Let’s Make Saving a Habit - Chapter 96

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 96
The evening I arrived in the Papiope Dukedom.
I slipped out of the Duke’s Mansion without Aiden knowing.
The condition the Golden Silver Mercenary Company had set for accepting my request was to meet me separately.
I could have gone alone, but I asked Elysion to come with me as insurance in case Aiden found out later.
“Tania, where exactly are you trying to go at this hour?”
“We’re almost there, so just bear with me a little longer. And it’s still light enough to see people’s faces—it’s evening, not night.”
“Either way, you came out at a late hour.”
“Just think of it as a night stroll.”
“…You just said ‘night,’ didn’t you?”
“Oh. Hehe.”
As I tried to brush off my mistake with laughter, Elysion’s eyes narrowed.
“Be honest with me. If this were somewhere you could take Aiden and walk in openly, you wouldn’t be taking me instead.”
“What if I said I wanted to go on a date with you, Sion?”
“…You know that’s not true.”
He denied it, but I’d already caught the way he flinched slightly at the word “date.”
I took Elysion’s hand, interlaced our fingers, and smiled brightly as I spoke.
“Does it feel like we’re on a date like this?”
In that instant, Elysion’s hand stiffened. His nervousness was plain to see.
But since he didn’t pull his hand away, it seemed my gesture had pleased him.
We walked through the streets hand in hand like fresh young students on a date for several minutes.
Then we arrived in front of a tavern.
It was a typical traveler’s establishment that operated both an inn and a tavern.
When I stopped in front of the tavern, Elysion turned to me quietly.
His expression was one of suspicion.
“Tania, just so you know, you’re still a minor. As long as I’m watching, you’re not drinking.”
“But you’re a minor too, Sion? And I have no intention of drinking anyway, so don’t worry.”
“Then why did you stop in front of this place specifically?”
“…You won’t be angry?”
“Let me hear it.”
I explained while rolling my eyes.
“I arranged to meet with some people from the Golden Silver Mercenary Company that Father used to be part of.”
“Ah…so that’s why you left Aiden behind.”
“Yes.”
“Yes? What kind of noble lady abandons her escort knight to meet with mercenaries? Aiden will be shocked when he finds out.”
I could have gone alone without any danger thanks to my abilities.
“Hehe, that’s why I brought dependable you instead.”
As I winked at him, he softened again immediately.
“Fine, at least I came along. Next time you need to sneak away from your escort, make sure you call me.”
“Really? You’re busy though.”
“I have all the time in the world for you.”
“What? That’s genuinely touching.”
I felt a surge of pride and emotion, realizing I’d successfully rekindled my friendship with Elysion.
The tender feeling might have lingered indefinitely—if not for Elysion’s next unreasonable request.
“And if possible, I’d appreciate it if you’d call me along when you take Raspi out as your escort knight….”
“Oh, we’ve gone over our appointment time while talking. We should head in now.”
I deliberately cut off Elysion mid-sentence and hurried into the shop.
He might as well have asked to be hired as my escort knight. The man was talking nonsense.
[Overlaying current perspective onto Viewpoint 1.]
As we stepped inside, the boisterous chatter dimmed noticeably, and I felt every eye turn toward us.
I was just thinking how conspicuous we must look in a tavern at our age.
Elysion glanced around the shop and whispered quietly into my ear.
“Everyone in here seems to belong to the Golden Silver Mercenary Company. All their gazes locked onto you the moment we entered, as if they’d been expecting you.”
I swallowed hard.
I hadn’t expected everyone in the shop to be ordinary patrons, but….
The thought that every person filling this space belonged to the Golden Silver Mercenary Company made me inexplicably tense.
It wasn’t that I feared they’d harm me.
I could escape easily enough with my abilities, and with Elysion here, my safety was assured.
My tension stemmed solely from wanting to make a good impression.
They were comrades of Aiden, after all.
That’s when it happened.
Two men rose from the darkest corner of the shop and approached me.
One was a burly man with a bear-like build and a rather menacing face, while the other had a somewhat lean frame for a mercenary.
Though the lean man wasn’t short, standing beside the bear-like one made him appear more than a head shorter.
The lean man wore glasses, and his demeanor unmistakably suggested he was responsible for managing the mercenary company.
I had actually seen both men before—in a future timeline.
Though it was hardly appropriate to call it a future timeline anymore, around the age of fourteen.
They were the ones who’d informed me of Aiden’s death.
The lean man regarded me with an unreadable expression.
“You must be Aiden’s….”
“We heard you were Aiden’s adopted daughter. The resemblance is quite striking.”
The lean man, who had been lost in contemplation, jabbed the bear-like man sharply in the ribs.
Thud.
“Ow, what was that for?”
“John, if you lack tact, at least have the decency to stay quiet.”
The lean man scolded John and, as if nothing had happened, cleared his throat before greeting me properly.
“Ahem! My apologies for the late introduction. I’m Arthur, currently serving as the temporary vice-commander of the Golden Silver Mercenary Company.”
I found myself hesitating—should I speak informally or use formal speech?
By my status, I should drop the formality, but the words wouldn’t come easily.
I sent a brief apology to Lena in my mind before opening my mouth.
“Hello, Arthur. As you already know, I’m Tania Papiope.”
“Young lady, you needn’t be so formal with me.”
“No, I… well, thinking of you as a former colleague of Aiden’s, I just can’t bring myself to speak casually.”
“If that’s your preference, then…”
Arthur nodded respectfully at my decision and continued.
“You can’t imagine how shocked I was to receive your request. I’ve always wanted to meet you.”
So that’s why he made meeting me personally a condition of accepting the commission.
“Truth be told, I reached out more because I wanted to meet Aiden’s former comrades after hearing he was part of the Golden Silver Mercenary Company, rather than for the commission itself.”
“Ha, it seems our hearts were aligned.”
“But I’m curious about one thing—if you’re the vice-commander, who’s the commander?”
From everything I could see, he appeared to be the one currently leading the mercenary company.
Arthur smiled broadly and answered.
“Aiden is the commander.”
“What? But… didn’t Aiden leave the Golden Silver Mercenary Company?”
I was bewildered.
Aiden wasn’t the type to lie about something like this.
“It’s true that Aiden left, saying he was quitting the Golden Silver Mercenary Company.”
“Then why…?”
“Our Golden Silver Mercenary Company still waits for Aiden’s return. We cannot imagine the company without him.”
They needed Aiden just as much as I did.
“In that regard, I have a sincere request for you, Tania.”
“…What is it?”
Arthur bowed respectfully alongside John, who stood beside him.
“Please, help us meet with Aiden.”
My mind went blank for a moment.
Could it be that Aiden was hoping to leave his position as a Papiope knight and rejoin the Golden Silver Mercenary Company?
I was at a loss for how to respond.
“Please!”
One by one, the people sitting in the tavern stood and bowed to me.
“Please, let us meet our commander!”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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