[User] After going down two flights of stairs into increasingly stagnant air, they entered a wide room of stone. The instant they stepped on the ground, candelabra on the walls flickered to life, illuminating messy piles of magical objects on shelves and stone tables.

[Assistant] "I’ve got to make sure to clean up in here from now on."

[User] "Wow… Look at all these magic implements." Oscar picks up a nearby crystal ball. Inside of it floated an image of an unfamiliar seaside.

[Assistant] "Some of these things could be activated by touch. They’re dangerous, so try not to touch anything."

[User] "Got it. I’ll watch out." Oscar returns the crystal ball back to its spot.

[Assistant] Tinasha turned away and used her magic to search all around, just as she’d done in Farsas, carefully sorting through every nook and cranny, taking care not to overlook any small articles. Oscar wanders all over the treasure vault, returning to Tinasha’s side.

[User] "Is it here?"

[Assistant] "It’s…not!"

[User] Tinasha checked the time and felt something in her stomach drop as she realized only an hour remained.

[Assistant] As Tinasha fell into panic, Oscar dropped a hand on her head.

[User] "Think it over one more time. There’s gotta be a clue. What’s different about today compared with other times you’ve met with Lucrezia?"

[Assistant] "Hmm… The most obvious is that I’ve claimed the throne of Tuldarr. Another would be that I have Pamyra and Renart, but Lucrezia didn’t know about them until she arrived at the castle today, so I don’t think that’s it. The last thing I can think of is that you’re a king now."

[User] "That reminds me, I did see Lucrezia once after being crowned."

[Assistant] "You did?"

[User] She was interested to know the circumstances of their meeting, but now wasn’t the time to ask about that.

[Assistant] "I really think it has to do with Tuldarr, since she lost her ring five hundred years ago. Not much remains from that era. It was the Dark Age, after all."

[User] "Are there no other structures still standing?"

[Assistant] "In terms of underground facilities, it’s just this and the Spirits’ Hall."

[User] Tinasha and Oscar exchanged a glance. Oscar ruffled the witch’s hair.

[Assistant] "Looks like we know where we’re headed next. Can we get there from here?"

[User] "No, they’re not connected."


[User] The pair returned to the cathedral ruins, then teleported underground from there. The Spirits’ Hall was a round, empty cavernous space paved with stone as far as the eye could see. Normally, any of the twelve spirits that had not been claimed rested here as statues. Tinasha inherited all of them, however, leaving not even a pebble in the place. Magic lights in hand, they each took a side of the vast hall and began to explore.

[Assistant] Along the way, Oscar discovered a singular door in the outer wall. "Does this connect to somewhere?"

[User] "It actually connects to the castle, but it’s probably long since caved in.”

[Assistant] Aside from the door, they didn’t find anything. They made a loop of the room and met back up in the center. “Doesn’t look like it’s here."

[User] “No, it doesn’t. I can’t sense anything. I think I’ll summon one of the twelve and ask them… King Zayurk reigned five hundred years ago, so I’ll ask one of his old spirits.” Tinasha shrugged, then called quite casually. “Senn, come here.”

[Assistant] A spirit materialized before them. “My Queen. What do you need?” asked the spirit in the form of a man in his mid-twenties. His white hair was short and slightly bluish. Crimson burned in his eyes. A devious smirk was on his handsome face.

[User] Tinasha crossed her arms and spoke plainly. “Do you know the Witch of the Forbidden Forest?”

[Assistant] “I know her.”

[User] “I’m looking for a ring she made. It’s a silver garnet ring.”

[Assistant] “I have it.”

[User] "You what?! Why? !" she shrieked wildly before she could stop herself. Her head was spinning as she wondered what in the world was going on, but Oscar poked her in the back to remind her about the time limit. Recalling the urgency of her predicament. “Will you give it to me? She wants it.”

[Assistant] “It’s mine. But if the queen wants it, I’ll obey her orders,” he said, looking a little doubtful but still smiling.

[User] Looking sour, Tinasha nodded. “Then I’ll make it an order. Give me the ring. Once I’ve given it to the Witch of the Forbidden Forest, I can try to negotiate it back for you.”

[Assistant] “No need for that. If she wants it, that’s all the answer I need,” Senn replied, holding out a hand.


[User] Tinasha held out her own in kind. A ring appeared out of thin air and dropped into her palm. She looked it over and confirmed that the sigils and the stone were all that Lucrezia had described. To make sure she wouldn’t lose it, Tinasha put the ring on her own finger. It was extremely loose on her, as a man’s ring might have been. She closed her other hand around the little trinket. "Thank you. I feel bad about this."

[Assistant] "It was an easy task. I’ll be off, then." Senn declared and vanished as quickly as he’d arrived.

[User] The witch turned around and showed Oscar the ring.

[Assistant] He stared at how it was practically falling off her slender finger. "You made it in time."

[User] "Thanks to your help…," Tinasha replied, breathing a sigh of relief. Then she took his arm and cast a transportation spell back to the castle.


[Assistant] After Oscar gave his impressions of the little adventure—“That was fun”—and returned to his work.

[User] Tinasha headed back to the lounge where Lucrezia and the aphrodisiac-dosed mages were waiting. They were still sipping tea just like when she left, and Tinasha gave them an exasperated look. "I’m glad you’re all taking this so calmly."

[Assistant] Doan looked up from a spell book, exhaustion plain on his face. "I feel like we’ve had to adapt to all manner of things lately. By comparison, something like this just doesn’t seem worth a fuss…"

[User] On the other hand, the woman who was the cause of all this grinned delightedly. "Did you find it?"

[Assistant] "Yes," answered Tinasha, taking the ring off and throwing it at her beaming friend.

[User] Lucrezia snatched it as it arced through the air.

[Assistant] The mages all looked at her, nerves taut. The Witch of the Forbidden Forest rolled the ring around on her finger, inspecting it, then broke into a smile. "Mm-hmm, thank you."

[User] Everyone heaved a sigh of relief.

[Assistant] Tinasha massaged her temples, thoroughly exhausted from yet another day she’d spent wrapped around Lucrezia’s little finger. "Next time, just ask normally."

[User] "Oh, but where would be the fun in that?"

[Assistant] "First things first. Go on and undo the enchantment," Tinasha urged.

[User] Lucrezia reached her left hand out. Instantly, the spell design appeared there before popping out of sight. At the same time, those ensorcelled suddenly felt themselves free of the magic’s insidious effects.

[Assistant] "Unbelievable… You always waste so much magic."

[User] "It’s the best I can manage, okay? I’m not like you." Lucrezia sniffed.

[Assistant] "This is why they call it the Age of Witches…," grumbled Tinasha as she floated over to her friend. After all that trouble, she wanted a proper explanation.


[User] Tinasha sat down and rested her chin in her hands, looking distinctly displeased.

[Assistant] “So what was that all about?”

[User] The oversized ring on her finger, Lucrezia arched an eyebrow. The smile melted off her beautiful face, and she pouted like a child. Throwing Tinasha a sidelong glance, she muttered sulkily, “…I gave it to an old lover of mine.”

[Assistant] “What?” Tinasha said, eyes round and wide. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

[User] Ignoring her, Lucrezia waved a hand. “Welp, gotta go!” With that, she winked out of sight.


[User] It was a rather sunny day, so much so that it was uncomfortably warm, even inside. The witch had just brewed tea in the king’s study, and she repeated the words Lazar had said to her. "What? Birthday?"

[Assistant] "Yes, that’s right. It’s two weeks from now."

[User] "Whose?"

[Assistant] "Mine, of course." Oscar cut in, breaking his silence as he signed another document.

[User] Still surprised, Tinasha placed a cup of tea near his free hand. "So you have a birthday…" She muttered wonderingly, placing the tea tray under her arm.

[Assistant] "What do I look like in that head of yours?" Oscar retorted, his eyes remained trained on the contract he was looking over. His fine features exuded nobility, though Tinasha was long used to seeing them.

[User] Tinasha let her true thoughts slip out. "You’re going to be twenty-one, right? …So young."

[Assistant] "Everyone must seem that way when compared with you."

[User] "Mentally, you’re like an old man, so it’s especially surprising."

[Assistant] "I will grind my fist against your head again. Come here." Oscar said, reaching out for the witch.

[User] She dodged and leaped back. Tinasha took a seat in a chair to the side of the table and had a sip of her tea.

[Assistant] In sharp contrast to his leisurely protector, Oscar worked hard at progressing through his documents. He worked efficiently from right to left. "What does ‘surprising’ mean? Don’t you have a birthday, too?"

[User] "Yes, I do. I was born just the same as you were. It was two months ago."

[Assistant] "How old are you?"

[User] "I’ve forgotten… I suppose I’m four hundred plus around twenty or thirty."

[Assistant] "Crazy." Oscar remarked.

[User] Lazar stacked up the papers Oscar was done with and picked them up. The faithful attendant asked his king. "And what should we do for your birthday celebration, Your Majesty?"

[Assistant] "My dad just had his, so we don’t need to do one this year… Too much trouble."

[User] "But the coronation ceremony was a simple affair, too." Lazar protested.

[Assistant] "And right after that, I saw just about everyone who’s anyone while we were in Tayiri, so it’s fine." Oscar argued. While he carried out his duties impeccably, he had little desire to appear at fancy affairs.

[User] Lazar hummed unhappily, but when he considered the situation with Cecelia in Tayiri, he felt some amount of sympathy. He gave up and nodded. "Then I’ll answer as such to the people who have already inquired about the matter."

[Assistant] "Please do that, thanks."

[User] Lazar left, his sighs trailing after him.

[Assistant] The witch set down her cup and floated up. Fluttering through the air as if she were swimming, she drifted over to a position directly above Oscar’s desk and looked down at him. A bit of her sweet floral perfume tickled Oscar’s nose. "Is there anything you want?" She asked, her voice like tinkling bells.

[User] He smiled.


[User] “Where did that come from?”

[Assistant] “It’ll be your birthday, so just this once.” Tinasha tilted her head to look up at Oscar, only to find her grinning in amusement. She looked so innocent—it was hard to believe she had lived for over four centuries.

[User] Oscar paused in his work to consider the question. “You’ve put me on the spot. I can’t think of anything.”

[Assistant] “So you want for nothing.” Tinasha replied doubtfully.

[User] “I’m aware of how blessed I am.” Oscar said, gesturing for her to come closer. She descended until she was sitting on his lap with her legs out to one side. Oscar brushed her hair back, revealing one pale earlobe. He took in her lovely profile and neckline, and his eyes narrowed. “By the way, about getting married—”

[Assistant] “I’m not going to!” Tinasha cried in her usual way.

[User] Oscar made a face as he dropped a hand on her head. “Then there’s nothing I want. I have you, and that’s enough.”

[Assistant] “Really?”

[User] “Mm-hmm. So don’t dart around hiding here and there. You’re not a little kid, you know.”

[Assistant] Tinasha groaned, aware she could say nothing for herself. In the end, she just looked up at Oscar regretfully.


[User] Wondering at it, Tinasha knocked on the door of the house.

