Since Zae Zin Nim wanted to freshen up before they left, Kai had a moment to stretch and prepare. He decided to take that time to learn a little more about who they were going to meet, since the first meetings hadn't gone particularly well. Guessing that the servants at an inn this fancy would be as servile as Krainuun, Kai just found the valet assigned to them and asked.

"Dowager Orillia was actually a crystallier in her youth," the woman told him. "By all accounts, she was a relatively average fighter, with neither the raw talent nor the family money to reach the higher ranks. But she caught the eye of a wealthy merchant, and their talents combined found them success here. When he died, he willed her all his family's money, so she is a somewhat prominent figure in the city."

"And this Crystallier Cooperative?" Kai asked. "What's that about?"

"One of many bonded organizations within the city, my lord. Perhaps you should ask her yourself, but I understand that it provides aid to some crystalliers. Some consider it a sad charity case while others are more positive, I am certainly not capable of judging myself."

"That's useful, thank you." Kai considered asking her more, but realized the woman was just a random inn employee. Knowing the local figures and gossip didn't mean that she could offer him tips about meeting someone important.

The description did make it sound like they were rapidly going down the rankings of power in the city, which he was sure would upset Zae Zin Nim. For his part, Kai wasn't quite sure what to think. Even though it was stupid, part of him respected that she'd sent them an invitation instead of pretending to be too superior to need them.

When Zae Zin Nim reemerged he realized that she had again covered her scars with make-up - sometimes he forgot about them because he wasn't thinking about it. He doubted that any potential employers would care, but then again, she might have been doing it for herself.

This time they headed to the eastern quarter of the city, a relatively wealthy but subdued district. No enormous crystal palaces in sight. Some of the complexes he saw looked a little worn down from the air, as if their owners had their best days behind them, but their destination itself was a very well kept little estate. Just several relatively modest buildings, though still expensive compared to what Kai had grown up with.

There wasn't space for their diamond star, so they had to leave it outside. An older gentleman in a fraying wrap welcomed them in and gestured for them to enter the main doors themselves. There they discovered Dowager Orillia herself, seated on one side of a table.

"Please do sit down, dear. Have some wine."

"Thank you." Kai smiled and took a polite sip. It was odd to be receiving the majority of the attention for once, with Zae Zin Nim just hovering along behind him.

Using the drink as cover, Kai examined their host more carefully. Orillia looked like she must be eighty years or older, and wore strange layers of wraps that must be out of fashion. Long white hair was piled up on her head and pinned in place with elaborate crystal combs. As she took a sip of her own wine, he noticed that her fingernails were painted a pearly white.

He used the lightest possible brush of his spiritual sight to get a sense for her. It seemed like she still had some Physique, which was likely why she looked so well-preserved for her age, and he thought he sensed a decent Soul Level. But she must have given away or sold many of her crystals, because her total Power was definitely below 100 now.

"I heard that Suortril was unkind to you," Orillia said with a somber shake of her head. "He was such an unpleasant boy, it's tragic that he's such an important merchant now."

Kai defaulted to his polite smile. "He wasn't interested in us, but you are?"

"Oh yes, I've been wanting to meet you. Strong Goralian stock, yet you have no Class at all, not even the sort of Irregular Class you might expect. That suggests to me that you were granted something unworkable, yet you managed to set it aside and even make something of yourself. To me, that suggests remarkable strength of character."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Even though it was obviously flattery, Kai found himself impressed by the old woman. Informants might have told her details about him, but deducing that about his Class was remarkably astute. Before he could think of what to say, Orillia moved on.

"I have somewhat of a philosophy, you see. I know it's unfashionable for an old woman to have a philosophy, but here we are." She set down her glass of wine and regarded him seriously. "We say that the best come out on top, but that isn't really true. Half the crystalliers in the city have no talent except their parents' money. If they want to help their children, well and good, but it isn't right that they push down talented people from the lower classes to do it."

