Chapter 44: 44 - Girl Talk Part 2
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-Vanessa Point of View-
Despite the ice having been broken none of the other girls spoke immediately. I watched them each ponder for a while. They seemed to be taking this conversation seriously which was a good thing. I personally knew that Zephirah was very serious. If she saw any hint that they could be a danger to her or Jason in the future they would be immediately kicked out no matter how much trouble it would cost her to do so.
Then again each of the remaining women had some kind of link to Seth. Selia was his sister, and despite her apparent dislike for Seth, she was still a member of his family. If it weren't for the agreement between Jason and Selia's father that would prevent Seth from going after his family, I doubt Jason would even be willing to let her stay with us. Firenne, Jesaline, and Rena were all captives of Seth's and there was a chance that they could have spells placed on them like I had. If they were going to stay I was sure Zephirah would require them to go through the same treatment I had. Despite that I kind of hoped Jesaline and Rena would stay.
I was a bit surprised by my own thoughts for a moment before I realized why. Like myself they had a hard life. Jesaline was directly tortured by Seth, even if he wasn't be malicious about it. I had known he had recently gotten a hold of a source of fox fire, but didn't know what it was or where he kept it. That kind of torture would be similar if not worse than seeing my parents killed right in front of me. My parents lived, her soul was damaged. If she stayed I was sure she would become a strong rival for me, kitsunes were always incredible beauties when they gained a human form. Yet I felt she deserved a decent master, someone who would help her reach her greatest potential and cherish her along the way. Even if Jason failed at that, I was sure he would treat her well.
Rena was similar. She knew the darker side of dungeon masters. Their incessant need to breed new species with special powers. The uselessness of being the resulting children that they had to father to gain the magic pattern. Once they had that pattern, their children were of no further use to them except to become soldiers, gifts, or tradable goods. There were some who cared about their offspring like Selia and Elisia's sires, but they were few in number. Rena had been sold, I had no idea what Seth had paid for her, or what he hoped to get out of her, but it clearly defined the kind of dungeon she had come from. While not as horrifying as my own and Jesaline's situations, being sold off as goods would not have been a pleasant experience. She also had valuable knowledge that Jason needed, especially as he would need to learn and understand the other dungeon master's drives and desires.
With Selia and Firenne, I continued to have mixed feelings.
"I will be staying too." Selia spoke up. "If you will permit it." she added quickly.
"There are other dungeons that would take you in and allow you to practice your craft." Zephirah pointed out.
"Yes, but most want immediate results and don't care about how long it takes to grow the crops, the quality of the ingredients, or how that will affect the end results. As you are intending to focus on that, this is the best place for me to be." Selia replied.
"And Jason?" Zephirah asked.
Selia was silent.
"That is my concern. You are transient. Once you have what you need you will be gone." Zephirah pointed out.
"You can't expect me to fall for him at first sight." Selia retorted.
"No, but you have no intentions of staying once you have perfected your skills." I spoke up.
"That is the deal, he gets the gem, I get a place to practice." Selia replied.
"No, it isn't. The gem was Jason's the moment your brother failed to kill him." I told her. "You are here as part of the deal to save your brother. We know that, and I am sure you do too."
Selia turned away angrily. It really seemed like she didn't like Seth, and being used as a chip to save her brother was not sitting well with her despite being placed in a location that was optimal for her profession.
"I am not saying you need to profess your undying love for him." Zephirah informed Selia, "In fact I would be more suspicious of that. Instead I would prefer that you would be willing to stay even after your skills improve."
Selia didn't reply and Zephirah decided not to press her yet. Instead she focused on the other three.
"Jason seems like a nice man, but I will follow Selia." Rena spoke up quickly.
"Thanks." Selia said happily her head rising from her coils.
"Don't thank me yet." Rena said looking at her friend. "If you choose to stay, I will make a home for myself here. Even if you plan to leave later. Of all the things I want, a home where I am welcome and cared for is my greatest desire. Even if there is no love between Jason and I, as long as he and the others treat me well, I will stay here and defend it with everything I have."
Selia eyed her friend for a few moments then sighed. "I understand." she told her.
