Strange Grief Wants to Retire ~ The Weakest Hunter Dreams of a Hero ~ - Volume 7 - Chapter 4.2

Sora hadn’t noticed it before, but there was a slender tail sprouting from the White Fox’s lower back. She didn’t recall it being there earlier; could it be further proof that this was the real White Fox? As she watched that tail wag back and forth, she felt incredibly tired.

The False Fox entered the kitchen, wiped his brow, and said with that hapless smile of his, “Well, that solves one problem. Very good.”

“Just who are you?” Sora asked.

“You see, she just kept sending me her thoughts on the tofu like she’s some sort of food critic.”

So when the White Fox kept pulling out her Smartphone, it was because she was contacting the False Fox?

So they really are friends?! How did that happen?!

“So, when are you gonna go home?” the False Fox asked her.

“When I get bored,” she replied.

Not when the operation is finished?!

Sora had no idea how she was going to explain this to Galf. The next moment, the Sounding Stone in her pocket began to vibrate. These were an emergency hotline for the Holy Fox Maidens, and their usage was one of the things she had learned at the main temple. Someone must have become worried about Sora.

She had entirely forgotten that she even had a Sounding Stone. Nothing in her training had prepared her for a mess like this. But she wasn’t going to fail again, she would put her skills to use. She glanced at the White Fox. The real and the false were standing shoulder to shoulder, making fried tofu.

“So when did you become their boss?” the False Fox asked with a shrug.

“This doesn’t taste good,” was all the White Fox said while cleaning her plate.

Sora faded into a corner and activated her Sounding Stone. She was going to report the situation to the main temple. Normally, sharing information like this would be a breach of protocol, but Maidens were allowed to speak freely to each other.

“Hm? Once more? Again, the false boss, who I was certain was a real boss because their mask is genuine, appears to be friends with the real boss, who I had thought might be a false boss, and to make things worse, they plan to sell inarizushi bento across the land! Does something about that not make sense? Well, don’t ask me, ask the boss! Goodness!”

Sora sounded like she was about to cry, so her former instructors tried calming her.

“Sora, get a hold of yourself. The White Fox should currently be en route to your position.”

“I told you, they’re already here! They showed up and suddenly started telling me to make fried—”

“The will of the White Fox might at times prove beyond comprehension to the minds of ordinary people, but I can’t imagine they would ever say anything so stupid. The White Foxes’ objective is destruction! To destroy the world so it can be reborn anew! That hasn’t changed since our founding!”

Sora agreed. No, she would have agreed. But not anymore. Things had changed. She turned around and looked at the White Fox, who was staring intently at her frying pan.

“O White Fox, which holds greater importance to you, fried tofu or the rebirth of the world?” Sora asked.

Her answer was brief. She looked at the young priestess and said, “Huh?”

“D-Did you hear that?!” Sora said into her Sounding Stone. “As I expected, fried tofu takes precedence. Because of you, the White Fox’s mood has been fouled!”

“Calm down, Sora. Take deep breaths. The White Fox would never act like that!”

“I can’t do that. This is the will of the gods. The White Fox has ordained that we unify the world through fried tofu!”

Sora’s voice was breaking. Why couldn’t her former instructor understand?

“Calm yourself, Sora,” they insisted. “Here, let me speak with the White Fox. I’m acquainted with them.”

“I can’t...”

Sora couldn’t ask that terrifying figure to speak on her Sounding Stone. The White Fox looked at the Maiden as though she were looking at garbage. Sora truly believed that if she let her guard down, she would end up being fried.

“What’s wrong?” the False Fox asked her when he noticed her fretting.

It seemed the fake one was more amicable than the real one. Sora reaffirmed her commitment to the False Fox. The real one was too much for her.

“My superior wishes to speak with the boss,” she said.

“Oh, that’s a Sounding Stone. Those are nifty things. But I’ve got something better—a Smartphone!”

The False Fox was all too happy to accept the Sounding Stone from Sora. And then he walked up to the White Fox and tugged on her ear. Sora thought her heart was going to stop when she saw the White Fox being treated so roughly.

“What?” the White Fox said, scowling at the False Fox. For a moment, she was surrounded by a murderous aura so overwhelming it nearly caused Sora to black out. But the False Fox just kept grinning at her. Sora had been somewhat aware of it, but now she was certain this man was just about incapable of feeling fear.

“One of your people wants to talk to you,” he said to the White Fox.

She didn’t respond.

“C’mon, I’ll watch the frying pan for you.”

Looking not at all happy about it, the White Fox accepted the Sounding Stone.

The instructor got straight to the point.

“O White Fox, I haven’t had the privilege to speak with you in some time,” Sora’s former instructor said. “I understand my foolish pupil has been less than cordial. She’s also been saying some strange things, something about redeeming the world with fried tofu.”

The White Fox sat down on the counter and folded her legs. Her tail glimmered faintly. She cleared her throat and said, “How long has it been, you old fox? You heard correctly. Through fried tofu, we intend to bring about the death and rebirth of the world. This is the will of the fox gods.”

Her voice wasn’t anything like the complacent one she had previously spoken in. This voice sounded like that of a young man. It was quiet but powerful, and strangely charismatic. The False Fox looked at her, wide-eyed. His gaze wasn’t anywhere near the frying pan.

“I beg your pardon?! O White Fox, this is quite unlike the course we’ve main—”

“Not another word. We’re going to realign our organization into one optimal for producing fried tofu. Anyone who objects will be erased.”

“But the other White Foxes—oh, never mind. S-So what would you have us do?!”

The White Fox looked at the frying pan, then hopped off the counter. “Fry tofu,” she answered. This was said in her normal voice, but Sora couldn’t tell if her flummoxed instructor had even noticed that.

The White Fox tossed the Sounding Stone back to Sora, then sorrowfully removed an overdone slab of fried tofu from the frying pan.

This was it. The organization was done for. Perhaps at least now her instructor understood that Sora wasn’t to blame.

In the end, the White Fox didn’t stop making fried tofu until the ingredients prepared by the False Fox ran out. It should be mentioned that the White Fox ate every morsel the moment it was cooked, so nothing remained.

While Sora hoped to never smell oil again for as long as she lived, the White Fox seemed disappointed. She had eaten enough for a dozen or more adults, but she still wasn’t satisfied. She had gone on about conquering the world through fried tofu, but she clearly just wanted to eat some.

Unable to endure the silence, Sora commented, “O White Fox, you seem quite fond of fried tofu.”

“Not really,” she bristled.

Yet she had gorged on all that fried tofu. That must’ve had more mass than her entire body, but her stomach was flat as it had been earlier. The White Fox didn’t say anything more. Sora wasn’t sure what to say, but then she didn’t have to.

“If you don’t make me more fried tofu in ten seconds, I’ll—”

“If I may,” Sora said, cutting her off. “How do you and the False Fox—I mean, the Thousand Tricks know each other?”

The White Fox didn’t immediately answer.

Sora felt like she had just dodged a bullet. She had heard the bosses were people you had to be careful around, but this one considered restraint a foreign concept. As Sora calmed her beating heart, the White Fox slowly opened her mouth, a faint glow emitting from her tail.

“Mr. Caution,” she said, “is a consultant. We hired him so our organization can transition into a producer of fried tofu.”

That was preposterous. For one thing, there was no reason a secret organization would need to produce fried tofu. Did the other White Foxes know about this? And who was Mr. Caution?

“Of course, the other mask-bearers are aware of this. ‘Mr. Caution’ is a nickname for the Thousand Tricks. It’s how we refer to him.”

Sora was taken aback. It was almost as though the White Fox had been reading her mind.

The thought that the other bosses knew of this plan was terrifying to her. What in the world was going on in this organization? What had happened to it? The boss kept talking about taking over the world with fried tofu, but that wasn’t something groups like theirs did. Even in a command structure that demanded absolute loyalty to one’s superiors, Sora couldn’t imagine the other members would show any enthusiasm for this.

Those at the top decided the rules, but maybe the boss was trying to say Fox would never take off if it remained an underground society? Sora didn’t necessarily have the right to know, but what was the death and rebirth of the world via fried tofu even supposed to be? These and more questions without answers circled through her head.

“I decide the rules,” the White Fox said while swishing her luminescent tail. “Nowadays, underground societies don’t really take off. You aren’t permitted to know about the death and rebirth.”

“I-I see.”

Sora didn’t feel like she could argue with that. Was this apparent ability to read her mind another sign of the boss’s greatness? Sora began to tremble, which made the White Fox seem oddly pleased.

“But, I must say, O White Fox, we might be planning to remake the world with fried tofu, but headquarters is yet to put out any official orders. Won’t this cause confusion among our ranks?”

It was one thing that Sora hadn’t known, but even someone as high in the ranks as Galf hadn’t been aware of this change of course. Even with their dedication to secrecy, this must have been unprecedented.

Then, for the first time, the White Fox asked Sora a question.

“What do you think, Sora?”

Well, she thought they should first use their communication networks to make sure everyone was aware of this plan. While the change may have been a sudden one, the current state of affairs was far outside the norm for Fox.

Coordination was one of their strengths. If orders to make fried tofu were to come down through the normal chain of command, the other members would find them odd, but still be willing to go along with it. But there was no way the White Fox could be ignorant of that.

The White Fox’s tail came to a halt. She said in a quiet voice, “Might I ask, just to be sure, Sora, are you familiar with this chain of command?”

“N-No, I’m not. That’s not something a mere priestess would know.”

What was the White Fox getting at? There was no reason Sora would know about the bosses’ chain of command!

“I see...”

The White Fox sank into a contemplative silence. Then came a knock at the door.

“Boss, are you present?”

That was Galf’s voice.

“J-Just a moment, if you would!” Sora cried.

