Standing beside Elsa, Ryou surveyed the diverse assembly before him—a congregation ranging from 120 to 150 individuals, comprising of familiar faces from his previous life, friends, foes, acquaintances, enemy and strangers. Remarkably, amidst the crowd, he recognized eight figures intimately familiar to him—representatives of the top eight guilds.

Swallow Grace of Heaven Rupture Guild,

White Halo of Stellar Guild.

Koyama Namika from Requiem of the Light Guild.

Blacky from Patience Shadow Guild.

Willow Soul from Ghost Wolves Guild.

Takayo Sama of Raven Galaxy Guild.

Diamond Edge from Lost Age Guild.

King Bird from Vanguard Mountain Guild.

Among these prominent guilds, months from now, there would be Free Sky, Sora's Guild, which would climb to the pinnacle, claiming the top spot years later. Bloom, was an outsider among these top Guilds initially, which only transformed into a formidable force later when he joined and it gradually climb higher.

As Ryou immersed himself in reflections of the past, Sora's voice resonated through the hushed surroundings, bidding with a confident tone, "I bid 3 Silvers for the Bronze armor." Her words, akin to a soothing bell, pierced the silence, capturing the attention of everyone present.

The crowd, despite the sudden realization that there was an auction unfolding, no other bidder could surpass the offered 3 silvers as many didn't have enough money, rendering the prized Bronze armor a rightful acquisition for Sora.

Sora's companion, a bald man clad in a crisp white leather shirt, stepped forward. With a display of trust, he handed over the agreed-upon 3 silvers to Elsa, who in turn, graciously delivered the bronze armor into the bald man.

Ryou felt some nostalgia as he recognized the bald middle-age man, he was Boulder Bear a pillar of trust and loyalty in Sora's inner circle. In his past life, this stalwart companion had been dubbed "Mountain" for his imposing build and the unyielding resilience he displayed in the face of attacks—an apt moniker for his formidable defense.

Interrupting Elsa's impending selection of another bronze equipment, Ryou interjected with a polite assertion, "Miss Elsa, if you may, I'd like to present my items first before we proceed with the next one."

Elsa, understanding his words, stopped her movement and nodded with enthusiasm. Ryou, from his space bag, unleashed a torrent of monster materials that Sora had given to him and declared, “Ladies and gentlemen, due to time constraints I would put all these materials at once."

He cleared his throat before changing his accent like that of a salesperson, and said "Behold! the treasures that usually require a day of gaming grind! Don't blink, folks, today is an express delivery. Starting bid: 2 silvers. Let the bidding war for your one-day shortcut begin!”

Before bids could fly, White Halo, a berserker wearing golden armor, barged in, waving like an overenthusiastic wizard. "Yo, man!" he exclaimed, stealing Ryou's attention and continued, “Is this your quest?”

Ryou sighed, "Yes, it's my quest, and I'm in a hurry, so..."

Interrupting him, a woman's voice chimed in, "Are you really in a hurry?" A women in green robe and a staff in hand spoke, "Wait for my money to arrive, and I'll bid even more!"

Ryou cut in, "Sorry, Swallow Grace-san,only half an hour left on this quest clock.”

Earlier, Elsa must have said that this auction was a time limited quest only, according to his instructions.

A Guardian with cascading waist-length hair spoke up, her words carrying a measured authority, "How about you wait for another ten minutes then?"

Ryou's gaze bore into the trio before him, a fusion of irritation, exasperation, and a subtle satisfaction pulsating within him. These three individuals held sway as some of the most formidable talents in New World—figures revered by many, feared by some. Yet, in this moment, he was occupying the higher ground, he was elated to say the least.

Unyielding, he asserted, "No can do. I've got a deadline, and plenty more loot to unload in this half-hour fiesta.”

His assertion was half truth, the biggest reason he was not willing to extend the time was because the town’s guard must be on their way to catch this illegal auction any moment.

Beyond just the 8 guild representatives a collective grimace etched itself on the faces of those present, especially those without no funds. But the one with some money left were in excitement as they continuously bid.

– “2.4 silvers”

– “2.5 silvers”

– “2.7 silvers”

Ryou, in the midst of the bidding war turns to Elsa and asks in a low tone, “Miss Elsa, how and why did you let those two ladies in your house?”

