Preparations and arrivals

Nimue stood still for a long moment, her gaze tracing the metal door with a scrutinizing eye. Her ears were poised as high as they could be - being able to move them freely was one of the rare traits that she possessed - indicating that she was listening closely, doing her best to deduce what was happening within the alchemy lab. Lucas was a careful person, she knew that. She wasn't worried about his safety. But this didn't mean she felt at ease.

Nimue was not a person wet behind her ears. She's served three generations of Stormriders, always being appointed as the personal maid to the family's head - a position she proudly upheld until Ismeria came around. Through the years, she's seen many places. Lawful and grand counties of Riverut, Inallel's naturalistic architecture, Melidan's expansive deserts, and so, so many more. Her travels with first Iwo, and then Valerian Stormrider, were oftentimes filled with obstacles. Those ranged anywhere from illnesses on the way to bandit's ambushes, or sometimes duels with other families taken too far - Nimue had seen too many of those occurrences to be shaken by them anymore.

Yet, as she tied her hands together, she couldn't help but feel a shudder travel through her body. Uneasiness stirred within her soul. She'd been following behind Lucas for at least a minute or so, and she'd seen everything clearly. He was as enraged as he was silent, and that was what made her quiver. Out of everyone in this house, she didn't want to see him like that. It wasn't just because of her duties. She sincerely wished for him to be fine and well.

Out of every Stormrider she ever knew, Lucas treated the servants the best. It wasn't just because of him being Classless. Comparing him to his father and sisters, the youngest Stormrider was inherently nicer. The former were usually uptight up until they classed and only loosened up slightly after that hurdle (except for Ophelia, but Nimue blamed her mother's indoctrination for that). Meanwhile, Lucas had always been a pleasant boy who grew to be a respectably gentle man despite everything that had been happening to him.

In fact, more often than not Nimue felt like the two of them in particular had a connection that ascended beyond just a 'master-servant' relationship. A momentary ponder made her lips curve upward and her heartbeat accelerate.

"Nimue," Miri's voice came from behind her. "Mistress Aveline wants to see you."

"H-Huh?" in a similar fashion to Lucas just a minute ago, the elf maid turned around with a startled expression.

"Mistress Aveline wants to see you," the brown-haired colleague repeated her words.

"R-Right, I'll be right there," she nodded in response before shifting her body weight and stepping forth.

Passing by Miri, Nimue's thoughts shifted toward the middle child of the Stormrider lineage. Between the three siblings, she was the only one truly talented in the blade, and seemingly as a consequence, she was equally as blunt and straightforward - this was what Deuce had once summarized Aveline as. From her own experiences, the elf maid could add a few points.

Aveline Stormrider was not a supremely intelligent person, but she wasn't an idiot, either. Her disposition to the sword was candidly the only thing most people, including her fiance, knew of, but the blonde Stormrider used to be quite enthralled by the concept of alchemy in her younger years. Nimue still could remember the hours she'd spent watching over as Valerian performed all manner of experiments, allowing his daughter to not just participate, but even try to figure out solutions on her own. Although the memory was becoming faint, it still caused the maid's mouth to curve upward slightly. Perhaps it was their father's influence that Aveline ended up becoming a passive bystander to her brother's bullying, rather than an oppressor like Ophelia. It still was no good thing, but certainly better than joining in...

...or so Nimue tried to convince herself.

Shaking herself out of the pondering state, the black-haired maid noticed that she had reached her destination: the room on the second floor of the manor, in the eastern wing. Quickly checking her attire, she raised her hand and knocked on the wooden surface softly. Hearing a voice call out from the inside, she entered.

The spacious room welcomed her with a sweet floral scent. The grand curtains fluttered as air began blowing through the large, open windows. The entire place was furnished with a few small cabinets and a huge bed, easily enough for three or four people to comfortably sleep in. A large mirror reflected Nimue's hourglass figure in full as she closed the door and took a tentative step further in.

Glancing to her right, she could see Aveline Stormrider, leaning on the windowsill and gazing outside. Her wide frame was now clothed in a large, long-sleeved, creamy tunic and wide pants that hid all muscles. Her golden hair was made into a bun while the silver strands formed curls that descended to her chin. This gave the woman a unique beauty that could hardly be explained in words.

Noticing her arrival, the tall woman breathed a tired sigh and turned to the maid. A quick step forward was enough to almost cut the distance between them in half. The skin of her face was still red from the training.

"How is he?" the tall woman asked, her voice somewhat stern, but not in a negative way.