This would be Galf’s first meeting with this White Fox, not to mention he hadn’t yet realized the False Fox was an imposter. The matter of Sora’s misidentification had been resolved, except that Galf hadn’t learned of it yet.

“O White Fox, that’s the man in charge of the current operation. What shall I do?”

“Let him in.”

With that, Sora had no choice but to unlock the door. Then she turned around and gasped. Standing there was someone who had left earlier—the False Fox. There wasn’t a trace of the White Fox, who had been conversing with Sora just moments ago. The False Fox’s height and visage were unchanged, but his demeanor was more dignified, his bearing more imposing.

Galf paled when he saw this new figure. “O-Oh. I’ve returned,” he announced.

With a regal nod, the False Fox sat on the counter and crossed his legs. “Welcome back, Galf. You don’t need to tell me anything. I can see it on your face. You’ve done what I ordered you to.”

“Ah,” Galf stammered and lowered to one knee. “You honor me—”

“You think I’ve changed, don’t you?” The boss smiled. “That was all nothing more than an act. By portraying myself as such a disgrace, I was testing you. You’ve done a fine job proving your loyalty.”

Galf was in awe of the complete change. And that was when Sora noticed it. Sprouting from the False Fox’s backside was a tail. She had a very bad feeling about this.

“Now, there’s no need to grovel. I keep my promises. I’ll entrust this mask, and our current objective, to you.”

“Objective?”

Then the false False Fox that was actually the White Fox spoke with a confidence that the real False Fox could never manage. “The currently underway Plan A—the annihilation plan intended to be carried out at the Supreme Warrior Festival—is canceled. Dedicate all available resources to the production of fried tofu. With your command structure, convey this to your subordinates.”

***

Phantoms were the recreations of past memories. They weren’t living creatures and therefore were driven by different instincts. Their behavior was derived from the histories that created them. The unimaginably powerful spectral foxes of Peregrine Lodge were no exception.

Little Sister Fox couldn’t ignore the drive. She had no need to eat, nor did she consider herself an ally of Mr. Caution. But the impulses carved into her spirit gave her a burning desire for that thing known as fried tofu.

And for Little Sister Fox, engaging in tests of wits with and playing pranks on humans was her reason for being.

“O-O White Fox, are you sure about this?” asked the young woman in the white robe.

“It’s fine,” Little Sister Fox answered coolly. She didn’t know how many times she had answered this question. “It’s all been laid out in precise calculations. It’s all figured out.”

“U-Understood. I’m following your orders. Your orders...”

Little Sister Fox had no interest in the affairs of humans. She was a phantom born from a god. In other words, she herself was a god. The divine could be wrathful. Mere mortals meant nothing to them. She only obeyed Mr. Caution because they had made a deal.

Thousands of people could die, organizations could be brought to ruin, but Little Sister Fox was still just a fox. If anyone was at fault, it was those who let the wool get pulled over their eyes after being subjected to a few tricks or a little mind reading. Those people should’ve followed Mr. Caution’s example. That human was so bereft of productive thoughts it was almost baffling. It was as though he was intentionally letting the foxes influence him. She understood how her mother had lost.

It sounded strange, but people like him were the trickiest opponents of all when it came to battles of wits. Not even Little Sister Fox knew what to do. Still, back when she had been secluded in the treasure vault, opportunities to deceive humans had been all too rare. Her tail began to wag rapidly.

Then the Sounding Stone the priestess had given her began to vibrate. She received the call, but didn’t hear anything. She tilted her head and studied it for a moment when a voice suddenly emerged.

“Identify yourself.”

She didn’t say anything. She had been prepared to potentially accept failure. Even her powers had limits. She couldn’t do everything, and she did some things better than others. Fooling people far away was something she had difficulties with. This person would be especially tricky as they seemed to have a well-fortified mind. She could get glimpses of their thoughts. Their voice was powerful, enough to even unsettle a grand phantom.

Now, whose form would she take? Sora’s? Galf’s? Sora’s former instructor? Little Sister Fox was unconcerned with their affairs, but she wasn’t ignorant of them. She rubbed her tail and thought. Then she had a great idea.

I’m on fire today.

She changed her voice to match that of Mr. Caution and said, “It’s nice to meet you, boss. Though maybe that’s a strange thing to say. After all, I’ve been watching you for a long time. Some people call me the Thousand Tricks. I know nothing of caution and I’d say I’m your adversary.”

***

I spent the day taking it easy in the inn. I didn’t really know why, but everything was going my way this time. After being attacked by Troglodytes during my vacation and running into Peregrine Lodge during the escort job, things were finally looking up.

While I plucked another piece of chocolate, Sitri quietly approached me and whispered, “Sooo, Krai, how much longer?”

“Until what?”

She had cooled off a bit after being tossed out the window, but she was still in fine spirits. What was going on with her?

Cheeks flushed, she took my hand and said, “Oh, you and your jokes, Krai. I’m talking about Fox. Fox. You see, if you give them to me, there’s quite a lot I’d like to do.”

“Oh, yeah. That.”

That wasn’t ringing any bells, but I nodded along anyway. Foxes had been popping up all over lately, but it sounded like she was talking about the mask enthusiasts.

Come to think of it, I don’t know their official name. Eh, I guess it doesn’t matter.

I popped a chocolate into my mouth and said, “I won’t give them to you.”

“Huh?! Um, you’re joking, right?”

“They’re not mine to give in the first place.”

She gasped. “That was a lie? Krai, you lied to me?!”

I didn’t recall ever saying I would give her Fox.

“Well, I’ve already done so much of that...”

I counted on my fingers. I had shoved the imperial princess onto the other Grievers, Galf and Touka onto the other Grievers, Little Sister Fox onto Sora, and made Sora cook fried tofu. I was just going with the flow, but maybe I should have put a bit more thought into it. I was hoping giving away the mask would be enough for them to forgive me.

But how did I even get here? Strange.

“Yes, and I, too, wanted to do that!”

Sitri pressed herself against me and shook my shoulders. I brought a piece of chocolate to her lips, but she shook her head. More regressive behavior from her.

I, too, wanted to do that. But I didn’t plan on doing that. And what is that?

“I can’t believe you, Krai! Even after all the money I’ve lent you! After I bought you a kitchen for making fried tofu!”

“Ha ha ha. You’re very kind, Sitri.”

“What’s so amusing about making me cry?!”

“You’ve always had a knack for crocodile tears.”

I was serious. Ever since we were kids, she had repeatedly given me fake tears. Maybe because she was the youngest of three siblings, Sitri was good at getting her way and letting people indulge her.

She was leaning up against me, but she didn’t weigh much, had a nice figure, and wasn’t pressing too hard, so I wasn’t bothered. If anything, I thought she could charge for this.

As we goofed around, a shadow fell over us. Before I could even wonder why, a shortsword was thrust in front of my eyes. The shadow was Lucia’s. Something must’ve happened; her pallor was white as a ghost’s.

“Brother!” she heaved. “I did it, in spite of what it cost me!”

“Wh-What’s the matter?” I asked. “You look terrible.”

“Lucy! I’m in the middle of negotiations with Krai, so go away!” Sitri said with tears in her eyes.

I had no idea we were negotiating.

Lucia ignored her and said in a weary voice, “Somehow. I’ve somehow managed to successfully charge Key of the Land. This is the most mana I’ve ever put into a Relic. Even ten years wouldn’t be enough time for Luke to charge it. What sort of Relic is this?”

“Oh. Oh! Thanks! This is great.”

I finally realized the sword thrust in front of me was a Relic. Honestly, I had thought I was about to be killed. I broke free from Sitri’s embrace and took the Relic. Years of charging Relics had given her a mana pool that exceeded even Noble Spirits. I hadn’t expected this sword to be such a tribulation for someone who could top off all of my Safety Rings with ease.

“Hmmm. Well, if its power is proportional to the charge it requires,” she said, a scowl on her face and a tremble entering her voice, “it’s probably comparable to the Floating Fortress.”

“You must be kidding. This is a sword-type Relic!”

The Relic mentioned by Lucia required more mana than any other in the world. She must have really pushed herself to charge this sword. I had trouble recalling the last time I had seen her so pale. The Supreme Warrior Festival was around the corner, yet she forced herself to do something so excessive.

For the time being, I slid the sword into my belt and said, “You should get some rest. Here, I’ll take you.”

I reached out and wrapped her arms around my shoulder. I wasn’t any stronger than the average person, but that didn’t matter when Lucia’s tiny frame was so lightweight.

“Yah!” she cried. “Th-There’s no need. I can get there by myself!”

She stopped yelping at me when she realized I wasn’t going to bend on this. Half-cocked moves were my default approach to life, but even I wasn’t okay with overworking my little sister. She didn’t say anything when I put her into bed, probably because she was ashamed to be aided by her useless older brother.

“You can borrow a page from Lusha’s book and depend on your brother,” I told her. “Unlike those two, we’re actually siblings.”

“Are you asking to get hit?!”

Okay, I’m not asking for that much contact.

Lucia crawled under the covers, then said in a rapid-fire voice, “Don’t you have better things to be doing than telling me nonsense? I’m fine. If anything, mana depletion helps me grow. Thank you. Now, don’t you have stuff to take care of?”

“No, I’m pretty free right now.”

There was a moment of protracted silence before she said, “I need to change, so get out!”

I thought I had finally gotten a chance to act like a good brother, but I guess it wasn’t that simple.

So how do I get Sitri to change her mind?

Unfortunately, Liz and Ansem were both out. Actually, that lack of natural predators was probably exactly why Sitri had chosen that moment to strike. She knew how to work things to her advantage.

I returned to the living room to find Sitri no longer fake-crying, but instead wearing a suspicious smile.

“Is Lucy all right?” she asked.

