A Katarina Interlude

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

Katarina had to keep reminding herself of that as the party continued. That this event wasn't some sort of final test for her etiquette skills where she'd need to put all of what she'd learned to use. If she let herself think of it like that, she might forget everything she learned after the party was done!

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

Back when she'd started playing Fortune Lover, she'd found it really challenging. First of all, it lacked so many things that she'd taken for granted from other games! Where was the menu with the relationship values of the capture targets, so she'd know how far along their route she was? Where were the NPC markers on the map so she'd know where who had moved to after talking to them? Why didn't the NPCs have name tags? Where was the quest log so she'd know what quest she was on? Where was the conversation log so that she could read what people had just said? Where were the markers showing shops, quests, events so she'd know where she should go? Why wasn't there a help tab on the menu where she could access the tutorials? Why hadn't there even been a tutorial? Why wasn't there an easy mode? How was she supposed to just enjoy the story without an easy mode?

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

But her friend Acchan had told her the game was fun and she trusted her friend, so she'd kept playing, restarting the game and realizing those burning marks on the ground at the start had been the tutorial. She read them carefully and realized that they explained exactly what she was having trouble with. She'd learned to actually pay attention when characters were talking instead of just mashing a button for them to get it over with. She'd learned about lore hunting, finding the story in the items she picked up and, on her second run, realized that where she had picked up an item was also important!

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

When she'd finished one route—the Keith route—it had felt so good! And when she'd gone into the post-game to get the lewd, dirty, smut CG's using the secret items, it had been even better! When she'd started a New Game Plus, she'd found out all she'd learned about the schedules and habits of the characters still helped! They weren't just relevant, they were important for helping her do better at her next run of the game. She knew where to get the items for dealing with status effects. She knew who a certain NPC blocking the way was talking about, because she'd met that NPC in her previous run, and had done a quest that she'd had to remember the details of since she didn't have a quest log. When she had to go through the stupid swamp, she knew the shortest, fastest, least poison-y path!

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

And this had been important because the New Game Plus had somehow become even HARDER, with new surprise random encounters in seemingly random hallways!

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

(So she'd finally broken down and gone on the internet to consult Fallen God-sama, the man who had resurrected the dating sim industry, and had also found the videos of VaatiVidya-sensei, who had shown her how much of the story she'd been missing! It had given her a really appreciation of how hard Maria's life had been before the start of the game…)

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

That was how she needed to think of all the etiquette she was learning. Something she'd need to keep using not just for this one event, but in all subsequent events! It wasn't a mini-game mechanic, it was a core game mechanic!

This isn't test, this isn't a test, this isn't a test…

It helped that the more she actually used the etiquette that she'd been taught, the easier it was to remember it! Why hadn't anyone told her about that? It was practically a cheat-level hack! So many things would have been easier if people told her etiquette got easier the more you did it! She wondered if that applied to everything?

Probably not parrying with a shield, though. That was just stupid.

And so she greeted everyone she met with a smile, asked them how they were doing and if they were enjoying themselves, and told them there would be ice-cream later. While the specifics were complicated, the general etiquette when one of the hosts of a party was pretty simple: make sure guests are enjoying themselves. That was probably cheating, but there was no rule against it! A lot of those invited seemed to be her classmates from school, and it was nice to see them all again. They all looked so surprised when they saw her wearing her formal armor. It helped that this inevitably lead to questions about her training and why, and under whom, so she got a lot of practice in responding to their questions.

She spotted Lady Maria talking to Uncle Salomon (not 'Salmon', even if his hair reminded her of it!), the two of them watching with concern as Aunt Leona and Rafael talked excitedly. Ooh, that's right, Rafael worked in the Magic Tool Laboratory with Sora, right? He and Aunt Leona must have a lot to talk about! Aunt Leona said something, looking eager but whatever it was seemed to cause Maria to leap into the conversation and put herself between Aunt Leona and Rafael. Ah, Maria must have been feeling left out of whatever fun talk Aunt Leona and Rafael were having. Silly Maria. Still, she supposed that shyness was just part of who she was, even if she wasn't particularly shy once you got to know her.

Ah, Keith was back! She wondered what he, Mary, Nicol and Sophia had been talking about—?

Katarina's stomach grumbled, and she immediately turned towards the buffet to load up on food. As long as she talked to the people around there, it counted as being a host, right?

Maria was not pouting. Not at all. She was a grown woman on her second, arguably her second and a half, lifetime. She was far too mature to be pouting.

She also did not react at all when Rafael kissed her on her most-definitely-not-pouting lips. "Are you pouting?" he asked, looking very amused.

"Of course not," Maria said. She was dignity itself, as stately as the Vileblood Queen upon her throne, face not at all red and most-definitely-still-not-pouting as she and Rafael rode back home in her carriage. She also didn't giggle when Rafael kissed her again. Ugh, him and his insatiable lust! "S-stop doing that!"

