more silvers and salmons in Galatea
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Okay, she scarfs down something filling while thinking.

Kaede was definitely acting of her own free will last time they met. Whoever did this subdued her after their last meeting, probably caught her boyfriend sometime after she left to meet Temperance.

Whoever did this was likely not working under crown orders. Or at least there are better ways to subjugate a pair of people than leaving them inside a fairly luxurious room writing things. ...And who did it likely has some good control of the palace's internal affairs.

So, someone in the court, high-positioned and with the resources to subjugate Kaede and her boyfriend even thought they both have that absurd amount of power at their fingertips. There is probably a way for regular mages to do that, but Temperance is actually putting her guess on there being a third metamancer. That would explain a lot, a metamancer would have the ability to notice Kaede's own power and have the means to take it, and reasons to keep up the appearance of the two lovers writing their book. She was already considering the possibility on a subconscious level, that is why she was being careful with the consulate's field.

Metamancers are feared for a reason. That goes both ways in this situation. And both sides would have access to sorcery...

...But whoever did this is likely in a high position in the consulate. That sort of person wouldn't have the free time and dedication that Temperance did to absorb everything about sorcery. They likely don't know about Temperance either, plenty of opportunity to get her and no reason to let that loose end remain loose. They might be aware that someone interfered with the consulate's protections. Would they assume that Kaede had an ally on the outside? ...Maybe. Might protect themselves against it anyway.

Temperance's advantage here is sorcery and her ton of lifeforce with her.

She devises a plan. She gathers the necessary ingredients and uses sorcery.

When night comes she goes back to the High Consulate.

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The field is still there, ominously. The impression that it's crackling is probably only her imagination.

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Yeah, she is probably nervous because holy shit she is going to invade a High Consulate castle.

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It's nearing dinnertime, so she has just enough time to start implementing her plan if she's careful and quick.

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When she was planning this she was faced with the problem that she couldn't do a truly undetectable sorcery effect. She could do a ward that prevented scrying and similar effects even against metamancy, but not cast one that did being invisible, inaudible, etc. She did know how to make an excellent arcanist spell that would hold against anything except metamancy. Of course, the solution was to combine both magic effects, the sorcery covering and protecting the arcanism, the two complimenting each other.

(She loves magic.)

Okay, she goes into the city proper near the consulate. Does the effect appear to hold up?

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It does! She can watch the wards block the field's effect, creating not even a ripple when she steps through.

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Cool.

(She is trying to hold her excitement until the three of them are somewhere safe.)

She goes to the palace proper and if everything is alright she will search for the kitchens.

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No one notices her, of course. She reaches the kitchens unimpeded.

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She takes notes of her surroundings. She surreptitiously takes a couple of plates of food and hides them.

Then does the good old trick of ambush a servant alone, knock them out and take their identity. Classic but efficient. The servant is going to wake up with a headache in the morning. Sorry, random girl servant. Hope that you enjoy sleeping invisibly on the ceiling of that empty deposit room (the magic is going to float her down before dawn).

Temperance changes shape and puts on the servant's uniform. Then she navigates towards Kaede's room.

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She runs into a man dressed in lavish white robes whose face is covered in tattoos. "Oh, hello. Are you going somewhere? I don't think I've seen you here before, don't you work at the kitchens...?"

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"I usually do, Sir," she says respectfully, "but I was told to bring this over at once."

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"Really? Where?"

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"It was..." she describes a direction, which is more or less where she was going toward but not actually Kaede's room. "I think someone is sick?"

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"Who? I'd think I'd be informed of these things."

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"I only caught half of the conversation. Maybe it was another servant? It would explain why I was sent over."

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"Wouldn't explain why I wasn't informed. I like to know about everything that goes on here."

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"I am sorry, Sir. Should I take these back?"

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"No, no, please lead me to them, I'd like to know who it is."

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Temperance leads... for a short distance. Then she casts something to make Jintes forget their interaction, trying to catch any stray magic that might sound an alarm.

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Won't she be surprised when he catches her spell and smiles. "That is rather interesting. Now excuse me while I—" And he frowns in confusion as his spell to knock her out (which draws mana from something in his pocket instead of himself) fails. "What the—"

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Heavy-duty mental ward. It's likely extremely inefficient in expenditure but very strong in terms of resistance. She was going to face someone that used mind magic before.

Temperance starts composing a spell as a reflex midway through drawing her fist backwards in a punch. The end result an improvised spell-punch that she is going to remember very fondly in the future.

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And he is out like a light.

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Good, can she retrieve the thing in his pocket?

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Yep. It is a small stone ring, very similar to the one Kaede gave her.

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Good. Temperance is going to hide him again (similar method to what she used with the servant), plus some extra restraints. And move as quickly as she can without drawing attention to herself to Kaede's bedroom.

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