Reimei, a.k.a. Sharanra, was desperately fleeing the city at midnight.
　The city of Santor is currently being searched for by residents and bounty hunters who are dazzled by the bounty on her head, and by guards and knights.
　Bounty hunters and residents, dazzled by the bounty on her head, are looking for her with their eyes wide open. It seems that he had already been spotted by the residents of the city because he was carelessly out shopping.
　There is no doubt that this is the handiwork of his brother, Satoshi, or Xelloss.
　The trouble is that the landing place has been seized, and even if you escape from the street, you will be checked at the gate.
　Somehow, the Shadow Dive was also detected and I was completely isolated in the city.

You've done it, you've done it!

　Three days had passed since she had been on the run.
　Recently, all she had been doing was swearing at her brother. Her vocabulary has run out and all she seems to be able to say is simple complaints.

"There's not a lot of silver left in the bank ......, so we'll just have to do it.

　In Shalandra's hand are the handwriting of Luceris and Jahne, which she got from the church.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　In this world, only merchants and nobles use seals, and ordinary people use fingerprints as proof of identity. However, they are unaware of the fact that fingerprints have different shapes for different individuals.
　It is easy to borrow money by pretending to be someone else. Therefore, it is the handwriting of the signature that is important, and Sharanla specializes in finding such deceptive tactics.
　She is confident that she will succeed because she has been able to live her life without getting caught by exploiting the law to do evil.

The problem with this item ...... is that it can only be used a limited number of times.

　One of the rings in her left hand was an item called a "disguise ring".
　This is a tool that records the appearance of a person you have come into contact with several times and uses illusion to disguise their appearance.
　It can only be used to record two people, and the number of times it can be used is limited. In the case of Sharanra, she has used it many times, so the number of times she has left is small.
　She expects it to break after one or two more uses.
　She has always been a person who takes full advantage of useful tools, so she has been using them without thinking.
　That's how many victims there are. .......

It's a fantasy world, so the same items should be available for sale. ....... I'm not sure what to say.

　This is where [Sword and Sorcery] differs from the real fantasy world.
　Most of Sharanra's equipment are items from Sword and Sorcery.
　However, it is difficult to make these types of items in the real world.
　In addition, the quality of mages and the like is low, and the production of such magical equipment requires a high level of skill. On the contrary, Zeroth and Ad who can create them are strange.
　In the current world, it is difficult for mages to even make them with their skills, and if they were able to make them, they would be scouted by the government.

I'm not sure what to do. I'm going to push him as far as I can!　I'm not sure what to make of it.

　This [Ring of Transfiguration] has a short duration.
　In order to harass Zeroth, the vengeful Sharanra disguised herself as Luceris, who is not related to him at all, and went into a loan shark store in the backstreets.
　The loanshark is also known as a "black market" loanshark. Of course, the owner is not a sane person.
　When things don't go according to her plan, Sharanra always takes revenge in this way.
　Normally, the smart thing to do would be to change your form and run away with the Ring of Transfiguration, but Sharanra can't think of that. Her pride won't allow her to run away without doing anything to the person she hates.
　And this was her way of life.


　"Hmmm.


"Hmmm ......, still no catch. More stubborn than a cockroach.

　Early in the morning, she bought a newspaper from a boy selling newspapers on the side of the street in the old city, and looked at the "Capture the Bounty Hunters" column.
　The old man was a little surprised to see that Sharanla was still at large.
　It's been almost two weeks now, and I'm more than a little impressed that he's still hiding out.
　However, Xellos doesn't think it's much of a problem, as he knows from his past actions what steps Sharanra will take next.
　What is troubling is that he is bothering people who have nothing to do with him.

It's almost here. ......
"Uncle!　You're in trouble!
"...... never disappoints. He's here.

　I'm not sure what to do, but I'm going to do it.
　I somehow know what's going on.

