The Chimeric Ascension of Lyudmila Springfield
Chapter One-Hundred-Six: The Power of Warping – Part Three

Erin’s gaze wasn’t as intense as it was full of curiosity as I stripped my armor.  She almost cried again upon seeing my face.  

“Is…it hard?” she asked, disrobing. Longtooth, still in her lion form, had already jumped in the bath after preparing it. Faint steam radiated across the surface from her warm flames.  

“Do you mean hiding myself?” She nodded. “It’s a necessary sacrifice.” I dipped a toe and nodded, satisfied at how the water felt before sitting down. The tub’s base was smooth marble. I couldn’t feel any lumps or imperfections. Gloria’s awfulness notwithstanding—she knew how to decorate. Suppose that was par for the course for someone obsessed with the arts.

Yet that didn’t answer the obvious question.  

Why intentionally sabotage Ria? 

I sighed. My experience led me to no answers. Not even Tilde knew what rattled around that unstable woman’s mind.    

“I wish it didn’t have to be this way.” Erin stepped in after me.   

“I know you do. How’s the bath?”  

“It feels amazing…” Erin stretched before reclining. She lifted a hand and watched the water drip. A nearby bucket aimlessly floated, filled with scented oils. Longtooth adorably swam around it.   

“Sekh?”  

“Hmm?” I lathered a washcloth with something that smelled like pineapple. The bathing supplies Aello gave us during our first visit to Aetos Village eclipsed these. Those were made with love. These were bribes. Gloria had no level she wouldn’t stoop to positively influence our negative thoughts about her. 

“Do you… Umm… It’s—it’s about Quella. Her team, I mean.”  

“What about them? Are you nervous?”  

“A little. They’re from the same world as Mila. I…know she hated them for so long. She said she was mistaken and came to the wrong conclusion. Maybe… It’s the same with my grandfather?”  

“No one is forcing you to do this. The choice is yours.”  

“I know.” Erin looked away, her hands clenched softly around a soaked cloth before washing her horns. “I don’t know if I should hate him or not. I don’t even know him. I…”  

“Do you know what I bought today?” I changed the subject.   

“What?”  

“A journal.”  

“A…journal?”  

“It’s for our ‘super awesome day’ we want to have. Tilde’s been helping me get my thoughts together. I’ve…never done anything like this before.” I felt shame admitting that. “It’s all new to me. What I like isn’t what you would like. So…looking at it from another perspective has been eye-opening. It’s not just me. It’s your day, too. What do you want to do? How do you wish to spend it?” 

“I just…want to spend time with you.” Erin immediately blushed. My cheeks warmed as well. “It can be anything. But…”  

“Something specific?”  

“I don’t know…”  

“It’s fine,” said Longtooth, swimming to Erin’s knee. The little lion then jumped onto her shoulder.    

“I… Can you…teach me how to fight? I know… It’s not… I mean… Your… Umm…”  

“The shy girl has found value in adventuring. She enjoys the freedom, but Erin does not want to burden the rest of Pawsome Fables.”  

“Long—Longtooth!” Erin tried to grab her, but Longtooth elegantly jumped away, transforming into a Lionfolk as she took her place beside the embarrassed girl.  

“Why didn’t you want to bring it up?” I asked.   

Erin turned to me. Her eyes were downcast. I was sure she didn’t want to mention the obvious-- my title. She felt better after I reconfirmed one fact. “The lions are me. They know my feelings. Longtooth wouldn’t have brought it up if it had angered me. Training is what you'll get if that's what you want.”  

“You really aren’t upset?”  

“No. It makes me happy, Erin.” I scooted closer and held her hand. “You want to protect the others. I think that’s a wonderful thing.”  

“Really?!”  

Erin’s smile was worth it. The girl had suffered far too much. Even if teaching her how to fight sickened me—and it didn’t—I would’ve endured the discomfort.   

I wanted her to be happy.   

I wanted her to have all the success in life.   

The topic changed to Pawsome Fables and their adventures, which I happily listened to.    

*****

***** 

“Are you back already?” Erin asked as we emerged from the bathroom. Mila was sitting on the bed, her flute in hand. Surtr rested in the corner, his back a bed for Tilde and Yew, who were deeply asleep.  

“Yeah. Didn’t stay that long before Sera warped us back. The forest is indexed, so I can go anytime I want. She doesn’t know about that, though. Aetos does. It only felt right to tell him.”  

“What’s the deal with the maid?”  

Mila smirked at my question. “You know, for someone who says they’ve experienced it all… Tilde said she’s never slept on a flaming lion. Surtr didn’t mind. Yew was then curious… One thing led to another, and they were out in less than a minute.” 

Erin yawned. “Are you sleepy?” I asked.   

“Yeah. I didn’t feel tired in the bath, but it hit me.” Her eyes subtly darted to the empty space beside the bed.   

