"Lord Tybalten, I have received reports from our scouts concerning the situation in Restia Village."

A messenger bowed before a regal-looking man at his desk. The man wore dark green robes that emphasized his wealth, adorned with various gems and jewels. His brown hair was short and cropped, his face chiseled and hard. His dark eyes were busy reading the scrolls littered all over his desk.

The regal man looked up from his scrolls, his eyes sharp as he addressed the messenger. "And what do these reports say?"

"The elf assassin we hired to take out the man responsible for generating too much profit in the village has apparently failed to eliminate him," the messenger replied, visibly nervous under Tybalten's intense gaze. "The Traveler named Erik Park has not only survived but has also gained favor with the elf. He has been seen walking around with her as if they were comrades."

"Interesting," Tybalten mused, stroking his chin. "This Erik Park must be quite the charmer. I had hoped that the elf would be more... professional. Did she at least leave us with any useful information before she lost her resolve?"

"N-no sir... she... she's been with him since the night of the incident," the messenger stuttered, sweat beading on his forehead. "It seems she's been... well, helping him, actually."

Lord Tybalten's eyes narrowed. "Helping him? In what way?"

"W-we're not sure just yet... but it appears that the elf has been coexisting with the villagers. She's even been assisting in the burger shack," the messenger replied, visibly nervous under Tybalten's intense gaze.

For a long while, Tybalten remained silent, contemplating the unexpected turn of events. His knuckles turned white as he gripped the edge of his desk, his thoughts racing. The elf, the very one he had sent to eliminate the human, had instead chosen to aid him. This was a complication he had not foreseen.

"Fetch me... Ulrich Avaren."

A cold chill descended upon the room as soon as the words left Tybalten's mouth. The messenger hesitated.

"S-sir... are you sure you want to employ that... demon of a man?"

Lord Tybalten's eyes snapped to the messenger. "You dare question me?" His voice was a low growl, his teeth bared in a snarl.

The messenger took a step back, trembling. "N-no, my lord. I just... I mean, isn't he... dangerous?"

"Eh? Me? Who said that?" A third voice spoke out of thin air. "You're all talking as if I'm not here."

As if by magic, another man garbed in black appeared in the room, his eyes gleaming with amusement. He had a sharp jawline, piercing blue eyes, and short-cropped blond hair that stood almost on end. He was tall and muscular, with an aura of danger that was thick even to those who didn't know his reputation.

"Ulrich," Tybalten greeted the man warily. "I suppose I should be grateful that you approached me first."

The newcomer named Ulrich smiled thinly, his eyes glinting with a dangerous spark. "Well, after hearing how your previous attempt at assassinating a Traveler failed just now... how could I resist?"

The messenger's eyes widened in terror. "Y-you mean you know about...?"

Several sharp knives materialized out of nowhere, all pointing at the messenger's neck. Ulrich gave him a lazy side-eye. "If I didn't know, then I wouldn't be here, right? Now, quiet down and let the adults speak."

Lord Tybalten's eyes narrowed. "Your insolence won't be tolerated, Ulrich. Remember your place."

Ulrich's eyes flashed towards the lord with a challenging and demented look. "Oh? Are you saying you'd be able to put me in my place?"

The room grew tense as the two men stared at each other, the unspoken threat hanging in the air like a sword. The messenger took a deep breath, his eyes darting between the two.

Finally, Ulrich snorted, waving a hand. A chair magically zoomed towards him as he sat down, crossing a leg. "Whatever. I'd easily kill you with no effort, but then I'd have no piggy bank."

Lord Tybalten's eyes narrowed, his jaw clenching at the disrespect. "You are here for one reason, Ulrich: to deal with the Traveler and the elf," he growled.

Ulrich clasped his hands, delighted malice sparkling in his eyes. "I love money, but I love killing strong people more. For you to personally hire me... that must mean this Traveler is pretty strong, no? To be able to survive a 5th Circle elf... oh, just the thought of killing him is getting me excited."

The messenger swallowed hard, not daring to interrupt the tense exchange.

"You're a greedy bastard, Ulrich," Tybalten sneered. "But if you can get rid of them, I'll make sure you're well compensated."

Ulrich chuckled darkly as he stood up. "Oh, I'm not just in it for the gold, Tybalten. This Traveler... he's got something special. Something I can feel all the way here." He leaned in closer, his smile turning predatory. "I can't wait to see what kind of fun we can have together."

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

The knives that were pointed at the messenger flew towards Ulrich, spinning around him in a metal whirlwind before he and the blades vanished out of sight.

"He's... something else," the messenger stuttered, wiping the cold sweat from his brow.

"If he weren't at the 7th Circle, I would've chosen someone else," Tybalten spat, clearly not amused by the show of power. "But it seems my options are limited."

Despite the tense meeting, it didn't really matter much to Tybalten. The only reason he had chosen Myrese over Ulrich was due to the fact that the elf was substantially less expensive than the man, but seeing as she had betrayed him, he was left with no choice. Thankfully, Ulrich never failed a job. Tybalten was certain this time that Erik was as good as dead, along with the traitorous elf.

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After setting up deadlines with Grom and Kinnesthe, Erik and Myrese headed over to the water park. From what the elf had said earlier that morning, Talia had met up with Ricteronu, helping Erik with his daily tasks as he slept in. Erik himself felt a bit of trepidation, recalling how Myrese noted that Talia had a surprise waiting for them.

