Drewells976
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Chapter 159 - Trust and Honesty
🕑 Added 2023-12-28 19:56:46 +0000 UTChttps://www.patreon.com/file?h=95441413&i=17107319
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Kai tried to make space between them, but the string of his amulet was still in Lou’s hand. “It’s not what you think,” he squeaked.
Really brain, couldn’t you think of anything better?
Lou let go of the pendant. “No? What’s your explanation then? Why did you lie to my face? You get one chance to tell the truth,” he emphasized with his index.
Damn me, I should have counted my skills. He’s not going to give up now, is he?
Different possibilities ran through his head. There would be no lying his way out of this, that much was clear. Kai could refuse to talk, though that would mean cutting ties with his childhood friends at best. If Lou chose to dig or involve the enforcers, the situation could escalate in unpredictable ways. It wasn’t a bet Kai was willing to make, and it had taken far too long to reunite with them.
Then the question was how much to reveal. Lou had already proved himself capable of connecting clues most people overlooked. If facts didn’t fit perfectly, he’d notice and deduce more than Kai intended to say.
Fuck.
There wasn’t enough time to think this over. The hulking teen studied his every move with a steely gaze as if he expected Kai would try to run or fight him.
Spirits, I didn’t even get the fun of breaking the law and he treats me like a criminal.
As the shock faded, irritation rose to take its place. Lou’s reaction was excessive.
He could have asked like a normal person instead of being so dramatic.
“So…?” Lou tapped the fingers on his crossed arms. There was no crack in his visage, face hard as stone like he was looking at a stranger. “Who recruited you?”
“What do you mean?” Kai rose to match him. Surrounded by adults, he’d learned how not to make his stature matter. “Do you think I’m what…? Some sort of spy or something?” He let out a humorless laugh.
He’s being ridiculous.
“I don’t know what to think or who you are.” A crack in the ice let through a sliver of emotion, too thin to identify. “I’ve met you three days ago, and half the things you told us were lies. Were any of your stories even real? Was there a mysterious teacher or did you make him up too?”
“Of course he is.” Kai clenched his fists at his sides, a string of irate accusations ready to erupt. Lou didn’t retreat, but his body tensed like he did back in the ring.
Guess we are strangers…
They couldn’t just go back to Whiteshore with the snap of a finger, no matter how friendly they acted. Seven years meant more than half their life, likely the most meaningful part. It wasn’t a gap that could be mended in two meetings. The fairytale reunion had come to an end.
Kai’s proud posture slumped down. Trust required time and honesty, there hadn’t been much of either, and he couldn’t deny his own faults. Lou was looking out for his friends, and he wasn’t part of them anymore.
Yes, he could have been nicer about it, but the teen had asked him directly for an explanation instead of going behind his back. That was something, though Kai wasn’t sure what.
For once, he ignored his mind and went with his gut. He pulled Virya’s pendant over his neck and offered it to Lou. A tingling crossed his skin as the enchantment turned off. “Here, take it.”
Lou hesitated for an instant before holding it with two careful fingers. “What’s this?”
“Just a cloaking enchantment to hide my grade. Don’t worry, it doesn’t usually bite.”
Lou scrunched his brows, examining the unremarkable piece of metal. “I can’t see anything, are its runes hidden? That’s not something you can just buy in a shop.” The question was soon forgotten when his gaze moved on him. Lou blinked several times, eyes widening and mouth ajar. “You are Orange ★★★!”
“Yeah…” Kai rolled his eyes. “I thought you’d have already deduced that by now, Sherlock. You also didn’t tell me you’ve learned mana skills.”
“Sher— what?” He shook his head, mumbling. “I’ve only got Mana Sense.” His wary demeanor was overwhelmed by incredulity, Lou gawked at him as if he had turned into a unicorn. “How? How is this possible? You’re eleven,” his voice rose an octave higher.
Impossible is my middle name, boy. I’m about to rewrite your reality.
