Silence settled over the room once more.
Gara said nothing, giving Lavia the time she needed to process his words.
Her expression shifted—first confusion, then something quieter, heavier.
A faint sadness touched her eyes.
A few seconds passed before she shook her head lightly, steadying herself, and finally spoke.
"I understand," she said calmly. "Since it's your decision… I'll stop pursuing you."
Gara nodded, about to respond, but she continued before he could speak.
"Since we've already brought up the marriage topic," she added, her tone gentler, "could we talk about it a bit more? I have a few questions for you… if that's okay."
Gara nodded once more. "Yeah. I also have a few things I want to talk about, so… I don't mind."
Lavia spoke again, her voice careful. "May I know the reason why you're not ready right now?" she asked. "If… if it's not too private, of course."
Gara nodded. "There are two main reasons."
He took a deep breath, steadying himself, gathering the courage to finally open up and say everything he had been holding back.
"First… our Ranks don't match," he started. "You're much stronger than I am. I know—there are plenty of Players who marry someone far below their Rank and live just fine. But… a lot don't. And… I don't like the idea of such a big gap between us."
He glanced at her briefly, then looked away again. "I hope… you understand."
Lavia only nodded, saying nothing, waiting for him to continue and give her the second reason.
Gara continued. "The second one is… right now, I plan to adventure in the Story World." He hesitated for a moment before adding more quietly, "If possible, I'm even thinking of hitching a ride on the Final Express—going from Fragment to Fragment."
Lavia's eyes widened, genuine surprise flashing across her face, but she still didn't interrupt, letting him finish.
"Because of that, I won't be free," He continued. "I'll be focused on traveling. I wouldn't be able to give you the attention you deserve. To me, marriage is sacred. If we were married, we wouldn't just be husband and wife—we'd be partners in life."
He clenched his hand slightly. "That means responsibilities. Responsibilities toward you. And right now… I can't fulfill them."
He exhaled. "Sure, if we traveled together, that might solve it. But like I said earlier, you're much stronger than me. Unless you became my Story Guard, it wouldn't work."
He shook his head. "And I don't want you to be my Story Guard."
With that said, Gara let out a long sigh of relief, as if he'd finally put down a heavy burden he'd been carrying for a long time.
Lavia noticed and smiled lightly, giving a small nod before finally speaking. "I understand why the Rank difference bothers you. I really do," she said.
Then paused for a moment, before speaking again, "I am a little surprised you're planning to try getting on the Final Express, though."
Her smile widened as she continued, "But I think you can do it. Honestly, it'll probably turn into a grand epic."
"Heh… thanks," Gara replied, scratching the back of his head. "I'll try to make it a grand one."
She chuckled softly. "Alright. I understand your reasons for rejecting a marriage proposal right now."
There was a brief pause.
"But what about the future?"
Gara's breath nearly caught in his throat.
He had expected that question—of course he had. Ever since he decided to have this talk with Lavia, he'd been turning it over in his mind again and again, rehearsing answers that never quite felt right.
Even now, faced with her, he still wasn't sure what to say.
He drew in a slow, steady breath, forcing his racing thoughts to settle, and finally spoke.
Lavia noticed the pause—the hesitation, the way he gathered himself—and she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips as she waited for his answer.
"It's… something we can see how it turns out."
She blinked, clearly caught off guard. "What do you mean by that?"
Gara still couldn't bring himself to meet her eyes.
Looking away, cheeks warming, he answered quietly, "It might be possible. In the future. Depending on… whether we match, and things like that."
Silence fell over the room.
Both of them flushed at the same time, faces burning red as neither dared to look at the other.
The moment stretched, thick and awkward, until Lavia finally managed a weak, almost breathless, "Uh huh."
And then, once more, there was nothing but silence.
After a long moment, she finally gathered what little courage she had left. She gave a weak cough, just enough to draw his attention, and spoke softly, "I'd… I'd like that. Yeah."
Gara didn't respond right away. Instead, he cleared his throat with a quiet ahem, then asked, almost cautiously, "Is it okay if I ask why you're… interested in me this much?"
The question hit her like a direct strike.
Lavia nearly combusted on the spot, her face flushing to a shade of crimson she didn't think was physically possible.
She hurriedly cleared her throat with an ahm and turned toward the window, fixing her gaze outside as if Gara no longer existed in the room.