What's wrong?　What's wrong? Is it possible that Mr. Rousselis has a large debt collector?
"How do you know that?　But it's not just Luceris!　It's not just Luceris!
I see. ...... Someone stole my handwriting. Perhaps some kind of receipt?
Stop trying to figure out what's going on and save them!
Hey, hey. I've prepared for anything like this to happen, so don't worry. Are they in church?
Don't get flustered, hurry up!

　As Iris pulled me to the front of the church, I could hear a commotion behind the door.


　The voices of less-than-elegant men.

"Here's the proof!　Just unlock the money!
You have three days to pay me back!　If you don't pay me back, you'll be working in my brothel.
If you don't pay me back, I'll have you work in my whorehouse~" "They're both top-grade balls~ I'll have to check their condition before I put them in the store. Heh heh.
I'm telling you, we have no memory of this!
That's right. We haven't had any money problems lately, so it must be some kind of mistake.

　It's obvious they're from that line of work.
　It seems that they are running a brothel, and if they can't pay back the money, they will definitely be taken care of there. In any case, Luceris and Janne are above average in many ways.
　In terms of attractiveness, Iris would cry.

"Uncle ....... Did you just have a rude thought?
"It's just my imagination. Why are you staring at me?　Now then, shall we go?

　Xellos deliberately opened the door forcefully to divert the men's gaze away from Luceris and the others.
　The rude men turned their gaze to Xellos, just as he had hoped.

"Okay, okay, I've heard enough. Let's all calm down.
What the hell is ......
"I'm the negotiator next door.
"Negotiator"?　You're not invited!
Are you sure you want to say that?　I'm sure the nerds would have a problem if the certificate you have was written by someone else and not by these two.

　In response to Xellos' words, the men looked at each other and smiled grimly.
It's a smile with a certain confidence, as if to say, "There is no mistake.

I don't think so. I've seen the priest there borrow money, after all.
"I also saw that big titty there, the mercenary woman, borrowing money. I'm sure there are many more witnesses.
"So, big tits .......

　The man's comment was that she was trying to hide her breasts.
　I'm sure there are many other witnesses. On the contrary, it was a feast for the eyes.
　He hides his ulterior motives and acts as if nothing is wrong.

You can't really say that, can you?　In this world, there is a technology called magic. There are tools to disguise your appearance from others.
　If the tool is used and the money is just stolen, the nerds' reputation will be completely ruined.
"Ahn?　That can't be true.
That's right!　We've seen it with our own eyes, don't be stupid!
Get the f*ck out of here!
Would you like to check out ......?　Right here.

　The men seemed confident in their memories.
　But there was also a hint of uneasiness about the stinky mage who never wavered against them.
　Even though they were black market money, they were still operating in accordance with the law in this city.
　The interest rates may be a bit high, but they tend to avoid illegal practices as much as possible.
　The main reason for this was the lord of this town, but let's not talk about that for now.

"Check?　How can you be sure? If he used a shape-changing magic tool like you say, it would be difficult to find proof, wouldn't it?
I'm sure that's not true. I'm not sure what to do. Even if you try to disguise yourself, there are some things that you can never disguise.
What can't be disguised?　What's that, ......?
Fingerprints. They're like wrinkles on the fingers of your hands and feet. It has a different shape for each individual. If the fingerprints of the two people here differ from the fingerprints on the deed, it is evidence that it was written by a different person.
"Huh?　What kind of nonsense is that?
It's true.　If you want, I can confirm it right here, right now. What do you say?

　The men were beginning to feel uneasy as Xelloss said it with such bravado.
　Of course, there is an owner above collectors like them. They are also people from the underworld, which is not a good thing for society.
　If you were scammed here, they would not forgive the underlings who were also the cause of the disadvantage. Now we can catch the root of the evil.
　The men looked at each other and nodded quietly.

...... All right, let's have them check it out.
If this is the real deal, you're going to have to be prepared.


Of course, those two will be working in the whorehouse!
All right. We'll be ready in a moment. ......

　On a table in the chapel, there were two anchors for holding flasks.
　A steel rod and a case made of transparent plate were prepared.
　A small plate and an alcohol lamp. Two clothespins and a small bottle of a strange liquid are also prepared.