“No,” My reply was sharp. “You aren’t sleeping on the floor.”  

“But—”  

“No, Erin. I won’t let you. You can share it with us,” said Mila. “Between Sekh and me.”  

Erin’s tail wagged, yet it suddenly stopped as if she was stepping beyond her means. “Is that okay? It’s not a problem. We’ve been sleeping outside for a few days now, so—"    

Mila approached. She lightly flicked Erin’s forehead with a finger made of water. “You don’t have to be modest around family.”  

“I’ve prepared something for you.” Tris approached the bed with a carefully wrapped present and asked Erin to open it. “They’re pajamas. I constructed them while you were bathing. They're made with webbing immune to fire and ice. They also provide resistance to the heat and cold.”  

Erin and I changed in the bathroom after thanking Tris. Everything felt so soft. The shirt was red with blue stripes-- with the pants’ pattern reversed. “The design came from Tilde.” Tris even had sewn socks for us. Everything fit well, though that was to be expected for someone as punctilious as our favorite Beacon of Wisdom.  

“What about you?” asked Erin as Mila pulled back the covers. “Is there enough room? I don’t want to take your spot.”   

“It’s fine. This body isn’t mine. It’s a low-powered, mana-efficient clone I’m using while my new one is being prepared. It should be finished in three or four days.” Tris faded after a wave. Erin’s shocked expression only vanished after reading a parting message.    

Please enjoy the night without worrying about me because I’m always close to my lord.   

“She’s right. Tris is inseparable from me. Even now, I feel her warmth. Besides, she’ll be back in the morning. She won’t ever die as long as I’m alive.” 

“It’s… I know you’re right. “I know I should remember those things, but it’s a lot to handle,” she said, getting comfortable after squirming her way into the bed’s middle. Mila entered from the left—me from the right. Mila used vines that sprouted from her hand to pull the blankets over us. 

Coldness and extreme heat didn’t bother me. But this warmness brought about by sharing a bed? It was nothing less than fascinatingly therapeutic to my heart.   

“Longtooth? Are you coming?” The lion jumped onto the bed and curled into a ball on Erin’s stomach.   

“So…” Mila turned on her side to face Erin. I did the same. “Talk about anything fun?”   

“Uh-huh. About the day I want us to spend together. I already know the first thing I wanna do.”  

“Awesome. Let's hear it.”  

“Training! Sekh’s agreed to spar with me.”  

“Oh? That takes me back.” Mila reflected on the past—of a Sekh much viler than I was now. 

“Wait, did you two train together?” 

“Yep. Happened during our first visit to the village. Remember that, Sekh?” 

“I do.”  

“Really? Who won?”  

“Sekh. I remember wanting to surprise her. So, I managed to sneak behind her and slowly lowered myself from the ceiling like a spider.”  

“Your tells were too obvious,” I joked. “I heard your heartbeat. It gave you away.”  

“Suppose I’ll have to stop that pesky thing next time.”  

“You can do that?” Erin was amazed.   

“Yep. I don’t need to breathe, either. Technically, I don’t sleep. Hmm… I'm part slime, actually. Eating, drinking, resting… It’s all unneeded in the grand scheme of things. But I do them anyway because I like to. I can’t stop my heart around Sera, though. Her hearing’s sharper than mine. Anyway, did you decide what else you want to do?”  

“That’s…really all we decided. Umm… I think...I want us to do a quest together.”  

“Consider it done. Tilde mentioned an interesting idea. We have a boat now,” I said. “I think sailing could be fine. Tris can search for buried ships. We could dive for treasure.”  

“I know how to make spells, so crafting magic to breathe underwater is… Well, it’s already done. I can use it at a moment’s notice.”  

“We could do a dungeon,” I added.   

“Haha. It sounds like anything is possible.”  

“Because it is,” replied Mila. “Nothing’s off-limits.” 

“We…still have time, don’t we? Before we have all that fun? I’m about to meet Ichiha’s mom and dad.” Erin changed topics. The switch was abrupt-- probably brought about by her nervousness regarding the other reunion close at hand. She quickly apologized, but Mila said she could discuss it. 

“I don’t want them to hate me. Dad didn’t do those things they thought he did,” she continued. “We haven’t talked about it a lot. I don’t think anyone wants to bring it up because…”  

“I’m sure Lord Enele’s offered his [Truth Field] to confirm Dad’s words. The Dark Lord of Justice must be impartial. Not even he can lie about it if he stakes his title.” 

“Will that be enough?”  

“It will.” I hoped it was. Erin needed confident reassurance. Uncertain doubt would only unbalance her even more. Even still, I truly prayed Ichiha’s family would see reason. Kokan was not some sexual demon. He was not a lewd deviant who preferred little girls.    

He was a kind man—an honorable one. His heart was bigger than most mountains-- the type of man to invite you into his home for dinner if he heard your stomach growl.   

