Alaric's POV
"You've outdone yourself, Alaric!" A woman with ivory black hair fading to glowing teal and cloudy blue eyes exclaimed while viewing the creature
and writing on a hologram tablet.
"So, tell me…what happened? You usually bring these creatures to me, half-melting," she continued as she told her assistant to take the fused and melting creatures away.
"It's a long story… Do you have time, Meixia?" I responded.
"No, you'll have to be brief about it"
I explained to her what happened in the boutique in a nutshell, she was quite surprised.
"That guy… Ambrose was it? Is he actually B rank?" she asked.
"I didn't check… but I'm pretty sure he's not B"
"And you still proposed the deal to him?"
"Well, his skill is quite useful, and when I first saw him, he seemed…familiar, I don't know if…"
"Do you think he's the person you're looking for?" she asked.
"I don't know, my memories are too blurry… but I'll have to keep a closer eye on him…" I replied.
While Bai Meixia was going through the past reports of creatures, I stared at the ground in silence.
"Hey, Alaric", a person was looking at me, but everything was a little too blurry, so I didn't know how he looked exactly.
"When I leave, I want to go around the world" he sighed "What about you?"
"I want to go with you", I replied
The person sighed.
"Why do you want to be with me all the time?" He asked.
"Because you saved me-"
"That's not a valid reason," he cuts me off.
I looked at him, confused. "What do you mean?"
"You can't stay with me just because I saved you… You have to find your reason… I can't be your reason," he explained.
I frowned "Why not? What's wrong with that?"
"That's not good for you!" He exclaimed.
He sighed in frustration, "You know what…When you find a valid reason, only then can you stay with me"
Those words stung my heart…
I want him to be my reason… I'll do anything for him.
But…
"So… will you leave me?" I asked
I don't want him to leave me… I'll beg if I have to.
I'll lie that I found a reason, just to be with him.
He is my reason I'm alive, my reason to live and forever will be, nothing can change that…
My saviour, myeverything.
"I'm sure you'll be fine without me… and I know you'll find me eventually," he smiled. "You always do."
Even though half of his face was blurry… that smile was so soft…
"Also, Since you're going to be like me… you have to remember my name" he looked out the window of our room.
I looked at him. "I remember your name, it's–
"Alaric?" Bai Meixia called out.
"Yes?" I felt tears sting my eyes, but I blinked them away.
"You zoned out", she continued
"mmh… Sorry"
"It's alright"
"By the way, did you know there was a rumor going on?"
"What is it?" I asked
"It seems that the assistant director's making all the retired hunters come back," she explained.
"And he's trying to get the previous number 1 to get him out of retirement", she continued.
"Sigh... that asshole" I replied
"Well, you should go and rest, see you soon, Alaric" She waved her hand and left.
I took the gloves out of my inventory and kept them in front of me, then I removed the ones I'm wearing and put on the new ones.
I looked at them… they felt good on my hands.
I hold my hands together, and they feel surprisingly durable.
Ambrose sure does make good equipment…
Mhm… when I think about him, I feel comfortable and warm…
I sighed and got up and left…
I hope Ambrose agrees to my proposal…
____
Ambrose's POV
The next day, Kim Harin and I were in my kitchen since she came to visit, and I told her about yesterday.
"So you're telling me, you got a deal from the Munjin guild leader, Alaric? To help him search the creatures?" Kim Harin asked in disbelief.
"Well… it was more blackmailing than asking…" I replied, putting my head on my hand
"I need a cigarette…" she sighed, extending her hand towards me.
I sighed and took out a pack of cigarettes and took two, and gave one to her. She pulled a lighter and lit her cigarette, and then gave the lighter to me.
After lighting mine, I gave it back to her and continued after taking a puff of smoke.
"he wants me to help him investigate the strange creatures", I explained.
"But the director knows you, you don't have to accept", she countered
"But he will probably report to someone else, and that causes problems… especially that assistant director"
"By someone, you mean me and I don't think even he like that assistant asshole"
"He shouldn't know that I was previously no.1" I sighed ", and on top of that, the branch will pester me to join back", I continued after blowing smoke
"But… are you interested?" She asked
"Well, now that I think about it… those creatures kind of looked like the failed experiments of the facility I used to be experimented in," I explained, taking a puff of the cigarette
She takes a puff of the cigarette "Mh… I'll see… but for now, all I know is that there is a group where they kidnap civilians, Gatekeepers or Hunters and are said to experiment on them, they call themselves Talos…" she explains.
"That sounds like a stupid name", I joked
"Yeah, heh", she chuckled
After a few minutes of silence
Should I accept the deal?" I asked and puffed
"Why are you asking me? It's your decision," she replied after she blew out smoke.
"I want your opinion"
"Then I think you just want an excuse to spend time with him"
I got flustered and blushed a shade of pink "What nonsense are you speaking…"
"he's your long lost friend-boyfriend or some shit, right?, then you see what's best for you"
I sighed… she's right…
"Alright, but he's not my boyfriend"
"I call bullshit" she smirks.
She sighed, "Alright, I won't tease you. By the way, your gem, I couldn't find anything on it", she said
"I see… that's alright", I assured her.
She hands me the gem, "Here"
"Thanks", I put the gem in my inventory.
