At the room in Great Blue Castle.
"Tell me about King Reint," I said.
"Why are you curious about the story of a king who died a thousand years ago?" the man asked.
"I like learning about history, but i found myself not really enjoy reading history books. I prefer hearing stories from someone's own mouth."
"Very well, then," the man said, slicing an apple in his chair.
"King Reint was a unique individual; there had never been anyone like him in this world. Many people revered him because he enforced respect through strict rules and intimidation. Yet he did so because he genuinely cared about everyone."
"He successfully united ten Districts across ten different Continents, making him the first person in history to achieve such a feat. No one knows how he died; he vanished suddenly one night at the age of seventy. Many speculate he was kidnapped due to his policies, which were deeply detrimental to the Margaryn faction. Others believe he fled, seeking his final rest in a place known only to him and his late wife."
"King Reint had a profound impact on this world. His departure dragged all the good he had accomplished back into the abyss of chaos and evil."
"What do you think happened to him?" I asked.
I speculated that he had finally realized this world was beyond saving and unworthy of salvation, and ultimately chose to abandon it all.
"What did he look like?" I asked.
The man smiled.
"He had a blond beard that was almost entirely gray. He wore a crown on his head, and his hair swept back. His body was quiet muscular, though it wasn't very noticeable beneath his long robe that reached his calves. He rarely smiled or laughed, but his maidsa said he smiled more often at his late wife and their child than at politicians."
"He had a child?" I asked.
"Brefford Malcolm," he replied.
"Malcolm, the same last name as Reint."
"Yes. With Reint's name and blood, Brefford has kept his lineage illustrious to this day."
"So, the current king..."
"A descendant of Brefford, the magnificent Napollo Malcolm."
"Is he a good king?" I asked.
"Who? Napollo?"
"No, Reint," I clarified.
"He was the best king we ever had," the man said, lamenting as he gazed at his apple.
"Unfortunately, that goodness didn't pass down to his descendants. The more offspring they had, the more their morality eroded, influenced by the world."
"King Reint was the first to seem like he didn't belong to this world. His character was too devoted to justice, a trait many considered foolish."
"Do you think King Reint isn't from this world?"
"No one knows where he came from. He appeared suddenly with a shattered beer bottle in his hand and blood splattered across his strange clothes. After investigation, it turned out he had used the bottle to kill his own Master."
"And no one knows how he escaped the severe punishment for murdering a Master. The trial was very sealed"
"What's a Master?" I asked.
"It's a position or title that grants you complete control over your Currency. And right now you speaking to one of it," he replied.
So he was a Master after all.
"Currency?"
"Yes, you yourself are Currency," he said.
"But you said I was a commodity, just like you," I said.
"Commodity, Currency—what's the difference?" he replied.
"Then you're a currency too," I said.
"...Yes, I'm no exception," the man admitted.
"So... is this some kind of slavery system, or a community game? About currencies and the Masters who possess them?" I asked.
"This is simply a matter of survival—eat or be eaten," he said.
"How do you control your Currency?" I asked.
"By sending them to war. Afterward, I protect them fiercely, though minor casualties are unavoidable," I replied.
"War... war between Currencies?" I asked.
"War between Masters," he corrected.
"..."
"Are you a skilled Master?" I asked.
"I can't say that. During my tenure, I've lost 190,000,000 units," he said.
"That's a significant amount," I replied.
"A significant amount yes, but I've also managed to acquire 310,012,000 units over the past ten years," he countered.
"That's a substantial amount too," I remarked.
"Not substantial enough," he insisted.
"...Alright, now what am I supposed to do—"
"Aria..." the man interrupted.
"I need you. If I fail to meet my targets as a Master, they'll replace me. And if a new Master takes charge—someone other than me—your safety will no longer be guaranteed. I've already decided to protect you and make you something incredibly valuable in the future. But I can't do it alone. I need your help.
"Why did you choose me to help you?"
"Because you are..." The man trailed off abruptly, his mouth still open, as if reluctant to finish his sentence.
"..."
"Because I ordered you to. A currency that refuses its Master's commands will face the severest punishment under the prevailing regulations," the man said.
"Death penalty?"
"Everyone hoped it was the punishment, but unfortunately, it's not. Something you can't imagine."
"..."
"I also want to see if you can become 'human'," the man said.
"One step on the staircase to becoming 'human'?," he added, extending his hand to me as I sat on the edge of the bed.
"Alright master, one step toward becoming 'human'," I replied, grasping his hand.