I eyed the black bird for a few moments, but I didn't sense any deception from her. I turned my head to look at Lilian who was sitting on my shoulder, curious about her response, but she seemed bored and uninterested.
Looking to Zephirah I got the feeling that she could accept Rena's decision. I could as well. I was not sure how she would fit in amongst us or what skills she had, I hadn't even heard of a void raven before, but that was if she stayed.
Zephirah and I turned our gazes on Firenne and Jesaline.
They met our gazes. Jesaline hid her head in Firenne's lap while Firenne seemed resolved. I was both happy and sad seeing that.
"We would prefer to leave." Firenne told us.
Zephirah nodded. "I see. Do you mind telling me why?" she asked.
"He will not last long. Before I left on my own, and later when I was captured and returned to 'civilization', one truth has always stood out, kind hearted dungeon masters never last. Much like fireworks, they are bright and exciting at the start, but they always end with an explosion. I don't want to be here for that." Firenne told us, "And before you argue that he isn't so kind hearted, look around you. He let out three prisoners and gave them the trust of a long time friend, don't think I didn't see the panic in his eyes when I entered his room unannounced. He didn't put up any kind of defence against us. Not to mention he allows the sister of the man who betrayed him to roam around with no limitations."
Zephirah chuckled, "No, he didn't put up any defenses, but that doesn't mean there weren't any." she told Firenne confidently. "I just haven't told him about them yet."
"Besides which, there has been too much happening in the last couple of days, and he is still adjusting to the differences between his world and this one." I added defensively.
Downstairs Jason stiffened then let out a groan. I sighed seeing that.
"What?" Zephirah asked.
"The affinity storm has started." I replied while continuing to monitor Jason with my other body. I was tempted to double the body downstairs so I could lay on both sides of him, but resisted, I had no idea when I would need to use my other bodies so I would keep them in reserve unless I needed them."
"Can you explain that?" Firenne asked. I looked to Zephirah who nodded so I gave the fire dryad and the others a brief history of Jason and all he had been through.
"So his ex girlfriend is a princess of one of the great families?" Selia asked curiously.
I shrugged. "As far as I could discover, she was a part of one of several factions within the family fighting for control, one of the smaller factions." I replied.
"So she can't help him, pity." Selia commented then seemed to sink back into her own thoughts.
Firenne also seemed to be in deep contemplation.
I looked to Zephirah but she just waited patiently. Then I remembered, we didn't need them to stay, and somehow in my desire to defend Jason, I had started to try and encourage them to stay. That wasn't the point of this talk though. We wanted to separate out those who wanted to stay and be loyal, from those who would run at the first sign of trouble.
"I want to stay." Jesaline spoke up while Firenne continued to look conflicted.
Firenne looked down at the kitsune curled up on her lap in shock. "He has spent a lot to help me recover and he did it without a second thought. Sure he expected us to stay, but the debt I owe him is too great. I can not leave while owning so much to him. Didn't you teach me to respect those debts Firenne?" she asked.
Firenne sighed but nodded. "Yes, but not at the cost of your life." she replied.
"But it is my life that I owe him." Jesaline replied.
Firenne was silent for a few more moments before nodding. "Fine, but I will need a good place to plant my tree." Firenne told us.
Zephirah nodded. "That is fine, after getting so many fire based beasts, we needed to make a floor rich with fire mana, I am sure we can find a secure place on that floor."
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Firenne nodded then everyone turned their attention back to Selia who quickly lowered her head back into her coils.
I hesitated to speak for a moment, there was nothing official or binding about this talk. Instead it was a way for Zephirah to feel each of the girls out to determine how she would proceed with each of them after this. If they decide to leave then they would go, but there was no guarantee that they would stick their decision to stay. Yet I had a good feeling about it. As such I wanted Selia to make a decision. "As you said before Selia, we intend to focus more on the ingredients, if you can prove your usefulness in selecting the right crops and planting them in their optimal environments, I am sure Jason would be willing to give you more control over the crops we plant than any other dungeon master would, even after you have improved your skills." I told her.
Selia matched my gaze, but didn't seem swayed in any way. In fact it was obvious that she had already considered that. If that was the case… "What does he have planned?" I asked coldly.
