As was becoming her new routine, Talia woke late in the morning, sprawled across the large bed in the main bedroom. The estate had more than enough space for her to claim a room for herself and Kierra had given her leave to do just that, but Talia made a point of sleeping in Lou’s bed.

At first, her actions were motivated by her contract. A flower wilted when not properly attended to. She was meant to be a woman that couldn’t survive without the attentions of her lovers, someone who would cling to their bed to be the tiniest bit closer to them.

Lies and half-truths were pointless around the succubi. When they asked how she had fared, she would recount her actions and they would know them to be the truth. Talia doubted that she could share their love but she could give them her dedication. They would know that she remained stalwart in her role, even in their absence. She knew the elf would like that very much and hopefully Lou would appreciate it as well.

However, she had a second motivation for her actions. The bed was incredibly comfortable. As a child, her bed was little better than a board. Later, she was treated to a stuffed mattress that was a delight to collapse onto at the end of a long day but left her feeling stiff in the morning.

She didn’t know what the large bed was made from or stuffed with, but it was leagues better than her stuffed mattress, what the wealthiest in the kingdom slept on. It was both soft and supportive. She could lay in it for hours and never want to rise. When she did, she felt relaxed and well-rested. It was an absolute marvel. Her magical talent aside, Lourianne could conquer the kingdom with her furniture alone, Talia was sure.

After several lazy breaths, Talia finally convinced herself to rise. As she sat up, she circulated her mana, altering the flow so it included her eyes. She sighed with pleasure as the darkness abated, showing her the sun-soaked room and settling a little kernel of fear in her gut. While she could maintain her eyesight indefinitely, as it didn’t require her to use mana, only circulate it a new way, it wasn’t something she could maintain in her sleep.

She always woke up to the darkness she had been living in for her whole life. Every time she did, it sparked a fear that her sight was a fluke, that it wouldn’t last. But, with every morning that she greeted the bright sun, the fear became weaker.

Talia slipped from the bed and went about her morning routine, which now included several minutes dedicated to choosing her outfit for the day. Before, when she was ignorant of her appearance, it didn’t matter what she wore as long as it was comfortable. Lou had commented it was a waste. Kierra had gone as far as to procure her a new wardrobe.

Now that she could appreciate the vibrant colors and intricate patterns on her new robes, Talia found herself hesitating with which one to choose. She got a strange and powerful delight from holding the fabric against her, to see how each one complimented her pale complexion and dark hair. She laid them out side by side on the bed and examined them with the focus of a master caster disassembling a spell.

Sometimes, it could take half an hour to make a decision. Such a decadent waste of time. Talia finally understood the women obsessed with fashion. Not those desperate to ride the waves of new trends but those who set them. She could spend all day mired in colorful cloth. If accessories, boots, and belts were added to her closet, well. Talia was sure she would get nothing done. Perhaps another favor to ask of her lovers.

What a strange thing to think of, having lovers. Having people who would indulge her whims with joy. Not even her teacher would so such. He would provide for her and occasionally, he would give her gifts but never did he indulge her. Perhaps because Talia had never asked it of him. Such tactless behavior was beyond the scope of their contract, after all.

She finally decided on a blue and white robe, sparing an extra moment to tie her hair off her shoulders before going downstairs. Breakfast waited in the dining room. No doubt prepared the moment Earl heard her wake. The boy was disturbingly competent. And while his cuisine could not compare to the succubus’, it could easily shame even the cooks within the palace. Talia, having dined with the king before, was one of the few people in the kingdom that could confirm such.

He stood beside the dining table, his dark purple jacket and dark trousers without a crease or a mar. The boy seemed to be going through a growth spurt, as every time Talia saw him, he seemed a little taller, a little more robust. His brown hair had grown long but not unmanageable and there was a solidness to his presence that even grown men would envy.

