Chapter 139 (2/2)

Curiously, there were two other figures on the boat, their heads to the deck in some strange sort of prayer stance of genuflection. They also looked oddly familiar…

Above them, Randidly’s emerald Tassle flapped eye-catchingly, next to the sky blue of Shal’s. He turned to Divvit and asked. “What’s…. going on? The boat’s moving…?”

Divvit snorted. “...Yes. Not only was your performance too eye catching, but it also revealed Shal’s presence here. With the boat now flying both of your Tassles… well. Most would give way, and let us move closer to the heart of Qtal, as is our prerogative. But it also brings more… attention.”

Divvit nodded towards the genuflecting figures, to whom Randidly turned. “And who are these people….?”

Almost as if they had both been waiting for this opportunity, both smoothly stood, one male, one female. The female had long brown hair, braided and curled down her back. She was, Randidly couldn’t help but notice, extremely lovely. A dirty part of him wondered how good with a spear she could really be with hips as well endowed as that, but quickly squashed that line of thought. She was, Randidly thought in his second and more relevant realization, the woman who had carried that fool’s body off of the stage during the fight.

Randidly spared the male a glance, then a longer, more serious look, as he watched him open his mouth.

“Heh, I’m glad you asked.” The male said with a smug look, raising his gem studded spear, which had apparently been cleaned of his vomit. “I am the greatest talent the Iron Spear Style has seen in generations! My name is-”

“Errr, no,” Randidly interrupted, wanting to cut him off before he began running his mouth. “I guess… I really meant why are you here.”

“Sir, this one humbly requests that this one receive the honor of being your spear attendant.” The female said, bowing again.

The male chuckled evilly and spoke haughtily, all the while bowing even lower than the female, his nose practically brushing the ground as he spoke. “Hmph, kneel and accept my honorable generosity. I, too, will be the best spear attendant possible. No need to thank me, for I,-”

“Is this normal?” Randidly asked Divvit, as he pointed to the two.

Divvit chuckled. “Their personalities? Perhaps not… but yes, spear-users that have acknowledged their own inferiority, and don’t have much room for upward mobility in their own Style, will attach themselves to talented individuals. It is a yearly commitment for them, but you may terminate the relationship at anytime. You don’t really need to do much for them; they are effectively indenturing themselves to you in order to hitch themselves to your social status. It is still a bit early, I think, for you to have spear attendants, in terms of strength, but…”

Shrugging, Divvit closed his eyes and returned to meditating. Randidly just scratched his head. But he hesitated for a few reasons.

‘It is definitely not because the woman’s looks,’ Randidly assured himself, eyeing her bowing form briefly. Then he shook his head. If he was to up the training with Shal, it would be hard for him to venture away from the boat very often. And that was assuming that they remained here for the training. Plus he wanted to continue his potion experiments, and to fund what he needed to Engrave, and both of those were rather time consuming activities.

It might be worth it to have these two as spear attendants, especially if he didn’t really need to do anything. But did he really need them both….?

Randidly looked at them again, and the woman straightened, smiling sweetly at him. But Randidly’s eyes were on the male, who remained hunched over in a bowing position, refusing to move. He took in his posture, the slight tremble to his body, and the white knuckled grip on his spear.

A drop of water traced down his brow, and dripped onto the deck with an audible plop. Randidly closed his eyes.

“Probably just sweat, huh…” Randidly whispered, then shook his head. It was a little embarrassing how emotional he had gotten since becoming involved in Donnyton. Before he had been…. Well, he had been like a ghost. Without a personality, walking through life. But slowly, he was changing, finding his own path.

He was still emotionally withdrawn, but he was starting to connect more with people around him. More importantly though… people were growing to value him. It was a strange feeling, to have others dependant on him. First Donnyton, and now these two.

Strangely, for the first time, Randidly was truly thankful for the system, and the changes it had brought to his life.

“...Alright, I accept. Is there a ritual, or a form we have to sign…?”