CHAPTER 82: ELVEN ENCOUNTER (2)

Hearing Idris, the young elf only stared blankly, while beside him, Gara felt a flicker of alarm.

"Sir Idris... you can tell someone’s Talent just by examining them?" Gara asked.

"Only with other elves," Idris replied. "My Talent energy can merge with the barrier that protects an elf’s Talent. I don’t know what yours is. Besides... your body is far too different..." His words trailed off.

Gara nodded and let out a small breath of relief.

"Fian has incredible potential as a Liner," Idris went on. "But I believe it’s better if he stays with you." He emphasized the last words.

The young elf was powerful, blessed with a dual bloodline-talent, but his soul-state was unstable.

Gara nodded again, sensing Idris’s sincerity. This was a man who cared more for the well-being and safety of his younger kin than for strength or glory. Gara’s respect for him deepened.

What intrigued him even more was how unshaken Idris seemed upon learning of Fian’s dual Bloodline and Talent. He wanted to ask more, but time was slipping away.

It was already late, and the road to town would be harder the longer Idris stayed. The healer also had an early appointment the next morning, he couldn’t stay.

In the end, the old elf left with a lighter heart.

"Fian, you should treat him with more respect," Gara said as they entered the house. "He genuinely cares about you. Think of him as an elder."

The taller man glanced at Gara, then gave a short nod. Gara felt satisfied. Even if Fian’s agreement sounded casual, he had clearly listened.

Gara headed to the kitchen, where Wina was just about to fetch some food. He and Fian had already eaten before she arrived.

"Mom, why are you home so late?" Gara asked, following her into the front room and dropping onto one of the wooden stools to eat.

Wina sighed, clearly unwilling to talk.

One of Gara’s eyebrows rose. From her expression, something had definitely happened. "What is it, Mom? Don’t tell me Albin bothered you on the way to town?"

That was the only trouble they’d had lately.

Wina shook her head, finishing the bite in her mouth before answering. "Not Albin—Lita."

"What?!" Gara shot to his feet, his stool clattering to the floor behind him. "What did she do to you, Mom?"

Before Wina could answer, Fian suddenly appeared at Gara’s side, using his Ghost Walk Talent in from his room.

Gara forced himself not to react to Fian’s sudden appearance. Now wasn’t the time to scold him.

"She’s already been caught by Vice-Captain Emir," Wina said quickly, before his agitation could upset her pregnant son. "Captain Tristan will make sure she faces a heavy punishment."

"What exactly happened, Mom?" Gara pressed, still unsatisfied.

Since divorcing Albin, Lita hadn’t been welcome in her own village. As far as Gara knew, she’d wandered to nearby settlements, shacking up with thugs in a shack up in the mountains—far from the paths of ordinary villagers. Beyond that, he hadn’t cared to know. Apparently, Lita hadn’t forgotten Wina.

"She brought the thugs she lives with and tried to rob people in a carriage," Wina said, exhaling heavily. "She used her grudge against me as her excuse."

"That crazy woman?!" Gara spat.

Wina didn’t add anything more. That was enough for him to know. If she told him the woman had also ordered her men to drag her off to be violated, she didn’t know what he’d do.

Earlier, on the carriage, she heard some of Elder Abram’s closest neighbors gossiping about Albin. Apparently, he had gone mad, claiming his fingers was severed even though it wasn’t, and kept screaming at who knows who that he would no longer use his fingers for ’bad things’ again.

She assumed it was Gara’s deed.

Her son would probably go to the town prison or send Fian to deal with Lita. It’s better for Captain Tristan to handle everything than for the problem to get more complicated.

After all, despite his calm demeanor around them, Tristan was feared everywhere else for his ruthless efficiency. Satyo, for example, hadn’t been executed, but had been sentenced to spend the rest of his life working in the crystal mines.

"Mom, I think I should ask Uncle Tristan to assign more people to protect you outside the house," Gara suggested.

Wina shook her head firmly. "No need, Gara. During the robbery, the moment Captain Tristan’s men—who were already protecting us—moved in, no one in the carriage was harmed."

She wasn’t lying. The thugs hadn’t even touched the carriage before Tristan’s men took them down. Wina knew this had all been Lita’s idea because the woman had shouted her threats before they attacked.

She probably hadn’t expected that right after her bluffing ended, a squad of men in black would appear out of nowhere and crush her gang.

Wina was deeply grateful to Captain Tristan for his speed. The same day Gara had reported trouble in the fields, Tristan had sent a special team—not the town guard—to protect them.

Seeing his mother so relaxed, Gara finally eased up. "Alright. As long as you’re safe, Mom."

...

Today, Wina hadn’t gone to the fields. Their plot wasn’t large, so Fian had handled everything on his own.

It was nearly five in the evening when Wina returned from town. She stepped inside still trembling, her face pale.

"Mom!" Gara’s eyes widened. "What happened? Did someone bother you again?"

He couldn’t understand why people just wouldn’t leave them alone.

But Wina shook her head stiffly. "No, son. I’m still shaking from training."

Gara froze. Training? That was why she looked like this? Of course he knew exactly what kind of training she’d gone to town for.

"Was it that bad?" the pregnant man asked, swallowing nervously.

"Helping a birth through opening stomach is terrifying," Wina muttered.

Gara’s face went pale to match hers. If even the assistant shook that badly... what would happen to the one actually being cut open?

"Four months is still a long time... right?" Gara asked hopefully.

His mother shook her head. "Time passes quickly, son."

...