The White Fang issue still lingers, and I must admit that I was hesitant to join them outright. Instead, I needed to do some research, but without a scroll, I had to resort to asking random people on the streets or reading outdated newspapers.

  The consensus I gathered was a net positive for the White Fang. Menagerie doesn't idolize them, but they hold them in high regard as protectors of Kuo Kuana. Supposedly, the White Fang not only fights against the unjust treatment of Faunus but also keeps the Grimm at bay. Those who are not native to Menagerie are rather neutral, as they only attack Schnee's property. Even I couldn't help but feel vindicated, only because the Schnee suffered since their reputation is just that bad.

  In my opinion, I find myself with mixed feelings. Perhaps I should give the White Fang the benefit of the doubt, but I should still follow through with my pn and see how deep the rabbit hole goes.

  I shake off my daydreams and continue watching as Levi becomes more flustered during her first catch, giving it her all.

  Over the past couple of days, Levi and I have spent more time getting to know each other than learning fishing techniques. She's a joy to be around, and it's amusing to see her become flustered whenever she struggles to put our lessons into practice.

  I recently discovered that she's a lynx faunus, not a cat faunus like me. It makes sense why she was offended when I failed to recognize her heritage. I would feel the same way if someone didn't acknowledge my specific faunus traits. While my status only says 'feline faunus,' it's easier for me to accept that I'm a cat faunus.

  "Now you need to spin the reel slowly but steadily," I say as I watch Levi struggle to gain ground with her catch. "If you go too fast, you risk the cord snapping, and if you go too slow, then the fish will get away. There must be a bance between the two."

  Levi attempts to spin the reel, but for every loop she completes, the fish pulls her closer to the sea. "How can it be so strong?!" she yells, pnting her foot and pulling back.

  Unfortunately, it's a bad call as the unique sound of snapping cord fills the air. Levi almost falls to the ground, but I quickly catch her and steady her.

  "And it snapped…" I sigh as I watch the ripples disappear into the waves of the sea. Levi's first catch could have been the perfect moment to celebrate her progress, but that idea is now at the bottom of the ocean with the victorious aquatic animal.

  "Ugh! So frustrating!" Levi stomps her feet on the ground and tries to throw the rod into the ocean. I quickly stop her, as the rod is rented.

  I wish I had the freedom to lend her my own rod or even buy one for myself. However, I still need to save up money for the scroll of my dreams so I am able to browse through the dustnet, and waste my time on forums or whatever interested me.

  I lower the fishing rod and tie a new lure on the tip. "Well, you know the saying 'practice makes perfect'," I say as I move closer to the edge, preparing to cast the lure out.

  As I watch the lure disappear into the distance before falling into the ocean, a smirk forms on my lips. I catch Levi pouting with her arms crossed and giving me a sidelong gnce.

  "Like this," I say, striking a pose to show off even more.

  Suddenly, a screaming head pops out from the sea, along with a hand tightly gripping the cord, preventing me from dragging it back. "WHO THE FUCK THREW THIS HOOK?!" the voice yells.

  "Shit…" I curse under my breath as I watch the sleek, green-haired aquatic faunus swim towards me. My heart races as I become torn between running or staying put, but before I can make a decision, I turn around and find Levi standing right behind me, blocking my escape.

  "I must commend you, Ma'iq," she says, her mischievous grin sending shivers down my spine. "You've got quite the catch."

  With my escape blocked, I turn back to face the approaching faunus, who is already standing in front of me. His fins fred and intimidating. He holds the lure up to my face, his eyes bzing with anger.

  "You think it's funny to fish in a forbidden zone?!" he shouts.

  My heart sinks as I realize my mistake. "Forbidden zone?"

  He points angrily at a floating white beacon. "See that, you asshole?!" he shouts. "From that point onwards, you can't fish or you'll end up hurting someone!"

  I take a quick gnce at the beacon, calmly floating on the ocean. "I thought it was a marker for boats," I say. "You know, to not get too close to the shore."

  "I'll mark your face if you don't leave," he warns, clenching his right hand into a fist.

