Chapter 2: The Foxkin Mage Joins The Party

*1*

The Little Vixen was a popular and long-standing tavern run by an old albino foxkin woman. Among those of nobility with a more refined palate, this was the capital’s best-kept secret, worthy of an undercover visit; among the working class, practically everybody knew about it.

Despite the establishment’s considerable age, the architecture and furnishings all gleamed honey-gold, indicating frequent cleaning. The restaurant wouldn’t open to the public for a few hours yet, but nevertheless, a few VIP customers were seated around a table.

“Hell yeah, let’s chow down!” Tanya shouted, her voice echoing across the empty dining hall.

“Oh wow, I can’t wait!” Nadine chimed in.

“Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just shut up and taste it for me, alright?” Katherine snapped.

Plated before Tanya was a large helping of deep-fried chicken bites, creamy tomato pasta, and potato wedges fried a foxy golden brown, their warm, crispy exterior concealing a sweet, starchy interior. As she munched along, an apron-clad Katherine put her hands on her hips and proudly thrust out her chest, her pointy fox ears twitching atop her head of long blonde hair.

“Mmmm! It’sh sho good! I wish Laplashe wash here to eat thish with ush!”

“And you made all this yourself, Katherine? That’s incredible!”

“Heh heh! Nah, it’s nothing special.”

Katherine Foxxi was a Mage-class adventurer. Originally she had registered with the Guild in the hopes of landing herself a good man, but after the Sparring Tournament, she quit her party. According to her, “After watching you guys, I’m starting to think this man-hunting stuff is just a waste of my time.”

As a Mage, she was quite gifted; even Tanya was impressed at the extreme mana efficiency of her custom spell fusion, which combined ordinary attack magic with secret albino foxkin techniques... but now she was just a waitress at her grandma’s restaurant.

As Nadine worked her way through her plate of chicken, her eyes lit up. “Katherine, this food is amazing! Really, I mean it!”

“Y-Yeah? For real?”

“Yes! I’ve never cooked before, so I’m not sure how to describe what I like about it, but... it’s just delicious!”

“You think people would pay money for it?”

“Absolutely! It’s divine! The chicken is so juicy!”

“Heehee! Nadine’s our resident meat lover, so if it’s got her stamp of approval, it’s guaranteed to sell,” Tanya nodded. “Mmmm, this pasta is great!”

“L-Look... Don’t you people have any, y’know, constructive criticism? Your stupid compliments aren’t gonna help me improve!”

As it turned out, there was more to Katherine than her glamorous good looks—she was a hard worker and a damn good cook, too.

*2*

These days, a corner of the Little Vixen was officially reserved for Lilium.

As the nation’s first-ever all-female champions of the Sparring Tournament, Lilium had captured the hearts of women all over the city. They couldn’t walk down the street without someone inevitably stopping them to ask for their autographs, and then a crowd would form, and the next thing they knew, they’d end up roped into an impromptu fan meet and greet. Following their historic victory, they were basically celebrities... and they needed a place where they could relax without getting mobbed.

Enter Katherine, their former opponent at said Tournament. “Why not camp out at Grandma’s?” she offered.

Outside of operating hours the Little Vixen was nice and quiet—the perfect place to unwind. When the tavern was open, however, the place attracted all sorts of boisterous clientele... including some unsavory types. Now, with Lilium around, the Little Vixen had the added security of Sparring Tournament champions as on-site bodyguards. Needless to say, this proved to be an effective deterrent for belligerent drunks, sexual harassers, and other troublemakers. As a reward Tanya and the rest of her party received a discount on their bill whenever they stopped by for a meal.

“Whenever I see them eating here, I always end up ordering the same thing they’re having. The way they eat it, they just make it look so tasty!” one of the regulars commented.

In other words, their presence drove sales up, too—the perfect win-win for everybody.

A delicious smell wafted out of the kitchen, accompanied by the peaceful, rhythmic sounds of chopping knives and clinking plates. In a few hours, the Little Vixen would open for business. Having finished the taste test, Tanya and Nadine occupied themselves with other tasks as they each enjoyed a cup of tea.

Then Nadine looked up from her paperwork and asked, “What are you reading, Tanya?”

“Huh? Oh, this?” Tanya lifted the hefty book to reveal the cover: The Complete History of Pajan.

“A history book?”

“Yeah. I wanted to do some research on Laplace... Oh, but don’t tell her, okay?”

