This is a daily reminder: You have 32 unallocated stat points

  “Here to hire or make a request.”

  “Here to rent an instance key.”

  The centaur looks up at me. Remembers my face but is confused when my lower body is not as it was before. He pales.

  “Only adventurers can rent keys…”

  I gave him my adventurer card.

  “She who Mourns…but aren't you the…”

  “A key, if you would.”

  “...A small gold.”

  I cost more than Gadvak? Suck it, Gadvak.

  -Gross.

  “Take it from my account.”

  He slowly nods, “Only the non mithril horn ones are available...”

  “Any that have the beginning monsters up is fine.”

  Instance nine, ten or eleven. I received the key for ten. Giving my thanks, I am intercepted by Peter. He speaks in a hushed voice.

  “Why do you need to rent a key, and when were you a member?”

  “Have you not used [Identify] on me [Guild Master]. It doesn't matter, I will be hosting some of the mistress' family in the dungeon and it is better to go through official channels than to simply take over an instance and be interrupted."

  “Why not take them to your personal one?”

  Guess he figured out that there was a key missing.

  “That one is not exactly a dungeon experience, if they wish for smithy and couture I could certainly accommodate.”

  He grows annoyed and waves me off.

  -----

  I watch as Delores holds her own against her cousins. I'm sure she appreciates being able to hit her opponent more than twice. I walk over to Barbara.

  “[Head Attendant] Barbara, I did not get a chance to repay you for your generosity. Here from me to you.”

  I hand her a needle. She looks at the needle in her hand confused.

  “Ah dearie, it was only a needle. My, though this one feels like it's not there at all.”

  I smile, tempting as it is to tell her its mithril, I leave it be.

  “Should you ever lose it, know I will always give you another.” Not that she will ever wish to part with it…

  Though now if she tries to shame me, I won't feel bad about calling her out on it. The spar between Jeremy and Delores ends.

  “You sure you don't wish to be a knight, you have kept up your sword arm.”

  “My sparring partner can be merciless, she only allows me two hits when she is feeling generous.”

  Red looks annoyed at me for that. I just smile.

  “Sounds like a worthy goal to overcome, tell me why is your instructor not here now?”

  I direct a thought to her.

  Red promised your father to not harm your cousins.

  Not sure why you allow yourself to be ignored, you should just put him in his place.

  I smile, because I know they are wrong.

  “With you here cousin, I do not need an impossible instructor.”

  I feel that was a slant on me.

  -Thats because you know she is right.

  Says the one who promised not to harm them.

  -----

  “Violet, why do the knights appear to be agitated?”

  “They always are on guard whenever I approach, Kal.”

  Smooth sister.

  -At least until someone is foolish enough to say something.

  “This is rather tense Hischurl, is something amiss?” Jasmine edges closer to her knight.

  “It is strange…you there? Can you tell me why the other knights are so on guard?”

  Gregory turns and comes over. He sees me and my sister and smiles.

  “Ah well, the presence of nobility can always rile us trainees up. Especially with the tournament approaching.”

  -See, now that is smooth.

  I'll make sure to tell your boyfriend you approve.

  -...

  I sneak a smile at my sister's expense. I am sure she will exact a price for it.

  “Come, there is no need for flattery. I aim to join your ranks in three years myself. I am but a child with no title.”

  I feel annoyance growing from Kalidia. Gregory loses his smile as well.

  “Ah right then, I assume you are here for the dungeon and not to misunderstand who I was talking about.”

  -And thus he fumbles the ball.

  Intentionally.

  -No doubt.

  He motions us forward. I follow Delores as she proceeds. It denies Jeremy a chance to question Gregory’s riddle. Kalidia follows, not interested in the conversation. It leaves Jeremy looking at us with Jasmine and Hischurl next to him. Gregory takes the opportunity to leave them. I feel annoyance radiate off Jeremy but that only improves my day.

  -----

  “How droll, it starts off with horned rabbits.”

  You know I was meaning to get you to birth a few axen.

  -... This is because of the boyfriend comment, isn't it?

  No seriously, think about it, a herd of axen in each instance. The meals in the area would improve considerably. Then when they become fire axen. They could guard our core.

  -We could just pull a herd in from the plains.

  Those are free axen, I would not subject them to our dungeon experience.

  She rolls her eyes at me. The group proceeded forward. I do not lessen the aura this time. Neither does my sister. I see both Kalidia and Jeremy tremble. They are the most unused to this place. I whisper to Kalidia.

  “There is no need to push yourself, this dungeon is rather notorious for those unprepared.”

  Not exactly the kindest of phrasing, nor quiet enough to avoid Jeremy ears.

  “You presume to think we are unprepared.”

  He stomps on forward. Delores stops as does Jasmine. For different reasons. Jasmine has no desire to go anywhere close to her limit and Delores does not wish to pressure her cousin. I smile until Red speaks up.

  Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

  “I only say this as an obligation to the house I serve, Jeremy Sdrae. You are proceeding further alone in a dungeon that causes people to kill themselves. I advise you to remain here and build up the skill to resist the dungeon aura.”