[Assistant] “Oh, it’s you. Come in.” Lucrezia said, appearing at the door. She seemed mid-experiment, as she held numerous tiny bottles between her fingers.

[User] Once inside, Tinasha began to brew some tea herself, as she was very familiar with this house. Soon enough, the two sat down. Tinasha lifted one finger that was wrapped around her teacup to point to the ceiling. “Tell me how to make the pastries from the other day. Without the aphrodisiac.”

[Assistant] “They won’t taste the same without it.”

[User] “Seriously? !”

[Assistant] “So why have you come today?”

[User] “Oh, I have something to ask you about. What’s a normal thing to give men?”

[Assistant] “…What in the world?” The Witch of the Forbidden Forest exclaimed, staring nonplussed at her friend after such a random question. Tinasha recounted the events of the conversation back in Oscar’s study.


[User] “If he said he doesn’t need anything, then you don’t need to worry, do you?”

[Assistant] “I’ve been feeling like I owe him a lot lately. Since I have the chance, I’d like to pay him back.”

[User] “Owe him, huh?” Lucrezia said, resting her chin on her hands as she eyed Tinasha, who was carefully selecting a cookie. Wanting to give someone a birthday present was so completely ordinary that it seemed exceedingly unordinary for a witch. Lucrezia wondered if Tinasha had realized that. "So then why did you come to ask me for advice?”

[Assistant] “Because the other day with the ring, you…”

[User] “What? !”

[Assistant] “Nothing,” Tinasha said, electing not to broach the subject after seeing the look her friend gave her.

[User] “Anything you give him will be fine.” With hurried bluntness, Lucrezia cut to the chase.

[Assistant] “I suppose you’re right… Maybe I’ll go take a look around the Tuldarr treasure vault while tidying it up a bit. There might be some intriguing armor in there or something.”

[User] “I am begging you, do not make that man any stronger than he already is!” cried Lucrezia.

[Assistant] Feigning calm, Tinasha sipped at her tea. Even so, she did wonder if getting him something he could use every day would be best. The question was what? Maybe some sort of food that wouldn’t leave leftovers? Tinasha mulled over the idea as she picked at a cookie. She realized she had almost no experience giving someone a birthday present. If she messed this up, she’d have to consult her memories from before she became a witch. Never had Tinasha considered such an innocuous concept to be so vast. “I can’t think of anything…”

[User] “Give him your body. He’ll love it.”

[Assistant] “You’re a pervert,” Tinasha said, breaking her cookie in half, sighing.


[User] “The other day, I replied to the other countries, letting them know about your birthday celebration. Prince Reust of Tayiri sent word that he’d like to make an official visit thanking you for your military aid.”

[Assistant] “Turn him away.”

[User] Lazar pulled a face and sighed as he chided his king. "Please don’t be difficult. Farsas can’t afford to take a hard stance against Tayiri.”

[Assistant] Oscar was quite aware of that, of course.

[User] Lazar flipped through the papers in his hands. “Even if you refuse him now, the visit is only three days away. Your letter will pass his retinue on the road.”

[Assistant] “I just wanted to say it. I have a feeling I know why Reust is coming.”

[User] “Why?”

[Assistant] “He wants to see her, doesn’t he?” Oscar said, jerking his chin over at Tinasha to indicate her as she entered the room with a book in hand.

[User] As both men’s gazes converged on her, she cocked her head in bemusement. “What are you talking about?”

[Assistant] “You, you traitor.”

[User] Oscar ignored her and passed some documents to Lazar. “Here, you handle the preparations.”

[Assistant] “Hey, Oscar… What was that just now?”

[User] “Does it matter if you don’t remember?” he retorted shamelessly.

[Assistant] Tinasha sank down into a chair anyway. She started to flip through a thick spell book.

[User] “What the—?” he heard Oscar say in a tone of surprise.

[Assistant] She looked up to see him frowning down at a document.

[User] As she looked on curiously, Lazar explained, “Evidently, a number of ships have gone missing in the southern sea. The cause is unknown, but the damage keeps piling up. The nobles and the merchants have banded together to request the situation be handled.”

[Assistant] “If they’re going missing on the ocean, it’s probably the work of pirates, right?”

[User] “We had some issues with pirates a while back, but General Als should’ve handled it.”

[Assistant] “Ohhh. Then maybe it’s a sea monster.”

[User] “Do those really exist?” Oscar asked, setting the report down and crossing his arms.

[Assistant] Oscar began seriously considering the sort of team he’d bring while Tinasha gave a brief explanation.


[User] “There are many types of sea monsters. There’s huge fish as well as creatures of unknown shapes and sizes. Sea creatures can grow very big. Of course, it’s also possible that it’s just a regular demonic spirit.”

[Assistant] “What falls under the classification of ‘unknown shapes and sizes’?” Oscar questioned.

[User] “Things like gigantic sea anemones… Have you never seen one?”

[Assistant] “I’ve never even seen the ocean,” Oscar admitted.

[User] Next to him, Lazar raised a hand and offered. "Neither have I.”

[Assistant] Surprised by the response, Tinasha let out a little cry of shock. “If you’ve never gone to the ocean, can you not swim, either?” she asked.

[User] “I can swim,” Oscar assured her.

[Assistant] “That’s no fun…,” she muttered.

[User] The conversation had gotten off track, and Oscar reeled it back in. “Who do you think is best suited to handling this?”

[Assistant] “It depends on their skill, but if you bring Als, then you’d need about ten people, including mages. That should be enough to handle it. There’s no accounting for the creature’s size, though.”

[User] “Als, huh? He’s more of a land guy, I wonder if putting him on this team is a good idea…” As Oscar was deliberating over his decision and Tinasha floated directly overhead, she peeked at the papers. “Oh, Nisrey. That really takes me back. In Nisrey, there’s—” She got that far before she clapped her hands together, having just remembered something.

[Assistant] Oscar looked up at the sound. “What’s up?”

[User] “I’m heading out,” Tinasha declared.

[Assistant] “Why so suddenly…?”

[User] “Don’t mind that. I’m going to take care of it!” Tinasha answered, suddenly very excited and in a great mood.

[Assistant] Oscar narrowed his eyes suspiciously at her. He wanted to make her tell him what she’d thought of, but he also knew that Tinasha handling the trouble at sea was the safest way to see it done. As Oscar rested his chin on his knuckles, he remembered something else. “Fine then, go along. Pick out who you want to accompany you.”

[User] “Thank you.”

[Assistant] “Make a weeklong trip of it and get some rest while you’re at it.”

[User] “Your Majesty…,” Lazar objected, appalled. He knew what Oscar was up to. This was a ploy to make sure Tinasha wouldn’t be around when Reust arrived. For a king, he could certainly act very immature.

[Assistant] The witch suspected nothing, however, and replied to Oscar’s seeming generosity with a wide smile that bloomed like a flower. “I’ll be back by your birthday,” Tinasha promised. She gave a playful toss of her hair before winking out of the study.


[User] Tinasha picked Pamyra and Renart.

[Assistant] While the two had recently been made Farsasian mages in name, it was more accurate to say they served Tinasha directly. Unlike most other local mages who were terrified of the sea, Pamyra and Renart had volunteered to go on the trip.

[User] The group of five used a transportation array to teleport to a fortress far to the south. From there, they rode on horseback to the port town of Nisrey. Als had vanquished the southern pirates only three short months ago, and the people of Nisrey had not yet forgotten his deeds. Tinasha’s group was met with cheers and applause upon their arrival.


[Assistant] Marquis Broguia, the most influential person in the city, welcomed the five into his mansion. The marquis wore an ashamed expression as he bowed low before Als. “I’m deeply sorry to be troubling you again.”

[User] “Not at all. Ships going missing is quite the significant matter. We’ll get this resolved as quickly as we can.” Als replied formally. While Tinasha was the actual leader, Als took the role of a figurehead so as to ensure her identity as a witch stayed a secret.

[Assistant] Marquis Broguia’s eyes widened as he beheld the beautiful woman behind Als, and then he seemed to grow concerned at how small their party was. He suggested sending some of his private officers.

[User] Als refused. “We’re only asking for a ship and the sailors to man it.”

[Assistant] “I’d be happy to, of course, but… Will you really be all right?”

[User] “We’ve brought everyone we need.” Als flicked his gaze over to the witch, who was looking out the window.

[Assistant] She grinned and waved at him.


[User] The next day, the group of five was escorted to the port where they borrowed a medium-sized ship that normally ferried around twenty. The marquis had wanted to lend them an even larger man-of-war, but Tinasha said it would be a waste if it sank.

[Assistant] “Does that mean there’s a chance we could sink?” His face looked pale as they sailed out toward where the disappearances had occurred.

[User] “We can’t rule it out. I’ll do my best to keep us from sinking, though.” Tinasha said matter-of-factly.

[Assistant] Als cocked his head in puzzlement. “What exactly are we up against anyway?”

[User] “Based on what I’ve heard, it’s either a demonic spirit or a sea monster. I’m hoping it’s the former, because that will be easier for me to handle. I don’t like how sea monsters look. They’re big and slimy.”

[Assistant] “That’s your reason…? I think there’s bigger problems beyond their size and sliminess…” Als objected.

[User] Pamyra suddenly cut in, raising her hand. “Could it be a kraken?”

[Assistant] The witch frowned at that. Krakens were a famous and gigantic sort of sea monster that lived deep in the ocean. They were said to resemble squids or octopuses. Tinasha’s little band was in for a hard-fought battle if their opponent was something on that scale.


[User] After some thought, Tinasha shook her head lightly. "Krakens tend to live only in the northern waters. I don’t think one would be this far south unless it’d been specifically summoned.”

[Assistant] Suzuto piped up and hesitantly inquired. “Um, sorry to ask something so basic, but does magic not work on things that are underwater?”

[User] The three mages exchanged glances. “I’m not sure, but I think it’s more difficult for a spell to affect something that’s in the water. If they’re completely submerged, the spells will have almost no effect. You can’t speak an incantation while submerged, so it’s best for us to fight above the waves, if at all possible.”

[Assistant] Tinasha and Pamyra nodded in agreement.

[User] Als let out a deep sigh. “We’ll have to lure it out, then. Before the boat sinks.”

[Assistant] “Even if it sinks, we can fly back to land.” The witch said brightly, and Pamyra and Renart grimaced.

[User] As she gazed out at the open water, Als turned back to eye the others.

[Assistant] "All right, Miss Tinasha, what should we do?”

[User] “We’ll be wasting time if we wait to get attacked, so I’m going to send out a scout.” After a short incantation, a fishlike creature appeared in her palm. Upon closer look, it wasn’t a living creature but a hazily glowing mass of clay.


[User] "It’s going to loop around the area and search for magic. If something happens, it’ll alert me." She explained as she threw it into the water, where it began to zip along just like a real fish.

[Assistant] "That’s convenient. I guess we’ll break out the booze while we wait."

[User] "You’ll die when you fall in the ocean." She cautioned.


[Assistant] He peered back at the distant sight of land on the horizon. "I’ve come here before. We sank one of the pirate ships around here.”

