“You want… m-me to come with you?” Malori furrowed her brow. “Why?”

“Well, why wouldn’t I? You recommended the books, doesn’t it make sense to have you come with me to pick them out?” Colette giggled. She wasn’t dressed in her mage robes, instead opting for a rather drab brown coat, and a matching long skirt that went down to her ankles. Rather than the long braid she had normally, her hair was tied back in a bun, slightly covered by a gray flat cap. Despite how boring the clothes seemed, Malori was amazed at how pretty she looked in them. “Besides, it could be a good chance to show you around the city. It’s gorgeous this time of year.”

Malori felt her heart skip a beat, likely at the thought of going out into a completely new city with someone she had only known for about two days. Then again, she did agree to leave the country with someone she had known for half that time. She winced. At the time, she had already known it was far from the best decision she could make, but she had never imagined things going like this. Ingrid was her friend, but the others… she could barely tell except for Alice, who clearly disliked her.

“If you aren’t comfortable with it, then of course I’m not going to force you,” Colette reassured her as she pulled her grimoire from her coat. Previously, Malori had never been able to get a good look at the cover, but now, the triad of focusing stones embedded into the leather were clear to see. A purple sigil was drawn around each of them, linking together into a geometric pattern of circles and triangles. She recognized the stones as selenite, aurspite, and erstonite. Focusing stones used for illusion, divination, and evocation magic. The book opened, pages flipping through as though they were subject to a harsh wind, before eventually falling on a page. Green light shone from the paper as a sigil seemed to float from the page and into the air. Touching the rims of the circle with her fingers, Colette placed her thumb and forefinger on her eyes, then pulled them away to run her fingers through her hair. The light bent around the white strands until they shifted to a rich shade of brown. When she opened her eyes again, they were a deep green.

Smothering the urge to rush forward and ask a hundred different questions, Malori simply looked on in awe. It may have been a simple spell, but she had never actually seen a mage cast them in person. It was far more intricate than sorcerers or clerics’ magic, but that only served to fascinate her even more.

“Is there something on my face?” she joked, snapping Malori back into the present.

“N-No! Sorry, I just, um, I-I’ve never seen that type of magic up close. I’ve always been drawn to it though,” Malori said quickly, trying to hide the blush on her face and calm down.

“Then I’m glad I could show you. The vast majority of people won’t have any idea what an esper is, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Archmage having white hair and purple eyes is fairly easy to recognize,” she admitted, putting away her grimoire. She smiled brightly at Malori, holding out a hand. “If you decide to come with me, I can lend you some clothes as well, and hide your hair and eyes. The last thing I want is for you to be uncomfortable.”

There it was again. Why did she insist on making sure Malori was comfortable with everything? It made more sense to assume that she was just trying to get something out of her, though she didn’t have a clue what that might be. Not even Ingrid put that much care into making sure she was alright though. It felt strange, and no matter how hard she searched for any sign of deceit or a lie, she could never find anything. Even when she tried to focus on reading what little of the woman’s emotions she could, she couldn’t detect any that would imply the statements being anything other than genuine. She really wanted to believe that it was genuine. The creeping thoughts in the back of her head continued to tell her that it wasn’t though.

They’d been getting louder ever since Alice started acting angrily towards her and Kallen. Her heart sank as she remembered what she had thought when she had been kidnapped in Baile Stioballan. That Ingrid and Alice felt like home. She never thought that home would have begun to cave in on itself so soon after. Why would this go any differently? Why wouldn’t Colette just become annoyed with her or tired with her like Alice and Natalia did? Even Ingrid didn’t seem as keen to be with her lately. Ever since the fight with Berith, where she had–

She shook her head. She didn’t want to think about that. She was scared of thinking about what she had heard.

“Malori? Is everything okay?”

Malori yelped in surprise as she realized how close Colette was to her face. She didn’t even realize how long she had simply been standing there, consumed by her own thoughts while the Archmage waited in silence.

“I-I-I’m fine! I was just, um, th-thinking about something,” she assured her. It wasn’t a lie, technically. She didn’t need to elaborate on exactly what those thoughts were.

