As usual, Scully's words matched her deeds. As soon as she finished, she jumped straight at me from a standstill, curling up midair. I caught the girl and pulled her close, inhaling the scent of forest herbs emanating from the hair of the future Goddess of the Hunt. Scully wriggled a bit, getting comfortable, curled up like a baby in my arms, and buried her face in my chest. After almost a minute, I breathed in the spicy aroma of her hair once more and whispered quietly:

"Talk."

"I don't like losing," the future Goddess of the Hunt muttered.

"Who does?" I asked rhetorically, starting to rock the girl in my arms a little. "Did someone upset you?"

I didn't really believe it. Anyone who upset Scully wouldn't live long.

"In the last couple of months or so, I've had a hobby," the Australian said, hugging me tighter. "It helped me cope with everything that's been happening. This new world, questers with their crazy tasks, even crazier earthlings and locals."

"A hobby?" I prompted, though I had a good idea of what she meant.

"Yes. You know, I'm a very good huntress and can easily track anyone." I had to listen closely to hear her quiet words. "And one day, I met a worthy opponent who managed to escape from me. Then I picked up his trail again, but he still managed to get away. I didn't expect it from myself, but I felt something like a challenge. So, I started a real hunt for him…"

The girl fell silent for almost a minute, then continued:

"It was fun. My opponent always managed to slip away by some miracle. Honestly, I only went to Pentapolis because I learned he'd be somewhere in that area…"

Another long pause, which I broke with a new question:

"And did you catch him, and now lost your hobby?"

"If only…" Scully sighed heavily. "I lost his trail. It's like he vanished into thin air. It pisses me off! I got outplayed."

"Why assume you got outplayed right away? Maybe your opponent, say... got hit by a car," I suggested, barely holding back my laughter.

"Hit by a car?" The future Goddess of the Hunt looked up at me. "In Ain? Are you kidding?"

A small but very hard fist painfully thumped my chest. Still, my joke worked, and Scully began to brighten up.

"A bit," I admitted, exhaling with relief, as this meant that she had no real problems.

"Has anyone ever told you you're an unbearable jerk?" the huntress grumbled, not in any rush to climb down from my arms. "I am pouring my heart out here, and he goes, 'hit by a car'!"

"Did it occur to you that, by chasing someone, you were, to put it mildly, subjecting that person to serious stress?" I figured she wouldn't care, but I decided to make the point anyway.

"I wasn't going to harm him," she shrugged in my arms. "I think he understood that perfectly, so he could have just given up and let himself be caught, and the game would have ended there." She shook her head. "But no, he continued playing, which means he liked it too, and apparently, he managed to win..."

"There's a saying in my homeland: 'One beaten man is worth two unbeaten.' It means that by facing failure and getting back on your feet, you become more experienced," I said, stroking her head.

"Stupid saying," Scully snorted. "The best way to learn is by winning and learning from others' mistakes."

A difference in worldviews, and there was nothing to be done about it. Unlike me, Scully became her country's champion, not just drifting around the level of national team selection like I did.

"So, in Deytran, you lost track of your opponent?" I asked, sitting on the edge of the bed without letting the unexpected guest out of my arms.

"No, earlier," she countered, slipping her ice-cold palms under my shirt. "In Atreia. Also, your ex showed up there, and I really don't want to meet her." She looked up at me. "Raven, how did you even get involved with her? She's a hurricane, a storm, a natural disaster! My advice to you: stay away from people like this Arien! If she doesn't accidentally crush you, you'll burn up just being near her."

"Thanks, I really appreciate your concern," I smiled with my eyes alone.

"Oh, shove off!" Scully laughed, wriggled out of my arms, and with a swift move, kicked off her boots and sprawled on the bed.

"Are you free now?" I asked, admiring her figure.

"What about you?" The future Goddess of the Hunt gave me a peculiar look.

"I'm training Air magic. Practicing with the spear. Helping Kay with his projects..." I began listing, but Scully cut me off:

"Pfff! I wasn't talking about that, I meant that girl in the office," she said, not taking her eyes off me.

"Erin?" I was genuinely surprised. "She's one of us and needs help."

"Help?" The Australian squinted.

Was she jealous? Antares save me!

"And besides, Kay needs a volunteer for his crazy project," I added just in case.

