Well, I thought the empire had lent us more money. Didn’t Lucas mention borrowing it himself?

I strode across the room, each step echoing in the quiet space.

Once I reached the table, I pulled out the bag I may have borrowed from the imperial treasury. Without a word, I turned it over, and the contents spilled out in a glittering cascade.

Gold bars rained down onto the table, clinking and stacking in a chaotic, shimmering pile. The sound was almost musical, each bar adding a deep, satisfying clunk to the growing mound. The faint glow from the enchantments on the walls reflected off the gold, painting the room in a warm, golden light.

I always wanted to do something like this.

Farhad’s chuckle turned into a choking noise, and I could feel his stunned gaze boring into the back of my head. Alma let out a soft gasp, while Lola’s eyes widened slightly before she quickly composed herself, probably already calculating what to do with the money.

“Well,” I said, straightening up and dusting off my hands. “Is this enough, or should I head back to the imperial treasury for round two?” My tone was casual, but the smirk tugging at the corner of my mouth made it clear I was enjoying this far too much.

Farhad’s face shifted into something between awe and fear as he leaned in slightly, whispering, “I heard there was… an incursion at the imperial treasury…”

Oh.

No, no, no!

“That’s why I jo-joked like that!” I stuttered, forcing out a laugh that sounded a bit too nervous for comfort. “My point is, yes, we have plenty of money. Enough for proper armor for my personal guard and to shore up the fort.”

“And some,” Farhad added with a grin so wide he could drink two glasses at once. He clapped his hands together, his energy shifting instantly from wary to excited. “I’ll set up the buying schemes right away, Lady.”

Before I could respond, he spun around and hurried out like his boots were on fire. Alma cast me a questioning glance before I sighed and nodded. Without a word, she followed him, her expression unreadable, but her steps brisk.

“Well, that was underwhelming…” I grumbled, half to myself.

Honestly, I’d expected a bit more drama. At least throwing the gold bars around had been fun, but now they were scattered all over the room like oversized, glittering bricks of annoyance. I bent down to pick up the first bar, its weight surprising me. The bag had made it seem so light. “Great,” I muttered. “Now I have to clean up after my own dramatic outburst.”

“Lady, let me help,” Lola said quickly, scurrying over like a squirrel eager to organize acorns. She dropped to her knees and began stacking the bars neatly on the table.

“You know,” I said, sliding another bar onto the growing pile, “you can call me Charlie, right?”

She paused for a moment, glancing up at me with a faint, almost shy smile. “I know, Lady.”

I arched an eyebrow, my hands still gripping the cold metal. “Does it bother you to call me just Charlie?”

“No!” she exclaimed, her tone bright and genuine. She hesitated for a moment, then added with a glimmer of excitement in her eyes, “But I like it this way. I always dreamed of being like this!”

Her gaze swept over the bars of gold scattered across the room, and for a moment, it was as if she were soaking in the scene like a childhood fantasy come to life.

“Yeah, by the way,” I said, stepping back and surveying the neatly sorted mountain of gold bars. It was an impressive sight—a bit too impressive, really. I might’ve stolen more than I’d intended. And with three more bags still stashed away, one of which was distinctly royal…

Yeah, maybe I overdid it.

“Take one bar for yourself, okay? Like a signing bonus,” I added casually, already preparing to leave.

“You can’t—” Lola protested. But I was faster, shoving one of the hefty bars into her hands before she could finish.

“Take it,” I insisted, cutting her off as I started walking away. “Besides, doesn’t the treasury work in a way that lets us withdraw money through the system?”

“As far as I’ve read, yes. That’s usually how it’s set up. But, Lady, this bar is worth ten thousand—”

I raised a hand behind me, waving off her objection without turning around. “I don’t want to hear any ‘but Lady,’ okay? And for the record, I wasn’t joking—I really want my heels identified before I hit the bed.”

By the time I reached the hallway, Lola had hurried to catch up.I paused to close the door to the treasury, activating the enchantments with a quick mental command. The faint glow of magic rippled across the door before fading.

“I think he’s still in the map room,” Lola said as we walked, her voice light.

“Thanks.” I glanced over at her and smiled. “And thanks for being here. It’s going to help so much.”

She waved off my gratitude with a casual flick of her hand. “No, Lady, thank you. I’ll go over the paperwork, so if we don’t see each other again tonight, good night.”

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

Her words caught me off guard for a moment, and I hesitated. “Uhm…” I started, unsure how to respond. “I… yes. Good night.”

With a polite bow, she turned and headed toward the office. I watched her go for a moment before shaking my head and continuing to the map room.

Lucas was still at the map table when I arrived, probably absorbed in whatever strategy he was imagining. He hadn’t noticed me yet, so I paused a few steps away from the door, quietly observing him. His brow furrowed in concentration as he shifted the little figures around—probably trying to predict the battle.

At least, that’s what I thought at first.

Then he started making exaggerated exploding sounds, his hands enthusiastically dropping figures onto the map like they were grenades.

One after another.

I stifled a laugh, backing quietly toward the door. Composing myself, I gave the door a quick knock before confidently stepping in.

“Oh, Charlie!” Lucas nearly yelped, spinning around with a voice pitched just a little too high. He quickly plastered on an eager smile. “I was waiting for you!”

