The next day came, but Emelia hadn't arrived.
Xiver was already dressed, sitting quietly as he waited. He had even prepared some money, planning to go out with her like they always did. But this time, it was different.
He wanted to prove something.
Not just to her—but to himself.
That he didn't need protection.
That he could do better.
That he had changed.
Hour after hour passed.
He waited.
To pass the time, he read books, but his eyes kept drifting toward the door. The sun slowly set, and still—no sign of her.
When Elizabeth returned home, she found him still waiting.
Elizabeth : "Hi, Xiver."
Xiver immediately looked up.
Xiver : "Emelia isn't coming?"
Elizabeth paused for a moment.
Elizabeth : "She didn't come? That's weird… she'll probably come tomorrow, don't worry."
Xiver said nothing.
Later that night, he changed his clothes and went to bed. As he lay there, his thoughts kept circling.
Why didn't she come…?
Did she quit…?
Meanwhile, in her own home, Emelia sat beside her mother.
Her mother had fallen sick.
Alphabet : "I'm sorry for taking your time…"
Emelia smiled softly.
Emelia : "Don't worry about it, Mom. It's okay… I needed a break anyway."
Alphabet looked at her with concern.
Alphabet : "But, honey… why don't you go to the Adventure Guild in the Alt Kingdom and—"
Emelia shook her head gently.
Emelia : "Sorry, Mom… I don't think I'll do that."
Alphabet sighed, then smiled faintly, holding her daughter's hand. Emelia returned the smile.
The next day came.
Emelia sent word to Elizabeth that she wouldn't be coming.
When Elizabeth entered Xiver's room, she found him asleep. He hadn't rested properly the night before—his thoughts had kept him awake.
She was in a rush.
So she left… without telling him.
Hours passed.
It was already 1 PM when Xiver finally woke up.
The moment he saw the time, he jumped out of bed.
Xiver : "Emelia…"
For a second, he thought she was just late.
A tear formed in his eye—but he quickly wiped it away.
Xiver : "No… I'll go talk to her."
His expression hardened.
Xiver : "If she doesn't want to talk to me, that's fine… but she has no right to not tell me why she cried… why she LEFT me… why she just disappeared."
He quickly got dressed and rushed out of the house.
He ran through the nearby villages, asking everyone he saw.
Xiver : "Have you seen a girl that's 190 cm tall, with blue hair, glasses, and a white and blue dress?"
A man looked at him.
Man : "No… why? Is she lost or are you looking for her?"
Xiver : "If you see her… just tell her I was looking for her."
The man frowned slightly.
Man : "And who are you exactly, kid?"
Xiver : "Xiver. My name is Xiver."
The man nodded.
Man : "Don't worry, Xiver. If I see her, I'll let her know."
Xiver didn't stop.
He kept searching.
Eventually, he reached a place near a bar.
Two men were sitting on the ground nearby.
Xiver approached them without thinking.
Xiver : "Hi… do you know a very tall girl with glasses and—"
He stopped.
The two men slowly lifted their heads.
It was them.
The tall man… and the short one.
The same ones he had seen before.
Xiver's body froze.
His hands began to shake. Sweat ran down his face.
Instinct screamed at him.
Run.
He slowly stepped back.
Then turned—
Xiver : "HELP! HELP!"
His voice echoed through the area.
But no one moved.
People looked at him… and then looked away.
No one stepped in.
No one cared.
That's when it hit him.
This wasn't the city.
No one was going to save him.
The two men slowly stood up.
And Xiver finally understood something.
All those years…
Learning swordsmanship.
Learning magic.
It wasn't for nothing.
It was—
For this moment.
The tall man glanced at his companion.
They didn't need words.
Since the day they had met, a single look was enough to confirm everything.
An attack.
Xiver noticed it.
His body reacted before his mind could process it—he rushed into a nearby corner, hiding behind a pile of waste stacked beside the alley wall.
The two men paused for a second, confused.
Why run… just to hide there?
They didn't rush.
They simply walked toward him, slow and steady.
When they reached the pile, they saw it—something moving inside.
The short man leaned forward, extending his hand to push it aside—
A sharp slash cut through the air.
Slash.
His hand was split open.
Hidden within the pile, Xiver gripped a dagger, his breathing uneven, his eyes wide.
The short man didn't even flinch.
A faint glow surrounded his hand as he calmly used healing magic, the wound closing before Xiver's eyes.
Xiver froze.
He healed… instantly…
Before he could react, the tall man stepped forward.
Xiver swung his dagger again, trying to defend himself.
The blade struck—
But it didn't even leave a scratch.
The tall man grabbed him effortlessly and lifted him into the air, his grip tightening around Xiver's body.
Xiver : "WHAT DO U WANT FROM ME?!"
No answer.
Xiver struggled, panic taking over.
Xiver : "I DON'T EVEN KNOW U! SO WHY… WHY DO U WANT TO KILL ME?!"
Silence lingered for a moment.
Then—
The tall man spoke.
The tall man : "I wonder that too… I don't really have a reason to kill you."
A faint smirk appeared on his face.
The tall man : "…Other than jealousy."
Xiver : "What…?"
The tall man tilted his head.
The tall man : "What? Do you really think you're the only one who got taken from your life and thrown into this shithole?"
Xiver's eyes widened.
Xiver : "You're… from my world too…?"
