"Eh?"
I hadn’t expected to be refused so easily, so I let out a rather dumbfounded sound without thinking.
The serious demeanor from earlier was nowhere to be seen, and Cliff had already returned to his usual laid-back atmosphere.
And then, he took another bite of his donut.
"I’d like to help. But I can’t."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I told you, right? The Dawn Alliance has infiltrated even the Association. If we act carelessly, we’ll only put them on guard. In that case, it’s better not to do anything."
"I see…?"
It sounded reasonable… and yet not entirely. Which one was it?
"If we move recklessly, we’ll just get crushed… so it’s not easy to take action."
"I see…"
I had been hoping Cliff would help… so it was disappointing.
I felt a bit down.
Seeing me like that, Cliff grinned.
"Now, now, don’t jump to conclusions. It’s not like I won’t cooperate at all."
"Uh…?"
"It’s just that I can’t move right now."
"So… when the time comes, you’ll lend us your strength?"
"Yeah, that’s right."
Cliff nodded with a gentle smile.
He might act like this, but I know he’s actually a reliable person.
If it’s his word, I feel like I can trust it.
"Honestly, I’d like to help right away. But because I’ve climbed the ranks a bit too much, I’ve got all sorts of ties holding me back… sigh, I just want to take it easy."
"Uh… thank you for your hard work."
"Hahaha, thanks. Oh—looks like it’s already this late."
Glancing at the clock inside the shop, Cliff stood up from his seat.
"You’re not planning to act immediately either, right, Stuart?"
"Yeah, probably not."
"Then let’s meet again. Call for me when you need me. Just go to the guild in the royal capital and leave a message."
"Got it."
"Oh, and I’ll cover the bill here. See you."
Waving his hand lightly, Cliff left the shop first.
"Hmm… it’s been a while since I last saw him, but he’s still the same as ever."
――――――――――
After that, I stepped outside and regrouped with Sofia and the others.
We returned to the inn and headed straight to our room.
"Whoa!"
Seeing the clean and stylish room, Licorice’s eyes sparkled.
"Wow♪"
"On!"
Aisha and Snow were also beaming with excitement.
They dove onto the large bed, enjoying the soft bounce with a “poof.”
Both of them wagged their tails enthusiastically.
It’s a bit bad manners, but…
They look like they’re having fun, so I guess it’s fine.
"It’s a nice inn."
"Yeah. Cliff told me about it."
"…That guild master came here?"
"Actually…"
After explaining what happened, Sofia frowned thoughtfully.
"What a strange coincidence… Are we sure he can be trusted? There’s a possibility he might actually be part of the Dawn Alliance…"
"Isn’t that overthinking it? If that were the case, he wouldn’t be trying to stop the stampede."
"…That’s true. Sigh. Maybe I’m just on edge because the enemy is so close."
I understood what Sofia meant.
I felt something similar myself… and also a strange restlessness.
It was as if a tense atmosphere was spreading throughout the entire royal capital…
Like there was a ferocious beast lurking just beyond a thin wall.
"The Dawn Alliance’s headquarters is here… Do you think we’ll really be able to settle things?"
"We will. Things like saving the world or revenge don’t matter… this is for Aisha."
"Yeah, you’re right."
Fighting for someone important.
That reason alone is enough.
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