Nico gulped down about 1/3rd of the liquid, before exhaling loudly, and then letting out a low carbonated burp.

"...ahhh, refreshing." he said.

He then sighed, and nodded.

"Right." he replied. "I'll be mindful of that." he told her.

"I also noticed the signature of another, powerful mage here." he then said. "But they seem to have left." he commented further.

"...sorry if I interrupted something..." he apologised quietly.

"Ah, I see." Nico replied.

"...and yes, I am." he told her.

"Much better than when I first arrived at your doorstep." he said.

"...been better, overall, though." he then added, taking another, smaller, drink.

"...." he was silent for a moment, and looked at her.

"You've only grown more gorgeous, Cs... Sydney." he said, catching himself on her name.

"I can't tell you how many times I've dreamed of you on a lonely night." he added wistfully.

"......." Nico was silent for a moment, before sighing heavily.

"That... all that will take a VERY long time to explain." he told her.

"And given what I heard you say about your friend, and when he's coming here, I don't think we have that kind of time right now." he said further.

"But trust me, I WILL answer them." he told her.

"I'll tell you EVERYTHING." he assured her further.

"You deserve it." he reasoned, before pausing.

"And... Jaden?" he asked. "Is that what our son goes by now?" he asked her.

"I expect you to." Nico replied, before they heard a knock on the door.

"Yo! Sydney!" they heard a voice call in, Sydney recognising it as Rene's.

"Sounds like your friend's here." he commented before lifting his head up slightly.

"...briney..." he mumbled.

"Lanthan??" he asked her, a bit surprised.

Rene just raised an eyebrow when he heard that.

"....right." was all he said, before they made their way towards where he was.

The two males regarded each other for a moment, before Nico broke the silence.

"Hello, there." he greeted Rene.

"Yo." Rene replied.

"Dominico." Nico introduced himself. "Or... well, I go by either Dominic, Nick, or Dom, depending on who's addressing me." he continued. "Sydney calls me 'Nico', though." he added.

"Rene." Rene responded. "My real name-" he started to say, before Dom interrupted.

"-would be impossible for a human tongue to pull off. I know. Lanthan names are like that." he chuckled.

"...." Rene was silent, before looking at Sydney.

"He's good." he told her.

"............yes, Ma'am." Rene replied, sounding nervous.

Dom just laughed out loud at that, before reeling in pain for a few seconds.

"Ok, no laughing. Gotta remember that." he said through snickers.

".....jesus, Sydney." Rene muttered. "Not often you remind me of your mother." he said further, before making his way to Dom.

"Sydney, leave us be." Dom told Sydney.

"I don't think the doctor can do his best work when you're there, coiled like a snake, ready for the frog to make that ONE misstep." he chuckled.

"...also, I'm asking about that Triad comment later." he added.

"Coming!" she heard, before the door was opened, revealing Vincent.

It was clear by how he looked that what she gave him was still doing its thing... but it wouldn't be long now.

"Ah, right." he said, stepping aside.

"I assume you have answers for me." he told her.

"I would greatly appreciate it if they were quick, as I've been monitoring the time, and I don't have long before I'm dead to the world." he went on.

"So... do come in." he finished.

Vincent closed the door behind her, and sighed.

"Let me start with the mana hunter." he said.

"Who was it?" he asked.

"And why do you trust them?" he asked further.

"Who ARE they?"

Vincent was thinking for a moment about what she had just told him. The first part, anyway. It was true that he'd heard her mention the name in the past a few times, but it was almost always in passing, and no real information was given.

...until the last part connected, and he seemed to freeze on the spot.

"...I'm sorry?" he asked.

"Jaden's... father." he said. "Which is to say, his biological paternal parent." he went on, seeking clarification to the most minute detail.

"The one that just... up and disappeared on the both of you." he added, a little venom starting to form in his tone now.

Vincent raised an eyebrow when she said that.

"Ah... huh." he said.

"That raises a number of questions." he told her.

"However, I'm going to focus on one. One that is a little more pressing than the others, before I crash." he reasoned.

"How did he find you?" he asked.

"Seriously. Next to NOBODY knows where you actually LIVE."