WIEDERGEBURT Chapter 17

I was floating in a void. It was like my body had disappeared and my spirit soared endlessly through this vast, empty space. Time was meaningless here. I had no idea how much of it had passed. Days? Months? Years? Did it even matter? Everyone I knew was probably dead. The people I had gathered after Nevaria’s destruction, the little boy I had carried as we crossed the dessert, and Kari… they were likely all gone.

A thought crossed my mind as I floated through this void—namely, why was I not dead? Maybe I actually was dead and just didn’t know it. It wasn’t like I could feel anything.

However, just as I was thinking that, something surged inside of me. A dull ache appeared in my head. Before I could figure out what was going on, the blackness of this void slowly vanished, and I opened my eyes.

I frowned for a moment as something that looked like a ribbed tarp appeared before me. As I stared at the shaking ceiling, I became aware of the dull ache in my body, the splitting headache crushing my skull, and the way I was being jostled back and forth. It felt like I was inside something that was moving.

Even though I didn’t know where I was, I kept my composure as I tried to comprehend my situation. I was alive. That much was clear. Judging from this tarp-like thing over my head and the fact that my body was being jostled, I could only assume someone found me and decided to take me with them. I remembered seeing several carriages before passing out. Maybe the ones who saved me and Kari was them.

Kari…

The name of the woman I love made me remember that she had passed out just before I did. With a strength I didn’t know I had, I tried to sit up—tried being the keyword. I couldn’t. There was something weighing me down.

I looked down and realized that the object on top of me was, in fact, Kari. She was lying on my chest. Her breathing was deep and even, which caused me to sigh in relief. With the knowledge that she was alive and with me calming my panic, the strength that had surged through my veins left. All I could do was wrap my arms around this woman and weep with relief.

Time moved by slowly as the carriage I was in continued traveling. I got used to the feeling of my body shaking back and forth. That said, I wasn’t too sure how much time had passed, though the carriage did eventually stop and voices came from outside. I strained my ears to listen.

“All right! It’s time to rest up for the night! Get the fires going!” a loud male voice shouted. It sounded gruff and coarse, like the desert sands I’d walked across before passing out.

“Will do, Boss! You gonna check on those two?” asked another voice, also male.

“That’s right. Hopefully, they’ll be awake by now.”

The dull crunching of footsteps reached me after the two finished speaking, growing closer with every second. They walked with a strange grinding noise. For some reason, my mind couldn’t help but focus on that sound.

The footsteps stopped and the flap near my feet was suddenly pulled open. A dark-skinned face peered inside. The man it belonged to look like no one I’d ever seen. Aside from his skin being nearly obsidian, he had a somewhat flat, wide nose, and his eyes were incomparably dark, like the night sky without stars. His square face gave him a strong appearance. He had a strong jawline and wore some kind of wide rimmed hat over his head. When he saw me looking at him, a relieved smile appeared on his face.

“It looks like at least one of you is awake,” he said. “I am glad to see you managed to survive. The two of you were in rough shape. There were times these past few days where I honestly didn’t think you’d make it.” The man paused for a moment, shook his head, and then chuckled. “Sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Zane Nyevu. I am the leader of the caravan who found you.”

I nodded at the man’s introduction and tried to introduce myself, but my throat was incredibly dry, so the moment I took in a breath, I started to hack and cough.

“Easy now,” Zane said. “There should be a flask of water next to you. It’s just above your head. Take a swig before speaking. You haven’t been able to drink anything for several days.”

Unable to do anything else, I fumbled around beside my head and finally found the flask he was talking about. My fingers curled around something that appeared to be made of animal skin. When I grabbed it, I discovered that it was a bean-shaped flask. The sound of sloshing water inside of it caused my mouth to go dryer than it already was.

I put the flask to my mouth after undoing the cap. The water was warm, but I honestly didn’t care. The feeling of liquid rushing down my throat, both quenching my thirst and moisturizing my throat, gave me an indescribable feeling of relief. I reluctantly pulled my mouth from the flask and capped it. Kari would need something to drink when she woke up.

