Sorcerer in the Marvel Universe

Claire stayed only a few minutes.

She’d brought over the cake, exchanged some polite conversation with her new neighbors, and left. It was simply the customary visit between neighboring shop owners.

During their brief chat, however, Evenson learned something that genuinely surprised him.

The store she’d opened right next door...

Sold mystical goods.

Exactly like his.

Ordinarily, neighboring businesses in the same niche became fierce competitors.

Evenson, however, wasn’t worried about losing customers.

His first thought was much simpler.

Is she trying to go bankrupt?

My shop is the quietest business on the entire street.

You’ve looked at my example and decided to copy it?

Does your family have too much money lying around?

Sarah leaned against the counter with a smirk.

"Didn’t someone just lecture me about not acting like a desperate creep around women?"

She folded her arms.

"And then he spends five straight minutes staring at the new girl’s chest."

"I was not."

Evenson dipped a finger into the frosting on the cake, tasted it thoughtfully, and nodded.

"The cake’s excellent."

"I was studying the decoration."

"I might try making one myself sometime."

Sarah raised an eyebrow.

"As a thank-you gift?"

"Exactly."

She casually shrugged.

"She’s pretty."

"Bit small, though."

"Maybe a B cup?"

"Nonsense."

The correction escaped Evenson before he even realized he was speaking.

"She’s obviously a thirty-six E."

...

Silence.

The moment the words left his mouth, he froze.

Sarah’s smile slowly widened.

"Thirty-six E?"

She rested her chin in one hand.

"I thought you were studying the cake."

"How exactly are you so familiar with her measurements?"

Evenson’s composure collapsed instantly.

"T-That’s beside the point!"

"I only glanced over there once."

"And purely from an artistic perspective."

He pointed accusingly at Sarah.

"Appreciation."

"Not lust."

"Don’t confuse me with you."

Sarah wasn’t buying it for a second.

"One glance and you know her bra size?"

She laughed.

"Since when did you unlock that skill?"

Then her expression softened.

"So."

"You like her."

Otherwise, he never would have become so flustered.

"What?"

"No."

"Of course not."

Sarah sighed.

"I’m a succubus."

"You honestly think you can hide feelings like that from me?"

Among demonkind, succubi were uniquely sensitive to emotions connected to love and desire.

In ancient warlock rituals, summoning one had even required an object imbued with genuine affection.

Trying to lie to Sarah about romance was almost impossible.

Evenson finally gave up.

"...Fine."

"I’ll admit it."

"I was a little interested."

"So what?"

He spread his hands helplessly.

"I’m a warlock."

"I’m still human."

"Self-control doesn’t mean becoming a monk."

"I’m twenty-one."

"Wanting to fall in love isn’t exactly a crime."

He looked at Sarah with obvious resentment.

"Besides..."

"Even you have someone you’re chasing now."

"Why am I supposed to stay single forever?"

He sighed dramatically.

"I’ve spent years watching couples parade around showing off how happy they are."

"You have any idea how much secondhand romance I’ve been forced to endure?"

The moment he finished speaking, neither Sarah nor Evenson noticed the figure lying lazily in the doorway.

Habus suddenly lifted his head.

He stared solemnly at Evenson for several long seconds.

Then he bolted toward the alley behind the shop at full speed.

Evenson blinked.

"...What’s wrong with him?"

Sarah answered matter-of-factly.

"Checking on his emergency stash."

"You mentioned ’dog food.’"

"He probably thinks someone stole it again."

Evenson grabbed his hair with both hands.

"I wasn’t talking about actual dog food!"

Three days later...

"This makes no sense."

"It really shouldn’t be happening."

Evenson stood outside his own shop muttering to himself.

Claire’s business...

Was thriving.

Both stores sold mystical curiosities.

Both occupied nearly identical locations.

They stood right beside each other.

Yet customers streamed into Claire’s shop all day long while his own remained as deserted as ever.

The comparison was painful.

"I have to see what’s going on."

He marched toward the neighboring storefront.

Sarah watched him leave.

"Oh, please."

"If you want an excuse to see the pretty girl, just admit it."

"No need to pretend this is market research."

By the time Evenson entered, night had already fallen.

The last customers had departed.

Claire sat behind the counter...

Counting cash.

Evenson’s eyes drifted to the impressive stack of bills.

...She made more tonight than I have in the last two weeks.