[User] “Ohhh. Then maybe it’s a ghost ship causing all this trouble." She suggested.

[Assistant] "That’s ridiculous. First of all, ghosts don’t exist; you told me that yourself—" Then Als noticed that the breeze had suddenly died down. The sea was eerily calm.


[Assistant] The witch’s eyebrows raised. “This isn’t good. The shield’s got about ten seconds before it breaks. Drive that thing back.”

[User] "...Eight! Nine! Ten!" On that final word, the barrier shattered.

[Assistant] Als and Suzuto unsheathed their swords while Pamyra and Renart began to chant spells. Als cut off one tentacle.

[User] Suzuto intercepted the tentacle with his sword while it tried to make off with a sailor.

[Assistant] As she burned the other legs, Tinasha conjured another magical shield around the ship.

[User] Pamyra looked out over the slimy deck.


[User] "Lady Tinasha…"

[Assistant] Their battle with the kraken had lasted only a few dozen seconds, but it had all felt too bizarre to instill fear. Instead there was a strange sort of mania that hung about the vessel and its crew. Als realized his heart was beating out of control and took some deep breaths.


[User] “If there’s a kraken, then that means there’s someone who summoned it.” Als reasoned.

[Assistant] “Most likely. But I don’t understand what their goal is. The attacks seem completely random.”

[User] “Can you kill it?”

[Assistant] “That might be difficult unless we can get it to stay above water for more than a few moments at a time. I wonder where its weak spot is…”

[User] No sooner had the words left the witch’s lips than the boat began to rock. Everyone lost their balance and almost fell.

[Assistant] Als grabbed her arm to support her as she was about to slip. He looked to the ship’s bow and saw three fat tentacles coiling around it, pulling the boat up vertically—barrier and all. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

[User] As the bow was hoisted higher and higher, everyone started to topple down toward the stern. Als grabbed hold of Tinasha, who shouted, “Pamyra! Renart! To the sky! We’re abandoning ship.”

[Assistant] The two loyal attendants began their chants while Tinasha took hold of Als.

[User] Als lost his footing, but they escaped into the air a split second before the kraken’s tentacles lugged the hull to one side. All they could do was watch from above as it pulled the barrier with the ship inside down into the inky dark.

[Assistant] Tinasha surveyed the violently roiling waves and scratched at her temple. “I’m definitely glad we didn’t take a big ship. I guess Oscar will have to pay off our debt.”

[User] “I think that necessitates a discussion with Marquis Broguia…” Als remarked. He had a feeling the marquis wouldn’t mind the loss of an entire fleet of ships so long as it meant the death of the kraken.

[Assistant] Perhaps realizing there was no food on the boat it had sunk, its tentacles began wriggling about the surface in search of new prey before finally disappearing back under the water. Watching from above made it clear how unusually large this specimen was. The whole creature, judging by its limbs, was big enough to eclipse an entire town.

[User] “I’m tracking it, so let’s figure out how to combat it. That should probably wait until we get the sailors back to land, though.”

[Assistant] Pamyra heeded her lady’s order and opened up a transportation portal in midair. Then she pushed the sailors into it.

[User] At the same time, Tinasha crossed her arms and fell into contemplation. She only spoke up once the sailors were gone. “It looks like the creature’s bound to this particular portion of the sea. That said, it doesn’t appear to be taking orders from anyone.”

[Assistant] “You think someone summoned it and left?” Als inquired.

[User] “No, I think the summoner is here.” She answered.

[Assistant] “Here? You mean, among us?” Als said, pointing to himself.

[User] The witch shook her head, however—a faint smile on her face—and pointed downward. “He’s probably dead."


[User] “I bet it was one of the pirates you defeated, Als.”

[Assistant] “Huh?” Als was frozen in place as Tinasha gazed back at him with her beautiful eyes.

[User] “Do you mean that a pirate summoned the monster but died before giving it any orders, leaving it trapped in these waters?” Renart theorized.

[Assistant] “That seems the most probably explanation. The summoning must have taken a long time, and this is the result. I’m glad it didn’t happen while you were subduing the pirates, Als.”

[User] “Ugh…I can’t believe this,” Als moaned, faintly horrified as he finally understood.

[Assistant] “What shall we do? Fire attacks at the monster or destroy the spell pattern the summoner left behind?” Pamyra turned to her lady and asked.

[User] “Either target would be deep underwater. Hmm, what to do?” wondered the witch aloud. She scanned the air. Her dark eyes came to rest on Als. Tinasha seemed to mentally debate her own idea for a moment, but eventually she pressed her palms together and requested, “Please be our bait.”

[Assistant] “…Oh, you really have got to be kidding me,” Als said, echoing what he’d exclaimed earlier. He turned his head skyward in futile supplication.


[User] Still hovering in the air, the group laid out their plan while keeping careful watch on the rolling waves below. While Als readied his sword, Pamyra and Renart drew up attack spells. Suzuto had managed to avoid being part of the bait, so he stayed aloft with Tinasha and her mages. Pamyra and Renart cast separate spells, then combined them into one. For her part, Tinasha called up a barrier around Als.

[Assistant] “I’m going to lower you into the water, so draw it toward you. Once it’s hooked, we’ll reel it up.”

[User] “I’d really prefer not to die…,” Als griped.

[Assistant] “I’ll be very careful,” Tinasha reassured him. The witch checked to make sure her mages had completed their spell, then motioned with her alabaster hands to slowly drop Als down into the ocean. Only his feet sank below the water, but Tinasha’s protection kept Als’s boots dry.

[User] The general looked up at his teammates hovering overhead and wondered how long it’d been since he’d felt this helpless and alone. From far away, he could see that the witch’s hands were still moving.

[Assistant] “She really has the perfect personality to be His Majesty’s wife…”

[User] They were definitely alike in how reckless they were. More importantly, Tinasha was powerful and reliable. Waiting began to make Als anxious, so he swung his sword around as a test. Based on how the water reacted, Tinasha’s barrier seemed to be globe-shaped. Curiously, no water leaked in, even if his sword penetrated it. With his blade, Als idly stirred little pools in the sea.


[User] “…There it is.” Als muttered as bubbles began to gather close to where the kraken had surfaced earlier. His back felt uncomfortably sticky with sweat. He readied his sword and slowed his breathing.

[Assistant] No sooner had he done so than a huge sheet of water rushed up. A gigantic tentacle crept from the depths and encircled him. The tentacle pressed in to wrap itself around him, but just before its tip could touch him, the globe-shaped barrier began to carry Als up and out of the water. The tentacle was hot on his heels, and Als slashed at it. His cuts were repelled by a nauseatingly elastic surface, however. The kraken’s limb retreated slightly but didn’t give up the chase. “Looks like my sword isn’t gonna help…” Als continued to soar upward.

[User] Ten huge arms stretched far up toward the sky, pawing after him. Each limb was taller than a tower. The sight of them wriggling after Als was like something out of a nightmare.

[Assistant] Tinasha stared at it from her position in the air, then nodded at the two mages next to her. “It’s time. Do it.”

[User] At their lady’s command, Pamyra and Renart fired their magic down at the same time. Fierce spears of lightning crashed down, colliding powerfully with the ten tentacles of the kraken. Electrical currents ran through them, and a piercing shriek rent the sky. The sea monster tried to retract its unexpectedly electrocuted arms, but that wasn’t to be.

[Assistant] The witch’s lips curled in an evil grin. “You can’t get away. Who do you think you’re up against?” Using no incantation, Tinasha cast a spell to bind the great sea beast’s arms and hold it in the air. Electricity charred its writhing limbs, and a fragrant aroma began to waft through the air. The shocks diffused at the water’s edge, however, so they didn’t reach the kraken’s trunk and head. “Hmm… Not enough after all,” Tinasha murmured, grabbing a cylinder that had been at her waist. She poured five crystal balls out of it and flung them carelessly into the sea. As the little spheres sank, they spread out into a neatly formed circle with the kraken in the middle.

[User] “Renart, could you look after Als?”

[Assistant] “Yes, my lady,” said Renart who accepted stewardship of Als from the witch.

[User] Now free of distraction, Tinasha began an incantation. “Let my words sink in. A change of form shall not be a change in quality. The definition will not waver but merely flow and float… Move aside.” In response to her chant, five white lights started fountaining up from underwater. All at once, a white magic circle linking them together appeared in the air. Once the glowing disk surrounded the kraken, the ocean water within its circumference began to slowly drain.

[Assistant] “…Unbelievable,” Als breathed. Never had the man dared to envision such an astonishing display of magic.

[User] Next to him, Pamyra gasped.


[User] In three minutes, a perfect circle had been cleaved all the way to the ocean floor. The kraken’s huge body was stripped of its watery armor, revealing its ugly shape to the open air. Its black eyes, each easily three times the height of an adult human, glared at its opponents with unmistakable ire. "Is this a squid? Looks like it would be quite tasty." Tinasha scrutinized the sea monster she’d captured.

[Assistant] "Miss Tinasha, I don’t know why that’s the first thing that comes to mind when you look at that thing…" Als muttered miserably.

[User] In contrast, the witch appeared in slightly brighter spirits as she began another incantation. "Recognize my will as law, transformer that sleeps in the earth and flies in the sky. I control your thunder and summon you. Know my command to be every concept of your manifestation."

[Assistant] When Tinasha finished her chant, ten balls of lightning appeared in her hands. They crackled and popped, sending out silvery branches of light every passing moment. "Go." Tinasha glanced at her collected spheres, and they obediently sped off to assail the defenseless kraken. Each one expanded to a tremendous size and affixed itself to one of the kraken’s ten immobilized tentacles. Then, with frightening speed, they moved along the limbs as though they were pathways and made for the monster’s trunk. An air-rending sound exploded on impact. The kraken’s arms blackened and crumbled into fragile pieces. As the lightning attack reached the kraken’s head, a drawn-out scream like nails on a chalkboard shook the sea. The terrible shriek grew fainter and fainter before fading away entirely. As its last cries echoed off into silence, the kraken drooped feebly, still unable to move. One of its large, beady eyes had gone cloudy.

[User] "Is it dead?" asked Als.

[Assistant] "We’ll see." Tinasha replied, floating down to inspect. She hovered in close enough to examine the mighty creature’s head and eyes. Suddenly, the kraken’s one dead eye regained its dark luster. In a flash, it regenerated its disintegrated arms. One thin tentacle caught hold of Tinasha’s right foot.

[User] "Lady Tinasha!" cried Pamyra, trying to swoop down, but the kraken entwined itself around the witch’s body before she could. It tried to draw the witch toward the rows of tiny teeth inside its beak.

[Assistant] Bearing the pain, the witch placed a hand on the tentacle coiled tight around her. "Dissolve!" The kraken’s arm exploded. Tinasha kicked away and teleported over to Pamyra. The two of them rose up to come next to Als.

[User] "Miss Tinasha, are you all right?" he asked.

