Prologue: Ever-Reliable Master
“Krai, we’ve received a thank-you note from the House of Gladis...”
“Mm, ah, just set it over there.”
“Make sure you actually take a look at it at some point, okay?”
A week had already passed since the unexpected tumult that was the Zebrudia Auction. I had been holed up in the clan master’s office and relishing in tranquility when Eva brought in an elaborately adorned envelope. I checked the envelope and immediately averted my eyes once I had confirmed it bore the seal of the House of Gladis.
Just recently, the daughter of Earl Gladis, Éclair Gladis, and I had butted heads. Thanks to the bond shared between Ark and myself, our battle for the Relic was resolved quite peacefully and without undue harm to our relationship with Éclair or Earl Gladis.
I couldn’t ask for a better resolution and, as far as I was concerned, that should have been the end of it. However, unlike hunters, nobles and merchants would waste no time sending you a letter, and that’s something I could’ve done without.
I let out a brief, hard-boiled sigh. Not that there was any reason I should receive a thank-you note in the first place, but wasn’t this awfully fast? I hadn’t even recovered from my fatigue from the last ruckus. I just wanted to rest.
There was already a pile of unread letters lying on the desk in the clan master’s room. As a result of my high level, I was receiving more and more letters every day and it had gotten to a shocking number.
Particularly, once I had taken the role of clan master and almost completely stopped leaving the capital, I began getting buried in letters. Letters begging for some sort of assistance, invitations, thank-you notes, letters issuing challenges, resumes, I was up to my neck in correspondence I wasn’t happy to receive or could even do anything with.
I knew that I had to take a look at these letters eventually, but somehow my hand just wouldn’t go near the pile. I was someone who puts things off as much as they can. Because I had neglected too many, Eva had begun to open and even reply to some in my place.
However, that improved the clan’s reputation so I thought I was right to let her take care of it.
“C’mon, I’m busy too...”
“I’m fine with correspondence addressed to the clan or your party, but I don’t like the idea of opening something addressed to you specifically,” Eva said. “I might, for instance, see something confidential...”
That wasn’t gonna happen. I hid nothing from Eva. Shouldn’t she understand that after being around me so much?
If there was one nice thing you could say about me, it was that I didn’t keep secrets. I even trusted Eva to carry around the clan seal.
I gave a small shrug and Eva just sighed. She looked down at the stack of letters that had accumulated even after ensuring only the most important ones reached me and began to speak in a faster tone than usual.
“It would seem Lady Éclair...took quite a liking to the cake you provided.”
“Well, of course she did!”
Eva had no response.
Oh, that’s right, looks like there was one other nice thing you could say about me. I nodded confidently.
Not to brag, but I knew all there was to know about the confectionery cafés of the capital. No matter the style or variety, I had personally visited each one. The only café I didn’t know much about was the one that Eva had previously told me about, the one in the decaying district.
I had complete confidence in the cake I had treated Ark to. It was a new product from a confectionery that I fondly remembered finding when I had first arrived in the capital. The shop was set up around the edges of the city, so it didn’t have a whole lot of customers back when I had first found it. Now there was almost always a line extending from the shop and it was always possible they might sell out before your turn came.
The service and food both got a solid ten out of ten and I was personally acquainted with the owner. I might not have been able to recommend a good weapon store, training grounds, or information broker, but I could find you the perfect sweets shop.
Lady Éclair was a noble, but good sweets required more than just high-quality ingredients.
Still, for even an earl’s daughter to be impressed by my selection... I felt as though my talents were being recognized for the first time in a while and that made me really happy. Maybe it was because they were often ingesting poisonous substances, but hunters seemed to have dull taste buds and their preferences never overlapped with mine.
I realized Eva was looking at me and hastily cleared my throat.
“Yeah, I don’t care much for sweet things, but there’s nothing I don’t know about this town.”
How’s that for hard-boiled?
“...Yes, indeed.”
Now hold on, I thought. It seems I’ve made a new cake companion. I had assumed she would be some stuffy noble girl, but it looks like she has a fine palate. I can’t drag her around with me like I do Tino, but I hope she’ll at least introduce me to some shops that cater to the nobility.
But I’m getting off topic.
I decided to deal with all the letters on my desk.
“Just go ahead and reply to these letters in a way that won’t ruffle any feathers. Decline all requests and invitations. I’m a busy man, y’know.”
Eva gave me a cold glare.
Busy. What a convenient word.
I felt bad turning down the letters without even looking at them, but reading text made me sleepy. Not to mention nobles and merchants all used nothing but stiff and roundabout expressions and, frankly, I could barely understand them. Leaving this to my excellent vice clan master was the best way to ensure a smooth resolution.
I didn’t want to be dragged into any petty power struggles, and dealing with conniving merchants was scary. When the letters first started coming, I thought they would stop if I just ignored them, but that didn’t seem to be working out. I could take care of it all by myself, but I just kept making more excuses.
Ideally, I wanted Eva to handle all the letters, but it seemed that would be a hard no. Eva, who knew my schedule better than I did, furrowed her brow.
“But your schedule’s empty,” she said.
“It’s necessary to rest from time to time. And besides, don’t you think everyone’s sending too many letters to just one hunter? Are the other Level 8s all this busy? I thought they spent most of their time in treasure vaults...”
“Speaking of which, Sven has been demanding that you do something about Drink.”
“Tell him to treasure the critter.”
Dealing with monsters is Sven’s domain more than it is mine. I’ll talk with Sitri about it next time I see her.
I let out a big yawn, and a pure white puzzle framed and mounted on the wall entered my vision. I had asked Eva to help me finish it. You were supposed to draw your own image on it once you finished, but that part just seemed like too much trouble at the time.
“Oh, right. I also need to draw something on the puzzle. Hmmm, I don’t even know where to start... This isn’t going to be easy.”
I stared intently at the puzzle. I had no artistic skills, my imagination was pathetic, and I didn’t even have any tools to draw or paint with. I didn’t even know why I bought a white puzzle. The more I thought about it the more I wanted to slap my past self.
