Chương 68: A Little Mischief

Brandy sat atop the Nightsaber as they sped across the plains and through the forest back to the abbey. While not an emergency in the traditional sense, the various members of [Sunrise] all had their worries and concerns. Even the unflappable Alastair had become silent and contemplative. The question on everybody's mind was, of course, obvious. Perhaps it had slight tweaks depending on who was asking, but it remained the same. What was going on at Abbyton?

When Jessica first read the letter out loud, Brandy didn't understand the issue. The others reacted in different ways, with Y'cennia being worried simply because they'd received an urgent letter, not because of the contents of the letter itself. Alastair would probably always be concerned over the well-being of the abbey, because of who he was, but outside of her initial shock, Jessica thought it was a rather pointless worry. That was until Ellesea explained things further.

Brandy could have guessed "the headmaster" was a big deal. Even in her original world, the head of a prestigious institution would be respected and sometimes feared, in the "awe" sense if not actual terror. Here, in magical land, she could understand if people had the opposite reaction, fearing somebody who could, with a snap of their fingers, erase people from existence.

Maybe that was a bit extreme, but Brandy had seen enough in her short time here to drill it into herself never to underestimate somebody higher level than herself. But what made this "headmaster" visiting the abbey, specifically to look for Melia, so daunting was his rank and position. It wasn't like the head of a community college popping over to an alumnus' house to say hello. To be honest, it wasn't even like the dean, the board, or the top of the top from Stanford, Oxford, or Cambridge showing up.

Apparently, the man was closer to the president of a small country in terms of the power, both magical and political, that he wielded. One of those people where a question really wasn't a question, and a summons wasn't optional at all. For him to be searching out Melia might not be a bad thing, but it certainly didn't sound good. Especially since, as the whole group agreed, Melia didn't care one lick for proper authority or following the rules.

Oh, she was a good girl at heart, Brandy knew this absolutely, but she also knew Melia wouldn't be pressured into doing anything she didn't feel like doing and she couldn't be intimidated. Though Ellesea insisted that the headmaster was a reasonable fellow, men in power were often used to getting their way. If Melia refused? That's where things started getting dicey. Nobody in [Sunrise] had even the slightest worry for the gnome herself.

They'd seen her turn into a giant dragon, kill impossibly strong monsters, and laugh without a care in the world as she broke common sense and threatened to do the same to reality. So it wasn't really her safety that everybody was concerned with when they made the decision as a group to head back to the abbey, but everyone else's. Jessica, normally loud and spirited, was quiet, thinking about all the children. Despite how much she complained about wrangling them, she really did seem to care.

Same with Al, though his concern seemed more evenly spread out for everybody at the abbey, child or clergy alike. He was a [Paladin], and this was a temple of his faith. Y'cennia wasn't really worried about any one thing in particular, but seemed to be worried just because she was a worrier.

Brandy had a hard time looking at the beastkin fretting over the smallest things when she was the highest level among their little group, but was shocked to learn that her standing was a recent development and that, for the longest time, she had been the lowest. In fact, she had been worried for months that her team might replace her for being dead weight, which was laughable with how much support and how many potions she provided. But a lot of that was due to Melia's meddling, and Brandy could only nod.

She had received the "powerleveling" treatment herself before, and it was shocking, to say the least. Ellesea's fears were simultaneously the most bizarre and grounded. In a strange twist of fate, she was the one responsible for the headmaster's unexpected visit to the abbey. And while she was sure he was not bringing mischief with him, she had no doubts that a meeting between the man and the gnome could potentially be calamitous.

Apparently, she was supposed to pass on word that the headmaster wanted to recruit Melia to teach at the academy. Ellesea hadn't really thought that he was serious, and definitely didn't think that he would travel all the way to Abbyton on a whim gleaned from an offhand comment she made while visiting his office. She should have known better. And now that he was actually there, looking for her… Ellesea didn't know what he would do.

