The Author's POV

[…Currently, talking about the Northern district, Sword of Light and Luxious, two major gold graded guilds, have officially declared a guild war against Bull's Wrath. Although the reason for the sudden war is unknown, sources say that it has to do with the heirs of both respective gu...]

-Click!

Turning off the TV, lazily sitting on my chair, I glanced at Smallsnake.

"Smallsnake, how's the stock market faring?"

With his eyes glued on two large monitors filled with numbers, Smallsnake apathetically replied

"...Just as you predicted, Bull's Wrath's stock has declined hard"

"Mhhh, alright."

Leaning back on my chair, I lazily nodded my head.

Prior to everything that had happened, using all the money I had left, I shorted Bull's Wrath's stock.

Knowing that their stock would plummet once Luxious and Sword of Light officially declared a guild war against them, I shorted their stock.

...and with that, I solved my money problem.

So not only did I resolve the issues with Ryan, but I now also resolved the money situation that had been annoying me for the past week or so. In just one move, I managed to resolve two of the problems that had been bothering me lately.

Like the saying goes, 'Two birds with one stone'

And honestly, couldn't be more content with the result...

...Although I do have to point out the fact that what I did was definitely illegal.

Yup.

Well, as long as I don't get caught.

You ain't guilty till proven guilty. I'll stick with that rationle for now.

"...now that you've sorted out Luxious, what about Ryan?"

"Him?"

"Yeah"

Thinking for a moment, I half-closed my eyes and lazily responded

"Nothing really...we just wait for them to call"

Taking his eyes off the monitors, Smallsnake frowned as he glanced in my direction

"...wait, you just went through all of this trouble to get rid of Luxious off of Ryan's back...and right after solving everything you suddenly start to become passive? What?"

Seriously looking at Smallsnake, I nodded my head.

"Pretty much"

I mean, it's not that I was being passive.

...it's just that I was that confident in what I proposed.

Anyone with a sane mind would without a doubt agree to the terms I proposed...I mean, the terms I proposed were just too good to be turned down.

Not only did I include a hefty sum of money as a salary for Ryan, I also included added benefits such as short working hours and free housing. What more could you ask for?

Actually...looking back on the terms I proposed, my heart couldn't help but start bleeding...For a 12-year-old kid, I really did go overboard. But I don't regret it. It was worth the investment.

Ah, wait, what if they thought it was a scam?

Oh, shit.

Recalling the fact that my mercenary group was only [I] ranked with no missions or accomplishments to its name I slowly started frowning

...yeah, now that I thought about it carefully...without a doubt they might assume this might be a scam.

Thinking thus far, my face couldn't help but darken.

I miscalculated...

"Sigh"

Staring at my continuously changing face, Smallsnake couldn't help but sigh.

"I'm not even going to ask about why you're face is currently looking like that...my instincts are telling me to ignore you completely..."

Pausing, glancing at his watch, Smallsnake couldn't help but say

"...Anyways, shouldn't you be heading back home?"

"Me? Why?"

Snapping me out of my thoughts, I frowned as I looked at Smallsnake in confusion.

Why would I go back home now? Did he want me to leave?

Rolling his eyes, and sighing once again, Smallsnake said

"Don't you have to return to the Lock today?"

"*****************"

-Bam!

Throwing as many curses as I could muster, I quickly packed up everything that I could find on my desk and made a run for it.

The fact that today was the day I was supposed to return to the Lock completely slipped my mind

I was careless...

"Right..."

Stopping right before the entrance of the building, as my feet were jogging in place, looking at Smallsnake I reminded him

"...before I leave, make sure to contact Leopold"

"Since we made enough money from this ordeal, hiring him shouldn't be a problem... In the meantime, since we're in the same school, I'll take care of recruiting Ava so just focus on recruiting him"

Turning his attention back on the monitors, Smallsnake nodded his head

"On it"

"Alright, I think I've said enough, gotta go...contact me if you need anything"

Without waiting for Smallsnake's reply, I dashed out of the building.

