To put it bluntly, Lucia’s waitress outfit suited her.

I guess I decided to listen to what the lady said, but it was a white-based outfit with a red tint, and it matched her eyes very well.

if there is a problem… … .

“Doesn’t it make a impression?”

“huh… … .”

It’s her disgruntled face.

Wouldn’t it be polite to smile as brightly as possible if you were doing a service job?

“If it were Noah, he would have smiled brightly, but he lacks professionalism.”

“Prince of Oz. Can you please keep your mouth shut?”

As if feeling shame, Lucia grabbed the hem of her skirt and cursed.

It may be a reward for some, but not me.

I want kindness.

“What is the recommended menu here?”

“How do I know that?!”

“I thought you learned.”

“It only took me 15 minutes to get here!”

It seems that I have never seen Lucia so resentful.

It must have been a lot of stress in the past. I feel a little guilty, but I can’t help it because it’s a big deal if Eleanor’s notoriety gets blocked due to this incident.

something someone had to do And that someone is Lucia. She will have no choice but to understand this.

“If you didn’t want to do this, couldn’t you have found Noah faster than Baekyang?”

“… … Since I was wrong, can you hurry up and shut up?”

“yes.”

At this point, the discipline has been strengthened. Feeling superior to her fluttering figure, I place an order.

I ordered meat as the main and 2 parfaits for dessert.

“A parfait? Prince of Oz, you?”

“I decided to help you to some extent, so I will buy you this much.”

In particular, considering a female student like Lucia, I ordered it as a parfait.

In fact, I even wanted to try it.

However, since I have my image, it was a little too much for me to be proud of it, so I sold Lucia.

“… … Even if you try to buy my favor like that, if you think I’ll pass you by, you’re mistaken, Prince Oz.”

“Yeah, I’m glad you seem happy.”

On the outside, he grunts, but when you see his tail wagging, he doesn’t seem to be in a bad mood.

“Aren’t you thinking of me as an easy-going woman?”

“… … No, that’s over now, so just bring me some food.”

How long are you going to have these boring conversations? At this rate, you’ll end up saying the same thing unnecessarily.

“Chit… … .”

When I urged Lucia in that way, she glared at me once with mischievous eyes, and then headed towards the kitchen with angry steps.

What, are you sulking over something like that?

Cats seem to be very difficult creatures to understand.

“This isn’t even playing with my food… … ?”

Ay, Lucia isn’t Eleanor, so I wonder if she’ll play a joke like that.

* * *

Lucia was in a good mood.

Yes, it was good.

No, it would be more accurate to say that it wasn’t bad.

“huh.”

However, Lucia was angry at Oz’s appropriate attitude, which quickly kicked her out like flipping the palm of her hand.

“ha… … . I am not a child.”

Regardless of her age, she is a soldier.

I didn’t show off my social life to the point of getting heated over this.

“student.”

‘It’s all because of that night.’

“student.”

‘It’s because I was worried about it for nothing because I had a useless conversation.’

“student?”

“Ah yes… … Yeah!”

Lucia belatedly noticed the restaurant lady staring at her and replied.

“Look at this and make me some dessert. Can you?”

“Oh, of course! Trust me!”

Lucia answered while acting herself as she usually treats Eleanor.

And I felt a sense of disgust at the sight of myself and felt intimidated.

‘Now this feels like a default state… … .’

Lucia was basically stuck with Eleanor, so there were a lot of times when she was acting.

When I was dealing with Oz, it didn’t matter because I was basically in a nervous state, but in such an unexpected situation, the image I was acting in came out.

‘If this is not done sooner or later… … .’

Lucia felt the danger in the current situation. It’s her job to blend in, but it’s dangerous if she can’t come back from there.

You wouldn’t be able to lift your face if you were always like this.

“ha… … .”

Lucia shook her head and checked the pamphlet the restaurant lady had left behind.

The description of the composition was written around the photo of the parfait.

There is nothing difficult. Just stack them up exactly like the picture.

