Hearing Lynn’s words, the adventurer’s mood turned sombre. Witnessing this sudden shift in the general mood Em became somewhat nervous at the sight.

“Are those bad guys? What’s going on?” She whispered her question to Severin. However, with the celebratory atmosphere gone, her voice was still loud enough for everyone else to hear.

Therefore, it wasn’t Severin, who seemed to be the only one left in a good mood, as he had a pretty good idea about what was happening, but Andreas, who answered her.

“No, they aren’t.” He let out a bitter laugh. “Well. At least most of them aren’t.”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“Haha. There’s no problem at all.” Severin was amused by Emily’s innocence.

Indeed, while the timing might not actually be the best, Severin didn’t mind this opportunity at all. Especially with the store’s newly upgraded crafting capabilities as well his urgent need for money to realize the expansion plans.

“They’re most likely just new customers.”

Sigh

“We always knew this would happen at some point.” The guild officer couldn’t help but lament the situation. He had hoped they would be able to monopolize the Emporium’s products for a slightly longer period of time.

“Well, it’s not like they’d have any interest in further advertising the shop to others, either. SO it shouldn’t be too bad.”

He sheepishly ignored how Severin raised his eyebrows as he looked at him in response.

Understanding that the owner of the shop surely had other priorities than himself, the situation turned awkward. Still, Andreas didn’t stop there.

“Quickly use up your remaining charges for today!”

“Right!”

Severin could only incredulously shake his head at the sight of the newly ensuing chaos. Did they believe they could at least keep the combinator secret this way? Did they believe Severin wouldn’t inform any new customers of its existence?

“Why are they behaving like this? Aren’t new customers a good thing?” An innocent voice asked.

“Of course they are!” Severin exclaimed as he patted Em on her head. Then, with his voice lowered, he continued.

“Remember what you told me you’d usually do whenever you found something valuable? Or something tasty to eat?”

“Eh. Eat it?”

“…”

“Ah! Hide it from others!”

“Right.” A big self-satisfied grin was plastered on Severin’s face as he said that.

While the comparison, in reality, wasn’t all that fair or even accurate, having one's behavior compared to that of a lowly street urchin probably would’ve left the adventurers rather indignant in case they had witnessed the exchange. But they hadn’t.

They were too busy. Too busy even to realize that there was no need for them to act this way. They could simply wait until the expected customers would leave again.

After all, the about twenty other adventurers already waiting outside would have to also restock their inventory. They had to wait, one way or the other.

Severin didn’t mention any of this and instead enjoyed the show. Until something occurred to him. He turned towards the healer who was still standing in the doorway and was acting as some kind of lookout.

“Can you tell me something more about these Squall guys? What did Andi mean when he said ‘most of them’ aren’t bad?” Severin figured it would be stupid not to ask if he had the chance.

“White Squall. It’s another guild. The one we just worked together with.” Lynn’s replies were as concise as ever.

“I figured that much,” Severin nodded to indicate his understanding. “What about …”

“As for the second part of your question. Most of them are easy enough to work with. It’s just one of their officers. Simon. Son of their guild lead. Looks down upon every other guild below their own rating. To put it mildly.”

‘Seems like nepotism is a thing here as well,’ he laughed to himself as he remembered Harold, the Lion’s Head’s [Barrier Mage], to be in a somewhat similar position.

Severin threw a meaningful glance in Xander’s direction and said, “So he’s an insufferable prick?”

“Ha!” Lynn’s exclamation sounded almost amused. “Not like that.”

The answers were pretty much what he’d expected, although they didn’t reveal anything too substantial. Therefore, he wanted to get something slightly more specific out of the healer when suddenly he felt a small elbow in his ribs.

“Wha…” Seeing the solemn expression of his assistant who had also listened in and who now silently mouthed the word ‘Map’ at him, made Severin reign in his urge to curse. Instead, he sneaked a glance at his interface.

“Say. What’s this guy’s class?”

“Simon’s? [Warrior]. He’s a tank. Just like Andreas. Always followed by his personal healer, Eddy.” She didn’t even try to hide the disdain in her voice. “That one isn’t all that bad, though. I think. Hard to say.”

Emily and Severin looked at each other before turning towards the door and trying to look behind the distracted healer’s back.

Simon and Edward. The two dots had almost arrived.

The [Shopkeeper] and his [Employee] weren’t the only ones inside the store to notice this, though.

Noticing the approaching steps behind her and the dying down of the bustling atmosphere on the outside, Lynn turned around.

Her expression turned grim. “Speak about the devil. Guys…”

“Yeah, we’re done.”

The two men entered the store; One of them was a few steps ahead of the other.

Only the word ‘immaculate’ seemed to appropriately describe the one at the front.

Tall. Close to 1.9 m. Slightly taller even than Severin.

Blonde. Also, just like the [Shopkeeper]. But lighter in color. Fashioned into a Caesar cut.

Bright eyes. A chiseled jaw. Broad shoulders.

Being the same class as Andreas meant that they both wore similar kinds of equipment, but even a layperson could tell the qualitative difference.

‘In his mid-twenties,’ Severin estimated.

He didn’t like the guy.

The man, Simon, quickly swept the room with a glance, not bothering to acknowledge any of the people inside. Not even the shop owner himself. Instead, he pointed with his right hand. Apparently a signal to the other man accompanying him.

This second person was clearly older; Somewhere in his forties. In fact, everything about that person seemed to be the direct opposite of Simon. He was relatively small, at least in Severin’s eyes, as he didn’t even reach the 1.7 m mark. Black hair.

Most importantly, the guy was heavy. Not the buff, muscular kind of heavy, but the kind that made Severin wonder if that person truly was an adventurer. However, that somehow just made him appear more likable in Severin’s eyes.

Edward quickly gave Severin and the others an apologetic smile as he nodded in place of a greeting. It didn’t seem to be the first time the duo operated like that. He quickly, and without saying a word, scurried deeper inside the store, where he inspected the various displayed items.

Severin stood there gaping, not knowing whether to laugh or to cry. He couldn’t believe his eyes. That level of blatant disrespect was new to him.

To Emily, it wasn’t. Unlike in the past, though, she didn’t run. Instead, she grabbed Severin’s sleeve and stood beside him, waiting for the situation to unfold.

After the initial shock, Severin was just about to bite the bullet and be a good salesperson.

At that moment, though, the surprisingly fast-moving Edward had already gathered a handful of items off the shelves and presented them to his boss.

Reading one tooltip after the other, one could see him lose his composure as his expression became more and more incredulous. The older man managed to keep his cool; At least in comparison. But even he still needed a few moments to process what he saw.

After that, he cleared his throat to snap Simon back to reality.

Ahem

Realizing he had been standing there gaping with all eyes on him, something he usually very much enjoyed, Simon’s mood turned for the worse.

“Hah. So that’s what it takes for people like you to become somewhat useful. Guess that drunken idiot didn’t lie, after all.”