I was in a strange mood. On one hand, I felt like skipping over to Melly’s house. The fact that Ceres and Lara were awake was great news. I’d spent the majority of my time agonizing over what I could’ve done to prevent Ceres from suffering such a terrible wound. Still, every time I tried to think of what I could’ve done better, I was always led back to the same thought—Sanrai was a monster. A catgirl truly deserving of the word. If anything, we were lucky to come out in as good shape as we did.

On the other hand, though, things still felt a little stilted between everyone—especially with Cannoli. There was an awkward force in the air that made it increasingly difficult to just be myself.

Some part of me blamed Cailu for that. Now that he was around, I felt I had to work three times as hard to earn my place in the group. Every word out of my mouth was met with either a disappointed glance or a scolding. Admittedly, I know I deserved some of it.

I wasn’t as well-read as Tristan or as seasoned of a fighter as Cailu. But, man, I hadn’t really had the chance to do a lot of either since I’d come to Nyarlea. Hopefully, there was still enough time to prove myself to both of them.

I knocked on Melly’s door, then waited with my hands in my pockets. Most of the First Shell’s debris had been cleared, with the stray stone or trinket resting against the walls beside the tunnel. A few of the catgirls had wandered off to see what the other Shell looked like, though the Second Shell girls seemed a bit more optimistic and curious than those who resided in the First Shell.

There was a clear divide of wealth and luxury between the two Shells, though not to the degree we’d seen in the Third Shell. Many remarked on the jewelry and fine housing in the other’s district. I hoped that our being here and forcing them to mingle would work out for the better.

“Oh, Matt! Good to see you,” Melly said, answering the door. Her hands were dyed purple, and streaks of the same color splattered her cheeks in a messy array. “Here to see Ceres?”

“I am,” I said, nodding. “Is she awake?”

“She is! I was just making pie. Come on in.”

“Oh? Do you mind if I have a slice?” I hadn’t had pie since the girls had made one together.

“Well,” Melly hummed, “it needs to cook for close to an hour. But if you’re still here, then you’re welcome to it.”

“Thanks.”

Melly led me up the stairs for what was the third, maybe fourth time? I wasn’t sure; I’d lost count at this point. She knocked on the door, then pushed it open.

“You have a visitor,” she announced. She stood to one side and waved me in.

“Sir Matt!” Ceres whipped the covers off her and threw her legs over one side. “It’s good to—”

“Hey!” Melly barked. “Stay in bed. You’re still in no condition to be moving around like that.”

“A-ah. Yes. My apologies.” Ceres resumed her position in bed and brought the covers back over her legs.

“Can I use one of those?” I asked, pointing to one of the stools next to the table.

“Go ahead. I’ll be downstairs if you need anything,” Melly said with a smile.

“Good to see you, Matt,” Destiny said, glancing at me with a curt nod. She looked better than before. The dark bags were gone, and there was life in her features again. Seeing Lara awake seemed to have done wonders for her well-being.

“Same, Destiny. How are you feeling, Lara?” I asked as I grabbed one of the stools by the leg.

“Better. Melly said I could leave soon. Tomorrow maybe.” Lara’s tone of voice hadn’t returned to its airy, whimsical norm, but seeing her and Destiny talking again was a huge weight off my shoulders.

“The nightgown looks good on you.” Maybe it was a weird thing to say at the moment, but I wanted to make things sound casual. Ceres and Lara were provided a change of clothes at some point. They wore matching one-piece gowns of white, which frilled around the edges of the fabric. They looked comfortable as hell.

Lara blinked. “Oh, thank you.”

I set the stool next to Ceres’ bed and took a seat.

“It is wonderful to be in your presence once more, Sir Matt.” Ceres offered a polite nod. Her hair wasn’t braided and fell around her shoulders in long strands of gold. There was a tender tone to her voice, a bit hoarse. She coughed to the side, away from me, and cleared her throat. “It seems I cannot drink enough water this morning.” She reached for the glass beside her and swallowed two large gulps before setting it down.

“You look so much better, Ceres,” I said. To be honest, she was striking. Seeing her out of her armor with her hair freed was rare. It was softer than I was used to, but she wore it well. “I was worried about you. The wound was pretty rough, from what I heard.”

“Indeed. I lament that I have caused you undue stress. From what I have been told, you have visited me a few times now.”

“Yeah,” I said, averting my gaze momentarily. “Melly stressed that you would heal, but for a while there, she didn’t seem to know what the damage might entail. Has she talked to you about it?”

“Yes. She informed me that I shall make a full recovery.” Her gaze landed on Lara. “However, I may be here for another day or two.”

“That’s okay. Take time to heal.” I half laughed. “I don’t know a lot of people who can say they were stabbed in the stomach and lived.”

Ceres clasped her hands upon her lap. She made several complex expressions before she responded. “Yes, I suppose that is true.”

Her gaze looked lost and sad. I noticed the book resting on the table beside her and cleared my throat. “Keeping yourself busy?”

Ceres turned to the book and retrieved it. I recognized the cover; it was the same one she read when I was recovering from the Defiled twins.

“Yes, Sir Matt.” She flipped the book open and thumbed through the pages until halfway through. She straightened the folded paper corner and grazed her pointer finger down the page. “I have learned much. Our tendency to find ourselves in trouble has further expedited my desire to see my [Alchemy] improve.”

Yours isn’t the only one that needs improving. Those Potions I made don’t look too great anymore.

