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“’Tis quite a rare thing, though,” Octavia went on. “Finding such a stalwart supporter at a time like this. In the face of both the Vanguard and Abolish. I have made many foreign friends over the years, but I do not know if any of them would have stuck their neck out for us as much as this fellow has. Going by all I’ve heard about him so far, I can’t help thinking that he must be either an incredibly confident warrior or one of the biggest fools I’ve ever heard of.”

“He’s neither of those things,” said Zeff, lowering his voice somewhat. No one was around to overhear, but it still felt appropriate. “He’s something far more dangerous. To both his enemies and to himself.” He leveled a stare at the old woman. “He’s an astero. And easily the most powerful one I’ve ever seen. While also still being the youngest, too, I think.”

She pulled away from him a little, and her head reared back. “An astero...” She needed a few moments to chew on that thought, apparently. “How young?”

“I don’t know for sure. He and his reaper are understandably reluctant to say, but... that just makes me think that the number might be even lower than I first suspected. Which is terrifying, honestly.”

“What is your guess, then?”

He couldn’t help hesitating. “...I think he may be as young... or even younger than my own children.” And he watched her face. He could practically see the gears turning in her head.

“So not even twenty, then?”

“No. Well, yes. But I meant... younger than them as servants.”

She blinked at him. “Tell me you’re joking.”

He just shook his head.

“So you’re saying he’s... what, less than eight? Seven?”

“Honestly, I think he may even be less than five.”

“That’s not... that...” The thought went unfinished as her hand found her own forehead. “I heard he bested Banda Toro in single combat and captured his reaper. Banda Toro. Do you know who that is? That is someone I might struggle with!”

Zeff did indeed know. Those Blackburn Triplets hadn’t been able to shut up about it. Not that the reapers were much better.

And frankly, Zeff didn’t know if he believed it or not. Even if it was all completely true, knowing Hector as he did, there was probably still more to the story, somehow.

Octavia was still going, though. “--and that is just one of the absurd things that I have heard! Yet you are trying to tell me that he--?! That he’s--?!”

Zeff just waited for her. This was a strange sight, indeed. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen this woman fumble over her words before.

Heh.