.

"Hmmm... you are a fine trading partner," he murmured, then nodded to himself and looked up at her. "Rumour it may be, but I have heard of some worrying movements by the Royal Makai's radical faction in this area. Please do take care, milady."

"The Royal Makai's radicals...?" Rowena muttered, feeling a chill run down her spine. That particular faction of mamono, led by the Fourth Daughter of the Demon Lord, the Lilim Deruella, was one of the most infamous, as the Lilim was known to take over and forcefully monsterize entire towns, whether they wanted to or not, turning them into dens of lust and depravity. Rowena heartily hoped they would never come to Lescatie, and prayed that should that horrible day come, the Heroes protecting the city would be up to the job.

"It's just a rumour, as I said. Even so... these are treacherous times, milady," the man commented. He then nodded again. "Well, at any rate, I will stick you in my prayers." The peddler waved her goodbye. The maid bowed again, then turned around and left, hurrying back to deliver the book she'd found to her mistress. He followed her retreating form until she disappeared from sight.

"...such dark clouds on this city. And yet, that girl shines brilliantly in the darkness. How lucky her mistress is, to have her," he murmured as he began to shimmer and vanish in thin air. "And the Shard seems to finally have found its path. So... at long last, my work is done, and this tired old memory may rest." He looked up at the sky, becoming transparent. "Did I serve you well, Great One?"

The merchant's final whispered words hung in the air as he disappeared, and were soon lost in the wind. No one appeared to notice his departure. As if he'd never existed... or could only be seen by a select few.

=O=O=

"Lady Francisca! I'm back!" Rowena called as she knocked on the princess's door. A low voice came in reply from inside.

"Come in, Rowena. It's open," it said. Rowena grasped the door's handle and entered the room, holding her purchases from the market. The princess sat on her bed, seemingly idling. Upon seeing her, and the large book in her hands, Francisca's eyes lit up and she sat up a little more straight.

"You found a book!" the princess exclaimed, delighted. The maid nodded with a smile.

"Yes, I was quite fortunate," she replied. "I found a peddler with a number of odd items for sale, and he even offered me a discount. Here, take a look..."

Francisca watched curiously as Rowena displayed the items she purchased. She poked at the vial with the golden liquid with curiosity, to which Rowena explained.

"According to that peddler, this is a rare blessed potion that can completely remove demonic energy taint, although I presume it does nothing if one has already become a mamono," she said, holding the vial up as she gazed at it curiously herself. "I'm not sure how legitimate it is, but... well, I was given it for free as a token of appreciation, and given the danger that demonic energy poses, I'd rather keep this as a last chance to save myself - or you, Princess - than have nothing at all and await my doom."

"That makes sense," Francisca replied, nodding. She then eyed the ring. "And this?"

"Ah, the peddler mentioned it's an old signet ring belonging to a long-gone coven from his distant land. It has no power and is purely decorative. I liked the design on it, and thought it would look good on you, so I purchased it."

Francisca nodded again, then her eyes excitedly darted to the third item: the thick book. Rowena smiled at the young girl's happiness and held the tome up.

"And here it is! I found a book of old legends," she said proudly. "I presume it's stories from that merchant's homeland. I hope you enjoy it, Princess Francisca."

Francisca eagerly grabbed the book, and began to flip the pages in earnest. Soon enough she let out a delighted squeal.

"This book has pictures to go with the stories!" she exclaimed, her smile widening. She looked up at the maid. "Thank you, Rowena! I'll treasure this!"

Rowena affectionately rubbed her head. "I'm just glad you like it, Princess," she said, before catching herself and quickly straightening up. "Um, pardon my rudeness for patting you on the head..."

"Hehehe... I don't mind," Francisca replied. "After all, you're my best friend..."

The maid smiled, swelling with pride. While looking after the princess could be hard, seeing her smile like this was the best reward she could ask for. Looking down, she saw the shy princess was already absorbed into reading, and chuckled.

"Well then, I'll leave you to the exploration of your newfound worlds, Princess," she said, not really expecting an answer. "I'll bring you dinner later. Have a good read."

As she left she heard Francisca mumble in concentration, intensely reading the text. The maid sighed.

She was glad she'd found something to lighten her mistress's mood.

=O=O=

Later that evening, after dinner, Francisca lay in her bed, still reading the book.

It was quite a fascinating read. The book narrated a story of a mysterious female being that was created by the Gods and placed in the world, so that she would restore balance to all of creation in their name. Over time, a great kingdom rose under the being's rule, and then an empire. A great fortress built on crystal soared in the skies, and many different species, human and not, were brought together under her in peace.

At first Francisca found humans coexisting with monsters to be a weird idea. After all, any place with mamono in it would eventually be corrupted and turn into a Demon Realm, so coexistence was a pipe dream, to say nothing of mamono who forcefully turned humans against their will. She soon realized, however, that the monsters in the book didn't seem to have demonic energy - which was probably what enabled them to peacefully exist alongside humans.

(Truly a fantasy), she thought sadly. Francisca didn't like this war. She would have preferred to live in peace, and she suspected it was the war's fault that she and her childhood friends grew distant over time. Alas, it didn't look like there was a choice: humanity's survival was at stake, after all.

Glancing outside the window, Francisca realized it was late: the sun had already gone out, and darkness was setting in. Feeling a bit drowsy, she decided to go to sleep early that night. Leaning towards her nightstand, she gently blew the flame on her lamp out, then laid her head on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling for a long while, unmoving.

(Great heroes, wise rulers and exciting adventures), she mused sadly. (I wish I could experience even just one of these... Why was I born so weak?) she thought as she began to feel herself drift off. Still holding tightly the book Rowena bought her, she had one last thought before sleep overtook her.

(...I want to be strong. Strong enough to protect everyone... Strong enough that everyone will need me, and rely on me...)

Soon, the lonely princess was fast asleep.

Had she been awake still, she'd have seen the book in her hands shine gently.

=O=O=

Francisca awoke with a start, disoriented. It was pitch black around her, but for some reason, she felt as if she was no longer in her bedroom.

Turning her head slowly, she attempted to get her eyes used to the darkness, and felt around for the nightstand and the small bell she would use to summon Rowena in the, unfortunately frequent, case her sleep was plagued by bad dreams.

Only, the nightstand was not where it was supposed to be.

Francisca's alarm turned to panic. Truth be told, she hated the dark. She always felt like something was about to jump on her from it, and it was for that reason that her room had a window that overlooked the largest road in the city, which was illuminated even by night. In fact, the lack of light from the window was strange.

As the princess's eyes adjusted to the darkness, she realized her gut feeling had been true: she wasn't in her room anymore. Instead, she was in what looked like a large ballroom, and she managed to faintly make out a window with a balcony on the left side. Francisca began to feel fear. Had she been kidnapped? Or worse - taken by the infamous radical mamono, to be made into a horrible monster that preyed on humans? Or-

Don't you have a vivid imagination, a sudden voice rumbled near her. Francisca yelped in fright, and frantically started looking around, trying to spot the intruder. A chuckle came from the darkness, and she realized that whoever the person talking to her was, they could see her perfectly in this dark. The princess gulped audibly, then gathered all her courage and spoke up.

"W-who are you?" she asked, timidly. The voice hummed, then replied.

That is a good question, but a little hard to answer at the moment, the mysterious speaker admitted. Technically, I am not even alive anymore, although my situation is a bit more... complicated than most. And before you ask, no, I am not one of those 'undead mamono' you are thinking about.

"I... I don't understand. Did you kidnap me?" Francisca asked, trying to gather information. She was frightened, and doubted she could escape whoever her captors were, but had to at least try, and needed information. To her surprise, the voice laughed heartily.

Ha! No. I did not kidnap you, it stated. If you absolutely need to know, you are in 'The City of Forever'. Allow me to welcome you... to the Divine Fortress, Rianobed. Or at least, one of its many incarnations.

Francisca blanched at that. She was... inside a book? That seemed a bit too outlandish to her, even with the feats mamono were capable of.

...a sudden wave of irritation came over her. I already told you I am not one of your mamono, the voice responded, sounding exasperated, and Francisca realized with a start that it could read her mind. The confirmation came almost immediately, with a dismissive sound from the mysterious talker.

Of course I can read your mind, the voice pointed out patiently. You are inside the book, and I am the book. Or rather, the leftover echo inside the book. Although, now that I found you, I'll likely disappear soon enough.

"Disappear? Why?" the princess asked, confused. The voice sighed.

Because, as I said, I found you, it replied. In the first place, had you not been the one meant to find this book, you wouldn't be here. That means I can entrust the Shard to you, and finally rest.

"The... Shard?" Francisca inquired, even more confused. The voice sent a mental impression of a nod.

Yes. The Shard of the Overlord's power. The remnant of what I once was, it specified. When I was alive, I was a fragment of the one who rules over Creation on behalf of the Dimension God, and was meant to save a certain world from destruction. ...regrettably, I failed, and both I and that world were destroyed. However, the power I held cannot simply be lost, and so it dragged me along for the ride in another world.

"I... um, I'm not sure I understand. Are you even human?" Francisca asked warily. Was this a trick from a Lilim? She received a sensation akin to an eyeroll, and then a sudden flash of red light temporarily blinded her, forcing her to cover her eyes. When the blindness faded, she looked at where the flash had occurred.

And then upward. And gasped.

Before her stood what appeared to be a female wearing an elaborate black evening dress, with a considerable cleavage that partly exposed a generous pair of breasts, and high heels, with a slim yet curvy figure, long flowing black hair, nearly chalk-white skin, and striking red-and-green eyes. Her pupils were unusually small, however, barely being small black pins in the sea of green and red that was her irises.

She was also at least three meters tall.

Francisca whimpered in fright, and the woman sighed, shaking her head. She then opened her arms wide, as if to show she was carrying no weapon.

I mean you no harm, child, she stated. Also, I am not as tall as you see me. What you perceive is the difference in spiritual power between the current you and me. Even as a fading remnant, I'm a fair bit greater than you. In time, your perception of me will hopefully change.

"...who are you?" Francisca asked again in a weak, timid voice, forgetting she'd already posed that question. The woman smiled wryly.

I'm going to assume this time you're asking me for a name, she replied. In that case... hmm. I guess you can call me Lumiere. It's the name of the 'original me', after all. She then bent down, looming over the princess. The more pressing question is, why are you here?

"I... I don't know," was Francisca's reply. Lumiere shook her head.

Wrong. You know. You even said as much before you fell asleep, she stated. Don't you remember? "I want to be strong. Strong enough that everyone will need me and rely on me, and I will be able to protect everyone."

"Ah..." Francisca murmured. She did remember thinking that, right before she dozed off. But what did it have to do with her current situation?

Simple enough. You wanted the power to make a difference. I can give you the power to make a difference, Lumiere replied. The Shard of my power that is within this book wishes to be preserved. The book has chosen you. Otherwise it wouldn't have ended up in your hands, and you wouldn't be here.

"Eh? Me?" the princess asked incredulously. It was preposterous to think that anyone would choose her over, say, one of her sisters for receiving any sort of power. Lumiere scoffed at that.

Your sisters are no good. They allow themselves to become delusional with fantasies of power, not to mention they misuse it. Like much of that cesspool of hatred and lies your poor city has become, I might add, she stated flatly. She then looked at Francisca. You, on the other hand... I have a good feeling about you. So does the book, clearly. I think you'll use this power well.

Francisca recoiled at that. This was the sort of thing she was told mamono offered to humans to tempt them into corruption. "No... I don't want to become a mamono!" she protested. Lumiere's eyebrow twitched.

For the last time, I am not a mamono. If I was, do you think I'd be so roundabout about corrupting you when I have you right here, helpless and vulnerable? she reiterated, irritation clearly showing through. She then knelt next to Francisca's bed. You know what, get out of that bed. I want to show you a nice sight. Maybe it will take your mind off these paranoid worries of yours and give you some peace of mind.

"Ah... I'm too weak of constitution, I-" the princess replied, only to be cut off by the giant woman.

You aren't even in your body, lass, she pointed out. This is a magically created plane entirely contained within the book, and you are currently here in an astral form. Right now, you are healthy.

Francisca's heart skipped a beat at that. Healthy...? She felt a sudden flutter of hope in her chest, and looked at the giant, then the barely visible floor of the dark room. With trepidation, she decided to try and stand. It was worth a try.

Slowly swinging her legs over the bed's edge (and idly wondering why of all things in her room, the bed was the only one that followed her), she carefully set her feet on the floor, noting with surprise that it was warm. She made sure to have a good foothold, and took a deep breath. Then she scrunched her eyes closed and pushed herself off the bed.

For a few moments afterwards, she remained immobile, dreading the inevitable collapse as her legs gave way under her weight. When that didn't happen, she tentatively cracked an eye open, then the other, and then gasped as she found herself standing effortlessly. Behind her, Lumiere made an amused sound.

Told you, did I not? Now come on, follow me, she told the incredulous young woman as she walked past her and went towards the balcony window Francisca had earlier seen to her left. The young princess hesitated for a moment, then decided she'd never have a chance like this again, and began to walk after her, at first slowly, then with a brisker pace as she realized she was stable and secure on her feet. Approaching the balcony the woman awaited her on, the princess found herself humming in happiness at being able to move pain-free for the first time in only the Chief God knew how long. She even skipped in the last few steps. A clearly amused Lumiere observed her antics with a wry smile.

Once Francisca joined her on the balcony, she took a look at the view, and froze.

They were high up.

Really high up.

So high up, the clouds were below them.

Did you forget where you are, girl? Divine Fortress, Rianobed, Lumiere reminded her, amusement clear in her voice. The City of Forever that dwells in the Heavens. You should have read about it in the book.

"I-I-I-I didn't think it'd be this high up!" Francisca yelped in fright as she stared in terrified awe at the spectacle of the clouds below and the starry sky above. She then glanced up and fell straight backwards. A gigantic celestial body took up most of the sky.

Ah yes. Helgaia, the planet I originated from, is a moon of the giant planet Arth, Lumiere commented with an upside glance. It can be... a little overwhelming for first-timers, but it was a fond memory of mine, so when I created this book and placed what I could save of the vanished world within it, its magic made the sky look like this. But no matter, she continued, turning to her. Do you understand that, in a certain sense, this plane is quite real? Surely you don't think a regular dream can be so vivid.

Francisca had no answer to that. She was too busy staring in awe at the sky and the horizon. As terrifying and overwhelming as the sight was, there was an unparalleled beauty in it. The young princess couldn't help but be moved to tears by the spectacle.

"I... never thought I'd ever see something like this in my life," she whispered, taking in the view. "...it's the first time I'm glad to be alive."

Hmm. You've had a rough life, Lumiere commented, and the reminder caused Francisca's enthusiasm to fade a little. Noticing that, the imposing woman bent over slightly and patted her on the shoulder. Well... what would you say to changing that too?

"...Eh?" the princess murmured, blinking at her in confusion. Lumiere rolled her eyes.

As I mentioned when we first met, the reason why you're here is because you're an ideal candidate to inherit the Shard of the Overlord, she patiently explained. I'll keep it brief so as to not confuse you: should you accept it, you will receive all the leftover power within the Shard - a pale memory of what it once was, but still, I wager, greater than anything you'll ever face in your world. At the very least, she added, I can guarantee that it's incomparable to the power those 'mamono' of yours wield.

Francisca blinked at that. Power to rival a mamono? Like the Heroes of the Order? That... sounded a little too good to be true. There had to be something more to it. "What's the catch?" she asked, suspicious. Lumiere smirked.

Well, haven't you regained some confidence already just from being able to walk freely and seeing a pretty scenery, she quipped. She then became serious. But to answer your question, first let me preamble with a statement. Quite an important one, I should add.

Francisca straightened up, ears perked. She had a feeling she was about to hear something critically important.

What I tell you now is the absolute truth, and nothing less, Lumiere stated, a deadly serious look in her eyes. Then, she spoke again, and her voice... expanded, for lack of a better word, feeling as if it was coming from all directions at once.

Hear me. This Lumiere, who stands before you, cannot lie. It is not permitted by the laws of the Myriad Worlds. Whenever you ask me of anything, I will only ever answer with the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Francisca blinked. Somehow, she'd felt a chill through her body when Lumiere made her statement – as if some kind of foreign power passed through her.

She had no idea why, but Lumiere's words made her absolutely certain of one thing: no matter what, she would not ever be deceived by this mysterious woman.

Feeling reassured in her new certainty, she looked up to Lumiere and nodded with decision.

"I understand. I will hear you out." she said simply.

Little did she know how much her existence would change with those few words.

=O=O=

"...So, let me see if I understand what you told me so far..." Francisca said as she sat on the edge of her familiar bed, looking at Lumiere, who was cross-legged on the floor before her, while thinking carefully about their discussion until now. "Basically, this Shard of the Overlord is a power that would let me collect... what did you call it? The 'genetic information' of any living thing I ever come across?"

Yes, the pale-skinned giantess replied. Any living thing that enters the area of effect of your power will immediately be replicated as, for lack of a better term, information stored inside your body. Lumiere rose to her feet and began to pace back and forth before Francisca, holding her left hand up and waving it as she explained, in much the same way a lecturing teacher would during a class. Think of this power as a library that keeps getting more and more books as you meet new creatures. Each book represents one creature. She stopped pacing and held her arms out, as if to encompass all that was around her. Everything you need to know about those creatures will be stored in there. When you need to copy a creature, you are basically pulling one of those books out, and reading its contents. Is this easier to understand?

"Actually... yes, it is," Francisca nodded slowly, thinking. "When you put it that way, it's really simple. ...that said, exactly what is 'genetic information'?"

Right, I guess your world wouldn't have that knowledge, Lumiere said, rubbing her chin. It basically is... hmm... like a house building plan, that determines how your body develops. Your genetic information establishes, among many other things, your species, your sex, hair and skin color, height, body build... each feature is influenced by one or more 'genes', and all genes together make up your genetic information, She sighed, shaking her head. The list of things that your genes determine is so long we could be here the whole day, and I still wouldn't be done listing them yet, so let's just sum it up with 'all your physical features are determined by genes'.

"I see... it's sort of like what a doppelganger mamono can do...", Francisca mused. Lumiere shook her head.

Ah... not quite, no, she corrected her. I am not too familiar with your world, since I was only able to bleed limited information in from it through this book, but from what I know of it, a doppelganger will use a man's memories to assume a form he finds appealing. You, on the other hand, would directly copy the man's appearance. Lumiere resumed pacing back and forth, gesticulating animatedly. The only thing a doppelganger and you would have in common is that you'd both be able to shift to a form that isn't your own, but the exact way you do it couldn't be more different. You won't need someone's memory to transform, you just need them. Or rather, to get close enough to them.

"So, if I had to oversimplify what you said... I'd basically be a shape-stealer?" Francisca asked. Lumiere nodded, and the young princess hummed, thinking with arms crossed. "I see... come to think of it, is it only appearance I could copy?"

No. Appearance is, in fact, just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the full capabilities of the Shard, as they say, Lumiere replied, smiling. This was sure to interest the princess. At the bare minimum, you will copy both their appearance and their innate qualities, such as for instance, fire resistance, or the ability to breathe underwater, or having your arms turn into wings... or even reconfigure your body to have more limbs. The pale-skinned woman held up a finger. You will also gain instinctual knowledge of how to use any innate power or new body part, so there's no need to worry about learning.Another finger went up. Additionally, on a more esoteric level... with some time and effort your power can also let you acquire some of their knowledge, and even mimic their personality.

"Eh... really?" Francisca asked, stunned at the statement. If that was true, this power went far, far beyond mere 'copying'.

Yes, Lumiere confirmed. She then wagged her index finger in caution before Francisca's nose. Those last two abilities, however, have a few requirements and limitations. First, you must make a conscious effort to acquire such information. The process is not automatic, unlike when you are simply copying appearances and innate abilities. Also, your target has to remain within the area of effect of your power for a certain amount of time, and it has to be continuous. If they ever get too far away, you have to start over. The tall woman frowned. And there are certain... risks... to mimicking an especially strong-willed individual's personality, so be careful with that. Finally, even with your best effort, you won't be able to acquire anything more than surface knowledge. Things that a person strongly wants to keep secret will likely be unreadable, or at best come to you as hazy, muddled visions that have little to no use without proper context.

"I see... it's a relief to know that taking knowledge and personality isn't automatic. Something about just knowing someone's deepest secrets against their will bothers me," Francisca admitted. She then sighed. "That's... a lot to take in. But I admit, it all sounds very intriguing. Still... I'm not sure..."

...You're worried about whether you'd still be human or not, right? Lumiere asked with a gentle smile. I understand such doubts, given the kind of world you live in. That said... the answer is yes and no.

"Um...?" Francisca mumbled, confused. Lumiere cocked her head, raising an eyebrow.

I thought it'd be obvious, but it really depends on what you mean by 'not being human', she explained. If you mean it in the sense that you 'won't be purely human anymore', then that's correct. While most of you will remain unchanged, a part of you will be altered to properly be able to host the Shard's power. That altered part of you will be neither human nor monster, but something else entirely, and will become the core of your being as far as your powers will be concerned.

Lumiere resumed pacing back and forth, though much more calmly than before. If, on the other hand, you mean it in the sense that you will 'stop being human entirely', the answer is no. In the first place, because your chimeric power will also remember your human self, you will be able to return to your original form at any time, and it will be fully human, aside from the core part that I mentioned earlier. In short, the 'human you' will always be part of you. You can't get rid of it in any way. Lumiere stopped pacing and shrugged with a grin. Although, you certainly can tweak your human form – or any other form you take – to fix parts of it that you dislike. Take, for example, your current body. Without meaning to offend, it's sickly, weak, powerless and barren, is it not? Well, you can make it all go away. Your control over the genes inside your body is absolute.

Francisca felt her heart skip a beat at those words, even without being in her actual body. "I-I could make myself healthy for real?" she whispered, daring to hope. Lumiere nodded, smiling warmly.

Indeed, you could. You would be the 'Ultimate Chimera', after all, she answered. A being who can 'be anything, do anything and defeat anything'. The pinnacle of existence. Why would something as trivial as tweaking your own body in the pursuit of physical excellence be a problem? Lumiere pointed at herself with both hands. This body you see, it is not the one I was born with, either. This is the appearance that the original me, the Overlord, painstakingly shaped over a span of time so great, thinking about it would make your head hurt, in order to create the perfect, ideal shape. Her smile turned slightly sad. Our original appearance... to be honest, it's the one thing we forgot. Neither the original one, nor us fragments, remember what appearance we were born with. The memory just isn't there anymore. She sighed. It may seem like an insignificant thing, but... our beginning is lost to us.

"...Is there no way to recover those memories?" Francisca murmured, frowning. It felt wrong, forgetting one's origins like that. And it clearly disturbed Lumiere, though she tried to not show it.

I have no idea, the other woman admitted. We tried numerous things, but none worked. One theory is that the memory is so deeply submerged beneath hundreds of millions of other memories, it just can't resurface on its own anymore. But anyone who tried reaching within our mind to recover it ended up insane from the mental stress. Lumiere smiled wistfully. I'm ancient, despite my looks, and my original self, the Overlord, is older still. To dive in our mind is to peer through depths, reach through mists, sift through sands, and delve into eternity. Mortal minds cannot do it without breaking. Even divine minds are ill-equipped for it.

"I'm really sorry to hear that," Francisca honestly told her. Lumiere smiled again and reached out, gently patting the princess on the head with a large hand.

I've come to terms with it, so don't worry, she reassured her. Her smile then brightened. But enough talking about me. Surely there is something else you wish to ask of me?

"I... for now, no, I don't," Francisca replied, hesitant. She curled up on her bed, an unsure look on her face. "I'm... tempted, I will admit as much. But..." she murmured. Then something occurred to her. "Oh! Right. How much time do I have in here?"

Right now? More or less, as much as you want, Lumiere replied. Because you came here in spiritual form, this magical world is currently not bound by material limits. No matter how much time you spend in here, barely any time will have passed in the outside. She tapped a finger on her lips, looking thoughtful. Offhand, I would say for every day you spend here, only a minute or so passes in the outside world. You could spend three months here, and only about one and a half hour would have actually elapsed in your world.

"Wait... isn't that way too convenient?" Francisca muttered, shocked. "I can think of a lot of ways in which this time distortion could be abused..."

Ah, but you won't be able to return here as a spirit if you leave now, Lumiere cautioned her. At the princess's questioning glance, she explained. You were only able to enter this world in this spiritual form because it was your first contact with this book, and you were asleep. Now, you are linked. If you choose to leave it now, next time you visit your actual physical body will be dragged in, and its presence will cause this book's time to synchronize with that of the outside you came from. She gave a lopsided smile. Sorry to bust that bubble, but I felt like your mind was wandering somewhere dangerous with that line of thinking.

"Ugh... I knew it was too good to be true," the young princess murmured, annoyed. Then something else occurred to her. "Wait. Let's assume I decide to make something while in here. Say, a painting. Will I be able to take it out with me when I leave?"

Not this time, Lumiere answered. The tall woman once more resumed pacing back and forth – (Must be an unconscious habit), Francisca thought – and continued explaining. Essentially, anything you do in this world in your current form won't affect the physical you in any way, because you aren't physically here. That also means you can't really transport anything out with you. However, in subsequent visits, you will actually be here, and will be able to carry out anything you want from this pocket world, including items you made. She then smiled. By the way, this also means you can give the Shard's power a test run, so to speak, without committing to it. It will only permanently affect you if you wholeheartedly embrace it; until then, the power it lends you will be temporary.

"That really feels too convenient," Francisca pointed out with a raised eyebrow. Lumiere shrugged.

I don't make these rules. The Shard does. I'm just along for the ride because I am its last holder, the giant woman replied. I'll agree it's convenient, but isn't that a good thing for you?

"That's... true," the princess admitted. It meant she could actually get to see what this power she had been offered was about, without having to go all-in from the start. "So let me summarize what I learned. I can stay here nearly as long as I want and no one will actually notice back home, because time is different here." Lumiere nodded, and Francisca continued. "I can have a... sample... of what you're offering without committing, and my real body won't be affected until I actually accept it." Another nod. "And I could use that power to make myself healthy?" Yet another nod. Francisca sighed. "You already know that now I just can't leave without at least giving it a try, right?"

Yes. Yes, I do, Lumiere replied with a grin. Well then, since you will stay here for a while, shall I show you what Rianobed has to offer? It's a big place, but I can at least show you a few locales you will likely want to use. And while we're at it, let's stop in the kitchen for some food and in the bath for a relaxing soak.

"What do I even need food and bathing for, if I'm not here in my real body?" Francisca asked, confused. The older woman shook her head.

Technically, you don't need either, but it's said that a hearty meal and a nice bath are good for the mind and soul, she replied. I can vouch for the truth in those words.

"Well... fine. While I'm here, I'll try as many new things as I can. Lead the way!" Francisca proclaimed, pumping her fist. Lumiere giggled at the childish gesture.

That's the spirit! Now, first, if you'd come this way, there is...

=O=O=

"Ah... this is heavenly," Francisca murmured as she allowed her naked body to sink into the warm water of the giant bath she was in, and settled in a sitting position against a large, smooth rock. All around her, steam slowly rose from the waters, and a peculiar, calming scent not unlike cinnamon filled the air. Lumiere assured her the vapors and the scent were both harmless and in fact had soothing properties, and that had been enough for her to cut her exploration of Rianobed short and insist in taking a dip once she saw the bathing area.

Truthfully, calling it 'a bath' was inaccurate: according to Lumiere, the place was actually a natural hot spring that she had arbitrarily decided to build the whole mansion around, which explained the rocky terrain surrounding the pool of water and the sparse vegetation in the area. Francisca shook her head in disbelief; clearly, the older woman's definition of 'a reasonable decision' was very different from her own, which was saying something, since she'd been raised as a royal. Neglected and ignored, perhaps, but a royal nonetheless.

Then again, calling the place she was in 'a mansion' was also an absurd understatement. Rianobed was very much a testament to the grandiose mindset Lumiere possessed, and truly deserved the moniker of 'Divine Fortress': the building was gigantic, easily the size of a city-state and similarly built, if the perimeter walls she'd seen on the ground floor were any indication. Among the places she had been showed were the entrance to what Lumiere claimed to be a botanical garden (which looked more like an indoor forest than what would be conventionally called 'garden', judging by how expansive it appeared to be); a dining room with attached kitchen that could have comfortably seated the entirety of the Lescatie city guard and the whole Order of the Ice Flower at once, with seats left to spare; a smithy with every conceivable tool for forging and tempering weaponry, as well as processing material from various sources, both organic and inorganic; the private bedrooms area, which contained enough individual rooms to house twenty people, as well as an absurdly opulent master bedroom with a luxurious double bed, a private bath and a small armory attached; the servants' quarters, which had enough space and living arrangements for a regiment, rather than a private house's staff – although, given the size of the 'house' she was in, perhaps a regiment of servants would actually be necessary to keep it in order – and, naturally, the enormous baths that she was currently relaxing in.

Surprisingly, moving around this colossal place was much easier than expected: Lumiere showed her numerous magical platforms that connected parts of the mansion, and would instantly transport those who stepped on them to predetermined destinations. Thus, despite the place's size, very little walking was actually involved, unless of course one wanted to explore every nook and cranny.

(This is more of an indoor city than a residence. It's all a bit overwhelming. Ah, well, at least I can relax now), Francisca mused as she closed her eyes and let the warm water work its magic on her. Sighing, she cracked an eye open and lifted her right hand above the pool's surface, letting the water collected in her palm slowly trickle out as her thoughts wandered to her current situation. (I wonder how it is that I can feel as if I'm really taking a bath. I'm not even physically here, so why does it feel so good? ...magic, I guess.)

Shrugging and letting her hand drop back in the pool, she decided she didn't really care how the baths felt so nice. It was more than enough for her that they did. (Ah~ I'd be happy to spend the rest of my life in here. I should ask Lumiere if it's in any way possible to take this marvelous place out of this world within the book), she thought, humming happily as she closed her eyes once more and further sank into the deliciously warm water. There was a very slight current in the pool which caused the water to caress her skin as it moved, and the pleasant sensation made her shiver in delight. Lulled by the waters, Francisca began to feel sleepy.

Then she started hearing an odd noise.

At first, Francisca ignored the noise, chalking it up to the environment, but then it intensified, and she frowned, trying to place the sound. It felt oddly familiar. A slight memory tugged at her mind, and eventually she realized the noise was similar to that of a feline sniffing. (Are there cats here?), she wondered, cracking one eye open to look around.

Immediately, she was greeted by a distinctly feline visage peering down at her from her side with large, curious cat eyes, its pointy ears twitching. Her eyes shot open, and she noticed a second head come into view, on the side opposite the first one.

For several seconds, the young princess and the two feline faces stared at each other. Then, Francisca's lips parted.

=O=O=

"Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh!"

Lumiere dropped the plates she was moving, startled by the sudden shriek. Ignoring the broken tableware, she took off towards the bath area where she'd left Francisca; she was sure the scream had come from her, and she sounded genuinely frightened.

Reaching her destination in a flash, the tall woman threw the baths' door open, ready for whatever was on the other side. She then stared at the scene before her for a few long moments, before sighing and shaking her head.

Ah... right, I should have known it was those guys, she muttered as she eyed the cause of Francisca's frightened shout. It was a pair of large, cat-like bipedal creatures with tufted ears and a sizable white ruff. They had white belly fur, yellowish-orange body fur with brown stripes, and brown paws, ears and tail tips, as well as a curious brown paw-like symbol seemingly painted on their chest. The two were currently hiding behind one of the baths' decorative columns while warily observing Francisca, who was submerged to her neck in deep water, staring at the felines with a startled wide-eyed expression. Lumiere signed again, then clapped her hands once, drawing the attention of both the catlike beings and the human princess.

Ahem, she cleared her throat before giving the two cat-people a sharp glare. I believe I told you before not to come into the baths as you please?, she told them in an ominous tone. The two felines shifted restlessly, attempting to look innocent. Francisca, who was eyeing them from the waters, got the impression that they didn't understand Lumiere's words, but did understand that she was upset, and why she was upset, and it made them nervous. She felt slightly sorry for the two creatures now; they didn't seem to be malicious or ill-intentioned, and on second glance, they were also sort of cute, in a 'big, fluffy, huggable cat' way.

Lumiere appeared to either notice her look or pick up on her thoughts. Sighing again, she shook her head. Fine, I'll let you two off the hook this time. But, she added, her tone hardening as she pointed at Francisca, this young woman is my guest. Treat her nicely. Got it?

The two cat-people looked at each other, then at Francisca, and then started nodding frantically, occasionally making a meowing noise. The princess blinked, then found herself giggling in spite of the earlier fright. (They're really cute, after all), she thought. Looking at Lumiere, she pointed at the two visitors.

"Um... are these creatures born from the magic of this world?" she asked, curious. The older woman shook her head.

No. These are Grimalkynes, creatures that originated in the 'vanished world', she explained. They belong to a type of beast-folk with high intelligence that often lived alongside humans. She nodded towards the two Grimalkynes, who waved their paws and made friendly meowing noises. Francisca smiled and tentatively waved back, then returned her attention to Lumiere. These are part of a small clan, and have taken up residence in the botanical garden, which is safer than the land below. They can't really understand what you say, but will grasp the general meaning of your words from things like posture, tone and context. They shouldn't bother you during a bath again after this.

Lumiere sighed again as she looked at the two small furry creatures. Some beastfolk were able to speak the human language, and act as mediators when dealing with Grimalkynes, but I wasn't able to find any either in the garden or in the land below. I guess they're extinct. Still, Grimalkynes are smart, and once you gain their trust, they will faithfully help you. She glanced at the two catfolk, who were now slowly approaching the water edge, ears twitching in curiosity. Hmm... you're in luck. These two seem to be interested in you. If they take a liking to you, they'll spread word of you in their tribe, and you'll enjoy friendly relations with them.

"I-I see," Francisca murmured, eyeing the Grimalkynes. After a moment of hesitation, she gave Lumiere a questioning look. "Is it alright if... I get closer?"

It will be fine. They're curious and want to approach you, too, Lumiere nodded. But do move slowly. Grimalkynes are easily startled by unfamiliar people. Nice and easy, that's how you'll establish a contact with them. Don't worry about them sniffing you, either – smell is how they remember people.

Francisca nodded, then began to edge closer to the ground the Grimalkynes were standing on, taking care to move slowly and carefully, so as not to threaten the feline creatures. The Grimalkynes gave her an alarmed look when she began to move, but eventually relaxed again, and drew closer to her as well. Eventually, both parties came within touching distance of each other.

At that point Francisca hesitated again, then began to very slowly raise her right hand, stopping once it was a little ways away from the two cat-folk. The felines followed the hand's movement carefully, and kept eyeing it once it stopped. Then, after a few moments where neither side budged, the Grimalkyne closest to Francisca moved near her, and rubbed its head under her hand, as if inviting her to pet it.

The sudden contact caused the princess to inhale sharply in surprise and excitement, and after a brief moment, she began to slowly scratch the Grimalkyne's head behind its ears. A loud purr came from the feline being, and Francisca couldn't help but smile in contentment. Truthfully, she had always liked cats, but had never been able to have one due to her fragile health, and at this moment, her only thoughts were of enjoying the delicious fluffiness under her fingers.

Seeing that, the other Grimalkyne lowered its guard as well, and approached her, aggressively attempting to get her to pet it with her other hand by repeatedly reaching for it with a paw. The young woman giggled and complied, and soon, two very satisfied cat-folk were purring while she slowly stroked their heads.

Off to the side, Lumiere observed the scene with a half smile. She then rubbed her chin, pondering.

(Hmm... It might be about time to introduce her to the Shard's power. These Grimalkynes might be perfect for it),she thought as she watched the princess play with the beast-folk. (I'll bring it up to her after lunch. A full belly and two friendly creatures at her side should help her stay calm during the experience...)

Nodding to herself, the pale-skinned woman decided on her plan of action. It was time to begin fulfilling the other purpose that the Shard of the Overlord had created this world within the book for.

=O=O=

So, how was the food? Lumiere asked, a faint smile adorning her lips as she observed the satisfied expression on her guest's face. Francisca hummed, cleaning her mouth up with a napkin before neatly folding the fabric and setting it down on the table.

"It was delicious," the princess admitted. And it was the truth: she'd rarely eaten meat before, owing to her sickly constitution making many foods indigestible to her, and this particular meat was far tastier than any other she'd ever had. She then frowned. "I'm just... um... a little hesitant to ask what kind of meat it was..."

Mosswine. The Grimalkynes occasionally bring me some when they have a successful hunt, was Lumiere's reply. Francisca blinked.

"Mosswhat...?" she asked, confused. She'd never heard of such a creature.

One of the many animals that live in the botanical garden, the older woman clarified. They were prey creatures to larger things in the vanished world. Similar to your boars, but smaller and docile. I'll show them to you... eventually. For now, all you need to know is that they're mostly harmless, have an excellent nose for mushrooms, and their meat is delicious. Just... don't stand in their way if they charge.

"I see..." Francisca murmured. She appeared lost in thought for a few moments, then refocused and looked at Lumiere. "You mentioned the 'vanished world' several times now. Is that the 'world you failed to save' you told me about when we first met?" she asked the other woman. At the confirmatory nod, she continued. "I imagined as much. ...I don't suppose you could tell me more about what transpired there?"

...Actually, I probably should. If nothing else, to ensure you don't make the same mistakes I did, Lumiere murmured after a few seconds of silence. It's not a story I care to tell, but it may serve as a cautionary tale to you.

Francisca remained silent, giving Lumiere her undivided attention. The ancient woman took a deep breath, her eyes closed as she gathered her thoughts. She then looked at the princess and began recounting her tale.

My first memories as a Shard were of waking up in a savage world, where brave human Hunters and great wild beasts both engaged in the daily struggle to survive. I was told a dangerous instability threatened that world, but it hadn't manifested yet. My task was to prevent the world from being destroyed if and when it did manifest. To that end, I initially sought information from the humans, seeking to identify any unusual happenings in the world.

Lumiere sighed deeply.

It all started going wrong right there, and I regret to admit it was all my fault. The Hunters had no particular useful information - all the disturbances they were aware of were largely insignificant things in the grand scheme of things. They nonetheless offered to assist me in further investigating. I refused. I felt that they would only hinder me, and their information was useless at best.

The raven-haired woman shook her head.

If only I hadn't been so arrogant, I could have prevented all that followed. Those Hunters possessed no useful information at the time, but that was not from lack of trying - it was merely the calm before the storm. When everything started going up in flames, they were the first to notice the warning signs. Had we been cooperating at that time, like they suggested, I would have been in the position to timely stop the disaster that was to come. Instead, I presumed myself more competent... and failed to see those warning signs.

Lumiere sighed again.

It would take too long to recount the series of horrific blunders I made after that. I will sum it up thus: I ignored an abnormal conflict between two Elder Dragons, looking for 'something greater', and the conflict became the spark that ignited a previously-dormant powder keg. Before I realized it, multiple creatures with world-changing powers were at each other's throats, and the whole planet was being torn apart by their warring.

Lumiere looked up at Francisca, and gave her a sad smile.

I attempted to assist the Hunters at that point, but it was far too late. The magnitude of the conflict had already gone out of control, and my allies, who were far more fragile than I was, perished quickly. The world itself sustained horrific wounds from the warring of the Dragons - the End War, as the few survivors that managed to last longer than most everyone else took to calling it. Within a short time, most of the world became a lifeless, uninhabitable wasteland.

The pale-skinned woman leaned back on the chair she was occupying, and steepled together the fingers of both hands, holding them at chest level.

With my abject failure laying before me, and the world falling apart around me, I did the only thing I could think of at the time: using every last ounce of power I had left, I killed all the remaining warring Dragons, then created this book and physically tore out the last inhabitable, relatively untouched piece of land left in the whole world, casting it inside this place. I managed to salvage a few creatures along with it - mostly smaller beings such as the Grimalkynes, as well as a handful of Wyverns, and even some Elder Dragons who had attempted to avoid and escape the bloody conflict. That was all I could manage before I was too spent by the effort, and the devastation claimed my physical form as well.

Lumiere shrugged, a self-deprecating smile on her lips.

And that is the story of my failure. If there's any lesson you should take from all that I said, it's undoubtedly this: do not attempt to do everything alone, no matter how strong you may think you are. Surround yourself with trusted allies, and do not be afraid to rely on them to fulfill key roles in your plans. She held a finger up, shaking it in caution. It's true that there is no shame in solitude, and a lone, mighty warrior may succeed where a thousand would fail. But conversely, sometimes a thousand weaker men may accomplish greater things than even the greatest Hero could, thanks to the power of unity and cooperation. Knowing when to go at it alone and when to rely on your allies is one of the key qualities of any leader. And you, as a royal, should learn this lesson well.

Having said her piece, Lumiere fell silent, allowing Francisca the time to fully comprehend what she'd just heard. The princess thought deeply about what she'd been told for several minutes, during which Lumiere made sure she would not be disturbed, quietly removing the used dishes from the table they had dined at. The two Grimalkynes from earlier, who surprisingly had assisted Lumiere in cooking, watched her from afar, seemingly understanding that she was mulling over something important.

Eventually, Francisca came out of her thoughtful trance, and gave Lumiere a sideways look.

"Thank you for telling me this story. You gave me some important food for thought, in addition to the one for the stomach," she honestly told her. "I hope it wasn't too uncomfortable for you..."

Not at all... I actually feel a little better now that I told you everything, the older woman reassured her. Perhaps what I needed was this kind of closure. Having no one to talk with about this was... not easy. Your presence here helped me. Thank you.

"I'm glad I was of some use," Francisca replied with a small smile. It was the pure truth, too: this was the first time she was told she'd helped someone, other than Rowena of course, and it made her feel... good. (I could get used to feeling like this), she thought, pondering the warmth that Lumiere's thankful words left in her bosom.

Hmm... Say, I have been thinking, Lumiere spoke up after a brief period of silence at the table. Do you want to go and give the Shard a try now? You've taken a nice bath, you've eaten a hearty meal, and you appear happy and relaxed. I would dare say you're in the perfect state of mind to take the next step in this adventure.

"Eh..." Francisca hesitated at those words, feeling a bit of trepidation. She thought about it, glancing up at the older woman. She could tell from Lumiere's general demeanor that she wouldn't push her into anything, but could also plainly see that she hoped for a positive answer. She tapped a finger to her lips, seriously pondering the proposal, and found herself leaning towards agreeing to it.

Undoubtedly, she still felt anxiety about it, but on the other hand, at this exact moment she felt she could face the unknown with relative peace of mind. (Is this what she meant when she said a nice bath and meal are good for mind and soul?), the princess wondered. If that was the case, Lumiere was definitely the kind of person who planned things out in detail... which made her past blunder in the vanished world all the more painful for her, she suspected. Or perhaps, it had been the grim lesson she learned from that incident.

After some more pondering, Francisca reached a decision. She looked at Lumiere with determination, and nodded.

"If not now, when? Let me try."

=O=O=

"I'm not too sure about this anymore," Francisca admitted, feeling her earlier confidence evaporating.

She'd followed Lumiere to a basement area with no teleportation devices. The other woman explained to her that the Shard had been placed in a harder-to-access area on purpose, so that it could only be accessed intentionally, rather than stumbled upon by accident. But there was also another, more practical reason for it being isolated.

Namely, its mere presence was terrifyingly oppressive.

The sensation had started as they approached through a long corridor in the basement. Initially, it just felt like a light pressure, not unlike how she'd been told someone would feel high up on a mountain peak. However, as the two women went deeper in along the corridor, the sensation had become stronger and stronger. Francisca wasn't sure exactly what was ahead, but she knew one thing: it held an absolutely incomparable, otherworldly power, enough so that its sheer existence made it feel like as if the air was too thick to breathe normally, and the body felt heavier as well.

Francisca felt Lumiere's eyes on her and glanced to her side, breathing rapidly. "Um... are you sure this Shard called me here? It almost feels like I'm being warned away, to be honest...", she muttered in between breaths. Lumiere shook her head.

I'm positive. The reason you're feeling like this is the same reason you perceive me as a giant: the Shard's presence is taking a form your perception can comprehend, she explained. She then rubbed her chin. The oppressive presence you told me you're feeling is most likely due to your own fears about this situation. You're facing something unknown, and you're naturally anxious and afraid. She glanced at the young princess, noticing her pallor, and sighed. Perhaps I was too hasty. Do you want to head back? There's always time to come here another day.

Francisca paused, biting her lip as she stood still and considered turning back. Then, she shook her head and looked up at Lumiere.

"No. It'll never get easier than this if what you say is true. I need to see for myself what the Shard is all about at least once, or my perception of it will never change, right?" she argued. Lumiere blinked at the unexpected answer, then smiled lightly and nodded.

That is true, she agreed. She then gave Francisca a knowing look. You know... you're stronger than you, yourself, think. All you really need is to become aware of that strength.

"I wish it was that easy," Francisca shook her head. "To be honest, if you weren't here I would've fled already. I've never felt like this in my life."

And you probably never will again, Lumiere commented. Part of why you're feeling this so strongly is because you're perceiving the power that is fueling this magical world, too. It was created using the Shard's power, after all.

"Wait," Francisca said, stopping as she heard those words. "If that's the case, wouldn't it mean that taking the Shard away would make this world cease to exist?"

No. This world's existence is now set apart from the Shard, although it is still capable of regulating it, Lumiere explained. In fact, most of the Shard's power is inextricably tied to the City of Forever. Taking the Shard will actually weaken it, as its power will be left behind, to maintain this place's existence. Lumiere tapped her chin, thinking. Offhand, I would say that there is enough leftover magical power in this world to sustain its existence for another hundred million years or so. In other words, it's not going away anytime soon. She looked at Francisca. This stored power could also be consumed in order to bring everything inside this magical plane in the material world. Doing so, of course, will destroy the book. But, if you take the Shard and ever feel like bringing Rianobed, and the remnants of the vanished world, into your own, then know that you are capable of doing so.

"Huh... interesting," Francisca murmured as she resumed walking, lost in thought. "So, this giant mansion, and the land below, could be taken out and placed in the world... hmmm. I wonder if..."

Lumiere's lips curved into an unseen smile as the princess began to ponder various possibilities that came to her mind. Francisca's anxiety visibly subsided as she did so, her tense movements becoming more relaxed. (Good, she's unwinding a bit. As expected, her discomfort was mostly from her own fears. Getting distracted is removing it,) the older woman thought. Matching her pace to that of her smaller companion, she remained silent and advanced down the tunnel, keeping an eye out so that Francisca wouldn't trip or hit an obstacle.

Before long, the pair came to a pair of large ornate brass double doors. Stopping, Lumiere reached out and pulled Francisca back before she walked face first into the imposing surface. The princess yelped, then blinked as she looked up at the massive metal slabs. Her companion chuckled.

Welcome back from whichever mindscape you were lost in, my young friend, she teased. Francisca blushed, realizing she nearly embarrassed herself by smacking right into the giant doors before her eyes. She gave Lumiere a halfhearted glare.

"You could have warned me a little earlier," she accused. The other woman chuckled.

I could have, but you looked like you were having some pleasant flights of fancy, and I didn't have the heart to disturb you, she replied. A wink and a smirk followed. Besides, I see you're much less tense. I did tell you that it was mostly just your fears, didn't I?

Francisca blinked, then realized that Lumiere was exactly right. There was still a powerful pressure she felt weighing down on her, but the ominousness behind it was gone, and she could breathe normally. She frowned as she felt a little bit of anxiety return, and attempted to ruthlessly squash it, then gave Lumiere an urgent look, nodding at the double doors. The pale-skinned woman nodded, and advanced until she was right in front of the large portal. She then laid her hands on the heavy metal slabs, and pushed.

There was an unmistakable screeching sound as the old metal protested upon moving again after the Heavens only know how many years, and the huge doors slowly pried open. Francisca gulped as she felt a blast of cool air hit her in the face while Lumiere continued to open the doors with no apparent effort, and closed her eyes, waiting for the sound of the moving door to end.

Finally, the screeching noise died down, and after a few moments, the princess slowly reopened her eyes, peering into the room behind the now-open gate. What she saw took her breath away.

The room beyond the gate was extremely large, with a tall ceiling that went much higher than the roof of the corridor she was standing in. She estimated it to be at least fifteen meters tall. The room was entirely made in smooth marble, and immaculately white, unlike the corridor leading to it, whose gray coloration and uneven surfaces suggested it was made of limestone. There was no decorum other than eight torch sconces placed at regular intervals: the room was almost blindingly white, but otherwise devoid of any ornaments, with the exception of a large dais placed exactly at its center. The torches were obviously magical in nature: rather than a normal fire, they held what appeared to be very bright, pale yellow flames, and no smoke rose from them.

What truly attracted attention, however, was the object placed on the dais. There, hovering about half a meter off the floor and slowly spinning around, was the single largest prism crystal Francisca had ever seen.

The massive hexagonal object dominated the room: its upper tip nearly reached the ceiling, and it was nearly as wide as the dais it rested over. It was of a lovely, deep purple color, like an enormous amethyst, and was transparent enough she could see the opposite side of the room through it, though the white marble appeared brilliantly purple through it. The torches' light reflected off its surface as it spun, casting purple hues around the room at random. The best way to describe this object was... majestic.

Francisca stared in awe at the Shard for what felt like an eternity, before she felt a light touch on her shoulder. She abruptly let out the breath she hadn't realized she was holding in, and briefly hunched over, panting as she attempted to get her breathing under control again. She then looked up at Lumiere, whose hand was still on her shoulder.

"This crystal is the Shard...?" she asked weakly. Lumiere gave her a curious look, then shook her head.

This is the Shard, yes... although I don't see it as a crystal. It must be how your mind perceives it, she replied. Francisca blinked, then glanced back at the large prism hovering in the room.

"It's not a crystal? Then... what do you see?" she asked, curious. Lumiere smiled and touched her index finger to her lips, as if to say 'I am not telling'. The princess gave her an annoyed look. "Let me guess... 'you must find out on your own'?"

Just so. You will see its true form... eventually. Assuming, of course, that you choose to embrace it, the older woman replied. Until then, well... what it really looks like isn't important for the purpose of trying it out, don't you think? Besides... you will know it when you see it. I guarantee that.

"I... guess that's true," Francisca nodded slowly. She then looked at the crystal again. "So... um. How do I do this?"

Walk up to it and touch it, was the reply. The princess nodded and waited for more instructions. When none came, she stared at Lumiere in open disbelief.

"T-that's it? Just touch it?" she asked, nonplussed. Lumiere nodded.

That's it. For the purpose of a trial, that's more than enough, she confirmed. It would be a bit more complex if you were trying to permanently claim it as yours, but that's not the case, so a simple touch will be enough.

"...I'm equal parts relieved and disappointed," Francisca admitted, sighing deeply as she hung her head low. "I was expecting something more... grandiose."

You'll get grandiose if and when you claim the Shard for good, my over-imaginative young friend, Lumiere chuckled, amused by the princess's underwhelming reaction. Let's take one step at a time, eh?

Francisca nodded, then stared ahead with determination and took her first step forward. As she did so, she felt the oppressive sensation from before make a return. This time, however, she knew that it was merely her own uncertainty and fear attempting to hinder her, and put every ounce of willpower she could muster into quashing those anxieties. Slowly, she advanced step by step, until eventually, she was within reach of the spinning prism. Then, she lifted her right hand, reached out, and touched the crystal's surface.