"A guinea pig?" She smirked and looked away.

"Mutually beneficial cooperation," I corrected. "And actually, when I asked if you were free, I meant something else. Like, do you have any urgent matters?"

"Urgent?" Scully stared at the ceiling. "Probably not. I was planning to come to Deytran to buy a good bow and check out those Inverted Towers."

"I think you'd like the Tower in Atreia," I smiled. "They say there are all sorts of creatures and monsters, just the way you like it."

"Yeah," the future Goddess of the Hunt nodded. "Only, your ex is there, and I don't want to cross paths with her yet." She suddenly changed her position, lying on her stomach and propping her chin with her hands. "Raven... that cute boy who blushes so sweetly... Kay. You said he's an excellent craftsman?"

"The best," I corrected.

"Do you happen to know if he can make bows?" the future goddess of the Hunt expressed keen interest.

"If so, then only traditional ones, Japanese style," I replied after some thought.

"But could he make a compound bow?" Before I could answer, Scully continued, "I've used them more than once; I even had a couple of my own. I can sketch out the details quite thoroughly." Then she suddenly grew gloomy and added, "But they have complex cam shapes and require a lot of calculations. If he's never made one before, it's pointless to ask... You'd need a physicist to calculate everything, figure out the optimal shape and loads."

"Physicist, you say..." I scratched my forehead. "I know someone like that, worked at CERN on Earth, where the Hadron Collider is. Not sure if his specialty covers the calculations for cams and theoretical mechanics."

"Will you ask him about such a possibility?" Scully got so excited that she even sat up in bed. "In Atrea I saw an archer whose bow's limbs were, it seemed, steel! I'd love one like that, especially a compound one..." Her voice turned dreamy. "I wouldn't need any artifacts at all."

I didn't recall anyone among earthlings making compound bows in the Last Cycle. Crossbows were made but didn't catch on due to their low rate of fire, and repeaters lacked the necessary power to fight monsters, let alone demons.

But in the Last Cycle, I doubted anyone asked Ronin if he could calculate the shape of cams and the loads for a compound bow. All the more so since for precise calculations one could always turn to Edi. But why not ask? Besides, I was going to see the fencing master again tomorrow, and asking the question would not take much time.

"I'll ask, but I don't think the answer will be positive," I tried to temper the future Goddess of the Hunt's enthusiasm.

"If it doesn't work out, it doesn't work out," the Australian waved it off. "I'll just buy something local. I've already spotted a couple of good options. Though they cost as much as the roof of the Sydney Opera House!"

"If you think Kay's work will be much cheaper, you better drop that idea right now," I smirked. "Trust me, he's good at counting money."

"A compound bow compared to regular ones is like a computer next to a calculator," Scully waved her hand. "Though if you haven't used one, you won't get the difference."

Since I really had not used one, I simply shrugged.

"And anyway," the huntress suddenly shifted position, arching like a cat, "I came to you for comfort." Her eyes sparkled. "And why are you still dressed?!"

I felt like I'd never understand women, no matter how many Cycles I reincarnated, even if I had the chance. Anyway, now was definitely not the best moment to try, so I pulled my shirt over my head...

Half an hour later, lying on the bed, I was stroking Scully's hair. My thoughts had calmed, and my body had relaxed. There was something appealing about a partnership with benefits after all. The future goddess of the Hunt breathed calmly, hugging me, and looked out the window. Suddenly, she twitched, let go of me, sat up, and began to straighten her hair.

"You seem to have guests in the house," Scully said. "Don't you need to talk to them..."

Did she want to be alone for a while? I did not want to leave the room or even get out of bed, but such a request of hers, even if veiled, I decided not to ignore.

I got dressed, exchanging meaningless phrases with Scully, and went out into the corridor, leaving the girl alone. Judging by the sounds from the next room, Erin was settling into her new place, and, not wanting to disturb her, I went down into the inner courtyard.

There, at a table, sat Katashi, once again engrossed in some calculations. Noticing me, the Japanese raised an eyebrow and said:

"You have a strange partnership with that Scully."

"Ours comes with benefits," I shrugged, trying not to smile.

I approached the hearth, poured myself some hot tea, and settled next to the young blacksmith.

