A Fun Time: Frauce Kingdom 4.1 (ch. 11)

“Is this what Cocoyashi is going to be like…?” Nami wondered, turning her gaze out to the scene of Clockwork Island, a spoon of half-melted ice cream in her hand that was halfway towards her mouth before she paused. News of the island being liberated had spread in the recent weeks, thanks to the newspaper announcing that the Trump Pirates, minus Boo Jack, were all arrested. In that time, a few merchant ships eager to deliver amenities and look for good contracts had arrived and departed. Clockwork Island had officially shaken off the Trump Pirates' shackles after seven years.

The scene below was a heartwarming one. The leader of the Clockwork Island was on her knees, clutching a small child to her chest that didn’t seem any older than five or six. Nami was too far away to hear what was said between the two, but she understood the gist of what had happened. Against all odds and logic, the baby that she and her husband had sent out to sea to prevent him from being enslaved by the pirates had returned years later. A broken family had been mended.

It was impossible to miss how similar Clockwork Island was to her home, the Conomi Islands. Eight years ago, they had been taken over by a ruthless pirate and while the people of her home weren't made into slaves, they were forced to pay money for their right to exist. The similarities were too clear for Nami to pretend that she didn’t see them.

Nami put the spoonful of ice cream into her mouth and licked it clean, watching the reunion with a heavy heart. The difference between Clockwork Island and the Conomi Islands was that when she finally bought her village's freedom, her mother wouldn’t be there to tearfully welcome her home. It was a stupid and petty thing to be jealous of, Nami could admit to herself, her appetite waning with her darkening thoughts.

She forced herself to look away from the reunion, but with all the cheering, it was rather difficult to ignore. Spinning the spoon between her fingers, she looked down at the last of her ice cream before a sigh escaped her and she pushed the last of it away.

“Is something the matter, Nami?” Momo said, nearly making Nami jump out of her seat at Momo’s sudden appearance when she poked her head through the door to the restaurant balcony she was on. Nami glanced over to see that it was the younger girl -- Nami was frankly shocked to see her. She had fought tooth and nail to remain in the construction room of the new ship, eating a village's worth of food to produce enough of that bamboo steel for the ship that was still under construction.

Honestly, the sight of it alone made Nami feel guilty enough that she hadn't pestered the girl for gold. Or jewels.

“Nothing in particular -- have you thought about the offer?” Nami asked, seeing Momo go a bit green at the gills while Nami ate more ice cream.

“From the Navy?” Momo questioned and continued when Nami nodded, “I have talked to the village leaders about it. They don't need the ships themselves, but the funds from selling them would help the island a long way. Do you know anything about the Frauce Kingdom, Nami?”

“I visited once,” Nami admitted, looking down at her half eaten ice cream. Suddenly, she didn't feel like eating more. “Great place to live if you're a noble. Not so great if you're a commoner,” she noted with a small shrug.

Momo had no intention of keeping the money from the pirate ships. By all accounts, she really was exactly who she appeared to be, despite that being entirely too good to be true. She was a kind hearted young woman that was willing to go out of her way to help people she didn't know. A hero-in-training, according to her.

“The trip from here to Frauce Kingdom is about a week,” Nami continued. “I have heard some rumors that Ganzack claimed it as his territory. But, rumors also say that he's tamed a sea king, so I wouldn't put too much stock into the rumors.” Ganzack was one of the marks she had been planning to hit on this trip. He was about as perfect as targets could get -- middle of the pack as far as pirate captains went, bit of a rising star but not to the point the Navy had given him their undivided attention.

But the rumors about his taming a Sea King gave her enough pause to change her mind. They were probably nothing. Plenty of pirates invented their own legends to make themselves scarier than they really were, but taming a Sea King… that was just out there enough and persistent enough that it wasn't worth the risk. At least, it hadn't been.

“So has Kaine. It's half the reason why he wants to go,” Momo admitted with an exasperated yet fond smile tugging at her lips before she took a sip of her tea. “He wants to use it as an excuse for crew bonding.”

Nami snorted, “More like he's going stir crazy on the island.” She noted, her gaze drifting off to the edge of the island. Where Kaine, Mikasa, and Kim were all going through ‘team bonding exercises’, which mostly consisted of beating the hell out of each other. Since that first fight, Mikasa and Kim had been like oil and water. Only instead of tempers running hot they were frigid, with the two giving each other sharp glares and cutting remarks.

