Over the next few days, no matter where Winston and I skulked in the capital, we were always unfavorably found by Callous.
Callous was an uninhibited kid with orange-brown hair and dull-yellow eyes.
He was taller than Winston but shorter than me, something he expressed smugness and envy about after learning our ages.
"You're ugly, Air," he asserted cruelly on his second day of following us.
"Your mouthing makes you uglier," I stonily responded, peeved we failed to lose him.
"Heh, so you're not denying you're ugly?" he snickered, after which I had to physically restrain Winston from attacking him.
"What? Did I say anything wrong?" Callous innocently asked, his eyes crinkling with mischief as the dimples on his upper cheeks deepened. "I'll apologize if hearing the truth hurts, but just know pity won't change how Air looks. She'll forever be—HEY! DON'T LEAVE WHILE I'M SPEAKING!!"
"Ignore him," I told Winston, pulling him along by the hand. "He wants attention, so just ignore him."
"I don't want attention!!" Callous hotly denied as he chased us. "Why would I need it?!"
Remaining silent, I strode with Winston, making sure to clasp his hand as we entered the capital square where hundreds of people rushed either way towards their destinations.
"Fine! Sorry!! There—is that better?!" Callous shouted as he weaved through the crowd, trying to keep up. "Say something! I already apologized! Come on—I was only having fun! If you don't like it—I won't do it anymore! So—stop ignoring me…!!"
…
"Come oooon—what else should I say?" Callous complained after receiving no response. "You're the first two my age I've spoken to in a looooong time—and I'm bored right now! The others avoid me—and I've never had friends before! So—what should I do to make you talk again?!"
…
║║║║║║║║║║
"Have you calmed?" I asked Winston after Callous gave up and left for the day.
Winston—who'd been trembling with rage due to Callous's provocations—dipped his head and nodded.
"Good. The less we react, the more we'll be left alone. So, let's focus on the Branch Trial instead of wasting our anger on Callous."
Winston's expression darkened with dissatisfaction, and he pursed his lips as he glowered at the ground.
[…]
I squeezed his hand, and he stiffened before glancing up at me.
"…Fine," he softly grumbled.
║║║║║║║║║║
Unfortunately, ignoring Callous didn't ward him off.
Instead, he found another way to fill the silence: by chatting endlessly about himself.
Callous's favorite smell was the dampness of leather and twine, but he detested the stench of musky sweat. His favorite color was the blue of another's eyes, but he hated the sight of it on another's head. He disliked every season, but if he had to choose, he would pick spring because everything that should disappear disappeared then.
He also claimed he lived in a large, stone castle near the capital and boasted his father was a very powerful man.
"Who's your father?" I finally broke my silence after days of hearing unsolicited praises about the man.
There was a pregnant pause.
Then Callous coldly uttered, "You wouldn't know the name even if I said it."
[…]
I smiled.
"For such a powerful person you claim as 'Father', surely even [we] must recognize the name," I responded warmly, referring to Winston and I. "So. Try us."
…
"…I-I'm not allowed to say…" Callous finally stammered, sounding flustered for the first time.
"Why?" I bluntly questioned. "Because your father isn't as grand as you described?"
Instantly—
Callous's expression hollowed, and I straightened when his dull eyes bored into me.
"…You think I'm lying?" he quietly asked, the outrage behind his words barely concealed.
My silence was enough of an answer, and Callous's mouth twisted.
We stared at each other for a long second, fury emanating from Callous while I stood anticipating an outburst.
Then—
He shoved past us, his knuckles white and jaws clenched as he left without another word.
…
"…Did I push too far?" I quietly asked Winston.
"No," Winston answered, glowering in the direction Callous left. "He deserved it for what he called you last time."
[…]
Though it was a bit disconcerting seeing Winston hold a grudge…
"…Thanks for having my back," I said, clapping him on the shoulder gratefully.
║║║║║║║║║║
Callous didn't appear for several days.
The next time he did, Winston and I were training on a secluded hill overlooking Evan's and Every's arenas.
We were practicing our drills when we noticed someone trudging up the hill towards us.
[Callous...]
Without saying anything, Callous plopped down onto the grass nearby and watched while we practiced our swordsmanship.
He was frowning and had his arms crossed, yet he stayed all the same.
"Why train so hard?" he grumbled without greeting us once we rested. "What's the point of it?"
[…]
"We're preparing for the upcoming Trial…" I warily responded, still alert from our last interaction. "…Shouldn't you be as well?"
[Instead of being here?]
"Why should I?" Callous muttered, hanging his head as his expression twisted. "It wasn't my choice. What's so great about that place anyway…? …I don't belong there…"
…
He was talking to himself, so I didn't understand all he was saying. Though…it sounded as if he didn't want anything to do with the Trial he registered for…
…
Regardless…his reasons had nothing to do with us—
"Why'd you register if you didn't want to, then?" Winston inquired straightforwardly.
[…]
Callous frowned, glaring at the ground. "…Father made me. I'm not fit for the Branch Sect, yet…he says this is the only way I can help."
[…]
It wasn't uncommon for families to push their young towards the Branch Sect, especially their secondborns and thirdborns. As there were no prerequisites for attempting the Branch Trial, many families—regardless of background—did so, hoping their children would succeed and survive to return sharing their riches and achievements.
