Eric did not mind at all if Ethan came to visit again. He already knew that, sooner or later, Ethan would come looking for him after their last meeting.

After confirming Eric's availability, Ethan returned to his office to finish the work that had been left unfinished earlier.

To meet Erik, Ethan would head to the western district, ring three, specifically to a drinking spot located inside an alley.

After Erik had told him about Shadow Guild's attack plans, his words proved to be true. Ethan was actually reluctant to admit it, afraid that what Erik said might have been bait meant to trap him.

However, given the current situation, Ethan still needed him, especially the information Erik provided about Shadow Guild.

Ayaka would never have expected this beforehand. That was understandable, since Erik had an unknown background.

In the end, it would be Ayaka's decision whether she trusted Erik's words or chose to reject them.

Ethan finished all his work before sunset. Sherly spent most of her time with Ashley, especially discussing the best discount and subsidy schemes for every equipment shop in the city.

He left his office and walked into Ashley's workspace. Inside, Sherly and Jill were helping Ashley.

When Ethan arrived, Ashley's attention immediately shifted to him. Letting out a sigh, she said something that made Ethan chuckle softly.

"Why do you always make my work heavier?" Ashley asked.

Ethan laughed quietly and stepped closer to Ashley's desk, picking up one of the documents. Inside it, he saw the amount of subsidies that could be allocated to the city's equipment shops.

The amount was quite large, but Ashley reassured Ethan that the budget was sufficient and would not burden LionArk too much.

"What about the other core members? Will they shop in Mavelard?" Ashley asked.

"Probably. Mavelard's item variety is far superior to other cities," Ethan replied.

"I'll take care of it. Make sure they include the names of their team members," Ashley said.

"Of course. I'll pass it along to them."

Ethan relaxed while drinking wine in Ashley's office, occasionally watching Ashley, Sherly, and Jill as they continued working on tasks that were not yet finished.

At eight in the evening, their work was finally completed. Ashley smiled in relief, letting out a long breath and exhaling slowly.

She had thought the work would not be finished today, but it turned out they managed to complete it after all.

Sherly and Jill could finally rest. Their heads were surely spinning after handling so much work.

Ethan smiled and handed a glass of wine to Ashley. She reached out, took the glass, and drank slowly.

"I'm going out with Ayaka tonight," Ethan said.

"Ayaka? The Guild Leader of Yotsuba?" Ashley asked.

"That's right."

"Why?" Ashley asked.

"Have you heard about the regional security team plan?" Ethan asked.

Ashley nodded. She had already heard about it from Sherly earlier that afternoon, including the decision points related to the guild war event.

She was focused on the responsibility she would share with Ayaka. She and Ayaka from Yotsuba were appointed as the leader and deputy leader of the regional security team, whose duties covered all cities in the eastern lands.

The team would become active once the event began. That meant when Ethan and the other guild leaders left, Ashley and Ayaka would be responsible for maintaining security in every city.

It increased her workload, but Ashley was confident she could handle it well.

"Yes," Ashley replied.

"The real threat in the eastern region doesn't come from Scavenger invasions, Silver Star, or guilds from the central continent. It comes from Shadow Guild," Ethan said.

"Ayaka and I will leave the headquarters tonight to go to the western district and meet my informant."

"Oh, someone who knows about Shadow Guild's plans?" Ashley asked.

"Yes."

"With my informant, Ayaka can get accurate information about Shadow Guild's plans before they make a move."

Ashley listened quietly. She was actually reluctant to let Ethan go alone with Ayaka, but her body felt sore and her mind exhausted.

She could not accompany Ethan. Doing so would only make the situation between Ethan, Ayaka, and Ethan's informant awkward.

In the end, Ashley allowed Ethan to go with Ayaka. She trusted that Ethan and Ayaka would maintain proper boundaries between them. She trusted that Ethan would not cheat on her.

"All right. Take care of yourself, Ethan," Ashley said.

"Thank you, Ashley."

They relaxed until ten at night. Ashley had already rested in her room, while Ethan was standing outside the headquarters building.

From the direction of the main gate, Ethan clearly saw Ayaka arriving as instructed. She came alone, without anyone accompanying her.

Ethan immediately changed his appearance, switching from his LionArk uniform and robe to an all-black outfit. Ayaka was momentarily stunned. No matter what he wore, Ethan was still handsome.

"Are you ready?" Ethan asked. Ayaka nodded.

The two of them walked side by side along the city streets. To reach the western district, they had to pass through the main road.

That night, people were already heading home, leaving the city center. Equipment shops in ring one and two had closed, shutting down earlier than usual because most of their items had already sold out.

They did not talk much along the way. Before long, they arrived at the western district, ring three, which looked quiet and deserted. There were not many people passing through.

"Why is this place so empty?" Ayaka asked.

"This is ring three," Ethan replied.

"What is ring three?" Ayaka asked.

"You can ask Ashley about it later."

Ethan turned into a small alley off the district road. Ayaka followed, unsure of where Ethan was taking her.

"Don't look around carelessly. You might see something you don't want to see," Ethan said.

"I understand," Ayaka replied nervously.

They finally stopped in front of a coffee shop. Ayaka was shocked. She did not expect a coffee shop to be open in the middle of a grimy alley in such a quiet district.

Ethan stepped inside. Eric was sitting at the bar counter, enjoying the beer he had ordered. Ayaka followed him in, and Ethan signaled for her to stay quiet.

"You brought someone with you," Erik said.

"I'll be busy for the next few days. She'll be the one consulting you," Ethan replied.

"This is Ayaka."

"Ayaka?" Erik asked.

The woman smiled. Erik still did not show his face, but he knew and recognized Ayaka very well.

"What an unexpected coincidence," Erik said.

"What do you mean?" Ayaka asked.

"Nothing."

"You came to find out about those people, didn't you?" Erik asked.

"Yes," Ethan replied.

"One bottle of beer for one piece of information. How about it?" Erik said.

"Deal."

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