Aerien’s POV

[Your highness, there are some matters we must attend to sooner rather than later. Now that you have seen your pets, it is best we hurry along.]

My brow twitched as I heard her words. Is this really how these people view humans? It is most likely her disregard for the boys is as strong as it is because of her noble status, but some lesser version of this disregard for humans must exist in the elves as well if they are able to kidnap children and give them that disgusting fairie’s treat I just learned about.

It is a very good thing my younger half is attending to her own stuff in the back of my mind right now, I am certain she would not be able to handle herself well in these circumstances.

I stood up with my eyes closed and took a deep breath. “You boys hold on for a bit, Ok?” I tell them in a voice that had obviously gone cold. I opened my eyes and held a blank expression looking at the space between the boy’s heads, not turning around to face the woman. [I don’t believe I ever got your name miss. Would you mind introducing yourself?] I kept my tone somewhat proper, keeping my expression of displeasure to only the fact that I was keeping my back turned to her, making it as clear as possible that I was regarding her in a similar manner to how she regarded everyone I cared about.

[Your highness?] She replied. She hesitated for a while. I was not sure if she was being thrown off by the fact that my back was turned or if she was debating whether or not she ought to call out what I was doing and wrestling with the fact it was probably deliberate, but it was clear she was thrown completely off her game by this simple gesture.

(Uhh… Aerien?) Levin also seemed to be made pretty uncomfortable with the air between us, but Sagel quickly moved to stroke his head.

“It’s alright, she’s dealing with the fairy lady.” He said. Meanwhile, Gaerien’s face split into a smile of absolute delight as she was still unable to hide her emotions due to the immature state of her physical brain. A cackle of laughter escaped her mouth before she rolled over on her back to intentionally look away from the situation, but she still couldn’t help peeking over her shoulder.

Great, that completely ruined the heavy mood I was trying to hold. It was a darn good thing I had my back turned, I had to get this smile under control before it ruined the entire effect I was going for.

*Whew* Wait, did she just breathe a sigh of relief? [Of course your highness, that was rude of me to have not properly introduced myself before now. My name is Gwilitphen. My associate Esgal and I will be acting as your attendants as well as your tutors for the time being. We shall do our best to give you the proper education to carry out your duties at the trial, and then on how to fulfil your role as a noble from there.]

[I see.] Yes, I had suspected it might be something like that. I performed a slow and controlled graceful turn that spoke to the power of someone with 4 decades of martial arts expertise, stepping back with one foot, and then picking up the other as I pivoted on the ball of the planted foot before I gently placed my other foot back on the floor. After this, I looked Gwilitphen in the face. [Well, I think I will need to make something very very clear if you are planning on staying with me for a while.]

[P...p.. Princess…] She stammered with a pale look on her face.

“Aerien! Stop!” Sagel yelled, grabbing me by my shoulders and shaking me.

“What!?” I looked to Sagel in confusion. At that same time, Gwilitphen collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath with her hands clutching her chest.

“Do you even realize how much hostility-laced spirit energy you were directing at her!? She seriously could have died if you increased the pressure any more than that!” He scolded me with his hands holding firmly to my shoulders. “That was enough it could have even killed a human! And you were about to go even further with it!”

“What!? I… I didn’t know!” Seriously!? I was just using my intent hoping to intimidate her a bit. It was a technique we learned in the higher levels of most martial arts, controlling your intent in order to give an opponent a sense of intimidation. Opponents who are much weaker than you may even be frozen to the spot. But, for it to actually be deadly in this world… well, now come to think of it, Gaerien DID say that the spirits of humans from Earth were far stronger than those in this world.

Sagel let out a sigh. “I thought you knew, that was why you kept your back turned to her. Seriously, those boys and your sister can probably take it, and I’m immune now that my soul is bound to yours, but you really shouldn’t direct that toward any member of a fey race aside from me and your sister. I think even some true dragons might be affected by that level of hostile spirit energy.”

I could feel the blood drain from my face as I realized the implications of what he was telling me. This was something most people on Earth did by instinct when they got angry. True, mine grew sharper and stronger as I trained myself, but what if the boys get angry sometime later!? Even if they aren’t even half my strength, from what Sagel is telling me it should be more than enough to kill an elf.

No, there are just too many implications behind this to take in right now. Honestly, the fey are weak to such a simple technique!?

“What were you trying to tell her anyway?” Sagel asked me.

“Just not to call the boys pets.” I said in a weak voice. My knees were starting to shake as I saw Gwilitphen still struggling to recover as she was crumpled up on the floor.

“Alright, don’t worry, I will talk to her. You can sit and sort yourself out a little.” He said. Yes, I think I might have to do just that.

-

Gwilitphen’s POV

The queen had taken on a princess. This was truly astonishing news. For one thing, anyone to become the queen’s child would need power enough to subdue the great tree by themselves. It had long been accepted that there was no-one other than the queen with that degree of power. And yet, she had found someone.

