5 Chapter 4

<80 AGW, 2 years after Sage's birth>

I open my eyes and I see a familiar sight. A chandelier made out of gold and crystals and the dark marble ceiling it hangs on. Shrugging off my comfortable blanket, I stand up from my bed and stretch slowly.

"Ugh…" I groan slowly.

I approached the bathroom door and I immediately headed inside to cleanse myself of yesterday's grime and dirt. I see myself in the mirror for the first time since my birthday celebration yesterday.

My long and white hair with a small group of golden blonde hair decorating my bangs. My black and bright blue eyes. My small nose and cute lips. Unlike Salem, who has purple veins around her eyes, mine are blue in color.

"I'm short compared to Mom…" I said as I posed in front of the mirror.

My height is around 185 centimeters while Salem is about 192 centimeters tall. She towers over me and I can't help but envy her. Apparently, other than my looks, height and powers, I didn't inherit any other 'features' from Salem which is quite an unfortunate circumstance.

'Although, among the normal population, I tower over them instead…' I thought inwardly.

My body isn't quite developed like Salem and since my face is quite childish, it only adds more to the apparent cuteness that I seem to emit. As the child of Salem and also a Grimm, I look extremely adorable which is quite a dilemma for me.

"I look like a cute maiden, unlike Mom who is a total knockout…" I said with exasperation.

Yesterday, right after I woke up, I felt my strength leaving my body and I suddenly felt the time around me slowing down. It seems that the effect of stopping my aging seems to be more severe than I had thought.

My undeveloped chest and hips will never grow ever again. My limbs and wounds will regenerate but I can no longer evolve into a more mature figure. The only saving grace is my height, which can only be a minor supplement to my regality.

'Not to mention, that sudden loss of strength whenever I'm around Mom, it's weird…' I thought inwardly.

Looking at the mirror once more, I then turned towards the bathroom and started getting myself ready to face this new day. A day that shall determine the fate of the world and everything living on it for the rest of their days.

After taking a shower, I dressed myself in a simple black halter neck dress. I pair it with a long red shawl wrapped around my shoulders and over my back. I don't usually wear a dress but I have grown to like it after being near Salem.

I also wear a pair of high heels and I have also learned the way to fight in these high heels. It was hard, but after receiving some lessons from Cinder and Hazel, I can safely say that fighting in high heels is as easy as walking in the park.

Cinder's teaching is more elementary and simple. She simply employs the use of the Fall Maiden's magic with her archaic style of using Dust in her clothes. Her moves also include more elegance and preciseness.

Hazel's teaching, on the other hand, requires more discipline and toughness. He has mastered a way to fight by using Dust and his body as a conduit. He doesn't really need a Mechashift to utilize Dust and Salem was making sure that I mastered that technique.

Salem also asked Arthur to tutor me in my studies, an effort which Arthur finds absolutely useless but he can't really reject Salem's order. Through Arthur, I've managed to learn some elementary hacking from him.

'He's skilled but not that skilled. Pietro is clearly better than him…' I thought inwardly.

My lesson with Tyrian, on the other hand, to say that it is weird is an understatement of an understatement. His lessons with poisons, unbelievably, is one of his normal lessons. His lessons about the Faunus, are the ones that are explicit in more ways than one.

'I learned more than enough about Faunus fertility and their mating habits to last me at least 7 lifetimes!' I thought inwardly.

I walk out of my room and head towards the eating hall slowly and with grace. All through my stay here, in this castle, Salem has instilled into me the decorum of a royalty. As Salem is a Queen, she expects me to act like a princess, even if I had no power over any kingdom.

The way I dress, speak and even the way I sleep has been dictated by Salem. It is quite an absurd behavior, but I, of course, didn't question any of them since I wanted her to trust and depend on me.

'But it is all worth it…' I thought inwardly.

Ever since I was born, Salem has been treating me as her child. In a sense, I did accomplish my goal of being Salem's family but I was never on par with her. I can express my view and my opinions, but most of the time, Salem would've ignored it.

She didn't see me as her adversary nor did she see me as an ally. I am her child, her naive little child and that is all I will ever be, at least in her eyes. However, everything changed when I reached my second birthday yesterday.

I made a request to the members of Salem's coalition and they had accepted my request. It seems that the other members of Salem's coalition have deemed me worthy to join their cause and I can't help but let out a huge sigh of relief.

'Now, my real plan starts…' I thought inwardly.

Throughout the two years in which I have lived inside Salem's castle, I have been telling her everything about my 'world domination' idea. My values, my core principle and even my ethical conduct, I have explained all of them towards Salem by using learning as an excuse.

I wanted to show Salem a different side of an argument which does not directly antagonize her. I don't want to change her, I just wanted Salem to evaluate her choices. I wanted her to come to a conclusion herself, rather than forcing my views onto her.

