Chapter 31: Intelligence

Name: Zoe Halcourt

Age: 16

Birthday: 10 June

Personality: Cold towards most people, dedicated to her work, no-nonsense, traditional

Strengths: Ruthless in battle, high battle IQ, natural leader, good at spreading rumours

Weaknesses: Sometimes takes things too seriously, has a habit of overworking herself, hard for her to form meaningful connections with others

Favourite things: Calligraphy, hot tea, fireworks

"Alright, women and Lars," Zoe said. They were in the breakfast room of a hotel in Magnolia. "We've received a tip from an anonymous source that if we want to investigate smuggling, we should head to the next town over. I'm taking charge of this mission, since I'm the most senior magic knight here in rank. Any objections?" she finished, glaring at them intensely. The three shook their heads intensely, Amaryllis' witches hat falling off her head. She put it back on, dusting the crumbs of her bread off as she got up.

The four Magic Knights headed out, getting their brooms from a cupboard they had stored them in. Lucia was standing surprisingly close to Lars, and Zoe took note of this, her eyes narrowing even more. "You two go on ahead," she called to Lars and Amaryllis, grabbing Lucia and taking her aside.

"You better not be doing what I think you're doing," the ink mage said, her eyes narrowing even more, a vein bulging in her head. "If it was anyone else, then I might understand, but Lars? What could you- hey, where are you going?"

"We have stuff to do, Zoe!" the card mage said cheerfully. "And I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about!"

Zoe and Lucia rejoined with the other two Magic Knights. As they turned a corner, they saw that Amaryllis was holding Lars back with her binding spell, Flowing Tendrils of Venom.

"Let me go!" Lars yelled. "I need to get away from that witch! She's scary…"

"What witch?" Zoe said, a smile laced with venom on her face. The mind mage's blood ran cold. He knew he was in for it now.

…

The team arrived in Amberval, Lars sporting a fresh bump on his head courtesy of Zoe's none-too-gentle retribution. Amberval was a small, secluded town, not officially under any Magic Knight squad's jurisdiction, making it a prime spot for smuggling. Zoe wasted no time. With a flick of her brush, she drew three times the kanji for "dog," conjuring three inky hounds who sprang to life at her command.

She sketched another symbol on the air, and the dogs darted off into the town.

"I sent them to search for anything suspicious," she said, brushing a stray hair back behind her ear. "With any luck, they'll pick up a trail soon."

Lars folded his arms, looking around the sleepy town. "Suspicious characters could mean anyone here," he sighed. "We should head to the local authorities first—maybe they've noticed something we can use."

Amaryllis raised an eyebrow, the corners of her mouth quirking up in amusement. "Since when do you volunteer for actual detective work, Lars? I thought we'd have to drag you along."

Lars shrugged, shooting a glance at Zoe. "Hey, just trying to get through this without more bruises."

Right on que, Zoe's ink dogs returned, noses to the ground as they led the group to a seemingly ordinary shop at the edge of town.

The ink hounds came to a stop, sniffing intently around the small shop, a quiet, nondescript place with a faded sign reading "Old Goods and Sundries." The shopfront looked innocent enough, with dusty windows displaying trinkets and odds and ends, but the ink dogs scratched persistently at the door.

Zoe arched an eyebrow, dismissing the dogs with a swipe of her brush. "Looks like this is our spot. Play it cool, everyone." She shot a sharp glance at Lars, who pretended not to notice as he adjusted his collar.

The team entered, met with the scent of old leather and something faintly metallic. A tall, wiry shopkeeper looked up from behind the counter, his eyes narrowing slightly as he took in their uniforms. "Ah, Magic Knights," he said, trying to keep his tone neutral. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Just browsing," Lucia replied smoothly, already perusing a nearby shelf with an innocent air. "We're visiting the area and thought we'd stop in."

Amaryllis sauntered over to the counter, giving the shopkeeper a casual smile. "We heard some interesting rumours about this town," she said, her tone conversational but her eyes sharp. "Thought we might check them out. You wouldn't happen to know of any... unusual activities around here, would you?"

The shopkeeper's fingers drummed against the countertop, his gaze darting briefly to the back room before he quickly masked the look. "Can't say I do," he replied, clearing his throat. "This is just a quiet little shop."

Zoe caught his glance and subtly signalled to the others. "Quiet shops are my favourite," she said, her tone deceptively light as she placed her hands on the counter. "And you've got some nice things here." She drew a small kanji for "whisper" in the air, and the ink melted into a delicate swirl that crept along the counter like smoke.

The shopkeeper blinked, the spell nudging his mind just enough to relax his guard. He cleared his throat again, though his voice had softened. "If you're looking for something unusual," he said, his eyes briefly shifting toward the back, "you might find it there. We've had some... deliveries lately. Big orders. But I don't ask questions."

