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Translator: uly
Chapter: 7
Chapter Title: The Returning Knight
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"Phew, no customers again today."
The Hall of Illusions, which showed illusions, had zero visitors today as well.
Before opening, I'd gone around telling people everywhere that I was opening a shop that revealed their desires through illusions.
My illusion magic mentor, Meiko, had helped me out, promoting it all over the place.
I figured I'd hustled enough to get the word out somehow.
"Why aren't any customers coming?"
It was probably unfamiliar.
Showing desires with illusion magic?
I'd expected most people wouldn't get what that meant.
On top of that, the low regard for illusion magic was likely another reason.
I'd even accounted for that.
"Hmm, but I didn't think only one customer would show up in four days."
I'd thought at least some noble ladies would take an interest.
But not a single one came.
Were their religious beliefs really that strong?
Did none of them ever harbor a desire to secretly fool around with some noble young master?
Were all the nobles around here pure-hearted types?
No way.
"Maybe my mentor didn't promote it properly?"
She'd taken charge of pitching it to the ladies.
And since we'd developed it together, I figured she'd have some sense of responsibility.
"Eh, whatever. Blaming someone who's off in the provinces developing magic isn't right."
Of course, I planned to grill her properly when she got back from finishing her work.
Whether she'd actually promoted it right.
If not...
"I'll leave all the mana stone recharging to her."
And have her earn some pocket money with alchemy too.
She had to take responsibility for slacking off.
Come to think of it, the only customer in four days had been Yuris, the Iron-Blood Knight who came on opening day.
That was the most surprising part.
For a knight who only knew victory to come seeking the experience of defeat.
"She's later than I expected. She should be here by now."
For her, I'd even improved the video quality a bit.
There were still shortcomings, but I'd definitely fixed the issues from the first video.
I was confident she'd be satisfied if she watched it again.
But the one customer who should've come back hadn't.
'With her willpower, maybe she's resolved not to watch?'
Failing to turn the first customer into a regular was a shame.
I was tinkering with the magic circle, lost in those thoughts, when...
Knock knock knock.
Someone rapped on the door.
"Owner around?"
A stiff, businesslike voice called out.
It was familiar.
'She's here.'
I opened the door.
"Ah, there you are."
"Lady Yuris? You're back."
"Came to check if business is going well."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah."
"I figured you'd come for another round. You said the defeat experience was enough last time."
She avoided my gaze, scanning the shop instead.
"Ahem, no customers, huh."
"It's quiet, right? Looks like the promotion hasn't caught on yet."
"...Is that it?"
"Come in. I'll brew some tea."
"...Is that okay? Don't want to impose."
"Of course. Haven't had any customers these past few days anyway."
"..."
She looked at me like she'd expected as much.
"Of course. Who'd use illusion magic? Even mages avoid that school."
"You're saying that in front of an Illusion School guy?"
"Ahem, sorry."
I sat her on the sofa and brought out some tea.
Yuris sat still, sniffing the air.
"What're you doing?"
"Oh, nothing. The tea... smells nice."
"Yeah?"
She seemed disappointed for some reason.
"Have a cup."
As we sipped quietly, Yuris asked me.
"That smell from my first visit isn't here anymore."
"Oh, thanks to your advice, I cleaned more thoroughly. Can't have a bad smell in a place where customers stay a while."
"I see..."
Huh? She really seems disappointed?
Did she actually like that smell?
This was unexpected.
The Iron-Blood Knight Yuris, drawn to pheromone scents?
Yuris glanced at me while drinking the tea I handed her, then surveyed the shop.
"Some new stuff here."
"Fixed and improved the flaws from the last video."
"There were... flaws?"
She flinched, startled.
"Yeah. First video, so it turned out rougher than I thought. Spent the last four days tweaking the magic circle and adding tools."
"I-I see."
She trembled slightly and peeked at me.
"But why no customers?"
"You know how illusion magic's viewed. People mostly ignore it."
"No trust, huh."
"Exactly."
"..."
After a moment of silence, Yuris set down her cup and glanced at me.
"W-well, then... I could be your customer..."
Her face was beet red.
If anyone saw the knight called Iron-Blood making that face, they'd be shocked.
"You'd be my customer?"
"I pity you, all lonely with no business. Not because I can't forget that memory or anything."
"Ho, is that right?"
Coming at it like that, huh.
Honestly, how customers came back wasn't that important.
