It was a quiet afternoon in the Dungeon Town of Hidden Haven. Returning from a visit to the altar of Ceratias, Auguste ran into Albert, or at least, seemingly ran into him. For some reason, it felt like Albert had expected to find Auguste there.

"Do you have a moment?" Albert asked him, a welcoming smile on his face as usual.

"Sure..." Auguste answered without thinking. Not that it mattered, as he didn't have anything planned until dinner.

When dinner time eventually came, Auguste returned to camp with a pale complexion. Despite attempts to remain composed, his state of mind was noticed by the more perceptive members of the party, namely, Gladiolus, Elaine, and Morganna. None of them said anything to him, as Auguste usually wouldn't hide anything he thought was important. If he didn't mention it, then it was probably personal, and Auguste wasn't one to speak of his personal matters.

"So... I've got a little announcement to make, I guess..." Auguste eventually spewed it out, half mumbling as he spoke.

"It's not bad news is it?" Henrietta asked, feeling something grave from Auguste's hesitant tone. "Yer not quittin' are yer!? We're doing pretty good lately ain't we? Come on! We need you!"

"I'm not leaving! Sheesh!" Auguste retorted as he tried to pry Henrietta off of him to no avail. "The thing is... Albert found out that we have the hi-catalyst."

A grim atmosphere instantly spread across the campfire the moment he broke the news. For a few good moments, no one spoke a word, some were internally panicking, some were already working out on a plan to handle the situation in their heads, while others, or rather, one Henrietta, had forgotten that they even had it in the first place and just now remembered it.

"So how did he find out?" Elaine asked.

"Well, we were talking, and he brought up the incident at Iotas Tria, about the Mimics and what not. Then, he suddenly brought up the hi-catalyst, about how the Lightbringer's agents had found that it had gone missing from the Scholars of the Abyss' vault the very same night of the incident. He asked me if I had seen it and I felt that he was on to me. So... I eventually spilled the beans."

The thought had occurred to him to simply hand it over to Albert the other day when they were having a meal together. However, Auguste had already told his party that they were going to sell it when someone issued a bounty for it. If he had just handed it over like that, it would have felt like he was lying to them, so he was hesitant to do so. It was a decision that he came to regret now that the jig was up.

"You're quite weak under pressure, aren't you," Morganna chimed in with a sharp word, piercing through Auguste's soul, leaving him with nothing to retort and hanging his head in abject defeat.

"Well, he's going to find out eventually, whenever we decide to sell the hi-catalyst that is," said Gladiolus trying to mend a bit of Auguste's wound.

"What now?" Finn spoke up, looking somewhat nervous. "Do we give it back?"

"It wasn't theirs in the first place," Elaine interjected before continuing her inquiries with Auguste. "So, did he name a price yet?"

"No, he hasn't. But I'm supposed to bring it to him tomorrow, first thing after breakfast."

"And if you don't?"

"He didn't say, but I think we all know the answer."

Again, there was silence around the campfire. It was clear from the beginning that the Lightbringers would not leave the hi-catalyst alone.

"I'm going with you, if you don't mind," Elaine eventually said.

"It's fine, I'll be able to handle it on my own."

"Can you? Knowing you, all they have to do is apply a little pressure and you'd just hand it over obediently and come back empty-handed."

Elaine's words weren't off the mark, Auguste certainly felt it in his heart that things might very well play out that way. With what just happened in the afternoon, Auguste had no capacity, grounds, or even will to argue back at this point and he meekly accepted Elaine's decision. Tomorrow, they shall go see Albert and his party together, the hi-catalyst in tow.

The next breakfast, Auguste barely ate, his stomach putting up a resistance every time he forced food down his own throat. The thought of having to meet Albert later was getting to him badly. Not even when facing down a creature from the Dungeon did Auguste felt such dread.

"There's no need to force yourself if you're not feeling it," said Gladiolus upon seeing his plight. "We're not doing anything today, so you can always eat later."

"Yeah, I think I'll do that," Auguste meekly responded before wrapping his stale bread in some parchment and putting it away.

"Ready to go?" Elaine came and asked him

She looked no different than usual, wide awake despite it being presumably early in the morning. But, Auguste knew that she couldn't be more ready for this battle. They're returning with a sack of coins or they won't return at all, the thought of which made his stomach churn.

After getting ready, Elaine and Auguste went straight to the place where Albert and his party were staying at. Though it was but an inn, albeit well built compared to the rest of the hastily set up building surrounding it, it felt like walking into an enemy fortress for Auguste.

"We've prepared a private room for this occasion, come this way." Greeting them was the witch in their party, Lyudmila. Her expression was unreadable to Auguste, as it had been the case before. It was just that considering the circumstances, it felt like her gaze was boring into him.

The room that had been prepared wasn't particularly big. With a table in the middle, it was enough for perhaps four to five people to occupy it before it became uncomfortably crowded. Entering the room, Lyudmila remained outside, standing guard along with Zeke, who nearly spat on Auguste as he passed through the door, stopped only by a blood-freezing gaze from Lyudmila.

Across the table set in the center of the room, there stood Albert. Beside him, was Helena, her expression hardened and stern.

"Feel free to sit down," Albert invited.

Expecting that Auguste would bring someone along, four chairs were prepared in advance. With the door closed behind Auguste, the four of them each took a seat. Before sitting down, Auguste placed a bag he was carrying down on the floor and produced from it an olive-colored cloak, neatly folded, and placed it on top of the table.

"What's that?" Albert asked, his business-like tone contrasted with his usual friendly demeanor.

