"Where is the shipment, Sina?" Elric asked.

Sina whose whole demeanor appeared shaken gripped her arms, hugging herself tightly whispered.

"I-I don't know! I was watching it the whole time! I even loaded the boxes myself to be sure they were safe!!"

Hearing her panicked tone, Elric didn't say anything else and thought in silence.

After some seconds passed he opened his mouth and asked.

"Where do you think it went?"

Sina's appearance changed as her face opened apart, turning into a mess for a moment.

"Answer me!" Elric ordered, bringing her back to her senses.

As her eyes cleared, Elric's voice brought her back and she felt her headache. As if a house had fallen over it.

Her appearance gradually shifted to the one she usually uses.

Her body puffed up as she felt her height decrease by centimeters and her hair grow longer.

Then she sighed deeply her hands still shaking.

"I, I am sorry… I seem to have lost myself for a moment."

"I can see that."

Sina blinked, then chuckled to herself before saying.

"Ahaha obviously you can dear. Hmm, what did you ask again?"

"Where do you think Palto shipment go? Any idea or clue you might have seen?"

Sina fell silent. Her gaze again turned distant and hazy as she was pulled into last night's travel memories.

She remembers it clearly…

It just happened recently after all. It wouldn't make sense to forget it so easily.

Sina, under Elric orders, had infiltrated the shipment workers. Not as a bodyguard but rather as an observer to make sure nothing bad happens from the shadows.

Yet it happened she failed to do a single task.

She had eyes etched at the boxes all the time, they never moved or stopped unless necessary.

"We- we had stopped only once and we all moved immediately as well. No one was in the road at all except for a black cat which ran away…"

Elric frowned, his fingers brushing the table. And he gave a cold gaze toward her.

"Useless." He muttered under his breath.

But Sina heard it.

And this made her heart break into pieces.

Yet she couldn't help but agree with his words. After all, Elric was always right. If he had said this, that means he was correct.

Hence, she was indeed useless.

Elric gaze shifted to the report placed on his desk.

This robbery has made him and Palto lose millions. This amount would not be so easy to recover.

Elric while not taking a direct loss still had lost a supporter. This was an issue for him in the long term.

But every misfortune opens a door for something new…

Thud!

Sina fell in the form of a puddle of skin and bones wrapped like wires on the ground.

Elric ignored it.

'Surprisingly the guards, the trio before being arrested didn't have anything on them and when their home was searched not a single coin was found.'

His lips curled up into a dangerous smile.

'As if someone has robbed it clean as well.'

"How unlikely don't you think, Sina? Oh?"

Elric stared at Sina who still hadn't gotten up even after several seconds and still kept trembling on the floor.

She was strong yet docile…

A doll who has nothing.

"How troublesome…"

******

As the door opened a silhouette entered the room.

Her black hair was neatly tied behind her back in a ponytail and her small face gave an expressive gaze towards the master of the room.

"What are you doing Asher?" She asked, tilting her head softly.

"Hm, just some practice." He replied.

He was sitting on the floor with his legs crossed in a meditative posture.

In front of him was a small flower pot and beside him was a bag of seeds and a can of water.

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Elda knew something had changed…

Everyone knew not just her. Asher not knowing it himself had helped several people. They all were grateful to him in one way or another.

It wasn't a level of loyalty where they would agree to die for him. But it was a loyalty in which they would worry for him and his well-being.

Asher has not interacted with everyone for a long time nor does he know them personally.

But his presence mattered to them in a way he couldn't understand.

Asher would sometimes visit the workshop or restaurant. Talk with the workers, and ask if they are well or need any help.

Sometimes he would give suggestions at other times just sat and watched over them.

These simple actions were more than enough for people who had always been living in harsh reality to adore him.

"What happened? You are silent for a while now." Asher asked but didn't look up from the empty pot.

"No… it's nothing. What have you been up to these days? I haven't seen you much."

He smiled gently and looked up at her. Seeing his face, she felt her cheeks reddened for a moment but didn't back down.

'What the hell has even changed?!'

Sitting on the floor just like him, she waited in silence for his answer.

Asher sighed and leaned back his palm supporting him as he jerked his head back to look at the ceiling.

"Nothing special, really. I was called to the Temple, fought a god-like creature under the supervision of a saint, then yesterday looted some merchant and his guards."

Elda licked her lips, contemplating if she should smack his head or just leave. But then she smiled back.

"I see must be tough, fighting gods, I mean."

"Eh?"

He looked at her with a dumbfounded look making a strange sound.

"Why? What happened Asher?"

"Wait, Wait! You believe what I said just now?"

'Yes, this is the Asher I know.'

Elda cheered internally seeing Asher mixed emotions after a long time. The crack in his calm face was a site to die for!

With a soft chuckle, Elda smiled and answered back.

"Oh, why will I not believe you? You are my boss, right? A good employee will always agree with their boss!" She paused and sneered.

"Even if the boss is mentally ill!"

Asher froze, his mouth opened several times only for it to close back.

Then in a small voice, he whispered.

"...I will remember this."

"Anyway, I was just busy with personal work nothing special." He grumbled out, making Elda chuckle once more.

