Four days had passed since the entrance exam results were announced. During that time, I learned Serenia-style swordsmanship from Reina, but keeping up with her training was impossible. How could someone swing a sword for an hour, rest for ten minutes, and repeat this more than three times a day? I knew she was a workaholic, but trying to follow her training regimen made me realize how extraordinary she was.
Reina knew her training was excessive, so I trained at a more relaxed pace. While she trained alone, I used the sound of her swinging sword as a backdrop to practice magic and improve my skills. After spending time like this, I decided to apply for a trip on the first weekend I spent in this world. Since the semester hadn’t started yet, my request was approved without issue. Now, I was riding a carriage towards the outskirts of the capital.
The imperial capital of the Azelum Empire, Origin, was as large as a small country due to the empire’s vast size. Iris Academy was not far from the west of the capital, so even though I left around 10 AM, I arrived at Rihelen District on the outskirts by noon. After getting off the carriage, I found a suitable lodging and headed to my destination, the Cosmo Trading Company Rihelen branch. Despite being one of the five major trading companies in the empire, the building was quite large, even for a branch on the outskirts.
Upon entering, I saw a variety of goods on display, from antique tableware to magical tools and various books. Inside, a short-haired girl with light pink hair was inspecting the interior with a secretary. This girl was Ria Haelin, the acting head and granddaughter of Cosmo Haelin, the head of the Cosmo Trading Company. She was a competent person with keen insight and excellent judgment but was also a greedy person who would stop at nothing to get what she wanted.
To easily pass a main event in the mid-game, it was necessary to get acquainted with her, a task Drenor would never do, so I came to do it myself. Besides, I had some things to buy here. When Ria saw my face, she stiffened for a moment. She was probably thinking, “Why is this delinquent here?” But only for a moment. She quickly put on a welcoming smile.
“Welcome, Van Astraea.”
She didn’t earn her position as acting head for nothing. Her speed was such that I wouldn’t have noticed if it wasn’t me.
“What brings you here?”
“I just came to buy a few things.”
“I can’t leave a distinguished guest like you unattended. Please, come upstairs. I’ll escort you.”
***
I was led to a reception room. In the center, there was a long table flanked by sofas on both sides. Ria and I sat facing each other, and shortly after, her secretary brought us tea and left. Ria sipped her tea with a graceful smile, but I noticed her hands trembling slightly. She looked like a scared hamster. I felt a bit sorry for causing her distress, but she spoke up.
“I must have lost my grip due to staying up all night.”
“I don’t mind.”
“Ahaha…”
She was probably worried because she couldn’t predict my actions. I wouldn’t expect normal behavior from someone with Van’s reputation either. Moreover, although I’m a delinquent, she couldn’t be rude to a scion of a prestigious family, making it feel like a trap for her. But I had no intention of causing trouble.
“I’d like to buy ten magic stones each with explosion and flash magic engraved, and a couple of weapons.”
Ria flinched at my request.
“May I ask why you need them?”
“The semester is about to start, so I want to be prepared. Did you think I was planning something nefarious?”
“No, no, of course not. I was just personally curious.”
It’s too late to say that now. But her suspicion wasn’t entirely unfounded. Given my notorious past, she might worry about supporting a potential terrorist. Though her way of prying was clumsy, she was still young.
“It might not mean much to you, but there won’t be any explosions or attacks.”
Ria flinched again. Why does she get surprised so easily?
“Thank you for your consideration.”
I waved my hand dismissively.
“Anyway, is it possible?”
“Of course. But what kind of weapons do you need?”
“A decent sword and a bow.”
Ria tilted her head slightly. It must seem odd for a scion of a magical family to be looking for a sword and a bow. But she didn’t question me and whispered to her secretary. A moment later, the secretary returned with several employees carrying a box of magic stones, a bow, and a sword.
“Both are practical weapons with supportive effects.”
[Equipment]
[Name: Sword of Wind’s Blessing]
[Grade: Rare]
[Type: One-handed Sword]
[Description: A sword completed with the blessing of the wind. Grants the user a lower-tier wind blessing.]
[Equipment]
[Name: Ancient Bow]
[Grade: Rare]
[Type: Bow]
[Description: A bow made from an ancient tree. Boasts high durability and assists with ranged attacks.]
Both were rare-grade with useful skills. This was sufficient for the early stages.
“How much for everything?”
“The total comes to thirty gold coins.”
What?! Thirty gold coins? Why so expensive? I was expecting around fifteen, but this was double.
Was she overcharging me? But Ria Haelin never betrayed or set traps without a reason. It was always for significant gains, expanding influence, or seeking revenge. I wasn’t her target for revenge, and fifteen gold coins were trivial to her. So she wasn’t overcharging, but the price was still double what I expected…
“Are all the magic stones high-grade?”
