There were several ways the following confrontation could go. Tavia could laugh it off and not think much about it, be slightly miffed, or be angry enough to storm off in a rage.

… I know almost nothing of Tavia to actually rule anything out.

He didn’t count observations from afar as actually ‘knowing’ someone. It was far too easy to hide one’s true personality in that way. The realization made Cal seriously consider his impulsive decision to let her board at his house. He accepted far too readily—and eagerly.

Do I really pine after her that much?

He searched for any memories that brought out more than the usual, dim attraction he felt for Tavia and quickly reached an answer.

No, I don’t. So, it truly was companionship I was eager for. I miss Oleg’s presence more than I thought. But I refuse to bring him back before he finds his wife. I won’t ruin his chance at happiness to make myself more comfortable.

Cal saw Tavia’s carriage appear at the tree line. He realized that there was no driver as it quickly approached him. There never had been any time he saw it in the past.

Those horses are more intelligent than a regular beast should be.

He narrowed his eyes in thought as the carriage came to a stop. Tavia stepped out with a small bag in her hands.

“How did you create another hill when I was gone?” Tavia’s first words were filled with bemused exasperation.

“Calling that a hill is a bit of an overreaction, don’t you think?” Cal’s eyes flickered at the addition to the landscape—the new rock pile. She was not amused. “There were stones that needed to be moved. That was the result.”

“You have to do something with the eyesore, Cal. It’ll just keep growing and eventually get to a point where it’s unmanageable.”

Tavia wasn’t wrong. “I do have a plan for that, but that’s something to deal with in the future. And speaking of unmanageable, we need to talk about the furnishings.”

“Oh?” She was understandably confused. “Is there something wrong with your bedroom? I did say you should look at what I got before it was brought into the house.”

And it’s something I regret not doing.

“The bedroom is fine,” Cal decided to go the gentle route. “I never knew there could be so many… bold colors in one room.”

“You have a problem with the living room,” Tavia said with a tilt of her head. It was a statement that was said with curiosity, not irritation. “What changed? You liked it when I showed you.”

Either I’m a fantastic liar, or Tavia is terrible at reading people.

“It took some time to sink in, but I came to the unfortunate conclusion that it has to be changed.”

She sighed and crossed her arms, a metallic sound coming from the bag she held when it was jostled. Irritation finally showed in her expression. “Again, this is why I wish you had approved it beforehand. I’ll have to speak with that ass, Torin, to replace all of it.”

I forgot she disliked Torin. She was fine when she mentioned she had to order all of this from him, but that was likely influenced by her happiness at having picked out her choices. Now, I’m taking that away.

“You can still pick out what you want,” Cal extended as a peace offering, but when he realized he was making the same blunder, he added, “As long as the colors are muted and somewhat matching.”

Tavia looked like she was getting ready for a lengthy discussion, which Cal knew he didn’t have the patience for. If this peace offering wasn’t accepted, he would give her the money she spent before calling Seris to haul away everything.

I never thought I would have a serious conversation about furniture. Is this what happens when you want to live a happy life? I have to ask Oleg when I find him later… much later.

“Fine,” Tavia said after releasing a puff of air. “You only have a problem with the colors, right? I can get the same things, just in different colors.”

“That would be great,” Cal agreed happily. He didn’t know what had changed her mind about arguing, but he would gladly take it without questions.

Tavia untethered the two horses from the carriage. “I really thought I could sneak one past you, given how uninterested you were. Are my tastes that horrible to everyone?”

He was fascinated with how the horses went to the stables without help or instruction. Still, he couldn’t ignore the put-out expression Tavia had. “Others have said this to you?”

The author's narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“My friends never let me choose anything for our shared home. It always got vetoes. I thought this would be a chance to have my way.” Tavia had a pout that Cal had never imagined to see on her face before.

It made her look like the young woman she was compared to her usual stern countenance.

She said she was fully focused on succeeding as a Trainee, but it still shocks me how differently she acts now.

Cal looked away and cleared his throat. He would ignore her disappointment since the solution was to let her keep that eye-searing color combination. “So, did you learn anything about the Overseer?”

Tavia was thrown off by the question. Though not for long. She understood it was a blatant attempt to move past the topic.

To Cal’s relief, she let the change happen with only narrowed, glaring eyes as a consequence. “Admittedly, I didn’t focus all my effort there, but I did ask some of the Initiates with longer tenure. They barely remember who he was. I had to mention the word ‘Trainee’ before they remembered. And this was consistent every one I spoke to.”

That sounds about right. I never gave much thought to the Overseer in my first life after I became an Initiate. Neither did anyone around me.

He stayed silent as they walked to the house’s entrance until they entered the atrocity that was the living room. “Forget about the Overseer for now.”

