Archive of Our Own

A rather concerning puff of smoke burst from the piece of parchment just as Agott closed the ring of the spell. Panicking, she hurriedly stood up and threw open the window before the dense grey cloud could envelop the entire room. After all, if the acrid scent managed to drift into the hallway, it might wake the whole atelier—a disaster she would rather avoid, considering it was already quite late. 

When the situation was more or less handled, Agott leaned over her desk, staring intently at the drawing. She racked her brain, trying to pinpoint the error in the glyph. Was it from the shaky lines? An imbalance in her drawing? 

With a frustrated sigh, she crumpled the ruined paper into a ball and pulled a fresh, new sheet toward her. 

This was a spell she was developing for her own personal sake—or at least, that was the excuse she kept repeating to herself. The Silver Eve procession had concluded a few weeks ago, and while she should have been brainstorming new spells, Agott spent her days being consumed by practice. She was busy channeling all her energy into polishing her skills for the upcoming Third Test. 

It might be too soon for her to start, but Agott preferred the weight of over-preparation to the anxiety of being under-prepared. 

Well. At least, that had been the original plan. But lately, her focus had been tweaked sideways by a nagging, persistent distraction. 

Something, or rather… someone. The very same person she had spent a night with under a canopy of stars during said Silver Eve, giggling like foolish children and drawing spells as though the time itself had agreed to stand still. 

Coco. 

Ever since Coco’s "not-so-running-away" incident, where Agott had embarrassingly thought Coco had gone missing and was in grave danger, the golden-green haired girl had noticeably changed. The shift was subtle, not glaringly obvious like Agott’s own mood-swing would be, but it was still jarring to see nonetheless.

Over the past few days, Coco's usual brightness had grown dim. The shadow was most visible in her smiles, where they didn’t reach her eyes anymore, and in her gaze, where even the sun couldn’t quite reflect the enthusiasm it had once radiated. Agott was so used to Coco gushing over every minor discovery around magic that it felt entirely wrong to watch her flinch and tense up whenever magic was mentioned. 

Though she would never admit it aloud, it had quite bothered Agott for a bit. Moreso, because she couldn’t quite figure out the cause of Coco’s sudden alteration in behaviour. 

Agott was never comfortable with being ignorant. 

Then came the tipping point a few nights ago. While they were working late respectively in the study room, Coco had fallen asleep at her desk. It was nothing new. But on that specific night, she was murmuring desperately in her sleep. She called out for her mother over and over, her voice carrying a fragility that forced Agott to cross the room and forcibly shake her awake. 

It was heartbreaking to see the sight of Coco opening her tear-brimming eyes when she realized the face she had reached out to touch wasn't the one she was searching for, but Agott’s. To soothe her, Agott had ended up climbing into Coco's bed, using her dancing plushie spell to chase away her sorrow until dawn. 

From that night onward, the upcoming test was pushed to the side of Agott's mind. Instead, she focused on a new mission: creating a spell to cheer Coco up.  A magic that she hadn’t shown to her before, a new one that might spark another light inside Coco’s currently burdened heart, and a magic that might ease her longing over her mother’s condition. 

Agott gritted her teeth and squeezed her eyes shut, trying to conjure up a spell that would make a smile bloom across Coco’s face—along with the faint, warm blush that always crept onto her puffed-up cheeks when Agott closed the ring on her signature owl-cat glyph that particular night. 

Clank!

The sudden, loud sound shattered Agott’s train of thought. She paused, as if she was unsure if she had heard the noise correctly. Quietly, she got to her feet, her instincts on high alert. She grabbed her magic quire and crept toward the door, easing it open just enough to peek through the gap. 

Everyone in the atelier should have been fast asleep, considering that it was already several clock marks past midnight. The chance of a fellow apprentice wandering around was slim. It was possible that Master Qifrey was still awake, though, even for him, roaming the halls at this time was rare. 

Stepping out into the corridor, Agott tip-toed through the darkness, her path illuminated only by the faint glow of the lantern she had snatched along with the quire from her desk earlier. As she neared the entrance of the kitchen area, she noticed a surprisingly bright light spilling onto the floorboards. She instantly pressed her back against the cool stone wall, holding her breath and straining her ears to figure out who had occupied the kitchen. 

Low, muffled murmurs drifted into the hallway. Agott took a cautious step closer to the archway. 

"Qifrey, you really don't need to do this," a man’s voice sighed. The tone was laced with mild annoyance, but it was familiar enough that Agott instantly lowered her guard, a wave of relief washing over her. 

As it turned out, it was only Olruggio and Master Qifrey having a midnight snack. It was not surprising to Agott; after all, this was not the first time she had seen them both awake during this time of the day. She had to admit, however, that it was quite rare these days to see this kind of scene. It had been far more frequent back when Agott had just recently joined the atelier as the first apprentice. 

“Nonsense. You know that I couldn’t possibly let you go to bed while you’re still upset,” Master Qifrey replied. His voice was smooth and soothing, almost like it was tinted with something far more intimate—as if he was trying to get under Olruggio’s skin in the most loving way possible between two people.

Agott wasn't an expert on the matter; her only knowledge of such things came from several romance novels she had secretly borrowed from the Great Hall’s library. Still, it was a tone she had rarely, if ever, heard from her teacher. If she thought about it some more, Master Qifrey had only used that particular lilt when faced with the Watchful Eye. 

Did that mean something?

A groan followed Master Qifrey’s remark, Olruggio’s signature one. “You know that food always manages to placate me. Especially your cooking.”

“Of course I do. I know everything about you, Olly. Even the things you don’t know about yourself.”

“What does that even supposed to mean, heh?” Olruggio muttered, sounding perplexed but not taking the sentence with serious curiosity. A moment later, the distinct sound of someone slurping warm broth filled the quiet air, indicating that he had just started eating.

The entire exchange felt entirely too private, wrapped in a cloak of intimacy that made Agott feel like an intruder. Deciding she had witnessed enough, she slipped back to her bedroom for the night. Her spell hadn’t made much progress anyway, and if Master Qifrey caught her wandering the halls at this hour, he would undoubtedly ban her from pulling any more late-nighters for the rest of the week. 

When Agott finally collapsed onto her bed, staring at the string of constellations on her ceiling that she had drawn herself, her mind drifted back towards the conversation earlier.

“You know that food always manages to placate me. Especially your cooking.”

Olruggio’s words echoed in her thoughts, reminding her of an important fact. It was a well-known fact that Coco absolutely adored food. The golden-green haired girl loved meal times, and more often than not, a delicious dish was the quickest way to bring a bright smile to her face.

Agott sat up slightly, a new spark of inspiration overtaking her head. If a good meal could work wonders, perhaps she didn't need to stress herself trying to innovate an entirely new spell, after all. Cooking something special might just do the trick. 

Not that she was doing any of this for Coco, in the first place. 

She silently slid out of bed and crept over to her bookshelves. 

(If Agott ended up only sleeping for a mere, single clock-mark because she spent the remaining hours of the night huddled under her blankets, flipping through every culinary book she could find in her collection, then that was absolutely no one’s business but her own.)

