Chương 45: Chapter 43 – Ranseur

"I can't believe you came back with no blood on you," Bea remarked as everyone dug into dinner. Chelsea looked down at herself proudly. It really was a first.

"You should have seen her," Adriane said before Chelsea could respond.

"You would have been so proud. Your training came through with every thrust." Bea leaned back slightly at that, clearly pleased with herself.

"Did you let her cut you?" Fiona asked curiously.

"No, actually," Adriane replied. Chelsea immediately sat up straighter. Those two simple words filled her with far more pride than she expected. A part of her had honestly assumed Adriane let the hit happen just to encourage her.

"She used a trick I'd never seen before, and it caught me off guard." Now everyone at the table was looking at Chelsea. Dewey gave an approving nod. Fiona smiled. Even Edgar inclined his head slightly. The praise made Chelsea squirm a bit in her seat. She felt guilty accepting credit for something inspired by an old internet argument nobody here would ever understand. Still, she wasn't about to explain Star Wars to them.

"Let's not forget," Chelsea quickly redirected, pointing around the table with her fork, "this is not a feast just celebrating me. We have another E-ranker and a new C-ranker with us now!"

"Yes," Adriane agreed immediately.

"Congratulations to you both. Bea, you're finally catching up to Edgar. Pretty soon, you two lovebirds can quest together." Across the table, Fiona looked up toward Dewey with a small smirk that carried entirely too much meaning behind it. Dewey immediately turned red. The giant man awkwardly reached behind Fiona and pulled her closer against his side while pretending this was a perfectly normal reaction.

"Oh, that's right!" Chelsea exclaimed excitedly.

"You two can take D-rank quests together now." Fiona looked back toward Chelsea, smiling softly now. Her cheeks had turned almost as red as Dewey's.

"I don't aim for C-rank quests yet, so yes, the two of us can quest together," Fiona said. Then she corrected herself while looking back up at Dewey.

"Will… quest together."

"Who knew you two could actually be cute?" Bea teased.

"It goes against all logic." Fiona blinked at her.

"What do you mean?"

"By yourselves, neither of you could really be considered cute," Bea explained matter-of-factly.

"I like to think I'm cute," Fiona replied.

"No, no," Bea continued, waving dismissively.

"You are pretty in this badass warrior barbarian sort of way. Chelsea isn't cute either. She used to be, but now she's just beautiful, nothing more, nothing less. Me? I'm cute." Chelsea nearly choked on the bite of heart she was eating. She coughed into her fist before pointing accusingly across the table.

"No, Bea. No. Crazy eyes are usually associated with beautiful women, not cute ones." Bea gasped in mock offense. Chelsea ignored her and looked toward Fiona instead.

"I think Fiona is very cute. Especially when she has flowers in her braid." Fiona gave her a slight bow of appreciation from her seat.

"And where do I fall in your rankings?" Adriane asked casually while sipping from her cup.

"I didn't hear you say my name." Chelsea immediately avoided eye contact. Thankfully, Bea answered first.

"You're Adriane Wixx. It doesn't matter what you look like. Every man is too scared of you to..." Bea abruptly faceplanted asleep mid-sentence. Chelsea snorted.

"You'd think she would learn."

"You'd think," Adriane agreed dryly. Edgar smoothly caught Bea's head before it landed in her food. He adjusted her upright like this was a routine occurrence. Which, judging by nobody reacting strongly, it absolutely was.

"I'll make her a plate to eat later when this wears off," he said calmly.

"Edgar," Chelsea asked while properly cutting off another piece of heart with her utensils this time, "when are you going for the S-rank?" Adriane answered for him.

"He has to be invited to take the trial. It isn't something you sign up for." Edgar's mask slowly shook side to side.

"And I am nowhere near that level. The difference between A-rank and S-rank is about as far as the gap between first starting F-rank and top tier A-rank. Maybe even more." Chelsea paused with her fork halfway to her mouth. That large of a gap? She glanced toward Adriane. Toward the woman casually drinking beside her. That meant Adriane wasn't just strong. She was other-worldly powerful.

Chelsea poked thoughtfully at the squishy piece of organ meat on her plate while trying to wrap her head around that scale of power. She wanted to ask more questions, but before she could, a new voice rang out through the inn.

"Miss Wixx? I have your delivery." Chelsea turned toward the entrance of the inn and immediately brightened.

