The abandoned workshop's morning begins with the cold of stone. Cold air seeping from the walls. Daichi, who had been dozing with a thin cloak wrapped around him, woke to the sound of Lily spreading out a map. Yesterday's results at the market flashed through his mind. Thirty minutes, more than thirty shops approached, zero guarantors. Only an old woman's tears remained. "[serious]I have one person I can think of in the warehouse district on the outer edge Lily pointed to the edge of the map with her finger. About a ten-minute walk from the south gate. Far removed from Havassa Market—the central great market—it was an area with little foot traffic. "[curious]A friend? Lily paused for a moment. "[serious]……We only met once during a cargo exchange. They're not a friend or anything "So you think they'd help? Lily stared at the map for a while. "[serious]I don't know. But I have no other leads It was an immediate answer. Daichi sighed. "[sarcastic]Give me a little more hope, would you "[gentle]That's all the hope I have right now, so I'm being honest He couldn't argue back. Daichi lightly pressed his chest pocket, then stood up. The silver crystal—something he'd been carrying ever since the transfer—seemed to have gained just a hint of warmth. It might have been his imagination. But for some reason, Daichi pressed his chest pocket again before leaving the abandoned workshop. ――――― The warehouse district was quiet. Stone warehouses lined the street, their surfaces marked with deep ruts from cargo carts. The morning air was dry, and the smell of wood drifted from somewhere. Unlike the market's bustle, there was little sound. "[serious]That's the person Lily pointed ahead. Daichi narrowed his eyes. A man stood at the entrance to a warehouse. At first, Daichi thought it was a pillar or something. He was that big. With a build of at least 185 centimeters, his deep green hair was tied back. Skin that looked hard as stone—no, he was a Goldi, a stone-bodied race. Gray-tinted skin, a sturdy build. On his left hand, he wore an old leather glove with the seal of a spell-weaver carved into its back. His dark brown eyes, with vertically slit pupils, quietly looked toward them. Daichi stood before the man. He looked up. Then looked up further. His mouth moved on its own. "[surprised]Are you really made of stone Three seconds. Nothing happened. The man—Kelvin—remained expressionless and said nothing. His eyes didn't move. He simply stood there quietly. Lily jabbed Daichi in the side with her elbow. "[whispers]That's rude to the Goldi!! Daichi straightened his back while saying "I'm sorry." But Kelvin remained expressionless, and Daichi couldn't tell if he was angry or exasperated. Before that blank expression, Daichi didn't know which one to apologize to, so he bowed deeply to both of them just in case. Kelvin opened his mouth. "[serious]I'll listen With just those words, he began walking into the warehouse. Daichi and Lily exchanged glances. He wasn't angry, probably. But they didn't know if they were forgiven either. The two hurried after him. ――――― The inside of the warehouse was surprisingly spacious. The ceiling was high, and wooden boxes were stacked neatly. The cargo management was meticulous, arranged so you could tell at a glance where everything was. In the back corner, two wooden chairs and a work table were placed. Kelvin sat down there and looked at Daichi without saying anything. He wanted Daichi to continue talking. Daichi took a breath and began. He talked about the convenience store. A shop from his original world that was always open, where anyone could enter, with palm-sized food lined up on shelves. Preserved food that didn't rely on magic. Divided into small portions and wrapped. All prices set in advance. Looking at the customer's face and handing it over with a smile. Kelvin didn't nod along. He just listened, arms crossed. "I want to create something that doesn't exist in this world The moment those words left his mouth. Kelvin's eyes moved, just slightly. Only Lily noticed. Daichi didn't see it because he was still talking. But Lily saw it. The dark brown pupils with their vertical slits narrowed just a bit—the eyes of someone catching on something. Kelvin said nothing. He stood up and disappeared into the back of the warehouse. Daichi and Lily were left behind. "[whispers]……Did we perhaps anger him "[whispers]I don't know The two stood in silence for five minutes. From outside the warehouse, the distant sound of a cargo cart could be heard. Kelvin didn't return. Daichi passed the time counting wooden boxes. Seventeen, eighteen… Footsteps sounded. Kelvin came back. He was holding documents. Thin parchment. Daichi's eyes widened. "[surprised]Huh, this……You've already decided Kelvin held out the documents and spoke briefly. "[serious]I was also crushed by a merchant guild once for something I believed was right. That's all Daichi's hand trembled slightly as he took them. That reason alone was enough. He never thought there would be someone who would hand over something so heavy with so few words. "[gentle]……Thank you very much "[serious]Save your thanks for later It came back immediately. Kelvin was already looking down at the documents. Daichi tried to smile wryly, but couldn't quite manage it. Lily gently tugged at Daichi's sleeve. "[whispers]That's wonderful A small voice. Daichi turned toward Lily. Her silver hair gleamed even in the warehouse's dim light, and her odd eyes—one blue, one gold—quietly looked at him. She looked relieved, but also a little embarrassed. Daichi stared at that expression for a moment. Then quickly looked away. "[serious]Yeah With just that, he turned back to the documents. ――――― It was right after Kelvin finished signing. Multiple