Fortunately, Melia wasn't there, but nobody in [Sunrise] could just casually tell anybody who hadn't been present that their weird gnome caused a dungeon to spawn and was snooping around. In Ellesea's mind, she was responsible for any fallout caused by one of the premier [Archmages] visiting the abbey and potentially not getting his way. Brandy laughed, figuring there wasn't much the man could do…

but then realized she was thinking with the sensibilities of her modern, rule-abiding world that wasn't filled with magic or a system that granted power based on levels. So, she too grew quiet as they rode, following Layalee as she led them back toward the abbey under the cover of darkness. Fearing the worst and hoping for the best, [Sunrise] left Lakeridge shortly after getting back to town, staying only long enough to sell Jessica's loot and grab a hasty dinner. …

for some reason, many of the stalls they visited were attempting to recreate seafood gumbo, of all things, though Brandy had no idea why. Y'cennia and Jessica both lamented the fact that it "wasn't the same". There was probably a story there, but Brandy didn't have time to dig deeper.

[Sunrise] traveled through the night, stopping twice for short rests to water their mounts, and arrived at the abbey shortly after midday. When they did, it was to find the place in a state of mild pandemonium, a manic sort of energy permeating the normally calm and quiet grounds. Only mild, because the old building wasn't burning down, and there didn't seem to be any dragons, giant or otherwise, attacking.

And yet, even before they saw a single living person, every member of the team, not just Brandy with her sensitive ears, could hear screaming. Brandy wasn't incredibly familiar with this zone (having leveled her toons in the elven lands), but she didn't think it was beset with monsters. Certainly, nothing she could do anything about, but she readied her holy magic just in case it might be needed. She could always cure a few wounds or smite a wayward ghoul.

It wasn't ghouls attacking the abbey, though perhaps one could argue that somebody had spawned an army of goblins. [Sunrise]'s arrival went completely unnoticed (not that they were expected), and very quickly Brandy understood why. Somehow, some way… it seemed that the abbey had been afflicted by a… plague… of children. Rambunctious ones at that. The large entrance doors burst open, and an energetic little boy wearing an adult's shirt exploded out of them, running as fast as his little legs could carry him.

"I DON'T HAVE TO WEAR PANTS IF THE SHIRT COVERS EVERYTHING!!!" …that…was not what Brandy expected. The entire party froze, jaws slowly falling open, as a whole army of munchkins quickly followed. Fortunately, more dressed. Brandy turned to watch them disappear around the corner in disbelief, though she could hear several groans behind her.

"Ohhh, this was Melia, wasn't it?" Ellesea groaned.

"Why did we ever leave her alone?"

"Why didn't we join her?" Jessica groused.

"Now I'm hungry for a sandwich." Brandy didn't know how sandwiches, children, or her small friend all tied together, but if anybody could find a way to do so, Brandy was sure Melia would be it. At least, this was exactly the type of mischief that little troublemaker loved getting up to. No stable hands were present, so the group tied their mounts to a nearby fence and made their way inside. Upon entry, the group witnessed what could only be described as a showdown.

On the side of the hall, 8 children wearing [Priest]'s clothes or sisters' habits were looking quite smug, while three others (two boys and a girl) were wearing much more common, simple clothing with clean but obvious patching.

"Why didn't it work for us?" One of the two boys complained. He pointed to the other boy and the girl, "We ate lunch too!" One of the smug kids, a nun-looking girl with two buns in her blond hair, lifted her chin in the air and squinted.

"Heh."

Brandy shook her head. A nearby door burst open, twelve kids ran out, and the entire posse flew out the front door to go play in the fields.

"Was… was that Sister Maria?" Jessica asked in disbelief. Now, Brandy wasn't nearly as familiar with this world's churches and their structure as she probably should be (as a reluctant [Saint]), but she was pretty sure kids weren't sisters unless they were siblings, and they usually didn't start climbing the hierarchy until they were older. That meant shenanigans, and Brandy was definitely suspecting Melia of foul play. The group entered the recently opened door, only to find a quiet sitting room.

At first, they suspected it would be empty, with all the children fleeing, but a slight shuffling noise told them they were wrong. Sitting in an overstuffed wingback chair, looking entirely out of place, was a child wearing billowing burgundy robes and a tall white hat with a star embroidered on it, reading from a tome that filled his entire lap.

