It has been two months since after fleeing the port town that the Kingdom of Meontis has retaken, Samuel and others have been occupied with the stuff they have done.

The twins, Cherry and Mila, have practiced their status ailment magic in secret while performing their routines in front of the troops to boost morale.

Samuel has been keeping tabs on the progress of the rebels, while practicing his own magic in the training room.

Finally, Gunther did some warm ups to stay in shape instead of spending the past two months in doing nothing, except accompanying either Mila or Samuel.

Each day felt repetitive, but they were glad to have each other's support. Until one day, the emperor called them in. They came to the throne room, wondering what he wants them to do.

"You all came, just like I ask. Good." Said the emperor.

"What is it you want, your majesty?" Asked Samuel.

"The reason why I called you four here, is because I have two tasks for each of you. For you Samuel and Cherry, I want you to go to the magitek research facility and check on the production of the magicite. And for Gunther and Mila, I want you two to go and investigate if any rebels have infiltrated our forces" explained the emperor.

"Yes, your majesty" all four have said.

Once they exit the throne room, they have split in order to carry out the tasks given by the emperor. Gunther and Mila went to the barracks to investigate, while Samuel and Cherry headed towards the magitek research facility nearby. When Samuel and Cherry arrived at the magitek research facility, they can see it's big and resembling a metal factory that spews multicolored steam from the chimneys. He was familiar with the place, and never wanted to come back to it after what the experiment had done to him.

"Are you feeling alright, Samuel?" Asked Cherry.

"Yeah, I'm experiencing a flashback to that horrible memory of me being in that facility. I never wanted to come back to that place again, yet it seems his imperial majesty wanted to remind me of that experiment that gave me my magic that I barely have any control over" he replied.

Cherry was concerned with his wellbeing, but she gave him the confidence for him to enter the facility. Once the duo entered into the magitek research facility, they are greeted with the smell of oil and metal. The interior is full of pipes, the walls are made of metal sheets, and the sounds of machines hummed in the further parts of the facility. They walked down the metal stairs, and they saw some conveyor belts moving the parts of the magitek armor and machines. They also watched as machines assembled the parts into magitek armor and other machines powered by magic, not to mention the workers operating the assembling machines.

"What is this place?" Asked Cherry as she felt unsettled.

"This place is divided into four parts: the first two floors is the magitek factory, since it produces magitek armor and other machines used for war. The other two floors below is the research labs, where they keep the espers in captivity. Right now, we have to go to the research lab" answered Samuel.

He guided her towards the elevator, and when the two entered it, he pressed button of the third floor below. Then the elevator descends down, and they waited. When it reached at the third floor and opened its door, they can see row after row of pods full of unknown liquid. This was no doubt the research labs, in which Samuel doesn't want to be here. As they explore the lab, they can see numerous espers in each pods as researchers monitored their progress. At the back, there were large pipes where chemicals go into and empty into an unknown area of the research lab. This place itself gave Cherry the chills, but Samuel was familiar with the place since it no longer creeps him out.

"Ah, the emperor's right hand man. What brings you back here?" Asked the researcher.

"Me, and my assistant here, are sent here by his imperial majesty to check on the magicite production" he answered.

"Well... production are rather slow, since the espers held here remain uncooperative. Other than that, we're making progress. We also have two test subjects a week ago, he already has magic in him and says that he's from a village where descendants of magic users lived in. The other is a sword for hire from the eastern continent" explained the researcher, pointing at the two doors to the right.

"Thank you, his imperial majesty would be rather pleased with the news" he said.

The part about a test subject who can use magic has piqued his interest, and so he and Cherry heads to the room where the test subject is at. When they peered through the window, they can see a rather short man sitting on a chair reading a book. The short man is rather hunchbacked, wears a purple colored hooded robe, a gold chain amulet, a breathing apparatus that covered his nose and mouth, and is bald.

Samuel opened the door and stepped into the room, and he can tell that the man can barely reach his chest when it comes to size. He couldn't help but feel pity for him, due to the experiments mutating the poor man.

"Is it time for more experiments? I'm rather tired of the chemicals you have injected me" said the man in an annoyed tone, his voice sounded like a middle aged man with a slight electronic reverb.

"Actually, no. My name is Samuel, I am a magic user" Samuel introduced.

"Another magic user? I am Bernard, the skilled black mage" the man introduced.

"What brought you here?" He asked.

"I suppose I was rather curious, so me and my bodyguard came here to volunteer. I thought it was a simple demonstration of my powers just so I could help out, but these researchers used me and my bodyguard as guinea pigs for an experiments. Testing out chemicals to see how effective it was to use it on the espers, and look what happened to me. At least my bodyguard didnt mutate that badly, given that he gained an extra set of arms" answered Bernard.

"What if I were to take you and your bodyguard away from here?" He asked.

"That would be a blessing, but the researchers here wouldn't be too happy about this" said Bernard.

At the room next door, Cherry saw a young man with four arms laying against the wall. He wore a black bandana, another bandana that covers his mouth and nose, torso armor, yellow pants, orange belt, and yellow boots. His hair is black, but he he looked up at her, his eyes are blue.

"What's a cutie like you doing here? Are you even lost?" He asked.

She felt repulsed from his words, but nevertheless, she opened the door and stepped into the room.

"I came here, along with Samuel, to check up on the magicite production by the emperor's order. I heard about you, along with the other test subject with you" she answered.

"Heh, the old man and I came here to volunteer here. I didn't expect the researchers to inject us with experimental serum that mutates us, but I'm satisfied with the extra set of arms. That way, I can wield four swords in combat" he said as he smiled beneath the bandana.

"Forgive my rudeness, but my name is Cherry" she introduced.

"My name is Tsubaki, sword for hire" he introduced, bowing.

She was uncertain if she can recuit the four armed swordsman, since she got the feeling that he would be lecherous. But she was eager to get this over with, because Samuel is busy with talking to the other test subject.

"Cherry, are you done? Lets go" Said Samuel, who was standing outside the door.

"Coming!" She replied, walking out of the room.

Unfortunately, Tsubaki followed her out of his room. And he saw Bernard standing next to the emperor's right hand man.

"Huh? Since when did you got out of your room, old man?" Tsubaki asked.

"Hmph! I joined this man's "entourage" just to get out of here" Bernard answered, felt offended due to Tsubaki calling him old man.

"You could join us if you want" Samuel suggested.

The four armed swordsman thought for a moment, before reaching his decision.

"Alright, I'll join this crew. I can't wait to fight again, my heart burns for conflict!" Said Tsubaki, he grinned beneath his bandana.

Samuel chuckled as he accepted the four armed swordsman, and led everyone towards the elevator to exit the magitek research facility.

Authors note: what do you think of Bernard and Tsubaki becoming new members of the entourage? Next chapter is where the espers get free by rebels, thus causing havoc to the imperial capital city