SFMC 09

Chapter 9. Lia Haylin

Four days had passed since the entrance exam results came out.

During that time, I had been learning the Serenia sword style from Reina—but there was just no way I could train like she did.

How could anyone swing a sword for an hour, rest for ten minutes, then repeat that three times a day?

I already knew she was obsessed with hard work, but trying to follow her training made her seem even more incredible.

Fortunately, Reina was aware that her own training was excessive, so I was able to take it easy.

While she trained alone, I practiced magic and raised my skill proficiency with the sound of her sword swings as background noise.

After spending my time like that, I scheduled my first outing since arriving in this world for the upcoming weekend.

Since the semester hadn’t started yet, my request was approved without issue. I was now on a carriage heading toward the outskirts of the Imperial capital.

The Imperial capital of the Azerum Empire—Origin.

As expected of a capital that ruled most of the continent, the city was massive—rivaling the size of an entire small country like Hini.

Iris Academy was located not far from the western edge of the capital, so even though I had left around 10 a.m., I was able to reach the Rihelen District by lunchtime.

After stepping off the carriage, I secured a decent lodging and headed for my destination: the Rihelen Branch of the Cosmo Company.

As one of the Empire’s five major merchant guilds, the Cosmo Company had an impressive building—even this far from the city center.

Inside, various items were on display, from antique tableware and magical tools to rare books.

There, I spotted a girl with short, light-pink hair checking the store’s interior with her secretary by her side.

That girl was Lia Haylin, the granddaughter of Cosmo Haylin—the company head—and acting president of the guild.

She was a capable individual, known for her sharp insight and excellent judgment, but also a personification of greed—someone who wouldn’t hesitate to commit evil if it got her what she wanted.

To handle a major event in the mid-story smoothly, I needed to get on her good side. But Dreiner, that guy, definitely wouldn’t bother with it—so here I was instead.

Besides, there were some things I needed to buy anyway.

Lia’s face stiffened when she saw me.

She was probably thinking, “What’s that troublemaker doing here?”

But only for a moment. She quickly put on her customer service smile and said,

“Welcome, Lord Van Astreia.”

She hadn’t earned the position of acting guild master for nothing—if I weren’t who I am, I wouldn’t even have noticed the shift in tone.

“What brings you here today?”

“Just came to buy a few things.”

“A VIP like you shouldn’t be left alone. Please, come upstairs. I’ll attend to you personally.”

I was led to the reception room.

There was a long table in the center with sofas on either side.

After Lia and I sat facing each other, her secretary brought tea and quietly left.

Lia smiled as she sipped her tea, though I noticed her hand was trembling slightly.

She looked like a frightened hamster.

I felt a little guilty, thinking I might be the cause, but then Lia said,

“Oh dear. Must be the overnight work—I can’t seem to keep my hands steady.”

“Doesn’t bother me.”

“Ahaha…”

She was probably nervous because she couldn’t predict what I might do.

Honestly, I couldn’t blame her. Based on Van’s reputation, she had no reason to expect normal behavior from me.

And no matter how much of a troublemaker I was, I was still a noble from a prestigious family—she couldn’t treat me carelessly. It must have felt like being backed into a corner.

Not that I intended to cause any problems.

“I’d like to purchase ten magic stones each for explosion and flash spells, plus a couple of weapons.”

Lia’s eyes widened slightly.

“May I ask what you need them for?”

“The semester’s starting soon. I want to stock up in advance. Or did you think I was planning something bad?”

“No, no, not at all! I was just personally curious.”

Too late to pretend otherwise now, kid.

Still, it wasn’t an unreasonable suspicion.

With my record, if something happened, she could be accused of aiding a terrorist.

Her way of probing was a bit clumsy—probably due to inexperience.

“I’m sure it won’t mean much to you, but nothing’s going to explode or get attacked anytime soon.”

Lia flinched again.

Why does she get startled so easily?

“Thank you for your consideration.”

I waved a hand dismissively.

“Anyway, can you prepare it?”

“Of course. As for the weapons, what type do you need?”

“A decent-quality sword and a bow. Just those two.”

She tilted her head slightly.

A magic-noble requesting a sword and bow must have seemed strange.

But she didn’t question me and whispered instructions to her secretary.

Soon, the secretary returned with a few staff members, carrying a case of magic stones, a bow, and a sword.

“These weapons are practical for real combat and also provide supportive effects for the user.”

[Equipment]
Name: Sword of the Wind’s Blessing
Grade: Rare
Type: One-Handed Sword
Description: A sword blessed by the wind, granting the user a minor wind enchantment.

[Equipment]
Name: Bow of the Ancient Tree
Grade: Rare
Type: Bow
Description: A bow crafted from an aged tree. Its durability is unmatched, and its latent magic enhances ranged attacks.

Both were rare-grade and had useful support skills. Perfect for the early stages.

“How much for everything?”

“That will be thirty gold coins in total.”

What?! Thirty gold coins? Why so expensive?

I was expecting around fifteen!

Was she ripping me off?

But Lia Haylin, while shameless about betrayal and traps when needed, always had a reason—whether to gain power, money, or revenge.

But I wasn’t her target for revenge, and fifteen coins would be pocket change for her.

So this wasn’t a rip-off. Then why double the price?

“…Are all the magic stones high-grade?”

“Yes. All of them have passed our top-tier verification process.”

Thought so.

They assumed I’d want the best because I was a high-ranking noble.

