Chapter 59: Back at the Estate

Chapter 59: Back at the Estate

Chapter 59 - Back at the Estate

Kai was walking the paved path to the estate when Elijah appeared in front of him standing in his path, an impenetrable expression on his face.

Does he know what I have done?

Making use of Acting, Kai tried to behave casually. Nothing was wrong. He smirked at the pale man. Did you miss me?

There was no answer. Elijah remained motionless, looking at him. Kai didnt think walking around him was an option, so he was forced to stop. His confidence quickly crumbled as the icy blue eyes stared straight at him. At that moment Kai understood there was no point in lying or feigning ignorance. He didnt know how, but Elijah knew the truth already.

Im sorry Kai muttered. With his mood already beneath his feet, his mind immediately went to the worst-case scenario. Were they going to throw him out?

For what? Elijah looked at him questioning.

Did I just rat myself out? No, if that were the case, he wouldnt have admitted he didnt know what I was talking about right away.

Kai looked back at him. His thoughts were a wreck, he didnt have the strength to put up with Elijahs shenanigans. Did he have to say it out loud? What did he want from him?

Maybe Elijah might have a heart hidden somewhere. After a couple more seconds of stalemate, he was the one to break the silence first.

What you do outside this estate is your business. That is unless you bring it here. His gaze bore down on him. You didnt get caught, right?

Was that what he wanted to know? Not why he did it or if he regretted his actions, but if he would get caught or not!?

After all the exhaustion and doubts Kai had dealt with the last few days, he started laughing aloud at the absurdity of the situation. It was an empty laugh, devoid of any amusement. His eyes started to tingle, he felt he would start crying if he didnt get a grip on himself.

Still waiting for an answer. Did you become deaf while you were away? Elijah's icy tone cut into his thoughts.

Blinking rapidly and rubbing his eyes as if the wind had pushed some dust into them, Kai forced his body to regain his composure. He was not going to have a breakdown in front of this jerk.

No, I dont think anyone will come looking for me.

Are you sure?

Yes, I got a Feat that explicitly said without getting caught.

Now that he thought about it, did that mean he was in the clear? The Assassination skill also mentioned not getting caught

Good. That means no one saw you and there are no obvious leads, but you shouldnt rely on it too much. The Guide offers no insurance on long-term consequences or unexpected events.

Good to know, now can I pass? Kai asked pointing out he was still standing in the way.

Elijah didnt show any intention to move. Stop sulking like a baby. If you want to keep climbing higher, it wont be the last time you have to get your hands dirty. This time you only had to kill a wretched individual who well deserved it. No use losing sleep over him.

Kai guessed this was Elijahs own way to comfort him. He appreciated he made the effort, but his words werent very helpful.

He had read enough to know Elydes could be a cruel and violent place. Even on Earth humans had warred against each other for far longer than they had been at peace. Fighting and killing each other being the norm for most of their history. With the superhuman powers the Guide granted and multiple races thrown into the mix, anyone could imagine things would only be worse. However, there was a big difference between reading it in a book and living it.

Ill need to say hi to her

His worst-case scenarios were unlikely, probably she would not say anything. What he feared was that she would not look at him the same and treat him differently. He could maybe postpone it to tomorrow, but it wouldnt change anything.

There were still a few hours of light. He could hide in his house for today, but then what? Better to rip the band-aid off than stew in his thoughts.

He hesitantly walked across the beach towards her house. With each step his heart beat faster, his guts wrenched and his palms started sweating. If he wasnt carrying the alchemy chest, his hands might have started shaking too.

The lush garden appeared around him, but he could not appreciate its beauty. His eyes scanned back and forth looking for the familiar figure of the plump woman.

In here. Unsurprisingly, she was the first to notice him, her voice was coming from inside.

Too late to back down now.

Following the sound of her voice, Kai reached the kitchen. Dora was busy stirring a pot, giving him her shoulders. Before he could say a word, she turned around with a plate filled with steaming food.

Put that down and sit. She smiled brightly. You must be famished after your journey.

Kai put down the chest and sat at the table. The pile of food in front of him smelled delicious, but he felt no appetite. He could feel Doras gaze on him, but he couldnt bear to look back.

Using Acting as a crutch he took the fork and tried to swallow a few bites.

Have you already eaten? Or would you like me to prepare something else?

Slowly raising his eyes, Dora looked at him with a worried expression. Kai wanted to tell her he was doing okay, but the words seemed stuck in his throat. He tried to push it down, but his body betrayed him. Big tears started streaming down his eyes.

Oh, dear Dora said, stepping closer to him. Everything is going to be fine.

Before he could stop himself, Kai was crying on her shoulder. As she tried to comfort him, he felt so pathetic.

You did the right thing, sweetheart. Sometimes we dont have a choice if we want to protect the people we love.

He didnt know if she was saying it only to make him feel better, or if she truly believed it.

After he had shed all his tears, Kai managed to calm down, finally feeling a bit better. The food had gotten a bit cold, but he quickly realized how hungry he truly was, eating every bit.

He had not missed how Dora seemed to know exactly what happened. He was curious, but he did not wish to bring that topic up. They instead started talking about alchemy. In moments they fell into a deep discussion. Kai took out his notebooks and started explaining all he had experimented and learnt during his stay in Greenside.

It was the perfect distraction. He had written down dozens of questions and it was incredibly nice finally having someone to solve dilemmas that had frustrated him for weeks. After a while, they moved to the lab so Dora could show him directly how to solve some problems. Kai enjoyed all the praise he received for his progress in Alchemy. He didnt get many points in Mana Manipulation, but his improvements were still noteworthy.

Only after the sun had already set for a while, did he leave Doras house with his stomach full and a lighter heart. Dark thoughts still hovered in the back of his mind, but not everything looked gloomy any longer.

He couldnt wait to jump back into his training and get some of the answers he expected for so long. This time he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.

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End of Book 1