A/N: Okay, this is probably my favorite chapter so far. I'm quite proud of what I did with this one.

I said I'll be taking some liberties with the original material so I'm exploring a bit of Liv's abilities in this chapter. Seeing as she comes from two lines of sorcerers who practice vastly different types of sorcery, I want to portray her as a non-conformist type of sorcerer. It is a bit challenging to explore her abilities while keeping it lore-friendly. Luckily, Gege left a lot of leeway in terms of ambiguity of the boundaries of sorcery.

Anyway, hope you'll like it!

Cursed Love

~ Lemon Cookies ~

November 27th, 2016. / 08:44 / Shuuin Manor, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

This is not how Mathias expected his weekend to begin.

He wished to wake up, lounge around, and maybe go for a walk later in the afternoon. He'd spend the evening with Tove and Rune, probably playing card games like poker and go-fish (go-fish more likely, Tove is too good at poker, he'd lose his money).

Alas, he's sitting in the Manor's living room, opposite the fair-haired Yuki Tsukumo who is overly immersed in her hibiscus tea and lemon cookies. He doesn't particularly dislike her company - she has been nothing but polite and even comfortable to be around. The childlike awe on her face, as she hums in delight when she bites into the cookie, reminds him of Nova.

"Whoever your cook is," she says once she swallows the bite in her mouth, "is amazing. These cookies are fantastic!"

Mathias chuckles as he answers with a sort of lie, "That would be your friend, Tsukumo-san."

"Please, just Yuki," she corrects him before asking, "Liv made these, huh? Didn't peg her for a patissier enthusiast."

"Among other things," Mathias says softly, lacing his fingers. "She has a broad range of interests and an appetite for knowledge."

"Quite," Yuki concurs. "She's a very special woman."

Mathias agrees. Liv is indeed a special woman and the woman in front of him is exceptional as well. While Jujutsu High has no records of her cursed technique, to get a Special Grade promotion, a sorcerer must fall into the category of 'capable of mass-destruction'. Given the range of effects of Satoru's Limitless and Suguru Geto's Cursed Spirit Manipulation, it's a fair point to argue that she must have exceptional skills to justify her reputation. Whatever her technique is, Mathias thinks to himself, it's best not to provoke her.

He also notes that it's not the best idea to be alone with her either.

That is why, when he invited Yuki inside the Manor, he used her moment of unawareness to send a subtle text message to Tove.

From: Mathias Drakon

manor asap

November 27th, 2016. / 07:30 / Ieiri Residence, Shimokitazawa, Tokyo, Japan

Shoko fumbles with her apartment keys.

She doesn't remember the last time she spent in her bed. Was it twenty-three? she thinks to herself, trying to recall the personal record number of days in a row she spent sleeping in her designated room on campus. This time, it's been thirty days - an entire month. Shoko is a workaholic. She's not ashamed of that. She loves her profession to the point she cheated to get her license. However, she's still a doctor (a good one, mind you). She knows when she needs a break from corpses, gashing wounds, and the smell of 70% ethanol solution and formaldehyde.

Her next day off is nowhere in sight but she has ten hours before her next shift - she might as well spend the time at home.

Finally getting the right key into the keyhole, she turns the bloody thing twice and slumps inside her small apartment. Closing the door, she throws her bag on the floor and takes off her coat before hanging it on a nearby rack. She steps out of her heels, not bothering to put them inside the shoe cabinet. She then trods her way over to the fridge, her long brown hair falling over her shoulders as she reaches for a bottle of beer on the lower shelf before slamming the door of the fridge shut. Time for a new one, she thinks to herself as she realizes that she needs to push the door shut several times.

Taking the cap off, Shoko takes the first swig of her beer. She walks the short distance to the window overlooking the street. It is busy, as always. People are enjoying hopping from one shop to another, spending their salaries on clothes, shoes, and other things that are not essential. Spend it on alcohol, my fellow countrymen, she thinks to herself as she toasts to the crowd below before taking another swig and sitting down on her emerald velvet couch.