After a brief struggle to steady herself, she answered, voice a little stiff, "Your personality."
Gara blinked, genuinely surprised.
Still refusing to look at her, he asked, "My… personality? How so?"
Lavia very nearly wanted to strangle him on the spot—this was way too embarrassing—but she knew this was her moment.
If she ran now, she'd regret it forever.
She drew in a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down at least a little, then spoke.
"One day… I was on my way to the prison," she began. "I saw you giving an old lady a few Green Cores. I didn't think much of it at the time, so I just kept going."
She hesitated, then continued, her voice a bit quieter. "But a few days later, I saw you do it again. And then again. And again." She shifted uncomfortably, still refusing to look at him. "So I got a little curious and asked my brother about you."
Her lips curved faintly. "He knew you. Actually… it felt like half of Third Town knew you. And the more I listened, the more stories I heard, the more…" She faltered, cheeks burning, words tangling up. "The more fascinated I became."
She trailed off, flustered beyond saving. "And then I just… ahh… well… you know. Things happened. And whatnot. And… yeah."
Silence stretched between them.
Gara swallowed, then—against his better judgment—decided to ask what she meant by that. "What do you mean?"
Lavia almost had a heart attack.
Now… now she had to answer.
This was far too dangerous for her poor heart. One wrong word and she'd collapse flat on the hospital bed.
No, Lavia. You can do this. I believe in you, girl.
She cleared her throat weakly. "Ahm… well… I… you know…" Her words tangled, tripping over each other as her face burned hotter by the second. "I started to… y'know… li—like… you. You get it?"
Gara couldn't stop the smile that crept onto his lips.
He was just as embarrassed, cheeks warm and gaze averted, but the temptation was irresistible.
Absolutely irresistible.
Tilting his head slightly, he asked the forbidden question, voice innocent to the point of cruelty.
"…No. I don't get it. Could you maybe explain?"
Lavia almost turned to glare straight into his eyes—but stopped herself at the last second. Her hands clenched instead, knuckles whitening in pure frustration.
So this is the enemy, she realized. And not only is he strong… he's enjoying this.
Wow. She really hadn't thought he was this kind of imp.
Guess everyone hides their true nature after all.
She took a sharp breath. "Ahm—" Her voice wavered, then steadied, even as her face burned. "Because of what I heard… and what I saw from you…" She swallowed. "I… I started to like you."
A pause.
One heartbeat. Two.
"…Romantically."
Her shoulders tensed as if bracing for impact. "S-so… uhh, yeah. I told Jordan. And he—he jokingly brought up the idea of marriage."
She spoke faster now, words spilling out before courage could flee. "But after a while, that idea stopped being a joke. It started to feel… real. So I told Jordan again. And that's when he first approached you."
She snapped her head away, eyes squeezed shut, arm shooting out as she pointed straight at Gara. "And that's it. The rest is history, so DON'T ASK ME ABOUT IT AGAIN!"
The room went still for exactly half a second.
Then Gara broke.
"Hahahaha!"
Laughter burst out of him, uncontrollable, bright, echoing off the walls.
Seeing that, Lavia froze—then groaned, then finally gave in, laughing too, half mortified, half relieved, her voice overlapping his as all the tension she'd been holding finally shattered into the air.
Gara eventually managed to calm down, his laughter fading into a quiet smile, and Lavia followed soon after.
Silence settled between them again—soft this time, but still tinged with a faint, awkward tension, like air after a storm.
A second passed.
Then Gara spoke, voice lower, gaze fixed anywhere but her face. He asked, almost casually, "Are you... Interested in someone else... Or just me?"
Lavia felt her heart skip.
For half a second, the urge to tease him—to call him jealous—rose to her lips. But the embarrassment was still too strong, too fresh.
She swallowed it down.
Still refusing to meet his eyes, she answered quietly.
"Uhh... Only... You. Ahm... Jordan suggested others before, but I didn't find them interesting. Honestly, I wasn't even that interested in marriage as an idea itself."
Her words slowed, stumbling over themselves as her cheeks warmed again. "It's just because… ahm… you know…" She shifted slightly, fingers fidgeting. "I found someone who… fits the position, I guess."
A weak laugh escaped her. "So… yeah. You know. That's all… ahm."
Gara couldn't stop the smile that betrayed him.
Heat rushed to his face, deepening into a vivid crimson that matched his red hair and the scarlet folds of his kimono—so much so he looked like a walking red tomato.
