Kiev laughed. “Gramps traced back the slave ship’s route that you took and went where you first arrived,” he said. “There were still lingering traces of space cracks there.”
“You could’ve simply asked,” Ewan said, suppressing his anxiety, and easing back. If the Governor only traced his steps, then he didn’t find anything. And common sense dictated that too. Drarith was a city but also acted as an organization with the Governor at the helm. If he invaded his people’s privacy with vetting as his excuse, no one would work with him anymore. After all, Ewan wasn’t the only one in this world with a secret.
But…did he find that egg?
“Confirming personally is still better,” Kiev said. “So, would you like to elaborate on the whole space crack plot? Or am I intruding?”
“It’s not something I care to hide,” Ewan said with a sigh. “My home colony was called Obria, you can find out about it easily if you want. Something big happened there a few months ago and I got caught up in the mess.” But just in case, he used a partial truth instead of fabricating a fragile lie—he didn’t need to either, the topic wasn’t a secret.
“Obria.” Kiev frowned, tilting his head. “I think I’ve heard that somewhere,” he said.
“It’s the colony that was auctioned,” Ewan replied.
“Oh! I remember now.” His eyes went wide, and he gaped. “Grandpa told me about it as it was happening,” he said. “You survived that….”
“Somehow, not without cuts and bruises, of course.” Ewan nodded.
“Now I understand your irritation. I heard some news about that place, some nasty news,” he said. “Were the religions there quite invasive too?”
“Can't say, I never paid attention really. But there was some speculation in a report I read that they caused all that chaos. I had limited information though, so cannot confirm.”
“What of my proposal then? Do you think it’ll work?” Kiev asked, tapping the table.
“Faith is business too,” Ewan said and shrugged. “Instead of using taxes, why don’t you compete? Why let them monopolize the market?”
“You mean start our own?”
“Yeah. People need a crutch, especially in an unwalled city like Drarith. If you give them the same, whose crutch do you think they’ll take? Yours? Or the outsiders?”
“It could work,” Kiev murmured.
“You have a few options for the god too.” Ewan picked up the report from the table and skimmed the important bits. “Lord of Smiles?”
“That’s what they call their god,” Kiev said.
“If that’s taken, how about god of war?” Ewan asked.
“Sounds a bit violent and competitive. And one church here used it before.”
“Something more peaceful then. How about the god of harvest, or coins? Or even better, the god of ocean,” Ewan said.
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“Hmm, we might be able to use that,” Kiev said. “It’s a big decision though, I’ll have to ask Gramps for it. He doesn’t get involved much with the city anymore, but this one I can't decide by myself.”
“In case he disapproves, you can always go with the taxes plan or simple force.”
Kiev nodded. “Let’s do that then,” he said. “By the way, I asked him for the books you wanted. He gave me what he had, to pass on to you, and said he would look for more in case they come up in his circle. I’ll have the guards deliver them to you tomorrow.”
“Thanks in advance then.” Ewan smiled. His efforts finally yielded results—a part of his plan finally succeeded. The books would get him one step closer to the mystic rune, he could almost see its shadow now.
“Also, Gramps has some gifts for you. He said he’ll give them to you when you meet him,” he said.
“When will it be?” Ewan asked.
“After you break through to Step-1,” Kiev said with a rueful laugh. “I apologize for him. He’s doesn’t see the need to see you before you two can talk business…he can come off a bit brash sometimes like that.”
“A man who has reached the heights he did deserves the awe and respect, let alone some patience,” Ewan said. “I don’t have any problem waiting, don’t worry.”
Kiev smiled. “I guess I never saw it that way, he’s just Gramps for me and my siblings, though we’re several generations apart.”
“As they say, familiarity breeds contempt,” Ewan said.
Kiev looked at him and curled his lips. “You sound like a smartass.”
Ewan chuckled. “You’re just jealous of my brain.”
A knock on the door interrupted their talks, and a girl—mid teen, camel-colored hair falling over her shoulders, with flour streaks smeared on her face—barged in with a tray full of steaming cookies in her hand.
“Valarie, at least wait for the reply when you knock,” Kiev said with a sigh.
“I-I baked some cookies. Would you like to try some?” she asked Ewan.
“Of course, they look delicious,” Ewan said, smiling, and ate one from the tray. They were a bit chewy and the melted choco chips should’ve given it a decadent flavor. Yet, he tasted nothing but baked flour with a hint of bitterness.
“Is it sweet enough?” she asked. “More sugar? Or more choco chips?”
“Sorry, I can't help with that,” Ewan said. “I can't taste sweet.”
She looked at him gaping, her eyebrows mellowing down. She had that look in her eyes that he recognized from years ago—a bit of pity and a bit of sympathy, the look given to a lost puppy in rain.
“Good lord.” Kiev facepalmed himself and heaved a sigh. “Dark, callous, and damaged; just what my sister needed,” he said.
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Status: Healthy
Step-0 [9th Awakening]
Name: Ewan Ayres
Species: Human
Vitality: 2.0
Spirit: 19.1
Anima: [Fire – 19.1 | Ice – 19.1 | Blood – 19.1]
Astylinds: 4 [Potential: 0]
Rolling Cat [Toast]: Step-0 [9th Awakening]
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Fire Monkey [Orange]: Step-0 [Level-9] [Grade-B]
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Imp [Frost]: Step-0 [Level-9] [Grade-B]
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Blood Lotus [Iris]: Step-0 [Level-9] [Grade-A]
Equipment: Common Clothes; Yurn [Neck Gaiter].
Storage: Journal; Elementalist—The Path of Anima [Subtype-Book]; Spellbook; Bloodlust [Spell]; Transmute [Spell]; Anima-Crystals [Novas Coins]; Obsidian Dagger; Hub-Connector; Ingredients.
Novas: 40,354
Crelith: 4,049