Isaac continued to drive, drumming his fingers against the wheel. He waited a few seconds, then gave a mental command.
'System. Share Emily's Coins.'
Nothing happened.
He frowned, then tried again. The same result was repeated.
He leaned back in the driver's seat, clicking his tongue softly. "Tch. Figures."
So that was the limit. He could share her Coins once, but couldn't double-dip. Once something was shared, it couldn't be shared again.
A part of him had expected that, but he still felt a little disappointed.
'It would've been nice if this worked. I could've got infinite coins.'
Emily glanced at him. "Did you say something?"
"Huh? No."
Soon after, they reached home. The pillar of light in the far distance brightened the long night.
Times like this made him wonder if this world ever had a moon. But then he would recall Selene.
She had the potential to become a Moon Dragon.
Alice was a Sun Dragon and her abilities were tied to the sun. If Selene's abilities were similar, it proved a moon existed in the past. Though, for some reason, it was no longer there, and instead a pillar of light brightened the night.
The group got off the jeep. The moment they entered the house, Isaac motioned toward the kitchen.
"I'll get dinner started. You two should take a bath."
Emily shook her head, floating past him. "I already planned the menu. Sit. You must be tired from the working and moving around all day."
He tried again, but she waved him off. He agreed at last but grumbled nonetheless.
By the time the food was ready, the house smelled of sautéed herbs and spices. Dinner was light, but satisfying. After they finished eating, Isaac stood and rolled up his sleeves.
"I'm heading out to harvest the grains before it gets too dark."
"Alright," Emily said, stifling a yawn. "I'll clean up."
He raised an eyebrow. "You cooked. Let me—"
But she was already moving. He let her have the last word and headed outside.
It didn't take long to finish the harvest. He'd streamlined most of the process by now, and the Hoe he had helped a lot.
When he returned, the house was quiet.
He walked into the bedroom and found Emily fast asleep, curled slightly on her side with one hand tucked under her cheek. She must have been exhausted. Despite Alice's presence, Emily had still fought several Champion-rank monsters earlier today, not to mention the hundred or so Apprentice-rank ones she hunted herself.
Honestly, it would've been weirder if she wasn't this tired.
He closed the door gently, not wanting to disturb her, then made his way through the house.
Alice wasn't in the living room or kitchen. He paused, then checked the study.
Sure enough, she was there, leaning over a thick bundle of documents. Her eyes darted from one column to another as she cross-referenced numbers, double-checking totals and reviewing plots of land.
"Why aren't you sleeping?" Isaac asked, stepping in with two cups in hand. "You're still going through those?"
She looked up briefly, and took one of the cups as he sat before her.
"I wasn't sleepy," she said and stared at the coffee for a few moments.
It looked as if she was preparing herself before she brought it to her lips, and took a sip.
She froze.
"It's… good," she said slowly.
Isaac lips twitched. She didn't need to act that surprised.
After a few quiet sips, Alice sighed and lowered the cup.
"I was reviewing nearby property sales. Oran Fennel is trying to buy out the land around us. It's not just for investment. He's trying to block your expansion."
Isaac's face hardened slightly. "He's targeting us again?"
"I'm afraid so. But for now, you're safe. All the land around our property has already been purchased by the Calloway estate."
Isaac leaned against the wall. "So Chairman Lucius stepped in."
Alice shook her head. "It wasn't uncle. Selene did it. She left the lands under a few of Calloway's sub-holdings, but they're essentially buffers for you."
That explained a lot.
"They're protecting me more than I realized," he muttered.
Alice gave a small nod. "They know Oran's interest in you isn't business-related. He's tried manipulating the Economic Council, and now he's using his own money. Selene's actions were a preemptive block, but it's not a permanent solution."
Isaac stayed quiet. He understood the game Oran was playing. If he didn't respond soon, the man would find other ways to interfere.
'I need to deal with him permanently.'
But not tonight. He had something more important to do right now.
