[SS] Chocolate Fish

Erin stood and watched this vagarious situation continue to escalate until the timely intervention of Folke. She had been about to throw herself between the villagers and their targets in order to shield them with her body, but this musical solution was definitely much more effective and appreciated by all present. Once all had calmed down, she maintained her distance and silence, preferring to observe and keep a low profile until she had a better grasp of the situation. To this end, she even pulled out a small notebook in which she wrote brief descriptions of each person she had met and seen today along with anything they had said.

One of the guests had even openly identified Folke by name, indicating that perhaps their own identities and allegiances had been incorrectly assumed by her and the townspeople. However, this doubt was not evidence of their collective innocence in itself; there was still the very real possibility that these people were all speaking in coded language and were actually party to the plot of disappearing children. The notebook would be by far the strongest weapon and tool in her arsenal for this case, and she planned to keep using it until she was no longer able.

It was now time for our young detective to begin profiling all those present. She gazed curiously toward the three bombarded women and the suspiciously sweet Folke now that the latter was no longer directing his attention to her.  She needed to try getting an understanding of their personalities and behaviour from afar before she lost the initiative. There was not much to go on yet, but she definitely needed to be in the right state of mind if she needed to catch anything they said or did, no matter how large or small. Sooner or later, though, she would need to introduce herself to them and earn their attention. The very thought triggered her anxiety for several reasons, but it was not enough to make her reconsider her job. She would see this through.

The tides were turning.

An unknown element had made its appearance turning the whole of the situation by 180°. Just a moment ago there had been hatred raining down upon their group, but now the storm had calmed. No longer were there rotten vegetables or household goods coming their way and they weren’t even replaced by some other sort of ammo.

Edana could no longer feel any sense of danger, nor did she feel reason to flee the situation. Even the hectic, that high paced heart beat, it had calmed just like this.

Everything was enveloped in some sort of tranquility, the happy kind, that kind likely every person would associate with their hometowns, their family, their birthplace, the simple laid back life. It was jolly; that was what the atmosphere spread by that sound was in the truest form of its essence.

She was about to sink into it, as someone grabbed her by the arm.

«Blond hair, young, a good face... Edana, is that Folke?!»

The mini-skirt winter coat girl had almost forgotten the reason why she had set out with all that gear on her, but she quickly remembered once reminded.

«…oh…right!»

Rubbing her own head, she finally set her sights on their saviour, the centre and source of all that happy atmosphere. Much like everyone else in this scene, she turned to him, committing herself to the crime that was staring. However, she didn’t stare for admiration’s sake, nor because she felt anything in particular about the music being played. She likely was the only one here simply staring with business-woman like eyes.

And once she had confirmed according to the conditions she herself had a gathered, her answer would of course follow.

«No. I don’t think so.»

Straight to the point.

She was sure. After all she had heard, this man could not be Folke Sunquist.

His hair may have been blonde. He may have been young, but…~

Five minutes later his song came to a calm end.

Silence fell over the man that had held his eyes closed this whole time. There had been no need for him to check on the effect of his actions. It may have been arrogant of him to simply assume that whatever he did would cause the desired outcome, but that had been something given to him by experience.

A smile was on his lips, as he finally removed the boy from that violin, putting both items back into the case of black ebony with great care. Once he was done and that case was closed, he grabbed its handle with his right hand, before finally stepping towards the first person his eyes could make out.

«I am honoured that you were able to enjoy my play this much, young lady.»

It was the girl with the long silk like golden hair that had obviously been the most captivated by his song. From the motion of her body and the expression on her face, he had already seen beyond the enjoyment, actually understanding why her reaction had been the way it was. Additionally that item she was carrying on her shoulder may have been another hint to accelerate that understanding process.

He smiled at her, warmly, beautifully.

«It is always a pleasure when someone from the same craft feels that way towards my mine. Maybe next time I can have taste of some of yours»

Then finally he took a slight bow not only to greet her, but also her comrades, whom he hadn’t spared much attention for.

«I am Folke Sunquist and I take it that you are the reinforcements sent from London, aren’t you?»

«I am honoured that you were able to enjoy my play this much, young lady.»

“It was my pleasure. It was an absolutely beautiful performance.” Tierney complimented with a small grin decorating her still fairly childish features as she returned the bow, however doing so made the rotten tomatoes drip further down her clothes as if it was a grim reminder of how horrible her scent must be, prompting her to quickly stand straight with the most embarrassed blush she had ever mustered while she ran a hand through her hair to get rid of the icky substance and prayed she would find some place to shower and soon before the damage on her clothes was irreparable...

«It is always a pleasure when someone from the same craft feels that way towards my mine. Maybe next time I can have taste of some of yours. I am Folke Sunquist and I take it that you are the reinforcements sent from London, aren’t you? »

A somewhat bitter and forced smile appeared on her face to replace her previous expression that spoke of how much she wanted to dig a hole and die in it as Folke mentioned her own violin case calmly resting on her shoulder after she'd tried her best to protect it, and she decided to omit it in favour of simply answering his question as she reassuringly waved to her two comrades still waiting ahead.

“Yeah, I'm Tierney. Tierney Bevin.” Due to her current disgusting state, she decided against offering Folke a handshake though briefly bowed once more to make up for it.

«No. I don’t think so.»

Her initial surprise at seeing the man and hearing his music had passed, and the adrenaline from their flight had faded somewhat. As such, she was able to take a look at their current circumstances with a cooler head than before.

The man she saw had definitely been the one to stop the assault of the townsfolk. At first she had assumed it would only be a short pause, but even now there was still no sign of an encore. Looking at from that point of view, he had certainly come to their rescue. And they definitely owed him for his help just now. However, such a convenient person in this remote village who hardly seemed like he could be a resident was highly suspicious. And, when she heard the contents of his introduction to Tierney...

«I am Folke Sunquist and I take it that you are the reinforcements sent from London, aren’t you?»

There was a possibility that Edana was mistaken, and that was indeed Folke, but Vita wasn't one to distrust her followers. Even if she hadn't yet come under her wing, it was a poor ruler that failed to listen to the words of those who stood beside them. So for now, she'd operate under the assumption that her words were correct. And there was no need to beat around the bush, probe for intentions, or play along. She would cut straight to the heart of the matter, and ask the man himself to try and provide an explanation for Edana's suspicions.

"You introduce yourself as Folke Sundquist. Edana says you are not him. That means you not only lied about your identity, but attempted to assume the identity of someone else. I cannot imagine a pleasant motive for such an action. However, we do owe you for your performance, and it would be truly preferable if this were all a simple misunderstanding. So, I will give you a chance to explain yourself. Could you please dispel my companion's doubts?"