  Spoil sport.

  “I would advise caution as well.”

  Sir Hischurl adds to the argument of reason. Double spoil sports. They actually succeed. Jeremy turns around and rejoins the group.

  “What you say has wisdom, I would be a fool to ignore it.”

  That was unexpected. What just happened?

  -I believe I prevented you from finding out what Jeremy blood tastes like.

  Before I can argue that a nip wouldn't change anything I hear the cell bell ring.

  -It's her again.

  “I am needed elsewhere.”

  -----

  -You started the whole is she or isn't she an illusion argument again.

  I roll my eyes as I hand Lea a seed…she is rather panicked. She quickly swallows the token and rushes to catch up to her group, a different pair this time. My only customer. Charles' group no longer bothers Red for a sharpening.

  I return to the couture to await her latest demand. It may be awhile, what with the new layout.

  -----

  “What other explanation does she have for disappearing?”

  “I am only stating that she has emotions, young Sdrae. It would be a powerful illusionist to create that impression.”

  Jeremy frowns at Hischurl while I sit with Delores. Kalidia inched over to us.

  “Is everything alright with Violet? She left so suddenly.”

  Guess she is in the ‘Violet is real’ camp.

  -Well that's good cause I am. Damn, the labyrinth means they might live longer. I don't feel like coming back just to leave when she shows up.

  “Violet simply has other obligations she must be attending to.”

  Right?

  “It is as the mistress says.”

  “It has to be an illusion.” Jasmine interjects loudly.

  “If that were the case it would imply that the caster was amongst our number.” Sir Hischurl opines.

  Oh dear, this might devolve faster than I thought.

  “That would only leave Sara then.” Jasmine returns to a previous line of reasoning.

  “That is absurd, we would notice the mana usage.” Jeremy being sensible.

  “Which brings us back to it not being an illusion at all.” Hischurl restarts the argument back to its beginning.

  I don't believe you are missing much.

  “Ah, I got a skill up.”

  “Congratulations, mistress.”

  “Oh cousin, what is the secret?” Kalidia is eager to learn.

  Delores flicks a look at me. I give her a mental nod.

  “I imagine it is an aura of worthlessness and I fight against that concept.”

  Kalidia had noticed the glance but focused on what was said. She breathes a little easier.

  -----

  Lea enters the couture rather abruptly. I raise an eye to her. I didn't bother with the Dryad form.

  “There are more elves in town, I think they are searching for me. I need to hide here.”

  “This isn't a haven for you, there is nothing for you to eat here.”

  “Would you bring me food?” Her pleading look meets my annoyed face, her panic increases. “I can run this shop while you're not here.”

  “You're my only customer, besides if these elves came to the shop what would you do? They would kill you and you would be outside the dungeon.”

  She deflates at that. She scrambles for anything to avoid her impending doom.

  “Make me into a monster then, if you bound me to the dungeon, killing me would only be temporary, like your spiders.”

  The thought crosses my mind, my soul. Noooo I can't condemn a person to such...

  “What are you saying, you already denied my gift. You think I can just transform you to a permanent part of my dungeon.”

  “Better than dying and returning to her cycle. Please add me to your soul.”

  -Sister…

  I feel my soul etch even as I try to deny the implications.

  You have gained [Soul Etching] Advanced 5

  Gain 160 exp

  You have gained [Dungeon 4] Apprentice 1

  Apprentice - Personally draining the blood of individuals inside your dungeon will make their corpses into dungeon vampires, also two keys

  Gain 8 exp

  You gained 16 unallocated stat points

  I slump down even as I grasp my chest. My sister is beside me, hugging me.

  “What happened, why are you in pain?” Lea panics increases.

  Red speaks, “Your words sparked a change in us…we can make you into a dungeon vampire, but you would be soulless. It wouldn't be you.”

  I shake my head, “Only if we ate her soul, Red. Lea, I could bind your soul to the undead creature that your body becomes. You would live here forever, unchanging...no, your soul will likely wither. It might become possible later to free you but it may only be the freedom of death. Until then you would be subordinate to us, unable to deny our whims.”

  “One shackle for another. Can I have the choice of when to end my existence?”

  I nod as I feel my soul etch at her request. Red starts to move forward when I stop her.

  “Sister, she asked me.”

  “But…”

  “You already stained my flower, Red. No point in protecting me now.”

  I change to my true self and walk to our only normal Tibyder.

  “Last chance to try to flee.”

  A tear rolls down her face as she tilts her neck. I bite down. The bliss floods me at the freely given blood. She wishes to be damned. I do not deny her. Her body dies as I hold her soul. I feel my own soul grow colder. They are such delicate things.

  You gained 247 exp from Lea, Tier 4 Adventurer, Competent Mage

  The body moves without it.

  34 78 Vampire

  You have gained [Fastidious Soul Eater] Apprentice

  Apprentice - Uneaten souls etch into their corpses

  The soul of Lea goes into the dungeon vampire. Soul etching into an object, a corpse. A taboo.

