Chapter 252 (2/2)
Randidly groaned.
It was frustrating in a way to train like this, while he had suspicions that Shal was captured by Lucretia. Based on what he knew, Lucretia owed Shal’s father a 3rd gift, and was willing to give it to Shal. The Central Styles wanted to prevent that, but Dian apparently hadn’t been doing too good of a job.
Perhaps this captivity was Lucretia’s gift? But Randidly didn’t think so. Truly, her gifts were meant to destroy and tear. Based on the dull eyed Shal Randidly had seen, she was just biding her time, probably waiting to give him a gift to the moment it would destroy Shal. Ultimately, this worried Randidly more, because likely, what she was waiting for was something regarding him and this tournament…
Well it was all speculation at this point. But indulging the fact the visions were real made Randidly want to abandon this place and return home, searching for Ace and Sydney. However, he was held in place by a vague feeling of guilt and responsibility towards Shal, and also based on his promise with Azriel. He hadn’t originally asked for her help getting him through the knockout rounds, but she had given it, and now he had taken advantage of her to help increase his skill.
There was a debt there now, and Randidly never wanted to be someone who forgot his debts.
“Again,” Azriel said impatiently.
****
Claptrap almost choked to death on his first swig of ale, slightly shellshocked and trembling based on the fact that Ciel had accepted so easily. It was the most natural thing in the world, in her mind, to go somewhere more private and drink to continue their discussion. As if they had a relationship of some kind. As if they were friends.
Maybe in her mind they were…? Claptrap wondered, but then he squashed that thought. That didn’t make sense, her previous actions were definitely standoffish, when she had met for the business deal. So why…?
“Um… you are doing really well for yourself, you know? I see your symbol everywhere.” Ciel began tentatively. “Behind the Style… I think your… company, right? Is the most well known thing about this tournament. No longer just a clerk, huh?”
Claptrap nodded, the guilt rising in his chest, his throat souring. Well, due to the Ghosthound he was changing… he was riding his ideas way above his place in life.
Claptrap opened his mouth, but wasn’t sure what to say, so he closed it, and then opened it again to take another sip of ale. Ciel was staring at the table, deep in thought. Claptrap just grimaced. In what world did he think-
“It’s inspiring, you know. The way you changed your life, with your ideas. It… inspired me.” Ciel looked sharply up, her clear blue eyes determined. “I want to do that… reshape my life.
“It might be hard to notice… but my life…” Ciel gestured slightly. “Has not… always been under my control. I am a female, and it… is hard to escape what that means. That means it’s my responsibility to ensure the next generation of the Steel Feather Style has a leader. And that, inevitably, means I need a strong man…
“Some argue that the path received from the father is very often irrelevant but… Every heaven defying genius has an edge because of a skill they trained from birth from their mother, and an avenue forward left to them by their father. But….”
Now her eyes flashed and Ciel raised her glass and finished the entire thing in a second, then slammed it down on the table. “Everyone talks about 3 names for the tournament. Drak Wyrd, and his epic duel against Azriel, with rumors abound about their wedding. And of course, Randidly Ghosthound, the mage spear user who worked his way up through the preliminaries, through the qualifiers to get here, sweating and struggling the entire way!
“I… approached Azriel many times, because I thought she would understand the pressures as the woman expected to inherit the dreams of a Style… but she always seemed to look through me, barely recognizing me. I know I’m not like her, I’m not... naturally blessed in the same ways, nor do I have such a monstrous understanding of the spear, or instantaneous insight. But I work hard. I’ve always outperformed expectations…
“But here, my name is never mentioned. No one expects me to win the tournament. Sure, I’ll likely beat your Ghosthound friend, no offense, but it won’t be enough to rock the boat. To make people look at me in shock. That’s why I made the announcement before the crowd. Only now, only through drama about relationships,” Ciel struggled for a second before she could continue speaking, a tear running down her cheek. “Only through this, can I have their eyes on me, can I seize control of my path with a shock that will set them on their back foot.”