"If you want to ask something, go ahead," I offered.

"I'm not used to meddling in others' personal affairs," he twitched his shoulder.

"I see you didn't like Scully much," I stated rather than asked.

"A brazen person," the future God of Labor grimaced.

"But beautiful," I smiled.

Katashi just sighed heavily in response—he had nothing to argue with that.

It was a pity, of course, that the meeting of the two Shards, whom I intended to help as much as I could, had turned out so awkward, but there was no replaying it now. And from the experience of the Last Cycle, I remembered that Shards didn't get along well with each other in general. Even Arien and Nate, being lovers, argued and quarreled ten times a day.

"Scully's a huntress and was a special forces officer on Earth," I decided to smooth over the Japanese's first impression of the Australian. "She doesn't have the easiest personality, but she's a good person. Strange, yes, but good. I'm not suggesting you consider her a friend, but don't make superficial judgments about her."

"I always judge people by their deeds," Katashi dismissed.

And those deeds were not all that good. Scully had behaved far too provocatively at their first meeting. On the other hand, I now knew the young blacksmith's weakness: he did not seem to know or understand very well how to behave around beautiful girls and got flustered when they were openly uninhibited. Perhaps that knowledge would come in handy someday.

"As you probably guessed, I posted the notice specifically with her in mind. Sometimes I think she doesn't know what fear is. But then Erin suddenly showed up." I shrugged, trying to imply that I wasn't to blame for what happened. "By the way, have you thought about what you'll do after making the bathysphere?"

"Do you have any suggestions?" Katashi asked, his voice seeming excessively calm.

"Scully plans to head to the Inverted Tower in the coming days, after she finds a suitable bow. I've been considering something similar. Care to join us?" I offered.

"I thought you two were fine on your own."

An unusual reaction for the Japanese. I wondered what prompted it.

"She's Sapphire, just like us. Together, we can handle the first five floors. But I thought you needed Tears of the Gods to work in the dwarf forge, and those are obtained in the Tower," I made a fairly transparent hint.

"If what I've heard about those Tears is true, they are quite a rare drop on the initial floors," Katashi shook his head.

He was right; they were indeed rare loot. But if our team had two Shards, I believed we'd find at least one Tear on the first run. However, I wasn't sure how to convey this to the Japanese, so I settled for a more neutral response:

"Going in a group of three or four would make the Tower expedition easier and quicker."

"Four?" The future God of Labor raised an eyebrow.

"I'll talk to Ronin about it and suggest he join me," I didn't hide my intentions. "He's still Opal for now, but considering his skill, he could outmatch many fighters one or even two ranks higher. So, the swordmaster definitely won't be a burden."

"Is he that good?" Katashi seemed undecided about Ronin.

"In weapon mastery, he's better than me," I answered concisely, telling the pure truth.

This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"But didn't you beat him in the tournament final?"

It seemed the young smith was still doubtful.

"I did, but only because I recognized my opponent and was able to plan out the pattern of the fight in advance. Such a trick wouldn't work a second time," I was sure of that. "By the way, I'm planning to ask Ronin for joint training sessions while he's in Deytran. Are you in?"

"I'm afraid I'll be busy in the coming days." The Japanese nodded at the papers before him. "Moreover, I promised Erin to finish in three days and intend to keep that promise."

"Having any difficulties?" I asked, noticing the slightly concerned expression on the future God of Labor's face.

"No," he shook his head, "on the contrary, it's all surprisingly easy... No portholes, no airlock system. Just a simple sphere, with the main challenge being the creation of large, thick steel sheets. But magic and Affinity with Metal should help in accomplishing that task. The lifting mechanism is primitive, and the twisted steel cables can be replaced with something else; Ger Karilian said he knows a suitable and not very expensive material."

"Somehow, I don't hear any joy in your voice," I frowned.

"When everything goes smoothly, I prefer to check ten times that I haven't missed something obvious."

Judging by how the Japanese scrutinized the blueprint sheets for the future bathysphere, it was clear he indeed preferred to play it safe.

I wanted to ask him about the possibility of making a compound bow, but realized it wasn't the best time for such a question. Besides, before approaching him with that proposal, I needed to find out if someone could calculate the shape of the cams.

"Did you discuss all the details with Erin?" I changed the subject.

