Who is this?

Roko followed the shadowy figure he had seen sneaking off into the depths of the mansion. He kept a good distance away and made sure to keep out of sight. Where they were going, Roko didn't know since he wasn't familiar with the layout but whoever this was certainly seemed to know. They traveled confidently down the corridors, only stopping to make sure they weren't being seen to which Roko managed to keep out of their detection. Eventually, this person came to a set of doors and with one last check that Roko avoided, they entered inside. Roko waited a few seconds for the stranger to focus their attention onto whatever business they had with the room before he stealthily walked up to the doors himself.

The doors were pretty large and ornate. Not adorned with much embellishments like trims or color but carved with a very simple pattern on dark mahogany. Even the door handle was a dull brass that looked dirty at first but was pretty clean when Roko laid his hands on it. Before opening the door, Roko pressed his ear against it, trying to hear anything beyond it but that wasn't a particularly effective endeavor. So Roko steeled himself and slowly, as quietly as he could, turned the handle before, in what felt like a painstakingly slow speed, creaked the door open.

The first thing Roko saw was dim light. It barely lit the room in front of him and from what Roko could see, it wasn't from the room's installed lighting. Rather, it seemed to be coming from a small shadowy orb of light, some sort of magic that was hanging in the middle of the air providing the dim lighting. As for the room itself, it was clearly a sizable library. Not quite big enough to compare to a public establishment but for what must be a personal collection it was formidable. The person that Roko had been following was standing in front of a desk laden with books. From the flower on their wrist, Roko could tell whoever this intruder was, they must have sneaked in with the party attendants. And now they were frantically skimming through a book whose title Roko could not make out in this light and distance. Still, the man didn't seem to notice Roko's intrusion and didn't show any signs of recognition as Roko quietly stepped into the room and stealthily closed the door behind them.

At this point, Roko had to briefly consider how to handle the situation. Should he approach them as an ally or adversary? Roko couldn't imagine they were here on charitable business but did that mean they were enemies? Could they be investigating Distol and his family? Could what they were looking for assuage Roko's own concerns about this night? After a short contemplation, Roko spoke up,

"Fancy seeing you here."

All at once, the book in the man's hand snapped shut and the dim light spell that they were using disappeared. Roko quickly reached out and snapped the library's lights on. The darkness couldn't have lasted for longer than a second but when the light came back on, the intruder was gone. There was no possible way that he could have escaped since that would require getting past Roko who was standing right at the door. Roko sighed and fixated his gaze at where the man had been standing.

"Analyze Map."

Combining scan and analyze together in the same way he did back during the Questing Beast chase, Roko sent an undetectable pulse outward across the library. It wouldn't mark where the man was now but the pulse traced over the surroundings which mean it would register an irregular shape even if it was invisible. And sure enough, a figure was outlined hiding behind one of the tables to the right. The pulse only exposed the man for a moment but it was enough for Roko to lock his eyes on the space where the invisible man was hiding. And the first thing he did was

"Analyze. Scan."

Roko used analyze to lock onto the hidden man but also scan so there wouldn't be any further tricks he wouldn't be aware of. From there, Roko kept an eye on the man's position as he thought of how to proceed next. Roko quietly stepped up to the table where the man had been standing, picking up the book that the man had left on the table. According to the title, it was a simple records book on the various business expenditures the Oarbine family had taken in the past few days. So whoever this man was, he was investigating the Oarbine family as well. Which meant that their interest might align, depending on what exactly he was looking for. As Roko was thinking that, he could hear a slight shift and the marker pointing to the man moved a little as he tried to moved around the table to sneak back towards the exit.

"I know you're there."

The man stopped moving. Roko sighed and turned to him with the book, "If you're investigating Distol, then we could have a shared interest. How about showing yourself?"

…

The man's invisibility spell wore off as he stood up to face Roko with a wary glare.

"You somehow found me?" The man frowned, "How?"

"Magic." Roko replied, "I'm just a lost party goer that got kicked out of the party and don't know the way out. What are you doing here?"

"You said you were investigating Distol as well?" The man replied, "I do think I remember you speaking to him in the middle of the party."

"Yeah. Don't know how much I really got out of him since I don't know what I was even looking for. But if you tell me what you're looking for, maybe I can help."

The man scratched his chin curiously as he studied Roko, "Hmmm...well I guess there's no harm in telling you. My name is...Oliver. I'm from a rival family of the Oarbines and infiltrated his party to find some dirty secret to ruin the bastard."

