A Fight Behind the Scenes The bodyguard job from Jewelry Production had turned out to be much more complicated than the Survivors expected. They knew it would entail protecting idols from blacklisted fans who were buying counterfeit tickets to get into concerts, but now they had learned that the tickets gave their owners strange power. “Are we good on that part?” Nick asked. “Not at all, but whatever,” Tiana responded. The Survivors had gathered in Tiana’s apartment after work for a meeting. Nick was going back over everything that had happened so far, step-by-step, and the others were listening with slightly annoyed expressions. “The counterfeit tickets seem to be talismans made by demon-god worshippers,” Nick said. “I don’t like that, either, but go on,” Tiana said. “That caught the attention of the Sun Knights, who are now poking their noses into this case to catch demon-god worshippers,” Nick continued. Alice, the Sun Knight who visited the Jewelry Production headquarters, thought that Garos, Nick’s former party member, might be a demon-god worshipper. She was also suspicious of Nick because he defeated White Mask. Knowing that this would only lead to trouble, Nick relayed the conversation he’d had with Alice. “…So yeah, I ended up picking a fight with a famous Sun Knight. I’m in big trouble if we don’t catch the counterfeit-ticket seller before them. Sorry,” Nick finished. “If you knew it was going to be a mistake, you shouldn’t have done it in the first place!” Tiana scolded. “I’m really sorry. I know I messed up,” Nick repeated, shrinking away from her. The others chuckled; they all had a soft spot for Nick’s quick temper. “All right. I’m not actually that mad,” Tiana said. “It’s inevitable the Sun Knights were going to suspect us, given what we’ve done.” “Yes. We are all in the same boat. There is no point in dwelling on the past,” Bond agreed. “Hey, you’re partially responsible for all this!” Nick retorted. Bond’s supercilious behavior was getting under his skin. Zem laughed. “So in short,” he said with his typical calm, “we have to keep the concerts safe and find the counterfeit-ticket seller. We must accomplish the latter before the Sun Knights. Is that right?” “I think I’m gonna look for the ticket seller myself. I might ask for your help in spots, though,” Nick said. Zem frowned. “I don’t love the idea of you working alone. I am also uneasy about our chances of fighting off the idol fans with those counterfeit tickets—the false paladins, I suppose—without you. We would not be able to use Union.” “That’s true…” Nick and Zem both looked anxious. Bond had registered Nick as his owner. His sword form was optimized to Nick’s mind and body, so transferring ownership would not be easy. “That won’t be a problem. We used Union last time without thinking, but I don’t think we needed it,” Tiana said. “Yes, I agree. We can handle the assailants if we can just figure out how the tickets work,” Bond agreed. “How?” Nick asked. Tiana answered, sounding free of concern. “All we have to do is steal or burn the ticket.” “That’s easier said than done, especially if the false paladin is an adventurer trained in martial arts,” Nick argued. “You would think,” Tiana said. “But the only thing that sets the counterfeit tickets apart is the special paint. They’re made of paper.” “That is right. The fastest way to deal with a ticket might be to fill a bucket with water and drench the assailant,” Bond said. Zem looked surprised. “Could they not have waterproofed the tickets? That feels like a major oversight.” “They could have, but…” Tiana thought for a moment. “These tickets don’t make any sense. They have incredible effects despite not having any mana, but it seems like durability wasn’t prioritized at all.” “Perhaps that is because they were hastily made?” Zem suggested. “Maybe. I have no idea. Would someone capable of making these tickets cut corners on something so important?” Tiana said, collapsing on her bed in resignation. “No… I know the reason,” said Nick. “It’s simple, actually. Making the tickets waterproof would change how they feel. They wouldn’t pass for legitimate tickets when entering a venue.” “Your useless idol knowledge is actually coming in handy,” Tiana teased. “Shut up,” Nick snapped. “Well, I think we’ll be able to handle ourselves protecting the idols. But…” Tiana looked at Nick with