The Wedding Scammer, Part 2
1598 Words
“Imagine that... 65,000 guintos we've toiled for months... it all went down the drain that day.”
Yulissa cuts in.
“Anything else you might want to share that could help us solve the case?”
Tibbie answers, “We have the receipts of our transactions with him. Let me get them first.”
One minute later, he hands us the receipts.
One of them catches our eyes, simply because the prices are suspicious by themselves.
The Blooming Rafflesia
Hoobibowm, Mielong Prefecture
Kabuzu Quattuorze, Owner/Proprietor
RECEIPT OF PAYMENT
Name: Tiburcio Villamor Nithercott / Marla Febland
Item: One (1) Wedding Package
Particulars:
Tuxedo rental: 1,000 guintos
Wedding dress rental: 1,000 guintos
Usage of the Temple of the Most High: 3,000 guintos
Decorations (flowers, ribbons, etc.): 2,000 guintos
Reception booking (includes catering): 3,000 guintos
Hiring of bards and minstrels: 2,000 guintos
Wedding souvenirs: 3,000 guintos
Miscellaneous expenses: 50,000 guintos
TOTAL: 65,000 guintos
This receipt serves as proof of transaction.
Indeed, those prices are suspicious, especially on those miscellaneous expenses.
I ask him, “Did you ask him about those miscellaneous expenses?”
“Yes, I did. But he always dodged the question, saying that the other items listed, while they're relatively cheap, are still of high quality.”
Marla adds, “Yes, indeed. For example, that tuxedo and wedding dress. While they're relatively old, they still look stunning because they are properly maintained by the tailor and laundrywoman he hired.”
Laika concludes, “Well... what are we waiting for? Let's all get to the root of this fishy transaction. We'll visit the scammer's office right away.”
Tibbie responds, “Yes. Last time we've checked it since the wedding, it was abandoned. Good thing no one looted that place.”
We three, alongside the couple, then all head outside to search for the scammer's office, The Blooming Rafflesia, which is surprisingly not hard.
It's just located two blocks away from the couple's house.
A pair of constabulary officers is currently safeguarding the entrance to the office. We promptly salute the two.
“Oh, so you three are the ones sent by the military school to investigate?”
“Obviously. We even have the authorization from the superintendent.”
I then present the officers the mission briefing.
“Very well. You may proceed inside. And to Mr. Nithercott and Ms. Febland... may you achieve justice.”
Once we five get inside, I can say nothing but the following as we all have to tread carefully in order not to tamper with potential pieces of evidence laying around.
“Man, what a mess. Looks like this place is ransacked... or is made to look like it is ransacked.”
“What makes you say that?” Marla inquires.
Laika responds, “There are no signs of struggle... at least not from the magical aura that still lingers here. The target must've done a sloppy job making his office look messy.”
I can spot coffee table books depicting various wedding themes that are being made to look like they've been used to no end and thrown haplessly, floral decorations whose petals are made to look like they were cut by swords, and bits and pieces of paper that are scattered on the floor but actually belong to the trash bin, which was made to look like it was tipped over.
We five carefully pick up the pieces of paper and sort them carefully.
The next ten minutes are then spent by the couple to search for potential clues and leads that are found in those random pieces of paper, while we three search the rest of the office for anything else that would be incriminating.
“Brother, look! It's a sphaeramnis!”
The magical audiovisual playback device just sits on top of a credenza.
Most likely, the target keeps at least five of these for archiving of past wedding clips.
Alright, we have to see the contents of this sphaeramnis by turning it on.
We three expect a wedding clip.
But instead...
We unknowingly watch a short clip of a middle-aged man who is obviously touching himself, judging by the O-face he makes.
Unmistakably... we are all displeased by this flagrant display of shamelessness.
“Displeased” may even be too kind a word to describe what our faces look like right now.
“Oh no! My eyes... they burn! They burn! This one's worse than those two girls and that one cup!”
“The audacity of him having to make such a clip for his own twisted definition of fun!”
“Brother, cover my eyes! Or better yet, get me some brain bleach!”