“Yeah. It was that, as usual. She’ll be fine after a bit of rest, it was just mana depletion after all.”

I had my reservations about it, but if I had to, I could always ask Sitri for a mana potion.

“Oh, wonderful!” she said. “Nooow, I just remembered, I have something very special I’d like to show you!”

“Hm?”

“I’d say it’s comparable to Key of the Land! If this doesn’t convince you to hand Fox over to me, nothing will!”

Covering her mouth with her hand and giggling, Sitri seemed awfully confident. Only, it didn’t matter what she showed me, the Fox Mask Fan Club wasn’t mine to give.

I kept my expectations low as I watched Sitri clap her hands twice. The door swung open and Sitri’s partner, Killiam, came jogging in. He was emaciated after being starved during the escort quest and wore his usual banana hammock and paper bag. But on his back, he was carrying a bag large enough to fit a child. The gray macho was short of breath, something I didn’t think I had ever seen before.

I guess he is a living creature, after all.

“I told him to come as quickly as he could,” Sitri explained. “But it wasn’t exactly a short distance he had to cover.”

“Don’t force him. So wait, you brought him? He wasn’t with the carriage, so I thought he had been left behind to hold down the fort.”

“I had to bring Drink and Akasha as I planned to use them in the Supreme Warrior Festival, so I had to make sacrifices. I had asked Talia for help, but it turned out to be too much for her.”

She’s going to bring Drink and that golem with her? What the hell is this tournament?

“Now, behold! This is the result of my latest research and will perfectly meet your demands! After seeing this, will you still insist you can’t cede Fox to me?”

Killiam turned the bag upside down, and its contents were dumped onto the carpet. My brain froze when I saw what had been in the bag. It was a child. She had sky-blue hair and was completely naked. She didn’t make a single noise, despite being carelessly tossed to the ground. She slowly looked up at me.

When I saw her face, my heart nearly stopped—it was Princess Murina’s face. There was no mistaking it. She had neat silken hair, intelligent eyes, and a general air of frailty. This wasn’t a look-alike, this could very well be the imperial princess herself.

My first thought was that this might somehow be part of her training, but then I stopped myself. There was no reason to let the imperial princess go around disrobed! We could on some insane level justify putting her through hellish training and even letting her be carried around in a bag by an emaciated macho in a banana hammock, but letting her be naked was not going to fly. Franz was going to kill me.

And why wasn’t she saying anything? Was she okay with this? Was she supposed to be a present? What would I do if someone saw this?

I hope I’m a stone in my next life.

“So, what do you think of my tour de force, Killiam Mk.2?” Sitri asked.

Did you make this so I could get Killiam’d? 

“Do you like it? She looks just like Her Imperial Highness!”

“N-No. That is Princess Murina, isn’t it?”

“Indeed! I made her from the blood I collected. Though I was in the middle of research, I gave it my all. With my lack of time and duties training the real one, I even sacrificed sleep. I even invested some of my funds into this project! But you said that Her Imperial Highness needed to be at a level where she could compete in the Supreme Warrior Festival, so I didn’t see what else—”

“You made this?!”

I accidentally spit out my chocolate. My heart was pounding with fear.

The more I looked, the more I could see just how deep the resemblance between Killiam Mk.2 and Princess Murina was. However, the former was a bit taller, and, more importantly, I didn’t think the real imperial princess would remain so docile under these circumstances. But what bothered me the most was Sitri was acting like this was my fault.

Maybe the Si tree isn’t actually the smartest in the forest?

Was this really better than if it was the real imperial princess before me? I couldn’t tell.

“Preparing Her Highness for the Supreme Warrior Festival proved beyond our capabilities,” Sitri told me. “But I anticipated that possibility. There should be no problems if we use Killiam Mk.2! What do you think?! Your dear Sitri has created a new magical creature in order to perfectly meet the inordinate requests of her beloved Krai! And yet, will you still insist on keeping Fox from me?!”

“Sitri, are you threatening me?!”

Sitri looked at me with wide eyes. “Huh?”

I did the same to her. “Huh?”

Killiam Mk.2 blinked a few times and looked at me. She opened her delicate lips and said in a voice gentle as a bell, “Kill, kill...”

There was no way sending an impersonator into the tournament could possibly end well. Besides, there were definitely at least a few people who would object to imperial blood being used to produce a clone. Did Sitri live off curiosity or something? When I first saw that blood vial, I just groaned and looked the other way. How could I have imagined she’d do something like this?! Where did she get the technology?!

While one objection after another popped up in my head, the imperial princess walked up to me and stood as though awaiting orders. Just like Killiam Mk.1, she had a strong sense of loyalty. The room fell silent. Neither Killiam nor Princess Killina moved.

Think, Krai Andrey the preterhuman artificer! You can do it! How are you gonna get out of this? This might be too much for—no, even if I was capable of preterhuman artifice, there wouldn’t be any solving this. Not even Krahi could handle this!

My brain wasn’t working. I forced my mouth open and said, “Did you decide to get another after winning the lottery or something?”

“Krai, um, my experiment was a success. Please, compliment me.”

“You’re incredible, Sitri.”

She put her head in front of me and I praised her as though I was automated to do so. She had a nice head. I ran my hand through her soft hair, then realized now wasn’t the time for this and instead bopped her on the head. Sitri let out a small shriek of delight.

I’m the one who should be shrieking, you stupid tree!

“By the way, there were three failed attempts before I had a successful one,” she added.

I pretended I hadn’t heard anything and kept thinking.

Wait. A body double. Can we use her as a body double? But Killiam Mk.2—no, Killiamina, only says “kill, kill.” Can we say this is part of her training? No!

“I made it in time for the tournament,” Sitri said. “Oh, I can’t wait to show her off!”

No, no you can’t show her off! Is your heart made of steel?

I couldn’t rely on the usually reliable Sitri. I had to think on my own. I had to come up with a way out of this.

***

After reading the newspaper and learning the latest from her friends in the mercantile business, Eva let out a very deep sigh.

“It seems they’re up to something.”

All was peaceful in Kreat, which was unusual for this time of the year. However, the cause of this calm eluded her. Attacks on participants were practically a given when the Supreme Warrior Festival drew near. The local authorities had tried to stop the pot of aggression from boiling over, but hadn’t yet figured out an effective measure. And yet this year, peace seemed to have arrived of its own accord.

Some people were just grateful for the tranquility, while others were convinced this was the calm before the storm. Eva didn’t know for sure if this was Krai’s work, and if it was, how he could have possibly held back the attacks when their perpetrators and underlying motives were so diverse? Nonetheless, she had the impression that once again, there wouldn’t be much she could do to help.

Given Krai’s complete disinterest in glory, she had been suspicious when he said he would partake in the Supreme Warrior Festival. Could it be that he really had just taken an interest in the tournament? Even after consulting her past experiences, she really couldn’t be sure one way or another. No matter how many years she had been around him, he was still the Thousand Tricks.

She told herself to calm down and stop worrying. If he needed her help, he would come to her. She set the newspaper down and took a deep breath when there was a sudden knock on the door.

“Eva, help me!”

“W-Well I did tell myself this might happen! Though not this quickly!”

She thought something might happen, but she hadn’t had nearly enough time to mentally prepare herself. She unlocked the door, and in came the clan master, wearing his usual languid expression. Shouldering a large bag, Sitri followed him in. Krai looked around to make sure nobody else was in the room, then heaved a sigh.

“So what’s the matter?” Eva asked. “I can’t do anything with information.”

This wasn’t the first time Krai had gone to Eva for assistance. Most of the time, he just needed her to negotiate or take care of some mess, which wasn’t difficult, but it was tiresome. This man could resolve all sorts of crises, but there were some things even he struggled with. Eva braced herself for more of the same.

“You’ll help me?” he asked, as though to be sure. Contrary to his vast capabilities, he always looked uncertain of himself.

“Sure, if there’s something I can—”

Once more, he sighed, this time with relief. He pointed at the bag, then said in a low voice, “First, I want you to see this.”

Sitri opened the bag and emptied its contents onto the floor. Eva’s brain came to a halt. On the floor was the imperial princess, Murina Atolm Zebrudia, wearing a coat a few sizes too big for her. She had a stoic expression, but it was unmistakably her. Last Eva had heard, Krai was supposed to be mentoring her.

“Wha?! Why was she in that bag? And why is she dressed like that?”

“You see, this is actually a fake. The real imperial princess is currently at her lessons. Earlier, she wasn’t wearing anything, so I lent her some of my clothes.”

Eva was baffled. The imperial princess, however, just looked at her unfalteringly, not making any movements beyond some slow blinking. Eva’s brain slowly began to move again. In every way, this girl before her looked like the imperial princess. Her ability to formulate a response to this absurd situation was informed by her previous experience with absurd situations.

Fearing hyperpnea, she calmed herself and spoke in an equally hushed voice. “Could you elaborate?”

“She’s a fabricated being. It’s messed up.”

“Fabricated. Being.”

Eva slowly let those words sink in. That was messed up. The clan master often panicked over trivial things, but this really was bad.

She took another look at the fake imperial princess. Her hair and eye color, her build—it was identical to Princess Murina. The only discrepancy was in her facial expression. The imperial princess that Eva knew always looked uneasy or like she might be about to cry. But this one was so placid it was impossible to tell what she might be thinking.

This couldn’t be a body double or someone in disguise. This couldn’t even be a twin sister. Eva took pride in her ability to remember faces and see through facades, but even she couldn’t tell this one apart from the real imperial princess.

Slowly, her brain began to move again. Think, think, think, she told herself. What purpose could this serve? Why was this done? Could it be a body double? No, this was too inhumane. And if it was, Krai wouldn’t be panicking. And who had even made this being? The empire, much less the emperor himself, would never have given permission to do something like this. Technologically and ethically speaking, this couldn’t be the work of an outside laboratory.

