****NOTE: May contain spoilers

Timeline: about two weeks later from the previous chapter.

Chapter Rating: T

CHAPTER 2- VSOP

Anastasia sat at her desk in the shared office of hers and Dr. Owen at the Healing Tower in the capital, going over an anatomy scroll by the light of the sunset. It expresses a blend of professionalism and personal touch, reflecting the personalities and work habits of its occupants. The room is spacious and well-lit, with the focal point being the two large, varnished cherry wood desks, polished to a shine yet bearing the marks of extensive use.

Dr. Owen's desk, positioned near the door, is a model of simplicity and efficiency. Patient folders are stacked neatly in one corner, notepads are aligned perfectly, and various medical tools are stashed away in an orderly manner. His workspace exudes a sense of calm and meticulousness, with everything in its place, ready for the next task.

Across the room, Ana's desk faces a large window, allowing her to stargaze during late shifts. Her desk is a vibrant contrast to Dr. Owen's simplicity. It's decorated with an array of potted plants, their green leaves adding a touch of nature to the clinical environment. Books on astrology and herbalism are stacked in an organized yet creative manner, alongside various scrolls on anatomy. Her workspace is a blend of her interests and her profession, a testament to her multifaceted personality.

The large window not only provides a view of the night sky but also floods the room with natural light during the day, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. The polished floors reflect the light, enhancing the room's brightness.

Frantic yet familiar footsteps quickly shuffled from the hall, increasing in volume as the individual making them stopped by the door.

"Lady Anastasia, Good Evening" said the man by the door,

She slowly looked up, prying her eyes off of etiology for Mana-Dependent Myopathy. A young man with blue hair in a bowl cut, gold eyes and regal attire stood under the doorframe, looking rather serious.

"Well, hello Marx" She placed the scroll down and a small smirk crossed her face "Let me guess, you're looking for my brother."

"Is it that obvious?" The memory mage stared at her blankly "I can't see why he doesn't take a page out of your book and actually do his job."

"I'm sure he does his job….in a different way" She attempted to defend. "You've been serving him for how long now? Without a day off?"

She uncrossed her legs and stood up from her desk, gracefully striding towards the memory mage.

"If I took a day off, who knows where Julius would run off to shirk his duties" Marx argued, shutting his eyes and rubbing his nose bridge in an attempt to ease his frustration "I need to watch him."

The scent of Lavender and Mint tickled his nose, causing him to open his eyes. The cosmos mage appeared before him, meeting his gold eyes with a mischievous twinkle in hers. Being the same height as he was, she was dangerously close to his face as she invaded his personal space. He took a step back, feeling a jolt of surprise as Anastasia leaned in close, her presence suddenly dominating his senses. His heart pounded in his chest, a mix of embarrassment and apprehension flooding through him. He stiffened, unsure of how to react, his usual serious demeanor slipping away. His face flushed, and he could feel the heat rising to his cheeks.

"Why don't you go on a date sometime?" She said deeply, almost resembling a growl.

Marx's eyes widened as he stammered "A-a date…? W-with you?"

He secretly admired His Majesty's younger sister for quite some time now, drawn to her work ethic and passion to serve the people of The Clover Kingdom. Envy stirred within him as he observed the joyful banter between the siblings, exchanging stories of incredible magic they had witnessed during their separate travels, their eyes lighting up with excitement as they described each spell in detail and how they could apply it to the benefit of the Kingdom. Despite his reserved nature, he couldn't help but feel a pang of longing whenever he witnessed their genuine bond, wishing he could be a part of their inner circle.

"Not necessarily with me, Marx" She chuckled, raising an eyebrow "In general or even a mixer."

The Memory mage slightly nodded as he realized he might have jumped to conclusions, his hands fidgeting at his sides nervously and he looked down to break the starry gaze that intimidated him so. Anastasia walked back towards her desk, reached low into the bottom desk to retrieve a dark bottle and stepped out.

"I'm going on break!" She stated, passing Marx.

He watched her leave, his attention drawn to the slight sway in her hips. He took a deep breath to steady himself and, in an attempt, to remember what he was doing.

The cosmos mage made her way to the black market, slipping through the veil of illusion that concealed the entrance to the black market. The narrow passage, flanked by ancient brick walls, led into a dimly lit alleyway illuminated only by flickering lanterns and the occasional glow of magical artifacts on display.

Stalls of all shapes and sizes crowded the cobblestone path, their wooden signs creaking in the faint breeze, announcing a bizarre array of wares: dried herbs bundled in exotic arrangements, shimmering crystals that refracted light into myriad colors, and mysterious talismans pulsating with latent energy.

As Anastasia navigated the maze of vendors, she approached a bustling gambler's table tucked away in a secluded corner. There, amidst the haze of smoke and the clink of coins, sat a cloaked tiny old woman with weathered hands deftly shuffling a deck of cards. Her sharp eyes, betraying a wisdom earned through countless years of dealings, met Anastasia's with a knowing glint.

"Back again, Anase?" the old woman croaked, her voice carrying a hint of amusement. "Feeling lucky tonight?"

The cosmos mage grinned, recognizing the familiar twinkle in her brother's disguise. "I've just come to tell you that your…grandson is looking for you," she replied nonchalantly, taking a seat beside him.

The old woman's hands expertly dealt five cards to her and the two other occupants, ignoring his younger sister's reluctance to play. With a huff, she dragged her cards towards her, casting a side eyed glare at the old woman, then looking at her cards.

'A royal straight flush, in hearts…' Anastasia thought as she took a swig from her bottle, 'How ironic.'

