Chapter 258. It Seems Like My Path To The Nightwings Has Been Opened! (Breaking Time!)

They had been walking for about twenty minutes, in a relaxed and easygoing manner, like people who weren’t headed anywhere specific but were moving in a direction that felt right. Then, a figure appeared at the intersection ahead of them.

Rex noticed her before Aisella and Talyra did, as the Foresight was always active. It provided very specific insights about a woman in her early fifties who moved through the street with the confidence of someone who knew exactly where she was going while also remaining aware of everything happening in her peripheral vision.

’That is...?’

’Oh... it’s her... it’s been a while since I saw her.’

’Elaris Morr Nightwing... Theo’s grandma.’

’Now that I’ve thought about it... I haven’t gotten a taste from any of those Nightwings.’

’Maybe she’s going to be an easy prey because of her teasing attitude.’

Rex noticed that Elaris Morr Nightwing moved in a particular way the first time he saw her. She moved like someone who had been honing her skills for years, making the actions fully integrated into her body rather than merely a task she performed.

’These Nightwings are known for their sneakiness, huh...?’

’No wonder they dressed like a literal assassin.’

Elaris noticed Rex and turned her gaze toward him.

When she saw Rex, her face radiated the same warmth she had shown earlier, accompanied by the unique amusement she reserved for moments that were more intriguing than usual.

She changed her course.

Aisella noticed first. Talyra caught on half a second later.

In a hushed tone, Talyra said, "Look, Rexy... it’s that bastard’s grandma... Elaris Morr Nightwing," as if she had just recognized something that would alter the course of their morning.

"Thank you, obvious archer; yes, I see her," Rex replied sarcastically.

Elaris approached them at a leisurely pace, as if she instinctively knew the perfect speed to maintain and never felt the need to hurry. She regarded Rex with the familiar expression she reserved solely for him.

"My, oh, my..." Elaris smiled with her eyes closed while resting her cheek on the back of her hand. "Fancy meeting you here..."

"Rex Rexilion," she said. "I was hoping to find you this morning instead of having to go to the inn for a formal visit."

"Well... Informal works for me," Rex said.

"I thought it would." She looked at Talyra and Aisella with the quick, warm look she gave everyone around her. "Good morning, younglings."

They returned the greeting, and Elaris returned her attention to Rex with the quality of someone for whom pleasantries were genuinely pleasant but were not the objective.

"I need to talk to you about the Nightwing family condition right now," she said. "Specifically about what might happen because of my grandson’s actions and what you might be willing to do about those consequences."

"Why should I know...?"

"Your grandson started it."

Elaris nodded slowly. "I know... that’s why my family’s reputation is in your hands... or more precisely, in your words."

"Forgiveness."

Rex finally sees the opportunity he has been waiting for since Theo punched him. Theo’s actions have significantly harmed the Nightwing family’s reputation, particularly since Rex has been hailed as a savior following the Apollo power explosion.

Some citizens of Aethelgard probably think Theo’s an asshole for punching Rex without any good reason at all.

’Oh yeah... this is it.’ Rex thought. ’My first step to invade the Nightwings... I’m going to have so much fun with this.’

"Forgiveness, huh...?" Rex said. "I’m listening."

She fell in step with them, making a comfortable four-person group that moved through the street like people who are talking and also going somewhere.

"Theo’s incident in the street," she said, "had effects that lasted long after it happened."

She spoke with the flat accuracy of someone who had carefully examined the situation, presenting the facts rather than their personal feelings about it.

"The public record of the event, combined with the incidents from two nights ago and the link between Theo’s behavior and the Nightwing household’s public image, has resulted in damage to the household’s reputation that extends beyond mere social embarrassment."

Rex didn’t say anything, which was the right thing to do because Elaris wasn’t done.

"There have been some problems recently," she said. "And not just once, but twice..."

"The household exterior has been vandalized on two occasions. Produce market vendors have declined to serve Nightwing staff for two days running."

"There was an egg-throwing incident yesterday morning that Iris and Aurelia handled without reporting it to anyone outside the household."

