Elydes Chapter 47: The Wandering Moon

Chapter 47

The sun completed almost an entire arc in the sky before Kai left Mouis house. He continued to try to teach him how to use Mana Manipulation for the whole day. It was one of the most frustrating experiences of his life. The stubborn hunter kept refusing to learn Mana Sense.

The good news was that Kais theory that it was possible to gain so kind of feeling for mana through touch seed to have rit. The task wasnt impossible, but progress was slow. After all their efforts Moui could more or less push his mana around his body not completely randomly.

They agreed to et the next day to continue. It was going to take a lot more than expected, but Kai had promised to teach Moui to control his aura and he was going to keep his word.

Walking outside, the light of day had not disappeared yet, but a moon was already visible high above. While not physically tired, Kai was ntally destroyed. He had kept Mana Sense going for almost the entire day as he also ca up with new exercises to make his plan work. Even after he deactivated the skill, he could still see the rivers of mana shining in his vision.

At least I gained a level.

He massaged his eyes with his hand trying to relieve the headache from skill overuse. After a minute he stopped seeing the motes of mana imprinted in his eyes. He threw a casual glance at the sky to get a rough estimate of the ti and stopped to stare above fascinated.

It wasnt unusual to see one or more moons during the day especially if the sun was obscured by the clouds. No that wasnt what made him do a double take.

In its pale violet splendor was the Wandering Moon, also called the Lost Sister. Everyone knew six moons revolved around Elydes, regular and predictable. Then there was a seventh - the Wandering Moon. It could stay in the sky for a week or disappear for months. At least on the archipelago, no one could predict its orbit or the rules it followed.

His mother told him she had studied it for years in her youth, hoping to be the one to finally solve the riddle. Alas, so things were not ant to be understood, only admired from afar.

Naturally, there were many odd beliefs linked to the Lost Sister. So said if you went out at sea under its gaze youd be lost forever, others that soone you t under its pale violet light was going to be the love of your life. Soone could probably write a book with all the nonsense told around.

While rare enough not to be counted among the other moons, it was not a rare sight either. Kai had admired it many tis over the years and none of the superstitions ever proven true thus far.

With one last glance he headed back ho, the sun was almost down. Walking the muddy streets he wasnt worried about trouble. Plenty of young kids and teenagers were still around and he wasnt carrying anything of value with him. So were the sa age as him, so the age of when he died. He could not relate to either. They felt so far from him. Laughing and running along the streets carefree.

Im being paranoid. No one is waiting to jump behind the corner.

After such clear jinxing, Kai stiffened on the spot and scanned the streets with his all senses for sothing to prove him wrong. Nothing. People continue to walk by talking among themselves or busy with their own tasks. No one paid him any attention.

The world didnt revolve around him. Even when he got fucked over, there was no reason behind it. He had just drawn an unlucky lot.

This wasnt the first winter of famine anymore. Greenside was as safe as it had ever been. He had continued to expect the worst and there had been a few close calls, but nothing truly happened.

Eavesdropping on peoples conversations, he rarely heard about any cri being committed. You could be sure people would gossip if anything serious happened.

He occasionally heard about pickpocketing and petty cris, but nothing more serious. As long as he didnt go around waving a pouch full of coins or sothing equally expensive the chances of sothing bad happening were close to nil.

Instead of soothing him the calm and quiet felt irritating. Maybe it wasn't a coincidence that he challenged the red-tier boa in the jungle. Kai wished for sothing to happen. He wanted to punch sothing, but he didnt know why. A corner of his mind whispered he knew exactly why, but he shut that up, not ready to open that box. There was no box.

Taking a deep breath helped a little, but not much. The air was as heavy as the first day he stepped foot in this blasted town.

Thoughts ahead. In two weeks youll be back at the estate. Away from all of this.

Kai tried to find his way ho. Lost in his thoughts, his feet had walked him in circles.

Im on a tropical archipelago for the spirits sake. There must be better places than this humid hellhole.

As his mind was finally settling down, it looked like fate wanted to make fun of him. Right as he passed by a run-down building his ears overhead sothing he didnt expect. He was sure there was a saying about the Wandering Moon that perfectly applied to this situation.

I must have heard wrong.

*Ding*

New skill learned! Keen Ears (lv1) No sound or voice will escape your notice.

Fuck you too. The Favor of the spirits my ass, might as well have zero. Why cant Kea stay out of trouble for five seconds?

With tired steps, he got closer to the building where he thought he heard her voice. Maybe he was wrong and everything was fine. Sohow he doubted that.

Observing the place, it was a typical square box. A few adjustnts here and there to keep it standing and a large wooden sign hanging over an open door - The Golden Palm. It didnt take a genius to guess it was so kind of cheap pub. He could not see anything golden anywhere in sight, the paint of the sign being a yellow mustard and already peeling.

Light and laughter ca from the open door and windows. Amidst such a clamor Kai started to doubt he truly heard his sister's voice. Unfortunately, the Guide notification had said otherwise.

What is she doing in this ratty tavern?

Since the door was open, Kai Sneakily got closer to take a better look. Inside it looked slightly better, which wasnt saying much. From the whole block, half the walls had been battered down to create more space. A few large wooden beams were added haphazardly to prevent the roof from caving in. It didnt inspire much confidence, but all the people already crowding the place didnt seem to mind. The atmosphere was quite cheery, people seed to have a general good ti.

