In Loki's Honor

Our close relationship with the [Saintess]' guardians kept most of the sniveling conniving nobles away from us. Of course those of our faction, I mean, Hamilton's faction made sure to be very accommodating of us. An audience with the King during such events was very rare, and the fact Barbara returned with a title showed where His Majesty's favor lay.

I told Barbara.

Everywhere in places away from the circulation corridors, one could find long tables full of food. No plates, no silverware. Eating without embarrassing oneself was one of the many cruel games the nobility played on themselves. Finger food was a concept I only knew in mom's book also. The solution, as always, was to use magic. Levitating charms, cutting spells, and other enchanted curios were the norm.

Barbara was more than ready with her [Crystallomancer] cantrips. While she ate slowly with all the dignity a noble should display, I was absorbed in thought.

Nenandil and Pandora were off-world. Literally, in space. Their task was one of utmost importance and secrecy, something that was more important than looking for mom. Looking for me.

It hurt a bit. I was sure it would hurt more if I had my full memories.

Sorting my feelings, I thought about my current situation. I had a task more important than reuniting with them. Barbara, and me playing Lorna's game. The people mom left behind. Those who came back and lived once more.

I felt like I was ramming my cover into a stone wall. Wasting time and effort. This, my existence, my past lives, everything, it wasn't a race. It was a marathon. The longest one. A hundred deaths also meant a hundred lives.

I checked the curse erosion status. Eight hundred and thirty-eight years to break the curse. The last attempt of foolish deities, usurpers once mortal who tried to take this world as their own hedonistic playground. They tried to neuter mom by making her forget. And they will succeed, once my existence as The Netherbane Syllabus ends. In my next life, when I'll be born as a clueless infant, won't have the same reminders of my past glory as of the current and previous ones.

A half-broken curse will do no good to them. I had to change my focus. Run the marathon, move into a new place, instead of crumpling my pages on an Adamantite wall.

My Magic score, free of any fetters, helped me a lot. Hundreds of points weren't fed to [Surpasser]. I should do the same to the other Attributes as well.

I shifted [Erode Curse] from the Broodmother's curse to [Major Feeblemind ], the one capping my Mental Attributes at 20%. Then the Spiritual, and Physical ones.

Checking the required MP, I find a cost of 138,019,073,569 MP to crack [Major Feeblemind], then the same value to convert it to a Perk. Just one-hundred and thirty-eight billion. Twenty-nine years to break it on its own. Much better. This value will drop vertiginously once I level up and add a few more points to both Magic and Luck.

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While I delved deep into the mysteries of the Status Screen, the party moved on. The [Royal Criers] lined up and all conversations died. The guest of honor had arrived.

"His Highness, Himmel the [Troll-Slayer]!"

A vivacious and young satyr male, wearing a gold-trimmed jacket with military honors and trousers full of holes that, while doing a good job of covering his modesty, showed a lot of the white fur of his legs. He had curved horns like those of a ram and light purple hair. His hooves were clad in golden sabatons and made a great deal of noise as he walked.

The [Prince] looked around the ballroom and his eyes lingered in some places. On Barbara and I for a brief while, and then all he could see was the kitsune [Saintess]. To me, it was obvious the man was infatuated with the six tails waving behind the lady.

"So," Eleanora whispered as she nudged Barbara with an elbow, "I heard this story about the Royal family's ancestor. The Unicorn King."

"What about His Majesty's ancestor?" Barbara asked.

"It is said that the Unicorn King was a man of unsurpassed beauty and libido. Any female who laid eyes on Him was instantly awestruck and in love with Him."

You see, certain tales are eternal. Usually the lewd ones.

"Yeah, sounds impressive," Barbara deadpanned. She was being polite because her feelings said otherwise. Probably to avoid having any eavesdroppers say she'd offended the King. Ancestor. Whatever. Snowdrop's great-grandfather.

The [Prince] sat on his throne on the balcony overlooking the venue, and people shifted to start the next phase of the festivities. Gift-giving. The kids and I worked hard on ours, so we went to get it ready like everyone else.

Which meant lining up. Everyone had theirs in their storage item.

The nobles lined up in order of importance. The lesser ones went first, then the others. That was so no upstart could outshine a higher noble. I was sure the higher echelons all had several options of gifts to give and would select one who could look impressive when compared to everyone before them. So it was important to not give a gift that was too expensive early on, or you'd piss off a lot of counts, marquises, dukes, and whatnots.

