Book 4 - Schemer of the Scalding Sands: Chapter 25; Staying Discreet

The screen turns on as the next chapter title plays "Chapter 25; Staying Discreet".

Jade and Kalim are seen walking down one of the Scarabia dorm hallways.

Jade fakes remorse as he apologizes to Kalim "I'm sorry about this, Kalim. I wasn't expecting you to already be in bed for the night. This can wait until tomorrow, honest. I know it's selfish of me to ask to see the treasury again…" But Kalim brushes it off and tells him "No worries! It's totally fine!"

Kalim then asks "What did you want to see?" Jade explains "I was curious about the tapestries and carpets further in the back. You don't see many textile handicrafts under the sea, you know. I've always been fascinated by the Scalding Sands culture. After all, what could be further from the cold, dark, bottom of the sea than a world full of sand, light, and heat?"

Kalim smiles happily as he seems to recall something from what Jade had said, telling him "Ooh! Speaking of carpets, I've got one with colors that would be a perfect fit for your dorm! It would be a shame to let it keep gathering dust in the storeroom. Why don't you take it back with you?"

This seems to genuinely shock Jade as he asks "Are you sure?" Kalim smiles even brighter as he restates "Absolutely!"

Kalim then stops and motions towards a door as he says "And here we are!"

They then walk inside. Kalim turns on the lights causing all of the gold to shine very brightly for a second.

Jade looks over all the gold and treasure as he says "Ahhh… It's even more amazing when I study it up close." as he bended down and grabbed a hand-full of the gold-coins before dropping them and standing back up straight.

He had picked up a piece of blue-green-ish fabric as he stood up, so he asked "Kalim, what's this lovely peacock green fabric?" Kalim explains "Oh, that's woven out of silk. Long, long ago, back when they first reformed the law stating that royalty could only marry royalty… There was a princess who wedded a common man raised in the slums. She often wore that color. It's a popular color among men and women alike in the Scalding Sands!"

Jade smiles as he tells Kalim "Incredible. If the mer-princess fascinated with the human realm were to see these treasures, she'd have been desperate to have them all." Jade then thoughtfully comments "It can't be easy keeping track of so many luxuries."

Kalim doesn't take the credit and explains "I leave all the organization stuff to Jamil. He airs them out on occasion."

Jade rhetorically asked "Jamil is quite the competent right-hand man, isn't he? Azul was saying the same thing."

Kalim chuckles before going on a full complement speal about Jamil "Isn't he, though! The guy's pure amazing! It was Jamil who taught me magic and tutored me! He was a waaay better tutor than any of the ones my family hired! Oh! And he's a great dancer, too! …Not that he does much of that around others…"

Jade then asks "If he's that competent, why doesn't he speak up to you about what you've been doing?"

This seems to confuse Kalim as he makes a "Huh?" noise in acknowledgement but confusion.

Jade then lists a couple of the things "Keeping students from going home on a long holiday and forcing them into harsh training every day…" Jade's eyebrows furrow slightly, although not at all clear unless you were looking closely as he finishes by telling and asking Kalim "I strain to imagine you doing such a thing. So why?"

This seems to be a genuine struggle for Kalim to answer "Oh… Well…" He then goes silent for a second before he says his final answer "It's because we really need extra training, I guess…?"

Jade questions "You 'guess'? It was your decision, wasn't it?

Kalim seems a bit hesitant but also almost confused as he tells him "Yes. It definitely was, but… I've been…spacing out a lot lately."

Jade asks "Why is that?"

Kalim explains in an unusually plain tone for HIM "Jamil says it's probably fatigue from me becoming housewarden as a sophomore."

This seems to at least slightly confuse Jade as he asks "Come again?"

Kalim further explains "I've always had this habit of nodding off when I start working my brain too hard. My tutors and Jamil were always on my case about it."

This seems to fully start the somber tone of their conversation.

Jade then asks him "What are you finding difficult at present?"

Kalim answers, his tone slowly shifting sadder as he continues on why "Our loss in the interdorms, our bad grades in the exams… My responsibility… Remedial measures… When I dwell on those, I end up just spacing out." He lets out a bitter laugh, entirely unlike his normal cheerful one. He then looks up at Jade and seems to genuinely ask him "I'm a pretty lousy housewarden, huh?" before looking very quickly towards the ground, his face now having a much more bitter-sweet smile.

This surprises Jade but he gathers himself back extremely quickly and asks "Wasn't it your decision to keep the students over the holidays for special training?" Kalim seems to once again struggle to find the answer, before ultimately saying "I, um… I think it was."

Jade mumbles "Another noncommittal answer. Hmm…" He then crosses his arms and thinks "So be it. It's got a fifty-fifty chance at best of paying off, but I think I'll gamble on my trump card."

Jade rubs his eye before letting out a false hiss of pain and saying "Ah…! Ow!"

Kalim looks at Jade again and asks him "Hm? What's wrong?" voice full of concern. Jade answers "Sorry, I think I got a speck of something in my eye. Could you take a look at it for me?"

Kalim walks closer and asks "Are you alright? Here, let me see. Which eye?" Jade has his eyes closed as he tells Kalim "My left eye."

But once Kalim tries to look into his eye, Jade opens them and says "That's it, look in my left eye… Don't be afraid. I want to help you. Shock the Heart."

Kalim stumbles back slightly in surprise, making "Huh?" sound.

Kalim is caught by Jade from falling before he asks "I'm going to ask you some questions, and you will answer them honestly. Do you know…"

The screen then fades to black as "To be continued" plays before fully turning off.