"Young master is recovering steadily. He is in the alchemy lab, and asked to not be disturbed," Nimue responded. Her green eyes closed momentarily before looking at the ground. 'I hope that he does not let his mind get cloudy with anger. That way he'll be prone to make a mistake.'

"Hmm," was the only response that the tall Stormrider let out. Should the black-haired maid look at her, she'd notice the tiniest of smirks appear in the corner of her mouth.

Aveline stepped to the side slightly, her attention turning to one of the drawers, or rather, to a small locker on its top. Without turning the key, she opened the container, quickly snatching a small bottle of red liquid from within. Right after that, she handed it to the smaller woman with simple words, "Keep up the good work."

Quietly accepting the gift, Nimue wasted no time, immediately pulling slightly at her collar to expose the plentiful cleavage underneath. With nimble fingers, she put the red-filled bottle right into the big divide between her flesh, feeling a pleasant shiver travel through her at contact.

Then, she looked up, her gaze meeting with Aveline's. Only a single message was to be conveyed.

"Dismissed."

-Meanwhile-

A nauseating stench filled the air as Lucas uncorked the bottle of Nicillic Tears. This unsuspecting transparent liquid was one of the strongest acids created in alchemy. The process of creating it was not only lengthy but also rather expensive. There was very little that could not be corroded by it, and even the glass and cork that held it had to be strengthened with magic. However, there was one property that made it a truly desirable product.

'Breaking apart the crystalline formation of mana stones...' Lucas pondered for a moment, looking at the large mana stone he pulled out. It was an expensive piece of a resource from the highest shelf, costing him more than a hundred golden coins for this piece alone. In comparison, even the bottle he was holding only cost about twenty, and that was considered expensive by many standards. The blue surface of the mana stone shimmered as his shadow was cast over it for a moment.

Doing his best to ignore the arduous smell of the acid, Lucas moved the mana stone onto a large metal plate and took a pipette bulb. Carefully filling it about half-full with the colorless liquid, the white-haired Stormrider breathed a small huff.

'Eamon said that I'll be able to tell if it's properly done if I use <Keen Senses>... well then, let's not waste any more time.' he nodded before activating the skill.

In an instant, he felt a nauseous feeling stir within his stomach. Fighting the urge to throw up, Lucas moved the tool in his hand above the blue stone on the table and dropped a single drop.

The moment the drop of Nicillic Tears touched the mana stone, the reaction began. The stone appeared to shine more brilliantly for a moment before its surface dimmed, a small imprint of smoldering blackness laughing at him like a stain on a window. The entire process was accompanied by a sizzling-like sound. Immediately, Lucas felt something about the stone... change, albeit vaguely. It was on a level that was indiscernible without very acute senses.

He continued the process, adding one drop after another. The mana stone started letting out faint sounds akin to glass being on the verge of breaking, and the black spot on its surface only gained in size, vein-like cracks spreading on it. Eventually, however, a faint sense stung Lucas in the back of his head. It was... a strange sensation, alien to him yet known like the back of his hand. The ambiguous state kept on pestering him with increased strength as some more drops of Nicillic Tears made their way onto the stone until the black stain covered almost a quarter of its surface. And then... he put down the tool. Instinctually, he knew it; the process was done.

Getting a hold of the mana stone, Lucas felt a strange sensation of familiarity pass through his body. An energizing sensation filled him to the brim. Like a new river joining the old stream and empowering it, he felt the power of the mana stone and his own interconnecting on an almost intimate level, resonating nigh-perfectly with one another. How was something like this possible...?

'It's so strange... I'm not sure if it's me holding this stone... or if it is holding me.' he felt a shiver of unknown anticipation travel down his back at the thought. He made a cocky smile. 'This must mean it's done.'

With a careful hold, the young Stormrider placed the mana stone into a separate bag which he tied tightly. Then, he reached out to a shelf near his position and pulled out a small, metal box. Opening it, he noticed a few small stones of a faintly orange color. However, a frown entered his face.

'...only 5 pieces of Arderum...? Where did Aveline throw the remaining ones... gah, can't expect anything even of this place, can I?' he grimaced a little as he pulled out a small, metal pedestal with a steel bowl on top. Tossing the stones inside, he glanced around, scanning every last piece of equipment he saw. No more Arderum in sight. Lucas quickly started checking the drawers around himself, but alas, he found not a piece. A long groan escaped his mouth.

