Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~ - Volume 7 - Chapter 3

Chapter Three: The Thousand Tricks’s Artifice

Despite the fact that it was like this every year as the Supreme Warrior Festival approached, Gark was still taken aback by the festive mood in Kreat. Streets large and small were absolutely mobbed. The town gates were jammed with late arrivals. The influx of hunters, merchants, and tourists from all over made this the busiest time of year for the town. It was also the town’s most unstable period, causing some locals to head elsewhere for its duration.

“Busy as ever,” the old Magus in the carriage snorted. “When I see crowds of trash like this, I get the urge to incinerate them all.”

Sitting across from Gark was the woman fearfully known as the Abyssal Inferno. She had gaunt cheeks and bony fingers, but her crimson irises flickered like the flames of hell. As far as simple wide-range extermination went, nobody in Zebrudia could hold a candle to this witch. She was also banned from participating in the Supreme Warrior Festival, as she had once destroyed the barrier meant to protect the audience.

“You’ve got a harsh sense of humor, Rosemary,” Gark said to her.

“I’ll admit,” she said with a chuckle, “this prebattle atmosphere isn’t bad. All warriors are compelled by instinct to strive to be the strongest. Don’t you think the participants have only gotten better? I hear the amount of mana material in circulation has been going up.”

“But aren’t most Magi researchers?”

“That’s a common misconception, Mr. Branch Manager. Stepping out into the battlefield is a very good way to progress your research. If I hadn’t been banned, I’d be going out there. Perhaps the Explorers’ Association should protest that ban just a bit more?”

Think of your age, you old hag, Gark thought as he let out a sigh. Of course, he didn’t actually say it out loud.

The greatest prize offered by the Supreme Warrior Festival was glory. Someone who had reached Level 8 shouldn’t have any further need for that. Gark might’ve empathized with her if she had never given the tournament a try, but not only had she participated before, she had made herself something of a legend.

Gark was beyond exasperated. The modern Magi were rather mellow compared to those of the past. But it was only by comparison that the current generation could be considered calm to any degree.

“You don’t have to worry, Rosemary. Whether you like it or not, there will most likely come a time when we need your power.”

“Heh heh heh. And here we are at the Supreme Warrior Festival. Those kits must’ve gotten serious if they’re aiming for such a large prize. They’ll make worthwhile kindling. It’s just a shame Telm won’t be among them.”

Only a few days prior, the careful investigations of the Explorers’ Association had given them a grasp on one of Fox’s tails. After searching Telm’s and Kechachakka’s living quarters, they had determined which Association employee had put Kechachakka on that list. By employing a priceless Relic, they had decoded an encrypted document.

This current operation appeared to be of an unprecedented scope for Fox, which was also what allowed the Association to catch wind of it. The empire and the Association didn’t have much to go off of, but they didn’t need much to justify going after an organization that had already tried to assassinate the emperor.

Their investigation had given them two key phrases: “Supreme Warrior Festival” and “Key of the Land.” The former was quite famous, but the latter was unfamiliar to Gark. However, that didn’t hold true for the agents of the empire. When Gark gave them his report, they got to work immediately and even requested the Association’s assistance. However, Kreat wasn’t imperial territory, meaning their options were limited.

Rosemary smiled as she read the newspaper.

“Look, Gark my boy. This says the crime rate in Kreat has gone down. Suspicious, isn’t it? A change in trends isn’t a good thing—this is the silence before the storm.” Her smile grew and she gave Gark a sharp look. “Very bold of that boy to break his promise. Ever since he came to the imperial capital, people have been saying I’ve cooled down. I’m not expecting him to hand over information for free, but I’ll have to ask just what inspired his sudden departure.”

The timing could hardly be a coincidence. To offer up a battered Fox, then simply head off to the site of their next plan was an act of discourtesy. But Gark could understand why the Thousand Tricks had done it. The branch manager didn’t know how Krai had gotten his information, but he knew that a tactician’s methods were at odds with a witch who solved all her problems with hellfire. Not to mention her one restraint, the Counter Cascade, was no longer with her.

“That man has his own way of thinking,” he said.

“Hmph. I won’t scorch him. Not immediately, not when he has that brother-complex sister. Nothing good would come from a battle between Hidden Curse and Lucia Rogier the Grand Magus. We’ve still got people we’re trying to recruit into our clan.”

Lucia, someone just gravely insulted you, Gark thought.

Rosemary briefly stared at him with her lambent eyes before shrugging and saying, “I guess I owe him for Telm. I don’t like it, but I’ll play along with him just this once.”

“Rosemary, are you cooling off?”

“Heh heh heh. Well said, Gark my boy.” There was a commotion from outside the carriage. Rosemary looked in its direction. “Hunters all have their specialties. That boy’s scheming isn’t what I’d call normal. It’s not just that he has excellent comrades, nor can he see the future. It’s strange, but some freakish talents just defy understanding.”

She almost sounded like she was talking to herself.

It was yet to make itself apparent, but a storm was brewing at the Supreme Warrior Festival.

***

Now that she had been around them, I asked Touka for her thoughts on the Fox Mask Fan Club (temp. name). She looked at me uncertainly and said, “I’ll grant that they’re pros, albeit slightly odd ones. Where did you find them?”

It was a dispassionate evaluation. Touka was one of my few friends who didn’t take me at my word just because I was a Level 8. I wasn’t too shocked to hear that the Fox Mask Fan Club knew what they were doing. I had a pretty good eye for people.

“It’s a bit of a story,” I told her. “If you’re getting along, then I’m satisfied.”

“Today’s enemies are tomorrow’s friends. But the opposite is equally true. Knights of the Torch have worked with legally dubious people before, but I would appreciate being informed of such details in advance.”

Sure, those guys were pretty darn suspicious, but that level of skepticism struck me as pretty darn rude. Though I had to admit, their rough exteriors were probably the reason Sora felt she couldn’t admit her mistake to them. I could relate to her desire to look away from unpleasant truths, but as the older of us, I felt I had to do something for the priestess.

“Now, now, Touka,” Sitri said. “I’ve already discussed this with you. Krai has no qualms about manipulating criminals for his benefit. The possibility that you might have to work with outlaws was outlined in your contract.”

Touka sank into a sullen silence. Just how much capital was Sitri sending her way? And which Krai was going around manipulating criminals? I was always on the receiving end.

“Very well,” Touka said. “If it pays, I’ll do it. Using what’s available to us is one of our tenets. Though no offer is great enough to make me spar with the Protean Sword.”

Luke, you must’ve really pissed her off.

The stronger the opponent, the more fired up he would get, which would in turn reduce his ability to hold back. He didn’t suddenly snap or anything, but it was telling that he was just as feared as Liz was. At the moment, he had gotten sick of sticking around the lodge like I was and went out with Liz and some others. He was probably looking for someone to wallop.

Next time, don’t bring the damn princess with you!

“This was just a meeting between myself and some of their core members,” Touka continued. “Next time, I’ll bring my party and talk with them in further detail. I understand we’re supposed to adjust ourselves to match them, but what is it you’re hoping to accomplish?”

“Right, uh, could you take Luke and Liz with you?”

Touka didn’t look at all pleased. “Is this perhaps one of your Thousand Trials?” Had everyone heard about those? “And who’s Ponta?”

“Uhhh. The imperial princess of Zebrudia?”

“Was that supposed to be a joke?”

Touka’s frigid glare caused my heart to skip a beat. That definitely wasn’t the sort of face you’re supposed to show a client.

Well, on the odd chance something does happen to her, we’ll be in the hottest water imaginable. Take good care of her!

Sitri clapped her hands to signal a change in subject and said, “Now, Touka, did you get the information I requested?”

“Information?” I asked.

“I commissioned her to look into the other participants in the Supreme Warrior Festival. If I want to win, I’ll have to do everything I feasibly can.”

She was aiming high. Her potential opponents included people like Luke and Lucia, and I was under the impression a typically noncombat class like an Alchemist was at a disadvantage in this tournament, but she wasn’t letting that deter her. Sitri’s disarming smile elicited a rare but still awkward smile from Touka.

“Goodness,” she said, “you ask this of me when I’m also going to—”

“That has no bearing on this transaction,” Sitri interrupted.

“Very true. And there’s nothing more precious than a generous client.”

They sure got along. If only the other Grievers had even half of Sitri’s social skills. I don’t need to explain Luke and Liz, but despite appearances, Lucia was actually quite shy.

Touka straightened her posture and had one of her people fetch a file. She spread it out on the table and spoke like she was letting us in on a secret. “Hmm, well, let’s begin with the most interesting one. Boss, the fake you will be participating.”

“No, that’s the real me.”

Just as I expected, Touka looked at me agog before turning to her party members.

Our inn left me wanting for little. The room was spacious and had good airflow, and the food was delicious. The bathroom was large and the living room was gorgeous. I sank into the couch, reading a newspaper that had been delivered directly to our room, and let out a big yawn. It was peaceful, more than usual even.

