Exposed Secret

"Anyway, since there isn't that much magic left in this thing, and you can't use this necklace without magic, how about you give it to me?"

"What?" What kind of a request is that? "No!" Kies wasn't going to give the moonstone to her. The only reason why it didn't have much magic in it is because he didn't fill it with any in a long time. He didn't have the need to since he regenerated all his magic back so fast... Wait. He hadn't used the moonstone in so long because he didn't need it. He had no use for the thing anymore.

Kies could maybe make a deal here with her. "Actually, why don't you give me that necklace and I'll give you that stone." It wasn't a bad offer. Since she was a mage, that moonstone is invaluable to her. And since she could already use fire magic which was a lot more powerful and destructive than wind magic (of other humans and not Kies because his wind magic is on a whole different level), she had no need for the fragment.

"I mean... I could, but what are you going to do with it? You said you aren't a mage so you can't even use this necklace."

"I have my reasons."

"Eh..." Iris thought about the offer for a moment before throwing both the moonstone and the letter back in the bag and zipping it. She then tossed the bag back at Kies who caught it. "No deal."

"What!? Why!?" Kies was pretty sure that she could tell that the moonstone was a lot more valuable than that fragment so why didn't she agree? Or maybe she didn't know that and she thought that he was scamming her or something.

"I know how useful the moonstone is. It's worth more than the necklace, I know this for sure," Iris tells Kies. So she did know.

"Then why?"

"Well, if we make this trade, then it's unfair for you even if you're the one who made the offer. And second, you would have no reason to help us anymore, would you? Your goal is this necklace and once you have it, you have no reason to stay with us," she explained her reasons.

"..."

"So yeah, no. If you want the necklace, you'll have to stick with us till the end."

Kies really thought that she would accept the trade offer but it looks like she needed his help that badly. "I guess."

"Okay good. I think we rested for long enough. Let's set off again." Iris jumped off the tree, causing Sirks to yell out in surprise and concern. But he had no reason to be worried. Iris landed on the ground without any issues.

"Why the h*ll are you jumping off trees like that!? What if you break your bone?" Iris really didn't have a sense of danger. She just did whatever she wanted.

"Well, that shouldn't be a problem. We have horses. Worst-case scenario, you can carry me," she tells Sirks.

"You know that I won't do that," Sirks replies with his arms crossed.

"What? Are you saying that I'm heavy? I'll have you know that I weigh the least here."

"No, that's not the problem. Who the h*ll is going to protect us if I'm carrying you?"

"He is," Iris points at Kies.

"But is he enough?"

"Of course." After all, Kies did wipe out an entire squad of armored soldiers by himself. He was more than qualified to be the lone person defending them. Or so, that was what Iris thought, but Kies didn't like the idea. He was more used to fighting alone and for himself. He had no idea how to fight while protecting other people. It sounded like a massive pain since he would have to be close to them all the time and keep the others away. He had no freedom to move around the battlefield as he liked. It was way too restrictive compared to how he likes it.

"If possible, don't break your bones," Kies advises Iris. It was for everyone's sake.

"Don't worry, it's not like I want to or am trying to break my bones. I mean, who would do something like that on purpose." Even though she said that, it really sounded to Kies like something that would happen anyway with how reckless she is. "Anyway, we're getting off-topic. Let's get on the horses and then we can decide on what to talk about after we start moving."

"Yeah, let's do that," Sirks agreed. They should get a move on before the soldiers caught up to them. Although they were still pretty far away and they had plenty of time before that happened, the bigger that gap they put between them, the more difficult it will be for the soldiers to pick up their trail and continue their pursuit.

Everyone got on their horses and started moving again. After riding for an hour or so, the grass turned from golden wheat-colored to a bit more brownish-brunt gold. The length of the grass also shortened a whole lot and was only a couple of centimeters now compared to the foot-tall grass behind them. But they were still a few days away from Otane at best. There is still plenty of time for the soldiers to find them.

They traveled until sunset. They continued for a little bit until they found a cave that they could use for shelter and everyone went inside. Immediately upon getting off her horse, Iris stretched her body. "Mmmm. Ow, my back hurts and my legs are numb." She could hardly walk properly and was stumbling all over the place whenever she tried to take a step.

