Chương 31: Chapter 29 – A Few Stipulations

"So you're the little girl." The voice rolled through the void like distant thunder that had decided to stay, low and steady and impossible to ignore. It didn't just reach her ears. It settled into her chest, into her stomach, into something deeper. Her body reacted immediately. Hunger twisted sharp and sudden, and her legs trembled as if they weren't entirely sure they wanted to hold her up anymore. Chelsea turned in a slow circle, trying to find him. There was nothing. No ground, no sky, no direction.

Just endless dark that somehow still let her see herself clearly when she glanced down at her hands.

"Do you mean me?" she asked. For a brief second, she wondered if the teleport had gone wrong, if she had been dropped somewhere in between places.

"Why are you so interesting," the voice continued, ignoring her question entirely, "that the Magal would burn her only favor on a single demon like you?" Chelsea swallowed, steadying herself as best she could. Her body was buzzing in a way that made it hard to stand still.

"I don't know if I'm that interesting," she said, a bit breathless.

"She's doing it because she screwed up my summoning. I was human, and now I'm… this." A long, drawn-out hum echoed through the space.

"I see," the voice said. Something began to form in front of her. Not a body. Not even close. Just a head, coalescing out of shifting light and fire and movement that didn't follow any pattern she could track. It looked like explosions frozen mid-burst, like storms made of flame and color and things that didn't belong in any normal shape.

"A demon champion with an ailment," it said. Chelsea pointed at it, more animated now.

"Exactly! That idiot wasn't even paying attention when it happened. She was off doing who knows what, and the summon got corrupted because of it." The head tilted slightly, the fire within it rolling in slow, thoughtful waves.

"You speak this way about your patron god?"

"I don't know what a patron god is," Chelsea shot back immediately, "but she turned me into a demon, stuck me in the body of a ten-year-old, and didn't even notice the summoning was breaking while it was happening. So yeah, I'm going to call her an idiot." There was a pause. Then the head laughed. The sound hit her like a wave, deep and resonant and wrong in a way that should have terrified her. Instead, it made something in her light up. Every nerve in her body seemed to lean toward it.

She had to fight the urge to move closer, to chase the sound as it echoed through the void.

"You are interesting," the voice said once the laughter faded.

"What is your name, child?"

"Chelsea," she answered, a little breathless.

"Chelsea." The way he said it sent a strange shiver through her. She clenched her jaw, resisting the sudden urge to ask him to say it again.

"Well, Chelsea," he continued, "what is it you want?"

"I'm stuck like this," she said, gesturing to herself with clear frustration now.

"Not just a demon. A kid. I look like I'm ten. I was eighteen before all of this, and I want that back. If I'm stuck at an age forever, I want it to be eighteen. Not… this."

"You are not a child?" he asked.

"Hmm…"

"Eighteen," she repeated trying to emphasize the word just in case he could do something about it.

"That's what I should be. That's what she messed up." Another hum, thoughtful and slow. Then he laughed again, and this time there was something sharper in it. Something that felt like it had teeth.

"I understand," he said.

"I understand why you speak of the Magal the way you do." Chelsea crossed her arms, a little vindicated.

"Right? She had one job."

"Indeed." The fire within the head shifted, tightening, focusing.

"I will fix this for you," he said. Chelsea straightened immediately.

"But there are stipulations." The tone changed just enough to make her pause.

"I will adjust you to your desired age within this domain. You will arrive at your destination as you wish to be. To maintain that form, you must kill a human." Chelsea blinked, then lifted a hand slightly.

"Quick question. Can that be retroactive? Like, if I've already done it, does it count?" There was a brief pause, like the idea hadn't been expected but wasn't unwelcome either.

"I have no objection to that," he said.

"Okay, cool," Chelsea replied without missing a beat.

"Then that one's already done." He let out a low chuckle, and the sound alone was enough to buckle her legs. Chelsea dropped to her knees again, breath catching as that same overwhelming sensation washed through her body.

"Good," he said, almost pleased.

"Next, you must drink the blood of a human."

"Done," she answered immediately. There was a pause. A real one this time.

"You must bathe in the blood of a human," he amended, his tone shifting as if he were adjusting the rules on the fly.

"Check," Chelsea said, nodding.

"I actually loved that one." Another pause.

"You are supposed to be a hero," he muttered, almost to himself. Then he lifted his voice again.

"Fine. You must eat the heart of a human." Chelsea winced, sucking in a sharp breath through her teeth.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Bodarex. I did that one too." The silence stretched just long enough to feel intentional.

"Very well," he said at last, his voice smoothing back into something controlled.

"That portion will grant you access to your desired age for six months. To extend it to a full year, you must consume at least five human hearts." Chelsea's shoulders lifted slightly as if she were embarrassed.

