Daniela's eyes dazzled around, viewing the man beside her from various angles. 

The man was quite charismatic with his slick back deep silver hair and sharp eyebrows catching the sight of anyone who's eyes fell over him. 

But the most outstanding characteristics were his sharp moustache kept clean along with a neatly trimmed beard, and the well maintained eye brows, sharp and will rounded. 

He wore a large black over coat let loosely over his shoulders while a white shirt showed on the insides of his coat. 

The top buttons of the shirt was left unbuttoned, showing his skin. 

The atmosphere was silent from neither side making any sort of conversation. 

The General had been assigned to escort the Princess to her location and bring her back safely, which is why he had been standing with her. 

The escort mission was from the palace to Nexarion for a meeting Daniela had requested with the Principal. 

This was the request she had made to the Emperor earlier. 

After even more silence, Daniela decided to break the silence. 

"Aren't you quite busy, General?" 

Turning slightly to face her, he opened his mouth. 

"I am busy at all times, Milady."

"Wouldn't your work pile up?" 

"Pull an all nighter and it's all done."

'Ha... how similar... no matter the pay, how is this considered living if we can't even enjoy it.'

She couldn't help but reminisce about her past. 

"But..."

The General spoke up, reeling her out of her thoughts. 

"... the thought of my simple bed waiting for me after the day, and the hope of being able to see another day, I think it pretty much keeps me going forward." 

"Huh?"

Daniela made a dumbfound gasp, not because she couldn't grasp, but rather how much she could connect with his words. 

"Oh! We're you perhaps not waiting for an answer? I apologise." 

He made a respectful bow, arching his head down. 

"Ah! No! Raise your head, General." 

She scurried around, trying to get the man to stop with his respectful gestures, after all she had not meant for him to do that. 

"Forgive me, I have misread your intentions yet again." 

"It's alright, Sir." 

She brought up her hand, holding it up with an open palm facing forwards. 

"Is smoking part of the night routine?" 

"Ah! Is it that noticeable?" 

He took a step back at her words.  

"I suppose the scent of the burning paper lingers around for quite some time."

"It's alright, we all need a release."

The General was taken aback by her words as he took another step back. 

He had done this since the Princess had addressed the scent. 

He couldn't stay close to her anymore, despite it not being any sign of discomfort. 

"Please do not do that, General. I was simply curious, I do not wish to bring any sense of discomfort."

Daniela spoke assertively knowing he wouldn't take her seriously if she kept up with her innocent appearance. 

The General stopped before she spoke once a certain distance had been made. 

"I suppose so, but it would be quite ungentlemanly of me not to heed a woman's word." 

"Ha... I suppose so." 

'Who said chivalry's dead?' 

—Tap Tap 

The sound of the footsteps got closer. 

Daniela turned to look, seeing the little boy with the golden locks heading towards her, alongside the brown haired maid from last night. 

'Wyge...'

"Leave?" 

The General shot a quick glance at Daniela. 

"Yes, Sir." 

...

'This is a teleportation gate...?' 

She stood before the marvel, four large pillars forming a circular shape with a stone platform inside the four pillars. 

The platform had similar signs expanding all the way over to the pillars, connecting the two together. 

"Have you notified them of our destination, Wyge?"

The General spoke to her. 

"No, Sir. I was about to." 

She parted with a small nod, leaving the trio. 

Daniela's eyes fell on the little boy standing beside her, her brother in this world. 

'My brother, huh?'

...

[On one condition, take your brother along with you.]

[Gabriel?]

[Yes. He could learn somethings from you]

[Thank you, father.]

...

The Emperor had asked Daniela to take her brother along with her. 

'I suppose I could get used to this dysfunctional family, the quiet hardworking dad, the silent brothers... well, you got to work with what you have.'

While she had been recollecting the thoughts scattered around her head, Wyge had been talking with the operators of the teleportation gate. 

They stood behind the four pillars, and what seemed to be a control panel. 

Wyge returned after the brief conversation with the operators. 

"Please step in." 

She gestured towards the stone platform inside the pillars. 

The trio made their way in, setting foot in it. 

'Phew... I'm excited!'

Wyge followed, standing beside Gabriel while the General stood beside Daniela. 

The countdown started shortly as they stepped into the platform. 

"Four..."

The sigils on the wall shone white while making a small whirring sound. 

"Three..."

—Whirr

"Two..."

Clenching her fists, she prepared herself

—Whirr

"One.."

—Tsssss!

The group disappeared, leaving behind tiny particles of dust floating in the air. 

_________________________

—Thump!

The axe struck the piece of log, splitting it in two. 

His muscles relaxed after the strenuous act, slightly rippling beneath the shirt. 

—You know Jack?

"Nope, I don't."

He spoke softly, bending over to pick up another piece of log and place it down. 

—Oh! What's up your ass today?

"You..."

Placing the log on top of the half cut tree trunk, he raised his axe. 

—A sword would work better. 

"I'm cutting wood."

—Thump!

