***Midhold***

***Celes***

“Careful now, just two drops. Don't go overboard on the catalyst...”

Humming and talking to myself, I put aside the pipette and stir the bottle with a stick made out of glass. Waiting for the mixture to reach the boiling point, I use my tail and the free hand to arrange the additional components I will need. The concoction continues to release blue fumes, saturating the room.

Ghost was the first one who fled my workshop while glaring daggers at me when I started this route of experimentation, closely followed by Angrod who had at first showed some interest in my efforts.

I can't blame them though. The smell of this substance is horrible, something I definitely have to take care of in the final product. Maybe by delivering the agent in some kind of sealed form. Given that the various ingredients are harmless by themselves, I could also apply the poison by creating a two or even three component agent.

The individual substances wouldn't be recognizeable as poison. I could even carry them around and get caught in possession of them and the responsible authorities would be none the wiser.

Someone knocks on the door, but I ignore it, too caught up in watching my newest creation for any change in colour. The yellow extract of the valiotres-root turned out to be a perfect indicator for the pH-value, turning from a slightly transparent yellow to a dark violet once the solution reaches an alkaline value of about one.

That's exactly when I have to turn off the heat and-

The door to my workshop flies open and my mother enters the room, gagging at the smell. “By the Goddess! Celes, what are you doing in here!?”

Waving her hands, she walks to the window and opens it, ventilating the room.

“Mom! What are you doing? I need exact temperatures for this to work.” Returning my attention to my experiment, I notice that I missed the point when the solution turned violet.

After staring at the deeply blue liquid in dismay, I grab a pair of large, wooden tweezers and lift the bottle from the boiler. Taking two quick steps, I push Katrine aside and throw everything out of the window where it bursts into flames two seconds later, singing the grass of the inner courtyard.

Sighing, I take off my goggles and the improvised gas-mask. “Happy now? That was three hours of work which just went out of the window.”

Katrine still waves her hands, trying to get rid of the smell. “I don't care, young lady. The entire embassy smells of the stuff. At first, I suspected Angrod, but he was just reading books in the library. When I asked him, he told me that you are up to ‘witchy stuff’.”

“It's not 'witchy stuff', it's called chemistry!” I wave my tweezers.

“Anyway, what were you trying to create? A stink-bomb!? Do you want to drive out our enemies from behind their shields by stinking them to death?” She raises an eyebrow, not quite looking down me.

The days when I had to look up to her are in the past. After my recent growth-spurt, I am almost at eye-level with her, although I still have some development to do. I really hope my breasts will get a little bigger to go along with my hips. I would hate it if I had to cheat with my looks.

“Haaah.” I put down the tweezers on the working table. “I am trying to come up with an undetectable poison for Markorn. But you are giving me an idea. Is it possible to gas the City of Light? They still need to breathe, right?”

Katrine's expression turns disapproving. “What if you get found out? And no. Ever since the war, all cities have very effective countermeasures against gas attacks. There are spells that can clean the air, and I am sure the Meltheims are just waiting for us to try something like that. Gas attacks were the bread and butter of the Resource Wars.”

“Too bad.” I huff. “Was the smell really that bad?”

She presses her lips together. “I could smell it from my office!”

Ouch. “Well, I promise that I will come up with a solution before I try again.”

“As long as I don't have to smell it!” She turns around, looking at all my things. “What's all this stuff? I knew that Arthur equipped one of the rooms as an alchemist's workshop for you, but I never realized that you seem to be proficient at this.”

“Ah, well...” I play with my hair, conscious of the topic. “I got a few degrees in my previous life. Medicine, Chemistry, Accounting...” I chuckle. “What else can an immortal do with limitless time on her hands?”

Katrine regards me but thankfully doesn't seem to be disturbed by the situation. “I see. What else did you make?” She gestures at the various ingredients and works in progress which litter my table.

“Oh, you have to see this!” I pull out a drawer from the working table, containing several potions in different colours. “Healing Potions, Endurance Potions, Antidotes... I made all sorts of useful stuff.” I take a vial with a brown liquid. “This gives the user improved night-vision for one hour.”

Putting it back, I point out other vials. “This one might interest you. It suppresses sleepiness and increases someone's ability to concentrate. Quite useful for studying or doing tedious work. Though, you shouldn't overuse it, since once it wears off you will still experience the repercussions of forgoing sleep.”

“I think that I will pass on that one and do my work without drugs,” Katrine mumbles. Her eyes fall on a vial with a clear liquid inside and she seems to recognize it. “What's that?”

