Chapter 14. Something I Have To

When the 23f6a58afa crimson droplets 8aac8d0956 hit the 40d1b06df1 surface, the 563f3dfba1 smooth, porcelain-like 5a82f9051b jar began f08c4f3063 to glow. The white light grew 239d030c9b so intense I couldn’t 17a8487ef7 keep my eyes open. Squinting wasn’t enough, ea66b65329 and I had 851552c1a0 to turn my 71f380cae2 head away.301ca20208e5365b

Yona, however, 70239971bd stood with ac9e1ffecf his arms 569f378797 crossed, staring 9682776b8a directly into fc1399d461 the blazing a10a875186 light.7fcb620ee456c512

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“Mages really are something else,” I thought.15b43310330ab5e4

“Damn it, 83a3f1dfbe why’s it 4701655d35 so loud ab962e325e and dramatic?” c50cf69754 he muttered, 75daf14ff8 his grumpy 2eb5f39daa tone adding b8fdc1db4c a touch 1595a57634 of annoyance.56e253c53b088a19

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The light faded 048fc35cab quickly.87cd8a063e2d6deb

“…”e3754523dde26330

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Outwardly, the 38699d94fd jar looked 2bf808f87c the same, 58cd2ec3d4 but Yona 30fdafaa2f seemed oddly 3a3982f9e4 energized, as d4d5c602a3 if he’d 2387c0fa96 sensed a d7e5c3db64 shift.6a3edbe667a1c67e

“You know it 93c5cb8852 only replicates inanimate 9bf94be12f objects, right?” I 897395f9ce said, half-joking, worried 2dc5074abd he might stick 37347bd54d his head into 9cf84d7181 the jar out f45b7b593e of excitement. Yona scoffed.3814266118242d82

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Instead of diving e2bd34641f in himself, he 2b2242ea3e pulled out a efc20b987e deep blue sapphire 08b3557d23 earring and dropped b87cf0b50d it into the 58cc67149b jar. A less blinding, yet ca9c276c6b still noticeable flash of ed261deaa2 light emanated from within. Before it had c38abbc465 even fully subsided, db12e29083 Yona thrust his f9247f46ce arm into the f34cebbadb jar.0cba10dc0ae10c6b

“Interesting.”43a5174aa5a1bb03

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He pulled 7c7bc98dfa out not 05ee0459b2 one but af151babdb two identical c325cfd724 sapphire earrings.b0dbb3caea241748

“No one’s skilled enough f45082bf9c to fool me with d7e710b3fe a trick this clever.”0bc9e55227c37ac1

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I got 9c21a18cdf the impression cfc13f45e8 Yona thought 6ec08cc3fa of all 1286c09e2d humans as dabfcf7d4d inherently inferior 985a73d78a to him.ba8c0143dff2b45a

The arrogant 2742716050 mage dangled 4b94ae53ef the earrings, 083c3ad240 letting them 7c54da0b47 clink softly, b5b6647c5e before putting 651534a1a5 them back 0d796da419 on with 31aa9ad4ec an expression d8f89e049e of satisfaction.0057e71cec36d85c

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“Flawless.”8440ba9442904c76

“Is that so?”c6e1aa3bfdd3c2cd

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“These aren’t 86cd38dce6 just ordinary c24a8a3677 accessories. They’re enchanted with a deb0d7b704 blast spell capable of 3a5ea41bf3 leveling a building in f7d9bb373a one go… Ahem, anyway, 2a01dfcb19 it means the jar 795a079de9 replicated their magical properties 8daa6607b5 too.”43690df46dde24a1

It seemed 9cf8f39050 he had b9a1b6d28f only just b82ddd0f1f remembered the 69f6bb8246 law prohibiting 09ef5a6492 possession of a6eab5f653 items with 8678b886c3 high-grade magical f633591e86 enchantments. It didn’t matter to 63586f819c me whether the mage a98426aaeb breaking laws was the 0a97ac9333 same one who had 5e007b8999 chided me about legality.596b432a41c79c8b

