Near the walls' edge, Fiona stood facing a robust building. She was in a residential area of Valis, which is one of several. There wasn't that much space separating the buildings, and the tenants would hear their neighbors if they were loud enough.

The area was devoid of people other than an old woman hobbling along the cobbled streets with a cane. She looked back at the old woman and listened to her cane tapping rhythmically. The lady gave Fiona a beaming smile and continued her stroll. Fiona reciprocated the gesture and shifted her attention towards the building ahead. She gave the door three gentle knocks and stepped back.

A stern voice yelled out immediately after, and light footsteps were heard from beyond. Reo emerged with a sour face as the door swung open. He was dressed casually in brown trousers and a gray tunic with string tassels at the collar.

The moment he recognized Fiona, his face transformed. He moved out of the way for Fiona to enter and said, "Oh, it's you. Did you wrap things up with Tyrus? I figured it would take longer, so I thought you'd be here tomorrow. Damn sun hasn't even set."

"My aunt gets things done quickly. Besides, a lot went down during those hours and I don't feel like repeating myself later to Grant. How about we swing by his house and talk?"

"Don't worry about it. He's in my room. We can talk there."

Fiona gave a nod and followed Reo into his home. They passed a spotless kitchen and a large carpet in front of a fireplace. The aroma of cooked meat and incense saturated the air. Fiona wondered momentarily if his family had just finished a meal. After climbing the stairs, they entered the first room they stumbled upon. He tenderly opened the door and ushered Fiona inside. The room was dull and confined, containing the usual furniture of a bed, table and chair, and chest. Seated at the table was Grant.

"Afternoon, Fiona," Grant said. "Your visit to Reo came as a surprise to me. Are things well?"

"Everything went along smoothly, for the most part," Fiona replied, sitting at the edge of the bed. "We faced some difficulties at my aunt's end, but we resolved it later. Here, take your share of the contract."

She took out two sacks of coin-filled bags from her belt and gave the payment to her friends. They opened the bags and examined what was inside. Grant put it back on the table gently after tying it, while Reo frowned and tossed his into the chest.

"A hobgoblin's ear is worth five sil, whereas a goblin's ear is valued at one. With the hob and the thirty-three smaller ones we killed, the total is thirty-eight sil. Guild takes a ten-percent cut from every completed contract–damn thieves–so we're left with…"

"They gave our group thirty-four sil in total," Fiona finished. "Both of you, as well as Tyrus, received ten sil for the job.

Grant scratched his chin. "Only four sil would be left for you. Are you fine with that? I thought we agreed to share it equally."

"It's alright. My sil reserves have grown thanks to Aunt Selena. We should be grateful for the amount of sil we've been given as a group of coppers."

Plunking himself down on the chest, Reo let out a snort. To Fiona, he reminded her of a lean dwarf–but a bit more appealing and less hair–protecting his secret stash of alcohol. "Fiona was willing enough to give away her own share? That's surprising. Did a doppelgänger swap with you?"

Fiona couldn't resist a mischievous grin as she conjured a small bubble of water in front of her with a simple snap of her fingers. She directed the magic, sending the water bubble hurtling toward Reo's face. The water splashed on impact, catching him off guard and eliciting a spew of colorful curses from his lips. "That's enough out of you. Now shut up and listen to what I have to say."

As Fiona settled into a comfortable position, she began recounting the events of the day to her companions. She started by sharing the conversation she had with Selena, her aunt, and how it had been dominated by her worries and suspicions regarding Tyrus. Selena had expressed skepticism about Tyrus's origins, questioning whether he might be an assassin sent from either Ethia or The Beastfolk Kingdom, two distinct lands with their own political tensions and agendas. Fiona's description of her aunt's worries caused Reo and Grant to shift from interest to concern.

"I'll be honest; I don't blame her for questioning him," Reo admitted.

Faced with her glare, Reo simply shrugged it off. "I mean, come on. The kid awakened early as a sorcerer–highly likely because of a forced awakening–and was living in Valier Forest, a place near the imperial capital, all alone. She has reason to be distrustful of him. Our trust in him is somewhat restricted. Tyrus is not a bad guy, but he's incredibly odd. We were discussing his odd behavior of wearing his hat in the bathhouse just before you walked in."

"I assumed the hat was of great importance to him, given how he persisted in wearing it," Grant said. "It could be a keepsake from his late parents or a dear friend."

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Reo folded his arms and took a stance against the wall. "So I told Grant he was definitely hiding something underneath. I placed a bet on either horns or ears. Might even be a bald spot he's self-conscious about."

Fiona adopted a deadpan expression and gave a steady look at the pair. She could say Tyrus was a Beastfolk and was hiding his ears in fear, though that was for him to reveal. Revealing his secret with no fault of his own made her uncomfortable, and she believed he would share it if he was ready. She wouldn't betray his trust and turn into a scumbag under any circumstances.

"It's strange that he keeps it on, isn't it?" Reo continued. "He slept with his hat on during our time in the forest. And back at the tavern, we found him burrowed in his sheets."

