Divine Beast Ascension

Chapter 168: A Late Night Visitor

“If there’s not anything else to discuss, I’ll be heading back,” Keldon sighed as he got to his feet. “I need to open up early as usual, so a little rest will do me good.”

“Thank you for the trade,” Vloz commented, nodding good-bye.

Oli waved. “Mind seeing yourself out? I need to rest too.”

“See you soon, kid. Come to me if you need any more info or materials.”

Soon after Keldon exited Oli’s courtyard and eventually left the Practor property, Vloz stretched his feline body. Both he and Oli were a little anxious for some good sleep. Oli would use the bed to better rest his mind while Vloz’s stress over Oli’s well-being had dissolved. Now, they had to be a little patient and figure out their situation more fully.

*****

As all three suns were long gone as night was fully set in. The residential area was mostly silent as nearly everyone had fallen asleep long ago. But someone in a dark cloak approached the gate of the Practor Family.

.....

Before the lone guard could speak out to the visitor, the man removed his hood and smiled. “It’s just me.”

“Master Mertin?” Confused, the guard replied, “I’ve been told to–”

“I’ve only come to pick up some things my wife had forgotten,” mentioned Mertin. “I’ll be fast, don’t worry.”

“Master Mertin, I’m sorry but I can’t. If you want to enter, I’ll need to inform a superior.”

“That’s fine, I suppose. But be quick. I’ll just wait here.”

“Oh, is that you, Mertin?” A voice rang out from the dark as a silhouette approached the gate from the inside. “What brings you back? I don’t think you’ll be able to regain your former status without a hard discussion with your father.”

“Hrald, can you please escort me through the property. My wife has forgotten some of her things,” Mertin explained with a calm stare. “It will only take a few minutes.”

The guard prompt bowed his head to Hrald. “Manager Hrald, Master Mertin has been peaceful in his request.”

“Thanks for the report...” Herald eyed Mertin carefully and nodded to the guard. “I’ll be his escort, so you can let him pass. But should we not return within half an hour, alert the household.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Also, there’s no need to call him master anymore,” Hrald added with a chuckle. “He lost that title willingly, so there’s no need to worry about his feelings.”

Mertin stepped onto the property and was closely followed by Hrald, standing only a step to the right and one step back from him. The duo quietly walked out of sight of the main gate and made their way to the nearby offices.

“I’ll give you five minutes to look, but don’t expect any help. I don’t need to answer to you anymore or handle your menial work,” clarified Hrald.

“I’m sorry for the recent increase of your workload,” Mertin commented with a straight face.

Hrald lightly chuckled, “You won’t even explain yourself? Even after I began doing nearly all of your work on top of handling my own responsibilities?” When no answer was given and no change of expression was shown, Hrald sighed, “Fine... be like that. But don’t expect sympathy or being treated with any more favoritism. I will wish you good luck in your future endeavors though, since you’ve already burned your bridges here.”

“Thank you...”

Unable to get another word out of him, Hrald let the conversation die out as he unlocked the office building. They entered and quickly found Melida’s recently-vacated office. Mertin went to slide the door open but found the lock in place. He turned to Hrald and asked, “Would you mind?”

“Only this once...” Hrald sighed, taking out his new set of keys and unlocking the door. He also slid it open and cordially motioned with his hand. “After you.”

Mertin didn’t reply, only walking into the dark room with his straight face. He gave the room a once over and nodded lightly. “I see they’ve already inspected the room... Such is to be expected.”

“Yeah, I made sure to be thorough.”

Finally, Mertin’s straight face vanished for a moment as he spotted a familiar face in the corner of the room. Mertin swiped his hand over two formations on the wall, silencing the room and lighting up the room via a formation on the ceiling.

“You’re dismissed.” Jonon glanced at Hrald, who promptly nodded and closed the door, fastening the lock before leaving.

Blinking, Mertin asked, “What’s all this about?”

“I have a key, so we’re not locked in. But now we can talk,” replied Jonon, sharing a serious but calm glare. “Don’t worry about dad. He doesn’t know that either of us is here, though I thought you might come back for what I found.”

“So you have the key?” asked Mertin, resuming his straight-faced emotionlessness.

“That depends. What’s the key for? The safe in your office?”

“Perhaps... Though I assume you’ve already tested that theory.”

“Why? What are you after?” Jonon questioned quietly yet sternly. “I can’t think of a reason you would turn your back on us.”

Shrugging, Mertin sighed, “What if I don’t have a reason?”

“Says the man willing to debate to the death over spending one gold coin over budget?”

“Coming from a cultivation freak willing to put his cultivation before his child, that means a lot.”

Both men were calm on the outside, showing no true emotion toward the other. They did their best read each other’s faces and body language, searching for anything to edge out the other’s reasoning.

“Why have you been poisoning Lyle?” questioned Jonon. “And dad too? Care to make your case with me before dad blows his tops and beats us both?”

But no reply was made, neither through words or body language.

Jonon continued, “I also don’t get why you would keep it in a safe and not your void ring. There’s also the whole debt issue that you’ve brought onto the family in secret... There’s a lot that I hope you would explain willingly. Or do I need to be more forceful?”