Creed turned around, a small but genuine smile tugging at his lips. He had already recognized the voice, but seeing her in person still brought a warm flicker of surprise.
Sure enough, walking towards him with a bright, cheerful expression was Layla—a beautiful blue-haired girl with equally striking blue eyes, standing at about fifteen years old.
She was dressed simply, yet the high-quality fabric of her outfit made it clear that she ca from a wealthy and powerful family.
Her hair, long and silky, swayed as she moved, and her delicate features held an excited glow as she approached him.
Creed’s smile widened as he watched her, a strange sense of familiarity settling in his chest.
Their relationship was sothing that could only be described as fate. It was one of those rare bonds that felt like destiny had gone out of its way to connect them, as if so invisible force had tied their lives together.
The first ti they had t, it had been nothing special—just another passing mont at the start of his journey.
He had saved her life outside the Tier 5 Moon Lake Bastion, and at the ti, he hadn’t thought much of it.
In fact, if anything, he had been a little disappointed because he had been hoping for a reward, only to find out that she didn’t have a single coin on her!
But life had a strange sense of humor.
Because not long after, during the Beast Tide, when Creed had been seconds away from death—abandoned, wounded, and completely out of options—it was Layla who had saved his life.
She had appeared at the crucial mont, her actions allowing him to escape with his life. It was a debt he could never forget.
He had saved her casually, without expecting much in return. But in the end, she had returned the favor by pulling him back from the brink of death.
Twice, fate had intervened, intertwining their lives in an undeniable way. And now, here she was again.
Before Creed could say anything, Layla rushed toward him, and to his complete surprise, threw her arms around him in a hug.
Creed stiffened for a split second, caught off guard, before awkwardly patting her on the back.
He could feel the warmth of her happiness radiating off her as she held onto him like a little sister reunited with a long-lost sibling.
But then, his mind started going in a completely different direction.
Wait a minute.
Could it be...?
’Does this girl... actually have a crush on ?!’
His brain instantly short-circuited, a flood of ridiculous thoughts crashing into his mind.
Layla was fifteen, still young and innocent, but what if she thought she was in love with him? What if this was the beginning of so awkward, one-sided crush?
He had no problem playing the role of a big brother figure, but what if things got weird?
He imdiately started imagining a future where Layla followed him around with heart eyes, and he had to gently let her down while avoiding the terrifying wrath of her family.
And speaking of her family...
That was when Creed rembered Layla’s older sister.
His entire mood dropped instantly. Because if Layla was sunshine, her older sister was an arrogant icestorm.
Just as the thought crossed his mind, Creed heard the distinct sound of heels clacking against the polished streets, a rhythmic, confident stride that could only belong to one person.
He sighed, his expression going completely blank.
Amara.
Still as beautiful and curvy as ever. Still looking like she owned the entire world. And still, no doubt, as prideful and unbearable as the last ti they t.
Creed’s eyes flicked up, and sure enough, there she was, approaching with that signature air of superiority that made it seem like everyone around her was beneath her notice.
Her long, flowing hair frad a face that was practically flawless, her icy eyes scanning the surroundings with a cool, calculating gaze.
Her high-class attire which was elegant yet subtly intimidating only reinforced the fact that she belonged to a powerful family.
And just like before, Creed felt weirdly annoyed just looking at her.
Their first eting had been a complete disaster.
From the very beginning, Amara had misjudged him, assuming he was a nobody trying to take advantage of her younger sister.
She had been cold, dismissive, and had stabbed his pride as a man with a machete.
Creed, of course, had imdiately disliked her in return. Unlike Layla, who was all warmth and gratitude, Amara had treated him like a street rat who wasn’t worth her ti.
So, as Amara drew closer, Creed made a firm decision.
He was going to ignore her completely. No greetings. No forced politeness. Nothing. He would act like she didn’t even exist.
Instead, he turned his full attention to Layla, a playful smirk forming on his lips as he lightly flicked her forehead.
"Well, look at you," he teased. "You’ve grown a little taller."
Layla pouted, rubbing her forehead with an exaggerated frown. "Hey! I wasn’t that short before!"
Creed chuckled. "Sure, sure. Keep telling yourself that."
Layla huffed but quickly brightened up again. "What are you doing here, Creed? I never expected to run into you in a place like this!"
"I could ask you the sa thing," Creed said with a raised eyebrow. "What’s a little blue-haired troublemaker like you doing in Azure Sky Bastion?"
Layla grinned proudly, puffing out her chest. "The Annual Azure Auction Event is happening tomorrow! My sister and I were sent by our family to attend and gain experience."
Creed tilted his head. "Auction, huh?"
Layla nodded excitedly. "Yeah! It’s a dium scale auction among the very best! People from all over co here to bid on rare treasures, powerful artifacts, and even secretive intelligence! It’s a huge deal!"
