"You’re not a student, are you? I don’t recall seeing you before," Klein asked Caius.

  "No, I’m part of the Academy’s external placement program," Caius replied. "Strictly speaking, that won’t be official until tomorrow."

  "For now, I guess I’m just an internal recruit."

  Instructor Holan had previously explained that instructors held the right to internally recruit candidates—be they staff or students—depending on the situation.

  Clearly, as the Student Council President, Hilda had that authority as well.

  "Is that so? Then it was the President who brought you in?" Klein’s handsome face lit up with curiosity.

  To be fair, the guy really was good-looking. Especially with that outfit—he looked every bit the privileged noble heir.

  "Yeah," Caius nodded.

  "Then I look forward to sparring with you sometime," Klein said with a smile.

  "Why?" Caius asked, raising a brow.

  "I respect the President’s judgment. She wouldn’t recruit someone useless, no matter what kind of relationship you might have with her," Klein replied.

  "Which means, you must be capable."

  "I’d heard about you defeating the President, but I wasn’t sure if that was just a rumor. Now, it seems it wasn’t."

  "That’s why I look forward to facing someone strong."

  Hah, look at this guy. If you went by his words alone, he was practically the poster boy for optimism and upright character.

  But in Caius’s experience, people like this were often wolves in sheep’s clothing—experts at wearing masks.

  Back in his previous life, the sons of major corporations and aristocratic clans were all like this. Polished on the outside, courteous and refined, but each one more disgusting than the last behind closed doors.

  Still, as the saying goes—don’t hit someone who’s smiling at you. Klein had shown no hostility, no ill will, so Caius had no reason to refuse a surface-level friendship.

  If the guy turned out to be two-faced later, he could deal with it then.

  And if he genuinely was a highborn optimist with a strong moral compass? Well, Caius wouldn’t mind making a real friend.

  "Don’t worry. I won’t disappoint you," Caius said with a grin.

  By then, the group had arrived at the event entrance. After having their entry passes checked, they were allowed inside.

  As soon as Caius entered the event, he was met with a sprawling display of exhibition zones, where merchants were showcasing their goods.

  These were all samples—if anything caught your eye, you could negotiate with the corresponding Chamber of Commerce. Bulk orders were struck in just this way.

  To Caius, it all felt like a massive weapons expo—there were weapons of every kind, Magitech Devices, and all sorts of equipment. And it wasn’t limited to combat gear.

  New kinds of magic potions, specialty items from other races—everything was here.

  It was dazzling, and Caius suddenly had the urge to clutch the half-million he had in his pocket a little tighter.

  “Caius, from here on, we need to ensure the safety of the President and all Hydis students present,” Klein said suddenly.

  Caius noticed he was already scanning the surroundings with alert eyes.

  “Michael, Jennifer—you two take that building. Good vantage point. Watch for anything suspicious and report immediately,” Klein ordered.

  “Got it!” Michael and Jennifer moved out at once.

  Klein then assigned guarding duties to the rest of the group. Eventually, only Caius and Klein were left.

  Caius blinked, watching Klein with interest.

  This guy was actually taking this quite seriously.

  “Caius,” Klein finally turned to him.

  If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

  Caius straightened up and gave a cheeky salute, grinning. “Yes, Captain?”

  Clearly teasing.

  Klein chuckled and shook his head. “You’re the real captain here. I’ve arranged the perimeter security. What’s left is the President’s personal protection.”

  Caius raised an eyebrow.

  Was this where the guy would show his true colors?

  But unexpectedly, Klein scratched the back of his head, a little embarrassed, and said, “Um… would it be alright if I left the President’s protection to you?”

  Caius: “…”

  “And what about you?” Caius asked.

  “To be honest… my fiancée asked me to walk the expo with her. She’s just over there.” As he spoke, Klein pointed in a direction.

  Caius looked and saw a young lady dressed in an adorably lavish outfit waving in their direction.

  “You have a fiancée?” Caius asked, a little surprised.

  “Yeah, we grew up together,” Klein nodded, then added with a sheepish expression, “I know I’m supposed to be on duty, but I promised her I’d go with her, so…”

  Caius pressed his lips together, then patted Klein on the shoulder. “We’re both men. I get it.”

  “Go. Leave the President to me. While I’m here, no one will lay a finger on her.”

  Klein immediately beamed in gratitude. “Thank you!”

  "Don't worry. Even while browsing the exhibits, I won't let my guard down."

  Klein handed Caius a device that resembled a button.

  "This is a magitech alarm device. Press it if there's any trouble, and I'll be there immediately."

  Caius nodded and accepted it—though he had absolutely no intention of ever pressing it.

  Sure, Klein seemed to be acting trustworthy now. But what if the button turned out to be a trigger for an explosive? If someone launched a sudden attack and he hit that button, the whole plaza might go up in flames.

