Chapter 18: Feathers

---D-Day+39, Glenic 10th---

"This is a bad thing.  Right?"

Another no privacy morning.  When was the last time I was alone in a bed?  Colrac?  This morning though, is a bit different.

Feathers.

And I'm not talking about the feathers stuffed in the mattress.  Or the ones in the pillows.  Nope.

There are feathers on my bed.  Plus the wings those feathers are attached too.  And the bodies, plural, those wings are attached too.  My two shadow oracles somehow gained wings as a side effect from all the mana I burned to cure Blue's leprosy.  And now?

They've got bodies too.

Ferra and Margo were the only 'Oracle' class survivors from the church ambush in the Vault dungeon.  Both were near death from the mana cost of casting [Metia's Verdict], and the roof of the dungeon coming down on their heads.

Far too weakened to stop me from ripping their spirits from their bodies and raising them as living shadows.

While keeping enough sense of self to speak?  They rarely do.  Content with our connection providing any needed communication.  Not nearly as attached to 'words' as my other vocal servants.

They also started the habit of speaking in stereo.  Saying the same thing at the same time.  Like creepy twins in a horror movie.  Always wanting to be together is another habit they have.

Now they've helped me a lot.  Immediately at my side whenever I need extra juice or minds for big spells.  Behind Ushi, they are my magical powerhouses.  The three of them often practicing together.

Healing Blue, seemed to bump up Margo and Ferra's power significantly.  Still not Frankie level but formidable.  Isekai wise if, hypothetically, I'm an S?  Frankie should be an A and Margo and Ferra are B's, maybe C's.

Yeah, I know I'm just a Bronze, D, rank according to the guild.  Still, since I'm regularly fighting an A rank and her entire party at once?  I suspect I am at least a Gold, A, rank.  Maybe even Mithral, S.

The guild's ranking system has more to do with achievements than actual ability.  And since I have not been doing any commissions?  May stay a Bronze plate until the day I die.

Now there is a way around doing commissions for the guild.  If your ability is recognized widely enough?  Valued highly enough?  The guild may just arbitrarily 'promote' you.

That is how you see people or monsters with guild ranks who have never actually been tested by the guild.  Its their best guess based on what they know.

I, gently, move the feathered wing off my face.  Its pretty small right now.  Crazy how they can make them larger or smaller.  Its also fake. Well, more like fake real?  Just like Milti's legs.

If you cut them they won't bleed.  But it can still hurt like hell because its connected to the body's nervous system.

Yeah, really don't understand how it works, but Frosty is freaking the fuck out.  The Deans are too.  Even got senior senior citizen to raise an eyebrow.  Which Frosty was pretty sure wasn't possible.

Like the muscles needed to move lamer saruman's eyebrows weren't attached or something.

Supposedly this is a never seen before thing.  And Milti got an instant free ride scholarship to Stormgarde.

Tharick and I made up some sort of 'special interest student' scholarship fund to keep her father in the dark about why Milti can attend.  Dad had the biggest proudest smile on his face the whole time we were presenting it.

Hey, the kid is super smart so it wouldn't be an issue if that was the problem.  Its just that Stormgarde is very expensive.  Hard for people to afford.  Even moderately successful merchants.

*flop*

Another wing smacks me in the face.  Really hope they get a handle on them.  Apparently they can't make them disappear completely.  Its too ingrained in their 'self image,' according to Ushi.

But this small?  Is still a bit too big.

Hear Red and Frankie giggling beside me.  Yeah, yeah, laugh it up fuzzballs.  They are enjoying my losing battle against the wings of doom.  I give them both 'you gonna get it' looks.  Which they completely fail to take seriously.

Damn [See Thru Husbands Antics] cheat.

How did I get surrounded by so many bold and willful women?  Where are the shy and reluctant girls in this world?

Blue is peaking at me over Red's shoulders and enjoying my trial way too much.  Silvie?  Snoring.

Now Milti is no guinea pig.  I refuse to allow that.  So she is only examined and studied with Juri when Yodo and Mitsu are there to chaperone.  The rest of the time?  She is helping her father or hanging out with the black sheep squadron from animal house.

Sneaky bastard that senior senior citizen is?  He's made the black sheep squadron and animal house official.  Even let me name it 'Delta Tau Chi.'  I've created the first isekai frat house!

Though this one has boys and girls.  Even two teachers.  So not sure what its type is.  Brat house?  Should I start calling lamer saruman 'Dean Wormer' instead?

Officially, they are on some sort of extra credit course to observe a necromancer and his undead.  Yeah, I'm what they're studying.  They watch what I do.  Take notes.  Compile them.  And then present them to the Deans.

Didn't even know about it until Simone let it slip.

Going to slip isekai ex-lax into senior senior citizen's fantasy metamucil for this.  Maybe I could drag a horse into his office?  Would use one of mine but, well, they are already dead.

Unofficially, I have replaced Stormgarde as black sheep squadron's guardian until the negotiations with the students' families and houses are resolved.

*fluff*

And a second wing lands on my face.