“My name is Eryk Veiger,” I said. While I could speak, my voice was still hoarse. “Thank you for rescuing us.”

The man who called himself Zane shook his head. “You need not thank me for that. In this desert, us nomads have an unspoken rule to always help others when we are able. That said…” His eyes suddenly hardened. “I must question what you were doing wandering the Endless Desert without any protection. This is a harsh and unforgiving place, and yet you wandered through it without water, shade, or food. Just what were you thinking?”

“We didn’t have much of a choice…” I mumbled as a desolate feeling surged within me. Guilt slugged me in the stomach like a led weight. “My people were forced to flee for our lives. We were being chased by Demon Beasts. I thought we would be safe in this desert. I didn’t… didn’t know about the dangers.”

Zane sighed. “So this is your first time in the desert. I suppose you wouldn’t know about the dangers then, and it does sound like you were in a desperate situation.”

“Do you mind if I ask something?” I asked.

“Feel free to ask what you want.”

“There was a little boy who was with us,” I said, raising my head to look at Zane. “What happened to him.”

Zane said nothing as his expression, which had been more or less friendly up to this point, grew suddenly reserved. However, from his silence, I already knew the answer. I gritted my teeth as I thought about that little boy. He had called himself my rival at one point. His one-sided crush on Kari had been cute, and I would always respond to his challenges and watch him storm off in a huff after he lost. Now he was gone. He was dead, and it was my fault.

“Get some rest,” Zane finally began speaking. “We will talk more when you feel better.”

I nodded but didn’t say anything. The curtain fell again, darkness settled upon me, and I clenched my eyes shut as grief and guilt washed over me like a heavy downpour.

***

There was probably something wrong with me, which I’ve known for awhile, but it was really being hammered home lately.

I had gotten used to sleeping with the snake who was now my roommate. Whenever I went to bed at night, it would slither underneath the covers with me and curl around my body as though trying to suck out all my warmth. Snakes were cold-blooded. That meant its body was cold. I used to shiver every night and tried to push it off my bed, but now I’d gotten so used to it that I’d wake up to find myself hugging it like it was a large pillow.

Something was definitely wrong with me.

Yawning as the first rays of morning light leaked in from the open window, I unwound my arms from around the snake, unwound the snake from around me, and climbed out of bed. I stretched my arms and listened to the satisfying pops as my bones cracked. Someone I knew once said the sound of bones popping was disgusting, but the incredible relief I felt afterward made me not care.

I walked over to the window and looked outside. The sunlight had risen awhile ago. I judged it to be a few hours after dawn. Fay would probably be arriving soon, which meant I should freshen up.

After washing myself by the water basin, I put on a fresh pair of clothes, the dark pants and long-sleeved white shirt that had just finished drying the other day. Smoothing out the wrinkles after I donned them, I frowned at the rough feeling. This fabric was quite coarse. Even now, after so many days had passed, I still wasn’t used to the rough fabric of these clothes.

A knock sounded at the door. I figured it was Fay since she was the only person aside from Ms. Nadine who knew where I lived. She was also the only person who’d come to my room. No one else had a reason to.

“Morning,” I greeted after opening the door and discovering that, indeed, the person on the other side was Fay.

Her clothing was not the same as what I usually saw. A dark blue sleeveless vest with a high collar traveled across her torso. There were two straps. The first strap was near the collar, while the second strap was just below her breasts. Even though they kept the vest closed, there was a gap near her cleavage and another triangle-shaped gap below that. A belt sat around her waist. The fabrics of the vest went into the belt before flaring out behind her in a two-tailed pattern that extended to the middle of her calves.

A pair of black shorts stretched taut across her hips, extending only to the middle of her thighs. There was a small gap of skin between her shorts and the stockings she wore, which were also black. The stockings flowed into equally black boots. Her elegant ensemble was finished off with a pair of black sleeveless gloves that extended to the middle of her biceps.