[Assistant] "I broke my ankle." she answered. Looking down, he saw that her right calf and foot were crisscrossed with red bruises from where it had been snared by the kraken’s tentacle. Proper healing was going to take some time. The witch took a moment to look down at the sea. Her concentration had broken, so the parted water was thundering back to fill the open space.


[User] "This damn squid… How should I deal with you…?" Tinasha muttered hatefully as the kraken’s regenerated ten giant limbs were wriggling about.

[Assistant] Suddenly, the creature stopped moving as a huge distortion formed around it, creaking and groaning for a bit like the low growl of an animal. Then the distortion converged toward a central point, and the kraken inexplicably vanished.

[User] Renart finally let a breath out. "Looks like it went well."

[Assistant] "It certainly looks that way." The witch said with a shrug.

[User] He nodded to her with a calm expression, appearing nearby from thin air. "My Queen, your orders have been carried out."

[Assistant] "Thanks, Nil. And stop calling me ‘My Queen.’"

[User] "But you are the queen." The spirit said crossly.

[Assistant] Next to him, Suzuto looked visibly relieved. "The magic pattern for the summoning has been destroyed. I’m sorry it took so long to find it."

[User] Als listened to his subordinate’s report, then sheathed his sword and grinned. "You succeeded just in the nick of time. Thanks."

[Assistant] Mission completed, Als glanced over at the witch floating next to him. "I don’t know what we would have done without you here, Miss Tinasha."

[User] "Hmm. Maybe Oscar would have come." She replied, not even joking, breaking into a face-splitting grin.


[Assistant] Oscar was there to greet Reust, welcoming him with formal remarks of gratitude.

[User] News of Als and his party’s return came soon after the guest’s welcome banquet began. He clicked his tongue in disapproval, wishing the journey had been delayed even slightly as he was given the news while in the grand hall.

[Assistant] Reust inquired lightly after the magistrate who delivered the missive excused himself. "What was that?"

[User] "Als and his team have returned from a mission to kill a sea monster. We’ll hear the full story from him later."

[Assistant] "General Als? I owe my life to him as well."


[User] "Would it be all right if we sought an audience with him immediately?" Oscar wanted to scowl but knew it strange to refuse. He ordered that the new arrivals be summoned to the banquet.

[Assistant] Ten minutes later, the Nisrey expedition team entered the grand hall and bowed. Renart and Pamyra lifted their heads only to catch sight of Reust and freeze. Oscar felt bad for them but noticed that their lady wasn’t present. While he wondered at that, he struck up a conversation with Als.

[User] "How did it go? I heard you ran into something big."

[Assistant] "Until further notice, consider squid off the menu for me."

[User] "I kinda wish I could’ve seen it. I bet it’d be tasty."

[Assistant] "You really are two peas in a pod…"

[User] "Who are you talking about? Hey, where’s Tinasha?"

[Assistant] "She has some business to take care of, so she’ll return later." Pamyra answered the king.

[User] "Got it. Good job out there."

[Assistant] Pamyra nodded, then she, Renart, and Suzuto bowed and left the hall in haste. Left behind, General Als accepted a glass of wine and offered a formal hello to Reust. The foreign prince looked at him oddly.

[User] "Does the witch always go with you on these sorts of expeditions?"

[Assistant] "She does when it’s something we can’t handle ourselves or when she feels like coming along."

[User] "She’s a temperamental one," Oscar added with a wry face, before taking a sip of his own drink.

[Assistant] Normally, Oscar’s birthday would be a grand celebration filled with invitees from many nations, but as it was the second birthday celebration that year, Reust was the only guest. That made the event easy to pull together, but a guest was still a guest and had to be attended to.


[User] As a result, two hours after the banquet started, Oscar went out to the balcony alone to sober up. He didn’t get drunk easily by any means, but he wanted to be as sober as possible on official diplomatic occasions. He also wanted a break, and he took in the night air while gazing at the scenery outside. The sun had already set, and faint orange and dark blue streaks intermingled in the sky. The few lingering clouds were dyed golden. The sight so beautiful that Oscar wanted to show it to Tinasha. As he gazed idly up at the sky, he felt someone behind him and turned around. Reust was standing there with a humble expression, and once their eyes met, he bowed.

[Assistant] "I want to deeply apologize for how I behaved."

[User] Oscar knew exactly what the other man was referring to. He meant when they had ended up crossing swords outside Reust’s chambers.

[Assistant] "I’m sorry, too. If possible, I’d like us to forget all about it."

[User] "If that’s all right with you, then let’s do just that… Has she been doing well?"

[Assistant] This was probably what Reust had really wanted to ask all along. Oscar smiled and prepared to answer.


[User] The witch in question teleported right behind him.

[Assistant] "Oscar, I’m back," she said, floating up and throwing her arms around his neck with an innocent smile. She quickly caught sight of the foreign prince in front of her and paled. "P-Prince Reust…"

[User] "It’s been a while," he replied politely.

[Assistant] Suppressing a sigh, Oscar undid her arms from around his neck and moved her to the side.

[User] She looked ill at ease as she floated back to the ground.

[Assistant] "What is that getup? Come back after you’ve changed your clothes."

[User] "I’m sorry." She said, looking flustered as she inclined her head to Reust, "I apologize for greeting you like this. I’ll come back later." She made to teleport away, but Oscar caught a sense that something was off and grabbed her arm.

[Assistant] "Wh-what?" he asked. "Is there some magic on your foot? What happened?"

[User] Her eyes wide, she shook her head immediately. "You’re imagining things."

[Assistant] "There’s no way I am. Show me," he demanded, reaching out for her bare right calf.

[User] Twisting to keep her balance with one leg out, Tinasha floated up and straightened her posture. "I told you, it’s nothing!" she cried.

[Assistant] Oscar frowned at the smooth skin there, but he used his other hand to draw Akashia.

[User] She guessed what he meant to do and started to flail, but he held fast to her leg and wouldn’t let her squirm away.

[Assistant] Reust, who had no idea what was going on, wasn’t sure if he should try to defuse the situation.

[User] Before he could, Oscar touched the flat of Akashia’s blade to the witch’s leg. Once he did, the magic dispersed. "I knew it…"

[Assistant] The witch turned her head to the side, with Dammit clearly written on her face.

[User] Reust turned his face away with the distinct feeling that he’d caught sight of something he shouldn’t have.

[Assistant] On the other hand, Oscar examined the marks with a very unhappy look on his face. "You really let down your guard. How could you be so foolish? If you’re going to get yourself hurt like this, I’m not going to send you out the next time. You have to beat it without the close call."

[User] "Okay…"

[Assistant] Oscar released Tinasha’s leg. and she clucked under her breath as she teleported away, clearly too proud to admit she was wrong.


[Assistant] Thirty minutes later, Tinasha returned to the banquet dressed in full formal mage’s robes. Clad in white, she was wearing light makeup—meaning Sylvia must have caught her. She was so lovely that her mere presence changed the entire tone of the room. Once again, she greeted Reust. "I’m so sorry I appeared before you looking like that."

[User] "Not at all. Defeating the monster must have been quite an ordeal." he replied.

[Assistant] She flashed him a grateful smile. Her aura was entirely different from when they’d met at Tayiri Castle. Gone was the mysterious and forbidding sense of intimidation. In its place was the calm of sunlight filtering down through a forest. To witness such a transformation in her made Reust feel both glad and lonely. Tinasha—a person, a witch, and a queen with no throne—changed her aspect like the waxing and waning of the moon. All people had various facets to them, but because she was a witch who had lived for such a long time, each of her qualities was truly differentiated. She sat down next to him, and as his eyes ran over the delicate planes of her face, he broached the topic on his mind. "Thank you for everything you did back then. What you said gave me a lot to think about…and in the end, I realized I’d never thought about anything for myself. Our god Irityrdia is indeed absolute, but I may have been trying to pretend I was that god myself by throwing around my power and hiding behind his name." His halting delivery was awkward and full of self-admonition, but his sincerity was evident.

[User] Tinasha was serene as she responded, "Please don’t beat yourself up. We’re talking about a history that’s gone on for centuries. It would have been very difficult for you to go up alone against that. That said, I think what you’ve done is incredibly meaningful. Yes… It’s very human."

[Assistant] "It’s…human?"

[User] "Humans kill people but have the capacity to save them as well." Tinasha said with a smile. She was as radiant as the moon. A dull pain prickled at his heart. But on the surface, he asked her with a smile, "Incidentally, when are you planning to be married?"

[Assistant] "What?" Tinasha replied blankly, caught off guard.

[User] Oscar, sitting across from Reust, cleared his throat and started to laugh.

[Assistant] Tinasha finally remembered the excuse by which she was allowed to remain in Farsas. "Oh! Um, well, that’s—"

[User] "It’s a lie." Oscar interjected smoothly as Tinasha fumbled for how to reply.

[Assistant] Now it was Reust’s turn to gape.

[User] "That was a pretext to bring her back here. In reality, she’s only my protector." For her part, Oscar’s protector—not fiancée—looked uncomfortable. Lazar, standing on ceremony behind her, was too shocked to move.


[User] He’d never dreamed his lord would tell Reust the truth, not when he’d hated the idea of Reust and Tinasha meeting. What kind of turn of events was this? He dreaded what would come next.

[Assistant] Reust looked back and forth between Oscar and Tinasha, unable to parse Oscar’s meaning. "Then what are your plans for marriage?"

[User] "I don’t have any."

[Assistant] "You said she’s your protector…?"

[User] "We have a contract. You know that I normally live in the tower, don’t you? He climbed all the way to the top, so as his reward, I signed a contract with him." The witch of the tower answered that one herself, giving a soft smile.

[Assistant] Feeling as if he would be drawn in completely by it. "Then what if I could climb the tower? Would you grant me a wish?"

[User] While his attendants and confidantes were worrying away, Oscar merely sipped at his drink with perfect composure.

[Assistant] The witch looked a little surprised by Reust’s question; then she put on a somewhat pained smile. "I don’t mind, but I wouldn’t recommend it. His Majesty here climbed it easily, but it normally takes a team of at least ten. It’s so difficult that I only see successful challengers once in a hundred years—if I do at all. I tamper with the memories of those who fail and transport them to random locations on the mainland, so people with royal responsibilities probably shouldn’t attempt it." Her warning was unshakable fact.


[User] The barrier was so high that Reust almost hung his head. He still couldn’t quite bring himself to give up, though. Tinasha was one of a kind. Reust took her hand and faced her as her eyes widened. "I…"

[Assistant] "Tinasha," Oscar interjected.

[User] Tinasha tilted her head to the side, mystified.

[Assistant] Oscar used his glass to gesture toward the balcony. Disinterest plain, he offered, "If this is going to be a complicated conversation, could you have it outside?"

[User] "I understand." she said, frowning as she got to her feet.

[Assistant] Looking abashed, Reust took her hand again. "I’ll be borrowing her for but a moment."


[User] “So sorry about this.” Als hissed in his lord’s ear once he’d let the witch out to the balcony.

[Assistant] “You sure you’re all right with this?”

[User] “Why should I have to mind the affairs of a woman who’s lived twenty times longer than me?”

