A sizeable gathering had formed at the market square. Peasants, farmers, and peddlers assembled in front of a stage where a makeshift shooting range had been erected.
The front row had a line of seats where wealthy traders sat in anticipation of the demonstration, with two women occupying the VIP positions near the center: Peonie and Roana.
"I bet that the P9T-thingy will shred those dummies," Peonie elbowed her elven neighbor, pointing at the wooden mannequins on the stage. "…want to make a little wager? I can bet my-"
"Please… stop."
Petunia, meanwhile, was crouching over her improvised workstation, trying to hide the deep breaths she was taking.
"Whoa, that's a-a big c-crowd. D-didn't expect that m-many people…"
Min and Yoshio were hiding behind the back wall. Yoshio was dressed in a shirt and shorts, since his dirty armor was still drying up, and he'd rather not slosh around in wet clothes.
Still, it was much more than Min had, which was three strategically placed fig leaves held up by spit and a prayer. That, and a couple of fishing poles.
"Wow, can't believe you found someone willing to lend you fishing poles," Min said, hoisting the poles up.
"Sure, they lent them to me; let's go with that." Yoshio rolled his eyes. "What actually worries me is this asinine plan of yours. You are just going to toss your lines over the wall…"
"And you'll make them move around with the wind, don't forget that."
"Yeah, randomly. So the lines, also randomly, hook on the goblin's clothes…"
"We still don't know if she is technically a goblin-"
"On the PRESUMED goblin's clothes, and strip her naked. Thus making her look like such a fool that no one would buy her stupid gun."
"Yep!" Min beamed a proud smile, her almost bare chest puffing up. "Don't worry, as you said, this is my specialty. With my curse, no way these hooks don't strip someone, and since I'm already naked… Huzah!"
Min cast her lines as Petunia took shaky steps to address her crowd. The green inventor gulped, barely able to make eye contact with the nearest line of people. She took a deep breath.
"Relax, P-Petunia," the green inventor mumbled. "What were you supposed to do when talking to a crowd? Picture them naked?"
"Eeep!"
"Hear that?" Min perked up, raising both her fishing lines to bring their haul back. "That's the telltale sound of clothes ripping apart! Now, help me reel in our catch so our naked inventor can't get dressed again!"
"Huh? It worked?" Petunia blinked as the crowd gasped.
"W-what's going on?" Peonie said, standing with her bare knees touching each other. She stared aghast as her dress and her chemise were dancing in the air as if to taunt her.
She didn't know why her clothes gained sentience and decided to abandon her body, but Peonie knew she had to get them back before the whole hamlet burned the sight of her firm buttocks to their memory.
Peonie's long legs flexed as she jumped forward, her toned limbs reaching upward at the dancing dress, but failing to catch the fabric between her fingers. The garments moved left, right, and up, with the naked Peonie matching their movements below in a frantic dance.
As the crowd started laughing, Peonie's cheeks acquired a red hue. Even Roana couldn't help but point out how the noblewoman's buttocks hopped up and down as she stomped about.
"Hey, girl. I think I finally know your thing! You can be a naked jester!" the elf said.
Peonie mashed her teeth, her eyes wincing as they noticed the little cords puppeteering her former garments. "No, that's still Min's thing."
Ignoring her clothes, Peonie followed the lines and tackled the flimsy back wall. The wooden pane crashed down, exposing the naked woman manning two fishing rods.
Min's lips twitched as she made eye contact with her friend.
"H-hi Peonie. Ah! I seem to have caught your clothes…"
"I knew it! It is your fault! Why?!"
"I… ack!" The lines of the fishing poles whipped back, the wind reeling them along Min's skin and slapping her soft tummy. "In my defense, I thought I had Petunia's clothes…Err… do you want your dress back?"
"YES!"