  Frantically nodding, I grab the rest of my things before leaving the pce with Levi. I knew I was in the wrong, and there was no basis for me to compin or resist. As we walked away, I couldn't help but feel a bit ashamed of my ignorance.

  "What a bust," I sigh, looking back at my now-banned fishing spot with regret. "All that potential wasted."

  Levi puts a comforting arm around me. "Don't worry about it. There are plenty of other pces for our lessons. Besides, we now have all the mornings to ourselves. Wanna have some fun?"

  I perk up at the suggestion. "Sure, what do you have in mind?"

  Levi's grin widens. "We could go to the city downtown. There's this amazing spot I've been dying to check out."

  "Sounds good to me," I say, my bad mood recovering.

  Levi gives me a pyful shove. "That's the spirit! Let's go have some fun."

  "Hey, hold on a sec," I say, holding up a hand. "I need to drop all of this stuff off at home before we head to downtown."

  I hand Levi my basket of fish while I gather up the rest of my gear. The rod goes over my shoulder, and I tuck my tackle box under my arm.

  "Okay, ready to go," I say with a grin, feeling a sense of excitement building inside me. "Lead the way, Levi."

  Levi and I chatted amiably as we made our way to my home. The walk was a bit of a trek, but with her by my side, the time seemed to fly by.

  When we arrived, I could sense her surprise at the modest block of buildings that made up my home. It wasn't anything fancy or luxurious, but it was clean and well-maintained.

  The surrounding neighborhood was a mix of old and new buildings, with a few trees and bushes scattered here and there. It wasn't as grim-looking as the shelter's neighborhood, but it cked the lush gardens and greenery that other homes in Kuo Kuana boasted.

  I unlocked the door and led Levi inside. "It's not much, but it's home," I said, gesturing around at the small living space. The room was sparsely furnished, with a single bed, a small table, and a few chairs. "Make yourself comfortable. I just need to drop off my gear, and we can head out."

  Levi carefully pced my basket in the corner before stepping inside my humble abode. She takes a moment to survey the small space, her gaze lingering on the sparse furnishings and the empty walls."It looks kinda empty," she commented, turning to face me.

  I shrug. "It's just a temporary pce. I don't want to spend money on furniture until I find a better, more permanent spot."

  I opened the fridge, feeling the cool air wash over me. There wasn't much inside - just a few basic staples and some leftovers from a recent meal. But it was enough to sustain me for the time being, and despite its modest size, my fridge had plenty of room to store the meager catch I'd managed to reel in today.

  [Affection decreased with Levi Fang by 2, 10/100]

  I turn to look at her, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment. She didn't seem to care about my living situation.

  "Fucking really?" I mutter under my breath.

  As she walks around the room, her attention nds on my working desk. I left my knitting tools out in the open, and I feel my face grow hot with embarrassment. I face away, hoping she won't ask about them.

  "Hey, what's that?"

  So much for wishes…

  "Those are... my practice tools," I hesitate before fully answering, knowing that it might seem odd for a guy to be knitting. I don't want to judge others, but society tends to be critical no matter what.

  Instead, she giggles and grabs the needles, along with my unfinished project, for a closer look. "I had no idea you enjoyed knitting. I thought I might find weights or a punching bag. You look like the type." She returned the yarn to the table and turned her attention to my small bed.

  I let out a long sigh as I closed the fridge and stand up. "In a way, you're not wrong. It wouldn't hurt to have dumbbells to keep these biceps in shape," I said, flexing my arms to show off. However, she just giggled in response. "But I wanted to try something different. I'm pnning on learning how to py an instrument in the future," I added truthfully, partly out of curiosity about whether musicians were part of the job system.

  "You should try the guitar," she suggested pyfully, pretending to strum an air guitar.

  I pause to consider the cost of owning a guitar. "Sure, it's a pretty popur instrument, as far as I know," I say before returning my attention to the sink to thoroughly wash my hands.

  [Affection increased with Levi Fang by 1, 11/100]

  I wiped my hands with the towel and hung it back on the wooden bar mounted on the wall. "And I'm done. So, where is this pce you have been dying to try out, Levi?"