“Olruggio-sensei? Where are we going?” Coco asked while walking beside Agott. She tilted her head with cat-like curiosity as their chaperone veered off course, steering them into the bustling market rather than their original destination. 

Several days after Agott had caught her mentor and Watchful Eye on their midnight snack, the three of them had been handed an impromptu chore to buy another batch of magic ink. Apparently, the atelier had run out of stock much quicker than anticipated. Since Tetia and Richeh hadn’t finished their portion of spell-drawing for the day, Agott—who had already finished hers with her usual efficiency—and Coco were chosen to accompany Olruggio. 

Well. At least, they were supposed to be buying conjuring ink in Mr. Nolnoa’s stationery store. But looking at Olruggio’s suspiciously shifty behaviour, Agott was starting to doubt they had ever actually run out of ink in the first place. 

Olruggio merely hummed in distraction at Coco’s question, his gaze tunnelling toward a mountain of potatoes displayed at a nearby stall. He mumbled something under his breath, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking thoroughly guilty—clearly not giving any attention to the two girls following close behind him.

“What do you think he’s doing?” Coco turned her question towards Agott instead. 

Agott bristled slightly as Coco stepped closer, leaning in with an open, trusting expression. Not expecting the sudden proximity, Agott instinctively took a small step back to maintain a proper, respectful distance, but Coco didn’t seem to mind the retreat. 

“He—” Agott’s voice cracked, just a fraction. She cleared her throat instantly, smoothing over the slip-up as she crossed her arms, willing the sudden heat rising to her cheeks to subside. “He’s probably just hungry.”

Coco hummed in contemplation, her eyes tracking Olruggio with an unusual expression as he practically glared at the vegetables. “I don’t think so…”

Agott raised an eyebrow, not expecting Coco to take the matter seriously. “Coco?”

As if the bubble enveloping her thoughts had suddenly popped, Coco blinked, snapping out of her daze. She shook her head and laughed awkwardly, her hands waving through the air as if she could physically brush away the thoughts. “O-oh, it's nothing! I guess… I just feel a little nostalgic walking around the market like this. It reminds me of how my mother would bring me along sometimes.” 

The quiet longing in Coco's voice struck a chord, causing a dull ache in Agott’s chest. She knew how much Coco missed her home, her mother, and the simple life she had left behind. Wanting nothing more than to erase that pained look from Coco's face, Agott acted before her mind could think about it over.

Sliding her hand forward, she quietly caught Coco’s fingers in her own, squeezing them once in silent assurance. 

Coco blinked in surprise, but she didn’t pull her hand away. Agott took that as a sign not to pull her hand back, either. 

Then, out of nowhere, Olruggio harrumphed loudly in front of them, instantly breaking the suspended moment. His hands were occupied with a potato in each palm, moving them up and down as if his arms were a set of scales weighing them out. “Kiddos, pick one. Which one of these looks like the better buy?” 

Agott pulled her hand back quickly, while Coco didn't seem to notice her panic and enthusiastically gave her input about the question. As Coco stepped away from her towards Olruggio, Agott stood frozen for a split second, staring down at her own palm where the warmth of Coco’s fingers still lingered, before shaking herself out of it. 

“Waah,” Coco gasped in awe as she made her way further into the market with Agott and Olruggio following closely behind her. “The vegetables here have such good quality!”

“Well, of course they are, sweetheart,” one of the vendors replied kindly. She set down a fresh, heavy tray of radishes with a smile, clearly endeared by Coco’s genuine amazement. “The witches from the Great Hall finally perfected a spell to stabilize the soil conditions during the growing season. The yield of each harvest has been twice as satisfying ever since.” 

“That’s convenient,” Olruggio muttered. He picked up another potato, staring at it with intense focus—likely trying to decipher the difference between a regular potato and a "high-quality" one. Agott couldn’t blame him; to her, they all looked identical. 

Suddenly, Coco popped back up in front of them with a brilliant grin, holding two potatoes of her own in a perfect mirror of Olruggio’s earlier pose. “Here! Look at the difference!” 

Agott and Olruggio both leaned in, their heads nearly bumping as they squinted at Coco’s hands, trying to locate whatever variation she was talking about. No matter how hard Agott stared, they just looked like… potatoes. 

Well. Their size is probably a little bit different, if Agott had to guess.

“They look the same to me.” Olruggio scratched his head awkwardly after scrutinizing hard for a few moments. 

Agott nodded her head in sync. 

Coco giggled at the expected answer. Shoving the potatoes a little closer to their faces, she began to break them down. “The one in my right hand has thinner skin. See? That means it is freshly harvested. Potatoes like this are sweet and perfect to use in a soup or a stew.” She twirled the potato deftly between her fingers to showcase the flaky skin. 

“While the one in my left hand is much more mature.” Coco tapped the rough surface with her index finger, scratching it lightly to demonstrate. “The skin is firm and tanned, which means it holds less water. These are the ones you want if you want to make roasted potatoes!” 

Agott stared at the potatoes and finally found what she was looking for. What Coco said was right. The hues of the potatoes’ skins were slightly different—one was a pale, goldish brown, while the other had more of a rough brown colour. 

“So, what are we going to use it for, Olruggio-sensei?” Coco asked once she was sure that the other two understood her explanation. 

The older man let out a sudden, awkward cough, his face tinting pink as he scratched the back of his neck. “W–well… they're actually for Qifrey.” 

“For Master Qifrey?” Agott and Coco echoed simultaneously.

“Yeah. I might have… well, I messed up and did something to upset him,” Olruggio admitted sheepishly. Looking at him now, stripped of his usual gruff, intimidating persona, Agott thought he looked younger. 

Beside her, Coco’s eyes lit up with instant understanding. “I see! You're trying to cook food to make amends, aren't you?” 

Olruggio laughed at the enthusiastic reply. “Yeah, spot on. You’re a sharp kid.” 

Before long, Coco and Olruggio were completely absorbed in another debate over potatoes and the other ingredients they needed to buy before dark, leaving Agott to trail a few paces behind, lost in her own thoughts. 

The entire scenario was giving her a strong sense of deja vu. It reminded her of how, several nights ago, she had found out that Master Qifrey had cooked his way out to soothe the other man’s heart, not wanting him to be upset anymore. And now, it seemed like the situation was reversed, with Olruggio now out buying ingredients to cook for Master Qifrey after dismaying his feelings, somehow.

Seeing this mutual care between her master and the Watchful Eye solidified the plan forming in Agott's mind. 

As they finally made their way out of the Kalhn’s bustling streets after a quick stop at Mr. Nolnoa’s stationery shop, Coco murmured something barely audible beside her.

“I'm sorry, what was that?” Agott asked, tilting her head.

Coco’s cheeks were flushed an adorable shade of pink, catching the warm, golden rays of the setting sun. “I think it’s so sweet that Olruggio-sensei wants to cook the very first dish he shared with Master Qifrey back in their apprentices’ days.”

Agott let out a soft huff of surprise. “He really is a softie, if you can look past that gruff exterior of his,” she mused, watching the broad back of the older man as he walked ahead, confidently lugging several heavy bags filled with the fruits of their shopping trip. 

“He’s actually a lot like you,” Coco said with a bright giggle. Without warning, her hand slipped right back into Agott’s open palm. “A softie wrapped in a rough exterior.” 

