◆ Avangarde Royal Capital, Central Street ◆
“Everyone, take shelter in the nearby buildings! No one is allowed outside until the storm passes!”
“Where is the Flash Strike Girl? If we don’t drive her out, the damage will only spread further!”
“Are you an idiot? Do you really believe in that nonsense?”
The rumors about the storm spread quickly. The winds were so strong they threatened to uproot trees, and the rain fell in torrents. The sky, illuminated periodically by flashes of lightning, only heightened everyone’s anxiety. Amidst this chaos, soldiers were guiding people into the buildings. More than anything, I was shocked to see that there were those who believed the words of that fortune teller. A brawl erupted between those who dismissed her as a fraud and those who tried to drive me away, and the commotion quickly rippled through the crowd, reaching Central Street.
“Please, if you just leave, everyone will be saved!”
“I bear no grudge, but if you refuse to listen any longer, I will have no choice but to take action!”
A party of three Adventurers was trying to force us out, and I couldn’t understand why they would believe such nonsense. I hadn’t become an Adventurer to seek gratitude or recognition. Of course, if what I had done led to that, I would be overjoyed. But I couldn’t stand being denied for my actions or being hated.
“Kurinka, we’re not wrong, right?”
“There’s no way we’re wrong…”
I had thought I needed to be strong, yet tears began to flow uncontrollably. I couldn’t tell if they were raindrops or tears anymore. The Adventurers in front of us hadn’t drawn their weapons; they were merely hoping we would voluntarily leave. I didn’t even have the energy to retort that they should try to force us out. I felt like apologizing to the soldiers trying to quell the chaos. If I hadn’t gone to see the fortune teller, none of this would have happened.
“It’s that fortune teller’s fault! Believing her is just foolish!”
“Where did she go? She disappeared without a trace…”
In the brief moment of chaos, the fortune teller and her table had vanished completely. It could be interpreted as a quick escape, but I was certain she was up to something. It felt like this had been her plan all along.
“Hurry up and drive those brats out!”
Even an old man I didn’t know was urging the Adventurers to throw us out, spitting with fervor. He struck the backs of the clearly bewildered Adventurers with his cane, acting quite high and mighty.
“I’ve lived in this town for over fifty years, and I’ve never seen the weather change so suddenly! And yet, the moment that fortune teller made her prediction, this happened! Do you think it’s just a coincidence?!”
“Y-Yeah, we get it. We’ll drive them out now, so just stay back…”
“If you won’t do it, then I will! Get out of the way!”
Finally, he swung his cane wildly at us. The old man, frothing at the mouth in a fit of rage, staggered occasionally but continued to attack with surprising vigor. Even the Adventurers trying to drive us out were taken aback by his fervor.
Moreover, those trying to expel us and those who believed in us soon began to brawl, with Adventurers and townsfolk alike getting caught up in the fray. The soldiers, already busy, rushed to contain the chaos. We should have been the ones to resolve this, but all we could do was watch silently. Any action on our part would only add fuel to the fire; what were we supposed to do in a situation like this?
“What in the world is going on?!”
“Now that Greyman is here, everything will be fine! Where’s the enemy?!”
As we stood there, drenched in rain, Gantetsu and Greyman rushed to our side. The moment they arrived, the fighting between the townsfolk and Adventurers came to a halt; their presence alone commanded that much respect. With two A-Rank Adventurers here, everyone naturally expected them to resolve the situation.
“Gantetsu! Greyman!”
“Why am I the only one being called by my first name?!”
“Actually, it’s a long story…”
The Adventurers provided a concise explanation that was so elegant I could never hope to replicate it. Gantetsu, listening calmly, fixed his gaze on us. Greyman, who had lost his earlier bravado, glanced at us while trying to maintain a facade of confidence in front of everyone. He had been eager to confront the enemy, but now that he realized we were the ones being targeted, his demeanor changed.
“I understand the situation. You two don’t need to leave this castle town. If we capture that suspicious fortune teller, all doubts should be cleared.”
“That fortune teller is definitely a fraud, right?!”
“She must have intended to target you from the start. By the way, where did you hear about her?”
“At that pirate-themed restaurant. I overheard two Adventurers talking about it there.”
“Those two were likely part of the setup. They probably worked for the fortune teller and deliberately spoke loudly in front of you. The question is… do you have any idea who would do something like that?”
“I have no idea…”
Thanks to Gantetsu’s presence, everyone remained on edge, drenched in the downpour but watching the scene unfold. The sound of the rain made it hard to hear, and perhaps they thought Gantetsu was persuading us. Greyman looked on, seemingly frustrated, unsure of what to do.
“There’s only one way to calm this raging crowd. Find the fortune teller.”
“How do we do that?”
“You have legs, right? You should be able to circle this castle town in no time. I need to handle this situation here, and of course, I’ll have Greyman help me.”
“…That’s the only option, Lua-chan. I don’t know who that person is, but if we don’t do something, this won’t be resolved.”
Soaked to the bone, I pondered. If that fortune teller truly intended to set us up, what should we do? I couldn’t just kill her, and I had no idea if she would listen if I asked her to prove our innocence.
“This storm is clearly too convenient. It’s as if that fortune teller summoned it herself. Hahaha!”
“Even Gantetsu shouldn’t say whatever comes to mind. That person is the real deal!”
“If you believe such a shady character, it’s no wonder you can be deceived by anyone.”
