Chapter 158 Why Are You Here?

I used magic to grow enough tables and chairs to save the house workers from pulling out the ones in the house. There were about fifteen women here now, but there had been earlier. Some of them needed to leave and take care of their business, so it was mostly the women from the barracks and the ones in the house.

"Does it matter where we sit?" Cherry asked as she looked around the large round table.

"All the spots are the same, right?" Breya asked as she took a seat where I was sitting with the two now healed girls. Both Eliza and Chili were in better moods now.

"I hope you don't mind me taking this other seat?" Penny asked as she came over to my other side, and I shook my head.

"No, go ahead. I was wondering how you were doing. I didn't get to see you much after you went to fight. After that, this started to happen fast," I explained, and Penny nodded, taking the seat beside me. Nyala took the seat on the other side of her.

I still wasn't sure what to make of her, but there was still a bit of tension in her, so not everything was fine. I hoped to be able to try and smooth things over after we were done eating with some training, but we would have to see.

For now, I just had to figure out how I was going to eat with these two on my lap.

"How was your time at the egg place?" Eliza asked, and I shrugged.

"Pretty good for the most part. I actually learned a bit about myself and am starting to understand why I was sent here. I also learned that I still have a lot more learning to do," I said with a sigh.

"You need to learn more? You already seem to have all the answers, don't you?" Chili asked, and I nodded.

"Yes, but I keep having to fish for information rather than having it, and I am only getting bits and pieces. I am going to have to make a point of learning what other people can do," I said.

"Do you want to know what I can do?" Chili asked, getting excited, and I nodded.

"Of course! I know that you have some kind of necromantic magic, but I don't really know much more than that," I said, and Chili nodded.

"It is, but it is the friendly kind," Chili said and waved her gray paw in the air, making a green transparent blob with cat ears. The face on it had closed eyes, and it almost looked drawn on. "This is my Spirit Calling. Her name is Leafy, and she can heal people but not very well in combat. I have two others, but I don't have the Mana to summon more than one at once."

I reached up with my arm that was around Chili, feeling the blob of Life Magic she had created. Spirit Calling was the name that I knew for it, and having Chili so close allowed me to feel the magic and how she used it.

There was also something about this magic that felt… familiar.

"There are eight different spirits that can be summoned. The more that you have out at one time, the less effective they become. This magic is meant to be used as a rear guard ability in hunting parties," Nyala explained, and I nodded.

"There are ten spirits in total, if my mind serves me right," I said as my own spirits started to pop out of my hand to dance around the table.

"Ten? I have only ever heard of eight, and Nya taught all of us this magic," Nyala explained, and a portal opened.

"What is being said in my name, nya~?!" Nya said as she hopped out of the portal and looked around. "Oh! You are getting ready to eat! Can I join?"

"Sure, but you have to stay after so you can show me some of your skills," I said. Getting info from a goddess was as good a place as any if she was the one teaching her people.

"Sure! What are you all talking about, nya~?!" Nya asked as she came over and sat on Nyala's lap.

"There are open seats," Nyala complained, but Nya flicked her nose.

"This is fine right here, nya~! Plus, the seats over there are so far away from the action right here! Now, why did you bring me in, little one?" Nya asked, and Nyala rolled her eyes.

"Galio said that there are ten spirits that can be summoned," Nyala said, and Nya frowned and looked at me.

"And what would the last two be then? Since I am the one that teaches all my kittens this magic, you would think that I would have heard of this, right?" Nya asked curiously.

"The other two are formed from Pure magic and Astral Chakra. Purity, and… wait, that can't be right," I said and paused as I received strange looks, but what just came into my head was even weirder.

Ophi was the name of the tenth Spirit that could be summoned, but there were stipulations. One of them was getting the Astral God, Ophiuchus, to form a contract with you… The other was having access to Astral Chakra.

"What do you know of the Zodiacs?" I asked slowly, and Nya frowned at me.

"I know a great deal. Why do you ask, stranger? Your name has circulated around the world since last night via Vine. I wasn't sure what to say when I heard it, but if this is actually true, then I am very curious to learn why you are here and not looking down on us," Nya said, giving me a serious look.

I didn't need to be a genius to put together what Nya was talking about, but this was not the place to speak of this type of thing. I narrowed my eyes on the goddess and held her stare for a moment, and then spoke.

"My place has always been exactly where I am, and it is the place that I am supposed to be. If I am here, then I am here for a reason, and there is little more that needs to be said. If you wish, we can talk sometime in a more private setting," I said, and Nya nodded.

"As you wish, Ophi," Nya smiled, and I shook my head.

"No, that is not my name anymore."