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With the class dissipating, Jorah decided he’d make himself scarce for a while until meeting up with Clarissa later, offering some nondescript farewell and slipping out of the classroom. The afternoon sun did uncharacteristically little to lighten his mood, and while he didn’t usually mind wandering aimlessly in search of entertainment, he wasn’t used to being so [i]bothered[/i] by it. Leaning on a pillar, he glanced around the courtyard and adjoining corridors for anything to take his mind off the increasingly annoying mire raging in the back of his head. There was a bit of a commotion going on not too far off; maybe he could go find whatever that was? The excitement of some students that hadn’t just limped back from battle might lift his spirits again, and he figured it was probably better than waiting around near the Rose Unit classrooms - after all, he was pretty sure if he saw Kayden again before he managed to cool off, it wouldn’t end well for either of them, and he’d already marked his face up enough already. 

[color=gray]“I hear Lady Arianthe’s at the cathedral! We should hurry!”[/color]

Kaira watched the pair of students hurriedly run by, her eyes following them until they landed on the church. Her hand reached up and touched her ribbon, holding it nervously. After a few seconds, she dropped her hand, intent on getting as far away from the church as possible. Maybe she could retreat to the marketplace or the greenhouse? Anywhere was fine, she just needed to go before any of the clergy came looking for her.

As the thought crossed her mind, Jorah entered her peripheral vision. Despite her initial hesitance, she ended up approaching him. [color=palegreen]“Hey—ah, hello, I…”[/color] She stumbled over her words, unable to form a sentence until she managed to get something cohesive out. [color=palegreen]“Are you headed somewhere?”[/color]

As he pondered over his plans, Jorah suddenly felt the storm inside him start to ebb away, an unnaturally still—yet not unwelcome—calm creeping in to take its place. No sooner did he notice the feeling than Kaira spoke up, the poorly-contained look of worry on her face clashing queerly with the almost oppressively neutral tone of her aura. Jorah couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow at the shocking contrast; Kaira’s calming aura had been a Saintsend in Luin, but it was beginning to occur to him that the extent to which it stretched was just downright [i]odd.[/i]

He remembered himself soon after, calmed enough from his former tumult to offer a charming grin. Conflicted, confused, or otherwise, it would never do to show his bad side to a lady—and he [i]did[/i] like a mysterious woman. [color=FFAB66]“Aside from wherever you’re headed?”[/color] he replied smoothly, placing a hand on his hip. So much for finding the source of the commotion, but he was pretty sure a stroll with Kaira would be a much better use of his time. 

[hider=Tending Roses]For just a split second, Kaira was caught off guard. She was so caught up in her own moment that she plain forgot the type of person Jorah was. Still, her mouth ended up curving into a smile as she let out a genuine laugh, her troubles pushed aside for the moment. 

[Color=palegreen]"And if I told you I was going somewhere you didn't like? Then what?"[/color] She asked him curiously.

Jorah’s smile got a bit more sincere as he watched Kaira sprout one of her own, though to her question he simply shrugged. [color=FFAB66]“I haven’t been here long enough to find the places I don’t like,”[/color] he reasoned airily, [color=FFAB66]“Though you’d have to forgive me for nodding off if you take me to the cathedral.”[/color] 

Slowly shaking her head, Kaira let out a sigh. [color=palegreen]"And here I was, thinking you'd say, 'Anywhere with you is fine'! I'm impressed by your self-restraint."[/color]

Jorah chuckled, crossing his arms over his chest. [color=FFAB66]“Come on, that’d just be re-hashing what I said first!”[/color] he laughed, [color=FFAB66]“If I was that repetitive I wouldn’t be so popular.”[/color]

[color=palegreen]"I'll take your word for it; you're the expert, after all,"[/color] Kaira seemed to agree. She had another comment on the tip of her tongue, but the words died in her throat as a few guards got together, speaking in low tones to one another. Her previous worry came back in full force, though she turned her back to them, looping her arm through Jorah's.

[color=palegreen]"I won't be taking you to the cathedral, I'm trying to avoid that place right now, anyway,"[/color] she confessed, lightly pulling him along as she started to walk.

Jorah gave a satisfied nod, and was even more pleased with himself when Kaira looped her arm through his—though that cautious look at those guards was a bit odd. Avoiding the cathedral seemed odd too, not that he was keeping a list. Still, he was happy to let Kaira lead the way, enjoying the soothing balm of her aura as much as the usual cheer of a pretty girl on his arm. 