The other astonishing thing about this was, the person with enough power was an elf. A little elf girl who looked to be less than 20 years of age. She apparently possessed the extraordinary ability of preserving her memories from her past life, but she had only lived 60 years in her past life according to what the queen had said. No matter what way you looked at it, even if you included her age from her past life, she could still not be regarded as an adult by any stretch of the imagination.

There was a great deal of discussion among the great fairies when this announcement was made. It had been understood that the princess’ caretakers would have to be from among their ranks. The new princess was an anthromorph after all, and far too young to be expected to navigate her new role on her own. It would be one thing if she had lived in the capital for some time, but she was brought in unconscious from some small village, and it seems her actual age in this life even was far less than her appearance would suggest.

Indeed, she needed a caretaker. But, who would it be? Everyone was hesitating to step forward for the role. Nobody knew what could be expected from this new princess. Everyone wound up simply staring at one another, each hesitant to act. She certainly did not think it was her role to serve this position. A mere baron ranked noble such as her who could barely even handle a newly born dryad on their own certainly was not in a position to be the princess’ caretaker.

Then, the queen asked for someone to take the princess’ pets and former sister to what was to be the princess’ room. Now was the time to act. Simply to transport her pets, that was not the position of caretaker. This seemed like something she could do. She, and another great fairy she knew named Esgal, stepped forward for this role. It was only later when she was in the highest class guest room that she realized what this really meant. She would be interacting with the princess until she was settled in. This would mean she actually could become…

It was possible! The princess, at the very least, was going to need someone to teach her the law. She would need that information in order to perform in the test her mother the queen had just set up for her. She would also need new clothing. That simple linen dress might be acceptable for a village girl, but it most certainly was not something a princess should be wearing. Gwilitphen was at least confident in her tailoring skills. In her life as a human, she had tailored many enchanted vestments in her pursuit of magecraft, and it had brought her the income she needed to further pursue her research and cultivation. She would soon be putting those skills to the test in tailoring the finest dress she possibly could for the new princess to wear!

Yes! Yes, she could do it! If no-one had claimed the role, she certainly could fill the position. Her, and maybe Esgal as well. One person could not handle everything after all. Oh, there was also that changeling. He had testified earlier the troublesome dryad of Cundo had stated he was to become a caretaker as well. Three caretakers was about right to cover all the needs for the princess’ development. This could most certainly work out!

She had made up her mind! The princess was going to need an escort back to this room. In that time, she could endear herself to the princess. She could offer the fairy’s treat for her humans, and use that to get in her good graces. After that, she could become her caretaker and be close to her for her entire development! This was a great opportunity for her! She could certainly increase her standing in the court with this!

Ok! She tried her best when she appeared before the princess to fill the role she was already going for. She refused to be distracted by anything, keeping her mind entirely on the princess and pleasing her. She did not know how to interact with the changeling. They had no status of nobility, they were the queen’s hands and feet outside of the forest and served her directly. Normally, the rest of the nobility did not even have the right to interact with them when they appeared. So, when he addressed her, she chose to do nothing but nod in acknowledgement. That would be appropriate, right? It was not interacting with him or presuming superiority over him, and it was not dismissive of the introduction he had chosen to give.

That seemed about appropriate. He was the princess’ familiar now though, so that would mean he’s also an extension of the princess now. So, for now, acknowledging the princess ought to be enough to count for both of them, right? Yes, she had to keep her eye on the princess and cater to her.

Gwilitphen had convinced herself. This still seemed to be going well up until this point, but then everything suddenly fell apart the moment she had suggested the use of the original fairie’s treat for her humans. The princess did not seem to know what it was, so she began explaining it. Half way through her explanation though, something went very very wrong. There was an explosion of hostile energy coming from the princess. It was as thick as a full dragon’s fear aura. It was identical both in terms of the absolute bone-freezing terror it put through a person, and also the suffocating aura it gave off.

She absolutely rejected the idea of using the fairy’s treat. She even called it a curse! Worse yet, every single time she spoke a hostile word, it felt like the hostility and power in her aura tripled in power for the brief second that she was speaking that word. It was like nothing she had ever felt before, every angry word felt like she was being stabbed in the chest with a knife and she could feel it shaving off pieces of her spirit energy.

Gwilitphen tried her best to look as though she was not affected by this terrifying assault by the princess’ energies. She tried to assure the princess she understood and that she would take her words to heart. That, as she said, the food that had been enchanted with the fairy’s treat would never even enter the same room as her humans. Well, it shouldn’t really matter anyway whether they have the fairy’s treat or not. They are here now, and there is no way that humans could escape from this tree without the assistance of a member of a fey race.

She was able to breath deeper and easier as she escorted the princess to her room. She was no longer subject to that oppressive aura as the princess’ anger seemed to have passed. She brought the princess to her room, and she seemed very happy to see her humans again. However, she could see her chance at getting the position of the princess’ caretaker quickly slipping away. She had to assert herself back into this somehow. She had to offer what she had to provide for the princess sooner rather than later. She would take the measurements for the princess’ new dress and begin her education immediately! She would set out the princess’ schedule in order to get everything done in good time! Yes! She could still do this!

