Chapter 41: Confidence
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Sutekina stared at him for a couple of minutes, she said. "What are the odds of your plan succeeding?" Reiki said. "It will." Kireina's eyes narrowed, while Sutekina said. "Because?" Reiki smiled and said. "Because I said so." Both of the girls stared at each other having another conversation by reading the small details of their expression.

Half a minute passed by as Kireina scratched the back of her head in frustration, Sutekina said. "We agree to your plan. Now on the topic of it how would-." Reiki raised his hand to indicate to her to stop, he said. "We'll talk about that when I have some on hand, for the meantime. I need you to inform my older sister that this trip is related to school, a cheap brown robe in my size, the cost of a horse carriage to magi street, and some dried food and water for half a day."

Sutekina narrowed her eyes as she snapped her fingers a brown pouch appeared on her desk, another snap with her fingers the pouch went towards Reiki as he caught it mid-air. Kireina coldly said. "Anything else? A weekly allowance? A full body massage?" Reiki turned around and walked towards the door and opened it. He said. "Nope, you've given me all I need, and with that, I'm off." Closing the door as he started to sprint towards the stairs and get out of school. Sutekina was pondering something, Kireina taking a deep breath as she was staring at a painting on the wall, she said. "Don't tell me you think he'll succeed in his plan?"

Sutekina stared at the door for a few seconds while tapping on her desk a couple of times. She said. "65% that he'll be able to pull it off." Kireina's eyes widened as she turned her head to face her, she said. "What makes you so confident?" Tapping on her desk a couple of more times, she said. "I was about to bring up the topic of how to split the resources... And if he was willing to let the school buy all the rare ones he found but... Before I even got out a sentence he stopped me... Meaning that he's confident of what he's trying to do." Sitting on the side of the desk, Kireina said. "And that's important because?"

Sutekina stared at the door for a couple of seconds, she said. "I could've used it as an opportunity to get a bigger cut of the resources by giving him a few things..." Kireina turned her head to face the painting again, she said. "That or he didn't know what their value is." Sutekina placed her hand on her chin as she said. "Possibly." As she narrowed her eyes.

Kireina said. "What's the matter?" Sutekina stayed silent for a moment and said. "Be sure to remember what he says, I have a feeling he didn't tell us the whole thing." Kireina lazily nodded before suddenly standing up. Sutekina said. "What is it? Nee-san?" Kireina spoke through gritted teeth. "That little shit went back home!" Both of them looked at the window to see that Reiki was almost at the gate, he disappeared for a split second as he appeared outside the school. A teacher on the second floor wearing a red tracksuit was watching him run with narrowed eyes as he walked up the stairs.

『Flash Has Been Activated. Mana Cost: 500.』

Getting outside the school Reiki pocket the brown pouch as he looked around. He thought. It should be around here... Turning his gaze onto an electric pole, he said. "Can I have some help? I have something to do. You can report back to Kiru later." A man in a black suit slowly appeared as he walked closer to him, he had a look of surprise on his face despite having sunglasses on. Reiki said. "You revealed yourself? I was just going on a hunch. Anyway, what's the closest thing here that's similar to magi street in Akihabara?"

The man stopped mid-step as he placed his right hand behind his neck and rubbed it. He said. "Ojou-sama is not going to be happy about this..." Letting out a big sigh, he continued. "There are multiple places in Akihabara like magi street, it also applies here in Osaka. The closest one is about a few streets down there. Take a left next to a ramen shop, you can't miss it, and if you see a vending machine that's being filled when you get there you've gone past it."

A few steps down the street as he disappeared. As he walked down the direction the man gave, he thought. So there are more multiple hotspots of places like magi street all over… Walking down a few streets he saw a simple ramen shop that had a brick wall for a design going inside the alleyway. After going to the end of it he looked around and saw nothing.

The voice said. [Touch the wall on your right.] Doing what the voice suggested he was sucked into the wall as his vision turned black, the sound of a bustling place of people trying to sell potions, parchment, and some weapons and armor in a stall made out of wood or just sitting on top of a large blanket to keep themselves off the ground. He thought. Where am I?

