Even If

Fate forgot about his previous unease entirely as he joined the audience in thundering applause, the theater vibrating from the enthusiastic claps and shouts of the audience.

The curtain closed after the actors entered the stage and gave a bow to even more applause, and Fate and Kravoss reluctantly got up to leave.

'I didn't expect this Samantha to be such a good actress,' Kravoss hummed as he and Fate exited the theater into the evening air outside.

'Neither did I,' Fate replied. 'She never showed any such signs when I knew her. I'm glad she's found something to enjoy in life.'

'She's moved on,' Kravoss said empathetically. 'So now it's time for you to do so as well. Put the past behind you.'

'I have, Kravoss. Or I did. I'm just happy she found happiness for herself.'

'We'll get there too, Fate,' Kravoss' regal voice rumbled. 'Eventually. If anything, I'm surprised you recognized her after years apart. Either your memory is amazing or she had a bigger impact on you than even you thought.'

'Those cheekbones and that hair aren't easy to forget,' Fate chuckled. 'Just like my eyes, which is why I hid.'

'I don't understand you humans when it comes to this stuff,' Kravoss said, perplexed. 'Why should it matter whether or not she saw you? What happened was years ago, and you haven't seen each other since. You two are strangers to each other now.'

'Sometimes I don't get it either,' Fate replied with a shake of his head. 'Being a human is exhausting. I wish I could be a lazy Dracok like you, taking naps and getting paid to spit water.

'No worries about becoming stronger or providing for yourself, because you can just head into the woods and hunt for food. No politics, no worries, no tough decisions. Just peace and quiet.'

'You and I both know it isn't that simple,' Kravoss said. 'I have worries and desires just like you do. I'm just much better at not focusing on them. The Mana-rich food I eat and the nightly introspection are enough to bolster my strength for the time being.

'Such won't be the case in later Tiers, but that is for the future Kravoss to worry about. And as for food, I refuse to become some lazy cat and have it handed to me. That is why I buy my own whenever possible.'

'"Nightly introspection." What a weird thing to call sleep. You don't have to impress me with your fancy words, you know.'

'I know,' Kravoss laughed. 'My scales do it for me. I am the most majestic bird you have ever seen, and you know it.'

'Yeah, but seeing your ugly mug for a few weeks straight is enough to make anyone grow numb to those little sapphires.'

'That's your human tastes talking. I'll have you know that among Dracoks, I'm very attractive.'

'Almost everyone I've ever met that's said something like that to me was uglier than an imp,' Fate smirked. 'So I doubt that.'

Kravoss let out an embarrassed mental cough. 'We should see if they have any other plays soon.'

'Sure. Looks like the posters on the wall here show what they have,' Fate said.

The Familiar-master duo approached the wall, Fate crossing his arms as he read the titles and looked at the promotional art. Underneath each was the price of admission and the days they'd be playing.

'All of these are over twenty times the price of today's ticket,' he thought in bewilderment. 'Was there some kind of special discount?'

'It could be the less-than-professional actors,' Kravoss said. 'They were good, but the first play I saw made me entirely forget it was a play. It could also be the time of day or the day itself.'

'Or because it was my first time here?'

'Should we ask?'

'Sure. I wouldn't mind seeing another one of these.'

The two walked back to the ticket booth, asking the woman inside about the price difference.

"It's a combination of the smaller budget and the day itself," the woman explained with a professional smile. "Every Sunday, tickets are half-off, and the play's producer only hired two Adept Light Mages."

"That was the work of two Adepts?" Fate asked, mildly surprised. "But it looked so real."

"They are professionals, after all," the woman said. "But with a few more Mages, you would've been able to feel and smell as well."

After a mental prod from Kravoss, Fate said, "then my Familiar and I would appreciate it if you paid our compliments to those Light Mages, and the actors and actresses as well. We very much enjoyed the show."

"I'll be sure to do that, mister…?"

"Fate. And my Familiar is Kravoss."

"Last name?"

"Don't have one," Fate shrugged. "Why? Is that a problem?"

"No, I don't think it will be," the woman frowned. "Your name is rather unique, and there can only be so many Royal Mage Academy students with a first name like that and no last name."

"As far as I know, I'm the only one."

"Then I'll be sure to pay the staff and cast your compliments, Fate and Kravoss." The woman bowed and waved him off, her smiling face doing well to hide her astonishment.

'A commoner with a Facet watching a play?'

That was as rare as a fregog willing to go 50-50 on profits with their business partner!

Few commoners could afford a play in the first place, even with a deal like today. Lights were just too valuable for them to spend on 'frivolities' like this. Not to mention the chances of a commoner being born with a Facet in the first place…

She was from a Baron-ranked family, a bloodline strong enough to consistently birth Facets once a generation at the least, and even she hadn't been lucky enough to get one!

She wasn't even lucky enough to get any Blood Skills from her bloodline and become a rare Vamag, much less a Sorcerer. She was entirely mortal.

She couldn't help but feel jealous as she watched the man walk away with his Familiar before she heaved a light sigh. His eyes were a bit scary, but she'd dealt with overbearing Arch-Mages before. It'd take a lot to intimidate her.

Her lack of talent was her own fault. The most she could do for her family was keep working.

So she did, her smile returning as she dutifully answered a woman's question. She'd make her family proud, even if she was a mortal.