Xu Yi hesitated for a moment, then followed them inside.
The familiar man and woman were being shown to a table by a waiter. Just as they were about to order, Xu Yi came up to them.
"Hey, Rem, Vena. Weren't you two in Sartan City?" Xu Yi raised a hand in greeting.
Rem and Vena stared in surprise at Xu Yi's sudden appearance. After a moment, Vena sighed. "Bunta City really is a small place. You can run into old acquaintances at any time. But Xu Yi, you're the last person I want to see right now."
Rem looked rather embarrassed as well. His gaze shifted evasively, as though he didn't dare meet Xu Yi's eyes.
"Oh? Why don't you want to see me?" Xu Yi sat down in the chair beside them without ceremony and asked Vena curiously, "I haven't done anything to wrong you, have I, Vena?"
"No, quite the opposite. I'm the one who wronged you." In the few months since they had last met, Vena seemed to have lost the sharp edge she had possessed back at Mage Camilla's tower. She seemed more subdued overall, but she still spoke plainly and directly, making little effort to hide or evade anything.
Xu Yi considered this for a moment, then smiled slightly. "I seem to have heard that you and Rem were researching magic machinery for the Leo Merchant Guild in Sartan City. When you say you've wronged me, does it have something to do with that?"
Vena nodded gently and was about to speak, but Rem reached out to stop her.
"Vena, stop. Haven't we embarrassed ourselves enough already?" Rem looked pained.
Vena glanced at him and said calmly, "It's precisely because it's shameful that we need to say it. Since we've happened to run into