Days slip by, weeks bleeding into months. It’s almost unnervingly calm, but the quiet is a welcome change from the chaos that’s hounded me since returning to Bephis.

  While the Council leaves us be, Guildmaster Folly finally starts to pester me about my Classes and Skills, trying to wheedle information out of me at every opportunity. He never outright presses me, though—something I’m more than a little grateful for, even if he is annoyingly persistent.

  Thanks to that, though, I learn that contacting Agora and Derek had failed. Agora was unreachable, apparently. He didn't say much about why, other than that she's a special case. Meanwhile, the reason we couldn't contact Derek was even stranger.

  Apparently, he didn't actually exist. The person named 'Derek' was a fabrication, only noticed after Folly himself looked into why he was unable to reach out.

  It ended up being something a bit over my head, so I let it drop.

  Despite that, the entire debacle with Darius was all but pushed under the rug due to how he ambushed me and the subsequent investigation.

  I still wish I could reach out to Agora, at least, and thank her properly. Odd as she is, I'm still grateful for her getting me into the expedition that changed everything.

  Speaking of expeditions, we never saw any more of those weird statues. I wasn't kept in the loop on anything regarding the corpses, either. Still, the fact that they had question marks for tags isn't something I can just ignore. That's not supposed to even be a thing, much like Error tags before the update.

  I just don't know what to make of it, or if I can—or even should—do anything about it.

  Still, I make sure to go on my mandatory delves to maintain my Guild membership, getting a trickle of experience as I do. One delve a month isn't really pushing for levels, and now that I'm Tier One, Bephis' Tunnels can't really offer anything but morsels of experience regardless.

  I understand now, firsthand, why most Tier One's don't stick around in our city. Progress isn't just slow, it's practically nonexistent. The strongest things we can encounter are tunnel wyrms, and those are only in the upper 40's level range.

  It's not entirely a waste, though, even if it's not as much as I'd like.

  I avoid the Guild otherwise, unless I’m visiting Cari. My visits grow fewer and farther between, simply because I have no reason to stay there for longer than absolutely necessary.

  When Cari’s reward finally comes from the council, it’s in the form of another small sack of gold coins and a writ of commendation from the City of Bephis. I get a writ as well, but no gold, unsurprisingly.

  Unfortunately for us, the writ isn’t exactly useful.

  Well, it is... but it also isn’t.

  If we both hadn’t already been offered to attend Elderwynd Academy, we could have used both the Silver Ward badge and the writ to connect with potential sponsors. Now, though, it’s just a piece of paper.

  Still, if we ever get into legal trouble, it’ll come in handy. Technically, it’s also getting us one step closer to nobility. Not that either of us want that mess, but… it’s something. I guess.

  Cari and I also make time to stop by the orphanage on a regular basis, despite the bad memories. Unfortunately for her, Lyra and Nyra were adopted barely two weeks after I first introduced her to them.

  With the news spreading that our Tunnels are back under control, the neighboring cities have started sending traders and travelers our way again. One such family of merchants had, unsurprisingly, taken a shine to the two munchkins.

  Of course I’m sad to see them go—but Cari?

  She was utterly devastated.

  She’d become rather attached to them in the intervening weeks, so when the Matron mentioned how they cried about wanting to take their “big sis” with them, she turned into a blubbering mess for a full week.

  Even now, mentioning them will get her all teary eyed.

  But I did have a surprise for her, in that regard. In my last visit to the orphanage, I’d gone alone.

  And the twins had sent us a letter.

  I snuck it into her pack this morning, so once we settle in on the train, the moment she opens it she’ll see it.

  I can’t wait to see how she reacts.

  Scruffy stays busy as all hells the entire time. As the lead investigator behind the whole Etheron Empire mess, at least in regards to the city of Bephis, it’s been difficult for him to make time for us.

  My feelings are oddly mixed about that.

  On the one hand, I want to avoid that political nightmare as much as possible, and I’ll actively go well and truly out of my way to do so. On the other—despite his insistence on mussing up my hair at every opportunity—he’s genuinely good company.

  I’d even go so far as to call him a friend.

  At least the Councilors kept their end of the bargain and healed his arm before I had to leave.

  It’d taken over a month for a new High Priest to be assigned to our Church after what they've started calling ‘The Purge,’ but they sent Scruffy in the instant they arrived.

  One less thing for me to worry about when I’m gone.

  Thinking of Scruffy and everything left unresolved makes my chest tight, which of course spirals into thoughts of what, and who, I’m leaving behind.

  Thankfully, Cari is too busy handling our admittance through the gate to notice me frowning again. She’s been trying to comfort me non-stop when she found out how upset I am to be leaving the brothel behind.

  While living there, the girls have become close friends. Some more than others, though none so close as Krissy and, regrettably, Nyria.

  Nyria... frankly, she’s a pain. An adorable, lovable one, but a pain nonetheless. She all but forcibly inserted herself into my life. Mainly through wiles and bribery.

  Her obsession with all things furry and fluffy is what makes me nervous in her presence.

