I had no intention of being part of the scam, so I decided to walk away. However, the female who walked up to had no intention of letting go.
She reached out to grab my wrist, and that was in no way as romantic as movies made it out to be.
"M-Miss..."
I asked, masking the concern and panic that threatened to overtake my voice. I tried to tug my hand out of her grip, but she was holding on too tight.
And there was one more reason I could not walk away, and that was because I was not physically able to.
I had heard many people tell that they felt weak in front of a beautiful woman...and others tell that they felt weak in front of won in general...but that was not what was happening to .
When I said I was not able to move, I ant that the woman was too strong for to break her grip. How her small fra had that much strength, I had no idea.
The only thing my brain could think of was that her power ca from a supernatural source, but...then I had even more of a reason to not get involved.
"T-That magical device...you have masked its presence as well. Don’t you want to bask in its glory even more? If you co with us, you will get to do just that."
The female told , and now she was beginning to sound more and more like a psychotic criminal.
My experience as a professional told that she was at a point where it was impossible to treat her condition by normal ans.
So the best course of action for soone like was simple.
"Miss, I’m sorry, but I just don’t feel the sa way you do. Now, if you would excuse , I need to head back."
I told her, and her grip lightened in shock.
"You don’t...feel the sa way...? Then you are our enemy. You better watch your back."
The female told before she walked away. Her parting words sounded like a threat and a promise at the sa ti.
"I better head back quickly. These streets suddenly don’t feel safe to ."
I told myself as I headed back to my bookstore. I felt a sigh of relief as soon as I entered, and all the tension that my fra contained suddenly lted away.
Awooo
Fenrir rubbed himself against my legs to give support, and I picked up the puppy to take him back inside and get started on dinner.
I was out like a light as soon as my head hit the pillow, and once again, the morning sun woke up.
My morning routine was the sa, but my first custor arrived far too early in the morning. And she was also not soone I expected to see this soon.
"Shopkeeper, have you heard what happened-! That m-magical machine at the station that told the future...it got stolen by soone. W-What do you think would happen now?"
The custor...rather, the intruder was the gossiping neighbor who often ca around to tell about stuff.
Even now, her steps had a bounce to them as she spoke about the theft that had been made.
I blinked as it took so ti for to co to terms with what I had just heard, and my heart skipped a beat in fright.
"Excuse , but what did you say? Can you please repeat it once more for ?"
I asked the excited female as she bounced around. She needed no further prompt to speak up.
"I just heard about this, so I am not sure how true it is. But soone I know heard the station police talking about the loud noises they heard last night, but due to a sudden ergency, they could not check out what was happening. And when they finally got done with their ergency and went to check on what happened—boom! The magical machine was no longer there."
The animated female spoke with her whole fra. Her plump form gave her words even more volu sohow.
But all I could focus on were her words.
"That machine...got stolen?"
I asked, and the female in front of nodded.
"Yup! Stolen, as in gone, never to be seen again most likely. I wonder what will happen next. Aren’t you surprised, shopkeeper? Honestly, I am shocked that it took this long."
The female kept speaking, but most of her words went in through one ear and out through another.
I had a feeling that I was supposed to feel shocked by this news, but all I felt was a mild...discomfort.
The panic I waited for to co never ca. Instead, I had a feeling that I would see that machine soon enough.
"-Anyway, shopkeeper, I have spent too much ti here. I should get going now. I will see you soon."
The female told before she rushed to leave. I only watched her back as she disappeared out of my door.
I took out my phone to recheck the instructions on the shop regarding the claw machine, and the clause that told that the machine won’t remain stolen for long looked back at .
And then, I went back to work with a calm mind. I did not want to think too much about this topic.
Evening ca, and I chose not to head to the train station today. I also had enough food to get by for today and tomorrow.
I spent so ti with Fenrir, unaware of the chaos that had occurred because of the claw machine...not that it was my ss to clean up anymore.
__________
Sowhere in the middle of an abandoned warehouse, the people gathered around the stolen machine they had risked their lives for.
"Finally, we have the magical tool that would help us grow and take over the world. The lord has heard our pleas. Now, we shall try it out."
The female who spoke was the sa one that had grabbed Cyrus’s arm and tried to drag him to this cult.
She was one of the most avid believers of this...gathering (which was a cult in all but na), and she headed toward the claw machine.
The cheerful and colorful nu looked back at her, and she nervously reached for it.
All her life had been lived for this very mont—to know her destiny and to serve the source of power in front of her.
"My Lord, please tell what the future holds for us. We have rescued you from the clutches of evil, to be used by those unworthy of your favor. Please...guide us toward the future that we desire..."
She spoke as she put her hand on the dial, and the machine spun to give her a capsule with a paper inside.
The female opened the capsule, and with a nervous look on her face, she opened the paper.
But the words that looked back at her were not ones she ever expected to see.
[Put back where you got from, or you all shall suffer the consequences.]
_________
Drop Power Stones Please
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