"-and the fact that you referenced Who Framed Roger Rabbit of ALL things really shows just how ignorant you are of actual film noir!"
"Oh, we're back?" Roko said as the mist pulled back, revealing his companions standing around him and one angry Roland shouting at the sky, "Nice. We can move on now."
"Hey! I'm talking over here!" Roland shouted as he pointed at Roko.
"When are you ever not?" Roko rubbed his eyes.
"Yeah yeah, you act all self important but we all know you obviously don't have anything worthwhile to say either."
"Watch Chinatown."
"The hell you're on about?"
"The hell are both of you on about?" Enlil said, "And was he really yelling for the entire five minutes it took to get everyone together?"
"At some point you learn to tune him out." Helena chuckled.
"Why even keep him around then?"
"I mean, have you seen his hat?" Reaumur smirked.
"Wh-hey!" Roland protested but he wasn't sure if he wanted to feel offended or complimented.
"It looks like an alright hat." Enlil said, unconvinced, "I might've seen something like it before just...less white."
"Look, I would have gotten a black fedora but my armor is white!" Roland scowled.
"Oh, like my dad's armor." Reaumur said, "Is it also enchanted?"
"God I wish." Roland sighed.
"My king!"
Hyacinth called out to the king who was standing with Zinnia, looking over some drafts laid out on the table behind Roko's party, "I've found Lycoris!"
"Lycoris?" The king frowned, "I see..."
"You wish to meet her too don't you?" Hyacinth ran through Roko's party to grab the king by the hand, "Come on, I'll introduce you to her!"
"Calm down, Hyacinth!" Borage and Scabius all ran into the room as well, out of breath from chasing her with Nasturtium walking not far behind them, "The king might not be ready to-uhhh...I mean...he might have some important matters to attend to!"
"But this is-"
"It's fine." The king chuckled as he gently pulled Hyacinth's hand away from him, "I'll find the time to see her eventually."
Zinnia scoffed.
"Wait, what was that for?!" The king frowned as he turned his head to look at Zinnia.
"See, even Zinnia knows you will never show yourself if someone else doesn't force you!" Hyacinth grinned as she grabbed her king's arm again, "Come on, let's go!"
"Wh-that's not what he said!" The king cried as his personal guard began to pull him away, "I-I'll find time later! Guys, back me up!"
Despite his order, Borage and Scabius just looked away awkwardly as the rest of his guards just followed him out.
"Hmmm...why does this all seem familiar?" Helena grinned as she put her hands on her hips.
"We can only wish we could force Roko to socialize like that." Kaguya giggled.
"Maybe we just haven't been trying hard enough." Momo said, "Hey Roko! You want to go hiking sometime once we finish with this past business?"
"I'm sorry, were you talking about me?" Roko scowled, "I was too busy looking at these schematics."
"Oh yeah, I guess those are important too." Helena said, "Enlil, can you pause the memory for a bit?"
"Already did." Enlil sighed.
The center of this detailed diagram was what seemed to be a rectangular cut emerald. Various magical had been drawn around it, connecting them to parts of the emerald. Some of these designs Roko recognized from his encounter with Zinnia not that long ago. Some were completely unfamiliar and Roko couldn't even imagine what these new ones could be about. From the confused gazes around him, Roko figured no one else knew either.
"Is this a ritual?" Helena frowned, "That's a lot of component pieces though..."
"It's not a ritual..." Kaguya thought aloud, "It seems to be some sort of magical device like our phones but..."
"This looks more complex than our phones." Momo scratched her head, "And those are pretty loaded with magical techniques already."
"It's hard to imagine there's some sort of magical device more complicated than our phones 700,000 years ago." Helena let out a phew, "Damn, I can't imagine what this kind of device would cost in modern times. I can't even tell what it does but it'd probably cost a fortune on craftsmanship alone."
"As if phones weren't expensive enough already." Momo shook her head.
"Wait, are phones expensive?" Roko frowned.
"Uh, yeah?" Helena said, "What, are they ridiculously cheap in your world?"
"I mean, they're not exactly cheap but most everybody in the world had one. Is that not the case here?"
"Bro, phones come with a hand sized gem. Even the cheapest ones start at like 300,000 gold." Roland scoffed.
"...I...don't really know the conversion rate between otherwordly currencies." Roko blinked.
"You've bought things before, Roko." Kaguya said, "Surely you can tell from that."
"I mean I guess it's a lot but like...I don't really know the average person's salary and like...other economics stuff..."
"Roko, did you think you were poor?" Helena scoffed in a playfully offended way.
"I literally arrived here with nothing to my name!" Roko cried, "What do you mean, I'm not poor?!"
"Roko, do you remember what I said about your school uniform?"
"Yeah but like that was just given to me! I thought it was just a novelty that only insane people would pay for!"
