Caravan Ribat was busy, even after only an hour of sun. After the Akademiya had loosened up the travel restrictions towards the Great Red Sand, plenty of merchants had seen a business opportunity. Travellers and adventurers had been lured by the treasures and unknown sights of the desert. Others were simply the local people trying to make a living at the crossroads of Sumeru.

Of course, Scholars still prowled around the area. It was a good place to investigate both the rainforest and the closest points of the desert. But most of them were young researchers, out to make a name for themselves. Only one Scholar and her Pupil stood up, however.

"Since I have confirmed my hard-earned superiority over your barbaric tone and ungracious words, I believe I have earned breakfast. Not that I didn't deserve it beforehand." Faruzan calmly observed the perimeter before spotting a café. It was still early in the day, but there were already a few clients sitting on the mostly empty terrace. "Ah, I really hope they have something sweet, like custard. Or some delights! I've been craving them ever since yesterday… Or some candied nuts, or…"

"Disregarding your first stupid comment, have you tried eating something that isn't sweet? Perhaps something actually edible? Because that explains why your head is so rotten."

"You can eat whatever you want on vacations." Waving off his complaints, she walked towards the terrace. "You're paying."

"Do you honestly believe I have money?" His question was left to the air to answer, as Faruzan already sat down on one of the free tables and waited for him. "…Oh well, this is on her."

"Come on, Pupil, move your legs! You're young and healthy! You can do it!" The urge for a proper meal was too luring for Faruzan to care about his display of hate at that very moment. The moment he sat down in front of her, Faruzan seized the menu and ogled it with child-like glee. "Oh, there are things I don't know. Even culinary arts have advanced, but… Pudding! That would be good! Oh! Custard! Yes! Wait, Rose… custard? That used to be a brand-new fad back in the day! I'll take that! And a drink, of course… Hmm… Ah, coffee, saviour of my nights…!"

Unsure if he was observing a love for sweets or a mental breakdown, he chimed in. "You complained about how sensations feel too strong. Do you truly believe you'll be able to handle bitter coffee?"

"Hmm… you're right. I should take into account my stasis sickness. Let's have tea. With pastries!"

"That doesn't… Fine, okay. If you have your order ready, then…" Mistaking his intentions, Faruzan handed him the menu. "I do not need to eat."

She pushed the menu to his hands. "What are you, a rock? You have to eat. You're going to make me worry, look at you! You barely ate yesterday and you did a lot of exercise today! This is why you're so scrawny."

"Listen, even if I did need to eat, I already have food. Just order what you want."

"Do you want to argue again? You better eat at least double what I'll order. You're just trying to pass off as a hardy traveller, but you'll exhaust yourself soon. And then I'll get exhausted, and we'll both die a painful death as the vultures peck our still living flesh, ripping it as we try and fail to…"

Seeing Faruzan's glassy eyes, the Pupil acquiesced. "Keep it light, will you? If it'll get you to shut up, then fine."

Faruzan leaned back against the chair, a dubious smile making its presence. "You're such a pushover, a bit of pressure and you crack like thin ice. But judging by your hardy expression, I assume this is not always the case. My elder wisdom is too much for you to handle, is it?"

"Yeah, sure, let's go with that."

A waiter quickly appeared and took their order. Rather, Faruzan's order. Interacting with another human being was almost as intriguing as the idea of actual flavours partying in her mouth. Besides, though the waiter was doing his job, his smile was the type of positive reinforcement she was craving. As soon as the waiter left, the Pupil spoke up.

"You called him youngster? He looked older than you."

"Please, only the Gods are older than me." A lopsided grin broke his expressionless façade. The Pupil seemed to find her remark amusing. "He treated me with respect, so I delivered in kind. Unlike lousy, annoying vandals like you."

"I appreciate the compliment."

With that, he leaned against the chair and looked down and away. Hidden behind his hat, it seemed he didn't want to talk anymore. Faruzan didn't mind it. He had talked more that entire morning than the previous day. However… She was no closer to revealing his secrets.

Not long after, the waiter brought their order. Tea, pastries, rose custard and a freakishly large serving of steamed white rice… And it was quite clear the last one wasn't for Faruzan.

Looking at the table, the Pupil pushed the brim of his hat up. "You ordered rice for me. White rice, with no toppings. The blandest of all foods of Teyvat."

"You didn't even bother to look at the menu, so it's all you're getting. You should be glad I ordered something for you. Besides, it's filling. So eat up, eat up! Meanwhile, I'll be enjoying my sweet, sugary rewards."