His eyes drifted back to Alice, who was still scrolling through numbers, even though her cup had long since gone cold. She would occasionally hold the cup and it would be warmed again through her sheer body heat.
He gave a mental command. 'Inspect.'
[Status 2: Frustrated and angry at herself]
He frowned. "Alice."
She glanced up, startled. "Yes?"
"Something is bothering you?"
She blinked, then looked down at the documents. "No. I'm fine."
He sighed inwardly. There it was again, that habit of acting like everything was okay when it clearly wasn't. She hated burdening others with her emotions, even when it hurt her.
He set down his own cup, and stood up.
"Come with me."
She tilted her head. "Where are we going?"
"You said you wanted to level up, right? Let's do it now."
She studied him for a moment, trying to read his expression. Finally, she stood. "Alright."
He reached for her hand.
The next second, they vanished.
They reappeared inside the Soulbind Pendant's house.
"Let's go outside first," Isaac said, already heading for the door.
She followed him through the hallway. Soon, they stood outside on a grassy patch near the pendant-house. It was quiet, the soft rustle of wind was the only sound. Though it was night, there was enough ambient light to see clearly. A faint glow from the barrier surrounding the property offered just enough illumination.
Alice glanced around. "So, how are you going to help me level up?"
"Before we do that," Isaac said, rolling his shoulders. "We're going to fight."
She raised an eyebrow.
"It's simple honestly: first one to land a hit wins," he continued. "If I win, you grant me one wish, and if you win, I'll help you reach Level 10 instantly."
Alice stared at him. "Level 10? Instantly?"
He nodded. "I've got a few tricks."
She didn't press him for more. Instead, her eyes gleamed with challenge. "Don't blame me if you get hurt."
He smirked. "You can have the first three moves."
She didn't hesitate.
Isaac shifted his stance, legs slightly bent, arms loose. Alice moved first. She used quick, sharp steps to close the gap as she launched a sweeping kick aimed at his left side. He pivoted, dodging easily, and stepped back.
She didn't pause. A low feint came next, then a fast uppercut that would've knocked the wind out of someone unprepared.
Isaac dipped his head to the side, letting her fist pass by harmlessly.
Then came a kick, aimed at his midsection. He leaned back slightly and avoided it again.
Alice narrowed her eyes.
He hadn't blocked once. He was just dodging her attacks, effortlessly at that.
She reset her stance. "Fight seriously."
"I am trying," Isaac said, smiling faintly. "But I'm afraid it won't be much of a fight then."
Alice glared at him. She let go of her inhibitions, and came at him again with the intention to harm him.
Her fists blurred as she punched. Her footwork was a dance of precision and instinct. Her strikes were sharp, and practiced, showing the years of her hardwork.
Isaac weaved between the blows. His body moved like water, smooth and fluid. He didn't even need to counter.
Alice's frustration began to show. Her strikes became harder, and more aggressive.
Isaac watched her carefully. He knew her better than she realized. She became aggressive when she had pent up emotions, just like now.
'I let you bottle up your emotions last time and that was when I saw you cry for the first time.'
'This time, I won't leave you alone unlike I did back then.'
'I will make you share your pain with me.'
The only time Alice ever truly showed how she felt was during a fight. When her limbs moved faster than her thoughts, when instinct overpowered restraint. That was when her emotions slipped past her cold logic, when the wall cracked, if only slightly.
Isaac knew this.
That's why he didn't try to win quickly.
He ducked under a punch, pivoted away from a rising knee, and leaned just far enough back to let her elbow swing past his nose.
He could've ended this already—his speed was leagues ahead—but that wasn't the point. The goal wasn't to win. It was to draw her out.
Frustration was the only thing that ever made Alice talk. Not orders, not questions, and not kindness.
Her spinning kick swept past his ribs, air whistling by. He tilted his head to the side and watched it miss.
A quiet smile pulled at his lips. He wasn't even breathing hard.
Alice landed, her heel grinding into the grass, and her teeth clenched. Her eyes burned, and steam started to rise from her due to her frustration.
