Chương 148: Chapter 140 - How to Solve Slavery

"Miss Chelsea," Liam said from behind her. Chelsea spun around.

"Liam! I came up here to get away from everyone."

"I understand," he replied.

"But allow me to finish Miss Ivy's thought. In this world, people struggle to survive. As a slave, if you find yourself in a situation where you're taken care of, that is life-changing for some."

"Liam, you're arguing that these people want to be owned." Tears gathered in Chelsea's eyes despite her efforts to hold them back.

"And be bossed around. And for what? The opportunity to survive? How is that fair to them? I'm not the sort of person who can know I own someone and tell them to do things for me. A person isn't just a thing to own." Liam nodded as she spoke. He clearly didn't agree with every part of her argument, but there was no dismissal in his expression. He understood why the revelation horrified her.

"You're going to tell me to just go along with it, aren't you?" she yelled, grabbing her horns again.

"No, but I am going to give you a scenario," he replied gently.

"You have all the power in the world. You can bend Palonda to your will. You can walk out tomorrow, sit on your throne, and declare there is no more slavery. Our allies will feel the need to comply." He turned and looked across the grass covering Bradford's shell.

"Such easy words to mutter," he said.

"Millions across the world will instantly find themselves jobless and homeless. The places where they worked will likewise find themselves without the affordable manpower needed to run their businesses." Chelsea's fingers tightened around her horns.

"Questions like, 'Why don't they just pay them?' are meaningless when there is no money to pay them. And what if they did? They would pay them such a low wage that they would be worse off free. It would be worse than being a slave. New jobs would become available, sure, but not as many jobs would be created as there would be unemployed people." Chelsea hated what he was saying. She hated that he was arguing against ending slavery immediately. The worst part… was that parts of it made sense from a practical outlook.

Slavery in this world wasn't identical to the slavery she knew from Earth. That didn't make it acceptable, but it meant she couldn't destroy the entire structure without considering what would happen to the people trapped inside it. Chelsea walked toward the edge of Bradford's shell. As she did, she switched her active blessing and added Flying Transport. Then she stepped off, spread her wings, and flew toward the ground. Kira stood below with the others, still holding the oversized dress around herself.

Chelsea swept in behind her and grabbed her beneath the arms. Kira released a startled screech. She immediately began throwing punches and kicking backward at whoever had seized her. Her fists struck Chelsea's arms, and one heel caught her leg, but Chelsea's attributes had reached a point where the blows barely registered. It reminded her of all the times she had fought Adriane with everything she had, only for her mother to stand there without reacting.

Chelsea carried Kira back into the air and returned to Bradford's shell. She lowered the girl gently onto the grass. Kira rolled away the moment her feet touched down. She turned, prepared to defend herself, then froze when she recognized Chelsea. Chelsea smiled, though she knew it wasn't her usual smile. She couldn't force enough warmth into it while her thoughts remained unsettled.

"Your Grace? I'm so sorry I hit you. I… I…"

"You did?" Chelsea asked.

"I hope you didn't hurt yourself on my horns." She shook her head and tried to regain control of the conversation.

"Sorry, but I brought you up here to talk. Please leave us, Sir Liam." Chelsea started toward the tree.

"Uh, Miss Chelsea, how do I get down?" Liam asked.

"Jump? We aren't that high," she answered casually. Liam walked to the edge and looked down. Then he looked back toward Chelsea, apparently hoping she would offer another option. She didn't. He sighed and jumped.

"It's so strange seeing him being ordered around," Kira said, still holding the top of the dress closed. Chelsea reached into her pouch and pulled out her old Adventurer's Guild uniform. She tossed it toward Kira.

"Here, wear this. It should be more comfortable." Kira caught the clothing against her chest. Chelsea placed one hand against the tree before lowering herself to the grass at its base. A quiet sigh escaped her as she leaned back. She rested her horns against the trunk and closed her eyes. The familiar tree helped settle some of the panic still moving through her. She focused on breathing slowly instead of trying to solve every problem at once. After a moment, Chelsea opened her eyes and patted the grass beside her.

