Captain Kaleo pushed himself off the doorframe and entered the clinic with slow, casual steps. He stopped in front of them, his playful smile toying with their minds. Whether he heard everything or just trying to appear like he did, it was hard to tell.
Auri summoned his fake confidence and puffed his chest out, trying to act nonchalant. "Captain, what are you doing here?"
"Why you ask? Of course, It's so I could check on you! I promised to take away your pain, so it's my duty to see it through until the end. I don't think I'll be able to sleep comfortably if I return home now, knowing you are still not at your best self."
Auri perked up. "Wait, you're returning home? When are you leaving?"
"We're supposed to leave today." Captain Kaleo stepped closer to the table and started flipping through the tome. "But after hearing this beautiful lady here saying there's someone I shouldn't see you doing, I feel like staying a couple of more days."
Maryam flinched at the knowing glance thrown at her and hid behind her headscarf, unable to come up with an excuse.
Auri moved in front of her, forcing the icy gaze to focus on him instead. "Leave her be. She just said that out of concern because I didn't know better. I'm not from here, so I may end up doing something offensive even without meaning to."
"Fair enough," Captain Kaleo said, closing the tome to look for the next item that may catch his interest. "Though it still makes me wonder, what exactly am I not supposed to see? That's the most interesting part that you haven't told me yet."
"And why should I tell you? If it ends up offending anyone, I'll be the one in trouble."
"Oh, my dear friend, you hurt me. I thought we've already gotten close? Can't you humor me? I'm dying in curiosity here."
Auri snatched the vintage electric lamp from the captain's hand and smiled. "Don't worry, Captain. You're not going to die. As they said, what you don't know won't kill you."
Captain Kaleo laughed, shaking his head. "Al right, I won't pry anymore. I'll just let my imagination run wild."
Auri hid his relief through a quiet sigh.
"But you must know." Captain Kaleo leaned closer to Auri's ear. "The more you hide from me, the more you make me want to dig deeper. I may do things differently than others, but I am still an inquisitor. Remember that, my dear little bunny."
"B-Bunny?"
The man only gave a mysterious smile before leaving the clinic.
Maryam slumped on the chair, a hand pressed to her chest as she released a strangled sigh. "That man is so scary. You would think he is friendly, but he's not. All those flowery words, all that charm; if you fall for it, you will find yourself walking into a trap."
Auri glanced one more time towards the door before he knelt in front of her. "Maryam, can you tell me exactly what's the deal with the Holy Empire and why should I hide my abilities or magic—whatever you want to call it. I need to know so I won't end up doing the same mistake again."
Maryam nodded. "I will tell you, but not here, not now. We don't know who's listening. That man could still be spying on us."
"I understand," Auri said, standing up.
Out of nowhere, a loud sound rumbled from the depth of his stomach.
Maryam laughed. "Sorry, I forgot what I was here for. I was supposed to check on you and see if you would like to join us for breakfast."
Auri glanced at the tome on the table. "Well, I guess I should fill my stomach first before I take on this task. Fixing your mother's book will take a while."
After she had calmed down, Maryam guided him to the main house adjacent to the clinic. The building stood at the heart of the fortress, built with thick stone walls and domed rooftops. It was designed to withstand the merciless desert, but it still looked like a noble estate.
When they entered, Auri was met with the scent of spices that reminded him of his mother's cooking. The warmth of hospitality enveloped him, easing the silent pain of homesickness. He still missed home, but he pushed the feeling aside, and let otherworldly generosity fill the void inside temporarily.
Auri had just taken a seat on the long table when the inquisitor captain entered the dining hall and graced the place with his cheek-splitting smile and overly dramatic gestures.
"Good morning, sunshine," Captain Kaleo greeted him as if they didn't have an encountered just moments ago. "It's nice to have you finally join us for breakfast. I thought I would miss your face before we embark on our journey back to our homeland."
The chief, Abu, laughed at him. "Captain, please, give the young man a break. He has only recovered. I'm sure he would rather fill his stomach first before engaging in pleasantries."
"Thanks to the Goddess' mercy, I think he's recovered enough to do some light work. It makes me wonder what kind of work you do, my friend. Are you a laborer, a craftsman, or... something else?"
"I heard from my daughter that he's an artisan who repairs books," Abu answered. "Although such skills aren't necessarily needed here, I think there's still a way to make use of it."
"An artisan, huh? I guess that explains those interesting artifacts I found at the clinic the last time I visited. I'm quite curious how they work."
Suddenly, all eyes on the table panned towards him.
Auri stopped chewing the flatbread and stared back. "What?"
"Artifacts?" Abu echoed, puzzled. "I don't remember him owning anything remarkable when he was first brought here. Not that we would pry, but we would have noticed if there was anything. Are you sure you're not just mistaking medical tools in my daughter's clinic?"
"Well, maybe you're right." Captain Kaleo shrugged, but the smirk on his face kept taunting him. "It must be my imagination. It's not like an item would magically appear out of thin air, right?"
Auri reached for the cup of water, his appetite fading. He shouldn't be here.
"Where are you going?" Abu asked when Auri stood from his chair. "You've barely eaten."
"I'm sorry, Abu, but I think I have a stomachache," Auri said, rubbing his stomach. "I'll just go back to the clinic and rest."
Maryam stood as well. "I'll come with you."
"It's fine. You don't have to. It's just... call of nature."
Captain Kaleo put down his utensils. "Then I'll walk you to—"
"No," Auri said flatly. "I don't need your help."
With a sharp turn of his heel, Auri made a beeline towards the exit.
"Abu, did you know? There's a rogue mage on the loose," Captain Kaleo said, his voice loud enough for Auri to hear, halting him for a moment. "My informant said that they could be hiding somewhere in the desert, so I was thinking of postponing our journey back to the empire. I can't just leave, knowing a heretic could put the people here in danger."
Auri continued on his way, unbothered.
Although it felt like the inquisitor captain was trying to hint at something, it got nothing to do with him. He wasn't a mage. His energy reserves weren't made of mana, but of chronicle essence. He had nothing to fear.
With a sigh, Auri opened the door to the clinic and entered, only to find himself forcefully grabbed by the collar and pinned against the wall. He tried to fight back, but the familiar strands of blond hair stopped him.
Auri stared at the ocean blue eyes behind the broken masquerade mask. "Darius?"