Darkness pressed in from every direction.

  Not sleep.

  Not dreams.

  A blank space, heavy and endless.

  Yukio floated within it, disoriented, his thoughts sluggish.

  “…What is this?”

  He muttered.

  Without warning, the Wheel of Providence materialized before him, spinning on its own. Faster. Faster. Its jade-gold glow pulsed violently, warping the void around it.

  Behind it, the Threads of Fate emerged, luminous strands twisting and writhing like living things.

  They surged forward.

  Wrapped around him.

  Pulled.

  Yukio gasped as his body began to fade, dissolving into light.

  “Wait!”

  Vaelora’s voice echoed softly, layered with urgency.

  You’re losing yourself, Yuki.

  The Wheel spun louder.

  Remember why you were given this power.

  Remember what you’re fighting for.

  The Threads tightened.

  And then.

  “WAKE UP!”

  Yukio’s eyes snapped open.

  Kaede was shaking him violently, her face far too close for comfort.

  “Gah!”

  He yawned, blinking hard.

  “Was that really necessary? I literally just closed my eyes,”

  “You passed out sitting up,”

  Kaede snapped.

  “That’s not normal.”

  Michibiki stood across the room, arms folded, staring at the stacked crates lining the wall. She let out a low whistle.

  “…You made all of this. In one night?”

  Yukio slowly pushed himself upright, cracking his neck and running a hand through his messy hair.

  “Yeah…”

  He muttered.

  “And I feel like I’m about five seconds away from dying.”

  Kaede poked his chest.

  “That’s what happens when you don’t sleep. Drink a potion. Or coffee. Or both.”

  Michibiki glanced at him.

  “What’s the plan?”

  Yukio leaned sideways, resting his weight against Kaede’s shoulder.

  “First, Candessa’s shop. We check the lighter production.”

  He yawned again.

  “Then I give her a sample of the cream.”

  He slung an arm lazily around Kaede’s shoulders.

  “After that… can you carry me to the men’s bath?”

  Kaede’s face went bright red.

  Without hesitation.

  THWACK.

  Yukio was suddenly airborne.

  He crashed upside-down onto the floor, staring at the ceiling through a curtain of hair.

  “UGHHH, WHY?!”

  Kaede dusted off her hands.

  “You’re getting way too comfortable.”

  Michibiki looked down at him, unimpressed.

  “Stand up. You’re not allowed to die until after Candessa reacts.”

  Yukio groaned, rolling onto his back.

  “…This party is going to be the death of me.”

  Somewhere deep within his mind, Vaelora’s presence lingered quiet now, watchful.

  The Wheel had stopped spinning.

  For the moment.

  ---

  Candessa’s shop was already buzzing when they arrived.

  Assistants rushed between counters, crates stacked near the back door, and the steady clink of metal echoed from the workshop beyond. The air smelled like oil, paper, and opportunity.

  Candessa herself stood at the center of it all, barking orders while reviewing a ledger.

  “Move those to the front display, no, the other front display. If they can’t see it, it doesn’t sell!”

  She stopped mid sentence when she spotted Yukio.

  Her eyes lit up.

  “Ah! The man of the hour finally lives,”

  She said with a grin.

  “I was starting to wonder if I’d have to send flowers.”

  Yukio waved weakly.

  “Please don’t. I’m allergic to effort right now.”

  Michibiki gestured toward the workshop.

  “How’s the lighter production?”

  Candessa snapped her fingers.

  “Ahead of schedule.”

  She motioned them over, leading them into the back.

  Rows of freshly crafted metal lighters lined a long table, sleek, compact, engraved with simple but elegant designs. A worker flicked one open.

  Click.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  A clean, steady flame sprang to life.

  “No flint. No spell. No incantation,”

  Candessa said proudly.

  “Anyone can use it. Even nobles with more money than sense.”

  Kaede whistled.

  “That’s… actually impressive.”

  Candessa smiled wider.

  “They went on sale this morning.”

  Yukio blinked.

  “…This morning?”

  She slid a ledger toward him.

  “First shipment sold out in under two hours.”

  Yukio stared at the numbers.

  Then stared harder.

  “…Oh.”

  Michibiki nodded once.

  “As expected.”

  Candessa leaned in, lowering her voice.

  “But that’s not why you’re here, is it?”

  Yukio straightened, pulling out a small ceramic container from his bag and setting it on the table.

  “Nope. This is.”

  Candessa picked it up immediately, eyes sharp.

  “What am I holding?”

  “Moonpetal Dew Cream,”

  Yukio said.

  “Skin repair, moisture retention, scar reduction. No magic required. Daily use.”

  Candessa didn’t say a word.

  She popped the lid.

  A faint, clean scent filled the room, cool, floral, and refreshing.

  She dipped a finger in.

  Tested the texture.

  Then, without hesitation, turned and walked straight toward the private washroom attached to her office.

  “I’ll be right back,”

  She said curtly.

  The door closed.

  Kaede blinked.

  “She just… took it.”

  Michibiki folded her arms.

  “She’s thorough.”

