Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀
━─────── To say Vermont wasn't astonished would've been a lie. His gaze darted from Chiye, dwarfed beside the looming figure behind her, and landed eye-to-eye with none other than the infamous healer himself──Kartein. No longer cloaked in the familiar guise of his inconspicuous feline form, known only to a select few, Kartein stood before him, fully transformed, imposing and elegant in his human form.
Kartein had been swift, slipping out of sight only moments earlier to revert to his true form, all to stand beside his student. His stance was resolute, eyes flicking briefly to Chiye as if to silently remind her of his presence. He wasn't about to let her fight, especially not against someone like Vermont.
"Kartein," Vermont murmured, the name almost escaping him in a low, involuntary breath. His usually steady composure faltered, and his expression shifted, registering an unguarded surprise that he couldn't quite mask. "I didn't expect you to actually be here, much less reveal yourself so openly. What are you doing here?"
Kartein scoffed, his eyes sliding over Vermont with practiced indifference. "I could ask the same of you, old man," he retorted, releasing his light grip on Chiye's head and crossing his arms as he took a protective stance behind her, solid as a sentry. "Considering how interested you seemed in my student, I thought it was time for me to make an entrance."
Vermont remained silent, taking in Kartein's words and the unusual sight before him. The healer's declaration had solidified what had, until now, been a half-formed suspicion, and he found himself momentarily at a loss for words. The sight of Kartein stepping out like this was shocking enough, but hearing him speak of Chiye as his own──a student, of all things──made Vermont pause, as if his mind were still struggling to catch up. Kayden having an apprentice, sure. The kid, Jiwoo, had an undeniable spark; anyone would be tempted to mentor him. But Kartein? A man who practically scorned anyone? It was... difficult to believe.
"So...it's true, then," Vermont murmured, his voice carrying a trace of disbelief that he hadn't managed to smother entirely. "Not only are you here, but you've also taken on a student."
Kartein raised a brow, a sharp, arrogant smirk spreading across his face. "Why do you sound so surprised? I could say the same thing about Kayden and Jiwoo." His gaze lingered on Vermont's startled expression, clearly savoring it. "There are only a few from the younger generation who are actually worth my time, but Chiye is different. She's special, and I have no qualms about taking her in as my student. I like to keep things... interesting."
A chuckle escaped Vermont as he finally gathered his composure, the initial shock receding. "Interesting indeed. To have both you and Kayden mentoring apprentices... quite the unexpected development." His eyes narrowed, his curiosity evident. "So, what are you two planning?"
