Chapter 87   - Choices

The glare Kai threw at her teasing almost made her laugh out loud. Each time she tried to take control of the situation, the boy behaved in unpredictable ways. It was refreshing to see him react as she expected.

She would need to confirm his story to be thorough. Many mysteries hung around him and she didn’t trust his story completely. It didn’t matter much. There was no way to fake how he talked about his home. Kai loved the archipelago and knowing that was enough.

“I’ll go then.” A small pout on his face.

“It’s better if I accompany you. I wasn’t teasing you when I said they don’t like people snooping around in government buildings.”

The boy didn’t look all that worried but waited for her at the doorway. With a grandiose bow, he let her lead the way. Val scoffed. Little princess, that was what people thought of her. She had heard rumors, but never bothered to verify their extent.

The discovery hurt more than she’d like to admit. She knew there were people who opposed her father and hated them - the two scars on her abdomen were an unforgettable reminder. Still, she deluded herself they were just an extremist minority, chained to the old ways.

I’ve been a fool.

In hindsight, it felt obvious that most people would think of her as a spoiled brat. It was fine, they didn’t all need to understand. The Merian Republic wasn’t perfect, but there was no future in opposing it. When her father succeeded, everyone would see the truth. She was sure of it.

As they made their way to the main hall, some enforcers approached, but they backed off as they recognized her. They walked in silence, both with a lot on their mind.

“Have you decided whether you’ll join the program? It could be a great opportunity, even for you.”

“Not sure if my master will let me. Till next time.” Kai waved at her and disappeared into the crowd of kids.

Would they meet again? There was an arrogant certainty in his tone. Reaching Orange ★ at his age was a noteworthy achievement. Unfortunately, the road only got harder from there.

Till next time.

“You look in a good mood, miss. Did you have a nice chat with that boy?” Nalia greeted her in her room.

Val schooled her expression. “It was fine.”

It had been nice to be reminded there were other talented islanders out there. The archipelago would need them to grow stronger. That was why her father fought so hard for the scholarship program.

It will all be for nothing if I fail.

They could help, but her role was irreplaceable. The fundamental piece to take back the archipelago. Her father’s dream rested on her shoulders.