For a moment, nothing happened, and she wondered if she'd done something wrong. Then, a strange sensation, like a rush of energy, shot through her hand and up her arm, and she felt a peculiar warm sensation spread into her body. She fought back the sudden urge to yank her hand away from the crystal, and waited until she couldn't feel the surge anymore. Then, slowly, she removed the hand from the crystal, and stared at it with curiosity.

"...There was some kind of surging sensation, but besides that, I don't feel any different. Did it work?" she wondered aloud. Hearing the sound of footsteps, she looked at her side and saw that Lumiere had walked up to her. The other woman wordlessly grasped the princess's extended hand and briefly closed her eyes, concentrating, then looked down at her and nodded.

It worked. I can feel a connection has been established between you and the Shard, she confirmed. You should now be able to begin collecting genetic information, and using it.

"'Begin'? Shouldn't there be some already from when you used it?" Francisca inquired, curious. Lumiere shook her head.

No. As I mentioned earlier, I had to burn through every ounce of my power to create this place and save as much of the vanished world as I could, she explained. As a result, the Shard was... reset, I guess you could say. All data accumulated in it up until that point was wiped away, and it is now in a virginal state, so to speak - a blank slate ready for you to write on anew. She sighed. It's a shame - I had accumulated the genetic information of every creature in the vanished world, but it's all lost now. Well, I guess it is what it is.

"I see. Um... so what should I copy first?" Francisca asked, unsure. Lumiere smiled.

Why, isn't it obvious? she replied coyly as she turned around and headed for the exit, beckoning for the princess to follow. We're starting with your new friends - the Grimalkynes. She giggled. I can't wait to see what you look like with cat ears...

Francisca blinked, then followed the pale-skinned woman, feeling a little suspicious of her oddly giddy reaction. She didn't know what Lumiere found so funny, but suspected it was something silly, embarrassing, or possibly both.

She only hoped it was not something she would never be able to live down.

=O=O=

"So, um. From what you told me earlier, all I have to do is be close enough to a creature, and… this power does the rest?" Francisca asked Lumiere on their way back. The other woman nodded.

Yes. Just get close enough, and you will acquire their genetic information, she confirmed. I expect that you'll be able to pick information up from about fifteen meters away, at first. Not very far, but the more creatures you copy, the more the Shard will grow, and so will your range. At least, that's how it was for me…

"I see. I... really don't feel any different, though. Is that normal?" the princess asked, torn between relief and disappointment. Lumiere gave her a curious glance.

I thought you'd be relieved that you are unchanged, particularly mentally, she commented. But yes, it's normal. This power isn't like the monsterization process that human women who turn into mamono undergo. It merely provides you a base to work with. Your personality is untouched. She tapped her chin. With that said, I believe I mentioned earlier that you should be careful about using the Shard's ability to copy someone's knowledge and mannerism. Unlike a mere physical transformation, doing that can alter your behavior, though it's generally temporary. She glanced at Francisca. And you should also probably be careful with Elder Dragon-class creatures. Their nature is far from mundane, and that could be troublesome.

"You mentioned Elder Dragons before. What are they, exactly? Just very old dragons?" Francisca asked. Lumiere vigorously shook her head.

Hahaha, no! Elder Dragons are… hm, well, they often don't even resemble dragons, she explained. It's less a monster type, and more a category that was made up by the Hunters of the vanished world. Lumiere fell into 'teacher mode' again, waving her finger as she spoke. Unlike other monster types, which classify monsters by shared traits – ah, I'll teach you about those later – Elder Dragons are 'creatures that defy ordinary understanding', and reside outside of the standard ecosystem. They are rare creatures with immense power that have lived since ancient times. She shrugged as she walked. I suppose you could call them a 'phenomenon'. Disasters. Cataclysms. Living, breathing forces of nature. Remember, it was a war between Elder Dragons that destroyed the vanished world.

"Huh… are there any beings in my world that could be called Elder Dragons?" Francisca inquired, curious. Lumiere nodded.

Yes. Offhand, I can think of your Demon Lord, of course, she replied. And then there's those… 'Lilim', was it? From what I gathered about them, they are powerful enough to fall in this category. She scratched her cheek, thinking. Hmm… maybe those 'chaos gods' I have heard about. And… obviously, the gods in your pantheon. Ares, Eros and a few other names I can't quite remember. She nodded to herself. That should be about it, as far as my knowledge of your world goes.

"I see…" the princess murmured. The pair walked the rest of the return trip in silence, with Francisca lost in thought and Lumiere quietly giving her thinking space.

Eventually, the two made their way back to the dining room. There, they found the two Grimalkynes lounging around while snacking on the leftovers from the earlier meal. Francisca stopped at the dining room's entrance, unsure of how to proceed. Sensing her hesitation, Lumiere gently placed a hand on her back and lightly pushed her forward.

Go on, she told the anxious princess. Get a little closer. We're about thirty meters away, you should be able to pick up their information about halfway there.

"Um… all right, here I go…" the young girl nodded. Slowly, she began to walk towards the two cat-folk.

She was less than a third of the distance in when it hit, and it was gone so quickly she almost missed it. It started as a jolt that ran through her body, and then she felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. Francisca blinked. The feeling was not at all what she had expected, and she was sure that, had she not been anxiously awaiting for something to happen, she'd have dismissed it as just her nerves acting up.

The rushing sensation was gone almost immediately, but Lumiere noticed nonetheless, and quickly walked up to the princess, who had abruptly stopped moving. The Grimalkynes also appeared to sense something was amiss, as they stopped munching on their food and approached Francisca, curious. The younger girl looked up at her pale-skinned companion.

"That was strange," she murmured, still confused by the speed at which it all happened. "It was like that time I touched a Thunderstone by accident, only not as unpleasant."

Sounds about right. I stopped paying attention to it eventually, but I remember it feeling that way when it first happened, Lumiere confirmed. She then rubbed her chin, pondering the event. Twenty meters… that's a longer range than I had anticipated for you. It seems like you're very compatible with the Shard. As expected of the one specifically chosen by it, really.

"So, um… I got that 'genetic information'?" Francisca asked. At Lumiere's nod, she continued. "So… what do I do now?"

Hm… for starters, I would say remove your clothes, the taller woman answered. At Francisca's blank expression, she elaborated. When you use the Shard's chimeric power, your body structure changes. The exact change varies based on what genes you're manipulating and how complete the change you undergo is, but generally speaking, your size can vary, and you may grow extra body parts. She pointed at the cat-folk's rears, where their tails were prominently visible and swishing around. In the Grimalkynes' case, you're most likely going to grow a tail, among other things. I know you've changed out of your nightwear, but you did put on the underwear I provided you after the bath, right?

"Ah… right," Francisca nodded, looking down at her current attire. It was a simple cyan-colored loose dress, which surprisingly fit her figure perfectly, as if tailor-made. Despite its simplicity, it still managed to showcase her lovely physique without being audacious about it. Beneath the dress, she also wore a pair of plain white panties with no particular frills. The outfit was completed by a pair of comfortable sand-colored flat gladiator sandals. Francisca suspected the entire outfit was, in fact, magically tailor-made to her exact measurements: it fit her too well for it to be otherwise.

Right, and what do you think is going to happen if you grow a tail while wearing tight-fitting panties? Lumiere patiently asked her. She nodded as understanding dawned in Francisca's eyes.

"That… would be very uncomfortable, wouldn't it?" the princess admitted meekly. The older woman nodded.

Yes. Yes, it would. At the very least, remove your panties, she urged. I understand you're embarrassed, but consider this: I am also a woman, and the Grimalkynes don't even see you as a female. I'm not sure what you're so concerned about… besides, didn't both of them already see you naked in the bath?

"That's… a good point," Francisca conceded. Sighing in resigned defeat, she nodded. "All right, I'll strip."

Hesitating momentarily, Francisca proceeded to do just that. She was surprised with how easily both the loose dress and the underwear came off – for the dress, it was simply a matter of pulling it over her head and sliding it off, and the panties were just as easy to slip down and off her legs. She paused briefly as she looked at her sandals and then at the Grimalkynes' paws, then shook her head and undid the sandals' ties as well, realizing that she was likely to hurt badly if her feet changed too. (I really hope I don't have to strip every time I use the Shard,) she thought. (That would be very embarrassing…)

For the future, I'd suggest either wearing specially made clothes, or just clothes you don't mind losing in an emergency, and foregoing use of underwear entirely, she advised. While in here, replacements are easy enough to conjure, but should you take this power and use it in real life, you'll need to decide whether convenience or modesty is more important. She shrugged. Well, there'll be time to think about it. Now, are you ready?

Francisca slowly nodded, instinctively covering her bare breasts with one hand as she stood before Lumiere, blushing lightly. She cast a furtive glance at the Grimalkynes, and noted with some relief that they only seemed curious about her behavior and nothing else. Shifting her attention back to Lumiere, she awaited further instructions.

Right. For this next part, you will have to improvise a little, I'm afraid, she warned her. I can give you a generic idea of how to do this, but… it's a power that right now, is inside you. I can only help so much, by describing loosely how it was for me. You'll have to do the rest. Do you understand?

The princess nodded again, and Lumiere seemed satisfied.

Good. Now… let's begin. For starters, try searching within your spirit until you find the 'sensation' you felt when you established contact with the Shard, she instructed the younger woman. I know it's an awfully vague instruction, but I really cannot put it in simpler words. Just… close your eyes and focus inward. She rubbed her chin. It might help if you hold a hand to your heart. The rhythm of your heartbeat may help you focus.

Nodding, Francisca did as instructed. Placing her right hand over her heart, she closed her eyes and focused on the gentle beat she could feel under her fingers. Slowly, she relaxed, and her breathing became attuned with her pulse, inhaling and exhaling regularly over several beats.

It only took a few seconds for her to 'find' the same warm sensation she'd felt when she established contact with the Shard. As she found it, she attempted to familiarize herself with it, and after a brief struggle, got a distinct sense that she would now be able to find it much more easily. She suspected it was the Shard itself actively making it easier to connect with it. Whichever the case, she had succeeded in achieving her goal, so she slowly reopened her eyes, taking care not to lose contact. Lumiere immediately knew she'd succeeded by the look in her eyes, and nodded in satisfaction.

Very good. Now that you managed it for the first time, subsequent uses should be much easier, she told her. Francisca nodded. Satisfied, the tall woman continued. This next part should actually be pretty easy. Just 'call' the power to yourself. After that, I'm pretty sure you'll instinctively know what to do.

Nodding again, Francisca closed her eyes again, and attempted to figure out how to, as Lumiere suggested, 'call' the power to her. At first she tried thinking intensely of phrases such as 'come here' and 'aid me', but nothing happened. She frowned, then changed her tactics: rather than focus on coherent thoughts, she relaxed, and vaguely let the idea of an invitation float in her mind.

The Shard's power reacted almost immediately, and she felt it respond to her invitation by offering a spark of knowledge. And at that moment, it was as if a book opened before her, and as Lumiere promised, she knew exactly what to do. Without hesitation, she claimed the offered knowledge, and eagerly made it her own.

Then she fell over forward.

"Whaaaaa?!" she cried out, feeling her body's balance shift. A peculiar sensation, like a light tension, made itself felt on top of her head, at the base of her back, and around her ankles, and she found herself unable to stand upright. She nevertheless was able to catch herself and avoid a painful impact with the floor by stopping her fall with her hands. As she did so, the same tension was felt in her palms and fingertips, as well as beneath her feet. Then the sensation spread to most of her body.

Francisca blinked as she became aware of a weird fluffiness forming around her neck, but her struggles to try and regain balance prevented her from checking what was going on. Straining in frustration, she was surprised to hear a distinctly feline hiss come out of her mouth instead of the sigh she was trying for. The noise was followed by a more human grunt as she tried to stand upright again – only to fail and fall forward again. This time, as she landed hands first, she became aware of something peculiar: the floor was colder than she remembered it.

As she kept struggling to get back up, a hand lightly grasped her shoulder, and she looked to her side to Lumiere, who was gently shaking her head.

Calm down. Your center of balance shifted, that's why you can't stand up, she reassured her. This is the very first time you changed your form. Your body needs to get used to this new development. It'll get easier over time, but for now, be patient. Her smile then became mischievous and teasing. You look really fluffy, by the way. Here, take a look.

Saying that, Lumiere reached behind Francisca, and the princess yelped loudly as she felt her hand grasp… something. It was a part that wasn't there before, and the sensation was both new and somehow natural. The older woman then brought her hand forward – and within her grasp was a cute, orange striped tail. It took Francisca several moments of confused blinking and one more stroke of Lumiere's hand before she realized that she was, in fact, looking at her own tail.

Her tail.

As the thought finally sank in, Francisca became anxious to look at herself, and hissed again in frustration at being unable to stand. Then, a movement to her side caught her attention, and she saw the two Grimalkynes, imitating her posture while looking at her with a peculiar expression. She could have sworn they were telling her, 'Pay attention to us'.

As she watched the cat-folk, they briefly collected themselves, bending their arms and slightly spreading their legs to better brace themselves, and then used their front limbs to carefully push themselves to an upright position. They repeated the movements several times, looking at her intently as they did, until they were satisfied that she'd grasped their intent: they were showing her how to stand without falling over. Francisca nodded at the Grimalkynes, then focused, trying to remember exactly the way they moved and how they'd balanced themselves by widening their arms as they pushed themselves up. She then imitated their movement as best she could.

The first attempt failed, and she nearly fell over backwards due to having pushed too hard before she found herself back on all fours, but on the second attempt, encouraged by a little dance from her feline friends, she managed to push with just the right amount of force to stand up without falling. She remained still for a few seconds, getting a sense of her new balance, then slowly brought her legs together to assume a more stable posture. Confident that she wouldn't fall over again, she exhaled slowly, smiled in triumph, and then began to satisfy her curiosity, examining her new form.

The first thing she noticed was that, much like the Grimalkynes, she had a sizable ruff around her neck area. That was the pleasant, soft fluffiness she'd felt earlier. The white fur enveloped her lower neck and shoulders, and proceeded to descend into her cleavage.

Speaking of which – and that was the point where she started to blush horribly – her breasts were completely exposed. Not a hint of fur covered them, and they looked no different than they did in her human form. Francisca automatically covered her chest in a self-conscious gesture, mortified. She hadn't expected this, instead guessing that she'd have a fur-covered chest like the Grimalkynes she was copying. A giggle came from her side, and she shot an amused Lumiere a dirty look.

"This is not funny," she pointed out, annoyed. "Why are my breasts bare?!"

Well… you are currently using a hybrid form that's midway between your regular human form and a Grimalkyne, she explained. It seems that for you, assuming a form midway between your target creature and your true self is easier, and so your particular version of the Ultimate Chimera's power defaults to this. The older woman shrugged. Besides, it's not uncommon for cat beastfolk to have bare breasts, or at the very least exposed nipples.

"These Grimalkynes don't, though!" Francisca protested. Lumiere raised an eyebrow.

Those two are both males. You're female, she noted. Francisca blinked, then glanced at the cat-folk.

"They… are?" she murmured, surprised. At Lumiere's nod, she glanced at the felines, then at her naked breasts, then back at the felines – and promptly covered her chest even more. The older woman rolled her eyes.

I assure you they aren't interested in you that way, she stated in an exasperated tone. If they did, they'd make it very obvious, since it's Lynian mating season. They're curious because your smell has suddenly become somewhat similar to theirs, but it still doesn't quite register as 'female Grimalkyne'. She raised an eyebrow. Also, Grimalkynes don't consider large breasts sexually attractive, anyway. For them, it's more a matter of scent than appearance.

"...are you sure?" Francisca asked, hesitant. Lumiere nodded firmly. The princess bit her lip, then slowly lowered her hands, eyeing the two cat-folk for any reaction. When all she got was curious, perplexed stares, she breathed a sigh of relief and relaxed. Clearly, Lumiere had been correct once again, and the two beastmen had no interest whatsoever in her as a woman.

Having calmed down from the unplanned panic attack, she resumed examining herself. Firstly, she noted that her fur pattern was essentially the same as the Grimalkynes: yellowish-orange with brown stripes on the body, with some white fur framing the sides of her abdomen and chest. Her hands were entirely covered in brown fur, as were her feet, and both featured prominent, very large, and very sharp looking dark brown claws instead of nails. (I could scratch someone up pretty badly with these,) Francisca thought, somewhat unnerved by the claws' menacing gleam.

Glancing down, she noticed that she was standing on her toes – which were also clawed – rather than the flat of her feet, and realized that detail, along with the newly-acquired tail she could see behind her, was the reason why she had struggled to regain her balance after she'd changed form: she was neither used to having extra weight on her back, nor accustomed to standing on her toes, and it had wreaked havoc on her sense of stability.

With that said, she currently felt as if both were completely natural things to her. She remembered Lumiere mentioning that the Shard's power would allow her to gain instinctual knowledge of how to properly use any new form she took, and guessed the reason she felt so comfortable so quickly had to be because of that.

She turned her attention to her tail, which unlike other body parts, was a completely new factor to her. Much like the rest of her body, it was covered in yellowish-orange fur with black stripes, and it was long enough to almost touch the ground with its tip while she stood. She tried to imagine it moving towards the front of her body, and to her surprise, it immediately reacted to her thought. (This is definitely the Shard's adaptation at work,) she realized. (There's no other way I'd just… know… how to move my tail.) She then blinked. ('My tail', huh… never thought I'd be using those words to refer to my own body in my whole life. This is kind of fun.)

Tentatively, she touched her tail, and flinched. Somehow, the contact felt rather sensitive. She knew some cats really didn't like having their tails touched, and guessed it had to be because they were, in fact, delicate.

She also noticed that she felt the smooth texture of the fur under her hand more strongly than usual. Turning her hand up, she blinked as she noticed orange flesh protrusions both on her palm and the tip of her fingers. Without thinking too much, she moved a clawed hand to tentatively poke one of the orange nubs – and was immediately stopped by Lumiere, who firmly grasped her hand to prevent her from doing so.

Don't. It'll hurt. A lot, the older woman cautioned her. Those are the same paw pads that felines have. They're very sensitive body parts. You can accurately feel texture of objects, pressure and even vibrations through them, as well as better perceive temperature shifts. But because they're so sensitive, they don't do so good with painful trauma. She wagged a finger before the princess's nose. They are tough, since felines walk on them, and can take impacts reasonably well, due to being cushioned – it's how cats can fall from great heights and land on their feet without excessive harm – but they don't do nearly as well with puncture wounds, cuts, or extreme heat and cold.

"Ah… r-right, I'll be careful," Francisca nodded, slightly shaken by the warning. Looking down at her hands again, she instead opted to lightly rub one of the pads on her fingers with her other hand, carefully keeping her sharp claws away from them. She realized Lumiere's information was accurate: she could feel the details of the pads – a very slightly rough surface, which gave a sense of firm toughness while still being soft to the touch. She tentatively flexed her hands open and close a few times, and couldn't feel any particular discomfort, though the sensation of closing her hand into a fist was much more pronounced.

Having finished examining her hands, Francisca idly rubbed the side of her head, pondering what she'd seen so far. She then paused and blinked. Something felt amiss. Tentatively, she started touching her neck, temples and cheeks, and before long she realized what was off.

Her ears were missing.

Alarmed, she gave Lumiere a panicked look, which became one of annoyance when she caught her struggling not to laugh. Her brows twitched.

"I'm going to scratch you sooner or later," she warned her in a flat voice. "Stop laughing and tell me what happened to my ears."

Lumiere, still struggling to hold in her laughter, pointed at the top of her own head. Francisca, confused, reached up, and her fingers almost immediately ran into an obstacle that wasn't there before. Blinking, she brought both hands up, and began to feel around. Soon, she realized the truth: her ears were still there – just, now they were on top of her head, rather than to the side. She groaned. (I should have expected this. The Grimalkynes have their ears there, too…) she thought, annoyed with herself for not having realized it sooner.

She felt her ears twitch under her fingers as she thought, and wondered if they reacted to her mood. (They probably do. My tail as well, I would guess. They say you can tell a cat's mood from ears and tail,) she mused as she felt around. While she couldn't see them – she made a mental note to find a mirror as soon as possible – she concluded from her exploration that they were the same pointed, tufted ears that the Grimalkynes possessed. Probably brown-colored, if comparing the rest of her body's color scheme to the Grimalkynes was any indication.

While checking her ears, she also became curious about her hair, which appeared to be as long as ever even in her new body, and spared a glance at it. She then openly sighed: while her hair color had changed into a slightly darker shade of her body fur, those rebellious hair drills that never seemed to go away were still prominently featured even in her changed form. (I can't believe that I'm being persecuted by these drills when I'm not even in a human form anymore,) she thought in frustration. (Are they some sort of punishment from the Chief God?)

Having exhausted her exploration subjects – she deliberately refused to check her more… private parts at that time, owing to the extreme embarrassment she felt at the idea – Francisca looked back at Lumiere, who had been sitting idly on a chair along with the Grimalkynes, who were still giving her curious looks while squatting on the floor.

"Um… so, what now?" the princess asked. The older woman raised her eyebrow.

What do you mean? There's no 'what now'. You're free to do as you please, she replied matter-of-factly. You can revert back to your usual appearance. You can opt to stay in that form, and familiarize yourself with it. I suppose you could also try the other part of your power, and see if you can learn the Grimalkynes' language…

"Their language…?" Francisca asked, her interest piqued. Lumiere nodded.

Of course. They communicate, you know, she confirmed. Granted, a lot of Grimalkyne communication is non-verbal, but they do have a rough language for when they need to coordinate complex actions. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. I never bothered to learn it back when I was in the vanished world, but I think there are some notes in the Rianobed archives on Grimalkyne society that include information on their language. Feel free to peruse them, or anything else in the archives. I'll show you where they are later. For now, what will you do?

Francisca thought about it for a while. Ultimately, she decided there was only one possible answer to the question at that time. Looking up at Lumiere again, she smiled.

"I want to run around a bit," she stated. The pale-skinned woman smiled back at her.

I figured you would.

==Chapter 1: Remnant (End)==

((A/N: This concludes chapter 1. Feel free to leave feedback, particularly constructive criticism. I'm always open to suggestions. Next chapter will go a bit more in depth on the exact nature of the chimeric power introduced here – both it and Rianobed are part of the 'original generation' side of this setting, as well as feature a few important story-driving events. And a few more Monster Hunter things.

By the way, as far as visuals go, in the future you should refer primarily to artist 'MuHut' on deviantArt. A number of monstergirl forms in this fic will be based on his art, which is up there as far as quality goes. There are some exceptions, though, and I'll give credit to whichever pieces of art I based myself on from time to time. This chapter is an exception as the Grimalkyne hybrid form is entirely made up from scratch by me, and sadly there is no art available for it – my drawing ability is considered a crime against humanity, haha. If anyone wants to take a swing at making art of it, be my guest, I don't mind.

That's all for now. Author out.))

Chapter Text

((A/N: Aye, siwmae. And good day to you, readers.

Here's the second chapter of Fabularis. I originally planned to dedicate two chapters to the initial events in Rianobed, and then move back to the MGE world, but this chapter ended up longer than expected, and I would like to keep all chapters around the same length. Next one should finally feature the 'return home' part, and the story can truly begin in earnest. Until then, enjoy this chapter, which should feature many familiar sights for Monster Hunter World players specifically.

A brief word on the nature of the world within the magic book: it's actually a mishmash of different parts of the MH games' worlds. Lumiere more or less grabbed whatever was still whole and tossed it in the book, and the book's magic rearranged those parts in a single landmass. The 'garden' inside of Rianobed is actually the near entirety of the Ancient Forest in MHW, while the 'land below' features parts similar to areas from MH Stories and MH Rise. I chose not to keep the latter precisely identical, because honestly, they're leftovers of an apocalypse, a changed landscape is fair.

That's all from me. Enjoy the chapter!

Author out.))

==Chapter 2: Wyvern==

=Two weeks later=

Francisca panted as she leapt from log to log in her feline hybrid form, attempting to keep up with the two cat-like figures ahead of her as they rushed through the obstacle course they were racing in. Reaching the last log in a sequence of five, she leapt off it and hit the ground ahead, briefly stumbling before she resumed running. The imperfect landing, as minimal a mistake as it was, allowed the Grimalkynes to gain an even bigger lead, and the princess gritted her teeth and hissed in frustration. It was obvious she'd end up losing this race by a sizable margin – again. Her only consolation was that she was competing against two of the best scouts in the Bugtrapper tribe: as much as it pained her to get trounced so soundly, there was no shame in defeat at their hands.

As she neared the final set of obstacles – a series of stones in the middle of a small shallow pond – she saw the two cat-folk clear it with ease and pass the finish line, then turn to watch her intently. She focused on clearing the pond: she'd slipped and ruinously fallen in before, and while the two Grimalkynes had been too polite to laugh at her, she did see a flicker of amusement in their eyes as they helped her climb out of the pond. She didn't want to embarrass herself again in such a fashion.

Francisca quickly reached the edge of the pond, and focused. Timing her takeoff, she leapt clear over the first stone, landing directly on the second, and repeated the large leaps, skipping stones entirely in a bid to clear the pond in the shortest number of jumps possible. Ahead, the Grimalkynes seemed impressed, and jumped in encouragement. Francisca smiled and, reaching the second-to-last stone, put all her strength in one final leap, clearing the last stone, the pond's edge, and a fair bit of the remaining distance from the goal in one bound. This time, she hit the ground smoothly and lost no momentum as she rushed past the finish line. Her feline friends jumped up and clapped approvingly.

"=Friend. Good. Improved,=" one of the two Lynians addressed her, in a combination of hisses and meows whose knowledge she had absorbed a few days prior. Grimalkyne language, in and of itself, was crude and to the point, often being single words or short phrases, but they compounded it with a wide variety of body language, which she had also learned to recognize thanks to the Ultimate Chimera's knowledge absorption properties. At this particular moment, the two Grimalkynes's body language was a mix of encouragement, approval and satisfaction: the two were clearly happy that she had taken in their lessons so well.

Francisca smiled back at them, hunched over and panting with her hands on her knees, and replied in the same language. "=Better. Can do more. Thank you.=" she hissed rapidly, still short on breath. The Grimalkynes's language still somewhat hurt her throat when she used it, but it had gotten much easier over the past week.

As she spoke to the two cat-folk, her view was suddenly obscured by a soft piece of fabric, and she yelped in surprise. Grabbing at the cloth, she pulled it off her head and turned around, glaring at the one who had thrown the towel at her. "Come now, stop startling me like this," she complained at Lumiere, who stood there grinning. She then frowned. "...still, thank you for the towel. I'm drenched again."

And indeed she was. While most of Francisca's transformed body was covered in fur and couldn't sweat, her fur-less face, breasts and abdomen could, and were quite literally dripping wet. She could feel the unpleasant wetness dampen her fur as the rivulets of sweat streamed down her body and into it.

Contrary to what one would expect of a cat-girl, Francisca didn't dislike water while in her morphed state. However, she did dislike sweating profusely. It made her feel sticky and dirty, caused her human parts to itch, and made her crave a bath. She absentmindedly rubbed her human skin dry with the towel – to little to no effect, as she was still sweating abundantly, but at least it offered some relief – and then threw the piece of fabric over her shoulder, straightening up as she finally got her breathing under control.

She was still panting slightly, however, and the accelerated rate of breathing did interesting things to her breasts, which swayed enticingly as she inhaled and exhaled. Francisca paid it no heed. She'd lost any sense of modesty around the Grimalkynes when it became absolutely clear they didn't perceive her as 'attractive' at all. They did seem to understand she was 'female', but clearly it wasn't relevant, since they didn't even belong to the same species, and she saw no more point in hiding her nakedness from them than she would from a housecat.

Similarly, she didn't worry about Lumiere seeing her naked: aside from both of them being women, the mere idea of being embarrassed because of her gaze was incomprehensible to Francisca. In this case, it was the princess who couldn't possibly register her as someone who'd have sexual interests. Although, the other woman did tease her every now and then...

You've gotten better, Lumiere told the younger woman as she dried herself up. As a matter of fact, it's really impressive. When you started running this obstacle course, you would barely be halfway while the Grimalkynes reached the end, and you'd stumble and trip often. Now, you're only a bit behind, and your movements are much smoother than before. The older woman stared at the princess with curiosity. The speed at which you improve is exceptional. I think the only thing that is holding you back in the material world is a sickly body.

Francisca hummed at that, looking thoughtful. "This isn't my real body, though… maybe it's just my mind's desire that makes me like this," she pointed out. Lumiere thought about it for a few moments, then slowly shook her head in disagreement.

Mmm… no. Your astral body reflects the condition you would be in under ideal circumstances, such as with no sickness or missing body parts, the older woman stated. What you see here – both in your human guise and your transformed state – is what you should be able to do in your actual body, provided you remove any factors that reduce its performance. She smiled slightly. In essence, all you would have to do is use the Shard's chimeric power to tweak your own human genes so that the underlying cause of your sickly constitution is removed.

Francisca bit her lower lip. "Would it really work…?" she asked. She'd been told so repeatedly by the pale-skinned woman, but still had a hard time believing she could be this close to being free of the sickness that had plagued her life.

Were you born with your problems? Lumiere asked bluntly. At Francisca's slow nod, she nodded. Then it will work. If you were born this way, then the cause is definitely genetic in nature, and the Shard's manipulation powers can and will fix it.

Francisca said nothing, but placed a hand over her heart, listening intently to her accelerated pulse. The more the hope she felt grew within her, the more she felt inclined to accept the power she'd been offered. Thus far, she had found no drawbacks at all to it. There was no trace of the mind-corrupting influence that mamono transformations were said to induce in their victims, and while she did notice her lack of modesty in the past few days, she had a practical reason to not care about being naked before the three people she'd regularly interacted with.

On the other hand, the idea of being seen by actual human men in her current transformed state still caused her to blush horribly and involuntarily cover her chest, and she doubted she'd be able to feel at ease about it anytime soon, if ever. Were she a mamono, she'd definitely not have such restraint, and so she felt confident in her belief that she was, at the very least, safe from mental alterations. Whatever changes her mindset might undergo would be the result of her own effort.

There was really only one reason she hadn't agreed to take the Shard's power yet. That reason was her deep-seated fear that doing so would cause her to lose the most important person in her life.

Rowena. Her possible reaction was the one thing that made Francisca hesitate. The princess knew that her maid's loyalty to her was absolute, but she also knew that, like most others in Lescatie, Rowena held an almost atavic fear towards mamono, and while Francisca was confident by now that she wasn't one – although she was also fairly certain that she could copy one if she wanted to – there was no telling how the blonde maid would react to seeing her mistress in a form reminiscent of that which she had come to associate with corruption, depravity and perdition – a state that no woman had ever come back from.

Francisca sighed. She didn't know how to handle the situation. On one hand, she could be free of the miserable life she'd been leading up until that point. But on the other hand, she was absolutely unwilling to risk sacrificing her bond to her beloved maid, even if it meant remaining sick forever. She wanted to believe that Rowena would accept her wholeheartedly, but couldn't bring herself to take the plunge, on the tiniest chance that things might not go as she wished.

...You're thinking about your maid again, aren't you? Lumiere suddenly spoke up, startling Francisca out of her thoughts. The princess glared at Lumiere.

"Don't read my mind! What I'm thinking right now is private," she protested, annoyed at the intrusion. The older woman shook her head.

I didn't read your mind, she clarified patiently. I merely guessed. It wasn't hard to guess, either. You've been telling me about your anxiety over this for the past two days.

Francisca hesitated, then nodded with a sigh. "I… yeah, I guess I must have sounded a bit obsessive," she admitted. "It's just…"

Your affection towards your maid is truly deep if you would consider remaining crippled and weak rather than losing her, Lumiere commented, and the princess could feel genuine admiration in her words. There aren't many, if any, who would think the way you do. I applaud your dedication. She then frowned. However, the fact you're doubting her so much is rather rude. From what you tell me, she is just as devoted to you as you are to her. Shouldn't you have more faith in her?

"I know that…! But…!" Francisca replied, struggling to get the words out as she felt tears well into her eyes. "I just can't… even the thought of her rejecting me paralyzes me with fear…"

I understand how you feel, but you can't keep living like this, Lumiere sighed. For your good, and hers as well, you need to be able to make decisions, even when you don't want to.

The princess attempted to think of a retort, then deflated, hanging her head low in defeat. "...You're right. I'll have to…" she murmured, drying up her eyes. She then glanced pleadingly at Lumiere. "Just… give me some more time. I'll… think of something. There has to be a solution."

With those words, the young girl turned around and walked away, ending the conversation. Lumiere watched her until she disappeared into the entryway leading back to the mansion's interior, then groaned and shook her head.

This isn't good… I know I'm being pushy, but her attitude will just cause her pain in the long run, the pale-skinned woman murmured. She then let out a deep sigh, and rubbed her neck. I guess I'll need to interfere a bit. Hopefully she won't resent me too much for it… but if I leave things as they are, only heartache will come of it.

Having made her decision, Lumiere walked back into the mansion, as well. She had a part to play… and preparations to make.

=O=O=

=One month later=

"Ow. Ow ow ow ow…" Francisca moaned softly as she sat in the mansion's infirmary, nursing a badly scraped knee. She was currently in her Grimalkyne hybrid form, but looked extremely messy, with minor cuts and bruises all over her body, owing to a ruinous fall during her daily obstacle course run. The knee, however, was by far the worst, sporting very deep gashes and bleeding badly, staining her orange fur with red splashes. Lumiere glanced at the princess as she quietly nursed her wounds, then shook her head.

That was a very nasty fall you took, she commented as she fished out an opaque jar with some sort of fluid inside and a spoon. Turning around, she approached the younger girl, prying the container open. It's not like you to make such a huge mistake. Didn't I warn you about getting hurt in this world? You need to be more careful...

This wasn't the first time Francisca had gotten hurt, but her wounds had never been particularly unpleasant until now, barely amounting to bumps, bruises and the occasional scratch. The first time she'd fallen and scraped herself, she'd asked Lumiere how it was possible that she could feel pain, bleed, and even heal up by taking medicine in an astral body. The older woman had given her a long explanation, but the essence of it was that, since the City of Forever was a magical plane created through the Overlord's power, it was both a physical and astral plane of existence, where mind and matter were one and the same, and as such, even an astral form could sustain damage in it. And because an astral form was a reflection of the physical form, the damage it sustained manifested in a way that her mind was familiar with – in this case, pain and bleeding – and applying medicine was effective for the same reason.

Lumiere also cautioned her that, while dying was currently impossible for her due to the means by which she had been drawn in the book's world, taking fatal damage would really hurt, and probably cause permanent mental trauma, so it would be best to avoid such an event.

"I'm sorry. I was… distracted," the princess murmured, avoiding the older woman's gaze. Lumiere briefly glanced at her, then shook her head and dipped the spoon in the jar, withdrawing a spoonful of a strange, honey-like fluid green substance. Francisca blinked. "Uh… what's that?" she asked, concerned, as she cautiously sniffed the substance. It had a faint sweet smell, not unlike that of honey, but with a slightly tangy hint of lemon to it. Lumiere held the spoon up to her face.

Vigor honey, she replied. It's sticky and sweet, a bit like regular honey, but has additional properties. It can heal minor and medium severity wounds, and completely relieves fatigue. Eat some, it will do you good.

Francisca hesitated for a few moments, then shut her eyes and opened her mouth. Lumiere swiftly slipped the spoon – and its content – in, and the princess closed her lips and slurped the bizarre honey up. Cautiously, she tasted the substance, and was surprised to find out that despite its sinister green color, it was quite sweet and pleasant, and the lemony scent she'd felt earlier was matched by a similar taste. Deciding that the green honey wasn't so bad, Francisca quickly swallowed it.

Within seconds, she felt an odd warmth spread through her, and the tiredness she had been feeling from her earlier run through the obstacle course vanished completely. She opened her eyes in surprise, and glanced down at her knee, which felt especially warm. To her amazement, the ugly bleeding gashes she'd suffered were healing right under her gaze. Similarly, the bruises over her body vanished, and the minor cuts had already closed. She looked up in surprise.

"This… is really effective. It tastes like honey and lemons. You said it was… vigor honey? So it's from something like a bee?" she asked, curious. Lumiere nodded.

Yes. Well, wasps, not bees, although they don't sting… they just fly around collecting the sugary nectar of particular white flowers called vitalilies, she explained. They then process the nectar inside their bodies and store the refined honey in a sac, to be brought back to their nests. Lumiere closed the jar and set both it and the spoon she'd used aside on a table nearby, then glanced at Francisca. I'd actually recommend copying the vigorwasps' genetic information as soon as possible. I used to have it, and it was incredibly useful: unlike a vigorwasp, you wouldn't need to collect from vitalilies to produce honey – you could produce it directly. And it's truly a lifesaver for those around you. It can't fully heal serious wounds, but can reduce their severity. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Be careful, though. Producing honey without processing a base material will drain your own vitality. You could pass out from overdoing it. Also, if you process flower nectar – any flower nectar, not necessarily just vitalilies, though those have the best effect – the honey you make from it will be more potent than if you just manufactured it from your vitality.

Francisca shivered as she listened to Lumiere's explanation. "I, uh… am not very good with flying insects," she admitted, shivering. "I had… a bad experience with one when I was younger. I'm not sure I could take a form resembling one…"

Well, you don't have to, the older woman specified. You can activate unique abilities like these without a full transformation. I'll explain how to do so to you one of these days. But before that… her expression became serious, and she pulled a chair close, sitting down and staring at Francisca intently.

I'll get straight to the point. You've been out of focus for the past week. Again. She sighed, and Francisca flinched, looking guilty. You're still worried about your maid, are you not?

The princess looked down at her feet. "I… I'm sorry. I've… been thinking. I'm… just not sure what to do anymore," she murmured. She then anxiously glanced at Lumiere. "I… just give me a little more time. I'm sure I'm close to a solution, and-"

Stop, Lumiere commanded. Francisca flinched again, and shrank back a little. The pale-skinned woman shook her head. Look, I'm not going to blame you, or pressure you anymore. All I want is for you to honestly answer this one question. She gave the princess a stern look. If you had to choose between taking the Shard and becoming healthy, but losing Rowena, or renouncing the Shard and your health, but keeping Rowena, which would you choose? Don't think about it – just let your feelings out.

"I'd choose Rowena," was the almost immediate answer. Lumiere stared at Francisca for several long moments, then nodded.

I imagined that would be your answer. As promised, I won't disturb you anymore, she told the princess. This is not my decision to make, anyway. Stirring, she stretched on the chair before getting up. I suppose you must be hungry after all that activity and your accident. Why don't you go take a bath? We have guests this evening. In the meanwhile, I will get dinner ready.

"A… all right," Francisca nodded. Getting up from her own seat, she cast an apologetic look at Lumiere. "Look, I'm sorry. I just-"

I said it's fine, the other woman interrupted her, shaking her head and smiling as she walked towards the door. I promised not to blame you or pressure you, and I will keep my word. Go take a bath, instead, and join me in the dining room when you're ready.

Without waiting for an answer, Lumiere left the room, leaving a surprised Francisca behind to wonder about her words. "...Guests? More Grimalkynes, I guess. She did mention introducing me to the Grimalkyne chieftain…" she murmured, curious. Looking down at herself, she realized she was quite a mess, and decided that Lumiere's suggestion held merit. She briskly headed towards the exit, deciding to stop by her room first.

Once there, she quickly grabbed a change of clothes and a bath towel, and almost absentmindedly shifted back to her human form before heading for the bath. This time around, she didn't spend much time in the hot springs, instead focusing on rinsing the blood and grime off her body and properly cleaning and drying her hair. Unfortunately, she had no means to completely dry them up, but she'd found that letting them rest on one of the warmer stones in the area did a decent job of eliminating most of the moisture from them.

A set of brushes in the corner of the bath was left there to allow her to smooth out any wrinkles and knots, and before long, her hair was properly clean and smooth… save for the accursed drills. Francisca sighed in resignation: she suspected that her hair drills were a permanent feature of her person, given how even in her chimeric form they refused to take a different shape.

Having finished drying up, she examined the dress she'd picked before quickly wearing it. Lumiere had provided her with a number of clothing choices ranging from girly to practical, and Francisca had a lot of fun trying on clothes that she would usually never wear, including some extremely audacious ones that made her blush. This time she'd chosen a short backless pink lace halter dress, a rather feminine, yet still comfortable choice which showed a bit of skin without becoming excessive, allowing her to showcase her legs and smooth back. The dress was also slightly see-through, and since Francisca wasn't wearing a top under it, it was possible to just barely make out the shape of her breasts. Francisca found that she liked the see-don't-see effect of such outfits. A pair of simple silver-colored sandals completed the set.

Satisfied with her appearance, Francisca headed for the dining room. She knew there was not much of a point to dressing fancily while she was in Rianobed, as the Grimalkynes didn't care, and Lumiere thought she looked nice in anything – or nothing at all, for that matter – but her choice of outfit was largely for personal satisfaction. She'd been given an opportunity to do things she never had much of a chance of doing, and wearing a variety of clothes was one of those things. Most outfits she wore as a princess were either bedwear when she was stuck in her room due to her ailing health, or excessively gaudy royal garments designed solely to brag about one's wealth. The clothes Lumiere had given her, on the other hand, let her feel good about her own beauty, and her confidence in her looks had grown thanks to that.

Soon enough, the young woman reached the dining room, and quickly entered, looking for Lumiere. It didn't take long for her to spot the pale-skinned woman: she was seated at the table closest to the entrance. The princess quickly walked up to her. "Sorry, it took me a little longer than expected to get my hair done," she apologized, stopping at the other woman's side. She then glanced at the conspicuously empty table. "Are our guests late? I don't see the Grimalkynes at all…"

The Grimalkynes aren't our guests, Lumiere replied, sipping what appeared to be wine from a glass. Francisca blinked at that statement.

"Huh? It's not the Grimalkyne chieftain you told me about? Then who…?" she asked, perplexed.

"That would be me, Princess," a new, yet familiar voice spoke up from behind her. Francisca froze instantly as she heard it, her face becoming ashen. Slowly, she turned around, dreading what she would see, and almost fainted when her own green, wide eyes met the all-too familiar blue of the one person she never expected – or wanted – to see in the mysterious world she'd lived in the past one and a half month.

"...R-R-Rowena…? What… what are you doing…" Francisca croaked, feeling her legs tremble. Seeing her instability, the maid instantly moved to her mistress's side, catching her just as her knee gave. Gently, she helped the princess take a seat, then pulled up a chair and sat down herself. She gazed at Francisca for a few moments, then smiled kindly.

"You look lovely, Princess," she told her, looking up and down at her form. "That dress really does suit you. And… I'm glad to see you in such good health." She closed her eyes, holding a hand to her bosom. "No, more than glad. You have no idea how seeing you move freely around without pain or suffering makes me feel. I'm… truly happy."

"Rowena… why are you here? How? I thought-" Francisca began, feeling panic rise within her. A cough interrupted her, and she looked at Lumiere, who had been staring intently at them both. The older woman shrugged.

I broke a couple rules, she commented, sounding as if she'd been making remarks on the weather. She then noticed Rowena give her a flat stare, and sheepishly scratched the back of her head. Fine, fine… I broke a lot of rules. Nearly all of them, actually. I was never much for working by the book, at any rate. She looked at Francisca and sighed. I used my residual connection with the Shard to hijack control of this world's laws and pulled Rowena in from her body while she was asleep. She's in the same situation as you right now.

"Y-you… why? Why did you do this?!" Francisca cried, feeling betrayed. She then paused, a thought coming to her, and hesitantly looked at Rowena. "Wait… how long have you been here?"

"Hmm… about a month, give or take a couple days?" Rowena replied, pensively tapping her lips with a finger. Francisca felt her blood run cold at that.

"A… a month? Then… you saw?" she croaked weakly.

Twenty-nine days, to be exact, Lumiere spoke up. And of course she saw. That's the whole reason I pulled her in here to begin with. She shook her head. Mind you, dealing with her wasn't easy. She's more stubborn than you.

Rowena blushed at that remark. "Ah… yes. I… may have caused trouble to Lady Lumiere," she admitted, looking ashamed. She then looked at Francisca, whose terrified eyes couldn't move away from the maid's visage, and sighed. "Princess… please relax. I have no intention of judging you. As a matter of fact… I've seen enough to have made a decision." Leaning forward, she grasped the shocked princess's inert hands and squeezed them firmly, giving her a warm smile. "Princess, I want you to know this: come what may, I will be on your side. Always."

"I… what?" Francisca asked numbly. She'd expected to hear a number of things from Rowena, but that had been very, very low on her list of possibilities. Even if it'd been her hidden wish. She looked at Rowena hopefully, and her heart skipped a beat as she could find nothing but the usual affection in her gaze. Swallowing nervously, she returned the grip on her hands. "You mean… you're okay with… this?" she asked nervously. The maid pursed her lips at that, her smile somewhat dulling.

"Well… I must admit that at first, I was very much not 'okay with this'. When I first saw you… change… I felt horrible. I wanted to cry, scream and hurt someone," she admitted, lowering her head. "I… may have said some very unkind things to Lady Lumiere. I even hit her… I'm truly sorry about that."

Don't be. I deserved that, Lumiere dismissed the maid's concerns with a handwave. I acted rashly, solely relying on the glowing praise Francisca had for your devotion and loyalty, and assuming… or rather hoping… that you'd be reasonable enough to at least listen to me and watch for a while before forming an opinion. She sighed. Truthfully, everything you said and did was wholly understandable. I may have promised to tell Francisca nothing but the truth, but being 'truthful' and 'trustworthy' are different things, and I did go behind her back – and certainly against her wishes – by bringing you here. She set her hands on her knees and bowed her head deeply to the two younger women. For that, I beg your forgiveness. I won't ask that you forget, but please understand I did this with the best of intentions. Even if it's not an excuse…

"As far as I am concerned, you are already forgiven," Rowena stated, looking up at the pale-skinned woman. "It is thanks to you that I didn't do anything rash, and calming me down by force when I was letting my emotions run uncontrolled was the correct choice. It allowed me to see the Princess in the right light." She smiled, holding her hand to her heart again. "I'd never have truly seen how happy she was to be free to move, run and play as she liked if it hadn't been for you extracting that promise to wait and see from me. It allowed me to think about things and reach a decision without being hasty. So, thank you."

...You're more lenient than I deserve. I appreciate your generosity, though, Lumiere nodded, returning the smile. Although, I'm not sure Francisca will forgive me anytime soon. That's fine, though. Things worked out well… I can live with being hated in exchange for that.

"You… you did all this out of consideration for me…?" Francisca murmured, looking at Lumiere. At the older woman's nod, the princess shook her head. "Why go so far? You said you broke rules… isn't that going to be bad? And all this effort… you could've just waited and seen, right?"

Well… I guess you grew on me, Lumiere admitted, scratching her cheek as she glanced sideways, avoiding Francisca's eyes. Just this once, I wanted to provide a happy end to someone. I was tired of failing again and again. She shrugged, smiling wryly. Granted, I had to burn through all my remaining personal power to do this. Unfortunately, it means that I won't be able to directly assist you anymore – I could use some minor magic before, but that's no longer possible. For all intents and purposes, I might as well be a particularly solid ghost now. She shook her head. It's fine, though. You've been doing very well, and with Rowena here, she can probably assist you far better than I would.

"I…" Francisca murmured. She looked at Rowena, who smiled warmly at her, then at Lumiere, who was nonchalantly gazing at her, and then back at Rowena again. "You… you won't leave me, then? You'll remain by my side?" she asked the maid, hopeful. Rowena's smile grew warmer, and she nodded.

"Of course, Princess. I told you: come what may, my place is by your side, and nowhere else, for as long as I live," she replied sincerely. Francisca looked at her for a few moments, then finally broke under the stress and leaned forward into the maid's shoulder, tears flowing freely from her eyes.

"I- thank you- I really was afraid that you'd-" she sobbed, unable to contain her relief anymore. Grasping Rowena's shoulders tightly, Francisca cried, a mix of joy, relief and exhaustion washing over her. The blonde girl simply held her, patiently waiting for her beloved mistress to let out all her pent up emotions. She valiantly kept her own emotions in check, for the princess's peace of mind, but couldn't completely suppress them, and her lucid eyes and light trembling of her hands as she held the crying Francisca didn't escape Lumiere's watchful gaze. The older woman, however, kept her silence, respecting the maid's intentions.

It took a long time for the princess's cries to die down.

=O=O=

Eventually, thanks to Rowena's patient efforts in comforting the distressed princess, Francisca calmed down, though she still occasionally sniffled, and her eyes were visibly red from crying too much. With the atmosphere having relaxed somewhat, the three women finally got around to eating dinner, which fortunately hadn't gone cold yet.

During dinner, Francisca asked Rowena numerous questions about her stay in Rianobed: apparently, Lumiere had pulled the maid in the very same day she had first questioned Francisca about her worries, after the lost race against the Grimalkynes in the obstacle course. Rowena spent the next few days adjusting to the new environment – and suppressing her angry urge to attack Lumiere, still being convinced that the pale-skinned woman had deceived her mistress.

Over the course of the month, however, she'd come to realize that Lumiere was very forthcoming in answering any and all questions, both Francisca's and her own. From the very start, she'd made the same oath with Rowena that she'd spoken with Francisca – to only ever be truthful when talking to her – and Rowena quickly understood she was not merely saying it out of obligation, but meant every word.

At the same time, she'd seen the unbridled joy Francisca felt at being free from pain and sickness, and began to wonder if, rather than being deceived, her mistress wasn't simply having her wishes fulfilled. Rowena began to ask questions about the exact nature of the gift Francisca had been bestowed with, and eventually realized that, while it may have looked like monsterization, it was in actuality something else entirely.

Most importantly, Lumiere stressed how the changes Francisca underwent were not intended to influence her personality, but merely change her body, and found no evidence that this claim was a lie when observing the princess's behavior. She had certainly become less inhibited around the Grimalkynes, being unmindful of her nudity even when the cat warriors were present, but Rowena could find no fault in that: she herself found it hard to view them as anything but extremely intelligent housecats, and the Grimalkynes showed absolutely no interest in Francisca other than as a friend, and occasionally a pupil or rival when they taught her how to move quickly and silently or raced her on the training fields. As for Lumiere… much like Francisca, Rowena found it weird to believe the exotic woman had any sort of sexual interests at all, despite her gorgeous looks and occasional teasing nature.

Eventually, Francisca exhausted the questions she had for the maid, and the three women focused on finishing their food. Afterwards, Rowena insisted on being the one to clear out and wash the dishes, and busied herself at the dining room's sink. This left Francisca and Lumiere alone at the table, and both observed the blonde woman as she quickly and efficiently performed her tasks. After a while, Lumiere spoke up.

You weren't exaggerating when you told me about your maid, she commented. I have never met anyone with such fierce loyalty and devotion… though I have vague memories of trusted companions much like her, handed down from the original me. She glanced at Francisca and smiled. I cannot fault you for saying you'd pick her over your health. I'd probably do the same, too.

"I know, right? Rowena is priceless to me," Francisca replied with a smile of her own. She then sighed, and gave Lumiere a somewhat sour look. "I'm still mad at you for going behind my back like this, but everything went well, and I'm so happy about it that I'm willing to forgive and forget." She closed her eyes, relaxing, and began to hum happily. "At any rate… I wonder what I should do now."

How about expanding your variety? Lumiere suggested. Thus far, you only experimented with the Grimalkyne genes you collected. That form is straightforward, and by no means bad, but there are a number of creatures that possess unusual abilities in this place. She tapped the table's surface with her left hand's fingers. Most of them are in the land below, but the botanical garden does have a great many specimens of endemic life. Aside from the mosswine whose meat we've been eating, there's vigorwasps, paratoads, pteryx, and even a few bigger creatures like vespoids, mernos and the large herbivores Kestodon and Aptonoth, which generally serve as prey to the one Wyvern that lives in the garden.

