Weapon seller in the world of magic

”It is in the Kingdom of Celestra,” Kiara explained to the Prince. ”I received a formal invitation from the royal palace for lunch. Depending on the circumstances, I may remain there another day to look around.”

The statement served two purposes.

It declined the invitation.

And it ensured that word of her trip would naturally reach Emperor Alexander, preventing any foolish suspicion about secret dealings.

Magnus’s expression showed a trace of disappointment, but he nodded.

”I understand.”

With that, he and Serestia departed for the imperial palace.

Their figures receded into the afternoon light, one walking with the steady confidence of a seasoned commander, the other with the quieter steps of a princess still wrestling with bruised pride.

Kiara watched them until they vanished from sight.

Then she went upstairs to check on Arceus.

His door was closed, and he did not answer, but with Noah’s assistance, she confirmed his life aura within the room. Satisfied that he was safe, Kiara returned downstairs, settled into her chair behind the counter, and resumed the familiar work of creating ammunition.

*

The next morning arrived.

At the foot of the stairs, Kiara stood dressed for travel, one hand resting lightly on the railing while her sharp eyes remained fixed on Arceus, who had stopped midway down the steps and now looked at her with a worry he was trying, and failing, to hide behind a courteous smile.

”I will be leaving now, Young Lord Silver,” Kiara said in a calm voice, her tone still carrying that formality. ”Noah will remain here and will look after both your safety and your needs, so there is truly nothing for you to worry about.”

Arceus’s fingers tightened slightly over the polished banister. Though he stood with the bearing of a noble heir, the faint tension in his shoulders betrayed the unease in his heart.

Seeing that expression, Kiara added with a reassuring smile, ”You already know that Noah, Zion, and I are linked through telepathy. No matter how far I travel, we can speak as easily as two people standing in the same room. If you need anything, if even a single cloud crosses your mind, do not hesitate to tell Noah. And as long as you are inside the store space, even if the entire imperial army comes, they won’t be able to take you by force. So, please don’t get out of the house, and if you do, take Noah with you.

Arceus nodded, forcing a smile that looked as delicate as glass stretched over hidden cracks.

”Please be careful,” he said softly, and for a brief moment his voice lost its usual composure. ”And come back home safely.”

The simple words lingered in the air.

Home.

For a heartbeat, Kiara was caught off guard by that choice of word. It was something she didn’t have.

Then she smiled, offered him a brief nod, and turned away before she could dwell on why that one word sounded warmer than it should have.

A few moments later, Kiara and Zion stepped out of the store.

Arceus remained upstairs, standing motionless until the front door closed with a muted click.

Noah escorted them to the entrance, but despite the expressionless perfection of his face, a subtle disturbance stirred deep within the core embedded in his chest. He had wanted to accompany his master. That had been his first instinct the moment he learned she would be traveling beyond the Imperial City.

And staying away from his master for more than 2 days... Noah wasn’t comfortable with it.

Instead, Kiara had ordered him to stay behind and guard Arceus.

That decision was logical.

It was practical.

And yet, Noah could not ignore the strange heaviness within his core.

It was not pain.

It was not a malfunction in his system.

It was simply a quiet discomfort that he could neither classify nor eliminate.

Still, he had been created to obey her orders absolutely.

A sword does not question the hand that wields it.

So Noah bowed and accepted the order without protest.

Zion, on the other hand, was nearly overflowing with excitement.

This was the first time Kiara had taken him outside the Imperial City instead of Noah. In his mind, the meaning was as clear as sunlight.

Master wants to rely on me, too.

The thought repeated itself inside his artificial mind like a celebratory drumbeat, and though his face remained composed, there was a noticeable spring in his step.

But then again, Zion’s excitement was logical, too. Ever since Noah, the next-gen Android came into their life, Kiara depended more on Noah and only used Zion for either grocery shopping or sending him to be Lucian’s sparring partner. It always troubled him.

Zion’s current system didn’t have the emotion of jealousy built in. Only happy and sad were the two emotions he could feel at the moment. When Kiara relies on him for something, he feels happy, and when she doesn’t, he feels sad.

And now, he was overflowing with happiness.