Kira was halfway through pulling the shirt over her head. She nodded once and finished adjusting it before walking toward Chelsea. Luckily, she had kept her leather and mail trousers on beneath the dress. She carried the expensive gown carefully in both hands as she crossed the grass, making certain none of the fabric dragged against the ground.

"What do I do with this?" Kira asked. Chelsea held out both hands, and Kira carefully passed the dress to her. The demon's smile turned mischievous. Before Kira could ask what she was doing, Chelsea gripped the fabric and tore the dress nearly in half. Kira gasped.

"Why?"

"Now I can gain a ton of Charisma for wearing it." Chelsea laughed and shoved the ruined dress into her pouch.

"I really am sorry about hitting you."

"Over one thousand Constitution. I'm tougher than I look," Chelsea replied. Kira's head snapped toward her.

"How?" she exclaimed.

"Not important. That's not why I brought you up here." Chelsea patted her thigh.

"Lay your head here." Kira hesitated for only a moment before following the instruction. She shifted closer and lowered her head into Chelsea's lap, staring up at the glowing demon with lingering uncertainty. Chelsea gently ran her fingers through Kira's hair.

"So, you're a slave. Tell me about it." Kira furrowed her brows.

"I don't know what you want me to tell you."

"Do you hate it?" Chelsea asked.

"Uh…" Kira stared up through the branches as she considered the question.

"No? Well, yes, but no. I don't like that I get made fun of for it. My bunkmates nicknamed me Slave Girl. None of them are slaves. I'm the only one. I don't like being reminded constantly." Her expression tightened, though her voice remained calm.

"But honestly, it's better than whatever else there was. Originally, I was going to be handed over as a reward for service. The Lord Commander saved me from that. There's also always the threat that if I don't control my anger, I'll be sold to a brothel." Chelsea's fingers slowed in Kira's hair. Kira swallowed before continuing.

"He made me talk to a brothel owner, and she told me all of the things men would do to me all day, every day." Chelsea leaned her head against the tree and stared ahead. The threat had been intended to frighten Kira into controlling herself. Threatening a young girl with a life of sex slavery? She would have words for Liam. Even if it was a hollow threat.

"That's not in your future anymore. What are your responsibilities now as a slave?" She felt Kira's head shift slightly against her thigh.

"Train? Get stronger to protect the empire. The only difference is I'm not being paid for my services."

"I see," Chelsea said. She continued combing her fingers through Kira's hair while she considered the answer. Kira's situation wasn't as immediately terrible as Chelsea had feared. She had food, shelter, training, and protection because Liam had intervened. The work she performed was something she seemed to enjoy. Or at least didn't completely hate. Though… Kira seemed to have missed out on a childhood. All of that still didn't change the fact that she had never been allowed to choose it.

There were slaves who had been sold into far worse lives. There were people who wanted freedom and had no way to earn it. The word covered too many different situations, but every one of them shared the same problem. Someone else owned their future.

"Thank you for your input." Chelsea released a quick breath and looked down at her.

"This is something I am really going to need to think on. I want to fix this system but it feels like... a lot. I just need time." She smiled at Kira, "What would you normally be doing right now?"

"I get an hour of free time after dinner, then I go train." Kira laughed.

"My lieutenant is going to be so mad that I'm not present." Her face showed genuine delight at the thought.

"Oh?" Chelsea said.

"Well, we can't have you slacking off. Let's have a quick spar and see if I notice any gaping flaws." Kira immediately stopped smiling.

"You want me to spar with you? You'll kill me."

"Oh, no, I won't. I would never actually hurt my favoritest daughter in the whole wide world. I'll lower my attributes to match yours. Come on."

"Are you sure about this? I can lose control sometimes." Kira sat up and moved away from Chelsea's lap.

