"Wait, like not at all? Then how have we been talking even this much?"

"Well," my mother says, "she does know a few dozen words, but it's either because they're loan words that eldra common picked up over the centuries or things she specifically looked up to talk to you."

For some reason she smirks at the last part but I ignore her and instead simply say, "Huh."

She decides to strike up a conversation with Lyra – or at least make the attempt, considering my roommate is still attempting to barricade herself against my presence behind her bedclothes – while I rack my brain, trying to think of what it was I was going to ask her…

Ah, right.

"Hey, do you have any idea how I could set up some kind of… I don't know, way to call Shaya and have us see each other, so we can actually talk? It's kind of annoying like this, and I feel like I finally found an actual friend I don't just know through school…"

Mom smiles. "Yes, Sadie. That one's actually really easy… u-comms can't do it because of how they communicate, or so I've been told… it's too complicated to actually move video through the Record itself. But there are runic send-and-receive pairs that can do it, along with a handful of other things… they're pretty expensive though. I'll tell you what, I'll look into it and see if I can find any used sets for a workable price."

"I'd appreciate that, thanks mom."

"Of course, sweetie," she replies with a smile, raising a hand to pat my head.

Which I choose to allow, this time.

"I feel like there's something else I'm forgetting… oh! Wasn't I supposed to get some kind of storage device for attending here or something?"

"I took the liberty of picking yours up on my way in," she say before handing me a small ring, seemingly made of iron with a few glyphs inscribed on it. "It's keyed to my mana, or more specifically anyone related to me, so you should just be able to use it normally."

I take the device and try activating it with my mana, and sure enough I immediately get a feel for what's inside…

A few hundred enni, and a handful of other small tools and trinkets that she probably thought would be useful.

"Thanks again, mom."

While my mother basks in the praise she apparently really enjoys, I can't help but feel like there's still something else…

Oh well, if it's important I'm sure I'll think of it.

After another hour or so of chatting and eventually stopping at the cafeteria, it finally hits me.

"Holy crap, I remember what it was!" I blurt.

"Hm?"

"This thing," I say, retrieving the leaf doll thing from my dimensional storage. "What the heck is this? It was just on top of everything in my bag, did you put it there?"

Mom stares at it for a moment before a smile stretches across her face.

"You little devil," she finally mutters. "You were only there a few months and you still managed to catch yourself a Naiami…"

"Is that what this thing is? A… Naia… Nai…"

Giggling a little she answers, "Naiami, dear. No, that's more an indicator of having one, but I wouldn't worry too much about it for now, I'm sure you'll figure it out. It's a forest elf thing, and regardless of your newer 'changes', you're still half forest elf. Don't forget that, okay sweetie?"

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"Huh. Okay, that doesn't really answer anything but sure."

After finishing our meal – which mom really seems to enjoy for some reason – we say our goodbyes and she heads off, probably toward the transport station. It's been slowly getting later in the day, and I'm sure she has work in the morning.

That was a nice visit.

…

Even if I still have to weather the stares and muttering of my classmates around the large room… it's still not a surprise though. I'd be staring too.

The big, bad, scary hero of the evil god. Apparently the geas didn't prevent people from saying that much, just about the other stuff considering everyone seems to know.

Whatever.

And not a moment later, that weird wolfman wanders in. He takes one look at me, grins as well as a lupine face can manage, and heads right over to take a seat across from me.

"Hey."

"Hey yourself, what do you want?"

He sighs. "I was told to help you, remember? With the way you fight, or at least the way you're equipped, you're definitely not a normal tank… you're more of an off-tank, I'd say. Kind of a hybrid between a melee damage dealer and a defender? You probably wouldn't hold up well against a large group of foes, do you even have any Skills that would attract their attention to keep them off your back line?"

Actually, now that I think of it…

No. I don't. Nothing like that…

And of course Olive chooses now to contribute from her place on the table next to my plate.

(Trust.)

You… want me to trust him? The weird random animal thing that decided I don't have a choice but to party with him?

She actually seems a little bit put off by my reaction, and instead of answering simply nods.

Ugh, fine.

"Ugh, fine. But I'm staying the party leader. You don't get to control me. Nobody gets to control me! Well I guess other than um. Nemesis? Nyx? I can't really do anything against her, she just dragged me around like a ragdoll last time I saw her."

"That's agreeable. I don't want to lead anyway. I just want to fight strong foes, like my teacher. He fights with a greatsword, so I do too."

…

"Alright."

"Alright," he echoes.

…

…

"Maybe you would know… is it normal for, um. Monster people to be heroes?"

He shrugs. "Not entirely. There are a number of us. But, well, I'm not really a monster… I'm a fae. Which I guess is sort of like a monster, but I'm a bit different. Maybe someday I'll tell you how. Anyway, I guess you should know a little about me if we're going to work together."

I snort but he just continues.

"You already know I'm a hero candidate here, but I used to be a demon lord candidate."

"Eh!?" I blurt. "How the hells does that work?"

"Well," he chuckles, "I have… well, connections there. But they said I wasn't a very good fit, since I don't actually want to kill lots of mortals or anything. Or conquer planes or enslave anyone. It's like I said before, I just want to fight strong foes, and the headmaster there said she had a plan for me and sent me here. I think they sent someone from here to there, someone else who didn't really fit in, but I don't know who. Not that it matters. I have a barbarian type Class and focus on the front line."

I nod. "That makes sense I guess."

…

"Alright, well I'm done eating so I'm gonna leave," I say while gesturing at my empty tray. "See you around I guess."

Joy stands with a start. "Ah, wait. You should add me to your party."

Damn. I was hoping he'd forget.

I ignore Olive's mental chastisement as I open the menu on my u-comm and target the wolfman, then initiate a party invite. Which he immediately accepts, because of course he does.

And then we wave goodbye before I wander back to my dorm room, where Lyra is absent - which she is absolutely allowed to be.

I guess I may as well get ready for bed. Classes are actually starting up tomorrow so I should try to be well rested for them. I have no idea what to expect, after all… just a handful of class titles and numbers.

And then as I go to fold my uniform jacket, something small and metal falls from it.

…

Oh, right.

This… is whatever the demon empress put in my pocket.

Taking a closer look, it appears to be some kind of key. She'd said to focus on something though… where I wanted it to open or something?

I absentmindedly point it at the wall between the desks and bunk bed before channeling a bit of mana, and without warning an opaque hole appears in the middle of it.

And of course, I flinch and take a step back.

(Safe.)

Ah, yes. Of course. Safe. It's safe, she says.

…

Oh shit. How could I have forgotten?

Nemesis literally said Olive had been her System Assistant.

So of course she's familiar with whatever this thing is.

Well. If I die then I die I guess.

Without another thought, I stride my way up to the portal and stick a hand through… which of course comes out absolutely fine when I withdraw it, so I hold my breath and step through entirely.

On the other side I'm met by what seems to be a small if well-appointed wooden house, complete with a sitting area, dining area, and a full oven and stovetop by the far wall.

I'm distracted looking at a painting of a castle with the moon in the background when I hear two light footsteps. Startled, I whirl around…

To find an immaculate maid who is currently offering a deep curtsey.

…A gorgon maid, at least from the scales and snakes in place of hair.

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