“Good morning,” Fay greeted me. Her cheeks were a light pink, perhaps out of embarrassment for coming back to the place where I’d cured her Spiritual Poisoning. I wondered if she was remembering what happened between us in this very room, even as I tried not to let myself blush.

“Morning. Come on in.” I opened the door further and stepped aside so she could enter.

Fay entered my room, pausing as she looked at the bathtub, which immediately caused her cheeks to darken as she undoubtedly remembered what happened the first time she came over. She tore her gaze from the bathtub. Her eyes scanned the room some more. They stopped on my bed.

“Is that snake sleeping in your bed?” she asked in the sort of “I can’t believe what I’m seeing” tone of voice that I probably would have had if I’d been in her shoes.

“Ugh… yeah…” I sighed. “Pay it no mind. That creature does whatever it wants.” Even though I told her not to give it any attention, she still continued to give the snake a hard look. I rolled my eyes. “Don’t tell me that you’re jealous of a snake.”

“W-what?” Fay’s eyes widened as she looked back at me. The blush that had just left immediately returned. “D-don’t be ridiculous! Why would I be jealous of a snake?! I’m not jealous of that stupid creature!”

Fay’s response was a little worrying, but I just rolled my eyes again. “I was just kidding.”

“O-oh…” Fay settled down and looked away. She crossed her arms as if to present a strong front of denial, then cleared her throat with a loud “ahem” that startled the snake, causing it to raise its head before setting it back down. “A-anyway, I’m here to talk about the Spiritual Technique and alchemy pills we discussed.”

“They’re right over here.” I wandered into the room and over to a corner, where six glass jars were sitting. Each jar contained exactly five pills of varying color. Leaning against the wall beside them was a goatskin scroll.

I grabbed the scroll and the jars, which I placed into a wool sack, and then I walked back to Fay. The girl stared at me the whole time I went about my tasks. Her eyes tracked me until I was standing beside her.

I held out the bag. “I made enough pills that your family head or whoever can test them to verify that they do indeed work. Also, the goatskin scroll contains the Spiritual Technique. It’s a fire technique.”

Fay nodded at my words, but rather than take the bag, she pushed my hand back. I looked at her in confusion. While I was wondering about her actions, she slowly shook her head.

“I have spoken to my father,” she told him. “However, while he has expressed an interest in auctioning these items, he said that he would like to meet with you first. I believe he wants to discuss the terms of the auction. You will also need to be the one who convinces him that your items are indeed worth holding an auction for.” She paused, her eyes turning dark. “I should warn you beforehand: my father is an incredibly stubborn man. To convince him that you are worth his time will take a lot of work.”

“That’s just great.” I tried not to grimace. “I get to deal with a stubborn old person.”

Fay laughed at my plight, but all that did was make me glare at her, which she seemed to find even more amusing. I could only feel a sense of helplessness as I waited for her to calm down. Dealing with stubborn people was normally something I was good at, but my method of dealing with them often involved beating them up. Kari was the one who persuaded others with words.

“I don’t think you will have that much trouble,” Fay assured me. “He is stubborn, but once he sees how useful your pills are, I believe he’ll be convinced. That said…”

“What is it?” I asked when Fay looked me up and down. There was a frown on her face, and I didn’t like it.

“If you are going to meet with my father, then you can’t go looking like that,” she said at last, her narrowed emerald eyes finally going to my face. “We need to get some clothes that will make you look presentable.”

The moment she said those words, I looked down at myself, at my coarse clothes, which were the most obvious symbol of my status. The black pants and shirt were made from a rough material. I had no idea what the fabric was, but it wasn’t comfortable. Certainly, it was nowhere near as nice as the Giant Silkworm clothing I used to wear underneath my armor had been.

“I would buy better clothing if I could.” I looked back at Fay and frowned. “However, as I’m sure you’ve noticed, I currently lack the funds to afford nice clothes.”

