This is a daily reminder: You have 4 unallocated stat points
I wake up to both mother and Phenolp in chairs next to my bed side. Mother seems hale, Phenolp eyes are tired and puffy.
“You should go rest, Phen.”
“Not until I know you are alright, Sara.”
“I'm hungry, mother if you would.”
She hands me a new cup. Guess yesterday's cup went bad.
All stats increased by forty temporarily.
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 2
Gain 10 exp
When I finish the glass both women breathe a sigh of relief. I sigh when I look at my notifications. Mother asks the question everyone wants to know.
“So what did it etch into you?”
I simply use my status screen to show them.
Vampire - blood is your only sustenance
Basic - your curse resist levels when others do
Apprentice - your blood freely given will etch you daughters
“What does that even mean, Sara”
I sigh, “I told you about the mythos of vampires, they don't reproduce through normal means. It's more an initiation sort of thing in most fictions. I don't know how it will translate here. Clearly the skill needed my [Soul Etching] to be capable of etching other souls. I fully know I wouldn't wish to bequeath anything negative onto others. Certainly, not [Blood Drinker] itself. At least the skill depends on if I give it freely, no accidents. No worries then, another skill that I can manage by not engaging.”
“Yes, Sara, everything is still f—”
“I volunteer.”
We both look at Phenolp as if she is insane. She simply glares back.
“We need to know what it does, we can't be blind to her skills [Countess]. The more knowledge she has the better. I fully take responsibility and volunteer.”
She appeals to mother, not me. I should have a say in this. It's insane. I go to tell her just that when mother speaks up.
“I won't be able to reverse any of the changes Sara does to you. It will be part of your soul. No amount of life grafting will fix it when your soul is etched.”
“I understand.” She looks at me. “Mistress Sara, I give myself to you. It is my penance. My guilt has only grown larger after last night. Please let me do this for you.”
“This is too much, what if this makes you a monster. You said you didn't want to be a burden on my soul.”
“It won't make me a monster, mistress.”
“How can you be so sure?” I practically scream it at her.
“Cause you're not a monster, mistress.”
I just slump down. She is totally serious about this. Her guilt is breaking her. I look into her tired eyes and they are both steady and pleading. I look at mother and she just nods. Damn, Phenolp will never not let this go. Acceptance is a burden.
I bite the inside of my cheek. It draws blood, I allow it to fill my mouth, I do not swallow it. I cradle Phenolp head in my hands and pull her into a kiss. The blood passes my lips and through hers. She swallows my blood, our covenant. She grasps her sides as I watch with soul cat eyes. As the blood absorbs her soul is etched.
You have gained [Soul Etching] Competent 2
Gain 40 exp
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 3
Gain 10 exp
The most obvious change was her purple tail with flecks of gold in it. She now has cat ears like me, one black, one blue. Her eyes are slitted, purple. Her shoes rip as her claws come in. She sees her tail then starts to touch the top of her head, feeling her new ears. She looks at me amazed. She gives me a toothy smile, she has fangs now. I can feel a connection between us.
“Thank you, mother.”
I cough, what. That's the first thing she says to me. She is tittering at me, damnit it was on purpose.
“Hope that was just a joke, Phenolp.”
She hugs me, “Sorry, the skill refers to you as my mother. You are still my mistress. I'll try to not make it more awkward.”
This was not how I planned to make mom a grandmother. The hug feels warm though. I hugged her back.
“Fine, but I don't want you using it to embarrass me. So then Phen what else have you gained from me.”
She pulls back and straightens up, “I gained a skill called [Mother's Blood Rite], it gave no exp so I'm not sure what stat type it is or its tier. Its description is as follows. ‘You have accepted her blood, further gifts will bring you closer to being her true daughter.’ Basic was just ‘all will know you to be hers’.”
This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.
Considering she is a cat girl now, anyone with a brain would know I was the cause.
“No [Blood Drinker] than.”
“No, mistress.”
My mother comes and looks at her with her green life eyes.
“No iron bones. Perhaps it would be the next skill level. It seems it is only the external changes.”
“I am prepared.”
“Nope, that's enough out of me.” I flop on my bed with a creak, my back to her.
She hugs me from behind, “Mother, please make me your true daughter.”
I turn my head and look at her.
“Phen it took me a hundred strength to move freely with my bones. You are taller than me. At the very least you need to wait till your tier two.”
Aw, her ears go down in disappointment, so cute. She sees me staring at her ears and recoils covering them with her hands. Ha, guess the reading of moods is on the other foot now. She then cups her nose. Guess she noticed the increased smelling ability. Wonder how long until she gains [Scent Memory]. I sit up.
-----
The clinic hours were going by quietly. At least until Phenolp ran in and tried to hide behind me. I looked at her with a head tilt. She looks back and notices the fire on my nose. She about to say something when Alicia barges in. Xerc follows after. Alicia looks rather annoyed.
“Cat, I demand to be a cat girl too.”
I stop my embroidery to free my hands. They cup my face. The headache that grows could be from the parallel minds or the absurdity that is my life. I can hear my mother laughing. She will be no help in all this.
I growl at her, “You do realize they will be your granddaughters.”
She laughs even more, “I'm eighty years old dear, it seems I am catching up to my peers.”
“What do you mean by granddaughter?”
I look at Phenolp.
“I did not betray your confidence in me, mistress.”
So it's all just assumptions on Alicia's part then. Good if I explain it she will back off, and my mortification will be theirs as well when they hear.
