The story kept Kaito's full attention. It all seemed too perfect. A few scenarios coursed through his head as Gilda went on, but he couldn't decide which one was most likely. Lilia couldn't have [i]always[/i] had those powers. No, she must have obtained them upon coming here somehow. Perhaps Gilda was not the first person Lilia had encountered on Al-Farna? Maybe she'd already had some experience with her newfound power by the time they met? That made a little sense, but it didn't exactly fit in with Gilda's description of events.

The more of Lilia's prowess Gilda revealed, the more a lump in Kaito's throat seemed to grow. The once-delicious food seemed to turn to ash in his mouth. Though he had initially been hesitant to do more than sip the wine, he suddenly drained his cup in almost one swig. It did very little to parch the dryness in his mouth. Kaito had only imbibed on the rare special occasion with his family, not counting the one time he and Lilia had snuck some liquor from her parents' secret upper cabinet. Drinking that quickly was bound to cause him some issues before long.

[i]Fire. Lightning. Flight. Super speed,[/i] Kaito thought to himself. [i]Goodness, what[/i] wasn't [i]Lilia capable of?[/i]

Gilda's story was over before long, giving way to a stunned silence. Kaito blinked a few times and had another bite of lamb. The ability to discern flavour was beginning to return to him, now that he'd managed to calm down a little. He set down his utensils long enough to give Gilda a little clap in appreciation of her impromptu performance.

"I'd say that tale's [i]almost[/i] as good as your broth," he complimented quietly, managing a bit of a grin. "[i]Excellent[/i] stuff, by the way." Kaito dabbed at his lips politely with his cloth before continuing. "I take it that means [i]I[/i] should go to the Capital as well? If the Sage brought me here, would her Order be willing to assist me, too?"

"Although, I wonder why you didn't go with her?" Kaito added in afterthought, eyeing Gilda curiously. "If you got such a rush from that bit of adventure, why not go seeking more? You can't [i]really[/i] be content slaving away as a shepherd's daughter." Kaito had not meant to insult her; it was merely an observation. Perhaps his filter was beginning to wear away under the assault of alcohol.