Kaine was managing it the best he could, but he was missing a pretty crucial piece of the puzzle -- both girls were crushing on him. Hard. And it wasn't like she didn't understand the appeal. Kaine was a moron, but he was genuine in everything he did. Every word he said.

It made Nami keenly aware of the bracelet on her wrist. As well as what it contained.

“He's not the only one,” Momo admitted. “The engineers have enough steel to complete this phase of the Icarus. A week should be enough time for them to complete it.” Meaning that she was sick and tired of being cooped up in a room stuffing her face and producing steel.

“You'll need a larger crew -- nine people isn't enough to sail a half dozen ships,” Nami said. She…

She didn't need to stick around. With her savings and with her recently acquired gains…

Nami had enough. She always thought that when she crossed the threshold of a hundred million beli, it would be a momentous occasion. That'd she'd have to limp across the finish line instead of leaping over it like she had. In eight years, she gathered seventy million beli, and with what she stole from the Trump Pirates, she had a grand total of a hundred and thirty million.

She could go home. She could go back. She could buy her village from Arlong, maybe pay a little extra to keep him sweet. Or give the rest to her village.

She could. She should. Yet…

“Nami, are you sure you're alright?” Momo questioned and Nami realized her attention had drifted again. So, she plastered on a smile.

“Just working my way through the logistics! I am the navigator, after all!” Nami said, and Momo was entirely too honest for her own good. She accepted the excuse as truth, looking relieved that nothing was really bothering her. “When do we set sail?”

“If possible? Today.”

…

A small crew of people from Clockwork Island agreed to go with them to Frauce Kingdom to help sell the ships. Navigating a half dozen ships wasn't the easiest thing she had ever done, but it wasn't anywhere close to being the hardest either. Some rope and clear skies made it an easy journey, if a bit slow.

The trip was made easier with Momo's navigation equipment and the absurd strength displayed by Kaine and Mikasa.

Both of whom were duckwalking across the bow with a half ton of stone over their heads. It was enough to make her eyes linger even as they sailed towards the harbors of Frauce. A question in the back of her mind of the risk she was taking.

Kaine was strong. Mikasa was strong. Kim too. But, so far, none of them had done anything that a fishman couldn't.

Nami was forced to tear her eyes away from the two as they finished up their workout, turning her gaze to the docks of the nearest available port. Frauce Kingdom wasn't a city she had particularly fond memories of, but it was pretty to look at, if nothing else. The island was divided by a massive river, making it closer to two islands close together rather than one. Or, to be more precise, two large islands with a smaller third one in between within the river itself.

From where they had sailed in, they saw the noble district that was contained in the smallest island. Massive marble walls that were gilded with silver, gold, and jewels. A wall that was lined with cannons all pointed to the district that they sailed into. Ever so slightly taller than the wall itself were the tips of marble buildings -- villas, mansions, and the royal palace.

There wasn't a bridge connecting the noble district to the poor district, which they sailed towards. Though, there was a bridge connecting it to the commoners district, with a bridge connecting the commoner district to the poor. It was clear cut classism at its finest. Exactly as she recalled, with the poor district amounting to little more than a large shanty town along the coast. The commoner district was largely hidden behind a dull gray wall… also with cannons lining it, all pointed at the poor district.

“This place blows,” Kaine summarized his thoughts as they reached the dock and she saw the harbormaster’s men approaching to collect a docking fee and to make sure they weren't trouble in the making.

“Somethings changed since I was last here,” Nami noted.

“When were you last here?” Kim questioned, approaching from behind while Kaine hopped off the ship to speak to the attendant.

“Five years ago,” Nami admitted easily, withholding the reason why she had been here. She had been looking to scam a noble who she had discovered was financing a pirate crew after she robbed the crew blind. Back then, she had figured all she needed was a few huge hauls to break a hundred million, and she had been just skilled enough to be ignorant of how much further she had to go as a thief. “The noble district always had cannons pointed at the poor, but the ones in the commoner district are new.”

“Wait, is that even…?” Kim trailed off, now frowning in the direction of the noble district.

Nami swallowed a scoff, “It's all legal in the eyes of the World Government. Each kingdom is entitled to laws that apply to their own personal kingdom, just so long as they don't contradict the World Governments. If the Frauce Kingdom was acting outside the law, then I imagine the Navy stationed here would have something to say about it.”

Kim's lips thinned but she said nothing as they disembarked. The poor district was more or less exactly as she remembered -- the same den of villainy and scum that wouldn't look out of place at a pirate port. Odds were half the people going about their days in the district actually were pirates that were smart enough to lower their jolly roger.