"Hahaha—" She raised her right hand, removing the tears formed in her eyes from all the laughter.

Then she smiled sweetly and calmly looked at him with a tender look.

"Okay, you can keep your secret… But what are you doing with the flower pot?"

Then Asher fell silent, his smile slowly pulled upward into a gentle smile. A fresh morning breeze entered the room making his hair flutter.

Seeing his silvery eyes still calm and collected. Elda felt her heart flutter with several emotions she didn't know even existed in her.

Then his lips parted, they slowly collected words and told.

"I am making these seeds grow into flowers."

Blink. Blink.

Elda blinked, she opened her mouth only to close it.

All the emotions that she felt in her heart seem to have washed away by Asher's ridiculous words.

She hesitated and finally said.

"Asher… flowers don't grow in a single day and they also won't grow if you just stare at them."

His smile turned into a grin.

"Wanna make a bet?"

"Bet?"

"Yes, bet if I can make this flower grow by tonight or not?"

"What type of flower is it though?" Elda wasn't taking the bet, without even knowing what she was into.

"It's a riverend flower, the one that typically grows in two or three days."

"I see, this way you will also have a chance of winning by luck!" Elda smirked and answered back.

"Maybe you are right or maybe you are not. But are you taking the bet or are you chickening out?"

Elda smacked her lips and gave Asher a small glare.

"That's rymmed quite a bit, huh? But who is chickening out?! Not me! I am in, what are we betting?!"

Seeing her bubbling with excitement, Asher chuckled pressed his palm on his face and leaned over it.

"Hmm, If you win I will wash dishes for the next 10 days. But if I win, you won't complain to me for the next 10 days. Does this sound fair?"

Elda frowned.

"When did I ever complain?"

"You never did, but that doesn't mean I can't make you?" Asher replied and smiled mischievously in her direction.

Elda hesitated seeing the twinkle in his eyes, he was confident.

But why will she complain? She never did except for things related to Silverwill.

And that was something Asher can't ignore being the master of the organization!

"Alright I am in… don't cheat or I won't forgive you." She said and stood up from the ground.

Stretching her limbs, she patted her skirt removing the wrinkles formed over it.

Then waved at Asher.

"I will be back then."

"Wait, Elda… Take this." He grabbed a pouch from somewhere and threw it in her direction.

"Eh? What is this?" As she caught the pouch, she felt in weight press on her hand.

Opening it she saw cash rolled inside along with several gold coins.

"What is this for?"

"Buy a carriage, a horse, rent a shed for it and also get a driver. Money for all of that, if you need more let me know." Asher said casually then again looked at the pot.

"No, no isn't it too early for that. You shouldn't waste money like that!" Elda refused pushing the money in his direction.

Asher just shook his head, then gently said.

"It's extra money I earned recently. Separate from the one we counted last time. And a carriage will save time… you and Franz travel by foot a lot. That would negatively impact our image in the long run."

"B-but—"

"Elda, take it. I won't hear no for an answer. It's not for you it's for us."

Hearing his stern yet gentle voice, Elda nodded albeit hesitantly.

"Okay…"

"Alright, you can take your leave now."

With those words, Elda finally took her leave from Asher's bedroom.

*****

Seeing Elda's figure leave, I sighed.

'She seems to have several things to say but in the end couldn't tell anything.'

I wonder why it was?

People say I have changed a lot these last two days after getting my soul healed.

But nobody had said anything after my ascension to becoming an awakened at that time.

To them, my face looking a bit older was not much of a problem. But now people seemed to give me a look, I couldn't fully understand.

I haven't changed, really. My mind seems to have calmed down but those bizarre emotions of smiling when excited, angry when provoked and sad when in loss are all the same.

"Let's forget that for now…" I whispered, my eyes staring at the pot.

After robbing the merchant, I also especially went to Hester and his two friends' home.

And took every single coin they had. Leaving nothing behind.

They had unfairly looted me in the game so in return I also did the same to them.

Looks fair, right?

This thought made my lips curl up into a smile.

"I never knew I was such a petty person… but I also hold grudges. So it's okay to deal with them."

'I also used Temple fully well knowing they will not get in my way unless I do something truly evil. Something I never plan to do.'

Everything is going according to plan. After Elric and Ains are dealt with or at least things calm down… I can't sell the soap.

Sigh…

"Let's focus on the flower for now." I reminded myself.

My focus went to the empty pot.

This was also a form of practice, something I had never done before. Just like how previously I used to train my mind to give my mind more attention by making dots for focus.

This exercise was to test the limits of [Kairosflow].

Something I never did.

[Kairosflow]:- Acceleration and deceleration of anything concerning time.

This was my understanding of [Kairosflow] but was this all there was to it?

Can I only speed up movements or slow them down? This was the most basic use of it.

The only other thing I ever did with it was to slow down enemies, make other people's hearts fail upon touch, and accelerate my mind.

I still had to learn the relationship between [Static], my first ability with my source element [Eternity].

But it could wait. There was no rule that I needed to go by order. After all unlike others who decide on their will first and path later. I did the opposite.

For now, my plan was to learn everything I could about my ability and source element.

"And making this flower grow will be the first step," I muttered knowing what was to come.

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