“Well, like I said, the offer is open,” Colette laughed, that luminous smile still on her face.

Malori stared at the ground. It was hard to think about anything while looking directly at the other woman. They’d be going to a bookstore if Colette really meant what she said about listening to her recommendations. Even if it really was just to get close to Malori, she could potentially at least get a few new books out of it.

“I-I’ll come with you!” she squeaked, a little louder than she intended to. “S-Sorry, I didn’t mean to. Um, yes, I’ll come with you. I-It’s a bookstore, right? Would I be able to read there for a little while?”

“If you want to then of course you can. I was thinking we could just buy the books though,” Colette said happily, “I’m good friends with the owner. I’m sure they could recommend something you’d like too!”

Malori blinked. “I-I appreciate it, but I don’t have any money. Um, that was kind of the reason A-Alice tried to pickpocket someone in the first place.”

“Well yeah, I knew that. I meant I’d buy you the books. I’m the Archmage of a nation. A few books isn’t an issue in the slightest,” she assured her. “Now, what color would you like your hair and eyes to be?”

Malori’s jaw dropped as she looked out onto the street. Colette had initially helped her change her hair color to a much less noticeable shade of black, but given just how long it was, it was hard to change the style the same way the Archmage had. Her eyes had been temporarily changed to red as well. If her ears were pointed, and her skin yellowish rather than pale white, she could have passed as Ingrid’s little sister. Once she had changed into a getup similar to Colette’s, the pair were teleported into a seemingly random alleyway. It was the same method as when they had stepped through the portal to the castle, only this time, Malori saw the faint outlines of a sigil on the wall of the alley. Before the smell of garbage from the dumpsters could get to her, she was guided out to the street.

“Welcome to Acyrgos!” Colette said cheerfully. The street wasn’t nearly as packed as Baile Cothrom, but there was still a fair crowd making their way through the wide brick roads. Between the feet of the passersby, Malori could make out dim red runes carved into the edges of the street and feel the heat radiating off of them. Colette glanced at Malori, smiling at her obvious curiosity. “The runes are inscribed into main roads, as well as on the roofs of buildings to prevent snow buildup. It’s snowy almost year round, so this way the streets aren’t overfilled, and buildings don’t collapse!”

“I never th-thought of doing something like that,” she said in awe. “D-Did you help create these?”

“I didn’t, but they were one of the many contributions of my grandmother,” she guided Malori to the front of the building they had teleported to. It was a simple, two-story wooden structure with two lanterns hung out front. It wasn’t very large, but something about it radiated a very cozy feeling, like a log cabin would in a fairy tale. Fancy lettering was carved into the door, spelling out ‘The Lucky Tome’ just under a small window.

“You m-mentioned your grandmother before, who was she?” Malori asked over the jingle of a tiny bell as they opened the door.

“Well, she was the Archmage before I was. She taught me nearly everything I know about magic,” she giggled. “Good morning, Adonis! How have you been?”

Malori was taken aback by how casually she mentioned it, like it was as mundane as what she had eaten for breakfast. Her grandmother was the Archmage? She had so many questions that clearly weren’t going to be answered for a while. Realizing that she hadn’t moved, she hurried in after Colette, the door swinging shut behind her. The cozy atmosphere that the shop radiated from the outside continued inwards. Soft carpet flooring expanded back into rows of bookshelves, each neatly labeled with their genres or topics. Two small nooks were huddled into the front corners of the shop, each with a trio of comfortable looking armchairs around a small table. There were even windows to see out onto the street. She already felt drawn to them, knowing she could likely get lost in a book for hours in one of those chairs.

Colette had already moved to a small desk in front of the bookshelves, where a polite looking human with pale skin and messy brown hair sat quietly. They glanced up at Colette, adjusting their glasses and smiling.

“Ah, good morning, your Grace. What brings you here so soon? Did you already finish those novels?” their voice sounded almost raspy, like they had a sore throat.

“Not quite yet, but I was hoping to check if you had a couple others. Oh, where are my manners? Adonis, this is Malori. Malori, this is Adonis, a good friend of mine!” she said happily.

