“That’s amazing, you’ve practically healed overnight.” The healer marveled at the tissue on Ren’s shoulder that was already scarring.

“I-Is that normal?” Ren glanced over at Mary, who was pouting at him. Did I upset her again? We haven’t even gone on a date yet, and we’re already off to a rocky start.

“No, it’s not at all. You must have amazing regenerative powers!” The healer changed out his bandages and reset his sling. “You can go out just don’t overdo it. The wound has closed, but it still seems tender.”

The healer stood up to take his leave, and Mary saw him off. When she came back, she looked even more irritated than before.

“Mary-chan, are y-you upset at me?” Ren asked, crestfallen.

She seemed to notice his distress and looked away. Her brow furrowed. “No… I just wanted to take care of you longer…”

“Oh… OH!” Ren blushed, feeling shy and turned away. “T-thank you for everything you’ve done for me so far.”

He heard her let out a sigh. He looked up and found her staring at him with her bottom lip stuck out. “That’s not fair, being sweet like that.”

Ren’s ears burned, and he tried not to let out a nervous giggle.

“Anyway, let’s go out and see if they still have your account at the bank.” Mary flitted about, getting ready to go out.

She’s mad. Mary gave him a small old beaten-up saddle bag to carry his money in and hang on his good shoulder. He instinctively picked up his staff.

“What are you doing? Weapons are prohibited unless you’re leaving the city,” Mary scolded him and took his staff from him. She leaned it up against the wall. “It will be fine. The guards are out and about right now. Father always makes sure the merchant district is well guarded.”

Does he? I wonder if he’s being a little bias. He didn’t argue with her. After she’d locked up, she led him outside to the merchant square. Sliding her arm around his good one, she held onto him. Ren fidgeted at the proximity. It was his first-time walking arm in arm with a woman. She directed him to leave the merchant area and head for the wealthier part of town. As they walked, he felt like people were watching them.

“Mary-chan, are people staring at us?” Ren asked, keeping his voice low.

She blushed and whispered back, “You stood out as a flicker. Most people know who you are. I’m sure it’s gone around town already about you becoming a normal person. They’re probably curious.”

“O-oh.”

Ren looked around as they walked. Many of the shops were familiar. What was hard to get used to was buildings he couldn’t get into in Y.O.W were being opened and closed. He saw lots of people coming and going. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a pale blue figure walking through the street. This person was unique. They were dressed in long robes and holding a staff.

“Mary-chan, is that…?” He pointed to the person.

“A flicker,” she confirmed for him.

Ren watched the adventurer from Y.O.W entering a clothing shop and coming out quickly with new gear. His entire body was blue. He looks like a glitching game character. The flicker quickly hurried their way, and to Ren’s surprise, he didn’t seem to see them. He pulled Mary out of the way right as the adventurer almost ran into them. He wasn’t fast enough, and their shoulders touched or should have. The person faded right through him just like he would certain NPC’s.

“You don’t need to dodge them. They can’t touch us,” Mary explained, then put her finger to her lips. “But thank you for trying to protect me.”

Ren swallowed and nodded, too embarrassed to say anything else. Once they recovered, they headed for their destination. In the wealthy district of Amore was a large brick structure with enormous glass windows and a massive clock tower on top. Amore Bank. He’d only been here a dozen times to deposit money. Mary gripped his arm a little tighter as they walked up the large brick steps and entered the enormous bank. There were some well-dressed nobles talking with the tellers. A woman in fine 1800s clothing opened her fan, put it over her nose, and eyed Mary’s dress as they walked up to a teller. Ren didn’t like the way she was judging Mary. The woman noticed him looking at her. She looked scared and hurried away.

“Ren,” Mary whispered. “You’re glaring at her.”

He looked down at her, surprised. “I am?”

The teller cleared his throat, drawing their attention. Just like the woman, his gaze wandered over their attire. It took Ren’s full strength not to snap at the man. He didn’t care that the man was judging him, but the look he was giving Mary left a sour taste in his mouth. Is there a heavy caste system in this world?

“Can I help you?” The teller asked finally done with his inspection.

Ren said through clenched teeth, “I was wondering first if Flickers could open up accounts with this bank?”

The teller raised an eyebrow at him. “Yes, Flickers have opened up accounts at our establishment before. Why does this concern you?”

