When Amon returned to the room, the mercenary and the priestess were whispering quietly about something.
"How did you sleep?" Alexandra asked, yawning.
"Not bad," the sorcerer replied, then sarcastically added, "And you?"
"I just sat there with my eyes closed," the girl said awkwardly, checking how her sword drew from its sheath. "Don't worry, I was keeping watch!"
The sorcerer waved his hand dismissively.
"I couldn't sleep all night," Camilla said confidingly, even though no one had asked her. "I kept thinking about how lucky I am! To be chosen by the Fallen Goddess! Just twelve days ago, I was an ordinary girl."
Camilla cast her eyes down sadly, but in the next moment, she smiled brightly.
"All the sorrows are behind us! Ahead lies love and sweet happiness. Endless pleasure... that's what the Goddess said," the priestess declared with conviction, fluttering her eyelashes innocently.
"Sure, sure," Amon responded skeptically. "Everyone, huh?"
The priestess opened her mouth, ready to preach, but at that moment, breakfast arrived: bean patties and wheat flatbreads with sweetened water. Ali set the tray on the table and laid out the utensils. Afterward, the servant paused for a moment, awaiting instructions.
"Go," Amon said curtly. "Actually, wait. Do you know any good tailors?"
"Yes, master."
"Then take this to them and have it repaired. Quickly – one foot here, the other there." Amon turned his back to Ali. He took off his jacket and shirt and tossed them behind him without looking. When the door closed, Amon calmly sat down at the table.
"What's the matter?" he asked, noticing Camilla's mesmerized stare. The priestess sat with her mouth open. "Did the Fallen Goddess forget to mention what I look like?"
The priestess closed her mouth, wiped a small droplet of saliva, and continued to gaze at the sorcerer with wide eyes.
"Stop staring," Alexandra said almost playfully, nudging Camilla in the ribs.
"Ouch!" squeaked the priestess. She blushed, averted her gaze, and said hesitantly, "She did describe you... and mentioned the feathers too... it's just that I haven't seen men like this since I became a mamono. Please, don't mind me!"
Alexandra shrugged, and they began eating. Amon quickly adapted to the unusual utensils, while Camilla handled them with the ease of someone raised with them. But the mercenary struggled, clumsily poking at the bean patties, causing them to fall apart on her plate. She snorted and set the utensils aside.
"I'm no princess; I'm a warrior!" she proudly declared and started eating with her hands.
"I can help," Camilla offered shyly, stealing hot glances at the sorcerer.
"Fine," the mercenary agreed. When Amon turned away, she wiped her fingers on a satin pillow.
The priestess picked up her utensils.
"I'm good with food. I grew up in a wealthy home," she said as she carefully cut the patties into neat pieces. "There was always plenty to eat... but everything else was horrible. Oh, how hard it was! I was hardly allowed to leave the house. My father couldn't find a suitable husband in our village. I turned nineteen and still had no husband. My father was furious—though I don't know at what—and often beat me," she said sadly. "With whatever was at hand. The last time, he grabbed a wolf whip with lead inserts and struck me on the back..."
The priestess finished cutting and pushed the food toward the grim-looking Alexandra.
"I lay in bed for two days," Camilla continued sadly. "I couldn't get up. I cried all the time from the pain and resentment... But on the third day, I had a strange dream! I found myself in a gray desert, but I felt calm and peaceful. There was a beautiful woman there, so... so," the priestess struggled to find the words, "gorgeous! And powerful. She asked me if I was happy. I said no. Then she said she would comfort me and help me find happiness."
"And then she started caressing you, and you woke up as a monster," Alexandra suddenly said. She hadn't touched her food.
"Yes! So you've seen her? Why aren't you a mamono, then?"
"No. I was told," Alexandra replied and turned to Amon. "These stories always start and end the same way. Humiliation, unhappy love, beatings. Bam—new priestess! We create monsters, and then we kill them."
"That reminds me of something too," Amon remarked, recalling the treacherous legions.
"Sometimes I think about how cruel people can be!" Alexandra exclaimed angrily. "Especially toward defenseless women!"
"No, people are good!" Camilla objected passionately. "They're just afraid to open their hearts. That's what the Goddess said. Yes."
Alexandra snorted.
"You don't know much about people. Some are good, some are bad, and there are just cruel rules. In the Emirate, women have it hard. It's much better in the Order's lands."
"Do you remember how they laughed at me when I said I was a warrior?" she asked Amon indignantly.
The sorcerer nodded.
"Bastards, just bastards!" the mercenary exclaimed fervently. "Sometimes I wish monsters had conquered them! Anyway... what happened next?"
"The Goddess sent me to find Amon, and I ran away from home with almost no supplies. I crossed the desert and would have probably died from hunger and thirst if I hadn't stumbled upon a small demon kingdom. Halfway there, I came across some old ruins where a pharaoh had awakened. But the pharaoh was busy with her husband, so the kingdom was ruled by an apophis named Netikerti. She allowed me to rest and regain my strength. She welcomed me in her hall and even let me preach!"
The priestess sighed mournfully.
"But I don't think I convinced her. She barely listened to me and kept interrupting, talking about the stars. Still, Apophis told me the Emirate was very bad and needed to be made very good, full of love and pleasure. She asked me to gather information about El-Farraha and report back to her about the walls and how many people live there. I'm so sad I won't be able to fulfill her request! Netikerti was kind to me. But serving the Fallen Goddess and her chosen one is far more important," Camilla declared with solemnity.
"Who are apophises?" the sorcerer asked, absorbing any knowledge like a sponge.
"Snake-like creatures, purple ones," the mercenary answered for the priestess. "In the desert, there are mamono kingdoms ruled by a pharaoh. She's an incredibly strong monster. Sometimes, though, an apophis sneaks into the kingdom. She bites the pharaoh, and the pharaoh stops caring about ruling, retreats with her husband, and abandons the throne, though formally she remains the ruler. The real power passes to the apophis. These snakes are very aggressive and expand mamono kingdoms."
Alexandra laughed, as if an amusing thought had crossed her mind.
"The Emirate is in for a tough time once Netikerti comes into full power!"
"I see," Amon replied. Monsters... He had already finished eating and was now waiting for the clothes to arrive. Camilla and Alexandra continued chatting, but the sorcerer wasn't listening. His thoughts were focused on the Academy and the power he would obtain there.
Amon was certain that the new magic would be useless in his home galaxy, but still, the new approaches would help him better understand warp sorcery and become even more powerful. Besides, mastering magic was one of his paths to returning home.
An hour later, there was a knock at the door. Amon quickly turned away.
"Leave the clothes at the entrance and wait for me downstairs!" he called.
"Let me go with you," Alexandra offered. "It's more fun together, and two swords are better than one. Who knows what could happen..."
"I'm coming too!" Camilla exclaimed.
"No," Amon inspected the mended jacket and shirt. They looked fine, and more importantly, sturdy. "I'm afraid the mages might figure out Camilla, so you stay here. And keep an eye on the priestess—don't leave her alone unnecessarily. Wait for me here."
"Ah, fine..." the warrior said disappointedly. Amon's ironclad reasoning left no room for her to tag along. "We'll stay put."
Camilla stayed silent. She seemed too intimidated to argue with the "Dark Hero."
Amon went down to the first floor and asked Ali how to get to the Academy.
"I don't know, master," the servant answered vaguely. "Search in the northern part of the city."
And so, unaware of any trap, Amon foolishly set off in search.