  You have gained [Necromancy Magic] Basic 6

  Gain 5 exp

  -Your flower just lost it red…

  A black rose. Our sense of drama never ends. The eyes of the dungeon vampire flick up, intelligence behind them.

  “O wow, this is, like, so weird.”

  “Do you still feel emotions?”

  “Yes, my [DiQeen]. But only slightly.”

  She is further confused, then sees our titles.

  “Please address us as before, we don't need reverence.”

  “As you wish, Sara Maxwell Magdeline.”

  My eyes widened at that, I never told her our name. Red asks the question.

  “I just know it.”

  Part of our soul space.

  “You should head back, Red. I think our party is getting restless.”

  She nods and leaves.

  “What to do with you? You were my only customer.”

  “Have you given thought to not requiring your customers to eat ridiculous things to visit your shop?”

  “Can you please stop using the voice of the undead when speaking.”

  “...I don't know how… O I got a skill. But undead are supposed to be…I can hear your voice as my system voice, my [DiQueen]. Can I still level? I didn't get any exp though.” I give her an annoyed look, “Sorry, I got caught up in the moment. If you just place the shops at the front I am sure you would get more traffic.”

  “There are currently nine…eleven instances that would need their own clerks. I do not plan to make this a thing.”

  I motion at her.

  “But you already have singular places in our dungeon, why not just make the store a singular place as well?”

  -----

  Is everything alright, Red?

  As well as they can be.

  “If she was casting the illusion she wouldn't be able to disappear as well.”

  “What about the cover spell?”

  “It requires an incantation. I would have heard it.”

  I look at Delores, “Are they still debating it, mistress?”

  “That they are, I believe Kalidia and I are ready to venture further in.”

  I nod then feel a weird pinch in my soul. A building appears near the entrance. It is … singular. Like the throne room and the mile long hall. There is only one store there across all the instances. Lea scurries out and places a sign in front. Work in progress…

  Sister…

  -She volunteered to clerk it, it will be our store front.

  Exactly how does this keep her hidden.

  -Well she can't leave the dungeon. She would return if killed in three days.

  If we gave her a bit of our blood it would probably make her real again.

  Please don't, my [DiQueen].

  …

  -...

  Great, the party line just got more crowded.

  “How the hell did that just appear?” Jeremy is a bit out of sorts. He is not the only one. I shrug and follow Delores as she walks towards the new shop. Violet pops in behind Kalidia. She is paler… I reach out and touch her…she is losing body heat. She hasn't breathed since her return…

  Sister, breathe.

  She takes a gulp of air, as if she had forgotten. She looks at me with worried eyes. Her breathing is erratic but she gains some color. The others are looking at us.

  “Mistress, I need to see to my sister, by your leave.”

  “Of course, Red.”

  -----

  “I can't automatically breathe anymore…I'm cursed.”

  Red hugs me as my tears begin to flow, there is blood in them. We are in our personal instance at the moment. I am dying again…

  “What happened?” Magdeline is here. She must have felt our distress.

  “I made Lea a vampire and I stopped breathing…I have to manually breathe…”

  “Your sister is unaffected, you've made vampires before.” Cecelia arrived as well.

  “Lea is not a true vampire, she is a soul stuck into a dungeon vampire through necromancy.” Red answers Cecelia.

  I feel my body grow colder, it's harder to breathe. Mags grips my face and forces me to look at her.

  “You're punishing yourself for crossing a line, you need to let it go.” My mother's eyes are piercing me.

  “You told me never to cross this line.” I tremble.

  “I also gave you the option if it was to save your life, was making Lea an undead construct for personal gain?”

  “It was to prevent her from being forced back into an elven rebirth cycle. She has the option to end her existence whenever…”

  “Then stop torturing yourself Violet, it was her choice right?”

  I nod, my tears begin to become clear. She looks at the flower on my head and sighs.

  “Black a fine color but a rather boring name, shouldn't it be violet?”

  I shake out a shuttering laugh, “As if you could see it either way.”

  She smiles, “I already told you to hurry up and give me more legs.”

  I take another breath. I reach up with my hands and cup her face, a bit of my blood enters her eyes. She winces back but then she sees the violet my flower has become again.

  “It is most befitting your name.”

  -----

  Red returned to our mistress. Magdeline wandered over to the shop as well. I was alone with Cecelia…mom.

  “Sorry, I almost gave up again.”

  She gives me a side hug.

  “I know this has been hard for you, sweetie. You're far too young for the size of your soul. You keep redefining yourself.”

  Is that what happened? I stare up as the grip on my shoulder grows tighter.

  “I gained another level mom, it won't be long until I've changed you as well.”

  “Just don't go changing Francis, I think my mother will have a fit if you steal all her children.”

  I laugh. I have been unfair to Bianca, claiming two of her three children. More so of Marie who only had the one.

  “You don't think they will come and stake me in the heart for my transgressions.”

  She is confused, “You don't have a heart anymore, Sara.”

  “Sorry, it was a thing about story vampires. A wooden stake through the heart to end their unlife.”

  “Quite certain that would kill a regular person as well.”

  I suppose it would.