concern. “What is it?” Nick asked. “It’s just… One of your former party members is suspected of being a demon-god worshipper, right? Are you going to have to catch him and turn him in?” Nick shrugged. “Don’t worry about that. I got kicked out of my last party ’cause he stole money and framed me for it. I’m not gonna waste any sympathy on him if it turns out he’s a criminal.” “Oh yeah… I remember you telling us that. This guy’s caused you a lot of trouble, huh?” Tiana gave Nick a sympathetic look. “You’ve got that right… But I don’t think Garos is the one selling the counterfeit tickets,” he said. “Do you have proof?” Tiana asked. “He came to my apartment the other day, and he didn’t show much interest when he saw how obsessed I am with idols. If he was selling counterfeit tickets, he would’ve seen me as a customer.” “You don’t suspect him because he didn’t try to sell one to you.” Tiana, Zem, and Bond looked relieved. Karan, however, was lost in thought. “Did you realize something, Karan?” Nick asked. “N-no, it’s nothing,” Karan responded, shaking her head. Her hesitancy was surprising, given her recent calmness. “What’s wrong? If you’ve realized something, anything, you should tell us,” Nick urged. “U-um, it might be unrelated, but… Is that okay?” she asked Nick shyly. “Yeah, of course,” Nick answered. “Daffy is working really hard. It surprised me how invested she is in Diamond and the other idols’ dance practice,” Karan said. “Man, I wish I could’ve seen that,” Nick lamented. The others snickered. “I am ignorant of idols and their music, but even I could see how impressive their training is,” Zem said. “Diamond changed her entire persona just by adjusting her posture in front of the mirror and finding the rhythm of each song… It felt like she was onstage even though there was no lighting or audience,” Tiana agreed. “It was as if the idols were truly minstrels,” Bond said. “Huh? That’s ’cause idols are minstrels,” Nick responded. “Modern idols, yes. In ancient times, idols were people who used music and singing to fight. They combined mana with sound and visual effects to amplify spells. They could also place an audience into a trancelike state to gather mana from them and perform special ritual spells. It was a support job similar to shamans.” The others were stunned. “Idols? Fighting? What, did they bring guitars to the battlefield?” Nick asked. “The strings would break in no time,” Tiana said. “Singing in a labyrinth sounds like a terrible idea, too. You might as well shout ‘Hey, monsters! I’m over here!’” Karan responded. “Their music is certainly catchy, but I would rather enjoy it outside of work hours,” Zem said. Bond recoiled from their differing negative reactions. “What’s cooler than taking a guitar into battle?! And yes, they actually did that! I saw fighting minstrels!” Nick turned away awkwardly. He just couldn’t believe him. “Hey, you aren’t taking me seriously! If you don’t believe me, look me in the eye and say it!” Bond demanded. “Okay, okay! We were talking about how Diamond is as amazing as ancient idols, right?!” Nick said. “That’s better,” Bond huffed. Karan spoke up timidly. “Um, that’s not it… Sorry, I wasn’t very clear. I wasn’t just talking about the idols. Daffy is working really hard, too… So hard that it was weird.” “How so?” Nick asked, confused. “Daffy has always liked dancing in front of others, but she never had any interest in teaching. It’s more her personality to see someone like Diamond and get competitive. I don’t think she’s the type to give up dancing and commit to a teacher role,” Karan continued. “Maybe she had a change of heart after she retired from dancing?” Nick guessed. “That’s not all. She won’t talk about Ares’s father or anything else related to her family.” “Has it just not come up?” Karan shook her head. “It feels like she’s avoiding it. She won’t talk about her personal life at all, even when I ask. But then she’ll ask me if I’m eating properly and tell me I need to ‘take the dragon by the horns’ and gain experience outside of adventuring… Something’s definitely off with her.” “It is weird that she won’t talk about herself. We’ve already seen her kid,” Nick agreed. “I’m worried Daffy has gotten herself involved in something dangerous,” Karan said. “We could look into it, but we have never performed a background check… Labyrinth exploration