"Uhh…" Francisca groaned, feeling herself go cross-eyed from the sudden onslaught of unfamiliar terms. She then blinked and paled upon registering the last one. "Wait… there are wyverns here?"

Not the ones you're thinking of, but yes, there are monsters who were called Wyverns in the vanished world, Lumiere clarified. Mind you, they're as fierce as you'd think from the name alone. The one in the botanical garden is docile, though, provided you don't go and do something foolish like hit it in the head. She giggled. I met it one day when I went out fishing to relieve my boredom. It just walked up to me, started drinking from the pond I was fishing in, and then observed me for a while, likely wondering what I was doing, before walking away. I'd never even realized it was in the garden until that point.

"I see. How long have you known it?" Francisca asked, curious. Lumiere blinked, then hummed, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

Uh… hmm… she pondered, raising one eyebrow. About a hundred years, give or take?

This time it was Francisca's turn to blink in surprise. "Your Wyverns live that long?" she asked. It was a considerable lifespan for what she assumed was a beast that lived in the wild. Lumiere shook her head in response.

Actually, no, this particular species doesn't, she explained. It's part of this place's magic. Remember, I created it as a means to preserve what was left of the vanished world. It wouldn't do for its denizens to go extinct.

She waved a hand at their surroundings. Generally speaking, this place's magic monitors all living things within it, and does a few things to ensure their existences are preserved. She held up a finger. Firstly, it slows down their aging, so they live longer, and regulates fertility to prevent overpopulating. A second finger went up. And if at any point a species is in danger of extinction, one of two things happen: either their fertility goes through the roof, leading to mass births, or if things are truly dire, the book's power outright revives slain creatures, restoring them to a point prior to their demise. She crossed her arms. Elder Dragons are another matter, though. They can and do live for centuries, even millennia. The youngest one that I am aware of is at least four hundred years old.

"I see. Are there many Elder Dragons in this world?" Francisca asked. Lumiere shook her head, a sad look on her face.

No. In fact, most Elder Dragons in this world are unique creatures – the last of their kind, she explained. While creating this world, I altered its settings to allow for female Elder Dragons to lay fertilized eggs even without a male, but so far none have actually laid an egg. Perhaps, without a mate, they don't feel the urge to do so. She frowned. But that doesn't explain the Rulers of Flame. They're a couple – male and female – and shouldn't have this issue. I'm thinking that I missed something while creating this world and whatever I missed, caused the Elder Dragons's reproduction drive to be shut down.

"That's… strange," Francisca agreed, thinking. "Um… maybe the different environment from their original world is somehow confusing them, and they feel like they shouldn't be laying eggs in such a place?"

That's… Lumiere began, then stopped, looking surprised. Huh… hm. That actually makes sense. I was going to say that if that were the case, other living things would follow suit, but I just realized – Elder Dragons are highly intelligent, perhaps even comparable to humans. Sentient, sapient and self-aware. It makes sense that they'd be more picky in where they lay their eggs and raise their young. She scratched the back of her head. Well, that… poses a problem. It might be impossible to get them to reproduce.

Francisca rubbed her chin, thinking. "What if they were placed in a 'normal' world?" she asked, curious. "Isn't it possible that what unnerves them is the irregular nature of this world, which was created by you? Then, being in a more 'natural' world would prompt them to reproduce again."

That… might work, Lumiere nodded. She then gave Francisca a sharp glance. If you don't mind me asking, how did that thought occur to you? It's not something I'd expect a sheltered princess to think of. No offense meant, of course.

"None taken," the younger girl replied. "And to answer your question… I read a lot of books. Most were about fables and legends, but I also read some books on nature and how animals live in it." She sheepishly scratched her head, smiling awkwardly. "Truthfully, I don't remember much of what I read, but the things I do remember made me think that perhaps, if these creatures are closer to intelligent beings than beasts, maybe what puts them off is how different this world is from their own. For example..." she pondered, tapping a finger to her lips. "Didn't you say that the sky isn't the same as that of the vanished world? Something about it being the sky of your origin world. I imagine that the vanished world didn't have a giant celestial body in the sky."

I… didn't think about that at all, Lumiere admitted, mortified. She sighed deeply, rubbing her temples. I just wanted to make this world a little more familiar to myself, and so I added some features that I found soothing. It didn't occur to me that it might have been disturbing to some of the smarter beings I brought in. She gave Francisca a weary smile. It appears I can't stop screwing up, even after losing my body. And on top of that, I can't even try fixing that now. I burned up all my leftover power bringing Rowena in this world…

"I'll take care of it for you," Francisca offered. Lumiere's expression changed to one of surprise.

You will…? So have you made a decision? The taller woman inquired. The princess hesitated, then nodded.

"I… think I'll take you up on your offer, and accept the Shard's power," she said slowly. She then looked up. "Just… not yet. I'm still unfamiliar with what it can do. I'd like to take advantage of the extended time I can spend in here before waking up to learn as much as possible about it." Her expression became uneasy. "...and I'd like you to stay with me just a bit longer…" she added. Lumiere sighed again. She'd imagined the girl might be getting attached to her, and it wasn't a good thing.

This form of mine is temporary, you know, Lumiere patiently pointed out. No matter how much you postpone it, we'll have to part ways eventually. I'm only here because I'm tied to the Shard while it's masterless. Once you claim it, I'll vanish.

"Is there no way to prevent it?" Francisca asked, looking distressed. The older woman frowned.

No, and you really shouldn't get attached to me, she warned her. I appreciate your friendship, but this can't last.

"...I see…" Francisca murmured with a sad look, eyes downcast. For a time, neither woman spoke, sitting at the table and lost in their thoughts. Then, Lumiere spoke up.

How badly do you want it? She asked bluntly. Francisca was startled out of her own thoughts by the sudden question, and looked up at the pale-skinned woman, blinking in confusion.

"I beg your pardon…?"

I asked, how badly do you want to see me again after this is all said and done? Lumiere repeated, elaborating a bit on her question. Francisca opened her mouth, briefly paused as she thought about it for a few moments, then looked Lumiere straight in the eyes and nodded with decision.

"Badly enough," she stated firmly. Even if it'd only been one and a half month, she'd come to cherish the older woman's presence, drawing comfort from her sometimes brutal honesty and the attention she gave her. In a way, Lumiere gave Francisca the parental affection she'd never truly received from her own family. The princess genuinely saw her as a friend, and did not wish to be separated from her.

Lumiere stared at her silently, then, after what felt like an eternity, closed her eyes and bowed her head in acknowledgement. Understood. Then, when the time is right, I'll tell you of the one way this could be done, she stated. Her gaze hardened. But keep in mind, it will come with a cost. One you might be unwilling to pay. Her features softened again. For now, make use of the time you can spend in here to learn and grow… and think about how far you're willing to go for the sake of keeping me around. I trust that by the time you're ready to claim the Shard, you will also have an answer to that.

The pale-skinned woman then stirred and stretched luxuriously on her seat, before giving the smaller girl a friendly glance, the previous serious expression having melted away. Now then, I'll excuse myself. I'd like to take a long, nice hot bath, and I'm sure you are dying to talk with Rowena some more after weeks of not seeing her. Have a good evening.

Having said her piece, Lumiere got up and briskly walked out of the room, leaving Francisca to her thoughts. Before long, the princess was joined by Rowena, who had just finished washing the dishes and cleaning up at the kitchen counter.

"I see Lady Lumiere left," the maid spoke, glancing at Francisca. "You seemed to be absorbed into some kind of important discussion, so I refrained from interrupting. I trust it was a fruitful talk?"

Francisca nodded, looking thoughtful. "I believe it was. We may have figured out the solution to a long-standing problem that tormented Lumiere," she replied. Her expression then became distant. "And, just maybe, a solution to something that tormented me personally."

"May I ask what that would be?" the maid asked, curious. Francisca shook her head, then smiled at Rowena.

"Not just yet… nothing's certain at the moment. But when I know for sure, of course I'll share it with you," she replied. "There's no sense getting my hopes up at this point in time, from what I understood."

"I see. As you wish, then," was the blonde girl's reply. She then clasped her hands together, giving Francisca a mischievous smile. "Now then, since you appear to be done eating, shall we retire to your personal chambers? Lady Lumiere told me you have been trying a wide array of clothes on, and I would love to see what they look like on you."

Francisca glanced at the maid and chuckled. Rowena's eyes were shining, an expectant look obvious in them. (I guess dolling me up was something she always wanted to do, but couldn't because of my bad health,) the princess thought. (Well, it's not like I mind. It's actually a lot of fun…)

"That's not a bad idea. I'd like to have your opinion on my favorite clothes, too," she agreed, taking the maid's hand. "Come now, follow me. Say, which color do you think suits me best...?"

Enthused, the princess and the maid chattered and giggled all the way to Francisca's bedroom.

=O=O=

=Three days later=

"Princess, please be very careful," Rowena anxiously pleaded with Francisca. The two, along with Lumiere and the two Grimalkyne scouts, were standing in a clearing at the entrance to the 'botanical garden', as Lumiere called it. A small camp was set up in the clearing, with two table-like surfaces carved out of large tree stumps, and seats made out of smaller, smoothed out stumps. A large tent made of a mix of furs and leathers was set up in front of a bonfire, as well, and within it, two bedrolls could be seen.

Truthfully, the place was less a garden and more a small primordial forest: tall, broad trees could be seen past the entrance, and it was difficult to spot the transparent ceiling above the treetops and through the thick foliage. Francisca stared in awe at some of the largest ferns she'd ever seen – there were some in Lescatie's royal castle's garden, but they were tiny compared to the colossal, two-meters-long leaves that the ones in Rianobed's botanical garden sported.

The princess checked her equipment for the last time. For the occasion, she'd been given a set of armor specifically designed for her Grimalkyne form: it consisted of a breastpiece fashioned out of rough brown leather, which offered sturdy protection for her torso without sacrificing mobility, and tassets around her waist, also made of the same brown leather, which shielded her sides and the front of her groin area, while leaving her rear uncovered. The choice, while slightly embarrassing, was intentional, as this setup offered some flexible protection while allowing her to shift in and out of her tail-bearing feline form without her equipment getting in the way.

The armor was designed by the two Bugtrapper scouts, who apparently had a tailor in their village working on it, and was more or less custom-made to fit her. Lumiere mentioned that it appeared to have been made out of Aptonoth skin, and while its protection was essentially nil as far as the vanished world's standards went, it was probably a fair bit tougher than any comparative leather armor from Francisca's own world, and should at least be sufficient to reduce damage from charging small wildlife such as Kestodon. The recommended course of action, however, remained not getting hit at all.

Having ensured the armor was firmly secured, Francisca turned to Rowena, whose worry was still evident, and smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, Rowena," she said. "The Grimalkynes are with me, and they're expert scouts. If there's any danger, they'll warn me and I will withdraw. For the time being, we're meant to simply familiarize me with the immediate surroundings, and possibly pick up a few new genes for me to use." She shook her head. "I have no intention of picking fights, and Lumiere says there should only be docile herbivores ahead."

That's correct, at least for the area immediately ahead, Lumiere confirmed, unraveling a map she'd been carrying and spreading it open on one of the makeshift stump tables. She motioned for Francisca and Rowena to come closer, and pointed at an area that appeared to be the southwesternmost tip of the forest garden. This is where we are now. This camp was actually made by Hunters of the vanished world when they began exploring the area they called the New World. They named this place 'Ancient Forest'. I managed to preserve it and make it into an internal garden to Rianobed. She smirked. I say 'garden', but I am fairly sure you both already realized this area is pretty large.

"I'm not even surprised anymore after seeing how you made an entire hot spring into a bath," Francisca commented, shaking her head. "This feels like just the kind of thing you would do…"

Lumiere heartily laughed at that – a sound most like a waterfall crashing down from a great height. Ahahahaha! True, this is the sort of project I would entangle myself in, she admitted. She then refocused on the map, though the corners of her mouth were still curved upwards in amusement. At any rate, to the east of this area – directly ahead down that path, she continued, pointing at a semi-hidden path leading into the foliage, that's where the Aptonoth herds graze. You'll find water streams, a small pond and quite a few vitalilies. You might also find paratoads, and there's almost always at least one vigorwasp attracted by the vitalilies.

At the mention of the insectoid monster, Francisca shivered. Lumiere noticed her reaction and shook her head in a soothing gesture. Don't worry, they don't sting at all, or really do much of anything besides wandering around. They're more like bees than wasps – they only care about gathering vitalily nectar to process into their honey.

"Uuuu… I'm still not a fan of flying insects," Francisca pouted. The older woman laughed again.

Relax, the Grimalkynes will be there and if you want the vigorwasps gone, they'll chase them off, she reassured the princess. She then chuckled. Personally, I think once you actually see them, you'll feel silly for being afraid of them. Anyway, moving on, she resumed her explanation, pointing at a spot farther to the east, this area here actually used to be a beach. Kestodon herds often show up there, since they eat both fish and waterborne plants – mostly the latter – and also bury their eggs in the sand. She drummed her fingers on the table, rubbing her chin with her free hand. In order to preserve their environment despite the sea being gone, I redirected a stream of water to that spot and made a small sweetwater beach. They were confused at first, but seem to have gotten used to it. She gave Francisca a warning look. Don't recklessly approach Kestodon herds. The females have sharp senses and will alert the herd to intrusive presences, and the males will aggressively attack perceived threats. They are not overly dangerous, but can and will rough a careless onlooker up.

"What does this arrow point to?" Rowena asked, indicating a large red arrow that pointed down a path on the far southeastern corner of the map. Lumiere glanced at it and her expression clouded over.

That's… the path leading to the ruins of Astera, she murmured quietly. It was a sizable Hunter settlement originally founded by a Research Commission that first explored the New World continent. She sighed deeply. It was one of the last human settlements to fall… had I been slightly faster in defeating the warring dragons, I might have been able to save it, but alas, by the time I was done and visited to ascertain its state, it was little more than a graveyard. She slowly tapped on the arrow painted upon the map. Nowadays, all that's left is a few wrecked platforms and storerooms, broken debris, some tombstones I erected in remembrance, and many, many shattered dreams. She stirred, and glanced at Francisca, her expression still somber. Feel free to visit, but don't expect to find much besides a ruin being reclaimed by the wilds, and a grim monument to my failures.

"I-I see. U-umm, I apologize for bringing bad memories up," Rowena stammered, looking subdued by the unexpected dark topic. Lumiere waved her hand dismissively.

No need to apologize. It's in the past, she reassured the maid. She then nodded at Francisca. Anyway, for the time being, you should focus on these three areas. Take a look around and familiarize yourself with the terrain. And of course, try to gather genetic information. She scratched her chin. Keep in mind that you will be picking up any living thing's information. The stronger the living thing is, the more noticeable your gene gathering will be. You probably already copied plants and some small insects you can't readily see, just by being in here, without even realizing it because the sensation is so weak and fleeting it doesn't register with you. Larger things will be more noticeable.

Francisca blinked at that statement, then quickly focused and examined inward, where the Shard's power resided. Almost immediately, she realized Lumiere was right: where she had previously found only the Grimalkynes' data, she could now find the genetic information of several different types of plant life, and even a few bugs. Which included… Francisca blanched.

"Ew! Did I just copy a larva and a spider?!" she complained, torn between disgust and morbid fascination. Lumiere perked up at that, and began to look around, then bent down and picked something up off a tree trunk. She held it up for the two younger women to see, and they both recoiled upon seeing what appeared to be a sizable wiggly white worm in her hand. The pale-skinned woman poked gently at it with a finger.

You probably copied this one. These are called litchi, and are the larval form of omenflies, she explained. They're actually edible – taste sweet and creamy, a little like marshmallow, when roasted over a fire. Much like vigorwasp honey, they provide a fatigue relieving effect, but they don't have healing properties. She put the wiggling larva back down on the tree trunk, then looked around some more, and spotted a spider web in a corner between two stones. A large, brown striped spider rested on it, seemingly unconcerned with the proximity of the humanoids and Lynians nearby. Pointing at it, she nodded at Francisca. As for the spider… I'm guessing you copied this. Vaporonoid. Its silk is actually very strong, and is used by the Grimalkynes to make their net traps. She hummed, thinking. Hmm… I've never tried, but I wonder if you could use vaporonoid silk to make clothes, too?

"I wouldn't mind wearing clothes made from the Princess's silk..." Rowena murmured, intrigued by the idea. Francisca stared at her.

"Huh?! Wait… that sounds a little… What if they don't feel good to wear? Coarse, or similarly unpleasant…" the princess protested. Lumiere glanced at the two in amusement, then snagged a piece of the web. The vaporonoid bolted at the disturbance, hiding between the rocks. Lumiere offered the two the piece of web, inviting them to touch it.

After a bit of hesitation, the two complied, and were surprised to realize that, despite the stickiness inherent in a spider web, the material was both extremely sturdy and very soft. Rowena felt it up for a long while, then nodded. "This definitely would make excellent material for clothes," she happily stated, before glancing back at the princess with an expectant look. Francisca flinched, shook her head, and then sighed, hanging her head low in defeat.

"...fine… I'll see later if maybe I can use these genes to produce enough silk to make an article of clothing or two out of it for you…" she caved, unable to deny the obvious hope in the maid's eyes. Rowena brightened at those words, and began to hum happily while stroking the webbing. Lumiere chuckled in amusement.

You're not very good at saying no to your maid, are you? she commented, smirking. Francisca gave her an annoyed look.

"Rowena almost never asks for anything for herself," she explained tersely. "I promised myself a long time ago that if she ever made a selfish request to me, I'd do my best to grant it, within my limited abilities. If all she wants is silk made by me through a hybrid form, I don't mind." She scratched her cheek, a sheepish look on her face, and lowered her voice to an almost inaudible level. "...besides, I'd be lying if I said I dislike the idea. On the contrary, I'd love it if she did wear something 'I' made." She blushed at that statement, causing Lumiere to chuckle again.

Heh. Well, if you decide to do something about it, ask the Grimalkynes, the older woman suggested. They know how to treat vaporonoid silk so that it loses its stickiness and can be used for sewing.

"Understood. Well… the Grimalkynes seem to be getting impatient," Francisca commented, motioning at the two cat-folk, who were jumping up and down and urging her to follow a little farther down the path. "I should probably get going." She gave Lumiere an anxious look. "If anything weird happens here, get Rowena back inside where it's safe. I'll be counting on you."

No need to worry, Lumiere reassured the princess with a nod. I may have used up all my magic, but I do still possess a considerable amount of physical prowess. There's nothing in this garden that can actually threaten me, so I can focus on keeping your maid safe.

"Right… thank you. Then, I'm off!" Francisca announced. Rowena looked up from the spider webbing she was still holding, and nodded.

"Please be cautious, Princess. I will wait for your return right here, along with Lady Lumiere," she replied with a smile. Glancing at the Grimalkynes, she waved at them, and the felines waved back enthusiastically. Francisca gave Rowena one last look, then turned around and hurried down the path, towards the two waiting Bugtrapper scouts. As she joined them, her body shifted to the Grimalkyne hybrid form, smoothly, quickly and seamlessly, without even slowing her step down – a testament to how familiar she'd gotten with the process. Seconds later, the group of three vanished from sight, covered by the foliage.

Rowena stared at the spot where the princess had vanished from sight for a bit longer, then sighed and turned around, looking at Lumiere. She politely bowed to the taller woman. "Well then, I will be in your care, milady," she said. Lumiere's answer was a raised eyebrow.

Are you seriously going to be all polite-like with me? She commented with a lopsided smile. There's no need to be formal. Just call me Lumiere. The pale-skinned woman massaged the back of her neck with her right hand, then moved to roll the map spread on top of the trunk-table back up. However, she paused when Rowena stopped her, and gave the maid a curious look. Hm? Something on your mind, lass?

"Yes, actually," the maid nodded with a serious expression on her face. She pointed at the map. "While we wait for the Princess to come back, could you tell me everything you know about the rest of this forest's areas? I would like to be prepared to assist milady in her future visits."

Lumiere looked at her for a few long moments, then nodded, smiling. Your devotion truly impresses me, she admitted. Francisca is lucky to have someone like you. Very well, then. Sit here, she motioned for a stump-chair next to her as she sat down on one, herself. And get ready. I'll teach you everything I can about this place, but it's quite a lot of information…

Rowena nodded as she took her seat besides the pale-skinned woman. She was certain that her princess would be using this strange world many times in the future, and for her sake, she would learn as many of its secrets as she could.

=O=O=

While Rowena busied herself with studying, Francisca was embarking on a learning experience of her own. After departing the base camp, she and the Grimalkynes advanced through a narrow path among the foliage, and she curiously peered at the surroundings as she went. She managed to spot several insects, including what appeared to be a Hercules beetle – except it was differently-colored, and much larger than what the book she'd read about them in described them.

She made a mental note to carefully examine all new data she obtained through the Shard's power, then focused on the Grimalkynes, who had come to a stop a little ways ahead and were motioning for her to crouch. She obediently followed their instructions, and crept closer to their location, as quietly as she could manage.

Once she reached them, she snuck a look over the edge that the Lynians were hiding behind, and froze in awe.

Before her was a large clearing, peppered with unfamiliar plants she'd never seen before. To her right, she could see the familiar stonework of Rianobed's walls, signaling the border of the indoor garden. Streams of crystalline water ran across the open ground area, and she could see a pond a ways off to her left side – to the north, if she remembered the orientation of the map she'd seen correctly. A veritable wall of trees lay beyond that pond, though there seemed to be openings one could use to navigate the tangle.

She also spied a few flying bug-like creatures near the pond in question, though they were too far away for her to make out any details. They seemed to be glowing yellow, though, and flew in smooth, wavy motions that reminded her of a snake's movements. She idly hoped they weren't aggressive, though for some reason they didn't set off her anxiety reaction towards flying insects. A large object that looked alarmingly like a wasp nest and seemed to be hanging from a tree near a small passage into the woods a bit past the pond, on the other hand, definitely did make her nervous: Francisca really had no wish to deal with wasps at the moment.

What made her freeze, though, was not all this undeniable beauty, but rather, the massive creatures she could see grazing in this field. She'd never seen beings quite like those, not even in her books, and the only things she could think of that were similar to the size of these herbivores were the 'elephants' that could be found in some of the more exotic areas of the world. The creatures had leathery, bronzed skin, bulky bodies, powerful-looking trunk-like legs, and peculiar bone growths coming out of their heads and the tips of their long, thick tails, presumably for defense against predators if cornered. There was also a peculiar hard ridge that ran across their backs, although she was not sure of its purpose – perhaps a layer of defense for the creature's spine.

Francisca kept observing the huge creatures as they peacefully munched on the herbs found around the water streams. They behaved more like cows than anything else, not moving around much and calmly ruminating. She could see a few smaller ones with slightly less developed head bones – cubs, she assumed – among them, but generally, only size varied. She felt excited at meeting such new, unfamiliar creatures. (These must be the 'Aptonoth' that Lumiere mentioned,) she thought, smiling. (They look so… different from what I imagined… I wonder if I could get closer to them? Let's try…)

Acting on impulse, Francisca slowly left the cover she had been hiding behind, and began to creep closer to a medium-sized Aptonoth, taking care to move slowly and make herself look as small and un-threatening as possible. She was ready to bolt should the large herbivore turn hostile, but hoped she could get at least close enough to touch it before that. Looking back, she saw the Lynians were making no move to stop her, and assumed from their lack of reaction that meant there was no danger ahead. Turning her attention back to the Aptonoth she'd decided to approach, she resumed her cautious advance.

Soon, she got within range for her power to work, and felt the same jolting sensation she experienced when she picked up the Grimalkynes' information. This time, though, it was a fair bit more noticeable, enough that she paused her advance to shake off the tingling sensation. She remembered Lumiere's earlier words, and figured that the intense feeling was due to the Aptonoth being a good deal larger than the Grimalkynes. She made a mental note to take a closer look to the Aptonoth's genetic information later, perhaps even give it a try, and focused back on the task at hand.

Eventually, she found herself close to the big herbivore. It still didn't react to her presence, but it had glanced in her direction as she approached, so she knew it was aware of her. It just didn't see her as a threat. Making sure to move as slowly as possible, she reached out with one of her hands and gently stroked the creature's side, taking care to avoid scraping with her claws. The contact got a reaction: the Aptonoth stopped grazing and looked over at her for a few moments, seemingly evaluating her. Then, seeing she was making no other moves besides stroking its side, it lost interest and resumed eating.

Francisca, who had frozen upon seeing the giant beast stop and look at her, breathed a sigh of relief, then focused on the sensation beneath her hands as she caressed the herbivore's side. The Aptonoth's skin felt coarse under her sensitive pads, and she could also perceive the steady thump of the giant's beating heart. Occasionally, there was a twitch beneath the skin where she touched, and she realized that despite their stocky appearance, the large beasts were powerfully built, with well developed muscles. In several spots, the leathery skin hardened into quasi-scaly patches, which were much harder than the rest of the body. The texture was very similar to that of the light armor she was wearing – confirming Lumiere's claim that it was produced from these creatures.

Having examined the big herbivore up close, Francisca felt her curiosity had been sated, and returned to the Grimalkynes's side, grinning broadly. The Lynians gave her an amused look, but said nothing, and instead motioned for her to follow along. They then started circling around the grazing herd, headed towards the pond in the back. The princess followed suit, though she kept a nervous eye out for the large nest-like object off to the left side.

As she crept along with the Lynians, she was stopped by one of them, who abruptly pulled her back, and glanced at him in confusion. The feline pointed at the ground in front of her, and following his gaze, she spotted what appeared to be a yellow-colored toad resting on the ground. She gave a perplexed look at the Lynian, who made warning gestures towards the creature.

"=Gas. Numbs. Avoid. Touching.=" he explained. Francisca processed the words, then nodded. It appeared this toad would release numbing gas when disturbed, and it was best not to touch it. Francisca carefully stepped around it, glad that the Lynians were accompanying her: she'd have surely missed the small creature otherwise. (Perhaps this is the 'paratoad' that Lumiere mentioned?) she wondered.

As they approached the pond, Francisca became aware of a faint buzzing sound and froze, looking towards the nest-like object in fright. However, no flying insects appeared to be anywhere near it. She blinked, confused. A quick scan of the genes she had accumulated so far revealed she had picked up a few more plants, but there was no trace of anything even vaguely resembling a bee or wasp yet. (That's odd. Maybe the noise doesn't come from a bug, after all?) she wondered. Seeing the Lynians wait for her at the edge of the pond, she advanced to rejoin them.

And that was when she saw it. On the opposite edge of the pond, barely visible against all the greenery, something was floating. At first she thought it was a green slime, and confusedly wondered how slime could fly, but upon closer inspection, she spotted small, fuzzy legs grasping what appeared to be slime, but was in fact a sac full of a very familiar-looking honey-like green fluid, attached to a small bee-like segmented fuzzy body, which those legs obviously belonged to. Two pairs of transparent, glossy wings, almost invisible with how rapidly they were beating, completed the bug's body, but any fear she may have felt for the obvious bee-like creature was drowned out by the sheer weirdness of the huge sac attached to it making it look like an overweight, swaying, roly-poly fuzzy critter, rather than the menacing flying terror that the word 'wasp' invoked in her mind.

"T-this… is a vigorwasp?" Francisca muttered, incredulous. She blinked, rubbed her eyes, then looked again. Sure enough, what she was seeing was still a honey-filled sack with a comparatively smaller fuzzy bee-like thing attached to it. It looked too clumsy and awkward to be dangerous. She squinted, but couldn't even see a trace of a stinger. (Exactly how do these things even protect themselves?) she wondered. (Do they have no predators?)

As she observed the large, buzzing creature, she realized she was at about the right distance to acquire its information, and quickly checked the Shard's gathered data. She swiftly found it: it was the only new data she'd received, and also the only data that she could recognize as belonging to a flying insect. Looking back at the vigorwasp, she shook her head in disbelief. (So this is what Lumiere meant when she said I'd feel silly about being afraid of it when I saw it…) she thought, feeling mortified. No matter how much she looked at the creature, the sheer ridiculousness of its appearance made it impossible for her to take it seriously. She'd hated wasps, and similar beings, ever since one stung her when she was younger, causing her to get very sick from it, but this particular creature looked so awkward, all she felt for it was a pang of sympathetic pity for having to lug around such a heavy looking sac all day.

Francisca sighed, then relaxed, losing interest in the previously-dreaded bug, and started looking around the rest of the pond. She noticed the same glowing, flying creatures she'd spotted earlier, but they had moved farther away, and were currently slightly outside the range of her copying power. Something about them made them curious – the way they flew reminded her more of the smooth, sinuous way a snake slithered than the way an insect flew. She cautiously took a few steps towards them, and retreated as soon as she felt an almost imperceptible, yet still telltale tickling jolt that signaled the acquisition of new genetic information. Taking a quick look, she blinked in surprise: apparently, those odd fliers were the matured form of the 'litchi' larva that Lumiere showed her earlier. (I think she called them 'omenflies',) Francisca thought, glancing one last time at the curious flying creatures. (I wonder why they have such a name. I should ask Lumiere about it… perhaps it has to do with that glowing light emitting from their belly?)

Satisfied with her investigation of the omenflies, the princess peered in the pond's water, and noticed a number of fish darting around. (Nice, I should have gotten their information too,) she thought. Admittedly, she'd always been curious about what it would feel like to breathe water. She made a mental note to give aquatic forms a try sometime.

Deciding she'd accumulated enough new material, Francisca looked over to her Grimalkyne companions, and motioned for them to lead the way. The Lynians complied, and began to move eastward again. She trailed behind them, dividing her attention between following in their footsteps and examining the surrounding environment in awe.

Unfortunately, looking at both also meant not being attentive enough towards either. Francisca found that out the hard way when, upon taking a step forward in a patch of tall grass, she felt something squishy under her foot, heard an indignant ribbit, and found herself suddenly surrounded by a yellow cloud of gas. The Lynians ahead immediately dodged away from the cloud, but the startled Francisca inhaled a sizable dose of the mysterious gas – and almost immediately, felt herself go numb from it.

"Wha- ack! I can't… mooove…" she groaned, before swaying heavily and finally falling to the ground with a thump, her muscles twitching and seizing in an effort to break free of the sudden paralysis. The paratoad she'd stepped on hopped away with more angry croaking, leaving the two Grimalkynes free to approach her. The felines peered down at her, shaking their heads.

"=Friend. Step. Toad. Bad move.=" they helpfully commented. Francisca tried to glare at them and answer, but all she managed was a nasty frown and garbled moaning. Then, she saw one of the Grimalkynes take out a large club, and her eyes widened.

"Whrrsrs yrrr ghnnnn dwwww whthhhh thhhhhht?!" she grunted, not liking the look of the club. The Lynian's answer was to rear back and prepare for a swing. Francisca's eyes became even wider. (No, wait! What are you do-) she thought desperately, before a solid whack on her backside sent her flying in the air.

"Aaaaaaaggggghhhhh-!" the princess cried out in a strangled gurgle, landing heavily on her back a ways away from where she'd fallen. Moaning, she tried to stand upright, and to her surprise, found that she was able to move again. Confused, she looked at the Grimalkyne who'd hit her, and he nodded back, putting his club away.

"=Numbness. Go away. Need shock. Hit.=" he explained. It took Francisca a few seconds to process what the Lynian said, and when she did, she groaned, partly in pain and partly in annoyance: it appeared that the standard method to recover from paralysis was to send a strong physical shock through the affected person. It did work, but her butt felt sore from the hit, and she suspected she'd have a bruise in the evening.

"Urrgh… couldn't you have been a bit more gentle?" she muttered, rubbing her aching ass as she slowly picked herself up off the ground, still feeling stiff from the gas's effects. She made a mental note to be extremely careful around any and all toads she saw from that point onward. The Lynians, sensing her bad mood, exchanged glances, then gave her a concerned look.

"=Friend. Return?=" they offered, pointing in the direction they had come from. Francisca paused, considering their offer, then shook her head negatively. While the misadventure had somewhat dampened her confidence, she decided to consider it a lesson learned, and elected to press on, curious about the remains of the vanished world's civilization.

"=No. Continue. See. Ruin.=" she replied firmly. The Lynians nodded, and resumed paving the way while she followed. However, this time Francisca chose to pay close attention to her immediate surroundings, and particularly the area directly in front of her.

As the group passed the grass patch Francisca had her amphibian misadventure in, they reached a clearing, and the princess stopped to look around. Almost immediately, she spotted the small beach that Lumiere mentioned earlier, along with a small pond going with it. It was nestled against the giant wall that encompassed the south side of the garden, and looked like it fit perfectly with the scenery.

Scattered across the beach, she also witnessed the second sizable species of creature she'd met thus far: they were bipedal saurians, with sharp beak-like faces, thick and powerful-looking legs, and oddly underdeveloped arms. (These must be the Kestodon,) Francisca thought, remembering Lumiere's earlier words. Observing them from afar, she could not make out all their details, but she could see that some of the Kestodon were bigger, and featured what appeared to be a large bony crest on their heads. (Those must be the males,) Francisca concluded, based on the warning she had been given about Kestodon behavior. (I suppose that head crest helps them ram intruders.)

She watched the small herd – seven individuals in total, three males and four females – for a while longer, noticing that males and females also had different coloration, with males being dark orange and females being light bronze, then elected to press on to the ruins of Astera that awaited ahead. She would have liked to acquire the genes of the Kestodon, as well, but was still wary after the incident with the paratoad, and decided to avoid risking a needless conflict with the local wildlife, and especially with a creature that was known to react violently to the presence of intruders.

As she pressed on ahead, she picked a few new genes up, mostly plants and a couple mushrooms that grew at the edge of the woods to the north. Before long, the rough path she walked on widened in another small clearing, and she spotted what appeared to be the broken, partly burned remains of a giant wooden palisade ahead, covered in severe overgrowth. (This must be the gate to Astera,) she thought, her heart skipping a beat at the sight of the shattered remains of civilization. She cautiously approached the ruined gate, looking for a way past it, and soon spotted a place she could climb to get through the wreckage.

Eventually, Francisca and the Grimalkynes managed to climb, shove and push their way through the tangled mess of broken logs and rampant wild growth, and arrived in what appeared to be the remains of a central plaza. On her left, the princess spotted the broken leftovers of what appeared to be a notice board – a place she'd read about which was a common sight in smaller settlements, where people in need would leave their requests for help, in hopes that someone with the necessary items or skills would be able to fulfill them. Right next to the broken board were the remains of what she assumed, from the presence of a very rusted lock and a bent hinge, was once a large wooden chest. (Probably meant as a delivery point,) Francisca guessed. Looking away from the destroyed items, she observed the rest of her surroundings, cowed into silence by the grim spectacle before her.

Everywhere around her, she could see traces of people once having lived in this place. But she could also see that immense destruction had befallen this settlement. The whole area was covered in a severely damaged wooden floor, and a closer inspection revealed it appeared to have been manufactured from parts of a ship: she could see pieces of hulls, masts and rudders scattered around, all in varying states of disrepair.

Straight ahead from where she had entered Astera, there were a number of locations where the leftover pieces of barrels and boxes littered the floor – probably a storage area for materials – with their content presumably either having long since rotted away, or simply having been destroyed beyond recognition by the catastrophe that annihilated the place.

To the left, past the broken board and chest, she could see shattered tables, and a rotten pile of what, on closer look, appeared to once have been books. She presumed that the area acted as storage for documents and tomes, but to say that time had been unkind to it was an understatement.

She sighed as she slowly walked down the destroyed plaza, in a silence broken only by the sound of the wind. A bit past the area with the rotting books, she spotted what may once have been a small garden, but was now completely overrun with a huge amount of flora, some of which she had seen before, out in the field, while some others she was now seeing for the first time. Amid the unchecked growth, she noticed a few modest tombstones, the inscriptions on them mostly faded. (Lumiere mentioned these. I wonder whose graves they are,) Francisca thought somberly, before murmuring a quick prayer for the departed and moving on.

Further down the plaza's remains, she spied to her right a space with a large broken table and what appeared to be a ship's bow, cannons, and a rusted anchor with a broken chain attached to it, confirming her suspicion that Astera must have been built by scrapping boats and recycling their parts in the construction of the town.

Looking upwards, she gasped as she saw what was definitely a ship – toppled over and almost completely destroyed, but a ship nonetheless – hanging higher up, above an elevated section of Astera, which it had partly crashed down into. For a moment she feared that the wreckage would fall the rest of the way, and on her head, but after a few tense moments, she figured that, if it had remained stable in that position for what was likely decades if not centuries, it was not going to come down anytime soon.

As she stared at the destroyed upper section, Francisca heard a rustling sound, and immediately fell into a crouch, alarmed. She noticed that the Grimalkynes had similarly taken a defensive position, and prepared to flee if necessary. Looking around, she tried to understand where the noise came from. Then, she felt the familiar shock that announced she had acquired new genetic material – only, this time it was markedly stronger than even with the Aptonoth. She began to feel nervous. (What kind of creature would give me a stronger reaction than those giants?) she wondered, anxiously looking around for any trace of danger.

The answer to her unspoken question came soon enough, when a stronger rustling noise was followed by the sound of footsteps, and claws on wood. Then, from a previously-unseen opening in the wrecked walls straight ahead of her, a bizarre figure emerged.

It looked like a bird, at first. It certainly had a large raptorial beak, round beady eyes, and colorful, red-and-yellow feathers on its head. As more of it emerged, she could see the same feathers on its forearms, too, and once it came fully into view, Francisca saw that it had muscular legs and massive, solid clawed feet, clearly designed more to run and leap on the ground, not unlike those of certain flightless birds, or perhaps lizards.

However, that was more or less where the similarities with a bird ended. Rather than be covered in feathers, the creature had a tough, scaly light brown hide, with what appeared to be small black spike-like protrusions on its sides. Its hands, which only had three fingers each ending in a sharp curved claw, appeared to lack a thumb entirely, but had unusually large fingertips, and seemed designed to grasp items inbetween. A large reptilian tail and a ridged dorso completed the saurian-like appearance.

Feeling vulnerable before the unknown creature, Francisca sought cover by slowly creeping towards a nearby pile of broken boxes, hoping that the strange bird-like being would not spot her. Unfortunately, that hope was quickly dashed, as the minute movement at the edge of its vision caught the beast's attention, and its head immediately swiveled to look directly at her. The creature was clearly startled by Francisca's presence, and let out a shrill, ear-piercing 'Kweeeeehh!' cry as it jumped to the side, and away from her position.

The princess tensed, preparing to run if she came under attack, but the unknown creature chose to flee first, taking a huge leap above a small mound of trash, then two more onto, and bouncing off, some broken platforms, and reaching the destroyed upper level in the blink of an eye. Before Francisca could get her bearings, or react in any way, the strange being rushed into the overgrowth surrounding the upper floor's wreckage, and disappeared from sight.

The stunned Francisca remained rooted where she stood, confusedly looking up at the spot where the strange creature had disappeared. She blinked a few times, then looked at her Lynian companions, unsure of what she'd just seen. "What… was that?" she asked, forgetting to speak in the Grimalkyne language in her confusion. However, the tone of her voice made the meaning of her words clear to the two cat-folk.

"=Scratching-Bird=," was the closest Grimalkyne's reply. "=Steal. Eggs. Run.="

Francisca cocked her head, unsure how to decipher the statement. It sounded like that creature was a bird-like being that stole other creatures' eggs, presumably to eat them. She knew from her reading that some birds had no problem eating other species' eggs, so it was likely the same here. She crossed her arms and gave her companions a sharp look. "=Dangerous?=" she asked. The Lynians shook their heads.

"=Scratching-Bird. Cautious. Leave. Alone. Not attack.=" the second Grimalkyne stated. Francisca nodded. (So it won't attack unless I give it reason to. Good to know,) she thought. Looking around, she scanned the surroundings for any more unusual presences, but aside from a few small insects, could find none. Satisfied, she glanced back at her companions. "=Curious. Explore.=" she told them. The cat-folk nodded. Francisca returned the gesture, then turned around and moved towards the opening the bird-like creature had emerged from.

Reaching the hole, she realized it was in fact a ruined doorframe, and past it was a set of rotting stairs leading into what appeared to once have been a room. She paused a bit at the entrance, allowing her eyes to adjust to the low light inside. (Being able to see in near-darkness like a cat is convenient,) she thought. She'd been a little disappointed when she discovered that unlike what she'd always thought, cats couldn't actually see in total darkness, but simply saw very well even with minimal light sources, but even with that limitation, feline low-light vision was still an amazingly useful thing to have.

Cautiously stepping over the rotten stairs, she entered the darkened room and began to look around, intrigued. The place was a mess: broken, barely recognizable furniture littered the floor, with a shattered bed frame being the only thing she could readily identify. Pieces of what was perhaps a box could be seen near it. As she examined the wreckage, the light coming in from the doorframe gleamed off something, and she knelt down amidst the supposed box's remains to see what it was.

The item was an odd contraption, apparently made of both metal – which was surprisingly still in good condition, despite the exposure to the elements – and an unidentified creature's white, slightly yellowing bones, or possibly horns, judging by the curve of the bony parts. Francisca was not entirely sure what its exact use was, but from its general shape and the presence of a complex system of leather strips and hard locks, she had a feeling it was some sort of tool meant to be strapped to one's arm. On a whim, she decided to take it back home with her, and handed it to the Grimalkynes for safekeeping.

Further examination of the room yielded no more finds: the entire area was trashed, and some of the damage looked fresh. She presumed the big bird creature from earlier had been scavenging for food, and caused all the damage. Shaking her head in resignation, she waved at her companions. "=Empty. Done. Return.=" she told them. Both Lynians nodded, and the trio left the room. As they walked to the ruins' exit, Francisca made a small detour to the untended graves, and offered one more prayer to the departed. Then, after one last look at the dead settlement, she turned around and walked away from the destroyed plaza, beginning the return trip to Rianobed.

=O=O=

It didn't take long at all for the princess and her companions to make it back to the Rianobed camp. Since she'd already seen everything she wanted to for the time being, Francisca wasted no time in detours or observations. She still chose to steer clear of the Kestodon, not feeling confident enough to approach the territorial herbivores just yet, and before long, she was once more walking into the clearing the base camp was in.

Her sudden appearance startled Rowena, who had been sitting at the table, apparently deeply focused on the content of an unfamiliar book. The surprise on the maid's face quickly turned to relief as she saw the princess, and she hastily shoved a bookmark made of pressed grass into the page she was reading and shut the book before getting up from her chair and jogging over to Francisca. The commotion caused Lumiere, who had been lounging around in the tent, to look outside, and upon seeing the three explorers were back, she also joined them.

"Welcome back, Princess!" Rowena exclaimed, clearly relieved and overjoyed to see her liege back safe and sound. "I trust that you enjoyed your excursion?"

"You could say that, yes," Francisca replied with a nod. "I managed to gather quite a bit of genetic data to work on… also, I admit..." she added, glancing at Lumiere. "Vigorwasps were nothing like what I was expecting. You were right… I feel silly for being afraid of them now."

See? I won't say 'I told you so', but… actually, I'll say it. I told you so, the older woman commented with a smug smile. Vigorwasps have that effect on everyone. They imagine the Shroud only knows what – probably some winged, eldritch horror from their worst nightmares... and then they just find a fuzzy, cute, round… thing… that looks like it can't hurt a fly. She crossed her arms. With that aside, though, how was your first expedition? Exciting, right?

"Yes, it was a lot of fun," Francisca agreed with a smile. "I managed to get close enough to the Aptonoth to touch one. It didn't seem to mind. Also, uh… I kind of stepped on a paratoad while on the road to Astera," she admitted, blushing. Lumiere stared at her for a second before she burst out laughing.

Pfffhahahaha! You stepped on a paratoad? That's some bad luck! She chortled. Getting her snickering back under control, the tall woman looked at the princess. Not pleasant, was it? I assume your feline friends bumped you out of it when you got paralyzed, then, she added with a grin. Francisca blushed and involuntarily rubbed her still-tender ass. Rowena looked at her, flabbergasted.

"Wait, wait… what did the Grimalkynes do, precisely?" she asked, dreading the answer. Lumiere chuckled before answering.

Paralysis from the paratoad's gas wears off over time, but can take a while and leaves the victim defenseless against other threats, she explained. But a long time ago, someone figured out that a strong enough physical shock will give the affected person's body enough of an adrenaline surge that the paralysis will lose effectiveness. The simplest way to get this done is with a good whack to the affected person using a blunt instrument. She snickered again, pointing at Francisca's rear. From the way she's rubbing her backside, I assume the Lynians gave her a paddling to shock her out of the paralysis. She resumed laughing merrily, while Rowena violently paled.

"P-paddling?! On the Princess's-" she stammered, outraged at the disrespect to her mistress. Before she could launch herself into a verbal lashing to the cat-folk, however, Francisca laid a hand on her shoulder, shaking her head. Rowena paused, feeling her anger evaporate. "M-milady, I just-" she attempted to explain, only to be shushed by the princess.

"Shhh. I know what you're thinking, but this really was my fault," she patiently explained. "I was distracted from looking around at the scenery, and didn't pay attention to my surroundings as I should have. All things considered, this could have gone much worse."

"But-" Rowena protested again, and Francisca cut her off once more.

"I said it's all right, didn't I? Please let it go," she insisted. "I personally am happy with the Grimalkyne's escort. At no point was I unsafe, even when we ran into that weird bird-like creature in Astera."

Rowena sighed, then relented, seeing that the princess would not budge on this matter. However, Francisca's words caught Lumiere's attention, and she gave her an interested look. What bird-like creature, if you don't mind me asking? She inquired. Francisca paused, rubbing her chin.

"Ah? Hmm… It was a weird beast with colorful plumes and some pretty sharp claws… Ah, it's faster to just show you," she sighed, shaking her head. Immediately afterwards, she dropped out of her Grimalkyne form, and the extra features on her – namely, tail and cat ears – turned to a white, misty smoke before being apparently reabsorbed by her as her own body flowed back to its original human shape.

Standing beside the princess, Rowena managed to avoid flinching as she watched the transformation. While she'd seen it plenty since she had been transported inside the book's world, and it had become a bit easier to watch over time, there was still something unsettling in the way Francisca's flesh flowed from one form to another, and also in the way any extra body part that didn't belong turned into what appeared to be smoke and was then simply reabsorbed into her. She had worriedly asked the princess if it hurt, but the answer she'd gotten was negative. According to Francisca, it just tingled.

Unaware of the thought that went through her maid's head, Francisca took a deep breath after returning to her human appearance, and then searched for the information she'd gotten off the mysterious bird. She quickly found it, and proceeded to go through the same motions she did with the Grimalkyne genes.

As the change began, she immediately noticed it felt a little different. Where the change into the hybrid Lynian form gave her a tingling sensation, this one made her feel more like a wave of restlessness was washing over her. She unconsciously shifted her weight from one foot to the other as her body changed, and abruptly felt heavier as a long, thick tail, much different than that of her Felyne form, sprouted out of her lower back. She instinctively lurched forward to balance herself out, and idly noticed that her legs felt heavier – and stronger – as well.

A glance downward confirmed her guess: she now sported a pair of large three-toed feet covered in tough scales, featuring extremely sharp claws, similar to the ones on the 'scratching bird', as the Lynians called it. At a closer glance, she could definitely tell that these looked more like the feet of certain running lizards than those of a bird. The claws on the feet looked even more menacing than the ones on her Lynian form, and the muscular, developed upper legs that came with them made it pretty obvious that a kick from these feet could have serious, if not fatal, consequences on the target.

She then felt a strange tugging sensation in her arms, and a quick look revealed that clumps of bright, yellow-and-red feathers had grown out of her forearms, while her human hands had been replaced by three-fingered hands with large finger tips and no opposable thumb. Despite the lack of a thumb, however, she somehow felt confident she could grasp objects pretty well. The hands too, were heavily protected by thick scales and sported sharp claws. Francisca began to have a suspicion of why the Grimalkynes called it 'scratching bird'.

She could not see herself at the moment, but remembering what the bird-creature had looked like, and knowing that the same tugging sensation she felt in her arms was now present on top of her head, she guessed that feathers had grown out of her scalp, as well. Looking down at her body, she also noted that the armor she was wearing just barely fit around her now much thicker hips, and her skin color had changed to a light brown hue, similar to the creature she was replicating.

She patiently waited for the change to finish, fidgeting a bit as the sense of restlessness persisted, until finally she felt it fade, and knew the transformation was complete. Tentatively, she tried to move her tail, and winced as she heard a sharp crack from behind her when it impacted one of the stump seats around the table. Glancing at it, she was impressed to see that her accidental tail whip had left a dent in the hard wood, and began to keep track of Rowena's position at all times, not wanting to accidentally hurt her. Straightening up a little, she felt the weight of her tail drag her backwards, and realized she would have to remain lurching forward a bit while in the current form, or risk falling over.

Finally, she looked at Lumiere, and was surprised to see a puzzled and perplexed expression on the older woman's face. She blinked, wondering what the problem was. "Uh… Lumiere? Why are you staring at me like that?" she asked. When she received no answer, she raised her voice a little. "Hello? Lumiere?"

The sudden rise in volume was enough to get the older woman's attention, and she shifted, briefly looking embarrassed for having been caught zoning out, before giving Francisca an interested look. Sorry, I was just thinking. You say you met this creature in Astera? She asked. At Francisca's nod, she cocked her head, intrigued. Interesting. I had no idea a Kulu was nesting in this forest. I was sure there was only one Wyvern…

Francisca blinked. "Um. Wait," she asked, weirded out by the implications of Lumiere's words. "Are you saying that this..." she pointed at herself. "...is a Wyvern? Not some sort of bird monster?"

Yes. Specifically, the monster you've become is a Kulu-Ya-Ku, a species of Bird Wyvern, she explained. They are largely harmless unless you attack them. They steal eggs from the nests of other medium and large sized creatures, since egg yolk is their favorite food, though they can also eat fish, fruits and other such things if needed. She held a finger to her lips, thinking with her eyes downcast. They're normally found in the Wildlands down below. One must have somehow snuck in the last time Rianobed was on the surface. I've long since suspected there has to be some sort of passage linking the garden to the outside, but have had no luck finding it… It's possible that other Wyverns snuck in through it, too.

She shook her head, shrugging. Well, no matter. At least now I am aware of its presence. Looking up, she gave Francisca a sharp glance, smiling. At any rate, congratulations. You attained your first Wyvern form. So, how does it feel? Kind of different from when you're using a Lynian's, right?

The princess paused at that question, examining the new sensations her body gave her. All in all, she could feel many little things that combined to make this form a much different experience than before. For one, the body's balance was heavily affected by the huge reptilian tail coming out of her lower back, and the added weight required her to visibly lean her torso forward to compensate. This resulted in her looming over anyone who happened to be shorter than she was, which she imagine could come across as a pretty threatening appearance.

Also, her eyesight was less sharp than before. She had gotten so used to the Grimalkyne form's enhanced perception that the comparatively more modest visual from the Kulu-Ya-Ku's eyes felt disappointingly mundane. She did, however, notice that she seemed to pick up movements within her field of view much more accurately.

The most noticeable change, however – at least to her – was the sizable increase of mass in her hips and thighs. Francisca had previously been on the slender side, although she was also naturally busty, and that body shape had transitioned to her Grimalkyne form, but this new shape, for some reason, brought with it a meatier build, with a slight but visible increase in her abdominal size and a drastic, much more visible gain of hip, thigh and calf thickness – giving her what some would overall call 'child-bearing hips'. Ironically, the increased size everywhere else made her breasts look comparatively a little smaller than before.