I was furrowing my brow and tilting my neck when Eva decided to change the subject.
“That reminds me, Krai, there are still a few slices left of the cake we served to Ark.”
“Huh? Oooh, I forgot about that. How many slices?”
“Two slices. I placed them in the refrigerator.”
Maybe the puzzle can wait... It’s not like someone’s gonna die if I don’t do it immediately.
My thoughts were now on the cake. Two slices...not a lot you can do with just two slices. I had treated Ark and Éclair each to a slice, had one myself, and gave one to Eva. That left two slices.
It was a new product released the previous fall and I had no idea when I might get to have some again. How troubling.
This was no time to sit around reading letters. I could give the cake to Liz and Sitri, but they didn’t like sweet things. In fact, just about every hunter lacked a palate for refined sweet flavors.
I thought and thought and in the end, I did what I always did: give up because I was tired of thinking.
“Tino. Who else but Tino?” I said.
“Who else but Tino?”
What a kind master I was. And a hard-boiled one at that.
Out of all the hunters I knew, Tino was one of the few who shared my appreciation of sweet things. Two leftover slices from a new product. You could even say this situation came about specifically for Tino.
One slice for me, one for Tino. All was right in the world. Tino would be pleased and I was glad to make up for all the trouble Liz and the others caused her. I felt bad for Tino, she always seemed to be in some form of distress.
I’m on fire today.
“Sorry, Eva, but could you wrap those up for me? I’m gonna bring them over to Tino’s place.”
“Huh? Right now?”
Oh, Eva, you don’t get it at all. If I don’t hurry, the cake will lose its flavor!
Eva seemed to notice my exasperation and quickly corrected her posture.
“Understood. I’ll be just a moment.”
She didn’t need to be that hasty. Eva was an exceptional individual but she was always too serious about things.
I was going out, which meant I wanted to have some protection, but unfortunately, Liz was nowhere to be found when I needed her. Tino’s house wasn’t that far, however, and I didn’t think there’d be many people out and about.
For the first time in a while, I got ready for an outing and left the clan house with a bounce in my step as Eva saw me off.
I’ve been making a pathetic display of myself lately. Maybe for the first time in a while, I can show Tino how considerate I am.
***
“Get it, T? If you’re feeling bad, it’s because of your own lack of strength. Whether you’re short on experience or talent, if you’ve trained enough you won’t find yourself feeling down!”
“Y-Yes, Lizzy, but—”
“No buts! Not one! How many times have I said that? How many times do I have to say it until you get it?”
Eyes alight with flickering flames looked down on Tino.
Her mentor, Liz Smart, was even shorter than Tino but when the two were face-to-face, Tino always shrunk back.
They were in the living room of Tino’s house, but Liz, sitting comfortably with her legs crossed, looked more like the master of the abode. In fact, the house Tino was renting was one of the places Liz would stay when she was in the capital. Because of this, Tino had two beds, chairs, and sets of cutlery even though she was technically the house’s only resident.
Liz leaned back in her chair and fiddled with a palm-sized treasure chest. She inserted a needle-shaped lock pick into the keyhole and moved it about with delicacy. Stacked up on the table were more treasure chests with locks of various shapes. These were used by Thieves as a way to practice lockpicking.
On the rare occasion a treasure chest was found in a treasure vault, it was the Thief’s job to break into it. A single treasure chest could often hold a few items, so hunters considered it very lucky to find one.
You would also hear humorous tales of Thieves being unable to open a treasure chest, leaving the party no better option than to bring back the entire chest itself. For a Thief, there was no greater dishonor.
Opening a treasure chest required the means to open any one of the numerous varieties of locks that might appear in a treasure vault. Before opening the chest, the design and materials should be confirmed and traps needed to be checked for. Thieves were also required to make judgment calls such as when it might be best to ignore the lock and simply destroy the chest. Compared to simple combatants, Thieves had to wear many hats.
Strength alone wasn’t enough for a Thief. The Stifled Shadow was feared for her bloodthirst but she was first-class in more than just fighting. Lockpicking was something reinforced through experience but it also required plenty of studying.
“All adversity can be considered a trial. People who only run from adversity will remain a whelp no matter how long they continue as a hunter. People grow by overcoming trials! If you’ve got complaints you can save ’em till after you’ve done what you need to do!”
Liz tossed the treasure chest towards the table. Tino quickly caught the chest and it opened in her hands without making a sound.
“If you’re struggling now, then that’s what you get for slacking off earlier. At least learn to pick up after yourself!”
Tino thought these were wise words. Liz’s training was fierce and instilled fear in Tino, but she didn’t begrudge Liz for it because she knew her mentor was even harsher on herself. Even if she didn’t show it, it took more than natural talent to become a high-level hunter.
But something was bothering Tino. She placed the sample treasure chest on the table and spoke hesitantly.
“But, Lizzy, Greg’s a hunter, not a merchant...”
“Like I give a damn. Wasn’t it Krai Baby who said you need to learn more than just how to be a hunter?”
“Well...”
At the auction some days prior, Greg had stood in for Tino and placed the winning bid on a golem. Just remembering the sight of her fellow hunter looking so weary was enough to dishearten her. Tino didn’t harbor any special feelings for Greg, but she wasn’t coldhearted enough to be content to watch someone else bear a burden that should have been hers.
The golem had gone for one billion gilds, the highest price of anything sold that day.
The source of his troubles likely stemmed from Greg bidding as an individual, and being a mid-grade hunter at that. Ever since he bought that golem, Greg had been dealing with all sorts of nuisances. He had people asking for loans of considerable size, shady characters buzzing around him, merchants asking for advice, and he had even grabbed the attention of some nobles.
Just recently, Tino happened to run into him. He looked quite haggard from trials he was unaccustomed to and said he was avoiding uncrowded spaces as much as he possibly could.
It sounded quite unlike any of the Thousand Trials that Tino had endured thus far. It might not have been as life-threatening as being flung into a dangerous treasure vault, but it could be more nerve-racking.
