Vivi became aware of herself again what felt like a long time later.

To say she woke up would have been a stretch. Her eyes opened, and she became aware of the bright lights above her bed, but she certainly didn't feel awake. She didn't feel much of anything, other than the hard bed below her, and the aching pains all over her body.

The room was white with reflective walls and lamps on the ceiling. Some sort of tubes had been attached to Vivi's arms, both her wrists and the insides of her elbows. The tubes seemed to either pump ether or water.

"Morning, Vivi," Lucius said calmly.

He said nothing else. Vivi faced the bright lights. Her head hurt. Overall, her body felt weak. Which wasn't a surprise, really. She found it a miracle to even be alive.

She wondered where she was, but had no energy to ask—even though asking was as simple as forming the question in her mind for Lucius to answer. She still remembered the overwhelming sensations prior to passing out. The emotions, the pains… Compared to those, the lingering regret and sadness within her now felt like nothing at all.

"So…" Lucius eventually said. "That was a bit crazy."

Sorry, Vivi thought.

"No, it's fine," Lucius said. "Don't apologize. At least not to me. I, in fact, found that adventure very interesting. That's why I chose you. For interesting adventures."

Adventure… Lucius called that absolute madness an adventure.

Well, it was good to know that Lucius was still the same humorous spirit she'd always had.

"Although," Lucius said. "I would suggest an agreement for us to not channel void ether again."

Vivi didn't know how to respond. Most of the void wisps in her second core were still dim. Nearly all of them had been used and exhausted—some even burned. The first wisps were now being recharged, eager to be called for another fit of madness.

"I've been surveying the situation," Lucius continued. "That Anthony guy brought us to some noble house. In short… We're surrounded by insane hunters, Vivi. And I mean one of the top hunting teams of the fifth level. Perhaps even the sixth. They've got a taunter and concealer and all, and I've seen at least three swordsmen. One of them was Lucas."

Lucas? Vivi thought. The guy from Vanhalla?

"Yeah," Lucius said. "I think this is his mansion. Or his family's mansion. Anthony's team is residing here. They're all rich. And I'm fairly certain they're interested in your swords. They want to make an offer."

It felt odd to hear Lucius's words. Someone still wanted something from her. After all that just happened, even though Vivi proved that she could turn into a monster…

It couldn't all be forgiven just because she'd made one good sword.

The lights dimmed slightly, and Vivi suddenly became aware of a person sitting next to her. A demon woman, whose presence Vivi had not sensed in the slightest. The woman had no ethereal presence at all. Her left horn was snapped in half, and her rough scorched face was filled with cracks. She wore a simple brown cloak and a vest, surveying Vivi with her back straight.

"That woman is good, by the way," Lucius said.

The woman wasn't saying anything. Her appearance made Vivi wary. Though not quite enough to attempt to get up from bed.

Good at what? Vivi asked.

"She's the concealer. Someone who can channel ether without leaking to the outside world. She's pretty much invisible. One of the best concealers I've seen."

Is she an enemy? Vivi asked, now slightly concerned.

"Well, she saved your life with Anthony," Lucius said.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The woman spoke. Her voice was slightly scratchy, matching her face. "If you're ready to speak," she said, "feel free to do so. I have been informed you speak our language."

Vivi bit her lip. "Hello… Thanks for taking care of me."

The woman nodded, as if taking care of Vivi was merely her job. "Call me Lortel. I'm Anthony's seamstress, and his healer."

"And definitely his assassin," Lucius noted.

Lortel was silent for a bit, until she asked, "How much do you remember?"

"I… think I remember all of it," Vivi admitted. She paused, then asked, "Do you…?"

"I am aware of your transformation, yes," Lortel said.

Vivi's eyes wandered away. A wave of embarrassment returned. Not nearly as potent as yesterday, but she still felt stupid. She'd already known void ether made her look like a monster. In the blight, she felt disconnected from herself many times.

She knew using void ether would end up badly one way or another. She just hadn't cared.

"How many…" Vivi asked nervously, "did I kill?"

Lortel said nothing, and a pressure built up in Vivi's chest.

"I'm going to prison now, aren't I?" Vivi asked.

"Most likely not," Lortel said. "Many people have vouched for your kindness. Anthony wished to discuss this with you once you woke up."

What? Vivi thought. Who would vouch for me?

