Two days later.
"My Lord, according to your instructions, I have found a suitable property. Would you like to see if it meets your expectations?"
In the inn, the ever-capable Thor reported back to Aomori.
"No need. I trust your judgment; go ahead and purchase it directly."
In any case, it was merely a temporary foothold, and a place to stir up some fun.
"No, how can you be so casual? I want to go see it," Fynea chimed in. Elsa, on the other hand, showed no particular reaction.
"If you want to go, then go," Aomori said, tossing a bag of gold coins to Thor. "This should be sufficient, right?"
Thor caught it respectfully, hefted the bag in his hand, and replied, "It is more than enough. I shall use the surplus to furnish and prepare the new residence."
"Go then."
"As you command!"
In less than half a day, Thor returned to the inn. "The paperwork for the house is complete. I have arranged for staff to clean it. You may move in tomorrow."
"Excellent work," Aomori said.
"I helped out quite a bit too!" Fynea chirped, seeking credit.
"Yes, you worked hard as well."
"Hehe, it was nothing! The place is quite nice; you'll definitely like it, Klein-sama."
"Is that so?" Aomori smiled faintly.
The following day, they packed their luggage and headed to the new residence.
The exterior was unassuming, but upon pushing the doors open, even Aomori was slightly taken aback. The path was flanked by a profusion of flowers in full bloom, making it feel as if they had stepped into a private garden.
"How beautiful," Elsa remarked softly. "Why are there so many flowers here?"
Thor explained with a smile, "The original owner of this house was a florist, so these flowers came with the property. Considering that the two young ladies require daily training, I had the workers move all the flowers to the front yard to clear a space in the back."
"I was the one who directed the floral arrangement! Does it look good?" Fynea asked proudly.
"It looks very good," Aomori nodded in satisfaction.
"By the way, my Lord, do you have any requirements for maids? We will need staff to look after the daily needs of yourself and the ladies," Thor said.
"Two around Elsa's age will suffice. You can handle the rest of the arrangements."
"Understood!"
"Furthermore, arrange for some business cards to be made. Have the address printed on them along with the words 'Selling Miracles,'" Aomori added with a smile. "Sign it: Klein Miracle Merchants."
…
"Selling Miracles? Klein Miracle Merchants?"
Inside the Sword Saint's estate, Reinhard van Astrea held a black card. Detecting the faint fluctuations of Yin Magic attached to it, he asked curiously, "Are you a merchant? I had taken you for a lone wanderer, traveling the lands to challenge the strong."
"You're overthinking it," Aomori waved a hand dismissively. "It's just a hobby. If you ever have a need, feel free to stop by. However, the rule there is 'recognize the card, not the person.' Without this card, you cannot enter. Moreover, I have only produced twenty of these."
He wasn't referring to the easily forged card itself, but the anti-counterfeit mark he had placed upon it. There were only twenty authentic ones recognized by him.
"Will your main body be there?"
"Perhaps. If your luck is good, you might run into me."
"My luck has always been quite good." Reinhard shook the card in his hand. "But what does 'Selling Miracles' mean? Can miracles truly be sold?"
"It means I can provide you with a miracle to achieve something you deem impossible. Provided, of course, that you can offer a corresponding reward."
"Anything at all can be achieved?"
"Certainly not. It depends on the capabilities of myself and my employees. Furthermore, the firm has just opened; our business is currently limited to the Royal Capital."
Reinhard shook his head with a light chuckle. "Is this just a gimmick? Failing too many requests will hurt your firm's reputation."
"I don't mind. It's just for fun."
This was merely Aomori's way of killing time and meeting more people; he didn't care for reputation. Simple commissions would be handled by Elsa. Once Aomori left the dungeon, it would give her something to do. He didn't expect to turn her into a saint, but keeping her from killing the innocent was a start.
"Fair enough." Reinhard tucked the black card carefully into his pocket. "I'll visit when I have the time."
"Well, now that the pleasantries are out of the way, it's time for the main event." Aomori drew his Dark Blade and pointed it at him. "Daily question: Is 'Little Reid' willing to fight me today?"
