Avangarde Royal Capital – Central Street
I quickly noticed something was off in the Royal Capital. Well, saying it like that might be an exaggeration, but it was clear that things were different from usual. To be more specific, the Adventurers walking down the street were all wearing Pregnable Rings and Power Bracelets. It wasn’t just one or two; almost every Adventurer was flaunting those rings and bracelets.
Then I realized what made me feel that something was amiss. It wasn’t just the Adventurers wearing them; ordinary people were sporting them too. I spotted a group of landladies chatting in front of a shop, and one of them had that ring delicately resting on her hand as she laughed.
“Lua-chan, what’s wrong?”
“N-no, it’s nothing.”
“Oh? What about that ring and bracelet?”
“This? I-I bought them.”
“Really? That’s unusual. What kind of effects do they have?”
“They increase attack power, and this one makes you resistant to sleep and stuff.”
“But Lua-chan, you’re already immune to Status Ailments…”
“Ah! Oh! That’s right! Ugh, what a waste! Ahahaha…”
“Hmm?”
Elmera popped her head into our conversation, staring intently at the ring and bracelet. She then compared them to those of others in a rather conspicuous manner. I had intended to keep it a secret, but it seemed impossible now. Kurinka was probably thinking of a present for me, but I wanted to keep that under wraps for as long as possible.
“Hey, where did you get those?”
“I didn’t get them.”
“More likely, they asked you to wear them for advertising, right?”
“N-no way!”
“Pretty obvious, isn’t it?”
It was over; I was completely exposed. If I admitted that I took that job just because I didn’t have enough money to buy Kurinka a present, I couldn’t imagine what they would say. I should have saved up more if I knew it would come to this.
“Lua-chan, who asked you to do that?”
No matter how much I tried to make excuses, it was futile. I resigned myself to the truth.
Avangarde Royal Capital – Commercial Street
“Oh my, look at that bustling shop over there!”
Elmera pointed out the Moonshine Shop, which was swarming with people and had a long line. It wasn’t just Adventurers; there were adults and children everywhere. It was even more crowded than that massage parlor I saw the other day.
“Did you manage to buy it?! So, how is it? Are you stronger now?”
“Well, I guess I might be?”
“You must be stronger! After all, that Flash Strike Girl is strong thanks to those items. That ring helps her resist Status Ailments. It really makes you realize the importance of equipment, doesn’t it?”
What kind of conversation is this? Something feels off. I couldn’t believe my ears as I listened to the two Adventurers talk. I hadn’t said a word about that.
“This Pregnable Ring doesn’t do anything at all!”
“Huh? It worked for me! Just the other day, it protected me from a Sleep spell from a Sleepy. Right?”
“Yeah, it really helped! I was struggling with that dog’s sleep magic, so it was a lifesaver!”
People were arguing about whether the effects were real or not. A man and a woman were mocking an angry Adventurer. Sleepy was a white dog monster found in the northern forest, and I remember Seigel mentioning that several C-rank Adventurers had been killed by them. They often appear in groups and use sleep magic, earning them the nickname “Beginner Killers.”
“Hey, you guys must be fakes!”
“What? You got a problem?”
“Scary, isn’t it?”
A fight was about to break out. The angry-looking man seemed quite strong, and if it came to blows, those two wouldn’t stand a chance. I felt guilty, thinking it might be my fault, and I wondered if I should intervene.
“Hey! What are you doing over there?!”
“Gah! Who called the soldiers?!”
“Let’s get out of here!”
Thank goodness, upon closer inspection, I noticed soldiers were keeping watch nearby. They must have been on alert due to the crowd. It felt like it was all my fault.
“Looks like we have no choice but to enter the Moonshine Shop, huh, Kurinka? This is getting too suspicious; Lua-chan, you need to reflect on this.”
“I’m sorry…”
“But what’s this about the accessories having effects or not? What does that mean?”
“Well, I can guess, but let’s get in first. We can’t just stand in line like this… Air!”
