"... No... no...! Not... the... fur...!"

He coughed and reached for his throat.

Lisanna was careful to lift the blankets and pull him directly onto the floor. As the freshly treated fur was so smooth and silky, he slid off easily. There was no resistance. None.

He hit the ground quite hard.

A necessary evil since she would be villainized if she lingered by the fur, she thought, when she attempted to wake him up in more 'normal' means.

Mathias reached towards the space by the bed, but Lisanna already understood his tricks. She already made sure he was far enough away from the bed so he could not get a grip on anything that might soothe him back to sleep.

"It's time to wake up! We don't have much time before the exhibition, you know?"

"... F-fur...!"

With his voice hoarse from being largely unused, Lisanna coaxed him up and shushed him. Both joiners were waiting outside at her behest, each already ready to go. There was no reason to test his trust and fail to keep his secret regarding his ability to speak properly.

"... If you don't up-"

His eyes snapped open and sharpened dangerously.

"I'll kick you."

"..."

He relaxed a little and groaned as he tried to block out the accursed sun.

Lisanna dragged him to his feet, steadied him, and pushed him to the closet.

"Get changed, we'll be going to your parents' place and then we'll be going to the cafe, okay? That's what we agreed on."

"... Don't wanna..."

"Just do it."

Mathias groaned and shifted through his wardrobe. What clothes did he wear there? He believed it was the second outfit. His third was the last he used, a long-sleeve, but since it was so hot? He just picked the first, a short-sleeved shirt and shorts.

'... If nothing else... it's too early for her to care,' he reasoned, surprisingly alert for such an hour. Threats to his furs had that effect on him - even if it was just implied. 'Hmm... I was right about that-'

Lisanna covered the sight of the fur with the divider so he wouldn't be tempted to look. In reality, she just replaced it to where it was before, but he saw things differently this morning.

Naturally, he affirmed she was still standing in clear-view, admittedly turned around, so he quickly changed.

"...?"

He finally remembered he wasn't supposed to speak. If only for his own benefit.

Sighing and suppressing a yawn, he grabbed a prepared note, some paper and a pen in his bookbag, and one of Wendi's books he was referencing earlier.

Making sure he was armed in the event something unpleasant happened, Mathias finally looked at Lisanna who was staring at him pacing the room.

"Ready?"

He slowly nodded.

If there was no reason to get on top of the issue, then he would ignore it. However, with his father being invited to the exhibition, he doubted he'd be able to deal with Erik's fervent questions.

So he prepared a note.

And an explanation to his parents about his temporary condition.

"Then let's go. Just to double-check, she doesn't work weekends, right?"

He nodded.

Especially since his father and sister were likely in town, he doubted that his mother would think of working. In fact, she probably kicked everyone out and shut down the shop the moment he arrived - provided it was at a reasonable hour (for her).

"Will she be awake?"

He nodded.

It was only when the two returned from their trips that she would wake up at noon or earlier. And consequently, begrudgingly, wake him up when they arrived. They'd usually nap later though. Whereupon, he'd often be selectively woken up.

"Are you guys ready yet? Ali is waiting!"

"I'm getting bored, too!"

Lisanna left first, Mathias following, and she locked the door behind them.

"Hmm? It's strange to see you carry your weapons outside, isn't it?"

Mathias shrugged, folded the note, and wrote 'read when we leave the campus', and passed it to Erik.

"Huh? Okay."

"Let's go!"

Wendi dragged Lisanna and the two boys were forced to accompany the over-excited Wendi who led them at a swift pace outside of the dorms.

Half-way through the walk.

"Oi. Are you serious?"

Mathias glanced at him. He nodded.

And Erik fell into silence before erupting two minutes later.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

Mathias looked at the door he was about to knock on and a lumbering body came out. "The hell?! Whose yelling outside!?"

Claude Fellstone opened the door, shirtless, as if coming back from training, and showcased hundreds of scars on his torso alone.

"Oh!" He grinned. "Mathias! Welcome back! Are those-?! You're already ready to spar! I like it! Erin!"

"... What is it?"

