Since I can't make clones of the others I'll release, I swiftly released them. Nothing major happened, although there were things to note. Marigold, the Chaos Storm and the Lemon Tree had already left, so I ended up walking to empty cells, so I guess I'm not the only one who can exit this place. Merry was still in her state of despair, staring at the roof of her cell. I had to slap her to make her come back to reality. I accidentally hit her horns, that really hurt. The last thing of note was Merida, who made a pot out of the surrounding darkness and was somehow cooking actual shadows into a soup. Apparently a skill she learned from her teacher.

Since I let everyone out, the only ones left are the people who were already here, Jack and that funnily tiny maid. The one who apparently went to Maid School while I was there. She's got to be a Sacred Power holder. I don't want to brag, but not only was I a combat genius but also a stealth genius. Not only could I sneak behind anyone, no one could sneak behind me… I think. Is that how stealth works? Whatever. Simply put, there's no way she could've flanked me without me knowing. The only explanation is that she's a Sacred Power holder. Either that or I've been slacking. Pfft… no way I've been slacking. I work all the time… do I work? Whatever, I'll just walk up to her cell, make a clone, and leave. Eh? What about freeing her? As a Maid School graduate, let me say it is never a good idea to let a Maid School student free if you manage to entrap one. I walk to her cell to see her back turned towards the bars, staring at the empty cell wall.

"I remember when I first started attending the Maid School. The greatest tragedy that had struck it had recently happened. I heard the tales about that event. That the perpetrator was a Demon Lord masquerading as a teacher, grooming an entire year of students to become his loyal servants, using the very techniques he learnt from the institute for his own dark desires."

"Sounds about right. I met my teacher a while ago. He's still kicking."

"Half the class indentured to a poison spreading madman, the other half condemned to a toxic end. Yet one student from that cursed year remained at the school, completely unfazed and untouched by the horrific events that still haunted the halls."

"That's me, that's me!"

"The rumours about your survival… were so outrageous that there was no way to fathom them as truth. They said you were so disobedient even the founder was unable to beat servitude into you. They said you were so talented that not even a group of combat teachers could best you. They said you were the true monster of that year, not the Demon Lord who pillaged nor the students tainted by his venomous fangs."

"School sure was wild, wasn't it?"

"I don't see it, however."

"Don't see what? The light? Well, we are in a place called the Shadowrealm."

"I know the truth. I know the real reason. You're not the monster. You're a bumbling fool filled to the brim with delusion. The only reason the Demon Lord spared you isn't that he couldn't take you down."

"Woah, you don't know that. I'm a combat genius, you know."

"He didn't take you down because he didn't want to face the headmaster's wrath, your mother."

"The headmaster is my mother?" I thought my mother was a fairy… or a cat…

"Hah! Did you not know? You're the daughter of the monstrous Moira Vusser, headmaster of the Maid School, and one of only three people to be recognised as Calamity level threats to the world."

"So she's my mother… that explains a lot. I guess I now have a reason to return there. Thank you."

"Hmph."

I tapped my foot on the ground, doing the same process I did on Jack to the tiny maid. Once the clone was made, I had it make eye contact with her.

That explains how she was able to sneak behind me. What a neat ability… also something the Maid School would love.

"Begone. I have nothing more to say to you."

"Okay, okay. By the way, I won't be freeing you. Sorry about that, but not really."

"Being trapped within your shadow seems like a better fate than being above in the world."

"Alright then." 

I could go make clones of the others that are in cells right now, but I'd rather not copy that insane yelling guy. His shadow clone seems like it'd be hard to control. I don't want to copy the demon since I'd rather not talk to him again, and as for the Creator's Kid… my gut is telling me it'd be useless to attempt to shadow clone them. So I guess the only unique clones I have are of the tiny maid and Jack. Huh…

I tapped my foot, sinking into my shadow, bringing me back to the world. I found myself in a room that looked exactly like Merida's office from her original mansion. Thinking about it, she also had an identical office in the Insane Hero's mansion. 

"Speedy is a capable constructor with a superior memory." I turned to Merida, who was sitting behind her desk, with nothing on the desk beside a bowl of soup. "That was some shocking news, wasn't it?"

"Haha, yeah, sure was. Did you know?"

"Negative. I had neither an inkling nor a clue as to your parentage." She drank a spoonful of soup. "Now, since we have settled into a new establishment, how about we do an old-fashioned Sacred Power holder hunt? Something light-hearted for now."

"Sure thing. Should I go get Mel?"

"Mel will be busy for a short while. Consider it part of why we are guests of the Sacre Pla royalty."

"Oh, okay."

"You are free to take any of the others as a companion, however."

"Eh, I'll do it alone."

"Understood. The next four Sacred Power holders I'll be sending you to just so happen to live in or near the capital of Sacre Pla Nation, which we just so happen to be in the middle of. The first is a stall owner in the marketplace. Come back once you find them."

"Aye aye, captain!"

Character profile: Norika

Sacred power: Stealth

Years spent in Maid School: Four and a half

Description: The tiny maid who wanders the land. A former student of the Maid School, she is only one of seven students to escape it before graduation. Unlike the other six, who could not handle the teachings, she ran due to the valuable knowledge she gained, believing she would be hunted down for knowing about such things. Unbeknownst to her, the headmaster did not care, nor knew she knew. She travelled the world, never staying in one spot, always on the run. To get funds, she signed up as a mercenary. While on her runaway, she was challenged to a fight by Lorn, who she beat through a series of sneak attacks. He would force himself onto her, travelling as a partner, either helping each other or challenging her to a deathmatch. Their weird relationship would end once they accepted a job from the Sacre Pla criminal underground. 

Chapter namesake: backstory by Dpsht