Rosemary’s small face flushed with a hint of excitement. She didn’t notice as the poor little bunny in her arms was squeezed between her forearm and chest, turning what should have been a soft touch into a guillotine of flesh.

Forgetting to say a word of explanation, she dashed into her grandfather’s shop with his watch in hand.

Sofia didn’t seem very put off being left alone with Ryker though this could be said to be their first time in such a situation. She watched as he packed up his things, taking a curious glance as some of the delicately carved wooden sculptures that peeked out from his large wooden box.

“Rosemary is too good for you,” Sofia suddenly said. “Though, I have to say, your sculptures are very good. Maybe if you could afford some better materials your future would be brighter, but you might not have the strength to carve so well if you used them.”

Ryker stretched his back, placing his two palms behind his waist and pushing. He always maintained perfect posture even when sitting on the ground like this, but that didn’t mean he could do without some stretching.

“There’s only one woman in this world too good for me, and she happens to be my fiancée.” Ryker replied casually. “So, you could say that the world loves me.”

“Fiancée?” Sofia blinked in surprise. She scanned Ryker up and down as though this was the first time she was seeing him. “You have a fiancée but you spend your daily wages on food and women? What kind of man are you?”

“Hey, hey. A man’s got to eat.”

“In a brothel?”

“Have you tried their chicken?”

Sofia’s eyes almost rolled to the back of her head. She was the subject of not a small number of looks as people busied the streets, but she almost hadn’t realized that her entire focus was on the young man sitting before her despite the fact he hadn’t looked up even once.

“Do you really expect me to believe that you only go to the brothel to eat?”

“When did I ever say that? Are you slandering me?”

Sofia was left speechless. Saying that he didn’t do anything but eat in the brothel was slander? What was wrong with this man?

“Either way, don’t go harming Rosemary. She’s too innocent for the likes of you and her mother would probably try to kill you. Focus on your fiancée.”

Ryker stood and Sofia found herself with a large shadow cast over her. The sight of Ryker’s twinkling, pale blue eyes looking down at her made her frown.

“Sure, I’ll leave her alone as long as you go on a date with me.”

Sofia scoffed. “You want to take me out on a date wearing that?”

“I don’t have to be wearing anything if that’s what my little attitude queen prefers.”

“What did you call me?!”

Ryker burst out into a fit of laughter. Sofia seemed like an annoying archetype, butshe was quite soft on the inside. That said, Ryker would much prefer to play around with her than Rosemary, not because of the mother Sofia mentioned, but just because she really was too innocent.

…

“He really fixed it?”

Old man Bowan looked down at the ticking watch in shock. He would usually be doting on his granddaughter by now, but at the moment he didn’t even have eyes for her. He rolled it between his fingers as though he couldn’t believe it.

The shop was filled with a billowing heat, a roaring furnace churning in the background and glowing red metal sitting off to the side where Bowan had left it. Any other young woman who walked into this place would have long since been dripping with sweat. Rosemary, however, seemed unaffected, her pretty brown eyes blinking in confusion as she observed her grandfather.

“Isn’t that what he was supposed to do?”

“No… I had already thought of it as a scrap metal ornament when I handed it over. I already handed it off to Master Aylard for weeks, but he said it was a lost cause. I thought that since the brat helped you out the other day and since he’s been hounding me for so long, I might as well let him ram his head against a wall. But this…”

Rosemary didn’t know what to say.

Master Aylard was a Mystery Craftsman, one of only three their Smoke Tower City had. Much of the industrial machinery that their city rode the backs of were designed by those three, making them three of the most important figures here.

Rosemary couldn’t believe that she had forgotten something so important. It was rare for her grandfather to contact her mother these days, but he had made an exception just for this pocket watch. She hadn’t seen his reaction when he learned it was impossible, but he must have been devastated.

To accomplish something that Master Aylard had failed in… It could only be said that this was either a miracle, or Ryker’s skill was shocking to an extreme.

“Grandpa, he…?”

“Don’t ask me. I have no idea where that kid comes from or what his purpose here is, but I would advise you against getting too attached.”

Rosemary blushed beside herself. If her grandfather didn’t know her so well, she might have been able to play it off as being a product of the heat. Unfortunately, she was aware of her folly almost immediately.