Mary pulled slightly on his arm and cleared her throat, drawing the teller’s attention. “Until yesterday, he was a Flicker. He opened an account here. He wanted to see if it’s still here and accessible.”

“Huh? A Flicker? What name would the account be under?” The teller flipped through a large tome of accounts in front of him.

“Knight,” Ren growled.

The teller froze in his page flipping and looked up at Ren. “G-give me one moment, please.”

Ren and Mary exchanged a look while the teller ran off to the back.

“What did you do?” Mary questioned him.

He looked at her, taken aback. “I didn’t do anything. The only thing I ever did was deposit and leave.”

A man in a fancy black suit with white hair and silver eyes followed the nervous teller out of an office from the back. He pushed the teller aside and walked up directly to Ren. The man stared at them closely, and Ren could feel Mary’s grip tighten on his arm.

“Ah,” the fancy man finally said and bowed to them both. “It is good to see you again, Knight-sama.”

“Sama?” Ren felt confused. He didn’t remember this man at all. Did I meet him as an NPC in Y.O.W?

“I’m sorry… Who are you?” Ren finally asked.

The man smiled pleasantly. “My name is Xavier. I own and manage Amore Bank. We only met once when you first set up your account at my bank.”

Ren thought about it and then recalled that he had talked with some white-haired man when he first entered Amore Bank, but all his tag said at the time was banker. “I do vaguely recall that... T-though it was about ten years ago.”

Mary looked at him perplexed, and Xavier chuckled.

“What? W-What did I say?” Ren didn’t understand.

Xavier explained, “I met you only a couple years ago.”

Ren turned to Mary, perplexed.

“I’ve only known you a couple years too.” Mary admitted.

Why are the time lines so different? He didn’t know how he felt about the jaded timelines. He’d been fawning over Mary for ten years, but for her it had only been two. Xavier bowed again, drawing their attention.

“Knight-sama, I would like to talk with you about your account in my office. The miss is welcome to come too.” Xavier gestured to the door he’d exited from.

Ren looked at Mary, and she nodded her consent. The bank owner led them to a private and neatly kept room with a row of ledgers on a large bookshelf. He beckoned for them to take a seat in a set of plush red velvet chairs in front of a large oak desk.

“Would you care for some tea or snacks?” Xavier scanned the shelf and pulled a ledger from it.

Ren turned to Mary, who shook her head. “N-No, thank you.”

The man sat on the other side of the desk and opened the tome. He looked up at them with kind but playful eyes. Now that they were out of earshot, Ren could sense the change in the banker.

“I have to say this is the first time a Flicker who’s made an account at my bank has come seeking it after no longer being a Flicker. We don’t have many Flicker customers to begin with, but you particularly were an odd one. Though I supposed this is the first time a Flicker has become a real person.” The man chuckled as he found the page he was looking for. He looked over at Mary and smiled kindly. “What do you do for a living miss?”

“I work in the market selling general goods.” Mary’s eyes turned to the ground.

Xavier did not seem to judge her. “That is an excellent profession. Many people and Flickers need such goods. I must ask this, Knight-sama, are you alright with showing your account to her?”

Ren glanced at Mary and nodded. “I have nothing to hide from her.”

Xavier smiled, a mischievous look in his eyes, and turned to Mary. “Then the next thing I must say is to not be surprised by this miss. I don’t mean this in a bad way. I would say this to anyone Knight-sama brought with him despite their profession.”

Mary looked at him skeptically but nodded. The banker turned the ledger around and showed them the contents of the account. Ren couldn’t read the writing in the ledger and stared at it, perplexed. Looks like I’ll need to learn this world’s language. He heard a thud and looked up to find Mary on her knees. Her face as white as a sheet. Xavier chuckled at both their reactions.

“Mary-chan, are you alright?” Ren helped her back into her seat, but the young woman seemed too stunned to say anything. “I’m s-sorry Xavier, but I can’t read this world’s language. When… I was a Flicker it was translated for me.”

The man placed the ledger down and folded his hands. “In two years’ time you deposited at our bank a total of twenty times. Within that time, you amassed 573,984 large gold coins, 1,345,879 medium gold coins, 10,578,393 small gold coins and a much, much larger amount of silver and copper coins. You, Knight-sama, are without a doubt the richest man in all the realms.”