She was not sure what brought this specific change on, although she could guess it had something to do with the Bird Wyvern's legs being thicker than those of a human, but between it and the draft she distinctly felt on her nether region due to the now slightly larger gap between her thighs, she felt it was more than just a little embarrassing. Instinctively, the princess lowered her tail a bit to ease the awkwardness of feeling fresh air flowing over her secret places. Noticing the movement, Lumiere couldn't help but snicker a bit.

Just in case you forgot, you no longer have fur over most of your body, she informed her in a teasing tone. You might want to be a little careful when using that form in the future. No one here cares, but once you return home, you could end up flashing everyone behind you by accident if you raise your tail just a little bit too much… Her snickering turned into a stifled laugh. Of course, this could also be an enticing thing to show to a man whose attention you want to have...

Francisca didn't answer, but the sudden darkening of her light brown skintone made it abundantly clear to any onlooker that she was blushing horribly. Behind her, Rowena frowned, making a sound of disapproval. "Lady Lumiere. Please, some decorum! Don't suggest such indecent things…" she protested.

Lumiere's answer was a raised eyebrow and a genuinely puzzled expression. I'm not sure I see the logic in that statement. Since time immemorial, males and females of all species have been trying various things, more or less sexual, to entice each other, she pointed out. I don't see anything wrong in using the Shard's chimeric power to secure a mate. If that is what Francisca wants to do with it, she can. That's all there is to it. Besides, she added with a shrug, the mamono in your world have absolutely no qualms using such methods to lure in men they like, and human women are left in the dust, are they not? A little turnabout seems like fair play to me. Let them taste what it's like to be completely outclassed, for once.

"T-that… is true," Rowena admitted, feeling defeated. Officially, the Order's teachings claimed that mamono were horrific man-eating monsters, who lured men in with a vulnerable form and then devoured them, body and soul. However, the rumor going around in some circles was that the purpose for which mamono abducted humans was, much more mundanely, reproduction. Many claimed to have seen mamono in the middle of wantonly coupling with men they seized, and some were spotted living in their captors' lairs, with their offspring running about.

In a way, that was a much more sinister threat than the simple chance of dying. No one wanted to die, so fighting against such a fate was easy, but refusing the lure of inhuman pleasures was much, much harder, and the mamono seemed to know that. As did the Order, if their attempts to keep this rumor suppressed were any indication.

"If you two are done talking about seducing men, I have a question," Francisca spoke up, wanting to change the subject as quickly as possible. Turning around, she held her hands out to the closest Grimalkyne, and the cat-folk, understanding the implicit request, took the mysterious object the princess salvaged in the ruins of Astera out of a small bundle on its back. Francisca took it, idly taking note of the ease with which, even without opposable thumbs, she could comfortably grasp a large item while in her current form, then presented it to Lumiere. "Do you, by any chance, know what this is?"

Oh? You found a slinger, I see. In good condition, even, she remarked as she took the object, somewhat surprised. I was sure I had taken all useful items out of Astera's ruins. I guess I must have missed something.

"It was in some kind of room in the back of the plaza," Francisca specified. Lumiere's expression clouded over.

Ah, that… must have been that young Fifth Fleet Hunter's room, she murmured, saddened. A good kid. Talented, too. He and his Palico – a type of Lynian that adapted to partner up with human Hunters and speak their language – were reported killed in action when a Zorah Magdaros died in the crossfire between the warring Elder Dragons, and released all its bioenergy at once, reducing a chunk of the New World to a blasted desert. She sighed mournfully. No one found the bodies, but… well… the conflagration leveled mountains and changed the geography of the New World. I doubt there could be a corpse left after that… and they, as always, were in the thick of things.

The older woman gazed at the slinger for a few moments, then scratched her head, closing her eyes. Come to think of it, I never did find out what happened to that kid's Handler, either, or the First Fleet Admiral and his Palico. They went off on a side mission, and should have been far from the destruction that befell most of the New World… well, given what happened in the end, they've got to be dead, too.

"What's a Handler?" Rowena asked, curious. Lumiere glanced at her.

Handlers were… basically non-combatant partners to Hunters who participated in the Research Commission's exploration of the New World, she explained. They took care of things like managing mission information and objectives, preparing meals for the Hunters, categorizing and ordering the results of investigations of the ecosystem during expeditions, and generally were handymen capable of performing any and all tasks not related to actual combat, hunting and capture. She smirked. In a way, you're Francisca's Handler, Rowena.

"I, uh… that's a good thing, right?" the maid asked, unsure. Lumiere nodded, her smirk becoming a genuine smile.

Yes, it was meant as a teasing compliment, she reassured the blonde haired girl. Handlers were very, very reliable partners to Hunters. To be compared to one is to have your reliability and trustworthiness acknowledged. A Palico may look out for a Hunter's well-being in a fight, but a Handler will take care of them in any other situation.

Rowena beamed with pride at those words, happy that her devotion to her mistress was being lauded. Francisca smiled, too, pleased by the praise to her loyal retainer. The princess's attention then returned to the odd object, and she frowned. "Perhaps I should have left this item where I found it?" she questioned, looking uneasy. "I would rather not disturb the dead by taking their belongings…"

Lumiere waved away her doubts with a gesture. Ah, don't worry about that. The Commission's Hunters would want you to take anything you might need, she reassured the princess. The Commission did use currency and have merchants, but for the most part it was just meant to be either an incentive to do well during an assignment, or a way to gauge the merits of a trade, and Hunters didn't mind sharing the fruits of their labor after a hunt anyway.

"If you think it's all right…" Francisca acquiesced. She then gave the slinger a curious glance. "So, how does it work?"

Don't worry about it for the time being, Lumiere advised her. I'll show you a few books on the subject, but you have to understand that these tools were made for Hunter use, and Hunters were, to put it simply, superhuman. Your average Hunter could probably beat down your average Hero of the Order anyday. She shook her head, spreading her arms wide. Using those tools without a well-trained body is a good way to hurt yourself, badly. It may not be relevant in your current astral body, but if you try while in your real one…

"Ah… yeah, I can see how it might be unwise," Francisca murmured, looking a little sudbued. She then perked up. "At any rate, I'm exhausted, now that I think about it. I'm going to go take a nice, long bath. And after that, I want to take a closer look at all the new information I gathered with the Shard…"

"That sounds like a good idea, Princess," Rowena agreed. "I will go get some appropriate scented oils and a change of clothes ready. Will mundane indoor clothing suffice?"

"Yes, something humble and comfortable would be perfect," the princess nodded. "Ah, don't choose anything that I might want to keep. I may decide to experiment with the Shard, and it would be a shame if I accidentally ripped something nice-looking to pieces in the process."

"Understood. I'll be sure to pick something relatively expendable," the maid confirmed. She offered a respectful bow, then quickly left the camp, heading inside Rianobed and disappearing from view. Left alone with Lumiere, Francisca glanced at her, looking thoughtful. She then extended her currently-clawed hand at the older woman.

"Would you mind joining me in the bath? I'd like to ask you a few questions about Astera and its history, if you don't mind…" she asked quietly. Lumiere gave her a surprised glance, then smiled and nodded.

"Of course. It would be my pleasure to speak of the brave ones I met in the past, and ensure they are remembered," she graciously accepted. The two women then walked off, chatting animatedly with each other.

Left behind, the two forgotten Grimalkynes looked at each other, then shrugged. "=Return. Home?=" one asked. The other nodded. The two cat-folk turned around and ran off, and before long, the base camp was empty and quiet.

==Chapter 2: Wyvern (End)==

((A/N: And that's a wrap on chapter 2. Next one will reveal a few more interesting tidbits on the exact nature of the Shard's power, and will also feature the first appearance of an Elder Dragon. Won't spoil which one, though. After that, it's finally back to Lescatie. "The night, and the dream, were long…"

Hopefully, this was an enjoyable chapter. Also, I am open to suggestions: I have a clear storyline in mind, but don't mind accommodating ideas if they're good and don't conflict with what I have planned. Feel free to leave such in the reviews. Also, if there's anything at all that seems off, please feel free to also comment on it in the reviews. Constructive criticism is how I improve, after all. Thanks for reading, and see you next chapter!

Author out.))

Chapter Text

((A/N: Aye, siwmae. And good day to you, readers.

This is the longest chapter so far, and it came out very late on FFNet and TFT. Between real life annoying me, the coof annoying me, and my chronic perfectionism forcing me to rewrite entire sections of this chapter, it took far, far longer to complete Chapter 3 than planned. It's my longest chapter so far, as well – according to LibreOffice, it clocks in at 84 pages and over 32,000 words.

I don't have much to say about this chapter, although several events in it are set-up pieces for later ones. We also get to meet the first Elder Dragon, and perhaps learn a little more of the lore I have been creating for this fanfic. As usual, feel free to review. Both questions and constructive criticism are welcome.

That's about it for my rambling. Now, on to the chapter!

Author out.))

==Chapter 3: Bond==

==One month later==

"Butter, flour, eggs…" Rowena murmured as she busily rummaged through the kitchen for ingredients. Opening a cupboard, she reached for a jar, and frowned as she held it up, eyeing its content – or rather, its lack thereof. "Ah, we're out of honey…" she muttered in annoyance. Turning around, she spotted Lumiere, seated at the far end of a nearby table, and raised her voice. "Lady Lumiere, could I ask you for a favor?"

The tall woman looked up from the tea she had been sipping, and nodded. Of course. What is it you need? She answered. Rowena held up the empty jar for her to see.

"I'm baking a honey cake, but we're out of honey. If it's not too much of a bother, could you collect some from the garden?" she explained, bowing her head in apology. "I'm sorry to impose… I would go myself, but I'm still gathering the rest of the ingredients. Also, to be honest, I am probably not quick enough to avoid getting stung while doing it."

Don't worry, it is no bother. I'll gladly run this errand, Lumiere replied as she got up from her seat. Walking up to the kitchen counter, she grabbed the jar and gave Rowena a questioning look. How much exactly do you need, or should I just fill the entire jar?

Rowena paused and thought about that. "Hm. Filling the entire jar would be best, I suppose. That way, if I need more than expected, it is available," she answered. Lumiere nodded and turned around, heading for the kitchen's exit. As she walked, she glanced back at the maid.

You know, I've never eaten a honey cake, she mentioned. I admit I am curious about what it tastes like. Do you need regular honey, or will vigor honey work too?

Rowena paused again, pondering. "Huh… vigor honey would actually work better. That lemony aftertaste it has would add flavor to the cake," she murmured. Looking at Lumiere over her shoulder, she held up a finger. "Get vigor honey, if you would, please." With that, the maid returned her attention to the ingredients spread out before her. Lumiere nodded, before turning around and exiting the dining hall.

As she crossed the door, she felt the jar being forcefully pulled from her hand, and a familiar, if somewhat distorted voice spoke up. "Give me that," it said, its speech pattern marred by a faint buzzing. Looking at her side, Lumiere paused.

Before her stood Francisca, though had anyone else but Lumiere or Rowena been the ones looking at her, they'd barely, if at all, have recognized her. Her normally fleshy body was currently covered in golden-colored chitin, though there were patches and gaps where the underlying softer tissue could be seen, mostly on the torso, upper legs and upper arms – the latter of which she currently had two pairs of. The distinctly insect-like exoskeleton appeared hard, but a closer look revealed it to instead be very flexible. Starting from her lower back, the characteristic chitinous abdomen of a hymenopteran protruded from her, extending for roughly the same length as her torso, and giving her an even more bee-like appearance, an impression aided by her waist appearing thinner than in her human form, although there was a distinct lack of a stinger anywhere.

Her hands were similarly armored, and sported four fingers each, whose tips were visibly pointy and sharp. Both forearms and lower legs were covered in fuzz, giving her limbs a fluffy appearance, though Francisca found that the fur-like material actually felt rather rough at the touch. Some of that same fuzz was also present around her neck, giving the impression of a thin fur cover. Her normally green eyes were instead solid gold, with no white in sight, and a closer look would have revealed them to be composite rather than normal eyes, though in her case it was much harder to spot than with an actual insect. A pair of antennae and two pairs of transparent gossamer wings completed the bee-like appearance – although, in truth, that was the appearance borne of the vigorwasp's genes. The only thing fully unchanged of her regular appearance, aside from the color of the skin seen under the chitin, was her hair, which was still a deep purple color – and still rebelliously formed into a drill shape at the tips.

Most notable at the moment, though, was the unusual size of the transformed princess's chest. Her breasts, which were by no means small even in her natural form, were currently swollen to nearly twice their usual size, and rather than the pale flesh color the rest of her soft tissue sported, they were semi-transparent and veering towards a greenish tint from being stretched by their content: a sizable amount of richly green-colored vigor honey. Curiously, her rump – which was conspicuously chitin-free and whose flesh was entirely exposed – had also become more rotund and thick in this form, though this shapely improvement seemed unrelated to the honey buildup.

Good morning to you, too, Lumiere greeted Francisca, eyeing her curiously. The princess had been experimenting with several genes in the past month, with variable results, but she had been particularly ambivalent about insectile forms, hesitating to take them. For that reason, seeing her in a hybrid insect-based form, particularly that of a flying insect, was unusual to say the least. The older woman cocked her head, then pointed at the jar. Um… just so you know, Rowena asked me to get some honey from-

"I know. I heard," Francisca replied, the buzzing quality in her speech giving her words an almost musical feel. She then popped the jar open and brought it to her lips, parting them open. Her brows furrowed, then her breasts rippled, for lack of a better term, and a thick flow of lemon-scented honey escaped from her mouth, and into the empty jar.

As the jar filled, her swollen breasts deflated slightly from losing part of their content, and their skin lost part of its transparency, its green tint fading a bit. Francisca continued to regurgitate the honey she'd collected in her bosom until the jar had been filled, then replaced the lid and offered it back to Lumiere, absentmindedly wiping a strand of honey left dangling from her lips with her fingers before licking it back up.

The older woman didn't immediately take the offered container, instead staring at her with a mix of surprise and appreciation. She then took the jar back, and gave the princess a lopsided smile. Well… that saves me a trip to the garden. Thank you, she admitted, sounding impressed. You know… I'm amazed at how quickly you've taken to using the Shard's power for mundane purposes such as this one. You really are a natural… it's as if you were meant for this. She raised an eyebrow. I admit I'm a little surprised, though. Seeing you in that form is… unexpected. You hate flying insects, after all.

Francisca glanced at the older woman, then looked down at her two pairs of hands, opening and closing them in a rhythm with a thoughtful expression on her face. "...I do loathe flying bugs, yes," she admitted, sighing. Lumiere gestured at the princess's transformed body with her free hand.

Then, why…? She asked, curious. The princess's fear of flying insects was genuine, of that she was sure. But ever since she'd persuaded her to try taking on a hybrid vigorwasp form, she caught her using that shape more and more often, and was curious about why the younger woman would willingly take the form of something she detested.

Francisca didn't answer. Or rather, she didn't answer with words. Instead, she glanced at her pale-skinned companion and let her transparent wings vibrate several times. Lumiere smiled, understanding, and nodded. I see. I should have imagined it was that, she acknowledged.

It was a simple answer, really. Truthfully, when Lumiere had persuaded Francisca to at least give an insect form a try, the princess was sure she would have hated every minute of it. And admittedly, after she shifted to the hybrid vigorwasp form she was currently in for the first time and caught a glimpse of it in a mirror, it had made her queasy. But all of that was wiped away when she finally got to fulfill a childhood dream of hers.

Flight.

It was nothing special. The form she was in was way too cumbersome to swiftly glide in the skies the way a bird would – for that, she would need a form based on an actual bird, or a similar agile flier. But even this form, which slowly hovered in the air and could barely clear the top of a small tree, was an amazing experience to her.

It was likely possible to obtain magical items, or have spells cast upon oneself, that would do the same thing. But flying through magical means, Francisca suspected, was nothing like flying through one's own power. The first time she took off, she barely managed to hover above Rowena's head, and advanced very slowly, at about a very leisurely walk's pace. But even that was enough to nearly make her heart burst with excitement and elation. She could feel it. Every beat of her wings, the gentle breeze all around her, even the effort to stay afloat… It was all exhilarating. She only managed to fly for a short few minutes, and was completely exhausted by the unfamiliar activity, but she would have done it again in the blink of an eye.

And she did – many times. Over the past month, she often snuck out alone in the garden, just so she could quietly hover around the glade where the Aptonoth fed, doing nothing in particular besides peacefully buzzing around. She never went very far from Rianobed's entrance, but distance didn't matter. It was the experience of flying, itself, that she craved.

It was also during one of those many outings that she'd begun to produce honey. She'd approached a vitalily after spending a fair amount of time fluttering about, feeling worn out and seeking some refreshment, and had quickly licked up and swallowed the flower's invigorating nectar. To her surprise, though, rather than the usual effect of dispelling her weariness, her body proceeded to process and refine the nectar, and before she'd known it, her breasts swelled with honey, leaving her feeling very confused, very bloated, somewhat embarrassed at the sudden bountiful bosom she attained in the process, and pondering if that was how vigorwasps felt when they were carrying those heavy-looking sacs around.

She also wasn't entirely sure where all the stored honey went when she changed out of the vigorwasp form without getting rid of it, but preferred not to think about it too hard. Sometimes, the Ultimate Chimera's power worked in mysterious ways, indeed.

A discreet cough from Lumiere caused Francisca to snap out of her reminiscing mood, and she glanced at the older woman with embarrassment. Lumiere didn't seem offended by her distraction, though, and offered the princess a friendly smile as she held up the filled jar. I'll go ahead and deliver this honey to Rowena, she told the younger girl. I assume you're going to relax and take a bath?

Francisca shook her head. "Not just yet," she replied, lightly touching her breasts. "First, I need to put away the remaining honey I have. I've been collecting it for a rainy day in one of the empty storerooms… perhaps the kitchen's pantry would be a more fitting storage, though."

It would, yes, Lumiere nodded in agreement. She then gave the princess a curious look. You could also ask Rowena for help in storing the honey. Why do it all by yourself?

"...it's embarrassing," Francisca admitted, pursing her lips as she looked at her swollen bosom again. "Having my breasts grow like this and fill with honey feels and sounds… lewd. It's something I'd expect from a mamono, you know?"

Lumiere frowned at that statement, rubbing her chin as she gave Francisca a pensive look. Hmm. About that… she began, then seemed to change her mind and shook her head. No, let's save that for later. For now, go and do whatever you need to. I'll drop by the bath when the cake is ready, if you aren't done yet.

"Thank you. I can't wait to taste Rowena's honey cake," Francisca replied with a smile. "It'll be my first time tasting it – or any homemade cake, really. My actual body disagreed with sweets, you see." Her smile widened. "Rowena would always promise me that she'd bake me her favorite cake when I got better. I'm glad that she hasn't forgotten that promise. I've been looking forward to it." She giggled. "Never thought my wish would come true this way, though…"

Hmhmhm. Life has a habit of throwing unexpected situations at you, Lumiere commented with a chuckle of her own. Well, I'm off. I'll see you later.

Francisca nodded, then stepped around the taller woman and headed down the corridor and towards the stairs leading to the first floor's bedrooms. After a few steps, her wings began to flutter rapidly and she started hovering about twenty centimeters off the floor, opting to float the rest of the way rather than walk. The older woman watched her for a few moments, then chuckled again, shaking her head in amusement. That girl really loves to fly, huh, she murmured before turning and reentering the dining room.

As the pale-skinned woman approached the kitchen counter, Rowena heard her footsteps and looked up, surprised. "Ah… you have returned already, Lady Lumiere? That was surprisingly quick!" she exclaimed, impressed at the speed at which the errand was completed. Lumiere handed her the filled honey jar, and the maid accepted it with a grateful smile. She then cast a puzzled glance towards the dining room's entrance. "Um… it's odd, but I could have sworn I heard the Princess's voice earlier. Was she, by any chance, outside…?"

She was, Lumiere confirmed. She then pointed at the jar. In fact, she's the one who gave me that honey. That's why I got this errand done so quickly.

Rowena blinked in confusion. "Pardon…? The Princess gave you this? Was she out collecting honey?" she asked, somewhat alarmed. "That's… a bit dangerous. I'm not sure she should do such things…"

Lumiere shook her head, a smirk twisting her lips. No, no. You misunderstand, she explained, resisting the urge to laugh. What I meant was, she made that honey herself. You know, with that vigorwasp hybrid form she's been using lately.

Rowena blinked again, then her eyes widened and she stared at the honey-filled jar, then back at Lumiere. "M-made it herself?! T-this is... the Princess's very own honey?!" she stammered as she realized what she was holding. At Lumiere's amused nod, the maid looked down at the jar again, briefly hesitating, then swiftly cracked the container open and dipped a finger in the thick syrupy substance inside. She raised the honey-coated digit to her lips, an intense blush adorning her cheeks, then quickly slurped all the gooey fluid up, licking her finger clean. "...It's good. Sweet and lemony..." she murmured as she finished.

...I'm not going to ask what you're thinking that'd make you blush like this while eating honey, Lumiere commented, shaking her head at the maid's antics. But please, refrain from consuming all of it. You do have a cake to bake, after all.

Rowena replaced the lid on the jar and ruthlessly squashed the temptation to eat more of the delicious vigor honey. "I-I know that! I wasn't giving in to gluttony or anything..." she muttered in embarrassment. She then looked at the ingredients she'd lined up on the kitchen counter, and a determined expression lit up her face. "Please leave it to me. I'll be sure to make this the best cake I've ever baked in my life. It won't disappoint, I promise."

Lumiere nodded. I'll look forward to it, then. For now, I think I will go talk with Francisca, she replied as she walked off. There are a few topics I'd like to address with her, and it looks like baking this cake will be a time-consuming task.

"Yes, it will take all morning at the very least," Rowena confirmed as she checked the intensity of the fire within the kitchen's oven and added a few more pieces of firewood. "I'd love to join you and the Princess in your talks, but I'm afraid I will need to monitor the cake's progress constantly to ensure it doesn't burn up or undercook." She glanced at the older woman. "Please return around noon. I will let you know how it's progressing."

Right. I will leave you to it, then, Lumiere concluded. She waved a hand in farewell, then left the dining room, leaving Rowena to fully focus on her task. The maid rolled up her sleeves, blazing enthusiasm visible in her eyes as she earnestly busied herself around the kitchen.

She would definitely make sure the first cake the princess ever tasted would be a memorable one.

=O=O=

A few minutes later, Francisca entered the hot spring bath area, humming to herself with a pleased look on her face. Getting rid of the remaining honey had been a quick affair, since she'd given up a sizable amount of it for Rowena's use. After that, she'd selected some comfortable house clothes, and quickly made her way to the spring. She was looking forward to a long, relaxing dip while she waited for Rowena to finish her cake; from her knowledge on the subject matter, gleaned from the many books on the subject she'd read, it would take a good while for the sweet treat to be ready for consumption.

As the princess walked towards the water, a familiar voice greeted her. Ah, there you are. I was wondering when you would show up. Come here, let us talk a bit, Lumiere invited her from her sitting position near a large rock, motioning for a space next to her. Francisca paused, then nodded, changing direction and heading towards the older woman. Soon enough, the two were seated besides each other, enjoying the warm water with eyes closed and a blissful expression adorning their faces. Eventually, though, Lumiere broke the silence.

So… if you don't mind me asking, how come you've been using the vigorwasp's form and not one of the other flying shapes you attained? She inquired, curious. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you should have both omenflies and flutterflies available as options…

Francisca nodded. "I do, and I tried them. But for some reason, they make me even less comfortable than the vigorwasp," she explained. "The butterfly-like form I get off the flutterflies moves even slower than the vigorwasp, and the way it sways during flight makes me a little queasy, not to mention I feel extremely vulnerable. And omenflies… um… are really disturbing. My whole body feels squishy and slimy… and the way I can bend and twist when using that form is, well, extremely creepy."

Hm. I suppose a soft invertebrate's body would be upsetting to someone used to a human form, Lumiere conceded. She then rubbed her chin, looking pensive. You know, it might be time for you to aim at one of the larger fliers. Mernos is the logical choice if you want actual flight, but if you just want gliding capabilities, the Wyvern I mentioned to you a while back would work.

"What's a Mernos?" Francisca asked, curious. Lumiere glanced at her as she leaned back against the rock behind her.

A wingdrake. You might have seen some flying among the trees near the ruins of Astera – they sort of look like a cross between large birds and lizards, with bluish skin, yellow scales, flat-tipped tails and a really peculiar hatchet-shaped head, she explained. Despite their size, they prefer forested environments, and are very adept at avoiding obstacles.

Francisca's eyes lit up in recognition. "Ah, those! I did see them from afar during my outings, but they looked dangerous, so I kept my distance," she said. "Should I have taken the chance instead?"

Lumiere nodded. Mernos are completely harmless, she explained. Even if you attack them, they'll just flee to a higher level, or if they're in an open area, they'll travel to a safer one. They're herbivores – scatternuts are their staple food. The older woman held a finger up, smirking. If you're handy with a slinger, you can even catch them with a rope as they fly away and use them as transportation. She gave her a warning look. Don't cling to them too long, however. If they get tired, they'll fall to the ground like a stone, and you'll join them in that fall. It can be quite unpleasant.

Francisca hummed, looking thoughtful. "I see. I might have to get a wingdrake form sometime soon… I'm sure flying like they do would be even more amazing," she murmured, an excited light shining in her eyes. She then looked up at Lumiere. "What about that Wyvern you mentioned, though? You say it can glide…"

Ah, Tobi-Kadachi? It's… hm. Are you familiar with giant flying squirrels? I'm not sure they even exist in your world… the pale-skinned woman asked, scratching her cheek with a finger. At any rate, it's a Fanged Wyvern. It looks like a cross between a snake, a lizard and a squirrel, with white fur on its back. Oh, and it can shock you.

Francisca blinked at that last remark. "Pardon…?" she asked, unsure she heard that right. Lumiere giggled.

It can shock you. Its fur can charge itself with static shocks, and Tobi-Kadachi can release them at will through its body, she clarified. You'll probably be able to do the same thing when assuming its form, since it's basically its signature ability.

"I… uh, that sounds… impressive. And painful," Francisca murmured, somewhat unnerved at the idea of being able to electrocute others. She then perked up, appearing to remember something. "Speaking of which, I had a question about forms, as well," she mentioned. Lumiere gave her an attentive yet curious look, and she continued. "I've been thinking and… I have this impression that every hybrid form I assume is, how do I put it… hmm…"

Lewd? The taller woman interjected bluntly, causing Francisca to pause in surprise before slowly nodding.

"Y-Yes… I couldn't help but notice that all my chimerizations so far seem to, um… emphasize my body a lot," she admitted, looking down at her currently very normal, but none-the-less very lovely, bosom, which was partly submerged by water but still visible and undoubtedly rather delightful to look at for those with appreciation for the female figure. She brushed her fingers across the wet, naked flesh of her upper breasts. "I… well, it's not that I don't like feeling sexy. To be honest, I've been having a lot of fun trying some of the racier outfits you gathered for me. But…" she sighed deeply, an act which caused her submerged breasts to move in interesting ways in the water. "...there's feeling sexy, and there's being outright lewd. And at times, it's really hard to see any difference between my body and a mamono's…"

Lumiere gave her a long, pondering look before answering. Hmm. So what's the problem? She asked plainly. Francisca blinked.

"Um? I mean… isn't that bad?" she asked, confused by Lumiere's apparent lack of concern. The older woman's answer was to shake her head negatively.

Look, I'll speak plainly, so forgive my language, she stated, raising an eyebrow. Do you feel a need to push down, mount and rape a man? Or to corrupt a woman into a monstrous, slutty parody of herself? She frowned, still speaking. You don't, right? If you look like a mamono but don't act like one, then I really don't see what the concern is. She then shrugged, ignoring the blush that had been spreading on Francisca's cheeks as she spoke. I'll be frank: it's actually entirely possible that you may sometimes experience a heightened sex drive, and an urge to be intimate with a man, while transformed into a Wyvern, or one of the other creatures within this world. You are imitating wild beasts, who often have periods during which they go in heat.

The pale-skinned woman gestured at nothing in particular as she continued speaking. In fact, there's a good chance that the full moon will make you a bit… restless. You may find yourself enjoying receiving attention; being willing to put on a show for others; teasing in invitation. That sort of thing. She shook her head. That won't necessarily mean you're becoming a mamono, or anything like that, even if the way you'll feel may give you an idea of how a mamono actually feels every day of her life; that kind of behavior is hardly exclusive to them. It's just a side effect of imitating creatures whose baser impulses are much harder to repress than a human's – mainly because they don't repress them at all. An impish smirk then spread across Lumiere's face. Although, there are some who would claim humans are in heat 24 hours a day, all year long…

Francisca remained silent for a while, mulling over Lumiere's words, then sighed. "I guess you're right. I'm probably overthinking things again. Thank you for helping me clear my mind," she said, smiling at the older woman. She then became curious. "Say, what were your chimerized forms like? Were they anything like mine?"

No, actually, was Lumiere's reply. In my case, I accessed full chimerization – that is, exactly copying the original form of the creature whose genes I was using – directly, and hybrid forms were something I accessed on demand. She tapped her lips with a finger, a pondering look on her face. Actually, my theory is that you default to hybridized forms because of the world you're a native of. The natural order there has been altered. I guess the Shard adapted to you by defaulting to a form similar to what you'd look like if you were, in fact, monsterized. She pointed a slender finger at the princess. Essentially, you take on a mamono-like form because mamono are a thing in your world.

"I see…" Francisca murmured. It made sense to her; given the nature of her world, it affecting her default chimeric shape was only logical. "Basically, I'm predisposed to taking on a hybrid appearance."

Pretty much, Lumiere confirmed with a smile. She then shrugged. Your mileage may vary on whether that's a good thing or not, though.

Francisca nodded, then closed her eyes, looking deep in thought. Eventually, she looked at Lumiere again. "I think I get what you've been telling me so far. That said… you mentioned that a creature's baser impulses can affect me," she began. Lumiere nodded at that, and the princess continued. "Right, so… wouldn't that mean that copying a mamono would also affect me?"

Lumiere didn't answer that question immediately, instead appearing to intensely ponder her answer. She then gave Francisca a serious look. Truthfully, I cannot say for certain how imitating one of your mamono would affect you, she began, speaking slowly and carefully. I don't think copying the weaker ones will have any notable effects, or at least it shouldn't be anything you can't resist by opposing your own willpower. Higher level beings, however… beings like the Demon Lord, her daughters, the Fallen Hero, or really powerful mamono might be trouble. I would exercise caution when using their forms.

The pale-skinned woman sighed and began sweeping her hand through the water before her. The thing you need to keep in mind is that a lot of what defines mamono's behavior is due to the demonic energy flowing through them, she continued explaining. But you are unlikely to ever have a large enough amount of it within you that it would warp your thoughts and influence your actions, since your chimeric body can fuel its activities with any foreign energy it finds within it. So, any effect you might suffer will come from purely physical factors tied to your transformations.

"Hold on. Go back a little. What did you say about foreign energies and fueling my body…?" Francisca interjected, confused by what she'd heard. Lumiere blinked, then groaned, cupping her face in the palm of her left hand.

Oh, right, I never did tell you, she muttered, annoyed at her own forgetfulness. Your chimeric core needs a lot of energy to fuel its transformations, especially the more powerful ones. Usually, it will use the natural energy that's innate to its host body's original form – in your case, human mana – but such innate energies are often limited in supply, and take time to replenish.

The older woman spread her arms wide, smiling. So, in order to make sure it never runs out of power, and maintain compatibility with different species' bodies, the Ultimate Chimera has the ability to seize and convert any type of non-native energy it finds within its host to its innate energy type. For you that would be, as I mentioned earlier, pure uncorrupted human mana. She rubbed her chin. Even if you use your power to turn into a mamono, you can get rid of the excess demonic energy that you would produce – which, by the way, would be more correctly described as 'mamono mana' – by reducing it to plain old human mana.

"T-That… is incredible," Francisca murmured as she held both hands to her mouth, her eyes wide with shock. She then leaned forward, staring intensely at Lumiere. "You're telling me that the greatest threat to a woman in my world might as well not exist for me…?"

The other woman nodded. Basically, yes. Demonic energy cannot stick around in your body, unless you explicitly allow it to for whatever purposes you may need it for, as it'll inevitably be converted to human mana, either on command when you decide to actively do so, or automatically if your mana reserves dip too low, and as for the corruption side, even if you somehow were to suffer a partial monsterization – which won't happen, anyway – you could just reconfigure your body back to what it used to be. She held a finger up, giving Francisca a piercing look. Your body is, in essence, your sanctuary, and within that sanctuary, you might as well be God the All-Knowing, All-Seeing and All-Mighty. There is no higher authority than yours, where your own self is involved.

"I see…" Francisca murmured, still amazed by the discovery. For a time, neither woman spoke, both lost in their own thoughts. Then, Francisca abruptly began to sniff the air, curious. "Say… does something smell good, or am I just imagining things?" she asked. Lumiere sniffed the air as well, and nodded.

You're right, something smells sweet, and quite delicious, she confirmed. She gave the princess a sideways glance. Should we go check the dining room? Rowena might have finished already…

Francisca nodded in agreement as she got up from the warm water. "Let's. This sweet smell made me extremely hungry."

Without another word, the pair climbed out of the water, dried themselves and dressed up, before taking off at a brisk pace towards the source of the smell. Further discussion could wait; for now, investigating the source of the hunger-inducing fragrance was far more important.

=O=O=

A couple hours later, Lumiere, Francisca and Rowena all sat around a table in the dining room, with a mostly eaten cake sitting on the surface between them. Francisca was in the process of finishing a slice of said cake – not the first, if the crumbs pooled in front of where she was sitting were any indication. Rowena, for her part, looked inordinately pleased with herself, happily observing the princess as she hungrily consumed the treat.

This was really quite delicious. I would go as far as to say it is the best sweet treat I've ever tasted, Lumiere admitted as she licked the tips of her fingers clean, having finished her portions already. By all means, bake this cake again, if you have the time. I will collect the needed ingredients myself, if you find yourself short on them.

"I will gladly make more," Rowena nodded, beaming with pride at the praise. Meanwhile, Francisca finished her own slice of the treat, and wiped any leftovers off her face and hands with a napkin. She then leaned back on her chair, letting out a satisfied sigh as she patted her belly in a rather unladylike manner. The maid shook her head, but held her tongue: currently, her mistress's obvious satisfaction was more important than decorum.

Lumiere hummed in satisfaction as well, looking content. Her expression then became more serious, and she looked at Francisca. Right, now that we've sated our hunger… going back to our earlier talk in the bath, was there anything else you wanted to ask me? She asked the princess. You looked like you were pondering something important…

Rowena perked up at those words, her eyes full of curiosity. "Hmm? If it's not too audacious to ask, what were you talking about?" she inquired. Lumiere glanced at her, then at Francisca, who nodded. Sighing, the older woman returned her attention back to the maid.

Right, I will give you a brief summary of what our conversation was about… she began. The next few minutes were spent bringing Rowena up to par with the new knowledge Francisca had been imparted. As Lumiere spoke, the maid's eyes became wider and wider, the significance of the revelations not lost on her.

Eventually, the pale-skinned woman's explanation came to an end. Predictably, Rowena was left speechless and wide-eyed at the implications of what she was told. The maid eventually let out a deep sigh after ruminating on the new things she learned, and then looked up at the other two women, smiling.

"That's… a lot to take in. I'm confused and a little frightened by all of this…" she admitted. "But, to be honest, I'm mostly just relieved that this means the Princess will be safe from mamono. It was always one of my greatest fears… I'll be at ease now, knowing they no longer pose a danger to her."

Lumiere gazed at Rowena for a few moments with an unreadable expression, then nodded. If you're satisfied with that, let's move on, she stated, before turning to Francisca again. Now, as I was saying earlier, do you have any further questions? I feel like it would be best to cover everything now, while we are already on the subject.

"There are some things I'm wondering about, yes," the princess replied, holding a finger to her lips as she looked up at the ceiling. Her eyes then fixated on Lumiere, and she took a deep breath. "First off… earlier, you mentioned I could undo the physical aspects of monsterization, and then added it 'won't happen anyway'. Why is that?"

Lumiere sighed deeply. Ah, I was afraid you'd ask that. This is a complicated subject… do you mind if I try to give you a short version of the explanation? She asked. At Francisca's nod, she breathed in relief, then continued. Good, good. Now, there are… concepts in the Myriad world called 'Tyrannies'. They are, in essence, divine gifts – a form of absolute authority over a more or less widespread aspect of creation. The older woman held a finger up. The reason why your world's demonic energy is so difficult to deal with is because, aside from being a highly corrupting energy, it is also the vessel of the Demon Lord's Tyranny – in her case, absolute dominion over monsters in her world. Because it's a divine gift, conventional ways of countering it won't work. You need to oppose another Tyranny to it.

Lumiere pointed a finger at Francisca. That's where the Shard and its power come in. The Ultimate Chimera is also a Tyranny. Yours is authority over the bricks of life itself… genes. Additionally, it's an authority that comes directly from the Dimension God, rather than from a lesser deity like the Chief God of your world. She smirked, cocking her head to the side as she crossed her arms. Even in its reduced form, due to you not being the original holder and being a normal human to boot, it is still powerful enough to override any attempts by an opposing Tyranny to make physical changes to your body.She then frowned, annoyed. Alas, because of its reduced form, the Ultimate Chimera's authority has been weakened enough that it cannot override the influence of Tyrannies like demonic energy in people other than yourself. There's very little you can do for someone else when it comes to monsterization.

"...huh? 'Someone else'…? Wait, does that mean I can change other people, and not just myself?" Francisca blinked, unsure if she'd heard that correctly. This aspect of the Shard's power was entirely new to her.

Lumiere gave her an odd look in return, as if to say 'you're joking, right?'. Then, seeing that the princess was serious, she sighed again. Yes. Yes, you can, she confirmed tiredly. I thought that this much would be obvious, but I keep forgetting that nothing like me has ever appeared in your world before. She rested her chin in her hand, propping her arm on the table before her. I'll keep this short and to the point: anything and everything you can do to yourself, with the sole exception of effects specifically tied to the Ultimate Chimera itself, you can do to anyone who is weaker than you. The pale-skinned woman held a finger up with a warning look. And before you point out how weak you are, I don't mean physical strength. I mean the energies tied to your chimeric power. Those will grow over time, from experience and from simply acquiring more genes.

She pointed a finger at Francisca. Right now, as impressive as you would seem to a human, you are still puny – a fledgling. That's why you should go, meet many creatures, and take many forms. Become the one who stands on top of the world, and raises her fist in triumph. She smirked. Well, at any rate, that's what I would aim for. Feel free to set more modest objectives for yourself.

Francisca remained silent for a long time after that, thinking. Neither Lumiere nor Rowena interrupted her contemplation, both understanding that the latest revelation she'd been given required some deep thinking. Eventually, the princess stirred, and looked at Lumiere. "...I'm not entirely sure I like the idea of being able to change others. It sounds too much like what a mamono can do to a human… although, I presume that it has no effect on someone's personality, only their body? Like with me?" she asked for clarification. At Lumiere's nod, she exhaled in relief. "Well, there's that, at least. And I can control whether or not to do it, so it's still better than what some mamono do, I guess."

"Well, try to look at it in a positive light, Princess," Rowena suggested. "It means that if you meet someone who is in a miserable state from birth, like yourself, you can relieve their suffering. Isn't that a good thing?"

"...right. Indeed, it is. Thank you, Rowena," Francisca smiled in appreciation at her maid's attempt to relieve her doubts. She then stretched lazily on the chair. "Well, that's enough for now. I still have questions, but I'm nearing my limit for what I can take in at once. Maybe we can continue this talk another time."

Actually, I've been compiling my knowledge of the Shard's most important abilities into a small book, just for you, Lumiere mentioned, holding a hand up. I'll be sure to include as much information as I can, so that we can skip going over tedious details for every little thing in the future. But if you cannot wait at all, feel free to ask me anything.

"No, that will be perfect. Thank you," Francisca nodded with a grateful smile. She then hummed, looking up at the ceiling. "So, uh… I'm undecided on what to do today. Do either of you have any ideas?"

Lumiere held a hand up. How about going after a wingdrake? She proposed. You obviously love flying, so that would be the next logical step.

"I agree with Lady Lumiere, Princess," Rowena nodded in approval. "If flight is what you desire, seeking better means to do so makes sense." She then frowned in worry. "Just, please… be careful when doing so. I am fairly certain that a fall from a great height would still be very painful, even if neither of us can currently die…"

Francisca nodded. "Good point. I'll be careful," she reassured the maid. She then looked at Lumiere. "Just in case, would you mind coming along with me? I'd feel a little safer with you there, on the off chance something goes wrong."

Of course. Meet me at the garden's entrance when you're ready, Lumiere nodded. Then something occurred to her and she gave Francisca a sharp look. Oh, and I would recommend not bothering with clothes this time. A wingdrake's body structure is drastically different from that of the creatures you have imitated thus far. Chances are the armor the Grimalkynes made for you won't fit that hybrid form well and will just break.

"I… have to go naked? Ugh… I understand the reason, but still… Gods, I'm glad nobody I know can see me now. I wouldn't survive the embarrassment..." Francisca replied, clearly unhappy. Lumiere offered her a comforting headpat.

There, there. Think of it as training to overcome your uneasiness towards your lewder hybrid forms, the older woman commented helpfully, before giving the princess an impish smile. After all, if you can get used to nudity, a somewhat less exposed form will be an improvement over it, yes?

"I'm not sure I like that logic," Francisca muttered with a displeased glare. The only answer she received was a laugh. The princess's glare intensified, then she sighed, her shoulders slumping in defeat. "Fine, fine… you're not wrong. Although, I truly hope I will never become fully comfortable with being naked while out and about… That's something I'd expect of a succubus, not a human."

Lumiere laughed again. Fair enough. I'll be going on ahead. See you in a bit, she concluded, getting up from her seat and wiping some crumbs off her black winked at the other two women, then left the dining room, waving a hand goodbye.

Francisca sighed again, then rose from her own seat and offered Rowena an apologetic smile. "Sorry for leaving you to clean this mess while I explore," she told the maid, scratching the back of her head. Her smile then grew warmer. "And also… thank you for the honey cake. It was truly delicious. I hope you'll make it again."

"Anytime you want, Princess," was Rowena's immediate answer. Her cheeks then reddened as she fidgeted slightly. "Although… um… I believe it was so good only because I used your honey to make it. It had an amazing taste, by the way. I… may have finished the leftovers while baking the cake…" The maid's blush intensified as she confessed to her gluttony. Francisca returned a sheepish grin, a pink bloom of her own spreading on her cheeks.

"W-well… If you liked it, then the time spent making it was worth it," the purple-haired girl replied bashfully. "I'll make more for you anytime, so just ask. If it's for you, I don't mind." Francisca then straightened up, coughing slightly in her hand. "Ahem! At any rate, I'll now go get ready. I'm keeping Lumiere waiting…"

With that remark, the princess all but fled the room, flustered. Rowena blinked, then giggled softly at her mistress's unusual behavior.

"Hmhmhm… I think I just saw a cute side of the Princess. It's almost making me want to tease her…" she murmured in mirth. She then shook her head and walked over to a broom tucked away in the corner, focusing her attention on the cleanup task at hand.

=O=O=

Preparations for the excursion were a fairly quick affair. After weighing her options, Francisca decided to compromise: rather than simply go completely naked as Lumiere suggested, she instead chose to wear a simple white shirt, a pair of plain white panties, and a cloak. The first two items were simply something she deemed disposable in case of emergency, and were also easily removed. The latter was actually a Ghillie mantle – a Hunter device designed to conceal one's presence from wild creatures and reduce detection chances. She'd found it while browsing a storage room in Rianobed, and had been experimenting with it a little. It was impressively effective, and Francisca privately wondered if it might have the same efficacy against mamono.

Thus outfitted, she felt it was an ideal setup to explore while avoiding danger, and more importantly, to get close enough to the evasive Mernos, who had displayed an annoying tendency to fly off when disturbed during her previous observations.

Before leaving her room, Francisca also took along a small pouch containing a few basic first aid items – a roll of bandage, a small bottle of disinfectant and another bottle containing medicine. While she could produce vigor honey in a pinch, she wasn't entirely sure of whether the one she produced would work on her own body – something she had yet to verify – and so she felt it best to err on the side of caution.

After securely strapping on the pouch to her left leg, she gave herself a quick glance in the mirror. Then, satisfied that everything seemed in order, she left the room and headed towards the garden's entrance.

Soon, Francisca reached the entryway, and as expected, she spotted Lumiere waiting for her, leaning on the wall. As she approached the older woman, the latter glanced up, then raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a sideways smile.

Lost your nerve, lass? She remarked, looking at the mantle she was wearing. She then spotted her current state of undress beneath the cloak, and chuckled. Ah. I take that back. Just a minimal amount of cheap, disposable clothing that can be sacrificed in case of emergency, and easily removed otherwise. Not a bad choice. She nodded approvingly, then jerked her head towards the opening in the wall leading to the garden. Shall we go, then?

Francisca nodded, and the pair entered the garden. As they walked past the entryway, Francisca eyed a butterfly flutter nearby, and gave Lumiere a curious look. "Say, how is it that I never see any bugs from the garden try to enter the mansion?" she asked, intrigued. The pale-skinned woman's answer was to point at the sides of the entrance, where Francisca spotted four peculiar glowing stones, two near the bottom and two above the top. She blinked, then it dawned on her, and she glanced back at her companion. "Let me guess: repelling magic?"

Got it in one, Lumiere confirmed with a smile. Those are actually my invention. I took some high purity gems and enchanted them with a repelling spell so that they generate a barrier that will make most creatures want to stay away from the doorway. She hummed, tapping her cheek with a finger. The magic spell I used is written down somewhere in the library, so if you have bug issues in your home back in the real world, you can use it. Just be sure to carefully read the instructions.

"That's a useful invention. But aren't four of them a bit too much to just drive bugs away?" Francisca wondered as she glanced back at the entrance while walking. Lumiere shook her head.

At first I used only one. Then a Mernos accidentally flew in and made a mess before I could capture it, she explained. Francisca paused at that, trying to imagine the scene, then suffocated a fit of laughter. Lumiere glared at her. Don't laugh. It wasn't funny. Those things are really good at moving fast in cramped spaces. She sighed, thumbing behind her as she walked. After that incident, I decided to strengthen the ward, and set four of those gems up. That worked. Lesser lifeforms will be driven off by it, and it does nothing to higher beings.

Francisca nodded, then paused again as something occurred to her. "...do Wyverns count as 'lesser beings'?" she asked, concerned. Lumiere paused as well.

...no, they don't, she reluctantly admitted after a few moments of silence. I didn't really find it worrying because I thought Tobi-Kadachi was the only Wyvern in the garden, and we have an understanding. But Kulu's presence… well… She smiled sheepishly. I guess we have to hope it won't try to wander in and steal things, eh?

"That's really not the answer I wanted to hear," Francisca muttered as the pair resumed walking past the base camp and towards the Aptonoth feeding ground, her concern intensifying. "I'm definitely installing iron doors as soon as I have the means to do so."

That might be a good idea, yes, Lumiere agreed. She then frowned, her walking pace slowing down as they reached the edge of the clearing. Hmm… this is strange. Usually, at this hour the Aptonoth are grazing in this area… she murmured, perplexed. Indeed, the normally filled open area before them was eerily empty. Francisca joined her at the edge, also looking puzzled.

"You're right. Usually, this area is full of-" the princess began, only to trail off and sharply inhale as she spotted something she'd never seen before. Her eyes widened and she raised her voice, pointing towards the pond in the back of the clearing. "What in the Goddess's name is that?!"

Lumiere followed Francisca's gaze, looking in the direction she was pointing. What are y- Ah. I see, now. It makes sense that the Aptonoth would flee with it here, she commented with a smirk as she spotted the cause of the princess's surprise.

The source of Francisca's startled reaction was a very large creature resting near the pond, apparently asleep. It appeared to be reptilian in nature, with a slim squirrel-like body covered in grayish-blue scales, which looked almost white when light struck them at the right angle. Patches of white fur ran across its back, as well as along the edges of its bushy tail, which was also covered in rows of spikes. Its head, which resembled a snake's in shape, had horn-like protrusions above its eyes, as well as small fang-like ones on its lower jaw. While it looked slim and agile, Francisca could tell even from that distance that its body was powerfully muscled under the scales and fur, and capable of deceptively explosive strength.

Lumiere chuckled at the princess's obvious fascination with the large reptilian creature. Care to take a guess who that is? Though it should be pretty obvious…

"Tobi-Kadachi, was it?" Francisca answered, her eyes still glued to the majestic being. The older woman nodded.

That's right, the king of the garden. Shall we change our plans and go meet it instead of hunting Mernos down? She suggested, smiling. It's extremely rare for Tobi to come this far down from its usual territory farther up north. I didn't think we'd run into it here, of all places.

Francisca nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, please!" she replied, her eyes shining. She then paused, a flash of concern clouding her expression over "…uh, it's safe to approach it, right? You mentioned it can shock others…"

It's safe, yes. Most large Fanged Wyverns like Tobi-Kadachi generally don't mind the presence of humans around them, unless they are already on high alert, for example due to other Wyverns' attacks, Lumiere explained as she began walking towards the Wyvern, quickly followed by the princess. It's the small ones – Girros, Jagras, Shamos, Wulgs – that you have to watch out for. Those are aggressive and will see humanoids as prey.

Francisca didn't reply, but nodded in understanding before refocusing on the Wyvern as they approached. She found the creature's appearance magnificent, and excitedly imagined how she might look like in a hybridized form based on it. Would it be furry or scaly? Soft or hard? Would it-

The sudden shock caught her off guard and caused her to stagger, sharply exhale and sink to her knees as she came within range of her chimeric power's copying effect and the Tobi-Kadachi's information rushed in. It was an even more intense sensation than when she'd obtained Kulu-Ya-Ku's genes, and left her breathless and slightly twitching, feeling as if all the hair on her body were standing.

Lumiere stopped as she saw her companion collapse, eyeing her with caution. Are you all right? She asked, sounding slightly concerned. The princess didn't answer vocally, but managed to look up at her and nod slowly, though she was clearly worn out.

Eventually, Francisca caught her breath and was able to slowly rise to her feet again, and after spending a few moments reorienting herself, gave the older woman an apologetic smile. "Sorry – that caught me off guard," she admitted. "It felt like a strong jolt went through my body. I just seized up and couldn't stand anymore."

Hmm. It appears as if you feel the effects of acquiring new genes particularly strongly, Lumiere commented, examining her. There doesn't seem to be any physical damage, though. She sighed. It should become less inconvenient as you become more experienced, but could leave you vulnerable at a bad time, especially with very powerful beings. Keep that in mind.

Francisca frowned at those words. "That's more than just 'inconvenient'," she muttered unhappily. "Thanks for the warning. I'll be careful." She then looked down at her hands, flexing them open and close a few times. "Still… that felt strange. Like I'm overflowing with… something."

Acquiring new genes will temporarily fill you with energy, Lumiere explained. It can be a useful boost in some situations. Well, since you have energy to spare, why not give it a try?

Francisca hummed, pondering, then nodded and swiftly discarded her clothes. She then closed her eyes, focusing inwards, quickly found the new information she had acquired, and grasped it, allowing the now-familiar sensation of shifting forms to envelop her body.

