Ch22. Questions raising questions

I turned around, again, and saw a man with in a uniform that I knew all too well, from the monitoring division.

He had medium, unruly blond hair, green eyes, and slim features. The man walked towards me with a dignity that got me thinking if he had gotten a promotion or something.

He approached me, and scanned me from head to toe, with a squint in his eyes.

And after a bit of what I thought to be careful consideration, he finally spoke again.

"You're under arrest for the murder of a monitoring division member, configuring an act against the Wielders Association itself."

I raised a brow towards him, confused for what he was doing there right when I killed Quintus, instead of when he started to wreck havoc in the guild.

But right when I was about to ask about it, I felt Rodrick's presence, followed by his voice behind me.

"You guys are pretty quick... When it's convenient..."

Him and the Red Oracle were getting out of the elevator.

And the oracle already looked better than before.

The guild must have one hell of a healer.

"Division members always go on patrol in pairs." The blond man answered. "Now, before I take him into custody, can any of you explain to me how a sixteen year old awakened, is capable of killing one of the association's A-ranks?"

So that's why he looked apprehensive when announcing my arrest...

"Well, all I can say is that, either the awakened is also an A-rank, or he awakened to be an S-rank wielder." The oracle said, looking at me strangely.

"Also, aren't you any interested in knowing why he killed Quintus Blake?"

"No, not really." The monitoring division guy acted nonchalant.

So he was one of these people, too...

"But since you seem to think there's a logical reason for an unofficially ranked awakened to kill an association's employee, let's hear about it."

"Okay, then." Rodrick responded, turning towards me and saying. "Why don't you go downstairs and eat something? Take Eve with you, you two, lovebirds, really seem to have some things to talk about."

And then he winked at me.

I took some time to process what he just said, but when I did, I immediately corrected him.

"No, no, old man! It has nothing to do with it, whatever it might mean..."

I didn't look at Eve, but Rodrick retorted, before sending us on our way.

"Uhuh, right. Now, off with you, young lads!"

As I walked, I could still hear what he was saying to the blond man, and I hoped that it turned out our way, since the Shadow guild had lost some things today.

Rodrick was such a lovely old man, despite his constitution and serious look.

But he already got my back when I went to the [HIDDEN NEST], so I knew him and I would get along more than just fine.

But when I came to my senses, leaving my thoughts aside, I heard and saw the Red Oracle calling me, by my side.

"Kurt? Kurt? Are you listening?"

"What? Oh, sorry, I was a little bit lost in thoughts."

"I asked what happened. First of all, you look like you just went out for a swim, second, it's like... I don't know..."

Her eyes darted me as she stopped on her tracks and scanned me from head to toe.

She looked curious.

"it looks like I didn't meet you. It feels as if I don't even know you from three days ago. What happened to you?"

I stopped a few steps from her and looked at myself.

She was being kind, I didn't look like someone who went out for a swim.

I looked like garbage.

I wouldn't be surprised if someone told me I was smelling like fish.

"Well, long story short, Quintus and I had a fight, right after I came back from..."

"From your breakfast with Rodrick."

"Yes, precisely, after I came back from the breakfast with the old man. I almost had the upper hand there, but then, something happened, and I ended up half-dead, in the bottom of the port. I guess that sums it all up."

She gasped, and for a moment, she was just a regular girl in front of me. There was nothing of that ethereal presence that surrounded her in that room, the first time I visited the guild.

And it was weird, but funny at the same time.

I couldn't imagine the almighty Red Oracle, acting like that in front of anyone.

It made me chuckle.

"What? Why are you laughing?"

She pouted her lips.

"It's just that... You know, you're the Red Oracle and all, and yet you are..."

"Just like every other girl?" She said, and for a moment, I thought she looked disappointed.

"Yeah, kinda. But it's refreshing, too."

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree after that.

"It is, really. Knowing that I'm not alone in this world. That there's another person as... Different as I am."

Her expression changed from lit to serious in a blink, and I wondered what I said wrong.

"We are different, you're right." She gave a grave pause, and then followed. "But we're not the only irregulars in this world. And I'm not the Red Oracle, yet."

I felt as if when I called by her title, she acted out a bit, but I had to know why.

"Did I step on your toe or anything?"

Even if she wasn't the Red Oracle, yet, she was the only person who seemed to have some answers, and I was desperate for some answers.

"You really don't know how to treat girls, do you?" She huffed, waking a bit faster, but I followed her with ease.

Which seemed to make her even madder.

So we went to the elevator in silence, while the Red Oracle... Evellyn, puffed her cheeks, looking...

Frustrated?

"Fine!" She finally said. "Let's grab something to eat, and go to my room. We can talk privately there."

I nodded, and then we arrived at the tavern floor of the guild.

"You guys have a thing for medieval stuff, don't you think?"

But when she was about to answer, we heard Rodrick's voice from the other side of the tavern.

"Thank goodness I found you two! You need to come with me, immediately."