Chapter 142: Layla

I spent what was left of the afternoon meditating to get my mind in order as I couldn't get up with so many people sleeping on top of me, but I also didn't want to wake them up, from what Freya told me they've all been out of sleep for two days, so I'll let them rest for now. 

------------ 

"Master, it's night, everyone is already here as you asked."  (Freya) 

While meditating I didn't feel the time pass, I am grateful for Freya warning me by shaking my shoulder, I interrupt my meditation and open my eyes. 

I look around and see everyone awake looking at me. 

"Thanks for the warning, Freya."  (I) 

"Before we start this meeting I must first apologize to all of you, I didn't expect to be unconscious for three days, I didn't want to worry you like that either."  (I) 

"You made everyone very worried this time master."  (Érica) 

"If it weren't for Diana holding me I would have run to you the moment you fell to my knees."  (Érica) 

"To be honest, I also wanted to interrupt you the moment I felt your Ki getting dangerously low, but the master made it very clear that no matter what happened we shouldn't interrupt you."  (Diana) 

"But I didn't like what I was seeing so avoid doing it again or next time I'll try to stop you so it doesn't happen again."  (Diana) 

"I was very worried too, master."  (Kira) 

"I thought I was going to lose you when I saw you fall to the ground."  (Kira) 

"The master really worried everyone, but I think I speak for everyone when I say we're glad you woke up."  (Leo) 

"Once again I apologize for worrying you, I didn't know the reaction to doing that would be so great."  (I) 

"(Actually I had no idea what I was doing, I basically improvised each part, thinking better of it, I don't even know how bad a soul damage is, but I'm not going to say those things to them.)" (I) 

Caryna walks to my bed with a tray of food and leaves it next to me. 

"Let's forget about what's happened, here master, I made these sandwiches and this soup for you, eat it to recover faster."  (Caryna) 

"Thanks."  (I) 

"(Leo was really lucky to have a wife like Caryna.)" (I) 

I look around for the little fairy, but I don't see her anywhere. 

"Where's Layla?"  (I) 

"She's on your side Dad."  (Irina) 

I look to my side and see the Fairy sitting on the bed staring intently at the tray of food next to me. 

I'm surprised by the big change in her appearance, to start with she has shrunk in size now being 25cm tall, her skin is now brown in the same shade of color as mine, she still has four arms but now her arms are all the same in shape. and size, she now has hair that is red like mine with a black streak on one side and a white streak on the other side, her eyes now look normal with one having dark purple irises and the other eye having golden irises just like the mine too, her wings changed to bird-like wings in seven different colors, but the wings looked ethereal being kind of transparent, she's wearing an outfit made of my lines and some black feathers, her outfit looks like a simple dress, she's As pretty as those Fairy Queens I saw in my dream if she had a normal height she would look like someone in her late teens around 17 or 18. 

I'm glad she looks beautiful now, I can also feel my connection to her, it must be that connection that makes me feel so familiar with her. 

I take one of the sandwiches off the tray and give it to her with a smile. 

"If she's hungry she'll take it and eat some."  (I) 

"Glad to see you're okay now."  (I) 

Layla looks at me and the sandwich, she takes the sandwich and pushes it forward, the sandwich disappears right in front of her like she's placed it inside something invisible, at that moment it comes to my mind that she has the spatial element, so she must have used it to store the sandwich in some sort of item box. 

After that, she starts floating towards me and sits on my shoulder smiling at me, then hugs my neck. 

"Thank you for helping me master."  (Layla) 

"How do you feel, any discomfort? Can you move your body normally?"  (I) 

"I'm fine, this body is very comfortable, now that I only have one soul and one mind in my body, I don't have any more problems controlling my body."  (Layla) 

"I'm just having some issues with my memories."  (Layla) 

"What's the problem?"  (I) 

"According to the Space Fairy Queen, I can only remember the memories and knowledge that the five Fairies that make up my soul had in common."  (Layla) 

"Other than that the other memories get confused in my mind and it will take a while to get everything in order."  (Layla) 

"Did you meet her too?"  (I) 

"Yes, with her and with the other Faerie Kings, they gave me their Blessings and explained many things to me, master."  (Layla) 

"How's your power, can you control it now?"  (I) 

"I can simply use the five elements that belonged to the Fairies that make me up, I'll have to train to get used to them little by little."  (Layla) 

"The element of darkness and light that the master gave me is no longer so simple, I'll have to learn from scratch."  (Layla) 

"How do you normally learn to control the elements?"  (I) 

"Fairies and Spirits are one with their elements, we learn to control and use them the same way we learn to walk and fly, our elements are a part of our bodies."  (Layla) 

"By your reasoning than can you be considered a newborn fairy?"  (I) 

At my words I see little Layla's cheeks flush with embarrassment. 

