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The entity that revealed itself behind the monster.

That entity was defying everyone’s expectations.

It wasn’t wearing a hockey mask like something out of a movie, nor did it appear to be a mad scientist conducting bizarre biological experiments on people to create a monster. It didn’t look like a poor graduate student who, driven by rage, unintentionally birthed a monster, nor did it resemble a liberal arts graduate student attempting to orchestrate a terror spree with the eloquence honed under a professor’s training.

A woman.

Not just any woman, but a beautiful one.

Her lustrous hair was shimmering, and her figure with a form-fitting dress made it hard to look away. The draped dress clung to her curves and the skirt, while seemingly long, still outlined her figure, making it quite a challenge to keep my gaze steady.

A beauty.

As she walked by, countless people turned their heads, offered words, and approached her.

In fact, the eyes of those witnessing the pandemonium shifted to her for even a moment, so one can only imagine the allure possessed by this woman.

Clack.

The woman stepped in between the monster and the door. As she attempted to pass, the monster didn’t move aside, so she frowned for a moment and then lightly tapped the monster’s leg with her white calf.

In response, the monster flinched as if it had been hit by an appliance and moved aside, providing ample space for her to pass.

Stepping into the bar, the woman glanced at a stinking Oriental man while wearing an expression that suggested she was displeased. Then, with a twisted smile as if she’d caught him off guard, she raised her hand in a gesture, but paused momentarily as if something had crossed her mind.

Huuuu-

Maybe to calm herself, she let out a small sigh, brushed her slightly disheveled hair back, and then lightly gestured, sending her long hair cascading behind her as she raised her hand.

With that gesture, the woman signaled like sending a code, and the monster began to move as if programmed to respond.

Boom—!

Boom—!

The heavy sound echoed ominously.

Despite its awkward, bizarre appearance, it suggested a weight and power that were anything but ordinary.

A beautiful woman commanding a monster.

Is it just an illusion that they seem strangely mismatched yet oddly harmonious?

The patrons in the bar merely watched her. Some bore the fear and caution toward the monster, others expressed curiosity over the current scenario, while some were captivated by the woman wielding the monster, and a few had an inkling of who she might be.

And among them…

“Guest.”

Not everyone just stood there, looking.

The bartender, who had been wiping a glass, set it down and made eye contact with the woman, sporting a serious expression.

Then, looking troubled, he said,

“I don’t know what you’ve brought with you, but if it’s too heavy, the floor might collapse.”

“What?”

Naturally, the woman’s reaction to the bartender’s words was sharp.

Her eyebrows twitched, and a piercing gaze landed squarely on the bartender.

The implication in that stare was clear.

It suggested that he might be trying to shield someone related to his staff.

However, even under the bartender’s scrutiny, he didn’t cower.

Instead, he sighed, exuding an air of annoyance as if he were fed up.

“I’m not trying to meddle in your privacy. What I want to say is, while this building is sturdy, it is not designed to withstand heavy machinery. If it’s a small but heavy entity taking human form, and the weight and pressure are concentrated in a small area, things might not bode well.”

The bartender made it clear with his expression.

He didn’t care why she was there, nor did he want to know if she was a Summoner, an Alchemist, or some other kind of capable person. He had no interest in the monster’s identity or what this strange individual intended to do by bringing it in.

He didn’t want to get involved.

“You know, just from the sound of its footsteps, it seems quite heavy. While our bar is capable of handling some hefty folks, I can’t confidently say we can manage something that makes that kind of sound. Please, would you mind leaving that heavy being outside?”

But hearing those footsteps, he couldn’t refrain from speaking up.

If that entity caused the floor to collapse just by walking, wouldn’t he be responsible?

No, beyond responsibility, he wouldn’t be able to conduct business while repairs were underway—what then?

With a courteous tone, yet expressing more than mere words through his gaze and expression, the bartender addressed the woman.

Most would likely think, “Oh, I see,” and pull back the monster, but…

Unfortunately for him, the woman meeting his gaze did not appear to be ordinary.

Of course, simply bringing a monster made her far from ordinary, but even aside from that, she seemed quite different from the typical person.

To be precise, she seemed to have a bit of a temper.

Just looking at the bartender’s expression made her frown, and her demeanor suggested, “Let’s see how far this goes.” Even before he finished speaking, her lips were twitching as if they were itching to speak.

Her temperament was unmistakably prickly.

Moreover, just look at that.

As soon as the bartender mentioned the floor, her hand was instinctively reaching for her handbag.

That move, propelled by habit rather than reasoning, suggested an automatic response.

The bundles of dollars in her handbag seemed to almost want to come out naturally.

“Oh, I’ve gotten myself into something troublesome.”

Having dealt with various patrons before, the bartender could guess what she was likely to do.

A wealthy individual making such a face while reaching for cash in their handbag?

There was a high likelihood he’d be witnessing some unruly behavior.

“Yes, a high likelihood.”

Surprisingly, he was all too familiar with the outrageous antics wealthy individuals tended to pull.

When asked how that was possible?

That would be the magic that arises from the combination of opulent neighborhoods, manners that inversely correlate with wealth, and the intoxicating power of alcohol that renders people’s reason null and turns them into beasts.

“They’re probably going to throw money at me in a tantrum or create a ruckus. Huu….”

The bartender braced himself.

He expected chaos to soon ensue.

With the woman’s shrill voice and the dollars flying through the air, a scene of mayhem would unfold.

And then…

No chaos erupted.

The woman, who seemed moments away from hurling dollars at the bartender’s face while shouting profanities, instead placed the bills neatly back into her handbag and took a deep breath as if trying to relax.

Rather than inhaling deeply, she placed her hand on her chest as if to calm herself and softly patted the area where her heart was before looking at the bartender.

“Alright. So, it’s too heavy, right?”

“…Yes. That’s correct.”

“Then if it’s not heavy?”

“Pardon?”

“What’s it like if it’s not heavy? Can’t hear you?”

“Well, if it’s not heavy… yes, as long as it doesn’t cause property damage or require cleaning afterward, it should be fine, but….”

“Really? Got it. So, it’s okay then?”

With a somewhat petulant tone, she spoke like that, and then began gathering energy.

Green light flickered in her eyes, and colorful energy wafted from her fingertips like smoke. No, the gentle LED-like glow seemed to unfurl like incense, spreading forth in beautiful patterns, eventually drifting toward the monster as if carried by the wind.

The smoke enveloped the entire body of the monster.

It spread thinly, yet broadly, as if coating; as the smoke seeped into the creature, its convulsions became more pronounced.

The sight was slightly grotesque, reminiscent of a worm writhing or a snake coiling, but the woman seemed unfazed, watching the process as if it were ordinary.

And after a short while…

Boom.

The monster began to step back.

Instead of entering the bar, it waited outside, positioned to block the stinking man from escaping should he try. It stood firm as if it were a great tree sinking its roots deep into the ground.

Then, it branched out from its own body, sprouting tendrils to make another form.

It resembled a scarecrow, seeming to be hastily constructed from twigs and vines.

A long stem connected it to the monster, like an umbilical cord.

Puddled.

And unlike the monster, it didn’t seem heavy; with every step, it only sounded like twigs snapping beneath its weight, apparently leaving no impact on the floor.

“Is that enough? Good, now I’ll take care of my business, so please mind your own. I’ll just take that scam man with me.”

Thus, the scarecrow began to move.

With the bartender’s unspoken consent, which had been the sole thing keeping the woman in check.

The scarecrow headed towards the man.

The scam man named Jenny, trembling behind his younger sister, was up ahead.

 

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