“Oh, I got that from Tanja. Her people use it for interrogations and to woo their targets on undercover missions. It's supposed to make the victim feel horny.” I blush, not wanting to discuss with my mother why I would have such a thing. “I really only got it out of curiosity. I haven't found a use for it. Tanja's house is running a spy network, but you know that. Damn, I am rambling.”

Katrine purses her lips. She looks at the vial, then at me and covers her mouth.

“What!?” I step back, hoping that she didn't get the wrong impression. Did I do something wrong?

Shaking her head, Katrine opens the vial and sniffs on it, then dumps the contents down the washbasin which is integrated into my working table.

“Hey!” I try to save the priceless ingredient. Tanja only got me a little bit, since the stuff is supposedly highly illegal, secret, and very rare. “I didn't get a chance to experiment with it!” I know of aphrodisiacs, but what Tanja described to me sparked my interest in the substance. If my friend didn't lie, then it's one of the strongest I ever came across.

“Did your friend tell you how dangerous that stuff is in its concentrated form?” Katrine huffs and puffs.

“Well, yeah.” I gesture with my hand, trying to wave the matter off. “It's supposed to drive the victim crazy with desire if the exposure is too great. If it were some normal aphrodisiac, I wouldn't be interested in finding out how it works.”

Katrine massages her forehead, dismay showing in her expression.

“Do... do you need something against migraines?” I pull out a vial with a greenish substance. “I am always using this. It works wonders!” Better than aspirin.

Katrine groans and takes the vial from me, downing all of it in one go. “I am such an idiot!”

I blink, feeling like I am wandering on thin ice. “Why?”

“Because!” Mom gestures wildly. “You are always acting so mature, so I just assumed that you know. But how could you?”

I say nothing, deciding that it's better to wait until she collects herself.

Katrine looks towards the window and sighs. “Having 'the talk' with you is overdue.” Eyeing the door, she walks over and locks it.

“The talk?” I frown, wondering what great secret she intends to impart on me. “If you are talking about the flowers and the bees, Mom, then it's no problem. I already know, though I don't get what that has to do with Tanja's love-potion,” I joke.

Katrine groans in response. “It's a little bit different for us, dear.”

Lifting her green dress, she brings out her tail and takes the tip in her right hand, holding it for me to see.

I take a step back. “If you tell me now that our tails are actually 'dicks', then you are probably right with freaking out.” Bringing forward my own tail from beneath my lab coat, I give it a rub. “Though I admit that touching it gently feels great.”

At first, I felt very conscious of revealing my heart-shaped tip. It looked just too embarrassing compared to Katrine's and Ireth's arrow-shaped tips. But it turned out to be an age thing. Over the years, it changed, and soon it will look just like the ones of the older women.

Though, Angrod said that he found the heart-shape cute, so I actually mourn the change a bit. I want him to like my looks.

She furrows her forehead, clearly surprised by my interpretation of the events. “What? No! Quit with the jokes. This is a serious matter!” Katrine shakes her head. “What I meant was our ancestry, our bloodline. We are descended from succubi.”

When I frown, showing my incomprehension, Katrine decides to hit me with the blunt hammer of plain speak. “All of our secretions are very arousing for other people. What Tanja gave you is a concentrated version of my spit. We use it to pay the Mordens for their services.”

I look at her, then at my tail and the floor, trying hard to make sense of this information and what it means for my social life. “That's why I've never seen you kiss Dad in public!”

My mother chuckles. “He gets kind of antsy when I slobber all over him.”

“That's why you always told me that I shouldn't torture Angrod when I kissed him on the cheek!” I run my hands through my hair, ruffling it.

“Yeah.” Katrine turns serious. “I thought you wanted to tease him. You should probably know that if you over-expose a guy, he might get a 'tidbit' attached to you, so use yourself on Angrod and not me!”

“I never intended to do that!” I babble quickly, turning defensive.

“Good.” She narrows her eyes. “And nobody else for that matter.”

“What kind of person do you think I am!?” I cry out.

“A well-meaning idiot.” Katrine delivers her verdict as a mother and draws in a deep breath, letting it out slowly. “Which brings us to the final point. Did you get the hooks when you went through your transformation as a child?”

“H- hooks?” I narrow my eyes. This day is getting stranger and stranger.

Katrine points at the floor without looking down. “Down there.”

I look at my toes and frown. “I think that I would have noticed hooves or long toe-nails.”