“O-Okay! To tell the truth, I’ve been curious about her, too.”

“So tell me: when you hear the phrase ‘Laplace the Great Sorceress,’ what comes to mind?”

“Well, um...” Nadine hesitated. “According to everything I’ve read, she was known as the Wicked Dragonwhore, or the Calamity Hag. She’s depicted as a truly frightening individual, to be frank.”

Tanya pointed across the table at her. “Exactly! Everyone sees her as this total alpha bitch!”

“I... I wouldn’t put it like that, but...”

“And yet there’s so much historical evidence suggesting that Mages, Magi-Crafters, and almost all of our modern magic can be traced back to Laplace the Great Sorceress. The legends say she created it all herself!”

“Oh, really? And yet there aren’t that many female Mages or Magi-Crafters these days...”

“Yeah... I imagine the Imperial Magic Academy isn’t the only institution with tricks up its sleeve,” Tanya sighed.

Never in her wildest dreams would she have imagined that prospective applicants were getting points deducted from their test scores just because they were female—at least, not until a few months ago, when she and Laplace raided their boardroom to set them straight. The mere memory made her head hurt... Hopefully they’d learned their lesson.

Even the Academy, the birthplace of magical studies, had painted Laplace in the worst possible light. Her good points were all kept hush-hush, whispered from one Mage or Magi-Crafter to another, almost like a fairy tale.

“So lately I’ve been thinking...”

“Yes, Tanya?”

“I think maybe... all the legends we were told were wrong.”

She turned to the next page in her book. With mana immeasurable, the wicked Sorceress raged all across the nation and beyond—until Maxwell the Grand Mage, savior of Pajan, sealed her away for the rest of time.

No matter where she looked, every book, document, and record echoed a similar sentiment.

“Everything I’ve read, from 300-year-old records to this very book, claims that Laplace was an evil Sorceress who tried to destroy Ode and was sealed away as punishment at the hands of Maxwell. None of them bother to explain the specifics of who she was or what she did.”

“That sounds... kind of fishy.”

“Right? Especially since female Mages were supposedly fairly common back then.”

But now they were scarce... Was that somehow connected to Laplace’s banishment?

“All I know is... the Laplace I know is strong and brave and sweet and sometimes even kind of adorable.” Tanya closed her book with a fwump. “She’s just such a good person, so it makes me mad that she’s getting the villain treatment. Is that weird? Haha...”

“It’s not weird at all,” Nadine smiled. Relieved, Tanya put her book away.

Yeah... Laplace is one of us now. If I want to know more about her, I shouldn’t dig it out of a book someone else wrote. I should just ask her directly.

Just then—

“Oh, I can sense her nearby,” the highly perceptive former Assassin murmured to herself.

Sure enough, a beat later, the front door jingled, and in walked—er, floated—Laplace.

“Hey hey! The Great Sorceress has returned!”

“Laplace?!”

“What is it, Tanya?”

“How many times must I tell you, no floating in public?!”

“But you know I hate walking!”

“Yes, I get that, but as I’ve told you before, you can’t just flaunt high-level levitation magic in front of the entire world!”

“Oh, please. Everyone’s too entranced by my beauty to notice my—”

“Hyah!”

“Aagh!”

And so Tanya promptly tackled the Great Sorceress to the ground, then hastily scanned the dining hall for any witnesses. Whew. Looks like no one noticed.

“My, my, Tanya! Couldn’t wait for later tonight, could you?”

“Huh? Aaack!”

Realizing she had inadvertently positioned herself on top of Laplace, Tanya sprang off of her at the speed of light.

“This is my grandma’s restaurant! Could you guys, like, go get a room or something?!”

“It... It’s not what it looks like!!!”

Tanya blushed beet-red as Katherine peeked her head out of the kitchen. Meanwhile, Laplace giggled like a mischievous schoolgirl.

How could someone this ordinary possibly be evil? There has to be something they’re not telling us.

*3*

Standing in front of the Adventurers’ Guild bulletin board, Tanya stared at a single quest listing with “Expires Soon!” stamped on the front in red ink.

“Hmm... This doesn’t really seem like a quest...”

The vast majority of quests filed at the Guild involved monster extermination, dungeon exploration, and/or bodyguard inquiries. The better the reward on offer, the faster a given quest would get snapped up... most of the time, anyway.

“What’s the matter, Tanya?”

“Take a look at this, Laplace,” Tanya replied, pointing to the title of the expiring quest: Fighter Needed To Oversee Negotiations And Duel On My Behalf.