Selia seemed to freeze in place then slumped down in defeat laying her head on the cushion she was curled up on. "I honestly don't know, but I know him, even with me here he will find a way to hurt you. He will abide by the rules, but he will find a way to stretch them as much as he can without breaking them."
Zephirah and I glared at the snake who curled up upon herself.
"She is right, Seth would find some way to strike back at you." Rena chipped in.
"I am well aware of his temperament." I told them both angrily, "But all of his support is based on his family standing, no matter how much he might hate us right now, he can't risk losing his families support." I pointed out.
"Not necessarily." Selia told us from within her coils, "the last time I saw him he seemed to be even more proud of himself than normal."
I frowned then my eyes widened as I looked over to Zephirah, "Melissa." I said.
"Didn't we just say she couldn't help us, or do you think she would help Seth hurt Jason?" Zephirah asked curiously.
I shook my head. "No, but he sold her location to one of the other factions within her family. They could be his new backers, and a great family has more influence than his father would, they have several dungeon masters in their employ." I replied.
"You are smarter than I thought, and since you seem to have figured out the situation, I won't have to explain all of it." A familiar voice said then an image of Candice appeared beside one of the couches. She was wearing a plain dark blue blouse and black jeans but still managed to look beautiful enough to make me feel self conscious. "Hello everyone, it is nice to meet all of you, though I do wish it was under better circumstances." she added then walked around the couch and took a seat in a free space. Only then did I realize this wasn't an image, Candice had appeared inside of our home without harming the shield or being sensed by Zephirah.
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-Vanessa Point of View-
Despite the ice having been broken none of the other girls spoke immediately. I watched them each ponder for a while. They seemed to be taking this conversation seriously which was a good thing. I personally knew that Zephirah was very serious. If she saw any hint that they could be a danger to her or Jason in the future they would be immediately kicked out no matter how much trouble it would cost her to do so.
Then again each of the remaining women had some kind of link to Seth. Selia was his sister, and despite her apparent dislike for Seth, she was still a member of his family. If it weren't for the agreement between Jason and Selia's father that would prevent Seth from going after his family, I doubt Jason would even be willing to let her stay with us. Firenne, Jesaline, and Rena were all captives of Seth's and there was a chance that they could have spells placed on them like I had. If they were going to stay I was sure Zephirah would require them to go through the same treatment I had. Despite that I kind of hoped Jesaline and Rena would stay.
I was a bit surprised by my own thoughts for a moment before I realized why. Like myself they had a hard life. Jesaline was directly tortured by Seth, even if he wasn't be malicious about it. I had known he had recently gotten a hold of a source of fox fire, but didn't know what it was or where he kept it. That kind of torture would be similar if not worse than seeing my parents killed right in front of me. My parents lived, her soul was damaged. If she stayed I was sure she would become a strong rival for me, kitsunes were always incredible beauties when they gained a human form. Yet I felt she deserved a decent master, someone who would help her reach her greatest potential and cherish her along the way. Even if Jason failed at that, I was sure he would treat her well.
Rena was similar. She knew the darker side of dungeon masters. Their incessant need to breed new species with special powers. The uselessness of being the resulting children that they had to father to gain the magic pattern. Once they had that pattern, their children were of no further use to them except to become soldiers, gifts, or tradable goods. There were some who cared about their offspring like Selia and Elisia's sires, but they were few in number. Rena had been sold, I had no idea what Seth had paid for her, or what he hoped to get out of her, but it clearly defined the kind of dungeon she had come from. While not as horrifying as my own and Jesaline's situations, being sold off as goods would not have been a pleasant experience. She also had valuable knowledge that Jason needed, especially as he would need to learn and understand the other dungeon master's drives and desires.
With Selia and Firenne, I continued to have mixed feelings.
"I will be staying too." Selia spoke up. "If you will permit it." she added quickly.
"There are other dungeons that would take you in and allow you to practice your craft." Zephirah pointed out.
"Yes, but most want immediate results and don't care about how long it takes to grow the crops, the quality of the ingredients, or how that will affect the end results. As you are intending to focus on that, this is the best place for me to be." Selia replied.
"And Jason?" Zephirah asked.
Selia was silent.
"That is my concern. You are transient. Once you have what you need you will be gone." Zephirah pointed out.
