The evening came faster than they expected. Elizabeth's cozy mansion was a gathering of various people, most of whom threw themselves at the tables with appetizers and other great-looking dishes. Kasei commented this very meanly, but funnily nonetheless; "they are so rich, but they behave as if they hadn't eaten for a month". Ed was standing

together with her next to a table with beautiful glasses and bottles of wine, alcohol and even top quality beer. As a thoughtful woman, Elizabeth made sure that the golden-haired man and red-headed girl were dressed the best they could: Ed wore an elegant suit, and Kasei was dressed in a red dress with pinned-on real roses, and her hair was styled.

  “I don't like it” she said suddenly.

  “What exactly?” asked the golden-haired.

  “That I must look like some pretty girlie!” She made a scrunched-up face and did a pose to show she’s unhappy. “Eddie, let's wrap up quickly and do something else, I want to go back to my own clothes!”

  “Stop it” He smiled, grabbed a glass and poured some wine. “You look so cute, you could look so wonderful every day! Maybe I'd think more seriously about what ‘auntie’ said today.”

  “What do you mean, ‘auntie’?! She said a lot of things, starting with the fact that I have ‘incredibly lovely hair’ and ending with praising you, so what do you mean?!”

  “About getting married!” His smile widened. “Seriously, you look so cute now, I think I'm going to fall in love with you.” He started drinking from a glass, still happy. Kasei started laughing quietly, she felt humiliated.

  “One more word...” she threatened him with a terrifying tone, and with a nervous smile. “And I'll stick a really thick nail down your throat...”

  Edward swallowed the wine, and put the glass down.

  “Then I'd better not joke around, with that threat! Although if you're talking about the ones in our house, maybe I can swallow them because they're pretty short. And then I'll survive and be able to joke with you again!”

  “I'll kill you.”

  “I love you too.” But Ed and Kasei realized it's time to stop fooling around. Kasei started thinking about how they could get out of the ballroom without getting too much attention. Suddenly the fenec saw one door that no one was standing by. Edward asked Kasei to put her hands on his forearm to make them look like a couple, so as not to get noticed. After many internal protests, the redhead finally agreed, for a "higher goal". They started to walk calmly, and were getting closer and closer, getting very nervous. When they got to the door, fate wanted them to be stopped.

   “Oh? And who do we have here?” asked a man who apparently had already given in to the wonderful influence of alcohol. A second, smaller one joined him after a while.

  “Ah! That's Edward from Rebellar” added the other one. “Elizabeth was just talking about you!”

  “Is he the son of this... uh... Carina?” asked the first one.

  “Carolina” Ed fixed.

  “Oh, right. Carina from Relar.” The drunk man laughed. “I am Stavu of the Heven family. I'm telling you, she was the hottest chick, absolute number one! I remember, yeah, I was sixteen, I was a little shit, I stole something with my friends. But what was it? Eh, I don't remember, never mind it, it was over twenty years ago! So we're sneaking around, stealing, when suddenly a young girl comes up; with a braid, golden hair, green eyes, big tits. So what then? She's starting to throw spells at us! And we can't use spells! Well, she got us, although she was a woman, but a beautiful one! She was something to look at. And then it turns out she's an army cadet, we messed up hard, Mr. Edward! She was younger than me by a spring, but stronger, and how much! Our faces were so blue and red, sir, you’ve got no idea. Even so, everyone was in love with her! She sometimes got flowers, sometimes gifts, and even once she got a rotten apple! But that time no one laughed, because she caught the one who brought it to her. But what can you do, later she became such a general! She fought in wars when we were being attacked on the border! And here a few years ago Voyca was fighting with some country, eh, well, with Nihoria! You know, Mr. Edward.”

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  “I think I know” he said sleepily, and Kasei was literally already hanging on to his shoulder.

  “Well, Mr. Edward, you think, you know!” Stavu laughed again. “I heard that this... Perfer or whatever, the younger one from Carina, who was born, even got permission to treat blood diseases! Well, good wombs make good sons, not some sons of bitches, like those thieves or other bastards. Ah, Mr. Edward, I have a feeling that you will take care of them soon! Since you shouldn’t mess with Carina’s sons the way they are! Strong ones that everyone will fear. So, you know, Mr. Edward, we could use a bit of help around here.”

  “Around here?” he asked.

  “Yes, Mr. Edward! There are two thieves. They're burning towns, they even tried to set fire to my villa once, they stole my expensive carpet, that's unforgivable! And now they're making a mess in the village of Epis. They're boasting something about having an army and being like those thieves... You know, Mr. Edward, those thieves. That take revenge.”

  “I know.” “Well, Mr. Edward, you must know that Carina's been chasing them around, because they've been messing with me too for a long time. They pray to the god of light, and as you know, they'll always find a reason to fight for their faith. And, well, Mr. Edward, since you’re here, please do something with them, if you can. Because they've been talking about some devil, like those vengeful thieves or something, who the hell knows, they're mad people.”

Kasei and Ed looked at each other.

  “...I understand” Ed said quietly. “We'll try and do something about it. By the way, we planned to go through Epis anyway.”

  “Oh! Mr. Edward, that’s great!” Stavu laughed again and slapped his tiny comrade in the back. He coughed on impact. “So what, Den, more liquor, eh? We can't waste this opportunity! We'll bring some for Mr. Edward too.”

  “Fine, come then” his companion said and they went away. Ed and Kasei then got through the door and started running through the hall.

  “I thought it would never end!” she said with relief. “But at least we have some information!”

  “True, but now we should search the area. I have to look for the mana that I felt next to the deity before. I don't really know any tracking spells, so... we have to rely on my intuition.”

  “Just so it doesn't fail. AGH! CAN I TEAR THIS DRESS APART?!” she screamed when she tripped and almost fell over.

   “Just turn into a weapon.”

  Kasei followed his instructions. Her body shone with white light and then she turned into her third form, which he caught in his hand. They finally got out of Elizabeth's house. Edward focused on tracking down the mana of the deity. However, it was a bit difficult, as it consumed a lot of his own energy, since he was not an expert in such spells. Thanks to magic, he was able to fix something or combine it with itself, but he didn't know anything about combat or spying art. His mother did not want him or Peter to join the army, so she only taught them practical spells. Ed regretted it a bit now, though, and thought that his mother could have taught him a few combat spells, but now he had to learn everything himself.