The tall man : "Duh. People like us—sent from another world—we're called 'vagabonds.'"
Xiver : "W-wait… please… let me ask more."
The tall man : "Why should I?"
Xiver's mind raced.
Xiver : "When you saw Alexander… you ran from him, right?"
The tall man's expression darkened slightly.
The tall man : "Are you trying to piss me off?"
Xiver tightened his grip on the dagger.
Xiver : "I'll give you his book… please. Just let me ask."
The tall man went silent.
Thinking.
For a moment, only the wind moved through the alley.
Then—
The short man's body began to melt.
His form collapsed into a black liquid, spreading across the ground like a shadow.
Xiver's eyes widened in shock.
Xiver : "W-what…?!"
The tall man glanced at him casually.
The tall man : "Relax. That's just my magic type… or whatever you wanna call it. I can create puppets—copies—with the same abilities as me."
Xiver : "O-okay…"
Slowly, the tall man lowered him back to the ground.
The tall man : "So… where's the book?"
Xiver steadied himself.
Xiver : "At home. I'll bring it… after you answer my questions."
The tall man let out a small laugh.
The tall man : "Don't you wonder why we're here?"
Xiver : "Huh…?"
The tall man : "We already know where you live. And we know Alexander isn't there. So why should I wait for you… when I can just go take it myself?"
Xiver's expression hardened.
Xiver : "Because I'm the only one who can read it."
A pause.
Then—
The tall man smiled.
The tall man : "…You're right. That's exactly why you're still alive."
He looked amused.
The tall man : "I thought I could read it myself… but you offering it like this? What luck. Good thing I didn't kill you earlier."
Xiver exhaled slowly.
Xiver : "…How did you get here?"
The tall man shrugged.
The tall man : "I was at work. Bored as hell. Next thing I know, I'm a baby—born in the slums."
His tone was casual, almost mocking.
The tall man : "Later, I heard rumors. About Alexander… and his secret child."
Xiver frowned.
Xiver : "…What?"
The tall man's smile widened.
The tall man : "Alexander isn't just some prince. He's the Prince of Holmes. And trust me—when he becomes king, no one will stand in his way."
His voice lowered slightly.
The tall man : "He'll conquer the other kingdoms. The whole continent will be his."
Xiver blinked.
Xiver : "W-wait… continent…?"
The tall man : "Yeah. And we're in the biggest one. Once he rises, the others won't even resist."
Xiver : "Why…? Who is Alexander exactly?"
The tall man looked at him like it was obvious.
The tall man : "He's the strongest person alive. People don't even call him by name sometimes… just 'the strongest.'"
Xiver : "Is he really that strong…?"
The tall man sighed.
The tall man : "You really lived your whole life locked away, huh? Yeah… he's that strong."
He smirked.
The tall man : "His magic ability is called 'Copycat.'"
Xiver : "…Excuse me?"
The tall man : "He copies everything. Every ability he sees—he gets it. Every magic type, every skill, every buff… everything."
His eyes narrowed slightly.
The tall man : "He has it all. And that… just makes me hate him more."
Xiver : "Then why are you jealous of him…?"
The tall man paused.
Then shook his head.
The tall man : "Not him."
His gaze locked onto Xiver.
The tall man : "You."
Xiver froze.
The tall man : "You were born into the life I wanted… while I—"
He stopped himself.
The tall man : "…Never mind. Long story short, I work with the Bishops. And they want you dead."
Xiver : "The Bishops…?"
The tall man : "They work for the dragons."
Xiver's mind spun.
Xiver : "…Why do they want me dead?"
The tall man shrugged again.
The tall man : "No idea. I just want to kill you."
He smirked.
The tall man : "Anyway, you ask too many questions. You done?"
Xiver hesitated.
Xiver : "…One last thing."
The tall man : "What?"
Xiver took a breath.
Xiver : "The vagabonds… what are they exactly?"
The tall man's expression turned cold.
The tall man : "People from our world. Thrown here."
A pause.
The tall man : "Treated like animals. Most of them end up as slaves."
His voice was flat.
The tall man : "There are a lot of them… easier to control."
He looked down at Xiver.
The tall man : "And weaker than they expected."
Xiver took a slow breath, his eyes still locked on the tall man.
Xiver : "I see… but I can't give you the book."
The tall man smiled slightly.
The tall man : "Why's that?"
Xiver's voice lowered.
Xiver : "You were going to kill me anyway…"
For a moment, the tall man seemed amused.
The tall man : "Weird… how you've already accepted your fate—"
Xiver's grip tightened around the dagger.
Xiver : "Which is exactly why I CAN'T let you take the book!"
The tall man's expression shifted.
The tall man : "…Hmm?"
In that instant—
Xiver moved.
With all the strength he had left, he threw the dagger straight toward the tall man's eye.
The air split.
The tall man instinctively shut his eyes—
And that was enough.
Xiver didn't hesitate.
He turned and jumped, pushing himself over the nearby wall, crashing into the yard of a random house. Without stopping, he forced himself forward, running through the unfamiliar space, his heart pounding wildly.
Run.
Don't stop.
Behind him, silence lasted only a second.
Then—
The tall man slowly opened his eyes.
The dagger had missed.
His expression darkened, anger flickering across his face.
He took a slow breath in… then out.
The tall man : "…I was already mad at you."
His voice dropped, cold and sharp.
The tall man : "But now… I have a better reason."