That actually hurts.

She looked up and smiled.

"Evenson."

"What brings you here?"

He suddenly felt awkward.

"Well..."

"I wanted to ask something."

She waited patiently.

"Why is your business so much better than mine?"

Claire calmly placed the money into a drawer.

"Before I answer..."

"Take a closer look at what I’m actually selling."

Confused, Evenson glanced around the shop.

His eyes widened.

His own store displayed charms, talismans, idols, and traditional occult merchandise.

Claire sold...

None of those.

Mounted on one wall was an ornate katana.

Soul Reaper Sword.

A blade capable of cutting wandering spirits.

Nearby hung a green gemstone suspended from a black cord.

First Hokage’s Necklace.

A sacred relic said to suppress monstrous beasts.

On another shelf rested an old-fashioned pair of thick black glasses.

The Detective’s Glasses.

See through every deception.

Then came a bizarre, spiky fruit.

Devil Fruit.

Grants extraordinary vitality to whoever consumes it.

Evenson stared.

...That’s a durian.

He looked back at Claire.

"These count as mystical merchandise?"

Someone walking in without context would think they’d stumbled into an anime convention.

Claire folded her arms.

Her expression became unexpectedly serious.

"Mr. Richter."

"I think you misunderstood something fundamental."

"What?"

"What is a merchant?"

"And what is the true purpose of mystical goods?"

Her posture straightened.

Her gaze sharpened.

For a brief moment, her entire presence seemed to transform.

Evenson instinctively took half a step backward.

He could have sworn...

...he heard faint, majestic choir music.

"A merchant sells products," he answered uncertainly.

"And mystical goods offer emotional comfort."

Claire slowly shook her head.

The invisible choir seemed to grow louder.

"No."

"A merchant doesn’t merely sell products."

"A merchant provides customers with something they genuinely want."

"As for mystical merchandise..."

She spread both hands dramatically.

"People stopped buying it because they believed in ghosts a long time ago."

"Today..."

"They buy it because it looks cool."

"...Cool?"

Evenson blinked.

"Exactly."

"If an item expresses someone’s personality..."

"If it reflects their tastes..."

"If it carries a story they’re willing to believe..."

"Then people want it."

"That’s why they come here."

Evenson lowered his head.

"...I never thought about it that way."

Claire smiled.

"Any other questions?"

He raised one finger.

"Just one."

"The background music."

She froze.

"...What?"

"The epic choir."

"It’s been playing since your speech started."

"This isn’t a movie."

Claire stared for a second before bursting into embarrassed laughter.

"Oh!"

She quickly pulled out her phone and tapped the screen.

The triumphant orchestral choir stopped instantly.

Evenson looked at her.

"...You’re an anime fan."

She scratched her cheek sheepishly.

"I really like manga and light novels."

"I kind of..."

"...slipped into protagonist speech mode."

"Heh..."

Evenson’s mouth twitched.

’Kind of’?

You practically activated a boss cutscene.

If someone less patient had wandered in, they’d probably have called for psychiatric assistance.

Claire smiled brightly.

"Thanks for playing along."

"No one’s ever humored me before."

Evenson laughed.

"It was fun."

"That’s what friends are for."

Without realizing it, he’d quietly upgraded their relationship from neighbors...

...to friends.

Claire tilted her head.

"Friends?"

She thought about it for a moment.

"...All right."

"You’ve earned that."

"I’ll call you a friend."

Evenson smiled.

"Then I won’t keep you any longer."

He knew better than to push his luck.

The evening had already gone far better than he’d expected.

Claire nodded warmly.

"See you around."

After Evenson left, Claire picked up her phone and dialed a familiar number.

"Master."

"It’s Claire."

"Sorry for calling so late."

"I hope I didn’t worry you."

A gentle voice answered from the other end.

"So?"

"How was today?"

Claire smiled faintly.

"I made a rather interesting new friend."

"A man?"

"Yes."

"Is that a problem?"

The voice on the phone grew noticeably more serious.

"Claire."

"I hope you understand something."

"Your time outside the Sanctuary is limited."

"Eventually..."

"You will return."

"If he’s only a friend, I have no objections."

A brief silence followed.

"But if your feelings become something more..."

"I hope you’ll exercise restraint."

"It can only end in heartbreak."

Claire lowered her eyes.

"I understand, Master."

"We’re only friends."

For now.

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