And now it's time for Alleyne to pop up!
Enjoy!
Weapon Merchant Cattleya (2)
“What’s this?”
Rana effortlessly jumped over the counter. If Cattleya had seen, she’d have scolded him for his bad manners.
[It’s not wet?]
Even though it was made of paper, there was no sign of it having soaked up water on the floor.
[Is there some magic inside it?]
“Should I touch it?”
He reached for it, timidly.
The moment his finger touched it... nothing happened in particular. With a breath of relief, he picked up the talisman.
“Awesome... it really isn’t wet...”
And yet, the floor had some puddles accompanying the footprints; a common sight during rainy season.
[Should I ask mom?]
He closed his eyes in though, but then the door to the shop opened, revealing a new customer. The smell of the forest spread gently in the rain.
“W-Welcome!”
Rana left the talisman on the counter, turning to take a look at the visitor.
She wore a green mantle, and had golden hair and straight, long ears, as proof of her being an elf.
The Fighting Master Alleyne, another regular.
“Oh my, we’re getting a lot of customers today.”
“It’s been a while, Cattleya.”
The elf’s voice spread inside the shop, as if permeating it.
Not many elves traveled away from home. Unlike the dwarves, who developed business with humans at a large scale, the elves zealously guarded their land, earning the reputation of being the race who avoided as much contact with the outside as possible.
Among them, the beautiful fighter known as Alleyne—a participant in Queen’s Blade—was a very rare exception.
“Oh?”
Alleyne’s eyes moved to the talisman on top of the counter.
“What’s wrong?”
“Can I take a look at this talisman?”
“Oh my, what is this?”
It was then that Cattleya noticed the talisman there. Rana nervously explained to her what had happened.
“Did Irma... leave it behind?”
Alleyne tried touching it, and felt like a hot electricity coursing through her finger.
“Is this... reacting to magical power?”
The elf whispered, as light began spreading from the talisman.
“What? What’s going on?”
“It doesn’t seem to be dangerous, but...”
The mother gazed at the talisman, all the while protecting the frightened child behind her.
The light slowly took on a person’s shape.
“Who’s that?”
It was a boy, who didn’t really look familiar. However, the figure projected from the talisman could be said to be good-looking, even when seen from Alleyne’s elven eyes.
—My name is Michel.—
“What are you?”
The projected boy didn’t answer Rana’s question.
“This is a message recorded using magical power. Perhaps it was set to activate with a particular magic energy or wording so as to not be noticed.”
[How interesting...]
Alleyne attentively watched the projection.
—I am an attendant of Elina Vance, daughter of the Earl. Currently, through unjust means unrelated to Queen’s Blade, I’ve been kidnapped by Echidna.—
The boy in the talisman continued to talk one-sidedly.
—I ask of this to whoever hears this message. Please convey this message to Lady Elina...—
“Echidna, you snake... I might have overlooked some of your mischief in the past...”
Alleyne grasped her fist, and narrowed her eyes.
“But stray down the wrong path, and I won’t let you get away with it.”
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