The next couple of weeks were an absolute blur for Drew.

The exhaustion he felt both physically and mentally was indescribable.

Hitting the Dojo in the morning only to be annoyed by the Obtainer’s presence, rushing over to the Crow’s Eye in the afternoon and sparring with the Hunters, taking on a simple Monthly Request to do some heavy lifting for a local manufacturer, and attending meetings to tie up some loose ends. Today, he found himself in Dealer attire at a sunny table outside a park. Uenkram, who had arrived just a couple minutes before, was sitting across the Avian with a look of anticipation. His foot tapping slightly against the ground. 

“Thank you for spending time in your busy schedule to set up this meeting.” Uenkram initiated the conversation. 

“Not at all, actually; I had something for you.” Drew smiled, opening up a holographic projection on his wristband.

“Contract Revision?”

Uenkram had always been surprised by the Avian's actions but he wasn't expecting him to offer him the document present before him this soon.

“Of course, your company has been doing an exceptional job assisting us with our engagements,” Drew responded with his impeccable

business smile. “It was only natural for us to grant you this for your outstanding services.”

Uenkram knitted his brows as he scanned the details of the contract. It was double the initial amount Drew had offered him on the day of the auction in January.

He recalled Avian’s words from back in January. With his popularity going through the roof and his regiments selling like hotcakes, his promises were not empty. All the spotlight was evidence of it. It would absolutely be disadvantageous to Uenkram if he rejected these terms.

Stupid, in fact.

After all, with this current offer, there wasn’t a need for Uenkram to continue working as Weasel. He could make much more if he continued cultivating his relationship with Drew. The contract before him proved that Avian desired to keep a good relationship with him. Plus, beyond that cold facade he wore as Snow, Uenkram could tell he truly cared about the welfare of his employees.

He was worthy of serving.

“I could give you a few days to consider the offer.”

“No need,” Uenkram chuckled without a second thought. “I’ll sign on the spot.”

>>>

Back at home, Elias had started packing his bags for his trip to Gillikard. After training with the Crows, the Human hated to admit it, but going against those monsters helped him improve drastically. Although he was furious that he couldn’t wholly crush that annoying purple-eyed Dealer, he did manage to get a few draws, which the Commissioner applauded since being able to go neck and neck with an Executive was quite a feat on its own.

However, Elias knew from fighting with him that the Dealer hadn’t exhausted all the cards in his hands. Sure, Elias may have forced him to play some of them, but because there was no imminent feeling of death, the Dealer felt no need to reveal everything. As for Elias himself, he had used all that he had learned against the Dealer from the Hunters and his friends, but he managed to adapt to Elias’s changes as quickly as they were made them.

To the Dealer, Elias was nothing more than an open book. The fact that he couldn’t secure victory even once made Elias anxious. If he couldn’t defeat the Dealer entirely, how would he fair in the Selections, where the opponents were just as strong as that purple-eyed nuisance, if not stronger. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much the Human could do at this point, and he just had to try his best.

Suddenly, the orange-haired youth heard a couple knocks on the door.

The Nightengale from the room adjacent to his own had come to pay him a visit.

Upon finishing up with Uenkram, Drew had nothing else to do for the day. Gerald permitted him to rest since he was operating at full power for an extended period.

Without a second thought, the Avian returned home and spotted the Human preparing for his departure on the way back to his room.

Knowing that he would be up against some of the most extraordinary talents in Kraus, Drew felt the need to see him off, even if he had to act oblivious to the fact that he knew everything.

“Packing for Gillikard?”

“Yeah.” Elias nodded, zipping up his luggage. “Airship departs at seven.”

“Safe travels, and send some pics to the chat.”

“Will do.” Elias beamed, giving Drew a thumbs up. “What will you be doing in the meantime?”

“Binging the Selections, of course.” The Avian replied as if it were obvious. “It’s not every day you get to see who the new Royals will be amongst the public.”

“Got anyone you’re placing bets on?”

Drew shrugged.

“Not really, but I’d go along with popular opinion for the future Princess Candidate.”

“Operahine Segord?”

Drew snapped his fingers together, finishing with his pointer finger directed at Elias. 

“Yup, her!”

“Wasn’t she that child prodigy everyone raved over years ago? I heard she’s a first-year in the Elite Class at Star.”

“People are giving her all sorts of names in the media. Saint, White Dove, Albino Princess, Star Blessed, etc. Kinda fits her, considering she’s an excellent sword wielder who can utilize all Light Otrio properties. She’s essentially a real life storybook character.”

Elias picked up his bags and placed them against the front of his bed frame.

“I wouldn’t have any doubts if she became an actual Princess. Any Prince candidates caught your eye?”

Drew placed his hand on his chin. His eyes glanced at the ceiling as he crafted his response to Elias’s question.

“Hmm, I’m not familiar with any on the list. However, I would be interested to see if a dark horse is hiding amongst them. Always been a fan of the underdog.”

“No surprise there coming from you.”

Drew laughed if only Elias knew that he was secretly rooting for him.

“Don’t we all love to see an inspiring performance like that?”