A girl wearing nothing but a band of cloth around her chest and short-shorts looked at the scene. "Oh... isn't that...? Mathias! I knew it! Church was just being an idiot!"

A blade quickly appeared flying over from inside - along with a yawn.

"No... fighting..." Irina dozed off.

"T-the G-great Claude... F-Fellstone... a-and E-Erin... F-Fellstone...?!"

As Mathias ran away instinctively, Erin pounced forward with her half-formed blade. Meanwhile, Claude was laughing joyously at the scene as he looked at Erik. "Oh! You're one of us! I don't recall your face, but maybe you trained under one of the Knights or whatever they've taken to call themselves. They're busier than I am these days. Oh! Look! Check this out! Honey! I'm using the parlour!"

"... Don't... brea... k..."

She responded, surprisingly.

"Okay! Boy, come here!"

Erik was dragged by the scruff of his neck as six blades of steel floated around Claude, bound themselves to his chest, back, and waist, and he took the specially made whip-sword from his grasp.

Meanwhile, Mathias was hurriedly trying to deflect the blindingly fast strikes of Erin as he retreated in the middle of the cul-de-sac, using the spear as a base.

It was too early for this.

Wendi froze at the display of his parents and Lisanna gawked at the scene, mouth agape.

After a surprisingly impressive (for him) two minutes, his spear was broken at the intersection point. Erin cheered, "now fight with a sword! Yeah!"

She gave him only a second to right himself as a flurry of blows descended down on him, encircling him and forcing his retreat to always be at her advantage.

"... Wh-what are you do-doing?!"

Lisanna finally shouted as Erin cut directly across Mathias' cheek, rolled away, and held the blade to his neck.

"Hmm? Nothing important. It's a ritual, almost. He fights strangely so I like the change of pace! And it helps him get better too since he'd just be lazy at home otherwise!"

Erin retracted the blade and pushed Mathias forward. He staggered and fell flat on his face in only a second. Surprisingly, despite what was so clearly a hit to the face, there wasn't even a single line on his face. Just four or five more that spontaneously appeared on his exposed arms and legs.

Meanwhile, Lisanna could see from the open windows of the parlour, Claude chasing Erik around with his new toy. "No! If you're going to block with that blade, you've got to angle it! Like this!" He took the crescent blade from his hip and immediately began beating down on Erik.

Claude was polite, however. He only acted one level above the opponent's skills, so there would be reason to try to improve. He restrained himself quite a lot, even in that display.

Erik was heaving as Claude picked him up from the scruff of his neck and carried him out of the parlour.

"Oh! You're done already? I wanted to see more. Oh well! I suppose this is about the invitation, correct?"

Mathias forced himself up and brushed off the dirt and dust from the street. There were a dozen cuts added to his exposed skin, but not a single one hit the cloth. Even Erin was nervous about upsetting her mother who came from a famed tailor.

"..." Mathias staggered forward and gave Claude his prepared note.

Claude read it, still holding onto Erik's neck absentmindedly.

"Ah, I remember I was about your age when I fought my first fire demon. It was wild, mind you, no conjured, restrained weakling summoner's toy. But it was fun! I ended up mastering the crescent sword after cutting off thirty-six cow heads that day. No better teacher than life, I do say! Right, that's fine if you lost your voice, but cover that. Your mother is iffy about scars on the neck. It's normally less of a big deal, but even I get in trouble if they're too bad - hell, I already got in trouble yesterday!"

He turned back to the note after Mathias' prompting.

"Hmm, hmm? I see. You're working on a school project for it. I was wondering what that thing meant. Anyways, I'm curious! I want to see it! Honey! We're going for some tea, okay?"

"... Don't wanna..."

"Ha-ha! It'll be fine, it'll be fine! I'll carry you and you can meet all his friends! Erin, did you want to go, or would you like to meet the group?"

"Wendi! Right? I haven't seen you in so long! Woah, you use a sword now?! Ah, your brother must be angry! Ha-ha!" Erin was cheerfully talking to the girl she immediately recognized.

Were it not for the difference in clothes and the slight bulge on Erin's chest, it would be impossible to differentiate the two siblings. Even Erin's hair was scarcely longer than Mathias'.