Malori gulped, shakily opening her mouth. “H-Hello, Adonis, it’s nice to m-meet you!” she squeaked nervously, unsure of what to say. She looked at Colette nervously, hoping she’d be able to tell.

The Archmage had a thoughtful look on her face as she met Malori’s eyes, then turned back to Adonis. “She’s fairly new around here, so I’m showing her to some of my favorite parts of the city. She also gave me some wonderful book recommendations!”

The human nodded happily, closing a book they had opened under the desk. “Well Malori, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” they rasped, stepping out and bowing slightly. “Colette is one of my best customers. Any friend of hers is welcome here.”

Bit by bit, Malori felt some of her anxiety creeping away. They weren’t loud or boisterous, like Natalia or Alice. They always moved very slowly and carefully as well, supporting themself on the desk. It was hard for her to put her finger on what the feeling was, but the best word she could find for it was that they felt safe.

“Um, C-Colette, do they know that… um, y-you’re…” she trailed off.

“That I’m the Archmage? Well, yes. I don’t try to hide my identity from those I consider friends,” she explained politely, smiling at Adonis. “I don’t normally like to hide it anyway. I have a fake name that friends will call me when others are around, but I generally only do it so that I’m not swamped on the streets. Or, to make sure that a friend is comfortable,” she beamed.

Malori’s heart skipped once again. Did Colette really see her as a friend? She steadied herself, trying not to show her surprise. Maybe that was just a word she used lightly. “Th-Thank you, for that. Um, it means a-a lot to me,” she murmured, clutching her skirt nervously.

“It’s not a problem. I’m happy to do it! As for the books, I made a small list. Adonis, do you have any of these ones?” she asked, handing them a folded up note.

They adjusted their glasses once more, squinting as they read the note. “Oh, I recognize some of these! You said Malori recommended them? You have good taste in romance,” they said cheerfully. Reaching behind the counter, they pulled out a long, wooden crutch. Tucking it under their arm, they beckoned the pair forward, moving steadily between the shelves. “They should be over here. I believe we’re out of copies of Voice Machine, but there should be more next week if you want me to hold one for you.”

Malori watched closely as the human limped through the shelves, removing books and handing them off to Colette. They clearly favored their right leg, barely seeming to put any weight on their left. Had they been born like that? She’d read about people born with diseases that permanently damaged their bodies. She also knew that without treatment, they usually didn’t live very long. Adonis didn’t look particularly old, only a few years older than her if she were to venture a guess. Were they getting that kind of treatment? She struggled to pay much attention as Adonis guided the two girls to the front of the store, where they exchanged a few coins with Colette.

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“Thank you for your business as always! And thank you for introducing me to your friend. It was a pleasure to meet you,” they rasped happily, waving at Malori.

She waved back, bowing politely.

“Thank you, I’ll be back next week for that other one!” Colette called out as the two left the shop, a small bundle of four books tucked under one arm. Malori still had her eyes glued to the bookstore even as they joined the flow of people in the busy streets. “They’re very nice, aren’t they?”

“Huh? O-Oh, yes, very much so,” Malori said quickly, turning to face forward.

The Archmage tilted her head. “Is something the matter?”

“N-No, just…” she trailed off, trying to think of how to properly say what she was thinking. “Have they always been l-like that?”

Colette nodded thoughtfully, facing forward again. “Not always. Things used to be worse, if I’m being entirely honest,” she said quietly, just loud enough for Malori to hear her over the din of people going about their day. “They inherited that shop from their father. After he died, their health took a turn for the worst. They couldn’t work or really do much for a long time. Word got to Ivar, and he made sure that the best treatment he could find was sent their way.”

Malori furrowed her brow. She hadn’t known Ivar for very long, but was he really that kind hearted? “S-So they’re able to work and support themselves now?”

“Well, they still need regular treatment. Your group mentioned never really going near cities, so I don’t know if you knew this, but healing magic is rare in Amalthea, even in Acyrgos. We make do with potions and medicine. They’re much slower if you want to achieve the same results,” she explained. A wide grin spread across her face, like she had thought of something funny. “I’ve never seen someone drive doctors as crazy as Adonis, though. If they can move, the first thing they make sure they can do is get to their desk. They love that shop more than life itself.”