On a similar chair across from him, a girl was practically swimming in black robes of her own, though she had a long white mantle with gold stripes and a square, flat hat with a tassel. She could easily be waiting for an elementary graduation. Instead of a tome, she was blowing bubbles out of a beautiful, curved pipe. As [Sunrise] entered, both children paused, looked up, and nodded in greeting, saying nothing. The boy went back to reading and the girl to blowing colorful bubbles.

Alastair and Jessica shared a look, and the entire party slowly backed out of the room, closing the door behind them.

Back in the hall, Brandy couldn't take it any longer.

"Any of you find this weird?" She demanded.

"After the last few weeks?" Jessica responded.

"I don't think I'll find anything weird again, ever."

"That might be going a bit far," Alastair pointed out fairly, "But no. We've seen this."

"You have?" Brandy asked in disbelief.

"Weird kids who read giant books calmly and smug A F mini-nuns?"

"When Melia is involved?" Jessie sighed.

"Yes. They aren't kids, though," she said, confirming Brandy's suspicions.

"They're the victim of sandwiches." How could somebody be a victim of a sandwich? Brandy shook her head. She turned to their silent escort, looking for an explanation.

"Mistress is an excellent [Chef]," Layalee said proudly in her high, squeaky voice. Brandy always wanted to laugh; she totally understood why the hulking woman with a giant axe was so quiet. The explanation, however, felt lacking.

"That doesn't explain the sandwiches," Brandy frowned. Jessica shook her head.

"They're called [Nostalgia's Embrace]," she supplied.

"They let you turn into a kid for half an hour. Melia introduced them when we visited Penny's in Horizon."

"So, she is behind this," Brandy sighed.

"I suppose things could be worse."

"First Jessica, now you?" Ellesea groused.

"When will you people stop tempting fate? We still haven't found the headmaster." Oh. That was right! Brandy had completely forgotten their entire reason for traveling here so fast in the face of an army of kids.

"Who sent that letter?" Brandy asked with narrowed eyes.

"Is this plague the reason they sent it?"

"It was sent by Matron Vivian," Alastair shook his head.

"She's in charge of the logistical side of the abbey; the building and the grounds. I don't think this…outbreak of children had anything to do with it. The buff only lasts 30 minutes."

"Then what do you think the problem is? We should find her and get to the bottom of this."

"That might be difficult," Alastair frowned.

"The matron is in her 60s, but I haven't seen a single adult. I have no idea what she looked like as a child."

"I see what you mean," Brandy said.

"Let's keep searching."

The group passed through the foyer, the main sanctuary, two side halls, and peeked into a classroom and a workshop. Everywhere, the story was the same; kids, kids, and more kids. Not a single adult, as far as the eye could see. While slightly concerning, it was also very amusing watching how far Melia's mischief must have spread, and thinking about how many grilled cheese sandwiches she must have made. If the group didn't know about the buff or its time limit, they would have been much more worried.

As it stood, they simply waved at anybody who turned their way, not a single person doing actual work. While Alastair hadn't tried the sandwich himself, what he remembered from the rest of his team's reactions suggested the buff came with a compulsion to act childish or maybe a carefree release of inhibition. Nobody was actually getting hurt or causing problems, so the group didn't feel the need to corral kids into a pen and make them behave.

The dining hall was empty, which was mostly expected since the food had obviously already been consumed, and there was no reason for kids amped with energy to stick around. It wasn't until they reached the kitchen that they found something promising, and indeed, the source of all the mayhem. Melia was standing on the kitchen counter, surrounded by kids on stools, animatedly telling a story. Once again, she had not eaten the sandwich, but that did not mean she was completely unchanged.

She may have been standing on the counter, but that was by necessity because otherwise, it would be nearly impossible to see her at all. Currently, Melia was only 7 and a half inches tall. The oranges in the fruit bowl next to her each looked like boulders, and nearly two dozen empty glass bottles littered the countertop around her, looking like glass towers to a passing traveler.

Obviously, Melia wasn't disturbed by this at all, since she was energetically regaling the crowd with a tale, and the kids themselves didn't seem bothered either. Whatever was going on was by design. Y'cennia's eyes were transfixed on the even-tinier gnome, her jaw falling open in shock, while Jessica and Brandy started laughing. The sound instantly disrupted whatever Melia was saying, because she paused with her hands in a wide arc above her head like she was setting a scene or miming a rainbow.