"I'm sorry," she said again, this time sounding almost apologetic.

"They're my favorite food, and I kind of killed over twenty people. I still have a bag with like fifteen hearts left." She brightened suddenly.

"Can I access them here? You can have one. They're really good." For a moment, there was nothing. Then Bodarex laughed. This one was different. Louder. Wilder. It filled the void in a way that made the space feel alive.

"Chelsea," he said, once the laughter settled, "you are my favorite mortal I have spoken to in quite some time." There was something like amusement woven into every word.

"What would you say to allowing me to become your patron god instead?" Chelsea blinked, then tilted her head slightly.

"Uh, can I think about it?" she asked.

"And just so I know, what would I get out of it?" This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"I would grant you a blessing," he replied.

"One suited for a demonic champion."

"Would I lose the Magalesa title?" she asked, thinking it through.

"Why would you want to keep it?" he countered.

"Options," Chelsea said simply. Another thoughtful hum rolled through the space. Then he said.

"You don't have a blessing from the Magal. You have a title. That you would be able to keep." He seemed to sigh. Was he just being dramatic now? Did he need to sigh?

"You may think on it," he said.

"I will visit the Magal's domain during your next dream." His tone shifted slightly, growing more measured.

"Understand this, however. The consumption of human hearts will only sustain your form for so long. Continued consumption will grant you three years at most. To make the change permanent, you must use your racial ability within that time." Chelsea went still.

"That ability," he continued, "must be used before the three years expire. If you revert to your child form after that point, there will be no second chance." She stared into the shifting chaos that made up his form, her mind catching on a single thought. That was the ability Adriane told her never to use. The one she had called worse than death.

"Okay," Chelsea said quietly. She didn't argue. Didn't ask what it did. The questions piled up anyway, circling in her head. What kind of ability carried that kind of warning? What could possibly be worth that cost?

"Then we are finished for now, little Chelsea," Bodarex said. The void vanished instantly. The darkness peeled away like it had never been there, replaced by the soft light of the real world. Stone and moss and broken pillars came into view around her, the remains of some ancient structure wrapped in creeping green. Her body pitched forward before she could catch herself.

The momentum of stepping onto the teleport platform carried through, and she stumbled off the edge of the pedestal, barely catching herself before she hit the ground.

"Chelsea?" Adriane's voice came sharp with concern.

"Why did it take you so long to teleport? We thought you'd been intercep…" Chelsea pushed herself upright. And froze. Everything felt… different. She straightened fully, and for the first time since arriving in this world, she didn't have to tilt her head up to meet Adriane's eyes. They were nearly level now, Adriane only a couple of inches taller.

"I may have just talked to Bodarex," Chelsea said, her voice catching on something new. She blinked, then touched her throat.

"Oh my god, it worked. My voice." She spun once in place, half laughing, half disbelieving.

"A mirror," she said suddenly, grabbing Adriane by the shoulders.

"I need a mirror." Adriane hadn't moved.

"Y-you're older," she managed, staring at her. She almost had… Disappointment in her eyes? From somewhere off to the side, a familiar voice called out.

"You found her?"

"Bea is going to flip," Chelsea said, already grinning. Then she gasped and clutched at her chest, eyes going wide. A second later, she broke into another little burst of movement, dancing in place.

"I have boobs again." She heard Dewey before she saw him. The heavy rhythm of his steps carried through the glen, steady and unmistakable, snapping her attention toward the trees. Edgar and Bea came into view with him, all three moving quickly until they broke into the open space. Chelsea glanced around once more, just to be sure. No guards, no city walls, no crowds. Just a quiet clearing surrounded by trees, sunlight filtering down through the leaves. They were alone.

She reached up and pulled the hood back, letting her hair fall free around her shoulders. The effect was immediate. All three of them stopped about twenty feet away like they had run into an invisible wall. Dewey froze mid-step. Bea's mouth fell open. Even Edgar seemed to go still beneath the mask. Bea recovered first. She turned sharply toward Edgar and slapped both hands over his eyes.

"No. Don't look at her." Chelsea's stomach dropped. She looked down at herself in a panic, hands brushing over her clothes, checking for anything out of place. Everything was covered. Nothing was exposed. She looked back up, confused and a little alarmed. Dewey stepped forward carefully, as if approaching something fragile. He bent down slightly, trying to bring himself closer to her level, though now the difference wasn't nearly what it had been.

"Little sister?" he asked. Chelsea lifted her brows and gave a small nod.

"Yeah. That's still me." He studied her for a moment longer, then nodded once, almost in relief.

"You are older now."

"I am," she said, a hint of pride slipping into her voice.

"Still eighteen though, so you're still my big brother." Bea dropped her hands from Edgar's face and marched straight up to Chelsea, her expression tight with something between irritation and disbelief.

