Volume 9, Chapter 14 – The Maiden’s Bargain

“Th-Thank goodness I reacted fast enough, or I’d have been roasted.”

Having survived the firestorm, Red, as if completely drained, supported herself on the ground with one hand, clutching her chest and gasping for breath.

After realizing the situation was dire, Red had immediately covered her entire body with her trump card, [Degraded Demonic Blade]. At the same time, Lin had swiftly used necromancy to try and extinguish the flames. Under their combined efforts, the towering firestorm was quickly subdued.

Of course, that was how it looked to outsiders. In reality, neither the [Degraded Demonic Blade] nor Lin’s necromancy could keep up with the firestorm’s spreading speed. The reason Red was unharmed was that Yisi had secretly used a defensive spell, protecting her just before the firestorm engulfed her. Although Red’s disdain for the magic items she’d made had caused a few angry marks to pop up on her head, just scaring her a little was enough. If it had escalated into a bloody incident, it would have been going too far.

Purple, having checked Red’s body, let out a long sigh of relief, her tense facial expression relaxing.

“Haa… To think you survived that fire. Honestly, I was just about to call Bishop Limaya over for treatment.”

“Hmph, it was just a mere Tier 1 spell. A mere Tier 1 spell can’t hurt me at all.” Although her face still showed lingering fear, her words were arrogant. Red climbed up from the ground, planting her hands on her hips. “Lin, what’s wrong with you? You look troubled.”

“Red, did you feel an abnormal magical fluctuation just now? Right as the fireball was about to reach you, some magic protected you.”

“Eh? No, wasn’t that my [Degraded Demonic Blade]? You’re definitely overthinking it, Lin.”

“Hmph…”

She can even detect such a subtle magical fluctuation?

Maintaining a blank expression, Yisi inwardly suppressed her surprise. Her protection over Red just now had been extremely covert, yet Lin still sensed the magical fluctuation. If she had been any closer to Lin, she probably would have discovered the protective measures she’d secretly taken. As expected of someone with dragon blood.

The recovered Red quickly turned her spear on Yisi.

“Hey, you! Why didn’t you give any warning before using such a dangerous item on me?”

“Oh?” Having anticipated Red’s anger, Yisi widened her eyes slightly, tilting her head and blinking innocently. “Didn’t you say that a mere Tier 1 spell couldn’t hurt you at all, Red?”

“You—!”

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Choked speechless by Yisi’s “apology,” Red’s expression flickered between shades of green and black. It finally eased only when Lin stepped in.

“I apologize for my companion’s rudeness just now. That was a magic item comparable to a Tier 3 spell, not something that can be brushed off as a simple [Fireball].”

Very politely, Lin faced Yisi and bowed in apology. Her long black hair fell forward with the motion. Seeing Lin take this attitude, Yisi lost her desire to tease them any further and waved her hand.

“Ah, it’s fine. I didn’t take it to heart.”

I was just a little annoyed that something I’d made was being belittled.

“By the way, are those two bracelets also trigger-activated magic items? Rather than protecting the owner, I think they’re more suited for combat. What are their names? I recognized the [Fireball], but what were those three white magic circles? Even as a magic caster, I’ve never seen that spell before.”

“Purple, that’s Yisi’s secret.”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. Those white magic circles are a type of magic circle that can accelerate any object passing through them.”

This was magic from “Ragnarøk,” so of course Purple had never heard of it. While researching magic items, she had discovered that the magic circuits inscribed on items had much in common with those in magic barriers. Thus, she tried to inscribe a magic circuit, originally used for barriers, onto an item.

At first, no matter how she tried, she met with no success. But later, due to an accident where she’d spilled some of her own blood—originally intended for Pepe—into the magic liquid, the magic barriers from “Ragnarøk” could be perfectly copied onto magic items. She had smoothly overcome this previously unsolvable problem, turning a magic item into a mobile magic barrier. This resulted in the white magic circles Purple mentioned. They were originally used in permanent magical fortifications; as long as they were inscribed on the barrel of a magic cannon, the cannonball would be accelerated to a terrifying speed.

