Chapter 168: Running from Your Problems

Everyone turned to face Kress. His previous shout not having been hidden at all, every other contestant was more than able to hear him.

Gareth sighed and stood over near Kress whispering "Look, is it really important this gets done right now?"

As Gareth finished his sentence Green opened just one eye, filled with mana and glowing with an eery light staring straight at Kress. Before quickly closing it again as if nothing had happened.

Kress gulped and stated back "Yes, it is important I say this here and now"

Nixilei looked at him slight disappointment in her eyes "You wouldn't happen to be about to criticise Kat would you?"

Kress flinched at this and said "I don't see how that's relevant to my point"

*Um… seems pretty relevant Kress. And also, why? What the heck did I do to you?*

Nixilei took a step to stand beside Kat "I see, well if it isn't relevant, I can head back to the manor with Kat while you make whatever grand speech it is you want"

Kress clicked his tongue but nodded "Yeah, go ahead"

Nixilei nodded and started pulling Kat away. "Quick come with me and don't say anything" Nixilei managed to say so quietly Kat was almost sure she hadn't heard anything. *What the hell is going on?*

Kat could practically here Kress grinding his teeth behind her. "What's going on Nixilei?" asked Kat

"I have a suspicion he wants to criticise you and perhaps challenge you to another duel while he knows your low on energy. That's why it has to be right now, but now that I've called him out on it, he'll just say something meaningless then trudge after us" Nixilei responded

Kat and Nixilei started to pick up the pace towards town, slowly increasing the length of their strides, and Kat was rather impressed that Nixilei could even keep up with her unaided. "Why though? I don't understand what his problem could possibly be. We won didn't we? And while you guys did let me touch the orb, I managed to beat Grace in the final fight"

Nixilei strode unhurried beside Kat, making her passage appear effortless despite the fact the surroundings where starting to blur. "He is a prideful fool with a few issues with the other races. It is not my place to say where his dislike comes from, but if he truly wishes to push the issue, I might have to share it anyway.

"I suspect the fool wants to challenge you to a duel over something or perhaps dispute your final prize you received from Thyme" said Nixilei

Kat shook her head. "Why didn't we just confront him there?"

Nixilei let out a small snicker at that one "Well, I'd be more than happy for him to make a fool of himself. I suspect you could beat him despite the deck already so heavily stacked against you. My main concern is dealing him permanent damage.

"That would cause us a number of issues legally speaking. Sure he started the fight, but the laws that allow us to summon demons are rather stringent and because of how it's worded if you were to hurt Kress seriously, he could get the law to come down on you and the summoning business we used like a tonne of bricks"

"Ok… what is the main hang up really?" asked Kat

"Well" said Nixilei "The main point of contention is that technically he is classed as a summoner of you, even if he did no summoning, and if we'd 'allowed'" Nixilei said allowed with as much sarcasm as possible "You to 'attack' him even the bystanders, we'd all get in a rather large amount of legal trouble"

*Um… right…* "How does getting back to the manor help us though? Would you like me to just weather Kress' insults?" asked Kat

Nixilei shook her head "No, of course not. It is likely he will strike first, and perhaps in rather deadly ways especially because he knows you can regenerate but suspects you can't without energy. He can just claim that you attacked him first, or that no permanent harm was being done to you"

"I'm sensing a but" said Kat

"That is correct actually Kat. You see, one of the old laws that have been left over from more extreme times is that crimes committed involving only servants when in a nobles primary or secondary estate can be persecuted using only that noble's discretion.

"Most people have forgotten about this law, but in this instance, as you are both technically in Gareth's employ, he can just dictate the outcome and ensure a trial never happens" Nixilei sighed "Honestly a trial would likely be the worst

"They will abuse truth potions to try and get the story they want out of us. And while Green and I will be fine because we have training for dealing with that kind of thing, the rest of the contestants likely don't. If you lost, I'm not sure what they'd do. Likely blacklist you from being summoned again, but I'm not sure about any other punishment"

*Huh.* "Well, that doesn't sound so bad. I could have just let Kress wail on me a bit then leave once he was satisfied so we never escalated it to that point" said Kat

Nixilei furiously shook her head. "No, I, and almost certainly Green as well, would like you to kick the shit out of him. I'll then be able to refuse him healing, and he can suffer in the infirmary while he recovers from his own stupidity.

"Gareth the poor fool has a soft spot for Kress even if he tries to be fair. But he will not force me to heal the fool if he attacks you with malice" said Nixilei.

Kat nodded. *Honestly this is all getting a bit weird. I don't really want to cause issues for Nixilei and Green, but would it really be such a big deal?* "So what is the plan then? Get back to the manor and beat Kress up?"

"Essentially" said Nixilei as large number of horses stampeded past.

Kat watched as the large herd stuck almost perfectly to the side of the rode, making sure not to get too close to Nixilei and herself. "Um, what the heck was that?" asked Kat

"Those are horses being called to the contestant grounds to pick everyone else up" said Nixilei

"Huh, actually now that I think about it how are you so fast? I mean I know I'm no better, but it seemed like I was the exception in many ways" said Kat.

"Ah, that is because I am a member of the fey. I doubt you'd be able to tell, and I suppose I should have mentioned it before." said Nixilei "This grants me certain extras even before I fully activate my mystic form. I can burn mana instead of food as energy in a much more direct way then humans and elves"

"Huh, so a bit like me then. And yeah, I noticed the wings you and Green have" said Kat

Nixilei practically froze in mid-air at that. Kat flared her wings to stop herself as well and turned back to face Nixilei tilting her head in confusion.

"My apologies" said Nixilei "You mean to say you can see an adolescent fey's wings?"

"Yeah?" said Kat now very confused.

Nixilei started running again and gestured for Kat to follow. "A fey's wings are a measure of how close they are to awakening a mystic form. Large expensive rituals are normally needed to see how any given fey is progressing on their path… but you say you can just see them? With naked eyes?"

Kat nodded "Yup, they sort of phase through stuff in a weird way and only you and Green have them"

Nixilei was once again floored "I'm surprised. But knowing that even Green is a fey member as well does lend credence to your claim. Tell me, how do they appear to you"

"Ah… hmm" said Kat "Well, I wasn't really paying attention to be honest" Kat cycled back through her memories trying to remember when she first saw Green's wings but couldn't quite place it.

"Hmm, well I believe Green's wings are a bit strange actually" said Kat with a wave towards Nixilei's back "Yours are sort of half there. They don't exactly have a colour but it's more like the idea that you have wings rather than seeing seeing them… if that makes sense"

Nixilei nodded and gestured for Kat to continue "Green though, well hers seem to almost be trying to hide. And they are a lot more, wispy? Perhaps. Like yours are proper clearly defined wings, but Green's are closer to something say… a bunch of wind flowing from her back perhaps? Less noticeable if you aren't aware of it, but very noticeable once you do"

Nixilei nodded at this with affirmation. Kat looked at her and could have sworn that she paled slightly but Nixilei spoke firmly, the same as always and her face betrayed no worry. "I see, thank you for that information. I'll need to have a proper discussion with Gareth and Green at some point in the future"