and searching for people in the slums have become our specialties,” Zem said with a shrug and a weak smile. “Actually… There might be a way,” Nick said. Karan’s tail twitched in response. “I know someone who specializes in that kinda thing. I planned to meet with him to ask him about Garos. There’s no guarantee he’ll learn anything, but… Do you want to go with me, Karan?” “Really?!” Karan asked. “All right, I’m gonna borrow Karan for tomorrow. We’re gonna gather information. Does that sound okay?” Nick asked the group. Karan looked doubtful. “Are you sure you don’t need my help for more than one day?” “Hmm? Yeah, I’ll be fine. It won’t matter when we’re meeting with an acquaintance, but once I start actually searching for the criminal, it’ll be easier to act alone.” Karan didn’t seem to approve. “I don’t like the idea of you going off by yourself. I know I’m not one to talk, but you’re always the one to rush headfirst into danger.” “That’s right. You have a sharp eye, Karan,” Tiana laughed. Nick winced. “S-sorry. I won’t do anything reckless.” “Really?” Karan asked. “We need you at the concerts anyway. The idols seem to feel more comfortable with you around.” “That…is true. You’re also Daffodil’s cousin,” Zem agreed reluctantly. “I would be uncomfortable being the only physical fighter there,” Bond said. He seemed unsure, too. “…Fine. But Nick…,” Karan began. “Y-yeah?” Karan looked Nick right in the eye. He flinched slightly under her silent gaze. She had always been brave on the battlefield and easily flustered over private matters, but her personality was steadily changing. “If you run into any difficulty, don’t just press on by yourself. Rely on us when you need to,” Karan urged. “…Got it,” Nick said, half to himself. He was wondering if he truly would do as Karan said. “Is visiting an inmate in prison your idea of a date?” “Some people apparently attend trials on dates.” “It’s in bad taste to enjoy someone else’s life as entertainment.” “Says the fraudster.” A wicked laugh echoed in the dim room Nick and Karan had entered. They were visiting an inmate in the Sun Knight prison. Fortunately, it seemed like the knights working here hadn’t heard about Nick from Alice, and they happily let him through after some coins changed hands. “Nick. I don’t want to give this guy sweets anymore. We should give them to the knights instead,” Karan said, upset at the inmate’s teasing. “Calm down, Karan,” Nick responded. “This is my second time here. Please don’t tell me he’s the adventurer who specializes in background checks,” Karan said. “He’s not. There’s just a few things I wanna check with him. This won’t take long,” Nick said. Leon snickered. “Are you tired of comin’ to me for help? You should follow your party member’s example and learn to use all the resources available to you.” “I don’t want your advice,” Karan said, turning away in a huff. That only amused Leon more. “This is a deal, missy. You fulfill my request, and I answer your questions. It’s fifty-fifty. Let’s put the past behind us,” he said flippantly. “The one in jail doesn’t get to say that,” Karan said, sighing, before reluctantly handing him the sweets. “These were made from a puree of boiled southern sweet potato mixed with butter, cow’s milk, and sugar. You add dried fruits and berries and slowly bake it in an oven. The taste is good enough for high-class restaurants.” “Wow, that doesn’t sound so bad… So whaddaya wanna ask me? You still havin’ trouble with that rare magic item?” Leon asked. “The Steppingman broke the phantom king orb. We collected all the fragments,” Nick answered candidly. Leon raised his eyebrows and went silent for a moment. “Wait, before we talk any more about this. A magic sword called the Butterfly Sword and a staff called the False Root Staff should’ve been stolen together with the phantom king orb. Did the Steppingman you guys were after not have them?” “No… He didn’t. Are they dangerous?” Nick asked. “Yep. The Butterfly Sword has two bells, one attached to the blade and one to the scabbard. They’re called the dream bell and the reality bell. You can use those to fool your opponent about the position or trajectory of the sword and perform an attack they can’t see. You can also use sound and light to overwhelm their senses. The False Root Staff can be used to control magic creatures and golems. They’re both