The next few days went surprisingly easy for Zaria. Despite having to sit through boring orientations, more noisy meals in the cafeteria, etc., she just seemed to have more energy than usual. Being misgendered didn’t hurt her that badly, either. Well, at least not as much as before.

But she wasn’t sure why. Maybe she just needed a day to adjust? Maybe now she had three friends for support, she was just in a better mood? Or maybe… her transformation was already starting to affect her?

Since Alice and Zaria had officially made a pact, abyssal energy started naturally injecting itself into Zaria’s body. Supposedly, this would continue for what remained of her lifespan until she fully transformed into a demon upon her “death.” Whenever Zaria tried to ask for more specifics, Alice would have to apologize because she wasn’t allowed to explain. Any clues about the process would help her predict the day of her death, and the deities of the Underworld could nullify any claim the lust demons had to a mortal soul if they let one know too much about her future.

Still, Alice was able to tell Zaria that the process would slowly change her into her ideal form. While fully controlled shapeshifting was only possible for true demons, this power would initially manifest by her body adjusting to match Zaria’s subconscious desires. Zaria was very excited to hear this. 

Alice also started visiting Zaria almost every night—or rather, pulling Zaria’s consciousness back into the Abyss. Usually, it was because they needed to go over their contract, but sometimes, she just wanted to check in on the young demon-to-be. Zaria was the first person to accept a deal from Alice, after all. It’d be a huge shame if anything went wrong.

“So do you have a plan for explaining the physical changes once they start?” Alice asked one night.

“Yeah, actually!” Zaria walked over to the bookshelf in her recreated bedroom. “I still have a transmutation book from when I hoped I could just reshape my body myself.” She pulled said book off the shelf and showed it to Alice. “I’ll just pretend I started revisiting it as a side project.”

“Just as a side project? For fun?”

“Well… The only one who knows… me… is Eva. So I don’t know how believable it’d be to say it’s to remedy dysphoria.”

“I think there’s an easy solution to that.”

Anyone who knew Gemma and Starlight would be surprised to learn how much time they spent in each other’s bedrooms. Perhaps most of their guildmates could believe that the two strangely inseparable rivals always shared each other’s company, but they couldn’t imagine those two rambunctious, loudmouth showoffs just quietly chilling in one of their private quarters. 

At least it made it easy for Zaria to find them both. She knocked on Gemma’s door, and immediately, Starlight waved her over from his doorway. 

Zaria was glad they were in Starlight’s room. It wasn’t that Gemma’s room was “messier” than Starlights, but that dwarf just had so much stuff! It didn’t help that the two had started storing their collective abundance of books and souvenirs in her room. Meanwhile, the only extra clutter in Starlight’s room were exercise equipment and an excess of places to sit.

Gemma, who was squatting atop a stool, bounced over as Starlight let Zaria in. About a week ago, Zaria had reached some friendship threshold where Gemma always wanted to greet her with a hug. “So good to see you, Azariah!” 

Zaria cleared her throat. “Um… actually… about that.” 

Gemma released her grip and looked up. “Yes?”

“It’s uh…” She glanced behind her to make sure Starlight had closed the door. “It’s Zaria. I’d rather be called Zaria.”

“Hmm… Zaria, Zaria, Zaria… Okay, got it.” Gemma gave a thumbs up. “Hello, Zaria! My fellow adventurer Zaria. Zaria, who is part of my party.” She turned to their elven friend. “Say, Starlight, are you acquainted with this incredibly talented wizard named Zaria?”

“I am happy to say I’m familiar with Zaria, yes,” Starlight said.

Gemma turned back to the wizard in front of her. “Zaria, may I continue giving you a hug?”

Zaria nodded, and Gemma hugged her tighter this time.

Starlight tapped Zaria’s shoulder. “Might I ask you something, Zaria?” 

Another nod.

“Is there anything else you’d like to tell us? Anything that we could start doing for you perhaps?”

Zaria took a deep breath. Her mouth hung open for a few seconds, and then she nodded some more.

“Would sitting down help?” Starlight gestured to the rest of his room. 

More nods. Zaria sat by Starlight’s table. The elf himself sat across from her, and Gemma landed cross-legged at their feet.

“So… I’m Zaria, right?” she eventually managed to say. “That’s… Well, Zaria doesn’t always have to be a girl’s name. But, for me… this Zaria… it’s a girl’s name. I’m a… girl. Or a woman. Um, something like that.”

Starlight reached out his hand. Zaria took it. Then he rested his other hand on hers. “You’re a woman. Thank you for telling us.”

Gemma jumped to her feet. “This means I get another little sister. Hell yeah!”