The Basolo family's affairs didn't cause much of a stir in the royal market.
In this exclusive market open to nobles and wealthy merchants, spending extravagantly was nothing out of the ordinary. The real attention-grabbing events, however, usually occurred only during the monthly auctions.
That was the battlefield where nobles, wealthy merchants, and various powerful forces fought tooth and nail, and it was there that truly great acts could capture the spotlight.
Although Archie and his friends were unhappy with the domineering behavior of the Basolo family, they couldn't afford to provoke them and had to swallow their frustrations this time.
Riezel, on the other hand, returned empty-handed, failing to obtain the desired swordsmanship.
Meanwhile, Carrera and Sylvanie, the only girls within the group, returned almost loaded with goods. As soon as they left the royal market, their bodyguards swiftly loaded all their purchases onto the carriage. Anyone unaware might have thought they were wholesale merchants stocking up.
The entire group's gathering came to an end just like that.
"I'll head back first." Riezel said calmly to the group.
"So soon?" Archie hastily tried to persuade him. "Not staying for the second half?"
"No, it's about time." Riezel shook his head. "I'm currently living under someone else's roof, so it's not good to stay out too late."
His reasoning left Archie, who had wanted to persuade him to stay longer, with no choice but to give up.
What could he say when Riezel brought up Yuri?
Archie couldn't provoke Riezel's rebellious temperament with statements like 'don't be such a killjoy' or 'men need freedom' like he used to. Times had changed; he couldn't stimulate Riezel's rebellious nature with those words anymore.
"Alright..." Archie said with regret. "Let's find another opportunity to get together next time then."
"Sure." Riezel nodded faintly, then turned away without any lingering sentiment and walked toward the exit.
There, a carriage arranged by the Frenzel family had already been brought over by the coachman.
Riezel entered the carriage, followed by Ain and Ian, who walked in without looking back, not sparing a glance at Archie's group.
Before long, the carriage departed, leaving the group of eight standing silently. They watched as the carriage adorned with the Frenzel family crest faded into the distance, seemingly caught in a mix of emotions.
"We're leaving too." Carrera finally spoke, still holding Sylvanie's hand.
"Oh..." Archie didn't try to keep her and just looked disinterested. "Careful on the road."
Carrera pursed her lips, neither confirming nor denying. She just intended to leave with Sylvanie as soon as possible.
However, before departing, Carrera uttered a sentence.
"I advise you not to scheme against him. He's different from before, no longer the naive country boy easily swayed by your tricks."
"...I don't know what you're talking about." Archie smiled slightly. "Riezel is my good friend. Why would I trick him?"
"If that's how you want to put it, then consider it that way." Carrera looked meaningfully at him. "I'm just reminding you based on our long-standing friendship. Whether you choose to listen is up to you."
After saying that, she was silent for a while before sighing.
"I have a feeling that the severe injury over a month ago truly transformed Riezel."
Leaving behind that contemplative remark, Carrera, along with the silently pondering Sylvanie, walked toward their carriage and left.
"..."
Archie, with a stern face, stared at Carrera's departing carriage, remaining speechless for a long time.
Watching Archie like this, the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths dared not even breathe loudly.
Only Senna could gather the courage to ask Archie.
"Weren't you supposed to get Riezel to introduce you to Marquis Frenzel? Why haven't you spoken up?" Senna asked doubtfully.
"Are you dumb?" Archie retorted coldly. "Lost contact for over a month, and the moment we meet, I want him to help introduce me to her. If you were in his shoes, how would you feel?"
Needless to say, suspicions would arise, questioning if Archie deliberately arranged this meeting for that purpose.
Hearing the reason, Senna instantly fell silent.
"We can't rush this..." Archie said with a calm demeanor. "Carrera is right; Riezel has indeed changed. If we still treat him like the old him, we might end up in trouble."
Hence, he suppressed his inner impulse and refrained from being too hasty.
"Let's give it some time and invite him out more often during this stretch. Once he lets his guard down, we can bring up this topic." Archie suggested in a calm tone.
He had that amount of patience and waiting.
"Following your lead." Senna nodded.
Little did Archie and Senna know that there wouldn't be a next time.
