-Blink.Blink.
Marfin slowly opened his obsidian-black eyes, his gaze drifting toward the twin moons hanging low in the western sky.
Distant chatter seeped into his ears, sharp enough to form a faint frown across his face.
"This migraine.... it's Annoying…"
The word slipped out in a murmur as he clutched his forehead, forcing his breathing to steady.
Then..
as if a crucial thought slammed into him..
..he jolted upright.
His eyes snapped around wildly, scanning the area until they finally landed on Mirai, peacefully asleep beside him.
…Phew.
A small smile bloomed on his lips. His gaze softened as he watched the slow, steady rise and fall of her chest.
"So! You're finally awake?"
Marfin turned toward the voice and spot the one armed man,his smile vanishing instantly.
However, to his surprise, the man,Ryden...was bowing deeply toward him.
"I'm sorry for frightening you," he said sincerely. "And… sorry for reminding you of something that may have been unpleasant."
The apology earned nothing more than an intense stare from Marfin.
In the midst of it, a familiar notification revealed itself within his vision—assembling quietly, layer by layer.
[Ding! A chained sub-mission has been detected.]
Would you like to check the details?
→ Yes
→ No
Selected: Yes.
The existing interface shifted aside as a larger panel slid into place, filling his view with neatly aligned information.
Marfin skimmed through it hurriedly, all while maintaining the pretense of staring at Ryden.
A small frown formed between his brows—then naturally smoothed itself away.
After a few seconds, he ignored Ryden completely and shifted his gaze to Elfrez instead.
"I'm starting to doubt my decision to agree to your offer," he said coldly. "You didn't even believe me when I tried to reach out to you back then."
His eyes hardened.
"So I have to wonder—when we're at your place… completely within the palm of your hands—won't you just neglect us the same way?"
A pause.
"To be honest,I can already imagine the abuses that are yet to come."
"Interesting," Elfrez whistled softly. "You're surprisingly calm right now. I assumed you'd thrash around like before."
"I've come to terms with the fact that… you're not going to harm us," Marfin replied evenly. "If that had been your intention, we'd probably be tied up and restrained by now."
He gave a faint shrug as his fingers gently brushed through Mirai's hair, the motion unhurried—deliberate.
"However," he continued, his gaze sliding sideways, "that doesn't guarantee the idiot standing beside you won't go on a killing spree just because his so-called duty demands it… does it?"
He glanced at Ryden from the corner of his eye.
Ryden's embarrassed stiffening did stir a flicker of amusement within Marfin...
..but none of it reached his face.
"Hm… fair enough," Elfrez said. "So the baseline is...you don't trust us."
"I wouldn't say I don't trust you," Marfin replied calmly."It's just… lacking by a significant margin. For now."
"What a humble young Denizen," Elfrez said with a small, amused smile. "Your kindness know no bounds" he added. "So I assume that we're all good? No bad blood between us, right—dear Savior?"
"I wouldn't put it that way..after all, the trust is… extremely low," Marfin reminded him flatly.
"Is that so?" Elfrez hummed. "Hmm… then how does this old man earn such precious trust from you, my Savior?"
He laughed heartily, as if the matter were light.
"I'm not someone who goes along with things simply because there's benefit involved," Marfin said. "So I'll be blunt."
His fingers continued caressing Mirai's sleeping hair as he spoke.
"When I reached Mirai and our little secret was exposed, I was scared. Protective. Constantly thinking about how to avoid the situation."
His voice remained steady—but the weight beneath it was unmistakable.
"So I tried to talk. I tried to reason."
His gaze lifted.
"However, your guard went too far with his duty and distressed me."
A brief pause.
"I understand he lacks the ability to read the mood. But at that moment…"Marfin exhaled slowly."…I felt my entire world was at risk."
His hand slowed against Mirai's hair.
"I had to reform myself—to ensure she wouldn't be turned into an experiment. You should understand what I'm implying by that."
Marfin finally looked directly at the two demi-humans, who had been listening in silence.
"Can you imagine," he asked quietly, "how threatened and frightened that made us feel?"
"To be investigated with a blade pointed at us—when we already had only minimal trust in you to begin with."
He paused, gauging their reactions.
"And our feelings?"
"To be completely honest… it was a humiliating experience."
He took a breath.
"Thus..."
"I want reassurance. Not something that can be overturned at any moment."
"Something real… something that will make us both feel safe and secure, even when we're surrounded by people of all kinds."
Marfin paused, his gaze steady as it rested on Elfrez, who still wore that same gentle smile.
"And I believe we deserve at least that much as compensation."
"So," he finished quietly, "will you be able to do that for us?"
"Hahahahaha—kuhahahaha!"
Elfrez laughed—long and unrestrained. He laughed for several seconds, long enough to draw confused glances from both Marfin and Ryden—until, at last, it tapered off.
"You're negotiating?" he asked, amusement still clinging to his voice. "After everything that just took place?"
"Exposing your emotions as if that might stir something in me," he continued lightly. "Make me feel guilty?"
A soft hum followed.
"Perhaps you also think you hold an advantage over me…?"
He shook his head.
"That's a wrong assumption," Elfrez said gently. "A plainly wrong one."
He leaned closer, his mouth brushing near Marfin's ear.
"Let me let you in on a merchant's secret."
"It's simple, really."
"It goes like this...."
"The more desperately you demand certainty—convinced you have leverage over someone—the more that desperation leaks out."
His voice lowered.
"And that is the only thing that truly stirs something in a genuine merchant. It tells our greedy little minds one thing, very clearly."
"That you need us far more than we need you."
He pulled back slightly, his smile thinning.
"And that," he finished softly, "is when the game tips."
"The predator becomes the prey."
A brief pause.
"So if I wished," Elfrez added casually, "I could sanction countless prohibitions, deny every request you make—and you would still accept the recruitment."
"Wouldn't you?"
-clap.
The sudden sound cut through the air.
The lingering mischief drained from Elfrez's expression, the honeyed old man receding entirely.
"However," he said evenly, "I am an honest person."
"And as a merchant… a man of my word."
"You are right about one thing," Elfrez continued calmly. "I am the one who recruited you."
A faint smile curved his lips.
"So now that I know your secret—and still choose to uphold my requirement of you—then I must also bear the burden of guardianship that comes with it."
He hummed thoughtfully.
"But before that…"
"Let me earn a little of your trust, dear Savior."
He chuckled, stepping back a few paces. One hand rose to his face, fingers pinching at the edge of his skin—then he pulled.
—whoooosh
The thin skin mask came away effortlessly.
And with it, everything changed.
The thick mustache vanished. His slightly disheveled hair flowed and reshaped itself into neatly combed, gentlemanly white strands. A well-fitted suit and businessman's tie wrapped around his slim frame as if they had always belonged there.
Two rabbit-like ears emerged smoothly from his head, twitching faintly.
His entire demeanor shifted—no longer that of a laughing old man, but a composed, calculating figure who looked every bit the merchant he claimed to be.
"Do I look a bit more trustworthy now? My dear Savior?"