Hundred of years later after the Great Kingdom of the gold city fallen to ashes .
A man made his name popular, around the region, a well-known merchant traveled from city to city.
A man praised for his brilliance… a man everyone called a genius.
His name was Gabriel.
I'd seen him many times.
The way he spoke, the way he walked, the confidence he carried everywhere he went…
Honestly, I was jealous.
Women, fame, gold — everything seemed to fall into his hands effortlessly.
One day, deep in the forest, I spotted him riding in his carriage.
That's when the idea hit me.
After that, I started watching him carefully —
the routes he took, the shortcuts he trusted, the roads he memorized day after day.
And then… the day finally came.
I ambushed him.
He fell from his carriage and hit the ground, unconscious.
At least, that's what I thought.
Before I could even move, something wrapped tightly around my body —
a dozen gold coins, spinning, pressing against my skin like restraints.
I froze, confused, terrified… and still, somehow, jealous of him.
Then I saw him.
He was already standing.
Calm.
Unbothered.
As if danger itself didn't apply to him.
He looked at me with a cold serenity and spoke:
"What might be your intention… to do something this foolish?"
I opened my mouth… then shut it again.
Embarrassment burned through me.
Look at me — wrapped in gold like a trapped animal, humiliated by the very man I envied.
"Just end me here!" I shouted, the words cracking out of my throat.
Pathetic. Desperate. I knew it.
He laughed softly — not out of mockery, not out of amusement… but something stranger.
"And why?"
"I tried to kill you! What else do you want me to do!?"
The words tore out of me, sharp and humiliating.
But even then… I refused to apologize.
"Just kill me already…"
My voice cracked.
I hated how pathetic I sounded.
A long silence followed.
Heavy. Uncomfortable.
Then he smiled — soft, almost gentle.
"You're still young," he said quietly.
"Tell me… want to work for me?"
He chuckled.
"Let's see… You'll work for me to pay off those gold coins… and once you're done, you're free to go."
The gold coins floated lazily around him, spinning like a silent storm.
"How about that?"
I watched him move the gold coins around his carriage, lifting it effortlessly into the air.
I was amazed.
I hadn't known he was capable of such a thing.
"…What's with… your gold coins?" I asked, my voice barely hiding my shock.
He chuckled softly at me.
"Nothing… just… a simple Ken. You know what a Ken is, right?"
My heart skipped a beat at the word.
"You're… one of them?" I asked, my voice trembling.
"You could say that," he said, smirking at me.
"Then… why choose to be a merchant?" I asked, still trying to wrap my head around it.
"You could be exploring dungeons, finding treasures for yourself!"
Gabriel laughed again, a soft, knowing chuckle.
"Oh, child… treasure? You think gold is the most important thing in the world? Think again."
I frowned, trying to argue.
"I mean… gold can buy anything. It can sustain your life… even solve poverty!"
He shook his head, smiling faintly.
"You're not wrong… but it's not permanent."
"What's the most important thing… for you?" I asked, curiosity and disbelief mixing in my voice.
To my surprise, he froze.
Silent. Immovable.
Then, almost too softly for me to hear, he whispered:
"Companions."
I blinked, caught off guard.
"Companions?" I asked, curiosity lacing my voice.
"Wanna know, hmm? Hmmm?" he asked, smirking, his eyes glinting with amusement.
"Very well…" he continued, his tone softening slightly.
"Companions… they're the ones you share memories with. The ones who linger in your mind… even if they're far away."
He leaned back, waving his hand as if brushing away the thought of gold entirely.
"So, kid… you better stop thinking about money. Go make friends! Make countless of them… so many that you won't ever be forgotten as the years roll by. That's worth more than any fortune."
Then he smirked, breaking the tension:
"So… are you going to take my offer or not?"
"Fine… I'll work for your gold coins…" I gave in without any hesitation.
---
5 Months Later
I've been traveling with him ever since.
He's taken me to different towns. I recently got my traveler's license.
He even sometimes teaches me things while I'm working… things that seem obvious, almost useless — but surprisingly useful in ways people ignore.
One night, the sun had sunk, and we decided to camp in the middle of nowhere.
I sat across from him, curiosity burning.
"Back then, you said companions are the most important thing… but after all these months, I've never seen any of them. Why don't we visit them?" I asked cheerfully.
He chuckled, sipping his beer, then stopped.
"They're all dead," he said casually.
A beat of silence, then he broke it.
"A hundred years ago, I had a kingdom. I had twenty wives. I had freedom… but it was all gone when a Hollow attacked and killed everyone. I was sitting on my throne when I heard one of my wives had been attacked. I was furious and rushed… but little did I know, the Hollow was already there. I tried my best… until it started attacking relentlessly. I got cocky… I was no match for that monster. One blow, and I was knocked unconscious. By the time I opened my eyes, my wives' bodies lay around me. I couldn't prevent any of it. My best friend, who was hugging my son… burnt to a crisp with my child. I stood there, looking at the Hollow, and found nothing."
I shivered, unable to speak.
"And I spent my days walking around… leaving my kingdom, searching for that Hollow," he continued.
"I've never counted the days… until now."
"A hundred years ago? You mean… you're the King of Goldania? The city of gold?" I asked, incredulous.
"You got it, kid," he replied with a smirk.
"But how? You seem very young… it's been a hundred years!"
"About that… you see, I don't really know. I was unconscious all the time when the Hollow attacked me. So here's a theory… one of my wives performed a forbidden magic that keeps me from aging."
I stared, stunned.
"I'll never forget that Hollow. I trained! I learned! I searched… but by the time I was ready to face it, it had already been purified by someone else. I couldn't even avenge my wives… my friends… my kingdom!"
A beat of silence, then… he smiled at me.
"That's my legend."
---