[color=FFAB66]“Avoiding the cathedral, eh? Seems we have even more in common,”[/color] he commented once they’d cleared out of the guards’ earshot, the pair of them passing under an archway into a more sparsely populated courtyard. [color=FFAB66]“But I thought you people liked it there? Not that I’m complaining.”[/color] 

Kaira tried to find the words to explain things better, albeit she did level a look at Jorah. [color=palegreen]"You people?"[/color] She asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

Jorah mirrored Kaira’s look with an innocent one of his own, shrugging. [color=FFAB66]“You know, nurses, doctors, chirurgeons, all you medical healy people,”[/color] he explained, raising an eyebrow. [color=FFAB66]“Aren’t you all trained by the Church?”[/color] 

[color=palegreen]"Mmm...I'm...a little different than they are, but...I can see it does come off that way, so I can’t blame you entirely for thinking so,"[/color] she said slowly. [color=palegreen]"Most white magic practitioners do tend to come to the Church to train, but I was taught by Lord Asclepius and Lady Arianthe personally since I was a small child."[/color] She frowned as she mentioned the lady, letting out another sigh. [color=palegreen]"But if it were up to her, I'd be put in a room all day with no one to talk to."[/color]

Wow, Lord Asclepius and Lady Arianthe personally trained Kaira? Saints above, did Jorah ever not know who those people were. But it sounded impressive! Although that last part did sink his spirits just a touch, his brow furrowing at Kaira. 

[color=FFAB66]“Well, we couldn’t have that,”[/color] he told her, [color=FFAB66]“I can’t fathom why anyone would want to keep you cooped up all day, away from the world—well, except to keep you away from risky young gentlemen like myself.”[/color] He chuckled and gave her a gentle, reassuring nudge, opting to keep the second (less proper) half of that sentence to himself considering the melancholy look on Kaira’s face. Instead, he added, [color=FFAB66]“So, where [i]are[/i] we going?”[/color]

[color=palegreen]“Risky young gentlemen like yourself are so much more fun than the stuffy Church people, too!”[/color] Kaira joked as she eagerly pulled Jorah along. [color=palegreen]“But if she met you, she would [i]definitely[/i] insist on keeping you away.”[/color]

Looking around, she hummed to herself as she tried to decide where to go. She supposed it didn’t actually matter, did it? They could go to the marketplace, but there were a lot of guards stationed there. Going somewhere private wouldn’t do, either—the guards would probably come knocking the second any of them spotted her going to the dorms. Maybe somewhere with less traffic?

[color=palegreen]“I don’t think you’d be very interested in a pond, so how about the Greenhouse?”[/color] She suggested.

Jorah stood a little straighter, grinning in self-satisfaction. Lady Arianthe would want to keep him away? Well, mission accomplished; Clarissa would be far too impressed if he suddenly became the type of man holy ladies [i]wanted[/i] influencing their tender young apprentices. However, it seemed Kaira herself wasn’t even sure where to go—Goddess, how much did she dislike this woman to work so hard to avoid her? A slight bitterness toyed at the edge of his mood. He didn’t expect to relate to Kaira on that level, but he knew just how that felt. 

[color=FFAB66]“A pond?”[/color] he repeated, shaking his gloomier thoughts away with a grin. [color=FFAB66]“Well, unless it’s of a size to hop over to another continent, then you’re probably right.”[/color] A greenhouse, then? [color=FFAB66]“Derdriu has a large municipal greenhouse, you know,”[/color] he mused as they adjusted their course to the South, [color=FFAB66]“It wasn’t too far from the Roundtable, nearer the docks. Something about the more humid air being good for the plants, I don’t know. But it was really something.”[/color] 

Kaira’s eyes widened a touch, a small spark clearly having been lit. [color=palegreen]“Really?”[/color] She asked, walking just a touch closer. [color=palegreen]“That’s right, you’re from Derdiu, aren’t you? I’ve heard that a lot of the plants around there are some of the most beautiful in all of Fódlan.”[/color]

[color=FFAB66]“Yep; we might not head off the Alliance anymore—much to the Duke’s chagrin—but we Riegans still have Derdriu,”[/color] Jorah joked half-heartedly, sounding more exhausted than anything. But he perked right back up as Kaira continued, eager for the chance to start telling stories—though his fair companion might come to regret it when she found him difficult to stop. 