[Assistant] Oscar's confidantes exchanged glances. Oscar, for his part, was eminently calm as he took another sip from his glass.

[User] Reust and the witch returned quickly, neither of their expressions betrayed any change.

[Assistant] Tinasha sat down next to Oscar, furrowing her elegant brows at his wineglass. "Don’t drink so much. You’ll die."

[User] “Where did that come from…? I don’t know what you mean.”

[Assistant] Tinasha didn’t bother to explain her reasoning. Oscar found it suspicious, but set down his glass and switched to water. After that, those seated at the table enjoyed pleasant conversation for a while before Tinasha excused herself and went back to her room. With that, the party started to wind down naturally. As Oscar changed his clothes in his bedroom, he wondered if he shouldn’t take a bath to remove the last lingering traces of tipsiness in his system. He checked the time and saw that it was almost midnight. He took off his shirt and then heard a rapping at his window. He answered.

[User] Tinasha opened the window and entered

[Assistant] Oscar took one look at what she was wearing and was suddenly struck speechless. “What’s with that outfit…?” he asked.

[User] “It’s easy to move in, and that’s what’s most important to me.” She was wearing a black sleeveless dress. It hugged the lines of her torso snugly before flaring out at the waist into a very short skirt. Practically all of her smooth ivory legs were on full display. She was surely wearing underwear beneath it, but such a revealing outfit made Oscar do a double take. The bruises on her legs were all gone; she may have used magic to cover them up again. Oscar couldn’t tear his eyes away from her creamy, slender thighs.

[Assistant] “I don’t know whether to let my eyes drink their fill or avert them…”

[User] “Stop talking nonsense and change into something you can move about easily in, too.” Tinasha insisted. It was only then that Oscar noticed she was carrying several folded bundles of thick cotton fabric. He wondered what their purpose was as he donned a light jacket.

[Assistant] “Oh, and tell Nark to come.” She called over.

[User] “What the hell…? Do I need Akashia, too?”

[Assistant] “It doesn’t matter too much either way.”

[User] Evidently it wasn’t going to be something too dangerous. Nark was sleeping in a corner of Oscar’s room. He roused the dragon and put it on his shoulder. After some deliberation, Oscar ended up bringing Akashia, too.

[Assistant] The witch took his hand and opened up a transportation array right in the middle of the room. The array took them to a spacious, grassy plain.


[User] The moon was high and bright in the sky. The witch picked up Nark and bade it grow. From there, they continued their journey on the dragon’s back. As city lights came into view far in the distance.

[Assistant] “What city are we heading toward?”

[User] “Nisrey.”

[Assistant] Oscar was surprised to hear the name of the city where Tinasha had so recently vanquished a sea monster. Looking again, he saw a dark sea spread beyond the dots of light comprising the city. Bluish-white moonlight rippled across the water, glittering silver on cresting whitecaps. The moon’s reflection shuddered ever so slightly as it sparkled luminously. Oscar could do nothing but gaze out raptly at such overwhelming natural beauty. It was the first time he’d ever seen such a sight. The night sea looked like it could go on forever, tinged with stillness and mystery. Brushing back her black locks, Tinasha grinned. "I really should have taken you during the day, but you were busy.”

[User] “…No, this is great.” Oscar said, still overcome with wonder.

[Assistant] She smiled with satisfaction. Moving up to the dragon’s head, she signaled something to it. The dragon understood and made a slow rotation over the ocean.

[User] “Are you going to show me the kraken or something?”

[Assistant] “What would you do if I said yes?”

[User] “I’d take back what I said to Als.”

[Assistant] The witch could imagine what their conversation entailed, and she burst out laughing. The dragon changed its heading and started to fly along the coast. Before long, they reached the top of a rocky cliff some distance away from the city and Nark let them down there. It shrank back to its original size and climbed onto Oscar’s shoulder. They were just outside a southern city, and as such, a languid heat clung to the air despite it being nighttime. The high temperatures were probably what drove Tinasha to put on such a skimpy, almost boyish ensemble. She ran her fingers through her hair, mussed by the salty sea breeze. “Well, shall we be off?” She said, taking his hand. Silently, they rose up into the air and descended slowly down the cliff face toward the ocean. Oscar stared eagerly down at the water; all this was so fresh and new to him. Then he realized there was a cave opening halfway down the cliff. She led him into it by the hand. The tiny cave was a hollow that sloped down at an angle, and soon enough they entered a wide space filled with seawater. There was a small crack in the rock making up the cave ceiling, letting in moonlight that shone with a blue light on the water. It looked like the sea had eroded the interior of the cliff over the years to form this space. It was like being inside an eggshell. The rocky enclosure kept the water still and calm.


[User] “Let there be light—” She opened her hands, and white balls of light flared to life. Some flew up to the ceiling and some dived into the water to illuminate the cave. Immediately, the place took on a cerulean tint.

[Assistant] “What is all this…?” Oscar murmured, his breath taken away by the transformation. The water gleamed with a brilliant azure hue. The color only intensified deeper into the water. Those conjured luminous globes that had been submerged underwater shone here and there in electrifying and gorgeous shades of cobalt. Everything glittered like sapphires. Oscar was thoroughly entranced and found himself unable to hold back a sigh of wonder.

[User] The witch’s smile was one of total gratification. "What do you think?” she asked.

[Assistant] “It’s one of the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.”

[User] “The bottom is sandy, so you can swim without worrying about rocks. There’s no fish here, either.”

[Assistant] “You want us to swim? !”

[User] “You can, can’t you?” The thick cotton cloths Tinasha had brought must have been for wiping themselves dry after swimming. She placed the towels somewhere they wouldn’t get wet, then dived into the water without delay. A spray of water sparkled in the air.

[Assistant] “That’s why she’s dressed like that…,” Oscar realized, nodding to himself as he doffed his shoes and jacket. He likewise removed Akashia and placed a sleepy-looking Nark next to the weapon. The water was deliciously cold when he waded in, and it sent lighting running up his body. It was so hot outside that the chill was quite comfortable and welcome. Oscar dived down to the bottom and found it blanketed with white sand. He glimpsed an underwater cove deeper in. It probably led out to the open sea, but the jagged opening made it hard to tell. Oscar’s body felt lighter. He hadn’t gone swimming since he was a child, but that had done little to fade his muscle memory. He swam up to the surface to breathe and found Tinasha floating just above the surface watching him. Droplets of water fell from her long, black hair. Each one carved tiny ripples in the water as they hit the surface. Her glossy skin and ebony eyes, now backlit by azure moonlight, created a fascinating allure. Using his fingers to comb back his own wet bangs, Oscar asked her,

[User] “Did you make this place?”

[Assistant] “It’s entirely natural. I came here a lot to relax back in the day. This is the first time I’ve brought someone with me, though. Oh, it was missing a foothold, however, so I carved one into the wall earlier today.” She pointed to the little ledge their belongings were resting on. Nark was curled into a ball, snoozing away on top of Oscar’s jacket.

[User] “So…happy birthday," Tinasha said, pressing her palms together and offering him a pleased smile.


[User] Finally, Oscar understood why she’d brought him here. He reached out and tugged on her hair until she slowly came down to his level.

[Assistant] When he touched her cheek, it was oddly warm. "Thank you."

[User] Tinasha suddenly laughed out loud like a child.


[Assistant] By the time Oscar had gotten his fill of swimming and returned to the foothold, a sense of heaviness had permeated his whole body. He turned back to see the witch still playing in the water. She really looked just like a kid. Smiling and shaking his head, Oscar grabbed one of the thick towels and dried his hair off. After he’d toweled off his chest and arms, he looked back to ask Tinasha about a change of clothes.

[User] Tinasha didn’t answer. Instead, she sat on the water gazing straight at Oscar.

[Assistant] "What?"

[User] "Nothing, I was just thinking that something looked pretty…"

[Assistant] "What is?"

[User] "You are."

[Assistant] "What the…?" Oscar didn’t think pretty was a compliment generally used for men. But the witch didn’t seem to be concerned about that. Her head was cocked to one side as she took in every bit of his beautiful face and well-proportioned body. Beneath the force of her unbridled gaze, Oscar gestured her over.

[User] "What are we doing about our clothes? I didn’t bring anything to change into."

[Assistant] "I’ll dry them." Tinasha offered, walking along the water’s surface as easily as she would have done with solid earth. With one press of her hand to his clothes, warmth circulated along the fabric, drying it instantly, though his skin didn’t feel hot at all.

[User] Impressed, Oscar examined his newly dry clothes. Then he remembered something he’d forgotten to ask about. "Oh right, what did Reust say to you?"

[Assistant] "Ah, that? He proposed." Tinasha recounted.

[User] "Again?"

[Assistant] "I said no."

[User] "You shot him down fast."

[Assistant] "I just don’t like him in that way…"

[User] "Did you tell him that when you rejected him? That’s pretty harsh." Oscar observed, feeling a little bad for Reust.

[Assistant] The witch, still dripping wet, made a disapproving face. "What would you do if I’d said that and relations with Tayiri deteriorated? I turned him down tactfully."

[User] "I see." Oscar replied. Although they were both witches, he was positive that if it was Lucrezia, she would have happily toyed with poor Reust. The prince was lucky it was Tinasha he’d proposed to—everyone was fortunate for that. Still, Oscar felt there was something slightly off about what Tinasha said. He’d heard her insist that her being a witch was her reason for not getting overly familiar with anyone. What change of heart must she have gone through to now say that she didn’t like Reust in a romantic way? Oscar found the whole thing strange but had the sense that if he probed too deep, he’d just end up pitying Reust, so he said nothing. The witch peered at Oscar.

[Assistant] "Are you tired? Should we head back?"

[User] "No, I want to keep looking around a little."


[User] “You brought me all this way and everything." He replied, and Tinasha broke into a happy grin. Her smile was so lovely he could only stare in fascination. Her gaze was soft with joy, and there were no traces of sadness or loneliness to be found. Seeing that up close sent Oscar into a trance. He tipped up her chin, moving closer to her entirely naturally.

[Assistant] “Hey, wait—!” She cried, paling as she tried to push him away.

[User] He caught hold of her with his other hand, however. Then he pressed his lips to hers, even as she flailed beneath him. Nothing about the blue-tinted cave they were in felt real, so he made sure she was. Her long eyelashes tickled his face. First, it was just a light brush of lips, though a lengthy one. Then Oscar changed his angle and kissed her again—and again, kissing her with yearning and the desire to make her body heat, her breath, belong to him. A slow, lazy passion suffused his body; it felt like their souls were melding. It was all so sudden, and while Tinasha resisted and tried to pull away, Oscar wouldn’t allow it. It was all Tinasha could do to remain standing under such a rain of breathtaking kisses. A mysterious heat welled up deep within her soaking wet body, seizing hold of her thoughts. She felt faint. She even forgot how to use magic. The warmth—and the numbness that came along with it—dominated her body. That was when the lights around them gave a mighty shudder. Oscar sensed the lights’ flickering and pulled back. With the witch’s mindfulness disrupted, the globes had begun to blink on and off. When she realized what was happening, she used her free hand to cover her reddened cheeks. Until now, her control of such a simple spell had never wavered like this, no matter what kind of pain she was in.