The change was surprisingly swift: Francisca felt her whole body stiffen slightly as it became covered in tough grayish-blue scales, with the only exception being her torso, which instead took on a scale-less, very light blue color. Francisca noted with resigned annoyance that her breasts were, once more, exposed. A sudden weight on her back told her without need of looking that she'd grown a tail – and sure enough, a glance backwards confirmed the existence of a bushy tail covered in spikes, similar to the Wyvern she was imitating. The appendage felt surprisingly light for its size, too.

Looking down, the princess saw that her hands had already changed to a four-fingered, clawed form. The claws on this form's hands looked even more sinister than those on other forms, possessing additional barbs at their base, likely to inflict heavy lacerating wounds. Her three-toed feet had an ample resting surface, allowing for a firm grip on any terrain and likely even tree trunks, and had similar barbed claws on the tip of each toe. A peculiar tickling sensation on her back and her newly acquired tail suggested the growth of fur – but unlike previous cases, this time the growth was accompanied by small jolts in the area. Looking at her tail again, Francisca's eyes widened as she saw it was covered in crackling blue discharges, as if it had been infused with lightning.

Lastly, Francisca's attempt to raise an eyebrow in wonder at the sight was met with resistance, and a quick inspection with her hands revealed that she'd grown horn-like protrusions above her eyes, similar to those on Tobi-Kadachi's own head. However, a third horn-like protrusions grew on her forehead as well – a unique feature that she couldn't see on the original beast, and which formed a hard bony structure protecting her head.

So? How do you like your new appearance? Lumiere spoke up in amusement at her excited self-exploration. By the way, your hair finally surrendered. Take a look.

"Huh…?" Francisca replied in confusion at the statement, reaching for her hair and dragging it in front of her. It took her a few seconds to realize what Lumiere was referring to, and when it clicked, her eyes widened. "Wait- my hair drills! They're gone!" she exclaimed as she held her now very mane-like hair extremities. Indeed, there was no trace of the rebellious drills that had plagued her hairdressing time, her previous hairdo having been replaced by an unkempt, almost leonine mass of white hair with purple highlights. The princess laughed in mirth. "Yes! The mighty enemy that even Rowena's best efforts could not vanquish has retreated!"

Aren't you overreacting? It's just a hairstyle, Lumiere commented, slightly confused by the younger woman's joyous outburst. Besides, it's temporary. Chances are your drills will return once you revert to a human form.

"You wouldn't understand," Francisca shook her head as she glanced at the pale-skinned woman. "It's frustrating, being unable to change even something as trivial as my hairstyle because it keeps undoing itself. I know it may seem insignificant to others, but for me it's important. It's…" she hesitated, searching for the right words. "...like a sign, I guess. That I have truly changed. If that makes sense…"

Lumiere hummed, then nodded with a smile. I think I get it. I believe cutting one's hair is a tradition to signify that person has decided to turn their life around in some worlds, she commented. This is more or less the same thing, right?

"Yes! That's exactly it!" Francisca exclaimed. "That's what it feels like! I just-"

Whatever else the princess wished to say was cut off by a snorting sound. She paused, confused, then yelped as she felt something brush against her arm. Turning around, she froze: the Tobi-Kadachi had managed to sneak up to her while she was distracted, and was currently sniffing her with what seemed to be a curious expression in its striking crimson eyes. Francisca glanced with uncertainty at the huge Wyvern: she hadn't realized it at a distance, but it moved incredibly quietly, despite its size, and seeing it up close, it was as intimidating as it was beautiful; she could not help but feel cowed by its proximity. She could not detect any animosity coming from it, but that did not necessarily mean it would not attack, should something bother it. She fervently prayed that whatever smell she was giving off, it wasn't displeasing – or worse, felt like food – to the large creature.

"Uh… Lumiere? Help?" she murmured quietly, nervously glancing sideways at her companion as the Wyvern examined her, bumping the tip of its snout against her shoulder. The older woman did not immediately answer, but Francisca noticed her carefully observing the Tobi-Kadachi's every move. After a few seconds, the pale-skinned woman smirked and relaxed.

Don't worry. It seems to think you're a lost hatchling, she informed Francisca. It's trying to determine whether you can fend for yourself or not.

The princess blinked at that. "It… thinks I'm a hatchling?" she asked, surprised. Lumiere nodded, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

Yes. I've seen other Tobi-Kadachi act like this in the past, she confirmed. Unlike other Wyverns, they tend to be non-hostile towards their own, and in particular, they will sometimes take care of lost or orphaned young of their species. She chuckled, amused. From its point of view, you're a very inexperienced hatchling: loud, easily intimidated, sloppy and ignorant of how to reduce your presence – all things that impact your effectiveness as a hunter. It's probably pondering whether it should teach you the basics.

Almost on cue, the huge reptilian moved away from Francisca, and began to head for an opening in the trees. It took a few steps, then paused and turned its head around, looking straight at the princess. She blinked.

"Is… is it inviting me to follow it?" she wondered, surprised by the creature's communication skills. Lumiere nodded.

Yes. It seems to have decided to teach you a few things. I guess it's taken a liking to you, she confirmed. She then glanced at the princess, motioning at the Wyvern with her head. I'd recommend going with it. Not only is it the apex predator of this garden, but it's got nearly a century of experience. You could learn a great many things from it, things that will serve you well even in other hybrid forms. She nodded at Francisca. The Grimalkynes can teach you how to scout, track and lay down traps. This one, however, can teach you how to stalk and ambush your prey… how to be a predator, rather than merely a hunter.

Francisca pondered Lumiere's words silently, then glanced at the Tobi-Kadachi. The Fanged Wyvern kept looking at her, though its tail was now flicking erratically. Francisca instinctively recognized it as an expression of impatience: the creature was getting irritated at her indecisiveness. Following an impulse, she looked back at Lumiere and nodded, then began to walk towards the large monster. As she did, it lashed its tail around once – yet another annoyed gesture – and she paused, confused.

It's frustrated because you're standing up too much, Lumiere's voice came from behind as the princess tried to figure out what she'd done wrong. She blinked and turned around, puzzled. Lumiere continued her explanation. By standing upright like that, you're exposing your upper body and making yourself too conspicuous. It wants you to crouch, or better yet, walk on all fours. That way, you can more easily conceal your presence, and can also move more quietly since you will have four limbs to balance yourself on and can put less weight on each than you would if you walked on just your feet, thus reducing noise from broken branches, footsteps and so on.

"...oh. That's what it wanted me to do? I see…" Francisca murmured, nodding in understanding. Following Lumiere's advice, she crouched, and began to tentatively use both feet and hands to advance forward and her tail to balance herself, all while remaining as low as possible. She quickly found that it felt like second nature – probably thanks to the Ultimate Chimera's adaptative properties – and it also was indeed easier to move more quietly, as she could use her hands to inspect the ground for twigs and other items that would make noise without committing to the move or losing balance on uneven terrain, and could then move her feet where her hands had already cleared the way.

Looking ahead, she saw that the Tobi-Kadachi's tail was swaying gently – a sign of approval. The creature then turned around and resumed moving towards the opening in the trees, not bothering to look backwards and assuming she would follow in its footsteps. Francisca gave one last look behind her and saw Lumiere wave encouragingly while holding her discarded clothes and the Ghillie mantle, then turned her attention fully to her newfound teacher and began to follow it earnestly, full of curiosity. This was, after all, an untamed beast, with a very different mindset than the Grimalkynes she'd been learning from thus far, and Francisca couldn't help but wonder what kind of primal knowledge she would glean from it.

Back in the clearing, Lumiere watched the princess and the Wyvern disappear among the foliage, and shook her head. She'd expected many things, but to see a Fanged Wyvern teach a transformed human how to be a predator wasn't one of them. Shrugging, she turned around, walking back towards Rianobed's entrance.

Still, she smiled. She was fairly sure that this, too, would be an important learning experience for her young protégé.

=O=O=

"Is the Princess back yet?"

Lumiere rolled her eyes as she looked up from her seat in the dining room, taking a momentary break from writing in the book set on the table before her and setting the quill she was holding aside. No, and this is only the fourteenth time you asked, she replied testily, slightly annoyed by the repetition. She then sighed, shaking her head. Look, I'm sorry for snapping at you like this, but I told you already. She'll be fine. In the first place, the only thing that's even remotely a threat to her in the garden while in the Tobi-Kadachi form she's using is Tobi-Kadachi itself, and it likes her. And this will be a good learning experience for her. Her expression softened. I understand you're concerned, but please have some faith in Francisca. She'll be back once she's done.

"I… I don't doubt the Princess. It's just that it's almost evening, and-" Rowena began to protest, but before she could say anything else, she heard a noise of footsteps – and claws dragging across a stone floor. Shortly afterwards, the bluish-grey shape of the transformed Francisca stepped through the dining room's entrance.

"I'm back! Is there anything to eat? I'm famished after all that activity…" the princess exclaimed, grinning.

"Princess! Where have you been-" Rowena began to chastise her, then her eyes widened as she took in Francisca's appearance – and several conspicuous blood splashed all over her. "Gyaaaaaaa! W-why are you bloodied?! Medic! A first aid kit…"

Francisca awkwardly scratched her head, looking down at a few splotches of blood on her body, then looked up at the panicking maid, who was frantically looking around for medicine. "Uh… Rowena? This blood isn't mine, you know…" she said sheepishly. That caught the other woman's attention and she paused, giving the princess a confused look. Francisca smiled weakly. "I sort of… caught a mosswine while I was out with Toou."

Lumiere snorted in amusement. Looks to me more like you messed up while trying to catch a mosswine. A Tobi would have made a much cleaner kill, she commented, taking in her slightly disheveled state. Also, where's your catch? And- hold up, did you just name that Wyvern?

"I gave the mosswine to the Grimalkynes. They will handle preparing the meat, and I didn't want to make a mess of Rianobed's floors by dragging a bleeding body across them," Francisca replied. She then frowned. "And yes, I did make a mistake. Toou showed me how to spring an ambush from an elevated position, and I just know how to do it… but knowing how to do it and actually doing it aren't the same thing. I didn't balance myself properly, mistimed the jump and ended up gouging the mosswine's side open instead of landing on its back and breaking its neck." She shook her head, sighing. "Toou still seemed satisfied I managed to catch the mosswine, but still… I'll do better next time."

"P-Princess… Hearing you talk about hunting and killing swine is a bit… unsettling," Rowena murmured weakly. Francisca turned her crimson eyes towards the maid and offered an awkward grin.

"Truth be told, when I realized he expected me to kill the mosswine I had been stalking, I was tempted to call it quits," she admitted. "But Toou went to great pains to show me a number of things – how to climb up into the canopy so I'd have a height advantage and my scent couldn't easily be picked up, how to spot the best places to spring an ambush, how to select the proper spot to leap off of… He even caught a mosswine himself earlier to show me how he did it." Francisca shrugged. "I didn't want to disappoint, and besides, I figured I could be the one providing dinner for once."

Well, I guess you succeeded, problems notwithstanding, Lumiere commented. She then raised an eyebrow. But I do admit Rowena has a point. You don't seem too terribly unsettled by the idea of hunting down creatures.

Francisca cocked her head with a curious expression at that remark. "I mean… I won't just go around slaughtering things because I can. If I'm hungry, I'll get food. If I'm threatened, I'll defend myself," she pointed out as she accepted a wet towel hastily offered to her by Rowena and began to wipe herself clean. "Although… this may also be a Tobi-Kadachi's instincts talking. You did mention 'my personality' won't change, and I can tell that's true, but I can also tell that hunting feels natural to me when I'm like this, so at the very least, the predation instincts of whatever I am copying exist to some degree in me."

Upon hearing that, Rowena frowned. "Have you felt like that before, Princess?" she asked, worried. Francisca nodded.

"Yes, actually. When I take on the Grimalkynes' form, I have a similar instinct for their strong suits, like tracking and scouting," she answered as she finished removing the bloodstains from her body. "And when using a Vigorwasp's form, I feel myself drawn to flowers that are especially rich in nectar, and find just fluttering about to be relaxing." She then let out a perplexed hum. "It's strange, though. The only thing I feel when mimicking a Kulu-Ya-Ku is a strong urge to check out every little corner I see."

Kulu-Ya-Ku is an extremely curious creature, and likes to collect man-made objects, fancy rocks and the like, Lumiere chimed in. An enhanced curiosity and urge to explore are actually pretty in-line with that Wyvern. She then tapped her finger on the surface of the table. That said, this is… rather odd. I wasn't affected like this by my chimeric transformations. It may have to do with your being human… perhaps you are more prone to inheriting the more basic behavior of a creature you mimic.

Rowena gasped at that. "Wait... then, if the Princess were to imitate a mamono…" she exclaimed. Lumiere nodded.

Yes, she might feel an urge to accost human men. Or even inhuman ones, the older woman noted. A mamono's behavior is coded into their genes – they are genetically superior to humans, and are hardwired to see them as prey. She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing in thought. From my understanding of your world, the influence of that Demon Lord of yours changed that so that the 'preying' aspect is sexual in nature, hence why they aggressively pursue human men as mates and human women as possible monsterization targets.

She then pointed as Francisca. But, well, the Ultimate Chimera is the supreme predator who stands above even monsters. From Francisca's point of view, every other creature can be prey – if not now, then eventually. That includes mamono and incubi. She then smiled wickedly. Well, it's not all that bad. It would teach mamono a notable lesson in humility if they, for once, felt what it's like to be helpless prey waiting to be snared by a creature higher in the food chain.

"I'm not sure I like the sound of that…" Rowena commented, looking uneasy. "I don't want the Princess to go around being a boogeyman for the mamono the way they are for us, even if it would be richly deserved."

"I'm not going to assault and ravish any man, be it human or otherwise!" Francisca protested, annoyed. "Have a little more faith in me, Rowena."

Ha, with an attitude like that, you will be fine, Lumiere laughed, amused by the exchange. Her expression then changed to a thoughtful one. Still… be careful of the full moon. You being affected by the baser instincts of the creatures you copy is unexpected… and the moon phases can influence the intensity of those instincts. It's possible you might find some urges difficult to control at times…

"Can't we just test it during the next full moon? ...come to think of it, shouldn't it have been a full moon already?" Rowena interjected, perplexed. Lumiere shook her head.

There's no moon phase here, she reminded the younger women. There isn't even a proper sky, remember? I made it based on my ancestral memory of Helgaia, the world my original self is from. We can't test any effect the moon phase may have on Francisca. You'll have to see to that yourselves when you return to your own world.

Francisca sighed in exasperation. "Well, there's no point worrying about it. I will cross that bridge when I get to it," she stated with finality. "For the time being, what I want is familiarize myself with the forms I collected so far. A great many of them possess intriguing abilities."

Lumiere nodded at that. Good idea. Do also remember that if you want to, you can make some abilities permanently active in your body, although it requires some setup, she reminded the princess. At her confused look, she laughed. Don't worry, we will go over that, and a great many other things, for the remainder of your time here. I believe that mastering what you have accumulated so far will serve you better than acquiring even more abilities for the time being.

"Right. Well then, I will go take a proper bath and get changed, then come eat dinner when I am done," Francisca replied as she turned around to leave the dining room. "Rowena, if I could bother you to prepare some food…?"

"Leave it to me, Princess. I will prepare an adequate feast to recover your strength after this strenuous day," the maid replied without hesitation. She then sighed, and gave the princess a pleading look. "Milady, I don't want to sound out of line, but… please, do not worry me so."

Francisca winced and scratched her head, looking guilty. "Sorry… I should have come back earlier. I'll try not to stay out late again like this," she apologized in a quiet tone. She then gave the maid a confident smile, holding up a clawed hand and flexing it. "With that said, I never once felt in danger. Even without Toou's presence being a deterrent to possible aggressions, I feel like this form is capable of handling anything in the garden. I'll be fine, really."

I asked before, but… did you seriously name that Wyvern? Lumiere chimed in, curious. Francisca blinked, then nodded.

"Well… yes? I just, how do I put it… felt that the name 'Toou' fit it well," she replied, crossing her arms as if to underscore 'that's just how it was'. Lumiere raised an eyebrow, then shrugged dismissively, losing interest in the subject. Seeing that the discussion was over, Francisca gave Rowena a parting glance, then left the room. Eventually, the scratching noise of her clawed feet disappeared in the distance.

After Francisca's departure, Lumiere stared at the entrance to the dining room for a while longer, thinking, then sighed and looked over at Rowena, who was busying herself preparing a thick, juicy slab of meat for the princess's dinner. Hey. Got a minute? She called out to the maid. Rowena paused her activities, looking up at the pale-skinned woman in surprise.

"Uh… I'm a little busy with cooking. Can't it wait…?" she asked. Lumiere shook her head negatively.

Afraid not. It's something you should know, she replied. She then scratched her chin and sighed again before continuing. It's about what I said earlier. I didn't emphasize the issue because I did not want to worry Francisca, but… it's possible that the full moon may do a number on her. Her eyes narrowed. I'll be blunt: is Francisca in a relationship?

Rowena stared at Lumiere, utterly confused. "What? No! The Princess has been bedridden for months, and even before that she never had any friends, let alone a lover!" she replied, sounding almost indignant.

I see. Someone she is attracted to, then? The older woman pressed on. Rowena shook her head vigorously.

"I already told you, the Princess hardly socialized due to her sickly constitution, she wouldn't-" she began, then paused, seemingly remembering something. "...wait, no, that's not entirely true. There was someone. She would often talk about him, and… well… the look in her eyes made it clear she had feelings for him." She scratched her head, trying to remember. "Let me see… I think it was a red-haired boy she was childhood friends with?"

Ah, I see. A childhood crush, then, Lumiere nodded. At that remark, however, Rowena shook her head.

"No. It was no crush. I'm sure of it," the maid replied with a look of certainty in her eyes. "The way she spoke of him… it was one of the rare times when a warm, happy smile would grace her lips. I'm certain she loved him, and it was no fleeting infatuation." She then sighed glumly. "Alas, he suddenly disappeared without explanation a few years back, and I've been unable to ascertain his whereabouts. All I know is that the Noscrim family may have had to do with his disappearance." Rowena looked up at the ceiling. "I was hired at a later time, and only heard about that boy from the Princess, but when she talked about him… well, let's just say that you could be excused for thinking it was something right out of a cheap romance novel."

Haha! Ah, young love is like that, I guess. I never was in love, myself, but I recall seeing humans act that way, Lumiere commented, amused. Her smirk then vanished. But… that might pose a problem. If she were to meet him again, the full moon's influence might make it very hard for her to keep her feelings in check. She glanced over at Rowena. I just felt it was better to mention this to you instead of burdening Francisca with something else to worry about.

"Mmm… I appreciate it," the maid replied with a nod, before returning to her cooking. A few minutes of silence went by, with the only sound being the noise of kitchen utensils. Then abruptly, Rowena spoke up again. "I don't think it would be a bad thing," she said quietly.

Lumiere, who had resumed writing in her book, paused and looked up in surprise. I beg your pardon? She said, unsure of what the blonde girl meant.

Rowena set down the pan she'd been holding and let it simmer on the fire before her, then turned around and leaned over the kitchen counter. "I said, I don't think it would be a bad thing," she repeated, an undecipherable expression on her face. She looked down at the counter she was leaning on, then back up again. "...the Princess has had a miserable life so far, and isolated herself partly because no one will give her the time of the day, and partly because she felt she would only make others just as miserable by being around them," she explained. "In particular, I suspect she denied her feelings for that boy because she thought he'd only suffer by being involved with someone like her, who can't even leave her bed most of the time."

Rowena paused, taking a deep breath, then continued. "That's why… I feel that, if she met that boy again and was unable to keep her feelings bottled up… it would be a good thing, all things considered." She smiled faintly. "It may sound like a terribly improper thing to say – something that would be more like a mamono's way of doing things than a human's – but I almost hope that should that event come to pass, she would just hug him and kiss him until he gives in and returns her love."

Hmm. You've got some pretty strong opinions about that, Lumiere noted. She then smirked, pointing behind the maid. By the way, the steak is beginning to smoke.

Rowena blinked at the sudden change of subject, then smelled smoke in the air and paled, turning around in a flash. "Huh…? Ahhh! Oh no!" she exclaimed, forgetting all about the prior conversation as she focused on saving her princess's meal.

Behind her, Lumiere chuckled, shaking her head as she watched the blonde girl's frantic efforts. Eventually, the situation was brought under control again, and both women returned to their respective tasks. Just as her quill touched the paper again, however, Lumiere had one last thought, and turned towards Rowena one last time.

Say, do you happen to know what that boy's name was? Just curious, she asked her. The maid paused, holding a finger to her lips as she thought about it.

"Um… let me see… I'm sure it started with an E and was a very short name..." she murmured, then brightened up as she remembered.

"Ah, yes! Elt. His name was Elt."

=O=O=

==Six months later==

"Yah!"

Francisca shouted as she leapt in the air in a large circular motion, using her Tobi-Kadachi form's legs and tail to lash out as she did so. A cracking sound echoed across the training ground as the three clay plates that had been fired at her by the Grimalkynes shattered under the impact of her feet and the spines on her tail. The cat warriors wasted no time in firing another volley of three from a tool that looked remarkably like a giant Hunter's Slinger, and immediately began reloading as soon as it discharged.

Seeing the incoming projectiles, Francisca rushed forward as soon as she touched the ground again, using both hands and feet to propel herself towards where the plates were aimed at. More cracking sounds followed as she struck them down in rapid succession with a series of consecutive claw strikes from both hands and feet – just in time for the final volley to come in. With no time to turn around and rush at them, she instead elected to backflip and attempt to strike them with somersault kicks and tail swipes.

She managed to hit the first two, but on attempting a second backflip to hit the last one, her footing slipped, and she found herself flailing in the air as she lost balance and crashed down on the ground face first with a shout of dismay, the last disc flying unharmed past her. Rowena, who had been observing the princess's training, winced at the sight: the landing appeared to have been rather painful.

Francisca remained immobile face down on the ground for a few seconds following her failed attempt to strike the final plate, then groaned and slowly picked herself up, rubbing her nose and wiping leaves and dirt off her face. She cast a frustrated glare in the direction the last target had disappeared to, then shook her head and stamped her foot in anger.

"Fourteen out of fifteen. Again. This must be a curse…" she muttered, before stretching to get the aching stiffness from the bad landing out of her body. Turning around, she approached the group near the training ground's entrance – the two Grimalkyne scouts, Rowena, and Lumiere. She glanced at Lumiere, annoyed. "I just can't seem to maintain focus all the way to the end. This is, what? The twelfth time I missed the last one?"

Eleventh, actually. And you really should calm down. I understand that making mistakes may be frustrating, but you're asking for too much now. It's only been six months since you started working on your balance and coordination, Lumiere replied patiently. Remember that when you first came here, you weren't exactly an acrobat. In fact, and forgive me for the bluntness, you weren't even a normal human. You were a weak princess who hadn't gotten out of bed in months, and never performed strenuous activities in your life due to your frail body. Given that, the amount of progress you made in such a short time is astounding. She slightly leaned back, letting her breasts rest atop her crossed arms. Don't be impatient and keep working on it. Improvement will come with practice. Personally, I will praise you for having accomplished this much.

"I… Yes, you're right. I'm sorry for reacting like this," Francisca grimaced, lowering her head in apology. "I know I can do better, but as you said, I'm getting too hasty. No good will come from doing things in a hurry." She then looked down at her clawed hands, opening and closing them. "Still… are you sure there's any point to training like this when I'm not in my real body?" She asked, uncertain. Lumiere answered with a firm nod.

There is. Even if your body won't remember these moves because it never experienced them, your mind will, and knowing already what you can and cannot do will save you time when you begin to recondition yourself back to the state you were in while here, she explained. You'll gain muscle memory faster, too, since your mind already knows the drill. It'll just be your body that has to get used to it all over again.

"In other words, it's like starting from scratch versus already having theoretical knowledge, right?" Francisca said, understanding where Lumiere was coming from. The older woman nodded. "I see. That makes sense. At any rate… I think I'll call it a day for today. I'm drenched in sweat," she noted, looking down at her body. Indeed, every bit of her exposed flesh was slick with perspiration, and rivulets of it ran down her scaly legs. Francisca shivered as she felt a small shock run through her.

One of the most annoying problems she'd discovered when using the Tobi-Kadachi form was that due to being able to accumulate static charge, whenever her body got too sweaty and a discharge occurred, accidental or otherwise, she would get jolted. It wasn't a painful sensation; if anything, the problem was the opposite. Every time it happened, she'd get slightly aroused from the stimulation. It was a rather awkward reaction, and the reason why she tried not to sweat too much while in that form.

Lumiere noted the princess stiffening – and her nipples perking up – and raised an eyebrow. Still having issues with accidental discharges? I must admit I didn't expect your hybrid form to have such a problem, she commented. Francisca didn't reply, instead blushing in embarrassment, and Lumiere chose not to push the issue, changing the subject. Well, nevermind that. Before you go take your bath, I wanted to inform you of one thing. Today, I'm going to bring Rianobed down to the land below. Once you're done refreshing yourself, come to the grand hall. I'll show you how it's done, so that in the future, if you want to change altitude, you can do so on your own.

The sudden announcement caught Francisca's attention, and she looked up at Lumiere in surprise. "You're landing Rianobed? Now? Why the sudden decision?" she asked, curious. Lumiere leaned back, one hand on her hip.

It's been over eight months since you came here. Soon, the night in your world will end, and we will have to part ways, she explained. I feel that now is the right time for you to see the rest of this magic space you're going to inherit. Besides, she added with a smile. I'm willing to bet you will love the view as we descend. It really is something to see at least once.

"Now I'm really curious! I'll go get cleaned up and changed right away!" Francisca exclaimed, intrigued. She then turned to the Grimalkynes and nodded at them in thanks for their assistance. The two felines waved back at her before they began to dismount the equipment they had brought along. From what Francisca was able to understand, it was a relatively recent invention normally used in hunts, modeled after the human Hunters' own portable slingers – and it even looked like one – but the catfolk managed to find a way to tweak it for the princess's training.

Soon, the training area was vacated, with the Grimalkynes returning to their village, and Francisca heading off for the baths. Meanwhile, Lumiere and Rowena headed for the grand hall, where the older woman would finish setting things up for the flying fortress's descent to the land below.

It took only about half an hour for the blonde maid and the pale-skinned woman to prepare everything, although the task mostly consisted of Lumiere doing all the actual work while Rowena carefully took notes. Just as they finished, Francisca joined them, back in her usual human appearance and wearing a no-frills white nightie. She curiously eyed the contraption they had prepared: what she initially thought to be a display pedestal was revealed to be an odd contraption consisting of a smooth brown marble half sphere and two raised cubes on its sides, the left-side one being blue-colored and slightly glowing, while the one on the right side was a deep red and had no glow.

Lumiere turned to the two younger women, who turned their full attention to her, and gestured towards the strange mechanism. Right, so, I will now explain to you how to raise Rianobed in the air, or bring it on the ground, she began, holding a finger up as she explained. It's actually very simple. This artifact is the control device for moving Rianobed. The two gemstone-topped cubes on its sides are both a status indicator, and the way by which you raise or lower Rianobed. Only the administrator of this world can operate this device; right now, that means me, since Francisca has yet to properly inherit the Shard. The taller woman then pointed to the princess. Once you do, because you and Rowena were linked together in order to bring her within the book's world, Rowena will also be considered an administrator, so you both will be able to move Rianobed up in the sky or back on the ground.

Lumiere then pointed at the glowing blue gem. The blue gem glowing means that Rianobed is currently in its 'Divine Fortress' configuration – in other words, it's at maximum altitude. She wagged a finger at the two girls in warning. It also means you cannot operate that cube at the moment, because Rianobed cannot go any higher. Only an unlit cube can be operated. She paused in order to let her explanation so far sink in, then nodded, satisfied that they were seemingly paying close attention, and returned to her explanation. That covers everything you need to know about basic operations. Now, as to how to actually use it…

Turning towards the control device, Lumiere walked up to it, placed her hand on top of the unlit red gem cube, and with a smooth motion, pressed it down, causing it to sink in the pedestal's surface until it clicked. She then lifted her hand off the cube and placed it atop the marble sphere.

Immediately, the entire pedestal lit up with a strange pattern – probably ancient runes, if Francisca had to hazard a guess, though she couldn't recognize any with her limited knowledge gleaned from books. Then, the whole mansion shook briefly, and an abrupt sensation of lightness seized the princess and the maid. Francisca blinked, taking a few moments to recover from the disorienting sensation, then looked around, unsure of what had just happened.

"What was that just now…?" the princess murmured, confused. It somewhat felt like slowly falling upwards. She then glanced at the grand hall's balcony, and froze, staring in awe as she saw clouds zip by, and the horizon's perspective slowly shift. Rianobed was moving downwards – and fairly fast, at that. Her vision was then obscured by a wall of white fluff, and she realized they had entered the cloud line. Francisca gave Lumiere an anxious look, to which the older woman replied with a reassuring smile.

Don't worry, everything is under control. While Rianobed changes altitude, powerful barriers are deployed to protect it from dangerous situations like bad weather or hostile fauna, she told the princess. Pointing at the balcony, which was currently almost completely invisible due to the white fog of the clouds concealing it from view, she continued. We won't be directly landing, by the way. We will stop in midair after leaving the cloud cover – that configuration is called 'Sky Fortress', and it indicates the mid point between ground level and max altitude. She hummed, placing her left hand on her hip. There are some differences between 'Divine Fortress' and 'Sky Fortress', mainly accessibility, but don't worry about that right now.

As Lumiere spoke, the 'falling' sensation slowly weakened, and Francisca felt her body regain weight. Then, with a shudder that went through the entire fortress, Rianobed stopped in midair, standing still once more. Lumiere wordlessly gestured for Francisca and Rowena to follow her, heading towards the balcony. The two girls complied, hurrying after the black-haired woman, and when they reached the balcony, they gasped, gazing at the breathtaking view in front of them.

Straight ahead of the balcony, for as far as the eye could see, the reddish setting sun's light reflected on a crystalline sea, providing a spectacular light show. Far in the distance, plumes of smoke could be seen rising from a small mountainthat emerged from the waters. Closer to their position, they could see splashes in the sea below, and were barely able to make out colorful serpentine forms leaping out of the water, much like dolphins would. Their size, however, made it abundantly clear that whatever the creatures were, it definitely wasn't dolphins.

Glancing to their right, Francisca and Rowena were surprised to see snowy peaks in the distance, and what appeared to be a snowstorm enveloping the frozen mountaintops. Further down below the frozen cliffs, the snow line gave way to a green area, which quickly turned into a dark, foreboding swamp filled with mist at the base of the mountain area. The swamp occupied a sizable amount of space, but eventually gave way to a fairly barren wildland with occasional patches of green scattered across its vast expanses, and with sheer rock cliffs barring the way opposite the sea. The two young women could vaguely make out what appeared to be holes in the rock cliffs, likely caves, possibly Wyvern lairs.

Returning their eyes to the glistening, aqua-green waters of the sea, the princess and the maid silently contemplated the beautiful view. Then Francisca sighed, smiling. "This is truly breathtaking," she murmured in awe. Lumiere smiled at the comment.

I know, right? This view always relaxes me. I feel at peace with myself, and can forget my past failures for a while, the black-haired woman said, leaning on the balcony's granite railing. It's a nice reminder that not all is lost, and the remnants of the vanished world may yet find a new home.

"Remnants, huh…" Rowena murmured, looking thoughtful. She then turned to look at Lumiere. "Lady Lumiere, if I may ask… what is this world you created called?"

Lumiere blinked, puzzled by the sudden question. Huh…? I'm not sure what the purpose of the question is, but… this place doesn't really have a name. It's just a miniature dimension I made to host the vanished world's last remaining pieces – both locations and creatures, the older woman replied. It's really just meant as a repository of sorts…

"I think it's more than that," Rowena disagreed. "Even if its nature may be temporary, it's still very much a living, breathing world. The original world that its places and denizens came from may be gone, but it's not forgotten. This magical space, and its contents, passes down the legacy of that world, even if it's to people who will never see it, and probably never believe in its existence. A bit like a folktale…"

So why are you asking if it has a name? Lumiere asked, curious. Rowena gave her a firm look.

"Because if it doesn't, it really ought to be given one," she argued. "Perhaps to an essentially immortal being like you, a name is just a thing of convenience to use when interacting with us mortals, but for us, names are part of how we define our existence, and that of things around us." The maid held out a hand towards the breathtaking view ahead. "And for a place like this – a reflection of times and lands long gone, but not forgotten – defining it is even more important. It proves that it once existed, and its name will endure in memory long after it vanishes. That's how I feel, at least..."

I cannot say I fully understand this logic, but I can tell it's important to you, so… if you wish to name this world, I have no objection, Lumiere replied after a brief moment of thought. Don't ask me to do it, though. I'm very bad at naming things.

Rowena nodded. "Thank you. I will try to think of a good name. Do you perhaps have any ideas, Princess?" she asked, turning towards Francisca. The purple haired woman blinked, caught off guard by the question, then frowned as her brow furrowed in thought.

"Um… what about [Wonderland]? It certainly looks the part," the princess offered, unsure. Rowena immediately shook her head negatively.

"Princess, that's what one of the Lilim's domains is called. I trust you understand why that name is a bad choice…" the maid pointed out with a frown. Francisca blushed in embarrassment.

"Um… right. Never mind, then," the princess hastily replied, realizing her blunder. She began scratching her head as she tried to think of another name. "This is harder than I thought. This place is so different from our world it's like a fairy tale."

"Fairy tale…" Rowena murmured. Her eyes then lit up. "How about [Fabularis]? It's an old word used to refer to myths and legends. Somehow, I think it fits this world perfectly. It feels like we're living in a place straight out of a legend…"

Not a bad choice. And the creatures that dwell in this land certainly would look like mythological beasts to your world's denizens, Lumiere nodded in approval. Yes, I think Fabularis would be perfect.

"All right, then!" Francisca exclaimed, sweeping her hand across the horizon. "From now on, this will be Fabularis! And I promise, I will take good care of it!"

Lumiere chuckled at the princess's declaration, then gently laid her hands on her shoulders. I will entrust the vanished world's legacy to you then, Princess Francisca Mistel Lescatie. Ensure that nothing is lost, she told her with a friendly smile. She then turned around, returning to the grand hall. At any rate, I will go ahead and bring us to the ground now. Come, let us go back inside.

"One moment. I will join you shortly. Go on ahead, Rowena," Francisca replied, her gaze fixated on the distant horizon, where the sky and sea joined. The other two women nodded and walked off, heading towards the control device.

As they did, the wind around Rianobed began to pick up. Francisca frowned as she felt the previous gentle breeze become a stronger gust. (Is a storm brewing?) she wondered, looking up at the clouds above. They did not seem to be rain clouds, but weather could be unpredictable, and it was doubly true for weather in an artificial world like the one she was in. Sighing, the princess turned around to return inside the mansion.

As she did, the gust suddenly became a gale, causing her to stagger and seek the stability of Rianobed's walls. Inside the mansion, Lumiere abruptly looked at the ceiling, then her eyes widened. Turning around, she reached out for Francisca with an outstretched hand.

Francisca! Get inside! Now! She shouted, looking agitated. The princess blinked, but complied, stumbling past the balcony's entrance. As she did, however, a huge blast of air took her off her feet and sent her tumbling on the floor. Then, an enormous dark figure landed with a crash on the balcony she had occupied mere seconds before. The entire building shook with the impact, and a deafening roar echoed across the hall as Rowena lost her footing and Lumiere struggled to balance herself, caught off guard by the shaking.

Francisca remained immobile for an instant, stunned by the sudden turn of events, then attempted to quickly rise to her feet-

-that was when it hit her.

As the princess confusedly tried to get back on her feet, she felt an enormous wave of… something… pour within her like a torrent, and sank back to her knees with a strangled cry. She then felt her body twist and turn, and realized with horror that somehow, she was changing without meaning to. She struggled to regain control of the Shard, and her own body, but the surge of power that forced itself into her rendered the effort useless, and soon she completely lost whatever control she had left.

The change, perhaps due to the immense amount of power that had suddenly invaded her body, was extremely rapid: she felt her whole body harden considerably, even more so than when she had turned into Tobi-Kadachi's scale-covered form, and she heard a ripping sound as the nightie she was wearing was torn off by a sudden growth on her back – which she soon realized, with some shock, was a massive pair of wings. The suddenness and fierceness of the change, however, left her stunned and breathless, preventing her from noticing anything else beyond these changes at the moment, and she focused on calming herself and riding out the abrupt transformation.

Almost as quickly as it had started, it was all over, and Francisca found herself kneeling and panting as she slowly gained back control of her body. As she became more aware of it, she began to feel the presence of an absolutely tremendous mass of raw mana, slowly pulsating within her and filling her with power the likes of which she had never even felt in others, much less in herself. She confusedly tried to examine it, but her actions were halted by a shadow abruptly looming over her. Looking up at the shadow's source, she froze.

Before her stood a dragon – not merely a wyvern like the Tobi-Kadachi, and definitely nothing like the dragon mamono she'd seen images of. It was a monstrously huge winged reptilian, towering over her at somewhere around twenty meters of height, and covered in thick gray, metal-like scales, with a head adorned by two large backwards curving horns, which joined in with the spikes along the back of its neck.

Its torso had visible external bone structures that integrated seamlessly with its scales, giving it the appearance of a heavily armored ribcage, and its wings joined to the base of its tail, making them look even larger. Light reflected off the metallic scales covering its body, reinforcing the impression of the creature being a massive steel dragon. Strong winds swirled all around it, acting almost like an ethereal second skin – or an armor – as the gales brushed against its hard exterior. It was a true monster, rather than just a lewd mockery of one – a thing straight out of the legends of the ancient demon lords' reigns.

The majestic reptile lowered its horned head as Francisca stared at it in awe, bringing the tip of its nose – which the princess briefly noted was an odd reddish color, almost as if it was rusting – level with the stunned young woman, and its large blue eyes regarded her with what seemed like puzzlement. Strangely – and somewhat reassuringly – Francisca could feel no animosity or aggression from the creature, despite its menacing looks: it genuinely appeared to just wonder what the tiny thing kneeling before it was supposed to be. She guessed that her sudden transformation had confused the great beast and piqued its curiosity.

As all of this happened, Rowena had been observing with horrified panic from the center of the grand hall, filled with fear at the sight of the gigantic dragon sitting on the balcony, as well as Francisca kneeling at its feet, having seemingly lost control of her power as her body twisted and changed into what appeared to be a shape reminiscing that of the beast looming over her. The maid was currently being restrained from rushing forward to her mistress's side by Lumiere's firm grasp, and turned to look at the older woman with pleading eyes.

"Please, let me go! The Princess is-!" she exclaimed, sounding desperate. Lumiere firmly shook her head.

No. Right now, that Elder Dragon isn't aggressive. If you start running around, this may change, she sternly warned her, refusing to loosen her grip on the maid's arms. For both Francisca's and your own safety, stand still and don't do anything that may come across as a provocation.

"B-But the Princess… wait. Elder Dragon?!" the maid gasped, her train of thought derailing as Lumiere's words sank in. She turned her eyes back to the towering steel monster, terror gripping her heart as she realized what she was looking at: it was none other than one of the fearsome dominators of the vanished world – creatures that Lumiere had often compared to living, breathing natural disasters.

Yes, Elder Dragon, Lumiere confirmed, still firmly gripping the maid. That's the 'Steel Dragon', Kushala Daora. Some called it the 'Shadow Upon the Tempest', as well. She frowned. Fortunately for all of us, Kushala Daora is a very passive Elder Dragon. It won't attack unless provoked or attacked first. In that sense, we are very lucky. But do not do anything that might provoke it.

"What about the Princess?" Rowena asked, anxiously keeping an eye on the huge dragon. Lumiere shook her head reassuringly.

If Kushala Daora wanted to harm her, it'd have already done so. It's merely observing her right now, she told the maid, her hold on the girl's wrist loosening. It seems curious about Francisca. Probably because she suddenly started feeling like another Kushala Daora. It doesn't seem concerned, though, so at the very least it doesn't see her as a challenger. The older woman rubbed her chin with one hand, still holding on to Rowena with the other. This is not Kushala Daora's territory, so my guess is it thinks Francisca is the one who rules over it. Maybe it's trying to figure out if she might be a threat in the future.

As Lumiere spoke, Francisca slowly raised a hand towards the dragon's huge head, making contact with its nose. The transformed human and the Elder Dragon remained connected by that touch for a few seconds, as if communicating without words. Then, the dragon raised its head back up, breaking contact, and turned away, taking a few steps to the side until it was at the edge of the balcony it had landed on. Spreading its wings, it roared again – although it did not seem to be a roar of hostility – and then took off, a strong gale blowing through the grand hall as it left, causing Rowena to stagger and hold onto Lumiere for safety.

The wildly blowing winds slowly calmed down following the Elder Dragon's departure, and then Francisca, who had remained kneeling for the entire duration of the strange exchange, slowly picked herself up off the floor. With the obvious danger gone, Rowena attempted to rush over to her, but Lumiere stopped her again, raising a warning finger at the maid's annoyed glare.

Don't touch Francisca just yet, the black-haired woman advised her. She's using a hybrid Kushala Daora form, and the Steel Dragon can deploy a wind barrier that makes it hazardous to get too close or touch its body even when it's resting. You could get hurt if it's active.

"I understand. Now can I please go to the Princess?" Rowena demanded with an impatient huff, before wrenching herself free from Lumiere's grip with a mighty pull and running up to Francisca. The older woman sighed.

I'm just trying to help here… she complained, before following in the maid's footsteps.

Francisca, who had finally managed to get back on her feet and straighten up, heard Rowena's approaching footsteps, and immediately held a hand out in warning. "Stop. Don't come any closer," she commanded without looking at the maid. "I'm still not sure what I can do in this form, but I can clearly feel an enormous amount of mana within me, and I don't want to endanger you if I lose control. Please, keep your distance."

"But I… Very well, Princess. I was just worried about you…" the maid protested before sighing in resignation. Taking a couple steps back, she closely watcher her mistress as she examined her new appearance.

It did not take long for Francisca to realize that the form she had taken was drastically different from previous ones, starting with size: where other forms had always been close to her original height, the draconic form she was now using was comparatively huge, standing at least two and a half meters tall, and was also more powerfully built, with visible added mass, making it overall broader and thicker. Francisca also noted that, for the first time, one of her hybrid forms did not have exposed breasts: instead, her torso was covered in the same metal-like scales as the rest of her body, although the scales on her torso appeared to be softer and more flexible than those on her limbs or back, and rib-like bone structures seamlessly meshed with the scaly exterior, much like they did on the steel dragon itself.

Francisca's limbs had also increased in size, with her shoulders and arms having become slightly more muscular, while her hips and legs had become rounder and thicker, similar to when she imitated the Kulu-Ya-Ku. Unlike other forms she previously used, however, this one's hands had all five fingers, instead or four or just three, with each finger ending in a large, sharp-looking steel-colored claw. Her feet, on the other hand, still only featured four toes, all of them clawed as well. Like with other similar forms, she found herself taking a digitigrade stance, which partly explained the powerful, thick legs she had acquired.

Completing her looks were a majestic pair of horns curving backwards from her head, a row of spikes running along her neck and spine, a fairly long, thick tail which extended from her lower back, and a large pair of dragon wings growing out of her upper back and connecting right above where her tail began. Unlike the small gossamer wings of her vigorwasp form, these were massive, solid-looking wings, with a huge wingspan of at least four meters, possibly more, and clearly designed for high speed flight.

Her entire body had a darkened steel coloration to it, with the exception of her claws, the tip of her nose – which had a rust-like red tinge – and her hair, which was the usual purple color, but with added steel-colored streaks mixed in. The princess noted with some satisfaction that this form also did not have the annoying hair drills that plagued her so often: instead, her hair was smooth and had a metallic shine to it, slightly reflecting light when it struck at the right angle.

Well, now… this is unplanned, but perhaps not a bad thing, a familiar voice intruded in Francisca's thoughts as she finished examining herself, causing her to look aside at Lumiere. Francisca blinked as she did so: for the first time since entering Fabularis, she was actually looking eye to eye with Lumiere, her current form being as tall as the older woman's. Her confusion evidently showed on her face, because Lumiere gave her a knowing smile, holding up a finger. Surprised? Remember what I told you when we first met. Your perception of me defines my appearance. And right now, with the power of an Elder Dragon spurring you on, you no longer view me as a superior, but as an equal. She scratched her chin, looking pensive. Which… is actually inaccurate. I'd say you're stronger than me at the moment, since I lost my magic and all I have left is brute force.

"So it was an Elder Dragon… that explains the tremendous mana I feel inside me," Francisca murmured, slowly flexing her hands open and close. She then noticed a slight breeze constantly enveloping her body, and remembered the dragon had a similar wind armor on it. She frowned and concentrated, trying reaching out to the strange phenomenon to try and stop it from occurring.

As she did, the princess abruptly became aware of everything around her that the air could touch, and reeled backwards, briefly stunned by the sudden sensory input. Closing her eyes, she focused until she managed to shut out unnecessary information, and eventually succeeded in dispelling the wind armor surrounding her. She then reopened her eyes, looking down at herself in surprise. Controlling the wind was supposed to be one of the hardest forms of magic in her world, but it had felt as natural as breathing when she did it just now. (Probably because it isn't magic,) she thought, realizing that her current form bestowed upon her a deep connection to the air element while she used it. She began to feel excited: she was already imagining ways to use this ability in a variety of situations.

Not bad. You can already control the winds fairly well, Lumiere remarked, interrupting Francisca's thoughts. The older woman gave the princess a knowing smirk. So? How is it? The might of an Elder Dragon running through your body.

Francisca glanced at her, then closed her eyes and exhaled, focusing. She remained concentrated for a few seconds, but as she did, a frown progressively formed on her face. Finally, she opened her eyes and gave Lumiere a concerned look. "I… uh. I can't seem to be able to turn back to human," she announced. The declaration caused Rowena to gasp in shock, and Lumiere to raise an eyebrow.

You can't turn back? That shouldn't be- ah. I think I know what happened, the pale-skinned woman commented, rubbing her chin as her eyes narrowed. You're probably just overcharged.

"Overcharged? What does that mean, Lady Lumiere?" Rowena asked, curious in spite of her worry for Francisca. Lumiere turned her head towards the maid, gesturing at the princess as she did so.

Just what it sounds. She has too much mana in her body at the moment, she explained. She then turned back to Francisca and continued. Do you remember when you acquired Tobi-Kadachi's genes? When you felt like you were full of energy? This is the same thing, only an order of magnitude more intense. She waved a finger in the air as she spoke. When you acquire new genes, you get a surge of power as a bonus, and how much you get depends on which genes you acquired. In the case of Tobi, it was a lot, but not so much that it exceeded your human body's capacity. Kushala Daora, however…

She spread her arms wide as she kept explaining. Basically, it was like trying to fit too much water in way too small a balloon. Normally, doing so would burst the balloon. In your case, however, you can technically 'make the balloon bigger'. The Shard compensated and protected your human body from overloading by forcibly shifting you in one of the forms with the largest capacity among those available. In this case…

"...the Elder Dragon I just copied," Francisca finished for her, nodding in understanding. "So, I can't turn back because the Shard knows it'd be harmful and is actively keeping me from doing so." She thought about it for a moment, then brightened up, a smile appearing on her lips. "Well then, I just have to use up the excess mana! Right?"

Pretty much, yes. Once your mana is down to more reasonable levels, you will be able to turn back to your human self again, Lumiere confirmed. She then smiled as she pointed at the balcony. Well, I seem to recall you saying you wanted a form capable of proper flight. Why not use up some of that overflowing mana by taking it out for a test ride, so to speak? While you are flying around, I will finish the operations to land Rianobed. Sounds good?

Francisca's heart skipped a beat at that, and she looked at the sky outside the balcony, then glanced at the large wings currently adorning her back. She gave Lumiere a cautious look. "Won't that Elder Dragon get mad at me for intruding in its sky?" she asked, remembering all too well the awesome presence of the massive beast. She had no intention of provoking it into attacking, for she would not stand a chance against it… at least, not right now.

No, this is not its territory. It was likely just exploring, but from the way it was acting, it seems to think you're the one who controls this area, and left precisely to avoid conflict, Lumiere reassured the princess. Just don't stray far from here, and if it does come up to you and bar your way, turn around and return here, because it means you're intruding in its turf. It won't attack unless you ignore its warning. She pointed at the vast expanse of sea towards the horizon. Flying over the sea is safe. The Abyssal Dragon, Namielle, rules the waves, but much like Kushala Daora, won't attack unless you ignore its warnings. Besides, its territory is further northwest of here. Just stick to Rianobed's vicinity.

"I see. Thank you for the information. Well… I'll be going off for a while then," Francisca announced, a hint of anxiety in her voice as she turned around and walked out to the balcony. Behind her, Rowena rushed up, worry evident on her face. Francisca stopped and gave her a small smile, shaking her head. "I know what you're going to say, Rowena. I promise I will be cautious, and this time I will return long before dark, so rest easy. Besides," she added, holding up a clawed hand with confidence, "I have this feeling that very few things can actually harm me in this form."

Just about only other Elder Dragons. Maybe a Bazelgeuse, Rajang or Deviljho, Lumiere confirmed. Other than that, I doubt any Wyvern can cause you harm, unless you get too condescending.

"I don't know what those three you mentioned are, but even their names sound ominous, so I'll keep away from any unfamiliar looking creature," Francisca replied, shaking her head. She then nodded at the maid and the older woman one last time, before turning and focusing on the task at hand.

As she closed her eyes and focused, she immediately realized that flight was as much a matter of using her wings as it was one of controlling the wind while she was in the Steel Dragon's body: it was too heavy a creature to fly normally. She would have to conjure winds to keep herself afloat in addition to using the currents judiciously. Fortunately, the knowledge of how to do so was part of the ancestral instincts that were etched within the Elder Dragon's very genes, and so she already understood what she had to do.

Spreading her wings, Francisca began to conjure a strong gale, making sure to tightly control the direction it was blowing in. As she did so, she felt Rowena and Lumiere move away from behind her, putting some distance between them for safety. She spent a few minutes getting familiar with controlling the wind, and eventually decided she had a good enough grasp of how to accomplish her goal. Taking a deep breath – which she actually felt as the air rushed into her, giving her a curious fluttering sensation in her chest – she stepped over the balcony's parapect, took one step forward, and fell into the abyss below.

As she plummeted towards the ground, she quickly called the winds she had been carefully preparing to herself, and spread her wings as wide as possible, allowing the artificial current she created to break her fall. At first, the gale she created was not sufficient, so she increased its intensity, and gradually her falling speed diminished. Then, as she was close to hitting the ground, she finally stabilized her gale at a satisfying speed and intensity, and angled her wings so that they changed her direction.

The effect was immediate, and she went from falling to gliding over the ground at incredible speed, just barely avoiding an impact, and finally rose up high in the air, shouting in enthusiastic joy as she did so. The feeling was incomparable to that of hovering as a vigorwasp hybrid – the sensation of sheer speed, the strong winds all around her, and above all the spectacular view of the ground under her as she zipped over it – it was all exhilarating.

Francisca rapidly rose high up in the air, and began to perform daring maneuvers, rolling, diving and zigzagging. All the time, her laughter could be heard all the way to the land below. She felt genuinely happy: she was finally living her childhood dreams at their fullest.

