Magical Soul Parade

Chapter 332: Spoken Confirmation

The three days passed in a blur.

Finn used the time to relax and be in the moment. He realized that since he came to this world, aside from that one time with Althea and that Feuguer family heiress, Maeve, he hadn’t really had time to chill out.

It had always been from one trouble to the next, or one absurd situation to another.

Madoc and Osmund had seemed confused at first, seeing Finn doing nothing in particular for the rest of the first day. They had thought that perhaps he was scouting out something they didn’t know, or maybe there was just some deeper motive to his out-of-character calm behaviour.

But on the second day, they simply realized he was just enjoying himself. Plain and simple.

The two Anaelle took the time to also immerse themselves in this quiet calm. They were the first of their race to leave their isolated island and enter into human society for many generations. In fact, they were essentially the only ones who had ever done so in the history of their people.

That fact coupled with the knowledge that they didn’t know when next such a period of calm would arise again made them savor the moment wholly.

After the three days were over, they were all fully refreshed and invigorated, ready to commence with Finn’s promise of retribution.

What they didn’t expect though, was having another member suddenly join their party.

"Oh? White fur. Delicate horns. Those sharp, pointed ears... You guys are Anaelle, aren’t you?" A girl that looked no older than twenty at most, squealed with a sickeningly sweet enthusiasm.

"Madoc. Osmund. This is Sue," Finn introduced offhandedly, smiling at the head of Ryuga’s long form as they rose into the sky, ready to leave Stratus.

"She will be joining us on our journey to slay Transcendents. Her knowledge about seems to be deep, so she would be of help," he introduced with a wave of his hand. "You guys play nice with her."

Sue’s eyes twitched slightly, and her smile faltered, turning wry at Finn’s dismissive statement.

She sighed dramatically before heading toward the front where Finn sat alone. She had a playful glint in her eyes and she intended to speak to him jokingly to test the boundaries of their new arrangement.

But before she could get close, Ryuga’s neck muscles thrummed, and a violent, warning burst of raw soul energy flashed out of a newly opened gill-like slit.

The black energy was Ryuga’s way of cautioning Sue to know her place. The dragon was an ancient and regal entity and his back was not a place where she could come and do as she pleased. He was an extension of Finn’s will and his instinct was to protect his master from any unpredictable or undesirable elements.

Sue pouted, getting the message and stopping just short of getting hit by the black energy. She held up her hands in a mock gesture of surrender.

"You’re no fun, Ryuga," she whined, before turning back and heading toward the center of the dragon’s spine. "Both the master and the mount are far too serious for their own good."

Her attention turned to Madoc and Osmund, who could barely hide the discomfort they felt about the fact they would have to travel alongside her in close proximity for the rest of their journey.

Madoc wore a stoic expression. His natural cold face and large build made him less approachable by default. That naturally made Osmund the easier target.

Sue’s eyes locked onto the shorter Anaelle and she sat down uncomfortably close to him, wrapping her arms around one of his as if they had been close friends for years. Osmund stiffened and his fur stood on end, but he didn’t know how to dislodge her without causing a scene.

"You said due North, did you not?" Finn called from the front, tearing the bright smile she’d had on her face as she prepared to make Osmund her play companion.

Begrudgingly, released the Anaelle and looked toward the back of Finn’s head. "Yes. Due North. The Ossuary has commenced building another Soul Sanctum there. You will find all kinds of Preceptors, and therefore, Transcendent fragment bearers as long as you go there."

Finn hummed in response at the front. Then after a beat, he asked:

​"And you are not scared of going to the base of the Ossuary itself?" His voice was lazy, carrying a hint of curiosity. "You are a Harvester Cult member. A high ranking one at that. If they catch a scent of you they will tear your soul apart for the information you carry."

"So? None of them know I am a Harvester Cult member. The only person there who’ll know who I truly am would be you," she chuckled playfully.

"And how sure are you that I wouldn’t reveal your identity? You would still serve your use to me even if they know. But your cover that you’ve hidden for years will be blown forever," Finn asked lazily.

"Hmmm... You’re right," Sue sighed, then smiled brightly right after. "But you won’t do it."

"Oh?" Finn raised a brow where he sat at the front, still faced forward with his back to them.

"I’m more valuable to you with my identity a secret rather than without," Sue shrugged. "I believe that value is worth more than anything you’d get from revealing my identity to the Ossuary. Those guys are beneath you anyway..." she laughed.

"...Well, aside from Sage Limitless, that is."

"Sage Limitless..." Finn muttered at the front. That name seemed to always be spoken like some kind of be-all, end-all, final boss. He hadn’t asked for any details about this person yet, a detail Sue was surely aware of by now. And perhaps it was for that reason she kept bringing his name up.

Though if Finn was estimating her acuteness correctly, she must have figured out why he wasn’t asking, and then that would be her true reason for subtly bringing the name up again.

If that was the case, then she would try to bring that name up more during their travel.