"You didn't properly show yourself to me when you got here in Siyetekos. I just found out from one of our servants that you stayed in our guesthouse."

The elderly man smirked as he looked directly at Leonze.

"Maybe that's why you weren't as surprised earlier as I thought you would be."

Leonze placed his hands inside his pocket and glared at the elderly man.

"W-wait… Father…? He's your son?!"

Brittanya stared at the elderly man while she pointed at Leonze.

"Ah, yes… Pardon my rudeness. I haven't introduced myself yet. I am Alsione, Leonze's father. I am also the head of the Merchant Union."

Alsione placed his arm across his stomach and then bowed at Brittanya.

"So, are you telling us that Syrenne only got accepted because Leonze was there to vouch for her?"

Jaegar raised his head and looked at Alsione directly.

"No. I assure you that what she brought really qualified her to join us. But there are other things I'd like to discuss with you. Let us not talk out here. Please, follow me."

Alsione turned around and started to walk away.

"Should we… follow him…?"

Kryllo stared at Alsione's back.

"Tch. Just when I was doing things my way."

Leonze shook his head and then followed after his father.

"I get a feeling that we really don't have a choice. He is the head of the Merchant Union, after all. Basically, he controls this whole city."

Jaegar furrowed his eyebrows as he also walked after Leonze.

"Hey, maybe we can ask him to give us discounts on the shops around here?"

Brittanya looked up and pondered for a moment. When she looked around her, everyone was already walking ahead of her. She quickly ran after them.

---

Everyone followed Alsione until they reached a large solid steel entrance gate. The gate was connected to tall brick walls. The walls surrounded a very wide area, and the inside was hard to see due to the height of the walls.

They stood in front of the steel gate and waited for a while, until it slowly opened and parted in the middle. Inside the walled area was a vast garden full of different flowers and small trees. In the middle was a long mansion with about three floors. Several windows faced toward the gate, showcasing the numerous rooms the mansion had.

The mansion also had a large wooden front door, almost rivaling the height of the entrance gate. There were people who stood in front of each side of the door and held the vertical handles.

Alsione walked through the gate and along the pathway leading to the front door. Leonze walked nonchalantly after his father. The other three swallowed hard before entering the paradise-like expanse.

---

Inside the large mansion, the party was led to what seemed like a study room in the first floor. The whole room had books lined up in the shelves along the walls. There was a desk near a window facing the garden. In front of the desk, there were two long, cushioned couches facing each other with a tea table in between. A lone cushioned chair was placed across the desk, and faced the table and two couches.

Alsione sat down on the lone chair. Leonze sat on one of the couches, while Jaegar and the others sat on the other couch. Drinks were served by a maid. She placed cups in front of everyone on top of the table and poured hot tea in each one.

"Finally, we can talk with ease."

Alsione took his cup and drank the tea.

"What did you want to talk to us about?"

Jaegar looked intently at Alsione. He sat up straight on the couch. Brittanya sat on his left side, while Kryllo was beside her.

"I'm sure you are curious why my son is in the Thief Association when I am the head of the Merchant Union."

Alsione closed his eyes and held his cup in his hands.

"No, not really."

Brittanya smiled and picked up her cup and drank the tea.

"I couldn't care less."

Jaegar kept staring at Alsione.

"Can I… have… another… cup…?"

Kryllo raised his empty cup of tea and looked at the maid standing beside him.

"Why are you guys so heartless?! Show a little bit of interest!"

Leonze stomped his foot and slammed the table as he glared at the party. Alsione then laughed heartily.

"It's nice to see that you're already getting along so well."

"Is that what it looks like to you?!"

Leonze then changed the target of his ire to his father.

"Anyway, if that was what you wanted to talk about, we're not interested so—"

"You see, when my Leonze was still a small child, I saw in him the potential to be a great merchant…"

Alsione kept talking and ignored Jaegar.

"He's not listening to you, Jaegar. Let's just hear out the old man. Maybe he doesn't have that many people to talk to these days, you know?"

Brittanya whispered into Jaegar's ear.

"…He was inquisitive and curious about a lot of things. That was when he read something about the Legendary Artifacts. It was from an old journal by his grandfather. When he later asked me about the artifacts, I just knew that he couldn't be just an ordinary merchant like me. He had to see the world for himself, walking in other people's shoes! Which was why I had him join the Thief Association. I wanted him to develop skills without relying on his massive wealth. I wanted him to gain resourcefulness and wit that being pampered won't teach him. I know he hates me for it, but I really did it for his dream of uncovering the truth about the Legendary Artifacts…"

Alsione then longingly glanced at his son.

"Hey, Kryllo! Wake up! I think the story is over now."

Brittanya shook Kryllo's shoulder, as he already nodded off a while ago. Kryllo then slowly opened his eyes.

"W-was it that boring?"

Alsione forced a smile as he scratched his cheek.

"I think your plan failed. He sucks as a thief. He got caught while stealing a single apple."

Jaegar closed his eyes and shook his head.

"That's because I refuse to be a thief! I only use my negotiation skills to get what I want, just like a real merchant should. The merchant code is what I live by! I don't even know any thief skills!"

Leonze glared and pointed at Jaegar.

"T-then how were you able to join the Thief Association?"

Brittanya eagerly looked at Leonze.

"I just used other thieves to get what was required in our test. If you know what another person wants, you can easily manipulate them into doing what you want."

Leonze crossed his arms and smirked.

"Oh… I can't apply that to myself…"

Brittanya talked under her breath as she looked away.

"He's not a fighter. He doesn't even know thief skills that could be useful in explorations. He is the definition of dead weight. How do you expect us to bring him along? Just to make it clear, my mission is to wipe out as much monsters as possible. He clearly cannot help with that."

Jaegar furrowed his brows as he stared at Alsione.

"I'm sitting right here, you know!"

Leonze sneered at Jaegar.

"Oh. That may be so. But wasn't he the one who got you into Galunes Island?"

Alsione put his cup on the table and clasped his hands together as he leaned back on his chair.

"Crap, he knows about it!"

Brittanya quickly looked at Alsione as she almost spilled her tea on herself.

"I knew you couldn't be trusted! You said no one would know! You really are a scam artist!"

Jaegar then pointed at Leonze and glared at him.

"I am basically the head of this city. Did you really think I wouldn't know when people head off to the island? It's their decision whether to go there or not. I'm not obligated to stop them. That's the knights' job, strictly speaking."

Alsione glanced toward Jaegar.

"So, is it safe to assume that you won't report us?"

Jaegar turned his attention to Alsione.

"Of course. Everyone that went to that island, including you, knew the threat of that monster. And yet, you all still went there."

Alsione smiled and closed his eyes.

"I feel like there is something more to this…"

Brittanya squinted at Alsione.

"Going back to my point. My son has been useful to your goals, correct? And seeing that you all got back here alive and with a Diamede to boot, means that you are all quite capable. Which is why I want my son to join you. But if my simple request is not enough, then the knights might want to know about some rule breakers. Who knows?"

Alsione winked Jaegar.

"Ah, there it is. The classic blackmail."

Jaegar glared at the elderly man.

"Please, don't think of it as such. I just know my son can contribute in other ways toward your mission. And as I have said earlier, you won't have to worry about protecting him. Just leave him alone and he'll be fine."

Alsione then smiled at Jaegar.

"What do you mean by that—"

"Do we have a deal?"

Alsione cut off Jaegar and offered his hand. Jaegar let out a sigh.

"I'm going to regret this."

Jaegar glanced at Leonze before he ultimately shook Alsione's hand.