“Give me the job [Shadow Weaver],” Elizabeth said turning to her blue s.

  She could almost hear a sigh in the background, and then, her blue s turned into static, her job sele reappeared on its own after a few seds, this time however, it came back without the extra random jobs.

  It even highlighted the advantages she could get by taking those jobs, for example. If she took [Mistress of the Undead], she could access the well of souls from Zaanam, and she would no longer be limited by the amount of mana she could el, [The World] would take that.

  It would also mean that the souls of Terra Invicta that she was carrying would join those who were part of the underworld of Zaanam.

  Oher hand, should she pick [Shadow Empress], all her minions would be able to take into their former identities, and recover as muowledge of their past as their souls still had, and she would only o exert her will to raise the retly deceased as loyal subjects.

  She would no longer be limited to only having Shadons and instead would and a true army of the dead. But this would be in another sense, for so long as there were shadows, she could summon any being that was within the purview of [The World].

  Oher hand, should she go by any of the options that linked her to a deity, she would be guaranteed a spot at their pantheon after her demise, or if she mao achieve the required level of power (Level 100) she would be able to directly asd into their [Domains].

  She could get access to their power and miracles while in the mortal world, and their churches would be at her bed call, not like she wanted any of that, and besides, as of now the church of her parents was more popur, if she wao have a church at her and she could just ask her Mother. ces were that they would listen if her mother sent an oracle. Or if she spoke to her apostle, Mht to have at least an apostle, probably a cute girl or something.

  …oh god…Mother had an apostle….

  *Shudder*

  The st option that shone in her more reduced blue s was [Daughter of the gods], it promised her access to her parents [Domains], a guarao succeed in her ootheosis should she want it, and a pce at their side. It also granted her access to the powers they had while alive. It was, overall, a bination of [Magical Girl - Legacy] and [Heroine - Legacy]. With the opportunity to transd humanity and bring along ahat she wanted.

  She was tempted, very tempted. But below it was the option she had called, the job that really called to her, even though she hadn’t thought about it before.

  [The Shadow Weaver]:

  You already know what was expected from you, you are, however, finally taking the first steps in your way to truly accept what you were born to be. Accept your mission, and trahe limits that were put into you. Embrace your destiny.

  By taking in the mantle of [The Shadow Weaver], you are pledging that you will take care of those who put themselves under your care, will you lead them to a new life? Will you guide them into the abyss? It is up to you Elizabeth Starbright.

  Only you decide if you wish to shine as a bright star in the night sky…Or if you want to be a shining bea of hope.

  Or perhaps you only wish to take care of those you love?

  Weave your options, think of your destiny, look upon your iance, and trahe legacy left dormant within your cursed bloodline.

  [Warning, accepting this job may isote the souls you carry with you from joining the circle of transmigration within Zaanam.]

  [Solidifies the liween you and the souls in your Domain.]

  [Opens the way for those that die and wish to tinue serving you, should they decide it, they will join the Shadow Haven and be reborn within as entities shrouded by the shadows of your Domain.]

  [Starts a new circle of transmigration for those that follow you.]

  [Souls of those under your care will always return to you, be it whole or in pieces, but they will do so.]

  [All shadows cimed by you will remain under your and.]

  [All shadow entities will bow to you, should you prove yourself.]

  [You may appoint Apostles to represent you.]

  ………….Something was not quite right here. Now you may wonder what is Elizabeth speaking about? Is this another one of her patented bimbo episodes? And to that…Well. After waking up, no. After the first moment, this [System] made itself known to her two years ago…

  Elizabeth has seey of blue ss, some normal, some bugged, she has vague recolles of even seeing red ones! She has spoken to blue s, and through blue ss, she meets their maker and even called him an asshole.

  But this?

  “This…isn’t blue….” The description for this job was on a bck s, one simir to the holoprojes that Nyx used, it also didn’t… it didn’t feel like most of the blue ss she had seen before. Elizabeth wouldn’t go as far as to say that the blue ss had a personality.

  The only time she felt something akin to that was when she eaking with Nyx’s Mother, and then again, she was actually speaking with someone. Or when it pio her in one way or another.

