In the beginning, it is said there were no classes. What did that society look like? That is a question I ask myself often. What kind of ruler would make the ideal society? In the years 50-500AS, the Hellen city states employed a system of [Senators], who were elected by public vote. Naturally, only the educated were allowed to vote, but the system still had its issues.
Firstly, high-level [Senators] losing elections often caused disasters as their skills faded from the nation, which often meant that those high-level [Senators] preferred becoming [Tyrants] instead. Second, even times of stability and balance could be upset by particularly high-level [Nomad Warlords] riding out from the steppe and easily warding off the relatively weaker [Senators].
In addition to this system, there are the completely leaderless tribes of the east and west, as well as the…
-Opening words from Friend of the People, vol. 15. By P. Marat
—
A room in an inn was in a state of standoff. Not in Arreau, the party had hurried out of that town rather fast and had been circling back westward, until they had ended up in this standoff. One side: A [Maid] and her broom—A formidable foe certainly, despite the lack of metal casing on the tool. The other side: A [Seamstress] backed into the room’s corner, desperately protecting something within her arms.
Someone trying to protect, and someone trying to attack. A classic setup truly, one of the greats.
Like all standoffs, this one hadn’t started from nowhere. It was fated, even. Actions had consequences. Even ones put off and hidden. Even secret.
For all secrets are eventually revealed.
“Stop protecting that thing! I will kill it!”
“No you won’t! Back off Fay—there’s no reason for you to act like this!”
The [Maid] growled and took a step forward, broom looming. “It is a [Maid’s] duty!”
The [Seamstress] hissed, taking another step backward. “No, it’s not! This is a special case!”
“You know there are no special cases with these, don’t you remember what we’ve just been through? That… thing—How can you stand it?”
Mireille flared up in outrage, and threw her right hand out, revealing the white, fuzzy and little spider clutched against her chest. She pointed at it, her, proudly. “Char is not a thing! She’s a good girl, you’ll see.”
It was still small, the size of a fist, but growing. Eight eyes peered around curiously, and fuzzy legs wiggled.
Fayette flinched back, reeling in disgust. “It has a name?”
Mireille did not relent and held her gaze steady. “Of course, she has a name. She’s a good egg—ate all the others. She’ll behave.”
Yes, the spider had finally been revealed. Mireille had been hiding it for a few days now, but with a [Maid] about, no spider could truly stay undercover, or skirt, for long. This morning, the [Seamstress] had not been quick enough to hide Char when Fayette walked inside her room without knocking.
The result? Disaster. Marie was standing off to the side, hesitating as she looked between the pair, and even Olivia was glaring at the spider, as she ominously sharpened a knife in the room’s darkest corner, far from any windows.
Fayette gritted her teeth. “There are no good spiders. Do you have any idea how many webs I’ve had to remove in my life? And then the caverns…”
“You didn’t even have to eat spiders! You have no say in this!”
Fayette flinched back at the accusation, then looked around the room for support. She pointed at the ominous [Doctor], grinning. “I don’t? Well, even Olivia agrees, right? We can’t let that thing live.”
The gloomy figure stopped sharpening her knife, then blinked, relaxing instantly. “Oh—I don’t actually mind it.”
Fayette stumbled a step and stared, incredulous. “You don’t?”
Olivia shrugged. “A tool is a tool, that’s how I see it. I just wanted to practice being ominous.” She flipped the knife around, then went back to looming.
The [Maid] took a deep breath, saw the hesitation on Marie’s face, then turned back to Mireille, will still strong as the broom she held. “Well—I still don’t accept it! I’m the one who cleans around here, right? I have authority on pests.”
“Char is not a pest! Marie, help me out here, Fayette’s being dumb again.”
“Am not!”
“Just a moment, please—” a careful voice broke in, as Marie finally entered the conversation. She took a step forward, separating the quarrel, then turned to the [Maid]. “Fayette, I think you’re going about this all wrong.”
The broom was not lowered yet, and only a voice of doubt answered. “What do you mean?”
A clever gleam shone in Marie’s eyes. Of course, a [Lady] would never approach such a situation without a proper plan. “If you think about it, really—” she winked a conspiratorial eye, “—aren’t spiders just the [Maids] of the insect world?”
That finally was enough to send even Fayette for a loop, and the broom dropped to the ground. The [Maid] stared, affronted. “What—[Spider Maids]? Are you serious?”
“Of course! Think about it—we only saw spiders, spiders, and even more spiders in those caverns, because they were so effective at keeping the place clear! You can’t deny that, right?”
“Well, maybe, but—”
“Besides—” Marie held up a finger, waited for Fayette to shush, then started listing things out. “—they build up nests to their liking, using webs to make places suitable for spider life, and they catch all other pests about. Is that not a bit [Maid]-like?”
“Well, maybe a bit—but still…”
“And it’s not just a wild spider!” The [Lady] said, then pointed at Char. “If Mireille can train it properly, it might even help you keep other pests out.”
Mireille nodded. “I have [Beast Tamer], and besides…” she held the spider out, and it wiggled in her hand, all eight legs scuttling about. “—she’s pretty cute, right?”
And that made even Marie pause. The room fell into silence.
Fayette felt pity. Ah, being all alone in the mines really has gotten to her. Now her mind's gone all wrong. Finally, she turned away shaking her head, but still folded her arms and pouted. “Well—fine. But I’m still not satisfied with this.”
Mireille carefully approached, moving the spider to her shoulder. “I’ll make sure things go fine. Don’t you trust my skills?”
“I trust you enough, maybe you’ll be able to handle that thing. Just…”
She turned back around, pointing at herself. “If you get one, then I want a pet too!”
“What, like a cat?”
“No, those get so much hair everywhere. I want a… I don’t know. I’ll think of something.”
“Are you sure?” Olivia asked, rising up from her looming-spot. “Most animals are pretty messy.”
Fayette glared around the room. “I will have my pet—someday.” She said, a note of finality to it, daring anyone to disagree.
Marie just sighed, relieved that there had been no fire this time. She smiled at the [Maid]. “Well, I’m glad we got this all settled.”
Fayette frowned, then poked the [Lady] in the head. “Settled? Oh no, things aren’t settled for you yet. Teaming up against me like that… I think it’s finally time.”