“Well, that’s not a bad feeling.”

Lucia nodded as she watched the parfait being completed one by one.

No matter what happened, the sense of accomplishment was not something to be taken lightly.

“Um… … .”

As the parfait neared completion, Lucia began to hesitate.

“Are you really eating this? that’s kinda… … Aren’t you pitiful?”

Lucia was in extreme distress when she saw the cat-shaped cookies that went into the top of the parfait.

“I mean it was well made.”

It was a really trivial and useless worry, but Lucia was serious.

It was a secret from others, but Lucia liked cats.

That’s why I felt sorry for the fact that even such a cat-shaped cookie would be eaten and disappear.

“I don’t think Prince Oz will notice if I remove one or two anyway… … .”

“I don’t care. You, isn’t that embezzlement?”

“… … .”

Lucia took a deep breath at the sound of Oz’s voice behind her.

Don’t panic.

Now is the time to show the aspect of a soldier that has been cultivated for a long time.

“Prince of Oz? You can’t come into the kitchen on your own.”

“This is an open kitchen. Lucia.”

“… … Damn it.”

Lucia murmured briefly and turned around. Oz was looking at her with pity.

“I’ll give it to you if you need it. But since it’s food, will it go bad if stored for a long time?”

“I do not need.”

“really?”

“I do not need!”

With those words, Lucia turned her head away as if she were indifferent.

“… … .”

Of course, Oz’s [Contemplation] saw through Lucia’s inner thoughts.

It was unfortunate. Oz shook his head at the inside of Lucia who couldn’t help but be disappointed even as she spoke.

“I tried to hide it now, but it’s too late, so just take it when it’s given.”

“Hide? I? what? No, I’m not hiding anything?”

“Uh, yes… … .”

Seeing Lucia fiercely resisting, Oz raised his hand in surrender. It didn’t seem like he would be able to break her stubbornness.

‘He resembles Noah in a strange way… … .’

Oz thought about that and went back to his original position.

And Lucia secretly took her share of cat cookies while watching Oz’s back and got caught.

“Ah, well… … .”

“So when they say give it, take it… … .”

Lucia blamed herself with tears in her eyes for forgetting that Oz could see wide.

‘I really want to get rid of this!’

Maybe I’ll put on a blanket tonight.

* * *

Around the time when Eleanor, who had been discharged from the hospital with her body stabilized and with amazing recovery, started working part-time again.

“Did you finally decide to continue?”

“Noisy… … .”

Surprisingly, even after Eleanor returned, Lucia did not give up her part-time job and continued on.

She was gathering customers outside holding a signpost.

I wondered if customers would gather with such annoyed expressions, but I didn’t point it out.

What if you are good?

“Why are you here again today?”

“I came to ask you today, so don’t make such an impression.”

Lucia has been strangely sharp towards me since the last incident.

It’s not particularly scary, but it feels like a nuisance, like a cat threatening you with its fur and tail.

“request? What request?”

“Let’s start with eating. Would you mind giving me a seat?”

“… … die.”

Lucia had a disgusted look on her face, but for now, she guided me meekly.

It seems that there is a self-awareness that you are doing a service business.

“Ah, Master! Welcome. Did you come to see me?”

“Can we just do that for now?”

“Yeah? Isn’t that all there is to it?”

I always feel it, but it can’t be that it’s a really great self-consciousness.

I just came to eat, but it’s hard to correct me if I’m so confident.

Eleanor was wearing a waitress outfit she had seen before.

Even though I’ve only seen her once, maybe it’s because her color and attitude contrasted with Lucia’s.

“Then, give me a tip for my cute student. tip.”

“Noah, since I haven’t ordered yet, can you take the order first?”

Where did your conscience go to ask you to tip first with no service?

I wanted to hit Eleanor, who was sending out strange signals by drawing money shapes with her fingers, but I held back.

If only I didn’t know why, uh huh… … .

“Because I guided them to a particularly good spot. This seat is usually full of reservations… … . So you know?”

