Chapter 653: A Ghost

"Who... the fuck are you?"

"Riley Ross, and the woman you are trying to talk to is with me."

Riley continued to approach the table; not bothering that most of the eyes in the tavern were now looking at him. And as soon as he took off his hood, the eyes that weren't bothering with him could not help but just stare.

Some could not even help but just utter 'Ghost'.

They weren't as shocked as one might expect, however, as there were people that looked like Riley in the world of Arlusia—but all of them lived North, surrounded by nothing but a sea of ice and freezing death.

They rarely, if at all, visit other nations due to their body being weak to the summer heat.

"Did you need something from her?" Riley then said; smiling as he stood beside Aerith, who was just quietly sitting at the table. She looked at Riley, but didn't really say anything and just looked away after just a glance.

"If you do not, then I would appreciate it if you leave us," Riley said as he looked at the man standing closest to Aerith, staring him in the eyes.

"Why would we leave?" The fat man immediately stood up straight as he returned Riley's glare, "And how do we even know that she is with—"

"Oi!"

And before the fat man could finish his words, a large wok suddenly flew straight to his head,

"Leave the two be!" A deafening yell then echoed throughout the entire tavern, causing everyone that was watching the scenario unfold to flinch and quickly look away. The loud voice, as well as the wok that hit the fat man, came from the same source—the muscular old woman that was serving drinks behind the counter...and she wasn't done.

"I get new two paying customers and you guys and go bother them!?" The innkeeper continued to scream, "Erik! Do you know how long your tab is already, and you're trying to shoo away paying customers!? Those two booked a room for an entire month!"

"F...fine," the fat man, as well as his peers could really only just walk away before the innkeeper's words reached the entire city. The fat man, however, could not help but furrow his eyebrows as he noticed Riley's eyes following him even as he left,

"What are you looking at?" The fat man clicked his tongue as he glared at Riley.

"Oh, Nothing," Riley, however, just shook his head before taking a seat next to Aerith.

"Milk for you, and tea from the East for the beautiful lady, right?"

And not even a second later, the innkeeper was already placing drinks on their table.

"Thank you, Natalie."

"...Riight," the innkeeper, Natalie, squinted and nodded as she looked at the two back and forth, "I know I told the guys to mind their own business, but you really shouldn't leave your wife alone here. She's just been sitting here for an entire day."

"Oh, she's not my wife," Riley let out a small chuckle as he took a sip of the milk.

"...But you said you were her lover?"

"I am."

"...I don't really know what you young ones are up to these days," Natalie only sighed, "But my point stands, don't just leave her here. If she's ill, she should be staying in your room... lots of nasty guys around here."

"Thank you, Natalie."

"Hm..." And with a small grunt, Natalie just waved her hand and returned to her counter.

"She's very kind, no?" Riley then immediately chuckled as he looked at Aerith, "Also, I think we can stay in this city for a while, Aerith. I managed to secure a job as a Porter."

"..." Aerith didn't respond and just took a sip of her tea. Her eyes weren't empty or blank at all; but aside from just small glances, her lips remains sealed.

"I know," Riley, however, didn't seem to mind as he even seemed to be having a conversation, "This world is too weird. Perhaps we're in a different universe? I did touch the plaque similar to what Tedi showed me."

"..."

"It makes sense, no?" Riley sighed as he continued to talk to the silent Aerith, "We've been here for an entire year, and yet no one has come to hunt us."

"..."

"What was that?" Riley chuckled, "Yes. I remember how Elder Skeem died too, it was funny. I did not really think that salt would melt his body that way."

"..."

"I know," Riley then sighed as he shook his head, "I have already killed billions of people, and I even executed Elder Zora. And yet it wasn't until I bathed Elder Skeem and his entire people with salt that they made a task force solely to hunt me."

"..." Aerith once again just glanced at Riley.

"Do you miss them? I am trying to find a way back, but without your ship, we will just be roaming around an unknown part of the Universe for hundreds of years...

...sister and the others would be gone by then, Aerith."

"..."

The people in the tavern could really only look at each other as they hear Riley's words. Although they didn't understand any of Riley's words, they were sure that it wasn't the language of the people from the North.

...There was also the fact that he was just talking to himself.

One doesn't speak, and one has conversations with himself. Were these two... crazy?

"These dungeons are weird too. It feels like—"

And before Riley could continue his... conversation, Aerith sighed as he suddenly stood up from her seat and walked away.

"..." Riley didn't really seem to think much of it, however, as he just followed her as she went up the stairs and straight to their room. Like what one might expect from an inn with a tavern below, the inside of the room was quite scarce—with only a single bed, a table, a chair, and a single window with a view of the busy streets outside.

Aerith didn't really go anywhere else, as she just quickly lay herself down on the bed; covering herself with the blankets and completely ignoring Riley's presence.

"..." As for Riley, he just looked at her for a few seconds, before sitting next to the window and reading a book that was resting on the chair. The pages of the book were slightly crumpled; perhaps a testament to how many times Riley has read it already.

"..." And as Riley was reading the book, he once again glanced at Aerith.

'Just take me away'---those were the last words that Riley has heard from Aerith...

...5 years ago.