[Null POV] Year 5, Day 207 (After midnight)
Lina died over and over again in Null’s mind.
The memory looped. Inescapable. Relentless.
Null had caused it.
She’d gotten to know Lina better during the hot spring trips with the courtesans. Sweet girl. Simple but earnest. Her straightforward ways were easy for Null to follow, easy to understand. No complications. No hidden meanings. Just honest and clear. Null had gifted her a shield artifact from her game collection. Something to keep her safe.
The memory was clear: Lina had been far from the gate when the attack started. Could’ve run. Could’ve escaped easily.
Instead, equipped with the legendary defense item, she charged directly into the mob. Armed with only a knife.
Lina had never been strong—the reason she’d come to maid training in the first place. Hit the wall as adventurer. No progression possible. Dead end.
Against overwhelming numbers and repeated hits, the shield held. Blocking. Protecting. Until it didn’t.
Time unclear. Memories distort under extreme stress. Could’ve been an hour of suffering. Could’ve been seconds. The shield protecting against every fatal wound until finally failing.
Then death.
The worst part: Lina did it for her. Wanted to make Null proud. Protect home. Prove she wasn’t worthless.
[Who ever thought Lina was worthless? Never seen her have those doubts before. Never seen anyone say or think it. Where did this come from? Single moment of stupid heroic thinking? Panic decision? Battle clarity that made terrible sense only to her in that moment?]
[Doesn’t matter now. She’s dead. The reasoning died with her.]
The shield Null gave her made it possible. Made the heroic charge possible. Made dying for Null possible.
The seed showed more than just primary loyalty. Null had learned to read the extra connections—care, love, bonds between people in the network. Both sides needed to have it for the connection to form. The seed reinforced these bonds somehow.
Most maids had them now. Letter girls clustered together. LOVER surrounded by his harem. Even 22 with her zealots—she cared about them despite being too dense to show it properly most of the time.
And Null had gotten one recently with Lina.
[Which means I cared about her. Connection requires both sides. I had feelings. Developed attachment. Without realizing. Without meaning to. Without understanding what it meant.]
And that connection killed Lina.
The memory showed Lina trying to reach out through the seed while dying. Desperate attempts. Panicked. But every hit triggered the shield’s emergency broadcast: fatal wound blocked. Again. Again. Again. Constant panic. No actual communication. Just automated warnings flooding the connection until the shield failed and everything stopped.
She died calling for help Null never heard. Died reaching for connection Null never answered. Died alone while Null was in Central discussing servant ranks and CATs and everything that didn’t matter.
Upsilon’s memories came too. Full life. Childhood to death. Everything.
Null hadn’t known her well. One of twenty Letter girls. Always running around trying to prove herself after getting last place in the naming game. Worst letter. Working twice as hard to show she wasn’t worst. Wasn’t failure. Just unlucky.
Dead now. Random attack. Unlucky again. Never proved anything more.
The other three dead maids chose differently. Their seeds just returned—pure energy flowing back like when Null pulled seeds from training failures. They went to the cycle. Divine processing. Whatever happened to souls after death.
But Lina and Upsilon chose merger.
[They’re inside me now. Can feel them. Resting. Sleeping. Integrating with whatever I am. Becoming part of me forever. Don’t even know what the final result will be. Don’t know if this is blessing or curse for them. Don’t know if I did right thing accepting. Don’t know anything.]
The wave had taken her out completely. Hours lost. Consciousness gone. Overwhelmed by two complete lives flooding in simultaneously.
[Need to handle this better. Learn to process without losing time. Next time this happens—and it will happen, more will die eventually—can’t afford hours of downtime. Can’t afford being useless while problems need solving.]
[Hopefully now that I know what it feels like, can stay conscious. Can function. Can be useful instead of burden.]
Hopefully.
Null opened her eyes.
Hard bed beneath her. Small room. Engine hum vibrating through walls.
Airship.
Pebble sat beside her. Watching. Worried.
Life sense spread automatically—about fifty people on this ship. 22 somewhere. Lucifer too.
The ship was moving fast. Over desert from the feel of it. Borderwatch getting closer. Master Void and Kira both far away in Central still.
[What happened? How long was I out? Where am I? Why is Master still in Central?]
Pebble saw her wake. “Mistress Null. Are you alright?”
“What’s happening?”
“You arrived with 22 and a group of Syndicate researchers at the teleportation point closest to Borderwatch. We picked you up there.” Pebble’s voice was steady. Informative. “22 is sorting things out with the delegation in the other room right now.”
[Teleported. Researchers. Airship pickup. Still processing. Still confused.]
“Why is Master still in Central?”
Spy materialized, visible and present.
«It’s because of me. Called it—you’re more useful back home. Kira still has the race to finish. Without Master Void there, it would be very problematic. Never know what her crazy family might try next.»
Spy added more details.
«Black Wings and the rest of the maids who traveled with them are with Master already. They have an extra teleportation device to get back to the closest point to Borderwatch. We have an airship waiting there to pick them up. Black Wings’ bear mage Reis has enough mana after seeding to activate it normally.»
