Chương 78: Chapter 76 – A Strongly Worded Letter

Willow walked forward and handed the king the letter and pouch. King Juice didn't hesitate. He cracked the wax seal on the envelope and pulled out the letter. To Their Most Esteemed Majesties, I hope this letter finds you both in good health, warm spirits, and surrounded by loved ones at every opportunity. I am writing about my mother, Adriane Wixx, and the matter of the dragon carcass recently claimed after her earned kill.

It has come to my attention that the value of said carcass was known, or at least knowable, to both the crown and the Adventurer's Guild, yet my mother was not properly informed before others attempted to take possession of what she had rightfully won. I am sure this was all a terrible misunderstanding. Adriane Wixx has served this kingdom with honor, strength, and a truly frightening amount of restraint.

She deserves better than quiet paperwork, polite theft, and people hoping she would not notice the difference between a fair exchange and being cheated. Because I love this kingdom very much, and because I would hate for this to become uncomfortable for anyone, I believe the best path forward is a clear apology from both the crown and the Adventurer's Guild. A proper apology to my mother for failing to protect her interests after she protected everyone else's. I do not wish to make trouble.

Unfortunately, I have recently learned that money does not merely solve problems. In sufficient quantities, and with enough imagination, it can redirect trade, strain supply lines, absorb property, unsettle contracts, distort labor markets, and even quietly pull the legs out from under institutions that believed themselves completely secure. It would be a shame if my sadness made me enthusiastic. Please understand that I am not threatening anyone.

I am only a very concerned daughter with access to an unreasonable amount of gold and a growing list of small civic improvements that could become very large improvements if my feelings are hurt. I remain, as always, deeply grateful for your kindness toward me and my family. The contents of the pouch are a gift from the Wixx to the crown as thanks for the lord's manor we were gifted. With warmest regards, Your loyal subject: Chelsea Wixx The king put down the letter after reading it aloud and let out a sigh.

"Shit."

"I knew she was a threat that couldn't be trusted." The Commander said, staring into the dead fireplace.

"What's in the bag?" The duke asked, his voice losing it's usual levity. The king opened it and looked in. After a moment, he closed it up and set it down on the table in front of him.

"Two stacks of fifty dragon scales." He rubbed his hand down his face. The minister spoke first.

"She…" he paused, working some numbers in his notes.

"Even if sold at a conservative rate of four thousand per scale. She just thanked your gesture of the manor with two times its value."

"She bought it out." The queen said in a hushed voice.

"She saw it as a debt in favor and bought it out." Willow cleared her throat.

"I… see you seem distressed with Chelsea Wixx. Welcome to my world. There's something that I know doesn't show up in your financial reports. She recently received a new class if you haven't heard, it's all my guild wants to talk about and I'm sure Prince William has told you by now. She's the new Valkyr of Havoc. The other Valkyr will try to collect at some point." This actually was news to the king. William had not told him about that. The room became quiet again in thought. Was this good news? Bad?

Would Adriane even let that happen? Chelsea Roughly twenty minutes later, after what Chelsea was privately choosing to call Ivy time, she was walking toward Dewey and Fiona's room. She moved carefully once she reached the door. The last thing she wanted was to walk in on them doing the deed and traumatize herself for the rest of the morning. Or worse, make eye contact with Dewey during it. There were some things a niece should never have to see. Chelsea stopped outside the door and listened. Nothing.

She knocked lightly. There was no answer. After waiting a few more seconds, she cracked the door open just enough to peek inside. The bed was ruffled and unmade with skins and furs instead of blankets, but the room was empty. Chelsea stared at the abandoned room for a moment, then threw up her hands in annoyance.

"Of course." She pulled the door shut and headed back down the hall toward the dining room. That had been where she was going originally anyway before deciding to be considerate and check on them. Clearly, consideration had betrayed her. On the way, she came across rachel, the ghost maid, carrying a folded stack of linens. Her shift was still going in the morning? Chelsea thought she was a night maid. Probably would end soon. Rachel stopped when she saw her and gave a polite bow.

"Hey, have you seen Dewey or Fiona by chance?" Chelsea asked.

"Yes, Miss. I saw them with Miss Adriane down in the dining room."

"Perfect. That's where I was heading. Thanks so much." The maid bowed again and continued on her way. Chelsea found them exactly where Rachel said they would be. Dewey and Fiona were standing near the counter, both inspecting the armor they had brought back. Neither of them had The Eyes, so they could not see anything useful about it, but that did not seem to matter.

