Stahlia, 13 days after the battle

The first thing to grace my mind as it began to wind up into activity was a ticklish sensation like a tiny fly brushing at my face. It took a few attempts, during which the continuous sensation grew more and more aggravating, but eventually, I had enough energy and control to move my arm. My good arm, as it turned out my groggy mind had been attempting to move my dead limb at first.

My hand swatted at the offending object, and my efforts were rewarded with a yelp and a sudden tightness about my shoulders.

“Stali-Neechan!”

With a start, I cranked my eyes open and sat up in what turned out to be my bed aboard the Will of the Gods. Eris was in attendance, and I saw her first; off to the side and snickering at me, “I will inform Miss Sasha and Miss Frieda, then return.”

Looking down from the former demon, I found Felicity to be the culprit behind that irritating tickling from before. Or, more specifically, it had been her tails brushing at my face as she slept.

She should have been sleeping, going by the nightgown.

Now, she was tightly hugging me around the shoulders, and considering how I’d gone off and fallen asleep again, I couldn’t begrudge her that. Looking around my room my eyes landed on Elienor, whom I’d assigned to care for Felicity. She was acting fretful, and had unconsciously half reached a hand out towards myself and her own young mistress.

I sighed, “...Come on then. Just tell me how long it has been this time.”

Eleanor was startled by the sound of my voice; I had been ignoring her between everything else that had happened recently. But at the end of the day, she was only in her predicament because of me, and she had admitted that she considered the two of us family. It wouldn’t hurt to let her act like it when Sasha wasn’t looking.

After weighing her options for a moment, Eleanor shot a look back toward the door before staunchly lifting her chin and shaking her head, “No; Miss will be he soon… My Lady has been asleep for thirteen days.”

If she regretted her decision, she didn’t let it show, and Felicity was too preoccupied with rubbing her face on my shoulder to notice her servant’s consternation.

Thirteen days though… Longer than last time, though not as long as it could have been. “Status.”

Life Summary Screen:

Life Point Balance: 125

Name/Age: Stahlia von Drakas und zu Ris, 17

Gender: Female

Class/Level: Custom Class, 20 | Custom Class, 11 Experience: 56840/58000

Species: Human (Halfblood[Revenant])

Social Strata: Nobility (Baron Ris, Drakas Kingdom || Queen auf Drakas, Drakas Kingdom)

Starting Gift: Sprouted Seed[Selection Available]*

Title: Daughter of Ocean’s Mother*[Swap Title(NEW)]

Ability Values: 

 

• Strength E: 136

• Endurance C: 264

• Dexterity S: 535

• Intelligence S: 600

• Charisma C: 264

• Mana A: 361

 

Fighting Style: Drakan Style* [Swap Style]

Talents 5/6: [Browse Talents] [-], [-], Stealth V*, Charm Resistance III*, [], [] || Monster Handling III*, ͏Dagger Fighting V*, Sword Fighting II*, Unarmed Fighting IV*, Alchemical Meister IV*, Teaching II*, Mana Efficiency III*, Fire Magic VI*, Water Magic III*, Earth Magic IV*,͏ Wind Magic III*, Ice Magic VI*, Winter Magic IV, Summer Magic I*, Divine Magic I*, Acting IV*, Light Magic II, Spirit Touched I*,

 

Skills 6/7: [Browse Skills] Divine Authority[Class Features], [-]. Blue Blooded*, Kinetic Perception*, [-], Psychic Shield, [],|| Language Proficiency[Central(human)]*,Fighting Style[Shadow Blade]*, Fighting Style[Drakan]*, Rule Breaker*, Revenant Physique*, Alchemical Heresy*,

Talents Experience: [+]

My status information splayed into my mind's eye as I began removing Felicity from my shoulders. At this point, she’d definitely gotten her fill and was now trying to see how far she could push it. At least, that’s the impression I got from the glimpse I’d gotten of her expression a moment ago.

In total, I’d received almost two hundred thousand experience points for the utter destruction of thirteen enemy ships… Just enough for three levels, almost four. The thought of how much death that was, how many people I must have killed, was rather sickening. After all, I’d done enough to garner the Beastkin Exterminator and Slayer titles in one fell swoop; that’s what the “new” labeling for my titles revealed when I checked it out.

The experience throttle must have kicked in after a point, as it did with the goblin army back in Ris… I refuse to believe that many lives only amounted to three levels.