I only had a few articles of clothing, and all of them were made from the same rough, stiff, and uncomfortable material. While it might have been a good idea to buy clothes after selling that Spiritual Technique Scroll to the Spiritualist Academy, the fact that I didn’t have any valis left after buying all the items I needed proved that I wouldn’t have been able to afford it anyway.

Fay nodded. “I am aware of that. However, given the importance of making yourself presentable, I have decided to use my own allowance to buy you clothing. Consider this my way of thanking you for all the help you’ve given me in my training.”

Something felt inherently wrong about accepting help from someone else, but I knew this was simply because I was stubborn. I didn’t have much pride. However, having been forced to rely on myself for so long after Kari died, I’d grown used to not accepting help from others. I think I was afraid of getting close to people.

“That…” I was seconds away from telling her “no thanks” when I paused. Fay was staring at me with an anxious, worried expression. Her expressive green eyes gazed into mine as she bit her lower lip. The idea of denying her was suddenly swept away. “I appreciate your help in this matter. Thank you.”

The moment I accepted her offer, Fay’s eyes lit up like gems reflecting sunlight, and the smile that blossomed on her face stunned me into silence. I didn’t want to admit it, but her expression made my heart quiver.

“You won’t regret it!” she said, that blinding smile filling me with guilt.

***

The Valstine Family apparently owned a clothing store, which I found out when Fay decided to help me grab the clothing I needed now instead of later. I didn’t have to be at the library for another several hours. I guessed doing this first would be fine.

I followed Fay as she led me through the crowded streets of Nevaria. I’d long since lost track of where we were. This was an area I was unfamiliar with.

It was something of a shock to realize that I’d never explored much of Neveria. The area where I lived, which could have been considered the Peasant Quarters, was located in the northernmost section of the city. From there, I had access to the north gate, and the east and west gates were about eight hours walking distance and two by horse-drawn carriage. South of where I lived was the Imperial Royal Palace.

Fay had taken me past the Imperial Royal Palace, to a section that could only be described as the Noble District. All of the houses in this area were large estates that covered at least several thousand square meters of land. Each estate was surrounded by a large wall, which sectioned it off from the rest of Nevaria. The walls were made of carefully layered bricks. The only thing I could see over these walls were the elegant roofs of various structures and several spires that climbed dozens of meters into the sky.

Aside from estates, the Noble District also had several shops. Signs hung over the door of these one and two-story buildings, which were made from brick, wood, and even had glass covering their windows. The signs also used words instead of symbols. This alone told me that they were shops who only catered to nobles.

While compulsory education was now necessary, there had been a time where not all peasants could learn to read and write. The use of images instead of words to denote what a store sold was something left over from the time before Empress Hilda rose to power.

The store that Fay led me to was a single-story building made of white bricks and wood posts. Ceramic tiles on the triangle-shaped roof gave it a rich feel. Of course, this building also had several glass panels in their windows, which told me all I needed to know. The sign above the door read Helle’s Clothier.

“Here we are,” Fay announced happily as she pulled me up to the door. She didn’t even give me a chance to speak before she opened it and dragged me inside.

The inside appeared quite large. From one side to the other, the interior space was filled with several tables, upon which already made clothes sat. I found shirts, doublets, hose, tunics, poet shirts, dusters, greatcoats, inverness capes, jerkins, and numerous other types of inner and outerwear. There was a lot of variety.

A woman greeted us as we arrived, or rather, she greeted Fay. She had long brown hair, pale skin, and wore a light blue brunswick gown. There were some wrinkles along her eyes and gray in her hair. I judged her to be between 50 or 60 years-old.

“It has been a while since you came in,” the woman said, crossing her arms. “Don’t tell me you need to replace the clothing you bought already. You know I can’t just give you clothing, even if your family are the patrons of my store.”

“No.” Fay smiled and shook her head before grabbing my arm and pulling me forward. “I am actually here to get clothes for him.”