A few groans rang out from the children as their story got cut off… but it was bound to happen eventually, as hardly a few seconds later, a bright pink puff of smoke erupted from someone in the back row of watchers. There, a freshly returned adult stared down at his hands sadly as if suddenly remembering that he had work to do. One by one, over the next five minutes, everyone returned to normal, and all the abbey's members groaned as they shuffled back to their stations.

Two scholars remained; one of whom was instantly recognizable in his regular form.

"Headmaster!" Ellesea gasped. Of course, she had not known the man was attending story time. The man chuckled, adjusted his mantle and straightened his hat, and turned to face the fretting [Mage].

"Ah!" he said jovially.

"My illustrious pupil returns!"

"Headmaster…!" Ellesea stammered. She watched the gnome on the counter lift a massive orange above her head so the man could peel it.

"I'm so sorry! I forgot about your request!"

"Request?" the man said, amused. Instead of using a nearby knife to cut into the thick skin, he displayed impressive magical control, peeling it in one long, continuous spiral.

"What are…oh! That!" The man laughed and placed the orange on the counter, where Melia proceeded to take a single slice, nearly the size of her body, and stand it on its end. She opened her mouth wide…much wider than any normal mouth should be able to open, and chomped down hard, biting off the top third. Her cheeks puffed out enormously, filled with delicious juice, but Ellesea put her hand to her stomach, and behind her she heard Y'cennia mutter, "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Think nothing of it!" the Headmaster said. Ellesea tore her eyes away from the horrifyingly fascinating spectacle of Melia eating an orange and looked up at the man.

"The results would have been the same, but if you had immediately returned with an answer, I would have missed out on this golden opportunity before me!"

"The…sandwich?" Ellesea delicately asked.

"Gracious, though that was delicious and enlightening, no! Though perhaps now that you mention it, I shall have to book a reservation at Penny's. I've been told this particular recipe has been added to the menu, and it's been too long since I've dined with 'respectable' company. I daresay they could benefit from the experience!" Ellesea got the impression that those "respectable" people might not actually be all that respectable, at least in how the Headmaster measured the word.

"But…the letter…?" Y'cennia muttered.

"Letter?" the man asked, still jovial but turning serious.

"What letter?" This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

"Sir, we received a letter from the Matron requesting help," Alastair respectfully explained.

"She said that you, the Headmaster of the Academy, were looking for Melia, who was known to be traveling with us. While few details were given, it sounded serious, so we made our way here with all due haste."

"Ahh," the man said, his smile truly falling.

"A misunderstanding, then. That letter must have been penned shortly after a…shall we call it a misunderstanding? Or perhaps a reminder that overzealous curiosity is not always appropriate when it involves the possessions of a higher-level [Archmage] or her [Retainer]."

"L'menia?" Melia asked, having swallowed half of her slice of orange. Strangely, despite her tiny size, her voice was perfectly reasonable, unlike when she turned into a dragon.

"What did she do to you?"

"It isn't what she did so much as what she promised," the Headmaster said darkly.

"And I fear it isn't repeatable in respectable company."

"Good kitty," Layalee said with a smile, causing several people to jump, having missed the hulking woman entering the room under [Stealth].

"Goodness gracious, there's more of them," the Headmaster breathed as he clutched his chest. His eyes immediately darted down to the gnome on the counter and his eyes narrowed.

"What is with your taste in servants?"

"Only [Retainers] of a certain caliber are fit to serve a dragon," Layalee said demurely, but with clear pride. She bowed low to the Headmaster, but reached into her apron to retrieve a handkerchief to wipe Melia's messy face. The tiny gnome raised her hands in the air, and Layalee placed her palm on the counter so she could raise Melia up to eye level and clean her off.

"A…dragon, you say?" the headmaster asked. It was clear this was news to him, and he wasn't sure whether he wanted to believe it or not. Melia simply threw him a glance between wipes of the giant napkin and shrugged. What he did with that knowledge wasn't any of her concern.

"It is what it is," Brandy sighed. Though she'd never seen this side of Melia before, it totally fit. It was like being transported back in time to several years ago, during the height of the game, when the servers were at their busiest. Every day was a new adventure, and there was no telling what a new day would bring. The Headmaster turned to debate that fact, but he stopped short the second he laid his eyes on Brandy's tall, elegant form. His eyes widened, his pupils dilated, and his jaw fell open.