...... Where are you getting that from?
It's a trade secret. I'm a mage. ....... Oh, let me see one of your credentials.
Oh. ......

　I took the certificate from the man and observed that the fingerprint was that of his right thumb.
　If you check, you will find other fingerprints, but one is enough, so we will ignore that.
　The point is that it is enough to prove that Luceris and Jahne are not in debt.

"Hey, hey, old man. ....... Are you sure you're okay?
"I'm sure. Well, as long as they're not in debt.
I don't lend or borrow money!　I would never borrow money from a loan shark!
That's fine. I want you both to press only the fingers of your right hands on this paper. This is a very important point.
Oh. ....... Lou.
Can you really prove this?

　Half-anxious, they did as they were told and pressed their palms against the paper.
　The two sheets of paper were fixed to an iron rod fixed to a pedestal, and underneath, wood glue placed in a dish was heated with an alcohol lamp and sealed completely in a transparent case.

What can you find out with that?
"Broadly speaking, fingerprints are the grease from your palms. So if you use a tacky adhesive to lift the unevenness of the grease, and then put powder on top of it, you can bring it up.
...... Mages know a lot, don't they?
It's also useful in investigating crimes. If you have everyone's fingerprints on file, it could be useful in investigating thieves.
No, they'll get away while we're checking.　It'll take time.
In that case, why don't we just set up a special agency in the city or put out a nationwide APB even if they escape?

　At any rate, setting up a criminal investigation agency is not the job of the Zeros.
　It is the job of the nobles who rule the country or territory to add state institutions.

You're really something, aren't you, Xelloss?
No, it's just common sense.
What's common knowledge?　I'm sure you've heard of it.
Ugh, ......, but you don't think I'd be doing forensics here, do you? What do you want to do with the world, Uncle?
No, I just want to live in peace. I think it's about time. ......

　You've laid the groundwork for motorcycles, cars, and even forensics, but you leave the hard work to others.
　They really don't seem to care about the rest.
　He hummed as he moved the case away and placed the two sheets of paper on the table.

"Well, here's the powder.
"'So, where did you get it from?
It's a trade secret. Pour a small amount of this powder on the paper and dust it off with a feather broom. The fingerprints came out beautifully.

　The answer is obvious, but I'm going to do a fingerprint analysis in front of everyone.
　Naturally, the fingerprints of Luceris and Janae do not match. They clearly belonged to different people.

"I knew it, someone else was impersonating you. This is an excellent fraud.
Really?
"Then who impersonated these two people?　The handwriting matches theirs.
Yeah, well, you see all those wanted posters around town lately?　That woman was in this church until recently. She must have picked up the handwriting when she saw a chance.
You son of a b*tc*!　I'll make you pay for this!

　The indignant men.
　Even if you're trying not to break the law, they're still underworld people.
　It was their business to be taken advantage of.

"Report to the boss!　I'll find you at the grassroots and make you pay for what you've done!
I'll report to the head and make him pay for her.
Gather your men!　I'll work with you guys for once.

　The men leave the church in a huff.
　This is how Sharanra became the target of the underworld.
　The old man seems quite pleased with the result.

Mr. Xellos, you've saved my life. Thank you very much.


"Oh, ......, I wondered what would happen to you at one point. Thank you so much for your help.
"No, don't worry about it. It was my family that caused it, and I'm glad I prepared for it.

　Both of them were looking at Xelloss with passionate eyes.
　Only Iris had a cooler look in her eyes.

"Uncle ...... knew what your sister was up to, didn't you?
It's not that I'm a complete reader, but I knew that given the cultural standards of this world, she wouldn't try anything too elaborate.　He hates trouble from the start, and I was certain that he would be caught off guard by the low level of culture.
If you had acted from the beginning, none of this would have happened, right?　Because you are much stronger than your sister.
"Ah!