Lars exchanged a quick look with Zoe, who gave him a slight nod. "Thank you for the tip," she said, brushing her spell away, the ink dissipating with a faint shimmer.

The four Magic Knights moved to the back room, slipping inside before the shopkeeper could stop them. Inside, crates were stacked along the walls, each marked with strange, faded symbols and the distinct smell of salt and metal. Amaryllis knelt to inspect one of the crates, prying it open just enough to reveal rows of small vials filled with a strange, shimmering liquid.

"Definitely contraband," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "This must be what they're smuggling."

Lucia tilted her head, her eyes glinting. "Someone's getting these things past security—and they're not cheap, either. Whoever's behind this has resources."

Suddenly, footsteps echoed outside the door. The four exchanged quick glances, each of them poised to act. Lars readied his naginata, Zoe lifted her brush, and Amaryllis's fingers crackled with poisonous energy. Lucia just walked up to the door.

The door swung open, and a rough-looking man stepped in, his eyes widening as he took in the scene. "What the—?"

Lars lunged forward, pressing the blade of his naginata against the man's throat. "You'd better not try anything funny," he warned. "We've got a few questions."

The man swallowed, raising his hands slowly. "Fine. Fine. Just... don't hurt me."

Zoe stepped forward, her eyes like daggers. "Start talking. Who's behind these shipments?"

The man hesitated, glancing over his shoulder as if weighing his options. "I don't know much. Just that there's someone called 'The Broker' who arranges the shipments. Deals in everything—potions, magic items, artifacts, you name it."

Lucia's gaze hardened. "And where do we find this Broker?"

The man shifted uncomfortably. "No one knows exactly. All I know is that the shipments come through a network of contacts..."

Zoe exchanged a meaningful look with the others. They had leads now, but whoever this Broker was, they'd clearly hidden their tracks well. "Let's go," she whispered. "This is only the beginning."

…

Lucia and Amaryllis had gone to the mayor's office to get some more information about the smuggling, check a record of all trades made, and just generally do some more boring admin stuff.

Guess who that left in the town square, practically alone? Lars Mertens and Zoe Halcourt, the former of which was perpetually terrified of the latter, and the latter who hated the former with a passion. This was an encounter waiting to blow up at any time. The two were sitting on the steps of a fountain, each doing their own things.

"Zoe." Lars asked, sweat dripping down his brow. "I have a question to ask you."

The ink mage didn't answer, didn't even acknowledge that he had said anything. Still Lars pressed on, his eyes darting towards Zoe and the ground.

"Why do you hate me so much?" Lars asked tentatively. "I can't really think of anything that I've done to annoy you. Most of the time, I tried to maintain a certain level of friendliness to you. But you just pushed me away. That night, your eyes looked like you were about to kill me. Your intensity scared me, and yet… I admired you. Your mind, your emotions had a mental fortitude unlike anything I've ever sensed. I couldn't read you."

Zoe's pen paused mid-sketch, her gaze fixed on the fountain as though she couldn't be bothered to look at Lars directly.

"You wouldn't get it, Lars," she said, her voice sharp with barely-concealed contempt. "You walk around like nothing matters, like everything's a joke to you."

Lars stared at her, a spark of irritation flashing in his eyes. He opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off before he could get a word in.

"That's what bothers me. You just drift through life, treating this like some game while people like me—"

"People like you?" Lars interrupted, his voice low but laced with anger. "People like you don't know a damn thing about me, Zoe."

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. "Oh, please. I've seen enough to know you think this is all some big show. All you do is act like the class clown while the rest of us are actually trying."

"That's not true," he shot back, his hands clenching into fists. "Just because I don't walk around with a scowl and a list of people to prove wrong doesn't mean I'm not serious."

Zoe's jaw tightened, her gaze finally meeting his, sharp and unyielding. "Then why don't you act like it? You're good at this, Lars. But you act like you don't care, and that makes it look like you're taking everything the rest of us are fighting for and throwing it in our faces."

Lars' fists shook with barely-contained frustration. "I *do* care, Zoe. Even though I don't broadcast my every struggle, that doesn't mean I don't have them. Just because I make things look easy to you doesn't mean they are. And maybe, if you stopped judging me long enough, you'd actually see that."

Zoe's eyes narrowed, her mouth pressed into a thin line. For a moment, she looked as if she wanted to retort, to throw something else in his face. But instead, she took a breath, turning her gaze away.

"Fine," she muttered, her voice barely audible. "But don't expect me to believe you until you actually prove it."

Lars glared at her for a moment, then turned away, jaw clenched. "I'm not here to prove anything to you, Zoe. I'm here to do my job. And if that's not enough for you, that's your problem."

