The hot spring was as great as ever.

It wasn’t the same VIP spring Karl got into last time thanks to Knight Hartwell, but it was a crowded hot spring instead. Karl didn’t like crowded spaces, except for his oshi’s concert, but he forgot about all that the moment he let his body sink into the water.

The water was warm. It helped relax every muscle in his body. Warmth soaked into his blood as it traveled through his veins, reaching even his pinky toe.

It would have been the best feeling ever if he didn’t see naked guys all around him whenever he opened his eyes.

But hey, you win some, you lose some. It was unavoidable.

That night, when he was traveling through town before coming back to NorthStar the day after. Karl had a pleasant surprise meeting.

“Lucy?” Karl called out to the brown-red wavy, shoulder-length ponytail he would recognize anywhere.

“Young Master Kanehiro?” Lucy was just as surprised as Karl. “Shouldn’t you be in NorthStar?”

She wasn’t wearing the same butler outfit as last time. Instead, she wore a black yukata with gold and blue flower designs. The yukata and the red obi suited her well, they made her hair pop out while highlighting her tall and straight posture.

She looked great. But Karl wouldn’t be fooled by her look. Underneath those slender fingers and more-than-loose-enough sleeves were hidden knives that would find their mark and take lives as easily as breathing.

“I could say the same to you, Lucy. You look great in that, by the way.”

“…You are too young to be going around picking girls up at night, Young Master.” Lucy dodged Karl’s gaze.

“That was not my intention. Nor was complimenting someone truthfully a pickup line.”

“…Like I said. What are you doing here, Young Master?”

“I’m on a hunting mission from the Adventurer Guild.”

“You’re an adventurer, Young Master?”

Karl took out his bronze tag and said, “I am now.” He smiled, trying to look like a child who just got a new toy and was excited to play with it.

“Congratulations, Young Master.”

“Thank you.”

Suddenly, a familiar voice Karl had heard only once before interrupted their conversation. “Oho? I didn’t know you two were acquaintances.”

Karl turned and looked at the woman who made herself known intentionally. His evaluation of her only got higher on their second meeting. Even in a relaxed state, the woman was still like a sharp sword hidden inside its scabbard. Iris Duskveil, NorthStar’s Information Guild Leader.

She walked toward them and put herself in between Lucy and Karl. Her smile, unreadable.

“So did I.” Karl put on his mask. “I didn’t know Guild Leader was familiar with Lucy.”

When Duskveil heard Karl call Lucy by name, her eyes squinted and sharpened for a fraction of a second. But it was skillfully hidden away just as quickly.

"I am quite familiar with Lucy myself. And it was quite a surprise to see her having fun talking to someone.” She eyed Karl. “Someone as well versed in the art of communication as yourself, no less.”

Heh, a fox calling someone a fox. How funny. But in for a penny, in for a pound, I guess.

“Ah, that makes sense. I, too, wouldn’t want someone I cherish to hang out with such a person.”

Spark flew as the two smiled at each other. Karl never liked being accused of doing something he didn’t do. It reminded him of too many annoying memories.

“Mother, please stop. There’s nothing wrong with speaking to an acquaintance when we accidentally met.” Lucy interjected.

“Mother?” Karl looked back and forth between the two. He saw zero resemblance.

“Yes. Is that so strange, Young Master Kanehiro?” Duskveil asked.

“No.” Karl shook his head. “Not at all. I don’t unnecessarily poke my head into others' family matters. It isn’t where I should be, nor is it something I should know.” Karl made his stand clear. Whatever happened between mother and child had nothing to do without him, nor was he keen to find out.

"Since we stumbled upon each other like this, should we talk business, Mrs. Duskveil?”

She didn’t respond right away. She just smiled as she looked at Karl.

“My apology, Young Master Kanehiro. But I’m on vacation, and this is my precious time with my daughter. I ask for your understanding on the matter.” She said so, but her tone sounded more like “screw off” to Karl.

“I see, that’s too bad.” Karl paused. “If that is the case, I won’t take up more of your time. Goodbye.”

Karl took a slight bow. “Take care, Lucy,” He waved, then walked away.

Looking at Karl's back as he got further away, Duskveil said as she turned around.