When I heard that things got hectic around the time of the tournament I was certain that I would get engulfed somehow, but luck was evidently on my side. However, this had left our man-cutter with extra time on his hands.

“Raaah!!! This is my new technique: Bisected Blade! DIE!”

“Watch out! Luke, you’re going to break your sword! I told you, that’s impossible with a wooden blade!”

Luke and Liz were taking advantage of the big living room to have some mock battles. I heard the extraordinary sound of a sword cleaving the air, but I didn’t hear any footfalls. When they started out, I told them their clashing and smashing was going to bother the neighbors and destroy the room. So they just started fighting in a way that wouldn’t cause a ruckus and wouldn’t demolish the furniture. They even started calling it stealth training.

I appreciated their ability to find fun in everything, but I still felt they were missing the point. It doesn’t matter how big it is, sparring isn’t meant to be done in inn rooms. Why didn’t they go outside?

Dragged into their nonsense, the imperial princess let out a shriek as she dodged one attack after another. If appearances were anything to go off of, I’d say she was getting better at dealing with those two. She was still timid, but her movements were entirely unlike when I had first met her.

Meanwhile, her guards had given up on doing anything about the wild duo. They must have finally realized human languages didn’t get through to beasts. The fact that Princess Murina hadn’t suffered any critical injuries probably had something to do with it as well. Of course, that’s speaking with the benefit of hindsight!

Liz let out a brief, shrill yelp. A broken sword went through and shattered the window. Completely baffled, all I could do was smile. I couldn’t even tell what trajectory the sword had taken. I could barely follow Liz’s movements, all the more so with Luke.

If it weren’t for my Safety Rings, I definitely would’ve died there. Or would I? None of my rings actually went off. I was between Luke and the window. Could he have done something as clever as breaking the window without hurting me?

Sitting on another sofa, Lucia looked up from her book and yelled, “Hey! Idle hands are no excuse for doing stupid stuff indoors!”

“Was it you who deflected my bisected blade?!” Luke cried. “Well done, Lucia!”

“Try that again and it’ll be more than your blade getting bisected!”

Ohhh, Lucia’s magic deflected it.

I hadn’t noticed any spell being used, but that must’ve been the result of the high-speed casting she had developed after being around the other Grievers. This must be what happens when you have good friends who encourage you to strive to improve.

“And you, leader!” she said to me. “Why were you spacing out when a sword was hurling towards you?!”

“Because I was spacing out?”

“Augh!”

A smile formed on my face as it struck me that maybe Lucia actually had a good shot at winning the Supreme Warrior Festival.

“Sir Krai,” Karen called to me, “we’ve received a summons from His Imperial Majesty. I take it there would be no problem if we take Her Imperial Highness away for a bit?”

“Yeah, of course. Her training is, uh, progressing according to plan.”

Not that I had any particular plans. From here it was just building up experience. That, and praying that it would all work out! I took it as a good sign that she was playing with Luke and Liz. Not even Tino could do that without screaming.

“Hmm. If I may be honest, I still fail to see the meaning behind your methods, even after all this time. But I’ll relay your message to His Imperial Majesty.”

She’s become much more agreeable than when I first met her.

“Maaan, being an instructor isn’t easy,” Luke said as we made our way back after dropping off Princess Murina. “And she’s still got a ways to go before we can call her strong.”

“Yeah, and she keeps running from you,” Liz chimed in. “I’m used to it, though, after dealing with T.”

She was used to it, but it didn’t seem like she was doing anything about it.

“But I prefer not having to hold back, and I can’t do that when I’m teaching.”

“Luke, you barely taught her anything!” Lucia chided.

“You’ll be able to fight unchecked soon enough, so think of it as a warm-up,” I told him.

Wait, hold on, so you’re still cutting the imperial princess during her training? Don’t cut the emperor’s daughter!

“And to top it off,” Lucia groaned, “Siddy’s been using some weird item, and Krai’s once again been keeping quiet and doing whatever he wants, so Ansem and I have to pick up the slack just like we always do.”

Sitri’s doing that? First I’ve heard this. And I don’t abide by being grouped with the maniacs.

As the four of us walked through the streets, I caught sight of a familiar face among the crowds. He was dressed in black and wasn’t exceptionally tall as far as treasure hunters went, but his distinct staff and handsome features drew gazes his way.

It was the real me. Krahi Andrihee, the Thousandfold Theurgics. Without giving it much thought, I started waving. How lucky I was to run into him again amid so many other people. I wondered if he remembered me.

“Hey, Krahi! It’s good to see you again!”

He turned around. Just as you’d expect from the real one, the motion was so hard-boiled I was enamored. The look in his eyes suggested he considered our meeting a very pleasant surprise.

“You really came!” he said.

“Ahh, that’s the guy Siddy told us about,” Liz muttered.

I had already told them not to say anything untoward to Krahi. Accusing him of being a fake just because our names were similar was uncalled for. And in my opinion, he was clearly the stronger of the two of us!

The crowd naturally parted on his behalf. This was the charisma of the real. How hard-boiled.

“What a coincidence!” Krahi said as he approached me with an affable smile. “I was just wondering if we might meet again!”

If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was talking to a friend he had known for decades. This must’ve been a result of his extraordinary people skills. This man was immaculate.

But who’s that girl clinging to his arm?

Pressed against Krahi was a girl in her mid-teens. She had black hair tied up into pigtails, wore a black pointed hat, and had a short staff at her hip. The hat and staff suggested she was a Magus, but that was at odds with the frills on her skirt and overall stylish outfit.

Looking slightly troubled, Krahi introduced her. “Oh, this is Lusha Andrihee. She’s a Magus and my...adopted sister? She’s also my apprentice. She doesn’t yet have a title, but is fairly talented.”

Now that I knew her name, she looked like Lucia, in a way. The distinguishing traits were identical at any rate. My sister stood silently, her cheek twitching and her gaze cold as ice. This sure was an incredible coincidence. Not sure how else to describe it. I wanted to get away, but leaving without at least saying hello to her would’ve been rude.

I pulled myself together and said to Lusha, “So you’re his sister? It’s nice to meet you. I’m a fan of your older brother.”

Lusha smiled like a blossom and spoke in a voice like nectar. “Ahhh, so you’re my big brother’s copycat! Call me Lusha! I’m Krahi’s love-love-lover and future bride!”

I bit my tongue, preventing a funny sound from escaping my mouth. I turned around and saw Lucia’s eyebrows twitching. She had lost all sense of reason, and that would no doubt mean catastrophe. Liz was also twitching, but that was because she was struggling to contain her laughter.

Lusha hugged Krahi’s arm, pressing her chest against it, and said cheerily, “My brother will never ever ever lose to someone like you! He’s cool, strong, smart, and really, really nice. He said that once I’m super-duper strong and a first-rate Magus, he’ll marry me!”

She’s one hell of a character.

Personally, I didn’t have anything against her, but Lucia’s expression had shifted from anger to nil. That wasn’t good.

“H-Hey, cut that out.” Looking perplexed and deeply exasperated, Krahi chided Lusha. He didn’t seem embarrassed, however. “Sorry about that. Lusha’s always like this, claiming to be my sister and whatnot. B-But she’s not a bad person, no matter how odd she may be. Now, Lusha, apologize. That was very rude.”

Why’s she calling herself his sister if she’s not his sister?

My little sister—who had stopped being my little sister, despite once being my little sister—was about to snap. When Liz snapped, her speech changed dramatically, but Lucia was entirely mute when she was angry. Lusha was a candle flame faced with an incoming blizzard.

Lusha was briefly baffled by Krahi, but then tears began to well up. “I-I’m sorry. I just love my brother so much and I lost control...”

While she spoke, she glanced repeatedly at Krahi. There wasn’t a cell in her body capable of shame.

I pulled Lucia aside and tried to calm her down.

“Relax, it was just a coincidence,” I told her.

“Coincidence?!” she cried, her face red and body trembling. “How could that be a coincidence?!”

“Lucy, this is hilarious!” Liz said.

“Not in the slightest!”

She stomped her feet and for some reason glared at me. The girl who used to follow me around had become much more confrontational thanks to Liz and Sitri’s influence.

“Sure, Lusha is a really strange person,” I said, “but she doesn’t have any bad intentions. I’m sure of it.”

“She doesn’t?! She one hundred percent does! If she doesn’t that’ll be an even bigger problem! I don’t say things like that!”

Of course she didn’t. I understand that. Their resemblance only went as far as their names. While Krahi was stronger than me, if Lusha didn’t have a title, it didn’t seem likely that she was stronger than Lucia.

“Yeah, uh-huh. You weren’t that clingy, even when we were younger. It might be okay for a kid to act like that, but not an adult.”

“Huh? She wasn’t? That right, Lucy? Well, you never wore cute clothes like that.”

Groaning, Lucia’s face flushed as she clutched her head.

