Gara and Leif arrived at a small supply shop tucked between two worn stone buildings in Third Town. It was the kind of place that sold everything people needed to survive day-to-day—sacks of grain, dried meat, spice jars, and simple cooking tools lining the narrow shelves.
Behind the counter stood a young man with neatly kept hair and a practiced, friendly smile. He greeted customers as they came and went, but the moment the door opened again, his expression shifted.
Recognition.
He didn't know who Leif was—there was no reason he should—but he knew Gara.
Almost everyone in Third Town did. The red-haired young man had become something of a local figure, his name whispered in taverns and spoken openly in the markets.
"Gara," the shopkeeper said, warmth entering his voice.
"Loro," Gara replied, returning the smile.
They reached across the counter and shook hands, a brief but familiar gesture.
For a heartbeat, Loro hesitated.
His fingers lingered just a little too long before pulling back. Two nights ago, the prison had erupted into chaos.
Everyone in Third Town had heard about it—and everyone knew of Gara's connection to Dante. The questions pressed against Loro's tongue, but he swallowed them down.
In the end, he chose the safest path.
"So… uh," he said, straightening up behind the counter, forcing his smile back into place. "Are you here to buy something?"
Before Gara could reply, Loro added that he would even give him a discount since they were friends and all, Gara chuckled and waved it off.
"Nah, no need," he said easily. "The fridge is still full. Dante doesn't cook much, and I haven't been around lately."
Loro laughed at that and nodded in understanding. Then, leaning forward slightly over the counter, he asked, "So… is there anything else you need?"
Gara hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah. When will you be free? I've got some things I need to ask you. It might take a while."
Loro thought about it, eyes drifting briefly toward the small clock on the wall. "I've got about ten minutes before my lunch break," he said. "Then I'm free for around an hour."
Gara tilted his head. "Would it bother you if we talked during your lunch?"
Loro shook his head without hesitation. "Of course not. You're my friend. If I can help, I will."
Gara gave a small nod. "Alright. I'll wait outside."
"Got it," Loro replied.
With that, Gara turned and stepped back toward the door, Leif following close behind.
As they left the shop, a few new customers slipped in through the entrance, and Loro quickly straightened up, putting his welcoming smile back on as he went to tend to them.
...
Ten minutes later, the shop was closed.
Loro led Gara and Leif into a small room behind the counter, a narrow space stacked with boxes and crates.
He offered them some food, but both declined—though Leif asked if he could buy a bar of chocolate.
Loro laughed and handed it to him for free.
Leif unwrapped it at once, happily chewing while the quiet settled in.
As for Loro, he took a bite of his sandwich, then glanced at Gara. "So," he said gently, "what's going on? Something bothering you?"
Gara hesitated. His eyes shifted away, his jaw tightening.
After a moment, he nodded… and then said nothing.
Loro could tell. Whatever it was, it wasn't easy for him to bring up.
"So," Loro prompted softly, "what is it?"
Gara took a slow, steady breath.
"Lavia."
Just that one name.
Understanding flickered across Loro's face. Suddenly, it made sense—why Gara had come to him, of all people, and what kind of weight he was carrying into this small backroom.
Loro couldn't help the small smile that tugged at his lips.
Gara noticed immediately. "Hey—don't you dare make fun of me," he said, half-serious, half-embarrassed. "I'm trusting you with this."
Loro chuckled softly and raised a hand in surrender, taking another bite of his sandwich. "Alright, alright."
For a moment, he looked down at the floor, chewing slowly, choosing his words. Then he glanced back up. "So… what is it about Miss Lavia that's troubling you?"
Gara knew Loro already had a pretty good idea. Still, he felt strangely grateful for the question—it made saying it out loud a little easier.
He let out a quiet sigh.
"Well… as you know," he began, hesitating, "she… she and her brother talk to me from time to time, and…" He paused, searching for the right words. "Both of them kind of hint that… she might be interested in me. You know. Romantically and stuff."
His voice grew quieter.
"And… maybe she wants to get married to me. And…" He shrugged awkwardly. "Yeah. That's… that's about it, really."
Leif sat there quietly, nibbling on his chocolate, a faint smile tugging at his lips as he watched Gara struggle through his words.
The red-haired young man who always talked about becoming the strongest in the Story World—who was so confident, so loud, so endlessly social that all of Third Town seemed to know him—was now stumbling over every sentence because of a single girl.
