“Get your hands off her.”
The moment the man was about to grab Sylvia's arm, Randall, who was breathing heavily as if he had run quickly, stood between the man and Sylvia. Then the man frowned with an uncomfortable expression.
“What is this?”
“You didn’t even understand that she had company, but seeing you addressing people like that shows you have a good character.”
“What? This kid...”
The atmosphere turned tense in an instant. Randall glared at the man with his sharp eyes and pulled Sylvia and the Countess behind him. He inwardly reproached himself for being away from his wife for a moment while being distracted by the Count's story of Sylvia's childhood that the Countess did not know about.
“Huh, huff. What on earth is going on that...”
At that moment, the Count, who had been left alone after Randall ran away like an arrow, came running, panting. He, who had been making a strange voice, stopped talking as if he had sensed an ominous atmosphere. The men who had been hesitating in front of Randall’s intimidating atmosphere turned their eyes to the newly appeared target. They approached the Count, who had a relatively thin physique among them as if threatening them.
“Huh, what is this guy?”
“No matter what, we’re better than these guys. Aren’t we?”
The man uttered those words and winked at the Countess. The Count’s face, which had fully understood the situation, instantly turned cold. He stood next to Randall and snapped his fingers threateningly.
“...Judging by your attire, you seem to be a martial arts fighter. Should I warm up a bit for the first time in a while? Want to join us?”
"Of course."
As Randall stood up, the men flinched reflexively. But soon, they relaxed their shoulders and waved their hands, perhaps feeling a little bit of fear.
“Ha! Alright. I’ll knock you over as soon as you come in.”
“Let’s see how much and where it costs.”
The men spat and headed toward the fighting ring. The Countess's hand landed sharply on the backs of Randall and the Count, who were about to jump out at any moment.
SLASH!
“I can’t live like this! Just quietly pass by and report it to the police! What if you do something wrong and get hurt?”
“I can’t live like this! Just quietly pass by and report it to the police! What if you do something wrong and get hurt?”
“Ugh...”
“Ugh, honey...”
“Ugh, honey...”
Randall could pull out the arrow stuck in his thigh without blinking, but somehow his mother-in-law's hands were incredibly sharp. The Count, who was smaller than his son-in-law, was also sharp. The two had to writhe in pain and listen to the Countess's worried reprimands several times after that.
Sylvia, who had been watching the situation from a step back, suddenly lowered her gaze at a sparkle in the corner of her vision. The jewels on the bracelet the Countess had given her sparkled in the sunlight.
'Come to think of it, you said it was a piece of magic stone?'
Sylvia, who had been raising her wrist close to her face to examine the bracelet with an extremely wizardly curiosity, opened her eyes wide in surprise. A murmur escaped her unconsciously.
“Why is this...”
'Come to think of it, you said it was a piece of magic stone?'
Sylvia, who had been raising her wrist close to her face to examine the bracelet with an extremely wizardly curiosity, opened her eyes wide in surprise. A murmur escaped her unconsciously.
“Why is this...”
A piece of a pale yellow magic stone that sparkled brilliantly in the sunlight. It was embedded in the staff that Sylvia used when she was 'Alyssa'.
***
That night. After many twists and turns, Sylvia returned to the Count's residence and sat on the edge of her bed in her room, deep in thought. She placed the bracelet with the piece of the magic stone on her palm and stared at it intently.
'It's not a mistake.'
She looked at it carefully several times just in case. However, the faint spells engraved on the magic stone were definitely something she had engraved herself.
'It's not a mistake.'
She looked at it carefully several times just in case. However, the faint spells engraved on the magic stone were definitely something she had engraved herself.
When Sylvia was at the forefront of the battlefield as 'Alyssa', she had the skills to not need magical aids like the staff. However, since she was active on the battlefield, she often had to use area-of-effect attack magic. Even in the present age, at least three high-level magicians were needed to use area-of-effect attack magic.
However, Alyssa was able to use area-of-effect attack magic on her own, and she usually had no particular problems using magic. The only problem was her momentary trembling and her short attention span. That one mistake could take the lives of dozens of soldiers. As the battles with the demons were sporadic and repeated frequently, fatigue built up, and the number of mistakes increased accordingly. So Alyssa eventually developed a formula to smoothly use area-of-effect attack magic, drew it on the magic stone, and made a staff with it. She was afraid that someone might misuse the formula, so she tried to reveal the formula after the war ended.
