The Jacob Department Store Party (4)
The Gilorian Empire has banned discrimination based on species.
Even if they had lived in the labyrinth as monsters until recently, once they converted to the Empire, they could no longer be discriminated against. Like goblins.
But there was one existence that remained controversial. That being the spirit.
Spirits were present everywhere in our lives. In places with water, wind, earth, or fire natural attributes, spirits were always there.
They freely used their powers for the Empire citizens.
Processing water purification at springs and bringing rain to drought areas.
Among them, some spirits worked in extremely specialized fields. The spirit controlling pressure on dam construction sites was a prime example.
Of course, there were also combat spirits that boosted combat power.
In this way, spirits were completely integrated into the lives of Empire citizens.
So some argued that spirits should be recognized as part of the Empire citizens.
“Isn’t it right to recognize spirits who dedicate themselves so much for the welfare of Empire citizens as part of the Empire citizens?”
“That would only be possible if the spirits agreed to it…”
But spirits had no such intention.
Because they were immaterial existences.
Spirits neither ate, slept, dressed, nor consumed. They lived in a completely different dimension, the Spirit Realm, and only appeared when summoned by a contractor.
They didn’t even demand payment for labor.
They appeared from somewhere when needed and vanished according to their own will.
That was why construction sites in the Gilorian Empire were always unpredictable in terms of deadlines.
Managing or forcing attendance was impossible from the start.
Only sites with a high-elf supervisor at least managed to function somehow.
At this point, one would understand.
People wanted to incorporate spirits into the Empire citizens, but they themselves showed absolutely no interest.
The only ones they cared about were the elves who had made contracts with them.
If the elves disappeared, the Gilorian Empire might never see spirits again.
That spirit was dying.
Mariana had been listening intently to the spirit’s final words.
“The elf I contracted with was recently dragged away by someone and lost his soul. Losing the soul means the elf died, right? So I went looking for those bastards, but I got caught by some strange artifact and nearly received a curse. I barely escaped…”
Mariana couldn’t finish her sentence and burst into tears.
The spirit gave a faint wing flutter and emitted warmth.
Unlike before, it felt distinctly cooling.
“It’s Jacob’s. He killed my elf. They drained all his blood and he collapsed from shock and never woke up again,” she said.
Mariana sniffled and brought her lips to the spirit’s body.
At that moment, the spirit became radiant light and gradually faded away.
The spirit, with its small body.
This was what it had been waiting to tell someone.
It had been dying there, waiting, in the place filled with Therion’s sacred aura.
If Mariana had moved to the spirit’s forest, she would have been able to save it.
She had been sacrificing herself to preserve the friendship she once shared with her friend and contractor.
Mariana bit her lip tightly and stood up.
“I can’t forgive these bastards.”
“…Did the spirit die?”
Looking at the light turning into particles, Piaje, the office lady, asked.
Mariana then wiped the corners of her eyes with her fist and said.
“No? I sent the spirit back to its forest. Why would the spirit die? You’re really stupid sometimes.”
Whoa? I flinched slightly in my seat, but luckily Mariana didn’t notice.
* * *
The day of the Jacob Department Store party.
I stood with my arms crossed, leaning against the corner of the magic shop street.
I watched the people passing by.
Their expressions were diverse.
Some had smiling faces, others were expressionless.
I looked up and glanced at the shop street across the road. Some shops were packed with customers, while the one next to it, seemingly newly opened, was empty.
I rolled up my collar and checked my wristwatch.
‘It’s already been twenty minutes…’
I glanced behind me.
Inside the shop, Mariana was there.
She was seriously chatting with the shop owner.
I pulled out the ticket from my coat pocket and looked at it. The ticket read: [Jacob Department Store VIP Invitation – Diamond Distribution].
Noris Molton had sent it.
It meant super-special VVIP use.
Recently, I had informed him that I had joined Evan Investment Club. In response, he sent this invitation.
Today, I had a meeting with him and his office.
That’s why Mariana was currently choosing party attire for my thorough disguise investigation.
So shouldn’t I go to the tailor shop? But I’m in the magic shop street. A place where magic otaku gather.
At that moment, my magic transceiver blinked.
My unique number.
So it was one of Eric, Evan, or Emily.
“What’s the matter?”
“Uncle. Emily had a dream and said Mom came out.”
“A dream?”
“Yeah, Emily always has weird dreams. In the dream, Mom’s face turned black and hit Uncle, and Uncle almost died.”
“……”
I gave the magic transceiver to the little brats and this annoying thing happened.
It often made the sound of knocking on the door.
“Uncle won’t die at Mom’s hands.”
“Uncle… our mom is really fierce. So if you meet our mom, just run away. Just tell us your location later, okay?”
“……”
“If Mom catches you, she has a doll Emily gave you. She said Mom would know. You really have to promise. Lightning Man Uncle is strong, but with our mom, no. Everyone dies.”
“……Got it. I promise.”
After making them swear several times, I finally hung up on the Eric brothers.