"...I see." Roko said, "So what exactly were you looking for?"

"Illicit dealings. Illegal activities. Contraband. That sort of stuff." Oliver shrugged, "Doesn't really matter so long as it can get him jailed."

"...Uh huh." Roko said, "So why's your family doing that? What kind of grudge do you have that you had to infiltrate the manor of a man whose father recently became deceased?"

"Oh. Well...I mean I can't reveal all my secrets." Oliver smirked, "Not to someone who hasn't introduced himself."

"...I'm not a man with a lot of secrets." Roko replied, "So you'll have to forgive me for keeping what little I do have under wraps."

"Well, aren't you the cheeky one." Oliver sneered, "After all I've proffered, you dare not to even give me your name?!"

"Somethings will be revealed in time." Roko tossed the record book back onto the table, "What secret I can offer you is the location of a little vault in this very library."

"A what?!"

Roko turned his eyes towards the very back of the library, where a painting of Ragnum hung on the wall. The map pulse that Roko sent out had outlined the framework of the entire room, including this neat little hidden vault hidden behind the painting. Roko walked over and removed the painting for Oliver to see the safe embedded in the wall. Oliver's eyes widened and he quickly rushed over to it, looking all over it for some kind of weakness in it.

"Do you know how to open it?!" Oliver asked as he ran his hands all over the surface of the safe.

"Afraid not." Roko crossed his arms and leaned back on one of the bookshelves, "You're going to have to get in yourself."

"You're not going to help?"

"I got you this far. Besides, my goals aren't quite aligned with what you've said but who knows. Maybe what's in the safe will change my mind."

"...So how do we get in?"

"Got any useful magic for this?"

"...Doesn't seem to be booby trapped in any way." Oliver muttered, "Then I can just disintergra-"

"Do what now?" Roko smirked.

"I mean uh…I'll destroy the hinges with...fire…magic."

"Wouldn't that burn up anything inside?"

"Oh! Right! So...umm..."

"...Have you tried using earth magic to sculpt a key from the lock?"

"Oh, you mean like with clay?" Oliver said, "Yeah, I can do that."

"Let's see it then."

Oliver raised his hands and silently summoned a piece of clay. He approached the safe's lock and pushed the clay into the lock, shaping a key head to grip with his fingers. He began fidgeting the key, muttering to himself as he did so. Minutes passed as he continued to knock this clay over and over again against the lock's mechanisms until the it finally clicked and the safe swung open.

"Phew!" Oliver breathed a sigh of relief and he pulled out the new clay key he was holding, "Got it open!"

"So what's inside?" Roko asked.

"Let's see..."

Oliver reached into the safe and pulled out a large book. From the colors of the cover, Roko could say for certain it wasn't a grimoire. With his interest welted, Roko just waited as Oliver flipped through the book.

"Anything interesting?" Roko asked.

"...This is...a list of smuggled goods." Oliver said, "A lot of dangerous ingredients and...records of human experimentation. It seems...they might have been trying to cure something?"

"Any idea what it is?"

"...No, the details are too vague and the range of items and effects are too wide to tell. Hard to tell what symptoms are the ones they're trying to treat and which are side effects from these experiments, especially when they start mixing these ingredients and effects. They seem...really desperate to cure...something."

"...Well, at least you got what you wanted."

"Huh?" Oliver looked up, confused.

"You found records of contraband and smuggling illegal goods." Roko said, "Should be enough to ruin the Oarbine family right?"

"...No...no this isn't it..." Oliver muttered.

"What?"

"Nothing!" Oliver said as he closed the book, "You're right, I got what I needed. Let's get out of here."

"I'm afraid it won't be that easy."

Roko and Oliver turned around to find two maids standing by the door to the library. A duo that Roko recognized was with the butler when he was kicked out of the party hall.

"Good evening." One of the maids bowed, "I am Rune."

"I am Plume." The other maid bowed as well.

"Let me guess." Roko said, "Twins?"

"That is correct, Sir Roko."

"Aha! So that's who you are!" Oliver crowed, "...Who are you?"

"Not anybody important." Roko sighed.

"Oh is that how it is? I guess only introductions are only for people who matter now! You can't come to this party and still be a nobody!"

"Sir Roko is a plus one guest." Rune explained.

"Oh we could've brought plus ones? I guess that's one way a random person could sneak into this party. That makes sense."

"He came with four other princesses."

"Whoa, that the hell's going on with you? You four-timing some princesses? You know that can't end well." Oliver sneered mockingly.