She spoke fluently, each word following the previous in smooth succession. Her tone and choice of diction clearly indicated that she was speaking as if she were the grand arbitrator, as if she were a ruler giving a subject who had erred a chance to redeem themselves. And that was precisely what she viewed her position as. The man who had named himself Folke Sundquist had been placed under suspicion of being an impostor, but in light of his meritorious deeds, she would give him an opportunity to be absolved of his crimes.

Some people might say she was getting ahead of herself, that she was far too haughty or far too proud. But no matter how poorly people might view her, she could not be described as a spoiled brat or a kid playing make believe. Because it was clear that she was truly, earnestly acting in the manner she believed fit for the personage she had styled herself as. It was not an act and it was not halfhearted. Even if others would not recognize her as such, she was seriously speaking as an empress.

After writing more details in her notebook about the people in front of her, Erin saw an opportunity to help ease everyone's concerns by being the peacemaker.

"My name is Erin Lightheart, and while I hate to interrupt, this man has shown nothing but benevolence to everyone present, and openly left himself vulnerable while assisting all of you. I believe it would be more appropriate to save your questioning for when we're out of the cold and have had a moment to wrap our heads around this whole mess. I have no reason to doubt that any misunderstandings will be cleared up."

Given what she expected from the one who just did all the questioning, this would place her under suspicion too, but it couldn't be helped. Folke had insisted to just follow his lead, so she wasn't about to start saying too much on her own, as that would possibly contradict what the man had in mind. This arrangement would only last so long as her opinion of him remained somewhat high; if there was more reason to doubt him then their deal would be terminated and she'd be back to doing what she does best: Solo investigation work.

It was true that one of them disbelieved Folke's claimed identity, but there was hesitation even on her part. The others apparently didn't even know who they were looking for other than a name. This did raise some questions, though Erin was also considering the possibility that given what little she knew about their organization, would agents or spies' faces even be that well known to their own underlings if they were that good at their profession? The truth might indeed come out rather easily if given a chance, but there was likely to be some remaining suspicion regardless, as it's not as though those three were able to truly know someone's motivations and identity.

The same could not be said for our young detective.

«I am Folke Sunquist and I take it that you are the reinforcements sent from London, aren’t you?»

So this is actually him? I-i-it could be after all…huh…

«You introduce yourself as Folke Sundquist. Edana says you are not him. That means you not only lied about your identity, but attempted to assume the identity of someone else. I cannot imagine a pleasant motive for such an action. However, we do owe you for your performance, and it would be truly preferable if this were all a simple misunderstanding. So, I will give you a chance to explain yourself. Could you please dispel my companion's doubts?»

Since when had her words held such weight?

It was true that she had conducted investigation in the matter, but be the end she hadn’t been able to find any proper clue. Everything she had on Folke Sunquist was just, too vague, so she had simple assumed that it wasn’t him, due to him not meeting all conditions in her eyes. But…

It could be very likely that her tastes were too off the mark all over again.

I-it may really be him…! Shit what do I do…? What do I do!?

«My name is Erin Lightheart, and while I hate to interrupt, this man has shown nothing but benevolence to everyone present, and openly left himself vulnerable while assisting all of you. I believe it would be more appropriate to save your questioning for when we're out of the cold and have had a moment to wrap our heads around this whole mess. I have no reason to doubt that any misunderstandings will be cleared up.»

With every word spoken Edana Callan’s presence would shrink even more. Truly feeling the urge to correct herself, yet again feeling guilt over having drawn everything into this direction, the red haired girl was moving more and more towards a backseat. Not only because it would be tough to correct everything said, but also because it was kind of awkward. So she settled on holding back for the time being, staying silent.

Her eyes fixed on the ground, hiding her blushing face under her bang’s shadow, while laughing awkwardly in silence.

Completing the introduction another warm smile was given to the girl called Tierney, replacing the warmth a handshake had usually been bringing along. It was as if he was expressing the pleasure that was making her acquaintance in a shorter manner, due to the situation at hand pressing at him from another side.

«You introduce yourself as Folke Sundquist. Edana says you are not him. That means you not only lied about your identity, but attempted to assume the identity of someone else. I cannot imagine a pleasant motive for such an action. However, we do owe you for your performance, and it would be truly preferable if this were all a simple misunderstanding. So, I will give you a chance to explain yourself. Could you please dispel my companion's doubts?»

Doubt was not a strange sight in such a situation. Eyeing both of the other girls, the loud blonde one and the silent red haired one, he nodded for a short moment, not allowing for his smile to fall apart, even though his mind was currently captivated in thought.

However before he could form any word in response to what was being said, someone else actually took that task from him.

«My name is Erin Lightheart, and while I hate to interrupt, this man has shown nothing but benevolence to everyone present, and openly left himself vulnerable while assisting all of you. I believe it would be more appropriate to save your questioning for when we're out of the cold and have had a moment to wrap our heads around this whole mess. I have no reason to doubt that any misunderstandings will be cleared up.»

«Indeed. Let us proceed following Erin’s suggestion. Once we have found a warm shelter, maybe at the inn, we can discuss everything. All your concerns over my identity shall be cleared then and if you still do not find way to believe me, you can still execute me, acceptable?»

He couldn’t help but increase the friendliness supporting those words, but that was another thing necessary to keep the situation peaceful. He was grateful for Erin’s interference, even though she may have gone forward a little too strongly, but that was acceptable in its own right, had it been enough to bring everything forward. So he gave her a silent smile, a way to thank her for her deeds without actually having to speak up.


A moment later the five of them had assembled at the village’s inn. It was the kind of place one could expect in that deserted fully barricaded area; the front doors and windows were nailed shut, so one was forced to knock at the front, ask for entry and would then be told the location of a hidden back entry that would usually remain locked, unless of course a potential or proper guest asked for permission to enter. Once done the small man running the place would hurry to accommodate the customer’s wishes by letting them in and taking up their requests immediately; probably because they felt a little guilt for the harsh treatment.

That was how they had been seated in that woody warm room’s corner, gathering around a rectangular table, seated on two cushioned wooden benches and a lone not so comfy chair which Sunquist had assumed as the meeting’s host.

Of course a smile would run across his face.

«Tonight you shall by my guests. Be it beverages or meals, I will pay for everything. Just feel yourself at home here. Needless to say I will also pay all your questions the respects of a truthful and thorough answer, until you come to believe that I am in fact Folke Sunquist and not an impostor.»