Dewey looked fascinated by the construction of the pieces, while Fiona was leaning in close with her arms crossed, studying the metal like she was imagining how it would hold up in a fight. Every so often, one of Fiona's hands drifted toward her stomach before she seemed to realize what she was doing and moved it away. Adriane sat at the table with a plate of breakfast in front of her. One of the staff, had put everything out family-style.

Bread, eggs, sliced fruit, sausage, and something that smelled like cinnamon filled the table. Chelsea could appreciate that it probably smelled wonderful to everyone else. To her, it mostly smelled like… well she didn't want to think about what it smelled like because she might gag. Adriane was halfway through chewing when Chelsea walked in.

"Hey, so I kind of met the other Valkyr last night," Chelsea said. Adriane stopped chewing. Dewey and Fiona both turned away from the armor. Chelsea realized she had probably started too casually for something like that. She pointed vaguely upward, as if the dream realm might be located somewhere above the ceiling.

"Oh, and Freya?" That made Adriane set her fork down. Fiona straightened.

"Tell us everything." This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Chelsea took a seat and did her best. She explained the strange guildhall space, the shadowy Valkyr, the taxidermied monsters on the walls, and the fact that they seemed very confident they would be coming to collect her. She explained that they called her Havoc and acted like Adriane's opinion on the matter was a small inconvenience instead of something that could get a person cut in half.

She also explained the giant woman in white and gold armor with the winged helm, the static eyes, but she left out that Freya had once been from earth. With Fiona there, she didn't want to have to figure out some lie. By the time Chelsea finished, Dewey looked overwhelmed, Fiona looked fascinated, and Adriane looked like she was trying very hard not freak out.

"The Valkyr are coming here? To our house?" Dewey asked in disbelief.

"Hey, you have a niece who is a Valkyr. Am I not Valkyr enough for you?" Chelsea joked. Dewey opened his mouth, then immediately closed it. She sometimes forgot he wasn't great at come backs. Chelsea smiled sweetly.

"No clue when. Could be tomorrow, could be in a month."

"Which ones did you talk to?" Fiona asked.

"One was called Absolute or something?," Chelsea said.

"She wasn't very nice. The rest I have no idea. They weren't wearing name badges." Dewey looked at her with the kind of confusion that made Chelsea think he had expected better from her.

"You didn't use The Eyes on them?" Chelsea paused. She had not. Not even once. The realization made her feel very stupid.

"I... did not even think about it if I'm being honest," Chelsea admitted. She leaned back in her chair, annoyed at herself.

"In my defense, I was naked, surrounded by shadow women, and talking to a goddess. My brain was doing its best." That excuse did not seem to impress Adriane, but Fiona gave a small nod like it sounded reasonable enough. Then Chelsea remembered the last thing Freya had said before she woke up.

"Oh, Adriane, Freya said something strange right before Ivy woke me up." Adriane's expression changed dramatically. It was subtle, but Chelsea caught it immediately. The way her shoulders dipped. The way the warmth left her eyes for half a second. It was not anger. It was something sadness, which made Chelsea feel like shit even though she didn't know what she did. Chelsea replayed what she had just said and realized the mistake.

"Oh, sorry... Mom. Still getting used to it." Adriane smiled. It was not a big smile, but it returned quickly enough that Chelsea felt a little less like a horrible daughter.

"What did she say?" Adriane asked.

"Uh, so I mentioned 'my mom wouldn't like this' and 'my mom won't let that happen.' Freya went through my titles and said you being my mother makes sense why I have a call. Any clue what that means?" Dewey and Fiona both looked confused. Adriane didn't. Color seemed to drain from her face. She was still… not normal still either. Adriane was often calm, but this was different. Her entire body seemed to lock around the words. The change was enough that Chelsea felt nervous.

"Which call?" Adriane asked. Chelsea's stomach dropped.

"I uh, I don't know? That's when Ivy woke me up," Chelsea replied.

"Is that bad?"

"You should have a title," Adriane said quietly. Chelsea pulled up her stats at once, but the sudden seriousness in her mother's voice made it difficult to focus on the list. Titles had become such a normal part of her life that she had started treating them like ridiculous achievement badges. The look on Adriane's face told her this one was not ridiculous.

"Chelsea, this is..." Adriane stopped, seeming to search for the right words.

"Everything in the world seems to be happening for you at the same time."

"What? How is it big? What is a call?" Chelsea asked. Adriane looked down at the table for a moment before answering.

"It's one of the mythical items calling for you," she said quietly.

"Like the Silver Sword." Chelsea closed her stats. Her eyes went wide. For a few seconds, she said nothing. The Silver Sword was not just a weapon. Not really. It was Adriane's weapon that made her impossibly strong without her even holding it. The weapon attached to her name so tightly that most people could not say one without thinking of the other. Chelsea slowly put a hand on her head.