It was almost funny.
Leif kept the laughter to himself, though. This was clearly something that mattered to Gara, and he wasn't about to embarrass him.
Across the table, Loro listened while eating his sandwich. When Gara finally fell silent, Loro gave a small nod, swallowed, and leaned back slightly.
He thought for a moment.
"Alright," he said. "But what about all that is actually troubling you?"
Gara didn't answer right away. He stared at the table, letting the silence stretch before finally speaking again.
"Well… ever since I first came to Third Town a few years back, Lavia just kind of… noticed me," he said slowly. "I don't know why. She just did."
He shifted slightly.
"And then, like three years ago… maybe two—I'm not really sure—anyways, it was around then that she and her brother started talking to me. Even though I was only an F Ranker and they were both C Rankers."
A small, awkward laugh slipped out. "At first, I thought they just wanted to get close to Dante, or someone else from the Story Guides Workshop."
He shook his head.
"But then they started dropping hints. About marriage. Stuff like that. And Jordan—her brother—he'd keep telling me I should give his sister some serious thought. That she'd make a great wife."
He went on, his voice quieter now. "At first, I thought Jordan was just joking. But every time I saw them, they'd bring it up again—laughing about it, teasing, making little comments. After a while, it just… became a habit."
Gara let out a slow breath.
"And now… I'm sure they're not joking. For some reason, a C Ranker like Lavia actually wants to marry me."
He gave a small, uneasy smile. "And I just… I don't know how I feel about that."
Loro didn't answer right away. He studied Gara for a moment, as if remembering something, then his face brightened.
"Hey," he said suddenly, giving Gara a friendly pat on the shoulder. "Congratulations on reaching E Rank."
Gara blinked, then chuckled. "Thanks."
"After everything that happened two nights ago," Loro added, "my head's been so full of that prison break I didn't even notice your aura changed."
"No worries," Gara said with a small smile. "And… thanks again for taking the time to listen."
"Of course," Loro replied easily. "We're friends."
A brief silence settled between them.
Then Loro spoke again, more gently this time. "So… have you ever actually given Miss Lavia any kind of answer about what she and her brother have been suggesting?"
Gara shook his head.
Loro tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean?"
Gara took a slow breath, still hesitating. "Whenever they bring it up… I just laugh it off. Or I change the subject. Sometimes I make up an excuse and leave as fast as I can."
Loro nodded, letting that sink in. After a moment, he asked another question. "Do you know why Miss Lavia is interested in you? Specifically?"
Gara shook his head again. "No. I never asked."
He paused, then admitted quietly, "I was afraid that if I did, it would make it all real. Like… I'd have to give her a real answer right away."
He looked away. "And I'm not ready for that yet."
Loro leaned back slightly. "Have you ever asked around? Maybe the other guards, or someone who knows her well? To see if they know why she's interested in you—or if she's approached anyone else like this?"
Gara shook his head. "No. I haven't."
Loro nodded, but didn't comment.
Silence settled over the backroom.
He took the last bite of his sandwich while, in the background, Leif continued slowly chewing his chocolate.
Gara stared down at the floor, tense, almost as if this conversation carried the weight of life and death.
After a moment, Loro finally spoke again.
"From what you've told me," he said carefully, "the reason Miss Lavia keeps pushing this is simple. You never gave her an answer. You didn't say yes… but you didn't say no either."
Gara looked up slightly.
"So from her point of view," Loro went on, "there is still a chance. And because she never received a rejection, she kept trying."
He paused.
"But that also means something else," he added quietly. "She isn't just casually interested in you. She's seriously interested. This has been going on for at least two years, after all."
Silence lingered for another moment.
Then Loro spoke again. "Do you actually know anything about Miss Lavia?"
The question caught Gara off guard.
Instinctively, he wanted to say yes.
After all, he had spoken with her—and with her brother—countless times over the past two or three years.
But when he really thought about it…
He realized he didn't know her at all.
After a quiet pause, he slowly shook his head. "No. I mean… not really. Other than her name—Lavia—that she's a C Ranker with an Original Story called [Mysterious Prison], that her older brother is Jordan, also a C Ranker with an Original Story, [Guard X], and that they both work at the only prison in Third Town…"
He trailed off.
"I basically don't know anything about her."
Loro nodded thoughtfully. "So you only know the basics?"
Gara nodded.
