Osian seriously considered whether to advise Lorraine.
The newly established New Tree, sponsored by the Goldiron family, might initially appear inadequate but thinking about its potential, the value inherent in that paper would become tremendously high.
Lucent knew this too, which is why he gave it as payment for the request.
'It might seem like overthinking, but everything that has happened so far speaks for itself. This is actually an extremely generous payment.'
Although it has no immediate value, considering its future worth, it seems almost like Lucent has done something crazy but Lorraine did something even crazier.
To readily hand over stock with such future value to Ena?
Although he knew it wasn't his business, Osian asked just in case.
"Are you really not going to accept it? It might increase in value later."
"What? You think I haven't considered that?"
Honestly, he thought she hadn't.Perhaps sensing the thought from his gaze without him saying anything, Lorraine frowned deeply.
"I have thought it all through. The Saint Tree incident just happened. And now a company called New Tree with similar technology emerges - will people genuinely believe in it? I don't think so."
"Hmm."
"Besides, it's a company that's just starting to be established, right? It will take an enormous amount of time just to lay the groundwork. It seems they've somehow received approval, but it'll take at least a few years to produce proper results, don't you think?"
Lorraine's thoughts seemed rational.
She probably thought she made a brilliant deduction after saying all that. She might have even applauded herself inwardly.
However, Osian became rather worried about Lorraine's conviction.
Wasn't she getting caught up in Saint Tree stocks in the first place due to being swept up in the madness of the trend rather than rational thinking?
He couldn't understand why she thought it would be different this time.
'Well, it wouldn't be right to point that out here.'
He figured his duty ended with asking her to reconsider once, just enough to say he tried to warn her if problems arose later, but that should be sufficient.
"By the way, the aftermath seems pretty serious. The radio keeps talking about District 34."
"That's to be expected. It was the largest terrorist attack in Tirna's history."
Was it a coincidence?
Lorraine and Osian's gazes simultaneously turned toward Diolan.
Diolan was half-sitting on the windowsill, absently staring out the window.
He had taken the gift from Lucent, but showed no particular attachment to it.
Naturally, his mind was troubled more than anyone else's.
"Why don't you go check on him?"
"Me?"
"Men understand each other better, don't they? Besides, didn't you go with him to District 45 to resolve a request?"
It was closer to passing off an obviously annoying task but Osian didn't mind.
He was thinking he needed to have a conversation with Diolan about this anyway.
"Diolan."
"......"
"Diolan. Are you alright?"
"Huh? Yeah. I was just spacing out."
Diolan awkwardly scratched his head, then let out a sigh.
"Let's talk outside."
"Ah, sure."
Osian took Diolan outside.
This area was somewhat busy, making it difficult to find a quiet space for conversation but that didn't apply to these two.
As Osian put strength into his legs and jumped, his body instantly reached the rooftop of the building.
Diolan lightly followed behind Osian.
After jumping several times, they stood at a high place overlooking the surrounding area.
The vast cityscape couldn't be captured in a single glance. But this was enough to give a somewhat open feeling.
"You look quite troubled."
Standing on the rooftop and gazing into the distance, Osian turned to Diolan.
Diolan pursed his lips as if about to say something, then chuckled.
"I must look terrible right now, huh?"
"I'm not blaming you. I understand."
"Thanks for understanding. Even so, I can't help but feel shaken."
The wind blew but it wasn't a refreshing breeze. Tirna's air quality wasn't very good.
It was relatively better only because of the recent long rainy season.
"I was abandoned by her."
"Mother Goose, you mean."
"I still don't know why I was abandoned. The witch I remember was kinder and warmer than anyone. Even when others pointed fingers, she never did that to me."
Diolan reminisced about the past, a time when he wasn't who he is now, but just a little kitten.
"I still remember jumping around in the boots she first gave me as a gift. It was a time when I knew nothing, when I was purely innocent."
"Do you still miss her?"
Diolan is Mother Goose familiar.
For some unknown reason, he was abandoned by Mother Goose and eventually drifted to Tirna.
"If you ask if I miss her, I'm not sure. Certainly, those feelings exist. The memories of that warm time still remain with me, just as they were."
"That's natural."
"But other emotions are definitely stronger. Anger, pain, and curiosity. Why she abandoned me, and what on earth she's trying to do. I want to meet her and ask."
"So that's why you were fixated on Foolish Hans."
"Right. He was one of her closest aides, though the real one is elsewhere."
"The real one?"
"Yes. An extremely unpleasant and nasty guy."
The emotion in Diolan's voice was clearly hostility.
Presumably it was another familiar and one with whom he had a very bad relationship.
"If you really want, I could try to set up a connection."
"By setting up a connection, you mean asking the Tirna city government who captured Hans? How?"
"I have some connections. You shouldn't expect too much, but we might be able to hear a few minor answers from interrogating him."
If he asked Amenora, she would gladly agree to this much.
Diolan brightened a bit at those words, but his expression quickly sank again.
Diolan shook his head. His ponytail swayed accordingly.
"No, there won't be anything to hear from him."
