"In my opinion... Young lord," Lawrence, perched on Ansel''s shoulder, scratched its head. "If you''re looking for a sheep-selling shop, why not ask me?"


    "I didn''te to the ck market specifically for this."


    Ansel, slicing the fruit on his te, spoke calmly, "It''s just a whim."


    "...A whim, huh."


    The plump rat climbed down from Ansel''s shoulder, obediently lying at the edge of the table, not saying much else.


    Three years ago, my young lord, wielding Gleipnir, cut from one end of the street to the other, seemingly on a "whim" as well. Does this mean another grand spectacle is about to unfold?


    -official


    — That would be splendid!


    Of course, while Lawrence enjoys interesting events, it doesn''t mean he''s deliberately hoping for Ansel to provide entertainment.


    The rat, wagging its tail on the table, lifted its tiny head to look at the ever-perfect young lord, sighing inwardly.


    At young lord''s age, the boss was either ying with youngdies or living a carefree life on the path of manifesting divinity… That was cool.


    Hydral''s "human" life is from bliss to pain, however, my young lord never enjoys the supreme authority brought by the divine species at an age unaffected by the world''s erosion. Instead, he ponders this and that every day, as if he''s nning something from dawn to dusk... How could this be!


    If there''s any trouble, why not let the boss st everything away with Nostrom! If one isn''t a bit willful, how could one be called Hydral?


    With these thoughts and feelings, Lawrence, when Ansel asked him to be the guide, secretly made up his mind to make sure the young lord had a good time today — so he could also enjoy the show.


    "So, Ansel, when are you going to smash that shop?"


    Having eaten four tes of meat, Seraphina was rubbing her hands together, eager to try. "Can I do it?"


    Ansel and Marlina came to the restaurant not long after lunch, precisely because Seraphina hadn''t had lunch after her workout. The girl was now full and brimming with energy.


    "But you have to protect Marlina," Ansel said with a smile, wiping his mouth. "Just bear with it this time."


    "Mr. Ansel, I can stay in a safe ce first."


    Marlina, sitting with her hands t on herp, spoke in a gentle voice, "I won''t cause trouble for you and Seri."


    "What''s the trouble?" Seraphina said nonchntly. "This small ck market, who could threaten Ansel and me? Besides, Lawrence is here."


    Marlina wanted to lecture her sister, but seeing the faint smile on Ansel''s face, she just sighed quietly and didn''t say much. She found... she seemed a bit unustomed to this rxed pace.


    The so-called rxation and entertainment... she didn''t know when it had be somewhat distant for her, and she had be ustomed to it.


    But since she was out with Mr. Ansel and Seri to rx, she shouldn''t talk about big principles and spoil their mood.


    And maybe, I could find what Madam Hydral said... what Mr. Ansel has given up.


    Marlina looked at the two most important people in her life and made up her mind.


    And Seraphina, who had eaten and drunk her fill, was thinking about venting her energy. So she shook Ansel''s arm, "Can Lawrence protect Marli? Now Lawrence is definitely stronger than me and can protect Marli better. I want to beat those bastards with Ansel!"


    "Lawrence is our guide, not a bodyguard." Ansel was finally immune to Seraphina''s onught. He ruffled the girl''s hair, "This time, you just protect Marlina. Next time, if there''s a chance, it''ll be your turn."


    Knowing there was no way, Seraphina reluctantly agreed, "Alright, I will definitely protect Marli."


    But I really want to break the legs of those beasts and hang them at the entrance of the ck market... Damn it!


    The memories Ansel showed Seraphina made her particrly sensitive to these things. When she thought of the suffering that the trafficked and abducted ves might endure, the mes of anger in her heart burned uncontrobly.


    But... since Ansel said so, I''ll bear with it. After all, Ansel will definitely handle it!


    Lawrence just wanted Ansel to have a good time, Marlina was carefully thinking about how to find Ansel''s knot, and Seraphina believed that Ansel would definitely teach those bad guys a good lesson.


    Pure, intimate, simple... no matter what kind of thoughts, they were all revolving around Ansel, who was now quietly wiping his mouth with a napkin.


    It was Seraphina who suggested going out to y, and Ansel''s original intention was to let the sisters rx. But the focus circled back to Ansel.


    And what Ansel was thinking about now, Lawrence couldn''t figure out, Marlina couldn''t guess through, and Seraphina wouldn''t think about it.


    "Let''s go." The young Hydral put down his napkin and smiled, "It''s about time for that shopkeeper friend to show us the way, to see who has started this trade in the past three years."


    *


    Having concluded his midday meal, the Diplopod closed his stall early today.


    He had anticipated fleecing a wealthy patron, yet to his astonishment, he could not discern the fabric of that young man''s attire.


    The mask adorning the youth''s face was of superior quality, equipped with a potent spell to thwart any probing magic. Drawing upon his years of experience in the ck market, he surmised that this must be a young lord, seeking to impress his paramours with tales of the notorious ck market.


    Such naive individuals,cking discernment and stubbornly prideful, were easy prey — one strike and they were done for.


    As for the risk of crossing paths with someone of consequence… preposterous! The city''s preeminent fence, Diplopod, harbored no such fears. With each transaction, he would alter his location and appearance, who on earth could find him?


    However, instead of the anticipated easy mark, he found himself ensnared in a trap.


    — The memory of his old friend''s shocked expression over lunch was indelible in his mind.


    "What? You sold it for a mere two hundred gold coins?"


    -->