Falma said that she was going to talk to Cioli at the box store, and she was going to pick him up again when she returned to her quarters.

　Our next stop was the boutique Corleone. The manager, Luca-san, was just finishing up with the other customers when he saw me and winked at me.

I thought it would take longer," he says, "but as expected, you are a rising star. Or did you just work so hard to meet me?
Partly because of that, but also because of a lot of things that went well. It's a credit to the party that fought with us and to the hard work of everyone.
'You sound like you're made of humility again. Alito doesn't betray his image.

　I can get carried away too, but what we must always remember is the awareness that our war effort was earned through cooperation.

''Well can you get the other kids to look at the store's merchandise and just come over to Aricht?　It's not big enough to fit all of us.
'If that's the case, the one you couldn't buy the last time you were here... ah, I guess swimwear doesn't come in very often after all.
It's all a matter of timing, isn't it? Let's buy more of what we need without wasting any money.

　While chiding Misaki, Igarashi-san looked at me and nodded. After confirming that, Luka-san led me to the back of the store.

　　　◆ ◆ ◆

　The interior of the boutique was bright and easy to navigate, but the room that Luka said he uses for his business meetings was lit only faintly by indirect lighting. There was a hint of musk in the air, but I wondered if this was something Luka had been particular about.

He thinks it's a room used for secret talks. People are surprised at first. The waiters are used to it, though, so they just sit here and drink tea while chatting.
It's not........it's definitely an atmosphere. It's got a great sense of style, it's like something out of a noir movie.

　Luka doesn't answer my metaphor with a vague smile. But really, it doesn't seem like he's trying to drag me into the underworld or anything like that. As long as you have 'karma', you can't work bad things so much, so it's not surprising.

The original was taken out of here, that magic gun. It's called a hidden safe.

　The stuffed antlered deer-like demon on the wall was a switch for a hidden contraption. When Luka-san put her hand inside the mouth of the taxidermy, the picture hanging on the wall slowly slid to the side, and beyond it was a safe.



Magic tools are handy, because they can do all kinds of things that you can't do without electricity.
It's kind of exciting to have a contraption like this in my house.
Oh, you know what?　Childishness is something we should never forget, no matter how old we get.

　I turned the dial on the safe and opened it, and inside it was the silver attache case that I had been shown before. I also took out my license and displayed the proof of defeat of the 'sheep demons' that Luka-san had mentioned that could yield the fine fiber.

　Luka-san moved the contraption once more to put the picture back in place and put the attache case on the table, then sat down facing me and combined his hands. This makes me nervous, if I do something I didn't expect, I'm going to get a quick shot at him.

'Well Alihit, did you get what I asked for?'
'We're in the process of dismantling them, but we should be able to bring in the materials within a day or two. Can these demon materials be used to make a suit?

　Looking at the types of demons and the number of demons defeated displayed on the license, Luka-san's eyes widened. Then, he let out a shaky breath and picked up the cigar on the table and tried to light it - looking at me, he smiled and stopped his hand.

'I'm surprised ... I didn't expect you to live up to my expectations so much. I'd say the wool fiber, or wool, is one of the best you can get in the Seventh Ward.
'Thank goodness ... for sure, I'll be using wool as a material for my suit. It's going to shrink if I don't take it to the cleaners.
'All clothes will be damaged to some extent. If you take care of it, its life span can be extended as long as you care for it, but I'm sure that you guys will go to the next ward in a surprisingly short period of time. As long as I'm allowed to take care of my clothes, I'll do the best I can.

　I shopped at a clothing store in the eighth district, and I don't think there are many craftsmen I would have met who are so strangely well-matched with each other, or who are willing to talk to me about various things, and who are willing to make clothes for me, as Ruka is. It's a strange thing to meet someone who is willing to talk to me and make clothes for me.

'I believe you are already under contract with someone else, but if there are still slots available, would you be willing to let me sign an exclusive contract with them? I would like to consult with you not only on suit maintenance, but also on everyone's clothing needs.

　It's not out of the question to favor a shop that once made a suit for you. Luka-san makes an indescribable face - although she's puzzled, it doesn't seem to mean she dismisses it from the start.

''Well that's true. I can't give you the strength of the equipment without actually seeing the material, but right now my apprentice is making the clothes, so I can work on Arihito's suit. I'll finish it in a week, and then you can evaluate my work again?
'A week ... that's amazing, although a suit is going to take more than a month to make.
The only thing we can do about it is to use our years of expertise. You can find them in the stores, but even armor other than suits can't be mass-produced. There's a lot of shoddy equipment out there, so I'm not saying that you should cherish a simple leather armor or buckler.

　Each piece of weapon armor is made by artisans - and when I think about it, I wish the large amount of surplus armor that comes out of the box could find its owner if possible.

''First of all, I'll use the fibers of the 'Thunderhead' as a lining, so I'm sure it will be lightning resistant. And this 'Darkness Blitz' - it's extremely rare, but it's dyed from the start, so it's perfect for the outer surface of a suit. Normally I would dye the fibers of Stray Sheep, but the color is completely different.
'I see ... my current suit isn't too uncomfortable to wear, but it doesn't have any one special effect, so it would be nice to have some effect.
The breathability of wool is a problem, so I'll counteract that with the material I have on hand. Particularly since Alihit wears protective gear over his suit, and it's best to think of the suit as a sort of armor underneath his armor (gambeson).

　Luka's eyes sparkled as he began to talk about the specifics of the suit - as I said, don't forget your childlike nature.

''You think ... a nice grown man can get carried away?''
'No, I'm happy that they put so much passion into making my suit. I wore a suit every day before my reincarnation, but I'd never really put that much thought into a single suit, so it's really refreshing.
I'm grateful to hear you say that. I usually make ready-to-wear clothes and rarely have the opportunity to make a one-of-a-kind dress like this.