"... Uh, uh... it's... weird seeing you two together... I haven't seen you in years though!"

"Right, I'm sorry about what happened, I heard from Church, even though he was being a pain and refused to tell. I wanted to know where he was running off to, but just know that you're welcome to stay with us! Any time! Right Mom?"

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Irina appeared in a thin nightgown, yawning, as she looked at the scene tiredly.

"... I said... no fighting..."

"We didn't break anything so it's fine!" Claude made the first excuse.

"And he'd be lazy if I didn't!"

She was essentially immune to the sight of blood and scars at this point, but as she looked over his wardrobe and face, she determined it was probably fine. A haze covered her eyes as she crouched down and rested her head against the rotting wooden door.

"Not there! You can sleep after we get there. And you can see his skills!"

"... Sleepy..."

Claude dropped Erik who was finally recovering and picked up Irina in a princess carry.

"Okay, we're going! Wait... where are we going? Whatever! Show us your project! I want to see to make sure your don't shame your Mother's name - if it's mine, hell if I care!" Claude laughed with a broad smile and then looked at his appearance. "Ah, right. Public spaces. It's tedious, but I guess I'll wear something. Honey, you too!"

Erin shouted and talking with Wendi. "I can't go! I have other things I have to do, so we'll catch up on Sunday, okay? Bye!"

Erin ran off, not changing in the slightest. She was fired up after the fight and wanted more. Since she was supposed to deal with some of the resettling work with the Fellstone group, it would be as good an excuse as any to really fight to her heart's content.

And push the paperwork to someone else as her father did to her. Hierarchies existed for many reasons.

"... I guess... I kind of understand why you assumed they'd come," Lisanna muttered at Mathias' soundless plea for help.

Claude began telling him about his pursuits after he put on a shirt. His mother was given a wrap that was tied to look like a dress, and Claude carried her as she napped in his arms as he updated Mathias about their work.

"So, so! What have you been doing? If I knew one could skip the boring stages, I'd have sent Erin there too! From what your Mother was saying, you were already skipping a lot of the dull parts. Fighting in sandstorms is such a fun experience! You never know where enemies show up and it just keeps you on your toes. Hey, hey, did you-"

Claude kept asking Mathias how he was doing, doting on him a little, as he tried to reconnect after quite a bit of time away.

Wendi looked away at the scene, but Lisanna and her were forced into the conversation regularly when his paper and pen could not keep up.

"Right! I'm curious! It looks like he's back to a spear, but I hope he hasn't caused too much trouble for you. He still had a long way to go with it, not even close to the bastard's style he's mimicking, but it's at least effective enough. And he's better than that guy was back then so it's fine! Hey, you're in his class, right? You two are almost as beautiful as my wife!"

Irina snuggled a little closer to Claude who laughed at the sight.

"Uh, th-thank you?"

Wendi looked away.

"Hmm? Wendi, is it? You're Erin's friend, right? Perfect! You should visit us! That one is so uptight, but he's like a son to me. That makes you my daughter! Right, Honey?"

"Mhmm..." Irina nodded and hid her head from the sun as on-lookers were confused at the scene. Inherently, the sight was strange; doubly so for those who recognized Irina - and the morning sun.

Neither adult aparty to the stares cared in the slightest.

"... Th-that... is that so...?"

"Yeah! I said it is so - so it is so!"

"... S-sure..." Wendi looked away timidly, but Claude snickered and pushed Mathias forward.

"Okay, you and Mathias can be together. That way you're formally my daughter! Okay? Perfect! Ah? Your other friend seems upset? Hmm, no matter! You're both family!"

Claude kept rambling until they got to the cafe, laughing jovially as he grinned broader at making the two a little uncomfortable but pulling back just enough to keep things light.

"Ah!" He shouted as he saw the dilapidated walls, paint chips, and rusted fence, "this is my kind of place! Hello!"

He ran forward into the cafe.

Mathias sighed and Lisanna and Wendi did the same. Erik was still looking disbelieving at the scene.

"... I-I can't believe your father... he's...!" Erik looked at the sculpture in his palms before nodding twice to himself. "Okay! I going to ask him for a favour!"

