Chapter 16: Platinum coin

Lylia stood still, stunned.

A few seconds passed before her brain caught up with what just happened.

She blinked, stumbled a step back, and pointed at the smoking, empty spot where the tree used to be. A delayed shock hit her, "Woah there!"

There was nothing left to where it once stood. There was no bark, nor stump, and no roots. It was just black.

Her mouth hung open. "What the hell was that, man? Were you trying to kill me or something!?"

Rai tilted his head, arms crossed, his smug never faltering. "Are you dead though?"

She blinked. "That’s not the point! You were aiming right at me! Like, it was literally on my face!" She looked at the scorched ground again, then at him, then back at the ground. She added with a trembling voice, "There’s no way I’d survive that if it hit me."

She tightened her grip on her book, cautious now, ready for whatever this flashy lunatic might throw next.

Her heart was still racing when something else suddenly clicked in her head. She froze again, but this time, in horror, with her eyes widened.

"My bread!!"

She darted her eyes left and right, scanning the grass in panic. Maybe it rolled away? Maybe it got lucky and escaped?

...Nope.

Her paper bag was gone. They were turned to nothing but ashes scattered by the breeze.

Nothing survived. Not even crumbs.

She dropped to her knees, both hands and forehead touching the dirt. "My bread... nooo... my food for the whole day... huhuhu..."

Rai raised an eyebrow, clearly amused. "Oh really? It’s just bread, girl. Nothing serious." He pointed a finger toward the blackened spot and smirked. "I just cooked it better for you—overcooked, to ashes!"

Lylia lifted her head slowly, eyes full of disbelief, lips trembling. Then, defeated, she went back to her pathetic huhu-ing.

"That was my food for the whole day..." she said miserably. " And I don’t have money..."

Rai gasped dramatically, putting a hand over his chest. "Oh no! The poor little heroine can't afford bread!"

Lylia looked up at him with lifeless, hollow eyes. The kind of stare that carried no light, no soul. Just pain.

"Wh-what?" He said, caught off guard.

Silence. Staring at each other for the next seconds.

Then, Rai coughed awkwardly and scratched the back of his neck as he added, "Making such an expression might ruin your beauty, you know. Proven and tested, by the greatest researcher of all."

"I’m hungry..." she muttered. "Now that I think about it, I think casting those fireballs made me kinda hungry. But... my bread's gone..." She dropped her head again. "Uhuhuhuhu..."

"Okay, okay, fine!" Rai threw his hands up. "I’m sorry about your bread, alright? Though, fear not! For I, the great Rai, can buy you however many you want! Even a million!” He paused before adding, "Metaphorically."

Lylia squinted up at him. "So... you’re rich?"

Rai crossed his arms, chin tilted up proudly. "Hmph! Naturally."

He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out something that instantly caught the sunlight. It was a small, blue coin that shimmered so brightly it practically screamed, 'I’m expensive!'

Lylia flinched and shielded her face, having caught the coin's reflection straight into her eyes. "Ugh! Are you trying to blind me this time!?"

"If it didn’t shine like that, it’d be fake!" he said, puffing his chest out.

He closed his fist, moved closer, and then dramatically opened his palm right in front of her face with a flourish. "Behold!"

"Ah hey!" Lylia jerked back, startled. "Careful!"

Rai frowned. "Now what is it this time!?"

"Ahh, sorry,” she said. "Guess I’m just a bit traumatized by those hands that tried to turn me to ashes earlier."

Rai let out a loud laugh. "Haha! I won’t do it again, alright? Promise!"

She squinted at him for a few seconds, judging if that promise meant anything at all before sighing. She leaned in, finally getting a good look at the coin.

It was strange. The material was smooth, silver-blue with faint light pulsing beneath its surface. But what caught her eye was the design. There was an intricate carving of a throne surrounded by curving symbols. She didn’t recognize the letters, just like before, but somehow... they felt familiar.

"This is..." she murmured, stopping mid-thought. 'That looks just like his throne... and that script... it’s the same kind of writing.'

Rai tilted his head. "This is what?"

"Nothing, nothing," She waved it off. “It really is nothing. So... what’s with that coin anyway?”

Rai puffed out his chest again, his grin stretching wide. "Ha! Is this your first time seeing a platinum coin? No surprise! A commoner like you wouldn’t even know it exists! Behold! The coin of highest value! No ordinary folk could even dream of holding one, let alone see it!"

He emphasized commoner so much it almost echoed.

Lylia smiled sweetly. But the veins on her forehead were quietly bulging.

She didn’t want to think about it, but this guy... this overly sparkly, loud, violet-haired man... was starting to really annoy her. Did she look like a commoner? Where will you see a commoner as pretty as her?

Pretty face is a check. She has a nice clean clothes, which is also a check. Her staff, a standard issue but not shabby, so another check. Unknown origins... okay, fair. No money... very check.

"Okay, fine," she muttered under her breath. "Maybe I am indeed a commoner."

Then she said out loud with a smile yet devoid of any emotions, "Heh, wow, that’s amazing. You’re very rich. Really, wow."

Rai flicked his hair back dramatically. "You should take it! That coin will serve as my payment for your tragic loss of bread. And don’t be surprised that I’m giving you something so valuable, as someone as great as me unfortunately doesn’t deal in coins lower than the greatest!"

Lylia blinked. "Uh-huh. You’re giving this to me?"

"Of course!"

She took it, carefully weighing it in her hand. It was cold and heavier than it looked. She still wasn’t sure if it was real or some weird decorative trinket, but her attention kept going back to that throne carving.

“Well,” she said, flipping it in her hand. "It’s cool. Very shiny."

Then she looked up at him and tilted her head. "By the way... who did you say you were again?"