　This is the first time Luceris and the others realized this fact.
　So, if there was an overwhelming difference in strength between the two, Xellos could have been captured or defeated without anyone knowing. However, he is working behind the scenes and does not seem to be taking the initiative to catch him.
　It means that he knew that he was hiding in the church and left it alone.

Did you notice that? ...... Yes, we could have caught him at any time.
I'm not sure what to do.　I'm sure you'll agree.
I'm not sure what to say. Even if I go to her directly, she'll pretend to be someone else until the very end. Besides, didn't you suspect that she was someone else?
"What?　When you say that, ......
I wasn't sure, but I thought it was suspicious.　I was almost as fooled as Jahne was. Fortunately, the priest I had when I was training to be a priest was somewhat like that. I had to be careful not to let my guard down. But I can't be watching him all the time.
If we're not careful, we'll end up as the criminals. The less risk, the better. It's best to go for the ones that are sure to move.
That's why your uncle instructed me to go through Johnny and the others: ....... Maybe you're trying to get rid of him before he can do any serious damage?
He's good at pretending to be innocent, even if it turns out to be him. Even if you know it's him, he's good at pretending to be innocent.

　Those who commit crimes with premeditation are more cautious and better at talking.
　It also takes time to get inside the target's head, so good acting skills are essential.
　Sharanra - Reimei was a natural when it came to this skill.
　After all, she has no malice at all. From the very beginning, she has been aware that others exist for her, so she does not even consider crime as a sin.
　And because of this naturalness, he has continued to deceive many people.
　It is no exaggeration to say that his very existence is evil.

...... Why such a demon was born from those parents is still a mystery to me.
Who are your parents?
It was a businessman with a full-time job and a mother who was devoted to her father. She was a bit of a natural. ......
I don't know what a businessman is, but did they have a normal, happy family environment? It's really strange. ......
I'm not sure what to say. It's tragic .......

　But that's going to end this time.
　If Reimei doesn't have a backer, the quality of her planning will drop drastically.
　Now the whole town of Santor is full of enemies, there is no one to turn to, and there is no time to set up an accomplice.
　This is also the result of years of analyzing Reimei's actions.

It's time for the ...... Judgment. I'm going to cleanse that demon this time.
"Wow, ...... looks like a lot of fun.

　Those who have been victimized by demons seem to have demons in their bodies.
　A demon named avenger. .......
　With a vicious smile on his face, Xellos leaves the church.

"Can I let him commit the sin of ...... killing his own flesh and blood?
But that grudge runs pretty deep. Do you think you can stop him?
No. You can't stop a serious uncle, and he's been waiting for this moment for a thousand years. ......

　The three people left in the church were wondering if they should stop the sisters and brothers from starting to kill each other.
　We should be concerned about what humanity is.


　...　


　Sharanra was surrounded by men.
　She didn't recognize them, but they were clearly in a frenzy.
　Out of these men, a man stepped forward.

"Hey, I've been looking for you. I've been looking for you. You've been taking me for a fool, haven't you?


"What are you talking about?　I have no idea what you're talking about.
"You borrowed money from us under false pretenses, right?　You borrowed money from us under false pretenses, and you said you'd pay us back as soon as possible. You didn't want to pay us back from the start, did you?
I don't know what you're talking about. ......

　I finally know the answer.
　They were the black marketers that Sharanra had borrowed money from in the form of Luceris and Janne. But I don't know how they got exposed.
　In a world where scientific methods of investigation have not been established, it is difficult to find specific criminals.
　Most of them rely too much on circumstantial evidence and never try to collect detailed evidence. It is a world where even a mere disguise is enough to ensure a perfect crime.

Don't play dumb!　Your written testimony is the best evidence.
How does that mean I wrote it?
Do you know what a fingerprint is?
What?

　That's all I needed to know.
　They had identified the fingerprint on the document.
　That means they've already established a forensic method. I've never heard of such a thing.

What's with the ......?
"A kind mage told me that you've committed fraud. You're going to pay for this. See?
"Kind Mage ......, he's gone off on another tangent!
You've got a pretty good relationship. Well, it doesn't really matter to us. ....... Now, let's get the money you lent me back with interest.
You've got to be kidding me!　Shadow dive.
What the hell?

