Footsteps approached.
Rowan instantly went limp in his crib, slowing his breathing, eyelids fluttering shut as he slipped into the perfect imitation of infant sleep.
Caution came first.
Always.
From what he had already sensed in this world, the beings lurking in the heavens and across distant planets were no ordinary threats. The presence behind this reality was at least multiversal in scale, possibly higher.
And this was likely a single-world multiversal construct.
A rare type.
Some universes reached multiversal status by stacking countless parallel timelines.
This one felt different.
Dense.
Self-contained.
Heavy.
A single world powerful enough to stand alone.
That meant the architect behind it did not need endless parallel branches to reach that level.
Which made discretion essential.
If he drew the attention of something like that too early, escape would become… complicated.
Better to remain small.
Quiet.
Invisible.
Learn first.
Adapt later.
Only once he understood this world's power system would he begin modifying his own abilities to match it.
Only after gathering enough local knowledge and resources would he consider probing deeper.
And only if that probing revealed hostility would he abandon the world entirely.
Even then, he wasn't helpless.
His physical body alone already existed on a universal scale. Against anything below that threshold, he could still survive without using external energy.
And if things truly went bad…
He could always drag an enemy into his own world, where the rules favored him.
The door creaked open.
A woman entered first.
She wore a black velvet hat and a dark blue dress, her movements careful and quiet. She looked to be in her early thirties, with gentle eyes and a faint trace of exhaustion that only new parents carried.
Behind her came a man in a brown suit and thin-framed glasses, his hair neatly combed, his expression thoughtful.
They stopped beside the crib.
The woman whispered.
"Jack, I know you're worried… but Larnus is trustworthy. Our representative even visited the mining site in the Hornachis Range of Sevilas County. There really is steel being extracted there."
The man sighed softly.
"It's not that I don't trust him, Chris. It's that one hundred and fifty pounds is nearly everything we have left after buying this house."
His gaze drifted to the crib.
"And now we have a child. If something goes wrong, the next few years will be… difficult."
Rowan could feel the warmth in the man's eyes.
Not suspicion.
Not calculation.
Only concern.
Chris stepped closer to the crib, brushing a finger lightly against Rowan's blanket.
"That's exactly why we should take the risk," she said quietly. "If the investment succeeds, we'll be able to move to Beckland. Our child could grow up in the capital. Better schools. Better opportunities. A better life than we ever had."
Jack hesitated.
Chris pressed on.
"My sister already plans to arrange an engagement between Megose and Larnus once the deal goes through. Megose told me he bought her a ring today."
She smiled.
"If he's about to become family, would he really cheat us?"
Jack adjusted his glasses.
Chris continued.
"And it's not just us. Glasis and dozens of others are investing too. More than ten thousand pounds combined. Some of them are experienced investors. If there were real problems, they would've noticed."
Silence.
Then Jack nodded slowly.
"…All right."
Chris's face lit up.
"I knew you'd understand."
She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"Tonight, I'll make it worth your while."
Jack stiffened.
"Chris… we'll wake the baby."
She laughed softly.
"He's sleeping soundly. I'll be quiet."
Rowan lay perfectly still.
Inside, his mind processed the information with mechanical precision.
Names confirmed.
Father: Jack
Mother: Chris
Middle-class.
Financially strained.
Ambitious.
Not bad people.
No immediate threats.
A fragile but functional starting point.
Rowan kept his breathing slow and even.
For now, he would remain nothing more than their sleeping infant.
Learning.
Listening.
Waiting.