  That, and her fingers are way too good at getting the best spots around my ears and tail.

  Krissy is less troublesome a friend, blessedly.

  Honestly, I’m nearly as close with her as I am with Cari, and I can’t help but thank the Gods that the two of them get along as well as they do.

  She’d also managed to move past her trauma, though she’s still practically attached to me by the hip any time I’m nearby. But it’s become less that she needs me around, and more that she wants me around.

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  Still, I had to leave them both behind. The only reason I didn’t bawl my eyes out when Cari came to collect me this morning was because I leaned heavily into Charisma and Mental Suppression.

  Both Krissy and Nyria noticed, though. Because of course they did.

  Entertainer Classes are bullshit.

  On the plus side, they’d hired an entire team of Tier One’s to act as security going forward. So I know they’ll be safe, even if I’m gone.

  Honestly, time seemed to just fly by once things calmed down even a little bit. Before I knew it, the quiet days were over, and the time for our departure had come.

  It’s strange, entering the Tunnels to travel rather than to delve. The entrance is the same as always, the gentle slope leading down to a large, familiar starry space with three diverging pathways.

  Straight ahead, the path to the next layer, guarded by monsters and maze-like tunnel systems.

  To right, a makeshift guard station carved into the walls themselves. The first layer of defense against monsters trying to escape the tunnels or breach the railway.

  And finally, to the left, the entrance to the railway itself. Our current destination. Arcanite lamps line its walls, lighting the space almost as clear as day, but a gentle curve hides what’s at its end.

  Neither of us have ever seen what lay beyond that tunnel. In the first place, you need a ticket just to enter, which was always a little outside of our budgets. Until recently, at least.

  Thirty silver, just to go somewhere?

  Yeah, no thanks.

  Now, though… it’s exactly where Cari guides me, her gait oddly stiff and jerky. Her right hand holds my left in a white-knuckled grip, her nerves clearly getting the best of her despite her earlier excitement.

  It’s a huge step in our lives. One towards something unknown and uncertain.

  I’m just handling it much better than her, thanks to Mental Suppression.

  I’m excited and nervous too, of course—it just stays safely tucked away in my mind, instead of getting expressed physically like it is with her.

  We approach to the right of the entrance, out of the way of a chain of carts exiting on the left and making their way to the Tunnel exit.

  “Tickets?” the guard on our side asks, holding a hand out towards us.

  Human Fighter

  Level 28

  In Cari’s other hand, just as white knuckled as the one holding my own, are two little slips of paper with a mess of information inked onto them. Where we’re going, how long it’ll take, what cabins we’re staying in, and more that I couldn’t be bothered to try and understand.

  She passes them to him, and he gives them a quick glance before handing them back.

  “Safe travels,” he says, waving us forward.

  And just like that, we’re off again, though this time she’s less stiff and more jerky, her excitement starting to finally beat the nerves.

  Even though we’d stopped to do some last minute shopping, we’re nearly an hour early to boarding. Cari, for some unfathomable reason, insisted on waking at ‘too-fucking-early-o’clock’ so we couldn’t possibly miss it.

  As if it would leave early.

  The memory alone earns her an eye-roll, though it’s equal parts affection and exasperation.

  She lets out a little gasp, pulling me from my thoughts. She sees beyond the bend before I do, and when I take my next step, the space comes into view.

  Huge.

  That’s the first thought that comes to mind at the sight. The space beyond the end of this little tunnel is a massive open area with two nearly as impressive warehouses to one side, and a small line of rest areas to the other.

  But what really draws our gazes is the gleam of metal and mana straight ahead.

  The entire thing seems to literally bloom with mana in my vision. I had grown used to seeing the little wisps and webs from the ambient mana and little enchantments around several buildings on the surface, but this?

  This is like a river of masterfully intertwined weaves of smaller tendrils of mana, all connecting and splitting into more and more intricate patterns that eventually meld together again somewhere else.

  For a moment, I wish I can share the sight with Cari. She can see mana as well, thanks to her Class leaning so heavily towards Magic, but nowhere near the level of detail I can.

  Even so, she gapes just as openly as I do. Which is fair, given how impressive the train itself is. It’s all silver and gold with smooth, gracefully curved edges, countless runes lining the bottom half of each and every car.

  The engravings disappear under the lip of the walkway, no doubt spreading to the undercarriage, wheels, and tracks below.

  We’re drawn to the sight like moths to a flame, slowing in our approach as we gawk but never outright stopping.

  The moment we exit the tunnel proper, two familiar faces crash into us from our right, shouting with joy.

  “Surprise!” Krissy and Nyria both yell at once, pulling us both into a fierce group hug.

  Shocked as I am at the sight of them, I fail to react at all. I hug them back out of sheer instinct, but my brain fails to do much else but stutter.

  “Yes! We got her!” Nyria says, giggling as she pulls away.

  Krissy and Cari, on the other hand, both wear devilish grins as they watch me, taking in my reaction.

  That’s when the dots connect.

  The early wake up. The last minute shopping. I hadn’t thought anything of it at the time, figuring she was just being super thorough in our preparations.