“Oh, interesting,” Nadine murmured as she peered over Laplace’s shoulder. “Sounds like an arbitration case. In all my years working at the Guild, I’ve never seen another quite like it!”

“I know, right?”

“Unfortunately, it seems quests of this sort never seem to attract many takers...”

“Oh, really?”

“Yes... Most adventurers tend to prefer... you know... POW POW!”

“Aagh!”

“That sort of quest, I mean.”

“I... I didn’t realize you could scream that loud,” Tanya stammered, still reeling from the ear-splitting POW POW. Then she paused to think. “I wonder if this quest has a story behind it...”

Who could possibly need someone to bear witness to a negotiation, and even to duel on their behalf? Tanya checked the quest description, where client information was usually listed. Apparently this one was from a 16-year-old girl. She must be really desperate if she brought this request to the Adventurers’ Guild of all places... I’d sure like to help her out if I can.

“Oh, but... look at this.”

“Huh?”

“There’s a level cap on this quest.”

“Oh, you’re right... Level 20-50...”

Lilium’s current party members were as follows:

Tanya Artemiciov, Magi-Knight, Level 100.

Stone Cold Stunner (alias), Mage, Level 100.

Nadine Amaryllis, Healer, Level 3.

None of them were fit to accept this quest.

“Dang it...” Tanya slumped her shoulders.

“It’s an awful shame,” Nadine agreed.

As much as Tanya wanted to help, they couldn’t very well violate the rules... Was there any way round it...?

Just then, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

“Hey hey! Take a look at this, Tanya! Look!” Laplace exclaimed.

“Huh? The reward? I mean, I’m not too hung up on what they plan to—WHOA!”

“Hmm? What’s the matter, ladies?”

“Get a load of this, Nadine!”

“What are you—Goodness me! C-Can it be...?!”

The three women exchanged a glance. And with that, they were all firmly in agreement. After all, the reward was simply too good to pass up:

◆REWARD: All You Can Eat Luxury BBQ◆

And Lilium was a party of lofty ideals—a party that never abandoned anyone in need—

“We GOTTA take this quest!”

“We’d better take this quest, then!”

“We simply have to take this quest!”

—but most of all, they never turned down a good meal.

*4*

“And you want ME to take the job?!” Katherine shouted.

That afternoon found her working at the Little Vixen, decked out in a frilly apron.

“Exactly. We need you, Katherine,” Nadine insisted.

“Please, Katherine!” Tanya chimed in. “I mean, obviously the free barbecue is a delicious prospect, but more than that... the client needs our help!”

“W-Well... I don’t see how I factor into it! Like I told you, I’m on break from adventuring or whatever!”

“Please, can’t you reconsider?”

“Take it from yours truly, the Great Sorceress: you proved yourself quite capable at that Sparring Tournament!”

“Yeah! Like those little blue Fireballs, whatever they were—I wanna see that again!”

“Little blue Fireballs...? Are you talking about Foxfire? That’s a secret foxkin technique, y’know!”

“So they’re called Fox-Fireballs?! THAT’S SO COOL!!!”

“Wha...?! Quit trying to, like, butter me up or whatever!”

The three members of Lilium all gazed at Katherine, their eyes shining with admiration. Her fox ears started to twitch.

Lilium, the party who kicked ass and paid no mind to whether or not men liked them... Truth be told, the prospect of going on a quest with them was... rather enticing.

“W-Well,” Katherine mumbled, her ears twitching like crazy, “if you absolutely insist... I guess I could help you or whatever...”

“YES! Thank you, Katherine!” Nadine exclaimed, grabbing her by the hand.

“Whoa!”

“Oh, I’m delighted! Truth be told, um, I’ve always wanted to go on a quest with you!”

“I’m not doing it for you, okay?! I’m just kinda bored, that’s all! And I need a break from restaurant work, anyways! So I’m only joining temporarily, got it?!”

“We’re happy to have you, Katherine!”

“Bienvenue à Lilium!”

Just then, the door jingled, and a little old lady tottered inside. Katherine looked over at her and shouted, “Hi, Grandma!”

It was Tama, owner of the Little Vixen and grandmother to Katherine. She wore her white hair in a bob cut, and had large, pointy fox ears identical to Katherine’s atop her head. She wore a soft smile on her face, and though she walked with a cane, her gait was steady.

