"So, you said we need to go to Kuni's domain?" I asked, my tone dejected as I dragged my feet a little. Just the thought of another noble meeting with some crusty old house head drained me more than sparring for hours ever could. My tail flicked back and forth lazily behind me, betraying how little I wanted to go. I shot Kayda a look, hoping she'd see reason and tell me it wasn't necessary.
"Yes," Kayda replied without hesitation. Her steps were steady as she led us down into the city's main district, the streets buzzing with afternoon life. Merchants shouted from their stalls, children darted around, and the smell of grilled meat lingered in the air. "You'll need to meet the house head of the Kunis. It's not optional."
I groaned, dragging my words out like a spoiled child. "And the devil cult?" I asked, raising a brow at her, trying to poke a hole in this plan.
"Ah, so you already knew?" Kayda said, blinking at me in mild surprise. She tilted her head, her crimson hair swaying as if she hadn't expected me to bring it up so casually.
I smirked. "You realize that they report to me first, then you?" I said, reminding her of the little arrangement I had with certain unsavory types.
Kayda's expression darkened, her lips pulling into a small pout. "What? Why would they?" she whined, her voice pitching higher in irritation.
"Huh? Because they're my subordinates?" I said, tilting my head at her like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
Her wings twitched with restrained annoyance. "No, they are not yours."
"They are," I argued, brows furrowing.
"No, they are our subordinates," she corrected sharply, placing extra weight on the word our.
"...So now it's not just yours or mine but ours. Sigh, whatever," I muttered, giving up with a deep sigh and letting my shoulders slump. There was no winning that particular argument.
Kayda gave a small, victorious smile before shifting the subject. "So, how do you want to spend the last few months?" she asked as she veered toward a brightly decorated stall to our left, her eyes scanning the wares.
"I want to have at least three months at home to learn about smithing," I explained, falling in step behind her as she fingered through a rack of cheap jewelry.
"Three months?" she repeated, whipping her head around to stare at me. "That's like your entire trip."
"Yeah," I said firmly, standing my ground. "I don't want to do this half-heartedly, Kayda. I want to make good weapons with my ice—not just average ones that can be easily destroyed." I picked up a trinket from the stall and frowned at it before setting it back down. My standards were already rising, it seemed.
"Easily destroyed!?" Kayda shot back, looking at me like I'd just insulted her personally. "What do you mean easily destroyed? Your weapons are already good enough for people in the 300 levels to struggle to break them."
"That might be true," I admitted with a shrug, "but what about higher levels? I want to make weapons that even you would struggle to destroy, Kayda." A wide smile spread across my face just imagining it—the satisfaction of handing her a blade she couldn't casually snap.
"Eh," she grunted, narrowing her eyes at me. "Yes, of course. The only weapons I actually struggle with are demigod weapons, which are fucking rare. Do you really think you'll be able to make something like that?" Her disbelief was clear.
"Demigod weapons?" I echoed. "I think I remember my mother talking about them once."
"That makes sense," Kayda said with a shrug. "She does own, like, thirty of them."
"You said they're rare, right? Then how does Mom have so many?" I asked, baffled, my ears twitching in disbelief.
"Because she has a blacksmith that produces them every year," Kayda explained.
"He does? Hmm, I guess that makes sense. He was a Smith King or something… I don't really remember," I said, pressing a finger to my chin thoughtfully.
"Yeah. And making weapons like that won't only take three months. It'll take way, way longer," Kayda said, shaking her head.
"The earlier I start, the better," I said with a giant grin, refusing to back down.
"Sigh, you're so annoying," Kayda muttered, rolling her eyes.
"As I said, make a schedule for me to spend time with you, and then we won't have a problem," I said, dodging the jab with ease. My eyes lit up as I spotted another stall a little ways down. "Oh! How many kababs do you want?"
Kayda glanced toward it, her nostrils flaring slightly as the smell hit her. "...Sigh, two, please," she said at last.
Without waiting, I sprinted off toward the stall, weaving between the crowd like a fox through the forest.
"Not even waiting properly, sigh," Kayda muttered behind me, shaking her head.
"Alright, here you go," I said cheerfully a few moments later, handing her two skewers stacked with grilled meat.
"Thank you," she said, accepting them gracefully.
As we walked, I nibbled on mine before another thought hit me. "Now that I think about it, won't it take us a month to get to the Kunis and then another to get home?" I asked, my ears drooping at the idea.
"Yeah, the trips are quite long," Kayda admitted with a small nod. She chewed thoughtfully before adding, "Hmm, we might lessen it if we move in our beast forms, though."
"That can be done," I said with a shrug, "but why don't we just ask Mom for a plane?"
"Uh, we can do that, but…" Kayda trailed off, frowning.
"My squad will probably come as well," I said knowingly.
