Chapter 3:

This kid! This bastard! He was from her old world too?!

Eres stood up in a shock, pointing at him.

“Y-you…! You tricked me!”

“You’re the one cursing about cigarettes as a four year old.”

His smug smile widened as he leaned back in the bench.

“Tsk, I’m at least five, you bastard.”

“How did you say you got in here? The head maid?”

Eres avoided his gaze. 

“What, cute little girl act? Shameless. I bet you were in your thirties.”

“I wasn’t that old,” Eres snapped. “Late twenties isn’t old.”

He shrugged. “We’re the same then.”

“How long have you been here? Did you wake up too?”

The boy shook his head. “Born here. Five years. You?”

“A month, maybe. Woke up in mud.”

He laughed. “That’s rough.”

Eres’s head hung. “I’ve been starving for days…”

“Want more cookies?”

She nodded and gave him a thumbs up. “I’ll take you for all your worth.”

“Pfft…what’s your name?”

“Eres. You?”

“I meant your old name.”

Eres wagged her finger. “I’m not about to tell you my old username.”

“Ahh, hairy old guy, huh?” He looked at her body. “That fits.”

Eres’s face twitched. “I—I didn’t choose this! I didn’t!”

Her face flushed in shame. Aghh! Did he really have to call her out like that? She wanted to punch him. 

The boy shrugged. “It is what it is. Neither did I.

“What year was it when you left?”

Eres blinked. “2026.”

His eyes widened. He stood up suddenly, and placed both hands on her shoulders. His face was panicked, desperate. 

“D-did you…see how One Piece ended…?”

Eres blinked. That’s the question he asked? One Piece? 

“Did you leave before that?”

“2021.”

“Ahhh…I wonder.”

Eres smiled smugly at him. “Hmm, how did One Piece end…? I wonder...”

He froze. “Y-you saw, right?”

Eris lied shamelessly. “Yuuuup.”

“You have to tell me. Please.”

The boy bowed at her feet. 

“What are you going to do for me?”

He looked up, resolute. “Wanna marry me?”

“…”

“It’s not a bad offer for you. I’m the Duke’s son. I’ll treat you well.”

“...?”

“I’m crazy rich. You’ll be able to do nothing for the rest of your life.”

This shameless bastard. Was he really going to sell himself just for that…?

Eres flushed. That she was tempted to say yes…

“I…”

“?” 

“I lied. One Piece didn’t end yet.”

The boy stood slowly. His eyes dimmed. He sat down on the bench and stared at the floor.

“I-I can tell you what happened until now, though! I’m current!”

“I should have you put to death for what you did.”

Eres’s heart shook. Oh shit! “W-wait! You can’t!”

He looked at her fiercely. 

“G-gear five! I’ll tell you about gear five~!”

She tried to hide the tremor in her voice with a playful lilt. 

A warm hand firmly grasped her wrist. With a yank, she was pulled next to him on the bench. He stared into her eyes with a dangerous light.

“You’re not lying.”

“No…”

Well, she wasn’t. She still felt guilty for her prank, though.

An hour later, the inquisition ended. The entire time he kept her wrist in his grip, asking question after question about everything that had happened. Was this the intensity of a hardcore weeb?

It really was unfair. This bastard got to be born as a duke’s son, and she was a penniless orphan?

“What’s your name?”

“Hmm?”

“Your name.”

“Nika.” 

“Be serious.”

“Tch. Leo.”

Eres stood. The sun was dipping over the horizon. Was the head maid looking for her?

“You gonna sit out here? It’ll be hard to read in the dark.”

“Mm. I’ll come with you.”

Leo picked up his book and the empty platter. They walked next to each other as they exited the garden. It wasn’t long before a few servants ran up to him.

“Young Master! There you are! Are you ok?”

The butler from earlier glanced between him and Eres. 

“We shared a snack in the garden. Prepare dinner for us.”

Leo waved his hand. At his gesture, the servants except the butler scattered.

He looked at us. “You are dining…together?”

His eyes widened. “The young master is eating with a friend?”

Leo flinched. “Is that a problem?”

The butler bowed. “No, young master, not at all. This humble servant is simply glad to see you on good terms with a child of your own age.”

The butler led them inside. 

Eres glanced at Leo, a smirk on her face. “You got reincarnated and you’re still a shut-in?”

