“You’re eating a lot,” Kana said, eyeing the stack of empty bowls in front of Suri.

  Suri didn’t look up. She was too busy tearing into grilled meat with different spices. “Don’t mind me. I’m so hungry today.”

  She’d even spent her own coins—rare, considering Suri usually hoarded silver like a dragon counting its breath for her own other personal expenditures.

  Boris frowned from across the table. “I wonder if you have.. A some sort of monster in your stomach or something?”

  Suri muttered through a mouthful. “Stress. All of the above.”

  Kana tilted her head, amused but not pressing. Suri had her own ways of coping.

  Boris leaned forward, lowering his voice. “How much did we get from last night’s hit?”

  “Three gold,” Kana said without hesitation. “And one thousand three hundred fifty-two silver.”

  Boris let out a low whistle. “Supposedly a big amount…” He scratched the back of his neck. “But for your plan? Doesn’t even scratch the surface.”

  “Sorry,” Kana said quietly.

  He scratched the back of his head. “It’s not what I meant..”

  Suri washed down her bite with water, setting the cup down with a sharp clack.

  “They’re searching for us,” she said in a low voice. “But not fast enough. They’re disoriented. That hit shook them.”

  Kana leaned forward slightly. “You want to strike again?”

  “Yes. And soon,” Suri said. “To confuse them more. Hit a different district. Break their rhythm.”

  Boris frowned. “Any good targets?”

  “One.” Suri smirked, brushing crumbs from her lap. “Market district. They’re using a fake merchant front—least security out of all the branches. But the vault’s heavier than the last one. Bigger stash.”

  “Better defended?” Kana asked.

  “No. That’s the strange part,” Suri said. “Other branches are guarding different things. Enchanted items. Artifacts. Can’t tell what they are yet, but they’re definitely expensive. Probably stolen.”

  “We hit them anyway?” Boris asked.

  Suri shrugged. “Coins first. Artifacts later. Let me monitor their routine. I’ll give the signal when it’s time.”

  Silence settled for a moment as students passed around them, chatting, laughing, unaware of the small war being waged by their schoolmates.

  Then Kana spoke, realizing something important.

  “They didn’t recognize us, right?”

  Suri froze mid-bite.

  She coughed once, sipped her water, then looked away.

  “I don’t think so.”

  But her voice was too quick. Too light.

  Her eyes narrowed, just slightly though Kana didn’t press.

  “Finally,” Leo said, his smile bright but a little out of breath, “I found you guys.”

  Suri looked up from her food and grinned. “Leo! Sit with us.”

  He slid into the seat across from Kana, next to Boris. His eyes lingered on Kana for a moment—assessing, not judging.

  “You look better now,” he said.

  “I am,” Kana replied, her voice softer than usual. She smiled, just faintly. “Thank you. For last time.”

  Leo nodded. “The kid’s doing fine, by the way. He went home yesterday.”

  Kana froze. Not visibly, but her shoulders tightened.

  “He was asking for you. Said he wanted to see you again. You didn’t visit?”

  “No.” Kana lowered her gaze. “I’m… too ashamed.”

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  Leo scratched the back of his neck, feeling like he opened up an old wound. “Well, that’s not why I came.”

  He straightened, a little awkward now. “I, uh… wanted to invite you all. Technically my father’s forcing me to… Come to our house for my small birthday celebration. This Saturday evening.”

  Boris raised an eyebrow. “Technically?”

  Leo shrugged. “He thinks I need more personal friends and I’m still new here so I personally know you more than strangers….”

  “If you’re busy,” he added quickly, “no pressure. You don’t have to—”

  “We’re going.” Suri interrupted, licking the corner of her lips. Her smile was far too quick.

  Kana glanced at her, as did Boris, and in that silent glance, they seemed to read the same thing. There was a reason they were going. Not for dancing but for Suri’s gluttony.

  “Alright then,” Leo said, relieved. “Come in whatever you’re comfortable in. There’ll be nobles, but it’s casual. I’ll make sure of that.”

  He reached into his coat and fished out a tight bundle of scrolls, each sealed with fine gold thread. “Here. These are the invitations. Just present them at the gate.”

  “Can we bring one more person?” Kana asked.

  Leo nodded. “Sure. As long as they’re with you.”

  …..

  After parting ways with Leo, the trio made their way toward the classroom.

