Elias woke with a headache that felt like someone had driven a wedge behind his eyes.
His head throbbed. His muscles screamed. Every joint in his body felt like it had been stretched, twisted, and then compressed back into place by an angry giant. The sensation was somewhere between a hangover and the day after the most brutal workout of his life.
He tried to sit up.
The attempt lasted less than a second before pain shot through his shoulders and back.
"...ugh."
Elias dropped back onto the bed and stared at the unfamiliar ceiling letting his mind drift. And as it drifted, it inevitably returned to the dreams.
The dreams of Angram.
A narrative thread that connected each dream to the next. The titan beasts. The wasteland. The chasm. The attack. And now... the cave. The creature. The mask. They seemed random at first—fragments of a life he didn't live, a world he didn't know.
But these dreams were becoming increasingly specific. They were no longer random flashes or disconnected scenes. Each one continued from where the previous had ended. They followed a progression, as if he were watching someone else's life unfold piece by piece.
Or perhaps remembering one.
Elias frowned.
'What are they? Why am I seeing them?'
The question was directed at the memory of Angram, but another possibility immediately followed. Maybe this was another arrangement by that irritating deity.
'Should I ask Tamamo?'
The thought lasted exactly three seconds.
'No.'
If it really was connected to Deus, then drawing attention to it was pointless. He would ignore it for now.
Speaking of Tamamo…
'You there?'
A puff of smoke appeared within his spirit domain. Tamamo sat lazily on a floating cushion, one leg crossed over the other, a pipe hanging from her fingers.
'Of course I'm here. I live here, remember?'
Elias paused.
'Why didn't you say anything during the transformation?'
She blinked. Then smiled.
'Oh. That.'
'Yes. That.'
She took a leisurely puff, golden smoke curling around her.
'I wanted you to experience me.'
'That's an incredibly strange way to say you wanted me to experience what its like being a Yako.' Elias said through his thoughts.
Tamamo chuckled.
'Your mind and mine were in perfect sync,' she replied, her tone softening with a predatory edge.
'Why waste breath on words when you can simply be? Tell me, did you enjoy the freedom? Or are you still afraid of the mess you left behind?'
Elias remembered the feeling.
The freedom.
The recklessness.
The sheer certainty that every terrible idea was actually a fantastic idea. Honestly?
It had been horrifying.
'It was interesting.'
'Just interesting? That is the most boring answer you could have possibly given.'
Elias rubbed his temple.
'And I'd still prefer being rational and thinking things through before acting.'
He paused for a moment.
'I felt like Jamie out there, running on instinct and hope.' he thought witha faint smile.
'And yet she is happy. That girl knows how to live,' Tamamo countered. 'You could learn a thing or two from her instead of being a perpetual stick in the mud.'
Elias ignored the comment and finally looked around properly.
He was definitely not in the Dukker townhouse.
The room was elegant but lived in. Shelves filled with books lined one wall. A kettle rested on a low table beside a set of porcelain cups.
"Where am I anyway?" he wondered.
"Done talking to yourself?"
Elias was so startled he nearly launched himself out of bed. Which would've been impressive considering how much his body hurt.
Wendy Vaughn sat beside the bed, one leg crossed over the other, an open book resting in her hands.
She looked entirely relaxed as though she hadn't just appeared beside him without him noticing. She looked up from the page and studied him for a moment before smiling and returning to her book.
"You're quite brave, you know. Children your age are usually... I don't know, playing? Sneaking sweets from the kitchen? Many things. Breaking into forbidden facilities is usually not among them."
Elias's blood ran cold. and his mind went blank.
He was sitting less than five feet away from one of the Paragons.
A literal demigod.
'How did I not sense her? She was sitting right there. The entire time.'
In his mind he had already established or at least attempted to gauge the progression of how much stroger a person would get as they ascended the ladder to new stages. His uncle Ortis had completely broken that scale by being able to travel at lightepseed when, based on his own assumptions he shouldnt be able to move that fast without assitance. And yet he was able to do so, and casually to. If Ortis was already able to vreak the logic of the world with his movement alone, who knew what another paragon like Wendy could do.
Elias forced his expression into something resembling calm. Wendy closed her book and stood. Elias flinched in response before he could stop himself.
"I see."
"What?" Elias asked.
"You are trying very hard to appear calm."
"I am calm."
"Your heart is beating like a possessed drummer whos lost the beat to a tune."
"..."
"And the little Flow you've managed to recover is all over the place."