“Yes, all have passed our company’s rigorous inspection.”
That makes sense. They assumed I’d want high-grade stones since I’m a high-ranking noble. But I don’t need all high-grade stones; it’s too expensive.
“I’ll take medium-grade magic stones.”
“Pardon? If you’re short on cash, we can charge it to the Astraea family.”
“No need. I specifically need medium-grade stones.”
Ria tilted her head again.
“May I ask why you prefer medium-grade stones? You don’t have to answer if it’s too personal. I’m just curious.”
“Using high-grade stones feels excessive. There’s no need to use a sledgehammer to kill a fly.”
Ria nodded in agreement and smiled.
“Then how about two high-grade stones for emergencies?”
“I don’t plan to buy them.”
“Oh, I don’t mean for you to buy them. This is my way of showing goodwill. You’ve been very patient with my questions.”
She closed her eyes briefly, then smiled brightly in a way that matched her age.
“I rarely get to meet peers, always dealing with much older individuals. I just want to treat you well.”
What? Is she actually a good person?
“But if my actions upset you, I apologize.”
“No need to apologize.”
Who would be upset about getting free high-grade stones? This is great.
“There’s no reason to be upset about goodwill.”
“Thank you.”
***
Night in Rihelen District. Most buildings were dark long after sunset, but the top floor of the Cosmo Trading Company building remained lit. There, Ria Haelin, the acting head, was reviewing documents late into the night. She had learned the trade from her grandfather, the head of the company, since she was young. He hoped she would succeed him, and she wanted to meet his expectations. Thus, she worked earlier and stayed later than anyone else.
Her dedication was commendable, but it wasn’t well-received by her employees. After finishing her last document, she stretched.
‘How long has it been since I stood up…?’
Aside from inspecting some purchases around noon, she had been seated all day. Then, she recalled the distinguished guest she had met earlier and took out a notebook she kept close. Inside were her personal business plans, advice from her grandfather, and information about various individuals.
She quickly flipped through the pages until she found what she was looking for.
[Van Astraea]
The page was filled with detailed information about Van Astraea. Despite being known as the empire’s biggest delinquent and rumored to have little talent for magic, she had noted it down because he was a direct descendant of the Astraea family.
Reviewing the information, Ria began erasing parts.
“Claims of no financial sense are false. He asked about prices and bought medium-grade stones to save money.”
“Reports of rude and violent behavior are incorrect. Despite my intrusive questions, he showed no signs of irritation.”
She corrected her notes based on her conversation with Van. The remaining information was trivial, like his lack of magical talent and preference for certain items.
Though it could be problematic to find out that her previous information was wrong, Ria saw it as an opportunity. The Cosmo Trading Company’s information network was nearly unmatched in the Azelum Empire, and there was no reason to hide information about Van. This meant only one thing: Van Astraea was hiding something.
Based on their conversation, he didn’t seem accustomed to hiding things himself. Someone else must be covering up his information. If this concealment was done by the Astraea family, it could be a chance to enhance the Cosmo Trading Company’s influence through Van.
‘I should re-investigate and report to Grandfather…’
Suddenly, a loud noise startled Ria. She instantly knew it wasn’t ordinary noise and prepared for battle, taking out her wand.
‘The company is under attack.’
Though it was hard to believe someone would dare to attack one of the five major trading companies, she had prepared for such a scenario. She opened a window to secure an escape route when she heard her secretary shout from outside.
“Acting Head, run…!”
In that moment of hesitation, an arrow flew through the door and struck her arm.
“Ugh!”
The door shattered, and assassins dressed in dark red appeared.
“Leave the others. Take down the acting head first.”
There was no time to understand the situation. She cast a 3rd Circle wind spell, [Wind Spear], at the assassins and jumped out the window. Using a 1st Circle wind spell, [Fall Delay], she landed safely and tried to run, but another assassin emerged from the shadows.
“Ria Haelin, you die tonight.”
Her heart raced, but she calmly responded.
“Attacking the acting head instead of the head himself… Aren’t you afraid for your life?”
“Hah, who cares about my life? You’re the one about to die.”
Knowing her physical abilities weren’t great, Ria decided to fight. Although she wasn’t trained in combat, she could use most spells. The problem was that the assassin moved faster than expected, and she was terrified. Just before the sword pierced her, Ria closed her eyes.
But then…
Sizzle!
The sound of fire igniting was followed by an explosion in front of her.
Boom!
The shockwave knocked her back, but someone caught her before she hit the ground. Slowly opening her eyes, she saw a man in black clothes standing before her—Van Astraea.
Moonlax Novel 
Thank you for the new chapter!
He might be trying to gain her favorability but situation and timing are suspicious as hell.
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