Surprisingly, the wound began to heal at once, and soon even the blisters disappeared.

Shine’s hoof had completely returned to normal.

“Wow, it’s all healed!”

A bright smile formed on Liria’s face as she watched.

Shine rolled his gentle eyes and wore a peaceful expression.

Liria gently stroked the bridge of the horse’s nose and asked.

“…Are you okay now?”

Pruuru.

Making a pleasant sound, Shine lightly licked Liria’s cheek.

***

“Shine is… oh!”

Unlike before, Jiana was surprised to see Shine’s wound completely healed and rushed over.

“H-how did this happen?”

“…Hehe. I applied chicory, which is good for poisonous insect wounds. After infusing mana to help the herb absorb better, the wound quickly subsided. Now he just needs plenty of rest.”

Liria said, scratching her head.

“But it’s completely clean now? Is that really all you did?”

Jiana asked skeptically while examining Shine’s condition with relief.

“Yes, that’s all! But I wonder why Shine was suddenly bitten by such a terrible poisonous insect?”

When Liria tilted her head, Jiana seemed to have something in mind.

She remembered that some business associates had mentioned visiting the Forest of Magical Beasts recently.

It was highly likely they had brought poisonous insects from there to harm Shine.

They had complained that the service fee proposed by Jiana’s side was too expensive and still hadn’t paid the money.

“I have some suspects in mind.”

“Really?”

“Anyway, thank you. If it weren’t for you, little miss, I might have lost my precious friend. I might have even had a serious accident while riding an ailing Shine…”

Hearing those words directly from the mouth of someone who, in the original story, had become unable to walk due to a riding accident, felt somewhat strange.

“I’m so glad nothing happened! Hehe.”

“Thank you very much. You… are certainly no ordinary child.”

Jiana approached, bent her knee to meet Liria’s eyes, and spoke.

Jiana’s purple pupils sparkled with interest in Liria.

Though she had seen many prodigies with extraordinary talents in her line of work, she had never met a special child like this small girl before her.

The way she had put herself in a bag to initiate a transaction was one thing.

Curing Shine’s illness and saving her from potential danger was another.

Was she really someone who had seen the future?

Or an angel who had fallen from the sky?

“In my life, I never thought I’d see the day when the boss would be indebted to someone.”

“And to a baby at that! She’s like a little treasure chest, isn’t she, boss!”

Hans and Zimmer, who had approached after hearing the story and seemed to have lowered their guard, praised Liria.

“You two take good care of Shine.”

“Yes, boss!”

Jiana said quietly.

“Then let’s continue our conversation in my room.”

“Yes.”

Liria followed her with a bright expression.

Finally, I can trade with Jiana.

Jiana locked the door and offered Liria a cup of cocoa.

Sitting on the sofa across from her, she tapped the table with her finger and then spoke as if realizing something.

“Ah! From the beginning, you came to save Shine… no, actually, to prevent me from getting into danger? What exactly is your identity?”

Liria took a sip of cocoa and smiled broadly.

“Well… isn’t it enough that everything turned out well? The price for information about my identity is very, very expensive!”

Knowing the original story was Liria’s secret and weapon.

In this world of information brokers, this was Liria’s personal information, so there was no need to explain such circumstances to Jiana.

True to her understanding of the value of information, Jiana didn’t ask the young Liria how she had come to know all these things.

“Hmm, hmmmm.”

Of course, she looked very curious.

That made it easier for Liria to deal with her.

If it had been others, they would have tried to dig into how a child like her had found this place.

‘Now I need to achieve my real purpose.’

“As promised, will you now seriously consider trading with me?”

Liria asked, her lime-green eyes twinkling.

“Of course, I have quite a bit of information to trade, so it won’t be a losing business for you either, Master.”

Liria smiled sweetly.

Now Jiana was regarding Liria with completely different eyes than when they first met.

“Very well. What information would you like to know?”

“First, I want to know the whereabouts of this person.”

Liria showed her the name she had written in her notebook.

The real name of the dark mage Terra.

Theo Riles.

As soon as she saw the name, Jiana’s eyes widened.

“I believe we can find this person soon.”

“Really?”

“Yes, he’s a student at the academy I sponsor.”

“What kind of student is he?”

Was the dark mage Terra that young?

“He’s a kind-hearted friend with exceptional talent.”

“…Is that so?”

Liria was extremely puzzled.

The dark mage Terra.

The one who had researched how to forcibly awaken Adrian while helping Osdel.

He was undoubtedly a person of exceptional ability, given that he would later take charge of the laboratory.

She had naturally assumed he would be a bad person… but kind-hearted?

Jiana was likely to have an accurate eye for people.

But since no one can truly know the depths of another person’s heart, she would have to meet him to judge.

“Do you have any other requests?”

The perceptive Jiana asked.

Liria promptly nodded.

“Yes. I have two more requests.”

Liria additionally requested information about Marquis Bishe and Osdel’s recent movements.

“I’ll deliver it through a bag within two weeks. I’ll make your luggage bag in a special shape, so you’ll recognize it immediately.”

“Good. And I’ll put the information I’m giving you in exchange inside that bag.”

“No need. I’ll provide the first request as payment for healing Shine.”

“Huh? But there are three requests in total! It’s better to be clear about transactions. I think you won’t regret it when you see what I have.”

After saying that, Liria tried to get down from the sofa coolly, but her feet couldn’t reach the floor.

Seeing this, Jiana chuckled and opened the door.

“Would someone help this adorable miss down?”

At her words, two burly men approached and gently lifted Liria down.

“Oh, before you go, we need to register your mana in the bag security system. Just hold this mana input-output device and infuse a tiny drop of mana.”

Jiana picked up a transparent rod placed on a stand on the table and handed it to Liria.

When she let a little mana flow into the device, a blue light filled the transparent rod.

“Is this right?”

“Yes, that’s perfect.”

“Then I’ll be on my way.”

As Liria was about to slip into the luggage bag just like when she arrived, Hans stopped her and laid a soft cushion inside the bag.

“This way your bottom won’t hurt on the way back.”

“Um, I baked these, so if you get hungry on the way, please try them.”

Zimmer scratched his head and carefully offered a bag of cookies that smelled strongly of butter.

“Thank you, uncles. See you again!”

Liria waved her hand vigorously as she went inside.

“…Oh, Kiki! Where did he go?”

“Ah, that little fellow has been sleeping here.”

Kiki was sleeping in a corner of Jiana’s desk, smacking his lips. He was sleeping so deeply that he didn’t wake up until Hans picked him up by the scruff of his neck and handed him to Liria.

Hopeless.