"I know it is you, Gary."
Louis's knuckles tightened around the reins as Riley's words hung heavily in the air. "What… what do you an by that?" he stamred, not even daring to glance back toward the small window separating him Riley.
But Riley didn't answer at all. Instead, he just very slowly closed the window with a soft click, leaving Louis all on his own with his thoughts.
Louis swallowed hard, the lump in his throat refusing to go down. He told himself to stay calm, but his hands betrayed him, trembling so violently that the reins threatened to slip from his grasp. He wanted to jump down, to run as far away from Riley as possible—because he was right.
He is Gary Gray, reincarnated and peacefully living in a world without Riley Ross… until now, that is. He knew, he knew that he shouldn't have stopped Riley at all when he saw him walking across the clearing earlier.
But how could he not?
As soon as he caught a glimpse of the white hair and the ghost-like face, he needed to confirm if it was him or soone who just looked like him walking around in a world that was supposed to be built for him.
He had to confirm, and he confird.
Why? Why would he be here?
When he died, no. When Riley played and murdered him, he was filled with resentnt and anger. To the point that he wished that the entire universe would just rot for even giving birth to a devil like Riley.
But then, the universe seed to have heard his please.
At his death, Gary t a man.
A tiny man, whose silver hair was long enough to span the entire universe. Gary thought he was eting the god, but the man introduced himself as Sage.
It was like a dream, and most of their conversation was now a blur to him. But he does rember so things.
One. Sage introduced himself as a god who reincarnates people to another universe, to another dinsion entirely to give them a second chance at adventure, life, and purpose.
Two. Gary was supposed to be reincarnated centuries into the future.
By all accounts, even with just those two conditions, eting Riley in this life should have been completely impossible.
So why?
Why was he here? Was he here to tornt him again? Was that it?
But why would he tornt him? He wasn't the son of gawoman now, he was just the son of a noble, and below the line of succession at that. He was just on his way to et his fiance and future wife, was he not even allowed to do that?
Was it just Riley's goal to make him completely unhappy? Is that it?
And from what Riley just told him, he was even stronger than before—way stronger. What was that talk about variants and intergalactic pirate queens?
Did he just miss an entire multiverse arc?
Riley said that he could read minds now, does that an… he could actually hear him wallowing in his mind right now?
And with that thought, Gary—no. Louis truly wanted to just run away, But his legs wouldn't move. His entire body felt glued to the seat, literally.
Riley wasn't allowing him to run.
The only thing he could do was drive.
Inside the carriage, well… Riley was quite amused. He leaned back in his seat, resting his chin on his palm as he gazed out the window. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips, never fading.
But of course, he wasn't actually going to torture Louis or make life hard for him—he had no reason to. Louis was right, since Aerith wasn't here, he had no reason to…
…and he probably doesn't even need to.
The whispers and scowls of the city's residents as they looked at the insignia in the carriage didn't escape his notice.
Wherever Louis had brought him, it was clear the boy wasn't welco.
This… should be fun, Riley thought as his smile widened slightly.
At first, Riley was considering on just weaving through this world to find Miss Pepondosovich and the others, but with how fate seed to be on steroids in this world, then he was sure he would eventually et them, for now…
…he was going to have fun.
***
After several tense minutes for Louis, the carriage ca to a halt in front of a large, ornate gate. The crest on the gate alone told Riley whatever he needed to know—it belonged to a wealthy family, perhaps more so than Louis's.
The guards obviously noticed the carriage stopping in front of them, but they just exchanged glances and said nothing at all.
It would seem that it wasn't only the residents that aren't welcoming Louis, even the family of his supposed fiance wasn't thrilled to see him.
But after a few more seconds, a booming voice called out from the gate.
"Welco, Young Master Louis!" A middle-aged man in extrely fine clothing stepped out from the gate, bowing his head and gesturing the guards to fully open it.
Louis stiffened but quickly stepped down from the coach. He was slightly unsteady from having his legs literally stuck to the seat, but he managed. He opened his mouth to greet the man, but the man didn't even look at him.
Instead, he and the staff behind him made their way to the door of the carriage to open it. None of them really had any welcoming expressions on their faces, even the maids deed it fit not to smile at all.
It didn't matter, however, as their eyes all soon turned wide as Riley stepped out of the carriage. So of them even took a step back as Riley seed too bright with how he reflected the sun.
And his immaculate white robes didn't help at all.
Everyone thought they were seeing so sort of deity approach them, their wide eyes now squinting, and even looking away as Riley glanced at them.
And before they could even say anything, a girl rushed out from the gates; lifting up her long skirt so as to not get it dirty—her long red hair, as frilly as her dress.
"Are you… Master Louis?" The girl asked, her eyes almost glimring as she stared at Riley, "Please, forgive for not welcoming you at the city gate. My na is Janine, your betrothed."
"No, you are not."
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