Chương 29: Chapter 27 — A Wing for Bea

Chelsea lowered the spear slightly, then added, "Oh, and the name is green. That same green shows up again in the strength bonus part." The information faded from her vision as she blinked again, returning fully to the world around her. The reactions were immediate. Bea and Dewey both looked stunned, like they had just seen something impossible. Adriane looked like she had just been handed exactly what she wanted. Edgar, as always, gave nothing away.

"I knew it," Adriane said, excitement breaking through her composure.

"That is incredible. Now we just need to figure out how to—""You can read!?" Bea cut her off, her voice rising sharply. Chelsea blinked at her.

"Uh… yeah? Why?" Bea stared at her like she had grown a second head. Chelsea's expression shifted as it clicked.

"Oh. You guys can't." She winced slightly.

"I'm sorry."

"Little sister keeps getting more impressive," Dewey said, sounding genuinely pleased.

"You can read guild postings for us." Chelsea smiled.

"I'd be happy to."

"How the hell?" Bea demanded.

"You're a kid."

"Still eighteen," Chelsea shot back with a pout.

"Where I come from, everyone learns to read. We don't really learn to fight. I mean, some people do martial arts or whatever, but it's not like this." Adriane stepped back in, pulling the conversation back on track.

"Focus. How do we make your enhancement stronger? What caused it to level up before?" Chelsea frowned slightly as she thought it through, replaying the moments in her head instead of just skimming past them.

"There are two times I remember it happening," she said slowly.

"The first was at the training field, when I was on fire. The second was when I slammed into the ground trying to fly." A few of them smiled at that, the memory clearly still fresh. Bea let out a quiet snort while Dewey shook his head, amused despite himself. Adriane did not laugh. She stayed still, eyes lowered, clearly turning the information over and trying to find a pattern. While she thought, Bea rummaged through her bag and pulled out a small, worn book.

"We grabbed this off the bandit leader," she said, holding it out.

"Can you read it for us?" Chelsea took it, flipping it open carefully. The pages were rough and smudged, filled with tight, messy writing. She read the first entry aloud, sounding it out as she adjusted to the style.

"1181, 612. Caravan passed mid-moon. Guards." She turned the page.

"1181, 613. Carriage, first quarter-moon. Three girls." Her expression faltered slightly at that, but she kept going.

"1181, 613. Guards passed early-sun." She looked up from the book.

"It's a log. He was tracking everything that moved through this stretch of forest." She flipped through several more pages, skimming this time.

"There are a lot of entries. Dozens. Looks like they didn't hit everything. Some notes mention passing when there were too many guards or not enough payoff." Bea leaned forward with interest.

"Anyone else got books on them?" she asked, glancing around hopefully. No one moved. Chelsea glanced between them, then closed the book gently.

"Maybe the fairy city has a bookstore," she said. The mood shifted immediately. Dewey's expression dropped, and he looked almost uncomfortable.

"Little sister… that's a luxury," he said quietly. Chelsea bit back the instinct to argue outright. She wanted to tell them it would not matter soon, that she was already working on a way out of all of this, but she knew she could not say that yet. Instead, she tried a different angle.

"What if it isn't?" she asked.

"What if it's something useful? Like a spellbook for Bea. If she learns stronger healing magic, that helps all of us, right?"

"Chels," Adriane said, her tone sharpening just slightly, "you're pushing it." Chelsea leaned forward, frustrated but trying to stay calm.

"How? Bea's role is healing and spellcasting. Getting better at that is strategy, not indulgence." She looked to Dewey and Bea for backup, but both of them suddenly found the ground very interesting.

"That's like saying you shouldn't upgrade a weapon because it's a luxury," she added. No one answered her. The silence stretched just long enough to make the point for them. Chelsea became aware of warmth before anything else. An arm was draped over her, solid and heavy, resting across her middle and pulling her gently back against someone. For a moment she stayed still, caught off guard by how natural it felt. She had not been held like that in years, not since she was a kid.

She shifted slightly and felt breath against the back of her neck. Her eyes opened. The fire had burned low, casting a dim orange glow across the camp. She lifted her head just enough to look around. Dewey was a few feet away, sprawled on his back, clearly asleep. Adriane and Edgar were still awake near the fire, sitting opposite each other in quiet conversation. That left only one option. Bea. Chelsea carefully lifted the arm off her and eased herself forward, trying not to wake her.

Once free, she stood and stretched, rolling her shoulders as she walked toward the fire. Her stomach twisted almost immediately, reminding her she had not eaten since earlier. She reached into her bag and pulled out one of the hearts, sitting down near the fire as she did.

"When did we go to sleep?" she asked quietly, her voice still rough from fatigue. Edgar answered first.