Unfortunately, the two shared a lot of distinguishing traits. It didn’t sound like Lusha was very well-known, but if that changed, then she and Lucia would receive lots of comparisons.

“Hey, Krai,” Luke said while watching Lusha intently. “Meeting Lusha was nice and all, but where’s my fake? Am I part of this?”

“I told you, they’re not—”

I stopped when I saw Krahi, Lusha still clinging to him, weaving his way through the crowd towards us.

“Are you all right?” he asked Lucia. “You don’t look well. I have potions if you need them.”

For people with power and charisma, consideration for others naturally followed. The real me sure was impressive. I’d have to take notes.

“No, she’s fine,” I answered. “It’s just the crowd getting to her.”

“Are you sure she hasn’t been wounded by the sight of us, lovey-dovey as doves?” Lusha asked with a trace of pride.

“HM?!”

Oh no. Lucia’s giving her the “I’m going to brutally murder you” glare.

I wanted to chat a bit more, but Lucia and Lusha were a dangerous combination. And consider the prospect of asking a grumpy Lucia to charge some Relics.

“Sorry, we’re in a bit of a hurry,” I said.

“Oh, what a shame,” Krahi replied. “I wanted to introduce you to my party.”

I really wanted that. I had to meet the Smyat sisters.

Dragging Lusha behind him, Krahi looked at the crowds and sighed. “Well, be careful. I hear Kreat is rather dangerous during the Supreme Warrior Festival. The participants themselves are especially at risk.”

“Careful?” Liz said. “The hell are you talking about? No bandit is gonna take down Krai Baby. He’s already taken steps against them!”

“Steps?”

Actually, I had just made it some other people’s job to take the steps. Krahi looked at my meaningless meaningful smile and eventually nodded.

“I see. It seems there’s more going on than meets the eye. This must be fate. If you don’t mind, perhaps I could help?”

***

Following his underling’s report, Galf found himself in a building at the edge of Kreat. Upon entering, he found Sora Zohlo the Holy Fox Maiden cooking in a white apron.

“Sora, what’s the meaning of this? What’s the boss thinking?”

“This is all in accordance with the wishes of the White Fox.”

Sora now lacked the usual air of mysticism that encompassed her when she was in her usual robe. A delightful smell encompassed the kitchen and wooden boxes were stacked up in the corner.

“Per the orders of the White Fox,” she said, “I’m making fried tofu.”

“What are you talking about? Fried tofu? What does that have to do with anything?!”

“Only the White Fox is privy to the entire plan.”

There was no light in the eyes of the Maiden. What in the world could have happened? Galf couldn’t understand it. Secrecy was fundamental to Fox. Nobody ever had a complete understanding of the purpose of the orders given to them. When Galf had been of a lower tail, he, too, had been given many orders without any sort of explanation. But working as a saboteur, he had never had any reason to harbor doubts.

And now they were making fried tofu?

“Are you going to put poison in it?” he tried.

“We are not. I’ve been ordered to make delicious fried tofu.”

“What’s the boss planning?”

Sora pointed at him. “Try thinking for yourself, Galf Shenfelder! Or are you opposing the White Fox?!” This was the first time Galf had seen her like this. Her once unflinching face was now streaked with cold sweat and she sounded agitated. “F-Forget that. This is all in accordance with the wishes of the White Fox.”

Galf didn’t see any choice but to keep his objections to himself. He had never known that a base like this was in Kreat, but the kitchen seemed fairly new. He didn’t think a Maiden would have her own source of income, meaning this must have been funded by the organization.

“By the way, Galf,” she said with trepidation, “I ask purely out of curiosity, but how did you find this place?”

“Hmph? Is that a joke? The organization has eyes everywhere.”

“If you’re so sharp-eyed then how—never mind.” Sora shook her head as she tossed a cut of tofu into a frying pan. “This is all per the will of the White Fox. Look, Galf, this is how fried tofu is made. For now, we’re using store-bought tofu, but we’ll slowly learn to make our own. The White Fox has ordered this all, so—ouch. I’ve never cooked before.”

Why didn’t they hire someone? Why was a sacred and unique member of Fox being ordered to make fried tofu? It was unbearably strange, but Galf gave up on any further consideration. If the boss had ordered this, it must be for some noble purpose.

As he watched Sora struggle with her unfamiliar task, there was a sudden knock at the door. This was one of the organization’s safe houses; there would never be random visitors to a place like this. Galf braced himself as the door opened.

“Soraaa, I’ve got something I want to ask you.”

Galf’s mind froze. The sudden arrival was a young man with black hair. But that wasn’t what had brought him to a halt. It was his voice—it was the same as the boss’s.

“Boss?”

The man turned towards Galf. Sora didn’t move a muscle, her hand still gripping the frying pan.

The boss blinked, then casually said, “Hm? Ah, great timing. I’ve got something I need you to do.”

“Boss, your mask! What happened to your mask?!”

This was absurd. Fox was a secret organization and the bosses hid their identities as a matter of course. Galf’s own experiences meeting the higher-ups confirmed this. With so many enemies, the bosses kept their faces hidden, even from other members of the organization.

The boss looked briefly surprised, then smiled awkwardly. “Y-Yeah, the mask. It’s kinda hot today and it just gets in the way. I’m really sorry, but I can’t wear it all the time.”

“Wha...”

The man was entirely at ease, not even remotely afraid of being betrayed. The higher-ups that Galf had met all struck him as being immensely powerful. But this man before him was different.

Galf still didn’t know anything about Ponta, but Tsuneko was definitely the leader of the famous Knights of the Torch. They were an elite group that traveled the world chasing large bounties and could be identified by their reddish-brown armor. Their leader, Kongoin Touka, was a veritable nemesis of Fox, as she had annihilated many of their subsidiary organizations. She had been wearing a fox mask, but that wasn’t enough to fool Galf.

This was proof of the unfathomable nature of the boss. Knights of the Torch were mercenaries who fought for pay, but they were smart enough to know when a job wasn’t worth taking. Even a pool of gold wasn’t enough to make them join a criminal organization. Yet Galf had seen her wearing a fox mask and following the boss. Fox even had a bounty on her head, but that was most likely nothing more than a bluff.

The boss was undoubtedly capable, but forgoing the mask was pushing his luck. The young man walked past Galf, leaving his back open all the while, and peered into Sora’s frying pan.

“Smells great,” he said, “you’re doing good.”

Sora straightened her back. “Y-You honor me, O White Fox!” she cried, breaking out in a sweat. “It’s in accordance with your, the White Fox’s, wishes!”

The boss looked scrutinizingly at the pan, scrunching his brow. “But Sora,” he said with a chuckle, “this won’t be enough if we want to rule the world.”

Galf barely managed to stop himself from crying out at this sudden revelation.

He really plans to take over the world with fried tofu?! How?!

“M-My apologies! I’ll start over!”

“No need. Take your time. Everybody struggles when trying something new.”

“As you w-wish!”

Galf wanted to ask what the boss was up to, but that wasn’t really an option. The identities of its bosses were the organization’s most important secrets. There must have been a reason the boss’s face had been kept a secret until now. Even though he knew the boss’s countenance, Galf couldn’t let it affect him. A change in attitude could easily result in him being silenced.

The boss removed a Smartphone from his pocket and snapped a photo of the fried tofu, before turning to Galf. “Right, this is great timing. It’s about the task I gave you guys. I’ve got more reinforcements for you. We were originally planning on having Tou—Tsuneko introduce you guys, but is now a good time?”

“As you wish.”

Galf got down on one knee. The boss’s orders were absolute, and Galf had no intentions of betraying the organization.

“No need for all the formalities,” the boss said to him, then turned to the door. “Hey, you guys can come in now.”

In came a small group, none of them wearing masks. There was a sleek dark-haired young man, a female Magus, a pink-haired Thief, and a red-haired Swordsman. All of them had that aura that came with a high amount of mana material. Instinctively, Galf searched his mental database and the results made him gasp.

The red-haired Swordsman looked around searchingly, his eyes glinting like a polished blade. “So who do I get to cut? That woman over there?”

“Grieving Souls?” Galf mumbled.

There was no doubt about it. He had looked into every capable warrior out there. He recognized the Stifled Shadow, the Protean Sword, and the Avatar of Creation. And that young man, he had talked with the boss back in that town Fox had stolen Key of the Land from. This must’ve been the Thousand Tricks, the subject of so many rumors.

“Oh. Do you know these guys?!” the boss said.

“Yeah. Of course I do,” Galf responded.

It was impossible, unbelievable. He blinked repeatedly, but the scene before him didn’t change. There was no party Fox was more wary of than Grieving Souls. They were believed to have crushed a number of minor subsidiaries as well as Serpent, Fox’s now-defunct rival. Recently, the Thousand Tricks had interfered with the Relic theft operation. This bunch was in no way an ally of Fox’s, but they were treading ground where common sense had no sway.

