They clinked their glasses. The signature red wine swirled, its fragrant aroma fluttering up and above. Frances sipped, the cold alcohol slipping down her throat with ease.

“So. What’s going on?” she started.

The salad that stood before her on the white ceramic plates stayed nearly untouched. Green leaves and red tomatoes. She poked around with a fork, and shovelled the pile into her mouth. The greens crunched, and the reds added in a much needed spritz of flavour. It wasn’t too unpleasant, but the ingredients used were simply too different.

“There are demons trying to get you.”

“Ah of course. Because I don’t have enough people chasing me already.”

“Yeah. But that’s why we’re here.”

Frances sighed. First it was her family. And now demons as well? She chewed her vegetables with a certain force.

“And your end?” Iris asked.

“It's a long story. So from a few reliable sources, the man hunting me down is my uncle. Apparently, my father killed him but failed.”

“There’s always something like that with the Rayleighs, I find. Even centuries ago, he had familial issues too,” Noah commented.

“That so? I wouldn’t be surprised though. We are a very bloody family. My grandfather slaughtered all his siblings over a fight for the dukedom.”

“And the mana around you seems to have changed somewhat. What happened?”

“It did?” Iris and Frances asked in unison.

“Oh that’s probably because of me.” Hye-Sung raised her hand. “I’ve cast several spells on you.”

“Without telling me? What did you cast?”

“Uhhh.” She counted on her fingers. “Some of these will be very weird.”

“Go on.”

Frances rolled her eyes and leaned back in her chair. She tried to recall everything, but to no avail.

“Well. Should I start with the ones I did while I was horny, or the ones when I wasn’t?”

“You’ve been doing what?”

“Uhm. I’ll going to get some fresh air.”

“Ah, I’m coming too.” Noah followed her out of the room, ducking his head beneath the doorframe and out into the balcony. They slid the door shut.

“Well. It better not be anything suspicious.”

“Haha. What do you think I am? I’ve only put a few inside you.”

“Inside me?”

“I said I was horny. Anyway, while doing you, I thought that I might as well do it. But it's all beneficial, I guarantee you.”

“So what did you do?”

“There’s a spell in you that detects stuff. So I receive an alert when its your period, or pregnant. And then in addition, there’s also one that should lessen the cramps. And lastly, one that lets me increase your sensitivity.”

“One of those sounds less beneficial than the others. Anything else?”

“On your chest, there’s one that should protect your heart. It also tells me when you die. Well not die, but when your heart stops beating. So I can either do the funeral preparations, or do CPR.”

Frances shook her head. She stood up, and made her way to the sliding door. The small white wooden slates slanted down. With a pull, she opened it and walked outside, onto the balcony. Despite the harsh winters Friaren was known for, Limβurs was either spared by nature or forced the climate into submission. It was nothing other than a pleasant temperature, reminiscent of an European autumn.

“Is her insane horniness over?” Iris asked.

“Yeah. Sorry to make you guys wait out here.”

“We’ve come to the conclusion that we aren’t like you two.”

“By that, she means that we don’t feel any attraction at all. So I don’t understand anything you’re going through. Excuse us.”

“Welcome back.” Hye-Sung waved.

There was a brief sigh from Iris as she passed the empress by. The blonde patted her on her head, and pulled her inside. An evening wind filled the room.

“I should add, by the way. All the spells that I’ve cast on you? It's helping you gain favour with Ihenglass.”

“She’s actually working with mortals now?”

“Does she not do that often?”

“It's only when someone catches her eye. See, she likes it when people use magic for fun and interesting things. Not as a weapon.”

“Oh. Then this isn’t that. She said it's amusing, and lets me cast far more than I’m capable of so long as I entertain her. The result is me casting many things on our dear Frances Rayleigh.”

“So it's just a research grant.”

“Essentially, yes. And you’re my guinea pig in the analogy.”

“Right. Now as the test subject, I think I have a right to know how safe all your spells are.”

“They’re harmless. But I wouldn’t cast it on myself.”

Noah cleared his throat. The giant grabbed everyone’s attention, and deferred to Iris instead. It seemed like he had a lot on his mind, with his furrowed eyebrows, and only occasional bites. Distracted, but by what?

“Did you feel that?” Iris asked. Even she seemed shaken by something.

“Oh yeah. Those have been happening for a while now,” Hye-Sung answered, taking a bite of the imported seafood without hesitation.

“What’s going on?”

Frances turned her head, taking a look all round. Whatever it was that they were feeling, she could not detect it. Then the answer was simple. Mana. Was it a great burst of it, or was it lacking? Either way, if it managed to bother Iris and Noah both, it had to be something. But was it really anything worth fussing over? They were in the city of magic after all. Perhaps a prodigal student struggling to control their output? Or maybe it was something greater than that?

“You can’t feel it at all, can you? You must be grateful to not be a mage.” Iris shook her head.

“Nah. So where’s it coming from?”

“I don’t know. And it's a huge burst of mana too.”

“It's been coming on and off these few days. I think the first one started a few hours after you guys said you were coming?”

“Then I hope it's not related to the demons.”

“If it's that concerning to you guys, then why don’t we just check it out?” Frances suggested.

She walked towards her study table, and opened the drawer. The intricate printings of buildings and roads showed careful work. Winding networks of twisting words, organically grown, and the messy groupings were a signature of Limβurs. From what she heard, the city itself was only a few centuries younger than Noah.

“So. I’ll go with him since he doesn’t have the Messenger. Iris, you go west. Hye-Sung, east. We’ll go to the north of the city, and triangulate it.”

“How?” Iris asked.

“The map stays with me. Noah as well. You two describe your location to me, and I’ll mark it on the map, as well as our location. Since the two of you will be on opposite sides, I can find the overlapping areas and head there immediately. Any questions?”

“It's not as though we’re busy.” Hye-Sung stood up. “Any objections? If not, then get changed. Dress lightly, and sturdy. We might need to fight.”

“I’ll always have my gun, so no worries. And we don’t need to worry about hearing protection too, since apparently magical enchantments can just deafen the noise.”

Everyone got ready. Well, as ready as they could be. Iris and Noah didn’t need much preparation. Just a light coat in the nighttime weather, really. They neither relied on weapons nor armour, and simply fought with their own bodies.