Back on the ground, the Divine Fortress reached the crater intended to house it. Crashes and grinding sounds echoed loudly within the fortress as it settled into its intended position, filling the crater and crushing several intruding rocks under it as it came to a halt. Rowena held on to dear life to Lumiere's arm as the older woman maneuvered the flying fort into position with consummate ability, unbothered by the wild shaking of the landing. Then, finally, all became still again, and the maid let go of the black-haired woman's arm, slumping into a chair from exhaustion after all the excitement of the past few minutes.

As Rowena worked to steady her breathing, she heard laughter from above, and recognized Francisca's voice. With a grunt, she pulled herself off the chair, despite her tiredness, and staggered over to the balcony, leaning on the wall before it as she looked up in the sky.

There, she saw the princess soar freely overhead, laughing and whooping as she did so. The winds that supported her heavy draconic form in the air were strong enough to cause turbulence all the way to where the maid stood watching, but she did not mind.

(It's just wind, after all,) she thought with a tired but joyous smile, (Being bothered by a little air current is a small price to pay to enjoy the Princess's happiness.)

=O=O=

==Three months later==

The roar of the wind drowned out any other sound as a huge swirling mass of air impacted with a large tree. The tree's trunk resisted only for a brief moment before being torn apart in a shower of splinters and pieces of jagged wood.

A bit farther away from where the tree once stood, Francisca sank to her knees, panting harshly from the exertion. She felt dizzy and very drained, and struggled to steady her breath again, her hands clutching the soft earth under her.

Lumiere walked up to her, looking concerned. Are you all right? She asked the princess. Francisca tried to answer, then slowly shook her head with an apologetic look. Lumiere sighed and patted the purple-haired girl on the shoulder. It's fine. Rest and recover your strength. She then rubbed her chin thoughtfully, gazing at the exhausted princess. Hmm… I guess it's still too early for you to think of using an Elder Dragon's power in your human body on a regular basis.

"Y… yes, I noticed… that… hah… hah...," Francisca gasped, having finally somewhat regained control over herself. She slowly stood up, wobbling unsteadily on her feet as she did so. She briefly hunched over, hands on her knees, as she inhaled and exhaled deeply a few times, then straightened herself, sighing as she looked at the splintered wood and ruined tree stump her efforts had produced.

Francisca briefly glanced at her fingers, examining the large metal-like claws that replaced her usual nails, and smiled faintly, satisfied. She then turned towards Lumiere, who was still standing near her, at the edge of the area they chose to practice in the wildlands surrounding Rianobed. "Did you see? It worked!" she exclaimed, pleased with the outcome of the experiment in spite of her weariness.

So it did. Well… we already knew that you could selectively change just parts of yourself in order to access a portion of a creature's abilities without committing to a full transformation, she noted as she crossed her arms, shifting her weight on her left leg. But an Elder Dragon's abilities are on a different level from say, a Grimalkyne's, so it's a good thing that we know you can access Kushala's wind control ability without major issues just by transforming a small part of your body, such as your nails. Her eyes narrowed as she noticed a small, almost unnoticeable fragment of chitin nestled between Francisca's breasts. Speaking of which… is it just me or have you been keeping some abilities permanently active? That's a vigorwasp's chitin on your chest, is it not?

"Ah… you noticed, eh? Yes, I am keeping that active at all times. As you said, it's handy to have, so I want to condition myself to consider it second nature, for when I get back to my body," she explained. She then turned around and lifted the edge of the short dress she was wearing, revealing her backside. Lumiere's gaze was immediately drawn to what appeared to be a small, almost imperceptible bump at the base of her spine, surrounded by a small patch of differently-patterned yellowish-green skin. Her eyes narrowed, and she glanced at Francisca, who smiled sheepishly as she scratched her head. "…I keep this one always active, too. I had a taste of how potent it can be, and it's a great defense option."

A paratoad's paralyzing gas is a bit more than just a 'defense option'. It can incapacitate fully grown Wyverns, and even some Elder Dragons. I would call it overkill, Lumiere pointed out with a raised eyebrow, before shrugging. Ah well, it's not my business. It's your power, to do with as you see fit. She sighed, then smiled at the princess. Well… our time together is almost up. It's comforting to see how much progress you've made in less than a year. I'm sure you will be fine.

Francisca frowned as she looked down at her hands. "Right… time's almost up," she murmured. She then looked up at Lumiere with hooded eyes. "So… now you're going to tell me, right?"

Tell you what? Lumiere asked, curious about the sudden change in Francisca's demeanor. The princess raised an eyebrow, standing with her hands on her hips.

"You said that when the time came for me to return, you would tell me how I could see you again afterwards," she reminded the older woman. Lumiere blinked, then sighed. She hadn't expected Francisca would remember the conversation they had several months ago. She pinched the bridge of her nose, exhaling slowly, then gave her protégé a serious look.

I also said to think carefully about what price you're willing to pay to do so. It's not something that comes free, Lumiere reminded the princess. Her eyes narrowed. So? How much are you willing to give up for the sake of seeing again someone whom you've barely known a year?

"Whatever is needed," was Francisca's flat answer as she returned the black-haired woman's gaze without flinching. Lumiere and Francisca silently held eye contact for nearly a full minute, then the older woman averted her gaze, sighing.

I don't know whether to feel frustrated at your stubbornness, proud of your growth, or flattered that you value me so much, she admitted, though her expression seemed more pleased than annoyed. But I can see that nothing I say will change your mind, and so I will keep my promise. I'll tell you how we can meet again in the future. She pointed a finger at Francisca. I will bind my soul to yours.

Francisca blinked at this sudden declaration, caught off guard. She'd expected many things – human sacrifices, giving up a part of herself, perhaps even a shortened lifespan – but this wasn't one of the things that came to mind. She gave Lumiere a confused look. "Um… what would that accomplish, exactly?"

Well… a soul bond does a number of things, but the primary one is that by binding myself to you, my existence will be sustained by yours – much like how right now, the Shard sustains it, the pale-skinned woman explained. This will allow me to still be around, in a dormant state deep within you. And that's where the second thing that a soul bond does comes in, she continued, holding up two fingers. A body isn't meant to hold more than one soul, and a soul bond, as you can imagine, is just a temporary solution, since the soul is inert and dormant. It's not much different from being dead.

She then held a single finger up. But because it's essentially an extra, a bound soul will be pushed into the first suitable 'host' available that can actively sustain it. In other words, an empty vessel. Like a properly built animunculus, or… she paused briefly, sighed, then finished. Or a fetus.

At first, the implications of Lumiere's words didn't fully sink in, and Francisca stared at her blankly, waiting for more details. Then, her final words registered, and the princess's eyes widened. "Wait… you mean I'd have to-"

To give birth to me, yes. I'd be your firstborn child, Lumiere nodded slowly. That's the price to pay to see me again. She sighed again, then looked at Francisca. So now you know, and I am sure you understand it is no small thing. So I ask you again: are you sure I am worth the price?

Francisca did not answer immediately, instead thinking intensely with her eyes closed. Several minutes passed, with neither woman talking, until finally the princess reopened her eyes. She inhaled and exhaled slowly, then looked at Lumiere, and nodded firmly.

"I understand. It's a price I'm willing to pay," she told her with a small smile. Lumiere stared at her with an unreadable expression, then shook her head and shrugged in defeat, returning the smile.

I give up. You're too stubborn for me, she commented, chuckling lightly. She then motioned for Francisca to follow her. Well then, there's no time like the present for getting things done. Shall we go and get it over with right now?

"Ah… I should probably tell Rowena first…" Francisca paused, realizing the maid would need to know about this agreement. To her surprise, Lumiere waved a hand dismissively at her objection.

She already knows. I told her beforehand because I figured she would be the one most likely to change your mind, the black-haired woman commented. Francisca blinked at that.

"Huh? But she did not come to talk about it with me…" she murmured, confused. Lumiere gave her an exasperated look.

That's because she thought this was a choice only you could make, and refused to try and influence you, she replied, sounding aggravated. I swear, I don't know which of you is more stubborn. Her frown softened as she sighed. Truthfully, I'm pleased to know that you're willing to go this far for my sake. I'm just worried that you may come to regret it…

"I won't, so stop trying to change my mind," Francisca said, a hint of annoyance in her own voice. "Really, Lumiere… let me worry about any consequences to this agreement. I don't mind."

Lumiere shook her head and shrugged in resignation, then nodded. Very well. Come with me, then. I need an artifact within Rianobed to get this done, she informed the princess as she began to walk back towards the fortress in the distance. Francisca quickly followed in her footsteps.

It didn't take long at all for the pair to return to the mansion, and when they reached it, Lumiere headed directly for an alcove near the entrance instead of heading for the grand hall. The princess trailed behind her, matching her pace as she occasionally looked around the passage they were walking in. It was a long corridor with multiple rooms behind grated doors along its walls. They appeared to be storage rooms, and some of them seemed to be dimly illuminated by some kind of light source inside. As the princess wondered what was kept within the rooms, Lumiere spoke up, without slowing down or turning around.

This corridor is, in essence, Rianobed's treasury. Each room contains rare and powerful artifacts, ranging from weapons to magical items, she told her, gesturing towards the doorways as she spoke. The doors will open for the master of Fabularis, and no one else. Inside each room is a tome that magically keeps track of any items stored in, or taken out of, that particular room, as well as a brief description of their effects and usage. The older woman briefly glanced at the princess over her shoulder. Do make sure to take a look when you have time. I collected a number of useful trinkets. Some, I created myself.

"I see. I will keep this place in mind," Francisca nodded as the two women kept walking. Soon, they reached the end of the corridor. A heavy-looking door barred the way, but with a mere touch from Lumiere, it easily opened, allowing access to the room beyond. The room was entirely empty, save for two things: a large, very elaborate carved runic circle on the floor, and a dais with a carved pedestal, upon which a sphere made of a peculiar glass-like material hovered quietly, shining with a cold, white light. Francisca looked around, intrigued: something about the room felt drastically different than the rest of Rianobed.

"What is this…? Somehow, I feel like we're not even in Fabularis anymore…" she murmured, trying to figure out the odd sensation she was feeling. Lumiere glanced at her.

The room itself is nothing special. What you're perceiving is the power radiating from the Eternal Sphere, she told her, pointing at the glowing orb. This artifact directly taps into the Dimension God's power, and allows for soul manipulation, an art that is normally restricted to deities of the highest rank.

"A divine artifact…? How do you even possess such an item?" Francisca wondered, curious. Lumiere shrugged.

My Origin, Overlord Lumiere, serves the Dimension God, and as a fragment of her, I do as well, she explained coincisely. The Eternal Sphere is a divine artifact that can exist in multiple places at once, so all of us fragments have access to it. She scratched her chin, briefly looking unsure. I… actually am not sure whether you will be able to use it or not after you inherit the Shard. I guess you will have to try. She pointed at a thick book on a lectern protruding from the wall near the entrance. If you're curious about the Eternal Sphere, the tome over there contains all the details on it and what it is capable of.

"Maybe later. Right now, we came here to do something, did we not?" Francisca stated, preparing herself for whatever lay ahead. Lumiere nodded.

Indeed. Come over here, she replied, walking up the dais and stopping near the hovering orb. The black-haired woman gestured for the princess to stand opposite her on the other side of the orb, and Francisca quickly complied. Lumiere paused, giving her one last meaningful look: this was the last chance to rethink things.

Francisca's answer was a nod, and the older woman returned it, acknowledging the princess's resolve. Lumiere then reached for the orb and placed a hand upon it, motioning for the younger woman to do the same. Without hesitation, Francisca imitated her and placed her own hand on the Eternal Sphere. To her surprise, it was pleasantly soft and warm to the touch, rather than the cold, hard surface she expected from its appearance.

Looking up from the glowing sphere, Francisca saw Lumiere close her eyes, and then heard her begin to chant, her voice taking on a strange reverberating quality.

Neuga, ziena, zieber, zom… Now, the chosen time has come… Heed me, Time and Eternity! Let the souls touching you be bound forevermore, until the time when both fall silent! The black-haired woman's chant progressively rose in volume, until her words echoed within the space around them. Francisca did not need magical training to feel a tremendous amount of mana swirl around the room, and a glance downward was sufficient to see that the large runic pattern in the floor had lit up with the same white glow as the orb under her hand.

Then, she abruptly felt as if something was wrenched out of her chest and gasped, wobbling unsteadily on her feet. Despite her loss of balance, her hand remained stuck to the magic orb, presumably held in place by the power of the spell she was under. She panted harshly, reeling from the unpleasant sensation, and then inhaled sharply, feeling the part of her that was taken away suddenly return. Only, now it felt… different. Something had changed.

As the void the spell caused in her chest filled again, Francisca noticed the glow in the room die down as the runic pattern underfoot slowly went dark, and then her hand became unstuck, causing her to stagger back and drop to her knees from the sudden lack of support. Kneeling, she struggled to catch her breath, and then felt Lumiere's hand on her shoulder. Looking up, she saw the older woman smile at her with a nod.

It is done. Take your time, there is no hurry. Breathe slowly, and relax. Soul binding can be… a bit spiritually exhausting, so just rest for now, Lumiere told her in a soothing tone. The princess exhaled, then nodded and began to breathe in a deep, slow rhythm, allowing her tense body to loosen up.

After a few minutes, Francisca felt steady enough to rise to her feet. Standing up, she felt an unpleasant stiffness in her left thigh, and quickly stretched it to prevent the muscle from cramping up. "Ouch! Got up too fast," she complained, groaning. Lumiere chuckled.

It happens. Feeling better, now? She asked the princess. Francisca nodded.

"Yes. Although… that was rather unpleasant," she admitted. "It felt like something got ripped out of my body and then shoved back in… was it like that for you, too?"

Lumiere nodded. Yes, although I am more used to this kind of discomfort than you, I guess, she replied. And, well, you felt that way because that is what happened. The Eternal Sphere binds souls together by tearing a piece off of each soul, blending them, and then redistributing the merged soul into the original bodies, reattaching it to the source. She shrugged in apology. You will feel odd for a while as your soul adjusts to the difference. Nothing I can do about that.

"Well, it does feel different, but… it's not a bad feeling," Francisca said with a small smile. "In fact, it's comfortingly familiar. I suppose it makes sense, since it's part of your soul."

Glad you feel that way. Most people would find the idea of someone else's presence constantly at the edge of their consciousness to be unnerving, though… Lumiere noted with a raised eyebrow. Do you really not think it a little disturbing?

"No, actually... it's kind of nice. I've been… very lonely for most of my life," the princess admitted, looking at her feet with a frown. She then looked up again, smiling at Lumiere. "So, well, it's actually really soothing to constantly feel someone's presence at my side. Rowena tries, but she needs to rest, too…"

Hmm… I understand. Well, you're very welcome. If you're happy, I'm happy, the black-haired woman replied, returning the smile. The smile then gave way to a curious expression. Say, could you tell me more about your family? Given that I am likely to meet them in the future…

"Will you even remember anything I tell you?" Francisca asked, her own curiosity piqued. Lumiere scratched her chin, an uncharacteristic look of uncertainty on her face.

I'm… not quite sure. I only have my previous incarnation as a basis from which to guess, she explained slowly. I can tell you that I did retain a few memories from when I was part of the Origin, and everything else I knew from her, I had a vague sense of familiarity with. So…

"So, you may or may not remember the details, but anything you knew will at least feel familiar to you," Francisca finished for her. The older woman nodded, and the princess sighed. "That's good enough for me. Now, then, my family… I'm not too fond of talking about them, to be honest. They barely acknowledge me." Francisca bit her lower lip, then continued. "There's my father, King Castor Bistoa Lescatie. Supposedly, he used to be a good king, but I'm not sure… lately, I keep hearing bad rumors that he's caught up in some kind of underhanded deal, and then there's the state Lescatie is in…"

Ah, yes. I don't know all the details, but I managed to observe enough to know that your kingdom is not faring well, at all, Lumiere nodded, shaking her head. That said, in my experience, it's very hard for a royal to not be involved in shady affairs. It's an unfortunate truth of being a ruler, Lumiere commented. He's likely doing what he can as a King, but seems to have lost his way.

"That may be true, but it doesn't make me feel any better about it," the princess replied dejectedly. She then sighed and moved on. "At any rate, there is also my mother, Queen Alessandra Mistel Lescatie. As you may have guessed, she is the one who named me. My first name, Francisca, was the name of my grandmother, and my middle name, Mistel, is the same as mother's." She sighed again, this time more deeply. "Mother… genuinely loves father. But he's been neglecting her more and more often after I was born, and it made her despondent. I think she blames me for father's lack of attention towards her." The princess frowned. "She might be right. Father was… not happy that all his children were females, and even less so that I, the fourthborn, was so weak and pitiful. He may have started taking his frustration out on her."

Lumiere frowned at that. That may be so, but it is still no excuse for neglecting one's own child like they did with you. I understand they are both under great stress, but I think your parents have been rather irresponsible, she flatly replied, looking displeased. The Origin has a child, too. Despite being the one tasked with regulating creation on behalf of the Dimension God – which, as you can imagine, is an extremely stressful duty – she would never think of taking her anxieties out on her own flesh and blood. The older woman then sighed. I suppose it's still possible to patch things up, though. But a big part of it depends on how much you're willing to forgive. Parental neglect is a bit more serious that, say, sibling neglect. Lumiere's eyes narrowed. A brother or sister isn't obligated to care for a sibling… parents, however, have a duty to raise and nurture their child.

"It can't be helped. But this is one of the things I plan to change. I will make my parents admit that I am not worthless," Francisca stated, a flash of determination in her eyes. She then shook her head. "But that's for later on. Speaking of siblings, I also have three sisters – Friede, Yuria and Lili. Friede – Elfriede Irina Lescatie – is the oldest of us." An uncertain frown clouded her eyes. "I'm… actually not sure what to think of her. She is cold and aloof to everyone, but I don't get the feeling it's because of hostility or arrogance. It feels like she doesn't want company... just wants to be left alone." Her frown deepened. "But… no. That's not really it. It's like… she wants to talk – likes people, and all. She certainly doesn't mind the respect her amazing magical talent gets her, same as my other two sisters. But she stays separate, because that's what she is supposed to do." She sighed. "It's kind of sad, to be honest."

Sounds like she is just too serious, and needs to unwind, Lumiere murmured, looking thoughtful. She then looked at Francisca. Wait… did you even try to talk to her? I mean… really talk, not just greetings and farewells?

"Well… no. As I said, she keeps away from others – everyone, not just me. She doesn't much interact even with my other sisters, and with me living isolated in the castle's annex, well…" the princess explained. "We don't really get chances to interact."

See to it that this changes, Lumiere advised her. I get this vague feeling that you may be pleasantly surprised if you make an effort to connect with this older sister of yours. She then motioned for Francisca to follow her. Come, we have been here long enough. Let's return to the hall, and talk as we move.

Francisca nodded in agreement, and the two women left the Eternal Sphere's room, heading back to the living quarters area of Rianobed. As they traveled down the corridor, Lumiere addressed her again. So, then. What about your other two sisters? Yuria and Lili, was it?

"Ah, yes… unlike with sister Friede, I get a distinct feeling of hostility from Yuria and Lili," she admitted. "Yuria – Yuriana Viridi Lescatie – is a rather brash, arrogant and self-aggrandizing individual. She wholeheartedly believes that might makes right, and the weak should follow the strong. As such, she despises me for my weakness, seeing me as a stain on our family." Francisca sighed. "Again, she might be right. My existence did cause no small amount of grief for my family. Some even questioned if I was King Castor's daughter at all – they cannot believe someone who fathered such strong daughters would then go on to have a… weak wretch… like me." She shook her head. "The thinly-veiled cheating accusations caused by my existence did not particularly help me endear myself to my family, as you can imagine."

I see. Then, be sure to speak to Yuria in her own language in the near future, Lumiere advised her. Seeing the princess's confused look, she sighed, shrugging in exasperation. I mean, fight her and establish your dominance. I'm not saying do it right away – that would, of course, be strange and might attract attention you don't really want on you just yet – but once you carve out your own role in the big picture of your world, be sure to let her know that you are weak no longer. Lumiere gave Francisca a hard stare. Force her to change her opinion of you by proving it wrong – if she truly believes in strength above all, then she will acknowledge you when you show her your might.

"That's…" Francisca began hesitantly, then paused and stopped walking, thinking. Lumiere stopped as well, waiting for her to continue. After a few minutes, the princess looked at Lumiere, nodding with a serious expression. "You make a good point. I'll consider if and when to do it."

Good. Let's keep moving, we're almost back at the entrance hall, the older woman said as she resumed walking. The purple-haired girl hurriedly followed suit. Lumiere then addressed her once more as they walked. So, what about the last one? Lili?

"Liliane Shandra Lescatie. I don't like her," Francisca replied curtly, causing Lumiere to blink and slow down her walking pace. The distaste was evident in the young princess's voice, and it made her curious.

That's harsh. It's unusual for you to be so judgmental, she noted, perplexed by the sudden change in her young protégé's demeanor. Is she really that bad?

"Her magical affinity is for hexes, and her personality matches her unpleasant talent," Francisca elaborated, a barely concealed frown of disgust twisting her lips. "She is unnecessarily abrasive. She routinely heaps backhanded insults and venomous remarks on anyone who even slightly annoys her – and sometimes it feels like merely breathing in the same room as her counts as 'annoying her' – and just generally seems to have a mean streak a hundred kilometers wide and longer than the horizon." The princess shook her head, her frown deepening. "No one really likes her, as far as I know. Even sister Friede barely tolerates her, and father seems actively afraid of her."

Hmm, Lumiere hummed, pondering Francisca's words. She then glanced at the princess. Are you sure she isn't just looking for attention?

Francisca staggered at those words, then gave Lumiere an incredulous look. "What…? Attention? She already has all the attention she could possibly want! Everyone knows what she's capable of with her magic!" she protested.

Right, but is that attention positive? Lumiere countered. Francisca blinked, confused, and the older woman continued. From my recollection of the Origin's memories of other worlds, users of hexes and other magic that can induce harmful states like being poisoned or paralyzed are usually regarded with fear and distrust. She shook her head in disapproval. People may respect their raw power, but that's it. They're going to be feared, not celebrated. They rarely have friends because people don't want to get close to a hexer. Lumiere pointed at the princess, her eyes narrowing. Even you, her own sister, expressed distaste for her hexes. You called her talent 'unpleasant'. Are you sure you shouldn't do a little bit of self-criticism, here?

"I…" Francisca murmured, stunned. She had never considered the situation from that angle. (Could I have so grossly misread my older sister?) she thought, mulling over Lumiere's words.

Of course, I might be wrong, and she is in fact as nasty as you suggested, Lumiere added. In which case, you won't be able to connect with her, no matter how much you try. Either way, if she's anything like other hexers across creation, you will have to be patient. Trust isn't something they have an abundance of. She shrugged. If you want to try, slow and steady wins the race.

Francisca bit her lip, then nodded. "I'll… think about it," she replied as they finally reached the entrance hall. The princess stopped, looking at the older woman with a smile. "You know, I never did think of my family in quite the way you suggested. It feels like I may not know them at all. Thank you for the insight."

Don't thank me just yet. I may be wrong, and lately I don't have the best track record for being right, Lumiere cautioned her, crossing her arms with a warning look. Her expression then softened. But… well, I do hope I am right, and you can somehow work out the issues between you and your family.

Francisca opened her mouth to respond, but before she could say anything, Rowena's familiar voice rang out from the doorway leading to the grand hall.

"Princess! I've been looking for you everywhere!" the maid exclaimed as she hurriedly approached the pair. As she drew closer, she slowed down, raising an eyebrow as she took note of the apparent good mood her mistress was in. "...did something happen? You look quite happy, milady."

Francisca and Lumiere exchanged a look, then began to giggle almost in unison, causing Rowena to blink in puzzlement. The purple-haired girl then took the blonde maid's arm by the elbow and pulled her towards the grand hall, smiling.

"Come with me, Rowena. I'm famished, and could use some of your delicious cooking," she told her. "And while we eat, I'll fill you in on what's new."

As she watched the two young women walk off, Lumiere shook her head with a sigh, then rubbed her chin, deep in thought.

Being a child, huh… that will be a new experience for me, she mused, sounding intrigued. Her lips then curved in a faint smile as she walked off, heading for the library. At least I know I'll have a good mother. Hmhmhm…

=O=O=

==Two weeks later: Dawn of the final day==

Lumiere hummed an upbeat tune as she walked into the dining hall, which was currently crawling with an impressive number of Bugtrapper Grimalkynes, all busy making preparations for a feast. Rowena directed the efforts from the kitchen counter, rattling out short, coincise orders that even the cat-folk could understand, regardless of the language barrier.

While today was the day Francisca would fully inherit the Shard's power and return to her original body, which would normally be a somber, slightly sad event, there was a festive mood in the air – partly because Francisca insisted on throwing a party and inviting all the Grimalkynes in the Bugtrapper tribe, and partly because, due to the soulbond the princess established with the older woman, this was not to be a farewell, but rather a temporary goodbye.

As she walked through the kitchen, she noticed the cuts of meat the Grimalkynes were transporting were unusually large, and realized it was Aptonoth meat, rather than the usual mosswine. She raised an eyebrow, impressed, before addressing a nearby Grimalkyne – a hunter, judging by the way he held himself. =Good hunt. Well done,= she praised him. The Grimalkyne looked up, startled, then shook his head in denial repeatedly.

"=Not us. Furless sister. She catch. We cut.=" he specified. Lumiere blinked at that, surprised.

...Francisca caught all this? She murmured, looking at the huge amounts of meat being passed around and transported to the kitchen counter for cooking. Either she caught a couple smaller Aptonoth, or one really big one…

"It was the latter," Francisca's voice spoke up from behind Lumiere. The black-haired woman turned around to look at the princess, who gestured at the Grimalkynes. "Some days ago, the catfolk ventured out in the surrounding wilderness, found an Aptonoth herd and notified me. Perhaps because they have more space, they grow a bit bigger out there than they do in the garden out back." She scratched the back of her head as a Grimalkyne passed by, carrying a few juicy-looking steaks on a wheelbarrow. "I went out while it was still dark, found their resting place, singled out a big one and went after it." The purple-haired woman shrugged. "It wasn't all that hard, really. I just jumped on it while it was still asleep and hit it with paratoad gas before it could shake me off, then snapped its neck while it was paralyzed."

It's a good thing Rowena is too far away to hear us. She'd probably faint if she heard you talk so casually about ambushing and slaughtering an Aptonoth, Lumiere remarked with an amused smirk. She then shook her head, looking at the activity in the dining hall. Still, consider me impressed. That's definitely enough meat for the whole Bugtrapper tribe. Good hunt.

"Thank you. I did my best, since it's a special occasion," Francisca smiled, pleased by the praise. "The Grimalkynes assured me that even if I used paratoad poison, it wouldn't impact the quality of the meat – apparently, they use wild paratoads to disable their own prey, themselves. So the strategy really wrote itself in this case. If you can even call it a strategy… it was a pretty simplistic approach."

It was good thinking, nonetheless. Well done, Lumiere remarked with a nod of approval. She then glanced over at the kitchen counter, where Rowena and four other Grimalkynes were furiously cooking up a storm. I wonder how long it will take for the food to be ready?

"Rowena said it should all be ready by noon, since she has skilled help," Francisca replied, crossing her arms under her breasts. "In the meanwhile, I was thinking of hitting up the library and reading a bit. There are so many books on Wyvern biology and ecology… it's pretty exciting. One book even mentions a human-like species called Wyverians, who may or may not be Wyvern hybrids. I wonder how that even works?"

I wouldn't know. I had other things to think about, so I honestly never paid attention to Wyverian biology, Lumiere admitted. She then held up a finger. Ah, but I do remember they lay eggs, rather than give live birth. Although, they are definitely mammals… they breastfeed their young. Sighing, the older woman waved a hand dismissively. Anyway, what does it matter? There aren't any Wyverians left. More importantly, I have something for you. Follow me to the library.

"For me…? All right, lead the way. Not having us around will help Rowena focus on cooking, too," Francisca replied, motioning for Lumiere to go first. The two women quickly left the dining room, heading towards the Grand Hall. From there, Lumiere took a sharp left turn and walked towards the far wall, opposite the stairs leading up from the hall to the bedroom area. She stopped before a large ornate double door, and pushed it open, revealing a well-lit, clean room full of bookshelves.

Without hesitation Lumiere walked in, heading towards a table with an inkwell, several quill pens, a few rolls of paper, an elaborate magical-looking staff and two thick books. Stopping near the table, she picked the books up and turned towards Francisca.

Right, so… first, this one, Lumiere began, holding up the first of the tomes in her hands: a plain book with a belt lock and a light brown leather cover. Francisca immediately recognized it: she'd seen Lumiere write into it several times in the past months. The older woman nodded at the princess's reaction. I see you're familiar with it. I've been compiling and writing down important information about the Shard's power. It's all in here. She smiled faintly. Rowena was a big help in writing this. She'd sometimes ask questions, making me take note of things I took for granted but you probably wouldn't know. She patted the book's cover. This is lightly enchanted, too: if there is a specific subject you want to know about, just open the book, hold your hand above it, and enunciate clearly what you want to investigate. If the book can recognize your command, it will open itself at the page relevant to your query. She frowned. Just be warned: the enchantment is very simple. Keep your requests short and easy to understand. If the spell can't find what you need, I did provide a rough category index in the front page of the book.

"I understand," Francisca nodded as she took the manuscript. She then gave Lumiere a sideways glance, puzzled. "I thought you'd lost all your magic power, though. How did you manage to enchant this book?"

I didn't. The idea of a quick search function was Rowena's, and she's the one who enchanted it, with my coaching, the black-haired woman revealed. At Francisca's shocked expression, she giggled. Oh, she hasn't told you yet? She asked me to teach her magic, so she could be of use to you. Surprisingly, she had aptitude for livelihood magic, so I taught her all about it while you were away practicing your chimeric powers. She shook her head. Don't expect her to do anything like incinerate her foes with fireballs. Livelihood magic is stuff you use in your household to make everyday chores easier. Things like cleaning spells, sparks to ignite fires, candlelight enchantments. She then smiled again. She's an awfully quick study, though. She mastered most of the spells I taught her in the time she was here. The one she still can't quite get right is the waterproofing spell. She still gets wet, even when she can hold most of the rain off.

"Um… wow. I'm a little envious. I have neither talent nor aptitude for magic…" Francisca admitted, looking a little downcast. Lumiere shook her head with a shrug.

In the first place, you don't really need magic anymore. The abilities you can use through the Ultimate Chimera let you do things you'd normally need magic to imitate, such as waterbreathing and wind control, she pointed out. Aside from that, your mana reserves will grow over time, to accommodate for the growing power and needs of the Shard within you. Once you possess enough mana, you will be able to simply brute force a spell by overcharging it until your aptitudes don't matter anymore. She rubbed her chin thoughtfully. Mind you, it's terribly wasteful, but for you, it's an option. The time will come when you have so much mana you won't even know what to do with it, so you might as well use it this way. Lumiere then raised an eyebrow, pointing at the book in Francisca's hands. I wrote all of this in here, by the way. There is a more in-depth explanation in the book, if you want one.

"I see. Thank you for this gift. I'll put it to good use," Francisca promised, holding the book tightly. She then glanced at the second tome. "So… what's that other book?"

A book of recipes, she replied with a chuckle, holding up the book, which at a closer glance turned out to be a handmade leather journal. The princess blinked at the unexpected answer, and Lumiere continued. I noticed you love good food, and I found this book in Astera, near where the canteen run by that muscular Felyne chef was. I thought it'd be a fine gift for you. She lightly wiped away a small bit of dust on the cover. Its recipes use ingredients you'll only find here in Fabularis, though, so it's not going to be of much use in your world, except as a reference for similar dishes, maybe.

"Wouldn't it make more sense to give this to Rowena? I never tried cooking, so I'm not sure I'd be able to do anything with it…" Francisca noted as she accepted the old journal. It felt rough at the touch, and she could tell it had seen lots of use.

Yes, well… I, uh, kept forgetting to give it to her, Lumiere admitted reluctantly. She then glared at Francisca, who was barely stifling a giggle. Don't laugh. I'm not perfect, you should know that by now.

"I'm sorry… but that really does sound like you," Francisca apologized, still trying to not laugh. "You're serious and hardworking… but sometimes, you get absorbed into whatever you are doing, and forget about everything else." The princess then became serious again. "With that said… is it even readable? I've been wondering… wouldn't a different world's language be unrecognizable for people of my world?"

Translation magic. It envelops all of Rianobed, Lumiere explained with a smirk, gesturing at her surroundings. I set that up for my convenience. Within these walls, any language can be read by anyone, provided they are capable of reading in the first place. Her smirk then vanished. It only works on texts, though. I have been unable to get it to work for speech, for some reason.

Francisca's eyes narrowed upon hearing that. "That's… actually pretty useful. It means any language barrier can be overcome through written dialogue," she said with a thoughtful expression. "It also means that codified messages could be deciphered simply by bringing them here. This place is a spy's paradise."

Hahaha! True enough, Lumiere replied with a hearty laugh. She then smiled at the princess. Well, then. There's still time before the feast begins. Is there anything I can do for you in the meanwhile?

Francisca nodded. "Yes, actually. Let's chat. We never had any time for gossiping, and I'd like to just casually talk about nothing in particular," she replied with a smile. Lumiere raised an eyebrow at the peculiar request, but nodded.

I don't mind. Let me see, then… she began, scratching her chin while thinking. Ah, right! How about colors? Despite me usually wearing black, my favorite color is actually cyan. What about you?

"Ah, this may sound stereotypical, but mine's pink," Francisca promptly answered the question, smiling cheerfully. "There's this pink dress I've been using since almost the beginning, and I can't wait to bring it back home with me…"

Soon, the two women busied themselves with chatter, their animated voices filling the otherwise silent library.

=O=O=

Later that afternoon, Lumiere, Francisca and Rowena convened in the Grand Hall, leaving the still ongoing feast behind for the Grimalkynes to enjoy. The catfolk's sounds of mirth and partying reached all the way to the massive room. Francisca shook her head, amused. "It seems the Grimalkynes aren't going to stop having fun anytime soon. Well, there's still leftover meat, so I don't mind. And it was interesting to meet the Bugtrapper chief," she commented. Rowena nodded in agreement, smiling broadly with a dazed expression on her face.

"Yes. So many soft, furry, cute… ahem!" She coughed in her hand. "Apologies, I got carried away for a moment. At any rate, I must say I did not expect the Grimalkynes's chief to be that big. He's visibly bigger than the others."

Oh, he's not even the biggest Felyne I've seen. Astera's Felyne chef, Nalkul, was even bigger – nearly as tall as a human – and with a physique that looked like he was sculpted in granite, too, Lumiere commented, waving her left hand in the air for emphasis. He once was the Palico partner of Astera's admiral, Hardin. Truly a fitting partner to that man, seeing how the Admiral himself was also huge, and immensely strong even by Hunter standards. Some believed Hardin to be a Rajang in human form…

"That's an exaggeration, right?" Rowena asked hesitantly, an expression between awe and fear on her face. Lumiere shook her head.

It is no exaggeration, the older woman replied. That man could lift boulders three times his size, and in at least one occasion faced off against a Rajang bare-handed to protect a comrade – right after a rock ceiling caved in on top of him. He was honestly amazing… She sighed, glancing at Francisca. I would have liked for you to meet Astera's denizens. They were full of character and had varied personalities. I think you'd have liked most of them.

"There's no point dwelling on the past right now. What happened, happened. For now, let's focus on what we have to do," Francisca replied, looking determined. "I am ready when you are."

"Then I will wait here for you, Princess-" Rowena spoke up. Almost immediately, Lumiere interrupted her with a fierce shake of her head.

No. You need to come, too. Because of how I pulled you into Fabularis, your presence is needed, as well, she explained to the maid. Francisca gave the black-haired woman a perplexed look.

"What do you mean by that?" she asked, puzzled. "I don't recall you mentioning anything about that before…"

In order to allow Rowena in here, I had to create an exception to the rule that only allows the one chosen by the Shard inside, and the only way to do so was by hijacking the Shard's influence over Fabularis and partially connect her to it, she explained patiently. While she cannot inherit the Ultimate Chimera's power like you, she has partial access to the Shard – enough to give her administrative power over this place – and as such, her presence is necessary in the succession ceremony, so that her link can be renewed. She frowned. Bad things are going to happen if Rowena isn't present today. So yes, she needs to come, too. That said, I am at fault for not mentioning this sooner. For that, I apologize.

"Ah… it's fine. Let's just… go and get this over with," Rowena suggested hesitantly. Francisca nodded in agreement.

"Yes, that would be best. If you'd lead the way, Lumiere…" the princess spoke, gesturing for the older woman to go first. Lumiere complied, taking the lead and walking towards an alcove with a heavy iron door. She opened the door with ease, revealing a staircase leading downwards.

Francisca was already familiar with the long descent to the tunnel leading to the Shard's basement room, but for Rowena it was the first time, and the maid looked curiously ahead as they descended, though there was not much to see aside from the torches on the walls and the occasional ornamental urns on the sides.

As they walked, Rowena hurried to Lumiere's side, looking at her without breaking her stride. "Um… if I may ask… what's going to happen to me once this ceremony is over?"

Hm? Nothing special. What were you expecting? The black-haired woman replied, perplexed. The maid blinked at the answer.

"But… didn't you say I am connected to the Shard?" she reminded her with a look of concern on her face. Lumiere shook her head, giving her a reassuring smile.

You're not going to feel any different than now, she explained as they walked down the corridor. With the corner of her eye, she noticed Francisca paying close attention to their conversation, and continued. Unlike Francisca, you weren't chosen to inherit the Shard, so you won't gain any sort of chimeric powers. However, because I linked you to the Shard, and by extension Fabularis, you will be able to manipulate its environment at will once the connection is properly established and finalized.

Rowena blinked, confused. "Manipulate… the environment?" She asked, unsure of what the other woman meant. Lumiere made a flourishing gesture to encompass all their surroundings.

Yes. For example… If you want Rianobed's walls to become green, they will. If you want it to rain outside, it will. If you want the Sun – or rather, the replica of a sun in the false sky of this magical world – to rise in the West, then it will. She spread her arms wide. If you want there to be three moons of various shades instead of the giant celestial body that's up there right now, that can be done, too. Or you can make it colder, or warmer, though I advise against it. Shaking her head, she gave Rowena a sharp look. The book I gave Francisca yesterday – you know, the one you helped me enchant – contains information on this aspect of the Shard's power, too. Be sure to read it.

"I-I see. Thank you for the explanation," Rowena nodded, looking stunned. What she'd just heard sounded an awful lot like a near-divine level of power, regardless of whether it was limited to Fabularis or not, and she felt unnerved by the idea of having such a huge influence on the world around her.

Sensing Rowena's anxiety, Lumiere glanced at her, quietly studying the expression on her face. The black-haired woman considered offering the maid some words of encouragement, then decided against it: the young woman had proved to be very resourceful, and Lumiere had little doubt that in time, she would adapt and learn how to wield her new abilities – if nothing else, to ensure that she would be of use to Francisca.

"We have arrived," the princess in question suddenly spoke up. Lumiere turned to face forward, stopping before the immense double doors protecting the Shard's chamber. At her side, Rowena fidgeted nervously.

"Um… maybe I'm imagining things, but I feel a little strange. It's like there's some kind of weight pushing me down…" she murmured, uneasy. Walking up to her, Francisca put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed comfortingly.

"Don't worry. It's just the power radiating from the Shard," she explained in a calm and soothing tone. "I felt weird the first time I approached it, too. It may feel a bit scary, but no harm will come to any of us."

Before Rowena could answer, there was a screeching sound as Lumiere pushed the heavy doors open, revealing the room beyond. Francisca turned to face the door, then froze in shock. In the center of the room, where the Shard's crystal stood during her first visit, there was a massive flame, burning blindingly white, yet not emanating any discernible heat. The unexpected sight caused the princess to hesitate, visibly confused.

Noticing her reaction, Lumiere smirked. I take it you can finally see the true appearance of the Shard? She asked, sounding amused. Francisca looked at the black-haired woman with a panicked look.

"What… what happened to the Shard? Where did the crystal go? Wait… did you say 'true appearance'?" She asked, confused and anxious. Lumiere nodded.

You're seeing a large white flame, are you not? She asked the two girls before her. Both nodded simultaneously, though Rowena, having never seen the Shard before, was unsure of the reason why her mistress seemed so alarmed. Lumiere continued. That flame is called the [Great White]. It is the manifestation of Overlord Lumiere's power – a direct conduit to the Dimension God. Only those who are ready to grasp its true nature can see it as the white fire you are gazing upon. Everyone else will perceive it as something different… usually, an object or phenomenon they associate with power. She nodded at the two women. You can see its true form. It has deemed you both worthy. Step within the fire, and the rest will take care of itself.

"S-Step inside the- won't we be burned alive?" Rowena protested. "This does not seem safe at all! What if something happens to the Princess? I-"

Before Rowena could continue, she felt Francisca's hand grasp her own, squeezing in a placating manner. She glanced at the purple-haired princess, who shook her head slowly.

"Rowena. Lumiere has never led us astray on purpose so far. And she knows the Shard better than anyone else," she told her, having regained her composure. "If she says this is what I am supposed to do, then I believe her." She bit her lip, then gave her a firm look. "I will go. Will you come with me? Into the fire."

"I-" Rowena hesitated briefly, looking into Francisca's eyes. There was a hint of fear in them, but it was drowned out by a strong determination. The maid gulped nervously, then steeled herself. She'd decided a long time ago that she'd follow her mistress anywhere, come what may. Returning Francisca's gaze, she nodded slowly. "Of course I will follow you, Princess. I will go anywhere you want me to."

Francisca smiled at Rowena's answer. Still holding on to the maid's hand, she turned around, and the two began to advance towards the flame. Lumiere stood unmoving near the room's entrance: her role was as a mere observer, witness to the passing of a torch.

As the two young women approached the white fire, their anxiety somewhat lessened: no matter how close they got, they could not feel any heat from it. It wasn't cold, either; it just felt like it simply was. Reaching the very edge of the fire, the pair paused, exchanging a glance. Taking a deep breath, they nodded to each other, then turned towards the flame again and stepped into it with decision.

As soon as they entered the flame, a distinct sensation enveloped them. It felt as if the white blaze was welcoming them. A soothing sensation of tranquility began to seep into their bodies, and as it did, they began to feel a new awareness: it was as if their consciousness slowly expanded past their physical perception. Slowly, they became aware of the room around them, and felt Lumiere's presence at its very edge. Then, it further expanded, radiating out through all of Rianobed, and beyond it. They could feel it all: the Grimalkynes still partying in the dining hall, the creatures in the ancient forest that made up Rianobed's inner garden, and then past even that, across the land beyond the walls.

As their awareness expanded, it became harder to discern the individual living beings within it, and eventually it became a confused mass of life as far as they could sense it. Still, it felt as if with some effort, they could pinpoint a single being in the confusion if they wished so.

The sense of expanded awareness persisted for a short while, allowing the two women to adjust to it somewhat. Then, something changed in the atmosphere around them. Rowena felt the hair on the back of her neck stand on end as an enormous influx of power brushed past her and poured into Francisca, who was still beside her, holding her hand. As it did, Francisca's grip on the maid's hand tightened, and the blonde girl heard the princess sharply inhale, stiffening as her eyes widened. For a brief moment, a sensation of concern welled up within her, but it subsided as part of her assured her that there was no danger to Francisca.

The maid held on to the princess's hand for support and comfort, waiting for the power cascading into Francisca to stop. The princess glanced at her and smiled, grateful for the maid's unspoken encouragement. Eventually, the torrential influx weakened, and then ended, and Francisca's grip on Rowena's hand relaxed. Exhaling slowly, the princess closed her eyes for a few seconds, then glanced at Rowena and nodded with a smile.

"I think it's over," she told the maid in a quiet tone. Glancing around, she was surprised to see that the white flame was completely gone. Not even a tiny flicker remained, as if it had never been there. She looked at Rowena again. "Well. This is… different. It just disappeared…"

It didn't disappear. It merely flowed within you, Lumiere spoke up, having remained silent until then. A portion went into Rowena, and the rest all became yours. From my point of view, the Great White was absorbed into your bodies. The black-haired woman smiled. Congratulations. Both of you are now the rulers of this pocket world. And you, Francisca… she added, looking directly at the princess. You are now truly the Ultimate Chimera. The Great White branded your soul – the power you have merely been sampling until now is yours to keep. She offered a small bow. Use this power as you see fit. I have no doubt you will be able to give it a new purpose.

Francisca paused at those words, looking down at her free hand. She then looked back up at Lumiere and nodded. "I will. I do not yet have a clear idea of where I will go from this point onward, but I will make sure to put all you taught me to good use," she told her with a smile. The older woman returned the smile, then raised her left hand, looking at it with curiosity.

It seems to be starting already, she remarked. Francisca blinked, then her eyes widened as she saw the edges of Lumiere's hand become undefined, a dust-like haze spreading out from it. Looking up in alarm, she was met by an unconcerned shrug as Lumiere scoffed. Looks like I had even less power left than I expected. My body is becoming unstable already. See, the spiritual fog separating from me is being drawn to you, she pointed out as she gestured towards the haze with her other hand.

Indeed, the dust-like particles seemed to be drawn to Francisca, and as soon as it touched her skin, it seemed to sink right into it. The princess felt an odd sensation as it happened: it felt as if something she hadn't realized was missing was being returned to her. Puzzled, she glanced at Lumiere. "Is this happening because of the soul bond?" she asked. The black-haired woman nodded.

Yes. My body was a construct held together by the Shard's power that I was receiving through my residual connection to it. Now that you have properly inherited the Shard, that connection is gone, and so there's nothing holding this form together anymore, she explained. As my body loses cohesion, my spiritual essence is looking for a new place to take refuge into. Because of our soul bond, that place is inside you. The fact this is happening is proof that the bond is working as intended. She smiled, her contours becoming hazier. Admittedly, I did not expect it to happen so quickly. I severely underestimated just how much power I used to bring Rowena in here. I was basically barely being held together.

"Ah… I was hoping we'd have a little time left together before this happened," Francisca murmured, looking dejected. Lumiere patted her gently on the shoulder, a cloud of spiritual haze forming in the process.

Things don't always go the way we want them to, she chided the princess gently. Her expression then became serious. Now, before I dissipate completely… you do remember how to return to your world, right? Both of you need to go to sleep in the exact same bed you woke up in at first. For you, Francisca, it's the bed in the Grand Hall. Don't worry about leaving it behind… it's a projection of the bed that is in your real room. It will be gone along with you. And for Rowena…

"The single bed in the back of the blacksmith shop, right?" Rowena finished for her. Lumiere nodded in confirmation, while Francisca gave the maid a curious look.

"You woke up in the smithy?" She asked her. That was the first time she'd heard of it. Lumiere coughed to draw their attention.

I picked the blacksmith quarters in the back of the shop because I wanted it to be a distinct bed that couldn't be confused with any other, she explained. I had to make sure Rowena could find it without fail, or she could have become stuck in here in an astral form if something went wrong.

Francisca nodded at the explanation. "That makes sense… Right, then. We both know where to sleep to return home." She then frowned, looking at Lumiere. Her body was falling apart even faster now, and her previously solid appearance had become translucent. "I- what am I going to tell the Grimalkynes?" she asked, feeling a sudden wave of emotion well inside her.

You don't need to say anything. I already told them I need to go away for a long while, but will return eventually. In the meanwhile, they are to treat you like the mistress of this place, Lumiere replied, her face becoming unfocused. I spent some time with the Tobi-Kadachi, too – Toou, was it not? I believe it somewhat understood, as well.

"I… see," Francisca murmured, feeling a lump in her throat. Lumiere glanced at her, then sighed, patting her head – an action which caused her right hand to break apart entirely, the spiritual haze from it slowly flowing inside Francisca.

Come on, now, don't get all emotional on me like this, she scolded the princess. Remember, next time we meet I'll have to call you 'mother'. Instead of spending your time being sad, spend it getting used to that thought. A smile flashed across her face before it lost more features. That said, you'll be a fine mother. I look forward to our next meeting. Both of you, be of sound health, and don't be reckless fools like I was…

"I can't promise that. After all, you're my role model," Francisca replied cheekily. There was a pause from Lumiere's crumbling form, then a roaring laugh erupted from her, sounding almost like a waterfall, and feeling like it would never end.

Lumiere's laughter echoed in the chamber for a long time after her form finally dissipated.

=O=O=

A while later, Francisca and Rowena emerged from the stairway leading to the basement, returning to the Grand Hall. Looking around, the princess spotted the bed she awakened in when she had first been drawn into Fabularis, and smiled slightly, recalling her first meeting with Lumiere. (It feels like so long ago now,) she thought. Walking up to the bed, she briefly looked at it, before patting the covers. "Not yet. I have a few things to do first before I return," she murmured.

Rowena walked up to her, looking concerned. "Princess…?" She began, hesitant. Francisca glanced at her, then smiled, shaking her head.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," she reassured the maid. She then held a hand to her chest. "I can't quite explain it, but… she's still here. The full extent of the soulbond has only become apparent now… It feels like there's another presence within me." She looked at the palm of her hand, then glanced up at Rowena with a mischievous smile. "By the way, I can do this now," she stated impishly, before her body shifted. Within a heartbeat, her hair turned black and became long and smooth, her skin paled, and her eyes turned into a familiar mix of green and red.

Before Rowena could react, Francisca had turned into an exact replica of Lumiere.

The maid stared at the princess in utter confusion, and Francisca could not contain a giggle at her expression. "How do I look? I will never wear this face as well as Lumiere did, but as soon as her spiritual force fully entered me, I felt that I could make myself look like her." She spread her arms, slowly making a complete turn before Rowena. "My hair is smooth, too. This is one of the few forms I have where those stubborn drills do not haunt me."

"Actually, you look really good," Rowena answered honestly after a moment. "It may just be that Lady Lumiere's appearance looks great on anyone, though…"

"Right? I was thinking the same thing," Francisca nodded. She then giggled. "This will be useful for when I want to walk around without being recognized. Still, I'll make sure not to do anything bad with Lumiere's face. I'd hate it if I tarnished her reputation."

"Is this like your chimeric transformations, milady? That is, do you draw special powers from it?" Rowena asked, curious. Francisca shook her head negatively.

"No, actually. Unlike my other transformations, this is merely a change in looks. Its base is still my human genes." She tapped her chin, thoughtful. "It may be because I never actually met Lumiere in her flesh and blood body, so there are no genes to use as base. It's a general blueprint for her appearance. I can use any genes as a species base for this, although results will obviously vary based on my choice."

"Can you normally imitate other specific people, or is it limited to their species?" Rowena inquired again. Francisca raised an eyebrow, then rubbed her chin, thinking.

"I'm not sure myself. I'll look in the book Lumiere wrote for me later to see if she addresses the issue." She then stretched lazily, returning to her regular look as she did so. "At the very least, I know I cannot copy you. Well, your physical body is not here either, so perhaps that's why. I will have to experiment a bit… but for now, let's prepare for sleep." She smiled at Rowena. "It's time to return to our world. And once we do, I'll have you help me think of how to best use this power I have been given. I want to make a difference, somehow."

The maid bowed, smiling. "As you wish, Princess. I shall endeavor to assist you in whatever venture you choose to undertake," she replied gracefully. She then straightened. "You mentioned needing to do something. May I inquire as to what that would be?"