"I wasn't afraid," Elias said, his voice steadier than he felt.
"Relax," she said, her tone light. "I'm not some ogre who eats children."
Elias stared at her, his eyes wide. He closed his eyes and focused, using Flow Suppression to force his recovered energy into a stable rhythm. As he did, he thought through the situation.
Wendy Vaughn was a Paragon who could kill him a hundred times over yet she had brought him here. Which meant he wasn't in immediate danger. And if she tried anything, Ortis would almost certainly intervene for his mother's sake.
For the moment, he was safe.
Meanwhile, Wendy prepared the tea with practiced grace, pouring the steaming liquid into a delicate porcelain cup. She walked over and handed it to him.
"Drink. It will help you recover faster."
Elias cautiously accepted and looked at the tea. It smelled minty, with a hint of something herbal he didn't recognize. He took a sip.
The effect was immediate. A warm sensation spread through his throat, then his chest, then his limbs. The ache in his muscles began to fade. The throbbing in his head eased.
He sighed in relief. "Thank you."
Wendy nodded and returned to her seat.
Silence followed as Wendy continued reading.
Eventually Elias spoke.
"What do you want?"
Wendy looked up.
"What?"
"You saved me."
"Yes."
"Why?"
She stared.
"Because leaving a young boy collapsed in the rain would have been cruel."
Elias blinked.
"That's it?"
"Yes."
"That's all?"
"Yes, were you expecting something else."
"No." Elias responded quickly even though he still felt suspicious and took another sip. Wendy continued casually.
"Besides, I know you were acting under the orders of your patron deity. I'd rather not get involved in that mess. Especially that one in particular."
Elias choked. Tea sprayed across the bed. He coughed, sputtering.
"Sorry—wait, what?" Elias stammered.
"That was rude." Wendy said with a glare
"Sorry," he gasped, wiping his mouth. "
But how—how did you know?"
She stared then slowly closed her book.
"Elias."
"Yes?"
"Who do you think you're talking to?"
"..."
"I'm only a few ranks below the deities. Of course I know. And your patron, The World isnt exactly subtle either, I mean look at what he made you do."
Elias stared.
'A few ranks below? The World...does she know Deus and if she does does that mesn Ortis know as well?'
He shook his head. "I'm sorry. I don't understand."
Wendy muttered under her breath.
'You're exactly how Ortis described you. Too mature for your age.'
''That's… bad?''
''I don't like children who are in a hurry to grow up.''
Elias looked genuinely confused.
Wendy sighed.
"I don't play by the deities' rules. I prefer to read books and eat my husband's cooking. Their games don't interest me."
Elias blinked. "That's... that's it?"
That somehow made her even more incomprehensible. Paragons were supposed to be awe-inspiring beings who pursued power and enlightenment. This woman sounded like she wanted to retire into a library and become a food critic. Wendy stood.
Elias stared at her, utterly baffled. "I don't understand Paragons at all."
Wendy's lips twitched in something resembling amusement.
"Good. It's better that way. Can you walk?"
Elias tested his limbs. The tea had worked wonders—the ache was nearly gone, and his head was clear.
"I think so."
"Good. It's late, and your father is probably worried. We both live in the Residency, so I'll take you back."
Elias followed her out, still trying to process the encounter. She knew everything—where he had been, what he had done, who he was forced to serve—and she simply... didn't care. She had bigger problems than the escapades of a young boy. Reading. Cooking. Living her life.
'I really don't understand Paragons.'
The walk back to the Dukker townhouse was short.
Wendy covered for him. She told the household she found him wandering the city after sneaking out to explore and getting lost while she was returning from a visit to Fazhan.
It was such a mundane lie that everyone believed it.
Everyone except Gyan who was, naturally, displeased. Her expression was the stuff of nightmares.
She thanked Lord Vaughn with perfect professionalism. Then she turned on Elias the moment Wendy left.
"Elias Dukker," she said, her voice dangerously calm. "Would you care to explain why you left the house without permission, wandered the city late at night, and required another Lord to return you home?"
Elias opened his mouth.
"Don't," Gyan said. "Not a word. You were supposed to be the sensible one. Jamie, yes—she's impulsive, reckless, and utterly without sense."
"Hey, I'm right here!" Jamie protested but Gyan ignored her.