If you want to fool your enemies, start with your friends. How far did the bluff go? Had they been acting on Fox’s orders when they brought Serpent down? And what about the incident with Telm? Could it be that was a traitor that Grieving Souls had put down? And did the same go for Kechachakka?

A cyclone of suppositions spun through Galf’s mind, but he couldn’t say anything for certain. Everything was perfectly shrouded. But he knew that if this party was on his side, then anything was possible. Not even the Explorers’ Association would suspect Grieving Souls of betrayal. But what was the boss planning by gathering so many formidable figures together? Galf couldn’t stop shaking.

The boss grinned, then said the most incredulous thing yet. “Well then, I think I can leave this to you. Oh, that’s right. If this goes well, I’ll give you the mask.”

***

As he listened to me, Galf looked baffled from start to finish. I dunno, I guess he really wanted the ultra-rare mask. He wobbled out of the room as though he was sleepwalking and Liz, Luke, and Krahi followed after him. I stayed behind with Lucia, who I kept as protection.

As though trying to avoid thinking about something else, Sora had been focusing every ounce of her will on her frying pan. Once the fried tofu was ready, she turned off the burner and approached us. Looking at her up close, I could see that the blood had drained from her face.

“Wh-What are you thinking?!” she said. “You would give away that sacred mask?!”

“Well, I don’t particularly need it.”

“Are you—are you planning to betray me after all this?!”

That wasn’t a fair way to put it. That mask was nothing more than a bit of memorabilia to me. It belonged with someone who understood its value. Would handing it over make the real “White Fox” angry? That wasn’t my problem.

Besides, I only got caught up in all of this because of the Fox Mask Fan Club (temp. name) and their system. It wasn’t fair to blame me for coincidentally owning the same mask as another one of their members. And when I said we should apologize, it was Sora who shot that idea down. But maybe that was because apologizing wouldn’t have gotten us anywhere.

Folding her arms and looking irked (as she always did) Lucia stared at Sora. “Leader, what did you do this time?”

“I still haven’t done—”

“Not yet, is it? So you plan to do something?!” Sora interjected. “O White Fox, you are a god! A GOD!”

“Reminds me of T,” Lucia remarked, entirely unaffected by Sora’s childish ravings. She was used to being thrown into the center of trouble. Not to brag, but I was ranked number one when it came to being in situations that made no sense and Lucia could attest to that.

“I’ve decided!” Sora pointed a finger at me. “If there is more to come, then I must bring the other Maidens to our side!”

“Y-Yeah. Uh-huh.”

“Everyone will walk our path! And the mask will not be transferred! I won’t allow it! No matter what anyone says, you are the true White Fox! I’ve only followed my teachings! If anything is at fault, it’s the world itself!”

“Faith’s a scary thing.”

What an insane way to free yourself from blame.

Is this girl really a priestess? She’s not like any that I’ve ever seen. Is she okay? Listen, you’re to blame, I’m not. How can I keep this from becoming a complete mess?

“Watch me, O White Fox! I, Sora Zohlo, will expand our ranks! Should you order it, we’ll all make fried tofu!”

Something told me I was past the point of no return. Maybe that mask was cursed. The next moment, the door silently opened.

“Wha?! Huh?!”

Sora was still as stone. Lucia was agog. My brain was frozen. Entering without a sound was someone I thought I had left back in Toweyezant—Little Sister Fox. She strolled in, examining the room, then looking at me, then Sora, then Lucia. Without saying anything, she continued past us and peered into the frying pan. Without the slightest hesitation, she reached in and removed a half-burned cut of tofu.

She quietly ate it, then said, “Too burnt. Eighty points.”

Ah. She came after seeing the picture I sent her. For a phantom, she sure is mobile.

***

After spending a nearly sleepless night tortured by uncertainty, Sora ultimately followed her pride as a Maiden. The Holy Fox Maidens’ original purpose was to serve the fox gods and anyone chosen by said gods. Thus far, those chosen ones had all served as bosses of the organization, but it made far more sense to support someone who had directly obtained a mask than someone who had merely inherited one.

Just as Sora was beginning to think she had been lied to, the new White Fox suddenly changed course and told her that he would have a talk with the boss. The new White Fox was a terrifying man, capable of throwing even Sora off despite her years of rigorous mental training. Even still, she didn’t think he could win against the boss.

She didn’t know what the new White Fox planned to say. She did know that the organization didn’t allow information to get out. They would never leave the Thousand Tricks alone now that he had tried to impersonate one of the bosses. The Thousand Tricks was underestimating Fox.

Sora felt that now was the time to strike, before the situation became clear to the boss. She was a Maiden, a priestess who occupied a special place in the organization. She would lose her position if it became known that she had misidentified someone as a boss, but until then, she had some authority. She still had options available to her.

Reviled for their worship of aberrant gods, Sora’s ancestors had joined forces with the first boss when they saw the boss possessed a fox mask. Ever since, the White Fox had been a guiding light for the Holy Fox Maidens.

It was said that multiple people within the organization owned white fox masks. But now someone had appeared with a mask obtained directly from the gods themselves. This was very likely a turning point for the organization.

Sora told herself to not mistake who it was that she should be supporting. No matter how terrifying a fate it might bring her, even if they’re all wiped out, she would follow the will of the gods.

But the moment she laid eyes on the real thing, all that faith and determination crumbled in an instant.

Her brain refused to process what she was seeing. That mask was definitely authentic. She felt her heart stop for a split second. Her breath was caught in her throat, her body numb. She couldn’t pull her gaze away from the girl.

The girl’s mask was authentic, the same as the one worn by the new White Fox. But this girl had a powerful presence, one that was entirely unlike that of the new White Fox. Sora’s limbs refused to budge. She was looking at a god—no, a fiend. The boss took the form of a young girl in a white robe. Her frame was smaller than Sora’s, but that didn’t make her any less imposing.

Sora realized she had been a fool. She had been ignorant. This was the real boss. This preternatural bearing was the true mark of a White Fox, meaning Sora’s earlier misidentification proved she was nothing short of incompetent. She now understood what it meant to be chosen by the fox gods. The new White Fox was an imposter, a wolf in fox’s clothing.

The real boss looked at Sora. These two shared the same outline, but it was hard to believe they were the same species. The alarm bells in Sora’s head were telling her to run before she got killed. The boss silently looked at the three of them. She walked towards Sora, and then continued right past her. She stepped into the kitchen and plucked the fried tofu from the pan, then put it in her mouth.

“Too burnt. Eighty points,” was all she said.

A storm of confusion raged in Sora’s mind, far surpassing her previous bewilderment. She couldn’t comprehend what was happening before her. She could on some level accept the boss’s sudden arrival. That was because the boss was supposed to come at some point or another. But this defied understanding.

The boss turned towards Sora and said in a voice that chilled her soul, “It’s not good. If you don’t give me better fried tofu, I’ll attack.”

What was she saying? She was acting just like the fake White Fox. Sora had to respond, but she was too nervous to move a muscle. And yet the fake White Fox, the man who was supposed to be panicking more than anyone here, didn’t share a hint of Sora’s trepidation.

“What are you doing here?” he sighed. “And how did you even get here? What happened to Toweyezant?”

“I got tired of it. I granted their wishes. And their fried tofu was, hmm, eighty-five points.”

“You’re not a harsh judge, are you? You must really like fried tofu.”

Huh? What? Whaaat? They’re friends? The real and the fake are friends? How?

These two weren’t acting like enemies. The fake White Fox didn’t have his mask on, but their conversation suggested they knew each other. Sora was ready to be done. She didn’t know what to believe anymore. She wondered what she was supposed to do. What these two wanted her to do.

The boss looked up at the fake White Fox. “That wasn’t at all delicious,” she declared in a flat tone. “You told me it would be delicious. If you don’t give me something better, I’ll attack.”

“Are you sure about that?” the fake White Fox said with a grin. “We’re forming a company that produces inarizushi bento under a fox label. We plan to conquer the world. Attacking would hinder the future of fried tofu! Sora’s in charge of this operation!”

The boss froze.

Huh? Huuuh? This plan had a purpose after all?

Sora had been certain the fake White Fox had just been making things up as he went along. Sora only went along with it because as a Maiden, it wasn’t her place to question him. She was pulled back to reality by a coughing sound. The boss had suddenly coughed up blood. Sora then felt herself collapsing.

***

“Intense” would be a good way to describe the days that followed after Murina had been entrusted to the Thousand Tricks. The training in the treasure vault had been hell. Even after being brought to Kreat, her days could hardly be considered tranquil.

Under the pretext of mock battles, she had been hit by the Stifled Shadow and cut by the Protean Sword. Her blood had been drained and she had been forced to go up against monsters. They had verbally abused her, asking if she was even trying, and had shown no respect for her status and forced her to do menial chores. She had been tossed out windows, told she had no talent, and doused with water when she lost consciousness.

Everyone in the imperial family was required to take lessons so that they might one day guide the people of Zebrudia, but none of them had undergone training as brutal as this before. Her two companions, who served as her guards and servants, had both tried to protest, but gave up when they realized the futility of it. Murina didn’t resent them for this, as she, too, had abandoned the idea of resisting.

