“What can we do? The answer is already out.”

Nigel snatched the black letter paper from Allen’s hand and read it carefully.

“It says here at the bottom that if the invitation owner signs directly, the invitation can be transferred to others. Hurry up and sign it, Allen.”

Nigel pointed to a suitable blank space at the bottom of the invitation where the signature could be written.

Click.

She even took out a fountain pen from the drawer that read ‘Merchant Guild 19th Anniversary’ and held it out.

“Wait… a minute. I don’t understand right now, Nigel, you…?”

Allen’s face twisted slightly.

“What’s wrong?”

“Allen…?”

Noah tilted his head to the right.

“…You, you’re doing this because I’m weak.”

“…What?”

“Because I… have no strength and am not reliable, you’re trying to go with Noah, right?”

“Why are you suddenly saying that here?”

Huh, a sigh of exasperation came out.

“…Am I wrong?”

Allen pressed his lips tightly.

“Yes, you’re wrong.”

Nigel raised her hand and pointed to the wall behind Allen, and Allen and Noah turned their heads.

“Can you see what time it is?”

The hands of the intricately carved pendulum clock were at 7 and 1.

“7:05…”

Allen muttered softly.

“Even if we go to Histon now to rescue Andy and come right back, we can’t make it before curfew.”

“Is that important right now…?”

“It is important.”

Nigel cut off Allen’s words sharply.

“Allen, Noah, you two go to Sienna first. Tomorrow isn’t even the weekend, and you have classes right away.”

“So you’re… trying to go to Histon alone without me and Noah?”

Nod.

Nigel’s head moved without hesitation.

“But Nigel, it could be dangerous.”

“That’s exactly what I’m saying. It could be dangerous, so why are you trying to go together?”

“Nigel…!”

Allen said reproachfully.

“Don’t get involved unnecessarily and hurry up and go. It’s not your business anyway.”

“…Not our business?”

“Yeah, you’ve never even met Andy.”

“Nigel… that’s not what I mean.”

Allen frowned and closed his eyes.

“I agree with Allen’s words too.”

“…Then what is it?”

Nigel asked gruffly, crossing her arms.

“We’re worried about you, you idiot. You’re good at studying but why don’t you understand this…?”

Ah.

The complicated mind became as white as a newly taken out canvas.

Now Allen and Noah’s faces came into view.

Allen’s shaking eyes.

Noah’s drooping corners of the mouth.

‘I didn’t want to form deep relationships with these guys… but has it already gone wrong?’

Haah, Nigel sighed deeply and raised her head.

It was after realizing that what was meant to be just dipping a foot in had already become fully submerged.

“…You could get demerit points, are you really okay with that?”

Noah and Allen’s eyes met in the air. And simultaneously, both their mouths rose.

“Do you think I’m you? Worrying about some demerit points? I came here to make friends in the first place.”

Allen put his arm around Nigel’s shoulder.

“That’s boastful.”

Nigel chuckled.

“Then what should we do about the missing invitation?”

“…I know a way.”

Nigel’s eyes shone meaningfully.

“Hmm hmm hmm~”

For three years now, somehow managing to run a small hole-in-the-wall shop selling various magic items on the outskirts of the capital, the man found himself humming these days.

It was all thanks to the curly-haired boy who had come by just a few weeks ago, raising two months’ worth of shop sales in a single day.

The boy had bought up everything that looked even slightly interesting to him without much thought, allowing the man to clear out old stock that might not even work properly anymore.

There was a tiny, very tiny bit of guilt towards the boy, but what did it matter?

If the boy heard about his pitiful situation, still owing a mountain of debt to the guild, he would probably feel sorry for the man instead.

“Hmm~ It’s such a nice day, I wonder if they’ll come again today?”

Of course, excluding the girl who was with the boy.

How fierce she was, becoming sharp-eyed and vehemently questioning him about the duration of old magic items just because one malfunctioned – he still got goosebumps thinking about it.

Why did the goddess Kirelia give such a pretty face to someone with the temperament of a monster? It was such a waste, such a waste.

And the silver-haired young master who was clearly from a noble family.

When the girl glared at him, the silver-haired young master, who had been smiling the whole time, hardened his face and stared at him intently.

Pressed by that pressure, he regrettably couldn’t say more to the curly-haired boy.

“Ugh, enough with the bad thoughts! Think only good thoughts and money will come in!!”

As if trying to chase away the bad energy, the man shook his head vigorously.

“…!”

That’s when it happened.

Far down the alley, he saw the unforgettable curly reddish-brown hair of his lord.

“As expected…!”

The man clapped his hands once.

He had been feeling like organizing the piled-up inventory today, so this must have been why…!