Faruzan took a moment to observe his Pupil's blatant disdain before deciding to ignore him and focus on the food. Though the Rose custard was alluring on its own, the main dish had to be enjoyed last. So she looked at the pastries, twelve in total. Some of them with jam, others with cream, but most of them without any extra.

"You can have half, they are not that sweet. Do you want to at least try the ones with jam? It'll give you lots of energy."

"I don't…" He sized up Faruzan's slight pout and shook his head. "I'll eat the ones you don't like. But only if you eat like a normal human. Because so far, I've only seen a pig stuffing itself with feed."

"L-Listen, those were my first few experiences after years without nourishment. And you were the only witness so nobody important saw it." She straightened her back and looked at the pastries. "O-Observe…"

Faruzan nibbled one of the pastries. Then a small bite. And then ate it whole. So she took another and ate it whole before noticing her mistake. "Oh…" She managed to say with her mouth full. "I'm a pig."

"Yeah, a fucking sow. At least you stopped yourself. I really hope you don't disrespect the tea like that or I am not talking with you again."

"Don't insult me. I've managed to drink water normally. This is just flavoured water."

The Pupil stared intently as she methodically grabbed the tea, gave a curious sniff and then sipped its contents. Her body froze as she pushed the cup away and placed it on the table again.

"See? I just drank a bit… Though my etiquette might have suffered after years of disuse, I can still eat properly. And I didn't drink out of impulse."

"Good. Each drop of tea should be enjoyed to its full capacity. Each sip should travel your mouth, its flavour and—" His words trailed as Faruzan snatched back the tea and drank it in one gulp. "You're a fucking pig."

"You don't know what not eating or drinking for a century feels like…! Sweetness is mesmerising! Bitterness is an enduring joy! From my mouth to my stomach, it's such a pleasant feeling!" She babbled an answer while emotion overtook her.

"You know what, you evidently have not behaved. I'm eating the pastries myself." He dragged the pastry plate towards him and ate a few pastries under Faruzan's watchful eye. Until he noticed his mistake. "…Shit, you planned this."

"Eh?" She looked at the pastries and then back at her Pupil. "O-Of course, my dearest Pupil. I planned this from the beginning. To fake my eagerness to fool you into eating, in order for you to have more energy…? You know what, I don't believe that explanation myself."

They shared a hesitant stare before chuckling at their own mistakes.

"Well, congratulations. We're both stupid." Wiping his lips, he placed the plate next to Faruzan. "Just eat to your heart's content. Pig."

This time, showing some actual restraint, Faruzan consecutively ate the small pastries. She waited to swallow, and that was good enough for her. Then, after finishing her share of delicacies, she decided to focus on the custard.

"Tell you what," The Pupil started, gingerly taking one of the pastries. "Eat that properly, and I will not continue to call you a pig."

He bit into the delicacy and grimaced immediately. Riding the discomfort, he ate the rest of the pastry and sipped his tea.

"If you're trying so hard, then I should too." She maintained her wits as she took the spoon and enjoyed the sight of the custard. "Wish me some luck."

"No."

"Thank you. I don't need it."

Not waiting any longer, she took a spoonful and carefully inspected the fluffy texture of the custard. Passing the sight test, Faruzan didn't wait any longer and immediately tasted it. It was sweet and mellow, yet… There was no impulsiveness to eat it. It was a disappointment, yet the meal tasted fine.

"You don't like it? Are your tastebuds waking up?" He asked, relishing Faruzan's tilted expression.

"They weren't asleep." She mumbled before taking the spoon out of her mouth. "It's just not what I was expecting. I suppose the recipe has changed."

"Or you don't remember how it tasted."

"I'm not wrong on this. Or anything. I'll have to make it myself." Faruzan tapped the custard before taking another spoonful. "Anyways, what's the route from here on? We're going to stop by Pardis Dhyai, right?"

"We're not wasting any time climbing that mountain. We're going east." He seemed to be more curious at Faruzan's handling of her food than his own. "We'll cross Apam Woods and traverse the valley towards Vimara village. From there it'll be a smooth ride towards Sumeru City."

"Oh, no I refuse to do that. It's always a deluge at Apam Woods, and we don't have any way to shield ourselves."

"Where's that mighty trust of yours? It's not raining anymore, not currently at least. The route is not an issue, I am more worried about you and your physique. That… stasis sickness of yours is tiring your body faster than it should. You're sleeping too much, and I can tell you're already tired." He crossed his arms and looked towards the watchtower at the entrance of the village. "Taking into account that we are being followed, it is an issue."

