’Lord Red Hare. A fitting na. Well, the hare part.’
Hex took a seat at the table. He managed to conceal his shock well. But he couldn’t help but wonder whether this was another part of Edune. Perhaps, the people of Edune resembled animals. The red part of the title he didn’t get. The man had brown hair and eyes that looked like hazelnuts. So why red? Perhaps he would learn in ti. Perhaps not at all.
"Forgive for not being able to welco you upon arrival. I was otherwise engaged."
Lord Hare spoke as he took his seat. He raised his glass as a token of respect. Hex learned it that evening. He raised his too.
"Please, don’t worry. We all have our duties. A Lord as yourself can’t be expected to have too much free ti at hand."
"You have my gratitude. It may sound rude but let’s talk while we eat. If that’s okay with you. Otherwise, we will eat in silence."
"It would be a waste of your company if we remained silent," Hex replied with a smile. His mind said sothing else though. ’Not like all this talk isn’t a waste already.’
Lord Red Hare looked delighted. He gestured to Nashar, who clapped his hand. A row of servants appeared, each holding a dish.
Hex saw carrots, corn, bread, butter, cheese. Just as he wondered whether the Lord didn’t eat at, they brought at. The servant bringing them announced the na. There was roasted goat leg, lamb chops, and...hare.
"Sorry?"
Hex had to ask. When the servant confird it was the at of a hare, he looked at their master. The twinkle in his eyes told Hex the man enjoyed seeing him shocked.
"Do forgive . But I rarely have visitors from afar. I didn’t an to amuse myself at your cost. But it is amusing to see how people react, and at the sa ti, I get to explain my appearance."
Hex continued to give the man a blank look. He suspected a similar look to be present on Sterling’s face.
"I assure you, Lord Fateless, that I am a human and not a hare. My peculiar appearance is due to the thod I used to complete the Refinent stage and ascend to the Transformation Stage. I assu you are familiar with the universal nas of the various ranks, yes?"
Seeing Hex nod, Red Hare continued.
"The Transformation Stage requires one to transform. Most people assu it’s limited to transforming your energy. But that’s just the basics. The body and the soul need to be transford too. Most people retain their human appearance. But the thod I used changed . I don’t regret it. I found that thod in a tomb during a sandstorm. Without it, I might have remained an Elite even today."
Hex nodded again as he took a piece of roasted goat leg and chewed. The information the Red Hare so casually threw out was new to him. From the corner of his eyes, he noticed Sterling remained unmoved. Either he was a better actor or he had known.
Although Red Hare addressed his appearance without a fuss, Hex believed it wise to stay clear of that topic. It didn’t bother him. So waste even more ti on it.
The rest of the dinner they talked about more casual stuff. Red Hare talked about so of the news he heard. None of them interested Hex but he noticed Sterling hanging onto the stories.
In return, Hex spoke of his journey and goal. He expected questions about his backstory, so he prepared one with Sterling.
They told Red Hare he belonged to the Slitherers, a rchant group traveling all over Edune. It was a large group and its mbers changed all the ti. The chances of even an active mber catching onto his lie were low.
After so ti Hex sensed the conversation started to work its way into a particular direction.
"You are so young yet have beco a Lord. Do you belong to one of the Seven?" Red Hare laughed as if he was kidding but Hex could tell his eyes were reading his reaction.
"Please. If I belonged to the Seven, I would be enjoying my life. Not toil in the burning sand and wander around."
One of the topics Sterling covered was the Seven. It referred to the seven lords with three-spire sandcastles. Seven Enlightened Knights.
"I was lucky. Soone used her life to help engrave the elental circle. I am still not used to it."
Red Hare smiled and nodded. "I see. I could tell sothing was different. But I didn’t guess it was an inherited circle. Of the Ice elent, not the less."
Another point of discussion. His young age and his stage. No Lord would risk a young genius of another family. Inheriting a rune did an a powerful backer. But it wouldn’t make things worse. No, inheritance indicated a dead backer.
Indeed, Red Hare beca warr toward Hex from that point on. After dinner they moved to the couch, having drinks. Only when it seed to be midnight, did Red Hare ntion what they had waited for.
"...sandstorms bring destruction to our lands but provide opportunities too. Like the last one. According to my scouts, a burrow appeared. The initial study suggests it has rare herbs, plants, and perhaps a Devil’s corpse. But a calamity-rank Desert Spider lives there."
"It seems Lord Red Hare seeks my help in acquiring said corpse?"
Hex went to the point. Despite Sterling’s objection, Hex didn’t skirt around. He knew their customs but he believed being direct would convince the Lord sooner.
"Confident, aren’t you? You do know these spiders don’t live alone, right?"
Hex nodded. This made the Lord laugh. It seed he enjoyed Hex’s reaction.
"So, will you help out?"
"What’s the reward?" Hex countered with a question of his own.
"My friendship. And twenty percent of shares in the loot."
Red Hare started higher than they expected. Getting fifteen percent was decent, according to Sterling. But Hex didn’t agree.
"If you make it thirty-five, you will get my friendship too."
Red Hare narrowed his eyes.
"Twenty-five. Friends should help each other."
"Thirty-two and a half. Friends should share more."
"Thirty. Friends are always welco."
"Thirty. It’s nice to have friends."
They clasped hands and sealed their agreent with a vow on their mark. As Red Hare poured another drink to celebrate, Hex tried to suppress his excitent. It seed Sterling was right.
Winning a haggling contest gave a rush similar to surviving at the brink of death.
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