Chapter 44: Onward!

Chapter 44: Onward!

Ariel’s View

We didn’t actually leave until a few days after the tournament, as it took a few days to get things ready. For now, I’m leaving the stadium, but not the housing I’d built. I concluded that the housing was too valuable to leave unwatched, and I really don’t want to stick around. For now, we are setting out on foot back towards Gerland… and I am very glad to finally get out of that town and away from Fenix.

Esmer:
“Two heros, huh? Both chose sword and shield?”

Sam:
“Their coordination is quite good.”

Ariel:
“The plan for now is to have them do some combat training in Gerland, before heading to the first dungeon.”

Esmer:
“Why train in Gerland?”

Sam:
“Ah, that’s where my friends are. We have a nice training area setup in Ariel’s house there.”

Esmer:
“I see. Ariel, are you really not leaving any of your selves behind? The tools and information you’ve left will certainly be of great help, but it’d likely help far more if you kept one of your copies at the Academy.”

Ariel:
“I really don’t like staying so close to Fenix. I just get this bad feeling that if I stick around, she’ll find some way to cause me trouble and drag me into something.”

Esmer:
“Like how you were tasked with choosing the next hero?”

Ariel:
“Yeah, exactly.”

Karen:
“Hey, Ariel, why’d you choose us?”

Carol:
“We didn’t even make it past the first round in the tournament.”

Karen:
“The guard captain was way more skilled than either of us.”

Ariel:
“Mostly it was because you put a lot more thought into everything than anyone else did.”

Carol:
“What do you mean?”

Ariel:
“You were the only ones to mention the risk people might face if they take their uniforms home with them.”

Karen:
“Isn’t that a rather obvious thing?”

Ariel:
“Most people simply never thought about it. I’m sure if they did, they’d probably realize the danger too. After all, once it was mentioned, no one seemed to have any difficulty believing it.”

Carol:
“Is it really just that?”

Ariel:
“The two of you also became leaders of your team, and made sure to talk everyone through your plans and strategies. The guard captain you mentioned earlier, just gave orders.”

Seeing the two deep in thought, I decided to add one last point…

Ariel:
“Also, you two showed the least reverence for Fenix.”

Karen & Carol:
*laughter*

Karen:
“You don’t like Fenix?”

Ariel:
“No, I don’t. She kinda scares me.”

Carol:
“Does that mean you’ve spoken with Fenix?”

Ariel:
“I’m fairly certain Facile is Fenix.”

Karen:
“Oooh, that explains a lot…”

Carol:
“Like how she’s lived so long.”

Karen:
“And why she’s so beautiful.”

Carol:
“A god pretending to be human is basically a cheat.”

Karen:
“No sense in trying to judge her by our standards.”

Carol:
“Right.”

Thankfully, other travellers mostly left us alone, so it looked like the journey back to Gerland would be a peaceful one. The only self besides my main body that I kept active is the one back in Gerland. I did make a telephone though, connecting my home in Gerland and the Academy. Mostly it’s used to let Adam and the staff at the Academy chat about stuff. Well, mostly it’s Adam explaining things, but there are things they can teach Adam too regarding human, dwarven, and elven magic, as well as current affairs in the capital.

----------------------------------------------

Author note:
Sadly, I seem to have run out of steam, stalled out, and in addition to mixing my metaphors, I lack additional story. There will likely be no updates for the foreseeable future. Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.

Chapter 43: The Chosen Hero

Chapter 43: The Chosen Hero

Ariel’s view

There were two tests that caught my attention when I was reviewing them. Both tests had the same answers, as if it was the same person answering each. Turned out to be a pair of identical twins. Karen and Carol. The answer they gave that made me pay more attention to them than I otherwise would’ve, was when they answered why they wanted to be the hero, with: “To escape my arranged marriage, and help my sister escape hers.”

While I do want to help them, they do still need to perform well if I’m going to select one of them as the hero. So I watched them a lot, to see if they had what I thought was needed.

...

Karen and Carol’s room (a bit in the past)

“Is it just me, or is the quality of this stuff better than anything we've seen before?”

“Definitely better than anything I've seen. If the nobles understood what they were missing out on, I'm sure they'd demand immediate access.”

“Do you think Ariel will let us keep the clothes when this is over?”

“If she does, she's crazy. Anyone that actually tries to leave town in these clothes is gonna get attacked for sure.”

“The attackers would probably lose if we get to keep the patches too.”

“That would only work in the short term.”

“Yeah, there are some terrible people who'd find a way to make people surrender the items.”

“What about the patches? Do we need to worry about getting attacked for them too?”

“This is something we should talk with her about. These patches and these clothes and all this furniture... it's all a much bigger deal than she probably realizes.”

“How would she not know? Is it because she's a spirit?”

“We need to observe her and see what we can learn. She seems easy to read, and her power is amazing.”

“It could be dangerous for everyone if she's too naive.”

(later...)

“I can’t believe she actually gave us permission to run the auction and purchases.”

“Is she gullible, or just trusting us?”

“Maybe it’s another test.”

“She did ask us to figure out an appropriate price to offer up front.”

“Definitely important to make an up front offer so people understand just how much money is at stake.”

“Yeah, if they take the clothes home without knowing, it could be bad.”

(after the auction that takes place the day after the tournament...)

“I can’t believe it, we’re rich!”

“The outfits sold for hundreds of gold each!”

“Even with our take being only 1/5th it’s over a thousand gold for each of us!”

“With this much money, there’s no way mom can force us to marry someone now!”

“We got two years worth of income.”

“Without the expenses! Actual profits each year for our store are only a little over a hundred gold.”

*knock knock*

“Huh?”

“Who’d be here now?”

Karen opens the door to see an Ariel on the other side.

Ariel:
“I’ve come to ask if the two of you would be the hero.”

Carol:
“Two? You mean both of us?”

Karen:
“Isn’t the hero supposed to be one person?”

Ariel:
“I don’t see why it can’t be two. The both of you work together pretty well too.”

Karen & Carol:
“This is the best day ever!”

Chapter 42: ...

Chapter 42: ...

VIP room

King:
“So, my son’s team won, but she’s not announcing who the hero is?”

Esmer:
“It does appear so.”

King:
“Do you know when she’ll announce it?”

Esmer:
“She just said that she wasn’t going to announce it.”

King:
“Publically! She still has to tell the hero themselves.”

---

Ariel’s view

Sam:
“Have you figured out how you’re going to get out of here?”

Ariel:
“What do you mean?”

Sam:
“There’s a bit of a crowd outside.”

Ariel:
“Oh, right. You’re good at stealth right?”

Sam:
“Yeah. I can’t hide you too though.”

Ariel:
“Sure you can, I just need to shrink.”

…

Innkeeper’s wife:
“You really don’t need to pay.”

Sam:
“Are you sure? We aren’t really lacking in funds.”

Innkeeper’s wife:
“You’ve already done so much for us, I’d feel bad taking money. Is Ariel not coming down? I wanted to thank her before she leaves.”

Ariel:
“I’m here, in his pocket!”

Innkeeper’s wife:
“Oh! How adorable, you look just like a doll. Well, I wanted to thank you for the patches. They’ve really helped with my husband’s vigor, and made our work much easier on us. We’re no longer exhausted at the end of the day. Thank you very much.”

Ariel:
“You’re welcome. I’m glad it helped.”

Chapter 41: Thoughts

Chapter 41: Thoughts

Ariel’s view

Ariel:
“Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the first football tournament!”

With my best recreation of a modern stadium, my words were sent to all the crowds by giant speakers, while my appearance was on display upon giant screens, all floating above the field. How did I do this? By taking advantage of memory sharing between clones. There’s a slight lag, but it’s only about half a second.

As for why I decided to call it football and not soccer? Football makes more sense since there isn’t a football sport in this world yet.

Despite this nominally being the big event, I’m actually not all that interested in it. It’s nice to see all the young men and women strive and grow and learn, but I’m really more interested in the work at the Academy. I’ve already decided whom I will choose to bring along as the hero, and it doesn’t really matter who wins this tournament.

The research at the Academy has been progressing pretty well. I was able to create a work around for my rank 2 clones not being able to craft anything properly, by making item manufacturing devices with the unconscious rank 3 ones which my rank 2 clones can use. Their output isn’t nearly as good as the stuff my main body can make, but it’s good enough to compete with anything the people of this world know how to make.

What exactly are the limits on my crafting? Well, I think my single object size limits are around the size of a small house. This is why I haven’t tried to do long distance transportation. Even if I stretch a clone out like a cable, I can only get to about 100 feet or so distance. While I can then make a doorway at each end and warp the space inside the clone to connect those doorways, a 100 ft. teleport gate, just isn’t very impressive. Chaining them together for longer distances would be annoying too.

As for limits on material traits, my rank 3 unconscious clones can mimic and create materials comparable to my old world’s mass produced materials: plastics, steel, aluminum, rubber, nylon. My main body as a rank 4 can create stuff comparable to the expensive composites of my old life’s world: carbon fiber’s ultra-light durability, diamond coatings, etc. While my old world had gotten advanced enough to create rank 4 materials, they were generally pretty expensive. This new world though, has no idea how to make such things. The monsters of rank 4 and up can, obviously, but the humans, dwarves, and elves, cannot.

Rank 5 materials? While I can’t make them, I can sorta imagine what they might be. Fantasy stuff, like adamantium. Materials with a trait that goes beyond what seems possible. Could make nearly indestructible armor; shields that deflect impact perfectly; perfect insulators; superconductors… maybe if I knew more about quantum mechanics, I’d have a better understanding of just how outrageous rank 5 materials could get. I don’t know enough about physics to really understand how best to break it.

As the tournament got underway, the simple fact that I was watching from multiple places at the same time, reminded me of how weird it is to literally be in more than one place and doing and thinking more than one thing at the same time. When each of my selves are doing different things, the memories feel more like I just somehow did a weirdly large number of things each day, making each day feel really long. When multiple selves are watching the same event though, the memories get a bit confused, and I’m reminded that it’s not just one long day. I was careful to ensure that I’d remain one person, and not become many people, but that caution was likely part of why it remained such an odd experience.

