Evolution of the Ruined Heir

Malakai truly couldn’t understand why a person couldn’t lie.

Was it that the very act of being untrue tore them apart from the inside out? Or that they were simply incapable of speaking anything but the truth? Malakai couldn’t tell.

If his own life was at stake, he’d lie with a straight face and a heart as calm as a still lake.

For something as serious as what Grunde was currently involved in, Malakai was somehow convinced that if he asked him directly, Grunde would be unable to lie, and would spill everything.

‘To think I ever thought him to be a spy…’

This same thought always appeared whenever he passed by Grunde, who just stared at him coldly, never uttering a word.

Malakai always cringed at the situation. He couldn’t understand why it was happening. He had expected Grunde to confront him the instant they got back to base. From the cold stares, it was obvious he knew.

‘Is he trying to intimidate me?’

Another thought that came up every time the stare down happened, one he always cleared from his mind just as fast, holding back a chuckle.

Grunde might be big, hefty, and intimidating, but he was nowhere near the mountain that was the Sovereign.

If this was his attempt at intimidation, then he was probably better off hoping for rain to fall backwards.

Malakai had considered ending the awkward tension by confronting him. After all, Grunde was the guilty one. But he held back.

Grunde might seem like a man who acted before thinking, if he even did the latter at all, but Malakai wasn’t going to let his guard down.

He wanted to maintain the high ground in whatever game they were playing. The one to approach first would lose that.

The days at the base were… uneventful. About four days had passed, and Malakai hadn’t seen his lifeguard light up once.

He had asked Laila about it on the second day, and she claimed it was normal. One more question, and he found out it was normal for their squad, not in general.

The meaning had been simple, they hardly ever got missions.

“People die every day. How come we don’t get missions?”

On the third day, as Malakai’s irritation started to boil over, he’d asked Laila.

Laila had only given a wry smile. “We were sent to this base for a reason, Ninth Vein.”

“It shouldn’t matter, should it? Or is the city messing with us getting missions?”

She’d shaken her head. “We’re away from the city. At the edge of the Kaer Thorn district, and more importantly, away from the source of the missions.

“You’re right about one thing, there’s death every day. But the bloodknights in the district handle most of it. The lifeguard always alerts the closest bloodknights to any death. If no one responds, only then does it expand its range.”

“That’s what happened the last time?”

“Yes, Ninth Vein. Because the bloodknights of the Murkroot Hollow weren’t responding, we were alerted.”

Eventually, Malakai had walked off, frown deepening.

One more day passed. Now it was his sixth day in Sylvastein, and he couldn’t say he was enjoying himself.

Stepping out of the base, the sound of hammers striking nails and saws cutting through wood filled the air.

‘They’re almost done.’

Malakai turned to the side of the compound. There, men were hard at work, constructing their alternate housing.

Igyan had promised it would take a week at most. Once finished, the squad would move in, giving them the space to renovate the wreckage that was their current base.

Malakai tore his gaze away and moved to the back. Just behind the building, he caught sight of Renlo falling hard onto the ground.

Malakai shook his head with a small smile.

“You still haven’t gotten past the middle.”

His voice snapped Renlo out of his reverie. The boy stood shakily, scratching his head. “I’m getting there, Ninth Vein,” he responded tiredly.

“That’s not what it looks like to me.”

Malakai gave him a once over. His clothes clung to his body like a second skin, soaked in sweat. Sand clung to him from all the times he’d hit the ground.

“You look like you’ve been through a lot.”

“That’s because I have!”

“Stop whining. There are worse things out there. Would you rather be out there?”

Renlo fell silent.

Malakai turned his gaze toward the structure that had reduced Renlo to this state, a balance course.

It was just like the one back at the manor in Crimson Hold. Malakai had used Igyan’s admiration to his advantage and asked him to build one. The man had been elated, finishing it in a single day.

Renlo was the one who used it most. Malakai only stepped on it when he needed to warm up.

“It’s good you haven’t given up,” Malakai said. “Shows you’re determined.”

Renlo sighed at his words. “If only determination helped with the pain.”

“It does.”

Renlo gave him a look. “Tell that to all the places those rotten boulders hit me.”

Malakai arched an eyebrow as he saw the boy rubbing his butt.

“Why are you touching your butt?”

“I was hit there multiple times.” Renlo visibly deflated.

“And you want me to talk to it?”

Renlo nodded. “And massage it if possible.”

“I’d rather massage the butt of a darkness creature.”

Renlo scowled. “That’s an insult!”

“Whatever.” Malakai waved him off. “Alright, that’s enough rest. Get back in.”

With a loud and dramatic groan, Renlo dragged himself back onto the course.

The course was something Malakai had told Igyan to build because of their idleness. Without missions, there were no darkness creatures to fight. And without that, no battles, no steady gains in strength.

It would slow their training down significantly. His training especially.

Renlo still kept himself busy with the balance course, but Malakai had nothing to do but absorb vita every day.

His absorption speed was leagues above most people at his evolution stage, but it was still a crawl compared to the rush of killing darkness creatures.

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