He drew in a slow, steadying breath, shoulders rising and falling, then gave a small nod, as if bracing himself for what came next.
Lavia, too, took a moment to compose herself. She clasped her hands together, gaze fixed stubbornly ahead instead of on him.
"…Gara," she said softly, a hint of hesitation in her voice, "when do you think you'd be comfortable with the idea of marriage?"
His throat tightened.
Gara swallowed, the sound a little too loud in the quiet between them. After a beat, he answered honestly, eyes drifting away from her. "When we're the same Rank," he said.
"At least… that's where it starts for me. Only then can I really think about it seriously."
Lavia nodded, absorbing his words without protest.
Silence settled again—brief, fragile. Then curiosity crept in, and she spoke once more, still refusing to meet his eyes.
"And what if…" she began, choosing each word carefully, "what if we did get married—but I didn't want to keep adventuring?" She paused. "What if you kept climbing in Rank, and I didn't? If you ended up far above me… what then?"
Gara answered without joking this time, his tone steady, grounded.
"If one of us gets stronger after we're married… that's fine," he said.
"By then, we wouldn't just be two people chasing Rank anymore. We'd be partners." He hesitated, the confidence in his voice faltering for just a heartbeat.
"…People who understand each other. And—" His ears burned. He looked away. "And who lo-love… each other."
He cleared his throat quickly, forcing himself to finish. "So it wouldn't really matter. Rank only matters to me at the start. After that… who ends up stronger isn't a big deal."
Lavia's face turned just as red as his had been earlier.
Hearing him say loved—even stumbling over it—hit her harder than she expected.
But beneath the embarrassment came something warmer, lighter.
She let out a long, quiet sigh, tension finally leaving her shoulders.
Ranks mattered deeply to Gara.
She had been afraid of that—afraid that marriage would mean an endless race to stay equal, that falling behind might one day turn into resentment… or even divorce.
But that wasn't what he meant at all.
Realizing that, feeling the certainty in his words, Lavia relaxed at last—her heart far more at ease than it had been moments ago.
Gara let out a long breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding as well.
Relief washed through him—quiet, but deep.
Saying it out loud, finally facing Lavia instead of circling around the subject, felt… good.
For two, maybe three years, he'd been running from this conversation, convincing himself there would be a better time later.
Now that it was done, his chest felt lighter. His shoulders loosened.
There was a strange calm in him, almost freeing, like setting down a weight he'd carried for so long he'd forgotten it was there.
He drew in a deep breath, steadying himself once more. "Can I ask you something?" he said.
Lavia glanced at him, then gave a small nod.
Gara hesitated only a moment before continuing. "Can you tell me a bit about… why you're here?" His eyes sharpened with quiet seriousness. "Why you created [Mysterious Prison]. And why you stopped advancing at C Rank?"
Surprise flickered across Lavia's face.
For a second, she simply stared at him. She had assumed he'd already looked her up—that he'd checked the Blue Trade Records, dug into the basics like everyone else did.
But then reality caught up with the thought.
Information about her wouldn't come cheap. And Gara had been an F Ranker just two nights ago.
Understanding dawned, and with it, something softer.
She looked away, lips pressing together as she reconsidered him—not as a figure who could have known, but as someone who simply hadn't had the means to.
Either way—whatever the reason—he hadn't known. And because of that, Lavia felt… better, in a way she hadn't expected.
She wanted to be the one to tell him. To choose the words herself, to let those truths come from her mouth instead of a cold record page.
In the Story World, it was normal—almost expected—to meet someone for the first time and already know every important detail about their life.
Birthplaces, failures, secrets, turning points.
It was common practice.
Accepted.
Still, it was unsettling.
Creepy, even.
But people had grown used to it, because that was simply how the Story World worked.
The Blue Trade Information Gatherers didn't understand the concept of privacy.
They didn't care for it. To them, there was only value and cost.
Only information.
They spied on everyone—rookies, nobles, even the strongest beings in the Story World.
All that mattered was knowing.
Lavia slowly turned, finally meeting his eyes. For a moment, she hesitated, fingers tightening slightly at her side.
"I…" Her voice softened. "Could I maybe tell you some other time?" She looked away again. "It's… kind of a depressing story. I'd rather talk about it later, if that's okay."