Shimokitazawa wasn't her first choice when she went apartment-hunting a year ago. Rather, she wanted to move to Asakusa. The selection process has been done through the method of elimination: Shibuya is expensive, Shinjuku as well, and Roppongi is too close to Satoru. There was an option of moving to the outskirts of Tokyo, as it is technically closer to the Jujutsu High's campus. However, she chose Shimokitazawa for a simple but somewhat cheesy reason.

It is nostalgic.

Shoko believes growing up is normal and natural. Everyone grows up eventually, whether they want to or not. As each year passes, she finds herself longing more for the years before she grew up. People come, people go, she remembers saying to Utahime sometime after Liv left eight years ago. Her senpai warned her that her nonchalant distancing from other people would only make her feel more lonely.

She was right, of course, and Shoko thinks part of the reason they hang out is because Utahime refuses to leave her alone. 'Caring' is, after all, Utahime's strong suit. She gives without expecting anything in return. People like her and while some tend to abuse that giving nature, Utahime has learned how to draw a line.

Shoko is not like that. She can be kind, sure - otherwise, she wouldn't have friends, she wouldn't be a doctor. Unlike Utahime, however, she can't give without getting anything in return, or rather - she knows she'll be left hanging if she gives too much away.

A single glance at Satoru reminds her of that fact every day.

Yet, her outlook slightly shifted after Liv returned a month ago. It is as if they're back in high school. There is laughter and fun. Shoko hadn't had fun like that night in Tasuichi in years. Utahime was still drunk when she woke up and bawled her eyes out as she beamed at the fact that Liv was back in Japan. It may have been the drunkness or it may have been a genuine joy. Either way, it's a testament to how much life Liv Drakon breathed into their every day.

And then, she left again.

Shoko anticipated it somewhat. It has always been a pattern of sorts. Liv comes back, shit goes down, she ups and leaves, and then comes back again. Even in high school, she'd be present for several weeks, then leave, then come back, then leave again, and so on. However, as Shoko learned over the years, the repetitive aspect of the pattern is irregular. The lengths of presence and absence respectively vary, depending on numerous factors but most of all - they depend on Liv's whim.

"You missed my birthday, bitch," Shoko mutters bitterly.

She sighs and closes her eyes. Despite her fervorous displeasure with her friend's actions, Shoko tries not to worry. If what Satoru said about the Shuuin is true, Shoko believes Liv will be fine as long as she keeps out of trouble.

What if she isn't fine?

Shoko sighs.

Then, we're screwed and Gojo will annoy the rest of us instead. That's the scenario Shoko doesn't want to witness.

Snapped out of her thoughts, Shoko hears her phone buzz. Realizing the device is in her purse, she forces herself off the couch and walks sluggishly toward the discarded bag on the floor. Rummaging through it, she pulls out her phone and unlocks it.

1 missed call

Shoko frowns as she opens the list of missed calls and sees Utahime's name first on the list. Shoko looks at the clock in the corner of the display that reads 07:47. Curious as to why the woman has called her so early in the morning, Shoko dials her number and presses the device against her ear. Barely two rings later, Utahime picks up.

"Morning," she says, not chirpily but not evenly either.

Shoko answers, her throat raspy, "To you, maybe. What's up? Why did you call?"

"I had a coffee with the drummer yesterday," Utahime answers, a hint of nervousness in her tone. "He wouldn't shut up about our nightingale."

In her tired and slightly alcohol-influenced dazed state, it takes Shoko a while to figure out what the woman is talking about. Drummer? she thinks to herself quizzically. Nightingale? She's fairly certain she doesn't know any drummers and she's also certain she doesn't have any birds in the apartment or pets in general. Did Utahime have a date with someone? She shakes her head. She'd have told me that if she had.