Since Purple couldn’t replicate the item even if she was told, and Yisi was planning to scrap and remake these items anyway, she spoke without reservation.

“These two bracelets must be used together. When attacked, they will both activate, one creating the acceleration circles and the other a [Fireball]. Combined, they become a powerful magic item. However, they’re facing some problems right now, and I plan to give them to a friend of mine to have these failures remade. Oh, I forgot to mention, these failures were given to me by a friend to help her test their strength. I didn’t make them.”

When she said these items were failures, all three Heroes, including Lin, wavered. Red and Purple swallowed, and Lin wore a complicated expression. Considering that if she said she’d made them, she might get pestered by Purple to make some for her in the future, she had fabricated a “friend.”

“The trigger points on two different items are exactly the same? How is that possible!?”

“I’m just as surprised as you are, Purple, but the facts are right in front of us.”

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“Just the fact that their trigger points are identical means they absolutely cannot be called failures! Not to mention they aren’t magic scrolls, but reusable items that can unleash a Tier 3 equivalent spell. If these are failures, then there are no successful magic items in the world! My knowledge of magic is weeping!”

With an exceptionally exaggerated expression, Purple shouted with grief and indignation. But then, as if remembering something, she quickly regained her ladylike demeanor. However, that smiling look of hers made Yisi feel like a frog being stared down by a snake.

Squeezing past Lin, Purple sidled up to Yisi, their shoulders pressing together. Perhaps she was so used to doing this that she did it with everyone. Purple tugged at the collar of her top, revealing the pale skin beneath and the deep cleavage only a mature woman possessed. Coupled with the faint girlish fragrance that occasionally wafted over, Yisi felt a bit flustered—she was too close.

“Hey, listen… Since you said they’re failures and you’re planning to have them remade, that means you wouldn’t mind just tossing them, right?”

Her voice had a soft, sticky quality. If this weren’t an open courtyard, but a small private room for two, the atmosphere would definitely turn suggestive. No, it already had that feeling.

Silently reminding herself that this level of seduction wouldn’t work on her—it would be a different story if it were Evelyn—Yisi replied with a deadpan expression.

“Well, true, I wouldn’t mind tossing them. It’s just that the materials to make them aren’t easy to get, so I think my friend will melt them down and reforge them.”

“Then there’s no problem.” Like a queen at a banquet, the smile on Purple’s face grew even brighter, her every move holding a heart-stirring charm. She whispered into Yisi’s ear, the warm breath tickling her neck, “How about giving them to me, your big sister? I’ll pay for the materials. This is your friend’s hard work; it would be a shame to just destroy it. Even failures have their uses. Just let me hold onto them for your friend, hmm?”

The acceleration circles were a product of “Ragnarøk,” so Yisi naturally wanted to refuse. However, just as she looked at Purple, preparing to say no, she had to swallow her words. Purple had lowered her stance, half-leaning against her, her watery eyes looking up at Yisi. That, combined with the pitiful look of request and helplessness in her gaze, made it impossible to refuse.

It’s a “Ragnarøk” magic circle, but without my blood, an outsider can’t possibly copy it. So, giving it to her should be fine, right? Besides, if I don’t do her this favor, these items will just end up gathering dust in a corner of my storage… Wait, doesn’t this mean I have no choice but to sell them to her?

Damn it, she’s too cunning—no, wait. Seeing as I’ve taken advantage of the situation, it’s only normal to return the favor. Not giving them to her would make me look petty.

Nodding in agreement, Yisi mentally estimated the cost of the materials. Averting her gaze from Purple’s pathetic eyes, she awkwardly stammered out the price.

“Um… the material cost is two gem coins. That’s twenty thousand gold coins.”

She had used “Ragnarøk” materials at the key nodes of the items. Although the amount was small—only about the size of a bottle cap in total—and the materials themselves weren’t high-grade (she had a mountain-sized supply), they were non-renewable, which was why she said they were precious. The price of two gem coins wasn’t her extorting them; if anything, it was a heavily discounted price. If the same volume of material were placed in front of Avis, or even any crafter who knew their stuff, the price would at least double. It was because of these materials that the items could withstand the massive magic circuits they shouldn’t have been able to. Even just crudely mixing these precious metals into ironware would instantly turn it into a divine weapon with excellent magic conductivity. They could truly be called treasures that did not exist in this world.