She went forward, managed to get the princess’ attention, and mentioned that there were other things to do than just play with her pets here. Almost as soon as she had said this, that terrifying aura returned. The princess was not even looking at her and it felt this intense! It felt even thicker than it was in the hall a short time ago. This was INSANE! It was already at a dragon level before! And somehow, she’s able to drive it even stronger!? It must be getting to deadly levels already! How did this little girl have command of such an absolutely overwhelming aura? It was so thick she couldn’t even breath. And, to make it even more terrifying, the princess’ words were not even angry this time. She just sweetly and calmly asked Gwilitphen for her name, reminding her she had forgotten to introduce herself.

The ability to talk in such a casual voice while projecting an aura powerful enough to kill a weaker fey, just what kind of monster was this child!? Her majesty had most certainly not been mistaken when she said this child was powerful! Gwilitphen fully believed it now, this child definitely had a royal level power. How was she supposed to be a caretaker for a child who could accidentally kill her just by getting mad!? She had no control of her spirit voice earlier in the fey court, and now it has become incredibly clear she had poor control of her aura as well, and an aura that powerful that was not in control was clearly dangerous! This child was as much of a threat as a dryad herself!

Suddenly, the princess’ knight, her former sister, broke into laughter as she watched what was unfolding. How could she laugh at something like this!? Gwilitphen wanted to scream, but she realized a second later that the princess’ knight had just come to her rescue. It seemed her laughter had caused the princess’ anger to subside, instantly eliminating her aura. Gwilitphen breathed a breath of relief, and then dropped to the floor. The only way she was able to save any face was to make it appear she had been planning to kneel before the princess from the beginning.

She wanted nothing more than to escape at this point. Becoming this child’s caretaker would be suicide! But, she was panicked at this point. She had been thinking of ways to be declared the princess’ caretaker up until now, and even though she wanted noting more than to run away, all the fear and stress had idled her brain and left it able to do only one thing. That was to begin on the speech she had been rehearsing in her mind since she was in the hall asking to be the princess’ caretaker. But, it came out wrong. She didn’t ask, she simply declared herself the princess’ caretaker presumptuously, and even threw in Esgal’s name without consulting anyone! The words just came out on their own, even though they were the exact opposite of what Gwilitphen wanted in this moment.

Then, suddenly, the pressure increased once more. Gwilitphen felt her heart stop. So much for the life-line the little knight had just given her, it was back and stronger than ever! Except, it was far more controlled this time, and it was all pressing down directly on Gwilitphen. She could feel all the blood in her body freeze under the princess’ glare.

“Let me make one thing clear,” The princess said. Gwilitphen was protesting with a mind in sheer panic at those words. The princess’ aura was enhanced by the act of speaking, and Gwilitphen knew her next words were going to increase the pressure even more! In fact, it was ALREADY raising just in her preparing to speak! No!… no no no no no no no nonononono! She was going to die for sure! She already couldn’t breath! She could feel her heart had stopped! Her back-bone felt as though it was starting to collapse in on itself! There couldn’t possibly be any more she could take, and if the princess spoke one more word!

The changeling suddenly shouted something in the mysterious language the princess had used to communicate with her humans. When Gwilitphen was released from her power this time, she could not pretend to be unaffected. There was no composure to be kept. She simply collapsed to the floor and rolled over on her side, clutching her chest in pain. It had felt as though her entire body was being squeezed, and her chest had felt like it was about to break. She could still feel the pain in every bone in her body! She was aware that the changeling was yelling at the princess. She felt a sense of relief, he was not going to allow her to just be killed for reasons she couldn’t even understand.

She was stunned later to learn why it was she had come so close to loosing her life. It was because of the use of one simple little word. “Pets.” That’s all there was to it. A single word. She had fundamentally misunderstood everything about the relationship between the princess and those humans. That was her mistake.

Also, the princess had not meant to do Gwilitphen so much harm. It seemed she had no idea of how overwhelming her power really was. When she had finally recovered enough to look, the princess looked as though she was stripped of all her dignity. She seemed genuinely remorseful over what she had almost done, and apologized profusely. A princess really shouldn’t be doing such a thing, but in that moment Gwilitphen was too weak and too traumatized to raise an objection to such a thing, especially when it was practically a promise not to repeat what had just happened.

Subscribers' comments of the chapter

"Now that I think about it, What gonna happen at the trial if Aerien unwillingly release her aura ? mass genocide of lower nobles ?"

            -Remingus

"The force is strong with this one."

            -meowingLexi

"demon king light aura attack rofl, oh shit anger kills people now days."

            -Roy

"To be more specific, it's actually intimidation via your aura. Of course, it's also lore that this is an instinctive thing most people just so happen to do when they are angry. Or rather, angry and being confrontational."

           -Jemini

Comment... comment... oh, oh yeah! I already made a comment over on subscribe star and put it up there.