Perception alteration

“What can they do?” Celeste asked looking at both rings.

“Minor things mostly, though presence and pressure would work too. Like intimidation for example,” I said. The goddesses divine aura would normally do that, so channeling the item to replicate it would be simple enough.

“Master has a ring to erase a presence, so like that?” she asked.

“Kind of, though that would be trickier here. Is that what you want?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, just curious. Could you make one get people to think I am married to Master?”

I placed my finger on my chin. “Kind of. I can certainly give you the aura of a married woman. But I can’t give people who never met Master knowledge of him as the husband. But if you were seen with him, that would probably work.”

She blushed. “That’s what I want then and for this one,” she said holding the one Master gifted her. “Respect. Like noble respect. The respect we pay the Lady of the Night.”

I smiled and grabbed both rings. “Consider it done.” At worst, I could manage with the one vane in my magic wand but that was my last one. With any luck, Freya would a couple more.

Celeste appeared curious and accompanied me to the stables. Freya was brushing some horses.

“Oh! Head maid! Rosemary,” she said with a curtsy. “How many I help you?”

“I was wondering if you had any more luck with vanes?” I asked.

She smiled and held up a glass jar. “Six. I examined every feather. This is all of them that currently attached to his body.”

Six? Amazing. “Do you have a spare feather from Edo? Nothing special just a normal feather?”

She nodded and walked over to someplace and came back with a feather. “Can I ask what amazing thing you are planning to do now?”

“I’ll show you!” I said as I channeled mana into the vane and as it sparked I coiled it around the feather. I then began writing into the ring. Ancient text, the ones needed for the enchantments Celeste needed. Then I wrote some into the handle of the tonfas. In that one the enchantment was actually a return spell. They were already divinely enchanted. Return seemed to be the kind of spell she’d approve of.

With that, the vane vanished into air and the feather burned away with it.

“So, let’s assume I don’t know what all that did?” Freya asked.

I flicked the ring to Celeste and watched her catch it. My own blessing from the sisters would block an enchantment of this level. It would need to be something serious to enchant me. Like the golden idol. How lucky for me that Master had it. So I couldn’t see the effect but it should be affecting Freya.

“Is the head maid married?” I asked.

“Of course, wait… that isn’t right. Is it? Head maid! You kind of remind me of…. No, was it Master? I am confused!”

I chuckled. And Celeste dropped the ring into a bag to cancel the effect.

“Wait its gone. Was that… that was what the ring did! That was so weird!” Freya added.

“I…” I fell backwards. Oh I am starving.

“Rosemary!” they both shouted.

“I’m okay,” I said trying to reassure them. “Just… you both wouldn’t have something to eat would you? I am-”

My own belly grumbling interrupted me.

Celeste clapped her hands twice and I felt a chill up my spine. “Freya, tell Marianne to prepare something for Rosemary. I will stay with her until you return with said food, though if you see the Lady or our newest sister, can you please ask them to come here.”

Freya ran off without even a curtsy. I felt like I might be in trouble again.

Celeste knelt down next to me. “Rosemary, you are… something else. Tell me honestly, is this related to your mana?”

I nodded. “Well, yeah. I wouldn’t be so low on energy if I ate earlier or used less mana but I am definitely at my mana limit today.”

“You are done using magic today then, yes?” she asked.

“I was going to show-”

She glared at me.

“I suppose sister could probably handle the last part just fine. She should recognize this inscription.”

“I’m glad that our newest sister can help you with such things,” she said smiling.

“Sorry to worry you again,” I said.

She began gently brushing my hair with her fingers. “Honestly I am more worried about who is selected as the Lady of the Night.”

“Hmm?” I asked. She had never been concerned before.

“Well, Master and the Lady of the Light for the most part keep to themselves. It becomes the responsibility of the current lady of the night to handle the rest of the girls. Since we are leaving tomorrow morning. That means whoever he selects tonight will be given that honor. It would be worrying indeed if he selects Elise during you and our newest sister’s first trip.”

I shuddered at the thought. But I remained silent. I trusted master. He would make the right call. I closed my eyes as I waited for food to come and enjoyed the feeling of Celeste stroking my hair as I softly drifted into a nap.