The city of Lumen was growing.

The little booth that used to make up the common locals stock market was now a full blown building. There were different divisions, for different sectors, and there was also now an entire department to help people buy and sell. It was no longer just a place to watch the prices and trends, but an actual market.

This massive building was almost as big as the Animalia's depot, and it was more busy. There were hundreds of people here, from all walks of life, and they were hurrying and running around in all directions.

Some were making deals. Some were messengers. There were younger people in brown clothes that were the market’s workers, and then there were obvious servants and employees of other guilds here in Lumen. There were even a few blue and white colors mixed into the crowd, telling me that Gerald and Lawrence kept people here to watch even though there was no need to.

It was… almost terrifying. I had blinked and all of a sudden the world had taken another step forward.

For me that was no big deal. I knew where the world was going. I knew the future that was coming. But those who I was responsible for… those in the Society…

They could not survive in that world. They could not afford that future to arrive.

Yet it would. And there was nothing I could do to stop it.

“Oh no, thank you though,” Renn turned down an offer of employment again as she walked towards me. She barely gave the older man a single thought as she hurried up to me.

I stared at the older man, who studied me, and then with a huff turned away. He hadn’t been intimated by me, but had given up all the same.

“Vim, they even have our company up there,” Renn said happily, pointing to the main board over on the right.

I nodded. They did. “I see that,” I said.

“Does that mean they can buy and sell our company too? How’s that work?” she asked.

“They can’t. They use that board with our symbol to let people know when we do something in the market. For instance if the Animalia Company purchased a bunch of wheat, they’d put our company’s logo on that board next to the wheat to let them know. If they were able to find the price we paid they’d put that information there too,” I explained to her.

“Oh… So they’re using us as a way to gauge the market,” she said, understanding perfectly.

She was scary sometimes.

“Basically. There’s very likely many people and groups that don’t even do anything until they find out what we do,” I said.

Another failure on Brandy and Gerald’s part… but I couldn’t do anything about it. Not anymore.

“I didn’t realize we were that influential,” she said.

“We shouldn’t be,” I said softly.

Renn looked up at me as I watched a woman climb up onto a small podium behind the main counter. She had a large bell in her hand, which she went to swinging wildly. To get everyone to look over at her.

Suddenly the whole building went dead quiet.

“One hour to close! One hour!” she shouted, nearly screaming.

Renn’s hat made noise as her ears shifted, and then we watched as everyone renewed their business with vigor.

“Let’s go,” I said, reaching over to put my hand on Renn’s waist.

She nodded, happily letting me guide her out.

As we left, I noticed the few men who had approached Renn when she had gone to all the boards to examine them. A few had wanted to employ her, one had wanted more. They stared at us as we left, but did nothing more.

“So neat… though loud. I could sit there all day,” Renn said as we left.

“Please don’t,” I said, fearing the result.

Renn smirked at me as we rounded the exit, and to avoid the people coming and going from the booth market I guided her across the street and towards the local taverns and restaurants. I had promised her a date, after all.

“Did you see what you wanted?” Renn asked.

I nodded. That and more.

“Can I ask what it was?” she asked further.

Glancing at her, I found her smirk had faded into a tiny smile. One that was unsure of herself.

“There were a lot of things I wanted to see… but mostly what I wanted to see was the stability of the market here in Lumen,” I said.

“Stability?” she asked.

“I wanted to see if there was inflation or instability. I wanted to see if there was a trend of prices in certain goods becoming… unsustainable,” I said, trying to explain it without being too obvious.

“You mean like the price of coal doubling in a few weeks?” she asked.

“You noticed?” I asked as I stopped walking.

“I did. But I cheated. I’ve overheard people complaining about coal, ores, and other stuff associated with mines. In the company and outside it,” she honestly told me.

“Oh. I see,” I said. Jeez she had scared me. She was bright, and quick… but that would have shocked the hell out of me.

“Rather I’m wondering why no one in there was talking about the fraud and forgery of the checks,” Renn said as she glanced back at the building we had left.

