Ch#144
"Escort them to the mansion's underground prison."
Selina's mother, Katrin, commanded.
At her words, workers from the merchant guild swarmed in and bound the servants who had tormented Selina.
The servants, just released from Ppuppue's Subspace, all looked utterly drained.
"We paid them double the market rate and begged them to take good care of our Selina..."
Katrin's eyes flashed sharply.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Selina's father Newman was showering his daughter with kisses.
"Selina. Our daughter. Dad missed you so much, didn't he?"
Selina nodded in Newman's arms.
"Mom and I talked it over. From now on, if we have to go on business trips, you'll come with us."
"Really?"
"Yeah. Until now, we thought you couldn't wander around because of your education..."
Newman gave a bitter smile as he brushed Selina's hair behind her ear.
"But we realized this time that being together as a family is far more important."
Selina blinked in surprise before throwing her arms around Newman.
Tears had already welled up in the child's eyes.
Watching the scene, Katrin approached.
"Our Selina's indebted herself to you, Miss Tie."
Katrin had already heard the gist of Selina and Tie's story through the Communication Orb.
True to her experience running multiple merchant guilds, she quickly grasped Tie's situation.
Tie replied shyly.
"It's okay! Selina's Tie's friend, so no debt!"
Katrin stroked Tie's head.
"Of course it's a debt. We're so grateful you stayed by our Selina's side. Seems like you're running quite a big business at such a young age."
"Business?"
"Of course. A mercenary group is a business too. In that sense, Miss Tie, you're a splendid businesswoman despite your youth."
Pride slowly spread across Tie's face.
"Yeees! Tie's the boss!"
Katrin laughed heartily.
Then she unfastened the golden pearl brooch on her chest and pinned it to Tie's clothes.
"As fellow bosses, contact me anytime if you need anything."
She beckoned to a worker behind her.
The worker approached and handed Tie a black box tied with a golden ribbon.
"What's this?"
At Basto's question, Katrin gestured for them to open it.
Tie untied the ribbon and lifted the black lid. Inside,
"...Waaah!"
a round magical device with a sparkling pink body soon revealed itself.
"What, is this a Communication Orb?!"
Veil rushed over.
Enzo and Raoul crowded in with curious faces too.
"A Communication Orb, yes. Regular mercenary groups rarely get permits, but I pulled some strings."
Basto stared at Katrin in astonishment.
"...Wait. You're saying Agavert already has permission to use this Communication Orb?"
Katrin nodded.
"Our guild dabbles in finance too, and one of our major clients is the son at the Imperial Transmission Office."
Basto turned away, dumbfounded.
Tie was already holding the Communication Orb and running to Selina and Newman to show off.
"Selina! Tie got a kid's phone too!"
"What's a kid's phone?"
"This! For calling! It's pink! Uhahaha!"
Katrin smiled and added.
"Immodest as it sounds from me, our guild has wide reach. Lots of connections everywhere. Sometimes they help in tricky negotiations. Even mercenaries contact us now and then."
"...Mercenaries?"
"Of course. Just recently on the Northern Continent. Trebaga clashed with the Church, and we smoothed it over for them."
Katrin made a circle with her fingers.
"Anyway! We usually charge monthly fees to help mercenaries, but Agavert's basically family now, so no need."
She glanced at Selina and Tie.
"Can our Selina play with Miss Tie sometimes? It's the first time Selina's liked a friend this much, so as a mom, I'd love to cheer on their friendship."
Basto swallowed hard.
Then he nodded.
"...Please do. They're already so close, we couldn't separate them even if we tried."
As if proving his words, Selina was chattering away with Tie again.
About the Communication Orb's color, Tani Pang being Tie's favorite character, and such.
"Thank you so much."
Katrin bowed once more in gratitude.
Then she looked at each squad member in turn and said.
"Contact us anytime you need anything. Via that Communication Orb."
Soon, Katrin left the mansion with her workers and Selina.
Tie clung to the window, clutching her new Communication Orb, watching Selina's family enter the house across the street.
* * *
Two days later.
Agavert's Mana Stone sieges resumed.
Marbas could produce two Enhanced Teleportation Circles per day.
One for going out, one for returning—it was a manageable amount.
Two days after that.
This time, Leonardo Luminen visited the mansion discreetly.
"We found a tutorial hall suitable for Miss Tie."
At his words, Tie bolted upstairs and came back down in disarrayed clothes.
A ridiculous outfit with just her nightclothes and uniform jacket thrown on top.
"Let's go quick! Right? Quick!"
Leonardo soothed the frantic Tie, dressed her properly, and put her in the carriage.
Upon arriving at Luminen Mansion, Tie ran over and hugged Valentis tightly.
"Clan Leaaader!"
Having seen him more often lately, the child had completely let down her guard around Valentis.
"Clan Leader, have you been well?"
Valentis smiled at her clumsy greeting.
"Yes. I've been well. Seems you've been pushing hard on Mana Stone sieges."
"Yeees! Not #1 is a disgrace!"
Valentis burst into laughter.
The squad members, seeing him laugh out loud for the first time, couldn't hide their surprise.
Tie greeted Edmund and Alexander too.
"Edmung Uncle, Alex Thunder Uncle. Hi!"
"Hi, been well. Necromancer King kid looks great. Already 8th place?"
"Yees! Tie worked hard!"
"Still, always prioritize safety, Miss Tie. Getting hurt in a rush would make everyone sad."
"Yees! If I get hurt, Alex Thunder Uncle heals me."
"Of course, but not getting hurt from the start is best, right? Gotta stay healthy to keep sieging Mana Stones and attend tutorial hall."
Tie gasped and looked up.
Then she ran back to Valentis.
"But there's really a tutorial hall for Tie?"
Valentis chuckled lowly.
"Yes. Let's go inside and talk."
"Yeeees!"
Tie answered energetically and took Valentis's hand.
In the conference hall after everyone moved.
"Bought two buildings in Flint Cove."
At Valentis's following words, the squad members' eyes widened.
Nordics asked back.
"Buildings? Did you say buildings just now?"
"Yes. One's a tavern at the edge of the shopping district, the other's an old daycare inside Flint Cove."
Nordics furrowed his brow.
"I understand buying the daycare, but why the tavern building..."
Then the butler handed Valentis a rolled parchment.
Valentis unrolled it, revealing a complex map.
"Found out by chance while investigating. There's a intricate underground passage beneath Flint Cove. It spans nearly the entire area."
Nordics's mouth parted slightly.
Valentis looked around at the other squad members and said.
"Using that passage, it won't look suspicious outwardly. Every morning, the Necromancer King heads to work at the tavern."
"......"
"But in truth, that's not it. Tie will go down the tavern's basement stairs, through the underground passage, to the tutorial hall deep inside Flint Cove."