You might say it was proof of Greg’s long experience as a hunter that he didn’t let it slip that he was only the stand-in or give away the name of his employer. His ability to judge a situation and when to run might even surpass that of Tino.
Which was exactly why, even though the current circumstances might be hard on him—
Tino found her train of thought cut off by Liz’s glare. Without breaking her imposing demeanor, Liz continued.
“That’s not something you need to worry about anyway. Siddy’s got people looking into it right now. Why do you think Krai Baby used a hunter not part of First Steps?”
“...Huh?”
Tino didn’t know what to say. When she had let Greg stand in for her it was due to her own lack of preparation and because he happened to be there. If nothing else, she hadn’t expected things to turn out like this.
“’Cause we’re dealing with pros, we have to be on guard even when participating in auctions. They tried investigating us but we used a stand-in and covered our tracks. They tried questioning the stand-in but that didn’t get ’em anywhere. But we’ve got the goods and if they want to take ’em back they’re certain to use people who specialize in getting rough. When that happens, the knot around their neck will tighten just a bit more.”
“B-But it was my decision to have Greg stand in for me.”
“Ah, but Krai Baby can see through all your weak points.”
Tino had no response.
“I’m sure deep down he wanted to set you right, but if he went that far then I wouldn’t be in any position to scold you. Does that make sense?”
Tears welled up in Tino’s eyes. A thin smile formed on Liz’s lips and she cracked her knuckles.
If that were true, well, it wouldn’t be too surprising. To Tino, it had all seemed to be nothing more than a coincidence, but on many occasions, she had witnessed what her master was capable of. She didn’t think her mentor was lying to her.
Tino adored Master. She respected him as a hunter and was grateful for all the times he had come to her rescue. However, those abilities instilled more fear than admiration in her. It also made it apparent to her why even the terrifying Lizzy had a disciple but Master didn’t.
“Well, Siddy will deal with anyone really scary, so Krai Baby doesn’t think it’s anything you need to worry about. You should avoid our enemies as much as possible; if they grow suspicious and pull back it’ll make things worse. I don’t think it’ll totally screw up Krai Baby’s plans, but dealing with people is a different sort of pain than dealing with phantoms or monsters. Do you understand me, T?”
“Y-Yes, Lizzy...”
Tino couldn’t do anything but go along with her mentor’s words.
Liz wasn’t only an extraordinary Thief, she was a bounty hunter who had taken down numerous criminal organizations and ghost parties. In the name of training, Tino was occasionally brought along with her mentor, but, compared to phantoms and monsters, humans could be tricky.
Even if they were on the weaker side, humans were intelligent and malicious. Criminals paid no regard to the law, but that didn’t mean Tino and Liz could do the same. It was only the difficult criminals that found their faces on a wanted poster.
Tino felt bad for Greg, but she didn’t think there was anything she could do.
“I’ve been thinking about letting Krai Baby work you to the bone for a bit. After this incident, I’ve realized there are certain roles that a whelp like you can fill that I can’t.”
“Training from Master...”
The training her mentor had been subjecting Tino to had left her with one foot perpetually in the grave. She couldn’t even imagine what being “worked to the bone” might entail.
She was frustrated that Krai had seen her weakness, but what Liz was suggesting still sounded like a bit too much for her. Being let into Grieving Souls was her goal for the future, but she didn’t want that realized until she had become strong.
She had nearly met her end in White Wolf’s Den, but to Master that hadn’t even been a Trial, which meant...
...I’m not ready. I’m not ready for such a Trial, Master. It’s all I can do to get through Lizzy’s training.
Just thinking about it made her want to cower in fear, but suddenly she heard a knocking sound.
Tino looked in the direction of the door. She had many acquaintances, but not many who would visit her house. That was because her fearsome and capricious mentor could be found lurking in her house.
Making sure that her mentor’s mood was on the better side, Tino opened the door.
Liz’s eyes went wide when she saw who had shown up. At the door was an old man with white hair and a stern face—it was Matthis Cardol, the owner of Magi’s Tale. He was wearing a smudged apron and carried a small box at his side.
His expression became a tad more gentle when he saw Tino. Matthis cleared his throat and began to speak in an apologetic tone.
“Oh, sorry about the sudden visit, young miss. I finished my appraisal of the Relic you and the kiddo requested. I know you’ve been up to your necks in it lately so I thought you might’ve forgotten. I could just hand this directly to the kiddo, but you were the one who found this, weren’t you?”
Tino’s eyes widened. Matthis was right, the appraisal request had completely slipped her mind. At the time, her master’s interest had shifted entirely onto the mask and away from everything else.
Technically the Relic had already been offered up to Master and was no longer Tino’s. If Matthis was taking the time to hand it over to Tino, it was probably because he thought she might want to be the one to hand it over to Master.
Liz looked over at Matthis and very clearly furrowed her brow.
“Hey, Matty, how about you keep your hands off T if you don’t have our permission? You wouldn’t want your wife to hear about this, would you? If you don’t, then bring Krai Baby a nifty Relic. I’ll be generous and let you borrow T one day for every Relic you send our way, but I’ll put you down if you leave even a scratch on her.”
Matthis went red in the face and began to yell.
“How long have you been there? And I’m not laying a hand on her, you damn half-wit! You, the kiddo, nobody has any respect for their elders anymore!”
Exchanges like these happened all the time between these two. Because Matthis was one of Liz’s oldest acquaintances within the capital their bickering never escalated to anything more.
Matthis opened the box. Inside was a form detailing the results of his appraisal and a familiar bracelet.
“How come you’re bringing this to T and not Krai Baby? Creeeeeepy. You wouldn’t want your granddaughter to hear about this, would you? What was her name? Cecy? If you don’t want her getting word of this then bring Krai Baby a Relic that would make him happy.”
“Wh-Where did you hear— Oh to hell with it! The young miss found the Relic, didn’t she? And I barely get any Relics that interest the kiddo! If you’re really a hunter then go find your own Relics!”