Now that I had been presented before her, the woman turned her eyes on me and gave me a once over. I could tell from her frown that she did not approve of my clothing. Her nose was even wrinkling. However, when she looked at my face, she bit her lip and gave a reluctant nod.

“He is quite handsome,” she confessed. “He’s got a very feminine charm that lends a sort of suave aura to his otherwise terrible fashion sense. That said, I do not think your family will approve of you finding a peasant to serve as your bed warmer, no matter how attractive he may be.”

“That… that isn’t what’s going on here at all!” Fay exploded, both vocally and in the face. While I was standing there in shock at how audacious this woman’s words were, my companion looked like her head might explode.

“It’s not?” The woman feigned shock. “Then why would you bring a man into my store?”

“W-we have our reasons, but they are nothing like that,” Fay muttered as she tried to figure out what she should say.

“Fay is doing me a favor,” I said, taking a step forward. “I recently helped her with something, and she’s returning the favor by gracing me with some clothing because she knows I currently lack the funds.”

“Is that so?” The woman sighed. “That’s honestly disappointing to hear.”

“You have no reason to feel disappointed,” Fay spat. I could tell she was still embarrassed.

“Fine then. I’ll not pry into your business.” Grabbing the hem of her dress, the woman curtsied to me. “I am Helle, the owner of this clothing store. Since Lady Fay has come to me, I will do my best to help you pick out a suitable set of clothing.”

After she said this, Helle gestured for us to follow her as she walked deeper into the store. She didn’t give us much choice. I glanced at Fay, who merely shrugged and trailed after the woman. I sighed before following.

“They say that the clothes make the man,” Helle said as she forced me to stand in an empty space and walked around me. Her eyes reminded me of a craftsmen who was studying the quality of the material they had to work with. “A nice set of clothes can make even a popper look like a prince. Currently, you are definitely a popper.”

“Gee, thanks. I appreciate your frank assessment of me.” I withheld the urge to roll my eyes.

She smiled at my sarcasm. “Relax. Your clothing might be atrocious, but you at least have potential. If we can find the right set of clothing, you’ll have the appearance of a prince in no time.”

As the woman continued to walk around me, cupping her chin and muttering to herself, I glanced over at Fay. She was standing off to the side and watching the proceedings. From the smile she wore, I could tell she was enjoying my plight. That became even more apparent when she noticed the helpless expression I wore and her smile widened.

I’d get her back during training later.

Helle finally stopped pacing around me and nodded. She wandered around to the tables and grabbed several articles of clothing, and then came back and presented them to me.

“I have a changing stall that you can use,” she said. “Go inside and get dressed.”

Glancing at Fay one last time, I grabbed the clothing and headed for the changing stall, which was another small room located off to the side. So only clothing catering to nobles had changing rooms. Good to know. Once inside, I stripped out of my coarse, rough clothing, and then began the process of putting on the new outfit.

First I slid the pants up my legs. The material was softer than what I had been wearing and more elastic as well. They were dark black, and despite fitting quite snugly on my legs, it didn’t feel like they would hamper my movements at all. I put the under shirt on after that. It was a light blue and had a small triangle-shaped dip in the front that showed off my collar bone and a bit of my chest. The front was also longer than the back, trailing down all the way to my knees. A vest went over the shirt. It was an odd vest that featured a high collar, went over my shoulders, and had a massive gap in the center that exposed my shirt. It was also long enough to extend past my knees. I put on a belt that went over the vest and shirt. The last two articles of clothing were black boots and dark gray fingerless gloves that went all the way up to my shoulders.

“Not bad.” Helle clapped her hands together and smiled as I came out of the changing room, the longer ends of my shirt and vest swishing around my legs. “Yes, I think you look quite dashing now. If you had some armor and a weapon, you’d look very much like a powerful prince.”

“You think so?” I looked down at myself, glanced at Fay, and then raised a single eyebrow. “I notice that this design is strikingly similar to Fay’s outfit.”