He split the log in two yet again with clean cut perfection. 

—But It's more efficient.  

"It might be more efficient if you could stop distracting me."

He spoke back to the voice in his head. 

—Is that how you talk to me? Oh! It seems like the kid is back.

"Oh! Seems like he's done."

Placing the axe on the ground, he turned to notice Finn had came back. 

"Are you all done?" 

"Yes, Mister."

—Growl

Jack flinched at the sound coming from the young boy's empty stomach. 

"Did you skip breakfast?"

"Haha..."

His laughter trailed off awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. 

"... kind of." 

"Ha."

He made a slight sigh at the reply. 

"Come with me."

"Oh, yes..."

'It's unnerving just being around him. It's almost as if I'm talking to a ghost, I can't hear his footsteps, nor sense his presence the minute I look away!'

Finn felt the man had more to than he was letting on, but he couldn't express it, and now he wanted to invite Finn into his domain for... breakfast? 

'Ah! Well, a free meal is nothing to forwn about.'

He followed the man who had disappeared into the small shack. 

Upon entry, Finn noticed the interrior was quite cozy despite the shabby exterior. 

"So—"

Finn made a surprised turn at the man's voice. 

"Why are you going around doing work when you're this young?"

The man came from his left, walking past Finn, and placing a tray down on her table. 

Finn's eyes slightly flicnhed at the man, but decided to not showing it. 

"Education."

The reply was short and abrupt, but the man made a nod of understanding. 

"Higher studies, where?"

He gestured towards the tray. 

Finn's eyes fell on the meal presented before him. 

A simple piece of bread with burn marks around its edges showing it was toasted along with a bowl of orange liquid sat on the tray. 

"Nexarion."

He sat down, placing the black ring and the card he had received earlier from the man. 

"Nexarion? Did you just say Nexarion?"

For a moment the stern man seemed to have been taken aback. 

"Appearances can be decieving."

His lips tugged around for a small smirk. 

"Ha... lesson learned, I won't judge you again."

The man's smile shone brightly, easing the earlier sense of unease Finn had felt. 

"I forgot to introduce myself, name's Jack."

"Finn," he spoke, making a slight bow, "pleased to meet you."

"But how come you're poor if you could get into Nexarion."

The words felt like boulders falling on him. 

"I'm not poor!"

"You almost had an attack when I handed you fifteen ryū."

Jack replied flatly, pointing at Finn. 

"That's because money is very valuable, besides why are working as a lumberjack if you can afford these!" 

He pointed at black ring and the card he had placed on top of the table earlier. 

"I got that as a present."

Jack turned his face away from him while speaking. 

"Liar."

"Huh! Why?" 

Quickly shifting to face Finn, he asked. 

"Let's just say, I'm quite well versed at reading people and that's no gift."

'Of course I'm not that great at it, but it is a skill I had picked up over time.'

"You're barely sixteen."

"I'm an old soul." 

"Eat up, it's getting cold."

"Ahh! Yes, thanks."

Tearing off a piece of bread, he dipped it in the bowl before placing it in his mouth. 

"Mhm! This is good, were you a chef, Mister?" 

"A chef? No, but I used to cook."

Jack replied, watching the boy devour the piece of bread almost as if he had been starving for days. 

—Chomp Chomp!

"Hey... slow down, I got more if you need it." 

He made his comment noticing how Finn was stuffing himself with the meal. 

"You rich old idiot! How could I not! This is premium stuff!"

"Rich... old, idiot...? Are you referring to me?"

"Yes, you! Who else is here?"

Making the hasty comments, Finn went back to eating. 

'Ha! It's been so long since I've eaten such good food, maybe I'll make this man my personal chef after I become rich!'

"Hey, can you get me some... more...? Are you sulking?"

He noticed Jack making mock tears clutching his chest. 

"Rich... old idiot..."

"You're funny."

—You got company!

Wiping off the mock somber mood, Jack got up at the sudden alert. 

It was from the voice he had been conversing with since earlier. 

"I can't sense anything." 

His tone shifted, looking around as he raised his guard. 

'Why is he acting like that?'

Finn watched Jack look around, muttering to himself every once in a while. 

—A teleportation lock on? It's right outside.

"Is it them again?"

—I don't think so, the signature is different. 

"If that's the case—"

—Wham!

Bright light flashed from outside the shack, coming in through the small cracks of the wooden shack. 

"It is indeed a different a group."

—A Seven-star...

"Seven-star? I can't feel it."

—Knock knock 

—Go on, open it.

The voice spoke softly, urging him to open it. 

He moved forward at its words, placing his hands in the door knob, pulling it open. 

"Hi there!"

The strange woman pushed in, prompting Jack to step back by a few feet.  

"Uh... who are you?"

"I am your savior, now shall we talk business?"

'Huh? Isn't that...!'

Finn instantly knew her, 

Bright auburn hair fell over the face of the strange woman that had just barged in. 

'That blue suit, brown hair and that manner of speaking, it's her, Han Shia.'

_________________________