There was no falsehood in anything. There was no hostility. There was not even a slight hint of secrecy. He was so openly offering them the option to ask questions and from the sounds of it he was ready to answer even the dumbest and most absurd questions if it lead them to give him their trust.

«However, I would like the question round to pass quickly, are there still more urgent matters to discuss for all of us.»

Underlining the seriousness of what he said, his smile then dissolved all of a sudden.

There had been little reason to deny 'Folke' and Erin's request. If Edana had made a mistake, although that was the last thing she would assume, then there was no issue with it at all. And even if that man truly wasn't Folke, it wasn't as if he could flee or fight back when faced with three agents of Necessarius at once. And while there was still the possibility that he was leading them into a trap that would render their advantage in number of personnel and combat ability irrelevant, the man had assisted them, so she could afford to give him at least that much goodwill.

«Tonight you shall by my guests. Be it beverages or meals, I will pay for everything. Just feel yourself at home here. Needless to say I will also pay all your questions the respects of a truthful and thorough answer, until you come to believe that I am in fact Folke Sundquist and not an impostor. However, I would like the question round to pass quickly, are there still more urgent matters to discuss for all of us.»

His courteousness had not given her any reason to relinquish that goodwill as of yet. He had led them into a warm room, offered them food, and maintained a fine balance of openness and seriousness. She could even find herself starting to like the man, even though she'd only known him for less than fifteen minutes. He had simply left that good of an impression on her.

However. She, who had been part of the Agnese Forces knew better than many that appearances could be deceiving. If a group of nuns, nearly all children, could be a paramilitary task force that hunted down, tortured, and killed the enemies of the Roman Catholic Church, then there was no telling what kind of dark secrets this man could be hiding. So for now, though she had softened her gaze somewhat, she would maintain her vigil.

"I appreciate your courtesy. I too desire to quickly unravel this hopeful misunderstanding and move on to other matters. However, before my companion Edana, the only one of us three who knows the appearance of the man we were to meet with at this village, confirms your identity, there is something we must first do."

Her expression mirrored 'Folke''s. The very picture of seriousness, not a single thought or emotion could be read from it. She paused for a half beat to build the suspense for her next words, and then...

"Tierney, Edana! Regardless of his true identity, it would be beyond rude to deny this man's generosity! Today, we shall have a feast!"

She spoke words of a vector completely contrary to anything her tone or countenance had indicated. It was indeed important that they discuss those urgent matters that 'Folke' had spoken of, but that was no reason they couldn't order their food first. Vita had a bevy of motivations behind her exuberant proclamation. Good food and drink would soften their tongues, and she did indeed believe it would be rude to deny the man's generosity.

However, before that, there were two others held precedence. As an empress, it was her duty to eat well and luxuriously. The conduct of a country's ruler reflected the state of the country itself. If they were crude, the country would be seen as and become crude. If they were kind, the country would be seen as and become kind. And if they ate well, the country would be seen as and become a country that ate well. For both the country and the citizens, that sort of image was important.

And then, coexisting alongside those kinds of lofty and calculated intentions was rather simple habit left over from her days scrounging for meals along the streets of Rome. If food was offered to her, she would never refuse. If an opportunity to eat was afforded to her, then she would eat as much as she could. Even if she lived far more comfortably now, such habits did not die easily. As such, she showed no signs of hesitation or restraint when it came to ordering all of the best food the establishment had to offer, without regard for price.

«Tonight you shall by my guests. Be it beverages or meals, I will pay for everything. Just feel yourself at home here. Needless to say I will also pay all your questions the respects of a truthful and thorough answer, until you come to believe that I am in fact Folke Sundquist and not an impostor. However, I would like the question round to pass quickly, are there still more urgent matters to discuss for all of us.»

«I appreciate your courtesy. I too desire to quickly unravel this hopeful misunderstanding and move on to other matters. However, before my companion Edana, the only one of us three who knows the appearance of the man we were to meet with at this village, confirms your identity, there is something we must first do.»

It was at this point that the presence of Edana Callan had become so low, she was actually only two steps away from digging herself a hole in the ground to stick her head and the rest of her body into. It was just too embarrassing to see everyone go by her words, which long since had lost all meaning. Yet if she would speak up…it’d just get worse.

Therefore she had seated herself in the far corner from the man that surely was not only claiming to be Folke Sunquist, avoiding all eye contact by still keeping her face lowered.

«Tierney, Edana! Regardless of his true identity, it would be beyond rude to deny this man's generosity! Today, we shall have a feast!»

A silent laughter would leave her lips, faint enough to not be heard by anyone, expressing all her stowed up nervousness and awkwardness. Edana had just driven everything into a wall, cornering herself so heavily, she actually began considering instantaneous suicide just to make a great escape. At least that way she could avoid becoming today’s disappointment number 1!
Why was it that everyone had to rely on her…?

Hold on…

Was there actually a definite statement that said the outcome would destroy her? There was nothing that said there was a 100% chance at the bad end, right?! It was 50-50, maybe 70-30 or even more, but not a full 100-0!

That meant, this situation was risky.

A risk.

A faint, yet lustful smile ran across her lips as she would finally lift her head, ready to take a straight dive into the please that was taking a risk!

«Uuuuuhm…there is someth-»

Still having her tongue set to awkward mode, her voice was so faint allowing for one of the others to interrupt and overshadow her presence just casually.

This had sure grown into one problematic situation... Though Tierney couldn't feel any sense of imposture from Folke, and God knows that she had given him a stern eye when they had brought up the possibility of them being a fake up until the moment they had entered the frankly reassuring, if a bit unwelcoming due to the nailed entry points, warm inn, the girl decided against speaking up in the matter solely because she had as much evidence that he was Folke as they had evidence that he was not.

(It's best if I just let things sort themselves out here...)

Tierney decided to follow along in Vita's lead due to a lack of any proper evidence for what she would be saying. It was bad if she started doubting her own teammates on a job, wasn't it?

«Uuuuuhm…there is someth-»

Unable to hear Edana's low voice, Tierney slowly raised an arm that both served as a sign of enthusiasm and an indication that she wanted to interrupt the conversation and pitch in.

“I know I've been saying this a lot so please bear with me without giving me the reputation of “The Girl Who Begged For a Shower”, but considering what happened and the fact that we've spent a lot of time travelling, could we actually take just a few minutes to think about what happened and fix ourselves a bit before doing anything? Vita, Edana?”