“Didn’t you once have mountains of good Relics? I was just saying to Gark the other day that I think you might be losing your touch.”
“That’s because the kiddo went and bought up my whole stock! How about you tell him to sell me something worthwhile!”
After giving the fighting pair a sideways glance, Tino looked over the form explaining the Relic.
“Mirage Form? A light projection device? Effective range: one meter. Proper use can let one have a human figure dance on the palm of one’s hand,” she murmured. “It’s a Relic that creates mirages?”
...It seemed like this wouldn’t be an easy Relic to evaluate.
Hunters preferred Relics that were simple as well as powerful, such as a canteen that produced an infinite supply of water or swords that accelerated when swung. The easier it was to use and the simpler its effects were, the higher a Relic would be valued.
“It’s a rare piece. At least, it’s hardly the type of thing you’d find at Alleyne Pillars Ruins.”
This bracelet was a tricky piece. Conjuring mirages seemed like it would have its uses, but the range was pretty short and it seemed unwieldy. If they were to sell the Relic, it was hard to imagine it would go for very much.
If you wanted to create mirages then it would be far simpler to just use magic; any Magi with a bit of talent could pull it off. For something Master had instructed her to retrieve, this Relic was rather unremarkable.
All of a sudden, Tino realized the bracelet was no longer resting in the box. Liz had snatched it up and was looking at it scrutinizingly. After a few wordless moments, she slowly turned her head towards Tino.
“...I’m gonna be the one to hand this over to Krai Baby. Any objection, T?” Liz said.
“Huh? N-No, none at all, Lizzy.”
As she always did, Tino complied almost entirely out of reflex. Looking far happier than she ever had in recent memory, Liz clutched the bracelet to her chest and twirled around.
While Matthis was looking with bewilderment at the disparity in excitement between Tino and her mentor, Liz shouted in a voice overflowing with joy.
“Woo-hoo! Krai Baby’s gonna love this! Good job, T, I’ll buy you a new dagger later.”
“Huh? That much?! Ah, umm, Lizzy, w-wait a minu—”
Liz almost never gave Tino presents. This bracelet must’ve really been something.
Tino was about to try to decline Liz’s offer when a voice from behind cut her off.
“Wait a moment, Lizzy! This should be handled fairly. Right, T?”
It was a voice very familiar to Tino. At some point, the other sister, Sitri Smart, had appeared behind Tino, a grin on her face.
Tino felt a hand on her shoulder and she began to shiver. The smile disappeared from her mentor’s face.
“Hah? T’s my apprentice so it’s only natural that her finds belong to me. Why are you butting in, Siddy?”
Liz had a voice that could intimidate just about anyone, but not her sister.
“I’m the one who caused so much trouble for Krai and that all started because you said you wanted to train on a golem. Therefore, you should hand the Relic over to me. You agree with me, don’t you, T?”
Sitri gave her reply smoothly, almost as though the matter was entirely settled and then asked Tino for her assent. Sitri’s voice lacked the roughness of Liz’s but it was still a voice that brooked no argument.
In a hushed tone, she whispered something extra into Tino’s ear.
“If you hand it over to me then I’ll buy you a new dagger and a veeery pretty dress.”
Within the cozy little house in which Tino lived, dreadful words of slander were flying this way and that.
“Who gave you permission to go and seduce T?! Krai Baby put her in my care! He said I could do what I wanted with her!”
The owner of the house, Tino, was huddled in a corner and watching the argument unfold.
On principle, hunters gain more and more physical strength the more treasure vaults they clear. By absorbing mana material they will at least find their basic capabilities improved, but they will also gain experience. This makes it very hard to win out against a high-level hunter.
Tino had some confidence in her abilities as a mid-grade hunter. However, she was still well below Liz and Sitri, who had been carrying out a grueling lifestyle well before Tino had become a hunter.
With a vein bulging on her forehead, one sister was shouting in a shrill voice that inspired dread as well as any dragon’s.
“T’s your apprentice because you threw a tantrum! I was supposed to have her originally. If she had been mine from the start then by now she might be an unprecedented super hunter capable of flying and shooting lasers from her eyes!”
The other sister replied in a lower tone than usual. Compared to Liz, Sitri was maintaining her composure, but her body emanated the same power as her sister.
If two individuals had the same talent, were in the same party, and had mostly similar experiences, their levels of mana material would be the same. The Smart sisters had completely different jobs, but, from Tino’s perspective, their power was about the same.
Tino had braved treasure vaults solo which, by normal metrics, had allowed her to develop her skills remarkably. However, she was like a speck of dust compared to either of the Smart sisters. In these sorts of situations, all she could do was tremble in the corner and wait for the storm to pass.
“After all, it’s better to have a rich mentor who can easily give you power rather than a mentor who makes you do weird exercises,” Sitri argued.
“Huh?! There’s no meaning in power that’s just handed off to you! And you wouldn’t just give her powers—you’d take as well!” Liz retorted.
“I’d be careful about what I’d take! With T, I wouldn’t have to relieve her of her free will and she’s always been an agreeable one! What more could I want?!”
“Enough, you brats! You shouldn’t be fighting, you’re scaring the little miss!”
Matthis had been watching with a grimace as the two sisters grew hostile, but had decided he should intervene. But neither Liz nor Sitri seemed to be growing any calmer.
“T and I found that Relic, so stay out of this!” Liz said.
“You didn’t find it, T found it after looking very hard! She said she’ll give me the Relic, so I have the right to choose what to do with it!” Sitri countered.
I never said that, Sitri... Tino thought.
She was about to protest when the sisters both turned their gaze on her, leaving her unable to get a word in.
The ownership of the Mirage Form Relic seemed to have become a matter entirely unrelated to Tino’s thoughts on the matter. She liked the sound of new knives and a dress, but if this Relic would make Krai that happy then she wanted to be the one to deliver it. Except there seemed to be no use in asking for that Relic to be returned to her.
