The quiet of the night enveloped Archer as he moved through the woods on the outskirts of the town, the chill air brushing against his face. He had been following faint traces left by the creature they had fought earlier, hoping to uncover its origin. The fragments it left behind were scattered, barely perceptible, but his trained senses caught them like a hound following a trail.

As he reached a clearing, his steps slowed. There, amidst the twisted roots of an ancient tree, was something he didn't expect: a strange, glowing sigil etched into the ground. It pulsed faintly with energy, its design intricate and unfamiliar, yet it carried a sense of purpose. Archer crouched, narrowing his eyes as he studied it.

"Interesting, this is not what I had expected," he muttered to himself, his tone thoughtful.

The sigil was faintly reminiscent of summoning magic but it seems to be warping its surrounding area. As he reached out to touch the edge of the sigil, a faint ripple of energy pushed back against his hand. He frowned, slowly withdrawing his hand away.

What stuck out to Archer was the sigil being open for anyone to come across, even regular humans would notice it. Whoever was behind this seemed like an amateur compared to other magi Archer had dealt with before. At the same time, Archer couldn't help but think there was a reason the sigil was placed there. Archer looked around for anything that could help his theory yet the only thing in view was what appeared to be a small, rundown wooden building in the distance. The mana in the area was not abundant so it made Archer question the mystery antagonist even more.

Archer glanced down at the sigil and considered destroying it until his mind drifted toward the pair of Magi overseeing this town. He decided it was in their best interest to see this for themselves.

He stood, taking one last look before disappearing into the shadows, leaving the sigil behind.

~Later that day~

The faint glow of dawn seeped through the heavy curtains of the Kuonji manor. The house was quiet, save for the soft rustle of footsteps as Alice, ever the early riser, began her day. Her long black dress swayed gently as she made her way to the kitchen, her mind already set on her morning tea and preparations for the day ahead.

As she entered the kitchen, however, she froze mid-step. There, standing comfortably by the counter, was Archer. He was calmly brewing tea using her tea leaves as if it were his own. His holy shroud was nowhere to be seen on his upper body, only a black-plated armor and bare arms were visible. His demeanor was relaxed, almost as if he belonged there.

"Good morning," Archer said, glancing at her with a faint smile as he poured steaming tea into two cups.

Alice remained motionless for a long moment, her sharp mind struggling to process what she witnessed. Finally, her composure returned, and she stepped forward, her expression hardening.

"How," she said, her voice low but sharp, "did you infiltrate my home?"

Archer met her gaze, his expression calm and unthreatening. "I didn't infiltrate," he said. "I figured coming here would be best to reconvene with you two."

Alice's eyes narrowed, her anger unyielding. "So you're admitting to breaking in. And now you're making yourself at home?"

Archer set the teapot down, giving Alice a disarming smile, "I'm not here to cause trouble, but you're right. I am overstepping. My apologies."

Archer began to raise his arms to show how harmless he was until his body froze. Alarmed, Archer tried to move his arm yet they refused to move. He tried moving his legs but they were stuck in place. He can't see what's holding him in place but there is something binding him. Archer's eyes slightly twitched before gazing into Alice's eyes and widening in surprise. He could've sworn Alice had black pupils and yet there's a red orb glaring at him.

Mystics Eyes. Archer steadied his breathing as he bored into her eyes with his own. It seems I've been rather careless here.

"Apologies aren't enough, Archer. I do not tolerate uninvited guests in my home."

"I understand and I realize that I've made a mistake. If you'd be willing," Archer glanced toward the teacup on the table. He turned his gaze back to Alice, "I offer this tea in order to rectify my mistake."

Alice blinked, caught off guard by the sudden shift in the conversation. She glanced at the fresh cup, steam curling from the surface.

"Tea?" she repeated, her tone skeptical.

"Freshly brewed," Archer said, his smile faint but genuine. "Tea's good first thing in the morning. Clears the mind."

Alice stared at the cup, her expression unreadable as she studied him. He seemed harmless, at least for now, but that didn't mean she trusted him. After a few moments, she reached out and accepted the cup, her movements cautious.

She brought the cup to her lips, hesitating before taking a small sip. The moment the tea touched her tongue, her eyes widened slightly. The flavor was rich and balanced, with just the right amount of bitterness and depth. She could tell immediately that it had been brewed with care.

In her mind, she dissected the flavor. Perfectly steeped. A hint of jasmine, but not overpowering. Delicate, yet robust. She took another sip, her surprise growing with each moment.

When she looked back at Archer, he watched her with a knowing look, his smirk faint but unmistakable. Her ears flushed slightly, and she quickly turned away, unwilling to acknowledge how easily she had been disarmed.

"…It's acceptable," she muttered, taking another sip.

Archer's smirk widened, "Glad to hear it. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to move again."

Alice blinked before giving Archer a weary gaze. There are a myriad of reasons why she should kill him now with the number one reason being that he broke into her home. The strangest thing about this situation is how the man managed to enter her territory without her knowing. There should be no reason for him to sneak in undetected. Her thoughts then roamed to the fight against the strange constructs the night before. The weapons that Archer carried were projections, unlike anything she had ever seen. Usually, projections are a useless spell often glossed over, yet the projections Archer used were made to near perfection of the original Gan Jiang and Mo Ye.