"I mean, you're not wrong there."
"Wait, then how much was THIS phone?!" Roko pulled out the phone that Kaguya had given him a long time ago, "Just how much did you spend on me?!"
"Oh don't worry about." Kaguya smiled.
"No seriously!"
"Roko, if you're going to say you're gonna pay us back for it, you're going to have to work for at least a year and a half as a bartender to get close." Momo chuckled.
"I dunno, Roko could get some pretty high paying customers." Helena grinned.
"How much was it?!"
"Roko, if you really want to pay us back then just keep it on you at all times." Kaguya replied, "Honestly, with you running off on your own sometimes, this was worth the investment."
"I..." Roko scowled.
"Dude, it's fine." Roland said, "Helena bought me my phone too."
"Roland, how would that help?" Helena sighed.
"What?! Oh like you're gonna tell me Mikado bought his own phone too!"
"Mikado doesn't have a phone." Kaguya explained, "We share mine essentially."
"But you got Roko one?" Roland frowned.
"WE got Roko one." Momo corrected, "We all pitched in."
"Wait, even Mikado?"
"Even Varis." Helena nodded.
"What the hell, I wasn't informed of this!"
"Would you have donated?"
"NO!"
"Well there you go."
"So you're telling me, six entire people pitched in to get Roko a phone?!" Roland frowned.
"It wasn't an equal amount for all of us, if it makes you feel any better." Kaguya shrugged.
"Wait, so how much did each of you contribute?"
"Are you asking us which one of us is richer?" Helena smirked, "Well, that's fine. I'll tell you. First place is Momo."
"My country would get hired to fight wars for smaller nations." Momo held up a peace sign, "We've got quite the nest egg."
"Second is Corissa."
"Wait, I'm second?!" Corissa cried, "I didn't think I was that rich..."
"All that 'most beautiful girl in the world' thing really pays off."
"THAT'S WHY?!"
"Third is me." Helena placed a hand on her chest, "Not much to say there. We do pretty well all things considered."
"I got that feeling." Roko and Roland said simultaneously.
"Finally, we have Kaguya. No shame in that, right, Kagu?"
"Facts are facts, no matter how depressing they are." Kaguya sighed.
"I didn't know you were that poor." Roland said.
"I didn't know ya'll were that rich." Enlil said, "Can I expect a bonus for all this?"
"For putting up with all of us, sure." Helena nodded.
"Hell yeah."
"...So about this document..." Reaumur said.
"No idea what it is." Helena summarized, "Really complex. Scientifically fascinating. Must cost a lot of money and talent."
"What about you?" Kaguya asked, "Can you make anything out of the elven writings?"
"Nah, the handwriting's really bad." Reaumur said.
"THAT'S why?!" Roland cried.
"No, the writing's in ancient elven." Brook explained, "It looks like elven and I can read bits and pieces of it but the majority's lost on me. It looks enough like elven that I can harbor some guesses but nothing concrete."
"So it's like shakespearean english?" Roko asked.
"I don't know what that is, but sure."
"So can we go after the king now?" Reaumur asked.
"Sure can. Sorry for making you wait." Helena smiled.
Hyacinth continued pulling the elf king along as his guards followed them and Roko's group followed behind them. The king continued to struggle against his compulsory visit but Hyacinth was equally unmovable. It wasn't long before everyone spotted a female elf child sitting on a bench, reading a book outside.
"Lycoris! I've bought the king!" Hyacinth announced.
"Oh!" The child known as Lycoris closed her book and quickly stood up to give the king a bow, "I'm sorry for making you come all this way, my liege."
"It's...fine..." The king replied with a conflicted look on his face.
"Um...in truth, I don't really know what to say, my liege." The child looked nervously at the ground, "Lady Hyacinth insisted on this meeting so I agreed but..."
"Did she now?" The king scowled as he eyed the undaunted royal guard.
"S-Sorry for wasting your time!" Lycoris bowed again.
The king sighed and knelt down to talk to the young elf, "Have you been doing well?"
"Y-Yes..." Lycoris replied, confused by the king's continued interest, "Everyone's been really nice to me and I've been doing good on my studies."
"What is it that you've been reading?"
"O-Oh! I-I'm sorry!" Lycoris held up her book, "This is just a fiction novel I've been reading for fun! I'll find a textbook to read from immediately!"
"'Bellum Internicivius ab Sepulcri.'" The king nodded as he read the title, "Do you like it?"
"Y-Yes! Very much so, sir!"
"Have you read 'Illex Armatus'?"
"No sir."
"I recommend it." The king smiled, "It's a bit of an advanced book but I believe you'll have no trouble understanding it. It's themes are quite interesting, I think you'd enjoy it."
"Really?! I'll try to find it at once!"
