This is a daily reminder: You have 32 unallocated stat points
“Dame Hecnae, I am quite certain you had me move the balcony from this spot last time…”
“Ah I did but I felt it would be betta’ return to where it was.”
I pinch the bridge of my nose. I move the balcony…again.
“I assume you are satisfied with the rest of the venue?”
“Neva” She looks at me, winces, “But I suppose it will do. Don't be swallowin’ the furnishings we be bringin’ in now.”
“Of course, ma'am. Do you have anyone here proficient in making magic potions?”
She arches an eyebrow.
-----
“How bout I take odds and you do evens for labyrinth building.”
I look at Red, “Sure, lets find out who can torture the adventurers worse.”
She smiles and goes to the first instance. I keep working on the commoner row cushions.
“Not going to start already, my Lady?”
I continue the work as I answer Qorth. She was busy making life bandages. The only one who still could. I mean blood mana infused bandages were possible but they make me thirsty. Haven't even tried one yet.
“Not just yet, curious if she will notice I haven't moved yet.”
She chortles at that.
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Alright, I want the island in the center. Now then, let's make a small channel at the base of the walls for a river of blood. It should lead to the island…most of the time. Hmmm a four way junction here. One of the ways is a pit trap. Cause you can't have a labyrinth without a pit trap. Another direction meanders on itself with more junctions that lead nowhere. The blood flows back towards the junction.
Moving down the blood path. A five way. Exciting. Let's add a pit trap which is the actual way to go. The next one will be a blood path that leads to an open room of three babies. Play nice together now. Two more paths that meander, split and lead nowhere. Back to the pit trap.
A bit further of a walk. Just a three way junction this time. They both lead nowhere. Instead a spider web to climb up to an above path. It's a great place to ambush them, babies. I feel I have wrapped around the island at this point.
Just one more junction then. Six path junction. Two of which have a lever which opens a sixth way… I smile, all five ways have levers, only two work. I need to remember to switch them up every so often. Then again, just have them switch every hour between unpulled ones. Better. The ones that work have a good kerchunk sound to them. I make the blood channels flow to them.
And we made it to the island. Alright babies go spread out. Four of you remain here and keep my hydra happy. The rest skitter past me.
I look at the hydra. She and her sister nuzzle me. I give them a good hug each. I see a bump starting to form between their necks.
“Are you two about to become three?”
They nod in unison. They had learned the mannerism from me. I am curious when hydras can lay eggs. Seems early for three heads but being typical is not exactly a thing here. I huff out a sigh. That was busy work. I see my soul core is at twenty-five percent. And that my sister is still in her couture…damn it. She knew I would go overboard.
-I did.
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This is a daily reminder: You have 32 unallocated stat points
“Your tea, my mistress.”
Violet decided to remain behind and make more bench silk. I pointed out that they might make the nobility jealous. She simply shrugged and kept weaving.
“Has the illusionist grown tired of your prank, Delores?”
“The only prank is making you think it was a prank, Jasmine.”
The mistress's guest rolls her eyes.
“You talk about how your attendant is all the protection you need but we still keep meeting here for tea. Does your father still not allow you to travel beyond his lands?”
Delores looks wistfully out the window, “He only became more protective after I returned. I'm not even allowed in the dungeon anymore. I thought it was bad after mother died.”
I had not realized that she was forbidden from going to the dungeon. It's between the Lord and the mistress. Will this prohibition include the tournament? As I return the cart to the kitchen, Yosef beckons to me.
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“Yes, [Head Attendant]?”
“The Lord will soon be receiving guests from the capital. He is curious if you would be willing to be a personal attendant to his niece while she is here.”
“Is that to include my duties to the mistress? I have other obligations that I am attending to. If the Lord wishes to employ both of my bodies, there has to be some allowances to deal with personal issues as well as increased compensation.”
He nods at that, “I will bring it up with the Lord. Would doubling your pay suffice during their stay?”
I nod. I direct a thought to Violet.
The Sdrea will be staying till after the tournament. I've been asked if one of us could be a personal attendant for Kalidia during their time here.
-Bleh, I'm used to them. I'll do it.
You sure, you seem ready to take drastic measures last time.
-All the more reason for it to be me. Don't want you actually making those drastic actions.
I'm better now, sister. More now.
-No reason to risk reinjury.
-----
“Dame Isabella, it has been a long time.”
“Hello, [Priestess]. It has indeed been many months since last we met. You appear to have reverted your previous changes, though you appear to be shorter.”
She had found me as I was placing the bench cushions. I was in my red poofy dress in my attendant form. Red was with the mistress.
“I actually am using a different form through [Body Morphic Magic 2].”
“Ah you have advanced greatly then in Life magic.”
I giggle at that, my life magic no longer being a thing. She gives me another look that I can't quite discern. My only Lamia experience that wasn't Isabella was the serial killer. And she was abandoned.