Elsa also slowly turned to Ryou and in a mischievous tone said, “Young master, it's not good to be always mad with your sweetheart, you should forgive them by now?”

Ryou felt like his heart had been grabbed by someone, in an inarticulate tone he spoke, “M-iss El-sa, wh-at a-re you saying?”

Elsa's expression transformed in an instant, registering the anguish etched upon Ryou's face. The once-joyful smile dissolved, replaced by a countenance of genuine remorse. Her eyes trembled and her complexion paled, drained of its vibrant hues. In the precipice of this emotional shift, Elsa was on the verge of bending her knees, as she prepared to apologize for the unintended distress she had caused.

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Ryou gently halted Elsa by clasping her arms and spoke with a soft but firm tone, "We can discuss this later, Miss Elsa. There are many eyes upon us now. For the moment, I ask you to maintain a smile in the presence of these people."

Elsa nodded, suppressing the tears that threatened to leak out. As Ryou surveyed the surroundings, he observed that the bustling crowd remained oblivious, engrossed in their bids and perusing the materials laid out on the table.

“Sweetheart?” Ryou muttered with remorse as he looked to the direction where Sora and Aoi were.

He slowly tried to remember how he first met her.

Six years after immersing himself in the game, Ryou's rising skills and levels had finally aligned with the seasoned players of the early days. Elated by his own achievements, he sought to challenge the infamous 'Crazed Slaughterer.' Their first encounter unfolded in a bustling arena, where Ryou, to his dismay, suffered a resounding defeat in front of a captivated audience.

And day after day, Ryou relentlessly pursued the 'Crazed Slaughterer' and challenged her, whether it be in forest, deserts or mountains. Whether amidst a crowd of players or in the silent solitude of desolate landscapes, their fight continued. However, each duel always leave Ryou to the brink, as she would always leave his HP to a mere 1%, and half beaten to death.

The relentless pursuit reached its conclusion when, one weary day, Ryou's determination waned, and he ceased chasing Aoi, the Crazed Slaughterer. However, fate had other plans, as the tables turned. Surprisingly, it was Aoi who reversed the roles, initiating challenges that mirrored their past encounters. Each day, in diverse locales, she sought him out.

As the battles transformed into a daily ritual, a subtle connection began to weave itself between them. What started as discussions on skills and battles evolved into conversations extending beyond the confines of gaming and adventure. What emerged was a relationship, an unexpected bond woven through the threads of shared experiences and mutual understanding.

After losing his family, Ryou had existed only as a mere shell, navigating life with a detached emptiness. His actions, even the push to defeat Aoi were driven solely by a desire to escape the haunting memories of his tragic past, but it had led Aoi, an unexpected angelic presence, to breathe life back into his desolate existence. Aoi's kindness and warmth acted as a healing balm, piecing together the fragments of Ryou's fractured soul. For the first time since the tragedy, he felt a sense of wholeness.

However, after being together for two years, another unexpected person emerged. Sora, her big sister, arrived from nowhere just like today, and contrary to the cold and ruthless rumors that had preceded her, Sora possessed a kind and sweet voice and heart that defied expectations. Much like Aoi, she radiated kindness, and the unexpected connection blossomed into a friendship.

However, the warmth that Aoi and Sora brought into Ryou's life began to fade slowly and mysteriously, first Aoi had to distanced herself and three months later, both Aoi and Sora went away from his life without a trace and they never contacted him ever since. The sudden and simultaneous disappearance left Ryou grappling with confusion and a sense of abandonment.

At some point, Ryou understood that Sora was the puppeteer behind this separation, she had manipulated the threads of their connections. He had unwittingly let his guard down against the unseen machinations of the most ruthless person in New World, the Demon of the Sky that had manipulated all the 8 guilds and sacrificed them so she could reach the top.

He gets out of his reminiscent state and returns back to this unbelievable state of being reincarnated, and remembered, his family was still alive. His family has a lot of expectations from him, he would not allow his plan to deviate by staying in contact with Sora, the… weird element. She was smart, rich and beautiful. She could change his plan by a lot if he were to be not careful.

