“You can’t come with us. It’s too dangerous,” Alex said firmly.

He had almost made it to the gate when a fuming Nekya rushed screaming with Devin trailing behind looking tired. Alex immediately knew the little Worder mage had somehow made the retainer spill the information. It was his mistake, afterall he knew perfectly well how docile Devin was before his employer.

“Why not? You aren’t much stronger than me. If you can go, so can I!” Nekya said with her arms crossed.

Nekya didn’t take the idea of staying put in the castle too well.

Alex shook his head in dismay. He looked around making sure there wasn’t any catfolk around that could hear them.

“Look I need you here. You’re the Goddess for these people. Think what would happen if you died,” Alex said softly.

“I can’t die. I-”

“I know you’re just a simulacrum,” Alex stopped her. This wasn’t the first time she used that excuse. “But they don’t. No matter how many times anyone tells them that the real you is still alive, it won’t matter. All they will see is that the Goddess died in a shantytown.”

“But-”

“And the True-Nekyans,” Alex decided to pull out his trump card. He watched as Nekya’s face warped into a dark scowl. Unsurprisingly, the Worlder wasn’t too happy when she heard someone was stealing her name against her. “The True-Nekyans will say this is the proof that you’re no god.”

It had the reaction he was hoping for. Nekya’s eyes went wide and she pouted.

“Fine. But I’m coming next time. And I want to know everything that happened,” she said. Nekya didn’t wait for a reply and turned around, “Come on Devin. Let’s go see the castle.”

Devin shuffled after her as well.

“That woman is quite an odd ball, eh?” Captain Zevin, who had remained quiet all this while, said. “Even that Devin. Sucking up to her like a kid when we all know he’s truly like.”

“Well one of them pays us, the other I can call an asshole,” Alex shrugged as he walked towards the gate.

***

A company of two catfolk soldiers accompanied them, dressed in full plate armor and spear in hand. Despite his initial misgivings, Alex agreed that the company did make a better appearance then with just Captain Zevin and himself.

As it turned out it was a greater boon to bring the soldiers along than he had anticipated. Alex expected it to be hard to find the old catman in the crowded shantytown. But in reality, it turned out to be must simpler.

“It’s safe sir,” the catfolk guard said with a salute. “Only the Elder is in there.”

The old catman wasn’t hard to find. Known as the Elder among the catfolk, the he was a popular figure. It only took asking a local and soon a meeting was arranged

Alex looked at the shack before him. Leaning to one side, with metal sheets for walls and a tarpaulin roof, it was a marvel that the thing was standing without magic.

“Stay here. Don’t let anyone enter,” he instructed and walked in along with the buffed Captain Zevin.

Alex parted the patched curtain and walked in. The space inside was completely empty with just the Elder standing in one corner.

“Please come in,” the Elder said in his wheezing voice. The old man was dressed in the same grey tunic with a wooden stick in hand the black cat spoke. “Please… what help I can do.”

“I can speak in your language if you would prefer,” Alex spoke activating the [All-speech] rune.

The Elder had an excited look on his face, and nodded a smile, “A smart space-alien. To learn the tongue of the catfolk after just one day. If I am be so presumptuous, may I say, it was extremely wise of you to bring along your friend here. The folks here aren’t too fond of aliens that sneak around their humble homes.”

Alex gave Captain Zevin a sideway glance. The combat-mage wouldn’t understand a word of the conversation, but there was no annoyance on his face as he stood behind him like a rock. “He isn’t just show. Captain here can probably level the entire neighborhood if he wanted.”

Alex decided to not try to be polite with the Elder. He had learnt his lesson dealing with Devin. If he needed something, it was best to show strength rather than restraint.

“Oh I can see that. His power is much greater than yours.” The Elder replied.

“You can see it? What do you mean?”

The Elder gave a smirk, “I see your Goddess doesn’t really know much. I know because of the generosity of the royals. They blessed me with this power!”

Alex narrowed his eyes as he readied himself. He didn’t get any feel from the old man that he was a magic user. Every magic user had traces of mana residue on them. Higher the strength of a magi, bigger the residue. It was one of their courses in the Academy to sense mages with their mana-residues, and how to erase them!

But magic in this planet, Bambee, was a new thing. Much less for magic to be taught in a structured manner. For a local to be able to erase his mana-residue, the Elder had to be a highly proficient caster.

“You’re a caster,” his statement came out more of a statement than a question.

“A caster? No, no. Magic is for the royals. Not folks like me.” the Elder said with a puzzled look. “Your Goddess might be able to fly and make fire appear from air. But you know why I trust in our Royal? She can see through our souls!”