It was a good thing we hadn’t returned to walking yet, since I would have stopped again anyway.

“You’re kidding me,” I said.

“Hm? No? Why?” she asked, worried.

“How do you know about those?” I asked her.

“I worked at the bank for a few days. Overheard it all, though I hadn’t seen one yet,” she said.

I sighed and wondered what I was going to do with her.

Put her to work as an auditor, obviously, but I didn’t want to.

Lawrence didn't deserve her.

“Did I say something wrong?” she asked.

“No. Why do you think no one in there was talking about it?” I asked her as I returned us to walking. I noticed she stayed close to me as we did. She wanted me to keep my hand on her waist.

“It’s important. Plus they were all talking about the price swings of the coal and stuff from the mines. And the issue is because of the mines, isn’t it? They’re the ones using forged checks and payment ledgers. So it just makes sense they’d all realize they go hand in hand,” Renn calmly, and easily, revealed the hidden hand of the market that most of the merchants and nobles in town hadn’t realized yet.

“Who told you about all this?” I asked her.

“Reatti told me about it originally. But she just told me how to catch them. Then when I was at the bank, Sofia and one of Lawrence’s staff, Pauline, told me more.”

Ah… actually I did remember overhearing Reatti tell Renn about the forged ledgers.

“Well you’re right. Those scams and the price of the goods are connected. And the reason no one in there were talking about it is for two reasons. First, they’re not powerful enough to know about the fraud. Most the people in there are representatives, workers or employees of the smaller companies. Most couldn’t know such information even if they paid for it,” I said as we rounded a corner and headed down a rather busy street. One that was littered with taverns and places to eat.

“The second reason?” Renn asked.

“Odds are no one else knows yet. The only reason the Society knows is probably because of Lawrence. He’s… skilled at that stuff,” I said.

“Ah… are we doing it?” she asked quietly.

I stopped walking, and Renn actually stepped forward a step… making my hand leave her back. She looked at me, then behind her… and then actually stepped backward, as to put her back up against my hand again.

Staring at her, she smiled and stared up at me… as if daring me to say anything.

“You think it’s us?” I asked her.

“Well… it’d make sense. If no one else has noticed, and we’re not bothered by it…” she shrugged, as if it was obvious.

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Damn, she was smart.

“Have you told anyone your idea?” I asked.

“No. Should I?” she asked.

“Should tell Lawrence. Let me know what he says or does,” I said.

She smiled and nodded, as if excited to be given permission to do so.

Smiling back at her, I nodded too, and then chose a restaurant. One that looked like it had a second floor balcony that overlooked the sea.

Walking towards it, Renn stopped me. She patted my thigh, as if to get my attention without anyone seeing.

“Hm?”

“Not that one, please,” she said.

“Why not?” I asked.

“Well… The man who owns it, his brother bothered me at the bank. I don’t want to give them business,” she said. Staring at her, I realized she was completely serious. Then she pointed down the road a little farther, to the building on the corner. “How about that one? The one with the blue lanterns?”

Staring at her, who happily stared at the building that caught her eye… I wondered what I was going to do with her.

That statement she had just made, had made me upset. The kind of upset that usually didn’t settle and go away.

Walking past the one she had told me not to go to, I stared at it. I memorized the name, and location. I scanned the building and the people going in and out of it.

“Honestly I’m not sure if that’s it, but I don’t want to risk it,” she then said honestly.

“What?” looked away from the future Animalia conquest, and stared at the woman on my arm.

“He just said his brother owned a tavern with a balcony overlooking the ocean… but if I look at it, it’s not really a tavern. Plus most of these buildings have a balcony, I see,” she said softly.

Blinking, I sighed and suddenly forgot all about the building I had just planned to acquire. Through force.

“How’d he bother you?” I asked her as we approached the restaurants she had picked. It was a quieter one, with a woman playing a violin inside. She stood in a corner, sitting on a little stool and dressed in a blue dress. To match the color of the building.

“He wouldn’t leave me alone. The King saved me though, so it’s okay,” Renn said as we entered.

“Welcome! Bar or table?” a waitress greeted us as we entered.