“I…think…” She chose her words carefully. Or maybe she didn’t know what to say. “I want to try. With them and with my grandfather. Even if it doesn’t end well… If I try my best… That’s all I can do, right? Can I find pride in that?”   

“You can.”  

“Mila?”  

“Hmm?”  

“After the meeting…what will you do?”  

“That’s to be determined,” answered Mila. “We have a plan, but the specifics depend on Gloria’s reaction. But it won't end fondly for her. She will pay. Hymn will be destroyed.”  

“After that?”  

“My true goal. My target changes to Meruria. Tris absorbed Remy’s memories. I know everything Meruria has done. Her closet is wide open, and I’ve scoured every inch for her deepest, darkest secrets. I can turn the world against her. I can give Lord Enele justified cause to sentence her to death. Sera’s father suffered at Meruria’s hands. She’s responsible for her death. Even Quella’s team is no longer beholden to her whims. Tris can break the chain at any time with their permission. The freedom they’ve longed for is right there.”  

“…”  

“I’m so close, Erin. So, so, so close to finally giving that heartless wench what she deserves. After that? I’m coming home to my family because I’ve decided that’s where I belong. You… Irisa… Mom and Dad… Grandma and Grandpa… I’m counting the days until my dream comes true. I swear it won’t be long.”  

“You know…” I found myself speaking after having my heart touched by Mila. The words flowed before I realized them, yet they weren’t a mistake. They were the truth. Why else would my heart feel blissful ease upon hearing my unearthed feelings? 

Besides, it was what I wanted Erin to hear. More than ever… I knew the relationship I wanted to cultivate with her.    

“If I ever had sisters, I’d want them to be like you or Irisa.”  

Erin turned to me, eyes glistening like the morning dew, and stuttered. She asked about my family—who I was before…this, although the regret welled up in her expression. “Just forget about it. I… You don’t—”  

“It’s not a taboo topic,” I said. “I haven’t told you much about my family, have I?” Erin shook her head. “I used to not think about them, but… That’s changing. I find them wandering in my thoughts whenever I have a free moment. It’s a fleeting thing—one that happens all the same.” She learned about my mother—someone who I wanted to think was beautiful—and my father, the proud, ferocious adventurer. “The maid was a third party in their union, but their love was equally shared. Had…nothing happened, the maid would’ve given birth. I would’ve had a little brother or sister.”   

Would I have been a role model? Would jealousy have caused my relationship with them to turn sour?  

“I don’t know how that life would’ve played out. Maybe I’d teach them to fight—like what I want to do with you. Or perhaps academic life was in store for us. I recall my mother being a smart, brilliant woman. Or we’d have followed our father’s footsteps and taken up the sword. We’d have adventured the world. Still, he was a lively man. I wouldn’t have put it past him to sire a few more children. I could’ve had four or five younger siblings to look after.”  

Mila silently looked. Erin swallowed her emotions.   

“I won’t lie and say I never thought about that hypothetical future. It will never come to pass, so no one knows what my life would’ve been like in that alternate timeline. But I enjoy what I have now. I value it more than words can describe. Mila, you, Irisa, and the others… That’s my family. They’re the ones I love.” Amidst Erin’s tears, I told her another dream. I’d find the remains of my village and build a grave for the first three to look at me as a daughter. Then I’d talk to them about my life. My regrets and mistakes, the blemishes so stained with sins you couldn’t erase them, and the hope I found in people who desired my happiness.  

Erin’s emotions collapsed like a dam when I hugged her. She snuggled close and wept into my chest. These precious clothes were stained, but who cared?   

“I love you too, Sekh. And you too, Mila,” stuttered Erin, her voice shaky. Her words quivered. Perhaps today was too much for her? Between reuniting with us, learning about her grandfather, and the emotional release from the two of us sharing our feelings…  

It was no wonder she soon cried herself to sleep. I never let go, though. This brave, strong young woman remained in my arms. Mila’s eyes peered at us, her lips curled into a satisfied smile as she closed the distance.   

“I like what I’m feeling,” I whispered. “It’s something the former me wouldn’t have cared for. She wouldn’t have fought for it. She’d have probably done anything to remove it, but not anymore. I can’t…see what I’m experiencing vanish.”  

“You don’t know how happy it makes me to hear that,” whispered Mila. She leaned over Erin to kiss me. Her soft lips tingled mine—the jolting shocks took my breath away. For a moment…  

I never wanted this moment to end.   

“I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”  

I nodded before resting my head on Erin’s pillow.   

“Good night, Mila. I love you.”  

“I love you too,” she replied, closing her eyes. I did the same. Dreamland snatched me faster than before, bringing me to a world I longed for—a reality I’d fight to the bitter end to protect.   

I was tired of being tyrannical.   

I despised always living for a curse that wanted destruction more than anything else.   

I…  

I didn’t want to be that Sekh anymore.   

Not anymore.  

Not…anymore…