C79 In Essence He Was a Bastard

Chiying was diligently polishing her armor and longsword in the front courtyard of Redstone Bay. The proximity to the sea meant the air was thick with moisture, a condition that left unattended armor and weapons vulnerable to rust.

A blue spirit animal of an unusual shape sat beside her, its face perpetually fixed in a simple-minded grin as it occasionally hummed, "Tuzotz, Tuzotz."

Suddenly