Brandy felt a wave of magic wash over her as the familiar [Identify] spell was cast. The Headmaster plastered his palms together, pressed them to his forehead, and knelt so low his head nearly slammed into the counter.

"A [Saint]," he breathed.

"Eluna Brandywine, in the flesh! Saintess, forgive me for not recognizing you!" Brandy sighed and rubbed her temple wearily. If she hadn't been subjected to nearly a month of this behavior, she would have been incredibly unnerved. In fact, it took an entire week of people groveling at the sight of her to stop flinching, fight the urge to run away screaming, or hide behind a wall of pillows. She didn't have anything else to hide behind, so those would have to do.

Slowly, however, her caretakers grew accustomed to her, and the reverence dwindled as she expressed her displeasure. However, whenever she was visited by anyone remotely faithful to Celestara who saw her class or recognized her name, they started groveling at her feet. As if she, herself, was a goddess or somebody sent to impart divine will. Technically, she supposed she was, but watching grown men prostrate themselves before her worshipfully made her skin crawl, and she hated it.

"Celestara, blessed be your Light, by which all Men can see…" The Headmaster was clearly in a world of his own, reciting prayers to the goddess currently living in her necklace. Brandy shook her head and prepared herself.

"Rise, faithful one," she said, voice full of serene grace. She hated this song and dance, but she knew it had to run its course or else she'd be stuck here all day. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see several of the abbey's clergy mimicking the man in front of her.

"Faithful followers of the Light, shine before all Men. Let her radiance guide you with open hearts and giving hands, become beacons of radiance so all might see."

"Amen," several voices murmured around the room in unison. Brandy had to resist the urge to retch. She felt like a fraud… and yet, these people looked up to her, no matter what she said. Her role in history, what she did and what she could still do, was slowly awakening in her mind, but it was taking time. For Celestara's followers' benefit, as much to reassure herself that she wasn't starting a cult, Brandy cast [Circle of Healing], covering everybody in the room with restorative energy.

She watched several people run their fingers through the golden sparkles shimmering as they rose from her spell's circle, but she turned back to the others before their adoration could turn to fanaticism.

"Great," she said, slightly breaking the image of a holy woman.

"We've found the Headmaster and the Abbey isn't burning down. Can we go now?" The Headmaster snapped out of his trance and came to his senses.

"Lady [Saintess], forgive me for my rudeness!"

"Yeah, enough of that," Brandy cut him off.

"Don't you have better things to do if you're the head of an academy? And you…gimme my pocket gnome." Layalee smiled, but she did pass Melia into Brandy's wiggling fingers without protest.

"Ho ho," Brandy muttered with glee.

"I have the adorable thing…"

[Sunrise] took their leave of the kitchen and the clergy still gathered within. The letter might have been a hoax, but they wanted to check in with the Matron first before sitting down to get their heads on straight. This week's plans were pretty much a wash at this point, and there wasn't much use in going back out to Lakeridge when they'd have to turn around the moment they got there.

The sentiment seemed to be shared by the Headmaster, who shook his head sadly as he followed them out into the courtyard in front of the abbey.

"A shame, really," he kept repeating, and eventually Ellesea worked up the courage to ask what he was talking about.

"Why, dear girl, I've unexpectedly unearthed a gold mine! No, dare I say it? Mithril at least! You should know this, as an aspiring [Mage] yourself. After all, you were the one who told me your master's work was displayed here for all to see!"

"My…? Oh, Melia's [Planters]?" Ellesea asked.

"[Planters]?" the Headmaster scoffed.

"Is that all you have to say about such magnificent work? Well, to be fair, you are not wrong; that is what they are called. But have you seen the enchantments they contain? The secrets they reveal? Why, I could spend years studying them alone! And that's not even counting those glorious statues!"

"My [Moai] are pretty glorious," Melia grinned from where she was seated on Brandy's shoulder. Her eyes glossed over as she examined her system screen, likely checking on her buff, and she sighed. She patted Brandy on the shoulder a couple of times before standing, dusting herself off, and springing into the air. Halfway through her second somersault, her body started growing rapidly, and by the time she landed with her feet planted firmly on the ground with her hands high in the air, she was back to full size.

