Upon hearing that a visitor had arrived, Sel descended to the first floor and found Karin, her long hair meticulously braided in several sections.

“Karin, it’s been a while.”

Sel didn’t ask if she was okay; there was no way someone could be okay after such experiences. Instead, Sel welcomed Karin with the warmest smile she could manage—that was the only comfort she could offer Karin.

But rather than being pleased, Karin frowned deeply, studying Sel’s face, likely because of the scar on her cheek.

“What happened to you! I thought you were resting well. What did you do to your face?”

“Oh… just tripped while working.”

“For goodness’ sake, don’t you ever do anything right?”

Karin grumbled as she rummaged through the basket she brought.

“…Sorry.”

Even though she apologized, Sel didn’t mind. Sel knew that behind Karin’s angry words was genuine concern for her. Karin had been the only one to look out for her when the villagers ignored her.

“This should help with the scar. If I’d known it was on your face too, I would’ve brought more.”

It seemed Karin had heard that Sel injured her arm. She held out an ointment in a flat, round tin, with foreign writing all over it. Sel recalled it as an expensive item she’d once seen behind the glass at the general store.

“Thank you.”

“Is all you ever say to me ‘sorry’ or ‘thanks’? Really?”

“Sorry.”

“There you go again!”

Sel scratched her cheek with a smile.

Karin grew anxious, watching to make sure Sel didn’t accidentally touch the scab on her face. Noticing, Sel tilted her head slightly, silently asking what had brought Karin here.

“Hmph. You didn’t keep your promise, so I came to you!”

“What… promise?”

“You said you’d come by my house to check out the phonograph!”

“Oh.”

Sel finally remembered the day she had made that promise, trying to comfort Karin when she rescued her from an old man who had been pestering her.

“If you’re born a man, shouldn’t you keep your word?”

Karin’s gaze darted down to Sel’s lower body before quickly turning pink, realizing what she’d just implied.

“Sorry. I’ve just been out of it with everything going on. Plus, I felt awkward going out without a mask.”

“Don’t get cocky just because you’re suddenly popular!”

“Wait, am I popular?”

Sel laughed, surprised.

“Ugh, you’re such a…!”

Karin huffed, her hands on her hips, before thrusting the basket towards Sel.

“Oh, my arms! Aren’t you going to take this?”

“What’s in it?”

“What do you think? New stuff.”

“Oh! You need me to write a review?”

Karin blinked, then looked down.

“…Yeah, sure. But since you saved me that day, I’ll waive the review. But you do have to do me a favor.”

“A favor?”

“Got it? Or not?”

“Uh… Got it.”

As Karin’s words came at her, Sel nodded quickly and looked down at the basket. A white cloth covered the top, concealing its contents, but the protruding shapes hinted at a generous amount inside.

Sel escorted Karin to the door, thanking her once more. Karin, her face flushed, let out a huff as she marched off, her braids bouncing from side to side with each step, radiating joy.

“Is she a friend of yours?”

Suddenly, a voice spoke from above. It was Eric, who had stealthily approached Sel. Startled, Sel lost her balance as she stepped on the edge of the stairs, and Eric caught her shoulder to steady her.

“…Eric? What’s going on?”

“Just curious.”

Eric watched Karin’s retreating figure before turning his gaze to Sel.

“Curious?”

“…About being in this mercenary group. Are you content here?”

“Why do you sound like a village elder before an election?”

“I’m genuinely curious—whether you want to stay here long-term or if it’s just for money.”

“You’re scaring me with the sudden question. I’m not getting fired, am I?”

Sel scratched her head and laughed awkwardly.

A strange light flickered in Eric’s eyes, though his face remained serious.

“I… I like being here, Eric. It was tough at first, but now I feel almost afraid of the idea of leaving this group.”

Hoping he wouldn’t let her go, Sel nudged Eric playfully with her elbow. He glanced at her arm against his side and chuckled softly.

“Alright, then, if it makes you happy.”

The last words, murmured quietly, hung in the air as Eric ruffled Sel’s hair and headed upstairs.

“Wait up, Eric!” Sel called after him, laughing brightly as she followed.

***

Deployment was near, and today was the village festival.

The mercenaries, exhausted from their grueling training, were excited.

Even the mercenaries from noble backgrounds, let alone those from commoner origins, were excited with anticipation.

Sel gave them a slight smile.

“Sel, aren’t you going to the village festival?”

Philip, with his neatly combed hair and well-dressed in civilian clothes, asked Sel.

Sel smiled and shook her head.

It was just a small village festival, but by the look of Philip’s clothes, he might as well have been heading to a grand ball.