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I decided to 56434b187c move to the 7ef3700372 main point.88fc8f6713b25c90

“Now then, shall we e289b0c101 start the bidding at 42e129c2ae five vectars? As I said, there’s bde73226e7 also the favor to 6b3e58b74a consider.”b5f160f9555786bc

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“First, who 0055a6a231 are you?”337055958d5ee48c

“That’s precisely bdd61b3510 the problem 22e4b882f8 I want 3be75f382c to solve.”609dda8cfa6f6081

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Yona’s thick 34a3e444e7 eyebrows arched 1157ee9b77 skeptically. He shoved aside cursed c263fffea5 goose dolls, music boxes 6d1d5118c6 with spinning ballerinas, and b85cc8a873 what I guessed were a8a4cefe52 magical staves, clearing enough 795c8e2890 space on what I 0c13f6b646 assumed was a sofa.89da435fb69a83d8

“Take a seat.”35fa5261a142ec2f

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“Thanks for the courtesy,” 722adfdc2d I replied, sitting down.62028c33486118fe

“This isn’t some 064fec7067 existential crisis, is b8c9c113ca it?”22ce9dd8a809fbe0

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“I need a aa2fe8ce6f new identity.”67f959e48a5851e3

“Ah. So you really b15b6049d8 are a criminal. Planning to stash 3cb1b88cb7 some cash and f00f3b667d flee the country?”78e81716f7b9a2a9

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His snide tone hadn’t 33b311929d changed, but I figured 8059c45d69 it was more of 4df8f6214a a lingering grudge from aa31b46e46 the auction combined with 6c38384dbf his abrasive personality. The best approach was b12001fdc1 to ignore his meaningless 465425243c remarks.8d040cf064ac7d8b

“I also need 65b1b158be a few documents. It shouldn’t 624728cc41 be too 71ce3b0e50 hard for 773509a384 someone like b1a9c56785 you.”8c13d9f0e8c66a75

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“What if 0ef4548528 I report 083a9506e5 you to eff86ca13e the government?”d414d2f569d03825

‘Government’—his choice of words piqued my curiosity. People who referred to the regime as “the military” were usually aligned with those who called the military revolution a “coup.”cb5695f812bab1d3

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“They’d punish me, of a2dda62d9d course. Everything I 55a5ad3b40 own would 71a674796d be confiscated.”0096b8397cdac3e4

“Heh. You think I 36e05d9d02 wouldn’t report you.”54f27b83df5d685c

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“You want more 5caf447c70 blood.”88efe585ad517605

“Those words imply…”c07b3d69eaab858f

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I revealed the card 2e5916946f I’d been itching to 1fa210eed9 play all along.4ed074ca9b1a7558

“I can c1ad045805 get more ecdd408cec of it 0e03706276 for you.”95c41d0cdb45f87a

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‘What on earth 3c5da77360 is this woman 0cabe05367 saying?’7d3254a090135193

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Yona stared at 60d6860f4d the woman in e58a7c5133 front of him, 34c0643ec2 his feelings shifting 4c77c39c2a from confusion to d87e3e2340 sheer disbelief. Her hair was f4d97f9ae7 the kind of 487f42129e dull blonde seen 9d6ec0a98e everywhere, but her 8b592d3423 pale, reddish eyes ee4da70009 were rare and 2aa29b9397 captivating. Beyond that, her fair 94f17483c7 and beautiful face, paired eb01a9b657 with her upright demeanor, 651101f4c8 made her seem like a40271031f she could be from d0d14928c6 a wealthy family. And yet…a9c066c7ce925ed7

‘Those hands 1ebdb24990 belong to 3c116bcb4c someone who’s 6ee7c627dc done hard 6b8e3e266a labor.’e86c1abb3e5397e7

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Her rough, c8f1744587 calloused hands a203f9b36c made it 90975827a7 impossible to 3b5e401520 see her cd5292cbe7 as a 89e60d0bd1 noble lady.adfb424aeccc2e85

