"Hey Tist. You don't mind if I chat for a bit, do you?" Ryuma asked.
"Nahh, we're good. Just try not to bother our lovely ladies too much if you can help it." Tist said.
Ryuma chuckled. "I'll try not to."
Elise locked her hands together and fiddled with her thumb. "You're not a bother. I'd be happy to chat with you."
"Ah yes. Elise, right? If you don't mind me asking, who was this Erin fellow? From the looks of your expressions, I'd say something must've happened." Ryuma asked.
In his words he feigned slight concern, but in his head was something else entirely. He had no reason to worry about the mystery of what happened to Erin. He was already aware that the kid was dead. He witnessed it himself. He wasn't trying to be heartless, but he was years removed from the situation, a decade to be exact. It would be foolish to outwardly hold such sadness.
"Oh no. On the contrary, there's a good chance he's doing alright." Elise said.
Ryuma sighed. "Oh that's a relief. For a second there, I thought I might have drudged up a tragedy."
{Damnit it's not the same Erin.}
He still had to keep the façade going but it looks like it was a bust from the get-go. He'd assumed that the Erin they were talking about was the one killed by High Edict Conwall.
Elise shook her head. "That's ok. It's just some boy I used to like."
"Oh really. He must have been special if he attracted a young woman like you." Ryuma said.
"He was special. So much so that the Skylands wanted him. He was one of the few down here born with Spirit Energy. Because of that, the Skylands took him. We haven't heard from him ever since. I assume he should be a priest by now." Elise said.
"Oh really!? That's wonderful news. I wish I were ordained with such luck. I'm stuck down here. I hope things go well for him up there. Ryuma said.
Though he said it, it felt like bile was coming out of his mouth. No doubt about it, who they were talking about was Erin Frost. The kid who lost his life to an Edict fanatic. He kept his poker face as hard as he could but the revelation itself was proving to be difficult.
Which version of the story was true? Or were there some half-truths mixed in there? Regardless, he decided to prowl on.
"Hey. I think I have a few acquaintances in the Order. Could you tell me more about him. Maybe I could get them to find out." Ryuma said.
"Oh we couldn't tell you even if we wanted to. I'm sure by now, that boy should already be a man by now. We wouldn't be able to recognize him even if we saw him.
To Ryuma, that was all the evidence he needed to come to the conclusion that the Erin each of them were talking about was definitely the same Erin. Not only that, but it seems like the people of the surface world is kept in the dark about what happens to their families.
In other words, Nobody in Erin Frost's family would ever know about the fate that befell him.
He could feel his hands twitching and so he made an attempt to hide it from the girls views. Silently, he was seething inside. It was taking everything in his power not to be reminded of the bad blood he had with the Skylands. What they did that day wasn't human.
And the secrets they withheld from their family made the prospect that much more sinister.
Come to think of it, not a single time did Rebble ever recruit from the surface world. Yet here she was saying that being taken to the Skyland was common when it came to those with Spirit powers.
There was a major contradiction between the two. In this case it's the frequency in which there are surface dwellers with the potential for Spirit Force. Ryuma put two and two together and filled in the gaps at what happened. These kids aren't making it up to the Skylands like their family thinks they do. They're being murdered either halfway there, or taken somewhere else.
In his head, Erin Frost was the exception. He was given a public execution unlike others that may have access to Spirit Force. Question is why though?
"Is that so? Man I'd love to visit a place that could produce a priest down here." Ryuma said. Though it was innocent enough, it was really deliberate an attempt to goad out the name of that location.
"Oh it's not that far from here dear. Just a little northwest from here in a dinky little village." The grandma said.
"Is that a fact?" Ryuma said. Getting that information was easy. His training with Saya paid off big. He found a connection to the one boy that's haunted him his whole life and he now wanted to pay a visit to his hometown. It was going to have to be a detour from his original goal but what did it matter? It isn't if he could accomplish anything in the short term.
Perhaps in this way he could find some closure.
"If I remember my geography, Naru is northwest of here. Is that where you're from?" Ryuma asked.
"Oh! And intelligent to boot. Elise, your grandma's heart will not be at ease unless you snag this man.
Ryuma awkwardly smiled. {The grandma is pushier than the granddaughter.}
"Well. I'll be sure to visit Naru as soon as I can." This may have been the first truth Ryuma told them. His curiosity on Erin Frost was higher than anything now. If this kid's family was still alive, then they have a right to know what happened to their son.
"Oh that would be swell. We're still traveling ourselves, so if you ever stop by before we get back, let them know you're a friend of Nadia. They'll gladly welcome you."
"Really now. I'll have to take you up on that offer. Truth be told, I don't usually make a lot of friends. It'd be nice to know that he already has help in a foreign village." Ryuma said.
He looked over Nadia's shoulder and saw Saya sitting at the bar. Tist was expertly stirring a drink for her. Ryuma tilted his head to the side. Just when did she get here? He didn't even notice her. From the way her focus was on the bar and her drinks, Ryuma could tell that she had little interest in what was going on at his current table.
He shifted his attention to the woman of his table when he realized his mind was elsewhere. "Sorry girls. I think I've just saw somebody I know." His eyes never left her position.
"Ugh oh. Looks like our dashing new man has his eyes set." The middle woman teased.
Ryuma ignored it. Their voices started to become background noise as he made his way towards the familiar woman.
"Saya you're here. Did something happen at…"
Before he could finish it, Saya turned and put her finger up to his mouth, effectively halting his speech. She whispered more to his ear. "Before getting information, I think it's equally as important to not give it out so freely." She winked at him.
Ryuma blushed. He was embarrassed at the blunder he just made about Saya's situation. He didn't know how much of her life was public and he could've easily ruined that.
"Is everything ok at home?" Ryuma asked.
"Don't worry, nothings bad has happened. Maruna will be fine… for now." Saya said.
"What do you mean for now?" Ryuma asked. He seemed a bit worried. He hadn't realized how attached to her wellbeing he became over this period of time.
Saya didn't answer. She just narrowed her eyes and huffed a sigh of discontent. Ryuma blinked twice before realizing what the woman was getting at. She must've heard his earlier conversation.
"Oh… I see." He hung his head down in shame once he thought about it. "She's not going to take too kindly to me leaving, is she?"
"If you want to go, go. Don't worry about us. I take it you finally learned how to socialize and gather intelligence." Saya asked.
"Yeah. I did." Ryuma said. He cupped his hand over his fist. "You've given me a great gift. I'm sure this'll be useful during my travels."
Saya slapped his hand. "Stop that. We don't do that down here." She looked back and forth to make sure nobody observant was looking. "C'mon. I think it's about time we leave. The sooner you break it to her the better."
{I'm guessing she really wants me to do it.}
"Oh yeah. Speaking of which." Ryuma turned towards Tist's direction. "Hey Tist."
Tist turned towards his direction. "Oh Erin. Ready to work back on the clock?"
"Nahh. I just needed to tell you I'm quitting. Thanks for your help, but I got somewhere I need to be." Ryuma said.
Though Tist smiled in his direction, Ryuma could tell with a glance that his mind cracked. He was such a diligent worker and his looks brought in more female customers. This was a net loss for the inn.
"Oh… we'll be sad to see you go. Would you like your pay now?"
Ryuma could only wave as the two exited. "Keep it. No need for it where I'm going." Despite being indoors, there was a breezy chill where he left.