"Adriane decided she did not feel like continuing that conversation in front of your brother and sister." Adriane shot him a brief, warning look, but did not correct him.

"Did you smack me?" she asked, almost casually.

"Or slam my face into the ground like with Bea?" Edgar let out that strange, muffled laugh of his.

"Nothing so dramatic."

"Sleep spell," Adriane said simply. Chelsea nodded once, accepting it, though her grip tightened slightly around the piece of meat in her hand. Chelsea nodded as she listened, though her focus drifted the moment she took a bite. She closed her eyes and let out a quiet, involuntary sound of satisfaction.

"I forgot how good this is," she admitted, almost to herself.

"It's going to suck when I run out. Horse is good, but this…" She trailed off, clearly not finding a comparison that did it justice.

"Chelsea," Adriane said, cutting through the moment as if the comment had never been made, "you can't undermine me like you did earlier." Chelsea blinked, caught off guard, her attention snapping back to her.

"What?" Adriane didn't look at her right away. She kept her gaze on the fire, watching the flames curl and settle as she spoke.

"You're smart. Smarter than any of us. You can take something I say and pick it apart until there's nothing left. You can argue circles around me without even trying." She finally looked over.

"You can't do that in front of the others." Chelsea shifted, suddenly feeling a little smaller under that gaze.

"I didn't mean to," she said quickly.

"I wasn't trying to make you look bad or anything. I just… I was trying to understand."

"I know," Adriane said, her tone softening just slightly.

"We come from different worlds. What makes sense to you doesn't always translate here." Chelsea nodded, looking down at what was left of the heart in her hands.

"I'll be more careful," she said.

"I didn't realize I was doing that." Adriane gave a small, almost approving nod before her attention shifted.

"Have you heard anything from Magalesa?" Chelsea shook her head.

"Not since we left the kingdom. It's been quiet."

"You speak directly with the rebirth god?" Edgar asked, his voice carrying a note of interest.

"I have," Chelsea said.

"Twice. But nothing lately. I can try again when I sleep." Chelsea looked back to where she had been sleeping, noting the small woman giving soft snores.

"She was very insistent on sleeping beside you," Edgar added. Chelsea frowned slightly.

"Why?"

"She's accepted you," Adriane said simply.

"She'll pretend it's something else, but it's obvious." Chelsea glanced back toward where Bea was sleeping, sprawled out without any care for how she looked. A small smile tugged at her lips.

"She's sweet," she said quietly.

"In her own very… very messed up way."

"You should get some rest," Adriane said.

"We're close to the fairy city. You'll want to be clear-headed when we arrive." This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Chelsea nodded, finishing the last bite and wiping her hands against the grass.

"You should rest too," she said, looking between the two of them.

"He doesn't sleep," Adriane replied, nodding toward Edgar.

"I will in a bit." Chelsea didn't argue. The exhaustion was already settling back in, heavier than before. She pushed herself to her feet and made her way back over to where Bea lay. This time, instead of turning away, she settled in facing her. After a moment of hesitation, she shifted one of her wings and draped it lightly over Bea like a blanket. Bea stirred slightly but didn't wake. Chelsea let out a quiet breath, closed her eyes, and let herself drift back to sleep.

"YES!" Chelsea pumped her fist as she snapped back into the misty, sunlit world, the soft haze curling around her ankles like it had been waiting for her. The weak sunlight filtered through the fog, warm but distant, and for a brief moment she just stood there, relieved to be somewhere that didn't smell like blood or damp forest.

"Oh, how I missed you too, sweet girl," Magalesa's voice drifted toward her before her form fully appeared.

"I see you've learned to fly since we last met." Chelsea gave a small nod.

"I did. Kind of. Still working on the not crashing part." She hesitated, then pushed forward.

"Hey, something I didn't realize until very recently is that I'm stuck like this." She gestured to herself.

"Not like 'young adult,' but actually a kid. Like… ten, apparently. Can you fix that?" Magalesa's form slowly resolved in front of her, the god's expression turning thoughtful as she tilted her head and rubbed her chin.

"Why would you want to grow up?" Chelsea opened her mouth, then immediately closed it again, her brain scrambling to find an answer that wasn't just 'sex related stuff'.

"Because I just do, okay?" she said finally, a little too quickly.

"Personal reasons." Magalesa studied her for a long moment, then sighed.

"Unfortunately, that's outside of my domain. I don't have the power to alter that. I'm sorry, sweet girl. You're going to remain as you are." Chelsea didn't respond right away. She stared out into the fog instead, her shoulders lowering just a fraction.

"Stuck this way," she repeated quietly.

"Forever." Her eyes burned, and she blinked rapidly, but it didn't help. The weight of it settled in all at once, heavier than she expected.