  But this? This s? It felt…personal. As if she eaking to…Alice.

  But should she? This job didn’t….quite feel normal. There was something that she was missing, what would she be? This felt closer to accepting a job aligned with a deity. But there weren’t aions about a deity within the message? If anything it only spoke about her, about what would happen to her and those under her care.

  “Will I be bound to anyone if I take this?” Elizabeth asked to the bck s. It trembled for a few seds, as if offended, and then a new smaller bck s appeared on the side.

  No.

  And nothing else, as if that was all she o know.

  “Will I be bound to anyone should I take one of your jobs?” Elizabeth said turning to the blue s, the ohat was sent by [The World].

  You will not be demao do anything, no order will be sent your way. The only difference will be that the souls of those under you will join Zaanam’s circle of transmigration. You be pced under your parent’s care if that is your wish.

  …So she would be bound. Even if no order came her way, there was no way to guarahat no order would ever e. Even if she ced under her parent’s orders, if someoop them sent an order…

  She didn’t have enough power to refuse said orders, and if she couldn’t, perhaps her parents would revolt. And no one would be happy if that ever happened. Well, not [The World] or its inhabitants at the very least. A tantrum from ay that could ftten tis wasn’t a tantrum but a cataclysm after all.

  “I will take [The Shadow Weaver],” Elizabeth said pointing to the bck s, it shone in azure light for a sed and…

  As if waiting for her and it turned into a liquid that sank into her shadow, Elizabeth felt a sudden rush of energy and her uanding of the ruined city within her [Soul] became clearer, she uood the p a way that she hadn’t before. She was suddenly aware of what her minions could do best, and how there were some scouts that would work better as knights.

  How one of her knights could do a better job as a civil worker, she knew what the new minions could do. And…she khat should any of their souls be broken, she would be able to restore them should enough time be dedicated to that…

  And that rec [Stabby] was impossible since he had died before her [Shadow Haven] arrived at this point.

  What she found iing was that she now knew what had been the past of most of her minions, or of those that were above a certain level of sapience, how most of her Royal Mages had been stists. How only the leader of her Royal Mages and Royal Knights had full memories of their past lives.

  “Beatrice,” Elizabeth said, summoning the High Valkyrie. One of the most important minions under her and…And the little girl that called Rossie Mother.

  “Yes Mistress? What I do for you?” The little girl spoke in a submissive tone, was…was she afraid of her?

  “...do you know why I summoned you?” Elizabeth asked the little girl, it was iing, the trast between what she knew about the girl, and what she was able to know. It only took i from Elizabeth and….

  “....Is it about my past?” Beatrice asked, “About what I know about who I was before?”

  “...how much do you remember?” Elizabeth asked, her eyes narrowing and turning draic.

  “What is your [True Name]?”

  “....I…know that I had a life before, but didn’t know anything about it when I first woke up, then the Royal Mage told me that we had been resurrected. Asked me if I knew anything, but I didn’t.” Beatrice said in a small voice, so she was aware? But didn’t know more. “As for my name…I’m Beatrice Vi Starbright, it matters not what name I had before. I am Mother’s Daughter.”

  …This cheeky brat, daring to gre at her, they grow so fast.

  “Okay, do you wish to know about your past? If it’s now I may be able to grant it to you.” Elizabeth said as she raised her hand and materialized a blob of shadows, it took the form of an eagle, the same ohat was the emblem of the Saintsworths in Aqui. “If it’s now while I am close to the [Source] of the job…I do many things, but only now. So think fast Beatrice Vi Starbright.”

  Was this the right thing? She knew parts of who Beatrice had been before, the ruthless woman who made sure the Saintsworth's political enemies met their downfall.

  “...I have no need for that information Mistress. I, like my Mother, have no need for useless things like those.” Beatrice said eyeing the blob of shadows, “Was that all you needed from me, Mistress?”

  “Yes, sorry for b you Beatrice,” Elizabeth said crushing the past of Beatrice, it would probably be better for Elizabeth if she returhose memories, the help from a woman capable of managing the public retionships of an intergactic empire wasn’t something to scoff at.