But I didn’t need all of them to be top-tier—it was a waste of money.

“Switch them all to mid-grade.”

“Pardon…? If you’re short on cash, we can add it to the Astreia family’s account.”

“No need. I only need mid-grade.”

Lia looked puzzled.

“May I ask why? Of course, you don’t have to answer if it’s inconvenient—I’m just curious.”

“High-grade stones are overkill. No need to use a dragon-slaying sword to catch mice.”

Lia nodded and responded with a smile.

“Then how about two high-grade stones each, just in case?”

“I don’t intend to buy them.”

“Oh, no. I meant as a gift. You’ve been very polite despite my rude questions…”

Her practiced smile softened, replaced by a pure, youthful one.

“…and it’s refreshing to finally speak with someone my own age. I’d like to treat you well.”

Wait, is she… actually a good person?

“But if that offends you, I apologize.”

“No need to apologize.”

I mean, she’s giving me free high-grade stones—who would be upset? What a win.

“If you’re offering, why would I refuse?”

“Thank you.”

Night in the Rihelen District.

Most buildings had gone dark long after sunset, but the top floor of the Cosmo Company branch remained lit.

There, Acting Guild Master Lia Haylin was still reviewing paperwork.

She had learned the ropes from her grandfather, the current guild master, since childhood.

He had hoped she would succeed him in place of his estranged children—and she wanted to live up to his expectations.

So she arrived earliest and left latest, more dedicated than anyone.

Though admirable, it wasn’t always good for her employees.

Having finished the final document, she stretched her arms high.

“When was the last time I even stood up…”

She’d been seated all day, except when inspecting the merchandise bought earlier.

Her mind drifted to the young noble she’d met earlier today.

She opened a notebook she kept close to her heart.

Inside were business plans, advice from her grandfather, and detailed profiles of key individuals.

She flipped pages rapidly until she stopped at one labeled:

“Heirs of Prestigious Families”

She began reviewing their profiles one by one.

Although the Cosmo Company was one of the five major guilds, it lacked the influence the others had.

The other guilds were backed by one of the Empire’s Four Pillars of Power, while Cosmo—being a rising force—had no such patron.

Still, Cosmo had been around for decades and outperformed its rivals in net profit.

But lacking powerful allies made all the difference.

That’s why Lia’s long-standing wish—and her guild’s—was to secure such a connection.

She had conducted background checks on prestigious houses herself, aiming to establish ties with someone destined to become a future leader.

Being stationed in Rihelen, near Iris Academy, was part of that effort.

Her ultimate goal was to open a Cosmo branch on campus—a dream that would soon become reality.

Iris Academy was known as the cradle of the Empire’s next generation—a place teeming with potential leaders.

If she could build a bond with one of them, Cosmo would rise rapidly.

Unfortunately, the most promising students were already affiliated with rival guilds.

To connect with them, she’d have to destroy one of those guilds—but that required political power, which she lacked. It was a dilemma.

But today, she’d discovered a glimmer of hope.

She flipped to a particular profile:

[Van Astreia]

The page was filled with information—he was widely considered a useless noble with no magical talent, hardly worth documenting.

Still, as a direct heir of the Astreia family, she’d recorded him.

Reading through the entry, she began to cross things out.

“Poor money sense – false. Asked for prices and downgraded purchases to save money.”
“Rude and violent – false. Responded politely even when questioned inappropriately.”

Thanks to their earlier conversation, she corrected almost everything.

Only “Lacks magic talent” and “Tendency to wander” remained, along with some trivial notes on preferences.

It might’ve been frustrating to realize her intel was all wrong—but she saw it as an opportunity.

Cosmo’s intel network was nearly unmatched. The only reason Van’s info would be wrong… is if someone was hiding the truth.

And judging by his behavior, he didn’t seem skilled at hiding it himself.

That meant someone was covering for him.

If the Astreia family was behind this concealment, then Van might be the key to Cosmo’s rise.

“I’ll run another investigation and report back to Grandfather after monitoring the situation—”

CRASH!

Suddenly, a loud noise broke the silence.

Lia immediately sensed it wasn’t normal and pulled out her wand.

“Most likely, the guild is under attack.”

It made no sense. Who would dare assault one of the top five guilds?

But she’d prepared for such a scenario.

She moved to open the window for escape when her secretary’s voice rang out from below:

“Acting Guild Master! Run!”

She froze just for a moment—then an arrow shattered the window and struck her arm.

“Ugh!”

As the door burst open with a crash, assassins cloaked in dark crimson stormed in.

“Leave the others. Kill the acting guild master first.”

Lia didn’t need to understand the situation—what mattered was surviving.

She cast a third-circle wind spell, [Wind Spear], blasting the assassins as she leaped out the window.

Casting a first-circle spell, [Fall Delay], she landed safely and tried to flee—only for another assassin to appear from the shadows, blade in hand.

“Lia Haylin. You die here tonight.”

Her heart pounded, but she exhaled slowly and replied calmly,

“Killing the acting guild master with such force? You must not value your own life.”

“Heh. What happens to me doesn’t matter. You’ll be dead soon anyway.”

She wasn’t fast enough to escape. She’d have to fight.

Though she wasn’t trained in combat, she could use decent magic.

The real problem was that the assassin was faster than expected, and fear had crept into her.

As the blade closed in, she clenched her eyes shut.

And then—

SIZZLE!

With the sound of flames erupting, an explosion burst before her.

BOOM!