There it was, Imagination Magic. I was curious about what kind of outrageous effect it would have this time; I had started to look forward to it.
“With this, we won’t be recognized by anyone, meaning we’re like air. In theory, I could even kill you, Lua-chan. No matter how strong you are, you wouldn’t even notice me approaching, and then—stab!”
“Is it similar to that invisible monster in the Abyss Cave that has no presence?”
“Please don’t say you’ve already cleared that!”
According to Elmera’s explanation, it didn’t mean we would become invisible. It was just that others wouldn’t notice we were there. If we poked someone, of course, we’d be discovered. Once we were found out, the magic would lose its effect, making it a one-shot deal. In other words, we’d be treated like a rock lying around, and I finally felt relieved after that explanation.
“By the way, it can’t erase smells or presence, so it might not work against certain opponents.”
“Okay, okay, I get it. Lua-chan is the best! Now, let’s go in.”
Yeah, as long as I understood.
Moonshine Shop
“Hey, hey! The star products, the Pregnable Ring and Power Bracelet, are right here! Don’t push! We still have plenty in stock!”
Inside, it wasn’t Kozel but another person energetically attending to customers. He had a face like a skinny rat and never stopped smiling. If a crowd of people charged at that frail-looking guy, he wouldn’t stand a chance.
One by one, customers handed money to the rat-faced man and received their rings and bracelets.
“So this is the secret to the Flash Strike Girl’s strength?”
“But can you really get that strong just from one of these?”
“Of course! It’s common knowledge that the Flash Strike Girl has been wearing these while fighting!”
“But I don’t feel any stronger at all! Look!”
“Ouch! Don’t hit me! Well, you know, some training is necessary!”
What do you mean “some”? I was getting really annoyed. They were saying whatever they wanted and deceiving people. There’s no way those items could have such an effect, and I certainly wouldn’t become stronger just from a little training. I was starting to find that couple from earlier quite suspicious.
“Lua-chan, let’s ignore that and come over here. I bet we’ll find something more interesting!”
Elmera boldly walked deeper into the shop. The rat-faced man didn’t seem to notice thanks to the magic. We slipped past the glass cases, and as we reached the back of the counter, we found a narrow passageway. After navigating through a cluttered area piled with boxes, Elmera suddenly stopped.
“Look!”
Peeking into the room, I saw Kozel and another unfamiliar uncle. They were both laughing and seemed to be having a good time.
“Wow! I never thought it would be this shabby!”
“Most of those rings are fake. Even the bracelets, even if they were real, would only give a slight boost to strength. I never imagined we’d be able to sell our stock like this. Kozel, you really did well.”
“It’s all thanks to the Flash Strike Girl. I had planned to make contact and use her someday, but I never thought I’d run into her in a place like this.”
I wanted to cover my ears at the conversation I was overhearing. I had a feeling something was off, but I never expected those accessories to be mostly fakes. So I was used as a pawn to promote counterfeit items.
“It was a good call to investigate Adventurers we could use.”
“Indeed, manager. I’m well aware that the Flash Strike Girl is illiterate and naive about the world. Even if she finds out, it’s all clearly stated in the Contract! ‘By signing, you agree to follow all instructions from our shop!’”
“Hahaha! What a ridiculous contract!”
“Adventurers are the kind of ruffians who worry about their next meal, so we need to make use of them! Hehehe!”
It wasn’t me who burst in first; it was Kurinka. I could only imagine how surprised they were when a blonde girl suddenly entered. The two who had been lounging in their soft chairs nearly fell over as they stood up.
“W-what are you doing here?! You can’t just barge in like that!”
“…It’s terrible to deceive someone like Lua-chan, who can’t even read or write.”
“Gah! Who’s there?!”
Upon recognizing us, Kozel’s face turned pale, and he looked utterly flabbergasted. He had clearly heard everything, and there was no way to make excuses now. But it was Kurinka who stepped forward, brandishing her staff. When did she become such a formidable girl?
“Kozel, does this mean I’ve been used to promote fakes?”
