Sneak Peek — Laz's Offer

Added 2025-02-26 10:58:33 +0000 UTC

I'm publishing this SP earlier since the month is shorter. Have a look at an interesting conversation between Laz and the Oracle. I saved the best part of it for the chapter itself, though 😋

Unedited, so please ignore anything that sounds strange.

“I would say relax,” they murmur only for you two to hear, “but I can’t promise some of them won’t want to take a hit at you because of me.”
Your brows lift. “What do you mean?”
“Associating with me is both a boon and a curse, depending on whom you meet. Don’t make getting under your skin too easy for anyone. I know you can hold your own against some bad-mannered fools, can’t you?”
Can you? Maybe. But you wish you didn’t have to. Still, you appreciate the warning. Perhaps they are telling you about it only now so you can’t overthink it—there’s no time to muse over their words.
What choice do you have, anyway? You purse your lips and nod, [ distracted by Laz’s hand still resting against your back. Your traitorous heart beats quicker ].
“You’re not alone, though,” they say, smiling like they are telling you a secret, their eyes curving. “Don’t forget to bring me to a fight. Whether it’s verbal or physical doesn’t matter.”
You let out a short laugh. “What, are you going to join me in dueling someone in a side alley or something?”
Laz shrugs. “If I must. Won’t be the first time.”
You arch a brow. “I’m not sure calling in the General to a backyard fight is wise. For you. It’s obviously wise for me.”
They chuckle. “I’m glad you think so highly of my skills. You don’t have to worry about my reputation, though. It won’t get any worse from something like this.”
“You can be quite slack about your job, even though you usually seem like a workaholic.” If it led to scandal, they could lose their position. Vezriel’s protection can help them only so much. It’s all hypothetical, of course, but you don’t think they would say it if they didn’t mean it.
“I’m not that much of…” they trail off under your stare.
“I wouldn’t bring you to a physical fight,” you say, “simply because I’d avoid it myself. I’ll bring you if someone mouths off too much, though.” There’s nothing bad in using their assistance a little bit. They need something from you, don’t they? You might as well have a two-way deal.
<...>
“Thanks for scaring them off,” you say as you stop near a wall. “Now I definitely won’t make friends out of them.”
“You wouldn’t make friends out of them regardless.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“You like them, but you don’t like me?”
You frown. “I’ve never said that.” [ Your problem is the opposite. ]
“They’re not that different from me. So if I can’t gain your trust, I doubt they will.”
“I guess I’m not that different from them, too. Because I can’t gain your trust either.”
Laz looks at you with a conflicted expression. “You overcomplicate everything. If you didn’t, we would already move past this. You would trust me, and I would trust you.”
You snort. “Is it that simple?” No, it’s definitely not. “Maybe it would’ve worked out if we hadn’t been… us.”
You both are not someone who trust easily. You understand yourself well, as for them… It has become absolutely clear from their words now.
They don’t trust you. It’s understandable. They don’t have a reason. You haven’t done anything to earn it. Maybe that’s why they are interested in making you trust them—so they have a better grip on your actions, maybe even loyalties. You’re sure being their usual charming self has worked with many others who are fine with turning a blind eye to their motives as long as it gets them something in return from the General, a close confidante of the Sovereign.
But you can’t get from them what you truly want. No one can give you what you truly want.
“Maybe,” Laz concedes, closing their eyes for a moment with a sigh. “If you want to make a mistake and befriend questionable demons, you should just choose me. I’d be more useful.”
You huff, smiling at how ridiculous this is. They are selling you their usefulness. “Have you thought that maybe I want something real and sincere?”
Their expression shifts, the relaxed lines of their face hardening into a rigid mask, harsh and unyielding. “We all can’t have what we want. Sometimes we can only accept what’s offered, even if it’s not the best option. Make a small sacrifice if it gets us somewhere.”
“I’ve had plenty of fake things. Fake sentiments. Fake companionship. It’s worth nothing. I can pick it up anywhere and throw it out the next day without it affecting my life in any way.”
“Maybe that is worth nothing, but what comes with it is worth something more.”
“And what is it? What can you offer me?”