"If our numbers are the same, you might not be able to keep up."

"I'll be fine. I always have a scary go-to thing that'll get you off me." Chelsea stood and brushed the grass from herself.

"Have you been in a battle before?" She began removing the expensive dress, then quickly turned away from Kira. Chelsea pulled a sleep shirt and trousers from her pouch and put them on. Both pieces were intended for someone around level five which offered her no attributes compared to her usual equipment. She left one ring on her finger before realizing even that would push her too far above Kira. Chelsea removed it and switched to her Valkyr title.

The change lowered her Strength to around thirty-eight, placing it much closer to Kira's natural attributes. When Chelsea turned back, Kira had already put on her armor. Metal gauntlets now covered both hands, and irritation showed plainly on her face.

"No, I haven't, but you're going to fight me in pajamas? That feels insulting." Chelsea laughed.

"It's not meant to be insulting. All of my gear gives considerable amounts of attribute points. Let me check your attributes one more time to make sure we're in the same range." Chelsea activated The Eyes and examined Kira again. The gauntlets appeared to add only around twenty points of Strength in total. Kira would have the physical advantage, but not enough to make the spar dangerous unless Chelsea allowed it to.

"Okay, perfect. You have more Strength," Chelsea said excitedly.

"Let's head down to the field below. I don't want to hurt my dearly beloved Bradford. I want to try something. Grab onto me." Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions. Kira stepped closer and wrapped her arms around Chelsea. Chelsea placed one hand against Bradford's tree.

"Into the pouch you go." Bradford vanished beneath them. The ground disappeared so suddenly that Kira tightened her grip around Chelsea's neck. Both of them dropped through the empty air. Chelsea quickly pulled out her shield and equipped it, gaining enough Constitution and Strength to comfortably support Kira's weight. Without a weapon or shield in her hand, most of her physical attributes had fallen close to their original level-one values. She activated Blessed Travel.

Their fall slowed immediately, leaving them drifting toward the field below Bradford's former position.

"It worked." Chelsea glanced at Kira's arms locked around her neck.

"Hey, are you feeling any sort of weightlessness, or is all of your weight still around my neck?"

"Still around your neck," Kira answered. Chelsea adjusted her grip beneath Kira's legs to keep her secure during the descent.

"So, you're an unarmed fighter. That's so fascinating. We had to learn some unarmed combat in Valhalla. Both fighting against someone unarmed and fighting unarmed against others with weapons. Though I doubt our training is as high-quality as the Holy Knights'."

"I'm excited to show you what I'm capable of."

"Uh, okay, so before we start, just know… I'm going to piss you off. My personal fighting style sort of evolved into this gross mutation. The other Valkyr hated sparring with me." Their feet touched the grass. Kira released Chelsea and stepped away while Chelsea dismissed her shield. Liam, Ivy, and Rose had gathered nearby after Bradford vanished, all of them watching the pair with varying levels of concern.

"Hey, Liam, we're going to spar. Want to call it?"

"Uh… sure," he said, looking worriedly toward the younger girl.

"Are you both ready?" Kira raised her fists and settled into a practiced fighting stance. Her armored feet were spread firmly beneath her, and both gauntlets were held close enough to protect her face. Chelsea let her arms hang loosely at her sides and smiled sweetly at her daughter.

"Ready," they both said. Kira's eyes moved over Chelsea's empty hands.

"Wait, where's your weapon?" Chelsea didn't move.

"Begin," Liam announced. Chelsea remained where she was, continuing to stare at Kira with the same pleasant smile. Kira waited for an attack that never came. Then she began approaching cautiously, keeping her guard raised. Chelsea swished her tail back and forth behind her.

"I don't know your game, but here in the Holy Knights, we treat every sparring match as a life-or-death scenario." Kira took two powerful leaps and closed the remaining distance. The moment Chelsea entered her reach, Kira drove forward with Power Strike. The gauntleted fist carried enough force that Chelsea wouldn't be able to stop it directly with her reduced Strength. She didn't try. Chelsea lifted one finger and pressed it against the side of Kira's wrist at the correct moment.