Silk blonde hair that she had for once styled to be oh so slightly curled towards the ends, deep ocean blue-like eyes that could mesmerise anyone if she set up the ambiance for it, chaste clothing that still gave off a vibe of elegance on her especially once she pulled the instrument from its case...

...All of that ruined by the disgusting, smelly, staining red slimy fruit mercilessly thrown at them...

There was no way this girl could focus on anything else right now!

Tierney was such a girl who revelled in her blessed appearance to compensate for her lack of intelligence and slow thinking, yet now that she had lost even that she could not help but shrink in embarrassment and awkwardness as Vita enthusiastically engaged with the highly attractive violin-player who was highly doubted to be Folke Sundquist. It would have been fine if Erin had been alone, but meeting up with a man in such a miserable state...

Ladies shouldn't accept so casually the idea of conducting an interrogation, let alone an investigation, while having dripping rotten tomato all over them!!! What was wrong with Vita and Edana?!

Erin quietly watched the girls' reactions to Folke and recorded their words as best she could in her notebook. For the most part it appeared as though they were far too distracted by the charismatic man to even pay any attention to her, and she preferred it that way. Attention was a surefire way to give her performance anxiety, after all.

She checked her watch. The actual interrogation had yet to begin, and the longer they waited, the further those missing children would slip from their grasp. This interview had better be rather short, and regardless of whether the man was who he said he was, those children needed to be found as soon as possible.

The requested food and beverages were delivered promptly to the group, and Erin consumed her portion in silence compared to the others, clearly not one who was used to the social aspects of dining. The sombre atmosphere of the village and still smelling the aftermath of the vegetable assault certainly did not do much to help, either. She finished the meal rather quickly, and hoped that the others did not take their time while there was work to be done.

And so she was once again left in the background, watching their every move and recording their every word. If there was no progress soon, she would have no choice but to leave them to pursue the case on her own again.

The food had arrived, and true to her word, Vita had ordered a veritable feast. The size of the servings on her plate seemed far too large for her to ingest on her own, but if she thought she was in over her head, she showed no signs of it. Instead she immediately began digging in. At times she ate politely, using a knife and fork to cut the food properly. But at other times, she just shoveled as much down her throat as she could. Her haphazard manner of eating made it seem like she'd learned how to eat twice over and had trouble deciding which set of rules she should use.

«Uuuuuhm…there is someth-»

“I know I've been saying this a lot so please bear with me without giving me the reputation of “The Girl Who Begged For a Shower”, but considering what happened and the fact that we've spent a lot of time travelling, could we actually take just a few minutes to think about what happened and fix ourselves a bit before doing anything? Vita, Edana?”

But even as she was steadily working away at her meal, hacking away at it with a much faster pace than one would expect of someone with her build, that didn't mean she'd tuned out the table's other guests. After she finished chewing the last morsel she'd swallowed, she set her utensils down and turned to address Tierney and Edana.

"Hm? We can do that after, you know? We can't exactly leave our host alone until we confirm his identity. Anyway, Edana, what was that? I couldn't quite hear you."

She thoughtlessly dismissed Tierney's concerns with a look that showed that she genuinely didn't understand why she was so bothered. Though it was certainly uncomfortable with these juices from rotten fruit soaking into her clothes, she didn't think it was something to get so upset over. It was true that she'd normally have wanted to clean herself up before sitting down for a meal, but her reasoning was exactly as she'd said, and it wouldn't exactly change much whether they did it now or later, would it?

CRUSHED.

Her attempt to finally untie the knot that was being pulled tighter and tighter had been CRUSHED, mercilessly.

«I know I've been saying this a lot so please bear with me without giving me the reputation of “The Girl Who Begged For a Shower”, but considering what happened and the fact that we've spent a lot of time travelling, could we actually take just a few minutes to think about what happened and fix ourselves a bit before doing anything? Vita, Edana?»

Of course her concerns were part of something that could and actually should deserve some importance but the backlash of that sudden outburst were sufficiently capable of further dragging Edana back into that miserable state of silence, accompanied by her own guilt and fear eating into her.

Dishes were served, that didn’t help either. The scene moved on, Vita spoke up again, Tierney checked her beloved treasure and the blue haired girl was silently taking notes outside the periscope of everyone’s attention. The pen’s scratching sound as it ran across the rough surface of the paper dug into her rather intensely.

And there was this ever smiling face. Smiling, smiling…smiling…smiling! SMILING!!!!!!!!!!

She couldn’t bear it anymore…

«…Anyway, Edana, what was that? I couldn't quite hear you.»

«I SAID! LET’S GET TO THE BLOODY POINT ALREADY GOD DAMMIT!!! START BLOODY QUESTIONING HIM ALREADY!!!!!»

She truly couldn’t bear it any longer…

That she truly noticed when making the realisation that she had no longer been sitting, but was actually standing in a way after having nearly knocked the table over in a sudden act of jumping straight upwards from her seat.

And upon noticing she actually collapsed right back into the comfy bench, her head covered in red, which could easily be mistaken for a sign of anger, her eyes spinning in eternal spirals.

She still hadn’t brought it up. This was probably to become a secret she’d take along into her grave.

«I SAID! LET’S GET TO THE BLOODY POINT ALREADY GOD DAMMIT!!! START BLOODY QUESTIONING HIM ALREADY!!!!!»

In response to Edana's outburst, she was forced to stop her hand even as it was about to reclaim her utensils. She stared up at the girl who, having found her frustration too much to expel with simple words, had needed to give them dynamic physical motion as well, causing her to abruptly stand up from her seat even as she shouted. It was fortunate that her seat hadn't been situated too closely to the table; she might have damaged the furniture, or worse, damaged the food.

"...Very well. My apologies, Edana. I failed to notice your growing frustration. That was a failure on my part. 'Folke', it seems we will be starting now." she said softly, after a pause as she waited to see if Edana would continue.

"Edana. What is it about him that gave you cause to doubt his identity?" she said. She now spoke so that all at the table could hear her, enunciating her words and flattening the tone of her voice to give herself an impression of impartiality, which was important for the sort of mediator-type position she was trying to assert herself as.

Though she seemed to have only reluctantly pried her gaze from her meal in the beginning, she seemed to be entirely serious now. She addressed the two of them with a clear voice, and watched them with a clear gaze. It was clearly a level of composure and degree of professionalism unsuited for a girl of her age or stature, but it shouldn't have been something especially normal for the sorts of people that sat in this room. She'd gotten a little carried away when she heard that they would be treated, but she'd recovered fully now.

