They slipped into a side corridor and ducked into a storage room that smelled faintly of paper, dust, and forgotten years. Cardboard boxes were stacked unevenly along the walls, some crushed at the corners, others labeled in fading ink. Old equipment lay half-covered in cloth, and metal shelves groaned under the weight of files no one had touched in ages.
***
Veronika shut the door behind them.
***
The latch clicked.
***
Only then did she exhale.
***
The breath left her like something she had been holding for far too long, her shoulders dropping as the tension finally loosened. She turned toward Arceus, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, her expression shifting from playful to apologetic in a heartbeat.
***
"I'm really sorry… about my brothers."
***
Arceus let out a small chuckle, leaning casually against a nearby shelf, though his eyes still carried a hint of curiosity from everything that had just happened.
***
"It's alright," he said easily. "I get it."
***
He folded his arms loosely.
***
"If a guy gets close to a rich girl, the family assumes he's after money."
***
A faint shrug.
***
"Honestly… it's a perfectly natural reaction."
***
Veronika lowered her gaze slightly, her fingers tightening together.
***
"I know," she said quietly. "But still… they can be a bit… much."
***
A pause.
***
"I'm the youngest."
***
Another pause.
***
"They've always been like that."
***
Arceus waved it off with a relaxed smile.
***
"It's fine."
***
Then—
***
He tilted his head slightly, his expression shifting into something more puzzled.
***
"But seriously…"
***
"…why did you suddenly make me your boyfriend?"
***
Veronika froze for a fraction of a second.
***
Then—
***
She laughed.
***
Awkward.
Soft.
***
"Well…" she began, rubbing the back of her neck, her eyes flickering away for a moment before returning to him. "You remember I told you I left home, right?"
***
Arceus nodded.
***
"It wasn't just about the company," she continued. "My parents were pushing me into blind dates."
***
Her lips pressed into a thin line.
***
"My brothers are here for the same reason."
***
A beat.
***
"So I lied."
***
She glanced at him.
***
"Told them I already have a boyfriend."
***
Another beat.
***
"And then…"
***
Her gaze lingered on him for a second longer than necessary.
***
"I saw you."
***
A faint smile.
***
"I didn't think. I just… went for it."
***
Arceus blinked.
***
"You've got that… ideal boyfriend look," she added, her tone turning lighter again, almost teasing. "Tall, handsome, lean…"
***
Arceus scratched his cheek, a little embarrassed.
***
"…Uh. Okay."
***
A small cough.
***
"Thanks… I guess."
***
Silence settled briefly.
***
Then—
***
"So," he asked, glancing at her, "do I have to pretend the whole day?"
***
Veronika hesitated.
***
Then looked up at him.
***
"…Three days."
***
A pause.
***
"Please?"
***
Her voice softened, just a little.
***
"Just until they leave."
***
Another pause.
***
"I'll talk to your girlfriend. I swear."
***
"I don't have one," Arceus replied flatly.
***
She blinked.
***
"…Then the girl from yesterday?"
***
"Oh. Celia?" he said. "She's my friend. And my landlady."
***
"I see…"
***
A small shift in her posture.
***
"Then… you don't mind helping me?"
***
Her eyes held his for a second.
***
"You don't have to do anything weird. Just… act normal."
***
A faint smile.
***
"They might invite you to lunch or dinner."
***
Arceus waved his hand dismissively.
***
"Not a problem."
***
A pause.
***
"I can handle that."
***
Then, as if remembering something important, he straightened slightly.
***
"By the way…"
***
"Where's Alaric Von Seraph?"
***
Veronika sighed.
***
"Upstairs."
***
A beat.
***
"Drunk. As usual."
***
They stepped out of the storage room and returned to the reception hall. The air felt heavier again as soon as they entered, like stepping back into a stage where the play hadn't ended.
***
Her brothers were still there.
***
Watching.
***
Measuring.
***
Arceus offered a polite smile.
***
They didn't return it.
***
Veronika didn't give them a chance.
***
"Watch the reception," she snapped quickly, her tone sharp enough to cut through whatever they were about to say.
***
And just like that—
***
She pulled Arceus toward the stairs.
***
Behind them—
***
The silence didn't last long.
***
The younger brother leaned closer, his voice lowered.
***
"Li-ge… I feel like she's just trying to escape the marriage talk."
***
Leandor shrugged.
***
"I like the guy."
***
A pause.
***
"They look good together."
***
Ragron frowned immediately.
***
"Seriously?"
***
His tone carried clear disapproval.
***
"What do we even know about him?"
***
He leaned back slightly, arms crossing.
***
"No mana. Lower status. Just a monster egg seller."
***
A scoff.
***
"Not even a trainer."
***
His eyes narrowed.
***
"And those clothes…"
***
"They're not even worth a thousand credits."
***
A pause.
