Chapter 741 (2/2)

The martin looked sharply up, blinking its eyes. Rejt laughed. “Tessa it is!”

“Tessa…” Kurag said slowly while rubbing his chin. “A strange name, indeed. One I have not heard before. And yet… it somehow fits.”

A coincidence…? Randidly thought while listening to the two men following behind him. But that seemed unlikely. It was a strange name to bring up from Randidly’s past. There was no easy answer for what it could mean for the small martin. Ultimately, he and Tessa had dated in the past and then the System arrived.

But it did disturb him somewhat how deeply this world drew from him. And at the weirdest times.

*****

“If that is all, Reynark,” Allica said slowly, gesturing to the door. “I think it’s time you go. We are working as fast as we can. There is no more-”

“Already you have done so much, I was merely inquiring if you were holding anything back,” Reynark said with a greasy smile. Even for an Earth Golem, Reynark was especially tall, his head stretching to brush the top of the tent. “Besides, there is no need to hurry. I have… personal business to discuss.”

Allica remained silent. Her gaze was razor sharp in the dimly lit tent.

Without batting an eye, Reynark continued. “I am not simply the Interim Relief Administrator. I also speak as a representative of my family. And we believe that what we need now is a point for our people to rally around. With clearing even a portion of the waystations, the people approve of you-”

Allica closed her eyes and cut the man off. “No.”

“You can’t avoid the subject of marriage forever,” Reynark said, his greasy smile finally vanishing. “You have a responsibility-”

“My bloodline means nothing,” Allica muttered.

“Pah, your brother married the High King’s sister! I hardly think that’s nothing.” Reynark said with a harrumph.

Allica gave the foppish Earth Golem a withering look. “It truly is nothing. Their children would be related to His line, but my connection is only by marriage. Don’t chase old dreams. We have followed them to our deaths too many times.”

“The people-”

But again, Allica interrupted. “The people are sheep!”

To emphasize her point, she slammed her fist on the table. The heavy wood cracked.

When she looked at Reynark afterward, Allica was surprised to find that he was grinning. A wide grin. “Exactly. And then needed to be herded. It isn’t ideal, but you can serve that purpose. With my family at your back-”

“I will not be a figurehead to lead a struggling people to another dark end,” Allica said, tapping into the Great Skill that she understood if only a little. Instantly, an oppressive silence descended on the tent, smothering the words before Reynark could speak them.

After a few seconds, Allica let off of the Skill and Reynark sighed.

“Allica… you know the world we live in. What are there but dark ends for our people? At the very least, I wish to follow the High King as he would have liked: Fighting to find our destiny.”

Allica’s eyes narrowed into slits, but she had no answer to that.