Trinity of Magic

Rani took her seat across from Zeke and studied the menu. After a few moments, she looked up with a questioning gaze. "Can I order whatever I want?"

Zeke nodded.

"Can I order a lot of somethings?"

Again, Zeke nodded.

Rani went back to studying the menu before deciding on a three-course meal, not unlike what Zeke and Leo had eaten just earlier.

Zeke was baffled by this. Looking at her slim figure, he hadn't thought she was such a big eater. Furthermore, the waiter's reaction was strange as well. His eyes had nearly popped out when he and Leo had ordered a similar amount earlier. However, now he had merely nodded and left as if everything was as it should be.

"You have quite the appetite, Rani," Zeke said with a smile after the waiter left.

Rani tilted her head in confusion before realizing something a moment later. "You shouldn't judge me by human standards, young mast— I mean Pete."

Zeke glanced at her furry ears, which were visible again now that she had removed her headdress to eat. He wondered if it was considered rude to ask about it. Still, his curiosity was too strong. "Would you be willing to tell me more about your people?"

Rani smiled at his awkward expression before nodding her head. "Of course, Pete. What do you want to know?"

Zeke considered for a moment how to word his question. "I can see that you have some… erm… special features. But other than that, you appear mostly human. That's very different from the descriptions I have read."

If Rani was offended by the question, she didn't let it show. "There are many differences even within the Chimeroi. Some of us bear far closer resemblance to our ancestors, and some take more after humans. My blood has become diluted over generations, making me almost fully human. It is quite a common phenomenon, and we are sometimes called Hybridians."

Zeke was intrigued by her explanation. What surprised him most was the fact that she had such a detached way of speaking about her ancestry, almost like it didn't have anything to do with her. But he only asked, "How are the two different?"

Rani didn't waste a breath before explaining. "Pureblood Chimeroi are wild. They have very sharp senses and keen instincts on top of great strength. However, their intelligence and patience are often lacking, making them useless for more sophisticated labor."

She then pointed at herself. "My kind, the Hybridians, retains some of the advantages of our more feral cousins, but also have human intelligence."

"How strong are you?" Zeke asked.

Rani smiled and extended her hand. "I can show you."

After a moment's hesitation, Zeke grabbed her outstretched palm as if for a handshake. Initially confused, he noticed that Rani was slowly increasing the pressure while watching his expression for any signs of pain. Soon, she squeezed his hand so tightly that the veins could be seen before abruptly letting go.

"That was about half of my strength," she explained.

Zeke nodded with a relaxed expression. However, inwardly, he was shocked. The strength she had displayed was on par or even greater than his father's. Considering that his father was a giant of a man who had been hailed as the strongest in their village, this wasn't an easy feat.