"You can't expect me to fall for him at first sight." Selia retorted.
"No, but you have no intentions of staying once you have perfected your skills." I spoke up.
"That is the deal, he gets the gem, I get a place to practice." Selia replied.
"No, it isn't. The gem was Jason's the moment your brother failed to kill him." I told her. "You are here as part of the deal to save your brother. We know that, and I am sure you do too."
Selia turned away angrily. It really seemed like she didn't like Seth, and being used as a chip to save her brother was not sitting well with her despite being placed in a location that was optimal for her profession.
"I am not saying you need to profess your undying love for him." Zephirah informed Selia, "In fact I would be more suspicious of that. Instead I would prefer that you would be willing to stay even after your skills improve."
Selia didn't reply and Zephirah decided not to press her yet. Instead she focused on the other three.
"Jason seems like a nice man, but I will follow Selia." Rena spoke up quickly.
"Thanks." Selia said happily her head rising from her coils.
"Don't thank me yet." Rena said looking at her friend. "If you choose to stay, I will make a home for myself here. Even if you plan to leave later. Of all the things I want, a home where I am welcome and cared for is my greatest desire. Even if there is no love between Jason and I, as long as he and the others treat me well, I will stay here and defend it with everything I have."
Selia eyed her friend for a few moments then sighed. "I understand." she told her.
I eyed the black bird for a few moments, but I didn't sense any deception from her. I turned my head to look at Lilian who was sitting on my shoulder, curious about her response, but she seemed bored and uninterested.
Looking to Zephirah I got the feeling that she could accept Rena's decision. I could as well. I was not sure how she would fit in amongst us or what skills she had, I hadn't even heard of a void raven before, but that was if she stayed.
Zephirah and I turned our gazes on Firenne and Jesaline.
They met our gazes. Jesaline hid her head in Firenne's lap while Firenne seemed resolved. I was both happy and sad seeing that.
"We would prefer to leave." Firenne told us.
Zephirah nodded. "I see. Do you mind telling me why?" she asked.
"He will not last long. Before I left on my own, and later when I was captured and returned to 'civilization', one truth has always stood out, kind hearted dungeon masters never last. Much like fireworks, they are bright and exciting at the start, but they always end with an explosion. I don't want to be here for that." Firenne told us, "And before you argue that he isn't so kind hearted, look around you. He let out three prisoners and gave them the trust of a long time friend, don't think I didn't see the panic in his eyes when I entered his room unannounced. He didn't put up any kind of defence against us. Not to mention he allows the sister of the man who betrayed him to roam around with no limitations."
Zephirah chuckled, "No, he didn't put up any defenses, but that doesn't mean there weren't any." she told Firenne confidently. "I just haven't told him about them yet."
"Besides which, there has been too much happening in the last couple of days, and he is still adjusting to the differences between his world and this one." I added defensively.
Downstairs Jason stiffened then let out a groan. I sighed seeing that.
"What?" Zephirah asked.
"The affinity storm has started." I replied while continuing to monitor Jason with my other body. I was tempted to double the body downstairs so I could lay on both sides of him, but resisted, I had no idea when I would need to use my other bodies so I would keep them in reserve unless I needed them."
"Can you explain that?" Firenne asked. I looked to Zephirah who nodded so I gave the fire dryad and the others a brief history of Jason and all he had been through.
"So his ex girlfriend is a princess of one of the great families?" Selia asked curiously.
I shrugged. "As far as I could discover, she was a part of one of several factions within the family fighting for control, one of the smaller factions." I replied.
"So she can't help him, pity." Selia commented then seemed to sink back into her own thoughts.
Firenne also seemed to be in deep contemplation.
I looked to Zephirah but she just waited patiently. Then I remembered, we didn't need them to stay, and somehow in my desire to defend Jason, I had started to try and encourage them to stay. That wasn't the point of this talk though. We wanted to separate out those who wanted to stay and be loyal, from those who would run at the first sign of trouble.
"I want to stay." Jesaline spoke up while Firenne continued to look conflicted.