"Maggie!" she exclaimed. The seamstress stood halfway through the doorway holding an oversized box nearly as wide as her torso. She looked relieved the moment she spotted Chelsea smiling at her.

"Come on in."

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," Maggie said carefully as she stepped inside.

"We are having a celebration dinner," Edgar explained from the table.

"Three of us ranked up today!" Chelsea added proudly. Maggie's eyes widened.

"Oh, that is cause for celebration! Congratulations!" She carefully carried the box over toward the table before turning nervously toward Adriane.

"Miss, uh... Adriane. I have your finished dress. Feel free to try it on whenever. If you need any alterations, please feel free to swing by the shop. All alterations and repa..." Her eyes flicked toward Chelsea.

"All repairs are covered in the price of the dress." Chelsea immediately smiled the most guilty-looking innocent smile imaginable. Maggie narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"Please tell me you haven't destroyed this one yet." Chelsea looked down proudly at her current outfit. Tonight's dress was bright canary yellow with blue accents woven along the bodice and sleeves. It was the same general style as her other dresses, though much softer and less villainous looking.

"Nope," Chelsea answered cheerfully.

"This one is still pristine." Adriane stood and walked over to the box. The moment she pulled the dress free, the room quieted slightly. Compared to Chelsea's dramatic outfits, Adriane's dress was simpler. Elegant. Clean. Dark blue fabric with soft white trim that matched her overall presence perfectly. Adriane held it against herself and actually smiled. A real smile.

"Oh, I love it," she admitted while looking toward Maggie.

"This is the first dress I've ever owned myself." Chelsea's heart hurt a little hearing that.

"I'm going to go try it on." Adriane disappeared upstairs with the dress draped over one arm while Maggie stood there looking genuinely delighted with herself. Chelsea motioned back toward the table.

"I know you've met Edgar and Bea, but this lovely couple is my brother Dewey and his, uh, lady friend, Fiona." Fiona nearly choked on her drink. Dewey turned bright red immediately.

"Everyone, this is Maggie. She owns the best dress shop in town and she is also Marie's daughter."

"Oh, you're too kind," Maggie said bashfully.

"It's a pleasure to meet you two. Edgar and Miss Bea, it's always a pleasure to see you." Her eyes shifted toward the unconscious Bea slumped against Edgar's shoulder.

"Oh, has Miss Bea had a bit too much to drink?" Dewey barked out a laugh.

"No. Beatrix ran her mouth off too much and Adriane put her to sleep."

"Ah." Maggie looked deeply concerned.

"She will be alright?"

"Oh yes," Dewey assured her casually.

"Bea is asleep more often than not."

"That actually makes a lot of sen..." Maggie suddenly stopped talking. Her eyes had drifted downward toward Chelsea's plate. Specifically the half-eaten raw heart sitting on it.

"You really do eat raw heart," she said quietly.

"That's not, uh…"

"Human?" Chelsea finished for her. Maggie nodded slowly.

"No, human is larger," Chelsea explained casually while cutting another slice off with her fork.

"That's actually from the boar on the table. Want to try?"

"Uh... sure," Maggie replied uncertainly.

"Wait," Fiona interrupted sharply.

"I wouldn't do that. Raw boar meat can make humans sick."

"Ah," Maggie said immediately, retracting her hand. Chelsea blinked. Then shrugged.

"Sorry, I didn't know that. I thought everyone was just grossed out by it."

"Oh, don't worry," Edgar replied dryly.

"We are plenty grossed out too." The whole table laughed. Even Maggie relaxed a bit at that. A moment later footsteps descended the stairs. Everyone looked up. Adriane stepped back into the dining area wearing the dress. The design itself was fairly modest. No dramatic cuts. No elaborate lacework. No daring slits like Chelsea preferred. But somehow that made it work even better. It looked natural on her. Like it belonged there.

The blue fabric complimented her hair and eyes perfectly while the fitted waist emphasized her tall, athletic frame without trying too hard. She looked elegant in the same effortless way she looked dangerous. The entire table went quiet for a moment.

"Oh, Adriane!" Chelsea cooed as she walked around her sister in a slow circle.

"You look gorgeous." Fiona smiled softly from her seat while Dewey and Edgar wisely kept their mouths shut.

"Really?" Adriane visibly brightened.

"It's not too much?" Chelsea immediately stepped closer and reached up to adjust a few strands of Adriane's hair around her shoulders.

