"Doesn't matter if I'm a fortune teller or not," Velen said with a smile. "Want to find a place to chat?"
"Nope!"
Aedida rejected him without a second of hesitation, much to Velen's surprise.
"Aedida! The Rising Magi Rankings' 100th-ranked genius… when he was eighteen, he—"
Velen suddenly raised his voice and started shouting toward the nearby crowd. Aedida panicked and clamped a hand over Velen's mouth again, his face filled with despair.
"Alright, alright! I'll go with you, okay?!"
Old Carter, what do I do?! This guy's got me completely under control!
As they walked toward the tavern, Aedida hurriedly reached out to the ancient soul within him.
Controlled, my ass! What's more important—your life or your pride?! Let him talk if he wants to talk! What are you even afraid of?! This guy gives me an extremely dangerous feeling. I'll be straight with you—if it comes down to it, I can't protect you. In fact, I might die right alongside you!