Kai dismissed the cringe lines, though he couldn’t stop the wave of smugness that swept through him. A mysterious smirk on his face. “Three amazing teachers and years of grueling work. I gave you your first lessons about the Guide, did you think I would sit around without you? The only lie in my stories was to downplay my training to make it sound more realistic.”
Okay, that’s a bit boastful, but also kinda true…
Lou closed his mouth, chaos and confusion swirled in his eyes. “Where are your teachers now? What kind of contract did you sign? Does the Republic know about this?”
“Why don’t we take a walk as I answer your questions?” Kai took his pendant back and gestured to the shore away from Higharbor. Carefree as ever, their friends were still swimming among the waves. Well, Ana did most of the Swimming while the twins tried to drown Flynn.
Should have helped me when you had the chance. Good luck to you. Kai waved at him as he strolled into the sparse vegetation growing by the beach.
Mana Sense scanned for anyone who might have come near. Distant voices were muffled in the sea breeze, but he could never be too safe. Lou followed a step behind, gaze burrowing into his back.
Where do I start? His mind sure does go to the worst scenarios too.
“First, I didn’t sign any contract with my teachers,” Kai began talking before he could regret his decision. “I know it’s weird, but I doubt I had anything to offer that was of value to anyone at Green, especially since they planned to leave the archipelago. Not that I knew that in the beginning. I was probably like a pet project for them. ‘Let’s take this random kid and see what a commoner can achieve.’”
Lou interrupted his mindless rambles with a strangled sound. “Your teacher is green grade?”
“Teachers, there were three of them.” Kai dismissed his reaction and gave him a reproachful look. “Try to pay attention, you were so attentive as a child.”
At least green grade, Virya might have been higher. They gave me that ‘if I tell you then I’d have to kill you’ look whenever I hinted at the topic.
“As I was saying, my mom was looking for a tutor for my Mana Sense and we heard of this place on the road to Sylspring…” The story was quite jumbled since he hadn't prepared what to say, maybe it was better this way. It was too easy to slip false details with Improvisation.
Once Kai had given him a general overview of his years at the estate, Lou regained his impassive poise and asked questions to poke holes in his story. There were none.
That’s the advantage of the truth. It’s relaxing to not worry that I might screw myself over.
He had omitted some details about the estate that were best kept confidential. Lou couldn’t expect him to reveal everything his teachers told him. They had stopped by a rocky beach, Higharbor was hidden by a bend in the coast. Only the tops of the upper city poked over the palm trees.
“It’s a pretty unbelievable story…” Lou muttered in the end, thoughtful.
Kai couldn’t disagree. It was already good the suspicious teen didn’t dismiss it outright. “It is, which is why I don’t go around showing my grade. I’m sorry I lied to you. My teachers have left, and I don’t want any attention.”
Maybe he has a lying detection skill?
Lou absently nodded, the fire and ice gone from him. “I’m sorry if I tried to intimidate you.” He stared at his feet, like an awkward teenager, switching the weight between his legs. “It was already weird how you reappeared out of the blue, and then you had such high skills. That’s not something that just happens.”
“Guess not. But I was never a normal child, was I?”
“No, you were not.” Lou met his gaze, amused, still a hint of guilt in his smile.
Kai patted his arm. “Don’t worry, big boy, I was never scared by you.”
Okay, perhaps a teeny-weeny bit during the sparring, but it was due to exhaustion. My brain wasn’t thinking properly.
“No…?”
It sounded like a genuine question. Kai looked at the overgrown teenager from head to toe and gave an unimpressed shrug. “Nope, you’re just a harmless teddy bear.”
Lou managed to look both relieved and offended with a small frown. “Aren’t bears dangerous beasts from the mainland?”
“I’ve never been there, it’s just a saying my teachers used.”
I’m not sure who thought making cute stuffed replicas of big killing machines was a good idea.
Lou accepted it readily. “You used to say such weird stuff all the time when we were kids.”
I’m not sure that’s a compliment.
“So you believe me?”
“Honestly?” Lou turned serious. “It’s obvious you’re still hiding some things, but yes. Your story explains how you’re free to be here. And you truly have a contract with a merfolk merchant—yes, I've checked. I believe your story is mostly true.”