“Time?” the [Lady] asked, taking a wary step back.
Fayette first looked at Oliva, then Mireille, then finally turned back to Marie. She nodded. “Time for you to spill all the secrets of nobility you’ve got hidden away in that head of yours!”
Mireille stood up—eyes gleaming. “Right! We’re pretty far away now from everything now, we should have time to go through all that!”
Olivia started sharpening her knife again, and the shadows seemed to grow around her. “Been a while since our last interrogation…”
Marie gulped.
—
Secrets. Secrets of nobility. Just what were all those powerful bloodlines keeping hidden? It was not for naught that [Spies] and [Infiltrators] carried much weight in this world—everyone wanted to know.
And there were no secrets within a hunter party. Everyone had agreed on that one.
And so, the interrogation began. Marie sat on the bed, sweating as three women loomed over her. They were negotiating. Who would get first pick? Eventually, Mireille won out, having picked out the longest stick. The others took a few steps back as she turned to Marie, smiling gently.
“Right, don’t worry Marie, we’re not in a hurry. We’ll get through everything.”
The [Lady] took in a deep breath, then firmed her eyes, fists tight. “I’m ready.”
Mireille nodded, satisfied. Char was sat upon her shoulder, peering curiously. “Right then. First issue—this one has really been nagging at me. You admitted yourself that you haven’t really done much of note before this, and you’re not that much older than the rest of us. So—”
She let the word drag, building anticipation, then clapped her hands. “—why are you so high-level? Higher than any of us?”
Marie blinked.
Mireille continued, eyes slowly growing bloodshot. “Does bloodline affect leveling pace? Can it be inherited? Some type of magic? There has to be something!”
“Well—I had [Tutors].”
The [Seamstress] spun around, and Char almost fell off. “What? [Tutors]? Is that really all it takes?”
Marie frowned. “Hey—it wasn’t easy. In families like ours, these types of things are carefully planned out—there’s not much room for mistakes.”
A vein bulged. “Not easy? A [Tutor] handing out levels is not easy?”
“They don’t just hand out levels!” Marie spat, a bit irritated. “They only plan things out—I still had to do it all! I first leveled to a level 15 [Sketcher] in one and a half years, upgraded the class, then gave it up, then used the bonus from that to level up my [Lady] class! The things I had to do weren’t easy, you know.”
Fayette scoffed, leaning against the room’s back wall. “One and a half years to level 15? Hardly impressive. I’m not sure I’m impressed with these tutors.”
Mireille spun around and gave her a quick hit on the head. “Shut up Fay! How long did it take you to get level 7 exactly? Do I need to remind you?”
The [Maid] thought for a moment. Her eyes widened. “Oh. Oh.”
The [Seamstress] closed her eyes. “I swear—your long-term memory… gah! I’m getting distracted again!”
She took some calming breaths, then examined the [Lady] with a careful eye. “So that’s the trick, eh? Compliment natural talent with a careful plan, then have some [Tutor] skills boost things. I guess some classes are easier to level than others. But—are there drawbacks?”
Marie nodded. “Fewer skills. I guess the sort of… artificial nature of it clashes with the path. And what good are levels really, if they don’t give out skills?”
Mireille hummed in thought. “So—could I try and redo my [Seamstress] class right now? How big is that bonus anyway? Could I zoom past this point?”
“No—that’s different,” Marie said, shaking her head. “There’s something different with using the same class—the first-time bonuses aren’t there anymore. Would be just self—sabotage.”
The [Seamstress] silently cursed, shook her fist at the sky, then walked to the side, giving the next person the stage.
Olivia stepped forward, giving the [Lady] a cool look.
“I only want to know one thing really.”
“One thing?” Marie asked, gulping—what sinister experiment would she…
The [Doctor] nodded. “One thing. Why exactly do they want people to get that license thing at their university before taking on a [Doctor] class? It’s really annoying.”
“Uhh—”
“They say it’s to make sure things are safe—and sure, their graduates do know a lot of things. But that shouldn’t matter. There are skills.” Olivia squeezed her fist, eyes growing intense for just a moment. “Damned skills. Don’t even need any knowledge if you have the right skills. Why does some license matter?”
“Sorry—but it’s just that… I don’t know.” Marie said, apologetic.
The [Doctor] stared. “You don’t know?”
“Nope. I haven’t been to the academy, really…”
“Shit,” Olivia cursed, then moved to the side. “Your turn, Fay.”
The [Maid] just stared at Marie for a long moment—then said one word. “Magic”.
“Magic?”
Fayette nodded. “Magic”.
And the [Lady] smiled. “That, I can tell you about.”
She looked over the room, and it wasn’t just the [Maid] who was focused on this answer. Olivia and Mireille also had that hunger in their eyes. Marie nodded at all three, forming her plan. “Right—I think… Shall we go then? Best we go outside—and maybe wait for nightfall. Because—”
She let the moment drag, seeing the building anticipation.
“—I can get you three tested.”
—
That night, on a hilltop just outside of town, four women gathered under the gleaming moon, ready to talk about magic. There was a slight fog out, and the leaves were rustling in the wind, like eerie chimes. A time for magic.
A [Witching] hour.
Fayette threw her arm out at the crescent moon.
“When shall we three meet again,
in thunder, lightning, or in rain?”
“Fay, there are four of us.”
“Mir! That’s not how the next part goes!”
“Do you really have to quote your books at a moment like this?”
“It’s not even a book, it’s a play! You are so uncivilized. Tell her, Marie.”
The [Lady] smiled as she prepared her tools, little pouches of powders and gleaming pieces of chalk. She looked up and winked at the [Maid], then gestured at the moon herself, chalk held up.
“When the [Hurlyburly’s] done,
When the battle’s lost and won.”
Fayette smiled and gave a grateful nod. “Thank you.”
Mireille groaned. “Great, now there are two of them.”
Olivia was just confused. “What even is a [Hurlyburly]?”
“It’s the main character’s capstone skill, always causes a disaster when used,” Fayette said, eyes shining.
Marie walked to their middle. “Have you really seen that play?”
Fayette grimaced. “No—just read the script. The [Lord] had it in his library.”
“Makes sense—it was a very fashionable thing some years back. You know, we should go see it sometime.”
“Wait, I can do that?”