"Are you kidding me? It looks incredible on you." She gently combed her fingers through the silver waves.

"I'm so jealous of your natural waves."

"How do you do that?" Adriane asked quietly.

"Hmm?" Chelsea stepped back half a pace, studying her work with narrowed eyes before nodding approvingly.

"Chels," Adriane whispered.

"Do you not know how you look?" Chelsea blinked in confusion and shrugged. Adriane let out a quiet laugh under her breath.

"Somehow you make me not feel like a gargoyle while being beside the most perfect creature ever. You so easily throw around words like gorgeous and as I look into your kind eyes, I can tell you mean every word." Chelsea scoffed immediately.

"Of course I do. You're a hottie. I'm surprised you don't hear that all the time." Adriane looked over toward Fiona like she needed confirmation she wasn't losing her mind.

"I'm not wrong, am I Fiona?" The larger woman had turned fully on the bench to watch the sisters interact.

"About the nice words Chelsea says? No. You're right." Fiona leaned her chin into one hand thoughtfully.

"She makes me want to give her the world and still feel like I haven't given enough."

"Oh goodness, it's not just me then," Maggie blurted out in relief.

"It's so hard to put into words. She says the nicest things. My best friends aren't even as nice to me as she is."

"You should tell them about the thieves," Edgar added from behind his mask. Adriane's attention snapped toward him.

"What thieves?" This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Chelsea looked equally confused.

"You don't even remember!?" Edgar sounded genuinely offended on behalf of humanity itself.

"This world does not deserve you." He sighed dramatically.

"There were a couple of pickpockets which we caught. She gave them money instead of seeking retribution." Recognition finally clicked for Chelsea.

"Oh, that." She shrugged.

"They were trying to feed their family. I'm still convinced. And they were kids. Am I supposed to chop off a kid's hand for trying to feed their family?" The entire room answered with some variation of yes. Even Maggie gave a hesitant little nod. Chelsea stared at all of them.

"Oh," she said weakly.

"We're not saying you're wrong," Adriane cut in before Chelsea could spiral into outrage.

"We're saying your outlook on life and how nice you are, it's dangerous." Chelsea rolled her eyes.

"Saying you look pretty is not dangerous. It's a compliment you deserve."

"That's not the dangerous part," Adriane replied patiently.

"It's like what Fiona said. It makes us want to treat you differently. It makes everyone want to treat you differently." She crossed her arms loosely and leaned back against the table.

"Fighting you today was one of the hardest things I've done in a while." Chelsea immediately perked up proudly before Adriane continued.

"Not because of your skills. Gods no, your spear work is atrocious and needs so much more practice." Chelsea deflated. Fiona snorted into her drink.

"It's because your face doesn't change as you fight," Adriane continued.

"No matter what, I see your sweet, caring, loving face looking back at me. It threw me off so much. When you cut me, it was mind-blowing. Yes, it was an interesting trick, but you somehow got into my head and made me fight worse without even knowing you were doing it."

"My face doesn't change?" Chelsea asked. Dewey answered this time.

"Little Sister, you don't grit your teeth or grimace or make any facial expressions. It's just kind smiling eyes staring from under that helmet." He shivered dramatically.

"Terrifying, honestly."

"Dewey, you're like a giant viking. Why would my face be scary to you?" Chelsea looked desperately toward Maggie.

"Maggie, back me up. I'm not that scary." Maggie stared at her in disbelief.

"Chelsea... do you not remember when we first met? You had me in tears I was so scared of you."

"That's because I'm a demon," Chelsea argued. Edgar finally leaned forward slightly.

"You're a walking contradiction, Chelsea." The table quieted.

"Demons are not nice creatures. The majority are brainless killing machines and the ones who are intelligent are cunning creatures with a penchant for cruelty." His mask tilted toward her.

"Nice and demons don't go hand in hand. So seeing you and meeting you confuses people." He paused there for a second.

"Those eyes." The mask slowly shook side to side.

"You look at people like you genuinely care about them. Most people don't even do that for their own families."

"You all keep talking about my eyes. Is it because they're red?" she asked.

"No," Fiona answered before Chelsea could finish the thought herself.

"That's one of the parts that's so confusing. It's just..." She frowned, clearly struggling to put it into words. Her gaze drifted around the table for help. Nobody seemed to know how to explain it. Chelsea sank a little lower in her seat.

"So my eyes are weird?"

