Chapter Thirty

~ Another Friend ~

The goddess is playing with them. He was certain of it now. He had met more people like him in Bufera these past few weeks than in Suolo, where he had spent years searching for them when he had time. There’s someone intertwining the fates of those who not only have magic but also have this weird burn scar — and there’s no one powerful enough to do that except the goddess.

Kyungsoo eyed the stranger in front of him, waiting for an answer. Although it was obvious that the tone he had used made the man uncomfortable, he didn’t retract his question. He wanted to know who this man is.

Shifting on his feet, the man finally opened his mouth. “My name is Xiumin. I’m a Gelan, and I was hoping you could fill me in with what had happened in the Kingdoms this past month. I’ll pay, of course.”

He looked a the man’s clothing, realizing that they were indeed made for the cold. But that’s not what he wanted to know. And upon failing to come up with a satisfying line of questioning, he decided to go with a statement. “You have magic.” He spoke bluntly.

Realizing that Kai had managed to rub off his straightforward manner on him although it has only been days, he frowned. Deciding that he will deal with that later as it wasn’t important at the moment, he focused on the man again. The man had visibly stiffened, his small eyes were widened in shock.

Kyungsoo saw that he better move their conversation in private. Some people who are eating are looking at them curiously now. Hoping that no one had heard the words he last said, he slipped out from behind the bar. “Let’s talk more outside.”

~~~

Xiumin had not expected this at all. Never had he imagined that he will be in a situation like this with a stranger. But he let himself be guided into what seems to be the kitchen of the eatery and out of another door. He then found himself alone at the back of the eatery with the man.

He really didn’t know how the man had found out, but he was genuinely worried. Did the man bring him outside to inform him that they don’t want people like him in their establishment? How did the man even find out he had magic anyway?

Lamina doesn’t have strict laws against magic as far as he could remember, but it has been a month since they last heard some news so it might have changed. Is he going to be put in prison because of his magic? Will he never see his family again if ever he did get put into a cell?

The man spoke again, cutting off the direction of his thoughts. “Based on how you reacted, you do have magic.”

“No,” he denied, deciding that admitting would probably put him in a delicate position.