Grieving Souls were entirely indifferent to the glory of the imperial family. To them, Murina was just another job. She was still breathing because they had been asked to temper her abilities. If they had been asked to assassinate her, things would be much different.

And at some point, Murina realized she had indeed become stronger. The mana material and her infernal lessons had made a noticeable difference in her. Her strength and stamina had improved, but those weren’t as important as the knowledge of what it meant to do something or die trying. She no longer had the nightmares that came with her days of misfortune. She had no time for dreams, nor for feeling down.

Murina could now use both offensive spells and holy rites. That was considered extraordinarily difficult, but her desperate attempts in the treasure vault had paid off. She knew that mana material enhanced you as you wished, but now she knew that if you wanted every parameter so much you could die, you would get every parameter. It was logical, in its own way.

Could she perhaps use mana material to erase her bad luck? The thought occurred to her, but she shut it out! Fate is something you carve yourself. Simply wishing for safety and stability would only bring her death. What she needed was focus. As long as she was alive, she wasn’t dead. Power of will could move a body otherwise weighted down by pain and fatigue. But once she came to a stop, she couldn’t get back up.

Now, Murina was back in a dress and talking with her father.

“It pleases me to see you again, Murina. You look hale and hearty.”

“Indeed, father.”

Previously, Murina had struggled with talking to adults and looking people in the eye. But now things had changed. Interacting with adults was nothing compared to being tossed around by the vines of a floral phantom.

“And you, Karen, Cindy, thank you for looking after my daughter. I saw it after her training in the treasure vault, but she really appears to have grown. I can see it in her face.”

“We’re honored to hear that, Your Imperial Majesty. However, we made no contributions. This is all the result of the hard work of Her Imperial Highness. That man’s lessons were in an entirely different league than the training of the Zero Order. His methods are rather rough-and-tumble.”

Karen was using a figure of speech, but Murina’s training had literally involved lots of rough tumbling.

“Be grateful to Sir Franz,” emperor Rodrick said. “He wanted to use his armor to shoulder Murina’s damage, just as he did during the trip to Toweyezant. But I didn’t think Murina would improve if he did that, so I stopped him.”

“There’s no telling what that man might do. Though it appears my concerns were unwarranted,” Franz said. “When Her Imperial Highness first returned to the capital, she was quite worn down, but now I detect considerable improvement in her.”

“Why thank you, Sir Franz,” Murina replied.

The difference was only natural. During the first training session, Murina hadn’t been permitted rest or sleep. But this time, she had at least been allowed that much. The Grievers had dragged her around town and called it training, but seeing the sights had been good for her spirits.

“Have you conquered your misfortune?” her father asked her.

“I have. I’ve realized that bandits and freak accidents are nothing compared to being assailed by phantoms and Grieving Souls!”

“What?! What did that man do to Her Imperial Highness?!” Franz shouted.

Why had Murina allowed herself to be downtrodden by a little bit of misfortune? Now, she knew from experience how tenacious human beings are. If you live your life with your head hung, you won’t be able to dodge incoming attacks. But there was one thing that had been at the back of her mind.

“Father, there’s just one thing I’d like to ask you. The Thousand Tricks said I was going to compete in the Supreme Warrior Festival. Is this true?”

“What are you talking about?” he said. “I gave him a challenger’s ticket as payment for mentoring you, but nothing more.”

“Th-That man did say he would train Her Imperial Highness to a degree fit for the tournament,” Franz added. “But the Supreme Warrior Festival is no place for Murina. There’s little in the way of sportsmanship and there are fatalities on occasion.”

“R-Right, I should’ve known!”

Such a casual remark earned Murina funny looks from her father and Franz. But with this weight off her chest, she felt like she could dance. She had improved so much that she was barely the same person, but the Supreme Warrior Festival was still out of the question. She had heard the Thousand Trials were harsh, but you could overcome them if you gave it your all. For her, joining the tournament would’ve outright ended it all.

“Now, Murina, has Krai Andrey been acting strangely?” her father suddenly asked.

Murina straightened her back and said resolutely, “Yes, father, he has! The Thousand Tricks has only acted strangely!”

“I-I see.”

From Murina’s perspective, the Thousand Tricks was incomprehensible. He occasionally disappeared for reasons unknown to her. He made her wear a tanuki mask and introduced her as “Ponta.” She was sure her father never would have been able to imagine any of this. Murina was going to tell Éclair all about it next time they chatted.

“It’s as we thought. He must be making a move against Fox,” Franz said. “Or he has been, ever since he asked for a ticket to the tournament. Strange behavior was part of his plan for taking down the Counter Cascade. I don’t care for the claims of his ‘preterhuman artifice’ but there is a hint of truth in them.”

“Hm. I don’t know how he got his information before we did, but he’s on the right track.”

Fox. Fox mask. Fox Mask Fan Club.

Murina felt a sharp pain in her head, causing her to rub her temples. What was this bad feeling she had? She wanted to vomit but fought back the urge.

“What’s the matter, Murina?”

“It’s nothing, father.”

Just a bit longer. Murina had to endure just a bit more training, then she could return to the castle. When she got back, she would take lessons from proper mentors. She would actually go outside.

“Is your training complete?” her father asked. “The Supreme Warrior Festival is about to begin after all.”

Murina looked him in the eye and shook her head. “No, father. My lessons aren’t yet complete.”

“Is that so? I take it you wish to see them through to the end?”

Murina’s small shred of pride wouldn’t allow her to quit after coming this far. She didn’t know how intense her live combat lessons were supposed to be, but she felt they would be a graduation ceremony of sorts. Once that was over, she could return home with her head held high.

Emperor Rodrick smiled earnestly, something Murina hadn’t seen him do in some time, and said, “This experience seems to have made you stronger. What sort of lessons does he have in store for you?”

“It has, father!” Murina said with a big smile. “We’re going to search for bandits and ki—cut them!”

***

You never know when your past might catch up with you. After my sudden encounter (and negotiations) with Little Sister Fox, I returned to the inn. I found my pair of pursuers waiting for me in a meeting room on the first floor, their expressions normal enough. However, when your guests are the Abyssal Inferno and the former War Demon, they could still make themselves plenty intimidating.

“You finally came, boy,” the pyromaniac lady said while glaring at me.

“Y-Yoo-hoo,” I replied. “You didn’t wait too long, did you?”

“We waited five hours,” Gark answered.

“Really? Not a whole lot on your plate right now?”

“Can you please stop saying things better left unsaid?” Lucia asked me.

Gark looked at me like I was some sort of criminal, while the old lady seemed to be taking things in stride. But I knew she was liable to cause a blaze on a whim. She believed everything was fine as long as there were no fatalities. If there were, then the evidence just needed to be erased.

I wonder if Lucia could handle both of them. They wouldn’t start something in an inn, right?

My stomach, head, and heart all hurt, and my body felt sluggish. I was gonna barf.

“What’s it take to change you, Krai?” the old lady said with a chuckle. “You pretend our conversation didn’t happen and come out here without saying anything to us.”

“I thought you’d figure it out without my help,” I told her in a desperate attempt at an excuse.

“How the hell were we supposed to do that?!” Gark roared. “Not everyone can do what you do!”

Kaina. Where’s Kaina?

The Abyssal Inferno took a sip of her tea and said in a raspy voice, “Never mind that. We don’t plan on interfering with the Supreme Warrior Festival. I, too, once reveled in that frenzy of flesh and blood.”

“So I’ve heard, Abyssal Inferno,” Lucia said in a placid voice. “You were banned from the tournament after you used a wide-range obliteration spell that took the barriers with it.”

Did the Abyssal Inferno just not have any limiters? Honestly, Luke and Liz were better than her. At least they could only hit one target at a time.

The Abyssal Inferno gave my sister a sharp look before returning her gaze my way. She was always soft on Lucia, perhaps because they were both Magi. Then again, since childhood, Lucia had a history of being pretty universally liked.

“Well, I won’t force the issue,” the pyromaniac said. “We’ll forgive you for leaving us behind. We’re not here to get in your way, we’ve got our things to take care of. Oho ho ho, not to mention we owe you.”

I appreciate the clemency, but how come I never have the right to turn down these little meetings?

But they’d just follow me anyway. I should’ve been thankful I had Lucia at my side.

I put on my hard-boiled demeanor, ready to settle things. “Well, I’ve had my own share of troubles. Now, you wanted to talk about Fox?”

“Don’t say their name out here, you moron!” Gark yelled. “There’s no telling where they might have ears.”

Oh c’mon. And what even is “Fox”?

I still didn’t understand a key part of all this. I kept meaning to ask what they meant, but I was afraid to, so I repeatedly put it off. All I knew was that they were a crazy organization that had tried to assassinate the emperor and that Telm and Kechachakka had worked for them. But throughout my life, I had been accosted by dozens of secretive criminal organizations and I didn’t even know how dangerous this one was.