Still, to think such a fight would break out over who would deliver a Relic...
“Honestly, why do you have to always swoop in like a vulture?! Go hide out in your lab!”
“It’s because you’re always, alwaaays causing trouble! No matter how hard I try, I can’t stamp out all the fires you start!”
“Huh?! That goes for Luke too, doesn’t it? Besides, nobody’s asking you to stamp out any fires!”
“It doesn’t matter in Luke’s case because the people he causes trouble for tell no tales! You’re the only one creating work for me!”
“Ah, um... I have no ulterior motives, maybe you could compromise and let me deliver— Ah!”
Liz showed no sign that she heard Tino’s small voice as she picked up a treasure box off the ground and flung it at Sitri. The box was hurled without an ounce of restraint, but Sitri, displaying excellent reflexes for an Alchemist, grabbed a tray from the table and used it as a shield.
The deflected box destroyed a cupboard and cratered in the wall. There was a harsh cacophony of breaking glass.
Tino mustered the last of her courage and spoke up in a weak voice.
“Stop it, you two! I’m the one who the neighbors will be angry at!”
Using both hands, she quickly caught a teacup and pot propelled by kinetic energy. Fortunately, Liz must not have gone all out, because with a little concentration, Tino was able to keep up. Amid the flying furniture, she would instantly determine if something was fragile, and if so, catch it and place it in the corner. Everything else she batted down.
Tino was desperate. She was grateful the fight hadn’t broken out during a meal. She could manage pots and cups, but if forks and knives were to be sent soaring then she could easily end up with a fresh wound. Tino felt she had to at least protect Matthis.
While the objects continued to be flung, the two sisters continued to insult each other.
Matthis trembled as he watched the fight, which had gone from zero to one hundred in an instant.
“What does it matter who hands it over...” he said.
“Both of you, please calm down! If you’re going to battle over it, then, then I’ll hand the Relic over!” Tino said.
She had worked up her courage to shout like that and yet her voice didn’t even reach the Smart sisters.
It wasn’t too bad so long as they continued to throw whatever was nearby, but if Tino didn’t intervene then they might begin to hurl knives and potions. That would leave her house half destroyed, and if that happened then she’d be living in those ruins until she could use her meager savings to get the place fixed.
It wouldn’t be feasible for her to intervene with force and neither sister would stand down if only Tino were to get between them. Stopping this would require a member of Grieving Souls or someone like the vice clan master; someone connected to Krai and capable of common sense. Unfortunately, those sorts of people rarely graced Tino’s house with their presence.
Confused and desperately trying to knock down any flying projectiles, Tino racked her brains as she tried to figure out how to keep the damage to a minimum. Then, suddenly, she heard what sounded like a knock at the door.
***
“Master, I’ve missed you sooo much!”
What’s going on?!
With the cake still held at my side, my eyes went wide.
I looked down at Tino after she had jumped on me, surprised by her uncharacteristic exuberance. She returned my gaze with teary eyes and I felt a strange urge to protect her.
I was entirely confused. Sure, I had decided to play the part of the hard-boiled and considerate master, but I hadn’t been expecting such a zealous greeting. Still bewildered, I patted Tino’s head, just like I would with Liz, and stepped inside.
Tino’s house was a complete mess. Last time I visited, her place was neat and tidy, but now it barely looked like the same house. Scattered across the floor were open treasure chests, broken glass, and a cupboard. It reminded me of an abandoned yet pretty ruin.
Did I come at a bad time?
In the center of the living room stood a familiar sight: the Smart sisters facing off. When they noticed I had arrived, Liz, for some reason, began waving her knife like a fan and Sitri puffed up her cheeks and hid a burning red potion behind her back.
“Ah...” Liz said. “Morning, Krai Baby.”
“Goodness, Lizzy, because you had to make a fuss you made Krai come out here,” Sitri said. “Good day to you, Krai.”
“T-Took you long enough, kiddo! Hurry up and do something!”
There was nothing strange about Liz and Sitri being in Tino’s house, but for some reason even Matthis was here. Red in the face and clearly agitated, he glared at me intensely. I just wanted to bring some cake over, yet here I was at the center of a mess...
I placed my hand on a conveniently placed Tino and calmed myself by running my fingers through her hair while I tilted my head.
I have no idea what the circumstances are, but...
“For starters,” I began. “Sit. Formally.”
“No, Krai, this is all just a misunderstanding...” Sitri protested.
“Uhh, to put it simply, Siddy and T were trying to steal my thunder. So I didn’t do anything wrong, see?” Liz argued.
With their legs folded beneath them, Liz and Sitri sat on the carpet and tried to defend their actions.
I leaned back in my chair and sighed deeply. Tino, who had calmed down by now, sat next to me and for some reason stared at me with admiration.
“No, no, no, that’s not how it’s done.”
I didn’t know quite what had happened, but I knew that wasn’t how you apologized. As the master of apologizing, I felt safe giving them failing marks. Liz and Sitri sat in tear-filled silence as I pointed out their mistakes.
When they were right next to each other, it became clear that these two were sisters. Since they were young, Sitri and Liz had always been fighting. Whether verbal arguments or full-blown scuffles, I was quite used to it, but even after becoming powerful hunters they were still just as quick to start bickering. I was sure other people found it unbearable.
“Why are you...” Sitri began. “Never mind. It’s not like our fight was serious or anything.”
“She’s right,” Liz added. “This is just a kind of warm-up exercise! T’s used to it, so there’s no need for you to get involved.”
It looked like they felt some guilt regarding their actions. Unlike me, they rarely had any need to apologize so their words weren’t coming out easily.
But I just wanted to deliver some cake.
Matthis seemed exasperated by the sudden one-eighty in attitude displayed by Sitri and Liz.
“The kiddo’s still their weak point...” he muttered.
“That can happen when you’ve been acquainted with someone for a long time,” I said.
“I don’t think that’s quite it...”
I’m sure Liz fired the first shot this time as well. She’s so quick to get violent over nothing...
