For the Record

Unsurprisingly, the hero is quite a bit weaker in her training with Izzy. Level 0 is definitely something not to… underestimate? No, that’s not the right word…

Anyway, it looks like we’re starting from scratch, almost. At least she still has her dagger Skill. That should be useful for her new ‘holy weapon’. Not that it’s actually holy or whatever… it’s constantly dripping with some kind of ichor that apparently inflicts poison along with celestial damage…

Whatever that is. I don’t know, it’s not like I finished at the academy.

But she did, and that’s apparently part of where her becoming a ‘hero of commerce’ came from.

“Hey, why were you a hero of ‘commerce’, anyway?”

They’re taking a break from sparring right now, but for once Eleonor isn’t splayed out on the ground from it.

“Well, sister… I’ll tell you a secret,” she says while beckoning me to come closer.

So I do. And then she leans in to where my ear would normally be and quietly says, “I like money.”

…

I pause for a moment for her to continue, but she just nods and gives me a knowing smirk.

Which I… guess I shouldn’t be surprised it’s a three-word answer.

***

Something about Izahne feels different today.

I’m not quite sure what… but it’s definitely there.

We’re in the garden, sitting at the usual tea table in the usual gazebo in the gentle wind, under the light of the full moon.

“So you’ve been making good progress in the dungeon then? Or, the forest dungeon.”

She nods. “Eleonor has some catching up to do, but otherwise the whole party is rapidly getting stronger.”

I pause.

“And you don’t feel any different?”

“How exactly would I feel different?” she asks with a brow furrow. “I’m not doing anything differently from before, other than just getting stronger.”

I check her with Identify, just for curiosity…

[Nightwalker – Izahne Sebelle Emari (Paladin) - Level 1453]

Hmmm…

“What is your System level now?” I ask.

My wife gives me a sideways look for a moment before answering, “1012.”

Ah. So that’s it.

“To put it simply, your mana tastes differently. So tell me then, Izzy… have you considered becoming a god?”

***

Not that I have any idea what that would mean for us, but her eyes definitely lit up so I’m assuming she’s very interested.

And then she promptly wanted us to go see her parents.

…Which is why we’re at that same corner restaurant, and Nyx is freeloading more fried vegetables and whatever sauce that is.

“Yes, daddy. Really. It’s really going to happen.”

And of course, Orv doesn’t look the slightest bit more comfortable than before, but I guess he’s at least a little less tense considering Lamashtu isn’t here this time?

Maybe.

“I’ll admit that I have no idea how to answer that, sweetpea… it’s only been a decade since you left, and you’re already going to try to ascend? It’s a bit much to take in, isn’t it?” he answers awkwardly.

I shrug. “I didn’t expect it this quickly either, but here we are. You’re going to start being afraid of your own daughter now, aren’t you?”

My father-in-law’s response is an uncomfortable laugh.

“So, yes then.”

“Oh, daddy,” my wife replies, “you don’t need to be afraid of me. I’ll still be me.”

“Well, actually… we don’t know that. It depends on what Domains and Mantles you end up with, as I understand it they vary depending on the person…”

“That is not reassuring, you know,” he says.

And I shrug again.

Sodaca obviously isn’t here, but I’m sure that sourpuss wouldn’t have anything constructive to say anyway.

“You should really visit the Shadowed Plane sometime. I’ve seen your home, but I haven’t had the opportunity to show off-I MEAN, show you mine.”

He holds up both hands placatingly. “Oh, I’m sure I couldn’t, I wouldn’t want to barge in on my daughter’s wedded bliss, haha.”

…

Didn’t he used to be less awkward?

Well, whatever.

That said… whatever this food is, isn’t satisfying at all.

I’m hungry.

But I’ve been draining my plane plenty when I’m there…

…

Am I forgetting something? I feel like I’m forgetting something.

I absentmindedly roll through my Status…

Ah, right.

Blood thirst.

***

Well, that was an easy solution. I asked my retainers when we’d returned home who if anyone wanted to be a blood donor. I didn’t find it at all surprising when Izzy and all the maids volunteered.