Silently thanking the goddess Kirelia who had given him this true spring day, he rubbed his hands together until they were hot.

‘This time I’ll make three months’ worth of sales!’

With this firm resolution, the man welcomed the curly-haired boy cheerfully.

“You’ve come again… oh.”

…You guys came again too!

The voice that had been brightening suddenly sank.

Behind the curly-haired boy were the girl with the same nasty glare and the silver-haired noble young master.

The girl swept her sharp gaze over his shop first.

Ah, that wasn’t important right now. The customer is the one who pays, not the one who just looks around.

The man approached the curly-haired boy with a big grin.

“Mister, you’ve joined the Solref Merchant Guild, right?”

But the words the boy spoke were something the man never expected.

“…Ye-yes? …Yes. All merchants doing business in Solref join the guild, of course.”

…What’s this?

…No. Don’t doubt the core of the sucker! This is just a test that you’ll lose if you waver here! Quickly fulfill your duty as a merchant! Sell something, anything!

“Young master, please don’t do that, we have new products…”

…That’s right!

The corners of the boy’s mouth rose gently. This is half a success!

“Ah, I didn’t come to buy today, I came because I wanted to ask something.”

…What? What is it? What could a little brat like you be in the merchant guild?

“Yes, yes. Please speak freely.”

The man hid his true thoughts and smiled bitterly.

“You know it’s a 1 gold fine per item if you sell defective products to customers knowingly, right?”

“What do you mean by that…?”

The curly-haired boy silently took out a golden badge from his pocket.

“…?!”

A golden badge with a large ‘E’ engraved on it. This was the shape the man knew from hearsay.

“Then… young master is from the guild…”

“Yes, that’s right. An administrator.”

With a grin, the curly-haired boy smiled brightly.

“I’m a bit busy now, shall we resolve this quickly, mister?”

The girl and the silver-haired noble young master standing on either side of the boy quietly held out their hands.

Still with those terrifying glares and pressuring gazes that might appear in dreams.

Clop clop. Clop clop.

“…Is this really okay, Nigel? Even though the mister sold defective products, we had fun playing with them before.”

In the carriage, Allen pursed his lips as he looked at Nigel, who had her hands full of various magic items, including invisibility devices.

“Why, you acted well as I told you to.”

Nigel said.

“To be honest, it was fun when we were doing it. It was also fascinating how the situation unfolded exactly as you said.”

“But even if Allen knows he’s a guild administrator, how did you know about the guild’s fine clause?”

Noah asked with a face full of questions.

“I just guessed.”

Nigel said nonchalantly.

“What?”

“Pardon?”

The eyes of the two widened.

“To begin with, that money-grubbing quack wouldn’t know guild regulations. I thought he’d back down immediately if threatened with money.”

Nigel shrugged her shoulders.

“Why, did you think I knew everything?”

Seeing the two staring blankly, Nigel chuckled and threw something to Allen and Noah.

Noah caught it easily with one hand, while Allen almost missed it but managed to grab it.

“It’s important, so everyone take good care of it.”

“What is this?”

Noah examined the ear-shaped magic device from various angles.

“Ugh, it feels so real and squishy. And what’s this boil-like thing…?”

There was a red button attached to the earlobe of the device.

“…Isn’t there any other option besides this?”

It was a horrific appearance that couldn’t even pass the preliminaries, let alone satisfy Allen’s aesthetic sense.

Ignoring Allen’s complaints lightly, Nigel opened her mouth.

“If you press the button on the earlobe and then use the communication stone, only we can hear each other’s voices. In other words, it’s a portable soundproofing magic device. I can’t guarantee when it’ll break since it’s sold by a quack, but it should last for tonight.”

“But Nigel, you don’t have a communication stone, do you?”

Swish…

Nigel proudly took out a communication stone from her bosom and waved it.

“I borrowed it from the quack. …I’ll return it once we find Andy, so everyone cheer up.”

“…I knew that, of course.”

“M-me too!”

Noah and Allen hastily responded, belatedly managing their expressions.

Before long, the carriage came to a stop.

At the same time, a strange tension lingered in the carriage.

“Noah, do you have a dagger?”

“Yes, two.”

From wherever he had hidden them, Noah immediately held out the daggers.

Nigel took one dagger and then held out the other to Allen.

Allen’s hand trembled slightly as he took the dagger.

“Allen, keep it safe. I’m not saying you have to use it yourself, but have it for emergencies.”

“Uh… oh, I know.”

Allen carefully put away the dagger.

“Everyone remember. We’re just going to find Andy and get out. Now Allen, use the invisibility magic device on me.”