Leaning against the wall, Nero and Alice stood side by side.
Both seemed to want to talk to each other but didn't quite know how to start. The silence between them stretched on.
Shifting her gaze slightly, Nero noticed something—Alice was no longer wearing the enchanted necklace.
The necklace Alice was wearing now…
"Is that the one I bought for you yesterday?" Nero asked, tilting her head.
The day before, while wandering around the royal capital with Yunyun, Nero had picked up a beautifully designed necklace for her as a gift. Of course, Nero wasn't playing favorites—she had also chosen a necklace for Alice and given it to her later when they met.
Nero looked a little surprised. "In such a formal setting, I thought you'd wear something more valuable, more elegant."
The necklace wasn't anything extravagant—not in Nero's eyes, at least. Surely, Alice deserved something better.
But Alice…
"No… nothing could be more precious than this," Alice replied softly.
She placed a hand over the necklace, her fingers brushing the gemstone embedded within. A rosy blush spread across her cheeks, and a smile, bright and radiant as a blooming flower, appeared on her face.
Ever since Nero had given her the necklace last night, she'd found herself grinning foolishly every time she looked at it. Even while lying in bed, she couldn't resist sneaking glances at it. But… there was no need for Nero to know about such embarrassing behavior.
Steeling her resolve, Alice spoke with a determination as firm as bedrock.
"Nero, I'll treasure this gift for the rest of my life."
"Rest of your life, huh… I feel like I've heard someone say that not too long ago. But, just so you know, a lifetime is longer than you might imagine," Nero said, her tone playful. Though her words sounded like a mild rebuke, the hint of affection in her gaze was unmistakable.
"So, what about that enchanted necklace? The one that lets people swap bodies? What do you plan to do with it?" Nero asked, changing the subject.
"That…"
The mention of the necklace brought a troubled look to Alice's face. Over the past few days, she and Claire had been preoccupied with what to do about it.
"You've always said that the necklace is dangerous, and I agree. But Claire mentioned something odd—no one in the royal archives could trace its origins. The records only state that it was a gift from some noble to the royal family. Yet no one can remember which noble it was," Alice explained with a sigh.
She hesitated for a moment before continuing, "And… while you suggested destroying it outright… that necklace is technically a gift for my elder brother. We don't have the authority to dispose of it."
"And besides… it's not that dangerous, is it? All it does is let two people temporarily swap bodies. It doesn't seem dangerous enough to warrant destruction, right?"
Alice's hesitant defense of the necklace caused Nero's eyes to flash briefly with an unspoken thought.
Alice, who normally relied on Nero for advice and followed her lead without question, was suddenly disagreeing with her?
Casting a glance at Alice's uncertain expression, Nero softened her smile and said warmly, "Hmm. Alice, if you're unsure about what to do with the necklace… could you lend it to me for a few days? Don't worry, I'll return it to you soon."
"Eh? Sister Nero, why do you want the necklace? Well… if it's just for a few days, I don't think Claire would mind," Alice said after a brief pause.
"Good girl! As a reward, let me ruffle your hair a bit—your hair feels so silky, like spun silk. It's amazing to touch," Nero praised, running her hand gently through Alice's hair.
"By the way, there's one more thing I need your help with…" Nero leaned closer and whispered something into Alice's ear.
Although a little puzzled by Nero's request, Alice nodded resolutely.
"Alright, I'm not sure why you need me to do this, but I'll do my best!"
"As expected of my dear little sister! This is undoubtedly love, isn't it? Come here, let me ruffle your hair again. I might be getting addicted to it," Nero teased, her hand once again atop Alice's head.
Though she felt a little shy and self-conscious—especially with so many people around—Alice couldn't deny how comforting Nero's touch was. It was so relaxing that her eyes unconsciously closed, savoring the moment.
---
Meanwhile, in a seemingly unremarkable magic shop in Axel, the air was filled with the sound of heated argument.
"Rare shopkeeper with the equally rare skill of 'Stock Nothing but Junk,' care to explain what useless garbage you've procured this time?"
"Rare shopkeeper?! Oh, Banir-sama, even if you're praising me, I won't give up on stocking new products!"
"I'm not praising you, you worthless shopkeeper! How much more trouble are you planning to cause me?"
The two arguing figures were none other than Wiz, the lich, and Banir, the demon duke who had once attempted to possess Nero's body only to meet his demise.
Who would have thought that two high-ranking members of the Demon King's army would end up running a magic shop in Axel?
A failing magic shop, no less.
As Banir had pointed out, Wiz's business sense was catastrophically bad. She constantly stocked items no one would buy—either because of terrible side effects or exorbitant prices far beyond the means of the beginner adventurers in town.
The once-mighty lich was now so broke she had to survive on sugar water.
It was only after Banir's arrival that things began to improve slightly.
"Not that I have any expectations left for you, but let's go through the motions. What's the deal with this ugly doll?" Banir asked coldly.
"Banir-sama! Banir-sama! Trust me this time! I'm absolutely confident in this product—it'll be a huge hit!" Wiz exclaimed, her excitement barely contained as she held up the doll for display.
"This doll can follow its registered owner around automatically! Just give it to a child, and they'll never get lost again!"
"At first glance, it sounds like a great product. So, what's the catch?"
"There's no catch! Well, if I had to mention something… the doll might also follow the child around even when they don't want it to—like when they're going to the bathroom at night."
"I see. Thank you for the explanation. Now return this garbage immediately," Banir said curtly, crossing the item off the inventory list without hesitation.
"Why?! Banir-sama, don't you care about helping lost children?!"
"And do you care about terrifying children who aren't lost?!"