Chapter 21: The True Identity of Aldebaran?

“…Haa, haa. I finally got my hands on it.”

At that moment, I was practically trembling with joy.

“I can’t believe it… this miraculous item actually exists.”

If I walked in and bought something like this in ojou-sama mode, it might cause a stir.

That’s why I played it safe and headed to the shop wearing a monkey mask.

“Haa, haa, haa. Nghhh, this is too damn good…”

In my hand was a silver bracelet adorned with a gem that shimmered with a suspicious green light.

Apparently, it was a local specialty aimed at tourists, but it hit me right in my weak spot, and I ended up buying it on impulse.

“Just by wearing this, I can really—”

Of course, I have no interest in jewelry or accessories.

What I was after… was the bracelet’s magical effect.

That’s right, this bracelet—

“My body’s… so freakin’ heavy!! Nghooohhh!!”

It was a magical item that applied gravity resistance to the wearer!

“This is amazing. With this, I can train 24/7 and no one will even notice…”

This muscle-enhancing training bracelet was a hit with tourists in Yowin.

Among the various models, I picked the one with the highest level of resistance—and it’s incredible! With each step, my whole body gets hit with pressure!

This is that training style loved by Son Go●u and Ve●ta… I’m getting seriously hyped.

Apparently, it consumes the wearer’s mana and applies full-body gravity pressure while equipped. Which means… in the middle of a fight, if things get dicey, I can coolly say, “Hmph… I suppose it’s time to get serious,” and then remove the bracelet for a dramatic power-up. That’s the kind of move I can pull off now.

This is truly a groundbreaking piece of equipment. It’s no exaggeration to say it’s a revolution for my muscle life.

“Legendary gravity training… With this, I’ll become the ultimate warrior! Uwah, uwahahahaha!!”

“And if I sneak this bracelet onto Sis without her noticing, she’ll think she got weaker and totally freak out—ahahaha, ahahahahahaha!!”

While I was laughing maniacally, riding the high of this discovery—

I suddenly heard another fit of laughter erupt right next to me.

“…Huh?”

“…Oh?”

Wondering what was going on, I turned to the side—and there, standing before me…

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!! It’s that damn pervy rabbit freak!!”

“Ugh, you again… I mean, Monkey Mask Creep!”

It was her—that annoying bunny-suited warrior I had a run-in with back in the city of Rewin!

---

“…And yeah, that’s how the fight started.”

“So that rabbit freak you kept talking about… really does exist, huh.”

—Oi, what the hell are you doing, getting into fights dressed like a monkey? I told you—no more trouble, remember?

Pulled aside in a quiet alley, I was getting an earful from Master, who looked seriously ticked off.

“My bad. I just got a little too fired up.”

“Well, our young lady caused a bit of a scene too, so I’ll let this one slide. But if it happens again, I’m exposing your identity.”

“I’m sorry! Please forgive me! I’ll do anything!”

If my identity got exposed, the dignity of House Velmund would hit rock bottom.

“…Oh, right. Karl and the others saw me too. Did Maika or Rev-chan seem like they recognized who was under the monkey mask?”

“Nah, we were pretty far apart, and they both avoided making eye contact. I don’t think they realized it was you.”

“Phew, thank goodness… Wait, why were they avoiding eye contact?”

Fortunately, according to Master, it didn’t look like anyone had figured out I was behind the mask.

“If you’re that desperate to keep your identity hidden, maybe don’t go in disguise just to buy workout gear.”

“Yeah, but come on—if someone like me, a refined and delicate beauty, bought a macho resistance bracelet, it’d attract attention…”

“…Haa. Next time, just tell me and I’ll go get it for you.”

“Really!? That would be amazing!!”

“You saved my life and the young lady’s. If running errands like that’s all it takes to help, I’m happy to do it.”

Master really is a good guy. If he’s offering, I’ll definitely ask next time.

“Oh, and by the way… the young lady is way more refined and delicate than you.”

“…Refined? Delicate?”

“She is refined and delicate, isn’t she?”

“Ah… y-yeah.”

I mean, is Sakura really that refined and delicate? If anything, she’s got more of a gallant vibe.

To me, refined means someone elegant like me, and delicate means someone adorably charming like me.

---

“Maika and Irine, you two were there too?”

“I was, yeah. You two looked like you were about to start a fight, so I set some traps just in case… Not that they were needed, apparently.”

“I as well. Things seemed unusually loud, so I was observing from a distance. Are those people acquaintances of yours?”

By the time the meeting hour came around, everyone had already gathered at the rendezvous point.