There was this group, that one treasure vault, and then the Fox Mask Fan Club. Foxes seemed to be in style. I didn’t know how many more there were, but I really wished they picked more distinctive names.

If they wanted to search for this Fox thingy, they didn’t need my permission. But I knew what they wanted—they wanted my help, even if they didn’t like it. They didn’t have much support out here.

Maybe I’ll lend ’em Ansem, if they promise to return him immediately.

“Sorry, but all I’ve got are the Fox Mask Fan Club and some gluttons,” I said.

“What in the world are you talking about?”

“Truly, leader, what are you saying?”

Lucia, whose side are you on?

“We didn’t come here for your dumb jokes,” the Abyssal Inferno said with a sigh. “This time you were the first to get on the trail. I understand how these things go and I’m willing to let you have this one. Thinking was never my strong suit anyway.”

“I don’t know how you got your information before the empire or the Association did, but we’ve got a reputation to maintain. Do you follow me, Krai Andrey?”

“Yeah, uh-huh.”

What were these geezers talking about? Which one was “this one”? I turned around towards Lucia, but my ice-cold sister just shrugged at me. If Sitri had been there, I bet she would’ve explained it.

I didn’t know what they were talking about, I didn’t know about appearances, nor did I think I had moved first. I wanted to tell them to do what they wanted as long as they didn’t cause any trouble for me.

“Do as you please,” I said, giving a vague, obfuscating response. “I’ve done everything I’m supposed to.”

Gark scowled and leaned forward. “So you’re saying you know what weapon they’ve got and what they plan to do with it?”

He just doesn’t quit.

“Yeah. Uh-huh,” I said. Nothing more I could say by that point. “Hm?”

I suddenly realized Gark had said something significant. Before I could figure it out, he clicked his tongue and returned to his original posture.

“Hell, Krai, where do you get your info? After years of nothing, we only just got a meager scrap.”

“Huh?! Oh...from Eva?”

Sorry, Eva. My mouth moved on its own. But I don’t want to keep answering questions. I’m sorry.

“Huh? I don’t care how good your network is, I don’t believe that you could easily get something we’ve busted our asses for years—”

“Sorry, I’ve actually got something I need to take care of. Can we call it here? I’ve got a lot to do.”

“Ah! Damn it, Krai!”

Sorry, but I’ve got to run before I’m exposed for being a fraud.

I had recently learned that if I said I had things to do, these people wouldn’t make much of an effort to pursue me. I had just told them I had done everything I was supposed to, then immediately contradicted myself, but they didn’t seem to be bothered by it. Was this preterhuman artifice?

I stood up, only to hear a sudden pshhh noise, like rising steam. The Abyssal Inferno was pointing a bony finger at me, a flickering flame at the end of it. A few more times, lights flew at me, then turned to steam a few centimeters before my eyes. None of my Safety Rings had gone off, so this must have been Lucia protecting me.

The Abyssal Inferno blew out her smoking finger, then got up from her seat. She had good posture that was at odds with her old age. She was a bit taller than me and I had heard that in her younger days, she was sometimes mistaken for a Noble Spirit. We made eye contact, her small burning irises bearing down on me.

Her dry lips twisted into a demonic smile and she said in a husky voice, “I’ll follow your lead for now. But this is a festival. When the time comes, I expect there to be a signal, Thousand Tricks. I whipped these old bones into coming all the way out here and I still have a score to settle because of Telm. Are we clear?”

“Oh, yes.”

Her voice was intense, telling me she would brook no argument. Her eyes glimmered the way Liz’s would. I didn’t see why someone her age didn’t just retire.

She left the room, and before following her out, Gark said to me, “Right, Krai. Don’t neglect the tournament. If one of our own wins that thing, it’ll make me look pretty good.”

Seeing the storm of a woman head out, Gark clicked his tongue and went after her. What a heedless person she was. Even Gark had to follow her lead. And what sort of hunter talked about scores to settle? I just prayed that Lucia wouldn’t turn out that way.

There was a brief silence, before Lucia asked me in a chilly voice, “What is it you had to take care of?”

That would be that of course.

Just then, a crowd of hunters bearing First Steps’s crest entered the lobby. At the front, I saw Tino and Sven.

“Master, Lucy, we’ve come to cheer you on!”

“Hey, Krai. We’re finally here.”

With the tournament starting soon, they must’ve decided now was a good time to arrive. Blinking and wrinkling her brow, Lucia was giving me a very funny look.

“I’m glad you all could make it,” I said. “Great timing!”

Of course, I hadn’t planned on their timely arrival, but I was more than glad to see them.

“So how do things look?” Sven asked. “We’re not in our element, being away from Zebrudia like this.”

“Don’t worry,” I answered with a shrug. “You think people like Liz and Luke would let some unfamiliar ground bother them? They’re so excited I don’t know what to do with them.”

Sven seemed to be his usual chipper self. He always made a face whenever I asked anything of him, but he must’ve felt some connection to us if he came all this way.

“No, I meant you,” he said.

“Sven, Master would never give in to mere nervousness,” Tino said on my behalf. She took another good look around the lobby, then at me and my sister-slash-bodyguard. “Master, I withdrew my entire savings and bet it all on you!”

That’s right. There was betting going on.

“Thanks,” I said as I laughed at her joke. “Knowing that, I’ll try a bit harder!”

I didn’t think she could actually have bet on me when I wasn’t participating.

Tino’s eyes sparkled. “Yes, try your very best! I’ll study every move!”

Very admirable of you. There’s a lot to learn from Grieving Souls.

“Ah, what’s with all these people?! I’ve seen enough people to last a year! I went to the trouble of coming out here, so don’t even think about losing! Sir!”

Business as usual for Kris, it seemed.

“You won’t settle for anything less than first?” I asked her.

I hadn’t been surrounded by friends like this in a while. The last person to arrive was Eva, who had probably directed the whole trip. Behind those thin frames, her sharp eyes didn’t let anything get past.

“What’s the status of Princess Murina?” she asked.

“Oh, that. No problems whatsoever. Probably. I’ve done what I can.”

“I see. Is there any way I can be of assistance?”

“I appreciate it. I’ll take you up on that if anything comes up.”

Even when making a similar offer, she and the Abyssal Inferno felt completely different.

While I was letting myself bask in the comfort of friends, Sven glanced around and said, “Just Lucia with you? What about the others?”

“They’re seeing to another matter,” Lucia replied. “I’m looking after our leader.”

“Yeah, y’know, someone might ambush me here,” I added.

“Because you’re always making enemies,” Sven said.

What slander. I turned to Tino, but she refused to look me in the eye.

“No,” I said. “I’m confident I’ve done nothing. That’s what an ambush is, attacking someone doing nothing.”

Lucia just sighed. I was pretty sure she was aware of how harmless I was, so I was sure that sigh was an expression of resignation at my terrible misfortune. But for once, I was confident I’d be fine. I had the Fox Mask Fan Club and Touka’s party lending me a hand. Little Sister Fox had returned from the desert, but remained fixated on fried tofu.

That said, I wanted to change the subject and had the perfect means to do it.

“Hey, just so you know, Sven, the real me is here, in this very town.”

“Huh?”

“They say everyone has three doppelgängers, right? I was a fan the moment I met him. And what’s more, even his allies are doppelgängers of mine.”

“Brother?! I never talk like that girl!”

“Yeah, in your case, you’re probably the superior of the two. You might be losing on the lovey-dovey front, but you’re much stronger. Not to mention you have a title, while she doesn’t. And you’re much prettier. You might not be lovey-dovey as a dove, but you can throw a good punch.”

Lucia clenched her fists, quaking as though struggling to keep herself under control.

“Ahhh, Lucy’s all red,” Tino gasped.

As Lucia’s brother, I was obviously biased, but I was sure mine was the superior younger sister.

“Nevertheless, you should totally meet him, Sven,” I said. “If I ask, I’m sure you can even get an autograph! I hope you can meet the others as well.”

“Master, why are you so giddy about this?”

Tino looked exasperated, but I was sure she’d feel the same way if she randomly met someone identical to her. Come to think of it, there wasn’t a Tino-like in Krahi’s group.

Now, everyone’s here. Nothing to worry about. All I have to do is wait for the tournament to start.

***

“Ba ha ha ha! Yeah, no doubt about it, I’m looking at the real ones!”

“Sven, you’re being terribly rude.”

What to do? Kule Saicool the self-proclaimed Protean Sortie couldn’t hide his bewilderment. Next to him, Izabee the self-proclaimed Eyeful Shadow was in a similar state of shock.

On top of reaching Level 8 at a young age, the Thousand Tricks was also the clan master of First Steps, one of the largest clans out there. And all these people that had shown up with him were members.

As the brains of his party, Kule Saicool had thoroughly researched Grieving Souls when forming Bereaving Souls. This tall man decked out in black and gold gear was none other than Sven Anger the Stormstrike.

