“Marcus, please take this seriously. He’s important to me.”

Aura glared at her betrothed as they walked through the halls of the MCU – the Midgardian Central University. Her eyes softened for a moment. She turned around and waved at a group of her fellow students passing by.

“I’m always serious,” said Marcus Graswald. “Didn’t you tell me just yesterday that “I have a stick in my ass”? Or do my memories betray me?”

Aura made her illusion wear a flat look on her face. Was he serious or sarcastic? She still couldn’t tell. How long would it take until she had cracked his shell? “If this was your attempt at humor, I would prefer if you remained silent for the rest of the day.”

“I get it. Völund Smith saved you from the ash pest, and now you owe him your life.” It vibrated in Marcus’ pocket. He stopped for a second, took out his phone, and frowned. “Oh, dear.”

“Is something?”

“The “Once and future” ceremony in Avalon.” Marcus rubbed the bridge of his nose. “It’s going to be a nightmare. What was Archimago Vortigen thinking?”

“What’s that anyway?” Aura asked. “I haven’t even been officially invited. Have you been told more?”

“That’s odd. The President should have told you already. Just from the bits I’ve heard, this event is made for you. Maybe he just forgot. The President’s a busy man, but I don’t have to tell you that.”

“Perhaps I’ve to ask him myself.” Aura smiled. “But I’ve gotten curious. What do you know?”

Forgot? That didn’t sound like her father. But perhaps, she had underestimated the effect the events of the last two months had on him.

Marcus shrugged. “Not much more than you. But it’ll be the first time that outsiders can enter the city. Kaiser Nal Ende Linde; Pharaoh Ramses Jet; Queen Hannibal Shark; Chieftess Quinn Bei Fong; President Adler; Paladins; Kalifs; Ioa; Knights; Valkyries; Samurai; and many more: It will be a festival of the powerful and just ripe to throw the world into chaos if something goes wrong.”

“I can see why you would assume that my father had invited me already. If I don’t appear at such an important event, it’ll question my legitimacy.”

“Well, I can bring you as my “plus one”. You’re my fiancée, after all.”

“Won’t do. What will the people think when I don’t appear as “Veil Princess” but instead in the role of a “Captain’s wife”?”

For a moment, Haschwalth furrowed his brows. Perhaps she imagined it, but her words seemed to have struck a nerve.

“But let’s discuss this later We’re here.” Aura pointed at a door with a sign that said, “Void Theory R&D”. Please show your best behavior. Professor Smith isn’t just a genius in the field of Void Theory. He’s also one of the most brilliant and wisest minds I’ve ever met.”

Marcus sighed. “Fine, fine. I’ll behave like a good puppy.”

The door opened automatically, and the two walked in.

Machines buzzed around them in a constant rhythm, beeping their language of zeroes and ones to the world. Scientists and lab assistants ran from one instrument to another. Others were staring at a screen or tipped on a keyboard and vanished into the realms of science.

Aura clicked with her tongue.

Rules reigned in this lab. She might not agree with all of them, but she could follow their logic. Hypocrisy didn’t exist here. Data and empirical methodology dictated the tune the scientists danced to. Once one understood the metrics, one could join.

On a raised circular platform in the room’s center, a man in a jet-black suit was looking around in every direction. His arms swung around and pointed from one object or person to another. His pace sped up, the orders turning into a dance that wouldn’t be out of place on the floor in a club.

His hair he had bound to a ponytail that had lost all its colors, and behind those dark shades, one couldn’t see his eyes. His square head stopped when it faced their direction, and his full lips formed a smile.

“Oh, Miss Adler. What a surprise to see you today.”

He jumped down from the platform, landing next to a plaque that said, “Lab safety rule no. 1: Drink whatever’s in the fucking beaker. I know you want to.”

“Didn’t we have an appointment?” Marcus glanced to Aura, who held her index finger up to her lips and shushed him.

“Professor Smith. It’s been too long.” Aura smiled and gave him a salute. “This is my fiancé, Captain Marcus Graswald.”

Marcus nodded and bowed down like a butler.

Professor Smith saluted towards the two as his eyes focused on Graswald. “You seem to be just like I had imagined.” He blew his nose and turned away from Marcus. “At least, you don’t wear jogging pants.”

“I beg you pardon?”

Not bothering to face Marcus, Professor Smith’s hand caressed an apparatus nearby. “He who has lost control of his pants has lost control of his life.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Marcus titled his head and looked at Aura.

If he had hoped she would be vouching for him, he would be disappointed.

Aura raised her open palm, telling Graswald to be quiet, and walked to Professor Smith. “As always, it’s busy here. If it’s okay to ask, what are you currently doing?”

Professor Smith grinned. “It’s good that you ask. We’re building a Mana Quantifier.”

“A what?” Graswald asked.

“It’s. In. The. Name.” Professor Smith sighed. “And I always tell my students that there are no stupid questions. But fine. This machine can measure the amount of Mana any individual has inside them and calculate a number that indicates an individual’s overall battle prowess. You could call it a level of power. But sadly, the machines short-circuits whenever a level goes over nine thousand. Which makes it useless for any person over the age of ten.”

“That doesn’t sound like good news,” Aura said.

