Alaric stepped back into his office building, his feet heavy and reluctant. The building stood tall and grand, with glass walls gleaming under the lights, but his thoughts were still caught on that little boy—Eston with his innocent eyes and the small hand that had clutched the check and the leftover bread.

He walked through the quiet corridor. Once inside his office, he set his bag on the desk and glanced at the remaining package of bread. Just a few pieces left, and they were taro-flavored, his favorite.

He opened the wrapper, pulled out one piece, and took a bite. The soft sweetness of the taro filling, which usually comforted him, now tasted bland. His tongue rejected it. Not because the bread was bad, but because Eston's image still lingered in his mind.

"A child that young... fighting against time," Alaric muttered.

He resealed the package and pushed it to the edge of the desk. He couldn't continue. His heart felt torn in two. Grateful to be sitting safely in his cushioned chair, and bitter at the thought that out there, countless children like Eston were struggling just to survive.

With a long sigh, Alaric got up and stepped out. He walked toward a security guard stationed near the row of offices. The man straightened his posture the moment he saw his boss approaching.

Alaric stopped in front of him and handed him the package of bread. "Here," he said in a flat tone, but it carried weight. "Give this to the stray dogs or any animals nearby. Don't let it go to waste."

The security guard quickly accepted the package Alaric had carefully wrapped again. "Understood, Boss."

Alaric didn't linger. He returned to his office, and the heavy door closed behind him, leaving nothing but silence, filled only by the sound of his own breathing.

He looked at his desk, then at the chairs lined up, waiting for his staff to sit across from him. Earlier, he had planned to share the bread with them. A small gesture to lift their spirits during work. But he had changed his mind. Somehow, the bread had already found its own path. Part of it went to Eston. The rest might end up filling the bellies of some hungry street animals.

Alaric exhaled deeply and rubbed his face with both hands. "Well," he said to himself. "An unexpected turn of events. Who could've predicted it? What matters is that I survived the accident. That alone is more than enough to be thankful for. And maybe this is the trade. I was given safety, then met that boy. Maybe it was so I could help him and his family."

He leaned back in his chair, stared at the ceiling for a moment, then turned his gaze to the stack of documents on his desk.

Alaric sat quietly. His desk was buried in paperwork, but his mind wandered off. Just moments ago, Eston's face had still been vivid in his thoughts. But suddenly, his memory drifted somewhere else to someone who, for some reason, always left a frustrating sting in his chest.

He wasn't sure why that memory surfaced now. But the figure clung to him like an old shadow, difficult to shake off. "Why the hell am I thinking about him now?" he murmured, frowning. He clenched his fingers, tightening his grip as if holding back something that stirred his anger. The irritation was real, even though he was completely alone in the room.

Alaric tried to calm himself, to push away the swelling emotion in his chest. But the harder he tried to ignore it, the clearer the face became in his mind. "Damn it, why am I getting pissed off all of a sudden?" In the middle of that frustration, a spark of an idea flashed through his mind. It made the corner of his lips slowly curl up.

"Ah... maybe it's time I try something I haven't really used to its full potential," he said, a note of curiosity behind his voice.

He was referring to his new ability. A skill granted by the system, a type of freedom he had never dared to fully explore.

Until now, he had been cautious, always weighing the risks, as if afraid of the consequences, or maybe afraid of being found out. But now… something in him felt different.

Alaric chuckled under his breath. It wasn't loud, just a short hiss of amusement, like someone beginning to craft a mischievous plan. "Haha... I think I just had a brilliant idea."

His smile turned into a sly grin, and his eyes lit up with a kind of satisfaction, as if he had finally found a way to let out the pent-up irritation inside him.

He leaned back further into his chair, spinning it slightly to the right. His attention was no longer on the pile of documents, but on the blueprint forming in his mind.

His fingers tapped on the armrest, keeping rhythm with his thoughts that were growing wilder by the second. "This time, I can't afford to hesitate. If I hold back, the result will be half-baked. No... this time, I have to go all in." He kept muttering to himself, the smile never once leaving his face.

Inside Alaric's mind, a grand plan was already in motion. He wasn't going to rush it. In fact, he was enjoying this sense of anticipation, like someone waiting for just the right moment to light the fuse of a firework.

"Alright," he whispered, eyes fixed on the ceiling, "I'll give it a shot this time. And if it works… maybe I'll finally see just how far this power can really go."

His chair continued its gentle spin, turning him slightly away from the desk. Alaric closed his eyes for a moment, letting his imagination become clearer. And the longer he sat there, the more certain he became. This time, not a shred of doubt remained.

The next morning, Alaric walked along the narrow path leading to the university building. The campus was still buzzing with students arriving in waves. Some rushed into class, arms full of books that looked ready to spill.

Alaric, with both earbuds in, walked like someone who was lost in another world. A fast-tempo cinematic track played in his ears, giving rhythm to his steps. The music made his stride light, almost energized. There was something different about him this morning, a determination that had been brewing since last night.

He could still recall the plan clearly. Ever since the system unlocked his freedom skill, he had felt... bolder, even a little reckless. For the first time, he didn't just want to retaliate. He wanted to *play* with the person who had long been a thorn in his side. That person was Edward—the one who had played a role in setting him up before.

Now, about that document... Alaric still didn't have hard evidence, even if his suspicions were strong. But wasn't this the perfect moment to run a little test? To play with a bit of fire? His thoughts kept rolling, and with every step, the smirk on his face deepened.

He walked through the long corridor where sunlight streamed in at an angle through the large windows, casting golden reflections on the floor. The sound of footsteps and soft chatter echoed around him, but for Alaric, they all felt distant. All he could hear was the music—and a single focus point: Edward.

And right when he turned at the corridor intersection toward his classroom, his steps came to a halt.

There, standing confidently as ever, was Edward. His posture upright, chin slightly raised, and eyes filled with that usual air of superiority. He wore his university blazer unbuttoned at the chest, revealing a stylish shirt underneath. His face hadn't changed—still arrogant, cold, and utterly infuriating.

Edward stared at Alaric briefly and let out a quiet scoff, as if Alaric's presence was nothing but a breeze. But today, this wasn't the same Alaric he was used to.

Without turning off the music in his ears, Alaric came to a full stop right in front of him. He crossed his arms over his chest and let his eyes sweep from Edward's polished shoes, up past the blazer, until they settled on his face. It wasn't a passive or indifferent look—it was a stare that stripped him down, almost threatening.

Several students passing by started to slow their pace, sensing that something was off. They glanced at the two men, half-expecting sparks to fly. Everyone knew Edward often picked fights with Alaric—and Alaric almost always kept quiet.

But today... what most people didn't know was that something had changed in the air.

Edward raised one eyebrow, looking slightly surprised that Alaric dared to stand his ground, though he tried to maintain his usual smug expression. "Do you have a problem or something?" His voice was laced with mockery.

Alaric offered only a faint smile. He didn't reply right away. He let the silence linger, just long enough to make Edward uneasy. Then, in a low voice, firm and loaded with intent, he said, "A problem? No. I'm just observing."

The words were simple, but the way Alaric delivered them. Combined with that unflinching gaze... sent a chill through Edward's spine.

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