I Returned to Kill Monsters, and Created the Worst One

Elara VeyneIn my first life, I spent three nights praying before the evaluation.Back then, I believed a powerful ability could change an orphan’s fate. The Church was full of children waiting to be chosen by noble families, merchants, officers, or wealthy lupine houses.Most of us were human. Wars created human orphans efficiently, especially among families without inherited strength or a second form to help them survive. Some humans had blessings. Others had nothing unusual at all. Shifters and hereditary manifestations existed too.The Church claimed the First Light made no distinction between bloodlines.Being adopted by a powerful lupine family was even considered fortunate. People called it being welcomed beneath the protection of a new pack.I had believed that once.Now I stood before the same crystal and tried not to smash it.“You can place your hand on it,” the sister said.Gideon Caldris stood on the other side of the room reviewing records. House Caldris was one of Alder

Elara VeyneFreedom, I discovered, charged rent.My first room outside the church was cramped, old, and very ugly, but it was mine. It had a bed, an unstable table, an old mana stove, and a door I could lock from the inside.I spent an unreasonable amount of time staring at the key in my hand.So I went to buy some bread, because, apparently, freedom doesn't work on an empty stomach either.I took temporary jobs and trained at night. By then, I could strengthen mixtures without visible light and stop before the familiar pressure behind my eyes became trembling, blood, or unconsciousness.One afternoon at a teahouse, two lupine merchants sat near the table I was cleaning.“Azhareth reduced the shipment again.”“At this rate, Nythrium will double before winter.”My hand stopped.Nythrium.I remembered a black box Gideon had opened years earlier. Inside was a nearly transparent crystal crossed by gold. He had allowed me to use it once while making a regeneration potion.Normally, that mu

Elara VeyneTwo days after applying, the palace hired me.For the kitchen.I had requested corridor service, but apparently a foreign human with no noble-house experience belonged near sacks of flour instead of important doors.Fine.First I would get inside.Then I would move.The temporary workers gathered in a service courtyard. Humans and lupines stood together, which no longer surprised me in Namarra.The woman commanding us was Samira Qadri, a lupine in her forties with tightly pulled hair and the expression of someone personally disappointed by the existence of inefficiency.She inspected my documents.“Aldervane.”“Yes, ma’am.”“Human.”“Yes, ma’am.”“Is your Azhari sufficient?”“Yes, ma’am.”She gave me instructions so quickly I caught half.“Did you understand?”“The part up to ‘east storeroom.’”“You said you spoke Azhari.”“I said I understood it. You need to go slower.”She stared long enough for me to wonder whether she disliked foreigners, humans, or everyone equally.“

Elara VeyneThe lock groaned again under another blow.“Your Highness!”Kian continued looking at me for a few seconds.Finally, he turned his face away.“Stop.”His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried through the wood easily.On the other side, the blows stopped.“Your Highness?”“I’m busy. Step away from the door. I’ll open it myself when I’m finished.”There was an uncomfortable silence.“Yes... Your Highness.”I heard hesitant footsteps retreating.I let out my breath slowly.Good. At least I wasn’t going to be dragged out of the room by my hair within the next thirty seconds.Then came the second concern. Wouldn’t they still be able to hear the conversation anyway? They were wolves, after all.The prince seemed to notice my uneasiness as I looked toward the door, and spoke before I said a single word.“They’re lower-level wolves. Their senses aren’t as sharp as they seem.”I looked at him, somewhat surprised. For a wolf—or rather, for a human without abilities—he was good at readin

Kian VareshI was not marrying any of them.That decision had been made before the first princess crossed the ballroom.The only question was how long I would have to keep pretending otherwise.A few more days of noblewomen smiling at my father while calculating how long it would take for them to become widows.A few more days of whispers about my face, my body, and whether a Varesh who had never transformed would be able to produce an heir.They thought I hadn’t heard them.Idiots.My hearing had never been the problem.Standing up was.That, however, might not remain a problem much longer.I looked toward the door Elara had just closed behind her.Then I’ll return tonight.My gaze remained there for another second.I placed both hands on the arms of the chair and pushed myself upright.Pain immediately tore through my legs.I ignored it.My knees trembled. My muscles protested. The room shifted slightly.Still, I stood.One second.Two.Three.Five.On the sixth, my right leg gave o