Mom facepalms and points at her crotch. “There. Have you never explored yourself, child!”

I gulp and bite my lower lip. “By the Multiverse! Why do I need to have such a conversation with my own mother of all people.” Fidgeting, I admit. “Of course, I’ve touched myself, but I don’t know which hooks you are talking about.”

“Can’t be. You clearly went through the whole transformation, so you have them. Have you never tried putting something inside?”

“I- I-” I fidget with my fingers and press my knees together. “I didn’t want to damage my maidenhood. I thought I would save myself for my first time with Angrod.”

“The poor boy.” Katrine rolls her eyes. “Just wait here.” She turns, unlocks the door, and leaves.

All I can do is to wait for two minutes in awkward silence, my mind reeling at what’s about to happen. Why would Angrod be a poor boy? He is the luckiest guy in the multiverse that I even consider him as a partner.

Finally, Katrine returns and locks the door behind herself. Holding a plastic bag with carrots, she offers me one. “Here. Try it.”

I take the carrot from her, feeling offended. “You are wrong. I think that I would have noticed these ‘hooks’. And I would never do that in front of my mother!”

“Shut up, or I bend you over my knee and shove it in myself!”

I gasp.

“It’s like this-” Katrine gestures for me to get going. “If I am right, then I’ll have saved you from a lot of blood and screaming which would have ruined your first time. If not, then all you will have lost is a little dignity.”

“I think that I can handle a little pain and blood,” I reply, feeling stubborn.

“It’s not you who will bleed and feel the pain. You see, there should be some hooks in there.” She gestures at my belly. “When the guy is inside, they latch on so that he can’t pull out. And if you are too enthusiastic, there might be some pain involved. For him. So you have to train your musculature so that this doesn’t happen, even if you get carried away.”

Katrine offers me the carrot.

***Midhold***

***Angrod***

I lower my book, listening.

Just now, I think I heard Celes screaming in terror. I would recognize her screams anywhere, having listened to her temper tantrums for years. Strangely enough, it didn’t sound enraged like usual. It sounded genuinely terrified as if she just encountered some nameless beast from the Infernal Planes.

Smiling, I shake my head. “Naw… can’t be, right, Ghost? Celes isn’t the type of girl to scream, however horrifying something may be.”

Ghost replies only with a ‘purrr’ while warming my feet.

***Midhold***

***Celes***

This whole situation is out of hand! It's been just a few days since Markorn showed up at our school. Using his power, he evolved into something like a local gang-boss! He seriously wounded several students who didn't jump on his every whim. He is acting like he owns the place.

The other students can’t stop him and Markorn himself is avoiding us for obvious reasons.

“Do you already have an idea of how to stop that guy?” I ask Angrod.

“I am working on it. Sadly, I don’t think we can kill him without looking like the bad guys ourselves.” He shakes his head and leans back in his seat. “Markorn has too much mana and my grandfather explained that his backers have still too much influence.”

He gestures, indicating the school around us. “It would cause a lot of destruction if I took him on. During Special Class, I was willing to risk murdering him, since the people there are strong and we had a lot of free space around us. They would have survived. Maybe we can take Markorn down if we fight together.”

“Then we fight together. He is a real bother. Yesterday, he approached me and tried to lead me off to who knows where!” The trap was so obvious that I felt insulted.

“Ok. Then let him do you. While his guard is down, you ram one of those hairpins into a vital spot and the problem is solved! A good plan.” Angrod nods to himself with a smiling face.

“How could you suggest something like that! I am your fiancée!” I turn to face him and cross my arms in front of my chest. Not to mention that there would be other issues with such a plan that Angrod doesn’t know about yet.

He actually looks a little guilty. “Just a joke. I am sorry Celes, but I really have to concentrate on the coronation. It's in two months and I have to prepare for it. Aside from that, I have to take care of breaking the shield of that stupid city! The thing is that even if we kill Markorn now, I don’t think that it would truly change anything.”

“It would not?” I frown.

“Not really. The thing is that anyone might challenge me at the coronation. Markorn is strong, and his bloodline gives him more legitimacy than others, but he is also just a puppet. Who says that our enemies will use only him to challenge me? We have no idea how their improvement method works and how many people they supercharged.”

I consider his argument. It’s somewhat of a worst-case scenario, but he is right. In the end, Markorn isn’t the true enemy, but just a pawn. There may be any number of Markorns in hiding. “You think that the Meltheims might have turned others with the promise of power. Fine, so we prepare for anything. You may be right. Markorn’s purpose could be to distract us while the attack comes from an entirely different direction.”

