"Doesn't matter if I'm a fortune teller or not," Velen said with a smile. "Want to find a place to chat?"
"Nope!"
Aedida rejected him without a second of hesitation, much to Velen's surprise.
"Aedida! The Rising Magi Rankings' 100th-ranked genius… when he was eighteen, he—"
Velen suddenly raised his voice and started shouting toward the nearby crowd. Aedida panicked and clamped a hand over Velen's mouth again, his face filled with despair.
"Alright, alright! I'll go with you, okay?!"
Old Carter, what do I do?! This guy's got me completely under control!
As they walked toward the tavern, Aedida hurriedly reached out to the ancient soul within him.