“Crackdown? Don’t make me laugh! I’m close with the madam here, so what kind of nonsense are you spouting? What unit are you from, huh? I’ll have a word with your captain! Hey, you!”

The room grew chaotic with Yuto’s sudden entrance.

Before long, even the madam, waiters, and bouncers swarmed into the room.

“Hey, madam! Crackdown? What happened to trust?”

“I’m sorry, darling… It’s an undercover operation. There was nothing we could do.”

“Damn it! This is crap!”

Whoosh!

The leader of the group, Clank  pulled a metal baton from his belt.

“Hey, you in the crackdown team. You look like a rookie, so let me educate you. A crackdown in this empire? You can’t make arrests unless you take them down by force.”

“Is that so? By ‘force,’ you mean?”

“Yeah. We’re not some newbie adventurers. You should’ve at least brought enough people to match our numbers.”

The bouncers each drew their weapons. It was evident that a single enforcer couldn’t handle five Gold-rank individuals.

However, there was one fact they overlooked.

“Good. That makes it simple.”

“What? Are you mocking me, you little…”

“I will now commence the execution of official duties.”

What they failed to realize was that Yuto wasn’t part of the crackdown team.

“...What?”

Before anyone could react, Yuto had already moved behind Clank.

He snapped a pair of alloy handcuffs onto Clank’s wrist.

“Huh?!”

The bizarre sight left the rest of the group stunned, swallowing dryly as they gawked in disbelief.

“What just happened?”

“I didn’t even see him move!”

None of them could track Yuto’s movements with their eyes.

Even Ellie Ingrid who had honed her sensory skills through rigorous training, stood frozen, covering her eye patch. Not even her trained perception could detect any motion.

‘Someone like this… can’t possibly exist…’

He was just a C-Class cadet.

Even at her level as an A-Class, there were no talents like his, making it hard to believe what she was witnessing.

“Arrest complete.”

“You bastard! How dare you cuff our leader—”

“Would you like to continue?”

“...No…”

Clank’s group surrendered without resistance.

Only after all five were subdued did Ellie finally relax.

It was then that the absurdity of the situation began to sink in, and her suspicions started to bubble up.

“Yuto… why were you pretending to be part of the crackdown team?”

“To avoid complications later.”

“What…?”

Yuto offered no further explanation.

With his usual dry expression, he approached the madam, leaving Ellie to stew in frustration.

Although he was a man of few words, this time it was particularly hard for her to stay calm.

Carefully, she tiptoed closer, straining her ears to eavesdrop on the conversation between Yuto and the madam.

“Madam, I’ve kept my end of the deal.”

“Darling, I can’t thank you enough. I didn’t think you’d be able to handle them all by yourself.

Aren’t you just a cadet?”

“They let their guard down, which made it easier. I doubt they’ll trouble your establishment again after this.”

“That’s a relief. They’ve been such a headache… I’ll finally be able to sleep peacefully.”

“You’ve worked hard. And as promised, I’d appreciate it if you could cancel Ellie’s recruitment.”

“Of course. A deal’s a deal. But if you were so concerned, wouldn’t it have been better to sit her down and talk? She might’ve been shaken up by this incident.”

“No. It’s important for her to learn through experience. I believe this will serve as a valuable lesson for Ellie.”

“Oh my, you’re so caring. Is she your girlfriend?”

“Haha, no, it’s nothing like that.”

Ellie Ingrid’s mind couldn’t keep up with their conversation.

Somewhere along the line, it veered off into topics she couldn’t make sense of, leaving her head buzzing with a flurry of chaotic thoughts.

“What on earth are they even talking about?”

Keeping Promises

Keeping promises.

A mutually agreed deal.

Wanting her to realize something for herself?

C-Caring… what’s that supposed to mean?

Amid the confusion, a seedling quietly sprouted.

The realization that all of this was intended for her benefit.

When she thought about it, had Yuto ever truly shown malice toward her?

He had uncovered her secrets, but it was she who had been unfairly accused, using her exposure as a pretext.

“……”

If he really had done it for her sake—if his approach to her had been for the purpose of helping her

“Why…?”

She wanted to understand the emotions he harbored toward her. The curiosity was so overwhelming it nearly tore her apart.

No one had ever cared for her this much before.

Not her father. Not her mother. Not even her older brother.

Their so-called care had been nothing more than a form of neglect disguised as respect.

Even the men who approached her at social gatherings or diplomatic events were no different.

They were petty opportunists, scheming to exploit the prestige of House Ingrid  and her physical beauty for their own gain.

But that man—he was different.

He acted without being intimidated by her background.

He never displayed greed for wealth.

And now, all his actions had revealed themselves to be rooted in her benefit.

