One quiet weekend. At sunset.
A carriage departed from the Colosseo Academy, heading for the Bourgeois Family.
Dolores. Piggy. Sinclair.
The trio were honored to be hosted and dined by the Bourgeois family, the most prestigious family in the Empire.
Naturally, Piggy and Sinclair were excited.
"Didn't our Oracle Club do great this time! 1st place in mock investment competition! And surprisingly, all of this was actually a real rate of return!"
"And we even hosted a party that was so spectacular it made my eyes roll back in my head. My God, how much did it all cost? I have no idea."
"Did you hear about the place we're going to for dinner tonight? It's a Bourgeois family vault!"
"Yeah, I heard that, too. There's jewelry, gold bars, coins, bills, checks, drafts, real estate titles, art, antiques, all kinds of expensive stuff near the table. They say it goes beyond the mountains."
"Hiig- that's a bit of an exaggeration, to say the least. Why would anyone put that stuff there?"
"If you put your money in a vault, then where else would you put it?"
"What if someone comes in to eat and steals it?"
"I can't imagine stealing all that stuff."
"Oh, yes, that, too, and I wonder if these gifts we have prepared will be part of that pile of treasure, and It would be an honor to do so."
With that, Piggy looked back at the back of the carriage.
There lay several treasure chests. A gift for the Patriarch of the Bourgeois Family.
Sinclair looked at these gifts, which had been carefully and painstakingly prepared, and muttered to herself.
"... I wish my brother could have come with us."
"What? You mean Vikir? Why all of a sudden?"
"...Just."
Sinclair replied, flicking her white short hair in the wind.
"He was supposed to come over to my place sometime. To eat."
"?"
Piggy scratched his head.
Why was she saying that now?
Then Sinclair smiled bitterly.
"I just suddenly felt regretful. I think it's really hard to eat a meal, looking at how busy he's been lately."
"Oh, is that what you're talking about? I agree, it's hard to eat with Vikir these days. Except for breakfast."
Piggy went on and on about how busy Vikir was these days.
But Sinclair's mind was elsewhere as she listened.
'Brother. You don't pay?'
'... I have no money.'
'Money? Why don't you have money? You're an academy student. Don't you think you're being too harsh? The poor kids here don't have parents, and we should help them.'
'They don't need parents.'
'Huh?'
'They have to deal with the world on their own. Parents are only functional in childhood, when they are essential, but otherwise they are unnecessary.'
Sinclair recall a conversation she had with Vikir many years ago when she was volunteering at a orphanage.
Meanwhile.
"...."
Up front, Dolores was not paying attention to the conversation between Piggy and Sinclair behind her.
All her attention was focused on the treasure chest in the back of the wagon, the gift she would be giving to the Bourgeois patriarch today.
'I'm sorry, guys.'
Unfortunately, the gift sets that Piggy and Sinclair had picked and chosen are not in that box.
They had already been moved elsewhere, and the empty box contained something else entirely.
Night Hound.
An assassin lying in ambush for the Bourgeois family patriarch.
'The Bourgeois family patriarch said he doesn't bother searching people when he lets them into the vault.'
It's a confidence peculiar to the demon, perhaps.
An arrogant attitude that no matter what assassins come, they're just toys.
But it's also his weakness.
'I must get the kids to bed before the battle begins.'
Dolores squeezed the vial in her hand.
It contained a sleeping pill that was harmless to humans.
When the carriage arrived at the Bourgeois family's residence, Dolores, Piggy, and Sinclair would be escorted to the parlor, where they would wait for dinner.
Dolores planned to slip the drug into their teacups to put Piggy and Sinclair to sleep and then hide it elsewhere.
'It would have been best if they hadn't come along in the first place....'
But Piggy and Sinclair had been looking forward to meeting the Bourgeois family for days, and Bourgeois had invited the entire "Oracle investment circle", so there was no point in going alone.
Even now, Piggy was making a list of questions to ask the Bourgeois patriarch.
"I need to ask about the future state of the Empire's economy, questions about current financial metrics, criteria for finding new business ventures, the recent mergers and acquisitions between the promising small merchant guilds and the mercenary guilds... and if the chaebols eat chicken!"
