A Sinner’s Chance

There were a few other curious things about my Status such as the EX entries for my Vitality and Wisdom, and the fact that Pain Nullification seemed to be inhibiting Masochism, but before I could properly use Vision of Seshat to get a good look, I heard the sound of a door creak and the muffled voices of two people talking. I could tell they were coming closer as their voices grew louder and more clear. Since I wasn't really into introducing myself naked, I weaved what was essentially a poncho from silk.

The one currently talking had a deep and rough voice that sounded full of pity."-ing you, the corpse looks like a charred zombie, what kind of monster can turn such a young girl into such a mess? I bet the Yin-Yang Clan-"

The voice suddenly cut off as two figures rounded the corners and saw me sitting up on the table I had been lying on, covered in my new poncho. I sheepishly raised a no longer carapaced arm and waved awkwardly. "Hey, may I know where I am?"

I spoke politely as I didn't want them to think I'd actually become a zombie and try to kill me or take some other drastic measure. The two men stood in shock for a few moments while they stared at me with disbelief. After what seemed like an eternity the one on the left who had been talking before managed to stammer out some words. "Ho-how, I, you, dead. How are you alive?"

I shrugged, while it seemed like the fault of my Skills I wasn't really sure. "I've inherited the healing factor of a Phoenix, what's one death? Though I can't say I'm keen to do it again." As I spoke I gently pushed myself off the table, careful not to let my poncho sway too much. "Anyway, I'd like to see my family, and if possible talk to Arya from the Yin-Yang clan."

The two were still recovering from their shock but they nodded and asked me to wait before they turned and left the way they came. They were probably going to check with their supervisor, I mean, since when does a dead person suddenly rise from the dead without external aid in this world.

I didn't mind waiting and spent the time weaving my silk into a proper set of clothes. Well I say proper, but it was essentially a sports bra and a bottom that could only be called low waist bloomers. Just low enough that I had decent access to my spinneret and it didn't interfere with my carapaced legs since I didn't want to walk around barefoot.

I wondered why I hadn't thought of using my carapace to weave before, it should have been an obvious correlation yet I somehow failed to notice until recently. Still, while I could make do I much preferred the use of actual tools since it made better clothes and it was much easier to do measurements and such.

By the time I fully weaved and got dressed I could hear a large amount of footsteps coming. It didn't take much longer for me to see several people. I of course recognized most of them seeing as they were my family, however there were two people that I didn't recognize. The first was elderly man with long gray hair and a matching beard of similar length. The other was a Elven man with long ears and well kept blonde short blonde hair, his expression was like he was looking at the greatest sight he'd ever seen, yet he stayed at the back as my family rushed up to me.

The first to reach me was Marian who gripped me tightly in her embrace, making it difficult to breath with my face squashed into her chest. Her words were incoherent and I felt tears streaming from her face onto the top of my head. Once Marian had calmed a bit the others of my family came closer and looked at me with a mixture of emotions on their faces. Gabriel looked calm as always, like she had known I would come back to life. Kalista had a complicated look that was somewhere between frustration and relief, but otherwise seemed happy that I was alive.

Probably the most uncharacteristic was Alcrem. He'd always struck me as cold and calculating yet he looked genuinely relieved that I was alive and standing before him. He even gave me a short hug for the first time in my life, something that caused me to blank for a short moment.

After a little longer of fussing and making sure I was okay the two strangers approached and got on their knees as they bowed as low as they could. I was somewhat flustered as I didn't understand what was going on until the older man spoke. "I'm deeply sorry for the incident that happened between you and Arya. As the Headmaster I should have been aware of the issue, but even now I am kept in the dark." There was a subtle glance towards the Elven man at his words which I assumed meant that he was at least part of the Yin-Yang Clan.

I couldn't understand why the Headmaster himself had come to apologize as I felt it didn't have much to do with the school, rather it was due to my abnormal schedule the problem had arisen. What I couldn't understand was why no one knew exactly what had transpired but erring on the side of caution I simply accepted the headmaster's apology before looking towards the Elf.