[color=FFAB66]“But yeah, it’s pretty cool,”[/color] he began, [color=FFAB66]“Derdriu might be a city, but it’s integrated with a ton of plants; there are trees on almost every street, and some grow right out of the middles of houses.”[/color] He smiled fondly, if a little bittersweet. [color=FFAB66]“Gardens are everywhere, too. Some are just full of flowers, and some have fruits and vegetables that people grow for their restaurants or their families—and who get very annoyed when you nab them, by the way,”[/color] he gave Kaira a look, chuckling. 

[color=FFAB66]“But more than that, it’s known for the ocean,”[/color] Jorah continued, the pair of them approaching the end of the courtyards and a set of steps. [color=FFAB66]“It’s called the City of Water, remember. That’s because half of Derdriu expands out into the harbour. The streets eventually become like long stone wharfs—still with markets and houses and stuff on them, like the other streets—and you can either walk along the roads or go between them and [i]under[/i] them with these long, skinny boats. Very handy for slipping nannies,”[/color] he winked. [color=FFAB66]“But it’s really something to see if you’ve never been; I think it’s supposed to be that way because there was no room to expand out the back or something, but I like to say that the city tripped and fell into the sea.”[/color] 

The green haired girl listened intently, hanging on his every word. On the outside, she probably looked like some silly floozie, but really, she was fascinated. He painted a good picture of his home, her head following along to the best of its ability. She couldn’t help a laugh at his comment about slipping away, but otherwise she greatly enjoyed his description.

[color=palegreen]“It sounds beautiful,”[/color] Kaira told him. [color=palegreen]“I wish we had the temperature for more plants like that here, too. Though I will say, our greenhouse is a little unique in that it has something from just about everywhere!”[/color]

The pair reached the entrance of the greenhouse with little issue. No one really gave them more than a passing glance, much to her relief; she wanted to delay going to the Cathedral as long as possible, and it was easier when people weren’t looking for her. Of course, she didn’t want to give them a chance, either, making sure to playfully pull him along. Said greenhouse was a nice size, filled to the brim with a variety of plants as Kaira had mentioned. It was pleasantly warm and surprisingly empty, albeit a small sign indicated that the groundskeeper was taking a small break and would be back.

Releasing Jorah at last, she knelt down as she examined a pair of tiny, barely noticeable bulbs hiding underneath a much grander flower. [color=palegreen]“I bet they’ll bloom before winter comes,”[/color] she said, poking one before standing again. [color=palegreen]“It’s probably not as impressive, but it does bring on the theme of a united Fódlan, just as Lord Asclepius and Ioannis would like. It’s nice and comfy, right?”[/color]

Jorah followed dutifully where Kaira guided him, picking up his step as she sped up toward a tall stone building near the aforementioned pond. The building was gilded with more windows than most, reaching up to the vaulted ceiling with a minimum of interference—aside from the towering silhouettes of strangely-shaped trees and flora. Jorah stayed put when Kaira released him, feasting his eyes: it wasn’t as large as Derdriu’s greenhouse, but no one could deny its beauty.

Looking toward Kaira, he approached behind where she knelt, leaning over with his hands on his knees to peek at what she was looking at. He couldn’t really tell the difference between bulb and soil, but the flower sheltering them drew his eye up along its curves and valleys, until he was able to feast his eyes on the main event of the blossom on top—shockingly like a pretty girl, come to think of it. No wonder they loved getting flowers as gifts!

[color=FFAB66]“Are there any plants here from outside Fódlan?”[/color] he asked eventually, peering around at the foliage. 

Kaira looked around, a finger to her chin. [color=palegreen]“Hmm...I think this one is an Almyran blossom here,”[/color] she pointed to an exotic looking flower that was roughly the side of a hand with five petals, its pink color bleeding into a white background. [color=palegreen]“And there’s a winter rose from Sreng, but I can’t tell them from regular white roses—wait, I [i]think[/i] their thorns are different somehow…?”[/color]

She scrunched her face as she thought, albeit she gave up quickly. [color=palegreen]“Maybe I’ll study botany next, I’ve been looking for a new hobby,”[/color] she mused out loud. [color=palegreen]“Unless you can think of something more interesting?”[/color]

Jorah followed Kaira’s gestures, moving from plant to plant to soak them all in—until the next caught his eye, of course. Almyran blossoms… he almost laughed. So many of his noble compatriots—and many commoners besides—thought of Almyra as a desolate red desert where things only grew on battlefields watered in blood, but Jorah knew better. Enough Almyran travelers slipped into port to wring stories out of, and he’d heard of the flowers in the mountains and the gnarled and twisted trees that lived longer than whole civilizations. The same could be said about every other continent, really. His time on the docks, under the creative moniker of “Torah”, had planted visions in his head of the white sands and crystalline waters of Brigid, and even fantastical landscapes of a Dagda that stretched out three times the size of Fódlan, far larger than the tiny remote island so many thought it to be. Hmm… He had to wonder if anything from Dagda lived in this greenhouse. The one in Derdriu was sadly lacking in that department. Maybe he could ask the groundskeeper one day. 