Vita's empress-like diplomacy that lacked true urgency had almost doomed them to spending a while here.

A while, stinking like some goddamn homeless girl searching rubbish bins in quest of food.

To be fair she had been that at one point, but that was hardly the problem here.

Having had her request completely ignored in favour of a situation that wasn't exactly bringing them any further than they already were, Tierney felt something slowly but surely snap inside of her as she suddenly rose from her chair that clattered to the ground from the sheer force of her action.

“Hahaha...” A small laugh escaped her lips as she felt the remains of the disgusting rotten liquid still squirming around in her clothes, not minding the terrified stares of the other inn stayers. Her voice had taken a much darker direction if only because of the disgust she felt having reached its maximum threshold; there was only so much she could take and if her appearances were the only thing going for her then she would not accept any further humiliation in front of such a handsome man and a village's citizens in its sole inn.

“I'm thankful for the feast, and would love to dig in, but we aren't just going to sit around while we interrogate him, are we~? Vita, Edana~?” Tierney almost sung the question with a heavy Irish accent that had unfortunately slipped out as she turned a merciless stare towards Edana. Her eyes spoke volumes towards the fact that if this interrogation nonsense wasn't going to be over with soon, she would have to pull something drastic from her violin case to end the matter of the stench assaulting her nose herself. At that moment, Tierney had established herself as the hunter of a red-headed woman who prided herself as a hunter, all in the name of female pride.

“If we aren't sure this man is Folke Sunquist then would you be so kind as to give us your report on his identity in the first place so that we confirm it as we go? There's no use in waiting more than necessary for something that could turn out being a potential loss of time, and torture for my nose, so let's just get ourselves in peak condition by eating and showering. We'll decide if this is the real Folke Sunquist while we investigate. ” Her suddenly pressuring and affirmative eyes turned towards Folke and Erin as she sought approval so that they would get anywhere but here as she set straight the fallen chair.

“There shouldn't be any problems that way, am I wrong?”

Folke Sunquist was an expert Magician serving Necessarius, a witch-hunter organisation famous for the many dire situations its members had to fight themselves through. He was indeed someone who had gone through a lot, seen a lot and even dirtied his own hands a whole lot more than he would be happy to tell openly, yet even he didn’t have the composure required to keep an unwavering friendly smile on his lips.

In fact, there was a lot snapping inside of him every time those three idiots’ dialogue shifted without getting anywhere. Hadn't he made the urgency clear enough?

However worst was prevented, as finally someone spoke up. Ironically it was the least likely of the bunch.

«I’m thankful for the feast, and would love to dig in, but we aren't just going to sit around while we interrogate him, are we~? Vita, Edana~? If we aren't sure this man is Folke Sunquist then would you be so kind as to give us your report on his identity in the first place so that we confirm it as we go? There's no use in waiting more than necessary for something that could turn out being a potential loss of time, and torture for my nose, so let's just get ourselves in peak condition by eating and showering. We'll decide if this is the real Folke Sunquist while we investigate.»

Even the life-hardened Magician couldn’t help but gulp at the fearful demon that had emerged from what he had considered the most unremarkable or rather normal of the group.

«There shouldn't be any problems that way, am I wrong?»

Unable to even get his mouth open, he only shook his head hastily plenty of times, ensuring that none of the dreadful slaughter would go his way.


Just a moment ago she had collapsed into her seat, her head exploding after that furious outburst, attempting to finally escape that unblessed situation that had nearly driven her into insanity…

…and now a true hellish inferno rained down upon her. Well, on both her and the incompetent leader that was the other source of that hellish stall.

It had been terrifying. No, really, it had been terrifying, too terrifying!

Her heartbeat had overgrown rates humanly possible. Pounding, nearly making itself burst from her chest. Her blood pressure was rising into infinite, she couldn’t even catch a breath and yet, she remained absolutely unable to twitch even a finger. That was how scary the rage of someone simply wishing for a shower could become.

It had shaken her to the mark, brushing away any and all of those stupid emotions of shame, fear and shyness.

«I don’t know anything! All I know were vague assumptions and descriptions, nothing definite! I made that clear, alright? Alright!? Why did you rely on me that much!? I don’t know anything! I can’t say if this is Folke Sunquist or not! Of course I can’t! Haven’t you listened!?!??!?!?!?»

Shooting up from her near-death-state position, she hurriedly rushed through those words she had been holding back this whole time, obviously driven by a dread that had been enough to break the dam that was shame.

«Truthfully, there is no way I can confirm or deny this man’s identity. All I can say is that I can’t say anything. Got it? So I would support Tierney’s idea of confirming his identity over the course of the investigation!»

Even after those words were spoken, her hair still stood on edge, while her glance turned towards Tierney, seeking confirmation for her own survival. Without that, there was be no way she’d be able to rest!


A long sigh escaped the blond man’s mouth. With that confession off the table his nearly broken patience was finally able to rest again. The confusion had been resolved at least to an extent that would allow them to move forward, at least that seemed to be the reason of his current, weakened, but honest smile. There may have been a hint of annoyance still mixed in with it, but it was fading little by little as he composure regrew.

«Fine. I can understand how you feel, Edana. Sometimes the pressure the reliance of others’ can be a hard to endure trial. But do not worry, we won’t be that resentful…I do hope…»

There was some strong uncertainty placed into those last words.

«Anyway, Tierney, I…I…it might be selfish of myself to inquire this, but let us first discuss the important matter at hand before you leave off to clean yourself of the dirt? I’m well aware that it is hard for a lady to be caught in such state, however as specialists the discussion of our current mission should still stand above all.»

A short glance was passed towards Erin, then however his eyes settled on the person that was the groups’ apparent leader, the loud blonde, not the unremarkable one; unfortunately.

«The first most question is: How far does your knowledge on the situation at hand reach?»

The smile was gone.

It was time to get down to business.

“I'm thankful for the feast, and would love to dig in, but we aren't just going to sit around while we interrogate him, are we~? Vita, Edana~? There shouldn't be any problems that way, am I wrong?”

In actual fact, Vita did indeed have a problem with that. Here, they had ‘Folke’ within a closed room. If he attempted to flee, then they would have the advantage in stopping his escape. With their greater numbers, they could establish dominance of the space if needed. And during an interrogation, a small closed room was preferable to a wide open space. There was a reason police grilled criminals for information inside a tiny, dark room, and it wasn’t just because it didn’t give them much room to move around or because they lacked the funding to build something bigger. The lack of light, limited freedom, enclosed space, and sense of powerlessness gave the interrogator a powerful psychological advantage. Doing what Tierney was suggesting and interrogating ‘Folke’ on the go as they investigated was, no matter how she looked at it, a faux pas. Or, if she wanted to put it bluntly, a terrible idea. And that was all discounting the fact that if he was indeed a fake, he would gain countless opportunities to flee and doubtless choose one to take advantage of at some point in their investigation.