"And?" Shoko urges her to continue.

"Told him the bird flew out the window and we haven't seen her in weeks," Utahime says simply.

Another minute passes in silence. What are you talking about? Shoko wonders in bafflement, still not understanding. The bird flew out the window? Haven't seen her in weeks? Shoko frowns as she dissects those two sentences, looking for bits and pieces that might make sense. She's speaking in riddles, so - Then, it dawns on her and she brings a hand over her mouth. Shoko is certain her face has gotten even paler.

"Did he say anything else?" Shoko asks, her voice strained from the sudden tension in her entire body.

Utahime hesitates to answer. "He thinks a cat might've caught her."

Shoko's eyes widen. "His cat?"

"Heavens, I hope not," Utahime answers grimly.

"Shit," Shoko curses.

"By the way," Utahime adds, "I can't reach the princess since last night. Do you know where she is?"

Shoko sighs as she runs a hand through her hair. "She picked up extra shifts at the bar. I'll tell her you called."

"Okay," Utahime says curtly before asking, "Lunch tomorrow at my place?"

Shoko swallows the lump in her throat. "Yeah. See ya'."

"Later," Utahime says softly and hangs up.

Shoko groans and takes a mouthful of her beer before gulping it down. The taste seems tart in her mouth though this particular brand is supposed to be more on the sweeter side of the spectrum. She normally prefers bitterness in her alcohol but now, she has no appetite for it so she dumps the rest of the bottle into the sink in her kitchenette. She then puts the glass bottle in the safe corner of the kitchen counter before she dials Satoru's phone number. It takes her a few attempts before the man finally answers.

"This better be important," she hears Satoru moan/groan from the other side of the line.

"As if I'd call you just to hear your voice, idiot," Shoko says evenly. "Why aren't you picking up the phone?"

"Am I not allowed to answer my phone when I want to?" he asks blatantly.

Shoko rolls her eyes. "You're such a trash, honestly."

A short silence follows her statement. "I'm gonna hang up now, Shoko."

"Before you do that," she cuts in, "Gakuganji may or may not have sent someone after Drakon."

Another short silence follows her statement. She thinks he's either too stunted to answer right away or his brain is going through all the possible scenarios in which Liv possibly gets hurt. Knowing the man as well as she does, Shoko leans more towards the latter option.

"Took them long enough," the man sighs. "Oh well, good luck to them."

Shoko quirks a brow. "What?"

Satoru chuckles. "It's not that bad."

She almost doesn't believe what's coming from the sorcerer's mouth. "Gojo, this is Drakon we're talking about - your wife."

"I'm aware," he says lazily. "I never gave a damn about her safety before. I sure as hell ain't gonna start now."

After all these years, she shouldn't be surprised. She shouldn't be affected at all by his blatant disregard for other people.

"You don't mean that," she says anyway because she knows, she hopes it's true to some capacity.

His subsequent silence suggests otherwise.

"Whatever," he yawns disinterestingly in response. "Night, Shoko."

She hears him hang up before she can respond.

"It's morning, dipshit."

November 27th, 2016. / 08:00 / Gojo Residence, Roppongi, Tokyo, Japan

A faint click echoes in the penthouse's empty kitchen as Satoru locks his phone. He twirls the device atop the kitchen counter while his mind is occupied with the latest bit of news he received. They're not pulling any punches, he thinks to himself, flicking his ring finger and letting the phone whirl as a result. I guess Mei Mei and her crows are not enough to satiate their curiosity.

Satoru groans before letting his head fall on the kitchen counter, supported by his right arm. He half-thought he'd be able to enjoy his 'free' morning, maybe even take a nap.

"So much for that," he grumbles with a pout on his lips.