She wasn't stupid. She could see it. He was playing with her, and worse, he was enjoying it.
But just like Isaac knew her, she knew him. Years together, day in and day out, had built a silent language between them. She knew how his weight shifted when he was about to dodge. She could see the rhythm in his steps.
And she used that knowledge now.
She feinted a low sweep, baiting his leg to move. It worked. He lifted his foot, just for a second, to dodge what wasn't there.
That was all she needed.
She twisted her stance, pivoted fast, and caught him behind the knee with her elbow. The strike was precise. It was not strong enough to hurt him, but enough to knock off his balance.
His foot slid.
He fell.
Before he could roll away, Alice was already on him, straddling his abdomen, one knee pressing into his side, and both hands pinning his shoulders.
Isaac was surprised for a moment, then he smiled. "Oh, you win."
Alice didn't smile. She didn't even look smug. Her eyes narrowed. Her lips were pressed together in a tight frown.
"You could've dodged that," she said quietly.
Isaac shrugged from beneath her. "Maybe."
"You could've ended the fight way earlier."
His smile didn't fade. "Maybe."
She grit her teeth. "You win. Don't treat me like some kid who doesn't know if she's won or lost."
"Oh?" His brow rose slightly. "My princess has grown up? Back in the academy, you'd be jumping in joy just for scoring a hit."
Her glare turned colder.
Then, after a pause, her tone changed. It was quieter now, and more cautious. "What do you want? Spit it out. There's no way you started this duel thing for no reason."
They stayed like that. She still on top of him. Her hands pressed near his shoulders, a little too close to his neck. Isaac looked up at her, thoughtful.
"What's bothering you?"
"I told you, there's nothing—"
"Alice." His voice was steady. "You're not fooling anyone."
She stared at him. Their eyes locked were in a staring content. Neither of them blinked, or turned away, knowing the one who broke the eye contact would lose.
They stayed like that for a few minutes. Then slowly, Alice looked away.
She bit her lips, hard enough that a thin line of blood appeared. It slid down her chin and dripped onto his collar.
Then she finally spoke.
"I hate it."
Her voice was low.
"I hate it when you smile at others. I hate hearing your voice when you're talking to anyone else in that soft tone. I hate everything about it.
"I hate it when other people get to see that side of you. I hate it because I want it all to myself. I want to be the only one who gets to feel your warmth. The only one you look at like that. The only one who hears your real voice, who touches you, who knows what you're really like."
Her fingers shifted slightly.
They moved up, from his collarbone to the sides of his neck.
Her fingers clamped around his neck, but there was no force in her grip. It was a simple warning. For what? Alice herself didn't know.
"I know it's selfish. I know it won't ever happen. But sometimes I think… maybe I should just take you away. Lock you somewhere far from everyone. Somewhere dark and deep where no one else can find you. A place where only I can see you, talk to you, touch you. No one else. Not even for a second."
Her voice trembled now, even though her hands didn't.
"When someone else even glances at you, I get this… this burning in my chest. I can't stop it. It's like I'm being ripped open. I want to claw their eyes out, break their fingers just for reaching toward you."
Was he thinking about it?
Would he say yes?
She leaned closer, eyes searching his face.
"I-Isaac… let's run away. Just you and me. We don't need anyone else. You have farming abilities, right? We can live anywhere. A mountain, a forest… a cave."
Her grip on his throat tightened, just slightly. Almost protective. Almost like a warning.
"I can protect you. I'm a Saintess. You'd never get sick. I'd heal every cut, every bruise. I'd keep you alive, no matter what. I'll fight whatever comes. I'll keep you safe, always."
She smiled now, shaky and wild.
"I would take care of you like my treasure. Every second. Every day. We wouldn't need anyone. Just the two of us. So let's run away, Isaac."
She looked at him, and waited.
A part of her believed he might say yes. That he was being silent because he was considering her words. That he was imagining that future too.
Her grip on his neck tightened slightly. She didn't know why she was doing that.