Chapter 56

**Merianna**

Oh what a beautiful sight.

Oh how much I had missed.

Oh man I know I’m tired but I want to go back to the room again…

“You’re grinding your nail down Demon Spawn.”

I jumped at the voice that suddenly appeared next to my ear and reflexively swung my arm out to hit whatever it was. My hand hit a big palm and Noch’s grinning face was the first thing I caught in my view.

“What are you spouting so early in the morning?” I didn’t like that he had interrupted my daydreaming and wanted him gone so I could continue.

“Oh nothing much, just saw you nearly murdering the tip of your finger and figured that I should come and see what was up.” His eyes wandered around to the cafeteria buffet tables and he gave an appreciative grunt.

“Well, I can see what you’ve been looking at.”

Thyrion was at the tables, dishing up breakfast for the two of us. But it was what he was wearing that had the two of us appreciate the sight. He was wearing a flowy medieval v-neck shirt that would make any historical romance novel’s front cover, and tight fitting blue jeans. It didn’t help matters that the v-neck was low enough to give tempting glances at his godly sixpack, or that he had a devilishly handsome 5 o’clock beard shadowing his face.

I heaved a dreamy sigh. “I’m so glad that I’m not dreaming.”

Noch snorted a laugh. “Sounds like you had a very eventful night, right?” He asked with a suggestive eyebrow wiggle.

My cheeks started heating as last night’s events started flooding back into my head with deadly clarity, full surround sound included…

“Yup, very eventful apparently. I assume your body virgin status has now been updated.” He chuckled. This time he wasn’t able to block the heel that I forcefully stabbed into his foot. “Ouch!”

“That is none of your business.” I muttered embarrassingly. My body’s status was much more than just updated… it was wrecked. Thoroughly buried into the mattress. Zero regrets. And Noch had absolutely no business knowing any details.

He laughed and just ruffled my hair. “I’m glad you’re back Demon Spawn. Now I have someone to tease again.”

I pouted. “Didn’t you have Nelia to tease as well?”

“Oh come now, sure she is the hidden Demon Tadpole but she never retaliates the way you do and you know that.” He muttered.

I gave an exaggerated huff and tugged firmly on his hair, only to stop and give him another glance. “Wasn’t your hair shorter?”

“Oh yes it was, I got a bit tired of it and didn’t feel like waiting so I drank a potion I had made ages ago for hair growth. At least I’m glad to see that it hasn't lost its effects and still works wonderfully well.” He said proudly.

“So all those times I had cut off or burnt your hair during our fights back in the day had made you create a hair growing potion?” I asked incredulously.

He seemed to think about it for a second. “Oh right, that was indeed the reason. Maybe I should have you maim me more so I can create things that could be sold for cosmetics.” 

“No thanks, I’m not into maiming friends just for the hell of it.” I deadpanned.

“Hmmm, what a shame. It’s a good business idea.” He mused.

“Only if it’s a viable one. And I doubt anyone but witches would ever be interested in something that is magically charged.” Thyrion said as he reached the table and put our plates down.

“Even witches might stay away from them as they would be Order produced potions, and everyone would assume that Nana Ara is the creator.” I added.

Both Thyrion and Noch groaned at that realization. Everyone, be they from the Order or not, knew full well that any potions or the like made by Arasule usually had to be handled with hazmat suits and gas masks. It was no secret that Arasule was by far the witch in the Order that had reincarnated the most because of her hobbies.

“Now you’ve just made me sad.” Noch said and deftly snatched a pancake from my plate to stuff it into his own mouth.

“If you’re sad, go get your own food to drown your sorrows in.” Thyrion glared at Noch as he forked over one of his own pancakes to replace the one I had just lost.

“Yeah yeah, I’ll get to it in a bit.” He yawned before he took a huge bite.

“Did you stay in the dungeons last night to interrogate the captive?” I asked as I took my own heavenly bite.

“Nah.” Noch muttered. “It was late and I was beat after our stint in the Council. There was no way I was going to try and drill information out of someone white my fried brain was still recovering.”

