It never occurred to him to question how she’d found out. After all, she was staying at a foreign palace, which had its fair share of secrets, and it wouldn’t be the least bit strange if she was using her envoys to discretely gather information.

Plus, it was entirely possible that Lowellmina was involved in this turmoil. With this in mind, he threw her a curve ball.

“Nothing major. I’ll go there myself and resolve the issue immediately,” Wein declared. This meant he’d be neglecting his guest of honor.

Would Lowellmina try to stop him from leaving or see him off amicably? He was going to assess her reaction to see if she was part of this whole scheme—

“I see. Well then, I’ll come with you.”

What?

This had Wein scrambling—along with her entire delegation.

There was no way that the envoys could bring the Imperial Princess to a potential battlefield, even though they belonged to an entirely different faction. To get her to change her mind, they attempted to persuade her out of it, with Fyshe leading the charge.

“We came with the purpose of confirming whether we should continue our alliance with Natra,” Lowellmina replied. “With the threat of war looming over the entire continent, this is a good opportunity for me to see Prince Wein—a considerable leader—in action.”

“But it’s dangerous and…”

“An unfounded concern. I’ll have the regent of this nation by my side. Nothing could be safer,” she asserted.

They could only stay silent in response.

“Great. I’ll be under your care, Wein.”

And that’s how Wein was roped into going to Raklum with Lowellmina in tow.

“…All right. What’s up?” Wein asked Lowellmina, now that the two of them were alone in the tent.

Ninym wasn’t standing beside him; instead, she was hanging back at the palace to handle government affairs.

“What’s up? I already told you. My goal is to confirm your abilities for the sake of our alliance, Wein.”

“Enough with the act,” he replied disparagingly.

But Lowellmina was unshakeable. “Hmm. Let’s just say I wanted to catch a glimpse of you gallantly leading your army. How’s that?”

“……”

He knew she wouldn’t answer him honestly.

Lowellmina giggled. “But enough about me. Wein, how do you intend to handle them?”

“…How else?”

According to the report, the warring tribes were named Heinoy and Eshio. They had struggled for power before, but up until the latest conflict, their skirmishes had been on the smaller side. That said, news of the tributary’s construction and its utility as a water source had intensified the conflict between them, and each had mobilized a force of a hundred people max, almost all of whom had been armed with weapons.

On the other hand, the government had dispatched two hundred soldiers. They were evenly matched in numbers, but that was where the similarities ended.

“We can neutralize them if we fight normally. I mean, our soldiers are leagues beyond them.”

At the end of the day, their opponents were a disorderly rabble with no formal training.

They could wield weapons, but they didn’t stand a chance against a skilled commander leading capable soldiers.

“True. Especially under your command, Wein. That said, I imagine there will be bloodshed.”

Lowellmina was correct to be concerned: It was unrealistic to think the troops would come away unscathed, even with an excellent commander at the helm. It would be a battle after all.

“But this is Wein Salema Arbalest we’re talking about. I know you won’t let things come to that… I’m sure you have something up your sleeve. Isn’t that right? Something unusual to avoid any casualties on your side.”

It was framed as a question, but there was conviction in her eyes as she sized him up, wondering what peculiar miracle he’d pull to fix this problem.

Wein took it in. “…Sorry. I think you’ve misunderstood, Lowa.” He took a breath and grinned. “I don’t intend on letting anyone die in this battle, not even my enemies.”

Her eyes widened in surprise before she did a complete one-eighty and beamed, donning the face of a giddy child looking at her idol.

“I’m coming in, Your Highness!” Raklum boomed as he walked in.

Behind him were three soldiers.

“I’ve brought those whom you requested.”

“Good work.” Wein looked at the trio. “Torace of Heinoy. Caldia and Zold of Eshio.”

““Sir!”” They straightened their backs and replied as one when he called their names.

Wein continued. “Are you aware of the situation?”

“Yes… Apologies for the trouble that our people have caused.”

“It’s not your fault. Do you have connections to your tribes?”

“Yes. I return home when time allows…”

“As do I. But I’m afraid it’ll be hard to convince them…”

The soldiers must have thought Wein was planning to use their connections to move negotiations forward. But he had something entirely different in mind.

“That’s not why I called you… I’m assuming you don’t want everyone in your hometowns to die.”

The three involuntarily looked at one another.

One spoke up quietly. “…Of course. It’s terrible that it came down to this, but they are our brethren. We’ve grown up with them all our lives.”

