My Servant System

By the time my vision fully returned I was slightly surprised to see that everything around me was far clearer and sharper than before, only to wryly smile as I rationalized that an upgrade to my physical prowess would have definitely come with an upgrade to my senses.

Whether my sense of touch, taste or smell had become stronger was a question I wasn't able to answer as of yet since I didn't know how to tell with touch, there was only the taste of blood in my mouth - cold, frigid liquid that nipped at my tongue - while the air I pulled into my lungs couldn't convey a smell thanks to the equally sharp chill that permeated them still.

They were likely improved though, but for now I was enjoying the improved sight as I looked around at the others, gauging their reactions as I breathed out and using it to tweak my own as I searched their expressions.

I was a little worried that something crazy might have happened to me, that there was some weird blood flowing through my veins that would be pushed into the limelight without being desired by me, but considering everyone was just staring at me rather normally, well...

There was definitely a change though, something that was obvious since their eyes were roaming me rather objectively, so I looked down at myself and found one of the changes immediately, drawing another wry smile to my lips.

My skin had already been rather pale before - definitely not like an albino but definitely 'milky' - but now it was almost paper white, reflecting the light around us and instantly making me a little self conscious about it since I didn't want to be a glow stick.

Because of its lack of pigmentation the veins that snaked through my body were clearly visible, though where a normal person's veins were blue thanks to the blood inside, mine were now a silvery blue that looked very unnatural, though from afar they were rather 'normal' in appearance.

I don't think they had caught that just yet since it was definitely not normal to me, and I did let out a bit of a gasp as I raised my arm to stare at my veins; in doing so I also found the other noticeable thing, one that had been a bit hidden thanks to my palms resting on my knees.

Silver lines had become inked into my flesh on my forearms, specifically up my wrists and fading away just shy of the front of my elbows, creating a patchwork of slightly metallic runes that shifted slowly with each breath I took.

With the revelation that I had apparently been gifted some new tattoos without my consent, I decided to rush through my appraisal of my new self as I summoned a mirror made of ice - which I idly noticed was rather simple and easier to do now - to check my visage, slightly worried that I might have gotten tattoos on the one place I didn't want them.

I didn't dislike people with facial markings, but for myself I wanted a clean, smooth face that wasn't marred by anything, and upon bringing the mirror up I was able to breathe a sigh of relief when I saw a continued lack of any markings.

That didn't mean I was completely free from changes there either though, since the eyes darting around the mirror searching for said changes were a bit darker than before while the pupils had a silvery sheen as well, keeping most of their original shade.

My hazels were a little richer and the pupils were a tad uncanny when the light hit them just right, but otherwise they looked the same; as for my skin it was just as the rest of me had been, being a lot paler and definitely smoother now.

My lips were paler too, and after focusing on them I realized that my teeth were a bit sharper now as well, specifically the incisors, which had lengthened into proper fangs; not too large though and definitely not a detriment to anything I wanted to do...

The final noteworthy change on my head was a similar streak of alternatively colored hair like Anput's, though where my mate had a streak of crimson I had a silvery blue that contrasted my brown hair immensely.

It was a stark contrast that made a very obvious statement, so getting used to it was going to take time, especially since the path of hair that was now that silvery blue was just beneath where my ears were, causing some of the fur to shift as well.

Everything was a major change that was simply minor in appearance, at least that was what I was feeling right now with nothing drastic having been shifted; no new limbs, alterations to my flesh - like patches of fur, scales or chitin - or anything else besides pigmentation, some tattoos, and some minor shifts to my teeth and nails.

The longer I looked the more I became certain of that, though when I lowered the mirror and looked back towards the others I was a bit worried once again considering they were still just staring at me...

Though this time they weren't doing so with just a curious twinge; they were truly surprised, and that didn't make me feel good at the start, least of all because they weren't looking at me but instead behind me.

Turning around I was praying I wasn't going to see wings, a new tail or some other crazy thing attached to my body, so when I saw what had grasped their attention I was momentarily relieved... only to blink a few times as I tried to wrap my head around what I was seeing.

My mana was wafting off of my back and into the air behind me, but instead of just dissipating it was instead forming a very clear, very legible outline of what seemed to be a perfect copy of myself, which was looming just behind me like a shadow.

It even had the gall to mimic my movements as well, though as if sensing my confusion, anxiety and nerves it slowly twisted itself back around and stared down at me, the two pinpricks of mana that acted as its eyes inching closer.

Stretching its ghastly hand out towards my cheek, the apparition caressed me before patting my head as it began to dissipate, though not before it extended a finger and poked the back of my neck, where the mana it had formed itself from returned to.

"What... What the hell was that?"