  Turns out I was wrong. She was buying these two little succubi time.

  But that still leaves the question of why they’re here in the first place.

  Cari chuckles. “Oh, yeah. We got her good. Look at those gears spinnin’ away.”

  Still, I’m grinning a stupid grin even through my shock, more than happy to see them again.

  “H-hey, you two. What’re you doing here?”

  It’s all I can really muster at the moment.

  “Come on, Mistress. We’ll tell you along the way,” Krissy interjects, looping an arm through mine as she masterfully cuts through the giggling of the other two girls.

  Nyria seems to be shocked out of her teasing at that, realizing too late that both of my arms are now occupied.

  She pouts at Krissy, but it bounces right off of her serene presence.

  “Sorry for pulling this little trick on you, Mistress,” Krissy continues, starting to walk us towards the train. “We wanted to surprise you, that’s all.”

  “Well you succeeded,” I smirk. “What’s going on?”

  “Well… I’ll just get right to it. We’ve decided to set up a branch in the Capitol, and I’m to be its Madam,” she says, grinning broadly.

  I gape at her, stunned.

  She just bumps her hip against mine. “A congratulations would be nice.”

  “Oh, uh… right. Congratulations. You’re both really coming with us?”

  “Yep!” Nyria interjects happily. “I’m going to be her assistant. The building is already picked out and everything! It’s even close to the Academy. Well, kinda close, at least. They’re not exactly a fan of having businesses like ours right beside the school. But we’re close enough!”

  She babbles excitedly the entire rest of the time it takes us to get in line for the passenger cars, with Cari and Krissy both wearing gentle smiles and nodding along.

  I can’t help but shake my head at them all, but even I admit this is a great surprise. My chest is filled with a warmth I hadn’t expected at the knowledge that they’re coming along.

  I’ll still miss the rest of the girls, of course, but having these two nearby…

  Well, it feels really good.

  Nyria quiets just long enough for us to get our tickets checked, then we’re stepping into the main passenger car. When we’re fully inside, I’m struck with an all new sense of wonder and realization.

  It’s larger inside than the car looks to be from the outside. I’d heard that they use spacial enchantments, but I’d never really put much thought into it. It just seemed too absurd and beyond me to ever really give it a serious think.

  Now though, my eyes wander the space, soaking in every little detail I can.

  It’s a lobby. A large chandelier hangs from the ceiling, each space a candle would be occupied by a shard of arcanite, showering the space with a soft white light. Couches and armchairs sit scattered about the area, some with tables and others without.

  But my eyes are immediately drawn to the oddity in the room. Sitting on the right side of a massive bar opposite the entrance is a woman.

  Wavy, dark red hair spills from a hood that hides her face, exposing a hint of secret beauty with its obviously perfectly maintained luster. What I can see of her figure beneath the cloak is slim and attractive, with skin fair enough to make even Krissy jealous.

  But that’s not what draws my eye.

  The real reason I’m staring at her is because of the mana around her.

  Or rather, the lack of mana around her.

  Each and every wisp of ambient mana that isn’t sucked into the train's enchantments stays far away from her, outright ignoring the natural eddies and flows of the air around us. Even the river of mana flowing through the train that I’d spotted from outside seems to curve around her.

  As if it’s avoiding her, rather than flowing through her like everyone else.

  Still, I can see a bit of the mana inside her, collected into a small core in her abdomen just like every other person on board. It’s just that the mana around her seems to go well and truly out of its way to avoid her.

  What the fuck?

  That’s when I finally notice the woman is looking my way. Her bright red irises piercing the gloom of her hood to peer at me, and the moment my gaze locks with hers, I’m stuck.

  It’s not just that her eyes are beautiful. They pull at me, like I’m caught in a whirlpool. Every instinct to look away from embarrassment at being caught dies before it fully sparks.

  My stomach flips, and my tail twitches despite having mastered its control these past months. All I can do is drown in that impossible shade of red.

  “Emilia, you’re staring,” Cari murmurs into my ear.

  That breaks me free. Heat blooms on my cheeks, but I finally snap my eyes back to Cari.

  “Right, sorry. Which way to our cabins?”

  Only through sheer force of will do I manage to not look back.

  And then it hits me.

  I forgot to check her tag.

  Gods dammit.

  I close my eyes and let the hum of the train drown out my thoughts as Cari tugs me along.

  I decide that's a future Emilia problem. Instead, I focus on what comes next.

  There's nothing left for me in Bephis, except for political headaches.

  But Theola? The Elderwynd Academy?

  Now that is something I can look forward to.

  New cover art.

  The current cover was designed for the Academy arc and will become the cover for Book Two. Book one will be getting something more fitting.

  Mini lore excerpts from Emilia’s lost copy of ‘Omen of a Bluebell’.

  These will be short (200~500 words) pre-chapter blurbs that explore things like mana, enchantments, the gods, and Emilia’s notes on the world. All will be in Emilia's voice, as they are her notes.

  Final polish.

  Cleanup, and hopefully prepping for publication.