My Servant System



Leone PoV

While Anput, Kat, and Jahi were all following behind the Marquess to go and submit themselves to the torture that Aunt Fenryas calls training, I took a deep breath as I looked around our temporary abode and began to unpack our things, deciding to do this for them before I would go out and begin my own training.

I was under no time constraints, unlike them, as my own training would require a clear, rested mind to obtain the best results.

In other words, my time would be spent in short bursts of hyper productive research or practice before taking a break by going over some smaller, more fundamental things, whereas they could constantly be pushed to train and hone their bodies.

I didn't envy them whatsoever though.

My mind was still filled with the scene of Aunt Fenryas training the Knights of Cinder and how brutal and hellish it looked to my younger self; blood flowed freely as the men and women were wounded by real weapons, their pained groans and cries of pain giving me nightmares.

Nightmares that my Aunt tried to assuage by telling me that they needed to feel that in order to grow stronger, before making me watch the next portion, which was even bloodier...

Needless to say, Aunt Fen got scolded hard by everyone for that, and I ended up sleeping in Mother's bed for weeks on end as I dreamt of blood and screams.

I chuckled softly as I folded the last pair of pants and placed them into the dresser, thinking of how my younger self would feel about the fact that I now readily - and greedily - drank the blood of two - sometimes three - women.

Probably not that good, but I certainly felt good...

I wonder if Kat would let me take a few sips tonight..?

Or would she be too tired from her training?

Letting out a low sigh, I stretched out my muscles before putting away the bags and packs we had, stuffing them into the closet before moving out into the Palace, walking the familiar halls.

I was curious about what Aunt Theresa would teach me, and if Aunt Igna and Mother would be there as well - perhaps even Aunt Yusa?

Maybe Mom as well?

Though, Aunt Theresa and Mom would be busy for a little while with the samples Miss Kolia and I brought back, so perhaps it would just be Mother and I for a bit?

Aunt Igna might have some insight as well considering her own age, while Aunt Yusa was more likely to be spending time catching up with her daughters.

Shrugging, I made my way towards the Sanctum and unsealed the door, entering the place I had grown up in.

Mom was standing beside the tree growing in the center, caressing Aunt Theresa's cheek as she rested on the roots of the tree.

They both looked towards me and smiled, and Aunt Theresa gestured towards Mother's room as she said "Sorry, Leone dear, but your Mom and I won't be available just yet. Perhaps another hour or two? Until then, do learn some more from Lorelei, alright? She is the only one capable of tutoring you on your Vampiric Blood."

I nodded and turned towards Mother's room, allowing them to return to their conversation as I knocked on her door.

"Come in."

Pushing the door open, I revealed the miniature laboratory that was Mother's room and entered, seeing the pale skinned, gray haired woman that I took after dripping a few drops of her blood into a vial.

"Leone? Take a seat over there, I'll be with you in a moment... I was wondering if my blood might perhaps become a catalyst for a potion I was theorizing... we shall see shortly."

Her red eyes never left the vials and alchemy set she had atop her many tables, while books littered the small table beside her, each page covered in tiny runes that were comprised of many, many theorems - some of her own creation.

I did as she asked, sitting on the stool near her bed - which was barely made and stacked with books and journals - and watching as she continued with her experiment.

Whilst I waited, I allowed my mana to circulate through my body in set patterns, gathering it up and cleansing it of any impurities before returning it to my Core, doing some small training on my own.

I made sure to keep the mana securely inside my body, preventing any leaks so that she wouldn't be distracted.

It took her around five minutes to finish, and she finished with a sigh as she placed a vial of dull red liquid into her stand, next to another dozen vials filled with similarly colored liquids.

"Yet another failure... Damnit, what is it..? A break sounds good, actually. Come, Leone. Let's practice your shifting into your True Vampire form now instead. I need to clear my head."

Taking a step away from her tables, she cleared a larger spot on her bed and pat the space beside her, before draping her arm over my shoulder as I sat beside her.

"Now, like we did before in my courtyard, before you went rushing off without a word..."

I rolled my eyes at that, which made her shake my shoulders slightly as we shared a small smile.

"You were left with context clues to utilize, Mother! You knew where I would be going!"

"Oh pish tosh! You still left without a word young lady! Hmph! Now switch over!"

When she finished speaking she shifted instantly into her True Vampire form, her skin shimmering with a dark red sheen while her hair became streaked with red and silver.

Her fangs were more pronounced, her eyes were nearly solid red, and her nails lengthened into sharp talons, though she retracted them when they finished growing.

Mother's aura sharpened as she sat beside me, and I smiled wryly as I clearly felt the power ripping beneath her skin, her mana incredibly potent and oozing barely restrained strength.

This was the beginning of Mother's power - she could further her strength by using so many different enchantments and spells to boost herself that it was insane.

That was the thing she was offering me - each of those enchantments and spells were unique to Vampires or to Blood Magic users, so I just needed to get a better grasp on my racial traits to get my own boost.

The start of that was being able to enter this form at will, like she did.

Currently though...

Well, even as I closed my eyes and concentrated, I needed nearly a minute or two to enter it...