After a light meal at Iris-san's bar, we once again passed through the direct-access door and reached Alice's general store. As per usual, a figure in a cat kigurumi was there to greet us.
"Welcome, welcome~!"
"Wait, what? Huh?"
"Ah, she's the same person as the weapon shop owner from earlier... and also, she happens to be the Phantasm King."
"What?! The King of Phantasmal Illusions?!"
It felt somewhat fresh to see that reaction. While the fact that Alice is the Phantasm King was common knowledge among my social circle, I suppose it’s only natural for an outsider to be shocked. Still, as I’d learned from my experiences with Lilia-san, it was better to tell people early rather than have them find out later and suffer an even bigger heart attack.
"W-Why is the Phantasm King in a place like this...?"
"Heh. I am the Clown Who Deceives the World, the hollow phantom. I am everywhere and nowhere at once."
"...She’s so cool..."
"Hmm?"
"I’m a huge fan! Please, give me your autograph!!"
Well, that was a development I hadn't expected. It turned out Amel-san was actually a fan of Alice—or rather, a fan of her Phantasm King persona. Come to think of it, an enigmatic figure who secretly ruled the world from the shadows was exactly the kind of thing Amel-san would adore.
Still, I couldn't help but feel a little wary.
"Amel-san, I really think you should reconsider following in her footsteps..."
"Hey! Kaito-san, what’s that supposed to mean?!"
I offered my warning anyway. While Alice was busy scribbling a signature onto an autograph board, I took a look around the general store and spotted a shelf I’d never seen before. I visited this place fairly often, so it definitely stood out.
Let’s see... "Mystic! Treasures of Chaos where Darkness and Light Intertwine!!"
That girl... she’d gone and set up a whole display specifically for Amel-san. Her plan to fleece the poor girl for every cent she had was painfully transparent.
As I was staring at the shelf, Amel-san approached, clutching her new autograph.
"...Sworn Friend, what are you looking at—T-This is!?"
Right on cue, she was hooked the instant she saw the display.
"The colored contacts I’ve been searching for! And so many other items... they’re all so cool... I want them. I wonder what this one does? Oh, I’m so excited—Hah!? Ahem! I mean... I am impressed by your insight, Sworn Friend. To think you would lead me to an altar lined with such potent artifacts..."
She was getting so worked up that her natural personality was leaking out more and more. I figured it would be a kindness not to point it out.
"I assume the colored contacts work the same way as the ones we saw earlier, but there’s a lot of other variety here... Alice, what’s the deal with this black bandage?"
"That’s a neat little item. It’s a set that comes with this magic tool. You attach it to the tool to register the user’s voice."
Alice hopped over from the counter to give us a demonstration. She began wrapping the bandage around her arm... or rather, around the arm of her kigurumi, which made the whole scene look rather ridiculous.
"Just like the ring from before, it activates with a keyword. Release."
"Oh, it’s unwinding on its own... and now it’s floating?"
"Whoaaaa..."
"It basically hovers around the arm it was wrapped on. And then... Seal."
At Alice’s command, the floating bandage automatically rewound itself back onto her arm. Ah, I see. It was a gimmick to allow a 'seal' to be released or restored with a single word. Amel-san was absolutely going to buy that.
"Amazing! This is amazing!!"
"We have plenty of color variations in stock, so I highly recommend them. We also have these toys, which are quite fun."
"What are these? Just balls?"
I watched with a wry smile as Amel-san bounced around with her excitement at an all-time high. Alice had produced a handful of colored spheres about the size of ping-pong balls.
"Watch this. You grip one like this, infuse it with magic power, and throw it..."
"Whoa!?"
"The Strike of the Thunder God!?"
The ball Alice threw flashed brilliantly, and bolts of lightning crackled throughout the room. One even shot toward me, giving me a fright, but it didn't actually hurt.
"It looks flashy, but it’s purely visual. It’s a type of phantom magic. Think of them like party favors. You can get different effects like fire, water, or whatever you like."
"...That actually looks like a lot of fun."
It was flashy enough to catch the eye, and since all you had to do was throw it, it seemed like an easy way to play around. Even just using them normally sounded entertaining.
"We also have cloaks that flutters even without wind and plenty of other gadgets."
"I want this, and this, and all of it...! Ah, but even if I buy them all, I can’t use them all at once. I should probably focus on things I can wear daily... Sworn Friend! Which one do you think I should get?"
"U-Umm... well, excluding the colored contacts since you already decided on those, wouldn't the bandage be a good choice? You could swap out the ones you’re wearing now. If you use it with that spear you just bought, you could make it look like you’re releasing your true power..."
"Yeah, yeah! You’re right! The bandages are a must-buy! They’re so cool. I wonder what color would look best?"
"...Um, Amel-san?"
"Hmm? What is it, Sworn Friend?"
"Your voice..."
"Ah... W-Wait! Forget that! That didn't count! Ahem... This bandage seems to possess a far superior sealing quality. The power bound within my arm is immense, after all; it is only logical to ensure the seal’s integrity is absolute."
Since she’d completely dropped her guard and was speaking normally, I’d pointed it out. Amel-san cleared her throat and beat a hasty retreat back into her persona, but her ears were crimson, and she was refusing to look me in the eye. She was clearly dying of embarrassment.
Serious-senpai: "Seriously, you... Alice, you’re still suffering from a bad case of chuunibyou, aren't you?"
???: "...I have no idea what you’re talking about."
Serious-senpai: "..."
???: "What’s with that look? Do I need to call the Doctor?"
Serious-senpai: "Stop! And don’t act like threatening people with that is normal!!"