He continued with contingencies.
«22 also got them some kind of archmage-level super booster. Temporarily boosts mana way beyond natural limits. With it, priestess Valencina or even Void could activate the device in extreme emergency. X warned though—if they go that much over natural limits, they’ll hate themselves for weeks afterward. But at least we have options for fast return if needed.»
[Master safe. Kira can’t return early—would ruin everything. Black Wings ready to extract them if needed. Makes sense. Good contingency.]
The tension eased slightly.
Pebble continued. “We have eighty-seven attackers under guard. Your mind reading might help get something useful out of them.” She paused. “They’re all under some kind of psychosis. Want to kill anyone. Screaming constantly. Cookie fairy had to bind them with mythril pipes to keep them from harming themselves and others.”
[Mythril pipes? My hot spring project pipes? Someone used those for prisoner binding? That’s… creative I guess.]
Spy added. «This attack wasn’t just us. Coordinated strike. Old Capital got hit earlier—where the Twins left in a hurry with Ealdred. Then same time as us, five more known attacks on locations with Ealdred-trained maids.»
“What?” Null sat up straighter. “Someone declared war on Ealdred?”
«Looks like it. We have Syndicate researchers with us—they want to examine the prisoners before the effect wears off. Some were captured after the Old Capital attack. All showing similar symptoms. Nobody’s seen this kind of brainwashing before.»
He added the urgency.
«The effect drops after about twelve hours. We’re racing the clock.»
[That’s why he called to get me here. Even while I was unconscious. Time-sensitive. Critical. Need my mind reading before prisoners wake up normal.]
«There’s more.» Spy’s tone shifted. Interested. Almost excited. «The mana signatures in their brains? Dragon mana mixed with other types. Every magic theory says that’s impossible. Dragon mana dominates. Doesn’t mix. Can’t mix. Shouldn’t be possible.»
«But it is. It’s there. In their heads. Somehow.»
Null processed that. [Dragon mana. Mixed. Impossible becoming possible. No wonder mages are interested.]
«22 says if they figure out how this was done, it’ll be the biggest magical discovery in ten thousand years. X sent Lucifer with us since he knows the researchers. Help facilitate. Prevent issues.»
[Let the mages have their theories. 22’s probably already planning to dissect prisoners for research. Fine. As long as someone finds who orchestrated this. As long as there’s a target. Someone to hunt. Someone to make pay.]
[Would love to have some “words” with whoever decided attacking our home was good idea. Very much would love that.]
Then something Pebble said registered.
“Cookie Fairy showed up?”
Pebble’s face lit up immediately. Enthusiasm. Gratitude. “Yes! She revealed herself finally. Harpy named Sara. Wears a dress exactly like ours—same style. Has this incredible chain weapon. And her knowledge of Republic and guild law? Impressive. Really impressive.”
Null read Pebble’s mind. Everything. Complete picture.
[She believes in honor. Deeply. Absolutely. This Sara saved her from having to make terrible choice. Gave her honor debt. Massive debt.]
The memories flowed. Clear. Complete.
The attack. Mind-controlled mob. Sara descending from sky with chains. Efficient. Professional. Overwhelming. Capturing all attackers alive in minutes. Saving Pebble and others.
Then Republic City Guard arriving. Trying to take prisoners. Legal authority. Official power.
Bunny’s order through seed network: «Better to attack them than give prisoners away. Kill them if necessary. Whatever it takes.»
Pebble prepared to fight, ready to kill official Republic troops, face consequences, and lose sisters in the battle that would follow.
[They’d even gotten Catkin-33 away from her LOVER duties—serious commitment. Those “official” idiots would definitely die challenging her. Not even a question. Just inevitable slaughter if they pushed it.]
Then Sara stepped forward. Legal knowledge. Guild law. Noble Law provisions. Percentage calculations. Proxy documentation. Professional legal warfare.
Won without violence. Won without bloodshed. Won without forcing Pebble to make terrible choice.
[Pebble grateful beyond words for saving her from having to kill, risk sisters, and become a murderer of Republic troops. Sara’s legal victory avoided all of it.]
Then the memory darkened.
Republic City Guard officer. Cruel. Calculated. Spotting Sara’s weakness.
“Walking around with waste management enchantments. Total failure, aren’t you?”
Public humiliation. Mockery. Breaking Sara down in front of everyone.
Ealdred had warned maids about it. Suggested avoiding those enchantments. Stupid people could make issues. Visitors especially. Exactly like this officer attacked Sara for it.
Sara running away. Crying. Broken. Hero one moment. Failure the next.
The rage was cold. Absolute. Murderous.
“I will fucking kill those Republic City Guard bastards.” Null’s voice was flat. Clinical. Promising death. “Bunny already asked if me and the Twins can dispose of them. Untraceable. Clean. Final.”
Spy’s voice came. Calm. Almost amused. «Too late, Host. Someone already handled it. News came about thirty minutes ago. The entire City Guard contingent just… disappeared. Gone. All of them.»
