The Legend of the ruthless Empress Freya

-- POV Freya --

I came back from the back of the room and on the islet where we had landed, just below the great vertical tunnel, were my soldiers and my horse. I had been gone only a few minutes, and yet their faces showed unprecedented relief at the sight of me. They were all sitting up and looking more serene, and as I finally reached their heights, the Commanders were almost throwing themselves at me for information.

"Your Highness ! Is this a new room with traps ?"

"How much time do we have ?"

"Can we rest a few hours ?"

Ralph, Luna, and Trioa were the first to arrive, and while they asked me all the questions they could think of, I sat down. At that moment, everyone was sitting in front of me, even Inferno, making me feel like a school teacher in front of her students. I didn't even have to speak, there was already silence.

"On the other side of this...room, there is nothing but two huge doors imprinted with mana. To continue you have to choose one or the other, but it's impossible to know what's behind them. There are different inscriptions around each of them that look ancient, I can't read them but maybe it will speak to some of you. We'll go later, there's no other bigger platform so we'll stay there for a few hours."

"Ho-How do we organize ourselves ?"

Pulling everything they needed out of my storage space I replied.

"For now relax, we are exploring you don't have to be so formal. We have plenty to eat so rest up, I'll get back to you later, we need to discuss the levels of all of you."

"Yes, Your Highness !"

Now that we were quieter, we had to check on everyone's progress since their fight with the horde. I wanted to do it later to give them a break and also because I had a lot of things to do. I had attribute points to distribute, a title and changes to discover. Turning to the Commanders, I explained that I was going to set up on the platform in front of them so as not to disturb them.

"I have a lot of things to check on my system, I'm going to position myself right over there so I won't be in the way if my body undergoes any sudden changes. If there's anything, you can just let me know, after all I'm not too far away."

"Yes Empress !"

As I nodded, all of the Commanders and Lieutenants had stood and bowed, obviously still too respectful to act more freely. Lynn had greeted me awkwardly and I could tell she didn't seem to understand the system. The young succubus was not one of those I had entrusted with the secret and that was fine, the time to have a discussion with her would come.

After waving back at them, I turned to jump onto the islet a few feet away. I really wasn't far if not just next to them but there was enough space. Even in my wolf form I could hold on so if I accidentally took it, there would be no problem. As I sat back down on the ground, Inferno walked to the edge of the platform where my soldiers were before jumping off.

[Wow ! He really likes you !]

*I have to believe yes kufufu~ but the more time passes, the more I wonder what he really is...I'll analyze him*

[I'm curious too]

Until today, I had never analyzed my black stallion because although he seemed to have some intelligence, I had not found it necessary. However, since we had gone underground, I had watched him and had come to the conclusion that Inferno must be really special. He hadn't shaken in the face of the Nightmare horde, he hadn't run away from the Demon's aura, and he had remained calm in the previous room just like me.

____

[Name : Inferno

Race : Mirror Horse

Element : x (pending)

Lvl 9/10

HP 1 000 / 1 000

Strength: 70

Defence: 58

Agility : 73

Stamina: 80

Speed: 85 ]

____

As I looked at Inferno's status I couldn't help but shake my head. My horse was definitely anything but normal and I wasn't at all surprised.

*It seems that no human has discovered that our dear Inferno has something extra. Without a system it's impossible to know so even if some mercenaries had doubts, they died with it*

[ Mirror Horse : race linked to its master. If the latter can use mana, during the next evolution, if it is close, the Mirror Horse will evolve at the same time, partially changing its race to match that of its master ]

*Oh~ interesting ! That said, he's never been registered in my system, maybe because we have to wait for an evolution. For now he's still special, but its true potential is yet to be discovered*

[So you have to wait !]

For the moment I couldn't do anything and as Kira had said all I could do was wait and see what Inferno would become. It was possible that I would evolve quite quickly, which was both good and bad news. Evolution meant deadly creatures and to reach level 70, I had to fight a lot of them or a few more powerful than me.

Something told me it would be the second option especially after my first fight with that level 40 Demon. I wasn't normally averse to such a situation but I wasn't alone and that's why this wasn't necessarily good news. If such a case were to arise, I must not repeat the same pattern and fall asleep because the further we went, the more dangerous the area became.

I had no right to fail to protect them or to return with the knowledge that this place hid. I trusted everyone, but Lynn's unexpected presence, the dangerous events from the beginning and the pressure made it difficult. Basically I wasn't afraid for myself but for those with me because if even I was apprehensive about what was coming next, some of them must have been terrified.

I didn't worry much about my Commanders, as they had been able to keep their cool and I didn't doubt their ability to handle the group if I found myself busy fighting. Shaking my head to focus, I put those thoughts aside for later. For now, it was time to check my status and changes and as I was about to open my system page, Kira showed up.

[By the way, I didn't ask you, but are you feeling better ? I thought you were going to get angry earlier when Gaya told you she was out]

*That's true, but I'm sure Gaya is totally aware that what she did was...irresponsible. Also, need I remind you that when I'm angry my hair turns white ? kufufu~*

[That's right, I've never had the opportunity to see you like this before, but you must look like Shiro...I don't know if it's a coincidence, but it's crazy !]

As Kira finished her sentence I stopped short, remembering something important. I remembered those question marks I had seen when I was checking on my daughter. I had thought it was odd, but I couldn't find out more because the system hadn't allowed me to see anything other than what I had already seen.