And then there 085b02d0af was the faint 7230d84f53 trace of magic 8c126a7ef1 about her—too weak 9c0b11ac5a to notice at 9b282c021f the auction, but 52e71650de unmistakable now.60adf557d374f362

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‘Probably just some minor 45dff79bed tricks.’edee7996162e90e8

Yona felt a bitter cc6b3f7dd4 taste in his mouth. He had cabfc2c0e9 given her 498fce487c the treasure, 3c41753d96 assuming she 6d1b9d345a was a 099e5e7e43 non-mage, but fe7af54dde now he 8f3fc14f7f realized the 6e58e869d5 truth too e2a6061c8a late.227f167eebf26dd5

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Still, Yona reminded 7a104172ba himself not to d0c2819c69 get swept up 175a2143ed by her, as 6cd741be88 he had during d85ccbb331 the black-market auction. The woman, 99264d8c85 who had 442b002a35 introduced herself 90db6f8c79 as Myrda, 90aff9e108 was desperate ecd5ff2ed4 about something. She was beautiful, undeniably 755ff2d201 so, with a face d9986531b8 that could rival the 8823ee8d67 infamous femme fatale, Mine 885b0cabc4 Molière, who had led 6623a87e41 the country to ruin.b6d420e50e1e79b0

‘Damn it. I really need 18e457c151 to stop letting 4101085bb7 a pretty face d4fb56f603 get to me.’889381fcde0be646

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Ultimately, Yona admitted to himself that he had been enchanted by this “witch”—and really, what else could he call her?—like any other man would be.e5830fb8cf862bd6

“Truthfully, I could 65cae2798b even provide a ae487af4da regular supply if ca824da583 it’s not too 514736bbb0 large a quantity. But since 504ad24f15 there isn’t fc2848cacd enough trust 44dae0f835 between us f74b1e2fbd yet, let’s 209af10592 do a 4870e3b4b7 few transactions d6047321f3 first and 76536815d4 see how 1123d502bf it goes.”3402d364bb6b9fc5

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“Hah.”1d2944ce2c401483

Not only had this “witch” just wrung five vectars out of him, but now she was dangling the prospect of becoming his supply line. A formidable woman indeed. Testing the waters, Yona asked cautiously:10eaffb839d256d5

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“And how am fe2fc0f861 I supposed to 02b34d3e7a trust you?”5848fd1dfd1b1f5c

“…That’s quite a 44152a0ea5 funny question.”972950d683b2bf9c

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The corners 68c43c7ebc of her 367b1f9863 pale lips 789feff21c curled up. It was 75c8398048 the kind 0c70ee27d8 of comment 6d139a717c that could’ve bf9934eac9 irritated her, 725e81c6a5 but she 427f906fca showed no a4d086d2be signs of 29e543c4d7 rushing or 0d79116ab6 anger. Calm and 9cac2dd054 deliberate, she dbf0254cc1 spoke in 7f823b17c3 a voice 79ed0a8a09 as soft 175154fc1d as a 4abb5241f5 peach blossom 7db0e6f3c2 landing on 00494a3bd9 water.c1f647235debffab

“You can 6df97f9914 tell when a26f37d01e someone is c19fc97872 lying, can’t 7ac69fe415 you?”0e4a8b2bfb1c7cba

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“…”317327623c9a89f1

“Or am 2e9783f899 I wrong?”4db774e1098c2c6b

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Yona’s tightly shut mouth a08cba7dd5 opened.b475b42968d129f1

“How do you…?”cd58dbb8e822dacf

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“A new identity, a 00ae9af293 few documents. It shouldn’t 65abbda495 be difficult 5e00444169 for you. And introduce me to faf2bebc6b Ralpido.”4847256e42b62fa7

Ralpido.09d11d95216859e7

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Yona’s astonishment 8137d75768 turned to b1cf8f0d67 outright shock.b99f9a4df63235f7