"They are beyond pleasant," Maggie said softly.

"If they were on a human, I would think you were some sort of Saint or something. Like you were put in this world to help people." Her eyes flicked up toward Chelsea's horns.

"Then there's the horns and wings." Chelsea immediately felt heat crawl up the back of her neck. She had never been good at handling sincere compliments, especially not this many in a row. It felt like everyone was staring at her now. So she did what she always did when uncomfortable. She redirected.

"Enough about me." She pointed dramatically at Adriane.

"This dress. You make it look incredible." Adriane smiled despite herself and looked down at the dark fabric draped around her. One hand smoothed along the side almost shyly. Before she could respond, Dewey raised a hand slightly.

"What's a hottie?" he asked.

"I hope we didn't make you feel too uncomfortable," Adriane said once they were in their room. She sat on the edge of the bed, already pulling her boots off.

"We just wanted to help you understand how people see you."

"I get it," Chelsea replied quickly, not wanting the conversation to loop back around to her eyes or smile or whatever strange thing everyone thought she was doing.

"Hey, I need to talk to you. Demon stuff." That immediately got Adriane's full attention. The older sister straightened slightly on the bed.

"Okay. What do you want to know?" Chelsea grabbed the room's only chair and dragged it across the wooden floor until it sat directly in front of Adriane. She lowered herself into it, then immediately started fidgeting with a fold in the red fabric resting over her thigh. Adriane watched her quietly for a second.

"Did the demon god say something?" she asked carefully.

"Sort of. But well, yeah, he did." Chelsea glanced up.

"He said it to me when he changed me into this body, and it has to do with the ability you said I'm not allowed to use." The shift in Adriane was immediate. Not dramatic. Not panicked. Just subtle tension.

"Ah," Adriane said softly, looking down at the dress pooled around her knees instead of at Chelsea.

"I meant what I said. You shouldn't ever use it." Chelsea noticed the nervousness immediately. That alone was enough to make her stomach twist a little.

"He said I'll be able to remain in this body for three years as long as I keep eating human hearts," Chelsea explained.

"After that, I'll go back to the kid version unless I use the ability." Adriane's head snapped back up.

"That doesn't make sense."

"Right?" Chelsea leaned forward immediately, relieved someone else agreed.

"That's what I thought. When I look deeper into the ability, all it says is that it unleashes my inner demon. I assume that means I go feral for like thirty seconds?"

"Thirty seconds?" Adriane repeated with genuine confusion.

"Yeah." Chelsea nodded rapidly.

"There's another line underneath it that literally says 'lasts thirty seconds.'" Adriane frowned hard enough that lines formed between her brows.

"I've never heard of Instinctive Control having a time limit."

"You've heard of it before?" Chelsea asked immediately.

"A little." Adriane rubbed her thumb against the side of her hand absently while thinking.

"Demons aren't exactly common, but there are records and stories. Instinctive Control is usually described as..." She paused.

"Dangerous," she finally settled on.

"That narrows it down absolutely zero." Adriane almost smiled at that, but it faded quickly.

"Chels, when demons lose themselves, it's usually permanent. Or close to permanent. I've never once heard someone describe it as a temporary transformation." She looked away again, clearly thinking through possibilities.

"Thirty seconds makes no sense." Chelsea sank lower in the chair.

"See, now you're making me nervous."

"You should be nervous," Adriane answered honestly.

"Not terrified. But cautious? Yes." Chelsea groaned loudly and dropped her head back against the chair.

"Fantastic. Love that for me." Adriane ignored the comment, still deep in thought.

"Let me think about this for a few days. I'm going to talk to a few people and get a better understanding of the ability. Please, Chels, don't use it. Give me some time. We have three years." Her eyes focused back onto Chelsea's face.

"I know you want to Chelsea this situation, but don't rush this." Chelsea lifted her head again.

"So my name is a verb now?"

"You keep saying these Chelsea words as if they have meaning," Adriane quipped back. Chelsea smiled faintly at that. The humor helped bleed some of the tension out of the room.

"Question time," Chelsea said after a moment.

"How exactly are you so powerful?"

"Oh, that's simple. Everyone knows that." Adriane leaned back slightly against the bedframe.

"It's my title.

'The Silver Sword.' There are certain mythical weapons around our world that choose people. They call to them." She furrowed her brows.

"Actually, I think there is also a pair of earrings? Oh, and there's also a grimoire. So it's not just weapons."