But she’s not unmanageable, you can get through to her with words...she’ll just immediately forget what you said.
“I knew I could count on you, Master,” Tino said. “Thank you so, so much. Only you can stop their fights.”
Tears gathered in Tino’s eyes. She looked at me with what I wouldn’t call adoration so much as worship.
Sorry. Really sorry.
“Remember this well, T,” Liz said. She clenched her fist and glared at Tino.
“I was merely considering what would be in the interest of both of us...” Sitri said. She looked at Tino with an upward glance that almost seemed to beg for compassion.
It didn’t look like there would be any repenting.
I wasn’t telling them to stop fighting altogether; their fights were proof that they were close. However, I was having fun scolding them even though I didn’t even know what they had been fighting over.
Sitri seemed to derive something from my silence. With complete nonchalance, she expertly shuffled close to me while still keeping her legs folded under her. She tightly hugged my legs and spoke in a high-pitched voice. Even when compared to Liz and Tino, she had a nice figure. She had a large chest, to be specific.
I felt something soft press against me. It was awfully uncomfortable.
“I’m sorry, Krai. We weren’t trying to cause trouble for you. With a little bit more time, we would’ve resolved things peacefully!”
I was weak to soft sensations, but I wasn’t sure there was a man who wasn’t.
Still, there was no way things would’ve resolved peacefully with a little bit more time. Was she planning on using some sort of magic?
“Same. I didn’t wanna cause trouble for you, Krai baby. If T and Siddy had just been less selfish...”
Competing with Sitri, Liz stood up, flung herself at me, and wrapped her arms around my legs. I felt like a king of sorts.
I didn’t know a thing about what they were fighting over but I nodded understandingly and snapped my fingers.
“Yeah, uh-huh. For now, you two shall clean.”
Sitri and Liz both stood up. I could take care of things, even if I didn’t understand the situation.
“Oh, I love cleaning! I’ll do my best!”
“Siddy, you arrange for more glass. I’ll take care of the cleaning,” Liz said. “And this time, save us some hassle and buy stronger glass.”
“Goodness, Lizzy, that was the strongest— Ah, oh, forget I said anything.”
Sitri sped out the door while Liz picked up scattered cups and replaced the cupboard. This wasn’t the first time this had happened so they were accustomed to cleaning up like this.
Give them a bit of time and this room will be its old self again.
The only new thing I learned that day was that Liz and Sitri weren’t entirely incapable of guilt.
...I really like it when Sitri presses her chest against me.
As I stared off into the distance, Tino, who had finally recovered somewhat, timidly asked me a question.
“Oh, Master, what brought you here in the first place?”
“Ah, I brought some cake. It’s a new product. Think of it as my way of saying thanks.”
Since Liz and Sitri are always causing trouble for you, was what I planned to add on, but I noticed tears of rapture streaming down Tino’s face.
“Th-Thank you, so much, Master,” she said with a sniffle. “I’ll follow you to the end of my very life.”
“Y-Yeah. I mean, it’s just cake. Hey, don’t cry.”
Tino sure is overreacting. All I did was bring some cake... Maybe I should be nicer to her.
Sniffling and rubbing her teary eyes, Tino opened the box. Her eyes widened for a moment when she saw the two slices of cake inside, but then she nodded with satisfaction.
“You never fail, Master. The other slice is for Matthis, isn’t it?”
Huh? It’s mine? That extra slice is for me? I had no idea Matthis would be here.
“Psh, needless sentiment. If you had time to worry about my feelings then you should’ve just arrived earlier,” Matthis said.
There’s no sentiment at all. I don’t plan to give you any cake and if you don’t want any then all the better.
Matthis’s unexpected statement had me frozen still, but my capable junior Tino immediately backed me up.
“Master’s very rigid when it comes to formalities. Don’t worry, he has the best taste when it comes to cake.”
“Tch. Well, if you insist. It’d be rude to turn it down and I can just give it to my granddaughter or something.”
“Yeah, uh-huh.”
If you insist, there’s no way for a chicken like me to refuse you. Just what does Tino think I came here for? I just wanted to enjoy some cake with her.
It was then that I noticed that on a desk rested a box containing a familiar bracelet. Tino seemed to realize where I was looking. She hesitated for an instant before a smile blossomed on her face.
“Perfect timing, Master. Matthis finished his appraisal of the Relic and brought it over! Look, it’s the Relic that I found earlier! The one I found!”
At some point, Sitri had returned. She was wearing an unfaltering smile and staring directly at Tino.
“Lizzy, have we failed to discipline her?” she asked.
***
My world glimmered.
I was unperturbed by the stress of my many responsibilities as clan master. I had no worries about the future.
I was humming a tune to myself while walking down the hall to my office when I happened to come across Eva. I had been trying to keep up my usual poker face, but she must’ve sensed something was up.
“Has something happened?” she asked with wide eyes. “You seem to be in excellent spirits.”
Right now, I want to...sing and dance. But I’m hard-boiled, so I won’t.
It only made sense that I couldn’t hide anything from Eva; we had known each other for a long while. Eva looked at me dubiously and I showed her the black band on my right arm—the Mirage Form.
In the end, my share of the cake had gone to Matthis, but now I could just laugh it off. I was so glad I went to Tino’s house.
Eva’s expression changed in an instant. She walked right up to me with a stern look on her face.
“Huh?! You bought another new Relic?”
“What? Oh, no, Tino found this and gave it to me. My debt hasn’t increased.”
Eva sighed. “Well, I’ve got my own misgivings about that, but...”
I, too, had misgivings, but it wasn’t my place to intrude in Liz and Tino’s mentor-apprentice relationship. I had tried to offer Liz a number of soft warnings, but she never listened. All I could do was try to keep a close eye on those two.
But none of that mattered to me at the moment. I was enamored with my new Relic. Tino had found it in Alleyne Pillars Ruins and it was quite unique; its function was to produce mirages. There were tons of bracelet-type Relics, and even a few in my collection, but I had never encountered one that produced mirages. Demand was the main factor behind a Relic’s market value, so I couldn’t be certain what this one would be worth.
