Out of curiosity—and only curiosity—Dickey greeted the "little girl" in the oversized cloak from a distance, his mood light.
Of course, he had no idea that the girl was not a girl at all, but Lutaran—the Minohorn family's chief theorist.
"Hello there, kid. Do you need any help? Everyone is very grateful to you."
Dickey's tone was playful, almost coaxing, because no matter how he looked at it, the cloaked figure resembled a child.
"Your tone is really irritating. I just happen to grow slower. I'm not a kid!"
Nothing irked Talan more than being mistaken for a child. She immediately snapped back, then turned her head away, refusing to look at Dickey again.
Seeing this, Dickey could only rub the back of his head awkwardly, a sheepish smile on his face.
At the same time, the old butler standing beside Lutaran scrutinized the neatly dressed and ruddy-faced young man. Something about Dickey's appearance and demeanor reminded him of a name from certain rumors. After a brief moment of consideration, he asked:
"You are neither a church pastor nor the child of a noble stranded outside the city. May I ask your identity?"
"I'm Dickey. Pleased to meet you, and thank you for helping the refugees," Dickey answered without hesitation. He had no reason to hide his identity. In his mind, he was just an unknown bard, and the people before him were merely curious passersby.
However, to his surprise, it was not the butler who reacted first, but Lutaran—who had been sulking about the "kid" remark. Forgetting her previous indignation, she blurted out excitedly:
"Dickey? You're thehandsome Dickey?"
Dickey blinked, confused. While he had, in fact, daydreamed about a starstruck girl swooning over him with a "Master Dickey, you're so handsome!", this situation felt far less flattering.
"I'm Dickey, yes. But... am I famous?"
He looked between the three in confusion. Sure, Bilan had said he was handsome, but he wasn't that handsome—certainly not enough to be instantly recognized.
In truth, Dickey had vastly underestimated his own reputation. As the rumored lover of Bilan, his "intelligence" had long since spread through the noble circles of Dolez City.
After all, Bilan was no ordinary woman. She was Punk's only recognized apprentice, and if not for the stubborn priests barring entry to the city, she would have already been welcomed home by her family. Instead, she had been left stranded in a refugee camp.
And who was Punk Sai'an?
A powerful official mage. A man who stood as an equal to Guardian Bahang and was someone even the city's lord had to greet with utmost respect.
To the nobility, anyone connected to such a figure was a "strategic resource." And since Dickey, an ordinary man, had somehow won Bilan's favor, his existence became an intriguing anomaly among the bored aristocrats.
Lacking any remarkable abilities, most nobles dismissed his success as sheer luck—nothing more than a pretty face's fortune. Over time, his reputation took on a life of its own, earning him the title of the handsome Dickey among the upper circles.
As a high-ranking noble herself, Lutaran had heard of him. But now, standing before this so-called heartthrob, she was more than a little unimpressed.
This is the "dangerously handsome" Dickey?
Curling her lips in silent disdain, she scoffed inwardly.
"Dickey, take us to see Bilan. I have urgent business to report to Master Punk."
Lutaran's tone turned sharp, bordering on dismissive. She had little respect for a man who relied on women, and strictly speaking, they were both under Punk—neither superior nor inferior to the other.
Of course, visiting the refugee camp was only a cover. The real reason Lutaran had come was to find Bilan and use her to contact Punk.
Recently, she had uncovered a deeply troubling matter, something so alarming that even the information broker she relied on was shaken. At first, she assumed Bilan, stationed in the refugee camp, had already relayed this to Punk. But after waiting and seeing no response, she realized that time was running out. The enemy's plan was close to fruition, yet no action had been taken.
She could wait no longer.
That was when she realized—she had no way of contacting Punk directly.
And so, in desperation, she turned to Bilan.
As a mage's apprentice, she should have a way to find her master.
Or so Lutaran assumed.
What she hadn't expected was how difficult Bilan would be to locate. To maintain her cover, she had to continue distributing food as usual, all while dodging the prying eyes in the shadows. Even now, she could feel several unseen figures watching her.
Those were the "secret protectors" assigned to her by the Minohorn family's board.
Worse yet, none of the nobles seemed willing to provide any information on Bilan's whereabouts.
Only yesterday, Lutaran had visited every noble in the city, yet not a single one could answer the simple question:
Where is Bilan?
It was then that she understood—she had already been isolated by the nobles and the board long before she even realized it.
Although her status as a "collaborator of an official mage" kept her safe from direct harm, her authority had been systematically stripped away.
Lutaran was furious but not disheartened.
She had known from the start that assisting the refugees would make her a pariah among Dolez's nobles. It was inevitable. And if she was already an enemy, then what difference did it make whether they ostracized her or not?
Right now, all that mattered was finding Punk.
He was the only one capable of crushing the nobles' conspiracy. Even if he didn't care, she believed she could at least appeal to Lord Kangkai—a genuinely good man. Surely, he wouldn't stand idly by.
But the problem was—
She couldn't find Punk.
She couldn't find Kangkai either.
Right now, the three powerhouses—Punk, Bahang, and Kangkai—were too preoccupied with their own affairs to bother with what the nobles were plotting.
To an official-level mage, this is insignificant.
But for countless ordinary people, it's a catastrophe.
Lutaran clenched her fists. She refused to let this happen.
And just as she was reaching a dead end—Dickey appeared.
With his bright, carefree smile, he agreed without hesitation.
"Alright, come with me."
To Dickey, Lutaran's request wasn't unreasonable. Wanting to see Bilan in a hurry was a little strange, but since she was distributing food to refugees, she must be a good person.
Yes, in Dickey's simple worldview—if someone did good things, they were a good person.
A very strict, flawless logic!
Nothing wrong with it at all!