"Not until you stop pouting," he said with a grin. "We just left a wonderful party, and you've spent the whole time since getting into the carriage looking like that. Since the party seemed fine, it has to have been me."

She pointed out the window at the gate passing by. "We're not even out of their grounds yet!" Yes, no giggling. Serenity incarnate, that was her.

"Is this because of Lady Romani?" Rafael said.

Maria allowed some of her composure to fray as she gave her fiancée a mild glare. "You seemed quite enthusiastic to offer her your blood," she said.

"It's no secret that Magic Tool artisans have been trying to develop Light Magic-based Magic Tools," Rafael said with a nod. "The obstruction has been a lack of available blood combined with the secrecy Magic Tool artisans surround their creations. The need for blood is not public knowledge, after all. As you are the most well-known Light Magic wielder who isn't part of the Ministry or employed by the castle, it was inevitable that she would try to ask for some of your blood for her research." He winked at her. "As a responsible, secret-keeping member of the Ministry, I thought it was probably for the best she didn't get your blood, in case she accidentally created a Dark Magic tool."

Maria blinked, then her eyes widened in realization as she understood what Rafael was saying. She stared down at her hands. While she hadn't exactly forgotten about her Dark Magic, it appears she hadn't been mindful enough. Rafael, however, had managed to keep it in mind and had diverted attention away from her…

It had all been her fiancée being wonderfully thoughtful and not yet tiring of her!

"Thank you, Rafael," she said.

He shrugged and smiled at her in a way that made her think of bloody vengeance and dead Marchionesses. "I'll admit, my motives weren't completely pure." He winked at her with childish glee. "I'm also partially doing this to annoy Larna Smith. She has this long-distance rivalry with Lady Romani, though I doubt they've ever actually met face to face."

Maria raised any eyebrow. She was, of course, Larna Smith's lifelong friend after the woman had helped save Maria's mother… but she could well see why Rafael would be inclined to be so petty to the woman. "You're the Vice-Director of her department. Should you not be more supportive of your underling?"

"Probably," Rafael said cheerfully. "If she asked for some of my blood to make a magic tool, I'd give her some provided she filed the proper paperwork. But she hasn't, so she has only herself to blame for procrastinating this much."

Maria twitched slightly, but let her jealousy go. Rafael meant it in a completely platonic, medical way… "Could I perhaps accompany you when you meet with the lady to provide your blood?"

Rafael gave her an amused look. "You don't trust someone related to Katarina to remember to keep their hands free of quicksilver before operating a syringe, do you."

That… hadn't occurred to her. Of course, her grace the Duchess was probably a very responsible, thorough woman… and Dame Matthew was also a very responsible, thorough knight… and the lady in question was Dame Matthew's mother, so she had probably imparted responsibility to the younger woman…

But Maria remembered the Katarina-like smile on the woman's face…

"Not really," she said.

"Me neither," Rafael admitted. "I assume her husband is going to do it, since he's a doctor, but if he's absent… maybe you could? I think you learned how to do this back in first year when you were doing blood research for the Medicinal Magic Department?"

"Yes. That's where I learned it."

Rafael nodded. "Then I leave my blood in your experienced hands. Please take care of me when the time comes."

Maria's heart practically skipped a beat.

Rafael's blood… she'd be drawing Rafael's blood… not to drink, of course, and she'd have t pass it on for use in creating magic tools, but… She would draw it. She would take the rich, thick, vibrant fluid from his veins. She would be the one to handle the long, hard syringe… thrusting it into him, pulling it back… filling it with brilliant, delicious, life-giving fluids…

She found herself staring at the side of Rafael's neck. No, no, BAD Maria! The blood was flat and tasteless, don't be tempted! Even if it WAS from Rafael… dear, sweet, wonderful Rafael…

"Maria…"

Maria blinked. "Yes, dear Rafael?"

"Are you feeling tired? Do you want to rest for a moment?"

Maria frowned at the strange non-sequitur. "No, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

Rafael pointed out the window. "Well, we're just passing through Cleeseton, and if you felt tired and needed to lie down and have a rest… on a bed… there's that nice-looking inn right there that we're about to pass..."

Maria blinked and looked out the window.

A foot kicked the door open as the carriage suddenly drew to a stop, and Maria, who was suddenly feeling very tired and in need of resting for a moment, perhaps on a nice bed, stepped hurriedly out. Rafael followed soon after, his hand in hers, their fingers entwined, a fond and slightly resigned look on his face.

After quickly renting a room from the innkeeper, who for some reason looked amused, Maria and Rafael went upstairs and rested on the bed. They rested for a long time. Then they took a break and rested again. And then rested some more.

It was late by the time they finally got back to Maria's lands, but they did so very well-rested.