'Great... of all the things to be missing, we're missing the burner material. Just amazing. Where could she have taken them...? Gods know. Seriously, I'm not sure I want to know what goes through her head.' Lucas sighed in defeat. 'This much will still be enough, but the process will take... Gods, I'll be here until tomorrow...' a prolonged groan left his mouth as he put his hand on the table with ****. The reagents around shook lightly, mana stones letting out crystalline sounds as a few pieces of long, white plants reminiscent of parsley - Lynic Roots - rolled slightly, bringing his attention to themselves. Grabbing one in his hand, Lucas frowned. 'Whatever. Griping won't get me anywhere.' his hand found a peeler on a shelf. 'Slow or fast, the important thing is to move onward.' he brought the blade to the plant's surface.

-Roughly 6 hours later-

"...is something the matter, young master?" Ina's voice brought Lucas out of his thoughts as her gray eyes stared at his.

"...hmm?" the white-haired man suddenly jerked his hand, causing the piece of pork on his fork to fall into mashed potatoes. "N-No, I'm just thinking."

The cook of the Stormrider house squinted her eyes as she put her hands on her hips. "If my cooking is not to your liking, young master, then just say so. You've been sitting here for twenty minutes, and you've barely touched your meal. Look at Nimue: she's a slow eater, and she's already done with her portion," her voice sounded slightly dissatisfied, but there was concern meshed with her tone.

"Sorry, Ina. It's delicious, as expected of the best cook in Weydan. It's just... I'm thinking about tomorrow. Guests from Inallel will come, and I'm a little tense," he responded slowly, his violet eyes tracing along the edge of his plate.

A moment of silence was beset on the trio. Nimue, sitting left of Lucas, intertwined her hands, her spiky ears lowering slightly in worry. "Young master," she eventually spoke. "I understand that their visit must upset you, as it came completely out of the blue. But please do not worry. If you wish for a book from the family's library, I'm more than happy to bring you any title you want," her graceful tone was tinted with a glint of unnoticeable affection as her green eyes looked over Lucas's form.

"...thanks, Nimue. But I'm not upset about that. Being restricted to the underground levels was a given anyway. I'm just... ah, you don't need to concern yourself," he sighed before eating a bit of his food.

"You don't have to hide your worries. What is it about?" the elf maid asked, slowly leaning forward and shuffling slightly toward the man. Her large bust rested on top of the table.

'Eamon said that 'I might make a friend'. It means that I will meet someone from the guests. What worries me is that he made it sound invariable. Mother will be furious...' he thought before a light chuckle escaped his mouth, "I'm just wondering if I'll finish my work in the alchemy lab on time. Nothing serious," he formed a gentle smile, doing his best to reassure the black-haired woman. Suddenly, he pushed the plate away from himself and stood up.

"Not again, young master!" Ina made a step toward him, but the man was already by the door. "You can't be skipping meals like this!" she almost shouted.

"I have to go, see you in the morning!" he replied, closing the door hastily and leaving the two women alone.

...

"...gah, younglings," Ina snorted with ridicule. "I understand that he is in a hurry, but it's no excuse to skip meals."

Nimue didn't answer, her green eyes looking down for a long moment. Though her mind raced with multiple thoughts, she found it difficult to focus on any particular one. As seconds passed, a sense of foreboding arose in her heart.

"...do you think young master is hiding something?" the elf maid suddenly asked, causing Ina to flinch.

"Hiding what?" she raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know. There is... something about him that's a little off," Nimue's voice trailed off for a moment as her eyes traced along the table's surface. "Today and yesterday, he seems to be thinking about something deeply. He said that he was doing research for his classes, but soon enough, he asked about a book on Inallel's current lineages. That's not something either of his sisters learned about in their time in the Academy. Adding to that the fact that he asked about any guests yesterday makes me wonder... did he know ahead of time?"

"Pfft. You're overthinking this, Nimue," Ina shook her head with a chuckle. Her matte hair fluttered for a moment. "You know young master. He always thinks about something. Maybe he was asking because he wanted to invite someone. I heard that the girls in the Academy are real beauties. I'm sure at least one or two caught his eye. Perhaps he wanted to impress them," she made a sly smile.

"...right," Nimue sighed, straightening in her position. Yet, as she thought about what Ina said, she couldn't help but feel her fingers slowly curl into her palms. Her face became gently flushed with pink as her ears lowered a little.

"Oh, look at you, getting jealous over some imaginary girl," Ina snorted momentarily.

"!" the black-haired maid suddenly stood up. "As if! I-I'm just worried about young master's safety!" she said, but her face only became redder.

