50 Agreements (2/2)
”I bet it was, tell me everything! What's Freja making you do now?”
”Big sis is still making me hammer all day, she just won't teach me how to fight!”
”Big sis…?”
”Oh, she told me to call her that… I don't really know why…”
”Haha, Master made me call him… well… Master. But yeah, I think our mentors are weird.”
”Yeah… big bro… what happened to you? There's all these weird rumours…”
”Yeah, I bet. Look, don't listen to any of them.”
”But what really happened?”
I hushed my voice and gave him the abridged version, sparing the gory details.
”I told you Tai was bad!”
”Shh! You can't say that, he might attack you too!”
Davide pouted, ”But it's true…”
”It's just not a good idea. Pinky promise me you won't tell anyone what really happened?”
”Mhm.”
We wrapped our pinkies and sealed the promise with our thumbs. Davide's hands were like rough leather, and his grip was fierce.
”Show me your hands.”
He turned them over, revealing gnarled calluses jutting out in yellow ridges along his palms and fingers.
”I did what you said every day! Big sis always has a little bottle with her, so I never forget. My hands only hurt really late, it's so good!”
”You've been working super hard! I need to catch up.”
”Yeah, I wanna see how strong big bro is tomorrow!”
”I'm pretty weak. I bet you're stronger.”
”Hm. I don't believe you.” A frown crossed his face, ”I'm scared about tomorrow.”
”Why?”
”Big sis didn't teach me how to fight…”
”She must have told you something, right?”
”She just said 'hammer them!' How do I even do that?”
”Well, you've been to the same classes as the other kids, right?”
”Yeah…”
”And have you sparred any of them?”
”One time, but nobody ever wants to fight me!”
”What happened in that fight?”
”Um… he was just really slow.”
I laughed, remembering that Davide had the Golden Web constitution. He was probably already leagues ahead of his classmates, and they didn't want to be humiliated.
”Don't worry, you're gonna do great.”
We finished our food, chatting about all that had happened. Our brief conversation put me at ease, reminding me of what an eight-year-old's life should be like.
Unfortunately, it had to end, as I needed to talk to Master. He wouldn't like what I had to say, but after meeting Dong I knew it was the right course of action.
Opening the vault door, Master greeted me rudely as usual.
”Why do ya gotta come 'ere every damn minute! Couldn't ya just stay dead?”
”I'm sorry Master, I need to ask a favour.”
”I'm not hearing it. Come back another time! Or, never!”
He flopped back into his armchair and sipped from a cracked mug.
”Master, I wanna move into the Vault.”
Whatever he drank came right back up in a violent cough.
”Ya what? No. No, no, no. Not happening. Get out!”
”Master, College isn't safe. Living there is gonna get me expelled!”
Master paused, almost considering the point, then burst out again, ”Then get expelled! It's not happening.”
Pleading to his better nature wouldn't do anything. I had to be more conniving.
”Master, think about what happens if I get expelled.”
”So what? I'll just find another brat.”
”Do you really think so? You'll get another chance to mentor a talented scholar?”
”Oi, brat. Don't let what I said in that court get to yer head. That didn't mean shit.”
”Do you really think they'll let you mentor another scholar after this?”
”Watch yer tone, brat.”
”The only student you ever mentored killed a fellow scholar. Everyone knows about it!”
”But ya didn't kill him, did ya?”
”That's not what they think. They'll never let you near a scholar again. My situation was strange to begin with, so you lucked out! How long would it take for you to get another chance?”
”Who cares about that shitty old technique, anyway?”
I had him. This was the home stretch.
”All I need is a place to meditate at night. I want silence as much as you do. You've already got a bunk bed; I'll just take the lower bunk.”
”That's not a bed, brat, that's an important storage area.”
”Master, what's more important. A storage area or your disciple that's gonna show the world the power of your research?”