Lunch was way over by the time when Dallion reached the inn. Both Luors had gone by then and Jiroh was out buying supplies for the week. Hannah, however, remained. The moment Dallion stepped in the inn, she gave him a look screaming disappointment. At that moment Dallion knew he was doomed.

“Aspan, heat up some leftovers!” the innkeeper shouted.

You’re in a bit of trouble, dear boy, Nil said. Still, nothing to be concerned about. Hopefully.

Aren’t you optimistic, Dallion grumbled mentally. What makes you so sure she won’t just kick me out?

Hannah doesn’t kick out. If she wanted you out, you’d find all your possessions ready for you downstairs. Or outside if you really pissed her off.

“I don’t have all day, Dal,” Hannah raised her voice.

Dallion saw no other option than to join her at the bar. The seat he took was the same he had sat in upon arriving in the inn for the first time. Back then, he had been applying for a job. One meeting with the city guard overseer and he felt he would have to go through the entire process yet again. Nil might have said that he wasn’t kicked out, but then again, he hadn’t said that Dallion was guaranteed to stay.

“What did I tell you when you came here?” the innkeeper asked.

“No eating in the room, no sex, nothing—”

“That would get you in trouble with the city guard,” she finished for him. “You work for your room and board, plus get a little extra based on how well you do. Clear simple rules, and still you manage to make a mess.”

“There were reasons I had to—”

“I guess congratulations are in order. There’s one rule which you didn’t break—eating in your room.”

The implication was clear, filling Dallion with a deep sense of guilt, but also surprise. Before he could say anything in his defense—possibly adding a note of calm through his music skills—Hanna went to the kitchen, then came back with a tray of food that she slammed in front of Dallion.

“Eat up,” she said with a sigh.

After a moment’s hesitation, Dallion picked up the fork.

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice what you were doing in the room? With Eury no less. All this time and the girl hasn’t changed one bit. The sad thing is that you thought the same.”

Dallion opened his mouth to say something, but before he could, Hannah raised a finger, indicating it would be a terrible idea if he did.

“I know about all the times she sneaked an ex in her room, just as I know about everything else that happens in my inn. Your friends know that, that’s why they didn’t try anything while they were here. What they do outside is their business, within reason. And that’s not to say I approve of Gloria getting messed up with the mirror pool. The only reason you’re not out on the street is because your hairbrained scheme was aimed to help her.”

“You know about the mirror pool?”

“Dal, I’ve had awakened come and go ever since I bought this place. The reason I’m still in business is that I’m good at noticing things and keeping quiet about it. Like your other dealings, for example.”

“What other dealings?”

The innkeeper snorted. Dallion didn’t need to create other instances of himself to know that she was referring to Cloud’s visits, and those of the general’s servants. The fact that he hadn’t caught on was impressive enough; the fact that Hannah hadn’t pointed it out till now was outright terrifying.

“Well?” Hannah asked.

“What?” Dallion blinked. He didn’t expect to react with a question.

“You were going to give me an explanation, and considering you haven’t been the worst tenant, I owe you that much. So out with it.”

Was this how someone felt when facing an awakened with the ability to split? Dallion felt as if a large part of the conversation had taken place, but was cut out from his memory. Was there such an awakened skill? Hopefully not.

Slowly, he looked around. The room was empty. The only other person in the entire inn was Aspan, and a few potential tenants who had rented rooms early for the upcoming festival. Even so, Dallion didn’t feel comfortable talking in the open.

“Can we go into a realm?” he asked in hope.

The innkeeper shook her head.

“There’s something dangerous on the loose,” Dallion said. “The overseer wanted to learn what I knew on the matter.”

“That’s all you can give me?”

“Yes.” Dallion replied.

“Are you sure?”

This was what it felt like being between a rock and a hard place. The overseer wouldn’t be at all happy if he shared anything about the copyette. At the same time, there was the very real danger that Hannah would kick him out if he didn’t. As far as she was concerned, he had already broken several of her rules. Trying to act like a wiseass, which was what he was giving the impression of right now, could turn out to be the final straw.

“I’m sure.”

It wasn’t what the innkeeper wanted to hear, but at the end of the day, that was his choice and he was willing to accept the consequences.

“Fine.” The woman looked away. “Seems like you’ve made your decision, and I’ll make mine. You need freedom to do what you want? You have it. Cost of the room is a gold per week. Food is still included, but if you eat up there, you’ll clean it up. Then you’ll be free to do whatever you’re doing. No visitors upstairs and you do all your fun and games outside. If you get into any trouble, it’s on you.”

The speech was new, but it was pretty much what Dallion expected. In effect, he was being kicked out, but he at least was offered to pay for his room, like any other customer. Of course, he had the option to crash at Eury’s place. He did have his own key, so potentially that was a possibility. He’d have to check with her first, though. And if worst came to worst, he might ask for help at the guild.