“Hello there, Kathy. I overheard the whole story.”

“Sorry, Grandma... looks like I won’t be around to help out for a while.”

“Oh, that’s alright. You have fun on your little quest, child,” Tama grinned.

“But—”

“No buts, Kathy! Do you know how happy I was when I found out you were going to be a Mage?”

Slowly but surely, she tottered over to the table and took a seat right across from Laplace, who was taking a swig from the bottle of alcohol reserved exclusively for her. “Mmm?” Laplace asked, eyes wide, her lips still pressed to the rim. At this, Tama snickered, a twinkle in her eye.

“Besides... to see my girl going on a quest with the fine ladies of Lilium, why, I couldn’t be prouder.”

“Oh, no... we’re nothing special, really...”

Tanya looked away shyly as Tama pointed her smile in her direction. It was a uniquely charming smile, after all.

“I beg to differ! With you folks around to protect the customers, we haven’t seen nearly as many fights. And better still...”

“...Yes...?”

“You eat and drink at all hours of the day and night!”

At this, Laplace grinned. “Oui, oui. Heh heh heh... You have a sharp eye, madame.”

“I’m glad to see it! I can tell you’re all good kids... especially you there.”

She pointed at Tanya, who bolted upright. “Who, me?!”

“You remind me of myself when I was younger... You carry the scent of a very hard worker.” Tama spoke in a slow, easygoing fashion, and her voice was rather enjoyable to listen to. Smirking, she continued, “I’ve been running my own restaurant for many, many years now, and I’m blessed to say business is doing well... but tell me, do you know what they all say about the Little Vixen?”

“That it’s been around forever?”

“Yes, and what else?”

“...That it tastes just like ‘what Mama used to make’?”

Tama nodded firmly.

The Little Vixen was known for serving authentic home cooking prepared by a beastkin woman. And given her maternal appearance, the clientele easily associated her menu with a mother’s love.

“It’s strange, working as a professional chef. Everybody seems to crave their mama’s home cooking, and yet the greatest, most respected chefs are all men.”

She had a valid point, of course. Home cooking was reserved for women, but professional cooking was somehow dominated by men. It didn’t make much sense.

“That’s why I’ve held my ground and fought for my rightful place among the other restaurants. I may be just a little old lady now, but... I wanted to be a role model for my little Kathy.”

At this, Tanya’s heart skipped a beat.

For the next generation of little girls who will follow in our footsteps.

Tama’s words were reminiscent of the speech she’d given at the end of the Sparring Tournament, dedicating Lilium’s victory “to all the little girls out there who dream of adventure.”

Tanya snuck a glance at Katherine, who was gazing at Tama in wide-eyed shock.

“Now Kathy, I know you like Lilium. Why, you came home raving about them after that tournament!”

“G-Grandma! You promised not to tell them about that! But... well, yeah, I did.”

“Then get going, Kathy. Make your old grandma proud.” Tama mimed a few boxing punches, and it quickly became clear that she was a great deal more agile than she let on. “You ladies can hold your own against the menfolk, I reckon?”

“Damn right!” Tanya shouted in response.

Katherine looked from Tama to Tanya and back.

“Mind you, my granddaughter here has inherited my good looks, and she’d make a great poster girl for any restaurant... but that’s just not the kind of patron I want to attract. So if they stop coming, then good riddance! And besides,” Tama grinned, “I’m the only poster girl this place needs!”

She winked at them playfully, and the whole table was in agreement: This woman is a badass.

“I’ll be back soon, Grandma!”

“And I’ll be here, Kathy. Oh, but... y’know, I’ve been wondering...”

The old woman looked around the table and asked—

“Which one of you is Lilium, anyhow?”

All of us, ma’am.

*5*

Quest time, hooray!

Today was the deadline for the “negotiations” mentioned in the quest description, and Tanya was beyond relieved that they’d made it in time. With the quest officially accepted, Lilium set off to meet with their new client—three of them in modest attire, while Katherine wore the standard armor expected of women in this country: that is to say, a bikini. And not just any bikini—a micro-bikini.

“Hey, Katherine? Laplace Fashions can open up for business anytime. If you’re interested, I can whip you up some armor that’s stylish and functional!”

“N-No thanks! I look way more normal in the outfit I’m wearing!”

“Just because it’s normal doesn’t mean it’s good.”

“L-Look, so far, this armor’s done its job just fine, okay?! And if you think I’m jealous of your outfits, well, uh, I’m NOT! I mean it!”

