“Please wait, the chairman will be here soon,”

Nodding at the assistant, I take a seat, in a somewhat uncomfortably clean office, the chair squeaks as my back presses on the packaging plastic still unremoved from it,

Everything looks unused, even the floor is squeaky clean, the desk in front of me untouched,

Almost like they are all props……

“Ahh, there you are!

Glad we can finally meet,”

A distinguished middle aged man strides in, he smiles flashing a set of perfectly white teeth, set into a chiseled jaw, his full head of hair is obviously dyed a deep black, probably done to hide it’s graying,

The man’s commanding blue eyes stare at me as if I were a long-lost pet of his….

“Do you know me?” I ask immediately

“Not personally no, but I know of you, Kage,

That is what you call yourself correct?” the man extends his hand

“….

That’s my name.” I ignore it

“Ah yes of course exactly what I meant,” he pulls his hand back awkwardly

“Why did you bail me out?”

“I did not post your bail,

I ordered for you to be released,

I am the chairman of the UCA, after all,”

“What does that entail exactly?”

(I have to pick this man for as much information possible)

“The government of the united countries consist of all the leaders of the individual countries,

I am the man that sits at the head of that table,”

“What does someone of your ‘importance’ want with me then?

I am just a lowly criminal,”

“Ha-ha, Kage, I know you better than that,

You know what you are worth.”

(Know me?

And why did he avoid answering directly?)

“Shall I repeat my question?” I stare at the man firmly,

“I see you as valuable asset to work with from now on,

Even greater than I see those other two from the third ring,

They may be magic users, but you……”

“Me what?” I press on

“Am I from this ‘North’ place that was mentioned??”

“Well in the case of everyone that isn’t me and you, yes” the man paces around the room, he leaves the desk untouched, as if he would rather not sit at it

“What do you mean by that?”

“Don’t worry Kage, your secret is safe with me

My family have known about you since you first ‘visited’ this ring,

You probably don’t remember since you were ‘sleeping’ back then,”

(I was here before?

Is that why I have prior knowledge of their technology?

This man, he definitely knows of me)

“What else do you know about me?”

“Well, that is why I’m here right now, there is so much we can learn about you,

If you could just tell me when********** is and how to********”

{!!!!%%%^^%%%!!!!}

(What is that buzzing sound, I can’t hear anything he says!?)

“Are you listening?” the man looks at me directly,

“Umm, could you repeat that?”

“If you are tired, we can continue this conversation another time,” the chairman’s eyes dart around nervously

(I wonder what he asked me)

“No, we can continue, what was it you asked?”

“Don’t bother,” the man sighs

“I realize now, I should have given you proper time to adjust to being out of prison and to this ring, before rushing you with such important questions.

We shall have to reschedule this meeting,

I am willing to answer anything you want to know,

You should have the same mentality towards me as well”

“Who are exactly, I still haven’t gotten an answer?”

(More, I want to know more)

“Do you mean my name?

I am chairman ‘Adam Second’,

In my family tree I am the two hundredth and twenty-first man with that name,

Our family name, ‘Second’ shows that we are the descendants of the first rulers of the Second ring,”

“Mr. Second?”

(Name does not ring any bells)

“Well Kage, I hope we can continue this conversation when you are well rested,

As long as you are on this ring, I will see to it that you are treated well,

Any problem you have contact me and I shall fix it.”

“……..” I don’t reply instead nodding silently to the man

(He seems suspiciously helpful to me)

“……

……...Umm, Tasha!?” Mr. Second taps a device on his wrist, immediately summoning his assistant,

“Yes Mr. Second?”

“See to it that our guest is taken care of….” Mr. Second leaves…

……..

……..

Leaving Kage behind in the room the man hurriedly takes out his phone,

The screen shows he was amidst an ongoing call the whole time...

“I think I rushed it, I got carried away and started asking them about, you know what,”

{“Did they suspect you, Adam?”}

“I’m not sure, they gave me a blank look when I asked, they may not trust me enough yet”

{“Maybe we ought to bide our time with them a bit longer, Adam

Take care of Kage, give whatever they ask for,

But on the names of the dead gods,

Do not let Vaughn know Kage is here yet”}