Perhaps Legolas was a better example to explain the high prelate. Only he was prettier, and maybe a tad more dainty. He poured tea with lithe fingers, and the more he did for Noa, the more uncomfortable the back meeting room became.

Caradec placed the ceramic teacup on the low table in front of Noa before moving to sit on the plush couch across from him. The weight of the silence was nearly unbearable, like the precursor to something terrible happening. All it was lacking was some suspenseful music. Strange how Noa missed that kind of music, if only to fill the space.

Instead, it was just them, High Prelate Caradec staring at Noa with icy blue eyes. His guards weren’t even in the room.

“So...” Noa started, leaning over and slowly picking up the teacup.

“So?” Caradec raised a brow, and sipped on his tea.

“How, exactly, did I undermine the monarchy’s authority?”

“Ardent, how did you not?” Caradec asked. “Everything you did, as Priest Olwen wrote to me, was to undermine their authority. You showed the monarchy that they couldn’t control you. A workers’ strike for starters, is a revolutionary idea. Would never happen in the capital.”

“It must have happened before somewhere,” Noa said, raising an eyebrow.

“Perhaps, but it would have been kept quiet, and nothing on this scale. Did you know that Briag is the only place that provides apples throughout the entire empire?”

Oh, so is that the name of this town? Noa hummed, running a hand down his face as he considered the implications of Caradec’s words. “Okay, but there are other apple farms, and our strike lasted like, a day.” Pathetic, really, he thought, cringing.

“Yes, but word gets around, and apples haven’t reached the capital in a week,” Caradec added, setting his blue teacup down. “All of the apple farms in the empire are on strike right now, and the harvest season isn’t over. The source of this? A young ardent in Briag.”

Noa’s jaw slackened. Slowly, he raised his teacup to his lips, and scrunched his face up at the sour taste.

“Sugar?” Caradec asked, leaning over and lifting the lid off of another cup with two handles... erm, whatever it was called. Noa wasn’t versed in tea sets.

Nodding, he reached over, taking two cubes and dropping them into his tea. It didn’t really improve much.

“When did the other farms go on strike?” he asked.

“A week ago, about.”

It took Noa a moment to count what’d happened this week, and he furrowed his brow. “Yeah, but my strike didn’t start until halfway through the week. That doesn’t line up,” he said.

“When did you tell people about the strike, ardent? Before it actually happened?”

“Well, yeah, of course.”

“News gets around, doesn’t it?”

Noa shrugged. “I guess, but before a strike actually happens?” he asked.

“You ran it on Yana’s farm, and someone from her farm told someone on Goustan’s farm what the plan was, who then told someone else, and after one farm did it, others followed. All six apple farms are not functioning right now.

“Not to mention, you uncovered a multitude of terrible crimes at the hands of a corrupt constable that the monarchy put in charge in these parts. These are big strides for the church,” Caradec explained.

“I was just trying to redeem myself,” Noa shook his head. Where are we going with this? he thought. “The monarchy’s not going to try to murder me or something for this, right?”

“There will be assassins in time, but not before they try other things. Part of the reason I’m here is to prepare you and the governing influences over this town for such events.”

End me now, Noa thought, deadpanning the high prelate. Oh wait, that’s exactly what they’re going to try!

“I’m a nobody. I just want to heal, go to school, not be assassinated!” Noa threw an arm up, his tea spilling across his pants. Great.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

Caradec smiled.

Bastard.

“By Elorn’s name, Ardent Noa Kai, you will go to school, and we won’t let you be assassinated. The monarchy will also view you as a sort of nobody for the time being, so the resources they spare are the resources to take care of a nuisance. Shut you down, so to speak. Your job is to make them think it’s working while never actually giving your allegiances to them. In the meantime, you work up to your next step in the church by becoming an acolyte.”

“You’re telling me that my options are either to be controlled by the monarchy, or by the church?” Noa asked.

“Yes.”

“I...” was not expecting such a direct answer. Huh.

“We won’t control your every movement, ardent,” Caradec reassured. Oh, he was good at that. Calm and collected. Yeah, but con men were also just as reassuring, so... The high prelate sighed, standing up. “You are indebted to trolls, correct?”

