On the other side of the city, at the very heart of Verna's government, a heavy tension hung over the Duke's study.
Duke Verna sat behind his grand mahogany desk, his fingers tapping the wood in an impatient rhythm. News of the arrival of Party Noiver, the S-Rank adventurer group rumored to be the strongest in the Fellims Kingdom, had finally reached his ears. To the public, the name "Noiver" was not just an identity. It was a synonym for a "walking disaster" whenever they were in a foul mood.
"Listen closely!" the Duke commanded in a grave voice to his head knight and trusted attendants, who stood bowing before him. "You must find them. Invite them to this mansion for a formal banquet."
He fixed his soldiers with a sharp, piercing gaze. "But remember one thing: be polite and act with extreme caution. Not a single word must escape your lips that might offend them."
The Duke was well aware of the rumors. The power of each Noiver member was said to rival a natural disaster. If they ever got serious, Verna City could be leveled to the ground in mere hours. He had no desire to see his prosperous city reduced to rubble simply because one of his soldiers acted with arrogance.
"Find them, but do not pressure them. If they refuse, withdraw with respect. Understood?"
"Yes, My Lord!" his subordinates shouted in unison before rushing out to execute the urgent order.
Meanwhile, at a high-end inn in the city center, the morning atmosphere was far removed from such political tension. A bright sun welcomed a new day for Party Noiver.
Keyzier, the eccentric party leader, had called everyone to gather in his room. His face was beaming, looking as though he had just won the largest lottery in history.
"Alright, everyone's here, right?" Keyzier asked with a wide grin.
Without further ado, he opened his magic bag and dumped its contents onto the bed.
Thud!
A heavy sound echoed as a mountain of gold and silver coins piled up, shimmering brilliantly under the room's light. His three companions stared wide-eyed, their gazes fixed on the absurd mountain of wealth.
"So, what should we do with all this? I got a bit carried away because I was so excited!" Keyzier exclaimed shamelessly.
Donovan massaged his temples, which had begun to throb at his childhood friend's words. "You have a habit of plundering money from bandits! Even though that money was stolen from someone else first!"
Keyzier waved his hand dismissively. "Well, we don't know who it belonged to. For all we know, the owners might already be dead at the hands of those bandits. At least now we have enough for our needs while we're in this kingdom!"
Keyzier's argument, though morally questionable, had a pragmatic point that was hard to ignore. They began counting the money, and it took quite a while before they reached the final figure.
"The total is 127,460,210 Lyra!" Novalia murmured, slightly stunned. It was enough to live in luxury for ten years without working a single day.
They looked at each other, puzzled. Currently, their needs were minimal. Only Evaliza, their newest member, required basic equipment since she had just joined them. Suddenly, a wild idea struck Donovan. He gave Keyzier a calculating look.
"Key, what about your inventory magic? Can it hold a mountain?"
Keyzier's eyes widened. "Novan, are you crazy? There's no way I can store a massive mountain! My inventory has a limit... well, if you asked me to store three mansions like Mr. Wilson's, that would still fit!"
The room fell silent for a moment. Three mansions. That was an immense storage capacity.
Donovan snapped his fingers. "Then let's just buy a house! Not to stay in here, but for you to store. We can use it to sleep in during our travels instead of wasting time setting up tents! If it rains, we won't get soaked or cold!"
Novalia's eyes sparkled. "Great idea. Sleeping on a soft bed in the middle of a forest? I'm in."
Evaliza nodded slowly in agreement.
Outvoted, Keyzier had no choice but to agree. "Fine, fine. We'll find a real estate agent later. But before that..."
Keyzier began removing all his personal belongings from his magic bag and casually tossed them into his inventory dimension with a mere flick of his wrist. He then held the bag out to Evaliza.
"Why are you taking everything out?" Donovan asked, though he could already guess the answer.
"Novan, you already know I can use inventory magic. So I'll just use that and give this bag to Liza!" Keyzier said nonchalantly.
Evaliza gasped. She stared at the magic bag and then at Keyzier with wide eyes. "Key, are you sure about giving such an incredible item to me?" she asked in disbelief, her voice trembling slightly.
"Yeah, I'm sure. And I won't take no for an answer!"
Evaliza opened her mouth to decline, feeling it was too much to accept, but Novalia quickly interjected. "Evaliza, it's useless to refuse. He won't give up until you accept it! I've been through this before!" Novalia said with a supportive smile.
Left with no other choice, Evaliza finally accepted Keyzier's gift. With trembling hands, she took the bag. "Thank... thank you, Key."
Keyzier smirked with satisfaction and clapped his hands. "Okay, next agenda! Let's go buy clothes and weapons for Liza! It wouldn't be right if a beautiful elf like her didn't have a change of clothes or a weapon! What would people think?"
The atmosphere in the room suddenly turned awkward for one person.
"B-B-Beautiful!?" Evaliza cried out in shock. Her pale face instantly turned as red as a boiled lobster. Even the tips of her long ears flushed crimson.
Keyzier tilted his head, his face a picture of innocent confusion. "Wait, did I say something wrong? Aren't you beautiful? Or do you want me to call you handsome instead?"
Evaliza's expression shifted from embarrassment to a pout. She puffed out her cheeks, feeling a mix of annoyance and shame. Keyzier was always so blunt, never considering the impact of his words on a girl's heart. And to make matters worse, he was completely oblivious.
Novalia, who understood this dynamic all too well, could only let out a long sigh. She wrapped an arm around Evaliza's shoulders.
"I know what you're thinking, Liza. But that's just how he is. His brain is only filled with adventure, magic, money, and fighting. Even I get overwhelmed by his antics!" Novalia whispered reassuringly.
From across the room, Donovan smiled faintly at their interaction. He felt relieved to see Evaliza showing emotions other than sadness. Since the death of her younger brother, the elf had been constantly gloomy. Seeing her angry, embarrassed, or pouting was a sign that her heart was slowly beginning to heal.
May you grow stronger, Liza. Not just physically, but also in spirit. Donovan thought. So that one day, you can avenge your brother's death.
With their plans settled, they headed out of the inn. Though the sky was slightly overcast with grey clouds, it didn't dampen Party Noiver's spirits. The streets of Verna City were bustling; carriages passed by, and the aroma of toasted bread from roadside stalls filled the air.
The four of them walked casually through the morning crowd. However, because of Evaliza's presence as an elf, they quickly became the center of attention. They ignored the stares and focused on finding a tailor.
After a few moments, they stopped in front of a well-crafted building.
"We've arrived!" Novalia said, reading the shop's sign. "Let's go inside!"
Keyzier opened the door, and a small bell chimed to welcome them, signaling the start of Evaliza's long-overdue shopping session.