To help keep everything in my head organized and deal with all the memories and knowledge I now get, I’ve made a self that remains asleep, and spends its time rummaging through my memories and abilities, to make any changes needed, and optimize the organization of it all. This has helped me with figuring out workarounds for my various limitations, including the portable manufacturing devices I made. I feel like my crafting, design, and presentation abilities have all improved greatly as a result.

Presentation skills and abilities help with explaining things to the Academy. With a device capable of creating holograms, I can provide far better visual aids than before, helping me explain the design and mechanisms involved in steam power. Thanks to this, work on developing a steam powered train has been progressing rather quickly.

One trouble I’ve come to realize though: This world only has basic math, and doesn’t even know any algebra yet. I’m gonna have to fix that.

Chapter 40: One Month Later

Chapter 40: One Month Later

King:
“This VIP room Ariel made is really nice. I think this seat is more comfortable than any seat I’ve got in the castle.”

Noble 1:
“It’s only natural that the best seats would be given to us!”

Noble 2:
“Say, where’s the prince and princess?”

King:
“They are participating in the tournament.”

Noble 3:
“Hmph. Lucky, my no good son got eliminated early.”

Noble 4:
“I don’t think it’s simply a matter of luck.”

Noble 1:
“With your daughter still being in, I’m convinced it’s luck!”

Noble 5:
“Is my son’s success luck too?”

Noble 1:
“I wouldn’t dare insinuate such a thing. Everyone knows how excellent your esteemed lineage is.”

Noble 3:
“Oh please, lay of the ass-kissing. A decade ago, you hated the Brady family.”

Noble 2:
“You’re just jealous over the loss of your own status, Neil. A decade ago, it was you who held the most influence.”

Neil (Noble 3):
“Hey, the Neil family is still a noble family, and status can be won just as fast as it can be lost!”

Noble 1:
“Certainly, but with no one left in the tournament, your family won’t be the one gaining from this.”

King:
“Esmer, what do you think of all this?”

Esmer:
“The hero selection? I haven’t a clue.”

King:
“You’ve spent so much time with her, surely you must’ve learned something.”

Esmer:
“Something indeed. An early prototype steam engine is nearly complete. In a few more months we might get the start of what she called a train working. It’s really fascinating stuff.”

King:
“Is that really so interesting? You always seem to be captivated by the oddest things. I still remember when I found you rummaging through my underwear drawer; you never did explain why.”

Esmer:
“That’s not really important anymore. What is important is that this steam powered train idea has the potential to greatly impact trade and transportation of goods between cities. The machinery involved may even be usable in ships to enable faster travel between this land and the old land.”

King:
“Hmmm, if it can lower the cost of imports from the old kingdom, that would be very nice.”

Noble 4:
“You’re working on a new form of transportation?”

Esmer:
“Yes, I’m sure you’ll be quite impressed. Just don’t expect to be given total control over it, like you have over the main marketplace.”

Noble 4:
“Oh, you exaggerate. Just because the Talis family runs the merchant guild doesn’t mean we have control over everything.”

Neil (Noble 3):
“Close enough! Between taxes and your fees, we struggle to make any money from our lands and smiths.”

Brady (Noble 5):
“You just need to take better care of your lands and your people.”

Noble 2:
“Not everyone is as blessed with good harvest as your farms are, Brady.”

King:
“Could you be more specific Esmer? How much does this impact trade?”

Esmer:
“Hmmm… Sir Talis? How long does it usually take for a caravan to travel to Gerland from here?”

Talis (Noble 4):
“Almost a month, about four weeks.”

Esmer:
“With a well made track, a train should be able to travel that distance with a load in a day.”

Talis (Noble 4):
“You must be joking.”

Esmer:
“I’m not.”

King:
“I see. That does seem more important than who is chosen to be the hero.”

Noble 1:
“Say, does anyone know what that big thing floating over the field is?”

Chapter 39: Tests

Chapter 39: Tests
Ariel’s view (discussing her plan for handling the exceptionally large number of people signing up for the Hero contest)

Sam:
“Written tests? You do realize most people can’t read and write, right?”

Ariel:
“Yeah, I just needed a way to quickly cut down on the number of people in this contest. Plus, maybe I can learn a little about what people think, and their personalities from this.”

Sam:
“You certainly do need the help learning common sense.”

Ariel:
“I can’t be expected to understand what common sense is! I’ve never lived as an ordinary person in this world. Heck, I barely understand the currency here.”

Sam:
“Yeah, that’s why I’ve been handling the money for you. Anything in particular you’re looking for in choosing a hero?”

Ariel:
“Well, I’d like someone kind and caring. I think it’s also important that they have an open mind. This hero’s journey is probably not going to be the same as the ones in the past.”

Sam:
“Because of your involvement?”

Ariel:
“Fenix is clearly setting me up. She thinks I’ll be entertaining, so there’s no way I can believe this will be simple or boring. There must be something odd destined to happen, or she wouldn’t be so interested in me going.”

---

A certain test taker’s view

With a written test as the first hurdle for this contest, maybe father is right about it being time for a noble hero. Hmmm… this is some really high quality paper. This pen is also really amazing, containing its own ink.

“Question 1: What is your name?”

Well, that’s hardly even a question.

“Question 2: Why do you want to be a Hero?”

I guess I can just write that I want to protect people and defeat the demon king, right? That’s a proper hero response.

“Question 3: Why must the demon king be defeated?”

She didn’t capitalize demon king, yet she capitalized Hero. Well, the obvious answer is to protect the kingdom.

“Question 4: Who are the strongest in the land?”

Fenix obviously, followed by the spirits and the King.

“Question 5: What is your greatest desire?”

… This is the last question. It feels different from the others somehow. The first question is just for record keeping. The second and third are directly related to the hero’s quest. The fourth question is general knowledge. This last question is directly about the one answering it.

Normally, I’d just write something generically heroic, like wanting to protect my loved ones. I’m concerned that it might influence how I’m treated though. After all, if she were to reward the hero at the end of the quest, it’d make sense for her to keep the answer to this question in mind when doing so. Additionally, I don’t want to write a lie that would be easily found out during travel together. Claiming to have loved ones when I don’t would be easily seen through with just a few questions.

I’ll have to think about this one more.

---

Ariel’s view

After reading the answers from the written tests, I picked out enough people from it to fill 8 teams of 5 (40 people), ‘cause I didn’t want to deal with full sized soccer teams. I then gave them all stat boosting patches to help the less fit compete with those who’ve had more experience and training... this might’ve been a mistake.

With everyone around the bottom of rank 3 in overall power, their capabilities are going well beyond what I’d normally expect from a human. After the ball got kicked way outside the field a few times, I added a special barrier to make the game easier to play, and reduce down time (no more chasing after it). It only blocks the ball, but now the ball will bounce off an invisible wall when it goes too high, or reaches the edge of the field. This really isn’t soccer/football anymore.

I’ve seen goalies take shots at the other goal; the ball flies so fast and with such force that players have been knocked down by it. I’ve seen a goal scored because the goalie got pushed into the goal by the ball they caught. If that were a normal ball, it would’ve been destroyed long ago.

Chapter 38: Academics

Chapter 38: Academics

Ariel’s view

I ended up sending a second clone to the Academy, after a while, because I realized that it’d be easier to do everything I wanted to do there if two of me were there. Not only do I wish to work on developing technologies of my world in this one, but I also hope to learn what I can about this world as well. This Academy is a great place for both activities. This means I’m going to start attending some classes…

Well, it seems by “attend” it’s actually gonna be: Act as a teacher aid.

While attending classes, I can’t help but want to try and improve the lessons. With all the power I have access to, the idea that I can’t improve things just sounds like nonsense. Figuring out how though? That’s a bit trickier.

First improvement: Scanning. I needed to be able to quickly record and store information. Proper memory upgrades are expensive. Databases are cheaper. The difference? Proper memory allows instant recall of relevant information as needed (it’s actually higher performance than human standard). Databases are more like carrying a computer around full of all the files. I can search for data I need, but it takes much longer than proper memory recall would, and is less efficient for data processing in general. As a result, making sense of all that I’ve “learned” through recording information can take a while, even if the recording of information is fast.

Second improvement: Image screens. At first I was just making a whiteboard to draw on, but then realized, I could go much further and start displaying images straight from memory. This way it became possible to display any image I’d recorded from the files the Teachers gave me. It was a very popular feature, as it made it far easier for students and faster for teachers, to have me copy whatever image or text they desired onto a large white board for the whole class to see. I ended up creating a board that if an image was held up to it, it’d copy the image and scale it up to fill the board, so that all teachers would have the ability to make use of this without needing me present. I really didn’t want to play teacher’s aid in every room.

Thinking back on my memories of my old life, I think what I’ve provided is better than anything available when I was in school before. Occasionally, the teacher then would bring up a projector for things like this, but it wasn’t as good as what I’ve made. Though, with how fast technology was advancing, perhaps a giant flat video screen would be seen in schools before long… I have no idea how much time has passed there since I died. That may be ancient history by now.

Maybe I can take inspiration from my old life for more ways to improve education here. Text books perhaps? People here mainly rely upon lectures and the library. Books exist in only limited amounts. It is tempting to make copies of books available as much as needed, but I worry about discouraging efforts to improve book making. Perhaps I can work on developing better printing methods… except really, the cost right now is paper. There’s no good cheap paper.

---

Ariel:
“Hey, Esmer, how does the Academy decide who to accept as students?”

Esmer:
“Any willing and able to pay the fees may attend. The Kingdom provides some funds to help keep the costs low, since having capable mages is important for security and prosperity. Unfortunately, we lack the ability to identify who is best suited to learning magic, and just have to let people try and find out for themselves. Back in the old land, the church would inform people of what their strengths and weaknesses were.”

Ariel:
“So, if students could see their aptitudes early, it’d be useful?”

