"SHUT UP!!"

  Kaensista's scream echoed, the soundwave so powerful it sent Moro tumbling and spinning through the air.

  "You… you don't know anything! This is just because… because…"

  Kaensista's purple eyeballs darted wildly. She scanned her surroundings in panic like a criminal suspect looking for a scapegoat. Her brain spun faster than a turbine to trace any random answer.

  Right at that moment, a mangy raccoon strolled casually behind a trash can.

  Target acquired.

  "AH! IT'S BECAUSE OF THAT RACCOON!"

  Her slender index finger pointed straight at the innocent rodent.

  "That ugly raccoon stole my packed lunch! Ugh! You thief! That's why I haven't had breakfast yet!" Kaen shrieked, defending herself with a pitch slightly too high.

  Silence.

  The raccoon stopped for a moment, staring at them with a confused look while holding a fish bone. 'That purple-headed human? Why is she pointing at me?' the raccoon thought. It shook its head, then continued rummaging through the trash without a care.

  Rent stared at the girl in front of him with his signature deadpan gaze.

  Truly a pathetic alibi.

  It was hard to believe that this panicked woman bming a raccoon was the same aggressive woman who had just cornered him against the wall and tempted his faith five minutes ago.

  "Hmmm…"

  Rent's long hum broke the awkward silence. The corner of his lips lifted slightly, forming a thin smile that contained not mockery, but an annoying sense of pity.

  "So... the Lady who just spoke passionately about 'fatal charm' and 'intimate bonds'… was actually defeated by one trivial thing: Forgetting breakfast?"

  Rent took one step forward. Closing the distance, forcing Kaensista to look up at him. The girl's face was no longer red from anger, but bright red like a ripe tomato ready to explode.

  "What a pity," Rent continued with a feigned ft tone. "I thought your condition was a bit more elegant. But it turns out... you're just a pervert who lost her morning ration. Or maybe..."

  Rent leaned his face in slightly.

  "...You were too excited chasing me that you forgot to fill your stomach?"

  "Ugh! You!" Kaen gritted her teeth, but couldn't retort.

  "What is it? My words are correct, aren't they? Your preparation should have been attended to before taking action, Miss Kaensista."

  On the other side, Moro, who had been ignored this whole time, floated boredly in the air. His imaginary eyes caught the figure of the raccoon—Kaen's scapegoat earlier—who was busy gnawing on the leftover meat on the fish bone.

  Crunch. Crunch.

  The sound of the raccoon chewing triggered a circuit in Moro's brain.

  Meat... Bone... Food...

  FREE FOOD!!

  The memory of the forgotten coupons hit his head like a bolt of lightning in broad daylight.

  "EMERGENCY!!"

  Instantly, the blue fur ball shot like a bullet, barging in between Rent and Kaen who were still busy arguing.

  "STOP IT!!"

  His shrill voice cut off Rent's sentence. Moro spun panicked in front of his master's face.

  "Master Rent! Snap out of it! We are here for a matter of utmost importance!"

  Rent raised one eyebrow, annoyed. "What matter?"

  "THE MATTER OF OUR STOMACHS!! THE COUPONS!! YOU DENSE JERK!!"

  Moro flew to Rent's back, pushing the young man's back with all his imaginary might. Of course, Rent didn't budge a single millimeter.

  "Come on, Master Rent! Hurry! Before we run out of the Special Fried Rice stock! That stall is famous for selling out fast!"

  Rent's eyes blinked once.

  "Ah. That's right."

  His face returned to being ft instantly. His priority shifted immediately from "teasing a woman" to "filling the stomach".

  "I forgot about that. Let's go, Moro."

  Without hesitation, Rent turned around and walked away. He completely ignored Kaensista who was still standing frozen with a mixed expression—between confused, annoyed, embarrassed, and hungry.

  One step. Two steps. Three steps.

  "Wait!"

  Rent's steps stopped at the fourth step. Without turning his head, he knew the girl was still standing there, clutching her pleated skirt.

  "What else?" Rent asked coldly without turning back. "I have 'crucial' business right now, Miss. So I'm sorry, our meeting ends here."

  Silence for a moment. Only the sound of Kaen's held breath could be heard.

  "Take… me," a voice whispered behind him. Very quiet, as if the words were stuck in her throat.

  Rent tilted his head slightly, feigning deafness.

  "What? I didn't hear you."

  Behind him, Kaensista bit her lower lip until it turned white. Her embarrassment was already at the top of her head, but her hunger was far more urgent.

  With the remnants of her shattered pride, she exploded in one desperate shout.

  "I SAID TAKE ME WITH YOU!! YOU DAMN DENSE INSENSITIVE JERK!!"

  With a faint thin smile of victory, Rent turned around fully. He looked at Kaensista who was now trembling—not from the cold, but from a mix of embarrassment and hunger that had peaked.

  "If I refuse?" Rent asked with an annoying ft tone. "What are you going to do?"

  Kaen's face turned bright red. She clenched her small fists at the sides of her skirt.

  "I… I-I will… will… scream!" she threatened with a trembling voice. "Yes! That's right! I will scream that you are a pervert! That you harassed me in this quiet alley!"

  Silence for a moment.

  Rent just stared at her, then shook his head slowly. His expression was like a parent watching a toddler throwing a tantrum.

