Maria preferred to study in the library in the east building. It was usually bereft of students, and thus quieter and better suited towards her studies. In addition, there were several books there that allowed her to learn about the wider world. Though she may be a peasant now, she was raised as a noble, and then raised further as a hunter, and then finally a monster. The first had taught her that knowledge (blood) was power, the second had taught her the blade (bathed in blood) was power, and the last had shown her that knowledge (of blood) in ignorance was a crippling weakness and something she should never repeat.

And so she read. When she was done with her schoolwork for the day, she would, at random, find a topic about the world she was currently ignorant in. Whether it was of ancient lands such as Friedonia and the Gran Chaos Empire, of recent history such as the annexation of Tasmenia fifty years ago and how it fell because of the treacherous Queen Yuri (whose epithets include 'the Seductress', 'the Vile', 'the Bastard', and 'the Wasteful'), of the creation of magic tools (which reminded her eerily of certain things that the Choir had been doing), of fairy tales about the with Nobeta and her trials through the Castle of Puppets…

It was all important research! Definitely. Look, if the Choir could make people grow poisonous growths on their hands or separate people's heads from the bodies and leave both pieces still alive and mobile and call it research, then finding out that duchess Iris Almeria had invented chocolate years before she invented gunpowder and canons to rebel against Queen Yuri with definitely counted as research!

Today, however, was a sad day. For whatever reason, Lady Claes had decided to come to the east building library instead of her more usual studying locations such as the student council room or the main library. And predictably, she had her harem in tow. Why they had to use Maria's table, inside the offside round room, for their studying, she had no idea…–

Maria froze, then glanced surreptitiously at the table, the floor, and tried not to squirm in her chair. Had they…? The walls were thick, and padded with books to muffle sound. Was this…

Maria tried not to think of blood and phantasm slime, tried not to think of what she might be sitting on, of what might have happened in this room, of– Maria kept her head bowed and stared intently at her notes. Thankfully, upon finding her occupied with study, they had exchanged only brief pleasantries before descending into silent study beyond Lady Hunt briefly insisting Lady Claes sit next to Maria and she would sit next to Lady Claes. The group seemed to actually be studying. Maria supposed they couldn't just use their political influence to pass their exams all the time–

There was a growl like a blood-starved beast, and Maria's head snapped up, her dagger almost out of her sleeve before she followed everyone's gazes and realized it was Lady Claes' stomach grumbling. Apparently, none of her appetites could be sated. How Lady Claes wasn't nearly as spherical as Lady Phryne, Maria could not fathom.

After a much too casual apology (did she not realize Maria was there, acting as if she were private with her harem? Wait, did she already consider Maria a part of her harem, to be acting so casually?!), her brother and Lady Hunt offered to come back with food and tea. Maria almost pointed out that they weren't allowed to bring food into a library (she was fairly sure), but given she was likely to be gainsaid by almost all of the student council, not to mention two princes, the heir and daughter of a duke, and the daughter of a marquis, she decided this was not a hunt she could survive.

Maria dutifully returned to her studies, even as Lady Claes eventually stood up and began making strange movements, before pausing and reaching for a book on a low shelf. Maria was just wondering what Lady Claes had found when the book began to glow. as Lady Claes began to scream, eldritch green light unlike anything Maria had ever seen began to engulf the room.

The two princes and Lady Ascart were saying something, but Maria couldn't make it out over Lady' Claes sustained scream. Even as she tried to cover her eyes and tried to move away from that light as quickly as possible, Maria felt something strange in her ears. She suddenly felt dizzy and stumbled as up and won seemed to topple, and her along with it. It was a terrifying sensation, because Maria had felt it before.

During the Choir's research into the abyssal cosmos, and their so-called failures had torn the very skies apart to reveal the stars…

And then Maria–

– so nice, so red the drops that fall; blood so red, so red, so sweet, so thick; so thick the blood, so strong, so rich; so many echoes within, such sweetness, such life; the blood is the life, the life is the blood, lifesblood so wonderful; so much blood, so much, but more, she needed more it wasn't enough, blood, blood, she eeded blood, needed blood so much, more, more, more, she needed more, she needed more blood, the old blood, the coldblood, saint's blood and sinner's blood–

"– more…" Maria found herself groaning, even as she regained consciousness to find herself lying on the cold stone floor of the library.

"Is everyone all right?" Lord Claes said from somewhere above her head. There was the sound of chewing. From many, many, many snacking breaks in the student council room, Maria recognized the sound of Lady Claes eating a cookie.

She was depressed she knew what that sounded like so specifically. But more importantly…

"…bluuuh…?" Maria managed to gasp out before she realized what she was saying. She remembered the feeling of the abyssal cosmos, and then…

Rapture. She could still taste the blood on her lips, feel the warmth and sweetness in her veins, even as her tongue insisted it was bone dry and she could really use some of that tea she smelled.

"What happened?" someone said. It may have been Maria. She wasn't sure. All she wanted to know was where all the blood had gone.

"Oh, so it's a magic book!" Lady Claes summarized, as if those simple words summarized everything. "No wonder all those weird things kept happening!"

The Third Prince, Lord and Lady Ascart looked nervously, then began making excuses about needing to be somewhere else, standing up abruptly and leaving the room with much swiftness. What had they desired, that they would be embarrassed about it before their fellow lovers? Surely there were no secrets among this circle of perversity? Unless… hmm, perhaps there were more cracks in Lady Claes' harem then Maria had thought.

Maria sighed, and began packing up her materials to return to her dorm. There would be no more studying for her tonight. She wouldn't be able to concentrate.

"Um, Maria," Lady Hunt said hesitantly, and Maria looked up. Lady Hunt seemed to flinch for some reason. How strange. "Er, are you all right?"

"Yes, I am fine," Maria said, trying not to stare at the arteries of Lady Hunt's neck. Her dress did so leave them bared, after all. She almost felt like she could see them throb to the beating of her heart. "Why do you ask?"

"N-no reason!" Lady Hunt said hurriedly, and Maria resisted the urge to roll her eyes.

"If that is all, then I believe I shall retire," Maria said. "I wonder what's for dinner…?"

Feeling suddenly hungrier than she ever had in a long time, Maria left the library.