I glanced over at Thyrion with a grin. “Your wish is my command, my love.” Thyrion chuckled and kissed my cheek.

Noch raised a knowing eyebrow. “So what did she win?”

“An all inclusive spa-day.” I announced happily.

“Hmmm, book a spot for me too would you? We’ll both need some good relaxing once all this is over.” Noch said with a yawn.

“Do you think the guy will talk today?” I asked curiously.

“Oh I bet he will.” Noch’s grin was gleefully dark, which was a dead giveaway that he had made some preparations last night in order for the guy to be putty in his hands.

“What exactly did you do?” Thyrion asked curiously.

“Oh nothing much… I just had him realize the uselessness of any attempts he’d try to make, as well as what place he was currently in and that his neighbor had been swallowed by a semi-sentient castle. That should probably instill enough fear in him to make him sing like a dove if not like a canary.”

“Hmm, yep, that would usually make any normal mortal scared enough to spill the beans.” I mused thoughtfully. It was honestly tame compared to what I had thought Noch would have done.

“When was the last time you had interrogated someone?” Thyrion asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Maybe a few centuries ago? Why?”

“I think you’re losing your touch, or just getting mellow.” Thyrion looked somewhat disappointed at Noch’s method.

“I am not!” Noch shouted indignantly. “There’s no way I’m mellowing! I can’t become mellow no matter how old I get!”

“Your methods are usually a lot more brutal for smaller things.” Thyrion tilted his head like he was comparing stats in his head, and technically he wasn’t wrong. What he described was a lot tamer than from what I remember. Interrogations conducted by Noch and Raska back in the day were brutal, bloody and psychologically draining to an extreme level. Not to mention that captives were also subjected to Arasule’s experiments. Our prisoners regularly muttered that they would have been better off being caught by the Council.

“Oh gods.” Noch sounded like he was suddenly having a mid-life crisis realization. “I’m not turning into Fog, am I?! There is no way that I’d ever turn out like that, I would go stir crazy if I were ever like that. I need to fix this.” He suddenly jumped up from his chair and made a beeline for the halls that would lead to the dungeons.

“Are we going to stop him?” I asked worriedly.

“Of course not. If it were me going down there I might just lose my reason and kill the captive outright for his mere association to our target. This way, I can be assured that a decent amount of punishment would be met without needing to do anything myself.” He grinned happily and held a strawberry up for me to eat.

“You’re so manipulative.” I muttered as I took a bite.

“He’s just full of buttons, and doesn’t really mind them being pushed.” That was actually a very good point. It was almost painfully obvious that Noch actually enjoyed being poked at… until there is an actual stab at a sore spot. That is when Noch just about switches to being a different person.

“So, should we go check in with Raska and Jasnine to see what else they might have been able to get on their tracking trip?”  I asked as I finished up my plate.

“Sure! I think I feel their energies close to the greenhouse.”

“The greenhouse is still standing?” I asked curiously. The mention of the greenhouse reminded me of the small little climate controlled shed-like building Nelia and I had put together ages ago for some unique herbs she had wanted to grow.

“Oh you haven’t seen it yet, have you? It’s expanded quite a bit from what you might remember.” He looked like he was looking forward to showing me what they had done with it.

And I was right. I could see why he was excited to show me after I was standing outside on the grass, practically being dwarfed by the multi-leveled greenhouse that stood in front of me.

“Is that?” I asked, pointing to the massive tree that seemed to be growing right in the middle of the building.

“Yep.” Thyrion confirmed happily. “That is one of the last surviving Sylvan trees living in the middle.”

“And that’s all made of?” I asked, baffled, pointing to the crystal glass panes of glass that made up the entire building.

“All pure crystal glass, reinforced with runes and sylvan wood framing.” He said proudly.

I shook my head and smacked his chest. “Why the hell are you sounding so proud?! I bet you weren’t even here when it was being constructed.”

He chuckled and wrapped me up in a tight bear hug. “All true, but the look on your face is definitely all mine and all worth it.”