Enon, having vigorously rubbed his hair, seemed to regret his actions for a moment but ultimately said nothing. Yuder, to resolve his awkwardness, informed him about what he had speculated – that the 4th-floor dungeon of the security management team was indeed hidden under the protection of blood, and about the newly discovered magic ore vein in the Great Sarain Forest. Fortunately, when the story was over, Enon was in a state where he had completely forgotten his previous awkwardness.

"A magic ore vein, huh... We must definitely investigate that."

"I plan to do so. If we delve into it, we might find evidence to tell us who might have carefully infused magic there."

"What about 'before'? Isn't there anything that could help?"

Yuder shook his head. In his previous life, there was neither information to offer nor areas he could speculate about those things he hadn't known. Enon looked at Yuder with eyes lost in thought and suddenly mumbled,

"You act like you know everything, but there's a lot you don't know too."

"If I knew everything, I wouldn't be asking you questions all the time."

"Yeah... I suppose that's true."

Enon's eyes darkened as he responded.

"But why would you..."

"Assistant, Pharmacist, we're going to eat lunch. If you want to join, come down."

At that moment, Mick's voice was heard from behind the door. Yuder reflexively stood up and looked back at Enon.

"What were you going to say?"

"Never mind. It's nothing."

Enon also stood up, shaking his head. He looked irritated, as if he could see Mick beyond the door.

"That Mick Shuden guy. I know he's knowledgeable and exceptional, but he often looks at me in a strange way, and it bothers me. I don't like it."

"...Looks at you?"

"Yes. I should know what his intention is to respond, but he doesn't say anything and just stares. That's even worse."

Yuder had an idea about the intention. It was clearly related to Mick Shuden's peculiar ability.

"He's an Awakener. I heard he has the ability to see the essence. He might have seen something in you, so be careful."

"The ability to see the essence? Do you mean the soul?"

"Not quite, but something similar. He can even see it in inanimate objects," Yuder explained. Enon cursed that there were all sorts of abilities in the world.

"So, it's only natural that he pays attention to me. It's annoying that a guy with such an ability would come here, of all places."

"Will you be okay?"

"What's not going to be okay?"

Enon grumbled but his response was surprisingly tidy.

"As long as he doesn't talk about what he sees in me, I can pretend not to know. It will be annoying, but now that I know the reason, it's fine."

It was a relief, but Enon didn't seem to be even slightly curious about what the other person saw in him.

'But then again, unless you are in a situation like mine, where you know very little about yourself, there might be no reason to be curious.'

"Are you going to have lunch?"

"No, I'll head back right away."

Yuder immediately shook his head in response to Enon's question. Asking if he was going to have a meal even when he said he had no time was so like Enon.

"Oh, are you leaving already?"

When they descended to the lower floor, Mick, who was preparing the meal in the kitchen, widened his eyes and spoke.

"I appreciate the invitation, but I only came for a short visit, so I have to return soon."

"I see. It's a shame, but we're busy today too, so it can't be helped. Next time, let's have a real drink and talk."

Yuder walked to the door, followed by Enon, who maintained silence without offering a greeting or stepping inside as though he had something to say. Sensing this, Yuder didn't hurry him and instead stood quietly, waiting for him to speak.

"I've been revisiting memories that have long been submerged, and I think there might be something related to you in there," Enon said after a long pause. His words were vague enough to be free of suspicion to anyone overhearing, yet not so unclear as to be meaningless.

"Let's talk after this is over. There are some things I want to hear about."

"Okay."

"And you..."

Enon trailed off, seeming to consider his words for a considerable time before finally opening his mouth.

"Is it true that those who have manifested a second gender as Awakeners are only attracted to the opposite gender?"

"Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"

"Is it right or wrong, anyway?"

"I think it's generally true."

"I see..."

Enon, with a very complicated expression on his face, soon turned around, saying, "That's it."

"Take good care of what I gave you. Don't forget what I told you from above."

Yuder wondered what Enon had held back from saying but merely nodded slightly and turned away.

…

"Did your meeting with the pharmacist go well today?"

"Yes."

"I've heard that the research is progressing better than expected. Hellem was astonished that someone like Enon was working in a pharmacy in the capital. It's unbelievable."

In the blink of an eye, a day had passed, and it was night. Yuder, once again cloaked, followed Kishiar with Nathan, engaging in conversation.

"I haven't seen him admire someone like that in a long time."

"So it seems."

"When we get back, I think I'll have to give him a sincere gift plus several times his salary."

Yuder said nothing, uncertain whether Enon would appreciate it.

Returning the way they had come was not difficult. The protective magic of the Red Deer Consortium's underground storeroom, mended by Nathan Zuckerman the night before, no longer had the power to detain the intruders. Thanks to this, Kishiar could easily manipulate the deer-antler device to open the passage's door.

"According to reports, the southern merchants staying at the inn didn't move all day and only went out in the evening. Seeing that Baron Willhem has timely ordered his office closed to everyone, he probably intends to contact them somehow."

And their absence provided a golden opportunity.

Upon receiving a report about Baron Willhem's strange behavior, Kishiar immediately sent a reply to Pruelle, directing him toward the security management team. While they were breaking into a secret storeroom, Ever, waiting at the security management team, was to coordinate with Pruelle to ensure access to the underground dungeon's fourth floor.

'And if we finish quickly, we'll join them.'

Reiterating the day's tasks, Yuder summoned small flames as he opened the door leading to the secret warehouse.

The vast storehouse filled with goods looked no different from the previous night. Even though he'd heard the southern merchants were gone, the sensation of someone possibly hiding sharpened his senses. Nathan Zuckerman also seemed to feel a similar tension, a glimpse of anxiety visible over his usually stoic face.

"Well, shall we begin?"

The only one who wasn't tense among them was Kishiar. The man, with a leisurely smile, approached the place filled with magic tools and selected a few.

"A 'duplication' magic tool that can create a fake through magic for a certain period. And the 'camouflage' tool that will make the fake seem real. Adding 'protection' and 'tracking' to that... all of them are of the highest quality."

Having picked the tools he needed, all that was left was to take the items in this space. Yuder observed Nathan Zuckerman disappearing without looking back, then stood in front of Kishiar, who was examining the magic tools.

"Commander, for a moment..."

"Hmm?"

"I'd like you to take this."

Handing over the potion that Yuder had brought all the way here, Kishiar's vividly shining red eyes blinked in puzzlement, even in the darkness.

"What's this?"

"I received it from Enon. It's a good medicine for recovery if you exhaust your magic power."

Perhaps because it was an unexpected item, Kishiar was silent for a while. The large man, gazing down at the small vial in his huge hand, finally spoke.

"You went not to inquire about research progress, but to receive this?"

"It was for both reasons..."

"I see. I'll use it well."

The man, slowly clutching the vial, put it in his pocket and looked up. Yuder had thought him overly composed, but the moment he faced that visage shimmering under the flickering light, his thoughts changed.

The joy and fiery redness spreading around Kishiar's eyes were as brilliant as a light that couldn't be described by anything else.

"Thank you for thinking of me."

"It's nothing."

Suddenly, a strange feeling made it hard for Yuder to breathe, and he quickly turned away. His heart pounded relentlessly.

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