However, I’ve never heard of a Relic like this before so it must be pretty rare. I like that.
Matthis had even been kind enough to fully charge it up for me. Eva still looked somewhat unsatisfied so I decided to show her the wonderful things the Relic was capable of. This wasn’t my only bracelet-type Relic, so I knew the trick to activating it. I stared intently and concentrated, then the bracelet began to heat up slightly and light danced about on my open palm.
“Look, Eva. Cake!”
“Uh, uh-huh. That’s cake...”
The mirage was of the cake I had brought to Tino. It was a delicacy covered in a special golden cream and fruits that could only be found in forests dense with mana material. Mirage Form was a Relic that could project three-dimensional images.
There were two broad categories for illusory arts: ones that affected a target’s mind and caused them to see images and ones that actually projected an image. This Relic was the latter. It was a niche item and it seemed like it would require a decent amount of training to use effectively, but I could think of a few uses for it.
Eva looked at the cake which looked oddly unrealistic and tried to touch it. When her fingers sunk into the image, she made a funny face. There was something distinguishing it from the cake I had given to Tino. It was a mirage so there was no getting around its lack of taste or aroma, but even its appearance wasn’t quite there.
The real cake was practically a work of art; it had been thought up after numerous rounds of trial and error, and had been put together by a skilled hand. The mirage I had conjured up was just something that had a similar shape and color. A side-by-side comparison made it clear just how much worse my mirage was.
...It’s because I struggled to visualize the cake’s form. I had been so swept up by the flavor that I hadn’t paid much attention to how it looked. I want to believe I can get better with practice.
“Hey, don’t make a face,” I said. “Here, I’ll make you, Eva!”
As far as Matthis had been able to discern, the Relic’s effective range was one meter, or, to be precise, one meter and twenty centimeters. This distance was both how far one could project a mirage and also the size limit of a mirage. In other words, you could use this Relic to project a life-sized human.
With the range of one meter and twenty centimeters, you could create a mirage up to two meters and forty centimeters by placing the Relic in the center. Not to mention you were free to make them look however you wanted!
You could only recreate about half of Ansem, but that range would be more than enough for someone like Gark. That you could only place a mirage right next to you was an issue, but clever usage could still allow one to intimidate or hold back enemies in a treasure vault! The only issue was that a Magus could still make mirages more easily and across a wider range.
The mirage Eva that appeared was identical to the real Eva. The slim glasses and glaring eyes were a perfect match. Looking closely, I realized that some details were off, but they were still close enough to be called twins.
Except it’s only her from the neck up...
Without batting an eye, Eva swung at her disembodied head and then glared at me with eyes identical to those of the mirage.
“Please quit playing around,” she said.
“I’m not good at bodies,” I said. “Without a proper view, I can’t be certain, but maybe if I just cover it with a robe...”
Eva saw that the mirage of herself now looked like a sort of ghost decoration and reiterated her earlier sentiment.
“PLEASE. STOP!”
***
I was in my personal hidden quarters.
I added “Mirage Form” to my collection’s register. Aware that I might be getting my hopes up, I wondered if this Relic could let me disguise myself and serve as a substitute for the Reversible Face that I had failed to acquire. The possibilities were limitless.
I wanted to start training with Mirage Form immediately, but without Lucia, it wouldn’t be easy getting it recharged. Just to try it, I projected Ark’s face over my own and burst out laughing when I saw the awful results in the mirror. The sight of my black hair sticking out past the edges of Ark’s blond hair was too bizarre.
Unlike Reversible Face, Mirage Form only produced images, so it looked like I would have to be careful when using it for disguises. Perhaps I would need a hat that could keep my hair out of the way.
Now that I think about it, Sitri said she keeps her hair short so she can disguise herself more easily.
I needed to confirm how long I could maintain a mirage, so I began to browse my register while wearing the appearance of Ark. I was looking for a Relic that would be a good match for Tino. After receiving such a nice item from her, I felt the need to give something in return. After all, the Relics Liz and Sitri mainly used were all from my collection.
I was a Relic collector, but I wasn’t the type who got pleasure simply from staring at them like decorations. I was the type to take joy in seeing my collection being put to use by my friends.
As her mentor, Liz had the final say in whether Tino would use a Relic, but Tino would eventually join our party so it didn’t hurt to pick one out for her. I was giddy at the thought of doing fun work for the first time in a while and looked over each one of my Relics.
Tino’s a Thief so maybe she should have the same type of Relic as Liz? Or maybe a different Relic since they’ll be in the same party?
My collection was vast. I had powerful Relics and I had ones that could be used as a substitute for magic. Choosing your main Relic was an event that could change the course of a hunter’s life. Tino was a serious girl and if I was going to share from my collection I wanted to share it with someone who would put the Relic to good use. I couldn’t be haphazard about this.
I was on my bed, flipping through the dense register when I heard a small knock at the door. It must’ve been Tino. I told her to come in and the door opened just slightly. A small black eye peered fearfully through the crack.
“Pardon me, Master...” she said in a small voice.
It was unusual for her to be so nervous. It wasn’t like I planned to give her a Relic on the spot, I just wanted to talk to her. I would take our conversation into account during my selection and, depending on the circumstances, I might buy her a new Relic.
If it’s for Tino, then, with enough begging, Matthis might even give us access to his collection.
Tino and I silently stared at one another when Liz came flying in. Tino let out a short cry as she was knocked forward. She must have changed clothes since my visit; she now wore a short black skirt which fluttered as she fell.
“Krai Baby, we’re here!” Liz proclaimed.
“Have you finished cleaning?” I asked.
“We hired a reliable cohort, so it’s all taken care of. The damage wasn’t too bad after all...” Sitri said with a grin as she entered.
I’d only called Tino to see me, but for some reason, the Smart sisters were accompanying her. The opinions of a mentor and fellow party members were important in picking a Relic, so I didn’t have any real objections.