He ran inside. It took Erik that long to process that he had just sparred with the legendary Claude Fellstone.

Lisanna broke a wry smile and tapped Wendi's shoulder. "Ali should be there, right?"

"R-right... right... right! Ali!"

She, too, ran inside a bright smile on his lips.

Mathias ventured inside and saw his father talking excitedly to the middle-aged couple.

The man stayed relatively silent, but added a few words to the conversation, as the woman was responding more often. It was all in their own tongue, but Claude could speak a few languages, being on the road so much - not to discount working closely with people from such different backgrounds.

Wendi soon joined them. "Oh! Claude, sir! Do you mind translating for me?! I want to give them specific requests for the project I'm working on!"

"Yeah! Sure! Sounds fun! I'll set Irina down... over here!"

She was laid down on a bench and he took off his shirt again to act as a pillow. Mathias inherited his general apathy for clothes from his father, if nothing else.

Seeing that Alexi's role was being affronted, he began chattering to the man and retreated to grab his own pillow and blankets from upstairs.

"Ah! I like him! That kid knows how to treat a woman! He'll be impressed when he's older! Moving on, ---!"

Both Claude and Wendi ended up stealing Alyssa and Ali away, taking them to a hill just behind the store and in full view of the patio, as the middle-aged man manned the shop.

And Alexi, of course.

"Tea? Coffee?"

"Yes, please. Tea."

"..." Mathias wrote coffee to and Lisanna spoke it out.

Alexi stared at the paper, as if studiously remembering the symbols and repeated, "Coffee?"

Lisanna nodded.

Alexi released a bright smile and the set up their statues.

"... Expand... Open."

Lisanna called out the same and the statues appeared in full-scale in the middle of cafe. Both Alexi and the man opened his eyes widely at the scene.

However, he still dutifully prepared the drinks and pulled up a chair to look at the sculptures.

He was making notes.

While it might seem strange at first, the middle-aged man did not interrupt nor did he get in their way as he paced around looking at it. Soon they tuned him out.

"Hoho! Almer! -----!"

Claude called the man out and Almer, the middle-aged man, left the shop to look at the scene in the back.

His scribbling hand stopped completely as he stood transfixed at the opening to the patio.

It was not done yet, but he involuntarily stammered a few words.

Claude grinned and laughed. "Wendi! He wants one, too! He said he'll pay anything."

Wendi sputtered, "w-what?! No! You're not allowed to pay! I'll make another one! But you're not allowed to pay! And it's for Ali, okay?! Remember that!"

Almer smiled and nodded after it was translated once more, grateful for his outburst and Claude's immediate relaying of the message.

The two became fast friends as Claude chatted with him about various things; his children, his line of work, his interests, Almer's business, Almer's original country and history, and Claude even gave tips about how to market the business.

Of course, he was running back and forth the entire time, dragging Almer with him, but Alexi puffed out his chest and manned the shop proudly in his father's absence.

He took the role of writing the letters he knew and trying to spell out the feelings he saw as he looked at the statues. Going so far as to imitate his father a little better by borrowing the abandoned notebook since it seemed better than the one he was using.

They were simple words for the most part, half in the language of his parents and half in this country's language; yet, he was quick to respond to any sign in Lisanna or Mathias' cups - if they were empty, he'd refill it using the pot of tea set to the side earlier, and the extra coffee Almer brewed.

And then a tired yawn appeared. "... Oh?... We're here...? I see..."

Irina cozied up in the blankets and looked at the statue. "Mathias, rotate it for me, please."

"...?" He obliged her request, moving the stone underneath directly. It was a pain, but since it was his mother's request, he'd at least listen to it.

"... More... More... stop."

She stopped at the side profile of the face and looked at the nose. "It's a little smoother in real-life." She immediately saw the likeness. "And Lisanna, please don't make my son's ears look that big."

"...?"

"... O-okay."

The two were largely finalizing the statues as Irina finally gave them more requests. She saw the notepad that was set to the side of the table.

While taking it, she looked at the contents. "It seems someone wants to request that you make the different elements used as the base more noticeable - Lisanna need only roughen up some of the water droplets or ice, and Mathias just needed to smoothen the sparks. Also, it says, 'pretty'."