“Why don’t you do a hard sell?”

The place Eleanor guided me to was not a place I would consider very good.

Moreover, there is no reason to be full of reservations because I deliberately picked a time when there were no people.

Yeah, it’s just a simple scam.

“First take the order. I’ll give you a tip when the food comes out.”

“Yep!”

“Then, with the hamburger steak… … .”

When Eleanor heard that she was giving a tip, she immediately took her order with a friendly attitude. Regardless of what you do, I’m glad you’re working hard.

“Okay then.”

I’d better finish my work while Eleanor rushes into the kitchen to help the restaurant owner.

When I come back, I will be noisy again, so now is the only chance.

“Can I talk to you? Discre Punisher.”

“Yes, Agent Lucia is in an emotional state right now.”

Discree had been sitting before I came.

If I had activated [Contemplation] in advance and wasn’t conscious of it, I would have missed it.

“Is this the place Tenebris got to gather information?”

If the restaurant is crowded, it will be easy to get information.

“Exactly, an external collaborator.”

I thought it was strange that Eleanor, who had escaped from the hospital, found a part-time job the same day.

It’s nothing strange if ＜Tenebris＞ induced it in the first place.

“I don’t think Lucia doesn’t know about this?”

If he had known, he wouldn’t have reacted so violently when I asked for a pinch hitter.

Even if it was just acting, I would never trust Lucia again.

“Yes, I am unaware that the store owner is a collaborator. It’s just that a new hideout has been created.”

“Is there any need to lie?”

“… … .”

Discree smiled lightly instead of answering. A rough estimate goes.

They belong to the Imperial Intelligence Service.

It is not revealed on the outside, and even if it is revealed, it is often a disguised identity.

As the name suggests, they are a group living in the shadows.

“You are very worried about your little sister.”

Yes, Discree is preparing to send Lucia out of the water at any time.

“Unlike me, he has talent.”

“You’ll be fine.”

Lucia’s talent would be okay to say that she was a genius.

Even if he is not a genius of the century like me, Alexios, and Arietta, it is certain that he has above-average abilities in many ways.

An angular stone hits the mark.

Especially if it is a shadowy place that can be removed at any time.

Being in a dark place is more annoying than being in a bright place.

It was a problem that was dealt with once in the game. To be precise, it corresponds to the personal story of Lucia and Discre.

I didn’t check Discre’s personal story, but I remember Lucia’s personal story.

Fortunately, this is not a problem for me right now.

“Okay then, that’s over now. Let’s get to the point.”

“I see.”

Moreover, there is not much time.

I don’t know when Eleanor will return, so I’d better finish my work if possible.

“I want to find a mercenary.”

“… … It will be hard to find mercenaries to escort you.”

“I’m not looking for my escort.”

In the first place, it is difficult to find someone strong enough to escort me, and as long as there are political problems, I’m sure you can count on one hand those who accept.

Moreover, no matter how much money I have, hiring a mercenary of that level is quite a blow.

“What I want to know is their trend.”

“Trends?”

Discree narrowed her eyes as if she didn’t understand.

“Yes, things like their movement routes, request patterns, and tendencies.”

“All right. If so, which mercenary group do you want information on?”

Chapter 4 of the main story.

Eleanor collects money to check Chrysos’s condition with her own eyes and gets stabbed in the back.

The cause was the leader of the mercenary corps who had been brainwashed while capturing the ‘existence outside’ in Chapter 3.

Thanks to the other members of the mercenary team who noticed the leader’s abnormality, they escaped, but the mercenary group was massacred.

As a result, Eleanor wants strength, and Chapter 5 continues.

But now, that process is no longer necessary. Because she has already unlocked the power of the key to some extent.

This means that it is an unnecessary process.

So, what I’m going to do is decided.

“The Red Lion Mercenaries.”

To be precise, ‘Red Lion Scar’ is the leader of the Red Lion Mercenary Corps.

Eliminate the 4 boss monsters that can no longer ignite the growth of Eleanor in advance.