Ruger sat upright on the broad, thick mushroom cap, his wrists resting on his knees, and watched the faintly swaying silhouette behind the pale yellow round window in the distance. Judging by its outline, it belonged to a well-proportioned man with short hair.
The fellow made himself sound formidable, and possessing several Oddities at once certainly entitled him to say such things. Yet when those people had surrounded and harried him earlier, he had remained evasive throughout, showing none of the confidence his words conveyed. His caution seemed far out of proportion to his strength.
Ruger stared at the swaying silhouette. That thing was not a window, after all, but merely a spot on the mushroom.
A bold guess suddenly occurred to him. Could this mushroom also be an Oddity?
"Do you know why they're so timid? I blocked out sound at the edge of the Mushroom Forest and sealed those openings. They fear the Bearers more than they fear me, and the same goes for you. My canine-headed friend, the Bearers are our common enemy. They will purge everything except themselves, even if you come from the Supreme Council or the Holy Tribunal. You are no exception-you don't understand this place yet. Trust me, don't be impatient. There's no need, because you'll be staying here for a long time. Hahaha! I like powerful helpers like you. This chance encounter has inspired me. Perhaps I should take a few risks and bring in more outstanding Wizards like you."
The silhouette behind the round window burst into laughter again as he spoke, his shadow shaking with it.
"Don't rush. There's no need to answer right away. You're worth giving a chance. Once you understand this place well enough, I believe you'll cooperate with me. You're also better suited to working with