Chapter 162: A Mesar for Your Thoughts

Chapter 162: A Mesar for Your Thoughts

Chapter 162 - A Mesar for Your Thoughts

Her emerald eyes widened as if he had insulted her entire family line, and dead cat for good measure.

Dont look at me like that, youre the weird one for remembering me. Its been almost four years.

Wait. You truly dont remember my name? She scrunched her brows, her voice lined with genuine surprise.

Did she think I was making fun of her? A bit conceited, but people did call her little princess Oh, I do remember a name then, should I tell her?

Why would I lie? Kai shrugged. The information hovered at the edge of his mind, just out of reach. He might recall it if he focused, but why go through the effort when this was much funnier. Are you so famous that people recognize you in the streets?

Yes, I The blushing spread from her neck to the tip of her ears. Im Valela Hightide, she stiffly offered her hand.

Okay, maybe Im doing it a little on purpose.

Hed like to blame his exhaustion and hunger, but he just couldnt resist poking holes in her standoffish demeanor. She was the same proud girl he had met during the selection in Sylspring. An odd and imperious queen inquiring about a peasant.

Kai accepted the shake, her palm surprisingly cold. Well, Valela, it was nice meeting you again. I hope youre doing great, but, as I was saying, Im in a bit of a hurry.

I have questions. The little princess stated, as if that explained everything.

Me too, tons of them. Like, why do we exist? Why do people on this hill always look down their noses? Why is everything here three times more expensive but only half better? He turned to go. Unfortunately, I dont think there is a law that forces me to listen to you.

Wait!

Why? Kai raised a brow in challenge, concealing his amusement. Are you going to call back your little bodyguard if I dont? Nothing like a sprinkle of reverse psychology to ensure she didnt involve someone else.

Adrian is just a friend, and I can. The affronted look was back. Valela shut her mouth as if to prevent the words from escaping, hands tightened into little fists.

A pulse of mana broke through the enchantments in her dress. The adult poise was gone, leaving behind a flustered girl about to stomp her feet and throw a tantrum. As she was about to burst, her mana retreated.

Such a pity.

Within a single breath, Valela regained her stately mask. Im going to pay you to answer my questions. Her voice hardly betrayed any emotion.

Oh she wants to buy me? Flynn will forgive me, this story is worth gold.

Kai scratched his head with a pensive look, debating the matter. Okay, one silver per question. Higharbor was an expensive city, and the competition for alchemy goods was fierce.

One s Thats ridiculous. She collected her tone. It will take you a minute.

Well, thats my price. You dont have to agree if you dont want to.

Kai gave her the once-over. The delicate embroidery of her cream silk dress must have taken countless hours of work of a skilled artisan, not to speak of the gold hair clip, or the flower pendant with three emerald petals matching her eyes. Im sure you can afford it.

I'd feel guilty if her clothes werent worth more than Ive ever earned my whole life.

Valela pulled out a little squid-shaped purse from a fold in her dress. It had a round head with googly eyes and ten tiny tentacles. Her face dared him to say anything.

Its very cute.

Thanks. She checked the contents of the squid without letting him peek inside. I accept your deal. Know that breaking a contract is punishable by law, you cant lie.

Ive done my homework.

According to the Republic's tedious legal code, verbal agreements werent binding without a third party acting as a reputable witness. And he also remembered the lesson his mother had taught him as a toddler: laws were applied arbitrarily depending on the standing of the people involved.

Does she know, or is she making it up to scare me?

Whatever the law said, he didnt like his chances if Valela pursued the matter. In the best-case scenario, hed be put through the scrutiny he had spent the last year avoiding. It was her way of guaranteeing he didnt lie, he hoped.

Too late to turn back now. I dug my own grave and jumped inside with both feet.

Okay, but payment first, Kai put his palm up. The least he could do was ensure he didnt get scammed. After an indignant glare for doubting her honesty, the little princess smacked a silver coin in his hand.

Thank you for your patronage, my lady, what would you like to know? He grinned at her. Alas, I lead a pretty boring life.The initial instance of this chapter being available happened at N0v3l.Bin.

Valela opened her mouth before closing it again, her eyes wandering on the swordsman that overlooked the square. It confirmed she had insisted on stopping him as a matter of pride rather than any deep interest.

