Amanda tried to have breakfast. She felt she'd lost two weeks to this stupid parasitic squatter in her soul. But Damien could only float around in her Ethercosm and talk until her ears fell off, so that's what he did. Worse, even if Amanda tore her tears off, she would still hear him because he was not communicating through sound.

"You know, you could look at yourself naked in a mirror," Damien taunted. "And maybe have some fun and narrate what you are doing to me. I can speak dirty words in your ear. Dirrrrty words..."

Amanda ignored him. He couldn't see through her eyes. Instead, she went to her Ethercosm and used her shepherd's crook to put the damned soul fragment squatter to sleep.

She shoveled the food down her mouth in a very unladylike way, to Veronica's shock. Amanda dragged her chair back and stood up, checking her Academy uniform for any blemishes.

"Veronica, if you manage to get in contact with Robert, tell him I am in dire need to talk to him. Make sure to say that I also miss him very much."

That made Veronica smile, for some reason. "I'm going to try my best to contact him.

Amanda went to the solarium. LiMeiLin came out of a row of planters. A quick check with her Druidic Attunement told her all plants were healthy and happy. She took the small Alraune variant on her hands, giggling for a moment as the locomotive roots tickled her skin.

She stopped, mortified. It was the first time she felt herself again after the incident in Italy. The guilt and brutal disgust at her current state quickly killed any mirth she felt.

LiMeiLin took her place on her head, the roots weaving along Amanda's loose braids, tightening them. Amanda felt that the Bonsai Rafflesia was heavier. Was LiMeiLin growing?

After giving it some thought, she reached the conclusion that it was her talent's fault. All plants under her care grew much stronger and faster than normal. She had no idea what was normal for LiMeiLin, though.

Amanda rode the tram to the teleportation hub. It was seldom used because of the huge operation costs. Now that they had a pair of linked platforms connecting the arcology to the hotel near the Academy, it was less expensive than a coordinate teleportation and also more convenient than a bus ride.

And money was nothing if it could not provide convenience.

*

*

She took an aerial transport to the Academy. Within less than an hour since she left her mansion, she was at Team Actus's gym. Her student ID unlocked the door. Inside, she quickly found the masked professor waiting for her in the lobby.

Robert said that Actus' mask had a really scary and powerful unique curse. It was the reason he dropped from the Imperial Knights and took this teaching position. The fastest professor to reach tenure in the hundred years of history of this august institution.

Actus looked at her, the blue-painted eye inscrutable as always. But she could tell that he was smiling, by the telltale movement of his scalp and ears. He also waited to let her speak first.

"Hi. I'm Amanda. I'm back," she said in the most stiff and awkward way possible. LiMeiLin even released a relaxing and calming fragrance to soothe her nerves.

"Welcome back. That was quite the adventure you had in Italy. And I can see it left some scars. I am really sorry for what you went through."

"It was not your fault!"

Amanda delivered that retort with a little more aggression than she wanted. LiMeiLin released more fragrance as the roots massaged her scalp. She believed apologies were a waste of breath. If one was at fault, one should work to fix the damages caused, not beg for sympathy and an easy way out. While she recognized the value of an apology as a social cue, she had better ways to express contrition and remorse.

Noah nodded. "I watched the news and talked to Robert."

Her eyes lit up at the mention of her boyfriend's name. Then instant sadness and guilt pushed her saudade away. Amanda sighed.

"He's not around, is he?"

"No. Right now, he should be at his workshop, making Satellite Cores. He got a huge bulk order for one-star Cores, and also one for three two-star Cores."

Amanda knew he had absorbed Pappardelle's memories and skills but this was insane. People would only trust their Tzekenite shards to experienced enchanters with decades of experience and skill.

"How huge was this order?"

"A hundred one-star Cores. They provided sixteen hundred shards and are paying three million for each Core."

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

"Sixteen and not twenty?" Amanda could barely hide her surprise. "Is he that good?"

Noah chuckled and nodded.

"He added a suspicious clause to the contract specifying that any leftover shards became his possession but that he would deliver the amount requested regardless of his success rate. That drove the number of shards down from twenty to sixteen. Then the client insisted on doing a test run with two-star Cores. This second contract was with the default shard count. The client bought insurance instead but the insurer will attest the truth regarding his success rate with a talent specialist."

Talent specialists were people hired and given a Prime Vestige with a specific talent utility. The guy Titania called to protect her from Damien's curse was one such specialist. The talent and affinities were borderline useless for either combat or trade. It was also usually detrimental to the user.

The person who placed geasa on the Academy teachers to keep student data safe and secret was also a talent specialist. Nobody but the most desperate and destitute agreed to such a position.

"How? It takes at least an hour per attempt, he would need months... Oh!" Amanda exclaimed, embarrassment climbing up the sides of her face. "He's cheating."

"Yes, and not in the way you think. Let's head inside and make use of the secure meeting room."

Noah led Amanda to the meeting room. Amanda noticed they were alone in the gym.

