Sweat began to bead on the hand gripping the goose-down comforter. Iris put on her superhuman social skills and pouted her lips in a sulky manner.
The toes hidden beneath the blanket curled tensely from the tension.
Laika carefully observed Iris’s expression, then crooked one corner of his mouth into a sly smirk.
“Judging by your strong reaction, I guess you kind of planned on it, huh?”
“N-no, really, I didn’t.”
“Pfft, alright then. Stay for a meal. Breakfast… hmm, since we’re tired, let’s order delivery.”
Laika laughed aloud, stretched, and stood up from his seat. Iris bit her lip tightly and composed herself.
For now, it seemed she had gotten away with it.
For now. He had caught her rifling through the display case, but he didn’t seem to know she had touched the ring, so that was enough.
He even invited her to come by again, so she’d just wait for the next chance.
Iris slipped out of the bed and followed Laika, putting on a cheerful voice.
“Wow! Then I want pizza. Where’s a good place around here?”
***
After leaving Laika’s house, Iris headed straight for the Antique Shop. She needed to commission a fake ring.
Though she could have gone to a handicraft store or an accessory specialty shop for ring making, she wasn’t confident those places would keep the secret.
‘It’s hard to explain why, and I can’t be sure if the maker would be trustworthy… It’s best to ask the Antique Shop Owner I know well. People sometimes come to him to request accessories to be made…’
Since the Antique Shop Owner knew Iris was a Hero, he wouldn’t be loose-lipped, and would understand if she gave a vague reason.
That was the best option for now. The owner she had known for years was a little eccentric but possessed a very upright character.
The wind chime hanging on the shop’s door tinkled as Iris entered. It had been a while since she last visited after receiving the bracelet.
As she glanced around the unchanged interior, she heard footsteps dragging and the owner’s voice from inside.
“Welcome… oh! It’s Miss Iris! Long time no see, I almost forgot your face!”
“Hello. Haha, sorry. I meant to drop by sooner, but I’ve been so busy lately…”
“Ah, just saying! Of course you’re busy! You’re a Hero, after all!”
Iris scratched the back of her neck awkwardly as the Antique Shop Owner waved his hand. He wore a proud smile and spoke with enthusiasm.
“Knowing there’s a reliable Hero in our neighborhood makes me puff my chest every time I take a walk.”
“Haha, well, that’s why I’m here.”
Iris fidgeted with her hands nervously, and the bald man nodded encouragingly.
“Yeah, say whatever’s on your mind. As a Hero and lifesaver, I’ll do almost anything you ask, Miss Iris.”
“Well… um…”
Iris glanced toward the door hesitantly. The owner sensed she was about to share a secret and led her to the shop’s back room.
Swallowing hard, Iris showed him the photo on her Hero Phone and finally spoke up.
“For reasons I can’t explain, I need a ring exactly like this one in the photo.”
The owner stroked his chin, hummed thoughtfully, then nodded resolutely.
“Alright. I’ll make it for you.”
“You’re not going to ask why?”
“Well, that’s obvious. It’s probably not because you just want the same ring in the photo. You must have a Hero-worthy reason, right?”
There wasn’t a trace of suspicion in his eyes. While Iris was glad he trusted her, she was also surprised he accepted the request without probing further. She impulsively blurted out the thought in her mind.
“What if I use the fake ring for bad things…?”
“Haha, I’ve lived at least twice as long as you, Miss Iris. I’ve been buying and selling valuable antiques and have seen all kinds of people for over 20 years. In other words, I’ve got a better eye for people than most. And.”
“And?”
“As I said before, I’ve felt strangely compelled to help you. To put it more clearly, I feel a sense of mission. It might sound grandiose, so I’ll just say it: Helping you feels like the very reason I’ve been running this Antique Shop. Strange, isn’t it?”
“I see…”
Iris’s chest tightened at the owner’s words. The fact that a man with such discernment believed in her meant she must appear good in his eyes—just as she thought he was trustworthy.
And the word mission… hearing it made Iris’s blood boil like she was a true Patriot fighting fiercely for her homeland’s independence against Villains who were like Japanese Collaborators.
Her brown eyes burned with righteous zeal as the bald man continued.
“My instincts are rarely wrong. I’m a pillar of this place, having run this business for over 20 years. Besides, you’re my lifesaver, Miss Iris. I want to help you with the Hero’s Corpse Chastity Belt… wearer.”
“Sir…”
The owner, momentarily caught off guard by the word ‘Chastity Belt Hanger,’ gave a thumbs-up. Then he took the phone and studied the photo intently.
After rifling through a drawer, he pulled out a catalog of accessory patterns. Comparing it to the ring’s image, he muttered seriously.
“This ring’s Symbol… it has a similar pattern to the Bracelet and Chastity Belt.”
“Ah… I-is that so? Yes, that’s right. It’s similar to the pattern on the Chastity Belt.”
Caught off guard by such an accurate observation, Iris reluctantly confirmed it. As a very ordinary citizen of Gyodam City, she had gotten used to distrusting others completely.
But to doubt the bald man who offered help without even asking why would only make her suspicious and unlikable.
“Hmph. You can fool ghosts, but not me. I’m an expert on antiques. To an ordinary eye, this might look like a common ring pattern, but it’s the unique Symbol engraved on the Chastity Belt, the Bracelet, and the one I gave you.”
“Oh… so that means it’s hard to make?”
“No, not at all. With the photo, how could I not make it? I can’t replicate the same power, but just matching the shape is enough. Using the same metal and gems will cost quite a bit, though…”
“Oh, just something close enough that no one can tell the difference!”
“Good. I don’t know what you need it for, but I hope it all works out.”
The owner took a photo of the ring with his own phone. Though he said he’d make the fake ring for free, Iris politely refused and paid a generous sum.
She was already grateful just to have received the bracelet as a gift and didn’t want to owe him more.
After their conversation ended, they exchanged farewells at the shop’s entrance.
“I’ll contact you when it’s ready. And… shh.”
“Eh? Ah, shh!”
“This stays a secret between you and me. Take care!”
Iris had been about to say it was a secret anyway, but the quick-witted owner beat her to it. She thanked him and left the shop.
Driving her old car home, she drifted into thought. Perception activated repeatedly, and the fingers beyond the mirror had gleamed white, as if Iris herself were the ring’s original owner.
The engraved Symbol was similar to the <Chastity Belt and Bracelet> patterns. That ring must be part of the Ancient Accessory Set.
It was a set that would strengthen the power of the Awakening-Type Hero, the Chastity Belt Hanger.
‘Last time I looked in the mirror, my head and neck also glowed white. There must be two more accessories besides the ring.’
What would happen if she gathered the accessories for her head and neck as well? She would have to wait and see.
One thing was certain: she had to collect the rest, and once she had the full set, her power would be immense. She felt an unexplainable, strong conviction about it.
Parking the car, she trudged into her one-room apartment, utterly exhausted. At that moment, her phone rang. Seeing the caller, Iris smiled brightly and pressed the call button.
“Grandmother! Yes, yes. Oh, I’m making good use of the gift you sent last time. What? Oh, it’s nothing special. I was driving on the highway when a robber appeared… Ah, I just fired a few shots to scare him off. What? Oh, I bought a car recently! No, he wasn’t bad enough to run over with the car. Ah… don’t worry. Public transport is more dangerous… Huh? You’re coming here this weekend? No problem. The address is…”
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