"Maaaan," she sighed.

"Why doesn't that last longer? I had to drink so many Brain Melters for that to proc…."

"I confess, I have not taken the time to study them," Ellesea admitted quietly. She felt ashamed to admit it to the Headmaster, who clearly put a lot of stock in Melia's abilities. But, truthfully, it was all a bit above her level right now, and what little she saw was fascinating, but completely incomprehensible.

"I advise you to take your time, young one," the Headmaster said with a gentle smile.

"Alas, if I did not have duties waiting for me, I would linger longer. I have yet to begin to scratch the surface of that astounding [Greenhouse]." [Sunrise] all paused and slowly looked down at Melia, who was smiling innocently.

"... [Greenhouse]?" Alastair eventually asked.

"Oh ho ho," Melia gloated.

"Get a load of this!" She led the group around the chapel to what should have been a barren training ground. Instead, what they saw was a rainbow, wrested from the heavens, bent to mortal whims, and formed into the shape of a building. Supporting the prismatic barrier were crimson rods of pure [Adamantite], indestructible to all but the mightiest blows. Everyone, even Layalee, gawked. Even the Headmaster, who'd seen the thing built from foundation to rooftop.

"As ever, mistress, you've outdone yourself," Layalee beamed. The others simply turned to Melia, looking very much over it.

"What have you done this time?" Jessica asked.

"I made a [Greenhouse]," Melia smiled so large her eyes started to squint.

"Yeah, kind of obvious," Jessica snarked.

"Are you planning to grow a god in there?"

"Jessica…," Alastair groaned.

"Sorry, Al, but look at it!"

"I see it!"

"Jokes aside," Y'cennia spoke, creeping up to the building and poking the nearly invisible planes of [Managlass], "What do you plan on growing here?"

"Cherries!" Melia beamed. The others stared at her.

"And pineapples." They stared harder.

"Oranges?"

"Melia…," Jessica sighed.

"What?" Melia asked, genuinely confused.

"Melia…don't you think this is a little bit…excessive?"

"What do you mean?" Melia tilted her head.

"What else do you do with a greenhouse?"

"That's a normal greenhouse!" she hissed.

"We talked about this! You can't just go and…this!"

"Can't I?" Melia asked honestly.

"Better to have and not need, than to start small and find out you can't upgrade later," she added with a definitive nod.

"Melia, this thing is gigantic," Brandy said with a chuckle, poking her head inside the door and staring around.

"I don't think I can see the other end, and I've got excellent vision."

"Oh, that's just because the glass is really clear," Melia giggled.

"But I did make it big! That's why it's [XXL]. If I did the math right, I've enlarged the internal space by a hundred times! That means instead of one hundred feet by thirty feet, it's closer to ten thousand! There's almost seven acres of land in there!" Every face grew blank as they all slowly turned to face the unsuspecting building.

"Melia," Jessica said, "That's not one or two trees. That's a whole-ass forest."

"Yeeeaaaah," Melia grinned.

"I'm thinkin' at least two thousand trees."" Melia… when are you going to need two thousand trees?" Melia paused.

"Maybe for a whole bunch of cherries? What if we decide to do ice cream sundaes?"

"For who?!" Jessica threw her hands up.

"The entire population of Horizon?"

"I mean, I could eat a ton of ice cream."

"A ton-…wait. Are you being facetious?" Jessica paused, mid-hand-wave. She opened and closed her hands, slowly counting on her fingers as she folded them into her palms.

"Holy crap, you're not. Did you build this entire greenhouse just for yourself?"

"The brothers are more than welcome to help themselves after I've had dessert.

"You built an entire greenhouse so you could have dessert?"

"Well, no, but now that you mention it, I totally should. Oooh, maybe I will build a barn? A dessert barn?! Jessica, you're a genius!"

"Please don't do this to the brothers," Alastair begged.

"Give them time. Just a little time."

"Fine," Melia rolled her eyes, but smiled. She already knew how much work growing an orchard would be, but…she didn't feel so bad as to not plant one. Besides, the [Greenhouse] had features. Ones she didn't think anybody knew about but her.