"Yes, in broad terms," the young blacksmith nodded. "She will see the rest for herself."

"You agreed to let her be present during the bathysphere's construction?"

My surprise was genuine. I thought it would take a lot of convincing, but he was already on board.

"Yes." The future God of Labor nodded sharply. "In this world, no one has done anything like this, and even on Earth, diving to a kilometer depth isn't for everyone."

"That's good." I sighed. "Could you make some more tea?"

The Japanese nodded with dignity, filled the kettle with water, and placed it on the fire.

"I talked to Erin and want to help her," I said, watching the young blacksmith's measured and calm actions.

"Aren't we helping her already?" The future God of Labor shrugged, apparently referring to the bathysphere and, consequently, Erin gaining Affinity.

"What I mean is a bit different," I shook my head. "She has decent talents in Archery, and Scully, as you already know, is an excellent archer. So, I want to ask Scully to train Erin."

"What does that have to do with me?" Katashi sensed a catch.

"Could you make them weapons? I mean compound bows, if I find someone who can calculate the cams."

"I've never made them, but it's an interesting challenge," the Japanese replied thoughtfully. "I'd take it on if someone did all the calculations. Compound bows didn't appear so late on Earth for no reason. You can't create them without a fairly advanced scientific school."

"Agreed," I smiled.

Ten minutes later, the tea was ready, and just as Katashi started pouring it into cups, Scully came down into the courtyard.

"What a pleasant aroma," the Australian said, inhaling deeply with her eyes closed. It seemed as if she had descended the stairs, led by the scent of the tea. "Boys, will you offer a girl some tea?"

I nodded at the Japanese, and he, for some reason, blushed and, nodding back, began washing the guest cup in the fountain.

"The locals don't know how to make tea," Scully said a few minutes later, accepting the filled cup with both hands from the young blacksmith. "They always add some supposedly beneficial herbs and just ruin the taste of the real drink."

She was acting strangely. Polite and clearly trying to make amends with Katashi for her somewhat extravagant appearance. Not like her at all. And I had a feeling she was on the hunt. I didn't know why, but I couldn't shake the thought as I watched her drink the tea.

"Thank you, this tea is simply exquisite; it's like being back on Earth." Taking a small sip, Scully inclined her head to acknowledge the Japanese's skill.

"I just made it the way I'm used to." Katashi shrugged awkwardly in response to the compliment.

It was funny watching them. The young blacksmith was practically afraid to look at Scully, while the Australian acted like a noble lady. Neither behaved as I was accustomed to.

For about five minutes, the huntress kept up a polite conversation with the Japanese. And the latter gradually grew bolder and even sat down across from her. Katashi's efforts to look Scully in the eyes, rather than a bit lower, were so endearing that I almost blurted out something indecent, but managed to hold back in time.

"Thanks for the tea." Setting her cup on the table, the huntress stood up from the stool. "Raven, I'd like to take a walk around the city. Will you join me?"

"But it's almost night," I frowned.

"I love walking after sunset," Scully shrugged. "But if you're busy, I'll go alone."

I glanced at Katashi. He pretended not to be there, but his expression clearly showed he wouldn't refuse such an offer.

"Alright, give me five minutes to change, and we'll go," I nodded.

"You're fine as you are," Scully waved off, looking me over.

Then, turning to the Japanese, she said:

"Thank you again for the exquisite drink. I hope it's not the last time I taste it."

"I'm always happy to make tea for someone who knows how to appreciate it."

And as he said it, he side-eyed me so much that even a tree would have understood: I, apparently, did not know how to appreciate the drink.

"Raven's more into beer," the Australian smiled. "Have a good evening." She bowed to the young smith and, approaching the courtyard exit, struck an unmistakable pose of a lady waiting for her escort.

What got into her to go for a walk? I had different plans for spending the evening and night with her. But, as they say, you have to take the rough with the smooth, so I got up and turned to Katashi:

"Don't bolt the door."

He nodded, starting to wash the dishes, glancing at Scully so much that I worried again that the future God of Labor might end up cross-eyed.

"It was nice meeting you, Kay." The Australian clearly emphasized his name.

"Likewise," Katashi squeaked softly.

When we stepped out onto the street, Scully took my arm and pressed her body against mine.