It was hard to imagine the kind of drive it took to put that much care into something like a shop. The ins and outs of running one were a mystery to Malori, but couldn’t have been easy. “Then… do you think that h-healing magic could fully cure them?”

Colette looked quizzically at Malori. “Well, I suppose a skilled enough healer could. There are some things I’m not sure would fully be ‘healed’ so to speak, like their voice. It could make sure that they never have to worry about whether or not they can get themselves into the shop every day though.”

Malori fiddled with the ribbon that her hair was tied off by. If she really tried, would she be able to do it? She knew that when it came to diseases, the longer the subject had been ill for, the more difficult it was to cure. The principle applied to most things. It was why something like giving sight to someone who had been born blind was a nearly unheard of feat of magical prowess. Her shoulders sagged. Someone like her would never be able to create such a miracle. As she did, she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“Malori, what's wrong?” Colette asked softly. There wasn’t a hint of anything other than genuine concern on her face as she asked.

“I-It’s nothing,” Malori lied, shaking her head. She didn’t want to waste time bringing up stupid thoughts like that. It probably would have been worse if she did something like getting Adonis’s hopes up only to fail like always.

Colette seemed to be scanning her face for something before continuing forward. “If it’s bothering you, then it’s okay for it not to be nothing,” she said. “You don’t have to simply pretend that nothing is troubling you for my sake.”

Malori blinked. She was unsure of how to respond to something like that. Alice, Natalia, and even Ingrid at times tended to get annoyed if she brought up issues that she had. She didn’t bring many up to begin with, but the few she had were met with indifference under the best of circumstances. Part of her wanted to speak her mind, but another part of her brain reminded her that she still wasn’t sure if she could even trust Colette. The woman was kind, but could quickly become an enemy if she discovered that the group had been lying.

Glancing around, she realized that she had no idea where they had actually gone. The portal they had come through was inscribed into the wall of the bookstore, so obviously they weren’t heading back to the palace.

“W-Where are we going?” she asked, happy to change the subject.

Colette furrowed her brow, but didn’t press the question further, much to Malori’s relief. “I had said I wanted to show you around the city a little bit, so I was thinking we could go to a few of the smaller places to avoid crowds,” she explained, “This is the way to my favorite bakery. Do you like sweets?”

Malori’s eyes lit up at the mention of a bakery. It had been far too long since she had last had a pastry, despite how much she loved them. She quickly slapped a hand to her mouth to make sure she wasn’t drooling at the thought of fresh bread out of the oven or pies and turnovers. “A-A-A bakery sounds nice…”

“I’m glad,” Colette beamed. “Remember, this is for you. If at any point you wish to return to the castle, just say the word and we’ll be there.”

Once again Malori found herself taken aback by how out of pocket the comment felt. Continuing to deliberate over it wouldn’t solve anything though. She simply nodded and kept walking as Colette guided her through the streets. “Um, do they have b-bear claws there?” she asked sheepishly.

“They do! Quite excellent ones I might add. Their pecan tarts are marvelous as well.”

The thought of a bear claw in one hand and a slice of tart in the other had Malori almost as excited as when she learned about new kinds of magic. She didn’t even notice herself beginning to stand up straighter as they approached the bakery. Already she could smell the ovens and bread as they turned the corner, the building that was very clearly the bakery coming into view. A large chimney rose out of the building, smoke wafting up from it. The windows on the front of the building were arranged in ways that made them seem more like mosaics. Bits of glass were pieced together to make designs of various pies and other pastries, as well as loaves of bread. She was surprised to see that much of the door was a large pane of glass, the words ‘Orguelian Memories’ inscribed in an arch over a carving of a slice of pie. It didn’t seem too busy, but there were a few patrons scattered among small tables, drinking hot beverages and eating sandwiches or pastries. A small bell chimed as Colette pushed the door open.