"Oh no, no, don't start crying," Magalesa said immediately, her tone shifting to full panic. She stepped closer, hands hovering awkwardly like she wasn't sure if she was allowed to touch her.

"It's not so bad. Really. Think about it. You can still do everything you want to do. You'll just be… smaller." Chelsea sniffed hard, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand.

"Is Gerard available?" she asked, her voice wobbling just enough to sell it.

"Yes, of course," Magalesa said quickly, clearly eager to fix the situation.

"If that helps, I can bring him right away."

"Magalesa? Does that mean..." Gerard appeared mid-sentence, his form snapping into place beside them. He looked exactly as she remembered, maybe a little more worn, a hint of stubble giving him that permanently half-rugged look.

"Kiddo!" His face lit up immediately.

"You made it! You're alive!" Chelsea nodded, still sniffling.

"Uh-huh." His smile faltered as he took a closer look at her.

"Okay, what's wrong?" He glanced at Magalesa.

"What did you do this time?"

"I asked if she could age me up a few years," Chelsea said before the god could answer.

"She said no. I'm stuck like this forever." Gerard's expression flattened as he turned slowly toward Magalesa.

"Seriously?" Magalesa shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his eyes.

"Is there a demon god in this pantheon?" Gerard asked.

"There is," she admitted, fidgeting with her sleeve.

"Then ask him." Magalesa hesitated, clearly not thrilled with the idea.

"He technically owes me a favor, but he's… not pleasant. Everything he does has strings attached. If I call in that favor, it won't be simple." Gerard nodded like that tracked perfectly.

"That sounds about right. Same deal where I'm from. Still, talk to him. See what he says. If there's a cost, let her decide if it's worth it." Magalesa sighed but didn't argue. Chelsea took the opening to shift the topic.

"So how've you been? You leveling okay?" That pulled Gerard right back into a grin.

"Yeah, actually. Things are moving pretty fast this time." He crossed his arms, studying her.

"What about you? How's the S-rank babysitter situation treating you?" Chelsea perked up immediately.

"Oh, it's been great. I've been tortured by one sister, escaped a kingdom that wanted to sacrifice me, had all my skin peeled off by Adriane... she's the S-rank by the way... killed twenty-one guys by myself, figured out I like eating people, and now we're heading to a fairy city." Gerard stared at her.

"That's… a lot," he said slowly.

"Can we go back to the part where someone peeled your skin off?" Chelsea waved a hand like it wasn't a big deal.

"Yeah, that part sucked. Like, really sucked. I don't even have a word for how bad it hurt." His expression sharpened instantly.

"Why? And how? Do I need to come get you right now?"

"No, no," she said quickly, shaking her head.

"It's fine now. Honestly, it kind of worked out."

"That is not how that sentence should end," Gerard said flatly.

"She was training me," Chelsea explained, as if that cleared everything up.

"She pressed me against a tree and just… kept going until there wasn't any skin left. Adjusted angles and everything. Super thorough." Gerard's face went completely still.

"And I consented to it beforehand." Chelsea added, tapping her chin thoughtfully.

"That was probably the worst part." He looked like he was reconsidering every life choice that had led him to this moment.

"But it's fine," Chelsea continued, completely missing or ignoring his horror.

"Once she was done, Bea healed me. And now I don't feel pain anymore. Like at all. It's weird. I can still feel things, but pain's just… gone." Gerard did not respond right away. He just stared at her, trying to process that sentence in its entirety.

"…I'm going to need a minute," he said finally.

"I don't know if that was a fair trade," Gerard said after a long moment, still trying to process everything she had just told him. Chelsea shrugged it off like it was nothing.

"No, it's really fine. Everyone in the family goes through it." She gave a small wave of her hand, like she was brushing away his concern instead of something deeply unsettling. Gerard blinked at her.

"Sweetheart… I don't mean any disrespect here," he said carefully, choosing each word like it mattered, "but did you join a cult? You keep saying 'family' and talking about initiation stuff like that." Chelsea burst out laughing, the sound echoing a little in the empty mist around them.

"No, no. It's not like that. It's just a literal family. There are four of them. Five if you count Edgar. He's married to Bea." She paused, then added, "He's kind of creepy." Gerard didn't laugh. He stepped closer instead, lowering himself until he was at her height, his expression serious now.

"Do you need me to come get you?" he asked.

"You can tell me the truth. If you're not safe, I leave right now. I'll figure the rest out on the way." Chelsea felt something tighten in her chest at that. It had been a long time since someone had looked at her like that, like her safety actually mattered. She reached out and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you," she said softly.

"Really. That means a lot." She gave him a small smile.

"But I'm okay. I promise. We're heading to a place called Junstruce. Once we get there, things should calm down a bit. If you want to meet up with me, that's where we'll be." He studied her face for a moment, searching for something, then finally nodded.