The strike shifted just enough to pass beside her instead of hitting her chest. That was fine. Kira could recover. She was already beginning to pull her arm back when a low sound escaped her throat.

"Hoooooo." Chelsea had summoned her spear in a reversed grip. The butt of the weapon drove upward into Kira's stomach while the blade buried itself in the ground between Chelsea's feet. The impact forced the breath from Kira's lungs. She jumped backward, escaping the spear's reach, then raised both arms over her head as she struggled to breathe. Chelsea released the weapon and allowed it to fall, dangling from a tether tied to her wrist.

Before Kira could fully recover, Chelsea moved forward and began testing her defenses with open-palm strikes. Her speed had fallen along with her attributes, but she had trained extensively while operating within this range. Her movements remained controlled and precise. Kira deflected the first strike, then turned the second aside with her forearm. Chelsea tried an old trick she had repeatedly used against Valhalla's trainers.

Their experience had always allowed them to recognize it before she completed the attack. She threw an obvious front kick. Kira lowered one arm to deflect it. Chelsea allowed the motion to carry through her hips while her tail followed behind the kick. The second strike slipped inside Kira's guard before she recognized it. The heart-shaped tip lightly tapped the side of Kira's head. Kira growled in frustration and grabbed Chelsea's tail with both hands. Chelsea pulled backward, pretending to struggle to free it.

Kira tightened her grip and pulled in the opposite direction. Chelsea suddenly twisted, with the force instead of fighting against it. The movement released enough slack to destroy Kira's balance. Kira stumbled backward. Chelsea snapped her tail free as the girl fell onto the grass.

"This isn't how a fight goes!" Kira screamed angrily as she pushed herself upright.

"And stop smiling!" Kira charged and threw a powerful left hook. Chelsea moved to the right, allowing the fist to pass her face. The dodge appeared to leave her entire left side exposed. Kira immediately tried to take advantage of it.

"Liam, do you guys not do much with footwork?" Chelsea asked. Her tail curled around Kira's right ankle. Chelsea pulled. Kira's planted foot slipped out from beneath her, and she fell flat onto her back before her second attack could land.

"Sir Erik had some footwork issues as well."

"We do, but apparently not enough," Liam replied, rubbing his chin. Kira rolled to one side and forced herself back to her feet. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Chelsea. Her breathing had become heavier, and the controlled stance she had started with was beginning to fall apart. She sprinted forward and launched herself into a tackle. Chelsea read the shift in Kira's shoulders before the girl left the ground. As Kira flew toward her, Chelsea flapped her wings once and propelled herself backward.

Kira passed through the space Chelsea had occupied and landed face-first in the grass. She lifted her head, and the last of her restraint disappeared.

"I'll kill you!" she screamed. Kira scrambled upright and charged into another tackle. This time, she watched Chelsea closely, clearly expecting the demon to dodge again. Instead of dodging, Chelsea used the same trick as before. Kira's fingers were only inches away when Chelsea summoned her spear. The blade drove into the dirt while the butt of the weapon struck Kira directly beneath the ribs. Another guttural sound escaped her as she folded around the impact and dropped to the ground.

"I think that's enough," Chelsea said.

"Sorry about that, Kira." Kira wasn't finished. She planted both hands against the grass and launched herself at Chelsea before she had fully regained her breath. Chelsea still held the spear, giving her enough Strength to catch Kira as she reached her. She redirected the charge and lightly tossed the girl backward rather than allowing her momentum to carry them both to the ground. Kira landed hard enough to roll, but not hard enough to injure her. Chelsea didn't want to hurt her any further.

She released the spear and switched to The Holy Empress of the Forgotten Children. Power rushed back into her body as the title took effect. Before Kira could rise, Chelsea crossed the distance and straddled her. She caught both of Kira's wrists and pressed them into the grass above her head. Her tail wrapped around Kira's legs, preventing her from bucking too much.

