Eunice didn’t bring up Violet being with me. Did that mean she’d started trusting me enough to skip explanations?

After all, she’d once told me "Krein" meant trust in her homeland.

Trust…

"I called you here for another reason," Eunice paused, then asked, "Yesterday, we suddenly switched bodies back. Do you know why?"

I snapped back to focus. "I’m not entirely sure, but it seemed tied to casting magic."

"Magic?"

"Yeah. Right when our bodies swapped back, I was trying to store the Tempest Hammer’s Magic Rune inside the Magic Cube. It failed—the rune collapsed into raw elements. Then, out of nowhere, we switched. It startled me."

Eunice frowned. "So you don’t know the cause either… Then recreate that moment. Let’s see if it happens again."

*Recreate it?* I nodded, stood, and moved to an empty space. "Last time, I’d smoothly stored Frost Arrow and Blazing Lance in the cube first. Problems started with the Tempest Hammer’s rune. I think casting two formal spells in a row drained my mana too much."

"This time, my mana’s stronger. I’ll use a second-tier spell instead of Frost Arrow."

As I prepared to arrange elements, Eunice’s voice cut through.

She sat at the round table, left elbow propped on its surface, chin resting in her palm. Her gaze never left me.

"Krein," she asked quietly, "if we *do* switch bodies back… what would you do afterward?"

"Huh?"

I froze for a moment before answering. "I… haven’t decided. We’ll cross that bridge later. Why ask all of a sudden?"

"Nothing. Proceed." She shook her head.

*You couldn’t have picked a worse time to say that…* Now I was even more unsettled.

Why would Eunice ask that? Did she… not want to part ways immediately after switching back?

*I’m being ridiculous.*

Shaking off the absurd thought, I focused on arranging elements again.

Thanks to the mana-amplifying ring inside the Magic Cube, I chose only second-tier spells this time.

After the terrifying mansion incident, I realized pure offensive magic wasn’t enough. Attacks could miss. Defensive spells often saved lives at critical moments.

For me, Rune Barrier took only two seconds to cast and didn’t occupy cube space. Since this was a last-resort card, a higher-tier spell was better.

Among second-tier defenses, Molten Shield stood out. Its fiery barrier didn’t just block attacks—the searing heat kept enemies at bay.

Molten Shield required three Magic Runes—same as Blazing Lance, one fewer than Tempest Hammer.

Without incantations, I formed its runes through pure elemental arrangement in five seconds.

After storing the rune, I checked the cube’s mana. Barely depleted. Only my mental stamina had taken a hit.

Current reserves could fuel over twenty second-tier spells. But after five or six casts, my mental stamina would be gone.

*And that’s with the amplifying ring.* Without it, I’d be worse off.

First spell stored. To replicate yesterday’s state, I needed to cast more spells until my mental stamina matched that level.

Just as I chose the next spell—

*Tap. Tap. Tap.*

A soft knock echoed at the door.

I halted instantly, glancing at Eunice.

She’d already risen. With a look that said *Stay calm*, she walked over and opened it.

A maid wheeled in a small cart, placing covered dishes on the table. Silverware clinked softly as she set two place settings—thoughtful, seeing us both present.

After she left, Eunice said, "Pause for now. We’ll revisit the switch later. We have other matters today."

"Other matters?" I sat at the breakfast-laden table, picking up a silver fork.

"Mm. We still need to deliver the commission at the Mercenary Guild. Switching bodies can wait."

Eunice ate in utter silence—not even her fork touched the plate with a sound. Head slightly bowed, she seemed lost in thought.

*Delivering the commission…*

I recalled the wooden crate humming with magical energy. Its requester, Lady Mafalina, was likely a Mage.

This was also my first breakfast with a girl.

Stealing a glance at the black-haired youth eating quietly across from me, a ripple stirred in my chest.

*Breakfast with a girl?*

*Breakfast with myself?*

*Breakfast with a delicate boyish beauty?*

No. Simply… breakfast with Eunice.

After the meal, we left Violet’s home and headed back to Bluewater City’s Mercenary Guild.

Morning streets were nearly empty—just hurried pedestrians, the occasional carriage. Wide avenues flanked by buildings utterly unlike steel-and-concrete towers gave me a dreamlike daze. Yet the crisp breeze, fresh air, and patrols marching in formation confirmed: this world was real.

Compared to this, my past life felt like the true dream.

No matter what, things would improve. Magic. Mental stamina. Safety. Strength. All of it.

Standing before the Guild’s weathered gates, I gazed up at the morning sun blazing high in the sky. My heart matched its light—full of hope.

Inside, we found our commission for Revival Elixir ingredients had been claimed. *News should come in a few days.*

At the delivery desk, a clerk explained: "Lady Mafalina requires personal verification. We’ll send someone to escort her here to inspect the crate."

Round trips took time.

Ordinary commissions didn’t warrant escorts. Mercenaries simply logged completed tasks and stored items at the Guild. Requesters checked periodically. If they found their task done and verified it, they left payment.

The Guild followed up monthly.

Personal escorts and notifications? That was a four-star commission privilege.

"Four-star processing fees cost one hundred gold coins," the stout clerk added. "If unclaimed within a year, the commission auto-cancels. Eighty percent of the fee refunds."

"If you’re eager," he lowered his voice, glancing around, "you could take the task card and find her yourselves. *If* you trust the employer. Without Guild oversight, accidents can happen." He leaned closer. "Personally? I’d wait here. With our staff present, she won’t dare withhold payment or renege. That woman… when she filed the commission, she seemed *off*. I can’t explain it, but she felt wrong. Stay and wait."

Eunice shook her head.

"No need. We’ll find her ourselves."

"Eh? Listen—she’s really—"

"I don’t care." The black-haired youth shot the chattering clerk a frosty glance, then turned on her heel without hesitation.

I knew Eunice didn’t trust the employer. She trusted herself.

The clerk wisely shut his mouth after that look.

Anyone completing a four-star commission wasn’t to be trifled with. As Guild staff, he knew its difficulty.

Only Radiant Tier Mages or stronger could accept it. Previous reckless mercenaries chasing the Blessed Weapon, Viper’s Fang? Monsters had picked their bones clean.

I followed Eunice out.

Mafalina’s address wasn’t near the Guild. Eunice checked the task card, then looked up.

"Krein, why not head back first?"

"Huh? Why?"

Truthfully, I wanted to meet Lady Mafalina. My guess? She was a Mage too.

Her grandfather’s mansion held that magically resonant crate—and in its basement, I’d found a decades-lost Arcane Conduit buried in dust.

What tier was she? If I turned back now, my curiosity would curdle into disappointment.

Eunice studied me. "Do you… want to come with me?"