Chapter 64

"Excaliser?"

I thought it sounded like a cheap knockoff name for a legendary sword.

"Welcome, customer. Do you want to give it a try? The challenge fee is just one sense."

The one who said this was a beautiful woman in her early twenties, with tanned skin, who seemed to be the shop owner. She had climbed up a rope ladder from the house under the bridge just a while ago. At that time, she was wearing a T-shirt and shorts, but now she was dressed in a beautiful outfit, giving off no hint of poverty.

"Give it a try...?"

"Don't you know? This sword can only be drawn by a hero. Once you draw it, the power of a hero will awaken within you, and great power will overflow from your body. Some fool who couldn't draw the sword ended up breaking the surrounding rocks and bringing it here. Of course, no one can use a sword in this shape, so it ended up here. If you want to try, make sure to read the sign before you draw it."

I see. So it's an event like that.

The three of us looked at the sword and the sign, and each gave our opinions.

"This sword, according to metal appraisal, is made of iron, but it shines silver. Is it coated with something?"

"Master, at the bottom of the sign, it says in small letters, 'If you draw the sword, please buy it. The price is 1000 sense.'"

"It's an iron sword. If so, the normal price would be around 500 sense. A 500 sense profit, huh?"

The woman's face twisted into a strained smile.

"Oh, sorry, sorry. The Excaliser was just a practice sword. The real one is this!"

This time, she brought a wooden staff embedded in a rock. The tip of the staff had a red, gem-like object attached, looking very expensive.

"This is the Staff of Aclapios. It's said to enhance the magic power of the wielder."

...A staff that enhances magic power, huh.

Since it's not made of metal, it's not my job, but it's probably just a knockoff.

The sign in front also had the same text, stating that if you draw it, it will be forcibly bought for 1000 sense.

"This! Is this the Staff of Aclapios?!"

Suddenly, a third voice came from behind.

A woman in a black triangular hat, a cloak, a black shirt, and a black scarf, all in black, with a black mask covering her eyes. She looked to be about the same age as the shop owner.

The woman raised her voice.

"My name is Marina, the world's greatest magician! Shop owner, please let me have this staff! I'll pay for it!"

"Sorry, customer. The rule is that I can only give it to the person who draws it."

"Then, I'll give it a try."

The woman named Marina handed a copper coin to the shop owner and put in some effort.

However, the staff wouldn't budge.

Marina's arm was trembling, and it seemed she was putting in a lot of strength.

After about three minutes of trying, Marina hung her head in defeat.

"Ah... It seems I can't do it. This staff is worth 50,000 sense to me. Is there anyone who can draw it for me?"

"Unfortunately, no one has been able to draw this staff so far. How about it, gentlemen? I mistakenly prepared the practice sword earlier, so the first try is free as a service."

"Is that so? Will you challenge it? If you draw the staff, I'll buy it for 50,000 sense, no, 100,000 sense! Of course, I'll prepare a contract."

I see.

If you think about it normally, if you can draw the staff, you could pay 1000 sense and sell it to the lady for 50,000.

If you can't draw it, it's a loss, but it's a loss either way.

"Master, should I give it a try?"

"No, Haru, wait a moment."

I took a step closer to Marina.

"Miss, are you really a magician?"

"Of course. Would you like to see my ultra-magic—spatial magic and summoning magic?"

"Summoning magic!?"

Caro and Haru exclaimed.

It seems that summoning magic is a unique skill in this world, and very few people can use it.

And spatial magic, too. Instant teleportation and spatial storage are indeed something I envy.

"Actually, I wasn't asked to show it, but I'll show it! It seems the audience is gathering nicely."

The woman twirled her palm, and a silk hat appeared out of nowhere.

"Amazing! Is this summoning magic!?"

"No, no, that was just the opening act! What I'll show you next is the ultra-magic of the century! Watch this empty silk hat!"

The woman covered the silk hat with a cloth and began to chant a spell.

"By the land, the time, and the contract, the King of the Sky, now reveal your form! Summoning bird!"

As she chanted, the cloth was removed, and three white doves appeared from the hat and flew away.

"...No way! Doves appeared from nowhere! It's summoning magic!"

"Unbelievable, a miracle! A miracle has happened! Normally, summoning magic can only summon one creature at a time, but to summon multiple birds at once..."

"Genius. A genius magician!"

Applause and cheers erupted, and the woman collected tips with her hat.

"Amazing, Master. I never thought I'd see summoning magic with my own eyes."

"Caro, I thought it was a scam by the shop owner, but she seems to be a real great magician."

...Huh?

Are these people really serious?

What I just saw... it was clearly just a "magic trick," right?

After all, her job isn't a magician.

She's a "Street Performer Level 29."

Next, she showed a fake spatial magic trick, and the audience cheered even more. Tips flew.

Yeah, her skills are impressive, but it's still a magic trick.

It was a card teleportation trick.

The doves that flew away circled in the sky.

The sky is so blue.

After a while, we waited until the audience dispersed.

Left were the three of us, Marina with a happy face full of tips, and the shop owner.

"How was it? What do you think of my great magic?"

"No, it's just a magic trick, right?"

I said to the boastful Marina.

Marina froze.

"Master, what's a magic trick?"

"A technique that creates the illusion of a supernatural phenomenon using dexterity, not magic. For example, the doves were hidden in her sleeves, and when the cloth was removed, it looked like they came from the hat."

"But three doves came out at once?"

"Doves can be compressed to a much smaller size than they appear. Most of their body is feathers. If you look at her sleeves, I bet you'll see some loose feathers."

As I said this, Marina instinctively tried to hide her sleeves. At that moment, her black scarf fell off, revealing a slave collar.

"...I see. Contracts with slaves without the owner's permission are invalid. You were using this system for a scam, weren't you?"

"Wow, there's such a system?"

The shop owner raised her hands.

"Fine, we lose. You guys are good. The first sword is usually easy to see through, but I didn't expect you to see through the second one. Haha, a couple of fools who came here the day before yesterday bought the Excaliper sword, a set of armor, and a metal whip that might awaken the power of a Monster Master, and a robe dyed silver. Today's not my lucky day."

"...You're quite honest."

"Well, I didn't lie. The staff really does enhance magic power, by about 1%."

The woman said this, pulled the staff out of the rock, and patted her shoulder.

"Marina said she wanted to buy the staff, so it's not my problem."

"That's mean... You said we were friends."

"Shut up, social cripple."

The woman pulled off Marina's mask.

Her Japanese-like eyes were revealed, and she quickly tried to hide them, her face turning red.

"Ugh... Please, give me back my mask, Canon."

"Give me half your tips if you want it back, Marina. Who do you think has been taking care of you, a stray?"

The two of them bickered over the mask.

Huh?

"Wait, Marina or Marina, I don't know, but are you...?"

I said in surprise.

"Japanese?"

As the chapter title suggests, the heroine of Chapter 3 finally appears.

Marina, a street performer who was part of a scam-like business.