Kyoji jumped slightly, startled by the voice. He turned to see his butler, James, standing just inches behind him.
Even after a year of living with James, Kyoji still hadn't gotten used to the way the old man seemed to appear out of thin air. It was unsettling, to say the least.
"Who is it, James?" Kyoji asked, taking a moment to regain his composure.
"It's your friend, Master Kyoji. The one with the surname Gilles," Butler James replied.
"Oh, Frederick?" Kyoji murmured.
"I believe so, sir. He was the one who visited earlier, while you were still unconscious," James clarified.
"Right, of course," Kyoji muttered, remembering that Butler James didn't actually know Frederick's name. He had never bothered to introduce them properly.
"Let him in then," Kyoji instructed.
"As you wish," Butler James said before turning and leaving as silently as he'd arrived.
Kyoji sighed, watching him go. He turned back towards the window.
The sun had moved across the sky, and evening was approaching. Kyoji was shocked. He glanced at the wall clock in the corner of his hospital room.
It read 2:58. He'd been sitting by the window for hours, lost in his thoughts, staring into the distance.
Another sigh escaped Kyoji's lips as he tried to stand. A jolt of pins and needles shot through his legs. They had fallen asleep.
He sat for a few more minutes, waiting for the feeling to return to his limbs, before he finally managed to stand. He shuffled back to his bed and lay down, staring blankly at the ceiling.
A short while later, the sound of the hospital room door opening snapped Kyoji out of his daze. He turned his head towards the sound.
A handsome young man, around 17 years old, was walking into the room. It was Frederick.
"Hey man," Frederick greeted with a grin.
"Hey yourself."
"You're looking better than the last time I saw you. Don't even need to ask how you're doing, you seem to be doing just fine," Frederick said with a bright smile. He pulled the visitor's chair to the corner of Kyoji's bed and sat down.
"You too, the last time I saw you, you looked like a scared puppy dog, running away with your tail between your legs." Kyoji said, his tone flat.
Frederick's smile vanished. He glared at Kyoji, a mixture of anger and embarrassment burning in his eyes. He opened his mouth to retort, but then seemed to think better of it. He chuckled instead.
"My dear Kyoji, it seems even a near-death experience hasn't dulled your sharp wit."
"I'm sure the great Frederick Gilles has a good reason for visiting, right?" Kyoji cut him off. He wasn't in the mood for games.
"Can't I just check up on my injured partner?" Frederick said, pouting in a way that was supposed to be cute but just looked awkward.
"We're not partners," Kyoji stated coldly.
"And as you can see, I'm doing better. You can leave now." He added.
Frederick surprised him by bursting into laughter. Somehow, he found Kyoji's bluntness amusing.
"Must you always be so serious, my friend?" he chuckled.
"You know, you're much more bearable when you're being all serious and powerful. This playful act doesn't suit you. So cut it out," Kyoji snapped, his voice rising slightly.
Frederick's acts was starting to get to Kyoji. There was a lot going on, and frankly, he didn't have the patience to entertain this charade.
Frederick's cheerful facade finally dropped, his smile vanished the moment Kyoji spoke. He quickly recovered, forcing a smile as he offered Kyoji a ring.
The silver ring was engraved with strange symbols and topped with a dark stone.
Kyoji instantly recognized it as a spatial ring. These special items held a pocket of space, perfect for storing things and even slowing down their aging process.
"Here's your share of the loot from the mutant," Frederick said, holding the ring out to Kyoji.
"Oh, right," Kyoji mumbled, taking the ring.
He immediately peered into its space. Inside, he saw the corpse of the frog-like mutant they had killed.
"I took the core as my share, like we discussed, and left you the body," Frederick explained.
"Hmm," Kyoji nodded, confirming the arrangement.
"Good," Frederick said, getting to his feet.
"What about the ring? Leaving it with me?" Kyoji asked, furrowing his brows.
Spatial equipment was notoriously expensive. Even the cheapest ones cost at least 30,000 E₵. Considering the size of the space within this one, Kyoji guessed it was worth at least 100,000 E₵.
Frederick paused, then responded, "I didn't really do much in the fight. You handled most of it, and I'd feel bad taking a reward I didn't earn. Think of it as a gift..."
"Stop right there!" Kyoji interrupted.
Frederick was taken aback by the sudden outburst.
Kyoji sat up in bed, his gaze fixed on Frederick.
"What are you talking about?" he demanded.
"We made a deal before hunting that mutant. Your job was to distract it while I finished it off, which you did perfectly. So what's this nonsense about feeling bad?" Kyoji's voice was firm, like a parent scolding a child.
Frederick was speechless for a moment. What he had said was true; he didn't feel right profiting so much from the mutant when he hadn't done much. It wasn't about being righteous, it was about the principles he'd been raised with.
From a young age, Frederick had always been more talented than his peers in the Gilles family. He excelled at every task and grasped new skills quickly, which earned him the attention of Master Edrich Gilles, one of the family patriarchs.
Under his master's guidance, Frederick received personal training and tutelage. But their bond extended beyond combat; his master taught him valuable life lessons. He still remembered one saying clearly:
"A man's strength and honor are found not just in his sword or his muscles, but in his words. A man's word should be his bond, his promise a commitment he will fulfill. And a man must always repay his debts. Never leave a debt unpaid when you can repay it. A debt delayed can become a burden, a demon haunting your heart."
Those words were etched in Frederick's memory as if spoken yesterday. Giving Kyoji a spatial ring worth 100,000 E₵ wasn't just a gesture; it was his way of settling a debt he felt he owed.
"You held up your end of the bargain, which allowed me to do mine. We're even. No one owes anyone anything. We stick to our original agreement," Kyoji stated firmly, as if sensing Frederick's internal struggle.
"Just leave your credit details with my butler before you go. I'll pay you for the ring," Kyoji added.
"Oh... okay," Frederick mumbled.
"And by butler, you mean that grumpy old man?" Frederick asked.
Kyoji was surprised by the question and the way Frederick referred to Butler James. Remembering his previous interaction with ButlerJames, Kyoji sighed inwardly. It seemed they had both made a bad first impression.
Kyoji nodded, and Frederick sighed before turning to leave the room.