"Tsk." Despite her shy attitude, at Himeko's words that she didn't particularly care caused the ghost girl to frown and pout slightly.

"Heh, don't pout Odette." Livia replied. "But...I think it best she come home with us. It wouldn't be too difficult to hide her from the city, and mother doesn't need to know. Ghosts are rather difficult to track after all." Livia chuckled. At the offer, Odette's eyes brightened significantly, giving Livia a hopeful glance, though she looked like she was trying not to get too excited.

"Well," Charlotte sighed, pulling her cloak back around her as she started walking. "Lets get back before evening. All these ghosts are about to shatter my understanding of the physical world." Not that she was scared of the dark or anything, of course. There was only a few plants that could be found blooming at night, after all...but she wasn't so good where her eyes couldn't see.

"Charlotte's cute but she's got a rather...grating personality, doesn't she? But that's okay, it makes her more fun to tease." Livia teased, causing the alchemist to flinch at the comment, only to harrumph and continue walking with a mild blush on her face. Livia followed shortly afterwards, though she still seemed mildly unwell and Odette followed closely behind.

---

It didn't take them too much longer to return to town. With Livia's help, they had little trouble getting in and once so, it was a short trip back to their manor. Odette made herself scarce, though easily followed them from a distance. It was easy enough for a ghost to remain unseen. Once at the front door, Livia entered and they were greeted by the smiling face of Marise.

"Oh, sister...welcome back. Did everything go well?" She asked. "Himeko, Charlotte."

"Yes, we've returned. I believe everything went well. Well enough at least." Himeko said as she entered right behind Livia. The place was glamorous as always. For humans at least. They had a thousand years before they could match the aesthetic eye of the Tengu. "We've made a new friend I think. In addition, now it's your turn to help us, Livia. We had a deal of course. Tell us what you know of Harena and... Or take us to someone who does." She seemed her usual demanding self.

"Of course, of course." Livia sighed. "The library has a vast array of knowledge." Livia walked in, sighing tiredly as Marise greeted the two of them. "I'm sure Marise would love to accompany you there."

"Sister," Marise sighed, giving Livia a displeased look. "You're the one who offered to help them in the first place."

"Mhm, I did...but I am not feeling well. Charlotte helped a little, but After that I need to rest a bit." Livia turned, starting to walk calmly back up the stairs to her room.

"I see," Marise frowned. "Do get some rest then, sister. I shall bring some tea up later if you won't be down for dinner within the next hour or so." Marise then turned to her guests, smiling again. "I do apologize. She gets tired easily if she expends too much of her magic." Truthfully, Livia played a dangerous game with that. Willfully letting a spirit possess you? It was a unique, and quite a creative usage of it but so very dangerous. One could easily lose themselves like that. Well, no matter. She trusted Livia.

"Ahem, anyways, It would be my pleasure to accompany you to the Library...but it would be rude of me to at least not offer you dinner here? It's been a long day and I'm sure after whatever happened you could use some rest - but If you'd like to set off I will accompany you regardless." Marise smiled pleasantly.

"I'm not so hungry myself, but your hospitality is welcome." Charlotte replied. "More importantly...what is wrong with Livia? I aided her a bit with some potions of mine but it seems to be something not entirely physical in nature."

"Mhm, you are correct in that. I...do not wish to speak of it as she would dislike that, but perhaps ask her yourself before you leave if you're curious." Charlotte simply hummed thoughtfully at Marise's reply, looking somewhat troubled before turning to Himeko. She quickly dismissed the thought and turned back to Himeko.

"Well, it's up to you. I vote we get moving sooner rather than later. We can eat elsewhere."

"Hmmm, yes. Please lead on. I've no need for food at the moment, though later is a different story." Himeko agreed with Charlotte. There was no need for food when... Well, it didn't seem like long ago but perhaps it was. She was so busy fighting that she hardly noticed how much time had passed. Still, where her strengths lie is on the battlefield. It would be Charlotte's time to shine here. In fact... Himeko was worried a bit about reading. She couldn't do so. Rather than worry, perhaps she should just believe in the abilities of her partner. "Hmm, Charlotte. On second thought, I doubt I could do much in terms of reading. On account of being from far-far away."