“Good morning, Mistress Talia.” He stepped forward to pull out her seat. Not at the head of the table. That place was reserved for another and Earl respected it the same as she did. Talia was dedicated to her role but she couldn’t compare to the boy’s loyalty. It went beyond fanaticism to a realm of certainty. His service to Lou and her household was no longer a choice. It was a part of his very being. He could no more not dedicate himself to their service than he could stop his heart from beating.

Undoubtedly the result of the mental affinity and a case Talia found absolutely fascinating. While her teacher would prefer the interrogators be a force for uncompromised good, the mental casters of the kingdom had been involved in a number unsavory ventures. Mental manipulation was a frequently visited project. Every person in power loved the idea of unquestionably loyal soldiers and servants.

The problem was, with the kingdom’s understanding of the mental affinity, such a thing was impossible. A person’s will was a powerful thing. Subverting it or even guiding it took a lot of power.

However, the mind was a delicate thing. Trying to hammer it into the desired shape could break it, leaving behind a person capable of unflinching loyalty but little else.

The mental affinity was unlike the others. It required intention as much as a proper spell. None so far had demonstrated the careful blend of mental control and spell knowledge to achieve significant change to a personality without ego degradation. It was widely considered impossible.

Yet a perfect example now stood before her. Most considered the practice immoral. Talia didn’t have strong feelings one way or the other but she agreed that the results of the kingdom’s previous attempts were pitiful souls. Had she gone on to succeed her teacher, she would have at least made sure that should such attempts continued to be made, as they no doubt would, they would at least be handled by someone with more brains than ambition.

Her teacher would rather she fight against the very idea of it but like all things, the mental affinity was a tool. It had the potential to be disastrous, but it could also be just as helpful.

As Earl demonstrated. Once, he was a bandit, barely scraping by. Now, he was strong, educated, and possessed of a refined charm that born noblemen couldn’t achieve. People put the sanctity of the mind before all else but could it not be compromised when someone could reach inside them and make them a better person, literally and figuratively? Talia certainly thought so, if the person with such power could be trusted and the results all came out like Earl.

“A wonderful meal, as always,” Talia said once she enjoyed her fill of the breakfast. Lord Remmings had taught her to be generous with compliments. Her cold demeanor tended to make people uncomfortable but a kind word countered her stiff demeanor. She would have given it anyway. The boy’s efforts deserved praise, no matter his consistent excellence.

“I’m glad it was to your liking. What will you be doing for the rest of the day?” he asked, as he began to stack dishes.

“Anna needs to attend her studies.” Part of being in charge of the house meant taking care of the servants. That didn’t include much but the youngest member of the house needed some supervision. Caring for a child was a…novel experience. Earl saw to her needs but deferred to her when it came to the girl’s education. Teaching was one of the few things Earl didn’t have much confidence in. Talia was the same but she could draw on her master’s efforts with her own education. Earl hesitated to do the same. She didn’t blame him, knowing who his teacher was.

“I will have the usual room readied. Perhaps—” He paused, cocking his head like a curious hound. “It seems we have a visitor. Shall I show them to the greeting room?”

“Yes. Serve Gajin’s fourth blend. And remind him to name his creations.” The man was an exceptional gardener. He loved anything that involved his precious plants. Recently, he had started to make teas and they were quite good. Unfortunately, the man lacked any creative spirit and referred to the blends by numbers, a cruel fate for such masterful works.

“Right away.”

Talia lingered at the table, giving Earl a chance to settle the guest and her a chance to sense their intentions. She spent most of her time at the estate but she would have to be deaf and dumb not to realize the unrest in Quest. A gathering tension centered around the events of what the city had deemed the Wild Night. Circumstances that Lou and her household were responsible for.

It occurred to her that she, a known associate of Lou and currently living in her home, could become a target. The Hall had elected not to get involved and wouldn’t allow saboteurs to roam the school, but they were not omniscient. Someone could slip past their notice. It paid to be cautious.

A quick spell revealed that a single mind had entered the home and it didn’t have any negative intentions. Satisfied, Talia rose from the table and went to greet them.