"Oh," she turned to the Headmaster.

"My invitation stands on the [Greenhouse], too," she said.

"If you want to study it, feel free. You can bring a few helpers or students, too, so long as it doesn't annoy or interfere with the abbey." The man's eyes lit up and his head snapped back in the direction of the [Greenhouse]. But, as an actual respectable adult, he groaned and turned away.

"It's a pity Abbeyton is so remote," he lamented.

"I am not nearly familiar enough to stabilize a teleportation anchor. Only if it were a little closer to Lakeridge or Westshire, or if it had an Aetherstone of its own." A lightbulb went off in Melia's head.

"About that," she said slowly, digging into her inventory. The last time she visited her bank, she didn't just retrieve what she needed to build a [Greenhouse]. She'd been planning several renovations for the abbey, or maybe for the mansion if she'd been allowed to move back in. Now that the mansion was off the table, Abbyton really was looking like her second home. Or third… or fourth… depending on how many homes she still had. But she had wanted to try something.

One of the main features of the game had been fast travel, but many of those options didn't carry over into real life. She couldn't just warp back home on a fifteen-minute cooldown with a [Homestone], and her [Flightmaster's Whistle] didn't magically manifest a gryphon from out of thin air to take her to the nearest flight path.

Most methods of travel had to be organic in nature, or else magical in the sense that they weren't answering a player's demand for instant gratification in the form of a videogame hand-wave. There was one item, however, that skirted the line between real-life plausible magi-science and game tomfoolery. The [Mini-Aetherstone]. It was technically a unique furniture item, meaning only one could be placed per account, at any player residence.

It allowed players to warp "home" just like they would when interacting with a normal Aetherstone. But, unlike the game, the recipe here in this world was much more intense. So much so that Melia could only build a few of them even after digging through her entire vault. One, by itself, was going to push her, but having the convenience of fast travel was worth the price. The others watched her with a growing sense of dread and curiosity as they followed her back to the abbey's entrance.

There, Melia spotted the Matron talking to the Bishop. Politely, she bowed to both of them and waited until they noticed her.

"Yes?" the Bishop asked with an amused smirk.

"How can I help you?"

"I was wondering," Melia began, "Who's in charge of the abbey?"

"Do you mean the clergy and congregation?" the Bishop asked.

"Or do you mean the grounds themselves?" He pointed down at the dirt beneath his feet as if to prove his point.

"If it's the former, I am technically in charge, though that is perhaps a crass way to put it," he chuckled.

"I merely guide those who search for the light. As for the latter, Matron Vivian here keeps the grounds and generally runs the ship."

"I see," Melia thanked the man.

"I was wondering who to ask if I wanted to build something." The Bishop paused. He was acutely aware of how much she'd built recently (having taken an intense interest in it himself), and how much she hadn't sought approval for before.

"And you didn't feel the need to ask before?" he questioned in a gentle tone. Melia's cheeks went a little pink, recognizing the unspoken rebuke.

"I'm sorry, but those were toys," she said honestly, bowing her head. The man froze.

"Toys…you say?"

"Yes," Melia agreed.

"This is different." The Bishop turned and stared at the front doors to the abbey…in all likelihood, staring through them and picturing the [Greenhouse] in his mind's eye.

"Toys…. Do I dare ask what you consider a real…tool? Craft?"

"An Aetherstone," Melia replied solemnly. She looked up at the Matron, who had been following along, but appeared slightly shaken.

"I have no mind for magic, myself," she admitted.

"But you've been incredibly generous with your wealth of skills so far. Those [Plots] alone will make it so no one goes hungry this winter."

"I'm glad," Melia beamed.

"I thought you might resent me for the extra work."

"It's true, we have had to request more able-bodied hands," the Matron chuckled.

"But for the Aetherstone? Is that even possible?"

"Yes," Melia said without a doubt. Her catalog of crafting recipes told her it was, and she trusted the system not to lie to her.

"Then yes, you have my blessing."

"Thank you!" Melia beamed. Normally, this sort of decision required a lot of deliberation. However, with the [Mini-Aetherstone] being a very special case, it also took much of the choice out of her hands. For one, crafting materials by themselves weren't enough for this recipe. And once she started looking at it, Melia instantly understood why it had changed so drastically, and why she wouldn't be able to simply plop one down wherever her heart desired. Though technically, she could, and she was about to.

