Chapter 740 (1/2)

Kurag chuckled without humor at Randidly's comment. “Is responsibility always such an accurate predictor of men? By that logic, the Progenitor himself would come down and solve all of our problems… But of course, that does not happen. In this world, the only thing that one can count on is their own strength. The fact that I had to be saved just means that age…”

Kurag trailed off. With great care, he pulled himself up on the shatter stone stalagmite into a standing position.

At Kurag’s mention of the Progenitor, Randidly winced internally. But it was not like he could do anything about all the mistakes he had made so far in regards to his Soulskill. All he could do now was work on himself moving forward. “The Progenitor’s help would do more harm than good for many. You are strong, Kurag. These opponents-”

“Don’t comfort me boy,” Kurag spat. His glare was white hot on Randidly for several seconds, but then all the fight drained out of him. Instead, he harrumphed and seemed to test his legs.

The silence stretched between them as Randidly waited to see what Kurag would do. When Kurag eventually spoke, the words were so out of left field that Randidly was briefly floored.

“Are you single Randidly?”

“Ah?”

“Married. Children. Do you have them?”

Randidly blinked several times, looking at Kurag’s wrinkled and rough face. But there were no answers there. “...no. I am single, I suppose. Why do you ask?”

“When you… spoke to me previously, it reminded me of… of something said to me by my daughter. She was always proclaiming how strong I was, even as I was... bitter. You two would likely be of an age with each other.”

“Oh,” Randidly said, unsure of how to respond. His eyes narrowed as he looked at Kurag. The bloodstains on his threadbare robes were certainly getting worse. The old Earth Golem probably believed that he was permanently injured. As Randidly reached for the energy of his Soulskill to craft a potion from nothing, he asked a quick question to make conversation. “Where is she now?”

“Dead. She rode under the High King’s banner.”

Randidly winced. But to his surprise, Kurag kept speaking.

“...You two would have gotten along.”

In spite of himself, Randidly’s lips quirked upward. With a small effort of will, energy curled down into Randidly’s palms, forming a beaker and a bright emerald liquid. “Kurag, are you saying you would set your daughter up with me? This is a pretty sudden change of heart.”

“Bah! There is no way she would have accepted you as a suitor. You are far too thin,” Kurag said, shooting Randidly a dismissive glance.

...which is not a no…

“Perhaps I’m just feeling my age,” Kurag said with a sigh. He gestured to his wounds. “To think I was so injured by this rabble… and you. I misjudged you. Both your willingness to help and… I never expected you to be a believer in the Progenitor.”

Well, it was hard not to believe in yourself…

To his the awkward expression on his face, Randidly held the fully condensed potion out to Kurag. “Here, drink this. It will help with your wounds.”

“Hmph, is that why you are tiptoeing around with your words? You believe me convinced of my own death? Hardly. When you grow as old as I am, kid, you’ll understand the need for an occasional… change of pace. That is all this discussion is. Things have not changed between us. But... after seeing that spear attack… well, there are a few things that you can only know about someone by seeing them fight. You did not hesitate.”

Randidly felt an unexpected throb of relief that the other’s wound wasn’t deadly. For all that Kurag was annoying, there was something about the practical old man that you had to respect. Grinning, Randidly said. “Such lack of hesitation is undoubtedly reassuring in an ally.”

“And horrifying in an enemy. My people are too freshly butchered by yours for me to trust you.” Kurag said softly.

Randidly had no answer to that, so instead, he asked. “And your daughter? Was she like that? Decisive?”

Kurag smiled slowly in the dark cave, but even so, the light of his pride was clearly visible. “She was more than that. She was strong. She would have crushed you in combat.”

“Stronger than you then?” Randidly teased.