I can take that for now.
“And… Can you promise to keep this to yourself?” It had been freeing to share his story, but now his fate lay in the hands of another person. “I’d rather not find an officer outside my door.”
The truth isn’t anxiety-free either, or is that the fear of betrayal?
Lou didn’t deny the possibility, meeting his gaze with equal intensity. “Can you promise whatever you’re hiding won’t endanger me or the others? And I don’t mean just the stuff about your teachers, also whatever else you've been hiding since we met each other.”
Shouldn’t teenagers be, I don’t know, dumber? I must have taught you too well.
Kai solemnly put a hand over his heart. “I swear on the Great Spirits that, to my knowledge, my secrets won’t affect anyone but me.”
Lou nodded, satisfied. “Then I swear not to share any information you privately reveal to me without your consent. May the ancestors spurn my spirit, and the Seven Moons curse my soul if I break this oath.”
You had to outdo me, didn't you?
A weight lifted off Kai’s shoulder, he hadn’t made a mistake to trust him.
“I’m really sorry I jumped to conclusions, it’s just…” Lou smiled sheepishly. “I’ve never heard of anyone reaching the peak of Orange at your age in the archipelago. Or getting a scholarship from such powerful teachers.”
“I told you it’s fine.” Kai waved him off. “I was simply lucky and a genius to boot, someone was bound to notice.”
“You mean you were born with a Favor higher than zero?”
Kai groaned, thumping his feet to head back. “Stop deducing facts I don’t mean to share. And this falls under the oath too.”
“I don’t think I’m smart enough for that.” Lou gave him a smug smile. “You’re the genius after all.”
I’m so going to drown him.
With the truth out, the mood on the way back was far more relaxed. They walked at the edge of the greenery doing idle chat, occasionally interrupted by other individuals looking for privacy away from the city.
“So, what’s the deal about the special class in the scholarship program?” Kai poked. “I’ve already told you about me, it’s only fair you share something too.”
Lou scrunched his brows. “I can’t talk about that. Ask me something else…”
“Wait, did you sign some kind of shady contract?” Kai pulled his hair back. People always accused others of what they did themselves. “Is that why you were all riled up?”
“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about.” Lou scowled.
“Sure… You’re not the only one who can make deductions.”
The big boy sighed audibly. “Just don’t tell anyone else about it, please. It’s not what you think.”
Now Kai was definitely intrigued, but hearing Lou’s grave tone, he reluctantly gave up his plans to tease him. “Don’t worry, I think I can keep a secret.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” It was the only weakness he uncovered, and he couldn’t use it. “Do you think I should tell the others about my grade?” He’d rather not, but he was open to discussing it.
Lou thought about it a whole second before shaking his head. “No.”
“No?”
“Unless you want to. The twins are trustworthy, but they aren’t always the most dependable. And Ana’s confused, it’s better not.”
“Confused?” Kai repeated the word. “You mean she might go tell her teacher or an enforcer?”
“She just does what she thinks is right, and best for you.”
“And you don’t agree with her?” Kai prodded. “Don’t tell me you think the governor isn’t our selfless savior?” He couldn't keep a mocking tone out of his voice.
“I’m not blind, but it’s not that easy,” Lou glowered.
“It rarely is,” he agreed. “But when they abandoned us to starve in Greenside, it was pretty fucking clear to me. And ours wasn’t the only town to suffer.”
Kai struggled to keep his anger at bay, despite the years the rage was always fresh and ready to answer. Not like he could go see a therapist. He had taken a step forward with Lou, but it was still early to open that argument. “Anyway, we’re almost there.”
Recognizing the familiar stretch of beach, he ran ahead. Ana was working on a mana construct under the shadows of the palm trees, while Flynn was taking a nap a little closer.
“You’re back,” he opened a lazy eye when he stepped closer. “Did you have a nice chat?”
“Yes, where are the twi—” His senses warned him of two figures dashing out of the vegetation, arms wide open to tackle him.
Do they ever give up?