Of course, more pressing matters arose when Kaira’s voice reached his ears once again. Oh, she made it too easy! With mischief glinting in his eyes, he turned and sauntered slowly toward Kaira, meeting her eye. [color=FFAB66]“Well, I know you must be an expert in anatomy by now...”[/color] he closed in, backing Kaira up against a low wall and leaning over her, a sultry tone on his lips. [color=FFAB66]“...But I could use a lesson.”[/color] 

Kaira’s eyebrows shot up—honestly, she didn’t know why she was surprised, she should have seen that coming. Leave it to him to spin an innocuous question like that! He was a little more forward than she anticipated, especially as he closed the distance. She could hear the bells in the distance ringing, the mischief in his eyes giving her an idea.

[color=palegreen]“A private lesson, perhaps?”[/color] She asked coyly, raising a hand to her chest before she gasped. [color=palegreen]“Oh, we mustn't! What if someone sees? Wouldn’t that be scandalous?”[/color]

Jorah chuckled at Kaira’s antics, admittedly a little excited she didn’t totally balk at his advances. Though, considering he managed to get her to that party last week—and everything that happened after—maybe he owed her some more credit. Whatever, it was a win-win for him!

[color=FFAB66]“Then you may pick your locale, my dear,”[/color] he purred in response, inching ever closer over Kaira. Eventually he had her off balance enough that she had to sit down on the top of the wall, where he could anchor his hands on either side of her, putting their faces within inches of each other. Jorah smiled, drawing his gaze up to meet Kaira’s eyes. [color=FFAB66]“I’m not a picky student.”[/color] 

He wasn’t just forward, he was confident! Kaira might’ve been joking before, but she was [i]definitely[/i] sure Lady Arianthe would do everything in her power to keep Jorah as far away from her as possible. Especially if anyone saw them like this! It really was too bad, up close like this, she could tell he really was handsome. Honestly, she should have put a stop to things before they got here. But she was having too much fun to stop just yet, having to do everything she could to keep her composure. 

The bells finally stopped ringing as Jorah neared, and the sudden change had her accidentally hold onto him so she didn’t outright fall. Her other hand, however, rested on his chest, her eyes never leaving his. She dared herself to get as close as possible, practically feeling his lips brushing hers. Hm, maybe she was a little [i]too[/i] close, her heart was starting to pound so loudly she could hear it clearly in her ears!

Unfortunately for him, the game was over.

Kaira placed both hands on his chest and promptly pushed him away in time for the greenhouse door to open. The smile on her face never wavered, especially as she wagged a finger at him. [color=palegreen]“Ah, ah, ah, that wouldn’t do, now would it?”[/color] She couldn’t help but tease him. [color=palegreen]“We may be around the same age, but you’re still technically my student, you know?”[/color]

Jorah drank in every moment, relishing the slightest brush of Kaira’s lips on his—ah, it just never got old! No number of paramours could dull him to the excitement, and Kaira was no exception. He could feel the heat of her skin on his, tantalizingly close, and leaned in until—

Until she pushed him away?!

Jorah was caught so off-guard that he stumbled back, taking a few steps to regain his footing. Aw, man! His disappointment was palpable, but that didn’t stop the laugh bubbling out of his throat. Damn, she got him! But he’d get her someday, too. And get her back extra for that!

[color=FFAB66]“Aw, but I have so much to learn!”[/color] he theatrically lamented, throwing his arms out to his sides. [color=FFAB66]“And I admire teachers so much; I admire their legs, their hair, their… well,”[/color] he laughed again, trotting back up to Kaira to scoop up her hand and kiss it. [color=FFAB66]“Fine, leave me pining,”[/color] he pretended to pout, though his act was less convincing behind a sizable grin. [color=FFAB66]“I’ll just have to seek comfort and guidance in the arms of Professor Euphemia instead—ooh, and maybe Priscilla as well,”[/color] he joked, winking. 