Loro leaned forward slightly. "And their personalities? At least from what you've seen over the past few years?"
Gara paused, thinking it over. "Jordan… he's kind of like me, actually. Talkative, always cracking jokes. He was the one who first approached me, and made me feel comfortable enough to talk—even when I was just an F Ranker and he was a C Ranker."
He shifted slightly, looking down for a moment before continuing. "As for Lavia… whenever I met her, she was more reserved. She smiled, but didn't say much. Kinda like…"
He glanced over at Leif, who was still slowly munching on his chocolate, "…this guy here."
Leif met his gaze but said nothing.
Loro nodded. "I see."
He fell silent for a moment, carefully turning over everything Gara had told him. When he spoke again, his tone was more serious.
"Let me ask you something," he said. "If you were ready for marriage right now… would you marry her?"
Gara reacted instantly. "But I'm not rea—"
"I know," Loro cut in calmly. "I know you're not." He held up a hand, then continued, more pointed this time. "I'm not asking that. I'm asking if you were. Would you?"
A brief pause, then Loro clarified, softer but firmer. "What I mean is, do you like her enough to marry her?"
The question hit Gara like a blow. He went completely silent.
Beside him, Leif kept eating his chocolate, watching Gara from the corner of his eye. For a fleeting moment, he wondered what his own answer would be if he were in Gara's place.
He wasn't sure.
And since he wasn't in that place, he let the thought go.
Gara, on the other hand, remained silent for a long while. Then, finally, he spoke.
"I don't know."
He exhaled softly before continuing. "I don't know because… I don't actually know her. The personality she shows around her brother probably isn't even the real her."
He shook his head. "So I can't tell whether we'd match or not."
His voice grew steadier as the thoughts he'd been holding back finally surfaced.
"I'd need to ask her who she really is. Why she created an Original Story called [Mysterious Prison]. Why she climbed all the way to C Rank and then stopped—to become a guard in a small prison in Third Town. What her goals are. What she wants for the future. Whether she wants children."
He paused, then added quietly, "You know. Everything."
Loro nodded, absorbing his words. Then he asked, almost casually, "Why not just look her up in the Blue Trade Records?"
Gara looked up.
"You could probably find quite a bit," Loro continued. "She's a C Ranker, after all. In the Story World, the stronger you are, the more information there is about you."
Gara let out a small chuckle. "First of all, money's a problem. I'm only an E Ranker. Buying information on a C Ranker—especially an unknown one like her—would cost a lot." He shrugged lightly. "The more mysterious someone is, the more expensive it gets."
He glanced briefly at Leif before continuing.
"But even if I did have the Cores… I wouldn't do it." His tone grew more certain. "If she's someone I might marry, then I want to get to know her from her, not through someone else."
He paused, then added, "I could probably just ask her brother and get answers for free. But I don't want that either. I want to ask her. Personally."
Loro smiled faintly and nodded in approval.
"Then," he asked gently, "will you do that once you're ready?"
Gara's cheeks reddened slightly. He brushed a hand through his red hair and turned his face away. "I'm not sure," he admitted. "I don't know when I'll be ready. And… by the time I am, she might've already moved on. Maybe she'll be married by then."
Loro didn't comment on that. Instead, he asked calmly, "Why aren't you ready right now? And if it's too personal, you don't have to answer."
Gara shook his head. "It's not really personal. Not a secret either." He hesitated, then sighed. "There are two things, at least for now."
He raised a finger. "First—her Rank. I'm only an E Ranker. She's a C Ranker. Probably even a peak C Ranker, though I'm not sure. Either way, the gap between us is huge. I don't like that."
Loro nodded, then pointed out, "A lot of extremely powerful Players marry people far weaker than themselves. Even Z Rankers—the pinnacle of power—often have spouses at A Rank, sometimes even lower."
"I know," Gara replied, nodding in agreement. "I get that." He looked away again. "But everyone has their preferences. And… I don't like it."
Loro nodded slowly. "And the second reason?"
Gara took a breath. "I see marriage as something sacred," he said. "If I marry someone, then I'm responsible for her happiness. I'd have to be present in her life—really present. We'd be companions for life."
He clenched his fist lightly. "But right now… I can't do that."
He looked up again. "I'm about to set out on a long journey in the Story World. I want to grow stronger, Rank up bit by bit. Hopefully, I'll catch a ride on the Final Express and move from Fragment to Fragment."
