Chapter 1051 A Bottle of Wine… maybe two
Meng coughed, "Sorry, I'm getting a little passionate at the moment. Would you like a chair?"
"Ah.. sure?" said Kat with a slow nod.
Meng nodded and clicked her fingers before dropping down onto what looks like thin air. Kat opened her mouth, closed it, looked around confused for a moment before Meng spoke up, "It's a solid illusion, just focus on trying to see it and you should be able to."
Kat frowned but did as she was asked and suddenly, she could see two beanbags in the room, one that Meng was relaxing in and one just behind her. It wasn't a chair sure, but it was clearly what Meng had been talking about. "Huh.. I didn't know I could do that.. and wait, how are these solid illusions? Wouldn't that make them REAL chairs? Er.. beanbags?" asked Kat as she relaxed into the beanbag, doubly surprised when she felt her wings and tail sink into it like demonic furniture.
"Honestly?" asked Meng, and Kat nodded, "That is a philosophical, and contentious issue. It's also a matter of how you think about things. As someone specialised in ILLUSION cultivation, I want them to be illusions, because then I have more control over them. That's how a lot of cultivation can be, it's all about how you look at it. Take Lian for example. A blessing user might GIVE someone the ability to ignore wind resistance to make them faster.. but Lian could TAKE the away the ability to effect the wind and produce roughly the same result. Though in the latter case it might cause suffocation.."
Meng shrugged in her chair and continued, "When I say it's a matter of perspective, I really do mean that. They are illusions because I think they are, and that lets me maintain control over them. If I stopped seeing them that way, then they'd either disappear, or perhaps become something I couldn't manipulate at all with my power,"
"Right.. umm.. hmm.." Kat looked at Meng and tried to focus on what she 'should' look like, but Kat couldn't see any changes in Meng's appearance, despite already knowing from looking through Lily's memories what Meng was 'supposed' to look like. "How come I can't see what you're trying to look like? I was trying the same trick with the chairs.. but it doesn't seem to be working,"
Meng shrugged, "True sight is rare Kat. I know some things about it, but not much. Just a few titbits that would be useful for an illusionist to keep in mind, One of those is that you should, apparently, be able to chose to see the illusion.. so I'm not sure what's different about the one around my body. Perhaps its because the chair is solid? I don't really know, I've never met someone with real True Sight, just a few artifacts that try to mimic the ability, and even those are quite rare. Plus, they only work on things weaker then a certain level,"
"Right," said Kat with a nod. *I suppose I shouldn't have expected anything else. I already knew it was a rare ability. Hmm.. I wonder if I always could see illusions with a thought, or if it's something I've gained after ranking up a few times?*
The pair sat there in silence for a while. Meng takes out a large bottle and plucks out the cork. Kat can smell the alcohol. It burns her nose as the scent filles the room. Meng takes out a glass, pours one and then places it off to the side.. before chugging the whole bottle. Kat just stares in a mix of confusion and horror as Meng drinks the hole thing and then smashes it on the ground nearby. Kat was pretty sure that bottle had a high enough alcohol content to kill multiple mortals.
"Um.." mumbled Kat not sure what to say.
Meng, looked up and, getting the wrong idea said, "Do you want this glass? I did pour it out for you in case you wanted to share, so it's no trouble,"
"I.. I think I'm good," said Kat, still reeling in shock.
Meng just shrugged and grabbed the glass, downing everything in it in one swift swallow. "Welp, I still feel retched," said Meng.
"Sorry?" said Kat.
Meng gave a sloppy shrug, her robe coming undone somewhat but not minding the change. Kat wasn't sure if it was because Meng was so used to using her illusions to keep a dignified appearance that she wasn't properly thinking about the fact Kat could see through them.. or if she was just done caring. "Eh, it's not really your fault. I knew something like this would happen eventually so.." Meng trailed off with a shrug as she stared at her storage ring, likely pondering if she should get out more drinks.
"So.. what do we do now?" asked Kat.
Meng shrugged, "How should I know Kat? I'm pretty well fucked regardless of what happens so I can't find it in myself to care all that much at the moment. Maybe once the alcohol kicks in properly I'll come up with something crazy,"
"Wait what do you mean you're.. well.. um.." Kat started, and failed to say..
"Fucked, Kat. I said FUCKED," giggled Meng.
"Right.. yes that. Why? I mean.. I haven't even attacked you yet?" said Kat.
Meng let out a long sigh, "The fact that you're already here is enough to cause no end of problems. The fact Sue has likely reported I'm a fake, and it means that my cover is gone. So, the way I see it, either I have to waste time fighting those rumours while my bosses make my life hell, historical
"Fight you, and win, then get fucked when Bodeir Sr comes for my ass. Fight you and lose, then get fucked when my bosses come for my ass. Don't fight you, and get fucked when my bosses come for my ass, or try running, and get fucked when they catch up to my ass," said Meng with a grin.
*I feel like Sue would get along great with Meng.. so with that in mind.* "You seem awfully concerned with getting 'fucked' in the ass. I'm afraid I never wanted to know so much about my friend's mother's kinks," said Kat.
She did not expect to see Meng burst into tears. "You.. you don't know how much that means to me,"
*Right well it means nothing to me. Please elaborate, I am so confused.* "Um.. what? No seriously what are you talking about? Pretty sure I was insulting you there, jokingly, yes, but still insulting you,"
Meng wiped at her tears but shook her head, "No.. no it's just.. well I know enough to know demons can't lie, and to hear you still recognise me as Bing's mother means you believe I truly care for her.. and.. well I just expected that when it all eventually came crashing down I'd need to live with my daughter and all her friends hating me forever for 'removing her real mother'
"And before you ask," continued Meng with a raised hand, "I don't have any clue if Meng is alive or dead, and I only feel a little bad about stealing her family. I'm a selfish bitch like that, and a spy as well. I honestly feel worse about that time I bumped into Bing and she got a cut and she was four then what happened to her biological mother,"
*Welp.. thanks for the confirmation that you've been with Bing since she was no older than four Meng. Ugh.. what the heck am I supposed to do with this information! Actually, wait a second..*
"Um.. just to check, everyone is fine on the other side of those doors right? No deadly weapons?" asked Kat.
Meng shook her head, "Nah, I intentionally botched that part of the job, for obvious reasons," Kat nodded. "Bodeir and the dwarf might have a bit of trouble, because I let them take artifacts that aren't particularly good matches, but it's not a serious worry unless they do something stupid,"
Kat groaned and put her face in her hands, "That sounds exactly like something Bodeir would do,"
"Woops," said Meng with a shrug, not all that concerned, "if it makes you feel better, or less restricted by the contract know that it's still probably better to just leave Bodeir to his idiocy. Probably. To the best of my knowledge anyway," Kat made a 'so-so' gesture, "eh I'll take what I can get. Like my alcohol,"
Meng did just that, bringing out a smaller wine bottle, but when the cork was taken off, clearly no weaker. Meng gave Kat a look, and Kat shook her head, before Meng downed the whole bottle again. Meng let out a nasty belch and Kat winced at the smell, "Sorry for being such a slob.. but I just can't bring myself to care about it at the moment. Especially not with my real body. I keep in shape sure, but I've always been prone to hiding the fact I look like shit under illusions. Though there was that time I went without close for a day.. turns out exhibitionism is NOT for me,"
Kat rolled her eyes, "Apparently I need to introduce you to Sue,"