“Would you be willing to risk your lives for them?”

The three looked at one another again before nodding as one. ““We would!””

Wein grinned. “I’ll hold you to it. I’ll assign your duties now. My apologies, Raklum, but you’ll have to take the fall for this.”

Raklum replied with reverence. “I’ll gladly take any responsibility for Your Highness.”

Wein began to inform the soldiers of his plan as Lowellmina watched with mirth.

The Heinoy were originally those from the West who had gathered together, working hard to get by each day. But they wouldn’t be found in any written records, since they relied on oral tradition to pass down their history. Which meant there were a bunch of inaccuracies and omissions—including the point at which their relationship with the Eshio had become volatile.

There wasn’t a single Heinoy who knew the reason for their fights, which also happened to be the case for the Eshio, too.

The only thing anyone thought they knew for sure was that the Eshio hailed from the East and that it was only natural the two would clash.

Nothing bonds family and friends like a common enemy.

“Oh! You’re back, Torace!” Upon his return to the village that formed the core of his tribe, Torace was welcomed back with open arms.

“Great timing. We’re about to start a war with the Eshio.”

“You served while you were in the capital, right? That’s great. Having you is like getting another hundred men.”

“Don’t worry, we made sure to secure weapons. There’s no way we’ll lose.”

The villagers piped up one after the other.

Torace spoke with a concerned look. “Listen up. We don’t have time for that.”

They were immediately silenced by his peculiar state.

“The government troops are coming. I’m sure you know already. I was just with them.”

The group of villagers stirred as their excitement turned to distrust. From their point of view, the kingdom’s soldiers were a third-party meddling with their personal affairs. Moreover, their new weapons gave than more confidence than ever.

“You betraying us?” one of them accused.

“No! You got it backwards!” Torace raised his voice. “I may be one of their soldiers, but I’ll never forget my roots as a Heinoy. I’ve come to tell you all about their strategy! The one in command is a man named Raklum, and his plan is absolutely ludicrous. Listen to this.”

He stopped for a beat. “He wants to demolish the river embankment…!”

Feelings of shock and confusion rippled across the villagers in waves.

The embankment was essentially their flood wall. It was built to prevent water damage from the newly dug-out channel. The region would be rendered useless if it was destroyed. And any attempt to rebuild it would require extensive time and manpower.

“Wh-what?! Why?!”

An obvious response.

Knowing that its construction had been done under the watchful eye of the royal family, they couldn’t think of any logical reason why the government soldiers would choose to destroy it.

“The dispatched troops are here to destroy this land, even though His Highness wishes to avoid bloodshed. But Raklum wants to hurry up and make this problem disappear—by destroying the embankment! Then he’ll blame it on the Heinoy and Eshio and crush us in the name of justice…!”

All present were at a loss for words. They didn’t all believe him right away, of course, but the villagers knew they were the ones who’d put the troops between a rock and a hard place. And no one dared call this a bluff when it threatened to turn the territorial feud between the Heinoy and Eshio on its head.

“Wh…what do we do if that happens?”

“I—I know. We should inform the prince.”

“Don’t be stupid. They’ll make sure the message never gets to him. Besides, it’s not like he has any reason to believe us! And it’d take too long for the message to reach him in the first place!”

“Time… Torace! When is it?! When are they going to destroy the embankment?!”

Torace adopted an expression filled with concern. “I’m not sure. I slipped away to warn everyone. But if Raklum is trying to wrap things up, it could be as soon as tonight.”

They imagined the worst-case scenario, which sent a shiver down their spines.

Their original plan had been to end their long feud with the Eshio to take control of the basin and prosper. Now, it was looking like they’d lose the land that was rightfully theirs, be falsely accused of a crime, and then be forced to suffer a military crackdown. It was completely unacceptable.

“What do we do…?! How could this happen?!”

“Wh-what about trying to reconcile with the Eshio?!”

“Quit screwing around! Make up with them? At this point? Forget it!”

“Then, what?!”

It was here that Torace raised his voice.

“Calm down! As we’re wasting time arguing, the troops could be on the move at this very moment!”

“That’s right! We’ve gotta focus on them first!”

“If they plan to destroy the embankment, we’ve gotta stop them!”

“Gather any fighters! We’ll set up positions by the riverbank and engage the enemy!”

The tribe started moving with haste. No one noticed that Torace had let out a huge sigh of relief as he helped with the preparations.

