Cyriel Pov ----------

We entered a room that was delicately closed behind us by the mermaid who smiled at us as she instigated for us to sit.

I sit with the purring bundle in my hand. Leĩea is on my left and Marriane holding Nare on her lap.

‘My name is Aquarel, but u can call me aqua, I will assist u to the best of my ability but first I need to know who Lily & Ruby is.’

‘The purring bundle in my wings’ I said with a smile.

She looked at us in confusion.

‘Do u allow me to do use inspect?’

I nodded gently

She stared intensely at Lily and then her smile slowly wavered as a shocked expression faced us.

‘u weren’t joking… thought I only read Lily, which I’m guessing is related to the effect duality being inactive right now.’

 

We all nodded gently I continued.

‘I hope it’s ok miss aqua, and that her being in this form won’t cause us or u any problem.’

 

Aqua smiled at us

‘Don’t worry, it’s a very special case and request but one as a fellow non-human I’m happy to help y’all with.

 

I do need to ask tough, do u want to keep the taming link? I ask cause if she a monster specie her instinct might kick in if we remove it and she might become less tame’

While I taught about what to say, Nare immediately injected in.

‘We taught about it, but the timing was accidental by Leĩea here. We do want to keep the emotional part of the link but give Lily and ruby more freedom. They are sentient beings, so they deserve to be trusted at least by us who we consider them to be family.’

 

‘So, u want to change the taming property, and have her be considered an adventurer so she gets access to the telepathy temporary skill while in a party?’

 

We all nodded, and I continued still petting them reassuringly.

‘Yes, the Snereloa anatomy doesn’t have the necessary for vocal communication other than hissing and they lack hands to write with.’

 

‘True, make sense and if they are family to y’all and u want to communicate with them as an equal I guess it makes sense. But it going to be a delicate process. mhhhh’

 

Let me get the adventurer tag and a knife to link them to the tag. first, sadly for the taming, there is nothing we can do here, u would need a monster-related class or a soul-based one or both. Especially if u friend here isn’t a tamer and only got some skill then she probably lacks the better one for the request u asking. Second, she will need to keep the tag on her at all times thought we could engrave it with a basic illusion enchantment to make it look like a companion tag. Would that be enough?’

 

We all nodded it was more than we expected after all.

 

She slowly called her daughter for some help and to bring her the necessary.

 

‘Hum, miss aqua?’ I asked

‘Why do u need your daughter’s help if we may ask’

 

Aquarel just laughed at the question.

‘For the enchantment and cause, I saw her eyes sparkle when she saw your purring friend.’

We smiled at that, it’s true our Lily was adorable in her white scaled glory and acted like a kitten when given affection.

 

We then heard a knock on the door and a very shy.

‘Can I enter…?’

‘Yes, u can sweetie~’

 Mary slowly entered and yes surely all her shyness seemed to disappear as her eyes laid on Lily

Her mom gently looked at her daughter.

‘I will need u to enchant miss Lily and Ruby tag there’

Her daughter’s shyness came back in full force

‘o-ok but w-who is that?’

Seeing her mother smile and as if on cue Lily started purring extremely louder.

‘Wait, Miss Lily is the Purring adorable bundle of sweetness?!!’

I smiled and looked at her seriously

‘Yup, we need u to enchant her adventure tag, so it looks like a companion or pet one to Leĩea here.’ I said as I pointed to my left at the anxious elf.

 

‘That should be easy but we need miss Lily blood first….’

 

We all looked at each other.

Marriane and Nare both got up, and they both slowly lifted the knife toward Lily’s side.

 

And in a fast swipe drew some blood that they dropped on the knife blade before Nare closed Lily wound as her eyes shot open and her body was covered with red scale and smoke was exiting her mouth heat easily sensible.

 

I didn’t dare move, no one did as it scanned all of us, and we could have felt a stone drop in a well when we all felt her gaze on the bloodied knife, she then slowly looked toward the adventurer tag the now frightened kid was holding, seeing the frightened child seemed by a miracle to calm Ruby down.

She whimpered and tears started flowing a bit as she tried to hide in my wings and against me.

 

Mary was the first one to speak with a slight tremor in her voice.

‘I-Is… is she okay?’

I looked at her saddened. And Leĩea expressed what she felt.

‘What do u think, u looked frightened by her…. Like u saw a monster. There is no way that doesn’t hurt… plus I think she sees herself that way too.’

 

Mary gulped with teary eyes

‘I…. I didn’t know…...’

 

‘don’t worry she is tougher than she looks she saved our life after all….’

I smiled at her

‘u can come and pet her if u want, she might not be an animal but like anyone she truly loves affection. Plus, they might forgive u and maybe purr.’

‘R-really?’

‘Yes, come sit beside me cutie’

She quickly walked the distance and gently sit beside me though I could feel she was excited.

All the while my 2 party members had already finished linking the tag with the help of miss Aquarel.

 

It slowly started to shine a white color then the other half took a red color, and both fused into a pink aura as golden and cyan runes started to write themselves.

 

I look at Mary while I hug the sad bundle in my arm.

 

‘Just gently scritches like a kitten the side or back of their feather and hopefully, it will calm themselves and make their smiles’

 

Mary gently started scratching them and soon enough they were purring. What shocked me was the 2 slightly different voices everyone in the room heard in their head. One was soft and warm the other a bit more rash but as warm and kind.

 

‘Yes, please…. A bit more on the right, yes…... purrfection.’ And the purring getting a bit higher.

 

Mary who to her honor didn’t stop once looked at her mother with big eyes and asked what we all thought.