...So even though the look in Tierney’s eyes right now was scary, she couldn’t let her have way this time around. An empress who would fall prey to intimidation is worthless as a ruler, less than incompetent. She’d have to prove her mettle and get her companion to calm down. Cooler heads would have to prevail. She couldn’t allow them to take on such a huge risk for the sake of material comfort. But before she could speak up on the matter, Edana cracked. It seemed like her mental fortitude hadn’t been up to the task of enduring Tierney’s glare, and she couldn’t really blame her, especially as it seemed to have been directed towards her specifically, whereas she had only caught it from the side.

«Truthfully, there is no way I can confirm or deny this man’s identity. All I can say is that I can’t say anything. Got it? So I would support Tierney’s idea of confirming his identity over the course of the investigation!»

...What she revealed changed the direction the conversation was heading considerably, though. Ignoring the part where she gave into Tierney’s pressure and agreed to her proposal, it appeared that Edana had spoken too hastily when she’d said that this ‘Folke’ wasn’t Folke. Looking back, she finally noticed how Edana had suddenly become meek and quiet after she’d confronted ‘Folke’, and had to resist the urge to hang her head in her hands for not noticing something that seemed so obvious in hindsight.

But that could be left for later. What needed to be addressed now was the issue of ‘Folke’’s identity. Or, more accurately, the lack thereof. If Edana’s reason for doubting Folke’s identity, whatever it had been, had been a mistake from the onset, then there was no reason to be suspicious of him. He matched the description of the agent they were to meet here perfectly, and chances of him being the magician they had come here to deal with were nil, as the report had said they were a woman. ...And that meant that until this point, they had been suspecting him meaninglessly. It seemed an apology was in order.

«Anyway, Tierney, I…I…it might be selfish of myself to inquire this, but let us first discuss the important matter at hand before you leave off to clean yourself of the dirt? I’m well aware that it is hard for a lady to be caught in such state, however as specialists the discussion of our current mission should still stand above all. The first most question is: How far does your knowledge on the situation at hand reach?»

“I am terribly sorry for the undue suspicion!”

The apology comes first. That was common sense. Before beginning the talks, it was important to try and clear the room of any unclean air. Looking at it from another point of view, she had been entirely in the right, since if he had indeed been an imposter it would have been a serious issue, but that was neither here nor there. What was important was to get across, firmly, that she held no ill will towards him, in hopes that he would reciprocate. And now that that was done, she could move on to the meat of the discussion.

“We have only just arrived, so only the contents of the report. Missing children, and an unassociated female magician who uses magic based on Swedish folklore. If you’ve uncovered any information not included in the report, then we would be grateful if you could share it with us.”

«Indeed, there is some information that is not found in the report. I have to apologise for that as well, but I thought it should better be explained in person.»

For once Folke Sunquist cast off the appeal of a walking mystery, actually going as far as to reveal how content he was about the fact that they had been able to move forward. He did not smile, though. His expression was still that of a businessman in the middle of an important meeting.

«I’ve been following this Magician’s traces for a while now, so I have been able to see what they are capable of myself. It is true that they are a woman using spells derived from Swedish  folklore, however that isn’t all there is to it…»

Sharing not only the information but his glance with everyone present he continued on. His brows furrowing with every spoken word.

«The Magician called Sassa is one peculiar case. From the information I was able to gather I came to the assumption that their main spells are based on the legends of the Nattmara, a kind of creature often associated with werewolves or banshees. Unfortunately, while I have been able to determine the basis of her spell, I was not yet able to figure out a counter measure or even the proper workings of her spell.»

«Actually, I have yet to make contact with her. Each time I arrived too late or have been prevented from saving the children from their fate by other obstacles. That is where the issue lies to begin with. Well, to be honest, Sassa might very well be a formidable opponent…too formidable for myself to handle. In the end, I’m just more of a counsellor not a fighter…»

He was giving his best to lay all parts of his knowledge bare enough for everyone present to see, however while he was doing so still seemed that remembering all would put a little strain on himself. He had likely been preparing for this situation so much, he’d actually forgotten some of it in his overarching strife for perfection.


«So the prey is a strong one?»

Suddenly the currently least likely of the three idiots joined the important meeting with a face covered by seriousness. Sharp, straight forward and without any faults, the red head Edana made herself noticeable for all present. However this time it was not due to her actually attempting to escape everyone’s attention, but because she desired that very attention, obviously to get her own questions answered.

«Can you say anything about their procedure? From what you said I can tell that you should be capable of recognising a pattern in their actions. At least you should be, judging from the fact that you are both an experienced member of Necessarius and a dedicated pursuer. The way you are putting it revealed you.»

Continuing in a very strict voice, Edana Callan did not leave any room for any escapes. She was so straight to the point, it was as if she was attempting to drive a verbal knife into the man’s throat. Was that really the same girl as before? At least she could still proudly present herself as a hunter with this.


However that change was not yet enough impress the blond man of mystery. Not a hint of change in his expression or posture. He was rock solid.

«I see. So that is your true character, huh?»

His first remark was just something he wasn’t able to hold back, quite a natural reaction.

«In the cases I observed it was usually the same. The children disappeared late at night, always one or two, not too many. It had been hard to pinpoint which child it would hit, though. I’ve been trying to conduct some investigation to interfere in advance, however it had been insufficient so far. Parents wouldn’t allow for strangers to come close to their child after all. Especially not in such a situation. From observations I made after the disappearances, though, I would claim that she does not need to make proper contact with her victims before the abduction.»

This time his glance would remain fixed solely on the source of the question he was answering.

«It might be likely that Sassa can use spell that enables her to invade people’s homes without leaving behind even the slightest trace. There were no shattered windows, no broken doors, nothing the like. Something that can actually be very well linked to the Nattmara, are they said to be capable of transforming into sand for the sake of invading the homes of the sleeping through the slightest possible gaps. At least I would name this as one of the connections I was able to recognise thus far.»