Since they’d been preparing to go to war, the Heinoy had their people and provisions ready to go and set out quickly.

They had just under one hundred people, and every person was armed. They identified the target site based on the information that Torace had given them. It was paramount that they engage the troops as soon they arrive, which made them naturally pick up their pace.

But the group stopped dead in their tracks.

“H-hey, that’s the Eshio!”

On the other side of the hill was another armed group of one hundred. As the two groups spotted each other, they halted to observe the situation in bewilderment.

“Wh-what should we do…? Go after ’em?!”

Torace turned as each tightened their grip on their weapons. “Wait! If we fight the Eshio here, how will we stop the soldiers?!”

“That’s right! Stop them from destroying the embankment first!”

“…All right, let’s go! But if the Eshio rush on us, don’t hold back, and don’t drop your guard!” barked their representative.

The Heinoy started off toward the embankment, just as the Eshio began marching toward the exact same destination, maintaining distance from each other.

“What the hell are they doing…? Don’t tell me they’re heading to the same place, too!”

“That would be my guess. They must know the government troops have their eye on it.”

Both groups arrived at the designated spot.

On the upside, the troops hadn’t arrived yet, meaning the embankment remained in one piece. But that only meant they had made it in time for the worst-case scenario. Each began preparations for their assault on the soldiers.

It was a peculiar scene. The two opposing sides kept watch over each other while working toward the same goal.

“…I guess that should do it.”

As the sun began to set, the two tribes finished getting into a basic defense formation.

“We’re all beat. Let’s take the patrol in shifts. That way, everyone can get some rest.”

“But don’t let your guard down. We have no idea when those soldiers are planning to attack.”

If this had been an exam, their response would deserve passing marks at the least. There was no doubt their sense of purpose would sustain them if the troops came.

But they had no idea that keeping their minds and bodies alert for an indeterminate amount of time would be this difficult.

“No sign of the soldiers…”

“Yeah… Damn it! If you’re gonna come, then just come already…!”

“Hey, did you just hear something?”

“You already said that a while ago. It’s all in your head.”

“How long are you two going to keep yammering? Sleep…!”

Keep vigilant, but not too alert. Otherwise, it would only create unnecessary worry, which won’t allow the inexperienced to get any rest. The weight of a sleepy body and an unsound heart are not inconsequential things.

From sundown to sunrise the government forces mounted no attacks, and the Heinoy tribe didn’t get a wink of rest in the meantime.

“…Hey, Torace, what’s going on?!”

“Weren’t they gonna attack?!”

But even their frustrated voices lacked energy.

Nearby, the Eshio seemed to fare no better. Any outsider would notice the obvious air of fatigue that hung over them. After all, the tribes had arrived wielding unfamiliar weapons, and they lacked proper sleep. With hands trembling and hearts on edge, the group had become completely exhausted without seeing a single moment of combat.

“This is their target. They’ll attack. I’m sure of it.”

“We’re asking when—”

“H-hey! Wait! I can hear…”

Horse hooves hitting the ground.

But there weren’t just one or two horses. There were dozens approaching.

“They’re here! They’re here! Grab your weapons!”

With great composure, the soldiers appeared before the panicked group rushing into formation.

“Th-that’s…!”

They all held their breath.

In a display of perfectly synchronized motion, the troop moved in the shape of a huge dragon. And though they were all human, there was an enormous difference between their smooth gestures and the erratic movements of the Heinoy. Even their formation was unsteady.

“And now, we’ve got to fight them…” someone said in a trembling voice.

But it was clear they wouldn’t stand a chance.

The hearts and minds of the tribespeople were at their limits. And the dignified appearance of the regular soldiers dampened their morale. It was a miracle no one had tried to run away. But once the battle broke out, the tribes would be obliterated, right along with that so-called miracle. In their minds, the worst possible future played out, as one cavalryman stepped out from a row of his comrades.

“I bring news to the Heinoy and Eshio! We are the soldiers of the Kingdom of Natra! We will not tolerate any disturbances on this land! Lay down your weapons and surrender!” the cavalryman warned in a crisp voice.

If this had been the day before, the Heinoy and Eshio would have bared their teeth and stood their ground. But they didn’t even have the strength to talk big anymore.

That said, they remained locked in place, knowing what hell would break loose if the embankment was destroyed.

That’s why everyone was shaken to the core by the cavalryman’s following words.