Drinking pubs and bars had not been a thing when he left for the estate a year ago. The concept had not been present in the archipelago. Since he ca back he noticed quite a few around, mainly in old town.

This had the handprints of the governor written all over it. From what he heard, the small brig of the Republic who regularly stopped in Greenside had started to import cheap beer even before he left. It had not been very popular in the beginning but a few free samples people could get drunk with soon changed many minds.

Since then it had soon convinced the locals to buy barrels upon barrels of beer. There were plenty of local hard liquors made from fernted fruits, but even all together they didnt reach a fraction of the large quantities of beer the Republic managed to supply.

The ship with the soaring hawk had never failed to deliver on ti ever since. Slowly increasing the price as it got more popular while still keeping it fairly low.

Beer just worked better than any local product, it was cheaper, abundant and gave you the illusion of control. A mug of beer certainly wont make you drunk and whats just another more?

Starved for entertainnt it wasnt strange the islanders had soon got used to the idea of a place where you went to get drunk.

Looking at The Golden Palm, Kai had no idea how an establishnt managed to look so run-down in such little ti.

What the hell is Kea doing in there?

It looked like the floor was swept once in a while, but Kai was careful not to touch anything or anyone as he cautiously stepped inside. The sll of sweat and cheap alcohol hit him like a wave. He was almost surprised to sll no vomit, but maybe it was just too soon for that, the night had barely begun.

As he moved inside, no one ca to stop him or so much as glanced at him. No law against underage drinking in the rian Republic or the archipelago. He was sure they would even serve him if he had the money. Maybe charge him extra to feel better about themselves and say they had tried stopping him.

In his previous life, he had tried alcohol a few tis, but never got the ti to get into it. His body had been too fucked up for that. He had never drunk enough to stop hating the taste and start to enjoy the buzz. Looking at the muddy liquid that was being served, a bitter-tasting beer of unclear origins held little appeal to him.

Kai had to admit he was curious about how it would feel to get completely drunk. He had wanted to try at least once in his first life but died before ever getting a true hangover. It was stupid, he knew, but it was a checkbox he never got the chance to fill. Together with several others.

Not a good ti to have social pressure get to you. Get a grip on yourself, youre not even a teenager. Not yet old enough for this stupid shit.

Kai pushed this dilemma aside in the growing pile of things to deal with at a later date. He caught sight of the reason he entered the pub in the first place - his sister.

Unsurprisingly, she wasnt alone. Around her was a group of other kids, most a few years older than her. He couldnt tell if they were the sa unreputable group he saw with her last ti. The only face he rembered was unicorn-girl he threw the chalk to, to his relief he didnt see her among the group.

They were all seated around a table with a large mug of beer in the center, playing so stupid ga. Kai activated Sneak not to be noticed. Amidst the words and laughers, it didnt take long to guess the loser had to take a sip. From the disgusted faces they made no one found the beer particularly enjoyable.

Kai was about to go closer and say sothing. Kea was eight and a half. Could she not wait a few more years before doing stupid drinking gas? However, his leg didnt move forward

What could he tell her that she would listen to?

This wasnt Earth, people knew children shouldnt drink alcohol till fourteen, but that wasnt truly enforced. If the parents were okay with it or too far to have a say no one would raise an eyebrow at a few sips of beer.

As the group laughed aloud as a chubby kid drank a sip and almost gagged at the taste. Kai stood still, out of sight in the crowded tavern.

There might be many dical reasons why this was a bad idea, but he would not be able to explain them even if he could recall them and he could not. This was Elydes, there were no laws or regulations to assure a product wasnt toxic. Children who had not yet raised their race grade could easily die from a common fever. An untreated cut could turn into an infection that would kill most adults unless they could afford a good healer.

Kai could drag her away now, but he was not going to remain in Greenside for long anyway. Forbidding her from doing sothing was never going to work. Even if it was Alana to tell her, their mother was always busy working. She would just worry for nothing and then Kea would do as she always did.

At least she seems to be having fun with her friends

Kai walked away. This was what kids did for fun in a dieval world. She was already at the peak of Red a few sips of beer would hardly harm her. Kai could think of several worse pastis. What should worry him was what she would do next when he wasnt here to keep an eye on her.

So he headed ho. Alone under the Wandering Moon.

***

Knocking on Mouis door the next day, he smiled brightly at his uncle and walked inside.

How its going? Made any progress with Mana Manipulation? Decided to make the rational decision and take Mana Sense?

The hunter gave him a look that didnt need any words.

Worry not, uncle, Im sure I can help you even without it, even if will take a looong ti, Kai said with a sad sigh. Speaking of which.

Kai rummaged through his bag taking out a book. I brought you this, I thought it might be helpful to look for herbs in the jungle and a nice distraction from Mana Manipulation when we get tired.

Moui looked at the book, giving a quick look at the first few pages of Common Herbs and Their Uses - volu 2.

What do you want, Kai? The hunter asked, eyeing him suspiciously.

Kai gave him his most charming smile, Ever thought about taking an apprentice?

No. Its not going to happen.

Co on, uncle. I wasnt talking about .