Gara didn't push. He simply nodded.
"No worries at all," he said gently. "I understand. Honestly… it'd be the same for me if you asked." A faint smile tugged at his lips. "So yeah. I get it."
Lavia nodded in return.
Silence followed—brief, but awkward. After a second, she spoke again, trying to lighten it just a little.
"But," she added, "I can at least tell you what I'm planning to do from here on."
Gara inclined his head, giving her his full attention.
"For now," Lavia said, "I'll keep working with Jordan as a guard at the Third Town prison."
Her tone steadied as she went on. "As for the future… there are things I want to do. Things I haven't given up on." She paused, then smiled faintly. "But right now, I'm content. Taking things slower. Resting a bit—while working as a guard."
That caught Gara's interest immediately. He tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean by that?" he asked.
Lavia answered without hesitation. "I came here to work as a guard because I wanted to rest. Just for a few years."
She glanced ahead, thoughtful. "But I don't plan to stop forever. Eventually, I want to go back to Fragment Playing. I want to keep advancing—higher Ranks and all that."
A small smile appeared. "With Jordan, of course."
That only intrigued Gara more. "So… is Jordan here for the same reason?"
She shook her head. "No."
A quiet sigh escaped her. "He told me himself—he doesn't need the rest." Her voice softened. "He's only here because I am. I'm his little sister, after all. He just wants to stay with me."
A hint of frustration crossed her face. "I've told him so many times to go out there. To adventure, get stronger, do something instead of standing guard next to me every day."
She clenched her hand briefly. "But he always refuses."
She let out another sigh, half resigned, half fond. "So… he's still here. And he'll probably stay with me until the day I decide to adventure again."
Gara found himself… strangely touched.
He couldn't fully grasp why, but there was something quietly admirable about it.
Caring for a sibling—it was simple enough to understand. Even from the little he knew of Lavia, he could piece together fragments of her reasoning.
She wanted to grow stronger, for some reason tied to her past. And Jordan—her brother—was likely tangled up in that same past somehow.
For reasons Gara didn't fully know, Lavia had grown tired.
She needed a break, a pause from chasing Rank and danger, so she had chosen a way to step back while keeping her mind occupied: working as a guard in Third Town's only prison.
Jordan, on the other hand, didn't need the rest.
He could have continued advancing, kept growing stronger without pause. Yet he hadn't.
He stayed, quietly, faithfully, at her side.
Why? Perhaps to watch over her, to make sure she was alright.
But… he didn't just check on her between Fragment Plays.
No, he stayed with her.
Every day.
Always.
Why?
Gara frowned, thinking. It had to be connected to their past somehow.
Something that shaped both of them, something unspoken that bound them together.
He didn't know what happened, couldn't even guess exactly—but he felt the weight of it, the silent gravity lurking behind the choices they had made.
The way Lavia had reacted… it told him something.
Subtle, fleeting expressions, the way she chose her words—it all meant that, if he wanted, he could probably dig up clues… maybe even her entire past, in the Blue Trade Records.
For a moment, the thought tempted him.
He imagined scrolling through pages of data, seeing her life laid bare in cold, precise detail.
But just as quickly, he shut it down.
No.
He would learn it from her. Only from her. Not from some record. Not from someone else's collection of facts.
And, truth be told, he didn't even have the Cores to waste on it.
Sure, there was Leif—an infinite bank of Cores at his disposal—but the idea of borrowing them, of relying on Leif's endless supply, felt… wrong.
It wasn't just about the cost. It was about the connection, about respect.
If he wanted to know Lavia's story, he would do it the proper way—by hearing it from her.
Silence settled over the room, thick but not uncomfortable.
It lingered for a few moments, a quiet pause that let them both simply exist in the same space.
Then Lavia spoke, breaking it with a gentle curiosity.
"And you?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. "What are you planning to do… going forward? In general?"
Gara considered her question for a beat, letting the words sink in.
Then he spoke, measured. "For the near future, I'll train with Leif. Get stronger, learn some Lightning Techniques from him… you know, since my Story is [Root of All Things], and all."
Lavia smiled and nodded, her expression soft, approving.
Gara hesitated, a thought forming at the edge of his mind. He could tell her about the crack in his Story, and even the way he already knew to fix it.
But he shook his head subtly, decision made.
No. It wasn't necessary. It would only worry her for no reason.
Some things were better kept hidden, at least for now.