“I don’t see why not.”
And the [Maid] smiled. “Yes, lets do it then! Once we have the money. And time.”
Marie made a discreet fist pump, but Mireille just stared, annoyed. “Weren’t we supposed to get to the magic?”
“It’s no hurry—the night is young.”
Olivia took out her notepad, ready to jot down any secrets revealed. “So—you really don’t need a special bloodline or anything to become a [Mage]?”
Marie nodded. “The way I see it—fundamentally, a [Mage] is no different from any other class.”
“But no other class uses magic,” Mireille said, pointing out the flawed reasoning. “Mundane tools with boosts from the system. But a [Mage] does not need skills at all to do that, right? How can that be the same?”
“Because—” Marie said, then let her magic out, lines of green spreading out on her skin, jagged but orderly, “—magic is just another tool. Like you using a needle, Olivia using a scalpel, or Fayette using a broom.”
“But that magic is in you, right? I don’t have needles growing out of my skin. You have magic all over yours.”
“No, that is where you are wrong.” Marie held her forearms out, showing everyone the magical diagrams that were slowly forming on the surfaces. “These are just bindings to guide the magic along, laid on me by our family’s [Mage]. The magic is not mine, any more than that needle is yours.”
Fayette recalled a curious bit, and circled the [Lady], eyeing her carefully. “That diagram at your back,” She finally said, “It never fades like the other bits.”
Marie blinked. “Well, it should fade.” She turned to the other two. “You two haven’t seen it lately, right?”
“Only when you use magic,” Olivia said, still jotting down every word into her notebook.
Mireille peered at the diagram, which shone through the clothing. “So, there is a difference? Does Fayette have magic, and we don’t?”
Marie shook her head. “No—but yes. There are differences, just as people have different natural talents. Some can run well, others have more nimble limbs, others are smarter. Magic potential is the same. Everyone has some, but everyone is not equal. But! None of you have magic yourselves. And neither do I.”
Fayette felt her pulse quicken, and she leaned forward. I have more potential? “Well, where does the magic come from, then? Monster cores?”
Marie gave an almost-nod and took a step back from the [Maid] right at her skin. “Close—but not quite. Mana monsterifies creatures, and they then start producing more mana. And you’ve heard the stories of that happening to people…”
Everyone shivered, Olivia most of all.
Then Mireille gasped with realization and snapped her fingers. “The fire elemental!”
Marie nodded. “Exactly. A [Mage] is actually a specialized class. Originally, there were only [Monster Binders].”
“Mages use monsters for magic?” Olivia asked, taking notes at an ever-growing pace.
“Well, basically, yes.” The [Lady] gestured at her back. “This diagram—it holds a bound earth elemental. A power source.”
There was a moment of silence, finally broken by a [Maid] who peered very close at the [Lady’s] back. Moonlight hit her dress, but a subtle green glow was also visible through. She squinted her eyes. “There’s a monster inside there? Ew.”
Marie flinched as if slapped, then covered her back with her arms, blushing. “What do you mean—ew? The way bindings work, it’s not even really there! It’s a whole dimension away!”
Fayette blinked. “Oh—alright then. That’s probably fine.”
Mireille sighed. “That’s… Really not the important part.” She looked up at the [Lady], face serious. “So using those bindings, you can control monsters?”
“To an extent—yes.”
“So all the monster attacks that have been on the rise…”
The [Lady] stood silent for a second, then started rapidly shaking her head. “Oh, no. Those are natural. Mostly. You can’t really control many monsters, you see. One or two is the maximum for most.”
Mireille let out a breath of relief. “How bad is it that we know this?”
Marie thought for a moment. “There are many non-nobles who know. Influential people, personal servants, merchants, that sort. But the actual teachings…” She shook her head.
“Right, I think I get it,” The [Seamstress] said, nodding. “You basically need a [Mage] to make a [Mage]. One binds a monster, then seals it, letting another person use it as a [Mage]. Just knowing how it works isn’t enough.”
“Can you teach us?” Fayette asked, almost vibrating from excitement. Magic, real magic! Could she do it too?
Marie hesitated. “Well—some. But I can’t do the full bindings. I’m a [Lady], not a [Mage], so I don’t have proper monster sealing from my class. Had to use free skills for that.”
Mireille poked the [Lady] in the back, and she jumped. The [Seamstress] was doubtful “So if someone messes with this thing—you can’t fix it? You’ll lose your magic?”
“Well, most of it. I have a skill now, [Earth Magic Affinity], which lets me use some on my own. But I can repair it too! A bit.”
Fayette dragged Mireille away. “Back to the teaching thing! No distractions.”
Enough with the interrogation! This was magic!
Marie gave a grateful nod, then took out a handful of glowing grey powder from a pouch. She cupped it in her hand, protecting it from the wind, and motioned the others closer.
They huddled together, like [Witches] in a moonlit coven, and the [Lady] began.
“I’ll let just a bit of mana seep into you with through powder here, a very safe amount, and then your body will respond. The response will color this powder depending on your affinities. Who wants to go first?”
Fayette instantly shot her arm forward, eyes shining. Marie nodded.
“Right, now stay still—this might tickle just a bit…”
Fayette held her breath as a third of the powder was dropped into Fayette’s outstretched hand. She almost shook when Marie then extended a small tendril of green magic through, touching the powder. She was sweating and holding back a twitch—it really did tickle her. What is it going to be? Fire? Fire would be nice…
The powder turned blue.
Fayette stared a long second, building heat turning cold then finally asked the burning question. “—that’s not fire, is it?”
Marie smiled. “Congratulations! You’ve got a decent capacity for water magic.”
Fayette felt a twinge of disappointment but held it back. Not fire. Well, maybe this could work too. Water is good.
Because her eyes were still shining like they had in her childhood, when she had first discovered the myriad stories hidden away in books. So what if it was not fire? It was still magic. “Can I now do magic? How do I start? Do I have to draw those things on?”
Mireille groaned, slapping her forehead. “Fay—did you not listen at all to the explanation earlier? You would need a bound monster to get mana from first.”
“Where can I get one?”
Marie’s face was apologetic. “Sorry—but I can’t do proper bindings, even if we did find one. Something close to water. We would need an actual [Mage] to do it.”