She ofcourse knew the moment Elias had left the house and had been tracking his movements with her senses. He had disappeared into the Museum so she was contemplating going out to go get him but he suddenly reappeared on the street in a weakened state. she wondered what he had been doing and quickly put together that he had manged to enter the Forbidden Vault. He was a very curious boy so it wasnt suprising. what was surprising is how he knew about the facility in the first place.
That aside she really would have gone out to get him but he was lucky that it was Wendy who found him. If it had been anyone else she might have been forced to show a less professional side of herself.
Jamie, meanwhile, was having the time of her life, grinning like a cat who had found a bowl of cream. As Gyan assulted her friend with er words.
"Wow, so you also snuck out to explore the city and got caught? Look who's in trouble now." she sang.
Elias glared at her.
'You are not helping.'
"Oh, I'm helping myself immensely."
"I would have reported this to Lord Alaric immediately but he is currently occupied so I wil pronounce your punishment in his stead. You will be serving as labor for this household chores for the foreseeable future.Or you'd rather wait till I tell him where you've been?"
Not wanting his father to learn the truth, Elias accepted Gyan's punishment without protest.
Which was how he became the second apprentice maid in the Dukker townhouse and the next morning, he found himself wearing a frilly maid uniform, ribbons and all.
The teasing began almost immediately.
Araba, his aunt, came over to discuss festival preparations took one look at him,pressed a hand over her mouth,and burst into laughter so intense she nearly fell over.
"Elias… I'm sorry, I know I should be supportive, but you look adorable."
Maria, didn't even try to hide her amusement. She doubled over, shoulders shaking while Elias scrubbed the floor.
"You look rather fetching, Elias," Maria said, her eyes dancing with mirth.
"Please stop." Elias said, his face red.
"Absolutely not," Maria said, wiping tears from her eyes. "I'm going to remember this for the rest of my life."
"Don't," Elias growled, not looking up.
"It's not funny."
"It's a little funny."
As if the universe wanted to make things worse, Dante arrived shortly afterward. He stepped into the room, saw Elias, and immediately burst out laughing.
"HAHAHA! Well, Alaric! I see you've finally gotten your new daughter! She's doing a marvelous job with the floors."
He laughed again
"You look lovely, Elias. Truly. The dress suits you."
"Please stop," Elias groaned.
Dante walked over and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, little maid. Hard work builds character."
Even Tamamo was chiming in, her voice a constant mental jab.
"You do wear it surprisingly well. You know I can change your gend-"
"Absolutely not!" He yelled suddenly causing everyone to turn and stare. He chuckled nervously and apologized before returning to work all while contemplating violence.
"I hate you."
'You love me.' Tamamo responded.
Alaric appeared briefly.
He took one look at the scene, pinched the bridge of his nose, and sighed.
"Gyan, remind me why this seemed like a good punishment?"
"Because he needs to learn responsibility."
"Fair enough." He looked at Elias and smiled apologetically.
"I don't know what you did son but you'll have to bare with it. Gyan is a merciless taskmaster but it'll pass soon.
Dante cleared his throat.
"I need to speak with you."
The two men stepped outside. Elias watched through the window as they spoke quietly for several minutes. He couldn't he couldn't hear anything, but Dante's expression was unusually serious.
Then they returned.
Alaric went straight back to his room without explanation. That immediately put Elias on alert.
Dante addressed the group.
"I'm taking the angler-fish beast back to the White Wall in the north. I probably won't make it back in time for the Hydrangea Festival and no Jamie, you can't come."
Jamie looked disappointed.
"Aww, really?"
"I know we planned to go together but this is necessary. I'll bring souvenirs."
Jamie's expression brightened.
"Yay!
Elias narrowed his eyes.
That sounded far too sudden. Dante said he could take it back anytime so why now?
There was definitely more to this trip than simply transporting a beast carcass, but he had no way of proving it.
Outside, the city had become noticeably livelier.
Colorful hydrangea decorations hung from balconies and streetlamps. Vendors were setting up festival stalls, and musicians could be heard practicing in the distance.
Even with the political tension, the approaching festival gave the capital a temporary sense of excitement.
Then he noticed Jamie sitting by the window, unusually focused.
A familiar grin slowly spread across her face.
The kind of grin that meant she was planning something.
Elias immediately became concerned.
Jamie tapped her chin thoughtfully and looked out toward the bustling city.
"Yep," she murmured. "This is definitely going to work."
Elias closed his eyes.
He had a terrible feeling that whatever operation Jamie was planning was about to become his problem too.
Elias sighed and returned to his work.
'Tomorrow was going to be a long day.'