  Her face lit up with a smile. "Ice cream, of course!" The lynx quickly darted out of my humble home and motioned for me to follow.

  Not wanting to be left behind, I hurriedly locked my door and ran to catch up with her.

  Neither of us felt tired from all the running, but the sun had left us feeling thirsty. Thankfully, the pza was a busy pce designed to cater to everyone's needs for an enjoyable day. And, as luck would have it, a nice-looking ice cream shop was just what we needed to combat the heat.

  As we approached the store, Levi's hand suddenly shook my shoulder, and she pointed in a specific direction. "Look! It's Ghira Beldonna!"

  As I turn my gaze in the direction she pointed, I furrow my brow upon seeing a tall, muscur man amid a crowd, waving and shaking hands with everyone. "Isn't he the city leader or something? What's he doing here?" I ask, feeling rather confused. In my experience, higher-ups rarely mixed with common folk, unless it was to gather support.

  "Well, yeah... but he likes to take strolls around the city and give public speeches, if possible," she replies with a scoff. "But we're not here to talk about the chieftain!" Levi points to the ice cream store, where a guy had just emerged with a rge frozen drink.

  "Buy me strawberry with vanil!" she excims as I enter the shop.

  It's clear to me that I am the one paying for our treats; otherwise, she would have accompanied me inside or given me some lien at least.

  I pull out my wallet and paid for two ice cream cups - I chose vanil with cookies n' cream. With my digital wallet, it only took a single scan to pay - a truly convenient and time-efficient option.

  We sat down together on a metal bench under the shade of a palm tree. After handing her the cup, I settled in to enjoy my sweet frozen treat.

  Levi's ears perk up with each bite she took, clearly enjoying the sweet treat.

  The ice cream is delicious. I made a mental note to come back for more the next time I had the chance.

  "So, what do you do in your free time? I have only seen you work all day." Levi's question makes me pause and look up at the sky. Memories of my past slowly surfaced in my mind.

  "Well, just recently, I've been able to give myself the freedom to do other things besides work. When I first arrived in Kuo Kuana, I had very little free time and was struggling to adapt to all the new things around me. It was a very confusing time, and I had to work every day and all day just to make ends meet for the first month."

  Levi leans closer, her eyes filled with curiosity. "Why is that?"

  I hesitate for a moment, considering whether to mention the gaming system. Mentally kicking myself why I even considered revealing such secret so I decide to keep it simple and stick to the truth. "I got robbed clean and thrown into a dumpster. It was an uphill struggle from there."

  Levi's expression change, causing her to look down. I could sense that she felt bad for asking about my past.

  "I should have been more careful, but there isn't much to compin about now. I got a decent room for myself and good food on the table every day." I give a self-mocking smile and shrug. "The very first day really sucked."

  "I can't imagine how that feels… wait, does that mean you're not from around here?" Levi leans closer in curiosity.

  I nod. "Yup, I come from the mainnd. One of the many vilges in Vacuo."

  Not the nicest childhood, I may add. It's probably why I remember so little about it besides just living another day in a forsaken desert.

  "Whoa, that's like halfway across Remnant!" she says in awe, flicking her lynx ears and taking another spoonful of her dessert.

  "It was quite the journey to get to Menagerie. Getting a ticket to Vale without getting attacked was a challenge, and then we had to make the journey to the coastline and hope that no aquatic Grimm attacked us on the way here. Trains are more than capable of defending themselves, but boats? You have to pray that the captain has hired experienced hunters."

  I let out a dry ugh. "If you're attacked by an army of Beowolves or colossal Grimm-looking birds, you can sit down and enjoy a free drink. But if a single sea serpent Grimm shows up on your voyage, you can kiss your ass goodbye."

  "Wow, you've been to Vale?" Her face lit up with excitement. "What's it like over there?"

  I quickly shook my head. "Not exactly. I just passed through the city on my way to another train at the major station. But even from a distance, I could tell it's a massive pce."

  "Aww, shucks." She lets out a disappointed sigh.

  "Are you interested in going there?" I ask, trying to keep the conversation going.

