Extra's Perfect Ending

Chapter 92: Subscription

"So you’re saying that Landlong wants to take over?"

"Allegedly. He’s going around recruiting people and handing out these useless white slates." Hinly picked up the white slate and waved it around. Reeva had chosen to show Hinly the one without any mystic properties.

"Has anyone been recruited by him?" Reeva asked, thinking back to when Landlong had invited him to ’take over Tumidus.’ He’d thought it was just a joke at the time.

"Not that I know of. Most people agree with me—it’s a crazy idea, like setting sail on a stormy night. Any decent sailor would have declined. But you never know. Those with a few screws loose or who are dumber than a brick might agree. At least in public, no one’s accepted it yet, but behind closed doors?

Maybe."

"No one?"

"I can’t think of any. The snake man is called that for a reason—he covers his tracks well. If you’re thinking of prying into his business," When they were talking Hilda placed two coffees at the table, Hinly thanked Hilda took a sip, and continued.

"I advise you to stop here. Playing with snakes is a dangerous game."

"Don’t worry, I’m just curious," Reeva replied confidently, though Hinly could see it was more than simple curiosity. The big man sighed before speaking again.

"Just don’t dig too deep, okay? Let the church and the Royals handle this. They’ve already sent people from Lmemore to help—both their private army and the church. They should be able to stop Landlong from doing anything crazy."

Reeva noted the hint of worry in Hinly’s voice, even as he tried to reassure himself. It was as if he was trying to convince himself that nothing would happen.

"But you have a feeling, right?"

"About what? The sea?" Hinly deflected, trying to change the subject.

"About Landlong."

The big man sighed again, this time with a much longer breath.

"Truthfully, everyone knows that Landlong isn’t stupid. A snake waits for the perfect chance to strike. But most wouldn’t be foolish enough to target an elephant. This means Landlong has something up his sleeve, something I don’t know about. A real shot at taking over Tumidus. And honestly, I’m not sure I made the right decision by brushing him off."

Hinly’s uncertainty showed in the latter part of his confession.

"But I still believe Landlong can’t take over Tumidus. There’s simply too much against him," Hinly quickly added, regaining his confidence.

"Could you help me?" Reeva asked. "If I provide a reason why the church wouldn’t obstruct Landlong, would you help me?"

"You have that? Show me then."

Reeva had been wrestling with this decision for a long time. On one hand, gaining the help of an association leader like Hinly could be immensely beneficial. On the other hand, there was always the chance that Hinly could be involved with the cult. It was a difficult choice, but Hinly’s openness and straightforward manner reassured Reeva that he wasn’t in league with the cult.

Still, doubt lingered in the back of his mind. If he was wrong, it would mean Hinly was an exceptionally skilled actor, hiding his true intentions behind a facade of honesty.

But Reeva knew he had to make a choice. If he hesitated any longer, he might miss his chance. Taking a deep breath, he decided to trust his instincts.

Reeva pulled out another white slate, one with mystic properties. Immediately, Hinly shifted uneasily, reacting much like Holen had when he first encountered the artifact.

"What the hell is that?" Hinly asked, clearly unsettled. In his years of dealing with sailors and merchants, he had come across cursed artifacts before, but this one felt different. It didn’t feel overtly malicious—just inherently dangerous.

"This is what might make the church side with Landlong," Reeva explained, holding the slate in his hand. "It has the ability to suppress mystic power."

Hinly’s eyes widened. "What? They could actually fight those Sun Church bastards with this? That’s not gonna work, the church has too much power."

"No, They’re not gonna fight the church." Reeva shook his head. "I think they’re using it as a bargaining chip with Theodore, to let Landlong have free reign over Tumidus."

"And the church might agree to that?"

"I’m not sure, myself since I’m not a ntive" Reeva admitted. "But having seen Theodore, I know it’s possible. You know it too."

Hinly backed off, deep in thought, weighing the implications of what Reeva had just revealed. Thinking long and hard, Hinly decided to trust Reeva.

"If what you’re saying is true, then we’ve got a serious problem on our hands. Is it a cult?" Hinly asked, recalling Reeva’s earlier words.

"I think they’re forming a cult around this thing," Reeva replied, holding up the white slate. "Could you help eradicate them? It would help both our business."

Hinly eyed Reeva, noticing the keen interest in his posture. "Can you give me more information?"

"As far as I know, there’s a cult forming in Tumidus that started in Guragua. They believe in a god that is ’everything’—it’s hard to explain. I later discovered that the church might have made a deal with these people, and I’m afraid it could spiral out of control, possibly turning into a demon."

"A demon... Haven’t heard that one in a while," Hinly mused, leaning back in his chair. "Your story is intriguing, but how do I know you’re telling the truth? What if you’re the heretic, trying to incite me to go against the church and the snake man?"

Reeva met Hinly’s questioning gaze with a steady one of his own. A small smile formed on his lips as he responded, "I could have come up with a more convincing lie if I wanted to."

"That doesn’t prove anything," Hinly countered.

Reeva paused, then leaned in slightly. "Do you own homework, big man"

Hinly stared at Reeva for a moment before bursting into laughter. "You’ve got some guts, boy. Ever thought about becoming a sailor?" he said, taking a deep sip of his coffee.

"No thanks," Reeva replied with a smirk, "I’m not interested in paying your subscription fees."

"What’s that?" Hinly asked, chuckling at the unfamiliar term.