“Or, you can show me some respect for once.” Hannah still wasn’t looking at him. Despite her best attempts, Dallion was able to hear the hint sound of sadness resonating buried among scores of other emotions. “Follow the rules, don’t get in trouble, and keep on staying here as before. One more mess up, though—” she raised a finger, turning to look him straight in the eyes “—and I’ll take you to the city guard myself! I don’t care what you’re trying to do! If you’re in trouble, come to me. And by that I mean me, not dump your problems on Jiroh. The girl has enough on her mind as it is. Think you can do that?”

“I think I can try,” Dallion said in a low voice.

For several long seconds, the innkeeper kept on looking at him, after which she looked down at his place.

“I told you to eat up! You awakened are all the same! You think that you’re invincible because you have a bit of power. Power without feed and practice is glass in the wind—you never know what’ll shatter it.”

That was an interesting saying. It sounded somewhat familiar, although Dallion couldn’t place it exactly. Still, at this point, it was better to finish his food without agitating her more.

“So what did the old witch want from you?” Hannah asked in a hushed voice. “Without going into details.”

Dallion almost choked. “You know her?” he mumbled through a mouthful of food.

“Everyone knows her. They just don’t like her. She’s been in the city for decades, some say centuries. When she wants to have a talk with someone, it’s always bad news. I had a talk with her a few times myself.”

The surprise made Dallion stare at the innkeeper.

“It was a while back. I was new to the city myself. She made it very clear that she didn’t want any trouble from me. After that, she called me a few times to keep an eye on this person or that. Still gives me the creeps when I remember her.”

It was difficult to tell, the overseer being covered from head to toe, but Dallion got the impression that she was at most in her thirties. Although, in this world, it was entirely possible there was a way for someone to live for centuries.

“She asked me to help by not helping…”

Hannah laughed, causing Dallion to feel utterly humiliated.

“First time I hear that one, but if the overseer says, who am I to argue?”

Told you that everything will be fine, Nil said. As long as you aren’t reckless. Just a personal piece of advice. That was your last warning. There won’t be any others.

I know, Dallion thought.

“What did she ask you the first time?” Dallion asked in turn.

“Reassurances that I wouldn’t cause trouble. Completely different thing. Still, I’m surprised that she wanted to see you. If anyone, I'd thought that Veil would be the one.”

“Veil?” What trouble had he gotten into?

“Or Gloria. They’re pure blonds. That’s certain to attract attention in more ways than one. I’m sure that the guard and the nobles have been keeping an eye on them. As has the mirror pool, as you probably know.”

“I know. She told me…”

There was a new moment of silence as Dallion continued eating and Hannah remained deep in thought.

“This danger you can’t talk about. Will it affect you?”

Instinctively, Dallion felt the pouch with the kaleidervisto in his belt. He had found a lot of echoes throughout the town, but nothing resembling a copyette. For the next few days, Dallion planned spending more time throughout Nerosal, although before that he had to find a way to make himself less obvious. For starters, maybe it was going to be a good idea to hang about Performer’s Plaza some more. A lot of people went through there, and he could show off his acrobatic and music skills to blend in.

“Very much. I’ll need to get a lot stronger for it.” He looked Hannah in the eye. “And not only in the realms.”

“I’m not training you,” Hannah said immediately.

“I wasn’t asking you to. That much was true, though now Dallion was starting to ask himself a few questions.

“You were. The best you could do is continue your training in the guild. They’ll know what’s best for you. Especially since you’ll be joining march. For all her faults, she has a good eye and can bring out the best of people on the battlefield. Skill wise, that is.”

It was obvious that Hannah went out of her way, not to mention Eury, although she clearly knew Dallion’s relation with the gorgon. Still, he couldn’t say those were bad ideas.

“Thanks for the food, Hannah,” Dallion said. “And the talk.”

“Let’s just hope you let the words enter that thick skull of yours and not bounce off like daggers off a wall.”

“Miracles have been known to happen.” Dallion nodded with a serious expression.

“Wise ass,” Hannah grumbled, but even she wasn’t able to fully hide her smirk.

“Sorry, by the way.”

“For what?”

“For being impolite.”

PERSONAL AWAKENING

As the inn changed into Dallion’s awakening room, a somewhat annoyed Nil entered from the corridor. Disapproval was written all over his face.

“I did apologize,” Dallion said.

“How do you expect to be taken seriously when you don’t follow basic etiquette?” The echo shook his head. “Awakening while eating is considered an insult in the more civilized provinces.”

“Considering everything going on, I thought I deserve some leniency.”

“If that’s the way you want it, very well.” Nil crossed his arms. “And how exactly do you plan on completing the trial? Don’t tell me you think you’ve learned how to swim after a few tries in the lake.”

“Well, it’s time to find out.” Dallion left the room and made his way to the door leading to his next awakening trial.