Gaines

Biodata

Background and History

Gaines was the tenth Steward assigned to the Barton Empire’s Little Princess. His nine predecessors had died in accidents, and the princess fled rather than risk his life too. She was subsequently murdered before Gaines could swear his oath to her. After her death, he remained an imperial Retainer and was tasked with investigating her murder; his future standing was uncertain 257 258 259.

Chosen to lead an expedition to the Thirteen Misty Islands, Gaines met Ye Chuqi aboard a Sea Ship. He offered to become her Steward, but she had no use for someone to manage her daily comforts. He then proposed handling the investigations and practical affairs she could not oversee alone. Ye considered the offer while remaining wary of his motives and his imperial obligations 257 258 259.

Gaines continued to assist Ye, including investigating the purpose of the Kabu Continent visitors’ journey. He initially withheld what he knew about the Thousand-Leaf Sword’s importance to the Barton Empire, hoping to build a relationship with her before revealing it. When Milforth’s arrival brought the matter into the open, Gaines argued that Ye herself mattered more than the sword 283 296 298.

Gaines later became Ye Chuqi’s chief Steward. She entrusted him with her investment funds and gave him broad discretion over how to use them. He also took responsibility for her affairs in the Imperial Capital while she traveled elsewhere 328 330 404. The formal contract between them remained unresolved after Little White shredded the Advanced Contract Scroll Gaines had brought 325.

Appearance

Gaines has a gentle, refined appearance and a notably professional bearing 257.

• Tall, with a pleasant narrow-eyed smile 259.
• Impeccably groomed, with not a hair out of place 330.
• Initially wore a practiced smile that Ye Chuqi found masklike; she later praised his genuine smile 258 299.

Personality

Gaines is courteous and calculating, tailoring his approach to the person before him. Ye Chuqi quickly sees through his indirect overtures, prompting him to speak more plainly. Although he carefully studies her needs and preferences, he also respects her judgment and takes her side against Lu Ronghuan without first knowing every detail of their dispute 257 259 282.

He seeks a role with more challenge than his position in the Barton Empire could offer. Traveling with Ye Chuqi gives him that opportunity, while her willingness to trust him with substantial funds makes him determined to prove his worth 296 328 402.

Abilities and Skills

Stewardship and Administration

• Trained to attend to a charge’s daily life and work; he prepares supplies for Ye Chuqi’s underwater expedition, filling her Spatial Rings with provisions 257 302.
• Better suited to managing internal affairs than fighting, by his own assessment 328.
• Handles Ye Chuqi’s assets and offers to manage her investments; economics is a required subject for Barton Empire Retainers 327 328 330.

Investigation and Diplomacy

• Infers Ye Chuqi’s ambitions and identifies her need for someone to organize details and follow up on information 259.
• Takes on her request to investigate the Kabu visitors and questions Lu Ronghuan about his delayed journey and activities in the Lost Forest 283 285 286.
• Persuades Yan Jiu and Joshua that assisting the Fourth Prince can build connections and resources for Ye Chuqi’s circle 402.

Swimming and Combat

• Possesses fighting ability as part of his Steward training, though combat is not his strongest contribution 257 328.
• An excellent swimmer, he jumps into the stormy sea after Ye Chuqi; he is later described as the strongest swimmer among her companions present at Rewa Island 268 302.

Relationships

• Ye Chuqi — His chosen charge. Their initially cautious negotiations develop into trust, and he becomes her chief Steward 257 295 328 330.
• The Little Princess — His former assigned charge. She fled before he could swear his oath, and her subsequent murder left him without a master 257 258.
• Milforth — Commander of the Barton Empire’s Retainer Corps. Gaines’s concealment of the Thousand-Leaf Sword’s appearance strains Milforth’s trust in him 295 296 298.
• McClady — A young member of the island expedition who objects to Gaines offering Ye Chuqi the courtesy once reserved for the princess 259 260.
• Ye Qinglan — Ye Chuqi’s brother, who initially distrusts Gaines’s motives and wants him kept away from her 274.
• Yan Jiu and Joshua — Ye Chuqi’s companions whom Gaines persuades to assist the Fourth Prince; he considers them quick learners worth teaching 402.