The SSS-rank Guide Doesn't Need Saving

Aisha stared at the four gifts sitting on her bed.

She hadn’t expected Zenick to give her that many. Since when did he have time to shop for gifts between running trade routes across star systems?

She reached for the closest one, wrapped in pale yellow paper. A small note was tucked under the ribbon.

For my sister.

This is something I picked up from a distant star system.

This incense stone will make you feel a lot better. Just hold it in your hand.

Take care of yourself.

— Zenick Novalis

Aisha turned the incense over in her palm. It gave off a faint scent of lavender, and at its center sat a small black gemstone, no bigger than half an inch.

She frowned slightly.

The stone looked oddly similar to the one embedded in Zeke’s chest. Not in size — Zeke’s had been closer to a fist, dark and pulsing faintly under his skin — but the color and the way it seemed to swallow the light around it were the same.

Were they made from the same material?

She lifted the incense closer and sniffed it. A calm settled over her almost instantly. The restless energy that had been simmering under her skin since earlier faded as if something had reached in and turned the volume off.

Interesting. If she had to guess, this stone didn’t just calm the mind — it also blocked out chaotic energy. She wondered how much Zenick had paid for this to get it for her.

She set the incense aside and picked up the next gift, curiosity building. What else had her brother packed for her?

She’d barely torn off the wrapping when Daisy burst into the room, out of breath.

”Miss Aisha, we have a problem.”

Aisha looked up. ”What is it?”

”The seamstresses. All of them.” Daisy furrowed her brows as she bit her lips. ”Every single tailoring house in Sector 2 already has their schedules filled with orders from other noble families. I sent requests to five different shops and they all said the same thing — they’re too busy.”

”Too busy, or don’t want to be associated with me?”

Daisy hesitated, which was enough to answer her question.

Since the announcement of her annulment with Prince Soren has been publicized, it would be inevitable for Aisha to be shunned and isolated. After this, her reputation would become even more in tatters.

”I did find one shop willing to take a rushed order,” Daisy added. ”But they said it would take at least two weeks to finish.”

Aisha set down the gift she’d been unwrapping. Two weeks. That wasn’t enough time because the ceremony was in two days.

She wasn’t foolish enough to think she could show up in something plain and expect people not to notice. Every noble in that hall would already be watching her, waiting for a single crack to laugh at. If she showed up looking anything less than perfect, it would hand them exactly what they wanted.

She needed to walk into that hall looking like she owned it, not like she’d crawled there like a servant.

Daisy’s eyes landed on the incense sitting on the bed.

”Oh, that’s lovely,” she said, picking it up to examine it. ”Where did this come from?”

”My brother.”

”Young Master Zenick has good taste.” Daisy set it down carefully, then her gaze shifted to the half-opened gift in Aisha’s lap. ”What’s that one, miss?”

Aisha finished tearing off the paper. Inside was a black velvet box, and within it sat a choker with dark green gemstones set in delicate gold.

Daisy gasped. ”Miss, this is gorgeous. This would go so well with a red dress —”

She stopped herself, her excitement collapsing all at once as she remembered they didn’t have a red dress. Or any dress, for that matter.

”It’s fine, Daisy. We can find something else in my closet. And it doesn’t need to be red.”

Daisy shook her head fiercely. ”No, it has to be red!”

Aisha blinked. She hadn’t realized her maid was that firm about making her wear a red dress.

”I’ll go to another sector,” Daisy declared, already turning toward the door. ”There has to be someone willing to take the order if I offer enough money.”

”Daisy—”

But the maid was already moving with determined footsteps, and Aisha let out a breath.

Even if Daisy did manage to find someone, two days wasn’t enough time for anything beyond the simplest design. A plain dress with no embellishments, thrown together in a rush. It wouldn’t be enough if she wanted to make a huge splash during the ceremony.

Aisha set the choker aside with a small nod of approval.

She reached for the last gift. It was the largest of the four, wrapped tightly in black paper with no card attached.

She tore it open.

And froze.

Daisy had just reached the door with hand on the handle. She was already thinking about going to two or three mid-level sectors to acquire a dress when Aisha spoke.

”Wait. Don’t bother looking for a seamstress anymore.”

Daisy turned, already shaking her head. ”No, I can’t do that, Miss Aisha. I’ll find someone, so don’t give up just yet. I—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

Because Aisha was holding up a dress.

It was a long gown in a deep crimson hue that resembled a well-aged wine, with a ruched sweetheart neckline and a high thigh-slit. Ruby-accented gold chains webbed across the bodice, anchoring at the hip with a heavy jeweled brooch, while sheer black chiffon trailed from her upper arms like a cape.

Daisy’s mouth fell open.

”Miss—” she started, then abandoned the words at the tip of her tongue and rushed forward, hands pressed to her cheeks. ”We don’t need a seamstress anymore! Look at this, this is exactly what we needed!”

Aisha nodded slowly, still a little stunned herself. ”I suppose I’ll have to thank my brother tomorrow when I see him.”

”Why would you thank Young Master Zenick for this?”

Aisha glanced at her. ”Wasn’t this from him?”