Discussion with Maris
"Tell me, Kay, what are you doing here? Why have you returned?"
Kay took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts before speaking. He began recounting everything, from the moment he received the call from the league about the investigation report, his unsettling meeting with Eliot Graves, and finally his decision to come to him to reveal the truth.
As Kay finished his story, Maris remained silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he processed everything. It was clear he was piecing together the events in his mind. Finally, he spoke.
"Now I understand, I had been asking the league repeatedly for the report, but their response was always the same; that the investigation team had not yet completed it. Now I see why. They want to keep their failure hidden, to protect their reputation. And to do so, they're even willing to kill to keep that secret buried."
Kay swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Maris's words. After a pause, he gathered the courage to ask the question that had been haunting him. "What are you planning to do, Mr. Tideswell?"
Kay's mind raced with possibilities. He assumed Maris, in his fury, might launch an immediate attack on the league, seeking vengeance.
And if that happened, Kay knew he would likely be the first victim of Eliot's schemes.
Maris studied Kay's expression for a moment before answering. "I will take my time and craft a long-term plan to deal with the league,".
Kay blinked in surprise. That was not the answer he expected. The shock on his face must have been obvious, as Maris chuckled softly and continued, "You thought I would attack the league immediately, didn't you? With the full strength of my guild?"
Kay hesitated but nodded, embarrassed that his assumptions had been so transparent.
Maris smiled faintly, shaking his head. "Do you take me for a child, driven by emotions without considering the consequences?" His words made Kay blush, feeling ashamed of his assumption.
Maris leaned back in his chair and explained, "If I were to attack the league now, the consequences would be catastrophic. The league is incredibly strong, and the public trusts them blindly. A direct conflict would lead to a devastating war, causing losses that humanity cannot afford, especially when every force is needed to deal with the appearing dungeons. And even if I were to attack, the league could easily summon reinforcements from their other facilities in neighboring cities."
He paused, letting his words sink in before adding, "And let's not forget that if I attacked now, you would be their first target. Eliot has already threatened you, hasn't he?"
Kay felt a chill run down his spine. Maris's measured response showed wisdom and an understanding of the larger picture.
At that moment, Kay realized Maris was not just a powerful guild leader but also a thoughtful strategist.
After hearing Maris's response, Kay hesitated for a moment before asking, "What do you plan to do now, in the short term?"
Maris leaned back in his chair. "For now, I need you to keep everything we've discussed a secret, it's important that no one else knows about this conversation or what happened today."
Kay nodded in agreement. Maris continued, "I asked the guard earlier before Greninja killed him if Eliot had contacted him after their initial meeting. He said Eliot didn't. That means Eliot won't know the guard has been killed. This works to our advantage."
Maris paused briefly before adding, "I will also replace all the workers in my castle. It's possible there are others here who have been compromised by Eliot and are reporting on my movements."
When Kay heard this, he couldn't help but ask, "But won't Eliot notice if you suddenly change all the workers?"
Maris smiled faintly. "Not if I do it carefully. I plan to keep one worker; the first guard you met. I trust him because he's been with me for many years, and he's loyal. More importantly, he's the only one who saw you enter the castle accompanied by the second guard."
Kay's brow furrowed. "So, you're saying you'll use the first guard to feed Eliot false information?"
"Exactly, we'll control the narrative. If Eliot starts asking questions, the first guard will report exactly what we want him to. It will give us an advantage."
Kay thought for a moment, then asked, "But what if Eliot finds out the second guard is dead? Won't that raise suspicions?"
Maris didn't miss a beat. "If he does, he'll be told that I caught the guard tampering with my personal letters; letters he had no business reading. I executed him for betrayal, as any guild master would. Eliot wouldn't have a way to confirm the truth unless he directly questions the first guard, and the first guard will only say what we instruct him to."
Hearing Maris's confident and well-thought-out plan, Kay felt a small spark of hope reignite within him. It seemed unlikely now that Eliot would find out Kay had visited Maris's home.
With Maris's decisive control of the situation, Kay began to believe that he might escape this dangerous situation alive and unharmed.
Kay stood up from his chair and politely excused himself.
Maris nodded and said, "I've noticed you're stronger than the last time we met, Kay. That's good. But you need to grow even faster. You're caught up in this dangerous situation now, and I can't protect you forever."
Kay looked down, feeling the weight of Maris's words, and then thanked him. Together, they left the office, walking side by side.
It was night now; they had spent a long time discussing inside the office.
As they approached the corridor's exit, Maris handed Kay a pair of black sunglasses and a hat. "Wear these to hide your identity, we can't risk the workers recognizing you."
Kay put them on, but just as he was about to step outside, Maris called out to him, smirking slightly. "Wait a minute. Wearing sunglasses at night makes you look even more suspicious. I had a better solution."
Kay sighed, realizing Maris was right. Maris then called out, "Greninja!"
Greninja appeared swiftly, landing silently beside Maris. Maris whispered something to Greninja, who nodded and vanished into the shadows.
Seconds later, bright lights shimmered in the air as a tall, pink creature with a white belly and a calm, wise expression appeared. It wore a crown-like shell on its head, radiating an air of royalty. (Slowking)
As Kay saw Slowking standing near Maris he estimated that it was his second Pokemon.
'It seemed Maris had two Pokemons or even more, I want to check Slowking's stats but it isn't acceptable to check a trainer's Pokemon stats without his permission'
"This is Slowking, he'll help us. Tell me where you live, and Slowking will teleport you nearby to hide your presence here."
Kay quickly gave his address, and Maris instructed Slowking, "Teleport."
In an instant, Kay, Maris, and Slowking vanished from the castle and reappeared on an empty road near Kay's home.
Maris then told Kay while giving him a piece of paper containing his number. "Stay cautious, and remember what we talked about. Also, if you need anything just call me at this number."
"Thank you, Mr. Tideswell," Kay said, bowing slightly.
Maris nodded, and Slowking teleported back with him.
Kay walked home, feeling exhausted but relieved to be out of danger finally. When he entered, the familiar smell of dinner filled the air, and he smiled despite his tiredness.
Kay joined his family for dinner, savoring the warmth and comfort he needed so desperately after such a long and stressful day.
See you in the next chapter...
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