“Absolutely." Elias replied, a wry smile forming on his face almost as if Drew were encouraging him. "Who knows, there might be one that’ll sweep the Royals off their seats.”

The Avian chuckled, unbeknownst to Elias that he was cheering him on. 

“I’ll be looking forward to that.”

>>>

The Commissioner found himself on the rooftop of one of the Hunter’s bases in Yerburn. The ashes from his burning cigar fell to the ground several stories below. His greasy hair, pulled back by a black pin, remained fixed despite the warm summer breeze.

The unkempt Elf wandered over to a nearby ashtray, smashing his cigar to extinguish it on the silver plate. As the last embers dissipated, a wave of clarity enveloped his mind. Aside from sparring with Elias, he and the old cat had modified their contract. The most significant one was that Dealer 3960 would become Elias’s Handler.

Most of the time, minor cases related to the Hunters, such as those involving regular members, would be resolved by any Dealer that the Crow’s Eye had available. In contrast, major ones were dealt with by Neilson directly. However, these significant cases always involved the Commissioner’s presence as Neilson wouldn’t be willing to meet with anyone below his status.

This was, of course, before Elias joined.

Now that the Human had become an integral part of the Hunters, things begun to change. Neilson had finally assigned a Dealer to handle their case. This was the first time such a thing had occurred in all fifteen years the Commissioner had worked with the Crows.

Why do it now?

Why assign a Dealer? Dealer 3960, nonetheless?

What made Dealer 3960 so special?

The Commissioner has tried to answer these questions over the last few weeks. If Neilson wasn’t going to provide anything, all he could do was search himself. What he did find was only a matter of speculation.

Judging from his appearance, he didn’t seem any older than Elias. His skills are those of someone with formal training, but his lack of experience remains evident. Despite that, the Commissioners could tell the Dealer has had his fair share of difficult opponents, more so than Elias, who’s dealt chiefly with low-level thugs. It was evident that he was a student at a military academy from his Techniques. Still, he couldn’t identify a clear one off the top of his head.

Aside from his combat skills, Dealer 3960 was an excellent negotiator, displaying a high level of business acumen, with every deal he completed on shift going in his favor. Even when resolving disputes, the Dealer remained levelheaded and provided alternatives to parties involved on the spot without creating further conflict.

Sure, he was talented like other Dealers he's seen, but the Commissioner still couldn’t put a finger on anything unusual aside from the one time he whispered into Neilson’s ear.

He initially thought the Dealer was a proxy for the person above Neilson. However, the Dealer did not have a single earpiece, nor did his wristband show any notifications. If anything, the Dealer paid attention to the entire conversation between himself and Neilson, only moving once instructed by the old cat. This theory would've made sense unless they moved according to a script. It made no sense to do so anyway, which led the Commissioner to his second wild assumption.

What if there was no proxy?

What if the Dealer himself was the one pulling the strings?

Then, it would make sense why Neilson would move so suddenly according to his orders. Neilson sat on the throne for all those years but was merely the seat warmer. He was waiting for the Dealer, the actual head, to become old enough and ready to take over the seat.

Once again, maybe he was overthinking it as this theory seemed too far-fetched, and the Dealer did have a good suggestion.

But why couldn’t he shake off this unnerving feeling his [Insight] was giving him?

If what he thought was correct, the entire Underworld would turn upside down.

"I'll have to observe a little longer." 

>>>

Sylvia gazed out the window of her humble home on Glass Road. The streets were livelier than usual as people prepared to watch the 40th Royal Selections. It came as no surprise to the Ifrit as this was something that occurred once every ten years. Plus, the candidates always put on a good show, so the elders in her hometown would say say. Yet, despite the celebratory mood, the Selections were the last thing on her mind. 

Letters from residents of the slums had piled in boxes scattered across her workspace to the point where she need to dedicate an entire closet to store them. The recycled soap bars have become a hit, and hygiene has improved drastically, with the death toll dropping by half among children and the elderly the past winter. These letter were just a sign of their gratitude, bringing warmth to Sylvia's heart. Yet this was just a drop in the bucket compared to what needed to be done. A long list of problems remained that needed to be addressed not just there but also in Glass Road.

She sighed heavily as she fiddled with one of the black ribbons on her headband.

“Is there a way to strengthen the connection between the slums and Glass Road in a way both could benefit? Ozwarth can benefit?”

The Princess averted her sight over to the sky-high mounds of garbage that towered over the slums. Drones dumping the city's waste there without a sign of stopping. Every day, it seemed to get bigger. Every day, it ate away at the city, devouring the individuals who lived there, leaving its nasty, pungent mark. A mark that could be referred to as a societal stigma.

Then it hit her. 

An epiphany. 

Lightning crashed in her mind.

A summer storm.

With the wave of her hand, she opened up a holographic tab. Her eyes burned bright as she placed her hands on the keyboard projected before her.

The ideas came rushing in, and so did the plans.

“Aluminum cans…”

“Shortages…”

“Initiative…”

As the suns set quietly over Ozwarth on this warm summer night, the crimson-haired Ifrit hummed a cheerful tune as she crafted her upcoming venture.