Eva felt a chill and caught the scent of a conspiracy afoot. If anyone could produce a copy of the imperial princess, it would have to be some major criminal organization. Could it be Akashic Tower, who had caused so much havoc not long ago?

Or could it be the people Krai fought while protecting the emperor? That did it. The dots connected. Krai was a Level 8 known for his constant composure; there couldn’t be many entities capable of causing him to fret.

“Could it be Nine-Tailed Shadow Fox?” she asked with immense trepidation. “Is this the work of Fox?”

Krai’s eyes bulged. Was he surprised that Eva had made a correct guess with so little to go off? Eva’s years of experience as his right hand hadn’t been for nothing. But now wasn’t the time for self-congratulations.

“I believe I understand now,” she said. “You rescued her from Fox, didn’t you?”

There was a long silence between them.

“Yeah,” he said at last.

So Eva was right. She had heard that Fox had plotted and failed to assassinate the emperor. But they were a large organization with a reputation to maintain. After failing to kill the emperor, it wasn’t odd that they might try again, but instead go after this daughter. Krai must have figured out that Fox had made a fake imperial princess and rescued her. Could it be that this was why he had accepted the request to mentor Princess Murina?

There was sweat running down his cheeks. Clearly, even he was having trouble staying calm under these circumstances. Eva wanted to cover her ears, but a vice clan master had to stay calm when the clan master was in danger.

“Stay calm,” she said. “Is there just one copy?”

“Th-There were three failures.” Krai wavered. He must have witnessed a true travesty. “She was the only success. Right, Sitri?”

“Oh. Yes, that’s correct,” she said. “Curse you, Fox.”

Eva found her determination renewed by the sight of her faltering boss. She looked him in the eye and said, “His Imperial Majesty is to be among the spectators at the Supreme Warrior Festival. We should contact him.”

“Huh?!”

I knew he’d try to solve this all on his own.

“Krai, this isn’t something we can resolve without help,” she said. “And even if we can, the existence of this fake suggests that Her Imperial Highness is in danger. I understand your capabilities, but I still think we should contact them.”

“Hmm. You’re right. This is all Fox’s fault. I can always count on you, Eva.”

There was no time to lose. A fake imperial princess was an asset with tremendous potential. Every second counted, as Fox would no doubt come to take back what they had made. Having the fake princess so close to one of Fox’s greatest adversaries was too risky. However, this lodge was filled with the hunters of First Steps, making it relatively secure.

“I’ll contact the empire,” Eva said. “For now, leave her with me. Sven is here, so I can ask him for protection. Krai, your fight with Fox—”

“Ah. Right.”

Eva didn’t know how this fight was being played out, but she had to do everything she could to help.

“I have to fight Fox,” he muttered. “The bad Fox.”

“Oh? Is there a good Fox?”

Were there collaborators within Fox of all organizations?

Krai gave her that uncertain look he always wore. “Just a few,” he said.

***

By consulting with Eva, Sitri’s work had somehow ended up being blamed on an underworld organization. This was messed up. Eva took the fake imperial princess and made a swift departure from our room. The grave look on her face wasn’t something a mere clan master like me could dare to defy.

The door clicked shut and Sitri pouted at me. “All that work, my big reveal, all gone to waste. I planned to use her to bargain with the empire.”

God. She isn’t sorry in the slightest. And what was she hoping to bargain for?

I recalled something Liz had once told me: Sitri could do everything, but every now and again, she had to screw something up. She used Sitri’s suspected involvement in the mass prison break as an example. At the time, this struck me as an exaggeration, but now I was thinking Liz might’ve been right.

So what do I do now?

Sitri had been looking at me reproachfully, but then she seemed to have a change of heart. “Well, this might not be such a bad development. Fox is in no position to protest overtly!”

I appreciated her positive attitude, but I also thought she was a bit too quick to change her position. Sure, a bunch of criminals weren’t likely to protest the accusations, but if the truth got out, it’d be all over for us. All this made me ask what happened to the clever, cute, and reliable Sitri I had once known.

My usual savior had a twinkle in her eyes as she clapped her hands like she always did. “Right! Let’s make a few more demands of them. And if they fail to meet them, they can die!”

“Hey! Do I have to remind you whose fault this is?!”

I grabbed Sitri by the shoulders, which must have caught her off guard, as she wobbled and fell.

“Eee!” she yelped.

By coincidence, she landed beneath me. A vial of brightly colored liquid rolled across my peripheral vision.

“Ah...”

I heard the sound of breaking glass. The next moment, everything was thrown out of order, like we had been tossed into a storm. From behind me, there was a boom accompanied by a sweltering impact, all of which were deflected by my Safety Rings. I fell to the ground and wrapped my arms around her, my world turning upside down the next moment. We fell, another ring activating as we hit the ground. Whether we hit our heads or feet, it was all the same to a Safety Ring.

We quickly got back on our feet and saw a large hole in the ceiling. Had we been attacked? Or had it been some natural disaster? The sensation had suggested some sort of explosive, but I didn’t see any scorch marks.

Sitri let out a small groan.

“What?! What in the world was that?! Huh?!” I cried.

“Calm down, Krai. An enhanced explosive potion slipped out. That’s all.”

That was a potion?! O-Oh...

Fortunately, the room below us was unoccupied. But the room above had been partly destroyed. That wasn’t good. If not for my Safety Rings, I definitely would’ve been killed in that explosion. What a dangerous thing to just carry around with you.

“Are you all right?” I asked.

“Of course. I had you to protect me. I’m unharmed!”

If I hadn’t been here, the room wouldn’t have been blown to smithereens in the first place. My heart was still threatening to burst from my chest. The Safety Rings had kept me safe, but it was still hard to not be shaken by something like that. I was ready to vomit.

I guess I can’t be mad at her for making princesses when I’m causing explosions.

I heard footsteps upstairs, then the sound of a door opening. Eva looked down at us through the hole in the ceiling.

“Oh! What in the world happened?!”

“Umm.”

Having just pushed a big responsibility off onto Eva, I didn’t really know what to say to her.

I felt Sitri’s lips brush the back of my neck before she stood up and said, “Don’t worry, we’re quite fine, Eva. We were simply attacked. By Fox.”

Could it be? Am I Fox?!

Eva gulped, the blood draining from her face. Sitri grabbed my hand and helped me up. I wobbled a bit, but quickly regained my strength. For better or for worse, I was used to accidents.

“There’s no further problems,” Sitri continued. “They struck from a distance. The lackey behind the attack has already fled out of fear of Krai. Hmm. This calls for a plan of operations. Contact His Imperial Majesty immediately!”

What insane mental fortitude she had. It was like she was used to this.

Sven poked his head through the hole. He must have heard the noise as well. “Ooh. They really got you.”

I pulled my fraying heart back together and did my best to appear hard-boiled. “We’re unharmed. But I can’t say the same for the flooring and furniture.”

In a mansion situated near the center of Kreat, I met with Franz for the first time in a while. The opportunity to talk with the emperor and his people came surprisingly easily, all thanks to Eva’s exceptional talents. She had even explained the situation to them, so I didn’t have to. It would’ve been even better if that report hadn’t been filled to the brim with our false intel.

“Hmmm. This is the last thing I wanted to see,” he said. Franz was pale as a ghost; even he couldn’t stay cool at a time like this. “I figured there was more than our investigations had brought to light, but I hadn’t imagined Fox might be capable of something like this. When you suddenly said you were bringing Her Imperial Highness away from the imperial capital, I wanted to rip you limb from limb...”

“I hadn’t expected this either. It took me by surprise.”

Why’s Franz using such aggressive words? He doesn’t sound at all like one of Zebrudia’s storied nobles. 

Why did Sitri have to keep doing dangerous experiments? She had already done so much, I thought she could slow down a bit. Unless she was first-rate precisely because she didn’t slow down?

Standing before Franz, the fake Murina didn’t move a muscle. Something about the way she stood there reminded me of Killiam. However that was the only similarity between the Mk.1 and the Mk.2.

Sitri crossed her arms. “Goodness, what a horrifying organization Fox is,” she said like this wasn’t her work.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever trust her again. Dealing with the crafty Alchemists and merchants of the imperial capital had made her tough, but had she also lost her conscience?

“This couldn’t be a mere disguise,” Franz said. “We need to report to His Imperial Majesty—”

“It’s not just this,” Sitri interrupted. “They’re conducting experiments that involve placing phantoms in blenders and extracting their mana material! I saw it with my own eyes! The phantoms howled with rage as they were viciously chopped up and their liquid mana material withdrawn!”

“Wh-What did she say?!” Eva said, looking at me. For some reason, it wasn’t just her and Franz, Sitri was also looking my way. But if anyone was thrown for a loop, it was me.

Tears in her eyes, Sitri clenched her fists and continued, her voice shriller than before. “Not only that, they tried to make a magic creature by stitching together the best parts of different criminals! Curse you, Fox!”

Quit it! You’re scaring me, and I don’t even know what you’re talking about!

I put my hand on Sitri’s head, stopping her there. “Well, that’s not worth worrying about.”

“Not worth worrying about?!” Franz exclaimed. “Extracting mana material and creating dangerous magical creatures are both strictly forbidden! You’re awfully calm for someone who just survived an attempt at revenge! Someone weaker would’ve died!”

Oh. Yeah. That’s right. That potion was concocted to kill high-level phantoms.

This would’ve been so much easier if I hadn’t known more than I did.

“Yeah, but I’m used to being assaulted,” I said.

Needless to say, I was also used to screwing up. My urges to start groveling were kicking up.

Franz crossed his arms and scrutinized the fake imperial princess. After a few moments of that, he stepped in front of me, his eyes looking down into mine. His face was grave, wrinkles etched into his forehead.