Agott opened her mouth to protest the comparison, but the words got caught in her throat. Coco’s expression had suddenly shifted, falling into a look—one heavily tinted with loneliness. 

“My mom was like that, too,” Coco whispered, her eyes cast downward. “She would scold me whenever I did something reckless. But then, if she saw I was truly upset, she would coax me by cooking my favourite food by the time it was dinner.” 

Coco’s fingers fidgeted anxiously against Agott's. In response, Agott instinctively tightened her grip, squeezing slowly in reassurance. Her mind raced, desperate to find the right words to say—anything that would make Coco feel even marginally better, to replace that looming sadness with the radiant light that belonged in her eyes. 

Embarrassingly, the only thing Agott managed to blurt out was, “What is your favourite food, then?”

Coco blinked, thoroughly caught off guard. “Huh?”

“Your favourite food,” Agott repeated, keeping her voice steady despite the rapid pounding in her chest. “What is it?”

Slowly, the sorrow casting a shadow over Coco's face lifted, replaced by a warm smile that bloomed across her features, so infectious that it dragged a twitch to the corner of Agott’s own lips. 

“Well,” Coco began, swinging their conjoined hands back and forth as she looked ahead. “My favourite is a recipe that's famous back in my village. It’s originally a Frillram stew, and you’re familiar with the dish, right? But the local ingredients we use make it taste completely different.” 

Agott made a mental note to store the information in her mind. 

With this, she had finally found the perfect dish to cook. While Agott was already familiar with stews, such as Frillram stew, she knew she had to find out the exact recipe of Coco’s hometown if she wanted to pull this off perfectly.

That settled it. She would just have to pay a visit to Coco’s village—and she would make sure Coco didn't suspect a thing.

“Master Qifrey.” 

The pale-haired witch turned his head when he heard Agott’s call, finally snapping his gaze from the faraway meadow they were currently standing in for an outdoor class. 

“Yes, Agott? Is there something you need, my dear?”

Agott looked away for a fraction of a second, feeling an inexplicable wave of shyness wash over her. It felt unnatural to ask for something completely unrelated to their current subject of magic. 

But this was important. 

Squaring her shoulders and summoning every ounce of her pride, she forced the words out in a single breath so she wouldn't stutter and arouse his suspicion. 

“May I go somewhere alone today? I need to do some independent research.” 

Still, when it came to gaining permissions, Master Qifrey was a formidable opponent. If she had a choice, Agott would have much preferred asking Olruggio, but Master Qifrey was officially her teacher, and there was no bypassing him. 

True to her words, Master Qifrey immediately raised a brow in suspicion—not buying her act. “And where might that somewhere be?”

Anticipating his scrutiny, Agott leaned on the cover story she had meticulously prepared the night before. "Just a village nearby. I need to gather information that might help with the new spell I'm developing." 

It wasn't a total lie. She was going to a village—though, specifically, Coco’s hometown. It wasn't exactly nearby either; the journey would normally take two or three clock-marks on standard sylph shoes. However, the sylph shoes Coco had made for her were much superior, easily cutting the travel time in half. Agott wasn't worried about the distance in the slightest. 

"Ah, I see!" Qifrey nodded thoughtfully, and Agott allowed her tense shoulders to sag in quiet relief. But her victory was short-lived. 

"—However, I think it would be great if you let Tetia tag along with you. Coco and Richeh are heading for the monthly patrol today with Olruggio," he mused, tapping a finger against his chin as he mentally calculated the day's schedule. "A bit of outdoor learning together would do you both good, wouldn't you agree?" 

Agott bit the inside of her cheek. She wanted to deny that she needed to go alone for her plan to work, but she couldn't risk pushing back too hard, lest Master Qifrey revoke his permission entirely. 

Finally, she sighed and relented. “Understood.”

It looked like she needed to explain several things towards Tetia before their departure.

“What?!” Tetia squeaked loudly, prompting Agott to instantly dive forward and clasp her palms over the other girl's mouth. 

“Pipe down, Tetia,” Agott hissed through gritted teeth, trying to keep her own composure. An impending headache was already thrumming behind her temples, and she was seriously beginning to reconsider her life choices. 

Only when Tetia nodded frantically in understanding did Agott finally pull her hands back, allowing her friend to breathe.

“You’re saying that we’re going to Coco’s hometown?” Tetia whispered in awe, her expression a mix of enthusiasm and nervousness. “I mean, I’m excited, of course! But what could we possibly be doing there without Coco?”

Agott hesitated, briefly debating whether or not to tell Tetia the truth. But a rather fierce pull in her heart silenced the urge. She wanted to keep this plan completely to herself. She wanted to be the one to bring back the smile to Coco’s face. 

Placing a hand on her hip, she fell back on her rehearsed excuse. “We’re going there to study, obviously.”

“Eeeehh?” Tetia whined in disbelief, tugging at her own twin ponytails in frustration. “We’re travelling all the way to an Unknowing village just to study?”

“Well, there is always the option to remain at the atelier,” Agott helpfully pointed out.  

Tetia immediately shook her head, her ponytails whipping back and forth. “No way, I’m absolutely going with you! I’ve always been curious about what it looks like anyway.” 

Truthfully, Agott also felt a small thrill of excitement. Up until now, everything she knew about the Unknowing world had been pieced together from Coco’s occasional ramblings about her former life. Agott had never actually had the chance to explore on her own. 

But now that she and Tetia had successfully passed the Second Test, they finally possessed the independence and the right to travel. 

But there was also one more thing that she needed to establish.

“Tetia, listen to me,” Agott said, her tone lowered into something serious. “You must keep this a complete secret. No one can know we are going to Coco’s village.” 

“Eeeehhh? Why would we do that?” 

Agott bit her lip in contemplation as her mind raced to think of a reason. She couldn’t be outright and said that it was part of her plan to surprise Coco. She needed a legitimate reason to justify her objective of going there. 

Just then, a brilliant idea formed in her head.

Averting her gaze in an attempt to look shy, Agott crossed her arms and forced a nonchalant shrug. “I just want to study a different perspective on magic. I am working on making a new spell right now, and I want to understand how Coco’s unusual idea formed in relation to how her environment differs from ours. That’s why I thought paying a visit might spark something in my head.”

The elaborate explanation seemed to convince Tetia somehow, and she nodded along, her expression turning thoughtful. “Well, I guess that’s fair. Telling Coco would get her self-conscious, and telling Master Qifrey would cause him to fret unnecessarily about our well-being. Is that what you mean?”

Agott let out a quiet breath of relief, deeply grateful that Tetia was so perceptive. She nodded along in agreement, though she couldn't help but feel a little ridiculous; the two of them currently would definitely look like a pair of matching bobblehead dolls, nodding back and forth in synchronisation from a third point of view. 

After a beat, Tetia’s serious face broke into a playful grin, and she flashed an enthusiastic thumbs-up. “This is actually an amazing idea! As expected of our Smartygott! It’s like a secret hangout!”

Agott rolled her eyes at the nickname, but a small smirk tugged at her lips. At least Tetia had bought the reasoning, even if it wasn't the entire truth.