Noa nodded.

“I would like you to help them evolve.”

“Why?” Noa asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because, they will be powerful allies, especially in the coming days. Besides, Elorn looks favorably upon them, but much of human and elf kind do not. Their sheer size makes them frightening. An evolution will resolve that aspect while giving them greater strengths.”

Noa leaned forward. “Wait, you mean to say Magenta will get shorter if he evolves?” he asked.

“If this Magenta is a troll, then yes.”

A smile slowly came to Noa’s lips. No more wild troll roller coaster rides. “So how do I do this?” he asked.

“A troll can only evolve if he or she surpasses their limits within an aether dense area, and I believe there’s an item Priest Olwen has been holding onto that belongs to you━an Elorn blessed item.”

“My lock.” Noa nodded, leaning back. “What did Priest Olwen not tell you about?”

“I wouldn’t know.”

That was sarcasm, Noa thought. Right, so teach church members sarcasm and everyone else curses. Got it. “Okay, I’ll work on evolving the trolls.”

Caradec smiled, and Noa imagined every Legolas-lover swooning within a five mile radius. Damn! Even Noa thought that smile was swoon-worthy!

“What do my preparations for the monarchy involve?” he asked.

“I will take over your lessons every evening from now on,” Caradec said. “Your mentor is to stay with you throughout the day as well, and he will push you to your limits while being another form of protection.”

Noa cringed. I’m pretty sure Armael is going to be just as pleased about this as I am, he thought.

“The baroness and I will set up a formal court here as well. Our priority will be to resolve ongoing strikes before setting trial for Constable Loic and Farmer Yana. That too should further protect you and everyone else in this town.”

“That kind of actually sounds good,” Noa admitted, scratching his head.

Caradec gave a single nod. “Do you have other questions?”

Noa shook his head, though he was sure more would come to him later. As Caradec moved to the door, one did just that. “Will Priest Armael train the other healers in this town too?” he asked.

The high prelate turned. “If it is in our best interests,” he said.

“It is,” Noa replied, Caradec raising his brow.

“How come?”

“You say I’m important, right?” he asked.

“Perhaps the most important ardent in the kingdom.”

Then it’s my turn to dish back some swindling, he thought, his smile stretching. “Eliaz and Tin are my friends. They’re healers, and need training. Already in my party. Train them.”

“And how does training these healers benefit the church?” Caradec asked.

“For one, Priest Olwen already promised Eliaz would be trained. I’d be hard pressed to continue with a church that can’t keep their own promises.”

Caradec pulled his lips into a thin line. “As would I,” he said. “The promise will be honored.”

“Great, and when Eliaz and I go to school, Tin will remain as the only healer in town. It would be the goodwill of the church to maintain a working relationship with a vital part of the town’s, uh, medical infrastructure,” Noa said.

“Is Tin interested in becoming an ardent?” Caradec asked.

“Not sure. But I like him. This town deserves to have a trained healer when Eliaz and I leave,” Noa shrugged. Though it was Eliaz’s idea. Does this count as plagiarism? he thought. He ignored the little voice of right and wrong in the back of his head.

“Of course,” Caradec grinned. “It seems that you have this town’s best interests at heart, ardent. Church headquarters will be most pleased with your character.”

Why do I get the feeling this is going to backfire somehow? Noa wondered.

“Speaking of which, I plan for us to visit the capital after the trials. His lordship, Patriarch Adrian, will be eager to meet you.”

“Lordship?” Noa asked, raising his brow. He stood up, dropping the teacup. It teetered off the other side of the table, and as far as he could tell, didn’t break, fortunately. He still hoped it wasn’t Lila’s favorite set. “As in, church leader?”

“Yes. He has been closely following your pursuits here in Briag, all you did in Elorn’s name, of course. I will need to get you some proper robes before we go,” Caradec said, looking Noa up and down.

“Right, in Elorn’s name,” Noa muttered. I really am a posterboy.

Caradec made his exit, and Noa moved to pick up the teacup. He sighed at the new chip at its base, and set it on the low table next to the high prelate’s cup. Freezing, he furrowed his brow. “Damnit!” he hissed. I didn’t get him to say that Tin would be trained!