Greet the maid.

She's a catfolk with a somewhat similar French maid style dress as Yin wears, with neck-length brunette hair and bright blue eyes. Her tail swings left and right as she hums a tune while watering the flowers. The can she uses is covered in a pattern of paws with a spout shaped like a kitten's face. She's not entirely lost in her work, however, as her ears twitch upon hearing your footfalls, and she turns as you near. Reko is her name. You remember her from back when you first stumbled upon this place with your party.

It doesn't take long for her to seemingly recognize you as well. "Meow!" she shouts. "It's good to see mew again, Lord Warren. Are nyou here to see my myaster?"

"Is he home, Reko?" you ask.

"Nyes he is, meow. What business do nyou have?" She looks to you with a cutesy expression, even briefly pawing at the air with her free hand.

You clear your throat and ponder for a moment. "Sorry, but I gotta ask. The kitty sound thing. Barkis doesn't like, make you do that, right? It isn't like... you know. A thing he's into, yeah? My bad if that's rude."

She looks at you with widened eyes--both shocked and a little upset by your query. "Nyo way! Reko is just Reko, meow. This is nyot some strange request by my myaster. In fact, I'm a pure innocent virgin, meow! Nyow answer my question, meow."

"Right. Well, it's about Elok Daven, the fate of Tivera, and therefore also the fate of the world. So it's a bit important."

"I see. That sounds impyortant."

"... Impyortant?"

"M-Meow. Follow me! I'll take nyou straight to my myaster." She places the watering can down in the grass before skipping towards the front gate. She grabs the handles and turns the double doors open, granting you entry once again to Lord Barkis' tower.

The interior is as you remember. Through the front doors is the entry hall, and a passage to the left leads to the staircase that spirals all the way up to the top floor. Reko leads you that way, and you can't help but remember how exhausting it was to climb them the first time. Now it feels like nothing at all. After a short while longer, she stops at a door and turns it open. It proceeds down a hallway, and you remember the next door ahead leading straight into his office. You're correct. Reko gestures for you to enter, and she follows in behind to gently shut the door.

A beautiful violet carpet extends out across the entire floor of the room. There are shelves filled with tomes and various magical reagents. Some you recognize--flowers you've seen on your adventures, and parts from animals you've personally battled. Some of the books speak of the history of these lands, while others are about various magical trinkets, spells, or the lore of other arcane things. At the far end of the office is of course the man himself. You haven't seen him since the meeting of the chairmen, but he's still bald and sports a wizardy white beard. Below bushy brows, he peers up from his book and leans back in his cushioned seat with a squeak of the dark wooden legs. As always, he's garbed in a golden robe with beautiful black trim.

"Greetings again, Demon King," comes an old yet mighty voice--one of great wisdom. He places a bookmark between the pages of his tome and closes to carefully before stroking his beard in silent thought for a moment. "For you to come here, I wonder what difficulties you must face."

"The same ones as always. I've come to ask for a favour."

"You know, my work with the Circle has me rather busy more often that not."

"You're reading a fiction novel," you reply.

After a lengthy pause in the conversation, Drev Barkis cracks a smile and chuckles. "All right. You got me. I suppose it's too much to ask for the great Demon King of Tivera to overlook such details. The favour you speak about. I assume it's about this enemy of ours."

"I'm glad you consider yourself on my side against this fight, because it's one that's going to happen whether people like it or not. Elok Daven, previously known as David, as well as Breiah, need to be stopped once and for all, so I've come to your home. I have no idea where the other chairmen live, but you're a powerful, experienced mage. Surely they'll listen to you if you call, right?"

He lets out a quiet, long grumble before leaning forwards over his desk. "You've seen firsthand how little they listen. But you're correct. The situation is dire, and if I must be the messenger, then so be it. We'll need to tell them something that interests them, however."

"Yeah. I'm searching for an edge. I was hoping you or someone else from the Circle might help me formulate a plan to get some real recon done. We need to find their primary lab."

"... Hmm. You know, I may have a plan, though it would be incredibly risky. Given your talents, however, you may be the only one who could pull it off."

"You have my attention."

"It's a potion," he explains. "While I'm not much of an alchemist myself, I have in my possession both the recipe and the ingredients for an incredibly powerful concoction. It's called the Elixir of No Finding. Truly, it's a strange yet potent potion I've only seen used a single time in my life, and that was a very long time ago. Not only is it difficult to brew, but what's required to make it would be too much for most to afford. Yes, I am offering you a small fortune."

"You'll want something in return, right?"

"Indeed. But it isn't much. Truly, I don't want to see Tivera fall, nor do I want the corruption to spread. So all I ask as payment is for you to write for me all you can think of pertaining to Earth. I know that's a strange, vague topic, but anything will do. Jot down various things. Isekai Theory has always fascinated me, and I would be honoured to be one of the few to ever write a book about it. One of the few to even meet somebody who was actually brought from another world."

"Between working to fix that battery, teaching Luna about sneakers and jeans and stuff, and this, I almost feel like I'm back at home. Now all we need are some McDonald's and we're back on Earth again."

Reko tilts her head. "McDyonald's?"

"I'd probably have gone with McDonyalds."

Barkis raises a hand. "However," he speaks to gather your attention again. "You would still need somebody to mix the potion for you. As I said, I do have the instructions. It may take me some time to find a talented alchemist we can trust, but--"

"I know someone," you say. "Don't worry."

"Ah. I shouldn't be surprised. You've made allies everywhere, haven't you, Demon King? Hmm. The only thing demonic about you is your frightening ability to grow your numbers, yet not through ****. Know that after everything, I have grown to respect you, Kyle Warren, though I don't pretend to truly know you." He slowly stands up behind his desk, nudging his seat back as he moves. "Reko. You may return to your duties. Kyle and I are heading to my vault."

"Nyes, myaster!" the maid replies. After a polite curtsy, she departs from the room and disappears from view.

Before the two of you head out, while Lord Barkis is preparing, you look to him after an awkward moment of pondering your question. "So... Can I ask a question about your maid?"

With his hands back his back, he walks slowly to the door. "Speaking like that makes her happy," he responds. "Now come."