"Yes."  (Layla) 

"No need to feel embarrassed about it, I'm sure you'll be able to use your power normally soon."  (I) 

After a short conversation with Layla, I look back at the others. 

"Did something happen while I was sleeping?"  (I) 

Nira who has been quiet until now walks up to me and hands me a reading crystal. 

"Just as you asked three days ago, Anton and Tânia made a list of what they still need, I took the list and researched prices and qualities of what was on the list across the city, here is the price list I compiled, the quantities they need and the full value of everything."  (Nira) 

"Good job Nira, you've done a lot more than I expected."  (I) 

"I'm so grateful for what you and Kira have done for me, so all I can do is do my best."  (Nira) 

I look at the information in the read crystal and see the total, it has a total value of 3,000 other coins, with that value I don't think we'll have any problems, I return the read crystal to Nira. 

"I have nothing to complain about the price, I'll leave the purchase of everything on the list to you Nira, then you can give it to Anton and Tania to start their work."  (I) 

"Yes, I will start shopping tomorrow, master."  (Nira) 

Nira goes back and Freya takes a step forward to speak. 

"I have to inform you that our food supply is getting a little low, we should only have food for two more days."  (Freya) 

"Where has all that monster meat we kept gone?"  (Diana) 

Freya looks back to where her daughter is trying to hide behind her husband Leo. 

"Someone took out all their frustration cooking non-stop for more than two days, the food that should have lasted for almost two weeks ended up that way."  (Freya) 

"Sorry..." (Caryna) 

"Don't worry about it Caryna, at least you helped to feed a lot of orphans."  (I) 

"About the food, I think we can take some subjugation missions so we can get food and earn some money."  (I) 

"I recommend Father to rest for a few more days, let us do these missions tomorrow."  (Irius) 

"But I also wanted..." (I) 

"The master also wanted to be quiet and rest a few more days, didn't he?"  (Érica) 

In the middle of my words, Érica interrupts me and looks at me in a way that gave me a chill down my spine. 

"(I think I'm seeing things, for a moment I thought I saw a Demon behind Érica.)" (I) 

"Fine, I'll rest some more, but only for two days, understood."  (I) 

"Sounds reasonable, but no physical training."  (Érica) 

"If no one has anything else to say then I suggest everyone go to bed early, you need to rest, anything you need to do can wait until tomorrow."  (I) 

After ending the meeting everyone went to their rooms and I was alone in the room with Layla. 

"Where have you been sleeping these three days, Layla?"  (I) 

"I sleep where the master sleeps."  (Layla) 

"(As I imagined.)" (I) 

"What have you been up to during the time I've been sleeping? Did you get along with the others?"  (I) 

"Everyone was really nice to me, I've been exploring the mansion and surroundings, but I spent most of the time on the master side waiting for you to wake up."  (Layla) 

"This mansion is very strange with all this miasma, it seems cursed, but it's lucky for you to live here master."  (Layla) 

"Like this?"  (I) 

"The Fairy Kings told me that the master had the title [ Friend of the Spirits ], so they wanted to give something the same to not be left behind the Spirits, they said they would give the master the title [ Friend of the Spirits ]."  (Layla) 

"These titles were granted only to those appreciated by Fairies and Spirits at the top of the hierarchy, as such the Fairies and Spirits feel these titles and end up meeting close to those who have these titles."  (Layla) 

"If you weren't in this mansion in a month or two this place would be full of Spirits and Fairies, but as there's miasma around here it will help hide you from at least the low-level majority like me."  (Layla) 

"I don't know if you know, but Spirits and Fairies don't like a miasma, it can even be bad for us."  (Layla) 

"If what you say is right then why are you and Byakko okay staying here?"  (I) 

"Our contracts with you and Kira are protecting us, in my case I don't need it, as I have the dark element now the miasma doesn't affect me anymore, the Dark Fairies are usually half Demons, but in my case, it's different as I have other elements, the way I got the dark element is also different."  (Layla) 

"So how do I hide from Fairies and Spirits when I'm not in the mansion?"  (I) 

"You just need to completely hide your Aura within you, your Aura is a representation of your existence so it reflects your titles, bloodlines, powers, etc."  (Layla) 

"But I don't normally use my Aura abilities."  (I) 

Seems like Layla is smarter than I thought, I'm going to use this time we're alone to learn more about her.