—𝗔𝗹𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗡𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗹 「𝐂𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫」

⠀⠀❝God morgon. It's about time that I stop moping and do something productive.❞

ᴬˢ ᵉᵛᵉʳʸᵗʰⁱⁿᵍ ʰᵃˢ ˢᵖᵃʳᵏᵉᵈ ᵃⁿᵈ ⁱᵍⁿⁱᵗᵉᵈ
ᴬⁿᵈ ᴵ ᶜᵃⁿ ˢᵉᵉ ʸᵒᵘʳ ˢᵐⁱˡᵉ, ᵈᵉˡⁱᵍʰᵗᵉᵈ
ᴮᵉʸᵒⁿᵈ ᵗʰᵉ ⁿⁱᵍʰᵗˢ ᴵ ʷᵃⁿᵗᵉᵈ ᵗᵒ ᶜʳʸ ⁱˢ ʷʰᵉʳᵉ ᴵ ᵐᵉᵗ ʸᵒᵘ
ᴬⁿᵈ ᴵ ᵖʳᵃʸᵉᵈ
ᴮᵉˡⁱᵉᵛᵉʳ

It almost urges him to cover his face. Or to throw a blanket over her. But he'll just adjust his glasses for now.

⠀⠀❝God morgon, fröken Pretender. Are you always so energetic in the morning?❞

Mornings are always so dark during winter's approach.

"Come in!
Come in.

Straight blades, curved, claymores? What are you looking to have made?
Just bring me the money and I shall see it be done."

【Your trusty Blacksmith.】
【 #MVRP 】

⠀⠀❝Is that so...❞

His brow furrowed. Seems he'd misread her implications. Not that it was too surprising. He didn't enjoy dealing with people.

⠀⠀❝Well, take it to heart anyway. It seems like plenty of people here carry their regrets like armor.❞

⠀⠀❝Even if they did exist, they'd be long since dead. You're currently yourself and there's no point in thinking about what may or may not have been.❞

He'd scoff, clicking his cane against the ground.

⠀⠀❝Worry is the stomach's greatest poison. Move on from what you can't change.❞

Huh... You really don't match the profile I've got of a "mage".

< formed.

⠀⠀❝In life, I couldn't do that. So in the end, we're both false existences, or phantoms, based on the collective knowledge of humanity. Your identity is "real", your existence is "false" and your place in history is "dubious" at best.

And there's nothing wrong with that. ❞

⠀⠀❝Well, your identity was doubtful at best the moment you divulged that you are a Pretender, "Fjölner". But one's identity doesn’t necessarily require one to be "real".❞

Resting his cane in front of himself with his left hand, Nobel raised his other hand and within it, a stick of dynamite was >

「🧨」 And by getting things started, I mean tomorrow.

It's 11pm and I need to get up in 7 hours.

So good night, folks.

⠀⠀❝I'm not so desperate as to devour whatever is placed in front of me... Especially using such demeaning methods.❞

Eyes looked the other up and down as he turned to her. Was she even human?

⠀⠀❝You know me, but I can't say I know you. Who am I speaking with?❞

「🧨」Time to get this rolling.

Then who will be the one to inherit the crest? Is it one of those poison pot situations?

⠀⠀❝...Hm.❞

With that, he closed his eyes. And after a moment, a nod. He had a theory. Or at least the beginning of one.

⠀⠀❝We'll see.❞

⠀⠀❝I can't blame you. The truthful man is usually a liar.❞

Pure brain and pure brawn?

Impressive. The determination, that is. Though at that this point it seems more as stubbornness.

⠀⠀❝Of course I am.❞

Nobel straightens his back, pushing his glasses up.

⠀⠀❝I, a scientist, was just informed that something which I regarded as fantasy is in fact real. My choices are to educate myself about it, or deny it as falsehood. Would you rather I deny it and your existence, Stiltskin?❞

No wonder then. How long of a project were you?

⠀⠀❝I'm not sure what to say about the predatory implications of that, but regardless— What is it that you have to deal with then?❞

You're not exactly one to talk, are you?