Fall of Autumn, Week 4, Day 5

  Back in my room, I ran my fingers over the front of my spellbook.

  Theoretically, I had unlocked the next lesson, but I hadn’t opened the book to check. On the journey over, I hit Level 10 in both [Mana Sense] and [Mana Manipulation], both of which gave great boons once I got to their milestone levels. [Mana Sense] allowed me to separate elemental mana from ambient mana, and [Mana Manipulation] helped me stop the leaks from practicing my mana Skills.

  Slipping my nail between the pages, I flipped the book open. Within, I watched the third chapter begin to write itself—the large, simple-to-read letters filled page after page, unlocking the next group all at once. The subject of this chapter was ‘Rune Creation and You.’ I felt the weight of the paper grow and flicked through twenty pages of information, scanning the words at first, then going back to the beginning and re-reading with my full focus.

  ‘I want you to imagine that you are a Ruler. That everything around you is meant for you —mana and all. Then, I want you to use your Skills. Use [Mana Sense] to examine this page, tracing the letters with your eyes. Then, I want you to use [Mana Manipulation] to pull the ambient mana to form the same words. Practice until you can maintain even the most difficult of words.’

  I looked over the page carefully, taking in the directions.

  Imagine that you are a Ruler, it said.

  But I didn’t need to imagine. Because I wasn’t something so lowly. I was a God—the God of Nora. Anything under the domain of my Skills was owned. Claimed. Forced under my control. And [Mana Sense] was nothing if not mine.

  [Mana Sense]

  The black letters began to shine in a pale light. I re-read the passage, taking it in. As I did so, additional words appeared in the margins.

  ‘Good job!’

  ‘Keep going!’

  ‘You can do it!’

  There were even little stars and hearts drawn in mana.

  A small smile graced my lips, and I powered on.

  [Mana Manipulation]

  I began pulling motes of mana to form an ‘I,’ but my control was clunky. And the motes were slow in answering my commands —though they did answer. It was a painstaking process to drag each mote to the letter. In order to even somewhat look as neat as the letter on the page, I had to increase the size of the letters. No longer were they able to fit on a page. Now, with every letter I added, I took up more space in my vision. Midway on the first page, I could feel the strain of holding the letters together. By the end of the page, I felt sweat bead on my forehead. Midway on the second page, my hands began to shake. And by the time I was on the final line of the second page, I was nearing the limit of my focus. Around me, letters floated, taking up the entirety of my vision. From several feet above me to the air by my feet, it had all of the information from the book. Every letter, every punctuation mark. It was all held together by sheer force of will.

  Letting out a shaking breath, I flipped the page of the book.

  What’s next? What can I do next?

  I blinked as I read the words on the page. They were simple, easy to understand. And they were a relief.

  ‘Good work! Now, let the words go. Release the mana slowly, letter by letter, until the motes of power return to where they ought to be.’

  As the book said, I slowly released my control over the mana-mote words. But as I did so, the words remained. Slightly ajar and not as tightly packed, but still legible. My eyes flicked back to the bottom of the page.

  ‘Remember, mana is a gift from Gargantua. When we can, we must say thank you and return it home.’

  I took a breath, solidifying my intent—my true gratitude and my deep desire for the mana to disperse. And then I spoke.

  “Thank you. Have a safe trip home.”

  At once, the words dispersed fully, the motes of mana fluttering away, returning to the loose flow of their natural state. Satisfaction filled me, and the small smile I’d been wearing widened.

  I flipped another page, and my smile turned into a focused frown. This one was similar to the original instructions; instead of mimicking the letters on the page, there was an image. It was three simple depictions: a star, a circle, and a square. It seemed much easier than the original requirement, but there was another stipulation this time. The symbols had to be created in a minute or less.

  I swallowed thickly and gave it an attempt. It took me five minutes and thirty-two seconds to form all three symbols. The second attempt took six minutes and seven seconds. It was the third attempt that I made positive progress. It only took five minutes and twelve seconds.

  After several more attempts, I moved to a more comfortable position on the couch and leaned back, creating the symbols in the air above me over and over and over again.

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  By the time dinner had come and passed I was still at three minutes and twenty seconds. Remarkable progress, but not enough to meet the demands of the spellbook.

  I released a sigh and got back to work. I practiced until I fell asleep —Noir tucked into my side, unanimated.

  When the morning came, I opened my eyes to the sounds of someone knocking on my door.

  >Up, Nora.< The voice came gently, but still, I swatted it away.

  Groggily, I rose from the couch and made my way to the door. I was still in my clothes from the day before, and my hair was messy from wiggling in my sleep, but none of that really mattered. I was, of course, the only Dawn around.

  “Good morning,” I croaked out as I opened the door to the wide eyes of a young girl.

  Juniper.

  “My Lady, I was sent with breakfast today. I apologize if I woke you.” She was gripping a cart so tight that her knuckles were white, and I shrugged.