"Nimue, I've worked with you for... 8 years now," the cook chuckled. "No need to be shy about it. I honestly feel like I'm watching my daughter be obsessed over a boy again."

"..." the black-haired maid glanced at her coworker, her expression gently returning to a mostly neutral facade. "Might I remind you that I'm almost your age?"

"Right... you elves, keeping youth for centuries. You'll outlive me, Lucas, and even your kids," teased Ina before turning around and leaving the room, leaving the red-faced Nimue to herself for the time being.

-The next day, morning-

Lucas rubbed his eyes lazily as a yawn escaped his mouth. The heated air of the alchemy lab was one of the most comforting atmospheres he knew of, and knowing that Lynic Roots had to boil overnight, he decided to stay and watch the process (just in case Aveline decided to step in). Feeling the stiffness in his fingers and body, the young Stormrider stood up slowly before doing a few light stretches. Turned sideways to the alembic of his overnight interest, his violet eye scrutinized its contents. The blue solution that used to fill the main flask to about two-thirds has now reduced to less than a tenth of the volume, and plenty of sediment had formed - remnants of mana stones that he'd thrown in, broken down through their reaction with Lynic Roots in hot water. In a container next to it, the same solution could be seen, albeit when Lucas moved the glass, the liquid was undoubtedly thicker, with a viscosity reminiscent of oil.

'Alright, looks good. The purity isn't the best, but I'm not trying to make a mana potion. Now, the next step.' a yawn escaped his mouth as his hand went for the small bag with powdered mana stones. As he undid the knot and opened it, some of the blue, crystalline dust became airborne, shimmering in the room's lights. Lucas exhaled slowly before bringing out a small bowl and a mixing spoon.

With careful, almost mechanical movements, the white-haired man poured the solution of Lynic Roots in. After he lowered the spoon, he felt how it vibrated in his hand. 'The potency appears good,' he formed a smirk before bringing out a measuring cup. 'For half a liter of the solution, roughly... two-thirds of a kilogram should do.' he scooped up the powder into the cup. After some shuffling here and there, he poured the demanded amount into the bowl and immediately started stirring. With every swing, he felt the result becoming denser. Its viscosity increased rapidly, going beyond oil in an instant and quickly reaching that of liquid honey. Eventually, as Lucas let the spoon sit on its own, he noticed how it was almost standing still, gravity just barely able to win against the liquid's cohesive forces. He chuckled as his mouth curved into a smile.

'And now it's done. Finally...' he nodded to himself, raising the bowl slightly. It weighed more than it appeared to, the man just barely able to lift it with one hand. Checking over the state of everything else, Lucas packed everything he needed into bags and cleaned up the workstation. Soon enough, he was walking through the halls, intent on going back to his room.

However... a flash of light came from the outside. The young Stormrider flinched, his head snapping toward the nearest window. 'Light from the south... the beacon?' a thought appeared in his mind. A momentary image of the structure situated in the garden flashed. A beautiful arch made of mana-conductive adamantium, reinforced with mithril and bearing finishing touches of some common corrosive-resistant metals, it was a structure whose main purpose was to teleport between distant places. However, it was an exquisite piece of magical machinery that could only be found in the richest of households. This provoked another thought in Lucas. 'They're coming already? Which family is vising us, for them to use the beacon? I thought they'd come on horses...' he wondered as he looked through the window, for just a moment forgetting what he was about to do.

From the distance, he could see four figures standing in the large garden, waiting in front of the beacon as it was activating. Even from a distance, Lucas easily recognized his own family by their height. Each one of them was dressed presentationally, with Ismeria and Ophelia donning long dresses of sparkly silver colors while Aveline had a shorter, skirt-esque dress with colors shifted toward the warm palette and a slightly baggy tunic made with cotton. However, the fourth person was someone he could not remember seeing anywhere else, wearing a light tunic, pants, and a cloak.

'...that must be the messenger from Inallel's Council.' he realized. 'Well, mother did say I shouldn't meet them, but let me at least see who they are. <Keen Senses>.' he activated the skill, feeling the distance between him and the garden shrink in an instant. The faces of his mother and sisters, as well as the messenger, came into his view, their expressions barely visible but bearing some amount of tension.

And then... the connection stabilized.

The light emanating from the beacon died off, creating a blueish water-like surface stretching in the ring. Its surface was constantly moving in a semi-irregular pattern, creating an illusion of it being a real lake's cover.

