62. Sleight of Hand
06-16,-2024
A/N: Sorry for the delayed post! Was exhausted this week. Anyway, thank you for 90k+ reads! We're almost to 100k!!
Q: Any summer anime you started this season?
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"(Y/N), before we reach the village, I'll let you borrow my shawl so you can perform your blessings without revealing anything," said Amaryllis as she handed you a long, draping cloth to match your clothing. She had picked it up from the boat you had used to get back to the main island toward the village.
You gladly took it from her hands. "Thank you. I think this'll help me out a lot with the 'blessings.'"
The five of you had arrived to the village before the selection had started. Many women were already lining up for the selection, while the men were watching from afar. They all looked extremely upset that the selection was upon them.
"Amaryllis!" You heard a few people call out to her as she stepped foot into the area. Looking up, you saw a few, young girls approaching who had spotted you amongst them. "Is this the one that's going to help you? The demigod?"
Your group looked at her with bewilderment as to what Amaryllis had told them. She just ignored your stares and smiled pleasantly at them with a determined look in her eyes.
"Yes! Have you told everyone else about the plan?" Your island friend asked them.
"Of course. We will do our best to support you two!"
The girls went their way and you turned to the brunette. Haru started laughing to themselves when they spoke, "Pff--a 'demigod?!'"
"I thought you were just going to say I have magic or something..." you wondered.
"Seeing how strong she is, I wouldn't say she isn't a demigod though..." Ginro commented with sweat dropping down his temples.
She explained as she nervously twiddled her fingers, "While you were finishing up the makeup for Ginro, I went up to inform them of you helping us infiltrate the harem. I told them that you weren't actually associated with Moz, but rather, you are a demigod with blessings to free the people from Ibara and the petrification device."
"That's too elaborate!" You exclaimed with a sigh. "Okay, well, whatever they say, I have to go along with it. Hopefully, they say something that I'm capable of doing."
Your group joined the other women, who had happily accepted you upon laying their eyes on your figure. You definitely had to play the role of a demigod now.
Moments later, you spotted a giant pack of warriors marching toward the village. Amongst them, you were able to see Moz and Ibara hanging in the back, eager to see the women before them. However, the spearman had seemed to notice you staring, and a smirk formed on his face, much to your discomfort.
"LINE UP, LADIES!" One of warriors ordered the girls. "THE MOST BEAUTIFUL AMONG YOU WILL BE CHOSEN FOR THE HAREM AND BECOME THE MASTER'S PROPERTY!"
"HAHAHA, IT'S A BIG HONOR, YA KNOW!" Another shouted.
Haru grimaced at their attitude, while Ginro began panicking behind the four of you. You, Kohaku, and Amaryllis stared at the blonde boy with disdain.
"Ginro, what the hell are you doing behind us?! We are not having a silver spear situation again!" You hissed at him.
"Silver spear situation?" Haru questioned with a raised eyebrow.
You waved off their question, "I'll tell you about it later."
Ginro then replied with a terrified look on his face, "Isn't it obvious? I'm a dude! I don't wanna join some harem!"
"Hah?! Weren't you listening before?! We're just doing this to infiltrate enemy territory and steal the petrification device! This mission needs as many hands on deck as possible! Haru is doing better than you, and they aren't even gonna join!" Kohaku berated the boy.
The kid crossed their arms and scoffed at him, "Yeah, Ginro. Suck it up, will you? It's not like you're gonna suck some d--"
The child was interrupted when all of you heard a woman screaming at the top of her lungs in fear. All of you turned your heads to see Ibara holding a girl by her sash, as if she were a mere toy, using only one finger. He had a disgustingly sly grin on his face when he had eyed her body. Underneath the old man's feet, a man with blood spilling from his forehead was kneeling--it was as though he was begging.
"Lookie here...these old eyes of mine were only searching for that runaway beast, but it seems they've found something far more lovely in hiding!" Ibara sneered. "Very nice! This will be compensation for our long, hard search!"
The man underneath pleaded, "Please...don't take her. We've only just married..."
"And why should that matter?" The old man dismissed him.
Gritting his teeth, the husband was about to grab his weapon hanging from his back, but Amaryllis had quickly disarmed him after she whispered something in his ear. Turning his head to her with tears in his eyes, he wondered what a timid girl like she could do. Nonetheless, the woman was able to de-escalate the situation before they started the selection process.
"Now, let's have the other girls line up and introduce themselves!" The old minister said as he looked at all the girls. Then they pointed at Amaryllis. "You! Introduce yourself!"
At the speed of light, the islander's eyes widened and a blush spread across her cheeks. With a breathy, stuttering voice, she spoke, "S-Sorry! I get do nervous around big, strong men. And being part of this selection process? L-Little old me? I feel so bashful. B-But I'll do my best!"
"Selected!" Ibara instantly cried with joy. The girl smirked when she was out of sight from the minister's eyes.
You commented as sweat dripped from your temples, "That's a crazy transition right there."
"She's a pro." Haru and Ginro nodded in unison.
"...I'm gonna be going soon. What should I do?" Kohaku fretted as she questioned you.