“...Hey, Tanya?”

“Hmm? What’s up, Laplace?”

“I like to think I’m more educated about the modern world these days, but... is this that tsundere thing you were telling me about?”

“I’m not an outdated stock character, thanks!” Katherine snapped, her cheeks flushing pink.

Beside her, Nadine started giggling.

“Wh-What’s so funny, huh?!”

“Oh, no, I’m sorry! It’s just... back in adventuring school you always had such high grades, and you were one of only a few women studying magic, so you always struck me as intimidating... but now I see you’re actually rather adorable!”

“A—Ado—?!” Katherine blushed even harder, her gaze flitting to and fro in embarrassment. Ever since the Sparring Tournament, she’d grown nervous around Nadine, and with this sucker punch from out of nowhere, she had absolutely no idea how to react.

“Y-Yeah, well, flattery won’t get you anywhere with me, got it?! Now let’s go find the client’s house or whatever!”

She took off at a trot, her fox ears twitching happily atop her head.

They soon arrived at a large building located on the border between the central and western districts of Ode.

“Is this... a butcher shop...?”

This was the address the client had provided. As they stood around and stared up at it, a young girl walked out, a cute smattering of freckles across her nose, her tawny reddish-brown hair worn in two buns on either side of her head. And yet, despite her tender young age, the expression on her face was one of exhaustion.

“Hi there!” Tanya greeted her cheerfully.

The girl took one look at her and her jaw dropped. “Oh my gosh... Are you... Lilium?!”

“Oh, you’ve heard of us?”

“Duh! Oh my gosh, it’s really them... Ack! Wait! Back up!” The girl straightened herself to her full height. “I mean, um, welcome to Bianca’s Quality Meats! I’m Anca Bianca, the daughter of the house. What can I get for you today?”

“Nice to meet you, Anca! I’m Tanya Artemiciov, and today we’re here on behalf of the Adventurers’ Guild to fulfill your quest listing.”

“...Wait, what?”

“Remember? ‘Fighter Needed To Oversee Negotiations And Duel On My Behalf’?”

“No way... Someone actually took the job...?” Anca’s eyes filled with tears. “All this time, I thought... maybe my quest description was too vague... or maybe my reward just plain sucked... I didn’t think anyone would show up...”

“Heehee! Well, think again! We’re here for that luxury barbecue!”

“It’s really good meat, I promise! Well, um... come on in, everybody!” Anca pushed open a small door situated right next to the butcher shop. “The negotiation is scheduled for later tonight, but first I’d like to get you all up to speed... maybe over some tea?”

“That sounds lovely.”

And so the women of Lilium followed her inside.

*6*

Anca led them into what appeared to be her family’s living room. Apparently her parents were busy running the storefront.

“You have a fiancé?”

“Yes... unfortunately,” she sighed, slumping her shoulders.

And so she explained what had happened...

A few weeks ago, a tall, bony man turned up at Bianca’s Quality Meats. “Uguu~ I’m Anca-bear’s fiancé~!” he simpered in a nauseatingly cloying voice. Anca was disgusted. Her parents were scandalized.

“What kind of sick joke is this?” Anca asked.

The way he ogled her up and down, she knew he was the last man on earth she ever wanted to marry. But the oddest part was: she didn’t recognize him at all.

“You’re out of your mind. Go back to wherever you came from!” Anca declared.

But the man donned a smug, toothy grin and said:

“Don’t be silly now, Anca-bear~! Why, we promised to spend the rest of our lives together just last night, remember~?”

A shiver ran down her spine.

The previous night, Anca had been out to eat with her friends. They’d made a reservation at a popular tavern months in advance, and she’d been really looking forward to it. The place was packed, and although Anca hadn’t drunk any alcohol, she’d still had a lot of fun... That is, until she started feeling weirdly sleepy. After that, she’d needed a friend’s help to stumble back on home.

But now this man claimed she’d promised herself to him? It didn’t make sense. First of all, she didn’t remember anything of the sort, and second of all, he seemed like a total creep. Confused and frightened, she started to cry.

“Well then, how about we have a formal negotiation~?” the man suggested. “And if that doesn’t work, we’ll settle it with a duel~!”

“More than anything, I can’t stand how he ends every sentence with a tilde!” Anca shuddered.

“Yeah, I don’t think I could tolerate that, either...” To Tanya, the guy sounded like a total nightmare to talk with, much less marry. “Well, don’t worry. We’ll be right there with you for the negotiations. We could even help you think of what to say!”

