Was that supposed to be a threat?
If it was, then… it was almost cute.
I wasn't naïve enough to miss the underlying intent behind his approach. His words, his tone, his manner of circling around the subject—it was all too transparent. He hadn't co to exchange pleasantries with a land-dweller like . No, it was obvious he carried the sa question Wannre had cautiously brought up before.
The mutiny.
It didn't take much to piece it together. He was one of the many dissatisfied with Wannre's rule, one of those simring beneath the surface, waiting for the right spark to ignite their rebellion. He was here to weigh , to pull in, to see if my presence in Aquis Vanlur could serve their cause. I would have staked everything I had that my assumption was right.
"Sir Kainal," I spoke plainly, keeping my tone sharp but polite. "I don't believe you have the luxury of playing riddles with a land-dweller. Why not drop the veil and say what you truly desire? Who knows… perhaps we might both find so worth in it."
He regarded in silence for a heartbeat, his expression unreadable. Then a low hum escaped him as he stroked his chin in thought. His movents were casual, almost lazy, yet deliberate in their own way. Finally, with a shrug, he extended his hand in a small wave.
The surrounding waters rippled in response. From those ripples erged a creature—sleek, long-bodied, and powerful, scales gleaming faintly in the filtered light. A fish, though calling it simply a "fish" felt insulting to its size and majesty. It was large enough to comfortably carry not just him but as well. Its body coiled with quiet strength, radiating speed even at rest.
It didn't take a genius to realize what Kainal intended. This was his chosen steed. His gesture that followed—a simple flick of his wrist—was a silent invitation for to mount it with him.
I did not hesitate. Whatever gas he was playing, I wasn't about to show reluctance. My body moved without fuss, and soon I was astride the creature's back. To my surprise, it didn't feel awkward or unnatural.
The sensation was strangely familiar—akin to horseback riding on land, only the water's embrace made it smoother, steadier. There was even a strange comfort in the rhythmic rise and fall of the fish's movents, like slipping into an old, forgotten habit.
Then, with a sudden surge, the creature shot forward.
The force pressed lightly against my body as the water parted around us. Its speed was breathtaking, reminding of the swordfish I'd seen back on Earth—those natural lances of the sea, swift and rciless. The similarity was uncanny. I couldn't help but think that perhaps, in another life, this beast might have been born to pierce waves like a living arrow.
Monts blurred into one another, and then just as quickly as the ride began, it ended. The fish ca to a graceful stop, and before us lood a structure that made my brow lift ever so slightly.
A mansion.
At least, the rfolk's interpretation of one. Its sweeping arches, flowing shapes, and glimring shells woven into the architecture gave it an otherworldly grandeur. The water itself seed to bend with it, as if the structure had grown from the ocean rather than been built upon it.
Kainal dismounted first, sliding from the fish's back with practiced ease. He turned, tilting his head toward the mansion in a silent directive for to follow.
I obeyed, easing myself down onto the ground. The mont my feet touched the seabed, the fish vanished in a streak of motion, darting away as if it had never been there. The sudden absence left staring after it with an odd, layered emotion. Not quite surprise—no, I was long past being surprised by this world's wonders. Intrigued was closer, though even that word didn't fully capture it.
I had lived in Aquis Vanlur long enough to think I'd seen much of it, but ti and again the city proved wrong. Each day peeled back another hidden layer, another strange marvel I hadn't yet encountered.
But then again, for all their mysteries, the rfolk had their blind spots as well. So many things their people had yet to witness, so many truths still veiled to them yet I had.
For instance, their so-called Empress—her true face. A secret I carried like a blade in the dark, one they could never claim to possess.
That thought pulled a slow, uncanny smile across my lips.
Without another word, I followed Kainal toward the mansion, my curiosity sharpening with every step I took into his world.
The door of the mansion creaked open the very mont Kainal stepped forward. Not a servant in sight—no butler waiting, no maid to bow and usher in. Instead, the host himself had opened the door, from inside that was.
That alone spoke volus.
It ant two things. First, he had an absurd degree of control over his elent Second, he was the kind of man who liked demonstrating that control at every opportunity. Both told he wasn't soone to take lightly.
Not that I particularly cared.
Even if he tried anything funny, I was confident in my own abilities. At the very least, I could run far enough and fast enough to slip out of his grasp before matters soured. And honestly, the confidence I carried was enough that I didn't bother entertaining the possibility of failure.
"Does my little abode please you, Mr. Land-dweller?" Kainal's voice rang out, sharp and tinged with arrogance. "It isn't quite as extravagant as the mansions of my colleagues, yet I hold a high opinion of it. If you don't like it… then keep your mouth shut."
What an absolutely dreadful conversationalist.
Still, there was sothing almost endearing about the way he bristled at the thought of soone insulting his ho. The saltiness in his tone was… amusing, in a way. Perhaps I was more sadistic than I cared to admit, because I found myself enjoying the awkwardness of it all.
So I obliged him—I kept my mouth shut.
But silence can speak louder than words. And in this case, my quiet compliance indirectly confird the very thing he didn't want to hear. Yes, his ho was shabby compared to the grand estates of others. Yes, I thought it lacked charm.
The way his expression crumpled at my non-answer almost made chuckle.
Here was a man bold enough to plot mutiny, bold enough to play gas with powers far beyond his station—yet he was rattled by a single unspoken insult about his house décor. Quite the character indeed.
We walked—or floated, in his case—through winding corridors for several minutes before arriving at the central hall. There, another figure awaited us.
A man with a striking red tail lounged lazily on a cushioned seat, sipping from a cup filled with so dark liquid—coffee, perhaps, though the bitterness in the scent reminded more of over-brewed tea.
His gaze snapped to and Kainal the instant we entered, his eyes narrowing briefly before his lips curled into a wide grin. He set his cup down carelessly on the ground and let out a booming laugh.
"Hahaha! Kainal, what a man you are!" he roared, his tone brash and dripping with mock admiration. "Already swindling the Empress's aide to our side? I must admit, I can't help but admire your glib tongue. Tell —what lies did you spin to snag soone of that caliber?"
I blinked.
Had I heard him correctly?
This man had just loudly proclaid—without a shred of discretion—that they were conspiring against the Empress. Not only that, but he openly declared they had attempted to recruit her close aide.
If subtlety was a blade, this fool was holding it by the sharp end.
For a mont, I wondered whether he was simply an idiot, or if Kainal was the bigger fool for trusting such a loose-lipped companion. Perhaps this loudmouth had even been the one to assemble the team in the first place. Stranger things had happened.
And yet… when I turned my gaze to Kainal, expecting irritation or at least a flicker of annoyance, I saw none of that. His expression was calm, unbothered. Unfazed.
Which unsettled far more than the idiot's words ever could.
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