Angrod shrugs. “He certainly acts like that. Just think about how hilarious it is to use his power to create a gang in a school. Ultimately, he is just a child. If he was smart, he would hide his true strength until the last moment. That’s why I am certain that Markorn is just a distraction.”

“Well, tell me if I can do something to help. I will go and visit Tanja. She promised to load a new spell into my ring.” I turn around and walk away, leaving Angrod to whatever he is up to.

“I hope it isn't another indecent spell for hiding your presence! Besides, I have to talk to Tanja anyway. Tell her to see me if you find her!” Angrod calls after me, but I just wave my hand at him and turn around the corner, hurrying to the public area where I hope to find my friend and leaving Angrod to his books in the library.

To cut the way short, I take one of the smaller corridors which connect the atrium with the recreation facility where students can spend their free time.

Bump.

Ah! I ran into someone!

“Um, sorry! I guess I didn't pay enough attention.” A student, about two years older than me is blocking my path. Three more guys are behind him.

I step to the side but they block my path yet again. When I turn around, I find four students behind me. The hallway is strangely empty, except for me and these people.

“We would like to have the honour of escorting you,” the older student offers me a hand.

“And why should I let you?” I ask, annoyance creeping into my voice.

“Because king Markorn wishes to see his future queen,” the older student answers like nothing is wrong.

I really don’t have a proper reply to that. “Do you have some kind of brain damage?” I tilt my head, considering him. “Markorn is nothing of the sort!”

“He demonstrated his strength to us and we are pretty sure that he can take the throne. It's good to be on the side of the future king, so we will bring you to him if he asks for it.” The student grabs my shoulder.

“Have you forgotten that I am a princess!?” I take his hand and twist while I guide and channel the flow of my mana through my muscles.

There is a satisfying ‘snap’ as the student’s wrist bends at an awkward angle. Pushing upwards, I rearrange the broken bone until it breaks the skin.

That will teach him a lesson he will never forget if he survives what is to come.

He looks at his mangled arm with wide eyes, but I give him no time to scream. Grabbing his shoulder while twisting further, I shove a little and the offender exits the hallway through the window next to us.

The glass shatters and there are a scream and the dull sound of an impact, then silence.

“Th- This is the th- third floor!” one of the other minions stutters, shocked.

“Why should I care!?” Stepping forward, I kick another goon in the groin. Something gets crushed and I finish the guy with a fist to the face before the rest of the gang can recover from their shock.

My victim is blown backwards from the force, unconsciously sliding along the corridor and past his comrades who jump to the side, clearly unable to comprehend this level of violence. “I’ve had enough of you. Up until now, I ignored Markorn and his little gang, but you have to learn where your limits are.”

The rest is about to jump me when someone claps his hands.

“Well, that's enough. I expected you wouldn't be able to bring her, so I came to make sure.” Markorn walks around the corner, smiling. “Would you guys please wait around the corner, I have a few things to discuss with the princess. Nobody is allowed to disturb us.”

The remaining minions run to retrieve their fallen comrade and leave. When they are out of sight, Markorn addresses me again, “I know, this isn't very gentle, but you refused to talk to me on every other occasion.”

“What do you want?” I ask and cross my arms. “You should make it quick. I am fairly sure someone noticed when your minion went out of the window.”

“I just want you to come to terms with reality and team up with me, that's all. I will get the crown at the coronation and you will have no other choice than to marry me. You will profit from this arrangement too. Don't you also want the best candidate for the job? I can give you anything you want in return for your cooperation.”

When I don’t answer, he continues. “As I see it, Angrod isn't fit for the job. This world needs strong leadership and not a strange guy who hides behind books, or inside a strange facility. I am sure you noticed that Angrod has zero public presence. Aside from that incident at your introduction party, he is a complete unknown to the noble houses. A King needs to show himself to his followers and demonstrate strength if he wants to lead a country. He also needs to be smart.”

Markorn flourishes his hand. “Being able to set some traps like I just did is an important part of leadership.”

I look at the broken window. “Great trap! You sent some bullies after me and got two of them taken out instantly. You have demonstrated that you are not fit to be a leader.”

“Please, don’t underestimate me. All of my allies are now witnesses. You went crazy and attacked two Tirna nobles after they refused your orders. It should be enough to cause quite the commotion, don't you think so too?” He smiles at me.