When Yisi named the price, she clearly felt the hand Purple had placed on her chest stiffen for a moment, and her facial muscles twitched unnaturally. However, Purple quickly covered it up and smiled.

“Two gem coins… Although these items are indeed worth that price, my dear sister, for the sake of our future, could you talk to your friend about it? I will definitely do my best to repay you afterward.”

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“Umm.”

If this were an adult manga, the sleazy old guy in my position would be demanding payment in flesh right now, and he’d act like it was the only way. Why do I have to be such a gentleman?

Complaining internally, while also glancing at Mary, who was covering her eyes but peeking through her fingers, Yisi cleared her throat pointedly. She pushed Purple away as if nothing had happened and raised her index finger righteously.

“One gem coin. That’s the lowest I can go. I know my friend’s temperament very well.”

“Alright, deal!”

Without hesitation, Purple grasped Yisi’s outstretched finger, then brought her hand to her lips. Turning to step back, she smiled and blew Yisi a kiss.

This woman. She definitely does this all the time.

The fluid, unhesitating motion made Yisi feel like she’d been played. But the problem was, even though she was the one getting the short end of the stick, she was subconsciously still a little expectant of that final kiss and smile.

Mature women are terrifying.

Yisi had a premonition that if Purple knew more of her trump cards, she would be eaten alive and played with in the palm of her hand. I must keep my secrets from the three Heroes from now on.

“Hey, Purple, one gem coin is still too much! Couldn’t you have gotten a better deal? If you’d just pulled her hand onto that pile of fat, she probably would have said, ‘Okay, I’ll do whatever you say,’ right?”

“Shh. I’m surprised she fell for this much. What if I’d pushed too hard and it backfired? Besides, I have my girlish modesty. Grabbing someone’s hand and putting it on my own chest… that’s something you would do, Red.”

“When have I ever done something like that! In the first place, it shouldn’t have been you. If Lin had gone, she’d probably have just given them to us for free. Didn’t you see how that woman’s eyes kept darting over to Lin? We finally meet someone who isn’t afraid of Lin, and you had to steal her thunder.”

“Hah? Do you think Lin would have actively cozied up to her like I did?”

Hey, hey, don’t talk about me like I’m some vampire princess who’d fall for anyone.

As Yisi frowned at their whispering, Lin stepped forward. Her bewitching face, with its light dusting of scales, now held only embarrassment and apology.

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“Thank you for the discount. We will pay the original price of two gem coins. It’s just that we don’t have that much money on us right now. We will need until tomorrow to get it to you. I apologize for Purple’s overly familiar behavior just now. She knew you were already engaged to others, yet she still got too close.”

“…Engaged?”

“Aren’t you engaged to Loiswell Edith Pescia and Camilla Pescia? We didn’t talk much on the way, but they both took turns informing us of this.”

Forget Pepe, why did Camilla tell them too?

But now was not the time to dwell on that. If she acted embarrassed now, it would only get more awkward later. Yisi put on a magnanimous expression, as if nothing had happened.

“Ahaha… It’s fine. Since we already agreed on one gem coin, let’s stick to that price.”

“Will it not cause trouble for you and your friend? I’ve heard Purple say in the past that friendship is a precious relationship that cannot be measured in money.”

Is Lin being serious?

The thought momentarily surfaced in her mind. If this wasn’t Lin deliberately playing pitiful, then she truly had no friends. But the presence of Red and Purple made that impossible.

Yet Lin’s purplish-blue eyes held only seriousness. Shaking her head to dispel the sympathy from her mind, Yisi deliberately struck a cool pose, flicking the silver ponytail that had fallen onto her forehead back.

“Don’t worry. She and I have an unbreakable bond.”

“There’s a third one…”

Lin frowned with a look of subtle disapproval.

She didn’t know what Lin was talking about, but she could feel it wasn’t anything good. Just as Yisi was about to correct her, a Divine Religion maid hurried over.

“Lady Yisi, General Gore Harile, the imperial envoy, requests an audience with you.”