just as nasty as the phantom king orb. Be careful of whoever has them,” Leon warned. “You’re being strangely open with this information. We didn’t even bring you the phantom king orb like you wanted.” Nick was confused. Leon snickered again. “You’re not the type to lie about something like this. And even if I can’t read you, the girl behind you is an open book. I’ll acknowledge that you fulfilled your end of the bargain.” Karan looked offended, but then she quickly realized the emotion she was showing and tried to bury it. “I’m easy to read, am I?” she challenged. “You just got angry and tried to hide it. You’re not good at this,” Leon said. Karan seemed embarrassed and unsure of what Leon meant. “Huh? Are there ways to be good or bad at hiding your emotions?” “Yep. One way to keep your anger from showing is to fantasize about ways to kill whoever’s pissing you off. Or you can pretend to be weak and bait your opponent into a slip of the tongue. You have to find ways other than your facial expressions and body movements to vent your emotions. Try too hard to suppress them, and they’ll escape in unexpected ways,” Leon said. Those words surprised Karan. She had been reprimanded many times and told not to let her emotions rule her, but no one had ever told her to find a way to vent them. “Understand what I’m saying? You don’t control your emotions by trying to hold them back. You do it by deciding how exactly you want to release them. That’s more important for races like you and me that have ears and tails that can give us away,” Leon continued. Karan sensed something in his words, and she stared at him. “Why are you telling me this?” “I told you, dragonian. We had a deal,” Leon responded. “…Okay,” Karan said. Nick, however, was getting fed up. “You’re hardly in a position to give life advice, man.” “You can’t live here without a little hypocrisy… Who was the Steppingman, by the way?” Leon asked. “A former priest named Nargava. He was using a phantom king orb given to him by White Mask. White Mask killed him once he realized their intentions no longer aligned,” Nick said. “White Mask?! What happened with him?!” Leon yelled suddenly. “We fought and defeated him. The person inside the armor fled, though,” Nick answered. “You defeated White Mask…? Unbelievable. Well, I guess your sword’s ability would make it possible,” Leon said, surprised. Nick found his reaction curious. “Is White Mask that famous? Do you know his real identity?” “Of course I don’t. No one does,” Leon said. “You clearly know about him, though. Give us whatever details you have,” Nick urged. “Hmm… People call him the Southern Saint, but he seems much more like a pawn of the demon-god worshippers and an inhumane thief. He tends to target antique magic items.” “Antiques… Oh yeah, didn’t you mention a major magic item broker last time?” “White Mask is really only known for his strength and cruelty. The broker, on the other hand, is a powerful person who manages the distribution of goods. They support crooks like White Mask but never step out from behind the scenes themselves. I might have brought them up on a whim, but I don’t know their intentions.” “Really…” “But man, that’s great news that you defeated White Mask. You know how many adventurers he’s killed who specialize in excavating ruins? Their comrades would cry tears of joy if they heard that.” Leon noticed that Nick wasn’t smiling at the praise and said, “What’s with that face? That’s a good thing.” “The Sun Knights are watching me now ’cause I upstaged them. Whoever wore White Mask’s armor must hate me, too. And I think there’s more than meets the eye with this job we just started,” Nick replied. “Really? Sounds interesting. Tell me about it.” Nick told Leon about their current situation, including how they were hired by an idol agency to work as bodyguards and that Nick would be arrested if he didn’t capture the person selling the strange tickets before the Sun Knights. When he was finished, Leon clapped a hand over his mouth and laughed. “Pfft… Heh-heh. The price of fame is high! Your life is so damn funny!” he said. “Don’t laugh. My life isn’t for your entertainment. Do you have any idea who the counterfeit-ticket seller could be?” Nick asked. “Antiques are my area of expertise. I’m sure you and your fellow idol groupies would know more than me.” “I guess that’s true… Do