“Welcome! I’ll be with you in just a mo–” a burly locking orcish woman with skin the shade of evergreen trees, and hair even darker stepped out of a pair of swinging wooden doors. Her gray apron wasn’t the only thing covered in smears of flour; flecks of white were visible in her hair, on her face, and caked onto her wrists where she didn’t manage to wipe with the rag she tucked back into her apron. A wide grin spread across her face, showing two well cared for tusks. “Saph! It is good to see you my friend. Who is this you’ve brought with you?”

Malori had never heard the woman’s accent before. Her words sounded very relaxed, almost slurred, but not drunken. Her ‘th’ sounds were more akin to a ‘z’ or ‘s’ sound, and her h’s were silent. It was apparent that she was foreign. Given the sign on the door, she was likely from Orgeuilia. She was amazed that someone from a country on the other side of the ocean would find themselves here, and in a bakery of all places.

“It’s good to see you too, Olympe. This is my friend Malori. She’s new to the city, so I’m taking her to a few places to familiarize her,” a wide smile formed on her face. “No tour through Acyrgos is complete without your sweets, of course.”

Olympe let out a deep, joyful laugh. “You flatter me, Saph. So, what can I get for you, little one?” her voice boomed when thanking Colette, but the moment she turned to Malori, it became much softer. Obviously she never had much of a comparison, but it sounded almost motherly.

“B-B-Bear c-claws,” she stammered out, still trying to shake off the surprise. She mentally kicked herself.

“Hm, you are a quiet little one. That is fine, quiet is music to some,” Olympe mused, stroking one of her tusks. “Bear claws we have. One for each of you? A slice of tart for you, Saph?”

Colette nodded. “I can’t say no to it no matter how hard I try,” she said, defeated. “Malori, there’s a certain drink that Olympe prepares that’s a favorite of mine. I’d love to surprise you with what it is, but I want to make sure you’re okay with it first.”

“I-If you really like it that much, I suppose I could t-try it,” she murmured.

“You heard her. Two of those as well please,” Colette said politely.

Olympe nodded and slapped a hand on the counter. “Excellent! I will be out in a few moments. Find yourself a table and make yourself comfortable!”

The orc headed back through the swinging doors as Colette gestured to a table by one of the windows. She pulled out a seat for Malori, then once the shorter girl was seated, plopped down across from her. “My apologies for Olympe if she was too loud. She doesn’t have the best control over her volume. She’s a very sweet woman though.”

“I-I assumed so,” Malori nodded. While the orc was loud, the gentle tone she had spoken directly to Malori with would have been enough to coax a shy kitten out of hiding. It was quite impressive, really.

Everything about the day so far had felt strange. The word ‘strange’ felt like it didn’t even begin to cover it all, but it was the only one that ever came to mind. It was certainly a day of firsts. She’d never been to a real bookstore before, only the Grand Library in Baile Cothrom. The few books she had of her own were either found lying around, or taken from the church libraries. She winced. Or she had stolen them from the orphanage. It was something she still felt bad about. Everyone else hated the ones she took, so she was doing a service, right? Making sure that the books would be cared for. Besides, the other children always seemed disgusted at the prospect of touching anything she had laid her hands on before.

“I bring your food and drink, friends!” a loud voice boomed from behind Malori, causing her to practically jump in her chair. “Ah, I did not mean to startle you, little one,” she laughed, setting down a small plate with two bear claws, as well as two steaming mugs of… something.

Malori looked curiously at the drink. On top was what looked like a swirl of white, fluffy icing that was slowly melting into the drink. Was it really light enough to stay afloat? The liquid itself was a deep brown. Initially, she thought it was coffee, but it wasn’t nearly as dark. The smell was different too.

“Um, w-what is it?” she asked quietly. She didn’t know much about Orgueilia, and certainly not about their cuisine.

“This, friend, is chocolat chaud avec crème fouettée. You will not find it anywhere else in Amalthea,” the orc said proudly. The words sounded odd, like they were spoken by someone attempting to pronounce as few letters as possible.