We are all aware of off-brand stuff beforehand... but this clip? This is more than just off-brand!
It's an abomination! A menace to the likes of us who are living decently!
And as for what my innocent little sister calls “brain bleach”? Pity that it's not invented yet!
Come on, researchers! You need to do something to scrub off memories of vile things from our brains! And the brains of other potential victims of this repulsive clip as well!
Thankfully, the nasty clip lasts only a minute.
Sure, I didn't puke unlike when I rode two amusement rides, but this rancidity is wrong on so many levels.
Nevertheless, we must hold on to this as a potential piece of evidence.
And keep it a secret from the couple, of course, for decency's sake.
After we three agree to keep the sphaeramnis, we face the couple with straight faces, mainly to hide the bad aftertaste from that revolting clip we just saw.
“Tibbie, Marla, we've gathered enough evidence on our end.”
“Yes, we did, too. With these pieces of paper laying around, we can contact the people whom the scammer communicated with for more valuable info.”
“Great going. Now then, let's go back to your house and do some planning.”
“Agreed.”
But once we five are on our way back, we find the house in the midst of a burglary attempt by ten scimitar-wielding goons.
Tibbie doesn't mince any words for them.
“Out of our house, burglars!”
The would-be burglars then face us, with their self-proclaimed leader stating...
“Ha! You do have lots of cojones to stand up to us. You do know who you're trifling with, right, gullible adventurers? And look what you've hired! A clueless harem protagonist, a bumbling gringa, and a cutie-cute-cute child who's certainly not a full-fledged lady!”
Those insults aimed at us three are nothing to those coming from a famous chef known to punish incompetence!
Marla calmly whispers to us, “You know what to do, right?”
We three nod in agreement.
The burglar leader declares thus...
“Alright, men! After them!”
As we quickly draw our sabers, the adventurer couple brings out their own weapons of choice.
Tibbie wields a main gauche, while Marla busts out her pilgrim's staff.
So, it's five against ten, huh?
What we've learned so far in combat classes pays off, as we easily do menacing counters on the bandits who just employ the “attack, attack, attack” pattern.
No surprises here; all but the leader are easily knocked out.
The leader is a different story.
His reflexes are quicker than we initially thought, and thus we can't land hits on him no matter how hard we try.
Fortunately, Tibbie's reflexes match those of the leader's.
His speedy, agile strikes at least make a dent on the leader's scimitar.
OK, we can at least learn something from him.
Marla, meanwhile, brings out her ace in the hole.
“Haste makes no waste! Heisbilis!”
She casts the standard hastening spell one by one on us all, enabling us three and Tibbie to overpower the bandit with our blistering attack speeds.
The burglar leader now shows signs of wear and tear, and we can sense the couple emanating certain heroic auras.
Ah yes!
If we recall advanced combat lessons being taught at the Royal Academy, we can unleash “combined link attacks” when we emanate special auras that indicate if we are close to winning the battle or are on the verge of losing it.
Once we prepare our special attacks, we can then combine them all into one powerful attack that will easily hand us victory.
At the military school, this potent game-changer is the reason why unit cohesion is highly encouraged among cadets and soldiers alike.
While the burglar leader is struggling to get up, the couple releases their combined link attack.
“Taste the savagery of us newlyweds scorned! Rogue Art: Smooth Cut Sigma!”
They combine their weapons and release a horizontal s***h at the speed of sound.
As expected, the burglar leader takes a lot of damage.
“You worthless chumps! You should've bit the dust and get dumped into a landfill, you wretches!”
With that statement, he passes out, leaving him and his goons to the hands of constabulary officers.
Meanwhile... in a decrepit-looking hideout in the middle of nowhere (but still within Mielong Prefecture)...
“I knew it! That sucker couple hired a bunch of newbster cadets to get to me, uh? But then... I have all the money you've toiled for months, and much more! You've made your own bed, and now you're lying in it... hopefully for eternity! And this time, with all this hard-earned money... I'm gonna screw the rules, and I'm gonna screw those three simpletons like I've screwed you two! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!”
- Writer