 

‘M-mom was that T-Them speaking… ??!’

Aquarel looked at her daughter and then the purring mess in my wings and gently asked one question.

 

‘Can u understand us, miss Lily and miss Ruby?’

 

The purring immediately stopped, and our little sister probably startled looked toward miss Aquarel and slowly nodded up and down.

 

‘….. I will be right back…’

And before anyone could react Mary’s mom disappeared as fast as she could out of the room the tag in hand.

 

‘This is……’

‘….. Weird’

The 2 voices finished each other sentences.

Lily/Ruby Pov------

 

‘They see us as monsters why are we surprised……’

‘it’s not our fault they made blood drip without even a warning….’

We were both hiding in the feathery arms while our souls snuggled each other for comfort.

We discovered when we share the body, we can see each other and, in a way, interact. Deep inside ourselves.

 

At least we will never be alone anymore…… wait were we really ever alone….?.... Can’t remember…. Arg, dummy Swiss cracker brain.

 

U have earned telepathy and Common (apprentice) by the bias of the adventurer badge now linked to yourself

 

We somehow didn’t even feel anything as if we were in a dark world of our own sad and depressed, we kind of ignored the notification.

 

We slowly felt a hesitant hand slowly scritch us behind the feather and we gently spoke our mind like we usually do.

 

‘Yes, please…. A bit more on the right, yes…... purrfection’

This is blissful…. We can’t understand them so let’s just enjoy the love and touch.

 

‘Can u understand us, Miss Lily and Ruby’

 

Why are they now trying to be nice arg…..

No, we'd….. wait…. What!

We slowly raised our heads and stared at them and slowly nodded my answer.

 

The color of the mermaid lady’s face drained slightly.

‘…sorry I will be right back…’

And she just ran off like that…. I guess they still see me as a monster…. I wish I could sigh...

‘That is….’

‘…. weird’

We both taught.

It was probably nothing to worry about right?

We slowly looked toward our feathery support stared at their eyes requested the only thing that seemed to matter.

 

‘Could we get some fruit to eat and some milk in a bowl?’

‘Pretty please we are starving!’

Cyriel Pov--------

 

 

I just stared at the bundle in my arms but before I could say anything they slowly turned toward us and asked something I couldn’t believe we forgot.

 

‘Could we get some fruit to eat and some milk in a bowl?’

‘Pretty please we are starving!’

 

I looked toward Marriane who had a massive grin she understood the love for milk it seemed… I turned toward the elf that was looking at her feet with all her might.

‘Leĩea if u could please get them something?’

She nodded shyly.

And was soon out of the room.

 

While we wait, I started to pet her reassuringly soon followed by Mary.

‘We are sorry for the injury but we had no way to warn u and needed some blood I hope u can forgive us all’

‘There nothing to forgive’

‘u had no choice so don’t feel bad’

I smiled glad to hear.

‘So are our little sisters happy to be able to communicate?’

They looked up at us without stopping to purr.

‘Little sisters?....’

‘…...aren’t we just a tamed animal?’

‘Heck, if u saw us as monsters we would understand after all it is…

‘What we are as of now it seems…’

 Cyriel just sighed sadly.

‘Your appearance isn’t one of monsters, nor is it your choice, u saved our life and risked your own.

Nare slowly kneels herself at eye level with our sisters.

‘u also helped me save the little girl’s life… u weren’t obligated, nor did anyone ask u to… u rushed madly as soon as u saw I was struggling to help with what little power u possess.’

I continued.

‘Most if not at least 86% of humans see us as monsters or pests… Life without any value other than to be exterminated and Experience for the system. So, in a way u are both our sister and people and from what I’m hearing in your voice, you are at least 12 to 16 years old no?’

‘Our souls might be, but we honestly were born in that cave 2 days from when u first met us…’

 

‘…So, we are definitely children or baby in a sense but our maturity and mind don’t fully match at least some parts are one of children or baby like emotions’

 

I nodded and continued.

‘Also, Leĩea didn’t even try to tame u it just happened… at everyone’s regret and she never ordered u around once did she.

What I’m trying to say is we see u as our family and as I said, little sisters.

 

We all lost our parents from the recurring war with humans and even to this day, peace seems too fragile… Orphans we all helped one another. We are all one big fluffy and loving family.

 

It's also why Aurora, the elf u met at first blood sister of Leĩea was so vigilant about u, but in truth, she loves u as much as all of us if not more… she just sucks to express herself or let her feeling show.’

‘I see…. I’m so sorry’

‘It is understandable to be guarded after suffering so much’

‘’We accept to be your family too’’ both said at once

 

I looked at them and giggled.

‘Sadly, for u we didn’t need your opinion on the matter you already were long ago. So, shush and let me pet u more while we wait for your food and probably Miss Aquarel and our leader, also probably the guard leader.

 

‘This is wholesome and all….’

‘But what is all r name….?’

‘If we are family…...’

‘…. your name would help us a lot’

I giggled a bit at our mistake before answering.

‘I’m Cyriel a harpy, Marriane here can’t speak because of her past but she a catkin and honestly is the one that taught us your weak spot behind your gorgeous feather.

 

Nare softly kissed their forehead.

‘And I’m Nare a foxkin, happy to finally talk with u precious sisters.’

I smiled as they started to pure 2 times louder.

‘And the other one petting u as an apology is Mary the daughter of miss Aquarel…’

 

Before I could finish, I heard 3 knocks at the door and we all turned as, Aurora spoke gently,

‘We are coming in’