The man who had purchased Kai's services turned out to be a local merchant named Unklian, an enormously wealthy man who owned a major crystal mine, or a stake in one, or something technical like that. He was concerned about bandits attempting to attack the crystal shipments and wanted raw muscle to ward them off. That sounded like a job Kai could do.
Despite the fact that they treated this job like a hazardous position, Kai was offered fine quarters in one of the merchant's mansions. The quarters, not to mention everything else he was offered, apparently didn't even come out of his pay. While the level of luxury seemed insane to Kai, Zae Zin Nim seemed to think it was more or less their due.
Not being able to see her was the only major downside to the new deal. She had been hired by a noble who wanted a bodyguard for her entire family, particularly the young women. That put them on opposite sides of the city and they wouldn't be able to speak to one another as frequently.
Before splitting up, they'd had time to talk and confirm their unspoken commitments earlier. The amount of money they were being offered was simply too good to pass up. Zae Zin Nim wanted to spend all her Eagles on sources of qi and urged him to advance as well. On top of that, in a large city like Romastir they were sure to find various challenges and opportunities. They agreed that they had no plans to stay for years and didn't care about the rankings, but it made sense to stay for at least a few months.
With everything settled, Kai found himself in a room so shockingly luxurious he wasn't even comfortable in it. A giant bed that felt like it might swallow him, carpets everywhere, fancy crystals hung on the walls... he wasn't sure what to make of any of it.
"Is this really mine?" he asked. As he spoke, Kai turned to another thing making him uncomfortable: the servant waiting just behind him. He was a short man swathed in gray robes, a bit past his prime and nearsighted based on how he squinted. All of that was fine, but he cringed and bowed every single time Kai so much as looked at him.
"Oh yes, these are the quarters regularly given to crystalliers," the servant said with a spineless smile. "Lord Unklian has not had one in residence recently and is most grateful to have them filled."
"What happened to the previous one?"
"Lost in the monster incursion, I am afraid. But we do not need to speak of such matters, not wh-"
"Wait." Kai interrupted without thinking and the servant immediately drew back.
"Terribly sorry to offend you, my lord. Did you seek to know more?"
"What were the crystalliers of the city doing during the monster incursion?"
"The majority remained here to defend their masters, of course." The servant seemed to sense Kai's disapproval and drew back as if he could merge into the wall. "You must understand, the Krysal City States are very well-prepared for the incursions, so there is less urgency. Only a few went to fight and, quite regrettably, some perished during the violence. But there are always some losses during incursions."
"Huh." Kai's first instinct was to be suspicious, but this man seemed like he would rather cut off his arm than cause offense, so maybe it was true. That made more sense than the group of exuberant young crystalliers having just fought in a desperate battle. Was Krysal really so much better prepared, or did he not understand how it related to the Frontier?
"Is there anything else I can get for you, my lord? Anything at all?"
"Your name, for a start."
"I am Krainuun, if it pleases you." The little man gave a very slow bow.
"If it didn't please me, would you change it?" Kai's attempt at a joke died instantly and he quickly waved a hand. "Never mind. Listen, Krainuun, we might be barbarians in Goralia but I'm not used to this. I don't need you to wait on me or anything. But I understand that you can help me acquire things."
"Of course, of course! Anything you want that is within my feeble powers."
"We need you to sell this for the best price available." Kai revealed the Claw Tyrant core, which Zae Zin Nim had pushed off on him. He didn't trust all this luxury, but he wouldn't mind avoiding the bargaining and negotiation. "Oh, and I'd like to purchase any manuals or books about Krysali Physique training."
"At once." Krainuun took the monster core and disappeared out the door almost completely silently.
He moved so fast that Kai actually glanced at him with his spiritual sight, but the man didn't appear to be a warrior in the slightest. That actually surprised him a bit, since so far almost all the Krysali seemed to own at least a few crystals. Then again, they mostly used Goralian money, and maybe servants had different training. There were still details that didn't quite make sense to him.
Kai ignored the luxurious surroundings and spent the first day training and cultivating. The day after that, he was sent to actually work on the crystal shipments. At first he set to it eagerly, wanting to do a good job, then he gradually realized that he hadn't been hired to be in charge of everything.
Every aspect of the crystal trade was a finely-oiled machine that didn't need him. The mine was some distance outside the city, heavily guarded by soldiers from the city state itself, since it was a valuable state asset. Unklian only controlled crystals when they moved to a secondary processing location, then took them via wagon to various cities to trade. When Kai spoke to the workers, who seemed deeply uncomfortable to have a crystallier talking to them, they seemed to be more afraid of a raid from rival groups than monsters or normal bandits.
Stolen story; please report.
By the end of the work day, Kai thought he understood. He wasn't actually being hired as security, he was being hired as a symbol of strength. Without him, the crystal shipments would be seen as vulnerable. It was just a suspicion, but he wondered if mercantile rivals wouldn't have hired another crystallier to sabotage the process.
Would they send someone anyway? Kai remained alert for the first few days, ready for an attack at any moment and determined to earn his pay. Gradually his sense of tension faded and he just kept his monstrous hunger alert, leaving his mind free to focus on other plans.
