Chrome slowly exhaled as their herculean task was finally mostly complete. Most monsters were currently recovering from their illness, none of them had died, and she could finally take a rest. Promestein and Lucia were handling whatever tasks were remaining, and there were so few in between that they were currently busier debating the nature of that illness. Promestein tried to convince her partner that it was a deliberately crafted weapon to eliminate a specific type of monsters during a war, while the alchemist was convinced that it was too uncontrollable to be so, instead focusing on the fact that most monsters could be carriers but that the virus was dangerous to only a few to declare it was instead a degenerative disease brought by incompatible mutation between several species.

Chrome herself decided to keep away from this conversation, happily resting her head on her hand as she was leaning on the table in front of her. Debating the source of the virus right now with so little evidence for either theory made the whole conversation irrelevant. Maybe she could see to check it with the hero later…

A change in ambient lighting pulled her out of her reverie. The first thing she noticed was Morrigan's glowing eyes right in front of her.

"Wassup?"

"KYAAA!"

Chrome reflexively jumped back, and started falling from her chair before being caught by Morrigan's tail.

"Sheesh, someone's a bit jumpy… I won't eat you, you know!"

The snake-like appendage proceeded to delicately put Chrome down on the floor. The necromancer frowned as she looked at Morrigan.

"What do you want? The burst drinks stock is managed by Mephisto, and I don't think I can help you!"

Morrigan defensively raised her hands. "Actually, I only want to ask for your help to examine the source of the virus. Mephisto said that it likely came from Gold's Tartarus, buuut before we disturb the hero who's currently busy doing Alipheese-knows-what, I'd first like to check around the few landmarks around the place… I do remember there was the Holy Wings Shrine, and that Devastated Plains area… Soooo, I kinda need someone with skills in science, aaand…"

"And you think I'm the best call because my sister used to be there…" Chrome looked down, saddened by her memories.

"Kinda. Awwww, don't be like that! Big sis Morrigan will make sure that this will be a great adventure for you!"

Chrome exhaled loudly, disaapointed by her senior's motive, but she relented anyway.

"Fine, I'll accompany you… What are we looking for exactly?"

"Well, you're the scientist, so you tell me!"

Chrome blinked twice rapidly, aghast from Morrigan's ignorance. This… ancient legendary succubus was rushing in a potententially biohazardous complex completely unaware of any risk and without a plan. Granted, succubi were supposedly immune to the virus, but even then… Her behavior was a liability.

"What's that look? Don't tell me you're worried by the locals? I'll protect you, and I'll even teach you a few things on the way there…"

Chrome felt no uncertain words rising in her throat, but they refused to come out. Maybe it was her survival instinct that forced them back deep down, or maybe that was her respect for someone who could very well be her great grandparent.

"No, it's nothing… Leave me a minute so that I gather the adequate equipment, and then we'll get started…"

"That's the spirit!"

As Morrigan left her for the smallest of minute. Chrome felt a tightening around her heart. Her, alone with one of the most powerful and bratty succubus to walk this planet… There was no way it was going to end well… As if on cue, Morrigan opened her mouth again.

"There's a ton of things I can teach you, it will be like a field trip!"

"I'm already a hundred year old…"

"Pff, whatever, you're a child compared to me! Meet you at the entrance when you're ready."

For a moment, Chrome wondered who would be the one needing to actively watch over the other one. The answer was too obvious to her eyes…

She might just be going to miss Frederica's nagging. As if on cue, the towering zombie showed up only a minute later.

"Chrome, now that you're back, you should have a meal and take a bath."

"Later." The small necromancer was packing some sampling equipment in a bag. "I'm back on the road in a minute, so taking a shower will be useless."

"What will your companions say when they see you're dirty?"

"Don't know. Don't care. I only know what they will do if I take too much time, So I'll hurry."

"At least eat before going."

"I'll grab a pack of rations in the cafeteria."

"Make sure you take a balanced one. And be careful on the road with strangers."

Chrome groaned as she briskly started walking away. "Please, stop nagging, I'll take a break once I'm back!"

Maybe she wouldn't actually miss her creation's smothering attitude after all… Chrome shrugged it off. Could it actually be that bad?

When they finally arrived in the Devastated Plains, Chrome was already dead tired. At first, Morrigan made her impatience clear as she had been tapping with her foot, her arms crossed in front of her. Naturally, she chided Chrome for taking her time, and luckily, Frederica wasn't here to make things even more awkward than they already were.

Then, she had accidentally teleported the party to Lady's Village. The duo had been looked down upon by the local monsters, and when Morrigan tried to appropriate a few of the workers for herself and Chrome, the situation almost degenerated into a brawl before the duo of succubi left empty-handed. The blue haired succubus then started ranting on how she should be more respected than that as she was a legendary succubus and the direct descendant of one of the Six Ancestors. And Chrome had been forced to endure her incessant speech on the subject for an hour before the succubus mocked her for not being able to fly. Then Chrome was forced to listen to her senior's inane ranting during their whole trip.