“Thank you so much... To be honest, my parents are really conflicted about this. You see, um... apparently the tilde guy’s parents run a long-standing restaurant in town...”

“Yeah?”

“And they buy our meat wholesale...”

That was when Katherine piped up. “Sounds like they’re a pretty big client.”

“Yes, exactly. That’s why my parents are so scared. At one point they suggested that, maybe, I should ‘just go ahead and marry him.’”

“Oh, I don’t think so!”

Katherine rose from her chair. Then she reached out and helped Anca to her feet.

“Cheer up, buttercup. Tanya’s going to oversee the negotiations, and if it comes to it, I’ll duel on your behalf. No sweat!”

“Thank you, um...?”

“Katherine. You know the owner of the Little Vixen? I’m her grandkid.”

“Oh, yes, the Little Vixen!”

“Grandma tells me your family’s store has some of the highest-quality meat in town,” Katherine grinned.

Tanya could tell she was trying her best to reassure Anca, and truth be told, Katherine’s smile was contagious. “She’s right, Anca. Believe it or not, we’re a lot tougher than we look!”

“Heehee! Oh, I believe it, alright. Everyone’s been talking about your performance at the Sparring Tournament.” This thought, finally, made Anca smile.

Soon, the negotiations would begin.

*7*

The courtroom was located in Ode’s central district. Here, civilians could hold discussions to settle disputes. And in the event that an agreement could not be reached peaceably, a (non-fatal) duel would take place. This was also the location where formal trials were held to sentence those who infringed upon imperial law.

Anca’s circumstances were considered a civilian dispute, and thus the negotiations would be held here. She and Tanya, her chosen witness, sat together on her side of the table.

As for Anca’s parents and the rest of Lilium, they were seated in the gallery to watch the proceedings. Her parents were both grimacing; Laplace was eating popcorn.

“Yikes,” Tanya muttered as the other party walked in. The second she laid eyes on the man, she could tell he was bad news.

“Heehee~! Hi there, Anca-bear~!”

He was wearing a white tuxedo with a rose boutonnière affixed to his lapel. Oh, HELL no. This ain’t your wedding, asshole!

Anca sighed, and Tanya looked over at her to see a deeply weary expression on her face. The stress was clearly getting to her.

Then Tanya noticed something else.

“Hey, Anca?”

“Yes?”

“Uh... How old is this guy?”

“Heck if I know,” Anca spat.

The topic hadn’t come up prior to now, and Tanya hadn’t thought to ask, but now that she was face to face with him, he was pretty clearly—

“...He’s gotta be at least 40, don’t you think?”

—a middle-aged creep.

*8*

Tanya was pissed.

They’d chosen to let the self-proclaimed “fiancé” speak first. This very quickly proved to be a mistake.

“I mean, you didn’t say no, did you~?”

That was the first thing out of his mouth.

“Remember, back at the tavern~? I found you nodding off, and I got worried for your safety~!”

“I was nodding off?”

“That’s right~! I figured you’d gotten drunk or something~!”

“That’s not possible! I didn’t have a single sip of alcohol that night!”

“Then I guess the medicine was too strong—ahem~!”

“Medicine?”

Tanya thought back to a conversation she’d recently overheard at a pub. Rumor had it that unsavory individuals were lacing women’s drinks with some sort of drug to put them to sleep.

“N-Never mind that~! Anyway~!” The man collected himself and declared, “That was when I asked you to marry me, and you didn’t say no~!”

“Because she was ASLEEP!” Tanya roared on reflex.

“No, no, her eyes were open~! And if she didn’t say no, that means it’s okay, right~?”

“What the fuck is wrong with you?!”

The absence of a “no” means “hell yeah, go for it”?! Funny, I never got that memo!

Just then, something occurred to her. As an adventurer, she was fully capable of putting her foot down and saying no to anything she wasn’t interested in. But what about girls born to nobility, or the daughters of the working class, who couldn’t stand up for themselves? How many young women out there were getting forced into marriages they didn’t want, all because they didn’t—or couldn’t—say no?

The thought made her stomach lurch.

“Besides~”

“There’s more?!”

“When I went to introduce myself to her family, oh, it was so romantic~! Want me to tell you about it~?”

“Not really, but this is a formal discussion, so knock yourself out! Were it not for the laws of this land, I would slaughter you!”