Now she just needed to proceed with her plans. 

Agott touched down on the edge of the dirt path the moment she caught the first glimpse of the village rooftops. Tetia landed just a second behind her, her sylph shoes meeting the soft meadow grass with a gentle thud.

“Waah!” Tetia cheered in awe, her voice instantly snatched up by the wind and carried out across the plains. “This place is absolutely gorgeous!”

Agott offered a small, noncommittal nod. While the sprawling, sun-drenched scenery was undeniably stunning, she hadn't traveled all this way just for sightseeing. She was a girl on a mission. They couldn't afford to get distracted every few seconds, especially since their travel time had already run longer than planned from having to wait for Tetia’s sylph shoes to keep pace with her own. 

“Come on, Tetia,” Agott urged. “Let’s move before it gets dark.” 

“Agotta agree!”

Stepping into the village, the two of them made sure to keep their pointed hats tucked safely away. The last thing they needed was to attract unnecessary attention. Without the hats, their seafoam-colored robes were the only things that set them apart from the locals—and their only way of spotting each other if they accidentally got separated. 

Even without the hats, though, their arrival seemed to stir up curiosity. Heads turned, and faint whispers followed them as they navigated the cobblestone streets, likely because the village was relatively small. 

As they walked deeper into the town, Agott realized that the commotion wasn't just about them. The village was in the middle of preparing for some kind of seasonal celebration. It made perfect sense; Coco had mentioned back in Kalhn that her hometown would be preparing for its annual harvest festival right about now. 

Every street was draped in vibrant decorations. High-spirited locals were hauling heavy, wide wooden tables into the main square, while laughing children darted past them, trailing colourful ribbons and clutching fresh bouquets of wildflowers. To top it all off, the lively, rhythmic strumming of music drifted pleasantly under the sky from the center of town. 

Well. A festival was definitely underway, judging by how navigating the crowded streets quickly became a challenge. 

Suddenly, a rowdy group of villagers carrying a decorative banner surged past, nearly sweeping Tetia away. She lunged forward, desperately grabbing Agott’s hand to anchor herself. “Sorry! I really don't want to get separated in a place I don't know.” 

Agott rolled her eyes, but she didn’t pull her hand away. Instead, she tightened her grip just enough to keep Tetia close. “Just keep up, Tetia. We might as well enjoy the festival while we're here.”

Tetia blinked at her, a teasing smirk pulling at her lips. “Wait, didn't you say we came all this way strictly to study, Agott?”

Shoot. Agott stiffened, mentally cursing herself for letting her guard down. Shifting her gaze forward to hide her flushed face, she cleared her throat sharply. Oh well. “I mean, we can enjoy it after our studying is finished, obviously.” 

Tetia laughed in response. Before long, they managed to edge closer to the main square, deftly weaving through the dense flow of the crowd. The outskirts of the cobblestone street were lined with festive stalls selling all kinds of foods and wooden trinkets. 

As Agott scanned the displays with curiosity, a sudden spark of inspiration struck her. If she could just find a local food stall selling Frillram stew, she could ask about the recipe and finish the plan. With a clear destination in mind, she gripped Tetia’s hand tighter and picked up her pace, slipping through the sea of people with renewed determination. 

Tetia, noticing the sudden change in direction, gave her hand a playful tug. “Agott, are you hungry? Why are we heading into the food stalls?”

“Yes,” Agott answered flippantly, her eyes darting from vendor to vendor.

So far, none of them seemed to be selling any kind of stew. She briefly entertained the idea of clicking her sylph shoes together to hover a few feet above the crowd for a better view, but she dismissed the thought instantly. Exposing her identity as a witch in the middle of an Unknowing crowd would just create unnecessary problems.

Just then, a loud rumble came from behind her. It was Tetia’s stomach.

Agott stopped in her tracks, turning around to face her friend with a single arched eyebrow. “So, am I really the only one who’s hungry?”

“Hee hee,” Tetia giggled shyly, a flush creeping onto her cheeks as she rubbed the back of her neck. “Well, I guess I’m a little bit hungry too!”

“A little bit?” Agott countered dryly. “That sounded like Brushbuddy’s stomach.”

“Oh, shut up!” Tetia huffed, though she couldn't hide her grin.

Deciding to adhere to their appetites, they ended up stopping at a nearby stall that was selling skewers of roasted strawberries. The fruit was glistening with a light, warm glaze of melted sugar, smelling absolutely divine. Agott bought two skewers, handing one to Tetia, who took a big bite and practically melted on the spot. 

“Oh wow, these are amazing!” Tetia cheered, tapping her cheeks in delight. “The warmth makes them so sweet. It’s a shame Coco and Richeh aren’t here—they would love it!” 

Agott took a bite of her own, the sweet flavour bursting on her tongue. As she chewed, she made a mental note to buy a bag of strawberries while they’re here and figure out how to roast them later in the atelier. It would be a nice treat for everyone—and, she admitted to herself, it might be a good addition to see Coco smile again. 

But the peaceful moment didn't last long.

Suddenly, a loud commotion erupted near the edge of the square. The cheerful music suddenly drowned, replaced by shouting and the hurried sound of footsteps rushing toward the outskirts of the village. Intrigued, Agott intensified her hearing to eavesdrop on the pair of anxious-looking villagers who were murmuring to one another.

“What happened?” the taller one asked.

“It’s the old waterwheel down by the riverbank, someone is stranded there while trying to hang some decoration,” the other replied, wringing his hands. “The centre part cracked, and the whole thing is jamming up. If it completely breaks, it'll flood the lower grounds! We definitely need a witch’s help, since it is powered by magic and none of us understands how it works!”

Agott’s eyes widened slightly as she took in the information. 

Without a second thought, she turned on her heel, shoved her half-eaten roasted strawberry skewer right into Tetia's startled hands, and adjusted her cloak.

“Stay here and wait for me,” Agott commanded. Before Tetia could even open her mouth to protest, Agott ducked into the crowd, sprinting directly toward the source of the trouble.

Agott finally arrived at the riverbank after a fifth of a clock-mark, with the location being farther than she expected. Once she calmed herself down, she took a moment to stare at the waterwheel. 

The old wooden waterwheel was—for lack of a better word—massive, shuddering violently against the weight of the rushing water. But the jammed mechanism didn’t turn out to be the only crisis. High above the wooden device, a villager was desperately clinging to one of the wooden paddles near the top of the wheel. He was completely stranded, just like the villagers had said. Every time the river surged, the cracked axle squeaked under the strain. If he were to lose his grip and fall from that height, the violent current would instantly sweep him downstream into the rocky section of the river, where the jagged stones would break him apart. 

Agott forced herself to ignore the rowdy crowd and focused her gaze on the waterwheel's core. Squinting, she scanned the wood and iron brackets until she spotted what she was looking for: a series of faint lines carved into the central hub. It was probably a spell designed to control the river's flow around the wheel. 

And sure enough, as she inspected them closely, she noticed that one of the circles had eroded—probably from months of water friction. The magic had run out, causing the river to smash into the wheel with unregulated force. 

She would have to address that later, but for now, she needed to save the villager first. 