Rosemary wasn’t quite sure what to think. She had never said anything about Ryker, knowing that her mother would be up in arms about her falling for a sculptor. As her maternal grandfather, Bowan understood his own daughter quite well.

The current Mistress of the Joseph family had managed to marry up in life, catching the eye of a wealthy businessman after his wife passed. The product of their marriage was Rosemary, and ever since then, Mistress Joseph had been hellbent on assuring the family’s trajectory remained upward.

Bowan found it too difficult to confront his daughter about such things. After all, it was his own failure as a father that bred her hatred of the poor and weak so thoroughly. By the time it had taken hold of her psyche, bordering a near obsession, it had long since been too late.

What was pressing, though, was that Bowan was implying the exact opposite about Ryker. But, why would Ryker spend his days on the dirtied, cobbled roads of Smoke Tower City, sculpting trinkets, if he had such status?

Also, wouldn’t someone of status have at least a Spirit Beast infant by their side? Ryker didn’t have even that.

Seeing his granddaughter’s confusion, Bowan shook his head.

“Focus on nurturing the little pipsqueak. It shouldn’t be long before it can step out of the Infant Stage and be mature enough to contract. Don’t be rash when that day comes, be sure to come back here.”

Rosemary had heard the same speech several times. Logic should have told her that a blacksmith like her grandfather shouldn’t know the first thing about contracting Spirit Beasts, but her mind had long since been clouded with trust. She had been doing everything her grandfather told her to since she was a little girl, why would she change things now?

“Scurry on out of here, little girl. I can tell you’re antsy to get to something.”

“Ah! Yes!” Rosemary blushed again, turning to dart away.

“Also don’t neglect to train your body like I told you. The Quota Check is coming up, if you want a chance to see the world, this will be it.”

Even as her grandfather’s voice became fainter, Rosemary, who had already heard these exact words before, somehow felt that there was a hidden meaning behind it this time. When she connected the dots, she couldn’t help but blush again.

When she rushed out of the shop, though, she found what felt like a different world. Ryker standing over Sofia, the latter’s face flushed and her breathing labored. They weren’t even touching, and there shouldn’t have been anything suggestive about their current position, but Rosemary felt her heart sink for some inexplicable reason as though it should be her and not Sofia standing beneath his shadow.

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Ryker looked over and smile when he noticed her, not even a tinge of awkwardness in his movements. Sofia, however, took a subconscious step back, guilt written all over her face.

“… Were you two fighting again?” Rosemary squeezed out a smile. “You shouldn’t do that so much, you know. I’m sure you could grow to like each other.”

“Fighting?” Ryker chuckled. “No, I was just telling Sofia about my fiancée. She was surprised that I had one because I frequent gentlemen’s establishments, so I told her she could replace them if she hated me doing so, so much.”

“You… You…” Sofia pointed a finger at Ryker’s nose.

Didn’t this man understand tact? That less was more? Or at least have some sympathy for a poor girl’s heart?

Ryker seemed to have no concept of what he had done. Rosemary stood frozen, her lip trembling somewhat and her forced smile twisting into something that shouldn’t have been on a young woman’s face.

Feeling as though her nose was being assaulted by harsh spices and like her heart would beat out of her chest, Rosemary didn’t consider her actions before she dashed away, her speed beyond what her small body should have been capable of.

“Rosie! Dammit! You—! I’ll deal with you later!”

Sofia ran after Rosemary, leaving the harshest words she could for Ryker who simply let her speak her peace.

Ryker watched the two disappear into the crowd of people, ignoring the speculative and judging looks he was receiving.

“I guess that means no meal for today. Being too handsome is really a problem.”

Ryker slicked his hair back, running his fingers through its smoothness. There was a faint touch of sweat, but it didn’t mar the subtle and refreshing scent it gave off.

Ryker’s expression lost its smile, a detached cold pervading it.

“Take a step inside, kid.”

The voice cut through the bustle of the street without much difficulty. It made one feel as though it was right nearby from the very beginning. Ryker had always felt that the old man had never really left. So, he picked up his large wooden box and obliged.

“You couldn’t have picked a more delicate approach?”