"I just want to pack some of the things I want to take back to my world later on. Most of them are already stored in my room, but there are a few still scattered around Rianobed," she answered. "I would also like to return here immediately, so that time within Fabularis synchronizes with the real world right away. I would hate it if I waited too long and discovered all my Grimalkyne friends died of old age due to the time dilation effect in here…"

"I can do it for you, if you like, milady. Lady Lumiere taught me a simple Return spell that will lead me here without fail," Rowena interjected. "She also told me that so long as anyone from the 'waking world', as she called it, comes in here in a flesh and blood body, it will cause the flow of time within Fabularis to match the world they come from. It can be you, me, or anyone else."

"That would be great. Please do," Francisca nodded. "Aside from that… eh. Hm. We should make sure that whatever leftovers of the feast are stored properly."

Rowena chuckled at that, remembering how eagerly the Grimalkynes had attacked the huge slabs of roasted meat she had prepared with the help of the Bugtrapper cooks. "Leftovers? With an entire tribe of catfolk that hungry? Somehow, I doubt we will find more than bones left," she commented. Francisca laughed heartily at that.

"Ahahahaha! True. Our feline friends are definitely a hungry lot," she agreed, before sighing and stretching again. "Well, anyway. Let us begin. Tomorrow is a new day – and a new life!"

Rowena smiled and nodded at her mistress, caught up in her enthusiasm. As the maid followed the princess towards the fortress's living area, she began to hum an upbeat tune.

She had no idea what the future had in store for them, but she was certain that as long as the princess and her stuck together, everything would work out.

==Chapter 3: Bond (End)==

((A/N: And this is finally a wrap on my longest chapter so far. I had to rewrite several sections quite a few times before I was satisfied with the flow of the story, although it may still feel a little off in some places, but hopefully now that we are heading back to Lescatie, the story will stabilize into a decent pace. I hope you enjoyed reading this.

Next time, we return to the MGE world, and Francisca finds out that readjusting to having a physical body is… a bit more complex than she expected. We also see a bit of what is happening in neighboring areas, such as Polove, and may or may not see familiar faces.

As a fair warning going forward: I will often borrow names from my favorite videogames for things like side characters and minor towns. That does not necessarily mean I am making them into guest characters – when that happens, I will say so very clearly. Mostly, I am just borrowing names that I think are cool.

Next, for this chapter's hybrid monster forms' designs: the Kulu-Ya-Ku and Kushala Daora forms are both based on MuHut's humanization of the two MH monsters, and can be found on his deviantArt. As always, I recommend his art, it is truly top notch.

The Tobi-Kadachi form, on the other hand, is inspired by an art piece by Victoria Yurkovets. It looks absolutely amazing, and you can easily find it with a quick Google search using 'Tobi-Kadachi Victoria Yurkovets' as the search words. I found it on Pinterest, personally.

Finally, the Vigorwasp form is actually an original design made by me, so I have no art of it – I am terrible at drawing, sorry. Hopefully I described it well enough for you to form a mental image of it.

That's all for now. Author out.))

Chapter Text

((A/N: Aye, siwmae. And good day to you, readers.

This chapter also came out horrendously late on TFT and FFNet. I had no excuse for this one: I let videogames distract me big time, ahahaha. Primarily Elden Ring. I AM MALENIA, BLADE OF- er, sorry, had a small raptus here.

Anyway, on with the story. In this chapter, Francisca finally wakes up, and Shit Happens(TM). Hopefully it's worth the wait. Chapter is slightly shorter than usual because one, I have procrastinated enough, and two, I found that stopping where I did was a good place to do so. We're also introduced to another of the Fallen Maidens, and we see things from the mamono's perspective for a while.

Also, I had planned for some events taking place in Polove to make it into this chapter, but ultimately cut them because it would have delayed the whole thing even more. They'll fit into the next one, for sure.

I really do hope that this proves to be worth the long wait, and I'll do my best to not take as long for the next one. Hopefully the Elden Ring DLC will take a while to come out.

But I've kept you long enough . Now, on to the chapter!

Author out.))

==Chapter 4: Awakening==

==Dawn of a new day==

Francisca's eyes slowly cracked open as she regained consciousness, feeling groggy. She blinked a few times to adjust to the dim light coming from the room's shuttered window, then glanced to her sides, taking in the sights around her. It took her a few moments, but she eventually recognized her surroundings as her bedroom in the western annex building of Lescatie's royal castle. She chuckled lightly as she saw the nightstand to her left, recalling how its absence had been her first clue that something strange had happened on her first day in Fabularis.

Letting out a slow sigh, Francisca decided she'd spent enough time reorienting herself, and attempted to get up and off the bed. As she tried to sit upright, however, a lancing pain shot through her, causing her to fall backwards on her pillow with a startled shout, followed by a pained groan as she panted, feeling a dull, throbbing ache in every part of her body.

"Nnngh… I forgot that my real body is still crippled," she muttered, displeased. She had gotten so used to being able to move freely that the sudden pain from her broken body had come as a shock. Slowly, she got her accelerated breathing under control, her eyes fixated on the ceiling as she did so. Idly, she noted to herself that her room needed a new paint job: the white walls were getting dirty from age and dust, and besides the all-white room was incredibly dull to look at, especially after having lived for a whole year in Rianobed's gorgeously vibrant environment.

As she relaxed, she felt an extremely brief tingling sensation on her skin, almost too quick to register. Shortly afterwards, she heard noise outside her bedroom, and then there was a familiar, discreet knock at her door. Glancing at the room's entrance, she spoke up. "Come in, Rowena."

At her invitation, the door opened, and the blonde maid entered the room, carrying clothes, a hairbrush, skin lotion and other toiletry items. Rowena set the items she was carrying down at the foot of the bed, then closed the door and turned to look at Francisca. A concerned frown flashed across her face as she took in the princess's pale, slightly disheveled appearance. "Princess, are you…?" she began to ask, before trailing off. Francisca shook her head with a weak smile.

"Don't worry. I just forgot this body isn't quite healthy just yet, and carelessly tried to get up on my own," she explained to the concerned young woman at her side. She then closed her eyes, taking a deep breath, and continued. "If you don't mind, I'm going to take a look and fix whatever is wrong with me now. In the meanwhile, why don't you head into Fabularis and get the time synchronization done with?"

"I actually already took care of it, Princess," Rowena reassured her with a smile, pointing at the supplies she had brought in. Francisca reopened her eyes, puzzled, then chuckled quietly as she recognized the embroidery on the towels, the decorated hairbrush and the pink halter dress she'd grown fond of during her stay in the magical world. Rowena had brought out all her favorite items first thing.

"What would I do without you, dear Rowena? Surely you're a gift from the Goddess," she exclaimed, smiling warmly at the maid. The praise caused a deep blush to bloom on Rowena's face, and she shifted on her feet with a bashful smile.

"T-thank you for your kind words," she replied, fidgeting. She then took a deep breath, calmed her nerves and looked at her mistress. "Do you wish for me to stay by your side while you… fix… yourself?"

"I'd prefer to be alone, actually. I need absolute focus for this… it is, after all, the very first time I use my powers on my real body," Francisca answered. She then gave the maid a smile and a nod. "Still, I will be sure to call for you if I am in need of anything, so do not worry. Why don't you take this time to familiarize yourself with this place again? After one year, you might not remember where everything is supposed to be, after all."

"That is true. I had some trouble getting my bearings again after waking up. I kept expecting stairs and doors where there were none, and was confused when I couldn't find the baths," the blonde woman admitted. She then bit her lip, looking concerned. "Still… will you be fine by yourself?"

"Yes. Go take care of your own duties. I'm pretty sure my voice will reach you if I need any help," the princess confirmed with a firm nod. Rowena nodded and bowed, then moved the toiletry items and clothing to a table near the window and quietly left the room, closing the door behind herself.

Left alone in the poorly lit room, Francisca sighed, then closed her eyes and reached for the power she could feel deep within her, allowing it to envelop her mind in a warm haze. The familiar sensation of the Ultimate Chimera's power brought her a measure of comfort and confidence, and after a brief pause, she began to patiently examine her own body's genes, looking for the source of all her past pains and struggles.

It did not take long at all for her to find the damage in her genetic code. In fact, it was so widespread, Francisca privately wondered how she had survived so long. There was little doubt in her mind that, if left to her own devices, she would likely not have survived past her twenty-fifth birthday at most, probably even less.

Little by little, she pinpointed the damaged genes and patiently replaced them, using the fresh human genes she had coincidentally acquired earlier that very morning from Rowena coming within range of her chimeric absorption. She smiled briefly: in a way, a part of Rowena was now going to be within her, since she was replacing her own damaged genetic strands with those of the blonde maid. Realistically speaking, it was just generic human genome, but she preferred to think of it as something more intimate than that.

She carefully kept taking damaged pieces out and weaving the undamaged replacements in, letting the Ultimate Chimera's power guide her whenever she felt uncertain about something. The power within seemed to know exactly what she wanted to do, and it guided her through the process. She would even receive warnings in the form of vague sensations of danger whenever she attempted to change something that was best left alone. Francisca idly wondered if she'd be able to do even half of what she was currently doing without the guidance of her chimeric power, then shrugged, deciding that said guidance existed specifically for that purpose.

It was past noon when she finally replaced the last damaged piece and deemed her work done. She gave one last once-over to her handiwork, and felt a sense of satisfaction within her, hinting that her inner power also approved. With a sigh, she let go of the Ultimate Chimera, and reopened her eyes, inhaling and exhaling slowly as she relaxed after the grueling hours-long task.

Just as she began to unwind, there was a knock at the door, and Rowena's voice came from outside. "Princess? May I come in?" it asked, sounding concerned.

"Perfect timing, Rowena. I just finished here. Do come in," Francisca answered. The room's door opened almost immediately, and an anxious-looking Rowena walked in, closing the door behind her. Approaching Francisca's bed, the maid was surprised to see that there was color on her mistress's cheeks, and she looked a lot more vital than before. After a brief hesitation, she spoke up.

"Are… are you all right, Princess? You look… better than earlier. Did everything go well?" she asked, her anxiety seeping into her words. Francisca shook her head reassuringly.

"I'll be fine from now on. Although, I do need you for something. Can you help me get up on my feet?" she asked her with an apologetic smile. Rowena blinked at the unexpected request.

"I don't mind, of course, but is that all right? You seem to be quite tired…" the maid replied, looking unsure. "Perhaps you should rest a bit more?"

"I plan to, but before that, I need to make sure the changes I made take full effect," Francisca explained. "To do that, I need to shift out of, and then back into, my human form."

Rowena blinked, perplexed. "How is changing your form going to help with that?" she asked, confused. Francisca lifted a hand and tapped her own chest with her fingertips.

"My body, as it is now, is still damaged. I corrected the errors in my genes, but that did not automatically fix existing problems," she explained "It's kind of like if you built a house while following a faulty construction plan where stone was replaced with chalk. Even if you correct the plan, you need to tear down and rebuild the defective building." Francisca looked at the palm of her hand. "When I change forms, I basically am dismantling and rebuilding my body from the ground up, and use the information stored in my chimeric power core to do it. And since I just fixed my 'human' information…"

"...once you return to your human form, your body will be rebuilt according to the unflawed information. I see, so that's how it works…" the maid murmured, intrigued. "I wonder if this effect can be used to heal wounds, too?"

"I never actually tried to verify that while I was in Rianobed, come to think of it. It's certainly something I will need to experiment with in the future," Francisca admitted, curious herself. She then looked at Rowena again. "At any rate… help me up, please? I hate to admit it, but even sitting upright hurts a fair bit when I try to do it alone."

"Of course, Princess. Just let me get the window and door first..." the maid nodded as she swiftly moved to lock the room's entrance and ensured the window shutters were secured. With the task done, she then approached Francisca's bed. Carefully, she helped the princess sit upright, then on the edge of her bed, and finally, offering her own shoulder as support, she slowly pulled the purple-haired woman to her feet. With the task accomplished, she looked at her mistress for further instructions, and Francisca gave her a firm nod.

"Good. Now, let go of me. Don't worry, I won't fall," she instructed Rowena. The maid briefly hesitated, then slowly let go of the princess and backed away slowly, anxiously keeping an eye on her. As soon as she took two steps back, Francisca's body rippled like water, and then shifted. Very briefly, there was a faint but distinct crackling sound as her bone structure rearranged itself, and within seconds, she took on the cat-like appearance of her Grimalkyne form.

After the transformation was complete, Francisca gave herself a quick once-over and nodded in satisfaction. As expected, her transformed state did not suffer from the weakness and pain her base form was plagued with: she could stand pain-free and unassisted, and felt as strong and vital as she did back in Fabularis. The noise her bones made as they changed shape had briefly startled her, but there was no pain involved in that, either, although the physical feel that came with the change was somewhat unnerving.

"Um… milady? Are… are you all right? There was a really scary sound just now…" Rowena's voice interrupted the princess's thoughts. Looking up, she saw her loyal maid staring at her with barely concealed anxiety, likely intensified by the nasty noise her bones made as she transformed. Francisca smiled back at her, waving a clawed hand in reassurance as her feline tail swished under her nightgown.

"I'm fine, see? Although… I didn't expect my body would make that noise when I changed," she admitted with a frown. "I hope I did not alarm you too much…"

"Aaahhh… I think I lost a few years of my life when I heard that cracking," Rowena muttered as she unwound with a relieved sigh. Looking up, she noticed that her mistress was standing naturally, with no trace of pain or discomfort. "It seems that while in one of your other forms, you are pain-free, right?" she commented as she moved to the princess's side and reached out to offer support. "I wonder if perhaps- huh…"

The maid's voice trailed off as her hand made contact with Francisca's forearm. Rowena blinked, looking curiously distracted, and began to absentmindedly stroke the fur on the princess's arm. Francisca paused, giving her a puzzled look, before eventually speaking up after a few seconds of being stroked. "Uh… Rowena?" she tentatively called out. When there was no answer, nor any apparent sign Rowena had even heard her at all, she raised her voice a little. "Rowena… what are you doing?"

The maid's head snapped up as Francisca's louder voice finally registered with her. She momentarily shook her head, before realizing what she had been doing and yanking her hand away from the princess's arm as if it was on fire, a luminous crimson blush of embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

"I… uh… I'm sorry! It just… feels different when we are in our real bodies. It's so much fluffier…" she frantically apologized. "I got distracted by all the fluffiness, and could not resist, and-"

"Rowena. Calm down. Deep breaths. I'm not upset," Francisca interrupted the panicking maid in a reassuring tone as she gently grasped her hands, taking care not to injure her with her claws. "I was just surprised by your actions, but I do not mind. It was not unpleasant, either." She kept gently talking to the maid, and eventually, the princess's soothing words caused Rowena's panic to subside.

With the unexpected incident resolved, Francisca opted to return to her original form, in case unannounced guests showed up. Reaching within for her newly-modified human form's information, she allowed the Ultimate Chimera's power to change her. As she reverted, her inhuman features evaporated into smoke, which appeared to be absorbed into her, and her body lost its fur coating, returning to smooth, pale pink skin.

Almost immediately, however, she felt her strength leave her limbs, and began wobbling unsteadily on her legs, almost falling over before an alarmed Rowena caught her at the last moment. Confused, the princess sat down on her bed again, unsure of what happened.

"Princess…? Is something wrong? I thought you said you fixed your body's issues…" the blonde maid voiced the concern in both women's mind. Francisca looked up at her from her sitting position on the bed and frowned.

"I… did. I cannot find anything wrong in my body, and the pain is, in fact, gone," she confirmed in a perplexed tone. She continued talking as she briefly examined herself. "It's just… I feel like my body is weak and unresponsive. I wonder- wait, maybe it's that…"

"Did you figure something out?" Rowena asked, noticing a spark of realization light up the princess's eyes. Francisca nodded.

"I think so. It's a discrepancy between what my body can do and what it expects to be able to do. A form of muscle memory, if you will. It's clashing with both the conditioning I underwent in Fabularis, and my renewed body's actual capabilities." She frowned. "I didn't think this would happen because I based my expectations on my experiences in Rianobed, but I forgot that back then, I had an astral body, rather than a physical one. My astral memory and my physical memory overlap, but don't match, and the result…"

"I think I understand. Your body still thinks it's crippled, and won't respond the way you want it to, right?" Rowena guessed. Francisca nodded.

"Yes. It will go away in time, but until it does, I will only be able to move freely in my transformed state," she concluded. A sigh escaped her lips as she shook her head in frustration. "This is annoying, but it can't be helped. Well, it's not all bad, anyway… it would have drawn too much attention if I abruptly started walking normally without apparent reason." Francisca smiled at Rowena. "This way, I can claim it to be an unexpected recovery, perhaps thanks to you lovingly taking excellent care of me every day."

"T-that might be a bit too much, Princess," Rowena protested, blushing at the compliment. The purple-haired girl shook her head in denial.

"No, no, it is no exaggeration. You have gone far beyond your duty for my sake. And you did bring me the book. It would be no lie to say it's thanks to you that I am healthy again," she stated firmly. She then gave the blonde maid an impish smile. "With that said, I will have to impose on you a bit longer. I'd apologize, but the truth is I like it when you spoil me."

"Well… then I will be sure to spoil you plenty, Princess," Rowena replied with a cheeky smile of her own. She then sighed and gave her an inquisitive look. "Now then, since the situation is what it is, what do you wish to do in the meantime? I could get the wheelchair and take you shopping in the city proper, if you like."

"No, I think it may be too early for me to be out on strolls yet. Let's take things slowly," Francisca shook her head negatively. "That said, the wheelchair idea has merit. I got too used to basking in the sun and enjoying the breeze… so, why not go relax in the garden? I am not entirely sure, since the shutters are closed, but it seems like today's weather is fair."

"Understood. Then, I will go fetch it," the maid nodded. Straightening up, she bowed, then turned around and quickly left the room. Left alone, Francisca hummed, waiting, but quickly became bored of standing still. Her eyes narrowed in frustration: she didn't like being unable to move about freely, although the fact she was pain-free was certainly an improvement over her previous state.

Looking up at the door, she made a decision. Focusing, she took a deep breath, and then pushed herself off the bed, struggling to her feet. Leaning on the wall for stability, she took deep breaths until she felt her heart rate slow down, then began to slowly advance towards the door, one step at a time, while using the wall as support.

Eventually, she made it to the door, and opened it with one hand, then advanced into the hallway beyond it. Francisca's room was situated in one of the annex's towers, on the first floor, and the hallway ended in stairs on both directions. She moved towards the stairs leading down to the ground floor, slowly but steadily, and eventually reached them.

Stopping at the top of the stairs, she hesitated, then firmly grasped the wall mounted handrails on the right side and began to very slowly descend the stairwell, one step at a time, making sure to rest at each step before taking the next one and taking all the time she needed. In this case, haste would have spelled disaster, so she made sure not to be in a hurry.

Finally, she reached the base of the stairs, and her feet made contact with the ground floor's surface. Francisca slowly exhaled, before smiling to herself. (I can do it if I focus, after all), she thought triumphantly. She then frowned. (It was much harder than I expected, though. I wonder-)

Her thoughts were interrupted by a gasp and a thump, and she looked up to see an alarmed Rowena, who had just dropped the rudimental foldable wheelchair she was carrying upon seeing her standing at the bottom of the stairs. The maid rushed up to her, concern evident in her face.

"P-Princess?! Why are you here?! If you'd just waited, I'd have helped you descend the stairs…" Rowena protested as she looked Francisca over, scanning for any signs of injury. The purple-haired girl chuckled, then shook her head and put a hand on the other woman's shoulder in a placating gesture.

"Calm down. I'm fine and uninjured. I just… well, I suppose I wanted to prove to myself I could do it if I tried hard enough, body or not," she told the maid. She then scratched her head sheepishly, smiling awkwardly. "I guess I was maybe a bit careless, huh?"

"Princess! What if you fell? Aside from how it would be my head on the chopping block if anything bad happened to you while under my supervision, I would feel terrible if you got hurt!" Rowena scolded her in return, her eyes narrowed in anger. She then sighed, her shoulders slumping. She knew very well how stubborn Francisca could be when she got it in her head to do something. Looking up at the princess, the maid gave her a pleading look. "Princess, just… next time you want to do this, at least let me be present, in case something goes wrong. I know that with your new… abilities… you probably don't need my assistance, but it's for my peace of mind, if nothing else."

Francisca winced. She could see that Rowena was genuinely upset by her reckless behavior. She quietly nodded. "Right… sorry. I didn't mean to cause you anxiety. I'll be sure to ask for your presence if I ever do something like this again," she murmured. The maid stared silently at her for a few seconds, then sighed again.

"Thank you. I truly am sorry to impose, but… I still have concerns for your well-being. Please, bear with me," she told the princess. Turning towards the wheelchair she dropped, she quickly walked over and picked it back up, then swiftly set it up, rolling it over to Francisca, who was still waiting at the base of the stairs. With some aid from Rowena, the princess was soon seated in the contraption, and sighed in relief. Truthfully, descending the stairs took a lot out of her still-adjusting body.

With Francisca securely seated in the wheelchair, Rowena began to carefully push her, headed for the annex's entrance. As they passed the windows, the purple-haired princess began to hum an upbeat tune. Things hadn't panned out quite as well as she had hoped, but it was just a temporary setback, and she would be patient.

And, once she was fully recovered, she would be very busy indeed.

=O=O=

Francisca hummed as she sat in her wheelchair with her eyes closed, enjoying the sun's warmth. It was mid-spring, and the day was pleasant, indeed – not too cold, not too hot, and with a gentle breeze blowing through the castle's garden. The lack of people in the garden helped her relax, as well – one of the few perks of her isolated living arrangements.

Francisca thought about her situation as she relaxed. The old, weathered building she lived in was considered an annex to the royal castle of Lescatie, but it was separate from the castle proper, requiring visitors to walk through the left side of the royal garden to reach its entrance. Few people ever went there, since the only inhabitants of the old building were Francisca and Rowena; essentially, aside from the gardener which came once every two weeks to care for the plants, it was essentially ignored. An arrangement that suited the royal family just fine, as the frail, sickly princess was deemed an embarrassment to the Lescatie royals by their noble peers. Thus, by keeping her away from others' eyes, she was also kept out of their minds.

On the flip side, however, these arrangements also meant she was free to do whatever she desired, so long as it attracted no attention. And with her newfound powers taken into account, living in a private building that no one ever visited was, in fact, a fairly ideal setup. Francisca planned to make full use of the isolation, taking advantage of it to experiment with her chimeric powers.

All that, however, could wait. For now, what she wanted to do was enjoy the warm sunlight, the gentle breeze, and her newfound pain-free body.

"Princess, are you enjoying yourself?"

Rowena's voice caused Francisca to crack one eye open and glance to the side. She chuckled: the maid had brought a trolley with teacups, a teapot, and a small but familiar looking white jar, containing vigor honey from Fabularis. She briefly shook her head, thinking about the irony of using the honey she herself produced as sweetener for her tea. On some level, she was sure it was a disturbing thing to do, but personally, she liked the fragrant aftertaste of this kind of honeyed tea too much to care about such details.

She would have liked to accompany the tea with a slice of the delicious honey cake Rowena made back in Rianobed, but realized that was a bad idea, on account of how she was supposed to not be able to stomach sweets. Changing her living and eating habits overnight would have attracted undue attention, and while she was sure she could pass any examination designed to weed out a mamono, it was still best not to be subjected to that kind of inquiry at all. She was not a mamono, of that she was sure, but to an outside observer, her inhuman forms would not have appeared any different, with unfortunate results should her cover be blown.

Rowena appeared to have guessed what Francisca was thinking about, for she smiled gently as she handed her a cup of piping hot tea, into which she'd already expertly mixed a spoonful of honey. "Don't worry, Princess. We have to do things little by little at first, but before you know it, you'll be up, walking, and enjoying all the cake and sweets you want," she whispered in a conspiratorial tone, which caused Francisca to snicker and struggle to keep from bursting out in laughter.

"Pfff-hahaha… The way you say it almost makes it sound like we're planning some kind of grandiose, nefarious scheme," the princess commented in an amused tone. "But it's good that we can joke about it, isn't it?" She then began to sip on her tea, relaxing and enjoying the taste.

The two young women spent the afternoon chatting and gossiping. Francisca, who had been stuck in her room for a very long time, was eager to know more about the world beyond the castle walls, and Rowena was all too happy to answer her every question. Eventually, the topic veered towards the quality of living in the kingdom, and the mood turned somber: while she spared her mistress the most disturbing details, Rowena made no mystery of the fact that life in Lescatie was less than pleasant for anyone who wasn't a member of the nobility.

The news caused Francisca to fall silent as she pondered quietly. She had expected that things wouldn't be good, but the picture Rowena painted with her report was much bleaker than she thought. Commoners regularly had trouble making ends meet, crime was at an all-time high – although the criminal types operated in the shadows, so as to avoid drawing the Order's attention – and sudden outbreaks of sicknesses were frequent.

There was one such plague some years prior, during which Rowena herself very nearly died. To this day, she was not sure how she had survived, chalking it up to divine intervention of some kind. The thought of the blonde maid dying chilled Francisca to the bone: she was certain that her own life would have been very different, had Rowena never been part of it – and not for the better.

As the afternoon turned to evening, Francisca and Rowena prepared to retire into the annex. That was when Francisca noticed someone walk into the garden – and an encounter took place that would be critically important for the future of the kingdom.

The newcomer was a young, diminutive rosy-skinned girl, looking to be in her early teens. She had pink hair and reddish eyes, and wore a frilly dress whose red and pink pattern matched her hair and eye color. A creamy white hair ribbon and a pair of similarly colored thigh high socks with small twin ribbon red decorations completed her outfit along with a pair of leather shoes. She held what Francisca recognized from her books as a magical scepter, a tool designed to allow magic users to more easily channel their spells. This particular scepter was golden-colored, with a large gleaming ruby set in its head.

What drew Francisca's attention the most, though, was the downcast expression on the girl's face. It was a tired, world-weary look – not one that she expected to see worn by a child so young. She felt a pang of sympathy for the unknown girl: she'd seen that same expression before – in the mirror, on her own face.

"Oh… this is unusual. Why is Lady Mimil here?" Rowena's voice jolted Francisca out of her thoughts. The princess looked up at her maid with a questioning glance, and Rowena elaborated. "Right, you wouldn't know her, milady. That's Mimil Miltie, a magician Hero of Lescatie. She's said to be the strongest magic user in the nation, more talented than even your sisters, and is considered a prodigy and the pride of the Magitech Institute. I hear she was an adept spellcaster as early as five years of age, and both the Order and the kingdom pulled a lot of strings to get her enrolled early into the Institute." Rowena's expression became wistful. "It must be nice to be so talented. Life must be much easier and more pleasant…"

"I think she hates it."

Rowena blinked, then glanced at Francisca. "Uh… what? Who? You mean… Lady Mimil?" she asked, confused. At the princess's nod, she shook her head. "But… That makes no sense. Why would she hate being hailed as a prodigy? Such an honor is…"

"Just a gilded cage," Francisca interrupted Rowena as she stared at Mimil, who sat down on a bench and was looking at the ground, hunched over and frowning while restlessly swinging her feet. She sighed, taking in the girl's body language. It was all too familiar to her.

Taking her gaze off Mimil, Francisca looked up at Rowena. "Being proclaimed things like 'prodigy' and 'genius' just places expectation upon expectation on those who are called such," she told her in a low, weary tone. "It's no happy, worry-free life, like you seem to be thinking. All it does is give you crushing anxiety as you try to live up to your title." She exhaled slowly and closed her eyes. "I should know: people expected much from me, simply because I was born a Princess of Lescatie, and when I turned out to be a disappointment, I was cast aside and forgotten. The same kind of threat hangs over her head – if she fails to meet the expectations of those who call her prodigy, she won't be forgiven."

Francisca's eyes reopened and she frowned deeply, looking up at the darkening sky before speaking again, her tone being considerably harsher now. "And why is such a young child being made to act as a Hero? Children like her are the ones Heroes, and adults in general, should be protecting. Adults should be the ones working to keep her safe, not the other way around. I don't care how much magical talent she has, this is just wrong." She shook her head. "She should be laughing and playing with other children her age, not fighting to protect a bunch of blowhard nobles who can't live up to their own bragging… what has this nation become?"

Rowena remained silent. She'd rarely seen her mistress this upset, and regardless, had no good answer for her question. She quietly waited by Francisca's side as the princess fumed in anger. Eventually, the purple-haired woman calmed down, and after giving one last look to the lonely young girl on the other side of the garden, she expressed the desire to return to her room. Nodding, Rowena began to push her wheelchair along, and soon enough the pair disappeared inside the annex.

Had they turned around before that point, however, they would have noticed Mimil staring at Francisca with a strange look on her face. A mix of confusion and curiosity…

=O=O=

Several days passed uneventfully after that. Francisca went out in the garden more and more often, as part of her ploy to make it look like she was 'feeling better'. Her presence, however, gathered no attention outside of that of the gardener who dropped by to prune the numerous rose bushes one afternoon – and, curiously, that of Mimil Miltie, who began to show up regularly in the garden.

The gardener, a middle-aged man with sunburnt skin and a graying beard by the name of Bartholo, was not a very chatty sort, answering in single words to every question and seemingly unhappy about his job. He quickly left as soon as his working hours were up, and Francisca got the impression that he was likely underpaid and unappreciated for his work, which from what she could see, was top-notch: the man may not have been friendly, but he knew his plants, and carefully tended to the garden despite his obvious dissatisfaction. (He probably really loves plants), Francisca thought as she watched him leave.

Mimil's presence, however, gave Francisca mixed feelings: on one hand, the young girl seemed to have shed her depression in her subsequent appearances. On the other hand, the princess caught the magician stealthily glancing at her on multiple occasions, and this odd behavior puzzled her. Rowena confirmed that the magical girl's actions were unusual: Mimil had never before visited the royal garden so regularly, and her previous visits had been sporadic at best.

It felt like the magical girl was coming to the garden solely to peek at her.

This odd situation continued for about a week, during which Francisca didn't do much besides getting acclimated with her newly healed body, studying the state of Lescatie and considering several courses of action for the future. Then, one evening…

=O=O=

"Princess, I brought you your chamomile infusion," Rowena announced as she entered Francisca's room with a tray in hand. On it lay a teapot, a cup and a jar of honey, along with a few biscuits. The latter were something new Rowena had taken to making for her mistress, and like most other sweet things Francisca was fond of, they were made with vigor honey.

Francisca, who was clad in her nightwear and sitting on her bed surrounded by paper sheets and notebooks, raised her head from the document she was reading and smiled gratefully at the maid. "Thank you. I was looking forward to it," she answered, carefully setting the pile of papers she was working on aside and swinging her legs off the bed's edge, adjusting herself in a sitting position. Rowena set the tray she was carrying down on a small cart and pushed it closer to the bed, then expertly poured the infusion within the teapot in the cup and added two spoonfuls of vigor honey, as she had learned Francisca liked it. She then held the filled cup out for Francisca to take. The princess smiled and accepted the offered cup, then began to quietly sip the warm beverage, sighing as she felt the fatigue from an evening of intense studying drain out of her.

It had become almost habitual for Francisca to sweeten whatever infusion she was drinking with some of the vigor honey from Rianobed. It both relaxed her and relieved the fatigue of a day spent going over the numerous notes she'd written down with Rowena's help. She'd even tried to make honey from Lescatie's local flowers, although the result was nowhere near as good as what she could make from the nectar of Fabularis's vitalilies: it had a much lower fatigue relief effect, and weaker healing properties as well. Still, it was a serviceable energy booster, and knowing she could make decent enough honey from any flowers in a pinch was also good.

Rowena watched intently as Francisca sipped on her chamomile tea. The princess had been intensely studying the situation in Lescatie, trying to figure out what she could do to help with her newfound power, but thus far nothing quite came to mind. She did, however, conclude that there had to be a rather disturbing amount of corruption and deceit in the government itself, particularly the high nobles – "a cesspool of hatred and lies", as Francisca described it in frustrated disgust in one occasion.

The biggest obstacle to any plans was that Francisca had no way to get accurate information to act upon: she could realistically trust no one outside of Rowena, and while the Royal Family did have a spymaster in its service, she couldn't be sure he wasn't also compromised.

Finishing her herbal infusion, Francisca sighed as she set the cup back down on the tray. She then picked up a stack of papers and began to rifle through it again, a despondent look on her face. "This is going nowhere… I really need my own information network," she muttered, her brow furrowed in irritation. "But I wouldn't know where to begin to create one…"

Watching her mistress, Rowena bit her lip. She actually did have an idea that could get Francisca the information she needed… but it would have meant revealing a part of her past she did not care for the princess to know. It caused her to hesitate time and again in the past few days, agonizing over whether to mention it or not. Ultimately, however, her loyalty to her mistress won out over her reluctance to reveal that part of her past. Clearing her throat, Rowena got Francisca's attention.

"If I may, Princess… I might know of a way to get reliable information, and I can vouch for the sources being trustworthy," she spoke up. She paused briefly, hesitating, then continued. "It's just… well, they're peculiar individuals. Not the sort that a royal would usually involve herself with. If that's still fine with you…"

Francisca set down the papers she was reading through and focused her attention on the blonde maid, interested. "If it's someone who has your trust, then I have no objections whatsoever. Who would these people be?" she replied, curiosity evident in her voice.

"Ah… it would be best if you directly met them," Rowena told her after another pause. "Just… please, keep an open mind."

"I don't quite understand, but I'll keep that in mind," Francisca nodded. "So, when are we going to meet them?"

The maid rubbed her chin thoughtfully. "Hmm… I will go talk to them tomorrow. Hopefully they will be available as soon as possible. They run a business, you see," she answered. She then gave the princess an apologetic look. "I truly am sorry if this sounds rude, but it's a bit out of nowhere, and-"

"I understand, they may have their own obligations. Don't worry," Francisca reassured her. The purple haired girl then glanced at the papers on her bed and sighed, before collecting them and setting them down on the night stand. Having cleared her bed, she laid down on the sheets and tiredly stared at the ceiling. "Well, I have had enough of getting annoyed while reading those useless reports," she commented. "I think I will take a break for today, and…"

Francisca's voice trailed off and her eyes narrowed slightly as she stared upwards. Rowena gave her a puzzled look and followed the direction her gaze was pointing at. In doing so, she noticed a large crack in the paint job on the princess's ceiling and frowned. "Ah, I see the room needs repainting. I will contact someone as soon as possible… do you have any color preferences, Princess?"

The maid waited for an answer, then blinked as none came. Looking over at Francisca, she saw her still staring at the ceiling with an unreadable expression. "Um… Princess?" she called out again. This time, Francisca seemed to hear her, and turned to give her a questioning look.

"Yes? What is it? Forgive me, I was lost in thought for a moment…" she told the maid. Rowena nodded, though there was still puzzlement in her eyes.

"I said, what color paint would you like for your room?" she repeated. Francisca looked downward, rubbing her chin as she briefly thought about it, then looked up at Rowena again.

"Hmm… something relaxing. Green, perhaps, or sky blue. Beige is also an option," she replied. "Keep some of the white, though. I do not dislike it."

Rowena nodded. "Those are good choices. I will contact a painter as soon as possible," she said. She then gave her mistress a sharp glance. "If I may, Princess, you look tired. Perhaps it would be best if you turned in early today?"

"You're right. I think I will do that," Francisca agreed. She then motioned at the maid. "You should sleep early, too. You will be busy tomorrow, after all. Don't worry, I have no need of your services for this evening."

"Then, by your leave…" Rowena bowed deeply.

"Yes, you may go. Thank you for your hard work," Francisca smiled. Rowena smiled back.

"You're very welcome, milady," she replied. She bowed again, then collected the tray and teacups and left the room, closing the door behind her.

Now alone in the bedroom, Francisca resumed staring at the ceiling. After a little while, her eyes narrowed once more.

"It seems we have rats in the attic," she muttered as she got up. As she walked towards the door, she discarded her nightgown, and the soft sound of her footsteps gradually gave way to a muffled grinding sound of claws on wood. Opening the door, now fully transformed in her Tobi-Kadachi hybrid form, she hissed quietly.

"It's time for some pest control."

=O=O=

Deruella, Fourthborn Daughter of the Mamono Lord, walked through the hidden encampment she established in Lescatie's Forest of Dark Spirits, humming to herself as she smiled in satisfaction. The Lilim, garbed in her usual revealing black attire which seemed more made of a fluid than an actual material, had just returned from a meeting with some of her allies in the Royal Makai's territories, and while it had been nice to be back home once in a while, she elected to return to her advanced camp post-haste, concerned about the possibility of her forces being discovered and attacked by the Order's Heroes.

The sounds of ecstasy and unrestrained copulation filled the evening air in the camp, and it pleased the white-winged Lilim to see her followers freely enjoying themselves with no reservations. The beautiful Lilim would often relax after a long day by taking walks through her camp and enjoying the wanton lust and sweet indulgence that her followers engaged in on a daily basis.

As she passed one of the tents, her red eyes were drawn to movement inside and she paused to observe the occupants, a voluptuous Orc with red hair and tanned skin and a black-haired male with a thin build and a faint purple hue to his skin, signifying a recent incubization, vigorously mating on a pile of furs. The Orc was on top of her partner, riding him for all she was worth, and their gasps of pleasure and the sound of their hips colliding could be heard all the way to where the Lilim was standing.

Deruella's smile deepened at the sight, and she happily walked away, leaving the couple to their activities. (This is how it should be. Couples able to love each other anytime, anywhere, without limits), she thought, brushing her long white hair aside with one hand as she headed for her quarters, inside an old fort she had claimed and built her camp around. (Once the humans of the Order are made to see the light, Mother's utopia will finally be complete.)

Her smile faltered a bit as she climbed the stairs to her room, absentmindedly nodding at a guard who saluted her at the entrance to the fort. (Lescatie, though, can't wait. It keeps producing Heroes and teaching them to hate and kill mamono and their husbands alike, and corruption lies everywhere. If things are allowed to continue like this, nothing but suffering will come from that place. I'll have to change things by force…) she mused. Her good mood returned as she thought about the unfortunate girls she'd found in the kingdom during her preparations. (Ah, but on the flip side, I will be able to personally bring the joy of pleasure to those poor souls who have shut themselves off to happiness,) she thought, her mind wandering over to the faces and names of a number of Lescatian maidens she had taken an interest in.

There was Wilmarina, the daughter of House Noscrim, currently stationed in the fortress city Salvarision as leader of the Order of the Ice Flower, and the strongest Hero in the Theocracy. She had closed her heart off to feelings and thrown herself into her duties as Hero after an incident involving a childhood friend, a boy she had clearly been in love with. A sad state of affairs, as Deruella was sure that if only she would indulge her desires and cast aside her silly notions of heroism, she would be so much happier than she is now. Deruella planned to fully show her how much she had been losing out on by rejecting pleasure for duty. And perhaps, she could track down that boy she'd been enamored with and gift him to her, as well…

Another who had been drawing her attention was the captain of Lescatie's guard, Mersè Dascaros. Also a Hero, though not as renowned or accomplished as Wilmarina. Due to her mother's heinous actions towards both her and her father, Mersè had grown up with a strong distaste for the concept of "womanhood", thinking of her mother's example as the only one, and thus despising the very idea of 'being womanly'. Such a terrible waste, in Deruella's eyes: to her, Mersè was a lovely young woman with a body that was perfect for sex, and her staunch rejection of intimacy and femininity of any sort made all her gifts meaningless. With that said, Deruella was certain that once the pleasures of the flesh were carved into Mersè's body, she would come around to her point of view and finally pursue her own happiness as a woman, and hopefully even as a mother.

Deruella's mind then turned to the third and final object of her interest, and her smile faltered again.

Francisca Mistel Lescatie. The fourth princess of the Theocracy was one of the most miserable and pitiable beings she'd ever seen, and she couldn't help but feel bad about her lot in life. Born with a fragile, broken body, no talent in magic, and most damning of all in Deruella's eyes, the inability to have children, she spent her days secluded in the royal castle's annex, away from prying eyes – in no small part to keep her from being cause of shame to her family. This treatment of their own daughter by the royals of Lescatie infuriated the White Lilim, who adored her own parents and was blessed by their unconditional love, and it was one of the reasons why she felt a certain empathy for the unfortunate princess. The fact they were both "fourthborn" further made her think she'd found her for a reason, and it was fated to be.

Francisca was one individual Deruella had been sorely tempted to spirit away entirely from the very start, and the only reason she declined to do so was because the sudden disappearance of a Princess of the kingdom might have jeopardized her planned takeover of Lescatie, resulting in unnecessary conflicts and pointless losses of life. She did, however, assign a Kunoichi to Lescatie to keep track of all her persons of interest, with special instructions to warn her should Francisca's condition ever take a turn for the worse. Should that event come to pass, Deruella was willing to jeopardize her plan in order to take the girl away and save her from her lonely, doomed existence.

And oh, there were so many things she wanted to teach her once she became her kin… for all that she had been born fragile, the princess had a lovely, luscious figure, and the Lilim planned to show her how to fully enjoy herself once she had a new, pain-free body. The thought brought back Deruella's smile and good mood, and she quickly climbed the last few steps to the top floor of the keep, where her private chambers were located.

As she reached the top of the stairs, she noticed one of her Kunoichi followers waiting in front of her room's door. The mamono, a busty beauty with pale skin, long brown hair and striking green eyes, was dressed in a red-and-purple standard Kunoichi's garb, which emphasized her generous curves. She was slightly shorter than Deruella, but rivaled the Lilim in terms of sensuality, and there was a defined tone to her body that betrayed the rigorous training, both martial and otherwise, that she put herself through.

A katana hung from her side, the peculiar hue of the metal revealing it was made of Demon Realm silver, and a pouch containing several throwing knives, made of the same metal, was fastened to her left thigh. The sight was fairly unusual in the camp, as normally only the guards on duty were fully armed, but Deruella knew that being armed and ready at all times was a habit of this particular Kunoichi, one that she was reluctant to let go of. Unlike other Kunoichi present in the base, this one also did not wear a mask, and her full, tempting red lips were in plain display.

Upon seeing the Lilim, the Zipangese warrior immediately bowed respectfully, her head lowered. "Welcome back, Mistress. Ageha called earlier – she is ready to deliver her weekly report."

Deruella nodded. "Thank you, Yoru. Both you and Ageha are as reliable as ever," she replied. She then glanced at her. "Should you be here, though? If I'm not mistaken, your husband came here to visit you. Shouldn't you be spending time with him?"

"I intend to, but my duties take precedence, so I came to relay Ageha's message first," the Kunoichi replied. She then bit her lip. "With that said, I do long for his touch, so if I may be excused…"

"Of course, go and enjoy each other," Deruella replied. "And, Yoru? I appreciate your dedication, but there's nothing wrong with prioritizing love over work. Others can take over for you."

"Thank you, Mistress. Then, I will be excusing myself," Yoru nodded. She bowed deeply once more, then hastily ran off, unable to conceal the lewd smile on her face. Deruella sighed, then chuckled quietly.

"Really, she should just have tasked someone else with this…" she commented, before entering her room.

The Lilim's room was surprisingly modest, in spite of her status as a princess of the Demon Realm. While the furniture was of high quality, there were few amenities. The décor that was present, though, was all extremely sexual – as expected from a Lilim. Nude paintings depicting explicit sex acts and sculptures of naked bodies with exaggerated attributes were sparsely distributed around the room, and a distinct lewd scent lingered in the air, potent enough that a lesser mamono – or a human – would have been quickly incapacitated with arousal from breathing it in.

Closing the door behind her, Deruella headed for the table in the center of her room. A beautiful purple multifaceted gem lay on it, hovering slightly from the surface in the middle of a traced runic circle. The White Lilim used magic gems like these, called Whispering Stones, to stay in contact with her operatives gathering information within Lescatie, and while the communication was sound-only, it was still one of her most precious tools in planning her takeover of the Theocracy.

Sitting down at the table, the Lilim reached for the gem and placed her hand on it. Immediately, the magic stone began to glow, signifying that a connection had been made. Deruella took a deep breath, then spoke, letting the gem carry her words to their destination.

"Ageha. Your report, if you would," she stated in a low tone. There was a moment of silence, then a sultry voice responded.

"Yes, Lady Deruella. As always, this Ageha has kept a close eye on all your major people of interest in Lescatie," the unseen owner of the voice said. "There is nothing new to report concerning Mersè Dascaros. She has been training the capital's town guards in the mornings as always, and patrolling the streets during the afternoons." There was a brief pause, then Ageha continued. "She appears to have hit a wall in her growth as a warrior, and it's been frustrating her."

"Ahhh… if only she'd focus on nurturing that beautifully lewd body of hers, instead of her martial skills, I'm sure she'd be far less frustrated," Deruella sighed, shaking her head. "Well, there'll be all the time in the world for that once she's one of us. What about Wilmarina Noscrim?"

"Salvarision is more tightly guarded than usual lately, but I was nonetheless able to sneak in undetected," Ageha's voice answered. "Wilmarina Noscrim has also been continuing her usual routine – training herself and her Ice Flower Knights, patrolling the city's exterior to look for signs of mamono, and praying at the church in the evenings."

"I see. Do you have any idea why security was tightened?" Deruella asked, curious.

"Yes. There was a shipment of experimental anti-mamono weaponry for testing purposes to Salvarision, and security was increased to prevent their existence from being leaked," Ageha replied. A note of amusement crept into her voice. "That said, the guards were not doing a good job of keeping the secret. A bit of wine and some sweet words were enough to loosen their lips. And it appears the weapons are a failure: they cannot withstand a Hero's power, breaking almost immediately on use, and common soldiers cannot properly wield them."

"I wish the Order would stop trying to invent new ways to kill us. All we want to do is share love and pleasure with them… it would be all so much easier if they just let it happen," Deruella murmured, eyes closed as she slowly shook her head. She then looked at the crystal again. "No matter. Well done on gathering this information. Lastly, what of Princess Francisca?"

This time, the pause lasted much longer than it had before. The Lilim felt a rush of anxiety at that: Ageha had never taken this long to answer her. She opened her mouth to ask further questions, but before she could speak up, Ageha's reply came.

"Princess Francisca… has been up and about lately," the Kunoichi replied slowly. Deruella blinked at those words.

"Up and about…? I thought she was bedridden due to her damaged body…" she murmured, confused.

"I thought so as well, but recently she has been going to the garden every day, and I have even seen her eat a greater variety of food and beverages," Ageha's voice spoke. "She seems to still need her wheelchair, but seeing her outside at all is… new." There was another brief pause, then she continued. "Also… I was not alone in observing the Princess's outings. A magician was also there. I believe it was Mimil Miltie… that girl who drew the Sabbath's interest. She has been insistently staring at the Princess from afar. Did Lady Kuroferuru perhaps do something to her ahead of time?"

"What…? I haven't heard anything about it. This is unexpected," the White Lilim muttered, thinking. She mulled over the Kunoichi's words for a while, then nodded to herself and glanced at the magic gem again. "This is worth looking into. Keep an eye on Francisca, and prioritize investigating what brought about this change. I'll talk to Kuroferuru, and see if I can figure out what is happening."

"Understood, Lady Deruella. Then, I'll make sure to- hm?" Ageha began to respond before her voice trailed off. Immediately afterwards, an alarmed shout and a sinister sound of stone breaking came from the gem, then all was silent.

A startled Deruella jumped up from her seat and grasped at the magic stone, worry evident on her face. "Ageha?! Ageha! Are you there? Answer me!" she called out. When no answer came from the gem, she hissed in frustration, set the gem back down on the table and stormed out of her room.

Within moments, she was at the ground floor of the fort, and blazed past the guard at the entrance, frightening her. As soon as she was out in the open, she raised her voice. "Yoru! Come here at once! It's an emergency!" she cried out.

It didn't take long for the veteran Kunoichi to show up. She appeared flushed and disheveled, and a strong smell of sex came from her, making it clear what she had been doing before being summoned, but despite the situation, she remained impeccably professional, rushing over to the Lilim and kneeling before her.

"I am here, Mistress. What can this Yoru do for you?" she asked in a neutral tone. Deruella gazed at her, frowning.

"I'm truly sorry to disturb you while you were spending quality time with your husband, but the situation might be serious," she apologized. Taking a deep breath, she then continued.

"I think Ageha may have been attacked by the Order."

=O=O=

It took some time for the rescue team to be assembled and the mission to be planned. Due to the unknown nature of the attack on Ageha, preparing for what lay ahead was impossible, so a group of different mamono with varied skills in addition to excellent infiltration capabilities was put together. Among the assembled mamono, one could recognize Werewolves, more Kunoichi and even a Demon. Yoru, as a senior Kunoichi with numerous such missions completed under her belt, as well as being Ageha's teacher, volunteered to lead the operation.

It was past midnight when the team was ready to depart. Deruella, who had come to watch the rescue team depart, was standing near the edge of the camp, a worried expression on her face.

The plan was theoretically simple: the idea was to use the cover of night to sneak into Lescatie, locate Ageha – hopefully alive – and get her out of the city. What concerned Deruella was the chance of unforeseen circumstances occurring, which was very high since Ageha had been discovered already, and presumably the whole capital was on high alert.

And there was, of course, the possibility of the younger Kunoichi having already been slain, but no one wished to think about that eventuality. There was evident anxiety among the rescue attempt's participants, both for their companion's fate and for the total lack of information they were forced to operate with: tails lashed out nervously, eyes darted around, more than a few mamono were shuffling on their feet.

As the group moved towards the camp's exit, a low buzzing sound was heard, and one of Yoru's pockets began to glow. The older Kunoichi blinked, then held a hand up, motioning for her team to stop, and hastily reached in the pocket, fishing out a jeweled disc whose embedded gemstones were very similar to the large magical gem used by Deruella to talk with Ageha earlier.

This tool, called a Whispering Medallion, was used to communicate with the Whispering Stones used by mamono leaders worldwide, and while they could only be used to contact the gemstone that their adornments were made from, as well as a single other medallion specifically attuned to them, they were still invaluable tools for mamono long-distance communications.

The elder Kunoichi swiftly pressed her index finger to the center of the artifact. After a few moments, the embedded gems glowed a faint purple and a familiar voice came from the instrument.

"Hello? Yoru? Can you hear me? Is anyone listening?" Ageha's voice echoed in the night air. Yoru froze, then let out an audible sigh of relief, overjoyed to hear her apprentice's voice.

"Ageha! I'm glad to hear you. What happened? Are you injured? A rescue team is on its way to help you. If you're being held prisoner-" the elder Kunoichi began, speaking almost too quickly out of happiness.

"There's no need for a rescue," Ageha interrupted the stream of words from her teacher. "I have left Lescatie already, and am en route to the base camp. I can already see the forest, in fact."

"You managed to get away? Well done! I'll send a few warriors to the edge of the forest, in case you've been followed," Yoru replied, glad to hear that her pupil wasn't a captive of the Order after all.

A brief silence followed, then Ageha spoke up again, more hesitant. "I… I didn't quite get away. It's more that I was let go," she admitted. "It's… a bit complicated. I will explain what transpired when I return."

"Eh? Well, that's fine. There'll be time to hear your report after you're safe and sound among friendly faces," Yoru replied, slightly puzzled by the younger mamono's words. "Be careful, now. Information can always be gathered later, but a life can't be replaced."

"Understood. I will see you soon," Ageha replied. Before ending communications, she added: "Yoru… thank you for worrying about me."

Yoru scoffed at that. "You're my cute little apprentice, of course I will worry about you," she gently chided her. "Come back safe and sound. I'll have a good meal and a warm bath ready for you."

After the talk ended, she turned around, glancing at the rescue team gathered behind her. "Well, you all heard her," she shrugged. She then looked at Deruella, who had approached upon hearing Ageha's voice. "Milady, what are your orders in light of what Ageha just told us?"