"I thought you said your chest piece was your strongest item," Chelsea cut in.

"Well, if you let me finish my story, then you'll understand," Adriane teased lightly. Chelsea gestured dramatically for her to continue.

"I don't have the Silver Sword yet. It chose me." Adriane's voice softened slightly.

"One day..." She cleared her throat suddenly like something caught there.

"One day..." She let out a slow breath before continuing.

"Bea found that I had a title." Chelsea noticed the shift immediately. This part mattered.

"It wants someone to find and wield it," Adriane explained.

"But they have to be powerful enough to survive wielding it. So the title prepares them. Huge stat boosts. Increased experience gain. Better growth overall."

"Ah!" Chelsea pointed at her excitedly.

"That makes so much sense now. You're so young. I mean, Edgar is thirty-seven and he said nowhere near S." Adriane gave a small shrug.

"Without the title, I probably wouldn't be either."

"That's the secret to my power," Adriane explained with a small shrug, as if being chosen by some mythical artifact was a completely normal thing. Chelsea leaned forward in the chair a little more, resting her elbows on her knees.

"Got it. So…" A grin slowly spread across her face.

"Tell me. Are there any nice boys in your life?" Adriane barked out a laugh loud enough that Chelsea almost smiled just from hearing it.

"Boys?" Adriane repeated.

"If there were, I wouldn't be interested in boys. Men maybe. But no." She waved a hand dismissively.

"I am destined to be alone forever. Unless another S-rank warrior were to cross my path." Chelsea blinked at her.

"Why do they have to be S-rank?" The moment the question left her mouth, Adriane's cheeks started turning pink.

"Oh no," Chelsea whispered immediately.

"That reaction means this explanation is going to traumatize me." Adriane covered part of her face with one hand.

"Well, Chels… you can take off your equipment and still be a dainty little level one. I don't have that luxury." Chelsea stared blankly for a second. Then realization hit her all at once.

"Oh." Adriane looked away toward the wall in visible embarrassment.

"We have muscles inside our... womanly parts. With my Strength stat being what it is..." She grimaced slightly.

"All it would take is one wrong movement and I could seriously hurt someone." Chelsea's jaw dropped open.

"Oh gods," she said weakly.

"I never thought about that."

"Most people don't."

"There's nothing you can do?" Chelsea asked, horrified on her sister's behalf now. Adriane gave her a dry look.

"Oh, does the brilliant and clever and genius and brilliant Chelsea have a magical solution to this too?"

"Nope." Chelsea immediately shook her head.

"This one is completely outside my expertise."

"That's what I thought." Chelsea slumped farther into the chair.

"That is genuinely the scariest thing I've learned since arriving here." Adriane laughed again, though quieter this time.

"You get used to it."

"No, I absolutely would not."

"Oh, trust me. You adapt." Adriane smirked faintly.

"You start breaking door handles, cups, chairs, training weapons... eventually you realize you have to actively think about how much force you use every second of every day."

"When you say you have no expertise…" Adriane slowly said.

"Exactly as it sounds." Chelsea sighed. Adriane sighed dramatically.

"Chels, when I was your age, I had already been with four different 'boys.'" She used air quotes.

"They were boys for sure at the time." Chelsea nearly choked on air.

"Four!?"

"Yes, four."

"How are they alive!?" Adriane burst into laughter again and fell sideways against the bed for a second before recovering enough to answer.

"Because I wasn't this strong yet."

"Oh. Right." Chelsea relaxed slightly.

"That makes significantly more sense."

"And before you ask, yes, it became a problem later." Chelsea winced sympathetically.

"Well, I did have a boyfriend," Chelsea admitted after a moment.

"But he was too pushy and I wasn't ready, so he left me." She rolled her eyes dramatically.

"A week later he was with Brittney Mitchell," she mocked in the most childish tone possible. Adriane immediately snorted.

"Oh, you hated her."

"She wore too much strawberry lip gloss and acted like she was the main character of Earth." Adriane shook her head fondly.

"Well, you have a whole new world to get out there and…"

"Adriane!" Chelsea interrupted immediately, pointing accusingly at her.

"What?" Adriane grinned shamelessly.

"You're beautiful, charming, weirdly kind, and apparently every person you talk to starts emotionally imprinting on you."

"That's not a thing." Chelsea scoffed.