you know anything about Garos?” “Why the hell would you need to ask me that? You were his party member.” “You had to have looked into him, though, and from a different viewpoint than me or the Sun Knights. Don’t you remember when you guys swindled me? There’s no way you didn’t consider the possibility of my party members trying to get revenge on you.” Leon grinned. “That’s a good point… As far as I know, Garos is a typical Labyrinth City adventurer. He’s reliable when it comes to monster extermination in labyrinths, but a total slob in his personal life. He spends all his time on gambling and women and never saves money.” “All true.” “What stood out was his unusual fighting skill… And how comfortable he was with killing. I saw him outside a bar once and got chills. Thought he was gonna kill the guy he was fighting.” “You saw Garos fighting?” “Not just him. He was with everyone from Combat Masters but you.” Leon pointed at Nick, as if warning him about an ominous monster in the depths of a labyrinth. “I didn’t wanna make an enemy of everyone in Combat Masters. I considered telling Claudine to back off, but luckily you were kicked out of the party.” Nick was annoyed by Leon’s frankness, but Leon was probably telling the truth. Making an enemy of Argus and all his former party members would place you in mortal danger. “You’re definitely not weak, Nick. With that holy sword, you have the strength of an S-rank adventurer. But that doesn’t matter when it comes to takin’ a life. You can easily make up for a lack of skill if you’re prepared to kill,” Leon continued. “…I’m sure,” Nick said. “You’re naive. If your old party member turns out to be a demon-god worshipper, kill him.” “Excuse me?” “Listen up, man. Your life is in danger. You need to be ready to find the truth and kill your enemies. Watch out for your former party member. It’s also possible the person behind this is someone you’d never suspect… That Diamond girl who hired you is pretty suspicious. So hold on to your doubt. If you become sure that someone is an enemy, don’t waver. It’s kill or be killed.” Leon wasn’t provoking Nick or making fun of him. He meant what he said, and his voice carried the touch of sympathy a doctor used when speaking to a patient. Karan watched Nick with concern. Nick and Karan left the prison to find the sun shining brightly. Carriages traveled along the street, and mailmen rushed from one destination to the next. The prison was located behind a Sun Knight station, beyond which cafés and shops lined the street. Nick thought melancholically about the difference between places where darkness gathered and light shone. One small misstep in life could leave you in the shadows before you could blink. “It’s such a peaceful day,” Nick said after stopping and scanning the street. Leon’s words turned in his head. You’re naive. “You shouldn’t worry about what he said,” Karan told him. “Yeah,” Nick replied half-heartedly. “No one hears that and actually stops worrying, though,” Karan said. Nick burst out laughing at her overly honest words. “You’ve got that right. It’s not like we really solved anything.” “I’m bad at this. I never know what to say,” Karan said unhappily, looking away. Her innocent behavior was washing away the dark feelings that had settled in Nick’s heart. “It’s been a while since you’ve made that face,” he said. “I came to accept that it’s okay not to know everything. That there’s no use growing flustered over not knowing what to do or say… But it’s still frustrating when there’s something I wish I understood,” Karan said. “What do you wish you understood?” “Other people’s feelings,” Karan replied dejectedly. Nick responded with a weak laugh. “I have trouble figuring that out, too.” “But I’m even worse. Everyone else is smarter than me. I don’t think dumb people can understand how smart people feel.” “Once again, Karan, you’re not an idiot.” Nick tried to console her. “I don’t know…” “Besides, even if you can’t read a person’s mind, you can try to figure out what they’re feeling by watching them.” Just then, a houndian delivery boy sprinted past them. A human boy on a bicycle chased after him. They were both in their midteens and holding a bag full of mail. “Wait, you idiot! I’m gonna pass out at this pace!” the boy on the bicycle yelled. “Shut up! I’m not gonna lose to someone who needs wheels! Whoever