Fayette’s face fell. “Then I can’t do magic after all?”
“Well, not right now at least.”
All the magic in the moment faded. The mystic rustling of the leaves calmed, the moonlight went under shadow of cloud, and the poetry faded from her mind. A mundane night was left behind, just sticks, dirt and grass. No magic.
Fayette slumped backward, back falling into the soft grass, and her head bonked onto the ground.
“No… magic…”
Marie hesitated a moment, realizing she had made a slight miscalculation, then turned to the others with a forced smile. “Well, who’s next?”
Mireille shuffled closer and extended her arm. Same process, powder onto the arm, a hint of magic in the same spot, and the powder changed color.
A duller colour this time. Orangeish-brown.
Marie nodded. “Slight fire affinity. Weaker than Fayette was with water.”
The [Maid] covered her eyes and grumbled about things being unfair. Mireille just looked at the spot where magic had flowed, focused.
“How strong exactly is your affinity, Marie? If Fayette is decent, and I am less so…”
“Well—my family did choose this for me, you know. I am pretty fortunate—not quite like a proper [Archmage], but I reckon I could have been a decent [Mage] too.”
Mireille narrowed her eyes. “So if you are a good few steps above us—and I am a step below Fayette…” She sighed. “This won’t exactly do me much good, will it?”
“Well—no. Not really. Unless you get a really strong power source and practice a lot, but that would be dangerous and—” Marie was starting to realize she should have put more thought into this bit, then turned to the silent [Doctor].
“How about you?”
“I’ll pass.”
Everyone looked up at that, and Fayette almost bristled in outrage. “What? Olivia, what are you saying—that’s magic!”
Olivia just shook her head. “I’m not letting mana get close to my body, sorry. I’ve seen what it can do.”
Marie stilled. “I’ve noticed from your accent… but were you possibly at the Thames—”
“—Plague, yes.” The [Doctor] finished, face grim. She slowly took out her flask, and drank a long sip from it, then exhaled. “I’ve seen what rampaging mana can do to people. Monsters are bad enough—but when it happens to people and combines with disease…”
Marie shivered, nodding, then put away the last bit of the powder. “I don’t blame you.”
Fayette was just confused—she had no idea what the others were talking about. “Pss—Mireille, what was this Thames incident they’re talking about.” She asked, whispering.
The [Seamstress] shook her head. “I don’t remember much, not much news came out. It was some years back, I think. But—” she looked at the grim [Doctor] “—maybe now is not the time.”
Fayette sighed, then nodded, and laid herself back on the hilltop. After a moment of silence, Marie sat beside her.
“Sorry about the disappointment—but I just really don’t have the skills to do it properly. I thought this would be nice.”
The [Maid] stared at the moon above, as the clouds finally cleared enough for it to be seen. “Don’t worry, I don’t blame you,” she said, just a bit melancholy. “Just felt like a magical night. Not so much anymore.”
Marie was silent for a moment, then began taking out her drawing tools. “Well, there was a reason I wanted to do this at night. Do you want to make this just a bit more magical?”
Fayette’s heart thumped, and suddenly the moment was magical again. The wind blew through her hair, and her skin prickled at the cold night air, like a veil of mystic snow had just fallen on her. She turned her head to the smiling [Lady]. “How?”
A wink. “A bit of magic vision. What things really look like.”
Fayette began to get up manically, but Marie stopped her and gestured the [Maid] back down. “No—don’t get up, I’ll have to draw a sigil on you. Mireille, Olivia, do you want in?”
“No,” came one reply, the [Doctor’s], with little hesitation.
Mireille took a while longer. She watched the pair a moment, then turned to walk away. “…I think I’ll do this a bit later if you can. Let’s let Fayette have a go first, whatever this is.”
Two pairs of footsteps began trodding off, but Fayette didn’t hear them. She heard only the sound of Marie’s preparations, a bag being opened, and the [Lady’s] knees brushing on the grass as she kneeled. A face blocked her view of the sky.
And then Marie began drawing a pattern on her face. With Magic. Her heart thundered.
The paintbrush felt cool and soft, and there was a prickly feel from it, almost like something entering her. Mana? A safe amount, surely.
The [Lady’s] face was locked in focus, a slight bite at the lip and one eye closed, as she carefully measured each precise line. It felt like—three circles, and then a line, and then—
Then Marie pulled on a thread of magic, and a line came out from the [Maid’s] skin, attaching to the [Lady’s] forehead. A link, connecting one head to the other. It throbbed with a soft and calm power, like a small trickle of water above her eyes.
“With this—you should see something quite interesting,” Marie said, a twinkle in her eye. She moved over from her position, to sit by Fayette’s side.
And the [Maid] saw the sky again.
The second moon.
“What—is that?”
The normal moon was whiteish as always, and not full on this night. But the other one—the new one—it was bright. And blue. But the light—it seemed so much brighter. It shone full, an unnatural tone, and Fayette felt in her heart that it would never fade like the other one, but loom full like that, for eternity.
Marie spoke softly. “That—is the true form of this system of ours.”
Fayette remembered lines she had been taught from a book—but she had never really believed…. “I thought it was just a metaphor—a watchful eye…”
“Well, it is always watching, I suppose. Only the [Saints] know what’s up there.”
She tried speaking to it, that one option that always hung there in the background, ready to be accessed. She flexed a small mental bit, asking, but not choosing.
[Do you wish to forfeit your class, Combat Maid? You would gain an Uncommon leveling bonus to your next one.]
[Warning: This action cannot be revoked.]
As the messages came, Fayette almost felt like she saw a twinkle above, a thin line, some sort of connection. But much too small for her to truly make out. A mirage? She answered the prompt with a no, and the twinkle faded.
But there was still a second moon in the sky.
Magic.
And looking at it—she felt a longing. A call many had felt before. The very top of the world.
“I wonder—have any [Maids] ever been up there? Become [Saints]?”
Marie chuckled. “Hasn’t been an ascension in centuries, and I can’t say I’ve ever heard of a [Maid] reaching level 100.”
Fayette did not voice her answer.
zechamp
Secrets are revealed! Heck yeah, exposition dump time!
My writing pace is too slow lately... I'm trying to ramp up the final arc for the patreons but I've just been feeling so sleepy for some reason.
See you on Thursday!