Treasure hunters took great pride in how they were referred to. Giving yourself a self-proclaimed title nearly identical to someone else’s was considered shady and could get you killed if you were copying someone short-tempered enough.

So what was with this reaction? Despite seeing someone with a title so close to his clan master’s (for the record, though, Krahi wasn’t deliberately trying to deceive anyone), Sven wasn’t indignant. In fact, he was clapping his hands and laughing.

“Real? What are you talking about? I am unambiguously real,” Krahi declared. He said this with a courageous dignity that you couldn’t have without being genuine (-ly stupid).

“Incredible, brother! You’re the best! More real than the real thing!” Lusha squealed adoringly and clung to his arm, knowing full well that Krahi was a fake.

Next to Sven was a Thief with red ribbons in her hair. She averted her gaze and muttered, “Oh, Lucy, my deepest condolences.”

“Hm? Did I hear my name?” said Lusha, who had already once risked life and limb ticking off her real counterpart.

“Not at all!” the Thief said while hiding behind Sven.

Holding his staff in one hand, Krahi surveyed the group. “So tell me, who are you people? My eyes don’t lie to me. I can tell you’re no ordinary civilians!”

One of Krahi’s faults was unfamiliarity with the treasure-hunting world. He had worked solo for so long that he knew next to nothing about other hunters. Kule had been quite surprised to learn that he knew of neither the Thousand Tricks nor First Steps. But the name Krahi Andrihee was his real name and he had the documents to prove it. The similarity to another certain hunter was a complete coincidence.

Kule couldn’t wrap his head around what the real one was thinking. When he heard that Krahi had met the real one, he had been certain they were done for. But the real one didn’t just refrain from getting angry, he let Krahi off the hook.

The Thousand Tricks was known for his preterhuman artifice. It was possible he had discerned Krahi wasn’t trying to impersonate him and therefore let him go in a show of mercy. Perhaps every powerful hunter was as much of an oddball as Krahi.

“We’re members of the clan you formed,” Sven answered, looking entirely serious.

“A clan, you say?”

What are you doing, dolt? You never formed a clan! Kule thought.

Talented hunters attracted rumors. Reputations could grow of their own accord, appellations could develop, fan clubs could pop up. But you could not become the master of a clan without being involved in it. Yet there Krahi was, looking down at his own hands.

“When did I ever form a clan?” he whispered.

“Huh? You did?! Way to go!”

Even Lusha’s confused!

On several occasions, Krahi had been mistaken for the real Krai Andrey. This had made Krahi accustomed to being praised for things he hadn’t done and even being misidentified by the Explorers’ Association. His sheer talent had done a lot to dissuade suspicions that he might be an impersonator, and, much to Kule’s anxiety, he didn’t see himself as an impersonator.

“Right, let’s get a photo! We need to commemorate this!” Sven said. “Marietta, fetch the camera!”

“Sven, for goodness’ sake, please calm down,” said Obsidian Cross’s Magus.

It seemed the real ones were under the impression that Bereaving Souls was just a joke or some sort of fan club. Not an unreasonable assumption.

Surrounded by members of a clan he didn’t recall forming, Krahi smiled pleasantly. He was a star. Sven then looked at Kule, the Archer’s raptor-like gaze causing him to gulp.

“Hey, you’re Luke, aren’t you?” Sven said. “Where’s Sitri?”

“If you’re looking for Kutri, she’s out right now. She’s an Alchemist after all.”

She was probably guiling someone into buying a bogus potion. The Ignorable was best ignored.

“And Ansem?”

This was bad. The jig was nearly up. Sven might be onto the fact that Kule had smooth-talked Krahi into forming a party.

“We’re currently accepting applications,” Kule answered, feeling like a brigand in an interrogation room.

***

Within one of Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox’s bases, Galf listened to a report from one of his subordinates.

“Well done,” he said with a nod of satisfaction. “I’m sure the boss will be pleased.”

The recent series of upsets was taking a visible toll on Galf’s rugged complexion, but there was still a glimmer in his eyes.

The boss had mandated that they befriend a number of previously antagonistic groups. From the moment he received these orders, Galf had thought this would be a pain, but it had turned out to be even more trouble than he had imagined. For starters, gathering large groups of people was antithetical to Fox’s dedication to secrecy. Using no more personnel than necessary was key to keeping things under wraps.

Fox’s name had already spread throughout the underworld and their reticent nature rubbed more than a few groups the wrong way. The underworld had its own rules. To refuse to proffer any information about yourself essentially demonstrated a lack of trust and made it harder to deal with larger organizations.

But Galf did what he had to. Using every means available to him, he contacted the groups listed by the boss. He used money, made shows of force, and sat down at negotiating tables. In contacting so many organizations, some people began to suspect that Fox was up to something big, which drew some bodies out of hiding. For this move, Galf was rather proud of himself.

By thoroughly going through the list and forming alliances with just about every name on the list, Kreat saw almost none of the bloody incidents that usually characterized this time of the year. It could be said that every underworld organization in Kreat was currently under Fox’s influence. No matter how grand the boss’s plans might be, he wouldn’t be wanting for manpower.

Then there were the boss’s personal units. Galf hadn’t asked for their identities, but they weren’t going to any lengths to hide who they were. Grieving Souls and Knights of the Torch. These high-level hunters were the boss’s secret weapon. They would operate above the surface, while Galf’s alliance worked below. This sort of bifurcation was never a bad idea.

The boss had said he would cede his mask to Galf if this operation were to be a success. Galf chose to believe him. He would carry out this one-in-a-lifetime operation, then rise to the organization’s top!

Wearing fox masks without any enthusiasm for them, the boss’s personal troops chatted to each other as they entered the room.

“This is one dreary place.”

“I think I smell blood. Nice. So, who do I cut?”

“I think it’s quite lovely. I rather like it. You could do whatever you wanted and nobody would find out.”

They sounded casual enough, but they practically radiated mana material. At the back of the group were the Thousand Tricks (in a demon mask for whatever reason) and Ponta. The door shut behind them.

“Hmm. I never knew such a place existed here in Kreat. Fascinating. I look forward to this. Perhaps this will be a proper battlefield for the Thousandfold Theurgics.”

Why didn’t this man keep his title a secret? Could someone this stupid really have made it to Level 8?

“I apologize for any claustrophobia. We don’t usually have so many people here,” Galf said.

“Oh not at all,” said a robed woman in a mask modeled after a sad fox. “By the way, may I inquire as to your relationship with them?” Her voice was mellow, but there was nothing friendly about the look in her eyes.

Damn it, hadn’t the boss told them anything? Galf had been vaguely aware of it, but now it was obvious what a finicky person the boss was.

He cleared his throat and said, “I’m Galf Shenfelder of the seventh tail. The boss has entrusted this operation to me. Though commanding his personal units is of course beyond my purview. I have no objections if you wish to prioritize your own duties.”

“Seventh tail? I see,” the robed woman said. “I understand. I’m the boss’s wife, Yuttri.”

“What?!”

“You can’t say shit like that just cause he isn’t here!” the Stifled Shadow said, smacking Yuttri on the back of the head.

Ponta was shaking. Galf thought his heart was going to stop, but it turned out that the woman had just been joking around. He took a deep breath as he waited for Yuttri to lift her head again.

“There’s a large space underground,” he told them. “Given the size of this operation, I didn’t invite everyone, but all the key players were invited. They’ve agreed to follow our orders, but they’ll be more eager to cooperate if they’ve had a chance to meet us in person.”

***

Accidents were a part of treasure hunting. Treasure vaults were manifestations of distant memories and anything could happen in these abnormal realms. Risking life and limb in these places caused hunters to develop unshakable dispositions.

Grieving Souls were exceptionally acclimated to sudden developments. The same could be said of their leader’s incomprehensible preterhuman artifice. Having no information in advance was par for the course. Their love of the unknown was one of the secrets behind their party’s success.

They followed Galf Shenfelder down a long staircase. There were six of them: Sitri, Luke, Liz, Murina, Touka, and Krahi. They didn’t talk, the only sound was that of their steady footsteps.

But as they walked, something slowly dawned on Sitri—nobody here understood what was going on. Naturally, the Grievers didn’t understand the task Krai had abruptly given them, and it seemed likely that Touka and Princess Murina were equally ignorant.

Given the circumstances, any thinking would have to be done by Sitri. Liz and Luke were more the intuitive type, and neither Lucia nor Ansem were present this time around. While making sure not to let it show on her face, Sitri began to sift through the information in her head.

This is an awfully long staircase, she thought. What could something this deep underground be doing in Kreat?

Krai had said he acquired help in finding the whereabouts of the organizations on the list Sitri had procured. So when he had dispatched them, she had been certain it was because Krai’s helper needed assistance. But that clearly wasn’t what was going on; a civilian would never be able to locate a criminal organization.

