Looking at the winter clothes hanging in the shop windows, which were clearly much thicker than those in Avondale or Nine Holder, was quite entertaining in its own way.
"They sell fur hats here."
Shortly after, Esperanza was touching the fur hat decorating her head with a blank expression. It was absurd. How did I end up buying this?
They were mostly trivial miscellaneous items. Most importantly, since Cider looked very happy, Esperanza decided to let him spend his overflowing money as he pleased. Though twelve hats that wouldn't be worn more than a few tis, and twenty pairs each of shoes and gloves by type did pile up.
"I want to buy this."
Of course, occasionally there were things that caught Esperanza's fancy too.
"Isn't it cute?"
"Do you want an honest answer?"
"No."
"It's very cute."
How annoying. Esperanza put down the item she had picked up and instead put black leather gloves on Cider's hands. Black gloves were common items, but these sohow.......
"They're exactly like what Duke Galliston wore."
"I feel like I just heard a very insulting remark."
Fingertips wrapped in tight-fitting black leather that revealed their contours gently lifted Esperanza's chin. Their gazes t under the shadow cast by his hat. The laughter gradually faded from Esperanza's lips as she had been giggling.
Was that joke just now not good? That can't be right.
As they quietly t eyes, her lips seed to dry a little. What is he thinking?
"This is a public place."
Esperanza quickly took the initiative before any words or actions inappropriate for the location could erge. At the sa ti, she pulled the gloves off Cider's hands and quickly paid for them.
When Cider, a step too late, let out a hollow laugh, Esperanza placed the gloves in his arms and said.
"Cider Claiborne, Duke Galliston edition."
"......Are you serious?"
"I'm serious."
Sotis she was unexpectedly like this. Cider clicked his tongue and accepted the gloves. He didn't want to say thank you. Instead, he decided to reciprocate by adding two more types of hats and shoes. At this point, it was closer to mischievous pranks mixed with spite rather than gifts.
Esperanza, who ca out of the store, inhaled the cold air and burst into laughter.
"At this rate, the dressing room will burst."
"Your dressing room won't burst from just this. How many clothes do you have anyway."
"I have plenty. Annie told her parents were incredibly strict and wouldn't let her wear bright, pretty clothes. Sothing about girls becoming corrupt if they like pretty clothes. By that standard, I'm a demon."
Upon hearing that, Cider laughed low and pulled Esperanza along.
"Huh? Why?"
"Calling yourself just a demon. I'll make you the demon lord."
I think you missed the point.
Fortunately, becoming the demon lord didn't require the luxury of completely cleaning out a store. Esperanza obtained two fur coats that softly embraced her body and ten winter dresses made of velvet. Excluding two ready-made pieces, the rest were all custom-made and would be delivered to Avondale mansion in Nine Holder upon completion.
"I feel sowhat tired."
However, the most important schedule of the day remained. Esperanza entered an old-fashioned cafe building with red awnings lowered.
Inside, there was moderate noise. Though it wasn't suitable for secret conversations, it was possible to exchange necessary information without being conspicuous. With no connections in Sterling, they couldn't find a more secretive location than this.
'Maybe I should have just called him to Sterling mansion.'
But the fact that he specifically chose this place as the location suggested he didn't want to co to the mansion. Though I don't know why.
"Cyrus."
A man with red hair commonly seen in Dunbarton raised his hand.
"Red hair really doesn't suit you."
That was the first thing that ca out upon seeing him. Though not intended, it was sowhat rude. Cyrus blushed. However, perhaps because he knew it well himself, he didn't look offended.
"To avoid Daria's tracking, it was unavoidable."
That seed to have been a good choice in the end. While conquering this dungeon, quite a few people would have seen him from afar. However, it wouldn't be easy to associate the original Cyrus from testimony of "a big man with red hair."
"Avondale, are your injuries alright?"
"As you can see."
Cider frowned upon seeing there was no tea on the nu. However, instead of complaining, he ordered a small-sized coffee.
"You don't like coffee?"
"I can't acknowledge it as a luxury item, but I think it's useful when researching all night."
That ans he dislikes it. Esperanza clicked her tongue and ordered coffee with plenty of cream for the first ti in a while.
"Ah, right. Cyrus, how many potions do you have?"
"I ca prepared with the maximum amount possible. Precisely, 830 bottles."
He really collected them extensively. Esperanza looked at him with a fed-up expression. How much is all that worth?
"Give plenty."
