Inverse System

They left Clyde and his master's home and headed towards the port, their ferry about to arrive. They arrived and boarded the boat, taking them back to the mainland as the sun began to set over the unknown horizon of the ocean beyond.

The water was filled with an orange hue, giving the surroundings a fiery glow as the oceanic breeze blew into their faces, a salty, yet pleasant smell invading their nostrils.

"Looks like we're the only ones on the boat this time," Rein remarked as the group stood around in the front deck. "If you have any more questions, feel free to ask," he said to Xenia.

"I do actually have one more question…" She turned around from looking out into the ocean.

"What is it?"

"How did this curse come to be? Why did I live 10 years of my life normally?" Xenia asked sternly.

"Oh, you don't know? It was a by-product of the war. I don't know why, but the conflict spawned 6 cursed Springs. You just happened to end up with one of them," Rein explained, which made Xenia tilt her head in confusion.

"6? I thought there was 7?" She sounded.

"The 7th Curse only appears after the first 6 have disappeared. The queen is currently in possession of 4 of them. Yours and Lillia's are the only ones left before the 7th one appears," Reine explained.

"What about Core? He has one too, doesn't he?"

"O-oh," Rein recalled, beginning to sweat nervously as he didn't have an excuse ready. "His curse is uh… A little special! It's called the 'zero curse'. It acts as a curse but doesn't at the same time. I can't really explain it," Rein bullshitted, scratching his cheek to make it seem like he was thinking.

"Okay, so as long as I don't get captured we'll be fine, right? Then you guys can count on me!" She assured, flexing her arms proudly.

"Yeah yeah, if it wasn't for Rein and Clyde, you'd have been captured for ages now," Quint remarked, to which she whacked him on the head.

"Anyways, that guy that showed up in Hakah, he seemed really strong," Xenia changed the subject.

"Yes. Though Rein was able to expertly bargain the curse away this time, I don't think the same trick will work twice," Clyde added.

"I agree," Rein complied. "Sorry for using you as a bargaining chip though Xenia," he laughed apologetically.

"It's fine. It seemed like you knew what you were doing, so I didn't question it," she pardoned.

As the sun finally finished setting over the horizon, the ship landed at the Pathuless port, where the group took back their tiger-drawn carriages and rid their way back to the gulf. This time, Rein sat on top of the carriage and stared up at the sky, while the rest of the group sat inside the carriage, Clyde taking the driver's seat at the front.

"Rein, do you have something against sitting inside carriages?" Clyde yelled to him from the front seat, the carriage being isolated so nobody inside could really hear them.

"Not really. I just like feeling the wind when I travel," he replied as he suddenly heard someone climbing up the side of the carriage.

It was Quint and Reggie, who both sat atop the carriage beside Rein, seeming as though they had questions for him.

"What's up you two?" Rein asked.

"Nothin' really. The 2 girls inside the carriage were talking, so we just thought we'd get out of their way and get some air," Quint answered while Reggie smiled and stared into the sky.

"You sure? Seems like you 2 have something to say," Rein pressed on, making Quint finally admit it.

"Nothing gets past you, huh? I have a question for you and Clyde," Quint gave in.

"For me as well?" Clyde said from the driver's seat.

"Alright then, ask away," Rein allowed.

"Why did you both lie to my sister back there?" Quint posed, Reggie also sitting up to listen to the conversation.

Clyde's body twitched after hearing that, the sweat of guilt beginning to flow down his face.

"What do you mean? I told her the truth and nothing but the truth," Rein claimed, Reggie shaking his head in denial.

"No, you told us yourself. Your real name isn't Rein Xilris. Xenia wasn't there at the time though, so she doesn't know," Reggie reminded.

"If the trigger for that thing you did really was to say your real name, then Clyde must know it already. You might've not lied directly to her face, but you did deceive her," Quint claimed.

"Okay, and?"

Rein remarked in response to Quint's allegations, making him slightly recoil.

"N-nothing really…" Reggie uttered. "It's not really that big of a deal," he admitted while scratching his head, Quint not saying anything in response as Reggie apologized.

"Then drop it. If it doesn't matter, why even bring it up?" Rein went back to staring at the sky, Quint interrupting him as he did so.

"Sorry Rein, but the issue isn't if it matters or not," he said, his eyes downcast with a gloomy look on his face. "I trust you. You always deliver, and you're the most reliable person I know," he added. "But when you're deceivin' someone like that, it puts to question how much of the truth you're actually tellin' us."

Quint stood up and looked out to Clyde under him, sitting at the front seat, the lead in hand connected to the bits on the mouths of the tigers.

"And you Clyde… I hate to admit it, but my sis seems to trust you blindly. You're a great guy and I'm happy she's spendin' so much time with you," Quint looked at the black-haired man with a trusting gaze. "But please man, don't go lyin' to her at your own convenience. She's easily fooled, and I don't want her heartbroken," Quint asked as a pained look grew on his face.

Clyde didn't know how to react. His face was a mixture of shock and guilt as he looked up at Quint, who then turned around and walked back to the rear of the carriage.

"That's all. Thanks for listenin'."

He climbed down the carriage and went back in, followed by Reggie.