Chapter 2: A Transactional Beginning
The silver-haired girl—Lyra, though Kael didn't know that yet—just stared. Her mind, still reeling from the sudden violence and the even more sudden, inexplicable rescue, couldn't process the question.
"How... how much for it?" she repeated, her voice hollow. She looked down at the glowing Spirit-Blossom in her hand, its petals shimmering with condensed spiritual energy, then back at the utterly bored-looking young man leaning against the tree. "This is a peak-grade alchemical ingredient. It's not for sale."
"Everything is for sale," Kael replied, his tone suggesting this was the most obvious fact in the universe. He pushed off from the tree trunk and took a few steps into the clearing, his movements languid, like a cat stretching after a long nap. He completely ignored the moaning bandit with the broken leg. "The question is the price. You look like a cultivator from a decent sect. Academy, you said? You should have a standard procurement rate. Ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones? Fifteen?"
Lyra's grip tightened on her saber, her knuckles turning white. This was absurd. Who was this guy? He appeared out of nowhere, somehow caused a spatial anomaly to save her, and now he was trying to lowball her on a Spirit-Blossom as if he were haggling for street food?
"Procurement rate?" she sputtered, her fear now morphing into indignant confusion. "I'm not a merchant! I'm a disciple of the Astral Verdant Academy! This blossom is for my assignment! And who are you? Did you... did you do that?" She gestured wildly with her saber toward the whimpering bandit.
Kael followed her gesture and looked at the man for the first time, his expression one of mild distaste, as if noticing a stain on the floor. "Do what? He seems to have had an accident with the local geography. Unfortunate." His eyes slid back to her, and then to the flower. "An assignment? Even better. The academy will reimburse you. Let's call it twelve stones. A fair finder's fee."
[Social Analysis: Target's emotional state is volatile. Confusion (62%), Fear (20%), Indignation (18%).] [Proposal: Offering tangible assistance may lower resistance and facilitate transaction.]
The O.D.I.'s text floated helpfully in his vision. Kael almost sighed again. It was stating the obvious.
"You're hurt," he stated, his eyes flicking to a shallow cut on her arm where a bandit's axe had grazed her. "That cut will get infected. The local microbial life is... enthusiastic."
Before Lyra could respond, he reached into the pocket of his simple, strange-looking trousers. He pulled out a small, waxy leaf he'd absentmindedly picked during his tumble through the Drift. With a deft motion, he crushed it between his fingers, and a sharp, clean scent of mint and ozone filled the air.
"Here," he said, offering the crushed paste.
Lyra recoiled. "What is that? Some kind of poison?"
"It's an antiseptic and a minor coagulant," Kael said, his patience wearing thin. This was taking too much energy. "The Silentweep Leaf. Common in dimensional eddies. Apply it. Or don't. The infection will cause a fever, muscle spasms, and eventually, paralysis starting in the extremities. Your choice."
His blunt, clinical description of the symptoms was more convincing than any plea. Hesitantly, Lyra took the paste and dabbed it on her cut. A immediate, cooling sensation spread from the wound, and the slight trickle of blood stopped entirely. Her eyes widened in surprise.
"How did you know that?" she asked, her voice quieter now, laced with a newfound wariness.
"I pay attention," Kael said with a shrug that implied he found most things not worth paying attention to. His gaze returned to its primary target. "Now. The blossom. Twelve stones. Or I walk away, and you can explain to your masters how you lost your assignment to 'enthusiastic local geography.'"
He was already turning, as if he truly would just wander off into the glowing woods.
"Wait!"
The word was out of her mouth before she could stop it. She was trapped. This strange, infuriatingly calm man had saved her, healed her, and now held all the leverage. He was right. Returning without the blossom was not an option. But giving him academy spirit stones... that was against the rules.
"T-The academy doesn't pay finder's fees," she said, scrambling for a solution. "But... I... I have personal funds. Two Low-Grade Spirit Stones. That's all I have."
Kael stopped his feigned departure. He didn't even look at her. He was watching the O.D.I.'s analysis.
[Target: Lyra (Identity Confirmed: Astral Verdant Academy Disciple).] [Truthfulness Probability: 87% regarding personal funds.] [Counter-Proposal: Accept the two stones as a down payment. Request guidance to the academy and access to its commercial district to liquidate the Spirit-Blossom himself. This establishes a continued transactional relationship and provides necessary navigation.]
A almost imperceptible smile touched Kael's lips. The system was learning. It was proposing a strategy that required minimal effort from him for maximum long-term gain.
He turned back. "Two stones. And you guide me to your academy's market. Without getting us lost or into more trouble." He said the last part with a pointed look at the still-moaning bandit.
Relief and frustration warred on Lyra's face. She'd avoided a total loss, but now she was indebted to this... this enigma. She nodded stiffly, pulling a small pouch from her robe and tossing it to him. It landed in his palm with a soft clink.
Kael didn't bother to count them. The O.D.I. already had.
[Acquired: 2x Low-Grade Spirit Stones.] [Current Assets: Sufficient for one (1) meal of adequate nutritional value.]
Progress.
"Good," Kael said, pocketing the stones. "Now, which way?"
Lyra sheathed her saber, her movements still tense. She pointed through the trees. "North. A half-day's walk." She began to move, then stopped, looking back at him. "And you? Who are you? Really?"
Kael fell into step beside her, his pace unhurried. He looked at the path ahead, then at the twin moons above, and finally at the bewildered disciple beside him.
"Kael," he said simply. Then, after a pause that stretched just long enough to be uncomfortable, he added the only title that felt accurate. "A drifter."
And as they walked into the glowing forest, the O.D.I. displayed a new, single line of text, its meaning clear only to him.
[Faction Influence: Astral Verdant Academy - Initial Contact Established.] [New Objective: Secure Sustenance. Establish a Base of Operations.]
For the first time since he'd woken up, things were starting tolook marginally less inconvenient.