"A conduit?" Felix repeated back with a questioning look. "What's a conduit?"

  "It's a way to channel through energy or magic."

  "So... like a bridge connecting two points?" He asked.

  Nihja hummed slightly at the example. "Mmm-more like a channel or groove."

  "What does that mean for this ritual he has pnned?" He asked, recalling what Perdilius said to him before, "He was rambling about delivering a message to the gods or something of the sort. About purifying, any idea what that means?"

  Nihja shrugged. "Haven't a clue. The old man has gone mad from what you say."

  Felix leaned back, processing things in his head. "He said about purifying, delivering a message... and he needs them as conduits. Maybe I'm asking the wrong, or... Vardare might know." His eyes grew twice their size as he remembered something crucial. "Vardare, yes! Oh but-damn it!"

  "Language!" Nihja scolded him, covering her sleeping daughter's ears.

  "S-sorry. Just... need to wait until Janette returns." He got up to leave when Nihja stopped him.

  "Are you still thinking about bloody leaving to py rescue come sunrise?" She asked, raising her voice like a mother reprimanding her child's antics. "Could you at least sit in one spot? You've been nothing but anxious since you've come to, always pacing rather than resting. Take a seat, give your body a rest."

  Felix smacked his lips, but a crossed look from her made him think twice before cooling off. He nodded and sat back down. "Sorry, a lot's happened."

  "I know, your friend filled me on the details." Nihja softly responded.

  Felix turned to her. "I know at the end it's a fools gamble, but if it were Alphonse or Mitzi that he took, wouldn't you be just as eager to go as well?"

  "I'd venture into the hells and back for them." She answered coldly, caressing her daughter's cheek with her thumb.

  Felix gnced down at his hand. "Erm, I do have another concern in mind. Janette said that... that when someone bonds with a Monster Girl that they experience changes."

  Nihja nodded calmly. "We can have sex as casually as any other, but to bond with someone comes differently."

  "So, you don't... you didn't bite Alphonse when you bonded with him?" He asked awkwardly.

  She gave him a funny look. "No? But I take it that cats do it differently than lesser succubus in the bedroom."

  Felix chuckled, wiping his sweaty palm along his pants. "I guess so. Did he go through any physical changes?"

  She leaned in, staring at him. "Why do you ask?"

  "I've... my eyes sometimes change to how a cat's eyes are. Several weeks after KuliKuli and I... well, I thought at first that I was just feeling better because I was happy with her. But now I think back and wonder if that was more because of her doing. My body has been getting better with fewer aches and pains from physical bor; in fact I feel that I've grown much stronger than before. My reflexes are better, my sight is keener, and the night isn't as dark as I remember it to be."

  Nihja gave it some thought. "Your body is changing to suit her needs."

  "How so?"

  "A lot of what you described sounds like traits simir to a Nekomata. I doubt you'll be growing tails or cat ears, but it's clear that your body is adapting to her."

  "Did that happen to you with Alphonse?" He asked, looking her over. "I thought Succubus have tails and horns but-"

  "I'm a lesser succubus, Felix." She corrected him with an irritated tone. "I don't have any of that."

  "I see. Did he not have any changes after getting with you? Sorry, after bonding?"

  She thought it over carefully before giggling. "Well, he's certainly improved in the bedroom. Our little Mitzi was conceived from a full night of sex. We slept in all morning and awoke te afternoon before he needed to attend to his work. Left him walking like a baby taking their first steps." She grinned proudly; her eyes half closed with a light blush across her face.

  Felix calmly slipped away, hearing enough as he marched back up to his room.

  Nyitzcha had returned after an hour, passing by and rinsing her hands thoroughly before pushing up a stool to hop on. She expected to find Janette finishing off the second bottle to herself or just enjoying the music performed by the musicians at the corner. Instead, she met with Janette as she was furiously writing notes onto her book named Vardare, not even paying any mind to her friend's presence.

