From the break of dawn, Lin and Lucy were sitting on the roof of the Thieves’ Guild building with their knees drawn up. 

The building, connected to the underground sewer system, was impressively tall, ranking among the top five structures in Waltercrua.

“It’s a sight to behold,” Lin remarked, though he was usually the one looking up or chasing after someone’s back. 

Neither Arsil, nor she, nor Lucy, nor any other members of the hero party had ever stood shoulder to shoulder with him. 

Recently, Lucy had been staying by his side, but looking beside or down at someone felt strange to him.

“The view is nice, isn’t it?” Lucy asked.

“I don’t know where to focus,” Lin admitted. 

The informant, who had approached unnoticed, sat next to him, staring into the distance. 

Lin masked his surprise and casually agreed. 

Why did this guy show up instead of Ravin? It wasn’t what he expected.

“It’s not about looking at something specific,” the informant explained. 

“Just take in the entire landscape from this height like a painting.”

“Hmm, I don’t quite get it.”

“Just see as much of the whole picture as your eyes can take in.”

“The whole picture, huh? The Thieves’ Guild thrives on extracting detailed, precise information, right?”

“Those details make up the whole, so it’s fine.”

Lin sighed deeply, looking up at the sky. 

Looking down was not his nature.

“Where’s the lady who was with you?”

“She’s sleeping.”

“Liar.” 

The informant smirked, glancing sideways at Lin.

“Yesterday, while I was guiding her, she never took her eyes off you.”

“She was just looking for me, the only companion she has in this strange place.”

“No, no, no. People don’t adjust their walking pace, stride, and even their breathing to match someone else’s just because they’re in a new place.”

Was Lucy really like that? 

Lin had no idea, nor did he want to know. 

But he understood why she had expressed her disappointment to him at dawn. 

Lucy’s attention was a heavy burden for Lin.

“We had a fight.”

“You two? About what?”

When he said he needed to be alone for a mission in the morning, she had outright refused.

‘A mission?’

‘What kind of mission?’

‘To check if there are any demons around, or anyone else who might be a threat to us, like last time.’

‘I can help with that.’

‘You can help by watching my surroundings from a bit further away.’

‘How is that together?’

Lucy had hugged him tightly, pouting.

‘How is that together if we’re not close?’

Lucy had clung to his side, refusing to let go, no matter how much Lin tried to shake her off or walked around the room with her attached.

‘Lucy, why won’t you listen?’

‘Why are you pushing me away? Who are you meeting at dawn? We were just cuddling, and now you want to leave?’

‘……I don’t know. I don’t want to be apart from you. You’re mine. And I’m everything to you. You don’t need anyone else.’

To meet Ravin at dawn, Lin had to be on the roof. 

He desperately tried to persuade Lucy.

‘Lucy, remember we’re being hunted by our former comrades.’

‘If you want, I can reverse that. They’ll run from us, and we’ll chase them.’

No way. 

To catch the DLC’s final boss, the hero party had to remain intact.

‘The crown princess has eyes and ears all over the empire. Ravin would know everything about it. We need to get as much information as possible through him.’

‘Can’t I be there for that?’

‘Lucy.’ 

Lin sighed. 

‘I know you were clenching and unclenching your fists while staring at Ravin yesterday.’

‘I won’t use my fists.’

That’s not the point. 

Time was running out. 

They needed information about the crown princess’s spies and to prepare for Arsil. 

Unlike Naidrian’s wish, which was already being executed, Arsil’s wish couldn’t be prepared in advance and could only be acted upon now.

They had to free the shieldmaiden and the other women from their oath to the crown princess and the shield knight, or they would keep hindering Lin and Lucy. 

But Lucy wouldn’t let him go. 

Lin found her with reddened eyes, desperately clinging to him. 

Despite her strength, she adjusted to avoid hurting him. 

Lin had no choice but to use his trump card.

‘Lucy, if you let me go for a while, I’ll make sure we have time alone together later.’