"You're just going to introduce myself for me?" Roko frowned.

"Hey, if you're not going to introduce yourself, someone's got to do it." Oliver smirked, "You can't hold onto your secrets forever!"

"I don't think you're one to talk, Mister 'Oliver'." Plume said, "You've been hiding your real identity from Mister Roko here."

"That right?" Roko scoffed as Oliver began to look around nervously.

"Indeed. This man is not in fact Oliver but Mister Alexander Devolver of the Devolver family. Long held rival of the Oarbines."

"D-Damn, guess I've been found out. But hey, I didn't lie about my intentions now did I? Right?"

Everyone turned to look at Oliver...or Alexander with strange regard.

"At any rate, we cannot allow you to leave with that book." Plume said, "So I must ask that you return it and turn yourselves over for your crimes."

"I just got lost so can I leave?" Roko asked.

"Hey, you helped me open the safe so no wriggling out of this one!" Alexander cried, "It's the two of us versus the two maids so I hope you know how to fight!"

"What if I don't?" Roko sighed.

"Well you better learn quick!"

"If you're expecting a fight, then we'll be happy to provide one." Plume said as she reached out behind her and out of nowhere suddenly appeared a giant sword like an oversized cleaver appeared, slamming into the ground with a frightening thud.

"Indeed." Rune sighed, "But we shouldn't make a mess of the library. Let's move this outside. Eject."

The maid snapped her fingers and the doors to the library flung open. From the opening a large vortex of wind began pulling Roko and Alexander outside, though the rest of the library didn't seem to be affected by this vacuum. Roko and Alexander struggled against the wind for a moment before they were picked up completely by the spell and thrown out of the room. As the two fell and rolled away from each other across the hallway floor, the two maids gently floated out and landed in between them.

"What kind of magic is that?" Roko grimaced, "That's way more powerful than any spell I know."

"It's a ritual." Alexander grimaced as he pulled himself up, "A spell woven into the area around the mansion. Stronger and more complex spells and effects can be made possible in this limited way. Ejection and that weapon summoning are probably both thanks to advanced magic like that."

"That is correct." Plume said as she turned to Alexander with her giant sword, "As expected of the Devolver family's prodigal sorcerer."

"Y-Yeah...that's me..."

"However, I'm afraid I can't let you leave with this book."

"The book!" Alexander cried as Plume held up the record they had found in her hands.

"This will be secured away safely." Plume said as the book teleported out of her hand, "While we take care of you." Plume pointed her giant sword at Alexander.

"Then, I'll be arresting you." Rune said as she turned to Roko, "You can make it easier on yourself by surrendering."

"As tempting as that is, I'm not the type to give up without a fight." Roko sighed as he dusted off his pants and stood up.

"I see." Rune help up one finger and summoned a fireball, "Then I'll do my best to hold back my spells. I may not be as talented as Sir Alexander over there but I'm confident my magic will be enough to defeat you."

"Well, don't be impressed if it does." Roko sighed.

"...You're an odd fellow." Rune said as she pointed her fireball at him.

"Well I only have one thing to say to that. Sca-"

Before Roko could finish his spell, Rune's fireball suddenly shot forward and expanded in size at an alarming rate, filling Roko's vision with fire in seconds. For a moment, Roko was frustrated at the maid seemingly using silent casting. Then his spell activated and completely blindsided him with the results, the resulting chaos barely leaving Roko enough space of mind to remember to dodge in time. In the middle of his confusion, Roko's body pulled him back until he fell on his back and the fireball flew over his head, lightly singing his hair.

"Hm. Perhaps this will be easy." Rune noted.

"What was that..." Roko muttered as he tried to comprehend what just happened, "Did...I scan the fireball? What is this weird symbol?"

"Going to keep lying on your back like that?" Rune called, "You're going to make this too easy for me."

"Hey!" Roko swung his body up to glare at the startled maid, "Do you know anything about weird symbols?!"

"Weird symbols?" Rune asked confused, "You're going to have to be more specific."

"Right. Um..." Roko thought to try to describe the symbol but honestly it was so abstract that there wasn't much he could say besides "It's like a circle." before trailing off.

"I don't know what you're going on about but I don't have time for this." Rune frowned as she summoned another fireball over her pointer finger.

"Wait, if scan works can the other one...WAIT!"

"W-What is it?" Rune said completely taken aback by Roko's impassioned command as he scrambled back onto his feet.

"Hold that fireball for a moment!"

"What?"

"Analyze!"