“That’s just a coincidence.” Helle smiled.

“That so?”

“Just so. In either event, I believe you look quite handsome now. Wouldn’t you agree, Lady Fay?”

I glanced over at Fay, who was staring at me with a look I recognized. It was something I’d seen on Kari often enough. Seeing that expression on Fay made me a bit uncomfortable. My chest was fluttering a little, which caused a sensation of guilt to burrow itself into my stomach.

“If you keep staring at him like that, people might think he really is your bed warmer,” Helle teased.

Fay blushed bright red, licked her lips, and then looked away. She seemed to be studying a crack on the wall.

“It looks good,” she mumbled softly.

With Fay’s words of approval, Helle clapped her hands and decided these were the clothes I should wear. I didn’t protest. The clothes were good enough for me. They were comfortable, durable, and fit well. My only real concern was that I couldn’t wash these in the nearby stream. Due to the quality of the clothing, I would need to actually use a wash bin and soap, but I would be able to buy those if this deal with Fay’s father and the Alchemy Association came through.

Fay and Helle discussed the price after that. I didn’t know what they said, or what deal they had made, but a good amount of valis eventually changed hands. I was pretty sure most of the valis used were platinum coins, which made me wince. These clothes must have cost at least a few thousand valis.

As we were leaving the shop, Helle called out to Fay.

“I heard the Leucht Family came to visit the Valstine’s the other day.” Fay froze. I looked back at Helle as the woman gave Fay’s back a curious stare. “Is the reason you are doing so much for this young man like buying him clothes because you think he can help you? You should know that it’s not a good idea to upset the Leucht Family.”

I glanced at Fay. Her body still appeared frozen stiff, but she soon relaxed.

“I am not buying Eryk clothes because of anything the Leucht Family does,” she said, her voice a touch cold. “I’m not the kind of woman who would use someone for my own purposes like that.”

“Okay. I was just asking.” Helle smiled even though she knew Fay wouldn’t see it. “Given what I’ve heard, I thought you might be trying to use this young man as a means of disrupting the current talks between the Valstine Family and the Leucht Family, but if that’s not the case, then nevermind.”

“Come on,” Fay said in a quiet voice as she left the store.

I took one last look at Helle, who wore a cunning smile as she stared at me. She’d mentioned the Leucht Family on purpose. This was not a woman I could afford to underestimate. Frowning just a bit, I walked out of the store and quickly caught up with Fay, who was walking down the street with long strides.

Several carriages past us as we walked in silence, pulled along by Mares, an F-rank Demon Beast that was completely harmless. I wondered if I should say something, but I didn’t know if it would be appropriate. I’ll admit I was curious. However, everyone had their own problems to deal with, and I didn’t want to intrude where I wasn’t wanted.

“I am sorry about Helle,” Fay said at last. “She sometimes doesn’t know how to keep her mouth shut.”

I didn’t think that was the case. That woman seemed awfully cunning if you asked me. I didn’t say anything about that, however, and instead decided that I should finally ask about why she was so set on becoming stronger. In fact, I already had a good idea.

“It’s said that in Nevaria, anyone who has enough strength can become a prominent member of society,” I began, which caused Fay to look at me with a frown. “Those who have strength gain fame, fortune, and the ability to choose their own path in life. Those who do not are forever stuck with their current status. Even a noble like yourself may be subjected to the whims of others who rank higher than you on the social ladder.”

A group of young noblemen dressed in fancy clothes watched us as we walked past. They seemed to recognize Fay, for their eyes widened in recognition, though all of them frowned when they looked at me. I wasn’t sure if their expressions were because they didn’t know me, or because they knew something that I didn’t.

“That is true,” Fay allowed. “Even someone like Princess Kari has no choice but to obey the whims of her family. I myself am no different.”