Esmer:
“Oh, quite. Plenty of students eventually drop out after realizing they have no talent for magic. If they could learn that earlier, they’d be able to spend that time on something better for their ability. Additionally, if we had a way to test people, we could find the best suited for magic and help them attend classes.”

The next day…

Ariel:
“I got something for you to try using.”

Esmer:
“What is it?”

Ariel:
*Taking out a small clear ball on a white stand* “Place your hand on this”

Esmer places his hand on the ball, and the ball emits a white glow for a while, then fades, and a small card emerges from the white stand.

Ariel:
*Takes the card* “Thank you.” *examines the card* “... Hey! You’re even stronger than me! You’re at the top of Rank 4!”

Esmer:
“Well, I am 642 years old, and have been practicing magic since my 30s.”

Ariel:
“... I’m only 5 years old according to my status.”

Chapter 37: Records

Chapter 37: Records
???’s view

It's really hard to enjoy being a Noble in this town. When I first rose in rank, I'd thought what I'd achieved was a big, great thing. Not only did I defeat the demon lord, but I was now a noble, and could take over running a portion of the town and land.

After all the travel I had done, I decided to use my new political power, to get involved in trading between towns. I didn't expect to suddenly have all merchant business thrust into my control. Suddenly all merchants needed permission from me, to do business in town and I was granted a small amount of land outside each of the gates.

Now, forty years later, I think I understand what's going on. Every decade, a new hero rises and is given responsibility for something. Every time a former hero dies, their house will slowly lose power until it vanishes. While there have been a few exceptions, this rule seems pretty reliable, and at the center of it all, is Facile.

When I was young, I'd believed she was a great woman, serving Fenix, and granted long life and beauty by Fenix. Now I see her as just a cruel woman that enjoys toying with people. She might pretend to be an innocent bystander, but over the years it's become clear that it's no coincidence that the families whom gain her favor suddenly do well, while families that gain her disfavor do poorly.

With access to all trade records in the capital (the center of all trade in the new land) I noticed that every time a noble dared insult Facile, or questioned her authority, that their lands would mysteriously produce less.

The iron mines run by the Talmud family suddenly became barren shortly after the death of Talmud the hero. While Talmud had never stopped praising Fenix, his children (and grandchildren) often questioned Facile's teachings, claiming that Fenix couldn't be so great if Demon Lord kept returning. That family had their land taken from them not long after it became useless, and mysteriously, new iron veins were found within the mines once someone else took over.

More recently, the Brady family has been producing record yields from their farms. This coincides with them recently disowning a child whom spoke out against the Fenix church, complaining about their refusal to participate in monster subjugation missions. As the Brady family farms were near the edge of controlled territory, they had to hunt monsters fairly frequently, to keep their numbers in the area low.

Whenever someone asked Facile if they should do something about those who spoke badly of the Fenix church, she always insisted that there was no need to. With how she phrased things, saying that all who were discontent with Fenix should feel free to speak of it, I’d assumed she was encouraging such vocal dissent. Yet everyone who ever did, suffered for it, and I can see that in my records.

I do not doubt the power of Fenix. I do not doubt they are a god. Yet, they clearly seem petty in ways that I can’t like. Facile claims that Fenix has nothing to do with the prosperity of the land, but I can’t trust her words anymore. As a Noble, I’m stuck dealing with this unpleasantness trying to protect myself, my family, and the common people, from a petty god, and a lying church. I dare not tell anyone, because if word gets out of my complaints, my house could be the next to be taken down. Instead, I’m stuck giving false praise and empty flattery to a god I dislike, and a woman I can’t trust, pretending that everything is fine, when I know darn well that it’s not.

I don’t want my children or grandchildren to enter this hero selection contest. Yet I dare not say anything against it. All I can do is hope for the best, as my son and granddaughter both enter. All the priests and priestesses of the Fenix church have encouraged people to enter that contest. It’s to the point I assume Facile is up to something, but I have no idea what.

Chapter 36: Stress

Chapter 36: Stress

In Ariel’s room at the inn,

Sam:
“So, why did you want me to stay?”

Ariel:
“... hold me.”

Sam:
*pulls her into an embrace* “Like this?”

Ariel:
“Thanks. I… I’m getting a lot more stressed out than I expected. I tried examining my abilities and traits, and couldn’t find anything to explain it. I just need extra care and comfort to help me relax and calm down. It’d probably be better if my main body could be with you like this, but she needs to do the work in the field. We clones can’t create all the things that need to be made.”

Sam:
“Maybe it’s not something from this world? You said your soul was originally human from another world.”

Ariel:
“I… I guess that would make sense. Maybe I was wrong about having total control over myself. Perhaps there are still traits from my past that I’m stuck with. Perhaps the reason I’d thought my anxiety was gone was simply because I had nothing to worry about.”

Sam:
“Is there something to worry about now that you didn’t need to worry about before?”

Ariel:
“It’s the responsibility. This project I’ve been given by Fenix… I have no idea what she actually wants from me. I also have no idea how she’ll respond to it. I do know that whatever I do is likely to have a big impact on people.”

Sam:
“You’re afraid?”

Ariel:
“Yeah, of Fenix, of myself. I wasn’t afraid of Fen Ger. He seemed easy to understand, and simple, and helping you and your friends didn’t seem too complex. Fenix doesn’t make any sense at all to me, and this project is huge.

“It’s not just that I don’t know how to do things, but that I don’t even know what I want to do. I just said something random, without thinking about it. I never thought I’d be told to make it so.”

Sam:
“What sort of things are you concerned about?”

Ariel:
“Well, for starters, I expect a lot of people to want to sign up. I need to figure out how to handle all the people, and make sure they have places to sleep, rest, train, and practice. Not to mention food concerns… and that’s just the start.

“In the long term, I need to think about what happens with the field, and other infrastructure I build for this. Whatever I setup here could have a huge influence on the future of this sport and any other sports that might start. Not to mention that I really don’t want to get saddled with managing this all long term.

“If I have to leave behind an army of clones to take care of things, I’d consider that a failure to build things properly. Whatever I leave behind, I want it to be something that doesn’t need me to sustain it. I’ll have to teach people and devise solutions to problems that normal humans can use.”

Sam:
“Maybe it’d be more relaxing to lie down with me instead of standing here? The bed is really comfortable.”

Ariel:
“Yeah, just… don’t stop holding me. I need enough comfort to destress all the me’s running around.”

Not long later while relaxing in bed…

Ariel:
“Oh no, there’s already people waiting at the field I’m getting setup. They heard about the hero selection from Fenix’s church.”

At the field:

Ariel:
“Is this the entire Fenix Order?”

Man:
“Of course! It’s the dream of everyone in the Fenix Order to become a hero!”

---

An innkeeper’s troubles:

I’m not sure whether to laugh or cry. It’s stressful enough to know I’ve got such an important lady staying in my humble inn, but on top of that other wealthy merchants and nobles started demanding rooms too! My whole inn is full of people I dare not offend now, hoping to see the daughter of Dina.

It wasn’t too bad at first, but lately she seems to spend a lot of time in her room with her boyfriend, coming down only to eat meals, and sometimes not even then. That on its own isn’t a problem, but all the guests seemed to get bolder and have started listening in on whatever two of them are doing in there. There’s always a crowd of people by the door to her room, as well as people in the rooms next to it.

Perverts the lot of them… I wish I could spare the time and attention to listen too…

Really though, the worst part, is that all this stress is giving me problems in bed. At the end of the day, I’m too tired and stressed to make love to my wife, and it’s clearly making things hard for her too... especially after we both have to spend all day listening to guests having sex and masturbating, and smelling it whenever we go past those rooms.

Chapter 35: Who rules?

Chapter 35: Who rules?

King’s view

Sometimes I wonder if I’m really the king of this land. I have the crown, yet I don’t feel like I have much influence. The local lords handle most of the kingdom’s management, and the person with the most influence in the capital is Facile. Supposedly, Fen Ger of the West, Drayle of the North, and Brianna Tosh of the east would obey me if I gave an order, but I don’t dare test that. None of them act like they have any actual loyalty to the crown, and I can’t afford to let people know how weak my position really is.

King:
“I received a report that a monster was discovered to have been disguised as a human in Gerland.”

Esmer:
“That doesn’t really explain why you called for me.”

King:
“You don’t look surprised. Did you know already, that monsters were around in disguise?”

Esmer:
“It’s not really a secret. Everyone in the Academy knows by year two.”

King:
“Yet you never bothered to tell me.”

Esmer:
*sigh* “It’s not useful information. All it really means is that some of the people out there are more powerful than any human could ever hope to be. So long as they aren’t attacking us, it’s not really an issue.”

King:
“Can we really afford to just hope we don’t get attacked?”

Esmer:
“We have no other choice. If what I learned from Ariel today is accurate, this kingdom only exists because the true rulers of this land have allowed it to. They aren’t beings we can oppose.”

King:
“Just who are these true rulers?”

Esmer:
“According to Ariel, she’s confirmed Dina, Fen Ger, and Fenix as among them. She herself is strong enough to defeat our armies on her own, and she is less than an ant before the true lords. We’ve confirmed that Ariel defeated the Fenix Order knights with ease, and no one was injured.”

King:
“You make it sound like we are living in a land of gods.”

Esmer:
“The church of the old land did give pretty strict orders not to come here. We may very well be in the land of the gods.”

… just how much has the court mage not bothered to tell me? Really doesn’t feel like I’m in charge here.

King:
“Lucent told us not to come here. Yet Fenix welcomed us warmly. Fen Ger and Dina seem friendly too.”

Esmer:
“If I understand Ariel’s explanation correctly, there’s a high probability the colossal wolf that has threatened Gerland several times is actually Fen Ger’s true form.”

King:
“What? Then why… Gerland has never actually been destroyed, right?”

Esmer:
“That’s correct.”

King:
“Then, it’s just an act? Some sort of show or play?”

Esmer:
“I’d recommend not thinking too hard on it. It doesn’t really matter why they do it. We’re stuck following their wishes and whims regardless.”