  The orange-headed dwarf cleared her throat loudly, but Janette continued scribbling to no avail. She would have inched forward and force her attention on her; it was a lingering thought that seemed enticing, but Nyitzcha saw how determined her friend looked as she finished up before dipping the quill in an inkpot.

  "Finish wrapping up today's thoughts?" She joked, curious to know about what she was doing. She reached out with a small hand and plucked the green bottle of apple cider by the bottleneck, only to feel it had the same weight to it. Janette hadn't had a sip since she left.

  Janette pressed her lips as if she were whistling, then began to blow lightly onto the open pages. This was done with the intent for the ink to dry, she even tested it with a press of her finger before closing it and storing Vardare back into her satchel. "Excuse me, I just needed to write down a few notes. So much has happened and I needed to share ideas to make sense of things."

  Nyitzcha blinked with a puzzled expression. "By writing in your diary?"

  "It's not a-" Janette began, breathing in through her nose and leaning back to collect herself. "Never you mind. I know what we have to do next."

  With that, she scooted back and collected her things, even leaving a few silver coins on the table as a tip. Nyitzcha watched her, baffled by the sudden change of pns before speaking forward. "Oi! Aren't ye gunna ask me if I'm helpin' er not?"

  Janette paused and looked to her friend, then leaned forward to speak softly. "Nyitzcha, you've been a good friend and already helped enough when I first brought the girls. I think it's fair I give you the afternoon to give it some real thought. I'll be at the Night Dweller's Hub if you need me. Whatever you decide, I won't pressure you for more."

  "Even if de answer is, no?" The dwarf asked.

  Janette sighed. "Even if you stay. I may have asked for too much in wanting you to join us. I know your fighting days are a thing of the past, you've got a good thing going here."

  Nyitzcha nodded back in agreement. "Aye, a very good thing!"

  "A good running profitable business at that."

  "Indeed."

  "Surrounding yourself with plenty to drink."

  "Best way to deal with a bad day, I say." She smirked, raising a gss in a toast.

  Janette smiled back. "I'm gd you agree. Better to stay clear from danger by keeping safe here."

  "Right ye are-" Her eyes fshed open as she froze, gring daggers at her. "What?"

  She shrugged apologetically, taking a step back and raising her hands. "If I may be so bold, I may have overstepped in asking you to join our battle. Your size alone might prove travel to be difficult."

  "Ey now, d'ese legs are just as good fer walking as d'ey are fer arse kickin!" She barked in retaliation.

  "Besides, you're not the right person since we're opting for a stealthy approach. You're less of an inviting shadow and more of a miniscule horn."

  "Wah!? Stealth is overrated when ye got bombs!"

  "Besides," Janette carried on with a look of sincerity, "Those days of you in the war was centuries ago, it's like asking a grandmother to stand and fight. You might not even fit in your old gear."

  "You snivelin' worm-eyed, hhhhrrrrrr!" The dwarf fumed, grinding her mors and smming her little hands against the counter. "I be just as capable, nay, more so d'en yer scrawny lil arse!"

  Janette grew a knowing smile, tiptoeing backwards. "I'll be at the Night Dweller's Hub tonight."

  Then she slipped out the door, leaving the fuming dwarf by herself. Nyitzcha balled up her fists, her waitress passing by and slipping a gss of hard liquor by the counter. She snatched it and gulped it down, licking her lips and turning around to look at her old chest pte mounted up high. Leaning back, she reminisced on the memories she had when she wore it. The smell of gunpowder was a scent that she long missed.

  Her fingers felt a note of paper on the counter that she missed. She held it up, read the few words it had, then smmed the note down in a huff. Without another word, she hopped off the stool and stomped toward her private quarters, leaving the note dispyed on the counter reading: There will be Elves too

  Janette was making her way back to Nihja's home when a familiar carriage came to a stop beside her, with Alphonse popping out through the door.

