Morgan fell silent. As he walked, he lifted his gaze toward the sky, unable to stop analyzing, understanding, and processing the story he had been told that day. Every word still echoed within him, as if it refused to settle.
The story had indeed been devastating. It weighed on him in a way he had never expected, especially at this point in his life.
Xol noticed. He saw the expression on Morgan's face—that mixture of pain and confusion that Morgan wasn't even trying to hide—and said nothing. He simply walked beside him in silence, allowing Morgan to think through everything he needed to think through.
They continued on their way, each lost in their own thoughts, gradually approaching the academy's main area, where all the classrooms and lecture halls were located. And while they remained wrapped in their own silence, the people around them couldn't stop staring at them, especially at Xol, who was, of course, fully aware of it and couldn't have cared less.
Eventually, Morgan broke the silence.
"So... that god you've been talking about... in the end, was he able to do anything good with those feelings? Despite everything he did, was he truly capable of doing something good?"
His voice was quiet, almost as though he feared the answer.
Hearing the question, Xol yawned and replied without the slightest bit of interest.
"I don't know. Personally, I still think he was an idiot."
Morgan was taken aback by the answer, by the coldness with which Xol spoke of the Jaguar God.
"An idiot? That's what you think of him?"
(Morgan said, confused.)
"Of course. That idiot caused a complete disaster because of a tantrum, and afterward he tried to play the saint, doing things to ease his conscience and his guilt over what he'd done. But in the end, nothing changes the fact that he was an idiot, and no act of fake kindness is going to erase all the shit he caused."
Something cracked inside Morgan when he heard that. Anger surged through his chest before he could stop it.
"If that's what you think... then why? Why did you tell me that whole story?"
(Morgan said, no longer able to hide his irritation.)
To avoid revealing the real reason he had distracted him with that story, Xol fell back on his usual cruelty, on those sharp words he used as a shield.
"Isn't it obvious? So you'd stop acting like an idiot over something as normal as feeling a little envy. Seriously, all that overthinking, all that denial, as if it were something horrible. Honestly, I've never met anyone as unbelievably naive, stupid, and idiotic as you. You'd be doing us a favor if you stopped with the nonsense and started acting like what you are: an adult."
(Xol said, annoyed and irritated.)
But deep down, very deep down, he found himself wondering why he had chosen that particular story. He could have made up any other tale. He didn't. Instead, he told Morgan a story that was deeply personal, and that, even to himself, felt strange. Almost unsettling.
Morgan, despite being furious—very furious—at such a cruel and hurtful answer, began walking faster, leaving Xol behind. But halfway through his hurried stride, he turned around to face him, the anger still burning in his chest.
"Maybe you told me that story just to make fun of me. But you'll see. I'll turn what I'm feeling into something good. You'll see that I'm not a fake person, and I'm not a hypocrite."
Xol let out a dry laugh.
"As if I care, kid. Do whatever you want. It makes no difference to me, as long as you don't drag us into some situation that threatens my existence."
Morgan replied sharply, his tone dripping with irony, almost mocking him.
"I'll try. I suppose I'll try."
And without another word, Morgan started running.
The moment Xol heard that tone, that barely restrained laugh, he felt that something wasn't right. A sudden, uncomfortable sense of unease settled in his chest. Concerned, he immediately ran after him.
"What do you mean, 'I suppose I'll try,' you stupid kid?! This isn't a game! Wait! Wait!!"
And so, in full view of everyone, a chase began: a hairless, extravagant, completely out-of-place dog desperately sprinting after Morgan. Neither of them knew that their troubles were far from over. On the contrary, they were only just beginning.
End of Chapter
Next Chapter: Allow Me Once Again.