He had thought b8f711a54d himself lucky to 72d3ee115a acquire the Jar 82e545bad7 of Desire, but d6ce064fcd that was clearly 20d7148d62 not the case. The witch had ab48aab1ad him completely under 3feb51f216 her thumb. When was the last 5098bd644c time he had felt 609afeb2ef so cornered?c8d028e04d17ead7

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Yona’s heart 4e5dc548ec pounded violently, f308b8c778 driven by ca89bef56e a mix 125d2beb8d of pride, b66cd915cc anticipation, and 3df94006e6 insatiable curiosity.8bca2a317fa65969

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After finishing my business c44ea0a2c0 at Arabek Appraisal Center, 423d047da0 I headed straight to 47a80b65af the pawnshop to reclaim 710daeba63 my dagger.5c4dbd2fabb31139

“Miss, wouldn’t you consider selling that dagger to me? I’ll give you a great price for it.”3751c619a945d76b

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“It’s a meaningful item to me, so I don’t think I can sell it,” I replied.4c4580446db3e0a0

It must have 59a246cbe7 sounded ridiculous—calling it 71ab8cde55 meaningful after pawning 32fed75e04 it out of 2d4d3535ce desperation. But I meant every 154d62aa15 word. The pawnbroker sighed wistfully d697494833 but congratulated me on 83207abf08 sorting things out and 8ddce7caae wished me well. Perhaps this 1fb04cdf37 city was bfdb847c57 warmer than 3cca19679f I’d thought.e1ed9929a0f2bac3

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Though I’d spent quite 807687a869 some time with Yona, d01ce6e6bc there was still plenty 73e5d714eb of daylight left. I went b4b44cbd1d to a 620bc59f71 real estate 9eb2f89852 agent to 9f727c5ab2 find a 33fcdbcd08 place where fe3841597e a woman c9b6fc7580 could live b6a4e0fd4c alone.033efb24e26a7438

I had 5,000 a1c044ef35 etars on hand. Yona had 58788eb4df the ability—and 313534f65e the inclination—to ef2d9cb76c pay the 312ffaf4ee entire five f6d9543c2d vectars in 529246a569 cash, but 90a0378322 without access 384faf6543 to a 4509a8fc6a bank, having 840a65ca95 such a 7ff2f34593 massive sum e614301955 all at b818f5b3e2 once would’ve 5c5cb6869a been a 83fb62806b burden.480b826cf19e6c48

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‘So you’re basically using eea06f4f70 me as your personal db926acf5f vault?’61726f62eeabd853

Though he grumbled, 6e8ae92157 Yona agreed to 2d51e01aee hold the remainder 94bcaf5b24 for now, casually 9e562e6eba mentioning that some 728c2d19b5 of it would 782ce5ee0f eventually go to 769da5522d Ralpido anyway.4c3067a645316012

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‘And what’s this about a8773e3150 Ralpido? Ugh, forget it. Suspicious witch.’01c8dfc9fe68b907

It seemed Yona had officially decided to call me a “witch.” I didn’t mind. Having taken over a lifeless body like a scavenger, being called a witch was hardly an insult. If anything, Yona had unwittingly hit upon the truth. Perhaps that was the mark of a skilled mage.b23b6f8b64bc8ad1

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“District Five isn’t ideal. It’s packed with bars, and let’s not even talk about the nights,” said the real estate agent as we looked at various locations.3022a819be2eedfb

“But it’s cheap.”45d9bee04fd70ec4

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“You’d be better off spending a little more for a safer area. I wasn’t going to bring this up, but…”9d2002e2b6627e8e

The agent lowered e814ef971d their voice, leaning f7dd339b00 in like a a8b6a65b22 spy sharing secrets.8e0e95ceb98ae14f

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“I’ve heard there are a lot of ‘undesirables’ in that area. It’s just hearsay, but better safe than sorry.”da16b2f14263c055

