“Reravir should vacate the premise as they are no longer qualified for a position of the Eight Supremacies.”

“Our Giyaroi Clan has better qualification and it’s only a matter of time before we would official letter of approval!”

Few shouts filled with arrogance were thrown as well as fabrics of different colours. The few men who were standing opposite of this crowd looked on with unease.

I pushed my way and arrived at the front of the pavilion, carefully navigating myself to avoid getting rained by fabrics. I approached one of the men inside.

“Do you know where the table 22 is?”

The man, a red-hair human with a slightly tanned skin wearing a Valvakean cloth, looked at me and then narrowed his eyes.

“What business do you have with one of our elders? Unfortunately, we’re quite preoccupied with ‘free gifts’ from our fellow citizens.”

With a sarcastic tone, he bitterly said those words with a grimace and gritted teeth.

I sighed and took out a medallion that Fellixa had given me.

When he saw it, his face had a slight change.

“That little girl entrusted it to you? Fine, you see that old man? He’s the guy.”

He pointed at one of the tables on the innermost side and went back, staring at the crowd. I guess he’s the security, acting on the part of making sure nothing goes awry.

True, there was an old man sitting there, enjoying his drink.

Fellixa… gave a very simple detail at that time so I had sent her a few mails like ‘What time should I go?’, ‘can you give the directions to the pavilion?’ and ‘will I get abducted and imprisoned?’

For the answer, it was around the start of the afternoon until nearing evening as that old man would enjoy his tea for three hours. This was crucial information but she brushed it off lightly written in the letter that she forgot.

When I had reached the table, the old man looked at me while sipping his tea.

“Fellixa sends her first gift.”

After hearing me, he calmly put down his tea and closed his eyes as he sighed.

“That girl… She still begrudged over what had happen.”

He sighed-

“Please take a seat.”

He gestured by nodding at the seat next to him.

After I sat, he solemnly enjoyed his tea while the clamouring from outside the pavilion resounded. It made a quite a contrast compare to this calm atmosphere.

“I sent her there so she can rally the help of the Northern Tribes and that she did but when I told her to find a summoned that we are able to bring to our side, she had to pick you.”

“I don’t even know why nor what the hell had I gotten myself into.”

I sat down andafter saying as such, chuckled helplessly.

“Tea?”

“… Sure, why not.”

He gestured at the man who was hidden behind a pillar and that man was holding a jug. He took out a cup, poured tea into the cup and placed it in front of me.

With a sip, it tasted a bit fruity bitterness.

“Well, since you’re here anyway, we can’t reverse or change the plan and I don’t know how but even though you gain the trust of that fool-hardy girl, I need to know whether I could do the same.”

“It’s completely normal and I understand that. Actually, how I gain her trust was that I didn’t even do much but she did on the other hand. Fellixa’s action was bewildering and makes no sense to put a complete faith in me but if it were -as she puts it ‘Intuition’- then I can vouch that she made a right choice.”

“You say that but we need to test how trustworthy you can be. You can refuse now since you’re not in too deep but if you proceed, then you will be implicated to be in cahoots with us and if the worst case scenario happened, you will go down along with us.”

The old man, while enjoying his tea had said some ominous words. This is some real-life conspiracy shit equaling the plot of the Matrix but it’s a chance for me to understand what is really going on.

After pretending to be in deep thought-

“Count me in.”

--

Time passed and yet the crowd has not ceased their protest. Greidan Reravir was quite the conversationalist.

“I’m surprised you can drink tea with a composed manner while just a few feet away, there’s an angry mob at your door-step.”

“When you get as old as I am, nothing can really faze you. You call that a mob? Some years ago, one of the elders in Teohuca clan had strings of major scandal leaked and his residence were surrounded by armies of angry men and women, throwing fabric after fabric, nearly depleting the fabric supply of this city. They dubbed that day ‘The Silky Palace’ incident.”

We both chuckled in response.

It seems that the act of ‘throwing fabrics’ was really a cultural tradition unique only in Valvakea.

Both of us were at ease with each other because as we converse, we both realized that we had a similar mindset and perspective. It felt refreshing talking to someone you can feel akin with.

“You know, before this, I absolutely despised tea. My late brother was the one who always drink them and sat here, enjoying. After I took over, work piles up and only a few days had gone by before I felt over-stress. Out of curiosity, I tried emulating my brother with this habit. Since I hated tea because it felt like drinking bitter water, I tried other drinks but it doesn’t feel right.”