I nodded. “Is the reason you are trying to gain strength because the Leucht Family is pressuring your family.” Fay slowed to a stop, and I stopped alongside her, staring at the girl as her brow furrowed. “If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. I’m asking to satisfy my own curiosity. Given that, I won’t force you to say anything.”

Fay’s face scrunched up upon hearing this, but it eventually relaxed as she sighed. Her shoulders slumped soon after.

“No,” she said. “You have the right to ask. You’re currently helping me out a lot, so it wouldn’t be proper if I didn’t at least give you the reason I need your help.” She paused for a moment to collect her thoughts. “You are correct. The Leucht Family is currently pressuring my family. They know that our Auction House isn’t doing well, which has caused our prestige and income to drop significantly. We’re very close to losing our noble status.”

“I’m guessing the Leucht Family has agreed to help,” I started, still staring at her. “However, I am assuming they asked for you in exchange. Is it an arranged marriage? Do they wish for you to become the wife for one of their branch members?”

“Close.” Fay gave me a long-suffering smile. “They want me to become Grant Leucht’s Second Wife.”

The name made me twitch as a deep red anger surged through my veins. That was a name I had long since hated for many years. Grant Leucht was the man who’d forced Kari into an arranged marriage, tearing the two of us apart for several years, and then poisoning Kari’s entire family during the Demon Beast Invasion. That said, I had never heard of Grant Leucht taking Fay as his Second Wife.

Perhaps the reason she didn’t become his Second Wife in my previous life was because of the Spiritual Poisoning. Without me, I was certain there’d be no one in Nevaria who could heal her. The mere fact that her affliction had reached such a dangerous level was proof that no one else had a cure. It was highly likely that Fay, in her desperation to gain strength so she could contest the arranged marriage, had died from Spiritual Poisoning in my previous life.

“I won’t let it happen,” I said to myself.

“Excuse me?” Fay asked, confused.

I looked over at the girl beside me. “I’m not going to let him force you into a marriage you don’t want. I will help you become strong enough to contest this marriage. What’s more, if your family and I successfully make a deal in regards to my pills and the Spiritual Technique Scroll being auctioned off at your Auction House, I will make sure they have the financial power to block further attempts.”

Fay stared at me with a blank look in her eyes, as if she couldn’t figure out what I was saying. Her expression didn’t last long. Soon after I finished speaking, her eyes became vibrant and startled, causing her to look away. Sadly for her, I could see the tips of her ears turn red.

“T-thank you,” she muttered, still not looking in my direction.

“You’re welcome.” I shrugged since this matter wasn’t a big deal to me. It wasn’t like knowing about the Leucht Family’s, or rather, Grant’s designs for Fay were going to change anything. I had been planning to help her grow stronger anyway. That was the entire reason I was training with her in the first place.

And even if she wasn’t being forced into an arranged marriage with Grant Leucht, I still planned on killing him.

***

Because I worked that day, I did not go home after parting ways with Fay. I went straight to the library.

I entered the front door, my gaze sweeping around the first-floor. There were several men and women sitting at the tables, a book in front of them. I couldn’t tell what they were reading from this distance. However, while some of them looked engrossed in their books, a number of others were quietly conversing as they glanced at the door. They seemed disappointed that the person who entered was me.

Ms. Nadine was sitting behind the counter. She looked up as I walked up, her eyes giving me a once over as she raised a single eyebrow.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“Ha ha. That’s a good joke,” I said in a dry voice. “Maybe you should consider changing your career from Librarian to Jester.”

“I am sorry,” Ms Nadine said slowly. “However, I don’t know anyone who has such a dry wit or wears such ostentatious clothing. Could you be at the wrong library?”

I rolled my eyes. “Just go home already. I’ll take care of closing the library.”

Ms. Nadine nodded and stood up. There was a book sitting on the counter. A quick glance at the pages revealed that it was a cookbook. She slammed the book shut before I could see what she’d been planning to cook, picked it up, and walked toward the door. However, just as I was about to sit down, she stopped and turned to face me.