He looked at Sora with the corner of his eyes and thought, ‘I would not let you be curious about me…

_ _ _ _ _

Sora, standing in the crowds beside her teammates was observing Rem stopping Elsa, then took her given items and lay them on the table. She was half sure of it, and now it was unmistakable that they were a maid and master duo. She could see it in Elsa's expression that she didn't even flinch or feel offended when Rem stop her action, instead she accepted it in silence like a servant would.

Though she didn't know that Rem would put some of his items on the ongoing auction, she had wanted, from the start to add some items of her own. It was for this experiment, to gauge their relationship, and now she was sure of her thought that Elsa is loyal to Rem like a maid or more. However, she suddenly remembered the conversation they had earlier,

"Aren't you curious about how I managed to persuade your lovely maid out there to grant us entry?”

In a blank expression and tilted head Rem said “My maid?”.

It made her lose her calm for a moment as she was 100% sure that he would ask her about how she managed to persuade Elsa to give her permission to enter her house. She had wanted to probe more about their status but she couldn't due to that blank expression he made. However, she did reciprocated in the end with her own blank face and it was enjoyable to see his flustered state.

Observing the ongoing conversation between them, Sora discerned an apologetic expression on Elsa's face, her eyes portraying the demeanor of a wronged servant. It dawned on Sora that this might be a result of Elsa allowing her into the house without Rem's consent. Glancing at Aoi, Sora recalled utilizing her sister to manipulate Elsa into granting permission.

Upon their initial encounter, Elsa exudes kindness towards everyone, but when she interacted with Sora, Elsa's smile, once warm and genuine, transformed into a mechanical puppet's grin, devoid of any nuanced reactions. However, she deftly and unexpectedly introduced Rem into the conversation, hoping for a genuine reaction, yet Elsa remained unshakable, her expression unchanged not even a twitch in her facial features.

Undeterred by the lack of reaction, Sora concocted a tale, weaving a web of lies about Rem being her sister's estranged sweetheart, fueling it further by showing the Odachi he gifted her. Aoi, ever the trusting sister, embraced the story, proudly displaying the weapon and added more plots in the stories. Finally, Elsa, swayed by Aoi's cute words, or maybe a voice other than herself, cracked her wooden smile and offered an understanding nod, granting permission to enter her home.

For Sora, manipulating and reading and steering people to her liking was no challenge. People, regardless of their roles whether it be knight, a criminal or a businessman, according to Sora were tethered to 'duty' 'emotions,’ and ‘needs’. In Elsa's case, she held a steadfast commitment as a maid for Rem's happiness, so Sora artfully stretched the boundaries of duty, tactically nudging until Elsa's duty bubble burst, laying bare the emotions and needs for her to exploit.

Sora deemed everyone, as dull, as she was able to anticipate their thoughts, actions, and facades with ease. Only within her family did the unpredictability of thoughts and actions reign. Even if she tried to read them like the other people, they always defied her expectations, however, she attributed this phenomenon to her love for her family.

Currently, Sora's attention is fixed on the other enigmatic figure, 'Rem' which wasn’t her family.

Initially she was motivated by only a desire to repay the favor of the Odachi he bestowed upon her sister. Sora, as the heir of Shinoda Corp, found the concept of owing a debt to anyone inconceivable. Yet, as she observed Rem today, she couldn't quite decipher the intricacies of this peculiar individual.

Meeting him again, she noted in him the lingering shock, a blend of panic and animosity etched across his features. Shinoda's corporation was a big industry and there were some unfair businesses, so she brushed off Ryou's fear and shock towards her as related to the giant Shinoda Corporation.

However, during their conversation, Rem's accurate judgements and actions left her with curiosity. The second oddity was by his blank expression notwithstanding her earlier probe. His action made her think that he had known her for an extended period of time.

Sora struggled to recall any meaningful connections with both males and females in her life. Typically she would make connections with people only for the benefit of herself and her family. The exception lay in the periods when she ran away from home, during which she managed to form genuine friendly connection.

The mystery surrounding Rem intrigued Sora. Pondering the possibility, she mused, "Could he be someone from that time when I left? I'm quite curious about you, Rem.”

At this moment, Rem also inwardly thought, ‘I would not let you be curious about me Sora, you can use other people but I would not allow myself to be use again”

‘I want to make you my friend, Rem’

‘Sora, you are my enemy from the future,’