SAI'S LABORATORY
Thud.
He flopped down on the soft cushion with a small thud, his majestic robe sagging on the floor and his body hanged loosely on the chair.
"Did Zemira show you around properly?" Sai asked seemingly exhausted.
Zemira answered, "Master, you told me to bring her here, not tour her aroun---"
"Yada yada yada, same thing Zemira." Sai cut off while motioning with his hands.
I answered quickly when I saw the veins on Zemira's imperturbable face, ready to pop.
"I've seen enough while we fly above here, Sai."
"...Fly?"
"Yeah. Apparently, unlike you, Zemira was nice enough to consider taking my opinion over abruptly teleporting without consent." I hissed.
He shrugged. "At least you get to experience new things and I told you..." he sighed, "My mana right now is erratic."
I leaned closer to Sai.
He opened the discussion himself, "Is this really because of the stone that you're looking for?"
He shrugged again, Zemira quietly exited the place without any remarks.
"That, and also because I am exuding too much mana even from the night bazaar accident."
"It's because you keep on using your mana on a whim."
"And on a grand scale." I added.
"Nah, I'm just an overpowered, unbeatable, high-class magician." He grinned.
"..."
Feeling that something is amiss, I finally voiced out what has been bugging me.
"But Sai, something is not right with your narrative. You told me you burned that village, but it's not aligning for me. I saw you freeze the town, not burn it."
Tsk.
He clicked his tongue, "Big deal, just accept whatever I say," he demanded lazily irritated, "If it weren't for that loose bat.." he mumbled.
"Bat??"
"...Some stupid would get angry if I just burned that island and roast all the villagers alive, so I too the liberty of freezing the village before setting the surrounding area and ice floor into fire."
"Does that mean that the village can be restored?" I asked surprised at his mercy.
"Hmm." He nodded his head.
He smiled. "I just scared the villagers a bit."
'What? Just what is he saying?'
"Scared them a bit? By burning the area? Ha" I sighed stupidly at his dumb trail of thoughts.
"Wait, what bat are you talking about anyway?"
He glanced at me for a second before zipping his lips tight, with no plans whatsoever on responding.
"..."
"Haaa." I extended my hand on the table.
Crack.
I just took a cracker and busied myself with the refreshments that Zemira brought. Everything was appetizing, they're so foreign for me.
As it turn out, Sai only talk about what interests him.
'Did Zemira say this is tea?' I took a sip. An instant surge of flavor engulf my mouth.
It was very strange but tasty. For me at least. But I'm not gonna lie, it's "...Bitter."
When I mumbled, I found Sai starring fondly at me while eating his snacks away.
"???"
"...You don't have to do anything." he said under his breath, then he exhaled and looked away too. He is now looking far beyond the window as if lost in his own world.
"What?" I voiced.
"...Just stay here, that's all I need you to do." He uttered too solemnly.
"Rubbish." I scoffed. "I need to find the stone so we could restore your health."
He shook his head, "No...I mean, well...I honestly have no idea who stole the stone so, let's just wait here, I'll find them with my influence. Just stay comfortably at the tower for now."
I shook my head harder.
'What's the point of coming here if I'll just helplessly wait here as he die?'
"You must have some lead. Tell me, I came her to help you, not for free tower staycation, Sai."
"..."
He twisted his head to glare at me like he's looking at a stupid crayfish. The moody Sai came back.I gave him a 'What?' look though.
Rather than opening his mouth, he just shifted his hand, a burst of violet mana, too much mana if I may say, burst out from his swing. The mana danced the still pen into life and started writing on paper, and after a while, the pen traveled back to its place and the papers floated towards me.
"Whether you go find the stone thief or not, you'll stay here for a while. So, don't be a lost duck to give me the trouble of looking for you again." He meant it.
I grabbed the paper and found the blue print of the tower. My eyes enlarged with surprise.
He stood up and snatched it, "If you tap it like this," he tapped on it for three times and layers of the magic towers floated like shining ink on the air above the paper.
As much as my eyes were filled with admiration, my shock far surpasses the element of amazement. "H-how can you just give me this so nonchalantly?"
"It's just a piece of useless paper." Sai responded.
'No, no. Sai, this is a piece of treasure! Do you know how many nations and people would kill to have a copy of this?!' I shouted in my head.