The place was as unappealing as Chrome remembered it. The place was a bared, dirt plain sometimes covered by a toxic mix of dubious substances, with the only vegetation being a few sparse patches of burned grass and dead trees that were easily outnumbered by graves. Chimeras were guarding the only large, ominous building present in the area, and a small broken fence was surrounding the structure. Chrome focused on the chimeras, ignoring Morrigan who was still ranting.

"-took us so long to arrive here, but noooo, you are so weak as a succubus that you can't even fly. Seriously, how-"

Chrome continued walking toward the entrance. Five beast-like chimeras turned toward the duo. Their eyes narrowed as they identified the two succubi as hostiles. Before they could jump, Chrome cut her hand with a small knife, and the next second, a screaming horde of zombie came from the ground and grabbed the chimeras before bringing their victims through the ground in a cacophony of discordant moans. A few seconds later, the ground opened behind them and the chimeras were released, alive but unconscious. Morrigan was dumbfounded by the supernatural scene.

"Holy shit. I forgot what necromancers could do."

Chrome ignored her and took a look at the door. She exhaled heavily as she realized the door had automatically locked since the last time they visited this place, and they hadn't remembered to take the card.

"We've forgotten the card… It's going to take a lot of time to open that door."

"Pffff, suuuure." Morrigan materialized her sword from thin air. "I'm not good with machines, but I know how to open a door like that."

"There's a ritual barrier on it. We can't dispel it like that."

"Whatever. Let me show you how we open a locked door in the family."

Morrigan imbued her sword with the power of the wind and slashed at it with all her might. Her attack barely left a large scratch on it. The succubus groaned and attacked the card reader, but the makina only emitted a small beeping noise as an answer. She then moved back a little, groaning. Chrome reflexively moved back.

"I see how it is… Raging Wind!"

A small but extremely powerful tornado hit the entrance of the building, but the door didn't budge in the slightest. However, the barrier created a feedback that sent the blue haired succubus flying back. Once the chaos was over, Chrome approached the card reader and took a small device she placed on the apparatus.

"Fucking barrier." Morrigan was coming back, stretching herself. "We'll do it your way I guess."

"It should open in a few minutes."

"…It's taking a lot of time."

"It's been only two minutes."

"Well, two minutes are a few…"

Chrome had a small hiccup. "…We didn't check the area around! What if there's other chimeras around? Besides, we should examine if someone came in the area more globally."

"Right, don't worry, big sis Morrigan will take care of it." Her tone wanted to be reassuring, but Chrome didn't feel any more at ease in the slightest.

The blue haired succubus disappeared, leaving the small necromancer alone. Chrome exhaled loudly, enjoying the reprieve from her tormentor. While the grim environment didn't make her at ease, she wasn't too worried against possible threats. Her skills had grown a lot, after all, and only the most powerful of yomas or Luka's own companions could hope to hold a match to her.

After a few minutes, Morrigan came back and took the opportunity to show off by doing a looping before landing in front of Chrome.

"Nobody recently passed by beyond those chimeras. So we won't have to worry on that part."

Chrome nodded, and, a minute later, her device beeped while the door opened. She wordlessly opened it for Morrigan, who entered with her sword at the ready.

"Let's check the basement first. I'll be able to see if there are new bodies there."

Chrome's search didn't earn her any results. The duo decided to move on and systematically checked every furniture, crockery, and every items on their way up. Or, more exactly, Chrome examined them while Morrigan just said that there were no recent signs of activity.

Eventually, they reached the top floor of the building. When Chrome opened the door, memories of the presence of Shirome flooded her mind.

"Where are you sister?" A single tear ran alongside her cheek as she looked at the place. From her spot, it didn't look like it changed much, and she almost expected La Croix to show up and either ambush them with the support of Kagetsumugi or tell them they found the solution to save the world. She was pulled out of her reverie by a hand on her shoulder. She turned to see Morrigan actually smiling reassuringly at her.

"Hey, you want to take a break?" Her voice sounded concerned.

"I'm fine, thank you. Let's get over it, the faster, the better."

Chrome checked a chemistry set, and noticed a residue inside it.

"…That one's been used recently. And by that I mean a few days at most."

"Oh shit are you serious?" Morrigan got closer. "Oh fuck me, you're right. There's definitively someone's presence over it. Can't say anything more about it, though, they must have used wards…"

"I'll examine the residue first, for all I know it could be unrelated…" Chrome looked closer to one of the flask. "Although it looks organic."

"Organic… Like a virus?"

"It's still too early to tell. Maybe someone noticed it and used it to create recreational drugs."

