The Kingmaker System

"Who is that brooch for?" Roan asked as he stepped out of the jewelry shop, his sharp gaze flickering toward the small velvet box in my hand.

I smirked, tucking it into my coat. "What’s the hurry? You’ll know soon enough."

Roan cocked an eyebrow but didn’t press further. Instead, he fell into step beside me, his presence a steady shadow against the dimming light of the evening. The streets hummed with the usual bustle—merchants closing their stalls, lanterns flickering to life, voices fading into murmurs against the cobblestone roads.

But amid the ordinary sounds, I could hear it. A presence. The faint, calculated rhythm of footsteps trailing us, keeping just enough distance to remain inconspicuous.

Roan, however, seemed unaware.

"Besides," he continued, his voice casual but probing, "why do you think that guy was there?"

"Asher?" I shrugged. "Don’t know, don’t care."

Roan sighed, shaking his head. "I don’t see him as just another person that you picked, Master. There’s something different about him. Like he holds a personal grudge against you."

I chuckled, glancing at him. "His grudge is justifiable, Roan. I did something bad to him."

Roan halted mid-step, turning to face me with a frown. "What?"

I stopped as well, the dim glow of a nearby lantern casting long shadows between us.