Suddenly, a few figures walked out of the expanse, their steps stern and uniform. All of them were dressed in long robes except for a woman in the very middle who donned a piece of equipment more reminiscent of a very high-quality cloak over a skirt, both of deep blue color that complemented her beautifully oceanic eyes. Similarly to the differences in clothing, this elf had deep green hair rather than the silvery tone that the rest did, making her stand out like a single leaf on a barren ground.

The elf woman had a small, pugnacious nose that looked cute on its own. Combined with lusciously full lips and rather long ears, Lucas immediately could tell that she was no ordinary elf.

'...green hair and blue eyes... only the Liveren family in Inallel has those traits... wait, Liveren sits in the Council currently, no? Then... it means that, when converted to Etnal's nobility ranks, that woman is... a princess? I'll be damned, a princess!'

For a few long seconds, Lucas forgot what he was doing previously, taking in the sights. Looking at how the two groups were eyeing each other for a long moment, he glanced over the Liveren daughter's body as much as his skill allowed to.

Though her clothing attempted to conceal it, her body was definitely well-developed, with wide hips that were easily visible and a comparatively modest chest. The woman's overall pose was very slim, and she stood upright to a height that was slightly taller than Ophelia. Her hair was expansive and long, almost knocking at the back of her knees, and ordained with a wide array of flowers and small jewelry.

In an instant, the six people stopped. The green-haired elf raised a hand around her head level, opening its palm to the sky. A small glint of light escaped her smooth skin and converged above it, forming a ball. She looked at it for a split moment before seemingly hearing something the messenger said and closing her hand. She took a deep breath - which almost looked like a sigh - and shuffled on her feet slightly. Almost as though prompted by this action, something black appeared to escape from under her cloak, and formed right behind her, showing the appearance of a black cat.

'...she's a Spiritualist...?' Lucas thought, seeing the light show. Then, his gaze was brought to the animal. 'And she brought a cat? Why...?' he pondered momentarily until his gaze returned to the woman. The moment he did so, her eyes darted straight at him.

The distance was easily over fifty meters, and given the properties of the glass, there was a high chance that the only thing the elf woman saw was a reflection of a sky. Yet... the two of them locked their eyes for a short, tense moment. Lucas felt a cold shiver travel down his spine. Canceling <Keen Senses>, he felt the urge to cough rise, but he quelled it as he moved onward.

...

'...don't tell me she saw me...'

...

'Well, even if, I'll just lock myself in my room. The ingredients are done. Now, it's time to class.'

-2 minutes ago, near the beacon-

As they entered the marquis's territory through the teleport gate, she felt something stir at her very soul. Seeing the three women greet her with their gazes - only one of which appeared even remotely respectful - she couldn't help but sense something... off. The very air appeared... strangely dirty.

Taking a deep breath, she welled up some mana in her hand, summoning a small spirit of light. However, before she managed to direct it with an instruction, she heard Lis'te speak in the elven Mins, "=Princess Seraphina, welcome to the Stormrider manor. I believe this place will provide you with adequate security for the time being,=" his lips moved fluently as he bowed deeply, his golden hair hiding his face. Suddenly, he straightened up as though awaiting an order.

In response, the green-haired elf took a deep breath in and exhaled, feeling slightly irritated. Slightly stepping from one foot to the other, she tapped the ground twice in a way that nobody could've noticed. Immediately, she felt the fur ball on her back move, dropping to the ground and stepping behind her guards, invisible to the people who were only looking at her face and reactions. Seraphina parted her lips partially, intending to speak some words back.

However, her eyes darted to the side slightly, looking at the manor. More precisely, she looked at one of the windows, her expanded senses informing her that there was something... special about that spot in particular. Staring at it for a long moment, a strange sensation of familiarity welled up in her stomach... before she heard one of the women speak.

Lis'te immediately provided her with a translation, "=Princess, this woman is Ismeria Stormrider, the head of the house. She welcomes you and wishes you a safe stay.="

"..." Seraphina turned her gaze toward the window once more, but this time, the strange sensation was gone. Similarly, she no longer could feel the cat, indicating that it had moved elsewhere.

"=Princess? Is something the matter?="

"=...What is this stench in the air?=" the green-haired elf grimaced slightly, her ocean-blue eyes scanning over the trio of women ahead of herself. "=Do those people not know the wonder of bath?="

"=Princess, I'm afraid this servant does not understand?=" Lis'te tilted his head, and so did all the guards around Seraphina. All of them took slight breaths in, and... nothing fetid could be felt. "=Perhaps you are experiencing some after-effects of traveling through the gate? It's understandable, as it is your first time.="

"=My condition is fine. It's this place that's wrong. It REEKS in here.="