[Assistant] “What do you think you’re doing…?” She whispered.

[User] Oscar released Tinasha’s hand. He’d been clutching it very tightly but fortunately hadn’t left a bruise. The witch was red to the tips of her ears, and he patted her head. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.” He said, ostensibly calm.

[Assistant] Tinasha glared at him, her eyes big and resentful.

[User] “I’m gonna swim a little more." Oscar stated unevenly and dived right into the water.


[Assistant] "Are you really all right with giving up?” the commanding officer inquired.

[User] Reust gave a light chuckle, aware of what the guard was referring to. “I was refused flat out. I have no choice but to.”

[Assistant] “But isn’t she simply bound by her contract to Farsas?”

[User] “No…,” Reust said with a wry grimace. Memories of last night flashed through his mind. He’d asked Tinasha the same thing, and she’d been radiant as she answered…

[Assistant] “He’s special. I couldn’t handle another one like him.”

[User] The witch probably wasn’t even aware of it herself yet. As she’d smiled ruefully, looking the tiniest bit exasperated, Reust had recognized his defeat with perfect clarity, however.


[User] muttered at his study desk. "How much of these stories are even real?"

[Assistant] The witch was up on the ceiling with a thick spell book open before her. She didn’t know what “these stories” referred to, and she floated down while still upside down to look over Oscar’s shoulder. "What’s that? A book of fairy tales?"

[User] Oscar closed the book and showed her the cover. "I’m having a quick look through a book we acquired to add to the castle reference library. There’s a lot of weird stories. It’s pretty interesting.”

[Assistant] “Oh, it’s a book from the Dark Age." Tinasha came down and sat on the edge of the desk. Reaching out for the book Oscar had opened back up, she began to leaf through the pages. "The story of the Mirror of Oblivion, huh? This is from before my time. I couldn’t tell you if it’s true or not."

[User] Tinasha flipped through more pages as she mused on what sort of spells were responsible for each story. "Oh, this one’s true. The story of a castle that suddenly got covered in ivy." Tinasha pointed to the one she was describing.

[Assistant] "That one’s relatively new. I think it’s from the very beginning of the Age of Witches."

[User] "Yes, it is. It’s about me."

[User] Ignoring the pointed look he was throwing her, Tinasha drifted back up to the ceiling.

[Assistant] From below, she heard his heavy sigh. "That makes me want to appear in one of these odd little stories, too…"

[User] "What do you think you’re saying? Have some self-respect." Tinasha quickly resumed her reading.


[User] Six mages were gathered in one such reserved auditorium, forming a circle in the center around two women. "Pamyra, the transition to the sixth sequence is too slow."

[Assistant] Pamyra rushed to erase the spell configuration and recast it from scratch.

[User] Tinasha silently inspected the intricately woven spiritual magic spell. "You can’t only look at the sequence you’re assembling now. You have to be focusing on the whole thing constantly and think ahead to what’s next." Tinasha instructed, holding out her right hand palm up. "The kind of spell a mage can envision and execute is one indicator of magic aptitude, but that’s not all that matters on the battlefield. Your speed and the stability of your spells are both directly linked to how strong you are. No matter how much magic you have, it’s all meaningless if your spells are a jumble."

[Assistant] Pamyra nodded meekly.

[User] The witch smiled at her. She quickly turned serious again, clapping Pamyra on the shoulder. "The truth is, it’s most ideal not to encounter a situation where you have to fight directly. For mages, our best fighting style is one that involves preparing spells ahead of time and keeping premade sigils and arrays ready for attack. This is because face-to-face combat involves too many uncertain elements."

[Assistant] "Very illuminating." Kumu said with a nod.

[User] "Now then, how about a little contest?" Tinasha proposed with a light wave of her hand as a glass ball the size of a person’s head appeared before her. "Cast a spell that will pull out the ring inside without damaging the glass sphere. Teleportation magic is disabled. I’ll be looking at your spell-casting speed and method. You have three minutes to devise a strategy. Feel free to touch the sphere and inspect its composition." After she finished, she placed the hollow globe on top of a desk.

[Assistant] Doan picked it up and spun it upside down.


[User] The ring fell down with a tinkling noise, but the silver rim at the bottom blocked it from coming out. The silver rim must have been forged at the same time as the glass, because it was stuck fast to the inside of the sphere. The mages, given their task, picked the sphere up one by one and pondered over what to do. "All right, three minutes are up. Is everyone ready?" Tinasha asked, and the group nodded.

[Assistant] Tinasha surveyed the nervous-looking bunch. "Then we’ll start. Five, four, three, two, one, go!"

[User] At the signal, all the mages began their spells.

[Assistant] Kumu used no incantation.

[User] Pamyra used no incantation.

[Assistant] Doan used no incantation.

[User] Sylvia uttered short chants.

[Assistant] Renart uttered short chants.

[User] Kumu completed his spell the fastest.

[Assistant] Pamyra completed her spell.

[User] The other three completed theirs at nearly identical times after that. Tinasha studied each spell design, and her eyes narrowed. "Kumu, Pamyra, and Doan are using a method to remove the silver rim. Kumu, your speed and stability are both strong. That’s to be expected… Pamyra, yours is a little too cautious but quite well-made. Doan, your decisiveness is good. You just need to shave off some excess in the third sequence."

[Assistant] The three felt relieved to hear such positive criticism. Mages did not normally undergo tests, and they were all quite nervous.

[User] "Renart’s spell will create a hole where there is none, then seal it up again once the ring is out. I guess you think you’re better at transmuting the glass than the silver rim?"

[Assistant] "That is what I decided, yes."

[User] "I see. I like this change in thinking. The spell is well-made, too. Carry on."

[Assistant] "Thank you."

[User] Last, the witch carefully examined Sylvia’s spell. Unfortunately, she nearly burst into laughter almost immediately.

[Assistant] Shocked, Sylvia looked nervously from one side to the other.

[User] Next to her, Doan sounded stunned as he said, "Sylvia, that will break the ring."

[Assistant] "What? But…"

[User] "It’s fine. I did say not to break the glass, but I didn’t say anything about not breaking the ring. Not bad. This one is the most interesting." Tinasha remarked, still giggling with delight.

[Assistant] Within seconds, she had a spell drawn up in her right hand. She poured it into the glass ball, and the ring was sucked out right away. It had happened so fast it looked like teleportation, but the five mages recognized that she’d shrunk the ring, removed it, then restored it to its original size. The quintet of pupils let out cries of admiration. Shrinking spells were difficult and could not be used on living things or anything larger than a human hand. Such magic was so circumstantially useful that it was often forgotten. "Spell casting is the forging of your idea with your technique, so you should always be practicing. Okay, I’m giving this to Sylvia. I applaud your imagination." Tinasha praised, tossing the ring casually to Sylvia.

[User] Sylvia caught it with both hands. "Th-thank you!" she cried.


[User] “It absorbs spells to be launched at a later time. It’s a simple magic implement, but you can use it over and over. Feel free to employ it however you see fit.” Sylvia nodded over and over, looking rapturous with gratitude. With that, the special lecture broke up.

[Assistant] “People are talking about a song that kills anyone who listens to it.”

[User] “Is the song really bad or something?” Kumu and Renart returned to their research, while the remaining four moved to the lounge. Doan had been the one to broach the subject over tea, and Tinasha was quick to shoot it down. Doan wagged a finger before his face, however.

[Assistant] “That’s the thing. Apparently, the song is very good. The woman singing it is famous as a singer. But everyone who hears it ends up committing suicide.”

[User] “No, no, no.” Cried Sylvia, trembling with her hands over her ears. Tinasha made a face at her.

[Assistant] “Is this really that scary? I very much doubt it’s real anyway.”

[User] “Oh, but it is. Suicide is on the rise in the city. Dozens are already dead.” Doan revealed.

[Assistant] “What?! This is happening here? !” Cried Sylvia.

[User] “Yes. It’s the talk of the town right now. People have purposely gone and listened to it for themselves, so the numbers have skyrocketed.”

[Assistant] “…What in the world?” Mutters Tinasha. Human curiosity was undoubtedly the most frightening part of the rumor. If this was really happening, it was a serious problem. After listening in silence, Pamyra turned to her lady and asked,

[User] “Can magic really cause something like that?”

[Assistant] “I wouldn’t say it’s impossible, but I would categorize this more as a curse. Still, curses shouldn’t have the power to make people commit suicide… Maybe it is some regular sort of spell. That it’s afflicted so many is unusual, though. It would be difficult to pull the strings on something like that. Hmm, I’m having a hard time conceptualizing it. This would be hard for a normal mage to do.”

[User] “Then what about you, Miss Tinasha?”

[Assistant] “Yes, I could do it. I’d pick someone out of a crowd and kill them while making it look like they committed suicide.”

[User] “………” Tinasha’s words painted a realistic picture, stunning the group silent. The witch sipped at her tea nonchalantly. Looking at the clock, Tinasha saw that it was almost three o’clock in the afternoon. She set down her cup and got to her feet.

[Assistant] “In any case, could you try and keep Oscar from hearing about this, if you can?”

[User] “Why?”

[Assistant] “He’s been extremely bored lately. I wouldn’t be surprised if he said he wants to go and listen to it for himself.”

[User] “…Understood.” Ever since Oscar took the throne, things had largely calmed down, but this king was incredibly curious and prone to bouts of exploration. Added to that was the fact that this case was occurring right in the castle city. Such a tempting target right under his nose could prove dangerous.


[User] The witch quietly decided she would have to handle this in secret should it continue to be an issue.

[Assistant] "People are talking about a song that kills anyone who listens to it." Said with great interest as soon as Tinasha entered his study.

[User] She sank to her knees in disappointment.

[Assistant] Half rose to his feet, surprised. "What’s wrong? Low blood sugar?”

[User] “…It’s nothing." She muttered, collecting herself and standing back up. She started to brew some tea. "Who did you hear that from?"

[Assistant] “Lazar.”

[User] “Why, that little…," Tinasha muttered, cursing the attendant who was thankfully not present. "

[Assistant] Unaware of what Tinasha was thinking, asked her if it was possible that magic was causing this, just like Pamyra had earlier.

[User] “I won’t know details until I hear it for myself.”

[Assistant] “Oh yeah? Then let’s go check it out.”

[User] “I meant that I would! Alone!” Cried the witch. She handed Oscar a cup of tea with a smile.

[Assistant] Noticed that it was a very shallow sort of grin and rested his chin on his hands with a grimace. “You’re not going.”

[User] “Why not? !”

[Assistant] “There’s two singers causing this. One is a tavern singer, and one…works at a brothel.”

[User] Was dumbfounded at the revelation. "You’re the king. Please do not go to a brothel…"

[Assistant] “Lots of people conceal their identities when they go.”

[User] “So that means I could disguise myself as a prostitute and go.” She reasoned.

[Assistant] “Absolutely not. That’s a hard no.”

