After returning to our dorms, time passes slowly as we wait for all the delve exams to be completed.
That evening we stay in, but the next morning we head out to do some exploration and shopping. Despite how urgent the exams feel to us, the rest of the Academy is as busy as ever, with students and faculty alike rushing from place to place.
The entire time we travel, Cari can’t keep still. She flits from place to place wherever we go, equal parts nerves and excitement as she stresses about what supplies and preparations she needs to make.
Despite the fact that the Academy provides said supplies before Classes begin.
She still goes out of her way to buy over a dozen notebooks, as well as more writing implements than any one person had any right to own.
My sister’s existential dread aside, I manage to sell a good number of the items from our first delve. The extra Clasp of Repairing went to Cari, as she doesn’t have anything like it yet, and I’ve already got the Officer’s version that does the same things, but better.
Strangely, I got the most money for the Backwards Boots, despite their curse. A whopping four gold.
While a little frustrating that even magic items wouldn't sell for enough to cover the cost of a single message, I was pretty happy with the result.
I still keep the Tier One Magic Suppression Manacles I’d freed Bella from when we first met, though.
There’s no telling when I’ll need them, especially if I intend to deal with the Empires Prince while here.
Granted, I still have absolutely no idea how I’ll accomplish that without getting expelled, but... that’s a future Emilia problem.
On our way to some bookstores, I give Bella my best knowing grin, and she refuses to acknowledge me until we finally arrive to the first one on our list.
Dora’s Exploratorium.
Apparently, it’s well known across academy grounds for having some of the best fiction, and a healthy amount of... other stories.
Stories that I know Bella would thoroughly enjoy.
She very pointedly ignores my shit-eating grin as we approach the store, and I’m about to continue antagonizing her until Cari suddenly stiffens beside me with a strained half-squeal-half-whimper.
I glance over and find her staring at the entrance.
“...What?” I ask.
She doesn’t answer. Instead, she straightens abruptly and begins quickly smoothing her clothes and primping her hair.
When I follow her gaze, I find none other than Mr. Ticked Boxes himself kneeling just outside the store as he organizes a pack of books.
I think back to our first meeting as he gave us a tour of the Academy, leaning on Intelligence to sift through the memories.
Tark? Tarik? No...
He’s somehow even taller than I remember as he steps out of the store with two books tucked under one arm, dressed in casual clothes rather than a school uniform.
Of course, one look at the split collar baring his chest to the world is more than enough for me to understand what’s going on.
I struggle to restrain a laugh as Cari inhales, steps forward, and speaks.
“Hello, Taruq!” she says.
That's it! Taruq!
Her voice is loud—too loud—and she realizes it immediately.
He looks up, his eyes immediately finding Cari, and grins.
“Oh, hey! Cari, right? And Emilia?” he asks, standing.
I nod, a wry smile finding its way to my face as Cari nods with far more enthusiasm than is strictly necessary.
“I see you made it through your delve then? And found a new friend, at that,” he says, acknowledging Bella with a small bow.
She returns the greeting.
“You may call me Bella,” she says.
“Taruq,” he says, smiling now.
Then his gaze shifts back to my sister expectantly.
“Yes,” Cari says, nodding happily. “We did. It was... successful.”
I bite the inside of my cheek hard.
Even Bella suddenly looks away, seemingly taking distraction from the bookshop’s sign.
He smiles a little. “Good to hear. Not everyone does—but you seem a bit too happy to have lost anyone in the exam, so I’m happy for you.”
Cari nods again after a moment of silence, just before it turns awkward.
“Me too. Thank you.”
There’s another pause, but only a small one.
He glances between the three of us once more before speaking.
“Well, I’m glad you’re all in one piece. I’ve got some deliveries to make...” he says, gesturing to the pack of books at his feet, “...but maybe I’ll see you around? I work here part time, so...”
“Yes,” Cari says immediately. “Yes, that would be—good. That would be good.”
He gives her a small smile, then moves on to complete his work.
Cari stands there, completely frozen.
I give her two seconds.
“You’re a disaster.”
Bella chuckles softly. “That was... something.”
Cari groans, dragging her hands down her face. “Gods, I hate both of you.”
“What happened to my confident sister from the first time you met him? This was almost painful to watch.”
“You’re painful to watch!” she retaliates, her cheeks red enough to hide her freckles.
I grin.
“‘Yes, we were successful,’” I mock with a chortle. “Who talks like that?”
“You—you’re one to talk!” she says.
My grin disappears as a sudden wave of danger floods my nerves.
“Ah, sorry, I didn’t mean it,” I immediately backpedal.
She doesn’t seem convinced.
“I love you?” I try, trying to appear as repentant as possible.
Cari’s narrow-eyed glare is warning enough, so I snap my mouth shut and keep my ears folded and tail tucked.
After Cari releases me from my newest near-death experience, we continue our shopping trip.
After visiting a few book stores, I actually ran into the limit of what my Starlight Bangle could hold, forcing me to physically carry my newest books back to the dorms. For the first time in a long time, I have to do some inventory management.
Thankfully it doesn’t take much effort. Most of my spare clothes find a new home in my dorm room wardrobe—and after buying a small safe for it, so do my coins.