King:
“You’re the last person I’d expect to stop thinking about it.”

Esmer:
“I can’t deny that. Still, pretty sure you’ll be better off if you don’t spend time thinking about it. Looking at these things deeply doesn’t offer any comfort, only more questions, and uncertainty.”

King:
“What about Ariel? I hear she’s in charge of the hero selection this time?”

Esmer:
“She’s very strange. A mystery I’m hoping to solve. I’ve been careful not to press her for answers, since I don’t want to risk upsetting her or putting her on the defensive. Yet, despite all her explanations I feel like I keep getting left with more questions.”

King:
“And this selection she’s setting up?”

Esmer:
“Oh, right, some sort of physical contest it seems. One that will require teamwork. It is an interesting idea, though I doubt it really will be effective at determining who’s the best choice. I assume it doesn’t actually matter much who is selected.”

King:
“Because ultimately, the entire thing is just for show?”

Esmer:
“That is what I hope to find the answer to this time. There’s something about Ariel that makes me think this time will be very different.”

King:
“Because of Facile, isn’t it?”

Esmer:
“Well… yes. I’ve never seen Facile show this much interest in someone during the three centuries I’ve been here. Something is going to change.”

Chapter 34: Ruby

Chapter 34: Ruby

Ariel’s view

Ariel (in blue, in Gerland):
“Alright, I’m all yours now, what was it you wanted to talk about, Ruby?”

Ruby (young lady with bunny ears and tail):
“You said that while sensations aren’t exactly shared, your memories are? Does that apply for the doll you gave me too? Is it a clone like you are?”

Ariel:
“No, the doll I gave you is a different kind of clone. It won’t remember anything, and I won’t feel what happens to it. It really is just an elaborate doll.”

Ruby:
“... um… what if I wanted you to feel it?”

Ariel:
“Are you asking for a doll that will share what it feels with me?”

Ruby:
“I… I practice every night. I know I can make you feel good. It’s fun to try and get a good reaction from your doll… I want to know I can make you feel that way too. I want you to feel as good as the doll does.”

… At least she’s asking permission. It’s also kinda nice to know she trusts me enough to admit something like this. I’m really not sure how to answer though. Do I say yes and just get molested whenever she wants? I feel a little uncomfortable with that, yet I don’t really want to say no… This is like being confronted with a fantasy I never thought could happen, and thus never contemplated the real issues involved.

Ruby:
“It, it’s alright if you don’t want to. I understand you already have someone you love.”

Ariel:

*Pulls Ruby in for a hug* “I do love you too. I’m just trying to think this through. Getting pleasured like that without any warning or control could be awkward and disturbing regardless of how good it feels. So I can’t just say yes. I want to accept your love, and support you.”

I just modified the clone type used for the lifesize dolls last night to deliberately avoid sharing what they feel. Now Ruby wants me to share with her doll. No, she wants me to experience her love. She wants to express her love with the doll, and wants me to feel it. Knowing that it’s her doing it, and that she’s doing it out of love for me… I think I could enjoy that. I still need to put some restraints on it though.

Ariel:
“How about this: I’ll have the doll share what it feels with the me here with you, but not the others. So, I’ll be able to respond to it while here, and remember it too, without risking too much disruption.”

Ruby:
“This Ariel isn’t Sam’s?”

Ariel:
“This Ariel is staying in Gerland. As long as you don’t mind there being other Ariels with other people, this one can be yours.”

Ruby:
“Hmm… I love you Ariel. I don’t want to take you away from others. I just want to share my feelings for you, with you. I want to make you happy.”

*looks at Ariel and grins*

“I’ll give you good loving every night with the doll. You go do whatever you do at night, and enjoy it, alright?”

Ariel:
“Do you not want me with you at night?”

Ruby:
“Um… too nervous. Can’t do it with you here.”

Ariel:
“Considering how you earn money now, I find that a little surprising.”

Ruby:
“I can do that because it’s not real. It’s not really me, I just play a role. None of my real emotions and feelings are involved in sex work. It’s not even my real body. With the transformation amulet, I get to become whatever and whomever the customer wants. Anything other than me.”

Ariel:
“I see. I’m glad I get to be with you, the real you. Thank you.”

Ruby:
“You make me feel safe... well, safer. Less fear with you. Do you ever get angry? I’ve never seen you angry.”

Ariel:
“I remember getting angry in my past life, and I remember not liking it. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten angry in this life… I kinda hope I never do get angry, but now that I think about it, never getting angry is kinda weird. Another reminder I’m not who I used to be.”

Ruby:
“Do you wish you were who you used to be?”

Ariel:
“No. I hated myself back then. Failed at the things I cared about most. So far, I think who I am now is closer to who I wanted to be, than who I was. No reason to regret or complain about the change. Just hope I don’t stray from the hopes and dreams of my past. I can actually accomplish something now.”

Ruby:
“What do you hope and dream of?”

Ariel:
“Making life better for people. Fixing the world.”

Ruby:
“Is the world broken?”

Ariel:
“Well, it’s certainly not as good as it could be. It’s not just luxuries, but also about how people treat one another. As a monster, I’ve got the power to assist with ensuring there is no true scarcity. As someone with influence, I can now make a difference in how people treat one another too. With no hard limit on lifespan, I even have time to do it all. I just need to make sure I don’t lose sight of my goal, or forget what matters most.”

Ruby:
“What matters most?”

Ariel:
“People. Like you.”

Ruby:
“And Sam?”

Ariel:
“And Sam, and Adam, and everyone. I intend to focus on those closest to me first though. Like you.”

A second lover, and this one I’ve given permission to touch me whenever they want, however they want… I feel like I’m exposing myself to her in a way I haven’t with Sam. Yet, she also feels more distant. I hope someday she can gain the courage to be herself more. If nothing else, I hope she can share more of herself with me; being trapped behind a fake persona isn’t healthy, she needs someone she can be free with. I hope I’m not taking on more than I can handle.

---

That night, in Ariel’s dreams

I’m having more trouble keeping track of which me I am, and what I’m doing and where I am than I expected. The different color dresses help, but isn’t really enough. Need to add a little local memory to each clone so they can more easily keep track of immediate concerns and obligations. The syncing doesn’t need to be altered, just a strengthening of self-awareness.

I wonder how many other surprises I’m gonna have to deal with. This really was early to be doing this. The planning and preparation weren’t finished at all, had to rush a way to make sleeping quarters for them all, and figure out how to let them sleep so I don’t have to deal with multiple bodies worth of boredom flooding my memories and messing with my mental development.

Thinking of sleep… I should probably plan on providing room and board for everyone who wants it, since I want to ensure even the poor can sign up for this.

Gah, so much work to do, not to mention the xp cost of all the additional brain power needed to handle it. Dang it, Fenix.

Chapter 33: Multi-tasking

Chapter 33: Multi-tasking

Sam:
“So, what’s with all these clothes you’ve been making? They’re a lot more colorful than I’m used to seeing.”

Ariel:
“Team uniforms. Most of the dresses I made for my clones have been two colors, because I intend to give each team a set of uniforms with matching colors.”

Sam:
“Is this an appearance thing? Make it easier to tell teams apart?”

Ariel:
“No, while that is a useful thing, it’s not why I’m doing this. I want to minimize the differences between people on the field. If everyone has the same clothes, the differences in social standing and background will be less visible. All that should matter on the soccer field, is the ability to play together well, not their background.”

Sam:
“That sounds pretty amazing. Wish something like that had been around when I was growing up.”

Ariel:
“If things go well here, it might be possible to make soccer into something people can continue to play and enjoy even after this tournament is over.”

---

Esmer:
“Are you still interested in visiting the academy?”

Ariel (in pink):
“Oh, yes, though I’m rather busy now.”

Esmer:
“I’ve seen you in so many different places and so many different dresses, surely you can handle one more?”

Ariel:
“... I feel silly now. Yes, I could do that. It might take a bit to arrive, but I should be there soon. Is there a place you’d like to meet?”

Esmer:
“How about at the gates? It’s an easy spot to find someone.”

Ariel:
“See you there.”

---

Resident expert on dwarven magic’s view

Dwarven magic is an intricate affair, with careful and delicate alignment of lines and shapes carved into wood, stone, or metal. The spell circles Ariel showed us look very similar. It seems to operate under many of the same principles, and even uses very similar shapes. We mostly use straight lines, while she uses curved ones, but I think that’s just because of the difference in methods and materials.

The most important thing she taught us though was probably this steam power thing she left with us. All it does is move a piston up and down, but that’s enough to get started. While the device she left us is magical, her explanation made it clear that magic isn’t necessary at all.

As woman who had long ago become obsessed with magic engravings, I never imagined I’d gain an interest in anything non-magical like this. From the way she spoke, there’s many more things she can teach us. Ariel’s knowledge of what she called science and technology may prove far more valuable than her knowledge of magic… or my knowledge of magic.

---

At some noble’s mansion:

“You expect me to work with commoners?”

“I expect you to prove yourself and get chosen as the next hero.”

“You do realize less than half of the past heroes were of noble background, yes?”

“The last two were common born, it’s clearly time for a noble.”

“Why would I want to demean myself for such an unlikely outcome?”

“It’s a chance for you to gain favor with Ariel.”

“That daughter of Dina I keep hearing about? What’s so important about her?”

“If you go, you’ll know. I took a look at the grounds they are setting up for practice, training, and the tournament itself. There are drinking fountains providing free clean water to everyone.”

“What’s so special about clean water?”

“The fact that she created it. Do you understand how valuable it would be to have fields that don’t need rain?”

“... I see. That changes things.”

“Be there tomorrow. Sign ups don’t actually start for another week, but it’d be best for you to get to know her early.”

Chapter 32: More Clones

Chapter 32: More Clones

Ariel’s view

That night was spent frantically trying to figure out how to handle this new mess I found myself in as I slept. I was grateful that Sam understood why I was late and didn’t need me to explain. He followed me? Is he really that good at avoiding notice? Or do the guards just suck at their jobs?