It was really worth it to stick around for an extra period of time. After all, they were willfully revealing details about the case and even their own organization right in front of her. There was a chance that they were being willfully obtuse, but it wouldn't hurt to casually write all of this down, right? While she prided herself on being rather ordinary-looking and being able to blend in, this was ridiculous. She leaned against a nearby wall while jotting down all the details she could, awaiting their realization that her presence was not shown on their mission briefing.

In the meantime, the actual details of the case were becoming increasingly frightening; a magician who was able to spirit away children without needing to be in close contact with them. She immediately came up with multiple theories about what could be happening, such as the children or houses being unknowingly marked by a spell or item so they can be taken later without anyone's notice. With this particular theory in mind, her eyes darted around the room rapidly to seek out all possible objects; food, silverware, drinking cups, candy, toys, dolls, doorknobs, windows, little insects, the floor, walls, the ceiling.

"Have you checked out the possibility of whether there were traces of enchantment or curses left behind in the locations on seemingly innocuous items? Anything children could be trusted to touch, play with, eat, or be around?"

While this would serve to accelerate the inevitable questioning of who she was, the case was more important right now.

Following her outburst that had terrified even a grown and experienced magician, Tierney merely sat and dug quietly into her meal in a futile attempt to ignore her current condition while still paying attention to the reports of the current case. Nothing pleasant was reaching her ears, to say the least, but as the person who was the least informed of the lot Tierney had issues finding an opening to insert herself with something valuable to say so she merely diligently listened.

Nonetheless, she couldn't just literally phase out of existence during this talk so she delicately put down her silverware and with her hands on her knees, she finally asked a question. “Is there anything the missing children have in common? Something like similar traits, age ranges or whatever? Also...”

Tierney finally turned her head towards the small girl that had been accompanying them for a bit now. “We've been told that we'd meet up with Folke Sunquist, and that's we did, but no one else was planned, right? So, uh... It's a bit late to ask now, but who are you?”

«Have you checked out the possibility of whether there were traces of enchantment or curses left behind in the locations on seemingly innocuous items? Anything children could be trusted to touch, play with, eat, or be around?»

Folke Sunquist immediately tilted his head towards Erin, then sunk it for a moment, muttering a few words before widening his eyes; only a little.

«Very good Erin! It never actually crossed my mind, that I should actually check the sites of the abductions a tad closer or question the families whether there was any change to the lost’s rooms. However there are in fact tales of the Nattmara leaving a doll covered by dirt in a family’s living room. This sighting is seen as a omen for bad events, like the death of a family member, only though»

Making sure that his glance would wander and meet with everyone present, he would give the best explanation he could, while hiding the awkward realisation that he had overlooked such a crucial detail.

«It might be that Sassa altered the meanings and concepts slightly to fit them to her purposes. In any way it might very well be worth a shot to investigate this idea, as this is our best lead right now.»

«Is there anything the missing children have in common? Something like similar traits, age ranges or whatever? Also...We've been told that we'd meet up with Folke Sunquist, and that's we did, but no one else was planned, right? So, uh... It's a bit late to ask now, but who are you?»

«This is Erin Lightheart, she assumed the role of my assistant a while ago. As you can see her mind is sharp, however her ability as a Magician is still not refined enough to allow for her to be considered as a full fledged Necessarius member that can move on her own. Therefore she is basically considered a part of me, which removes the necessity of actually mentioning her in a number of my reports.»

It was Folke Sunquist who would jump at the question nearly immediately, breaking out of the train of thought Tierney’s first question had triggered. The way he spoke each word with strong confidence and the way he looked at both Tierney and the others present without any sign of nervousness, he seemed as if this was just another truly natural fact, not something he made up on a whim.

«Oh, where are my manners. Was I caught by the heat of the moment? Erin, please feel free to introduce yourself properly and forgive my impolite action.»

Along with smiling he would scratch the back of his head like a little boy who had overstepped the line. Another display that would underline the natural image he was seeking to give with his explanation. After all it was best if those three simply assumed Erin was not a threat our outsider; this kind of act being the easiest of them all. Guessing that she might not be fully amused about such lie, Sunquist took a mental note to actually inform her about his reasons at a later chance.

As for Tierney’s actual first question…it was lost in explanation.

"Hm, you have a good head on your shoulders," Vita noted appraisingly, directing her gaze towards Erin for the first time since they had sat down at the table. She'd done very well to sit back and observe without getting involved, and she ended up nearly forgetting she was there as a result. Among these sorts of strong personalities, one had to fight to stand out, after all.

"Erin Lightheart, was it? You can call me Vita. It's a pleasure!" Vita said with a smile, introducing herself, before turning her attention back to Folke. She was briefer than she'd usually was, refraining from giving out her full name and title. But that was a detail only those who knew her would have noticed, and she quickly moved on to the reason they were here as if sweeping that under the rug.

"So she marks the homes of her targets somehow before she takes them? That makes things simple," she said, her smile slightly more devious than before.

"If we know who she will target in advance, then we can devise a trap to stop her in her tracks once she comes for them. We have the initiative here! The greatest advantage of that type of spell is how it doesn't require the caster to manage it, but that's also its greatest weakness. They have no way to know if it's been found until it's too late."

The entirety of the conversation up until this point had revolved around Folke. They had talked to him, they had talked about him, and his continued composure indicated to Vita that he had noted that and made use of it to at least some extent, directing the flow of the conversation as he pleased. But it wasn't good of him to do that. The center of the stage, the seat of the throne above the onlookers belonged solely to her. This was not arrogance or contempt, but a simple fact. Even when facing the hero who had saved their kingdom, a ruler was to offer their gratitude at their leisure and from their throne, never at the convenience of the other party, no matter who they be. So now that the topic had shifted away from Folke, she seized her chance.

"We still need to complete our preparations before she comes, though, so we should get moving. When it comes to setting traps Edana is the obvious choice, but she'll need assistance. It'd be too much to ask her to do it all on her own, after all. And then we need to find the markings... There's really no way to do that without directly asking the villagers and searching their homes. Nn, that's difficult. Folke, Erin, you two have been here longer than us, so could one of you take charge of that?"

Her proposal voiced, she stopped to give the others a chance to respond, but then her expression cramped for an instant before recovering. If you weren't paying attention, you'd have missed it. But if you saw it, what she said after would have left little to the imagination about what had caused it.

"...And, um. I don't suppose you know anywhere where we could clean up?"

Though she'd feigned composure, Tierney's expression was still vivid in her mind's eye.

With a smile, everything had been sealed.

The plan suggested by Vita was not only considered but accepted immediately, not only by Folke Sunquist, but by all present. The idea was too good not to make that choice.