“Listen up! Our former captain has been dismissed. Our current captain is His Highness, Crown Prince Wein. He has traveled all this way from the royal capital! By his command, we will spare the lives of all who surrender and restart negotiations with the two tribes!”

The uproar that followed the herald’s words spread not only to the Heinoy, but the Eshio as well.

“What?! His Highness is in command…?”

“Isn’t he the leader with enough prowess to defeat thirty thousand Marden soldiers…?”

“That’s right. But they say he extends his goodwill even to those of foreign nations.”

“That’s what I heard, too… Is this true? He’ll speak with us if we lay down our weapons?”

They wrestled with contradiction and hope.

If they’d assessed the situation calmly, they might have realized that things had taken an unnatural turn. The tribes had come to the embankment to prevent its destruction—based on information from their kin, who had returned out of the blue. And once they arrived and forced themselves to their physical limits, their enemy had appeared only to offer them saving grace. If someone had been watching everything from overhead, they would have found this situation was very contrived.

But neither of the two tribes took notice. After all, it’d been part of the plan to grind down their minds and hearts to the point of carelessness.

“I say again! Throw down your weapons and surrender! His Highness has no desire to spill any blood without need!” the cavalryman shouted as if urging them on.

Then, one of the Heinoy dropped a weapon to the ground.

As if setting off a chain reaction, the others began to let go, one by one, traveling all the way down to the Eshio. When all the tribespeople had disarmed themselves, the fight over the new canal ended without spilling a single drop of blood.

“Marvelous. I have nothing else to say.”

Upon comprehending the entirety of Wein’s plan, Lowellmina was unreserved in her admiration.

“You fabricated a nonexistent battle plan, sent out spies, manipulated the enemy… Easy to say, but hard to do. As expected of you, Wein.”

“If it wasn’t for my reputation of defeating Marden, I bet it would have been a little trickier.”

The two were inside a tent. Outside, the soldiers and the surrendered warriors were sharing a meal.

Wein had fed the tribes under the guise of helping them recover from their fatigue, but he had something else in mind, of course.

“And your plan now is to take this opportunity to make the two tribes reconcile. You’re as crafty as always, Wein.”

“You’re forced to rely on creativity when your kingdom is broke.”

Even if everything was fine and dandy for the time being, the Heinoy and Eshio would inevitably fight again if he didn’t uproot the deep-seated hostility they held for one another. That was why Wein planned to have the two become one to make the region more secure.

“Excuse me, Your Highness!” Raklum appeared, along with the three soldiers from Heinoy and Eshio.

“We’ve come at your request.”

“Yes. Relax… Torace, Caldia, Zold. It was dangerous task, but you did well. This is all thanks to you. I’ll be sure you’re rewarded later.”

““Sir?!””

To be personally complimented and rewarded by the crown prince was the greatest honor a soldier could receive. They grinned from ear to ear as they bowed to Wein deeply.

“Raklum, I put you through some trouble.”

“A poor reputation will command more fear. I would not have been able to avoid bloodshed if I had been left in charge. Compared to that, this is nothing worth your concern,” he assured the prince, even though his opportunity for valor had been snatched away from him.

I’ll make it up to him eventually, Wein thought before he turned to the other three.

“By the way, you’re all bachelors, right?”

“What? Um, well, I am, but…” one of them admitted, nodding in confusion.

The others followed suit.

“Any lovers or sweethearts?”

The three shook their heads, making their bewilderment even more pronounced.

Wein dropped a bomb on them. “I see, I see. In that case, this will go quick. What do you think about marrying a girl from the opposing tribe?”

““What?!”” the three spit out, panicked.

Wein went on. “I intend to use this chance to reconcile the two groups to prevent this from happening ever again. It’d be quick and easy if we could form familial relations between the tribes. You three will be the trailblazers.”

“No, that’s, um.”

“Didn’t you say you’d risk your life for your brethren?” Wein planted a hand on Torace’s shoulder. “Which means you’re prepared to dig your own grave—metaphorically.”

But that’s a whole other story, the trio silently protested with their expressions, which mixed with shock and confusion.

Wein chuckled. “Well, no one’s forcing you. Just know that based on our royal records, there was a time when the two tribes were united. To assume you can’t exist in harmony is nothing more than prejudice. You may go now.”

Raklum and the soldiers left the tent.