Null blinked. “Oh.”
[Someone beat me to it. Someone else took revenge while I was unconscious. Probably Sara—the harpy they broke, the one who helped and got destroyed for it. Good. She earned it. Hope she made them pay properly.]
The airship was descending. Landing approach. Minutes away.
Null stood. Movement helping. Focus returning.
[Work to do. Prisoners to read. Twelve-hour deadline ticking. Hope they actually know who brainwashed them. Hope there’s something useful in their minds. Anything. Some hint. Some lead. Some target.]
[And courtesan contracts. Still in my item box. Still unsigned. Still temporary. Need to fix that. Need to make them permanent. Need to close one problem before opening more.]
[And if we find who orchestrated this? Me and the Twins will have lot of fun with them. They’ll wish they’d never been born.]
She moved toward the door. Pebble rose immediately. Following. Ready.
Time to work.
The airship set down in the middle of the establishment—dragon and wyvern landing area. Nowadays only the Twins used it.
Null descended the ramp. Pebble beside her. 22 and Lucifer behind. The Syndicate mage delegation following.
Alpha waited. Professional. Alert.
Null detected immediately—entire establishment in full lockdown. Everyone inside. Only guards out. Emergency protocols active.
Alpha bowed. “Welcome home, Master.”
22 stopped. “Welcome, disciple.”
[Right. 22 acknowledged Alpha as disciple. Alpha’s clearly happy about it. Wanting to hear it in person. Needing confirmation. Pride obvious.]
The other mages who came down from the airship all watched.
One of them—gnome, older, powerful—asked 22. “So this is your disciple?”
22 nodded. Pride clear. “Yes.”
The gnome and all other mages bowed to Alpha. Immediate respect.
[Being accepted as disciple by someone in 22’s caliber gets respect from other mages. Especially since power-wise, Alpha isn’t actually that strong.]
[This gnome though—strong. Archmage probably. Strongest in this group. Strength similar to seeded 22 from what I sense.]
[Syndicate has heavy weights. Second archmage in few days after X. Several more in this group look quite strong too.]
Alpha spoke. “Please follow. Prisoners stored as instructed.”
They walked. Null detected them already—warehouse in the distance, circle of guards around it.
Lucifer approached as they moved. “Are you okay, Namegiver?”
“Yes.”
Relief showed on his face. “Good. I was very worried when you dropped earlier. Even your other half disappeared for about a minute before reappearing and calming everyone down.”
[It affected Spy too? Didn’t know that. Didn’t realize the death wave hit him as well. Connected. Sharing burden. Makes sense maybe.]
The warehouse wasn’t far. Reason they’d landed here—speed. Efficiency.
Inside the warehouse: strange sight.
Prisoners wrapped in mythril pipes like bundles. Spaced equally across the warehouse floor. Chained. Secured. Immobilized.
All totally insane. Screaming about devils. Trying to move despite bound hands and legs. Jumping. Writhing. Whatever motion the pipes allowed. Constant screaming. Constant madness.
The entire group stopped at the entrance. Processing the scene.
[Our cookie fairy is really impressive. Professional restraint. Creative use of my hot spring pipes. Actually impressive in its brutality.]
Null walked around. Reading.
Every prisoner: same single idea. Kill everyone who doesn’t want to kill devils. Let others know devils need killing. Small variations in wording. Same core. Same compulsion. Same madness.
[No memories of who did this. No awareness of brainwashing. Nothing useful. Just endless loop of kill devils. Nothing to extract.]
The mages worked. Spells. Questions. Experiments.
First thirty minutes: four prisoners killed during testing. Minds dissected. Research attempted.
Results? Nothing. Same madness. No change. No breakthrough.
Null watched for over an hour. Mages gave up fast—same reasoning. Only madness. No memories. No leads.
[Maybe if I had time to study Torent’s and Maya’s books about mind magic, I’d know something more advanced. But right now I can only read surface thoughts. And there’s nothing there. Just screaming. Just madness.]
She watched the mages make one experiment after another. 22 had made some deal with them to cooperate. Working together. Professional collaboration.
Nora arrived. Papers in hand. Set them on a table with the other files.
Null had nothing better to do. Walked over. Examined them.
Prisoner files. About two-thirds had names. None were locals—all arrived days to a week before the attack.
[Imported. Positioned in advance. Sleeper agents. Professional setup. Coordinated.]
Nora moved through the prisoners. Marked two more with green paint. About twenty marked total now.
Null watched. “What’s the marking for?”
Nora explained. “22 asked to mark higher-value prisoners. When they wake up, we question them. Try finding hints.” Pause. “Mana extraction for research will kill most of them. These twenty might survive—if they’re useful.”
She added. “Courtesans are in the Maid House. Two and three agreed to sign. Courtesan one—the dryad—will make issues. Bunny’s waiting. Your project, your decision.”
[Of course the dryad makes problems. Of course. Nothing ever just works.]
Null turned. Headed for the exit.
[Nothing here. Nothing useful. Maybe once they wake up. Maybe then.]
Time to deal with courtesans.