finishes last has to buy the other dinner!” the houndian shouted back. “You’re on! I’m gonna win this time!” the boy on the bicycle declared. After making a game of their job, the boys rushed to a postbox and deftly shoved their letters inside. The houndian boy was in the lead at first, but the boy on the bicycle began to catch up. “H-huh?” the houndian boy shouted. “You’re too easy to read!” the human yelled. The human was watching the houndian’s tail. The twitches would point to which postbox the houndian was aiming for next, which the human boy used to race ahead and throw his letters in first. An old man on the side of the road yelled at them to put the letters in neatly, startling and scaring away a napping cat. “Having beast ears or a tail is a disadvantage. It’s going to take me a while to learn how to do what Leon said,” Karan muttered after watching them. “I’m jealous, personally. It looks easier to get your balance, and they’re sensitive to sound and wind,” Nick said. “That’s true,” Karan said, patting her tail. “Does it really move involuntarily?” Nick asked. “I think so. I don’t really notice it. I don’t think I can stop my tail directly, so I need to control my emotions instead.” “That sounds hard,” Nick racked his brain for advice, but he couldn’t think of anything beyond the generic platitude that practice makes perfect. “It would be fair if humans had tails and big ears, too.” “It really would.” “Then what if you imagine that? Look at a person and think about how their tail would move if they had one.” “Huh?” Karan’s eyes widened in amazement at Nick’s advice. She looked at the delivery boys racing down the street. She turned to the angry old man next, then the cat, and then Nick. “Wh-what is it?” Nick stammered. “I…wonder if everyone has moments when they think simple things or zone out and think nothing at all,” Karan muttered, seemingly to herself. There was surprise on her face. “I’m pretty sure everyone does that,” Nick replied. “The boy chasing the other one looks frustrated… But he’s actually having fun,” Karan said. Nick nodded in agreement. “There you go. I’m jealous of how much energy those kids have.” “You sound like an old man.” Karan burst out laughing. “Hey, don’t say that. That hurts,” Nick complained. “Then start acting younger,” Karan giggled. “I’m…always getting distracted by weird or interesting things I see.” “Yeah, I can relate to that.” “I wonder if smart people are able to think things are interesting or weird without getting distracted.” “Probably.” “They also get frustrated when they lose, excited when they win, and annoyed by loud people, don’t they?” “Uh, yeah. I think that’s a safe assumption.” Nick was unsure where Karan was going with this. “Huh,” Karan said, her expression suddenly changing. She looked refreshed, as if her confusion had been cleared away. “Let’s get going, Nick. We’re meeting with the adventurer who’s good at investigating, right?” Nick and Karan arrived at a brick building located near Anemone Alehouse. There was nothing vulgar about the place, but the inside was messy, as if the owner had no expectation of receiving guests. It was Nick and Karan’s destination, Woods Credit Check Office. “I know why you’re here, but I don’t have a clue where Callios from White Heron is, either,” a man inside the office said without standing up. He looked around thirty years old and was wearing a battered white button-down. “What?” Nick said. He and Karan were both startled. “What’re you talking about, Hector?” It was the man’s turn to look surprised. “Huh? You haven’t heard from Vilma? She gave me a job to find out the identity of a thief who masqueraded as an adventurer. I thought you must’ve gotten impatient and come here to pester me about it.” “No, this is the first I’ve heard of that… So Vilma went to you,” Nick said. “I’ve hit a brick wall, though. I know he was a magic item broker for connoisseurs, but I’ve got no records on him whatsoever. He’s either a real big shot, or ‘Callios’ is a code name used by multiple people… Ah, whoops. You’re Karan, right?” the man named Hector asked, scratching his head. Karan cocked her head, apparently unoffended. “I don’t care about learning the identity of one thief. I just want my dragon king gem back. Anyway, who are you and what is this place? I don’t know what a credit check is.” Hector chuckled