"How are you guys still fine?" she turns to face the other three. All of them rode for just as long as her and yet they were all completely fine.

"I was... Yeah, you know what I was before I became your personal guard. Do I even need to explain any more than that?" Sirks told her.

"Well, not you. I'm talking about the two of you," she points at Kies and Wompa. "I know you have no experience with the horse either," she says to her sister. "So, how is it that you're fine and I'm not?" Her sister shrugged her shoulders. She had no idea either. "Then what about you? Do you also ride horses for a living like this guy here?" she asks Kies next.

"No, today is my first time riding a horse." It was the honest truth. And as for why his legs weren't wobbling or his back was sore, he had his lack of body sensory to thank.

"Wow... So I'm the only one?" Iris wobbled over to the wall and sat down. Her face lit up as she suddenly got a "bright" idea. Her sister saw it and she instantly walked out of the cave before Iris had the chance to start talking. "Hey Sirks, do you mind massaging my legs?"

"Mind? Yes, in fact, I mind a lot. Go do it yourself."

"Aren't you supposed to help me when I need it?"

"I'm a guard, not your d*mn servant. If you really don't want to do it yourself, ask one of the other two."

"..."

Kies turned and began to leave the cave before she could ask him as well, but it was a little late. He should've left the cave with her sister when she turned to leave.

"Where are you going? Why don't you help me out?"

"No."

"Aw, come on! The other two don't want to do it, and I can't do it myself. Won't you please?" she asked Kies in a pleading voice.

"And why can't you do it yourself?"

"My arms can't reach." Iris shows Kies by stretching her arms out. Her hands made it only slightly past her knee.

"..."

"Wait, don't leave."

"What else do you want?"

"As a man, aren't you supposed to help a damsel in distress?"

Damsel? What damsel? Kies didn't see a damsel here. He just saw an annoying girl who wanted to mess around with him. "I don't see anything like that here," Kies tells her.

"Wow, I see how it is. Maybe I won't give you this necklace. Not if you're going to be that way to me. Hmph!"

"..."

Kies looked at Iris and couldn't tell if she was kidding or not. Based on what he has seen her do and her actions so far, he was pretty sure that it was a joke.

"If you don't help me, I won't give it to you," Iris says again.

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. You agreed to help me get to Otane and depending on what happens, you also agreed to do more, no?"

"..."

It was true. Kies did agree to that and he thought that it only meant fighting, but the wording did imply that it could be anything depending on the "situation."

"You don't have to do her bidding. Just go outside and take a break as well," Sirks tells Kies. He didn't have to listen to her cr*p when he really didn't have to.

"I was planning on doing that anyway." Kies knew that he could just counter everything she was saying by telling her that he would just leave, but he knew that she was just bored and messing around.

"You two are no fun," Iris says while making a pouting face.

Kies turns to leave the cave but stops at the entrance and takes a look outside. The sun was gone and the moon was about to come up. He smelled a musky scent in the air like it is going to rain soon. There is no point in going outside.

Kies turns back around and walks into the cave.

"Hm? You're staying in here too? Well, suit yourself. I need to grab some grass and wood to start a fire." Sirks walks out of the cave and begins to scavenge for things, leaving Kies and Iris alone with the horses.

"Since you've decided to stay here, why not help me? It's not like you have anything else to do."

"I do. It's called ignoring you."

"Wow..."

Kies understood that Iris just wanted someone to talk to and play around with, but he wasn't that kind of a person. After spending almost all of the past years in solitary and traveling alone, he lost the ability to converse normally with others. Since it was too much work and much too annoying, Kies just avoided talking about unnecessary things.

Iris sighed and leaned her head against the hard stone wall and looked up at the ceiling. It was pretty dark in here without any fire but they could still see somewhat clearly. For a minute, everything was quiet except for the sounds of insects outside and the horses softly nickering.

"Hey, can I ask you a question?" Iris suddenly asks Kies.

"That's a question isn't it?"

"You know what I mean." Iris' tone this time wasn't playful or happy, it was solemn and serious.

"Go ahead." If she wanted to talk about something important then he was all ears.

"What are you?"

"Sorry?" Kies didn't get the question. What was he? Was she asking about where he came from? In that case, didn't she already guess that he is a Silvian?

"You're not human. So what are you?"

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