　The clothing in the store alone is a sufficient assortment, but as a designer, that may not be enough for you - and as I was thinking about it, Luka-san opened the attache case, perhaps indicating that the conversation had been settled.

　Inside was a gun made of dull, shiny black metal - but its construction was very different from the gun used with ammunition.


'You may think this is costly when you hear it. You see the place where the magic stone fits in here?　If we can equip this magic gun, we can 'load' and unleash the power of the magic stone.
''Loaded........I see. But how would that be different from doing a special attack with a weapon equipped with a magic stone?

　Luka smiled as if she had noticed a good point, and picked up a transparent magic stone that was in her attaché case.

''Arihito, how do you think this thing called a magic stone is made?''
'It seems to be spawned from the labyrinth, so I thought it was generated in the labyrinth and then the demon would have it in a box or attached to some part of its body.
'Yes, but that's a little different. It seems that when skills are used in the labyrinth, the energy seems to dissipate and accumulate. For example, the labyrinths that use many water-based skills, whether they are allies or enemies, produce a lot of water-based magical stones. I heard that there are deposits of magical stones, but they are made on a completely different principle than jewelry deposits.

　I just thought it was interesting and listened to him, and he laughed at my reaction.

''What a pompous attempt at erudition, but this is information that can be looked up by going to the guild's archives.
'You said there was a museum in the Seventh Ward. I haven't been able to get there yet...''
'It's not that you can't get any more information at all in Ward 7 than Ward 6, though. It can be a frustrating experience because the archives will limit your access depending on what ward you're going to, and it can be frustrating. Some people get in there, but I would only recommend going there when you need it... and that's about all I'm going to say about derailing.
''No, it's very helpful. So, those magic stones....

　Luka-san hands me a magic stone. I can see what looks like a white haze inside the transparent stone - the haze appears to be subtly shimmering when I stare at it.

It's a so-called non-attribute magical stone without any attributes like fire or wind. Sometimes in the labyrinth there is a level where there are demons that only attack without an attribute, and this kind of magical stone is produced according to the level of the demon. This is called 'white crystal stone' which has the lowest grade, but you can check the details on the license.

　　　White crystal stone [3]
　You can only use it if you have the "Magical Stone Manipulation 2" skill.
　You can charge a magic skill of skill level 1.
　Charging the same skill multiple times increases its power.
　It will be destroyed when the number of charges is used up.


If you know what it's worth, feel free to use it. I want to make sure that any explorer I like will live long enough to be able to do so.

　Luka tries to act cheerful, but she can't hide it and her voice is tinged with melancholy.

　Supporters come into contact with many searchers - some of them may even lose their lives. In fact, the supporters may have more opportunities to touch people's lives and deaths than the searchers.

''If you want the White Crystal Stone, find a labyrinth with conditions like the one Atashi just mentioned. Or you should get acquainted with the magic stone merchant. Because of the high demand for the stone, it is often sold in other wards.
The potion is in demand in the district above, so it's expensive and hard to find... right?

　When the word "potion" was mentioned, Luka-san looked away for a brief moment, so briefly that he could suddenly overlook it if he had to.

''Well I'll tell you one thing. If you find yourself in a predicament, avoid using any means that might resonate later on.
'Yes, of course I'd like to say yes. I tend to be reckless when I'm turned on, apparently, so I have to be careful.
It's good to have a fighting spirit. It's good that you have a fighting spirit, and I'm sure there's no such thing as an arihito who would be reckless with the desire for fame.

　What he was trying to tell me during the time we were both talking - I think I finally understood that now.

　This magic gun is the one that Luka-san used when he was in active service. If I use it, it means I'm taking over his will.

　◆Light Mithril Revolver +3◆

　You can attach "magic stones" and "load" or "fire".
　You can load the magic stone that can be used in "Magical Stones Control 2".
　Barrel cooldown time is slightly reduced.
　Durability recovers slightly over time.
　Made with the skills of a gunsmith.

　The gun itself complements the skill of 'Magic Stone Manipulation 2' - I am amazed at how advanced the person in the 'Gunsmith' position who made it has the skill.

'If you 'load' that magic gun with a common magic stone and 'fire' it, the power of the blow is higher than attaching a magic stone to the weapon and activating a special attack. And if you use the White Crystal Stone well, there are more situations where you can break the deadlock. If you have some leftover magical stones, try them out first. Because once you fire a magical stone, it can be damaged.
Is that what you mean when you say the cost is high? It's risky, but it's a reliable trump card, isn't it?
Yes, keep it in your pocket and it will help you. Sometimes I miss the smell of lead bullets and gunpowder smoke, but I don't know...

　I'm jokingly saying that, but it seems that his background before he was reincarnated is not just a simple one - and I'll just let my imagination run wild.

　Now Luka-san is an excellent tailor, and now I'm going to be the one to evaluate his work. I can't help but expect that whatever suit is finished, it will probably be too good for me to wear.

'I'll be sure to hang my gun in the inside pocket of the suit so it won't stand out. A man should always have the scent of danger on him.

　I wonder if that image would really suit me, but if I don't explain it beforehand, my friends will be surprised by it.

　If I'm going to use the magic gun as a trump card, I'll continue to use the sling in the future. I want to make the most of the characteristics of the 'rear guard', which does not require any equipment.

''........By the way, Arihito, did you notice that I've used that gun in this room for a reason?''

　At the end of the day, Luka reveals the seed - how did he open the hole in the wall where the safe is hidden?

　If that not-so-small hole was caused by this gun. I had a feeling that if I could bring out the performance, this gun would definitely help me in future battles.