Firenne looked down at the kitsune curled up on her lap in shock. "He has spent a lot to help me recover and he did it without a second thought. Sure he expected us to stay, but the debt I owe him is too great. I can not leave while owning so much to him. Didn't you teach me to respect those debts Firenne?" she asked.
Firenne sighed but nodded. "Yes, but not at the cost of your life." she replied.
"But it is my life that I owe him." Jesaline replied.
Firenne was silent for a few more moments before nodding. "Fine, but I will need a good place to plant my tree." Firenne told us.
Zephirah nodded. "That is fine, after getting so many fire based beasts, we needed to make a floor rich with fire mana, I am sure we can find a secure place on that floor."
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Firenne nodded then everyone turned their attention back to Selia who quickly lowered her head back into her coils.
I hesitated to speak for a moment, there was nothing official or binding about this talk. Instead it was a way for Zephirah to feel each of the girls out to determine how she would proceed with each of them after this. If they decide to leave then they would go, but there was no guarantee that they would stick their decision to stay. Yet I had a good feeling about it. As such I wanted Selia to make a decision. "As you said before Selia, we intend to focus more on the ingredients, if you can prove your usefulness in selecting the right crops and planting them in their optimal environments, I am sure Jason would be willing to give you more control over the crops we plant than any other dungeon master would, even after you have improved your skills." I told her.
Selia matched my gaze, but didn't seem swayed in any way. In fact it was obvious that she had already considered that. If that was the case… "What does he have planned?" I asked coldly.
Selia seemed to freeze in place then slumped down in defeat laying her head on the cushion she was curled up on. "I honestly don't know, but I know him, even with me here he will find a way to hurt you. He will abide by the rules, but he will find a way to stretch them as much as he can without breaking them."
Zephirah and I glared at the snake who curled up upon herself.
"She is right, Seth would find some way to strike back at you." Rena chipped in.
"I am well aware of his temperament." I told them both angrily, "But all of his support is based on his family standing, no matter how much he might hate us right now, he can't risk losing his families support." I pointed out.
"Not necessarily." Selia told us from within her coils, "the last time I saw him he seemed to be even more proud of himself than normal."
I frowned then my eyes widened as I looked over to Zephirah, "Melissa." I said.
"Didn't we just say she couldn't help us, or do you think she would help Seth hurt Jason?" Zephirah asked curiously.
I shook my head. "No, but he sold her location to one of the other factions within her family. They could be his new backers, and a great family has more influence than his father would, they have several dungeon masters in their employ." I replied.
"You are smarter than I thought, and since you seem to have figured out the situation, I won't have to explain all of it." A familiar voice said then an image of Candice appeared beside one of the couches. She was wearing a plain dark blue blouse and black jeans but still managed to look beautiful enough to make me feel self conscious. "Hello everyone, it is nice to meet all of you, though I do wish it was under better circumstances." she added then walked around the couch and took a seat in a free space. Only then did I realize this wasn't an image, Candice had appeared inside of our home without harming the shield or being sensed by Zephirah.
-Vanessa Point of View-Despite the ice having been broken none of the other girls spoke immediately. I watched them each ponder for a while. They seemed to be taking this conversation seriously which was a good thing. I personally knew that Zephirah was very serious. If she saw any hint that they could be a danger to her or Jason in the future they would be immediately kicked out no matter how much trouble it would cost her to do so.Then again each of the remaining women had some kind of link to Seth. Selia was his sister, and despite her apparent dislike for Seth, she was still a member of his family. If it weren't for the agreement between Jason and Selia's father that would prevent Seth from going after his family, I doubt Jason would even be willing to let her stay with us. Firenne, Jesaline, and Rena were all captives of Seth's and there was a chance that they could have spells placed on them like I had. If they were going to stay I was sure Zephirah would require them to go through the same treatment I had. Despite that I kind of hoped Jesaline and Rena would stay.I was a bit surprised by my own thoughts for a moment before I realized why. Like myself they had a hard life. Jesaline was directly tortured by Seth, even if he wasn't be malicious about it. I had known he had recently gotten a hold of a source of fox fire, but didn't know what it was or where he kept it. That kind of torture would be similar if not worse than seeing my parents killed