The God of Jesters
Chapter 179 - 3.11.5 She finally understands.

Chapter 179: 3.11.5 She finally understands.

It was not safe, and Sheva had to make a run for it. She had abandoned the bag of groceries she was bringing with herself, while only keeping a few of the healing potions she bought in her clothes.

She gave priority to the bag that Krotal had left more than what she carried on her own. But it doesn’t mean her jump was a success.

The train was still moving at 20 kilometers per hour, a speed that might not kill, but would still leave a few broken bones if someone tried to jump out of a vehicle.

Not to mention, the metro tunnels were narrow. Enough space for a worker to stay on the side and wait for the train to move past them. So obviously, Sheva was hit by the wall right outside of the window. And if she couldn’t control her fall, she might just end up below the train track, cut apart by the metallic wheels of this giant metal monster.

Which didn’t even up being much of an issue, as she was adept at guerilla warfare, she was used to crawling and jumping from narrow spaces to hide from enemy patrol. So even though it’s been a few years since she left that life behind, she was still as agile as before, controlling her fall properly while she stood sticking to the wall, as the train moved further away from her.

It won’t be long before the train comes to a stop and the ones following her might approach her, so the moment it ran past her. She opened the bag that Krotal gave her and checked to see what it was.

"This?" She thought, wondering if this was a joke or not. But after some thought, she took the contents of the bag and then threw it to the side. Before leaving the place as fast as she could.

It was somewhat foolish, and she knew, but the content in it was too dazzling. And a bit bizarre, as she wondered how Krotal got his hands on it and why he passed on this stuff to her. No, the correct question was, who was behind Krotal, to give him such things?

His finding her in the wild was already bizarre enough, which made her feel a bit paranoid, while she tried to find an exit to the surface, as the tunnels were not safe at the moment, nor did she know the abandoned tunnels around this part of the city. She could only reach the area of her safe house.

’My shoulder seems broken.’ She thought to herself and her previous foolishness. But she didn’t regret it, no matter if Krotal was working with her or not, she had to be attentive to her surroundings and make sure that no one followed her anymore.

Glad my intentions went through her head.

As in the past few days since Max’s injuries, she had forgotten about Max’s warnings and went out on her own to get potions and meds for Max’s recovery. A foolish move, more so when you consider they were running low on funds. So the most she could afford was some mortal medicines, which was a far cry from working on someone whose body was riddled with curses.

It was like giving Cold syrup to someone with a disemboweled stomach. The medicine might make a little bit of pain go away, but it still won’t heal him at all.

But she did what she could under the limits of her knowledge, she was a soldier first and foremost, so she didn’t bother learning about these techniques or how to deal with them at all.

Not to mention, with her mortal perception, it was hard for her to sense the curse that covered Max’s body in a haze. And without knowing the issue, how can she even begin treating it?

So she did what she could, an applaudable feat, if not for her attracting the watchful eyes that were waiting for her as well as her companion to make a move.

If not for this small reminder from Krotal, she might have exposed her hiding spot in due time, bringing death to not only herself but my only chance as well, which was none other than Max.

As for how they learned of her involvement or the involvement of someone of her stature, and why the old man was sure that he was really following the correct target?

That story was for later. For now, let’s focus on her escape, which didn’t take as much time as I had expected.

Though she could see the increase in security on the old path she used to follow, which made her consider if she should throw what she picked from Krotal’s bag or not.

Who knows, if there is some tracking magic on it? Or the contents were poisoned? Or what if the thing she picked up was a bomb of some sort?

She wondered many things and she would have thrown them at this point, if not for a few words that were written on the slip that was stuck to the "thing"

-" Lehema Sheva from Yethel, I work with Max." Written in the code language used by her regiment during her guerilla days, she was easily able to read it and understand the situation she was in.

But now, she started to question if she was being followed or not, or whether the friend in that slip was real or not.

There was a high chance she could throw it, the stuff I specifically built for Max, along with the small gift I had prepared.

So I can only hope.

Hope she believes in my little words. She knows that I am on her side.

*****

"You... you went out?" It was evening at the moment and I couldn’t communicate with Max properly, but he was still aware of my previous warning, so seeing Sheva’s broken shoulder and hunched gait, he easily assumed that Sheva was just coming from outside.

And it was an outing that didn’t end that well. "I warned you, look what happened.’ He sighed, trying to get off the bed. But she just called him. "Shut up and sit down, I don’t want to hear that from someone like you." She said pointing toward Max’s current state, which was much worse than her own.

"You know why I said this before, the man who is helping me had warned me before, that you stand out too much and that injury is proof of it." Max had felt a hint of remorse after what happened, and how much trouble he had caused her before.

It was why he had a discussion with her during the morning, where he explained what happened to him along with how he fell into a trap, of course, removing my name from the mix. He took all the blame for simple reasons.

He didn’t wish for Sheva to lose faith in his backer, even if he didn’t have much hope in me. As it was all about hope. Knowing that someone dependable is helping them, Sheva would be able to perform without much worry.

A psychological dependency, even if she hasn’t seen me or the individuals backing Max.

Of course, she also hates this individual to boot, but human emotions are always complicated. And this is why Max didn’t name my request during the little finger-cutting incident.

But this made her indignant, calling Max a fool for going in alone and then jumping into a trap. And if not for his sudden awakening, he would have long been dead.

It was luck that ensured his survival, nothing else.

Hence the reason she was more condescending of Max’s worry or warnings. He had done much worse things than her and suffered for it. So how could he act high and mighty at this point?

"So what if they do know my identity? Not like this small cave had any medicine or potions, if I had not gone out, you would have been dead at this point." Her words made Max shut up for a bit. He knew this was his fault. He left no choice to Sheva. And by reading between the lines, he can see that this was an offense, she was willing to repeat again.

"I... I am sorry. I know it was shameful of me to say such things.’ He said, a bit frustrated. Before asking. "How did they find you? And where?" He started to listen to her story as she explained what happened.

But just as the story started, Max made her stop and ask. "The boy... you met him?" He asked in wonderment.

According to his own reasoning, the boy should either be dead or have left the city. But how is he able to remain in this city and not be found out?

There are blood rituals, tracking magic, and many other curious things in the hands of the mighty. It’s not hard to find people as long as they are unprotected.

Which would only mean one thing.

Krotal was under someone’s protection, and as he heard the rest of the story, his thoughts turned to reality.

"You spoke about items in the bag, where are they?" He wondered before Sheva shook her head. "They were too dangerous and I can’t ascertain the intentions of the friend in the note."

"So you discarded them?" He asked.

"Of course not. I just hid them. Need to confirm with you before I go and retrieve them.’"

"But I did bring one of them here." She said while taking out multiple bottles of potions from her clothes, most being just normal balms for Max’s body.

But the last two she took out, held a hint of radiance to them.

"Purity?" That was the name of the first potion, a product of the Radiant Hall and an expensive potion made by the Mystics of Radiance. This simple bottle was capable of cleansing the body of any kind of anomalous corruption.

While the other bottle was also a highly valued regeneration potion.

Both of them have treasures of such scale that people might kill each other to get their hands on them.

But they were here, in front of him, together.