Kai didn’t panic. His body aimed to dodge at the last second, so they’d have no chance to adjust their trajectory. They were almost upon him, and his muscles were tense and ready to respond.
Now.
Pushing against the sand to dash, Hallowed Intuition whispered something was wrong. His leg met resistance where there should have been none, unbalancing him. Eyes darted to the culprit. Flynn had sneaked closer and gotten into the way of his retreat to trip him.
There was no time to recover. “Why—”
Uli and Oli were upon him. The impact forced the air out of his lungs as his shoulder crashed on the sand.
Damn traitor!
“Sorry, this was the price of my freedom.” Flynn apologized, no trace of regret in his tone. “It was you or me, and I didn’t feel like drowning. You shouldn’t have left me alone with them.”
Kai vainly tried to fight back the bodies weighing on him. Unarmed combat wasn’t one of his strong suits, grappling even less. One of the few flaws in his education.
Given their hobbies, the twins must have more than enough experience. Kai got no chance to slip away or fight back and was hauled by his limbs towards the sea.
You’re all going to pay!
This time the twins opted to drag him around amidst the waves. Kai patiently waited for them to get bored. They couldn’t keep a hold of him forever, as they lowered their guard, he struck.
Two against one was a hard matchup, but Blessed Swimmer made him unrivaled in the sea. With Empower as a pretense to use his whole stats and a sprinkle of Water Magic, Kai was assured they drank as much seawater as him, each.
He accepted a tentative truce when they offered to teach him how to grapple. From their toothy grins, their intentions to have fun at his expense were obvious, but he accepted nonetheless. It was a weakness he needed to shore up, and their smug expressions would be a great source of motivation.
“You can forget about me paying for any restaurant.” Kai glared at Flynn on their way back to Higharbor.
“I was just trying to give you more opportunities to bond with your friends.”
“Not. A. Single. Chip.” He repeated with deep satisfaction.
“I’m sorry.” Flynn tried with his beaten puppy look, but he had abused his acting skill one time too many.
Kai gave him his best evil smirk, “No, you’re not yet. But, don’t worry, you’ll be sorry soon.”
“Maybe we should talk about this after we’ve all had the time to calm down and think this over.”
“I’m perfectly calm.”
Flynn ignored him, switching to another topic. “What do you think about visiting these ruins? The twins couldn’t shut up about it.”
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Author's notes: Hope you had some wonderful holidays! I've started editing book 2 to send it to the editor :)
Comments
Doubledoor
as I said to another person in a different chapter, dropping a story u like enough for patreon due to a single chapter is stupid and wasteful. If you don't like the story as a whole then drop it, but if 1 chapter out of 160 being bad is enough to have you drop it then reading longform media might not be for you.
mehmed zepcan
Ya I just got back to the story and Im gonna drop after last chapter I seriously hoped the author wouldn't do this lame AF
The moons are from the Republic and aren't worshipped in the archipielago if I remember right
Game Devil
I first though Lou might have been inducted and trained as a truthsayer. But swearing on the ancestors and the 7 moons makes it seem more like the local island priests instead. And bound by some kind of oath or contract as well, not cool. I've been curious about these ancestors, the ruins and the script his father was trying to translate since the beginning but it doesn't seem like anything moving on that subject in the story anytime soon.
Thaabit Rivertree
Great way to put it
Doubledoor
I feel really frustrated with this chapter. The fact that Kai basically gave entirely in to a person he barely knows threatening him without even making it clear that Lou was in the wrong for being as aggressive as he was seems to undermine a lot of the character's development. I suppose we didn't have an arc that focused on developing his sense of self-worth but this is literally the first time he backed down like this. At least he should have been shown to be immensely frustrated and had to forcibly calm himself down. More realistically he should have demonstrated that Lou wasn't that much of a threat to him by showing a bit of his magic before giving in to the questioning.
George R
Thanks for the chapter
Louis Cypher
Yeah, I feel he has been really impulsive these last few chapters. Blatantly creating a bunch of lies that wouldn’t stand up to scrutiny was dumb as well.