Kai had been an interesting distraction, but it was time to focus. She had more speeches to prepare and plans to perfect. Sylspring was only the beginning of her tour. She swore not to commit more blunders and intended to keep that promise.

~~~

“How did it go?” Kai asked aloud in Flynn’s ears, grabbing his shoulder for a better reaction.

The boy jolted before realizing it was him. “Why did you do that!” He pushed him away.

“You were staring so intently for any sign of the results, I thought you might use a distraction,” Kai replied with an innocent smile.

I’m starting to get why Elijah likes to sneak on people.

“Of course…” Flynn didn’t look convinced. “I did great, obviously.”

Despite his bravado, his fidgety movements and his irregular flow told a different story.

“If you performed half as good as you claim, they’ll certainly take you.”

“Yeah… But I’m older than most, so they might choose someone else even if I’m much better.”

Yeah, eleven years old is basically retirement age.

“In the previous towns, they never took anyone over ten.”

“How do you know that?” Kai asked puzzled.

“I told you I have my sources. A few towns already had their selection and voices run fast.”

“Your super-secret and mysterious sources. I’d like to meet them someday.” Kai would bet a leg he was hiding something. Too tired to dig deeper, it didn’t really matter if he was planning to scam the Republic. Good for him.

“If it’s so important, I might as well increase your chances a bit.” Leaving a confused Flynn behind, Kai walked up to one of the enforcers standing guard in the hall.

“Could you inform Captain Zerith that I would like to talk with him?” Kai offered his official ID. “He told me to call for him for a personal reason.”

The man in a black uniform looked down at him with skepticism, glancing at his posh paper. “You know it’s a crime to lie to a public official?”

His stern gaze bore down on him. Kai didn’t waver, Acting confident. None of the enforcers appeared particularly nice. This one at least wasn’t looking at the kids in the hall without annoyance or disgust.

“I’ll let the captain know you’re looking for him. Wait here.”

Less than a minute later, Zerith's towering figure made his appearance. “I thought you would wait for the results before looking for me.”

“I’ve already made my decision.”

Zerith gestured to wait and led him outside. “We can talk here. Some people might not appreciate you taking the selection so lightly. You're going to refuse, right?”

Kai nodded. “I think my master can already teach me all that I need.”

And I’d rather spend a year with Elijah than another day dealing with Republic officials.

“I think it might be for the best.”

“You didn’t sound so sure last time.”

“Oh, I thought it could be fun. Those paper-pushers were much harder to convince than I imagined. You’d have to show higher skills than I feel comfortable recommending to get an exemption. I doubt spending half a year in Sylspring is compatible with your other obligations.”

“It isn’t. My master would miss me too much.”

“I’ll get you off the list of those who passed.”

“You can do that?”

“Easily. A refusal in front of everybody would be a slap in the face of the Republic. And while your test results clearly stood out, both the knowledge and mana skill examiners reported you were unfit for the program.”

A flare of annoyance was quickly put out by the realization he wouldn’t need to see them again. Joining would have allowed him to gather more information about the Republic's affairs, but it wasn’t worth compromising his growth for it.

Elijah is much better. Spirits help me! It's really true that distance makes the heart grow fonder. Damn, butler.

“Thank you for the help.” Zerith didn’t do much more than offer a few pieces of advice. But in his experience, the Republic and kindness never went in the same sentence.

“No problem, kid. Do you plan to stay in Sylspring much longer? It’s a nice town to live in.”

“I’ll leave tomorrow or the day after. As soon as I’m done with my master’s errands. I'll probably come back at some point.”

He had a few guesses as to why Elijah sent him here. A town offered the opportunity to train a different skill set. He already had enough Life Experience to reach Orange ★★, but he’d rather wait. Enhancements weren’t as painful as advancing between grades, but not pleasant either.

The safe confines of the estate would also stop anyone discovering how close he was to the next upgrade. There was a huge difference between an eight-year-old at the first stage and one at the second.

Going back in to await the results, Flynn threw him an inquisitive glance. “You didn’t tell me you had friends in high places.”

“I don’t. I met him yesterday.”

“Right…”

“What? Not my fault if I’m that good at making friends.”

Flynn burst out laughing. “Yeah, that’s definitely the reason.”

“What’s so funny?” Kai crossed his arms, his face heated up. “At least I don’t try to cheat every person I meet.”

The little bugger laughed harder. “Not everyone. Just rich birdbrains with more money than they know what to do with.”

“I’m not rich. Every mesar I have belongs to my teacher.”

“Well, if he gave you all that silver, he probably doesn’t care if you spend it. You should share a little of your wealth with this poor orphan boy, mister.”

“You’re not an orphan, and I told you not to call me mister.”

“You are really a cheapskate, wha—.”

“Silence!” The word resounded through the hall. A familiar woman with a scowl. Flynn’s grin was replaced by nervousness.

“We’ll now proceed to announce the names of the participants who demonstrated sufficient skill to pass the selection. If you hear your name, please step forward.”

The silence was deafening, all eyes turned in the same direction. All, except for Kai.

Thank the spirits, we’re almost done.

“Celila Dawncrest, Suli No—”

To his surprise, the first person to step forward was none other than pigtails herself. A large shiny smile split her face. More than half the kids who participated in the mana exam were called. Next a series of buff and wiry kids, who didn’t make him wonder about the skills they trained.