Agott quickly assessed the situation on how she should approach the rescue mission. Her sylph shoes could easily carry her own weight up there, but carrying the young man back down to safety was another story. She was still just a child, and trying to lift a grown villager while balancing on the sylph shoes would be incredibly reckless—the sudden weight shift could easily send them both plunging into the river below.

She needed something to help him glide down safely on his own.

Her eyes scanned the area until they landed on a nearby backyard where several thick, heavy linen sheets were hanging out to dry. Moving quietly, Agott slipped behind the laundry line to shield herself from the panicking crowd. Thankfully, the villagers were all focused on the waterwheel, so Agott didn’t need to take any extra measures to hide herself. She pulled the glass of conjuring ink from her pocket and dropped to her knees, spreading the fabric flat. 

Instead of a standard floating spell, she intentionally altered the proportion of the glyph. She drew the arrows shorter than usual. By reducing the size of the arrows, she was lowering the wind pressure the spell would generate. The sheet wouldn't let him defy gravity completely like what happened to Coco back when she saved Coustas; instead, it would act like a parachute, allowing him to glide slowly back to the ground. 

Once the spell was perfectly drawn—it just needed a little smudge to close the circle—Agott grabbed a second, slightly larger linen sheet. She carefully layered it directly over the first sheet, pinning the edges together so the drawn glyph was completely sandwiched between the two fabrics. To any onlooker, it would look like nothing more than an ordinary layered sheets.

With her makeshift glider ready, Agott bundled the cloth into her arms and moved back to the riverbank.

Pulling out her pointed hat beneath her robe, Agott firmly secured it onto her head. The familiar weight on top of her head instantly brought a wave of calmness. With a practiced click of her heels, the embedded glyphs on her sylph shoes flared to life, casting a gentle hum of wind that lifted her effortlessly into the air.

As she soared upward, a collective gasp rippled through the panicking crowd below.

“Look! A pointed cap!” someone yelled.

“A witch! We're saved!”

The worried cries quickly transformed into a chorus of cheers, but Agott tuned out the noise, keeping her eyes locked entirely on her mission. Hovering alongside the groaning waterwheel, she approached the terrified young villager clinging to the wood padel.

“Listen to me!” Agott commanded over the roar of the rushing river. She unrolled the double-layered linen and held it out. “Grab onto the edges of this cloth and let go of the wheel! It will let you glide safely down to the ground!”

The young man stared at her, clearly still paralyzed with fear. Right at that moment, the massive waterwheel gave another violent shudder. The wooden axle cracked further, tilting dangerously to the side.

Panic completely overrode the man. Instead of reaching for the sheets, he lunged forward blindly, his hands ending up clutching at the fabric of Agott's robe instead.

The sudden weight shift caught her entirely off guard. Agott stumbled in mid-air, her sylph shoes sputtering as she fought against gravity to maintain her balance. For a terrifying second, they both wobbled mid-air.

Bracing herself, Agott fiercely righted her footing, adjusting her position to stabilize them. “Let go of me and grab the cloth!” she urged, her voice even more desperate now. “The wheel is going to collapse! Do it right now if you want to live!”

That seemed to finally snap him out of his trance. Trembling, the man released her robe and gripped the diagonal corners of the cloth. As soon as his weight fully transferred, Agott slipped a hand in the small gap between the blanket that she had prepared beforehand and completed the circle. The glyph activated, catching the air with a steady resistance. He slipped off the breaking wheel and began a slow, smooth glide downward, landing safely on the grassy riverbank a few moments later.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the man immediately ran into the waiting arms of his crying family.

Agott swiveled in the air, guiding herself back down to the ground. 

But she didn't have time to celebrate; the waterwheel was still unstable. Her mind was in a dilemma: should she fix it right now, with the risk of the entire village seeing her redraw the glyphs? Or should she just leave it to wait for the designated witch of this region to handle it? 

Before she could make a decision, an old man stepped out from the crowd. His hands were shaking as he caught her sleeve.

“Please, honourable witch,” the elder pleaded, his eyes filled with worry. “If that wheel breaks entirely, the current will overflow and flood the lower fields. Our entire village below will be ruined. I beg of you, please save our home.”

Agott stared at the old man as she bit her lower lip, then she pinched the bridge of her nose in resignation.

Tetia almost choked on her roasted strawberry at the sudden turn of events. 

She coughed frantically, watching in bewilderment as Agott's seafoam robe vanished into the dense crowd. Before she could even ask what was going on, she was left standing alone, holding two sticky skewers. The warm, melted sugar was rapidly dripping down, dirtying her hands. 

Not wanting the delicious treat to go to waste, Tetia apologized in her mind before she quickly devoured Agott’s portion alongside her own, wiping her sticky fingers on a handkerchief once she was finished. 

With her hands clean and her stomach full, Tetia braced herself to sprint after her friend. But just as she took her first step, a firm hand suddenly clamped around her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

Tetia blinked, turning to see a girl around her own age. The stranger was striking, with vibrant, purple hair tied back and a pair of bright eyes that practically sparkled with desperation.

"Oh, thank goodness!" the purple-haired girl gasped, taking a look at Tetia. "Are you one of the troupe’s dancers? Please tell me you are!"

"Huh? No, I'm not," Tetia replied, waving her free hand in denial. "I'm just a visitor—"

"Oh, no, no, no!" The girl threw her hands up, practically begging as her face fell into one of panic. "Please, you have to help us! One of our dancers just came down with a sudden fever, and the performance starts so soon! We desperately need a replacement, and your hair! It’s so bright and beautiful! It's an absolute necessity for the sun choreography. You are the perfect candidate!"

Tetia bit her lip, worriedly glancing over her shoulder toward the street where Agott had run off to. She didn't want them to get separated, but the stranger seemed so desperate for assistance, too. She was not good at rejecting a cry for help in the first place. 

But then, the purple-haired girl seemed to completely misread Tetia’s hesitation as something else. "Oh, don't be shy! I promise the dances aren't hard, and the costume will look gorgeous on you!" Without giving Tetia another chance to protest, the girl practically dragged her through the crowd, steering her straight into a large, colourful tent built near the town square.

The moment they stepped inside, Tetia was gently pushed into a chair in front of a mirror.

"Sit, sit! We don't have a minute to lose!" the girl chirped, immediately grabbing a small brush and small jars of shimmering powders to start applying colours on Tetia’s face.

As her fingers deftly swept the vibrant powders across Tetia’s eyelids, the girl’s boundless energy softened into a prideful smile. "I should introduce myself, by the way. I'm Vivi! Thank you for agreeing to be the emergency stand-in. This dance means everything to our village, it’s actually the centerpiece of our harvest celebration."

“The centerpiece of the celebration?” Tetia asked as she sat perfectly still, listening intently as Vivi worked around her face. 

"According to the old legends of our valley," Vivi storytelled, dusting a touch of gold shimmer near the corners of Tetia's eyes, "a kind goddess once looked down upon our barren lands. She took pity on our ancestors and bestowed a blessing of fertile soil upon us, while also teaching the village how to nurture the earth. This dance is our way of thanking her, mirroring the way she danced across the fields to make the crops bloom."

Tetia’s eyes lit up instantly. She loved stories, and hearing about the local culture made her heart swell with excitement. The guilt of losing track of Agott was quickly being replaced by the vibe of the festival.