  "Hey, we were just coming for you." He greeted her as she stepped inside, then signaled the driver to take them home. "Did everything go well?"

  "I hope so." Janette replied honestly, gncing at Reta who sat in silence with numerous scrolls on her p. "What's with the scrolls?"

  "Vital information that might aid in my pursuit to rid of this curse." Reta expined briefly, catching her friends' interest.

  They arrived home shortly after Reta and Alphonse filled Janette in on their findings. On arrival, Janette hurried inside and ran up the stairs, not even greeting Nihja at the living room first. Felix sat up as she entered, both seemed eager to share their minds.

  "Perdilius is using them as a conduit-"

  "Alma is alive-"

  They paused, blinking absently before leaning back.

  "Okay, wow. What?" Janette asked.

  Felix licked his lips and sat up in bed. "Perdilius is using KuliKuli, Dimyri, and Syri as a conduit for his magic ritual. Do you know what that means?"

  "Sort of... not really, no." She admitted, noticing his look of relief.

  "Me neither, but I've a feeling Vardare can expin it for us. Perdilius grabbed him, that means Vardare should have his memories."

  Janette's face grew a wide smile. "I'm gd you brought that up, because it's my turn to share. You remember Alma? The girls mentioned her several times."

  "Their uh, aunt, right?" He asked, "Dimyri did mention her before."

  "Well perhaps KuliKuli's idea about finding their clutter wasn't one of pure faith. That hunter Leone let it slip that their clutter was alive."

  "But how do we know where to find them? He may be holding them prisoners or under his control." Felix pointed out.

  "Which is why I consulted with Vardare!" Janette loudly excimed, pulling out the old magic book from her bag. "And he expined that they were never fully caught. As it turns out, Alma and her group are in hiding somewhere in the same jungle surrounding that tower."

  "The tower that they were heading for!" Felix beamed, connecting the dots as she nodded enthusiastically. His cheerfulness slowly dropped when he realized something else. "But... I was ready, or rather I am ready to follow them, but Nihja did say something truthful. I am no more than a farmhand. I can't fight, you saw what good I was there. I refuse to sit by and let them take my family away, but we need more than just us three."

  "Good of you to include me." Reta slipped in unbeknownst to them, raising her chin. "You are a poor fighter indeed. Lackluster, dimwitted, and slow!"

  Felix sunk his head with an apologetic look.

  "Which is why I will help train you on our way to them." Reta stated, raising his chin and offering a soft smile to him.

  "Thanks, Reta. But... what about your curse?" He asked her, swearing to himself for neglecting her biggest worry.

  Reta passed the scrolls onto his good hand. "Read them. Alphonse gave me enough of a lead, so much so that I believe our journey to meet this Alma might prove fruitful for me."

  "Really?" His smile returned as he gnced at the pages passed to him. "That's great, what do they say?"

  "Read them." She raised her eyebrow, watching him stare bnkly at the scroll before nervously looking back to her. "Chk! Be thankful you have a cute face to hide that empty head, bakayaro."

  "Heh, thanks I guess?" He cocked his head, with Janette shaking hers with a look of disapproval.

  "I'll be teaching you how to read while we are at it." Janette added.

  Reta pnted her hands to her hips. "Now that we are in agreement, are we to leave by nightfall?"

  "Sunrise." Janette stated. "I have a friend that I pn to meet at the Hub, hopefully. I told her to meet me there tonight. For now, it's still noon. We should-"

  "Get some rest, I got it." Felix muttered, "If I hear that again, I swear-"

  Just then, they heard footsteps racing up the stairs when Nihja pushed the door wide open. "Change of pns, get dressed you three. We need to go."

  "What-" Janette stammered out.

  Felix spoke up. "What's wrong?" He asked, feeling eerie when seeing Nihja's worried look.

  "It's Zena, she's not well. You have five minutes." She expined, shutting the door behind them.

  The trio stood there, feeling the tension in the air upon receiving the news.