“What is this feeling? Why do I feel… relieved?”

For the first time in her life, Ellie felt a sense of reassurance.

Even the fact that he knew her secret took on a special significance.

“Could this be… camaraderie?”

Ever since she was a child, Ellie had idolized the tales of heroes.

Even as she grew older, she would find time to read them, making it a beloved hobby.

In all those countless stories of heroes, one essential element was always present

Companions.

When it came to companions, they would fight to the death for them.

They cherished their companions as though they were true family.

And if anyone dared harm a companion, they would utterly destroy anything—or anyone—in their way.

That fierce yet unwavering bond had always been something she deeply envied.

“Hehe.”

Soon, a strange, mischievous smile crept beneath Ellie Ingrid’s eye patch.

“M-Maybe… it wouldn’t hurt to trust him a little!”

Feigning indifference. Pretending nothing had changed.

Yet in the depths of her heart, a spark had ignited—a spark that would set fire to the unyielding worldview of a girl who had never before entertained thoughts of romance.​

​

—---------------------

“Oh my, you’re just dripping with affection. So, is she your girlfriend?”

Haha. What nonsense.

I turned away from my conversation with the madam, focusing instead on the faint presence behind the door.

You idiot. You’re eavesdropping perfectly, aren’t you?

Everything was going according to plan.

This would only strengthen Ellie Ingrid’s attachment and make her more compliant.

Originally, I had planned to save her just before things got truly dire.

But the third-rate thugs turned out to be far too easy to handle, which was a little disappointing.

Dragging things out would’ve been better.

This whole fiasco was a scripted act between the madam and me.

She wanted an excuse to kick out troublesome patrons who frequently harassed her girls.

I needed a stage to educate Ellie Ingrid.

In the end, it was a win-win.

“Madam, we’ll take our leave now.”

“Sure, come by again sometime. I’ll treat you properly—no funny business.”

“Haha.”

As if I’d come back.

Ellie and I left the tavern, stepping into the bustling street.

Despite being in the slums, the nightlife was vibrant and chaotic.

The smell of meat sizzling on grills, the sharp tang of strong liquor, and the spicy aroma of exotic seasonings crafted to entice customers filled the air.

“Before we head back to the dormitory, how about some food?”

“W-What?! Are you asking me?”

What’s with the reaction?

Who said I was eating with you?

Ellie Ingrid  flinched, her shoulders jerking in surprise.

“F-Fine, I suppose…”

“Then let’s find somewhere close.”

How unusually docile of her.

Maybe it’s because she just went through a rough time?

Not that it matters. She’s destined to suffer more in the future anyway.

“Ellie, have you decided on what to order?”

“Oh… I’ll have the cube steak set, please.”

Unbelievable.

It’s not just her quiet demeanor—that’s already strange enough—but her behavior makes it seem like she’s sitting on pins and needles.

How could someone so bratty change overnight?

“You don’t need to feel pressured.”

“What?”

“You don’t have to worry. I’m the one who connected you with that job opportunity.”

“N-No, it’s fine. After all, I was the one who wanted it in the first place.”

She’s got a point.

The results of this education are amazing.

“I… realized something from this experience.”

“And what might that be?”

“That I shouldn’t think making money would ever be easy.”

Impressive.

Good. Learn that lesson thoroughly as you keep working hard for your cash.

“That’s a valuable insight. The worth of money is often tied to the quality of labor.”

“Yuto, did you… do this to me on purpose?”

“Pardon?”

“N-Never mind!”

She cut herself off mid-sentence.

Was there something else she wanted to say?

But judging by how she was devouring the cube steak the moment it hit the table, it didn’t seem all that important.

“Nom nom! Nom nom!”

“Ellie, slow down.”

“Oh… sorry. I haven’t had much of an appetite lately…”

What? Put the bowl down first before you talk, then.

Ellie had her face buried in the dish as she inhaled the food.

For some reason, it felt like I was feeding livestock.

I took a bite of my own B-set meal, savoring the taste.

Honestly, I hadn’t been hungry for a while now.

Ellie Ingrid’s attachment has grown stronger.]

.

.

.

[You’ve gained a surge of experience points.]

Watching this, I felt full even without eating.

Experience points? Delicious.

My stock was skyrocketing.

But then, a new notification made me pause.

Laura Freeze’s attachment has grown stronger.]

.

.

.

[You’ve gained a surge of experience points.]

Huh?

Laura Freeze who wasn’t even here, had her attachment level increasing.

Why?

I scanned the restaurant, looking for her.

Unsurprisingly, there was no sign of her.

Unless she had purposefully gone into hiding, which didn’t seem likely, she wasn’t here.

What’s going on, protagonist? What are you up to now?