Alexi gasped as he saw he left the notebook in his reverie of the magic being performed. However, Irina seemed hurt so he did not want to push her too much. Or tired. However, he whined and began talking to her in his broken speech.

She conversed with him normally.

"...?! -----? -----! ----!? --! -----!"

He was happy to find a new partner to talk to as Irina helped him spell out some words he asked for, describe his words in their tongue, and helped expound on his feelings for the statues.

Of course, Mathias and Lisanna were taking the advice to some extent, but they used it only as advice. Not instructions. It seemed to have more life to the statues as even Claude came back with Almer.

Almer mumbled something to Claude. "Ah, Almer's happy that you made that change! He said it adds more depth - whatever that means! Anyways, I seriously think you should add a blade or two like hers! It just makes sense!"

"..." Mathias sighed.

It was too late for that now. And he was given explicit directions to have something graceful, beautiful, and respectable. A warrior could be all those things, but it was more plain. And too similar to her depiction of him.

At least, Wendi's book seemed to emphasize the importance of contrast.

Erik shouted from the patio. "Mr. Fellstone, sir! Tell me what you think of this!"

"Huh? Okay! Almer! Let's see!"

"Hmm... what are they doing...? I'm going to snoop, bare with me a while." She said to Alexi who was struggling to divide his attention to the many, many things going on at the same time.

He opted to follow her.

"Should we take a break?"

Mathias shrugged. "Close. Contract."

He picked up the stone and went out to see what the others were doing. And he gaped at the scene. His father was striking a manly pose as he carried a greatsword in a single hand.

Erik was hurriedly making modifications to the face, eyes, and body with the woven dark winds as his eyes were transfixed on his task.

Claude ended up leaving once he noticed Erik's eyes fell off him for longer than usual and ran back to the hill.

Mathias hung his head in shame.

"... It's okay... I think."

Lisanna patted his back comfortingly.

His mother was also cooing at Ali, but Alexi permitted it as she seemed nice. Irina even began talking to Alyssa smoothly as the middle-aged woman's expression brightened immediately. They were laughing and joking and Wendi's expression tightened.

Both they just pulled her into the conversation.

"Say, we're told that the tables are to be split in two or three students, Wendi, how about we all go together? Erin can keep Church in-line, you know?"

"Uh... I-I wouldn't...-"

She did not want to intrude on Mathias and Lisanna, who she said just the night before that she'd help.

"Nonsense! Lisanna, is it? I have had some dealings with your father over the years so we know each-other well-enough! It's no problem to catch up with Alexander, and then the three of you can have the night to yourselves! What do you say?"

Claude assumed from Lisanna's expression before that she did not want to left out. However, after hearing the name of her father from his wife, he spared little time to ensure that he'd have fun that evening - despite formal occasions being very much not in his wheel-house.

"But-"

"You're cute so it's fine? Did he treat you? His mana is still in your skin." Irina spoke curiously.

"Uh, that-"

"It's fine," Irina said with a smile. "Just because I can tell these things, but it doesn't mean I'll tell."

"T-that-"

"Hmm, I tell you what, I'll open up the parlour and you, me, Lisanna, Alyssa, and Ali can just hang out? What do you say?"

Since it was getting later in the day, Irina was becoming more bold.

"But you'll have to tell me all the interesting things going on there. That much, I have to know."

"Uh, o-okay, but-"

"It's settled then."

Wendi was given no escape. She looked at Lisanna worriedly, but the other just smiled and nodded.

Mathias, all the while, hung his head down.

It alluded to-

"In that case! Me, Mathias, and Erik will do some more training after we're done with those statues! Ha-ha!"

"R-really?!" Erik was ecstatic, the whites of his eyes in full-bloom before dropping into a sly snicker. "Ha, ha. I won't be a Farmer for long!"

"Yes, yes! It's a necessary stage, but I got bored of it after threshing so much! Grain is so God damned boring - give me trees, rocks, or bones and then it gets bearable! My father's farms are too damn big! Anyways, the other names are pretentious, but I didn't name them! And I never did any of those jobs. More importantly, I want my sword to be bigger! And badder! Since it looks like a demon-me, I want it to be a proper demon-me!"