Lowellmina had been watching the situation unfold and spoke up once their footsteps had receded. “Wein, did they actually get along in the past?”

“Of course. I’m sure the records will materialize once I return to the palace.”

“I see… The work of an awful swindler.”

“If being stupid honest would bring wealth to my country, I’d gladly cut off my forked tongue,” Wein responded, chuckling wryly as he stood. “Well, I’ve got a meeting with the tribe leaders now. I can’t let foreigners sit in. Sorry.”

“You’ve gone above and beyond to humor me. I’ll behave while I wait. But come back soon. I hate being alone.”

“Then pray the meeting goes well.” Wein waved and exited the tent.

The tribe leaders were waiting for him. But that wasn’t where he was headed.

“I’ve been waiting.” Raklum had gone ahead to a tent set up in a slightly removed area.

Behind him were countless bundles of weapons.

“These are the weapons confiscated from both tribes.”

“Good work.”

The catalyst for this feud was construction along the river, but it had spiraled out of control because of these weapons. If the tribes hadn’t gotten ahold of them, the dispatched troops would have resolved this without a hitch.

Where in the world did the weapons come from? Wein intended to find out, but it was sensitive information that needed to be handled with care. This was why he had lied to Lowellmina and kept her at a distance.

“From what I can tell, they’re new,” Raklum continued. “But they aren’t products of Natra…”

Hmm, let’s say they were made abroad. How did they find their way north to Natra? If someone’s trying to sell a bunch of weapons in the boonies, their prices would need to be hyper marked down.

Which meant there had to be a country somewhere with an overabundant supply of weapons. That would be the only way to find a seller who would be okay with such a huge discount. And there were few reasons for a country to hoard this many weapons other than war.

As Raklum’s reasoning ran through the back of his mind, Wein spoke bitterly. “…This is bad.”

“Your Highness?” Raklum was unnerved by his master’s unusual state.

Wein recovered in the next moment and turned to him.

“Raklum, get me a pen and some paper. I have a message for Ninym. Start preparing to withdraw the troops. By confiscating their weapons, we’ve broken the spirit of the tribes. For the time being, we’ll leave the negotiations to the magistrate—without military presence.”

“S-Sir!” responded Raklum without missing a beat.

Wein watched him go from the edge of his vision before turning toward the tent where Lowellmina was waiting.

“—Thanks for nothing, Lowellmina.”

Lowellmina loved the Empire.

She loved it for its diverse array of nations, peoples, cultures, ideologies, and faiths jumbled together in a disorderly mess.

That’s why she had devoted her entire life to the Empire. She dreamed of supporting her nation and devoured knowledge with greed. She had no doubt that she would be rewarded if she kept it up.

But those dreams were dashed at a certain banquet.

The Emperor had quizzed his eldest son on politics. When his son was unable to respond, the Emperor’s mood became sour, dampening the vibe of the entire party.

It had been at this point that Lowellmina offered the correct answer from beside them. The Emperor praised her, and the vassals remarked that they’d expect no less of their Imperial Princess. The eldest son had turned bright red with embarrassment, but she paid him no mind. For Lowellmina, it was more important to become a rock for the Empire as quickly as possible.

But from that day forward, the circumstances around her changed.

Her time to learn politics became crammed with lessons on poetry and dance. The vassals engaged in national politics kept their distance. And to top it off, she was forced to stop sitting in on the affairs of the Imperial Court as she’d been allowed before. That was when it became clear that this was happening according to someone’s will.

She initially had thought it was the work of her embarrassed eldest brother, but that wasn’t the case.

It was all under the orders of the Emperor.

As a father, the Emperor loved Lowellmina, but he hadn’t the slightest intention of naming her his successor—because she was a girl.

The Empire was a country that held onto a creed of talent over status. And yet, the Emperor held onto the belief that women were best served when dolled up and speaking in soft, melodic voices. They were not meant to bear the burden of national politics.

But Lowellmina was jolted to her very core by the events that followed.

When she realized that the Emperor’s will was unwavering, she began trying to work through the vassals. But not a single one paid any attention to her. They had feared invoking the Emperor’s displeasure—
or so one might think.

In reality, most of the vassals agreed with the Emperor that women shouldn’t be involved in government affairs. Even the court ladies agreed it was the unconditional truth.

And the most terrifying part of all: They meant her no harm. With good intentions and these beliefs, they were keeping her away from politics, knowing full well she was more than capable. They didn’t want her to know the unhappiness that was part and parcel with meddling in these affairs.