However with only a suggestion there was still a lot of need of talk, before the actual execution. It went on a bit more, before everyone departed into their own direction.

The dirtied bunch would go ahead and finally rid their bodies of both the smell and dirt, finally getting a chance to relax themselves. Folke Sunquist on the other hand used the chance to walk off alone, doing things befitting to his usual mysterious demeanour. And the detective girl Erin Lightheart…?

The sun sank, night fell.

Everyone, once done with their own agendas, assembled only to then disperse again.

The time of halt was only to be cut short to begin with. Its role reduced to the calm before the storm.


January 18, 20:47, Night 1

Miniskirt and winter coat girl Edana Callan drew something into the snowy ground using the tip of her lance. While the item was usually hidden underneath cloth or in a ski equipment bag it was now laid bare, exposing its dreadfully violent design. The images she drew held tiny similarities with Roman letters; they were runes, though.

She wasn’t alone. Not too far away from her own position there would be Vita Vesta Ceasar, her partner for her current task.

Only a few hours ago, during the discussion of the plan the group was split into two, well actually it was three. While Tierney, Erin and Folke Sunquist, who’d do his share of the work alone for efficiency’s sake, would take care of gathering helpful information to pinpoint the Magician Sassa’s next target, Edana and Vita’s job was to take care of the preparations for the actual battle; or rather the hunt.

So for a few hours now, both Edana and Vita had been circling around the mountain village, placing runes here and there, setting up all kinds of useful assets, like barriers serving as alarm signals for any strange movements or straight out traps for the purpose of slowing the escapee down, in case they would actually manage to slip away. Playing safe was always ideal in the art of hunting, that’s how the red haired expert saw it at least.

Therefore the two of them had been very thorough. No matter how long it’d take, Edana Callan would not waste a single drop of effort, always eying her work for a long time before finally stepping towards the next spot that’d be only a few metres away, pushing Vita to follow after her example. And that’s how it went and went and went.

A chore in the truest sense of the word. As it was such a time, it was the perfect opportunity to host a conversation to ease the tension at least a little.

«Say, Vita, do you think it’d increase my efficiency in combat if I lost some weight? I mean looking at the two of you, I wonder: do you think you actually have an advantage through that?»

And it was such times that actually brought forth the most special types of conversations.

«I’ve actually been thinking about this for a while, but the time in the bath made it much clearer than before, so I am really curious right now.»

There was no smile on the face, nor any reaction to the memory of the steamy room. Since the inn was only a small one at a remote position far up in the Swedish mountains it didn’t have to offer much space to begin with. Therefore the entirety of it only held one bathroom total. And due to time pressing onto them, the three idiots had the luck to share their time in the bath with each other. A time over which Edana had been wrecking her mind over a single topic, secretly comparing her own specs with those of her comrades. She’d just accept such things as they were, not seeing any wrong in her actions. But that was natural for someone who wasn’t used to anything different from that.

With the others having departed, only Erin and Tierney remained. Folke was no longer able to help her to maintain the illusion of being part of this so-called "Necessarius" group, which was clearly comprised of other magicians. Despite this, she was at least clever enough to pick up enough information to get by, and Tierney didn't seem to be the type to dig too deeply...at least not on the surface. Some people could change their personality entirely when left alone, but the young detective hoped that the pressing case would serve as a good distraction from that becoming the case. It wasn't as though she was their enemy, except perhaps in matters of ideology.

"Forgive me for not having taken the time to explain myself earlier. I needed to make sure you weren't spies, and well...I'm not exactly a social person to begin with. If it's okay with you, I'd like to get started immediately; we've lots of ground to cover and time is not on our side. I was able to form a makeshift town watch on the spot before your arrival, so they should trust me enough to be willing to cooperate with further investigation and questioning. In fact, a list of telephone numbers was already created, so we can start there. My idea is that we phone every household with children and ask them to leave their residences untouched, but to note if they find any items they do not personally remember placing in any of their rooms. No matter how small or innocuous, we will personally investigate and call the others if we can confirm signs of a spell or artifact. Are you willing to assist in doing this?"

Naturally, if this proposal was accepted, the first order of business would be to immediately head to the house of her client in order to procure that list and start calling households. It wasn't some big clever scheme, but rather a brute force method meant to capture as much information as methodically as possible so as to leave no room for error. Taking shortcuts and haphazardly taking 'easy' solutions that conveniently leave out actual work is not a way to get ahead in the long run, and only exists in the movies.

Though she wasn't too sure of how to deal with this girl she had quite literally just met and knew nothing of, in face of Erin approaching her first, Tierney, who following her well-deserved shower had now changed into a silk white with an open back and whose hair was now of a light turquoise, could only give a small polite laugh as she rummaged through her newly changed hair and adjusted her violin on her opposite shoulder.

“Of course, I'll help out but... People don't exactly have the best memories for items that don't have strong emotional value, you know? We may lose a lot of time trying to analyse every single one of them.” Perplexed, Tierney thought a bit more deeply on the matter, bringing a hand to her chin while she pondered the options that came to her rather untrained mind. “Isn't there really anything in common between the abducted children? If there was, we could start by investigating based on a priority list of who shares the most characteristics with the abducted children...”

No one had actually answered her question back then yet Tierney stayed convinced that if time was of essence, then it was all the more important to manage it wisely.

As they went about their work in the cold, there was little conversation between the two of them. It was cold and dark, and the work monotonous, so rather than wasting energy by moving their mouths, it was better to direct it to the task at hand. And in truth, work like this had a kind of calming quality to it. After a while, you could lose yourself in it and forget your troubles for a time. But that small consolation would not occur here. If either of them came close to sinking into that kind of meditative state, then they would be quickly awakened by the cold air.

«Say, Vita, do you think it’d increase my efficiency in combat if I lost some weight? I mean looking at the two of you, I wonder: do you think you actually have an advantage through that? I’ve actually been thinking about this for a while, but the time in the bath made it much clearer than before, so I am really curious right now.»

In the end, the silence was finally broken. Even if not wasting their strength was the most efficient thing to do, the pressure of the silence bearing on them and the repetitiveness of their task had been too much. So something, anything, had had to be said. It didn't matter what, they just needed a topic, and having been the one to initiate the conversation, Edana had been graced with the privilege of choosing one.

"Well, it makes me a smaller target, I guess. Aside from that, I don't think there're any particular advantages? But Edana, I honestly don't think you have much room to improve in that area. I mean, you're so slim! And those muscles. I'm honestly jealous."

Her choice had been girls talk with a side of violence.