*Kira, even though I think I know the answer, do you know why Shiro had question marks as "paticularity" ? I still haven't looked at her entire status because I thought she was too young to have a element listed but there....*

[Mmmh unfortunately I can't help you. However, I think it's either something you can't see with your skill, which is weird...or Shiro hasn't unlocked that element yet. Maybe indeed her age has something to do with it but maybe not]

I could always check because my little moon was registered in my Empire menu and I only had to select her name to access her information. Kira seemed to have guessed what I wanted to do and suddenly in front of me, Shiro's page was displayed for the first time.

____

[Name : Shiro

Age: 5 and a half

Gender: Female

Race : Hybrid (Wolf x ???)

Element : ??? (not awake)

Lvl 2/10

HP : 1 500 / 1 500

MP : 200 / 42 000

Strength : 25

Defence: 36

Agility : 28

Stamina : 25

Speed : 23

Unlock the rest when the individual has unlocked her element ]

____

Again, those same question marks appeared and no matter how much I tried to use analysis on them it was impossible to get anything out of them. I didn't have access to her power or her skills because at the moment she didn't have any, but what I saw was enough. Not only had I just learned that my daughter was in fact a hybrid, but her second race was blocked.

*She's...she's a hybrid*

[Y-Yes...this is unexpected news, Shiro just beat Inferno...]

I knew that the color of her hair was unique, but I was far from imagining that the explanation was perhaps linked to her origins. Besides, what element could she control ? Usually I could see the element after a certain age when the mana flowed more easily in the body but here, nothing. While I was trembling at this news, Kira who was more familiar with the system gave me her opinion.

[It's quite strange, normally the Empress system gives you access to all the information related to this world, and yet. When I was the program's helper, I never knew about this kind of possibility. The system must not have a problem which means there is only one explanation even if it seems crazy to me...]

*Tell me...*

Many things were strange not to mention her very high HP for her age and level which were anything but ordinary. I still hadn't begun to deal with my own status when news after news was thrown at me in a new mystery. Would it never end ? Could the answer my little sister would give me explain why my little moon seemed so...unique ?

[Freya... if the system can't analyze this information on its own, then there must be something else blocking its abilities. Something more... powerful]

*But wait...the system was given to me by Titania, the very Goddess who created this world, what could be more powerful huh ? Isn't this more of a mistake ? The system that in the end isn't as perfect as it seems isn't it ? Haha~ I'm sure that's it !*

For the first time I was panicking, with everything that had been going on lately, this information was the last straw. I already had to find out why Kleisaria was going to be destroyed, why I had been sent back in time, who I really was, and now even more. Now the mystery of this place was thickening, already giving us a lot to think about, and now Inferno was special, and my daughter was on top of the list of mysteries to solve.

[Calm down onee-san, it's just a theory, I could be wrong, but it's what made the most sense to me. It would also explain why her "Specialness", second race and element are hidden]

This theory opened new doors, like pandora's boxes that I never wanted to open. The more time passed, the more I had the impression that I had embarked on something that was beyond me. At that moment everything was getting more and more mixed up in my head, at that moment I was braving the danger under the instructions of a Goddess who was not even able to give me a single answer.

*Wait wait stop...you're not telling me that Shiro...could be as powerful as a Goddess ? At least enough to confuse the system that knows this world inside and out. Doesn't that mean Titania isn't the only one ?*

[N-No but...aaaah I don't know, this is all too weird !]

Was a larger and deeper trap closing on me ? Was I playing the game of a Goddess or of many ? My brain was literally burning as the air began to turn cold. I could hear my teeth grinding and the more I thought about it the more my blood began to boil. As I dreamed of smashing Titania's head into the ground, Kira's worried voice snapped me out of my murderous thoughts.

[Onee-san ! You know what ? Let's just wait for her to awaken her element, then we'll have more information. Calm down, you have every right to be upset, but for now, let's just focus, one thing at a time. For now, let's finish exploring this place, level you and the others up before we come back]

I could hear her words but this time I couldn't calm down, I couldn't explain everything that was going through me at that moment but it was very intense. In a situation like this, my intelligence was double-edged because my mind was spinning at an impressive speed. So many theories, questions, anger, incomprehension were invading my head without me being able to stop them.

Was the Goddess on my side ? Why hadn't she told me about all this ? What was this world ? Was Shiro really special ? Why was Titania sleeping ? What were her secrets and real motives ? What had she done ? Was she the only Goddess ? Who was I ? Was I following the plans of someone pulling the strings in the shadows ? Why me ? Was everything I was living a dream that would end soon ?

I shook with rage at the thought of being a pawn. I hadn't left my shitty life to find a new extraordinary one destined to be taken away from me. At that very moment, paranoia gripped me as I doubted my entire existence. It was inexplicable and there was nothing I could do about it, my anger for Titania was far too great.

[Onee-san your aura !!]

I didn't want to listen, I couldn't...my heart was clenching, my muscles were tensing, I was unconsciously starting to growl and the cold coming out of my body was soothing. My mind was filled with resentment, I wanted to destroy, kill and vent and as my mind wandered, my old demons resurfaced. No matter what I said, the thought of losing everything I already had frightened me, terrified me.

Kira's theory may not have been right, but deep down I knew it was far more possible than I wanted to imagine. As I let my emotions flow through my body, one thing was certain: no one would take my family, my daughter, my wife, my little sister, and my life away from me. At that moment, something was triggered in me as an unhealthy urge to take over the world ran through me. I wanted to cause chaos, to seize my destiny, I wanted...more power.

[...nee...sa...o...!]

My vision was blurring and everything around me was silent, I could only hear the sound of my growls and my heart racing. I wasn't as strong as I thought I was and finally my deepest fears had returned to darken my soul. Suddenly, a notification appeared in front of me that I barely read, overcome by a state I could no longer control.

[ Activation of the title : Empress of the three colors ]