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In the beginning, it is said there were no classes. What did that society look like? That is a question I ask myself often. What kind of ruler would make the ideal society? In the years 50-500AS, the Hellen city states employed a system of [Senators], who were elected by public vote. Naturally, only the educated were allowed to vote, but the system still had its issues.
Firstly, high-level [Senators] losing elections often caused disasters as their skills faded from the nation, which often meant that those high-level [Senators] preferred becoming [Tyrants] instead. Second, even times of stability and balance could be upset by particularly high-level [Nomad Warlords] riding out from the steppe and easily warding off the relatively weaker [Senators].
In addition to this system, there are the completely leaderless tribes of the east and west, as well as the…
-Opening words from Friend of the People, vol. 15. By P. Marat
—
A room in an inn was in a state of standoff. Not in Arreau, the party had hurried out of that town rather fast and had been circling back westward, until they had ended up in this standoff. One side: A [Maid] and her broom—A formidable foe certainly, despite the lack of metal casing on the tool. The other side: A [Seamstress] backed into the room’s corner, desperately protecting something within her arms.
Someone trying to protect, and someone trying to attack. A classic setup truly, one of the greats.
Like all standoffs, this one hadn’t started from nowhere. It was fated, even. Actions had consequences. Even ones put off and hidden. Even secret.
For all secrets are eventually revealed.
“Stop protecting that thing! I will kill it!”
“No you won’t! Back off Fay—there’s no reason for you to act like this!”
The [Maid] growled and took a step forward, broom looming. “It is a [Maid’s] duty!”
The [Seamstress] hissed, taking another step backward. “No, it’s not! This is a special case!”
“You know there are no special cases with these, don’t you remember what we’ve just been through? That… thing—How can you stand it?”
Mireille flared up in outrage, and threw her right hand out, revealing the white, fuzzy and little spider clutched against her chest. She pointed at it, her, proudly. “Char is not a thing! She’s a good girl, you’ll see.”
It was still small, the size of a fist, but growing. Eight eyes peered around curiously, and fuzzy legs wiggled.
Fayette flinched back, reeling in disgust. “It has a name?”
Mireille did not relent and held her gaze steady. “Of course, she has a name. She’s a good egg—ate all the others. She’ll behave.”
Yes, the spider had finally been revealed. Mireille had been hiding it for a few days now, but with a [Maid] about, no spider could truly stay undercover, or skirt, for long. This morning, the [Seamstress] had not been quick enough to hide Char when Fayette walked inside her room without knocking.
The result? Disaster. Marie was standing off to the side, hesitating as she looked between the pair, and even Olivia was glaring at the spider, as she ominously sharpened a knife in the room’s darkest corner, far from any windows.
Fayette gritted her teeth. “There are no good spiders. Do you have any idea how many webs I’ve had to remove in my life? And then the caverns…”
“You didn’t even have to eat spiders! You have no say in this!”
Fayette flinched back at the accusation, then looked around the room for support. She pointed at the ominous [Doctor], grinning. “I don’t? Well, even Olivia agrees, right? We can’t let that thing live.”
The gloomy figure stopped sharpening her knife, then blinked, relaxing instantly. “Oh—I don’t actually mind it.”
Fayette stumbled a step and stared, incredulous. “You don’t?”
Olivia shrugged. “A tool is a tool, that’s how I see it. I just wanted to practice being ominous.” She flipped the knife around, then went back to looming.
The [Maid] took a deep breath, saw the hesitation on Marie’s face, then turned back to Mireille, will still strong as the broom she held. “Well—I still don’t accept it! I’m the one who cleans around here, right? I have authority on pests.”
“Char is not a pest! Marie, help me out here, Fayette’s being dumb again.”
“Am not!”
“Just a moment, please—” a careful voice broke in, as Marie finally entered the conversation. She took a step forward, separating the quarrel, then turned to the [Maid]. “Fayette, I think you’re going about this all wrong.”
The broom was not lowered yet, and only a voice of doubt answered. “What do you mean?”
A clever gleam shone in Marie’s eyes. Of course, a [Lady] would never approach such a situation without a proper plan. “If you think about it, really—” she winked a conspiratorial eye, “—aren’t spiders just the [Maids] of the insect world?”
That finally was enough to send even Fayette for a loop, and the broom dropped to the ground. The [Maid] stared, affronted. “What—[Spider Maids]? Are you serious?”
“Of course! Think about it—we only saw spiders, spiders, and even more spiders in those caverns, because they were so effective at keeping the place clear! You can’t deny that, right?”
“Well, maybe, but—”
“Besides—” Marie held up a finger, waited for Fayette to shush, then started listing things out. “—they build up nests to their liking, using webs to make places suitable for spider life, and they catch all other pests about. Is that not a bit [Maid]-like?”
“Well, maybe a bit—but still…”
“And it’s not just a wild spider!” The [Lady] said, then pointed at Char. “If Mireille can train it properly, it might even help you keep other pests out.”
Mireille nodded. “I have [Beast Tamer], and besides…” she held the spider out, and it wiggled in her hand, all eight legs scuttling about. “—she’s pretty cute, right?”
And that made even Marie pause. The room fell into silence.
Fayette felt pity. Ah, being all alone in the mines really has gotten to her. Now her mind's gone all wrong. Finally, she turned away shaking her head, but still folded her arms and pouted. “Well—fine. But I’m still not satisfied with this.”
Mireille carefully approached, moving the spider to her shoulder. “I’ll make sure things go fine. Don’t you trust my skills?”
“I trust you enough, maybe you’ll be able to handle that thing. Just…”
She turned back around, pointing at herself. “If you get one, then I want a pet too!”
“What, like a cat?”
“No, those get so much hair everywhere. I want a… I don’t know. I’ll think of something.”
“Are you sure?” Olivia asked, rising up from her looming-spot. “Most animals are pretty messy.”
Fayette glared around the room. “I will have my pet—someday.” She said, a note of finality to it, daring anyone to disagree.
Marie just sighed, relieved that there had been no fire this time. She smiled at the [Maid]. “Well, I’m glad we got this all settled.”
Fayette frowned, then poked the [Lady] in the head. “Settled? Oh no, things aren’t settled for you yet. Teaming up against me like that… I think it’s finally time.”