He  looked around, keeping himself hidden behind a closed dumpster. The voice said. [Somewhere near the edge of Arch forest in about a two-day walk from... Osaka?] Placing his hand inside the brown pouch to search for something he pulled out a brown robe that had a few patches as he started to rip some of the edges off.

Using his hand to rub some dirt on his face as he used a puddle from dirty water that could barely reflect his face, placing his hand inside the brown pouch again he took out 10 bronze coins (¥1,000) as he put on the robe with a few patches and pocket the bronze coins, he went around to ask where he could get a ride to Akihabara.

The first person he asked was a couple that was negotiating in front of an old man with his hair beginning to turn white, a male scout wearing some light leather armor that covered his body, with a sword beside his waist, and a female wizard wearing a blue robe with her hood down while reading a thick book with a blank purple cover that had some wear and tear.

Tapping on the male's sword he turned around. Reiki said. "Aniki, where can I get a ride to magi street?" The male stared at him for a few seconds, making the woman next to him raise her head from her book as she turned around and saw Reiki with his hood trying to hide his face. The male pointed at the shabby house that was made out of wood and looked like it would fall any minute, it was at the edge of the clean dirt path. He said. "See that wooden house? Go inside and knock. The next horse carriage should be here in 15 minutes at the earliest."

Reiki gave him a polite bow and said. "Thank you, for your help." As he made his way to the shabby wooden house. The female mage beside him said. "Another runaway huh... They're becoming more and more common as the year passes by." The man said. "True, but we don't have any way to help him in any drastic form. At least he has manners, that alone would keep him away from a good amount of trouble." As he tried to negotiate a price for the parchment while the mage stared at the back of Reiki's cheap robe with a few patches for a few more seconds before reading her book again.

Reiki silently walked to the shabby building with his hood up while trying to keep his head down. A few people stared at him before going back to what they were doing, approaching the shabby house he knocked three times and waited for someone to answer. A man from the inside said. "It's open!" As he carefully twisted the knob and went inside, seeing it was a child with his robe having a few patches, the man's smile disappeared as he lazily said. "What is it?"

Reiki walked up to the rotting counter and said. "Mr, how much would it cost to travel to magi street?" The man rolled his eyes and said. "5 bronze (¥500) but you'll have to help around the carriage, 10 bronze (¥1,000) but we won't provide you with any food, and 15 bronze (¥1,500) for a ride and a sandwich per meal." Reiki rummaged through his pockets and counted the bronze coins one by one, placing them on the counter, he said. "One for 10 bronze coins, please."

The man opened a drawer beneath the rotting counter as he brought out a small notepad and a pen and just used his hand to drag all the bronze coins in the drawer. He said. "Name?" Reiki said. "Netsu. Haru Netsu." The man wrote it down and said. "The next carriage will be here in roughly 15 minutes, be here by then because we don't give refunds."

Reiki looked around and saw a wooden chair alone in the corner, a large deflated brown couch, and a glass coffee table with a few rings on it due to condensation. A few adventurers came inside to reserve the next ride, some of them sat on the deflated couch, some went out of the house and checked the people selling in the streets. Reiki closed his eyes as time quickly passed by.

~20 Minutes Later~

A group of male adventurers was waiting inside the shabby house, most of them had swords and sabers on their waist, one having a metal buckler on his left hand, and a couple of them having a katana. Almost all of them wore a full set of leather armor with a couple having some metal bracers or chest plate. Three more were also waiting on the outside seeing the inside of the house was too cramped.

Reiki stuck out like a sore thumb seeing he was the only child wearing a brown robe with patches, he kept his hood up to keep his face hidden as most of them just ignored him. Reiki covered his face using the hood so he could see around him, but they can't see his eyes, from the corner of his eyes he saw a man wearing a few pieces of leather armor with a jagged dagger on his waist. The man stared at him with interest as he looked at him using the corner of his eyes a few times. Reiki thought. Found you.