  Minutes passed.

  Five.

  Ten.

  Yukio shifted, suddenly nervous.

  “…Did I mess up the ratio?”

  The door swung open.

  Candessa stepped out.

  Silence followed her.

  Her posture was rigid.

  Her expression unreadable.

  She slowly looked at her hand, flexed her fingers then brushed her palm across her forearm.

  Then she inhaled sharply.

  “Yukio,”

  She said calmly.

  “…How many units do you have?”

  Yukio swallowed.

  “Five hundred.”

  Candessa turned to her assistants.

  “Clear the second storage room. Lock inventory access. Cancel my afternoon meetings.”

  They froze.

  “Starting now,”

  She continued, voice sharp with excitement,

  “this becomes our flagship product.”

  She turned back to Yukio, eyes blazing.

  “This cream?”

  She said.

  “This is going to dominate the market.”

  Kaede grinned.

  “That good?”

  Candessa laughed once, short, breathless.

  “I just watched a scar I’ve had for twelve years fade in five minutes.”

  Yukio exhaled.

  “…Oh.”

  Candessa placed a hand on his shoulder, deadly serious now.

  “We’re doubling production. Tripling, if possible.”

  She smiled like a predator who’d found gold.

  “And this time,”

  She added,

  “the town won’t know what hit it.”

  Outside, the bell above the shop door rang again.

  Another customer.

  Another sale.

  The flame had been lit.

  And now, the fire was spreading.

  ---

  Candessa snapped her fingers sharply.

  “Allen.”

  The man appeared instantly, papers already in hand.

  “Contract draft or property transfer?”

  “Both,” Candessa replied without hesitation.

  She grabbed Yukio’s arm again, eyes shining.

  “You’re a hidden gem. Where have you been all my life?”

  Yukio flushed slightly.

  Before he could answer, Kaede stepped in and pried Candessa’s hand away.

  “Hey. Hands off the merchandise.”

  Yukio blinked.

  “…And whose merchandise am I?”

  Michibiki covered her mouth, giggling.

  “Apparently hers.”

  Kaede’s face heated instantly.

  “I meant! She was grabbing him too much!”

  Candessa laughed softly, unfazed, and leaned closer just enough to poke Yukio’s nose.

  “I’m not letting talent like yours slip away. Think about it, Yukio. You could be rich beyond imagination.”

  Yukio’s eyes glazed over.

  Gold coins. Mountains of them. Swimming. Diving.

  Vaelora’s voice chimed happily in his mind.

  Yes! Money! With your luck, we’ll be drowning in it.

  Yukio mentally paused.

  …We?

  Of course we, Vaelora snapped. I helped.

  Michibiki cleared her throat sharply.

  “Focus. We’ll come back to sign the contract later. Right now, we’re house hunting. We need space.”

  Candessa tilted her head, then smiled knowingly.

  “No need to waste gold. I’ll give you one of my properties. Small, but far better than an inn room.”

  Yukio’s face lit up.

  “Really? That would be amazing!”

  Kaede crossed her arms.

  “That’s… really generous.”

  Candessa shrugged lightly.

  “Consider it an investment. Anything to keep him close.”

  She reached toward Yukio again.

  Kaede immediately grabbed her wrist.

  “We’ll take it.”

  Michibiki raised an eyebrow, looking to Yukio.

  He nodded.

  “…Thank you. We appreciate it.”

  Candessa snapped her fingers once more.

  Allen appeared, holding a simple iron key.

  “West side of town,”

  He said.

  “Address is engraved on the tag.”

  Yukio took the key, feeling its weight.

  A home.

  Not a room. Not borrowed space.

  Something real.

  As they turned to leave, Candessa called after them, smiling like a merchant who’d just won big.

  “Rest up, Yukio. Tomorrow, we make history.”

  And as the door closed behind them.

  Vaelora hummed happily.

  Your life is accelerating, Yuki. Try not to blink.

  Yukio smiled, clutching the key.

  “…I don’t think I could stop it even if I wanted to.”

  ---

  The wrought iron gates loomed ahead of them, black and ornate, curling into elegant patterns that shimmered faintly in the afternoon sun.

  The trio stopped.

  Dead.

  Silent.

  Yukio blinked once.

  Twice.

  “…I thought she said a small house,”

  He said slowly.

  Kaede’s jaw dropped.

  “That’s not a house,”

  She muttered.

  “That’s a final dungeon.”

  Michibiki stared, eyes scanning instinctively, her senses brushing the perimeter.

  “Multiple enchantments. Structural reinforcement. Defensive wards. And… oh.”

  She paused.

  “This place is ridiculously expensive.”

  Yukio swallowed.

  “Define ridiculously.”

  Michibiki didn’t answer.

  She didn’t have to.

  The mansion stood tall behind the gates, white stone walls polished to a soft gleam, accented with dark wood and gold-lined trim. Three full floors rose proudly into the sky, balconies stretching outward, ivy climbing the walls in deliberate patterns. Tall windows reflected the sunlight like glass mirrors, and beyond the gates lay a massive garden, manicured hedges, stone paths, fountains, and flowerbeds arranged like artwork.