"Why don't we just taste it then?"

Chrome raised an eyebrow. How could someone supposedly so old could be so reckless was beyond her.

"And what if it's poisonous to us?"

Morrigan sighed. "I wish Hiruko was here. She could taste anything and identify it just fine… She'll probably eat it whole then. And the flask as well. And maybe even the chimeras patrolling around."

"Who's Hiruko?"

The answer came amidst the sound of ground teeth. "One of my more… gluttonous aunt. Forget what I said. You wouldn't want to meet her actually."

Deciding that it was better to ignore the questionable home life Morrigan seemed to have, Chrome pulled out several regents from her bag and started experimenting. After a small half hour, she sighed as the experiment's results happened.

"A mix of White Grass, burst flower, succubus tail and slime mucus… Someone just crafted a powerful aphrodisiac."

"Huh. Strange." Morrigan's tail waved behind her as the succubus leaned against a wall. "Are you sure it's the only thing that's been crafted with that set?"

"Why? You're saying that because it isn't exactly what we're looking for?"

"It more has to do with the fact that the area is heavily guarded by dangerous chimeras and that there's one tough-ass lock on the door. I can't imagine someone strolling in and out each time they want their fix. Besides, Succubus Village offers stuff like that for almost nothing, and it's not that far from here, soooo… That'd be just stupid."

Chrome considered the words of her senior as she examined the flask. After a minute, she looked up and answered.

"It would be impossible to know if it was used to cultivate a virus or a poison after being used for something else."

"And cleaning up would have attracted even moooore attention." Morrigan took a ridiculous pose and grinned. "But we outsmarted them! We're better than that and saw through their deception!"

"…We're still not sure if the chemistry set's been used for that, and we still don't have a single clue as to who could access this place. And we don't know anything about a potential motive either, so it might even be an accident."

"Weeell, they need to have some knowledge about virus, and must either have an access card from the Remina Institute of Technology, or something like your gizmo to open it… Morrigan's eyes narrowed. "Maybe we should ask a few people around the castle… I mean there are quite a few people who fulfill the criteria there…"

Chrome gulped, already feeling sorry for the future victims of the succubus.

A few minutes later, the duo was back in the Pocket Castle, Morrigan walking briskly while Chrome was following with much difficulty, sometimes almost tripping just to keep up with the succubus. They arrived in the laboratory to see Promestein alone, taking notes on a notepad as she was observing the growth of cells in a petri dish.

"Good morning there! How are you doing!"

Promestein jumped in surprise upon hearing the greeting from the succubus.

"I… huuh… Can I do anything for you?"

Morrigan grabbed a chair and sat uncomfortably close to the small angel scientist who was already sweating bullets.

"Weeell, as it happen yes! We found out that someone used the lab in the Devastated Plains a few days ago to craft him- or herself a good quantity of aphrodisiac stuff!" Morrigan made a dismissive gesture. "Why they do it there when myself or Succubus Village are available is another problem entirely, and an insulting one at that, but I disgress!" She then leaned forward, her eyes glowing slightly. "Anyway, since the virus apparently comes from that area, we wondered if you happened to know anything about it..."

"Why do you accuse me?" Promestein sounded terrified, while Chrome felt awkward in front of the interrogation.

"Because omniscientists like you don't run the streets. And I don't accuse you of anything. Yet..."

Promestein swallowed loudly and took a look at Chrome, who grimaced and answered in her stead.

"Because she's the one who did the analysis of the virus origin… And I don't think she would be dumb enough to give us the information without thinking that someone would investigate the area."

Morrigan snarled at Chrome. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because I didn't know we were going to interrogate her!"

"Let it go Chrome, it's fine… You're right. I did use the chemistry set there to craft the aphrodisiac…"

"Bwuh?" Chrome went wide-eyed. "Wait… You really did? But why?"

"Because Mephisto is managing the stocks with an iron grip after a few incidents, and I didn't want to explain why I had to take those ingredients because my… client wanted the utmost discretion on the matter." A trembling hand removed her glasses, and she cleaned them with the hem of her coat. "They wanted something overly specific, and didn't want to involved herself with Succubus Village. I mean, she's known a little too well..."

"Ooooh, that's true, she's trying for... Wait, nevermind, so what about the virus?"

"I have no idea myself, and thought it came from Tartarus." Promestein sighed heavily. "I guess we would have avoided that if I had been more precise when I told Mephisto…"

"Yeah we would…"

Chrome shrugged. If anything, it went better than what she initially expected to happen… Well, it was time to move on anyway.

"I suppose we'll just have to check the local Tartarus then…"

Morrigan groaned. "I hate these places…"

Chrome smirked back. "Awww, come on, it's not that bad. And besides, we might even get Luka to accompany us…"

"YYYEEEEESSSS!"