Instead, he continued, his voice steady but careful.
"And… in about a month… maybe two…" He hesitated, swallowing slightly before finishing, "…I'll be heading to the Town of No Return."
Lavia blinked, caught off guard.
That… that was unexpected.
Most Players in the Story World knew exactly what would happen there in that time frame.
The [Ticket Hunting] Event was about to begin, and immediately afterward, the Final Express would arrive, ready to carry those who had won the event.
And Gara—he had already mentioned wanting to ride the Express.
Her surprise deepened.
When he had first talked about wanting to take the Final Express, she had assumed it was some distant dream. Something he would only consider seriously once he was at least D Rank, or maybe even higher.
But no.
He meant it.
In just two months—or at least, he intended to try.
For a moment, Lavia didn't say anything. She simply let the words hang in the air, letting them sink in. Then, finally, she spoke, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"I'm… somewhat surprised," she admitted. "But I'll be watching the event. Cheering you on."
Gara's hand went to the back of his head, scratching lightly as he smiled. "Thanks. I'll try not to disappoint."
Lavia's smile widened. "I'm sure you'll probably make it."
She hesitated, shifting slightly before continuing. "And… if you want, I could offer you Cores to get information on the participants in the [Ticket Hunting] Event. If you don't want to just take them… I could… borrow them to you?"
Gara shook his head immediately, firm. "No need. I already have enough Cores for that. But… thanks for the offer. I really appreciate it."
Her expression softened, and for a brief moment, the air between them was warm, easy—like two people quietly understanding one another without needing more words.
After a moment, Lavia spoke again, her voice quiet but earnest.
"…In the future… would it be alright if Jordan and I approached you just to… talk?"
She hesitated, then added quickly, "I promise I won't bring up the marriage topic. I just… want to actually get to know you. If that's okay?"
Gara went silent, letting her words settle.
He had always felt uneasy around them—not because of the conversation itself, but because every time they spoke before, there was always that unspoken shadow of marriage hanging over him.
But… now that they'd gotten past that, there was no reason not to talk.
In fact… this small conversation they'd just shared… it had been… fun.
His thoughts turned over carefully. If she was still serious about him when he eventually reached her Rank… then wouldn't it be better to start early?
To talk, and see if they actually matched, before anything else?
Right?
He drew in a deep breath, his gaze fixed somewhere beyond her, careful not to meet her eyes just yet.
"Well… like I said," he began slowly, "I'll try to get on the Final Express. So… that probably means I won't be staying in Third Town for very long."
He hesitated, then added, "…But yeah. I don't mind talking whenever we cross paths. That's… okay with me."
Lavia's lips curved into a shy smile, her cheeks tinged with pink.
She nodded softly, letting his words settle over her.
Gara cleared his throat, a little awkwardly. "Ahm… well, anyway," he said, scratching the back of his head. "It was really… nice. Just… talking. So… I'll leave you to rest for now. And maybe… ah… well… ahm…"
His words stumbled, but he pressed on. "…If you don't mind… maybe I could… come visit again sometime before you're released from the hospital?"
Lavia's face instantly burned crimson.
She froze, then nodded heavily, trying to steady herself. After a deep breath, she managed to reply, stammering slightly, "S-sure… yeah, of course… I'd… I'd like that."
Gara's lips twitched into a small, relieved smile as he gave a subtle nod, feeling the tension in the room ease just a little.
With that, he turned toward the door, hand raised in a casual wave.
"Well… I wish you all the best," he said, voice calm but sincere. "…And… yeah. Till next time."
Lavia nodded in return, even though he wouldn't see it. "Take care… and thanks for the notebook. I'll… I'll look forward to seeing you again."
Gara gave a final wave, then stepped out, the door closing softly behind him.
—End of Chapter.
-------
Marriage, huh?
Gara: Welp, that's as much romance as you're gonna get out of me for a long while.
Leif: There was barely any romance in there, just red faces moslty... Unless that's what romance is?
Gara: I... I don't know, actually.
Jack: I'd say that's the beginning of it, not romance itself though.
Gara: Hoh! Jack, been a while since you last appeared.
Jack: Yup, come visit and give me some screentime already, I miss being a character in the story.
Gara: Haha! No worries, you'll get some time to shine when I visit, and it'll be somewhat soon, so cheer up buddy.
Jack: Good good, thanks.