''We'll see about that later. For now, he can still provide finances and supplies for the Mamonos and the coming Autumn Solstice.'' Your mother adds without stopping her careful vigil of the horizon. ''Antagonizing him too soon would be wasting a good opportunity.''

You finish the water in your gourd with one last swallow. Everybody's bloody suspicious.

''I had an illuminating discussion with the wise woman of the village, Hanabi.'' Despite making a competent summary of your discussion in your head, recounting everything that happened two hours ago has you hesitate and search your words often enough that you only end after a half-hour of ceaseless talking.

As always, you're the one to deliver the heaviest news. Family and friends stay silent long enough for you to divert your attention toward the crouched sun, now nothing more than a memory of a fiery ball casting its last rays into a dark-blue sky.

''Sending infiltrators on long reconnaissance to identify the problems of a Mamonos community and finding the distinction between hostiles and amenable humans is exactly how the Demon Lord has been operating since the end of overt hostilities.'' Says your father. Usha has become a round, egg-shaped blob in his hands now, having fallen asleep during the silent lull.

''I don't think that fox answers to the succubus.'' Seyraphal speaks for the first time this evening. Going back home means that she has shed her bandages and let her cute wings finally breathe air. ''What she said about Lady White makes me think of another motivation. And we Mamonos have this concept of ''Supreme'' monsters that separate the truly powerful from the rest. Someone of that caliber is often highly independent of our current Demon Lord, especially with her current hands-off attitude toward her Corruption. My teacher had dealings with such monsters.''

''It is true that Lady White isn't only feuding with the Demon Lord.'' Your mother's voice is strong and stern, easily dominating the conversation.

Lady White. Lady White...? Wasn't there a white elf near the mansion...? A painful pressure between your temples has you wince, as if your entire brain suffered a cramp.

''My order knew precious little confirmed activity about her outside the Swamp. Blood magic is needed to call her, and Blood magic is ruthlessly hunted down by our Good Mother; the faintest trace can spell your doom...and it has a knack for creating all kinds of side effects since it infests the very reality around its ritual site. It corrupts the lingering magic in the world and eases the pathways for Outsiders.''

''Whoever used it didn't know or cared little for damning innocent souls,'' Rikard adds. ''Usually, the act of cults.''