I couldn’t help but smile back—grateful, curious, and honestly too tired to overthink it.

Without a word, I walked over, closed the distance, and raised my foot toward him. He caught it instinctively, his hand wrapping gently around my calf, his eyes lifting to mine in confusion. “We still have to… identify the heels,” I reminded him, my voice quieter than I expected.

“Oh!” His laugh was a little too loud, and he nodded quickly. But instead of focusing on the heels, his gaze stayed locked on mine. Something about the way he looked at me pained my heart.

“Charlie…” he started, his tone softer now. “I’m sorry. I really—”

“Lucas.” I cut him off gently but firmly. “I know.”

I shifted my weight awkwardly as his hand lingered on my calf. The words spilled out before I could stop them. “You’ve always been great to me before this. And I won’t lie… You don’t love me.”

His expression was tightening as he wrestled with whatever thoughts were flying through his head.

“You love the previous Charlie,” I continued. “And now, you’ll never let her go. You won’t move on. And I’ll always know that—in the back of my mind.”

Lucas froze, his hand still lightly resting on my calf as if afraid moving would mean losing me. I kept my eyes closed, bracing for whatever came next.

For once, Lucas seemed at a loss for words. The silence stretched, and when he finally spoke, his voice was quieter than I’d ever heard it.

“You’re wrong, Charlie.”

My eyes snapped open, meeting his. There was no trace of his usual grin or playful demeanor. Instead, his gaze was intense, searching, almost desperate.

“You’re not her,” he admitted. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t… care about you. I see you. Not just the Charlie I knew before. I see you now. And I know I messed up.” He paused, his hand tightening around my calf as he ran the second hand through his hair in frustration. “Gods, I know I messed up.”

I’ve already decided.

I stayed silent, unsure of whether to let him continue or cut him off. It didn’t matter; he wasn’t finished.

“I don’t know what I feel,” he said, an intense laugh escaping him. “I don’t even know what to call it anymore. But don’t think for a second that I’m holding onto some ghost, Charlie. You’re here. You’re real. And whatever you are now, you’re still you. Not her.”

His shoulders sagged as if the weight of his own confession had drained him. For a moment, I thought he’d leave it at that, but then he met my gaze again, his eyes burning with something I couldn’t quite name.

“So yeah, maybe I loved her. Maybe I still do. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room for… something else.”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding, the tension in my chest loosening just slightly.

“Lucas,” I breathed. “I’m not asking for anything. I’m not even sure what I want. But if we’re going to keep seeing each other, we need to be honest. No romance between us.”

He nodded slowly, his expression a mix of relief and determination. “Yeah,” he said, his voice firmer now. “No more romance. For now.”

For the first time since the Riker’s tower, there was an unspoken understanding between us. The air felt lighter, though the weight of everything unsaid still lingered, waiting for another time.

“Well,” I said, breaking the silence with a shaky grin. “Now that we’ve tackled the emotional crisis of the evening… can we get back to the part where you identify my heels? Because, seriously, I’m dying to know what they do.”

Lucas blinked, surprised by the shift, but then he let out a genuine laugh. “Yeah, okay,” he said, shaking his head as if to clear it. “Let’s figure out what kind of overpowered nonsense you’re hiding this time.”

“Hey!” I grinned, tapping my fingers impatiently on his hand. “Just identify it already.”

“On it,” Lucas said, his tone playful as he focused on the heels.

[Glacial Tread Heels]

Quality: 7-Legendary

Effect: Delicately forged heels that glisten like frost-kissed diamonds. Each step whispers the chill of winter. Flow as a creeping frost across any surface and observe as the very ground conspires to halt your enemies’ advance. Grants Flawless Grace.

“That’s… very informative,” I said with a sly smile, already imagining using these in combat. But that thought was quickly overshadowed by the fact that Lucas was still holding my foot.

I raised an eyebrow, glancing down at him. “Lucas…”

“Yes, Charlie?” He blinked at me innocently, the picture of someone who knew exactly what he was doing.

“You’re still holding me.”

He glanced down at his hand as though noticing it for the first time, then gave me that foolish, boyish grin that usually meant trouble… For the girls he was pursuing. “Oh, so I am.”

“Lucas!” I huffed, trying to kick him with the heel, but he finally let go—just as I shifted forward. I moved awkwardly, stumbling straight into his arms instead of stepping back gracefully.

“Careful there,” he teased, catching me in a firm hug before I could protest.

“Lucas…” I murmured, my face half-buried in his shoulder as I tried to keep my balance. “What did we just talk about?”

He leaned back slightly, his grin softening into something warmer. “I don’t remember. But what I do know is that you should log off and get some rest.”

He let me go before I could fully register his words, leaving me standing there more confused than angry. Was this normal? My sober social skills weren’t exactly top-tier, so I just stood there for a moment, blinking at him before deciding it wasn’t worth overthinking.

With a shrug, I navigated to the log-off button. Inspired by Lola, I said, “good night, Lucas.” Flashing him a quick smile before disappearing.

Tomorrow, I thought as the familiar black void of the logout screen enveloped me.

No more talking, no more boring discussions, no more lore, no more feelings.

Tomorrow, I’m going to the dungeon to enjoy the fight.

Test my new items and skills.

No matter what.

Alone.