Roko focused on the fireball and sure enough results popped up with a more concrete result.

Fireball (Fire)

Power: 70

Properties: Burn, Compressed

"What the hell am I looking at?" Roko felt like pulling at his hair.

"It's a fireball." Rune frowned, "I shot one at you earlier."

"What the hell is 'properties'?" Roko said in a loud mumble, "Burn? Yeah, thanks. It's going to burn. Mind as well tell me that Helena's ice spell is going to freeze. ...But wait, Helena's ice spell doesn't normally freeze, it pierces..."

"Are you done?" Rune asked as he pointed the fireball at Roko again, "Can I throw this at you now?"

"Wait!" Roko cried again, "Can you make a fireball that will explode?!"

"Ex...plode?" Rune said, completely confused again, "You want me to explode you?"

"And hold it for a moment."

Rune was still wholly confused but she felt compelled to oblige, extinguishing her fireball in one hand and summoning a new, practically identical one in her other hand.

"Analyze."

Fireball (Fire)

Power: 80

Properties: Explode, Compressed

"Oh my god, it works." Roko held his head in shock, "Have I never scanned a spell before?! I must have right? Or...no, I must not have. But what the hell is that symbol?"

"Are...you okay?" Rune asked, still baffled, "Do you need some water?"

"Scan."

Rune Lunarc

Level: 54

Strength: 23

Dexterity: 16

Constitution: 17

Intelligence: 49

Wisdom: 26

Charisma: 24

Spells: Fire, Lightning, Ice, Gravity

"You don't know the water spell."

"I...yeah?" Rune said, "I could go get you some though. Are you drunk? Did you get drunk at the party?"

"I didn't take any alcohol."

"...Okay..." Rune looked at Roko weirdly, "Are you done?"

"Yeah. For now I think. Thanks, you were a big help."

"I...I didn't mean to help you." Rune stuttered, a bit embarrassed, "I'm supposed to be trying to capture you! If you're done, then take this!"

Rune fired her exploding fireball at Roko who ran forward to meet it before he slid underneath the expanding sphere, letting it explode behind him as he swung his body back up and began to close the distance between him and the maid. Rune stumbled back a few steps before she shouted "Gravity!"

In the instant that Roko heard the spell, he pushed his body down, bracing his body against the force that began to push down on him from above. His foot swung around, making the last of the distance as he swept Rune's legs out from underneath her. As Rune landed on her back with a cute cry, Roko pushed his body up, fighting the gravity spell to climb over her body and raise his fist. Rune made a sharp yelp before Roko swung his fist, empowered by the increased gravity to slam into the girl stomach. The shock from the blow knocked Rune unconscious, the gravity spell lifting as soon as she did. Roko took a deep breath and stood up.

As he looked around, Roko noticed the hallway littered with slashes and scars from the battle with the other maid and Alexander. In the middle of this epic battle was a slightly bloodied and beaten Plume, lying on the ground like her sister and her sword snapped in two next to her. The man known as Alexander was taking a quick breather as he stood over her body before he looked up and waved at Roko with a smile,

"Hey! Looks like you're done over there."

"Yeah..." Roko replied, "Looks like you almost got hit a little yourself."

"Ah, it was nothing I couldn't handle. I guess they thought they couldn't beat me in magic so they sicced the sword maid at me to try and overpower me. Can't say it was very effective though."

"Are you sure about that?"

"What do you mean?"

Roko gestured to his chest but really it was Alexander's entire body. His entire body and even face had changed drastically to take on a more feminine form with dark skin and a large cut through this person's shirt revealed a pair of sizable breasts that could not possibly have been hidden as well as it seemed from their previous identity. "Alexander" looked down at their new body and looked utterly shocked by the result.

"U-Umm...UMMMM...T-this is..."

"A disguise spell that failed in the middle of battle?" Roko guessed.

"I...yeah..."

"So you're not actually Alexander Devolver."

"...Yeah..." The man previously known as Alexander sighed, almost tired from their own multilayered identity masking.

"Do you want to try introducing yourself again? Or should I just give you a name myself since it doesn't seem to matter?"

"I..." The dark skinned girl sighed, "Just...I'm Olivia. Okay, just...call me Olivia."

"Nice to finally meet you, Olivia." Roko smirked, "I'm still Roko by the way."

"Yeah, yeah, okay you smart bastard." Olivia rolled her eyes, "Let's just get out of here before reinforcements arrive okay?!"

"Yeah, I don't think you can take anymore exposure tonight."

"Oh go screw right off."