"What was that just now?" I didn't fall for her sweetness.

"When?" the future Goddess of the Hunt asked in surprise.

"Partner, don't mess with me," I grumbled irritably. "Where did all that politeness and courtesy come from? You act completely different with me."

"You did say Kay is a great master," she laughed. "Which makes him a useful acquaintance. And I can be whatever I need to be if it benefits me."

While I was pondering her words, we left the quarter's grounds, and suddenly, Scully added:

"And I also want to fuck him."

Only my Sapphire rank and my past as a professional gymnast kept me on my feet, preventing me from stumbling at her words.

"You're not going to be jealous, are you?" the huntress asked, looking into my eyes.

On one hand, her words did prick me with a pang of jealousy. But on the other hand, a much greater sense of relief washed over me. I really liked Scully. There was something particularly attractive about her recklessness and openness. And her figure was simply stunning. But a steady relationship with a future Goddess of the Hunt?! No, thank you! Not for any money! Relationships with Shard girls... I was done with that! The experience from the Last Cycle was more than enough for me. And in general, love and the like... I would think about that after I stopped the Invasion.

"A bit," I chose to admit. "But we're partners, not in a committed relationship."

"Oh, Raven, Raven..." The huntress sighed. "I don't even know if you're a fool or a genius."

"Neither," I grimaced. "Better tell me, what got into you?"

"I've never had a virgin, so I thought I'd correct that injustice," the Australian explained her desire without a hint of embarrassment.

"But why do you think Kay is a virg..."

"Oh, please," Scully interrupted me with a smirk, "it's obvious from a mile away." Then she abruptly changed the subject. "Show me the city, I haven't had a chance to see it yet."

"If you ruin my relationship with Kay, I'll..."

"Spank me?" the girl said seductively, pressing her body against mine again. "I even have a special rope for that!"

"I remember that rope," I said through clenched teeth.

"By that riverbank, you weren't against using it at all," Scully laughed.

She got me there: the way she used her artifact then... I really did like it.

First, we went to the central square, where I had to pull Scully away from the main city fountain, in which, for some reason, she absolutely wanted to take a dip. The Australian was so determined that I had to use force and literally drag her away from the water. It seemed, though, that was precisely what she wanted, turning it into quite a scene. The playful sparks in her eyes betrayed that she was just having fun and not really upset with me for stopping her.

"You're such a bore," Scully said, shaking her head after I carried her off the square and set her down. "I just wanted to get my clothes wet so you could admire my figure in a soaked shirt."

"Right," I replied, rolling my eyes, "but it wouldn't be just me looking at you. Every passerby would get a view."

"Possessive!" the Australian snorted. "What, would it kill you? Let them look. That wouldn't bother me at all."

I could easily believe that.

"I'm tired of these streets and squares," she suddenly declared. "Show me the port. I want to see the sea."

What was up with her mood swings? Why was she all over the place? I could understand it if she were actually twenty, which she looked like, but she, like me, was mentally older than her appearance. Was it her time of the month? No, couldn't be; I "checked" just a couple of hours ago.

While she chatted about nothing in particular, I observed her closely and noticed that she was strangely tense. She wasn't scared or nervous, but there was an almost imperceptible tension. Maybe she wanted to talk about something difficult? But after what she had said about what she planned to do with Katashi, I could hardly imagine any topic that would make her hesitate.

When we reached the port district, the huntress perked up. She started provoking drunk sailors, mocking and teasing them. And when one, apparently too inebriated, fell for her provocations and tried to get handsy, she slipped behind me and pushed me toward him. He then tried to shove me aside rudely.

Understanding that the poor sailor was not to blame, I tried to resolve the conflict with words, but before I could utter a couple of phrases, he laid hands on me. The poor guy was so drunk that he didn't notice the Sapphire Sign on my shirt, being only a Bronze himself. I swiftly knocked him out with the edge of my hand and handed him over to his shipmates, who were evidently more sober. They took the unconscious body from me, showered me with thanks, and quickly disappeared into the nearest alley.

"Don't do that again," I sternly told Scully once the conflict was resolved.

"I thought it would be more fun," she shrugged. "Honestly, I've never done anything like that before; I just wanted to see your reaction."

