Edith phrased her words with deliberate gentleness—so much so that Vivian didn’t grasp the implication right away. She simply stared at Edith, confusion and bewilderment flickering in her eyes.
But she wasn’t foolish. In moments, understanding dawned. A faint pallor crept across her face.
“So you’re saying… the reason you supplied us before was because of Li Wei.”
“Precisely, as Miss Vivian has now realized,” Edith replied calmly. “We provided those resources because Mr. Li Wei holds special privileges within our guild.”
“But… shouldn’t that be Dawn’s right?” Vivian interjected hastily.
“I know this may be hard to accept,” Edith chose her words carefully, “but… weren’t all of Dawn’s achievements brought about by Mr. Li Wei?”
*‘But those are all in the past…’*
Vivian nearly retorted on impulse, but reason returned just in time, silencing the foolish words hovering on her lips.
After all, weren’t achievements meant to honor the past?
She swallowed the tightness swelling in her chest.
Just seconds ago, she’d declared Dawn would thrive under her leadership without Li Wei. Now… this wasn’t just a slap in the face—it was being stomped into the dirt.
Taking a slow breath, Vivian asked, “So by your logic, without counting Li Wei’s contributions… is Dawn utterly worthless to you?”
“Not quite,” Edith said evenly. “Which brings me to my next point. Even excluding Mr. Li Wei’s personal merits, Dawn still retains certain privileges within our guild—legacies passed down by past sacrifices for future generations.”
“You retain priority purchasing rights and discounts on supply packages for missions below cadre level.”
“…Purchasing rights? Discounts?”
Vivian blinked in fresh disbelief.
Edith nodded. “Yes. For one hundred thousand gold coins, we can provide a supply package tailored for a commander-level expedition.”
“One hundred thousand?!”
The choked exclamation slipped from Tiffany’s rosy lips. The twin-tailed elf’s eyes widened in shock, her tails trembling violently.
One hundred thousand gold—a sum no elf could earn even after selling herself a hundred times.
(Though she’d never done it herself, she knew the market rate all too well.)
Vivian’s voice tightened. “One hundred thousand? Isn’t that absurd? Shouldn’t these be free? We’re not fighting the Demon King Citadel for ourselves.”
Edith’s professional smile never wavered. “Miss Vivian… what made you believe we ever provided supplies for free?”
Vivian fell silent.
She knew she’d spoken rashly, yet pressed on: “But… we’re all protecting humanity…”
“Indeed,” Edith replied calmly. “And so are we. To secure these supplies and open transport routes, our guild paid dearly to establish lifelines. Even if our staff serve willingly, we owe responsibility to their families.”
“Also, Miss Vivian—you’ve never joined a commander-level expedition, have you?” Edith added gently. “Had you, you’d know this price is already deeply discounted internally. We barely profit from it.”
That final remark left Vivian utterly speechless. Flustered, she turned her head away.
Still unwilling to yield, she asked quietly, “Then… is this paid package different from what you gave us before?”
“Naturally.”
*‘At least we’d get something better…’*
Before relief could settle, Edith continued, “This purchased version is significantly scaled back compared to the previous special edition.”
“…?”
Vivian stared, stunned.
“The prior version followed Mr. Li Wei’s specifications,” Edith explained, “including items typically reserved for cadre-level incursions—designed to aid your commander-level campaign.”
Tiffany pressed a hand to her chest as if weighed down, stumbling forward. Tears welled in her eyes. “And… you gave all that… for free?”
Vivian shot her a sharp glare—but the elf’s naive question had already pierced her heart.
Edith gave a slight nod. “We fulfill any reasonable request from Mr. Li Wei.”
Biting her lip, Vivian whispered, “We’re all fighting the Demon King Citadel to protect humanity… Is this bias really necessary?”
“Mr. Li Wei says: ‘Spend money where it counts,’” Edith replied. “We must steward limited resources wisely.”
“So you trust someone… who’s achieved nothing in years… over me, the current Chosen Hero?”
“Miss Vivian,” Edith offered a helpless smile, “before you became the Chosen Hero, Mr. Li Wei had already…”
Some truths were too sharp to voice.
Vivian clenched her jaw.
Tiffany scratched her cheek hesitantly. “Um… Vivian? What if we… just go apologize to Mr. Li Wei? A tiny one?”
*An apology could save a hundred thousand gold.*
*She couldn’t earn that much even if she bent over and apologized.*
The words ignited Vivian’s pride. “I understand,” she declared firmly.
“Alright then—” Tiffany began, but Vivian yanked her into a hug, muffling her mouth. Then, locking eyes with Edith, she said sharply, “I’ll prepare the one hundred thousand gold coins.”
“Ensure your guild has the supplies ready. No mistakes this time.”
“You have our guild’s word, Miss Vivian,” Edith assured her.
Just then, Edith pressed a finger to the glowing sigil at her ear, her expression shifting oddly.
Before she could speak, the reception room door creaked open. A figure stepped inside.
Vivian and Tiffany froze. Vivian’s fists tightened as she glared at the tall, familiar silhouette.
“Li Wei… Did you come here just to laugh at me?”
Li Wei, still savoring the warmth of his daughter’s tiny hand in his, was suddenly dissed. He blinked, utterly bewildered.