They probably called me Lightning Man Uncle among themselves.
I unconsciously smirked and touched my waist. A dagger was stuck there. Emily had personally attached a doll to the sheath.
A shiny pink unicorn doll that didn’t match the old dagger.
I turned on the magic transceiver again.
“Yo, talk.”
Freida, the headmistress’s voice was monotone.
I cleared my throat a couple of times and spoke carefully.
“I have a favor to ask.”
“A favor? Mr. Blood asking me for a favor?”
“Yes.”
“What is it?”
“Could you look into the school enrollment for the kids?”
“……”
The magic transceiver went silent.
“Mr. Blood. Did you have an accident or something? Suddenly what… kids??”
“Ah, they’re not my kids. I just learned about them somehow. Three siblings around ten years old, and I want them enrolled in the Clovan City boarding school.”
I didn’t usually ask Freida, the headmistress, for favors. Offering her a debt would step on my own feet.
But in terms of school enrollment, Freida’s recommendation letter would be better than mine.
“And, I’d like one of them to participate as an apprentice at the Imperial Magic Tower.”
“……”
The Imperial Magic Tower? Even more so.
It felt like my intuition that this favor negotiation had gone wrong.
* * *
The Jacob Department Store party was astonishing. It was more flashy than expected and packed with a huge crowd.
At the unveiled event, various banners were hung.
[Jacob VIP Members’ Success Stories]
[Jacob Department Store Owned Luxury Auction]
[Jacob VIP Members’ Investment A-Z]
The event consisted of various sessions.
Each session was divided by floor.
People walked around the venue with curious expressions.
“Senior, can’t you act more naturally?”
“Is it even possible to act naturally like this?”
“There’s a dress code, you know.”
Mariana narrowed her eyes into slits.
Her eyes, already narrowed by thick eyeliner above the eyelids, became even more narrowed.
Right now, I was wearing a vampire outfit. A robe with red lining over a suit and shiny pants.
It was the costume Mariana had specially ordered from the magic shop earlier.
Up to this point, I could endure it.
But the lipstick? Wasn’t it too much?
The vampire symbol was the bright red lips clearly visible against pale skin.
Not only had I dressed up, but today I had also applied lipstick. With a very grotesque red hue, it lifted the corners of my mouth.
And now I was half-human, half-centaur!
A vampire-transformed centaur!
“Just hold on for a bit. Let’s go over there first.”
Where Mariana pointed, there was a banner for [Jacob VIP Members’ Success Stories].
People were sitting around tables, talking.
At first glance, they looked like ordinary vampires, but with a closer look, you could tell they were fanatics.
“We are all sinners.”
“If you become Jacob’s sinner, you can have all your dreams.”
“We are trying to spread good influence throughout the Gilorian Empire.”
“……”
I had nothing to say.
Their bizarre lines were one thing, but it was even more painful that I was acting as Mariana’s boyfriend.
Nine out of ten people here were women. And almost all were elves.
So, a centaur male caught between female elves would naturally be the best boyfriend role, according to Mariana.
Sitting with a straight face, Mariana jabbed my side with her elbow, her voice full of a snort.
“Honey, don’t smile? They’re saying nice things.”
Mariana, is she setting me as a cheerful girlfriend now?
I couldn’t force a smile on my face.
“I originally only had a small building. But after meeting Jacob…”
“In a month, I paid off my debts and bought a luxurious Pegasus carriage!”
“Now, I only work two hours a month and earn three million crams…”
The people shot out success stories like wooden dolls. Their flamboyant life stories didn’t match the pale faces of the vampires.
I clapped mechanically in time with the applause Mariana gave me.
“Are there no questions or things you’d like to share with the gentlemen?”
A woman who seemed to be hosting the event asked. She was wearing a short miniskirt. A vampire in a miniskirt…
“Where’s the food?”
The woman straightened her face.
I couldn’t see a single catering food stall in the venue.
I remembered her boasting about how great the catering food quality was, but I couldn’t even see a decent drink.
At that moment, people who looked like bodyguards approached the table.
“We’ll check the invitation for a moment.”
Had they come because I was making a fuss asking for food?
Another check at the entrance.
“Here.”
When I handed over the invitation, the bodyguard gestured to another bodyguard.
“VVIP. Bring this person.”
My invitation was different from the others.
An invitation directly sent by Jacob Department Store founder Noris Molton.
“Who is that person?”
“Is it a diamond level because it’s VVIP?”
“Never seen that face before…”
The people whispered.
The men approached.
“He is waiting for you.”
Were they immediately taking me to Noris? But it was still too early. I needed to explore this place a bit more.
“We have a group, so can we explore the venue a little more?”
I put my hand on Mariana’s shoulder and said. Mariana fidgeted awkwardly.
“Of course. Then shall I escort you to the auction hall?”
“Good.”
The men pulled out chairs and escorted us. Of course, Mariana’s chair too.
“Senior… you really got it deep.”
Mariana put on a graceful smile on her face.