As they approached the water park, the sound of laughter and splashing grew louder. The sight of the bustling park brought a smile to Erik's face, despite his fatigue. The sight of people enjoying themselves was something he hadn't seen much of since he arrived in this new world. Granted, Erik was busy working himself to the bone trying to earn money, but seeing this was a breath of fresh air.

The water park was at its business peak, bustling with humans and fantasy creatures alike. The children played in the water, chased each other, and squealed with delight as Ricteronu played the role of lifeguard with a stern expression that barely concealed his amusement.

Erik spotted Talia from afar, her black hair tied back in a ponytail, revealing her sweat-drenched forehead. She was dressed in a simple, functional outfit that left her shoulders bare, showing off her toned arms as she worked tirelessly at one of the stalls, serving smiles along with the food.

"Holy fuck. Talia's actually working?" Erik whispered, not quite believing it. Myrese tilted her head.

"Does... she not usually work? I figured someone as strong as her would have a good work ethic."

Erik bit his tongue, wanting to correct Myrese and tell her that that was the complete opposite from what he knew. But it seemed as if Talia had a determination in her, and Erik wasn't going to ruin that or Myrese's impression of her.

As they approached the stall, Talia looked up and saw them. Her eyes lit up, and she beckoned them over. "Erik, you're here! And you brought Myrese!"

"Hey Talia. I'm guessing this is the surprise you were wanting to show us?" Erik dryly replied, glancing around at the bustling water park.

"Actually, no. That's just part of it," Talia said, a hint of excitement in her voice. She took them through the water park, pointing out various improvements and new attractions that had been built. The once modest park had transformed into a thriving hub of entertainment, teeming with villagers and visitors from afar.

"So Erik, do you recall how you wanted to start a modeling agency?" Talia asked with a casual backwards glance.

"I meant it as a joke, I wasn't really serious–"

"Well, I spoke with Geritara early this morning, and he'd love to help out! He said that it would be an even greater chance to display all of his designs," Talia continued, noticing Erik's new suit. "And since you're dressed for the part, I figured we could start the scouting right away!"

"Wait, time out. How'd you do that? And why didn't Geri tell us anything about it? We were just by his shop earlier," Erik said, his eyes darting around in confusion.

"I told him I wanted to surprise you," Talia shrugged nonchalantly. "To show you how I can help expand and create more businesses."

Erik looked at Talia with a mix of amazement and disbelief. "But you hate business."

"I hate working," Talia corrected, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "But I don't hate making money."

Erik had to agree with her there. Making money was pretty much his entire motivator. As they walked, the scents of the water park mixed with the smell of grilled meat from the nearby burger shack. His stomach rumbled, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the night before.

"You know, I've been thinking," Talia said, her eyes scanning the crowd. "With everything we've been doing, we're going to need more hands. And not just any hands- skilled hands."

Erik sighed, holding back from rolling his eyes. He already knew that, which was why all of the people he personally selected- Alyssa, Ricteronu, Geritara, Myrese, Grom, and even Kinnesthe among others, were those he deemed capable in their respective trades. He remained quiet, wanting to see where Talia was going with it.

"I know you're the brains behind this operation," Talia continued, "but I think we could use someone to help manage things. Someone who knows the village and the people here better than anyone."

"Let me guess: you?" Erik replied teasingly. Talia blinked in confusion.

"No... I was going to say Morthanu."

"Oh." Erik's teasing smile faltered, and he nodded thoughtfully. "Morthanu could be a good choice. He's got a knack for keeping things in order, and he's the village elder after all. Plus, he's more conservative to these things compared to the rest of the men in the village... though not by much."

"He also has a good eye," Talia nodded sagely. "He knows true beauty at first sight."

"That's because you have an outright unbelievable body", Erik wanted to say, but held back. Talia seemed really into this idea, and he didn't want to rain on her parade. Not to mention Myrese was still with them. Although, now that he thought about it, the dark-skinned elf also had a nice body...

"Anyway, I wanted to have a hand in helping start the modeling agency, but I'm not sure where to even begin," Talia admitted, her cheeks flushing slightly. "I know it's not something I'm used to, but I want to contribute too."

Erik was thoroughly impressed and a bit unsure of this change in Talia. He had never seen her so driven to contribute to something beyond her own personal battles. He had always thought of her as a bit of a free spirit, but this was a side of her he hadn't expected.

"Well, unfortunately, I'm not entirely sure on how to start a modeling agency either," Erik grinned. "But we're figuring it out together, right?"

Talia nodded, a soft smile on her face. "Thank you, Erik Park."

Myrese watched the two of them with a bemused expression. Her thoughts drifted back to her previous life, the coldness of the shadows replaced by the warmth of the sun beating down on her as they strolled through the crowded water park.

She had never had anyone she could reliably say was her friend, much less an ally that wouldn't try to kill her the moment they could. But seeing Talia's and Erik's relationship- both their bickering and their moments of genuine affection- made her feel a twinge of longing for something similar. Something she thought she'd never had again.

"Myr?" Erik's voice jolted her out of her head. He and Talia were gazing at her curiously. "You okay?"

Myrese managed a small grin, pushing away her thoughts. "Yeah. I'm alright. And it's Myrese."