I reached the Ollais home around midday, just a few minutes late for our meeting. It was rude without question, and I had to hope Vesper would take offense.

  As I walked up to the home, I sensed a pulse of darkness mana. The door opened, and Vesper appeared at the top of the stairs. I took in her appearance, and it was only thanks to my trained reflexes that I managed not to stumble over my own feet.

  Vesper had dressed in clothes that struck a careful balance between practical and fashionable, but clearly leaned towards the latter. She wore a loose, purple blouse with a high neckline, close-fitting black pants tucked into knee-high, polished boots, and a belt with a sheath for a wand along the right side of her hip. Jewelry adorned her neck, ears, and fingers, a silver-gray shade that perfectly matched her eyes.

  "Good morning," I said, smiling as I came within earshot. "Have I kept you waiting?"

  "Yes, but I'll try not to hold it against you. You tended to lose track of time, if I recall correctly," Vesper replied, the corners of her mouth tilting up as she glided down the steps to stand before me.

  I tried not to notice how her eyes sparkled in the midday sun or the way my pulse quickened, which was easier than expected. After a few seconds, I awkwardly bowed and gestured back towards the city proper.

  "Shall we?"

  She nodded, and together, we made our way towards the center of the capital. Conversation was scarce at first, circling around mundane and safe topics. Vesper asked how our trip to Volaris had gone, and we discussed the practicalities of traveling across Ferris. She hadn't ranged across the country quite as much as the two of us, but she was more experienced than I expected.

  Soon, we stepped into our first stop of the day. Vesper darted into an alchemist's store and was perusing their wares within seconds. I followed, and by the time I stepped into the building, she was already discussing potential purchases with the shopkeeper.

  I listened and tried to follow along, but the two spoke about the intricacies of alchemy in ways I couldn't fully understand. Within minutes, they'd wandered beyond the limits of my knowledge, discussing how best to mitigate toxicity from particular medicinal plants through specific alchemic processes and treatments.

  As they spoke, I did some browsing of my own. The alchemist's shop had many compounds I had used at least once, from basic healing potions to elixirs that could replace sleep for a time.

  Once, I would've considered buying some of these, but the changes to my body had made those broadly inefficient. Not only did I need less sleep and heal more quickly than before, but I had also discovered that I tended to process foreign substances more quickly and efficiently.

  I hadn't tested that last change much, but I suspected it was due to specific organs working more efficiently. Although it was hard to say just how effective they had become, I didn't see much point in wasting gold to find out.

  Vepser left without making any purchases, and once more we returned to idle conversation. This died after only a minute or two as we came upon an enchanter's shop, specifically one specializing in defensive enchantments like those found in magical armor.

  Once more, the darkness mage began asking questions of the enchanter, but this time, I was able to follow along better. Unfortunately, this was largely because Vesper's skills in enchanting were notably less advanced than her understanding of alchemy.

  Many of her questions focused on somewhat bizarre concepts of enchanting. She asked about various alternative substrates, how the particular material properties affected their stability, and how much mobility and flexibility might impact overall enchantment lifespan.

  Why would a healer need to know such specifics? Most mages at least considered using defensive enchantments to keep themselves alive, but why care about the material? I found myself more curious than ever about Vesper's studies and training, and couldn't wait to pry for more details.

  Our afternoon continued on in much the same way. We moved from shop to shop, never staying longer than ten or fifteen minutes as we browsed and discussed the wares with the various shopkeepers. I began to join in after the third store, if only to satisfy my curiosity and speak with Vesper further, and by the fifth, we were talking to one another more than anything else.

  After several hours, Vesper seemed to have satisfied her curiosity. I wasn't sure if she actually needed to buy anything, or if it had simply been an excuse to browse and discuss magic. Either way, it was easier than trying the more flirtatious angle that Flynn might have recommended.

  As we walked down the streets of the Middle District, I turned to me and asked, "Would you like to get lunch?"

  Vepser blinked, then smiled. "Gladly. Do you have a place in mind?"

  "Actually, I was hoping you might have a recommendation."

  Her smile widened, and she nodded once again before taking the lead. I followed as she walked down the main road, diverted along a side street, wove through dense crowds, and slipped past the various obstacles and obstructions common in the bustling capital. Soon, the foot traffic thinned to the point where we could walk side by side without issue.