and finally stood. “The name’s Hector Woods. I’m currently looking for your dragon king gem. I’ve seen no sign of it on the black market, so it’s probably been stored somewhere.” Karan didn’t seem bothered by that answer. She looked like she had already accepted it as inevitable. “Okay. So what’s a credit check?” she asked. “Ah, it’s just a formal way of saying detective work,” Hector answered. Karan’s tail began to wag. The word detective must have caught her interest. “Most of my work comes down to looking for missing persons and performing infidelity investigations. I also look into financial affairs and loans,” Hector continued. Karan’s tail stopped wagging, signaling her disappointment. “Ha-ha-ha, sorry if that’s not as interesting.” “Oh, but if you’re good at investigating people…” Karan trailed off, looking at Nick. She seemed to have realized why he brought her here. “That’s right. Hector specializes in background checks,” Nick said. He explained that Hector was originally a lesser noble in the capital and had a job compiling social registers, but he had to flee to Labyrinth City after a certain incident. Karan felt sorry for him until Hector elaborated—he was chased away after he had an affair with someone’s wife. “Nick saved me when I came to Labyrinth City and got mugged. I started helping him out with Combat Masters problems after that,” Hector explained. “I scratch his back; he scratches mine,” Nick said, eliciting a glare from Hector. “You should’ve shown yourself sooner if that’s how you think of our relationship. I was worried about you when I heard you were kicked out of your party, then the next thing I know you’re making a name for yourself in a new one. I wanted to hire you as a part-timer and push all my busywork on to you,” Hector complained. “Sorry, sorry. And that’s too bad for you,” Nick replied with a wry grin. “You two seem close,” Karan said, sounding a little bored. “Whoops, sorry, miss. What did you two come here to discuss?” Hector asked after clearing his throat. Nick put on his work face. “We have two matters. First, we’re looking for someone who’s selling counterfeit tickets to idol concerts,” Nick said. “Do you mean a scalper? I wouldn’t know much about that. Want to make it an official request?” Hector asked. “…No. I don’t wanna put you in danger. The seller might be a demon-god worshipper,” Nick said. “Why would a demon-god worshipper sell idol concert tickets?” Hector wondered. “I know it sounds weird. I’ve heard this is a real problem for rich people,” Nick answered, smiling awkwardly. Hector shook his head. “I’m not doubting you. I’m just genuinely curious. It’s hard for outsiders to enter the underground marketplace for this kind of entertainment and make any money. Ticket prices change all the time, due to shifts in popularity. You hear of robberies and kidnappings for ransom, but selling something with such short-lived value is unusual.” “So selling these tickets wouldn’t be worth it unless you were a fan,” Nick said. “It could be someone who loved idols so much that their feelings turned to resentment. The kind who gets overexcited at a show and gets banned for life or a girl who tried to become an idol but couldn’t make it,” Hector continued. Nick thought back to the idol blacklist. “That makes sense… I hadn’t considered that. Thanks.” “What’s your other matter?” Hector asked. “This one is an official request. I want you to look into a dragonian dancer named Daffodil, Garos from Combat Masters, and the idol agency Jewelry Production,” Nick said. “Jewelry Production, huh…? Well, I suppose I would want to investigate them if I’m doing an entertainment-related job,” Hector responded. His grim expression gave Nick a bad feeling. “Don’t tell me Jewelry Production is actually bad news. They’re not involved with gangsters or demon-god worshippers, are they?” Nick asked. Hector shook his head. “The opposite, actually. There are rumors the company is tied up with nobles—influential ones close to the lord of Labyrinth City.” “Are you serious?” Nick exclaimed. Most nobles living in Labyrinth City did not own territory. Instead, they were nobles of the robe who gained their high-society status from administrative or judicial posts. Even so, the average citizen saw them as lofty rulers who could not be opposed. “I’m not saying this based on definitive proof. But