  “Thank you, Beato, for choosing Rossie over your past.”

  “...It’s not a problem.” Beatrice said bowing to her and walking to the door, “And I also choose you Mistress, whoever it was that woman’s past. She didn’t work for you, she probably didn’t work for those that she represented either.”

  …khuh….right in the heart….cheeky brat.

  “Thank you anyway, spread the word among the minions, if any remembers their past life and wants a job better suited to that, they only o ask. Hell, they don’t eveo ask, just put them in those jobs.” Elizabeth said waving away the little girl.

  “All will be done as you and, [Shadow Weaver]” And in that tune, Beatrice disappeared in a burst of shadows.

  Was that her Shadow Step?

  Cheeky brat.

  “Now, what ged for me? Besides the obvious.” Elizabeth wondered aloud to herself within the [Soulscape]. “[Identify]”

  And this time, without wasting time, she used the skill on herself, it felt different, while before the skill seemed to radiate a mana pulse and use that information to decode what she wahis time the pulse was attuo her [Shadow Mana], and instead of traversing her body. It only sent a ripple into her shadow.

  It worked, and it did show her status, so everything was in order, what ged, however, was more…iing than what Elizabeth could imagine, why you ask?

  Well, for starters her status hadn’t ged that much.

  Status

  Name: Elizabeth Starbright

  Active Title: [Magical Girl]

  Passive Titles:

  [Awakened - Brave]

  [Daughter of The Gods]

  [Hero]

  Level: 40

  Health: 100%

  Mana: 100%

  Stamina: 100%

  Age: 17 years old

  Dragon Iance: Active

  Strength: 89

  stitution: 50

  Agility: 100

  Dexterity: 100

  Intelligence: 250

  Wisdom: 250

  Charisma: 50

  Job:

  [Magical Girl - Shadow Attuned] / [Vilin - Shadow Attuned] / [May (Shadow Weaver)]

  Job Skills: 1eneral skills: 7

  Title Skills: 2

  Banked Skills: 2

  “[Magical Girl - Shadow Attuned] / [Vilin - Shadow Attuned]?” Her job se iterated between those two options. It tio do so till she assigned one of those descriptions to one of her [Layered Status].

  The sed she did that, the sed unused Layered status got the other description. As if it wao make sure Elizabeth knew where it was. As for her true status? It ged the description (Again), only this time it showed a different job.

  [May (Shadow Weaver)]

  And that wasn’t even the main problem, the other thing was that her skills didn’t ge that much, granted most had evolved to show an X instead of a number, but still! She wanted new good skills!

  Even if most of what she had robably stuff that she wouldn’t ever need. Her status didn’t ge much either…. A quick prompt at the job showed that it would grant her 20 status points per level… While it was good…she was getting 21 as it was, so that ge didn’t affect her, if anything, it would mean that she would lose 40 points if she ever took those points over what she was already getting.

  As for the reasoook this job?

  “Nyx,” Elizabeth spoke aloud to her shadow.

  “[Yes Mistress?]” And her loyal dragon showed itself, she could get the vague feeling that it was annoyed because it was in his cute form…but Elizabeth didn’t care sie was justice!

  “Any new about Alice?” She asked her loyal minion. Elizabeth couldn’t feel the minion she had left proteg her former [Shift], nor could feel the girl even after she sent the sed dragon with [Shadow Weaver] to Alice.

  “[None so far, whoever or wherever they are. It is a pce far away from what we go.]” Nyx answered turning to look at the city. “[We will find them, I have sent some minions to patrol the outskirts of Aqui. Should those dragons attempt to return we will find them.]”

  ….ht, they could always return here….

  Why hadn’t they? It had been almost a year since she was separated from them.

  “Keep me posted, is the anything else I o do before leaving?” Elizabeth said extending her senses across the ruined city. Nothing seemed important enough for her to take care of. Most of the time her minions solved the problems as they came.

  And part of the area surrounding the spire she was in at the moment was restored, now it didn’t look like a ruined city, but it was closer to a rural setting!

  Progress!

  “[Nothing important enough to dey your return Mistress.]” Nyx said shaking its head.