Kaine didn't seem to mind it at all. “Nice place! Stinky, over crowded, but it's nice seeing a real city again.” He said as they walked the streets as a group -- the townsfolk they had brought with them would handle the sale.

The others weren't so impressed. Bocchi in particular jumped at every shadow, clutching a case to her chest in the shape of a guitar as her gaze darted around. Kobeni actively hid behind her, avoiding every curious glance tossed their way.

However, it was Tae who peeled a poster off a wall and presented it to them. “I think I can guess what changed,” Tae noted.

On the poster was a cartoonist drawing of a man in a white wig that Nami knew the nobility of Frauce Kingdom wore. He had a fist raised in the air and a rolling script exclaimed, “Viva la Revolution!”

Glancing up from the posters, she noticed that there were a fair few of them placed down the street -- some displaying the posters proudly, others placed out of easy reach from being torn down.

“That seems familiar,” Kim noted, plucking the poster from Tae's hands. “It's the motto of the French Revolution.”

“Should we be concerned about this?” Mikasa questioned, scanning the road and making those that were glancing at them look away. That girl was scary, Nami thought to herself. A little shy maybe, soft spoken for sure, but beneath that was a killer with no remorse.

Kaine took the poster from Kim, eying it for a long moment. “How about we find out?” He ventured, rolling up the poster. “If this is just some internal issue, I say let them have at it. It's one thing to liberate an island from a pirate crew, and a whole other thing to overthrow a monarchy. Even if they deserve it. Feels like that's a whole mess we’re better off leaving alone.”

To that, both Momo and Nami let out a small breath. Nami had been more than a little worried that Kaine would throw himself into the thick of trouble, simply because he couldn't bear the thought of not being in the center of a fight. Maybe she had underestimated him a little.

“What would it take for you to want to join in?” Kim questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

“Dunno. That's why I'm leaving the option open,” Kaine said with a boyish smile before he looked to Nami. “You've been here before, right? You know anyone in the know?”

Nami supposed she should be grateful that he was at least willing to look before he leaped. “I do,” Nami confirmed with a small nod before her gaze flickered across the group, including Tinkerbell who had made herself a nest in Kaine's shirt pocket. “But it's not the kind of place that'll appreciate a crowd.”

“So we split up,” Tae decided. “I'd like to see what an acknowledged kingdom has to offer in terms of medical practices. I'll take Bocchi and Kobeni with me.”

“Eh?” Bocchi yelped in surprise while Kobeni looked like she was on the verge of a panic attack.

“W-well, I was going to stay on the ship… to protect it!” She added, doing a real poor job of lying as she sweated bullets.

Tae just offered a thin smile, making both girls wilt. Meanwhile, Kaine grabbed hold of Kim and Mikasa and shoved them together. “Meanwhile, you two can check out the sights! Let me know if you see anything interesting!” Kaine said and while both girls shared a glare, he grabbed Nami’s hand and dragged her and Momo behind him as he swiftly left the crew behind, ignoring the shouts of his name in his wake.

They didn't give chase, leaving the three- well, four of them in a back alley. Momo gave Kaine a look of admonishment but didn't say anything while Kaine just wore an unrepentant grin. “So, where is this guy in the know?”

“He shouldn't be too far. Last I checked, he knew everything worth knowing in Frauce Kingdom,” Nami said, taking point as she led them deeper into the shanty town. It was there that more of the changes to the city revealed themselves. There were entire rows of shops that had closed signs on them, with most looking abandoned entirely. Those that were open weren't in much better shape.

Fifty beli for a loaf of bread was an absurd price. Easily six times what the cost had been five years ago, and five years ago the price had already been a little high. The cost of fish was lower, but not by much. Especially strange when every island in the world had a strong fishing industry. She was already starting to have an inkling about what was going on by the time they reached a certain hole-in-the-wall bar. Luckily, it had an open sign hanging off the threshold.

Heading down into the basement of a condemned building, she saw the bar in question with a familiar face behind the counter. He was a short man, cleanly shaven with his dark hair showing hints of gray at the temples. He was in the middle of cleaning a glass when he looked up and Nami froze for just a moment, uncertain what kind of reception she would receive.

What she hadn't expected was for him to smile and toss the cleaning rag onto his shoulder. “And so the prodigal student has returned, and at an interesting time to boot.”

A small breath that Nami hadn't even been aware she was holding eased out, “Devan. It's good to see you again,” Nami admitted.