“See, I started stroking Anca-bear’s hair, and then she turned all red~!”

“That’s because I was trying to hold in my rage!” Anca argued, her voice shaking.

“But you were looking at me with all that emotion in your eyes~!”

“That’s because I... I was struggling to process what was happening!”

Her voice had escalated to a desperate scream... but Tilde Man didn’t seem to care. Instead, he grinned.

“You’re so cute when you’re embarrassed~!” His tone was one of abject mockery. “So there you have it~! I asked Anca-bear to marry me, and she didn’t say no~! What more proof do you need~?”

The next thing Tanya knew, her body was moving, she was on autopilot. She stormed right over to Tilde Man, grabbed him by the head, and squished his cheeks together with both hands.

“Bbfffph?!”

“You agree to call off the engagement, right?” Tanya asked quietly. Her hand strength was currently boosted by Earth Magic, and in this state, she could probably crush a boulder. As such, with her iron grip smooshing his lips together, he couldn’t actually respond to the question.

“Bbff... bbffphh...!”

“I’ll ask you again: you agree to call off the engagement, right? And while we’re at it, you agree that the results of this negotiation won’t have any negative repercussions for your family’s business relationship with Bianca’s Quality Meats, right?!”

The only sound was that of his muffled grunting and labored breathing.

“...Good.”

Tanya relinquished her grip, and the man fell to the floor.

“Wh... Who do you think you are...?!” he coughed.

“You didn’t say no.”

“...What?”

“When I asked you to call off the engagement, you didn’t say no, correct?”

“Th... That’s because I could barely talk!”

Tilde Man was now so frazzled, he’d forgotten to speak with tildes. This was the man beneath the simpering mask.

“Yeah, and? Anca here couldn’t talk either—because she was asleep! Intentionally put to sleep, might I add! For that matter, why would a grown man want to marry an underage girl? You should be ashamed of yourself!”

“Miss Tanya...!”

Anca gazed up at her, her eyes swimming with tears. She’d never felt this way in all her life. Tanya was fuming on her behalf, and she couldn’t begin to express how touched she felt that someone else would rail at the injustices done her.

Meanwhile, the man glared at Tanya. “Rrrrgghh... I... I refuse to accept this! I demand a duel between my representative and yours!”

“Gladly,” Tanya responded with a smile.

*9*

Tilde Man’s “representative” turned out to be a skinhead with a ripped physique, polar opposite to his opponent, Katherine, in every way.

“This is my big chance to shine, and I’m not going down this time,” she muttered to herself.

Just then, there was a loud snap directly behind her.

“Huh?”

The next instant, her skimpy “standard Mage girl” bikini began to transform.

Long white sleeves. A bright red hakama skirt. Slits running up the sides, exposing the tight-fitting compression shorts worn beneath.

“No way... Is this—?!”

“Traditional foxkin shrine maiden’s garb? You bet it is! Your grand-mère showed it to me before we left!” Laplace called out in a singsong voice.

“Oh, wow... Katherine, you look so impressive!” Nadine gushed, her eyes sparkling.

“Heh heh... Interesting. Looks like someone’s got good taste.”

Katherine tightened her grip on her magic staff. She could feel Anca’s desperate, pleading gaze boring into the back of her head as Tanya embraced her protectively. Come to think of it, this is the first time I’ve ever fought to protect someone, she mused to herself.

She scrutinized her opponent. Judging from his armor, he was probably a Brawler. And if his punches were faster than her spells, she wouldn’t stand a chance against him.

“Hey, lady. You really think a little costume change is going to help you?”

“Nope. But that’s okay... because I don’t need any help taking you down!”

Somehow, in standing up to defend someone else’s honor, Katherine felt stronger than ever. And if it wasn’t for Lilium, perhaps this was a feeling she would never have discovered by herself.

She took a deep breath.

“Round and round the wheel turns! Hellfire, I summon thee! Heed my call—AND GIVE CHASE! Fox-Fireball!!!”

Dozens upon dozens of pale blue fireballs descended upon the Brawler.

“GYAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!”

“Holy cow!” Anca gasped.

Tilde Man sputtered and stammered in disbelief as his representative hit the floor like a ton of bricks.

Laplace put a finger to her cheek and tilted her head. “Wait a moment... Did she just formally adopt Tanya’s nickname for her spell?”

“Gah! Look, it was just easier to call it that, okay?!” Katherine snapped, turning away in a huff... but it was obvious to everyone watching that she was trying to conceal her embarrassment.