Of course, I make sure Cari gets her own safe, and her platinum and gold that I’d been lugging around for her.
It actually hurt my soul to hand all that coin over... but it’s for my sister.
Even if she’s a little shit sometimes, I love her.
I also reduced my delving supplies to only a week’s worth, as I need significantly less thanks to Seeker’s Survival.
When it’s all said and done, I’ve freed up half of the weight limit, and I’d also ensured I could equip my full delving kit with only a thought.
I am very satisfied with how much it can hold, all things told. It wasn’t as large as the ones I’d heard merchants make use of, but it was more than enough for just me.
Even with the body of one of those statue monsters still tucked away, it was only half full.
I still need to find someone who can figure out what those things are...
Maybe the Headmaster?
Or the Headmistress. She seems the researchy sort.
I tack that onto my bucket list of things to get done... eventually.
The next day, we take a trip to the Delver’s Guild building. Cari and I both need our guild rankings updated to B rank, and Bella says they would just review our exam results rather than put us through a combat test.
It is a remarkably uneventful trip, all things considered. Part of me is a little disappointed to by that, but I wouldn’t complain.
While the rank up doesn’t feel as significant as I thought it would back in Bephis, it’s a step closer to my goal. If I want to grow strong enough to deal with the Empire and whoever or whatever is behind their actions, getting highly ranked in the Guild can only help me.
I know that A rank Delvers are granted free passage nearly everywhere on the continent, along with some measure of diplomatic immunity. Something I have no doubt that I’ll need, eventually.
Cari seems to sense my mood as we leave, and offers a distraction in the form of a small dessert shop we’d passed on the way there.
I go along with it, letting her care for me in ways only she can.
We sit, we eat, we talk about nothing important. Cari complains about something trivial as though it were the most egregious thing in the world, while Bella hums along with that faintly amused look she gets when she’s not bothering to argue.
I just soak in it. The company. The normalcy. The slowness of it all.
After that... a whole lot of nothing.
The next two days blur together, but not in the way delves do. There’s no danger or urgency—only waiting and killing time.
There’s a moment of excitement when I receive a letter from Krissy, though. Apparently the brothel is set up and officially open for business, and she’s asking for me to visit as soon as I’m able.
Apparently Nyria got hold of the letter before it was sent out as well, because there are hearts doodled all over the paper. I don’t know for certain that it wasn’t Krissy who drew them, but for some reason my gut tells me it wasn’t.
We also visit an on-campus spa... a few times.
It’s expensive. And indulgent.
But I certainly wasn’t going to say no to the idea when Cari suggested it.
They even offer to sharpen beastkin claws, which turns out to be a surprisingly pleasant experience. Enough that, more than once, I catch myself purring under the treatment.
Cari and Bella find that far more amusing than they should.
I enjoy it too much to care.
Besides, they’re the ones missing out.
As time passes, students return in waves. Some loud with relief, others quiet in a way that feels more somber. Rumors spread, of course. I hear them when we explore, when we stop somewhere to eat, and even when we just pass the girls dorm lobby area.
Rumors like who passed, and who didn’t. Or who didn’t make it back at all.
I don’t go looking for the details. I hear more than enough as is.
Then we wake up to find an envelope resting on our living room table.
Bella is, of course, the first to wake, and she’s already sipping tea, the enveloped opened before her.
I give it a quick skim.
—————
Report to my office tomorrow at fourth bell.
A representative of the Dwarven Holds has arrived. They have requested to speak with your party directly.
Your class schedules will be provided after the meeting.
Headmaster Kophis
—————
I stare at the letter for a moment, confused.
Why would we be asked to speak with some hoity-toity dwarven delegates?
I figured that they’d either handle everything privately with the Headmaster and whoever else has some actual say in what happens next.
Not... us.
Then again, Bella is a Princess... but she doesn’t have much sway here in the Academy.
I frown at the paper as Cari reads it over my shoulder.
She’s the first to break the silence.
“Well that’s not ominous at all,” she huffs.
Bella snorts, then hides her face behind a hand as she quickly sets her teacup down.
“What?” Cari asks.
For a moment, Bella seems to struggle against her own amusement in an effort to answer.
Then she shakes her head.
“You know, you two really are alike in the strangest ways.”
“Nah, I’m not really into tentacles,” I say flatly.
I duck on pure instinct as one suddenly phases into existence, already swinging for me.
“Hey!”
Cari just folds her arms and pretends nothing happened, while Bella finally loses the fight with her composure, breaking into a fit of giggles.
For a moment, the letter—and its confusing implications—fade into the background.
But eventually, my eyes drift back to it, and I sigh in defeat.
“Why do I get the feeling that this is going to be a massive headache?” I moan.
Bella grabs her teacup, takes a sip, and smirks.
“Probably because it will be,” she says. “I hope you’re ready to meet dwarven royalty.”
I scoff, then stiffen.
“…Bella?”
She doesn’t answer. Doesn’t even meet my gaze.
“Bella, that’s a joke, right? Please tell me that’s a joke.”
She takes another sip.
Authors Note:Who's ready to meet the Roastmaster?