"Please, tell me you're joking." Adriane did not. Chelsea exhaled and stared at the floor.

"Why is everything hitting all at the same time like this?"

"Something had to trigger it," Adriane explained. Her voice remained quiet, "Look at your titles. It should be there." Chelsea pulled up her status and moved to her title list. Available Titles: The Blessed Demon Child The Baby Bird Favored by Mayhem The Bird of Prey (Minor) The Adventurer E-Rank The A-rank Merchant The Flying Transport The Inspector The Specialist The Valkyr of Havoc With Multiple Personalities Called by the Agony and the Torment The Greater Dragonslayer Chelsea stared at the list.

She had gotten used to titles appearing whenever she did something ridiculous but one of them stood out immediately. It sounded less like an achievement and more like a threat someone had carved into a wall.

"That doesn't sound good. the Agony and the Torment?" Chelsea said. Adriane rubbed her chin, her eyes narrowing slightly as she thought.

"The Agony and the Torment? I've never heard of that one… or is it two?. Any idea when you got the title? You should have heard it say your name. But only you heard it." Chelsea thought back, trying to place it. The problem was that the last week had been too full. Gods, titles, dragon, and money. It had all blurred together into one long, exhausting mess.

"Looks like it was before killing the dragon but after we first met Celeste. Somewhere in there." Adriane's expression tightened.

"The dragon? You've had this title just sitting around for over a week?" Chelsea gave an awkward little shrug. Adriane leaned back slightly, still thinking through it.

"That was the first time you used your pain javelin. Maybe that had something to do with it?" Chelsea froze. A memory came back to her. The strange feeling of something calling from somewhere she could not see. Then one word, screamed so hard it had felt like the world itself had been trying to get her attention.

"Wait, do greater dragons talk?" Chelsea asked.

"Like can one scream the name Wixx?" Adriane laughed, though it sounded more confused than amused.

"No? They can talk, but not in a language I understand. Is that what you heard? I heard a soothing voice say 'Wixx' every time the Silver Sword called to me." Chelsea did not know how to feel about that. Of course Adriane's legendary weapon had called to her with a soothing voice. Chelsea's had sounded like a thousand tortured voices screaming at her at the same time. That seemed on brand for her.

"Why is your title the Silver Sword and not Called by the Silver Sword?" Chelsea asked.

"The 'called by' title slowly empowers you," Adriane explained.

"The item wants you to be more powerful so you can wield it. The real title is a boost once you reach a point where it deems you worthy. At that point, the call title stops making you stronger." Chelsea looked back at the title. Those were not exactly names that inspired trust. Still, power was power, and she had long since accepted that most of her best abilities sounded like something a villain would be thrilled to have. She examined the title and read it out loud for the table.

Called by the Agony and the Torment- The mythical spear, the Agony, and the mythical Shield the Torment have called out to you. They await your growth. Initially assigning the title grants: Choice of 3 abilities from the soul attacks list. Additional 24 free skill points to be assigned to soul attack abilities. Maintaining the title grants: Soul attacks deal permanent damage to maximum health.

Every 25 unique humanoid targets hit with a soul attack in a 24-hour period grants 1 free skill point to be assigned to a soul attack. Every 10 unique humanoid targets hit with a soul attack in a 24-hour period grants 1 free attribute point. All assigned traits are disabled once the title 'the Agony and the Torment' has been achieved. Chelsea finished reading and looked at the others. Nobody said anything right away. Dewey looked like he was trying to decide whether that was impressive or something else.

Fiona's hand had drifted to her stomach again without her noticing, though her attention remained fixed on Chelsea. Adriane, meanwhile, had remained very still..

"Seems pretty good," Chelsea said. She pulled out a heart from storage, looked around the table for a plate and silverware, and then realized how ridiculous that would be. There was no polite way to eat a human heart at breakfast, and pretending a fork would improve the situation felt like making extra dishes for the maids for no reason. So she bit into it like an apple. The room watched her chew. Chelsea looked up at them.

"What? You want a bite?" Adriane did not react to the heart at all. Her eyes remained locked on Chelsea with the sort of focus that made the joke feel smaller than Chelsea had wanted it to be.

"You deal damage to maximum health?" Adriane asked.

"That sounds..." Adriane just shook her head. Chelsea swallowed and shrugged.

"At this point, I'm expecting to step in a puddle and have it turn me into the queen of the gods. That's how it feels right now. It's another overpowered title. Add it to the list."