Stephen Pearson
While I like the overall outcome, I think the expressed emotions and the details are very problematic. Kai reacted like a frightened small animal, very much in a position and attitude of weakness. He completely buckled to extremely bad behavior and attitude from Lou, even feeling apologetic while doing so. He had no problem with a complete and utter lack of reciprocity from Lou. All of it felt bad to me, even if the final destination was correct. I know that if someone treated me that way and I similarly failed to stand up for myself, it would bother me greatly, and it should.
ThoMiCroN
Kai is not compulsive, he’s careful. Any attention on him would lead to a form of exploitation or control, so he developed the habit to never show his cards. No one knows the full Kai.
Caleb Reusser
I'm very disappointed in Kai. Couldn't make it through chapter cause it was so frustrating how he just crumbled and shared his secrets. I really hope he ditches his "friends". I don't understand this concept that just because a person asks you a question they deserve an answer. And when they threaten you for an answer...
ThoMiCroN
I guess Lou had to pay a steep price for the power he got, and it made him less naïve. He assumed Kai was the same.
mechanizedbush
I like Lou a lot more after this chapter. I hope we get to learn more about him and his motivations. "pointing his index" -> "pointing his index finger" or just "pointing his finger" "thumping his feet to head back" -> I don't know what this phrase means, "turning to head back" is the closest I can think of
Fuyge
I think this was very well handled. Both made some mistakes but I think they’re both reasonable. Totally understandable why Kai would lie and in character. That would be suspicious to Lou and then he overreacted a bit cause he’s probably on edge. Characters worked it out reasonably afterwards. Very nice.
Duncan
I think the problem is the threat made by Lou AND Kai’s reaction; together. Kai has just as little assurance about Lou’s intentions as Lou has about his. This may make emotional sense from Lou’s perspective but it feels like a character jump from Kais
Wiggles1
"All Lou did was try to make sure nothing bad was going to happen to the people he's been trying to keep safe since they were taken from their homes." Hard disagree. Last chapter he physically dragged Kai 50 feet and asked, “I hope there is an explanation for all of this, I really do.... Did you get involved with dangerous people?” Then this chapter, “You get one chance to tell the truth.” and “So…? Who recruited you?” If Kai does not opt to tell right now, is the implication he'll just tell the others Kai is suss? Does Kai know he can say "Nope, I didn't plan to spill my guts right away, sorry if that's a problem" and walk away? Lou hopes for an explanation. Does it sound like he vaguely wishes for Kai to give information he doesn't owe in an act of trust? I think the answers are "No", "No way", and "LOL I wasn't born yesterday". Lou is physically threatening Kai, and threatening to report him to the local security state. He is not demanding assurance that he won't bring trouble, he's demanding a full explanation. He is not giving Kai the option to walk away or keep some secrets. He is not giving him any reassurances that he'll only report wrongdoing. This is bad and Lou should feel bad. If Lou is going to threaten kids for answers he needs to carefully consider what he is and is not threatening, and how he will communicate it.