You replied, "Gen said that you can't copy Amaryllis and that you have to be hyperactive. Just give them a wink and a thumbs-up, and you should be good."
"Alright then..." she responded dejectedly.
After picking many girls ahead of her, it was time for the blonde woman to introduce herself to the minister.
"My name is Koha--wait--K-Kohaku here!" The lioness introduced herself with a nervous smile. With her showing off a thumbs-up, her bottom also stuck out. She tried to wink and it didn't go the whole way through. "People know me for being full of energy!"
All of you were shocked by how she acted, but not surprised that it happened. Kohaku wasn't your average girly-girl, after all. Even Ibara seemed to be speechless because he couldn't even decide whether or not to pick Kohaku. However, his hand started to reach over to what looked like Kohaku's chest. "You're really curvy though, so that's worth something--"
With those sharp eyes of yours, you saw that she was going to grab the old man's hand and twist it, but Moz had stepped in. He used his spear to create a distance between Kohaku and Ibara so that she wouldn't cause a scene.
"Ouch! What are you doing, Moz-kun?" Ibara questioned him with confusion.
"Sorry. I spotted a bee. Must be that time of year," Moz lied as easily as he breathed.
"Oh, I see." The old man then turned back to the blonde girl and pointed at her. "Selected!"
At that time, Kohaku was leaving to go to the end of the harem line with Amaryllis. Moz approached her and exchanged a few words before returning to the selection process. At the same time, the old man was waiting for Ginro to go next.
"My name is Ginr--uh--The name's Gin-chan! I'm not the slightest bit cute at all!" Ginro exclaimed with goofy tone and his tongue sticking out of his mouth.
You, Kohaku, Amaryllis, and Haru immediately look at him with disdain. All four of you could tell that he was trying so hard not to get picked.
With a happy grin, Ibara pointed at him. "Oh, you're so small and cute, and you act like a tom-boy too! Selected!"
At that point, all of you were shocked beyond compare. This man's tastes seriously varied depending on how someone looked. However, when Ibara spotted you, it raised a few suspicious flags in him.
"You are quite different from everyone else here, but you look pretty, nonetheless," Ibara commented as he looked at you. He turned to his warrior. "What do you think, Moz-kun?"
Moz, seeming to take action, then came up to you with his usual, provocative smirk. "Well, I'm glad to see you, cutie. Wanna tell me your name now that you're here?"
"My name is (Y/N)," you greeted him with your lips curled gently. "I apologize for how I acted yesterday...you just caught me off guard."
His smile widened as his eyes narrowed with satisfaction and curiosity. With a deepened voice, he spoke while leaning down toward you, "Interesting... a strong name for a strong woman. Oi, pick this one here."
"Blessed demigod! We don't want you to leave!" The villagers started around you. Many of the younger girls who weren't old enough to join had a pleading look on their eyes. "Please stay!"
"'Blessed demigod?'" The minister wondered as he stared at the islanders, then to you. "What is the meaning of this?"
With an elegant smile, you spoke softly as you placed a hand on your chest, "It's a name that my people have given me. I was born with blessings from the gods above, which is why I look the way I do."
Someone then shouted, "She has the strength of the gorillas stated in the Hundred Tales!"
"As well as the grace of a waltzing river!" An islander commented.
"She can make flowers appear out of thin air!" Someone then said, which signaled you to use your newly learned "magic" whenever the time would come.
"I see. Can we see an example of a blessing?" The old man questioned you as he held a hand under his chin.
"Of course. Allow me--" you started, then flicked your hands to show the flowers you had hidden within the sleeves of your shawl, "--to present you with these."
Everyone around you was shocked and were instantly enamored by your "sorcery." You then approached another woman nearby and pretended to grab something from her ear. Fiddling with your fingers, you then pulled "pulled out" a jasmine flower from her head. You could see everyone's mouth shaped as "O's", except for Haru.
"A beautiful flower from a beautiful woman. It fits, don't you think, Ibara-sama?" You tenderly gave him a close-eyed smile as you turned your entire body to minister.
You swayed your arms and flower petals started blowing out from underneath the shawl. You put your hands together as if you were praying to him. If you were to be a "blessed" demigod figure, then you needed to be as elegant and as innocent-looking as possible in his eyes. This would give an opportunity to be seen as an easy target--one that could be used for their own advantage or amusement. If he were to see that, then you'd have the upper hand. This, dear children, is your definition of manipulation. After all, you've used the sleight of hand on the rich before.
With a satisfied smirk on the old man's face, he pointed at you. "Selected! At some point, while we're at the inner palace, I will turn to you for some entertainment for the master."
You bowed your head. "Of course, Ibara-sama. I will fulfill your requests dutifully."
Moz then approached you once again. "Very interesting...at least I know why you're so beautiful and strong. It's as if the heavens have sent you directly to me. Like Kohaku-chan, I'd like to find you in the inner palace for a match."
"I'll certainly take it upon you if I ever see you," you replied with a relaxed tone.
"Now, on to this last girl!" The minster then stated. You turned around and saw that he was looking directly at Haru. "What's your name? You are quite adorable!"
