After hugging Novus and kissing him lightheartedly on the cheek, Circe sprung to Goibhniu’s shivering cheek to do the same. While she moved, Circe muttered about the perfect ingredient showing up and the series of recipes she would try soon.

Muah!

“Honey, we will be having some extra fun soon!”

The slime cores disappeared somewhere as Circe gathered them all and vanished into her lab behind a slammed door.

Slam!

Goibhniu visibly flinched as the laboratory door slammed shut, and when Circe’s humming and occasional cackling resounded into Goibhniu’s ears, he released a resigned sigh.

“Do with him what you want, Edna. Circe seems to trust that you’ll be able to crack him. I should as well, it seems. I have to go prepare myself for a greater battle.”

Goibhniu took one last look at Novus and took a deep breath. A soft clink was heard as the smithy door closed behind him as quiet as a foxmouse. In his smithy, Goibhniu would be safe. A blacksmith’s forge would never betray its blacksmith.

Meanwhile, Edna locked her piercing eyes on the only remaining person in the room, Novus, who was grinning in a way that got under her skin.

“Who are you?”

Novus’ façade was foolproof as he casually gathered his hands and rocked back his chin.

“Someone you didn’t kill immediately. Which means I’m valuable, right?”

Edna gnashed her teeth as she spoke.

“As valuable as a fly. Answer the question.”

Novus’ eyes gleamed momentarily before calming to a tranquil gaze, surprising Edna at the sudden shift in mentality.

“I’m Novus. Someone who wants benefits. I didn’t mean for it to be in this particular way, but life rarely works out the way most people expect.”

Edna simply crossed her arms.

“What benefits?”

Then, just as suddenly as it disappeared, the odd smile was back on Novus’ face.

“Well, first, can I have my sword back?”

The Etched Villager’s Sword flew through the air, and Novus deftly caught it and strapped it to his belt in one fluid motion.

Then, An odd silence filled the room. It took a moment for Novus to internally debate, but ultimately, he decided to take a risk.

“He’s alive. Gaius, I mean. He’s looking for a way to regrow his arm or take back his old one.”

Edna’s eyes grew sharper until they closed and looked away from Novus.

“What an idiot. Doesn't he realize...”

Edna shook her head as she looked back at Novus.

“Tell me what else you know about Gaius. That can’t be it.”

To be truthful, Novus didn’t know much else about Gaius. But would Novus make it that easy? His haggling intuition was tingling as he looked at Edna like a fish caught on a hook.

“Hmmm. You know, I feel like there was something else, but what could it be? Hmmm. The beatings must have—”

Novus glanced at Edna’s distorted expression and trailed off his words.

“—gone to my head.”

Edna didn’t take kindly to Novus’ ‘forgetful’ façade, and her temper quickly reared back around.

“I’ve killed you once, brat. I can do it over and over. Tell me what I want to know right now. Or else.”

However, Novus took the threat in kind as he unbelievably smiled brighter.

“Patience is an interesting trait. I wonder, would I cave in from dying endlessly, or would you cave in from killing me endlessly.”

Seeing that smile sent the flow of rage in Edna spiralling again.

“I have multiple ways of repeating your death while I go get the information I need.”

“And yet, even now, you haven’t found Gaius. I wonder how long it will take to gather such information?”

Edna’s teeth gritted against each other. But Novus was right.

“Despicable.”

As he revealed his intentions, Novus kept his disgustingly gracious smile plastered on his face.

“We don’t have to be at odds, Edna. You, Goibhniu and Circe don’t seem to believe it, but I have no malicious intent towards you. In fact, it's quite the opposite.”

Novus slightly bowed as he faced Edna with respect in his tone.

“I respect you more than you could ever dream.”

Edna didn’t enjoy the shift in tone towards her, but the subtle lie detection magic she had cast still hadn’t alerted her of a lie. So whatever nonsense Novus was spouting, it was at least truthful. At least to himself. Truthfully, Novus did respect a powerhouse of such a calibre as Edna. Few beings in the entire continent could match her legends, and Novus didn't doubt that that meant her corresponding strength must be earth-shaking.

“Listen, Edna. You know better than anyone how weak I am.”

Internally, Edna scoffed a little. Novus was weak? Her previously throbbing arms told her otherwise.

“I need to get stronger. A lot stronger.”

However, when Edna saw the greedy look inside Novus’ eyes, she thought of another possibility. A possibility that seemed unbelievably ironic: that Novus didn’t even know about the power hidden inside him.

“Edna. I need your help to grow stronger. I need you to teach me the path of a Soul Predator.”

Edna’s eyes shrunk at the final two words, and she rapidly grabbed his collar to bring him to her eye level. Her mouth trembled like a dam about to burst with a multitude of curses, but she barely held them in as she let Novus down inch by inch. Finally, Edna waved, and a chair reassembled from fragments as she reinforced it with enough magic to not crumble.

“For you to even know about the Soul Predators, really, who are you? Why has such a troublesome thing like you appeared?”

Edna rubbed her forehead to quiet the streaming thoughts in her head.

Does this kid think I can make a Soul Predator whenever I want? Even Gaius would be at a loss on this one… Although, he did say I needed a disciple. But, this brat? He reeks of trouble. I was hoping to find a simple, talented disciple.

On the other hand, Novus was internally sweating in anticipation. Beneath his calm façade, he was incomparably nervous. Despite those nerves, Novus took out a bit of water to refresh his throat. The relaxed drinking of water completed the whole façade. If Novus were inducted into Hollywood, it wouldn’t be long before he got an Oscar.

Sigh.

“I can’t.”

Novus’ calm façade nearly cracked open. However, he still stayed steady as he questioned Edna.

“There’s no way? Even with your expertise?”

This time it was Edna’s turn to request something of Novus.

“I can’t. Not unless you do something for me.”

“If its intel on Gaius, then I’ll tell you. I’ll need to become a Soul Predator first, though.”

However, Edna’s condition was out of Novus’ expectations.

“Information on Gaius is a given. But, what I’ll need is a second Soul Predator. The initiation ritual requires two of them to be present, and even factoring in my strength; I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to handle it all.”

Edna seemed unnerved as she bit her thumb.

“There’s a Goblin Chief on the island. An old friend who can help. Though it will be limited with his current strength, we should be able to bestow the basic powers.”

A quest window appeared before Novus’ brightened eyes.

 

“I accept!”

Edna looked with mild interest and took out a dim pendant from thin air as she tossed it to Novus.

“That pendant will let Garbal know I sent you. Good luck. I already tried searching the island, but I couldn’t find him. There's been something interfering with my senses."

Edna gnashed her teeth at the thought. But then, it seemed to all line up as a target for venting appeared.

"I have rats to chase.”

Meanwhile, Novus caught the pendant and stashed it away as Edna made for the exit door. Well, the archway. The door was still in splinters.

“Hello? I’m William the Guard Captain; I’m here to evac—”

Woosh!

A plume of dust briefly sprayed on William the Guard Captain. Edna had moved with such speed that it seemed more like dusty teleportation.

“—uate you.”

Novus patted the dazed William’s shoulder as he walked past him.

“Thank you. But that won’t be necessary. Man, I’ve got to get myself teleportation magic. Even a telestone or a spell scroll would do.”

Before William could question anything, Novus had already run off towards the northwestern exit out of town.