  "Of course I do!" She excimed excitedly, but then lowered her voice as some people turned to look at her in confusion. "I mean, Menagerie is nice and all, but there isn't much to do here. Compared to Vale, Kuo Kuana is just a small vilge. I want to see the towering buildings, fancy cars, diverse cuisine, and endless entertainment!"

  I smiled, understanding her desire to explore the world beyond her small hometown.

  "Also, I want to become a pilot." She finally adds.

  "That's interesting," I say, taking a spoonful of my cup. "An airship pilot, right?"

  She nods and points at the blue skies, "Yup, even though the skies may be infested with Grimm, it would still be amazing to watch everything from above!"

  "Doesn't the White fang offer something simir?" I ask.

  She shakes her head, her top ears drooping in disappointment. "Not really. I looked into it, but they only teach how to drive a bike or a car at most. Nothing about piloting an airship."

  Her consideration of joining the White Fang for something as simple as piloting school surprised me. Maybe my reasons for joining didn't sound so crazy now. "Oh, that's disappointing to hear."

  She shrugs and takes another bite of her strawberry ice-cream. "Yeah, it sucks. But it doesn't surprise me. I think I've only seen an airship pass around here, like, two times in my entire life."

  "Kuo Kuana might not be as advanced as the other kingdoms, but still is a nice pce to live." I say, recalling my experiences on the isnd. I highly doubt the other kingdoms invested in extensive welfare programs for the less fortunate people.

  She rolls her eyes and leans back on the bench. "I didn't say it isn't. But if I want to be a pilot, Vale is my only option. My parents promised to help me with the tuition costs."

  "You aren't wrong to say that, Vacuo… is a mess. Ats will arrest you for the slightest offense, and Mistral will very likely kick you into the slums. Vale is your only viable option."

  "Thanks for the vote of confidence." She deadpans.

  I force a smile and slowly raise my thumbs up. "Good luck?"

  She only giggles and lightly punches my arm.

  We continued eating our ice creams and sharing a couple of anecdotes. The fishermen's crew had lots of stories to tell, after all.

  With our ice cream cups empty, it was only natural to throw them into the bin. Good riddance that one of them was very close to the bench.

  Levi is the first to stand up and stretch her arms. Then turns around, her eyes gncing downward as her smile turns into a mischievous grin. "Thanks for the ice cream, Ma'iq!" she says, before hastily leaving and blending with the crowd.

  [Affection increased with Levi Fang by 4, 15/100]

  The notification was what finally caught my attention, making me aware of my tail swishing back and forth and hitting the bench hard enough to make a cnging sound. Quickly, I grabbed it to stop it from embarrassing me and prayed that no one else had seen it.

  I am supposed to be a cat, not a dog!

  I took the opportunity to buy more yarn and rest before heading to my shift since I was in the middle of downtown. It was time to try something new with my weaver job.

  "Time to work," I say to myself as I sit down in my chair and dumped all the additional supplies on my desk for easy access. I had a feeling that I would need a lot of them for what I pnned to accomplish tonight.

  I grabbed the needles along with the incomplete piece of cloth and started my work, not bothering to check the time. Loop and go down. Probably more than a thousand times. I was practically moving on autopilot.

  When I finished the first ball of yarn, I tied the end to the next one and resumed my knitting.

  [Novice weaver level increased by 1, 05/50]

  As the notification appeared, I couldn't help but smile. I quickly dismiss it, wanting to fully appreciate my very first work - a long, multi-colored knitted scarf.

  I quickly wrap it around my neck and let out a satisfied sigh. A scarf might not be ideal for a tropical city where most of the time it was summer temperature, and the mixture of colors made it hideous to look at. But the scarf represents the beginning of an aspiring craftsman ready to step into the big leagues. Learning to make and repair my own clothes was a long-term investment that would save me money in the future.

  With the remaining red yarn ball in hand, I pondered what to make next. The weaver job isn't limited to just clothing, after all. Maybe something cute?

  Why not start with something cute?

  But then I remembered the book that taught me the basics of tailoring. I should try my hand at that next. Still, I decided to knit a little longer since it was easier for me to do.

  However, a quick gnce at the clock reminded me that it was time for some much-needed rest.