"Hey, Miss Claire?" I suddenly speak up when we're eating lunch on Venaday. I finally remembered my question. "Why aren't women supposed to wear pants?"

She stops mid-chew and blinks at me a few times, before sending a look toward Eryk. He's covering his mouth, but that doesn't stop the trembling in his shoulders. Why is he laughing...? While I'm tilting my head in a confused look at him, Claire finishes chewing and clears her throat to get my attention.

"Women aren't supposed to wear pants because they are clothes for men, just as skirts are for women."

I nod just a little, I more or less get that already I guess. It's what everyone wears. "But why?"

"Why?" She pauses. It's rare, I don't usually see her make that face, where it's like I've asked her something she has absolutely no idea how to answer. "Well..." Her eyes narrow and I can almost see her mind spinning as she thinks deeply. Then like always, she does come up with the answer. "It has to do with what is proper. Wearing men's clothing would make you appear mannish, obviously not a trait men would appreciate in a partner. So dressing like a proper lady is important for attracting a husband."

"Huh..." So it's a human thing...? "So if I don't need a husband, I don't need to worry about that?"

For some reason, that makes her giggle into her hand. "It's not just for that. It is merely considered proper because it is how you should dress for your husband. It being proper is what actually matters. Just like using good etiquette, dressing correctly shows you are well educated and mindful, and earns you respect."

"Hmm..." I have to try for a while to understand all of that, especially since there are a few words mixed in there that I've been taught, but don't use too much, so I'm not as familiar with them. "I... think I get it." So it's just like how people look down on peasants. Wearing the right clothes is part of dressing well, so people don't look down on you. "So it's all about making people not look down on you."

"Pretty much."

Now that I understand that though, I can't help the next question that comes right after. "Then how is that any different from being left handed?"

"Well..." For a second time, Claire is at a loss. "It's more... about choice. Yes," and she rights herself again. "Being left handed is just how you are naturally, so there is no reason for people to look down on those who are. How you dress is a choice. Since you choose how to dress and present yourself, others judge you based on that."

It still feels weird. That clothing can be 'correct' based on something like getting a husband, even if you don't need one. But I guess just like being left handed and using my right hand to please jerks, it's one of those things I just have to do anyway...? I scratch my head, kind of displeased. Doesn't that just make everyone stupid jerks about clothing? "Hahh," I finally sigh out a breath. Well, I'm used to wearing skirts already, so I'll just put up with it. I have some thicker winter cloaks now and I can just use fire mana to stay warm anyway, so it's not that big of a deal.

With the short conversation finished, we return to our lunch.

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After Claire's lesson on the differences between types of grain crops, she gives me my homework and leaves. I return to sitting in Eryk's office briefly.

"So, what are your plans for today?" Eryk eventually asks when I finish thinking over everything I learned and look at him. We did more work with alchemy yesterday, but nothing much has come of it yet. Mostly because a lot of time went into... whatever we got out of his little experiment last Firoday.

As he explained it, whatever that burning white powder was, it didn't make sulphuric acid like he had hoped when we mixed it with water. Whatever the stuff was though, was really really close. Good enough to use as a substitute, which makes it immediately valuable to him.

After mixing the powder with water to make what he thought was sulphuric acid, he added in iron slag to produce sulphra, which would have proved him right. Well, the molten metal that came out was sulphra, but it wasn't alone. There was also that layer of strange powder floating on top. A new powder that matches none of what we've made so far.

We still don't have the slightest idea what it is. It's very fine, and not clumpy like chalk or lime. No smell, no taste, fire and lightning had no effect on it, and though it mostly disappeared when we added water, it turned out just boiling off the water got the powder back like nothing happened. It even made mixed fire-water mana in a mana field, but with more fire than water. I've never seen one substance make an uneven mix of mana before. And it won't melt in the refinery's furnaces...

With that odd thought about yesterday in the back of my mind, I consider Eryk's question for today, since it should be my day off. He knows I have something coming, though I obviously haven't said what. He probably expects that I want to continue with our alchemy work to learn more before then. But I have different plans today.

"I'm going to the blacksmith, I have some things I need made."

"Oh? What kind of things?" he questions, obviously curious.

I pull out one of the metal disks to show him. "Metal disks, but smaller than these."

That one gets a raised brow. "And what do you need metal disks for?" I can see him thinking over all the things we've made and what he knows about mana, but he's clearly not coming up with anything.

"It's just a way to convert mana more easily," I explain with a laugh, since it's really nothing complicated like he's probably imagining. "They're lighter than carrying whole ingots around."