"I'm going to kill you! You can't embarrass me like that!" Kira screamed and twisted beneath her, but Chelsea was far too strong now. The girl couldn't move her arms more than an inch or force Chelsea from her position. Chelsea lowered her voice.

"Hey. My sweet Kira. Come back to me."

"No! You can't do that! You cheating, ugly demon bitch!" Kira screamed.

"It's me, sweet girl," Chelsea soothed.

"The fight is over. Take some deep breaths. Do me a favor, hold up three fingers." Chelsea looked up at her hand and she didn't comply.

"Fuck you! You think you're something special just because you…"

"I knew you couldn't hold up three fingers." Chelsea interrupted. In defiance, Kira did it, then Kira continued struggling. She tried to roll onto her side, but Chelsea kept her flat against the ground without tightening her grip enough to cause pain.

"Huh, so you can hold up three fingers. My mistake. I bet you can't click your tongue three times." The attempts to free herself gradually weakened. After a moment she clicked her tongue.

"There you go. Come back to me. It's Mom. Come on, sweetheart." Chelsea kept her voice calm despite the insults and threats. She watched Kira's face instead of reacting to her words, waiting for some sign that the girl could hear her. Kira struggled several more times. Chelsea kept prodding her to complete mundane simple tasks. She had a theory of what this was. Then the fury finally left her eyes. Her body went still, and recognition returned to her expression.

"Mom? Oh, gods, Mom, I'm so sorry!"

"It's okay," Chelsea said.

"You couldn't help it." She released Kira's wrists. Kira immediately sat up and wrapped both arms around Chelsea. She clung to her tightly, pressing her face against Chelsea's shoulder.

"I didn't mean anything I said. I don't want to kill you. Please forgive me."

"It's fine," Chelsea said again with a light laugh.

"I know you didn't mean it. I know I'm not ugly. I have something similar. Mine is bloodlust, though. I lose myself on the battlefield, and, well… it gets messy. Yours is a mental thing. I knew someone with it. You get into a feedback loop and you need little tasks to get you out of it." Kira's grip remained tight, but her breathing began to settle.

"You got her out of it so easily," Liam said, sounding impressed.

"Typically, we have to lock her in a cell until she comes out of it herself. She usually takes an hour or two." Chelsea nodded. She leaned back enough to see Kira's face.

"Starting today, Kira, you're banned from leveling. You'll focus on technique. Not until your technique reaches a point where you don't get angry with your opponent's moves will you be allowed to level. That could get really dangerous. I used to get frustrated with everyone who was better than me too, until I trained my ass off and started having fun when I found someone who challenged me."

"Okay," Kira said. She wiped at her face before looking Chelsea over again.

"Mom, what level are you, like, actually?"

"I told you. I'm level one," Chelsea replied.

"No, really. Please just tell me." Chelsea laughed.

"No, really. I'm level one. I'll show you." She looked toward Liam.

"Can you hand me your short sword?" Liam drew the weapon and held it out with the hilt toward her. Chelsea wrapped one hand around it. The sword immediately dropped from her grip and struck the ground.

"Shit!" Chelsea exclaimed.

"I thought with this Strength it wouldn't be that heavy." She stood, planted both feet firmly in the grass, and gripped the hilt with both hands. With considerable effort, Chelsea managed to lift the weapon several feet from the ground. Her arms trembled before she let it fall again.

"Yeah, sorry. I'm not going to be able to hand that back over," she said with a laugh. Liam stepped forward and retrieved the sword while Kira stared at Chelsea in disbelief. Chelsea explained the soul-marked ailment that permanently held her at level one and the enhancement that allowed her to gain the attributes of broken equipment. By the time she finished, Kira's earlier disbelief had been replaced by complete confusion. The five of them talked for a while before Ivy announced that she was going to bed.