"I just need some minutes to rest, that's all. Besides, even if we were being followed… Now that we're at Ribat, whatever bandit was following us must have stopped." Faruzan noticed that her food binge seemed to have stopped with the custard. Did she perhaps control it? "So it doesn't rain anymore at Apam? What else have I missed?"

"I have not been here for long, I don't know what's different from a century ago. I suppose you should know there isn't a Haravatat Sage, ever since the last one conspired against Buer." He said as Faruzan enjoyed her food. "Seeing how you're an old hag now, maybe you could… be that."

She took some time to properly enjoy the custard before answering. "Not in a million years. I'm not cut for administrative purposes. I would barely have any time to do my own research." Faruzan took another spoonful but stopped short of eating it. "Before I… got trapped, I was offered the title of Herbad. It was quite the news at the time. Faruzan, the youngest Herbad of the era! Those words mean nothing now."

The memory didn't sit well on her mind. As a knee-jerk reaction, she shoved the spoon into her mouth. It was too forceful, however, and she hit the back of her throat and almost puked on the spot.

"You said offered. Did you not take the title?" He seemed to not care much about Faruzan's coughing spout. "I don't know what the title entails." Seeing how Faruzan didn't stop coughing, he sighed and stood up. "This is the stupidest way to die, you know?"

Faruzan waved his help away. "I'm alright…!" She coughed one last time. "Sit down, sit down. I didn't take the title, no. The title of Herbad means that you are expected to share your wisdom with younger students. You and your knowledge are respected, but the time you spend at the Akademiya itself increases tenfold. While I have no issues helping youngsters… Personally, I find the bureaucracy of the Akademiya to be a nightmare, full of nepotism, cronyism and corruption. Always with the delays, fund cuts and obvious favouritism in their adjudications. If the Sages had been imprisoning our dear Dendro Archon, it means I was right."

The Pupil snickered, finding her opinion to be amusing. Though Faruzan expected to be mocked, he showed a certain pride in her complaints.

"You're not entirely wrong. They are fools who get full of themselves when they obtain a whiff of soft power. Some don't even need a reason to abuse their status and power… It makes them useful tools but nothing more." He leaned slightly against the table. "So, you held no delusions about reforming the Akademiya?"

"I know my limits. Even if I somehow attained some leadership position, that's not what I wish to do… it's not who I am." She tapped the custard with her spoon, wondering if she should say the question in her mind. "Do you know who you are?"

He blinked and took his mostly empty teacup. "Not exactly. I do know what I am. A son of a bitch."

Faruzan already had an inkling of an idea about the Pupil's family. He had been abandoned and locked up for his childhood with no name to boot. At least that was what he implied. Maybe she could advance on this puzzle while her breakfast lasted.

"You've grown to be an… Well, you could have certainly become an even worse person. But you're not one, that says a lot about you. So forget about your parents, you're your own person."

Sticking her finger where she shouldn't have, the Pupil's smile faded. "Easy to say. You probably had a normal, loving mother. Could you forget her? Even at opposite ends of the spectrum, good or bad parenthood doesn't just disappear from your mind. Like a scar, it will remain there forever. Perhaps you can stop remembering it, but that doesn't mean you forget it or that it stops influencing you."

Unlike his attempts at teaching, these bouts of wisdom were quite effective and understandable. Although Faruzan had no such person affecting her life negatively, there was something much worse doing so. Applying his reasoning, she'd never forget the years spent inside that chamber. It was a no-brainer. But accepting that reality was quite different from acknowledging it.

That was not the issue at hand, however. What he was truly referring to was that… Even now, her mother was still affecting her. And so was his mother doing the same to him.

"I suppose you're right." With those realisations, her good mood disappeared as well. "My mom… I hope... " She put down the spoon. "No matter. I'm already full. Are you finished?"

"I am not." He said, picking up a fork before settling it down and taking a spoon. "Your mother must have been the real deal to raise someone like you."

Faruzan lifted an eyebrow, crossing her arms. "I may not know a lot about you. But I know you don't care about that."

"No, I don't. But you do, so I'm giving you an excuse to talk about your mother. Don't let time distort her image." He dug at the rice with the spoon, taking a big swipe at it and eating it without even a blink. His nose wrinkled slightly, but apart from that there was no indication he disliked it.