"You mean Hans won't talk at all?"
"Right. Even if the city government subjects him to severe torture, he will never open his mouth."
"Is that also one of the witch's powers? Or his own?"
"He's annoying, but I have to admit it. He probably anticipated being captured and placed a curse of silence on himself. Though his resolute will never to betray her probably plays a bigger role."
"I see."
While ordinary criminals could simply be imprisoned, Osian suddenly wondered how they would contain a familiar like Hans who wielded a witch's power.
Considering his versatile abilities, the possibility of escape couldn't be ruled out.
'That's for the city government to handle.'
Given the long years of witch's familiars running wild, countermeasures must certainly be in place.
Moreover, Tirna is not ignorant about witches.
After all, it was a witch who came forward to protect the city in this recent battle. Working with witches, they might use even more extraordinary methods.
"But one thing has become certain."
"What's that?"
"That she's targeting this city."
Diolan looked at Osian.
"So if I stay in this city, she will definitely come looking for me someday. Now it's my turn to wait, not to keep searching."
"It probably won't be a short time. It might drag on for quite a while."
"I expect so. But I'm used to waiting."
Diolan smiled slightly. His expression showed some relief.
Often when keeping something to yourself, you suffer, but simply sharing it with someone brings relief.
"Thanks for listening. And thank you for accepting me even though I'm not human."
"If I cared about that, I wouldn't have taken Ena's request in the first place."
"True. That makes sense. If you get along with a witch, what's the big deal about a familiar?"
"And I don't simply think of you as just a familiar."
Osian replied with a gentle smile.
"Aren't we comrades?"
"......"
Diolan's eyes widened, then curved like crescent moons.
"That's right. Precious comrades that can't be replaced with anything."
The air that had been merely lonely now felt a little warmer than before.
*
"I'll be heading back first."
Perhaps because his mood had improved, Diolan said he would go home after taking a walk and left.
After watching his rapidly disappearing figure, Osian jumped down from the rooftop.
Stepping on window frames and railings one by one, he lightly landed on the ground.
Straightening his bent knees, Osian slowly walked through the alley.
Since he was already out, he planned to take his time walking back.
By now the sun had set and fog began to settle.
As soon as he reached the main road, a black vehicle appeared in front of Osian.
Osian's eyebrow twitched.
This wasn't just a passing vehicle. It stopped precisely in front of Osian.
It was a long, luxury limousine.
The back door of the limousine that stopped in front of Osian opened by itself.
"Please get in. We'll take you where you're going."
A male voice he'd never heard before.
Without showing himself, he was openly trying to persuade Osian but such an approach only made Osian more curious.
Above all, he didn't sense any hostility, so Osian naturally got into the limousine.
The door closed automatically and the vehicle started moving.
The ride comfort inside was unbelievable. Despite traveling on rough roads, there was no sense of the vehicle shaking.
Osian stared at the man sitting across from him.
He was wearing a neat, well-pressed suit. Though it was dark inside the vehicle with light barely coming in, showing only shadows, Osian's eyes easily penetrated such darkness.
He appeared to be a white-haired man in his early thirties.
He greeted Osian.
"We haven't met before, have we? Pleased to meet you, Fixer Osian."
"Isn't this unfair? You know about me, but I don't know about you."
"Haha. I apologize for that rudeness. I took the liberty because I wanted to meet you as quickly as possible."
When the man gestured, one side of the car's interior slid open.
What emerged was a glass filled with orange-tinted whisky.
The man naturally took out a glass and held it in his hand.
"Would you like some? It's not something you can easily get anywhere."
"Given the time, I'll pass on the alcohol, let's just talk."
"Oh, my apologies."
Despite saying that, he naturally took a sip of whisky in front of Osian.
"Whew. Truly, straight whisky at room temperature is the best way to drink it."
"So, why did you call me here? You seem to have known I would be here and came looking for me."
"If that's how it appeared to you, then you're right."
The man's eyes gleamed in the darkness.
Those eyes were piercingly blue. Like the Arctic Ocean holding cold glaciers.
"Mr. Osian. I was deeply impressed by your stepping up for the city this time."
"You were impressed."
"Although your achievements weren't properly recorded in the reports, I know. The horrific terrorist attack in District 34, you were the core person who resolved it."
Osian silently watched, wondering what he was trying to say.
"In public, they say the District Defense Forces and the witch defeated the enemies. Most media don't even mention your existence. You, who fought the hardest in that horrific scene, weren't even mentioned in a single line. That's no way to treat a hero."
"So, what do you want from me?"
"You deserve to be hailed as a hero. As a human who has achieved such strength and fought nobly without running away."
"I was just fulfilling a request. It's what a fixer should do."
"Being devoted to your profession is a very good mindset. But would other fixers have fought as bravely as you did in that situation? I don't think so."
"So what exactly is your point?"
Osian's eyes narrowed.
The white-haired man smiled and said.
"Won't you join hands with me?"
"......"
"I will make you the hero of this city. A hero who appeared to save this city. A hero for humans."
The man placed his hand on his chest.
"I, Deliphiros, will make it happen."