right in front of me. My parents lived, her soul was damaged. If she stayed I was sure she would become a strong rival for me, kitsunes were always incredible beauties when they gained a human form. Yet I felt she deserved a decent master, someone who would help her reach her greatest potential and cherish her along the way. Even if Jason failed at that, I was sure he would treat her well.Rena was similar. She knew the darker side of dungeon masters. Their incessant need to breed new species with special powers. The uselessness of being the resulting children that they had to father to gain the magic pattern. Once they had that pattern, their children were of no further use to them except to become soldiers, gifts, or tradable goods. There were some who cared about their offspring like Selia and Elisia's sires, but they were few in number. Rena had been sold, I had no idea what Seth had paid for her, or what he hoped to get out of her, but it clearly defined the kind of dungeon she had come from. While not as horrifying as my own and Jesaline's situations, being sold off as goods would not have been a pleasant experience. She also had valuable knowledge that Jason needed, especially as he would need to learn and understand the other dungeon master's drives and desires.With Selia and Firenne, I continued to have mixed feelings."I will be staying too." Selia spoke up. "If you will permit it." she added quickly."There are other dungeons that would take you in and allow you to practice your craft." Zephirah pointed out."Yes, but most want immediate results and don't care about how long it takes to grow the crops, the quality of the ingredients, or how that will affect the end results. As you are intending to focus on that, this is the best place for me to be." Selia replied."And Jason?" Zephirah asked.Selia was silent."That is my concern. You are transient. Once you have what you need you will be gone." Zephirah pointed out."You can't expect me to fall for him at first sight." Selia retorted."No, but you have no intentions of staying once you have perfected your skills." I spoke up."That is the deal, he gets the gem, I get a place to practice." Selia replied."No, it isn't. The gem was Jason's the moment your brother failed to kill him." I told her. "You are here as part of the deal to save your brother. We know that, and I am sure you do too."Selia turned away angrily. It really seemed like she didn't like Seth, and being used as a chip to save her brother was not sitting well with her despite being placed in a location that was optimal for her profession."I am not saying you need to profess your undying love for him." Zephirah informed Selia, "In fact I would be more suspicious of that. Instead I would prefer that you would be willing to stay even after your skills improve."Selia didn't reply and Zephirah decided not to press her yet. Instead she focused on the other three."Jason seems like a nice man, but I will follow Selia." Rena spoke up quickly."Thanks." Selia said happily her head rising from her coils."Don't thank me yet." Rena said looking at her friend. "If you choose to stay, I will make a home for myself here. Even if you plan to leave later. Of all the things I want, a home where I am welcome and cared for is my greatest desire. Even if there is no love between Jason and I, as long as he and the others treat me well, I will stay here and defend it with everything I have."Selia eyed her friend for a few moments then sighed. "I understand." she told her.I eyed the black bird for a few moments, but I didn't sense any deception from her. I turned my head to look at Lilian who was sitting on my shoulder, curious about her response, but she seemed bored and uninterested.Looking to Zephirah I got the feeling that she could accept Rena's decision. I could as well. I was not sure how she would fit in amongst us or what skills she had, I hadn't even heard of a void raven before, but that was if she stayed.Zephirah and I turned our gazes on Firenne and Jesaline.They met our gazes. Jesaline hid her head in Firenne's lap while Firenne seemed resolved. I was both happy and sad seeing that."We would prefer to leave." Firenne told us.Zephirah nodded. "I see. Do you mind telling me why?" she asked."He will not last long. Before I left on my own, and later when I was captured and returned to 'civilization', one truth has always stood out, kind hearted dungeon masters never last. Much like fireworks, they are bright and exciting at the start, but they always end with an explosion. I don't want to be here for that." Firenne told us, "And before you argue that he isn't so kind hearted, look around you. He let out three prisoners and gave them the trust of a long time friend, don't think I didn't see the panic in his eyes when I entered his room unannounced. He didn't put up any kind of defence against us. Not to mention he allows the sister of the man who betrayed him to roam around with no limitations."Zephirah chuckled, "No, he didn't put up any defenses, but that doesn't mean there weren't any." she told Firenne confidently. "I just haven't told him about them yet.""Besides which, there has been too much happening in the last couple of days, and he is still adjusting to the differences