"Yes sir!"

"Uhm! Me! Me!"

Alexi shouted as he tugged on Irina's sleeve.

"No, you can't come, but you can go with my husband? He'll probably show you a lot of interesting things."

"Re'lly?! Pa?!"

Almer nodded and it was just decided they would use the hill behind them for training after everyone was done.

Mathias dragged his out for as long as possible, but Erik was the prodigal son of efficacy as he listened to every one of Claude's demands. Of course, Almer gave it a normal appearance with his suggestions, but it was a distinctly demonic-looking Claude - who greatly enjoyed the embodiment.

"Ah! Since there was talk of fire demons, let's add one!"

"...-----."

"No space? We'll let's just have me standing atop a pile of corpses!"

"Yes!"

The pitch-black ground opened up to form grey corpses of the fire-demons he vividly recalled in the fire section of the citadel. Since Claude was already standing on a 'mountain' - Erik's original form - Erik just shifted it to be a decapitated demon's body as it oozed black blood. He even strategically positioned the oxen head to be staring lifelessly at the on-lookers.

It was extremely dark, but Claude was overjoyed.

"I tell you what, I'm here for a week or so, depending on if we finalize the next contract and if I need to go personally, so we can just meet up whenever you want next week and we'll do some training - in return for a copy of this! I ain't going to waste money on betting against those rich bastards, but-"

"Yes! With pleasure! I'll do it the second I'm done!"

"No! The second you're done, we'll be training, right?"

"Yes!"

"Alexi! You too! Hold this!"

A large knife appeared, was hurled blindly towards the child who still debating between going to the guys, the girls, or retreat back to see if Mathias and Lisanna were doing anything interesting. The knife pierced the ground at his feet.

He jumped.

"Hold onto it! We're going to be training afterwards! It looks like you're a water mage, but even I can show you some basic tricks to get started!"

Almer murmured something.

"Huh? Oh. Don't worry. You can come too. Since we'll just be outside, you can make sure Alexi isn't hurt."

Almer sighed in relief.

Mathias, meanwhile, was just passively playing with the reflected light that glittered on the azure, glittering robe the figure was wearing. Since Lisanna's cast light, he just opted to have the back largely illuminated and the front darkened, with a side-long stream of light prepared as per the book he brought suggested.

Both statues had white skin to show their features, with blue eyes, but the largest difference came from the manner of dress, form, and seemingly the behaviourisms each harboured.

They were standing facing down a decline, each with their backs to one another, with an illusion that both were connected to the snow-covered, frosted soil underneath the female's feet and the sputtering flames, sparks, and ash underneath the male's.

Of course, their elements were largely representative of the models, but it was difficult to discern exactly what was used since ash looked like snow and snow, ash.

"We're here- hey?! What is this?!"

Mathias looked up, quirked his head; whereas, Lisanna smiled weakly. "I-is it that bad...?"

"..." Ayla looked at the stone in her hand. "Damn! Weeeeendi!" She ran to the patio to try to find Wendi.

"What?! Weird! More importantly, Weeeeeendi! Help me!"

Wendi was surrounded by adults and children as Erik set to add the finishing touches on his own.

"Oh, you're here, Ayla?"

"Yeah... and what the hell is that?! I was joking when I called you a demon!"

"It's, uh... it's how the Great Claude Fellstone wanted it! Right?!"

"Yeah! Is it finished? Oh. Newcomers! Are you all friends of Mathias? Honey! Let's go meet his friends!"

Evidently more than one poked their head through the patio after hearing Ayla's shouts. However, Claude stopped to see the demon statue that another seemed to think needed work. He agreed in retrospect.

"Erik! I want to have a proper snarl! And sharpen those canines! If I don't have fangs, I can't be a proper demon!"

"Yes! Right away!"

Claude turned to the group and extended a scarred, calloused hand to Ayla. "Hello! I'm Claud Fellstone, Mathias' father! If I'm right in assuming you're Ayla, then I believe you met my wife! It's nice to meet you all!"

Mathias shook inside.