Along with those three levels, I also had a new skill slot, though I didn’t have any pressing need for it right at this moment. Beyond that, the only other instantly notable item, and indeed the biggest change, was my Starting Gift. That had been steadily progressing for some time and had once again transitioned. Unlike all the times before, however, it was now telling me there was a choice available.

“No… five more minutes…” Felicity was now offering a verbal protest, and outright clinging to me like… a cat.

…I’ll look at those in a minute.

“Felicity, you aren’t sleeping, so stop pretending.” I frowned at her while trying to leverage my one arm under hers in order to pry them loose.

Her head lolled to the side, but I could tell her eyes weren’t fully shut, “Why are you being like this anyway? You are being a lot clingier than usual.”

I’d meant it as something of an exasperated but still light-hearted joke, but Felicity froze up before quickly letting go of me, “Sorry…”

“...Felicity, what’s wrong?” Now I was openly concerned and fully shelved my thoughts of my status for now.

“Sorry. Felicity doesn’t want to be a nuisance.”

Her statement left me speechless in the metaphorical sense, “What in the world are you talking about? You might be a handful, but I would never consider you a nuisance…”

She smiled, but it was a bit too small for my liking. This time, I grabbed her around the shoulders and pulled her in tight. It was a bit awkward and clumsy on account of my condition, but it seemed to help as she nestled into the crook of my shoulder. A shuffling sound near the side of the room attracted my attention.

Eyeing Elienor, I shook my head, “Come here already, or stop biting your lip like that.” When she hesitated, I added, “If Sasha gives you any trouble, I will scold her.”

That proved to be the final push required as she tentatively climbed onto the edge of my bed and then scoot carefully until she was near Felicity. However, that was as far as she went, and she then settled for just resting a hand on the small of the cat girl’s back.

Before I could try and press her further, Eris returned alongside Sasha, Frieda, and Jacqueline. Elienor retreated her hand and slipped back off the bed while the four new arrivals began preparing things for me to get ready to make the grand return to my life and duties.

Sasha cast the (in her eyes) wayward maid a look but merely tightened her lips before turning away. It was obvious that Elienor would not have been where she was if not for me having given my permission in the first place. Instead, she began to talk and fill me in on what had happened in the interim.

“The nobles aboard the Jewel of Gaia’s Crown are eagerly awaiting your return, but I believe we can forestall that for another handful of days, to give My Lady time to come up to speed…” She glanced at Felicity, “As for the results of the battle, we had some casualties; fifteen wounded and eighteen dead –Captain Shepherd was among those who fell in battle. All in all, it was a resounding success. The survivors have been split up, and are incarcerated on the three vessels that remained seaworthy.”

I nodded along, she knew well enough by now not to feed me pointless events; I only cared about the outcomes and the current state of things.

“As for My Lady’s acquaintances, Miss Felicity is as you see her. Lady Tlaloc has been and is currently patrolling the ocean in our vicinity; I suspect she will return by this evening. Lord Alriss has supplied a few additional men to the Will of the Gods in the meantime, Squire Giogi among them. I am told the boy distinguished himself beyond his station.”

Her remark about Giogi caught my ear, and I glanced sidelong at my informant. Jacqueline returned a subtle nod; she knew what had happened and would tell me later.

“Finally, Captain Benji has granted Ladies Edith and Lawrence a cabin aboard the Will of the Gods.”

I took in everything she had said, then gently pat Felicity once more, “Felicity, I need to get up and get dressed… Will you join me when I go to see Edith?”

She was sniffling a bit but nodded silently.

Good. I’m not quite sure what’s gotten into her head, but it looks like she’s coming around.

Standing, I spread my arms out so the maids could begin their routine; Eris and Jacqueline had disappeared, and I could hear the sounds of a bath being drawn, but before that, I needed to have my hair straightened and my nightgown removed.

“What of the enemy officers? Are any of them among the prisoners?” This was the one thing I was actually curious about that Sasha had left out.

She nodded, “A single captain and another ship’s first officer. Captain Benji has kept them onboard the Will of the Gods.”

“Some good news then. Once we have finished here, please prepare them to see me, and inform Benji to be in attendance for the meeting. After checking in with Edith and Lady Lawrence, I will go to them, then visit the other Nobles in two days' time.” Having decreed my schedule, I gave myself over to the tendings of Jacqueline’s hairbrush while calling up my status once more.

Now, let’s have a look at this gift.