-There was Qwerty and that spar.
Not a lot of time to learn facial expressions.
“Is there something I can assist you with?”
“Actually it is I who has come to assist you. Dame Hacnae said you were looking to tutelage on magic potions.”
“Ah yes, specifically how to use mana blood in potions.”
“Mana blood…”
Shit, did I say too much?
-The knights already know we are the dungeon core. Would having mana blood be a change in their warriness?
I suppose not. I make a cup and will my blood into it and provide it to Isabella.
“Specifically that blood.”
“It's not clotting…I do not see life mana in it.”
“It will still heal like life mana.”
She makes a face, then cuts her hand. She dripped a drop onto the cut which resealed the wound.
“Very potent even at an unprocessed level. I don't understand how though, it exhibits neither arcane nor life mana.” She looks at me and squints. “You do know, though.”
“It's a rather personal secret, ma'am. Would it be possible to refine it further?”
“Since I can not see the magic working, I won't be able to evaluate whether the usual techniques are improving it through sight alone. It will require rigorous testing and large quantities.”
“Will you be willing to perform such work? Or at least teach me how to do it?”
She takes a moment, “I am willing to do some investigation. It will be slow though, one should only provide so much blood.”
A hydra container appears at my feet, I push my blood into it as I visibly grow paler. Isabella rears backwards at the sight. I smile as I take a long pull from my blood skin.
“Apologies, I can generate blood through my consumption.”
“Your left eye lit up with a sight I have never seen before, I felt like I was prey...”
Right, I should have done that slower.
“Apologies, my left eye shows when I am thirsty. Is this enough to start?”
“Plenty… are you alright Sara?”
I give her a brave smile, “Better than the last few weeks, ma'am. Come tell me how your life knight trainees have been doing.”
-----
“Would morning and evening services be feasible? We will provide you a charm should Kalidia require you during off hours. We can have Delores entertain her cousins at other times which should allow you more flexibility. It will just be Jeremy and Kalidia until the week of the tournament.”
I nod, “If I may speak freely, sir.”
“Of course, Sara.”
“Violet volunteered to serve Kaldia but I do worry about the demands placed on us during our time at the house of Sdrae.”
“Other than the expected services of an [Attendant], you are within your right to refuse them. That includes any explanation of your situation or abilities.”
“I thank you my Lord, I suspect they will wish to visit the dungeon.”
He winces at that, “Ah yes, well, I had asked Delores to refrain from venturing in. I fear her time abroad and in captivity may have left emotional trauma and didn't wish to inflict greater harm. Young Jasmine has just recovered from her own.”
Ah… “I understand, I must remind you though, my lord, that I control the dungeon and would not allow any harm to come to the mistress, physical or emotional.”
“Ah of course…Will that extend to the Sdrea house as well?”
“Only if that is my Lord's will.”
-----
My turn to make a labyrinth. I saw my sister had provided blood channels for her spiders to take a nip. The grey brick walls were ominous but plain. I decide instead of hewn stone mine will be a path of roots and dirt.
Tree trunks for hallways perhaps…can I bend space here? Yes I can make wrong paths lead you back to the cells. Alright. Lets have wrong ways lead to a room with a spider and then back to the cells. Now we can have the correct path change every time they enter the junction. But how to denote the correct path…I smile, a jaunty tune starts to play at the exit that leads further in. I created seven more junctions. The first five have one spider in each wrong path. Six and seven have two. Three for the wrong paths in the final junction. That leaves four to keep the hydra company.
I make each wrong room have a pool of blood for the spiders to enjoy. I think about that for a moment. My spiders already have illusion magic to change their thread colors…how hard would it be to coach them to mimic sounds, or perhaps a specific tune.
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Uh oh, Violet is humming a tune from a video game now.
“You didn't just crib from our past Lark memories, did you?”
She sticks her tongue out at me.
“Aren't you afraid it will be too easy when they figure it out?”
“Not when your babies start mimicking the song.”
I laugh at that. That would be pretty awful.
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This is a daily reminder: You have 32 unallocated stat points
You have gained [Void Mana Core] Competent 1
Competent - Now you have a font of ever growing void mana
Gain 12 exp
A reminder of a rather awful time. The core hadn't shattered when I had died. Was it because the dungeon remained or had it restored it with our bodies? I looked at Red who was holding her chest. Guess it would be in her body currently. I go over and rub her back.
“Thanks, they never do feel great when they grow.”
“I'll make sure to take the next one.”
“We agreed to do rock paper scissors for it.”
“And we will, you just seem incapable of throwing anything but scissors.”
She frowns at that, “I'll catch you unaware one of these times.”
She won't make me second guess myself. I watch as she scurries to our nest. The current work was left unfinished. I give her a sad smile. Don't lose yourself, sister.