[color=palegreen]“You have a better chance at getting acquainted with Priscilla, myself, and the stubborn mare in the stables. Mind you, your best chance is with me at one percent,”[/color] Kaira returned his joke with one of her own, cautiously hopping off the wall. Straightening up, she brushed off something from his shoulder. [color=palegreen]“Besides, I’d rather see you pine after me. I get jealous easy, you know.”[/color]

She giggled, ready to chide him once again before noticing that the footsteps that had entered were armored. Her eyes widened as they got closer, albeit she didn’t have to look to know who had entered. The joy in her face evaporated as she turned towards the culprit: a minor knight of the church.

[color=gray]“Miss Kaira, Lady Arianthe requests your presence,”[/color] The knight stated.

Her shoulders dropped considerably, and she looked down at the ground. [color=palegreen]“I see. I’ll be right there,”[/color] she replied.

[color=gray]“She asked that I accompany you to the Cathedral.”[/color]

[color=palegreen]“...very well, then,”[/color] Kaira said quietly. [color=palegreen]“I’ll meet you outside, I just need to finish this lesson with my student. Then I’ll go with you.”[/color]

The knight nodded, clunking away and standing at the now opened door of the greenhouse. Kaira found it incredibly difficult to look up even when she lifted her eyes, albeit after taking in a deep breath, she managed to muster a small smile for Jorah. [color=palegreen]“I’m sorry, it looks like I’ve taken enough of your time,”[/color] she apologized, though she did have yet another mischievous glint in her eye. [color=palegreen]“Unless you’d like to run away together?”[/color]

Mutely watching the exchange, Jorah was puzzled by the sudden shift in tone—not that he [i]felt[/i] it, which was still [i]really[/i] weird, but that he saw it unfold right in front of his face. How bad was this Arianthe woman that Kaira looked so downcast to see her—and that she had to be dragged to see her by knights, no less? Jorah’d been dragged before his father before, but that was usually after he dumped a crate of manure on Duke Goneril or had to be wrestled out of the galley of a trading vessel bound for Brigid. The thought crossed his mind that maybe Kaira was avoiding punishment too, but he simply couldn’t imagine her doing anything worth reprimanding—aside from cavorting around with him, anyway. 

He humoured Kaira with a wry smirk, but trouble was quick to encroach on the back of his mind. So ended his brief reprieve, apparently. [color=FFAB66]“I hear Brigid is lovely this time of year,”[/color] he replied, but stepped back, gesturing with great propriety toward the door. [color=FFAB66]“But I wouldn’t subject you to another ride in those carriages, so I’ll have to postpone the trip until I can get my hands on some Pegasi. Good luck with your teacher,”[/color] he added, offering a more sincere smile. 

Kaira shifted in place nervously, but nodded. [color=palegreen]“Thank you. I’ll see you bright and early!”[/color] She bade him farewell and joined the knight at the entrance, stopping only to greet the groundskeeper as he returned.[/hider]
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Tomai’s office looked more like a miniature library than anything. While one bookshelf matched the desk and was filled to the brim with a myriad of textbooks, the other two looked as if they had been brought in and crammed into the corner, made of a much sturdier wood to hold the impressive amount of bound papers. Said desk was also littered with an assortment of books and loose pages—if they were organized, Lienna wouldn’t be able to tell. 

The man walked straight to the middle of the room and stopped in front of a circle on the floor. He looked back at Lienna for a second, gesturing to her to follow.

[color=red]“This is called a Hanneman device—you hold your hand over it and then it shows you your Crest. Like so,”[/color] He explained as he held his hand over it. The shadow of said hand glowed for a moment, and with a flash, the Crest of Lamine appeared above.

[hider=Peer Review]Lienna shadowed Tomai through the halls of Monastery buildings she hadn’t yet seen, staying close on his heels and feeling distinctly out of place. Only when they finally reached his office did she give him some space, no longer worried about someone ejecting her from a staff building and very much entranced by the scene before her. By the Goddess, even the church in Hima didn’t have so many books! Tomai’s collection dwarfed those of the classrooms by half or more—although she hadn’t been to the library yet so she couldn’t say whether his was the most impressive collection at Garreg Mach, and she figured it probably wasn’t—and while it was all a storm of chaos to her eyes, it still awed her to see so many priceless-looking tomes in one place. And all those papers—had Tomai written them? What if there was a fire? 