Was he the heir of some famous trading guild? Come to think of it, Philip always had a lot of expensive things.

“I’m not really into festivals.”

“Why? If you go, the girls in this village will be overjoyed!”

“Not great memories.”

Sel smiled bitterly, lowering her head.

Philip, looking disappointed, guessed she had a reason for avoiding it.

“Alright. Then don’t push yourself; take it easy. I’m heading out with Brother Choro.”

“Have a good time.”

Sel waved to Philip with a smile.

Philip and the other mercenaries left the company, laughing and chatting loudly.

After tidying up around the empty first-floor lobby, Sel stretched out along a long sofa.

Late afternoon sunlight slanted down through the window, casting long lines across the room.

Lying back with her arms propped behind her head, Sel gazed half-openly at the sunlight.

A memory of her first and last time at a festival at age seventeen flashed across her mind.

Ugh, damn it. Sel ground her teeth. It was a nightmare she never wanted to remember again.

Knock knock. Just then, someone knocked on the mercenary company’s door. We’re closed today! Sel called out loudly. But the visitor knocked persistently again.

Sel sighed, got up, and opened the door wide.

“…Karin?”

Standing at the entrance was Karin, her hair styled in dozens of loose waves.

She was dressed up and wearing makeup, her face looking both unfamiliar and lovely.

“You! Why aren’t you coming out? It’s festival day!”

“I just didn’t feel like going.”

“You promised to grant me one wish last time!”

“Oh. But I haven’t even heard what your wish—”

“You’ve got to be my dance party partner! I even put gloves in that basket I gave you back then!”

Karin cut her off, shouting. Sel blinked in surprise.

“Don’t tell me—you didn’t know giving gloves was a way of asking someone to be your partner?”

“Uh, not at all.”

When Sel replied that she didn’t know, Karin looked relieved.

“…Fine, I’ll let it go then. Now, come on out.”

“No, I really don’t want to go to the fes—”

Sel couldn’t finish. Karin’s bold eyes were trembling, her gaze filled with tears. Her face, as red as a beet, was full of apprehension.

Karin was the only one in the village who had looked out for her.

Sel remembered how, thanks to Karin, she’d been able to find various odd jobs to support herself.

After pressing her lips together, Sel nodded, finally making up her mind.

Karin’s face, which had looked on the verge of tears, brightened again.

She handed Sel a wide-brimmed fedora she’d been hiding behind her back.

“What’s this for?”

“You have that sun allergy.”

“I can just wear my hooded cloak.”

“A hood on a day like this? Where are you going to put that pretty face of yours? Wearing this will make me proud to walk with you!”

Excited, Karin put the fedora on Sel’s head.

Already beautiful, Sel’s face looked even more striking with the fedora.

Blushing, Karin muttered, “Well, that’s actually not bad,” then linked her arm around Sel’s and clung to her.

Together, Sel and Karin headed into the town square where the festival was being held.

Lavi, leaning against the windowsill on the fourth floor, watched them silently.

***

The town square was bustling with people, lined with small stalls.

Smoke from grilled skewers rose from all directions, and the sounds of different songs from flutes and accordions mingled noisily.

Perhaps because of the company, Sel quickly adapted to the festive atmosphere, her tension over past memories melting away.

With her arm linked with Sel’s, Karin led her around, buying her all sorts of festival treats.

Sel offered to pay, but Karin flatly refused, saying she wouldn’t let her freeload off someone poor as a beggar, and insisted on paying for everything.

The two stopped in front of a shooting game stall.

On the slender table lay a fake rifle, and about 20 feet away, small numbered plates were hanging.

Sel’s eyes sparkled like stars.

“Well, looks like Karin brought a handsome guy,” said the stall keeper, chuckling as he greeted Karin. Karin, still clinging tightly to Sel’s arm, smirked.

“Didn’t I tell you I’d bring someone good-looking?”

“Yeah, you did. And he’s really as good-looking as they say—a real stunner.”

The stall keeper looked closely at Sel’s face, then nodded toward her.

“Hey, handsome, want to give it a try? Hit those numbers with ten shots, and you get that big stuffed toy over there. If you hit all twenty, you get this gold ring here.”

The stall keeper showed off a ring in a cheap-looking box.

It was clearly fake, but Karin’s eyes sparkled with interest.

“My man’s got serious skills. I bet he’s going to empty your wallet today. Better be prepared.”

My guy. As Sel muttered it to herself, she heard the same words repeated in a deep voice from behind.

“My man?”

Lavi was standing there, arms crossed with a menacing look on his face.

Eric, who had clearly been dragged there against his will, stood beside him.