The silence pressed in as the elevator doors closed. Neither Mario nor the woman spoke.

  Mario had thought the deal with Arthur would be his main concern. He had weighed it countless times, turning every angle over in his mind since entering the building.

  And although he had expected some deviation, given the difference in timeline between the simulation and reality—

  The deviation he'd expected wasn't like this.

  First: Arthur being in pain.

  Even now he couldn't comprehend why such a significant difference would occur.

  'Is it really just the difference in timeline?' Mario thought to himself as he compared everything that had happened.

  'If so… why such a drastic difference?' Then, as he was thinking, the image of the old man's gaze appeared in his mind.

  Especially the look in his eyes after what happened to Arthur.

  '...Kyle.'

  The way Kyle looked at him—cold, wary, dangerous—was imprinted in his mind and might be impossible to erase.

  That was the first time Mario had ever truly felt in danger.

  Inside the elevator, Mario's body trembled unconsciously, as if that gaze still clung to him.

  'I almost died…' A heavy breath escaped his lips. '…Yet I was completely helpless.'

  He took a deep breath and steadied himself.

  Ding~

  The elevator doors opened while he was still lost in thought.

  The woman beside him stepped out.

  Mario followed without thinking.

  Sensing him, she turned and spoke with polite restraint, "Sir, you may wait for me at the counter. I'll bring your prize there."

  He paused, his thoughts abruptly cut off.

  He looked at her briefly, then turned back into the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor.

  When he reached the ground floor, Mario scanned his surroundings. It was still empty.

  He approached one of the chairs closest to the results board and sat down.

  Leaning back, he let the chair support his neck and tilted his head upward, lost in thought. 'I'm going to leave anyway, so I suppose it doesn't matter.'

  And yet, despite the thought, Mario had a premonition.

  ***

  Meanwhile—

  With Kyle's support, Arthur sat down on a chair. The edges of his eyes were still tinged red, though no tears fell now.

  Kyle asked softly, concern evident in his expression, "Are you alright now, Young Master?"

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  Arthur nodded, took out a bottle containing a clear liquid, poured a drop into each eye, and slowly closed them.

  "You said he's also a unique skill holder," Kyle began, before his expression shifted. "Then why didn't you trade with him? Or even form a contract?" He hesitated, then added, "I'm sorry, Young Master, but that boy caused you pain and you didn't even benefit from it."

  "…I just can't accept it," he finished, his voice low.

  Arthur didn't answer. He remained silent for half a minute before slowly opening his eyes—the redness was gone.

  He looked at Kyle and understood what he wanted after seeing the lingering anger in the old man's eyes, despite him stopping earlier.

  Seeing that, Arthur also thought about the voice he had heard and remembered what it said.

  '...I would prefer if it didn't.' He let out a breath inwardly before shaking his head, setting those dark thoughts aside.

  Eventually, to comfort Kyle, Arthur shifted his posture and showed his normal self as if nothing had happened before saying, "There's no need for that, Sir Kyle."

  "…If I wanted him dead," he paused briefly, his voice turning calm, almost indifferent, "I wouldn't need you to act, nor would I need to act myself."

  He leaned back slightly, picking up the silver piece from the table and twirling it in his fingers. "All I'd have to do is post his profile. Make it look like congratulations. A harmless gesture."

  His eyes shifted from Kyle to the silver piece in his fingers. "Some fools would see it and think it's easy money. They'd go after him on their own."

  "And after they succeeded, I could send someone to kill them. With justification."

  "…People would even praise me for it. I'd be avenging a poor, unknown lucky person." Arthur smiled faintly, amused. "Some might see the truth immediately. But tell me—what could they do?"

  Kyle didn't answer, remaining silent and continuing to listen.

  Arthur's voice lowered. "The lottery is the fastest way to wealth. No decades of work. No patience. Just luck, and you're rich in one moment."

  Arthur's fingers stopped twirling the silver piece. "Even if they knew. Even if everyone knew."

  Unconsciously, despite the purpose of comforting Kyle by showing his usual composed and indifferent self, he couldn't help but feel something in his own words.

  His gaze hardened, and he unconsciously crushed the silver piece into scraps as a certain memory passed through his mind. "No one would truly care. As long as it doesn't affect them, it doesn't concern them."