“Table please. Can we have that one? Near the window?” Renn asked with a point.

“Oh…? Uh…” the waitress looked at me, and I realized she wanted to know if I was willing to pay extra for it.

I nodded. “It’s fine.”

The waitress’s smile broadened and she gave the okay. “Take a seat!” she hurried away as Renn dragged me to the table.

Sitting with Renn at the four person table, I sighed and looked around. The place was almost full, but not packed to capacity. The tables were spread far and apart, intentionally. To give people privacy. The extra room and the violinist was probably the businesses efforts of making this place feel a little more personal and higher class than the taverns and bars it was surrounded by.

A worthless effort, but Renn seemed to be enjoying it.

She was staring at the woman playing the violin, smiling broadly. “What is that?” she asked.

“A string instrument. From the east,” I said.

“Huh… It’s…”

Staring into her eyes, I noticed the layer of tears forming on her eyes.

Great. She loved it. That was probably why she had picked this one. She had heard it from the street, and wanted to find out what it was.

It was interesting the sounds didn’t hurt her ears, but maybe it was the purity of the notes. The violin sounded rough, and not properly made… but it was still a violin. Or well…

Glancing at the woman playing the instrument, I watched as she plucked the strings with a metal thimble. Not a bow.

So civilization was advancing, but not that quickly. That was something at least.

“It’s beautiful,” Renn finally whispered.

Great. Now I needed to get her one.

If I did I’d also have to teach her how to properly play it. Listening to her pluck the strings like the woman was doing would give me headache after awhile.

“Any alcohol tonight Madam?” the waitress appeared and asked Renn first.

As Renn gave her order, I wondered if maybe the waitress thought Renn was my employee. She had looked at me for permission to sit here, and yet was here now letting Renn order and pick the food, not me.

So in her eyes either Renn was an employee that I was taking advantage of, or a woman I was trying to woo. Great.

“Sir?” she asked me after Renn had already ordered for me.

“She’s covered it, I think,” I said.

“Right away!” the waitress hurried away, without even having to take a note on our order.

“Don’t we need to pay first?” Renn asked quietly.

“Not here,” I said.

“Huh,” she found that odd.

While we waited, Renn went to playing with the little confectioneries on the table. They had put little vases with flowers onto the tables. She happily stared at it, as if it was precious… even though it was just a common wildflower found in any field around town. It was blue, though, which matched this building’s color scheme.

After she moved it a little closer to herself, she smiled contentedly as she nodded at it. Happy with where it was, she returned to looking at the violinist.

“How many people can play that thing?” Renn asked.

“It’s difficult, but not hard. You’d be able to learn it, I’m sure,” I told her.

She smiled at me, finally looking away from the woman. “Am I that easy to read?”

“Rather I just know how to make you happy,” I said.

Her smile softened. “Which is sad, since I’m not sure yet how to make you happy.”

My thumb thumped the table, and her eyes darted to it. She returned to looking me into the eyes, unfazed by my movement… but I felt a little conscious all the same. Why did she notice such little things so easily? Most wouldn’t have. Even astute warriors on the battlefield didn't notice such tiny fidgets half the time... yet she seemed to notice them all.

“That was an invitation to let me know, Vim,” Renn said softly.

“I know.”

Her soft smile became softer. “Don’t want to tell me?” she asked.

“Don’t feel like answering something you already know the answer to,” I said.

She blinked, going still… but before she could smile or laugh at me the waitress arrived with our drinks. As the waitress prepared to put our drinks down I dug out the coins.

Three cold metal cups were put onto the table, then a large jug of Renn’s favorite berry smoothie was placed down.

“Your mark sir?” she asked me.

I handed her the coins, which she blinked at. “Oh. Wow. You’re the first customer to pay with money today,” she said with a smile.

While she pocketed the coins I smiled at her. “I like being the first,” I said.

Renn kicked me beneath the table as the waitress laughed and patted me on the shoulder. “I bet!” she teased me as she hurried away.

