Chapter 339: The Favor That Was Definitely a Bad Idea
Chapter 339: The Favor That Was Definitely a Bad Idea
Elyn’s POV
I let out a long sigh.
Then I carefully slipped my hand free from Zorathys’s.
Beside me, he sighed as well. The difference was that mine came from exhaustion. His sounded suspiciously like disappointment.
I pinched the bridge of my nose.
"I looked away for one minute," I said. "One minute alone... and somehow everything has become a disaster."
Aziren’s little flames flickered uncertainly. He slowly raised one tiny hand, his voice so quiet I almost didn’t hear him.
"I only wanted to touch the swords," he said, looking down at his feet. "I didn’t mean to melt them."
His lower lip trembled as he spoke.
"I really didn’t."
He sniffled softly before looking up at me with watery eyes.
"I’m sorry."
My heart immediately softened.
Before I could even respond, Thalira hurriedly lifted a hand as well.
"I didn’t mean to summon the boulder," she said.
"That’s a demon," Dracolthar supplied helpfully. "An ancient one that’s very close to waking up."
Okay... I didn’t even want to hear her explanation anymore, but that didn’t stop the other children from speaking.
"I only wanted to see if Lunacite Stones were actually sweet," Azerion defended himself.
"I told you I wasn’t sure if it would be sweet to you," Brixton said. "My kind likes it, but I don’t know about others."
"I only wanted everyone to feel happy and perhaps not be mad at us," Velira added.
I rubbed my forehead.
None of their explanations actually made anything better.
I sighed again.
"...Where’s Zayrion?" I asked and was immediately met with silence.
The children collectively looked around.
"...Zayrion?" Retheris called.
Even Brixton began looking around the training grounds.
"...He was just here."
I looked toward the adults, which only made the situation somehow stranger.
The Stone Demons were still smiling warmly at the children. One elderly demon was complimenting Aziren’s flames. Another was praising Velira’s wings. A third was telling Brixton he looked "exceptionally rocky today."
And then there was Rin.
I stared.
She was smiling.
Not only smiling... she was smiling at Azerion.
"...Azerion," she said gently, "what are you looking for?"
"My friend," he said in reply.
"Tell me how he looks, I’ll find him for you," she said.
I slowly turned away.
No.
This wasn’t right.
Rin would have argued with him for at least fifteen minutes before even considering helping.
Something was deeply wrong.
Nearby, Vaelory smiled patiently as Retheris continued speaking.
"Will you help me too, VV?" he asked.
"Of course."
I sighed for what felt like the hundredth time before turning toward the only person who could actually solve this.
"Zorathys."
"Hm?"
"Can you fix this?"
He was quiet for a moment.
"...What’s in it for me?"
I stared at him in shock.
"...Are you serious?"
He nodded without the slightest trace of embarrassment.
"According to..." He frowned thoughtfully. "...Section something, possibly article 2 or 3, or maybe another entirely. Every assistance rendered should be returned with an appropriate favor."
"Really, Zorathys?" I asked him. "You don’t even know what you are quoting."
"At least I know the important part," he said with a shrug of his shoulders.
"...I don’t think that’s how it goes though," I told him.
"It probably is."
"You literally said ’probably.’"
"There are many constitutions."
He sounded genuinely exhausted by the thought alone.
"I cannot reasonably be expected to memorize every single one."
"You’re the King."
"Exactly."
"So shouldn’t you know them?"
"I delegated that responsibility."
"To whom?"
"...Someone."
"Who?"
"I forgot."
I looked at him for a long moment.
"You never learned it, did you?"
He gave a small shrug.
"There were too many pages."
"I thought so."
"They were also terribly boring."
"I thought that too."
"But," he continued lazily, "you understood my point."
Unfortunately... I did.
I sighed... again.
"...Fine. What do you want?" I asked him.
Before Zorathys could answer, Dracolthar suddenly gasped.
"Your Majesty!"
He hurried toward me, looking horrified.
"You absolutely must not make mysterious agreements with His..."
His words abruptly stopped.
Or rather... they couldn’t continue.
His lips had completely sealed shut.
Dracolthar’s eyes widened and he frantically pawed at his mouth.
"Mmph!"
He looked at Zorathys accusingly.
"Mmph! Mmph!"
Zorathys didn’t even bother looking at him.
Instead, he smiled lazily at me.
"I haven’t decided yet," he said as if Dracolthar had not just made an attempt to interrupt us.
"When I eventually come to collect it," he continued, "you’ll simply repay me, Firefly, and preferably without asking me questions."
I narrowed my eyes at him. His words sounded suspicious, but there was nothing more I could do.
"Fine."
Zorathys smiled... that beautiful dangerous smile that made my heart betray me.
Without another word, he tilted his head ever so slightly.
The change was immediate.
The enormous boulder — or rather, demon — behind Thalira quietly disappeared.
The melted practice swords shimmered before reforming into pristine weapons, every blade perfectly restored.
The dreamy expressions vanished from the adults almost simultaneously.
Rin blinked.
Then she looked at Azerion.
Her eyes narrowed.
"...You couldn’t wait for proper Lunacite Stones and had to eat from the swords instead?"
Azerion rolled his eyes. "At least I didn’t steal them."
Everything had returned to normal it seemed.
"My name isn’t VV," Vaelory said with folded arms.
Retheris smiled. "But it can be, or maybe it should be RV."
"RV?" She asked.
I almost laughed at that because it reminded me of my past life.
"Retheris and Vaelory," Retheris said. "RV."
I turned away from them and then my eyes locked on the fox demon that had been missing for a while.
His ears twitched and he adjusted his clothes.
"Where were you?" I asked him.
"He was disguised as a sword," Zorathys told me. "And I must admit, I’ve never thought of doing that to avoid tedious tasks... perhaps I should try it."
"Are you encouraging him right now?" I asked him.
"Encouraging?" He asked me. "He encouraged me, if at all, not the other way around."