between his world and this one." I added defensively.Downstairs Jason stiffened then let out a groan. I sighed seeing that."What?" Zephirah asked."The affinity storm has started." I replied while continuing to monitor Jason with my other body. I was tempted to double the body downstairs so I could lay on both sides of him, but resisted, I had no idea when I would need to use my other bodies so I would keep them in reserve unless I needed them.""Can you explain that?" Firenne asked. I looked to Zephirah who nodded so I gave the fire dryad and the others a brief history of Jason and all he had been through."So his ex girlfriend is a princess of one of the great families?" Selia asked curiously.I shrugged. "As far as I could discover, she was a part of one of several factions within the family fighting for control, one of the smaller factions." I replied."So she can't help him, pity." Selia commented then seemed to sink back into her own thoughts.Firenne also seemed to be in deep contemplation.I looked to Zephirah but she just waited patiently. Then I remembered, we didn't need them to stay, and somehow in my desire to defend Jason, I had started to try and encourage them to stay. That wasn't the point of this talk though. We wanted to separate out those who wanted to stay and be loyal, from those who would run at the first sign of trouble."I want to stay." Jesaline spoke up while Firenne continued to look conflicted.Firenne looked down at the kitsune curled up on her lap in shock. "He has spent a lot to help me recover and he did it without a second thought. Sure he expected us to stay, but the debt I owe him is too great. I can not leave while owning so much to him. Didn't you teach me to respect those debts Firenne?" she asked.Firenne sighed but nodded. "Yes, but not at the cost of your life." she replied."But it is my life that I owe him." Jesaline replied.Firenne was silent for a few more moments before nodding. "Fine, but I will need a good place to plant my tree." Firenne told us.Zephirah nodded. "That is fine, after getting so many fire based beasts, we needed to make a floor rich with fire mana, I am sure we can find a secure place on that floor." Find authorized novels in Webnovelfaster updates, better experiencePlease click www.webnovel.com for visiting. Firenne nodded then everyone turned their attention back to Selia who quickly lowered her head back into her coils.I hesitated to speak for a moment, there was nothing official or binding about this talk. Instead it was a way for Zephirah to feel each of the girls out to determine how she would proceed with each of them after this. If they decide to leave then they would go, but there was no guarantee that they would stick their decision to stay. Yet I had a good feeling about it. As such I wanted Selia to make a decision. "As you said before Selia, we intend to focus more on the ingredients, if you can prove your usefulness in selecting the right crops and planting them in their optimal environments, I am sure Jason would be willing to give you more control over the crops we plant than any other dungeon master would, even after you have improved your skills." I told her.Selia matched my gaze, but didn't seem swayed in any way. In fact it was obvious that she had already considered that. If that was the case "What does he have planned?" I asked coldly.Selia seemed to freeze in place then slumped down in defeat laying her head on the cushion she was curled up on. "I honestly don't know, but I know him, even with me here he will find a way to hurt you. He will abide by the rules, but he will find a way to stretch them as much as he can without breaking them."Zephirah and I glared at the snake who curled up upon herself."She is right, Seth would find some way to strike back at you." Rena chipped in."I am well aware of his temperament." I told them both angrily, "But all of his support is based on his family standing, no matter how much he might hate us right now, he can't risk losing his families support." I pointed out."Not necessarily." Selia told us from within her coils, "the last time I saw him he seemed to be even more proud of himself than normal."I frowned then my eyes widened as I looked over to Zephirah, "Melissa." I said."Didn't we just say she couldn't help us, or do you think she would help Seth hurt Jason?" Zephirah asked curiously.I shook my head. "No, but he sold her location to one of the other factions within her family. They could be his new backers, and a great family has more influence than his father would, they have several dungeon masters in their employ." I replied."You are smarter than I thought, and since you seem to have figured out the situation, I won't have to explain all of it." A familiar voice said then an image of Candice appeared beside one of the couches. She was wearing a plain dark blue blouse and black jeans but still managed to look beautiful enough to make me feel self conscious. "Hello everyone, it is nice to meet all of you, though I do wish it was under better circumstances." she added then walked around the couch and took a seat in a free space. Only then did I realize this wasn't an image, Candice had appeared inside of our home without harming the shield or being sensed by Zephirah.