Keeping his head steady he looked around the room and saw everyone else in the room was just acting like he didn't exist. He thought. Hopefully, he has some friends with him. The man who was in charge of the counter was back from the bathroom as he knocked on the rotting table that looked like it was about to give, with a couple of loud knocks all of them inside turned their heads to him. 

The man said. "All right! If I call your name, get on the next horse carriage. Now, Netsu, Yuto, Koki, Sota, Hayato-." The man continued to name a few more after finishing, he let out a cough and said. "Those who were called get out and get inside the carriage, for the rest you have to wait until the next one is available." Reiki stood up from the wooden chair as he hurriedly walked outside the shabby house.

As he walked outside the first thing he saw on his left was a couple of large brown horses, they were attached to a carriage similar to the last time he got in one. Sitting on the very back of the carriage next to the entrance, soon all the others who were called started to slowly fill the carriage. From the corner of his eye, he saw the same man with the dagger on his waist sit at the very front. A large burly man sat next to Reiki taking most of the space in their seat. He thought. Great... Just... Great. 

The coach driver wearing a large straw hat to protect his face from the heat said. "Gentlemen I'll just give a quick rundown of the rules, no casting magic, no cooking, and no fighting. The last time it happened the carriage either exploded, burned down, or collapsed from fights. We'll stop twice a day for you to stretch your legs." Turning around he grabbed the reigns as he cracked the whip and made the horse move. Reaching for his pouch he inserted his hand inside, he thought. So, how is it supposed to work? Do I need to say is Kaita-.

He felt something brush his hand as he quickly grabbed it and slowly pulled the notebook outside. It was a simple blue notebook, as he opened it up he started browsing and thought. Agriculture, brewery, and blacksmithing-. With some mana on his hands, he tapped the word blacksmithing as his 'notebook' flipped a couple of pages as he started to read.

~2 Hours And 30 Minutes Later~

Reiki thought. A few exceptions of metal cannot be tossed straight into the forge, some of the many methods to construct, metals need to be exposed to high volumes of mana and then into a forge with high temperatures while feeding it mana after every blow of a hammer, some can only be molded by the use of high purity mana.

He tried to wiggle in his seat and continued. Most weapons can be made by the use of a normal forge, the second method is the most commonly used to make magic swords, the third method is only used for conductors in magic circuits, although more applications can be used using this ore, magic circuits is the most efficient way to utilize it since only a handful can properly use this method. Make a note that the crafter's quality AND quantity of mana will determine the final product, regardless of their unorthodox methods to refining, it has been proven that the quality is the same but defects are ensured to follow in the next week or so.

The carriage came to a halt as the coachman said. "Gentlemen, this is our first stop, answer nature, eat, or bathe in a lake. Just be back inside in an hour, because I'm leaving with or without you." He pulled out a basket and took out a simple ham and cheese sandwich as he started eating. Reiki was the first one to go out and stay near the entrance, placing the notebook inside the brown pouch as he let go the notebook itself disappeared.

He started to stretch to make sure his blood flowed properly. He thought. Now I know the reason why people with too much entitlement buy large vehicles. A few light cracks from his joints as he did some simple routine exercise to help aid his blood flow. Soon dozens of adventures came outside of it, some went deeper into the forest, some placed a large blanket and started to eat some rations, and a couple of males started to cook a large meal on a stick while using a small dark red crystal the size of a needle to start the fire. Reiki saw the man with the dagger on his waist talk to a couple of his friends while eating, closing his eyes as he tried to hear their conversation.

"Did you hear there was another scandal with-."

"H-hey, Yuto... Can you get me into the b-brothel again-."

"We're running low on some flint and arrows we can stock up-."

"I wonder where those two got their hands on a fire crystal-."

Reiki let out a sigh and thought. Fine... Lip reading it is. Taking a deep breath he tried to concentrate on the same man and tried to see if his vision could somehow zoom in, a few seconds passed with nothing happening, after giving it one more try his pupils slightly dilated as his vision began slowly changing. His vision looked like he was right next to him, Reiki was thinking what the man was saying. Guys, I have a way to score us some quick money.