"Oh, haha," he laughs along too. "You did mention that the last time, didn't you?"

"Yeah." That was back before the last battle. "I get most of them made at another smith because it's cheaper, but I need a better smith to work with chromium, like last time." That gets a few nods from Eryk, also remembering when he sent me over to Montley Smithing before. So just like then, he sends me off with one of the shopkeepers. I'm just glad it's some man this time, instead of Isabelle like usual. I still don't like her...

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It's a good thing Eryk sent me with a shopkeeper. It's been a while since I went to Montley Smithing, so I have a hard time remembering exactly where it is. Somewhere near the southern edge of the northeast district, halfway between east and west. But that would have left a lot of area to search, and a few other houses have smoke coming up from fires in their fireplaces now that it's getting colder, so I can't even tell from looking for the smoke like I could before.

We have a couple people trailing us today. They're better at making it look like they aren't following us than the last one, but not by much. What's really weird though, is the third person, who seems to be following the people following us. What on Loqa...?

I'm just glad that they're all hanging back at a distance, not disturbing us as we reach the blacksmith and go inside.

As soon as we approach the counter, I jolt a bit, my last visits here coming to mind again. I gulp nervously. Eli was fine, but Norman was so huge and overbearing, I'm really not looking forward to dealing with that again...

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Eli is at the counter, as strange and un-manly looking as I remember. Well, at least he was really pleasant to talk to...

"Hello, what can I help you with today?" he asks, only glancing at the shopkeeper for a moment before he looks down at me, leaning down on the counter so he doesn't tower over me as badly. His gentle smile helps calm my nerves.

"I'd like to order something. I had this made here before," and I set the chromium disk up on the counter. "I'd like to have this remade, but smaller, and this too." I take out my last chunk of alba and place that on the counter. Ebbin used about half of the quarter-ingot I bought to make my little alba balls I use normally, now that it's too cold for nuvrite to work without heating it up somehow.

Eli physically jolts. So does Eryk's shopkeeper beside me. Their eyes go wide at the sight of the metal, then scan the shop around us, and Eli sweeps it off of the counter. His voice drops lower, somehow still maintaining its pleasant sound even while strained. "I see. And what would you like us to make out of this?"

That's right, alba is a noble metal, not the kind of thing commoners, even well off ones, would see normally. Even blacksmiths, since they'd only be making things for other commoners...

"W-well, the same thing really. A flat disk, I guess around coin size, maybe a bit bigger. I need five of them." I say, showing a circle with my fingers, though I have to use both hands since my fingers are too small. The same size as I told the other shop, so the disks will match.

"Alright, no problem. This will be..." He has to stop and consider that one, eyes moving to something behind the counter, though I can't see what. His jaw tightens, muscles in his arm flexing, like he's pressing or squeezing something. Then he looks back to me. "seven irons," he finally reports.

I'm prepared for the price after last time, but it's still most of what I have left after spending so much lately. And I brought all the money I have left with me today. Well, we can always make more. I hand over the coins, and he gives me another one of those weirdly nice smiles. "Alright, we'll have this done within a couple days." Just like that, we manage to finish up the order, without having to deal with any terrifying blacksmiths this time.

That's a huge relief, so I quickly leave the store once we're done, and thank the shopkeeper who came along, sending him back to the refinery.

Alright, so that was my first task for the day. The next is what I've really been wanting to do more than anything else.

I quickly start on my way home, moving through the northeast district. It's about halfway to the ninth bell right now, so I still have some time left today. What I really want to do is practice with special mana. Since I can move it outside of my body like the special fire last time, it will definitely be useful in battle. But it's also extremely dangerous. I still remember how I burned up my whole right arm using the fire like that. It's so hard to control too, and I only have a couple weeks to try and work on it. And there are hardly any good times to work on it, so I'm going to have to make the most of any opportunity that I have.

With that in mind, I wind through streets and alleys throughout the northeast district, using my size, and the moving crowds of people to shake off the couple people still following after leaving the blacksmith's, and avoid the couple others who stand out among the crowd. I make it out onto North Main Street without anyone after me, and walk the rest of the way home by the ninth bell.

Good, now for my homework, and then I can go practice...

Today, it's about historical military drafts, from before we had rail units. I read through it pretty quickly. I'm definitely getting better at reading, especially since there are some pretty big words in this one. I nod to myself a few times when I'm done, straighten the papers, then grab my basket of stuff, and head back out.

Unfortunately, there's someone right outside the house, clearly taking notice when I come out. "Darn," I grumble. I already got rid of the people following earlier, and now there's another one. I should have realized there would be people watching the front of my house...