“Ah, don't be so stiff, Nami. In this line of business, the plan so rarely ever goes to plan,” Devan said, casting a glance to Kaine and Momo behind her. “You were just a wee lass. Can hardly blame you for cutting and running when things went to shit. Now, how about some introductions? Blue haired one looks like a bruiser, but your fine female companion looks rather judgmental.”

To that, Momo wilted, “I'm sorry, its-”

“This is Kaine and Momo. They're bounty hunters. Good ones -- they're the ones that took down the Trump Pirates,” Nami said, rousing Devan's interest as she took a seat at the bar.

“Heard about that,” Devan said, his tone friendly. Odds were that the Trump Pirates going down had been unwelcome news for him. Largely because of one thing.

“Kaine, Momo -- this is Devan. One of the most well connected criminals in East Blue,” Nami said, earning a thin smile from Devan.

“I'm a facilitator by trade, and a thief by nature,” Devan admitted easily, making Momo outright gasp. It really was too cute how innocent she was. “Also a teacher of this rascal.” To that, she smiled lightly.

He wasn't entirely wrong there.

“Sounds like a story,” Kaine said, thoroughly unbothered by the news. “Do you think I'd get to hear it?”

“Oh, I'd love to share it. Just not within earshot of Nami -- awfully embarrassing for her,” Devan chuckled and Nami rolled her eyes.

“He caught me picking his pocket as a child. A child.” She stressed, making his grin grow a fraction. It was a chance meeting for the most part. It was before she had found her favorite method of making money -- stealing from pirates. At thirteen, she’d dabbled in petty theft. Pickpocketing, scams, heists, the whole lot. She had been good at it, but she hadn't become great until she got caught by Devan.

“I'm sure the story would be quite different now. But, I suspect you aren't here for a reunion, or to test that theory,” Devan noted, looking at Kaine, realizing he was the one in charge.

In response, he placed the poster on the counter, making Devan suck his teeth. Not exactly a ringing endorsement.

“Maximilien Robespierre. Him and some of the gentry have been stirring the pot for years now, but they only really started making headway around six months ago,” Devan answered, returning to cleaning the glass to give his hands something to do. “Ganzack and his crew started hounding ships coming in and out of Frauce Kingdom. Trade ships have gone missing and because of his Sea King, the fishermen don't want to risk their lives.”

To that, Nami perked up, “Then he really has tamed a Sea King?”

“Don't know if I would use the word tamed, but it showed up around the same time Ganzack did. Haven't seen it myself, but survivors say that it doesn't bite the hand that's been feeding it,” he remarked, giving Nami a pointed look and she only felt a little guilty in response. “Point is -- the gentry have been using the whole fuss to rally the peasants, and it's got the nobles in their high towers scared. Couple more months like this, and the cries to eat the rich won't be a metaphor.”

Momo was aghast, “And nothing is being done? What about the Navy?”

To that, Devan offered Momo a pleasant but pitying smile. “Far as I can tell, they’re crossing their fingers that Garp the Hero feels like swinging by while he's in East Blue for vacation. The powers that be don't want to pay the price for getting rid of Ganzack, but they also don't want to set off a panic by confirming that a pirate has a Sea King, so they're leaving his bounty at a nice ten million.”

Kaine snorted, “Was wondering why it's so low.” He admitted, unbothered with the revelation. Momo was far more so, her lips thinning unhappily while she clenched her hands. She had been trying to draw parallels between the Navy and the heroes of her homeland, and she was getting the first hint that they weren't the same.

In Nami’s experience, Navy men were pirates that just called themselves a government. Worse, they conned good people into signing onto their crews.

“The whole revolution ain't something I want to get involved with, but sounds like things will take care of themselves once we deal with Ganzack,” Kaine reasoned, rolling up the poster once more. He seemed satisfied with the information and placed a small stack of bills on the table. “Thanks for the info.”

Okay… maybe she had underestimated Kaine a little. He seemed more aware of how these things worked than she expected.

“My pleasure. Always happy to help a generous tipper,” Devan said, and for the first time, his smile reached his eyes. “In that case, it is my sincerest hope that your boasts of taking down Ganzack are more than misplaced confidence. He's been quite the disruption, and I'd be most appreciative of seeing him on his way.” He said, accepting the bills and shaking Kaine's hand.

Then he shook Nami's and she felt a note pressed into her palm, “Nami. Always a pleasure. I hope to see you again,” He said, giving her a small tilt of his head that Nami returned, confirming the message was received.