They grilled me about whether I’d been there too, but I played dumb when it came to the monkey mask.

“I don’t know anything about those red guys—Aldebaran, was it?—but the monkey mask guy’s an acquaintance of mine. …Still, what the hell’s he doing here?”

“…You mean that mysterious guy who supposedly took down a demon single-handedly?”

“Yeah, that’s the one. That suspicious aura of his is unmistakable.”

Was it really that suspicious?

“…A mysterious, powerful warrior. Like Dad or Mom, I’m sure those masked people have their reasons for hiding their identities… So cool.”

“Lev, please don’t think that’s cool. No. Big brother says absolutely not.”

“Aww…”

Yeah, right? I thought it was cool too.

Karl really does have a weird sense of taste. Poor guy.

“So, you’re still thinking of recruiting that guy? I don’t want anything to do with him—he’s way too shady.”

“He’s actually a good guy, seriously. And he’s just plain strong. Someone you can count on to watch your back.”

“Let’s at least stick to people with clear backgrounds when we’re picking teammates, okay?”

Well, the truth is, he’s already kind of acting as one of us.

“But that monkey mask guy said he’s got something important to do, so it doesn’t sound like he’s planning on joining us for real. Let’s leave him be until he brings it up himself.”

“Agreed. For now, we’ll ignore him. Even if we run into him in town, just act like we don’t know him.”

“Don’t worry, I wasn’t planning on talking to him anyway.”

Yeah, please do. Makes things easier for me.

“Alright then, let’s go cash in our stuff. I already found a place with decent rates.”

“Nice, you’re on the ball, Maika.”

“Unlike someone, I didn’t waste time picking fights.”

With that, Maika pointed toward the direction of a few shops.

“Before the day’s out, we need to pick up a gift and go greet the scholar we were introduced to. Oh, and find an inn too.”

“…Locking down a base of operations. Important.”

“Definitely.”

Seems while we were busy fighting, Maika went and took care of everything on her own.

Yup, way more reliable than Karl.

“Alright, let’s move.”

And so, after wrapping up the transaction without a hitch, we left the market district behind.

We headed toward the southern sector to meet the scholar we’d been referred to—“Yuri the Mage.”

Wondering just what kind of encounter awaited us ahead.

---

“Hehehe.”

“Come closer, come take a look!”

“Oh, you there! Interested in trying a part-time job!?”

A bridge crossing over the canal that leads to the southern area.

That spot was bustling with a colorful crowd of all kinds.

“Hey there, mister passing by. Could I borrow a moment of your time? I sense a strange fate swirling around you. You should hear my fortune.”

“Part-time job available~! Nothing dangerous, really! You just drink some juice and relax for the night! While you do that, we’ll record any changes in your body, and you get paid!”

“Freshly crafted magic golems, brand new! No particular use, but hey, they move on their own! That alone’s worth the price, right!?”

The bridge, situated between the shopping district and the residential area, was packed with shady-looking stalls.

It reminded me of the red-light district back in Lewin.

I expected a more quiet atmosphere, since this was a city of scholars... well, surely it’ll calm down once I get past this area.

“Hey there, young lady. How about drinking this potion and staying the night at my place? You won’t regret it.”

“I’m sorry, but try someone else, will you?”

“How about it, missy? This golem—it moves!”

“...It certainly is moving.”

“Exactly! It moves! So buy it!”

Getting accosted every time I passed someone was pretty damn annoying.

The pimps back in Lewin’s pleasure district at least had the decency to be attractive women. Having a bunch of greasy old men calling out to me was just plain painful.

“Hey hey, you there, miss. Mind sparing a few minutes?”

“Sorry, I’m in a hurry...”

“If you’re going to dismiss my words as useless, then I won’t charge you a coin. I’m just a humble fortune teller, but I pride myself on seeing through the world’s truths.”

“No, um, sorry. Maybe some other time, when I’m not in such a rush.”

Then, as if pulled in by the flow, we were approached by a hooded girl leaning against the bridge railing.

She held a crystal in her hand and looked even younger than Rev-chan. More like she was playing pretend than actually doing business.

“You really should listen. What I’m about to say isn’t just some silly story.”

“...Haa.”

“Apparently, the Demon King has already been revived. And soon, this very city will be under attack. Once that happens, you won’t be able to treat this like someone else’s problem.”

Normally, I wouldn’t mind humoring a kid like this for a bit.

But between shopping and that fight, we’d burned through more time than expected. I’d really like to greet the scholars before it gets any later. No time to entertain a child’s imagination.