She paused just to sigh because she felt shame from Theo’s action.

"Thankfully..." She said, "My mother doesn’t know."

"She is on a long business trip away from Aethelgard and won’t be back for about two weeks. Iris and Aurelia have been taking care of things at home in her absence."

Rex took in this information with the same interest as someone who was updating a map.

"So that’s why you’re coming to me," he said. "Are you asking me to repair your family’s reputation by speaking to the citizens of Aethelgard?"

"You’re the person with the strongest public standing in this city right now," Elaris stated, applying her usual directness to the matter. "What you said in the western plaza two days ago is still being talked about in the market district."

"You were a good man, Rex Rexilion. Not only did you save the city, but you also helped people understand that Apollo wasn’t at fault for the explosion he caused."

"People who were in the northern district during the shockwave have been telling anyone who will listen about the direction you were walking in while everyone else was walking the other direction."

She stared at him.

"The Nightwing household’s situation would greatly improve if you publicly linked yourself to its recovery," she said.

"I am asking you to consider establishing that association."

Rex gazed down the street ahead of them. The morning light remained cheerful, indifferent to the serious conversation taking place below it.

He allowed the silence to linger for a few seconds. It wasn’t the quiet of someone contemplating; it was the stillness of someone who had already considered the matter, allowing the other person in the conversation to feel the full weight of the question before he responded.

"Honestly..." Rex said, "That’s a big thing you’re asking."

"Yes," Elaris said. "I’m aware of that..."

"You do know that I also experienced public embarrassment when I got hit by him?" Rex made that comment to further aggravate the situation.

"That’s right! That guy attacks Rex for no reason at all!" Aisella chimed in. "You can’t expect him to just clear Nightwing’s reputation THAT easily!"

Then Talyra joined in, nodding vigorously. "True! True! What’s his issue have to do with Rexy’s relationship with Diana?!"

"It’s his fault that Diana has feelings for someone else because she waited long enough for him to confess!"

Elaris chuckled. "So it is true that my grandson is jealous because he cannot win over his childhood sweetheart..."

"Well, we all know it’s Diana’s choice to choose him," Elaris said, nodding. "And I’ve told my grandson that many times."

Elaris placed a hand on her chest. "But please, Rex... you have to help my family."

"I could help, but it’s not going to be free..." Rex said, not really asking. "What is the household offering in return for my humiliation by getting punched in public?"

’There it is... I fucking said it.’

’Now then, Elaris... what are you going to do about it?’

"I expect you to be the one who opens the path for me to start breaking the Nightwing’s woman!"

Elaris fixed him with a look reserved for those whose actions confirmed her opinions of them. It was the expression of someone who had been anticipating this question and was pleased it had finally arrived.

"I didn’t think you were the kind of person who did big favors without thinking about it," she said. "I was right."

"And for me... it’s reasonable."

"Yeah, so..." Rex asked, "What can the household give?"

Elaris thought about this for a moment, like someone who had thought about the question and was picking the best way to answer it.

"I can talk to my mother when she gets back." She said, "My influence in the household is not small, and Morwenna’s views on strategic alliances tend to be similar to mine."

She kept looking at him.

"So I hope you can come tomorrow night," she said. "We can talk about the details in a place that is more private than a street in the morning and the conversation can go wherever it needs to go."

Rex looked at her.

The way Elaris said that last sentence, the one about the conversation going wherever it needed to go, had a certain quality to it. It was the quality of someone who was okay with different meanings existing in the same sentence at the same time and who was watching to see which one he recognized.

Rex didn’t say anything directly to any of them, but he did acknowledge all of them by how he responded to the invitation.

"There’s one more thing," Elaris said, and her voice changed to a matter-of-fact tone. "Tomorrow morning, Aurelia will be coming to the Silver Rest."

Rex asked, "Aurelia...?"

"She has chosen to deal with the Nightwing household’s bad reputation in her own unique way by challenging the person whose reputation is most directly related to that reputation to a traditional contest."

"Traditional contest...?"