At a certain threshold of homework yes you do.

"Scythe, when was your last prolonged stint on Earth? Do you still have friends here? Students or tutors, not Kilea."

"My last prolonged stint on Earth was around thirty years ago, for about five years. Hawthorne has had me on the known succubi register for about sixty years now, which permits me to do sex work here under some regulations, primarily that I don't have long-term relationships with clients; I don't get summoned often these days, though, because of the Red Mother thing. Younger succubi have less history. I've had a handful of summoners here over the last twenty-five years, mostly people who don't care what succubus they get so long as they're on Hawthorn's register. Silver and I had a relationship for about three years a decade ago, but since she graduated she started seeing another witch and just summons me for sex now. The relationship I told you about with Kilea and the go-betweening with Red Mother's cult happened before all this."

She pauses, rubs her lips. "- I do know the Consortation tutor here, she goes by Professor Kalon. She used to use me in class demonstrations because she knew I wouldn't do something stupid if I was bound improperly, and my reputation scared the students enough. Since my fame's worn off a bit she stopped using me as often. But we do still know each other."

Right, consortation. Unlikely to be more into toolmaking than average. They could maybe run through the school register for a demon who excels at this sort of thing, except that she suspects Hell's education is unmitigated shit.

"Scythe, what time is it and which zone do we use now. Isabel, which of these fields do you most want to look into; if you don't have an opinion form one."

"It's like six PM. GMT minus two."

"I, uhhhhhh... runes probably?"

"Good. We'll compartmentalize. Figure out the steps for engraving runes in metal and how to execute them. Figure out what considerations there are. Are some runes more amenable to some material choices? Are there trade-offs against other fields to measure? What equipment and spells and people do we need? Ignore theory and history insofar as you can."

"I intend to hit the library to personally select some books and possibly a," obedient nerd, "study buddy. Do we know how many books they will lend a student?"

"Up to five, no taking them out of the student tower. I've got a runes book here already, I'll start in on it."

Alas, no use to be found in the suitcase. She likes putting things to use.

"If I don't come back, I'll be working on cantrips. Scythe, if you are interested then you are free to tagalong."

Marianne takes her laptop underarm and shuts the door behind her.

Scythe tags along without saying a word.

—oh thank god. She did not want to seduce someone, but now she has someone to shunt the task off onto.

You know, it's okay to tell people what to do sometimes.

Having a command structure instead of insinuations and some hope would be more efficient.

I have way, way too much power over her to be comfortable giving her instructions.

When you have as much as that, you should work to mitigate it. Humans are supposed to be peers.

I distinctly remember you wanting to own her entirely.

Oh, that's different.

Humans should not have native power over each other. It is fine for humans to give others that power, but it is horrible for them to start their lives as pawns. Cytherea had the ill luck to be born in Hell and so has to be kept on contractual leash.

Once we find a way to mitigate that, then she can give herself to us of genuine free will!

WHY CAN'T YOU BE NORMAL

'Why can't we be normal,' you mean.

The elevator opens and Marianne Belor heads to the library.

(Cytherea told her where to go in the elevator. Can't have her summoner bumbling around like she's completely clueless.)

The library is ensconced in the guts of a vast magitech device: the floor is a grill of metal over turning gears, with bookshelves and machine parts interspersed along the walls. There are occasional benches and tables for reading, and a doll waiting at the entrance patiently. The sound of the clockwork is a steady drone of steel against steel. 

She stops a few meters from the door. "Scythe, what is it?"

She is not doing so great at keeping direct questions to a minimum.

"The machine? It's a lot of things. Basically a magical mechanical computer. It manages a lot of the inessential functions - there's another one in the faculty tower that does the actually important functions, like security. This one just manages the library's pocket dimensions and does reshelving and schedules deliveries and like a dozen other things. I don't actually know the full list."

She'll head in, if the doll doesn't want anything from her.

The doll nods to her but doesn't say anything. 

The library is quiet, below the grinding of the gears. People sit alone or in small groups.

There are subject labels on some of the nearby bookshelves; this section near the front appears to be potions and elementalism.