Let's have 'the talk'

"You know that 'patet' just swipes dirt and regular stains, right? Traces of magic blood will still remain; don't they teach you anything in this school? Today's youth... better use 'ניקיון שרידי תאים' for magic blood; even the molecules won't be spared."

"'Today's youth'? You're like, 20-"

Devin quickly blocked Cecilia's mouth.

"She doesn't mean it, Mr. Wizard. You are clearly an honorable and ancient being. If I may know your name?"

"You may not."

Devin's fake smile suddenly became much faker.

"What was that language from before?" Cecilia snapped, failing to put her curiosity to the test. "I've never heard it; can you teach me?"

"Cecilia!"

"What?"

"Can you at least give me the chance to answer?" The two fell silent.

"No, I am not going to teach you a whole language; I believe there are apps for that. Not to mention that you broke into my bedroom, the first to do so, in fact." The wizard took a long glance at Cecilia's identical features of albinism and asked a question he already knew the answer to: "Speaking of which, which of you is responsible for this?"

"It was Cecilia." Devin snitched without the slightest hesitation.

"Is that so?" The white-haired man picked up the fairytale book Cecilia was flipping through, rubbed his finger over the not-dried yet bloody page, and put the blood-stained finger into his mouth. "Can we be left alone for a moment, young man?"

Devin ran out of the turn-out-to-be bedroom in a fit he hadn't shown yet. Cecilia just hoped he'd be waiting for her outside the door.

"So..." The white-haired man sat in the only chair in the room (Cecilia really couldn't understand how it was a bedroom if there was no bed and only piles of piles of books). "Who are you?"

"I'm Cecilia."

"No, I'm asking seriously, who are you?"

"And I'm answering seriously...? I'm Cecilia."

The man sighed. "I understand that this way we will not advance anywhere; how about I'll tell the truth and you answer the truth in return? Each will present himself in a completely complete manner, Key?"

Cecilia liked his combination of slang and fancy expressions; it made her feel that he, like her, was not fully involved in society. She quickly nodded before he stopped talking; she had nothing to lose anyway.

"I am Lucius, the first, last, and only disciple of Saintess Lawrence. During the last two thousand years, I have spent mostly in the concept of the void, with frequent visits to the scattered temples of St. Lawrence scattered on the continent, such as the one here. Your turn."

"I'm Cecilia."

"And...?"

"I'm not sure if I have an official last name; I'll have to ask my dad about that."

Lucius sighed. This was going to be a very exhausting interrogation, but he owed it to his master.

"And your dad is...?"

"Sirius."

"My curiosity shall not come to rest if you just say their name. profession? hobbies? history? Where did you come from?"

Cecilia really felt embarrassed that she couldn't answer, but who would believe if she said that the almost fully grown woman didn't even know her own full name? This is the first time that Cecilia has deeply understood the difference between herself and others and the deep gap between the rest of the world and her. Cecilia knew she needed to make up the gap as soon as possible, but this was not the time to study. For now, she indeed owes him an answer.

She began to envy Devin, who got to be on the other side of the door.

Well, what is promised must be done. Cecilia opened her mouth and said honestly, "I think I'll be a student; I have no hobbies; I was adopted by Sirius before; I don't know the name of the city I came from."

Lucius was so tired from the useless investigation that he spent most of his days sleeping and doing simple work, tiring him out, not to mention the impossible task of dubbing Cecilia.

He decided to be straightforward.

"Give me your blood for learning objectives, and I'll create a tracking device for you so you will not set foot in another sacred place."

"Ok."

Lucius had expected a longer argument than this, but who was he to complain? He quickly drew the blood from her and stored it in a safe place. He had to find out why the mechanism was activated because of it and correct the issue.

It's his purpose to remain alive, after all.

Before she knew it, Cecilia was kicked out. There, to her relief, Devin was waiting for her with what looked like a possessed by a smiling demon steward.

Cecilia started to wonder if attracting submissive servants was a talent of the 'DeScEnDaNTs of HOusE MoRdiuS'.

She was surprised to find that Devin didn't scold her for some stupid reason but simply let the stranger lead them to his room in silence.

Cecilia thought about asking him why there was a temple on a ship but was distracted by the double doors of Devin's rooms.

"Wizards really know how to live, huh?" She looked in wonder at the ornate door, which was clearly grander than any other part of the ship they had seen so far.

"Only those willing to pay, Your Highness."

Cecilia stared at the door with its bright rose-shaped gold twists, wondering how much one could get for it in the real world. So much so that she didn't hear Devin's last sentence until it was too late.

After Devin walked through the door, the stuward turned to her with a much smaller smile than the cheek-shattering smile he had before and asked her in an all-knowing voice, "Ma'am, how are you going to pay for your stay?"