Renjiro and Fugo exchanged looks—Fugo's filled with concern, Renjiro's with irritation. "What the hell is his problem? He acts like he knows everything about Irene."
"What about you, Fugo? You don't mind if she joins us, right?" Renjiro asked.
Fugo found it hard to form an opinion on the matter. Firstly, he does not know of Irene Cruz, not even the rumors about her. By that fact, he could not bring himself to simply write her off. However, the things Kael said were important to consider as well.
"Hmm, I think it's best for me to see her in person first," Fugo concluded.
Renjiro agreed, "Kay, let's go."
"I'll talk to Kael later."
Later that day, around noon, the two arrived at Cruze's Forge shop. Before they even entered, a group of men burst out of the store with irritated looks on their faces.
One of the men was a well-known member of the Cruz Familia, Shawn Cruz.
A man in a white cloak covering his whole attire, matching well with his snow-white hair and grey eyes.
"Darn that woman!" one of the men complained as they walked.
Shawn simply sighed, lightly scratching the back of his head. "It's okay, she'll change her mind eventually. Give her time."
Fugo and Renjiro were by the sidewalk, overhearing bits of what the men were speaking of.
"Isha really is amazing, isn't she?" another man suddenly praised, clinging to his brand new knife in hand.
Shawn nodded, "Of course she is. Expect nothing but the best from her. Now, if only she would come back to the estate."
Before long, the group of men were out of earshot, leaving Renjiro and Fugo standing by the door wondering.
"Those men, are they all Cruz?" Renjiro asked aloud.
Fugo nodded, "I don't know. Only the white-haired one was familiar to me."
"They want to bring her back to the estate. So most likely, they are a part of her familia then."
The duo set off toward Cruze's Forge later that day. As they neared the shop, a group of men exited in a hurry, their faces tight with frustration. One man, with hair as white as freshly fallen snow, was at the center of the group. Shawn Cruz, a well-known member of the Cruz Familia.
"Darn that woman," one of the men muttered, his voice laced with annoyance.
Shawn let out a weary sigh, scratching the back of his head. "She'll come around. Give her time."
Fugo and Renjiro watched from the sidewalk as the men continued on, some grumbling, others silent. Shawn's voice carried across the street.
"Isha is amazing, isn't she?" one of the men remarked, clutching a gleaming knife in his hand.
"Of course. Expect nothing less from her. But if only she'd come back to the estate..."
As the group disappeared into the distance, Fugo turned to Renjiro, a thought stirring in his mind. "They're all Cruz Familia, aren't they?"
Renjiro's brow furrowed, his gaze lingering on the shop entrance. "I think so. That white-haired one is."
"Seems like they want her back at the estate... I guess that makes sense."
When they entered the shop, a long line of customers waited patiently by the counter. Behind it stood a tall woman with dark blue hair, blue eyes, and a muscular frame, her arms coated in the telltale signs of someone who had forged many weapons. She was an imposing figure, her presence commanding attention.
Renjiro pointed subtly at her. "That is Isha. Pretty famous in explorer circles—and even the army, too."
"Ah, that's good to know," Fugo replied. He was so mesmerized by the muscles on the woman's body that he did not notice Renjiro pointing at something else.
"That physique, what did she do to attain it?" Fugo asked himself.
"Hey! Pay attention," Renjiro called out.
Fugo then looked to where Renjiro had been pointing all along. That was where his eyes lay on a quiet girl in a corner of the room, reading a book with no words on the cover. She had light blue hair and green eyes, like Isha. She was wearing a marina top, but her hair was straight down.
She was immersed in the book she was reading.
"Yep, pretty, right?"
"I--I don't care about her looks honestly."
But there was something about the quiet girl, sitting there in absolute stillness, that stirred an odd feeling within him.
Irene's eyes were distant and hollow.
Her posture was rigid, and her every movement was devoid of any real energy.
Each gesture seemed lifeless, without purpose.
It was as if she were merely going through the motions, her body operating without purpose or intent.
And at that moment, Fugo understood. He did not need to think for long, because it was as clear as day. She reminded him of someone.
"She reminds me of me," he thought.
A rush of memories flooded Fugo's mind when he had buried himself in books to escape his harsh reality.
Immersing himself in a world of fantasy, far removed from the weight of his own life. It had been his sanctuary, his way of coping, and now, he saw it in her.
That same hollow, detached way of existing was something he knew all too well.
He could tell, just by looking at her, that Irene had lost herself in her own escape—just like he had once done.
Renjiro was the first to approach her, with Fugo trailing behind.
He watched closely as Renjiro broke the silence.
"Hey, it's me again," Renjiro greeted, flashing a friendly smile.
Irene's eyes didn't leave the page. She gave a brief nod, acknowledging his presence without offering much else.
"I wasn't joking yesterday," Renjiro continued.
"Join my party. I've brought one of my members along today."
He gestured toward Fugo, who stood a few meters back, unsure of how to proceed. "Like you, he's from a Magic Family."
"I think you two would get along."
At that, Irene slowly lifted her gaze from her book, her eyes meeting Fugo's for just a fleeting moment.
"We're not the same," she said, her tone distant, as if the idea had already been dismissed in her mind.
Renjiro frowned, "What makes you say that?"
Irene's lips pressed together, a bitter edge creeping into her voice.
"He has something. Some value, at least. That's why he hasn't been cast aside... Unlike me."
Her words trailed off, and for a moment, Fugo could see the weight of whatever she had left unsaid in the tightness of her shoulders.
Irene's eyes dropped back to her book, her fingers turning the pages rapidly.
"Please," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Find someone else. For both your sake and mine."
She didn't even look up, her fingers moving to the next page without pause, as if sealing the conversation with the finality of a closed book.
After closing her book with a quiet snap, Irene stood and walked toward a back door—one clearly off-limits to customers. Fugo, feeling awkward in the silence that followed, began to examine the weapons on display. It was the least he could do, considering he had come all this way.
Renjiro, however, wasn't about to give up so easily. He shot a glance at the line of customers waiting and, with a determined look, dashed up to the counter, cutting straight through the crowd.
"Ms. Isha!" Renjiro called.
"Your daughter! Could you please get her for me? We are not done yet!"
Isha, without looking at the guy, waved him off as an annoyance. "Sorry Hun,"
"If Irene does not want to talk, it's over. Now, step aside. I've got work to do."
Renjiro stood frozen for a moment, then slowly turned. He walked back to Fugo with a face of defeat. "Did I just lose a member and fail to recruit the one I wanted while I'm at it?"
Fugo gave a dry nod. "Looks like it."
Renjiro lets out a frustrated sigh. "We could still try to talk some sense into Kael though, maybe."
The day ended with little progress. Fugo had intended on entering the Tower, but now, even tomorrow seemed far too soon. His team of three had been reduced to two, and they were still without a fourth member to join them. Rookie-ranked Adventurers needed to be in teams of four. It was a non-negotiable rule.