"So is this a sort of charity?" Kai asked. He was starting to like the old woman and didn't want to let himself get suckered by an act.

"Not at all! Consider it striking a blow against the indolent rich. I heard about what you did in Romastir!" Orillia made several energetic jabs in the air, surprisingly fast for a woman her age. "Oh, I wish I could have seen you give them what for!"

Kai chuckled and hoped it didn't come off condescending. "Thank you. I have no love for people like that myself, but I have to ask, what are you offering?"

"I can pay you 12,000 Goralian eagles per month. Not as much as some, but I only ask that you help out with some projects and training younger warriors. What I do absolutely insist on is that you make an accounting of how you spend that money. I have no problem investing in the future of our next generation, but I will not waste my money on scoundrels."

That could be a reasonable philosophy... or it could mean that he'd have an old woman snooping in all his business and treating him like an irresponsible child. Even though it was the first offer he'd gotten, Kai found himself reconsidering. This might be the easy path, not one that would challenge him. Then again, the possibility of having more free time for his own training was tempting...

"What about me?" Zae Zin Nim asked. She had been listening politely during the conversation and now leaned forward.

"No thank you."

"No thank you?"

"I want to help those who life has frowned upon," Orillia said primly. "You look as though you've been praised from birth, weaned on magical pills, and favored at every turn. So I say, no thank you."

"You dare speak that way to me?" Zae Zin Nim's hands cracked the armrests of her chair and she sat forward, eyes blazing.

Orillia glared right back. It wasn't bravado - Kai could tell the old woman knew her strength and must know her opponent was stronger than her, probably even stronger than her prime. And yet she stared back as if she was disappointed that Zae Zin Nim would act so uncouth.

The moment crackled with tension... and they just kept staring. It looked like they would glare one another to death, so Kai coughed and spoke up.

"You're right that she was born to a powerful sect," he said, "but then she ran into a blockage and they threw her away. She came to Deadwaste and she helped me when no one else would. And if you're looking at souls, look at her Class. She grew up being told that her home's cultivation was superior to every other power, but she was willing to see differently."

At the end of his little speech Kai began to worry that he'd taken entirely the wrong tactic. Orillia was regarding him with piercing eyes that no longer looked so grandmotherly. Worse was Zae Zin Nim, who was hiding almost all the expression on her face except her eyes, which were wider than normal as she stared at him. He couldn't tell what she was feeling and he wasn't sure that she knew either.

"Oh my!" Orillia abruptly chuckled and broke the tension. "You have some fire in you, I see. Well, it's good to travel and meet different people when you're young. And I won't deny that it would help us, to have someone who Suortril was so desperate to hire."

"You're changing your mind?" Zae Zin Nim asked guardedly.

"I must flatly tell you that I cannot pay you what you would be worth elsewhere. But if you really want to stay with your friend here, I can pay you 10,000 Eagles per month for the same conditions."

At first Kai thought that Zae Zin Nim was going to be angry, but to his surprise she simply nodded and sat back. Had it actually moved that fast? He had just been investigating his options and now they were acting like the decision had been made.

"Can we have a moment to discuss?" Kai asked.

"Oh, of course, my boy. Take your time. Take some wine! Life shouldn't be rushed through."

Kai took Zae Zin Nim instead of some wine and they stepped out of the sitting room. He had expected her to reveal some hidden emotion, but instead she seemed subdued and thoughtful. They stared at one another for a while before he spoke up.

"You're okay with this?"

"A year ago, I would have said her philosophy was disgusting and misguided." Zae Zin Nim's lips twisted into a strange frown. "I am willing to see where this goes. Instead of getting involved with the merchants, we accept the old woman's money and cultivate as much as possible. We can always reconsider once we have a stronger base of power."

"Alright then." Kai breathed a sigh of relief as he realized that it was settled. He'd been leaning toward accepting Dowager Orillia's offer, so if Zae Zin Nim had somehow come around to that position, then the matter was settled.

It wasn't the path they'd expected to take, but when had the expected path ever worked for him?