Lortel's aura suddenly blinked—three times in quick succession to create a subtle but easily distinguishable signal. People outside were alerted. Soon, the door opened, and two more demons stepped in.

Anthony Ailman, and Lucas. They entered calmly, and paused at the end of her bed.

"Hello, Vivi," Lucas said. "We meet again."

Anthony merely nodded. "Good. You've survived."

"Thanks," Vivi said. "For saving me."

"I was close to killing you," Anthony said. "You're lucky I recognized your sword."

Her face must have been red. The air quickly turned awkward.

"Did I…" she asked again. "Did I kill anyone?"

"You placed sixteen into a coma, including Zack Vanhammer," Anthony said. "Current casualties are a miraculous zero."

Vivi lifted her head ever so slightly. "I… didn't kill anyone?"

"It's likely everyone recovers," Anthony said. "You did not cut anyone directly; you merely spread venerium poisoning into the full market square. Shivenar is lucky to have a mine of venerium nearby; antidotes were quickly delivered. Though, the condition of those affected is uncertain."

Vivi blinked, and her head lowered back to the pillow, eyes staring at the ceiling. The dark cloud of yesterday's memories hung over her.

"You're not punishing me?" Vivi asked.

Anthony shook his head. "Lucas did some research regarding your motives. We've tracked your stay in the city, from when you opened your smithy to the disqualification. The very moment the Lost Raindrop opened, your neighbors spread rumors of you, calling you a bloody witch, all with seemingly no justification at all. Your fellow runesmiths called you a hack. They still do, yet they hate you for stealing customers. Everyone seems to know you as a witch, a child of a witch, or just a con artist.

"Yet, when we questioned those who knew and spoke with you—your customers, the handyman who built your roof, the city officials who registered your smithy—they said you were a hard-working and generous young woman—and when we asked the runesmiths of low-split what they thought of you, they called you a miracle worker, and the most amazing blacksmith they had ever seen. They were devastated to see you disqualified.

"And then we visited your home after the competition…"

Saying that, Anthony's face darkened. "Seeing those letters on the walls… Vivian, I do not blame you for losing your cool. I would almost call it justified."

"Althought," Lucas added, "filling yourself with void ether and going on a rampage is possibly not the smartest way this could have been handled."

Vivi went red again. Everyone in the room looked sympathetic. "I'm so sorry. I didn't intend for it to get that bad. I'll transfer the void wisps out. I won't collect any more."

Lucas and Anthony glanced at each other. Then Lucas said, "You can't transfer void wisps out, Vivi. Once they're in, they're in. It's one of the many curses of the void core."

Oh… Vivi thought.

"I figured you were unaware of its effects," Lucas said. "Void cores are uncommon. Only one in a hundred million or so have them. It's a powerful tool when used correctly and with care. Though, it's best if you don't use it more for the time being."

"Yes…"

Awkward silence came again. Nobody looked like they blamed Vivi for what she did.

"The baseline," Anthony said, "is that Vivian survived safely, and she has not killed anyone."

"How many people know?" Vivi asked. "About the… monster."

"The city doesn't know a thing," Anthony said. "The Luminary is furious at city defences for letting what she believes was a weakened godslayer into the city. The city itself did not recognize you—even my team believes I saved you from a monster. Only the three of us here know the truth."

"So… My reputation isn't ruined?" Vivi asked. "I don't need to go to prison?"

Lucas wore a funny smile. Anthony's face reminded her of Aang—cold and stoic, but compassionate beneath the surface, with a desire to do what was right. Lortel still looked scary, but even she didn't seem hostile.

"No, Vivi," Anthony said. "You might want to take a look at this."

He glanced at Lucas, who pulled out a letter, handing it to Vivi. On the envelope was a drawn red heart, and a cute scribble of a swordsman wielding what looked like an inside-carved runesword, though the veins were way out of proportion.

Lucius translated the text on the face of the envelope. It read, "From Eli, Arganth, Angall, Frewell, Owyn. To Vivi.

"Get well soon."

Her vision began to get blurry again, not from darkness, but from the first tear forming on her eye.

"You will not be going to prison," Anthony said. "You will rest now, and we will repair your smithy. We will catch the ones who destroyed it, and we will punish them. And after you are in good spirits, I'd like to swing your swords again, and I will buy one for the price you've deserved all along."

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