Sorry, but I’ll have to ignore her.

Or so I thought.

“...The Demon King’s been revived?”

“That’s right. The Demon King has apparently already returned.”

That was a phrase too specific to just brush off as a child’s fantasy, and it made me stop in my tracks.

“Oh? So you’re interested, then?”

“...I suppose I am.”

Maybe it was just a detail in her pretend game.

Maybe it was a complete waste of time to listen.

But still...

“...Karl.”

“Yeah. Miss, could you tell us more about that?”

“Hehehe, gladly. A fortune teller lives to speak of what they see in the future.”

We came to this city for the purpose of gathering information.

If there’s even a chance that this could be useful, then we should definitely hear her out.

“From what I’ve heard—”

With short white hair in a bob cut, and a drowsy expression under her hood, the young girl began to speak with a delighted look, enjoying the attention.

“About ten days ago, the Hero of Crimson Demonflame appeared in this city and went around telling people, ‘The King of the Demons has returned. The age of chaos begins anew.’”

“...Oh?”

Judging by her story, she was just repeating what the Hero of Crimson Demonflame—probably Aldebaran—had been spreading around.

“She says that very soon, the demon race will attack this city. Most people think it’s just a joke or a prank... but to me, she looked completely serious.”

“I see. Do you know anything else about this female hero?”

“Let me think... I believe her name was something like ‘Alde-something.’ They say she has incredible magical power and is one of the world’s strongest mages, having mastered the latest version of Hellfire magic.”

“I see.”

The goddess had told Karl that she didn’t know where the demon race would strike next. And yet, Aldebaran claimed this city would be the next target.

If Aldebaran truly was chosen by the goddess, then why was her information different from what Karl was told?

“Anyway, since no one believed her, she got frustrated and holed herself up in her workshop to prepare for the worst. She’s apparently renting a workshop in the northern area and living there now.”

“I see. Anything else?”

“No, that’s all I know. So, was it helpful?”

The fortune teller girl smiled brightly as she asked.

It wasn’t quite the information I’d been hoping for, but learning more about Aldebaran was still a valuable gain.

A powerful mage claiming to be a hero. We’d better have Karl ask the goddess about her identity.

“Thanks, kid.”

“No need for thanks. If you found my story even a little helpful, how about a fortune reading while you’re here? For just 50G, I’ll read the fates of all of you.”

“...Ah. Well, sure. Go ahead.”

"Thanks for your business…"

Karl handed over 50G from his own pocket as a donation for the valuable intel. You can't skimp on this kind of payment—stop paying, and the info stops flowing. That's just how it works.

You could call it a necessary expense.

“Hmm hmm hmm! Well now, it seems all of you are bound by quite the curious fate.”

“Oh? Curious how?”

“Hmm, let’s see… Swordsman-kun, you’re the one tied to everyone else’s destiny. From here on, the lives of your companions who journey with you will be greatly affected by your choices.”

Having received the money, the fortune-teller girl grinned at Karl with a hint of amusement in her eyes.

“What’s your name?”

“Karl.”

“Karl-kun. You’re the king of beasts who protects the pack. As long as you don’t stray from your path, your comrades will always support you. You’ll soon face a great hardship, but as long as you don’t make the wrong choices, the path forward will open. Strive on.”

Hmm. Well, Karl is the party leader, so yeah, that tracks.

Fortune-tellers tend to say vague, cryptic things that could apply to anyone. That’s their job, right? Cold reading, or whatever it’s called?

Yeah… not exactly convincing.

“You there, the small girl… You’re like a kitten.”

“…Kitten?”

Next, the fortune-teller turned to Lev-chan. Her shoulders gave a start at being addressed.

“Yes. Cautious and slow to warm up to others, like a little kitten. But your potential is truly eye-catching… Tell me, are you perhaps descended from someone exceptional?”

“…Shut up. I’m just the child of an ordinary adventurer.”

“I see.”

The fortune-teller tried to speak to Lev-chan, but she turned away with a pout. Yeah, that wariness is easy to see.

“Okay, next… You there, the lady in the ranger outfit.”

“Me? I’m Maika.”

“Ooh. Maika-san, you’re a rabbit. Full of affection, acting like you can live on your own, but deep down, you're lonely and yearn for someone’s warmth. And your likely partner is… Karl-kun, perhaps?”

“Wha!?”

“If you’d just be honest with your feelings, happiness would come naturally. Also, rabbits are famously high in libido. Which means you too are really—”

“W-w-what kind of nonsense are you spouting!? Just ‘cause you’re small doesn’t mean you can—”

“…Ah, apologies. That was a bit thoughtless of me.”

