For once, when we arrived back at the lobby outside of the throne room, I was exactly where I wanted to be. Even though Merlin told me he didn’t want to be disturbed, I pushed the double doors open that led to his chamber and marched the distance over to the throne while ignoring the many women in the alcoves.

“Dad, we need to talk,” I barked, not bothering to say hello.

“What is it this time?” He asked. “Was your little field trip not to your liking?”

I frowned. “I want to see what this planet of yours is like and I can’t do that you inform everyone that I’m coming.”

“Then do something about it,” he shot back. “You have my blessing to do whatever you like so long as you don’t try to leave Origin.”

“And you’ll stop interfering?” I asked hopefully.

“Nope,” he replied smugly. “You are free to do what you like, and I will do what I’m going to do. Consider it part of your training.”

“They say it’s dangerous to wander outside of the tower,” I countered. “Why don’t you put an end to that?”

He rested his head on his hand with a bored expression on his face. “People who commit crimes are punished accordingly.”

“Aren’t you all-powerful?” I asked. “Can’t you make the streets safer?”

Merlin laughed. “The fact that you would even suggest that shows how naive you still are. Only tyrants try to stomp out crime by punishing would-be criminals before they commit a crime.”

“What does that mean?” I asked.

He let out a heavy sigh, “It means, son, that I do not intend to punish someone for a crime I think they may commit. It is not a crime to lurk in the old town outside of the tower. However, do not think I am heartless. I provide safe transportation to any of the tower’s many residents who wish to visit their hometowns. All they need do is ask, as you’ve seen.”

“And what if I choose to leave the tower on foot?” I asked. “What if I am attacked?”

Merlin stomped his foot on the floor for emphasis. It was only then that I noticed there had been chatter in the alcoves because it suddenly stopped. Everyone was listening to what my father said next. “If someone is foolish enough to attack you, there would be no place they could hide from me. Besides, you are more than capable of defending yourself.”

I thought about that for a moment. While I had managed to survive against countless powerful enemies, the victories hadn’t been without a cost. My defeat of Carmilla Shaw nearly killed me. I could argue that my victory over the god Kur had been without loss, but he had kidnapped and threatened to eat me before my friends came to the rescue. Mardella stabbed and poisoned me. Without the ring, she likely would have won. Then there was Rasputin. He had killed…had killed…

I couldn’t think about it without my eyes watering. Instead, I sniffled loudly and glared at my father through bleary eyes. “I’m still weak.”

I couldn’t bear to be seen by anyone anymore, so I teleported away. Walking the short distance probably would have been more efficient, but I didn’t care. It got me away from my father. His voice followed me, echoing through the chamber. “Don’t worry son. You will grow stronger. I guarantee it.”

The tone of Merlin’s voice was softer than I’d ever heard it. It was almost as though he cared.

“You didn’t have to come home today,” I sighed as Ulli slid in through the door. “You could have stayed with your family as long as you wanted.”

“That would be inappropriate,” Marcelle explained from her spot by the door. “She has a job to do.”

I walked over to one of the couches and motioned for the two girls to sit across from me. After waiting for them to sit, I began. “This has got to change. I know you’ve been assigned to me and have to be here. Can you do me a favor and try not to be so formal all the time? Can we just be friends?”

“If you command it,” Marcelle said, a hint of a smile forming on her face. “We will obey anything you order us to do.”

I groaned. “You can’t order someone to be your friend. If you do, they aren’t really your friend.”

“I’ll be your friend, My Lord,” Ulli said hesitantly. “You don’t have to ask me to.”

It was my turn to blush, quickly followed by a feeling of shame when I realized I found Ulli attractive. Just a little shorter than Kalli, she had golden curls that flowed freely down her back. Her fair skin was complimented by cute dimples and rosy cheeks. She reminded me of a famous actress from the nineteen twenties.

“For starters, don’t call me My Lord, I said. “Or Lord Melvin for that matter. Just Melvin or Mel will do.”

“Yes…Mel,” she giggled when she said the word. Marcelle frowned at Ulli but didn’t admonish her.

“So, is Ulli short for something?” I asked, wanting to get her to open up to me. “Do you have a last name?”

Ulli fidgeted, rubbing her fingers together and looking down at the floor as she answered. “My full name is Ullrisa. It’s supposed to mean rich and powerful but my parents are neither. We can’t even afford a surname.”

“You have to buy those?” I asked, curious about how the world worked.

“You can purchase them,” Marcelle corrected. “Noble families are born with surnames. Peasants may purchase status if they accumulate enough money. Many families save for generations just go rise a single rank.”

“Do you have a surname?” I asked, realizing how much I’d have to ask without the system to provide information. “Does my father?”

Marcelle gasped. “The Creator doesn’t require a name. He’s the most powerful man in the universe. Everyone knows him without having to mention his name. He’s on an entirely different level.”

“You didn’t answer my question,” I persisted. “Do you have a last name?”

