Fantasy Realm [One Piece] [Harry Potter] [Naruto] - [Progression] [LitRPG]

Chapter 49: The Mayor? Haven't Seen Him! I Am Looking for Vivi!

Alex walks toward the center of the village, carefully observing his surroundings. He watches the children playing and the elderly working, noting that no one seems to be anywhere near the mayor's house, despite its central location. "I remember one of the entrances to the secret underground lab is at the mill connected to the mayor's house," he thinks.

He makes his way toward the mill, recalling the place where Vivi is later kidnapped by the villagers and dragged underground. Alex hops over the small wall, remembering a huge stack of gil and a key item hidden in a chest in the game. As expected, there is no magical chest filled with riches here, but Alex does spot a small, reinforced warehouse nearby.

He tries to enter but fails. "Should I use my grenades to blow it up?... No, that would lead to chaos, and I'd probably end up fighting half the village. The group wouldn't agree with 'taking care of them,' and honestly, I don't want to go down that road either. That's not me. I shouldn't change the story too drastically, or I risk getting cut off from the group."

Examining the warehouse closely, Alex mutters, "Looks like I need a key... and I know where to find it!"

He leaves the place surrounding the mill for now, knowing that Zidane enters without trouble later in the story. Alex decides to gamble, relying on his high CHA and his Basic Eloquence lvl 1. He glances around to make sure no one's watching and then boldly enters the mayor's house.

The mayor glares at him, looking as though someone has just stepped on his toes. "I am the mayor of this village, and this is my private residence. Who are you? I'm very busy, please leave!"

Feeling offended, Alex takes a step forward, meeting the mayor's eyes. "Mayor, I know exactly where I am, and I know who you are... are you blind? Don't you see the emblem on my armor? I am Alex, a newly appointed special member of the Knights of Pluto, personally selected by Queen Brahne and recommended by General Beatrix herself!"

His necklace pulses, empowering him as he draws his [Sword of Pluto]. "Don't you recognize this armor and weapon? Or do I need to show you up close?"

A vivid red flash fills Alex's vision, and the mayor looks as though he might wet his pants. The cowardly mayor stutters, dropping to his knees. "I-I'm sorry, Sir Alex! I didn't recognize you!"

Alex calms him down: "Mayor, get up," he says, pulling him to his feet.

"I am traveling here by myself to avoid drawing any attention to my mission. I arrived with some rather peculiar companions. One of them even looks similar to a black mage created by your village... but it must be my imagination, right? This one is only half the size of a real black mage, so it's probably just a coincidence."

He pauses briefly, eyeing the mayor. "Anyway, the queen is quite satisfied with your shipments. They'll be put to use and tested soon enough. I've also been informed that an airship is scheduled to arrive today to transport another shipment directly to the castle, correct?"

The mayor, now convinced that Alex is who he claims to be, observes the magically radiant armor and weapons Alex carries. His knowledge of the black mages, the village, and even the airship further reassures him. "That does sound strange, Sir Knight. A tiny black mage? You must be mistaken. All our products look the same. But how can I assist you?"

"The queen has sent me to inspect production," Alex replies smoothly. "She wants to accelerate the process. A lot more puppets are needed. Show me the facility, and I'll be sure to give you a glowing review, if you show me a bit of... sincerity, let's call it."

The mayor, believing Alex to be corrupt, smiles as he thinks, "Good, this knight doesn't care about us as long as he gets his cut."

"Well, Sir Knight, if you would kindly follow me," he says, leading Alex not to the production facility but to the warehouse. Once inside, the mayor opens a large chest and pulls out a hefty bag of gil.