"Maggie cried." Adriane pointed out.

"Maggie was overwhelmed." Chelsea argued.

"Fiona brings you organs."

"That's friendship." Chelsea argued again.

"True… weird friendship."

"Henry looked like he was preparing wedding vows. Hell, he might still ask me for your hand." Chelsea groaned and buried her face in her hands.

"Please stop."

"Keep wearing those dresses and it absolutely will happen," Adriane said, unable to stop laughing at her own teasing.

"You know what? Rude." Chelsea laughed.

"Oh, hush." Adriane settled back onto the pillows with a smile still lingering on her face.

"I do actually have something for you." Adriane suddenly sat upright as if she had just remembered something important. She leaned over and snatched her bag off the bedside table. Chelsea immediately perked up.

"Oh? Is it a heart?" Adriane paused mid-motion and slowly looked over at her.

"Is that all you think about?" Chelsea considered it honestly.

"Like... forty percent of the time?" Adriane snorted and reached into the bag.

"No. Bea is going to be heartbroken about this, but she doesn't use spears anymore." She pulled something long and black from the bag. Chelsea's breath caught. The spear looked nothing like the rough wooden training weapon she had been using. The shaft was dark enough to almost swallow the room's candlelight. The blade at the end looked like polished black crystal, though parts of it reflected light like glass.

Two smaller jagged blades extended backward beneath the main spearhead, giving it a vicious appearance that felt more demonic than elegant. It was beautiful. It wasn't ornate in any way. It wasn't overloaded with jewels or carvings.

"Adriane," Chelsea whispered, staring openly.

"It's beautiful." Adriane's expression softened at the reaction.

"It was meant for Bea when she reached the required level. I still don't think she's there yet, but you can use it now." She carefully rotated the weapon in her hands.

"It's a Rare plus four classification. This is the sort of weapon a mid to late B-rank adventurer would kill to own." Chelsea stared at it like she'd just been handed a holy relic.

"Adriane, are you sure?" she asked quietly as she reached her hands out toward it.

"I am." Adriane smiled faintly.

"That silly stick you're using now needs to be replaced." Chelsea wrapped her fingers around the shaft. Adriane let go. The spear immediately dragged Chelsea straight out of the chair. She hit the floor with a yelp while the weapon crashed down on top of her legs with a heavy thunk.

"Why is it..." Chelsea strained against it with both hands.

"... so heavy?" Adriane blinked once. Then she burst out laughing. Not polite laughter. Full-bodied, helpless laughter. Chelsea glared up at her from beneath the spear.

"Your sympathy during my suffering is appreciated."

"It's actually not that heavy," Adriane replied between laughs.

"You just have to meet the minimum requirements to wield it. Weapons are the only things that work that way." Chelsea tried lifting it again. Nothing.

"That's great. My fingers are stuck. Can you help me out?" Adriane crossed her arms and tilted her head thoughtfully.

"Hmm. Maybe I'll just let you sleep there tonight." A grin spread across her face.

"Wouldn't mind having the whole bed to myself."

"Don't do that!" Chelsea protested while desperately trying to wiggle her trapped fingers loose.

"I literally can't feel my ring finger anymore." Still laughing quietly to herself, Adriane finally stepped over and grabbed the spear with one hand like it weighed nothing.

"Take your old one out," Adriane instructed.

"Find the perfect grip first." Chelsea pulled the broken spear shaft from her bag and stood again, rubbing life back into her abused fingers. She held the old weapon naturally, adjusting her grip until it felt correct.

"Here," she said before giving a quick practice thrust into the empty space beside the bed. Adriane watched the motion carefully. Adriane held the black spear beside the current spear, comparing lengths. After a second, she nodded to herself. Adriane explained.

"We'll adjust this one to match what your body already understands." Before Chelsea could ask what that meant, Adriane gripped the black spear with both hands. Then, with terrifying casualness, she snapped the lower portion shorter. Chelsea's eyes nearly bulged out of her head.

"You can break rare weapons!?" Adriane looked confused.

"Of course I can."

"That sentence should not have an 'of course' in it!" She held it out.

"Try it." Chelsea took the shortened spear from her sister, her fingers wrapping around the grip where Adriane had measured it for her. The moment her hand settled into place, something shifted. The Perfect Outfit Effect 2: Tier 8 acquired. Chelsea's eyes lit up instantly.

"Yes!" she blurted, nearly bouncing on her feet.

