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"Mmm… a moving… trash can?"
"Does Belobog even have something like this?"
"Is this a local feature here?"
Watching the constantly shifting trash can on the dump, Firefly's mind went blank for a moment, and she asked with some confusion.
"Obviously not."
Clara shook her head, then slowly walked toward that peculiar trash can.
"There are indeed moving trash cans in the universe, but they wouldn't appear inside Belobog."
"So, the conclusion is quite obvious."
Clara stood in front of the trash can, reached out, and patted its lid.
"This is a normal trash can."
"But it's hiding someone… not so normal."
Clara gently stroked the trash can as she spoke softly. Then, with one swift motion, she flipped it open, lifted her foot, and gave it a solid kick.
"Wouldn't you agree, Mr. Sampo?"
The overturned trash can rolled a few times on the ground before a blue-haired head popped out from the opening.
"A person coming out of a trash can… a garbage person?"
Watching the blue-haired man emerge from the trash can, Firefly pondered for a moment before offering a rather fitting description.
"Ow, ow, ow! Who's the blind fool who dares to kick old Sampo's trash—"
Sampo slowly climbed out of the trash can, clutching his head as he stood up.
He shook his head to clear his thoughts, then looked toward the person who had kicked his trash can, ready to teach her a lesson—to make her understand that even if old Sampo isn't much of a fighter, he's not someone to be pushed around!
But when he saw clearly that it was Clara standing before him, the back of old Sampo's shirt instantly soaked through. Sweat poured from his forehead, streaming down his cheeks and dripping onto the ground.
"Oh my, oh my, who do we have here? If it isn't the boss I respect most in my entire life."
"The one old Sampo will follow for all eternity, the goal I forever aspire toward."
"Ah! My respected ruler, what brings you here?"
Sampo instantly switched to another expression—one of a subordinate relentlessly buttering up their superior.
"Cla… Clara, do you know… him?" Firefly whispered into Clara's ear, eyeing the strange garbage man before them.
"He seems really weird to me. Could he be some kind of madman?"
"I know him." Clara nodded, answering Firefly's first question. Then she addressed the second:
"As for whether his behavior is weird or if he's a madman…"
"I don't think so."
At least not among the Masked Fools…
Clara added the thought silently to herself, of course, without sharing it with Firefly.
"Oh, okay." Hearing Clara's words, Firefly didn't dwell on it further, simply accepting Sampo as a garbage man with a slightly eccentric personality.
Seeing that Firefly had no more questions, Clara turned her gaze to Sampo:
"So? Is it that Jarilo-VI doesn't welcome me, or…"
"Is it that you don't welcome me?"
"Uh…"
Hearing Clara's words, Sampo instantly broke into a cold sweat. He also understood just why Clara had come here.
She's purely here to stir up trouble…
"Not at all, not at all, Sister Clara, you're joking."
"It's just that I feel someone of your esteemed status coming to a backwater place like our Jarilo-VI might be… somewhat inappropriate."
"So, you're saying you want to chase me away?"
Clara crossed her arms, her eyes coldly fixed on Sampo, as if demanding an explanation from him.
"No, no, no, no, definitely not."
Hearing this, Sampo immediately waved his hands in denial. Even if all the [Masked Fools] showed up, they wouldn't dare try to chase Clara away. What right or ability did he have to even hint at such an idea?
"Damn that woman…"
Sampo cursed inwardly. Of course, the target of his curse wasn't Clara, but a certain florally-named individual.
In Sampo's view, it must have been that after he blocked Sparkle, she'd turned around and reported his location to Clara out of spite…
Otherwise, there was no explaining why Clara had shown up on Jarilo-VI so quickly.
If Sparkle went looking for fun with Clara and ended up crying, Sampo would just laugh and not bat an eye.
But goddammit, how did just watching that bit of fun lead to Clara appearing right in front of him?
"What I meant was, even though Sister Clara holds such a noble status, you still don't mind Jarilo's grimy environment. That kind of behavior is truly admirable."
"Old Sampo is impressed!"
"So?"
"So, since Sister Clara has come here, I should do my duty as a local and properly show Sister Clara and this, uh…"
Sampo's gaze shifted to Firefly beside Clara.
"Hello, I'm Firefly." Feeling the garbage man Sampo's eyes on her, Firefly gave a simple introduction.
"Oh, oh, Miss Firefly, a pleasure, a pleasure."
Toward someone close to Clara, Sampo didn't dare be negligent. He gave Firefly a slight bow to show his goodwill, then continued with what he was saying.
"I should do my duty as a local and properly show Sister Clara and Miss Firefly the local customs and attractions of our Jarilo-VI!"
Sampo spread his arms wide toward the sky and declared loudly.
Clara: …
Hearing Sampo's words, Clara quickly took Firefly's small hand and immediately prepared to leave.
"Huh? Clara, what's wrong?"
Seeing Clara take her hand, Firefly asked, puzzled.
"Let's go quickly, or we might get labeled as wanted criminals… any second now…"
"That person… why does he look so familiar?"
"Blue hair? A bit of a sleazy aura… yeah, that's him! The wanted criminal!"
"Quick! Get him!"
Sampo's earlier outburst had attracted the attention of the Silvermane Guards. After observing Sampo briefly, one guard picked up the abstract wanted poster drawn by Gepard, compared it, and confirmed that the Sampo before them was indeed the wanted man!
The Silvermane Guard shouted loudly, summoning all nearby guards, who swiftly surrounded Sampo, Clara, and Firefly.
"Be careful, he has accomplices!"
Seeing Clara and Firefly standing close to Sampo, the Silvermane Guards immediately classified the two as his accomplices.
Clara: …
"Oh dear, I forgot I was still a wanted criminal."
Looking at the surrounding Silvermane Guards, Sampo regretfully smacked his own forehead.
Then he leaned in close to Clara and said somewhat sheepishly:
"Um… sorry about this, Sister Clara."
"I forgot I was a wanted man and dragged you two into this."
"It's no problem at all~"
Contrary to Sampo's expectations, Clara's face showed no trace of anger. Instead, she revealed a sweet smile.
It seemed to make the very air taste faintly of sugar.
And then…
Clara drove her fist straight into Sampo's stomach.
"Agh~"
Feeling the painful blow to his gut, Sampo crouched down, clutching his abdomen in agony.
"It's fine, Uncle Sampo. We're not your accomplices, so why would we blame you~"
Clara looked at Sampo before her and promptly gave him a kick, sending him tumbling right to the feet of the Silvermane Guards.
Then Clara straightened her clothes and walked boldly up to the Silvermane Guards.
"Greetings. Clara, princess of the Snow Spirit clan."
"That name might be unfamiliar to you, but it's alright. I have another identity."
"A guest of Belobog's Supreme Guardian, Cocolia."
…
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