"It's good to know that she is unharmed, is it not? I would say this is cause for celebrating," the White Lilim replied with a smile. She then looked at the rest of the rescue team. "All of you, thank you for being willing to undertake this mission. I will be sure to reward you for your selflessness. For now, feel free to return to your quarters."

The assembled mamono bowed their heads at the Lilim, then dispersed, heading back to their respective lodgings. Deruella watched them leave, then sighed and turned to Yoru.

"Right, then. Yoru, take a few Kunoichi and go meet Ageha," she commanded, frowning. "Make sure she wasn't followed. She was ambushed, after all, which means whoever did it has a modicum of skill, and it wouldn't be strange if they tracked her without her noticing by taking advantage of her altered state of mind."

"As you wish," Yoru nodded before bowing. Turning around, she ran off towards a small group of Kunoichi gathered nearby, and after briefly speaking with them, selected five of the mamono and hurriedly left the camp. Within moments, the elder Kunoichi and her team vanished beyond the tree line.

Deruella gazed at the forest for a little while longer, then sighed again before returning to her room in the old keep. She was glad that Ageha was unharmed, but something about the current situation bothered her. While she lacked Yoru's experience, Ageha was by no means sloppy in her job; it was the reason why the Lilim entrusted her with keeping track of her persons of interest in Lescatie.

So – just what kind of opponent had she run into that could catch her off guard?

And more importantly: where did the Order find such a person?

If the human Order found a way to produce stealth operatives on par with a Kunoichi of Ageha's skill, that was cause for great concern. It could force Deruella to change her plans for Lescatie.

The White Lilim pondered the situation and the possible ramifications of the event as she walked back to her private quarters. She prided herself in being able to subvert human realms without any loss of life, but this unexpected development could potentially endanger the entire operation to liberate Lescatie that she had carefully planned up until now. Acting without knowing the exact situation could be disastrous in the long run.

Deruella frowned as she opened the door to her room. She needed information before committing herself to any course of action. And hopefully, Ageha would be able to give her just what she needed.

=O=O=

It took a little under one hour for Yoru's group to return, as the older Kunoichi erred on the side of caution and carefully made sure no one was trailing them. To her surprise, however, there was no trace of pursuit. That confused the Kunoichi: what was the purpose in ambushing an opponent, yet not even bothering giving chase once they fled?

Yoru's attempts to get some answers from Ageha were met with failure, as well: the younger Kunoichi was very tight-lipped, insisting she wished to give a full report to Deruella rather than talk about it now. Noticing that her pupil seemed shaken, Yoru elected to drop the subject and wait to hear her report.

As the group approached the base camp, a flying shape suddenly landed in front of them. The figure's white wings made her identity abundantly clear, and the assembled Kunoichi bowed in unison to Deruella as she walked up to them.

The White Lilim nodded at Yoru, who bowed again and then moved to dismiss her team. Meanwhile, Deruella took Ageha aside and gave her a warm smile.

"Welcome back, Ageha," she greeted the young Kunoichi. She then led her away from the camp's entrance as she kept talking. "First and foremost, take a shower. You must be exhausted. After that, eat something. The report can wait until you've properly rested."

"But I… very well, as you wish, milady," Ageha relented. It was obvious from Deruella's demeanor that she would allow no objection to her demands, and although she felt her report warranted urgency, she was exhausted from her ordeal in Lescatie.

Ageha wasted little time in the shower – just enough to rinse off the surprising amounts of sweat and dust that accumulated on her body without her noticing. She could always take time off later to properly bathe. Afterwards, she joined Deruella in her room, where a small feast was waiting for her. She blinked at the sheer amount of food on the table, then glanced at the Lilim with an uncertain look in her eyes. Deruella merely nodded with a smile.

"Don't concern yourself with my presence. Eat to your heart's content," she told the Kunoichi. "After that, we can take our time to go over what happened."

After a moment of hesitation, Ageha nodded. She did feel rather hungry, after all. Sitting at the table, she surveyed her choices. Most of the dishes were Demon Realm recipes, but quite a few human dishes were present as well. She sampled various foods for a short while, before settling on simple combinations of meat and vegetables. Deruella, who sat directly across from the Kunoichi, mostly just watched her eat, although she occasionally plucked a piece of food or two from the table.

A little while later, Ageha set the tableware down on an empty plate and discreetly motioned to her host that she was full, and Deruella nodded before clapping her hands once. The clap prompted a pair of mamono – probably succubi, judging from their wings and tails – to enter the room and begin to remove the plates and leftover food from the table, rolling it out on food carts.

As the mamono left, Yoru appeared outside the room, knocking on the open door before walking in. The older Kunoichi bowed to Deruella, then turned to Ageha with a smile. "You look much better," she told her apprentice. Ageha nodded.

"Yes. I needed a shower and a hot meal more than I realized at first," she admitted before glancing at Deruella and slightly bowing her head. "Thank you for the feast and hospitality, milady," she added.

"Think nothing of it, sweetheart," Deruella replied, still smiling. She then became serious. "Now… I hope it's not too soon after this late-night dinner, but… could you go over what happened in Lescatie?" she asked the Kunoichi. "I'm a little concerned about what the Order has been up to, for them to be able to train their Heroes enough to successfully ambush someone of your skill…"

Ageha didn't answer immediately, instead looking down at the table while biting her lower lip. She then looked up at Deruella, sighed, and began to speak.

"Very well. First off, milady, I need to clear up a misconception…" she started. She paused again, frowning, then continued. "You're assuming I was ambushed by an Order warrior. That's… not the case. Not unless the Order recently changed its policies without me knowing."

Deruella and Yoru both gave her a puzzled look upon hearing her words. The White Lilim frowned. "It wasn't the Order? Then, who…?" she murmured, confused by the sudden revelation.

"Well… I think it's simpler if I relay to you everything that happened between the moment our communication was interrupted and the moment I contacted Yoru before she left to rescue me…" Ageha replied. She waited for the Lilim and the older Kunoichi to nod, then took a deep breath and began her story. "Very well, then. This is how it went…"

=O=O=

==Lescatie, several hours earlier==

"Keep an eye on Francisca, and prioritize investigating what brought about this change," Deruella's voice came from the Whispering Medallion in Ageha's hand. "I'll talk to Kuroferuru, and see if I can figure out what is happening."

Ageha nodded in acknowledgement, brushing a strand of black hair out of her eyes. The Kunoichi was a diminutive beauty – probably not a hair above 150 centimeters of height – but with a beautifully curvy and seductive body, pleasantly full in spite of the harsh training she underwent. She had pale skin – a common trait among Zipangu's women, human and mamono alike – and deep black eyes that one could easily lose oneself into. Her hair was tied into a ponytail at the moment, but it was obvious that she would have looked even more attractive if she let them down.

She wore a standard ninja garb, although hers was a combination of dark blue and deep crimson instead of the more common red and purple, and as such a face mask partly covered her visage, concealing her full red lips from view. A pair of tanto – Zipangu-forged shortswords that were commonly used by the region's shadow warriors, regardless of species – were strapped to her sides, and the gleam of the Demon Realm's unique magical silver could be seen on their exposed metallic parts. A pair of pouches, presumably containing tools of the trade for a Kunoichi, were securely tied to her thighs, completing her outfit.

Ageha was currently hiding within the attic of the Royal Castle's annex building – with Francisca's room almost directly under her, in fact. She'd decided to leave the princess last in her list of people to check up on, which led to her late-night visit in the building.

"Understood, Lady Deruella," she replied, committing the instructions to memory. "Then, I'll make sure to-" Suddenly, she heard a scratching sound from behind her. The noise caused her to pause. "Hm?"

The sound, and the sudden wave of aggression that made her danger sense flare up, were all the warning she got, and she reflexively rolled away from the stone pillar she had been leaning on. Almost immediately afterwards she shouted as the section of pillar directly above where her head had been exploded in a shower of dust and rubble, a tremendous grinding noise of shattered stone filling the attic.

Ageha mentally cursed herself for her complacency as she darted to her side, aiming to put some distance between herself and her unknown assailant. Her hands reached for the twin realmsilver tanto blades at her side. (How did an Order soldier sneak up on me like this? They shouldn't have this much… skill…) she thought, before her mind ground to a halt as she took her first look at her attacker.

She had expected some kind of heavily armed human warrior, probably a large man if she had to judge solely based on the amount of damage the pillar she'd been hiding behind had sustained. That, however, was not what she got. Far from being a man, the individual standing before her wasn't even human.

Her attacker was a completely unfamiliar-looking mamono. She appeared to be a reptile-like species, somewhat resembling a Lizardman, but there were a number of oddities about her that set her apart from any other reptile mamono she'd ever seen or heard of.

For one, she appeared to have fur on her body – a thick patch of white fur that ran down her spine and covered the sides and top of her unusually flat and wide tail. (Fur… maybe a Ryu?) the young Kunoichi briefly wondered, before dismissing the notion. Every Ryu she ever met had a snake-like lower body, and while this strange mamono certainly had serpentine qualities, she had legs and the flat shape of her tail wasn't very snake-like at all.

The aforementioned tail was also covered in spiked protrusions on its sides, just barely visible under the patches of fur. The mamono's hair matched her fur's color and thickness: it was a wild mass of white hair with some occasional light purple highlights, imposing enough that it could almost be described as a mane. It looked unkempt and shaggy, and floated behind the mamono's back with every little movement she made.

Even her scales were odd: Ageha didn't recall reading about Lizardmen with such a peculiar pale blue, slightly metallic look to their bodies. Nor did she recall reading about Lizardman subspecies with scales that looked thick enough to almost rival a Wyvern's.

What stood out the most, however, was how… unforgivingly dangerous… she looked. All the mamono Ageha met in her life had pleasant, sensual bodies, changed by the Mamono Lord's influence to be more apt for lovemaking than fighting. While they still gave a feeling of power, it was overshadowed by the inherent lewdness instilled by the mamono mana that reshaped them.

There was no such lewdness in the body of the mamono standing before her. The only concession to sensuality she could see in it was that her breasts were bare, pleasantly round and large, and soft-looking to boot. But everything else was heavily armored, and her whole body was more slender than curvy, giving her a predatory appearance that made the hair on the back of Ageha's neck stand on end. The mamono's height – a full head taller than the much smaller Kunoichi – and her intense red eyes did nothing to improve the impression Ageha had of her, either: the reptilian woman's baleful stare held no trace of friendliness within as she glared down at the smaller girl.

Ageha had some close calls during her missions before, when something had gone unexpectedly wrong and she found herself having to face Order soldiers bent on ending her life. But as dangerous as those situations had been, the Kunoichi was always able to face them calmly, remaining focused on her goals.

But this mamono?

She scared her.

The Zipangese warrior began to slowly move to her side, her twin tanto held up in a defensive stance and her eyes following every move the mysterious white haired mamono made. She felt a chill as her opponent slowly drifted sideways, as well: the way she moved, smooth and quiet, was just as predatory as her appearance. She looked relaxed, but Ageha could tell the mamono was highly alert, observing her as closely as the Kunoichi watched her.

"You are not supposed to be here."

Ageha blinked as the unknown mamono suddenly spoke up. She pronounced the letter 's' in a very slightly drawn out way, giving her voice a hissing quality more befitting a Lamia than a Lizardman.

The fact the mamono chose to speak instead of further attacking her made Ageha hopeful for a peaceful resolution to the incident. Slowly, she somewhat lowered her guard to make herself look less threatening, and decided to try talking things out with her opponent.

"Why did you attack me?" she inquired, giving the mysterious reptilian mamono a questioning look. The mamono's eyes narrowed at the inquiry.

"You aren't supposed to be here," she repeated. "Your presence is a danger to those who live within this building. I want that danger gone."

"Danger?! I don't mean to harm anyone!" Ageha protested. The mamono shook her head.

"Your presence here is a danger in and of itself," she stated. Ageha groaned at those words. (This isn't going the way I hoped,) she thought. (Perhaps I should appeal to authority?)

The Kunoichi took a deep breath, then directed a harsh glare at the other mamono. "I am here on orders of Lady Deruella, Fourthborn Daughter of the Mamono Lord," she stated in a fierce tone. "If you keep hindering me, it will be tantamount to committing treason against the Royal Makai's fourth princess. Cease this at once!"

The mamono didn't react for several seconds, and Ageha wondered if perhaps she had finally gotten through to her. Then, she slowly shook her head, her mane of white hair swaying as she did so.

"That is all the more reason for you to not be here," she stated flatly. Ageha got the impression that her statement made her unknown opponent more hostile to her than before. "I cannot allow you to continue your activities."

"Are you serious…?!" Ageha replied, incredulous. "Are you with the Order even though you are a mamono? Why would you do that?!"

The strange mamono shook her head again, a little more vigorously.

"I am neither on the Order's side, nor yours," she stated matter-of-factly. "I just want you gone."

With those words, she suddenly took an aggressive stance. Ageha raised her guard again, and quickly jumped backwards when the mamono came at her with a swipe of her claws. The swing was large and predictable, and the Kunoichi had no trouble avoiding it. Figuring she had the speed and agility advantage, she moved in to strike at the enemy with her blades, aiming to disable her by overloading her with pleasure from the accumulated mamono mana infused by the realmsilver weaponry.

Moments later, she blinked as her blades cut through nothing but air. As soon as she'd begun her attack, the mysterious mamono dodged out of the way so fast the Kunoichi temporarily lost track of her. Ageha cursed under her breath, then was forced to dodge backwards again as another slow, large swipe came at her.

(What in blazes- I thought I was faster than her,) the Zipangese woman thought, shocked by the sheer speed at which her opponent moved. All she was able to see was a white glint: one moment, the mystery mamono was standing before her, and the next she was simply gone.

Putting some distance between herself and the white-haired mamono, Ageha noted that her opponent moved very quickly on her feet. She frowned. (Strange… the speed of her movements does not match that of her attacks at all,) she thought, cautiously stepping to the side while keeping her foe within her field of vision. Immediately afterwards, the Kunoichi was forced to leap backwards once more as the white mamono came at her again with another large, circular swipe. Recovering quickly, she moved behind another of the attic's support pillars, hoping to use it as a cover.

An instant later, she let out another muffled curse and rolled to her side as her foe unceremoniously plowed through the thick stone pillar with a crashing sound, reducing it to rubble. She felt a chill go down her spine as she saw the frightening ease with which the other mamono tore apart solid stone with naught but her claws. (If she'd hit me with that sneak attack earlier, I would've died for sure,) she thought. Then, she paused and blinked, realizing that something was off.

Her opponent had abundantly demonstrated that she could move faster than Ageha could react when she dodged out of the way of her strike. Moreover, aside from the noise made by her destroying the second pillar, she had moved in almost complete silence during their entire confrontation, barely making any sound as she charged at her on her clawed feet. (I don't get it. If she can be this quiet and quick, why did she miss me when-) Ageha wondered, before realization struck her.

The mamono's initial fumble, when she alerted her to her attack with the noise she made and aimed higher than her position, had not been a fumble at all. She had missed on purpose.

Ageha quickly connected the dots, even as she kept an eye on the lizard-like mamono. She intentionally made enough noise and aimed high enough that she wouldn't strike Ageha during her initial ambush; she could move faster than the Kunoichi could track her, yet attacked in a slow, predictable manner; and while she definitely was hostile, she never once expressed the intent to kill her when they talked before the fighting began – rather, she insisted that Ageha was not meant to be in the attic, and repeatedly stated she wanted her gone from the building.

All that added up to only one explanation: the mamono was covertly giving her a chance to get away with her life. For what purpose, she did not know, but she had a sneaking suspicion that if she insisted on not leaving the premise, the unspoken offer would soon be off the table.

The choice was a very simple one, and Ageha did the only reasonable thing she could think of in the situation: she sheated one of her realmsilver blades and swiftly reached in one of her pouches, withdrawing a smoke bomb from it and quickly throwing it on the ground between herself and her mysterious foe.

The sudden action seemingly caught her opponent off guard, prompting her to leap backwards with that inhuman speed of hers. Ageha, however, did not waste time watching her reaction: turning around as soon as the smoke bomb exploded, she made a beeline for the open window she'd come into the attic from, and leapt outside as fast as her body allowed her to move, praying that there were no soldiers patrolling the nearby walls that could spot her.

As luck would have it, the wall perimeters' patrol had passed already, and the coast was clear. Ageha was thus unseen when she jumped out of the window, in part thanks to the sun having already set, and gracefully landed in the garden below without a sound. As soon as her feet touched the ground, she sprinted towards the nearest tree and hid behind it, then cautiously glanced out from behind it to see if the mamono was pursuing her.

She saw her almost immediately: her reptilian figure, barely visible in the poor evening light, stood unmoving at the window the Kunoichi had jumped out of, looking directly at her with her dimly glowing red eyes. Clearly, she knew the Zipangese mamono was hiding behind the tree; however, she made no move to pursue, appearing satisfied with having expelled the intruder from the building she was guarding.

After a few more moments of tense confrontation, the white mamono finally turned around and disappeared back in the attic. Ageha, who had been holding her breath without noticing, exhaled loudly, a sudden sense of relief washing over her. She then looked up at the now-empty window frame, grimacing.

(I never want to face that one again,) she thought, panting harshly as she still felt a cold sweat trickle down her forehead from the sheer fear the unknown mamono instilled into her. (Who is she and what is she doing here, anyway? She said that she wasn't with the Order, but she clearly is no friend of Lady Deruella, either. If anything, I think she became more hostile when I revealed my allegiance…)

The Kunoichi spent a few moments getting her breathing and heart rate under control, making sure to remain out of view by hiding behind the nearby bushes, then recalled the map of Lescatie that she had committed to memory and quickly planned the safest and fastest way to leave the capital. She had a feeling that Deruella would want to know all the details of this unexpected encounter, which meant evading detection and safely returning to base was now her priority.

As she left her shelter and began the trek back home, she glanced back at the annex one last time. While the unknown mamono scared her, she would be lying if she said she wasn't curious about her. She wondered what her story was, and what motive did she have to protect the annex so fiercely. Could she have ties with Princess Francisca and the Lescatie royals? Was she being forced or was she doing this of her own free will? Was anyone else aware of her presence or was she acting in secret as well?

Ageha had no answer for any of these questions. But she found herself hoping that one day, she'd know more about this fearsome foe she'd confronted. And perhaps, she would meet her on more amicable terms…

Sighing, the Zipangese mamono put her thoughts aside for the time being, and focused on the way back home. She swiftly darted away from her cover, and within moments, the night swallowed her.

=O=O=

"...and after that, I made it out of Lescatie and returned here as soon as possible," Ageha concluded her recollection of the story. "At first, I was constantly watching my back, thinking maybe that strange mamono was following me, trying to use me to discover our camp, but I soon realized there was no ongoing pursuit at all." The young Kunoichi shook her head, then looked up at Deruella and Yoru, who had been silently listening to her story. "I honestly don't know what to make of her. I'm sure she let me go on purpose, but still cannot figure out why."

"You've done more than enough, Ageha," Yoru spoke up in a reassuring tone. "Leave the rest to us. I have no doubt that Lady Deruella will find out who that mamono is and what she's doing in Lescatie." The older Kunoichi glanced at the White Lilim for confirmation, but paused, noticing her mistress was lost in thought with a serious expression. "...Lady Deruella?" she tentatively called out at her.

"...hm?" Deruella hummed, snapping out of her reverie. Blinking, she glanced at Yoru and Ageha, then gave a sheepish smile as she scratched her head. "Ah, my apologies. I was thinking." Her expression then became somber, and she looked Ageha in the eyes. "I really don't like asking you this, dear Ageha, but… would you be willing to let a Mindflayer extract your memories so we can visualize them?"

"L-Lady Deruella?!" Yoru immediately protested at the Lilim's words. "You're joking, right? With all due respect, a Mindflayer is-"

"I'll do it."

Yoru's head whipped around towards Ageha so fast she grimaced in pain from the brief whiplash. She stared at her apprentice incredulously. "Ageha, you can't be serious! You know how invasive a Mindflayer can be!"

"I'm aware of that, Yoru. But I can also see why Lady Deruella is asking me this favor," she replied with a firm gaze. "I'll admit to being anxious about it, but what happened is irregular enough that I can understand the need for such a drastic measure."

"Even so…" Yoru tried to protest again, only to be cut off by a shake of the other Kunoichi's head.

"I appreciate your concern, but I honestly think you have to see what I saw to understand," Ageha reassured her mentor. "In fact… it may be a good idea to allow everyone in camp to see. Perhaps someone else knows something about this mamono I met."

"You're right. I will go ask Demia to get ready for a memory projection," Deruella nodded in agreement. The Lilim then gave Ageha an apologetic look. "I'm truly sorry to ask something like this of you, but-"

"No need to apologize, milady. I understand perfectly," the Kunoichi reassured her with a smile. "I will admit that I don't relish the idea of having my mind intruded upon, but in this case, I feel it's warranted."

"Thank you for your understanding," Deruella replied, smiling back at her. She gave Yoru a nod, then hastily left her room to track down the resident Mindflayer. Left alone, the two Kunoichi remained silent for a few moments, before Yoru glanced at her apprentice again.

"Ageha… are you sure about this? A Mindflayer's mind reading is a bit…" she asked one more time. Ageha nodded.

"I know that, but trust me when I say it's necessary," the younger mamono replied with a determined look in her eyes. "You'll understand once you see."

Yoru sighed in defeat. "Very well. If you are this determined, I won't stop you," she nodded. She then frowned. "But if you feel weird after it's all over, come see me. I'll try to help you out."

"Thank you, Yoru," Ageha replied sincerely, smiling at her mentor. The two Kunoichi exchanged a brief nod, then walked out of Deruella's private quarters, closing the doors behind them, and headed downstairs to wait for their mistress's return.

=O=O=

It took a short while for everything to be set up. A large tent with a number of seats was reserved for the process, and while many of the mamono in the camp were asleep or… otherwise occupied that late at night, a number of them were drawn in by the unusual announcement of a public broadcast of a memory.

"What do you think this is all about, Sierra?" A tall demon with deep blue, almost purple hair, blue skin, dark red eyes and extremely dark blue, almost black wings asked the mamono walking next to her. Her outfit, if one could call it that, left very little to imagination: It was essentially skintight high boots and long-sleeved gloves, plus what essentially amounted to leather strips just barely covering her voluptuous body's most intimate parts, and looking like they would fall off if she inhaled just a little bit too deeply. Her "clothing" had a rather unusual red, blue and silver motif to it, rather than the more common red, purple and gold that demons preferred to use for their wardrobe.

"I have no idea, Veltarna," her companion replied. She was a blonde Succubus, with delicate features and a slender, yet still curvy physique. She had mid-length green hair and unusual red wings and tail, and her eyes were more leaning towards a deep orange than the typical red of her species. While Sierra wasn't as tall as her Demon friend, she was still taller than most, and her horns, also red, were particularly long. She wore a fairly typical red-and-purple leather outfit which barely restrained her generous form.

Veltarna smiled in a rather lewd way. "Well... those Kunoichi did mention there will be a Mindflayer involved in whatever is being planned. Hmhmhm, perhaps it's some new, fun night activity Lady Deruella came up with?" she guessed with a low, suggestive laugh. The shaking from her mirth caused very interesting things to happen to her bountiful chest, and for a brief instant it really looked like the leather outfit would snap and leave her naked as the day she was born. Somehow, the clothes endured, and eventually the Demon's mirth died down. Her Succubus companion gave her a doubtful look.

"I don't know… those girls didn't seem to be in a very festive mood," she pointed out, recalling the serious look in the Zipangese mamono's eyes. "And I hear this is going to involve Ageha… you know, that Kunoichi who got in some kind of trouble over in Lescatie earlier today."

"Huh… really? That might be why Lady Deruella called for Demia, then," Veltarna murmured, curious. "Now I want to see what they're planning. Could it be we're about to finally put our Lady's plan in motion? I'd certainly love to finally find myself a cute young human man to play with… hmhmhm…" she added with yet another sensual giggle.

"Yes, that would be nice," Sierra agreed with a nod of her head, smiling at her companion's enthusiasm. Inwardly, however, the Succubus was not so sure. There was a strange atmosphere in the camp, and she had a feeling that the upcoming event held far more significance than a simple late-night spectacle, or even an announcement of the enactment of the plan to take over Lescatie and make it a Demon Realm.

As the two friends reached the tent, they noticed a surprising amount of mamono hanging around the area in spite of the late hour – or, in some cases, because of it. Sierra and Veltarna looked around as they moved towards a pair of vacant seats, and spotted, among others, a Vampire, at least two Hellhounds, a Lizardman, a High Orc and even a Wurm, whose towering presence dwarfed those around her.

Seating themselves, the two mamono waited, listening to the gossip around them. The other assembled mamono were just as curious and confused as them, and a number of guesses were being made as to the reason for the meeting, ranging from the beginning of the takeover, to a surprise party, to news of an Order operation being discovered.

The chattering abruptly ceased as Deruella made her entrance, followed by Ageha, Yoru and a third mamono. The newcomer was a busty tentacled mamono with light purple skin, deep purple hair and glowing orange eyes, somewhat resembling a squid but with some decidedly more alien details, such as having fluorescent green eye-like spots scattered across the darker parts of her body, particularly her tentacles. The lower part of her body seemed to be a singular multi-tipped, polyp-like base, not unlike a sea anemone's, and was a very deep crimson in color instead of dark purple.

She was also easily the lewdest mamono among all those presents: she was essentially naked, save for a few of her tentacles just barely concealing her most private bits, and sometimes failing to even do that, causing those around her to sneak a peek at her nipples underneath. Moreover, her body was slick with fluid constantly dripping from her tentacles – whether sweat or something else, no one could tell – and her skin glistened in the light of the nearby lanterns.

A number of assembled mamono shifted nervously. Mindflayers were creatures that made even their monster brethren uncomfortable, due to being technically aligned with the Chaos Gods beneath the waves, rather than the Mamono Lord. While they occasionally lent their aid to more mundane mamono – such as in this case – their goals were largely unknown even to the Mamono Lord, and their behavior was even more drastic and radical than that of the mamono in the so-called Extremist faction led by Deruella. Truthfully, even the White Lilim had hesitated in enlisting the Chaos mamono's aid, but ultimately she concluded that having a Mindflayer among her cohorts was beneficial in the long run.

After reaching the round table set up at the far end of the tent, Derulla invited Ageha to sit in the chair there, then clapped once to gain the attention of the assembled mamono. It was not really necessary, as all eyes were on her already, but it was something she did out of habit before addressing her followers. Looking around the packed tent, she cleared her throat and started speaking.

"Ahem. Thank you all for being present," she began, smiling slightly. "I appreciate your willingness to answer my invitation at such a late hour. Particularly those among you who renounced more fun activities to do so." She took a deep breath, then exhaled and her expression became serious. "I assume most, if not all of you know that earlier today, our sister-in-arms Ageha was involved in some unpleasant roughness while doing reconnaissance in Lescatie on my behalf." She sighed, shaking her head. "That brings me to the reason why I gathered you all here. During that event, Ageha met a… peculiar foe. One she was profoundly unfamiliar with, by her own admission." She pointed to the Mindflayer at the Kunoichi's side. "For the sake of avoiding any unforeseen incidents once we are ready to enact our plan, Ageha agreed to have Demia make her memories of the encounter public, in an attempt to identify her mystery attacker. If any of you are familiar with what you will see, please do speak up."

The assembled mamono began to murmur at that unexpected declaration. In the back, Veltarna blinked in surprise, then looked at Sierra. "A memory broadcast? Of a fight, at that? I didn't expect such a thing," she muttered. The blonde Succubus shook her head in response.

"I had a feeling that something was strange with this situation. I see my guess was correct," she commented. "Even I didn't expect this, though. What manner of foe did Ageha meet to prompt a measure as drastic as a Mindflayer's memory extraction? It's a procedure that can have aftereffects, even permanent ones…"

"Well, we're about to find out," the Demon pointed out as she nodded towards the table. Sierra turned around and saw that two Lesser Succubi had brought a large circle with a mirror surface and laid it at the center of the table Ageha was seated at. The Succubus and the Demon set their conversation aside and began to pay attention to what was going on before them.

The Mindflayer, Demia, moved behind the Kunoichi, and delicately placed the tips of her fingers on the young mamono's temples. Two thin tentacles snaked down the length of her arms and gently slipped inside Ageha's ears, causing her to stiffen and shiver involuntarily at the slimy appendages' touch. A second pair of tentacles slithered on the table and rested their tips over two identical gemstones at the sides of the surface mirror.

Demia had an unusually serious expression on her face for a Mindflayer: normally, an activity like the one she was currently engaged in would prompt a lewd smile as she took her time violating her prey's mind, but in this case, she was asked to do a very specific job: retrieve a particular set of memories and visualize them through the magical mirror set on the table, without otherwise affecting the mind she was intruding upon. It was a much harder thing to do than the defilement her species usually engaged in, and required her full attention and a considerable dose of restraint.

In spite of Demia's efforts, some of her mamono mana slipped out of her tentacles and entered Ageha, causing the young Kunoichi to let out a small moan as her body flushed in arousal. The Mindflayer cast a sheepish glance at Deruella. "Beg your pardon… this is quite different from what I am used to," she apologized.

The White Lilim gave her an annoyed look. "Don't mess up. I won't be happy," she warned the Chaos mamono in a low voice. Demia nodded slightly, then returned to her task, a look of concentration in her eyes.

Soon, the magic mirror on the table activated with a low hum and an eerie light purple glow, then there was a brief flash and an image sprang into existence: a small enclosed space with several pillars scattered about – the attic in Lescatie Castle's annex that Ageha hid in, seen from her point of view. A few distorted sounds were heard, then they stabilized into intelligible speech, and the audience was treated to the tail end of Ageha's initial report to Deruella.

The scene abruptly shook and turned as Ageha rolled forward to avoid the initial ambush by her unknown attacker, and the shower of dust and shattered stone that followed her shout in the memory startled several of the mamono watching. The image then stabilized as she turned around and her tanto entered her field of view… and so did her enemy.

It was at that point that the room fell completely silent – a silence followed by excited chattering at the sight of the reptilian mamono with blue scales and white hair that attacked the Kunoichi.

"What… is that?" A Succubus with green hair and a purple skintight bodysuit murmured as she stared at the unknown mamono.

"A Lizardman, maybe? Looks like it…" A Hellhound chimed in with a growl, her incandescent eye plumes framing her curious eyes.

"Don't be ridiculous! Do I look anything like her?" The indignant protest of a Lizardman with short blue hair and pale green scales was heard in response. The mamono pointed at the image of Ageha's memory. "Look at her! Those are practically a Wurm's scales!"

"She has legs. Wurms don't have legs. She's not one of us," the one Wurm present in the tent disagreed, her brow furrowed as her massive green tail lashed around in annoyance.

"Well, yes, but Riza has a point. Those scales look too thick to be a Lizardman's," another Succubus intervened, pointing at the mystery mamono's heavily armored body.

Far in the back, Veltarna and Sierra stared in awe at the unknown mamono in the conjured image of the Kunoichi's remembrance. The Demon rubbed her chin, perplexed. "She has fur. Maybe some kind of Ryu offshoot?"

"I don't know… Ryu are also legless, like Wurms," Sierra replied. "But those thick scales… maybe some kind of wingless Wyvern or Dragon?"

"Shh, they're advancing the memory again," Veltarna urged her friend to silence. Back at the table, the still image of the mystery mamono resumed moving, and the short conversation between her and Ageha ensued. That just raised even more questions among the assembled mamono, as well as more than one indignant protest at the dismissive way in which she had brushed aside Ageha's allegiance to Deruella.

The commotion was quickly brought to silence as the brief fight between the Kunoichi and her reptilian foe took place. The speed at which the white-haired mamono dodged Ageha's attempted attack left even the more battle-hardened members of the audience stunned, and there was a frightened cry when she broke through a solid stone pillar with no apparent effort. The Wurm whistled appreciatively, impressed by the display of raw power, and the Lizardman looked more than a little concerned by the fact that this potential opponent of her mistress could so easily crush stone with her bare hands. The confrontation's end, with Ageha fleeing following the distraction of a smokebomb, was met with both relief and wariness at the tense staredown between the Kunoichi and the unknown mamono at the window.

Then, the vision ended, and Demia slowly withdrew her tentacles from both the magic mirror and Ageha's ears. The Kunoichi slumped, panting harshly as she sweated profusely, barely able to avoid falling out of her seat and in an obvious state of extreme arousal. Deruella gave her a concerned look, then motioned to Yoru. The older Kunoichi nodded and quickly rushed to her apprentice's side, helping her up and off the chair, then transported her out of the tent and back to her own private quarters.

Deruella watched the two Kunoichi leave, then sighed and nodded at Demia. "Thank you for your assistance. You may rest as well, if you want," she told the Mindflayer. The Chaos mamono briefly considered the offer, then shook her head.

"No… if it's all the same with you, milady, I would rather stay and weigh in on this," she replied, a curious light in her orange eyes. Deruella gave her a surprised glance, then shrugged and nodded in acknowledgement.

"Do as you like," she said, before turning towards the audience. "Now then, you all have seen Ageha's memories. Does this unknown mamono look the least bit familiar to any of you? I would at least like to know what species she is, exactly, because to be honest, I have never seen anything like her before."

There was a moment of silence during which everyone was still, before a Lesser Succubus with pink hair and crimson eyes timidly raised her hand. Deruella waved at her, encouraging her to speak up, and the young mamono stood up from her seat. "Um… are we sure she is even a mamono?" she asked hesitantly.

Deruella blinked at the question. "What do you mean?" she asked, perplexed. The young Succubus motioned at the now-inert magic mirror.

"I mean… you've all seen her. Now look at yourselves," she explained. "By the will of the Mamono Lord, we've been gifted with bodies meant to pleasure and satisfy our husbands. Sure, some of us," she added, glancing at the Wurm, "still possess formidable natural weapons, but generally, we all have soft, pleasant bodies made for loving, not warring." She frowned, looking at the mirror again. "But that one… there's almost nothing sensual about her body. It's like it was made to kill. She's more like… how we used to be. That's why I'm not sure she's even a mamono… she looks harsh and deadly, not loving and seductive."

"...she has a point," Sierra suddenly spoke up from the back, causing all eyes to shift to her. "It's something that's been bothering me, too. Aside from her breasts, which I will freely admit are truly lovely and would undoubtedly make any man happy, that mamono's entire body is covered in cold, hard scales. How is she supposed to pleasure her husband that way?"

"But Sierra, there are no more old times monsters in the world. You know that, right?" Veltarna chimed in, raising an eyebrow at her friend. Sierra frowned at that remark.

"I know that! But… how else do you explain something like her existing in this day and age?" she replied with a sigh. The Succubus's eyes turned towards Deruella. "Milady, with all due respect, I don't think anyone here knows what that mamono is, if she even is one. Perhaps it would be a better idea to ask Runya-Runya about it, and see what she has to say."

"Good thinking," the Lizardman named Riza nodded. "If anyone knows what's up with her, it would be the Sleepy Magical Archive."

"Asking Queen Deonora might be a good idea, as well," Demia chimed in casually, sounding as if she had an afterthought. Deruella raised an eyebrow at that, and glanced at the Mindflayer with a questioning look.

"And why would I disturb Deonora over this?" she asked, curious. Demia gestured towards Riza with one of her tentacles.

"As dear Riza mentioned, those scales are too thick to be a Lizardman's. They're more like a Wurm's… or a Dragon's," she explained. "I wonder if perhaps she's not a wingless Dragon of sorts. I believe there were such creatures in the past?"

"I think so," Deruella nodded. "But they went extinct long ago."

Demia shrugged, smiling amiably. "Then perhaps they're not as extinct as we were led to believe?" she suggested.

"Good point. I'll ask the Red Queen if she knows something, as well," Deruella nodded. "Now then, if there isn't anything else…"

Another hand went up. It was Riza again. "Is that mamono really not with the Order?" she asked. "She claimed not to be when talking with Ageha, but became visibly more hostile when she mentioned working for you." Riza frowned, concern evident on her face. "I'm just worried, because if the Order have such a strong mamono on their side, and she is this hostile to you, our planned takeover of Lescatie may become very bloody. I hate to admit it, but I would probably be killed in under a minute if I fought her seriously."

"I don't think anyone in this camp outside of me and Lady Deruella could take her on in single combat and come out of it alive," the Wurm bluntly stated, her voice rumbling slightly.

"What concerns me more is, is it just her?" Riza added. "Whether or not she's with the Order is secondary. What matters is that she clearly does not like us. If it's only her, we might still be able to handle her without needless bloodshed…" The Lizardman's expression turned grim. "But if there's more than just her…"

"It could end very badly, yes," Deruella finished for her. "That's why I am putting our plans on hold, at least until I get word back from Runya-Runya and Deonora." The White Lilim's lips thinned to a line. "I'm also sending Yoru to Lescatie as soon as she is done caring for Ageha. I need her to try and see if anyone in town knows anything about that mamono's existence. She appeared too suddenly… something does not add up."

"Isn't that going to endanger Yoru?" Sierra spoke up, disapproval evident in her voice. "She's been looking forward to spending time with her husband. It seems unkind to me to assign such a dangerous mission to her now."

"I'm giving her strict orders to keep away from that white-haired mamono, and disengage immediately if contact is established," Deruella replied with a nod. "I'm just as unwilling to lose her as you. But I need information badly, and she's the most experienced information gathering specialist I have on hand." She bit her lip. "I'll send Sora with her, just to be sure. They work well together, being sisters, and can watch each other's back if they're together."

"I see… I suppose in this situation, we can't help but take some risks. My apologies for the interruption," Sierra sighed, dropping the subject. Deruella shook her head with a smile.

"No need to apologize. I'm glad to see you all are concerned about each other's wellbeing," she reassured the blonde Succubus. The Lilim then sighed, her shoulders slumping. "It's really unfortunate that this happened now. We were just about ready to act… I will have to call Eristia back, as well."

"So her conversion was successful?" Veltarna asked, interested. Deruella smiled and nodded.

"Yes, she was very receptive of our suggestion. Now she's discarded all those silly Order ideals that filled her head, and is happily allowing her true desires to shine brightly with that cute young squire of hers," the Lilim answered, sounding very pleased with the outcome of her plot. She then frowned. "I intended to have her sneak in under disguise and open the gates of Lescatie for us so we could come in without pointless fighting, but now I'd rather keep her away from this mysterious mamono of ours. At least, until I know what exactly she is, and what her plans are."

"That makes sense," Veltarna agreed. The Demon then sighed and stretched lazily. "Umm… this has been more tiring than expected. Permission to return to my quarters, Lady Deruella?"

"Granted. In fact, you're all dismissed," the White Lilim nodded. "Thank you for your presence and your help. Now go get some well deserved rest."

The assembled mamono bowed at those words, then began to shuffle out of the tent, while Deruella and Demia busied themselves with ensuring the memory mirror was safely stored away. Outside, small groups of mamono formed, animatedly discussing the events that transpired in the gathering. Sierra and Veltarna watched the chattering groups as they slowly walked towards their own sleeping quarters.

"This was not at all what we expected, was it, Vel?" Sierra told her friend with furrowed brows, mulling over what she'd seen and heard. The Demon nodded.

"Yeah… A hostile mamono being the subject of the day was a rather surprising development," she nodded in agreement, before glancing at the Succubus. "So, what do you make of all this? That mamono, just what do you think she's up to? And why does it look like she has it in for our Lady?"

Sierra didn't answer immediately, pondering the question and what little they knew of the mystery mamono carefully. Then, she sighed.

"Well… as unlikely as it sounds, there is one reason for her hostility that does come to my mind," she admitted. She paused for a brief moment, then continued. "She may be a human woman that was forcibly made into a mamono, and still resents it."

"What…? Why would she resent it?" Veltarna asked in confusion. "Aren't human women supposed to realize what they had been missing when they become mamono, and let go of their silly human hang-ups and prejuduces?"

"That's what is supposed to happen, yes," Sierra nodded. "But… every rule has its exceptions, does it not? She might be the exception to this rule. In which case…"

"...Persuading her is probably off the table, eh?" Veltarna finished for her friend. It was a grim prospect, indeed: it would mean necessarily having to kill or imprison her indefinitely if she could not embrace her existence as a mamono.

"Do you really think the White Glint is a monsterized human?"

The sudden intruding voice startled both Veltarna and Sierra, and they turned around as one, finding themselves face to face with Riza, the Lizardman warrior. She wore an unconvinced expression, and was shaking her head slowly.

Veltarna blinked. "White Glint?" she asked, curious. Riza nodded.

"It's what the others are starting to call this mamono. We can't just call her 'the mystery mamono' forever, can we?" she explained. "The name popped up when some of the others remembered how there was just a brief glimpse of white from her hair when she dodged Ageha's attack, and she otherwise disappeared from sight. We like the sound of it, and so 'White Glint' is kind of sticking."

"Huh. It's not a bad name. Actually, it sounds awesome," Sierra admitted, smiling slightly. Her attention then returned to the Lizardman. "But tell me, why do you seem to disagree with the idea she's a monsterized human?"

"Because of how she looks," she replied. "Her body, as you noted yourself, has next to nothing sensual about it. If she'd been monsterized, she'd look sweeter and softer, so as to be more attractive to human men and more easily find a husband, don't you think?" She paused, then frowned. "Actually, I do agree that she might be a former human. But, her current state was not caused by us."

"Huh? Hold on… but if it wasn't us, then who did it?" Veltarna asked, her curiosity giving way to shocked realization. Riza's answer was a wry smile.

"Indeed. If not us, then who?"

=O=O=

==Lescatie, several hours earlier==

Francisca looked down at the Kunoichi attempting to hide behind one of the trees in her garden from the window of her annex's attic. She made no move to pursue: for one, she knew that guard patrols regularly passed on top of the wall near the annex, and didn't want to be spotted. And besides that, all she wanted from the start was drive off the mamono that invaded her home.

She had realized early on in the confrontation that her physical abilities were drastically higher than those of the Zipangese girl she'd ambushed. If she really wanted to, she could have killed her at any time. This was especially true in light of how Francisca had taken the opportunity presented by the Kunoichi's continued close proximity to her to attempt using the secondary effect of the Ultimate Chimera – partial copying of a subject's surface memory.

The attempt was successful, and Francisca suddenly found several new bits of information ingrained into her mind. It was an odd mix of Far East unarmed combat and seduction skills, and it was only bare-bones, basic info – something that all Kunoichi learned early on, she presumed. But it was enough to let her walk into the face-off with the intruder with a feeling of confidence in her victory.

And yet, facing the young mamono in person, Francisca didn't feel like she was an enemy who needed to be slain. Driven away, for sure, but killed? No. She found herself hesitating as some vague feelings floated to the surface of her own mind. Somehow, she knew that this girl did not really mean anyone any harm, in spite of her job as a supposed assassin. The Zipangese mamono's memories echoed within her, and told her that she had a dream, and it was a simple one: to find love. Francisca found it very hard to regard someone with such feelings as an enemy to be destroyed, although she had become wary and somewhat hostile after the Kunoichi mentioned the infamous White Lilim Deruella's name.

Ultimately, she decided to purposely and blatantly hold back, and let the mamono go if she got the hint and chose to retreat. Fortunately, she did: the alternative left a bad taste in Francisca's mouth, and she was glad she wasn't driven to use lethal force.

The Lescatian princess gave one last glance at the hiding mamono, then turned around and walked away from the window and out of her adversary's view. She was certain that the Kunoichi would not attempt to sneak back in again anytime soon: she'd received the princess's message, loud and clear, and had to know that she wouldn't be forgiven for her intrusion next time.

(She will probably report my existence to Deruella. Well, the existence of 'an unknown mamono' who isn't on their side, anyway,) Francisca thought. (No matter. I can work with that. It's more important that I finally confirmed the rumors are true… the White Lilim is targeting Lescatie. That means I can't waste any more time. I need to start getting things done.)

The idea of her existence being exposed to Deruella was not too concerning to Francisca, all things considered. It would have happened eventually, and actually worked in her favor right now: the princess was a complete enigma at the moment, and if the stories of the White Lilim's cautious, strategic approach to her past conquests were true, she was reasonably sure that her sudden inclusion in the picture would cause Deruella to put her plans on hold in an attempt to gather information about her before committing to the strategy she had planned out.

That was really all she needed: time. If she could only manage to get rid of the corruption in Lescatie and establish a solid powerbase of her own, she felt that she would stand a decent chance of repelling an attempt by the Lilim to take over. It would not be easy, of course: Deruella's past successes spoke volumes of the Lilim's skills, and Francisca knew that she was comparatively inexperienced. But she chose to believe in the power she had been bestowed with, and her people's determination and strength.

And, admittedly, a fair bit of help from the numerous powerful artifacts stored in Rianobed. The right people with the right items could make a huge difference, of that she was sure.

(If anything, this situation confirms that what I need the most is an information network,) Francisca thought as she walked back to the attic's door and reached for the handle. (As much as I see her as an enemy, Deruella is a good example to follow right now: she has skilled followers keeping an eye in all places she has interest in. Although…) she wondered, frowning as she left the attic and closed the door behind her. (Why was she keeping tabs on this place specifically? Was that Kunoichi just using it as a hideout to rest in after spying on the palace, or… is the White Lilim interested in me personally?)

Francisca did not like the idea of Deruella having an interest in her personally. She had no fear for her own wellbeing – she was fully confident that her newfound power would protect her from the Lilim's corruption attempts.

What concerned her was Rowena getting caught in the crossfire. The maid had no such protection, and the mere idea of losing her to Deruella's machinations was enough to make Francisca anxious and prone to consider very violent solutions to the problem.

(I need to find a way to ensure Rowena's safety,) Francisca thought as she slowly descended the stairs that led to the attic from the top floor of the annex. (Today, it all went well, but the fact a mamono snuck in so easily is-)

Her thoughts trailed off as she saw a familiar figure waiting at the bottom of the stairs. Hearing the noise of clawed feet on the steps, Rowena looked up at the princess, and the worried expression on her face melted into one of relief as she climbed up the staircase to meet her halfway.

"Princess… are you all right?" she asked her quietly, concern evident in her voice. Francisca nodded.

"I'm fine," she replied. "But what are you doing here, awake at this hour of the night? I thought you had gone to bed…"

Rowena bit her lip. "I… thought you were acting strange earlier, and came to check up on you," she admitted. "Then I found your room empty, and heard a sound of something breaking upstairs. I almost rushed up to see what was going on, but then realized if you were in a dangerous situation, I might have made it worse by forcing you to protect me, as well, so I decided to stay here and wait for your return." She sighed again, clearly relieved. "I… I'm glad you're back. I'm not sure what I'd have done if you hadn't come down again…"

"It's fine now. I reckon there won't be any more problems for a while," Francisca reassured the maid, pulling her into a gentle hug and making sure her claws weren't scraping her. Rowena returned the hug, briefly clinging to her with surprising strength, before letting go and smiling at the princess with a nod.

"That's good to hear, Princess," she said. Her expression then became one of cautious curiosity. "If I may ask… exactly what happened up there?"

Francisca hesitated for a moment, then decided there was no reason to hide the truth from Rowena. "I caught a Kunoichi hiding in the attic," she replied. "Apparently, she was working for Deruella."

"T-the White Lilim? One of her mamono was here?" the maid paled, speaking in a fearful tone. "Then… the rumors are true? She really is targeting Lescatie?"

"So it seems. I can't think of any other reason why her followers would be poking around town, especially here," Francisca nodded, her wild mane of white hair swaying as she did so. "That said, I dealt with the intruder."

"I-I see. So, then, that mamono, is she…?" Rowena asked, hesitant. The princess shook her head.

"I just scared her off," she reassured the maid, guessing what was going on in her mind. "I'm not a murderer, and besides, I got a strange feeling while fighting her… like she wasn't really malicious. Just… misguided." She paused, looking thoughtful. "I wonder if perhaps mamono aren't as malevolent as we believe. Maybe they're more like us than we want to admit. Granted, there are many whose behavior is… well, you know. But, this Kunoichi didn't feel like an enemy who needed to be destroyed to me."

"That's… good," Rowena murmured, her expression brightening. "I must admit, I do not relish the idea of you killing anyone or anything. So, I'm glad that you were able to solve this situation without senseless deaths." She then paused, pondering Francisca's words. "So, um... what you said just now… are you suggesting that maybe Deruella is just misunderstood?"

"Oh, no, definitely not," Francisca shook her head. "Deruella's actions are plain for all to see. Every single nation she conquered became a Demon Realm, drowning in depravity. She knows what she's doing and it's very intentional." She frowned as she thought about the White Lilim's infamous accomplishments. "I don't think she and I will ever see eye to eye. She's not a mamono I would give the benefit of doubt to."

"Right, I was thinking the same thing," Rowena agreed. She then gave Francisca a disapproving look. "But enough about that. Princess, you're naked, and you really shouldn't be wandering around the annex looking like a mamono, even if no one ever comes here. Let's not take unnecessary risks…"

The Lescatian princess sheepishly scratched her head, looking guilty. "Ah… you're right. I thought it would be best to discard my night robe so I could move more swiftly, but now that I think about it… I am walking around naked late at night, am I not?" she admitted with an awkward smile. The maid shook her head in exasperation.

"Whatever am I going to do with you?" she lamented, eyes rolling upwards. She then took Francisca's hand in her own and pulled slightly. "Come along, Princess. It's getting late, and I think we've both had enough excitement for today. Let's get some rest… I have a feeling starting tomorrow, we will be very, very busy."

Francisca didn't answer, but obediently followed, letting Rowena lead her back to her room. The maid was right: she was suddenly feeling drained from the stress of her earlier encounter, and she could use some rest.

And she would definitely be very, very busy from the next day onward.

==Chapter 4: Awakening (End)==

((A/N: And that wraps it up, and now AO3 is on par with TFT and FFNet. Next chapter, Francisca starts to make her move to establish her own faction, and we also get a glimpse at some interesting goings on in Polove. I had intended for it to be part of this chapter, as I mentioned, but decided it was best saved for the next one.

No new hybrid forms in this chapter, but Francisca does technically gain her first mamono form when she copies Ageha, and we also see what exactly the secondary ability of the Ultimate Chimera does. It's nothing drastic, but the little things it can acquire that way pile up after a while. Although it can somewhat backfire, as seen with the emotional baggage it also saddled Francisca with.

About the names I used in this chapter, they're almost all references to my favorite videogames, anime and/or game mods. Bartholo the gardener is a reference to the VIGILANT mod by Vicn for Skyrim. Sierra and Veltarna are names of two characters from Dragon Force, an old Sega Saturn game. Demia is the name of a witch of questionable morality from the anime Interspecies Reviewers.

Riza is, contrary to what you may think, not a reference to Atelier Ryza, but to Riza from Rudra no Hihou, a very old and never localized SNES game that only got a fan translation. Sora and Yoru are references to the recent RPG Monark (Sora Jingu and Yoru), and their names also complement each other, since taken together they can mean "night sky".

Finally, Ageha is a name taken from Onimusha Tactics, although 'Ageha' is also the name given in Japan to the swallowtail butterfly, and a pretty common name in manga and anime for kunoichi.

Lastly, you may have noticed I spell Deruella's name with an extra E. That is because her Japanese name transcribes as "Deruera". "Druella" is the more commonly accepted transliteration to English, but personally I think "Deruella" sounds better.

I also really don't like her as a character, but am trying to be fair and impartial here, so I'm giving her some good points rather than just stereotyping her as a mustache-twirling villain. But as you may have noticed, Francisca doesn't like her much, based on reputation alone, and also because she feels Deruella is an active threat to Rowena.

That's about it for this chapter. Hopefully I'll see you all soon. Author out.))