"Ah, very well." Marise seemed a bit sad that they turned down their hospitality but didn't complain too much. She put on her usual smile, grabbing a coat hanging on a rack near the foyer. A simple dark cloak that covered most of ones body. "Shall we be off then? I am not familiar with the Library as my sister but I shall help to the best of the ability. Perhaps we can eat out? I'd love to speak a bit more when my sister isn't instigating anything." Marise giggled, turning to Himeko. "And...if you want, I can try teaching you a little, Himeko. If you're looking for ancient civilizations it would be good to at least learn to read their language, no?" She opened the door again, stepping out into the streets.

"But a thought for later, hmm? The library isn't too far away."

Marise kept a brisk pace, Charlotte followed the oldest Fiore sister through the streets, the sun sinking low in the sky as noon came and went. She had spent longer helping the sisters than she'd have liked, but such was a fair trade of information. For the most part, they had no trouble moving. With Marise leading them none of the guards questioned what they were doing or who they were.

Once arriving at the 'library' Marise was halted by two guards in front of the building. To say it looked unimpressive was something of an understatement for Charlotte. Just a two story building in a rather nondescript part of town, next to a massive fortress of sorts that seemed to be the headquarters for the guard. After talking with the guards for a moment, they moved aside and let Marise and them pass, though not before giving Charlotte and Himeko a few cold stares.

"...not a very warm welcome." Charlotte grumbled as she stepped into the building. She made a beeline for one of the shelves, frowning mildly. "At least they seem like they're good at being organized." The interior was small, with high shelves and somewhat cramped aisles between them, lit only by windows and the occasional candle. "This place...isn't exactly a friend of scholarly pursuits, are they?" She grumbled as Marise started talking to a book keeper sitting behind a desk. "Hmph...see anything like that symbol of yours, Himeko?"

---

"Odette, you can come out now." Livia sighed tiredly as she walked into her room, almost having falling onto the bed had it not been for Odette helping her sit on it. "I really over did it a bit..." She grumbled holding her head, taking a few seconds to just breathe and get her body back under control. Odette sat on the bed next to her, fidgeting in a worried manner as she tried to think of something to say or do, only to fail entirely and simply end up staring.

"Don't worry so much about me," Livia grunted. "More importantly...that shade of yours." Odette wilted at the words, holding a hand to her mouth as she frowned.

"...sorry..." She replied quietly.

"It will come back unless I permanently separate it from your soul. You can't hide from that thing."

"...I know..."

"This symbol?" Himeko questioned, pulling out the piece of cloth she had picked up. "I... Don't know." To be fair, she hadn't even searched yet. She moved around the place, looking at some books. Nothing she could read of course. It was a lot of unrecognizable text. Soon enough, her eye caught something as she rapidly pulled books out slightly and pushed them back. It looked like the symbol... Similar. But not quite. "Oh! Charlotte. Look at this one?"

---

Katherine had decided to take it easy for most of the night. Livia went to the graveyard again so when she learned the girl returned, she couldn't help but go bother her. "Welcome back, Livia darling. Did you want me to get someone to put tea on?" Katherine said as she barged into the room. There was no reason not to. They were sisters.... Well, sort of. Her eyes caught something odd though. "What's this? Bringing a beauty into the house and not introducing me? Tsk tsk." Her eyes wandered to Livia, noting her issues. "Guess this isn't just you trying to bring a woman home. Well, not that you were interested in that mostly anyhow. Need help?"

"Hmm..." Charlotte walked over, taking a quick look at the symbol. "No good. This part is different from the one you have." She replied, pointing to one of the parts of the symbol. She took the item from Himeko, running her hand across the piece of cloth and studying it intently. Fairly new cloth, not old, at least from what she could tell without actually taking a sample and dating it. So then why was this related to Harena, then? It couldn't be new, if it was. It had to have been older unless someone made it recently and left it...but to what end?