“My skill gave me the ability to make anyone who I give my blood to freely my daughter. Basic skill seems to impart my feline qualities. Now that you know you can stop harassing Phen.”
“That sounds awesome. I'm ready.”
What.
“I'll do it too.”
We all look at Xerc. I say the next part slowly because being clear is important here.
“It specifically said daughter Xerc, I very much believe it will change that part of you.”
“I get super hearing, and smelling right?”
I nod, a bit dumbfounded.
“Worth the risk.”
Alicia gives Xerc a side hug.
“Aw, we can be cat sisters together.”
He smiles at that.
“Only if it does change that.”
Hopeful? Nevermind, this is all a distraction.
“I haven't agreed to anything.”
She at my feet looking up at me with pleading eyes.
“Sara, please let me share your burden of being adorable.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. My mother laughs.
“At least they can keep your daughter company while you are off playing attendant at the mage college.”
I give her a withering look. She had to throw in the daughter bit.
“Three people can provide you what you need diet wise. Unless you feel eager to drink rabbit blood by itself for ten years.”
Insane, you are all insane.
“Yes, that was my intention.”
“How were you going to gather it, putting a request up at the guild would have drawn suspicion. To be honest I was going to suggest hiring at least Alicia. Before you started making daughters that is.”
“I'll hunt all the rabbits for you, I just want to be cute.”
This is all for the wrong reasons.
“Alicia, this will tie you to me, you will be my daughter. We don't know what the end of this skill will do. You might end up needing blood as much as I do in the end.”
She looks away embarrassed, “I know, I just said the cute part so that you agree to it. I felt bad about causing all this to you. Titters is not the only one with guilt. Just the only one brave enough to seek your forgiveness.” She said the last part so quietly.
I cup her face and make her look at me.
“Are you sure?”
She simply nods.
“Take off your boots.”
She tilts her head in question and I just look at Phenolp sandal clad feet. She understands and quickly removes her boots. I sigh, and grab her face once more.
I do as I did before. My mouth fills with my blood from a cut I made with my fangs. I kiss her, pushing my blood into her mouth. She squirms a bit not understanding at first but she swallows the covenant. She grasps her sides as I watch with soul cat eyes, they seem to turn on everytime. As the blood absorbs her soul is etched.
You have gained [Soul Etching] Competent 3
Gain 40 exp
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 4
Gain 10 exp
Now I have a pink hair, blue skinned daughter. The ears keep being mine though. She swishes her tail around, very excited. She hugs me.
“Thanks, mom.”
Not even eleven and I have a sixteen and a fourteen year old daughter. Just as I thought my life couldn't get stranger Xerc is in front of me kneeling. His shoes have already been removed. He looks at me and smiles.
“What they have said is true for me as well. Well not the cute bs that Alicia was spouting, but the rest.”
“You're giving up more.”
“No, I'm accepting more. I haven't been hanging around Phen and Alicia because of an attraction or a desire to be a brother. I…I'm fine if I end up being their sister.”
Only I hear her. Her eyes are searching mine, looking for disgust or derision. I returned them with sad eyes of understanding.
“Then I welcome you as well, daughter.”
She takes the blood from my lips. She does not squirm like Alicia did. She hugs me as the changes take place.
You have gained [Soul Etching] Competent 4
Gain 40 exp
You have gained [Vampire] Apprentice 5
Gain 10 exp
“Aw Xerc didn't become a girl.”
My newest daughter looks panicked at Alicia's words. I just shake my head, I know the truth.
“You'll need a new name. Your body will need to go through puberty before you can catch up to your sisters.”
“Mother.” She squeaks out. Her voice is higher now. She is not used to it. She is in wonder of that more than her tail or ears. I give her scritches. She hugs me more. Phen and Alicia join in.
“Did you want me to remove the scar on your face?”
She shakes her head, “Scars make the adventurer. My mother has scars that she wears proudly. Please name me.”
Oh system now I'm really on the spot. If she wants to lean into her scars and be an adventurer, there is only one x name I know.
“How about Xena?”
She tears up and just nods.
-----
Pulling my cart back to Yetna. Four more jars of rabbit blood and forty eight more exp. I look at my new daughters. It is still weird to think that.
18 Chimera Junior Attendant
18 Chimera Attendant
19 Chimera Junior Soul Tender Priestess
I smile. Phenolp got two new titles yesterday, still needs another level to show off her [Head Attendant]. Alicia was annoyed she only qualified as a junior attendant. It was surprising that Xena had enough [Atlas Noble Etiquette] to qualify as a regular. She has been adjusting well.
“So tomorrow we go after a hydra, Cat?”
I look at Alicia with a raised eyebrow, “We're all cats here now, Alicia.”
She gives me a rather toothy grin, the fangs I've given her showing.
“Well, they are my sisters, and you get flustered when I call you mom. So you're still Cat.”
I motion Phen to me. She leans in. I whisper to her.
“I think it's Alicia's turn to make tea this evening.”
Phen titters at the thought. Xena laughs out loud while Alicia pales. Guess I need to work on subvocalizing, they can still hear me.
Gain 35 exp from Chimera Junior Soul Tender Priestess
My eyes grow wide as Phenolp falls to the ground, an arrow sticking up from her face. A great deal of pain enters my chest as I fall to the ground next to her. A similar arrow has punched through my chest. I see the panic in the other two as it all grows dark.