Ripping her eyes from the shelves, she approached Tomai’s circle on the floor with much less enthusiasm, holding her arms close to her body and squinting down suspiciously. [color=baa7c7]“It’s inside the floor?”[/color] she asked, tilting her head at the markings. When a Crest—[i]Tomai’s[/i] Crest—flashed to life mid-air, though, her attention was finally dragged from the floor, and she examined the unfamiliar symbol for a moment before it faded from view. 

[color=red]“Within each person’s blood exists an untapped magical source. The origin of this phenomenon is theorized to be the blessings of the Goddess, who bestowed humanity with her gifts. These gifts are known to us as Crests,”[/color] Tomai launched into an explanation almost immediately. [color=red]“Crests flow within our blood and are omnipresent within our magic, and this device reads them. Nowadays, the devices can even tell you if it’s a minor or a major Crest. You can tell by the thickness of the lines of the Crest—if they’re thin, it’s a minor Crest, but if it’s thicker, then it’s a major Crest.”[/color]

He put his hand over it again to give Lienna a chance to see his Crest once again. Amid the wispy magical lines, the Lamine Crest was thick and bright before it faded away. [color=red]“I have the Major Crest of Lamine, as you can see,”[/color] He clarified. [color=red]“Any questions? Is this all clear to you?”[/color]

Tomai always seemed to have an explanation handy, though Lienna would keep it to herself that despite the professor’s great knowledge and expertise, her eyes started to glaze over a little every time he went into that dictionary tone of voice. Luckily, it seemed she got the short version: she already knew Crests were blessings from the Goddess laced in people’s blood, and the fact that the machine could determine the magnitude of a Crest was neat. She had to wonder how people could differentiate Major and Minor Crests before the machines were upgraded, but that would open a whole line of inquiry into pre-Hanneman Crest detection that she wasn’t really too concerned about at the moment. 

She watched the second demonstration closer, noting the thickness of the lines in the symmetrical Crest before it faded away. Simple enough, she supposed. 

[color=baa7c7]“Clear enough,”[/color] she conceded, slowly extending her hand over the circle, [color=baa7c7]“as long as it doesn’t want to test my blood by drawing any.”[/color] 

[color=red]“I do the bloodwork separately, my equipment hasn’t come in yet,”[/color] Tomai brushed off the comment, gesturing to her to continue. There was an additional comment he wanted to make, but it died in his throat as the Crest appeared. For a few seconds, he said nothing, simply staring at the spot where the Crest had come to life. Once he moved, though, he strode over to his desk, rummaging through the drawers to pull out an elaborate quill and ink. He snatched a torn page and placed it on the desk, quill skirting over it, and once he was finished, he held up the Crest that had appeared.

[color=red]“The Crest of Indech. One of the Four Saints that fought alongside Seiros during the War of Heroes,”[/color] he stated, weary. [color=red]“Not Gautier.”[/color]

Lienna winced at the bloodwork comment, but her attention was quickly monopolized when the Hanneman machine flashed to life. Her eyes widened as the symbol in the air before her became clear, and a stone dropped in her stomach: not the familiar, lance-bearing circle she knew to be the Crest of Gautier, the image floating before her was instead a thick-lined symbol resembling a staff with downward-falling antlers—one that, now that she saw it, was eerily reminiscent of the rune she’d seen flash before her in her battle at the caravan.

She snatched her hand back as if she’d been burned, confusion and dread written all over her face as the supposed Crest faded back to nothing. She shook her head mutely for a moment, trying a few times before she could speak. [color=baa7c7]“No, no— that’s the [i]rune[/i] I saw in battle, not my Crest. Your machine is broken,”[/color] she insisted feebly, looking at Tomai and hoping this was all some cruel trick he was playing. 

[color=red]“That’s your Crest,”[/color] He corrected her as he placed the scrap onto a candle, waiting until it caught on fire before disposing of it. [color=red]“We could check with the cathedral’s device, but I can’t guarantee any privacy.”[/color]

He rubbed his chin as he thought to himself for a moment. [color=red]“I don’t think you have too much to fear, Major Crests are highly desirable and rare to see,”[/color] Tomai threw that much out loud. [color=red]“I’m sure your intended wouldn’t mind.”[/color]

Her shock starting to subside, Lienna turned on Tomai with a look that could have frozen water before ripping her gaze back to the Hanneman machine in the floor, staring it down as if to intimidate it into cooperation. Her intended [i]wouldn’t mind,[/i] he said! Hadn’t she just finished explaining to him that she was about to marry into the single most Crest-selective family in Faerghus, who needed not just any Crest, but [i]their[/i] family Crest to continue their tradition of squabbling with Sreng? The Crest of Gautier was the only Crest in the world that could guarantee her position! Without the Crest of Gautier, she might as well have none; she’d be passed over in a moment for the heiress of some [i]real[/i] family who at least had money and soldiers to offer as a dowry, if not a Crest. 