A shopkeeper's gotta accommodate their patrons, right?
But that expression on the Iron-Blood Knight.
Seeing a face she'd never shown anyone else made me want to tease her.
Like when you wanna mess with someone who reacts funnily.
"If you don't need more defeat experience, we should do a new survey to find fresh desires."
"...What? Gotta do that again?"
"Survey finds what you want next. Replayin' the same satisfied video kills the fun."
"So the next one changes?"
"Of course. Different cravings mean new settings, backgrounds, characters. We can get more detailed on your desires. Got a preferred partner? Just say."
She clamped her mouth shut at my words.
Her hands fidgeted with the teacup.
Yuris bit her lower lip and asked cautiously.
"W-what if I skip the survey?"
"We'd 'have no choice' but to continue the previous video."
"'Have no choice,' huh..."
She pretended to ponder, murmuring my words.
I knew what she wanted.
For Yuris, still clinging to face, I gave her a little opening.
A chance to proceed without dropping her pride, retracting what she'd already let slip.
But that wasn't quite enough.
To fully open up her desires.
'Time for a tiny push.'
"Skip the survey and go straight to the next version of the last one?"
"I-I didn't say anything."
"As owner, I recommend it. One genre per video's lacking. Plus, didn't it end unsatisfying? Gotta get revenge once."
"...Yeah?"
"Yeah. Wasn't planned to wrap in one go. Ending like that'd be a waste."
"A waste... yeah, a bit wasteful."
She nodded, murmuring blankly.
"Then that video, please."
"Got it. Sit here."
I placed a cushion on the chair.
"What's this?"
"Cushion absorbs sweat. You sweated a lot last time. Makes it less embarrassing."
"Th-thanks."
Face flushed, she sat.
"Then we'll ease in. Like before, bandits on the mountain. The story continues based on your desires. Enjoy fully."
I lightly gripped her wrist.
Her face turned bright red.
"I-is it okay to hold like this?"
"Of course. Better immersion than last time."
"..."
"Remember this grip's feel."
"Got it."
I activated the illusion magic, and light shimmered around her.
Whoosh.
In that instant, the world changed.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
"..."
That forest.
Yuris realized she was back there.
Mangor Mountain.
The forest with the bandit lair that had subdued her.
Yuris drew her sword again.
This time, she wouldn't lose.
She'd returned because the humiliating memory was still vivid, but also to shake it off and claim victory.
'I won't lose.'
She trusted herself.
No way she'd want to feel that bitter defeat again.
Today's desire was surely to beat that bandit.
"What? Back again? Can't forget my touch, huh?"
The bandit appeared before Yuris, who'd steeled herself.
The one who'd humiliated her.
A rugged, utterly ordinary-looking bandit.
As soon as she faced him, Yuris felt her body trembling.
'Am I scared?'
Of that worthless man?
'N-no way...'
The bandit approached the shaking Yuris.
"Our lady still wants to play knight, huh. Or..."
He smirked, raising his right hand and wiggling his middle and ring fingers.
"Came for some hubby love?"
An insult she'd never taken before.
"You bastard!"
She lunged at the bandit.
Thud!
"Gah!"
He subdued her in one move.
As if victory would never be hers.
The biggest reason? Her sword arm felt inexplicably heavy.
Too heavy to feel like her own, couldn't even swing properly.
Like a lady who'd never held a sword.
"No way... this can't..."
Did I want to lose again?
The bandit who'd pinned her grabbed her wrist and dragged her along.
That moment, his potent male scent made her head spin.
'No. If I smell this...'
"See, I was gonna be a gentleman and let you go. But our lady ignored my kindness. Got it?"
He pinned her completely by the wrist, then shoved her against a tree.
His right hand slipped into her pants.
"Heh, already wet? Missed this that much?"
"N-no. I'm..."
But his withdrawing hand glistened with slick fluids.
"Your body says otherwise."
"..."
Fluid from my body?
That shameful stuff... again?
As she thought it unbelievable...
"Spread."
The bandit looked down coldly and said.
A voice she couldn't resist.
In reality, she'd snap his neck, but in the illusion, she was too frail.
Like an ordinary woman.
Were women supposed to be this weak?
Iron-Blood Knight Yuris felt fear.
"Last warning. Spread."
Biting her lip, Yuris trembled as she parted her legs.
Her pants were soaked with her fluids.