After leaving Gurin in Lilia’s care, I set off with An. As we walked, I asked her why she was so interested in mining connections. She explained that the Cruel race primarily focused on the excavation of gemstones and Magic Crystals, and she had hoped this party might provide a rare opportunity to find a lead for their business.
"I feel truly terrible for taking advantage of you like this, Kaito-san," she said, her voice thick with guilt. "We’ve only met a few times, but I couldn’t help but be greedy when such a perfect opportunity presented itself."
"No, no, please don’t worry about it. If anything, I’m the one who should have put more thought into this. Since it was my first time hosting a party, I simply invited every acquaintance I had contact info for. I was the one who brought you and Gurin here despite you having no connection to the other guests. I should have prepared you better."
"Is that so? I had assumed you hosted events like this all the time..."
"No, this is my absolute first. To be honest, I’ve barely even attended parties like this as a guest. I only organized this because I happened to receive this Magic Ship as a gift and wanted to find a way to put it to good use."
"I see... Wait, what? You... received a Magic Ship? Pardon me? Did I mishear you?"
My first impression of her back when we’d first encountered Black Muscat hadn't quite captured how earnest she really was. Even now, she seemed deeply apologetic at the thought of imposing on me. I had clearly overwhelmed her by failing to account for the social gap, so I truly hoped I could secure a good result for her.
"By the way," I asked, "is there a reason you prefer Magic Crystal work over gemstones?"
"Ah, yes. While we handle both, mining Magic Crystals requires much higher levels of technique. If the quality of the work is good, it is far easier to secure high-paying contracts. My guild is exceptionally skilled, but we’ve had poor luck finding work lately. I was hoping to find a partner who values technical expertise..."
"I see. I’m not very familiar with the trade, but is mining the primary industry for all Cruel people?"
"Generally, yes. A few find other paths, but the vast majority of us stay in the trade. As you know, Kaito-san, our race is weak to sunlight, but we excel in the dark. We can see perfectly even in lightless caverns. Since we naturally dwell underground, our race is simply built for it. Most of us choose mining because it’s where we can best utilize our innate talents."
As she spoke, she shared more details about the Cruel race. They were small-statured but possessed surprising physical strength and manual dexterity. Their physiology made them perfect for subterranean work. Furthermore, because they were active during the day despite their aversion to sunlight, finding other forms of employment was notoriously difficult.
As we navigated the venue, I caught sight of Tre approaching us.
"Oh! Kaito! You look like you're in a good mood. I bet you were looking for me, weren't you?"
"Actually, yes. I was just on my way to find you, Tre-san."
"Wait, really? I was just joking..."
Tre looked genuinely surprised when I confirmed her guess. As usual, she hadn't actually read my intentions; she’d just made a random comment. It was very like her.
"Where are Cento and Cien?" I asked.
"They're over by the stage looking at the art. I don't really have an eye for that stuff, so I’ve just been wandering around. Since Chrome-sama is here, I know the party is safe, so we usually just do our own thing."
"That makes sense. They did say they liked ceramics and woodwork."
Alice had shown me the catalog of the showcased collection beforehand, and it featured quite a few high-quality wood and clay pieces. It wasn't surprising that they would be drawn to them. Regardless, I was glad to have run into Tre. I decided to introduce An immediately.
"An-san, this is Tre-san, the person I wanted to introduce to you. Tre-san, this is a friend of mine—"
"Oh? A Cruel?" Tre interrupted, her eyes narrowing as she looked at An. "I didn't know you had any Cruel friends, Kaito. This might be just right..."
"Just right? What do you mean?"
"Hmm. Kaito, are you close with her?"
"We've only met a few times, but I'd like to think we're on good terms."
"I see, I see. Then tell me—just based on your intuition—is she someone I can trust?"
"What? Oh, yes. I believe she's very reliable."
"Excellent. Thanks!"
As soon as I confirmed it, Tre’s playful demeanor vanished. Her expression became sharp and professional. She pulled a business card from her pocket and offered it to An with a polite smile.
"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Tre. I am the Special Advisor of the Magic Crystal Department of the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company."
"Ah... yes. I am An, of the Cruel... huh? Excuse me? The Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company? The... the Special Advisor?"
"That is correct."
".........!?"
For a moment, it looked as though An’s soul had physically left her body. She stared at the card, then back at Tre, then back at the card, her head whipping back and forth with frantic speed as she broke into a cold, drenching sweat.