"There! All done with the face," Vivi proclaimed cheerfully, stepping back to admire her handiwork. She grabbed a flowing dress from a nearby rack and thrust it into Tetia's arms. "Quick, change into this dress while I prepare the hair ornaments!"

Tetia took the fabric, her eyes widening at the beautiful, layered skirts and intricate embroidery. Any lingering doubts completely evaporated, replaced by excitement. "Wow... it's beautiful! I'll change right now!"

As Tetia stepped behind the changing screen and began slipping into the attire, Vivi’s voice called out from the other side, accompanied by the rustle of silk ribbons.

"Don't worry about the dance, okay?" Vivi reassured her. "After you put that on, I'll start walking you through the routine. I promise I'll teach you every step before we go out. It’s actually supposed to be super easy!"

Sure enough, Vivi kept her word. As her fingers flew through Tetia’s hair, weaving them in silk ribbons and clinking beads, she gave a detailed explanation of the routine.

“It’s simple, really!” Vivi said for the third time. “Three steps to the left, twirl your skirt, raise your arms to simulate the sun rising, and then mirror whatever I’m doing later! Just keep a big smile on your face and let the music guide your feet!”

“Huh?!”

Before Tetia could even overthink the steps, Vivi grabbed her hand and pulled her out of the dressing area to meet the rest of the troupe. 

There were twelve dancers in total, all draped in matching festival attire. The tent was alive with nervous, high-spirited energy, and the rest of the girls were chatting and laughing cheerfully. The moment Vivi introduced Tetia as their last-minute saviour, the entire group instantly swarmed her, bombarding her with warm hugs and equally warm thanks. It was a good thing that Tetia’s bright, bubbly nature allowed her to blend right in, and she immediately felt accepted by the group. 

“It’s time! Everyone, to the square!” one of the coordinators shouted, sticking his head into the tent.

Suddenly, it was time. Tetia was ushered out into the town square alongside the other eleven girls. The crowd roared in approval as the music swelled into a joyous, festive rhythm. Moving strictly on instinct, Tetia danced with all her might. She spun, leapt, and twirled her flowing skirts, laughing from the bottom of her heart as the fun of the festival took over.

Occasionally, as she spun past the crowd, she would stare at the sea of faces for any sign of a familiar seafoam cloak in worry. But there was no sign of Agott anywhere.

Tetia decided she would go look for her the exact second this performance was over.

Once the final notes faded and the crowd erupted into thunderous applause, Tetia quickly bid a hurried farewell to Vivi and the rest of the troupe. But before she could even adjust the mismatched way she wore her original cloak after painstakingly trying to take off the dancing attire, she was gently dragged away by one of the event organizers—a kind, elderly woman with a warm smile.

"Oh, thank you so much for stepping in as one of the dancers, dear," the old woman beamed, patting Tetia's hand. "The festival wouldn't have been the same without you. Please, let me thank you by treating you to a proper meal!"

Tetia briefly entertained the idea, her mouth watering at the smell of food in the air, but she shook her head apologetically. "Thank you very much, but I really have to go search for my friend. We got separated earlier, and I need to go find her."

The old woman chuckled softly. "Well, all the more reason to come sit! Why don't you have a quick bite, and I'll pack up an extra serving for you to bring to your friend? Travelling on an empty stomach is no good, and by the time you find them, they'll likely be starving."

Feeling a bit bad for the lonely-looking woman, and utterly convinced against the promise of a takeout container for Agott, Tetia relented. "Well... I guess!"

They sat down at a bench, and the woman served her a steaming bowl of Frillram stew. While it wasn't Tetia's first time eating the dish, the moment she leaned over the bowl, a unique aroma hit her nose. And when she took her first bite, the flavour quite literally blew her away—just like the way Coco’s wind-grasping spell blew their master away—it was entirely different from the stews she was used to back in the atelier. 

"Wow!" Tetia gasped enthusiastically, her eyes widening. "This is incredible! It’s so much richer than the one I am used to!" 

The elderly woman chuckled, clearly delighted by the reaction. "Ah, it's the local touch, sweetheart. We use certain mountain herbs and sun-dried root vegetables unique to this valley. Tell you what, I’ll write down the exact recipe on a piece of parchment for you, so you can recreate it whenever you want."

"Really?! Thank you so much!" Tetia nodded happily, eating to her heart's content.

Once she had the handwritten notes tucked safely under her robes and a tightly sealed container of extra stew for Agott in her hands, Tetia finally set off to find her friend.

As it turned out, she didn't have to search long. News travels fast in a small village, and she quickly caught wind of a crowd down by the riverbank, murmuring in awe about a brave young witch who had spent the last few clock marks saving the village's waterwheel.

Tetia hurried down the grassy slope and found Agott sitting on a rock by the rushing water. Her seafoam robe was covered in thick mud, her hair was dishevelled, and she was clearly tired, judging by the way her shoulders slumped with exhaustion. Yet, as Agott stared out at the now-smoothly spinning waterwheel, there was an undeniable look of contentment on her face. 

It was the face of someone who was satisfied after spending her day helping others.

Overjoyed and incredibly proud, Tetia sneaked up behind her. "Agott!" she chirped, reaching out and affectionately patting her on the head.

Agott flinched, instantly backing away like a startled cat as she swat Tetia's hand away, her face flushing. "What are you doing?! Get off me!" 

Tetia couldn't help but burst into a fit of giggles at Agott’s reaction, holding up her hands in surrender. "Okay, Tetisorry!" she lifted the heavy container she had been carrying. "But look, I brought peace offerings! I figured you'd be absolutely starving by now."

Agott couldn’t help but nod shamefully at that. 

With the day finally ending, the two of them needed a place to rest. Agott walked over to the double-layered blanket she had used for the rescue—she had already scratched out a section of the ink to inactivate the spell—before spreading it out over the grass. They sat down side by side, looking out over the water. The sun was dipping low, but judged by the remaining light, the sunset was still several clock marks away, painting the sky in streaks of gold and lavender.

Tetia popped open the container, letting a rich, fragrant steam puff out into the cool evening air. "Ta-da! It's a special stew the locals treated me to."

Agott’s eyes instantly widened, her exhaustion momentarily forgotten as she stared at the dish. Frillram stew. Not just any version, but the distinctly aromatic version, which was most certainly the kind Coco had been wanting for.

"She was so sweet," Tetia rambled on cheerfully, handing Agott a spoon. "When I told her it tasted totally different from the ones back home, she actually sat down and wrote out the recipe for me so we could recreate it. Here, look—"

Before Tetia could even finish her sentence, she felt a pair of arms wrap around her.

Agott had lunged forward and thrown her arms around Tetia in a tight hug.

Tetia froze, her mind completely blanking out in confusion. "A-Agott?" she stammered, holding the recipe awkwardly in mid-air. "Are you... that hungry?"

As if suddenly registering what she was doing, Agott stiffened. She abruptly extricated herself from the embrace, clearing her throat as a bright flush exploded across her face, burning all the way to the tips of her ears. She averted her gaze, busying herself with the stew to hide her embarrassment. "It's nothing. I just... appreciate the thoughts. That's all."