…
During the days Callous bragged about himself, he stated he was an only child. He said he was his father's [favorite] and that he was [heir] to all his father possessed.
Based on Callous's claims—and his state of cleanliness and dress, as well as his arrogance—Callous and his family seemed well-off. Thus…why would the [favorite], one and only child be sent to the Branch Sect where innumerous battlefields and death infamously awaited?
It wasn't the safest place to send an [heir]…
[…You think I'm lying?] Callous's indignant words from before echoed.
…
Then again…perhaps Callous and his father had their reasons such like Winston and I had.
"…I just want to assist Father by his side," Callous was rambling. "But he always pushes me away—he doesn't care about me at all! He never has. And now that I'm older…he won't care whether I'm gone. Why else would he ask me to join the Branch Sect? I can barely hold my own with the sword, and I'm not…as knowledgeable…as others… So, how could he—[why] would he…? No—I already know. I have no [value], so he's finally throwing me away. He truly wants me gone, since—for someone as…[lacking]…as me—the only thing waiting is—"
"At least you're self-aware," I interrupted him. "If you're done, please leave. Winston and I need to practice."
Callous's head snapped up in stunned silence.
Then he shot to his feet, flushing darkly as he roared, "WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?!! WHY'RE YOU TREATING ME SO RUDELY?!!"
"[You're] treating [us] rudely!" I countered, dodging as Callous tried shoving me. "You've been bothering us for days!"
"THAT'S 'CAUSE YOU TWO REFUSED TO SPEAK!!" Callous growled, swinging his fists uselessly at us. "I WAS JUST BEING FRIENDLY!!"
"You can act friendly—but don't waste our time!" I growled back, catching Callous's arm as he grabbed for my blunt sword. "You have your own feelings about the Trial—but so do we! But you don't care for that, do you? That's why we won't care for you as well!"
Callous winced as I twisted his arm, and some of his resistance faded as he whispered harshly, "I—I didn't ask for you to care!!"
"Then why are you in front of us?" I confronted him. "Why keep provoking us? If you're lonely and asking for pity, we'll give it—but if you're not serious about the Trial, give your tag to somebody else and get lost. We can't afford associating with someone as [sly] and [scheming] as you!"
…
I let go of Callous and uttered to Winston, "Let's go."
Callous was silent as Winson and I gathered our things, and he continued to be while we trudged down the hill.
Before we reached the bottom however, the sound of pounding feet came behind us, and Callous's voice echoed loud and clear, "I'M NOT GIVING MY TAG AWAY—IT'S MINE!! AND I [AM] PARTICIPATING IN THE TRIAL—I DON'T HAVE ANY OTHER CHOICE, DO I?!
"TELL ME, THEN—HOW CAN I PROVE TO YOU HOW SERIOUS I AM?! AND I [KNOW] I'M UNPLEASANT TO BE AROUND—SO, YOU BETTER ANSWER 'CAUSE I'M NOT GONNA STOP BOTHERING YOU 'TIL YOU DO!!"
[…]
I looked at Winston.
Then we both trudged back up the hill, stopping when I stood towering over Callous.
"…Here," I said, shoving my blunt sword towards him. "You'll get your answer—once you win against me and Winston. Will you refuse?"
Callous's expression shadowed, and he glared nervously at the sword.
Then—
He snatched it from my hand, scoffing, "Heh, don't regret it…!"
"Don't regret, as well," I said, smiling at his false confidence.
=====
"M'lord," the lanky servant uttered, bowing before the master. "It's time."
Silence greeted the lanky servant, and the lanky servant observed as the calm Lord Rivers scribbled the last of his proposals to the [Blank] Guild.
When finished, Lord Rivers handed the proposals to the lanky servant to have them delivered, of which the lanky servant tasked their trusted men.
"What of Callous?" Lord Rivers inquired while changing into his evening wear.
"Young Master hasn't returned from the capital since he left, m'lord," the lanky servant answered as they slipped Lord Rivers into a soft robe.
"Good," Lord Rivers uttered, exiting the private study when he finished dressing. "He'll stay there until the Trial passes. Turn him away if he returns before then."
"Understood, m'lord," the lanky servant replied, following as Lord Rivers strolled towards his usual destination at this usual time.
The walk was long and silent, the only sound being the occasional whisper of Lord Rivers's lush robe.
"Leave us," Lord Rivers ordered the lanky servant when both stopped at a room located at the rear end of the east wing of the castle.
The lanky servant bowed before leaving, and Lord Rivers entered alone.
Inside, the room was simple and plain, opposite what the rest of the castle exuded. A single bed and table hugged one corner of the room, and light strayed in from the one window perched high and open adjacent to the bed.
"Mother…" Lord Rivers whispered as he loomed over the old woman lying asleep in the bed. "The servants tell me you haven't been eating…"
Lord Rivers paused to caress the old woman's hand.
This caused the old woman to blink awake, and Lord Rivers smiled when her gray eyes peered sightlessly at him. "I won't let you starve, Mother," he continued speaking even though the old woman had long grown blind, deaf and mute. "I won't let you escape so easily."
Receiving no further responses as usual, Lord Rivers kissed the back of her hand before picking her up, carrying her gently in his arms.
"It's time for your wash, Mother."