It needed a connection to the Aetherlines. A strong connection. Which meant it needed to be directly tapped into the leylines. If there wasn't any magic running through the earth beneath her feet, Melia wouldn't be able to do anything about it, and she'd have to give it up as impossible. As it stood, however, magic was there, however faint, as there was a leyline nearby, running through the mountains toward Horizon and the Ashlands. Melia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She pulled the necessary items from her inventory. Perhaps ironically, all the components were already shaped, and all she needed to do was slot them together… under the right circumstances. Melia let her senses wander deep underground, following the mana as it flowed like water. Over in the foothills, leading up the mountain, it was like a raging river, which broke into a stream and branched into a brook. Beneath the abbey, the mana current was closer to a trickle from a garden hose. Melia let out her breath.

She clenched her eyes and focused. Her horns and tail came out, and even though her eyelids were clamped shut, her draconic eyes could see the world around her. She bore her gaze upon the mighty current to the north. As only a monarch could, Melia demanded that it change its course. No… not change. That would be too simple, too crude… too cruel. It would divert the magic from where it ran and change the very fabric of creation above it. Who could tell what chaos might transpire? Instead, she caused it to multiply.

She felt her mana surge out of her, like dumping buckets of water into an empty reservoir. The river drank greedily and deep. Still, Melia let her mana empty. Buckets turned to barrels, barrels to barges. Her pool was deep. The leyline to the north grew fat, pooling in one specific place as she focused on it with all her might. Then, before it could spill over and, in a twist of fate, enact the chaos she sought to avoid, Melia pulled. As if from a bursting dam, a brand new current broke through.

A new river, a powerful waterway full of eddies, rapids, and whorls. And yet, Melia contained it, bent it to her will. She pacified it, turning it from a destructive, wild force into a steadfast, capable ally. She dragged her focus across the land, letting the newborn leyline snake naturally but purposefully, until it passed directly underneath Abbyton and the abbey itself. Once she was satisfied it would suit her needs, she allowed the current to find its natural outlet and trusted it would remain benign.

It would behave, because it would not dare cross her. Melia opened her eyes, finding she was suddenly exhausted and drenched in sweat. Her clothes were soaked through and through, completely and utterly dripping wet. She swayed on her feet, lightheaded and ready to pass out where she stood. Soon, she would sleep. But for now, she tottered to the middle of the road, many yards away from the abbey's entrance, where a fountain could be erected.

She took the base, a golden circlet reminiscent of a gem holder, and placed it down. She took the Aetherstone, which by all rights could be considered a massive gem, and when it touched the base, it began hovering in the air above it, as if boosted by a magnetic force. Slowly, steadily, it began to turn. A click was heard, the golden base shone bright, and the stone began to glow from deep within.

[Miniature Aetherstone of Abbyton] Level: 0 Rarity: Artifact Quality: 5-stars Commanded by: Meliastraza Obsidianheart On use: Attune to the Aetherline of Abbyton On use: Pay the fee to travel to any attuned Aetherstone *Abbyton Aetherstone cost: 2 silver.

Hail to the Queen.

"Ahhh," Melia eventually said, finally losing the energy to stand as her legs turned into jelly.

"Mistress!" Layalee was by her side in a flash, picking Melia up and cradling her close to her chest.

"I'm fine, Lee," Melia grinned sleepily. Her eyes were already starting to shut.

"Jus' need a nap."

"Shall I take you home?" the [Retainer] asked quickly.

"We can leave at once!"

"No!" Melia had the foresight to say. She knew she wasn't going to last much longer, and this time, sleeping in any form other than her real one wasn't going to cut it.

"We don't have that kind of time! I need to turn back, and you won't be able to carry me. Just take me north, there's a new field. I'll fit, I made it when I cra-, uh, landed." Melia heard Layalee starting to reply, but the words were already lost. She had just enough energy left to see that her team was safe and sound, gently lowering the Headmaster and the Bishop to the ground as they seemed to be overwhelmed by something. Heh. Served them right.

And that would teach the mountain, too, not having a leyline in her abbey.