How could Lowellmina describe her shock?

She wasn’t facing a conspiracy of just one or two people. And it wasn’t only in the palace but most of her country that stood in her way. It was a barricade of people who shared this cultural hegemony. And when Lowellmina found out about this system of beliefs, she realized there was nothing she could do to change it.

From then on, she locked herself away in the palace, feeling as though she would suffocate upon looking at her personal library, knowing that studying was meaningless. She ceased to flip through the pages. She took her frustration out on those around her. She lamented that she was born a girl.

But time was relentless and continued to pass without change.

One day, her older sister made a proposal. She couldn’t stand to see her sister wasting away anymore: What if she went to the military academy for a change of pace?

Lowellmina agreed. They schemed that she would attend under the pretext of scoping out potential suitors. Of course, no one from the Imperial family could choose their own marriage partners. But even the Emperor must have been concerned about his beloved daughter. With her sister’s support, it was a done deal.

She would lie about her social status upon entering the academy. There were plenty of reasons for this, but the true motive was that if she wasn’t herself, Lowellmina could at last escape this feeling of asphyxiation.

Which led to her meeting…

“Wein, the final painting is here.”

Strang was carrying a canvas into the room. It was a piece by a famous artist. Its value was enough to cause the hands of those who knew its name to tremble just by holding its frame.

But Strang and Wein were handling it without care—not that it was weird or anything, since it was a fake.

“Nice. Better than I expected.”

“Yeah. It’ll take someone with a good eye to spot the differences in all our counterfeits.”

“But I can’t believe you were able to get your hands on these, Strang.”

“I have a few connections with artists. Glen, how are things with you?”

“I’ve got a path to sneak into the mansion as well as an escape route, in case something goes wrong.” Glen gave a sour look as he answered. “But are we really going through with this? The guy’s an Imperial aristocrat.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, it’s a bit late for that, Glen. Remember: Our target exploited his subjects, right?”

“Well, yeah, but…”

“C’mon, it’s not like we’re assassinating him. He’s used dirty money to procure his needless collection of paintings, and we’re just gonna swap them out with Strang’s pieces of art. I’m telling you, no one will notice.”

“He’s right, Glen. The guy has no eye for art. We’re gonna offer them to someone who understands their true worth and distribute the payout to his people. Justice will be served!”

“Justice… When you put it that way… I’m on board!”

“As gullible as ever.”

“You’re right. I worry he’ll be tricked by some nasty friends.”

“Did you guys say something?”

““Nothing,”” Wein and Strang answered together, shaking their heads to the side.

Ninym appeared in the room. “I’ve sealed the business deal. Our paintings will be ready to head West.”

“All right. Let’s go and get the goods.”

The group began hauling the paintings out of the room one by one.

Just as Wein went for another, he turned around. “What’s wrong, Lowa? You’re spacing out.”

Lowellmina had been completely motionless in a corner of the room. Her face twitched slightly after being called on.

“…Just observing.”

“Observing? What?”

“You.”

Wein blinked and flashed a pompous smile. “Guess you finally caught on that I’m hot stuff.”

“Not at all.”

“Oh.”

“Not in the least.”

“You just had to say it twice, huh…”

“Impossible.”

“Is it really necessary to say it a third time?!” he yowled, kneading and stretching his own face.

And I thought I was pretty good-looking, his expression whined silently.

Lowellmina let out a heavy sigh. “How should I say this? I guess I’m jealous that you seem to live without a care in the world.”

“What? Trying to pick a fight? Have you been trying to stir me up this entire time?”

“It’s not like that. I mean it. I envy you,” she admitted in a melancholy way.

Wein observed her before giving her a small nod, as if in sympathy. “All right. Cool. See ya.”

“Hold it.” She yanked his collar as he turned on his heel to walk away. “I think this is the part where you hear me out.”

“No way! I want absolutely nothing to do with your annoying mess…!”

“After all I’ve done to plan this exciting adventure to swap out an aristocrat’s artwork? And you’re still going to be a stingy…?”

“Hey now. Listen up, Lowa. Think of me as an idiot who sees himself as a special snowflake. You can mock me when I fall flat on my face, like, Hah! Serves you riiiiiiight! I’m the type of guy who will pass up anything that might create a problem for me, including listening to the woes of teenage girls!”

“You shouldn’t puff out your chest while you say that!”