I roll my eyes. “So you want to use some laws of the nobility against me. What you don’t get is that things have changed since the war-faction split the country. In fact, I would be happy about everyone who openly declares his hostility towards the crown. Any crown, be it Tirna or Stricc. The whole power-play between Tirna and Stricc will completely end once Angrod and I are married. You overestimate your position since most of the hard-liners followed the Meltheims into exile.”

He clenches his jaw but tries not to show his displeasure. “Of course. As the princess, you have a really good reputation at the moment. Maybe you can bear some reputation loss, but it will still make it easier for me to take over! The Stricc princess, going rampage on some Tirna nobles. If that wouldn't shake up the state of affairs, I don't know!”

“It's good then. Without any witness, there won't be any commotion,” a new voice says, and Angrod walks around the corner, pulling a limp body behind him. Two of the school’s security guards appear with him, the traditional spellstaffs in their hands.

“There are enough witnesses! I have at least four Tirna nobles and three people from Stricc who...” Markorn turns around, but his voice fades out as he sees the student at Angrod’s feet.

Angrod throws the student at Markorn who steps aside and the student lands on his back.

While staring at the ceiling, the student breathes slowly and regularly.

“You are awake? Get up and bring the others!” Markorn kicks the student, but gets no reaction. Turning, he addresses the guards behind Angrod. “What are you waiting for? Do your job and stop these offenders.”

“Don't bother. I had our friend Tanja investigate your connections inside the school. She found... I will call it your ‘hideout’ for the lack of a better term. When she reported you gone, I went there and had a little discussion with your minions.” Angrod shrugs. “Everyone from Tirna got a nice, little treatment from me, while I had the guys from Stricc watch. I think that after seeing their potential fate, they are no longer willing to risk anything for you. Once the word spreads, you will be without your little gang.”

He points his thumb at the two men behind him. “Oh, and please ignore those two. They are just here for the clean-up.”

“Clean-up?” Markorn gasps.

“Yeah, well.” Angrod grasps his hands together. “After the last terrorist attack on this school, I suggested to my father to refill the ranks of the security personnel with people he trusted. Don’t worry, nothing of your little shindig will ever reach the media. I’ll also have all of your friends sign non-disclosure agreements… and if they don’t… let’s say they will find themselves suddenly changing schools to overseas.”

Smirking, I address Markorn, “I hope you won't be so foolish as to attack me here in public because everything that happened up until now was within my legal jurisdiction of self-defence.”

When Markorn doesn’t say anything, I walk past him and hook arms with Angrod. Together, we leave.

The minions who previously retreated around the corner watch Angrod with pale faces and press themselves against the wall to gain the largest possible distance. They act like they are in the same room with some kind of monster.

Four more security guards are keeping an eye on them.

“How did you know that something is up?” I ask.

“There is a tracking function inside your ring. I also hid a tracking device inside Markorn's clothes during training. The boys share the same changing room, so I took the chance. My observation program warns me when the two of you are in the same location, so I came to check,” he explains casually.

He is tracking me? He… no. I shouldn’t think of it in that way. Angrod isn’t the type of person to peep on others for no good reason. It likely just means that he cares for me in his own way.

“And what did you do to those students?”

“Nothing. Just a little punishment for disrespecting orders during a time of war. Everyone who I ‘educated’ was from Tirna, so it was within my rights. Their allegiance should be to me, not to that idiot. You also threw that guy out of the window, didn't you?” Angrod smiles at me.

“I didn't kill him!” I correct him.

“I am afraid that Tanja already finished it from the shadows. I explained the situation to her.”

“She would never!” No. Tanja is a nice girl. She wouldn't.

“She would do everything for you, her friend. Markorn is right when he says that a commotion right now would be a problem for us. Tanja knows that too, probably better than both of us if you think about her family background.”

We turn around another corner and Tanja steps out of a shadow and hugs me. “Everything okay, Celes?”

“Of course,” I answer honestly. “I was never in danger. If Markorn had persisted, I would have beaten him up, together with his minions.”

Angrod huffs. “And likely brought down half the school in the process. That would have been exactly the kind of publicity he was aiming for. If something happens during the coronation, the crowned king can guide the fallout afterwards, but any situation right now is likely to be used as propaganda against us.”

I narrow my eyes. “Since when are you so involved in politics.”

He shrugs. “My mother is teaching me.”

Tanja smiles. “And I might’ve given some advice.”

“What did you do to those thugs?” I ask, wanting another question answered.

Tanja turns pale. “It's better if you don't know.” She looks away.