My family was probably already waiting at the train station. Couldn't afford to waste any more time.

...

"Ren, hurry up or you're going to miss the train!"

"Comiiing!"

Running towards the train platform, I heard my mother's shout coming from the other side of where I was, near the air train that I was supposed to board.

"Huff...huff...I made it!"

Quickly arriving in front of the doors of the train, with my arms on my knees, I heavily gulped for air.

Approaching me, with Nola in her arms, my mother asked

"Ren, why are you so late?"

"Huff...huff, nothing really, I was just busy with work and stuff"

"Work?"

"Ah, well with the subsidiary and stuff"

I wasn't lying.

Because I was so busy dealing with the mercenary stuff, I completely forgot about the fact that today I was returning to the Lock.

My one month holiday was finally over...Well to call it a holiday would be an overstatement as I was busy almost everyday with the mercenary group and stuff...Not once did I properly rest.

"Good job"

Nodding his head, my father smiled in appreciation. He was happy that me, his son, was taking what he had said seriously.

"Sigh, alright, but don't overdo it"

Somewhat getting the gist of what had happened, my mother helplessly sighed. Putting Nola down and extending her arms in my direction she said

"Give us a hug"

"Alright"

Smiling, I walked forwards and hugged everyone. This went on for a solid minute as they refused to release me from their clutches.

-Beep! -Beep! -Beep!

"Oh, it's time for me to go"

Hearing the beeps coming from the train, signaling that it was about to depart, I finally freed myself from their hugs.

Entering the train, I looked at my family once again.

Smiling as I stared at them happily waving at me, I couldn't help but feel my heart grow warm.

One month.

Altough short, I couldn't help but feel a bond as I stared at them. Most of the emotions probably came from the previous Ren, but I had a feeling that a part of it was also mine...

As I stared at them, the image of my previous family started overlapping with my theirs.

A faint smile appeared on my lips.

…thank you for everything.

"Bye Big Bwodar"

Glancing at Nola, who was waving at me with a sad face, I smiled. Squatting down to her height, I couldn't help but say

"Nola, try saying my name. Not big brother but Ren"

Now that I was about to go and was probably not going to see her for a while, I wanted for her to call me by my name at least once.

She always referred to me as Big brother, but never actually called me by my name.

"It's Big brother Ren, say it"

"Big Bwodar R-r-mhh"

Nodding her head, Nola tried to say it, but halfway through, her face couldn't help but scrunch up as she couldn't pronounce the R.

Seeing her struggle, calmly nodding my head, I slowly repeated my name

"Repeat with me R…E…N"

"B-en?"

"..."

Instantly my smile froze.

My body shook along with my smile. With the most gentle voice I could muster, I carefully said

"N-nola, it's Ren with an R, don't forget the R oka-huh?"

-Clank

Right before I could finish, the doors to the train started closing sending me into a panic.

"nonono, I can't be having this. Damnit doors, don't close now!"

-Bam! -Bam! -Bam!

In desperation, I started pounding at the door as I looked at Nola who was cheerfully smiling and waving at me. Through the gap of the closing doors, I shouted

"Nola! ITS REN WITH AN R, Don't forget the R! Actually anything other than Ben is okay too…"

Waving, Nola smiled and said

"Bye bwig brother Ben!"

-Clank

[Destination - Central district Lock]

-Bam! -Bam! -Bam!

Pounding at the door with all my might, I screamed as the train slowly picked up its speed.

"nonono, Nola NO! NO! Noooooo!!!!!"

"Hey can you keep it down? Can't you see that there are other people here?"

Just as I was in the midst of my despair, an annoyed voice resounded from the back of the train.

Standing up, a beautiful young girl with short auburn hair glared in my direction

"I was trying to sleep when your shouting suddenly dis..eh?"

"Shut it lady, I'm in a life and dea…eh?"

Just as we were both about to shout at each other, turning around and seeing each other's faces, we froze.

After a solid couple of seconds of silence, I couldn't help but break the silence

"ah...just why?"

…Just why in the world was Emma standing in front of me?