===
"After going back, inform the servants that any letters or meeting requests from Archie and his people are to be declined." Riezel calmly spoke while gazing at the scenery outside from inside the carriage.
Ain and Ian both looked puzzled.
"Is that okay?" Ian questioned. "Aren't they your friends, Mr. Riezel?"
"They need to truly consider me a friend for that to happen." Riezel retorted without hesitation. "After meeting them, you'll also probably understand. Except for Carrera and Sylvanie, the rest have their own agenda."
The way Archie and his group acted was close to outright telling Riezel that they were in cahoots.
Whether it was Senna or the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths, they had likely all been recruited by Archie and were now under his control.
Though the Rhein family's second son appeared to spend his days fooling around, he was secretly building his own influence and accumulating connections.
His group was the fruit of his efforts.
Riezel had reason to suspect that the Lahm family, to which Senna belonged, as well as the families behind the four tall, short, fat, and skinny youths, had already been won over by Archie and had become his supporters, much like Riezel himself, who was also recruited and chosen for his innate talent to become a future Tactical-Class Magician.
However, Carrera and Sylvanie's positions were a bit delicate.
Sylvanie seemed to leave the decision to Carrera without any notable actions. Carrera, on the other hand, had a somewhat estranged relationship with Archie, appearing to be part of the group but keeping a certain distance.
Unlike the others, Carrera wasn't as harmonious with Archie.
All of those were things the original Riezel hadn't discovered. Riezel only grasped their personalities and attitudes after this meeting.
After understanding them, he made a decisive decision—these people weren't worth befriending.
"From now on, it would be better not to meet them ever again." Riezel decided firmly.
"A wise choice." Ain agreed with a nonchalant expression. Without a doubt, she had also formed a negative impression of Archie and his group after observing them.
"Yes, it's for the best." Ian said, looking thoughtful. "At least, this way, the Lady won't be involved."
However, as Riezel was about to respond, he suddenly froze.
""Hmm?""
Ain and Ian looked at silent Riezel, puzzled, but shortly afterward, they seemed to notice something and began to squint their eyes.
In the perception of the three, the carriage that had been running steadily suddenly came to a halt.
All around, for some unknown reason, it became eerily silent. There were no more voices except for the coachman who had jumped off the carriage, frantically preparing to run away.
"Halt!" Ain shouted coldly, swiftly leaping out of the carriage with a swoosh, catching the coachman who was about to run away.
The coachman was instantly frightened and screamed loudly.
"It's not my fault! Those guys threatened me to bring the carriage here! I had no choice!"
The coachman's scream prompted Riezel and Ian to step down from the carriage. Riezel remained calmly composed, while Ian's face turned serious, gripping her sword tightly.
The three surveyed the area and realized they were in a secluded dark alley, surrounded by buildings, only a couple of narrow alleys led elsewhere.
The stone brick pavement underfoot was spacious enough to easily accommodate the luxurious carriage of the Frenzel family, resembling a small square.
Ain threw off the yelling coachman and positioned herself in front of Riezel. Ian did the same, standing side by side with Ain, her sharp gaze focused ahead.
"Come out!" Ain exclaimed coldly.
"..."
Silence surrounded them; no one responded.
However, Riezel knew those people had arrived—the people who had caused severe injuries to the original Riezel and the reason for his transmigration.
*Whoosh—*
Suddenly, a faint sky-splitting sound emerged.
*Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!* *Whoosh!*
In the next moment, countless sky-splitting sounds echoed successively. Arrows tore through the sky, shooting from above the buildings in all directions.
Riezel, Ain, and Ian were instantly surrounded by a rain of arrows, with no way up or down.
Fortunately, the two female knights were already prepared.
"Quick, take cover!"
Ian embraced Riezel, and with a swift step, turned into a blur, flying away to avoid the incoming arrows.
*Scwing!*
Ain drew her longsword from her waist and swept it horizontally to deflect the incoming arrows.
*Cling!* *Clang!* *Cling!* *Clang!*
In the open space of the dark alley, the sound of arrows piercing the stone brick ground continued, turning the area into a battlefield filled with arrows.
*Swoosh!* *Swoosh!* *Swoosh!*
At the same time, several figures leaped down from the tops of the buildings and landed on the ground.