  He lowered his head away from Kyle's eyes and gave a faint, unamused smile before whispering, "…Just like those people did."

  Arthur then opened his clenched hand and tossed the silver scraps aside, then took out a new piece from his pocket and resumed twirling it in his fingers.

  As if nothing had happened, he turned to Kyle, his smile softening. "That's why there's no need for you to dirty your hands at all."

  Kyle looked at Arthur's soft smile, and for a moment, an image surfaced—a person with black hair and blue eyes, almost identical to Arthur.

  He let out a remorseful sigh and set the image aside.

  "As you command, Young Master." Kyle lowered his head. "I...won't go after him."

  Arthur heard him, and almost believed him, until he noticed Kyle's hand behind his back.

  "...How stubborn." He couldn't help but sigh at that.

  Eventually he shook his head lightly and spoke. "I told you about my unique skill, right? That other than trading I can also see three different colors in people?"

  Kyle, whose head was lowered, was confused as to why Arthur was saying that, making him lift his head to look.

  "I saw another one," Arthur said quietly. "…White."

  He paused, then shifted his eyes to Kyle's and locked eyes with him before continuing in a serious voice. "Do you remember what happened to me on my first day at the academy, right?"

  Kyle froze as he understood what Arthur was implying.

  Arthur stood up and tapped Kyle lightly before walking ahead. "That's why, if possible, I'd rather not form any unnecessary connection to him."

  Kyle was shaken from his shock and immediately followed.

  They entered the elevator, and Kyle pressed the button for the upper floor.

  They remained silent for a few moments before Kyle spoke, his voice filled with concern. "…But why did you sponsor him, Young Master? Isn't that dangerous?"

  Arthur smiled slightly before answering moments later. "…Because I'm curious."

  Hearing his answer, Kyle immediately grew worried. "Don't treat your life so carelessly, Young Master." He hesitated. "…I know you haven't cared much about your life since… that tragedy."

  "…But I do."

  Arthur sighed at that and said lightly, as if joking, though his expression didn't change. "I know. I'm just kidding."

  Then, without Kyle's awareness, he looked at him from the edge of his vision. '...If you also leave me I'll be truly alone.'

  Arthur sighed inwardly at the thought.

  ***

  Ding~

  The elevator doors opened with a soft chime as the woman walked out.

  She scanned her surroundings as though looking for someone, then walked toward him when she spotted him.

  She stopped beside him and called out, "Sir."

  Mario didn't move, lost in his thoughts.

  "Sir?" She tapped him on the shoulder.

  Mario was pulled from his reverie and looked at her.

  "Sir, follow me to the counter." She walked toward the outlet counter after speaking.

  Mario immediately set his thoughts aside and followed.

  He stopped in front of the counter.

  When she sat down across from him, she was now holding a paper.

  She handed it to Mario and said, "Sir, please sign here."

  Though surprised, he didn't ask questions. He took the paper from her hands and read it carefully for a few minutes.

  Finding no issues, and seeing it was just a process to receive his prize, he picked up the pen from the side, signed his name, and handed the paper back.

  She checked it before taking something from her pocket and handing it to Mario.

  Mario took it and examined it carefully—it was a golden card.

  His brows furrowed as he looked at the woman and asked, "What is this?… Where's my gold?"

  She paused briefly, then explained carefully.

  After hearing her explanation, Mario nodded, his brows relaxing.

  The woman hesitated before speaking again. "…Sir, there is a message from the boss."

  "The boss said it would be useful for the destination you're heading to…"

  Mario's eyes widened slightly before he walked out of the building.

  On the way home, Mario didn't know whether to feel pleased or not at the result. 'He knew?'

  Now his feelings from earlier were confirmed.

  '…But how?'

  His brows furrowed before he shook his head, setting the matter aside and focusing on the path ahead.

  Upon reaching home, he entered and sat down on the wooden bed.

  For a few minutes, he remained seated, looking around, before bending down and retrieving something from beneath the bed.

  He placed it beside him.

  Mario stood up, picked up the long briefcase, and walked out.

  He stopped outside and turned to look at the small house in front of him. Though he had only lived here for two years in real life, in the simulation he had lived here far longer.

  The cold nights... The rainy days... And if he was unlucky, some rats would steal his food.

  All those memories passed silently through his mind before he turned around and walked away, leaving a whisper behind:

  "…I won't miss you."