His thoughts circle back to the issue at hand. Satoru wonders if Principal Gakuganji is merely throwing a bluff. The man knows of Utahime's friendship with Liv so he's probably trying to capitalize on it. The way the Council inquired about his wife's whereabouts at the last meeting suggests that the HQ is already conjuring up its ludicrous ideas. Whatever, he scoffs inwardly. There's no way anyone can track her down at this point. He's certain that even if the old bag sent someone after Liv, they'd simply fail and return empty-handed.

"But why bother sending someone after her if it's only a bluff?" he wonders out loud, scratching his chin. "Do they know something I don't?"

That particular thought makes him realize that, while unlikely, there could be something the HQ knows that he doesn't. Liv Drakon can be tight-lipped when she wants to be and while they agreed there would be no secrets between them, Satoru can't shake off the feeling that she's deliberately withholding something anyway.

Satoru's only advantage right now is that he knows Liv leaves no residuals so targeting her through conventional means will be a fool's errand. While this buys him time, the fact that she's yet to return complicates matters. The Shuuin are in disarray with their Vow of Silence now obsolete. Mathias refuses to even mention the current state of affairs in the clan. Satoru's marriage to Liv is being called into question. The Council's warning looms over his head constantly and again, while he's still able to brush it off, he can't do it indefinitely.

Satoru sighs. It would be unwise to just dust off his hands and call it a day. Instead, he tries to think of a way to check if Gakuganji is throwing a bluff or not.

It just so happens that Satoru knows someone who might give him an answer to that dilemma.

November 27th, 2016. / 08:35 / Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan

"Now?!"

Tove gives Rune an exasperated look, almost mirroring the expression on the redhead's face. She's not happy about the ongoing situation either. Neither of them is battle-ready: Tove is hungover, tired, and suffering a throbbing headache that is making her feel disoriented; Rune is somewhat still inebriated and nauseous. They got a room in one of the hostels since they were too drunk and too tired to get back to the Manor. They barely slept at all by the time Tove read the message from Mathias. It was by mere chance that she needed to go to the bathroom at the time when she noticed her phone blinking with a new notification popping up on the screen.

"Can I throw up first?" Rune asks sheepishly, already aiming her two fingers down her throat to induce the reflex.

Tove grabs her wrist and yanks the fingers out of her mouth. "We don't have time for that!"

"But I'm woozy," the redhead whines. "I can't protect my back pocket. How am I supposed to protect Mathias?"

"We'll figure it out on the way to the Manor," Tove grumbles as she urges the younger woman to follow her.

Rune whimpers as she trots after the spymaster, her feet barely holding her weight as they maneuver their way to the front desk to check out and then out of Shinjuku. The district is expectedly overflowing with people, the sheer mass of people itself overwhelming for anyone who might be even slightly claustrophobic. Thankfully, both Tove and Rune are trained individuals with years of on-field experience under their belt. Escaping Shinjuku through narrow passages and across rooftops, avoiding the mass effectively, is a child's game for them (even in their current state).

The real issue is how to get to the Manor quickly.

Normally, they would have some kind of vehicle at their disposal. The Shuuin clan is frugal with its finances so the spies are free to acquire such luxuries with their own coin. Although they're compensated with a monthly salary, their budget is not big enough to afford constant flying around after their mistress and/or the rest of the clan and personal indulgences.

Fortunately (sort of, kind of), most of the spies have some kind of criminal record. Theft, bribery, dealing, murder - among the Shuuin spies, this is considered 'normal' and somewhat 'expected'. Hijacking a car, particularly, is probably within every spy's repertoire of abilities. Tove is especially clever around cars and electronics (she's a grease monkey, constantly fixing Liv's Mercedes). That said, before Rune can head to the train station, the spymaster pulls her into a nearby parking lot.

"What are you doing?" Rune asks, pointing in the opposite direction. "Station's that way!"

"It'll take us too long to reach the Manor via train," Tove says in a hushed voice as she inspects rows of cars. "A car will be quicker."

Her redhead subordinate frowns before sighing exasperatedly, "Can I at least drive?"