Beside him, Flynn’s mana was in turmoil. He grabbed his arm, gripping it with increasing strength as fewer places were left. His eyes never left the woman in the gray uniform. Thankfully Kai was one grade higher, or it would have hurt more than a little.

“—and lastly Flynn Soveili. That is all. If your name has not been called, you can leave. You may try your luck again next year if the program gets renewed. Thank you all for participating.”

The crowd exploded in a chorus of voices. Only about a third of the kids proceeded towards the exits. Protests of unfairness and crying filled the air.

“Congratulations, you made it through.”

Flynn stared emptily in the air. “Yes, I did… Of course, I passed! Who in their right mind would send me away, right?”

“Yeah, I could see you drowning in confidence a second ago.”

“Don’t worry, when I’m rich and famous, I’ll remember to save a few scraps for you.” His grin was blinding, Kai let him have his moment of glory. “But wait, how is it possible you didn’t get accepted?”

“I wasn’t interested.”

“Is that what you went to ask earlier?” Flynn went for a hug. “I’ll remember this, I wouldn’t have passed if it wasn’t for you.”

Mana Sense kept track of the boy’s hands. It seemed this time Flynn was sincere and wasn’t looking for an excuse to pickpocket him.

“No need to thank me. It was a coincidence.”

Flynn squeezed him harder and lifted him up. “Thank you all the same.”

Put me down, you jerk!

“Quietly make your way out. If you refuse to comply, you’ll be fined and receive a mark of demerit that will ban you from ever taking part in any other initiative.” The cold voice announced with a note of irritation.

Glad I won’t have to deal with her too.

With his feet back on the ground, Kai bid Flynn goodbye. “Whatever you are planning, try not to get in trouble.”

“I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. I’m a model citizen!” Flynn winked. “I really need to go get my money now, bye!”

Rolling his eyes, Kai joined the lines of kids streaming towards the doors. The square was packed with swarms of waiting parents. People crying and consoling their children. Slipping through the mess, he looked for a quieter place.

His stomach was grumbling, the last thing he ate was the refreshments after the first test. They had not been very generous. The sun was low on the horizon painting long shadows on the streets, dusk a couple hours away.

The pretty streets of poshtown around the main square were filled with people. A couple of tourists were complaining about all the clatter made by the locals.

Well, if there was one thing touristy towns were known for, it was overpriced food. Wherever he turned, charming stands and shops advertised appealing local specialties more sugary and fried than any food Kai had ever eaten.

Most of his money was in his room at the Sage Tree. Checking his pockets, he had plenty of copper mesars. After the exhausting day, Kai decided to treat himself.

Browsing around, he chose his first target. A stand manned by a pretty girl with a radiant smile. His gaze zeroed in on the colorful glazed fruits cut and shaped to resemble fish, shells and other sea creatures.

“How much for one?” His mouth was salivating.

“Thirty chips each. But if you take four, it’s just one mesar.” The girl said with one sweet smile.

That’s ridiculous, rob me already! In Greenside I can eat for a week with one mesar.

Kai looked conflicted at the shiny sweets calling his name. Flynn was right, if Elijah gave him this much money, he must be okay with him spending it.

“I’ll take the papaya conch, the mango seahorse, the little turtle with the coconut head and… that purple fishy.”

An hour and many more coins later, Kai was sitting on a bench massaging his full tummy. If someone asked him if he ate more sweets today or in the previous 8 years of his life, he wouldn’t be sure what to answer.

This was definitely not healthy, but oh so worth it. What’s the point of training hard if I don’t enjoy life?

Standing up with some effort, the jiggle of coins in his pocket had left place to a stark silence. Kai regretted nothing. Tomorrow he would whip himself for this, but for now he refused to let his brain ruin the moment.

With slow and measured steps, he made his way to the sea. He still needed to visit two merchants before heading back to the estate. A tanned sailor confirmed one of the ships had docked this morning. He was in no condition to deal with them, especially if he needed to haggle for the prices.

Back at the Sage Tree, everything was as he left it. He asked for a bath and went to bed early.

Two annoying merchants to deal with, and then trek back to the estate. I need a vacation.

After one session of Meditation to make up for skipping this morning, sleep came easy. When he reopened his eyes the sun had risen anew. Jumping to his feet, Kai rushed to the bathroom to pay the price for yesterday’s decisions. Orange ★wasn’t enough to deal with this kind of abuse. Thankfully he would advance soon.

Still worth it!

He was ready to face the new day with a fresh set of clothes. Opening his door, Flynn almost fell on him. Again.

“Huh. I’m awake!” The boy promptly jumped to his feet.

“What are you doing here?”

“I promised you I would help you haggle with the merchants, don’t you remember? I always keep my promises.” Flynn puffed his chest.

“Let me guess, the Republic did not hand over a bunch of money to a kid?”

“It was a total scam! I won’t get anything until the program officially starts!” Flynn indignantly screamed before flopping down. “I’m penniless for a whole week. What am I supposed to do now? Who will feed my three little sisters.”

Kai sighed. “Get up. I’ll buy you breakfast.”

In a blink, Flynn had risen to his feet and put an arm around his shoulder. “I knew I could count on you, mister. I promise you won’t regret paying my fee.”

“We’ll see if you’re worth it.”

“Remember I’m the best haggler in the whole archipelago.”

“I’m pretty sure you said the best in Sylspring last time.”

“I was trying to be humble. I'm first in at least Yanlun.”

“Sure…”

“And I also bring the latest gossip. You’ll never guess it. A ship of merfolk has docked this morning!”