Ours would be given as a joint faction gift, and we would go right before the first count. Lord Hamilton, the father, had a gift of his own.

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Despite the excitement of the nobles, some people couldn't help but feel bored.

"I can't believe neither husband nor sister wouldn't give me the time of the day," the Kitsune whined to Arista.

"Be patient, Kasumi. They can't join you yet," the dolphin-mermaid replied. "They are trying to blaze their own trail. Besides, neither truly remembers you."

"A tragedy I tried to fix. The System won't obey my wishes," Kasumi the [Saintess] lamented. "It's frustrating! I crossed the world to come here to see them, and now I'm stuck in a political event!"

"I understand what you feel," Lily sighed. "I can't believe I'm in Pekothas court, after all these thousands of years."

"Makes one wish to blow this up again, right?" Kasumi joked.

"Be patient. I can assure you we'll find an opportunity to talk before the night is over," Arista insisted.

The Kitsune's heart wavered. She felt jealous of her sister's reincarnation, for being able to hold and bond as a familiar with the person she desired the most. Yet, it was her beloved sister's reincarnation. Too bad some external force forbade her from using [Saintess Magic] on them. Made her wish to burn everything else around them, just for being on the way.

A century was a lot of time. She'd be an old crone if not for that same cheat magic keeping her young. All the time she spent on that gilded tower, and now she wanted everything back with a vengeance. She didn't want to wait five minutes if possible.

A liveried servant approached. "Your Holiness [Saintess], His Royal Highness Himmel wishes for your company," he said with a deep bow.

Perhaps the Prince could alleviate her boredom. It was worth a shot.

"Lead the way."

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Boredom. Prince Himmel was bored of all these conniving sniveling nobles lining up to cajole some favor out of him. Attending his own birthday party felt like a chore. He would rather be fighting or courting a fine lady. Like the [Saintess] over there. He would love to find out how all those tails remained attached to her butt. Up close.

He motioned for one of his aides. "Ask her Holiness the [Saintess] to join me."

The aide bowed and left. Efficiency was something Himmel admired in his servants. Minutes later, the Kitsune woman approached, with her two fourth-tier bodyguards in tow. One disapproving glare from him and the knights blocked the mercenaries' path. Himmel would not suffer eavesdroppers on his conversation with the woman. They didn't fight back, just sent some warning to their ward. Preposterous, nowhere else would the [Saintess] be safer than by his side.

"Your Holiness, I am honored you chose to join me," he greeted her with a wide grin.

"Your Highness, happy birthday," the Kitsune replied.

Himmel noticed her tails were still. A bad sign. "What bothers you, my Lady?"

"The mimic," she blurted out before she could rein in her emotions.

"Disgusting, right?" Himmel said.

She almost smote the [Prince] on the spot. Her mind concocted mischief, and she put it into action. Maybe the [Prince] would entertain her. "A monster among us," She whispered.

Himmel pointed at the throne to his left, "Indeed. Please, have a seat. is there anything you wish?"

"Who hasn't wishes? Even the Goddess wishes for something unattainable to her," Kasumi replied wistfully. "I bet Your Highness has wishes as well. Please, tell me. Maybe this [Saintess] can grant it."

Himmel grinned and leaned next to her. He was putting all his physical gifts on display. Almost all of them. "Indeed. I am sure the Lady can grant my wish if she feels so inclined."

Kasumi was a century old. She knew very well what head the man was using to think right now. Yet, it played into her plans. Returning the smile, she nodded. "By all means, please tell. I'd be delighted to oblige."

"Marry me," Himmel said straight away. "Rule as my Queen."

She froze for a moment. It was unconscionable but she knew what to do. Himmel had just sprung her trap. "Yes, with one condition."

"Anything."

"Slay the mimic. Tradition sets aside a portion of the evening for demonstrations of magical and physical prowess, right? Challenge the mimic to a duel, and kill it. I'll be your wife if you do so."

Kasumi knew the odds of this Satyr brat killing her true husband's reincarnation was less than zero. Yet she knew the mimic would be pissed at her. Then he would have no choice but to give her attention and then forgive her because she knew he loved her. The horny Satyr would make a fool of himself, maybe even die and feed his Exp to Netherbane. She failed to see how this could go wrong.