there are other idol agencies that clearly have the backing of an armed organization or gang, and Jewelry Production is the biggest idol agency of all. I wanna tread lightly with them,” Hector said. None of this was surprising for Nick to hear; at the very least, he got the feeling that Diamond and Joseph were not ordinary people. “I won’t pressure you to do anything dangerous. You can consider Jewelry Production an extra, inessential request,” Nick said. “Got it. What do you want me to focus on exactly?” “Daffodil’s background and behavior. And whether she has a connection to the demon-god worshippers.” Hector’s eyes sharpened, his casual attitude quickly disappearing. “Garos is an adventurer, so I know what he looks like. I already told you how difficult Jewelry Production will be. I don’t know who Daffodil is, though. Tell me about her,” he said. Nick didn’t know what to say, but Karan answered for him. “Her full name is Daffodil Tsubaki. Nick said she’s a dancer, but it seems like she’s mainly working as a dance teacher and choreographer. She’s twenty-eight years old and has a son named Ares.” “Did she get married and have her child in this city?” Hector asked. “Probably. And I don’t think she would have a kid without a husband,” Karan answered. Nick watched Karan, surprised by how smoothly she was answering his questions. “Got it. I’ll do a quick check,” Hector said. “Right now?” Karan asked. “The full investigation will take time, but I can do a quick profile right now.” Hector got up from his chair and stood before a bookshelf, scratching his head. It was packed with rough binders containing newspaper and magazine clippings. “What are those?” Karan asked. “Watch this, miss. Bibliosearch,” Hector said, casting a spell. He released a dim light from his hands, which wrapped around the bookshelf. The bookshelf shook slightly, but nothing else happened. Karan frowned doubtfully, but Hector didn’t falter. “I got a hit,” Hector muttered as one of the binders left the bookshelf and floated toward him, opening and turning pages in the air. He caught the binder and read. “She was in a D-rank adventurers’ party called Terpsichora. I have an application here for their disbandment. The leader was Jack Codeau, and the other members were Daffodil Tsubaki and Jane Wyald… They disbanded because their leader was declared MIA after a labyrinth expedition. Their final labyrinth was Thousand Sword Peak.” It seemed to be information from a time when Daffodil worked as an adventurer. The pages contained information about her party’s history. “He went missing in action, huh…? It would’ve been easier for them if he just died,” Nick said with a mixed expression. “Missing in action? Does that mean he’s still alive?” Karan asked. “Ancient ruins that have become labyrinths often contain traps that warp people down to the bottom floor or send them flying out of the labyrinth. When a companion is lost in such a manner, you report their status as MIA, which stands for missing in action,” Nick explained. “So he could be…” Karan trailed off. “Barely anyone who goes MIA in a labyrinth comes back,” Nick said coolly. Karan’s face hardened. “A lot of adventurers report a party member as MIA because they don’t want to acknowledge their death. The guild allows it, though once enough time passes they are treated as officially dead.” Karan looked down sadly, but she quickly recovered and asked another question. “Was that a spell, Nick? Can you use it to quickly search documents?” “Yeah. It’s a special spell used by civil officials and librarians,” Nick answered. “The spell itself is simple,” Hector added. “Putting together the bookshelf is actually the hard part. You have to build and manage the bookshelf yourself for the spell to work.” “You compiled all this yourself?” Karan muttered, surveying all the binders with surprise. “As you can see, though, these binders mostly contain stuff you could put in a scrapbook, like newspaper articles and Wanted posters. It’s just public info, so nothing exhaustive. But it’s really useful,” Hector said with a smile. “This guy’s well-connected. He’s able to get his hands on registers and account books that are inaccessible to most people. He also receives newspapers from cafés that they were planning to throw out and cuts them up to put in his binders,” Nick said.
Chapter 69
31 min read