If I really am going to teach soccer to all the teams and coach them as they train, then I’ll need a proper cloning skill that doesn’t rely upon pre-programmed actions. So, I’ll need to add an extra clone type. Limiting their power to rank 2, cuts the cost down a ton… trying to handle sensations, thoughts, and actions of multiple bodies at the same time is going to be too weird. I’m trying not to get too alien compared to what I remember being. It’s weird enough having a not fully solid body that only pretends at humanity.

New clone type: Max power of rank 2; all clones are copies of me. While each of us act and think independently, we all share memories, and since all the clones are copies of me, they will all think and act the same as I would (no independent or separate growth). This is going to get weird, but recalling everything shouldn’t be as bad as actually experiencing it all at once.

While I’m at it, I can have one of my clones in Gerland create one of these new clones, so I can continue to help out there, and I think I should also modify my existing clones a little. Specifically, I don’t think I really want to know what people are doing with them all, especially considering how many there are and how many aren’t even humanoid.

The other clones do not need to remember anything, and when I focus on them, all they need to report is how many people are nearby, and where they are. There’s no need for live feedback of their experiences, unless I transfer my consciousness over to them. Admittedly, the only real reason I’m bothering with this, is because unifying the systems employed by both clone types reduces cost.

---

The next day

Sam:
“Are you going to be cooped up in the room here all day and just have your new clones doing things?”

Ariel:
“Yeah, my new clones can’t do much other than ordinary human things, so I’m stuck making everything they need.”

Sam:
“Anything I can help with?”

Ariel:
“I think the most useful thing would be to help out the one I gave the pink dress to. She’s in charge of organizing things. Between getting used to this new experience of remembering so many lives at once, and dealing with all the people who want to enter the tournament, that me is getting a little overwhelmed. I’ll probably want your help deciding how to organize the teams later too.

*groan* “This is so weird.”

Sam:
“What’s the weirdest part of it?”

Ariel:
“Probably the way my memories are starting to blur together. Whenever multiple of my clones are at the same event or participating in the same activity, I have a hard time remembering which memories are from which clone, and it all kinda blurs into one memory of the event with far more information that a single person could’ve gotten.”

Sam:
“Do you regret doing this?”

Ariel:
“No, this was something on the list of things I knew I’d eventually want to work on doing. I just didn’t think I’d get on it so soon. I wanted more time to figure out what I was doing and how exactly I wanted to do it. Being able to have multiple bodies and do multiple things at the same time is something I’d always sorta dreamt of. It helps solve the issue of having limited time to spend on people and activities.

“Everyone in Gerland was pretty happy to have me back again, even if I was a weakened version.”

Sam:
“They would be, huh. Adam especially. He’ll probably want to discuss everything.”

Ariel:
“I do enjoy teaching him, but I’m very glad he was able to run things without me. In the beginning I worried that he might become too dependant on me.”

Sam:
“I guess if this is what you meant about potentially having to share you, it isn’t too bad. I still have you to myself, it’s just others do too.”

Ariel:
“Definitely one of the perks of these clones.”

Chapter 31: Overheard

Chapter 31: Overheard

Sam’s view

While Ariel read books in the Library, I decided to head out and learn what I could around town from listening in on conversations.

...

“I wonder when the next hero journey will start.”

“What’s it matter to you? There’s no way you’d become a hero.”

“Well, with the rumors of a daughter of Dina showing up, I can’t help but wonder if it’s time again.”

“You mean the one that supposedly defeated the entire Fenix Order without a single injury on either side?”

“Yeah, if someone that powerful is showing up, something must be happening.”

“I hope you’re wrong about that. Each time the hero’s journey gets longer and more frightening. I can’t help but worry that someday the hero will fail.”

“Fenix will surely protect us!”

“You trust Fenix entirely too much.”

“You just lack faith.”

Not everyone trusts Fenix?

…

“We’re lucky this daughter of Dina is so kind.”

“You mean how she didn’t harm any of the Fenix Order despite Facile sending them to attack her?”

“Yeah, somehow I doubt Facile expected it to end so peacefully.”

“What do you think that monster’s intentions were?”

“Don’t know, but the whole academy is in an uproar about it.”

“I guess it’s more fuel for their constant arguments over the true intentions of Fenix and the spirits.”

“Hmph, seems obvious to me that those monsters are all just toying with us. At least I thought so before. Why then would this daughter of Dina spare the Fenix Order?”

“Maybe she didn’t want complications for her entrance into town?”

“Yet, Facile was clearly trying to create complications.”

“Maybe Dina and Facile don’t get along?”

“There’s been no evidence of that before. Perhaps I should look more carefully at the histories.”

Do the people in the academy know Fenix is a monster? Maybe I should investigate this academy more.

...

It’s getting late, I should go back to Ariel. Eh? She’s getting intercepted by Facile. Where are they going? A meeting at the castle? Luckily I can sneak past the security here pretty easily. I want to listen in on this meeting.

“Why are you bringing this upstart brat?”

“She's the daughter of Dina, surely that means something.”

“What, exactly, does it mean?”

“It means she has better parentage than you.”

“How dare you insult my mother! She beat the demon lord faster than your father did!”

“Only because she had less to do. It's clear from the decline of your house, how poorly she's raised her children.”

“Children, please, do refrain from constant bickering.”

I recognize that voice as the lady that greeted us at the gates, High Priest Facile, I believe

Facile:
“The selection of the next hero is rather important.”

“You still haven't explained why you invited that girl here.”

Facile:
“Do I need to?”

“It's alright, no explanation is necessary. It's obvious that the hero's journey would involve her in some way.”

“Her mother is the one that matters, not her! Unless you think a youngster like her is enough to handle that Great Wolf in the west?”

“We still can't afford to do anything that might make her mother upset.”

“That doesn't relate to hero selection. All that matters in the end is whom the Fenix church chooses to support. Without their healing, no hero will stand a chance.”

Facile:
“Fenix won't be sending a priest this time. Healing will be provided by Ariel here.”

Ariel:
“Eh? I'm not a healer though.”

Facile:
“You’re creative, I’m sure you’ll do fine. Just don’t try to do the hero’s job for them.”

Ariel:
“Uh, yes, of course.”

If I understand Ariel's rank descriptions properly, she's probably stronger than any human hero ever has been. That must be why Facile is telling her not to do the hero's job for them… what exactly is the hero’s job?

“Wha… you, you mean she’s the one who’ll have the final say?”

“You’re just sad that the priest you’ve been seducing won’t be involved.”

“Why you! Don’t think I’m not aware of how you’re trying to curry favor with the next hero with your orphanage! Not all heroes are orphans.”

*laughter of several people*

“Surely you realize the orphanage is a project backed by several families? Pretty much every family founded by an orphan hero supports that orphanage.”

“Not everyone is as greedy as you.”

“So, what’s the selection test this year? Are we having another tournament?”

Facile:
“We had one last time, I was thinking we should try something different.”

“Doesn’t Ariel have a church already? Wouldn’t her involvement give her existing followers an unfair advantage?”

“We all know you don’t really care about that, you’re just worried you won’t be able to get your own preferences chosen.”

“Surely we want the most competent person to be the hero, right?”

*several sighs*

“We have no way of knowing whom is actually qualified, only Fenix knows. At least, that’s what I’ve always been told, yet now Ariel is involved in this? Does she know who can qualify?”

Facile:
“I’m certain anyone she accepts will qualify, so long as she remembers the hero must be a pureblood human, elf, or dwarf.”

I guess that last statement is to ensure us beastkin don’t get chosen as heroes, not sure why.

Ariel:
“If we need a contest for selection, with a focus on teamwork and physical fitness, perhaps we should have a sports contest.”

Facile:
“This sounds interesting, do go on.”

Ariel:
“Um, we could have candidates form soccer teams and compete in a soccer tournament.”

Facile:
*smiling* “We’ll need you to explain soccer to everyone as well as arrange for everything. I’ll leave you in charge of it all.”

Ariel:
“Eh?”

Facile:
“You can be in multiple places at once, and since you’re the only one who knows what this soccer is, so it’s only appropriate that you’d need to coach all the teams.”

Ariel:
“Ehe, right, I, I understand.”

Facile:
“Now that’s settled, I’ll be leaving the details to Ariel here.” *rises and leaves the room*

Chapter 30: History Lessons

Chapter 30: History lessons

Ariel:
“What about what you know of Dina? I’ve only heard that she’s one of the three holy spirits the chosen hero calls upon to assist in the fight against the demon lord.”

Esmer:
“Ah, I think for that, I should explain the full tale. Normally, I’d tell you to just read a book, but you interest me, and if possible, I’d like to accompany you.”

Ariel:
“I don’t really mind. If you are willing to work with me, I’d appreciate your input.”

Esmer:
“Well, the tale begins early in this city and country’s existence. It was then that Fenix first appeared, at the same time that the Demon Lord did. It was a spectacle the likes of which I had hoped to never see again…

“Anyway, when they fight ended, the demon lord left, and Fenix disappeared, leaving only the High Priest Facile behind. She explained that the demon lord had been weakened, but it would still be necessary for a hero to venture forth and vanquish him, or more attacks would come.

“She left selection of the first hero to the king at the time, and the strongest knight, Sir Claude was chosen. He was granted a holy sword by Facile, and she accompanied him on the journey. When he returned, he looked haggard. Facile claimed there was nothing physically wrong with him, and that the deed was done, but she looked disappointed.

“Sir Claude never really recovered, and retired to live alone. All who sought him out were rejected. This city is now named after him in honor of his deed and sacrifice.

“The second time that Facile called for a hero, she had a priest choose a commoner from the streets, and announced that it was time for another hero to journey and take down the demon lord. This time she did not give them anything, except a priest to accompany them, and instructions to head west, and search for a hidden dungeon.

“This time the king sent a knight and a mage to accompany the chosen hero.

“At the bottom of the hidden dungeon in the west, they found a pristine lake, and that’s where they met Dina. She was described as a beautiful woman with deep blue hair and eyes, darker than yours.

