Shutting the door behind her, Liliana took a deep breath. Looking around, she saw the Steward was gone, likely fulfilling the orders her father had given to him. Lelantos was still in the hallway, though he had risen when she stepped out. Liliana could see a few servants poking their heads into the hallway. A few braver souls had even ventured into it, pretending to clean the paintings or sweep the ground as they stared at the giant cat lounging in the hallway.

I guess I should go to my room? Liliana thought, still thrown off kilter by her father. She hadn’t expected the meeting to go like that… at all. It felt as if a changeling had replaced her father. For a moment, Liliana wondered if Vita had replaced his soul as well, before she disregarded it. Her father was being so kind to her because she’d just proven herself to be valuable. He wanted to capitalize on her sudden power, to bring more power to himself.

She had theorized that she would be seen more favorably after she grew in power, though she’d never imagined this much. Still, it was understandable. It just further proved that no noble was to be trusted. They were all masters at manipulating a situation for themselves. Liliana had to remember that she would find no staunch allies among the nobles.

Not even Emyr. Who had followed her because of his curiosity, and had stuck with her because she was a puzzle he couldn’t solve. She hardened her heart from the insidious hope that she had made a friend. He wasn’t her friend, if anything his kindness to her after she’d tamed Lelantos just proved he was only kind to her for the same reasons as her father. To use her power for his own gain.

With a nod, feeling like the world was once more understandable, Liliana walked down the hallway. She had a rough idea of how to return to her room from her father’s study. The way the servants bowed and curtsied deeper to her than ever before was not lost on her. Inside, Liliana grimaced, feeling anger flaring.

She had never been enough to garner respect as she had been. Not even enough to earn the bare minimum of human decency. Now? Now that she had power, many wouldn’t achieve? Now they bowed, now they scraped. Because of fear. Yet Liliana couldn’t find it in herself to hate the fact that fear earned her respect. If fear was what it took to keep herself safe, then she’d become a nightmare.

Lelantos padded after her, shoving his gigantic head into her back and nearly causing her to lose her balance and fall. With an unladylike squawk, she turned on the giant feline.

“Lelantos!” she chided, and the tiger pushed a feeling of concern through their bond. Liliana’s face softened, the icy mask she wore melting. She pushed a response of reassurance over the bond. She was fine, just readjusting to returning to the viper’s nest she called a home.

Lelantos didn’t seem to understand why she was here, somewhere she didn’t like or feel safe at. Liliana struggled to explain it in a way that was simple enough to understand to the tiger. She settled on showing him that being home let her more easily accumulate power. With her father’s favor, she could use his funds now to get whatever she needed. She also pushed through the feeling of having access to easy food, something the tiger easily understood.

Liliana rubbed the tiger’s head affectionately before turning and continuing to her room. After a few wrong turns, she was finally in front of the familiar door. Liliana looked at the door, then Lelantos and winced. The tiger wouldn’t fit.

“Wait here,” she ordered, and Lelantos sat, sniffing curiously at a vase that was placed proudly as decoration. Liliana could feel the cat’s intent and she smirked before opening the door. Seconds after the door shut, she heard shattering china.

“My Lady!” Astrid called out and Liliana barely had time to recognize the woman as a friend and not a threat before she was swept up into a rib cracking hug. Liliana returned the hug with the same amount of vigor, hiding her face in the woman’s shoulder. She breathed deeply in of the scent of flowers and pastries. Astrid smelled like home. The tension in her shoulder leeched away as Liliana finally felt safe.

“The Steward was just here. He told me a new room is being cleaned for you. I heard you got you Bond, is it true it’s thirty feet tall?” Astrid was talking a mile a minute as she pulled back and Liliana smiled warmly. She could feel that the woman had been incredibly worried for her.

“Yes, the Duke agreed to give me a larger room. Lelantos will not fit in these. He is not quite thirty feet tall, though he is large. Here, come meet him,” Liliana grabbed the maid’s hand and tugged her to the door. Liliana could feel a small bit of resistance from the maid, but she didn’t pull away.

Liliana opened the door to reveal a Lelantos who was on the opposite side of the hallway, specifically not looking at the scattered remains of the vase. When he spotted Liliana and Astrid coming out of the door, he perked up and a low chuff greeted them. He could feel Liliana’s love of Astrid through their bond, and he was curious about the woman. Liliana could feel when Astrid’s hand shook with fear, but Liliana pushed on, dragging the woman to stand before the tiger.