"You're braver than you realize." Chelsea smiled a little wider.

"Maybe." He huffed a quiet laugh.

"Funny thing is, I just realized I don't even know your name." Her eyes widened.

"Oh! It's Chelsea."

"Chelsea," he repeated, as if locking it in.

"Alright. I'll find you in Junstruce when the timing lines up."

"Hate to interrupt this heartwarming exchange," Magalesa said, stepping back into the moment, "but we are running out of time. I will speak with Bodarex on your behalf. I can't promise how he'll reach you, but he will." Chelsea nodded.

"Thank you. Both of you." The world faded before either of them could respond. Chelsea opened her eyes to grass and morning light. For a moment, she just lay there, staring at a single bead of dew clinging to the tip of a blade. It trembled slightly in the breeze, catching the light in a way that felt almost peaceful. She rolled onto her back and looked up at the sky, taking in the wide stretch of blue and the soft, drifting clouds.

After everything that had happened, there was something comforting about how normal it looked.

"You're finally awake," Adriane said from nearby.

"We didn't want to disturb you in case you were… elsewhere."

"I was," Chelsea said, pushing herself up onto her elbows. As she sat up fully, her stomach gave a loud, insistent growl. The camp was already packed. Everyone looked ready to move.

"Anything new?" Adriane asked, stepping closer. She reached out and gently ran her fingers through Chelsea's hair, pulling out bits of debris and smoothing out tangles with practiced ease.

"I talked to Gerard again," Chelsea said.

"He mostly just wanted to make sure I wasn't about to die." She paused, then added, "Magalesa said she's going to talk to the demon god for me. Something about maybe fixing the whole… being stuck like this situation." Every head turned toward her at once. Adriane's hand stilled.

"Bodarex?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," Chelsea said.

"Is that bad? She said he's not exactly nice, but he owes her a favor." Adriane stepped back slightly, her expression tightening.

"Chelsea… he is the god of chaos and mayhem. Yes, demons fall under his domain, but he is not someone you want paying attention to you."

"Oh." Chelsea's stomach dropped, this time for a completely different reason. As they started walking again, she hurried to keep up.

"So… what do I do if he actually talks to me? Just ignore him?" Bea snorted.

"Are you an idiot?" Adriane shot her a look before answering.

"No. Ignoring him would make it worse. A demon that refuses his attention would stand out immediately." She reached over and brushed a strand of hair behind Chelsea's ear.

"If he contacts you, you respond. But you keep it simple. Play naive. To him, you are just another low-level demon asking for help. Nothing interesting. Nothing worth remembering."

"Boring and naive," Chelsea repeated.

"Got it." They continued along the path, the rhythm of walking settling in again. After a while, Dewey drifted closer to her side.

"Little sister," he said, his deep voice rumbling, "teach me another song from your world." Chelsea laughed softly.

"You're still stuck on that one from yesterday?"

"It made a man lose control of his bladder," Dewey said very seriously.

"That is a powerful song."

"It was the situation, not the song," she said, though she was already thinking.

"Okay, okay. I'll teach you some easier ones first." She went through a couple of simple songs, breaking them down piece by piece so he could follow along. The others listened too, even if they pretended not to. Then something clicked in her memory.

"Oh," she said, snapping her fingers lightly.

"There's one I really want to teach you. I don't remember all the words, but I know the tune. It's kind of dramatic. You'll like it." She explained excitedly, trying to remember exactly how the prisoner song from the third Pirates of the Caribbean went. Dewey nodded immediately, fully committed. They practiced for a while, her humming the melody and adjusting words on the fly when she couldn't remember the originals.

It was clumsy at first, but the sound of it filled the quiet forest in a strange, almost comforting way. After some time passed, Chelsea slowed her pace and turned slightly so she could look at all of them.

"Alright. New lesson for everyone. This one's important." Bea groaned immediately.

"This one is the ABCs," Chelsea said, ignoring her.

"You all need to memorize it. Perfectly. We've got time before we reach the fairy city, and I want all of you to have it down by then." They stared at her.

"All of us?" Bea asked.

"Yes," Chelsea said firmly.

"All of you. Trust me. This is going to matter."

"Why?" Bea asked, turning around and walking backward so she could keep watching her. Chelsea smiled, slow and a little mischievous.

"Because this is step one in my master plan." Bea narrowed her eyes.

"Your plans sound like a lot of work." Chelsea clasped her hands together behind her back as she walked.

"This song is my first step in unleashing my diabolical plan of teaching all of you to read." There was a brief pause as that sank in.

"What's scarier than a Wixx?" Chelsea continued, her grin widening.

"A Wixx who is literate." Dewey's eyes lit up like she had just offered him the world. Adriane just shook her head slightly, though there was the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips.