"I haven't met a soldier who can handle alcohol as poorly as you," Francisca said with a half-smile, watching as Élodie leaned against an alley wall and vomited.
"Aren't warriors supposed to be physically fit? You should recover quickly!" commented Séraphine, holding the policewoman's blonde hair to keep it from getting dirty.
"This was to be expected. Who made you drink wine so early in the morning? Humans are so strange!" Sasha sat on one of the buns of the alchemist's hairstyle and found it quite comfortable.
"I..." Élodie wanted to say something, but vomited again. This time, she spat out a little water, having expelled everything she had eaten for breakfast a couple of hours earlier.
"You're lucky your boss was smart and gave you some freedom. Otherwise, that cop would be coming over to us with a ticket," Francisca said to a uniformed man who was looking suspiciously at the group of girls in the distance. However, when he saw the police badge around the blonde's neck, he decided not to approach.
After all, police officers tend to cover for each other. As long as it's not a serious crime, minor things like vomiting in the street can be overlooked. However, when a clearly drunk man was about to do the same thing in another alley, the officer approached him sternly to give him a warning.
"I could help you with my abilities, but I feel you should experience this. Luckily, you didn't try the alcohol of fairies or gnomes, or you wouldn't even be able to stand," Sasha commented. This caused Séraphine's eyes to fall on her.
"You know how to make drinks? Gnome beer is expensive! Fairy mead is even more expensive." As someone eager for money, how could the witch not know about expensive drinks?
Especially since she frequented a high-end place like O'Connor's Bar, where rare options were available. Luckily, she earned enough to taste certain special drinks.
"Yes, but fairies hardly ever make mead..." Sasha murmured, dampening Séraphine's enthusiasm. She didn't want to upset the fairy by bringing up topics that might make her uncomfortable.
"What I was going to say is that my body is already adapting to this. It's an advantage of being a warrior," said Élodie, changing the subject and alleviating the slight sadness in the air.
After vomiting, the blonde felt much better. Although this was the first time this had happened to her, she couldn't help thinking that she would be able to handle it better next time. Luckily, it wouldn't be with hard liquor; otherwise, she would have a similar experience again.
"Hmm, you know, that's always interested me. It's the same procedure for generating ether, but the different 'paths' or 'professions,' so to speak, affect humans in totally different ways." Upon hearing the blonde's comment, Francisca brought up the topic, causing Séraphine to nod.
"Warriors have a better physique even without using ether, surpassing that of normal people. Furthermore, although they can't compare to certain species, they tend to adapt to negative things faster, making the process much shorter.
Of course, we all have that kind of adaptation, but it's clearly improved in her." If it takes a normal person a day to acclimate to a new climate, it can take a warrior five hours or less," Séraphine explained, retrieving this basic knowledge from her mind through meditation.
"Oh, I know that! I'm good at withstanding cold weather because I grew up in the north. But because I traveled around the country with the army, the humidity and heat of the South don't affect me.
"Haha, that's the advantage of being a soldier. You face different biomes. It's something I took advantage of quite a bit. But I still hate swamps," said Élodie, puffing out her chest with pride because of her abilities as a soldier and her past.
After all, it was thanks to the army that she had developed her abilities; it had also made it easier for her to learn about the world, even though she hadn't interacted with it much.
Because of these travels, however, she had consciously sought to develop this kind of endurance while participating in missions. It was a normal process that all warriors went through, regardless of culture or what they were called around the world.
"Only a foolish warrior would be proud of that. That's nothing compared to us wizards and witches who have better memories and process information faster.
We are essentially a little smarter than the average person. I remember every book I've read and have cataloged them in my mind." Not wanting to be outdone, Séraphine quickly mentioned the advantage of being able to perform magic, speaking with the arrogant tone that characterized her.
"Hehehe...you're full of yourself. Élodie's resilience has its value, and of course, your sharp mind is impressive. However, we alchemists are not far behind because we have a sensitivity to the ingredients and pieces we use.
I've heard of alchemists who only have to touch something to know its use and effect without resorting to alchemical means," Francisca added, explaining the "special" side of alchemists.
"Oh, I know about that! One of my cousins can touch a piece of meat and tell you the best way to cook it," Séraphine commented, causing Francisca to give her a blank stare. The witch simply responded by playfully sticking out her tongue.
"I suppose we needed something, didn't we? Just look at vampires, for example, with their longevity; werewolves, with their superior strength and heightened senses; and lamias, which can be poisonous. It was only fair that humans could excel at something," said Élodie, raising her war hammer and resting it on her shoulder.
"You missed the fairies! We are beautiful, gorgeous, and magnificent. Our wings are the best..." Sasha continued raving about fairies, causing the three women to look at each other in silence, unsure how to respond.
"I think you should calm down. We all know the virtues of fairies, but you're exaggerating a little," said Séraphine, smiling as she took Sasha by the hand.
The fairy looked at her with puffed cheeks and her arms crossed under her chest. However, when she saw the witch place her on her hat, she calmed down. Although her mouth moved silently as if she were continuing her praise despite everything.
"Now that we've calmed the queen, if we're going to talk about racial advantages, we can't ignore the fact that in Blume, there are other intelligent species, such as the Reptilians, Harpies, and Kitsune." Seeing the blonde's face wrinkle, Séraphine stopped talking. However, what little she said still made her companion sigh uncomfortably.
"I've seen the beings you mention, and I've even fought them. If you're not used to them, it's easy to be caught off guard. Especially the Kitsune; their illusions are quite convincing," whispered the policewoman, recalling her experiences in the army and smiling.
"Let's go back to the car. Séraphine's office is an interesting place that I'd like to explore carefully," Francisca said, interrupting the conversation and approaching the nearby car.
As a well-known figure in Blume, especially as an alchemist, she must have had her own car. Like her hair, the car's paint was a vibrant shade of red, and there was a surprise in the driver's seat.
It wasn't a person, but rather automaton number 3, whom Francisca had created to perform many functions, one of which was to drive the vehicle. Francisca could have hired a human driver, or one from any other race, but she decided her alchemical creation should perform this task.
Number 3's 'eyes' watched the three girls and the fairy get into the car. Constantly monitoring their condition, Number 3 saw that none of them were in bad shape. The machine then began the process of driving.
"Hey, Francisca, you have a shop where you sell your stuff, right?" Élodie asked suddenly. The redhead sitting in the passenger seat turned around to pay attention to her.
"What's up? Do you want a potion? I have lots of options! Or an enchanted weapon? Your hammer could be stronger with a few enchantments." Francisca's red eyes seemed to glow intensely as she talked about alchemy.
Her excitement was palpable, causing Élodie to glance at Séraphine, whom she had seen in a similar state when topics she liked were discussed.
A strange feeling of emptiness mixed with jealousy came over her. She didn't have anything that made her feel that way. Sure, she liked to fight, but she usually did so because she had to and not because she wanted to.
Then a thought grew in her mind: Should she find a hobby? She would have to think about it later, though, because right now, she wanted to talk to Francisca about something she needed.
"No, nothing like that. I may have to buy you some recovery potions, but that's not why I wanted to talk to you. I'd like a space device." Élodie's request made Francisca smile. Séraphine nodded as if she had been expecting it.
"You finally figured it out, silly cop. Seeing you carry that heavy thing gives me back pain," Séraphine said, pointing to the hammer in the blonde's lap.
"I've always carried it with me! But now that I'm in the city, I have to avoid possible accidents," replied the blonde reproachfully, puffing out her cheeks a little to express her annoyance.
"The thing is, dear, if you want space gear just for your weapon or something more elaborate," the redhead commented, making the blonde think about it.
"Well, I don't have that much stuff. My police gun is fine on my waist. I don't have anything else to take with me, so the case would just be for Betty," said Élodie as she stroked the head of her hammer. But her attention was drawn to Séraphine, who suddenly moved closer, her face quite close to hers.
"Did you just call your hammer Betty?" Séraphine asked in an unusually serious tone. The girls, even Sasha, who was resting on her witch's hat, wondered why she was reacting that way.
"Um, yes! It's something I got used to while training," the police officer replied nervously because she couldn't tell what the witch wanted. Moreover, the witch's proximity made her nervous and caused her cheeks to turn a little red.
"Well, how cool that you give your weapon a name! I do the same thing. I've started using it more often, and I named my rapier Nora." Séraphine touched her hat, where she kept her weapon, and smiled broadly.
"By Mother Light! I thought you were going to be more intense about being against it. But it seems that, as a witch, you have more peculiarities than I expected." Francisca rolled her eyes, thinking the tension from a few seconds ago was a waste of time.
"It's interesting to give them names. Especially when you know about the existence of the souls of objects, also known as animas." As a witch who researched the immaterial, how could she not be interested in this special type of existence?
There were many stories on this subject. Some say that there is a castle somewhere in the world that is completely alive. Not only that, but every object that enters it acquires life and a distinct personality over time.
"It doesn't matter if that hammer has a soul or not. A space device is expensive. Do you have enough money to buy it, Élodie?" Francisca asked, leaving Séraphine speechless. The witch made an obscene gesture at her, and the police laughed at the humor of the situation.
"I have a lot of Aureum saved up! Besides, I may be from the north, but that doesn't mean northerners are backward or poor. My parents are farmers, and they're very prosperous. I have plenty of money," the blonde replied to the alchemist.
"Oh? You're a farmer, too! Tell me about your life there. I've never lived on a farm for very long." Taking advantage of her proximity to Élodie, Séraphine put her hand around the policewoman's neck in a friendly gesture. However, this only made the girl's blush deepen.
"Séraph! I know you're getting even. Let me finish my sale first, then we'll talk about how you milked cows. Come to think of it, isn't that what you want to know? With those udders you're carrying around, I'm sure you're curious!" Francisca mocked the witch's attempt to annoy her, returning the attack with her incisive comment.
"You, red-haired dwarf!" Séraphine said, pointing at the alchemist. Her face was hot with embarrassment. The redhead smiled smugly because she felt she had hit the nail on the head with her words.
"I'm just curious! Curious!" Séraphine complained. However, she did not move away from Élodie. Despite that, she did not pay attention to the subtle glance the blonde had given her. Francisca did notice it, though, and an idea crossed her mind.
'Witches can be so stubborn and clueless. Looks like I'll have to give those two a little push to see what sparks fly.' The smile on the redhead's face grew, causing Séraphine to stop complaining because she instinctively felt that her companion was about to embarrass her further.
"Hey, Élodie, why don't you say anything? Don't you find Séraphine's interest strange? Surely you'd be interested in telling her how you milked cows and giving her a demonstration." To add weight to her words, Francisca made a hand gesture with a clear sexual connotation that even the innocent blonde could understand. This caused her to lower her head.
"Isn't that a bit fast?" Élodie asked quietly. Since they were in a car and the two girls were close, her words were loud enough for them to hear clearly.
"Oh, so you're not against it?" the redhead continued teasing. But Séraphine, with her quick mind, found a way out of the awkward situation she was in.
"Francisca, I feel like you're bothering me because you're jealous. Aren't you an alchemist? A papaya extract should help you get half of what I have!" The witch's mockery was ruthless, causing Francisca to look at her with pursed lips. But the worst was yet to come.
"Mrs. Zhang, you should take your bust growth potion," her third assistant reminded her, causing an uncomfortable silence to fill the car.
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Séraphine, Élodie, and Sasha burst out laughing. They had been enjoying the gossip all this time.
"Okay, that was funny. I didn't expect you to care so much about it. Take it as a joke. You look fine the way you are," Séraphine said, feeling that she might have gone a little too far. She apologized and offered a genuine compliment.
"It's true! Don't worry. You're beautiful, Lady Zhang. I've heard from my army colleagues that breasts grow when you fondle them. Isn't that similar to milking cows? I'd better tell you about my past life before I was recruited!" Trying to steer the conversation in a better direction, Élodie said that, prompting Séraphine to ask her many questions about her childhood on the farm.
However, instead of getting upset, Francisca simply watched her two companions, who seemed quite comfortable and not at all embarrassed. The witch still had her arm around the police officer's neck, and Francisca no longer felt uneasy.
Élodie was no longer blushing but had a big smile on her face as she recounted what it was like growing up in a rural area. Even she plucked up the courage to put her hand around Séraphine's waist, and Séraphine did not reject the gesture.
"Bingo! I just have to make small advances at the right moment, all according to my plan," thought Francisca after noticing those subtle details. She made a hidden gesture to Number 3, praising him for his timely comment.
The redhead stood and watched as Séraphine and Élodie gradually became closer, not because they worked together or because of a magical kiss, but because of their genuine interaction.
It was obvious that these two had a special connection, and that even Élodie was taking the initiative. Séraphine's actions were more instinctive due to the witch's charm that had penetrated her bones. However, something worried the alchemist.
'Élodie is more open. I'm not surprised she's trying to bring them closer together, but Séraph... I saw that sparkle in her eyes when she talked about her research or topics she liked. That's not good.
I mustn't let her treat her emotions and this situation as just another topic to investigate. It's strange enough that she only trusts people she's kissed with that spell. That's not reliable,' Francisca reflected seriously. She made sure the group conversation remained lively, constantly provoking her two friends.
Although the alchemist's actions could be considered annoying and made Séraphine feel embarrassed or uncomfortable, they led her to have a rather pleasant conversation with Élodie and learn more about her, thus increasing her interest.
The witch, who had wanted to experiment with her emotions as if they were an academic subject, put that thought aside. Perhaps she didn't have to treat her budding feelings as something bad or something to watch from afar without immersing herself in them.
However, something more powerful would be needed to break down the walls around her heart that had been built by past experiences and personal circumstances. For now, however, the two women beside her had earned a small space in her heart, which was enough for the time being.
At least Francisca's plan had worked completely.