True Magician

Chapter 199

Kuoh.

- "How can I help you, dear customer? Would you like the regular set, premium, or deluxe?" I asked with a broad business smile on my face as I stood behind the counter, then covered my mouth with my hand and approached the customer. "I'll let you in on a secret: the deluxe edition comes with a special figurine that can be stripped down to its underwear, in addition to the artwork. Would you like that?"

He didn't answer me and didn't even look at the products on display, but simply stared at me with such a murderous look that he could have rivaled Penthesilea in her berserk mode. And yes, it was Archer.

- "Oh, I see. Apparently, my humble shop has been visited by a particularly discerning customer," I nodded and turned my head back. "Colleague, I need your help here."

- "Coming!" came a voice from behind me, and Da Vinci-chan appeared beside me, looked at Archer, who was seething inside, and put on a professional expression. "At your service, dear visitor! I am the creator of these works of art and am always ready to accept custom orders... For an additional fee, of course."

- "Yes, yes! I swear on my honor and pride as an unknown but glorious and great Hero of Justice that you will be satisfied with our work!" I declared loudly, striking my chest with my fist, causing every visitor in the extremely long line at my counter to begin applauding enthusiastically.

- "Hooray for this hero!" someone shouted from the crowd.

- "Hooray!" the rest echoed, but not Archer himself.

- "Well, are you ready to make your choice?" I repeated my question. "With all due respect, please hurry, as there are many others waiting behind you."

There was still no answer, and the visitor remained silent, but his companions were not.

- "Look, everything is drawn in such detail..." Medusa giggled and, turning the page of the manga, covered her mouth with her hand. "Oh, what strange poses... This is truly the work of a genius... I suggest we try them out, what do you think?"

- "W-What nonsense are you talking about?! T-That's outrageous!" Artoria was so red that steam was coming out of her head faster than from a locomotive's funnel. "And... And anyway... W-Why do their faces look like ours?!"

- "I give you my word, dear visitor, the story and characters in this story are fictional and have nothing to do with reality!" I proudly declared and was about to continue praising Da Vinci-chan's work of art when the crowd suddenly parted, letting Gil and Enkidu through, apparently for money.

- "What is this? Is this worthy of the king's attention?" Gil asked, standing next to Archer and casting a mocking glance at him, then unceremoniously taking the manga, on the cover of which was someone who looked like him. And when he opened it...

- "What the... Who dared to create this heresy?!" Gil shouted, tearing the manga to shreds. "Who committed a sin that even a thousand deaths cannot atone for?!"

- "Oh, it was me! Me!" I raised my hands in the air and started jumping.

- "And me!" added Da Vinci-chan.

And at that moment, completely ignoring his surroundings, hundreds of staffs emerged from the Gates of Babylon and began to mercilessly shower my counter with fire. And yes, of course, all attacks were automatically blocked by my shield.

- "Die, insolent mongrel!" Gil growled, not stopping the fire for a second. "Disappear into nothingness!"

- "What special effects!" the ordinary people exclaimed enthusiastically.

- "It all looks so real!" someone added. "What progress! I'm thrilled!"

- "Why would Gilgamesh..." Medusa raised an eyebrow and picked up the copy of the manga that Gil had torn up, a blush appearing on her cheeks. "Oh, Shirou, you're such a bad boy..."