They sat in tense silence, both seething, both trying to pretend the other wasn't there. The cheerful sound of children laughing near the fountain and townsfolk bustling by was a sharp contrast to the tension hanging between them.

After what felt like an eternity, Lars finally spoke, his tone quieter but no less firm.

"Let me tell you a story. Within the Mertens family, I was disrespected. My own father tried to ignore the fact that I was born, at first. Even though we were noble, I lacked magic. My own sister made my life hell on earth, dissing me in front of her peers, doing little things to make me hate waking up in the morning! At one point, I was ready to end it all, because of how much I'd failed! My life felt like endless barriers!" His voice had turned back into a shout.

"So that's why I laugh, and mess around, and enjoy life!" he said, his eyes bursting with emotion. "If I laugh, it sweetens this bitter game of life, reminds me there are people who like having me around, makes me want to keep going!"

The mind mage sat down. Their squabbling had actually attracted a crowd, and they watched tentatively, waiting to see what this strange Magic Knight would say next.

"All this weight at the back of my mind actually frees me," Lars whispered. "Funny how the world works, right?"

Zoe stared at him, the harsh words she'd prepared freezing on her tongue. She'd never seen Lars this raw, this open. For a moment, her usual disdain softened, her gaze flickering with something more complex than anger or irritation.

"So you think humour is some… cure-all?" she replied, but her voice was quieter now, almost uncertain. "I can't believe that, Lars. Life isn't just some joke we laugh at to get by."

Lars shook his head. "It's not about laughing everything away, Zoe. It's about finding a reason to smile, even if everything else seems impossible." He ran a hand through his hair, breathing deeply. "I've been at the bottom, and I know what it feels like to want everything to just stop. But when you realise life's short and unpredictable, you want to take in every moment—even the stupid, small ones. I want to fight hard, to laugh harder."

For a while, Zoe said nothing. She was trying to keep her composure, but he could see the faintest crack in her guarded expression. "That's… naive. Laughing doesn't change anything, Lars. It just—" She paused, her voice breaking slightly before she masked it again. "It just makes you weak. Makes you vulnerable to people who don't care."

Lars looked at her for a long moment, his own anger easing. "Maybe. Or maybe it means not letting the world beat you down." He leaned forward, studying her with surprising intensity. "So what's your way, then, Zoe? Just hating everyone? Keeping everyone at arm's length so you don't get hurt?"

Zoe flinched, his words striking something deep within her. She folded her arms, looking away, her usual sharp confidence faltering.

"Maybe," she said, her voice tight. "Maybe I keep people at arm's length because it's safer. I don't expect you to get it, Lars. You come from a family that just ignores you. My family… they demand everything. They don't let me fail. I have to live up to that, and it's suffocating. Every second, every action—if I slip up, if I'm weak, it reflects on them, on everything they built."

For the first time, her eyes met his, but there was a flicker of vulnerability that hadn't been there before. Lars could see the weight she carried, the crushing pressure hidden behind her cold gaze.

"You think I haven't been beaten down?" she continued, her voice quiet, almost trembling. "I've been torn apart by expectations I didn't choose. So don't act like laughing everything off is the same as having to live up to a name you didn't ask for."

Lars let out a slow breath, processing her words, the bitterness in them. He had always seen her as ruthless, someone hardened to the core, but now he could sense the pain driving her—a pain that was so different from his own and yet somehow painfully similar.

"I get that, actually," he said finally, his voice low. "But there's more than one way to deal with it. You keep pushing everyone away, like you're trying to prove you don't need anyone, that you're… untouchable. But what does that leave you with?"

Zoe's jaw tightened, and for a moment, he thought she would snap back at him. But instead, her shoulders sagged slightly, her usual composure slipping further.

"It leaves me with control," she whispered. "At least I know I won't be let down by anyone… if I don't let them in."

Lars tilted his head, his expression softening. "But that also means you don't let anyone help you carry that weight. I don't think anyone deserves to go through life alone, Zoe—not even you."

She looked at him, caught off-guard by his sincerity. "And what, you think your stupid jokes and your 'live in the moment' nonsense will fix everything?"

"No," Lars admitted, a small smile tugging at his lips. "But maybe it's better than the alternative." He held her gaze, his eyes steady, a silent invitation lingering there.

For a moment, Zoe just stared at him, her defences worn thin, the walls she had so carefully constructed showing cracks. She didn't know how to respond, how to handle the fact that someone had seen through her .Just as she opened her mouth to respond, two familiar figures approached them, interrupting the charged silence.

"Ah, there you two are!" Amaryllis called, her long Coral Peacocks robe sweeping behind her as she and Lucia made their way over, both looking slightly flushed from the brisk walk. "We've found something. The mayor's got leads on the smugglers and wanted us to regroup."