I consider going back inside and trying to head out a different way. But I still don't want to make it obvious that I know I'm being watched, then they might start being more careful. So instead of doing anything out of the ordinary, I just act like I'm going somewhere, and turn into the northwest district. Since I don't know the area at all, I need Chisa above to help me navigate.

I'm a little surprised how easy it is to lose the follower. Of course I shouldn't be, the roads here are tight and twist all over the place. I still wind up in a few bad spots because there are buildings which cover streets and alleys from above, but I manage to keep my general direction, and slip back onto the main road just a short distance from the north gate.

Even with the west gate more or less functional again, there are still plenty using the north gate every day. After all, there have still been issues with dangerous animals and monsters in the area. My friends' and Catherine Lundrum's efforts have made a definite improvement, but haven't completely pushed them back yet. Like the high priest said in church, they're getting closer. Just, not quite there yet. I'll be really glad when they are done, because that should mean Catherine leaves and I don't have to worry about Hurena's angel hanging around our city anymore, with all the dangers that brings.

Since the north gate isn't deserted anymore, walking out through it doesn't draw any attention from the guards. The tenth bell rings while I'm settling into my nice grassy spot, out of sight from the gate thanks to the slight rise of a hill. I set down my basket and pull out a few things. My azrium, alba, and the chunk of copper slag.

First I make a bit of water mana. I don't need much, just enough to convert the mana I get from the copper slag. Then I press the little alba ball against the slag chunk and make some special light with it. Just like I've done before, I reach inside of the new mana, finding its core of light, and convert it with the water.

Just like that, the whole thing suddenly becomes all flowing and watery. Like the other special types of mana, it's just like water mana, but somehow more. Like more perfect, or complete than the regular kind I get from azrium. Whatever the difference is, it lets me push the mana outside of my body, which I can't do with water mana alone.

I do so now, extending a tiny drop out of a finger. I wince, the water drop immediately beginning to scatter, like high speed storm winds are blowing on it from every direction at once. It takes most of my effort to hold my control over the mana, steadying it. I'm surprised to find it's not quite as difficult as I remember the fire being, though I don't know why. Whether it's a difference between mana types, or just because I've gotten better, it doesn't really matter. I have to practice this more.

I do my best to keep my control over the mana. Jaw clenched, sweat slowly dripping down my forehead despite the cold, I do my absolute best, keeping the water in the most spherical drop that I can as it sits just past the end of my finger. At least, that's my goal. The strange, invisible winds keep hitting it from different directions, breaking up the drop repeatedly, and I keep having to switch my focus on which way I'm trying to hold it, controlling all parts of the drop at once to reform it. As I continue, the drop shrinks bit by bit as I lose parts, and they're eaten away by the world outside my body, until all at once, the last of it seems to simply fizzle away into nothing.

As soon as I feel the mana disappear, I flop down onto my back, panting heavily. "Gods, why is this so hard...?" I gasp out between breaths. That was what, about four ticks? And all I was doing was holding it! I wasn't even trying to do anything with the mana!

I continue lying on the ground until I have enough energy to continue, then I try it again. I know what to expect this time, so I manage a bit better, but not by much. Just have to keep practicing...

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I'm up to six ticks at a time when I run out of special water mana. I stare up at the slowly darkening sky, arms flopped out at my sides, until I can get my breathing under control again. Then I make more special light mana and convert it again, so I can keep practicing.

It's another half bell, and I'm getting a bit of a headache from all the effort, when I run out again. I make more mana again until...

"Huh?" It's still showing flecks of yellow inside the mana field, but I'm not getting any special light mana anymore. And the chunk of rock is lighter than before. Don't tell me... "It's like nickel?" I groan. It only gives so much mana before disintegrating? And the amount was way lower than nickel too.

I flop onto my back again. "Darn it, this makes things so much harder!" After grumbling for a little longer, I take another look at the rock. Well, the flecks of yellow tell me that that effect comes from something other than whatever makes the mana I want. So there must be at least three substances inside. The rock that doesn't change color, the rock that does, and the one that gave mana. Now, it doesn't have the third. And somewhere in all that is the lime. Unless it's the lime itself that gives the mana...?

My hand scratches through my hair, and I see the use of this, even if I don't really want to. By breaking down the substance that gives mana, what we have left over in the slag might work differently for our alchemy testing. Just like melting the useful metals out of the ore, it's another method of splitting up and using each of the substances left over.

"Still makes my life harder..." I grumble, kicking my feet in frustration. Ahh, whatever. At least now I know, instead of it running out when it's important, like right before the battle. Still in a huff, I convert the mana and continue practicing.