A moment later, when Ard had put on his uniform and opened the door, he was surprised to see Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, Rosalind, and Patricia waiting in front of his room. He also saw Geoffrey and Ainsley behind them; it looked like they had wanted to come in but were stopped by the girls waiting outside. When they saw Ard,
"Ard!" everyone said in unison.
"Um... what's going on?" Ard asked.
"We were all worried, you know. You didn't come to class today," Milia answered.
"Yeah, exactly. We wanted to check on you, we were afraid you might be sick," Alicia added.
"That's right, I was also surprised you were absent. I thought something happened to you. Thank goodness you're fine," Beatrice added.
"I-I was worried too," Patricia added.
Rosalind just stood there like a statue, but her face clearly showed relief and worry, even smiling when she saw Ard emerge. Ard glanced at Geoffrey and Ainsley, who merely shrugged as if to say, "Sorry, I don't know anything."
"Thanks for worrying enough to check on me. [He looked right and left] Where's Eva?" Ard asked innocently.
The expressions on Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, Rosalind, and Patricia's faces immediately changed drastically; they looked disappointed and annoyed. Seeing that, Ard took a step back until he was pressed against the door, then he looked at Geoffrey and Ainsley, who shook their heads with faces that said, "What an idiot."
"Why ask about Princess Eva?" Alicia asked, pouting.
"Are you not happy I'm here that you have to ask about Princess Eva?" Milia asked, pouting.
"Hmph... so only Eva is on your mind, huh," Beatrice said, turning her head away and folding her arms across her chest.
"Oh, Princess Beatrice, don't say that! [She turned and glared at Ard] But I also want to know, why ask for Princess Eva when all of us are here?" Rosalind asked.
"Um... do you like Princess Eva, Ard?" Patricia asked.
"Come on, what's with you guys? I only asked because you're her friends and you're usually together," Ard replied.
"Hah! Who's her friend?" Alicia, Milia, Beatrice, and Rosalind asked. Patricia just looked left and right without saying anything, looking very nervous.
Ard was surprised because he thought the girls in front of him were friends with Eva, then he looked at Geoffrey and Ainsley, who shook their heads again, their expressions saying, "It's tough when you're stupid and stubborn on top of it."
"Okay, okay... sorry. How about we just walk around town?" Ard asked, raising both palms to his chest and giving a forced smile.
"Hmm, that's a good idea. There are merchants from the Ateras Kingdom stopping by the city and selling their goods in the town square. Want to check it out? I heard from a Class B student who I happened to run into in the hallway just now," Ainsley said.
"Huh... merchants from the Ateras Kingdom?" Ard thought.
"Okay, let's go to the town square," Beatrice suggested enthusiastically.
"Oh, Princess, don't get too excited," Rosalind said.
"Come on, I want to see too," Milia added.
"Hmm... might as well. We can walk around until late afternoon and browse. Who knows, there might be something good," Alicia said.
"Um... can I... come too?" Patricia asked.
"Of course you can. Come on," Milia said, putting her arm around Patricia.
Finally, they walked down the dormitory hallway to go downstairs and out toward the city. Ard walked behind the girls with Geoffrey and Ainsley.
"Thanks for the idea, Ain," Ard said.
"No problem. Friends have to help each other," Ainsley replied.
"You're completely pathetic, bro," Geoffrey muttered, putting his hands behind his head.
"Haha... sorry," Ard replied casually.
They walked toward the city and eventually arrived at the square. Many people were gathered, swarming around a merchant's wagon in the center of the square. "Tap," Ard stopped when he saw the logo on the side of the merchant's wagon and noticed a long-haired, slender but seemingly strong male merchant, dressed in merchant's clothes with a headscarf, shouting to sell his goods.
"Reese from my second life... he's... so young... maybe only about 20 years old, and he shouldn't be a big merchant yet," Ard thought.
Ard saw his friends already approaching the wagon, and he quickly jogged to catch up with them.
"Welcome to Cain's Store! Come on, take a look! We have mithril weapons forged by the legendary dwarves. If you need pottery and other equipment, we have those too. We have everything!" Reese shouted, promoting his goods.
Reese turned to see Ard and his friends looking around. His face immediately brightened because he was clearly targeting academy students from noble and royal families. But then he locked eyes with Ard, and Ard looked back at him.
"Hi, Reese... how are you?" Ard asked casually.
Reese's face instantly changed. He didn't answer Ard's greeting and turned to look away. Noticing Reese's strange behavior and reading the store's name again, "Gasp," Ard realized he had made a fatal mistake. Ard immediately turned around, spoke to Geoffrey next to him, who nodded, and then left.
Reese glanced to see Ard departing, then he turned and spoke to a girl about 13 years old beside him. Meanwhile, Ard walked straight into the city and ducked into an alley between an inn and an equipment shop.
"Huff... I totally forgot... besides being a merchant... he's also hiding his real identity. He's a spy from the Ateras Kingdom disguised as a merchant named Cain... Reese is his spy name," Ard thought with a sigh.
Suddenly, "tap," someone landed next to Ard and immediately attacked, using a karambit knife aimed at his neck. Ard, quick on his feet, caught the attacker's wrist. Ard turned to see who was attacking him and was surprised: it was Reese, who was assaulting him using martial arts that resembled a ninja's style.
"Hey... who are you? How do you know my real name?" Reese asked.
"Um... it's hard to explain, but I know you, Reese... err, sorry... Cain," Ard replied.
"Hah, don't joke around. Which kingdom are you from?" Reese asked.
"Sorry, but I can't answer," Ard replied.
Suddenly, Reese spun and attacked Ard with his knee, "bam." Ard blocked it by raising his own knee, making them collide. Then, after his arm was freed, Reese slashed the karambit toward Ard's neck again, but Ard ducked and immediately struck Reese's stomach with his palm.
Reese, who was quick, managed to block it with his other arm, but he was pushed back. Reese looked surprised to see Ard take a fighting stance identical to his own.
"Who are you? How do you know the secret martial arts of my kingdom, huh?" Reese asked, growing angrier.
"Oh man... why is this getting more complicated... how am I supposed to explain this? I can't exactly tell him I know him from my second life and he's the one who taught me this martial art," Ard thought, confused about how to answer.