“The laboratory was destroyed,” Sitri told him. “I don’t believe we’ll see them produce any further imposters.”

“Hmph. So you’re telling me we’ve avoided the worst-case scenario? Even if they manage to make another one, we can come up with a counter method, now that we’re aware of their plot. Now tell me, can this imposter not speak?”

“I imagine they were afraid she might say the wrong thing.”

“No faith in their own creation. Bah, those wretched scum.”

Sitri just grinned.

Stop, Franz, you’re insulting Sitri! She’s a little odd, but she’s not a bad girl!

“She probably hasn’t been programmed yet,” she explained. “In her current state, I’d say she’s harmless.”

Franz looked at her. “You’re very well informed.”

Sitri looked back at him. “I’m an Alchemist. I have a passing familiarity with magical creatures like this.”

I was astounded by her ability to lie with such ease.

“Oh, very well,” Franz sighed. “We’ll take the fake imperial princess. Later, I expect you to tell me about this laboratory you destroyed. I want to investigate it as soon as I can, but we don’t have the hands to spare right now. Though I don’t like to admit it, we don’t have the resources for anything more than our current operation in Kreat. We can’t bring too many knights into a foreign land without risking an incident.”

It sounded like Franz had his hands full. I could see how tired he was just by looking at his face. He already was in charge of the emperor’s safety, now he had to deal with this. Couldn’t have been easy.

“Oh, an operation in Kreat? Is something going on?” I asked.

“Hm?” Franz furrowed his brow as he looked at me suspiciously. “Didn’t the Association talk to you about it? It’s the matter regarding Key of the Land.”

They had said Fox was planning something, but I hadn’t heard any details.

Wait. Key of the Land?

“Come to think of it, you’re a Relic collector, aren’t you? Do you know anything?”

In response, I drew Key of the Land from its scabbard. I let the light reflect off the patterned blade. It might not have been meant for combat, but I found it very pleasing to the eye.

“Mmm, not even I know much about it. There’s one at a museum, so maybe you could ask them?”

Franz looked at me in stunned silence. I was glad he acknowledged that I was a collector, but the world of Relics was a deep one. Even with it in my hands, I couldn’t tell much more than that it was something special.

It was then that I realized Franz’s eyes were close to bursting from their sockets. I moved the Relic, and his gaze followed it.

I put the sword away and smiled at him. I thought I’d mention the museum again. “This one is beyond even my knowledge. There’s one at a museum—”

“WH-WHY DO YOU HAVE THAT?!” he bellowed.

***

An organization that had slowly grown in the shadows was, for the first time since its founding, thrown into disarray.

Their dedication to secrecy meant their members were largely kept in the dark. Fox operated on a system in which agents from all around would report to headquarters, headquarters would investigate thoroughly, then disperse information as necessary. Most communication was done over Sounding Stones and agents weren’t made aware of where headquarters was located.

This thorough confidentiality was one of the reasons Fox had managed to remain so elusive. But now, that same trait was working against them.

Fox’s task forces were allowed a level of autonomy because contacting headquarters was a complicated process and the organization liked to keep chatter to a minimum unless there was an emergency.

“Producing fried tofu? What operation is that?”

“We received a report from Galf that it’s proceeding apace.”

“We’ve learned that they’re in contact with other organizations, even previous adversaries.”

“That must be part of his plan. That man is a cautious one. Though I think he’s taking it a step too far.”

At the operational headquarters that managed the imperial capital and the surrounding areas, specialists were struggling to organize the information flowing in from their collaborators.

“We’ve received word that there was a bombing at the lodge housing First Steps. Which team did this?!”

“A fake imperial princess appeared?”

Any significant degree of information required some time to process, but this was too much. As long as no reports were coming from the team on the ground, it was fair to assume they weren’t running into any problems. But this was Fox’s grandest plot yet. If it were to end in failure, their other operations would all be affected.

The lodge bombing was one thing, but the false imperial princess? Fried tofu? That couldn’t be overlooked.

“Send a team,” said a voice brimming with tension. “There might be something happening. And figure out which idiot researcher made a copy of the imperial princess! We were already blindsided by the leaks during the Counter Cascade’s failure, we can’t have any more!”

Someone stood up and said, “Emergency communication from the boss. The Kreat team is believed to have been infiltrated!”

Everyone paled when they heard these dreaded words. For a second, nobody wanted to believe it.

“What was that?”

Fox was extraordinarily particular about its members. Galf was experienced, strong, charismatic, and a good leader. It was hard to ask for more. Though he was a bit too ambitious, he was meticulous and known for rarely having to deviate from his plans, which was why had been chosen to lead such an important mission. He had even been permitted to have a Holy Fox Maiden on his team.

“He’s not the backstabbing type. Is it possible someone deceived him and wormed their way to his side?”

That was impossible. Galf never trusted outsiders. He only trusted other organization members. However, thinking back on it, there was something off about the case with the Counter Cascade. That man had been far too skilled of an assassin to be stopped by anyone not already aware of his plans, not to mention he had hidden his true powers even from his fellow clan members. This left just one conclusion.

“Could it be? Could someone from inside our organization have betrayed us?!”

The room instantly fell silent.

One result of Fox’s secrecy was that very few members were aware that there wasn’t just one boss. There were multiple commanders bearing those special masks. Each one of them oversaw a large turf, and they regularly communicated with each other to determine the direction of the organization.

Galf was prudent as could be, and Telm had been a Level 7 hunter, but they had both been outmaneuvered. Just one instance could be written off, but there had to be a reason if this had happened twice. Those two were wary of outsiders; if they had been defeated, it could only have been at the hands of a traitor. What’s more, there were very few members of Fox who could have issued commands to high-ranking members without raising suspicions.

This operation could decide the fate of the organization and could greatly expand the influence of the boss in the imperial region. Internal conflicts came with all organizations, no matter when or where they were from. So far, Fox had managed to avoid them.

“What do we do?”

“This is beyond our capabilities. The boss should have figured it out.”

If the operator was right, this wasn’t Galf’s fault. The identities of the bosses were kept secret and their authority was absolute and unquestionable. It was how they had gotten as far as they had.

“The boss says we need to retake Key of the Land at all costs.”

“Hm?! Damn it. Contact Galf immediately. But don’t let him know the truth, we can’t risk letting the traitor realize we’re on to them. This can still be salvaged!”

Without Key of the Land, this operation couldn’t possibly go forward. If it couldn’t be regained, the operation was doomed. If an internal conflict broke out, the organization would be paralyzed and the casualties would be numerous. But it was too late to stop it.

The operators recovered from their stupor and got to work. The air in the room had changed. A savage conflict was before them, and closing in.

***

For the first time in a while, I had a date with the great potentate.

“Key of the Land has been secured, has it?” he said after hearing the report from Franz. I noticed his eyebrows twitching when he turned to me. “The rumors don’t do you justice. But with this and the copy of Murina, I fail to see how it all fits together.”

“I’d consider it a coincidence, Your Imperial Majesty,” I replied.

Franz gave me a glare that told me to keep those thoughts to myself, but I was being honest.

“You have my thanks, for this and for mentoring my daughter. I’ll be sure to prepare another token of my gratitude, though it’ll have to wait until the situation has subsided.”

“I-I’ve done nothing of note.”

I really hadn’t. The only thing of note here was Sitri’s evildoing.

Sitri, you’re amazing! Nobody else has ever been thanked for wringing out the imperial princess’s blood and making a copy of her!

While I was battling my guilt, Sitri stepped forward and said with complete confidence, “It was in Zebrudia where we became hunters. It’s only natural that we do what we can for the empire that helped make us.”

I wanted to rip out her tongue. This Sitri was a Sitri I couldn’t trust to do anything.

After listening to her platitudes, the emperor said, “I see. You’re Sitri Smart, are you not? I hear you’re quite the Alchemist.”

“You honor me greatly, Your Imperial Majesty. But when placed next to Krai’s, my abilities come off as meager and diminutive.”

Stop that.

She might have been doing it for my sake, but I was fed up with the meaningless exaltations.

“Hmm. By the way, may I ask what your relationship to the Thousand Tricks is?”

“I’m his wife.”

Without even thinking, I whacked her on the back of the head. Franz and the emperor both looked stunned.

Ah, now I’ve done it. But hold on. Everything she’s said has been a lie!

I made myself look as impressive as I possibly could, then tried to push it all under the rug. “That’s enough for jokes for now. Now, let’s get to our true business.”

“Ah. Indeed. Franz.”

Franz stepped forward. Sitri looked serious, like I hadn’t just bopped her on the head.

“Let’s start from the beginning,” Franz said. “Among certain circles, Key of the Land is designated a class-one weapon. When it was first discovered, its capabilities were uncertain and it was donated to a museum. However, the true nature of the Relic became known when literature regarding it was discovered.”

A class-one weapon. I was pretty sure that was really bad. An immense number of Relics existed, but class-one weapons were almost nonexistent. This meant Key of the Land was in the same bracket as Floating Fortress. Things like this were why I found Relics so fascinating. Because of their dangerous nature, information regarding Relics like this was kept confidential. Except Floating Fortress was so big, you couldn’t really hide it anywhere.

What the hell is that Relic doing in a museum?

“The reason Key of the Land was allowed to remain in the museum was because of the immense mana it requires,” Franz said. “Nobody is capable of charging it. In case another instance appears, it’s common practice to treat Relics like this as if they were something benign. Which invites the question of where those bastards got their information.”

“Huh? Nobody can charge it?”

“Correct. According to the discovered literature, in the era of the original Key of the Land, there was a tool meant specifically for storing power, and it stored more power than a human being could muster.”