"Your projections, they are unlike anything I've ever seen before," Alice raised a hand onto her chin. Thoughtful, Alice asked, "Is your Projection Magecraft the reason you've managed to sneak into my house?"

"Yes," Archer answered immediately. "I will answer some of your questions in exchange for my freedom."

A silent spell covered the room as the Meinster and the Counter Guardian locked eyes as if they were in a staring contest. A cold glare in one while an intimidating crimson in the other studied the steel gray gaze. Neither budged, and neither blinked. Like an unmovable object clashing with an unstoppable force.

After five minutes of intense staring, Alice closed her eyes and sighed, "I will allow this mishap once. Only because you are valuable in solving our current predicament."

She moved to the living room and sat on the couch facing away from the window all while taking more sips from her teacup.

Suddenly, Archer's body felt light. He stretched his arms and legs to test whether he was free. Sighing in relief, Archer smirked at the Meinster, "Don't forget the tea."

Alice stopped mid-sip before glaring at him. A slight blush could be seen in her ears. Archer chuckled at that, grabbing a plate of biscuits off of the kitchen counter, and then bringing it into the living room. He made a cup of his own before sitting across from Alice.

"Now, about your Projection Magecraft."

~Moments later~

The late morning sun streamed through the windows as Aoko stumbled groggily down the stairs, her hair disheveled and her steps slow. She rubbed her eyes, yawning loudly as she moved toward the living room. Her voice was muffled as she called aloud, "Alice, is there any breakfast?"

As she entered the room, she froze mid-step. Her grogginess evaporated instantly at the sight before her.

Archer was sitting comfortably on one of the couches, his posture relaxed as he sipped tea from a delicate porcelain cup. Across from him, Alice sat with her usual composed elegance, her cup of tea resting in her hands. Between them was the coffee table, upon which sat the teapot and a small plate of biscuits.

The two of them appeared to be deep in conversation, their discussion seemingly centered around magecraft. Alice's tone was calm but inquisitive, while Archer responded with thoughtful observations.

Alice leaned forward slightly, her hands clasped around her teacup as she studied Archer with a calm yet probing gaze. "You've mentioned a few observations about bounded fields and sigils," she said. "It's clear you have a working knowledge of magecraft. I'm curious to know how far your knowledge extends?"

Archer tilted his head, considering the question. "Far enough to get by," he replied. "But I wouldn't call myself a master of any school. My understanding of magecraft is practical. I know what I need to know to achieve my goals, but compared to a dedicated magus, I'm a third-rate practitioner at best."

Alice raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his self-assessment. "Third-rate? That's a modest claim for someone who spoke insightfully about layered protections."

Archer smirked faintly, "Theory is one thing. Execution is another. Most of what I know comes from necessity, not study. I wouldn't last long in a duel of pure magecraft."

"Yet, you projected a Noble Phantasm," Alice stated firmly. "The twin swords, Gan Jiang and Mo Ye-or Kanshou and Bakuya rather- are your projections made to perfection."

Archer's eyes flicked to her, a hint of approval in his expression. "You are indeed correct, Alice. Yes, they're projections that I've managed to create close to their original. I'm also impressed you know of their original name."

"It's rather elementary to know their legend," Alice stated matter of factly. She reached for a biscuit that Archer offered from the coffee table, the penguin design in the center visually intrigued her. "Moving on, Projection Magecraft. A spell considered rudimentary at best, and useless at worst. Most mages dismiss it outright for its inefficiency and instability. And yet…"

Alice glanced at Archer, thoughtfulness shimmering from her eyes, "Your projections are unlike anything I've encountered. Explain."

Archer smirked, his steel-gray eyes meeting hers, "You're not wrong. Projection Magecraft isn't exactly the pride of the Clock Tower. It's inefficient, temporary, and lacks originality. The difference is the way I use Projection Magecraft or the way I use Tracing."

Alice raised a brow at that, "Tracing?"

Archer took a sip of his tea before nodding his head, "Yes, it's-"

"What the hell is he doing here?!"

Archer and Alice turned to gaze at Aoko who stood angrily in the doorway.

"Good morning," Archer said casually, raising his cup in a small gesture of greeting.

"Don't you 'good morning" me," Aoko aggressively pointed her finger at Archer. She then turned her attention to Aoko, "And why are you just sitting there speaking with him!?"

Archer and Alice exchanged a glance, the faintest hint of amusement flickering in their eyes.

Alice took a sip of her tea before replying, her tone calm. "He's explaining some rather interesting theories involving his magecraft."

Aoko stared at her, then at Archer, then back at Alice. "You're letting him talk about his magecraft? In our home?"

"He's surprisingly knowledgeable and intriguing," Alice said simply, her gaze cool but not unkind.

Archer smirked, leaning back slightly. "Why thank you, madam."

Aoko stood in the doorway, staring at the bizarrely domestic scene before her. Both Archer and Alice glanced at Aoko as if Aoko was crazy for having such a strong reaction to Archer's appearance. Neither said a word as they resumed grabbing a biscuit from the table. Aoko blinked a few more times trying to process what was happening. The contrast between Aoko's stunned disbelief and their calm demeanor couldn't have been starker.

