The World was trying to be soothing.
Small comforts. Like being wrapped in a warm blanket, held close to the bosom of sothing I almost considered a parent as it whispered its apologies into my ear. Yeah. It was apologizing.
Why? Wasn't it supposed to be omnipotent?
I was too tired to contemplate that.
The door to my room cracked open, slow to reveal the mind witch as she entered because apparently I was such a fragile piece of glass that we had to act all quiet now. I didn't bother acknowledging her. Just staring at the ceiling as I healed my feet.
She walked over to my bedside and took a seat, dropping sothing heavy beside . I glanced over. Oh. A book. How nice.
"It's a comprehensive guide to rituals," Umi said. "For beginners all the way up to master ritualists. Hard as fuck to get, even for . Terra had to give a lot to earn it but earn it she did. It's yours now."
"How nice," I said.
Umi didn't say anything for a bit, but I could feel her stare. "She's on house arrest for now. I don't think letting her roam the streets would be best for her safety or our interests."
"I won't kill her."
"I don't believe you."
Hmmm, fair enough.
I needed to get better at lying.
Wasn't it funny? So brat poisoned with the most agonizing pain I'd ever felt, yet I didn't hesitate in saving him. Wasn't even a choice in my mind. Yet so scrapped feet was all it took for to consider a homicide. Hypocrisy? Maybe.
I wasn't all that scared of the toxin though, which couldn't be said of the fae.
"I considered getting you a sword too," Umi humd. "But I think it would be therapeutic to have you make one, so I chose against it. Will pay for the materials though. Whatever you like, within reason of course. Non-magic tals only, since I don't think you'd be able to craft with anything else."
I let out a snort. "You sure? I can na of plenty off the top of my head that would leave you penniless."
"None of which would be useful for a sword."
I rolled my eyes, but she wasn't wrong.
Though I could have her pay for the materials to make bainite steel...whatever those where. Father said that any proper smith fantasized of making sothing functional out of the tal, but it was so difficult to work with that those who could afford the constant trail and error often opted to invest in a bit of magic for their materials instead.
I'd get nothing out of either since I wouldn't be able to forge shit. Seeing Umi's gold reserves plumt might've been worth it though.
"I'll think about it."
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Umi nodded. "Just tell Alvir when you decide, I'm too busy these days to be at your beck and call. Thanks for not letting Boris die by the way. He crossed more than enough lines to deserve it but...he is one of ours. Hopefully he'll learn to respect the limits with ti."
"Boris?" I raised a brow. "That the void boy?"
"How do you not know his na?"
I shrugged, resting my hands behind my head and contemplating the ceiling. "It's pretty forgettable," I said. "Kind of surprised you don't want to rip out his guts, considering the ss he's made."
"Oh, there will be punishnt. Just have to save it for after the guards and vigils stop breathing down our necks."
The malicious glee radiating off her made roll my eyes. "Thanks for the reminder that witches are bitches. Wasn't gonna forget anyti soon, but it's always good to have practical examples."
"Always a pleasure."
I surprised myself sotis.
Life had been all about the race recently. Every mont pushing for progress, interspersed with breaks mainly to maintain social relations. I hadn't done anything purely for my own enjoynt since Riri and Gar died, kind of.
I wasn't that hardcore, but it felt like that a lot of the ti.
So I expected to bury myself in so training or other to push away the mories of my mind. Could I consider them scars at this point? I didn't like the idea but...maybe.
Crack open the ritual book, go to forge a new blade, or return to the familiarity of routine.
Instead I decided to take a walk.
I'd like to say whimsy was what guided but that would be a lie. I wanted to be soone other than Yir the elf witch, for just a day. See what life had to offer if I ignored all the doom populating my mind. The World encouraged it, and I wasn't so reticent that I'd ignore its guidance when it went to give suggestions.
I was weary, but it apologized.
I could accept an apology.
It was also being more active in communicating with , which was rare. Usually I got all my chatting through other diums that the ancient being spoke through. Not directly. It was nice, and animosity would've ruined what was otherwise a pretty enjoyable outing.
We went to gambler's alley first.
Little nook in gang territory that held the most predatory betting scene one could imagine. It was popular because on the off chance you won, you really won, even if most knew that the chance was slim to none.
I went and played so card gas, mainly king's gambit.
It was a bit like blackjack, except the number you wanted to get close too at the start was random. The dealer would set six cards down on the table, add them all up, and that would be the goal for the round. I didn't know how they could slant this in their favour, but the World was very open about so kind of deception.
Didn't an I had any kind of advantage, the cards were still the cards.
Ended up losing three gold and twenty-six silver. The proprietor was so happy that they practically offered up any of their progeny that I fancied to marry. It was extrely awkward to refuse, but he took it with grace.
Worth it though.
What would we do next? The world pointed a little east. Still in gang territory, just closer to areas regulated by the magistrate. Led straight into a Bar Brawl.
Learning that there were exclusive rumbles being held under so of the more prolific bars put a smile on my face. Getting rushed down to join once they recognized who I was only made it wider. Hadn't practiced the art of knuckle induced anesthesia in a while, and it was good to know I hadn't accumulated too much rust!
Still had to use my spell, I was fighting adults.
A whole bunch of them because they all knew I was a mage. Where the general populace avoided fights with out of fear, these folk seed to take the moniker as a personal offence.
The World sang as I cackled with bloodied teeth.
Almost made back what I lost when gambling too. Apparently no one expected to beat seven gang bruisers (not to be mistaken with hunter bruisers,) in a brawl all by my loneso, even with my magicness.
To be fair, neither did I.
Just a happy coincidence.
Our last stop was at a circus! Hosted and sponsored by the Wolf-Fangs, a relatively small gang. Got a kick out of the acrobatics on display, and so of the animal stunts were pretty cool. One person almost got their head bitten off by a bear!
Fucked up that I found their panicked dodging entertaining, but what could you do?
I'd seen so much death and violence that caring just wasn't in the cards for strangers. Whether I was growing callous or didn't have the emotional bandwidth was anyone's guess.
The shows ended once the sun fell and I headed back to my inn feeling a bit better than I did when the day started.
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