Tove laughs dryly. "Yeah, nice try - I've seen what happened to your last car. Poor thing - "

"Hey," Rune whines. "It wasn't my fault! It was the other guy - "

"Honestly, Rune, I don't care," Tove cuts in curtly. "Now's not the time."

Rune grumbles under her breath but says nothing else as she follows her spymaster.

November 27th, 2016. / 07:14 / Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway

"Shit."

Liv bites her lower lip as she assesses their current situation. They have reached the settlement of Ny-Ålesund which is technically a scientific outpost, not a town per se. Liv has never been this far north and wouldn't even know about this outpost if she hadn't heard about it before (in a bar, of all places). The cold, ridiculous working conditions and lack of any kind of entertainment are a fertile basis for the accumulation of cursed energy. No wonder I could pinpoint it from a distance, despite so few people living here, she notes with dissatisfaction. With Mimir on her hip, she's certain the scientists in the settlement will have many questions (understandably).

"Liv," Mimir says hesitantly. "I think we're standing out much."

No shit. "I think so too, head."

"So what do we do about it?" it asks.

Liv sighs. "Well, we've got a few options and I don't particularly like any of them."

"Does any of those ideas include me being stuffed in some kind of bag?" Mimir asks and Liv's silence is an affirmative answer to its question. "Thought as much."

"If only I could reach out to some of my spies," Liv mumbles as she tries to think of a solution. "That way, I can reach the mainland and Japan without worrying about the customs."

Mimir quirks a brow. "Customs? That's not related to propriety and culture, is it?"

Liv almost laughs, shaking her head. "No. It is part of the border control between countries. To ensure travelers don't jeopardize themselves and others, and also to enforce the law of the country they're entering."

"There are a lot of countries between us and our destination, correct?" Mimir inquires.

"At least a dozen," Liv concurs. "It'd be much easier if we could fly there but I'm not that rich to bribe the flight attendants and smuggle a talking severed head overboard."

"Then how do you intend to get us there?"

Liv takes a deep breath. Her eyes shift to her far left then ahead, then at her far right. She tries to find something, anything that could be of use. A crowbar, a shovel, a trashcan - Liv grimaces none of these things are helpful in her current situation. She sees a harbor in the distance. Import and export ships, no doubt, she concludes. While it would be practical to reach the mainland via a vessel that floats, there's still the issue of the severed head in her possession. No plants around, she notices, meaning there is no way for me to hide Mimir with geldr enchantment. Seidr is also useless without a proper potion and preparation.

There must be some way for us to reach the mainland. And as a matter of fact, there is. It is dangerous, probably bound to not work or even worse, to backfire. If any part of the process is miscalculated, well - it won't end up well.

Then I won't miscalculate, Liv smirks. Simple as that.

November 27th, 2016. / 09:51 / Shuuin Manor, Tochigi Prefecture, Japan

"Now this is impressive!"

Mathias nods absent-mindedly, having tuned out for a while now. Being stuck with a chatterbox such as Yuki Tsukumo has proven to be a more arduous task than he initially believed. Having dried out his well of topics, the older Drakon has decided that it'd be better to avert the Special Grade sorcerer's attention with something more practical. The Manor's storage has proven to be a perfect way to buy time until Tove and Rune return from Shinjuku.

"None of these are for combat?" Yuki asks, her eyes gleaming like a child's.

Mathias shakes his head, blinking slowly out of boredom. "They'd probably break if you tried to shield or attack with them. Most of it is either gold or silver alloy."

Yuki hums as she clasps her hands behind her back, strolling around the armory. The storage is divided into several sections: the armory where the Shuuin store their ritual weapons; the gallery with all of their investments and masterpieces; and the treasury where their accumulated wealth is safely deposited behind some of the best safes money can buy. The armory makes up two-fifths of the entire subterranean level, with the other two-fifths occupied by the gallery and the one-fifth is the treasury.

