The day began like any other.
The only bird in the Kingdom was asleep, so there weren’t any sounds of chirping to disturb the silence, and the sunlight had yet to appear.
I opened my eyes, still a little groggy, and recognized a familiar sensation.
It hadn’t spread through all of my body. Only a single area had been touched by it.
Wet, yet warm...
Were this the first ti, I’d be confused, but I was already well aware by now and did my best to shrug her off .
Miwen: "We already talked about this, Cass."
It doesn’t matter whether I’ve slept with Cassandra or not.
Every night, she sneaks under the sheets after I’ve fallen asleep and has her fun with .
Honestly, it’s not sothing I mind too much, and I’ve been guilty of feeling the girls when I wake in the middle of the night too.
We’ve been in this kind of relationship for so long that we have lost almost all boundaries with each other.
If the mood is right, and it doesn’t hurt anyone, it’s fine...
The problem is that she doesn’t do it sotis.
She does it every night.
There are days when I indulge a little and give her a hand.
But there are days when I need all the energy I can have.
I’d be happy to keep her company, but if it were up to her, we’d go at it until she loses consciousness every day and every night.
Which ans I’d have at most a few hours a day to eat, sleep, and take care of the others.
She knows this, but she refuses to change.
And because my own resolve is a little lackluster, and I often fail to stop her, we both knew that this wasn’t the first, nor would it be the last ti we’d have this talk.
I was even teased about this, but I knew from the look in her eyes that all she wanted was to get mad and have punish her audacity in a naughty way.
Cass: "Hmm~ Morning woods are a bitch’s duty~ You should be grateful I’m always on standby~"
She spoke as if what she was doing was a grandiose, selfless act, still refusing to let go of what was once on her mouth.
Miwen: "I told you it goes down on its own if you let it be..."
Cass: "That’s a waste. Besides, isn’t this faster? Doesn’t it feel better?~"
While professing her undeniable argunts, she wore, for a brief instant, a chilling, serious, and almost irritated look on her face.
Even after all this ti, I still find her eyes incredibly sharp.
When she wants to, they pierce through deeper than any other.
Intimidating as they may be, this ti, I knew she was doing it on purpose, only to make back down on sothing completely reasonable.
I knew her goal, and I knew these eyes were just an act.
Yet...
Even though she didn’t address the main issue and her eyes had no effect, as I’ve done so many tis before when it ca to this issue, I gave up and accepted my fate.
Once we were done, I kissed Claire and Licia goodbye and went to the fields, in the hopes that Lily’s cute airheadedness and innocent heart could wash away the lustful corruption that the succubus wannabe had tainted my body with.
Lana: "That’s your excuse?"
It wasn’t too surprising to see Lana with Lily.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say they were inseparable, but if Lana has nothing to do, she’ll stick close to Lily.
Our cat is soone who has seen the darkest realities of the world, so she worries and protects the oblivious Lily, which I really appreciate, since I also worry a little about her.
Miwen: "Of course not?"
Lana: "Then...?"
Miwen: "She’s fluffy."
Her worries this ti were unfolded, though.
There were no impure thoughts on my mind.
The girls and I have run lots of tests, and hugging Lily has been confird to heal one’s soul.
Lily: "I don’t really mind..."
Lana: "It’s because you enable him that he acts this way."
Miwen: "She’s right, Lily. You need to be more careful."
Lily: "E-Eh?"
Never thought I’d have sothing similar with Lily of all people, but hearing Lana say that made realize I was in the sa position when it ca to Cassandra.
Although from what I’ve seen of Lily’s life, I knew she appreciated things like this.
Her story was pretty standard: a simple girl, from a simple village, who suddenly lost everything, her family, her friends, her ho, and even her life, to a monster attack.
It’s pretty obvious that without my Gift’s ability to share experience, a girl like her would never stand a chance in a violent and cruel scenario.
The most tragic part, aside from how young she died, is that this girl really didn’t deserve any of that.
It’s completely unfair.
Lana: "...Are you alright?"
Miwen: "No. I need a cute catgirl to show so affection, or else... I’ll die."
Lana: "Hmph. You’ll be missed."
I had to be careful to keep myself together.
When rembering things and thinking about others, I risk slipping into mories that are not my own.
This little curse that the Endless gave can be useful, and I’ve started writing down so notes on the most important stuff, but...
I have to be careful.
Most of the ti, I focus on shutting away any voices trying to force to rember things I know don’t co from my own mories.
It’s better to learn those again, through my own experience, than risk centing soone else’s mories as a piece of .
At least, that’s what I think.
On a brighter note, though, a scene like this was refreshing.
Lana never experienced this much peace before.
She wasn’t able to get up in the morning to carefreely walk together with another, talk, and laugh gleefully without a worry.
I was proud to be partly responsible for it.