His primary goal wasn't earning money, it was building on the strength he had already established. Most importantly, he needed to keep cultivating, both to hide his nature and to potentially open space for more monstrous powers in his soul. Since cultivation was a slow and exacting process, that would simply take time. Meanwhile he attempted to build on everything else.
Ever since breaking through to E rank Physique during the battle, Kai knew that he had great potential within him, he just hadn't fully tapped it. His normal training in the wilderness had increased it a few levels, but he was sure he could advance even faster with new training techniques. Hence his request to Krainuun.
The last major step forward was more abstract: finding a way to fuse several of his monstrous abilities. After his success with the Tyrant's Claw, Kai was certain that he could dramatically improve himself if he could just find the right combination. His goal was to find some way to unify everything to do with his Physique. No matter what he attempted, the monsters seemed incompatible, or the result felt destructive, or the essence simply refused to cooperate.
This early in the process, Kai wasn't even discouraged. He was trying to forge a new path and some stalling was to be expected. His best theory was that he needed a different sort of monstrous essence to produce a good combination. Various attempts with the Direclam's power had failed, but there were all kinds of new monsters around Romastir and he was sure something would work.
For those first several days, Krainuun said nothing about his assignment and simply attended to him. Kai considered asking, but he had enough other problems to worry about. When the small man entered the room carrying a small table covered in items, he was almost surprised.
"Your requests, my lord."
There were little tables just for deliveries? Kai first opened a small box, which was revealed to be filled with perfect little stacks of Goralian gold.
"I took some time finding the truly best price," Krainuun told him. The servant hovered nearby, rubbing his hands together. "A full three thousand Goralian Eagles, which I hope will please you."
"That's good, thanks." Technically it was a large sum of money, more than Zae Zin Nim had expected to get from it before, but it paled in comparison to the salaries given to crystalliers. Kai closed the box and turned to what interested him much more: the collection of books, manuals, and scrolls.
They were all of good quality, with stiff paper and tight bindings that put the ragged books at home to shame. Yet as Kai looked through them, he began to frown. Some of the books covered the simplest physical exercises, not even training that would help mana enrich the body. He discarded half the exercises as completely familiar to him, one quarter seemed inferior, and the last quarter were slight variations that added nothing.
It was his first major disappointment with Krysal. If Kai was an expert in any ordinary discipline, it was Physique training, and he knew how to evaluate training methods. This collection couldn't compare to the Granfian library and he'd grown more just getting access to the Corinin techniques from Inafay.
"Is this really the best the city has to offer?" he asked.
"Forgive me, my lord!"
Kai looked up in astonishment as Krainuun cringed backward, practically hugging the floor. The man was actually trembling and there were tears in his eyes... did he expect Kai to attack him? As he stared at the servant Kai wasn't sure whether to be offended, disgusted, or just baffled.
"Hey, hey." Kai started to reach out to the other man's shoulder and thought better of it. "I'm not angry, I'm really just asking."
"I assure you, my lord, I did the very best I possibly could." Krainuun pressed his face firmly to the floor. "These techniques may not reach your lofty standards, but I do not believe that any servant could find better. Perhaps in the vaults of the greatest merchants, but you must understand, I simply cannot-"
"No, it's fine, I understand."
"Please, my lord, allow me to wipe away this blot on my service. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
The man's cringing was making Kai sick to his stomach and he almost ordered him out, but he decided that was a different sort of cowardice. It would be childish to run away when he was uncomfortable. Just reassuring Krainuun seemed likely to be ineffective, so Kai searched for an idea that might give the man a chance to prove himself. Surprisingly, he thought of one almost immediately.
"Shrouds." Kai snapped his fingers as it came to him. "I've seen several crystalliers with powerful shrouds hiding their power. Could you get manuals on those? Or... would it be reasonable for me to ask you to find some?"
"Extremely reasonable, my lord, eminently reasonable." Krainuun bowed to him several more times and then began to retreat from the room. He seemed to have calmed somewhat, but at the door he suddenly paused and turned back, with fear obvious in his eyes. "Forgive me, my lord, but there is one more thing."
"What is it?"
"Master Norgoan and the other crystalliers request your presence at Crystallier Headquarters. There is to be a feast in your honor, you understand, and it would be highly encouraged for you to attend."
"A feast?" Kai blinked in surprise as his expectations shifted yet again. "Sure, I'll go. Anything I need to do?"
"Of course, there are various details, but please do not trouble yourself about them. We servants will attend to every detail and acquire clothing for you, you may focus on your training. Now, I will trouble you no longer and take my l-"
"Is this normal, Krainuun? We just walked into the city a few days ago and we haven't really done anything special. Why is everyone treating us like this?"
Krainuun turned back to look at him with a strange expression and for the first time Kai wondered if the servant wouldn't tell him the truth. But soon enough the smaller man smiled and bowed again.
"Please understand, my lord, that warriors with more than 100 Power are not seen every day. Even the great merchants must spend a substantial portion of their wealth to produce one. You are an extremely valuable asset, and they cannot afford to lose you. So please be at ease, my lord, and enjoy the fruits of your labor."
With that, Krainuun slipped out and left Kai sitting alone. Surrounded by luxury, he felt the exact opposite of at ease.