Three hours passed.

The city had started to recover… Cleanup crews had already finished their job, and there were barely any traces of golem chunks around the city…

At this time, Eterna Mayonnaise had already reopened, and a few curious customers had already entered and checked it out after purchasing a Fountain Pen on the other side of the shop.

Well, Rayven didn't put up signs or call for attention. He simply unlocked the door, swept the floor, and prepared the counter, but the customers just came in.

Many of them were just drawn by the unique smell. Perhaps it was for comfort or to satisfy their curiosity.

Well, food was one of the few things that could restore calmness after all…

Still, it didn't take that long before she arrived.

Ardania stepped through the doorway, her presence was unmistakable... Her robes were clean, with a composed posture like a model…

Her scent was floral, subtle, and refined like a noble…

'This…' Rayven didn't expect that her fragrance could spread through the shop like a breeze.

'Is this a spell?' However, he checked his Coinbound Spell Archive, but there wasn't anything that registered. Furthermore, he would receive a notification if a new spell was detected around him…

In any case, conversations around the shop stopped. Several customers turned to look…

Needless to say, they were all filled with admiration.

Rayven stepped forward from behind the counter.

"Welcome," he said.

Ardania glanced around the shop, her eyes scanned the jars on the shelves to the menu board written in chalk…

She walked toward the counter, stopping just short of it.

"This is your shop?" she asked.

Rayven nodded. "Eterna Mayonnaise. I run it when I'm not being dragged into city-wide disasters." He chuckled as he pointed at the samples he prepared.

Ardania smiled. "Mayonnaise. I've never seen it served like this."

"It's not common here," Rayven said. "It's a recipe I made myself…"

She looked at the sandwich, then pointed to one with roasted vegetables and a thick layer of golden spread.

"What's in that?"

"Grilled eggplant, sweet peppers, and a garlic-infused blend. The mayonnaise is the base… it holds everything together."

Ardania didn't hesitate. "I'll try it."

Rayven prepared the sandwich himself. He didn't rush or make unnecessary embellishments. He placed it on a ceramic plate and handed it to her without ceremony.

She took a bite.

After a moment, Ardania set the plate down and looked at him.

"This is remarkable," she said. "It's simple, but it's tasty... I can taste the oil, the herbs, the acidity. You made this?"

Rayven nodded again. "It's what I do."

Ardania glanced toward the back of the shop. She didn't expect that this young mage would actually run such a shop instead.

"Do you have a place we can talk?"

Rayven gestured toward the door behind the counter. "Small office. Nothing fancy."

He then turned to Gene, signalling for him to take care of the shop before he entered the small office.

Ardania then followed him inside.

The room was modest. There was one desk, two chairs, a shelf of documents, and a small window facing the alley.

Rayven closed the door behind them and sat across from her.

Ardania didn't waste time.

"You haven't used the token," she said. "The one I gave you for the Academy."

Rayven didn't expect this matter at all, so he was a bit surprised and unable to answer.

Well, he indeed received the token for himself, and he could visit the Academy with its help.

"I haven't had time," he said after a few moments.

Ardania didn't respond immediately. She knew that it wasn't just that…

Seeing that Ardania was waiting, Rayven continued. "Well… I've been busy with this business as you can see…"

Ardania didn't press. "You're not curious? There's no decent academy or tutors here… You will learn a lot in the Academy."

"But I'm not ready."

She studied him for a moment. "You're not obligated to attend lectures. The library is open. The grounds are open. You could learn a lot."

Rayven nodded. "That's the plan. Eventually."

Of course, he had no plan to attend any Mage Academy.

He couldn't afford to be tested.

The Academy was built on structure… There would be mana diagnostics, elemental affinity, and other tests.

Students were evaluated, ranked, and monitored. Every spell was dissected, every casting method scrutinized. If he walked through those gates and submitted to their process, it wouldn't take long before someone noticed.

Rayven didn't have mana.

Not in the way they understood it.

"I'll visit eventually," Rayven said. "Maybe not the classrooms. But the library. The grounds. I want to see how real mages operate. What spells they use. How they think."

Ardania studied him for a moment, then nodded.

"That's fair," she said. "The Academy isn't for everyone. But the knowledge is there. Use it when you're ready."

Rayven gave a small nod. "Thanks. I'll keep the token safe."

Ardania didn't respond right away… "That's not the only reason I came," she said.

Rayven could tell that much…

"I need someone to investigate something," she continued. "And I couldn't find anyone I trust in this city."

Rayven was curious as he allowed her to continue.

"It's about the Count."

Rayven's expression didn't change, but he felt the shift in tone. The Count of Hesa wasn't a figure people casually questioned. He was well-connected, politically protected, and rarely seen outside formal events.

Most people didn't even know his full name… just his title and his seal.

"What kind of investigation?" Rayven asked.

"I don't need you to break into his estate or spy on his chambers," Ardania said. "I need someone who can move quietly. Ask questions and notice things. Someone who isn't tied to the Mage Guild or the Crown."

Rayven was curious, so he asked… "Why me?"

"You're not part of the Mage Guild…"

That certainly made sense…

"I've been watching the mana flow around the 17th Dungeon," Ardania continued. "The outbreak wasn't random. Something triggered it. And I suspect the Count knows more than he's letting on."

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