Professor Smith shook his head. “That’s why we’re changing the objective. Instead of quantifying Mana, this machine will detect, isolate, and identity individual Mana within vast amounts of it. Just to give an example, if someone implanted foreign Mana into your body, this machine could find it within your vast amounts of Mana.”

Interesting. Aura let her hand dangle before her head.

If the professor’s experiment succeeded, they could find out who had poisoned her. There should be samples of her Mana while she had been in a coma.

“I wouldn’t call it a breakthrough in Void Theory, but it’s one of these advancements that could make life easier for all of us,” the professor said.

“If it comes solely to the notion of fame, history will already remember you as the one who saved the princesses’ lives.”

“It’s indeed one of my major accomplishments.” The professor looked at Graswald, and while he smiled, his thoughts remained an enigma behind his glasses. “Despite its name, the ash pest is not an actual infection but a degradation of one’s Mana, right?”

“I know that.” Marcus groaned. His right eye started to twitch. “Like every child in Aes.”

“Anyway, I’m looking forward to the results.” Aura smiled. “And I hope you’ll be able to attend my wedding.”

The professor shrugged. “As much as I would like to, it depends on the progress of the experiment. We can only pray.”

“To Twice?” Marcus tilted his head.

The professor let out a laugh. “I’m a man of science. As if I would worship Twice. I obviously am praying to science.”

“Huh?” Graswald’s body froze to a statue, his eyes gaffing at the professor, who had widened his arms and stared at the ceiling.

“O science.” The professor went on his knees, the words leaving his lips with absolute conviction. “Please guide us towards the path of success. Let our results be in the margin of error and punish those heretics tarnishing your word with common sense.”

“How. Can. One. Pray to science?” Graswald stared at her, his jaw dropping. “What the fuck is wrong with him?”

The professor didn’t seem to notice Graswald’s presence as he dived deeper into his prayer.

“Looks like you two have incompatible worlds.” Aura patted Marcus on the shoulder. Lights conglomerated and hid behind an illusion that she was biting into her index finger to suppress a burst of laughter.

Finally, Marcus’s shell had shattered. But would have guessed that Professor Smith would bring him to his breaking point? Well. One could only catch a butterfly once one had stopped looking for it.

“Actually, professor, there’s something I’m curious about,” Aura said. “I would like to hear your opinion on that topic.”

Professor Smith turned around and stood up. “Shoot. It’s always a pleasure to help you.”

“I’m wondering if it would be possible for a person to have more than one Fylgja?”

“When you say Fylgja, do you mean just Midgardian citizens or people from all over Aes?” Professor Smith lowered his brows.

“The latter.”

“In that case, I would recommend the term “MSL – “Mana Soul Construct”. It’s much less Midgard-centric.” His lips turned upside-down. “But to answer your question. I saw it happen four times in my life. The first three were supernatural phenomena that defy grounded explanation. And I say that as a scientist. They can’t be replicated.”

“And the fourth?”

“An experiment done by Vaix. It resulted in the collapse of the proband’s soul.”

Aura tapped her finger against her arm. “What kind of experiment?”

“I don’t know for sure. The probands’ were injected with a substance and gained a second MSL. But because the human soul can’t handle the strain, it’ll collapse within a week. Two at most.”

“Thank you.” Behind the illusion, Aura frowned.

In other words, if Drake Griffin had gained access to his wife’s Fylgja, he would be already dead. So, either it wouldn’t matter, or Drake Griffin had found another way to escape.

She looked at Graswald.

Marcus wouldn’t help Drake Griffin. Even if her fiancée tried to get rid of her or betray Midgard, he wouldn’t work with Linde Sieg’s husband.

Her time in the Well had given her insight into Graswald’s past. She needed to gain access again, as last time, she could only read the information related to Misses Griffin. But she had found out that they used to live in Worms. Both worked together on missions for the Future Initiative, and Marcus was in charge of the mission that claimed Misses Griffin’s life. It might be her impression, but it seemed that he used to have feelings for Ragna’s mother. It would explain his disdain for Mister Griffin as well.

But that was all circumstantial evidence that could have countless explanations. She couldn’t even pin a motive on him. But he was hiding a secret. She was sure of that.

“Though, Professor Byleth from the Clocktower has formulated a theory according to which having two different MSL could be possible.” Professor Smith sighed. “But I don’t understand her theory, which makes it useless.”

“Why that?” Marcus asked.

“Scientific theories thrive on their ability to withstand criticism and tests. Only then will a theory be accepted and potentially become a law. But if it’s so complex that even someone like Professor Smith can’t understand, let alone criticize it, then it loses all credibility. It’s like saying fairies exist because we can’t prove it. It has to be the other way around. A theory that can’t be criticized might as well not be able to withstand any criticism. In the scientific community, it’s a death sentence.”

“It’s as she says.” Professor Smith nodded. “Professor Byleth is a genius who had taught around half of the Roundtable and adventurers like “Grendel of the Border” or Puck Goodfellow, but she’s too brilliant for her own good.”

“It’s a shame.” Graswald frowned. “To dull brilliance because of the blindness of those below. The unenlightened masses cannot make the judgment call.”

“But science will find a way one day.” Professor Smith smiled. “I’m sure of that. We can’t lose our faith in science because science at times works in mysterious ways.”