The little esper cupped the mug with her hands, bringing it apprehensively to her face. It smelled delicious. She looked up to see Colette and Olympe looking at her expectantly.

“Well, go on! I’m curious to hear what you think!” Colette beamed.

Taking a deep breath, Malori blew on it to try to cool it down, then brought the mug to her lips. She made sure to sip slowly, not wanting to burn her mouth and be unable to taste her pastry. As soon as she did, her eyes went wide. It wasn’t too hot, but made her entire body feel warm and cozy, like she was wrapped in a blanket by a fire. It was much thicker than she expected, but in a rich and creamy way. The fluffy icing on top mixed in perfectly with the flavor, cooling it down and making it even sweeter. The drink itself tasted like chocolate. She gulped it down greedily, only setting the mug down when she needed to take a breath of air. It was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.

Next to her, Colette giggled as Olympe smiled proudly. “I assume you like it?” she laughed.

All Malori could do was nod as she drank again. She was in heaven. When she set the mug down a second time, Colette began laughing even harder. Malori winced. Had she done something wrong? Embarrassing? Her heart sank as she stared at her lap, unsure of what to say.

“Oh goodness, Malori, I’m not laughing at you dear,” Colette said apologetically, like she was reading her emotions. She probably was all things considered.

Malori slowly turned towards Colette, “Y-You aren’t?” she asked nervously.

The Archmage opened her mouth, then appeared to consider something. A big smile appeared on her face. “Here, let me show you,” she said. Taking her own mug, she began to drink almost as much as Malori had. Every once in a while, it was clear she had to stop to prevent herself from laughing. Finally, she set the mug down and turned proudly to face Malori.

On her face was a big, brown stain on her upper lip, with a puff of the icing on her nose, and mixed into the stain. She smiled and gestured towards the window in front of them.

Bewildered, Malori looked in it, only to see her own face in a similar state. A big dollop of icing plopped right on her nose. Now that she saw it, she realized how strange it felt. How odd the both of them looked. She began to do something she hadn’t done in ages. She couldn’t remember the last time she had. It certainly wasn’t on this journey.

She laughed.

She laughed and laughed until she was holding her stomach and her cheeks hurt. This only spurned Colette on further, until she was nearly doubled over. It felt… amazing. It was sweeter than the drink, or the icing, and more refreshing than a cold glass of water. Neither of them felt any need to say anything as they ate. Malori wasn’t sure if it was just Olympe’s cooking, or the fact that she was doing something that felt so good, but it was the best bear claw she had ever eaten.

As she finished, she looked happily out the window, still smiling. As she did, two young men walked by, holding what looked like strange shoes with… knives on the bottom. Her brow furrowed. What kind of weapons were those? They seemed highly impractical. How were they supposed to walk in them?

“Colette, w-what were those?” she asked, her brain slowly coming down from the high of all the laughter. It made her feel slightly light-headed, but in a good way. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever had that in a good way before.

“Hm? Oh, those were ice skates!” she explained. “Have you never seen them before?”

Malori shook her head. “W-What are they used for?”

“Well, skating,” she said matter-of-factly. “There are a couple of ice rinks around here. Rather than slipping on ice, the blades dig into it, and you glide across.”

“R-Really?” Malori’s eyes went wide as she tried to imagine that. Sliding across ice without falling over? It sounded foreign enough, but doing it for fun sounded completely alien.

Colette’s luminous grin returned as she saw Malori trying to wrap her head around it. Leaving a few coins on the table, she stood up and offered a hand to the other esper. “Well, why don’t you let me show you?”

Malori looked at the hand for a moment. Everything she had experienced up until now was telling her that this was wrong. Colette was just trying to get close to her. Either to get something, or to embarrass her. Yet, when she did something that could have been embarrassing, Colette didn’t laugh at her. She laughed with her. Maybe there wasn’t an ulterior motive to be afraid of. The Archmage talked about magic and books with her, took her to a bookstore, got her pastries, and that delicious drink. There wasn’t a single moment where she had been anything but kind. It was alien, different, foreign. But like her laughter, maybe it was in a good way.

Smiling, Malori took Colette’s hand.