Ryker yawned. “It’s too hot in here, old man. It can’t be good for your health. Ever thought of retirement?”

“Don’t get cheeky with me,” the old man said with a snort.

Ryker swept a casual gaze around at the shop. It was clear that Bowan didn’t work on as many projects as he likely used to, but he was still active. Ryker could also tell he liked to take his time. The current sword he was working on had to have been being worked for at least two months.

“I’m not a good person, gramps.”

Ryker spoke after a long moment of silence, balancing the unfinished sword in his palm. Even in its current state, the sword was quite exquisite. It had a layering of steel and copper damascus, and a balance that felt heavenly. It was the kind of craftsmanship that made Ryker question why the old man was still working on it.

“Usually, people who say that are the exact opposite.”

Ryker spun the sword in his hand, catching it on its incomplete hilt once again before pointing it toward Bowan.

“Maybe that’s true, but there’s an exception to every rule. If it benefited me, I wouldn’t mind killing you right now.”

Bowan’s eyes narrowed. Though he didn’t move, his body relaxed instead of tensed. It was the kind of movement one would only expect from a man with almost too much experience in such things. And yet, Ryker remained unmoved.

“If you meant that, wouldn’t your best choice be to use my granddaughter to get closer to me? Then take what you need? Wouldn’t that be easier than targeting someone clearly more powerful than you are?”

“Ah, you misunderstand,” Ryker chuckled, “I’m not a good person. But, I also hate to lie. My mother taught me well, after all.

“You see, I tell my fiancée all the time that I only have one goal in life, and that’s to stand on top of this world. What kind of ruler of all have you ever seen to have just one woman?”

The sword tip trembled before gliding in an elegant arc. It had yet to be sharpened, but it still left a satisfying sound in the air. One could almost see the heavy moisture that hung about separating and coming back together.

“She’s a nice girl too. Nicer than your granddaughter, though I’m a bit biased. I’ve known her since I was a child and we grew up together, in fact I’ve been betrothed to her since I was born.”

“Why are you telling me all this, brat?”

“I’m just trying to paint a picture,” Ryker shrugged, “I thought you had patience after seeing your sword, old man. But it seems that you’re quite eager when you want to be, hm?”

Despite his words, Ryker didn’t seem to mind the interruption much. His smile had returned, though he had forgotten to carry it forward to his eyes. The darkness of the furnace room and the flickering shadows danced across his face, turning his handsome features into a sinister painting most had never seen before.

“Her name is Jaana, if you were interested. Pretty… No, gorgeous. Probably nothing like you’ve seen before. She’s a bit prickly, but I think that’s mostly my fault. She has to be like that to deal with a smart mouth like mine. Oh, and her cooking is immaculate. Her baking? Even better.

“Most would say I don’t deserve her. Even I say that a lot of the time. You would probably say that too. But the reasons you would have would probably be because I’m an asshole, that I’m insensitive, that I’m a shit stain, a blight on humanity.”

Ryker’s smile faded, his lips pressing into a gentle thin line.

“Their reason was very different, though. The reasons I just listed? I can easily accept. Why? Because they’re true, at least from the perspective of a normal person. But that’s not what they believed.

“Not my uncle. Not his supporters. Not my cousin. Not her family, with maybe the exception of her father.

“No… Their reasoning was far more unforgivable. It’s the kind of slight a man can only cleanse with blood.”

“They called you weak.”

“Ah!” Ryker’s eyes lit up with joy instead of being enraged. “You actually know me so well, old man. Indeed, that is what they said.

“In the beginning, I didn’t blame them too much. The way I view the world and the way others do is very different. Most humans have a very short-term perspective, like they’re walking on a dark road and can only see a single foot ahead. So, I was willing to forgive it initially.

“I’m not one to get angry very easily, old man. You see, I have a condition that makes some of the most emotionally stimulating moments of my life too easily accessible. With a thought, it’s like I’m transported back to that place, experiencing it again for the first time.

“Imagine experiencing the extremes of your emotions so frequently that everything else feels bland by comparison. Such a person, when they’re really pushed over the edge, when they finally experience yet another emotional high to add to their rolodex of torturous memories, they just might do something very stupid, don’t you think?”