Lienna shook her head once more, stubbornly crossing her arms. [color=baa7c7]“I have a document signed by a Deacon attesting to the Minor Crest of Gautier,”[/color] she reminded Tomai, [color=baa7c7]“and a second test in Hima besides. And the only other Crests within a thousand miles are Fraldarius and Blaiddyd; ah, that’s it!”[/color] she exclaimed sarcastically, [color=baa7c7]“Maybe I should just reveal myself as a distant relative of the King, if we’re content to go with any old Crest.”[/color] She scoffed, waving her hand over the machine again. The same Crest—the Crest of Indech, [i]apparently[/i]—flashed before her again, earning itself a nasty look in the process. 

Tomai listened, more amused than anything, albeit he matched her scowl at the end. [color=red]“The Crests of the Saints haven’t really bled into the Faerghian Royal Family for some centuries, and even then, Queen Eloise had a Minor Crest of Cethleann. Though, despite a majority of the Saints’ Crests manifesting in those from Adrestia, it isn’t entirely uncommon to hear them all over Fódlan,”[/color] He explained, circling back over to his desk. [color=red]“Also, you’ve forgotten about the Crest of Daphnel. If you’re marrying into the Gautier family, I kindly suggest studying some geography so you know of their allies. I think a Galatea is attending in your unit, too.”[/color]

The urge to throw something at Tomai was growing, but Lienna largely ignored his long-winded and point-missing retort in favour of glaring down the Hanneman machine. The professor might have been irritatingly confident in his machine, but Lienna was equally sure of her position: it was impossible. Machines could break, they could miscalculate surely, but she couldn’t think of any possible way for a Crest other than Gautier or [i]maybe[/i] Fraldarius to make it all the way up to balls-frozen [i]Hima.[/i] What little bits she could piece together about her mother didn’t paint a flattering picture, but what manner of far-flung vagabond would she have had to find for an [i]Adrestian[/i] Crest to wind up in her family tree? 

[color=baa7c7]“So what explains my readings in Faerghus, then? Do you think I’m lying?”[/color] she asked accusingly, pacing around the circle on the floor in thought. She began repeatedly waving her hand over the circle, as if enough repetition would change the result. [color=baa7c7]“Or do you think two different machines were wrong? I mean, they probably weren’t one of these new fancy major/minor-detecting ones, but they were still—”[/color] 

Lienna cut herself off mid-sentence when the next result of the machine flashed to life before her, this time in a wholly different configuration than before: a circular marking with outcroppings on either side like lances held aloft, drawn in the air in thin, wispy lines. The Minor Crest of Gautier, just as it should have been all along. Her vision swam from the wave of relief that rushed over her, but she still managed the breath for an indignant, [color=baa7c7]“Ha!”[/color]

Watching until the marking faded just to be sure, Lienna then turned back to Tomai, raising her chin triumphantly. [color=baa7c7]“See? I told you. Your machine is broken.”[/color] 

Tomai’s assurance practically evaporated as the second Crest came up—as the [i]correct[/i] Crest appeared. His expression was blank, baffled at the revelation. After a few seconds, he slowly walked back around, trying to think.

[color=red]“It isn’t broken. It’s...I made this prototype myself,”[/color] He uttered, finally breaking his silence. [color=red]“I refined the process, corrected previous theories—it isn’t broken.”[/color] He repeated, more to himself than Lienna. [color=red]“My theories are foolproof, there aren't any mistakes when it comes to the Hanneman devices. It’s been [i]centuries[/i]—”[/color]

He caught himself, shaking his head. [color=red]“There are explanations and science to explain this,”[/color] He stated, much more assured this time. [color=red]“If the machine is wrong, then I’m going to find out why. And you’ll be my ever faithful guinea pig.”[/color]

More than a little satisfied that it was finally [i]Tomai’s[/i] turn to be flustered, Lienna was about to retort that the “explanation and science behind this” might be that his [i]machine was broken[/i] when his “guinea pig” comment caught her off guard. [color=baa7c7]“Excuse me?”[/color] she blurted out, taking a step back as she bristled, [color=baa7c7]“If you think you’re going to stick me full of needles and Goddess only knows what else—”[/color] 

