"If you want to pursue research into that, I won't stop you, but - it is not a wise nor safe path."

El nods.

So does Bellona.

Akira sighs. "Come on, let's keep going. We've still got a bit of walking to do."

Off they go.

Dante's house is more a mansion, three times the size of Akira's rather roomy place, with outbuildings and extensive gardens, and a distant sound of horses. The windows are large, stained glass showing alchemical symbols arranged around a symbol of a winged and crowned snake on a cross - a symbol the girls will have seen only once before, in Akira's home.

Dante emerges onto the front veranda as they approach, smiling and dressed well.

"My old student! I hadn't expected you to take apprentices of your own, darling. I am Dante. Who are you two?"

"I'm El. This is Bellona."

"We're the Elric sisters! It's nice to meet you, Miss Dante!"

"It's good to meet you too. Why don't we come inside and have some tea? You three must all be quite parched."

"It was a long walk."

"Yes. I am quite sorry about that. I do prefer my privacy, though."

"Professor Curtis keeps telling us we need to exercise, so."

"Yes. She's very insistent on that."

She leads the way in. The foyer is just as grand as the outside, and opens to a parlor just off a small kitchen. Dante prepares them drinks and snacks, gets them seated, then asks after their studies.

El is reasonably polite, though she's not a student of etiquette. Their studies are going well. Professor Curtis's teaching style works for them.

Bellona is energetic and bouncy and frequently forgets to be polite, and she has lots of questions about where Dante's from and how long she's been an alchemist and can El and Bellona see her library...

Dante just laughs at that, mostly deflects or answers very vaguely and briefly questions about where she's from. She started her own serious alchemical studies at twelve; they're certainly ahead of the curve. And her library is certainly viewable, though she would ask they not take books without permission. Most of it's likely to be past what they're currently studying - Dante might become more involved in their studies later, especially if they branch into specialties that Akira dear is less familiar with.

That's probably a good way off for them, though. She is interested in seeing what there is, anyway. Sort of a map of what's to come.

Of course. They'll have all today and tomorrow morning to explore. Still, she asks they not open any locked doors - she believes that's a rule of Akira's, as well?

It is.

"We're good at following it!" Mostly.

"That's good. Do you two have any fields you're especially interested in?"

"Astronomy."

"Mechanical engineering stuff!"

"Oh? Do you have any particular destination in mind, with those?"

"We're going to build a spaceship."