The others agreed that it was probably a good idea after everything that had happened. They separated and headed toward their new rooms while Chelsea decided to take a bath. Before getting in, she opened the Domain Menu and constructed a fence around the grotto. It wasn't particularly beautiful, but it blocked the view from the rest of the domain. She could improve it later. Chelsea bathed quickly, enjoying the warm water now that she had no reason to worry about anyone wandering past.

Once she was clean, she dressed and went searching for Bradford. He had returned to his palm-sized form, which made him difficult to find in the grass. Chelsea eventually spotted him near the original bedroom, crouched low enough that only the top of his shell was visible. She picked him up, carried him to a clear stretch of ground, and placed him down again. Bradford began to grow. Once he reached his full size, Chelsea flew onto his back and settled beneath her tree.

She pulled out Looty, and placed her on her chest. She directed Bradford to walk around the domain while avoiding the buildings and anyone who might still be awake. His movement created a gentle sway beneath her. Chelsea leaned back against the tree and opened the Domain Menu. She planned to browse through the options until she became tired enough to fall asleep. She pet Looty's little pink lid as she did. She returned to the section containing the settings that could be turned on or off.

Most were simple controls for sound, lighting, or weather. Then she found one that looked far more appropriate for a god than a newly appointed Empress. Omnipresence On/Off Chelsea stared at the option. There was no description explaining what it would do or warning her what the experience might feel like. She activated it anyway. Her awareness expanded instantly. Chelsea was no longer limited to the place beneath the tree. Her mind occupied every part of the domain at once.

She could see the inside of every room while still watching Looty on her chest. She could feel the water moving inside the grotto and the pressure on the grass beneath every Bradford footstep. There was no distance between her and anything within the domain. Liam slept on his back in one of the new rooms. Chelsea could see the flap at the back of his throat moving with every breath and hear exactly how it produced his light snoring. Ivy had stretched herself across the entire bed with her arms and legs spread wide.

She had somehow claimed almost every inch of the mattress despite being alone. Rose slept more peacefully than Chelsea had seen her at any point that day. Then Chelsea's attention found Kira. Her new daughter lay awake beneath the blankets. Her body remained completely still, but tears slid silently across her face and disappeared into the pillow. Chelsea immediately deactivated Omnipresence. Her awareness snapped back into her body beneath the tree. She stood, placing Looty down beside the tree.

"Be my good little princess. No mischief, ok?" Chelsea spread her wings, and flew toward Kira's room. Chelsea opened the door and stepped inside. Kira rolled over at the sound, her eyes widening when she saw Chelsea. She quickly tried to wipe the tears from her face. Chelsea didn't say anything. She crossed the room, climbed into the bed, and pulled Kira against her chest.

"It's okay to cry, Kira," Chelsea said as she stroked the girl's hair.

"You don't need to do it alone anymore." Kira's control broke. She began sobbing hard, though she still tried to keep herself silent. Chelsea wrapped one wing around her and held her tightly. She remained there until Kira's breathing finally settled and the girl fell asleep in her arms. Chelsea woke to Kira's light snoring. Her daughter was still lying on top of her, with her face pressed against Chelsea's chest and one arm wrapped around her waist.

Chelsea was impressed that Kira had managed to remain asleep with the divine light shining directly into her face. She slowly ran her fingers through the girl's hair. Kira definitely needed a bath. Chelsea would send her to the grotto later. For now, she was content to remain where she was and enjoy the unfamiliar feeling of holding her daughter. She hadn't felt this same immediate pull toward the children at the orphanage.

Chelsea loved them, but there had been so many all at once that she hadn't been able to focus on any one of them. Kira was different. It didn't quite feel motherly. More sisterly than anything. Their ages weren't far enough apart for it to feel motherly.

"Is it morning already?" Kira asked sleepily.

"I think so?" Chelsea replied.

"Honestly, I have no idea. Are you doing better this morning?" Kira nodded against her.