Naturally, she had no intention of paying. Cyrus didn't expect compensation either. He readily took out 30 bottles. They all went into Esperanza's inventory.
"I'll give you the rest next ti. Given the location."
Esperanza nodded. It would indeed have been better to et at Sterling mansion. Cyrus took out one more bottle separately and placed it in front of Cider.
"If you drink it, your arm will heal quickly. I hear the healing process is quite painful for people of this world, but it's better than going around with a broken arm."
Cider picked up the potion bottle with displeasure. Fluorescent liquid sloshed inside the glass bottle. When Esperanza had poured it over his wounds with trembling hands, he couldn't bring himself to say it, but it looked like sothing you'd believe was deadly poison. Is this really safe to drink?
"It looks like I wouldn't be surprised to die from drinking this."
"If you die from drinking that, Cyrus is the culprit."
Cyrus, who was suddenly treated as a culprit despite providing the potion, frowned. Cider smiled triumphantly and took Esperanza's hair in his hand.
Esperanza grasped such Cider's hand.
"If it hurts, bite my hand at least......."
"I don't want to."
Just as Cider was about to open the potion cap, a waiter approached with a tray.
"Custor, our establishnt prohibits bringing in outside food."
All the tension was released. The strength also left Esperanza's hand that had been tightly gripping Cider's hand. Her head dropped onto the table. What is this?
Until the waiter with a puzzled expression passed by, the laughter spilling under the table showed no signs of stopping. Cider shook his head and drank the potion straight.
The pain was bearable. Even more so watching Esperanza, who had raised her head from laughing, flustering about.
"It would be better to remove the bandages under a doctor's supervision."
"If I were a doctor, I'd want to drag myself to a laboratory."
This trendous recovery power. He could already feel that the arm inside the bandages had healed cleanly.
"You must know the manufacturing thod too?"
"......I'll hand it over."
Cyrus wrote down the manufacturing thod without complaint and offered it. This also went into the inventory. Who was there that was tight-lipped and interested in magical pharmacology? Cider, who thought of several nas, pushed the list to one corner of his mind.
That was enough small talk. Cyrus sighed and looked around the cafe's scenery.
The space composed of red chairs and long beige sofas with embroidery, famous paintings and low lighting was filled with moderate noise. However, it wasn't enough to sufficiently cover the conversation that would follow.
Incoming custors occasionally glanced this way, but 80% of that was due to that young count's dazzling appearance, so it would be the sa anywhere.
'Maybe I should have just gone to Sterling mansion.'
However, it's still uncomfortable. If he t Esperanza at the mansion, he would also encounter Esperanza's maid. Those eyes full of kindness...... he preferred not to see them if possible. Cyrus decided to just lower his voice.
"Now our forces have been sowhat revealed. At least Daria would have learned that there are two hunters. Since Esperanza-nim can even face two people simultaneously, even considering the Golden Claw, our forces cannot be ignored."
He was the person among these three who had seen the power of the Golden Claw for the longest ti. He had watched that machine summon countless people to this world and create innurable dungeons from when the ga opened until now.
Such a person was saying that even considering the Golden Claw against Daria who possessed that machine, this side had forces that couldn't be ignored.
"Golden Claw or whatever, in the end it's used by people."
Esperanza also slowly nodded. It's not easy to gain an advantage against a spaceti machine. But just like targeting Daria's wrist to make her lose control of the dungeon, this ti too they just needed to target the person.
"Now they'll also prepare counterasures, so it won't be as easy as it sounds."
Counterasures. Cider, who had been quietly listening, spoke.
"If it were , I just wouldn't appear. Isn't that the most certain counterasure?"
Two pairs of eyes turned to look at him. Cider smiled broadly. Of course, toward Esperanza.
"If Daria is soone who can do that, that is."
Cyrus placed his forehead on his arm resting on the table and swallowed hard. Right...... there's also the thod of avoiding. He hadn't thought of that at all.
If they didn't appear at all, this side had no thods. How could they find people who freely change their appearance, lavishly use magic, and manipulate people in power at will? The advantage of being able to predict their movents based on future events was the only benefit, but that advantage had completely disappeared with this incident.
Esperanza, who had been lost in deep thought, spoke carefully.
"It's not the way people like us operate, hiding with our tails between our legs. Anyway, Daria has goals here too, so she'll need to move."
"Esperanza-nim, the reason we could fight easily before was because absolute superiority was guaranteed. If it's a battlefield you can escape from anyti, where you absolutely won't die, there's no reason to refuse. But here is different. Daria also...... hasn't established a system yet."
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