Loro considered that, then said, "She could travel with you."
Gara nodded. "If she were my level, then yeah." His voice hardened slightly. "But she isn't. She's much stronger. She'd have to enter as my Story Guard."
He shook his head. "And I don't want that."
Loro nodded. "I understand." Then he asked, "So… what now?"
Gara shrugged slightly. "I'm not sure." He sighed. "I don't want her—or her brother—to keep hinting at marriage. But I also don't know what to say."
He glanced at the blonde-haired young man. "Leif told me it'd be best to just tell her what I told you. Why I'm not ready. How I feel."
He paused. "That's what I plan to do. I just wanted to be sure before saying anything. That's why I came here—to ask for your help."
Loro smiled softly. "Then there isn't much more I can offer," he said. "Leif already gave you the right answer."
He leaned forward slightly, his tone gentle but firm. "Any kind of relationship only works if there's communication. If you don't want to hurt her—and if you want her to understand that you're not interested right now—it's better to say something."
He met Gara's eyes.
"Running away and staying silent only gives false hope."
Gara nodded, then shook his head slightly. "You're wrong about one thing, though," he said. "Talking did help. A lot, actually. So… thanks."
Loro smiled. "No worries." He shrugged lightly. "That's what friends are for."
After a brief pause, he added, almost casually, "Speaking of which—my wedding will probably be in about a week and a half. I'd appreciate it if you could make some time and drop by. I'll send you an invite personally."
Gara's expression softened into a genuine smile. "Thanks. Yeah, I should be free for the next few weeks. I'll try to be there."
Loro then turned toward Leif. "You're invited too, if you're interested."
Leif, finishing the last piece of his chocolate, looked up and asked simply, "Will there be chocolate as good as this?"
The question caught both Loro and Gara off guard, and they burst out laughing.
"Yes," Loro said, still smiling. "There will be."
Leif gave a small, satisfied nod. "Then I'll be there for sure."
...
Some time passed as the conversation drifted to lighter topics. Gara told Loro briefly about his adventures in the [Ice Ninja] Fragment, skimming over the details with casual enthusiasm.
He didn't mention the [Rashanz] Fragment—leaving that story unspoken for now.
As usual, Leif barely spoke, content to simply listen.
Before long, Loro glanced at the clock and sighed. "Looks like my lunch break's over," he said, standing up. "I've gotta get back to work."
Gara immediately apologized for taking up so much of his time, but Loro waved it off.
"Don't be ridiculous. I usually eat alone anyway. It was nice catching up with a friend."
Gara nodded, then stood as well. "Yeah… it was."
They exchanged a quick wave as Loro headed back toward the front. "Don't be a stranger," Loro called out.
"I won't," Gara replied with a smile.
With that, Gara and Leif stepped out of the small shop, leaving it—and the quiet weight of the conversation—behind them.
Once outside, Leif finally spoke. "So… what now?"
Gara exhaled. "To the Prison. The only one in Third Town."
Leif gave a small nod, and they started walking.
As they did, Gara continued, "We'll pick up Jordan, and then…" He hesitated mid-step, his voice lowering. "And then I'll finally talk to Lavia. About everything."
He paused again, an idea suddenly struck him. "Wait—should I get her something?" he asked, slowing down. "She's injured, and I'm visiting, so that's normal, right?"
Before Leif could even open his mouth to answer, Gara shook his head vigorously. "No, no—wait. That might make her think I'm into her or something. Ugh!"
He dragged a hand down his face. "This is so complicated!"
Leif smiled. "Get her something simple," he said calmly. "Then explain how you feel. That'll clear up any misunderstandings."
Gara nodded, then reached out and patted Leif on the shoulder. "You're a wise old man, you know that?"
Leif's eyebrow twitched in clear irritation.
Gara laughed, then stopped walking for a moment. "Uh… by the way," he added, "what should I get her?"
...
Inside a large white building set a short distance away from the rest of Third Town stood the prison.
Within its halls, Jordan—the C Ranker bearing the Original Story [Guard X]—was speaking with several of his comrades, doing his best to lift their spirits.
Some of them had lost friends during the prison break. And while his sister hadn't died, she had been gravely injured.
Even so, Jordan refused to let despair settle in.
For now, the prison was under the watch of an SS Ranker, sent to oversee the Warden and reinforce security. The order had come directly from the higher-ups of the Grey Rose Organization.