“You made yourself quite the troublesome friend.” Lucy followed her. She didn’t look back, but she had a soft smile on her face. The kind of smile she couldn’t have if she were still at war with herself.

Back at the inn the Healthy Body Club booked, something Karl didn’t expect to happen in their room.

Every futon and pillow the inn put in the middle of the room for them to sleep on was placed to the side while the seniors were having a party.

“Drink, drink, drink.” Zack, Diana, and Xil’pul were chanting as Bulka kept on chucking on a barrel of beer. A whole barrel. When Bulka finished, he raised the barrel upside down to let the other three know that not a single drop of beer was left. Once that happened, the crowd went wild.

Weren’t they the HEALTHY Body Club? What was so healthy about drinking an excessive amount of alcohol?

“Oh, you’re back.” Zack noticed Karl. “Here,” He gave Karl a glass of beer.

“No thanks, I prefer tea.”

Zack shrugged. “Your loss.” And drank the whole glass in one breath. Once again, Karl questioned his decision.

“What are we celebrating?” Karl asked as he sat down on the ground.

“MY WIFE IS PREGNATE. I’LL DRINK TO THAT HAHAHA.” Bulka's voice sounded like he was talking through a megaphone.

Raising one eyebrow, Karl looked at Zack.

“Yeah,” Zack nodded.

“Well, that’s unexpected.”

“Not really, junior Karl. He’s almost twenty-five. Still young. But it’s the perfect age to have a child. It’s not like we have hundreds and thousands of years to live like our ancestors from long ago anyway.” Diana interjected.

“I see,” Karl nodded. “I just never thought senior Bulka had a wife before he joined the academy.”

“What can we say?” Zack took another swing. “We really like magic.”

If someone was under thirty, they could join NorthStar Academy as a student. It wasn’t that much of a surprise to see someone with a wife and child, even though they were students. Karl justified.

“Alright, I’m having a glass, seniors.” Karl stood up and walked toward an unopened barrel.

“Hahahaaha, that’s the spirit. Drink with me, Karl.” Bulka rushed toward the barrel before Karl and smashed the top wide open. He shoved his glass down and scooped up a glass overflowing with beer.

Karl took the glass and drank it all in one go. All four seniors cheered loudly.

That night, the five of them drank six beer barrels. Bulka took it upon himself and drank two.

The day after, when they went back to NorthStar, the moment they walked out of the warp gate. Karl puked his gut out as the other four jumped back on reflects.

“You shouldn’t drink that much if you can’t drink alcohol, Karl.” Bulka patted Karl’s back as the other four used their skills to get rid of the puke. Despite that, the four of them were all smiles.

“This body is just too weak. That’s all.” Karl said, wiping the puke from his mouth.

“Here.” Diana floated a water ball the size of a football and left it hovering in front of Karl.

“Thanks, senior Diana,” Karl said before washing his face and taking a big sip to wash his mouth too.

After washing his face and mouth, Karl stood up straight and peeked at the guy leaning on a pillar near them. The guy didn’t even try to hide that he was watching them. “I have something to do now, please excuse me, seniors.”

“Not coming with us to the Adventurer Guild to get the reward?” Zack asked.

“Maybe next time, senior.” Karl smiled apologetically.

“Okay, if there's anything you need help with, you call us. Alright?” Bulka slapped Karl’s back. What’s up with these people and back-slapping?

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Karl waved them goodbye.

Looking at the figures of his seniors getting further and further away, Karl slowly put on his smiling mask and looked at the guy leaning on the pillar. “I don’t believe we met.”

“The Boss Lady is calling for you.” The man said as he removed his hood.

He was a human with brown hair with green highlights here and there. He dressed like a town person going on a stroll, with a loose white shirt and comfortable black trousers. But clearly, he wasn’t doing that.

“And who is this Boss Lady you speak of?”

“Boss Lady Duskveil.” The man grumbled like Karl was supposed to know that.

“I see. Lead the way.”

With that, the two went to a building two blocks away from the Information Guild. The building was in a rather secure part of the district with little, almost no, traffic. It was quiet and isolated. A perfect spot to get rid of someone without anyone knowing.