But in the end, the war did not end, and Alyssa was banished to the land of the demons. So there was only one magic stone in the world with this formula engraved on it. The magic stone embedded in the 'Staff of the Great Mage Alyssa'. There was no way it could be a mistake.
‘...I think someone must have found the staff and tore it into pieces and sold it.’
In fact, the current 'Sylvia Florette Belfort' doesn't need to use area attack magic, so she didn't really need these magic stones or staffs. However, she became attached to it while using it, so it's a bit.. to sell it in pieces like this.
'I can't help it.'
Sylvia sighed deeply at the thought of being annoyed and waved her hand lightly. Then, out of nowhere, Auston appeared out of thin air and fell to the ground.
‘...I think someone must have found the staff and tore it into pieces and sold it.’
In fact, the current 'Sylvia Florette Belfort' doesn't need to use area attack magic, so she didn't really need these magic stones or staffs. However, she became attached to it while using it, so it's a bit.. to sell it in pieces like this.
'I can't help it.'
Sylvia sighed deeply at the thought of being annoyed and waved her hand lightly. Then, out of nowhere, Auston appeared out of thin air and fell to the ground.
Boom!
“Ugh!”
Auston fell hard on his buttocks as he was summoned from the position where he had been leaning against the headboard of his bed, reading a book. He was struck by lightning as he was getting ready for bed, and he twisted in pain until he saw Sylvia and blinked.
“What, what just happened?”
“Summoning magic using a movement magic formula.”
"I beg your pardon!"
Auston looked at Sylvia with wide eyes, then stared at her with astonishment. She crossed her legs and looked down at him, grinning.
“Please do me one favor, and I’ll teach you.”
“Ugh!”
Auston fell hard on his buttocks as he was summoned from the position where he had been leaning against the headboard of his bed, reading a book. He was struck by lightning as he was getting ready for bed, and he twisted in pain until he saw Sylvia and blinked.
“What, what just happened?”
“Summoning magic using a movement magic formula.”
"I beg your pardon!"
Auston looked at Sylvia with wide eyes, then stared at her with astonishment. She crossed her legs and looked down at him, grinning.
“Please do me one favor, and I’ll teach you.”
***
So Sylvia left Auston in the room and went out into the street. At first, Auston was distressed by having to pretend to be Sylvia, who was not in his fortune, but as soon as she wrote down the summoning spell, he buried his nose in it. He was so focused that he didn't even wave when Sylvia left the room.
'After money, this is what sells the best.'
After Sylvia got out smoothly with the help of Auston, she went to the stall she had visited with her group during the day. Fortunately, the stall was still in operation despite losing its biggest item. She approached the owner, who was busy soliciting customers late into the night and opened her mouth.
“I have a question.”
“Oh, yes! Are you interested in joining?”
The owner, who mistook Sylvia for a guest, quickly put on a welcoming smile. But Sylvia shook her head slightly and stated her business.
“No, that’s not it. I came here because I was wondering where you got the bracelet that was on sale during the day.”
“Ah. That, the bracelet... you know.”
When Sylvia mentioned the bracelet, the owner briefly held his chest and wiped away tears. Soon, he opened his mouth in a solemn tone, having overcome his disappointment at having the biggest prize stolen so soon after the festival began.
“That day was a particularly rainy day...”
'After money, this is what sells the best.'
After Sylvia got out smoothly with the help of Auston, she went to the stall she had visited with her group during the day. Fortunately, the stall was still in operation despite losing its biggest item. She approached the owner, who was busy soliciting customers late into the night and opened her mouth.
“I have a question.”
“Oh, yes! Are you interested in joining?”
The owner, who mistook Sylvia for a guest, quickly put on a welcoming smile. But Sylvia shook her head slightly and stated her business.
“No, that’s not it. I came here because I was wondering where you got the bracelet that was on sale during the day.”
“Ah. That, the bracelet... you know.”
When Sylvia mentioned the bracelet, the owner briefly held his chest and wiped away tears. Soon, he opened his mouth in a solemn tone, having overcome his disappointment at having the biggest prize stolen so soon after the festival began.
“That day was a particularly rainy day...”
It sounded like the introduction to a mystery novel. The owner then explained the situation in a theatrical tone.
“I had a feeling that I would get lucky! As I was walking down the street! Just then! I found a wandering merchant selling that bracelet.”
"...Luckily?"
“Yes! That’s it!”