"I have questions, too."
Sinclair smiled expectantly.
Piggy turned to Sinclair.
"Oooh, Sinclair, what are you curious about? Do you want to play along with me?"
"...No. I only have one question."
Piggy's eyes widen at Sinclair's answer.
"Huh? Only one? Only one?"
"Yes."
"No, come on, you're meeting the Empire's most powerful man, you should learn something, it's a chance you might not get again in your lifetime!"
At Piggy's enthusiasm, Sinclair can only give a quick glance.
Dolores, Piggy, and Sinclair.
Together, but with different thoughts, the trio have arrived at the front door of the Bourgeois family residence.
"Dinner appointment. The Oracle."
Dolores announced the purpose of their visit, and the gates opened.
A carriage led the way to the interior of the ornate mansion.
Naturally, there were no checkpoints along the road reserved for guests of honor.
Then. The butler, who was leading the carriage, smiled with an easygoing smile.
"I've been seeing a lot of honorable people from the Quovadis lately."
"Yes? Who else has come from my family?"
Dolores asked with a puzzled look, and the butler replied in a dignified manner.
"Yes. A few hours ago, Cardinal Humbert paid us a visit, though he has now returned from his business."
Dolores felt a chill run down her spine at the mention of the name 'Humbert'.
'I hadn't expected him to be here, but... I'm glad to hear he's back.'
Dolores feels no holy power in the vicinity, even when she stretches out her senses just in case.
If Humbert had been here, he could have been a nuisance.
While she pondered this, the butler escorted everyone into the parlor.
"Please wait here for a few moments, and I will bring your message in shortly."
The butler placed a simple tea and refreshments on the table, then opened the door and left.
Dolores, Piggy, and Sinclair began to wait in the parlor.
"The parlor is very luxurious. It looks expensive, but not extravagant. It has an ancient beauty to it."
"I see. Good taste."
Piggy and Sinclair make small talk.
Rattling...
Dolores was fidgeting with her hands.
'Soo, I need to put some sleeping pills in it.'
The worst thing she'd ever done in her life.
The very idea of putting something in someone else's food was new to her.
And then.
Dolores succeeded in slipping the sleeping pills into the teacups while Piggy and Sinclair were looking away.
Without thinking, Piggy and Sinclair drank the tea and soon began to doze off.
"Mmmm. Don't you feel a little sleepy?"
"Yeah, it's dinner time...."
Dolores turned to Piggy and Sinclair and said in a shaky voice.
"Hey, hey, hey,... no, guys, if you're tired, keep your eyes closed for a while and I'll wake you up."
"Oh, can you do that?"
"Thanks!"
To their relief, Piggy and Sinclair leaned back against the couch in the parlor and closed their eyes without question.
"Hey, is it supposed to be potent?"
Dolores waved her hand in front of Piggy and Sinclair's eyes.
As expected, they didn't stir.
Dolores breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out of the room to wipe off the sweat.
Then she ran into the butler again, who was coming this way.
"Ah, my lady. My lord has been busy, so I'm a little late, but I'm sure he'll be ready soon."
"Yes! By the way, Butler, I thought my friends who came with me would have to go back due to an unexpected incident..."
"What? Before the meeting? No matter how late you've prepared... , shall we cancel the meeting and postpone it to another time?"
"No, no, no, you don't have to do that, I'll just see him alone as the head of the club."
The butler shook his head, but somehow seemed to be convinced.
A little after the appointed time.
Dolores packed the gifts into a cart and headed deeper into the main building with a small attendant.
After walking for a while, the vault in question came into view.
It was like an entrance to a great plaza.
"My lord is waiting for you."
The butler bowed respectfully, then opened the door.
It was dark and cold inside.
The attendants stowed the carts of gifts Dolores had brought inside, then showed her inside.
And then. All the attendants bowed and slowly slipped out the back door.
Dolores was left alone in the vast darkness of the vault.
"...Uh, excuse me. My lord?"
Dolores cautiously opened her mouth.
…Pas!
Suddenly, the room was filled with light.
At the same time, Dolores couldn't help but open her mouth.
A magnificent golden incense. A blinding golden light.
A world of great wealth was welcoming her.