“Astrid, this is my Bond, Lelantos. Lelantos, this is my… maid, Astrid,” Liliana introduced the two, laying one hand on Lelantos’ head between his ears. Astrid was staring at the enormous cat as if she expected him to pounce on her at any moment. Lelantos mentally conveyed that she smelled like prey right before he usually killed them. Liliana had to hastily remind him that Astrid was not prey.

“He won’t attack you, Astrid. He knows I care for you,” Liliana soothed the woman. Astrid gulped and took in a deep breath before nodding.

“He’s very… fearsome, my Lady,” Astrid spoke, her voice uncharacteristically high.

“You can pet him, he loves it,” Liliana encouraged, but Astrid shook her head vigorously.

“That is unnecessary. I would never presume to pet such a magnificent creature,” Astrid hastily responded, taking a step back as Liliana released her grip. Lelantos wilted a little at the refusal for more pets and admiration.

“It’s okay Lelantos. She still thinks you’re gorgeous,” Liliana soothed, her voice taking on a sweet quality.

“He… He is upset?” Astrid asked, her voice breathy. Liliana looked over and saw the woman had lost the last of the blood in her face. She apparently was under the impression that Lelantos might eat someone who upset him.

“He just enjoys the attention. He’s a big baby,” Liliana explained, and she hid a smile at the relieved way Astrid slumped.

“I need a bath and a nap. By the time that’s done, the new room should be ready,” Liliana spoke up after a few minutes of lavishing Lelantos with attention. The big cat agreed with her nap plan. Liliana was fairly certain that if she hadn’t been pushing him to travel for most of each day, he’d sleep for the majority of it. He always wanted to sleep.

“Yes! That is a wonderful idea, my Lady,” Astrid jumped on the offer to get away from the large predator camping out in the hallway.

“This is… more than I expected,” Liliana confessed as she turned in a circle. The new rooms were such an improvement upon her old ones that it felt like she’d moved homes entirely. Her bedroom was three times the size of the last, her bathroom was the size of her previous bedroom with an inset tub that was essentially a miniature pool. The sitting room was large enough to host a party, and she’d even been given her own attached study as well.

Her rise from a disgraced and unloved daughter to a prized prodigy still made her head spin, even after her nap. Liliana walked to the enormous set of glass doors that connected to her room and threw them open, revealing an enclosed garden.

Lelantos immediately passed her and curled up in a sunbeam. Liliana smiled at him as she turned from the doors and back to her rooms. She was currently trying to stay out of the way of the small army of maids that were moving her things from her old room to this one, along with items she had never seen before in her life.

Astrid was in her element at least, comfortably ordering the other maids around to ensure they placed everything just so. Liliana did not mind. She much preferred to let Astrid take the reins here and save her from needing to deal with any more people than was strictly necessary. Liliana’s naginata had even been polished and was displayed in a weapons rack against the wall of her bedroom. Finally, out in the open, and within easy reach of Liliana, should she need it.

It felt weird though, after almost two weeks of being in her gear to go back to loose tea gowns that provided no defense. She felt vulnerable now as the wind whipped through the open doors and swirled the fabric of her skirt.

Need to get a storage ring, or some such item to store my weapons for easy access. Maybe get some thigh sheaths and daggers, Liliana considered. A simple hand held to a maid and request and a notebook, pen and inkpot were placed in her hands. Liliana wandered into the enclosed garden and dropped by Lelantos. Leaning her back against the creature’s great bulk, she opened her notebook.

Need a summoning stone. Need Life, Light and especially Soul skills and spells. Improved armor, and perhaps my weapons as well. I also need a storage ring, bracelet or necklace. Even an earring would do. Something small I can keep on me at all times. Liliana tapped the pen against her lips as she considered her list.

Need a proper Beastiary as well, one with a map of common areas to find creatures would be ideal. More books on skills, spells, classes and stat points. Perhaps some mythology books? Since I apparently have holes in my knowledge, I don’t even know exists. Liliana grimaced at the last item. The realization that she hadn’t had a rather vital piece of information was both grating and terrifying. What else didn’t she know? It was obvious that the books in the manor didn’t give her everything she needed, and her knowledge of the game was becoming less and less useful by the day.

