As for the Demon Wizard's special little gift, that really ought to have been an accident. Even though he no longer remembered, he knew he had never intended to curry favor with her.
He tilted his head. Perhaps he had never intended to curry favor, but he must have considered whether he might get eaten. At the very least, he must have wondered about it.
In fact, his canine mouth had been slightly open earlier, and he had badly wanted to ask what exactly that was-or what exactly she was. But after some thought, he had kept the question to himself. An amnesiac kobold ought to stay properly amnesiac. He had also guessed that the other party's identity was far from simple, and knowing that was enough. After all, she had made his teacher's teacher show such exaggerated satisfaction and delight that the Old Wizard had even made a special trip back to give him a mysterious reward. It was almost as though he had deliberately presented something to her, as though he had been feeding her.
Ruger felt that the Old Wizard had been right about that. Based on what he knew of himself, there might have been some exaggeration involved, but he must have chosen to cooperate with her because he had been left with no other option, then arrived at this situation one step at a time. He would never willingly get involved in something beyond his control. Although it might look as though he had things in hand, that was merely dancing on a blade's edge. This was nothing as simple as going to the Vango Family to help Varin, something he and Mahama could decide to do after a quick discussion.
Before the Holy Tribunal and that unknown woman, even Mahama's teacher would probably have