Katherine Foxxi: a woman possessed of a will strong enough to rival even Tanya’s. Her heart was in the right place—she was just a little awkward at expressing herself.

Okay, more like really awkward, but still.

*10*

And so the dispute was “resolved” (physically) in Anca’s favor. Soon afterwards, the owners of Bistro Flora—Tilde Man’s parents—came over to apologize to Anca directly. Apparently this was far from the first time their son had sparked an incident like this. In response, Anca told them: “I don’t know if I’ll forgive him, but I want him to promise he’ll never try anything like this ever again.”

(As a side note, Tilde Man’s parents also assured her that they were devoted to her family’s meat products and had no plans on ending their business relationship anytime soon.)

Back at the butcher shop, the sweet smell of juicy grade-A meat filled the air as the members of Lilium were treated to their promised reward.

“Ooh, it looks so good...!”

“I didn’t realize you were looking forward to this, Katherine.”

“I’m just, y’know, checking to make sure our main supplier is up to snuff! The Little Vixen prides itself on offering its customers the highest quality meals at affordable prices—oh man, look at that grease sizzle!”

“Enough about the meat—this wine is fantastique!”

The ladies of Lilium sat around the grill, their eyes shining with excitement. Likewise, Anca had a big smile on her face as she cooked each piece to perfection. With the fiancé debacle safely behind her, there was clearly a huge weight off her shoulders.

“Mmmm, I really like this kind! What’s it called, anyway? Hanger steak? From the diaphragm? Wait, but... isn’t that an organ?!”

“Can I get a refill of that wine, s’il vous plaît?”

“Oh my goodness... This chicken is so crispy on the outside, yet so juicy on the inside! I can hardly believe it! Ack, now my glasses are all fogged up!”

“This sauce is the real deal! You can tell the meat was marinated perfectly, too.”

These women were in barbecue heaven.

“Hey, Tanya! The meat’s burning!”

“Perfect timing! Let me grab that for you, Laplace! Aahh, this beer really hits the spot!!!”

“Mmmm... Yep, that’s the taste of Bianca’s Quality Meats, alright! Grandma sure knows how to pick ‘em!”

“I have to agree... Gah! The grease from this delicious, crispy sausage has splattered all over my new lens!”

Their hunger was unending. And because this feast was held right there in the butcher shop, customers started buying products left and right. Anca’s parents were both pleased as punch.

Later, during dessert...

“Just so we’re clear, Anca... you’re not totally innocent in this,” Anca’s father declared after a pause.

“What?” Anca froze. He was blaming her for what happened? Unbelievable. She hadn’t done anything wrong!!

“You were walking around late at night, wearing that hoochie outfit! What did you think would happen? You should’ve been more careful.”

“Wh... Hoochie outfit?! I just wanted to dress up nice for my friends! And besides... how was I supposed to know someone would spike my drink?!”

“Clearly you weren’t paying attention. In light of Lilium’s generosity, I’ll let you off the hook... but from now on, you’ll have a strict curfew. In fact, I’m tempted to say you’re grounded!”

“What? No!”

“I’m worried about you, Anca! You’re my daughter, and you’ll do as I say!”

This was too much for Tanya to tolerate. But before she could get to her feet—

“HEY!”

—a sharp voice cut across the table. She turned to look.

“I don’t appreciate that. Not one bit!”

It was Laplace.

“D-Do you mind?! I’m trying to parent my daughter here!”

“Silence,” she growled in a low, icy voice. “She automatically owes you her obedience because you’re her father? If that’s supposed to be a joke, it isn’t funny.”

Normally Laplace was an easygoing sort who never let anything get under her skin... but all good humor had left her voice.

“Your daughter isn’t your property, compris?”

Silence.

Tanya was too shocked to speak. I’ve never seen Laplace this angry... She’s practically livid.

Meanwhile, Anca’s father looked back at Laplace in surprise. Then, steadily, his expression shifted to one of guilt. “Um... I’m sorry, Anca. I was too hard on you.”

“Glad to hear it.” Laplace smiled brightly. “Now then, this Great Sorceress needs another drink!”

Before they knew it, she had returned to her usual carefree self.

Incidentally, Bianca’s Quality Meats would go on to receive an outpouring of orders requesting “that meat those girls were gushing over in your store”... but that’s a story for another time.

As it turned out, Lilium was good for the economy.