“Oiya? Is this one of your boy toys? Not that I’m surprised my mother has plenty after all, though, I must say that using spirits as your toys is a little… unique” Ryla said
“Leave,” Shu said his voice leaving no room for further conversation
“What an overprotective mutt you have here, I’m envious, those men over their desire only my body, and my potential for the crown.” While gesturing to her crowd of people, the façade surround Ryla fell, and she almost looked vulnerable.
[Hmm?] Kotori noticed a slight change in emotion, but for Ryla it left as quickly as it came.
“I’m going to have to ask you to leave as well”
“Please stay away from my wife”
“If you have a problem with Kotori please direct them to me!”
This time the ones who spoke were Umi, Amelie, and Layla. They had come in as well to defend Kotori.
[Nice save guys!] Kotori thought.
“Hmm, seems like my time here is up,” Ryla said. she turned her head and walked away without a second glance.
“Wait!” Kotori yelled out stopping her.
Ryla instantly turned around
“Oh, you want more of me? What a greedy child”
“No, I wanted to ask a question. What was the lie?” Kotori said.
Ryla laughed a witch-like cackle.
“There was no lie, everything I said is true.”
Ryla spoke again and Kotori nearly gasps.
[Spirit Seer is also a nice skill to have]
She gave a slim smile and walk off back to her group.
Kotori stood there in mouth gaping. Ryla had no [Spirit Seer] skill in her status and yet she was able to do so. Something was wrong and Kotori could feel it.
Watching Ryla walk away gave Kotori a profound sense of unease.
“Ah, Kotori are you alright?” Umi said hugging Kotori’s close after Ryla had walked away.
“Mou, Umi not fair.” Layla protested.
It was then, Kotori realized she was holding her large plate of food. She took a bite from a piece of meat only for the food to taste like dust in her mouth.
Her appetite had all but disappeared after seeing Ryla. The food tasted extremely bland Kotori place the plate in a nearby waste basket.
“Is everything alright Kotori?” Umi said.
“Mhmm, I don’t think so but I don’t think I can do anything about it,” Kotori said.
Ryla gave Kotori a bad feeling, she didn’t know what to feel about her encounter with her.
“That’s not very helpful, and also kinda concerning,” Amelie said.
“she didn’t do anything to you right?”
“No nothing,” Kotori said.
[Well, she did use [Status] but that isn’t anything worth talking about] Kotori thought.
Kotori located Fawks holding a drink and talking to a random merchant and she walked over to him along with her party.
“Oh, your back? Did you enjoy the food” Fawks said breaking off his conversation with the merchant? The Merchant who was talking to Fawks bowed and then walked off.
“Not really, I met your sister,” Kotori said absentmindedly. She was not in a partying mood anymore.
“You what!” Fawks said nearly dropping his drink
“You were right, she’s terrifying,” Kotori said.
“Mhmm, that woman does have a way of looking into your soul. It’s honestly impressive.” Fawks said staring off into the distance as if reminiscing about something.
“She used to be much nicer, that was until the reality of the queen contest situation set in for her. When we were young children we would often play together… Good times” Fawks said.
“It seems like you don’t really want to be here anymore?” He said looking at Kotori’s expression
“Not in particular” Ryla had left a bad taste in Kotori’s mouth.
“We can leave if you want” Fawks offered
“Eh? We can?” Kotori said surprised.
“Of course, we can it wasn’t like this was a mandatory feast, my mother only forced us to go here to meet the opposition, now that we’ve done that there’s not much else to do. The other merchants here have already chosen aside”
“Then who was that person you were talking to earlier?” Kotori asked Fawks.
“Oh him? He’s an old friend and business partner of mine, bloody bastard chose Zachariah. I guess gold runs thicker than the bonds of friendship” Fawks said bitterly
“Well, we can always find more allies,” Amelie said trying to stay positive.
Fawks looked exasperated.
“We entered the game too late everybody had chosen aside all my old business partner and friends have gone off to my siblings”
He sighed his shoulders slumping
“Not that I can blame them, I always told them I wasn’t planning to compete.” Fawks said giving a defeated look.
“let’s just go back, we’ll think of something in the morning,” He said.
“mhmm” Kotori said agreeing with him. For some reason despite nothing happening at the party, she felt like she had already lost something. Her previous enthusiasm had been crushed in an instant.
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That armor didn’t help her family though. TFTC.
Protagonists rarely have parents. It probably actually hindered their survival