This was starting to sound like one of those cases where a Relic required multiple parts to attain its true potential, but only one had manifested. It happened from time to time, but honestly, I wasn’t sure what purpose storing so much power could serve.

Relics weren’t necessarily identical to the historic tools that they were based on. I had heard many of these original tools didn’t require mana. And if the charging tool required as much power as Key of the Land, that would be the cart before the horse. These considerations were probably why the Relic was allowed to remain in the museum.

“I see,” I said with a nod. Now I understood why Luke had been unable to charge the sword.

Oh. No. Lucia charged it.

“Lucy used the tail and my potions,” Sitri excitedly whispered to me. “She was determined to charge it.”

Now wasn’t the time to tell me that.

“D-Don’t tell me,” Franz said in a voice that could have emerged from the deepest pits of hell. He must have caught on. “Did you charge it?”

“I never said that!”

“You’re sweating like a goddamn river! Do you think I was born yesterday?! Do you?!”

His booming voice rattled my eardrums, but I just didn’t know what to tell him. In his rage, he tried to grab me but was stopped by a small pale hand. Franz’s eyes bulged. The hand was that of the fake imperial princess. Sitri’s creations were always imbued with loyalty, but now was a bad time to show it!

“Calm down,” I told him. “Sure, I charged it, but what’s done is done.”

“S-So you did charge it?! How?!”

“If you have a Relic, it’s perfectly normal to charge it. Arnold, Ark, the Abyssal Inferno, everyone would do the same thing! Yeah, any treasure hunter would do the same!”

Franz had become red in the face. “Don’t try and pivot!”

I didn’t do anything wrong. If anything is wrong it’s, uh, the nature of treasure hunters!

“There’s nothing illegal about charging a Relic,” I said, desperate to prove my innocence.

“Are you trying to get us all killed?!”

“I didn’t know it was that dangerous.”

“Don’t lie to me! The Thousand Tricks, preterhuman artificer! Foresight that borders on precognition and an information network that spans the entire empire! There’s no way you couldn’t know! You should’ve noticed when you saw how much mana it required! If you don’t quit this act, I’ll put you behind bars!”

I couldn’t help but say what was on my mind. “Wow, you have a high opinion of me.”

“Augh!” he screamed.

Nothing good could come from imperial nobles believing those absurd rumors. I was a man with worse luck than the imperial princess.

Unsure what to do with Franz in his current state, the emperor instead looked at me dubiously. “You say you charged it, but it’s to my understanding that not even one hundred Noble Spirit Magi could manage that. How did—oh, did you perhaps obtain the Relic used to charge it?”

“Hm?”

Seeing my look of surprise, he pinched the bridge of his nose. “Are you telling me a human charged it? Is that possible? Heavens above...”

“Th-This man is special, Your Imperial Majesty!” Franz was quick to add.

Hmm. I see.

The emperor was a renowned warrior, but even he was at a loss. It seemed this Relic was no joke. Honestly, how did the Fox Mask Fan Club (temp. name) even get something this dangerous? I’d have to ask Galf the next time I saw him.

I loved Relics. I liked using them, I liked collecting them, and I was even willing to be indebted to Sitri if it was in the name of Relics. But I liked to think even I was capable of caution.

Keeping it in its generic scabbard, I removed the sword from my belt and offered it to Franz. “I understand now. Take it. I’ll leave it in your care.”

“Hm?!”

The moment they saw Key of the Land, the emperor recoiled and Franz stepped in front of him. Sitri looked at it aghast, and I’m fairly certain I heard the fake imperial princess say “Kill, kill.” I was the odd one out.

“Y-You’re standing before His Imperial Majesty, don’t just...”

“I told you, I’m giving it to you.”

“Don’t point it at me, you cretin! Please, Your Imperial Majesty, leave the room just to be safe!”

Did you call me a cretin?!

During this brief exchange, knights came pouring into the room.

“Don’t touch the key! If it activates, this land will be decimated! Apprehend him!”

Ahh, what the hell was I supposed to do?

***

Truly, there was nothing better than the human world. She had never before left the treasure vault, but she knew her instincts were right. To Little Sister Fox and the other phantoms of Peregrine Lodge, humans were inferior beings, but also lovable fools. Naturally, that view only extended to the humans they could deceive, but individuals formidable (or stupid) enough to not fall for the ploys of Little Sister Fox were few and far between. Back in Toweyezant, and now in this kitchen, she was surrounded by opportunities.

Ordered by Galf—another one of the phantom’s victims—a number of burly adults all worked at frying pans, their eyes devoid of life. The girl in the white robe looked at Little Sister Fox uncertainly. This girl was apparently a human who worshipped Mother Fox as a god.

The small phantom hadn’t previously known of these worshippers, but what these fools did was of no concern to her. These humans were supposedly members of some secret organization and had some big job to do, but none of that mattered to Little Sister Fox. Eating fried tofu she obtained through deception satisfied her taste buds and instincts. It was supreme bliss.

There was a knock and the door opened. Little Sister Fox was currently donning the form of Mr. Caution, the man worshipped by Galf. The spectral foxes had more than a few skills, but taking the form of someone else was her specialty. And she didn’t become just any ordinary Mr. Caution. She became the all-powerful man Galf believed him to be.

She twiddled with a cut of fried tofu that she had morphed into a fox mask and looked down at Galf with total complacency. “Is something the matter?”

“Our work is proceeding smoothly, boss,” he said. “But we received a strange message from headquarters...”

As an offspring of a god, Little Sister Fox had an IQ far beyond that of any human. She had no trouble understanding these lower beings and could use their languages with ease. With intelligence like this, tricking humans was a simple matter.

“It doesn’t matter,” she said defiantly. “Your boss is Mr. Caution. Your orders don’t come from headquarters, they come from me.”

“Mr. Caution?”

“But I know what they want. And if they want it, they can have it. You see, this thing was just a spare.”

Little Sister Fox reached behind her and grabbed a cut of piping hot fried tofu off a plate. In the blink of an eye, she turned the tofu into what Galf wanted—a piping hot Key of the Land. He took it and fumbled with it a bit while letting out a small cry.

“It’s hot! What happened—”

“It was heated up a bit too much, that’s all. Now take it. That should satisfy headquarters.”

Galf looked doubtful for a moment, but he said his thanks and left the room. Humans were indeed fools. Galf seemed to be pretty capable as far as humans went, but he couldn’t tell fried tofu from a Relic.

Little Sister Fox’s disguises were enough to fool the world if used right, but at the same time, they could be seen through by anyone with a bit of skill. With time, they would notice that something was unusual, but a deception wasn’t complete until the target noticed they were being fooled.

Satisfied by the folly of the lower races and the level of her own disguise, Little Sister Fox laughed to herself. Floating on her back, she pulled out her Smartphone, when something occurred to her. Mr. Caution had been using a bit of fried tofu masquerading as a Smartphone normally, as though it actually were a Smartphone. How much longer would it be until he noticed the ruse?

***

What the hell do these people want from me?

I dragged my weary body down the streets of Kreat. I wasn’t at all happy with the results of my audience with the emperor—they had forced Key of the Land onto me. I couldn’t see what purpose there could be in making me hold on to something so deadly. Nothing good came from having a high level.

Though I might’ve been scowling, Sitri was in high spirits.

“I think giving the Relic to you was a very astute decision!” she said. “I’m so glad they were willing to take Experiments No. 1, 2, and 3 off my hands. I just hope my research helps you.”

Which thoughtless moron told her to become an Alchemist?

There wasn’t a hint of malice in her eyes and something about her expression made her look a few years younger than usual. It was a face that could fool just about anyone. I wanted to hit her, but her cheery mood made that hard.

“Yeah,” was all I could say.

“If there’s something worrying you, I can lend an ear.”

I had so many worries I could have a worry bargain sale, and one of those worries was right in front of me. But my biggest worry was Key of the Land, which some secret organization was after. Apparently, the attack on the museum had something to do with that. Fortunately, the museum was fine; few people knew I had a second key. But even if it was just for while I was in Kreat, I wasn’t sure I could keep this thing safe.

Sitri put a contemplative finger to her lips and said, “You know, a sword that invites calamities sounds like it could have many applications.”

The newspaper hadn’t listed what Key of the Land was capable of, but Franz and his people had found out. To put it in concise terms, it was an energy-discharging Relic. While Ark’s sword Historia could gather energy and release it with terrifying force, Key of the Land was more about area of effect.

This wasn’t a rare ability for sword-type Relics, but according to old writings, Key of the Land could rip through the ground, rend the sky, and submerge islands. It almost beggared belief.

“Would you like me to take it?” she offered with a grin.

Sitri’s stewardship was out of the question, as were the rest of my comrades. If I gave it to Liz or someone, they’d swing it around and say something like “Oh, it’s that dangerous? How do I use it? Like this?”

I let out a sigh, then amid the crowd, I spotted a familiar man. It was Galf. He must not have been in a mask mood, as he wasn’t wearing one this time. I was certain we made eye contact, but he quickly looked away.

“Heeey, Galf!” I said, waving my hand. “Over here!”

Galf twitched, but I kept waving. Eventually, he walked over to us, a pained look on his face.

“Boss,” he whispered, “We shouldn’t—”

“Just the man I wanted to see. I’ve got this key, you see...”

“Why do you have that?! I thought you returned it!”

How does he know I had tried to return it? Oh well.

“I don’t quite get it, but it ended up back in my hands. I was told to keep it safe, but can I leave it with you?”

Galf was thrown for a loop, then looked at me dubiously. “It ended up back with you?! W-Well, I guess. Of course, I can take it...”

Then, I pressed my fist into my palm. I pulled out the fox mask. “That’s right. This is great timing. Here, just like I promised.”