"The reaction is negative," I shook my head.

"I get it now. And I promise it won't happen again," something in her voice made me believe her.

Still, what was going on? The Scully I knew would never have behaved like that! What was that cheap provocation? And why was she looking around like that? It seemed like she was just glancing about, but she was clearly watching for something or expecting something.

"Let's go to the sea," the girl requested. "By the way, did I ever tell you that when I was young, I worked as a lifeguard on a tourist beach one summer?"

"You never mentioned it," I mumbled.

"I did, I was eighteen back then..."

As she told stories about that summer job, we reached the waterfront. We found an open pier and, once we got to the end of it, sat down with our legs dangling so the waves almost touched our shoes.

Some stories from the lifeguarding days, coming from the future Goddess of the Hunt, were quite amusing, even making me genuinely laugh a couple of times. And after half an hour of this chatter, I even started to forget the oddities in the Australian's behavior today.

But just as I relaxed, the huntress finished her latest tale and said calmly:

"Don't flinch, don't look around." Her words made me tense, but I resisted the urge to glance about. "We're being watched."

"Since when?" I asked in the tone of a light, casual conversation.

"Since the fountain. Maybe earlier, I'm not sure." Pretending to tell another story, she leaned closer. "That incident with the sailor was a provocation on my part aimed not at you but at whoever's watching us. Sorry for not warning you right away. I wasn't sure."

"So, now you're sure?"

"Absolutely." She smiled, licking her lips as if in anticipation.

"Alright!" Now I grew genuinely tense. "Scully, there are some intrigues circling around me, and you shouldn't get involved."

"Are you trying to interest me on purpose?" the huntress smirked.

"No," I shook my head. "It's all too tangled. So far, I haven't been able to figure out what's what myself."

"Now I'm intrigued," Scully cooed, looking into my eyes.

"Once I figure it out, I'll tell you," I said firmly.

"You're such a macho man: 'I'll figure it out!'" The future Goddess of the Hunt laughed. "But now's not the time to play these games."

"Scully..." I began, but she interrupted me.

"Raven! I'm a professional. I've been trained to hunt those who fancy themselves hunters." She said this in the same tone she used when telling stories about her side job as a lifeguard.

"Don't get involved," I still tried to insist.

"You do realize your words won't change anything?"

The worst part was that, knowing her, I really did understand that.

"Exactly." Easily reading my expression, she nodded. "So, we'll do as I say. Or I'll start acting on my own."

That was an unambiguous threat, by the way. What was I supposed to do? Pick a fight with her? Possible, of course. But she was a Shard—I was completely sure of that—which meant I needed to play along.

But who could be tracking us? More precisely, not us, but me. Scully had only been in the city for a day. Was it the Righteous Elevation Sect, or those unknown adversaries, who convinced Eddart to drug me with the potion? If it was the sect, Scully's counter-surveillance could end disastrously. Yet, if it was the latter, those people didn't seem professional enough to outplay someone as skilled in tracking as the Australian.

"Now we're going to pretend we had a fight," Scully smiled. "I'll leave, you'll sit for about ten minutes, and then head towards the Trade Port. Remember the 'Sea Trident' tavern we passed by? The one next to the cheap brothel."

"Where you provoked the sailor who'd had too much?" I clarified.

"You have a good memory," the huntress nodded. "There's a dark alley between those establishments. Go there and hide behind the trash bins. It's dark there, a good spot for an ambush."

"What ambush?" I asked, feeling increasingly uneasy.

"A regular one," she shrugged. "I'll track the one following us; he's alone. I'll scare him off and drive him your way."

"And he'll run straight into that alley, right?" I couldn't help but smirk.

"You're laughing for nothing. That alley is perfect for shaking off a tail. It has back exits from the tavern and brothel, and at the end, there's an exit to the market square where it's easy to lose someone among the closed stalls and shops." She seemed entirely confident in her plan. "I'd definitely run there."

When did she manage to notice all that?

"Sure, I'll catch him," I shook my head, "but what if the opponent is much stronger than Sapphire?"

"Don't worry, my trusty belt can handle even an Itildine opponent," she said, patting the rope wrapped around her waist. "And whoever's following isn't that high rank. If he were, I wouldn't have sensed the tailing. I'm sure he's not above the Second Wall, probably around our level, give or take. Too skilled for Wootz, too careless for Diamond."

