The Crack In Heaven [A LitRPG Progression Fantasy] Chapter 56: Chapter 56: A Thousand Tokens

Read chapter 56 of The Crack In Heaven [A LitRPG Progression Fantasy] by Adamus_Auguste on NovelPedia.

Chapter 56: A Thousand Tokens Incessant knocking twisted Kael's sleeping face. Leave the comfy mattress? He buried his face under the pillow. For half a minute, he ignored the noise, only for it to grow louder. Whoever knocked wouldn't give up either. Pulling his dark hair back, he crawled to the empty bedside. Tonio and Els had left, likely to eat while he slept. "Cut the damn knocking already. I'm awake..." With a grumble, he shoved his shoes on and shuffled to the door. When he opened it, Marc pinched the bridge of his nose from the corridor. "You're lucky I'm not knocking on your head. It's already midday. Midday! I didn't take a day off to watch you sleep." "What do you want me to answer? I needed it." As Kael shrugged, Marc tapped the butt of his cane on the ground. "Right. You did. We also need to prepare." He turned and walked down the stairs. "Breakfast's ready. Els told me most of what happened... An infuriatingly incomplete version. I've seen many things, but a rat-man is a stretch even for me... I almost attacked him." "Glad you didn't. Tonio's cute once you know him." Kael followed, his lips curving. Els fed him the minimum meat while hollowing out the bones. Vague to protect him, Tonio, and herself. Good. He was far less shy. He reached the living room on the ground floor. Els sat at the thick table with Tonio, plates wiped clean with slices of bread that left behind nothing but crumbs. He winked at her and Tonio. "Infuriating, like you when you ran off to work in the middle of your explanation? Or when you ignored the questions that mattered most?" He spread his palms on his way to sit between Tonio and Els. "Or did you think you could keep secrets while we share ours because we're younger?" Ignoring Marc, he rubbed Tonio's furry head and nodded at Els. "How was your sleep?" "Delightful," Els chuckled, and Tonio purred. "He has eggs, Kael. Give me a moment. I'll cook two for you. You'll see, it's as good as meat." She picked up the two plates and vanished into the kitchen. Kael frowned. It would be his first eggs, and while he enjoyed discovering food, blood drained from his face. Wasn't it like eating unborn baby chickens? Somehow, it sounded far more wrong than eating rats... Marc's snort sliced through Kael's grim comparison. "Don't forget who taught you." He sat across from Kael, tugging his burgundy hat lower. "I do my best to forget it. Who wouldn't? You locked me in a room for two hours each day until you were satisfied with how I drew letters. I should have told Mom back then. I'm sure your teachings weren't what she had in mind when she asked for your help." Marc almost flattened his hat over his dry blonde hair. "Look at the result! Among the neighborhood brats, you're the only one literate because my teaching worked. Humph. The fool sent you to join the unanchored. We'll leave after you eat," he pushed a basket of fresh bread toward Kael. A whiff of baked wheat tore a grumble from Kael's stomach. Smelled better than Lana's bread, which didn't make sense unless Marc baked it himself. Still, he didn't take it. Instead, he held Marc's gaze. "I have questions." "And I have answers you don't want to hear." "Let's start simple, then. Els told you Tonio was human before, and you said the Price Taker could heal. How many tokens would he demand to turn Tonio back?" Kael's fist trembled on his thigh. A sure method to help Tonio—he had found it, and he'd give up on all his other questions as long as Marc helped Tonio. For three heartbeats, silence. Then, Marc sighed. "Let's play it fair. We ask in turn. You can refuse to answer, and so do I." At Kael's nod, he continued. "I told you yesterday? Nothing's out of Malchor's reach, but everything's unaffordable for humans. Can't give you an exact price, but for someone as messed up as he is, I'd say a thousand tokens at the very least. Forget about it. Not happening unless you want to lose more than yourself." Kael pressed his lips into a tight line, his face lowered