Wow, this girl’s pretty observant. She already picked up on Maika’s crush?

Or… could it be that her fortune-telling is actually legit? It doesn’t feel like a child just playing pretend—she’s way too composed.

“You’re just making this stuff up, aren’t you!? Take it back!”

“How rude. My fortunes are the real deal.”

“W-well now, Maika-san, it’s just a child talking, you know…”

Since Maika’s eyes were starting to narrow sharply, Karl stepped in to calm her down.

This kid’s got some guts, that’s for sure.

“You there, the noblewoman with the big chest… you’re a gorilla. Standing 180cm tall, weighing over 100kg, twelve times stronger than a human, and when threatened, flings her own poop—truly, a forest monster.”

“Well, now.”

“And the noblewoman with the small chest—surprise, you’re a lion. Of everyone here, you actually have the greatest potential to lead. But right now, you’re injured. This is your time to endure. Stay strong and wait it out.”

“I appreciate the advice, but don’t categorize me by chest size. I’ll kill you.”

“The gentleman behind you… a stray wolf. Looks like you’ve got fearsome fangs, but in truth, you’re timid and loyal. Be grateful you’ve found someone worth serving.”

“…Hmph. You say things like you can see right through me.”

Hmm… She even noticed Sakura’s kingly aura? Maybe this isn’t just cold reading. Maybe she’s the real deal.

“Alright, alright, satisfied now? That’s enough, Karl, let’s just get going.”

“…She’s been wrong across the board. What a waste of time.”

Lev-chan and Maika both reacted like they’d dealt with a shady con artist. But if this fortune-teller is real, then that “great hardship” she mentioned might really be coming for Karl.

“Maika, sorry… I think I’m starting to believe her. For a first meeting, she saw way too deep.”

“…It’s embarrassing, but I felt seen too. I’ll side with the lady.”

“Indeed, I’m starting to believe her as well. Karl, we should at least be cautious.”

“…Wait, Irine, are you really okay siding with them like that?”

I don’t mind. Is there a problem?

“…Hey, fortune-teller. What exactly is this hardship that’s coming for me?”

“Let’s see. The hardship that’s coming for you won’t be a big deal for you. But for those who need you… it may not be so trivial.”

“…What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Act decisively. Don’t hesitate—when the moment comes, move with instinct and precision. That may be the only right answer when your next trial arrives. …Honestly, this isn’t the kind of thing I should be saying for a mere 50G.”

With that, the white-haired fortune-teller girl smiled softly.

“That’s the end of my advice. I don’t know what kind of future awaits you all, but what I’ve seen ahead on your path is exactly what I told you.”

“…Well, I don’t really get it, but I’ll keep it in mind. Thanks.”

“Please do. I’ll be praying you don’t make the wrong choice.”

With those words, she lowered her gaze again and turned back to peering into her crystal ball.

She gave off the clear sense that her role here was finished.

“…Creepy little thing.”

“Let’s not dwell on it. More importantly, we need to get to that scholar’s house we were told about.”

“Right… it was someone named Yuri, wasn’t it?”

Still, that girl left an impression. If it were just a child playing pretend, it would’ve felt more hollow—but this had too much weight to it. And her insights… they were surprisingly on point.

No one looks at someone as refined and elegant as me and thinks “gorilla.” It’s more reasonable to assume she’s using some kind of special magic.

“…Yuri, you say?”

“Oh? You know her, fortune-teller? If you don’t mind, could you tell us where her house is?”

“…Hmm. Do you all happen to have a letter of introduction from a merchant named Pylon?”

“Pylon…? Yeah, I think that was his name.”

“Oh-ho, I see! You should’ve said so sooner!”

The fortune-teller girl, who had already ended the conversation once, suddenly lit up when she heard the name “Yuri” and turned back toward us with interest.

It seemed she knew something.

“So, you’re the clients Pylon mentioned—the experimental subje—ahem, guests. I expected you to arrive later in the afternoon, though.”

“…Huh?”

“Ah, sorry for the late introduction. The scholar Pylon referred you to… is me.”

With that, the white-haired fortune-teller stepped forward and gave us a polite bow.

“Nice to meet you. I am Yuri—‘The One Who Sees the Future,’ and ‘Observer of the Age.’ A scholar of divinatory science. I welcome you.”

“…Wait, what?”

The girl who offered us her hand looked even younger than Lev-chan, her face still bearing traces of childhood innocence.

And that was how we met the genius girl, Yuri.