"(Why is she here, so deep into the night)"
Naki's gaze fixated on Bisky to ensure she didn't try any sudden movements.
She grinned, "hehe, I'll bet a lot's goin' on in ya head rite now"
"But don't be afraid, I mean you no harm."
Naki examined her body language, she doesn't appear nervous or anxious.
Then, a transparent dark green interface appeared before Naki.
>-- Devil Trait Active: 'Crow's Visage' --<
"(A trait? Crow's Visage? I remember this is one of the traits Lohki's path unlocks)"
His vision expanded, and he could see every detail in a wide radius.
Every leaf swaying in the light breeze,
Every critter crawling in the dirt,
but most importantly, he could see Bisky's aura waves, colored aubergine.
"(Is that her aura wave? They appear steady, she's probably speaking the truth or a very good actor.)"
"Hmmm?" Bisky tilted her head with a sly smile. Naki had been staring at her for a while.
"(Either way, this trait is already proving useful, I will have to explore more when I get back. For now)"
Naki calmed himself, "...hmph," he pulled his hand away from the sword's hilt.
"You are up awfully late for a student, Bisky."
"Heh, what can I say, a certain instructor and his black flames kept me up all night."
Naki's sigil flickered; it found Bisky's interest intriguing.
"Although...there's a tinsy bitsy problem"
Her cheeky grin faded, her eyes narrowed, and her whole demeanor flipped
"What were you doing with that treacherous witch?" Her weird mannerism of talking was replaced with one of malice.
Naki frowned, "(Treacherous witch? Is she referring to Habiki?)"
Bisky's eyes peered into Naki's, she didn't flinch
Naki didn't flinch either, and for a few seconds, silence fell.
Then Bisky toned down the tension and grinned again, closing her eyes.
"Hehe, you really should see the look on ya face rite now. pfft" she snorted, covering her mouth to suppress her laughter.
Naki watched her in confusion, "(First Habiki and now her. What is with these girls and double personas?)" he thought.
"Anyways, what you and prez do is none of my biz, see? I'm just 'ere to request a fave from ya teach," she said
"And this favor couldn't wait till tomorrow?" Naki asked calmly.
"As they say, make hay while the sun iss'up and all that, or in our case, a full moon," she grinned, pleased with her own word play.
"(A favor huh, I can use this to my advantage in the infiltration mission. However, I can't come across as obvious or she might suspect something)"
"(I should make sure I hold control of the situation. In that case-)"
Naki sighed, "Tell me about this favor tomorrow, I'm exhausted."
He turned around, pretending to leave
"Teach! wait! I promise it won't take y'er time, it's merely a request!"
She said, running up to Naki.
"Go back to your room, Bisky. I dunno all the rules, but I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be awake past midnight," he said, with no intention of stopping
But he was forced to when Bisky grabbed him, pressing his arm against her chest.
"Hm?"
"Pretty please, teach? won't you lend this desperate damsel ya ear for just a few secs?"
She teased Naki even more by subtly rubbing his arm with her bosom.
"(She's a vixen, isn't she... I have to avoid any funny ideas right now.)" Naki hastily pulled his hand away and turned around.
"Fine, I'll listen to this request," he conceded.
"Yeaaahhh!! you're like, di best teach" she jubilated.
"(Hehe works everytime. You men are too easy)"
Naki sighed.
Then,
She took a step back, "So, I was like, hoping you'll meet me on the roof tomorrow when lessons are over. I'll explain my favor then."
"Rooftops? Why there?" Naki asked
"We need to speak like in private and all that, see? so like umm, walls have ears and stuff and like we need to be all alone... talk about you know, naughty things and like, do some-"
"Fine, I get it." Naki interrupted her before she made things worse with her innuendos.
"Hehe, Sweet! Thanks teach! I'll see you there!"
She playfully blew Naki a kiss. "Good night," and then started returning.
"Huhhh, how exhausting." Naki, turning his back to leave, was interrupted.
"Oh, and one more thing!" Bisky said
"Hm?"
"I wouldn't fraternize with that witch if I were you." Her stern and malicious tone returned.
Naki frowned once again. "What do you mean?"
"She's the type to discard those she no longer has any use for."
"(You don't say...)" Naki pondered.
"...sounds like you 2 were close." he played a phrase similar to what he once asked Habiki.
He wanted to get a reaction from her, to learn of her standing in their relationship.
"..." she paused for a while, before responding, "Close, you say? hm-hm-hm" she chuckled.
"I was once close to Habi, yes." Then her hand curled into a strong grip, her face twisted into a vicious frown.
"But not to this impostor witch that wears her like a bloody coat!" she threatened.
"(Imposter witch? wait, could it be she knows about Keifa???)" Naki contemplated in shock.