The king raised his hand towards Lycoris' face. For a split second, it stopped around her cheeks, as if he wanted to caress her face. But instead, the kings hand lifted up to pet the small child's head.
"You'll become a wonderful mage, I can tell. I look forward to seeing your efforts in battle."
"Y-Yes sir!" Lycoris beamed under the king's generosity.
"Hey, Lycoris, why don't you study under us while we're here?"
"Hyacinth!" The king scowled as he turned to his mischievous guard.
"Oh no, I couldn't possibly!" Lycoris gasped.
"You'd learn magic much quicker among accomplished mages like ourselves." Nasturtium said.
"No...I...I couldn't possibly burden my king..." Lycoris insisted sadly.
"The king doesn't think you're a burden!" Borage laughed, "Do you, my lord?"
"You three..." The king's scowl only grew with each member that chimed in.
"What is your answer though, milord?" Hyacinth insisted.
"Fine!" The king cried, unable to look the anxiously pining elf child in the face, "She can follow us around for a bit while we're here."
"Mmm, but milord, you haven't said if she was a burden or not."
"Of course she's not!" The king snapped, "At any rate, I expect you to look after her while we're here now. I've got important business to attend to. Come Zinnia."
"You have a good day, milord!" Hyacinth grinned as she waved the king and his guard away.
"Oh no, I must've bothered him too much..." Lycoris said worriedly.
"Nah, the king could never hate you." Borage grinned, "You're important to him."
"Really?"
"All elven life is important to the king." Nasturtium said, "But you especially are notable."
"Why?"
"Hmmm...perhaps you'll learn in the coming days as you learn with us." Hyacinth knelt down and patted Lycoris' head.
"Do you think I can become a royal guard like you?" Lycoris said enthusiastically.
"Hmmmm...maybe one day. But it would have to be a different king."
"Oh...is my liege going to die soon?"
"Oh, nothing like that. You're just...a bit young right now."
"I suppose if I did become a guard, the current king might well be retired."
"Child, there is no retirement for the likes of us." Scabius scoffed, "The king will die in battle and a new king will be crowned."
"Scabius, don't say that!" Hyacinth frowned as Lycoris gasped.
"Don't go coddling the kids again now, Hyacinth."
"The king literally just got done telling us to take care of her, Scabius." Borage shook his head.
"And that includes not putting silly ideas in her head." Scabius continued, "Our king is not an immortal all powerful being. He may be the best and brightest king in our history but he's gotten there through hard work. Our king is not like those human gods."
Y-Yes!" Lycoris nodded, "I think I understand!"
"Good!" Scabius grinned, "I knew you'd catch on quickly, Lycoris!"
"Now who's coddling the child, Scabius?" Hyacinth sighed.
"No need to get jealous now, Cynthia."
"Don't call me that." Hyacinth scowled, "Only my future husband can call me that."
"Those humans have been putting weird ideas in your head again haven't they?"
"Excuse me, you're the one with a radish shaped like a sword."
"Yeah, and I MADE that."
"Using whose techniques, Scabius? Using whose techniques?""
"At least I learned practical things from the humans. Instead of silly ideas."
"And I don't want you teaching any of that to little Lycoris."
"Oh just try to stop me."
"You don't even know any magic."
"I know enough magic!"
"Mom, dad, please stop fighting." Lycoris said.
"OOOOOO-" Hyacinth and Scabius both fell to the ground, floored by the child's cuteness.
"How unsightly for the both of you." Nasturtium sighed.
"Really not very adult of you two." Borage shook his head.
"You're not one to talk, Borage."
As the group continued to talk, the mist rolled back in as this part of the memory ended.
"Huh. I don't think the journal ever mentioned anybody named Lycoris." Helena mused.
"Hmm...she can't be unimportant if the spirit saw fit to show us their meeting with her." Kaguya added.
"The mystery deepens." Momo nodded.
"Also, these elves feel kinda similar to anyone else?" Helena giggled.
"That king does do a good Roko impression." Kaguya grinned.
"Oh goddammit." Roko muttered under his breath.
"That Zinnia is basically Mikado right?"
"True. I can't deny that."
"Hyacinth is like a mix of Helena and Corissa." Momo added, "That's a scary combination isn't it?"
"Eh?! I don't think we're quite like that..." Corissa said.
"Scabius does feel a lot like Glacier." Helena continued, "I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. And Nasturtium's like a grumpy Kaguya."
"Is she?" Kaguya frowned.
"I guess that leaves Borage..."
Roland straightened his back.
"Can't think of anybody like that in our party."
"Yes, he's a bit of a different archetype."
"I trained with the guy and he really doesn't seem like anyone I know."
"Oh goddammit.' Roland scowled.
"Why do you want to be Borage?" Roko frowned.