Surprisingly, the Dragon agreed easily, albeit with a caveat.
The first was a binding spell, manifested in the shape of a wristband made from painted straws and stitches, over where her vital was.
The Dragon explicitly stated its ability to survey her activities, as well as killing Ciel when the Queen's power reached an 'unacceptable' limit.
The second was odd. Very odd.
As Ciel stepped into the forest, she lifted her toes, watching the slipper that dangled at her foot.
Summer's urgent and scornful voice lingered in her memories, as if this were a graver matter than the spell on her wrist.
She blinked. Then looked back at the closed door of the humble abode, her oversized sleeves pattering against the breeze.
'A little mischief won't hurt anyone.'
And with a resolved smile, she gave a swift kick; the slipper flew skyward into the night, landing nowhere near in her sight.
Smirking, Ciel's foot sank into the soiled ground. The fresh muddiness welcomed her, enveloping her skin in a gentle, prickly embrace.
The toes danced excitedly, dust in between the feet, a dirty agreement.
"Heh- heh heh…"
She enjoyed this. A lot.
As a monster, her past rough hide was always too hard. Too thick to properly taste the fruitful touches of nature.
Ironically, her fragile skin now allowed a joy she never dreamed she could have.
Just as she was about to fly her other slipper to its partner, a sound 'click' broke the forest's silence.
Freezing, Ciel dragged her gaze around, meeting an unreadable face from Miss Dragon.
The scowl, however, was deeper than even when she first met her with hostility.
She soon clashed 'head-on' with a light slap afterwards, literally.
—-------
Now with a pang rewarded onto her skull, Ciel grumbled as she explored the forest.
Slippers now locked stubbornly in between her toes, the strips trapping tightly with the power of
'The Principal of Shadowhunter Academy, everyone. Using ancient magic just so I don't play with the slippers.'
A heartwarming chuckle escaped Ciel's lips before she narrowed her gaze over the trees' shadow, weaving through the paths like an experienced navigator.
Unfortunately, she couldn't count on Summer's contradictory behaviour for her survival. She wouldn't allow it.
Yet she felt her peaceful life wouldn't arrive without satisfying the System's command, and Summer's need for her to fulfil a purpose other than finding the Dragons' remains.
If so, the answer was obvious.
'I need enough power to slay a Queen.'
Killing a queen alone would be an instant clarity to her pure intention, but also proving her strength to be a benefit, not a detriment to humanity.
Her thoughts drifted along with her steps before arriving at a clearing.
Breezes caressed the grassland. At its heart, a lake spread wide, reminding Ciel of the calm black sea.
Except unlike her old 'home', a tree stood hunched above the lake, its sprawling roots visible beneath the water, flaunting its magnificent size.
Ciel marvelled at the old tree, a genuine smile blooming at her lips.
The tree belonged to the North Druidic Tribe. Its power and life went under the radar, since the tribe itself was relatively small and its records were buried under the sands of time.
Though in the tribe's name to revitalise nature on their expeditions, some sent their tribe members to leave behind 'a part of themselves' throughout the continent.
This tree happened to be one of them, planted by the Tribe leader herself.
Ciel only knew because she had been ordered to destroy this last trace of the tribe, an order she defied against the shadow's 'Will', even amidst her mindless bloodlust.
It was only decades later that Summer established the very academy near this land.
"You were still alive," Ciel muttered. "Just like me."
How nostalgic. Ciel visited this tree numerous times, though it always refused to answer her summons, despite containing a spirit from within.
She then summoned her System panel.
To harness the power of this tree, one race needed to be selected, which happened to fulfil her need.
[ Race reward: ]
Human Tribe
Description: A race that refused to be extinct. What used to be the most populous tribe was utterly reduced by the overwhelming number of the shadebeasts.
Racial Trait -
SP bonus: +2 for every SP spent on STR (Strength) and VIT (Vitality).