"From your lips to Antares's ears," I adapted an earthly saying. "But do you really need to get involved in this?"

"Of course!" declared the future Goddess of the Hunt confidently. "It's fun!"

Fun? No, I would never understand the Shards with their quirks! But getting in their way wasn't the best option either.

Since nothing else came to mind, I decided to agree.

"Alright, we'll do it your way," I nodded.

"I almost love you," Scully cooed.

And just a second later, she jumped to her feet and threw a fit. A real one, with yelling, flailing arms, and ridiculous accusations. Then, proudly lifting her head and strutting like a model on a runway, she walked down the pier toward the embankment.

I had to stay put and sit for the agreed ten minutes, pretending to be upset over the sudden quarrel. Then I got up and headed to the Trade Port area.

Surprisingly, I didn't sense any surveillance myself. And that was bad: it showed a clear lack of my sensory skills. The very fact that there was surveillance, I didn't doubt—how could the Shard of the Goddess of the Hunt be wrong in such a matter?!

I reached the designated alley without any incidents. Timing it right, when the few passersby were looking anywhere but at me, I threw on the Shadow Cloak and slipped into the dimness of the narrow lane. The needed trash bins—more like simple barrels that had held fish—were just about twenty steps in, right across from the tavern kitchen's back door. After making sure no one else was in the alley, I slid between two barrels that stank so badly they brought tears to my eyes and lay low.

The wait dragged on for nearly thirty minutes. I had already begun to worry: what if something had happened to Scully? What if she, like in the Last Cycle, had chosen an opponent beyond her strength? Nevertheless, I didn't let my worries show. Just sat quiet as a mouse under the Shadow Cloak.

I had almost decided that I'd had enough and it was time to go looking for the Australian when I felt a change in the shadows. They became denser, more saturated, so much so that in the already dark alley, it seemed to grow even darker.

I activated Shadow Player, but the spell acted strangely: the shadows, which should have been under my control, refused to obey, dispersing into a dim haze.

What was this? Who could suppress a Fifth Step technique with their aura?

It seemed my fears were justified: Scully had met an opponent out of her league. And now, it was my turn! And, as luck would have it, I was without the Striking Whisper, only the Thunder Dagger at my belt.

I didn't see who was approaching. Didn't hear them. Only the shadows grew increasingly thicker.

"Catch him!" The sudden shout from the future Goddess of the Hunt snapped me out of my stupor.

Unable to think of anything better, I jumped out from behind the barrels and turned on my Flashlight at full power. And, surprisingly, my intuition worked. In the thickened shadow, I saw a silhouette running straight at me.

A blurry silhouette wrapped in Shadow.

The foreign shadow, blinded by the light emanating from me, veered to the side. Quickly, but not fast enough. My hand closed around the wrist of the blurry silhouette. And then something happened that stunned me. I definitely grabbed a human hand, but suddenly it lost its density, became ghostly. It became Shadow!

One second—and I was grasping empty air.

What kind of magic was this?

Had I been alone, the mysterious silhouette would have escaped. But before it could free itself from my grip and take a step, something rustled in the air, and the one who had been tailing me fell to the dirty pavement, bound by Scully's artifact belt.

The shadows receded, and I saw an ordinary-looking man wrapped in a dark grey cloak with a deep hood covering his face. The stranger tried to free himself, but the more he struggled, the tighter he was bound by the magical rope of the future Goddess of the Hunt.

"He's mine!" Scully shouted as I was about to lean over the body lying on the pavement.

From the way the Australian approached, I realized she had been playing this whole day. Preparing her hunt. And all her claims about losing and needing comfort were nothing but skillful role-playing. Once again, she used me in her games.

All this time, they hadn't been watching me, but her. The one watching was the person who had been driven to the brink by her antics. She only pretended to give up, provoking her target to make a move after he was "convinced" she had "backed off."

Amazingly, her ploy worked.

And now, the girl walked down the dark alley with the look of a victor. Even during sex, her face didn't show such pleasure.

Approaching the body on the pavement, the future Goddess of the Hunt leaned down, placed her hand on the hood, and said:

"Got you, Master of Hide and Seek!"

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