Tetia blinked at her for a moment, but then a warm smile bloomed on her face. She didn't press for answers. 

Their secret outing so far had brought nothing but unexpected joy. There had been no dangerous mishaps, and nothing to worry about. In fact, as Tetia watched the sunset while waiting for Agott to finish her meal, she couldn't help but think that this little adventure had brought their relationship closer than it had ever been before. 

Two days had passed since, and Agott now stood completely alone in the atelier’s dimly lit kitchen. It was several clock marks past midnight after she had spent the entirety of yesterday sneaking around Kalhn to scavenge the mountain herbs and root vegetables detailed in the elder's recipe. Now, she could finally begin the final phase of her mission.

She tilted her head toward the hallway, listening intently. There was not a single sign of Master Qifrey or Olruggio staying up late tonight. That was good, because it would mean that she was free to prepare this meal to her heart's content without interference.

Speaking of staying up late, aside from her, Coco was also still awake. It was one of those nights when she would be tirelessly buried in her work at her side of their shared workstation. Agott knew from her own experience that studying until late at night was a double-edged sword; inevitably, a distracting hunger would strike in the early hours of the morning, leaving her with nothing to do but suffer through it until breakfast. Agott intended to make sure Coco wouldn't have to wait for that. 

Tucking her sleeves back, Agott approached the stone counters. 

First, she intended to light a fire of the kitchen’s hearth by feeding logs of dry wood inside and lit them up with a spell until a gentle, even heat radiated across the stone. Suspended above the flame was a large, heavy iron cauldron. She swung the pot out, checking its interior before letting it heat up.

Using a ceramic mortar and pestle, Agott began crushing the dried herbs. Each strike of the pestle released a nice fragrance into the kitchen—earthy and slightly sweet. Next, she took a kitchen knife and began prepping the potatoes. Chopping it down reminded her of Coco’s smile back when she explained the difference between the vegetables, and it inadvertently made her smile. Agott then cut them into thick chunks alongside the root vegetables, ensuring they were uniform in size. 

With the prep work finished, Agott poured a ladle of rich fat into the heated cauldron, tossing in the already-seasoned Frillram meat. The kitchen immediately filled with a sharp, mouth-watering sizzle as she used a long-handled wooden paddle to flip them around. Once the meat was perfectly browned, she tossed in the potatoes, the crushed herbs, and the rest of the vegetables, letting the heat simmer them until the aroma almost made her hungry.

Finally, she poured in a pitcher of spring water, pushing the heavy iron handle back directly over the center of the hearth. And now all she needed to do was wait. 

Sitting on a low wooden stool by the fire, the wooden paddle resting across her knees, Agott watched the broth begin to slowly bubble. The firelight danced across her face as she tended to the flames, her mind already imagining how the smile would bloom across Coco's face as Agott presented the dish to her. 

It was finished far faster than expected, largely because Agott had drawn a glyph to upregulate the pressure along the base of the cauldron before lighting the fire. After about one clock-mark, she dipped a wooden spoon into the bubbling broth, carefully blowing on it before taking a sip and biting into a tender piece of meat. It was perfect. The rich, earthy taste matched the aroma she had smelled back in the village.

She ladled the steaming stew into a bowl, carefully choosing the part where it contained more meat, but after that, the moment she stood in front of the door leading to their shared space, hesitation struck her.

She stood frozen in the dim hallway, staring down at the food. Would Coco think she was weird for cooking her favourite dish out of nowhere? Or would she act the complete opposite—happy and overjoyed that Agott had paid such close attention to her?

Before Agott’s mind could reach a decision, the wooden door creaked open. Coco stepped out into the hallway, rubbing her tired eyes. “Where is that delicious smell coming from…?” Coco mumbled to herself, blinking in the dim light until her gaze landed squarely on Agott standing right in front of her with a steaming bowl of stew. 

She looked up, utterly bewildered. “Agott? What are you doing?” 

Panic immediately surged through Agott's veins. Caught completely off guard by her sudden appearance, Agott’s brain short-circuited. Then, acting purely on instinct to hide her embarrassment, she thrust the bowl forward, right into Coco’s hands.

“Eat,” Agott said, the single word snapping out much harsher than she intended.

Coco tilted her head in wonder, looking down at the dish. As the distinct aroma of the herbs hit her, she gasped. It was Frillram stew, her favourite dish.

But instead of a bright smile, Coco's eyes suddenly welled with tears. Agott’s heart dropped into her stomach at the reaction, and her breath hitched in worry; it was a sight that instantly reminded her of the nights when Coco would wake up from a nightmare, crying and breathless, slumped over her desk.

“Coco…?” Agott asked, her voice cracking slightly with uncharacteristic panic. “What’s wrong?”

But Coco didn't answer. She just ducked her head, shaking it rapidly as she sank straight down to her knees right there in the hallway, clutching the warm bowl to her chest as the tears began to spill over. Agott stood in front of her with her hands hovering awkwardly in the air, completely lost on what to say or how to comfort. 

But then, just as suddenly as she had collapsed, Coco sprang back up to her feet. Carefully balancing the bowl in one hand so she wouldn't spill a single drop, she reached out with her free hand and grabbed Agott’s arm, dragging her back into the kitchen.

Coco paused at the archway, her eyes tracking the messy counter, the chopped leftover vegetables—basically the trace of Agott’s hard work in the kitchen for the past clock mark. Fresh tears brimmed in her red-rimmed eyes, realizing the amount of effort Agott had put into this just for her. She blinked the tears away, grabbed a second bowl from the shelf, and hurriedly ladled a second, generous serving into it.

Agott watched her in deep confusion.

Was she seriously that hungry? Why was she demanding a second portion when she hadn't even taken a single bite of the first one? 

Turning around with a bowl in each hand, Coco looked at Agott. Despite her flushed, tear-stained face, a breathtakingly cheerful smile broke through the sorrow.

“Let’s eat outside!” Coco proclaimed, her voice thick but bursting with excitement. She gestured toward the door with her elbow. 

Agott could only wordlessly nod, completely overtaken by Coco’s infectious happiness.

They stepped out into the crisp midnight air, wrapping their casual cloaks tightly around their shoulders against the biting chill. Above them, the sky was a breathtaking, vast tapestry of deep indigo, completely absent of clouds. Countless stars spilled across the dark blanket of the sky like a shattered jar of glittering diamond dust, casting a soft silver glow over the courtyard of the atelier.

Finding a smooth stone ledge, they sat down side by side, their shoulders brushing under the layers of their cloaks.

Coco didn't eat right away. She just stared down at the steaming broth, watching the vapour swirl up toward the air as if she were looking at a miracle. Agott kept her eyes fixed on Coco, her chest tightening with an anxious, nervous knot. She found herself holding her breath, waiting for Coco’s reaction.

Slowly, Coco lifted a spoonful of the stew to her lips and took her first bite.

An immediate, soft groan of pure delight escaped her. Her eyes squeezed shut as she practically melted right where she sat, and her face lit up with absolute joy. "Oh my goodness, Agott!" she gushed, turning to her with a look of awe. "This is incredible! How did you do this? This tastes exactly like how they would cook it back home! It's amazing!" 