The armory is a museum with all of the artifacts neatly displayed on plaques and racks, protected by various talismans for good measure. Mathias didn't lie when he said none of these weapons can be used in combat - he just didn't mention that the ones that are battle-suited are simply not in the armory.

"It must've cost a fortune to assemble this," Yuki comments suddenly, her eyes taking in the shiny baubles.

Mathias nods, answering somewhat like a robot, "We're rather frugal. The armory is a result of careful investing and mindful spending."

"I see," Yuki hums, her fingers tracing the edge of a golden tessen fan as she pouts. "Are these Liv's? She used to carry ones similar to these all the time."

Mathias quirks a brow. As he glances at what Yuki has been pointing at, he finds himself looking at the tessen fans first crafted by the Great Mother. It is one of the oldest relics in the armory and a prized possession of the Shuuin.

"Got a good eye there," he casually compliments the woman before saying, "Liv had a replica crafted for her seventh birthday. That's probably why they seem familiar to you."

"She had an expensive taste at such a young age," Yuki muses, shaking her head.

Sadness crosses Mathias' features as he says, "They were a gift from our mother."

Yuki's rose-colored eyes don't glance back at the man for a while. Mathias hears her thoughts though, although vaguely. Mother. Shuuin. Mother. Shuuin. He frowns as it becomes difficult to discern her exact thoughts. He never had so much difficulty hearing anyone's thoughts before. It is quite frustrating for him.

"If you don't mind me asking," Yuki says softly before lifting her gaze to meet his, "is it true? About Liv and your mother?"

Mathias remains calm as he answers with a question of his own, "Is what true?"

"That Liv was thrown to the streets when she was a child," Yuki clarifies.

He bites down his tongue, holding back a retort. Is that what she tells people?

"Liv ran away," Mathias answers plainly. "She wasn't thrown out."

Yuki hums, nodding her head. Her body language indicates she believes him but the unreadable expression on her face irks him nonetheless.

"I see," the woman muses before looking at her phone for a moment. "Well, time to hit the road."

Thank the heavens. "You're welcome to stay if you have nowhere else to go."

The woman smirks as she chuckles at his offer. "You don't have to be all polite now, Councilman Drakon. I know you'd rather stare at my backside as I leave."

Though her last sentence carries a more ambiguous interpretation, Mathias settles for the less suggestive one as he answers, "The offer still stands, Yuki-san."

"In that case, I'll take a rain check," she sighs dramatically before handing him her phone. "Could I get Liv's phone number? Now that I think about it, maybe it's better if I give her a call."

Mathias looks at her phone and then at her before reaching for the device. He types in Liv's phone number as instructed before handing back the phone to Yuki. She offers a cutesy smile and a curtsy (which Mathias found rather unbecoming for a woman of her status and power).

"I'll walk you to the stairs," he says and beckons her to go ahead of him which she accepts graciously.

As they leave the armory, Mathias tries to keep his eyes averted from Yuki's swaying hips. He thinks she's doing it purposefully although, it may just be part of her naturally seductive demeanor. She's a beautiful woman, he's not blind - he just finds her overtly flirty personality slightly offputting.

By the time they reach the living room, Mathias senses Tove and Rune's presence, just outside the front door. He suppresses a sigh of relief as he follows Yuki through the Manor's hallway. Thank the fucking heavens, he prays once again.

"Thank you for the cookies and tea," Yuki says over her shoulder after she opens the large front door of the Manor. "It was lovely."

Mathias gives her a curt bow. "Safe travels and good luck, Yuki-san."

And good riddance, he thinks to himself. Yuki seems to pick up on his unspoken salute regardless and smirks as she zips up her leather jacket. Tove and Rune stand ahead of the woman, their stiff postures resembling stone sentinels. In reality, the two spies are barely holding themselves upright (Tove is doing fairly well despite the hangover slightly clouding her senses; Rune, on the other hand, might throw up any second now). Yuki passes by without so much as a 'hello' to the women before descending the uneven stairs. She doesn't comment on the smell of tobacco and alcohol on them nor does she acknowledge the stern glares (which are more akin to fluttering, hazy glances) she has received.

