In the underground city where the Cruel race dwelt, a strong sense of camaraderie defined the people. It was their custom to inherit the names of parents and grandparents, and their familial bonds ran deep. Thus, the association members and their families had turned out in full force to welcome An upon her return from the party.
Small wonder they were gathered; most knew An had been included on the guest list for a noble’s function. They had even pooled their own accessories together to lend her their finest pieces for the night.
"Welcome back, An-san. How was the party?"
"I'm home... It was incredible. No, 'incredible' doesn't even cover it. It was truly, truly amazing."
"Wow. My grandfather used to say that when he was invited to a Baron’s party years ago, it wasn't quite that mind-blowing. I guess the host's rank really does change things."
"...It does. I realized how narrow my own world was. There are people out there who defy common sense—individuals with authority so vast they may as well be gods..."
"U-Um, Association Leader? Are you all right?"
An spoke with her two teammates from her flying board team, Black Muscat, but her expression remained weary.
Her exhaustion was understandable. As her teammates had noted, even an invitation to a Baron’s estate was a once-in-a-lifetime event for commoners like them. A gathering where guests far outranked such minor nobility was something they couldn't even begin to imagine.
"I was overwhelmed from start to finish... but I achieved a major breakthrough. It’s wonderful news for all of us."
"Oh? Did a noble actually give us a job request?"
"That would be a lifesaver. We’ve been scraping by on small jobs lately..."
At An's words, her expression finally brightening, the gathered crowd shared her excitement.
When she had been invited, both An and the association members had secretly hoped she might secure some work. Seeing the look on her face, they rejoiced, assuming she had landed a solid contract.
"It’s even better than that! I received an offer for an exclusive contract from the Seditch Magic Tool Trading Company!"
"..."
"Wait, uh... what’s with the silence?"
The sound vanished instantly. The once-festive atmosphere chilled as if the temperature had dropped to freezing in a heartbeat. As An looked around in confusion, one of the members finally shouted.
"Someone! An-san is more exhausted than we realized! Get a bed ready!"
"My place is close by! Let her rest there! Call a doctor just in case, and someone get some herbal tea...!"
"Eh? No, wait..."
"Hey, you! You know first aid, right?"
"Well, yeah, for physical injuries, but mental strain is a different story..."
"N-No, I haven't lost my mind!"
"You there! An-chan is worn out! Bring her something sweet!"
"On it! Uh, what was Miss An’s favorite snack again...?"
The silence shattered into a panicked uproar. They were convinced that the sheer pressure of the party had broken her spirit, causing her to spout delusions.
It was a fair assumption. If someone returned from a party and claimed to have secured an exclusive deal with the world’s top magic tool company, no one would believe them at face value.
"Wait, listen to me, everyone! I’m not lying, I really—"
"Association Leader, please, calm down. It was all a dream!"
"Exactly! Or you were completely swindled! There’s no way a deal like that actually exists..."
"Ah, er... O-Oh, right! Look at this! I won this at the party!"
Desperate to stop the rumors that she was either insane or a victim of fraud, An thrust the Magic Box she had won in the bingo game into the air.
The reaction shifted for a third time. The Cruel were a race of miners; many held first-class technical licenses. These were people who could not possibly mistake whether the stone before them was a genuine Magic Crystal or not.
"...What? A-An-san... That’s a purity of over ninety percent... And at that size... It must be worth more than twenty Platinum Coins..."
"Y-You were given that? Something so valuable? Then... was it actually true?"
"It’s the truth! The party was a hundred times more amazing than any of you can imagine! It was entirely thanks to Kaito-san, but I was introduced to Tre-sama, the Special Advisor for the Magic Crystal Department at Seditch. I even have her business card!"
As An held up the card, the gathered crowd finally realized this wasn't a joke or a scam. Silence fell over them once more.
Then, a moment later, a roar of cheers erupted that nearly shook the cavern walls.
"That’s incredible, An-san! This is a completely different league from anything we've done before!"
"Does this mean our wages are going up too? Finally, I can replace my rusted mining tools..."
Seeing her fellow members crowding around her with genuine joy, An gave a tired but happy smile as she began to explain the specifics of the exclusive contract.
Serious-senpai: "When you send a girl off to a party with the whole town cheering, and she comes back claiming she signed a deal with the world's biggest company... well, yeah, of course everyone thought she’d snapped."