{One Month Later}

Rin was training outside today. She wanted to feel the sun on her skin.

She parried a strike from Sara. It only just now hit her that her body had become hard enough to where she could block hard strikes from wooden practice swords with just her wrists and not feel much pain at all.

[Progress, huh?] Rin cracked a smirk.

Sara pressed forward. The raven-haired woman was as smooth as ever. Though, to Rin's eyes, she looked a little slower than she had in the past.

[... Or maybe I'm just getting faster.] She sure hoped so.

Maria watched them. Her analytical eyes dissected every move they made and... she remained silent. Before, she'd be vocalizing an essay right now, going over each of their mistakes.

At this point, though, she seemed mostly satisfied.

"Alright," Maria clapped her hands, getting their attention. "Take a breather."

Rin's shoulders slumped, all of her exhaustion falling on her body at once. Sara only gave a little nod, but she couldn't fool Rin. The way walked away, moving into the academy, it was clear she was just trying to find a quiet place to lie down.

"Rin."

"Yeah?" Rin looked up at the cinnamon-haired woman.

"..." Maria hesitated. "Are you still speaking with that succubus?"

Rin hesitated, then nodded.

"Letters, sometimes. She's a pretty nice lady."

Maria frowned.

"A nice monster, you mean. You shouldn't be so casual."

"A monster with connections," Rin said. "I need allies like her... If I'm ever going to find Tristan again."

That was the one reason Cara hadn't taken Elmistrae's head off, in truth. It was just because Rin made it painfully clear to everyone how much they stood to benefit from having friends in high places.

And, Elmistrae did rest in a very, very high place. That woman was wealthy.

Maria still looked uncomfortable with the whole arrangement.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Rin sighed, deciding that maybe she should change the topic.

"Do you feel… different?"

"Hm?"

"Less Essence, I mean." Rin pointed back and forth between them. "You know, on account of the whole, uh..."

Maria shook her head, puzzled.

"No. I feel nothing," Maria stated. "And, I've felt nothing this entire time that I've known you. It's hard to know how much Essence you've taken from me."

"Unintentionally," Rin made clear. "But, well, if you do end up feeling something, let me know, alright?"

"Of course," Maria smirked. "I just hope you put that Essence of mine to good use sometime soon. It's been a while since you took a mission, hasn't it?"

Rin nodded, sweat falling from her chin to the dirt below.

"I figured I should take a bit of time to stay sharp. I..." She looked away. "The fighting with the shadows, it's been on my mind lately."

Maria's smirk faded.

Rin kept going.

"Carla," she spoke her late classmate's name. "I don't know. If I was just a little bit faster-"

Maria shut that train of thought down quickly.

"Casualties are bound to happen on adventuring missions, Rin. Don't get yourself stuck in the same hole I jumped in."

[Crap, she's right,] Rin thought, realizing how it must have looked to Maria like staring into a mirror just now.

"Right. Sorry."

"Don't apologize," Maria smiled warmly, that same teacher's smile that always disarmed Rin so easily. "If you seriously feel that way, then, come on." Maria put her fists up. "Try to be better."

---

Sweat plastered Rin's hair to her forehead.

She stretched, muscles screaming in protest.

Training had been brutal today, but she felt a sliver better afterward, the tightness in her chest loosening a touch.

Back in her room, Xhez looked up from her book, a warm smile blooming on her face.

The book thumped softly on the bed as Xhez rose.

She caught Rin off-guard as she pressed her lips against Rin's.

Briefly, their lips met in a sweet kiss.

When it was done, Rin had the dumbest smile on her face.

"You smell quite bad," Xhez said with a smile just as dumb.

Rin cackled.

"I'll take a shower in a sec... I, uh, just wanted to check in on you."

Xhez settled back on the edge of the bed, patting the space beside her.

Rin sank down gratefully.

"So," Xhez began, her voice a gentle murmur, "anything new you learned from your sparring session?"

"This session was more about refining than learning," Rin replied, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Apparently, I hit harder now."

Xhez chuckled.

"Excellent. Perhaps they will finally let you go on more challenging missions." She shifted, tilting her head. "Though, speaking of challenges…"

Rin knew what was coming. Xhez, with her photographic memory, had devoured every book in the academy library that remotely touched on succubi since Rin's revelation about Elmistrae.

"What did you find?" Rin braced herself, already dreading some dark, twisted lore.

Xhez's brow furrowed slightly.

"Honestly, not much that is pleasant. Their reliance on Essence… it is different than mine. It seems brutal, a constant struggle for survival."

"Yeah," Rin agreed, the memory of Elmistrae's weakened state flashing in her mind. "I could not imagine needing someone else's life force just to exist."

A sudden rapping on the door startled them both. Rin rose, wiping sweat from her brow.

"Hold on," she called out.

Opening the door, she found Cara standing there, a serious expression etched on her face.

"Rin," she said curtly, "there's someone here to see you."

A bit of apprehension formed in Rin's stomach.

"Who is it?"

Cara's jaw clenched.

"See for yourself," she gestured down the hall.

Rin glanced back at Xhez, who offered a small, reassuring smile.

"I'll be here," Xhez mouthed silently.

With a deep breath, Rin nodded to Cara and followed her out, eager to see what this was about.