“Well, um, you could say that…”
“Then what do you have to say? Look at the Contract; everything was established the moment you signed it.”
The shopkeeper, now calm in an instant, waved the Contract I had signed in front of me, his demeanor exuding confidence as he snorted dismissively. Kurinka, who had briefly fallen silent, took another step closer to the two of them. Did he think we would back down after that? The shopkeeper retreated as if trying to escape from Kurinka.
“Wait a moment. You must know what will happen if you escalate this situation.”
“You deceived Lua-chan… deceived her… I can’t forgive that.”
“Are you listening?! If you claim it’s a fake, then show us the evidence! If you can’t do that, then it’s nothing more than a baseless accusation! I’m prepared to take you to the royal court for defamation!”
“Well, Kurinka, just calm down.”
For once, Elmera was trying to soothe Kurinka. Since we arrived here, Elmera had remained composed, though it felt like she was scheming something. Even so, the shopkeeper and Kozel were managing to respond properly despite the intense pressure from Kurinka’s murderous intent. They seemed inexperienced in battle, yet perhaps this was the courage they had cultivated through their business. If that was the case, it was impressive in its own right.
“Indeed, if you had Lua-kun promote a fake as if it were real, that would be a problem. However, those items are genuine; we assert this.”
“But you just called them fakes!”
“Excuse me? What are you talking about?”
“Hmph!”
Not just Kurinka, but I too was grinding my teeth in frustration. I was on the verge of swinging my fist down. However, if I did that, as they said, it would only put us at a disadvantage. In the past, I would have let my anger ruin everything at this point. But after spending time with Kurinka, I had learned to be a bit calmer. Or at least I thought so, but now Kurinka was on the brink of exploding, which was quite the predicament.
“If you have no way to prove they are fakes, then there is something I would like you to do.”
“Something you want us to do?”
“I hope for a sincere response. If you refuse, everything you two have built—your trust and honor—will plummet. Do you understand? Would you like me to explain the meaning?”
“Some people are saying it doesn’t work! Those people are witnesses!”
“Hahaha, we never claimed that it ‘definitely works.’ In other words, individual differences and luck are involved. If you say it doesn’t work, that can simply be dismissed as bad luck.”
“That’s just cowardly!”
“Exactly. With items like these, those who truly experience their effects tend to stay quiet. It’s only those who find no effect that raise their voices. In this case, those claiming it works are all likely plants. The more money you earn, the more plants you can hire, thus boosting your advertising power.”
I couldn’t understand what Elmera was so casually explaining. I had reached my limit; Kurinka’s sudden silence was even scarier. Just then, she raised her staff, and in the next moment—
—Boom!
“Y-You can’t be serious!”
With a swing of her staff, the table was split in two. Splinters flew everywhere, shattering the floor beneath and shaking the building. Once again, the suddenness of it left the shopkeeper and Kozel frozen, unable to stand. Leaning against the shelves, they finally collapsed to the ground.
“St-Stop it…”
“I was weak once too. I was mocked by many and felt deep regret. I was filled with nothing but a desire to run away. Because of that…”
With a swift cut through the air, the mere sight of her staff was enough to instill immense fear in the two men. Even as they struggled to stand, they desperately tried to escape.
“Knowing the pain, I cannot allow anyone to exploit others’ weaknesses and hurt them for personal gain. Lua-chan has been working hard to learn to read and write, yet you mock her efforts… I will never forgive that!”
“W-Where are the bodyguards? I hired them for times like this!”
“Those guys?”
Elmera pointed with her thumb, and three strong-looking individuals armed with scythes, axes, and claws were already pale with fear at the scene. They seemed to be around Level 30, but even they were quicker to give up than the shopkeeper and Kozel. The stronger ones realized they were no match for Kurinka.
“Someone do something!”
“Shopkeeper, sorry, but we’re out. The opponent is just too much; of course, we’ll return all the money.”
“Don’t be ridiculous! I hired you because you were renowned Adventurers; how can this be happening?!”