"Please, spare my home," Reinhard said with a wry smile. "If I were to draw the Dragon Sword and fight you here, this estate would be leveled."
"Tch, so hesitant. You have no aura of a powerhouse at all."
"I am merely an eight-year-old child; where would I get such an aura?"
"Enough talk! Take my Battōjutsu!"
Once again, terrifying shockwaves erupted from within the Sword Saint's estate.
…
"Huff... huff..."
A high ponytail bobbed up and down with the trembling of its owner's body. Crusch Karsten, the noble daughter of the Duke, gasped for breath, her face drenched in sweat.
"Your Highness, your swordsmanship has progressed rapidly. I am impressed."
"You aren't bad yourself. I thought for sure I'd win this time." Standing opposite her, Fourier Lugunica wasn't much better off. Had it not been for royal etiquette and his image in front of the girl he liked, he would have collapsed onto the grass.
"Next time, I won't lose to you either, Your Highness." Crusch took the opportunity to bid him farewell. She felt uncomfortable covered in sweat and wanted to return home to practice her sword forms a bit more.
Though Fourier was loath to see her go, he had no reason to stop her and watched her depart.
"Heh, she really is competitive." Recalling Crusch's startled expression during their duel, Fourier couldn't help but smile.
After resting for a while, he hurried back to his palace. Having bathed and changed, Fourier sat before the vanity mirror. As he toyed with his damp golden hair, he said with a grin, "It's all thanks to you. I really impressed Crusch today. Next time, I'm going to beat her!"
A black silhouette emerged on the surface of the mirror, and a gentle voice spoke from within: "No. My suggestion is that you should pause your sword training for a few days."
"Why?" Fourier asked in surprise. "Didn't you say I should conquer her with my strength?"
"You're only nine, what's the rush? Right now, the priority is building an emotional bond. Rather than constant winning or losing, a back-and-forth dynamic creates more 'stickiness.' In the cycle of surpassing and being surpassed, she will feel that you are both progressing together. Your bond will only deepen."
"However, Crusch's Divine Protection allows her to see through falsehoods. If you don't give it your all, it will insult her. Fortunately, given her talent, she will naturally surpass you if you slack off for just a few days," the Clone hidden in the mirror taught him patiently.
"I see!" Fourier had a moment of realization. He leaned forward and asked, "And then? How should I act during our daily interactions?"
"Talk about topics that interest her. Don't just agree with everything; offer your own opinions from time to time. No one likes a person with no substance."
"Right! I can't slack off in my academic lessons anymore either."
"In daily life, show her more care. Give her unique little gifts during festivals. If the timing is right, invite her to do something novel, like wandering the city markets..."
"Yes, yes!" Fourier's eyes lit up as he listened. "Klein, you are truly talented. You even have great insights into politics. Why not try becoming an official? You'd surely achieve great things."
Over the past few days, Fourier had learned that Aomori was not an official, nor even a noble.
"Forget it. I don't care for courtly intrigue."
"Well then, I shall beg my Father to hire you as my swordsmanship instructor. That way, you won't have to stay hidden."
"Haha, let's talk about that after you fulfill your promise."
"Uh..."
…
Leaving several clones to handle matters in the capital, Aomori's main body quietly slipped away, heading toward the domain of Margrave Roswaal L. Mathers.
Though it was considered the borderlands, it wasn't actually that far from the capital; a normal person could reach it in a day or two by carriage. For Aomori, it was much faster. Flying at full speed, he entered Roswaal's territory in less than half a day.
The domain was vast, consisting mostly of deep mountains and wild forests. Aomori was looking for the mansion where the protagonist of the original story would live. There, a certain little girl and a vast collection of books could answer some of his questions.
Shortly after passing a small village, he spotted a luxurious villa surrounded by forest.
Activating Mind's Eye, Aomori scanned the villa. He found only one young, fanged maid inside. The Forbidden Library was in a separate dimension and was not caught by Mind's Eye, but Aomori's powerful soul sensed a slight anomaly.
He flashed to a seemingly ordinary door, turned the handle, and pushed it open. His vision was immediately met with rows upon rows of bookshelves. In a chair directly facing the door sat a girl who looked like a finely carved doll.
