Straf leaves the dim alleyway and returns to the market square. He walks up to Cycelia, still hiding her face behind her hands.

「So, found anything you like yet?」

「N-No- Well… Actually…」

Cycelia walks back to the stall with trinkets and matching jewelry she saw earlier. She points at a necklace, or to be more accurate – two identical necklaces differing only in the gemstone set into them.

「I thought maybe this would be nice, if you'd wear the other one…」

「Hmmm…」

「And it's only one silver and 20 copper coins too!」

She adds, oblivious to the fact peasants can live days off only one silver coin. Straf eyes the twin medallions carefully.

《Woah. Lame. Cringe and lame. This is on the same level as matching phone charms. But…》

He glances at Cycelia, she breaks eye contact immediately while tapping her fingers together.

《I did break her sword accidentally…》

「Alright. If that's what you'd like.」

Straf pulls a single gold coin out of his pocket and hands it to the merchant.

「…You don't have silvers?」

The merchant asks, looking at the gold coin in his hand.

「Nope. Is that a problem?」

The trinket merchant sighs deeply with a very tired expression.

「Give me a moment…」

He walks out of his stall and walks to a nearby merchant, he shows him the gold coin, and the tool merchant shakes his head. He walks to another stall…

「Straf… Was that really a vampire? Wasn't it just a regular mage? Or someone like you?」

「Dunno. Do mages have long fangs and slit pupils?」

Cycelia gets visibly worried. She stares at the ground, holding her elbow as her other arm hangs at her side. This gives her shirt's buttons a fight for their life.

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「That's not good. Vampires are like natural disasters. Humans are basically at mercy of their whims.」

「Are they rare, or something?」

Her head perks back up, green eyes reflecting what's left of the day's glow.

「Incredibly so! I can't believe one decided to just show up while the sun is still out…」

The merchant returns, visibly displeased that he was essentially made to run an errand. He places 8 silver coins on his stall… Then 10 copper coins. And another 10 copper coins. And another 10 coins. And another… Eventually, there is 8 silver coins and 8 copper coin piles on his stall.

「There's your change. Here you go, miss.」

He takes the twin medallions off the stand and lowers it into Cycelia's cupped hands.

「…No coin purse?」

Straf asks as he stares at the piles of coins on the stall, eyebrows raised.

「What, do you think I just hand those out for free? Ludwig over there sells some for cheap.」

He points to a fat man at another stall across the market.

「Yeah, I'll pass.」

Straf opens his [Portable Storage] and starts throwing the coins in. Everyone in the market square stares at him in shock… Except Cycelia, who managed to get used to it already.

「What the…」

The merchant stares into the swirling vortex of the rip in space-time with mouth agape.

「Straf, here.」

「Hm?」

Straf pauses shoving his change into the hole for just a moment, Cycelia latches the thin and delicate chain of the ruby-gemmed medallion around his neck. She holds up her own sapphire-set medallion with her thumb and finger, smiling gently.

「Now we're matching.」

「Yeah… I guess…」

Straf concurs… Then shovels more coins in. Once finished, he dusts his hands.

「Whew. I should have broke a coin or two from the start.」

「Yeah, you should have…」

The merchant chimes in. Straf pays him no mind aside from a momentary glance.

「Right. Let's check the mages' guild now. I need to do something there.」

《Namely, make the crystal explode.》

「Ah, yeah!」

Cycelia nods and hops ahead towards the guild building, as if her day was already made.

「I know this doesn't make up for your sword, but…」

「Don't worry about it, Straf. It's good enough for me.」

Cycelia quickly denies any hard feelings, clutching at her new medallion resting between the valley on her shirt with a smile.

「Well, if you say so. But if you want something, just name it. I'll make it happen.」

「Ah… I'll keep that in mind…」

Cycelia looks away and blushes as Straf pushes the door to the mages' guild…