“I'll be sure to swing by before we leave,” Nami replied, slipping the note into the hem of her skirt.

With that, they left the bar and Momo spoke first. “He was quite pleasant,” she admitted after a moment. “I expected a career criminal to be more… imposing.”

“If he was, then he wouldn't be half as good,” Nami said as they walked. “He's mostly just a middle man. People pay him to get in contact with a broader network.” Which the Trump Pirates had likely been tapped into, Nami suspected. The extent of the network wasn't something that anyone really knew, most likely. It was nothing formalized by any stretch of the imagination.

It was a simple case of birds of a feather flocking together. The prominence in the network was determined by how many criminal parties you knew and how many favors you owed.

“So, the plan is to just head straight for Ganzack then?” Nami asked, looking to Kaine, who tilted his head back and forth as they walked through the streets.

“Yup!” He settled on with a grin, throwing his hands behind his head and he did seem perfectly content to let it be that simple.

If only it was, Nami thought as she read the note with a brief glance before dropping it on the ground into a puddle, making the ink bleed away. The subject of what was written on it was what she had suspected, but…

‘Picking up where we left off. Crew could use a Face.’

A heist. A heist so big that, if it worked the first go around, then she could have paid off Arlong twice over with her share of the theoretical spoils.

It wasn't worth the risk. She already had a hundred million beli. She also had Kaine setting his sights on the biggest and baddest bounties in East Blue, so it was only a matter of time before he turned his gaze to Arlong. It wasn't at all worth the risk.

Yet, greed had always been her fatal flaw.

…

Bocchi always felt out of place. It was a natural state of being for her. It'd be stranger if she suddenly fit in. But, this was different. She never managed to fit in with normal high schoolers. Or middle schoolers. Or elementary schoolers. Or her family. Or, generally anywhere in the entire world, but she especially didn't fit in with this new world.

She thought she could. That she might. Bocchi had imagined something like this -- being whisked away to a brand new world so she could have a brand new start with none of the baggage of her old life. She could be outgoing, popular, and she'd probably get a super cool isekai power up or something.

Then Boo Jack had escaped on the Icarus and Bocchi realized that she was surrounded by people so much more incredible than her it hurt.

“W-where are we going?” Bocchi asked, clutching her guitar to her chest as she shared a nervous glance with Kobeni. Tae continued walking through the growing crowd. She nearly jumped out of her skin when someone brushed her shoulder.

People were stopping in the middle of the road to look at a guy in a funny looking wig reading off of a paper as they chanted. They chanted so loudly that Bocchi couldn't really hear what the guy in the wig was saying, but she did know it was making people angry. Not at him, but at something else.

“I was hoping the market, but it seems we won't have much luck there,” Tae noted as she pressed on, ignoring the crowds as she headed towards the bridge. Bocchi followed her, clinging to her like a second shadow because the only thing scarier than following Tae was getting left behind and alone here. “The nicer district should have a broader selection.”

“R-right…” Bocchi trailed off, too nervous to even start looking for the last few parts that the scientists said she could find in Frauce Kingdom. She glanced at Kobeni again, who seemed nervous as they approached the guards at the bridge -- it was her fault, Bocchi knew.

If it wasn't for Kobeni making her out to be a hero, then Bocchi would have been content to give up.

She wasn't Kaine, who could see an eight hundred pound gorilla and decide he was going to fight it.

She wasn't Mikasa, who was monstrously strong and a trained soldier.

She wasn't Kim, who was a teenage spy.

She wasn't Momo, a superhero in training.

She wasn't Tae, a trained and licensed doctor that had graduated college when she was Bocchi's age.

She wasn't Kobeni either, who was a devil hunter.

She was just… normal. No training, no special powers, nothing that made her… useful. Even Tinkerbell could make people fly with her pixie dust.

“Ummm…!” Bocchi spoke up as they crossed the bridge, only after Tae had paid the toll. Which seemed to be really expensive at a thousand beli. “Could we- I mean- I need a… coil spring?” She said, reaching into her pocket to take out the list she had gotten.

“I'll help you look for one,” Tae agreed easily without looking back. Bocchi let out a small sigh of relief, feeling…

It wasn't impressive. It was nothing in comparison to everyone around her, so it felt shameful to be proud of just speaking up. And to be so relieved knowing that Tae would probably ask for the parts for her. The thought of someone trying to haggle with her had Bocchi's heart pounding and her skin breaking out into a cold sweat.