  I glanced at a window, where the suns were higher in the sky than I’d expected. I hummed in acknowledgment.

  “No need to worry about that. Now is the perfect time to wake up and eat.” I opened the door wider for her to come in.

  It was the first time Juniper had been sent to deliver my meals since arriving, but it was exactly what I wanted. Another chance to figure her out. She was materialistic, yes, but she was kind, protective, and loads of other things I was sure. And [Otherworldly] had brought me to her.

  I wiped the sleep from my eyes as Juniper set up breakfast—a single place setting. That wouldn’t do.

  “Do you have another set of dishes?” I asked skeptically.

  “I do?” Juniper looked at me, her brows furrowed, “Is this one no good?”

  I shook my head, “It’s fine, but I’d like you to set two places at the table.”

  I watched as her eyes flicked from the cart to the table, processing. After a long moment, she carefully set out a second place setting. As she began taking dishes from the cart and setting them up on the table, I came up on the other side and began rearranging them to be more toward the center of the two place settings. Juniper continued, unnoticing. It wasn’t until she’d emptied all of the dishes that she finally looked at the table more intently.

  “Lady Nora–” she started but cut herself off and waved at the table.

  I smiled back at her, “Don’t think about it too much, just sit and enjoy breakfast.”

  Looking both eager and at a loss for words, Juniper simply slid into the chair set up for herself.

  We ate slowly and in silence at first. It was a long minute before Juniper spoke.

  “My Lady, thank you.”

  She said it quietly, almost as if I wasn’t supposed to hear it.

  “You’re welcome,” I said, because what else was there to say? I wasn’t so ignorant that I didn’t understand the relationship we were destined to have. “But I have a question.”

  Juniper froze with her fork to her face. She set the bite she was about to take back down and straightened up, “Ask away, Lady Nora.”

  “Will you be my personal maid?”

  I had been thinking about it since the maids had started talking about Juniper in the days prior. A hireling my age. One with clear motivations, one who reminded me of an old friend. One who needed money.

  Juniper, however, looked as if she’d been kicked. Not in the way of pain, but in the way of shock.

  “Me?” She asked, her breathing heavy.

  “You.” I smiled.

  “But there’s so many—no. Um. Are you sure you want me? I’m not even a maid.” I could see the mental gymnastics Juniper was doing in her head to make sense of the offer, “I haven’t been trained or anything. I just know how to cook.”

  “Even better,” my smile widened, “You’ll learn the kind of foods I like and direct the kitchen staff.”

  Juniper’s expression shifted, settling into the reality of the offer.

  “Is it a permanent position?” She asked.

  I nodded, “As long as you want it —well, and you don’t try to stab me in my sleep.”

  She nodded, “Never, my Lady. And, um, would it come with a raise?”

  I laughed, and Juniper’s face fell. I sobered up at the look on her face.

  “Yes, of course. You wouldn’t be paid as a hireling anymore but a full member of the staff. If you say yes, I’ll go to Gristle and Melinda right now and have it changed.”

  I tried to make my voice apologetic but sincere. I wanted to trust in my own Skill. I wanted Juniper to be someone I could rely on. Someone I could grow with. Someone untouched by the other Dawns. She was too young to have served any but me. It was what I wanted for my maid.

  Juniper closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, mumbling under her breath. When she opened her eyes again, they were filled with determination.

  “Yes, Lady Nora.”

  I smiled, “Yes?”

  “Yes.” She nodded seriously.

  “Perfect, then first thing first.” My smile softened. “Please, call me Nora.”

  “Lady Nora, I already–” she paused as I shook my head.

  “It’s fine if it’s only in private, but I would like you to simply call me Nora. No Lady or title of any kind.”

  At that, Juniper’s face bloomed in a red I hadn’t yet seen.

  “Your will be done, Nora.”

  It was formal and casual in one. My chest loosened as relief filled me. I was worried she would fight it to the end —and I couldn’t have blamed her. If she refused too much, I’d just let it be. But my heart softened when she agreed. It was something I needed.

  We finished eating quickly after that, and once I was done I stood up, stretching my arms.

  “Do what you need to do. I’m going to get ready,” I stated simply.

  Juniper nodded, packing up breakfast as I went to the bathroom.

  An hour later, and I was washed, brushed, and dressed. A quick braid of my hair, and I was headed out down the hall.

  I ran into Sylvie once again, her silver hair sticking out amongst the statues she always seemed to be cleaning. This time, I walked right by her. I had a goal on my mind, and I wasn’t about to stop my pursuit of Gristle to chat with a woman I knew who didn’t hold me in any regard whatsoever.

  I found Gristle’s office with ease and rapped my knuckles across the door.

  “My Lady?” Gristle looked down at me, a gentle look taking over his face.

  “I’ve made a decision.” I boldly proclaimed and made my way past him into his chaotic office with paperwork stacked higher than I was tall.

  “Oh?” He said, mild amusement in his tone. “How can I help?”

  “I want Juniper to be my personal maid.”

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