Elven Tribe
Description: A hidden race that forcefully revealed itself under the shadebeasts' threats to the forests. Their arrows used to be the most effective against the shadowy beasts before the Queen of Hunt's arrival.
Racial Trait -
Status: +2 bonus for every SP spent on AGI (Agility) and CHA (Charm)
…
The list went on. The Orc tribe, the Fishman Tribe, and even the Drudic Tribe were here. All provided a certain bonus to her stat point usage.
Each contained a racial trait specialised for the trait, promising advantages against even the nichest of situations.
There was even a succubus trait that promised, ironically, stamina.
Ciel's brows twitched awkwardly before glancing at the option below the 'Succubus' race.
Witch Tribe
Description: A covenant of Witches branded by the churches, now released when the threat of shadebeasts grew too large to be handled. Their origins were dictated by none, unknown even to this System.
Racial trait -
Status: +2 bonus for every SP spent on INT (Intelligence). Allows the use of
Ciel, surprisingly, didn't know much about the Witches as well.
Most of her information came from roaming the battlefield, not the diplomatic ground, which the Witches mostly inhabited.
Yet the Witches' share of both Taboo and Sacrificial magic turned the tide against the Shadebeasts, reshaping the warfare against the Shadebeasts.
Eventually, under the Dragon and Witches' coordinated efforts, a third-tenth of the continent was kept safe, and no more tribe suffered extinction.
Ciel pondered, yet still picked the mysterious Witch tribe at the end.
Mana then sparked between her fingertips, coursing through her hand. Power flowed freely throughout her veins, her brain enlightened by findings she never knew she had.
Unlike the other races, what Ciel liked was that, despite being considered a 'race', becoming a 'Witch' didn't change much of her physical appearance.
Though she vaguely felt the mana flowed differently within her body. Maybe the dragon would still notice something, given her experience with the Witches.
Ciel then allocated three points into the INT, six in total, stacking with the Witch's race bonus.
[ Your comprehension has increased. A spell would be granted. ]
[ Spell:
Description: Fire a simple beam, charge with the Pure Mana made from moonlight.
MP Consumption: 10
As if on cue, her mind seemed to move on its own, peering through knowledge that should have been beyond her understanding, as if a fog had been lifted off.
Eager to test the theory, she stretched her hand and whispered.
"
A current surged from beneath her words, catching a stutter in the breeze.
Every Witch always had a staff, and here's where Ciel could have her own.
The system stated: how
So who better to contract than from the tree named Everangarde, where a piece of the Drudic Tribe Leader resided.
At her command, the tree roots pulsed, humming with bitter regret.
Their connection deepened as the bitter taste of bark intruded into Ciel's lips, corroding the memory of her first meal.
Everangarde. Or the Spirit within Everangarde.
It was trying to kill her.
That bitterness then travelled down and swelled in her throat, causing Ciel to choke on the Drudic Leader's last trace of power.
Yet Ciel persevered with hasty breath.
"I can bring you home and slay the Queen of Fire one day."
She talked to Everangarde, or more specifically, to the Drudic Tribe Leader, whose very life was embedded in the tree.
Her palm struggled to reach outward.
"So lend part of yours as mine. And I promise to lend part of mine as yours. This is a Witch's offer."
She mustered up her last breath. "Do not...deny your only chance to be back home..."
Her heartbeat soared as the lump in her throat grew, like a cancer tumour filled with bloodlust of its own.
------
Status Screen:
[ Name: Ciel ]
[ Status ]
Name: Ciel
Race: Witch, Queen(?)
Mastery: Moon
Level: 4
HP: 70/70
MP: 100/100 - > 150/150
SP: 0
[ Stats ]
STR (Strength): 5
AGI (Agility): 7
VIT (Vitality): 5
INT (Intelligence): 5 -> 11
CHA (Charisma): 15
[ Racial Trait(s) ]
[ Skills ]
[ Spells ]
None.
[ Note – Queen's Bane System ]
Awaiting Upgrades: Bounty Ledges