Choice - 10

Choice - 10

It was Toross who was at the door. "I hope you had a good rest. We have a lot of things to do today," he said, with a sense of energy that could never be displayed by someone who was suffering from a hangover.

I didn't ask anything as I stood up. While his words weren't followed by the exact kind of pressure that followed Falael's words, there was no harm in showing my enthusiasm for following their orders the more obedient I looked, the easier it would be to slip things through them.

Besides, Toross was still radiating a sense of aura that asked for respect and obedience, which was more constant than Falael's occasional flares, and being proactive in questioning him might make me suspicious about my ability to reject the impact of his Charisma.

It was better to be safe.

"Wear something more comfortable," he said as he pointed at the wardrobe.

"Anything in particular?" I asked.

"Just some pants and a loose tunic, maybe some robust boots will do. We will be moving around a bit today," he said, then smirked. "I hope your old bones can handle it."

"Don't worry, I'm already feeling like fifty after receiving that boost of Vitality," I answered, giving him an enthusiastic smile as I moved toward the wardrobe. He closed the door, staying out while I looked for something practical.

Soon, I found some, at least after discounting the blinding colors. A bright, sky blue pants with gold accents was bad enough, and the even brighter green pants didn't make things any easier. The best boots I was able to find were dark red, which would have looked halfway decent if it was paired with dark clothing but clashed horribly when combined with the others.

As if they were trying to make sure I would never blend into the crowd.

"I'm ready," I called from a distance, and he opened the door.

"Follow me," he said. I did, passing several rooms as before. The room they had been drinking in the last night was still open, but this time, there were a few servants putting things in order, but even they were moving with a shocking speed and grace, better than the best dancer back in my world.

Some of the other doors were open, with servants going in and out still, but the library door was already closed.

"Did you get a good night's sleep?" he asked as he walked, though his tone left no doubt that it was more of a habit than actual care.

"It was relaxing though a bit confusing," I muttered, but that was the extent to which I questioned my presence in the new world. I might have tried to sell the story of a pitiful old man, confused and distressed by the situation he found himself in, but since they didn't show any care about my comfort other than my immediate physical needs.

They didn't care about my mental well-being at all, or they expected these mental explosions to solve everything.

"Really?" I said, trying to sound impressed, although I desperately hoped he was bragging about his level of expertise. The worse he was, the easier I could dupe him.

I was glad for my little gambling session with the soldiers since it gave me a general understanding of how things worked in this new world. And while I wasn't digging a lot about skills and abilities, the brief mention of skill stones, and Falael talking about raising a beast for its abilities when I had been summoned for the first time, suggested that they were being acquired later.

Whether those were the only available paths or there was a method like awakening stats, was still a mystery.

Still, combined with other information, it gave me a sense of direction when Toross led me toward the central tower. Particularly, toward the large opening at the center, with several pieces of equipment already being spread.

At the edge of the opening, another familiar face was waiting for us, but with his hands buried into his palms and his body shaking, he was giving me the more signs of a hangover. I was surprised by the level of his distress, especially with my own experience with Vitality neutralizing the impact of alcohol.

Toross showed some interest in his state as well but for a different reason. "Wake up, sleeping beauty, it's time to work," Toross shouted, far too loudly, and only after getting close to him.

Falael groaned in pain. "Shut your mouth, you moron. My head is killing me, what was in that bottle."

"You're the one who claimed you can handle my special brew, don't blame me," he said, laughing loud enough to hurt my ears. From his pained moans, it was clear that affected Falael even worse. "First, your pet, now our bet, the mission is not exactly shaping out well, is it?"

Their rivalry was welcome for me. The more they were distracted by each other, the easier I could slip something without arousing any suspicion not to mention the opportunities like the night before.

Falael groaned in pain again. "Silence," he gasped as he grabbed a blade from his waist, and threw it the motion was smooth and fast, but it was nothing compared to the flight of the dagger itself, fast enough to disappear from my view.

But not for Toross, who didn't even stop laughing as he caught the dagger, the blade between his fingers.

A good reminder for me that, no matter my experience, I was nothing against them in terms of the actual threat.

"Come on, we have work to do, or do you want to explain to them why we don't have a detailed report when we arrive at the capital," Toross said. Falael raised his head, his frustration showing. But I had a feeling that it was more about asking Falael to work while he was suffering from a hangover than anything else.

"Go and start lifting some rocks, ignore our discussion, and let us know if a notification arrives," Falael ordered, once again accompanied by that same weight even more intense this time. I made a show of stiffening and started walking towards the smooth, polished rocks of various sizes.

"Oh, come on, it's a waste. Do you think an old man like him could even awaken Strength?"

"Maybe, but either way, it'll give me a chance to sleep a bit more. Now, shut your mouth, my head is killing me," he said as he closed his eyes once more.

Making my job of tricking them considerably easier.