Histun, a recently popular social club located in Main Street.

The rule that anyone, whether nobility or wealthy, must have an invitation from the club operator to enter without exception was enough to give members a sense of camaraderie and privilege of being chosen.

And today, a tremendous big fish appeared at Histun.

“……That Allen ‘Evans’ and next to him is surely…!”

“……That blue silver hair is the color of the Beselion Marquis family?”

“Then…… Lord Noah Beselion?”

Wow!

In an instant, all eyes were drawn to the entrance of the clubhouse.

“You two popular ones, try to attract some attention well. I’ll look around here a bit. If anything happens, contact me immediately.”

The invisible Nigel pressed the earlobe of the ear-shaped magical device and spoke using the charlatan’s communication stone.

The clubhouse had a total of 3 floors, with the entire first floor open, and beyond the tightly closed doors above those two branching staircases were the second and third floors.

Nigel first surveyed the first floor with cold eyes.

From the crystal chandeliers that Allen would like to the game tables and billiard tables scattered around, and the long tables with food and drinks… There didn’t seem to be anything particularly suspicious.

If anything stood out, it was the flowers decorated here and there for the Flores Festival.

-Most of the people here are viscounts, barons, and illegitimate children of noble families.

Just then, Allen’s voice was heard.

“Are there no other notable people?”

Nigel said.

-Ah, there’s also the illegitimate child of the Duke of Devon over there. The Duke of Devon couldn’t appear in social circles for a while because his hair was pulled out by the Duchess when the illegitimate child was discovered.

“Allen. Don’t say strange things.”

-…Understood. I’m just nervous.

Nigel shook his head.

“What about you, Beselion?”

-Judging by their posture, I can see several sword users here and there. It seems mercenaries are disguised as guests.

-Huh…! Really?

“Exactly where are they?”

-One near the billiard area, one at the rightmost game table, and…

Nigel shifted his gaze here and there following Noah’s words.

“…They’re all scattered but none of them leave the vicinity of the stairs going up to the second floor.”

-Yes, that’s correct.

“I understand for now. Let’s not move rashly and gather a bit more information before going up to the second floor.”

After ending the communication, Nigel moved among the people, eavesdropping on conversations. Most were trivial betting stories or vulgar tales not worth listening to.

Then Nigel’s ears caught the conversation between a pot-bellied man wearing a hat and a skinny man wearing glasses.

“…It seems the news that Histun got a big one this time has spread quite a bit.”

“…So that’s why Evans, who has an amazing nose for money, and the young Marquis Beselion, who’s hard to see, have come? What is it? Tell me quickly.”

The man with the hat looked around and whispered in a small voice.

“…It’s a potion.”

“What’s so special about a potion that you’re making such a fuss?”

As the man with glasses chuckled, the man with the hat made a shushing sound and put his index finger to his lips.

“…Lower your voice quickly! I’m telling you this specially because it’s you.”

“Alright, I’m sorry.”

The face of the man with glasses, which had been jovial all along, turned serious.

One step, one step.

Nigel slowly approached them, pricking up his ears.

“This isn’t just an ordinary potion, it’s something incredible, my friend.”

“Why, is it something like Reparo?”

…Ah, what is this.

The excitement completely deflated.

Reparo could only be made when transforming holy power, and could never be made with ordinary magic power. Even if Zeronin tried several times with his own magic power or magic stones, not even a fake Reparo, let alone Reparo itself, could be produced.

That’s why Reparo was rare and expensive…

“…How did you know?”

The eyes of the man with the hat bulged as if they would pop out.

‘…?!’

What did he just say?

“The potion we are currently researching at our Histun is aimed at popularizing Reparo. It’s less effective than Reparo, but much cheaper and with a larger supply.”

…Similar effects to Reparo?

It was an absurd, no, an impossible story.

Nigel’s eyes darkened.

“It’s called ‘Cura’, meaning nursing. I had the chance to drink Cura a few weeks ago, and surprisingly, my body felt refreshed after drinking it. As if I was born again. …My friend. Aren’t you tempted?”

The man with the hat chuckled, his belly jiggling.

“O-Of course! Th-Then the in-investment…! Are they accepting investments!”

The man with glasses spoke urgently.

“Yes, our club operator is still accepting them. You should invest quickly before it’s too late. Now you should get a taste of dividends too.”

