The feelings of triumph had lasted all of five minutes before the second-guessing began. Leon's agreement to teach her one of the arts that allowed quick creation of weapons was something she had sought with less success for most of her time here... but that agreement was less than the great triumph it had briefly felt. It was a verbal contract only, and he might yet renege; she would after all have to tell him of her method of learning, of Sheena's reaction. If she did not it would be a betrayal of whatever small trust in her intentions had allowed him to agree, and she might have another Sheena to deal with. Or simply worry over, since she had made precious little progress in achieving any kind of resolution to or amelioration of her situation with the woman.

Beyond that she might simply fail. She had grasped Raine's otherworldly magic, but the strange bonds that lay behind Sheena's were something she could not imitate and when one considered the great variety of magics present at the institute it would not be strange if this one also defied her.

And beyond that... it was simply that the sense of accomplishment was more than was warranted, even if all went well. She could fulfill her promise to Momo, make Laevatein whole again and a fitting tribute to her fallen knight, arm more of the patients... but once there had been Signum, not simply a tribute, and others who had made weapons, and they had not found freedom. If anything the institute had only grown more chaotic and dangerous since.

It was a single small step, the mere promise of some slight utility. She would only disappoint herself if she imagined more.

So why did I feel that way in the first place? She silently asked her waffles.

[Open.]