Liz took one look at me and began to snicker.
“What’s up with your face? Is that supposed to be Ark? Hilarious!”
“...I’m impressed you could tell it was me.”
“Ha ha ha! I can tell by your scent and presence. It’s gonna take a better disguise than that to hide you from me!”
Come to think of it, Liz also immediately saw through my disguise when I first used the Reversible Face.
The Reversible Face did more than just project an image, yet it didn’t work at all on her. The senses of a high-level hunter were something truly fearful.
Except that didn’t explain why Eva was able to see through the disguise.
Sitri also took a moment to scrutinize my disguise before giving a slight nod.
“Krai and Ark have different physiques,” she said. “It might work on someone who doesn’t know you, but I don’t think it would fool anyone from our clan.”
I was right—I need more practice. Maybe I’ll have Sitri and Liz train with me later. Considering the traits of the Relic, there might be more functions, such as the ability to save preset mirages or something. Well, for now, let’s focus on Tino.
Flanked by Liz and Sitri, Tino fiddled with the hem of her skirt and occasionally glanced in my general direction. Her gaze was alternating between me and the neatly organized glass case behind me. I had already told her what I wanted to discuss with her; she probably had a few suggestions of her own.
“Uh, um, Master—”
“Krai Baby, can you get us a super powerful Relic? T hasn’t absorbed much mana material and she’s still a whelp in training. Get something that can cover for her weakness! There’s no point in handing her something like Apex Roots, y’know?”
Liz spoke without a hint of ill will and knocked on her legs. Her Relic was a simple one without any features that might reverse the tide of a battle. Apex Roots simply enabled one to kick off against nothing. It was a Relic which required relentless effort before you could make use of it. Even I had struggled to use Apex Roots, thus I could see how it might be a bit early for Tino to use something in its class.
Sitri, who used a low-power water gun, nodded and added her own two cents. “Liz’s right. We can only cover for Tino to a certain degree. If there’s a Relic that simply improves her endurance or basic capabilities, then that might be best. Preferably, one that makes considerable improvements...”
“Lizzy, that’s—”
Tears had formed in Tino’s eyes. For a hunter, improving one’s basic capabilities through a Relic was considered proof that they were still a novice. This was because basic capabilities were something that could be improved just by absorbing more mana material.
I didn’t really think much of it, but there were some hunters who would look down on or be rude to those who did use those sorts of Relics. As a result, Relics that enhanced one’s base traits weren’t very popular, in spite of their usefulness.
I nodded in agreement. I felt bad for Tino, but I didn’t think Liz and Sitri were completely joking; Level 8 treasure vaults were vicious things. Liz and Sitri weren’t just saying things to be mean.
What to do?
Personally, I wanted to base my decision not just on Liz and Sitri’s opinions, but also on Tino’s. Hunters could be more compatible with some Relics than others. I closed my eyes and considered the matter, but then I remembered that there was no need to decide immediately, so I just nodded.
The Relics weren’t going anywhere. I could call Tino over and we could think it over a bit at a time.
Still, basic capabilities, I thought. This could be difficult. Tino’s working hard, but the pace Grieving Souls clears treasure vaults is still far above her. It’s possible she might never catch up.
“I, for one, would like to hunt with T as soon as possible. But frankly, I think she still falls short in some aspects. Though there are ways to make up for those shortcomings...” Sitri said. “Krai, would you be so kind as to entrust me with Tino for a bit? I’m certain you won’t regret it.”
Sitri’s cheeks were flushed and she fidgeted while struggling to look me directly in the eye. Tino stood next to her, quivering.
It was then that I remembered I had just gotten hold of something special.
“I’ve got it!” I exclaimed. “I’ve got something that’ll make Tino super strong!”
“Huh?!”
I didn’t yet know if it would suit Tino, but there was no harm in trying. I was pretty sure it even still had some mana in it. Sitri’s shoulders slumped and Liz looked at me wide-eyed as I brushed past them and opened one of the glass cases.
When Tino saw what I had extracted she went pale and took a step back.
“Huh? Master?”
“I just got my hands on it not too long ago.”
Liz let out a whistle and Sitri clapped her hands while smiling like a flower in bloom. What I held in my hands was Evolve Greed, which had worn a pathetic expression ever since I had put it on.
Doesn’t this thing have any motivation? Even when I lift it up, it shows no signs of life. What a terrible Relic.
Tino looked horribly confused.
“Huh? Huuuh? I-I’m going to— This is a joke, isn’t it?”
“It looks creepy, but I think it’s really strong. It turned a young noble girl into someone with the strength of a mid-grade hunter. Ha ha, but when I wore it, it said it couldn’t make me stronger...”
I made an empty smile, but Tino wasn’t at all smiling back.
Ark said this mask had put him and others in danger, but a Relic was nothing more than a tool. Problems might arise from how one uses a Relic, but with Sitri and Liz at my side, I wasn’t concerned about the slight possibility of something happening. We had already learned that the mask can be ripped off from the outside.
“Give it a try,” I said. “Here, just a bit? I hear it activates simply by being put on. Also, I wanna see its effects with my own eyes.”
“That’s... Master, do you hate me?”
Tino backed off further, but Sitri, who had sneaked around her at some point, grabbed her shoulders. Liz had a twinkle in her eyes as she looked at the mask. With excellent timing, Evolve Greed awoke and spoke in a raspy voice.
“Oh, new sustenance? What a steadfast soul I sense! Lionize me. Unleash your fury, your hidden strength. I am the one who advances mankind. Your existence, your everything will become the blade that cleaves your foes.”
“Eee! Save me, Master! I’m certain! This thing is definitely cursed!”
“Don’t worry, it doesn’t hurt. It didn’t hurt...” I began. “I tried wearing it earlier. Calm down, okay? It’s just a Relic. Take deep breaths.”
“N-NOOOOOO!”
Conveniently, writhing tendrils stretched from the mask which helped keep Tino still.
Echoing throughout my room was an earsplitting scream.
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