The man waited for his friends to stop talking, Reiki couldn't see their mouths as they both spoke, the man started to move his mouth again as he thought. No, he's all alone. Look at the entrance of the carriage but don't make it obvious. The one on his right turned around and reached for his dagger on his back and started to cut some bread.

The one on his left tried to flatten the blanket on the left. The man spoke as Reiki thought of what he was saying. Next stop in the afternoon one of us keeps an eye on him, the moment he goes out to take a piss or something, that's when we do it. We go straight to the slave merchant afterward, got it? As he looked at both of them and nodded.

Reiki walked to a tree and snapped off a branch as he drew in the dirt the man who made the plan. It had a striking resemblance to him, short black hair, a scar on his left cheek, and some of the design of his armor he was wearing. Tossing the stick as it landed on the bush, his eyes turning hollow with a cruel smile on his face, he thought. It's so easy to manipulate people these days, especially when it comes to money. Reaching for the brown pouch in his pocket he took out a waterskin and some dried meat and ate while standing up.

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Somewhere At A Classroom

The bell rang which made the female teacher wearing a grey suit say. "Remember to practice the chant I gave you, and to memorize the inscription by next week. That is all and enjoy your lunch." All the 7-year-olds were wearing a black blazer and a red tie or a black gakuran with some red on the edges. Shiro happily took out her bento as she opened it to find two mini-sized hamburger steak, a few pieces of bite-size chicken, two Onigiri one had a design of a panda and the other one had some pickled plum mixed in, a side of pickled vegetables that were cut into various shapes, and a couple of egg rolls that were cut diagonally and made into a heart shape.

Two girls carried their desk next to her, one had long flowing hair reaching to her waist like hers and the bang of her air were brushed to the right side, the other had somewhat of a boyish hairstyle having her bangs almost passing her eye on one side of her face and being unkempt on some parts.

Both of them simultaneously said. "So cute!" The one with the long hair said. "Where did you get that Shiro?" As she pointed at Shiro's bento and sat down and brought out her pink oblong-shaped bento, the one with the boyish hair also sat down and took out a large wooden bento that was in a shape of a rectangle.

Shiro had a proud smile on her face and said. "Onii-chan made it especially for me." The one with the boyish hair said. "Must be nice having an older brother care for you, mines too busy with exercise and bodybuilding." As she let out a soft scoff. The one with long hair thought for a bit and said. "Isn't your older brother only three years older than you?" Shiro nodded and said. "Listen to this! When he came home he-."

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Somewhere At A Breakroom

Ketsueki was lazily sitting on a chair looking at the window on her left as she waited for her colleagues to come back from the convenience store. The door opened followed by a couple of girls who chatting away talking about the newest fashion magazine, one had her hair in a ponytail as it was on her shoulder flowing down in the middle of her decent chest size, the other one was wearing glasses as her hair was kept neat and tidy as it only reached past her shoulders.

They sat on the chairs and placed down a store-bought bento, two bottles of cold water, and a tall cup of hot coffee respectively. The woman with the ponytail threw the bottle of water at Ketsueki as she effortlessly caught it without turning her head. Ketsueki said. "How much do I owe you, Sachi?" As she twisted the cap and turned her head to face them and took a sip. Sachi shook her head and sweetly said. "Nothing, we both know how hard it is for you already. So we try to help when we can." 

Ketsueki nodded as she snapped her fingers as the bento Reiki made for her appeared on the table. The one wearing glasses almost dropped her hot cup of coffee on the table as she pointed at the bento and said. "What the hell is that?!" Sachi stared at the bento in confusion as she looked at Ketsueki with concern. Ketsueki said. "Shut up Namida." 

As she took off the lid to see what's inside. The contents were the same as Shiro's except there was one large hamburger steak, the fried chicken was larger and would take two bites, one of the onigiris had a penguin design, three egg rolls cut the same way as before and made into hearts, and some pickled vegetables on the side. Ketsueki was stunned for a brief moment before a warm smile slowly formed on her face, Sachi and Namida stared at the bento with their heads full of questions.

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