Chapter-48 Stalling [Part-II]

"S…So, you think Kyrons should remain slaves to the Severynths?" Cage asked, flicking his still-lit cigarette away, his leg bouncing up and down. Gretel picked up the chair and sat down, her shoulders trembling; her heaves hitched at half her lungful.

"I never said that. But…" Ewan leaned forward, the chair slanting on a different leg with him. "Are you slaves? Are you not free to do whatever you want? You two Kyrons are here questioning me, a Severynth. Do you think slaves can do that?"

Cage scoffed. "Maybe not slaves per se. But you wouldn't disagree Severynths have it much easier than Kyrons, and for no other reason than just being a Severynth, would you?"

"And you think that's not fair?" Ewan asked.

"Of course not." Gretel slapped the table and interrupted.

"Severynths have surpassed Kyrons, even at the basic life level. You think it's 'fair' to give us the same treatment as Kyrons then? Maybe it will work inside the walls, where you have peace and security. But what about outside?"

Cage took a deep breath. "Is that why you killed so many innocent people at the Frosthelm festival?" he asked.

The question stunned Ewan, and he lost his words in his throat. Then he laughed. "Were you leading me?" The chair inclined back.

"So? Why did you kill them?" Gretel asked.

"Would you believe me if I say I didn't? Haven't you guys already made up your mind?"

"Just answer me," she said. Cage took out another cigarette and lit it after three drum strikes.

"I refuse to," Ewan said. "Did someone close to you die there? You seem very hostile."

She glared at Ewan, clawing her left forearm with her right until her nails drew blood.

"My condolences then," Ewan said, glancing at her bleeding wound. "But it really has nothing to do with me."

"We have a witness who puts you there, Ewan. May I call you Ewan?" Cage took a puff, the cigarette burned brighter, and blew the smoke to the side. "She described you and your Astylind in vivid details. Now, I won't ask how its image is different from what we have in our record, that's other department's business, but this case is my business. And I just want to solve it as soon as I can and go back home to my lovely and bitchy wife and sleep in my own bed. So, I hope you can give us some answers. If you're innocent, I promise nothing will happen to you."

'She'?

He only met one woman that day, the Kyron he saved. She saw Frost and the details matched, but she couldn't be the witness either. He'd saved her after all, even considering the basic debt of saving her life, she wouldn't do that. She shouldn't….

"Is that what makes you so confident? Her word against mine, how do you think it will end?"

"She's only a catalyst. Her statement will allow us to gather more evidence." Cage slid the blood test form back to Ewan and tapped on it twice. "Either you sign it now willingly, or you'll have to sign it later by force, up to you. I hope you can reconsider."

"What do you think your dead father would say if he saw you like this? Do you think he would be happy to see his son killing so many innocents?" the young woman chimed in.

Cage sighed. "Gretel, you've gone too far," he said.

"But sir…"

"You've also lost someone. You should know better than to use a man's pain like that. Don't do it again." He glared at her.

Motherfuckers…

A subordinate bringing up a sensitive topic without the consent of her superior….

If cynicism hadn't stuffed his nature to the brim, he would've believed their play.

"I apologize on her behalf. She's suffered a loss recently, please forgive her insolence," he said and bowed his head.

"It's fine. She's just doing her job, I won't mind her for that," Ewan said with a smile.

The coat dangling on the hanger vibrated and the phone's ring echoed in the room.

"Please excuse me," Cage said and went to the corner to receive the call.

He whispered on the phone for a couple of minutes, as the woman played the glare game with Ewan, then put it back in the coat pocket. "Sorry, that was my wife. She's urging me to come home soon," he said with a laugh, taking the chair again. "I actually told her about you. She didn't believe such a nice young man could commit such an act. She told me to show some leniency. That woman is too good natured."

The bullshit's really stinking….

Ewan controlled himself from wording his thoughts. The man's shampooed and fluffy hair, his well-groomed beard, his nicely trimmed nails, and the hint of a woman's perfume; none of it pointed towards a man who hadn't gone home for days. Most of all, the call he received was from a man, not his wife, and they talked about a lawyer coming in. Ewan's Ryvia had covered that corner, and he heard every single word this man said. These guys had never encountered someone with Ryvia, or at least a Ryvia of his range…

"Must be nice to have such a caring wife," Ewan said, his polite smile plastered on his face. He was stalling for time anyway, and these people were giving him more options, he had nothing to complain about. And the lawyer they mentioned on the phone must be Uncle Thain, so he didn't have to wait for long either.

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Status: Healthy

Step-0 [3rd Awakening]

Name: Ewan Ayres

Species: Human

Vitality: 1.4

Spirit: 6.0

Anima: [Fire – 6.0 | Ice – 6.0 | Blood – 6.0]

Astylinds: 4 [Potential: 0]

:Rolling Cat [Toast]: Step-0 [3rd Awakening]

:Fire Monkey [Orange]: Step-0 [Level-3] [Grade-C]

:Imp [Frost]: Step-0 [Level-3] [Grade-C]

:Blood Lotus [Iris]: Step-0 [Level-3] [Grade-C]

Equipment: Common Clothes.

Storage: Journal; Elementalist—The Path of Anima [Subtype-Book]; Spellbook; Bloodlust [Spell]; Transmute [Spell]; Anima-Crystals; Obsidian Dagger; Hub-Connector; Ingredients.

Novas: 290

Sol: 4987