Even though nightwalkers don’t actually have any blood, since they’re undead. Or, at least blood that flows anyway… I don’t know how that works, but it doesn’t matter.

I’ll try to drink from my wife later anyway, We’ll have the perfect opportunity when she decides it’s time for bed anyway.

Anyway.

What I did find surprising was when both Vivianne and even Pearl volunteered.

The knight maybe wasn’t as surprising, considering she seems to really appreciate having ‘her liege’ around again. That mimic, however…

“Why?”

“Why what?” she snaps back.

I sigh. “You hate me. Openly.”

“Well obviously.”

“Then, why would you volunteer for this?”

“Because it’d taste awful probably. And it’s better than Izzy having to do it.”

I furrow my brow.

“So you’re just gonna turn me down?”

“I didn’t say that,” I muse while idling twirling a hand. “Maybe I just need to think about it. You’re not still acting under that compulsion, are you?”

Ooh. Her glare answered that plenty.

…

“Izzy, she’s not doing this because she wants to. That’s not okay, right?”

My wife sighs. “Of course it isn’t.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. Pearl, here’s an order, since I know you have to follow them, WOAH WAIT, this is a good one!” I quickly say, seeing Izahne’s sudden anger.

“Then what is it? Tell me before you actually issue it.”

“Sure,” I say. “I’m going to tell her to do whatever she wants to do.”

My wife is silent for a moment before saying, “And that’s really all?”

“Yup.”

“Then fucking do it already,” the nightmare mimic snaps. “I’m not even sure if it’ll work but it’s gotta be better than this.”

“Then, Pearl. This is an order. Act freely. Do what you want. Say what you want. If you want to support Izzy and follow her around then do it, but you don’t have to.”

She looks incredibly conflicted for a moment.

“I… I can’t. Not the last part, anyway.”

“Huh. So much for that I guess. At least we tried.”

…

“I have an idea though.”

“Great, here we go,” Nyx says derisively as she materialize behind my throne in a puff of black feathers.

And I decide to be the bigger person and-

“Shut up. This one’s good.”

She sighs back. “Yeah, much bigger. So let’s hear this awful idea, hmm?”

“Really! This one’s good! You know how Pearl belongs to Izzy now?”

“Yes, and?” my wife asks.

“Simple. When you ascend to godhood, she can be your retainer. If you can’t figure out how to do it I’ll help.”

Izahne rubs her chin for a moment before answering, “Actually… no, that isn’t a bad idea at all. Let’s do that if we can.”

***

It turns out that apotheosis is a relatively simple process as well, a testament to how much agency the Record gives the gods. All we need is one ascendant with a sufficiently unlocked System – in most cases between levels 1000 and 1500 – and at least one god willing to openly state that they’re worthy of godhood.

Although, which god or gods does play a role in their resulting power, number of mantles, and a great many other things…

To Izahne’s benefit, she has the support of both Artemis and myself… but there’s no reason not to call in backup.

Grandmother already said there was no point, but I suspect it’s more that she doesn’t care about anyone’s growth but my own… which she’s made abundantly clear in the past, if not in words.

But I have other options.

Namely, Eris. And of course, she practically leapt at the opportunity to garner a favor from the granddaughter of Lamashtu herself, as well as the wife of the light pantheon’s best deterrent.

In fact, she’s the reason I know as much as I do about the apotheosis process – Eris, I mean. She was very forthcoming about it, and even wrote up lines for us so it could be a more proper ritual.

It still confuses me why a goddess of strife and chaos would be so… organized? Orderly? But it’s to my benefit. I did ask her once, at one of our ‘tea parties’ as she calls them.

“Strife is so much more tantalizing when it accompanies a fall,” she’d said.

Which I guess is fair.

She’d also suggested the ritual to be a surprise for Izahne, but I’d immediately vetoed that. The last thing I need right now is to find another excuse to accidentally make her upset with me again.

It’s certainly happened often enough.

And so, today is the day.

In a matter of time, my second first wife will join me in divinity.