‘That’s meaningless. I want to be with you all the time.’

‘Anytime you want, no matter the situation, we’ll be alone together.’

Lucy pondered, listening to his heartbeat. 

Though she seemed stubborn, she calculated quickly whether she could be reasonable. 

Lin’s offer was significant.

Finally, she asked cautiously.

‘How long can we be together?’

‘As long as we’re apart now?’

‘I don’t like that.’

Lucy shook her head.

‘A whole day. Just you and me.’

‘A day?’

‘And you’ll do whatever I want. No objections.’

Lin had no choice.

‘Okay.’

‘Pinky promise.’

‘A pinky promise?’

‘Yes.’

As they linked pinkies, Lucy smiled brightly.

‘If you break it, I’ll break your legs and carry you around forever.’

With that, Lin managed to get to the roof. 

Lucy hid nearby, masking her presence completely. 

She was a warrior even Naidrian found hard to track when she wanted to hide.

“She didn’t want me talking to another woman.”

“Oh… a simple reason.”

But things had gone awry. 

Ravin hadn’t come; the informant had.

Fortunately, the informant handed him a letter before he could ask.

“The boss saw you first but got held up with a guild union envoy in the office.”

“What’s this?”

“Two fake IDs, hair dye for the lady’s noticeable hair, five sets of women’s underwear roughly sized by the boss, and a personal request from the boss.”

“A request?”

“For you to earn your keep.”

The informant stretched and yawned.

“Ahhh! I’ve delivered everything, so I’m off to sleep. Been up all night.”

“Wait.” 

Lin rummaged through his pack and handed the informant a couple of small sprays. 

“What’s this?” 

“Deodorant. Very effective.”

He sprayed the informant’s front and back. 

Though she hadn’t mentioned it, the sewer keeper had a strong odor.

Soon, the smell was gone.

“Amazing.” 

The informant sniffed her sleeve, looking delighted.

“No matter how much I washed, the smell wouldn’t go away…”

“Glad it helped.”

Lin, however, remained expressionless.

“Good job, informant.”

But she stared at him intently, like a cat or a fox.

“Adora.”

The informant smiled, revealing her name.

“Adora, the informant of the Thieves’ Guild.”

Before Lin could respond, she turned away.

“Thanks for the deodorant, Mr. Lin.”

Waving languidly, she disappeared. 

Lin noticed her pale skin, much like Lucy’s. 

Probably from being holed up in the sewers. 

A significant presence, yet an extra not present in his previous life.

“Lin, did you tell her your name?”

“No, I usually don’t. Just my last name.”

“Then how does she know your name?”

But Lin, who had eavesdropped on the office with his skill [Advanced: Eavesdropper], had a guess.

“Lucy, have you told anyone my name recently?”

“Um…”

“Ravin, right?”

“…Yes. I’m sorry.”

“We’re being hunted, so let’s be careful about sharing our names.”

“I’m sorry…”

To console her, Lin opened his arms. 

Lucy instantly buried her face in his chest, purring like a contented cat as he patted her back.

Lin opened Ravin’s letter and handed it to Lucy. 

Frowning, she crumpled it at the end.

“Lucy, what do you think of that informant, Adora?”

“I don’t like her, but she doesn’t have a demonic aura.”

This complicates things. 

Lin muttered to himself for the first time in ages.

“Well, this wasn’t planned.”

Had the informant been hostile, things would be easier. 

The letter contained what Lin had feared.

[To Mr. Lee, someone sent me an invitation to join this party.]

Ravin had scrawled angrily in thick ink.

[I’ve provided everything you need, so you owe me.]

“Here it comes.”

And enclosed was a black invitation with red writing.

[To you who have wishes, Ravin the Thief invites you to join the Demon Warrior Party.]

Demon Warriors. 

The demonic version of the hero party. 

Like the hero party, they used job titles instead of names, each a formidable foe.

The DLC’s new enemies and main antagonists had started moving.