This kind of deal or arrangement is tricky. We had to consider many points to avoid leaving any legal loopholes. It was easier because he was willing to give up a lot. If he could earn a position proving himself as head of security or as chief of a town, he had no problem giving us his house in the capital as thanks. Naturally, we would build him a proper noble's residence wherever Patt was assigned.

We only skimmed over the finer details. I just needed enough information to report back to my family; they would handle Patt directly for the exact arrangements. For now, I only needed to make sure I understood the potential benefits.

"What do you want to do now?" I had been talking with both of them for several more minutes, tying up minor details before contacting my family. Most of the discussion was with Patt, while Matt only answered when asked directly.

"We had planned to enjoy the fair, but that's no longer possible. I need to resolve a few matters before leaving my life in the capital behind and moving to our new home." His smile widened as he spoke. "I must give my wife the good news—she loves nature and will be thrilled to live there." Both of them bid me farewell, leaving me alone again in the forest.

"I hope I haven't gotten myself into trouble. I know my family well—they'll agree. I'm just a little uneasy about making this kind of decision without consulting them. Well, it's their fault for always pushing me to make connections and expand my circle." Once they stepped out of my Personal World, I had sorted my thoughts. It was time to return and look for the Marquis.

It didn't take me long to find him; he was always near the important events. Surrounded by nobles and Arisa's parents, I waited at a respectful distance—close enough for him to notice me, but not so close that anyone could complain I was interrupting.

In less than ten seconds, Julio's eyes found me. He winked, and I moved toward a quieter spot. Moments later, he joined me with his usual relaxed smile. He seemed to be enjoying the birthday festivities.

"What brings you here? I thought you'd be with the three girls after Susan left you alone." I had seen them walking around but avoided them to focus on the important matters first.

"I'll meet them soon." My expression grew more serious. "Uncle, I want to ask you a few questions and explain a situation." He clasped his hands behind his neck and motioned for me to continue.

"Well, here's what happened…" I told him how I had met Matt. Apparently, Arisa had already explained a little, so I added details to make the story clear. Then I told him about Patt's history and his request. Julio's face hardened, and for a moment he frowned.

"I want to know if it's possible… to receive your approval for the Zumis family." He studied me for several seconds, no doubt weighing the pros and cons.

"I knew you were a good person, Maki, but you're nobler than I expected. Of course, I'll give my approval. It's not a big issue, and both families will benefit. That will make my territory more prosperous. Everyone wins." Relief loosened my shoulders at his answer.

"I know a little about that viscount and his group. Technically, they aren't breaking the rules. It isn't moral, but without clear proof I can't judge a noble or force a confession." So nothing could be done there. "However, I'll impose a heavy fine for intimidating the knight Zumis's son. Arisa is furious with them as well." A fine seemed lenient, but at least it was something. They were just youths, after all, and no one had been gravely hurt. It was more of a warning to those families.

"A fine may be lenient, but it's better than nothing. With that resolved, I need to inform my family." I needed a quick way. Traveling to Primaver City would take at least a week, and the tournament began in two days with an unknown duration depending on the participants.

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"Write a letter and send it with Ho. He hates being a messenger pigeon, but he won't refuse if I tell him to, and it seems he likes you." A letter? A good idea. I'd prefer to tell them face-to-face, but there was no way to go and return in under two days.

"Thank you, Uncle. I'll have the letter ready first thing tomorrow." I owed him a lot. Without Arisa, none of this would have been possible.

"It's nothing. It's not only your family who benefits—the marquisate can take a step forward if several noble families continue to improve. It's my duty as lord of this territory to care for everyone's well-being."

"I hope I can help improve the territory little by little." I just needed time to grow stronger and become a valuable asset. "But before that, I should go look for Sol, Arisa, and Marga. I have a bad feeling about them…" My back shivered just thinking about the three.

"You're already contributing, Maki." Julio turned to leave. "Hurry up. When I last saw them, they were angry because you hadn't shown up." He waved goodbye as he walked away. Damn, they'd be upset if I didn't find them quickly.

I extended my Personal World to locate them faster. It helped—I found them in under a minute, sitting on a bench eating something like hotdogs. I walked straight toward them. Sol noticed first and pointed me out. The other two turned their gazes on me.

"Where were you?" Arisa was the first to scold.

"You disappeared and didn't come back for hours." Sol's eyes were suspicious.

"I hope you weren't flirting with some woman." Marga kept eating while judging me. That girl loved street food.

"Let me explain." I told them briefly what had happened, keeping my voice low because of passersby. They weren't close enough to overhear, but I was cautious. The three understood quickly and dropped their complaints.

I sat in front of them on a cushion from my storage bracelet. They continued chatting about things of little importance to me—clothes, nobles they'd seen talking, the usual chatter when friends gathered.

"Marga, are you staying for the tournament? I'm not joining, I'll just watch someone else win." Sol looked at her as she spoke.

"Are you entering, Maki? If so, I could delay some matters to watch you." All three focused on me after Marga's question.

"Yes, I intend to win it. Aren't you three participating?" It seemed strange. This was supposed to be an important tournament.

"No, if you're entering there's already a clear winner. It's not worth it." Arisa answered firmly, echoing the others' feelings.

"Why not? From what I know, this tournament is quite important, and many people want to take part." It was the last tournament before the school season, after all.

"It is, but not as important as the first tournament in the major schools. For us, this one doesn't matter much. Participating would mean revealing our abilities before a more privileged tournament. The prizes here aren't as valuable as the glory and rewards in the school tournaments." Arisa explained.

"For you, it's pointless to reveal your skills. If anyone studies you to look for weaknesses, they'll just run into a wall of steel. And surely Uncle Julio has his own rewards lined up for his favorite." Marga eyed me, fishing for confirmation.

"The participants here are usually commoners and children of nobles from knight to baron rank. They can't spend much on training, especially for children who won't inherit territory. I'm fortunate to come from a family with many resources, so I can afford to skip this tournament." Sol added.

"We've already won several tournaments over the years, during the time you were stuck in the dungeon. We've proven ourselves as rising powers. From the public's perspective, you're just a hanger-on trying to ride our coattails." Marga's words hit like a bomb.

She was right. They'd told me before about their tournament wins, often taking first or second, always landing on the podium. Their families had the resources to hire excellent teachers and provide medicine and elixirs to boost their growth.

I, on the other hand, had only won the novice tournament. By now, people had likely forgotten my name and face. To nobles and commoners alike, I must have seemed worthless—lucky to have befriended the three of them. Marga's words made too much sense.

"You've just given me another reason to win this tournament." I thanked the three of them. "I hope to see you in the stands cheering for me." I grinned at the thought of them supporting me from the privileged box.

"You're not allowed to lose." Arisa pointed her finger at me.

"If you make us come only to watch you fail, you'll owe each of us a favor." Marga smirked provocatively. I couldn't refuse.

"I'll be supporting you unconditionally." Sol was as sweet as always. "But they're right—you can't lose. I don't want to feel sad if someone defeats you. Please be careful with my feelings." Sol was changing little by little. She still kept her sweetness, but she had picked up some of Marga and Arisa's traits. No, it wasn't just her. They were all adopting pieces of each other while staying true to themselves.

"I'll win. No matter what, I'll win." A confident smile spread across my face. Surely, I would.

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