[User] “Just let me do it!” She insisted. She grabbed Oscar’s shoulder and shook it back and forth. It jostled the cup in his hand, making the tea wobble. “Didn’t I tell you that the protective barrier won’t protect you from psychological spells? Have you already forgotten the pain Lucrezia caused you? !”

[Assistant] “I don’t recall much pain being involved.”

[User] “I didn’t mean it literally!” Tinasha scolded, releasing Oscar. She gave him a smile with eyes so icy they would make anyone quake in their boots. "End of discussion. I’m going to do something about the tavern singer first, so you be good and do your work.”

[Assistant] “Fine, I understand," Answered, waving his hand lightly.

[User] The witch remained unconvinced, however. Tinasha didn’t doubt her own ability to resolve the case, though, so it was fine. She decided to start looking into things immediately, so as not to give Oscar a chance to act. She left the study and headed back to the lounge, where she grabbed Doan.


[User] Doan goes over the details of the case as they make their way to the tavern.

[Assistant] The tavern singer’s name was Delia. She was an attractive woman with a good voice that had earned her quite a bit of popularity. About a month ago, she began singing a new song. The tavern patrons raved about the melody, which was redolent with melancholy and nostalgia. Before long, however, some of them began committing suicide. Not everyone who heard the song was discovered dead, but as about thirty people had already fallen victim to it, the tavern owner was considering canceling the performances. Once that rumor got out into town, more and more people came to sample the “killer song.” The owner suddenly found himself with a crowd too large to turn away, and performances continued.

[User] Frowning. "That’s terrible. I can’t help them if they want to die of curiosity. Are the people going to the brothel acting the same way?”

[Assistant] “The brothel? What are you talking about?”

[User] “I heard there are two singers causing this.”

[Assistant] “That’s the first I’ve heard of it. I only know about Delia.”

[User] “Huh?” Tinasha spat reflexively. "He’s got some nerve trying to pull off a cheap trick on me…”

[Assistant] “I don’t really understand, but please be gentle with our king.”

[User] Consulting the map, he led the way through sparsely populated back streets so they could save on trouble.

[Assistant] Snapping her fingers. “If you like, I can go on alone, and you can head back.”

[User] “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m going, too. I’m a mage, and I don’t believe in superstitions.”

[Assistant] “Come along, then.” Urged Tinasha.


[User] Doan leads Tinasha to the tavern.

[Assistant] They arrive at the tavern, where the dim lighting conveniently concealed Tinasha’s beauty. It was dinnertime, so they ordered some light food. The sound of glasses tinkling and low murmurs filled the space. They could hear a fair number of conversations about the song in question. Namely, people wondering what exactly was this song that killed its listeners.

[User] Dumbfounded, the witch rested her chin on her hands.

[Assistant] Looking up from his salted fish. "Almost time.”

[User] “Have a defense spell at the ready, just in case. If it’s not magic, I’ll handle it.”

[Assistant] “Understood.”

[User] A woman with all the charm someone in the prime of adulthood could carry appeared onstage. Her features were not outstandingly beautiful, but her dark sensuality was eye-catching. She looked around the crowd, smiling in gratitude, before drawing her right leg slightly behind her. She took a deep breath in and stood up straight.


[User] With only the strums of a zither to accompany her, she began to sing. “Here is a forbidden place, a room with no air. I sing a song that no one listens to. Night falls in my hometown so far away, where you are not—you are not anywhere. You’ll never come home despite all my wishing. Should night come again tomorrow, I may as well die. Here is a forbidden place, a dream with no air.” Her voice crooning out a heartrending melody was so lovely that it sank deep into the hearts of the audience. However, a strange unease arose within them the more they listened.

[Assistant] Doan glanced over at the witch next to him, who was listening raptly.

[User] She must have felt his gaze, because she turned to look at him. She inclined her head in thought for a moment before suddenly giving a light wave of her hand.

[Assistant] Flustered, Doan looked all around the tavern, but the other patrons appeared lost in the song. He felt uneasy and was about to get up when the witch tugged on his sleeve.

[User] She leaned over to his seat and whispered, “You’re the only one who can’t hear it. It’s better not to listen.”

[Assistant] “Is it a cursed song? I don’t feel any magic.”

[User] “Don’t worry. I’ll explain outside. Let’s go,” said the witch with an apologetic smile. With urgent haste, she rose from her seat. All except Doan were too enraptured to spare even a single glance at the disturbance.


[Assistant] Tinasha spoke once they had put some distance between themselves and the tavern. “So it’s just a song. A genuine song.”

[User] “Just a song? !” he repeated.

[Assistant] “Yes. A normal song with no magic or curse in it. The melody, lyrics, and her voice seem to have a disquieting effect on people. I’ve lived a long while, and I’ve only encountered this a handful of times. It’s exceedingly rare, but there are some songs, paintings, and poems that are like that. Tired and sickly people are particularly weak to this sort of thing. We should pursue the proper channels to get performances of that song canceled.”

[User] “I see…,” Doan said, shoulders slumping. It was a bit anticlimactic. He’d expected to hear some sort of fantastical backstory. Upon finding out it was just a normal song, he felt both relieved and disappointed.

[Assistant] The witch noticed his expression and gave a half smile. “The truly frightening incidences are ones like these, with no magic behind them. There are rules to magic, and we can use those rules to devise a solution. But this probably just stems from the incredible talent of the person who wrote the song and the woman singing it.


[User] Encountering a case like this makes you realize how mysterious the human power is." Tinasha smiled, her eyes cast down, and asked Doan to file the paperwork to have performances of the song prohibited before returning to the castle.

[Assistant] There was a great deal of relief that washed over her as the witch realized that this was the end of the incident.


[User] While the witch was having dinner at the tavern, the lights went on in an establishment in a back alley on the western side of town. Unlike those back alleys on the eastern side, these were safer and the clientele tended to be wealthy. This brothel was no exception, and it wasn’t unusual to see nobles sneaking in and out of its doors. A recent windfall of profit had left this particular brothel’s owner, Gaske, in a fantastic mood. This was due entirely to Clara.

[Assistant] An unceasing stream of clients came seeking her. Even if most of those clients never visited again, enough new ones poured in that it didn’t matter. They were all seized with curiosity and enough baseless confidence to think they’d be fine. It was impossible to correct their misapprehensions. Gloating to himself, Gaske opened the doors and retreated to the reception booth. Soon enough, the first client arrived. The tall man with a hood pulled down low over his eyes to hide his face was dressed well. Judging him to be a nobleman, Gaske welcomed him courteously as a guest of honor.

[User] "This is where I can find the woman who sings the song that kills its listeners, right?”

[Assistant] Gaske was surprised to hear how young his voice sounded. A series of kidnappings fifteen years ago had left the city with few young adults of noble heritage. Prying into the identities of patrons ran contrary to the rules.

[User] “You mean Clara. Yes, she’s here. But she has a prior engagement at the moment…” Gaske answered with a smile.

[Assistant] “I see. But if I don’t see her now, I’ll end up caught by someone pesky. Is there any way you can be flexible?”

[User] “I’m really very sorry, sir, but…”

[Assistant] The man grimaced upon hearing Gaske’s reply. He pulled up his hood to show his face.

[User] “Do you know who I am?”

[Assistant] There was no way he wouldn’t have. Stunned, Gaske dropped the papers he was holding.


[User] How wonderful it would be to manipulate people with nothing but your thoughts. It was inarguable that many had thought of such before. Clara had that power; she was certain of it.

[Assistant] She could bend anyone to her will if she only wished to do so. If she wished them to die, they would.

[User] All the clients who came to her knowing that must have been dense or otherwise frivolous about their own fates. As such, she felt that it wasn’t her fault if they died.


[User] "Clara, you have a client."

[Assistant] "Ah, Simon." A man holding a zither knocked on the door of her room before entering. She had known Simon for three years. Clara had found him collapsed outside the brothel with nothing to his name and brought him in. After learning of his musical talent, Clara made him her dedicated accompanist. As she had saved his life, he would do anything she asked. She didn’t want to take him as a lover, but she felt that there was no one who understood her better than he.

[User] Seated before her vanity, Clara stood up as she fastened a clasp into her hair. "My reservation, right? I’m coming."

[Assistant] "No, it’s a walk-in."

[User] "A walk-in?" The brothel where Clara worked saw very high-profile clientele. It wasn’t possible to force your way in using money or pedigree; appointments were required. Who was it that had forced their way in and cut in line? Clara was wholly intrigued. "All right. I’m coming." She said, rushing through the rest of her routine.


[Assistant] Leaving Simon there, she headed for the designated room. A huge bed dominated the room. A single window was located very high up on the wall. It was designed that way to prevent peeping, but it made the room feel stuffy.

[User] The man was standing at the entrance, sipping a drink; he turned around when he felt her presence. "What’s wrong? Come in." The king of Farsas invited her easily, noticing that she wasn’t moving.

[Assistant] Once Clara finally emerged from her cage of astonishment, she sat down gingerly next to the man and poured him a drink. "Is it all right for Your Majesty to be in a place like this?"

[User] "It’s not, which is why I came in secret."

[Assistant] "Surely you could have any beautiful maiden you desire."

[User] "The one I’m in love with is pretty stubborn." Oscar drained his glass, then set it aside. He gazed back at the woman. She was undoubtedly lovely, though her features gave an impression of instability. He reached out and caught up a lock of her hair. "…Hers really is the color of night."

[Assistant] "Your Majesty? Did you say something?"

[User] "No, nothing. More importantly, I heard you can sing a very interesting song. I came to hear it."

[Assistant] "Do you really mean that?"

[User] "I wouldn’t have come if I didn’t. I fear for my life if I ever got caught here."

[Assistant] Clara was shocked once more into silence. She was different from the woman at the tavern. If Clara wished people to die as she sang, they would. This young king likely had no idea. "Please don’t joke around."


[User] "You have no heir.”

[Assistant] "Just so you know, I don’t plan on dying.”

[User] "Then please give up on listening to the song."

[Assistant] Clara placed her ivory white hand along his cheek. His eyes pierced into hers, laden as they were with the power to compel people to obey him. She gasped, feeling as if his blue eyes would suck her in completely. This wouldn’t do. She couldn’t sing. Even if she could, she couldn’t kill him. She couldn’t wish for him to die. She couldn’t kill him.

[User] "I’m asking you to sing."

[Assistant] “…I’m unable to. In return, perhaps I can offer you something else. This is, after all, an establishment for slaking all manner of desires.”

[User] "I don’t want a woman. I’ve got what I need.”

[Assistant] "Then it seems all you can do is leave. There is nothing I can provide you with, be it a song or my conversation.”

[User] The king scowled in displeasure at that. Up until now, he had generally received whatever he wanted. He’d had the power and the self-awareness to make that possible. Now he stood bested by a prostitute wielding bargaining as her weapon. Clara would not yield, even to a king. Instead of speaking, she wound her arms around his neck. Very slowly, she lowered herself onto him. She pressed her lips to his with a clear passion. It didn’t feel real. She wished this moment would go on forever.