Now its not all bad.  None of them are heirs but all are part of influential houses.  Of course they got into Stormgarde so they are all smart.  Also all joined the group researching my [Recovery Magic].

Which I've used to repair the physical damage done during their career as casanova's sex slaves.

The mental damage?  [Recovery Magic] can help but can't fix.  That's not something a magic dick can fix either.  Or, more like, even should.  Lets not heal sex slaves by turning them into, sex slaves.

Instead?  Lots of listening, crying, cuddling, and more crying, has been happening.  Plus some [Kiss of Grannus] when its needed.  All that grief, accepting, and moving on, stuff that I am completely adlibing.

While really fucking hoping I don't completely screw up and make things worse.  Almost anything is better than having your heart left a hungry unfillable hole.

Right?

And, of course, Frankie has absorbed most of them into the cult already.

Sigh.

So my career options, besides apocalypse causing Beast, are isekai plastic surgeon and now isekai therapist.  Not saying I'm looking for a new job?  Just want to keep my resume and job searches updated.

*floop*

And there's wing number three.  No, keep cool.  Stay calm.  Its not their fault.

Well at least there were no fourth year victims of casanova.  All first, second, and a couple of third, years.  Yeah, the youngest is eleven and the oldest is sixteen.  If I could?  I would raise that piece of shit over and over and kill him again and again.

Since none of black sheep squadron is new?  DTC (Delta Tau Chi) will just have Milti and the rejoining Blue as first years.  Who has completely won over Milti and its now rare to see them apart on campus.

His daughter being besties with the Blue Lady is another thing dad is super proud of.

Silvie is a graduate and a priestess, but was assigned to Blue by her church.  So she'll be acting as Blue's aide just like Frankie and Red will be following me around.

And in case you haven't figured it out yet?  Odaline blended with Margo and Simone with Ferra.  The very next day in fact.  It took them a couple days to adjust but, they are like peas in a pod now.

Have been keeping dumbette and dumberette at arms length for a while.  They have enough on their plates to deal with.  Well last night they showed up united, and demanding.  So, now I keep getting a face full of feathers.

Now I'm not saying it isn't erotic and exotic.  It so fucking is.  Fucking fallen angel looking babes is so naughty and hot.  But I can't stop worrying over the half-deads impact on my mindscape.

Honestly though?  It may be a non-issue because not many living shadows are finding 'matches.'  Living shadows are, shadows.

Most don't seem to like the 'weight' they get from having a physical body back.  Being so, slow, again.  Feeling things like hunger, exhaustion, and even physical pain, again.

And the effectiveness of a half-dead seems to rely, a lot, on how well the two halves get along.  How 'in sync' they are.  Not an issue for true besties.  A big issue for those who aren't.

So lots of experiments are being done.

A couple of paladins found decent matches and joined knights to others among the castle troops.  Margo and Ferra have linked priests to some students in DTC.  What will happen when those students graduate?

Yodo and Mitsu have their assassins moving through the underworld and infiltrated several gangs.

Frankie has even merged some cultists to living shadows.  Apparently already worshiping me?  Makes the 'match' easier.  Gives the two halves an aspect to bond over.

Hooray...

Considering the mix?  We are getting some pretty fucked up people.  Physically and mentally.  I kill the spouse or child beaters, rapists, and pedophiles.  Personally.  No mercy.  But the rest of the fucked up?  We test the waters with.

Maybe I'm being blind?  But being linked to everyone seems to help half-dead minds.  The support of dozens of spirits in the back of their minds seems to help heal traumas.  Tame addictions.  Calm manias.

Yeah, probably just way to full of myself here.

One major source of concern?  Being a half-dead itself seems very addictive for most of the living halves.  While an undead might not be a fan of having a body again?  Most living seem thrilled over having the weight of their existence suddenly cut in half.

They feel, lighter.  Faster.  Discover the anchors of their constant biological needs, loosened.  Having someone 'share the load' at a level unimaginable before.

Some wish to remain blended all the time.  Which not even Milti-Juri can manage yet.  At most its still only about half a day.  Eight eight-hours.  So far.  Needing just as much time to recover before being able to blend properly again.

We also don't know the long term impacts.  Like having two souls in a body intended for one.

Tharick asked to lead the new [Half-Dead] research group but all the deans are involved too.  Running it in the same space as the [Recovery Magic] research group.

Could this be the start of a new species?  Doorway to immortality?  Would childbirth be viable?  Impacts on mana reservoirs?  So many questions.  Half-deads can even still use light magic.  Though the mana cost mushrooms.

*fwak*

A fourth wing?  Come on.  Isn't this just, getting, rid-

"You're awake.  Aren't you."

Oda-Mar and Sim-Fer can't contain it anymore and start giggling uncontrollably.  Frankie, Red, and Blue burst out laughing.  Silvie?  Keeps snoring.

That does it.

Just realized an experiment that hasn't been done yet.

Are half-deads?

Ticklish.

Lilevo, Odaline (female, human, tourinese)

Regniar, Simone (female, human, tourinese)