"So let me get this straight," Aoko rubbed her throbbing forehead. She pointed toward Archer who was currently nibbling on a biscuit, "You are allowing this guy to sit here in our house because?"

Alice took another calm sip of her tea, her expression neutral. "Aoko, he made tea."

"That's not reasonable!" Aoko exclaimed, her voice breaking with incredulity. "He's trespassing in our house!"

Alice glanced at Archer, her gaze cool but not hostile. "I've already made my displeasure clear. He apologized, and again—" she gestured faintly toward her teacup, "—the tea is excellent."

Archer smiled faintly, setting his cup down on the coffee table. "I'm glad it was an acceptable peace offering."

Aoko gaped at him, her fists clenching at her sides. "Peace offering? You can't just break into someone's house and then serve tea like that makes it okay!"

"I didn't break in," Archer corrected calmly. "I simply let myself in after making sure the area was secure. Your protections are impressive, by the way."

Aoko's eye twitched. "Why you-!"

Before she could launch into another tirade, Alice interjected, her voice calm but firm. "Aoko, sit down. He's here now, and he's made it clear that he's not hostile. Let's hear what he has to say."

Aoko's frustration boiled over, but Alice's composed tone left little room for argument. With a groan, she flopped onto the couch next to Alice, her glare sharp enough to cut steel. "Fine. But he'd better have a damn good explanation."

Archer took one last bite of his biscuit, then a quick swig of his tea, before setting it on the coffee table. "Simple. After last night, I decided it would be best to rendevous with you two here instead of some random place in public. No one can hear our conversations and I wouldn't have to wait to see both of you."

Aoko narrowed her eyes. "And why is it an issue to wait for us to come find you?"

Archer's smirk returned, faint but unmistakable. "Would you have come to me? Or would you have left me out in the cold while you debated whether or not to trust me?"

Aoko opened her mouth to respond, then stopped, realizing he had a point. She crossed her arms and leaned back, scowling. "Fine. You win this round. But you still haven't explained what you were doing in Alice's kitchen."

"I was brewing tea," Archer said matter-of-factly. "It seemed like the polite thing to do."

Alice glanced at her teacup, then at Archer. "While your method of entry was questionable, I'll admit your manners are… unexpected."

Aoko shot her an incredulous look. "Don't encourage him!"

Archer leaned back, his smirk widening. "I'm starting to think you dislike tea."

"Tea is fine!" Aoko snapped. "It's the smug, uninvited spirit making himself at home in my life that's the problem!"

Alice set her cup down, fixing Archer with a level gaze. "Regardless of how you justify your presence here, you're still overstepping. This is my home, not a public space. If you plan to remain, you will respect my boundaries."

Archer nodded, his tone serious for the first time since the conversation began. "Understood, I will respect your house rules while I'm here. I will try not to stick around often."

Alice studied him for a long moment, then gave a faint nod. "Very well. But know that this is temporary. You're not a permanent guest."

"I wouldn't dream of overstaying my welcome," Archer replied smoothly, his tone sincere but still carrying a hint of humor.

Aoko groaned, running a hand through her hair. "Fine. Whatever. You can stay—for now. But don't expect me to play nice if you pull this kind of stunt again."

"Noted," Archer said with a faint grin.

As the tension eased slightly, Alice shifted the topic back to their earlier discussion. "You were saying something about bounded fields and layered protections. Your observations were… intriguing."

Archer nodded, his tone becoming more serious. "The sigil I found last night was protected by a complex but flawed layered field. It's small and noticeable to anyone who would happen to walk by. Whoever set it up knew the area was isolated from civilians-."

"But if it were one of us then it would be easy to find." Alice finished for him.

Archer nodded his head, "Correct. Whoever the mastermind is didn't account for there being two Magi and myself in the area. It looked like they rushed to finish it."

Alice leaned forward slightly, her interest piqued. "Rushed work suggests urgency. Whoever's responsible may not have the resources to maintain such structures for long."

"Or they don't care. It could be a throwaway for all I know," Archer added. "If they're using those creatures as tools, they're probably willing to sacrifice them to cover their tracks."

Aoko, still simmering but listening, frowned. "So they're sloppy and reckless. Great. Makes them even more dangerous."

"Exactly," Archer said. "That's why I'm sticking around. If they're operating this close to town, the chances of collateral damage are high."

The three fell into a contemplative silence, the weight of the situation settling over them. Finally, Aoko broke it with a reluctant sigh.

"Alright, fine. You've got a point," she muttered.

Alice gave Aoko a faint smile, though her gaze remained sharp as it returned to Archer. "Let's make one thing clear. You're here because we tolerate your presence. Don't mistake that for trust."

Archer inclined his head. "Fair enough. Trust has to be earned, after all."

As the morning sun rose higher, the three of them found themselves united—however tenuously—in the face of the growing threat. Though their alliance was uneasy, there was a sense of understanding beginning to form, a fragile foundation for whatever challenges lay ahead.