- I don't work here for the first light. Coffee first, then everything else. It's an old Omillian law. Even if you don't get to know everyone who works here, they'll get to you sooner or later. The people's path to the Archive won't be overgrown.

- Sounds like a threat. - Amelia shivered. - I'm not used to working with a lot of people at the same time every light... In fact, I always escaped it. As well as escaping the cloth work, I prefer natural workplaces — wide roads, high Mountains, deep Forests. And now... I think I need to learn some new things about myself. To add to my mental dossier. It's not easy, but it's necessary. For growth.

- Yes, it is. Growth is a step into the unknown... Don't get too discouraged. Once you get used to the amount of routine, there's a perverse pleasure to be found in organising information and sorting out threads.

Ami chuckled.

- You weren’t born with it either, right?

- I wasn't... Oh hey! You almost drank it all! I left my cup in the office... Where's yours? Hurry up.

Amelia jumped up eagerly.

 - It's in my hiking bag! I'll be right back in a moment...

- Let's go!

They ran to their cups as if nothing else mattered, to fetch a favourite mug and pour into it the coveted green drink whose aroma had been teasing their olfactory receptors for quite some time. 

Lucky Lucy had it as a matter of course every light. And Ami really missed Omill's coffee. And Prime's cakes... Like she would never be able to miss anyone in the world.

Pulling out her favourite lightweight travel mug, made from half a large walnut shell, the Kantinian slyboots quickly found herself and the Secretary near the coffee table.

Lucy's mug immediately absorbed Amelia's full attention.

Typical Omillian stoneware, with the traditional pattern and the handy finger indentations, and the glazed distinctive green rim that indicated the amount of coffee the owner had drunk.

The Kantinian looked around at the other cups, fascinated. 

She remembered someone's story about a Selva cup made of glazed dried mushrooms. These cups are rare, but it's said that the coffee in them has a unique flavour... Is one of these cups like that? What materials are they made of?

The Kantinian temporarily forgot to be shy and stared shamelessly at each cup. This could be interpreted as some kind of adaptation.

- Well. Now you're really one of us. We share the same coffee. - Lucy smiled.

- Not quite the same, I'm not a witch... - Ami sighed, grumbling. - I've been suffering from it my whole swamp life... And my punishment here is cold coffee to start with. 

At the same moment, her own cup was suddenly in the big hands of the tall blonde witch. But instead of protesting, the Kantinian was surprised.

Wow. But instead of protesting, the Kantinian was stunned.

- Let me help you. - the giant announced after the fact.

- Emm. Thanks... - Ami mumbled.

It was so sudden.

- ...Elsu. - Lucy helped.

- Thank you... Elsu. - Amelia echoed.

"You’re sooo huuuuge..."

Given the size and muscle density of her benefactress, politeness was the best strategy.

Ami painfully tried to remember all the names she had just heard. But it was impossible not to remember Elsu. 

She stood out from the crowd with her far from average Omillian height, her prominent musculature and her blonde hair, which reminded Amelia of the patchwork cultures of her hometown. This woman was definitely of Nordic descent.

- I've never heated coffee in a cup like this before... - a giant gently turned the cup in her hands, examined it and handed it back to its owner. - Try it. Is it warm enough?

Ami took a careful sip and squinted with pleasure.

- It's... just wonderful. Thank you again.

The Omillian smiled contentedly in return.

...Once the coffee socialising was over, Ami and Lucy went back to the Archive and moved on to the more mundane part. 

- Your bag is here. - the archivist noticed as she watched the Kantinian put her mug back in her travel bag. - Which means... The Chiefdom hasn't assigned you a place to stay yet. I'll have to remind Milo of that. Because the only decent place to sleep in this Station is Laivy's.

- Why does Laivy live here? Doesn't she have a home?

- She does. She goes there on festivals.

- And that's it?

- That's it.

- That's interesting. Why doesn't she live in her own house?

- I don't know. - Lucy shook her head. - Nobody knows.

- I see... You know... I feel like I can conquer the Mainland now, and I don't care where I sleep or if I will ever sleep in this cycle. I'm more than ready for all the doom, agony and indelible shame to come... I had soothing doping. Just what I needed the last few cycles.

- You will soon care when the coffee wears off and the rollback begins... Don’t let the coffee trick you and don't be so self-assured to neglect the rest and your mental health. Otherwise, you'll be burnt out before you even start.

- Thank you, my guardian spirit! - Amelia bowed playfully.

- Don't be sarcastic. The best strategy is to rest and distract yourself now. 

- I’m not! And I totally agree. There was not enough pastry to eat my stress away. Do you have an idea where I can get some more?

- At Anfey's. The pastry here is fantastic. They also have a lovely floral ale. The coffee is excellent too. You know... I would run there to get something tasty for dinner. And to show you where it is, because it is on the way to our service houses. Getting drinks and snacks here is the best way to celebrate your arrival and my departure.

- I'm in! - Ami immediately agreed. - Thank you for the fuss.

- It's part of my job. - Lucy waved  it off. - To help people. To get coffee and pastries... To torture the boss by reminding him of his endless tasks. Wait for me then. I'll go to Milo's office and return. Then we go.