Chapter Seven

Subject B displayed slight discomfort upon removing free-floating debris inside their borrowed container. This implies that occupancy is more than puppetry, possibly creating a symbiotic bond. Despite that distress, there was an increased stability and flow of energy that had positive effects, increased speed, viscosity, and reactivity for spiritual power to and from the skill nodules. The debris appeared to be—----------- Harmony's pen dragged across her journal with a jerking flinch.

Hard not to react when there is a fist swinging towards your face. Even when on an expendable copy of you. What kind of trouble was Maxwell in now? [Small Armor] activated the base use of the skill, automatically blocking the blow with her armored forearm. There were no skill effects with the blow. She'd wasted it on a normal punch. Where was the malicious effort or killing intent that should be required for this summon?

Harmony grabbed the armored fist she'd blocked and looked up, but only slightly, into the eyes of a very shocked Countess Maye. "H-harmony?" She stammered.

Harmony glanced behind her at a roughed-up Maxwell. "Shouldn't you be on your way to Hazeldown now? There is less than a day before I open the games." She asked him.

"Thorne has a long-distance teleportation scroll she's going to use on candidates and bonds in the morning because it took time to complete everyone's bonds and evolve the new heir."

Maye tried to wrench her arm back, but Harmony kept her grip. It was good to see that vital body transferred over. Maxwell's summon was now taller than himself.

Harmony turned her attention back to Maye. "Be with you in a moment, Countess. Please remain how you are until I get this sorted out." Authority echoed in her words. She turned back to Max, "I'm not seeing any danger. I am surprised you could summon me. And maybe you did something to deserve being struck. You've been through so many women. I'm sure there are more than a handful of pissed off husbands who might convince the countess to bring you to hand."

"I was working off a theory. It's your fault I'm in this place anyway. Countess Maye is not planning on releasing Adric for the games, and I felt compelled to try to rescue him!"

Back to Maye. "Is this true?" Death now crept into Harmony's voice, and her grip tightened on the armor until it buckled a little. That level of increased strength with a summoned body was a bit surprising. The vital body alone shouldn't be that strong.

"He's not ready yet. How are you even here? How are you so big, and why is your hair pink!?"

"Listen here, Countess, we had an agreement. If you had wanted more time with Adric, you would have contacted me sooner and not misbehaved so badly. I've met some of the evolved candidates. Adric will be fine. He might even make friends. If you're worried about my pet prince's safety, don't be." Harmony swung in and grabbed the collar of Maye's armor with her left hand and then lifted, pulling the giant of the woman up two feet off the floor, toes dangling. "He's mine to protect." With that, she dropped the stunned countess.

"Where's Adric?"

"She locked him in a warded house," Max answered.

Looking internally at him, Max still had plenty of chaos feeding her existence here, assuming she didn't use too many skills. Through their bond, she heard a woman's faint whisper. "I may be in a cage, but at least I have a most fascinating show. Release me, and I can help you stay around indefinitely." That nasty chaos spirit. Harmony made a mental note to do something about that when she had the chance.

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"Countess, follow and release Adric to fulfill your agreement. I'll set this transgression aside. Despite your flaws, Addy cares for you, and I'd hate for him to lose the portion of his family that is still slightly acceptable."

Maye pulled herself together. "I'm sorry, Lady White. I let my fears get to me. Our agreement will be honored."

While the pair followed the countess out of her manor, Harmony kept one eye out on the staff and guards in case Maye chose to do something stupid. The first tense guards who'd been outside of the room were told to stand down. Probably helped that Harmony kept one hand on Maye's back as they walked.

During the walk, Harmony also spent some effort looking inward. This was clearly not the same as [Stride Before the Fall]. As much as everything seemed the same, the glowing pink hair, Night accents, and larger size pointed to some obvious differences in her temporary body. And now that it wasn't a life-or-death situation, she could examine it with fewer distractions. At least she knew from experience that it bled. Could she keep her existence but lessen the chaos Max was providing? Even a slight restriction of the incoming flow of chaos through their inverted oath caused intense strain. Chaos wasn't known to be so organized. Something about the oath was taming or modifying it? It was useful to take notes with one half while the other investigated, but they were out of time.

Maye dismissed the guards outside of the small steward's house on the grounds. The countess pulled open the door.

Prince Adric stumbled out. "Auntie, how could you?" He started, stopping when he saw who else was there. "Harm!"

Harmony let her grip go. Countess Maye rushed forward, embracing Adric, spinning around, and placing him between her and Harmony. "I'm sorry, Addy. The attack on you and your sister during your last trip had me spooked. I can't lose you again."

Adric detached himself from the countess's embrace, pulling his head out of her chest. "I'm not a child anymore. I know I've acted like it for far too long, but you have to let me go. You should be grateful Harmony brought me back, not upset that she's taking me away. I've got real friends now, like Max, who will come to my rescue if needed. Things change and grow. Even Rose is now the heir. You have to accept it and let me walk my path."

Chaos energy was dipping, not to the point where Harmony had to go. She needed to leave him with enough to summon her again if a new emergency happened. "Adric, stay with Max at the guild house, and I'll see you in the morning." Harmony turned her attention to Maye and only had to tilt her head up a little to stare the woman in the eyes. "As for you. Choose to be helpful rather than a hindrance. This is your final warning." Harmony let death and authority mix, and in its fringes, she felt something new from her profession, a threat that if the countess became a problem, she'd be erased as thoroughly as was appropriate.

As she dropped existence, Saccerate cried, Wait! In a new plea for help, only to have it lost mid-transition.

Harmony went back to recording notes on her observations. She pulled out a new book, a ledger of names. Turning to the entry on Countess Maye, she added in a new list of observations, goals, and problems. Have a serious discussion with Adric about resolving the Maye issue and what happens if it comes up again. Under Maxwell's section, Harmony took some blank sheets of paper and used [Mend] and [Manipulate Dead] to affix them, adding a new section for Saccerate. Spirit prison protoplasmic bonds, being an unwilling one, could be released, another reason they'd taken the risk. After the Ascendant Games, it might be good to separate the man from the problem spirit.

There wouldn't be time to update this until after the games, but it would be unwise to leave out new acquaintances. She added a section for all the evolved kingdom candidates and their keepers.

[Recall], as good as it was, wasn't as useful as a reference book one could share with staff when needed. Ma Bell's dinners started this habit. At first, it was collecting and adding to the notes Max had supplied for her. Then it became part of her journaling and distracting from the pain and stress the excess authority was causing.

Ambrosia would joke about her additions to her royal house's history, teachings, and plans when she collected the books from her. At least it kept her mind off her mother while she worked, that was, until she moved to update those notes.

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