Chương 259: Before the Reunion

Vale moved through the slums of Irea at an calm pace, his boots striking the worn stone in steady, quiet taps. The district around him carried a roughness the rest of the city lacked, narrow streets, weather-beaten buildings, and salt carried inland on the wind from the sea, but it wasn't hostile so much as enduring, a place that had long since learned how to survive without expecting more. His hands rested loosely at his sides, posture relaxed, though his eyes tracked everything with habitual precision.

There was no urgency in his steps, no training, no fight or obligation pushing him forward. Just a destination waiting at the end of the walk. Nym's house. The thought remained at the edge of his mind with an unpleasant persistence, like something he had delayed for far too long. He let out a slow whistle and tilted his head back slightly as he walked, letting the open sky above Irea fill his vision.

Pale light stretched across drifting clouds, and the wind cut through the streets cleanly, brushing against his face in a way that was almost grounding. For a brief moment, it was enough to quiet everything else. Almost. His shoulder struck something solid before he had time to adjust. Vale stumbled back a half-step, immediately alert.

"Sorry about," The apology cut off the moment he recognized the man.

"…Korin?!" Korin stood in front of him, unmoving and composed, his large frame partially blocking the narrow street. He looked down at Vale with a calm, careful expression, one that suggested he had already imagined how this conversation might go and still wasn't entirely sure how it would end.

"Hello, Vale," Korin said. After a brief pause, he added, "I saw you walking. I assumed you were heading toward Nym's place. I can guide you there if you'd like." Vale hesitated. It was brief, but Korin noticed it immediately, his expression tightened almost imperceptibly before he exhaled and stepped back.

"…Sorry," Korin said quietly.

"I'll leave you to it. You probably want to go alone." He turned slightly, already disengaging. That was enough.

"No, wait," Vale said quickly. Korin paused mid-step. Vale straightened a little, his tone steadier.

"I'd appreciate it if you showed me the way." Korin turned back, clearly caught by suprise. His brows lifted slightly, as if verifying he hadn't misheard.

"... You're serious?" Vale nodded once.

"Yeah. Believe me, if I'm friends with Chrome, I'm not exactly going to avoid you." For a moment, Korin didn't respond. Then the tension in his shoulders eased, something subtle shifting in his expression as a quiet breath escaped him.

"Oh… thank goodness," he muttered, more to himself than to Vale. Stolen story; please report. His posture softened noticeably.

"I was worried," he admitted.

"After what I told you yesterday… I thought you might react like everyone else." Vale glanced at him, then shrugged.

"Of course not. You're a good guy. Whatever happened, it wasn't like you had much of a choice, right?" Korin's gaze dipped slightly at that, the words settling heavier than intended.

"Yeah…" he said after a moment, voice lower.

"I guess that's one way to put it." A brief silence followed. Vale cleared his throat and shifted his weight, steering the moment forward before it settled too deep.

"So," he said, gesturing forward, "where do we go from here?" Korin blinked once, then nodded as if pulling himself back into the present.

"Right. Yes." He pointed ahead.

"The house is just past this district. I'll take you there." As they walked, the conversation eased into something more natural than Vale had expected. It began with simple observations about Irea, the structure of the slums, the way the city shifted from worn districts into cleaner, more ordered streets, but gradually settled into a steadier rhythm. Korin, despite his size and presence, spoke with careful restraint, as though he was more accustomed to being judged than spoken to.

Vale found himself listening more than contributing, letting the flow carry him without forcing direction. Eventually, it drifted toward Korin himself.

"You said you're part of the Royal Guard, right?" Vale asked. Korin nodded. Vale tilted his head slightly.

"So what exactly are you, rank-wise?" There was a brief pause before Korin answered.

"I'm… what they call a trump card." Vale's brow lifted.

"A what?" Korin glanced aside, mildly uncomfortable.

"A last-resort asset. If something classified as a Category Five threat appears, I'm deployed. In controlled conditions, I can eliminate them." Vale exhaled through his nose.

"…Category Five," he repeated slowly. Korin nodded again.

"That's… absurd," Vale said flatly. Korin gave a small, awkward shrug.

"My powers are unstable when fully released. Far too destructive to control properly. They only let me operate freely when there's no other option." Vale studied him for a moment, then let out a low whistle.

"Good to know I've been casually walking around with someone like that." Korin gave a faint, embarrassed chuckle, and the tension eased slightly between them. From there, the conversation loosened further, moving in fits and starts as they passed deeper into the residential district. By the time the street quieted and the buildings grew more spaced and maintained, the atmosphere had shifted entirely. They stopped in front of a modest house.

It wasn't large, but it was clearly cared for, dark wooden panels reinforced with layered glass, the structure built for resilience rather than appearance. Curtains were drawn tight, as if the interior was deliberately held back from the outside world. Korin stopped at the edge of the path.

"This is as far as I go." Vale raised a brow.

"Seriously?" Korin nodded.

"Back entrance is open. She prefers it that way." Vale glanced at the house, his expression tightening slightly.

"…Right." He hesitated briefly. Korin noticed.

"She's home," he said quietly.

"Just… be honest with her." Vale let out a short breath.

"Yeah. That's the problem." Korin studied him for a beat, then gave a small, understanding nod.

"I'll be nearby. And I'll meet you later for the colosseum."

"You're coming?"

"I said I would," Korin replied simply.

"Besides, Drago invited you. That's not something you just ignore." Vale narrowed his eyes slightly.

"Is that supposed to mean something?" Korin shook his head with a grin.

"You'll understand eventually." Without further explanation, he stepped back, leapt onto a nearby rooftop, and disappeared from view with practiced ease. Vale watched him go, then exhaled slowly, shoulders dropping a fraction.

"Easy for you to say," he muttered.

"She's not mad at you." He turned back toward the house. For a moment, he just stood there, letting the silence settle around him, before moving. Circling to the side, he crossed a small fence and stepped into the backyard. The space was quiet, carefully maintained, trimmed grass, deliberately arranged flowers. He stopped at the back door. His hand hovered over the handle. A few dozen outcomes flashed through his mind in quick succession, anger, silence, disappointment, something colder than either.

None of them were particularly inviting to his mind. He exhaled slowly.

"…Just get this over with," he muttered. Then he opened the door. Light spilled inward. And Vale stepped inside, bracing himself for what could happen next.