“You look good in those,” she said before leaving.

I snorted at the compliment. Ms. Nadine was considered a middle-class citizen, a basic commoner. While she worked at the library, her husband was a carpenter. I’d met their children a few times before. The clothing they wore was sturdy but not as fashionable as something like this, which was clearly clothes a noble would wear.

Maybe I should have changed back into my original outfit?

I pondered this as I helped a few of the people who entered the library find the books they wanted.

While I was helping someone locate a book on historical figures, the doors opened again and Kari walked in. She had chosen to wear a white dress that day. The dress didn’t have any sleeves and was held up by a pair of strings. It only went down to about the middle of her thighs, allowing me to see her long legs. Due to the sheerness of the fabric, her breasts seemed a bit fuller, which several other men noticed as well. Fortunately, she also wore a dark cloak, which did an admirable job of not allowing anyone to see too much.

Her sandals clicked against the floor as she walked over to the stairs. She looked around for several seconds as though searching for something. Her gaze passed over me completely, and then she stopped, paused, and looked back.

I smiled at her shocked expression.

“You seem surprised,” I said, grinning at her as I walked over. “Could it be your shocked by my new clothes?”

“I am,” she said finally. “But in a good way.” She smiled. “They suit you.”

“Thanks.” I looked down at my outfit. “I wish I could say I was the one who picked them out, but…”

“Oh?” Kari raised an eyebrow when I trailed off.

I gave her a non committal smile. “I’m planning something of a business venture. You know those alchemy pills I’ve been refining for you?”

“Of course.” Kari’s eyes lit up as her lips curled in a gentle smile. “How could I not? They’ve been a huge help in my training.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” I smiled back before continuing. “Well, I know how to make a few other useful pills, though none of them can be used for training. I want to sell them. However, no one knows who I am, and without being a prestigious and well-respected member of society, no one is going to buy my pills.”

“And so you are going to ask a noble for help,” Kari concluded. I nodded at her. However, rather than smile at me, she pouted.

“What is it?” I asked.

“You could have asked me for help,” she said, her frown growing as she placed her hands on her hips. “I would have gladly helped you.”

“Oh?” I gave her a teasing grin and took a step closer. “That does make me happy to hear. I’m glad you want to help me, but does that mean you know some wealthy merchants who can help me with the sales and distribution of my pills?”

“Well… no,” she admitted reluctantly.

My smile softened as I stepped even closer until she and I were barely a dozen centimeters apart. I looked down at the girl, who could only look up. She was about two heads shorter than myself. She only came up to my chest.

“I really am happy you want to help me,” I said in a soft voice meant only for her. I didn’t want the people who were blatantly listening in to hear my words. “However, I also want to do this myself. Using my connections to meet this noble, brokering a deal with the Alchemist Association, and trying to convince the noble I’m meeting to work with me… I want to use my own abilities to do all this.”

“Why? With my reputation and status, I could easily make them do what you want,” she said. While her eyes appeared to innocently gaze into mine, I could tell she was testing me.

“It’s true that I could rely on your status to get what I wanted, but using your status to elevate myself is the same as using you to get what I want. You mean too much for me to do that.” I shook my head and spoke from the heart. “I also know that you dislike using your status to get what you want. I won’t abuse your kindness to do something that I know you wouldn’t like.”

My words caused Kari’s cheeks to turn pink even as her eyes welled up with emotion. The vibrant luster of her eyes captured me in ways nothing else could. The flutter in my chest that I’d felt after being with Fay this morning paled in comparison to what I felt now, reaffirming my belief that I really did love Kari.

“Thank you,” she said in a soft voice.

“You’re welcome.” I paused before starting again. “You know, I’m all done with my work for the moment, so if you wanted to talk, I’m available.”

“I’d like that.”

Her smile growing brighter, Kari took my hand and led me toward the stairs. I let her take the lead. Neither of us paid attention to the many stares being directed our way as we headed to the second floor.