[Lifespan Remaining: 25 days, 16 hours, 38 minutes.]
"Where did you get all of these? Did Amelia or Faust give them to you?"
"Hmm?" the witch turned, confused. "Oh, I picked them up from Altaire River."
Noct looked toward the window overlooking the waterfall. "You found mana crystals lying in the river? How’s that possible?"
"Plenty of them," Lenia picked up one of the larger pieces from her desk. "They were scattered throughout the riverbed when I first arrived."
"Wh—How many of them?"
"Hundreds, perhaps thousands. Most were smaller than these obviously," Lenia replied like it was the most natural thing in the world.
"That’s impossible."
The witch frowned. "You’re holding one."
"That isn’t what I mean. Noelle and I followed the river all the way here. There weren’t any mana crystals in the water."
"Not anymore."
"Why?"
"How should I know?" Lenia shrugged. "Merchants probably collected the rest of them. I had already gathered enough for my research, so I stopped paying attention."
"Were they part of the reason you stayed in Altaire?"
"Partly," Lenia admitted. "Mana crystals form where ambient mana remains unusually concentrated for long periods. Finding so many in running water suggested that an enormous source of natural mana existed somewhere upstream."
"And you thought that source might attract Undyne."
"Right on the money," she nodded. "Huh, it feels a lot easier to talk to you than your siblings. At least you know a thing or two about magic."
"Thanks?"
Well, that was the only response Noct could muster. His mind kept running, trying to piece all the information Lenia had so graciously provided him.
Something about it just didn’t add up.
Lenia had interpreted the crystals as evidence that Altaire possessed the ideal environment for a water spirit. Combined with the river, waterfall, and surrounding mountains, her conclusion had been reasonable.
’...What if the two were connected? The crystal mines...the spirits...’
Lenia eventually sealed whatever existed underneath the crystal mines in the game’s plot, which caused the disappearances to stop immediately afterward.
’...And so did the production of mana crystals.’
Noct had always assumed the mines were abandoned because they were too dangerous. But if crystals were merely natural deposits, then Lenia’s act of sealing shouldn’t have stopped them from forming.
Unless it had never been a coincidence.
She believed that Altaire’s mana crystals were attracting a spirit in the region, which explained why she stalled Faust and Amelia’s conflict.
But what if Lenia had reversed cause and effect?
"What if the mines and the mana crystals in Altaire River only exist—"
Noct stared at the dim crystal between his fingers.
’...Because a powerful spirit is already here in Altaire?’
Whatever the case may be, no matter how hard he racked his brain, whether it be through the game’s details or Noct de Arcadia’s memories...
He couldn’t figure out how spirits, the crystal mines, and the disappearances could be correlated. There was a missing puzzle piece, that one key detail that he needed to finally put everything together.
Well, Noct could sit here and think about it all he wanted, but they were already on a time crunch. The fastest way to figure out his hypothesis would be to investigate the mines personally.
But as there was an important event scheduled for tonight, he couldn’t miss out on it. And something told Noct that he would find his missing piece there.
The problem was, he didn’t have an invitation. And no matter how he could try to sneak in, whether it be as guest or staff...it wouldn’t be enough influence to ask important questions.
’Luckily...someone here definitely has one. Well, probably a dozen of the same invitation that she’s been ignoring.’
"How about this?" Noct offered a deal. "I’ll determine why spirits refuse to approach you. If Undyne truly exists somewhere in Altaire, I’ll help you in any way I can."
Lenia’s eyes narrowed. "And in exchange?"
"I have two demands," Noct lifted two fingers. "One, attend Baron Altaire’s banquet with me. And two, endorse my claim to the crystal mines instead."
The witch fell into deep thought. Her expression now looked exactly like her title—cold, calculating, and trying to figure out what Noct planned to do.
"The first is an easy one, but the second..."
"The trial is between Faust and Amelia. You have no claim whatsoever." she stated the facts again. "One person found the mines while the other practically rules the city. What do you have?"
Well, at the moment, Lenia was right. But that didn’t matter, not really.
All he had to do was expose both sides and present himself as the independent third party. And with the backing of a 7-Star Magus as well as Amon’s old friend, he would easily have a claim.
Using the mines and its relation to spirits, he could easily spin his claim as ’The Witch of Black Ice wants to contract a spirit. And I need the mines to help her do it."
From Amon’s perspective, it should be a strong claim. Gaining a favor from a notoriously picky, yet powerful, mage...was no small task. It would be as simple as taking candy from a baby.
"Not yet, I don’t."
Seeing his confidence, Lenia simply sighed before extending a hand. Noct might’ve been a tad hasty with his response, shaking her hand enthusiastically.
"I don’t know what you’re planning," the witch said. "But if the trial concludes and the mines get handed to one of your siblings...You’re still going to keep your promise with me."
"Of course, an Arcadia’s word is as good as law."
Lenia frowned. "I once knew someone who said the exact same thing. I guess the apple really doesn’t fall far from the tree..."
With that, the deal was complete. But with all that talk, Noct realized he had been making more promises than he could keep, really.
And it all depended on one simple factor that he hadn’t even confirmed if it was actually true or not. Still, you had to gamble to succeed. That’s what investors do after all, investing with the money they don’t have.
Leaving the Witch’s Spire, Noelle had held a contemplative look the entire time before finally deciding to ask. "Young Master...will this actually be okay?"
"It’ll be okay if both of us do our jobs."
"Both of us?"
Noct placed a hand on her shoulder, doing his best impression of an operator from one of those cringeworthy spy flicks. "My dependable maid, I have an important mission for you. One only you can accomplish..."
"Ah."
"Look, I need you to infiltrate the area surrounding the abandoned black carriage," he explained. "Remember that warehouse owned by the Baron that refused Amelia’s men?"
"You want me to infiltrate them?"
"Yeah," Noct nodded. "I have a suspicious feeling. If they haven’t left, then the missing people are still in the city. If not, then another possibility might be that they were transported underground."
"That is certainly true..." Noelle muttered before turning back to Noct. "What about you, Young Master?"
"I’m going to get into that banquet—"
"...And figure out what the hell is wrong with this city."