Concordia (Shabby): Are you at all nervous about going through with the plan? Anataeus (Shabby): Perhaps a little, but I can only trust in our abilities. Why, are you nervous? Concordia (Shabby): I keep asking myself if we’ve missed something. Anataeus (Shabby): We’ve been over it many times. It’s as sound as anything I’ve designed. Concordia (Shabby): Oh, Anataeus. Concordia (Shabby): Alchemy itself is a science, but alchemy’s effects on the world are like anything else: Impossible to predict. Anataeus (Shabby): I don’t know about that. Some things are eminently predictable. Concordia (Shabby): And responses like that one are surely one of them. ----------- Concordia (Shabby): I hope Clara will survive. It so happens that I quite like her. Anataeus (Shabby): She’ll get the nonlethal dose as long as she doesn’t lick her lips. Concordia (Shabby): I mean afterwards. Surely that would not eliminate all of the suspicion. Anataeus (Shabby): It may depend upon how well she can act the part of the innocent, oblivious House heir. Concordia (Shabby): Luckily it seemed she’s quite practiced at that. Anataeus (Shabby): It’s unfortunate that circumstance compels her to hide her intelligence that way. Concordia (Shabby): Especially when she’s in fact the smartest person I’ve ever met. Anataeus (Shabby): Wait— really? More than me?