Basto’s gaze turned cold.

“My identification number was valid just half a month ago. Why would it suddenly disappear?”

“It doesn’t matter what you ask me. A mercenary number that doesn’t exist won’t appear because of it.”

The holy knight lounged on a folding chair, lazily flipping through papers.

The situation was absurd, but Basto didn’t want to start a fight in front of a child.

So he stepped forward in silence.

Only when a huge shadow loomed over the holy knight did he raise his head.

“Do you know where I’m returning from right now?”

That low, heavy voice made the knight flinch.

Basto stared straight into his eyes and continued.

“I’m returning after the suppression of one of Brioud’s three Magic Stones, a headache for the imperial court. To report.”

At the words “Brioud’s Magic Stone,” the knight narrowed his eyes.

Then he tilted his head, as if something didn’t add up.

“One of Brioud’s Magic Stones... a small stone?”

Basto nodded.

The holy knight snorted.

“What a fraud.”

Not even letting him get a word in, he stood and stared at Basto and Tie.

“Hey. Brioud’s small Magic Stone has already been entered in the report.”

Basto’s brows drew together.

That couldn’t be true.

He had suppressed Brioud’s small Magic Stone alone.

Then who had submitted the report before him?

Who, six days ago, drenched in the blood of a flying Magical Beast, had closed the Rift?

“I remember, because it was a pretty well known mercenary squad. Two days ago in the evening they came to me with the suppression report, received the reward, and entered the Capital. And what? You’re claiming you suppressed that stone?”

Suspicion, like cold water, flooded his mind.

“The leader of the Des Hound squad said there was one snot nosed brat hanging around him, trying to steal his credit. He said you used to serve under him. That you’re a rotten piece of work. So that’s what he meant!”

As if on cue, other holy knights began to gather around.

“Basto Paerix. Step back immediately.”

“That’s right. If you don’t want to be thrown out by force, you’d better leave on your own.”

Basto fell silent.

He unconsciously squeezed the hand he was holding Tie’s with even tighter.

More than anything in the world, he wanted to drive his fists into their faces, one after another...

But he stole a glance at Tie.

Her face was pale with fear.

Basto held his breath and slowly turned around.

When he forced himself to take a step, the knights’ whispers reached him.

“He’s completely lost it. Suppressed a small Magic Stone alone? He thinks we’ll believe that?”

“He doesn’t even have a number. Obviously something’s wrong with his head.”

“Why did the Des Hound leader even keep a guy like that around?”

His heart pounded with rage.

‘Des Hound.’

Once, before he became a wandering mercenary, he had been in that squad.

Even now, his teeth ground.

All it took was remembering their leader, Cala Vorben.

And the family that had died because of him...

“Mister...”

Something cold touched his cheek, hot with anger.

He turned his head.

Anxious green eyes were looking up at him.

“Mister... eveyting okay...?”

A small hand carefully wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

Basto held his breath for a moment, then slowly exhaled.

His thoughts gradually cleared.

‘We were refused entry into the Capital.’

If he were alone, he would have tried to slip through the gates at night.

But right now he was responsible for Astie.

Which meant that first of all, he needed to understand what had happened.

Basto adjusted Tie in his arms and muttered,

“...First we need to find a place to stay.”

Tie opened her eyes wide.

And answered brightly,

“Yes!”

“Ai ai ai, just look at all this filth!”

Tie was washed by force, and she puffed out her cheeks.

“What were you doing, Basto, letting a child get into a state like this!”

The woman wiping her face was an unfamiliar old lady.

More precisely, the owner of the Gate Tavern, the place Tie and Basto had entered.

“Little one, don’t tense up so much, it’s hard on Grandma.”

The old lady rubbed at her lips.

Tie rolled her big eyes and complained pitifully,

“I, I hurts...”

“Don’t make things up!”

Even though Tie put on a miserable face, the old lady didn’t pay attention and started scrubbing behind her ears.

Her body shrank without meaning to, but it didn’t feel unpleasant.

Tie remembered Grandma 107 washing her in Korea.

Grandmas always say it’s just whining, even if it really hurts.

“Now your face is nice and clean! What a beauty you are.”

And after washing, grandmas always become that gentle, soft way, and stroke your cheek.

Whenever they did that, something inside Tie always turned ticklish.

“Thank you, Grandma!”

She bowed deeply, and the old lady, chuckling softly, handed her hot chocolate.

Tie sat on a chair by the counter and looked toward the window.

“Really? You’re saying your mercenary identification number was annulled?”

“...Looks like Cala’s doing. He definitely bribed the Holy Knight Order and struck me off.”

At the window table, two people were talking.

The innkeeper, the old lady’s husband, and Mister Basto.

“The day I meet that bastard again, I’ll crush him until there isn’t a single bone left.”

Tie’s shoulders twitched.

S scary.

It was the first time she’d seen Basto angry.

And getting chased away from the gate, and everything else, it was obvious something bad was happening.

Tie thought.

‘Without a mercenary number, they won’t let you into the Capital?’

She remembered Father saying something similar.

According to him, this world was full of monsters no, Magical Beasts.

But the Capital was the safest city.

‘Because the king and a bunch of rich people live there!’

If a Magic Stone appeared in the Capital, it was suppressed immediately.

They said it was because noble people might be harmed.

The problem was that in this way, only the Capital’s residents could use the safe city.

“Is it normal to lock up the Capital and forbid ordinary people from entering?”

Just as expected, Basto was saying almost the same thing.

Tie pretended to drink her hot chocolate and pricked up her ears.

“Outside the gates there are so many refugees who lost their homes. And those aristocrats and His Majesty the Emperor...!”

“Enough, Basto.”

The owner, with a sharp white goatee, cut him off in an intentionally strict tone. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

“You’ve been calm for a long time. Why are you like this again? I’ve told you more than once. The one who can’t rein in anger will never see peace.”

Basto let out a heavy sigh.

“Because it’s suffocating. People are dying outside.”

“...You’re thinking about your homeland. What happened in the village of Ban Anla is hard # Nоvеlight # on me too.”

Tie, listening to the conversation, froze.

“And still, Cala is a cowardly, crafty type. He brought the village to that, he brought your family...”

“Grandpa!”

Tie set down her cup and ran up to the old man.

Both men looked at her.

“Banana, it!”

“Banana?”

The old man laughed.

“You mean the village of Ban Anla?”

“Yes! Banana village!”

For some reason, the girl was extremely excited.

“Mister Basto from Banana village?”

Basto frowned without meaning to.

But then he nodded.

“Yes.”

Tie’s mouth, smeared with chocolate, fell open wide.

Her green eyes shone.

‘...Now I remember.’

Why didn’t she realize earlier!

The mister with the hammer from Banana village.

Tie knew that village.

She knew Basto.

Because Father always told her about him!