HARMONY [LITRPG / ISEKAI / PROGRESSION / OP MC]

It wasn’t an easy sleep, but Aidan managed to get some shut-eye when Haley’s soul relaxed a little more to get some sleep herself.

She probably figured that crying all the time wouldn’t help her out on her new life here in the store, so her brain shut off before she could damage herself any further. When the sun rose from the horizon, Aidan walked up to the door of her room and knocked on it lightly.

“Get up, it’s time for your shift. Eat your breakfast then come to the front.”

He didn’t know what else to say except to get her up and ready. Of course he left before Haley opened the door, leaving her to her usual routine as Aidan hurried to get to the storefront on the main floor.

About half an hour later, Haley came up, looking a little frazzled and on guard. Aidan wondered whether she would change her clothes, but realized that she still hadn’t gotten her belongings yet.

“For now, go back home and tell your brother what happened. Obviously not everything, just that you’ll be moving here for your job.”

“...What if he says something?” Haley asked, her voice small and timid. “He’s not going to believe me and just quietly accept me going to some random place.”

“That’s where you need to put in some effort,” Aidan said, finishing off her worries. “Just get him off your back and return here. Trust me, it’s for your own good.”

He said that last part hoping that she wouldn’t do anything foolish, and when she didn’t answer, Aidan opened the door to the front and let her out. When her visage was gone, Aidan shut the door and closed his eyes before steeling himself to open up the store to keep it going.

His mind was wrought with ways that he could’ve handled things instead of what he did last night, but no matter how much he tried to spin it in his head, there was no way out for Haley other than to get into a contract signing. Considering her expression when Nina found her talent, she must have been told, or perhaps had a horrifying experience, with her unique powers to find treasures, and how dangerous they could be in the wrong hands.

Seeing that she knew of Nina’s underworld nickname, it made sense that the last thing on Haley’s mind was to bring her brother into it. He could only hope that her brother is the reasonable sort and doesn’t ask too many questions.

Normally this would be where he would try to get some more experience by hunting with his shortsword, but the entire ordeal of yesterday tired him out mentally. For now, he prepped the store to get ready for the day ahead.

A few hours passed since, and customers went in and out smoothly, getting the items they needed or having to wait for a bit for Aidan to make the items himself. Each one satisfied their new owner, which got Aidan to think that this store wasn’t so bad to work in once you think about it.

When thinking about getting into forced work, he would think of getting bound by chains and forced to do manual labor, but he couldn’t even imagine what sort of back-breaking work would include being a simple store clerk. Eventually, the door opened up to reveal the young woman, looking a bit better than she did this morning. Her clothes changed, though they were similar in design with their colors changed.

Haley looked around, surprised at the small number of people in the store. They were just window-shopping, glancing at the prices and talking amongst themselves, making a decent environment to run into.

Aidan noticed that Haley looked around a little surprised, carrying a large pack behind her. He called her over, immediately catching her attention.

“Go and put that pack in your room, then come over here. I’ll teach you what to do.”

Nodding silently at that, Haley did as he ordered and went up to her room. A few minutes later, she came back, patting herself down as if to see if there was any dirt or smudges on her person before seeing Aidan.

Aidan just nodded in approval, then went about teaching her about what her job entailed. Taking care of the customers, talking to them and asking to see what they needed, and cleaning up the store a bit when the customers leave to give a good impression. Haley just listened to it all with that wandering look in her eyes, as though wondering when the hard stuff would actually come along.

All the while, Aidan focused on her soul as he did all this. Her soul constantly shifted from a nervous wreck to a surprisingly calm wave. It came as a surprise even for her when Aidan finished and left her to do as she liked.

Of course, because it was her first day, the customers flocked to her to receive her service. Perhaps because she had a pretty face, most of the male customers went to her asking for help and, outside of the store, just asked how she was and how she got into the store. Haley seemed like the social butterfly, just talking with the customers with no problems.

Time passed like this, and Aidan could sense Haley’s soul relaxing into a subtle rhythm. He was starting to see who she truly was, an actual outgoing person who loved to help others. Thankfully, Haley handled the store while Aidan went to the back to craft his items, making a much smoother process between handling the items and managing the flow of customers.

Soon the day passed without accident, and the flow of customers slowly withered as the day crawled towards the evening. Haley herself was tyding up the place, using a small rag to clean up the items that some folks picked up and scanned before putting them back down. It was a simple practice, but it was better to make sure they were clean before getting picked up again.

“You did pretty great for your first day,” Aidan said aloud, catching her attention. She flinched when he spoke up in the solitary moment of silence between the two, but then looked up to see him.

“Y-Yeah, it’s pretty simple when you get into the swing of things,” Haley said, sounding more stable compared to how she first spoke to him this morning. If anything, she seemed outright normal now. “Is this how it is every day?”

“Pretty much,” Aidan answered. “It does get pretty boring sometimes, but it’s better than nothing.”

“I was expecting… I don’t know, something more brutal,” Haley admitted, putting the item, a bowl used for silverware, down onto the shelf. “I mean, when you think about the Key Slinger and all.”

“She doesn’t usually come by and hound us every time. If anything, this is just a side business for her. Still doesn’t mean we don’t have other jobs to do when she does come, though.”

“Right, about…” Haley struggled to say. “That, when I saw you… umm, can I ask what that was about?”

Aidan wondered whether he should say anything, then realized that there really wasn’t anything to hold back from. She was in the same exact situation as him, just under more constrictions due to the contract still binding her unlike him.

If anything, he wanted to make her feel calmer, knowing that at the very least, he wasn’t some creep who wanted to make her life miserable for no reason.

“It’s complicated, but those two guys were the reason why I got into a contract too,” Aidan revealed. “They were guards and they tried to rob me, being a foreigner and all.”

