Volume 3, Chapter 21 – The Stinky Master’s Hidden Power

“That Stinky Master…”

I clutched my head after hearing Shizuku-san’s story.

According to what she told me, it seems the Grotto Temple from yesterday has started using our names for business.

They’ve apparently put up signboards with cleverly drawn illustrations of us, saying things like, “This is the Grotto Temple where the Saint-sama performed a miracle.”

The signs started appearing just after noon today, and Shizuku-san’s identity was immediately seen through by a resident who spotted one.

She was then guided to where the signs were being installed, and it wasn’t until she was swarmed by residents wanting to shake her hand that she realized the gravity of the situation.

“I feel as though I can no longer walk the streets of this town.”

“These things are usually just a temporary fad. Everyone will have forgotten by the next time we visit. Probably.”

“Is that how it works?”

“That’s how it works. Sigh . This is exactly why I didn’t want to be found out…”

“”We’re sorry.””

Lu-chan and Chris-san, who both felt responsible, apologized.

“Well, it can’t be helped. Tomorrow, let’s make a quick escape—I mean, an early departure for our next destination.”

◇ ◇ ◇

Rеаd оո ΚаtRеaⅾіոɡСαfе

The next day, we left the inn just as the sun was rising.

To reach our destination, Chi Tien, we had to leave through the south gate and immediately enter a mountain route, but that meant passing the road leading to that problematic Stinky Master’s Grotto Temple.

And when we reached that road, what greeted us were signboards with our illustrations standing along the path.

They were even considerate enough to put up different versions every few hundred meters, one after another.

“Th-they look just like us…”

“They’re… very well done…”

Yes, the drawings on the signs were incredibly skillful and exceptionally well-crafted. If they hadn’t been of us, I would have looked at them with admiration; if I had a smartphone, I might have even uploaded a photo to social media.

But when it’s your own face, that’s a different story. It wasn’t just embarrassing.

What’s more, we were striking dramatic poses like characters on movie or anime promotional posters, accompanied by incredibly cringeworthy catchphrases.

——How did it come to this?

“Ah, Onee-sama. Doesn’t Chris-san’s line here—’I shall protect Fiene-sama. Even if this body should perish!’—sound like something she would actually say?”

I could totally see it, I thought.

Chris-san was the main focus of that drawing, glaring forward with her sword in a middle guard position.

I was in the background, playing the role of someone praying, glowing for some reason I didn’t quite understand.

Reαⅾ oո KаtRеadіnɡСαfе

And then, a black shadow with a vague but somehow evil image was reaching out toward me. To Chris-san’s left and right, Shizuku-san and Lu-chan stood in profile, weapons at the ready.

“Wha—what are you saying? I-I wouldn’t…”

Chris-san’s face suggested she didn’t entirely hate it.

“Oh, look, here’s one for Shizuku-san. ‘There is no evil my blade cannot cut. Are you the next evil?’ Her tone is a little different, but it kind of works, doesn’t it?”

“N-no, I…”

Shizuku-san faltered. Eh? Could it be that she doesn’t entirely hate it either?

“Ah—but I still like Onee-sama’s the best! ‘I wish to save every lost soul,’ it says!”

“Whaaaat?”

No, no, the tone and the character are both completely wrong, right? I wish they wouldn’t plant such weird images in people’s heads.

“Look, there’s another one of Onee-sama over here. ‘You only need to be yourself. Come, let us begin by loving yourself.’ Onee-sama would never say that, would she?”

Lu-chan was laughing as she looked at the signs, clearly enjoying herself.

Wait, isn’t this basically a recruitment poster for some kind of cult? What is this?

Oh, Lu-chan is the main star of the next sign.

“Oh, yay! There’s one for me. Let’s see… ‘My arrows never miss. Don’t think you can escape!’ Wow! That’s so accurate!”

Rеαⅾ οո KatReadіոɡСafe

“”Liar!””

My voice and Chris-san’s overlapped.

As someone who almost had her face blown off twice by Lu-chan’s Friendly Fire, I couldn’t help but snap back.

“Ah, the next one is Onee-sama again. As expected, Onee-sama is the most popular. Let’s see… ‘Come, the time to fulfill your mission has arrived. My good people, let us pray together.’ She wouldn’t say this either!”

Stop it, seriously, give me a break. I would absolutely never say something like that.

This psychological warfare via signboards continued from the street leading to the south gate all the way to the intersection heading toward the Grotto Temple.

Needless to say, the signs had been placed facing the opposite direction starting from the south gate as well.

◇ ◇ ◇

“Oh? Might you be the rumored Saint Fiene Argentata-sama?”

When we finally reached the south gate and tried to leave the town, a guard called out to us.

“Ah, so the word really has spread everywhere…”

“Well, if you put up that many signs, that’s bound to happen.”

“We didn’t ask for them, nor did we give permission, you know.”

“Huh? Is that so? Since that Master from the Grotto Temple was putting them up with such enthusiasm, I assumed you’d given him the go-ahead.”

Rеαd оո КatReаⅾіոɡСafe

“Not at all. I simply sent away the ghosts haunting that temple.”

“Ah, I see. So that’s how it is. In that case, the signs aren’t technically lying, and it says in small print that the dialogue and poses are just ‘artistic impressions,’ so the town can’t really punish him.”

the guard said with a look of pitying amusement.

What in the world…

Apparently, the concept of “portrait rights” doesn’t exist in this country.

“Well, the Saint-sama belongs to everyone, so please just give up on it. It’s not like he’s insulting you.”

“Whaaaat?”

Am I the only one who feels nothing but the intent to use us for profit?

And so, we left the town of Yianshui as if we were fleeing.

“But Onee-sama, it was fun walking while looking at those signs, wasn’t it!”

Yeah, well, it was basically someone else’s problem for you, Lu-chan.

But well, I suppose if Lu-chan had fun, then fine.

Though I’m scared of what might happen the next time we come here.