Chapter 59: House Faust (2)
Misha herself knew she had to decide at once. She stood there for a few seconds with her lips pressed into a thin line, her hands curled into fists so tightly her nails bit into her palms.
Everything in her wanted to hesitate, to ask for more time. But every second she wasted here was another second farther from seeing her brothers.
So she forced the words out. "Fine..." She let out a breath through her nose and lifted her chin. "Let’s go to Exodus."
The moment she said it, a cold knot settled deeper into her stomach.
It was risky, probably stupid too.
Even now, fear still crawled at the back of her neck whenever she imagined herself stepping into the higher floors with her level this low. Still, she did not have another real choice.
She watched the healers finish tending to Elyes. Green lights faded from their hands one by one, leaving behind the faint smell of mana and medicinal herbs. The room grew quieter as they packed their things. One healer adjusted the bandages around Elyes’ body with the stiff patience of someone who had already decided he was a difficult patient long before today.
Once the three finally left, the door shut behind them.
Silence settled over the room for a moment. Then Misha asked, "If we’re going to start climbing again... do we have to recruit?"
Elyes raised one brow. "Do you think we can survive on our own?"
Misha opened her mouth, then closed it again.
Him and her? A two-man army? That was not an army. That was a very detailed suicide note.
She imagined the two of them marching into Exodus alone. Elyes limping beside her, pale as death and held together by his stubbornness to join her. Then there was her, several levels too low. They would die so quickly the Administrator might actually feel embarrassed for them.
"...Right," she muttered.
Elyes shifted slightly against the pillows and winced. "It’s better to look for people once we’re in Exodus. We can hire so we’ll have more options there."
"More options sounds suspiciously expensive."
"It is."
Misha let out a sigh that came from somewhere deep and wounded inside her soul. Expensive meant money.
Elyes went on. "It’s better to hire dependable people. As long as they get paid, they’ll assist us."
"As long as you’re the one paying them, I don’t have a problem," she immediately answered.
A few seconds ticked by.
Elyes stared at her and she stared right back.
Finally, he said, "You adjusted to my household’s financial status disturbingly fast."
She placed a hand on her chest and feigned innocence. "I’m simply respecting it."
"That isn’t what you’re doing."
"It absolutely is."
Sebastian, who had remained by the side of the room with the sort of quietness only butlers and ghosts ever mastered, adjusted his glasses with one hand. Misha could have sworn the old man was hiding his amusement.
Elyes shut his eyes for a moment like the conversation itself had worsened his injuries. "You’re very comfortable spending money that isn’t yours."
"Yes," Misha answered at once. "That’s one of my best qualities."
He slowly turned his head and looked at her. "That’s a terrible quality."
"Not when the rich person is annoying."
That made Sebastian cough discreetly into one gloved hand.
Elyes let out a slow breath. "I regret helping you."
"You really aren’t helping me yet since we’re just starting." Misha shot back. "Besides, with your condition, I don’t think you should come with me."
That made him freeze.
She pressed on before he could interrupt. "I’m serious. You can barely sit there properly without looking like your organs are filing for a complaint. If you come with me now, you’ll just end up making your healers cry again."
His expression flattened. "You have a strange way of showing concern."
Misha ignored that. She did not like the idea of climbing alone, not even a little. Even if they hired people, she could not trust strangers that easily anymore no matter how friendly they were. Yara had made sure of that.
Still, she hated the thought of losing another friend she could not protect.
"You can sponsor me instead. We can meet at every settlement floor."
Elyes stared at her as if she had suggested something deeply offensive and inconvenient to argue against.
Misha crossed her arms. "You know I’m right."
He did know. That was the problem. In his current state, he would only slow her down. He knew it deep inside. At the same time, Elyes could not risk her dying either. Not now, not after learning what her ability could do. If she died, any chance of bringing Nyxie back would die with her.
"I’ll do my best not to die." She said softly. "Just hire stronger people. I’m sure that won’t be a problem for you even if they’re expensive."
He still said nothing so she kept going. "You can monitor me using that magical ball from last time," she said. "And since you’ll be my sponsor, you can give me useful things every now and then."
His eyes narrowed as if finally seeing where this was heading.
Misha lifted one finger. "The Nightvision glasses, for example."
He sighed heavily. So that was what this leech-like woman had been aiming from the start. "Fine. I’ll sponsor you."
For one bright wonderful second, Misha wanted to punch the air. Instead, she held still like a proper lady, or at least she tried to. Her face betrayed her anyway. It lit up so quickly she could feel it, a smile spreading from ear to ear before she could stop it.
"We’ll meet at every settlement floor," Elyes said, already sounding like he regretted all his life choices. "You understand?"
"Yes, sir." She raised a hand to her forehead and gave him a crisp salute.
"What level do you think that ability of yours becomes available?"
"I’m not really sure..." She lowered her hand and scratched the side of her cheek. "But I’ll let you know."
"After Exodus, the next settlement will be Ashmoor. Report your status to me once we meet there."
A maid entered then, pushing a cart with food arranged so neatly arranged.
Sebastian stepped forward at once and gestured toward the couch. "Please sit there, Miss Misha."
Then he moved to assist Elyes while the maid placed a tray in front of Misha after she settled on the couch.
The smell hit her first, warm and rich and expensive. It was the sort of food that came in careful portions and still somehow looked more filling than everything she ate in the inn and the food stalls combined.
Misha’s eyes sparkled. She picked up a fork and stared at the spread with solemn appreciation. Rich people really did eat differently.
Elyes glanced at her and looked vaguely offended by her expression. "It’s only dinner."
"It’s a noble dinner," she corrected.
"That isn’t a category."
"It should be."
For a while, the room filled with the quiet sounds of eating and the rustle of sheets when Elyes adjusted himself. Eventually, Misha lowered her fork.
"Anyway," she said, her tone shifting. "Do you know anyone by the name..."
She paused. The words sat on her tongue and refused to leave with dignity.
Elyes and Sebastian waited for her to continue.
Misha wanted to disappear. That brother of hers was really...
She inwardly sighed. "The One True..." She stopped again and physically cringed from embarrassment. "... Shadow Monarch... Devourer... of Light and Shadow..."
The silence that followed felt personal. Elyes stared while Sebastian blinked once.
Misha looked away and pressed two fingers to her forehead. "I know how it sounds. He’s my brother."
Elyes’ expression sharpened. "The one you’re looking for?"
She nodded slightly as she clasped her hands together.
Sebastian adjusted his glasses, thoughtful now rather than polite. "That is quite a title."
"I know." She sighed before she continued, "I only know one of their Tower Names. That one, I was hoping..." she trailed off and glanced between them. "I don’t know. Maybe it would be familiar to someone."
Elyes leaned back slightly against the pillows. "It doesn’t."
That answer came too fast and too blunt. Misha tried not to let the disappointment show too much.
Sebastian stepped in before the silence could settle badly. "If I may," he said softly, "There is a great deal about the First Generation that modern Rankers and Raiders either misunderstand or never learn properly."