Jordan was in the middle of another attempt at encouragement when the heavy doors slid open with a mechanical hiss.
Two figures stepped inside.
One with red hair and blue eyes. The other with blond hair and crimson eyes.
Gara and Leif.
Jordan hadn't even had time to raise a hand in greeting before Gara spotted him and started walking over.
As the red-haired young man approached, Jordan noticed the tension in his posture—how he forced a smile, as if trying to convince himself that everything was fine.
Jordan understood immediately.
After all, because of his little sister, he had joked and hinted at marriage to Gara more times than he could count.
If their positions were reversed, he'd probably feel the same—walking up to the brother who kept suggesting you marry his sister.
So instead of making it awkward, Jordan excused himself from the group of guards with a brief explanation and headed toward Gara.
By the time Gara reached him, he managed a smile. "Hey."
"Heyo," Jordan replied easily.
His gaze then shifted to Leif, surprise flickering across his face.
The two exchanged brief greetings before Jordan raised an eyebrow. "Wait—aren't you more than just a client now? Last time we met, you said he was your customer."
Gara nodded. "Yeah. We ended up becoming friends."
Then, smoothly changing the subject, he added, "I'm here to rescue you from work—just like you said last time."
Jordan laughed at that. "Alright, alright." He gave an exaggerated sigh. "Give me a minute. I'll ask for leave and join you."
With that, he turned and headed off.
Jordan hadn't expected Gara to come get him so soon, but he didn't mind. He had been worked relentlessly by the SS Ranker, all in the name of making sure the prison was properly secured.
Before long, he returned to the duo, and together they headed toward the prison's main doors.
Outside, two D Ranker guards were posted on either side. The moment they spotted Jordan, one of them grinned.
"Whoa, look at that," the guard said loudly. "Leaving already, Jordan? What is this, a half-day shift?"
The other snorted. "Careful, he might trip from moving too fast. Wouldn't want you overworking yourself."
Jordan scoffed as he passed them. "Says the two idiots whose entire job is standing still and looking intimidating."
"Hey," the first guard protested, "standing still is hard work."
"Yeah," the second added. "Especially when we have to watch you sneak out like this."
Jordan waved a hand dismissively. "You're supposed to be silent statues guarding the prison. No talking. No thinking. Just… standing."
"Then you better hurry up and leave," one of them shot back, "before the statues start reporting you."
Jordan laughed, shaking his head as he walked on.
Leif smiled quietly at the exchange, and Gara couldn't help but laugh along with them.
Soon enough, the three of them were out on the streets of Third Town, heading toward the only hospital in the region.
The laughter faded, and silence crept in.
Gara didn't quite know what to say. Leif remained quiet as ever. Even Jordan seemed a little awkward now that they were alone.
To break the tension, he glanced over and spoke up. "So," he said casually, "how did your mission in the [Rashanz] Fragment go?"
Both Gara and Leif turned toward him, a little startled.
"How did you know we were in the [Rashanz] Fragment?" Gara asked. "I don't remember telling you which Fragment I was guiding him through."
Jordan smiled at first, about to answer—then stopped.
The smile faded.
His gaze dropped, and he shook his head, letting out a quiet sigh. "Dante told me," he said. "When he came to visit his little sister."
That was all he needed to say.
Understanding passed between them, and both Gara and Leif nodded in silence.
Gara's expression dimmed, the weight of it settling in as his mood sank just a little lower.
—End of Chapter.
-------
Sad, huh?
Gara: Well, that was a sad ending, wasn't it?
Leif: Agreed.
Gara: Anyways, finally talked about Lavia, now the harder part is about to arrive.... To actually talk to her.
Leif: Huh, look at you getting girls and whatnot.
Gara: Ooooh! Is someone jealous? Hahaha!
Leif: I have Reader girls after me... Probably.
Gara: Don't worry, I'm pretty sure everyone will get married by the end... If we survive till then that is.
Marcus: Even me?
Gara: Wah!!!! MARCUS???? MARCUS you're here!!! It's been so long since we spoke, how have you been? Have you left the [Ice Ninja] Fragment yet?
Marcus: Not yet, no. But in the coming days I will, and then I'll try to break through to D Rank. Form my Aspect and all.
Gara: I'm proud of you bro, I know you can do it.
Leif: I never saw you that excited to talk to me... Hmph!
Marcus: I'm looking forward to meeting you, Leif.