"Didn't you call me a pig for stuffing my mouth?" He answered Faruzan's retort by giving her the middle finger. "The swine has fingers for hoofs? Amazing."

He continued after an audible swallow. "I offered you a chance and you refuse to talk?"

"No, no, I will. Let's see, I could… Ah, I already have thought of something. She was quite positive. For example, whenever I passed a test, she'd always congratulated me for studying a lot, even if she knew that wasn't the case. Other times, when I failed to meet a goal, she'd say something along the lines of… Oh, it doesn't matter, you did your best, someone rigged it against you! Or when I injured my leg for being reckless, she would blame anyone or anything but myself. She worked very hard so I could have a proper education… Even then, she always got worried whenever I left home for an investigation or other matters."

It was bittersweet. Though she enjoyed unlocking such memories, remembering was hard for the heart. After all, Faruzan left her home one last time. And never returned. Her mother must have been distraught.

"No wonder you're so full of yourself." The Pupil's uncalled comment wasn't something she liked. However, it seemed he realised the same thing. "Stop with those delusional thoughts. You are returning now, aren't you? You maintained your wits because she raised you well, Faruzan. Take back your life. Make it better. And then show her that her efforts weren't for naught. Even though she might not be here, her wishes to see you flourish will be achieved."

Tears shone in her eyes as those words reached deep inside her. "You don't need to say that. I already knew. I just… I wished to see my mom during all those years I was trapped." She faked a cough and rubbed her eyes before saying anything else. "Y-You know, I like you more like this. You don't like to speak much, but your actions say a lot about you… So when even your words are kind, I know you truly mean it."

Their eyes met, lingering for a few seconds before he looked away, not wanting Faruzan to see the remorse that spread across his countenance.

"Don't be deceived. Having hindsight doesn't make me any better person than before. I am trying to do the same. Showing someone that his last wish may still… be fulfilled. I'm giving you my experience so you don't make the same mistakes, that is all. I can say thoughtful words and still be a bastard." He heaved a sigh and looked back at her. "You're probably dying to ask, aren't you? So do it. Ask away."

Though Faruzan had been longing for a chance like this, her heart couldn't take it at the moment. His cryptic mannerism also didn't help in deciphering whatever question he had thought about.

"Do you miss your family?" His brow knitted together at her question, so she added. "I mean, well… Not your mother."

"Hm," He looked at the rice again, picking at the grains. "Not that you would know, but I did have an adoptive family of sorts. Somedays… I do miss them more than others. They're remembered as good people so that's enough for me. As for my ascendancy, I used to hate her much more. Nowadays, though my blood boils at her mere mention, I don't allow her memory to drive me anymore. My passivity towards her is the greatest insult I can offer."

Faruzan had issues understanding such unfettered hatred. She herself didn't hate many people. Certain researchers and higher-ups? Sure. But hate was completely foreign to her. And if that wasn't bizarre enough, to hate her own family was even more extraneous. Needless to say that she didn't blame him. Though he was clearly biased, she had trouble thinking of a benevolent reason to do such a horrible thing. Faruzan had to appreciate having such a normal childhood in comparison.

This, however, confirmed something. His lack of a name was related to this hatred. Was he given a name and forsook it, or did his mother not even name him? It would be too callous to ask directly. But indirectly…

"How did your adoptive family call you? Names from Inazuma are beautiful in their own regard. I can write, read and speak the tongue, from both Watatsumi and Narukami, passing through the dialects of—"

"You really love your own voice, do you? I had nicknames, that's about it." His glare hardened and his mouth twisted. "You can cut the bullshit. I was never given a proper name, and as such, I don't feel the need to have one."

"Oh…" Faruzan was caught instantly, but she rolled with it. "So I can name you whatever I want."

"I don't like the lack of inquiry in your tone." He answered, looking back at the rice. "You're already calling me Pupil. That's enough for me."

"So you like it!"

"Not like you have stopped to ask about my opinion at any moment." He lifted the rice bowl and ate it all up in a few seconds. Faruzan was quite certain he didn't even chew it as he tossed the bowl to the table again and stood up. "I'll pay the check. I need to do something too, so go explore or whatever."

"Do you hate being nice? Every time you do anything kind, you always do this." Faruzan got up as well. "Because if you want my opinion, and it is possibly the only opinion worth pointing out, I believe—"

"I'm not playing around. Go enjoy civilisation."