This world was proving to be far more deep than the game had ever been able to properly portray. Her information on people seemed accurate though, thankfully, but her knowledge of creatures, dungeons and the ilk may be more harmful to her than helpful. It gave her dangerous assumptions that left weak points in her defenses at vital moments.

Her shopping list more or less done, Liliana turned the page. She needed a more conclusive to-do list set up now that she had more information to go off of.

First, I need to gain more power. So now that my father knows about my training, I may be able to ask for permission to go to a dungeon. The additional experience gained from a dungeon paired with my boon could aid me tremendously in building the power I need. Liliana leaned further back into Lelantos, earning a sleepy chuff from the tiger.

Her hand tightened around the pen. It always came back to power. She needed power to stay alive, to stay safe. But there was always someone stronger. Or richer. Or with more influence, who could rip everything from her. She hated the constant need to put herself in harm’s way to scrabble for a little more power, just so she could live to see another day. Yet if she stopped, she knew the fate that inevitably waited for her.

I also need to strengthen Lelantos. Right now, he’s where my power comes from. I have to capitalize on that. I also need to triple check to be sure the level disparity between us won’t affect the experience gain. My reading said Bonds don’t cause the experience to drop since being Bonded doesn’t count as getting power leveled, as whoever bonded the creature earned their power. It’s the normal experience split based on damage done, buffs given, killing hits and such. Liliana frowned more as the possibility of her working with incorrect information rubbed her. How could books betray her like this? She’d trusted them, and they’d failed her. Forcing herself back on the topic, she looked at her list.

Okay, so after leveling, I need to build capital. Right now I’m still depending on my father’s money to fund me. But as easily as it was given, it can be taken away. So I need to find a guaranteed income source. Selling monster parts is good and all, but it’s not always sustainable. Sometimes there’s no monsters around, or the market is too flooded. A craft would be a good thing to pick up, since there’s always a demand. While we’re shopping, I can see if there’s anything I can pick up. Liliana nodded at the idea, proud of herself a bit for coming up with the idea of self-sustainability.

I also need to keep training with my weapons. I’ve seen what Silas can do with just about any weapon. He’s only level 190. Not even halfway to the level cap of this world. How easy would it be for a level 250? 300? To kill me? Without even using skills, just purely weapon ability because of how high their weapon skill would be? Skill won’t make up for a level difference, but it will make some difference. Any small bit of help is precious for someone like me. Liliana felt her mood further darken. This list was beginning to just feel like a tool for self hatred as she examined herself and found she was severely wanting in every category.

What’s the point? Can I ever get strong enough to protect myself? Or am I just going to die to my stepmother’s next assassination attempt? Or will I still inevitably die to some hero’s blade as has already been written in my fate? Is all of this pointless? Should I just give up now? Save myself the pain? Liliana wondered despondently as the despair and fear set in.

A large, rough tongue licked her face and sent Liliana tumbling in shock and from the force of it. She blinked up from the ground, and wincing at the slight sting on her face even as her natural Health regeneration dealt with the abrasions from her bond’s tongue. The tiger in question was staring at her with the most disappointed face she’d ever seen on any feline, in this life or the last.

Images pushed through their bond. Of a smaller Lelantos fighting against a canine-arachnid hybrid far larger than him. She could feel the pain he was in. The battle had severely injured him. But he didn’t stand down, even as his Health ticked down. He knew he was going to die, but he still stood proud and roared in the face of death. It was only through luck, the other beast slipping on his spilled blood, that gave Lelantos the opportunity to end the fight with his jaws clamped around its throat.

The message was simple. No matter how hopeless something seemed, you couldn’t stop fighting. Because a battle was never lost until you were dead.

Liliana smiled warmly at the tiger and stood, dusting off her dress. She wrapped her arms around the tiger’s neck as she pushed a feeling of gratitude through their bond. She got a feeling of hunger in response that had her chuckling.

“Alright you bottomless pit, I’ll get some food brought to you,” Liliana promised her bond. She spared a look for her notebook on the ground. Her face hardened as she stared at it. Her entire plan boiled down to becoming powerful enough that the fear that haunted her every moment finally died away. With clenched fists, Liliana promised herself that one day, she could wake up without fearing that would be the day her life or freedom ended.

One day, she’d be truly free. Free to be happy, free to live. Until then, she’d fight.