Unknown Location

  In a remote area inside the woods near a river there was a fine maintained cottage with a working water mill at its side.

  In a small radius from the structure trees had been chopped down and the area had been curated into a garden, a wooden fence seemed in the works.

  Inside the cottage across the fireplace was an modest old looking gray armchair, some of its numerous patch jobs still visible due to an half finished green wool cover leaving them exposed to the eye.

  It’s current occupant had decided the best way to sit on such piece of furniture was sideways, their feet covered with cozy looking socks, striped with green and dark blue were hanging from the armrest

  “So she’s interfering?” a female voice with lisp had asked, seemly talking to the air as she made gestures going along with her speech “Shouldn’t we stop her? It seems she’s digging up stuff that shouldn’t be dug up just yet”

  “Not now?” she seemed incredulous, responding to conversation that couldn’t be heard “Whatever you think best, you are the rational one after all” then she added “but I still don’t get how that fuzzy thing you gave me is going to stop me from splitting”

  “I see your still got your beak clamped on that one” she giggled before turning serious “Anyway how is our little problem doing? Do we still have time?”

  “fine, fine, you will deal with that and while I have to stop playing house so much” she responded sounding quite annoyed before she let out a groan

  “I wish I could just take a nap and not bother about this” she complained, in that moment the tip toe of paws running on the wooden floor could be heard then a weight got on her stomach and settled down

  “ugh at the least it keeps me warm at night” the increased warmth made her sleepy “just a quick nap” soon double snores could be heard.

  Main Dinning Room

  Veronique had never been more happy then to drink her special tea, anything to damp down that mana of hers, yet she could have sworn it tasted different.

  Less disgusting and way more pleasant to drink.

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  “Something wrong with your tea?” the Duke had asked giving her an inquiring look

  “No your Lordship, I was just surprised it actually tasted better then usual” Veronique was quick to answer him before he got the wrong idea.

  “Strange I wasn’t aware the herbalist had changed anything” Duchess Lucretia had wondered out aloud exchanging a worried glance with the Duke

  “Maybe I am just getting used to the taste?” Veronique tried to diffuse the atmosphere with an excuse, fearing that the Duke would fire the herbalist for forgetting to inform the Duchess

  “That could be it” he seemed to accept the excuse “But if you feel off, be free to go to Dr Copperfold”

  “I will sir” Veronique agreed, even if she had no intention to bother Dr Copperfold ‘I feel fine’ she thought to herself

  “Did the calming tea work last night?” Duchess Lucretia had asked sounding concerned for her

  “Yes I slept like a baby” it was the truth but not the full one ‘I not sure it was because of the tea’ Veronique did have nights where she just slept, they usually came when she was the most exhausted so she couldn’t really tell.

  “That’s nice to hear” the Duchess had said glancing towards Rhea for confirmation, who just nodded in response

  ‘Am I that bad a lying?’ Veronique feared the answer would be yes.

  Or maybe they merely didn’t trust her.

  She couldn’t tell which was worse.

  Ivan Doppelganger’s Study

  It was weird to go to Skill lessons alone, but Veronique wasn’t that sad about it if anything there was some relief in knowing she couldn’t accidentally hurt anyone in case she messed up.

  “So since we got a bit of privacy, what are your nightmares about kid?” Doppelganger had exclaimed taking her out of surprise

  “My nightmares?” Veronique had repeated dumbfounded

  “Yes, I told you it would be easier if you talked about them, didn’t I?” the teacher had reminded her and he would be right

  “Er shouldn’t we focus on mana control?” the redhead tried to divert the conversation, having no intention of talking about her nightmares ‘how in the world could I even explain them to him?’

  “A restless mind is the number one enemy against any sort of control, so spill” Ivan wouldn’t bulge and insisted on it

  “Spill?!” Veronique echoed his words feeling mildly irritated by his casual speech ‘wait what? No I am turning in a noble snob’ she was horrified to notice

  “Yes spill, there is nobody but us there” Doppelganger had insisted, unaware of the redhead new inner turmoil

  “My guards could be eavesdropping from behind the door” Veronique tried to argue, anything to dissuade the man

  “They could try, but they would hear nothing” Ivan had declared completely sure of himself

  “What?! how?” she had asked completely taken off guard

  “I made this room sound proof, so I repeat again spill” the man had explained in short still not leaving the proverbial bone

  ‘Of course it was magic, sorry Skills’ Veronique had thought then had an idea “Wait did you make those too?” she had asked holding up the toy labyrinth, hoping to trick him into talking on how he made them so that he would forget about this whole nightmare thing

  “Yes I did, why do you think I have so many at hand?” he curtly said and for a moment Veronique was sure she had succeeded in her intent, but then he added fixing her up with a frown “now stop stalling and start talking kid” he had totally caught on her intentions

  “What if I am not comfortable with telling you?” Veronique had said playing her last card

  “Then you better make yourself comfortable because I won’t teach you till you do” and she got this ultimatum in response

  ‘What the fuck do I do now?’ Veronique was panicking, there was no way she could explain her nightmares without sounding crazy.