[color=red]“You’re forgetting that this little hiccup has just as much to do with you as it does with me,”[/color] Tomai cut her off, gesturing to the ashes of his drawing. [color=red]“What’s to say that it’s only this machine that’s wrong? What if Count WhatsHisFace wants to check one last time for your Crest, and Indech’s comes up instead of Gautier?”[/color]

Lienna’s response died in her throat at that, the girl reluctantly crossing her arms in thought. Could that be a possibility? Tomai said it himself, this particular machine was of [i]his[/i] design—who was to say the problem wasn’t limited strictly to his specific model? Or could it have been an error any machine could make, however rare? Had that staff of Michail’s made some kind of imprint on her, branding her with traces of a foreign Crest that the machine was picking up, maybe? Was such a thing even possible? 

Regrettably, Lienna didn’t have the knowledge or experience to even consider such questions: whatever the problem was, she’d have to depend on Tomai’s expertise. But the prospect of being experimented on felt like she had swallowed an eel, disturbing mental images of tarnished restraints and the gleaming edges of knives and needles rushing to confront her at the mere mention. But what choice did she have? 

She looked Tomai up and down suspiciously, keeping quiet for a long moment as she weighed her options. Tomai was right in one thing, at least: if rumours started that she had a different Crest than she’d promised Count Francis, on purpose or by happenstance, she was as good as homeless. 

[color=baa7c7]“...What exactly do you need from me?”[/color] she asked at long last, still not entirely on board. 

[color=red]“Same thing you did now—put your hand over the machine after I disassemble and reassemble this machine and steal another from somewhere that it won’t be missed,”[/color] Tomai replied, quill in hand as he sat down at his desk. [color=red]“If it truly comes down to it, a loose hair or two, but otherwise that’ll be the extent of it as I’ll have to revisit my work to see where things went wrong and why.”[/color]

Lienna remained not entirely convinced, but Tomai’s reassurance did help ease her concerns enough for her shoulders to finally relax. [color=baa7c7]“Fair enough, I suppose I can manage that,”[/color] she conceded, subtly peeking at what he was writing—not that it did much good. [color=baa7c7]“Is this going to affect my magical study?”[/color]

Tomai stopped writing to look up at Lienna, an idea coming to mind. [color=red]“Crest Theory and magic studies don’t normally correlate, but listening to a few lectures may help in solving this mystery,”[/color] He was elated at the idea. [color=red]“All we’ll need is the basics, I don’t think you’ll find the machinery side of it interesting considering it’s mostly an assortment of crystals and magic.”[/color]

Only after he finished speaking did he realize she was trying to see what he was writing. In a show of good faith, he revealed it to her. [color=red]“I won’t be telling anyone about this, so you don’t have to worry about that,”[/color] He assured her.

Lienna wasn't thrilled about any of this—her future hanging over her head by a hair wasn't a fun prospect no matter the contention—but the mention of Crest Theory did prick up her ears, the girl admittedly intrigued by the prospect of learning more about the mysterious force that held such sway over her life. She had next to no real understanding of Crests—the preceding conversation ample evidence of that fact—and as stubborn and irritating as he could be, Professor Tomai seemed like an authoritative voice on the subject. Plus, she could probably keep Auberon off her back about missing the occasional morning spar for meetings with Tomai if she told him it was because she was taking an extra class. 

[color=baa7c7]“That sounds… interesting,”[/color] she quietly replied, nodding again when he explained that he wouldn't tell anyone about their situation. She couldn't make out his letter from her angle, but there wasn't much else to do than trust him. Besides, she could imagine he might not have been too keen on advertising a potential mistake on his part around the Monastery either. 

Through the thick walls, the muffled toll of the cathedral bell rang softly, reminding Lienna of just how much time had passed. [color=baa7c7]“Do you need anything else from me?”[/color] she asked the Professor, moving to leave. 

[color=red]“No. I’ll see what I can do tonight and let you know any theories I come up with by the end of the week,”[/color] Tomai settled the page down as he continued to write. [color=red]“For now, this will stay between us. In the meantime, if you feel any symptoms that aren’t typical for you, do let me know.”[/color]

Though her eyebrows lifted at “symptoms”, Lienna decided to leave that be for now, offering an affirmative—if hesitant—nod in lieu of questions for the time being. [color=baa7c7]“Uh… okay,”[/color] she replied simply, moving to slip out of the door. [color=baa7c7]“Good… good afternoon, then.”[/color][/hider]
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