“Time?” the [Lady] asked, taking a wary step back.
Fayette first looked at Oliva, then Mireille, then finally turned back to Marie. She nodded. “Time for you to spill all the secrets of nobility you’ve got hidden away in that head of yours!”
Mireille stood up—eyes gleaming. “Right! We’re pretty far away now from everything now, we should have time to go through all that!”
Olivia started sharpening her knife again, and the shadows seemed to grow around her. “Been a while since our last interrogation…”
Marie gulped.
—
Secrets. Secrets of nobility. Just what were all those powerful bloodlines keeping hidden? It was not for naught that [Spies] and [Infiltrators] carried much weight in this world—everyone wanted to know.
And there were no secrets within a hunter party. Everyone had agreed on that one.
And so, the interrogation began. Marie sat on the bed, sweating as three women loomed over her. They were negotiating. Who would get first pick? Eventually, Mireille won out, having picked out the longest stick. The others took a few steps back as she turned to Marie, smiling gently.
“Right, don’t worry Marie, we’re not in a hurry. We’ll get through everything.”
The [Lady] took in a deep breath, then firmed her eyes, fists tight. “I’m ready.”
Mireille nodded, satisfied. Char was sat upon her shoulder, peering curiously. “Right then. First issue—this one has really been nagging at me. You admitted yourself that you haven’t really done much of note before this, and you’re not that much older than the rest of us. So—”
She let the word drag, building anticipation, then clapped her hands. “—why are you so high-level? Higher than any of us?”
Marie blinked.
Mireille continued, eyes slowly growing bloodshot. “Does bloodline affect leveling pace? Can it be inherited? Some type of magic? There has to be something!”
“Well—I had [Tutors].”
The [Seamstress] spun around, and Char almost fell off. “What? [Tutors]? Is that really all it takes?”
Marie frowned. “Hey—it wasn’t easy. In families like ours, these types of things are carefully planned out—there’s not much room for mistakes.”
A vein bulged. “Not easy? A [Tutor] handing out levels is not easy?”
“They don’t just hand out levels!” Marie spat, a bit irritated. “They only plan things out—I still had to do it all! I first leveled to a level 15 [Sketcher] in one and a half years, upgraded the class, then gave it up, then used the bonus from that to level up my [Lady] class! The things I had to do weren’t easy, you know.”
Fayette scoffed, leaning against the room’s back wall. “One and a half years to level 15? Hardly impressive. I’m not sure I’m impressed with these tutors.”
Mireille spun around and gave her a quick hit on the head. “Shut up Fay! How long did it take you to get level 7 exactly? Do I need to remind you?”
The [Maid] thought for a moment. Her eyes widened. “Oh. Oh.”
The [Seamstress] closed her eyes. “I swear—your long-term memory… gah! I’m getting distracted again!”
She took some calming breaths, then examined the [Lady] with a careful eye. “So that’s the trick, eh? Compliment natural talent with a careful plan, then have some [Tutor] skills boost things. I guess some classes are easier to level than others. But—are there drawbacks?”
Marie nodded. “Fewer skills. I guess the sort of… artificial nature of it clashes with the path. And what good are levels really, if they don’t give out skills?”
Mireille hummed in thought. “So—could I try and redo my [Seamstress] class right now? How big is that bonus anyway? Could I zoom past this point?”
“No—that’s different,” Marie said, shaking her head. “There’s something different with using the same class—the first-time bonuses aren’t there anymore. Would be just self—sabotage.”
The [Seamstress] silently cursed, shook her fist at the sky, then walked to the side, giving the next person the stage.
Olivia stepped forward, giving the [Lady] a cool look.
“I only want to know one thing really.”
“One thing?” Marie asked, gulping—what sinister experiment would she…
The [Doctor] nodded. “One thing. Why exactly do they want people to get that license thing at their university before taking on a [Doctor] class? It’s really annoying.”
“Uhh—”
“They say it’s to make sure things are safe—and sure, their graduates do know a lot of things. But that shouldn’t matter. There are skills.” Olivia squeezed her fist, eyes growing intense for just a moment. “Damned skills. Don’t even need any knowledge if you have the right skills. Why does some license matter?”
“Sorry—but it’s just that… I don’t know.” Marie said, apologetic.
The [Doctor] stared. “You don’t know?”
“Nope. I haven’t been to the academy, really…”
“Shit,” Olivia cursed, then moved to the side. “Your turn, Fay.”
The [Maid] just stared at Marie for a long moment—then said one word. “Magic”.
“Magic?”
Fayette nodded. “Magic”.
And the [Lady] smiled. “That, I can tell you about.”
She looked over the room, and it wasn’t just the [Maid] who was focused on this answer. Olivia and Mireille also had that hunger in their eyes. Marie nodded at all three, forming her plan. “Right—I think… Shall we go then? Best we go outside—and maybe wait for nightfall. Because—”
She let the moment drag, seeing the building anticipation.
“—I can get you three tested.”
—
That night, on a hilltop just outside of town, four women gathered under the gleaming moon, ready to talk about magic. There was a slight fog out, and the leaves were rustling in the wind, like eerie chimes. A time for magic.
A [Witching] hour.
Fayette threw her arm out at the crescent moon.
“When shall we three meet again,
in thunder, lightning, or in rain?”
“Fay, there are four of us.”
“Mir! That’s not how the next part goes!”
“Do you really have to quote your books at a moment like this?”
“It’s not even a book, it’s a play! You are so uncivilized. Tell her, Marie.”
The [Lady] smiled as she prepared her tools, little pouches of powders and gleaming pieces of chalk. She looked up and winked at the [Maid], then gestured at the moon herself, chalk held up.
“When the [Hurlyburly’s] done,
When the battle’s lost and won.”
Fayette smiled and gave a grateful nod. “Thank you.”
Mireille groaned. “Great, now there are two of them.”
Olivia was just confused. “What even is a [Hurlyburly]?”
“It’s the main character’s capstone skill, always causes a disaster when used,” Fayette said, eyes shining.
Marie walked to their middle. “Have you really seen that play?”
Fayette grimaced. “No—just read the script. The [Lord] had it in his library.”
“Makes sense—it was a very fashionable thing some years back. You know, we should go see it sometime.”
“Wait, I can do that?”