Wordlessly, Charlotte took the piece of cloth with her as she walked down the aisles, scanning the shelves for any mention of the old country. History of the city, a book on math, a bestiary of sorts...and a book titled 'how to pick up fair maidens'? What was that doing here? She had half a mind to read it to see if the title was a ruse, but decided against it.

"Hm, we'll likely have to dig a bit. Look for books relating to the history of the world." Charlotte said removing a book from the shelf and thumbing through it. "Perhaps find something about runic languages or occult symbols. I can read and speak a number of dead languages so if you run across something that might need translating, do tell."

If she had told herself she'd be doing unscientific things with a non-human, Charlotte would have told you that you were crazy a week ago.

Meanwhile, Marise was waiting patiently near the front of the library. She wanted to help, but she wasn't entirely sure if she could here. History and academia were not her forte. That was her sisters. Her's was earth-based magics and politics.

---

"Tsk, tea sounds lovely, sister." Livia replied with a tired sigh, giving her sister a mildly playful smirk. "And who knows, maybe Odette and I have that sort of relationship." Livia teased. Odette merely blushed heavily at the thought, using Livia as a shield between her and Katherine, unconsciously pressing her rather ample chest into the smaller girls back. "Or am I not allowed to have a little fun either?" She mused, leaning into Odette. For a ghost, she could make herself relatively physical and quite the comfortable pillow. "But no, thank you Sister. I am fine. Just a bit of rest and I'll be back to normal by dinner."

"Hello..." Odette quietly greeted Katherine.

"Odette, this is Katherine...she's my sister. Katherine, this is Odette...a permanent guest here starting today, if she feels so inclined."

Himeko scratched her head. Charlotte remembered that she couldn't read a word of whatever language this was, right? She could speak it. That was easy. "Charlotte. I'm just going to look over here..." She said, walking back to Marise. The girl seemed to be in a similar boat to her. "I've no inkling on the script. If this were the writing back home, that'd be a different story."

---

At the words of "Tea would be lovely" a couple of dolls would entire and offer a cup to all parties in the room and bring the kettle to pour the liquid. "I never implied that you're not allowed, dear sister, but I am merely suggesting that it tends to be out of character for you to bring normal guests along. Katherine stated. She quickly turned to Odette and gave a curtsy. "Welcome to our home Odette. I hope you enjoy your time here." She added. After, she looked over the figure of the ghost, "Oh, what another beautiful face to gaze upon. Perhaps it would be apt to call you an ethereal beauty. Still, if you two don't have that sort of relation and you wish to have Livia as your sister-in-law I'd be more than willing to help." Katherine added, before grabbing her cup of tea from the doll and sipping it.

"...Fine," Charlotte sighed. "I'll look myself." She was at least hoping Himeko could use that brain of hers to maybe find something helpful, but if she was going to leave her to do it herself, that was fine too. She was used to it. Charlotte soon disappeared behind the bookcases, pulling down some books and other things that looked relevant.

"Ah, Himeko," Marise greeted the Tengu brightly. "Didn't find anything relevant? Though, I suppose it might be hard since you don't know to read the script used here." She mused. "Leaving it to Charlotte then?" The blond leaned against the desk lightly as she studied the Tengu. "Perhaps you can tell me of the land you come from in the meantime?"

---

"S-sister in law?!" Odette stammered out, a faint blush overcoming the ghost girls face and causing her to shrink behind Livia a bit.

"Don't tease her dear," Livia said nodding a brief thanks to the ghosts. She cast a glance to the ghost quietly. "She's had a rather difficult day as well...and it seems you might have embarrassed the poor thing a bit." She chuckled, Odette seeming a bit wary of Katherine now. "Besides, I think I like her as mine, dear sister." Livia offered her sister a playful smirk as she took anotehr sip of the tea that had been offered to her.

"L-livia?!" Odette blushed harder, hiding her face behind her hands a bit.