A blush instantly erupted across Agott's cheeks, burning all the way to her ears. She averted her gaze, defensively digging her own spoon into the bowl to busy herself. "Don't exaggerate," she muttered, her voice dripping with forced nonchalance. "I just followed the recipe. It's just a regular stew."

"No, it's not!" Coco insisted, her voice dropping into a softer tone. She looked back down at her bowl, her fingers tightening around the ceramic. "It’s… it's just like the way my mother used to make it."

A sudden silence fell between them, broken only by the crackle of distant crickets. Agott froze, completely lost on what to say. The mention of Coco's mother was a fragile territory, and she watched helplessly as Coco’s smile quickly turned wobbly, while the moonlight caught the fresh gleam of moisture gathering in her eyes once more.

Before the tears could fall, Coco shook her head, blinking them away, and ducked her face straight into her bowl, eating quickly in determination to drown out the sudden wave of homesickness.

Agott let out a fond huff at the sight. Her expression softened completely in the quiet of the night. She took a bite of the very food she had spent the last clock mark cooking for. Chewing thoughtfully, a small, wry smile tugged at the corner of her lips. It was actually quite salty, and a bit more bland than how she remembered eating the dish Tetia had brought her. But if she reminded herself of Coco's sincere compliments, she could almost ignore the blatant difference in taste. After all, this is her first attempt, and Agott decided not to beat herself up over this. She just needed to cook the stew more deliciously for Coco in the future.

Before long, the stew was completely devoured. The two empty bowls now sat innocently between them on the cold stone ledge, their surfaces scraped clean.

Agott leaned back slightly, tilting her head up to stare at the starry sky above. Her body was exhausted from the late hour, but she found herself stubbornly refusing to stand up. She didn't want to move, nor did she want to go back inside. More than anything, she didn't want to let this fragile, beautiful moment with Coco shatter.

Beside her, Coco seemed to be thinking the same thing, making no move to return to the atelier.

Then, beneath the shelter of the moonlight, Agott felt a sudden, gentle warmth from the tip of her finger. Awkward, hesitant fingers slowly crept across the stone ledge, brushing against her own. Before Agott could pull away out of instinct, Coco’s hand slid completely into hers, carefully weaving theirs together until they were tightly intertwined.

Agott looked down at their joined hands in utter bewilderment, her heart executing a violent flip-flop against her chest. She slowly turned her head, her breath catching in her throat as she looked straight into Coco's face.

There was no sadness left on it. Coco was looking back at her with eyes absolutely overflowing with affection, a beautifully warm and genuine smile gracing her lips. The smile that Agott had been deprived of and had longed for since the Silver Eve had finally returned.

"Thank you, Agott," Coco whispered, her voice carrying a sweet, rhythmic lilt that felt almost shy. It reminded her of the tone Master Qifrey had used against Olruggio. "Thank you very much. I know you think you hid it well, but I know how much effort you put into this... You travelled all the way to my village, didn't you? You went through all that trouble, and learned the recipe just because you noticed I was feeling sad back in Kalhn. It's the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me. Eating this stew beside you tonight, it feels like a warm hug from my past, and it makes me feel like my mom isn't quite so far away, after all. I’m just... I’m so incredibly happy." 

Agott could only gulp, completely paralyzed by the weight of Coco’s gaze. She squeezed Coco’s warm fingers back in helpless surrender, letting the starlight wash over them as the midnight chill completely faded away. 

Agott stared at her, the words echoing in her mind until the realization of what Coco had just admitted finally sank in. Her eyes widened. 

For a second, Agott was stunned. But then, a sudden, breathless bubble of laughter escaped her lips. She covered her face with her free hand, her shoulders shaking as she let out a genuine laugh, feeling incredibly silly for how stubbornly adamant she had been about keeping the whole thing a secret.

“You really are something else,” Agott murmured, shaking her head as she finally dropped her hand, looking back at Coco. “You’re welcome, Coco.”

She looked up at the glittering stars, a faint smile decorating her lips. “I just... I wanted to see you smile like that again. Ever since Silver Eve, you’ve been carrying this… weight around with you, I suppose. I noticed it once again when we were in Kalhn with Olruggio-sensei. I hated seeing that expression on your face, so I decided right then that I was going to fix it.”

Coco let out a shy little laugh, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she looked down at their joined hands. “Everything has just... happened so fast since Silver Eve, hasn't it? Sometimes it feels like I’m barely keeping my head above water.”

She looked back up at Agott, her eyes shining with sincerity. “But what you did for me tonight... it reminded me that I’m not alone. It taught me that there's a different kind of magic in the world. Not the kind we draw with conjuring ink, but another form of magic—just like this stew. It’s the kind that has the power to heal someone's heart without turning it forbidden, and it makes me want to strive even harder to bring happiness to people, no matter what it takes.”

Agott listened, and not for the first time, she found herself completely agreeing with Coco’s innocent outlook on the world.

Born in the Arklaum family, Agott had always been taught that magic was a tool of prestige and power. But sitting here beside her, watching the unburdened joy illuminating Coco's face, Agott realized that this was one of those instances where she had truly helped someone—not with a glyph or a complicated spell, but simply by paying attention.

She looked at the girl beside her with a newfound sense of affection. 

“Maybe”, Agott mumbled to herself as the starlight danced across their cloaks, “I still have a lot more to learn from you, Coco.”

Coco smiled brightly in response. 

The next morning, the serene quiet of her workstation was broken only by the steady scratching of Agott’s pen. Seated at the table beneath the early sun, she was already deeply immersed in her practice for the Third Test, meticulously drawing glyph after glyph to perfect her skill. 

Suddenly, the peaceful atmosphere was shattered as two figures popped out from behind the nearby stone pillars.

“Sooooo~” Tetia sang out, leaning over Agott's shoulder with a mischievous grin. “How did the midnight snack go yesterday?”

Agott instantly choked on her own saliva. She coughed violently, her pen slipping and leaving a ruined ink line across her parchment. Whirling around with wide, panicked eyes and a red face, she demanded, “How—how do you even know about that?!”

Richeh stepped out from behind Tetia, expressionless as always. “Richeh was awaken last night by the delicious smell,” Richeh piped up, her voice flat, but there was something akin to a teasing tone buried in it. “I went into the kitchen and had a portion myself. After that, Richeh wanted to thank you for the meal.”

Agott opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out.

“But that’s not all!” Tetia cooed, clasping her hands together dramatically. “When Richeh went to look to say thank you, she noticed that both you and Coco were nowhere to be seen. So she looked out the window, and what did she see? Two silhouettes sitting super close together under the stars!”

“It was very cold outside,” Richeh added helpfully, nodding. 

Agott felt the heat rushing all the way to the tips of her ears. She opened and closed her mouth like a fish, completely lost for what to say.

“Oh, Agott, it is so romantic!” Tetia squealed, dancing around in her steps and fanning her own face. “Sneaking around and cooking a midnight feast for your dearest princess just like a prince! You are so cool—!”

“Shut up!!” Agott shrieked, her voice cracking.

Driven purely by embarrassment, Agott chased both girls out of her workstation and thanked every god above that Coco was still peacefully sleeping in her room.