Ulli giggled and Marcelle glared at her. “I, ahem, I do have one. I’m not a direct descendant but close enough to use the name. My full name is Marcelle Friedman.”

“Her third cousin twice removed was a famous chef,” Ulli announced, looking smug.

Marcelle slumped in the chair and grumbled. “I never even got to taste her cooking but I’m saddled with the name. My parents hope I’ll earn a better one working here in the tower.”

“We all want that,” Ulli added. “If I’m selected, my parent’s family won’t have to work for ten generations.”

“Selected?” I asked. “Weren’t you already selected?”

They both turned bright red. Ulli gave a casual glance at the bed and Marcelle said, “She means if you select one of us to, ahem-“

“Oh!” I gasped, feeling my face start to burn. “Can I just say I chose you? That way you can get the reward without having to do anything.“

“No!” Marcelle practically screamed, cutting me off. “They check that kind of thing. It would look bad for both of us if you did that.”

“How do they check?” I asked before deciding I probably didn’t want to know. “I mean, why do they check? Isn’t my word good enough?”

“For you, it is,” Marcelle replied. “You can say whatever you like and only your father can challenge it. We must provide proof to claim any perks of status.”

It felt wrong. I had all of the power and none of it at the same time. What was the purpose of being The Creator’s son if I couldn’t even get my direct reports a proper raise? Then it dawned on me. I didn’t have to lie. “I got it! How about I just give you both last names? That would count just as much as, you know, right?”

I waited in silence as the two of them looked at one another. Finally, Marcelle rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “That could work. I don’t think it’s ever been done before. The Creator only hands out titles based on merits. People like us who don’t have specialties usually wind up in the tower. Once you get here, there’s only one path to glory.”

“It’s settled then,” I said with a grin. “Do either of you have a last name in mind?”

More silence. Ulli finally said something. “You can’t expect us to choose our own surnames. What if I gave myself something ridiculous like Superior?”

“Ulli Superior,” I sounded it out. “Now that Ulli’s is settled, what about you Marcelle?”

“No, no, no, no!” Ulli cried. “I can’t give myself that name. What will people say?”

I shrugged. “Just tell people I did it. You’ll be blameless.”

Marcelle surprised me when she told me her choice. “I’ve always wanted a simple name like Jones or Smith.”

“Very well,” I said, a sinister grin appearing on my face. “We will call you Marcelle Masters.”

“What?” Marcelle asked, staring at me.

Meanwhile on a planet called Blood Moon…

Shara stared at the last of her sample. It was late but she was anxious to try it again while the experience of the last failure was still fresh. The corrupted blood she acquired from Melvin Murphy turned out to be an enigma she just couldn’t solve. Sure, she had no issues alleviating the pain of those afflicted but blood was her specialty and she refused to believe there was something she couldn’t do with it.

She activated the contraption by pushing mana through a tube and the process was in motion. The blood swirled rapidly, slowly turning from red to clear and finally to black. Shara found herself holding her breath while hoping fervently that the experiment would have a different result for once. Steam rose through a trap and, for a moment, she thought she’d done it. Then the whole thing exploded…again.

Shara collected herself as a knock came at the door. She struggled to a chair and shouted to be heard over the still hissing mess. “Not now. Come back in the morning. I’m in no mood.”

“You have a guest, Lady Shaw,” the voice of her servant came back.

That was new. Who would visit this late at night?

She groaned, pushing herself to her feet and looking down at her ruined lab coat. “I’ll be down in a short while. I need to freshen up.”

“I’m sorry, My Lady,” her servant replied, sounding worried. “I’m afraid your father sent your guest up.”

A familiar voice asked, “Are you decent, Shara?”

“Lavender?” Shara squealed, worried that something happened to her mother. She rushed to the door, no longer worried about how she looked.

“Ah,” Lavender said with a warm smile. “Perhaps you’d like a moment.“

“Is mother okay?” Shara cried, ignoring her.

Lavender nodded, finally realizing what the commotion was. “Your mother is fine. Still without a body, but fine in Homestead nonetheless. I’ve come today on an unrelated matter. May I trouble you for a moment of your time?”

“Sure,” Shara mumbled, at a loss for what could possibly be so urgent to require a midnight visit. “Shall I have Bianca prepare the study for us?”

“That won’t be necessary,” Lavender said, stepping past Shara. “Here will do.”

Shara scrambled back into her room, kicking some dirty clothes under the bed before making her way over to the lounge where Lavender was already seated. She sat across from the woman and asked, “What do you want exactly?”

Lavender looked over her shoulder at the wreckage in Shara’s lab with a worried expression on her face. “Do you have some of the blood samples left?”

Shara shook her head. “That was the last of it.”

Lavender looked crestfallen. “Then all is lost.”

“What?” Shara asked, not understanding what Lavender needed. “Why is Melvin Murphy’s corrupted blood so important?”

Lavender’s head swung back to look at Shara. “What of Kalliphae’s? Do you have any of her blood?”

“Yes,” Shara replied. “Not much, but-“

“I need you to gather all of it and come with me.”