"Yeah. And Stacy will be there to pester us," Kayda groaned, clearly not looking forward to it.
"Yeah, but we'll have more time at home," I argued.
"Hmph!" Kayda turned her face away, pouting like a child.
"You do realize nothing much will change even if we're with them," I said with a sigh, shaking my head at her antics.
"Apricot," Kayda mumbled, her voice low but sharp.
"Ugh, she might be a problem," I said awkwardly, scratching my cheek.
"Sigh, well, whatever. When we're at the Draig, we'll probably be alone anyways," Kayda said, shrugging. She finished her kababs quickly, then tossed the two wooden sticks at me with more force than necessary.
"Hey, don't be so violent," I said, catching the sticks between my fingers before they could even reach me.
"Heh, as if something like that would hit you. Now call Stacy over, tsk," Kayda said, clicking her tongue.
"Huh, already? I can call them tomorrow instead, if you want."
"If you don't do it now, I might change my mind," she said sharply.
"Ah, I see, makes sense," I said, pulling out my communication scroll after tossing the leftover skewer into my storage.
Ring.
"Kitsuna! How are you?" Mom's voice boomed through the scroll before the second ring even ended.
"Mother, don't yell like that. You aren't an old hag yet, so there's no need for something like that," I said, wincing at the volume.
"Ah, sorry, I was just excited that my adorable daughter called me," Mom said happily.
"What about Amire? Isn't she there with you guys?" I asked, confused.
"Ah, she went to Zagan's hometown to train him," Mom said, her tone shifting into annoyance.
"She's training him?" I asked, baffled.
Zagan really is useless, I thought, shaking my head.
"Well, he was almost dead just before you went on your trip. I let him go for a while," Mom explained, trying to sound casual, but her disappointment leaked through.
"Ah, I see. You're so depressed about me leaving you that you allowed them to get away?" I teased, smirking.
"...So why are you calling me?" Mom asked after a small pause, her tone dry.
"Ha-ha, embarrassed are we now. Don't worry, I miss you too, Mom," I said, a little flustered despite myself.
Whack!
"Ow, Kayda, what was that for?" I asked, turning to glare at her.
"Finish up already," Kayda said curtly, her arms crossed.
This woman can't handle not getting attention, can she, I thought, shaking my head.
"Huh, did Kayda just hit you?" Mom asked through the scroll.
"Yeah, I was doing something dumb, so don't worry about it."
"Ah, I see. So the usual. Anyways, what do you want?"
"You make it sound like I'm needy," I said, whining.
"Yes, yes, you are."
"So mean. Sigh, I need a cargo plane—your fastest, please," I said, getting to the point.
"...Why?"
"To travel around."
"You want me to believe you need a military cargo plane to travel around? Kitsuna, come on. There are so many better ways to lie to me," Mom said skeptically.
"Eh, I'm not lying to you though."
"Kitsuna, who do you want to kill? I might help you if I know them."
"Mom, listen, we are in Aanbald territory right now. So—"
"You guys are still there!? What the hell? You should be halfway to the Kunis already," Mom said, cutting me off in disbelief.
"Yeah, well, stuff happened, and we got delayed."
"Sigh, I see. So you want fast transport. Why don't you just use your fox and dragon forms then?"
"Yeah, no. That will take too long. I want at least four months at home with the Smith King there."
"Sigh. You want to learn how to make demigod weapons, don't you?"
"Ding ding, correct. Now, send me a plane, please," I said sweetly.
"Sigh, fine. We'll get going later tonight. You'll see it tomorrow morning," Mom said in defeat.
"Cool. Thank you, Mother."
"Yeah yeah, see you," she said before ending the call.
"To think she actually thought you needed a plane to kill someone?" Kayda said with a weird expression, her eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"What's with the expression?" I asked.
"Ah, it's just—why would you need a plane to kill someone?"
"Hmm," I mused, tapping my chin. "If the person is in a stronghold, a plane or jet would be useful to blow it up. If you want to give him a gruesome but quick way, you could put him in the thrusters or blades. There are quite a few ways a plane could be useful for killing people."
Kayda's face twisted, her expression worsening by the second. "Just how are you this knowledgeable in ways to kill people?"
"Ha-ha, experience," I said with a smirk.
"Bullshit. Firstly, I'm older, so I have more experience than you. Secondly, the ways you think of are just not right."
"Meh, whatever. Let's forget about killing before the city guards get called," I said, glancing around at the people giving us very strange looks.
"Eh, forgot we were in the city," Kayda admitted awkwardly, lowering her voice.
"Uh-huh. Now let's continue our date, shall we?" I said, wrapping my arm around her shoulders.
"Are we not?" Kayda replied vaguely, giving me a sly glance from the corner of her eye.
She is way too mean, I thought, ignoring her jab as my tail swayed happily behind us.