I wanted her to live freely without being bound with the sins of her past. I want her to give this world another chance. To see the world for what it truly is and not what it will always be. I wanted Salem to desire 'living'.

'I hope my plans worked…' I thought inwardly.

'Grugh!' a growl echoed in my ears.

I lift my head up and I immediately see a tall Ursa, standing guard right beside the dining hall doors. It seems that all throughout my short walk to the dining hall, I have been too occupied by the possibilities that presented itself to me.

"Hey, Benny!" I said giddily to the Ursa.

The Ursa, noticing me, lowered itself to my level and nuzzled into my cheeks lovingly. The coldness that the Grimm radiated and its low frequency growl sent happiness all the way to my Grimm-like bones.

"If you are here, then it means that Mom is already in the dining hall." I said cheerfully.

For most people, all Grimms are the same and for people that actually studies Grimm, they are exotic animals. They are violent creatures that know nothing but destruction. They have no practical use for the world, other than population control.

However, the Grimms have been too kind to me in every way possible. They shield me from danger if I was ever in such a situation and they never disobeyed my orders no matter how foolish my orders can be.

They cared for me more than any humans did in my past life and they respected me to the point of worship. For Salem, they are disposable pawns and loyal servants, but to me, they are more than just creatures of destruction.

"To me, you are family…" I said slowly as I caressed Benny's cheek.

'And family protects each other…' I thought inwardly.

"Sage? What are you doing here? I was waiting for you inside!" Salem spoke which shocked me to my core.

I turned my head and I saw Salem, standing in front of the dining hall's massive door. As always, she looks as regal as a lion. The dress that is wearing hugs her body nicely and her hair is stylized in her usual style.

Her jet black and red eyes stared right at me and I can't help but shudder. Of course, I didn't shudder because I was scared but because I can feel the affection radiating from her gaze. To think that the mighty Queen of Grimm can produce such a gaze.

'She really loves me, huh?' I thought inwardly.

"I just have to greet Benny! They are so cute!" I said as I showed my brightest smile at Salem.

"You can greet them later, honey. It is time for us to eat." Salem said slowly.

Salem then grabs my hand and pulls me closer to her. She looked at my eyes and she slowly caressed my cheeks. I lean into her hand as I feel the cold emanating from her body, directly penetrating my warm cheek.

"We are supposed to be eating right?" I ask slowly as I look straight into Salem's eyes.

"Indeed…" Salem said slowly.

"So why are you holding my face, Mom? Is there something wrong?" I asked Salem.

"You are so beautiful, my dear, but I can't help but feel nostalgic whenever I look at your appearance…" Salem said slowly.

"Why?" I asked.

"Two years ago, you were just a ball of magic. Now, you are a young lady despite being only two years old. I feel like I missed your childhood even though I was always there…" Salem explains.

I see pride in Salem's eyes but I can also see some reluctance. She didn't wish for me to grow up this fast. To be able to walk and talk after just two years. To be able to participate in a war that she and her long lost lover started.

But, I needed to grow up fast in order to right Salem's wrongs. I needed fast growth in order to combat Salem's malice and bring her heart to peace. I needed to be an adult in order to get Salem to listen to me seriously.

'I too, wished that I could be your little monster for just a bit longer…' I thought inwardly.

"I will always be your child, Mom. No matter what happens to the world, please know that you will always have me. Okay?" I said with conviction in my heart.

I see Salem's eyes wavering. Her profound love for me is being held back by the hate born from her desire for revenge. I can't blame her for feeling all of those hate, after all, she is only a human turned into a Grimm.

She can have all kinds of desire for destruction just like a Grimm but she can never remove her human parts. The parts that were once filled with love and care for everything good in the world. Salem can't rid herself of her humanity that easily.

"I know. That is why I fear for your future…" Salem said in a slow whisper.

"I'm sorry?" I asked Salem, noticing that she said something.

"Nothing, dear. Come, let's eat shall we?" Salem said as she removed her hands from my cheeks and held out her hand.

I took a hold of Salem's hand and she immediately dragged me to her side. She then held out her elbows and asked me to hook my arms around her. Salem, who is the womanly of women, is now being so gentlemanly.

'I sincerely pity anybody who didn't fall in love with Mom…' I thought inwardly.

She stood regally beside me as we walked towards the door. Her face, which was warm now, has turned ice cold like her usual demeanor. Gone was the face that she only showed to me, replaced with the look of a ruler who wields absolute power in their hands.

Salem puts her hands on the handle and slowly opens the door. When the door opened, I saw the members of her coalition, sitting at a long table that was filled with various types of food. I also saw my chair, placed at the left side of Salem's usual spot at the head of the table.

'Now that I think about it…' I thought inwardly.

"Hey, Mom?" I asked Salem.

"Yes, Sage?" Salem said coldly.

"How do you feel about marrying another woman and giving me another parent?" I asked with a curious expression.

"..." Salem was silenced.