The snake before him moved not in the slightest, and remained as quiet and coiled as it was before! Just as he’d predicted, the snake couldn’t hear Mira’s whistle over his rap!
“Give it up already, Mira! You can’t win!”
Wataru, still holding the mic in one hand, shouted at Mira! She burst out crying!
“Ugh... Oh, shoot...! Hey! I didn’t even get a chance to say anything bad about you!!” Mira was an emotional wreck after the ruthlessly brutal disses delivered by Wataru’s rap!
Indeed, they were cruel, but it’s a cruel, cruel world! That’s what it means when you decide to make your way in life following the principles of Freestyle Rap!*
(*Freestyle Rap: the definition of the art form varies according to time and place, but basically it involves a style of rapping where one improvises lyrics to a set beat. A common “rap battle” involves participants improvising lines, taking turns to insult, or “diss,” one another back and forth in a competition of one’s will and wit. In some circles, the ability to favorably participate in these contests leads to an increase in social standing. [5])
✦ ✦ ✦
A few minutes later, royal guards arrived at the house and carried off Mira to the dungeons for the crime of murder. Those left in the entrance hall looked at each other.
“Well, that’s one thing taken care of, right?” Aria chirped cheerfully, like a proper isekai heroine!
“Hey, you’re right!” Wataru gave Aria a satisfied nod.
Next to him, Alibaba had a smile on his face as he said: “Heavens above! Thank you, Mr. Wataru! With your help, we were able to solve the case!”
“It was nothing! I did what anyone would do!” Wataru waved away Alibaba’s praise with modesty befitting a noble gentleman.
“Please, allow me to express my gratitude. Yes... I shall present you with the orb that you asked me for earlier!”
“Wha—!!!!!! Are you sure!?!?”
Wataru had a brilliantly happy smile on his face as he heard this most surprising proposal!
“Yes, I really mean it. I am sincerely grateful for your help.”
And so with this, Wataru had obtained the fourth orb! It was then that Résistance turned to Alibaba to ask him a most important question!
“Oh, by the way, Mr. Alibaba—You wouldn’t happen to know anyone else with an orb, would you?”
“Hmmm, another orb, you say...? Well, actually, I do know of another person in the Revant Kingdom who has one.”
“Oh, really!?” Aria couldn’t help but smile at the way the plot was progressing so quickly!
“Why, just a little bit ago I told you I bought my orb at auction, right? The truth is that there was another orb sold at the very same event. This other person bought it.”
“Well, who is it?”
At Résistance’s urging, Alibaba struggled to recall the other orb owner. “Hmmm, I do believe it was...” He stroked his chin, as if trying to recall some long-ago memory, and fell into a long silence before saying:
“Right! It was the manager of the Toys ‘B’ We store!”