Thaabit Rivertree
So, this went better than what I was expecting, but... Why didn't Kai offer to share his "secrets" -if Lou agreed not to share them- from the beginning? It seems awfully weak and uncharacteristic to just give into his demands without evening the playing field a bit. I mean it could have gone something like: Kai: [while still behind held by Lou] I don’t mind sharing my secrets, but you have to agree to keep them secret. Lou: I cant do that. Answer the question. Kai: Why not? Lou: Can you swear that what your secrets won’t endanger myself, my friends, or the republic? Kai: I swear [what he said I the chap] Lou: stares at him hard for a moment. Then I swear, so long as you’re telling the truth, [what he said in the chap]. I feel like Kai is just being a bit of a pushover by giving in, without securing some cooperation/reciprocation first, especially since he is literally putting his and his family’s safety on the line by sharing this information. I mean Kai seems to have a good shoulder on his head, not one to take stupid risks and get saved by plot armor. I mean he takes stupid risks when it comes to protecting his family (which aligns with his values), but this is exactly the opposite of that. Why did Kai lie in the first place? To protect himself and his family. After he reveals the info, he has to ask, competely at the mercy of Lou, if he will keep the secrets or not, which has tremendous implications for their lives. When Kai asks for reciprocation, the old “I shared my secrets, so now you share yours,” Lou just says he can’t and Kai just accepts it at face value and moves on. WHAT?? I mean Kai just makes up a story that makes sense in his own head and totally disregards the hostility and frankly demeaning rudeness Lou showed him earlier. Sure Lou is worried about himself and his friends’ safety, but is Kai’s worry over his and his families safety any less worthy or valid? Yet Kai just rolls over. He could have at least picked at the topic more and gotten some sort of admission or much more justified inference that Lou is in fact operating under some sort of restrictive oath. Even still, it just feels like Kai let himself get intimidated and gave into demands to share information, but when it’s reversed on the very same person Kai just lets him get away with the very same thing He wouldn’t let Kai get away with. It just feels like Kai doesn’t respect himself as much as he should. Like I said, it’s better than I expected, but I still think there’s a lot of room for improvement. This is just one scene, and it certainly doesn’t ruin the whole story, but personally I’m not a fan of the direction and focus the narration has been taking and this is one part of that. I mean Kai seems obedient to authority but he also seems clever enough and respectful enough to take care of himself and not let himself get pushed around. He’s also very protective of his family. These last few chapters and this one just don’t feel like the way he’s been up till now. I get he’s changing with puberty right around the corner, but usually you’d think while under the authority of his parents, his household, and his teachers, he’d be more limited, and he was limited to a degree. But for whatever reason, now that he’s moved away without any oversight, living as an independent alchemist no less (a rare and esteemed profession), basically operating his own business, you’ve made it a focus to show how he’s even more limited and incapable than he was as a child. It just isn’t a direction I find enjoyable I guess, and personally I think it’s unnecessary even while keeping the general events so far the same. Sorry for the mini novel comment lol. I can’t take away from the overall quality of the story up until recently, but I think this really should be changed.
TheAverageNerd
To me it feels like a mix of things. Kai clearly knows he has an issue of compulsive lying, so this was a chance to be honest and grow as a person. Especially when continuing to lie would likely do more harm. He also clearly cares about his friends, even if it's been 7 years and doesn't want to do them wrong. As for Lou, his once friend randomly showed up and INSTANTLY started lying while showing more high level(in context of grafe) skills than anyone at his supposed grade should have. While Kai was a friend, it's been 7 years so of course it's gonna raise some huge red flags. He clearly cares about his friends and has taken a leader role amoung them, so of course he's going to confront Kai. Frankly he would have been justified in going to an authority figure stating he suspected Kai might have been taken in by a spy but instead he took it directly to his once friend
David
Glad him and Lou worked that out. I think he'll be an important friend and ally. I chuckled seeing how he freaked out about his race level, but he still has no idea about his profession, his blessings, his true favor level, or other secrets like his storage ring. At least he's ok knowing there's more secrets he's not privy to.
Steph
I Hope we get some crazy ancient magic shenanigans or something. But as always, thank you for the chappy!
Wiggles1
|“It was weird how you reappeared out of the blue, and then you had such high skills. That’s not something that just happens.” "Bruh. I told you I'd come back. I will always have high skills."
Doug Wills
I mean, he's the one that went and found them. All Lou did was try to make sure nothing bad was going to happen to the people he's been trying to keep safe since they were taken from their homes. Hell, he was more than happy to make sure Kai didn't get screwed into some awful contract with a merchant. And he already knew Kai was up to something. If someone just shows up out of nowhere, seemingly when they shouldn't be able to (Kai is 11), and then they are clearly lying to you, why wouldn't you call them on it and be suspicious? He didn't 'owe' him anything, but Kai did what was probably best, just be honest. Lou seems like a good egg.
Eric M
Yes, ruins!
Aidan Geverdt
Nah Lou is looking out for his friends.
Andrew
Thank you!
Jason H.
These last two chapters were frustrating to read for me. Why would he owe his life secrets to childhood friends he hasn't seen in years. Lou just rubs me the wrong way.
