One thing Noble pointed out for me was the location of Vice's loan shark business. It was on the west edge of town. The sun had dipped pretty low at this point, and I needed to hurry back to Alice and Sky lest they worry, but I had to do this first. The prospect of confronting Vice Evergold weighed heavily on my mind. She was known for her temper and ruthless demeanor, but I needed her strength if I was to secure my place in the merchants' guild and protect my interests.

The sun dipped into the horizon as I approached the beaten-down building. It was small, made entirely of wood. It was more like a shack than a building; it smelled like cigarettes and gun smoke. The door was wide open, but I felt no sign that anyone was even inside. I did, however, hear the sound of gunshots. Guns were not something most people had on hand. They were seen as useless, with magic being the standard for combat. Guns were annoying to use—they were slow to reload, they misfired a lot, and they were hard to aim with. Anyone still using a gun, in my opinion, just wanted to seem like a resident badass.

I decided to follow the sound of gunfire. I reached the wooden fenced-in area in the back. I spotted Vice, her back turned to me in her big leather boots, pointed towards some targets at the opposite end of the area. I cleared my throat to get her attention, but she didn't turn around. Instead, she raised her arm and fired off another shot, hitting the bullseye of the target with uncanny precision. I couldn't help but feel a little impressed, despite my earlier thoughts on guns. I noticed her gun was different than most I had seen before; it was silver and had some weird markings on it.

I tried to project confidence as I called out, "Vice Evergold." She finally turned around, her expression a mix of annoyance and curiosity. "What do you want, kid? Here to settle a score or just looking to get yourself shot?" I think the last one was a joke because she seemed to smile a bit with the cigarette still in her mouth.

I sighed, "Neither. I am not here for the debt this time. You'll get your money as I promised. I am here on more official matters." Vice spat her cigarette to the dirt to join the hundreds of others littered around the area. She frowned, "Official? Can I officially stick my boot up your ass?" I twitched slightly. Jeez, she was a very blunt person, hard to get chemistry going. I ignored her joke and continued, "I am here for a business agreement."

Vice questioned, "Business agreement? With a pip-squeak like you? The hell you think I would care about that for?" I took a step closer, maintaining eye contact. "Because it could be mutually beneficial. You're a C-rank adventurer, someone with skills and strength. I'm a merchant with a growing business. Together, we could achieve more than we could alone." She fidgeted with her silver lighter. "Ah shit, I knew I should have taken my name off that stupid list. Look, kid, I adventured a little bit when I was about your age, but that was seven years ago now. I am 25 now; my adventuring days are over. I am unofficially retired. I just haven't gotten around to filing the release form yet."

She sure is a procrastinator to hold off on it for that long, or maybe she just couldn't let go of her past. I think something must have happened to make her want to quit or retire. I tried to persuade her, "You may have retired from adventuring, but you haven't retired from being a businesswoman. You run a successful loan business. You know how to make money and handle tough situations. That's exactly the kind of partner I need."

Vice's eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer, her presence intimidating. "Listen, kid. I've been handling my own business just fine without any partners, especially not some wannabe merchant who thinks he can talk his way into anything. What makes you think I'd throw my lot in with you? There have been plenty of other merchants that tried to convince me. What makes you so special?" I didn't back down, my confidence persevering. "Because I'm not like the other merchants," I began, meeting her gaze steadily. "I'm a scammer, in a similar lifestyle to you. I know how to navigate the murky waters of business, and I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty. I'm not here to give you a pretty sales pitch. I'm here because I see an opportunity for both of us."

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Vice turned around, "Just drop it, kid. I ain't going back to that life. I am comfortable here. I have a business now. Life is different for me." I tried to continue, "But—" Vice cut me off, "I said drop it!" She shouted a bit angrily. It seemed like this really was a sore subject for her. I backed away, a bit surprised. I calmed down a bit, my face heating up. I ended with, "I will be back, Vice. I want to recruit you. Tomorrow I will swing by again." I walked away, not wanting to anger her further. I considered that a failure, but a hopeful failure. Maybe if she stews on it, I can convince her. It seems to be a touchy subject, so for today I will retreat. I have to meet back with Alice and Sky anyways.

I made my way back to my stall. The dusk settled over the sky; I could see just enough to make my way back. I spotted Sky tapping her feet near the stall. She looked a little ticked off. I walked over to her, "Why the face?" Sky mocked, "Why the face? You took forever. Alice and I were getting worried." I didn't know what to say. Since I left my village, nobody had really displayed concern for me. I blushed a little, "I just had some guild information to submit and some smaller tasks to take care of."

Sky crossed her arms, "So how did it go? Did you settle on a group name?" I smiled a bit, "Yeah, I decided on the name The Key to Wonderland. Fitting, right, given little Alice here." Alice was holding Sky's hand. She smiled a bit when I said her name. Her face lit up with a soft glow that warmed my heart. For a moment, the stress of the day seemed to melt away.

Sky's expression softened as she looked down at Alice. "The Key to Wonderland, huh? I like it. It has a nice ring to it. And it's fitting, considering our little team." Alice nodded eagerly. "Magical." It would appear she seemed to be following our conversation, which was a vast improvement from a day or so ago. I guess Sky really was a good teacher; had she been reading her fairy tales? I chuckled, feeling a sense of relief. "I'm glad you both approve. I have big plans for the group, but it's going to take a lot of work."

Sky smirked, her earlier annoyance dissipating. "Big plans, huh? Like what? Conquering the merchants' guild? Starting a business empire?" I grinned, shrugging playfully. "Something like that. But first, we need to get some rest. Tomorrow is going to be another long day." Sky nodded, then glanced at Alice. "Come on, Alice. Let's get you to bed. You need your rest, too." Alice nodded, squeezing Sky's hand. "Okay, Sky. Goodnight."

Sky handed Alice to me, and I took her hand, guiding her along. I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of gratitude for having them by my side. Despite the challenges ahead, I felt more hopeful than ever. As I prepared to close up the stall for the night, my thoughts wandered back to Vice. Her reluctance to join me was a setback, but I wasn't going to give up. There had to be a way to convince her. Maybe if I could show her how much she stood to gain, she'd reconsider.

Once I closed up everything, I followed Sky back to the inn. We each took our separate rooms. Sky briefly took Alice back in order to change her into pajamas she bought while I was at the guild. Her hat was still on her head, but she was now wearing baby blue pajamas with small cats on them. I thanked her, and we went into our rooms, the smell of old wood and stale air greeting us.

The room was comfortable enough for both of us, each getting our own small bed. I took off her big hat, revealing her bunny ears, and laid her into bed, putting the covers over her. She looked ready to fall asleep right then. I whispered, "Goodnight, Alice." She smiled a bit, "Goodnight, Key." It was nice that we could communicate so much easier than we had when we first met. We sat in silence for a moment, the warmth of the fire and the quiet murmur of the inn wrapping around us like a comforting blanket. Despite the uncertainty of the future, I felt a deep sense of contentment.

I wasn't alone anymore. I had Alice now, and she was small, but she had warmed my heart like nobody else has. I went to bed myself, thinking back on the day and how I could convince that stubborn woman, Vice. Really, it didn't have to be her, but part of me wanted her above anyone because I felt like we were similar in some ways. Thoughts of kinship rolled around in my head as I succumbed to the allure of sleep.