The child had a look of displeasure on on their face when the old man approached them. Slightly furrowing their eyebrows , they calmly stated, "...My name is Haruhi. However, I can't join the harem because I'm not of age. I'm sorry to disappoint you, Ibara-sama."
"Oh, you sound so mature despite how small you are! Very cute. It's a shame that you are too young. I would've liked to have fun with you!" Ibara casually commented to their face. This caused Haru to visibly shiver in disgust by the old man's nature, causing more entertainment for him. Narrowing his feeble eyes, he insisted, "How about instead, we can take you to the palace and you can work there until you're old enough to join the harem?"
"I cannot. I must support my family here in the village. My father has been in need of assistance ever since my mother has gone," Haru replied as they curtly turned away from the minister, trying to get away from him.
Upset, the old man had a frown on his face. "Oh well... I might have to take you by force then."
Before Ibara could grab Haru by the shoulder, you had stepped in for their protection. Hiding behind your back, they called, "Sen--I mean--(Y/N)-san!"
You politely countered the man using your softer tone, "Ibara-sama, if you take Haruhi-chan, you might get bored of this young girl. She might be one to fight back, which would have the master turn her to stone. It would be regretful to lose a beauty at such a young age. Wouldn't you want her to blossom before picking her from the patch?"
The old man had stopped and placed a finger under his chin. "You're correct. It'd be such a shame to see this one go. But once you are of age, you cannot defy the master!"
"Yes, yes, I know," Haru replied. As the minister had turned away, they spoke quietly to you, "Sorry, senpai. But thanks. I'll let the others know what happened here."
"It's not your fault this guy's a creep. Now get the hell out of here before he changes his mind," you said as you shooed them away. It was time for all of the girls to leave, after all.
~~~
Walking through the island forests, your entire group was headed to the palace as the minister and Moz had left to select more women for the harem. As you were passing through, you spotted bits of color in the mountain nearby. A little flash of light shined in your eyes, and you saw that it was Senku and Gen trying to get your attention. Then you noticed a few items flying in the air, which Kohaku had caught.
"What the heck is this...?" She asked quietly.
You looked back up at the mountain and saw a message being passed using the ring. Luckily for you, none of the guards noticed and you were able to read it with no problem.
ï½¥ ･㼠･ã¼ï½¥ ï½¥ã¼ã¼ï½¥ ･･ ï½¥ ã¼ï½¥ã¼ï½¥ ï½¥
"Hang it on your ear," you told the blonde girl as you wrapped it around yours. The accessory had fit comfortably around it, and it didn't look suspicious at all.
The girl did the same and soon enough, you heard a voice coming through the earpiece. It was Gen speaking using the microphone. "Testing, testing, one, two, three! Kohaku-chan, if you can hear this, strike a cute pose! As for (Y/N)-chan, shoot Senku-chan a message with Morse code!"
As Kohaku did her cute pose, unwillingly, you thought about what to send Senku. Then an idea popped into your head. You hastily took the ring out from the small pouch you had hanging from the garter without being seen, as you needed to hide it from the minister and Moz. You flashed a message to Senku.
･･ / ï½¥ã¼ï½¥ï½¥ ã¼ã¼ã¼ ･･･㼠･ / ã¼ï½¥ã¼ã¼ ã¼ã¼ã¼ ･･ã¼
Your friend was too busy laughing extremely hard at Kohaku, but he still saw your message. "Aww, how sweet, (Y/N)-chan~ I'm sure Senku-chan does too--"
The mentalist's voice was interrupted by the sound of your boyfriend cutting in. "I do, and she already knows it. Anyway, you two, we'll be using this to send instructions and intel, but it's a one way communication device unless you use Morse code. Just keep an ear out for us, got it?"
ã¼ã¼ã¼ ã¼ï½¥ã¼
"Glad to see that it's working fine. We're counting on you guys. We'll send another message again when you guys arrive at the inner palace," Senku informed you two. Before the line was cut, he added, "Be careful. Especially you, slowpoke."
The call then ended, and you had a small smile on your face upon hearing his worry for you.
"I'm gonna kill Gen," Kohaku muttered as she clenched her fist together.
You told her, "I know, you'll get your chance when this is over. But at least we have some sort of other communication now with these pieces."
"How does this even work anyway? It's so small!" She exclaimed.
"I don't know..." you regretfully replied with a nervous smile. "Either way, the mission is officially a go!"
-To be Continued-
A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry that it's not as long as the others, but I intend to make the next one a little longer.
Morse code translations:
[ï½¥ ･㼠･ã¼ï½¥ ï½¥ã¼ã¼ï½¥ ･･ ï½¥ ã¼ï½¥ã¼ï½¥ ï½¥ ] = Earpiece
[  ･･ / ï½¥ã¼ï½¥ï½¥ ã¼ã¼ã¼ ･･･㼠･ / ã¼ï½¥ã¼ã¼ ã¼ã¼ã¼ ･･ã¼] = I / love / you
[ ã¼ã¼ã¼ ã¼ï½¥ã¼] = OK