The door bell rang. The inn keeper’s daughter called. “Coming” as she descended the stairs. There were three guests, two were wearing pretty mage robes, and the last one was wearing a full armor. She arranged her dress and her hair then walked behind the counter.

She greeted them with her best smile. “Good evening, sir. How can I help you?” The man’s in the front was someone she knew, he had almost a week and she’d gone out to have some fun with him. “Oh, it’s you. Couldn’t get enough of little old me?”

“Maybe it’s something like that.” Answered the mage evasively. Truth to be told, his remembrance of the girl wasn’t entirely unrelated, but it came second to the availability of individual rooms. “I’d like three rooms if possible. Two at the very least.”

“Nice body, wench.” Spoke unequivocally the man in armor.

“Shut the hell up tin can.” Raged the mage, making no effort to hide his distaste for the man in armor. Then in a gentler tone for the girl. “Come to me if he bothers you, it’ll be my pleasure to send him straight to hell.”

The girl cheeks reddened mistaking the exchange as Ignis coming to her defense. “Yes, sir… I… I’ll be sure to do that. Sorry, but we only have two rooms, is it alright with you?”

“It is. I’d like to order tw… three buckets of hot water and three diners if you don’t mind.”

“How long will you be staying?”

Ignis wouldn’t have minded staying a few days, but he had his travel companions to think of. “Only a single night, we need to head south as soon as possible. On that matter, is there anything special going on in Thracia?”

“Oh? That’s such an interesting name for this region to have.” Commented the man in armor, his tone seething with arrogance and pride.

“Shut-up.” Urged Ignis, who had kept quiet about it for this very reason only to stumble right before the finishing line.

“Is there a problem?” Asked the girl who had trouble understanding the exchange.

“This guy’s name is Thracian.” Explained the mage tiredly. “Please, for your own good, forget he’s ever existed. What don’t you tell me at what time you’re getting off instead, Laeticaea.” He’d just only remembered her name.

The girl was more than happy to tell as she remembered last time rather fondly, and he’d just made an even better impression on her. “I get off at seven…”

“Hey, what about my lessons.” Complained the child who had stayed quiet until now.

“You can practice what I’ve taught you, and how no to blow-up your allies.” Answered Ignis with a voice full of rancor. Then looking deliberately at the giant in armor with cold eyes. “Or even better, why don’t you practice your exorcism.”

“Sorry sir, I won’t do it again.” Answered the child in a hurry.

“Great. Can you show us our room?” Asked Ignis while handing out the exact sum.

“Sorry, sir.” Speaking with a past acquaintance was no excuse to forget serving the other guests. “Who’s the kid?” she asked in a lower voice.

“My apprentice, for now, and you can think of that giant armored pain in the ass as his guardian.”

She knew he was something of a special case to be so rich at such a young age, but it was unheard for someone this young to take apprentice. “Hey, are you a big deal or something?”

“Uh, uh! I just have an uncommon specialty.”

“Wow!” Answered Laeticaea who knew little of magic beyond the facts that mages tended to have money and fire mage were often aggressive and hard to deal with. Ignis would never tell her his real job, but even if he did the girl wouldn’t mind. Because of her job put her in contact with a load of people, she held very little prejudice, preferring to judge people personally from their acts. To put it simply, she’d rather deal with a tranquil criminal who paid his bill than a rude knight or a well-known merchant who cheated his customers.

The diner was as good as Ignis. Azrael had some difficulty finishing two plates by himself, but as far as his master was concerned, it was what he deserved for choosing such an annoying familiar.

Before leaving with his date, the death mage left some instruction. “Practice the wards I’ve told you. Use these as examples.” He drew a few around the room, but each one of them had a commonality, they either weakened spirits or prevented them from leaving/entering the circle.

“You are as annoying as ever brat,” Grumbled the ghost. “I have no intention of leaving the room or showing up my form. I’m much comfier staying inside Azrael.”

“My care for what you want and say equal my trust in you, you damn evil spirit. Stay here, and be quiet for a change.”

“I’m so hurt by your lack of trust in me, brat.” Answered the ghost with a loud laugh.

“Is quiet really this hard to understand for you?”

“Please, I’ll do as you say, just stop fighting.” Pleaded the child who had to withstand the constant bickering for almost two weeks now.

“I had to let this thing possess that armor against my better judgement because it’s unable to keep quiet, but you’d do well to remember that if it weren’t for the cardinal vouching for it, I’d send it straight to hell where it belongs.”

“Hell this, hell that! I’m as virtuous as it gets, brat, it’d be heaven for me.”

“You… That’s…” This thing had been responsible for innumerable death both in life and death. Ignis just let out a tired. “You should get a better look at yourself before spitting such nonsense.”

As soon as the death mage was out of the room, the ghost approached the child with a smile. “Let’s start over, I’m almost getting the hang of that magic thing of yours.”