Lith led them to the Hydra's lair and then used the magical doorbell to announce their presence.
"Wow, to what do I owe such a crowd in my humble abode?" Faluel had such a radiant smile that it left the Ernas sisters speechless.
Faluel now looked like a young woman in her mid-twenties, about 1.7 meters (5'7") tall. Her face had an oval shape, with rainbow-colored eyes and long hair that framed her fine features.
Unlike a normal woman, her hair wasn't of a regular color with streaks related to the element she was more attuned with, but bore the six colors of the elements plus the emerald green of mana.
She was wearing a light green shirt that left her arms exposed and tight pants that Lith could swear were jeans.
Her legs were shorter than Phloria's, she was less curvy than Friya, and her face didn't look as chiseled as Tista's. Yet she could be easily called a perfectly imperfect beauty.
The grace with which her slender body moved along with the warmth of her voice emphasized Faluel as a whole, making the final result much more stunning than the sum of the single parts.
Even those who like the Ernas sisters had met Tyris multiple times at the Royal Court were stunned by Faluel's appearance. Compared to the Hydra, Constable Griffon had the countenance of a farmer whereas the Ernas felt like monkeys trying to imitate human behavior.
"Is there something wrong with my attire?" Faluel asked Lith, who seemed to be the only one not staring at her with a dumb expression and an agape mouth.
"You look amazing like always, Professor Faluel." Lith gave her a small bow.
"Indeed." Solus said. "I apologize for keeping my ring form, but taking humanoid appearance drains my energy, so I'll do it only if strictly necessary."
"Thanks for letting me know, Solus. I'll keep it in mind while planning your lessons." Faluel said.
"How could you not mention us that Faluel, I mean, Professor Faluel is so lovely?" Friya was the first to recover, yet her own words made her feel like she had gone down another step on the evolutionary ladder.
"More importantly, how can Kamila not die with envy and jealousy knowing you spend so much time with her?"
Faluel giggled at those heartfelt compliments but said nothing, waiting for Lith's reply.
"Whenever I introduce, you, my sister, or anyone else for that matter, I find beyond rude pointing out their attractiveness. It would make me appear as a pervert and even a creep in Tista's case.
"As for Kamila, she trusts me, that's how." Lith said.
"Well said. Now, unless someone wants to ask me out, I'd like to know who these three young ladies are." Faluel said.
"Professor Faluel, they are respectively, Phloria, Friya, and Quylla Ernas. You should remember Quylla from your meeting during Rena's pregnancy." Lith said.
"I certainly do." Faluel nodded while recognizing Quylla.
"Quylla and Friya have a favor to ask you." Lith said.
"Then please be quick. You're a bit early, but I plan on starting my lesson as soon as all my students are here." Faluel said.
"Professor Faluel…" Quylla gave her a curtsy, but the Hydra stopped her.
"Just Faluel will do. Let's also skip the pleasantries. There is no relationship between us nor appearances to keep up. I prefer blunt people to flatterers."
"Then I'll get straight to the point. Faluel, I would like to join your class and receive your teachings along with my friends." Quylla gave her a small bow.
No matter what Faluel said, doing any less would make Quylla feel like a small child throwing a tantrum to get a new toy.
"Simple and direct. I love it. Yet your execution fails to meet a crucial requirement. Why exactly should I agree to your request? I know and respect Lith. He and Solus put their lives in my hands many times, demonstrating a trust I'm more than happy to return.
"You, however, I barely remember your name. No matter how politely you present your request, it remains unreasonable." Faluel said.
"But my sister…"
"According to Awakened's customs, Phloria is Lith's responsibility for the next 100 years as if she is his daughter, wife, apprentice, or servant. I don't care about the nature of their relationship, that's something for them to decide." Faluel cut her short, giving Phloria's heart the second shock of the day.
"In turn, Lith is my apprentice and my responsibility. It's up to him to make sure that Phloria doesn't betray my trust or pay the consequences. Any more arguments?"
"I'm a brilliant mage. People call me a genius, but I never felt it as an appropriate title. I'm capable of doing this." Quylla conjured a complex hologram that was a scale model of the Hydra's lair.
"And this." She took out a potion and absorbed its contents through the skin in front of Faluel's surprised eyes.
"I have yet to share any of this with anyone. I created those techniques myself, as a fake mage barely eighteen years of age. Imagine what I could do with proper guidance." Quylla took a pause to let Faluel ponder her words.
"I'm willing to teach you everything I know, to share with you all of my personal spells in exchange for your help." Seeing that the Hydra seemed hesitant, Quylla raised the ante.
"Lith, did you teach her how to make holograms?" Faluel said.
"No. She learned it by herself in less than a year after seeing me do it in Kulah."
"Is she trustworthy?"
"I've put my sister's life in her hands just like I put mine several times." Lith replied.
"Then I accept, but there are conditions. First, you'll give me full access to your Grimoire as you promised. Second, as long as you live, whatever you develop from my teachings, any new discovery you make, you'll share it with me and only me.
"You're forbidden to teach even Lith or your sisters without my consent. Third, even after you are done here, whenever I'll require your help, I expect you to answer my call without asking for anything in return.
"Whatever height you reach in life, it will be because of me. Your debt will not be something easily repaid. Last, but not least, fail to comply with any of those conditions and I will kill you. Do you accept my terms?" Faluel said.
"Yes." Quylla swallowed a lump of saliva. "I've already quit my role as Assistant Professor at the White Griffon academy, so I'm ready to begin at any time, Faluel."
"Master Faluel or Professor will do. Feel free to take your pick, but don't forget who holds the leash." Faluel said. "What about you, Friya?"
"I'm here for the same reason: I want to learn from you." Friya could barely hold the Hydra's steel gaze.
"You?" Faluel sniffed at her clothes like a predator. "You're no Forgemaster nor healer. What could I possibly teach you, and more importantly, what would I gain from it?"
"I am a Healer!" Friya felt insulted at those words. "I'm not an Awakened like Lith nor a genius like Quylla, but I mastered all the light magic known to man. My drive is not knowledge, so I had no reason to pursue research in the Body Sculpting field, just like Lith did.