  “[...Do you wao punish Lady Beatrice for her disrespect?]”

  The what now?

  “What are you talking about Nyx?” Elizabeth asked, had Beatrice disrespected her?

  “[She priorized her own feelings over your needs, if she had embraced her past…She could have attained a human form like Lady Aura. Then with the nd the Singh gave you as dowry, she could cultivate a business powerful enough to grant you riches beyond what these puny Humans have seen.]” Nyx spoke pointing with his adorable paw to the ndscape. “[She had been the o charge of making the money for this city before.]”

  ….Elizabeth did think about that option yes.

  “[But she prioritized her own feelings and fear, she didn’t want to lose the retionship between her and the Lady sort.]” Nyx said in aone. “[She prioritized her own feelings over what she could achieve for you.]”

  “Do you have memories of a past life too Nyx?” Elizabeth said, turning the versation in another dire.

  “[No Mistress, I was made from nothing by Mother. I have no past, and my only future is that which you grant me.]” Nyx answered fused, “[You know this Mistress. Only those that dwell within the darkness like Lady Aura and the other Minions have a past.]”

  “I too have a past, as you are aware,” Elizabeth said summoning a shadow in a form simir to the one she had for Beatrice, only this one…was empty. It had the form, it even had a simir to her of sin. But the interior? Empty.

  “[We are aware, you once ruled as an Empress to a world.]” Nyx said looking at the of sin, “[This ruined city is an example of what you achieved, and what you had. Riches beyond what a

  mortal could spend…not even immortal could empty your vaults.]”

  “Indeed, my former self had everything, if he so much wanted he could purchase a nation, from their leaders to those in the slums….” Elizabeth smirked at the idea, “If he wanted, he was able to raise a poor nation into a powerhouse in a week, armies would swear their loyalty. Nations would crumble at his wish…Sor systems would disappear at his and…. The world was his toy and nothing was outside of his grasp.”

  “[...Indeed a mighty past for you Mistress.]” Nyx said fused, “[What does this have to do with Beatrice?]”

  “That life wasn’t me. If you ask me, he was an idiot. If I was given the choice of taking in his memories…I would also say no.” Elizabeth said, “Even if the knowledge would grant me power, even if the knowledge could teach me how to rule everyone in Zaanam. I would still not take it.”

  “[...]”

  “Do you know why?” Elizabeth asked her minion.

  “[You fear that taking the memories would taint you?]” And so Nyx asked.

  “I know they would taint my perception, Alexanders may have been an annoying asshole. But he owerful, not only in knowledge but in power. I am good with Mana, but he was a monster. And this is ing from someone who only saw him messing around. I have access to the knowledge he decided to leave me. And…” Elizabeth shuddered, “He learo manipute mana without having [Mana Circuits] he didn’t have a Soulscape to help him, nor a way to tame Mana. A he mao do it anyway.”

  “[So even though it could grant you power, you don’t want to risk it?]” Nyx asked, “[So does Lady Beatrice, she doesn’t want to risk the memories of her past life ging who she is?]”

  “Exactly, just like how Michael is now haunted by his past life iheria. God knows how much he saw, but what little I saw from Akira’s past…it wasn’t pretty.” Elizabeth didn’t want to remember what happehere, what she was of Michael always ended in his death.

  “[But then why do you want to rescue your former Shift?]” Nyx asked back, “[Wouldn’t those taint your memories? One of them has memories of an alternate life.]”

  And wasn’t that an iing question?

  Yes, Alice Ashcroft had memories of an alterimeline, a life that she didn’t live.

  “Isn’t it obvious Nyx?” Elizabeth smiled at her most loyal minion, ohat didn’t mind asking the hard questions, “When you know a cute girl is in trouble, you go and rescue her!”

  And that was the crux of the matter, she [Khat both Alid Elemental Weaver were in danger, she was aware of how both girls were at risk of disappearing, the st vestiges of Elizabeth Starbright pre-advent.

  The st remaining embers of her life before ing Chloe….What would happen when she mao find them? Would she even be able to?

  What happeo them? How had they survived? She had all the questions…and none of the answers.

  Annou