“Dina gave the hero an amulet, and promised to assist him when he needed it most.

“From how they explained it after, when the demon lord appeared to be slain, he transformed into an enormous monster, and at that time, Dina appeared and fought with him after transforming into what looked like a gigantic slime.

“Since then, the number of places the hero has had to visit has continued to increase, and the number of great monster fights has also increased. There is now a giant wolf known to terrorize Gerland, a dragon which will attack the city of Daru to the north, and a Leviathan that threatens the ports to the east.”

Ariel:
“Is there anything to the south?”

Esmer:
“The outpost in the south has never reported anything. Just a forest none can safely enter. No scouts have ever returned from there.”

Ariel:
“What are the other holy spirits? I heard there were three?”

Esmer:
“Yeah, the other two are an ancient silver dragon named Dagor, whom first appeared to defend Daru from the red dragon that so often attacks it, and Alba whom granted the hero of the time a magic feather from her wing after the Leviathan was defeated by Dina.”

Ariel:
“A feather from her wing? Is Alba a bird?”

Esmer:
“That’s right, a giant bird. Would you mind teaching me a little of the magic your mother taught you?”

Ariel:
“I don’t mind, though it would take a long time to explain all of it. Let me show you a little.”

---

Ariel’s view

Going over some of what I’d learned of sorcery, I realize I’m actually better at it now than I was before. Some of that can be attributed to improvements in my stats, but I think most of it was from improving my understanding of how to use self-modification. I basically have a pool of xp I can re-spend however I want, and this allows my to modify how much sorcery ability I have on the fly. It’s not good for maintaining enchantments like I’d done before, but is excellent for casting almost any spell I want. It is still heavily influenced by knowledge and intelligence though, so I’d need to spend time if I wanted to actually master it.

Esmer’s view

When Ariel made her hand transparent so I could see the sorcery circles she made, it really hammered home that she wasn’t human. Additionally, she seemed to think her mastery of sorcery was weak, yet she was at least as capable as our best graduates were. If she compares herself to Dina though… I suppose I can see why she’d claim to be weak at sorcery.

---

Esmer:
“That reminds me a lot of the inscriptions used by the Dwarves for their magic. Perhaps you should have a chat with our dwarven experts, I imagine they’d be interested in it, and you might learn something too.”

Ariel:
“Sounds like a good idea, though it’s getting late.”

Esmer:
“Yes, you’re right, perhaps another time.”

Chapter 29: The Library

Chapter 29: The Library

While Ariel reads at a table...

Man:
“I’d been told that I’d be able to identify you on sight, and it seems they were right.”

Ariel:
“And, who might you be?”

Man:
“Esmer, Researcher.”

Ariel:
“Might I ask you something? I hope it’s not too rude a question.”

Esmer:
“What is it you want to ask?”

Ariel:
“You are the first elf I’ve seen so far, is there a reason for that?”

Esmer:
“Well, I’m probably the only elf in this land. This place just doesn’t feel right.”

Ariel:
“What do you mean?”

Esmer:
“Well, we elves have a kind of nature sense that helps us care for the land. We work to ensure no one ruins the environment with their work. This place though, this continent, it doesn’t feel right. It’s as if nothing here is natural, except for what we brought over from the old land. I only stayed because I became obsessed with understanding exactly why it all feels so wrong.”

Ariel:
“I see. Might be because all native life here are monsters.”

Esmer:
“Really? Fascinating. Would you be so kind as to tell me more?”

Ariel:
“Well, the first generation of monsters were made by god, and all later generations are descended from them. The land is now ruled by various monster lords, all of whom are the survivors of the first generation. Their power is so great, that none except other monster lords can oppose them.”

Esmer:
“How did you learn of this? Did Dina tell you?”

Ariel:
“Most of it was learned from mother, but that last bit was my own observation. I’m honestly not sure if there’s anything beyond the power of the monster lords.”

Esmer:
“Well, that certainly explains a lot. Though it still leaves many more questions, as is usual in my line of work.”

Ariel:
“You don’t seem surprised, and believed me rather readily.”

Esmer:
“I’m guessing you aren’t yet aware of just how much we have learned here at the Claude Academy.”

Ariel:
“I’m not.”

Esmer:
“It’s pretty well known that the Fenix church healers are all monsters. All students are instructed to avoid telling people, because we don’t want to upset the church or cause a panic. However, anyone who studies enough magic eventually figures out that the Fenix healers are not using magic.”

Ariel:
“I guess it’s not much of a secret then?”

Esmer:
“The church makes no real effort to hide it. When I asked Facile the high priest about it, she just laughed and asked if I had any plans to do something about it. I don’t think the knowledge is too wide spread, but pretty much all mages know.”

Ariel:
“Do you know how powerful Fenix is?”

Esmer:
“After your explanation, I’m guessing Fenix is one of the monster lords?”

Ariel:
“I believe so.”

Esmer:
“Do you know why she made a church and offers healing?”

Ariel:
“I do not. My best guess would be for entertainment, as mother mentioned that she and several other lords find humans interesting to watch.”

Esmer:
“Like taking care of an exotic animal then.”

Ariel:
“Yeah, probably something like that.”

Esmer:
“And why are you here then?”

Ariel:
“Exploring. Want to see what the world is like.”

Chapter 28: Research?

Chapter 28: Research?

Ariel:
“Hey, Sam, what do you know about Dina?”

Sam:
“Only that she’s one of the three holy spirits that helps the hero on their journey to defeat the demon lord.”

Ariel:
“Hmmm… I get the feeling I need to learn more about this, not just Dina, but Fenix also. I’m fairly certain the woman who greeted us was a Fenix clone.”

Sam:
“You mean it wasn’t just a representative, but Fenix herself spoke to you?”

Ariel:
“Yeah. It didn’t sound like she was planning to simply leave me alone either.”

Sam:
“Do we need to run?”

Ariel:
“No, from her attitude, I think she’s just playing with me. The risk of staying shouldn’t be too high, and leaving too soon might annoy her. Playing along is probably the safest option.”

Sam:
“Well, if it’s knowledge you seek, perhaps you should start with the academy?”

Ariel:
“There’s an academy here?”

Sam:
“It’s pretty famous. The biggest magic school, and library: The Claude Academy.”

Ariel:
“That does sound like a promising place to look for information. Let’s see if we can gain entrance to the library.”

---

… this city is large, very large. I won’t say I got lost, but I think I might’ve if I hadn’t made myself a mini-map feature and mapping ability. After hours of wandering, there is still plenty of unexplored territory on my map.

Ariel:
“Geeze, let’s take a break and have a meal.”

Sam:
“I thought you didn’t need to eat?”

Ariel:
“I don’t, I’m just getting mentally worn down from trying to make sense of everything. I still enjoy relaxing and snacking. This city is much larger than Fen Ger’s place.”

Sam:
“Well, this is the biggest city in this land.”

Ariel:
“Maybe we should look for a place to stay before it gets too late, and plan on spending more than just today exploring.”

Sam:
“Will probably take at least another day to finish mapping the city, and even then it’d just be the places commoners can go.”

Ariel:
“Thinking about my past life, the biggest place I can remember exploring on foot was a theme park. This place is clearly bigger. I can’t remember ever travelling enough on foot to get a feel for how large the cities were like this. Pretty sure they got bigger than this city though.”

Sam:
“What do you remember of those cities?”

Ariel:
“Mostly just really tall buildings, tens of stories high. City streets filled with vehicles… and bad air. Those vehicles dirtied the air and made it smell bad.”

Sam:
“Tens of stories? I don’t think I’ve ever seen anything more than ten stories tall or so, and those were the towers on Gerland Castle.”

Ariel:
“Gerland? That’s the name of Fen Ger’s castle?”

Sam:
“Yeah, since the lord is Fen Ger, people began calling the place Gerland, and so the castle is Gerland Castle.”

Ariel:
“Let’s stop for a bite over there, that restaurant looks good.”

Sam:
“Sure.”

---

Conversing over dinner:

Sam:
“Speaking of food, why did you only offer milk and baths for free in Gerland? You could’ve made a lot of other things available too.”

Ariel:
“I wanted to avoid putting the restaurants and food carts out of business. The milk is sufficient to ensure no one starves or lacks for nutrients, and the baths provide cleanliness and healing. Neither compete directly with any of the services offered elsewhere in that town. I don’t want anyone to lose their livelihoods because of me.”

Sam:
“I see. I hadn’t even thought about that.”

Ariel:
“I don’t simply want to help people in need, I want to improve lives. That requires paying attention to how people live so I can properly support them, and not get in the way.”

Sam:
“Is that why we are exploring the town and not heading straight for the library?”

Ariel:
“That’s part of it, though I also just have an urge to properly fill out the map of the town. Always gotta explore everywhere in games.”

Sam:
“Games? What do games have to do with this?”

Ariel:
“Ah, sorry, that was a reference to my past life. It’s kinda hard to explain when none of the technology exists yet here. Maybe someday I’ll be able to see it develop in this world too.”

Sam:
“You already introduced amazing food, are you going to introduce technology too?”

Ariel:
“Well, I already introduced toilets… but yeah, I want to share a lot of my old world’s knowledge with this world, so the people of this world can recreate many of the awesome things I remember from my old world.”

Sam:
“Pretty sure most people would just want it all for themselves and not worry about sharing with others.”

Ariel:
“Well…”

Sam:
“You like sharing with others when you’re happy, right?”

Ariel:
“Yeah. It makes me happier if I can see others enjoying things as much as I do.”

Sam:
“I think you’re the only one I’ve met who’d say that about strangers”

Ariel:
“Yeah, I guess I’m weird. I like to think there must be others who feel like I do, but I don’t see much evidence of it. I wish I could remember my past life better, somehow I think I would understand these things better if I could.”

Sam:
“Is your past life why you feel that way?”

Ariel:
“No, it’s not that, it’s… I think I spent a lot of time in my past life figuring it all out. My memory is full of holes now though.” *sigh* “Only thing I remember clearly about it, is that it’s best to keep moving forward and not worry too much. So that’s what I intend to do.”