“How does your expedition fare?” Ceres asked, shutting the book and placing it on her lap. “From what little I have heard from Destiny and Tristan, it sounds as if the infiltration was a success.”

This wasn’t really what I wanted to talk about. I admit I don’t know what I really wanted to talk about—just something that didn’t involve politics, the duty of men and catgirls, or fighting for Experience. What sounded great right now was a vacation away from it all.

But hey, catgirls.

“It went great,” I said. Hearing the tone of my voice, I put a bit more enthusiasm into my next words. “Cailu defeated Magni in an official duel, so he’s dead now.” I scratched the side of my nostril, sniffing. “Naeemah is working to bring order to the city, and Cailu’s helping me train. There’s an Experience farm that Magni had been working on.”

Ceres frowned. “Forgive me. Experience farm?”

“They trained up a bunch of Encroachers and bred them for battle. The girl responsible for them, Jeenie, said that Magni used them to get easy Experience and Levels.”

“Celestia entertained a similar thought,” said Destiny. I repositioned and sat parallel to the beds, looking at her. “The costs were enormous. Celestia estimated a minimum of two years before a proper Experience farm could be made. Even then…”

“Ah, yes, I remember,” Lara said with a finger to her lips, her eyes half open. “‘Too many to manage,’ she said.”

“Well, seems like Magni managed just fine,” I said. “Jeenie mentioned that she straps some sort of choker to their body. It’s supposed to make them stronger, and so—”

“They provide more Experience,” Ceres finished. “Fascinating.”

Yeah, I guess.

“Anyways.” I waved my hand in hopes of getting away from the topic of the Experience farm. “We’ve been relaxing and training while we try and figure out what we do from here. Cailu is adamant about getting Tristan and me to Second Class.”

“I must admit, that is a fair demand to make,” said Ceres. “If I recall correctly, your Class is Level 9, is it not?”

“Yeah, it is.”

“Excellent.” Ceres nodded. “I shall do whatever I can to hasten your journey to Second Class.”

I guess it couldn’t hurt to ask a few questions.

“What was Second Class like for you?”

Ceres bowed her head. Her smile vanished, replaced by a thin line. She seemed pensive, almost reluctant somehow. It was hard to get a read on her.

“My journey was a complex one,” she finally said, raising her head to look at me. “I spent years training my body and my Magic so that the Sword of Virtues would receive me as one worthy of the [Magic Knight] title.” She shuffled one thumb over the other before continuing. “I met many who shared my passion for eliminating the Defiled threat. I gained many allies and lost many who trained alongside me. Reaching Second Class is an arduous task for any, and [Magic Knight] remains among the most difficult of Second Classes to gain access to, let alone master.”

“Years?” I repeated. “I’ll be training for Second Class for years?”

“I admit, I do not know. That would be an excellent question for Cailu.” She shuffled her thumbs again. “There are many times that I miss my training and my peers.”

With each word she recited, she spoke as if she was talking to an old friend. For a moment, I wondered if I was digging up some bad memories from the sad look on her face. I didn’t want to upset her.

“So a sword decides if you’re allowed to become a [Magic Knight]?” I teased. “What if the sword broke or got stolen?”

Ceres smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “There are several like it, each with different monikers.” I nodded, pretending I knew what ‘moniker’ meant, and let her continue. “Saoirse left behind a number of holy swords. The queen considers each one a treasure, and thusly they are heavily guarded. To breach the fort holding the Sword of Virtues would mean to enter combat with every catgirl available, a great deal of them formidable [Magic Knight]s.” She sighed. “At least, that is how it was until shortly before you arrived.”

“What do you mean?”

“The Sword of Virtues was stolen,” Destiny explained.

“Is that true?” I asked.

“Yes,” Ceres said with a sullen expression. The corner of her lip twitched. “The fault was mine. I was the acting vanguard the day it was taken. A detestable Defiled had breached the city’s walls, and I called upon the actions of every available [Magic Knight], including the [Fighter]s who were still training.” A pause followed. “I left behind two [Magic Knight]s to protect the sword. They were killed by the thieves.”

I had no idea what to say. I wasn’t expecting such a bombshell, and honestly, I wasn’t ready for it.

“I’m really sorry, Ceres.” The words left my lips, but they didn’t feel like they were enough. My dad never talked much about being in the military, just that it was tough. I imagined it was a similar concept for Ceres. Seeing your friends dead and a priceless relic stolen underneath your command had to sting.

“Do not worry yourself over me,” Ceres shook her head. “The past is the past. There is little more I can do now than try to atone and make amends wherever I am able.”

“I’m sorry if I sound insensitive, but then how do [Magic Knight]s come to be, now?”

“The [Magic Knight]s still possess two more swords capable of bestowing their power to adepts. Since that theft, the queen has taken it upon herself to keep the remaining swords.”

I guess it’s a good thing I won’t be going down that path.

“I see. Is it… tough to talk about?”

“Somewhat,” Ceres said. “But it does no soul well to dwell on what cannot be changed. As I have said, the past is simply that—the past. You can continue living in it, but no one is there anymore.”

“So wise,” Lara said with evident admiration.

After that, I shifted the conversation away from Second Classes as we continued to talk. I was more concerned about Ceres and her personal interests than Nyarlean politics. As uneasy as it made me to probe her for information on her past, I was glad to learn more about her. I wanted to know my girls and how they ticked.

I’ll need to make a better habit of this.