"How?" she demanded.

"How did you do that? And did you do it just to get back at me for what I said?" Chelsea couldn't help it. She smiled, bright and a little too pleased with herself.

"Aww, Bea. Are you mad I'm not adorable anymore?" She heard it as she spoke. Her voice. It sounded different. Fuller. Smoother. It carried in a way it hadn't before. She liked it immediately. Bea opened her mouth to respond, then stopped, clearly struggling to find something that matched the moment.

"No," she said at last, though it lacked any real conviction. Behind them, Adriane made a sharp, frustrated sound.

"Chelsea," she said, her tone tightening.

"Do you know what you've done?" Chelsea turned quickly, bracing herself out of instinct.

"No?" she answered, unsure whether she was about to be scolded or worse. Adriane dragged a hand down her face before looking at her again.

"You are beautiful," she said, the word coming out more like an accusation than a compliment.

"Not just pretty. Otherworldly. Do you understand what that means for me?" Chelsea blinked.

"I… don't think so?"

"It means," Adriane continued, pointing at her for emphasis, "I am about to be harassed by every idiot with a pulse who thinks they have a chance. I am going to have men lining up to ask for your hand in marriage. I am seriously considering picking the worst one just to spite you for this." Chelsea stared at her, trying to figure out if that was a threat or a joke.

"I'm not sure if I should say thank you, apologize, or laugh," she admitted. Adriane exhaled, the tension easing just a little.

"Come on. We need to get to the guild and get you registered. Then we find a place to stay." Chelsea reached up to pull her hood back into place out of habit, but Adriane caught her wrist.

"You won't need that," she said.

"Actually, take the cloak off. I chose Junstruce for a reason. All races are welcome here." She hesitated briefly.

"You're not likely to run into many demons. They're usually… well…" Her voice trailed off as she finally took in Chelsea's full form properly. Not just a glance this time, but a full, uninterrupted look. She rubbed at her brow again.

"Gods dammit, Chelsea. Is this reversible?"

"Technically," Chelsea said, lifting one shoulder in a half shrug, "but not for a year." They started moving again, leaving the glen behind and heading toward the city proper. As they walked, Chelsea couldn't help but look around. The fairy district opened up into a lively stretch of streets and buildings that felt more grounded than the shimmering interior she had seen earlier. There was still beauty in everything, but it was mixed now with other styles, other structures, other people.

It felt less like a display and more like a place people actually lived. And there were people everywhere. Not just fairies. Humans, beastfolk, things she recognized from stories, and others she had no name for. The variety was overwhelming in the best way. No one looked entirely out of place, which made her feel like maybe she didn't either. Still, people stared. Not in the same way as before. This time, the attention landed on her directly. Eyes followed her as she passed. Conversations dipped.

Some people leaned slightly to get a better look. Chelsea met their gazes without thinking, curious in return. If they were going to stare, she might as well look back. Eventually, a large building came into view ahead of them. It was massive. Wide and tall and busy, with people constantly moving in and out. The scale of it reminded her of something familiar, something from home. Chelsea let out a quiet sigh.

"This looks like a Target," she muttered to herself. She missed Target.

"This is Junstruce's main guildhall," Adriane announced, pushing the doors open without hesitation. They stepped inside together. The noise hit immediately. Voices layered over each other, laughter, arguments, deals being made. It felt alive in a way that the quiet forest never could. No one paid them any mind at first. They were just another group walking through the doors. Then it started. One table went quiet. Then another. Heads turned, one after the other, as people began to notice them.

Or more specifically, notice her. Whispers spread quickly.

"A demon."

"What's with that mask?"

"That guy is huge." Chelsea, being herself, lifted her hand and gave a small wave to the nearest table. That only made it worse.

"She looked at me."

"She looks… nice?"

"Is it bad luck to wave back?"

"Chelsea," Adriane warned, her tone low but firm. Chelsea immediately dropped the waving and turned her attention forward, though she could still feel eyes following her as they crossed the guildhall. The space opened up ahead into a long counter that stretched nearly the width of the room. Behind it sat a young man who looked like he had drawn the short straw for the day. The moment he noticed who was approaching, his posture straightened, but his hands betrayed him.

He fidgeted with a stack of papers, trying to look composed and only managing halfway.

"Hello, welcome to the adventurer's guild," he said, his voice just a little too careful.

"How can I be of service?"...... Hey there, it's Riley. You've made it this far so I assume you find my story at least slightly entertaining. I would really appreciate it if you'd consider rating or review it. Hell, a comment would even be awesome. Something something algorithm. And if you haven't yet, feel free to follow so you can easily get updated when I post a new chapter. Anywho... thanks for being awesome!