[Assistant] The day after returning from the tavern, Tinasha headed for the study to report on the events of the last night. Oscar listened to her while managing a stack of paperwork. "And I’ve asked Doan to take care of that, so when the application comes in, please approve it."

[User] "Got it. Sorry to have you go through all that trouble.”

[Assistant] "It’s nothing. Actually, I have a favor to ask. I’d like to borrow some mages for about a week, starting today. I’d only need them in the evenings after they’ve finished their lectures. And I’ll pay their honorarium.”

[User] "I don’t mind. But what are you going to do?”

[Assistant] "I want to organize the Tuldarr treasure vault. The seal is broken, and I can’t have anyone robbing it. So I’d like to sort through everything and move it to the tower…and, if possible, to Farsas.”

[User] "The treasure vault? You’d transport that to Farsas?”

[Assistant] "I won’t use anything even if it’s placed in the tower, so I’ll keep only the dangerous items there. Moving the rest here means that it’ll just end up hoarded away, but I’d still like to.”

[User] "Huh… Okay, got it." Oscar approved, letting out a little sigh. With the treasure vault emptied and the spirits brought under the witch’s control, it seemed the entire legacy of the Magic Empire of Tuldarr would soon be entirely lost. Briefly, Oscar wondered if this was really all right. He decided that if this was Tinasha’s decision as the last queen of Tuldarr, then so be it.


[User] The queen with no throne floated up into the air as she always did, flipping upside down and looking Oscar in the eyes. She observed her own reflection in the man’s sky-colored eyes, while Oscar saw his in her ebony ones. Tinasha looked at him fondly, a softness in her gaze. Released from the delusions of her past, she now gave off an air of innate ease and reliability.

[Assistant] Oscar reached out to draw her face closer. He moved to kiss her red lips, but before he could, she noticed something and cried, “Oh!”

[User] "What is it…?" Oscar frowned, put out at the thwarting of his maneuver.

[Assistant] She was pointing to his collarbone. "You have a bruise there. Did you run into something?”

[User] That damn woman, Oscar cursed in silence. He took care not to let the emotion show on his face.

[Assistant] Tinasha rested her chin on her hands, tilting her head thoughtfully. “I can’t erase your bruise. Do you want me to use a glamour to conceal it?”

[User] “Yeah, could you? Speaking of, how are the ones on your foot?”

[Assistant] “You should worry more about yourself.” Tinasha muttered, looking put out. She placed a small illusory effect on Oscar’s collarbone and then kissed his forehead while she was at it.


[User] That evening, Tinasha brought five mages—Kav, Doan, Sylvia, Renart, and Pamyra—to the Tuldarr treasure vault.

[Assistant] “It’s a mountain of treasure!” Cried out the group in wonder.

[User] “It is a treasure vault. Please pick out any items that resonate with faint magical power. We’ll bring those back to Farsas. Anything suspicious needs to be taken to my tower, so set those aside, too. If you find anything that seems like it would be dangerous to touch, let me know. Once it’s all done, I’ll gift you with something here.”

[Assistant] “We’ll do our best!” Chorused the group.

[User] Which the witch found amusing as she watched them set about classifying the magical objects one by one.

[Assistant] Doan waved Tinasha over. “I completed the paperwork to have performances of that song canceled.”

[User] “Sounds good. Let me know if there’s any trouble.” Humming happily, Tinasha started organizing.


[User] "I told you this was a matter of life and death, didn’t I?” He was clearly very grumpy, but even that made her happy.

[Assistant] She let out a laugh like tinkling bells. “Do you have someone very jealous in your life?”

[User] “I wouldn’t say jealous, but… She’s not attached to me at all,” he admitted with a grimace. A light in his eyes told Clara that he was thinking of his beloved, and it chilled her to the core.

[Assistant] That was an emotion a prostitute should never show on the surface, however. She gave an awkward smile. “Then there’s no need for you to be so faithful.”

[User] “Not attached to me and unwilling to act are two different things. If she finds out I went rogue, she’ll destroy me and the country.”

[Assistant] Naturally, Clara took that remark as a joke. The man sat in a chair and took the liberty of leaning against her. “I’m quite envious that you have someone that concerned about you. What is she like?” Clara asked.

[User] This made him pause and think for a bit. His witch was truly an enigma. It was difficult to put her nature into words to explain to someone who didn’t know her. “Hmm… If I could compare her to anything, it would be purest white and darkest black. She’s like a leopard who enjoys human company.”

[Assistant] “Oh my. She must be a well-brought-up lady who hasn’t suffered a day in her life.”

[User] “She has. Very much, in fact. But that’s not her at all…” It was true that Tinasha was well brought up, but it was equally true that she’d suffered far beyond the scope of what most were capable of envisioning. Besides, she wasn’t merely a lady; she was a queen. Oscar had witnessed that firsthand during the Cuscull conflict. That was why she understood better than anyone else the weight borne by royalty. “Well anyway, about that song. I didn’t come here to bargain with you,” Oscar started.

[Assistant] “I refuse,” Clara stated.

[User] “Don’t be so hasty. Most things can’t kill me.”

[Assistant] “No man has listened to my song and lived to tell of it.”

[User] “Then I suppose that will make me the first.” Clara was left bewildered that he wouldn’t back down. She couldn’t sing, for she had no reason to kill him. If she refused outright, however, she feared he would stop visiting. That was no good, either. The woman needed a way to ensure his return. She wanted to touch him. She wanted to steep herself in the heat burning deep in his body, in his skin. That was why she had to barter. Clara got to her feet and caught hold of his jaw from behind, pressing a kiss to his cheek. “Hmm… If you became my regular, I’d think about it. You’d have to come at least five times.”

[Assistant] Oscar made a plainly sour expression upon hearing Clara’s terms. “I don’t have the time for that. Sing today.”

[User] “I refuse.


[User] "This is a place where women sell their bodies, not where songs are peddled. If you would like to hear a tune, you must pay the appropriate price.”

[Assistant] The demand caused Oscar to grimace. He wondered if simply giving up was the better choice. On the other hand, more could die if he turned back now. It would also mean the past two nights of sneaking out had been a waste, something Oscar was loath to admit. He’d considered sending out one of his retainers instead, but if the retainer got killed, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself.

[User] The witch had reminded him insistently that she couldn’t protect him from psychological spells, but the first sign of magical interference would expose Clara outright.

[Assistant] At the very least, Oscar felt confident that he could handle whatever might happen better than most people.

[User] “Five times, huh. And you promise?”

[Assistant] "Yes, I promise.” Clara replied, feeling as if she were walking on air after hearing his acceptance.


[User] An hour later, Oscar left the brothel. He walked for a short while before stopping and suddenly turning around.

[Assistant] "Als, I see you.” He called out to someone in the alley.

[User] “Huh?” came an astonished voice from the shadows.

[Assistant] Oscar couldn’t help bursting out laughing.

[User] “I lied. I didn’t actually see you.”

[Assistant] “…Your Majesty.” said Als, emerging with an awkward bow. He wasn’t wearing his jacket, so as not to stand out in the back streets. Mystified, the general asked his king,

[User] “When did you notice me?”

[Assistant] “As soon as I came out. We’ve known each other forever, so I picked you out right away.”

[User] “I saw you’d snuck out of the castle, so I couldn’t help but follow after.”

[Assistant] “I don’t mind. This is perfect.” Oscar said, falling into step with Als and catching him up on the song that heralded death.

[User] Als’s eyes widened with shock.

[Assistant] “This is different from the one Miss Tinasha went to see?”

[User] “Yeah. This one is very hush-hush, only spoken of in whispers by noblemen and merchants. When you consider the kind of place it originates from, it makes sense that they don’t want it becoming public knowledge. This song’s also more powerful than the tavern one—just about everyone who’s heard it has perished.”

[Assistant] “That’s horrifying. And so odd that two singers would appear at the same time.” Als observed.

[User] “True… That part is troubling.” Oscar agreed. According to Tinasha’s report, the tavern woman was just a singer, but perhaps there was a deeper connection between the two than first believed.

[Assistant] Oscar thought it a good idea for him to go listen to the other song once.

[User] “Als, I hate to ask, but I’d like for you to dig up all the details on the people who died at the brothel. Find out their causes of death and any underlying circumstances.”

[Assistant] “Yes, Your Majesty. But are you sure you don’t want to ask Lazar?”

[User] “No."


[User] "He’s no good at lying to Tinasha.” Als blanched once he heard the witch’s name.

[Assistant] "Don’t tell me you haven’t told her about this…”

[User] “If I had, you can bet I wouldn’t be here right now.”

[Assistant] Als suddenly realized he’d been drawn into a nasty secret and immediately felt a bitter sense of regret. That witch absolutely hated it when Oscar acted rashly on his own. To make matters worse, this was a song that could herald death. If this put the king’s life on the line, Tinasha would be so incensed she might end up risking her own life, too. Realizing this, Als cocked his head, puzzled. “I wonder if she’d feel jealous if she found out about all this.”

[User] “I don’t think so. She told me herself that I have to start searching for a queen now that my curse was broken.”

[Assistant] “True.”

[User] “Don’t just agree; you’re going to put me in a sour mood. Anyway, that’s why I think she’ll only get upset over the sneaking out and acting reckless parts,”

[Assistant] “Only, huh…? That might be the most frightening thing of all… She’ll have the whole castle disappear.” Als was filled with trepidation

[User] “Well, if I do get busted, we’ll face her together. Collective liability.” Oscar said lightly.

[Assistant] “Spare me…”

[User] “She doesn’t let off people who keep quiet about what they know. Lazar got the screws put to him before.”

[Assistant] The illicit temptation to betray his king and spill everything to Tinasha flitted through Als’s mind.

[User] “And I won’t let you off if you bust me voluntarily. I’ll be waiting on that investigation.” Oscar clapped Als on the shoulder.

[Assistant] “…Yes, Your Majesty,” Als complied, accepting his orders with slumped shoulders.


[User] Clara returned to her room and started picking out her outfit for Oscar’s next visit. She couldn’t recall how long it’d been since her heart thrilled with such exhilaration; it actually surprised her that she was still capable of feeling this way. Singing a happy tune, she laid out a bunch of gathered clothes on the bed.

[Assistant] “Clara, what are you doing?” came a sudden voice, and she jumped.

[User] “Oh, Simon. I’m choosing an outfit,” Clara answered brightly.

[Assistant] Simon slanted a look at her. “Do you really like him that much?”

[User] “We’re talking about the king! …No, it’s not that. I like him. There’s no one but him.”

[Assistant] “He’s way above your station.”

[User] “I know that! I don’t want to be his wife or anything. I’m aware of our social statuses.”

[Assistant] “So long as you understand,” Simon replied flippantly, sinking into a rattan chair. He sighed as Clara put together an ensemble, acting as spirited as a teenage girl.

[User] Clara’s ear caught the dispirited sound, and she did an about-face. “What? Do you have something to say?”

[Assistant] “He wants you to sing, doesn’t he? You should just sing for him.”

[User] “I can’t.