Temperance lets her. She is not out of mana, but no point in waste.

"So..."

She smiles.

"I saw you leaving a book in the library and... noticed you."

"And so you decided to follow me."

"Well, it was one way to get answers and one with the window of opportunity that was closing the fastest."

"Answers... to which questions?"

"Well... I had a very bewildering week. I have a suspicion that you might know why."

"Because of a book?" she asks, raising an eyebrow.

Well, Temperance gives up on being oblique. "Because the entire world got something like an artifact enchantment, except not really, and it's powered by living beings liveness or whatever and you have a ton of that."

She blinks. "You saw that? Well here I was expecting no one would have noticed yet. And, ah, no, it's been longer than a week, actually. Short answer is it comes from another world, long answer will have to wait because I should be getting back but the book will have stuff about that."

"Okay. When you have the time, would you mind swinging by the same place and leaving a message for me?"

"I will, but I have a request for you, too. Spread the word around? Anyone can use this new kind of magic, so if more people knew about it... that'd be better."

Temperance blinks. "Okay. I will sure do my best."

She beams. "Awesome! See you later, then."

And she takes off.

Temperance watches her go. She started this conversation thinking the other girl - she completely forgot to get a name - was some kind of serial killer metamancer and finished it believing the girl to be The Best Person Ever. Magic that anyone can use! Temperance sure as hell is going to make people know about it.

Temperance returns to the library and starts reading the book and doesn't put it down. She buys paper and ink and starts making copies while still reading the intro section. The new magic is absolutely interesting and even if it costs lifeforce anyone can use it! It would be criminal not to share it with the world.

Felix's evening was... far quieter, alone with his thoughts - and his thoughts are mostly about people far, far away - he didn't produce much, but there wasn't much to produce.

And she's back.

"I think we're about ready to tell people about germ theory."

Felix embraces her. "That sounds great. Did everything go well?"

"Yeah. I actually met another metamancer who, ah, noticed lifeforce. And I got her to help spreading the word around."

"Oh, are you sure that is safe?"

"As safe for me as it is for her, she's in just as much risk of being executed as I am. More, I have more mana than I know what to do with."

Squeeze. "Well, let's hope it doesn't come to that for either of you. Anyway, wanna help me explain to your world 'why you get sick if you don't wash things properly'?"

She very much does!

The following morning they are to present their finished book.

Felix is only slightly nervous.