…

Focus on what I can do, not on what I can’t. That’s what I learned to do.

Chapter 27: Entering Claude

Chapter 27: Entering Claude

As we approached Claude, capital city of the human kingdom Leganda, the biggest kingdom on the new land, we saw a lot of soldiers standing outside the gate. It looked like a platoon of soldiers was watching over the line of travelers.

Sam: *speaking to a merchant travelling behind them*
“Is it normal for soldiers to stand outside the walls like that?”

Merchant:
“No, that’s not happened any other time I’ve been here.”

---

Sam’s view

Soldier:
“Halt! She’s the one!”

With that command, the soldiers lowered their spears and encircled Ariel while pushing all other travellers away. Having noticed their hostility before Ariel did, I slipped away to avoid getting in her way. The soldiers would be no threat to her, but they might be a threat to me, and I didn’t want to trouble her.

Soldier:
“You can’t hide from the Fenix Order, Monster! Kill that beast!”

Sam: *speaking to the same merchant again*
“Do you understand any of what’s going on?”

Merchant:
“Not a clue, shouldn’t you know more? You’re her servant, aren’t you? Did your lady or her family anger the Fenix Church?”

Sam:
“Not to my knowledge. I can’t claim to be well informed about such matters though.”

What happened next caught me by surprise. Ariel’s backpack opened up, and out flew what must’ve been over a hundred beautiful emerald green beetles. They spread out and landed on each soldier, then began making a wondrous tranquil tune. It sounded like nothing I’d expect from a beetle, more like a wordless lullaby.

Waking from a daze, I realized that the soldiers were all now sleeping and the beetles had stopped singing, and begun flying back into Ariel’s backpack.

A strange lady jumped down from the wall… Despite my lack of skill at field perception, it was obvious to me that she was a very powerful monster.

Lady:
“Well that was boring. I didn’t think you’d be so well prepared for that. You couldn’t have possibly anticipated this.”

Ariel:
“I apologize if I’ve caused you trouble. If you wish me to leave, I will.”

Lady:
“Oh no, not at all. I’m here on behalf of Fenix to welcome you into our city, Ariel, daughter of Dina.”

Ariel:
“Dina? Mother said she had no name.”

Lady:
“Oh, did she? Probably trying to keep you out of our political games. A foolish gesture if you come here. Politics is far too fun not to drag you in. Welcome, and good luck.”

With a dangerous looking smile, she walked back into the city.

Merchant:
“You serve the daughter of Dina? The holy spirit of the west?”

Sam:
“I didn’t know.”

So much for entering the city quietly.

---

Fenix Order Leader’s view

What the fuck was that?! First the high priest tells us there’s a monster in disguise approaching our dear city, then after we confront her and lose face, she says to treat them as an honored guest. Daughter of Dina? Why call her a monster? That damned Facile and her games. I’ll never understand why Fenix chose her.

---

After entering the city.

Sam:
“What were those singing beatles?”

Ariel:
“A bunch of tiny clones with a simple program. They fly to and land on hostiles, then put them to sleep with a lullaby song. The song is only effective at very short range.”

Sam:
“It still dazed me.”

Ariel:
“Really? I guess it still does something at range even if it can’t make people sleep.”

Chapter 26: Traveling again.

Chapter 26: Traveling again.

Ariel’s view

I stayed longer in Fen’s city than I had originally planned to. When I first decided to help out Sam and his friends with getting a new life settled, I planned on spending six months. Instead, I stayed a year. The city stayed temperate all year long. As far as I can tell, this continent doesn’t have proper seasons like my old world did.

Of the seven beastkin, Adam impressed me the most. He really took to heart the idea that knowledge is power. Not only did he figure out how to recreate the flavors I showed him with ingredients from this world, he even found ways to create information cards that any monster could use to learn how to create things so long as they have the appropriate abilities to make them. With this, he was able to teach Terra how to create all the spices needed for the recipes he developed, and now receives shipments of spices in exchange. Terra seemed quite pleased with the exchange.

While I was there, I got into the habit of marking everything I made with my pink rose emblem. I refined it a bit and added a pair of green leaves to make it more clearly a flower. It was kinda fun, and the others all seemed to like it, so now even my dress, boots, and backpack all have the mark.

Adam also insisted on helping me make a better dress. Said something about my original dress being too plain for someone of my status. Can’t say I really understand what he means, but I can appreciate beauty. The new design is rather frilly, and cute. We worked together on it to ensure it was something we could both approve of. Sam looked like he’d fallen in love with me all over again when he saw me in it.

Sam insisted on gear that wouldn’t stand out, so unlike the others, his armor and weapons aren’t pretty white or clear, but a much more boring brown and grey. I still snuck in some pink rose emblems, just hidden on the inside where it won’t be easily seen.

Thanks to exploiting all the rules Adam found regarding xp gain, they were all able to reach rank 2 by the time Sam and I left. Along with the gear I made them and the vitality patches, they should be strong enough to handle almost any human threat. They also seem to be doing well at staying on the Lord’s good side.

I’m confident I can leave things to them now, and head out without worries.

Sam’s view

Living with Ariel for a year in town, helped me understand what Adam meant when he said Ariel lacked common sense. By the time the year was up, people in the east side of town practically worshipped her, calling her Angel Ariel, yet her casual behavior never changed. Any that asked for food or healing would receive it, and she’d pay full price for goods without haggling. At least whenever people asked about acquiring milk or water to transport for trade, she’d tell them to consult Adam about it, so it seemed she had some sense at least.

Adam was right about my needing charm. To prevent Ariel from getting too distracted by minor problems, I had to go around convincing people to leave her alone. I ended up focusing my growth on reading people, and persuading them, with a secondary focus on evading detection and redirecting attention when I want to. When sparing with my friends, they complained that it was frustratingly difficult to keep track of me, and what I was doing.

Try as I might to help Ariel avoid too much attention, her recklessness and carelessness has gotten worse compared to when we first met. It’s as if she’s given up on keeping a low profile after helping my friends take over the slums.

On the road we’ve met quite a few travellers, and as we get closer and closer to the capital, the roads get ever more crowded. Yet, Ariel chose to bring a tent that is obviously special. It’s not just the brilliant white fabric, or the pink rose emblem adorning it, it’s the fact that it assembles itself once placed upon the ground, and folds up easily when it’s time to go. At least it’s enjoyably luxurious.

When Ariel first showed me her tent, she boasted that Adam had helped her solve the issue of properly warping space, and this tent was the result. From the outside, it was a beautiful cloth tent of reasonable size for two people to sleep in. On the inside, it was a giant room the size of a small house. It even had a large bed, a tiny restroom closet with toilet and shower, a washing machine for cleaning clothes (another invention Ariel and Adam developed together), a dresser for clothes, a tiny kitchen nook with an oven and stove top, along with a refrigerator (a device to keep food cold), and a dining table with chairs. We could host a small party in here if we wanted to.

I’m not sure why she made so much stuff for the tent. We really only make use of the bed. I keep my clothes in my backpack (which she made, and can carry far more than it looks like it should), and just drink milk from the flask she made me that never runs out. Thanks to her vitality patch, and the restorative properties of her milk, I don’t need rest breaks other than sleep, so making a meal feels like it would be a waste of time.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Author note: This is the start of the second arc. Yes, this means I finished on time! ...barely. Sadly, I ended up struggling to write anything at all towards the end of the arc, and ended up having to skip a lot of things I'd wanted to add/include in the story. As a result, this arc isn't as long as I'd intended. I'm not a good writer >_<

Chapter 24-25: Rumors and Spies

Chapter 24: Rumors

A conversation in town:

“Hey, now that you’re here, there’s a place I’ve got to show you.”

“You mean that church of Ariel you mentioned in your letter?”

“Yeah, that place is amazing. The restaurant in the back offers the best food in town, and there’s free public baths. Milk is offered free for the hungry and they even have laundry services.”

“They’re just giving it away free?”

“Well, the restaurant isn’t free, but the rest seems to be.”

---

“Holy Light! You didn’t mention how beautiful the waitress was!”

“Hehe, I wanted that to be a surprise. I hear there’s even sex services available upstairs.”

“A brothel in a church?”

“Crazy, right? I haven’t gone myself, but I’ve heard they can offer satisfaction for any preference or desire.”

“Where exactly did you hear that? Seems like awfully detailed information for someone who hasn’t gone up there themselves. C’mon, spill.”

“Okay, okay, I went. I’m not gonna talk about what I did up there.”

“What? Not who?”

“Not talking.”

---

Adam’s view

Rumor around town is that the church of Ariel helps all in need, and that Ariel is the kindest god. Just as planned. I didn’t even need to tell any lies or start any rumors myself. People already associate healing with the church. Having free public baths with magical water that heals any injury or disease accomplishes the task of convincing people this is a church. Telling everyone that the healing waters are a gift from Ariel, convinces them she must be a god. As for her being the kindest, well that’s obvious.

While I helped design and plan much of what we do in Ariel’s house, it was because of Ariel’s concern for the others who live in this town, that we created the public baths and began offering free milk. The milk is highly nutritious and very filling; it doesn’t take much to satisfy one’s appetite and since we are offering it free, it’s been a major help in winning over the people of the slums. With everyone’s support, keeping order in the east district has been pretty easy.

The humans went from refusing to work with us, to seeking our favor rather fast. It seemed rather ridiculous to me. Ariel may love them all, but I don’t. If I did, would I be able to serve her better?

---

Chapter 25: Spygames

“Have you seen those beastkin guards in the east district?”

“The ones in that shiny white armor, with the flower emblem?”

“Yeah, them. I want you to find out who's backing them.”

“I believe it is the lord, sir. We know Terra built their building, and they recieve weekly shipments of fresh meat from the castle.”

“Damn, we can't challenge the lord. What about this Ariel? They claim the milk and water are Ariel's.”

“A woman who's appearance matches Ariel's description was spotted entering the Palace, and leaving in the company of Terra on the day the new building appeared. We believe she must be connected to the Lord in some way. Additionally, she killed Tye by herself, and Tye revealed himself to be a Demonic Tiger in disguise.”

