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"Is that resentment I hear in your voice?" said Hector.

"Heh. Perhaps. But they are my kin, nonetheless. A different part of me is proud of what they have achieved. Including Abbas, of course."

"So you do know who he is, then."

"I have been following the head of Hahl Saqqaf's exploits for many years now, yes. But only just now, thanks to you, did I learn his name."

"That's... pretty weird, but alright. I guess, um, back when you helped me against the Salesman of Death, you knew that Lord Abbas was going to show up and help me, didn't you?"

"Ah. I knew of the possibility, yes. There could have been many other outcomes, however. Truthfully, I did not expect him to emerge victorious in that battle."

Hector paused at that bit of news. "Excuse me? What did you expect to happen, then?"

"I thought it more likely that the deal you struck with the Salesman, as you called him, would be the deciding factor."

Hector had to think back. That whole situation felt like some kind of crazy fever dream in his memory now, and it was a bit difficult to recall it with perfect clarity.

The "deal" that he'd struck with the Salesman of Death had, in short, been to help Abolish seize control of the Golden Fort in exchange for sparing the lives of the Rainlords.

And yeah, Hector remembered that the deal had been more or less agreed upon when Abbas Saqqaf suddenly showed up in his mechanized armor and took down the Salesman single-handedly. That had been unexpected, for sure.

But to think that it had surprised even Rasalased...

Hmm.

"So you thought I'd be in a really terrible situation right now," said Hector. "Caught between a deal with Abolish that threatened the lives of everyone I cared about and trying to help the Sandlords."

"Indeed."

"Great. That's, uh... real comforting, Rasalased."