Later, after we finished our cigarettes and food and then we left, going to my shop
___
We both went to the shop, and Kim Harin was looking through the displays I had on the shelves,
While I was looking through the types of fabric I had, I was going to make a dress and suit.
But just then the door opened and I came out of the storeroom to see a woman with light brown hair and brown eyes, and Kim Harin leaning against the wall.
She looked at me and greeted me with a smile, "Hello"
"Can I help you?" I greeted back, smiling as I went to the counter and stood behind it
She walked towards the counter and asked, "Are you Ambrose?"
I nodded, "Yes, is something wrong?"
She then placed 2 big books on the counter. They had a brown cover with gold embroidery, similar to how I stitch, and looked worn out…
They looked similar to her diaries…
"Do you recognize these?" the lady asked.
"Who are you?" I glared at her, and Kim Harin came to the side of the counter, eyeing her
"I'm Charlotte", she replied, "I'm Amelia's descendant"
My eyes widened… Amelia, I met her when I was 100 years old back in 1700
"If you need proof, then-" she removed a pin from a flower and put it on the counter.
I looked at it and then I remembered-
A knock came and my door and I went to open it, to find a young woman with light brown hair and green eyes, wearing a simple beige French dress.
"Hello, Ambrose, mind if I join you for tea?" She smiled and offered
I smiled back, "Amelia… My quarters are not suitable for tea… How about we go somewhere nearby ?"
"Oh, that's nonsense, I prefer to eat at your house… I find it more comfortable than mine," she explained, and I let her in.
She looked around and sat on the couch in the living room.
"I'll make tea and come", I went to the kitchen.
After making the tea and serving it, I sat opposite her.
She took the cup and took a sip and exclaimed, "Your tea is the best there is, Ambrose"
I chuckled and asked, "So why are you here?"
"Mh? Oh, I wanted to tell you something"
"Do tell"
"I'll be straight forward then," she said as she put a pin on the tablewhichit was in the shape of a flower.
"I have decided to give you my entire fortune under a different name, after my death", she then added.
My eyes widened, but she continued to explain.
"And if one of my sister's descendants shows you this pin… I want you to give half of the fortune to them, and of course, you can use the other half of the money as you please"
I sighed, "Why?"
"You know I can't give birth, so we have no heir… and all this money was made by our boutiques and my husband's sister and her husband will take over the family name after our deaths… and I know, she is going to waste our money", she explained.
"Alright", I sighed ", you did save me from being starved… I think I can do your request," I added.
"Thank you, Ambrose", she smiled.
I looked at Charlotte "Alright, you want the Money?" I asked
"Money? What Money?" Charlotte looked at me, confused
The money Amelia gave has made me rich by now… even if I give half of it, I'll still have a lot.
And I don't need that much stuff, so I give it to programs and charities, anonymously.
"Amelia left an entire fortune for you", I explained.
"Ah… no, I want you to teach me how to stitch and how to run a boutique", she explained.
"Why?" I asked
"Because I want to start my own, but no one in my family does seamstress work anymore… My grandmother gave me this, saying that this might help," she replied
I looked through the books, and in there was everything Amelia taught me.
"Ambrose, you believe her?" Kim Harin spoke up
"Yeah", I replied, and Charlotte beamed in excitement.
I gave her the book "Alright, I'll teach you, you can work in my boutique"
She looked at me with sparkles in her eyes and exclaimed, "merci beaucoup! (Thank you so much)"
"Aucun problème (No problem)" I replied
"Come from day after tomorrow at 9 am and by then go through these books", I told her.
"Alright!" She took the books and left.
Kim Harin looked at me, "I didn't know you spoke French"
I looked at her, "I speak many languages"
She rolled her eyes and I chuckled, "I know… but-like, this is the first time I heard you speaking French "
I shrugged, and she continued, "What did you both say?"
"She just thanked me", I replied and put my head on the table and sighed.
I could feel Kim Harin's gaze on me, and then she asked in a quiet voice, "Whose Amelia?"
I turned my head to look at her and then looked past her as I remembered who Amelia was…
During the 1700s in France, around 8th May, it had been a few months since I escaped and was in hiding. I had to heal the wound on my neck. I lived in the streets and I got myself a semester job, which was bad- it had low wages, it was like I was working for free…
Then one day as the owner showed a noble woman his collection, she saw a dress that I made and she demanded to meet me, the owner first refused and after much deliberation, relented and brought her to me.
Seeing my state, she bought for 200 livres (the currency of France before the revolution) and she took me to her mansion.
Over there, she asked the servants to clean me and to get me new clothes, and after eating, she told me to rest.
The next day, she told me that I would be working with her in her boutique and that she would give me a decent wage, and I agreed.
She helped me through my hard times and took care of me, I will forever be grateful to her.
I looked at Kim Harin and smiled softly, and spoke, "She was my good friend"
"Did you date her?" Kim Harin smirked, and I frowned
"I was a slav-"
"What the fuck!?" she exclaimed so loudly that my ears rang
"Calm down- Also, I didn't have an interest in her at all", I grumbled and frowned, shaking my head.
"Geez… I wouldn't either" Kim Harin shook her head side to side.
"Alright, I'll be going now", she sighed and turned around and leaving.
I sighed and sat down on the chair and leaned back, and closed my eyes.
I'm tired…