"Where's Caroline?"

"Home for the week. Her family wanted to see how much she improved in the last couple of months."

Amanda suppressed her disgust. Caroline's clan was disgusting. They were so focused on amassing power and keeping their secrets that they failed to see the benefits of cooperation. They made children Archhumans to guide their growth, and they practiced inbreeding, it was a bloody mess. But they had two four-stars, so they could do that and nobody would call them on their bullshit.

And Robert wanted to help Caroline! Get her a magic-seeing monster that was nigh-impossible to catch. For free!!! She didn't doubt he could do that, but such a monster was worth billions to someone like Caroline. How naive can that guy get?

They sat on opposite sides of the table. Noah activated the privacy enchantments. "Okay. Everything and anything that transpires in this room until we leave it will be protected under my geas. Speak your mind, Amanda."

"How much do you know about what that terrorist did to us?"

"Damien?" Noah asked. Amanda winced at the mention of the name. "Almost everything. He tried to take over Robert's soul, was instead threatened to be reincarnated by the Void Gates of Nirvana, escaped, and tried it again with you. You used your talent to pluck the seed out of your soul, and both of you disposed of the seed in the deep void. His attempts at taking over your souls tainted both of you with Unholy essence, granting you the affinity."

"There's more..." Amanda started but wavered as a chill ran up her spine. She feared either Robert or Granny would find the truth and reject her. Could she trust Noah? It was irrational. She knew the teacher had a geas that forbade him from harming his students or revealing their secrets. Her breath became erratic and her heart spiked.

"Amanda, it's okay. Here's a little secret of mine. This blue eye is not just decorative. I can see the parasite in your soul. It's Damien, right?"

That was the straw that broke the overflowing cup. Amanda broke down and started to weep. Bawl. Sob, Cry. She felt only the cold and fear for two weeks, but now the dam broke. Noah gave her all the time she needed. He didn't move to console her, to deny her feelings, nothing. He just witnessed. Until she raised her head and asked.

"Can you get rid of it?"

Among the dark clouds of her soul, a single ray of sunshine dispelled Amanda's darkest night. She felt worse than when her party was attacked by the Reverse Recognition Squid. Because after she reached the facility, she was technically safe. But now? Here? She knew the parasite was bidding its time until she became weak and he could take over. It was obvious that Damien wouldn't want to remain like a ghost inside her soul.

"Not yet. I need to consult with some experts and maybe have Robert search for an answer in his library. Oh. Sorry. You didn't tell him."

Shame threatened to force her to expel her breakfast as she nodded. She hated blank-check apologies.

"You were afraid he would reject you, right?"

She spoke between sobs and sniffles. "Damien threatened to take over my soul if I didn't reject him!"

"I see. Would it be correct to assume his threats had no teeth behind them? I see. And now, you are afraid of Robert's reaction."

Amanda hid her face in her hands. She nodded. LiMeiLin trilled and released another burst of soothing floral essences. The girl reached up and caressed a root, making the plant monster happy.

"What can I do?" She asked after a long while.

"Check with Robert. See if he has any ideas. I see you used your construct to put Damien to sleep. Keep doing that. It is not your fault. Robert is worried about you. He didn't blame you nor held any resentments."

"Can we contact him?"

"Sure. He asked Spidersilk to stay here, waiting for you to show up."

*

*

Spidersilk was playing with the sparring projectors, setting them in demo mode so they would endlessly fight each other. When she saw Amanda, the fairy flew toward the girl with her arms open. Then, she whipped Amanda's nose with a silk whip. It didn't break the Earth Arch's Stoneskin.

"YOU GIANT DUMMY!" Spidersilk berated. LiMeiLin, feeling protective, complained in her plant language.

After the flash of pain and indignation passed, Amanda started to laugh.

"You are completely right," Amanda said.

Spidersilk crossed her arms, harrumphed, and looked smug. "Of course, I am. I'm a fairy with over three centuries of accumulated wisdom, so you know!"

The young woman rubbed her nose. "Does it include all the time you spent with Robert in the liminal void?"

Spidersilk looked askance at Amanda. "...maybe?"

"Can you call Robert here?"

"That's too easy!" Spidersilk teased. "Are you sure you don't want to talk to King Oberon, ruler of all fae?"

"Thank you, but just Robert is fine."

"Just Robert, she says," Spider brooded. "Done. He will be with us in about half an hour."

Amanda took a moment to process what just happened. A familiar sent a message to a depth six realm and gave the one asking a reply. Instantaneously. This could be a serious business opportunity. No. Stop.

Amanda let LiMeiLin play with Spidersilk while she went to try and do some overdue homework. It was an exercise in frustration because she couldn't focus. Damien woke up and she was forced to put him back to sleep with her crook. They both knew it was useless to attack each other as they were bonded to Amanda's dismay.

"Amanda!"

The shout startled her. She turned around and could only see the lapel of a suit as Robert pulled her into a deep hug.