“And that’s what you did?” Bowan replied with a calm tone.

“You could say so. I trusted that uncle of mine, though I knew I shouldn’t have. That landed me on this world, stranded and without any idea where in the universe I am or how I could even begin to get back.

“What should I say? I’m the rightful heir to the Valorian family! Take me home before my bastard of a cousin steals my legacy and my woman!”

Seeing the blank look on Bowan’s face, Ryker chuckled, though a wave of uncontrollable disappointment rose like a wave in his heart. Luckily, it was quickly buried, having been far too subtle an influx of emotion to push him over that edge.

“It’s fascinating, isn’t it? Where I come from, such a shout might have caused everyone within a mile to bow in reverence. Yet, in this dingy place, not worth even a single tile of land on my home world, we might as well be a puff of smoke.

“Such things really make me want to laugh. So powerful in one place, yet it’s all so meaningless in another. Could that even be considered true strength? It's not the strength that I'll have when it's all said and done.”

Bowan sighed. He couldn’t tell which Ryker was the true one. Was it the one that was threatening him? Or was it the one that was clearly venting? Maybe it was just both.

The old man was probably the first Ryker could speak about these things with since he came to this place. In fact, he had likely hoped that by mentioning his family, the old man who was so obviously hiding something of his own, would recognize it and be able to help him.

Unfortunately, that had ended in disappointment.

“Tell me the truth, brat. Why did you try so hard to get close to me? Why did you set up your little box outside of my shop? Why did you insist on fixing my watch? Why did you wait for your opportunity to save my granddaughter and force me to owe you a favor?”

“Two favors,” Ryker corrected.

Looking down at his pocket watch, Bowan shook his head and didn’t argue.

“It’s simple really. Your remaining Spirit Energy. I need it.”

Bowan’s gaze sharpened, the sound of sheathing and unsheathing swords ringing in the air despite the fact there was no one in the vicinity completing such an action. It manifested from thin air as a veil of a mysterious force surrounded the old man.

“So… You really did come here to kill me.”

“It depends on how you look at it,” Ryker twirled the sword in his hand again, unperturbed by Bowan’s display. “Even without my interference, you will die in a year. Your lingering injuries are too severe.

“If you give me your Spirit Energy, you will die in three months. So, you are technically correct that I am ‘killing’ you. But, aren’t you willing to exchange nine months for something better? Don’t tell me that there’s something you can accomplish in that time that would be better than what I can provide to you.”

Bowan didn’t respond for a long while. When he finally did, it felt as though it sapped him of all the energy he had.

“How can I trust you?”

“Well, didn’t I already say that I never lie?”

Bowan gave Ryker a deep look as though trying to see through him. No matter what he did, he couldn’t help but find this young man to be likable, as though he could do no wrong. He radiated a pure and untainted aura that gravitated everyone around him toward him, but it was ironically that same aura that was the reason for his vivid memories.

It could be said that Ryker’s pure soul was both a gift and a curse.

The old man, though, who had experienced decades of life, knew that when something felt too good to be true, it usually was. But then again… Was giving up 75% of his remaining lifespan considered ‘too good’?

“What are you promising?”

“I will ensure Rosemary’s safety and help her through the Quota Check. She will live a long and healthy life. I also promise not to touch her.”

“Shouldn’t you say something like: ‘For as long as I live’?”

“How could someone like me die?” Ryker’s expression twisted in confusion as though he was really stumped by a stupid question.

For the first time in this conversation, Bowan burst into a fit of laughter. He laughed so hard it felt like he had been holding it in for years. For a moment, he seemed to have gained ten more years of life.

“I accept,” Bowan said straightforwardly, “the matters of my granddaughter’s love life, though, I will not interfere in. If your previous words somehow couldn’t stop her, nothing I do will matter. I have raised her as well as I can. I trust her to make the right decision.”

Ryker stood frozen when he heard this. His mind clicked toward a certain memory, a jolt of electricity coursing through his body. But, he managed to keep himself composed, his halted breathing returning with a steady cadence. He bit down on his tongue hard, stopping himself from shouting out like he usually did.

Ryker brought a small mirror that had been silently floating behind him all this time forward.

“Please pour everything you have left into my hand. I will do the rest.”