Chapter 30 - A Grand Debut
The sky was a dazzling blue, and the mid-afternoon sun was almost blinding.
Wearing their striking black and white coats, a group of women strode confidently down the street, their presence commanding attention. The Kikyo emblem on their chests, made of amethyst, gleamed and caught the eyes of passersby.
The residents of Lightning Street, who were already familiar with us, greeted us with mysterious cheers. It was clear that our appearance was impressive, but it made us a bit self-conscious.
As we walked past Lightning Street, Sixth Avenue came into view.
We were drawing a lot of attention. Everyone stopped to stare, and the path cleared before us.
I wanted to believe it was more than just our impressive coats. This was our first time walking through the streets in a large group, armed, which must have intimidated people. We couldn't afford to look weak.
Today's mission involved only the combat unit, and the rest stayed behind. We couldn't leave the base unattended, so Angela and Shelby stayed to watch over it.
The others who stayed behind were understandably disappointed, but it couldn't be helped.
In the future, we'll have to rotate duties: base watch, patrolling Lightning Street, patrolling Sixth Avenue, and eventually staffing the bars and gambling dens. We were clearly understaffed, but we'd have to manage for now.
There were also many other things we wanted to do. We'd have to tackle them one by one.
Incidentally, Mary, formerly known as Mary-san, was accompanying us as part of the combat unit.
Her dedication and effort in daily training had brought her to a minimum acceptable level for the Kikyo Society's combat unit. I remembered her delighted expression when I told her. Still, she had only reached the minimum. She understood that she needed to continue working hard, which was a significant factor in my decision to approve her. The Kikyo Society's standards are set very high.
Our group of eight, including me, my sister Valerie, ex-knight Siegrune, ex-villager Mary, ex-camp inmates Bonnie, Paula, Gradena, and Brittany, was ready for action.
Today was also Mary's debut, and I hoped it would be a good day for her.
Upon arriving at Sixth Avenue, we wondered if we would be welcomed.
We saw a group of tough-looking men loitering around, some of whom were harassing a merchant. They were clearly not from the Bruno Gang, and they were troublemakers.
The timing was perfect. The Bruno Gang had been instructed to stay away from Sixth Avenue from today, so these troublemakers were probably here to cause problems.
We were already drawing attention, but the tough guys were too busy harassing the merchant to notice us.
I could see everyone getting excited.
"I don't know who they are, but they seem easy to deal with."
"Yeah, what a bunch of unlucky guys."
"They're perfect for us. It would be embarrassing to come all this way and not have any action."
"Can I take the first shot?"
"What are you talking about? I will."
My energetic teammates were both reliable and amusing.
"We're not here to play. Everyone, let's go together."
With renewed determination, I approached the thugs.
They either ignored us on purpose or hadn't noticed us yet. We were right behind them.
"Hey, you guys, you're being a nuisance."
The merchant was being held by a muscular man and couldn't call for help.
"...What?"
The muscular man finally turned to face me, letting go of the merchant. He immediately adopted a confrontational stance.
He sized us up, clearly underestimating us, and approached with a smug attitude.
"So, what? Who are you?"
"Hey, lady, who do you think you're talking to? I'll shut your mouth right now."
"Nice coat you got there. It's a waste on a scrawny girl like you. Let's take it off you."
"Yeah, leave the coat behind. Even if you refuse, we'll take it anyway."
"Public strip show, anyone? I'll take the long-haired one."
"Ha, no way! You can have the ugly one."
"What did you say, you little—!"
These guys seemed to be low-level thugs, and I couldn't gauge their physical enhancement magic levels. They were just a bunch of troublemakers.
If we let them get the upper hand, it could affect our future operations. We needed to show them who's in charge.
"Didn't you hear me? I said you're being a nuisance. Now, scram."
Even if they didn't listen, there's a proper way to handle things. I responded with a hint of sarcasm.
"Hey, lady, we're the mighty Marzio Family. I'll make sure you never see the light of day again."
Marzio? I've heard the name somewhere, but I can't recall. It doesn't matter. It's probably nothing significant.
"Valerie, everyone. Handle them, but don't kill them. It'll be a hassle to clean up afterward."
"Got it!"
It was over in seconds. The thugs were piled up, unconscious but not dead.
Everyone had clearly improved since their last encounter with the Bruno Gang.
The Kikyo Society's training methods were different. There was no need for weapons; physical enhancement magic alone was enough to handle them. It would be overkill to use weapons. It was more like a light scolding.
"Damn, who the hell are you?"
The muscular man, who was still conscious, spoke up. He seemed to be the leader.
It was the perfect time to teach him a lesson.
"Listen up. Remember this emblem. We are the Kikyo Society. From today, Sixth Avenue is our territory. We're always ready for a fight, though."
"The Kikyo Society? The famous one? What happened to the Bruno Gang?"
"I don't want to talk to a lowlife like you. Take your friends and leave."
"What, you insolent woman! I'll kill you!"
His curses were empty threats. I had no obligation to listen.
"Siegrune."
"Hey, who are you speaking to? Show some respect."
Siegrune stepped forward at my signal, and the man finally realized the difference in our status. His attitude changed, showing a hint of fear.
"Damn, I'll remember this!"
He reluctantly dragged his unconscious friends away.
"Are you okay, sir?"
"Y-Yes, thank you. I'm so relieved!"
"No problem. Let's move on."
The merchant still looked curious, but I had no intention of explaining further.
"Alright, let's continue our patrol."
We walked through the shops, showing our presence.
Our group of eight, dressed in coats and armed, moving with such confidence, must have created an almost surreal scene.