It seemed that the partnership Histun was talking about was a system where the club operator presents a business proposal, and club members provide investment funds to later receive dividends from the profits.

However, what was important to Nigel was something else.

Woong.

The charlatan’s communication stone lit up.

-Who is this? It’s an unfamiliar code.

A familiar yet unfamiliar sharp voice pierced his ear.

“It’s me, Zeronin.”

Nigel said in a cold, calm voice.

-…Nigel? You wouldn’t have bought a communication stone… What’s the matter at this hour?

Zeronin’s voice quickly softened.

“I have one question to ask.”

-Speak.

“You… You haven’t leaked my magic power or the Reparo production method, have you?”

-Of course not.

Zeronin said without hesitation.

“And it’s certain that Reparo is impossible to make except with my holy power.”

-Yes. A magician’s magic power isn’t overflowing with life force like holy power, it’s just magic power. If it were the magic power of ordinary people who haven’t manifested their magic and have life force mixed in, I wouldn’t know, but surely there wouldn’t be such a person?

This time there was a bit of annoyance in his voice. As if asking why I was asking something so obvious.

“…I see.”

-What’s going on…

Nigel quickly cut off the communication.

His head hurt.

Why, how, and in what way Andy had disappeared was slowly becoming clear.

Among the various scenarios one could imagine, it was in the worst possible way.

Nigel’s hand trembled precariously, almost dropping the communication stone.

This was a matter she had to resolve herself.

No matter what.

Nigel glared at the tightly closed, pure white door of the second floor.

After a long while without contact from Nigel, Allen and Noah headed to the terrace, avoiding people.

-Nigel? Are you alive?

There was no response.

-…Nigel? Has something happened?

Again, there was no response.

Allen and Noah’s faces darkened.

“It seems something… must have happened?”

“Yes…”

The two left the terrace and slowly surveyed their surroundings with somber eyes.

“For now… I’ll check the left side. Noah, you take the right.”

Noah nodded immediately.

After wandering around for a while, Allen and Noah gathered back at the terrace.

“It seems she’s not on the first floor. I can’t sense Nigel’s presence anywhere.”

Noah’s face noticeably darkened.

“I didn’t find anything particularly strange either. What was it… Curo? Cura? Anyway, they just kept asking if I wanted to invest in some fake Reparo business with a weird name.”

Allen’s lips jutted out.

“…Reparo?”

For a moment, Noah’s eyes widened.

“Huh? Uh… Why?”

Allen tilted his head.

“You’re not… Noah? You’re not really thinking of investing, are you? Right? Anyone can see it’s a scam. Why do you think Reparo is expensive?”

Allen quickly blurted out.

He absolutely couldn’t bear to see his friend fall for a scam right in front of him, no, he wouldn’t allow it.

Noah blinked silently for a moment before raising his head.

“…Didn’t they say you need to meet the operator on the second floor to invest in the business?”

“N-Noah…? No, it’s a scam…! And, and we have urgent matters too…!”

Allen followed Noah, who was striding towards the second floor stairs, with tears in his eyes.

Nigel, who had followed the man with glasses to the second floor, quickly searched the corridor.

Creak.

‘Not here.’

Creak.

‘Not this one.’

Creak.

‘Not here either.’

All that remained was the operator’s room and the third floor.

‘…The timing is tricky.’

The new invisibility magical device from the charlatan looked even more worn out than the previous one.

Based on experience, if the last one lasted a full hour, this one would barely last an hour at best.

If the invisibility wore off while in the operator’s room and she was caught, everything would be for naught.

‘…I have no choice but to go to the third floor.’

The decision was made.

Without hesitation, Nigel strode up the stairs that lacked even a common candlestick, unlike the lavish first and second floors.

At the top of the stairs, a glowing magical lock engraved with a sealing array was predictably hanging on the firmly closed, pure white door.

‘…Please don’t be defective.’

Nigel pulled out a frog-shaped key with a long pink tongue from her pocket.

It was a magical device she had acquired at the last moment from the charlatan’s shop, capable of nullifying a magical lock just once.

Nigel carefully inserted the frog-shaped key’s tongue into the keyhole.

…Click.

With a clear sound, the magical lock slowly lost its light.

‘I’ll throw you a Reparo next time I go.’

Nigel removed the lock from the door and slowly turned the doorknob.

Creak.

The door opened easily.