　Suddenly, Sharanra slipped into the shadows.
　It's hard for the goons who can't use the same technique to find her.
　It's a good idea to have a good idea of what you're looking for.
　If your magic power runs out, you will be thrown out of the shadow, and you will suffer from exhaustion due to magic power consumption. In other words, it's impossible to stay in the shadows for a long time.

Calm down!　You can't stay in the shadows for very long anyway, you'll find them if you focus on this area!　Disperse and catch them!
「「「「「 Ooohhhh! 」」」」」

　And the weakness had already been exposed .
　The city's inhabitants, the guards and knights, the bounty hunters, and the men of the underworld .
　The number of pursuers doubled, and Shallanra became more and more besieged.

You should have just obeyed me, but you're always rebelling. ....... I'm not sure what to make of it, but it's a good idea.

　Xelloss wouldn't want to be told by Sharanra.
　She's self-centered to a fault and her thinking is all over the place. Those who are forced to deal with her will surely become neurotic.
　It is normal to want to get rid of her, but unfortunately, Sharanra herself does not have the heart to care for others. He is the ultimate KY.
　He is in the same category as some shopkeepers who pretend to be detectives. In other words, he is a person with a very pitiful head.
　And it is a real pity that he is not aware of it, nor does he want to be aware of it.
　As a result of this way of life, he will be inexplicably rejected by the world. Zeroth's subterfuge alone would not have brought him to this point.

　The biggest reason is that he tried to kill the heir of the duke's family.
　And since he is of royal blood, bounty hunters and the people will be looking for him with blood. This was Sharanra's fatal weakness, her unthinking behavior, her "lack of forethought.
　When she approaches others, she acts in a frighteningly deliberate manner, but as soon as she gets a satisfactory result, she turns sloppy and destroys herself. On Earth, he used the law to his advantage, but in the other world, the law is full of holes from a modern point of view, and it is not enough to protect him.
　Naturally, as soon as she learned this, she got carried away.
　Sharanra acted based on the senses she had on Earth, taking in only what was convenient to her, such as the "lightness of life" and "sloppiness of security," and disregarding the information of the other world.
　He underestimates the laxity of the law and really thinks that this world is 'easy'. However, this laxity is sometimes taken advantage of.
　It is also a cultural phenomenon that when new technologies are established and adopted, the common sense changes instantly. Fingerprint matching is the best example.
　In addition, even if a civilization is at the medieval level, national sentiment changes due to various factors such as national ideology, education, and politics. There is nothing more frightening than the herd mentality.
The royal family is well governed, and the Dukes of Solstair, their blood relatives, are trusted by the people. The current head of the family is said to have enriched the lives of the people ten years earlier.
　If such a family were to be targeted, the people would be furious, and this situation was bound to happen. And yet, he blames others for his failures, which is inexcusable.
　Well, I'm not trying to save my own brother. .......

Where to run: ....... If you want to get away from the pier, there is a lot of security now. ...... I'm scared, but I think a cemetery would be better.　Fortunately, there is a small church and it is not popular.

　There was a large cemetery on the north side of the city of Santor.
　In the center of the cemetery is an old church, which is never used except for funerals, and is maintained by the priests of the Four Faiths.
　It was a good place to hide.

"Now that we've decided that, we can't just sit around here. I'll do whatever it takes to get out of here!



　Quick decisions are in her blood, and Sharanra begins to move towards the cemetery.
　She is unaware of the presence of the Grim Reaper, who watches her from the top of the building.

"Gotcha. But I guess collectors are more useful than you think. Thank God the Shinigami has a time limit.

　Xellos was wearing jet-black gear.
　Like an evil priest inviting the dead, he followed Sharanra.

I'm not sure what to make of this.　That's not what I expected. Well, everything else was expected.

　A jet-black mage flies over the city of Santor.
　Vengeance has finally arrived.