  It still felt strange, the way Leo spoke to them. There was none of the usual stiff arrogance most nobles wore like perfume—cloying and thick. Leo was… casual. Honest, in a way that felt almost wrong for someone born with a silver spoon.

  He treated them like equals. Like friends. And that, in itself, made Kana uneasy.

  Toby, the exorcist, greeted them on the way, giving Kana a slight nod and launching into a quick comment about a new exorcism technique he’d been studying. Kana respond politely, but Suri’s interest in them had dried up. They were just business partners.

  As they stepped inside the classroom, Suri caught sight of Rin organizing some books.

  “Rin,” she called, slipping into the seat beside her. “Wanna come with us this Saturday? We're attending a birthday party.”

  Rin blinked. “A birthday party?”

  Suri leaned in like she was sharing a secret. “Our noble friend’s birthday. He’s the same age as us.”

  Rin’s jaw nearly dropped. “Wait—you have a noble friend?”

  Suri’s grin widened. “I know. Shocking. He even invited us himself.”

  “But… you all came from that little village I’ve never even heard of.” Rin squinted, still processing. “I’d love to come! I heard noble birthdays are way grander than what we commoners have. Tasty food. Performers. Maybe even fireworks!”

  “We’re going shopping tomorrow.” Suri winked. “Prepare yourself.”

  Rin squealed quietly.

  Meanwhile, Suri had tried asking around the rest of their classmates. The boys, however, had the collective reason for why they couldn’t come. Even Boris wouldn’t have agreed if she hadn’t threatened him to reveal his shameful secrets. Andel, however, was nowhere to be found.

  “I don’t see why I have to suffer through this,” he muttered when Suri shoved an invitation into his hand earlier.

  “Because,” she said sweetly, “Kana and I need an escort. And you need to learn how to wear clothes that aren’t wrinkled and old.”

  Suri leaned back, arms behind her head, already picturing dresses, and fabrics using her skill. Different dresses of colours and types appear in front of them. Her classmates couldn’t help but be impressed as her delicate skill was far more pleasing in their eyes than they initially thought. Very different from the show she had with Wor-en.

  ……….

  “Uhm… I don’t think we’re in the right place,” Kana murmured, eyes scanning the rows of mannequins draped in silks and embroidery. Every dress looked like it had been stitched from the dreams of nobles—expensive enough to buy half a village.

  She shifted uncomfortably. “Leo said we could wear casual clothes.”

  Suri sighed. Long. Loud, “You read so many books,” she muttered, “and yet…”

  She didn’t finish the thought. She just walked ahead, trailing her fingers along a rack of gowns shimmering with enchantment-thread.

  “Listen,” Suri said, spinning around to face Kana and Rin. “He’s the son of a duke. Sure, he said it’s a small party—but small for them is still bigger than most village festivals. And the people there? They’ll be dressed to impress.”

  Kana frowned. “So we’re pretending to be nobles now?”

  “No. We’re showing them we belong in the room,” Suri said, her voice firmer. “There’s a difference. Trust me.”

  Rin, for her part, was wide-eyed with awe, trailing behind them like a child in a museum.

  Suri began pulling dresses from displays—one sky blue, long-sleeved and elegant, the other a softer cream with gold lining and asymmetrical cuts. She handed the first to Kana. The second went to Rin, who looked like she might faint.

  “Try them. Now.”

  Kana looked at the dress like it might bite her.

  “And Boris?” Kana asked, trying to stall.

  “He didn’t want to come,” Suri said with a dismissive wave. “I’ll just order something tailored for him. I can recreate his measurements perfectly.”

  They eventually sat down with the master tailor, who raised an eyebrow at the urgency. But once Suri projected the designs she’d imagined using her [Illusion Call], the man leaned forward, intrigued both by her design and skill. The discussion was long and exhausting—style, cut, layering, what colors best matched under moonlight, whether enchantments were necessary or gauche.

  In the end, the master tailor gave a small nod. “Three days. Morning pick-up.”

  Suri stood, satisfied. “Perfect. That gives us a few hours for last-minute touch-ups before the party.”

  Kana held a random fabric of the dress in her hands, still uncertain.

  “You’ll see,” Suri said, gently this time. “We’re not just showing up. We’re making an entrance.”

  I don’t think I want that. Since Suri was enjoying herself, she would just go along this time.