Only Lanstein was waiting for them when the siblings emerged out of the hole in the dirt. Thilarie was nowhere to be seen, but the roaring of a massive engine starting immediately gave her position away. Lanstein immediately noticed how light their luggage was, too light for people wanting to move out:
"So ... you need a ride back when we will be done or is that -"
"Yes, this is everything we care about ... means nothing but our project.", Denton sounded a little bit hurt but brushed aside that emotion quickly, "We don't need a ride back. We are done here."
Hearing the undertone, Lanstein subsided marginally realizing that the range of their poverty was quite a touchy subject. She instead quickly changed the subject, pointing out their next steps:
"Thilarie decided that we should split you apart for the ride, mostly because the driver's cab has only seats for two. She would like to have you as her co-driver, Denton. Mentioned something about that you need some personal instructions for when we will arrive in Leaston.-"
Lanstein shook her head in an apologizing manner; the amorphic crystals, that were her hair, followed inert her movements creating waves of azure:
"I am sorry, I have no clue what she meant with that."
"No worries, Lanstein, Speartip Thilarie surely has reasons for that decision.", Denton stopped, "And where will you two reside?"
"We have a small room in the first tenth of the silver trailer; we will stay there. I would like to spend a few moments with my master and prepare her for the palace."
Bianca blushed slightly realizing what Lanstein was referring to. Her hygiene was in a poor state, especially as the last downpour was over three weeks ago. She was sure she looked in comparison to her freshly cleaned brother like a sewer rat that never even heard of personal care. So while she felt embarrassed that her friend indirectly called her out like that, she couldn't help but feel excited imagining undergoing the same as her brother did an hour ago. Also, that would grant her a few minutes with Lanstein, some bonding time with the torchbearer of her magic. She wondered how effective her magic infusion still was and if she should give Lanstein a fresh shot enriching her water body with fresh traces of the Veil of winter. But that would be a question to ask when they will be alone:
"Fine by me, I am looking forward to it, Lan! And Denton?", her brother sharpened his ear-horns, "Enjoy the alone time with Thilarie. Do not think I haven't noticed your dreamy eyes back at the fireplace."
The smug expression of Bianca caught Denton completely off-guard, and he started coughing, throwing dearly meant curses at his sister in between them. Lanstein followed that exchange with amusement, chuckling silently to herself; waiting for the kobolds to finish their friendly argument. She then cleared her throat, which sounded as if a waterfall just had a hickey, and pointed at the truck waiting for them.
"Our driver is waiting,
so we shouldn't remain here debating.
Let us continue on the ride
and let this argument for now slide.
Our chefs are already preparing the food for tomorrow, and we promised to be there in two hours so they can start filling up the trailer. So ... shall we?"
The siblings tagged along with the slender automaton walking towards the giant silver monstrosity casting its light across the whole slum illuminating the many hobbles in the ground being entrances to the filthiest dwellings of the poor, casting long pitch-black shadows into the night. The rare shacks built above the ground on these fruitless fields of poverty appeared like lanky ghosts in the distance. Seeing her home now out of the eyes of one, who will be able to leave this life behind ... she finally realized how disrespectful the slums were to those living here. Due to the lack of funds, with every last coin getting used to somehow turn the tables in the war on the coastlines, the priority of raising the overall quality of life in the slums got postponed indefinitely. No matter how often the Silver Senate promised to save money for that undertaking.
She let out a silent prayer for all the others, who were unlucky enough to end with them in these disrespectful houses instead of being able to return to the life they had before they got dragged into the war.
She and her brother might have never known anything else than the slums, but this fact didn't hold for the most, who got forced by fate to live here. She had yet to witness a single being besides those strange monks enjoying their life in absence of everything, who was truly happy with how the Triumvirate's politics treated them.
When they finally arrived at the massive silver-plated truck, Bianca allowed herself a brief pause to take a look at the miraculous technology created by their eastern business partners out of Etherium. Sure, cars were no rare sight at all, but a vehicle that operated without the need of any magical abilities was exceedingly rare in this country. But that kind of technology was needed for heavy-duty operations. A technology currently only Etherium was able to supply. Bianca shuddered, imagining how many electromancers would be required to power an engine that large ... ten, maybe twelve arcanists to even get it running smoothly. A small organisation like the Spearheads surely would struggle to convince 200 electromancers to power their ten trucks, putting their health on the line. So this strange technology was necessary to make these acts of kindness possible. And Lanstein was seemingly proud of their vehicles, slapping its side gently after arriving at the cab:
"May I introduce you to a marvel in Noctec's engineering; the 'HGV49-V12.8'. Thanks to our generous partners overseas, we were able to make this operation reality. Even fuel is no issue. We have special trained Oelocers working with us converting biomatter into usable gasoline, and this baby uses only minimal amounts of it. Well-"
Lanstein gave the truck one last hearty smack before reaching upwards to the co-driver door, pulling it open using a tendril made out of her amorphic bodyshell to compromise her lack of height. The door swung open, revealing Thilarie sitting already impatient on the driver seat waiting for her passengers:
"I see you are ready, good! Lan, take Mrs Peritl to our sitting room in the trailer, will you? But first, may you please help our tiny friend to get up to me? These steps were sadly not made for walking meters."
Bianca was feeling the heat growing in Denton of him trying to come up with a witty response, possibly including the fact that Thilarie herself was barely 1.5 times as tall as he. But the albino remained silent, only reluctantly accepting the water steps created by Lanstein jumping on the way too large seat far above their current position. Bianca couldn't help herself but to be amused by the hilarious situation. She smugly added to Thilarie's comment the following sentence:
"Don't beat yourself up about it; we are tiny. But you have now the chance to show our driver your mental height. Enjoy the drive, bro."
"And we will now leave as well; our living room is waiting for us. Follow me, master."
And with that said, Bianca and Lanstein left the others behind. They walked over to an iron door at the side of the trailer, which Denton noticed earlier today, and opened it. When Thilarie finally heard the satisfying smack of the metal door closing shut, her eyes changed once more into happy crescents:
"We are ready, Mr Peritl. Buckle up, my friend; the streets of Nemthi aren't the smoothest around. Next station: A new life; Leaston."
With that said, Thilarie pushed the gas pedal, and the colossal vehicle began rolling slowly on the old road to the capital city. Not soon after the hobble, which was his former home, vanished in the dark. But Denton was unable to even consider looking back ... he was with his 94 cm way too small to even take a glimpse out of the windows of the truck. He was tiny ... there was no denying possible in this situation.