He took a sip while nonchalantly narrating as I sat by, drinking mine quietly.

“But I found out there’s a plethora types of tea so I began experimenting. Times passes by and at that time, I thought I’m qualified to call myself a tea aficionado. Drinking tea in this spot, I finally understood why my brother enjoyed this. All your troubles just seem to be so… far.”

Nodding in an absent-like manner, we chatted for a few topics.

--

I left via another entrance as Greidan told me that trying to wade through the throng of protesters was dangerous after they saw me associated with him.

My mind was preoccupied about the task he gave me. It’s problematic but doable although I can’t say I fully approved of it. Deceiving my fellow summoned is distasteful unless it fully benefits us without too much detriment. I’m still trying to find the outweighing factors.

Huh, I walked without thinking much about it I realized the present problem.

That problem was the street that I was in right now look pretty desolated. There are barely people around here.

I think the way back was this way?

Oh, three or five people are surrounding me.

I stopped and stood still while letting them surround me.

All of them were armed and lightly armoured while wearing kilt as though they were using uniform.

While all of them were wearing a blank grey masks, a young man with long visible green hair with a light armour over his kilt stood in front of me.

“I don’t accept solicitation.”

Of course no one laugh with my bad joke but no harm in trying to lighten the tension.

“Ruigne of the Summoned, you are guilty of colluding with Reravir clan.”

“What? No fair trial and just a hand down judgment?”

Still with a joking manner in contrast with the man monotonous and humourless voice, I don’t feel threatened enough. Maybe the threat level coming from them is just low.

Without further word, the man gestured with a head flick towards his companions. All four of them started to move closer but before anyone of them had reached their second foot step, I activated [Synikorvus] while taking out a Kashra paper, enchanted with a Black Eomancy Advance Spell- ‘Paralysation Blast’ and unleashed the spell.

In a blast, a black wave swooped them over and they fall as they lost control of their bodies. Without a pause, I manually cast a Blue Eomancy spell ‘Wind Friend’ on myself and ran past my encirclement.

I was lucky enough to catch all of them unaware as the range of the spell as the area of effect is quite short but rendering your opponents motionless is them being as good as dead unless they have a strong attunement with Eomancy or some Eomancy protection spells.

It would take about a few second for them recover. Maybe I could deal a few of them off but I realized I’m not that ruthless or rather I don’t like doing it with my own hands.

After running in a few good distances, I stopped and placed down Kashra papers one after another in a strategic placement and lastly I use a Light Purple Spell that masked all the papers in a ten metre radius, making the area surrounding me a mine field.

Just to be safe, it’s probably a good time for me to use this measure.

I took out a rocket-like object and with a simple Red Eomancy spell that emitted a burst of heat, I lighted one end and the rocket ignited, bursting forth up in the air.

After a considerable height, the rocket exploded into a firework of distinct shape and sharp, loud sound. I think anyone in almost the radius size of this city could see it.

This was a new measure I came up with after my experience getting ambushed by those undeads back in Symokiva. Without using any Eomancy and only basic Alkhemia, Ghiscra had made me this firework and gave the recipe to me so I can craft them on my own.

The simple purpose of getting help although ostentatious is much better as it expedites almost a little Eomancy, makes enough noise and light and most importantly, convenient. Of course, I already premeditated with the rest about my call signal, so even if they are inside a building, the distinctive loud noise is distinguishable enough.

I wouldn’t know who would come but even if the summoned didn’t, I’m pretty sure the law enforcers would.

Oh…

They brought more huh? Where did they come from? Were they waiting in guard for those few to take care of me somewhere nearby but saw the fire work and rushed here? Oh well, I guess I could last for few minutes or until I absolutely have to unleash [Pandora].

There are about a dozen of them and they looked armed to the teeth. What a rough welcome. From what I heard from Vefal, This never happen to any of the summoned. It is perhaps whatever external, hidden force had given their full attention over me or is this part of a test sent out by the Reravir?

~Whoosh~

Oh ye gods, Vefal was right. I think too much as a thrown small knife nearly slit my throat but thankfully the months of training with amazonians fully tempered my reflex. I casted ‘Armour’ on myself and the next thrown projectile bounced off.

Come here, you fuckers.