Looking at Renn who was now pouring herself a drink, I frowned at her. “Why’d you kick me?” I asked her.

Once her cup was full she put the jug down and went to take a drink. She had accidentally forgotten to fill my cup.

“Don’t flirt in front of me like that,” she said as she took a drink.

“Didn’t I say earlier? Dates are when you flirt,” I said.

“With each other! Not with random women,” she said as she licked her lips. “This is great,” she said.

“You say that every time,” I said as I reached over to grab the jug.

She glared at me as I did, but didn’t stop me as I poured some into my cup. I didn’t fill it all the way, out of courtesy.

“Wish everything was this tasty,” she said as she stared into her cup.

“Surprised you don’t want to try other drinks. There are some local drinks here that you won’t find anywhere else that are tasty, you know,” I said.

“I know. But… I want to enjoy this moment. If I ordered something that tasted bad, it’d ruin the memory,” she said as she held her cold cup close, as if she was hot.

Hesitating as I put the jug down… I stared at the woman who was smiling so gently, I wondered what was more sweet. Her words or her smile.

“You’re a better flirt than me,” I said honestly.

“Hm?” she tilted her head at me. She hadn’t realized what she had just said was so beautiful.

Or maybe it hadn’t been, and I was just…

As I took a drink of her favorite juice, I wondered if maybe I was just numb. Numb and desensitized from my age and trauma. Maybe she wasn’t as lovely as I thought she was, and was just… overcompensating, in a way. Maybe my heart was so easily pulled every which way by her simply because I hadn't let it happen in forever.

The violinist restarted a new song, and Renn turned to clap alongside the rest of the crowd. She had a toothy grin as she did.

No… the sad truth was simply that I was drunk on her.

So what did I do about it?

Putting my cup down, while the rest of the room was focused on the violinist, I noticed something out of the corner of my eye.

Looking to my right, I frowned as I stared at another pair of eyes.

Peering at us from outside, was… a child? No. someone just short, or young. Their eyes were too far apart and big to be a kid… They were standing on the other side of the street, from between an alleyway and…

They turned and left, most likely noticing my stare.

Frowning as I watched them disappear in to the dark of the alley, I wondered what the hell that had been.

Looking around, I tried to pretend that they hadn’t been looking at us. That they had been watching someone, or something else. Maybe just staring at the restaurant itself as a whole, in envy or hatred.

But no. There was nothing unique, nor anyone worth glaring at here.

Plus our eyes had locked rather instantly. They had been staring at me before I had looked at them.

“Vim?” Renn noticed my look, and I stared at her as she tilted her head again. This time without as much love, but more so concern.

“Everything’s fine. Was just wondering if I should flirt with the waitress again or not,” I said.

She frowned, and I smiled at her as she sighed and reached out to take another drink. “Seriously,” she mumbled.

Renn had been staring into the alleys. Had something happened? While I was gone?

Surely not. She had said that she had only left the building once, and with Reatti. Reatti would have told me instantly of anything that might have happened. She would have spilled everything, no matter what it could have been.

Then… what?

Maybe Renn was picking up on it instinctively. She was a cat, and did have a rather insane level of spatial awareness. Maybe they had been watching her for awhile and she had felt it.

“Don’t go out without me from now on, Renn,” I told her.

“Huh?” she stopped drinking as she looked at me.

“Just… don’t leave the company without me, okay?” I asked her.

“Sure… why?” she agreed, and asked in the same breath.

“Don’t want you flirting with anyone. You said the king helped you out? How am I supposed to compare to that?” I asked her.

Renn blushed, and then laughed at me. “Jeez Vim!”

The waitress arrived with our food, and I couldn’t help but make Renn laugh more with a joke to the waitress girl.

When I got both of them to laugh at once, I had no choice but to admit and accept it.

Renn had somehow purchased the stocks in my heart.

She had taken possession inside there. Deep, deep down. Into my soul, even. Which was surprising since I wasn’t sure where it was anymore.

I honestly had no idea how she had done it. Nor what she had purchased my heart for… but…

Hopefully she wouldn’t go bankrupt from the venture.