What are you doing here? she finally asked.

Really?

Is that even a thing, or is she making shit up?

Ill pay you five silver mesars for this answer. She tried to bribe him, her fingers had already fished out the coins from her purse.

Still no, I think were done. It was interesting meeting you.

Ten? Valela shook the poor squid dry, one coin skipped on the square paving, but her attention was on him. I've got eighteen, and not like your grade is such a big secret anyway. I can tell you Im Orange .

Kai halted his steps. That must be public information if youre as famous as you say. If she was determined to investigate him, there was little he could do to stop her. She certainly had the money to spare, and contacts in the Republic. If that happened this would turn into a mess.

Whats with this fucking night and my Luck, I bet I would have found her outside my door tomorrow if I ran away.

Ill tell you if you answer a question of mine. People cant fight the tides, just ride the waves. His grade wasnt as important without knowing when he achieved it.

She hesitated an instant. Deal, Ill answer as long as its not a secret about someone else.

Okay, but you go first. It was a risk, but when would he get access to inside information again? He had hoped to lay low and ignore the Republic till he left for the mainland. That didnt seem likely to happen now. Valela couldnt have gotten the information by herself, and if she knew about him, who else?

Dammit, is this encounter part of tonight's coincidences?

How do you know so much about me and where does your information come from? How many people know? If exposure was inevitable, he would take the initiative.

Valela pursed her lips. Thats three questions.

I can reword them into one if you have the time to waste. And its only fair I know since its about me.

Her internal debate was longer this time, but the conclusion didnt change. After we talked last time, I asked around to confirm your story. There werent so many people who reached Orange at your age outside Higharbor.

I knew she was a stalker!

Well then I read a report a while ago, it mentioned your teachers had left. They were important people on the continent.

Youve read a report about me? Kai felt the blood drain from his face, this was worse than he thought. Then a realization hit him. Was it from the Republic?

Yes, well. Valela stared at her feet. It's nothing unusual really, youd be surprised by the number of people who they have a file on. Yours wasnt even particularly accurate. I thought you were still in Sylspring, which was why I was surprised to meet you here.

Was he under surveillance right now? He forced his breathing to slow to not hyperventilate. How many people read it? Kai pushed the word out of his mouth in a strangled tone.

I I dont know, not many. Adrian wanted to show me the central archive, and I recognized your name by chance. It didnt look like anyone had checked it since it was put there. It was a terribly boring read and I skimmed through most of it.

Kai had never been more glad to be called boring in his life. Maybe it wasnt as bad as he thought, though he had severely underestimated the reach of the Republic.

Your grade? Valela asked with a soft voice. I wont tell anyone else if you want to keep it private.

Its the same one you have, I just had my enhancement and Id be grateful if you didnt share it. Now I need to go. Kai hurried back to the inner city.

Stupid artifact and stupid night.

Could he trust her? If she believed half of what she said about propriety and honor, she might keep his secret, if only to safeguard her pride.

Pieces of their previous conversation in Sylspring floated in his mind. She had promised to keep his privacy then, and no one came to bother him. Well, except Zerith perhaps. Was he the one who wrote the report about him?

Fuck!

Whatever the little princess chose to do, it didn't change that the Republic was keeping tabs on him.

Better knowing than not, I guess

The brisk walk through the upper city helped cool his mind and panic. Kai reached Ring Road and made his way home. The rapid back and forth had been closer to an interrogation than a friendly conversation.

Lets be rational. Whats the worst that could happen?

If the governor learned of his grade and profession, he might be forced to sign a shitty contract he had wanted to avoid it. Or it could only turn into a minor inconvenience. He had bet on worse odds.

What he needed to avoid at any cost was revealing his spatial ring and the stupid silver disk that landed him in this situation. Both were worth more than anything else he possessed put together. The chances they would let him keep them were below none.

What a headache.

Flynn found him not far from their house. I was coming to look for you. Are you okay?

Yes, did our house burn down?

No, the accidents were following you, but there is something you should see. He underlined with a meaningful look and refused to elaborate until they were back in their house.

I found this inside one of the pieces of your puzzles. Flynn offered him a folded piece of paper with a wry smile. If it makes you feel better, it was quite well hidden.