Creed rubbed his chin, considering the information. He had heard about the Annual Azure Auction before, but he had never attended one himself.
A place filled with rare and valuable items... It sounded interesting. Very interesting.
An event like that could be full of surprises. And most importantly, he could afford it.
Creed smirked slightly to himself, rembering that he currently had over 3 million credits to his na.
He wasn’t exactly filthy rich or rich in any way, but he wasn’t broke either. With that kind of money, he could definitely bid for sothing interesting?
Just as he was about to ask Layla about the location of the auction and the entry criteria, he sensed movent beside her.
Amara had finally arrived.
She ca to a stop next to Layla, her usual calm and elegant deanor intact, though there was a faint crease of disapproval between her brows.
Her cold, big eyes regarded her younger sister with mild exasperation, and before Layla could react, she reached out and gently tapped Layla on the forehead with a single finger.
"You promised not to wander off again," Amara chided, her voice soft but firm. "This is the third ti today, Layla."
Layla, instead of looking guilty, puffed up her cheeks in protest. "I’m not a little kid, you know! I don’t need to be monitored every second. I’m practically a young adult already!"
Amara sighed, rubbing her temple, as if she had heard this exact argunt a thousand tis before.
The conversation should have been harmless, but as soon as it ended, the atmosphere shifted.
A heavy, awkward silence filled the space.
Lilith and Tierra, who had been standing quietly behind Creed the entire ti, now had their gazes locked onto Amara.
Their expressions weren’t openly hostile, but there was a distinct edge to their looks—like two lionesses eyeing an uninvited guest in their territory.
Creed, on the other hand, remained completely expressionless, his previous amusent vanishing like it had never existed.
With nothing more to say, he gave Layla a small nod. "Well, it was nice running into you again, Layla. Take care."
And with that, he turned to leave.
But before he could take even two steps, Layla suddenly gasped, her eyes lighting up with an idea.
"Wait! Creed, do you want to co with us to the auction?!"
Creed imdiately froze mid-step. And then, his thoughts took an absolutely ridiculous turn.
’This girl... definitely has a crush on .’
There was no other explanation! She was practically begging him to spend ti with her! First, a surprise hug.
Now, an invitation to a high-class event? If this wasn’t a classic sign of developing feelings, then what was?!
’I an, it’s not my fault,’ he thought to himself, completely straight-faced on the outside. ’I was just born too handso!’
But outwardly, Creed kept his expression calm and unbothered.
He shook his head. "Thanks for the offer, but I’m only here for a vacation. An auction isn’t really my thing."
Layla visibly deflated, her shoulders sagging in disappointnt. "Oh... okay."
With another wave, Creed turned around and calmly walked away.
Layla watched him leave with a pout in her face. Then she suddenly turned to her sister, her face scrunching up in frustration.
"See?! This is all your fault!" she huffed, crossing her arms. "If you weren’t so stubborn, maybe he wouldn’t be acting so distant!"
Amara blinked, caught off guard. "...What?"
"You heard !" Layla fud. "How hard could it be to just apologize to him?! Seriously, you make everything so difficult!"
Amara’s lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say sothing—but then she just closed her mouth again, her face unreadable.
She muttered sothing under her breath, sothing along the lines of not feeling like apologizing, which only made Layla even more frustrated.
"Oh my god, you’re impossible!" Layla threw her hands in the air. "You act like it’d physically hurt you to just say ’sorry’ one ti in your life!"
Creed was no longer around to hear the rest of their sibling argunt.
Instead, he calmly made his way back to the shuttle, where their tour guide was waiting.
The man was leaning casually against the vehicle, a cigarette lazily perched between his fingers, exhaling a thin trail of purple smoke as he waited.
Creed climbed into the shuttle and glanced at the man’s cigarette. "Didn’t know you smoked."
The tour guide shrugged. "Didn’t know you cared."
They had beco a lot more friendly over the last day. They were almost friends, even.
Creed smirked. "Fair enough." Then, he leaned back into his seat. "Take us to the steakhouse."
The tour guide flicked his cigarette away, stepping into the driver’s seat with a wide grin. "Now we’re talkin’."
With a gentle hum, the shuttle glided smoothly into motion, lifting off the ground and weaving through the vibrant, neon-lit streets of the Azure Sky Bastion.
As Creed gazed out the window, his thoughts returned to the auction.
There was no doubt in his mind that he wanted to attend.
A Tier 3 auction was a golden opportunity, and there was no way he was going to miss out on it. But if he was going to go, he was going to do it on his own terms.
He didn’t want to enter as so tag-along under Layla or Amara’s na. If he was going, he’d find his own way in.
With that decision made, he turned his attention back to the tour guide.
"Hey," Creed said casually. "You wouldn’t happen to know where the Azure Auction is taking place, would you?"
The tour guide raised an eyebrow. Then, a slow, knowing grin spread across his face.
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