“You’re no longer curious?”

Cal was extremely curious, but instead of having Tavia ask someone who was part of the guild’s administration, he might as well do it himself. The Overseer seemed to know things above his station and had an undeniable pull with the guild.

If the man hadn’t already known Tavia was asking about him, he definitely would have if she had prodded the administration. There were other things she could help with.

“I’m curious, but it makes no sense to poke at what is clearly something hidden. Especially when we just became Initiates,” Cal didn’t beat around the bush. “I'd rather you help me find out where the Trainees that failed the Selection went. I would be… very grateful.”

“Oleg?” Tavia asked—his name and nothing else.

“Oleg,” Cal nodded.

“It won’t be difficult to find out, though I’m not sure why you can’t do so yourself.”

“I don’t trust myself not to find him immediately. After you find out, write it down and keep it inside your room until I ask for it in the future.”

Tavia raised her eyebrows. “Sounds unnecessarily complicated, but alright. I was wondering why you hadn’t done something to help Oleg. So, you have some sort of deal with him?”

Yes, it's a deal that he has yet to learn about.

“Something like that.”

Tavia hummed in thought before she said, “I should turn in. I’m going to have an early day tomorrow because of you.”

Cal doubted that was the reason. She wasn’t subtle in the number of times she looked at the bag she was holding. Whatever she had in there was important to her.

It's not my business if she doesn’t share the information.

“I’ll do the same. Good night, Tavia.”

She gave him a small smile before heading to her room and closing the door behind her.

***

Cal stretched as he left the house. He heard the familiar sound of a cart that woke him up.

He expected to see Drex since the man still hadn’t been paid, but he was surprised to see Seris waving excitedly when she saw him as the cart slowly ambled toward him.

It was the crack of dawn, and he estimated enough time had passed for him to start step two on his dirt patch, and this was perfect timing by Seris… again.

Cal could see the three tubs he commissioned taking up all the space behind her on the cart. He saw no signs of any irrigation tool, but he wasn’t surprised to see that missing even though Orrin had supposedly claimed to Seris that it would be ready.

Such a tool was far too complex to complete in a week, let alone a day. He fully expected Orrin to research how to make one before realizing that he would need to travel to the field to learn the requirements of the irrigation tool.

Orrin has an independent mindset—as he should. But the tools he will soon have access to will make him a target. The more time he spends here, the better protected he will be.

“Good morning!” Seris said cheerily. “Orrin finished these a few hours ago, but he said he’ll need more time for the irrigation thingy.”

“That’s fine, but keep me updated on that.” Cal casually lifted the tubs off the cart. A closer look at them surprised him. “These are of the Common rank?”

“That’s what Orrin told me,” Seris confirmed.

Strange that the quality is reduced. All the spare tools Orrin made me were at the Uncommon rank. I wonder if the size makes it more difficult.

“Hm,” Cal nodded distractedly as he studied the tubs. They were oval in shape with straight sides and a flat bottom. All three were similar in size and big enough for him to sit inside, with the sides blocking his vision—precisely what he asked for. “How much?”

“Thirty copper each—Boss? When did you get those?”

Cal turned to see Seris staring at the horses, who in turn were staring at her curiously. He smirked as a thought came to mind as he handed her a silver coin. “They arrived last night. And there’s something else I want to show you. The house isn’t empty anymore. Go inside and tell me what you think.”

“Really? That was fast,” Seris looked eagerly at the house. She was rummaged in her coin purse and handed him ten copper in change before heading to the entrance.

Cal chuckled quietly as he waited for her reaction. She was already overexcited, and he expected a loud yell of dismay. It would wake Tavia—who had a job to do but hadn’t after her room yet—and it would get Seris to meet her at the same time.

I wonder how she will react when she sees the person she ‘graciously’ allowed to meet me alone without her interference walking out of a bedroom. It will also be an excellent way to get her used to another Initiate.

He heard a shocked gasp when Seris opened the door to the house and saw her stand frozen in her spot. He didn’t wait for her reaction, knowing he could take time to process what could be seen inside.

Cal went to take out a few containers of the powdered crystal. He was exiting the storage room when he finally heard Seris yell out with horror.

“Boss! You cannot be serious. This is the worst thing I have ever—”

He heard the faint sound of a door opening before Seris cut herself off. He passed the entrance to see her staring wide-eyed toward Tavia’s bedroom.

“Ah, right, Seris. I forgot to tell you that Tavia has a room here. She's the woman you saw the other day,” Cal said loudly as he put the containers of powered crystals into the tubs Orrin made. He was carrying them to the dirt patch when he heard Tavia speak.

“So, the worst thing, was it?”