“What? Why wasn't I informed of this before?!”

“We didn't believe Tye's death to be important.”

“I don't mean that! I mean the fact that Tye was a monster in disguise! The fact that it's even possible for monsters to disguise themselves is important! We have no way of knowing how many have infiltrated our society already! We've got to inform the king at once!”

“Understood.” (Does he really not realize this town is run by monsters? I've learned more than enough magic to understand that not even the Elves could construct a building of stone that fast when there's no stone in the area. Terra even admitted it when I confronted her. It's got to be one of the most poorly kept secrets I've ever unearthed.)

Chapter 23: The Captain of the Guard

Darius’ View:

Terra:
“A gift from the lord.”

Darius:
“What’s this, are you handing out slaves now?”

Seeing what looked like an unconscious beautiful woman tossed to the floor like a bag of grain astounded me.

Terra:
“Nah, it’s a magical doll. A perfect replica of someone. Exact in every detail. Have fun.” *wink*

With that, Terra left, leaving me with what still looked like an unconscious beautiful woman lying on the floor. It seemed impossible, a doll? She was easily among the most beautiful women I’d ever seen, but it wasn’t so ridiculous that I’d think she couldn’t be real. Not sure what else to do, I propped her up against the wall behind my desk, and simply continued with my paperwork.

As the guard captain of this town, I was in charge of keeping the marketplace and front gate moving smoothly. Surely by tonight I’d be able to figure out if this woman really was a doll or not.

---

It’s been a day, she’s still sleeping there against the wall, with no signs of change. Whomever made this doll must be incredibly talented. Only with a careful examination can I tell it's not human. I may not have any use for such a thing, but I do know someone who might be interested. Maybe I can sell it to that bastard running the slums.

---

What the fuck is this?

Ariel:
“Hello, how’d you get one of my dolls? Did the lord give it to you?”

Darius:
“Your… it was modeled after you, was it?”

Ariel:
“That’s right. It’s something I made at the lord’s request, a life-size copy of myself. I’m not really sure why he wanted them though.”

Darius:
“I can’t claim any understanding of it myself. I came here to look for Boss Tye.”

Ariel:
“Boss? Do you mean the former boss of the Slums?”

Darius:
“Former? Has there been a change?”

Ariel:
“Well, the former boss is now dead. The beastkin I’d been helping out are taking over.”

Darius:
“Beastkin? Who or what are beastkin?”

Ariel:
“You don’t know? I suppose there aren’t very many of them, it’s possible you might’ve never seen them or heard of them. Well, a few young adults and old kids asked me for help, because they couldn’t get work. They get called beastkin because they have ears and tails similar in appearance to animals.”

Darius:
“And they are now taking over this part of town?”

Ariel:
“Yeah, this new building was given to me by the lord in exchange for a few things, and I’m going to be leaving it in their care when I leave. I’m currently still busy making improvements inside.”

Darius:
“I see… this, really is a doll then? It’s so lifelike.”

Ariel:
“It’s very nearly a perfect copy of me, down to… well, more detail than really necessary. It is technically alive, but as it needs no food or drink, and has no mind of its own, it really is just an overly elaborate doll. I did include a self-cleaning feature, to make it easy to take care of.”

Darius:
“Does it need any care taking?”

Ariel:
“Not really, you could just dump it in a cellar and forget about it if it’s of no interest to you. If you need anything, you should probably ask for Adam. He seems to be taking the lead on planning for the future and keeping things organized. He’s young, but very smart.”

Darius:
“I see, thank you.”

---

Back at the captain’s office:

Vice-Captain:
“Captain, I heard some strange rumors - oh! Did you kidnap a noble?”

Darius:
“No. That’s a magical doll of some sort. I’m told it’s a very accurate replica of a lady who’s currently living in the Slums where Boss Tye used to be. The lord gave it to me as a gift.”

Vice-Captain:
“I feel like you just told me a lot in that on short statement.”

Darius:
“I did. That was basically a summary of my entire day.”

Vice-Captain:
“I thought this was supposed to be a boring job.”

Darius:
“It usually is. Did you need something?”

Vice-Captain:
“Not anymore, just came to ask about the rumors of you walking around carrying an unconscious lady. What do you plan on doing with this doll?”

Darius:
“No idea.”

Vice-Captain:
“Can I have it then?”

Darius:
“You have a use for it?”

Vice-Captain:
“Yeah… yeah I do.”

Darius:
“Fine, take it.”

Chapter 22: Rules

Ariel:
“You found out that the monster power system is an experience point system?”

Adam:
“Yeah, it works a lot like that game you taught us. Humans even have levels with abilities and attribute increases every time they level. For monsters, the xp can be spent on abilities and attributes.”

Ariel:
“Did you learn how xp is gained?”

Adam:
“Other than gaining xp for being near a stronger monster, the primary method of gaining xp for monsters is by dealing damage, with the stronger the target, the more xp gained for dealing damage to them. For humans, it’s largely gained from training, and overcoming difficulties. As half-human, half-monster, us beastkin can gain xp from both methods, though we get less from each. So I think the fastest xp gain for us, is to practice fighting each other with real attacks and injuries.”

Ariel:
“I could probably make a block or pillar that regenerates for the purpose of being attacked for the dealing damage qualification. It’d not be very good for training though, as it’d not be able to dodge well.”

Adam:
“That could still be useful. A rank 3 target is worth quite a bit if it can recover quickly enough. Most monsters at rank 3, wouldn’t focus on regeneration, and it’s hard to find such powerful monsters anyway, so it’d be more useful than monster hunting as a means of gaining xp.”

Ariel:
“What about the slime’s ability to gain power from eating things?”

Adam:
“There is xp gain from eating, but it’s pretty small. The gain is affected by how common something is, so consuming something rare is better than something common, but even then it’s not enough to matter much beyond rank 2. You also cannot gain xp from eating something you make yourself.”

Ariel:
“That might still be helpful for you, is there something I could make that would improve your xp gain?”

Adam:
“For maximum gain, it’d need to be something unique, that can only be gained from you, and is only consumed by us. Monopolizing a rare or unique food is the only way to get meaningful xp beyond what’s already being gained from our need to eat.”

Ariel:
“Yet, if I make something overly delicious, Fen will demand some for himself.”

Adam:
“A good nutritious milk should work. Fen can already get milk if he wants it, so all that would be special about it, is the work you put into making it specifically for us, and the fact that it comes from a slime, which normally doesn’t make milk. In fact, this is a chance for you to define what slime milk is, since you’ll be the first slime to make milk.”

Ariel:
“I made milk before.”

Adam:
“There’s a difference between a one-time creation, and making yourself naturally generate milk.”

Ariel:
“That could have a weird impact on my doll clones, if I make myself naturally produce milk. They are copies of me, so they’ll copy that too.”

Adam:
“You haven’t made many clones though. It should still work. Besides, that solves distribution issues since all of us have a clone for ourselves. By defining slime milk, you’ll also make it easier for you to quickly make milk or milk dispensing devices whenever you want.”

Ariel:
“Oh? I hadn’t thought about that. Didn’t realize my self-modification extended to template tampering.”

Adam:
“You only get to mess with settings that don’t yet exist. Your non-standard slime form is considered an alteration of a slime default, not a new creature type. Most alterations you make will be like that. It is only because no slime has developed lactation before, that you get to define what is standard for a slime to produce when they do.”

Ariel:
“I feel like you’ve been studying the world record more than I have.”

Adam:
“That’s because I have so little knowledge to start with. Unlike you, I’m not full of existing ideas to explore, so I have to first learn from the records and from you.”

Ariel:
“Well it’s good. Do you want the first taste?”

Adam:
“I’d love to!”

---

Ariel’s View

With Adam’s suggestion, I later ended up remaking my entire system of spell casting into something integrated into my self-modification. Technically, I’m not casting spells anymore, but instead creating special abilities. Due to how weak my sorcery was, it makes a negligible difference (less than 1%) in total power to lose the ability to stack it on top of my self-modification, and greatly expands my ability to use self-modification for unusual things. I probably should’ve done this in the very beginning, but just didn’t know to. Knowledge really is a form of power in this world.

A small number of magical effects are now lost to me, however, it’s not a big deal. I can’t directly provide buffs to people during a fight, but I can toss someone a potion to drink that would provide it, and I can actually make such things stronger than my old buffs would’ve been… actually, I might be able to make a spray or a vapor for faster application. A vapor might be dangerous due to risk of affecting the wrong person.

The full change to my powers actually took more than one night, in part due to how much I had to think about it. A workaround for attack and defense boosts that only apply as needed, so that they don’t rely upon spells anymore. Methods of healing others, and a work around for not being able to shrink items. It’s a good thing I already removed the stasis effect from my internal storage as that isn’t feasible without sorcery.

Overall, I think I’m actually a little bit weaker in a fight, but I should be able to create more powerful items if I use this change in ability properly. Self-modification is far stronger and more flexible an ability than I initially realized. Feels like improving my understanding of how to use it could be more important than increasing my xp.

Unfortunately, I did have to keep a lot of the limitations applied to sorcery and apply them to my special ability creation. Main limitation being the need to create abilities in advance and inscribe them into my body in a form of code. They look like fancy patterns and glyphs. I can change which set of abilities are active at a time, but have far more inscribed abilities than I can actually have at the same time. It’s a lot like creating character builds I can switch between in a game. I always did love those games.

Adam’s View

Ariel changes her abilities often like it’s no big deal. For me or my friends, it would take a lot more time. She doesn’t realize it, but being a slime with self-modification is why she can do this. All her abilities are under the umbrella of her self-modification and she doesn’t realize it.

Another thing she doesn’t realize, is how much of her knowledge is truly out of this world. With her help, I’ve been able to build recipes for food items that didn’t previously exist in this world, and have begun design work for new machines she described that have no references in the world database. I know they should work, the rules they rely upon exist. They’ve just never been made before.