“What did you say?!”
The conflict intensified, and time was running out. It was time for a long-awaited Kurinka piggyback dash. First, we needed to search the West Street where that fortune teller had been.
“Got it! I remembered where that fortune teller is!”
“Oh, sorry…”
Kurinka had inadvertently squished Shin against my back with her stomach. I must have been really flustered not to notice that. Honestly, it was a bit of a nuisance.
“You remembered? Does Shin know that fortune teller?!”
“Uh, no. Not exactly…”
“Shin-chan, if you know something, please tell us!”
“Hyuh-hyuh-hyuh-hyuh!”
“You can’t just whistle poorly to dodge the question! This isn’t just our problem! If that fortune teller caused this storm, we need to stop it before the damage spreads!”
I held Shin tightly, making sure not to crush her, but she just turned her face away. This girl knew the fortune teller. If that was the case, I had to get her to tell us, no matter what.
“Is Shin okay with a lot of people becoming victims?”
“Of course, I don’t care!”
“Really? Shin-chan enjoyed the pirate-themed meal we had today, right? It takes people to grow crops, gather materials, transport them, and finally create something. That’s what connections between people mean. If this storm continues, the crops produced in this country will be ruined, and of course, we won’t be able to eat that meal anymore.”
“That’s an exaggeration…”
“Normitz Kingdom is close by, and if that country suffers, a large portion of our food supply will be ruined. Shin-chan… are you a bad person?”
“I’m a bad person…”
Shin clamped her mouth shut tightly. I understood she was part of the Demon Lord Army and should be our enemy. It was unreasonable to expect her to speak up. Wait, the Demon Lord Army…
◆ Avangarde Castle Town, East Street ◆
“That sword held by the Flash Strike Girl is what brings calamity to this country! If you want to survive, you must seize it at all costs!”
“That’s enough!”
Despite the heavy rain, a large crowd had gathered in front of the fortune teller. As we arrived, the agitated crowd turned to face us. Next to the fortune teller stood those eerie two once again.
“Yikes! Hurry up and do something! Otherwise, the disaster will only spread further!”
“Let’s stop the theatrics, shall we? Neo Demon Lord Army’s Twelve Demon Generals, Devil Master Ganoas.”
“W-What are you…?”
Kurinka forced a smile as she turned to face the Fortune Teller, or rather, the Devil Master. It seemed that during her idle moments, she would engage in a game of counting the Twelve Demon Generals, always forgetting the last one. Perhaps it was due to her lack of presence, but I felt a twinge of sympathy for Shin, who repeated such a lonely pastime. Did she have no friends?
“Wait, the Demon Lord Army? That Fortune Teller?”
“To think you would dare label me as part of the Demon Lord Army! She truly is a demon! Everyone, do not be deceived!”
As Kurinka had predicted, the Devil Master was not about to reveal her true nature easily. This was all expected. But for now, that was enough; I wanted everyone to at least consider the possibility that she might be part of the Demon Lord Army. After all, our true objective lay elsewhere. I suggested that we simply defeat Ganoas, but Kurinka pointed out that if we did that, we would be branded as murderers for killing an innocent Fortune Teller, which would severely worsen our position.
“There’s no way this person is part of the Demon Lord Army! I’ve consulted her many times and have been saved by her!”
“That’s right! Thanks to her driving away the demons, I was able to give birth to a healthy baby!”
“According to her, it might actually be true that you all are the demons… that’s a bit much, don’t you think?”
The expressions of everyone illuminated by the lightning looked almost demonic. Their faces, steadfast in their belief in the Fortune Teller, were such that if I said anything more, they would surely attack.
“Alright, everyone! That’s enough! Please evacuate into the building quickly!”
Amidst the storm, Ritta and her subordinates cheerfully intervened. Irene, Shuri, and several others had joined us without my noticing. In front of the kingdom’s soldiers, everyone would find it difficult to escalate the situation. As evidence of this, they all wore bitter expressions and took a step back.
“Fortune Teller, you summoned this storm, didn’t you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous… Do you really think I have such power? Besides, what would be the point of doing something like that?”
“Of course not. Because this storm is being caused by your allies.”
“W-What!?”
The Fortune Teller stumbled over her words, her one eye narrowing in surprise. It was a hit, though Kurinka had asked the question knowing the answer.
“Everyone! The Flash Strike Girl will dispel this storm! Once she does, all doubts will be cleared, right? Just like the storm itself!”
Kurinka’s joke wasn’t particularly funny, but it was enough to leave everyone speechless. However, just conveying that was sufficient. Yes, we were about to take down whoever was causing this storm. And not just that; we would clear the clouds of suspicion hanging over us as well.
“By the way, I have a request for you, Ritta.”
“Y-Yes?”
After making the same request to Gantetsu and Ritta, we dashed out of the castle town. The Flash Strike Girl—Kurinka intentionally excluded herself from that title. If she revealed that she was the Dragon carrying me, who knew what would happen?
So, I decided to operate under the guise of just me and a mysterious Dragon. In a secluded spot, I transformed into a Dragon with Kurinka’s help, and we soared into the stormy sky, where the winds howled and the rain lashed down.
◆ Shin Report ◆
What on earth should I do with this report?
Whose side is Shin really on?
I love the Demon Lord and want to be of help,
But Shin, oh Shin…
My eyes can no longer hold back the tears…