Galf’s face froze. Clearly he hadn’t expected this. The mask was ultimately just a drop from a dungeon. It was probably something special, but whatever value it had was lost on me. I was sure it would be happier in Galf’s possession. However, the man was pale as a sheet. He looked like a tough guy, but maybe he was a bit soft on the inside?

“Th-That mask. But I still haven’t finished the job. I’m not yet worthy...”

His speech was disjointed, as though he was confused.

“No, you’re more than worthy!” I said, in my hard-boiled voice, even though I was just making stuff up. “You’ve shown me you have what it takes to own this mask!”

Galf stood, mouth agape. It occurred to me that this mask was the whole reason I had met these guys. I should have never gotten involved with the Fox Mask Fan Club. If I hadn’t, I never would have obtained Key of the Land and Sitri wouldn’t have made a fake imperial princess. And Luke wouldn’t have developed a penchant for cutting random people, I wouldn’t have become a hunter in spite of my lack of talent, and Tino wouldn’t have suffered at the hands of Liz. I’m sure of it.

“I want you to continue doing what you do for the Fox Mask Fan Club!” I told him. “It’s better if that mask belongs to someone who can appreciate it. I might have just gotten it through a coincidence, but as your predecessor, I hope you’ll put it to good use!”

“B-But our goals and the initiation—”

“Goals? Initiation? From now on, you’re setting the goals!”

Galf’s eyes opened as wide as they could go.

I was ready to be done with this. I wanted one less nuisance, even if it was a small one.

What did I even do? Huh? My mistake was not doing anything? Ha ha ha...

“Now, if you run into trouble, why not talk with Sora about it?”

I felt she should take some responsibility for saying I was the real boss when she knew I wasn’t. While I wasn’t totally sure about this, I was pretty sure Galf deserved the position more than a guy who had only a feeble understanding of the group.

In the end, I never did learn what the Fox Mask Fan Club really does.

Galf looked at me silently but eventually nodded. “It would be an honor, boss.”

So it was settled. Now I just had to ask my friends to help protect Key of the Land, then return it once the empire was ready for it. I was sure the pyromaniac lady would incinerate the bad foxes.

“What are you going to do now, boss?”

“Hmm. I still have one job left, but I guess I’ll take it easy and watch the battles.”

I didn’t know how strong the imperial princess had ultimately become, but we had done everything we could for her. I was looking forward to seeing how Luke, Krahi, Touka, and everyone else would fare in the tournament. I could sit back with some popcorn and enjoy the fights with Tino.

Galf nodded, then looked at Sitri, who was next to me.

“By the way, if you don’t mind my asking, what’s your relationship with the lady next to you?”

I realized that while she had helped him look for the bandits, these two hadn’t been properly introduced. I wasn’t sure what to say, but Sitri did.

Grinning, she clapped her hands and said, “I’m his wife.”

At this point, she was just asking to get whacked.

***

A voice both exasperated and scornful filled the faintly lit room. “I didn’t take Galf for a fool. First the Counter Cascade, now this. I never accounted for possibilities like this.”

Somewhere in Kreat was a safe house known only by a select few members of Fox. Gathered within it were a handful of shadowy figures, all of them wearing fox masks. Sitting in the center was a young man in a white fox mask and a robe that blended into the darkness. His bearing was relaxed but without openings. His physique wasn’t exceptional, but he had a natural charisma that could stop fights before they began. As his spot in the center suggested, he was one of Fox’s top members.

“Boss, that man might be capable, but he was still nothing more than a bandit leader. He could have a weakness that someone is exploiting. I don’t think he’s foolish enough to betray you without good reason.”

“What a disgrace. This operation will decide the fate of our organization, and now it might fail. Or could it be that the enemy outplayed us?”

The other Fox had no response to these icy words. Tricking someone as cautious as Galf and interfering with reports required information kept from outsiders, and a rarified silver tongue. Something was clearly wrong.

Someone of Galf’s rank wouldn’t trust a stranger without being given a very convincing sign. They didn’t yet know what that was, but they would have to thoroughly question him once this was all over.

“They’ve deviated from the plan at multiple points and Galf’s subordinates are all making fried tofu on what appear to be someone’s orders. Headquarters is in disarray and some people are even suspecting interference from one of the other White Foxes. What an utter mess.”

The boss’s words suggested he trusted his allies, but his tone was frigid.

“The only silver lining I see is that Key of the Land has been returned to Galf,” he continued. “Hmph. It’s the least they could do, I suppose.”

“I guess we can’t expect backup from Galf’s team,” one of the Foxes added.

“We’re changing the plan. We can’t simply withdraw now that we’ve been played like fools.”

Making fried tofu. Who came up with such a thing? There was mockery, and then there was this. The boss didn’t know how Galf had been convinced to accept those orders, but that didn’t matter—he was no longer necessary.

“Our foe has grown complacent. We’re going on the offensive. Gather all teams in the area and apprehend Galf and his team. If they resist, kill them. I have no need for imbeciles in my ranks.”

Fox limited its membership to the very best. To get rid of an entire team was akin to casting off a limb. This was an order without precedent, but none of the other Foxes so much as blinked at it. The boss’s orders were absolute. The others were entitled to their opinions, but they would never defy orders.

Staring at the box containing Key of the Land, the boss said in a quiet voice, “I’ll handle the Supreme Warrior Festival. I won’t need any support. Everyone else can be dedicated to our revenge on Zebrudia. I don’t know what the Thousand Tricks is after, but we’ll teach him what it means to stand in our way.”

How had he tricked Galf? Was that irreverent man on the Sounding Stone really the infamous hunter he claimed to be? Both questions were yet to be answered. But they were confident that the Thousand Tricks was the reason the Counter Cascade and the Dragon Caller had failed.

The Thousand Tricks, Level 8. If he wasn’t stopped now, he would most likely continue to hinder the organization. The boss would crush him with his own hands where there would be plenty of witnesses. Once he had his revenge, the reputation of the empire would be damaged, and their influence reduced.

“At long last, our dreams will be realized. The name Fox will be engraved into the souls of everyone who has resisted us, and everyone who’s yet to know of us. Go, my trusted accomplices! Our mark will be left on the Supreme Warrior Festival.”

***

The first thing I noticed when I entered the room was an atmosphere sticky and oily yet also fragrant. The kitchen Sitri had acquired was now fully converted into a fried tofu factory. To think it had come to this. I know I had asked for a kitchen, but this was still not quite what I had expected.

Wooden boxes were piled up throughout the room. Sitri had prepared the initial ingredients, but they had clearly procured more. I glanced at her, and she shook her head. In this short time, Sora and her gang must have found a supplier.

Noticing our arrival, Sora looked up from her frying pan. There wasn’t a hint of life in her eyes. “Per Galf’s instructions, we’ve expanded our operation. His subordinates are in the second and third kitchens.”

W-We’ve passed the point of no return. This all started on a whim. What happened? Don’t you people have brakes?

There was also a person who looked exactly like me, but wearing a mask and floating off the ground. I wasn’t sure what to say about that. A smile was affixed to Sitri’s face. Sora followed my gaze and her eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

The other me noticed me and took off his mask, revealing a nihilistic smile far cooler than any the actual me could ever manage. “Oh my, oh my. I won’t ask who you are, fake me. You’ve been having some fun, wearing my face.”

What?

My eyes fell to my open palms. “I’m...the fake?”

“This one’s the real one!” Sitri squealed while wrapping her arms around me.

The cool me briefly watched us with mild bemusement, then hugged his knees petulantly. I didn’t understand it.

It all seemed like more trouble than it was worth, so I turned to Sora and cut to the chase. “Sora, I gave the mask to Galf.”

“Huh?! Wha? Eh. Why?!”

Sora was befuddled. The way she looked back and forth between me and the me clutching his knees suggested she couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing. That was fine; I couldn’t either.

“He looked like he wanted it, and I didn’t need it,” I said. “I just thought you should know that. I hope you can take over from here.”

“Huh?!”

I figured they’d continue to get along with Touka and her party, so I didn’t worry about that. So I was done here!

I-I’m just kidding. I’ll keep an eye on Luke and Liz, so stop looking at me through those teary eyes.

“I’m going home,” said the real me, still hugging his knees.

In the blink of an eye, the real me changed into Little Sister Fox.

“Huh?!” Sora yelped.

Ohh, I get it.

Being aberrant foxes, I wasn’t surprised to see they were capable of taking other forms. Though why she took my form was a complete mystery.

“What? J-Just one moment!” Sora wailed, her cheeks twitching. “Wh-Why?!”

“I’m bored.”

“Bored? You’re bored?! Wh-What am I supposed to do going forward?”

Little Sister Fox just sighed, unaffected by Sora’s pleading. “Don’t be so obtuse. This no longer excites me. I’m done. I’m going sightseeing, then home. Thanks for the fried tofu.”

What an irresponsible girl. But while it was easy to forget, she was just a phantom.

While Sora stood vacantly, Little Sister Fox vanished. I made a mental note to have a word with her brother.

“What in the world just happened?!” Sora cried.

“She’s a selfish one,” I said. “But she is a phantom, so what can you do?”

“Hm?”

***

Why me?

Sora was at her wit’s end. It just didn’t add up. She needed more time to grasp the situation.

Umm, so if he’s right, that was a phantom? Hm? Does that mean that White Fox was also a fake? A bad feeling kicked her heart into overdrive and goose bumps formed on the back of her neck. No, no, no, no, no.

How many authentic white masks were there?! Nobody had told her this might happen. Where had it all gone wrong? When the Thousand Tricks had obtained a mask? When she had identified him as a boss just by looking at said mask? Or was it because she hadn’t admitted to her mistake?

There was one answer. In a now-empty room, she shouted it aloud in a trembling voice, all for nobody’s benefit but her own.