“I don’t see why not.”
And the [Maid] smiled. “Yes, lets do it then! Once we have the money. And time.”
Marie made a discreet fist pump, but Mireille just stared, annoyed. “Weren’t we supposed to get to the magic?”
“It’s no hurry—the night is young.”
Olivia took out her notepad, ready to jot down any secrets revealed. “So—you really don’t need a special bloodline or anything to become a [Mage]?”
Marie nodded. “The way I see it—fundamentally, a [Mage] is no different from any other class.”
“But no other class uses magic,” Mireille said, pointing out the flawed reasoning. “Mundane tools with boosts from the system. But a [Mage] does not need skills at all to do that, right? How can that be the same?”
“Because—” Marie said, then let her magic out, lines of green spreading out on her skin, jagged but orderly, “—magic is just another tool. Like you using a needle, Olivia using a scalpel, or Fayette using a broom.”
“But that magic is in you, right? I don’t have needles growing out of my skin. You have magic all over yours.”
“No, that is where you are wrong.” Marie held her forearms out, showing everyone the magical diagrams that were slowly forming on the surfaces. “These are just bindings to guide the magic along, laid on me by our family’s [Mage]. The magic is not mine, any more than that needle is yours.”
Fayette recalled a curious bit, and circled the [Lady], eyeing her carefully. “That diagram at your back,” She finally said, “It never fades like the other bits.”
Marie blinked. “Well, it should fade.” She turned to the other two. “You two haven’t seen it lately, right?”
“Only when you use magic,” Olivia said, still jotting down every word into her notebook.
Mireille peered at the diagram, which shone through the clothing. “So, there is a difference? Does Fayette have magic, and we don’t?”
Marie shook her head. “No—but yes. There are differences, just as people have different natural talents. Some can run well, others have more nimble limbs, others are smarter. Magic potential is the same. Everyone has some, but everyone is not equal. But! None of you have magic yourselves. And neither do I.”
Fayette felt her pulse quicken, and she leaned forward. I have more potential? “Well, where does the magic come from, then? Monster cores?”
Marie gave an almost-nod and took a step back from the [Maid] right at her skin. “Close—but not quite. Mana monsterifies creatures, and they then start producing more mana. And you’ve heard the stories of that happening to people…”
Everyone shivered, Olivia most of all.
Then Mireille gasped with realization and snapped her fingers. “The fire elemental!”
Marie nodded. “Exactly. A [Mage] is actually a specialized class. Originally, there were only [Monster Binders].”
“Mages use monsters for magic?” Olivia asked, taking notes at an ever-growing pace.
“Well, basically, yes.” The [Lady] gestured at her back. “This diagram—it holds a bound earth elemental. A power source.”
There was a moment of silence, finally broken by a [Maid] who peered very close at the [Lady’s] back. Moonlight hit her dress, but a subtle green glow was also visible through. She squinted her eyes. “There’s a monster inside there? Ew.”
Marie flinched as if slapped, then covered her back with her arms, blushing. “What do you mean—ew? The way bindings work, it’s not even really there! It’s a whole dimension away!”
Fayette blinked. “Oh—alright then. That’s probably fine.”
Mireille sighed. “That’s… Really not the important part.” She looked up at the [Lady], face serious. “So using those bindings, you can control monsters?”
“To an extent—yes.”
“So all the monster attacks that have been on the rise…”
The [Lady] stood silent for a second, then started rapidly shaking her head. “Oh, no. Those are natural. Mostly. You can’t really control many monsters, you see. One or two is the maximum for most.”
Mireille let out a breath of relief. “How bad is it that we know this?”
Marie thought for a moment. “There are many non-nobles who know. Influential people, personal servants, merchants, that sort. But the actual teachings…” She shook her head.
“Right, I think I get it,” The [Seamstress] said, nodding. “You basically need a [Mage] to make a [Mage]. One binds a monster, then seals it, letting another person use it as a [Mage]. Just knowing how it works isn’t enough.”
“Can you teach us?” Fayette asked, almost vibrating from excitement. Magic, real magic! Could she do it too?
Marie hesitated. “Well—some. But I can’t do the full bindings. I’m a [Lady], not a [Mage], so I don’t have proper monster sealing from my class. Had to use free skills for that.”
Mireille poked the [Lady] in the back, and she jumped. The [Seamstress] was doubtful “So if someone messes with this thing—you can’t fix it? You’ll lose your magic?”
“Well, most of it. I have a skill now, [Earth Magic Affinity], which lets me use some on my own. But I can repair it too! A bit.”
Fayette dragged Mireille away. “Back to the teaching thing! No distractions.”
Enough with the interrogation! This was magic!
Marie gave a grateful nod, then took out a handful of glowing grey powder from a pouch. She cupped it in her hand, protecting it from the wind, and motioned the others closer.
They huddled together, like [Witches] in a moonlit coven, and the [Lady] began.
“I’ll let just a bit of mana seep into you with through powder here, a very safe amount, and then your body will respond. The response will color this powder depending on your affinities. Who wants to go first?”
Fayette instantly shot her arm forward, eyes shining. Marie nodded.
“Right, now stay still—this might tickle just a bit…”
Fayette held her breath as a third of the powder was dropped into Fayette’s outstretched hand. She almost shook when Marie then extended a small tendril of green magic through, touching the powder. She was sweating and holding back a twitch—it really did tickle her. What is it going to be? Fire? Fire would be nice…
The powder turned blue.
Fayette stared a long second, building heat turning cold then finally asked the burning question. “—that’s not fire, is it?”
Marie smiled. “Congratulations! You’ve got a decent capacity for water magic.”
Fayette felt a twinge of disappointment but held it back. Not fire. Well, maybe this could work too. Water is good.
Because her eyes were still shining like they had in her childhood, when she had first discovered the myriad stories hidden away in books. So what if it was not fire? It was still magic. “Can I now do magic? How do I start? Do I have to draw those things on?”
Mireille groaned, slapping her forehead. “Fay—did you not listen at all to the explanation earlier? You would need a bound monster to get mana from first.”
“Where can I get one?”
Marie’s face was apologetic. “Sorry—but I can’t do proper bindings, even if we did find one. Something close to water. We would need an actual [Mage] to do it.”