She chuckles only when she's out of earshot.

Meanwhile, her descent is observed silently by the spies. Mathias joins them atop the staircase shortly thereafter and he too can smell the tobacco and alcohol on their person. He's not surprised - he knew where they were and what they were doing. A night out is what they needed after all the fiasco a couple of weeks ago.

And yet -

"The one time I need you," he murmurs cynically, "you're hungover."

Neither of the women comments. Instead, Rune excuses herself as she rushes to the bathroom while Tove merely gives him an apologetic look.

"I drove 140 to get us here as soon as possible," she states and Mathias' eyes grow double in size as he stares at the spymaster in disbelief.

"How are you not dead?" he breathes out.

Tove pouts before shaking her head, "No idea."

Mathias rolls his eyes before dismissing her with a wave of his hand. Tove obliges albeit slowly as her step is slightly wobbly at this point. Somewhat worried, he watches the spymaster make her way inside the Manor. It is not the first time he's seen her hungover but it's a rare sight. After all, Tove takes her role as the leader of the spy network seriously. However, he can't help but shake his head in disapproval at this instance. What a bad timing, he thinks to himself.

"Mathias!"

Silence. He doesn't react at first. He wants to believe it's merely his imagination, a figment of his brain's exhaustion. Two days in a row, Mathias notes as he finally acknowledges his brother-in-law. The universe is out to get me, he scowls as he looks over his shoulder and sees Satoru standing, uniformed and blindfolded, next to the Manor's entrance. His typical flippant grin is plastered on the lower half of his face and Mathias wonders if he'll ever get a break these days. Knowing his brother-in-law, probably not. Of all the times for Liv to be gone, he complains inwardly.

What a bad timing indeed.

November 27th, 2016. / 07:53 / Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, Norway

Mimir watches curiously as the young woman he met merely hours ago is scribbling something into the snow-covered beaches. She's intently focused on her task, positioning various rocks in a seemingly haphazardous manner while drawing strange symbols the head doesn't recognize. This isn't geldr, it notes silently. I think.

"You've been quiet for a while now."

The enchanted head stutters a bit. "I-I didn't wish to interrupt you. It seems like a very complex enchantment."

A smile graces her pale, chapped lips. "You're not my thrall, head. You can speak if you have something to say."

"Well," Mimir hesitates before asking, "I was just wondering, what is that?"

Liv lifts her gaze, the hazel eyes she inherited from her father staring at Mimir's grey orbs with slight puzzlement. "You don't know?"

Mimir would shake its head if such a thing is possible. Instead, it just remains silent, its eyes looking to the side awkwardly. Liv cocks her head to the side, further baffled by the head's confession.

"It is a runic circle," she explains, pointing to the circular inscription at her feet.

"I can see that," Mimir points out. "What is it for? What kind of magic is that?"

"Oh," Liv exclaims and frowns, thinking how to answer the head's question. "It's a combination of geldr, seidr, and what I witnessed my husband do once a decade ago."

Mimir hums and then realizes Liv just said that she is married.

"Husband?!" the head asks incredulously.

Liv picks up on the head's tone and sighs. "Yes, my husband. I got married, like - "

She then begins to count how many days has it been since the wedding. Twenty-six, twenty-seven, she counts inwardly. How long was I away? she wonders suddenly and is unable to answer that question. Time seems to flow independently from her and not just because she has no means of tracking time. To her, it seems like it's only been a few days since her fight with Rei Shuuin. An odd sense of weight settles in the pit of her stomach and Liv slightly crunches her abdomen in response.

"Liv?" Mimir asks worriedly. "Are you okay?"