  Even if Caius survived the blast, he'd definitely be treated as the culprit. And then who would believe him?

  He called this his "nuclear rebirth trauma."

  So, he'd simply keep his own instincts sharp and awareness high. That, after all, was what made a good mercenary.

  Klein soon walked away, rejoining his fiancée. Caius watched as Klein kissed her on the forehead, the girl smiling sweetly as she wrapped her arm around his. The two looked every bit the picture of a loving couple.

  From the outside, they really did seem like a perfect match.

  And even if one looked a little closer… they still kind of were.

  Not that Caius cared about people’s relationships or emotional depth—he was far more interested in the lively scenes surrounding him now.

  Just then, Hilda approached him. She glanced around and asked,

  "Where are the others?"

  "They've split up to handle security. Pretty professional," Caius replied with a grin.

  "Of course. The Student Council Guard is made up of Hydis’ finest," Hilda said with a smile, then added,

  "I'm heading off to secure some sponsorships. Want to come with me?"

  Caius nodded immediately. "Of course!"

  With that, he joined Hilda and Britney as they made their way toward the grand central exhibition platform.

  "Where do we start?" Caius asked.

  "Hmm… I’m thinking of securing a couple equipment sponsors first. Any suggestions?"

  Caius scanned the area and pointed toward a particular booth.

  "That one looks good. From my expert blacksmith’s eye, the armor they produce seems top quality."

  "Just what I was thinking," Hilda replied with a smile, then led the way over.

  As Hilda approached, the booth’s representative quickly stepped forward to greet her, his face lit up with a smile.

  "Miss Hilda, a pleasure to meet you."

  He was a middle-aged man wearing a tall top hat and holding a wine glass—very reminiscent of Zachary from the manor. He began offering flattering words immediately.

  Hilda returned the greeting with a graceful and polite smile, her demeanor poised and composed.

  She expressed interest in the equipment on display, and the man eagerly began his introduction. Thanks to Hilda’s smooth and eloquent pitch, the representative of the Yelta Chamber of Commerce quickly agreed to sponsor Hydis with fifty sets of Gold-tier Yelta.Steppewarden mage gear—

  And ten sets of Platinum-tier Yelta.Plainsinger mage gear.

  Then came the second booth, and the third…

  By the end, Hilda had secured sponsorships for over two hundred sets of Gold-tier mage outfits and more than fifty Platinum-tier sets for Hydis and the Student Council.

  The only condition was that Hydis Academy commit to purchasing a fixed number of their products annually for a few years and promoting their brand in return. This arrangement had actually been set by the Academy as a requirement for Hilda, and she was putting it to excellent use.

  Caius couldn’t help but admire Hilda’s… charm.

  Yes, charm—not just business acumen.

  Her conversation and behavior were impeccable, but even that alone wasn’t enough to make these notoriously stingy merchants fork over so much. Clearly, they were doing it for Hilda’s sake.

  Her reputation went beyond Hydis. It resonated throughout Grilla City and the surrounding towns as well.

  Everyone knew about the fierce and beautiful Swan Blade Maiden of Hydis.

  Half an hour later, Hilda took a sip of tea that Britney had handed her, then turned to Caius with a slightly proud look.

  "Well?"

  Caius nodded. "Not bad."

  "‘Not bad’? Getting this many sponsors is no easy feat," Hilda pouted slightly.

  Sure, the sponsors were partially influenced by her reputation, but she'd still had to talk her way through it all, and that took real effort—especially for someone as proud as her.

  "Exactly! What Hilda did today is impressive. If you think it’s just ‘not bad,’ why don’t you give it a try yourself?" Britney said, eyeing Caius with a hint of challenge.

  Caius immediately picked up on the slight provocation in her gaze.

  Hilda noticed it too. She realized that Britney didn’t seem to like Caius very much and grew visibly anxious.

  She didn’t want her two closest friends falling out over something like this.

  But before she could say anything to mediate, Caius smiled and nodded.

  "Gladly."

  He grabbed a bottle of liquor from a nearby table and began striding toward the same exhibition booths they had just visited.

  "Britney!" Hilda puffed out her cheeks slightly in protest, shooting Britney a look of mild scolding.

  "Caius is a mercenary, not a businessman. This isn't his field."

  At that moment, Hilda had completely forgotten the real reason Caius had come here—

  He was here for the merchants.

  But Britney simply smiled and reassured her.

  "Relax. I just want to see what the big guy can do. Not just anyone qualifies to be our little princess Hilda’s friend, you know."

  "That’s not fair!" Hilda said, clearly upset.

  "But aren’t you at least a little curious?" Britney blinked at her with a playful look in her eyes.

  Hilda froze for a second, then turned her head to look at Caius’s retreating back.

  Hmm...

  Yeah.

  She had to admit—

  She was a little curious.