footsteps approached from outside the warehouse. Not heavy footsteps. But purposeful ones, with clear intent. Daichi turned toward the entrance without understanding what was happening. The door opened. Two young men entered. On their jackets was a familiar emblem. The crest of Tolvarn Merchant Guild—the great merchant house that controlled sixty percent of Havassa's distribution. In that instant, Daichi remembered the mocking voices he'd heard from them at the market yesterday. One was a young beastman of the canine type, a face he'd definitely passed yesterday. When he saw Daichi, his mouth twisted slightly. The young man stepped closer to Kelvin and slammed the documents down. They hit the table with a sharp sound. A notice. Kelvin silently read through it. Daichi couldn't read it, but Lily's expression clouded over. That told him it wasn't good news. "[cold]A revision to the passage tax. Raising it from two zecta per month to five zecta per month. Effective this month Kelvin didn't look up from the documents. The young man glanced at Daichi and Lily. A slow, appraising gaze. Then he turned back to Kelvin and lowered his voice. "[cold]Anyone who works with the cursed race gets cut off from supply routes. Your cargo handling here is done Daichi's body moved forward. He wanted to talk back. Yesterday he'd held back. He'd held back, gritted his teeth, been grabbed by Lily's arm, and endured it anyway. But this was different. Now Kelvin was involved. The person who had come with documents and told him his reason was now being threatened right in front of him. He took a step forward. Before he could, Kelvin moved. He quietly stood between Daichi and the merchant guild member. His large frame completely blocked the space between them. Kelvin looked at the young man. With emotionless eyes, straight on. "[serious]I've already submitted the documents Just one sentence. Quiet, but unwavering. The young man's expression shifted slightly. He seemed about to say something, then stopped. The other merchant guild member whispered something in his ear, and the young man looked at Daichi once more. Then he snorted and turned on his heel. "[cold]You'll regret this His parting words hung in the warehouse, and his footsteps faded away. The door closed. Silence fell. ――――― For a while, no one moved. Kelvin came back and sat down again. The warehouse's wooden smell drifted quietly. "[serious]Let me lay out the situation Kelvin began speaking in a matter-of-fact tone. Tolvarn Merchant Guild controlled sixty percent of Havassa's supply routes. If the guild applied pressure, it would become practically impossible to obtain food ingredients through the regular market. Including boar meat. As Daichi listened to those words, he thought about the convenience store. Without ingredients, he couldn't make products. Without products, he couldn't open the store. "[curious]Can't we get it somewhere else Kelvin answered. "[serious]If you want to obtain meat outside the regular market, you have to hunt it yourself Daichi asked back. "[surprised]……Hunt it myself "[serious]There's the Gacho Forest. Thirty-five kilometers north of Havassa. You can get a hunting permit from the Board Council The Board Council—the self-governing organization that supervised commerce and arbitration—could issue hunting permits. With a permit, you could hunt legally. Kelvin added that it cost 0.2 zecta per day. Lily's expression clouded. "[sad]That forest is dangerous without magic Daichi looked at his own hands for a moment. He had no magic core. Seven out of ten people in this world could use everyday magic, but Daichi couldn't. But. "[serious]There's no other choice, right He was surprised at himself for saying it. It wasn't that he wasn't scared. If he was told something dangerous came out of the forest, of course he was scared. But right now, he couldn't think of any other option. Kelvin looked at Daichi. It was a gaze that seemed to be confirming something. For about three seconds, he just looked. "[serious]Don't thank me this time Daichi didn't understand what that meant. Lily tilted her head too. Kelvin didn't explain further. He simply folded the documents carefully and put them away in a drawer of the table. ――――― When they left the warehouse district, the sky had the brightness of late morning. The stone pavement was dry, and footsteps echoed clearly. As Daichi walked, he placed his hand on his chest pocket. It was hot. Distinctly warm. The crystal had definitely gained heat. Daichi stopped and took it out of his pocket. The silver mass was tinged with faint light. That light seemed to be angled slightly toward the warehouse—toward where Kelvin was. It might have been his imagination. But when Daichi placed his hand on it, the light faded immediately. It cooled. It became just a transparent lump again. "[curious]What's wrong Lily turned around. Daichi shook his head. "[serious]Nothing. Let's go He put the crystal back in his pocket and started walking. The supply route was blocked. Boar meat couldn't be bought at the regular market. What came next was decided—going north to the Gacho Forest. Stepping into a forest where monsters appeared, without being able to use magic. If asked if he was scared, honestly, he was. But Daichi's mind held the image of Kelvin's back. That back, standing silently before the merchant guild member without saying a word. "I was also crushed by a merchant guild once for something I believed was right"—with just those words, the back of the person who had brought the documents. That person had now stood before Daichi. He had taken one step forward. The sky was blue. In the distance beyond the stone pavement, the bustle of Havassa's market could be heard. Daichi continued walking.