  Finally, she stopped before a small building sandwiched between a tailor's shop and a two-story home. She glanced over her shoulder once to make sure I was still right behind her, then opened the door and strode inside.

  I followed, and the first thing I noticed was the scent of fresh-baked bread, strong enough to drown out everything else. For a moment, I stood there only to shake myself free and take a closer look at the building.

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  It was a bakery that someone had split in two, adding round tables with chairs to the front of the building, while the back consisted of several work benches, ovens, and wooden racks. Tools hung from a wall, and a counter ran right through the center of the room, setting a clear distinction between the two sections.

  A man worked behind the counter, his back facing us as he busied himself with something at the workbench. As I closed the door behind me, I noticed the faint jingle of wind chimes and looked up to see a few hanging by the top of the frame. The sound must have alerted the baker, as he turned to face us with a welcoming smile.

  "Welcome, welcome—ah, welcome back, my friend!" the baker exclaimed, walking towards the counter as he wiped his hands off on his apron. "How are you this beautiful day?"

  "I'm doing very well, Aflred, thank you," Vesper replied with the brightest smile I had seen from her the entire day. "And you?"

  "Wonderful, as always," Alfred responded, laughing as his eyes briefly glanced in my direction. "And you brought a friend? Welcome! Ah, but my manners. Please, sit. Would you like the usual?"

  "That would be lovely, thank you," Vesper said as she made for the nearest table. I took the chair across from her, only realizing after I was sitting down that I was supposed to pull her seat out for her.

  If Flynn were here, he'd lambast me for forgetting his lessons so soon. Then again, I wasn't planning to tell him, and what he didn't know wouldn't earn me another two-hour lecture on etiquette for a nobleman.

  The baker swept out from behind the counter with a platter in one hand. Piled atop it was a loaf of still-steaming brown bread, with plates of cheeses, fruit spreads, butter, and an assortment of small, somewhat dull knives for each.

  Alfred placed it down with an elaborate flourish. "Enjoy!"

  He was gone before I could say anything, and I raised an eyebrow as I looked at Vesper, who had already begun digging into the food.

  "A friend?" I asked, smiling.

  Vesper cleared her throat, seeming a little embarrassed as she spread a fruit jam onto a slice of bread. "Alfred has some trouble moving his hands properly. Overuse of his wrists, from what I can tell. I come by once or twice a week and treat him."

  I took a piece myself, smeared some butter on it, popped it into my mouth, and hummed. "This is very good, but I'm not sure it's quite equal in value to weekly healing."

  Vesper shook her head. "I heal him because I can, and pay him as much as he'll allow. It's a constant battle to get him to accept any sort of payment."

  Her voice shifted at that last sentence, turning louder and firmer, and Alfred laughed audibly even as he kneaded dough behind the counter.

  "Only because you're too stubborn, my young friend!" Alfred yelled, glancing up with a smile.

  We ate in mostly silence for several minutes, and I found myself reassessing Alfred's talents. The bread was quite possibly the best I'd ever had, and it paired almost perfectly with the various toppings he'd provided. It wasn't the most elaborate meal I'd ever had, nor the most filling, but it was an exceptionally tasty one.

  After some time, Vesper turned her focus to me. "So, Vayne, are you ready to tell me why you're so interested in becoming my friend yet?"

  "Would it be so difficult to accept that I just enjoy your company?" I asked.

  "That's not really an answer, you know."

  She stared at me, and I sighed before continuing, "I know I didn't make the best impression on you when we trained together, and honestly, I'm still not sure why. But I would like that to change."

  "Why?" Vesper asked, setting her knife down as she interlaced her fingers and leaned her chin on her hands.

  I stared at her and found that I wanted to tell her the truth. Vesper was a good person, not like...well, not like me. She was healing a man effectively for free. Back when she was still an apprentice, dozens of people had treated her like a saint.

  She didn't deserve falsehoods and deception, even if it was the pragmatic decision.

  "I thought you'd hate me," I said, almost without meaning to put it into words.