"I will be honest with you," Grant began. "You are overthinking this. Directly ask Tyrus if you want answers. I'm not bothered as long as he's not causing any trouble, and I'm confident he's not."

"I'll ask him next time," Reo grumbled. "All this talk about assassins, Tyrus, and the Beastfolk Kingdom got me thinking about the brewing confrontation at the border. I came back only to find out my dad had been called back onto the field. Mom and Lars went to see him leave."

"So that's why this house is empty," Fiona said. "I'm sure he'll be back soon. Your father is very tough."

Reo avoided eye contact and remained silent. Fiona took the opportunity to proceed with her summary and recounted how Tyrus was sent to get Ivy. Biting the corners of her lips, she was hesitant to talk about the events Tyrus experienced, but eventually spilled the words out. Fiona observed a change in her friends' facial expressions while telling them what Selena had said. Grant's face went stiff as Reo shook his head every few seconds.

Without going into too much detail, Fiona briefly talked about how he convinced Selena and would receive a recommendation from the branch leader. The report ended with a mention of the upcoming monthly exam and Tyrus's participation. After she finished, an eerie silence filled the room.

"So… What do you think?" Fiona asked.

Reo's eyebrows shot up. "What do I think? Your aunt is a demon in disguise, no doubt about it. Frankly, I wouldn't be surprised if someone took over her position. Only Sthito knows what she's thinking. I tried to warn him about her personality…"

"It does not surprise me she went that far for mere curiosity," Grant mumbled. He spoke with a scowl on his face and a hint of anger in his voice. "Her speculations went beyond reasonable limits. Tyrus should not have been allowed to fight a rock spider on his own, even with safety measures and supervision in place. The only good thing that happened was that he was able to overcome it by himself. Did Selena express genuine remorse for her actions, Fiona?"

Fiona nodded. "She won't do it ever again, that I'm sure of. She assured Tyrus that she would do anything in her power to help! To my knowledge, my aunt has never said anything like that and she's not a liar."

"I still consider her a demon," Reo said with a shrug. "Anyway, you said Tyrus will take part in the monthly examination? I've totally forgotten about that. It hasn't been that long since we did one ourselves."

"Just last month," Grant chimed in. "An underage sorcerer's attendance at this event would be unprecedented since the guild's inception. The response will vary, some curious, others excited, but many will assume the branch leader has gone crazy. The Explorer Guild's reputation might be tarnished if a child is permitted to take part."

"Aunt Selena is well aware of the fact and has already devised a plan! You should come to the guild tomorrow at noon, if you're curious."

Doubt was apparent on the faces of the two men as they shared a glance. Fiona was unfazed by their skepticism and chuckled, knowing exactly what would happen next.

Although it would attract a lot of attention, if Tyrus demonstrates his worth during the recruitment process, he could alter the opinions of the public and members as a nine-year-old participant. The issue was the uncertain content of the entrance examination. The previous time she and her friends entered one, they had to hunt a weak beast by themselves. It was impossible to ask her aunt as the exam components were confidential to avoid cheating.

The room went quiet as the news settled in. Fiona watched the two men, and a sudden idea popped into her head. The longing to listen to Grant and Reo's opinions contradicted her anxiety at possible revelations about herself. She had conflicting feelings; a part of her was open to hearing their input and concerns, but another part was scared she might be unconsciously using Tyrus in a negative way. If they expressed a thought similar to that, it would completely crush her. The only thing it would demonstrate is that she and the Lockhart Family Head had one thing in common: control.

She was so deeply lost in thought that she failed to notice Reo waving a hand in front of her face. Her body flinched, as if stricken by a bolt of lightning, and she waved his hand away.

"I know that look anywhere," Reo said, stepping back. "Your face tends to turn uglier than usual when you're deep in thought. Reminds me of a goblin."

"Reo…" Grant warned.

"Was trying to lighten the mood," he replied with a shrug.

Fiona blinked slowly as she looked at the two, then giggled. "I'll ignore your comment about my beautiful face and just laugh it off. Call me a goblin again and I will really light your ass on fire."

He gave her a playful smirk and propped himself back on the chest. Fiona remained silent for a moment before opening her mouth. "Do you guys think I'm using Tyrus?"

"Not at all," Grant said in a heartbeat. "When you use someone, you exploit their lack of knowledge and situation with no concern for their welfare. You want Tyrus to succeed and care about his well-being. I see it as a mutually beneficial agreement between you two, built on a good foundation."

"Yeah, whatever the righteous guy said," Reo said. "You were thinking of something dumb, if that's what you had in mind. Don't think too deeply about it. In case you feel like you're taking advantage of him, just ask the kid directly. On second thought, we all have something to ask him. All this dancing around is kind of pissing me off."

I guess we do have a lot to talk about, Fiona thought. She changed her gaze and peered out of the glossy window. A flock of birds soared through Valis, passing by the white tower that loomed over the capital. Its dazzling ocean-blue peak was merely a drop in the vast sky. Steady and rich mana was emitted from the structure in pulses.

An inkling of a smirk appeared on Fiona's face as the weight on her shoulders lessened.