"Servant?!"
Mallory nodded his head. He relayed his conversation with Kayne to his guardian, Gest, the merchant who' taking care of him.
"Are you dissatisfied with your work here," he asked, pertaining to Mallory's errands within his small merchandising company. "Well, if you think that being his servant is for the best then I won't stop you." Gest lifted the crate containing the items to be delivered and put it inside the cart.
Mallory hopped to the cart and busied himself arranging the crates that were being loaded. He also put a tag on each crate according to its contents, letting out a sigh on every three movements he does.
"Bastard, get out of here if you're going to sigh on my business all day long," Gest yelled at him. "Solve your problems when we're done."
"He declined my offer," Mallory finally said. "He said that he's contended with Peony and Peony is the best at everything she does. Peony this and Peony that. Don't you know, Owner, he also had a slip of tongue and actually said that he's having a good sleep together with that Peony. Honestly, if he only wants to see a beauty everyday, aren't I charming on my own? Our customers always mistook me for a girl."
Gest expected Mallory to have an overflow of his sentiments just like this. What he doesn't expect is his willingness to use his feminine charms for his advantage. He scratched his back and took out a piece of bread from his bag.
"Owner, are you listening," Mallory checked on him when he noticed Gest's lack of interest in the subject.
"Ah, yes." Gest said with a mouth full of bread.
Mallory shook his head and handed the rest of the tags to Gest forcefully. "I'm done!" Scratching his nape, he walked away with a worried face.
"That brat... hey, come back here! We're going to finish the deliveries."
But Mallory chose to pretend not to hear the owner.
He ran to his room and searched for his travel bag. If Kayne thinks that he'll give up on his request, he's totally wrong. "What's giving up? I never learned such phrase before. I, Mallory, am a man of my words and I always stick to my goals."
After finding his bag, he started putting all of his basic necessities inside the bag. "And what about you?," he asked on the pouch given to him that holds 500 gold coins. "Of course, I need you. My dearest money in my dearest pockets. That's how things always go." And threw the whole sum on his bag. Satisfied with the things he had in tow, Mallory left a note before leaving his room.
"Thanks, Owner."
The owner found this note when he started looking for Mallory to grab some dinner. But he simply laughed it off and cheered Mallory quietly. He understands most how ambitious Mallory is and how far he'll chase for those heaven-like dreams. That's why he already anticipated him running away from his side to chase a bigger prey.
At the same time in his room, Kayne's tilting his head left and right to try to understand the bigger picture. He barely has any clues and the only leads are Koiren and Mallory but instead of putting Mallory in detention he preferred tracing the tracks of Duane on his own. If by any chance he met Koiren half way through his investigation then he'll proceed accordingly to the situation.
According to Mallory, he learned the existence of Duane from an adventurer he met at a pub. They used it in one of their trips and dubbed it as a miracle powder that heightens a neo's potential. He said that the money is worth its effectiveness. Though they wish to keep the seller a secret, the adventurer gave Mallory a white mask that covers his whole face and told him to participate in an underground auction at Grandine.
"And then I met him at the slums of Grandine. Any information further than this will lead to his death."
Kayne stated and stared blankly at Peony, "Do you believe that? Of course not. You're Peony and you don't believe that easily."
Peony nods her head in agreement. Her master now is very different compared to when he was still a student. Give him a step and he'll grow a mile. And from time to time, she herself gets confused about his habits and way of talking as if there are several personalities sharing the same body.
"Let's start with the mask. Where do you think I can get the mask?"
"I suggest you steal the mask from someone else, Young Master."
"Hold it right there," Kayne said to pause Peony's words. "Can't we just ask Mallory to lend his mask? Why go on to brutal action right away?"
"My apologies, Young Master. Do you request for me to snatch it away from Sir Mallory?"
Kayne flicked Peony's forehead and sighed. He doesn't consider that idea and he hates to involve Mallory furthermore. "No, obtain it from anyone except Mallory."
He shoo-ed Peony away with his hand to get her moving.
Aside from Mallory he is also bothered by the involvement of another person. Koiren.
He's the top of his concerns right now.
Kayne still remembered the events from the underground auction.
That damned Koiren bastard, what is he planning next?
In the midst of his thinking, a cold shrilling voice suddenly spoke inside his head. "I'll lead the way, just follow me," the voice said.
It's at it again.
Stop bothering me, Kayne thought but the voice seemed to hear it and replied.
"How can I? You and I are the same, aren't we?"
And with a deafening silence that caused his ears to buzz and bleed from the inexplicable loud sound, the voice left him.
From time to time he's hearing the said voice urging him to become its follower. But for some reason, he can't find the owner of the voice trustworthy. Aside from its claim that they are the same and bite-sized information it provides from time to time, he can hear its chuckle and giggles directed to him.
"Hah!" Kayne blurted before laughing hysterically. He's enjoying this. Truly, slowly, he's enjoying this.