"It is foolish, you know?"
Veylara spoke as she looked into Kael's eyes.
"Playing tricks in a world you know nothing about."
"You think you are surrounded by enemies.
Who is your prime suspect?
The woman questioned directly, and Kael blinked in surprise, unable to understand what had just happened.
"W-What are you talking about?"
He tried to feign ignorance but...
"See? You did it again. You stutter when you suddenly have to feign ignorance or lie.
Everyone can lie when they are prepared, Hero Kael. Learn how to lie spontaneously and make it look believable."
Kael remained silent.
What could he even say?
"Mhm, remaining silent is better too. At least you do not give away what you are thinking. But learn how to hide your expression—I can see your confusion and nervousness on your face. It directly gives me power in our conversation."
'Is… is this woman teaching me deception…?'
Kael wondered in his head, he had no clue what was happening.
He had only come here for dinner and to spend time with the only people around him he could actually let loose with. But before he could even enter their house, their mother kidnapped him, called out the enemy he had been suspecting all this while, and then started teaching him deception—all during their first meeting.
'Why is every interaction with a Stormhold so… absurd?
Is it in their genes?'
He wondered silently.
"You hide that you are already an Advanced-Level Tamer, meaning you are trying to conceal your powers.
For a Hero, who would only gain more praise and glory the stronger he gets, to hide his powers instead of revealing them means one thing—you are aware that you are surrounded by enemies.
Since your only real interactions with people outside the Royal Family's influence happened during your Test, something must have occurred during your stay in Estwyn.
Something that made you doubt the very people who summoned you.
Probably something related to that corrupted beast that came after you at the end of the test—the corrupted beast you somehow ran away from."
Veylara stared into Kael's eyes when she said those last words, and unconsciously, Kael's body flinched.
"See? You did it again.
When put on the spot, your body reacts honestly.
You didn't run away from that beast, did you? You defeated it."
Kael clenched his fists, trying his very best to show no reaction to the woman's words, but…
Even that attempt was seen as a reaction.
"Clenching fists is usually a sign of someone trying to control himself. It is a gateway to your thoughts—try to control it."
"So? How did you defeat that thing? According to the reports, it wasn't something you should have been able to defeat with the capabilities you showed during the test.
Were you hiding your real strength?
Or… did someone else aid you?
The mysterious Firefang Wyvern that is too shy to leave, perhaps?"
Veylara guessed, and once again, the instant Kael's breathing faltered at her words, she realized the truth.
"So it was that Wyvern…"
Veylara muttered, her eyes shining with enlightenment.
"So that's the reason you are hiding your Bond, huh…
It is much stronger than what everyone believes, and you wish to use it as your trump card."
That's how Kael felt.
His every secret seemed like it was out in the open.
It was as if he were an open book she could read without any trouble whatsoever. Panic surged within him as he once again recalled how monstrous the woman truly was.
He wouldn't be able to suppress her or run away even if he used Ascendant of the Ancient and strengthened himself. He was completely helpless against her in every way possible.
She just laughed at his reaction.
"I told you, didn't I?
You aren't a good liar.
You have a lot to learn before you start participating in this messy game, Hero."
"W-What should I do…?"
The woman already knew his secrets. She had figured everything out without him saying anything—even the fact that he was already an Advanced-Level Tamer.
It was almost as if everything he had done to hide his secrets had been for nothing. Even Igni's existence was somewhat revealed.
Help from someone he could trust. And right now—maybe because of how intimidated he was, or perhaps because the woman in front of him was his friends' mother—he decided to seek her help.
Kael didn't know what to say. He just looked down, afraid. Even Igni and Cirri were silent.
The woman called out, drawing his attention.
"Not everyone is your enemy."
She spoke in a tone that calmed Kael's panicked emotions. The Hero stared at her in silence, and the woman continued,
"You realize that not everyone around you is an ally, and that is a good thing—much better than blindly believing everyone you see.
I was half expecting to meet a naïve fool oblivious to how the world works."
Then, her tone turned serious, and—
"But you also need to realize that suspecting everyone around you is just the first step. If the only thing you do is doubt everyone and be careful around them, you will suffocate yourself."
"Then what should I do? How do I find people I can fully trust?"
Veylara laughed at those words.
"If there was a way to fully trust someone, I'd be ruling this world by now.
You can never fully trust someone—not even your closest ally, nor a lover, parent, or child."
Those words were heavy, but deep inside, he knew they were true.
But the question still remained—what should he do if he couldn't trust someone? How could he find allies?
"You find a common goal."
Veylara answered, smiling at Kael.
When your goals align, you automatically become allies."