That morning, within the Paralar Empire— "Why would the United Nations wish to bring ruin upon the Paralar Empire?" Will muttered to himself as he walked along the road. "Will, what did she say to you this time?" asked Eddie, walking beside him, having caught Will's murmuring. "It's nothing," Will quickly responded, remembering Lisa's warning not to divulge her words to anyone. "Well then, if there's nothing urgent, I'll head out on patrol. Tensions with the other two great empires are at a boiling point—I fear an attack could come at any moment," Eddie said, his voice tinged with unease. "Wait… what did you just say?" Will suddenly asked, a realization dawning in his eyes. "What do you mean?" Eddie replied, puzzled. "What was it you just said?" Will pressed. "I said that our relations with the United Nations and the Arus Empire are extremely strained right now." "How did it come to this so suddenly?" Will asked. "I'm not sure. All I know is that the Arus Empire, once our ally, has suddenly aligned itself with the United Nations. To guard against a potential assault, we've increased patrols throughout the city," Eddie replied with a sigh. "I see… then go ahead." Will nodded. "Alright. If you need anything, I'll stop by your place this evening," Eddie added before turning away and heading toward the city gate. 'So it's true—everything Lisa said. The United Nations and the Arus Empire have formed an alliance… and they truly intend to strike.' Will stood motionless, head lowered, lost in thought. "First, I should go check the inn Lisa mentioned." He lifted his head abruptly and dashed off in that direction. … Shortly thereafter— "Land of the Brave… This must be the place. But why have I never seen this inn before?" Will stood before the entrance, gazing up at its sign. Upon entering, he immediately sensed something amiss—a peculiar atmosphere, eerily reminiscent of the inn he'd visited in Rem Town. He seated himself at an empty table and began quietly surveying the room. Although the other patrons seemed engrossed in their own conversations, their eyes would occasionally flicker toward him, arousing Will's cautious instincts. "What would you like, sir?" came a sudden, sweet voice. A young waitress had approached, interrupting Will's scrutiny. "Uh… I…" Startled, Will found himself at a loss for words. He took a moment to observe her—though she wore simple, coarse-spun garments and bore smudges on her face, her beauty and quiet grace were unmistakable. "Yes, sir?" she asked again gently. "I…" Will, still a little dazed, glanced around at the drinks others were having. "A rum, please." "Of course, sir," the girl replied and turned away. "She's beautiful…" Will murmured as his gaze followed her across the room until she disappeared into the kitchen. Then, he resumed his watchful observations. Soon, the same waitress returned, carrying a tray with a single glass of rum. She made her way toward Will, but just as she neared, a burly man at a nearby table abruptly stood. The girl, unable to dodge in time, collided with him, spilling the drink and tumbling to the floor. "What's the big idea? Why'd you run into me?" the man barked, glaring down at her. "Ridiculous… he was the one who moved first," Will muttered under his breath, indignantly. "I'm so sorry! I-I didn't mean to!" The waitress scrambled to her feet, bowing repeatedly in apology. The man gave her a scornful look and sat back down with a grunt. "Mary! Look at what you've done again!" roared a harsh voice. From behind the bar came a fearsome man who stormed toward the girl. "I'm sorry, Uncle Donald," she stammered, turning to face him with bowed head. "How many times have you messed up now?!" Donald bellowed, veins bulging with fury. "If you make another mistake, I'll send you straight back to the village!" His roar silenced the entire tavern. "Y-yes, I understand…" Mary murmured, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. "Hmph!" Donald snorted before storming back behind the bar. "Tch, none of them are any good," Will muttered, annoyed. "I'm so sorry, sir. Your rum was spilled… I'll fetch another at once," Mary said through tears as she approached. "No need," Will replied, pulling a gold coin from the pouch at his waist and placing it on the table. "What's this?" she asked, confused. "Let's just say I've already enjoyed the drink. Keep the change." "But this is far too much! A single gold coin could buy rum for an entire month!" "Then next time I come for a drink, consider it paid in advance," Will said with a grin. "Thank you, sir." At last, Mary smiled. At that moment, a man clad entirely in black stepped into the tavern. He glanced around briefly before striding toward the bar. Donald, who had stood stoically behind it, immediately grew tense. The man in black leaned in and spoke to him in hushed tones—Will observed the entire exchange with piercing clarity. It matched Lisa's description perfectly. This must be the man she had been following. "Your name is Mary, isn't it?" Will suddenly asked, his voice serious. "Yes, sir," she replied softly. "Do you know who that man at the bar is—the one in black? He seems to know Donald quite well." "Oh, he's… I think he's a friend of Uncle Donald's. I don't really know much about him. He's only started coming around recently, but very frequently." "Just recently?" Will asked again. "Yes. Every time he visits, he and Uncle Donald go upstairs to the attic to discuss something." "That ring…" Will's eyes narrowed. On the man's hand gleamed a ring—its design identical to the enchanted Stonedust Ring he'd seen before.
