Alim was covered in dust from his four-month trip back from rescuing Irmin Erlminin, an ironic mission that he couldn't help but laugh at every time it crossed his mind.

He and Irmin had separated when they arrived at the gate just outside the city. Irmin had somehow sent word that he would be arriving, so servants of the Erlminin Manor were already waiting for them. Irmin wanted them to bring his rescuer home as well, but the servants, with a sneer, ignored Alim, telling him that it would be best not to associate with something like him as it would only taint his standing in the higher circles. Alim had no choice but to ignore these servants' flagrant disrespect as the Alchemic Race focused very much on the hads and had-nots, and Alim was a had-not.

As he strolled down the quiet street, a small gust of wind picked up and swirled the loose dirt around him. As far as his sight went, there were only a handful of Seedlings around the district, seemingly lost in their thoughts as they wandered aimlessly. The deserted streets and the quietness of the evening were somber and lonely.

Alim finally opened the door to his home and was greeted by the silence of an empty house.

"Where did they go?"

Alim was confused by the fact that no one was there until he remembered a conversation with Clover before he had left.

It was just after they had arrived in Pilosophis and before they had even moved into the house they were living in now. Alim and the boy had just argued over something while Clover giggled at the side. Alim couldn't even remember what the argument was about; he was too distracted by the woman beside him and the question of what she was laughing at. At some point, between his distraction and the yelling, the boy stormed off and left Alim and Clover behind.

Alim couldn't remember how, but they had gotten onto the subject of the boy and how protective Clover was. That was when Alim discovered that Theo was born with a cracked life seed, something very rare in regular Seedlings that have not awakened their essence. Alim asked if she thought about letting Theo spend time with children his age since he only had a short time to live, but Clover was too scared of something happening to Theo to let that happen, so she locked him in their home with books, telling him that the world was dangerous for them. After a lengthy conversation, Alim had convinced her to volunteer at an orphanage and bring Theo along, but she had put it off with excuses.

"Seems like she finally made a decision... at least that's what I hope."

Feeling exhausted, Alim decided not to spend time doing anything else and headed straight to his room. As soon as he touched the bed, he felt an instant sense of relief and quickly fell asleep. It was deep into the night when suddenly, a loud noise interrupted Alim's peaceful sleep. The sound of someone bursting into his room startled him awake, leaving him disoriented and confused.

"ALIM!"

Clover jumped at Alim with tears in her eyes.

"Thank you!"

"Huh?"

"Theo is going to get to go to an academy! A real academy!"

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"What?"

"A man came to the orphanage just as I was leaving. He told me he needed to repay you for rescuing him, and you asked for Theo to be put into one of the private academies!"

"I did?"

"REALLY THANK YOU! With him going to an academy, I won't have to worry about something happening to him because of his life seed."

"Uhh, right..."

"I haven't told Theo yet. I thought it would be better for you to tell him. It was an awkward walk home with him since I wanted to keep it a secret."

"...What?"

Suddenly, there was a quiet knock on the door of the house.

"Who could that be at this hour?" Clover said, rushing out of the room; excitement and joy seemed to be in her every step.

"ALIM!" Clover's giddy scream echoed through the house.

Alim begrudgingly walked out of the room; as he did so, he locked eyes with Theo, who glared at him with tired eyes.

"Why was my mother in your room? She isn't supposed to go in there." Theo said, rubbing his drooping eyes.

"Can we do this later? I am still too tired to deal with you."

Theo could only blink as Alim dragged himself to the entrance of the house.

Clover stood giddy in the doorway as she waited for her 'husband' to come so she could let the guest in. Since she was not the head of the house, all she could do was wait, but knowing Alim, it would not take long. And just as her thoughts reached there, Alim walked around the corner into the entryway.

"Huh? Why are you here?" Alim stared with wide eyes at Irmin's smiling face, standing in the doorway flanked by two large men dressed in full armor with helmets in their hands and stern, almost angry faces.

"Alim! It took a while, but I finished my business and came to talk to you!" Irmin said with a dopey grin.

"Oh, come in then?"

"There is no need for that," Irmin said with a nod to one of the guards, who then handed a paper to Alim.

"What is this?"

"An offer... to become my head butler and personal bodyguard," Irmin said with eyes filled with anticipation.

Alim, on the other hand, was shocked at the offer. Why would this 'stranger' propose such a position to a man he had just met? They didn't exactly get close on their trek back to Pilosophis, so why? He could understand Irmin helping with Theo. It was not as big of a deal as Clover was making. Alim could go and enroll Theo if that was what they wanted; it was just some Points, something that he had plenty of, but this offer was unusual.

"ALIM! ALIM! Let's celebrate!" Clover said between her shrieks of excitement

"It seems your wife has accepted for you," Irmin said through a thin smile.

"Um, sorry, but can I have time to think about this?"

"That is what I thought might happen. Yes, you may, but know that I tend to be quite stubborn when I set my sights on something." Irmin said as he and his guards turned to leave, "I hope to hear back soon regarding your acceptance."

As the door closed, two different conversations began and ended in only a few sentences.

***

"Why did you not accept?"

"I'm nothing more than a puppet pulled by strings; my choices are not my own. And I'm nothing but a man who abandons those who need him most. A position like that does not suit me I am far better suited for what I do now."

"Is that not just the part you play? "

"... It's late and I'm tired."

"Alim?"

***

"Lord Erlminin, was it truly wise to offer something like that to a complete stranger?"

"Hehe! Don't worry. He will be essential to my future plans. Whether he agrees or not, everything is already in place. It is only a matter of time. Oh, and tell Master Orion my project may be delayed for some time."