He hadn't made any mention of having any chores left hanging on this outpost. Maybe he was going to cry after revealing so much of his past. Or maybe he was going to the bathroom since he refused to do so beforehand. Or both at the same time.

Regardless, he walked away towards the actual café entrance and Faruzan stood up as well. She looked at the remains of the custard longingly and ate the leftovers before anyone could notice. Though he had been quite insistent on Faruzan exploring around, she waited at the entrance of the terrace for his return. The last thing she needed was to be all alone again. But as the minutes passed and he wasn't returning, she wandered off to the nearby shops. As long as she had a view of the café, there would be no issues.

Ribat had changed a lot since the last time she had been there. Though the main street was still full of shops, there were far fewer guards than a century ago. Nobody had asked her or her companion for a permit either. The restrictions to enter the desert had been loosened quite heavily, it seemed. Though what was a boon for research and trade, also carried a few other issues.

Her eyes noticed a quite extravagant stall, full of relics and other strange artefacts. Below the shade of the tent, the owner was a man of median age that seemed horribly regretful of having woken up at such hours. Perhaps it was the way he looked at the patrols of the area or the creases on his temple, but Faruzan knew something sketchy was going on.

The moment Faruzan approached the stall, he perked up and prepared a fake smile. "Welcome, welcome! Is anything of your interest? Amulets? Ancient statues? Desert jewellery? You want it? It's yours, my friend, as long as you have enough mora!"

Ignoring the obnoxiously tacky introduction, Faruzan picked up a familiar orthogonal object. Reassembling a stretched octagon, it was a rusted core case with still a few gears attached to the base of it. This particular model was plentiful in desert civilian ruins. But something was wrong with the object in the stall.

"Ah, that's an ancient mechanism from Deshret's very own Mausoleum! You see, it—"

"I know what it is. An energy core. " Faruzan used some force to turn the gear, breaking away the supposed rust holding it together. The gear turned, only for it to be unscrewed and reveal an empty mechanism. "Cast iron is a cheap substitute. Only post-Deshret kingdoms used it and certainly not for cores. To cast insult to injury, there are no engravings in its interior. Which means there was no prism inside them." She looked back at the vendor. "A usual mistake from shoddy forgers, who only mimic its shape without understanding its purpose."

"A-Ah, a scholar are you?" The owner quickly took the broken mechanism from Faruzan. "I must have been tricked, that's all!"

"Tricked?" Faruzan scoffed at his answer and picked up a set of supposedly ancient earrings with a jade gemstone. "Let me guess, green glass stone? The copper used for the rest of the earrings still has some gleam as well. No time to age it, I suppose?"

"Well, that's…"

"Such careless counterfeits. Back in my day, people put some effort into forging." She watched over a few more artefacts before a clay tablet caught her eye. It seemed to be an ancient script, so she took it in hand as well. "This is just a copy of… A shopping list? Whoever wrote it didn't know the difference between liturgical and everyday—"

The owner tried to snatch the counterfeit relic away, but Faruzan was quick to react.

"You are being a bad customer, so I suggest you put down the tablet and walk away." He said with a firm voice, his shifty attitude becoming quite bolder.

"Bad customer? I'm not the one selling fakes for…" She looked at the price tag on the back of the tablet. "My eyes aren't so good these days, but are there five zeroes? For this piece of junk with no real value?"

"I asked you to—" The shopkeeper's voice petered out as a shadow suddenly loomed over Faruzan. By now, she realised who it was.

"Oh, Pupil! Are you done?" Faruzan's voice turned a pitch higher, genuinely happy of seeing him again. That didn't last long, however. "You took your sweet time!"

The Pupil shrugged. "I was dealing with a divine intervention. What's the deal? You like this trash?"

Divine intervention? Is that what he called his bathroom breaks? Faruzan didn't understand his humour.

"Take a look," Faruzan tossed him the clay tablet. "I'm sure even you can tell."

He glanced at the worried owner and back at Faruzan's loose posture. With a few glimpses at the man's merchandise, the Pupil understood perfectly what was happening. And as he shared a glance with Faruzan, he confirmed that this could be an interesting situation.

"Hm. This is not cooked right." Not even looking at the artefact, he applied a bit of force and it crumbled into dust. "Everyone knows real pottery would shatter, not crumble."

"What the hell!" The shopkeeper immediately complained, but a mere glance from her Pupil was enough to stop him.

"Exactly. Though you'd have won extra points if you tried translating it. How about this one?" Faruzan picked up another relic. This time, it seemed like a rusted, metallic gear embedded in solid stone. "Anything wrong with it?"

