Slady was sitting at the counter of his library, bringing a steaming cup to his lips while his mechanical fingers wrote notes in a notebook.
Shaphira was in her fox form, lying across his lap, purring softly, her black tail swaying beneath the counter.
Suddenly, Slady's eye fixed on Shaphira as his vision slowly blurred into a memory...
A few days earlier.
Sitting on the bed, he brought food to his lips. His mouth twisted for a moment, but he swallowed anyway. Shaphira, in front of him, resting her chest on the mattress and her face on her hands, watched every expression of the man closely, smiling.
"How is it, master?"
Slady cleared his throat before answering.
"It turned out... it turned out great, but it needs a bit of improvement. I will help you with that."
Her ears lowered as she listened. However, they quickly lifted again, her eyes shining.
"Thank you, master. You are the best!"
She sat on his lap and hugged him. He snorted softly, without smiling, but gave her gentle pats on the back. As she pulled away, Shaphira crossed her arms, giving a mischievous smile.
"Then, if you liked it, I deserve a reward."
"...Yes. What do you want, girl?"
"I want to have clothes."
"Clothes? Do you need them?"
"I don't know, master... but I would like to wear something that humans wear. Please...?!"
She clasped her fingers together, pouting, her ears lowering on purpose. He leaned back, frowned, and narrowed his eyes... but nodded.
"Alright."
"Thank you!"
The present moment.
His vision returned to focus and, without hesitation, he held Shaphira's sleeping body with his mechanical arm and stood up. He walked to the bedroom and, holding her with both arms, gently laid her on the bed. She remained on her back.
Adjusting his clothes, he went to the library room, took a specific amount of coins, left a note on the table, drank his last sip of coffee, and left.
Minutes later, Shaphira stirred uncomfortably, burying her snout in the blanket, breathing in deeply, and then suddenly woke with wide eyes. She did not even take time to yawn before jumping out of bed. She rubbed her snout along the floor as she hurried, eventually bumping her face against the door.
Shaking her head, she moved toward the counter and stood on two paws, sniffing everything. When she found the note, her eyes widened even more and she opened her mouth, grabbing the paper and bringing it to the ground. She lay down and began to stare at the distorted letters that hardly seemed written by a human, so curved they were.
"I will buy your clothes"
A snort sent the paper flying before it landed in the corner of the library. She hopped onto the couch and returned to her peaceful state. Lying on her back.
Meanwhile.
In the city, with the sun drawing sweat onto Slady's face, he removed his coat and tied it around his waist. His gaze moved across establishments filled with images and cultural symbols that, judging by the expressions of the crowds, seemed to originate from an ancient era of humanity. He entered areas where people resembling Japanese offered him foods like temaki, declaring the dishes as a "relic of the Old Society."
Amid offers and services from people of different ethnicities and customs, Slady finally found what seemed to be a clothing store. A young attendant greeted him with her hands held in front of her waist, her voice trembling slightly, a reddish tone reaching her face.
"Welcome to our store. How can I help you?"
Seeing her so nervous, Slady lowered his voice and leaned slightly forward, his hands behind his back.
"Where can I find women's clothing?"
"I... I can take you there. Is it for someone? A girlfriend?"
"No. It is just for someone I care about."
"Oh... I understand. Of course, follow me."
She turned her back, less nervous, giving him a patient look.
Some time later, Slady lifted the clothes with a critical gaze before placing them in front of the clerk, who counted the items. A slow voice followed by a yawn came out.
"Hmm... adding everything up, it comes to 320 Lynes."
"Alright... keep the change and have some coffee."
"Thank you, sir..."
She smiled, hiding the coins against her chest.
Before leaving, Slady felt a touch on his back.
"I noticed you tried to make me feel comfortable. It's my first week here. Thank you."
"It was nothing. Enjoy your day."
His face was bathed in sunlight as he stepped out of the store, his fists firmly holding the bag's handle. He took a step in the direction he had come from...
But hesitated.
La Taberna.
The bell rang as the door opened. Locals looked at him before returning to their meals. The place was almost empty at that hour of the morning. At the counter, a man with white hair, wrinkled skin, yet with muscles that still drew attention, raised his gaze. And smiled.
"Oh-ho! If it isn't my friend, Slady!"
He exclaimed in a rough voice, striking the counter. Slady nodded and sat down, placing the bag beside the chair.
"You seem lively this morning, Raizer."
"Please, just because I'm near the end doesn't mean I'm some lifeless old man!"
He laughed and turned, grabbing a bottle and a glass.
"You still like your usual wine, don't you?"
"Yes. Sweet."
When served, Slady wrapped his fingers around the glass and brought it to his nose, the sweet aroma sharpening his senses. Then, in a single motion, he drank it all.
"Thank you, Raizer... by the way, your daughter didn't come to help today?"
"Wow, Slady! Never lose that resistance to alcohol...! Elisa? She's sleeping, the girl deserves it."
"You are a generous father."
"Look who's talking, the one who can't resist spoiling that little creature!"
"...She deserves it too."
Raizer and Slady drank in silence after that. The other men thanked the old man for the meal before leaving, until only the two remained in the establishment.
Suddenly, a door upstairs opened. A teenager came down, moving slowly, a tear slipping from her eyes as she yawned.
"Good morning, dad... oh, good morning, Uncle Slady."
She hugged Raizer and Slady, her face resting against the smaller man's chest, snoring.
"Lazy girl."
Even so, he held her in his arms, a bit of drool escaping from her mouth. Raizer laughed, once again bringing the wine to his lips.
"That girl has never been ashamed to cling to you, has she, Slady? Since she was a child."
"Shaphira also has... those lazy habits. I am used to it."
"I'm still amazed that you have... a Renkai Creature as a daughter."
"...She is important."
"No need to get upset with me, Slady. I know she's important to you. But you understand, don't you? You are basically going against everything our kind has believed for five hundred years."
"It is still a bet I am willing to take."
Raizer nodded and sat down, crossing his arms, his eyes fixed on the young girl.
"Changing the subject, I also can't help but be impressed by how much Elisa trusts you."
As he spoke, Raizer's gaze drifted into nothingness, his voice lowering.
"...Since my wife died, Elisa has had no one but me to trust. So there's not much left for me except to be grateful for that. To be honest, since everyone I knew is gone, even I have felt alone. And I don't have much time, Elisa won't be able to learn everything I have to teach..."
As he continued speaking, Slady, beside him, fixed his gaze into the void, as memories returned to a certain time...