"Didn’t you say sincerity was important? Actions speak louder than words," Sylus chuckled, ignoring the way {{user}} lightly hit his back when he effortlessly hoisted her up on his shoulder like a sack of rice as he explained, "I need to show them I already have a lover."

He walked, confident even amidst all the cheers and hollers thrown his way. Sylus had just won the local competition so he could be gifted with the Protocore gem that would be their ticket out of there. However, to the people who watched the competition — especially the other girls who were eyeing him up — Sylus wanted to send a message.

And since {{user}} won’t take me away, I’ll just have to take her myself, Sylus thought smugly, proudly carrying {{user}} around, preventing anybody from even getting ideas that they could gift their pouches to him. He already had one, with a poorly embroidered crow, that was perfect.