Once they were outside, Kiara raised her hand and was about to summon the Eurocopter Tiger when a thought flashed through her mind.

She paused.

”Wait a second.”

Her eyes narrowed as she began calculating.

”The distance between the Imperial City and Lunaris is roughly 500 kilometers through the roadpath. It is only seven-fifty in the morning, which means I still have more than five hours before the luncheon. The helicopter would get me there in two or three hours, even if I fly leisurely.”

She tapped her chin.

”But if I use the Iveco LMV, the journey will take around six hours.”

A slow smile curved her lips.

”Perhaps arriving late on purpose is the better move. If they invited me casually, they would grumble and move on. But if they truly need me, they will wait. Sometimes, the importance of a guest is measured not by how early one arrives, but by how long others are willing to keep their seats empty.”

Having reached her decision, Kiara opened the system gallery and selected the light multirole vehicle on purpose despite having a faster mode of travel. Moreover, she too was looking to go on a long drive for once, ever since she unlocked this military vehicle.

A debt of approximately 2,500 gold coins was quietly added to her account.

Because this was a personal purchase rather than a sale, the system showed no generosity in the form of commissions.

Moments later, a sleek armored vehicle materialized before the store, its metallic frame gleaming under the morning sun. Compared to the bulky tanks she had grown accustomed to, this machine possessed an understated elegance, like a wolf wearing noble attire. Its appearance resembles a bulky SUV, and even inside, the familiar cabin layout with steering wheel, pedals, and auto transmission... not radically different from a car.

Kiara might even be able to fly on a dragon one day, but she cannot get to drive a car in this world, and neither is she a car designer to make one on her own, in the factory. So, one could say this Iveco LMV is the next best thing she could have, if she wanted to reexperience the feeling of driving a car.

Kiara slid into the driver’s seat.

Zion settled beside her in the front passenger seat.

He sat perfectly upright, hands resting on his knees, looking both honored and faintly uncertain.

Normally, he was the one entrusted with driving.

However, today, his master had taken that role herself.

It felt strange.

Yet it also felt oddly special.

Soon, the vehicle rolled forward and merged into the streets of the Imperial City.

Before they departed, Noah hung a sign outside the store indicating that it would remain closed for the rest of the day.

As the armored vehicle picked up speed, Kiara lowered the window.

A rush of cool morning air swept into the cabin, carrying with it the scent of stone streets, distant bakeries, and the waking city.

Kiara leaned back and let the wind strike her face, her lips curving into a broad smile.

For a fleeting moment, she was no merchant, no strategist, no wielder of terrifying power.

She was simply a woman enjoying the road.

Zion noticed her expression and lowered his own window to imitate her.

The wind whipped through his hair.

He analyzed the sensation.

It offered no combat advantage.

No tactical benefit.

And yet his master seemed genuinely pleased.

Unable to understand, but unwilling to interrupt, he turned his gaze toward the passing landscape and silently enjoyed the journey.

Back at the Nexus store, Arceus sat alone on the edge of his bed.

The room was quiet, but his heart was anything but.

He pressed a hand against his chest and drew a slow breath.

”I do not know why,” he whispered, ”but ever since Kiara said she was leaving the city, I have felt as though a shadow is moving just beyond my sight.”

He frowned.

Was he worried about his own safety?

Was he afraid this invitation from Celestra concealed some hidden trap?

Or was there another reason, one he was unwilling to name even to himself?

He did not know.

All he knew was that the unease remained, coiled around his heart like a serpent refusing to loosen its grip.

Meanwhile, in the Imperial Palace, news of Kiara’s trip to Celestra reached the Emperor.

The information had not come from spies.

It had come from Serestia.

When her mother, Callista Frost, casually asked about Kiara’s plans, Serestia had recounted everything except the matter involving Arceus.

Naturally, the Emperor’s interest was immediately stirred.

A merchant who possessed unprecedented weapons, extraordinary strength, and increasingly mysterious connections was not someone he could afford to ignore.

Gerrad Phoenix, the fourth prince, was more than eager to assist.

At the Emperor’s command, Gerrad sent the news to his spy network before even Kiara reached there. The Fourth Prince’s agents were already waiting for Kiara at the royal palace of Celestra.