“Oh…” Haley looked uncomfortable for a moment, then quickly switched topics. “Y-You’re a foreigner, huh? Where’d you come from?”

“Somewhere far away. I can’t even show it to you on the map because it’s so far,” Aidan lied with ease. “But let’s just say it’s not around anymore.”

“Oh… I’m sorry.”

“Oh, please, don’t worry about it,” Aidan quickly said, noticing Haley’s expression had turned painful for a second. “I’m over it by now.”

Though, he really did wonder whether he was over it. Was he fine with his own world being destroyed and being sent here to end up under someone’s orders? Obviously not. But he wasn’t about to trauma dump on this poor girl either.

“Umm… so, you, uhh… took care of those guards?”

“I did,” Aidan answered, noticing that it was either hanging on to the depressing topic of his home being destroyed or him murdering two guards who robbed him. He figured she picked the latter to make him feel slightly better. He just felt bad for her. “Oh, but they were dirty. Apparently they were working for the Red Riot.”

“Ugh, of course they are,” Haley suddenly said, scoffing. “Those Red Riot bastards are everywhere. I wouldn’t be surprised if they managed to get their hands on the Forontia forces either.”

“You have some history with them?”

“No, but everyone I know has dealt with them at some point or another. Sometimes they just ignore you but other times, they shake you down and make you fork over what you have. And the guards don’t do anything if you do get robbed.”

“Because they get in on it too?” Aidan answered, making Haley point at him in agreement.

“Exactly!” she said with a big smile, but she instantly wilted before replying. “I-I’m sorry, I, umm…”

“Hey,” Aidan smiled warmly at her. “It’s okay. I know this isn’t exactly what you wanted, but I don’t plan on making things worse for you. I don’t plan on running a prison here, even if Nina thinks it is.”

That was the only control he had, which was how the store was run. Since Nina was gone most of the time, Aidan pretty much called the shots. So he at least wanted Haley to know that, as long as Nina wasn’t around, she could act however she wished as long as it’s for the benefit of the store.

His Sense Vibrations sensed that the rhythm of her soul was finally in alignment with itself, as Haley looked as though the world’s weight was finally off her shoulders.

“Umm… thanks. I guess I just pegged you as–”

“A crazy assassin who does bloody work all the time?” Aidan interjected. “Trust me, I’m nothing like that. I’m just a dude trying to make a living here. And getting stronger of course.”

Haley smiled, getting into the swing of things as the mood seemed to be a bit brighter than before.

“So, you said that you got pulled into her contract after you… killed those guards? Did she blackmail you?”

“Pretty much on the spot,” Aidan scoffed. “First thing she did to me. I just came here, all bleary-eyed like a new-born, and she slapped me with a contract once she noticed my talent. I was pretty much the same as you.”

“Ugh, man, what are the odds…” Haley moaned.

“And… well, I also wanted to apologize,” Aidan revealed. “I mean, I know it’s funny coming from me, but the last thing I wanted to do was to bring innocent people into this. The only thing I can tell you is that, like I said, I don’t plan on making things worse if possible.”

“Yeah… yeah, I get it,” Haley nodded. “I sort of picked up on that too. Like, you were trying to say something but never could.”

Aidan was impressed by that. He wasn’t quite the smooth-talker himself, so he was glad that Haley was a lot more perceptive than she let on.

“What about your brother?” Aidan asked, reminding himself about her family. “How did he take it?”

Haley only rolled her eyes. She was really becoming herself the more time passed. “What do you think? An overprotective brother like him just kept piling on question after question. It took me a whole hour just to convince him that it was my mistake and that I needed to pay it off. Thankfully he won’t be getting anywhere since he got injured, so he’s not gonna follow me or anything.”

“Yikes,” Aidan mused. “Still, sounds like you got a really caring brother.”

“He’s nice, really, he just can be a bit overbearing,” Haley smiled. “He’ll definitely hate the idea of me being alone with a guy in a store all day. Umm… so, if he ever comes around, just–”

“Don’t hurt him. Got it,” Aidan nodded. “Like I said, I got no plans on hurting anybody. Unless they do something to hurt me.”

“T-That’s kinda what I was worrying about,” Haley interjected.

“For a good cause,” Aidan reiterated, raising a finger into the air. “Oh, someone’s coming.”

“Huh?”

Before Haley could ask any further, the door to the store was slammed open, revealing a brutish looking man wearing black leather clothing, his bulging arms revealing some intense looking tattoos scrawled on his tanned skin. He wore a bandanna over his wild black hair, and when he stepped in, his boots clattered against the floor with small chains hanging over his pants.

Immediately, Aidan sensed that something was off. When customers would come in, their souls would tell him that they were either curious to enter or on a path toward something. The latter was a bit difficult to discern, but it was mostly because they already had something in mind when they came in.

This guy came in with his soul already out on a prowl, but there was a keening screech to his tone that put Aidan on edge. Even Haley didn’t look that good, keeping mostly to herself as she backed away while the man kept looking at his surroundings.

“Hey there,” Aidan spoke up, catching the man’s attention. “We’re actually about to close soon. Is there anything you want?”

“Who asked you?” the man replied sharply, clicking his tongue at Aidan while still surveying the store around him.

The man kept glancing with leering eyes over at the shelves, completely ignoring the store owner and the assistant. He was already getting on Aidan’s nerves, but his next words made him freeze on the spot.

“Huh, so this is where that bitch Key Slinger was setting up base? Not that impressive.”

The man somehow knew about Nina, and the mood around the store became bleaker as he began to smile at Aidan.

“Yeah, listen here,” the man said, twisting his neck around and giving it a good crack. “I’ll say this only once–drop everything and tell me what you know about Nina Alcatroz.”

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