Chapter 35: Riddles People Don’t Speak Human Language.
“Ugh, I feel like I’ve been cursed with bad luck ever since I got this blessing, Chief Pepas.”
After her self-deprecating remark, Suna paused briefly before voicing her curiosity.
“But I’m wondering—what did you talk about with the Station Chief? He must be furious, right?”
“It wasn’t the Station Chief I spoke with, though he’s definitely annoyed.”
Pepas shrugged, giving a vague response, but Suna quickly deduced the likely interlocutor.
“Huh? Was it… the Demon Lord?”
Neither confirming nor denying, Pepas pressed on.
“Suna, take my warning seriously.”
Seeing Pepas’s insistence, Suna, as her friend, realized she wouldn’t elaborate on the conversation.
Nodding in agreement, Suna muttered under her breath.
“Fine, fine, I’ll be careful. But tailing Skull closely is like standing in the eye of a storm.”
Seeing no point in prolonging the talk, Suna waved at Pepas.
“See you next time, Pepas. I’ll do my best with the mission. And, uh, the critique…”
As her form began to fade, returning to the base world, Pepas’s abrupt question caught her off guard.
“Suna, do you remember how many of your mimic beast companions are still alive?”
Frowning, Suna didn’t have time to answer before vanishing completely.
Back in her temporary lodging, Suna rose from bed as if waking, approached the window, and parted the curtains slightly, gazing at the cloudy, dim night sky.
“Of my generation, fewer than five are left. No, to our creators or those people, we’re not even people—just weapons.”
Muttering, Suna let out a heavy sigh.
She disliked recalling the history of mimic beasts.
It tied to the dark secrets of the human Dustni Empire and the demon Niforheim Kingdom, the chaotic war twenty-nine years ago, and even the secession of the Garivod Demon Lord’s domain.
“Pepas knows this, so why ask? It didn’t feel like a question—more like a reminder… of what?”
Frustrated, Suna scratched her head, mussing her hair.
“Ugh, talking in riddles and leaving things half-said. I don’t have enough info to figure this out. So annoying! Forget it, I’m going to sleep.”
Using a water blade, Suna sliced off the remaining golden-brown branches on her head and slipped into bed, falling asleep quickly.
Refreshed after a good sleep, Suna boarded a magical bus back to Blackmont the next morning.
In Blackmont, she moved cautiously, like a thief, wary of running into Skull, Ace, or Frosti again.
After finding a secluded place to stay, she began planning how to monitor Skull from a suitable distance.
Her goddess’s “blessing” meant she couldn’t use her masterful mimic magic to disguise herself as someone else.
She’d have to rely on external accessories or tricks to alter her appearance in others’ eyes.
“Hm, I’ve been aiming for a storybook saintess vibe—gentle, approachable, with orthodox, simple priestly robes. Though I can’t change my face, maybe I could tan my skin bronze with some sunbathing.”
Muttering her plan, Suna visited a clothing store partnered with the temple.
As a hub in the eastern Dustni Empire, even temple-affiliated stores were grand, this one spanning 500 square meters with ornate, temple-like decor.
As Suna entered, the manager in a crisp white suit noticed her instantly, signaling other staff to stand down. He approached swiftly, introducing himself with earnest enthusiasm.
“Greetings, Saintess. What kind of clothing do you need? Lightweight priestly robes for travel, sealing robes for combat, formal robes for banquets or ceremonies, or ritual robes? We also offer complementary accessories.”
“…Uh, I’m just browsing.”
Overwhelmed by his fervor, Suna responded awkwardly.
Though she kept [Veil of Truth] active outside, she wondered if her blessing’s intensity had revealed something.
After browsing the racks of priestly robes, Suna tentatively asked the manager.
“Manager, any recommendations?”
At her question, his eyes lit up. He grabbed a white priestly robe embroidered with ornate golden branch patterns, displaying it with wind magic.
“I recommend this. It suits your divine aura—elegant yet dignified. It’s woven with defensive and self-repairing spells, with room for additional enchantments.”
“It’s nice, but I want to try a new style. I’ve hit a turning point and want to reinvent myself.”
At Suna’s words, the manager’s eyes gleamed with cunning and inspiration.
“A style change? A reinvention? Why not?”
Muttering, he clapped his hands. A staff member, as if teleporting, appeared silently behind Suna, gently guiding her by the arms toward the fitting room.
“Hey, wait! I haven’t said what I want to buy!”
“You try on one piece at a time to find what satisfies, don’t you?”