"Sorry ab…"

"Kira, you never need to be sorry about that," Chelsea quickly said, interrupting her.

"Okay," she replied. Chelsea continued stroking her hair.

"Want to talk about it?" Kira remained quiet for several moments. Her fingers tightened slightly against Chelsea's shirt.

"When we were sparring, I imagined myself killing you," she said, pressing her face more firmly against Chelsea.

"Sitting on your chest and punching you in the face until…"

"Where I'm from, we call those intrusive thoughts. People have them. It's a thing. A mother rocking her baby beside a fireplace, and for some reason, her mind imagines her throwing the baby into the fire. Or while walking across a tall bridge, envisioning yourself just jumping." Kira lifted her head enough to look at Chelsea.

"Do you ever have them?"

"I do, but mine are more funny in nature. Like, wouldn't it be funny to wake this sleeping greater dragon? Or, I don't know, things like that." Kira laughed quietly.

"You've really fought a greater dragon?"

"I did. Where do you think the higher-level knights got all of those legendary scales from? We sold a ton of them to the Church. I even have the dragon's head as a helmet in my pouch. Her name was Pundukarack, and she was a good girl. I wanted to keep her, but your evil grandmother said no." Kira laughed again, this time with more energy.

"What is she like? Adriane, I mean."

"Intense," Chelsea replied.

"Impossibly kind if you're on her good side, though. By the way, if she ever offers to train you, the answer is 'no, thank you.'""Seriously? Getting trained by Adriane W…"

"It's not the sort of training you're thinking it is. Likewise, it wasn't the sort I thought it was either. Just politely decline."

"Okay. I guess," Kira replied. Chelsea smiled down at her.

"Hey, I'm curious about how much your Child of the Empress title gives to your attributes. Mind if I look?"

"Go ahead." Chelsea assigned The Inspector and Defender of Love. Together, the titles raised The Eyes to level twenty-five. She opened Kira's information and tried to pull up her attributes. A prompt immediately appeared instead. Evolve Class? Y/N Chelsea's eyes widened.

"Whoa!" she said excitedly.

"You have a prompt to evolve your class. That wasn't there yesterday."

"Really?" Kira asked. She pushed herself upright against Chelsea's chest, any lingering sleep disappearing from her expression.

"I've been a Brawler since I was a kid. I was wondering if I'd ever get a new class."

"Want to go through them now?" Chelsea asked.

"We have to, don't we?"

"Nope. I left my 'Evolve Class' message for my Holy Empress class sitting around for days before accepting it." Kira stared at her. Chelsea could see the curiosity already eating at her. The girl shifted beneath the blankets and looked toward the empty space in front of her, though she couldn't see the prompt herself.

"Okay, then, um…" She thought for a moment.

"It's killing me. Let's do it."

"Then say yes," Chelsea replied with excitement.

"Yes," Kira said. The prompt changed. Chelsea gasped. Kira immediately looked up at her.

"What? What is it?"

"Calm down. You're messing up the connection." Kira went still, though the tension in her body made it clear that remaining calm was taking effort. Chelsea focused on the class options again.

"Okay, so you have two uncommon-rarity classes. Then one that's slightly rarer. Let me give you the two uncommon ones first."

"Okay. Yeah, do that," Kira replied. Chelsea selected the first option and read through its information.

"First one is Bare-Knuckle Brawler. I'm guessing you fight without gauntlets with that one." Kira nodded slightly, already considering it.

"Then next is a Berserking Pugilist."

"How is that different from how I am now?" she asked with a laugh. Chelsea smiled, but her attention had already moved to the final option. The rarity beside it wasn't one she recognized.

"And finally, your last one. Are you ready?"

"Oh, come on. Just tell me."

"This one is a U-rarity class. I have no clue what U-rarity means, which means it must be higher than hyper-rare." Chelsea looked down at Kira, barely containing her excitement.

"The last one is called Knight Princess of the Holy Church."