[ "This is what the girl looks like." After completing a perfect sketch, Ayanokōji Kiyotaka handed the paper to Emilia. Her eyes widened as she stared at the portrait; the level of skill displayed by Ayanokōji far exceeded her expectations. In a matter of minutes, he had produced a lifelike image that rivaled the work of a master artist. ]
[ The drawing was meticulous—every detail of the girl's clothing and facial features had been captured with surgical precision. "Ayanokōji, have you met her before?" Emilia asked, genuinely puzzled as to how he could remember such minute details. ]
[ "No, I only saw her for a few seconds about ten minutes ago," Ayanokōji replied flatly. When Emilia pressed him on how he could be so detailed, he simply added, "I just have a good memory. It's nothing special." He treated it as a triviality, but Emilia didn't realize that in those few seconds, Ayanokōji had mapped the girl's features into his mind with the same cold efficiency he used to memorize city streets. ]
[ Thanks to the sketch, they quickly gathered intelligence at the market. The girl was Felt, a notorious thief from the slums who lived with a giant named Old Man Rom. ]
[ 'At least two people then,' Ayanokōji noted internally before turning to Emilia. "Emilia, do you think you can handle them?" ]
[ "If it's just a normal Giant and a petty thief, they're no match for me!" Emilia nodded firmly. "Thanks to you, Ayanokōji. If you hadn't helped, Puck and I would still be wandering around like headless flies... Anyway, let's go!" ]
[ "Lia, we should hurry. It's almost time," Puck said from her shoulder, letting out a small yawn. ]
[ "Time?" Ayanokōji inquired. Puck explained that maintaining a physical form consumed significant energy. He usually returned to his crystal to rest from 5:00 PM until 9:00 AM the next day. Ayanokōji silently filed this away; it was a critical piece of tactical data regarding their party's combat window. ]
[ As they walked, Ayanokōji continued his probe. "Emilia, are you a noble of this country?" He noticed her flinch slightly when he mentioned her status and the "Royal Selection." ]
[ "Is it a sensitive identity?" he mused before continuing. "You could have asked the guards for help, yet you didn't. Is there a specific reason?" ]
[ Emilia's expression grew somber. After a long silence, she finally spoke. "I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to hide it, but... I am actually a candidate for the throne. I didn't want to drag a commoner like you into this. That insignia is proof of my candidacy. If the public knew I had lost it, the political fallout would be disastrous. That's why I can't involve the authorities." Because Ayanokōji had been so helpful, she felt a burgeoning sense of trust and decided to come clean. ]
[ Even the usually expressionless Ayanokōji felt his brow twitch. Her value as a "tool" had just skyrocketed. "Since you're a candidate, you must have a backer," he prompted, likening it to a political campaign. ]
[ "Yes. Margrave Roswaal L. Mathers is my sponsor," she replied. ]
"Ayanokōji Kiyotaka... what a dangerous young man," Roswaal murmured, looking up at the sky. His teacup was empty, but his eyes were full of intrigue. "I wonder, what will you do next?"
[ "We should at least knock," Ayanokōji suggested as they reached the loot cellar. Emilia's instinct to barge in would erase any chance of a peaceful negotiation. He knew things rarely went smoothly, but he preferred efficiency over unnecessary conflict. ]
[ 'Standing over two meters tall... this must be Old Man Rom.' Facing the hulking giant, Ayanokōji looked tiny, yet his face showed no fear. He was busy analyzing: 'Weapon is a custom spiked club. That weight suggests superhuman strength, likely a racial trait of the Giants.' ]
[ "You know Felt!" Emilia declared, her voice firm. "That item is vital to me! Return it, and I'll overlook this!" Despite her kindness, she was resolute about her duty. ]
[ "You get robbed, you pay the ransom. That's the rule! You think you can break down my door and threaten me?!" Rom roared, infuriated. He swung his heavy club at the person closest to him—Ayanokōji. In Rom's eyes, anyone with the girl was a combatant. ]
[ 'Great. She broke the door, yet I'm the one being targeted,' Ayanokōji thought. He calculated the trajectory instantly. If that hit connected, it was game over. He stepped back precisely one pace, the club whistling past his nose. The impact shattered the floor, leaving a crater. Rom was stunned—this ordinary-looking boy had dodged a point-blank strike from a Giant. ]
[ "Ayanokōji!" Emilia cried out in panic. Seeing him unharmed, she exhaled in relief, but a realization struck her: Ayanokōji possessed extraordinary reflexes. ]
[ There was no time to dwell on it. Emilia raised her hand, a magical circle manifesting behind her as ice shards crystallized in the air. She wouldn't let an innocent bystander like Ayanokōji get hurt. "Last warning. Or I won't be so polite!" She fired several shards, driving a wedge between Ayanokōji and Rom. ]
[ "I'd listen to her if I were you," Puck added, floating lazily. "Dying over a small job isn't worth it." ]
[ Recognizing he was outmatched by a Spirit Arts User, Rom lowered his weapon. He was a fence, not a martyr. But just as the tension began to dip, a light breeze swept through the room. A small, familiar figure skidded to a halt. ]
[ It was Felt. ]