“I-I made no mistake! I can say it with confidence! Our boss, the White Fox, issued a command to make fried tofu, so I did! If the boss says we’ll conquer the world with boxed lunches, then it’s the priestess’s duty to follow suit! The boss is not to be defied! Second-guessing is prohibited! I did what I was able to, therefore I did nothing wrong!”

The False Fox had said that girl was a phantom. That could only mean one thing—that girl hadn’t merely obtained a mask, she was a spawn of the holy fox. If she was the real deal, that would explain the tail and the inhuman aura. Normally, meeting the offspring of the divine would be a joyful occasion, but not in this case.

Now what was Sora to do? Having inherited a mask from an imposter, was Galf now one of the bosses? Or was he not? Conventional thinking said he wasn’t. If that girl had been one of the organization’s bosses, there would be a case for Galf to now hold that title, but she was just a phantom.

Trying not to overreact, Sora came to the conclusion that things could hardly get any worse. She was especially angry that the phantom fox had contacted the organization over the Sounding Stone! This was far beyond the point of being salvageable.

She could feel that the organization was going through a major change, and she was nothing more than another victim caught up in the current. But the die was cast, and she had a duty to be a figure both mystical and unerring. There was no need for a Maiden that made misidentifications, so Sora would own no mistakes and make no apologies.

Running wasn’t an option. She had no money, knew nothing of the world, and there was no escaping the organization. All she could do now was do as the god wished. With earnest dedication, she continued to make fried tofu. The god had said to conquer the world this way. What came after didn’t matter to her. She was a loyal priestess, not a leader.

She heard footsteps outside the door. They sounded like those of someone walking with confidence. Sora snorted. It was probably Galf. How pitiful that he had received an authentic mask from a fake boss. In some ways, he was an even bigger victim than Sora was, as he didn’t know that young man was an imposter. As far as she was aware, Galf was as ignorant as she was, if not more.

But now that he had an authentic mask, he was one of the bosses and had all the responsibilities that came with the station. That was the way this organization worked. There was no room for doubt.

The door opened and Galf came in, wearing his mask. Sora took a deep breath and did her original duty, something she hadn’t done much recently.

“O White Fox,” she said with austerity, “as ordered, we’re transitioning into a producer of fried tofu. Do you wish us to maintain this course?”

Sora kept her head lowered. Before the object of her worship, she couldn’t raise her head without permission. The White Fox who had once been a king among bandits stayed silent for a few seconds.

“Well done,” he said eventually. “Are you aware of plans for the future?”

“It’s carved into my essence. We are to make inarizushi bento, then conquer the world.”

“What?! Oh, uh, never mind. Do you understand the intentions of this plan?”

“A mere Maiden could never dare to gauge the thoughts of a White Fox.”

“Gotta be kidding me.”

It seemed this White Fox was being strung along, just like Sora was. But she pretended not to notice. Now that Galf had a mask, he was a boss.

“Let me ask this,” he said after a moment of hesitation, “a plan can’t be stopped once it’s started, can it?”

“Everything is done in accordance with your will.”

“I’m the White Fox. Everything is mine to command.”

“You speak the truth.” Sora was hesitant to say this, but Galf sounded as bewildered as she was. They were likely in the same boat. “There is no ambiguity; that mask proves you act on behalf of the holy fox. Previously, the White Fox ordered the creation of a new organization—Ten-Tailed Fried Tofu.”

***

The Holy Fox Maiden knelt before Galf. But her words had taken him entirely by surprise.

“O-Oh, yes,” he stammered.

He had finally ascended to a grand position in the organization, but he had never felt so uncertain of what was going on. The boss had told him to ask Sora for the details, but she didn’t seem to be any better informed than him.

It was an open secret among the higher ranks that there were multiple White Foxes. This meant that even after attaining the title of “boss” one couldn’t rest on their laurels. If Galf didn’t quickly secure territory for himself, the other White Foxes might start meddling in his affairs. He had been surprised to be handed the mask without any sort of initiation, but maybe if he couldn’t handle that, then he wasn’t worthy of his new title.

Sora’s gaze was fixed on him. Galf assumed that as a Maiden, she had grown up cloistered, but in her own way, she was resolved to do her duty. In which case, Galf should do the same.

Let’s start by evaluating the—

Before he could finish that thought, the emergency Sounding Stone in his pocket began to vibrate. Could this be the initiation? Clinging to that last thread of hope, he put the stone to his ear.

“Galf Shenfelder of the Seventh Tail. You are suspected of falling for an enemy plot and putting the organization at a disadvantage. Starting now, you and your subordinates are relieved of your duties. A messenger is headed your way. You would do well to obey them.”

This was a bolt from the blue. Before Galf could even reply, the connection was severed. He looked at Sora. Visibly tense, she avoided making eye contact.

“That mask is undeniably authentic!” she insisted. “A maiden’s eyes cannot be fooled. You are a White Fox!”

What’s she talking about?! This can’t be happening! “Enemy plot,” they said?!

Galf was a loyal member of Fox, which was exactly what had compelled him to obey orders, no matter how strange. He didn’t have the same sense of reverence that the Maidens did, but being a Fox was far more profitable than leading a bandit squad and he knew well just how terrifying the bosses could be. Not once had he ever made a significant mistake during an assignment.

He broke out in a cold sweat. He wanted to explain what had happened, but he didn’t think that would work. If he was to believe what that person on the Sounding Stone had said, what he had done went beyond a simple mistake. Fox wasn’t a forgiving organization. Even if Galf hadn’t had treasonous intentions or made any mistakes, he could be silenced for this. This made Telm’s failure look trivial by comparison and was made all the worse because it came on the heels of the botched assassination.

Galf forced his mind to work through the intense confusion, to find the best path forward. He considered the position of the boss, the organization, Sora, and himself. He looked over the cards he had been dealt to see how they could give him a way out. Galf wasn’t going to go down without a fight.

There was only one option and he committed himself to it. The organization could get moving at any moment, so he needed to act.

“Headquarters must be confused if they’re harboring suspicions towards someone who owns a mask,” he said to Sora.

“I believe that is correct,” she said after a pause.

“It seems one of our own has turned against us. I don’t know who it is, but we’ll have to cut them out at the source.”

“I believe that is correct,” Sora said again after an even longer pause.

So she was already more or less aware of it. Damn it.

Galf’s intuition told him that the contact from headquarters was genuine and that it was the boss who was fake. This explained why something had seemed off. He should have had Sora replaced with a more experienced Maiden.

But it was too late for regrets. One thing Galf had going for him was that the mask was genuine. If word of the situation hadn’t yet gotten out, Galf should still have some sway in the town in which he had spent so long establishing himself. He would make sure everyone was aboard his ship before they could realize it was a sinking one. His chances of victory were slim, but this was the only option he had left.

“I determine our course! Gather as many nearby members as you can and prepare for combat!”

Sora looked at him open-eyed. “As you wish!”

Galf wanted to hit her, but knew he couldn’t do that. As long as she retained her status as a Maiden, Galf and Sora were destined for the same fate, for better or for worse. They had a number of criminal organizations on their side, among many other advantages. He would get what he could out of them before they caught on to what had happened!

“Anyone who protests, joins the other side, or disobeys orders will be silenced!” he declared. “Bring all operations to a stop and prepare for combat! This battle will be of immense importance, failure will mean our end! I determine our course and I won’t accept any interference! There will be no retreating! We will fight onward! Worry not, for we have the fox god’s blessing!”

Headquarters had been thrown into chaos, which was to Galf’s advantage. He would use his righteousness and loyalty to draw a compromise out of them. If they used Murina, he might be able to get Zebrudia on his side. Nothing said his defeat was for certain.

To move forward or to die. Those were his only options now.

***

It was the last day before the Supreme Warrior Festival and the town was more fervent than ever. I stifled a yawn and continued my daily routine of checking the newspaper, then suddenly my drowsiness was blown away in an instant.

“Hrmm? Huh. Today might be a hectic one.”

The article briefly described an incident in Kreat last night. Much to my relief, the town had been perfectly tranquil since my arrival, but now I was starting to see that it really could get wild during this time of the year. I didn’t think there was any need to make up for the lost chaos, but it almost felt like they had been waiting for the start of the festival.

“Princess Murina was part of that. Or so I believe,” Lucia said. She was now fully recovered and was charging my Relics. “Luke and the others were thrilled.”

“What? Why?”

The article said the incident was likely a conflict between two criminal organizations. Luke loved a good battle and had been starved for violence lately, so I could see him sticking his neck into a conflict in which he had no stake. But Princess Murina? Could my friends have been a bad influence on her? Maybe she had a thirst for blood that exceeded even Princess Killina’s?

“They’re really keeping busy, even though the tournament is tomorrow,” I said. “I wonder if they’re all ready.”

It sounded awfully intense for a warm-up exercise.

Lucia let out an exasperated sigh and handed me an ornately decorated pamphlet. “That’s what I’d like to say to you. You’re aware you’re going to be up first, right?”

I looked down at the pamphlet and saw a tournament bracket. Blinking, I read aloud the part Lucia was pointing at. “Krahi Andrihee versus Krai Andrey?”

How many guys are running around with the same name as me?

***

“Krahi, you really should be careful out there,” Kule Saicool, the brains and worrywart of the party said.

Krahi nodded. “Yes, I know.”

The other members looked at him with concern.

Kutri Smyat the Ignorable, the party’s foulmouthed Alchemist, leaned back in a chair, her legs crossed and a cigarette in her mouth. “Nothing wrong with running, y’know?” She sounded sympathetic, which wasn’t common for her. “Just qualifying for the Supreme Warrior Festival is a big deal. I don’t see you getting your ass kicked or anything, but I don’t want you getting battered. If you’re gonna join, then I’m putting my bets on the other guy.”