ARTHUR LEYWIN

"What is that little device you have on your wrist?"

We were calmly walking through the forest of Elenoir, the thick fog working to impede the senses. It did little to hinder my own ability to navigate the lush, green wildlife while it forced others to hold someone's hand like a lifeline.

"It's something from my past life, just a simple piece called a watch." I held out my arm so Sylvia could get a better look at the jet-black leather strapped watch, accented with gold and white. The metal was elegantly designed but was simple, having the bare minimum functions. "It was one of my first creations in my career as an artificer, back when I still thought I'd need to keep track of time. All it does is keep track of it."

With a sad hum in my voice, we continue on our hike to the capital city of Elenoir. I was walking with both hands occupied, my right hand enjoying the warmth of Sylvia's hold, while the other was reluctantly placed in Trista's vile grip.

For the first part of my punishment, I am to be held like the child they both saw me as. Sylvia saw me as such from the memories I showed her and Trista, despite everything she's seen so far, treated me as a child out of spite, curiosity, or both.

As Sylvia nuzzles her face into Ellie's giggling form she asks. "Well, do you think you could make one for me? While my homeland had its own way of tracking time, we never found the need to create something so accurate." She looks over to me before continuing "But I get the feeling these next few years may get a bit hectic, so having a watch may prove to be useful."

"Sure. Let me know if you want anything specific or if you want an extra feature"

"Extra feature? The only enchantment I can sense on your watch is one to bolster its durability. Is there more to it?" She was radiating a childlike interest in my wrist piece, perhaps wondering if it was capable of stopping time and splitting dimensions, or something ridiculous like that.

"If you want, I can engrave a rune into the chassis to allow it to stop time or split apart a pocket dimension you may find yourself in" She looks down at me, mouth gaped open in astonishment while Trista just looks as confused as ever. "For a simple artifact to be capable of such a thing... I can only wonder what the full scope of your abilities may entail." She said

"Yeah" I keep silent for a moment before asking the question lingering in my mind. "Speaking of things we can't understand, can I ask why you haven't broken your daughter out of her seal?"

"No, you may not ask such a question" Her voice was stern, as if we were strangers passing by. Her face slowly softened as she caressed the multicolored stone Ellie was holding in her tiny hands. "That is not to say I don't plan on releasing her soon, I simply wish to know what the future holds for me. Because ever since you appeared, it's as if every thread of time and fate refuse to weave together, forever changing."

"Are you worried about the reaction from your fellow clansmen? If you want, I can show you the faces they made when they first saw Sylvie-" I quickly jerk my hand away from Trista to cover my mouth. It wasn't necessary, but I didn't want Sylvia to feel pressured to name her daughter after the name I gave her.

"Sylvie... hm, you are quite boorish aren't you?" With a teasing smile that eased the tension of my slip-up, she looks at the stone lovingly "Simple, cute, and completely unimaginative. It fits your persona perfectly."

With a slight blush, I turn away in embarrassment only to be met by Trista's intense glare.

"You know... If you want someone to talk to, I'm always here. And while you're at it, you could explain," She took a deep breath while maintaining a stupid fake smile. "WHY THE FUCK I'M STILL HERE!!!"

"I'm very clearly missing some plot points, and I still can't wrap my head around walking alongside a LITERAL DRAGON! A dragon! Do you even know what that means!?!? They're supposed to be extinct!"

"Wow. I never thought big sis would yell at me like that. I'm a little scared." I stared at her with my best impression of puppy eyes and a childish pout.

She kept screaming for a few minutes, talking about side character status and her relevancy to the making of a future legend. A part of me wanted to indulge her a bit, but a larger part of me wanted her to keep sulking in my spite.

"How about this, you let go of my hand and in exchange I'll train you to be one of the strongest mages on this continent? Pretty good deal don't you think?" If she stuck around, she'll eventually figure things out, and it didn't hurt to teach a few things.

"This continent? Wait, what could a child possibly even teac-" She seemed to almost slap herself into reason.

Yes, yes. Think about everything you seen so far Trista. I won't teach you much about aether, but I don't mind making you Dicathen's Godmother of Mana Arts. Or something like that.

"You- but even then-how could-there's a dragon-purple lights?" She seemed stuck in her own little world, even tripping over her own thoughts.

She looks over to me, drops her hold on my hand with a hopeful expression and continues to walk forward. I could only hope she eventually remembers she can't navigate this forest without Sylvia or I.

"I would very much like for my watch to resemble yours, just a bit smaller. I'm sure it looked great on you when you where fully grown, but even then I think it'd look as clunky on me as it looks on you." With a soft chuckle, she's about to look away before she stops.

In my free hand, I present to her a watch matching the color and accents of my own. Its smaller, almost delicate looking, the body of the watch thin and simplistic.

She takes it, and puts it on without a sound. She twirls her wrist to admire it from every angle, then gives me a soft smile.

"Thank you Arthur, for everything."

My heart was warm. Everything I had been through, if even for a moment, felt like it had been worth it.

I was basking in this warmth. It felt great knowing an old man like me still had something thing to live fo-

"I want one too!"

Or maybe not.

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"Are you sure this is fine? I feel like we're disrespecting The Great Virion