DiMENSIONS [IDOLiSH7]

06: To Make a Living

-Majabah-

Mitsuki was on the ground, panting heavily from an hour of harsh weapon training he had received from Gaku. He got to try all sorts of weapons, even the heavy ones. The throwing knife was the best one he could wield. Well, he was still hopelessly terrible at it.

"Enough for today." Gaku sighed. "Unbelievable. You did not even hit a single target." The butler shook his head and started to walk away. "You are free to do as you like for the rest of the day. Dinner should be ready soon. " Gaku waved and left the room, heading back to his lord's side.

Riku's room was relatively large. It had a king-sized bed on the left side of the room with a translucent white curtain around it for privacy. There was a door in the back leading to his private outdoor natural onsen. Two large sofas and a low table were in the middle of the room, where Riku was sitting down, crying.

Riku's eyes widened when he saw a shadow behind a sliding door and heard a familiar voice. "Nanase-sama, it's Yaotome Gaku." Riku wiped his tears with his hands before resting one of his palms on his chest to steady his breathing. He did not expect Gaku to slide the door open so soon.

"Who gave you permission to enter!?" Riku shouted angrily, slightly panicking. Gaku was taken aback by it. His lord never minded his presence, except when he was upset. He rushed to Riku's side and kneeled before him. "My deepest apologies. Are you unwell, Nanase-sama?"

"Sit here." Riku ordered his butler to sit beside him on the sofa. Gaku paused for a moment before replying, "I cannot, Nanase-sama." Gaku refused. As a butler, he was not allowed to be on the same 'level' as Riku.

"Why must all of you act so distant?!?" Riku stood up and lashed out at Gaku. "All you servants ever do is bow before me! Never had I asked for it. I only wish to talk, yet you listen only because I am your lord!"

Gaku bit his lip. Having grown up with Riku, he knew how much Riku hated the highborn-lowborn system, yet there was nothing a simple butler and a young lord could do. Majabah had been operating in such a way for generations. Gaku was already the boldest of all the people. Being able to speak his mind to the lord of Majabah was already an achievement.

"My lord." Gaku looked at Riku even though he was not supposed to. "We only wish to show our respect."

Riku sat back down, no longer looking at Gaku. "And I only wish for a friend. Is that so much to ask for?"

Gaku froze hearing so much bitterness from a reply. Perhaps it was because Mitsuki appeared and associated with his lord so casually that Riku felt even more lonely than before. Not knowing the best course of action, Gaku rose and moved to sit beside Riku. He kept his head low. "Excuse my rudeness, my lord."

"I thank you." Riku sat quietly beside Gaku. He was satisfied with the first step Gaku took.

~~

-Silica-

"How do you earn money in this place?"

Ryuu and Tenn sat in a small cafe near Iori's house. It was here that Tenn learned that people did not use rings as money like in Majabah, but a 'plastic' card to make purchases. He also saw some people using "paper' as money, which surprised him. Ryuu explained that those were not just any drawing papers and said he would take Tenn to open a bank account after lunch. Immediately, Tenn, as a boy who survived on his own for three years, asked about how to make a living.

"Ahahahaha. Shouldn't you get used to the place first?" Ryuu laughed while waiting for their lunch orders to come.

"I can't very well rely on the kid forever. I need to pay for my own things, find somewhere else to live and repay him, right?" Tenn said with a serious face. He hated owing people and he genuinely wanted to repay Iori for his kindness.