On the bright side, the new district was a lot nicer. The streets were made out of cobblestone, all the stores were open, and even if there were a lot of soldiers on the streets, the people seemed… happier. Less angry, for sure. Even if a lot of them were wearing the odd coats and ruffled shirts that the man on the box had been wearing.

“What exactly are you building?” Kobeni asked as the two of them waited for Tae as she haggled over herbs and medicines and stuff.

Bocchi shifted where she stood, “It's a guitar? Sorta?”

“Sorta?” Kobeni questioned.

“I… have the pieces, so I can show you?” Bocchi ventured hesitantly.

“Sure?” Kobeni returned and Bocchi glanced around for a moment, not really sure where she should go. Should she just put it together in the middle of the street? But there were so many people around… Luckily, her gaze caught a deserted looking building. A tavern of some kind? It was a bit scary looking, but she'd rather go there than a nice restaurant full of people.

With a gesture, Bocchi led Kobeni over to find that the place was pretty much deserted. The man behind the counter didn't even greet them! It was perfect.

Picking a table, Bocchi laid out her case, parts, and tools. Unzipping the case, she revealed the guitar that she had made for her.

It was almost entirely made up of gears of various sizes, though it was mostly in the shape of a black Gibson Les Paul Custom. All except for the steam pipes that jutted out at the end with the speaker embedded into the guitar itself. Its creation was entirely Kobeni's fault.

After Boo Jack, Bocchi had seriously considered just leaving the crew, stay in Clockwork Island and try to live a normal life and hope that they didn't forget about her when they found a way to go home. But, then she remembered that addicting feeling. Of being cheered and celebrated.

Of people throwing her in the air, happy to see her, and calling her a hero.

“It… amplifies… my playing?” Bocchi explained, wincing ever so slightly as she snapped the pieces into place.

Kobeni seemed surprised, “It's a weapon?”

“... Yes?” Bocchi admitted with a fidget where she sat. She never imagined in a million years that she'd ever wielded a weapon, but the guitar was what she knew best and she figured she should lean into that. The guitar was the one thing she knew she wasn't a complete failure at.

“...Oh…” Kobeni uttered and Bocchi's face heated up at how Kobeni was looking at her. Was she impressed? She seemed a little impressed!

“Y-yeah, it's so I can help Kaine with the bounty hunting,” Bocchi elaborated, taking out copies of folded up bounties. She wasn't going to do something dumb like target one of the scary guys with huge bounties -- like the guy with a saw nose. He seemed really scary. She'd leave him to Kaine. She'd stick to the much more reasonable bounties that hovered around a million. Preferably less.

She looked down at a wanted poster -- Witch of Annihilation, Megumin. A bounty of one million. Despite the scary name, the picture was of a girl around her age with an eyepatch and a wide brimmed hat. But, the only crime she had committed was ‘excessive property damage.’ She could handle that much!

Then, as if summoned, the doors to the rundown restaurant were pushed open.

“I gotta let it out! Crimson Demons have to use explosion magic out once a day or we die!” A girl exclaimed, bursting into the tavern with two other girls directly behind her. Bocchi looked at the girl in a short red dress, a wide brim hat, just missing the eyepatch with a staff in hand… then at the wanted poster in her hands.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

MEGUMIN

 ‘Witch of Annilihation’

B1,000,000

“You aren't fooling anyone, Megumin. You're the reason why we ended up with bounties in the first place. Loki forbade you from using it in city limits,” A girl with dark purple hair remarked, scanning the restaurant and their eyes met. Bocchi flipped to another poster and looked down at it.

WANTED

DEAD OR ALIVE

SAEKO

‘Death Stroke’

 BUSUJIMA

B1,000,000

“I keep telling you -- you don't have to use all your mana at once! Hold a little in reserve! Or just spread the explosions out in smaller manageable attacks!” Another girl said -- dark hair pulled up in twintails, bright blue eyes, a heart shaped face, wearing a red sweater and a black miniskirt. No wanted poster for her.

“You just don't get it! How can you even call yourself a mage?! Heresy and madness! Giving explosion magic anything less than my all every time I use it… it'd be like cheating!” Megumi protested as Saeko grabbed her by the shoulder, making her stop. “What?”

“You know who we are,” Saeko said, but she wasn't looking at either Megumi or the other girl.

Bocchi swallowed a lump in her throat, knowing that this was her moment. However, when she looked over at Kobeni for reassurance, a message passed between them in an instant. They both looked back at the three girls, two of them wanted and spoke as one.

“”No, we don't.””