This man before her, Galf Shenfelder, was clearly nobody ordinary. He had the distinct air of someone with high amounts of mana material and he carried himself like someone with extensive combat experience. And then there was the mask covering his face. The man who seemed to be one of Galf’s subordinates had also been wearing a fox mask, one with a generally different design.

Krai had been calling them the “Fox Mask Fan Club,” but Sitri was well-acquainted with her childhood friend’s sense of humor. It was enough to earn him the title “Thousand Tricks.” She also knew that he was a rascal who enjoyed messing with her and teasing her. She couldn’t count how many times he had pulled the rug out from under her.

The fox masks brought to mind two things for her: the phantoms of Peregrine Lodge and the clones produced by the Counter Cascade. Those clones had worn fox masks, but that knowledge alone wasn’t enough to draw any conclusions.

Despite her years working with Akashic Tower, Sitri knew next to nothing about Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox. They were elusive enough that she couldn’t have reached out to them, even if she were to try. She had never so much as suspected that the Counter Cascade had been one of their members and she had barely believed it when she learned that Krai had played him like a fiddle.

Though she seemed calm, there were two Sitris fighting inside her. There was the pro-Krai Sitri telling her to believe in him, and then there was the pro-Krai Sitri saying that she was being teased again and she should just accept it. Generally speaking, the latter one was winning. It seemed impossible, but given that Krai had sent her over, it was possible the Fox Mask Fan Club really was just that.

I’m a shell. I’m a stone. Joy and despair are concepts with no bearing on me.

As she repeated this mantra to control her heartbeat, Galf came to a stop. They had reached the bottom.

“Just to be clear, we’re only going to make introductions,” he said.

Galf opened the iron door. A cold, moldy air washed over them. Sitri’s heart began to pound when she saw what was inside. A wave of whispers billowed onto them, countless eyes turning their way. Luke the sword fiend looked at them wide-eyed, and Touka clenched her fist for just a moment.

Inside the room were dozens of people, none of them ordinary. Nearest to the door was a large man who glared at them intensely.

“Oh, look who finally decided to join us. I was getting sick of waiting,” he said.

“Listen, Fox, we’ll only take so much of this,” said another.

Bathed in looks of curiosity, animosity, and allegiance, Galf shrugged and said, “Sorry, but as you all know, secrecy is our motto.”

These are the people from my list! Sitri thought.

Figuring out what was going on, her sister blinked and groaned, “Oh, for real? I thought something was up. How did he do this?”

“Hm? What’s that?” Luke said. “Can I cut these guys?”

It was too much to be a coincidence. Overwhelmed with emotions, her strength left her. He hadn’t been teasing her. The pro-Krai Sitri was right! Her heart kicked into high gear.

I was right to believe in you, Krai!

Krahi looked at the crowd inquisitively. “There’s so many of them. What group is this?”

“This is unexpected,” Touka said. “What shall I do? This wasn’t in the contract.”

She could be a problem. Knights of the Torch always sided with justice and only served clean and righteous purposes. Before Touka could get angry, Sitri quietly made sure the knight had a change of heart.

“Touka. I’ll pay double the usual.”

Touka gave Sitri a reproachful glare. She fought for a paycheck, but she was also very principled. Her silence was an act of kindness, consideration for the moment. Sitri greatly appreciated it.

“Triple the usual.”

Silence.

“The boss can be a joker, but he wouldn’t ask that we do something immoral. You know that, don’t you? Are conspiracies not to your liking?”

Touka groaned at these carefully chosen words.

“You win this time,” she said. “Allow me to compliment you on that, Yuttri.”

“Oh?”

Sitri hardly needed any compliments when she was the one who should be thankful. She wanted to learn about Fox more than any other organization out there. She had been disappointed when she learned that Telm had been locked away in that treasure vault, but now she felt her patience had paid off. She wanted to hug Krai and tell him how grateful she was.

“We’ve secured the cooperation of everyone on the list,” Galf said to Sitri. “Tell the boss that our preparations are fully complete and we’re ready to move at any time. Has he told you anything regarding the chain of command?”

His languid, nonchalant movements showed just how confident he was. Allying with so many different groups couldn’t have been easy.

“You’ve exceeded our expectations, Galf,” Sitri replied. “I’ll be sure to inform the boss.”

Now, she could tell. Sitri knew exactly what Krai was thinking. There was purpose to everything Krai did. Deciphering his intentions was Sitri’s specialty. It made her indispensable. There were still some points not yet clear to her, but she knew what she was supposed to do.

Ponta had been shaking ever since they entered the room. Sitri gripped her shoulder and brought her forward, then said to Galf, “Our commander will be Ponta. Her true identity is someone in a very high position.”

“Huh?!” Ponta cried, her voice echoing throughout the room.

Sitri offered her some silent encouragement.

Your final lessons will be in leadership skills! Give it your all!

***

With the meeting over and the outsiders gone, Galf closed his eyes. The only people left were him and his underlings. These were the people loyal to him. They’d choose him over the organization if they had to.

“The meeting was a success,” he said. “We can move the moment orders come in. But something’s bothering me.”

The organization had an unyielding hierarchy. The commands from the top had to be obeyed no matter the circumstances, and even a higher-ranked member could be silenced if they defied their orders. The organization was built on this rigid structure, but it had its own unspoken rules.

“I formed this alliance. Handing off the reins is like letting someone else take credit for it. This isn’t how we usually do things.”

When Galf had asked about the chain of command, he had been doing it for the sake of protocol. Typically, the right to command would be his, as he had brought all these forces together. If that right was going to be taken from him, he should have at least been told why. But what bothered him most was that this operation was supposed to be his shot to become one of the bosses. To now be stripped of control made little sense.

“Does anyone know who Ponta is? We can contact headquarters if we have to. She doesn’t look like she’s part of Grieving Souls.”

He swept his gaze over his subordinates, but they all shook their heads. She didn’t have the aura of a high-level hunter and her mana material was distinctly lower than the other hunters. At first, Galf had thought she was a new addition to their party, but if Yuttri was to be believed, there was some specific reason she had been chosen.

“I just remembered,” one of Galf’s underlings said, “we received word from headquarters earlier. They said the Thousand Tricks had been asked to mentor the imperial princess of Zebrudia.”

“That’s preposterous. She was a secondary target of Telm’s operation.”

Murina Atolm Zebrudia, the imperial princess of Zebrudia was an important person, yet she had almost no presence within the empire. She was also one of the targets of Telm the Counter Cascade’s failed assassination attempt.

“Visually, they’re similar,” the subordinate said. “Their hair color and height are a match. She may not have any authority, but she does occupy a high position.”

“Meaning there’s still something they’re not telling us.”

If you’re going to fool your enemies, start with your friends. Fox was currently one of the biggest threats to the great Zebrudian Empire. But even the largest entities were still vulnerable to attacks from the inside. Galf felt a chill down his spine, like he had just gotten a glimpse into a vast conspiracy.

“Is it possible they could have brought the imperial princess over to their side? Does this mean the Counter Cascade’s failure really was intentional? Having the imperial princess under Fox’s influence would shake even Zebrudia, but I can barely believe it.”

It didn’t take a genius to realize that Fox stood to gain a lot by luring a member of the imperial family over to their side. And what better way to broadcast her new allegiance than putting her in charge of an operation?

Galf had heard that the operation in Kreat would be a key step in Fox’s declaration of war on the world. To simultaneously receive news of that and the imperial princess’s betrayal would be a shock felt far and wide. It could isolate the empire. And leading that effort would be Fox’s new boss, Galf Shenfelder.

“Interesting. We’re looking at a turning point in history.”

They had a big job in front of them. Galf still hadn’t been shown the full scale of the boss’s plan. But perhaps the boss felt that if he couldn’t figure that much out on his own, he wasn’t worthy of the mask. Similarly, Ponta’s true identity was obvious enough from her outward appearance. “Incompetent” would be a perfectly fair description of anyone who couldn’t put the pieces together.

Galf almost felt himself trembling. To think that even someone of his rank hadn’t been made aware that Grieving Souls and Knights of the Torch were allies of Fox. Nor had he known that the imperial princess was on their side. This was a trump card, one that wouldn’t work if their allegiances were revealed. Played at the wrong time, years of hard work could vanish in an instant.

“No need to contact headquarters,” Galf decided. “We’ll follow our orders and trust in Ponta. Be ready to move at any moment! We’ll continue with Plan A.”

The time was near. The world would change. A shadowy smile was forming on Galf’s lips when the underling tasked with communicating information came dashing in.

“Galf, we just received word from headquarters. They want to know the status of the package from Plan A.”

Surprised, Galf furrowed his brow. There was only one item they could be referring to. It had been under tight security at a museum in the empire, and securing it had been Phase One of Plan A.

“We followed the plan and handed Key of the Land to the boss. Their info must be old,” Galf said.

Having formed from the remains of an intelligence agency, Fox specialized in information. A delay of a few hours was normal, but for HQ to be multiple days behind was rare. Surely, the boss couldn’t have forgotten to inform them...