"This? It's something we found in the Dungeon. It nullifies magic somehow, or at least, the Abyssal Arts," Auguste explained, surprised that he didn't stumble over his words due to how nervous he was.

"I see," Albert commented curtly, though his gaze seemed to linger on the cloak. "Did you keep 'it' wrapped up in there?"

"That's right," Auguste answered before beginning to unfold the cloak, revealing the green gemstone hidden beneath the folds.

Promptly, Albert reached out and carefully picked up the hi-catalyst and brought it close to his eyes, watching the dark mist swirling within the gemstone. As he gazed into it, he felt something sinister, and for but a moment, he could feel stinging sensations running across his hand.

Daintily, he placed the hi-catalyst back down onto the cloak.

"This would seem to be it," Albert said, his expression did not give away the dread he just felt after having held the catalyst in his hand.

"So," Elaine spoke up as soon as Albert was done examining the gemstone, "how much do you want for it?"

In response Albert brought his hand up to his chin and began his contemplation, showing but the slightest frown.

The straightforwardness displayed by Elaine made Auguste's stomach churn and as the atmosphere in the room became more intense, he found himself feeling that it was somewhat difficult to breathe.

"Four gold coins sound fair, don't you think?" Albert finally said. "Either way, you wouldn't want this thing sitting with the rest of your belongings. You were lucky nothing happened while you were carrying it."

That last bit was said with a glance towards Auguste, as if implying that he would have gotten into a whole lot of trouble if he were just a little unlucky.

"Make that six and we've got a deal," said Elaine, her voice cold and unwavering.

Auguste sat there bursting out in cold sweat. He had barely said a word but he felt as if he had just been through a tense battle. He felt akin to a child accompanying his mother to the market, except that instead of being stuck watching his mother bartering for some vegetables or meat with some vendor, she's doing it over a dangerous artifact against a member of one of the world's most influential organization at the time.

"I'll have you know, this object was stolen from the Scholars of the Abyss' vault. If you're caught with it, there's no telling what they'll do to you. You should be thankful that we're even paying to take it off your hands in the first place," Helena interjected, her eyes staring daggers at Elaine.

Despite it all, Elaine's expression was unchanged and her composure undisturbed. She had seen it all, having worked at any job she could get her hands on back in Wilmot, from a laborer to a store clerk, from a bar wench to a vendor, she had to deal with all kinds to make sure that she wasn't cheated out on her coins while squeezing others of theirs. Whether they be customers or bosses, she had dealt with worse.

"That may be true, but our party is small is only managing to get by, anyone with working eyes that see that we couldn't have done it. For the matter, perhaps they'll be quite interested to hear that the Lightbringers are trying to buy the hi-catalyst from us, don't you think?"

"Listen here!" Outraged, Helena sprung up from her seat. "If it weren't for us, you'd still be rotting in that jail cell back in Wilmot, or perhaps even worse. This is hardly a way to say thanks."

"You're the Lightbringers aren't you? What about fighting for what's right and defending the innocent and all that? That's what you guys are about, right? But yes, there was that, wasn't there? I do owe you one, all things considered. How about we make it five, then?" Elaine replied coldly. In truth, five was the number she had been aiming for since the beginning.

"Why you-"

From the look on her expression, Helena seemed like she was about to spit some venom, but with a gesture from Albert, she wound up swallowing it back, breaking her glare from Elaine and sitting back down with her arms crossed.

"Five it is then," said Albert before pulling out a pouch. With his fingers, he picked out five golden coins before placing them on the table.

With that, the trade had been completed.

"One last thing," Albert called out to them just as the two were about to leave. "Could you leave the badge I gave you here? I am starting to believe that us working together may not be in the best interest for the both of us."

Albert was trying to put it as nicely as he could, but essentially, he no longer wished the Henrietta Company to be affiliated with them. It was only natural, considering what had unfolded. Albert had thought that Auguste could be trusted at first, Helena had said as much and his attitude in the Cobalt Shell Crawlers' den had reinforced that impression. However, it was clear that Auguste, more than anything, put his party first before all else. If the time ever comes, what will Auguste choose, the betterment of the world at large or the betterment of his party? Albert could not answer that, and the uncertainty made him reconsider working with the Henrietta Company.

Auguste let out a deep, soul letting sigh while on their way back to camp. He wouldn't have done it in front of Elaine, but he felt that if he didn't his heart might just collapse into itself by the weight he had on his chest.

"I'm sorry," Elaine said to him, her tone meek, unlike the way she was just moment's prior.

"What are you talking about?" Auguste asked, playing dumb.

"I know you admire Albert. I didn't mean to make you look bad, but we can't afford to just give it to him either. If you see him next time, just say that I made you bring me along and that you had no idea what I was going to do."

"I kind of already expected you to do that though."

"Then just lie."

"It's scary that you can say that with a straight face."

"It's what you have to do to survive. Don't get me wrong, it's good to be honest and I like that about you, but sometimes there's more to gain in lying and more to lose by telling the truth."

"Sure, I can see that being the case, but I'm not going to throw you under the cart. We're a party, right? I mean, we're in this together, so... you know? You get what I'm saying, right?"

Elaine let out a small laugh.

"Yeah, I understand what you're trying to say. You know, I meant it when I said that I like your honesty. Still, do me a favor and keep this from Finn at least. You know how he is with the Lightbringers. I rather that he didn't hear about the conversation we had in that room."

"You don't have to worry about that, I don't really want to talk about it either. Just thinking about it makes my stomach upset. You can be scary sometimes, you know that."

"That's right, so you better not get on my bad side."

"I'll remember that. I think I'll remember that even if I don't want to."

***

End of Chapter 58