It felt validating since it wasn’t sothing any of the other voices could claim.
It’s a sha I couldn’t properly explain to them how valuable this was for .
Yet, I think sotis, words are unnecessary.
And Lana noticing the change in my mood was proof enough of that.
Miwen: "That reminds ... Didn’t I tell you to rest today, Lily?"
It was supposed to be her day off.
Or rather, she had already skipped her day off, and this was the second ti I had to reprimand her for it.
That ti, I only allowed her to do as she pleased because she was worried about one of the animals, and no heart could withstand the concerned frown she showed .
Lily: "A-Ah... It’s because there were so white spots yesterday, and I found..."
The excuse this ti was different.
And when we went in to check, the white spots she seed so alard by were the result of small burnt holes made by sunlight, a white rock below it on the ground, and a girl who spent too much ti looking at every little detail of her beloved crops.
Like Cassandra, if I allowed her to, she’d always find sothing to worry about and work every day.
It’s good for the Kingdom that she’s like this, and she truly enjoys her work, but...
I wanted her to have fun with other things, too.
Miwen: "Alright, then. For your punishnt..."
Having lost to Cassandra, I was unwilling to back down again.
With my energy restored, I forced Lily to go to the library and spend so ti with Raella.
I often see her there in her spare ti, so I knew she would have fun.
Miwen: "As for you... Hop up. You’re with today."
Lana: "Eh? Why am I being punished too?"
Miwen: "You need to take responsibility for your sister."
Lana: "She... Ugh..."
One of the important things I learned is that Lana sees herself as both a dependable big sister who has to protect the others, and a little sister who wants to be spoiled.
And I’m more than happy to let her fulfill both roles.
In my own way, of course.
This ti, this ant carrying her on my shoulders, for a reason other than-
Lana: "You’re not doing this just so you can feel my legs, are you?"
Miwen: "Can you bla ?"
Lana: "Yes? Absolutely?"
She complained a lot, but after I gave her so candies I had in my pockets, she got too distracted to care.
Actually, she even started to enjoy the ride, pretending to steer by pulling on my hair.
Although her smile quickly disappeared when I reunited with Liz, Cass, and the other girls before going to Reina’s place.
Most of them completely ignored Lana or only gave her a passing smile, correctly assuming this was just one of my antics, but I think she’d have been less embarrassed had they said sothing.
Reina herself seed a little surprised when we entered the building, but she also avoided saying anything.
Instead, she quietly took us downstairs, where she had prepared her Gift’s demonstration.
While upstairs was a normal building, much like the houses the girls used to live in before Isabella created the castle, downstairs was another story entirely.
The sll of burning coal was the first thing to reach us, followed right after by the heat and the light emanating from the forge.
Next to an anvil on the other side of the room were multiple tools, such as hamrs and chisels.
She had even placed a whetstone...
The placent of every item in the room seed to have been well thought out, and I could almost picture her quickly moving from one thing to the other, hardly wasting a movent.
For a smithy, it was both surprisingly clean and organized.
The result of her work, however...
Miwen: "Am I missing sothing?"
Reina had placed a sword on the table, and after I used [Appraisal] to see its stats...
[Unnad Greatsword
Increases the wielder’s strength by 10, defense by 4, and decreases their speed by 2.
This weapon does not possess special effects.]
I was a little disappointed.
Reina: "I’m sorry for showing sothing so underwhelming, my Lord, but this is only the first part of my Gift. Now, for the next part..."
She took out a few more swords, but instead of showing them to , she used the forge to heat them into a malleable mass, after which she took them to the anvil and hit them until they had reached the shape she wanted.
Barely a minute later, after tempering the blade, she had another sword ready.
It looked exactly like the one she had shown before, but I noticed through [Appraisal] that this one increased the wielder’s strength by 11 instead of 10.
Differences in stats are a given, so that didn’t surprise too much.
Or, at least, not as much as the speed at which she had forged the sword.
By all ans, it shouldn’t be possible to get a sword ready that fast.
I’d have expected her to need a few more days...
Miwen: "So your Gift helps you make them faster?"
Reina: "Yes. After having created an item, I can use my Gift to replicate the process. Using my mana, I can decrease the speed required and improve the result. The quality improves the more tis I replicate what I’ve once created, until it is perfected. The ti required also decreases."
Oh...
I still thought [Gacha Kingdom Building] was better since I could get much more out of it if I wanted to, but I already had a few things in mind that I could use her for.
Reina: "For the last part, Lady Anna, would you allow to take sothing from you?"
Anna looked at , asking for approval before accepting Reina’s request.
I was a little on the fence about it myself, but once she clarified that Anna wouldn’t actually be losing anything, I gave her permission.
And so, Anna extended her hand, and when the tip of her fingers touched Reina’s, a small, pencil-shaped crystal started to form on Reina’s hand.