In a world where women are often looked down upon, our confident presence on the streets would make it hard for anyone to mess with us, even if they didn't like it.
We carefully observed the shops and continued our patrol.
We didn't enter any stores. We bought some snacks from street vendors, wearing our black and white coats and the Kikyo emblem, making a strong impression.
After a while, more troublemakers appeared and were quickly dealt with. They seemed like extras in a play, always there to be eliminated. We also caught a few pickpockets and thieves, mostly refugees or homeless people.
It wasn't a very busy day, and we had some downtime. It would be nice if it stayed this way, but it might get boring if it always did.
We were so noticeable that we were constantly stared at, but no one approached us.
The people here must be quite reserved.
By the time we were tired from walking, we decided to take a break at a sweet shop that caught our eye. Everyone seemed to be looking at it too, so it was a good place to rest.
"I'm thirsty. Let's stop by there."
"Agreed."
"I'm thirsty too. Let's go in."
We entered the shop, and a young female clerk greeted us nervously.
It was a bit awkward to have her so tense.
"Can you show us to a table? Or can we sit wherever we want?"
"Y-Yes, I'll show you to a table right away!"
We attracted a lot of attention from the crowded shop, but we maintained our confident demeanor. It seemed like a popular and successful place. The food should be good.
We were led to a terrace, which drew even more attention from the street. It was a bit annoying.
But we couldn't let it bother us. We were here to make an impact.
"What would you like to order?"
"I'll have the recommended fruit cake and today's herbal tea."
"I'll have the roll cake and a blend coffee."
"I'll have..."
We ordered and chatted while the delicious cakes and teas were brought to us.
The sweets and tea refreshed our tired bodies. It was a wonderful moment.
But troublemakers are always around.
A group coming out of a nearby shop caught my attention.
A young girl dressed like an adventurer and a well-dressed, fat man with his bodyguards seemed to be having an argument.
The girl was desperately trying to reason with the man, who seemed annoyed and dismissive.
It was clear at a glance who was in the wrong.
"Wait, that's not what we agreed on!"
"What are you saying, girl? That's rude."
"Hey, cut it out! Don't get too close to the master."
The girl's insistence and the man's dismissive attitude were painfully obvious.
I decided to observe for a moment.
"Onee-sama."
"Valerie, let's just observe for a bit. You never know. Everyone, stay back for now."
We shouldn't jump to conclusions based on appearances alone, even if we had a good idea of the situation.
The girl was clearly desperate, which was unusual.
"I already paid the shop earlier!"
"Lying, are you? The merchant said he knew nothing about it."
"That's a lie! I did exactly as you said. The sword was supposed to be kept at the shop, but it's gone! What's going on here?"
"Stay away from the master. If you have a complaint, prove it."
From the conversation, it seemed the girl had used her sword as collateral to borrow money from the shop. She claimed she paid the debt, but the merchant denied it. She needed the money for a cure, as she was poisoned.
She didn't have a written agreement, so the money and the sword were taken. Without proof, she was in a tough spot.
"Without that money, I can't get the treatment! It's poison! We don't have time!"
Ah, poison. No wonder she was so desperate.
I had no idea how long she had been poisoned or what kind of poison it was, but her urgency made it clear it was urgent.
"So, what's your offer?"
"I can provide other collateral. Will you lend me the money?"
"The collateral you offered, where did you take it? According to the agreement, you were supposed to leave the money at the shop, and we would provide the cure."
The conversation was clear. The girl had used her sword as collateral to borrow money from the shop. She claimed to have paid the debt, but the merchant denied it. She needed the money for a cure, as she was poisoned.
She didn't have a written agreement, so the money and the sword were taken. Without proof, she was in a tough spot.
"Without that money, I can't get the treatment! It's poison! We don't have time!"
Ah, poison. No wonder she was so desperate.
I had no idea how long she had been poisoned or what kind of poison it was, but her urgency made it clear it was urgent.
"So, what's your offer?"
"I can provide other collateral. Will you lend me the money?"
"The collateral you offered, where did you take it? According to the agreement, you were supposed to leave the money at the shop, and we would provide the cure."
The man's bodyguards seemed to be getting restless. One of them, the leader, stepped forward and ordered the others to back off.
"The master, let's remove her. We have other business to attend to."
"Understood. Let's do it."
The bodyguards drew their weapons and surrounded the girl.
"No way. This is ridiculous. Attacking an unarmed girl with weapons."
This was the kind of thuggery I had heard about. It was excessive and uncalled for.
But the girl, despite her situation, seemed capable. She knew how to use physical enhancement magic, and her demeanor suggested she wasn't just a novice adventurer.
"Cowards! I'll get my sword back!"
"Shut up!"
The bodyguards attacked with their swords, but the girl easily dodged. Their attacks, meant to be lethal, passed harmlessly through her.
They were clearly prepared to kill her, even in the middle of the city. I wondered what connections they had to be so brazen.
"Illusion magic! Be careful!"
With enhanced magic, it's possible to see through illusions, but these men didn't seem to have that skill. The girl might be able to handle them without a weapon, but it would be difficult for her to attack effectively.
"Damn, detect her magic! Surround her!"
The girl seemed to realize she couldn't keep this up and started to create distance. One of the bodyguards, foolishly, used a fire attack spell.
It missed, but only by a bit. Poor aim!
But I had a feeling the girl might be more capable than she appeared.
"You bastards! I'll get my sword back!"
"Silence!"
The bodyguards, emboldened by their numbers, attacked with renewed ferocity. But the girl, despite being outnumbered, was holding her own.
I decided to observe for a bit longer, but I was ready to intervene if necessary.