Fayette’s face fell. “Then I can’t do magic after all?”
“Well, not right now at least.”
All the magic in the moment faded. The mystic rustling of the leaves calmed, the moonlight went under shadow of cloud, and the poetry faded from her mind. A mundane night was left behind, just sticks, dirt and grass. No magic.
Fayette slumped backward, back falling into the soft grass, and her head bonked onto the ground.
“No… magic…”
Marie hesitated a moment, realizing she had made a slight miscalculation, then turned to the others with a forced smile. “Well, who’s next?”
Mireille shuffled closer and extended her arm. Same process, powder onto the arm, a hint of magic in the same spot, and the powder changed color.
A duller colour this time. Orangeish-brown.
Marie nodded. “Slight fire affinity. Weaker than Fayette was with water.”
The [Maid] covered her eyes and grumbled about things being unfair. Mireille just looked at the spot where magic had flowed, focused.
“How strong exactly is your affinity, Marie? If Fayette is decent, and I am less so…”
“Well—my family did choose this for me, you know. I am pretty fortunate—not quite like a proper [Archmage], but I reckon I could have been a decent [Mage] too.”
Mireille narrowed her eyes. “So if you are a good few steps above us—and I am a step below Fayette…” She sighed. “This won’t exactly do me much good, will it?”
“Well—no. Not really. Unless you get a really strong power source and practice a lot, but that would be dangerous and—” Marie was starting to realize she should have put more thought into this bit, then turned to the silent [Doctor].
“How about you?”
“I’ll pass.”
Everyone looked up at that, and Fayette almost bristled in outrage. “What? Olivia, what are you saying—that’s magic!”
Olivia just shook her head. “I’m not letting mana get close to my body, sorry. I’ve seen what it can do.”
Marie stilled. “I’ve noticed from your accent… but were you possibly at the Thames—”
“—Plague, yes.” The [Doctor] finished, face grim. She slowly took out her flask, and drank a long sip from it, then exhaled. “I’ve seen what rampaging mana can do to people. Monsters are bad enough—but when it happens to people and combines with disease…”
Marie shivered, nodding, then put away the last bit of the powder. “I don’t blame you.”
Fayette was just confused—she had no idea what the others were talking about. “Pss—Mireille, what was this Thames incident they’re talking about.” She asked, whispering.
The [Seamstress] shook her head. “I don’t remember much, not much news came out. It was some years back, I think. But—” she looked at the grim [Doctor] “—maybe now is not the time.”
Fayette sighed, then nodded, and laid herself back on the hilltop. After a moment of silence, Marie sat beside her.
“Sorry about the disappointment—but I just really don’t have the skills to do it properly. I thought this would be nice.”
The [Maid] stared at the moon above, as the clouds finally cleared enough for it to be seen. “Don’t worry, I don’t blame you,” she said, just a bit melancholy. “Just felt like a magical night. Not so much anymore.”
Marie was silent for a moment, then began taking out her drawing tools. “Well, there was a reason I wanted to do this at night. Do you want to make this just a bit more magical?”
Fayette’s heart thumped, and suddenly the moment was magical again. The wind blew through her hair, and her skin prickled at the cold night air, like a veil of mystic snow had just fallen on her. She turned her head to the smiling [Lady]. “How?”
A wink. “A bit of magic vision. What things really look like.”
Fayette began to get up manically, but Marie stopped her and gestured the [Maid] back down. “No—don’t get up, I’ll have to draw a sigil on you. Mireille, Olivia, do you want in?”
“No,” came one reply, the [Doctor’s], with little hesitation.
Mireille took a while longer. She watched the pair a moment, then turned to walk away. “…I think I’ll do this a bit later if you can. Let’s let Fayette have a go first, whatever this is.”
Two pairs of footsteps began trodding off, but Fayette didn’t hear them. She heard only the sound of Marie’s preparations, a bag being opened, and the [Lady’s] knees brushing on the grass as she kneeled. A face blocked her view of the sky.
And then Marie began drawing a pattern on her face. With Magic. Her heart thundered.
The paintbrush felt cool and soft, and there was a prickly feel from it, almost like something entering her. Mana? A safe amount, surely.
The [Lady’s] face was locked in focus, a slight bite at the lip and one eye closed, as she carefully measured each precise line. It felt like—three circles, and then a line, and then—
Then Marie pulled on a thread of magic, and a line came out from the [Maid’s] skin, attaching to the [Lady’s] forehead. A link, connecting one head to the other. It throbbed with a soft and calm power, like a small trickle of water above her eyes.
“With this—you should see something quite interesting,” Marie said, a twinkle in her eye. She moved over from her position, to sit by Fayette’s side.
And the [Maid] saw the sky again.
The second moon.
“What—is that?”
The normal moon was whiteish as always, and not full on this night. But the other one—the new one—it was bright. And blue. But the light—it seemed so much brighter. It shone full, an unnatural tone, and Fayette felt in her heart that it would never fade like the other one, but loom full like that, for eternity.
Marie spoke softly. “That—is the true form of this system of ours.”
Fayette remembered lines she had been taught from a book—but she had never really believed…. “I thought it was just a metaphor—a watchful eye…”
“Well, it is always watching, I suppose. Only the [Saints] know what’s up there.”
She tried speaking to it, that one option that always hung there in the background, ready to be accessed. She flexed a small mental bit, asking, but not choosing.
[Do you wish to forfeit your class, Combat Maid? You would gain an Uncommon leveling bonus to your next one.]
[Warning: This action cannot be revoked.]
As the messages came, Fayette almost felt like she saw a twinkle above, a thin line, some sort of connection. But much too small for her to truly make out. A mirage? She answered the prompt with a no, and the twinkle faded.
But there was still a second moon in the sky.
Magic.
And looking at it—she felt a longing. A call many had felt before. The very top of the world.
“I wonder—have any [Maids] ever been up there? Become [Saints]?”
Marie chuckled. “Hasn’t been an ascension in centuries, and I can’t say I’ve ever heard of a [Maid] reaching level 100.”
Fayette did not voice her answer.
zechamp
Secrets are revealed! Heck yeah, exposition dump time!
My writing pace is too slow lately... I'm trying to ramp up the final arc for the patreons but I've just been feeling so sleepy for some reason.
See you on Thursday!
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