Its brown color was fairly common, so it was hard to identify exactly what it was.
Thankfully, once she asked to do the sa as Anna and a gem, entirely black if not for the few golden strands that ran through it, appeared on her hand, things beca a little clearer.
Reina: "These minerals are not sothing that can be found in nature. Or at least, I don’t think so. They are simply a reflection of yourselves. And this is how I can use them..."
She cut them into small gems and placed them on the sword.
Just like that, its effects changed.
[Unnad Greatsword.
Increases the wielder’s strength by 11, defense by 4, and decreases their speed by 2.
This weapon gives an extra 8% boost to the wielder’s strength and defense.
By infusing mana, every strike of this weapon may cause earthquakes, the strength of which depends on the mana used.
Every hit increases the chance for those hit by the earthquake to be afflicted with [Stun].
Starting at 4%, the chances increase with every failed attempt.
The duration of the [Stun] effect depends on the strength of the user.
The user is immune to stuns caused by earthquakes.]
The base stats were still pretty standard, but the effects were as good as the ones on Anna’s previous sword.
Actually, they were even better.
And I couldn’t help but notice that they were pretty close to what she wanted, a greatsword that resembled the fighting style she had with the previous one.
Reina: "Unfortunately, I can only infuse two level four gems as of right now, but the level and quantity will increase as I level up."
Miwen: "I’m pretty sure the earthquake effect was thanks to Anna’s gem, right? Then is the stun chance because of mine?"
Reina: "Yes. As I’ve said, the gems are a reflection of you, so they often demonstrate effects related to the person I acquire them from. I believe ’random chance’ cos from your Gift, but as you can imagine, you possess other qualities as an individual that might also present themselves. Unfortunately, I can’t control what aspects the gems take from the target."
She went on to explain that, while she worked as a blacksmith before becoming a queen, her Gift is not limited to it.
Once she has created sothing, no matter what it is, the process is stored, and she can recreate it much more easily.
Be it writing, building, or cooking... Really, as long as she creates sothing new, it counts.
And once she has created a replica of the original using her Gift, she can start infusing them with gems, which give different effects based on what they are put on, and what gems were used.
Reina: "I believed that by starting with a weapon, I could more easily prove my usefulness. And... I know my Lord has been seeking a blacksmith to start coin production..."
I was amazed by how well Reina had read .
The thought of minting coins and building a better economic model had been on my mind for a while, as I thought there could be many benefits for and my citizens, but up until now, I couldn’t find a good solution since my Gift is too random to mass-produce them.
She used this opportunity to show her Gift and build trust, while also positioning herself as critical in that departnt.
The way her Gift complented mine was also quite interesting.
Yet, considering how much the First Son and Daughter wanted to summon her, I still felt like sothing was missing.
Miwen: "You’re not hiding anything from , are you?"
Reina: "I am. This is about half of my Gift’s abilities."
I wasn’t expecting her to be so honest about her dishonesty.
But she knew I could force the truth out of her, and that it would be worse than just outright telling truthfully that she still had a secret or two, so she had no choice but to use this approach.
Reina: "...Under special circumstances, I can also create living beings. In the past, I used this power to create daughters for myself. I didn’t think about morals or anything of the sort at the ti; I only wanted to be useful to the king..."
That was before she knew who the king would be.
Before I had received [Gacha Kingdom Building].
Of course, once she experienced my mories and saw who I was, she thought that I might not accept her and feel uneasy about her and what she had done.
She started explaining without having to say anything.
Her eyes never faltered, but she kept her head low, bowing down, apologizing for trying to keep it secret from .
Reina: "I never planned on using this ability without my Lord’s permission first. My current level doesn’t even allow to demonstrate it, either. I thought I should only reveal this once you had grown to trust ."
She was right.
There was no easy or correct choice if she wanted to trust her.
The best she could hope for was that I would accept her while she hid it from until the ti ca when I wouldn’t judge her based on it.
Miwen: "...Your Gift and mine have quite a few similarities, huh?"
She seed quite surprised by my next words.
I’m guessing she expected to say sothing regarding her attempt to keep it a secret from , but since I could tell she had good intentions, that wasn’t bothering too much.
Reina: "As expected, you saw through it... If you’ll rember the First Son’s words, [Gacha Kingdom Building] wasn’t a Gift at first. The Great One translated it as such, and he used my Gift as the basis for doing so. Or I guess the cypher? I’m sorry, I don’t understand the details. I had trouble understanding him sotis."
The way she spoke about him made think they were closer than I was initially led to believe.
The First Son even told her about [Gacha Kingdom Building], which he says is his most important project.
He was not the type to tell others what he was thinking so casually, so he must’ve trusted her quite a lot.
Miwen: "Fine. If you’re not hiding anything else..."