  Vesper's eyes widened, and before she could reply, I pressed on, "Master Lysandra was a good person. Better than me, without question. When I met you yesterday, I expected you to curse me or throw me out."

  "Why in the hell would I do that?" she asked, confusion in her voice.

  "Because I survived and she didn't," I said simply, glancing down at the table. Something had needled me for a while, a feeling I hadn't fully realized until it was staring at me in the face. "Maybe if I hadn't come to train with her, she'd still be alive."

  I looked up, expecting to see that same befuddled expression. Instead, I found that her eyebrows had drawn down and her mouth was pressed into the thin, unmistakable mask of fury.

  "What happened isn't your fault, and don't you dare try to take the blame for it. Those bastards are the ones who killed our teacher, and no one else. Master Lysandra did what she did because she felt it was the right thing. Don't insult her memory by turning this into your responsibility, and don't insult me by thinking I'd take out my grief on you."

  I blinked, a few seconds passing. Then, I laughed humorlessly.

  "You're right. Blaming myself is selfish in a way, I suppose. I just sometimes wonder if I could have done anything different."

  "We always can," Vesper said, shaking her head. "Is that why you came to Volaris? For this?"

  I glanced over towards the counter, finding that Alfred had vanished through a door in the rear of the building at some point. Maybe the man had heard our discussion and decided to give us some privacy. After a few seconds, I cleared my throat and turned back to the darkness mage.

  "For you, yes," I replied, meeting her eyes. Vesper blushed faintly, and I smiled as I continued, "I wasn't lying yesterday when I said I wanted to know you better. And I'm not lying now."

  "To what end?" Vesper asked. "I doubt you tracked me down and found out my true name just to become my friend."

  I weighed my options, then nodded slowly. "Not just friends, no. But first, can I ask you a question?"

  Vesper's face had flashed with something that I couldn't read, but it vanished as she replied, "What question would that be?"

  "What do you plan to do now?"

  Her eyebrows rose, then lowered as she examined me. "That's not the question I expected."

  "One of my old mentors once said the best questions are the unexpected ones."

  Vesper considered it for a few seconds, then replied, "I suppose my intention was to finish my training. Master Lysandra isn't a mentor easily replaced, but I still plan to become a healer someday."

  "I see. A bit of a strange follow-up, but please humor me if you would," I said, tapping my fingers on the table. "What would you do if you could become far more powerful as a mage?"

  Vesper stared. "What are you talking about?"

  "Say you could grow stronger than you ever dreamed possible. Not in years or decades, but months? What would you do?"

  Vesper examined me, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. I tried to appear casual as I picked at our mostly forgotten meal, even as my heart hammered in my chest. It was a risk, pushing so soon, but this had felt like a good chance to ask the question. If nothing else, surprise might earn a more honest response than anything else.

  "And this is a hypothetical question, I take it?" Vesper asked after a long pause.

  "Of course," I said, and we both knew it was a lie.

  Several minutes passed as she weighed her response. I tried not to notice the growing tension in the room, even as my foot began tapping under the table.

  Finally, Vesper replied, "The first thing I would do is assist my brother in repairing our family name. He puts on a mask of not caring, but I know him better than he knows himself. Second, I'd investigate and bring to justice those who killed my teacher."

  Then, her dark mana spread out from her like a great shadow. It fell onto me, not strong enough to be dangerous but with enough density that I suspected she could at least give me trouble. She leaned forward across the table, a cold smile creeping onto her face, and I saw a different person there than I had expected.

  "And third, if I found that you had anything to do with it, I'd make sure you hung with the rest of them."

  I stared at the cold, determined malice in her eyes. There was a strength there I hadn't seen before, and a strange sense of kindness. Not the fake niceties that people visited to one another when it was easy, but a real, burning core of compassion that demanded she exact some measure of justice for her lost mentor.

  Vesper knew I was stronger than her and likely understood that her threat was an empty one. She had grown more powerful, but we both knew my mana was more potent. Talented as she was, she wasn't a combat mage like me.

  And yet, she'd threatened me regardless of her chances. It was either brave, reckless, or foolhardy, and I couldn't say for sure which. I realized I still hadn't replied, and said the first thing that came to mind.

  "Would you like to attend the banquet with me?"

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