“I can have you put to death by the time the sun sets.”

“Your lordship, this young lady apologizes.”

Leo glared at her. 

She avoided eye contact as the butler led them to a long table in the dining hall. Leo grabbed her hand and pulled her to the head of the table, seating her next to him. The butler bowed and left the room. They sat in silence as the footsteps faded out, before the soft sound of the door closing rang through the room. 

Leo sighed, smacking his head on the table. Eres glanced at him in concern. 

“What’s wrong?”

“Eres…”

His voice trailed off with a whine.

“I don’t want to talk to people…”

“…Hikikomori?”

His head, still laying on the table, nodded in an awkward motion.

“They keep trying to pair me up with brats, hoping I’ll make friends. Tch.”

Eres leaned forward. “That’s rough.”

Their eyes met. He smiled softly. “I’m glad to meet a fellow traveler of the Rift.”

“Eehhh…a top-lane warrior should be firmer in his resolve.”

“I’m a mid-lane defender.”

“Rank?”

“Champ.”

Eres gasped. A true noble was before her. “Most impressive, young master.”

They bantered for a bit before the doors opened, and servants poured in with platters of food. The head maid stepped gracefully behind them, a curious look in her eyes.

Eres glanced at her once before her attention was drawn to the copious amount of food. This…was this heaven? Could she eat like this every day?

“…Is the offer to marry you still on the table?”

“No way. Liar.”

“Tsk.”

She ignored Leo as the servants scooped food onto plates, setting them before the children. She impatiently waited for Leo to eat first.

He looked at her, a smile on his face. He watched her eyes twitch as he slowly brought a spoonful of food to his mouth, only to draw it away at the last moment. He smirked.

A vein throbbed in Eres’s head. This smug asshole…

Eres bit her lip, watching Leo repeat the motion three times, until the head maid appeared behind him like a wraith and pinched his cheek. 

“Ack!”

“Young master, did you always have such poor manners for guests? Was my training insufficient?”

“N-no head maid.”

“Hmm~ I suppose the young master wants more training if he has the energy to tease starving orphans.”

Eres covered a laugh with a cough as Leo was chastised. Lana stuffed the spoon in Leo’s mouth and nodded towards Eres. 

Eres didn’t hesitate. She dug in with the fervor of a dog into a fresh steak. Manners? Decor? Pride? Nonsense. There was eaten, and there was uneaten. And she intended to fix that imbalance. 

The other two watched in shock as she tore apart the content of her plate. Lana bit her lip, a strange look in her eyes.

Leo reached out, his hand somewhat shaking. “H-hey…”

He watched her, guilt plain across his face. Had he really teased someone that was this hungry…? A rush of shame covered him. Since they had been fellow travelers, he’d been teasing her without mercy, but she really had it rough. 

It wasn’t until a few plates were empty that she finally leaned back, satisfied. Lana appeared next to her, and gently dabbed at her mouth with a napkin. A gentle gaze settled on Eres.

“Are you full?”

“Mhmm.”

Leo scratched his head awkwardly when Lana sent him a dangerous look. Wasn’t I the Duke’s son…? 

Eres began to nod off, her head dipping to the side. Lana picked her up in her arms, adjusting her into a comfortable carry. 

“Young master.”

Leo flinched.

“We will discuss this later.”

“Y-yes, head maid.”

He watched Lana whisk Eres into the other room, leaving him alone. He sighed. His thoughts returned to Eres. To think, someone from his hometown would appear before him. So careless. He laughed. Leo felt inexplicably pleased. Was this what he was missing? A peer? Someone he could say anything to, joke about anything with?

It was nice. Nice to not wear the mask of the noble young lord. He’d never bowed to anyone, couldn’t. It was an introverts worst nightmare. Yet, his conversation with Eres hadn’t stopped for so long. They’d only known each other for maybe two hours, yet it felt like they’d been friends for years. 

He stood from the table, and gestured towards a servant.

“Yes, young master?”

“I am finished. You may give the remainders to anyone who wants it. I dislike seeing food go to waste.”

The servant bowed. Leo looked over the plates still full of warm food. He’d never given such an order before. Was it because he’d seen Eres eat so happily? He scratched his head. Well, he couldn’t upset a fellow traveler. Even one that lied.

Leo walked out of the dining room with light steps, and a small smile.