"Enhancement went up a tier. Tier eight. Let me see what this thing actually looks like." She focused, pulling up the information as she turned the weapon slightly in her hands, admiring the way the black crystal tip caught the light.

Obsidian Tipped Ranseur of Suffering's End Required level: 24(-23) 2h Spear +16 Strength +6 Stamina 2x Strength while thrusting Obsidian Tipped Ranseur of Suffering's End Opponent struck with Obsidian Tipped Ranseur of Suffering's End will receive bleeding ailment for fourteen seconds. Ailment can be stacked 5 times. Classification: Uncommon+3 Adriane raised an eyebrow at the enthusiasm. Chelsea reread it as there was so much information, her grin widening.

"Two times Strength while thrusting. That's… oh that's the same as my old one." She shifted her grip slightly, testing the balance again.

"Targets hit get a bleeding effect. It stacks up to five times." She paused, then looked up.

"Cool!" she added with a satisfied nod. Adriane crossed her arms loosely.

"It's better than your other one?" Chelsea laughed.

"So much better. My other one only gave me thirteen Constitution. The raw stats alone make this worth it. And that bleed effect?" She tilted her head thoughtfully.

"That sounds… really nasty."

"It is," Adriane confirmed.

"Stacking effects like that end fights quickly if you can keep pressure on your opponent." Chelsea glanced back down at the weapon, still clearly impressed.

"I wonder why this one also has the two times Strength ability."

"It's common on spears," Adriane explained.

"They're built around thrusting power. You commit to a strike, you get rewarded for it." Chelsea nodded slowly, already imagining how it would feel in an actual fight.

"We need to get you a shield next," Adriane added.

"That way you can start filling a proper role. Protectors are always in demand." Chelsea perked up again.

"I'll run by my friend's shop and see what he has."

"Sounds like we have a fun day tomorrow," Adriane said, leaning back slightly. Chelsea blinked.

"What do you mean?" Adriane gave her a look like the answer should have been obvious.

"You get to do your first job posting with the guild."

"Ah." Chelsea hesitated just a little.

"Umm… I might have slightly different plans." Adriane's expression faltered. It wasn't dramatic, but it was there. A small dip in her posture. A flicker in her eyes. Disappointment.

"Oh," was all she said. Chelsea immediately waved both hands in front of her.

"No, no, not like that. It has to do with the money from the loan. I need to handle that as soon as possible before I go do anything fun. If I'd known we had that much just sitting there, I would have taken care of it days ago." Adriane studied her for a second, the tension easing slightly.

"And this will take all day?"

"Maybe not all day," Chelsea replied, a small smirk creeping back in.

"I bet I could still squeeze in a quick E-rank job after." That was all it took. Adriane perked right back up, the disappointment gone as quickly as it had appeared.

"I promise I won't interfere." Chelsea caught the shift. It clicked into place for her in a way it hadn't before. Adriane didn't just do this because she had to. She genuinely liked it. The fighting. The jobs. The structure of it all. Chelsea softened a little.

"I'll do what I can in the morning to get everything done fast so I can get out there."

"I bet you could even party up with Dewey and Fiona. They…"

"No." Adriane blinked.

"No?" Chelsea shook her head, trying not to laugh.

"I love Dewey. Fiona is amazing. But something tells me those two are not going to be very focused on questing." Adriane's eyes widened for half a second in realization. Then her nose scrunched in immediate discomfort.

"Oh." Chelsea sighed dramatically.

"I'm all for it. Truly. Good for them. But I think we should give them a little time to… you know… get it out of their system." Adriane made a face like she had just bitten into something sour. Chelsea shook her head with a small smile.

"Oh, young love." She leaned back in her chair, the new spear resting across her lap, already feeling more natural in her hands than it had any right to. Tomorrow was going to be busy....... Hey guys it's Riley. I usually avoid shoutout swaps and such because I think they are super tacky (ignore this if I ever actually do one in the future. If I end up doing one, that's because they are cool now.) All that being said I have a legitimate recommendation. I have been obsessed with The first book of Mythos Rewritten.

It's a real love story and deserves all of the attention in the world. It's insanely well written. The main character, Isla is the brooding loner who slowly comes around to love. Oh.... and she's basically Medusa. Her hair snakes steal the scene every time they are mentioned. (Noodle is my favorite) This has gone on too long. Check it out. Find the link in the Author's note below.