Lucia gave Lars and Zoe a curious look, clearly noticing the tension lingering between them. "You two look like you've been… having an interesting conversation," she said, an eyebrow raised.

Lars glanced at Zoe, then back to Lucia, shrugging it off. "Something like that," he replied, his voice still a little rough from the intensity of their exchange. "We'll fill you both in later."

Zoe cleared her throat, quickly regaining her usual guarded composure. "Right. The smugglers." She turned to Amaryllis and Lucia, her tone all business again. "What did you find out?"

Lucia took the lead, gesturing for them to follow as she explained, "The mayor believes the smuggling routes are shifting toward the eastern part of the town. We have a chance to catch them in the act if we head over around midnight."

They fell into step, Lars and Zoe lagging just a few paces behind Amaryllis and Lucia. Though they were silent, there was a new, unspoken understanding between them—a thread of shared vulnerability that made the tension between them feel… different.

As they walked, Amaryllis leaned closer to Lucia and whispered, "Did you notice? I think they've finally had a breakthrough."

Lucia cast a quick, amused glance back at Lars and Zoe. "About time," she murmured with a slight smile, though she kept her voice low enough that neither of them could hear.

…

The moon was high in the sky now, and the four magic knights had arrived at the eastern part of the town. Lucia took out her bow from its position on her back and held it idly in her hand, the pages of her grimoire flipping as it landed on a particular spell. "Card Magic: Tarot Deck," she said, as a multitude of cards, about 22, appeared around her.

"Pick a card," she whispered. "And quickly!"

Lars and Amaryllis were more hesitant, but Zoe quickly picked one. "The Moon," she said. "Brilliant, and quite fitting given the situation." Instantly, Zoe began to camouflage into her surroundings. She jumped off the building and was gone, disappearing into the night.

Lars took one next. "The High Priestess?" he asked, clearly confused by the name. "How's that gonna help me?"

Lucia giggled. "All of them help you, Lars. Try using your Tiefe Analyse."

Lars obliged, and suddenly, more information than he had ever gotten appeared on the visor. He smiled. "I guess I'm on support for this mission then, Lucia," he said, before flashing a thumbs up at the card mage and jumping onto a nearby building. The card mage in question blushed, before shaking her head and turning towards Amaryllis.

"Your turn, Amaryllis," she whispered. Amaryllis nodded, drawing The Moon from Lucia's deck as well. She didn't say anything, but nodded again and jumped off the building, going in the opposite direction to Zoe. Lucia took a card of her own, Strength. Suddenly, all the cards in her deck turned into Strength cards. She drew her bow, getting ready for an attack from above.

"I've established a neural link between us using telepathy," Lars whispered. Zoe, Amaryllis and Lucia heard Lars's voice in their heads. "There's an influx of mind energy from all sides heading this way. Be ready."

"No matter if I've had this done to me before, it's still unsettling," Amaryllis grimaced. "Hearing your voice in my head is grating."

"It gets the job done," Lars shrugged. "This way I don't have to yell to give you instructions over a wide range. Helps keep my voice perfect."

"Can we focus on the mission?" Zoe snarled. The two fell silent. They waited for a bit until they heard voices; faint at first, but then grew louder as people approached them. Amaryllis motioned to go and intercept the smugglers, but Zoe stuck a hand out to stop her.

"Wait," she simply said.

The voices of the approaching smugglers grew clearer, mingling with the quiet hum of the town around them. Lucia kept her grip on her bow steady, her eyes fixed on the shadows ahead. She could see the faint outlines of the figures moving in, blending seamlessly with the dark, oblivious to the ambush waiting in the wings.

Lars's voice, sharp and alert, echoed softly in their minds. "Everyone in position?"

Amaryllis, hidden in the shadows nearby, gave a subtle nod, her piercing violet gaze locked on their targets. Zoe crouched from her perch above, her camouflaged form nearly invisible against the night sky. Lucia, poised, inhaled deeply, ready to release her card with the slightest cue.

The smugglers came into view now—four figures, cloaked and hooded, each carrying something heavy and guarded in their arms. They moved with caution, eyes darting, hands tense. The magic knights held their breath, watching, waiting, every fibre of their being focused on the perfect moment to strike.

"Wait for it," Lars murmured, his voice a low, controlled whisper in their minds. The tension grew, pressing down on each of them, until every second stretched endlessly.

Then, as the lead smuggler reached to signal his group forward, the town's ancient clock tower began to chime.

Once. Twice. The reverberations filled the air, thickening the silence with their toll.

The clock struck midnight.

A/N: Card Magic, Force Magic, and Mind Magic - all three magic attributes which I love to death.