She was petite, wearing a colorful Lolita-style dress. Her blonde hair was coiled into two drills on either side of her head. Within her crystal-clear blue eyes were pupils shaped like butterflies.
She was the creator, owner, and guardian of the Forbidden Library, the artificial spirit created by the Witch of Greed, Echidna: Beatrice.
"Who are you, I wonder? Why have you appeared before Betty, looking at her with such a lewd and shameless gaze, I suppose?" Beatrice knit her brows, looking coldly at the uninvited guest.
"How cold. I thought you would be looking forward to my arrival, Beatrice." Aomori stepped into the library and politely closed the door.
"You... what do you mean by that, I suppose?" Beatrice's pupils shrank, and her small hands nervously gripped the thick book in her lap.
"Haven't you been waiting all this time for 'That Person' to arrive?"
"You... are you Betty's 'That Person,' I wonder?" Beatrice's eyes widened, and she stood up abruptly.
"Don't get excited." Aomori shook his head. "Though I like you quite a bit and would love to be your 'That Person,' unfortunately, I am not."
'Protect the library until That Person arrives.' That was the contract Beatrice had made with Echidna, whom she viewed as a mother. For nearly four hundred years, she had been waiting for that person to come and take her away.
However, in truth, 'That Person' did not exist. It was merely an experiment by the Witch of Greed.
Realizing the book in her hands had no reaction, Beatrice froze. Tears slowly welled up and fell from her eyes.
"Since you aren't, then don't just show up before Betty as you please, I suppose!" Beatrice closed her eyes and shouted.
A green whirlwind instantly formed around her, surging toward Aomori. "Betty doesn't want to see you! Don't ever appear before Betty again, I suppose!"
The rushing gale split apart before it could touch Aomori, flowing around him to push open the doors and shatter the windows in the hallway behind him.
Aomori strolled up to her as if walking in a park. He reached out and ruffled her hair with his large palm. "You're a big girl over four hundred years old; how can you not have made peace with this yet? I said I like you, so I can settle for being your friend."
"Don't look at Betty with your narrow perspective, I suppose!" Beatrice tried to swat Aomori's hand away, but she couldn't budge him an inch regardless of how much strength she used. Her expression became even more displeased. "How much do you even know about Betty, I wonder?! Betty has no need for things like friends!"
"Also, take your stinky hand away this instant, or you'll regret it, I suppose!"
"Oh? Are you planning to fight me here? One mistake and everything in this room will be destroyed."
"Tch!" Sensing the surging mana within Aomori, Beatrice knew he wasn't bluffing. She had no choice but to puff out her cheeks in anger.
"Aaaah, you're infuriating Betty! Why do you know so much about Betty? Did you come here just to annoy her, I wonder?! Who are you, really?!"
"What? Did your Book of Wisdom not mention my appearance?"
"You even know about the Book of Wisdom?" Beatrice was stunned. She hugged the book in her arms tightly and lowered her head gloomily. "Betty has long since run out of future, I suppose."
"The future is created by oneself, not by a book." Aomori shook his head and snatched the book from her hands. He flipped to the back; as expected, it was entirely blank.
"What are you doing? Give it back to Betty, I suppose!" Beatrice clawed and jumped, trying to reclaim the Book of Wisdom, but she was far too short to reach.
"Wait a second." Aomori chuckled. He traced his finger across one of the pages a few times before handing it back to Beatrice.
"What did you do to it?" Beatrice looked nervously at the Book of Wisdom. On a previously blank page, a line of text formed by Yin-attribute Mana appeared:
[The traveler from another world, Klein (pseudonym), met the Great Spirit Beatrice in the Forbidden Library; this was the beginning of their acquaintance.]
"What is this, I wonder?" Beatrice bit her lower lip hard. "To dare scribble in Betty's book... you really are the worst."
"The absolute worst person Betty has ever met, I suppose..."
————
NOTE: This fic has been completely translated. If you want to read the whole story head over to my p-atre-on: p-atre-on.c-om/Overgod [Just remove the hyphen to access normally]