The Pupil held the relic with slight interest and tapped the rusted iron. "This is hollow." He pulled on the metal, ripping it off. It revealed the engraved shape of the gear, plus the remains of solid glue. "And it's only half a gear, apparently. I have seen better craftsmanship at kindergarten."

"Well, you could have pointed out that there was no axis and the teeth were asymmetrical, so it couldn't be a real artefact. Regardless, that works too. No extra points either, however."

The shopkeeper again complained. "You two, get out of my shop already or I'll call the guards!"

Faruzan and the Pupil looked at the forger and continued chatting as if they were alone. They knew it was an empty threat that was equal to saying nothing.

"Points? Am I being graded now?" The Pupil was no longer hiding how much he was enjoying the sudden torment against this random person.

"Continuously! You're in the negatives, however. You aren't eating enough and are showing no interest in learning." Faruzan straightened her back and winked at her Pupil. "But I'm willing to forgive it since you are being very obedient."

"Me? Obedient?" He chuckled and pushed the rim of his hat up. "Is glaucoma getting to you, old hag? Or do I need to show you that I'm a bastard like that good-for-nothing over there? He probably can't even measure up to my feet though."

Faruzan smirked alongside him. "The dirt around us is of a much higher standing than him, don't you believe so, my dearest Pupil?"

"For sure, Prof. Dirt at least is useful, isn't it? He's more like a leech. A useless parasite."

"That's enough!" The shopkeeper yelled out, finally having taken enough abuse from their disrespect. "Get out, go already!"

Ceasing their conversation, both Faruzan and the Pupil stared at the lousy forger. Their brainwaves must have synced, because they glanced at each other as if they knew their own thoughts. "Pupil, you're not one for words, are you? But I'm sure you can convince him to show some respect to history."

"If you say so, Prof." Showing his incredible speed, the Pupil was beside the owner in the blink of an eye. With but a single move, he suddenly applied a headlock to the shifty man and looked back at Faruzan. "I believe we need some compensation for such lacklustre service as well. What do you think?"

"Oh, for sure." Faruzan ignored them and started to look at the rest of the fake relics. "You do you, dearest Pupil."

There were many imitations, even if they couldn't quite measure to whatever her Pupil was doing to the poor man. For a moment she felt slightly guilty, perhaps the Pupil's rude attitude had slightly rubbed off on her. But she quickly dismissed that thought. What she would have done would have been much worse than mere intimidation. Giving him a scare in the form of her Pupil would be enough… And taking a few things as compensation too.

"What's this? Something useful? I like this quill." Faruzan took the short-feather quill and inspected the tip as his Pupil suddenly raised his voice in the background. "The tip is quite sturdy. I think I'll be taking this and…" She noticed the inkpot that the shopkeeper was probably using and took it. "And this too. Now, for some paper."

"Don't bother," The Pupil suddenly reappeared beside her. "I already got you a present. And that, oh so-kind forger has been kind enough to pay our breakfast bill."

Faruzan looked at the stall but couldn't see anyone. Weren't they there just a minute ago? When did he take him? "The… breakfast bill? You didn't pay?"

"Now I have." He placed an arm around her shoulders and pushed her away from the stall. "And we should probably start moving."

Faruzan tried to look back, but his grip was quite strong. "What did you do to that man?"

"Eh, nothing Buer wouldn't forgive." He stopped talking for a few long seconds. "You're not as stuck-up as I thought. I may even say you were having a bit too much fun insulting that man."

The tone of his words was playful so Faruzan followed him along. "He wasn't posing too much of a challenge. He just stood there and took it. Usually, good forgers or nasty sellers try to put up a front. And I enjoy showing them they are completely wrong."

"So that's why you keep arguing with me. You can't quite take me down… Of course, you shouldn't beat yourself over it. Nobody can do so anyhow." He rummaged through his loose tunic and showed her a notebook. "You want this to write?"

"I really hate how you switch topics to make it seem like you won… But yes, I want that."

The Pupil saved the notebook again and released his grip on her. "Keep walking without stopping unless I say so and I'll give it to you."

Perhaps sharing breakfast and verbally assaulting a random man had made him more amenable towards her. He almost seemed to be having fun beforehand. And now he was using the classic carrot on a stick instead of just being rude. This was what Faruzan needed to make a breakthrough.

"Can I ask where you got that notebook from?" She asked, bumping slightly into his arm.

"Do you truly want to know?"

"Hm. No."