On the broad commercial road to Kester City, several insect carriages emblazoned with the Tanzan Duchy's insignia raced forward, kicking up a cloud of dust that made the convoy resemble a soaring dragon.
Inside the leading carriage, Rick reclined comfortably, retrieving an iced black tea from the side cabinet. He took a sip with relish and sighed contentedly: "Traveling with you is so comfortable, Manny. Thinking back to my first journey..."
Recalling the rickety insect cart from his initial adventure, Rick smiled wryly: "What a difference."
"A big difference?" Manny, reading across from him, looked up in surprise. "It's just a freezer with a cooling insect—quite ordinary."
"Ordinary?" Rick drained the tea, shaking his head. "Manny, someone from a noble family can't imagine a pariah's life. A year ago, I'd have wept with gratitude for a mold-free insect oil cake worth a silver beetle coin, let alone an insect carriage."
Rick never hid his origins. He wasn't ashamed to share his unglamorous past; in fact, recounting it and vowing to protect his current life strengthened his resolve.
"I can't fathom that life, but..." Manny smiled, pointing to the ornate badge on Rick's chest. "I can feel your sense of achievement. You're a noble now, qualified to found a family and bear its emblem. Your success is astounding—perhaps revisiting the past motivates you to achieve miracles."
"Hehe, I don't follow your logic." Rick waved her off self-deprecatingly.
"By the way, why choose this emblem for your family?" Manny gestured to the dual blades on his badge.
The design—two flaming long swords crossed—exuded iron-blooded and formidable, the first impression for anyone seeing it.
Stroking the cool badge, Rick smiled with satisfaction: "My life changed because of a scythe insect egg. Dual blades symbolize the scythe insect. I'm grateful to it, even though it caused trouble. It's like my savior."
"A savior?" Manny pursed her lips. "Strange words in an era when everyone sees insect eggs as tools."
"Luckily, I know you're in the Defender Alliance. Otherwise, I'd think you were with the Twelve Alliances, who revere insects as gods."
"Ah!" Startled by Manny's comment, Rick awkwardly scratched his head. He stole a glance at her and asked, "You know I got a mansion as a residence, right?"
"Yes, a lovely one."
"Know what I named it?"
"A name? Hehe... I can't imagine you choosing something cultured." Manny teased gently.
"Of course it has meaning! I call it the Pai Mansion!" Rick declared excitedly.
But at the name, Manny's smile froze. Sadness quickly clouded her face. Head bowed, she masked her emotion, forcing a smile: "To remember the collapsed Pai Mansion? Too bad... I'm no longer its mistress."
Rick hadn't expected his casual words to upset Manny. He fumbled to comfort her, blurting out: "You can be mistress of the Pai Mansion anytime you want."
"Eh?" Manny froze, her cheeks flushing.
"Shit! Wrong thing to say!"
Seeing Manny's reaction, Rick realized his blunder. As master of the Pai Mansion, inviting her to be its mistress... That was practically an offer!
"Dammit, that was the most blatant love confession ever."
At the thought of a third girl moving into Pai Mansion, Rick felt like he was staring into hell.
"Man... Manny... I didn't mean... I just..." Rick stammered, struggling to explain.
Seeing his awkwardness, Manny waved smilingly. "Don't worry, I understand. Anyway, thanks for the offer—I'll remember that."
"Remember that?" Rick blinked. What did that mean? Could it be...
Before Rick could dwell, the insect carriage jolted to a halt. Caught off guard, he lost balance and lunged forward, pinning Manny against the seat.
"Ouch! Ouch!" Rick rubbed his twisted neck.
"U-um... could you please get up? I can't breathe," came Manny's shy voice from below.
Rick looked down, shocked by their intimate position. As he tried to pull away, the carriage door burst open.
"Report, my lord—" The serious guard froze at the compromising scene. "I saw nothing," he blushed, slamming the door shut.
"Tsk tsk... Who knew that boy was such a brute? Never saw that coming."
"Right! Letting him ride with Miss Manny was a mistake. Using force, tsk tsk..."
Shust and Balzac's teasing voices drifted from outside. They'd seen everything. Now...
Rick groaned, feeling a dark cloud of misfortune looming.
"Hey!" Manny squirmed, pushing against his chest. "Rick, how long are you going to—wait, something's poking me..."
Rick looked down, face flaming red. Outside, Shust's unrestrained laughter rang out...
Beining Town.
Ramshackle huts and desolate streets greeted them, though the dilapidated inn had repainted its sign—though that was the only repair.
Rick, red-faced from Shust and Balzac's mocking since alighting, arrived here. Their unit, stationed for the night, parked outside the inn and began setting up defenses.
Pushing open the creaky wooden door, he saw the same wizened, wrinkled innkeeper dozing over the counter.
"Another shabby inn. Dammit, we're not paupers anymore. Can't you choose a better place?" Shust began complaining as soon as he entered.
Rick shot Shust a provocative glance. "I'm nostalgic. I like it here."
"Dammit, you're getting back at me!"
Shust spat at Rick, swaggered to the counter, and slammed his hand on the table.
"You old codger who uses the counter as a bed—why do I always have to wake you up?"
Shust's thunderous roar made the innkeeper jump like a cat with its tail stepped on. Looking up at Shust's sharper-than-eagle eyes, the old man trembled. "I remember you!"
"No shit. Forget me and I'll kill you." Shust made a cruel throat-slitting gesture.
"I don't get why you always scare this uncle." Rick pushed past Shust, taking a barstool by the counter. "Uncle, ignore this lunatic. Bring us drinks—and some sand lizard meat."
"Eh? You..." The innkeeper felt Rick familiar, but between his imposing aura and noble badge, he couldn't confirm if this was the kind young man who stayed half a year ago.
"Don't you remember me?"
"Noble sir, forgive my old eyes. I can't recall—"
"I stayed here with him and others half a year ago. Ring any bells?"
"It is you!" The innkeeper gaped, scanning Rick up and down. He couldn't believe how drastically the down-and-out boy's demeanor had changed in just six months—and that he'd become a noble.
"To be honest, I wouldn't have recognized you otherwise. You made quite an impression, after all—first person to cause a ruckus in Beining and disrupt the Guild's market."
"Disrupt the Guild's market? So you did that, Rick." Manny wheeled herself to his side. "Tell me about it?"
"It was a misunderstanding! I didn't mean to wreck your Guild's stalls." Rick smiled apologetically, gazing out at the swirling sand. "But that encounter led me to meet Anna, and all the fun that followed."
"Anna? Right, this is her hometown." Manny, who'd read Anna's file, remembered.
"Yep. Back then, Love was traveling with me. This place really was another turning point in my life."
"Is that so?" Manny suddenly smiled meaningfully, deadpan. "But I'm the one by your side now. Did you bring me here for a reason?"
"Uh..."