  "Forget it," Rent muttered while massaging his temples. "I don't want you making noise. Your voice is more annoying than that blue fur ball."

  Without waiting for a reply, Rent turned his back on the girl again.

  "Come on. I'll help you just this once. No more," he said without looking back.

  Then his feet began to step forward. Slow, very slow. Deliberately giving the girl time to lower her ego and tail him from behind.

  Hearing that, Kaensista's purple eyes widened. She looked at Rent's back which was starting to move away.

  Boing!

  A single long strand of hair that usually curved beautifully and elegantly atop Kaensista's head—her prideful ahoge—suddenly stood erect. Its tip twitched with excitement, as if it had just caught a life signal named "Free Fried Rice".

  Her pride held her back for a second, but the roar of her stomach forced her to move. With quick steps, half-running, she caught up. However, she didn't walk beside Rent.

  She positioned herself at a safe distance—about one meter behind Rent's back. Just like a chick afraid of losing its mother, but also refusing to look friendly.

  "H-Hey! Wait! You… are serious, right?" she shouted softly from behind.

  "I'm serious. Don't ask too many questions, just follow. Got it?"

  ***

  They exited the narrow alley and returned to the main street of Lumeria's West District. The sun had begun to rise high, and the aroma of cooking smelled stronger.

  "There! That's the pce, Master!" Moro darted from behind Rent's shoulder, pointing to a busy open-air food stall at the end of the street.

  The "Iron Wok" Stall.

  The pce was packed. Smoke billowed from giant frying pans, mixed with shouted orders and the ughter of low-css adventurers. The line of customers even snaked onto the sidewalk.

  Rent's steps stopped. He looked at the queue with a zy gaze.

  "It's so crowded," he muttered.

  Behind him, Kaensista covered her sharp nose with her slender fingers.

  "We… have to eat here?" she asked with a tone of disbelief. "In a pce full of sweat and burnt oil smoke? And we have to… queue?"

  "You only have two choices, Miss," Rent replied without turning his head, his eyes busy counting the number of heads in the line. "Queue here and eat for free, or go back to that alley and eat air."

  "Ugh..." Kaensista bit her lip.

  Finally, with a pouting face that was (unfortunately) cute, she stood obediently behind Rent in the line.

  Ten minutes passed in torture for Kaensista. However, finally, they got seats at the corner of a long wooden table that was slightly sticky.

  Two ptes of steaming red fried rice were served in front of them.

  Without a cue, Kaensista immediately grabbed a spoon. Her "Elegant Goddess" nature vanished instantly, repced by a survival instinct.

  Chomp! Munch! Munch!

  Kaensista shoveled a rge spoonful of rice and meat into her small mouth. Her cheeks puffed out like a hamster, chewing quickly.

  Rent stopped eating. His spoon hung in the air.

  He wasn't paying attention to how the girl ate, but rather paying attention to something on top of her head.

  Kaensista's long ahoge swayed left and right to a happy rhythm, just like the tail of a dog being fed by its owner.

  Your mouth can lie about diet, Rent thought while shaking his head, but the hair on your head is too honest, Miss.

  "Ahem..." Rent spoke in between Kaen's chewing. "So, now that your mouth is full. Can you expin?"

  Kaen swallowed her food with difficulty. "Expin what?"

  "Who you really are. And why you are here." Rent stared sharply. "You said you are real. You said you came from a faraway pce. But you know me, and you have my face."

  Kaensista put down her spoon for a moment. She took a tissue, wiping the corner of her oily lips with an elegant movement that contrasted with her way of eating earlier.

  Her gaze turned serious. Slightly.

  "Let's just say… we have a mutual acquaintance," Kaen said softly. "A white figure who is very bright, and very annoying."

  Rent's eyes narrowed. "The White God?"

  "Bingo," Kaensista smirked thinly. "Although I met him… a long time ago. Long before you."

  "Before me?" Rent frowned.

  "Time is retive, Mr. Mirror. In my pce of origin… things are a bit more complex," Kaen waved her hand casually, as if reluctant to discuss boring technical details.

  "Basically, that Old Lightbulb gave me a prophecy. A ridiculous silly prophecy before throwing you into this world."

  "Prophecy?" Rent repeated.

  "Yes. He said: 'Go to Aeltherion. There, you will find the missing piece. A mirror that reflects not your face, but your soul.'"

  Kaensista leaned her body forward slightly, staring deep into Rent's eyes.

  "I thought he meant I would find a legendary weapon or a handsome prince equal to me. Turns out..."

  She stared at Rent from head to toe with a distinctly mocking gaze.

  "...I found a version of myself who is gloomy, poor, has maximum deadpan face, and is insensitive."

  Kaensista lowered her voice slightly, whispering.

  "...Although he's quite handsome when he smiled thinly earlier."

  Rent raised one eyebrow. "What was that st part?"

  "Cough! Nothing! Forget it!" Kaen answered, choking slightly.

  Kaensista went back to spooning her fried rice.

  "But… prophecy is prophecy. That Old Lightbulb rarely misses, even if his sense of humor is bad."

  "So what do you want with me?"

  "Correction. You are the one stuck with me," Kaen corrected while chewing meat. "At least until I figure out what that jobless God wants by bringing us together."