Dehya was pleasantly surprised by how readily Shao Yun accepted the offer, and she immediately moved on to the matter of payment.
"As for the reward…" she began, but before she could specify the amount or method of payment, Shao Yun cut her off.
"Just give it to Lumine. I don't need any of it."
Dehya blinked, momentarily stunned. Her expression wavered with hesitation. "Uh… are you sure you don't want to keep any Mora for yourself?"
"I mean, even if you and Lumine are close, it wouldn't hurt to keep a little pocket money, right? Maybe enough for a cup of coffee or a bottle of wine?"
Shao Yun almost laughed. Fifty billion in my pocket, and she thinks I need Mora? I could toss Mora into the ocean every day and still not run out. What's she expecting—Ningguang-level generosity?
And really—why was Dehya so invested in his and Lumine's domestic affairs?
He drew in a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, answering in a calm, almost detached tone. "I already have enough pocket money. Besides, I'd say this falls under… family matters between Lumine and me."
Realizing she'd overstepped, Dehya's confident air faltered. She coughed lightly to ease the awkwardness. "Ahem—right, of course. I was out of line there…"
With a wave of her hand, she gestured for him to follow. "I'll give the payment to Lumine then. Come on—the caravan's ready to depart from the city gates."
…
On the road to Sumeru City's gate, the two walked side by side in an easy rhythm.
After a while, Dehya glanced over, eyes sparkling with amusement. "Oh, by the way! You've probably heard—your little outburst at the Grand Bazaar? The one where you chewed out the Akademiya's Grand Sage? Yeah, that story's gone viral across all of Sumeru City!"
"Now whenever people want to mock the Akademiya, they secretly call them 'monkeys'! Hahaha!"
Shao Yun waved his hand dismissively. "Hey now, Dehya, that wasn't me. That was the work of a certain 'Mr. Tacitus.'"
Dehya arched an eyebrow. Tacitus, huh? Isn't that just you with a different hat on? What's next—masked robbery versus unmasked robbery?
Still, she played along, grinning. "Ah, yes, of course! Silly me. It was definitely Mr. Tacitus."
"But word is, some folks at the Akademiya didn't take kindly to that little speech. I heard a few of them are planning to 'discuss' the matter with you."
Shao Yun raised an eyebrow but then smirked. "Oh? They want a debate? So, they don't fear death?."
Dehya chuckled. "Don't worry, your fight night got canceled. The Matra stopped them before they could even leave their offices. Told them to finish their papers instead of picking fights. You should've seen their faces—absolutely livid."
Shao Yun snorted. "Sounds like they got off easy. If they had found me, my 'physical dialectics' would've been… enlightening for them."
He flexed his knuckles for emphasis.
Dehya nodded, half-laughing. "Yeah, good thing they didn't. Most Akademiya scholars couldn't take a punch to save their lives. Not like that poor merc you floored during the Sabzeruz Festival."
That made Shao Yun pause. "Right, that guy—how's he doing?"
Dehya thought for a moment. "Last I heard, he's still in the Bimarstan. You dislocated his jaw with that punch."
…
At the city gates, a dozen massive sumpter beasts stood patiently by the roadside, their backs piled high with crates and barrels.
Merchants and laborers bustled around them, tightening ropes and securing every load with practiced precision.
A short distance away, Dori stood with her hands on her hips, barking orders.
"Hey! Make sure those ropes are tight! If a single crate falls, I'll dock your pay! And take good care of those beasts—no injuries, no bruises!"
Just then, Dehya and Shao Yun arrived.
"Lord Sangemah Bay!" Dehya called cheerfully. "Found our extra hand!"
Still focused on overseeing her crew, Dori didn't immediately look back. "Oh? And who'd you find, Dehya?"
Shao Yun stepped forward, his voice calm and even. "Me."
The two simple syllables struck Dori like thunder. She jolted upright, spinning around in shock.
When her eyes landed on him, her face went pale. "W–wait a second! Dehya, let's be clear—the payment's already set! No price hikes!"
She swallowed hard, clearly uneasy about his presence.
Dehya laughed. "Relax, Lord Dori. No extra charges, promise."
But Dori's eyes still darted nervously between them, muttering to herself about how much trouble this might bring.
Shao Yun, noticing her anxious look, rubbed his nose awkwardly. "What's with that face? Do I look like some kind of monster to you? You think I'm going to bankrupt you or something?"
Dori blinked and muttered under her breath, "Wouldn't be surprised…"
The words were quiet—but not quiet enough.
Shao Yun froze, then burst into laughter.
Straightening up, he put on an exaggerated scowl and growled playfully, "Oh? So that's how it is! Alright then—this is a robbery! Hand over all your Mora, or I'll hang you upside down from your own warehouse!"
It was clearly a joke, but Dori's reaction was immediate and dramatic.
"HELP! Somebody help! He's after my money!"
Shao Yun stared in disbelief. Seriously? It was just a joke.
"Hey, hey, come on, Dori! I was kidding!"
But the merchant had already darted behind Dehya, clutching at her coat.
"I–I know you were joking," Dori stammered, "but I swear, you just look like you're about to do it for real!"
Shao Yun sighed. "That's because you're… emotionally perceptive."
…
Once the caravan was fully secured, Shao Yun took a moment to report his situation to Lumine via Void Terminal.
Meanwhile, Dori surveyed the ready caravan, then turned to Dehya. "Alright then, Dehya. I'm putting this Aaru Village shipment in your hands. Be careful out there, and make sure everything reaches its destination safely."
Dehya thumped her chest confidently. "You got it, Lord Dori! With me around, nothing's going wrong."
And so, under the bright morning sun, the caravan set out from Sumeru City.
…The next afternoon…
The caravan reached the lush, tranquil beauty of Pardis Dhyai.
The sumpter beasts were tired from the long journey, so the group decided to stop and rest, giving the animals food and water.
While the others tended to the camp, Shao Yun wandered off alone to stroll among the gardens.
Pardis Dhyai, though a research site for the Amurta Darshan, allowed visitors—so long as one didn't accidentally trample a graduate thesis disguised as a plant specimen.
As he admired the greenery along the winding paths, a familiar figure caught his eye.
Haypasia?!
Delighted, Shao Yun hurried forward, waving. "Hey, Haypasia! Fancy seeing you here! What brings you—"
Haypasia, deep in thought, nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of his voice.
She turned sharply, eyes wide—and when she saw who it was, her face went white.
"Ah! The Rishboland tiger! Wh–where's Lumine? And Paimon? They're not with you? Oh no, they're not here!"
Panicking, she glanced around wildly, saw no sign of the girls—and bolted.
"HELP!" she shrieked as she ran.
Shao Yun stood there, dumbfounded. "Hey, wait! I'm not some kind of monster!"
But she was gone before he even finished his sentence.
He rubbed his temples and sighed. "Talk about overreacting…"
He couldn't help but chuckle helplessly to himself.