***
"He's not suitable to be her friend."
***
Another pause.
***
"Let alone her boyfriend."
***
A quiet conclusion.
***
"Gold digger."
***
Leandor glanced sideways at him.
***
"And yet…"
***
"…he's part of the guild."
***
That made Ragron pause.
***
"Why?"
***
Leandor continued, more thoughtful now.
***
"Even if Veronika owns the place… she can't just let anyone in."
***
A beat.
***
"Not without Uncle Li's approval."
***
Ragron's expression shifted slightly.
***
"You think we should ask him?"
***
"Not yet."
***
Leandor shook his head.
***
"Let's observe."
***
A slow, deliberate tone.
***
"We separate them."
***
"Ask questions."
***
"If their stories match…"
***
"Then we dig deeper."
***
A pause.
***
"And then…"
***
"We decide."
***
"Got it."
***
***
Up the stairs—
***
Veronika leaned slightly closer to Arceus, her voice dropping to a whisper, her tone quick, urgent.
***
"Listen carefully."
***
Her steps didn't slow, but her words sharpened.
***
"I'll text you everything."
***
"Where we met."
"First date."
"What we like about each other."
***
A pause.
***
"My likes. My dislikes."
***
Another pause.
***
"Memorize it."
***
Her grip tightened slightly on his sleeve.
***
"They'll try to trap us."
***
Her eyes flicked toward him.
***
"That story…"
***
"…is our truth now."
***
A breath.
***
"And send me your details too."
***
"Background."
"Education."
"Family."
"Habits."
***
A faint, determined edge.
***
"We need to look real."
***
A pause.
***
"Not perfect."
***
"…but believable."
***
Arceus nodded.
***
"Got it."
***
They reached the third floor.
***
The tavern.
***
Same stale air.
Same scattered bottles.
Same man.
***
Alaric Von Seraph slouched in his chair, a jug resting loosely in his hand, his breathing slow, uneven, soaked in alcohol.
***
"Uncle Li."
***
Veronika's voice cut through the haze.
***
He groaned.
***
One eye cracked open.
***
Then the other.
***
His gaze wandered lazily—
***
Until it landed on Arceus.
***
He blinked.
***
Then muttered—
***
"Tch…"
***
"Where's that pretty girl?"
***
Veronika rolled her eyes.
***
"Behave."
***
Arceus stepped forward.
***
"Master Seraph."
***
His tone was steady.
***
"I came to inform you…"
***
A pause.
***
"In one week, I'll be taking the tamer examination."
***
Another pause.
***
"With a monster I raised."
***
The air shifted.
***
"…Is it possible…"
***
"…to resolve the Nemesis issue before that?"
***
Silence.
***
Then—
***
Alaric shot upright.
***
The drunken haze—
Gone.
***
"A tamer?"
***
His voice exploded through the room.
***
"Are you insane?!"
***
The force of it echoed against the walls.
***
"I told you before!"
***
His eyes locked onto Arceus.
***
"This path isn't for you!"
***
"You don't have mana!"
***
A sharp breath.
***
"Use mana crystals."
***
"Learn combat."
***
"Draw out Nemesis' power like a hunter."
***
Arceus didn't move.
***
"I'm sorry."
***
His voice was calm.
Firm.
***
"I don't want to be a hunter."
***
A beat.
***
"I want to be a tamer."
***
His gaze didn't waver.
***
"Can you help me…"
***
"…or not?"
***
Silence.
***
Heavy.
***
Alaric stared at him for a long moment.
***
Then—
***
He grunted.
***
"Fine."
***
A pause.
***
"Your life."
***
"Your choices."
***
"Your consequences."
***
He stood, swaying slightly before steadying himself.
***
"Then we start with Nemesis."
***
Arceus frowned slightly.
***
"Where are we going?"
***
Alaric's lips curled faintly.
***
"Where else?"
***
"The Spirit Valley."
***
Ding!
[You entered the Spirit Valley]
***
The world shifted.
***
Grass.
Mist.
Silence.
***
The same endless field stretched before them, filled with drifting, translucent forms. Spirits moved like echoes of something long gone, their shapes flickering between existence and memory.
***
"Take off the amulet."
***
Alaric's voice cut through the stillness.
***
Arceus reached for his neck.
***
The chain slid free.
***
And then—
***
Something changed.
***
Like smoke gathering.
Like shadow taking shape.
***
Above him—
***
It appeared.
***
The black cat.
***
This time—
***
Clear.
***
Solid.
***
Real.
***
Arceus's breath hitched slightly.
***
"…So it really looks like that."
***
Before he could think further—
***
A ripple spread across the valley.
***
Subtle.
***
But absolute.
***
Every spirit—
***
Stopped.
***
Mid-motion.
***
Mid-breath.
***
Mid-existence.
***
The entire valley…
***
Went still.