Cognitive Tampering

Florna wasn’t surprised in the least that the client turned out to be a pigeon who liked eating fries.

Among the commissions she had accepted in the past, non-human clients made up a considerable portion.

“If I’m not mistaken, you’re a familiar.”

Unlike the magic power within monsters, which was laced with malice, Potato’s mana was exceptionally pure.

Not only that, Florna could vaguely sense that Potato seemed to be connected to some higher existence.

This was a trait unique to familiars.

“Yes.

My master is the Monster King of Yunqiu City, the Collector.”

I was just fighting over fries with the Monster King’s subordinate?!

【The Monster King!】

Natsume Oto and the eyeball exclaimed in shock at the same time.

Florna, meanwhile, looked toward Seriana with a questioning gaze.

Since when did you get involved with the Monster King?

“With the monster organizations in the city too scared to show themselves, I had no choice but to seek help from forces outside the city,” Seriana said, glancing at Natsume Oto as she spoke.

Natsume Oto shot her an indignant look in return.

How was that her fault?

“Among them, the Collector is very interested in rare collectibles.

It was during that exchange of scales for an identity that I obtained the Collector’s contact information.”

“The scales were of great help to my master.

Because of that, my master was more than willing to help Miss Anna with this small favor.”

Potato puffed out his chest confidently.

“Likewise, if you possess a valuable collectible, my master can offer items of equivalent value in trade, including but not limited to weapons, information, and treasure.”

“I want to know Ulru’s location.”

“Coo… unfortunately, that’s something we really don’t have,” Potato said, instantly deflating.

“The little sprites of magical girls have always been elusive.

They’re very hard to track.”

“Then there’s no trade.”

Since Anna’s scales had been valuable enough to interest the Collector, Florna’s handcrafted wooden crosses would likely work as well.

However, the crosses contained holy energy.

They were liable to expose her identity and had a suppressive effect on malice, which would surely alert the Collector.

At present, she hadn’t yet determined whether that Collector was friend or foe.

There was no need to take such a risk.

“Explain the commission in detail.”

“A few days ago, my master’s doll ran away from home.

According to mana fluctuation detection, the doll’s last known location was Qingteng City.

We hope to commission Miss Florna to help retrieve it.

Even if the commission is not completed, this identity will still belong to you.

If it is successfully fulfilled, in addition to this identity, there will be extra compensation—information related to Ulru.

I believe Miss Florna will be quite interested in that.”

Potato’s expression carried a hint of mystery.

Florna thought to herself, Information related to Ulru?

At the level of a Monster King, there must be considerable research on the sprites of magical girls.

“Additionally, my master asked me to deliver a piece of free information.

Recently, the Webweaver has set its sights on this city.

Miss Anna, please take extra care.

If Qingteng City becomes uninhabitable, you’re always welcome to visit Yunqiu City.”

Seriana froze slightly.

Those words sounded strangely familiar.

It felt like she’d said something similar to Florna before.

Had she caught the Collector’s interest?

As soon as Potato finished speaking, the tiny top hat on his head suddenly expanded, enveloping him completely.

A moment later, the hat turned into a wisp of light smoke and vanished into thin air, leaving no trace behind.

In its place lay a slip of paper.

On it were written the words:

“Information and photos of the doll have been sent to your phone.

Thank you for your trouble, Miss Florna.”

【The Webweaver—that’s the Monster King of Anlin City!

We’re doomed!】

Watching the eyeball-book panic and start hopping around, Florna asked in confusion,

“Natsume Oto isn’t panicking.

Why are you, a monster, so scared?”

【That’s because she doesn’t understand the Webweaver.

There’s very little information about Monster Kings circulating online.】

Natsume Oto retorted,

“You know a lot, woof?”

【Uh… a little.】

【There was once an organization member who wanted to defect to the Webweaver.

Somehow, he managed to escape and return.

People said he was originally a squid-type monster, but when he came back, he had turned into a centipede with a rather unsound mind.】

【So some in the organization speculated that the Webweaver is a pervert who only likes insect-type monsters.

Whenever it encounters other monsters, it forcibly remodels them into insects.】

The text on the page trembled, making it clear that the eyeball very much did not want to end up like that.

“You’re just an eyeball with a few tentacles hanging underneath.

You’re not exactly in a better position,” Florna said mercilessly.

【That hit hard.】

Natsume Oto clenched her fist with confidence.

“Even if it’s some so-called Monster King, I absolutely won’t let it harm this city in the slightest, woof.”

She had to admit that without the interference of malice, the power boost from half-witchification was astonishing.

If her magical girl form was still some distance away from the “Bountiful” tier, then her half-witch form was only one step short of it.

If she really fought a Monster King, who would win was far from certain.

Florna’s gaze fell on Seriana.

“Anna, what do you think?”

“Zzz.”

Alright.

Anna was asleep.

But that made sense.

With Natsume Oto and Kirishima Shiro—two magical girls, or rather one magical girl and one half-witch—holding the line against the Webweaver, there wasn’t much for her to do.

For now, it was better to look at the doll the Collector wanted found.

“How do you turn this phone on?”

Florna fiddled with the glowing little rectangle for quite a while, poking at the screen with her fingers, yet still getting nowhere.

Natsume Oto burst into laughter.

“Woof, Florna, you’re such an idiot.

You don’t even know how to use a phone?”

She’d finally found something she could mercilessly mock Florna for.

“You know how to use it?”

“Of course.

Unless you call me Lady Natsume Oto, I’m not teaching you, woof.”

As an aside, the eyeball was already being firmly pinned down by Natsume Oto.

Florna could only ask her for help now.

“Then may I trouble Lady Natsume Oto to teach me how to use a phone.”

“Alright.

Press the button on the left to turn it on, woof.”

As soon as she said that, Natsume Oto froze.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go.

After she’d insulted Florna like that, shouldn’t Florna have gotten angry?

Why did she give in so easily?

So easily that Natsume Oto didn’t even have time to react.

【Don’t you think when you insult people, it sounds more like you’re acting cute?】

“Nonsense, woof!

Back when I lived in the orphanage, no one could out-curse me.”

Back then, one “idiot” plus a punch was enough to make them seethe silently.

It felt like the punch was the important part.

The eyeball immediately broke into a cold sweat.

It didn’t dare move either—Natsume Oto’s hand was still pressing on it, and getting punched would be bad.

It could only cast a helpless look toward Florna.

But Florna was already completely absorbed in the wonders of the phone.

*Doll, Item No. 11.

A non-biological entity capable of free movement.

Its lies can make people believe them wholeheartedly.

It enjoys pranks.*

This ability…

Florna felt a bad premonition and frowned slightly.

“The photo’s here!”

Opening the gallery, the doll’s appearance came into view.

In the photo was a cloth doll about the size of a palm.

Its eyes were two black buttons, sewn crookedly onto its face—one higher, one lower.

Its mouth was stitched into a large “V” shape, giving it a somewhat sly look.

It was clearly the image of an ordinary cloth doll.

Yet Florna’s pupils contracted.

The Delusional Doll.

It was in this world too?

The Delusional Doll could grant its holder the power to twist perception, completely reversing truth and falsehood before one’s eyes.

It was essentially a lie-based version of cognitive tampering.

This ability had caused endless trouble for the hero’s party when it first consisted of only three members.

Judging from the information, the Delusional Doll had also gained self-awareness.

That meant it very likely remembered that incident—and had come to seek revenge on her.

Although Florna now had many countermeasures against lies, if the Delusional Doll were to cause havoc in Qingteng City, her retirement life would truly be over.

How unfortunate.

Ulru’s issue wasn’t even resolved yet, and now another headache had appeared.