  Kaede leaned forward slightly.

  “…She gave us this?”

  Yukio rubbed the back of his neck.

  “I think Candessa has a very loose definition of ‘small.’”

  They pushed the gates open.

  They creaked dramatically.

  Kaede snorted.

  “Of course they creak.”

  The garden alone took nearly ten minutes to cross.

  There were stone benches carved with intricate designs, a koi pond near the center, fruit trees lining one side, and even a training yard tucked discreetly behind tall hedges.

  Yukio stared around like he’d stepped into a dream.

  “…I’m going to get lost,”

  He muttered.

  Michibiki nodded.

  “Immediately.”

  They reached the entrance.

  Massive double doors, polished mahogany reinforced with metal filigree.

  Yukio hesitated.

  Then pushed.

  The doors opened smoothly, revealing chaos.

  Not active chaos.

  Potential chaos.

  The entrance hall stretched upward through all three floors, an open atrium with a chandelier the size of a small carriage hanging overhead. Marble floors gleamed beneath their feet. Staircases curved upward on both sides, meeting at a second-floor landing that split off into multiple corridors.

  Kaede stepped inside slowly.

  “…How many rooms does this place have?”

  Michibiki glanced around, counting faint mana signatures embedded into the walls.

  “Twenty-five bedrooms. Ten bathrooms. Several lounges. A massive kitchen. Storage rooms. Guest halls. And…”

  She looked upward.

  “The entire third floor is dedicated to work and study.”

  Yukio’s brain visibly lagged.

  “…Twenty-five?”

  Kaede turned to him sharply.

  “WHY do you need twenty-five bedrooms?!”

  “I DON’T KNOW,”

  Yukio shot back.

  “I WAS EXPECTING THREE.”

  They walked deeper inside.

  The kitchen alone was larger than the entire inn room they’d been sharing. Long counters of polished stone, cabinets stacked to the ceiling, multiple ovens, prep tables, storage pantries.

  Yukio stopped in the middle of it.

  “…I could run production here.”

  Michibiki nodded.

  “Easily.”

  Kaede stared at a walk-in pantry that could fit three people comfortably.

  “I could get lost in this kitchen,”

  She muttered.

  They moved on.

  Living rooms. Lounges. Guest halls. Sunlit reading areas.

  Every door they opened revealed another absurd space.

  At one point, Yukio opened a door and found another staircase.

  “WHY IS THERE A STAIRCASE IN THE STAIRCASE?”

  He yelled.

  Kaede burst out laughing.

  “RICH PEOPLE LOGIC.”

  Michibiki sighed.

  “That’s so stupid.”

  They split up unintentionally.

  Yukio wandered into what turned out to be a music room.

  Kaede ended up in a guest suite with a private balcony and screamed loud enough to echo through the halls.

  Michibiki opened a door. And froze.

  “…Yukio,”

  She called calmly.

  He rushed over.

  Inside was a massive study.

  Tall shelves lined every wall, already stocked with books. Large desks. Writing tables. Magical research circles etched permanently into the floor. Storage cabinets warded for safety.

  Michibiki’s eyes gleamed faintly.

  “This… is perfect.”

  Yukio smiled softly.

  “Third floor, right?”

  She nodded.

  They climbed.

  The third floor was quieter. Designed for focus. A grand library stretched across the center, with shelves rising two stories high and ladders mounted on rails. A lounge area sat nearby, comfortable chairs arranged around a fireplace. Offices branched off to either side.

  Kaede wandered in, looking around more subdued now.

  “…Okay. This is actually amazing.”

  Yukio leaned against the railing overlooking the atrium. For the first time since arriving in this world. He didn’t feel like he was borrowing space.

  He cleared his throat.

  “Kaede.”

  She looked at him.

  “Yeah?”

  “…You should live here.”

  She blinked.

  “…What?”

  Michibiki turned as well.

  Yukio scratched his cheek, suddenly nervous.

  “This place is huge. Way too big for just us. And you’re already with us all the time. You fight with us. You help. You...”

  Kaede interrupted.

  “Get to the point Yukio.”

  He winced.

  “Sorry. Point is... stay. Make it your place too.”

  Kaede stared at him.

  Then looked around.

  At the rooms.

  The space.

  The possibility.

  “…You serious?”

  Michibiki nodded.

  “It makes sense.”

  Kaede hesitated.

  Then huffed.

  “…Fine. But I’m picking my room.”

  Yukio grinned.

  “Deal.”

  She turned, already marching down the hall.

  “I’m taking one with a balcony.”

  Yukio laughed.

  “KNEW IT.”

  Michibiki watched them quietly.

  Vaelora’s voice whispered in Yukio’s mind, warm and knowing.

  A home. Allies. Stability. The threads are tightening, Yuki.

  Yukio looked around once more.

  “…Yeah,”

  He thought back.

  “They are.”

  The mansion stood silent around them.

  But for the first time,

  It felt alive.