I walk over to my side of the room, and place down both my books. My newer one, the book on clerics, goes on top. So I can grab it easily if I have any questions. And it seems… more useful, anyways. And it’s kinda… a size smaller, despite containing more pages.
“Do you want to come with me to talk to the Lord-Mayor? You seem competent enough at gathering information, and I think Drakor would kill me himself if I went off alone.”
It’s not like I’m scared.
“Uhm.”
No. “…Okay.”
Paprika takes a look at the books Canary puts down.
She’s doing magical research? That’s…
“I can remove the mark from your skirt, if you’d like.”
How should I clean my clothes when…
I look over at Rika, then back.
…
“It’s fine.” I stare down. “I probably won’t wear it anymore anyways.”
“Okay.”
She knew what I was talking about.
“So, are you a cleric, or just researching?”
“…I’m not.”
“I was just curious.”
“I can’t cast spells.” I lie, and I know she knows it. I don’t really know why I bothered.
Paprika looks Canary in the eye… or at least in the eye-direction. “I’m a cleric.” We’ll see how much she knows.
She walks over to pick up Canary’s book and casts the same spell to place her mark, visible this time: a signature of “Rika M.”, then holds the book up.
(“I’m a cleric” *casts a spell that clerics don’t have*)
…She’s not. Clerics don’t have pets like that. I don’t think. And they don’t laugh like she does either.
I look at the book.
(i gathered that was it but…)
“I don’t usually tell people.” Paprika continues despite the awkward silence. “My mother wouldn’t approve.”
“…”
“…Are you meant to be testing me?”
“What do you mean?” Paprika’s voice sounds a little less dull, though not quite the mocking tone she often adopts. “I’m trying to see if you’ll talk to me, if that’s what you mean.”
So presumably she knows.
“Uhm…”
I close my eyes. She’s the type to do this. “You’re not a cleric. Your animal companion and your… laugh. Aren’t things they have, or do. And… from what I know of Arcane Mark.” Full name. This’ll back me up later. “I don’t think clerics can cast that spell.”
10
“A goddess appeared to me when I was young and granted me divine power. Therefore, I am a cleric.”
She speaks matter-of-factly in what is still not a mocking voice.
“Aurora is her messenger. She granted me the power to leave my mark so that I can identify objects in my deductions. I’ve proven goods stolen with that spell before.”
“…” Mph.
(want to roll bluff? canary can’t refute that with logical deduction.)
10