"Seems you guys can't get yourselves away from weirdos," the man said with a grin, flashing an easy smile at Silva and the group.
Silva exhaled heavily, rubbing the back of his neck. "Is this common when the exams happen?"
"Well, yeah, basically," the man replied, tone casual. "Every time the exams are held, some people end up in despair. They can come back for the next round, sure, but by then, they've already lost a year of progress they could've made if they'd passed this time."
"I see," Silva said simply.
Without wasting another moment, he turned and walked toward the exit, leaving the others to linger behind. The man followed close behind, his boots clicking against the marble floor.
"So," he asked, curiosity lacing his voice, "what did you end up getting?"
Silva stopped. Lily and Drake did too, exchanging a glance before turning back to him. Get full chapters from 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝘯𝘦𝘵
"Are we really supposed to tell you that information?" Silva asked, raising a brow. His tone wasn't hostile, just skeptical. He couldn't quite figure out why this man was so invested in them.
Come to think of it, he didn't even know his name.
"Wait," Silva said, eye narrowing slightly. "What's your name, anyway?"
The man paused, as if weighing the question, then smiled. "You can call me Jason," he said.
"Jason?" Silva repeated. "That sounds, Like a name from my homeworld."
"Well, that's because you've got a translator in your head," the man explained easily. "It takes whatever I say and converts it into something you understand. Unless the name is tribal or tied to a world's native tongue, the translator will always find the closest equivalent. My actual name is Zadaks, but I don't really use it anymore."
"Why not?" Lily asked curiously.
Jason's smile dimmed just slightly. "Because of certain reasons," he said vaguely, brushing it off.
Silva folded his arms. "Alright then, Jason, or Zadaks, whichever you prefer. Why are you so interested in us?"
Jason chuckled softly. "You could say I've got an eye for potential. The moment I saw you three, I knew you had something special. And if I can align myself with people like that… it could make my life, and maybe even this city, a lot better."
He spread his arms lightly, his tone turning thoughtful. "Everything on this planet revolves around benefit and growth. You chase every opportunity you can, make something of it, and survive. That's all I'm doing, looking for potential, and betting on it."
Silva studied him for a moment, the faintest smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "At least you're honest about it."
Jason smirked. "I find honesty's the best way to get in good company."
Lily rolled her eyes, while Drake laughed under his breath.
"So, are you going to tell me what rank you got?", Jason asked.
Silva chuckled, shaking his head. "I know you've been a lot of help, Jason," he said, voice steady but careful. "But I don't think I'm going to trust anyone that easily, especially in a new world. You'd have to understand. You've done a lot for us, and I appreciate that, but…" he paused, glancing briefly at Lily and Drake, "…it all feels a little too easy. Even for someone just trying to make connections."
He stepped back slightly, the hint of distance clear in his body language. "Maybe another time we can work on something together. But for now, I'd like to get some rest."
With that, Silva turned and began walking down the street, Lily and Drake following close behind.
Jason didn't stop him. Instead, he crossed his arms and watched them go, his expression calm, unreadable. "You know," he said, his voice carrying easily across the noise of the street, "this is a dog-eat-dog world. You've got to take advantage of what you can. If you don't have someone to watch your back, people will use you."
Silva waved a hand over his shoulder without looking back. "You don't have to worry about that, Jason. I've dealt with problems of such magnitude that you'd be shocked. I think I can handle myself when it comes to it."
Jason's smile lingered as he watched their figures disappear into the crowd. The moment they were gone, his expression darkened, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"The Dark Dragon…" he muttered under his breath.
Then he turned and walked back toward the Arcane Tower, his footsteps calm, measured, deliberate.
Out on the crowded streets, Silva, Lily, and Drake made their way through the streams of people. The city lights reflected off the wet stone, and the hum of voices filled the air.
Drake finally broke the silence. "Master… why didn't you take his offer?"
Silva stopped walking for a moment, hands tucked in his pockets, kky. He didn't respond right away. Then, after a few quiet seconds, he said, "It wasn't about him being suspicious."
He looked ahead again, eyes sharp. "It's the fact that he isn't who he says he is."
"I could tell," Silva said. "His breathing, his posture, his tone, it's all too precise. Too controlled. Like he's playing a role, not being himself."
He shook his head slowly. "What threw me off wasn't just that he was pretending… it's that he was too good at it. So perfect that it stopped feeling natural. It felt… wrong. Like a cloak, one hiding something I don't want to get tangled with yet, he seems normal at first look, but it just felt off."
Drake's eyes widened slightly. "So you think he's dangerous?"
Silva exhaled softly. "I think he's hiding something dangerous," he said. "And whatever it is, I'm not getting involved this early. I'll take my chances with the unknown over a man who's trying too hard to look harmless."
They made their way through the city, Silva still looked around as they walked, still taking in the new world. After a while they finally made it to the inn, so they headed inside, it had been a stressful period for them outside.