She threw in a small bag of coins, accepting the position Julius put her in.

"Hit or pass, dearie?" Her brother croaked in the old woman's voice.

"Hit you in the head if I could…" she mumbled.

"Sorry? My old ears fail me at times" Chronovala snickered, clearly enjoying the chance to irritate his sister.

"Pass" Anastasia said through gritted teeth, her annoyance building as she wondered how Marx deals with him.

The other two players placed their bets, adding to the pile of coins in the middle of the table, drawing or folding as the game continued.

"Looks like this old lady's still got it!" she celebrated with a shaky voice, revealing her own royal flush, in spades.

"Not so fast!" Anastasia slammed her cards on the table.

"Oh, I'm so sorry honey," The old woman crooned "It seems like my flush is higher by…. Is that a king?"

"Is not!" The healer snapped.

"Is absolutely too~" Chronovala taunted.

"I'M TELLING MARX!" She stormed off as if she were a toddler throwing a tantrum.

The other men at the table watched the bickering, exchanging glances, muttering "who the hell is Marx?" and "Let's get outta here."

Chronovala smirked, gathering her winnings into a large bag and nimbly skipping after Anastasia.

"Oh come, darling this is so fun! We should play again!"

"I don't have time, Ju-..." She stopped herself as she hurried away "Chronovala, I have to go back to work…"

She bent to get closer to the crone and whispered through her teeth "...which you should too!"

"Look, a table with exotic herbs!" She abruptly extended a wrinkled finger.

"WHERE!?" The cosmos mage whipped around, nearly breaking her neck as she searched the stalls with starry eyes.

Down the cobblestone path she spotted a wooden table decorated with a bizarre array of dried herbs bundled in exotic arrangements. The vendor was using their magic to muddle something in a mortar and pestle, a gentle green hue swirling around the tools. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity as she sprinted towards the vendor, eager to see more.

"LOOK JUJU THEY HAVE RHODIOLA" She grabbed at the air behind her, and her hand landed with a bounce on a large soft mound.

Anastasia looked back, confused as to why what was in her hand did not have the same hardness as a head. A woman with pink hair cascading down her shoulders in long waves stood behind her with the Cosmos mage's hand on her breast. Embarrassment caused the same color to rise to her face as she retracted her hand, falling to the floor, bowing profusely.

"MISS, I AM SO SORRY PLEASE FORGIVE ME!"

The woman giggled, looking at her groveling and kneeled down to place a tender hand on her head.

"Well, I don't really go that way, but…" She winked at her "But if you share some of that VSOP with me, I might."

The cosmos mage lifted her head as a tear came down her face, observing the woman's voluptuous body, accentuated by her violet corset and miniskirt. Upon meeting her face, she noticed the Black Bull's robe and remembered the men she met at the mixer. She recalled the memory of that night, searching for the name of this woman who liked to drink.

"By any chance…" She asked hesitantly "Is your name Vanessa?"

The woman in violet blinked "And how would you know that?"

"I met a few of the Bulls at a mixer the other day…"

As she remembered that day, a small smile played on her lips. A slight blush rose to her cheeks. Her mind drifted back to the mixer, vividly recalling Gordon's intense red eyes and striking black makeup. The memory of his endearing awkwardness and their growing connection sent a warm flush through her. She was completely lost in thought, oblivious to Vanessa's amused smile.

"I take it you liked what you saw?" She said, beginning to weave a wine glass for herself with her magic.

The woman's Sultry voice snapped Anastasia out of her daydream, bringing her back to reality.

As her mind settled, she noticed Vanessa using her magic and her eyes lit up.

"Wow, what kind of magic is that!?" she shouted enthusiastically.

"It's Thread Magic, quite handy if you ask me" Vanessa said, holding her cup out "Now about that drink…"

The cosmos mage extended the dark bottle to her, tilting it into her cup, a shadow of debris swirling inside of it as the deep red liquid poured out, "I put some herbs and fruit rind in it for an extra kick, so I hope you enjoy it."

The thread mage swirled the glass, observing the liquid paint the sides with a slow, mesmerizing movement. Anastasia watched as her lashes gracefully touched her cheeks, fluttering delicately as she took a long whiff of the brandy. Followed by a long deliberate sip, The healer couldn't help but be captivated by the scene, finding herself gravitating towards this woman's femininity.

"Hmm…Spicy" Vanessa stated as she took another slow sip "...but has a gentle aftertaste."

The healer's face was soon painted with a warm smile, genuinely pleased that this woman enjoyed her drink.

"You should come over sometime so we could do this together…with an entire bottle" The thread mage narrowed her eyes, striking Anastasia with a pang of nervousness.

The cosmos mage's eyes darted around, searching for an answer as she clutched onto her bottle.

"Y-yeah…sure…I'd-"

She was cut off by the sound of mana crackling in the air, shifting into a shimmering window in which Dr. Owen appeared, his brow furrowed in concern. In the background of the screen, Marx could be seen rubbing the bridge of his nose in frustration, bickering with Julius who was now in his normal form. Julius scribbled on some documents, smiling innocently as if he did nothing wrong.

"Anastasia Novachrono." A fatherly voice said sternly.

'Shit.'

"You're coming back for your shift…. right?" Dr. Owen spoke, irritation evident in his voice.

"I am on my way!" She turned away from the screen, facepalming herself in shame.

"Ooh, someone is in trouble~" Vanessa teased.

Anastasia exhaled, looking at the thread mage, her eyebrows upturned with an otherwise blank expression. The two exchanged unsaid words of understanding then burst out laughing together.

VSOP- END