Reina: "I am. But I assure you, the reason-"
Miwen: "I get it. It’s fine."
I could already tell what the reason was, so I didn’t ask her to tell .
This girl had been waiting for the chance to serve , or whoever received [Gacha Kingdom Building] throughout all of her life.
The First Son trusted her.
And up until now, she had not told a lie.
Her Gift was, as she said, complex.
It was easier to understand it by seeing it for myself, and her requests, given that her Gift also had the chance to fail and destroy the materials used, made a lot of sense.
As did the ti required for her to prepare.
So...
I was willing to accept a few secrets.
It seed to be better this way, for both of us.
But just to make sure, I gave her an [Order] to not use the aspects of her Gift she had not told about without my permission.
She was more than willing to accept, as she knew that this way, I’d trust her more easily.
Miwen: "Sorry for distrusting you."
I even felt a little guilty about this.
In my mind, I thought she might’ve been disappointed that the man who inherited [Gacha Kingdom Building] ended up being soone like .
It was quite hard to live up to sothing like "I’ve been waiting to serve you since millennia before you were born."
She didn’t seem to think that way, though.
As soon as I bowed my head, she instantly asked to stop, saying I had nothing to apologize for.
Elizabeth: "Truly, it’s unbefitting. As a king, you are responsible for ensuring your people’s safety, and you shouldn’t bow your head so easily. Hell, trusting soone who tells you they are keeping secrets is also risky."
Nothing about what Elizabeth said was wrong.
However, the look in her eyes carried a mix of irony and acceptance, as if trying to say that it can’t be helped.
I knew from this that while she ant it as advice, she wasn’t being entirely serious.
Unfortunately, Reina didn’t accept that as easily as I did.
Reina: "You speak of an ideal, but those are only so because of their proven success. Once a new thod is found, it will beco the ideal. Rather than reshaping his qualities to fit a mold, retainers such as ourselves ought to help him refine himself. Forget not your role..."
Everyone was surprised to see soone stand to Elizabeth this way.
But none seed as interested as Elizabeth herself.
Reina’s words were clearly a challenge, and Liz wasn’t the type to back down from one.
Which is what brought us to their mock war.
And the reason why Elizabeth lost before the fight even started.
To prove her point, she had no choice but to build an ideal formation.
Whereas Reina focused on utilizing the strengths of the Snow White Wolves, at most, giving them the ans to elevate them.
It was a little scary how effectively she had trapped Elizabeth.
Reina: "I take it you will gracefully accept the result?"
Liz: "Yes. Although you should also recognize that, much like your strategy, your words aren’t always valid. Many have fallen while thinking they had found their own recipe for success."
Reina: "Which is why we exist. To prevent his fall and enable him to rise through his own strength. We are not allowed to touch, only guide."
Just like that, Reina had established herself as Liz’s equal.
Not necessarily in might, but by defeating the most respected woman in the Kingdom, she too found herself with just as much respect.
If calculated from the start, it was a brilliant move.
She had cented herself, earned everyone’s trust and respect, and...
Miwen: "You’re a dangerous woman, aren’t you?"
Reina: "As much as Crimson Star Foxes tend to be. However, I swear that these fangs of mine shall never turn against you."
Yet, judging by her expectant face, I felt like they already had.
Miwen: "...What are you thinking?"
Reina: "I was never able to defeat Elizabeth on the battlefield before. No matter how much I tried. I’m grateful for the opportunity you have given ."
Aside from everything else, she also had a personal reason to persecute Elizabeth the way she did at her workshop.
Or rather, two personal reasons.
Reina: "My Lord, I believe Elizabeth and I both agreed that we were to dedicate this victory to you."
...Which was completely aningless for both to do.
Miwen: "Uh-huh. Let guess. You want to be rewarded?"
Reina: "I only ask that you allow to join the ranks of your wives and consorts."
Cass: "See? She wants to fuck! This bitch is stealing my calling."
I don’t think wanting to have sex counts as a call-
I stopped myself.
When it cos to Cassandra, yes, it totally counted.
Reina: "If that’s what’s necessary, I’m willing to-"
Miwen: "Let’s take one step at a ti, alright?"
I noticed one thing about her behavior.
She was anxious.
Desperately trying to rise the ranks as quickly as possible, to find herself in the position she has been wishing for so long.
It was a sha, especially after the brilliant display of wits she gave , but...
I felt like if I gave her what she wanted now, without proving herself through ti, she’d never truly feel like she had properly earned that place.
There was a risk she’d see herself as inferior to others in that regard, and that her plays were the only thing that kept her as close to as they did.
And to be fair, I also didn’t like the idea of sex being a ans to an end like this.
It would be fine if she were like Cassandra in that regard, but since what she wanted was the relationship and not the act itself, I thought it would be best to build towards that.
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