Then he recalled Habiki's bell, and Keifa overcoming her back in the training hall.
"(No, I shouldn't rush to conclusions yet)"
Then Bisky calmed herself, "You have been warned".
With that, she left the instructor's retreat. Naki watched, thinking.
"(hmm, it's clear they have some kind of history.)"
<><><>
[Habiki] "It's a long story, but Bisky and I...we're not exactly on friendly terms."
[Bisky]"I was once close to Habi, yes. But not to this imposter witch that wears her like a bloody coat."
<><><>
"(Whether this will work for or against me, remains to be seen.)"
"(For now I should return, before any more troublesome faces show up)"
Naki exhaled and returned to his room.
Meanwhile, in the Academy Grounds
As soon as Bisky left the instructor's retreat, she spotted someone in front of her.
It was the other delinquent girl at Emile's party.
Slightly taller, rough curly brown hair, with a face full of piercings; nose, ears, eyelids, she didn't hold back with the fierce girl look.
"Huh? Oh, sis. It's you," Bisky said, walking to her.
"How did it go?" she asked.
Bisky's gaze hit the floor, "...the witch got to him first," she hesitantly replied.
The sister frowned, "I see...that's a shame. The president has been a thorn in our path for far too long."
Bisky cowered; her sister's voice, her whole mood, scared her.
"Perhaps it's time to get rid of her, permanently," she said, about to leave
"N-no!!! Sis, wait!"
"Hmm?" she paused per Bisky's request.
"I have a plan to get the relic, we don't have to hunt Ha-, the witch!"
Bisky blurted forcefully, her words were not entirely convincing as her sister's eyes narrowed in on her.
She was skeptical, and Bisky's body language was helping her case.
"...You do know Emile needs this relic before the end of the upcoming magic competition next week, yes?" she asked
"I-I know, I promise I will get it then! Please just convince him to give me more time."
The sister stood silent briefly, then closed her eyes
"You have one more day. Return with the relic or the deal is off." Her voice was cold and precise, unlike her Bisky; she didn't mince her words.
"Is that clear?"
Bisky nodded, "I understand. Thank you, sis."
Saying nothing else, the sister left the grounds.
Bisky exhaled softly and stared up at the full moon.
"(I promise, I will get my hands on divinity... I will become more than you ever were Habi, and then-)"
Her brows curled, nerves tense on her face
"(The pain you put me through, I will ensure to return it, tenfold!)" her grim plan garnered resolve.
The next day
Kingdom Town - Listeria Guild Block
Isla had arrived in the area
"Once again, the clues lead me here," she muttered and smiled. "It's as busy as ever."
That it was, as civilians had beaming smiles on their faces, chatting about, playing street games, kids playing hoverboard ball - a popular sport in the kingdom, other merchants advertising their talismans and relics to potential buyers.
It was a busy town, but Isla was a busy woman and had not time to dally.
"I should make my way to the guild."
"Need to stay up to date with any developments before planning my next move."
She gracefully carried herself towards the guild house.
"Hm?"
There was a problem.
She spotted a big crowd in the entrance, and random chatter filled the air.
"What's going on?" She whispered, closing in to catch the occasion.
'Weren't they just here yesterday?'
'Yes, they seemed strong too'
'They helped with one of our troublesome A-ranked quests, too. What could have happened?'
Isla caught wind of some of their idle talk, and immediately her face tensed up.
"(Don't tell me!)" She feared it was Lucille's doing
"Excuse me, excuse me please." She pushed through the crowd to the center of the incident.
Having emerged from the front row, she saw it.
The roughed up party of Irauki, his colleagues, and the driver.
They had bruises, cloaks tainted with blood from injuries. They had been roughed up real bad, and most of them lay prone on the floor.
It was far beyond what they faced from Naki; something had happened on their return trip.
"What happened?"
Isla ran up to them, trying to examine their bodies for any signs of life.
She moved from the female mage to the male
"Hey! hey! Come on, wake up!"
She shook him repeatedly, as the crowd chatter increased.
"(I can feel their life essence they aren't death yet but they're deeply hurt)" She looked worried, then a voice said
"The...demon...of black flames...on the road..." the voice murmured, it came from Irauki
"Uh! You're awake! Talk to me! What happened!?" Isla ran up to him
"Be...beware...the demon of black flames..." he said and lost consciousness.
"(Demon of black flames...it can't be! am I already too late?)"
Isla's heart pounded; black flame meant Gehenna's flames to her, and Lucille's involvement.
The prospect of the rogue soul being tied to Lucille, the sensation she got back in Ampha, she felt traces of it on the beat up party in front of her.
The signs were there, "Oh gods...I'm too late," she whispered in agony.