’And there’s also that calamity in five years.’

Rita’s eyes widened subtly. She leaned back in her stool.

"That... was elaborate," she breathed out. "I was expecting a vague answer."

"I believe sincerity is the key to building a perfect foundation. Now that I’ve been completely honest with you, you’d be willing to do the same when I ask you the same question. What is your dream?"

Rita smiled.

"Building a perfect foundation?" A mischievous glint was in her eyes. "I’ll overlook that. And, yes, my dream is... to leave this place. To experience the world. I haven’t even decided yet on what I want to do. I’d like a chance to do that."

Hearing her words, Maxwell nodded. And stood up from where he sat.

When he stood up, he made a small gesture to the tiny blue spirit resting on Rita’s brown hair. It kept caressing her hair.

Frilo shook its head as it saw Max’s gesture.

Max rolled his eyes and let it be.

Instead, he gazed at Rita, who had a subtle consternated expression on her face.

Maxwell grinned.

"And how do you plan on leaving this place?"

Rita blinked, a bit taken aback. She seemed shaken.

"I... uh, I have.. or had? A plan. My plan was ruined by the occurrence of the High Ball. But I believe that... with due time, Maddy and I will be able to think up a much better plan. If the conditions are right."

Maxwell waved a hand, and a line of water manifested mid-air. The water rippled the atmosphere. And, with a little bit of will, Maxwell moved the water, and it moved like a claw and snapped a bunch of beautiful flowers, bringing them to him.

Rita watched, dumbfounded.

Maxwell grabbed the flower. And he handed it to Margarita.

"Would you like to leave here sooner than you’d have expected?"

Rita calmed herself, breathing out steadily. And then she took the flower.

"I would like that, but..." she said. But then, she stood up. And she walked toward Maxwell and looked him in the eyes.

Clear silver eyes scanned a luminous, endless blue.

"Can I trust you, Max?"

Maxwell smiled softly.

"I have no idea," Maxwell replied. "I’d say you should listen to your heart. What does it say? Does it urge you to trust me? Or does it say otherwise?"

Rita blinked. And took a quiet step back. And she looked down.

"Why?" She asked. "Why do you want to help me? We literally met yesterday–"

"Would the fact that I’m deeply attracted to you suffice for a plausible answer?"

Rita’s cheeks flushed with pink. But she tried to hide her blush.

"So.. direct," she said in a low voice.

Maxwell grinned.

"I’m a rather straightforward man. So, what do you say?"

He stretched a palm out, waiting for Rita to rest her hand on his.

Just as she stretched her hand—

"I will–"

—An approaching presence interrupted them.

"Lady Margarita?" A calm, feminine voice called out.

Rita immediately cleared her throat, taking her hand away.

"It’s Maddy." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

Footsteps echoed. Maddy was approaching them.

Maxwell tilted his head. And Frilo instantly flew from Rita’s hair to Maxwell’s shoulder.

"Oh," the young man exclaimed. "The friend whose family?"

"Yes," she whispered. "You should go."

"Pardon? But why–"

"I’m here with Young Lady Olive, My Lady," Maddy exclaimed with a shrill, excited voice.

Maxwell nodded.

"Oh, I need to go."

"Go!"

Maxwell turned, eye searching for an exit.

And then, he found it.

’Not again.’

The same wall he had snuck in and out of the garden with last time.

He began running toward it.

And when he arrived, he gazed at Rita one last time.

She was smiling at him. And waving.

It warmed Maxwell’s heart.

"Next time I come here, I’m taking you out for dinner. And then we’ll seriously finish our conversation."

Rita nodded. And raised the flowers he had given her.

Maxwell nodded. And faced forward.

He jumped, and Frilo trailed behind him in the air.

***

Meanwhile, in Ludia...

Knock–! Knock–!

A set of rapid knocks echoed on an office door.

"Yes?" A male voice called out from behind the door. "Who’s there?"

The man standing in front of the door sucked in a calm breath.

He breathed out.

"Vice-guildmaster, it’s me. Vin."

Silence. And then the sound of a rambling drawer, accompanied by the ruffling sound of some paper sheets. And finally, the vice guildmaster’s voice:

"Oh, Executive Vin, come on in!"

Clack–!

Vin opened the wooden door. And walked in.

The vice guildmaster’s office was as it always was.

A vibrant atmosphere, where a cool breeze blew from an open window, sweeping over Vin.

It was a finely decorated room. Neat and sparsely furnished.

A large desk sat in the middle of the room. And the brown of the desk contrasted with the light green of the walls. Several documents sat on the desk.

Vin fixed his gaze on the man sitting behind the brown desk.

The man looked no less than forty. Light green hair fell over a pair of dark, hollow eyes that almost appeared gloomy. The man had a splintered green beard that framed an otherwise austere face.

And, as always, Spade had an expression that appeared utterly and absolutely bored.

"To what do I owe the honor of a visit, Executive Vin?" Spade asked, arranging some documents on his desk. "And please, take a seat."

Spade gestured at the wooden chair in front of his desk.

Vin, dressed in his classic mercenary outfit, smiled, waving his hand in a friendly gesture.

"No need," he said. "Our meeting isn’t going to take place in this office."

Spade paused his shuffling, frowning as he stared at Vin.

"What do you mean?"

Vin put a hand in his pocket, finding the crumpled paper. The letter that Maxwell had sent to him.

In that letter, apart from the warm pleasantries, greetings and final farewell that Maxwell wrote, the young blue-haired noble also left a message that he deemed important. And he pleaded with Vin to deliver said message to...

"We have to go meet Guildmaster Gislow."