Shaking her head, she clears her throat and answers with a nod. "I'm fine. Got lost in thought is all."

The head doesn't believe her but it doesn't pressure her to confide.

"Anyway," she continues, "this is a summoning circle. I'm using geldr and seidr principles as a basis. and jujutsu as an operative factor."

Mimir's subsequent silence suggests the head hardly understood a thing she had said.

She sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Okay. Do you know how Dreki shamans summon spirits?"

"There is usually a pact involved between the shaman and the summoning spirit," Mimir says.

Liv proceeds with her explanation, "Yes. It's a displacement method where you take a spirit from one place which is usually the place they were born at and then summon it to another location."

"That requires marking both the spirit's birthplace and the summoning location with identical runes, correct?" Mimir inquires and Liv nods. "What has that got to do with us reaching the mainland?"

Liv smiles, relishing the opportunity to explain her abilities. "Well, the shamans from my mother's homeland tend to create their own spirits with their own magical energy."

Mimir's eyes widen. "I've never heard of Dreki shamans doing something like that before."

"That's because the Dreki shamans tend to bind an already existing spirit which they had to previously subdue and then train afterward," she continues excitedly. "Jujutsu sorcerers create their own spirits with a sort of charm acting as a conduit. Then, they train that spirit until it's obedient."

"I see," Mimir muses before frowning. "I still don't understand how this can help us reach the mainland."

Liv smirks. "I'm glad you asked. You see - "

She then points to the runic circle again. "This runic circle is the same one near the place of my birth which is in nearby Norway. It is no longer used for summoning as the spirit that lingered there had been destroyed years ago but I can still make use of the runes."

"How do you know the circle is still in place?" Mimir inquires curiously.

Liv clicks her tongue. "It is an old summoning circle, engraved in stone, established decades ago. It's not disappearing anytime soon."

"So how will you make use of it?" Mimir frowns, its tone wary.

Liv smiles as she, "By using Reverse Cursed Energy."

The quirk of the head's brow reminds her that it's once more perplexed.

"Reverse Cursed Energy is a type of magical energy that is associated primarily with healing," Liv explains. "However, it's much more than that. When used correctly, it can reverse the effect of any phenomena."

Mimir hums, understanding somewhat but not completely. Dreki shamans were (are) a bit of an outcast given their proclivity for alchemical endeavors and ingenious creativity. It had been hard for Mimir to discern what old Dreki considered moral and immoral, and how far his curiosity could go. The head feels the same about the young Dreki shaman before him.

Liv sighs when the head remains puzzled still. "I can reverse the summoning ritual and take us to that spot from here. Come on head, work with me!"

"I'm trying but this is the first time I've heard about any of this," Mimir says sheepishly. "Seidr and geldr do not break laws of nature in such a manner. There is always a flow, a logic to magic."

"There is a flow yes," Liv concurs, then adding, "but the flow is cyclical, not linear. All things end and begin anew. Where one thing falls, another grows."

Mimir frowns, not completely agreeing with the analogy. Even the cycles are terminated when they refuse to adapt to new conditions.

"In any case, I have a way for us to get to the mainland and contact some of my spies in Norway," Liv proceeds, reverting to their previous topic of conversation. "There is just one, tiny problem - "

Of course there is. "And that would be - ?"

A nervous smile appears on her lips as she looks down. "I've never done this before."

Mimir sighs disparagingly. "Of course you haven't."

She gives him a blank face. "Gee, thanks head."

"Did you expect me to rejoice?" Mimir counters. "What happens when you fail to summon us to the mainland?"

"If I fail," she corrects him stubbornly. "Which I won't but if I do - I guess we might get a bit hurt."

"A bit?" Mimir chuckles humorlessly.

Liv rolls her eyes. "Fine, we could get hurt a lot. It is highly unlikely though."

"Why?"

She replies simply but sternly, leaving no room for further argument, "Because I am Liv Drakon and I say so."