“Well, if I had known you were running such a shady business, I would never have taken the job in the first place. So, yeah, the fake item issue is infuriating, and we’re on their side now.”
The three of them moved closer to us. With that, the shopkeeper and Kozel, along with us six, were clearly divided. The two men wore faces twisted with regret and fear. Perhaps they still couldn’t accept it, as they remained trembling.
“Will you admit it’s a fake?”
“Don’t come near me!”
“Will you not admit it?”
“Ahhh! Don’t come closer, please help me!”
“You won’t admit it?”
“I admit it! I admit it!”
Kurinka crouched down in front of the two, ready to swing her staff down. Finally, the shopkeeper, perhaps having resigned himself, admitted while crying. Kozel was gasping for breath, looking extremely distressed.
“Really?”
“Yes, really!”
“Then first, apologize to Lua-chan.”
“We’re sorry for deceiving you!”
Even as they pressed their heads to the floor in a deep bow, I couldn’t feel happy about it. More than anything, I was terrified of this unknown side of Kurinka. I wished I hadn’t had to see it; perhaps this was all because I had been deceived. It felt like I caught a glimpse of her sharp gaze, reminiscent of a Dragon, for just a moment.
“Ugh, what is this? I didn’t even need to help out.”
Elmera spread her arms in a playful manner, and when I looked around, I realized the wall of the room had vanished. The wall beside us and those two was completely gone, revealing a crowd of people standing there, watching. The rat-faced man sat slumped, looking utterly defeated as if everything had come to an end.
“Oh my! I never expected it to be this shabby!”
“Most of those rings are fake.”
“Adventurers are just thugs who worry about their next meal; we need to repurpose this stuff!”
The voices of the shopkeeper and Kozel echoed throughout the room. Yet, those two had long since apologized and sat there in a daze.
“Imagination Magic ‘Sound Echo,’ shall we repeat that?”
“You sold us fakes, didn’t you…”
Someone muttered quietly. The disappearance of the wall must have been Elmera’s doing, and she had planned to help us all along, which explained her earlier confidence. Even if Kurinka didn’t get angry, and even if those two didn’t admit it, everything was destined to unfold this way from the start. Looking at Elmera’s smug face, I realized once again that I should never make an enemy of her.
“So, what shall we do first?”
Kurinka still held her staff tightly, and I was beginning to understand that these two were the only ones I truly feared in this world.
“Explain exactly what is going on!”
“You will return our money, right?!”
“Wait! Aren’t you the ones who will be taken to the royal court?!”
Everyone exploded with accusations against the shopkeeper and the staff. These people, completely intimidated, were saying whatever came to mind. The rat-faced man was continuously apologizing, but no one was listening. He looked like he was about to cry as someone grabbed his collar.
“S-So about this…”
“That’s why it’s fraud, isn’t it?!”
“Of course, we will refund you! So please…”
“I absolutely cannot forgive you for deceiving my Flash Strike Girl!”
“Yikes!”
I heard something that made me want to cover my ears, but I decided to ignore it. More importantly, how were we going to settle this? The crowd was pressing in, and the shop was in chaos. Glass cases had toppled and shattered, scattering the accessories inside.
Amidst the chaos, a person entered with a calm demeanor. Ignoring the pushing and shoving, they began picking up the fallen accessories.
“This Darglass is real. This Power Bracelet is fake, and so is this one, and that one. Oh, this necklace is genuine. It’s an excellent item that completely prevents confusion; it shouldn’t be treated like this.”
While everyone else stood in shock, this person continued to pick up accessories one by one. An uncle with black hair parted down the middle, extending to his ears. His brown eyes and round glasses focused on the accessories as he muttered about what was real and what was fake.
“Moonshine Shop. Once one of the most renowned accessory shops in the Royal Capital. Why did it have to resort to such barbaric acts? The answer lies within these accessories.”
Without even introducing herself, she began to show off the accessories she held in both hands, particularly the necklace. Who is she?
◆ Shin Report ◆
Scary.