The man tapped five times on the closed door in a certain rhythm. Seconds later, someone opened the door.

It was surprisingly clean and well-maintained inside for a house that looked like it was neglected after getting bought by some new money. People were moving around relentlessly, just like inside the Information Guild, but these people didn’t look like they were preparing for news that could be shared with the public.

As the man led Karl to the third floor, he stopped in front of a closed room.

He didn’t say anything and stood there like a guarding statue.

Karl approached the door and knocked. The voice he had heard yesterday came from inside the room. But this time, there was no tension nor anything that could show what she was thinking. A perfectly well-trained and practiced voice.

“Come in. We have businesses to discuss child of the Kanehiro Clan.”

Child of the clan? Hehe, trying to use a power move to have the upper hand already? Karl smiled.

He opened the door and greeted his soon-to-be business partner. “Hello, we meet again, Mrs. Duskveil.”

“Yes, we meet again. But not by coincidence this time.” She sipped the coffee in her cup.

“Shall we get to the point and talk business?” Karl sat down on the opposite chair.

Duskveil took out a report and placed it in front of Karl. “One hundred eighty-six thousand two hundred and ninety-seven.” She said. “That is how much you and those item crafters made the last three weeks. After factoring in the cost and expenses, including that mansion you just bought, your profit amount to.”

She sipped her coffee again. “Zero.”

She placed the cup down and leaned back. “Now tell me, child. Why should I be partners with someone who isn't making a profit? Who even claimed that I could make so much money, I won’t even be able to imagine the amount.”

Karl leaned back on his chair. “Because you aren’t looking for profit. If you were, you wouldn’t have brought it up.”

“Oh? And what makes you think that?”

“Leader of the Information Guide. The sole operator of NorthStar News Network. You have so much wealth, you can’t spend it all even if you stop working right now. And you said you are desperately in need of money.” Karl smiled. “That wasn’t very believable now, does it?”

“What if I’m pressuring you into giving everything you own?”

“You have a rat in my craftsman’s production chain, you’re someone who could crush us with a wave of her finger. If you wanted to take everything from us, you would’ve done so already.” Karl walked to the world map with detailed borders of every single country behind Duskveil and took it down. He placed the map on the table and pointed at NorthStar.

“What you want isn’t NorthStar.” He moved his finger toward Excaldia. “What you want is Excaldia.”

Duskveil revealed an amused smile. “Why do you think so?”

“It was thanks to accidentally meeting you and Miss Lucy last night.” Karl sat back down. “It got me thinking. If you wanted NorthStar, then what were you doing in Excaldia? And if you didn’t care about what your daughter did, why did you cherish her and the time you spent with her? Considering, Miss Lucy wanted to clean up Excaldia, I believe you share the same goal.”

“That’s a good theory. But there’s no evidence behind it.”

“The evidence is your position. If you didn’t have some kind of plan that required the control of information, you wouldn’t have worked so hard to get to where you are now. Not only that, who do you want to control most? Who relies on information most for a living? Besides people who deal directly with information, I can only think of traders and merchants.”

Karl leaned forward and dragged his finger from NorthStar to Excaldia. “And I can give you the tool to do that.”

Duskveil didn’t respond. Her expression and eyes, unreadable.

“Let’s assume you can do that. What makes you think I won’t be able to do it?”

“Of course, you can. You can do it." Karl paused. "But how long will it take you? Another ten, maybe twenty, or even thirty years? What will you do then? Push your ambition onto Miss Lucy and have her carry out your dream in your place?”

Duskveil finally showed a hostile gaze. But once again, she hid it away as fast as lighting.

Karl took his chance and pushed when the opponent was weak. “What I’m offering you isn’t a method. But time. Decades of your and your daughter’s time.”

In the quiet room, the two warriors looked at each other. Preparing their next moves.

Finally, Duskveil spoke first. “If it's wealth and status you’re seeking, I can…” She stopped when Karl shook his head.

“You misunderstand me, Mrs. Duskveil. I’m not the one to benefit most from this partnership. You are. I’m not here to ask you to bestow me your benevolence. I’m here as the representative of Kanehiro Idol Agency. You need us. Not the way around. So.”

He leaned back with a relaxed smile. “Shall we talk business?”