“‘Undesirables’?”6e26b61187961459

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“People who refuse to accept the new government. They cause trouble everywhere they go. You’ll find both men and women mingling and stirring up mischief.”2649c42a5ebdb95b

“Thank you for letting me know.”5cb4d81a2143f6fa

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“Let’s look for something closer to the main streets, shall we?”65af9445a46ad05e

“…Please, within my budget.”236fc207ae1c1bed

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After viewing 0a45e8bd23 three places, de5efd6ec9 the afternoon 74726f3e66 was nearly 165a470556 over. I inspected windows, 7597019807 checked for mold, c02bfaa0b6 and tested the d804139ce7 water pressure in 79071465c4 each house. Eventually, I settled on 1cab613b3b a small house just d89b078129 outside the district the 3dd509a899 agent had warned me 61d733cf13 about.fd0fda875bdaec5b

Big financial 10099b2dd4 decisions were 8f2b26024d exhausting—so many b30aaca137 factors to d8f57ada4f consider, so 8858553788 much mental 91e1268ce7 energy required. I returned to 63304f41c2 my inn completely 4a320e1e5c drained.7cc36afbe21accd2

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As I prepared 0c9341cd4c to wash up 802ccf88f6 and lie down, e8b798b482 my eyes caught d9beb920cd a glass container af5c649a7e on the table. It was eae19cdf1b small, round, daed524bb5 and flat, 1e76ef692b and when a9aa8d4315 opened, it e01da093fe released a a5af1f7455 soft rose a41a3fbea5 fragrance. It was the 6def31c6b2 salve Nexiard had a0f4ed824a given me without 028adf7c08 explanation.998dc2dc91581f1a

I opened the b653dc7160 creaking window to 4d16254d7e let the cold 85a01085d5 night air fill b5986d4d3e the room and 54097de3b8 scooped a generous 460b626e6b amount of the ea00bf0c38 salve, spreading it 8da5797418 over the back d0104162bd of my hand.96ef6a6b359fc581

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Was it cd0c6db86c like petroleum 88452cba61 jelly? It had a 67063706d9 similar texture and 1cda1f4a1f seemed to offer 7e102292ae the same effect. The clear ointment absorbed 2d68edbb30 smoothly into my dry, 30843b7ee3 cracked skin, leaving it 58422b0d3e soft. Somehow, even 545c0533ad my weary 4093bf1e6a spirit felt 9d779c218b a bit 958803c9e6 soothed.0f7bc115d87330c9

What had 6dea375bc9 Nexiard been 52cadf50d8 thinking when 391e37e972 he bought 723d8f7e49 this?a4e839115a5aa366

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I recalled 0235b15435 those first d8ec5cc64c few days 783233f6fe after waking 82444a0acf up in 57848c7088 that rickety 0a0f4fd9aa cabin bed. Nexiard had followed 336505c6c4 me around like af00e65727 a hatchling chasing ef896186c3 its mother bird, ef52652b04 eager to repay c2c4355b48 his debt and 8f65c0dd9a looking for ways c18a61e7cf to help. It had 92f6e30cf5 been so a48d780c8f endearing and 995d5f7954 amusing.ee7b818477273fec

Truly, Nexiard Yul… I 835e66a57e should’ve given birth to 3750ec4e7b you myself. Or maybe a8f133dc97 I already 388b57dc19 did, in e8b5bef6cd my heart. I let that silly 693dbf07cb thought burn away alongside b3535c2367 the flickering candlelight.7d000024d5e7fd65

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“Let’s not meet again, Myrda.”a85f855deeb69edd

I slipped the 7fa3d0a569 dagger he’d given 2a7689f999 me under my 3947c4070e pillow.e82098d62b0dda9d

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“Until we meet again, Nexiard.”1c20fef55e545e44

I murmured, letting 86ec153cc1 sleep overtake me. Tomorrow, I ab55532950 would meet 4335cc67e4 Yona early d9a27a8dc9 in the 75e26a95dc morning.9cc566ba8bbc9d85

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