Samantha sat stiffly on the long velvet couch in the Forest family's parlor.
To her left was her mother, Amanda Forest, and to her right was her father, Alex Forest, leaning forward slightly with the polite but tense posture of a man deep in negotiation.
Across from them, occupying the opposite couch, sat the Elbarins.
The family's head, Luca Elbarin, was a broad-shouldered man with silver hair combed perfectly back.
Beside him lounged his son, Cole Elbarin, the supposed fiancé-to-be.
Cole was a lanky, scrawny boy of fifteen whose eyes carried the smugness of someone who had never once been told "no" in his life.
Every now and then, his gaze would drift toward Samantha, not with admiration but with the lazy entitlement of a person examining something they already believed belonged to them.
Samantha kept her expression neutral, though inside, she wanted nothing to do with him.
Luca's voice cut through the room. "The arrangement, as previously discussed, will be formalized when they turn eighteen. Until then, we will make the necessary preparations for the engagement ceremony."
Alex nodded, though his jaw tightened. "And in return, the Forest family will have guaranteed partnership with your shipping company?"
"Not just partnership," Luca said, leaning forward with the confidence of someone delivering a generous favor. "A stable share. This will ensure your economy remains secure for decades. No more uncertainty about resources or trade routes. It is a mutually beneficial union."
Amanda placed a hand gently on her husband's arm, as if reminding him to maintain their composure.
Cole smirked and finally spoke. "I think it's a good match. I mean, it's not every day someone like her gets to marry into our family."
Samantha turned her head toward him slowly. But she said nothing.
Luca ignored his son's tone and continued, "We believe that uniting our families will strengthen both our standings. And your daughter, of course, will be well cared for."
Alex gave a small nod, but Samantha could see the truth in her father's eyes.
This was less about her and more about securing the Forest family's economic foothold.
The Elbarins held resources they needed, and in exchange, she was being used as the bridge.
Cole leaned back further, looking entirely pleased with himself. "I'll make sure she's not bored," he added with mock sincerity.
Samantha's fingers curled against her skirt, but she forced her face into a polite, unmoving mask.
Samantha hated every second of sitting across from the Elbarins, so when Ash's earlier offer came to mind, she had taken it without hesitation.
Now, with her father and Luca still deep in their negotiations, the sound of a sharp knock on the front door cut through the room.
Without waiting for anyone to move, Samantha stood and walked to answer it. The heavy oak door swung open, and there stood Ash.
"Hey," he said simply.
"Hey," Samantha replied in the same casual tone, though her lips curled ever so slightly.
She turned on her heel and crossed the room to her parents. "I'm going out to play with my friend."
Amanda blinked. "Your… friend?" Her eyes flicked toward Ash. "Samantha, that's—"
"A literal trash in the village," Alex finished with a frown.
"I'll be back," Samantha cut in, ignoring their protests.
Even Luca and his son looked caught off guard. Cole tilted his head with an incredulous look before smirking. "You're telling me he's your friend? You can do better."
Samantha's answer was a short, pointed glance that made him drop the grin.
Outside the mansion gates, Ash and Samantha walked side by side, their calm expressions breaking into quiet satisfaction.
"It worked," Ash muttered.
"First part of the plan is done. If we make them disgusted enough, they'll leave on their own."
Ash glanced at her. "You sure they'll take the bait?"
"They've got enough pride for it. Just give it time."
They didn't waste the rest of the afternoon on talking. By the time the sun dipped toward the horizon, they were sparring in the clearing near the forest.
Ash was starting to understand more about his Rise to the Top ability.
It wasn't some magical cheat code that made him permanently stronger. Instead, it was temporary, disappearing as soon as the fight ended.
But there was something else too.
When he fought, the power seemed tied to trash itself. If he used it right, the junk around him became weapons or armor for as long as the fight lasted.
It was the second stage of his ability. He didn't know what came after it yet, but he had already given this one a name.
Second Trash Stage.
Mastering the Second Trash Stage was proving far harder than Ash expected. No matter how much they trained, the control slipped from him the moment he tried to push it too far.
One afternoon, during a break in training, the conversation drifted toward Vander's circle.
"So, Vander's got Perro, Robertson, me and himself," Samantha said, tossing a small rock from hand to hand.
Ash smirked. "Before all this, the old me couldn't go a day without them making my life hell."
She glanced at him. "You're not the old you anymore, Ash. You seem to be different."
That became their life for weeks.
On school days, they would talk like casual friends in the hallways.
On weekends, whenever the Elbarins visited the Forest estate, they would set up little traps of embarrassment for Cole, all while training in the afternoons.
It was a simple routine, but a consistent one.
His sister had already left for Welhelm Academy in the capital city of Varex, after the vacation.
Even so, his older brother still lived in this forgotten village, and that truth stung.
When Ash came home after one particularly quiet day, he felt the ache of missing her more than usual.
And then came the day it all went sideways.
They were in the Forest mansion, baiting Cole as usual, when the boy suddenly snapped.
"You think you're better than me, huh?" Cole sneered.
Without warning, he stood, crossed the space in two steps, and slapped Samantha across the face.
Samantha's head turned with the force of it, her expression stunned but still composed.
"That's what happens," Cole said coldly, "when you forget your place. You're going to marry me, and you're going to act like it. I don't care what little trash friends you keep—"
Ash had already walked into the mansion hall by then, eyes locking on the scene.
Cole raised his hand again, voice dripping venom. "You need to learn respect—"
The second slap never landed. Ash's hand shot out, fingers clamping tight around Cole's wrist.
"Don't hurt her…" Ash's voice was low but sharp, carrying enough weight to freeze the room.