Inside the Starry Sky shop.
"Hey! Are you serious?"
Lyra stared at Hedin in disbelief. What had she just heard? The entire upper echelon of the Freya Familia wanted to replace all their equipment?
Were they planning to explore the Dungeon? Or were they preparing to pull off something big?
The current situation in Orario was completely different from before. Aside from the Astraea Familia, which only had one overwhelmingly powerful member, the Freya Familia essentially dominated everything.
The Loki Familia, lacking its future key members, was no match for them. If a full-scale war broke out between the two sides, the Loki Familia simply wouldn't be able to withstand the Freya Familia's assault.
That was precisely why the top executives of the Loki Familia—Finn and the other two—had decided to purchase Stigmata, to make up for the gap in strength between them and the Freya Familia.
As for the Freya Familia, they had shown no intention of buying Stigmata. Ever since this shop had opened, Lyra had never seen a single member of the Freya Familia come here to buy anything.
But now they had actually come?
And they were buying so much at once?
Had they been saving up valis all this time?
Seeing Lyra's expression, Hedin could easily guess what this pallum was thinking. After all, this was indeed a massive order.
"It's true."
"We've long heard that the Stigmata created by the Saintess of Scales possess many unique effects and are extremely helpful in combat."
"So for some time now, the eight of us have been saving up valis. Only recently have we managed to accumulate enough."
So that's how it is...
Hearing Hedin's explanation, Lyra finally relaxed a little.
"In that case, I'll recommend some Stigmata suitable for each of you. Though the price might be a bit high, you know?"
"Make it quick. Price isn't an issue."
"Got it!"
Since you've already said price isn't an issue, then I won't hold back!
Lyra was practically grinning from ear to ear, both outwardly and inwardly.
The Freya Familia had always been the Loki Familia's rival. If she managed to fleece them here today, she'd definitely have something to brag about in front of Finn later.
Maybe if Lord Hero was in a good mood, he'd even marry me...
With cheerful steps, Lyra headed into the back of the shop, completely unaware that Hedin, standing behind her, had slightly narrowed his eyes.
...
"Take a look! I've selected Stigmata and weapons tailored to each of your needs. Go ahead and confirm them!"
After quite some time, Lyra returned to the shop carrying a large pile of items, causing even Hedin's expression to twitch slightly.
How was someone with such a small body carrying so many things?
Or was her Strength unusually high?
But the abilities of pallums were well known. Compared to humans, who had no particular strengths, pallums were considered even weaker...
Although exceptions did occasionally appear, they couldn't change the overall perception of the race. Pallums were still widely regarded as the weakest race in the world.
That was also the root of Finn's desire to revive the pallum race...
They were simply too weak.
But this pallum girl in front of him seemed different.
Perhaps she and Finn really did have a chance...
Noticing Lyra looking at him, Hedin put aside his thoughts and began carefully examining the batch of equipment and Stigmata she had brought.
"Do they really have the effects you described?"
As the commander of the Freya Familia, Hedin was no fool. From the way Lyra had casually carried them in, like a pile of junk, these items didn't look like priceless equipment at all.
So he had serious doubts about their quality. Could they be inferior goods?
Lyra's feelings for Finn weren't exactly a secret in Orario. With even a bit of investigation, anyone could find out. That made Hedin suspect she might be trying to mess with him, and his tone turned colder.
"Of course they do! Why would I lie?" Lyra puffed out her chest slightly. "My reputation in Orario is top-tier!"
"Your reputation is also notoriously bad," Hedin retorted flatly.
"That's prejudice! Absolute prejudice!" Lyra slammed the table.
"That just means I'm—cough—more meticulous about pricing. But the quality of the equipment is absolutely guaranteed!"
"These are top-tier masterpieces made by our Captain! Ever since the shop opened, not a single customer has come back to return anything!"
Seeing her reaction, Hedin, relying on his years of judging people, was already more than halfway convinced.
In business, reputation mattered the most. The items Elise created were indeed widely praised throughout Orario.
"Very well, I'll trust you. Pack everything up. As for the price... hmm?"
Before Hedin could finish speaking, the pallum in front of him revealed a truly "villainous" grin.
"Thank you for your patronage! The total comes to 25.8 billion valis! Do you have enough on hand?"
The words hit Hedin like a boulder falling from the sky. He stared at Lyra in disbelief.
"How much?"
"25.8 billion valis! If you don't have enough, we also accept installment payments. Though you'll need to pay a deposit first."
"..."
He knew the items here were expensive, but he hadn't expected them to be this outrageous.
"You scheming pallum! Why don't you just rob me outright?"
"Isn't that exactly what I'm doing?"
"Tch. As expected of the cunning rat—your slyness rivals Finn's."
"Thanks for the compliment, but that still doesn't mean I'll lower the price! Even for a deposit, it'll be 10 billion valis," Lyra said, spreading her hands helplessly. "You're buying weapons and Stigmata for eight people, all specialized gear with powerful effects. This price is actually quite reasonable. Go ask around—where else can you get equipment this good?"
Hedin lowered his head, as if on the verge of snapping.
But at that moment, the woman in the black cloak beside him stepped forward and gently patted his shoulder, bringing him back to his senses.
"Fre—"
"Shh. Leave the rest to me, Hedin."
Lyra felt a bit puzzled. Ever since entering the shop, this woman had remained silent, wandering around the store. If she hadn't come with Hedin, Lyra might have thought she was a thief.
Who is she?
She quickly got her answer, as a gray-haired girl now stood in front of her.
"Miss Lyra, could I trouble you for something?" the gray-haired girl said with a sweet smile. "Our Familia is about to fight a major battle. Could you recommend some specialized items for us?"
"The target we're preparing for... is Elise Holiness."
In the next instant, the light vanished from Lyra's eyes.