The owner nodded with a bright smile, but the overly dramatic tone was strangely jarring.
"Hmm..."
Sylvia looked at him with a meaningful expression. Then, he unconsciously rolled his eyes and avoided eye contact.
“By the way, have you heard that the punishment standards for guards have been strengthened recently?”
Sylvia, who was convinced of the suspicion, began to subtly pressure the owner as she had done to the con artist. After evading the question by talking nonsense, he finally confessed that he had obtained the goods at an underground black market auction.
The underground black market. It was a world of those who treaded precariously on the edge of the law. Sylvia, who had found out the location of the auction house building on the condition that she would not report the owner to the security guards, hurried her steps with her hood pulled down low.
When she finally reached the building, there was a long line at the entrance. She briefly observed the situation from afar and saw the guards at the entrance checking the invitations. Sylvia, who had been lost in thought for a moment, entered a nearby deserted alley, cast a cognitive dissonance spell on herself, and slipped between the lines. Then, she followed the guest who had brought the invitation and entered the building. Sylvia, who had released the cognitive dissonance spell from behind the curtains on one wall, calmly walked inside.
“Customer, this.”
At the entrance to the auction house, a security guard politely held out a mask. The mask was decorated with colorful jewels and covered the entire face, leaving out the eyes.
'Well, it can't hurt to be careful.'
Sylvia took the mask the employee handed her and covered her face with it. The auction house she entered afterward felt like a completely different world, unlike any other place where you can buy stolen goods.
“The auction will begin soon. All distinguished guests, please take your seats...”
“Customer, this.”
At the entrance to the auction house, a security guard politely held out a mask. The mask was decorated with colorful jewels and covered the entire face, leaving out the eyes.
'Well, it can't hurt to be careful.'
Sylvia took the mask the employee handed her and covered her face with it. The auction house she entered afterward felt like a completely different world, unlike any other place where you can buy stolen goods.
“The auction will begin soon. All distinguished guests, please take your seats...”
Here and there, the guides raised their voices above the commotion. Sylvia found a suitable seat and sat down. At each seat, there were bidding signs and light refreshments.
'It'll cost me some money to meet the auction house owner and ask about the source of the items. I guess I can just pick whatever looks decent enough.'
She straightened her back as she thought about that. Soon, all the seats were filled and the commotion died down. The lights went out and a bright light poured down on the stage, revealing a man wearing an owl mask.
“Welcome to everyone who has come this far to grace this occasion! The auction will now begin!”
The attendees responded with enthusiastic cheers. Soon, in the heated atmosphere, the auction items were introduced one by one.
“100 gold, auction sold!”
“The cursed music box that was said to have wiped out three families has been taken by this person! May you be blessed with exhilarating misfortune!”
“Are there any more bidders?”
Perhaps because it was not an ordinary auction but a black market auction, the items introduced were all extraordinary.
'Why on earth do people buy things like that? The tastes of perverts... '
Sylvia watched the auction with a slightly weary face. Meanwhile, the host, who had finished another auction, spoke in a cheerful voice and grabbed the end of the cloth covering the item.
“The next item is this!”
The moment the host pulled the cloth, the golden eyes behind the mask widened greatly.
“One of those rare magical tools! Unfortunately, the magic stone is gone, but it is a staff that looks like it was wielded by a very skilled magician!”
On the stage was a faded wooden staff that looked old and worn. Sylvia immediately recognized it as the staff handle of 'Alice' and glared. However, the attendees, disappointed by the news that there was no magic stone, responded lukewarmly, unlike before. Some even booed.
“Bidding starts at 10 gold! Anyone who wishes to bid, please raise your sign!”
The host tried to lighten the gloomy atmosphere, but it wasn't easy. Since they had decided to buy something anyway, it would be nice if they could buy that staff member. To meet the auction house owner, it was best to create a situation that was as natural as possible, so Sylvia was conflicted.
'The starting price is too low. We need someone who can compete on price and then drop out.'
It was obvious that if they had called a high price from the beginning, their ulterior motive of trying to meet the auction house owner would have been revealed.
“Any bidders? If there are no bidders within 30 seconds...!”
At the host's words, Sylvia looked around anxiously, but there was no sign of anyone holding up a sign, even as a joke.
Eventually, she risked her suspicions and reached out to the sign to bid for the staff at a high price.
“50 gold.”
Someone raised a sign with a low voice.
“50 gold.”
Someone raised a sign with a low voice.
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