-I regret not speaking up about it at the time…

 

It had been two days since Liza had presented her wish to him during an emotional moment, which Fate had not rejected and so simply accepted without saying a word. However, now he was having second thoughts about the nature of the wish he had ‘granted…’

 

Liza: “Your skin is so cold, young master!~”

 

-Why did I not speak up when she asked for this to be allowed ‘whenever’ she wanted it…?

 

Fate was currently lamenting the fact that it in the previous days, Liza continuously jumped at the chance to embrace him every single time he had his guard down, citing her wish whenever she did so. He had thought that it would just be a one-time thing while she was having an emotional moment, but clearly he had been very much mistaken. 

 

She was currently sitting next to him with her arms wrapped around his back, while occasionally reaching one of her hands up to feel his neck. 

 

Fate: “Can you stop doing this, I know that…”

 

Liza: “Young master, are you really wanting to break your promise? Was the only reason you didn’t reject me because I was emotionally vulnerable...do you want me to cry again…?”

 

He immediately stopped attempting to reject her and simply let her do as she pleased. It didn’t feel bad for him, he just felt like it seemed wrong for some reason. At this point, she didn’t even bother restraining him, but he despite his attempts to remove her verbally, she always threatened crying.

 

-I know that some people feel emotionally damaged or vulnerable sometimes...even me...but does she have to keep using it as a card to play every time she feels like it?!

 

Liza let go of him and got up from where she was sitting on the cot next to him, brushing off and straightening her hair. She leaned down towards him with a wide grin on her face…

 

Liza: “Unless you reject me I won’t stop, my young lord...Somehow, though, I don’t feel like either of us want our friendship to end?~”

 

Fate creased his brow and gave Liza a disapproving frown, however, it didn’t seem to phase her in the least.

 

Fate: “You realize that a one-sided friendship isn’t a friendship, right? Also, if you keep doing this kind of thing, you’re bound to be caught and…!”

 

She suddenly pushed a finger to his lips to quiet him, but her smile didn’t seem to falter.

Liza: “Are you worried about me, my lord?~”

 

Fate grumbled while he darkly stared at her, but didn’t not articulate his discontent. Liza’s smile only seemed to widen at this, yet her eyes grew downcast.

 

Liza: “I will sustain our friendship for as long as I can without risk to my own safety, you may rest assured of that. However, you should keep in mind…”

 

She began to walk out of the room while Fate’s gaze remained darkened and cold. However, as she had done so often, she wanted the last word.

 

Liza: “Only part of our friendship is as one-sided as you believe it to be...Until later today, my lord!~”

 

The door was shut securely and locked, and once again, Liza’s footsteps could be heard trailing down the floor of the hallway until they gradually vanished. Fate was left alone again, this time to contemplate the meaning of her departing words.

…

 

-Now, what tools should I use to test the young master? 

 

Jacob was currently alone himself, standing in the middle of an average-sized stone room filled with various items, none of them pleasant. It was mostly oddly shaped knives, swords, and other weapons, but the items he was inspecting currently were rings.

 

-I want to gauge his full potential while not leaving any room for error on my part...not that I think that I have failed in carrying out my duties, but...it is better to be careful than not to be.

 

Jacob: “Young miss Liza’s reports have increased in frequency and...as the last one was fairly accurate...I shall trust in her evaluation, at least from a child’s perspective, that the young master seems to be growing ever more fearful. Though there is often more than meets the eye, in cases such as these.”

 

While Jacob was internally, although childishly, warning himself to be careful, his hand had happened upon a small, ornate bronze, ring, covered in dust, with a kite-shaped inlay containing a dull red gem. He wiped his hand across the gem and examined the set of characters below them.

 

These were magical tools, something that he had been rewarded for his hard work for the manor over the years and, of course, he still couldn't be perfectly certain of what each of their purposes were. The characters on the inlay spelled out ‘without it, I am never whole.’ 

 

-I don’t believe I have any memory of receiving a ring of this make before? Perhaps...my memory must be getting on in years, however, I am curious what this text means…

 

Jacob: “『Appraisal』!”

『Item Name: ???

    Item Effect: ???

    Description: Without it, I am never whole.』

 

Jacob used his『Appraisal』skill in an attempt to check the effect that the ring possessed, yet all that was truly there was the same phrase inscribed on the inlay.

 

It seemed to be a very...provocative phrase...at least for a riddle, but it didn’t seem to give any clear indication of what it was supposed to do, not even a name was provided…

 

-...Ah! I know, I’ll give it as a reward to the young master...assuming that he has the potential I believe him to have...and if not, I suppose I’ll just put it back in storage. The lady doesn’t seem to have any particular fondness for rings other than the one the Lord gave her, after all.

 

Jacob: “Now then, I suppose that I’ll have to find another one...one more suited to presenting an interesting situation for him, yes...”

 

He slipped the bronze ring into his pocket and walked towards another one that had a translucent-turquoise gem inlay and a greenish yellow stone attached to the front.

 

『Item Name: Voltragon’s Eye

    Item Effect: 『Lightning Magic(Intermediate)』

    Description: A ring carved from the mountains where thunder first wakes before the storm arises and, fitted with a gem glossed with the tears of an adult Voltragon’s eye, this item allows its user to wield the power of this stoic creature before its demise.』

 

 He was so transfixed by the sight of it that he didn’t notice something odd...his pocket was glowing.

 

However, the glowing immediately stopped once he turned his head to look at it. He considered inspecting it, but decided against it.

 

-I remember from years ago...I accidentally took a ‘treasure-eating ring’ from a thief who attempted to forcefully enter the manor...The lady took her time in scolding me, after it ate one of her ‘Lunaris Coins.’  

 

Jacob picked up the greenish ring and with a nostalgic smile on his face, slipped it onto his index finger before walking out of the room. The ring once again glowed in his pocket, although, this time it was a bit brighter…

…